A Brief Description of Guessing Boxing and Thumb-fighting in The Red Chamber Wine Preface 20 18-04-25

The drinkers' wager game described by Cao Xueqin in A Dream of Red Mansions can be described as appealing to both refined and popular tastes, such as shooting flowers, and popular as grabbing red and fighting with the thumb. The difference is that Cao Xueqin wrote an elegant game, which made the popular wine order exquisite and elegant, with profound elegance and achieved unexpected results. The thumb war is one of the representatives.

Thumb fight is a kind of fun game when drinking in China, and it is also one of the most popular orders for drinkers, also known as "fist" and "finger", also known as "fist" and "fist", commonly known as "row". Two people face each other, guess the number of their fingers, calculate together and decide the outcome. In the Ming Dynasty, Li Rihua noted "Six Words Zhai": "Popular drinking, finger flexion and extension, is called clear boxing, covering the number of expansion and contraction, hiding the opportunity to win." I hate this joke. But Tang Huangfusong gestured to the drinkers' wager game, and his fingers all had names. ""then there is already this play. ".The Thumb Battle Spectrum written by Wang in Ming Dynasty, which contains the thumb battle command [1]. The Gesture Wine Order in Five Miscellaneous Parts II of Ming Dynasty originated from the Han Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, Lang Tingji's "Winning Drink" Volume 8: "Popular drinking is called fist throwing, also known as finger throwing." In the Qing Dynasty, Zhu Qiushi wrote 47 chapters of A Dream of Red Mansions: "Mrs. Fang said again,' Ten of us can make this order, and Grandma Nie can punch in there. " "[2]

It is worth mentioning that people often confuse thumb fighting with guessing boxing and think it is a drinking order. In fact, the two are completely different. "A Dream of Red Mansions Dictionary" explains: guessing boxing, also known as guessing things, is commonly known as guessing single and double. Gao Dong Miscellaneous Notes: "There is a market to deliver parcels in Tang poetry, and pine nuts are held on the table." Rong Yu Yinhua: "Yao Yuan heard Yu say:" ...' Peel the lotus seeds and guess the characters until you open your hand, and don't gamble empty'. Now the wine order is a guess, and it is not empty before and after. Among them, Rong is suspected to be an error of Ruan Kuisheng's Tea Spare in Qing Dynasty. Another example is Li's Collected Works of Tongshan in Qing Dynasty, Volume 38, Poems: "When you enjoy flowers at a feast, you must light candles and fight against lotus seeds. The vacuum hand is resting, and it is always empty to see through Gan Kun. " "To hide the stopper is to guess the fist", which is the precedent of "guessing the son" and other liquors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties [3]. Generally speaking, it means that the drinker takes any fruit on the table, such as pine nuts, lotus seeds and melon seeds, and holds it in his palm. Another drinker guesses odd and even first, then numbers, and then guesses three times before deciding the outcome.

In the sixty-second chapter of A Dream of Red Mansions, Xiangyun proposed that the drinking order was a thumb fight, but both Qi's preface and the Shang book The Story of the Stone were mistaken for "guessing boxing" [4]. In the sixty-third episode of Hongyi Night Banquet, after everyone finished fighting for the flowers, the drinkers' wager game was called "guessing boxing" by these uneducated authors. In addition, in the 19th and 75th chapters of the book, there are also guessing games. One is Jia Zhen, Jia Lian, Xue Pan and others, and the other is Jia Zhen, You Shi, Pei Feng and others. It can be seen that this kind of alcohol game is usually played by people who don't understand literature and ink.

In the folk, whether it is a thumb fight or a guessing game, everyone plays in order, and the outcome determines the outcome. At ordinary times, two people are fighting, and others at the same table are watching the fun, making a lot of noise. In A Dream of Red Mansions, the simplicity of boxing is easy to guess, so the author doesn't have to talk about it. For the description of the thumb war, the author used his ingenious and wonderful pen, which not only set up the wine noodles and the wine bottom, but also fully laid out the specific contents of the wine noodles and the wine bottom, striving to bring forth the old and bring forth the new, which can be said to be an elegant and unique new way of playing. In this paper, the wine order requires: "The wine noodles should write an ancient prose, an old poem, a domino name, a musical name and a constitutional book." The bottom of the wine should be the names of fruits and vegetables. "

The content defined by "wine noodles" alone is enough to show how extensive the author's knowledge in all aspects is, and he can take the wine order as the carrier, integrate various cultures, take care of each other and echo each other, adding a heavy and beautiful meaning to depicting the characters in the book.

(1) Ancient prose: This refers to the characters in ancient books before the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and here refers to ancient prose.

② Old poetry: refers to old-style poetry.

(3) Domino name: refers to the wine order of oral characters. Dominoes, that is, tooth cards, also known as "Xuanhe cards", were originally made of military ox bones or ivory when they were used to make this game. It evolved from the ancient dice game. In Ming Dynasty, Zhang Zilie's Zhengzitong recorded that "Tooth brand is now a toy. Dominoes and their combinations have their own names. " Domino-style famous poems came into being. Domino was originally used for alcoholic beverages, so since the permission of poetry, it has evolved into various combinations of poetry and alcoholic beverages, which are called domino names. Such as: Oolong playing with pearls, Mei Shaoyue, Saburo swimming in the Five Mountains, Su Qin carrying swords, Five Mountains flying in the sky, watching the lanterns for fifteen days, swords going ten ways, going up to the ground, practicing Dan with fire, a wild goose in summer, a cold magpie competing for plums, climbing the ladder, a goose with a broken leg, two scholars straying into Taoyuan, pink and green, and western Western jackdaw competing for plums, getting drunk, breaking the ring and eight pearls.

Name of Qupai: Qupai, commonly known as "Pai". Qu is a kind of poetic literature, which is similar to the style of words and can be sung with music. There are Qupai and Gongdiao, that is, the title and form of the tune. Qupai specifies the number of sentences, the number of words, the level and the rhyme of the song, and it is the score of the song just like the epigraph. Note: Ancient songs are very long, and all the songs written are the names of some bars of a long song. In fact, the name of Qupai and the name of epigraph are the same concept. The original poems are all sung with music and have corresponding names. Later, when the tune was lost or something else happened, the number of words, meter and rhyme of the tune were limited only by the name of the tune, such as: Drunken Flower Singing, Ode, Quedui, Sweep the Wind, Simenzi, Water Fairy, Sai Yaner, Jian, Lou, Erfu, Yuanxiao, Newborn Moon, Yangguan Sandie, Linlin Chicken Near and Hexi Water Fairy.

⑤ Stone: In ancient times, the Almanac was called the "General Book", but in Qing Dynasty, it was renamed as "Stone" for avoiding it. Almanac can be described as a small encyclopedia of life, with rich and varied contents, including folk customs, marriage customs, documents, obituary quotations, eulogy, grave sweeping, red and white wedding expressions, couplets, longevity sayings, historical allusions, calendars and so on. In ancient times, because it was promulgated by the court appointed by the emperor, it was also called "Imperial Calendar" and "Imperial Book". Common zodiac terms such as auspicious day, auspicious day of the zodiac, Hongyan guests, friends and relatives who should attend, unlucky day, unlucky day, no funeral day, no trip, housewarming, migration, obituary quotation, etc.

After explaining the related contents of wine noodles, we try to understand how the author of the sixty-second chapter of A Dream of Red Mansions played this drinkers' wager game with his thumb.

1. Daiyu's drinking order for Baoyu:

Wine noodles: The setting sun is lonely in Qi Fei, and the wind is rushing across the river, but it is a goose with a broken foot, which makes people nine ileums. This is the guest of Hongyan.

Bottom of the wine: hazelnuts can't come for 10 thousand washing-the mallet is pounding, except in the yard.

Specific explanation:

There is an old saying in China called "Sunset and Loneliness", which comes from Preface to Wang Tengting in Tang Dynasty. "The sunset is lonely in Qi Fei, and the autumn water is * * * one color."

An old poem is "A Glimpse at Hong": Lu You and Han Xi from the Southern Song Dynasty. "There are no wild geese in stormy waves, and every family in Yueshi has a rare anvil."

A domino name is "broken goose": domino name. This deck consists of "Chang San", "Yi Er" and "Chang San" [5].

The name of a piece of music is Jiuileum: the name of a piece of music. Originally, it was an extremely sad word, which was taken from Sima Qian's book Interview with Ren Shaoqing in the Western Han Dynasty: "The intestines return home nine times a day."

A sentence in the constitution book is "Hongyan guest": Hongyan guest is in the old calendar book. The guests, that is, the guests who have arrived or will come soon, say "The Book of Rites and the Moon Order": "Autumn Moon, Season Moon, Hongyan Guest."

"Hazelnut" at the bottom of wine: the fruit of hazelnut tree is edible, such as chestnuts and small ones, which taste like chestnuts, also called hazelnuts and hazelnut pulp. This sentence uses the homonym of "hazel" and "anvil", which not only skillfully conforms to the provisions of the wine order, but also illustrates the fact that hazel has nothing to do with the sound of smashing clothes [6]. In Zuo Zhuan's Twenty-four Years of Zhuang Gong, it is said that "hazel chestnut" is "the weight of women": "It is useless to take it from hazel sound." Then "hazelnut" can also be a dark and harmonious "pious son", which means sincere and faithful. It is not uncommon to compare people's melancholy in the clear autumn with the sound of beating their clothes on the anvil, such as "clothes are idle, crickets urge the cold anvil" in Ode to a Wanderer by Gu Kuang in the Tang Dynasty, and "hearing the sound of beating the anvil, speaking lightly and leaking long words" in Xiang Xing and Qiu Guang by Li Qingzhao in the Song Dynasty. The last sentence is "Midnight Wu Ge" by Tang Li Bai: "A bright moon hangs high in the capital, and ten thousand hammers wash it."

The noodles of this wine list are connected together, describing the lonely wild duck flying to the horizon with the sunset glow in the distance, and a broken goose flying over the river in the high wind. Its wailing makes people feel extremely sad, and makes people feel a bleak scene when autumn comes. Writing this hazelnut at the end of wine with homophonic method is not a chopping block, and it can't be used to wash clothes for distant relatives. When late autumn comes, the geese in the north should return to the south. Lin Daiyu, who lives far away from home and alone in Jiafu, is like the lonely goose with a broken foot in the order, and has been unable to set foot on her way home. The meaning of "hazelnut, anvil" expresses her deep affection for her sweetheart, but she can't do anything for him. This is also Lin Daiyu's lament for that slim love!

2. One of Xiang Yun's drinking orders:

Wine noodles: Rapidly beating, choppy rivers, even the sky, it is necessary to lock the sail alone, not because of a river wind.

Bottom of wine: This duck head is not the girl, but the one on her head wants osmanthus oil.

Specific explanation:

There is an old saying in China called "Pentium and Bangpai", which comes from Ouyang Xiu's Ode to Autumn Sound in the Northern Song Dynasty. "At first, I dripped with Xiaosa, and suddenly I rushed, with a bang, like a night fright in stormy waves and a sudden storm."

An old poem is "Sky in the River": it comes from "Sky in the River, Clouds and Clouds" in Tang Du Fu's "Eight Poems on Autumn (I)"

A domino name is "a lone boat with an iron lock": a domino pair name. This deck consists of Chang San, San Liu and Chang San [7]. From the above description, we can see the height of the river waves, which is a statistic of Cao Cao in Chibi: Cao Jun is a northerner and unfamiliar with water. In order to avoid the turbulence, he connected the single boat on the river with iron ropes, paved the board and drove smoothly on the land. Later Zhou Yu was defeated by fire.

A song title "One River Wind": Song title. The whole sentence has the meaning of "the ship meets the wind"

There is a saying in the constitution book that "it is not suitable to travel": in the old days, superstitious propaganda chose auspicious days when going out for a long trip, and the almanac stated whether a certain day was suitable.

Wine bottom: the dish on the duck's head is homophonic with "girl" Osmanthus fragrans oil refers to hair oil used by ancient women.

The description of this wine order is that the waves in the river are huge and the waves are huge. At this time, a lone boat on the river needs the protection of chains. This weather is not suitable for traveling. The duck head with wine powder is not a homonym of the maid's head, joking that it has no osmanthus oil on its head. This wine sequence is in line with Xiangyun's character. If Lin Daiyu is like a clear stream flowing in the valley, Shi Xiangyun is a surging river, one is moist as jade and the other is clear as the moon. Taking care of people with alcoholic drinks plays an eye-catching role here. Xiangyun, who lost her parents since childhood, is like a lonely boat. Although there is no warmth of family, she still has to ride the wind, which is in line with Xiangyun's "heroic and generous" hearty character.

3. Xiangyun Liquor Order 2:

Wine noodles: fragrant and bitter, jade and manganese are full of amber light. Suitable for relatives and friends to drink directly on plum blossom month.

There is an old saying in China called "Spring fragrance makes wine bitter": It comes from "Preface to Drunk Pavilion" written by Ouyang Xiu in the Northern Song Dynasty. "Brewing spring wine, spring fragrance is drunk; Mountain pheasants are just the former and a feast. "

An old poem is "Amber Light from the Jade Bowl": from Tang Libai's Guest Works "Tulips in lanling wine, Amber Light from the Jade Bowl."

A domino name is "Plum Blossom on the Moon": a domino sub-name. This deck consists of Chang Wu, Wu Yao and Chang Wu [8]. Get up. Get up.

The name of a piece of music is "Drunkenness Helps Return": its name is taken from Yan's poem "She Ri Cun Ju": "Sang Zheying leaves the Spring Society, and everyone returns drunk." Tuo: Also known as Huang Sang, the stem bark can be used to make paper. Spring Festival: One of the oldest traditional folk festivals in China, it is the fifth festival to worship the land god after beginning of spring. Drunk House is classified as one of the tunes of Huangzhong Palace. Nanqu has six sentences, 41 words and six rhymes. The whole Northern Song Dynasty consists of six sentences, thirty-five words and six rhymes.

A sentence in the constitution is "suitable for friends and relatives": auspicious words in almanac.

This wine order is described together. On this good day when relatives and friends get together, the wine brewed by spring water is fragrant and delicious. It is filled in a jade bowl and emits amber luster. It has been scattered until late at night and has to be taken away. Corresponding to the scene in the article, this wine list can be said to be the best portrayal of Baoyu's birthday party. Due to the absence of Mrs. Jia and Mrs. Wang, people in the Grand View Garden got rid of all the shackles, feasting in Hongxiangpu during the day and drinking in Yihongyuan at night. It's really a red flying jade dance. It is a vivid and beautiful picture painted by the author, and it is the singing of Xiangyun in the peony flowers. The scenery is beautiful and the artistic conception is more beautiful.

The author of A Dream of Red Mansions not only describes the characters in detail from the aspects of appearance and personality, but also makes full use of various opportunities to serve the characters with unexpected elements. This description that highlights the unique characteristics of characters has become the finishing touch of one character after another in the book, and the description of alcoholic beverages is one of the typical techniques in this kind of description. Guessing fists and fighting thumbs are popular alcoholic drinks, but when it comes to Cao Gong's pen, there is a world of difference. By comparing the two kinds of wine orders, it not only distinguishes the difference in the status of master and servant of aristocratic families at that time, but also reflects the different atmosphere of elegance and vulgarity in the two kinds of wine orders. We can learn a lot from these three unique wine sequences, such as the author's demand for classical culture, the contrast of characters, the rendering of plot arrangement and so on.

References:

[1] edited by Feng Qiyong and Li Xifan. : Dictionary of a Dream of Red Mansions, 20 10/0,300 pages.

[2] Li Editor: "Tea Ceremony and Wine Culture", published by Inner Mongolia People's Publishing House in 2007.

[3] Li Editor: "Tea Ceremony and Wine Culture", published by Inner Mongolia People's Publishing House in 2007.

[4] Feng Qiyong and Li Xifan: Dictionary of a Dream of Red Mansions, 20 10/0,300 pages.

[5] A Dream of Red Mansions Research (School-based Dream of Red Mansions Research Institute), People's Literature Publishing House, 1982, p. 852, note ②.

[6] A Dream of Red Mansions Research (School-based Dream of Red Mansions Research Institute), People's Literature Publishing House, 1982, p. 852, note ③.

[7] A Dream of Red Mansions Research (School-based Dream of Red Mansions Research Institute), People's Literature Publishing House, 1982, p. 853, note ②.

[8] A Dream of Red Mansions Research (School-based Dream of Red Mansions Research Institute), People's Literature Publishing House, 1982, p. 855, note 1.