Page 334 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KEEN-LUNG.
396
the other side of the vase, and a short distance from it there is
a crane with a cloud defined in red
single flying, slightly
the of fir tree, and
covering upper portion gradually fading
away into the distance. The figures are enamelled in pale
green, pink, yellow, etc., the trunk of the tree being repre-
sented in sepia on a pale lavender ground with green foliage.
The work on this vase is minutely carried out, and the effect
produced is delicate and graceful." The Zenana ladies write:
" there were two friends named
Formerly great respectively
Yii Pai-ya and Chung Tzu Ch'e, who were accomplished
musicians. Taking his lute, carried by a lad, Yii Pai-ya went
to find his friend, who had failed to meet him, but discovered
that he was dead ; so Yii, at the grave of his friend, played a
few stanzas, then broke his instrument in pieces, and never
played it again.
"
This is a very old story, and seems to date from before the
time of Confucius. It is given at length in the ' String of
135. Yii was sent the
Chinese Peach-stones,' p. Peh-ya by
King of Tsin on an embassy to the King of Ch'u. On his
way back down the Yangste, getting carried into some by-
channel, the boats were made fast to the nearest bank. Here
by chance Peh-ya fell in with Tsz-ki, and they spent such a
pleasant evening together that Peh-ya pressed Tsz-ki to leave
the country and seek official position ; but this Tsz-ki refused
to do, on account of his two aged parents. It was therefore
arranged that Peh-ya should return on a certain day the follow-
ing year, when Tsz-ki was to await his arrival on the bank.
The year passed ; on the day named Peh-ya arrived, but was
not met by Tsz-ki, so landed with a boy carrying his lute, and
on inquiry found his friend was dead, and on repairing to
the grave Peh-ya sung the following lament :
" '
I recall the fond hopes of last year,
When my friend on the bank I met here;
I have come back to see him
again,
I have come back to seek him in vain.
But a heap of cold earth do I find,
And sore is my sorrow-filled mind
;
My sore heart is stricken with grief,
My tears are my only relief.
I came here in joy ; with what grief do I go !
The banks of the river are clouded with woe.