莲香 （人鬼狐和谐相处）：聊斋故事系列四合一（原著-注释-白话-英译）

莲香 （人鬼狐和谐相处）：聊斋故事系列四合一（原著-注释-白话-英译）

原文：

桑生，名晓，字子明，沂州人。少孤，馆于红花埠。桑为人静穆自喜，日再出，就食东
邻，余时坚坐而已。东邻生偶至，戏曰：“君独居不畏鬼狐耶？”笑答曰：“丈夫何畏鬼
狐？雄来吾有利剑，雌者尚当开门纳之。”邻生归，与友谋，梯妓于垣而过之，弹指叩扉。
生窥问其谁，妓自言为鬼。生大惧，齿震震有声。妓逡巡自去。邻生早至生斋，生述所见，
且告将归。邻生鼓掌曰：“何不开门纳之？”生顿悟其假，遂安居如初。


白话：

桑生，名晓，字子明，山东沂州人。小时死了父亲，眼下客居在红花埠。桑生自夸为人沉静平和，并，每天出去两次，和东面的邻居小伙一起吃饭，其余时间坚持坐在家里。东邻小伙偶然来到他家，开玩笑说：“你独居就不怕鬼狐吗？”桑生笑着回答说：“男子汉大丈夫为什么要怕鬼狐？雄的来了我有利剑伺候，雌的来了就开门迎接。”邻居小伙回去，和朋友谋划，搭梯子让妓女爬墙过来，弹着手指敲门。桑生一边窥视一边问是谁，妓女自称是鬼。桑生非常害怕，吓得牙齿嘚嘚地响。妓女犹犹豫豫地自己离开了。邻居小伙早晨来到桑生家生，桑生就把看到的情况讲了出来，还说自己将因此而返回故乡。邻居小伙拍着手掌说：“怎么不开门迎接呀？”桑生顿时明白是在做假，于是还和从前一样安心地居住在此。

英译：

Sang Xiao lived alone in Yizhou, Shandong Province. He liked peace and quietness and therefore always stayed at home except for going out once or twice everyday. His eastern neighbor Bo visited him accidentally.
“You live here all alone,” said Bo. “Don’t you be afraid of ghosts and foxes?”
“How can a real man be afraid of ghosts and foxes?” Sang smiled. “If a male comes, I’ll fight him with my sword. And if a female comes, I’ll open the door and welcome her.”
Bo went away and made a plan to crack a joke with him.
One day, the neighbor Bo and someone else deliberately passed by Sang’s home together with a girl and lightly knocked at the door.
“Who’s knocking at the door?” Sang asked.
“I’m a ghost,” replied the girl.
Greatly frightened, Sang was terribly shivering with his teeth rapping loudly. And the girl left.
Next morning, Bo came, Sang told him what happened last night and that he’s going to leave.
“Why didn’t you open the door and welcome her?” asked the neighbor, laughing and clapping his hands.
Hearing this, Sang suddenly realized he was cheated and lived here as before.


原文：

积半年，一女子夜来叩斋。生意友人之复戏也，启门延入，则倾国之姝。惊问所来，曰：“妾莲香，西家妓女。”埠上青楼故多，信之。息烛登床，绸缪甚至。自此三五宿辄一至。

白话：

过了半年，一女子夜间来敲书斋的门。桑生以为朋友又来开玩笑乐，就开门请他们进来，可那来的是一位倾国倾城的美女。吃惊地问她从哪里来。女子说：““我叫莲香，是西面青楼的妓女。” 红花埠青楼很多，桑生相信了她的话。随后就吹灭蜡烛上床，二人缠缠绵绵，非常火热。从此以后，那女子三五天就来住一夜。

英译：

One night half year later, a girl came to Sang’s house and knocked at the door. Thinking his friend was joking with him again, he opened the door and let the girl go in.
Surprisingly finding a beauty in her, he asked where she came from.
“My name is Lianxiang. I’m a dancing girl,” said she.
Now that there were really some bars in the neighborhood, Sang believed her. Then they turned off the light and went to bed together.
From then on, the girl came every other two or three nights.


原文：

一夕，独坐凝思，一女子翩然入。生意其莲，承逆与语。觌面殊非：年仅十五六，【享
单】袖垂髫，风流秀曼，行步之间，若还若往。大愕，疑为狐。女曰：“妾，良家女，姓李
氏。慕君高雅，幸能垂盼。”生喜。握其手，冷如冰，问：“何凉也？”曰：“幼质单寒，
夜蒙霜露，那得不尔！”既而罗襦衿解，俨然处子。女曰：“妾为情缘，葳蕤之质，一朝失
守。不嫌鄙陋，愿常侍枕席。房中得无有人否？”生曰：“无他，止一邻娼，顾亦不常。”
女曰：“当谨避之。妾不与院中人等。君秘勿泄，彼来我往，彼往我来可耳。” 鸡鸣欲去，赠绣履一钩，曰：“此妾下体所著，弄之足寄思慕。然有人慎勿弄也！”受而视之，翘翘如解结锥。心甚爱悦。越夕无人，便出审玩。女飘然忽至，遂相款昵。自此每出履，则女必应念而至。异而诘之，笑曰：“适当其时耳。”

白话：

一天夜间，桑生独自坐在家里凝思苦想，一个女子翩然而入。桑生以为是莲香，就边迎接边说话。女子受到迎接就和桑生说话。桑生一看面孔完全不一样：年仅十五六岁，双肩消瘦，美发下垂，风流秀美，步履轻盈，似行非行，似退非退。桑生惊恐万状，怀疑是狐狸精。女子说：“我是良家女，姓李。仰慕你气度高雅，希望能得到你的厚爱。”桑生满欣欢喜。一把握住她的手，只觉得像冰一样凉，问道：“为什么这样凉？”对方说：“年幼体弱，身子单薄自然爱冷，再加上夜间霜露大，怎么能不凉！”随后宽衣解带，像处女一般。女子说：“我是为感情缘分，才献上娇嫩柔弱的酮体，一下子就这么失去了贞操。如果不嫌我丑陋，我愿经常与你同床共枕。房中还有没有其他人？”桑生说：“没有别人，只有附近一青楼娼妓，也不常来。”女子说：“你应当谨慎地回避她。我可不是青楼女子那等人。你的秘密千万不要向外泄漏，她来我就走，她走我就来，就这样还可以。”雄鸡鸣叫她想走，临走赠绣鞋一只，说：“这是我下体所穿的，玩弄它就足能寄托相思之情。可是有人的时候千万别弄它！”桑生接过去仔细看起来，翘翘的就像是能挑开绳结的锥子。心里非常高兴。等天亮没人的时候，就拿出来边看边玩。突然之间那女子就飘然而至，两人就互相亲昵。从此之后，每当拿出那双鞋，那女子就必定随着他的思念而来。桑生奇怪地问她可，她就笑着说：“来的正是时候。”

英译：

One night, sitting in his room, Sang was absorbed in thought, and a girl came in like a wanton breeze. Thinking she must be Lianxiang (fragrant lotus flower), Sang stepped up to greet her. But she was a strange girl, very pretty in her fifteen or sixteen.
With a graceful carriage, she seemingly moved back but in fact stepped forward.
Terribly startled, Sang suspected that she was a fox.
“I’m a good girl from a decent family. My name’s Li,” said the girl. “It’s only because I admire your honesty that I come here.”
Delighted, Sang grasped her hands but felt they were as cold as ice.
“Your hands are so cold. Why?” asked Sang.
“I’m thin-clad,” answered the girl. “And what’s more, there is a fog outside. How can I feel warm?”
Unbuttoned her blouse, Li showed him her elegant body of a virgin.
“I came here and lost my chastity only because of feelings,” the girl said. “If you don’t detest me, I’d like to serve you.” She then asked, “Is there anyone else in your home?”
“No, except for a girl of my neighbor,” he said. “But she seldom comes.”
“We should be cautious,” said Li. “I’m completely different from dancing girls or prostitutes. Please don’t let out secretes. It’s no problem for us to visit each other.”
Before day break, the girl wanted to leave and presented Sang an embroidered shoe.
“This is something I wear on the lower part of my body. Whenever you miss me, you can take it out and have a look.” Li said continuously. “But you mustn’t do it whenever someone else was at your side!”
Loving the nice shoe very much, Sang enjoyed seeing it whenever he missed Li who would swiftly arrive at once and sit beside him in great intimacy. From then on , so long as Sang took out the shoe, Li would come in sure without any exception. Greatly amazing, Sang asked Li what she really had in her mind.
“I just want to fully use the opportunity to be with the man I love,” Li larghed.
原文：

一夜莲来，惊曰：“郎何神气萧索？”生言：“不自觉。”莲便告别，相约十日。去后，李来恒无虚夕。问：“君情人何久不至？”因以相约告。李笑曰：“君视妾何如莲香美？”曰：“可称两绝。但莲卿肌肤温和。”李变色曰：“君谓双美，对妾云尔。渠必月殿仙人，妾定不及。”因而不欢。乃屈指计，十日之期已满，嘱勿漏，将窃窥之。

白话：

一天夜里莲香来了，吃惊地说：“你的气色为什么这样差？”桑生说：“我没觉得呀。”莲香说着就告别，并约好十天后见面。莲香走后，李女就常来常往，没有一个晚上不来的。她问道：“你的情人为什么这么久不来？”桑生就把相约的事告诉她。李女笑道：“你看我和莲香
谁美？”桑生说：“可以说两人都美。但是莲香的肌肤温和些。”李女立即变脸说：“你说两人都美，这只是对我说说罢了。她必定美得像月宫里的嫦娥，我一定不及她。”李女因此很不高兴。于是扳着指头算计，十天的日期已经满了，嘱咐他别走漏风声，她想偷偷地看看莲香。

英译：

One night, Lianxiang arrived.
Greatly surprised, she exclaimed, “Why are you looking so pale?”
“I don’t know,” said Sang.
Lianxiang left and made an appointment with Sang to meet again ten days later.
After Lianxiang left, Li came every night.
“Your lover hasn’t come for so long a time, why?” Li asked.
Sang told her about the appointment.
“Who is beautiful, Lianxiang or me?” Li asked.
“Both. Either of you may be reckoned as a matchless beauty.” Said Sang. “But Lianxiang’s skin is warm and tender.”
Turning angry, Li said, “Now that you think both of us are beautiful, why are you saying this sort of words?” Li said continuously. “She must be as beautiful as a fairy and I can’t compare with her.”
Li was very unhappily. Comforting her, Sang asked her to count the days and not to forget to come here ten days later to see Lianxiang secretly.

原文：

次夜，莲香果至，笑语甚。及寝，大骇曰：“殆矣！十日不见，何益惫损？保无有他遇
否？”生询期故。曰：“妾以神气验之，脉析析如乱丝，鬼症也。”次夜，李来，生问：
“窥莲香何似？”曰：“美矣。妾固谓世间无此佳人，果狐也。去，吾尾之，南山而穴
居。”生疑其妒，漫应之。

白话：

第二天夜里，莲香果然来了，谈笑风生。到睡觉的时候惊恐地说：“糟啦！十天不见，你怎么疲惫消瘦成这个样子？你敢保证没有外遇吗？”桑生问她为什么定十天的约会期。莲香说：“我以神气检验你，脉搏细细的如乱丝，这是鬼病。”第二天夜里，李女来了，桑生问：“你看莲香怎样？”李女说：“美呀。我就说人世间没有这样的佳人吧，果然是狐狸精。她离开时，我一直跟在她后面，发现她住在南山的山洞里。”桑生怀疑她嫉妒，漫不经心地搭讪着。
英译：

On the eleventh day at night, Lianxiang came in deed. She spoke happily but turned to be much surprised when going to bed.
“Finished!” Lianxiang astonished. “It’s only ten days. Why are you so weak?”
Sang asked her how to know it.
“I can make a diagnosis according to your complexion. And worse of all, your pulse is simply in a chaos.” Said Lianxiang. “It’s a ghost disease.”
Next day at night, Li came.
“Did you see Lianxiang secretly?” Sang asked. “She’s beautiful?”
“Yes, absolutely!” Li replied. “But I once said there was no such a kind of beauty in this world. Believe me. She’s really a fox.” Li tried to convince him again saying continuously. “After she left here last night, I followed her and found she lived in a cave of the south mountains.”
Thinking Li must be jealous, Sang carelessly responded.

原文：

逾夕，戏莲香曰：“余固不信，或谓卿狐者。”莲亟问：“是谁所云？”笑曰：“我自
戏卿。”莲曰：“狐何异于人？”曰：“惑之者病，甚则死，是以可惧。”莲香曰：“不
然，如君之年，房后三日，精气可复，纵狐何害？设旦旦而伐之，人有甚于狐者矣。天下痨
尸瘵鬼，宁皆狐蛊死耶？虽然，必有议我者。”生力白其无，莲诘益力。生不得已，泄之。
莲曰：“我固怪君惫也。然何遽至此？得勿非人乎？君勿言，明宵，当如渠窥妾者。”是夜
李至，裁三数语，闻窗外嗽声，急亡去。莲入曰：“君殆矣！是真鬼物！昵其美而不速绝，
冥路近矣！”生意其妒，默不语。莲曰：“固知君不忘情，然不忍视君死。明日，当携药
饵，为君以除阴毒。幸病蒂尤浅，十日恙当已。请同榻以视痊可。”次夜，果出刀圭药啖
生。顷刻，洞下三两行，觉脏腑清虚，精神顿爽。心虽德之，然终不信为鬼。

白话：

过了一夜，桑生和莲香开玩笑说：“我本来不信，有人说你是狐狸。”莲香一个劲地问：“是谁说的？”桑生笑着说：“我自己在拿你开玩笑呢。”莲香说：“狐狸和人比有什么不同？”桑生说：“被狐狸迷惑的人就会生病，严重的还会死，所以很可怕。”莲香说：“不对，像你这样年龄的人，房事过后三天，精气就可恢复，纵然是狐又有什么害处呢？假如每天房事不断，人的危害要比狐狸严重得多呢。天下得痨病死的，难道都是狐狸迷惑死的吗？话虽这样讲，可必定有人在背后说我的坏话。”桑生极力辩解说没有，莲香反而盘问得更加严厉。桑生不得已，只好把事情和盘托出。莲香说：“我固然会奇怪你变得这样疲惫不堪。可为什会这么快呢？难道她不是人吗？你先别说，明天晚上，我要像她偷看我那样看看她的来历。”当天夜间李女来到后，刚说了三言两语，就听窗外有咳嗽声，李女急忙逃走了。莲香进屋说：“你算完了！她真是鬼呀！只看她长得美而不迅速和她断绝关系，那你离死可就不远了！”桑生以为她嫉妒，默不作声。莲香说：“我当然知道你不会忘掉情谊，可也不忍心看着你死。明天我会把药带来，为你清除阴毒。幸亏病灶还浅，十天之后你的病应当就会好。请答应我和你同床，以便把你的病治好。”第二天夜间，莲香果然取出一小勺药，给桑生吃。不大一会儿泻了两三回，觉得腹内空空，顿时神清气爽。心里虽然感激她，但始终不信为李女是鬼。

英译：

A few days later, making a joke, Sang said, “Someone says you’re a fox, but I don’t believe.”
“Who says?” Lianxiang asked earnestly.
“I’m only having a joke with you,” Sang told her.
“What’s the difference between a fox and a human being?” asked Lianxiang.
“If a man is infatuated with a fox, he’ll fall ill or even die.” Said Sang. “So it’s terrible.”
“No, I don’t think so,” said Lianxiang. “A man at your age will be recovered three days after a sexual intercourse. What’s the harm?” Lianxiang said continuously. “Even if a man has a sexual intercourse with a human being every night, he’ll be harmed too. And from this point of view, a human being is more harmful that a fox. So many people died of incurable diseases. How can you say they died of foxes’ misleading? Now you asked me this sort of question, I think someone must talk about me behind my back.”
Sang did his best to deny, yet Lianxiang still put out questions. In view of her earnest, he could do nothing but let out the true story.
“In fact, I’d already predicted you would be very weak, but I just failed to expect the condition should be so serious,” said Lianxiang. “She’s really not a human being. When she comes tomorrow night, don’t say anything but observe her just like what she did to me.”
Next evening, Li came. After saying only a few words, she heard someone coughing outside the window and hurriedly ran away.
Lianxiang then came in.
“You’re finished! She’s really a ghost!” Lianxiang told him. “If you are still infatuated with her beauty and refuse to cut off relations with her, your grave is within only a few inches.”
Still thinking Lianxiang was jealous, Sang remained silent.
“I know you’re not an unfaithful man,” said Lianxiang. “But I have no heart to see you die. Tomorrow I’ll bring you some medicines to counteract the ghost poison in your body. It’s lucky your illness isn’t very serious. You’ll be recovered ten days later. Let me go to bed with you so as to examine your condition.”
In deed, next day at night, Lianxiang brought some medicines and let him to have a spoonful. Having loose bowels two or three times, Sang suddenly felt quite refreshed with his vital organs well relaxed. Much grateful to Lianxiang, yet still, he didn’t believe Li was a ghost.

原文：

莲香夜夜同衾偎生，生欲与合，辄止之。数日后，肤革充盈。欲别，殷殷嘱绝李。生谬
应之。及闭户挑灯，辄捉履倾想。李忽至。数日隔绝，颇有怨色。生曰：“彼连宵为我作巫
医，请勿为怼。情好在我。”李稍怿。生枕上私语曰：“我爱卿甚，乃有谓卿鬼者。”李结
舌良久，骂曰：“必淫狐之惑君听也！若不绝之，妾不来矣！”遂呜呜饮泣。生百词慰解，
乃罢。隔宿，莲香至，知李复来，怒曰：“君必欲死耶！”生笑曰：“卿何相妒之深？”莲
益怒曰：“君种死根，妾为若除之，不妒者将复何如？”生托词以戏曰：“彼云前日之病，
为狐祟耳。”莲乃叹曰：“诚如君言，君迷不悟，万一不虞，妾百口何以自解？请从此辞。
百日后，当视君于卧榻中。”留之不可。怫然径去。由是于李夙夜必偕。约两月余，觉大困
顿。初犹自宽解；日渐羸瘠，惟饮【檀，以饣代木】粥一瓯。欲归就奉养，尚恋恋不忍遽
去。因循数日，沉绵不可复起。邻生见其病惫，日遣馆僮馈给食饮。生至是疑李，因谓李
曰：“吾悔不听莲香之言，以至于此！”言讫而瞑。移时复苏，张目四顾，则李已去，自是
遂绝。

白话：

莲香夜夜和桑生同床，偎依在他的身旁，桑生总想和她合欢，莲香每次都回绝他。数天后，桑生的肌肤滋润起来。莲香想分别，诚恳地嘱咐他和李女断绝来往。桑生假装答应她。等到关门点灯之后，就拿出小鞋思念李女。李女突然就来到了。来往隔绝数天之后，李女流露出很强的怨气。桑生说：“她接连好几个晚上为我作治病，请别责怪她。和谁情感好不好全都在我呢。”李女的气才有点消。桑生枕上私语道：“因为我爱你爱得深，这才有人说你是鬼。”李女好久说不出话，骂道：“必定是那只淫荡的狐狸精在迷惑你的视听！如果不和她断绝关系，我就不来了！”说着就呜呜地哭起来。桑生好话说尽来宽慰她，李女才算作罢。隔夜，莲香来到，知道李女又来过，就怒气冲冲地说：“你一定想死吧！”桑生笑着说：“你为什么嫉妒得这么深？”莲香越发恼怒地说：“你种下死根，我为你除掉，不嫉妒又该如何？”桑生寻找借口来开玩笑说：“她说我前几天的病，都是因为狐狸作怪。”莲香这才叹息说：“确实像你说的，你是执迷不悟，万一有个差错，我不是百口难辩吗？我就此告别。一百天之后，等着看你卧病在床。”桑生极力挽留也留不住。莲香愤然而去。从此李女每夜必到。大约两个多月，桑生觉得病得不轻。起初还能自己宽衣解带；可后来日益消瘦虚弱，只能喝一碗粥。他想回老家去调养，可还是恋恋不舍，不忍心马上离开。拖拉几天，病重得不能起床了。邻居小伙见他病重，每天派寓所的仆人给他送些吃喝的东西。桑生到这是才对李女产生怀疑，因此对李女说：“我后悔不听莲香的话，才弄到这步田地！”说完就闭上了眼睛。过一会而又苏醒过来，睁开眼睛四下张望，李女已经走了，从此来和李女断绝关系。
英译：

Every night, Lianxiang came and slept together with Sang who wanted to have sexual intercourse with her but was refused. Several days later, he was completely recovered. Before leaving, Lianxiang earnestly asked Sang to break off relations with Li. Pretending to agree, he shut the door and took out Li’s shoe immediately after Lianxiang left. While playing with the shoe, he was thinking about Li. She arrived at once. But full of grievances, she refused to have sexual intercourse with him for the next several days.
“Lianxiang treated me for my illness every night. Please don’t complain. ” Said Sang. “Whom should I love most deeply? It just depends on me.”
Hearing this, Li became a little bit mollified.
“It’s only because I love you deeply that someone says you’re a ghost,” Sang explained to her.
Unable to speak at the beginning, Li opened her mouth finally after a long time.
“It must be the dirty fox that misled you.” Li cursed. “If you don’t cut off relations with her, I won’t come again!”
Li began to sob. Only after Sang comforted her constantly did she stop.
Next evening, Lianxiang came. Learning Li came again, she was very angry.
“You’ll die doubtlessly!” said Lianxiang.
“How can you be jealous so deeply?” smiling, Sang asked.
Lianxiang became much angrier.
“You’ve planted the death root and I gave you a treatment,” said Lianxiang. “What can I do except for being jealous?”
Joking on a purpose to reverse the topic, Sang said, “You once said I fell ill only because a fox was making mischief.”
“You’re right,” Li said. “So I’m afraid you’ll persist in your error. If by any chance you should meet with a mishap, I won’t be able to vindicate myself even if I have a hundred mouths. Therefore, from now on I won’t come again. A hundred days later, you’ll surely be confined to bed by illness.”
Sang failed to persuade her into staying, Lianxiang left angrily.
Li thus came every night. About two months later, Sang started to feel uncomfortable. At the beginning, he still could help himself. But gradually, he became thinner and thinner and at last he could only be able to take a small bowl of porridge. He wanted to go home to recuperate his health but had no heart to part abruptly with Li. Dragged out a few days, he was even unable to get up because his illness became more serious than ever before.
Finding Sang was in such a serious condition, the neighbor showed him sympathy by sending a boy servant to give him some food and drink. It was only at this time did Sang begin to have doubt about Li.
“I didn’t listen to Lianxiang,” Sang said bitterly. “I’m really regretful for it. It’s only because of my own error that I landed myself in such a situation!”
On saying this, Sang closed his eyes. Not long after, he came back again and looked around. Yet Li had already left. And from then on, they had broken off all relations with each other

原文：

生羸卧空斋，思莲香如望岁。一日，方凝想间，忽有搴帘入者，则莲香也。临榻哂曰：
“田舍郎，我岂妄哉！”生哽咽良久，自言知罪，但求拯救。莲曰：“病入膏肓，实无救
法。姑来永诀，以明非妒。”生大悲曰：“枕底一物，烦代碎之。”莲搜得履，持就灯前，
反复展玩。李女【炎欠】入，卒见莲香，返身欲遁。莲以身蔽门，李窘急不知所出。生责数
之，李不能答。莲笑曰：“妾今始得与阿姨面相质。昔谓郎君旧疾，未必非妾致，今竟何
如？”李府首谢过。莲曰：“佳丽如此，乃以爱结仇耶？”李即投地陨泣，乞垂怜救。莲遂
扶起，细诘生平。曰：“妾，李通判女，早夭，瘗于墙外，已死春蚕，遗丝未尽。与郎偕
好，妾之愿也；致郎于死，良非素心。”莲曰：“闻鬼利人死，以死后可常聚，然否？”
曰：“不然，两鬼相逢，并无乐处，如乐也，泉下少年郎岂少哉！”莲曰：“痴哉！夜夜为
人，人且不堪，而况于鬼！”李问：“狐能死人，何术独否？”莲曰：“是采补者流，妾非
其类。故世有不害人之狐，断无不害人之鬼，以阴气盛也。”

白话：

桑生带病独卧空斋，思念莲香度日如年。一天，正在凝思苦想的时候，忽然有人掀开门帘进来，原来是莲香。靠近床铺讥笑说：“庄稼汉，我骗你了吗！”桑生哽咽很久，才说知罪，并且一个劲地求她救命。莲香说：“病入膏肓，实在没法救了。我这是来和你永别，以便让你明白我不是妒。”桑生非常悲痛地说：“枕头底下有一件东西，麻烦你代我弄碎它。”莲香找到那只鞋，拿到灯前，反复摆弄。李女突然进来，看见莲香，返身想逃。莲香用身子挡住门，李女窘迫，急得不知该从哪里出去。桑生数落着责备她，李无话可答。莲香笑着说：“我今天才有机会和妹妹面对面地说话。从前你说郎君的旧病，未必不是我造成的，今天看看到底是怎么回事？”李女低头谢过。莲香说：“这么美的人，哪能以爱结仇呢？”李女随即跪在地上哭泣，请她拯救桑生。莲香急忙把她扶起来，仔细盘问她的生平。李女说：“我本是李通判的女儿，死得早，埋葬在墙外，人虽然死了，情丝还没断。与桑郎相好，这是我的愿望；可最后却导致郎君死亡，这实在不是我的本意。”莲香说：“听说鬼希望人死，因为死后可以经常聚会，是不是？”李女说：“不是，两鬼相逢，并无快乐之处，如果真的快乐，九泉之下少年郎哪能少呢！”莲香说：“傻呀！夜夜和人欢合，人与人之间况且受不了，何况与鬼欢合呢！”李女问：“狐狸害人办法很多，唯独哪种办法不能用？”莲香说：“就是采精血补养的那类，我从不用这种。所以说世上有不害人的狐狸，断然没有不害人的鬼，因为阴气太盛。”

英译：


Lying alone with sickly looks in the empty room, Sang missed Lianxiang very much with days wearing on like years.
One day, while deeply thinking, Sang suddenly realized someone entered his room. He scrutinized and found it was Lianxiang.
Smilingly bending over his bed, Lianxiang said, “My clever boy, did I cheat you?”
Sobbing a long time, Sang said he had already realized his mistake and asked her to save him.
“Your disease has spread to vital organs so you’ve already become an incurable,” said Lianxiang. “I come here today only for the purpose to part with you for ever and verify that I’m not jealous.”
Greatly sorrowful, Sang said, “There’s something beneath my pillow. Please destroy it for me.”
After searching, Lianxiang found the shoe and played with it constantly by the light of a lamp. Li arrived immediately but upon seeing Lianxiang she turned round and wanted to escape. But Lianxiang blocked the way at the door with her body. In great embarrassment, Li didn’t know how to go out. Severely scolded by Sang, she became as dumb as a fish.
“It’s only after so long a period that I’ve got the chance to meet you face to face.” Lianxiang smilingly said to Li. “I’ve never denied that he was ill maybe because of my fault.”
Bending her head, Li hurriedly thanked Lianxiang.
“You’re so beautiful,” said Lianxiang. “I just don’t believe you have the heart to transform love into hatred.”
Sweeping and kneeling on the ground, Li begged Lianxiang to save Sang. Assisting Li to her feet, Lianxiang asked bout the story of her life.
“I died young and was buried just outside the wall.” Said Li. “My body died but my feelings didn’t. I fell in love with Sang. To be kind to him is my desire, but to cause him to die isn’t my real wish. ”
“I heard ghosts always hope their lovers to die as soon as possible,” Lianxiang said, “because they can meet frequently after the death of the lovers. It’s right or not?”
“No, it’s no happy thing for two ghosts to meet,” Li replied. “If happy, why don’t they look for lovers in the nether world? Could it be said that the underground world is short of young ones?”
“How stupid!” said Lianxiang . “It’s unbearable even for human beings to do that sort of thing every night between human beings, let alone between human beings and ghosts.”
“Foxes can kill people. Are there any exceptions?” asked Li.
“The man-killing foxes belong to the nourishment-collecting categories,” Said Lianxiang. “I don’t belong to that kind. So there are really some foxes that do not kill human beings, but there are no ghosts who do not kill human beings, because the phantom energy is too strong.”

原文：

生闻其语，始知狐鬼皆真。幸习常见惯，颇不为骇。但念残息如丝，不觉失声大痛。莲顾问：“何以处郎君者？”李赧然逊谢。莲笑曰：“恐郎强健，醋娘子要食杨梅也。”李敛衽曰：“如有医国手，使妾得无负郎君，便当埋首地下，敢复【面见】然于人世耶！”莲解囊出药，曰：“妾早知有今，别后采药三山，凡三阅月，物料始备，瘵蛊至死，投之无不苏者。然症何由得，仍以何引，不得不转求效力。”问：“何需？”曰：“樱口中一点香唾耳。我一丸进，烦接口而唾之。”李晕生颐颊，俯首转侧而视其履。莲戏曰：“妹所得意惟履耳。”李益惭，俯仰若无所容。莲曰：“此平时熟技，今何吝焉？”遂以丸纳生物，转促逼之。李不得已，唾之。莲曰：“再！”又唾之。凡三四唾，丸已下咽。少间，腹殷然如雷鸣。复纳一丸，自乃接唇而布以气。生觉丹田火热，精神焕发。莲曰：“愈矣！”李听鸡鸣，彷徨别去。莲以新瘥，尚须调摄，就食非计；因将户外反关，伪示生归，以绝交往，日夜守护之。李亦每夕必至，给奉殷勤，事莲犹姊。莲亦深怜爱之。

白话：

桑生听到她们的话，才知道狐鬼都是真的。幸亏早就习以为常，见怪不怪，因此并不害怕。只是想到自己奄奄一息，情不自禁地失声大痛。莲香看着他问：“郎君该怎么办呢？”李女红着脸谦逊地表示谢意。莲香笑着说：“郎君如果治好病，身体强健起来，恐怕爱吃醋的娘子得要吃杨梅啦。”李女整了整衣襟向莲香拜了拜说：“如有能起死回生的高明医生，使我不辜负郎君的一片情意，即便把我砍头埋在地下，我也不敢再来人世了！”莲香解开袋子取出药说：“我早知有今天，分别后就到方丈、蓬莱、瀛洲三座仙山去采药，一共三个月，经久不治的色痨，没有不是药到病除的。但是病是怎么得的，又该用什么药引子，那就不得不转而求你帮忙了。”李女问：“需要什么？”莲香说：“你樱桃小口中的一点唾沫。我一把药丸塞进他嘴里，麻烦你和他嘴接嘴吐一口唾沫。”李女看到桑生的面颊就发晕，低头转脸看她给桑生的鞋。莲香开玩笑说：“妹妹所得意的就是那只鞋吧。”李女越发惭愧，前俯后仰地似乎无地自容。莲香说：“这是你平时干熟了的事，今天何必这么吝啬？”于是把药丸放到桑生口中，然后转身催促李女。李女不得已，只好吐唾沫。莲香说：“再来！”李女又唾一口。一共吐三四口，药丸已经下咽。片刻之后，桑生肚子里响声如雷鸣。桑生再吃一丸，李女自己就主动唇接唇往他口中吹气。桑生觉得丹田火热，精神焕发。莲香说：“好了！”李女听到雄鸡报晓，仓皇离开。莲香认为桑生病刚好，还需要调理，急着吃东西不好；因此把门从外面锁起来，伪造出桑生回故乡的假象，目的是让他与外界断绝交往，日夜守护着。李女也是每天晚上必到，殷勤侍奉，对待莲莲香就像姐姐。莲香业非常喜爱她。

英译：

Only on hearing this, did Sang suddenly realize what had happened. So both the fox and the ghost were true! As luck would have it, they had already become familiar with each other because of frequent meetings. And therefore, he wasn’t afraid of them at all. But thinking he was at the point of death, Sang couldn’t help crying loudly.
“How can you save your lover?” Lianxiang asked Li.
Ashamed for being unable to save Sang, Li asked Lianxiang for help.
Lianxiang smiled and said, “I’m afraid you’ll be jealous if I save your lover’s life.”
Stretching her clothes so as to make herself appear properly dressed, Li said, “So long as there’s a good doctor who can save my lover, I’d rather die, if need be!”
Unpacking a bag and taking out some medicines, Lianxiang said, “Long ago I already knew this day would come sooner or later.” She explained continuously. “Ever since leaving here last time, I’ve spent three months to collect medicines over three big mountains. These medicines are highly efficacious against the incurable disease caused by excessive sexual action. But an adjuvant is needed. And this adjuvant must come from whoever caused his disease.”
“What can I do for him?” asked Li.
“Just a little bit of your saliva.” Lianxiang explained. “I put a pill into his mouth first and then you spit immediately.”
Blushing all over, Li gave a shy smile as if feeling much embarrassed. When looking down, she suddenly found her shoe. Seeing this, Lianxiang joked with her.
“It seems you can only use your shoe to mislead him,” Lianxiang said.
More ashamed, Li appeared to be unable to find a place to hide herself.
“Now that you two are always near and dear, I think it’s the everyday occurrence for you to do this sort of thing,” Lianxiang said continuously. “How can you refuse today?”
Lianxiang put the pill into Sang’s mouth and then urged Li to spit. Li could do nothing but follow her instruction.
“Once again,” said Lianxiang.
Li spitted three or four times and the pill was swallowed by Sang.
Shortly, Sang’s stomach let out a sound as a thunderclap. Accepting another pill, Sang felt that a gust of air going straight down from his lips to his chest and then a puff of heat coming into being in his heart. At last, he was full of vigor.
“Well!” Lianxiang said.
Hearing roasters began to crow, Li parted and ran away in a nervous hurry.
Now that Sang had just been recovered, Lianxiang thought he still needed nurse and nourishment. She locked the door from outside so as to give others a false notice that Sang had gong back to his native place. The purpose of doing so was to force Sang to cut off association with others for the time-being in order for them to take care of him day and night.
Li was certain to come every night carefully nursing Leonardo and sincerely treating Lianxiang as her sister. Li won Lianxiang’s favor very soon.

原文：

居三月，生健如初。李遂数夕不至；偶至，一望即去。相对时，亦挹挹不乐。莲常留与共寝，必不肯。生追出，提抱以归，身轻若刍灵。女不得遁，遂着衣偃卧，【足卷】其体不盈二尺。莲益怜之，阴使生狎抱之，而撼摇亦不得醒。生睡去，觉而索之，已杳。后十余日，更不复至。生怀思殊切，恒出履共弄。莲曰：“窈娜如此，妾见犹怜，何况男子。”生曰：“昔日弄履则至，心固疑之，然终不料其鬼。今对履思容，实所怆恻。”因而泣下。

白话：

三个月之后，桑生体健如初。李女就每隔几个晚上才来一次；偶然来一次，也是一看就走。见面时也是闷闷不乐。莲香常留她和桑生同床共枕，她总是不肯。桑生追出去，把她抱回来，觉得她身子轻得就如同为送葬扎的草人。李女逃不脱，就和衣卧，蜷着身子不满两尺长。莲香很可怜她，暗自让桑生亲昵地搂抱她，可是撼摇她，她也不醒。桑生入睡，睡梦中寻找她，她已经消失了。后来的十多天里，更是不再来了。桑生怀念之情非常深切，总是那出她那只鞋和莲香一起摆弄。莲香说：“她这么美，就连我见了都喜欢，何况男子了。”桑生说：“从前一摆弄这鞋她就到，心里虽然怀疑她，可始终没想到她是鬼。今天对着鞋想她的容貌，实在难过。”因而泪流满面。

英译：

Three months later, Sang had become as healthy as ever before. And from then on, Li hadn’t appeared for several nights. Even if she came incidentally, she would only have a look and then leave hurriedly. Worse of all, she seemed very much bored when facing with the other two. Lianxiang often asked her to stay here at night but she firmly refused.
One night, Sang chased out and caught up with Li. Carrying her back, he felt she was as light as straw. Since nowhere to escape, Li had to lie on her back with dress on . She huddled herself up, her body only less than two feet long.
Taking pity on Li, Lianxiang asked Sang to hug her in intimacy when she was asleep. But strange enough, Li wouldn’t wake up even if Sang shook her repeatedly. He got to sleep. Yet Li had already vanished when he woke up and looked for her.
From then on, Li refused to come again more than ten days. Missing her deeply, Sang took out her shoe and played with it together with Lianxiang.
“What a beauty!” Lianxiang admired. “Even I’m fully infatuated with her, let alone a man.”
“Previously, whenever I played with the shoe, she would come. Though I always had doubts about her, I’d never expected she should be a ghost,” Sang said continuously with tears streaming down like raindrops. “Facing her shoe and thinking about her appearance, I really feel sorrowful.”


原文：

先是，富室张姓有女字燕儿，年十五，不汗而死。终夜复苏，起顾欲奔。张扃户，不得
出。女自言：“我通判女魂，感桑郎眷注，遗舄犹存彼处。我真鬼耳，锢我何益？”以其言
有因，诘其至此之由。女低徊反顾，茫不自解。或有言桑生病归者，女执辨其诬，家人大
疑。东邻生闻之，逾垣往窥，见生方与美人对语；掩入逼之，张皇间已失所在。邻生骇诘。
生笑曰：“向固与君言，雌者则纳之耳。”邻生述燕儿之言。生乃启关，将往侦探，苦无
由。张母闻生果未归，益奇之。故使佣媪索履，生遂出以授。燕儿得之喜。试着之，鞋小于
足者盈寸，大骇。揽镜自照，忽恍然悟己之借躯以生也者，因陈所由。母始信之。女镜面大
哭曰：“当日形貌，颇堪自信，每见莲姊，犹增惭怍。今反若此，人也不如其鬼也！”把履
号【口兆】，劝之不解。蒙衾僵卧。食之，亦不食，体肤尽肿；凡七日不食，卒不死，而肿
渐消；觉饥不可忍，乃复食。数日，遍体瘙痒，皮尽脱。晨起，睡舄遗堕，索着之，则硕大
无朋矣。因试前履，肥瘦吻合，乃喜。复自镜，则眉目颐颊，宛肖生平，益喜。盥栉见母，
见者尽眙。莲香闻其异，劝生媒通之；而以贫富悬邈，不敢遽进。会媪初度，因从其子婿
行，往为寿。媪睹生名，故使燕儿窥帘识客。生最后至，女骤出，捉袂，欲从与俱归。母诃
谯之，始惭而入。生审视宛然，不觉零涕，因拜伏不起。媪扶之，不以为侮。生出，浼女舅
执柯。媪议择吉赘生。

白话：

早先，姓张的富人家有个女儿叫燕儿，十五岁那年因为不出汗而死。一夜过后复醒过来，起身看看就想跑。张把门锁上，女孩才没能出去。女孩自言自语：“我是李通判女儿的魂，感谢桑郎关照，我留下的鞋还存在他那里。我真是鬼，关我有什么用处？”家人认为她说这话事出有因，就盘问她到这里来的原因。女孩左思右想，茫然不解。有人说桑生因病返乡，女孩执意说那是胡说，家人非常怀疑。东邻小伙听说此事闻，翻墙去看，见桑生正和美人交谈；悄悄地进入房间走到美人跟前，美人仓皇皇间已经消失。邻居小伙害怕地追问。桑生笑着说：“我从前曾经对你说过，雌者我就接纳她。”邻居小伙把燕儿的话讲给他听。桑生这才打开门，想去张家查看真情，但是又苦于没有理由去。张母听说桑生果然没有回老家，也感到非常奇怪。因此派老女仆去要鞋，桑生就拿出来交给他们。燕儿拿到鞋非常欢喜。试穿一下，鞋比脚小了一寸，她非常害怕。对着镜子一照，忽然之间就恍然大悟，自己已经借尸还魂，继而讲述事情的来龙去脉。张母这才相信。女孩对着镜子大哭：“我对自己的容貌，本来非常自信，可每次见到莲香姐，就更加惭愧。今天反而这样，真是人不如鬼！”女孩拿着鞋号啕大哭，劝也劝不好。蒙起被子僵直地躺着。让她吃东西，她也不吃，肌肤尽全都肿了；一共七天不吃饭，就是不死，而肿逐渐消失了；同时觉得饥不可忍，于是又开始吃饭。几天后，遍体瘙痒，皮肤尽脱。早晨起来，睡觉时穿的鞋已经掉了，她就要来穿上，可却大得无与伦比。试穿从前的鞋，肥瘦正好，她非常高兴。再一照镜子，眉目面颊，都像从前一样，于是越发地高兴。洗脸梳妆之后去见母亲，看见她的人都非常吃惊。莲香听到感觉非常奇怪，劝桑生托媒人去说亲；但是因为贫富悬殊，不敢贸然进门。正赶上张母做寿，这才混入张母的儿子女婿们的行列，前往祝寿。张老太看到来客名册上有桑生的名字，就让燕儿通过门帘的缝辨认识客人。桑生最后一个到，女孩突然走出来，抓住桑生的衣服，想和他一起返回。张母就斥责她，她才十分惭愧地走进来。桑生仔细打量一番，情不自禁地流下泪来，随即在张母面前跪拜不起。老太太扶他，并不以此为侮。桑生走后，请求女孩的舅舅做媒。老太太商议选择良辰吉日招桑生为倒插门婿。

英译：

There was a rich man Zhang who had a young girl named Yan in her fifteen. One night the lovely girl suddenly died from not sweating. Yet Yan was restored to life at daybreak. Getting up and looking around, she wanted to run out, yet she was disappointed when seeing the door was closed.
“I’m Li’s soul.” Yan said to herself. “Sang was very kind to me. He still keeps my shoe in his room,” said she continuously. “I’m a real ghost. What’s the use to shut me in the room?”
Thinking there must be some reasons, the family asked Yan what had had happened. Lowering her head and looking at herself for a moment, Yan, at a loss, couldn’t understand. Someone told her that Sang had gone back to his native place. But stubbornly holding to her own opinion, she said that wasn’t true. All the people around were fill with suspicion.
Learning this strange story, the eastern neighbor Bo hurriedly came to Sang’s place. Stealthily peeping through the window, he found Sang talking with a beautiful woman. Yet, when he rushed into the room, the woman, panic-stricken, immediately vanished. Feeling frightened, the neighbor asked Sang what happened.
“I once told you,” Sang smiled and said, “If there’s a female fox, I’d welcome her.”
The neighbor explained what Yan said, Sang wanted to visit Yan’s home. But he couldn’t find a reason to go there.
Learning Sang indeed didn’t go back to his native town, Yan’s mother was astonished and sent a servant to asked Sang for the shoe. Sang showed the shoe. Holding the shoe, Yan was delighted. But she became greatly shocked when she tried the shoe because it was over one inch smaller than her feet.
Looking at herself in a mirror, Yan suddenly realized she’d revived in a new guise. Being told the whole story by her daughter, the mother believed.
Facing the mirror and crying, Yan said, “Previously, I was quite confident about my appearance. But whenever I met with Lianxiang, I felt ashamed,” said Yan continuously. “Yet now, I find I’m even not so good as a ghost!”
Holding the shoe, Yan cried loudly. No one could dissuade her from feeling sorrowful. Covered by quilt, she just laid on her back stiffly. Served by food, she refused to eat. Her body began to swell. Without eating anything for seven day, she didn’t die. And then the swelling had gone down gradually. Moreover, she began to feel too hungry to bear. Only at this moment, did she begin to eat again.
A few days later, Yan felt terribly itching all over and then her whole body peeled completely.
One morning Yan asked for her shoes which slipped down while sleeping. Yet, she found the shoes became too large and asked for the previous shoe given by Sang. To her surprise, the shoe should be quite all right, neither larger nor smaller.
Wild with joy, looking at herself again in a mirror, she found her appearance, including her eyes, forehead and so on, just the same as the one before her death. Much more pleased, she went to see her mother after washing and dressing. Whoever saw her was quite surprised and happy.
Learning this, even Lianxiang felt surprised and persuaded Sang to marry her. Considering that he was too poor, Sang didn’t dare to go in haste.
Only on the birth day of Yan’s mother did Sang visit Yan’s family together with his friends.
Seeing Sang’s name was in a guest list, the mother asked Yan to take a furtive glance and make out who was Sang. Yet Yan rushed over and firmly grasped Sang just at the moment Sang appeared. She persisted in going with him. Very angry, the mother stopped her daughter who had to turn back.
Carefully scrutinizing Yan, Sang couldn’t help feeling sorrowful and knelt down before the mother who hurriedly assisted him to his feet without feeling disgraceful at all.
Then the mother discussed with her uncle about Yan’s marriage and asked her uncle to be the go-between and finally decided to let her daughter to marry Sang.

原文：

生归告莲香，且商所处。莲怅然良久，便欲别去。生大骇泣下。莲曰：“君行花烛于人
家，妾从而往，亦何形颜？”生谋先与旋里，而后迎燕，莲乃从之。生以情白张。张闻其有
室。怒加诮让，燕儿力白之，乃如所请。至日，生往亲迎。家中备具，颇甚草草；及归，则
自门达堂，悉以【上四中厂下剡，音ji4，毛织品】毯贴地，百千笼烛，灿列如锦。莲香扶
新妇入青庐，搭面既揭，欢若生平。莲陪卺饮，因细诘还魂之异。燕曰：“尔日抑郁无聊，
徒以身为异物，自觉形秽。别后愤不归墓，随风漾泊。每见生则羡之。昼凭草木，夜则信足
浮沉。偶至张家，见少女卧床上，近附之，未知遂能活也。”莲闻之，默默若有所思。逾两
月，莲举一子。产后暴病，日就沉绵。捉燕臂曰：“敢以孽种相累，我儿即若儿。”燕泣
下，姑慰藉之。为召巫医，辄却之。沉痼弥留，气如悬丝。生及燕儿皆哭。忽张目曰：“勿
尔！子乐生，我乐生。如有缘，十年后可复得见。”言讫而卒。启衾将敛，尸化为狐。生不
忍异视，厚葬之。子名狐儿，燕抚如己出。每清明，必抱儿哭诸其墓。


白话：

桑生回家把这件事告诉莲香，并商量今后该如何相处。莲香失意落寞很久，就想告别。桑生吓得直哭。莲香说：“你到人家拜过天地入洞房，我跟着你去，我有什么脸面？”桑生打算先回故乡，然后迎娶燕儿，莲香答应和他一起去。桑生向张家讲了自己的计划。张家听说他有家室，愤怒地指责桑生，燕儿极力从中调停，这才答应桑生的请求。吉日一到，桑生前往亲迎。家中各种家什，非常简陋；可是等回来一看，屋里屋外，都铺着地毯，灯笼蜡烛成百上千，光艳无比。莲香搀扶新娘走进洞房，揭开盖头，欢天喜地和往常一样。莲香陪伴新人行新婚之礼，借机向新娘盘问还魂的奇事。燕儿说：“今日抑郁无聊，我觉得自己是个异类，自惭形秽。分别后愤怒已极，坚决不再回归坟墓，于是随风飘泊。每见到活人就非常羡慕。白天藏身草木之中，夜晚就信步游荡。偶然到了张家，见少女躺在床上，我就走到她跟前把魂附在她身上，当时也不知道就这么活了。”莲香听后，默默若有所思。过两个月，莲香生了个儿子。产后暴病，日益虚弱。拉着燕儿的手臂说：“实在不敢以这个孽种拖累你，我儿就是你儿。”燕儿泪如雨下，千方百计安慰他。想为她请巫医，莲香不同意。病情加重，弥留之际，奄奄一息。桑生和燕儿都哭了。莲香忽然睁开眼睛说：“别这样！你们以生为乐，我也如此。如有缘分，十年后可以再相见。”说完就咽气了。掀开被褥准备装殓，她的尸体已经化为狐狸。桑生不忍另眼相看，于是厚葬莲香。为她的儿子取名狐儿，燕儿非常宠爱，就如同自己亲生的一样。每年清明，必定要抱着孩子到莲香的墓前哭拜。

英译：

Back at home, Sang told Lianxiang about marriage and discussed with her abut her future whereabouts. Disappointed and perplexed, Lianxiang kept silent for a long time and wanted to part. Sang was scared and wept sadly.
“You marry a beauty, but ask me to follow you,” said Lianxiang. “It’s simply ridiculous.”
Sang was going back to his hometown before his wedding day. Lianxiang agreed with him.
Sang honestly told his whole story to Yan’s mother. On learning Sang had already had a wife, the mother angrily reproached him. But Yan did her best to justify his conduct. And as a result, Yan obtained what she wished.
On the wedding day, Lianxiang asked Yan about her reviving in a new guise. In fact, at this moment, Yan was the very soul of Li.
“Recently I felt quite gloomy,” said Li’s soul. “But I had a sense of inferiority because I was a ghost. After death, I was very angry and refused to go into my grave. I drifted around with the wind and envied every living person I saw.” Li’s soul said continuously. “In the day time, I hid myself within wood and grass and at night I’d fleet wantonly. One night, I happened to pass by Yan’s home and saw a dead girl lying in bed. I was very happy and let my soul adhere to her dead body without any delay. But at that time I didn’t know I could revive.”
Hearing this, Lianxiang kept silent as if to be engrossed in thought,.
Two months later, Lianxiang had borne a son. But after childbirth, she suddenly fell ill and ever since then, had become weaker and weaker.
One day, grasping Yan’s arm, Lianxiang said, “I’m sorry my baby made you trouble. But my son is your son.”
Weeping sadly, Yan comforted her and wanted to send for a witch doctor. But Lianxiang refused.
Long illness made her condition critical. On her death bed, Lianxiang’s last gasp nearly finished. Seeing this, both Sang and Yan were all in a flood of tears.
Suddenly, Lianxiang opened her eyes and said, “My son wants to live, but I want to die.” Lianxiang said continuously. “We can meet again ten years later if we have good luck.”
After saying this, Lianxiang died. Uncovering her quilt so as to encoffin her, Sang and Yan found Lianxiang’s body had already turned into a fox. Having no heart to see this, Sang gave Lianxiang a generous funeral.
In order to commemorate Lianxiang, they named her son “Little Fox” and treated him just like their own baby. Moreover, every year on the day of Lianxiang’s death, weeping sorrowfully, they were sure to take the son to his mother’s tomb.

原文：

后生举于乡，家渐裕。而燕苦不育。狐儿颇慧，然单弱多疾。燕每欲生置媵。一日，婢
忽曰：“门外一妪，携女求售。”燕呼入。卒见，大惊曰：“莲姊复出耶！”生视之，真
似，亦骇。问：“年几何？”答云：“十四。”“聘金几何？”曰：“老身止此一块肉，但
俾得所，妾亦得啖饭处，后日老骨不至委沟壑，足矣。”生优价而留之。燕握女手，入密
室，撮其颔而笑曰：“汝识我否？”答言：“不识。”诘其姓氏，曰：“妾韦姓。父徐城卖
浆者，死三年矣。”燕屈指停思，莲死恰十有四载。又审视女，仪容态度，无一不神肖者。
乃拍其顶而呼曰：“莲姊，莲姊！十年相见之约，当不欺吾！”女忽如梦醒，豁然曰：
“咦！”熟视燕儿。生笑曰：“此‘似曾相识燕归来’也。”女泫然曰：“是矣。闻母言，
妾生时便能言，以为不祥，犬血饮之，遂昧宿因。今日始如梦寤。娘子其耻于为鬼之李妹
耶？”共话前生，悲喜交至。

白话：

后来桑生乡试得中，成为举人，家境日益富裕起来。只是燕儿经常为不能生育苦恼。狐儿非常聪明，可就是体弱多病。燕儿总想让桑生娶妾。一天，婢女忽然说：“门外有一位老太太，领着个女孩想找人家卖掉。”燕儿叫她们进屋。乍一见面，大吃一惊说：“莲香姐再世啦！”桑生一看，真像，就非常害怕，问：“几岁啦？”老太太答：“十四了。”“聘金要多少？”对方说：“老身就只有这么一块心头肉，只要她能得到点东西，我也有个吃饭的地方，日后老身一把骨头不至于被扔到沟壕里，我就知足啦。”桑生出高价把她们留下来。燕儿握着女孩的手，进入里室，拧着她的面颊笑着说：“你认识我吗？”对方答道：“不认识。”问她姓什么，她说：“我姓韦。父亲是在徐城卖水的，死三年了。”燕儿屈指一算，莲香去世恰好十四年。再仔细看看女孩，面容神态，没有一点不像莲香的。于是拍着她的头顶喊道：“莲香姐，莲香姐！十年相见的约会，应当不是骗我吧！”女孩忽如梦醒，吃惊地说：“咦！”女孩再看燕儿也觉得很熟悉。桑生笑着说：“这真是‘似曾相识燕归来’呀。”女孩眼泪汪汪地说：“是呀。听母亲说，我一出生就能说话，以为不吉利，让我喝狗血，我一直不明白这是自己前生的因缘。今天才如梦方醒。姐姐我怎么能以这个已经变成鬼的李妹妹为耻呢”她们俩共同谈论前生，悲喜交加。

英译：

Later on, Sang’s life became better and better. Yan was sterile. Little Fox was very clever but often got ill. Yan wanted to persuade Sang to marry a concubine.
One day, the servant told them, “There’s an old lady outside. She has a girl to sell.”
Yan asked them to enter her house. On seeing them, Yan was greatly surprised.
“Sister Lianxiang revived!” she exclaimed.
Finding the girl really resemble Lianxiang, Sang was taken quite by surprise.
“How old are you?” asked Yan.
“Fourteen,” said the girl.
Hearing this and counting on her fingers, Yan realized Lianxiang had already died just for fourteen years.
“Do you know me?” Yan asked the girl.
“No,” replied the girl.
Patting on the top of her head, Yan called out loudly to the girl, “Sister Lianxiang, Sister Lianxiang!” Yan continued. “Do you still remember our ten-year-appointment? I don’t think you want to cheat me!”
Only at this moment, did the girl suddenly see the light as if just coming round from a dream.
“I miss you Sister Li!” cried the girl.
Looking at them just on the surface, it seemed as if Yan and the girl were having a talk. But in fact, the two souls of Li and Lianxiang were talking about their previous existence with mingled feelings of joy and sorrow.



原文：

一日，寒食，燕曰：“此每岁妾与郎君哭姊日也。”遂与亲登其墓，荒草离离，木已拱
矣。女亦太息。燕谓生曰：“妾与莲姊，两世情好，不忍相离，宜令白骨同穴。”生从其
言，启李冢得骸，舁归而合葬之。亲朋闻其异，吉服临穴，不期而会者数百人。余庚戌南游
至沂，阻雨，休于旅舍。有刘生子敬，其中表亲，出同社王子章所撰桑生传，约万余言，得
卒读。此其崖略耳。

白话：

正赶上寒食节，燕儿说：“这是每年我和郎君哭姐姐的日子。”于是就和她一起亲自到李女的墓前， 那里已经是草木荒凉，树都已经能握起来了。女孩也直叹息。燕儿对桑生说：“我和莲香姐有两世的交情，不忍相离，应该让我们俩白骨埋葬在同一个墓穴里。”桑生按照她的话，挖开李女的墓取出尸骸，抬着去和莲香合葬了。亲朋听了都感到奇怪，都穿着 吉庆的衣服亲临墓穴，不期而会的人多达数百名。我在庚戌年南游到沂州，遇到大雨住在旅馆。有位刘子敬，和我是表兄弟，拿出他朋友王子章所写的桑生传，约万余字，我有机会读完全书。我这篇文章就是那篇的缩写版本。

英译：

One day, Yan, in fact the soul of Li, said to Sang, “Sister Lianxiang and me have been good friends for two generations,” said she. “I’ve no heart to part with her continuously. It’s better to bury our bones together.”
Following her advice, Sang opened the two tombs of Li and Lianxiang, took out their bones, and buried them together in a new tomb.

原文：

异史氏曰：“嗟乎！死者而求其生，生者又求其死，天下所难得者，非人身哉？奈何具此身者，往往而置之，遂至【典见】然而生不如狐，泯然而死不如鬼。”


白话：

异史氏曰：“唉！死的想活，活的想死，天下难得的，不是人的身体吗？可是没有办法，有身有命的人，往往对此漠然置之，以致惭愧而生的不如狐，郁闷而死的不如鬼。”

英译：

Author’s Commentary:
Alas! The living people want to die while the dead people want to live. What on earth are difficult to get are human bodies, aren’t they? Yet, some people who have got their treacherous bodies but make light of them so that they live worse than foxes and die worse than ghosts. Why?

所有跟帖： 

• 回复：莲香 （人鬼狐和谐相处）：聊斋故事系列四合一（原著-注释-白话-英译） -宋德利利- ♂ (218 bytes) () 10/22/2007 postreply 19:16:54

• 谢先，改日再拜读。 -YuGong- ♂ (0 bytes) () 10/22/2007 postreply 20:57:21

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