15 



they met "Wan-hiung ( l ) and I-hiung ( 2 ), to whom they told their history, and they all passed 

 the night in the ancestral temple Kao-khi. 



During that same night, they saw a red flame flash out of the porcelain censer, like a flash 

 of lightning. All said: ,,How astonishing!" 



They then agreed to unite themselves at this place before Heaven and Earth, jast like Liu-pi ( 3 ), 

 Kwan-yü ( 4 ) and Chang-fi ( 5 ), who had sworn together an oath in the peach-garden, to remain 

 friends for life and death; to avenge, with one heart and united forces, the murder perpetra- 

 ted on the 120 brethern, and to imitate Han-phang ( 6 ) and Li-chang-kwoh. ( 7 ) 



Ha ving no incense, they pulled out some grass, and lighted two stakes of dry wood, in- 

 stead of candles. As they had no di vinnig blocks, they took two flowered cups ( 8 ) and, 

 saying the following prayer: — //If it be true, that the day shall coine that we can avenge the 

 injury done to the Shao-lin convent, that we shall overturn the dynasty of Tsing and restore 

 that of Ming, these cups, in falling, may not break!" — they threw the cups in the air which, 

 falling down, indeed did not break. All pricked themselves in the fingers and, having mixed 

 their blood with wine, all drank of it and swore an oath, that they would be like brethern, 

 and go over all the world to raise troops , buy horses, and convoke all the braves of the empire. 



This happened on the Eist day of the third month of the year Kah-yin ( 9 ) (1734) on the 

 hour Sze. ( 10 ) 



Suddenly there came a boy scarcely thirteen years of age: his face was like the jade-stone 

 ofacap, and his lips were like red pearls. His countenance and attitude werevery uncommon, 

 and his face was naturally fine and beautiful. He was, besides, of high stature and was, indeed, 

 very nobly formed, being quite different from other people. 



He wis lied to enlist in the army of the monks. All said, however: //You are still very young; 

 what are your abilities, that you dare to enlist yourself?" 



The boy answered: „I am no one else than the great-grandson of the Emperor Tsung-ching- 

 wang ( n ) of the great dynasty of Ming; the grandson of the princeimperial, bom by the concu- 

 bine Li-shin ( 12 ), from the hareem of Tsung-ching-wang. My name is Chu ( l3 ), my surname, 

 Hung-chuh. ( l4 ) 



I remember that my ancestor, the great emperor Hung-wu( 15 ), was lord over the great em- 

 pire and the glorious possessions of China. Now the country is usurped by those dogs of bar- 

 barians; and I am the only one remaining. If I do not get my empire back again, how can 

 I show my face before my ancestors in the next world?" 



( 5 ) 5g fj| See p. 2. («) @ Ji ( 7 ) ^ i H 



(8) See Tab. II, fig. 2. (9) |^J ^ (™) g, tff 



O 1 ) ^ JSft ï A. D. 1628-1644. ( 12 ) ^ fjï O 3 ) Jfc 



l W ) ^ jgSE l 15 ) $* M ïhe founder of tlie MiBf-dyrtMfty. A. D. 1368—1398. 



