Chinese Literature

on which the Elder insisted: “They must be thoroughly versed in Family Rules_and Clan Morality!” Finally, twelve names were agreed upon, and Yang Yung-huai was second on the list. Now, the Elder hastened to reply to his question. aos

“Tt’s all ready. You’re on it too. We sent word to your house yesterday, but you weren’t home... .”

Yang Yung-huai smiled with satisfaction. ‘Well, take it then and let’s get started. Tell Pen-tsai to pour the tea. Nearly everyone’s here!”

Several others also urged the Elder on from the sidelines. He loved being the centre of attraction. His anger had long since cooled. The Elder thought a moment, then said:

“Wait a little longer. My daughter Huan hasn’t come yet.”

He had summoned her so that she should learn from the lesson which he expected would be given to Chun-mei and her mother. He was about to expound on how all the young women of the clan would benefit by attending this meeting, when he heard a splintering sound, followed by several people crying out in astonishment. Wheeling towards the shrines, what he saw made him speechless with rage. Young Iron Hammer, accompanied by his mother, was going around smashing the wooden ancestral tablets. Iron Hammer would point at a tablet and ask his mother a question. If the old lady said, “Break it!” he would swing a heavy pole and split the tablet in two. Everyone was dumbstruck.

Crash! Crash!

Only after Iron Hammer had demolished about ten tablets did Yang the Elder find his voice.

“Stop him, someone! Are you all dead!”

Iron Hammer waved his hand reassuringly. “They’re only landlords’ tablets! I’m not breaking any others!”

Several people rushed forward and grabbed him. His mother advanced on Yang the Elder.

“Uncle! Elder!’ she cried, and launched into an impassioned recital of her grievances. It seemed that twenty-four years ago, when she was pregnant with this very same son, she had talked back to the “Venerable Master” of the clan, father of the landlord Yang Li-chai. He accused her of committing a “crime against her superiors,” and the clan “Judges” ordered her to kneel on broken tiles. When she refused, she was severely beaten. As a result, her son was born prematurely. Thereafter, she and her husband were fined two piculs of rice. Because they couldn’t pay, her husband was slowly but surely hounded to death.

By this point in her story, the old lady was weeping bitterly. “And now you want to hold a clan trial too! They’re a sin, I tell you!”

Yang the Elder looked at her helplessly. He hastened to explain. “You must remember, I was away from the village then, I wasn’t at the meeting! It was all the work of that landlord gang!’

Holding his big pole, Iron Hammer pushed up to the Judges table.