The New Lions

One year during the Qing Dynasty, the Yeming Bridge welcomed two new stone lions — Shuofang and Yuyi. Up to this point, the “auspicious beasts protecting the bridge” were all present on four sides of the bridge. However, the new stone lions were naturally naughty and beyond control. For a long time since then, they experienced the changes of times, from turmoil and chaos of war to a peaceful and stable life.

Yang Zixi

Yang Zixi, who graduated from The Central Academy of Drama, won the Qin Wenjun Childrens Literature Innovation Award and Bingxin Childrens Literature New Works Award.

The Small Stone Lions on the Yeming Bridge

Yang Zixi

Juvenile & Childrens Publishing House

January 2023

26.00 (CNY)

Since ancient times, Zichuan had been a place with neither convenient water transportation nor irrigation, but the wells on both sides of the river relied on its supply. Besides, the sweet water could improve the saline-alkali soil in the lower reaches. As the folk saying goes, “A bowl of Zichuan water is as priceless as a bowl of oil.”

The Moonlight Bridge, stretching over Zichuan, was a three-arch stone bridge. The lunar white bridge connected Dongwu Town and Xiwu Town. If you walked onto the bridge from Dongwu Town, passed by the midget crabapple at the end of the bridge, and came to the 12-step stone stairway, you would see the two small stone lions on the left guardrail, which were already old and indistinct.

The one nearby stepped on a ball with its left paw, sitting majestically. The base below had incised characters “Nan Jiao” in the regular script.

The one in the distance had an incomplete right paw, where there had been a small beast. It was not clear when the small beast was lost. There were also two characters on the base below — “Mei Gu.”

Grandpa Liu in Dongwu Town would celebrate his 60th birthday this spring and summer. In his early years, Grandpa Liu passed the provincial civil service examination and worked as an official in the capital for decades. Now he retired and came back to his hometown. He became the most respected old gentleman in the local area. Unexpectedly, the Yellow River rose suddenly before his birthday banquet. Tributaries along the river soared, and many farmhouses were flooded. Zichuan was not far from the northeast of the Yellow River. Villagers of Dongwu Town and Xiwu Town saw the water level rising every day. The one big arch and two small arches of the Yeming Bridge were only half a small arch left in the flood. The villagers were frightened all day.

In order to pray and avoid floods and do merits for his birthday, Grandpa Liu invited Mason Li at his own cost. Mason Li collected stones from Yuhuang Mountain next to Zichuan. After splitting and chiseling, two new stone lions were made. One slightly raises its right paw to protect the cub. The base had two incise characters, “Wo Yi,” in regular script. The other showed its sharp teeth and stepped on a stone with its paw. Its name was “Shuo Fang.”

Wo Yi, Nan Jiao, Mei Gu, and Shuo Fang — in this way, the auspicious beasts protecting the bridge from four directions got together. It was unknown whether the rainstorm in the upper reaches finally stopped or if the four auspicious beasts made their presence and power felt. The century-old bridge carried the most turbulent torrent. Besides, the water level in Zichuan declined quickly. Thus, villagers in Dongwu Town and Xiwu Town finally calmed down. Grandpa also had his birthday banquet, as expected.

Everyone was pleased, except the old stone lion Nan Jiao.

On the fifth day of the month, when the new stone lions were set on the bridge, Grandpa Liu paid a Dharma Master to pray and recite scriptures. The drums and gongs beat. At least five or six people in the crowd lost their cloth shoes.

Amid the bangs of firecrackers, the old stone lion Nan Jiao tolerated the bothering noises and sat straight with dignity as usual. At the same time, he was carefully examining the newcomers.

The same as himself and Mei Gu, and even this stone bridge, the new stone lions were also made of lunar white stones from Yuhuang Mountain. They were not big in size but looked dignified, whether it be the eyes with natural majesty or the graceful manes. Mason Lis technique completely deserved Grandpa Lius generous reward. The cub lying aside Yu Yis paw alone was so cute that it would stand up straight with his shaking head. The craft was good, indeed.

Nan Jiao was secretly satisfied.

“The stone railing opposite has been vacant for so many years. From now on, the four auspicious beasts are together. We will surely protect the Moonlight Bridge and the people walking on the bridge.”

At this thought, Nan Jiao felt very satisfied.

Unexpectedly, his joy only lasted until midnight.

It was the fifteenth night of the month, with a full moon in the sky.

The Moonlight Bridge was like its name. The lunar white bridge reflected the clear moonlight, making a pair with its inverted reflection in the water. In the silent night, it seemed as if the bright moon had descended on the world.

When it was nine oclock at night, Nan Jiao was moved by the moonlight and wanted to croon a poem about the moon. “The moon this evening is so lovely. Where will it go, with my…” He was about to say the word “l(fā)ove” when he saw the stone lion opposite named Shuo Fang move his ears!

Nan Jiao thought he had mistaken it as he was old. Without delay, he saw Shuo Fang tilt his head, stretch his back, and stand on his rear legs!

After a big stretch, Shuo Fang seemed to talk to himself or complain to his peers. He lazily mumbled: “It was too tired sitting here.”

“Why, does this guy dare to move arbitrarily!” he thought.