A Chinese Vase

This is a selected collection of 100 representative fables by Huang Ruiyun， with interesting plots， concise language， diverse writing techniques， and rich philosophy. It has been called the Aesop’s Fables of China. The collection includes classic fables such as Earthen and Iron Jars， A Chinese Vase， Wild Flowers， and Order Maintained by the Fox. Among them， Earthen and Iron Jars has been included in Chinese textbooks for primary schools and enjoyed great popularity.

Huang Ruiyun’s Fables （Illustrated Version）

Written by Huang Ruiyun， Painted by Xiao Jishi

Ningbo Publishing House

August 2021

45.00 （CNY）

Huang Ruiyun is a famous fable master in contemporary China. He is known as the Aesop of contemporary China. He graduated from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Wuhan University and once taught at the Hubei University of Education. He is a member of the China Writers Association. He has served as vice president of Hubei Classical Literature Society， director of Hubei Writers Association， and vice president of Chinese Fable Literature Research Association.

In the winter of 1860， a British warship returning from China sank in the Atlantic Ocean. Over a thousand British soldiers and their equipment， as well as a large number of treasures plundered from the Old Summer Palace were on board， including a Jingdezhen earthen vase that sunk to the bottom of the sea.

The vase was close to a Birmingham rifle. The rifle， which had always been hostile to the vase， said in a mournful tone， “My friend， now we have all suffered misfortune and will soon be destroyed. Let’s reconcile over our old grudge. Come on， let’s get closer so that we can reduce our loneliness at the bottom of the sea！”

“No！” The vase said， “Dying together does not obliterate the line between good and evil. I won’t forgive you even if I die at the bottom of the sea！”

“Why are you so arrogant？” the English rifle said， “Don’t forget that I am the winner after all， and you are just my captive. History will never forget my voice. No one will pay attention to a vase of obscurity！”

The vase replied， “Your sins will be remembered in history， which will not be an honor. I will adhere to the conduct of a Chinese vase， no matter what fate comes to me.”

Their disputes faded out with time. The vase lied sadly at the bottom of the sea. Above it was the seawater having a depth of two thousand meters and the countless rolling historical waves. It could not see the sun. It could not see the light. It felt deathly and gloomy on all sides. Dreadful aquarium residents in the deep sea occasionally visited this hapless ship. But the vase had no common language with them.

Over a hundred years later， the bones of the invaders were destroyed. The mighty warship was corroded. The self-righteous rifle near it had long since vanished. The little vase alone， was in a long dream on the unfathomable seafloor. It dreamed that the spring sun shone directly on it from above the Great Wall. It seemed to have felt the warm spring. It dreamed that the daffodils in its arms were full of lively flowers and gave off a refreshing fragrance. It also dreamt that bees and butterflies were busy in the yard， and the land of China was of with spring…

Finally， the vase was fished out one day. An archaeologist washed the mud off its body， held it high， and said in surprise， “What a miracle！”

It had been buried in the sea for many years. Many of the things that had sunk with it had turned into mud. But it had not changed at all. Even the patterns on its body were as if" painted just only yesterday. What a fine texture it had！ The little vase said excitedly， “There is no mystery. It is just because I am a Chinese vase， so I have the Chinese texture.”