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93. In some stories, wisdom is identified with good discernment and prudent decision; in others it is “far-sightedness” (shi zhi yuan 識之遠) or the ability to control negative emotions (e.g., anger or fright), and in other again it is the cunning skill to cheat people. See, for instance, the role of common people in Suzhou Di (蘇州堤, 8, Part One, 541–542) and in Yushitai Laoli (禦史台老隷, 3: 220–221); the life of a monk in Huai Bing (懷丙, 17: 1083) and of an actor in Zhongmou Ling (中牟令, 20: 1193–1194). For female protagonists, one may refer to the wife of Yue Yangzi (Le Yangzi qi 樂羊子妻, 25: 1526–1528), the heroic lady mentioned in the “Late Han History,” and to a prostitute who cunningly helps Chinese troops vanquish Japanese pirates (Wang Cuiqiao 王翠翹, 26: 1594–1597). Many stories deal with the strategic ability to take advantage of the enemy’s weaknesses to finally defeat them, as in Zhou Fang (周訪, 22: 1287–1288), Li Jing (李靖, 22: 1298–1300), Cao Wei (曹瑋, 22: 1317–1319), Zhao She (趙奢, 22: 1279–1281), Tang Taizong (唐太宗, 22: 1293–1296), Liu Qi (劉錡, 22: 1310–1315), and Wu Chengqi (吳成器, 22: 1337–1339). Cases of ability in managing financial problems are listed in Liu Yan (劉晏, 2: 146–147) and Zong Weimin (宗威愍, 11: 773–779). Xiang Minzhong (向敏中, 10: 701–703), Gao Ziye (高子業, 9: 632–634), Yang Pingshi (楊評事, 9: 639–640), Yang Maoqing (楊茂清, 9: 640–643), Cangjin (藏金, 9: 646–648), and Linhai Ling (臨海令, 10: 734–735), in contrast, are good examples of wise solutions to judicial cases. On the wisdom of fathers in making decisions concerning their children, see the stories Pei Kuan, Li You (裴寬, 李祐, 2: 150–152) and Fan Li (範蠡, 6: 372–376). Scheming officials who are able to avoid troubles thanks to their cunning backup plans are described in Li Hang (李沆, 2: 99–101) and Ye Nanyan (葉南岩, 3: 227–229). Pei Jin Gong (裴晉公, 3: 220–321), You Weng (尤翁, 5: 325–328), and Li Guang, Wang Yue (李廣, 王越, 23: 1378–1380) show the ability to control anger or fright, while Yongjia Chuanzi (永嘉船子, 27: 1666–1668) and Yishu (易術, 28: 1733–1734) illustrate how people cheat others. Most of these stories are written with irony and humor.

94. Ying Zou, “Cross-dressing,” 127. The search for self-identity in portrait is a theme worthy of further inquiry. See Bentley, The Figurative Works of Chen Hongshou, on Chen Hongshou 陳洪綬 (1598–1652), and Barnhardt, “The ‘Wild and Heterodox Schools’ of Ming Painting,” 365–396.

95. During the Ming-Qing transition, thinkers like Chen Que have stressed the identity of human nature (xing) with talent/ability, emotions and psychophysical energy (see Chen Que Ji, Qi Qing Cai Bian 氣情才辨). See Zhang Li-zhu, “Qingdai Xin Sixiang Dianfan zhi Shuguang,” 403–407.