Lin Daiyu’s Temper
We’ve finally come to the end of chapter 17, after what has felt like a long time. It’s been about a month and a half worth of posts.
The story really takes an interesting turn here. More on precisely what is going on in tomorrow’s post. While this post is longer than the posts we’ve seen so far in chapter 17, it’s also much more straightforward and easy to understand.
My Translation
By the time they had left the garden, all Jia Baoyu could think about was going to see the girls who were inside. But, since Jia Zheng hadn’t told him to leave yet, he had no choice but to follow him to the study.
Jia Zheng suddenly realized that Baoyu was still there. “Why haven’t you left yet?” he asked Baoyu. “Don’t you know how much Grandmother Jia worries about you? Haven’t you had enough wandering around today?” It was only after hearing this that Baoyu dared leave.
As soon as he stepped outside the courtyard, the young servants who were together with Jia Zheng rushed up and threw their arms around him. “It’s so wonderful that the Master was in such a good mood today!” they told him. “Not long ago Grandmother Jia sent people out several times to ask about you. We told them that the Master was happy with you. Otherwise, if Grandmother Jia had called you to go back inside, you wouldn’t have had a chance to show off your talents. Everybody says that the poems you composed were the best of all. Since you’ve won the honors today, you ought to reward us!”
“A string of cash for each of you!” said Baoyu with a smile.
“Who cares for a string of cash?” said the boys. “Give us this pouch as a reward!”
As they spoke they crowded around him, untying his pouch and fan case one by one. Before he could utter a word, they had taken off every ornamental accessory that he wore.
“Now let’s escort him properly,” they said. And they walked him to Grandmother Jia’s door, surrounding him on all sides.
Grandmother Jia had been waiting for him. When she saw him arrive and once she knew that he had not been scolded, she was naturally delighted.
Xiren came in a moment later bringing tea. When she saw that there wasn’t a single accessory left on Baoyu, she laughed. “The things you were wearing must have been taken away by those idiots again,” she said.
Daiyu heard what Xiren said and went over to take a look. Sure enough, every single piece was gone. She turned to Baoyu and asked, “Did you give them the pouch I made for you as well? If you ever want me to make you anything ever again, you can forget about it!”
Daiyu then marched back into her room angrily. She picked up an unfinished fragrant bag that Baoyu had asked her to make a few days earlier, grabbed a pair of scissors, and began cutting it into pieces.
Baoyu saw that she was angry and had hurried quickly after her. By the time he got there, the sachet was already cut open and ruined. Baoyu had seen this sachet before: although it wasn’t finished yet, it had been very nicely crafted. He was upset when he saw that it had been destroyed for no reason.
And so he quickly unfastened his collar, untied the patch that was secretly attached to his inner lapel, and handed it to Daiyu. “Look, what is this?” he said. “When have I ever given your things to anyone else?”
Daiyu saw that Baoyu cherished her gift to him so much that he wore it hidden deep inside his clothing, for fear that someone might take it away. This made her feel extremely remorseful for being so quick to cut up the fragrant sachet. She lowered her head and didn’t say a word.
“There was no need for you to cut that up,” said Baoyu. “I know that you don’t want to give me anything anyway. Why don’t you take this pouch back as well?” And he tossed the pouch into her lap and turned to walk away.
This made Lin Daiyu cry even harder. She picked up that pouch and grabbed for the scissors.
Baoyu took it back right away. “Dear sister,” he said to her, “please forgive me this time!”
Daiyu threw down the scissors and wiped away her tears. “You don’t need to treat me like this, being nice to me one moment and mean to me the next! If you’re annoyed with me, let’s just break up!” And with that she climbed into bed angrily, lying down with her back turned to face the wall as she cried.
But she couldn’t stop Baoyu from coming up to her side, coaxing her by calling her a dear sister and begging her forgiveness.
Meanwhile, Grandmother Jia was calling everywhere for Baoyu. “He’s in Miss Lin’s room,” replied the servants.
“Good, good!” said Grandmother Jia in response. “Let him play together with his sisters and cousins for a bit. After all, his father kept him so nervous all day! Let him unwind now. Just don’t let them fight!” The servants agreed.
Daiyu simply couldn’t withstand Baoyu’s incessant pestering. Finally, she had no choice but to sit up. “You never let me have a moment’s peace,” she complained. “Fine! If that’s how you want it, I’ll just stay out of your way.” And she started to walk outside.
“I’ll follow you wherever you go!” laughed Baoyu. Meanwhile, he picked up the pouch and tied it back on.
Daiyu reached out for the pouch. “You said you didn’t want this,” she cried, “and yet you’ve tied it back on again. I feel embarrassed for you!” And she couldn’t help but start laughing when she said that.
“Dear sister,” said Baoyu, “would you please make me another sachet tomorrow?”
“That depends on my mood!” replied Daiyu.
They chatted and walked together, leaving the room and heading for Lady Wang’s main room. As luck would have it, Xue Baochai was also there.
At that moment, Lady Wang’s place was extremely busy. It turns out that Jia Qiang had just returned from Suzhou after purchasing twelve young girls for the opera troupe. He also had purchased instructors, costumes, and all the other things they needed.
By that time, Aunt Xue had moved to a quieter residence in the northeast section of the property. This way the Pear Blossom Court could be renovated into a place where the instructors could teach the girls. Additionally, several older, grey-haired household women who had learned to sing when they were young were assigned to supervise them. In the end, Jia Qiang was responsible for managing their daily expenses, cash flow, and the accounts for all this stuff.
Lin Zhixiao came in to make a report. “The twelve young Buddhist and Taoist nuns who were recruited have all arrived,” he said. “The twenty-four tailored robes that he had newly made are also ready.
“In addition, there is also a girl who still has her hair with them. She is originally from Suzhou and was born into a family of scholars and officials. Because she was sick from when she was a child, her family paid money for others to become nuns on her behalf, but none of it worked. It was only when she entered into the religious life herself that the sickness went away.
“That’s the reason she practices Buddhism while keeping her hair. She’s 18 years old this year, and her name is Miaoyu.
“Both her parents have passed away, and she only has two older maids and a young maid to look after her. She’s very well read, is familiar with the classics, and is remarkably beautiful. In fact, when she heard that there were relics of Guanyin and sacred palm-leaf scriptures in the capital city Chang An, she came here with her master last year. She’s currently staying at the Muni Convent just outside the West Gate.
“Her master was good at divine astrology, but passed away last winter. She left instructions that Miaoyu should not return home, but that she should stay here instead to see where her destiny takes her. And so she did not accompany her master’s coffin back to her hometown.”
“Why don’t we have her over then?” asked Lady Wang.
“If we simply ask her,” said Lin Zhixiao’s wife, “she’ll say ‘noble and aristocratic households are always using their power and status to browbeat other people; I’ll never come!’”
“Since she’s a lady from an official family, she’s naturally proud,” said Lady Wang. “What harm is there in sending a formal invitation to ask her to come here?”
Lin Zhixiao’s wife agreed in the end, and went out to ask the clerk to draft an invitation for Miaoyu. She arranged for carriages to bring her the next day.
If you want to know how things turn out, read the next chapter.
Translation Critique
Because this section is relatively straightforward, there isn’t quite as much room for different translations or interpretations.
Hawkes
Hawks describes that Jia Baoyu “was waylaid by a group of Jia Zheng’s pages.” To waylay means to ambush.
Hawkes gives 妙玉 (Miaoyu) the name Adamantina. This name is the feminine form of the Latin adjective adamantinus, which means incorruptible.
Yang
The Yangs have chapter 17 end as soon as Jia Zheng tells Baoyu to go back to see Grandmother Jia. This is indicative of some of the textual issues surrounding chapters 17 and 18. Chapter 18 begins with the servants stripping Baoyu of everything he was wearing.
Chinese Text
那寶玉一心只記掛著裡邊姊妹們，又不見賈政吩咐，只得跟到書房。賈政忽想起來道：「你還不去，看老太太惦記你。難道還逛不足麼？」寶玉方退了出來。至院外，就有跟賈政的小廝上來抱住，說道：「今日虧了老爺喜歡！方才老太太打發人出來問了幾遍，我們回說老爺喜歡，要不然，老太太叫你進去了，就不得展才了。人人都說你才那些詩比眾人都強，今兒得了彩頭，該賞我們了。」寶玉笑道：「每人一吊。」眾人道：「誰沒見那一吊錢！把這荷包賞了罷。」說著，一個個都上來解荷包，解扇袋，不容分說，將寶玉所佩之物，盡行解去。又道：「好生送上去罷。」一個個圍繞著，送至賈母門前。那時賈母正等著他，見他來了，知道不曾難為他，心中自是喜歡。
少時，襲人倒了茶來，見身邊佩物一件不存，因笑道：「帶的東西，必又是那起沒臉的東西們解了去了。」黛玉聽說，走過來一瞧，果然一件沒有，因向寶玉道：「我給你的那個荷包也給他們了？你明兒再想我的東西，可不能夠了！」說畢，生氣回房，將前日寶玉囑咐他沒做完的香袋兒，拿起剪子來就鉸。寶玉見他生氣，便忙趕過來，早已剪破了。寶玉曾見過這香袋，雖未完工，卻也十分精巧，無故剪了，卻也可氣。因忙把衣領解了，從裡面衣襟上將所繫荷包解下來了，遞與黛玉道：「你瞧瞧，這是什麼東西？我何曾把你的東西給人來著？」
黛玉見他如此珍重，帶在裡面，可知是怕人拿去之意，因此，自悔莽撞剪了香袋，低著頭，一言不發。寶玉道：「你也不用鉸，我知你是懶怠給我東西。我連這荷包奉還，何如？」說著，擲向他懷中而去。黛玉越發氣的哭了，拿起荷包又鉸。寶玉忙回身搶住，笑道：「好妹妹，饒了他罷！」黛玉將剪子一摔，拭淚說道：「你不用合我好一陣，歹一陣的，要惱就撂開手！」說著，賭氣上床，面向裡倒下拭淚。禁不住寶玉上來，妹妹長，妹妹短，賠不是。
前面賈母一片聲找寶玉。眾人回說：「在林姑娘房裡。」賈母聽說道：「好，好！讓他姊妹們一處玩玩兒罷。才他老子拘了他這半天，讓他鬆泛一會子罷。只別叫他們拌嘴。」眾人答應著。
黛玉被寶玉纏不過，只得起來道：「你的意思，不叫我安生，我就離了你。」說著，往外就走。寶玉笑道：「你到那裡，我跟到那裡。」一面仍拿著荷包來帶上。黛玉伸手搶道：「你說不要，這會子又帶上，我也替你怪臊的！」說著，嗤的一聲笑了。寶玉道：「好妹妹，明兒另替我做個香袋兒罷！」黛玉道：「那也瞧我的高興罷了。」
一面說，一面二人出房，到王夫人上房中去了。可巧寶釵也在那裡。此時王夫人那邊熱鬧非常。原來賈薔已從姑蘇採買了十二個女孩子，並聘了教習以及行頭等事來了。那時薛姨媽另於東北上一所幽靜房舍居住，將梨香院另行修理了，就令教習在此教演女戲。又另派了家中舊曾學過歌唱的眾女人們，如今皆是皤然老嫗，著他們帶領管理。其日月出入銀錢等事，以及諸凡大小所需之物料賬目，就令賈薔總理。
又有林之孝來回：「採訪聘買得十二個小尼姑、小道姑，都到了，連新做的二十四分道袍也有了。外又有一個帶髮修行的，本是蘇州人氏，祖上也是讀書仕宦之家，因自幼多病，買了許多替身，皆不中用，到底這姑娘入了空門，方才好了，所以帶髮修行。今年十八歲，取名妙玉。如今父母俱已亡故，身邊只有兩個老嬤嬤、一個小丫頭伏侍。文墨也極通，經典也極熟，模樣又極好。因聽說『長安』都中有觀音遺蹟並貝葉遺文，去年隨了師父上來，現在西門外牟尼院住著。他師父精演先天神數，於去冬圓寂了。遺言說他不宜回鄉，在此靜候，自有結果，所以未曾扶靈回去。」王夫人便道：「這樣，我們何不接了他來？」林之孝家的回道：「若請他，他說：『侯門公府，必以貴勢壓人，我再不去的！』」王夫人道：「他既是宦家小姐，自然要性傲些，就下個請帖請他，何妨？」林之孝家的答應著，出去叫書啟相公寫個請帖去請妙玉，次日遣人備車轎去接。
不知後來如何，且聽下回分解。
Translation Notes
Lin Daiyu complains that Jia Bayo is “合我好一陣，歹一陣的” when he’s talking with her. She’s complaining that he’s treating her nice one moment and rudely the next.
怪臊 means extremely embarrassing.
梨香院, or the Pear Fragrance Court, sounds a lot like the phrase 離鄉院, or
“the Court of Leaving One’s Hometown.” This is exactly what happened here: the twelve girls were uprooted from Suzhou and taken to the capital to act as theatrical servants. Notice, of course, that there are twelve of them, mirroring the Twelve Beauties of Jinling (金陵十二釵).
The concept of 買了許多替身 is a little bit foreign to most of us. Rather than having this child try to get rid of the evil spirit or karma causing the illness by entering a monastery or temple, they would pay to buy a child from a poor family and send that child in the place of their own.
妙玉 (Miaoyu) is an interesting name. She is the only character in the novel to have the word 玉 (yu, or jade) in her name who is not in the main family lineage. This means that she’s basically the equivalent of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu, though she is independent of the world that they live in. The name 妙玉 means mysterious or wondrous jade.