The Man with a Wife and Concubine

Contents

Text

English translation

Original Chinese text

English translation

A man in Qi lived with a wife and a concubine. Whenever he went out, he returned thoroughly satisfied with wine and meat. His wife asked whom he had eaten and drunk with, and he always said they were all wealthy and eminent people.

Original Chinese text

English translation

His wife told the concubine, “Whenever our husband goes out, he comes home full of food and wine. When asked whom he dined with, he says they are all wealthy and eminent, yet no notable person ever comes here. I will secretly follow him and see where he goes.” She rose early and followed him at a distance.

Original Chinese text

English translation

She followed him throughout the city, but no one stopped to speak with him. At last he went among the graves east of the city, approached people making offerings, and begged for their leftovers. When that was not enough, he looked around and went to another offering. This was how he obtained his supposed feasts.

Original Chinese text

English translation

When the wife returned, she told the concubine, “This man is the one on whom we have looked with respect and depended for our whole lives, and now he is like this!” She and the concubine mocked him and wept together in the courtyard.

Original Chinese text

English translation

The husband knew nothing of this. He came home from outside with a smug air and strutted before his wife and concubine. In a gentleman’s view, among those who pursue wealth, status, and advancement by such means, there are few whose wives and concubines would not feel ashamed and weep together.

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