Fêng-Shui by Pu Songling
Two brothers at I-chow hire rival geomancers to select their father's burial site, each hoping the choice will secure his own advancement. Their struggle leaves the coffin beside the road for three years, while their competing shelters grow into a village. After both brothers die, their widows jointly consult new geomancers and arrange the burial; within three years, the eldest grandson earns the military degree predicted by the younger brother's widow.
By Pu Songling · Genre: Short Story, Satire, Cautionary Tale · 952 words
First lines
Note on the title: Literally, "wind and water," or that which cannot be seen and that which cannot be grasped. I have explained the term in my _Chinese Sketches_, p. 143, as "a system of geomancy, by the _science_ of which it is possible to determine the desirability of sites, -- whether of tombs, houses, or cities, from the configuration of such natural objects as rivers, trees, and hills, and to foretell with certainty the fortunes of any family, community, or individual, according to the spot selected; by the _art_ of which it is in the power of the geomancer to counteract evil influences by good ones, to transform straight and noxious outlines into undulating and propitious curves, and rescue whole districts from the devastations of flood or pestilence. "
Genres
- Short Story — A compact prose narrative follows a burial dispute through the brothers' deaths and their widows' resolution.
- Satire — Rival armies of geomancers and three years of competitive hut-building expose the absurd consequences of seeking advancement through a burial site.
- Cautionary Tale — The closing commentary condemns excessive belief in geomancy and the brothers' neglect of filial piety and fraternal love.
Tags
geomancy · burial customs · sibling rivalry · filial piety · military examinations
What this Textopian page supports
Fêng-Shui is listed on Textopian as a short story by Pu Songling, dated Date unknown.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Pu Songling
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Satire, Cautionary Tale
- Length: 952 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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