WIND: CHAPTER ONE
BY ZUIXIHU XINYUE ZHUREN
This is the first chapter of Wind 風, the first of the set of four erotic novellas called Pleasant Spring and Fragrant Character 宜春香質 written by “The Moon-Heart Master of the Drunken West Lake 醉西湖心月主人” in the Chonzhen reign (1627-44) and introduced here.
Wind, Chapter One: An Open Ruse in the Study; a Secret Passage upon the Couch[1]
In wanton youth, passion drifts like blown blossom; wherever it alights, it clings, till every former stem is spent. Seductive and unrestrained, it traffics itself amongst butterflies. Before the pillow, dreams tumble in cuckoo cries;
beneath the quilt, tenderness tastes Heaven’s hidden savour. Night after night, each would be a new lover, as the heart desires.
Thrice thrice thrice—never wearied; four and four and four—envied at dusk. Suddenly one collides with a fiend of reckless charm. Shunned by the upright, cast off in shame, falling in with the base and wandering to destitution, suffering miseries none may ask of the world— and now becomes a tender youth, sunk yet further in dalliance.
—To the tune of “Red River of the West”
The affections of Heaven above are less than those that dwell among us; for where feeling finds its true home, it is in our own kind. If we were without feeling, then feeling itself would perish. With deeper feeling, one may yet incline toward goodness; without feeling, one may incline toward wrongdoing. Falling further into wanton feeling, one may do good, or one may do ill alike.
If the world be without feeling, I would have it possess some; if the world be drowned in feeling, I may yet abide in its excess. But when feeling reaches such extremity, it harms the world; it belongs to feeling, and yet destroys feeling itself. Thus, when feeling is first injured, the world in the end suffers its folly.
Who then shall bear the blame? Consider well: from ancient times, natures as shifting as water and drifting blossoms—fickle in the morning, changed by evening—have there been any who remained steadfast in doing good?
Though all men under Heaven be thus, how may I alone presume to judge them? Yet let but one example be set forth, that countless others may behold it—so that at the mere sight, their hearts grow cold with dread; that they repent their faults and amend them. Was it not for such cause that the Master did not wholly expunge the songs of Zheng and Wei? They must needs be read with discernment and understanding.[2]
It is told that at Tiger Hill in Suzhou there lived a youth named Sun Yi, styled Yizhi.[3] His bearing was elegant and his speech refined; a delicate fragrance seemed to cling about him. His figure was graceful and alluring, as though carved from jade; his bearing light and wandering, with a charm that floated like a breeze. Slender and comely in figure, he had but reached his twelfth year, and already delighted in the making of companions.
Among a circle of students who read under one Master Shen, there was one somewhat older—in his eighteenth year—named Li Zunxian, who was much given to seducing pretty younger boys. When he encountered little[4] Sun, who was himself of a yielding and playful temper, he took especial notice of him.
One day, the master being absent from his house, the students were gathered together for sport—casting lots, playing at cards, and amusing themselves for a time. Li Zunxian, finding little Sun greatly to his taste, said, “Let us now play at the Champion’s Fist.[5] He who wins the title shall give commands, and whatever he bids must be done. If any refuse, the winner will punish him with three pokes into his fundament.”
All agreed, saying, “So be it,” and together they placed their bets. Fortune favoured little Sun, who became the Champion, while Li Zunxian lost. Sun ordered him to loosen his hair, tie it into five maidenly coils, and serve wine; he also made him dress as a woman and sing a song. Thus was Li Zunxian made the sport of all. They cast lots again, and this time Li Zunxian became the champion, while Little Sun lost.
“I shan’t make you kneel, nor shall I make you loosen your hair,” said Li. “I ask only that you take on the manner of a courtesan—drink wine with me, and kiss with tongues at play.” Little Sun did all of this.
They played yet again. “This time the Champion will claim thrusting into the bottom,” said Li Zunxian.
“So be it,” said little Sun.
“And if someone is unwilling,” some among them asked, “what is to be done then?”
“Whoever refuses shall be punished by sucking cock,” answered Li.
Everyone laughed and said, ‘So be it. So be it.”
Once more Li Zunxian won the title, whilst little Sun came second. “As fellow scholars, let’s take charge of this for the runner-up,” said Li, and he ordered little Sun to take off his trousers accordingly. Little Sun looked troubled.
“It was agreed beforehand,” said Li, “otherwise you must suck cock.” Thereupon he revealed a huge cock, about eight inches in length[6] and of a girth that filled the hand.
Little Sun took hold of it and said, “This thing is enormous. It must hurt to endure it.”
“A small one gives scant delight,” replied Li, “but a bigger one, once it pushes inside the fundament, gives rise to a strange mingling of sensations—fullness, warmth, and a certain quickening that stirs the very depths. With each thrust, it brings mounting pleasure so blissful it’s beyond description.”
“You smooth-talker, do you think I know nothing of such matters?” said little Sun. “Only the other day, I saw a singing boy thrusting into another’s bottom; all day long he sighed and moaned as if it were a delight. I too was stirred within, and wished to make trial of it. It so happened a new companion came to my house and slept with me, and I wanted to try it with him. When I touched him, he proved not unskilled—so then we touch each other, he probing at my fundament and I fingering his. Nevertheless, my cock was not hard and he, being two years my elder, was somewhat larger—though not half the size of yours. When he pinned me down and thrust at me, I could feel only pain and distress—what fun is there in that? Thus I cast that fancy from my mind. And now you come with your persuasions—I will not heed you.”
“That kinsman of yours was only eleven,” replied Li Zunxian. “His vital force was not yet fully ripened, so he couldn’t last long, and hence there was no pleasure. But if you were to encounter my hard cock, I guarantee your juices will flow continuously and you will be so overwhelmed with pleasure that you will not willingly let me go.”
“Very well. You speak of it in such marvellous terms that I will give myself to you,” said little Sun. “Yet if I find no pleasure in it, I shall never again listen to your words.”
“If I fail to bring you delight,” answered Li Zunxian, “I’ll submit to whatever punishment you choose.”
“In that case,” said little Sun, “I will do as you say and let you handle me as you will.”
Li Zunxian laid little Sun upon a low couch, pulled off his trousers,[7] and had him face the bench with his bottom in the air. Taking some spittle, he smeared it on little Sun’s bottom. The latter, in some alarm, murmured, fearing others, but Li was already at the gate.
The hole was small and unyielding; despite repeated attempts, he could not penetrate. “It hurts a lot,” said little Sun. ”Let’s stop.”
“The good part comes later,” replied Li. “I haven’t dared advance quickly for fear of hurting you, and so delayed; but if I move more forcefully, the pleasure will be much greater.
“It’s going to hurt either way,” said the boy, “so you might as well go ahead and enter me.”
“In that case, grasp and hold your buttocks in both hands as if you were straining to relieve yourself,” said Li, “give a mighty heave, and I’ll enter at that moment.”
He again smeared spittle on his cock, positioned it at the entrance to little Sun’s bottom, and cried out, “Strain hard!” Sun strained with one strong push, and Li seized the moment to gain entry.
Little Sun drew his legs in and cried, ‘Slow down!’ but half had already halfway passed through. “It’s terrifying;” he said. “it’s so tight inside.” Li gave another thrust, reaching the hilt, and then began to thrust in and out vigorously.
Little Sun could hardly bear the pain of the assault; Li alternately thrust hard and teased gently, growing ever more urgent with each stroke. After a while, Sun felt a moist, slippery sensation within his fundament, so that movement in and out was easy and as desired. Gradually, moisture came from within; he felt a tingling itch that was strangely pleasurable, and could not help grunting as his waist bucked, his body twisted wildly, and his legs drew together. Before long his breath grew faint, he moaned, and he gasped for air, his mind drifting away, lost in ecstasy.
Li Zunxian, perceiving his delight, thrust with renewed vigour. Little Sun, , now fully immersed in pleasure, cried out, “My dear elder brother, this is truly delightful!” His whole body convulsed as he moved upwards wildly, then turned his head to press his lips against Li’s, their tongues entwining.
Just as their passion was at its height, they heard the master knocking at the door again and again. Unable to consummate their union, they hastily dressed and rose. The master was checking his notes and preparing for the next lesson. After a while, he dismissed the class.
Little Sun returned home in a foul mood. “‘That old fossil, that damned wretch, that base spoilsport!” he cursed. “Why did he have to come then of all times? Just as things were reaching their peak, he barged in, leaving me suspended—neither fulfilled nor released, like honey set before the lips but never tasted.” He sat in the study, refusing to eat, gritting his teeth in bitter resentment.
Presently a page boy[8] came to summon him to supper. Little Sun looked at the boy and saw that he was rather clean—with smoothly combed hair and a freshly washed face—and rather good-looking. I’d better make do with him, thought Sun. So he said aloud, “Bring your bedding to my room tonight to sleep in my company. My mind is ill at ease, and I have no appetite for food.”
The young servant informed his mistress,[9] who went to inquire after his health in person. ”I’m not ill, only weary in spirit,” said little Sun. “I would sleep awhile; and if I wake and desire food, let the servant boy attend me here.”
“So be it,” replied the mistress. “Stay in the study then. But if anything is wrong, come within, that I may tend you.”
“It’s nothing serious,” said little Sun. “I’ll be fine after a short nap. Please don’t let anyone disturb me.”
The mistress instructed the servant boy, bidding him, “Attend carefully upon Sixth Uncle,”[10] and then she left.
The page lit the lamp, made the bed, and urged little Sun to sleep. ““I’ll sit for a while longer,” said little Sun. “You go to sleep first.”
“I would attend upon Sixth Uncle until he falls asleep,” replied the servant boy.
“How old are you this year?” asked Sun.
“Sixteen,” replied the page.
Little Sun smiled faintly. “And do you not think of taking a wife?”
The servant boy blushed and said, “Sixth Uncle is teasing again. Who would not want to take a wife? But where could I go to find one?”
“I’ve heard that you and young Wang have some mischievous dealings together,” said little Sun. “Is it true?”
“Sixth Uncle, it would be better to sleep,” replied the page, uneasy.
“I have heard this kind of matter ought to be reported to the master,” continued little Sun, “and that both of you would suffer the rod for it. I didn’t know if it was true, so I asked young Wang. He confessed at once and begged me repeatedly. I spared him and kept quiet. But you now before me pretend still to know nothing. If I tell the master tomorrow, and the blows fall on you, let’s see if you’ll still be able to deny it then.”
At this the page grew alarmed and said hastily, “Sixth Uncle, please do not be angry; there is indeed some truth in it.”
“He says it was you who seduced him,” said little Sun.
“Sixth uncle, don’t listen to him,” replied the page. “He’s two years older than me, and I’m comelier than him—why would I seduce him, when he should be the one wanting to seduce me?”
“That makes perfect sense,” said little Sun. “It seems on the contrary that he seduced you. Tell me now, is it fun?”
“It is indeed quite rather fun,” answered the page. “If it were nothing but pain, who would do it?”
“What is it like?” asked little Sun.
“It hurts a bit at first,” replied the page, “but after a while, it becomes quite pleasant—a sort of tingling, like a tickle. The longer it goes on, the better it gets. But if, at the height of excitement, one comes too soon, it spoils the mood.”
“Does young Wang satisfy you fully?” asked little Sun.
“As for him, he’s like an old man carrying water,” said the pageboy, shaking his head. “He stumbles the moment he steps through the door. He’s useless.”
“Then who is good?” asked little Sun.
The pageboy hesitated and fell silent.
Little Sun pressed him: “Why do you not say? Who is it? Tell me at once.”
“Since Sixth Uncle asks,” answered the pageboy, “I can only tell him. Only the Third Master.[11] Once he sets to it, the delight is beyond measure. I’ve come twice or thrice before he is finished. His cock is truly a marvellous thing. It’s big, hot, hard, thick, firm and lasts a long time; it feels absolutely splendid.”
“This night I shall also bring you such delight,” said little Sun.
“Sixth Uncle makes bold claims,” said the pageboy. “I fear he may not make them good.”
“Only wait and see,” said little Sun.
The two of them blew out the lamp, embraced each other, and climbed onto the bed. Little Sun reached out and Sun felt the pageboy’s cock; though not particularly large, it was burning hot. The pageboy also felt his young master’s rod; it was as slender as the tip of a brush and no more than two inches long.[12] “Sixth Uncle,” he said, “yours is far too small. How can you possibly satisfy anyone?”
“Give it a try,” replied the young master. Moistening it with spittle, he guided it within, but it went limp after only a moment.
“It won’t do,” the pageboy said. “Yours is no use; I’m ten times better than you.”
“Come on,” said little Sun, “let’s have a contest and see who’s better.”
“I’ll make sure you’re thoroughly satisfied, Sixth Uncle,” replied the pageboy. He thereupon took hold of little Sun’s bottom and began to thrust. Yet even as his ardour grew, he came.
“Why have you stopped?” asked little Sun.
“I’ve come,” replied the pageboy.
“All hangs upon pleasure,” said little Sun. “If you cannot satisfy me, I will have nothing to do with you. You must satisfy me or I shan’t let you go.”
“Let me stiffen it again,” said the pageboy. He grasped one end and rubbed the other until it grew hard again. This time it lasted much longer than before. When it was over, little Sun’s desire was still not sated, so the pageboy coaxed and fondled him. Then he pleaded, “Have mercy on me.”
“If I spare you,” said little Sun, “you must devise a plan whereby I can secretly be with the Third Master for a night, then I’ll let you go.”
“That’s not difficult,” replied the pageboy. “I have a brilliant plan to ensure Uncle enjoys Third Master’s fine endowment without suspecting it is Sixth Uncle. Every night without fail Third Master plies me with wine. Now that I’m staying in Uncle’s quarters, when Third Master returns tomorrow he will surely summon me as before. I’ll find a way to open the door; I’ll go out and you’ll go in, take off your clothes and get into bed. He’ll be drunk and will immediately mount what lies before him. Only you must absolutely not make a sound. Who then would know? This way it will not be found out and all ends in delight. What do you think?”
“Brilliant,” said little Sun. “We’ll carry out this plan tomorrow night.”
On the morrow he went as usual to the school.
That evening the Third Master said, “Boy, make ready the bed and attend me as I sleep.”
The page helped the Third Master onto the bed, and the latter wanted at once to proceed as accustomed. “Let me first go and check on Sixth Uncle,” said the pageboy.
“Lie down first,” said the Third Master. “Waiting a while will not be too late. I’m burning with desire.”
The pageboy had no choice but to agree and climb into bed, and the two of them began to make love. Little Sun, hidden, was so agitated he couldn’t help letting slip a muffled cough.
The pageboy, upon hearing it, feigned alarm. “Oh, I’ve forgotten to put away the chamber pot,” he said. “It mustn’t be carried off by the night watchman.”
“Then go and fetch it,” said the Third Master. “Tonight I will certainly carry on until dawn.”
“Don’t make a sound,” whispered the page, “lest others hear and spoil the fun.”
“Hurry there and back,” said the Third Master. “There’s no need to put your clothes on.”
“I’m going,” said the page, “and I’ll return at once.” He opened the door, picked up the chamber pot, and brought it out to little Sun.
Little Sun slipped within and took his place. “Come quickly,” said the Third Master. “I’m going to enjoy you to the full.”
Little Sun said nothing, but climbed onto the bed. The Third Master, his desire at its height, at once seized and held him, and set about the act. Luckily, because little Sun had listened outside the door to them being so wild, his excitement was already stirred, and he could hardly wait.
The Third Master’s wine-induced excitement was at its height, and he pressed on with increasing ardour, his motions ever more urgent. Little Sun, overcome with mingled anguish and delight, could not control himself, but yielded and answered in kind. In this way they carried on without stop until the pre-dawn hours.[13] The more and more the Third Master exerted himself, the more and more was little Sun delighted. Gradually his strength gave way, and he lay spent, panting without cease, as though scarcely able to endure the sweetness of it. At last, with a sudden shudder, the Third Master finished the act. Little Sun, though overcome, scarcely knew how he might extricate himself afterwards—listen to the next chapter for the explanation.
Continue to Chapter Two: In the Village of Weilu, Bitter Tears Are Shed; Wang Qianwen Lies Amidst the Fragrant Flowers of the Willow Grove
Request to the reader
If the translation of all four novellas making up Pleasant Spring and Fragrant Character is finished, Arcadian Dreams will consider publishing it as a paperback and Kindle, but only if it thinks there will be demand for it. Your advice given in a comment below would be much appreciated. Would you rather read this story here or as a paperback? In fact, the work involved in making a translation that is both accurate and readable is so time-consuming that it may well be abandoned altogether. Please say whether you like this story or not. Would you definitely read it to the end?
[1] Literally, this chapter title translates as “In the Study, the Plank Road Is Openly Built; Upon the Couch, Chencang Is Secretly Passed,” but n the literary references are so obscure for most non-Chinese that phrases with more obvious meaning have been adopted instead. Building a “plank Road” comes famously from military strategy, where one undertakes this visible, obvious action to hide one’s true intentions. Chencang was a historically strategic pass.
[2] “The Master” always means Confucius in literary discussion of classical writing. Zheng and Wei were two ancient states whose songs were sensuous and sometimes criticised as licentious, but were nevertheless retained as part of the Classic of Poetry, the oldest collection of Chinese verse.
[3] Sun was his surname and Yi his personal name, but use of a personal name was a little discourteous, so he was more usually called by a courtesy name: Yizhi.
[4] 小 xiao, meaning “little” or “young” is a way of describing Sun rather than a nickname used in direct speech.
[5] Champion’s Fist was a drinking and guessing game using hand signs, resulting in one player becoming the Champion and exacting forfeits enabling the loser to do something naughty and fun under the fiction of its being an obligation. In the present context, where there was sexual content, it might be compared to playing “rock-paper-scissors” followed in this case by Strip Poker.
[6] Literally, Li’s cock was “six or seven cùn in length.” One cùn was about 3.15 cm.
[7] Except in cold weather, when an additional layer of clothing might be worn, 17th-century Chinese wore nothing underneath their loose trousers, so little Sun was now naked below his waist.
[8] The word here translated as “page boy” is 書僮 shū tóng, meaning literally a “study boy”, in practise a boy servant who attended a schoolboy or scholar, performing tasks like carrying books, preparing ink and brushes, making beds and running errands.
[9] The word translated in this chapter as “mistress” is 奶奶 nǎinai, which could mean “paternal grandmother”, but was also used for the master’s wife, as its use by the pageboy suggests is the case here. Her relationship to little Sun is never specified, but the subsequent description of him as “Sixth Uncle” suggests the Master of the household was not his father, but rather his eldest (and far older) brother, and hence the mistress his sister-in-law.
[10] “Sixth Uncle” refers to our hero, “Little” Sun Yi. 叔 shū, meaning literally a father’s younger brother, was a respectful term with which a servant would address junior male relations of the master. It matters nought that in this case the boy addressed as “Uncle” was in fact much younger than the servant. “Sixth” implies Little Sun was the sixth “uncle” in rank, most likely the master’s sixth brother.
[11] The “Third Master”, as addressed by a servant, ought to be the third in a generation younger than the generation he styles “Uncles”. The most likely deduction is that the Third Master is a nephew of little Sun, even though there are strong indications he is much older: whereas little Sun is only ten or eleven, has a tiny cock and can only succeed in the passive role, the Third Master’s cock is big and thick and he automatically and successfully assumes the active role with boys. It was hardly rare in a polygamous society for the youngest members of one generation to be much younger than their elder nephews in the generation below.
In confirmation of the family relationships suggested so far, in Chapter II the Third Master calls the mistress of the household “Mother”.
[12] His cock was “no more than one and a half cun long, ie. about 5 cm.
[13] More specifically, 五更時分 means the fifth watch of the night, roughly around 4 am.
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