If a certain number of men of letters take refuge in the pleasures of gardening, fishing also has its number of votaries. The bulk of these are men who, having lost all the illusions of life, and finding that politics are, after all, a hollow mockery, give themselves up to a quieter and less disappointing pastime.
The philosopher Tchang-Tseu used to fish on the banks of the river Han every day of his life. The Prince of Tchou, having heard him spoken about, sent an ambassador one day to the philosopher to beg him to enter the political life. Tchang-Tseu, his rod in his hand, spoke to the fish without condescending to give any answer, finding that it was not worth while to do so. Another, still further back in history, by name Lu-Chan, used to pass his days in fishing in the river Pien. Emperor Weng-Ouang went one day in person to beg him to become one of his councillors, and appointed him, on the spot, Guardian of the Sovereign. Lu-Chan accepted the offer, and helped his master to rule his empire. The dynasty lasted eight hundred years, so solidly had the basis of the government been established by the fisher-minister. His master was the first Emperor of China who got the name of Saint. The people were never happier than under his reign. So great was the general prosperity, that even now-a-days, when they want to speak of a happy people, the Chinese say, “As if they were walking about under the reign of Weng-Ouang.”
Another fisher, of Tsou-Kiang, who always trafficked his fish and wine, used to drink his fill, and then dance and sing in his boat on the water, thinking himself the happiest man on earth. The prefect went to ask him if he was a genuine fisherman, or whether he concealed his identity under this disguise, and was a person of importance. “Never you mind,” he said to the prefect. “Historical persons fish for titles, I satisfy myself with fishing for fish.”
Under the reign of the Thangs, a man of letters, named Thiang-Tseu-Ho, withdrew on to the water and set up his abode on board a boat, which he called his floating-house, and gave himself the title of Fisher, in the midst of the waves and the mist. He published a quantity of songs for fishermen and oarsmen, which he was in the habit of singing on his aquatic excursions. The Emperor, taking pity on his solitude, sent, as a present, two servants, a young man and a young woman. The recluse married the two together, giving the name of Fisherman to the lad, and that of Shepherdess to the lass. The one looked after the fishing-tackle and rowed the boat, the other used to go into the forest to gather dry wood and bamboos to make his tea.
History mentions the names of several fishermen of this philosophical class. There are besides these only professional fishermen, good folk who work hard, and live on very little.
Everybody knows that we have a goddess of the sea, but her story is not so generally known. She was the daughter of a family of fishermen who lived on the shore of Mei-Tcheou, quite close to Fou-Tcheou. Her father and her brothers used to go out fishing on the sea every day, each in his own boat, whilst she stayed at home to weave in the company of her old mother. She was adored by her parents, whom she loved very much. One day, during a storm which made everybody feel drowsy, she was dozing at the table, when she dreamed that her father’s boat was just going to sink in the angry sea, and putting out her hand she caught hold of the painter to draw it into land. Meanwhile she saw that the boats on which her brothers were, were in the same danger. So, putting the first cord between her teeth, she caught hold of the two others in her hands, and began walking through the water towards the shore. But before she could reach the shore she began to groan and cry, and her mother began to shake her, calling her by name. To answer her mother she opened her mouth and let the cord that she held between her teeth escape. When she woke up she thought that this was a nightmare; but that evening, when her brothers came home, they told her that her father had been drowned. The young girl, in despair at not having been able to save her father, who had died through her fault, rushed out and threw herself into the sea. Some time after she was often seen in visions by fishermen in moments of distress, and it was noticed that whenever she appeared the danger was overcome. Out of gratitude her protÉgÉs erected a little temple in her honour. Little by little her miraculous protection was extended to the ships of travellers and great officials, and even to the navy. For each service rendered to the State a title was given her, and little by little she became known by the appellation of “Holy Mother of Heaven,” a title which is accompanied by as many honorific qualifications as are worn by the sovereigns who delight to do her honour.
