Chapter 5: Winter Clothes Day
When Chun Tian noticed there was someone else in the room, the child had already been sitting at the table for who knows how long.
He was a rather handsome young boy, dressed in a crisp, azure cross-collared jacket, his hands resting on his knees as he sat with perfect posture, his black and white clearly contrasted eyes focused intently on the green brick tiles below, well behaved and sensible.
As Chun Tian stirred from her dream, a quiet sorrow welled up in her heart like flowing water. Seeing him there, she found herself at a loss for words.
Changliu’s face bore a faint resemblance to Madam Li’s, but his most striking feature was his eyes, clear as a mountain spring. If one were to cast a pebble into their depths, they might even catch the gentle ripple spreading outward.
Chun Tian gazed at him for a long time and after a moment, Changliu grew a little embarrassed. He shook out his robe, then stepped forward with his head bowed, “Jie-jie is awake.”
He sidled up to the edge of the bed, both hands nervously clutching the small embroidered pouch at his waist, his long, curved lashes fluttering as he looked up. “Aunt Zhao is in the kitchen cooking and Xianxian is tending the fire. Mother was afraid jie-jie would feel lonely and sent Changliu to chat.”
Children of eleven or twelve were often full of boundless energy, a bit of a handful. But this child was endearing in his gentle, well-mannered way, irresistibly lovable
Chun Tian hummed softly, “So your name is Changliu ah —what a beautifully chosen name.”
Changliu lowered his head, answering quietly, “My mother gave it to me.” Glancing up at her pale face, he pulled a golden-hued, fragrant tangerine from inside his sleeve and handed it to Chun Tian. “Jie-jie, place it beside your pillow. It will help to dispel the scent of medicine as well as calm and nourish one’s spirit.”
“Is this an orange?” Chun Tian held the fruit, bringing it close to her face and deeply inhaling. “How fragrant.”
“It cannot be eaten. This is a bitter tangerine –we call it ‘sparrow do not stand’, because it is so bitter that even sparrows will not consume it. But it has a lovely fragrance, and when dried, it can be used as medicinal material.” Changliu shuffled and toed the floor, stammering, “I often go with Jiayan to pick them for Mother to use in the incense burner, she likes the smell very much.”
Heavens above, how sweet and thoughtful he was.
In the Xue Residence, Chun Tian also had a younger brother around Changliu’s age, though this boy was as mischievous as a little demon, giving everyone in the family a headache whenever he was around.
Changliu was not one for many words and Chun Tian herself was wrapped in her own thoughts, unwilling to talk much. The two of them sat together in quiet companionship for half an hour until Xianxian entered with a tray of medicine and food, giggling, “Changliu-gege, Madam is looking for you.”
He bowed respectfully, “Changliu will go have lunch with Mother now. I will come to visit after school tomorrow to keep jie-jie company.”
This child was Madam Li’s precious treasure, her very lifeblood. Frail and sickly, Madam Li had always been delicate, and Changliu had inherited her constitution, being born with certain weaknesses that kept him constantly under the care of herbal tonics since childhood. Madam Li doted on her son immensely and, not wanting him to endure the rough-and-tumble life of a typical boy, protected him diligently. Over the years, she had amassed a collection of longevity locks and protective charms from various temples, more than one could count.
The days grew colder, the last dried date on the jujube tree in the courtyard was carried away by the wind, leaving bare, twisted branches clinging to the cracks in the stone-gray wall. Frost blanketed the eaves in the morning, and the sky hung heavy and gray, like a thick quilt pressing down on the land. Late that night, the whistling wind tore open the heavens, releasing a cold, unrestrained rain over everything.
A warm brazier glowed beneath the bed and thick blankets covered the mattress, so Chun Tian did not feel cold when she slept, yet the wind and rain pounded and rattled against the window, making the old lattice frames creak and groan. In this bleak wind and icy rain, she felt a faint unease and agitation.
It was her first winter in such surroundings. Chang’an’s winters had a soft, subdued quality. Everyone cherished fragrant scents, and incense burners were always lit in rooms, with hand warmers filled with incense balls nestled in sleeves. Everywhere, there was an array of fragrances, lending winter a kind of stifling, dry feeling with fragrant aroma.
Chun Tian strained to sit up, gazing out at the cold rain beyond. Her face was pale and thin, devoid of expression. Gradually, her long brows furrowed and she let out a quiet sigh.
Madam Li, highly sensitive to the cold, had already lit the heated walls in the main courtyard by early autumn. On the last day of September, Aunt Zhao’s husband returned from the city after selling commodities from the farmstead, bringing a cartload of charcoal and firewood for the Li Residence to last through winter.
On the first day of October, the Winter Clothes Festival1, Aunt Zhao accompanied her husband back to their ancestral home to burn offerings for the dead. With Changliu’s academy on holiday, the household was left with only mother and son, along with Chun Tian, who was still recuperating in the western wing.
Not long after Aunt Zhao departed, a graceful woman carrying a bamboo basket stepped through the threshold of the residence.
Lu Mingyue wore white silk mourning attire, the garb of a widow. Her delicate brows and cherry lips, her slender waist as thin as a willow and full figure, all exuded the charm of a southern woman.
The yellow dog, Ah Huang, resting by the brazier lifted its head and barked twice toward the door. Madam Li was leaning on a reclining chair as she sipped her medicine. She straightened to greet her guest. “You have come so early, where is Jiayan?”
“Good day Madam.” Changliu was practicing his calligraphy in the inner room and paused his writing with a proper bow.
“Ai, my little darling.” Lu Mingyue who adored Changliu, lovingly patted his head and eagerly pulled a packet of pastries from her bamboo wicker basket for him. “Don’t even ask –Jiayan, that rascal, is still sleeping under the covers at this hour.”
Madam Li was about to rise to brew tea, but Lu Mingyue stopped her. “Just stay seated, do not mind me. If I want something, I will help myself.”
“It is no trouble. You have come over so early, I feel embarrassed that every time you visit, I never host you properly,” Madam Li said warmly.
Lu Mingyue examined Madam Li’s face carefully. “Your complexion has colored better lately. How are you sleeping? And your appetite?
“It is the same as always, taking medicine every day and seeing the physician regularly. Madam Li shook her head. “It has been like this for years—just taking life one day at a time.”
“It is just a few minor ailments, nothing serious,” Lu Mingyue patted her hand gently. “Do not overwork yourself, just rest well.”
“I know my own body, don’t I? Deep down, big or small, I can tell the state of my illness. You all try to comfort me one by one, but I am afraid it will not help.” Madam Li’s voice wavered and tears began to pool in her eyes. She did not want Changliu to see her like this, so she covered her face with a handkerchief, saying nothing.
Seeing her distress, Lu Mingyue felt a pang of worry and anxiously said, “This is my fault, making you upset for no reason.” She comforted Madam Li, “Why think so much and burden yourself needlessly? Look on the brighter side —this household, inside and out, has people taking care of it. All you need to do is eat well, sleep well. Just think of Changliu –so well-behaved and diligent in his studies. He will surely pass the Imperial examinations in the future and you will be here to see him marry, with grandchildren filling the house.”
Madam Li softly wiped her tears, murmuring, “You really know how to comfort people.”
Lu Mingyue chuckled, “Just wait and see if my words do not come true.” She affectionately took Madam Li by the arm, guiding her to sit by the brazier. “Last month, I kept busy at home making a few sets of spirit clothes and shoes, take whichever you find fitting.
“Thank you for all your trouble,” Madam Li replied, taking Lu Mingyue’s bamboo wicker basket, which was filled with all sorts of paper clothes, paper money, hats, shoes and even residences and carriages, each crafted with intricate detail.
“No one in Ganzhou can rival your dexterity and adroitness,” Madam Li admired, “Though obviously made of paper, it seems more real than the real thing.”
“Just passable,” Lu Mingyue smiled faintly, looking down as she sipped her tea. “My mother’s craftsmanship – I’ve only learned seven or eight-tenths of it.”
Changing the subject, Lu Mingyue asked, “Will Li Wei be back for the festival?”
“He said he would be back,” Madam Li responded, pouring tea. “Second Uncle Helian went with him. Did he mention when they will return?”
“It would be better if he did not come back at all,” Lu Mingyue muttered with her brows furrowed, lowering her voice, “That man is such a nuisance.”
“Helian Guang has always treated Jiayan as if he were his own son,” Madam Li said gently. You’ve raised him alone, after all, and it must be exhausting. Having the paternal uncle helps lighten the burden a bit.”
Lu Mingyue snorted, “Jiayan has learned nothing good, only imitating that so-called uncle who popped up from who knows where. He stirs up chaos in the house all day long, causing chickens to fly and dogs to jump. Any day I see him makes me feel worried.”
chickens flying and dogs jumping: idiom to represent chaos
The two women chatted a while longer as the sky outside grew dark and gloomy, seeming ready to rain. Lu Mingyue eventually took her leave and headed home.
The dog lay quietly at Madam Li’s feet as she, feeling a little lightheaded, unhurriedly wiped down the memorial tablets. Those were ancestral tablets of her father-in-law, Li Laoye and Jin-shi. Only after Changliu called out several times did she return to herself.
“Mother, what’s wrong?”
She smiled and shook her head. “Your father is not here, can you come to burn the winter clothes this year?”
The rain held off, but as evening fell, a flurry of snow began, blanketing the world in white. Snowflakes pattered against the roof tiles, tapping softly on the window paper and settled on the shoulders and sleeves of passersby, growing thicket until the whole world seemed to disappear in a white haze.
It was time to burn the winter clothes. Paper garments and spirit money were gathered under the eaves and Changliu held a candle, lighting them. The flame crackled, crawling up the colorful paper and soon a thin wisp of smoke rose in spirals, drifting softly into the snowy white sky.
Chun Tian lay wrapped in layers of medicinal cloth, wounds wrapped from front to back, though it was impossible to tell just how many spots hurt. These injuries were truly difficult to heal — broken bones in her chest, a knife wound on her back. She could not lie down comfortably and even turning to change the medicinal bandages was a struggle. Moving was painful and she avoided drinking much medicinal broth. With the days growing colder, she spent half of each day in a groggy sleep. At least she could be thankful for the cold, her wounds were healing slowly, but at least they were not festering and getting infected.
Each time Auntie Zhao changed the dressings, she clicked in sympathy, marveling at Chun Tian’s delicate skin and tender flesh. Who knew how many scars would remain?
“There is a jade balm sold at Madam Kang’s shop in the west market. They say it erases scars. Tomorrow, when the market opens, I will send Auntie Zhao to buy a jar,” Madam Li sat beside her on the bed to comfort her, “Do not worry, you will heal well in time.”
Chun Tian had just finished getting her bandages changed, her forehead beaded with sweat from the exertion and though her ashen lips were bloodless, she managed a forced smile. “It is no bother. I do not like to apply such things. When I was little, I played rough, getting scrapes and cuts all over. My parents never paid it any mind. I still have a few scars on my knees from back then.
“It is a pity that you are so young and have already endured so much hardship,” Madam Li covered her mouth as she coughed. “All alone with no family in sight–how will you manage?”
Chun Tian, enduring the pain, reached out and grasped Madam Li’s hand, smiling, “Seeing Madam feels like finding a family member. It does not feel so sad anymore.”
Just then, an unfamiliar young girl entered carrying a basin of water. She had phoenix eyes and charming dimples, looking about fifteen or sixteen, only slightly older than Chun Tian. Her voice was as clear and crisp as a snow pear as she announced, “Water’s here.”
The girl’s name was Fang Shu’er and her grandfather had been a guide for the caravans along the Longhai Road, and often traveled. Hence, she was well acquainted with Li Wei and the others.
Since the caravan arrived in Ganshou, Li Wei, Helian Guang and Duan Jinke had traveled east towards Chang’an, leaving Haiyuan at home. Every few days, Hauiyuan would visit Madam Li to help with chores—Li Wei was away and with Madam Li’s poor health, the heavier tasks were entrusted to members of the caravan’s guard and the nearby neighbors.
Shu’er and Huaiyuan had grown up together as childhood friends. That day, they had arranged to visit Madam Li together. While Huaiyuan was out in the courtyard chopping firewood, Shu’er rolled up her sleeves to help Auntie Zhao change Chun Tian’s dressings.
“Feeling any better?” Shu’er gently dabbed Chun Tian’s forehead with a damp cloth, treating her as if she were her own little sister. “There is still medicine simmering on the stove. Drink it later.”
Chun Tian’s snowy face was beaded with cold sweat. “The pain eases after coughing, I feel much better now.”
Shu’er clasped Chun Tian’s frigid hands in her own. “You must get well soon. I will take you out to explore. You have probably never seen the sights of our Ganzhou, but it is no worse than Chang’an’s.”
As the eldest daughter in her family, Shu’er had always looked after her younger siblings, and was warm-hearted, generous and enthusiastic at heart. She was instantly drawn to Chun Tian’s gentle nature. With their similar age, the two felt like kindred spirits from the start.
At that moment, Huaiyuan strode into the room, grinning, “Where are you planning to go? I’ll take you both.” He stopped beside Shu’er, bent forward and looked at Chun Tian with a bright smile, “Chun Tian, do you remember me?”
Seeing his eager gaze, Chun Tian tried to recall but finally shook her head after racking her brain.
Huayuan scratched his head helplessly, then enthusiastically recounted the story of their first encounter at Red Ravine Valley. Those around who listened clicked their tongues and smacked their lips in amazement, “Fortunate indeed—to tumble into the ravine and be rescued. Truly, the heavens protect the worthy.”
Chun Tian recalled that fateful day with a shiver of dread. When she had fallen from the horse, she had been swallowed by pain and lost consciousness. She had no memory of tumbling into the sheer depths of the ravine, miraculously avoiding the sharp stones – it was, indeed, a stroke of pure fortune.
Huaiyuan laughed, “True enough. By the time I found you, you were already unconscious and did not wake up for days afterward.”
They stayed at the Li residence for half of the day. Noticing a hint of weariness on Madam Li’s face, the two tactfully took their leave. Madam Li, frail and low on energy, often found herself fatigued during the day, so it was best not to overstay.
“My good mei-mei, I will come visit you again in a few days,” Shu’er’s brows flew up, her eyes bright as she clasped Chun Tian’s hand. “You must get better soon.”
Footnotes
- Winter Clothes Day, Tomb-sweeping Day and Hungry Ghost Festival are the days for people to offer sacrifice to their ancestors in China. The Winter Clothes Day falls on the first day of Lunar October. October first of the lunar calendar has come into winter, thus people feel cold, which makes them miss the dead. To protect their ancestors against the cold in the netherworld, people send clothes to them, which is why it is called the Winter Clothes Day. On October first, Chinese people burn clothes made of colorful papers in front of graves to their ancestors to keep them warm. At the same time, the day marks the arrival of the dead of winter. Consequently, it’s the day for parents and lovers to send clothes to the livings who they care about. As time goes by, the day becomes the festival for people to offer sacrifice to their ancestors ↩︎
TN: Hope everyone is doing well! I love the way this author describes daily life and the environment, its breathtaking!
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