Английская Википедия:Du Zichun

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Шаблон:Short description "Du Zichun" (Шаблон:Zh) is a short story first published in the Tang dynasty. It revolves around the eponymous protagonist and a Taoist priest, who enlists his help in producing the elixir of life.

Plot

After spending all of his inheritance, Du Zichun (Шаблон:Lang) encounters an elderly stranger who hands him an enormous amount of money. Du spends all of that, only to meet the old man for a second time, who passes him an even greater amount of money. Despite resolving to be more disciplined, Du finds himself penniless again. For yet another time, the old man bails Du out. This time, he uses the money to help both the needy and his family members. Upon reconvening with the old man, Du learns that he is a Taoist priest. The priest brings Du to Mount Hua, where he is making the elixir of life. Du is tasked with smelting the elixir; the priest enjoins him to remain silent no matter what happens.

Du begins to experience a series of intense hallucinations involving an army, terrifying animals, and violent weather. He is unfazed, even as he meets a legion of demons who boil and dismember his wife, before fatally torturing Du himself. Reborn as the daughter of a local magistrate in Shanfu County, Songzhou, Du-as-woman remains silent for several years and is assumed to be mute, although she is also reputed for her beauty. She marries a scholar and gives birth to a boy. Two years pass, and not a single word has been exchanged between husband and wife. Exasperated at Du-as-woman's silence, the scholar takes their child and dashes him against the rocks. Du lets out a cry of anguish and instantly finds himself back at Mount Hua. The elixir is destroyed and the temple is engulfed by purple flames. The priest tells Du that although he has renounced feelings of joy, anger, sadness, and fear, he has not let go of love. Disappointed in himself, Du returns home. He later attempts to retrace his steps at Mount Hua but the old man is nowhere to be seen.

Authorship and publication history

"Du Zichun" was first published in the Tang dynasty and began circulating as a popular story in the 800s.Шаблон:Sfn It is the first entry of the Xuanguai lu (Шаблон:Lang; Records of the Mysterious and Strange) by Niu Sengru, dated between 805 and 826.Шаблон:Sfn The story is also collected in the Xu Xuanguai lu (Шаблон:Lang; Sequel to the Record of Dark Mysteries) by Li Fuyan (Шаблон:Lang),Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn as well as the Taiping Guangji,Шаблон:Sfn which attributes authorship to Li.Шаблон:Sfn However, according to Sing-chen Lydia Chiang, "the consensus of several contemporary scholars points to Niu Sengru as the real author of the story."Шаблон:Sfn An English translation of the story by James R. Hightower, titled "The Alchemist", was published in 2000.Шаблон:Sfn

Analysis and reception

According to Carrie Reed, the story is an example of chuanqi (tales of the strange).Шаблон:Sfn Whereas the story has a Taoist setting, Sheng-Tai Chang argues that its themes are "clearly Buddhist".Шаблон:Sfn John Minford and Joseph Lau write that the story pertains to the "illusory nature of human existence" and the "reality that lies beyond the illusion of the emotions."Шаблон:Sfn Lau adds that "Du Zichun" is a "moral commentary on the paradoxical nature of immortality",Шаблон:Sfn while David Shulman describes the story as a "powerful illustration of the pathos and paradox of ultimate detachment."Шаблон:Sfn William Nienhauser writes that the story is "an exploration of the limits of the self and transformation".Шаблон:Sfn

Qian Xiyan (Шаблон:Lang), a literary critic active in the late Ming dynasty, found that the story justified his "overwhelming grief at the death of his young son".Шаблон:Sfn

Inspiration

"Du Zichun" has many significant parallels with "Lieshi chi" (Шаблон:Lang; "Pool of the Hero"),Шаблон:Sfn a seventh-century parable collected in the seventh volume of the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions by Xuanzang.Шаблон:Sfn In "Lieshi chi", a Taoist priest similarly rescues a man from poverty and tasks him with helping to cultivate the elixir of life. The man remains silent throughout a perceived sixty-five years of reincarnation, only to forget his vow after being reborn as a woman whose husband is threatening to kill their child unless she speaks.Шаблон:Sfn Ninth-century stories like "Wei Zidong" (Шаблон:Lang) and "Xiao Dongxuan" (Шаблон:Lang), written around the same time as "Du Xichun", also share many important plot points with "Lieshi chi".Шаблон:Sfn

Adaptations

The story has been adapted by many other writers, often with modifications to the ending. "Du Zichun san ru Chang'an" (Шаблон:Lang; "Du Zichun enters Chang'an three times") by Feng Menglong retains much of the original plot in "Du Zichun", but allows its protagonist to successfully continue pursuing immortality after his initial setback.Шаблон:Sfn The Qing dynasty short story "Yangzhou meng" (Шаблон:Lang; "Dreams in Yangzhou") by Yue Duan (Шаблон:Lang) likewise retells "Du Zichun" but with a happy ending.Шаблон:Sfn In the Japanese short story "Toshishun" (1920) by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, the protagonist fails the test but as a son grieving for his mother, who has been reborn as a horse.Шаблон:Sfn Moreover, both he and the Taoist priest remain optimistic about the future.Шаблон:Sfn

References

Works cited

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