Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Four

Paragraph 4: Chunyu Kun (淳于髡) (3/3)

Weiwang was pleased with the withdrawal of the Chu army. He ordered feasts to be arranged and he honored Chunyu Kun with a drink. Weiwang asked, "How much does it take to inebriate my counselor?" Chunyu answered, "I can be drunk on a little, but I can also be drunk on a lot." Weiwang said, "Counselor, if you are drunk on a little, how can you finish a lot? Can you tell me how?" Chunyu said, "When you, my Lord, honor me with a drink at court, with law enforcers on either side, with judicial officials standing behind, I bow low and drink in fear. It takes only a little (a dou) to make me drunk." He continued, "When my parents receive honorable guests at home, I roll up my sleeves and bend over to fill their cups. I stand by at their service and am given a drink from time to time. I hold my cup high and drink to their health in reverence as high. It takes only a few rounds to make me drunk (on two dous)." Chunyu went on to give a third situation, "While socializing with long-lost friends, whom I chanced upon, I rejoice in our conversation of shared old days and in our exchange of life experiences kept to ourselves." "It then takes some more to make me drunk (five or six dous)." "When an informal feast is held in the neighborhood," Chunyu said about the fourth situation, "men and women don't sit apart; people enjoy each other's company and drink for long." "Gambling is allowed; bonding comes natural." "Flirting (holding hands) is inculpable; ogling is acceptable. Earrings are dropped; hairpins, left behind. This caters to my guilty pleasure (This is my péché mignon) and it takes much more to make me drunk (Eight dous equal to slight tipsiness). And further, when the dusk falls and the feast is nearly done, those who linger gather what is left and sit close--men and women share same seats (my emphasis: It is feasible that this means women are sitting in the lap of men, so that everything is piled up or joined "in a pleasant mess": people, shoes, tableware...all things that refer to carnal pleasures); men's shoes are placed upon women's; tableware is piled upon tableware. When the candles burn out from the banquet ball, the host sees off other guests but ask me to stay. This is the time when blouses are loosened and the scent is perceived. This is the moment I favor most. This is the time when I can finish a lot (a dan)." "It is said that drinking without restraint leads to vice; feasting without restraint leads to tragedy. All things under no restraint go in like manner. This is to say that extremities should be avoided, for extremities lead to downfalls." In explaining his toleration for alcohol, Chunyu insinuated a piece of advice into Weiwang's mind. Weiwang replied, "Well said," and restrained from late-night feasting. Chunyu was soon made the supervisor of revelry. When royal banquets were held, Chunyu was always present.

A century and more came to pass. There in Chu was Yo Meng.

*威王大說(yue4)，置酒後宮，召髡賜之酒。問曰：「先生能飲幾何而醉？」對曰：「臣飲一斗亦醉，一石亦醉。」威王曰：「先生飲一斗而醉，惡能飲一石哉！其說可 得聞乎？」髡曰：「賜酒大王之前，執法在傍，御史在後，髡恐懼俯伏而飲，不 過一斗徑醉矣。若親有嚴客，髡帣韝（juan4gou1）鞠？（古字，月+丞+也）(ju2ji4)，侍酒於前，時賜餘瀝，奉觴上壽，數起，飲不過二斗徑醉矣。若朋友交遊，久不相見，卒(cu4)然相睹，歡然道故， 私情相語，飲可五六斗徑醉矣。若乃州閭(lü2)之會，男女雜坐，行酒稽留，六博投壺，相引為曹，握手無罰，目眙(chi4)不禁(jin4)，前有墮珥(er3)，後有遺簪，髡竊樂此， 飲可八斗而醉二參(san1)。日暮酒闌，合尊促坐，男女同席，履舄(xi4)交錯，杯盤狼藉，堂上燭滅，主人留髡而送客，羅襦(ru2)襟解，微聞薌(xiang1)澤，當此之時，髡心最歡，能飲一石。故曰酒極則亂，樂極則悲；萬事盡然，言不可極，極之而衰。」 以諷諫焉。齊王曰：「善。」乃罷長夜之飲，以髡為諸侯主客。宗室置酒，髡嘗在側。

其後百餘年，楚有優孟。

**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4941-4942. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941-4942頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4944-4945).

***All translation is mine.