大东Xianggong Chen had been learning the trade for over a year now. He had burnt joss-sticks thirty times before Marshal Zhao and Shennong. It was his routine work on the first and the fifteenth of every month. Marshal Zhao rode on a black tiger with a golden whip in his hand. On his right and left side was a eight-inch-long couplet in gilded characters against a black background:"Golden whip in hand, he is coming with treasures; black tiger under his legs, he is bringing us riches." Shennong wore long hair and curly whiskers. He was stark-naked apart from a wreath of large leaves round his waist. He had long fingernails and toenails. He was seated on a rock with one hand clutching a head of glossy ganoderma. Chen was familiar with these two idols and was most pious when burning joss-sticks.
大东他一天的生活如下：起得比谁都早。起来就把“先生”们的尿壶都倒了涮干净控在厕所里。扫地。擦桌椅、擦柜台。到处掸土。开门。这地方的店铺大都是“铺闼子门”——一列宽可一尺的厚厚的门板嵌在门框和门槛的槽子里。陈相公就一块一块卸出来，按“东一”、“东二”、“东三”、“东四”、“西一”、“西二”、“西三”、“西四”次序，靠墙竖好。晒药，收药。太阳出来时，把许先生切好的“饮片”、“跌”好的丸药——都放在匾筛里，用头顶着，爬上梯子，到屋顶的晒台上放好；傍晚时再收下来。这是他一天最快乐的时候。他可以登高四望。看得见许多店铺和人家的房顶，都是黑黑的。看得见远处的绿树，绿树后面缓缓移动的帆。看得见鸽子，看得见飘动摇摆的风筝。到了七月，傍晚，还可以看巧云。七月的云多变幻，当地叫做“巧云”。那是真好看呀：灰的、白的、黄的、橘红的，镶着金边，一会一个样，像狮子的，像老虎的，像马、像狗的。此时的陈相公，真是古人所说的“心旷神怡”。其余的时候，就很刻板枯燥的。碾药。两脚踏着木板，在一个船形的铁碾糟子里碾。倘若碾的是胡椒，就要不停地打喷嚏。裁纸。用一个大弯刀，把一沓一沓的白粉连纸裁成大小不等的方块，包药用。刷印包装纸。他每天还有两项例行的公事。上午，要搓很多抽水烟用的纸枚子。把装铜钱的钱板翻过来，用“表心纸”一根一根地搓。保全堂没有人抽水烟，但不知什么道理每天都要搓许多纸枚子，谁来都可取几根，这已经成了一种“传统”。下午，擦灯罩。药店里里外外，要用十来盏煤油灯。所有灯罩，每天都要擦一遍。晚上，摊膏药。从上灯起，直到王二过店堂里来闲坐，他一直都在摊膏药。到十点多钟，把先生们的尿壶都放到他们的床下，该吹灭的灯都吹灭了，上了门，他就可以准备睡觉了。先生们都睡在后面的厢屋里，陈相公睡在店堂里。把铺板一放，铺盖摊开，这就是他一个人的天地了。临睡前他总要背两篇《汤头歌诀》——药店的先生总要懂一点医道。小户人家有病不求医，到药店来说明病状，先生们随口就要说出：“吃一剂小柴胡汤吧”，“服三付霍香正气丸”，“上一点七厘散”。有时，坐在被窝里想一会家，想想他的多年守寡的母亲，想想他家房门背后的一张贴了多年的麒麟送子的年画。想不一会，困了，把脑袋放倒，立刻就响起了很大的鼾声。
大东陈相公已经学了一年多生意了。他已经给赵公元帅和神农爷烧了三十次香。初一、十五，都要给这二位烧香，这照例是陈相公的事。赵公元帅手执金鞭，身骑黑虎，两旁有一副八寸长的黑地金字的小对联：“手执金鞭驱宝至，身骑黑虎送财来。”神农爷虬髯披发，赤身露体，腰里围着一圈很大的树叶，手指甲、脚趾甲都很长，一只手捏着一棵灵芝草，坐在一块石头上。陈相公对这二位看得很熟，烧香的时候很虔敬。
大东Chen frequently got beatings, as was common with apprentices. But Chen seemed to be beaten more than was his due. In most cases he was thrashed because he had committed errors such as cutting paper aslant, or breaking a lamp-chimney while rubbing it. The boy did not seem clever. His memory was poor and his movements slow. He was most frequently thrashed by Mr Lu. Not that Mr Lu had an exceptionally quick temper, but that thrashing was for the good of the boy, for making him somebody in the world. One day he got a thorough beating. When descending the stairs after getting the medicine back from exposure to the sun, he missed a step and upset a whole round basket of alismatis into the sewer. It was Mr Xu who beat him this time. Mr Xu gave him a sound beating by means of a wooden door latch. The boy screamed with pain, "Oh, my! My! I won't do it again. Oh, my! It's all my fault, my!"And no-body could persuade Mr Xu to stop the beating. Everyone knew how he was. The more you tried to stop him, the more fiercely he would beat the boy. What's more, it was a big blunder the boy had committed. (Alismatis was not really precious, but cutting it was time-consuming for it had to be cut into copper-shaped round pieces of equal thickness.) After some time, it was Lao Zhu, the cook, who managed to stop the beating. As everybody knew, Lao Zhu was honest and upright by nature and in the employment of the store the longest. He went to work the earliest of all but hardly ever had a good meal. What he had was just the remaining soup and juice mixed with some rice crust after everyone else had eaten. His fellow clerks all looked at him in awe. He seized the door latch from Mr Xu's hand and remarked, "He is as much flesh and blood as everyone else. "
大东陈相公老是挨打。学生意没有不挨打的，陈相公挨打的次数也似稍多了一点。挨打的原因大都是因为做错了事：纸裁歪了，灯罩擦破了。这孩子也好像不大聪明，记性不好，做事迟钝。打他的多是卢先生。卢先生不是暴脾气，打他是为他好，要他成人。有一次可挨了大打。他收药，下梯一脚踩空了，把一匾筛泽泻翻到了阴沟里。这回打他的是许先生。他用一根闩门的木棍没头没脸地把他痛打了一顿，打得这孩子哇哇地乱叫：“哎呀！哎呀！我下回不了！下回不了！哎呀！哎呀！我错了！哎呀！哎呀！”谁也不能去劝，因为知道许先生的脾气，越劝越打得凶，何况他这回的错是不小。（泽泻不是贵药，但切起来很费工，要切成厚薄一样状如铜钱的圆片。）后来还是煮饭的老朱来劝住了。这老朱来得比谁都早，人又出名的忠诚耿直。他从来没有正经吃过一顿饭，都是把大家吃剩的残汤剩水泡一点锅巴吃。因此，一店人都对他很敬畏。他一把夺过许先生手里的门闩，说了一句话：“他也是人生父母养的！”
大东Chen did not even dare to cry when he was being flogged. In the evening, after the door was shut, he sobbed for quite a long while. He said to his mother who was in the distant hometown:"Mum, I've had another beating. Don't worry, Mum. Just two more years' of beating, and I will be able to make you a living. "
大东Wang Er came to the Baoquantang every day because the place was full of bustle and excitement. Other stores were deserted after nine o'clock with just an accountant balancing the books and an apprentice taking catnaps. But at the Baoquantang there was a large assembly of people, all homeless bachelors. Among those present were also a few frequent visitors such as qiangyuan, the rent collector, Bayan Har Mountain, the live-fish seller, Lao Bing who lit and prepared opium for others, and a man named Zhang Han, who was a relative and hanger-on of the Lian family, who owned the Wanshun Sauce and Pickle Shop opposite the Baoquantang. Zhang Han's full name was Zhang Hanxuan. He was frequently referred to as Zhang Han perhaps because since he had been reduced to sponging on others, the character xuan [22] did not befit him. Zhang Han was seventy now. He was a spitting image of Voltaire, with a tapering face and a pointed nose. He had worked as assistant to a ranking official in his younger days, having been to many places and having really seen the world. He was a know-all. Take tobacco-smoking for example. He would tell you that there were five kinds:waterpipe, long-stem pipe, snuff, "refined"tobacco (vs. opium) and Chao tobacco.[23] The last variety was never found in these regions. For alcohol-drinking, he could give a list of names like Shandong yellow, number one red, lotus white ...For tea-drinking, he would mention the Longjing of Shifeng [24] and the Biluochun of Suzhou how tea Yunnan[25] was roasted in a jar and how the tea cup for the Gongfu Tea [26] of Fujian was even smaller than the tiny handleless wine cup, and that the tea was so strong that three small cups of it were sufficient to go with an entire leg of stewed pork. He was most familiar with Zibuyu, [27] and Stories of Autumn Rainy Nights. [28] He could tell many ghost stories. He knew how people released venomous insects in Yunnan and how people in the western part of Hunan drove standing corpses home. He had seen. with his own eyes drought ghosts, walking corpses and fox spirits. He could not only give a detailed description of them but tell exactly when and where he had seen them. He knew people of all ranks. He had knowledge, too, of witchcraft, fortune-telling, astrology and physiognomy. For he had read Physiognomy by the Hemp-clothed Daoist Priest and Physiognomy of Willow Village and could tell people's fortunes from Qimendunjia, Liurenke and Lingqijing. [29] He never made his appearance until about nine o'clock. (What he did in the daytime was anybody's guess. ) People were elated from the moment he came, and he did almost all the talking the whole evening. He was a great story-teller. His stories all followed a logical sequence, with an introduction, development, transition and summing-up. He spoke in a rhythmical tone, rising and falling, with modulation and cadence. His descriptions were vivid and lifelike. Just like a pingtan actor, he would stop at a most critical juncture and leisurely puff at his pipe. The anxious listeners would ask over and over again, "What happened then?" "What happened later?" This was also a happy time for Xianggong Chen. He listened while spreading ointment. When he was too much absorbed in listening, the bamboo stick would stay too long on the oil paper and would waste a sheet of ointment. The moment he realized this, he would hurriedly tuck the sheet of ointment stealthily into his pocket. Nobody would discover it, and nobody would beat him for it.
大东陈相公挨了打，当时没敢哭。到了晚上，上了门，一个人呜呜地哭了半天。他向他远在故乡的母亲说：“妈妈，我又挨打了！妈妈，不要紧的，再挨两年打，我就能养活你老人家了！”
大东王二每天到保全堂店堂里来，是因为这里热闹。别的店铺到九点多钟，就没有什么人，往往只有一个管事在算账，一个学徒在打盹。保全堂正是高朋满座的时候。这些先生都是无家可归的光棍，这时都聚集到店堂里来。还有几个常客，收房钱的抡元，卖活鱼的巴颜喀拉山，给人家熬鸦片烟的老炳，还有一个张汉。这张汉是对门万顺酱园连家的一个亲戚兼食客，全名是张汉轩，大家却都叫他张汉。大概是觉得已经沦为食客，就不必“轩”了。此人有七十岁了，长得活脱像一个伏尔泰，一张尖脸，一个尖尖的鼻子。他年轻时在外地做过幕僚，走过很多地方，见多识广，什么都知道，是个百事通。比如说抽烟，他就告诉你烟有五种：水、旱、鼻、雅、潮，“雅”是鸦片。“潮”是潮烟，这地方谁也没见过。说喝酒，他就能说出山东黄、状元红、莲花白……说喝茶，他就告诉你狮峰龙井、苏州的碧螺春，云南的“烤茶”是在怎样一个罐里烤的，福建的功夫茶的茶杯比酒盅还小，就是吃了一只炖肘子，也只能喝三杯，这茶太酽了。他熟读《子不语》、《夜雨秋灯录》，能讲许多鬼狐故事。他还知道云南怎样放蛊，湘西怎样赶尸。他还亲眼见到过旱魃、僵尸、狐狸精，有时间，有地点，有鼻子有眼。三教九流，医卜星相，他全知道。他读过《麻衣神相》、《柳庄神相》，会算“奇门遁甲”、“六壬课”、“灵棋经”。他总要到快九点钟时才出现（白天不知道他干什么），他一来，大家精神为之一振，这一晚上就全听他一个人白话。他很会讲，起承转合，抑扬顿挫，有声有色。他也像说书先生一样，说到筋节处就停住了，慢慢地抽烟，急得大家一个劲地催他：“后来呢？后来呢？”这也是陈相公一天比较快乐的时候。他一边摊着膏药，一边听着。有时，听得太入神了，摊膏药的扦子停留在油纸上，会废掉一张膏药。他一发现，赶紧偷偷塞进口袋里。这时也不会被发现，不会挨打。
大东One day Zhang Han talked of predestination. He said that Zhu Hongwu, Shen Wanshan and Fan Dan were all born at the first cock-crow of the second earthly branch of the same day of the same month of the same year. "But following the cock-crow, " he went on to say, "their destinies fell into three different classes. High and lofty was Zhu Hongwu, who became an emperor; beneath was Shen Wanshan, who turned out one of the wealthiest businessmen; doomed to death was Fan Dan the pauper, who died of cold and starvation." He added that those who were able to develop their abilities to the fullest and were thoroughly accomplished in their careers all had unusual appearances or special talents. Liu Bang, founder and first emperor of the Han Dynasty, had seventy-two black moles on his buttocks—who else had that? Zhu Yuanzhang, founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, had a most striking appearance from birth—his temples, cheekbones and chin all protruding like five mountains on earth rising upward. Was there another who resembled him? Fan Kuai could eat the whole of a pig's leg raw. Zhang Yide of Yan [30] slept with his eyes open. Even common traders with capital luck all possessed special qualities. It is the extraordinary person who accomplishes extraordinary things. To this, everybody nodded in agreement.
大东有一天，张汉谈起人生有命。说朱洪武、沈万山、范丹是同年同月同日同时，都是丑时建生，鸡鸣头遍。但是一声鸡叫，可就命分三等了：抬头朱洪武，低头沈万山，勾一勾就是穷范丹。朱洪武贵为天子，沈万山富甲天下，穷范丹冻饿而死。他又说凡是成大事业，有大作为，兴旺发达的，都有异相，或有特殊的秉赋。汉高祖刘邦，股有七十二黑子——就是屁股上有七十二颗黑痣，谁有过？明太祖朱元璋，生就是五岳朝天——两额、两颧、下巴，都突出，状如五岳，谁有过？樊哙能把一个整猪腿生吃下去，燕人张翼德，睡着了也睁着眼睛。就是市井之人，凡有走了一步好运的，也莫不有与众不同之处。必有非常之人，乃成非常之事。大家听了，不禁暗暗点头。
大东Zhang Han took a few strong puffs at his long-stemmed pipe. Then he turned to Wang Er, the thread of his discourse suddenly altered:"Take Wang Er, he must also possess some special gift that accounts for his prosperity and fortune. "
大东"...?"
大东Wang Er was quite at a loss at the term"special gift".
大东"It means unusual quality that is different from everybody else's. Do tell us about yours. "
大东"Speak up!" "Out with it!" Everyone encouraged him.
大东Despite the small fortune he had amassed, Wang Er was conscious of his own status and had never dared to appear arrogant or self-important. At the others' repeated pleadings, he said sincerely, "Perhaps just this. I separate passing my water from moving my bowels." Fearing he had not made himself understood, he explained, "In the lavatory, I always pass water first, and then have a bowel movement. "
大东At this Zhang Han clapped and shouted:"So! Feces and urine don't come out together. That is something uncommon. "
大东张汉猛吸了几口旱烟，忽然话锋一转，向王二道：“即以王二而论，他这些年飞黄腾达，财源茂盛，也必有其异秉。”
大东“……?"
大东王二不解何为“异秉”。
大东“就是与众不同，和别人不一样的地方。你说说，你说说！”
大东大家也都怂恿王二：“说说！说说！”
大东王二虽然发了一点财，却随时不忘自己的身份，从不僭越自大，在大家敦促之下，只有很诚恳地欠一欠身说：
大东“我呀，有那么一点：大小解分清。”他怕大家不懂，又解释道：“我解手时，总是先解小手，后解大手。”
大东张汉一听，拍了一下手，说：“就是说，不是屎尿一起来，难得！”
大东This said, it was past ten thirty. Everyone rose to their feet and bade good night to one another. It was time to latch the doors. Mr Lu glanced towards the counter, only to find Xianggong Chen missing. "Xianggong Chen! Xianggong Chen!" he cried a few times. There was no response.
大东By this time Xianggong Chen was in the lavatory. Mr Tao found him crouching there when he went himself. However it wasn't the usual time for either of them to move his bowels.
大东 大东说着，已经过了十点半了，大家起身道别。该上门了。卢先生向柜台里一看，陈相公不见了，就大声喊：“陈相公！”
大东喊了几声，没人应声。
大东原来陈相公在厕所里。这是陶先生发现的。他一头走进厕所，发现陈相公已经蹲在那里。本来，这时候都不是他们俩解大手的时候。
Drafted 1948
Revised May 20, 1980
Translated by Gong Huanmin
大东一九四八年旧稿
一九八○年五月二十日重写
* * *
大东[1] This alludes to the unbreakable feudal order of old China.
大东[2] Equipment for doing business, meaning"amassing fortunes."
大东[3] God of Wealth in Chinese folklore.
大东[4] A person who passed the highest degree of imperial examination in the Qing Dynasty.
大东[5] One of Confucius'students, a wealthy merchant in the times of the Spring and Autumn Period.
大东[6] A contemporary of Zigong who prospered in trade.
大东[7] Story-telling and ballad-singing in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, dialect.
大东[8] A game with domino-like tiles.
大东[9] A person said to have been the inventor of agriculture and medicine.
大东[10] Bayan Har has the same sounds as"a scar on the eye."
大东[11] Cash.
大东[12] 12 spots on one tile and 8 on the other.
大东[13] 8 spots on one tile and 2 on the other.
大东[14] Shares with which one does not have to contribute to the fund.
大东[15] Drip bolus onto a liquid coolant to be rapidly solidified.
大东[16] Processed medicine cut into slices or shreds to be drunk after it is stewed.
大东[17] Colleague.
大东[18] Guanshi, daoshang, tongshi and xianggong: manager, pharmacologist, junior clerk, and apprentice.
大东[19] E, w: referring to east and west respectively.
大东[20] Huoxiangzhengqiwan: pills with agastache rugosa as the main ingredient.
大东[21] Qilisan: a common Chinese medicine used to care for injuries and kill pain.
大东[22] Xuan: imposing or impressive appearance.
大东[23] Chao tobacco: a kind of tobacco produced in Chaoan in Guangdong Province.
大东[24] Longjing of Shifeng: a famous green tea of Hangzhou.
大东[25] Biluochun: helically curved green tea of Suzhou.
大东[26] Gongfu: time-taking.
大东[27] Zibuyu: a collection of ghost stories in twenty-four volumes written by Yuan Mei of the Qing Dynasty.
大东[28] Stories of Autumn Rainy Nights: Similar stories about ghosts and spirits.
大东[29] Qimendunjia, Liurenke, Lingqijing: superstitious books used to foretell luck, evil, woe and felicity.
大东[30] Yan: present-day Hebei Province.
