--- title: A Story of Old China, part 4 — Gleanings from Chinese folklore · full text with trees description: A Story of Old China, part 4, «Gleanings from Chinese folklore» by Nellie Naomi Russell: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: As she closed the letter she said, “Thanks to the gods who took my child in safety. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/20/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Gleanings from Chinese folklore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/) / A Story of Old China, part 4 # A Story of Old China, part 4 A Story of Old China, part 4 of «Gleanings from Chinese folklore» by Nellie Naomi Russell: the whole text, 151 sentences and 2529 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/20/page/2/) As she closed the letter she said, “Thanks to the gods who took my child in safety.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") My husband has then a wife and son.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") My own son is provided for; my heart is at rest.”[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") She then wrote the following letter:[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") “My little sister and virtuous husband: your letters of invitation are at hand.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") I cannot thank you enough for your goodness to my boy.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") I do not desire comforts and luxuries for myself.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") I only desire his best good.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") That has come.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") I have suffered only that the boy and his father might be united.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") You need not be anxious about me.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") I am entirely satisfied.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") The Superior Man may be poor in bodily comforts, but he is not poor in wisdom or virtue.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") The tiger may be very thin, but the strength of his heart is not diminished.”[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she called the servants, who came and gave her a greeting.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") They said they had everything ready to take her back with them.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Also two women-servants were waiting in the cart for her.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Yü Yüch Ying said:[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") “I am poor, I have nothing to give you for all your long, weary journey.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Please return and take this letter; I will not go with you now.”[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The servants all urged her and plead with her; showed her the boxes of garments, the silver sent for the journey; praised the beautiful home waiting for her, told of the kind old people, and most charming younger sister.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") To all she turned a deaf ear.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") “My son has found his father; the latter has comforts and riches; I will abide here; here where I have suffered will I live my life; I care not for riches; although I am poor I am not covetous.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Our great sage said, The Superior Man may be poor, but he will never be covetous.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Although I am poor you must not try to make me ashamed, and you need not praise their riches; I may not always be poor and they may not always be rich.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") The gods deal out to men their lives, I am content.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") In the spring the grass sends up its shoots; autumn comes and the leaves fall.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") In the autumn of life we will compare our fates.”[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") As she said this the tears came; all the years of loneliness and sadness swept over her; she could not accept comforts from him who had been untrue to her, or from the one who had her place.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") The servants said:[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") “Lady Yü, you are indeed a Superior Woman.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") If we go back without you, you must at least keep the garments and the money.”[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") These she at first refused, but at last, to satisfy them, as she knew that the servants would suffer if she did not, she said:[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") “I do not want the silks and velvets; take those back with you.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") How would I, a beggar, look in such garments.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Give me a few changes of cotton garments; they will fit my station better and I will not appear to be other than I am.”[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") This was done after much protesting; then she accepted a few ounces of silver, and told them they might use the rest on the journey back.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") They said:[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") “We have a plenty for all; we will put this in the care of a big store here; our master is part owner in it, and you must go to him for it when you need it.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") You must promise us this for the sake of your son.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") You must not cause him to weep, and be sad, because of your living in useless poverty.”[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") She promised them she would go when she had need of money and get from the store for her use, and with great reluctance the servants, again prostrating themselves, left her; they returned to the south and she entered her poor little room.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Years came and went; to all the letters Lady Yü returned an answer that she was in need of nothing and would not leave her native city.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") The boys grew up together.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") They were very bright, and year by year took high honours in the examinations.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") In all the province there was no other student equal to Ting Lang.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") He was the talk of the city; and people predicted a great fortune for him.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") When he was seventeen, he and his brother went to Peking to take the examinations for the higher degrees; for these they not only wrote the three-page essay, but also a two-page “Chin Tsin,” or a short account of the family, going back several generations and giving the official positions of any of their ancestors.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") When Ting Lang entered his name and his brother’s for the examinations they had given the name of Hu and as he had not sought out his mother, no one knew that the much-talked-of young student was of the old house of Tu.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") His enemy, Yen Sung, had no thought of fear from the family.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") He was the great examiner, the head of the Hau Lin College.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") In all the Empire no one could write such characters as he.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") (At the present time, characters written by him hang in the Hall of Classics in Peking as a model of perfect writing.)[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Year by year his power had grown until the Emperor was almost a figurehead and hated him, yet no one dared to impeach him.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Ting Lang came with three hundred and fifty-nine other men who had the degree of “Chin Shib,” to be examined for “Chuang Yuan,” the highest degree in the Empire, and a degree only given to one man once in three years.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") This year it came to Ting Lang and the degree of “Pang Yen” to his brother.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Ting Lang’s writing was pronounced perfect by the Emperor, the style most elegant.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") At the close of the examinations a great feast was given; among those present was a powerful official by name of Hai Jui.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") He was noted as a man of great ability and as an honest and upright minister.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") He knew the story of Ting Lang’s life; felt that the time had come to expose the great Yen Sung, so at the great feast following the examinations he wrote the following on slips of paper and sent them quietly among the students:[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") “A great man has come among us in our new ‘Chuang Yuan.’[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") Although a boy in years, he is a man, yes a son of a god in ability and talent.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") He will be of great use to his country.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") There are officials—yes, great ones—who are traitors to the good of their country; these we must put down and give men of ability a chance.”[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") Every one knew this referred to Yen Sung though no name was given.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") After the feast the students all waited outside the Hall for Yen Sung to come for audience with the Emperor.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") As he came near to his chair, Ting Lang walked up to him and said:[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") “You great traitor to your country; you crafty minister; you control and insult the Emperor, hold under as slaves all officials of the Empire; you oppressor of the people, your sun is set.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") Your sons are like you in wickedness; your steward is a devil, and you plan with him.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") Your great literary name is wild and worthless; judgment awaits you, the judgment of Heaven.”[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") The great Yen Sung looked around; not a friendly face; his own grew a little fearful, and yet in a loud voice he called out:[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/20/page/2/) - ← previous: [A Story of Old China, part 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/19/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/20/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Gleanings from Chinese folklore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75089/)