红楼梦故事:元妃省亲

Homecoming by an Imperial Concubine

　　This is an episode from the novel A Dream of Red Mansions¹. Just as the whole family was busy prepasring the birthday ceremony for Jia Zheng， Jia was summoned to report to the imperial court. His family did not know why and felt uneasy about it. The family members waited for quite a while before the butler came back to say that Jia Yuangchun（Jia Zheng's eldest² daughter） was conferred the title of highest-ranking imperial concubine.The emperor had granted that Yuangchun would pay a visit to her parents at the upcoming Lantern Festival. The Jia family relaxed after hearing the news. In order to welcome the homecoming imperial concubine， the Jia family became busier and built a garden of grand views for the occasion.

　　On the day of the Lantern Festival， Jia Zheng's mother led all members of her clan³ to wait by the main entrance to the garden. Accompanied by a swarm⁴ of imperial maids， Yuanchun came back on a sedan chair which was draped with an embroidery⁵ of a phoenix⁶ and tiny gold bells. Eight men carried the sedan chair on their shoulders. The imperial concubine was shown around the garden， in which there were pavilions with gorgeouslypainted beams and pilars. There were also patches of bamboos and strangely-shaped stones. The trees in the garden were decorated with flowers made of silk cloth while lanterns made of conches and clams⁷ were placed aside a pond. The garden was decorated so majestically⁸ that even Yuanchun thought it to be too luxurious⁹.

　　After Yuanchun was seated， Jia Zheng's mother and Madam Wang （Yuangchun's grandmother and mother）met with her. Ther faced one another in silence：the mother and grandmother couldn't speak a word； they just sobbed¹¹. Yuanchun finally said："It is not easy for me to come back from a place where I can see no family members. But now that I'm back， you just sob¹⁰ away and have nothing to say to me. I'd better return to the palace. I don't know when I will be allowed to come home again." After that，all continued to cry.

　　After the banquet was ready， Yuanchun was marshaled to her seat. The imperial concubine invited her sisters and Bao Yu to recite poems， and she bestowed¹² gifts to everyone at the bable. When the time came to leave， Yuanchun held the hands of her grandmothed that they not squander¹³ noney on her next homecoming， if there was one .The imperial concubine then turned away from her parents and left mournfully.

　　《红楼门》中的故事。贾政生日那天，正在热闹之际，忽然传贾政入朝。全家老小不知出了什么事，心情不定地等了好一阵子，才见管家报信说，贾政的大女儿贾元春被封为贵妃娘娘了，皇上恩准明年元宵节回家省亲，这时全家人才放下心来。为迎接元妃省亲，贾府上下开邕忙碌，还专修了一座大观园。元宵节那天，贾母率荣宁两府土穰细流和，一清早就在大门口迎侯。元春坐八人抬绣风銮大轿，由宫女们呼拥进大观园，在园内转了一圈。只见园内雕梁画栋金碧辉煌，佳木怪石竹林掩映，树上挂满各种绢花，池中有螺蚌制成的彩灯。贵妃看后觉得“太奢华糜费了”。元春落座，贾母、王夫人等相见。大家相对无言，只是抽泣，最后还是元春强说：“当初送我到那不得人的地方，好不容易才回家，大家不说笑只顾哭，我回去了，不知地才能再见……”说着又哭起来。宴会齐备，请贵妃入席。贵妃请姐妹们与宝玉咏诗。元春对每个都有赏赐，临走时，拉住贾母、王夫人的手，要她们保重身体，并叮嘱，如下次省亲，切不可浪费，说完悲悲切切地转身而去。