Chapter 16: Blank
Translator: Kim Guo Editor: Tehm
Since ancient times, there had been a lot of talents in Jiangnan1, especially in the Ming and Qing
Dynasties. According to the records of the successful candidates in the highest imperial
examination in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, from the first subject in the fourth year of
Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (the year 1371) to the last subject in the thirtieth year of
Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (the year 1904), there had been 201 subjects in the final
imperial examination. In addition to learned and extensive subject2, excluding translation
subject and Manchu successful candidates subject, there had been 51681 successful candidates,
24866 in the Ming Dynasty and 26815 in the Qing Dynasty. There had been 7877 successful
candidates in Jiangnan, accounting for 15.24% of those of the country, 3864 in the Ming
Dynasty, accounting for 15.54% of those of the country and 4013 in the Qing Dynasty,
accounting for 14.95% of those of the country. On the whole, more than one out of seven
successful candidates in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were from Jiangnan, which was
marvelous. In the opinions of modern people, the advanced culture of Jiangnan was closely
associated with its developed economy. In the northwest, people went hungry even though tens
of mu3 of lands had been allocated to each person, while in regions of rivers and lakes, several
mu of lands were enough for a family to cultivate a scholar, in which case, a cultural
atmosphere was naturally cultivated.
Once a scholar became rich, besides finding a wife and buying some houses, he would more or
less buy some books as well, even if it was just for pretension. Thus, a great many precious
block-printed editions had existed in Jiangnan. What was more, Jiangnan and Jiangxi provinces
in the early Qing Dynasty were full of wealthy families. With the effort of numerous people, the
collected books in Jiangnan had increased gradually until the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of the
Qing Dynasty. The loss of the books had been a pain to many book collectors.
Zhou Shuming looked like a scholar, but it was not known whether he had taken the imperial
examination of the last subject or got any position. Hearing that Huang Xuan was troubled
about buying books, he laughed and said, waving his hand, “It’s easy. Our city Jiaxing may be
famous for few things, but books are one of them.”
“But I am new—”
“I will take care of it,” Zhou Shuming continued, “Our city Jiaxing—”
Before he could continue bragging, Huang Xuan interrupted and said seriously, “My father has a
lot of book collections. This time I’d like to buy some rare editions and best editions. The only
existing edition would be the best.” All best editions had been carefully proofread. Usually, both
rare editions and best editions were old editions. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty best editions
were not necessarily the Ming Dynasty best editions. In modern times, of course, the best
editions of the year 1927 should include the Qing Dynasty block-printed edition. However,
considering Rolin’s abnormal restraints on weight, he had to look for better editions.
Zhou Shuming smiled and said, stroking his beard, “Which books do you like, Mr. Huang?” Since
ancient times, book collection had seldom continued for three generations in a family. With
China’s political turbulence, more and more old books had been scattered on the market in
Jiaxing. Tangled warfare going on among warlords, the government was too busy to deal with
this situation, hence, compared to other times, more old books could be bought in this time.
Huang Xuan shook his head lightly, pointed to the warehouse and said, “I have carried more
than 15 million dans of grains and 200 dans have been sold to Xieqiao Rice Shop. If you can, take
all of the rest. All I want is 10 books.”
The chant on the dock was very loud. Zhou Shuming stood there as if he was just hit by a
thunderbolt. 15 million dans of grains were worth more than 20,000 silver dollars. In other
words, this young man would rather spend 2,000 silver dollars on one book. Obviously, this was
a great deal. Boss Zhou clicked his tongue and said loudly, “Mr. Huang, please give me a few
“I’m not saying no,” Huang Xuan repeated what he had said to Zhou Shuming, ignoring the
dazed shopkeeper Zhu and continued, “If so, I will wait for your information in the hotel in
town.”
Merchants had all along valued profits, so had Chinese national capitalists. The boss of Xieqiao
Rice Shop, the current head of the Zhu Clan, Zhu Hongren, picked up his walking stick and
started to walk around the garden as soon as he heard the news from the shopkeeper. Other
shops that had been one step behind Xieqiao Rice Shop got even busier inquiring for
information.
A thousand dans of grains were not a lot. Even in days like today when there was a grain
shortage, they were just topics of conversation after meals. However, if a thousand dans of
grains had been traded for just 10 books, the huge profit in it made the shopkeepers and bosses
of vegetarian business feel as if they were the ferocious sharks smelling blood and the starving
wolves moving greedily towards their prey.
Notes:
Jiangnan: areas south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which was divided into Jiangsu
and Anhui provinces after the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty.
Learned and extensive subject: one of the subjects of the imperial civil examination system.
Mu: a traditional unit of area in China, equaling to 0.0667 hectare or ⅙ acre.
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