 |
| Hong
Niang |
Prime
Minister Cui Peng died in the capital of Xi’an. His wife Madame
Cui and his 20-year old daughter Cui Yingying escorted his coffin back
to his hometown. With them were Yingying’s maid Hong Niang. As they
heard that a gang of bandits led by Sun Feihu were tyrannizing the region,
Madame Cui decided to take temporary refuge in the Pujiu Temple.
In the
meantime, a young scholar named Zhang Gong arrived in the same temple.
He was on his way to Xi’an for the next year’s national examination.
He found his lodging in the temple and happened to live next door to Madame
Cui and her daughter Cui Yingying. There he met Cui Yingying and the two
fell in love with each other. But neither could they meet nor openly express
their feelings because traditions would not allow them.
In the
meantime, the bandit chief Sun Feihu heard of Yingying’s temporary
residence in the temple and wanted her to be his wife. Desperate, Madame
Cui proclaimed, “Whoever can save us, I will marry my daughter to
him.”
Zhang Gong asked his friend the White Horse General for help. The general,
who was stationed a few dozens of miles away, came to their rescue. Madame
Cui, however, would not keep her promise....
Story
retold/ translated by Haiwang Yuan, ©2003
Last updated: October 25, 2003 |
