The Travels of Lao Ts'an: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Travels of Lao Ts'an" is a narrative that centers around the character Lao Ts'an, an itinerant physician who roams the Shandong province in North China. Known as "Old Vagabond," Lao Ts'an embodies a humble yet insightful existence, using his medical skills and wisdom to address various societal issues during his travels. He interacts with a range of characters, including Kao Shao-yen, a secretary seeking help for his concubine, and Governor Chuang, who shows respect for Lao Ts'an's recommendations despite his common background.
Another significant figure is Yü Tso-ch'en, a historical Manchu official whose cruelty is challenged by Lao Ts'an's moral interventions. The narrative also features Shen Tung-tsao, a cautious magistrate, and his nephew, Shen Tzu-p'ing, who encounter philosophical ideas through their experiences. Additionally, the story introduces Huang Ying-t'u, an educated man entangled in a murder case, and Ts'ui-huan, a courtesan whose plight Lao Ts'an seeks to alleviate. Through these characters, the narrative explores themes of justice, wisdom, and compassion, shedding light on the complexities of human nature and societal challenges in a historical context.
The Travels of Lao Ts'an: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Liu E
Genre: Novel
Locale: The countryside of southern China
Plot: Allegory
Time: The 1880's and 1890's
T'ieh Pu-ts'an, known as Lao Ts'an (low sahn), a man who wanders through the North China province of Shandong as an itinerant physician. The nickname Lao Ts'an means “Old Vagabond” and fits his unconventional style of life. In his travels, he savors the special character of each place while encountering old friends and making new ones. He is regularly drawn into some human problem and finds wise, just solutions. Lao Ts'an, a vigorous, healthy man of about fifty, has no home but resides in plain inns; he is a person of modest means but disdains money. He has few possessions beyond simple cotton clothes, a few books, his medicine chest, and a string of bells used by Chinese itinerant healers to attract patients. Lao Ts'an's humble existence hides administrative insight, considerable learning, a cultivated aesthetic sense, and a noble character. In addition to curing his patients, he helps control Yellow River flooding, exposes a ruthless official, shows a new magistrate how to suppress banditry, and prevents a miscarriage of justice. His sagacity leads others to treat him with the highest respect. Once his solutions are set in motion, Lao Ts'an leaves before he is fully thanked, to continue his wandering care for humanity.
Kao Shao-yen, a secretary to the governor of Shandong, who seeks Lao Ts'an's treatment for his sick concubine. Through him, Lao Ts'an is brought to the attention of the governor.
Governor Chuang, the highest official in Shandong, who shows great favor to the apparently common medical practitioner Lao Ts'an by seeking advice and accepting his recommendations. This character is modeled on Chang Yao, a governor of Shandong in the 1880's and a mentor to the author.
Yü Tso-ch'en, also known as Yü Hsien (yew syehn), a notorious Manchu official from history who appears under his own name. In the novel, Yü Hsien is pilloried for the harsh justice he meted out as a prefect in Shandong. On his own initiative, Lao Ts'an travels to Yü Hsien's prefecture, where he confirms the reports of Yü Hsien's cruelty and enlightens the governor about Yü Hsien's deficiencies. In real life, Yü Hsien (who died in 1901) was executed for promoting antiforeign attacks during the Boxer uprising of 1900. The author and the historical Yü Hsien were enemies.
Shen Tung-tsao, a cautious newly appointed magistrate whom Lao Ts'an encounters. Lao Ts'an advises him on how to suppress banditry without resorting to the cruel and unwise policies of Yü Hsien.
Shen Tzu-p'ing, a nephew of Magistrate Shen Tung-tsao who is sent into the mountains to locate a man whom Lao Ts'an has recommended to his uncle. During this search, the young man encounters a beautiful maiden and a middle-aged recluse who calls himself “Yellow Dragon.” In a long fantasy sequence, these two figures introduce the philosophical ideas of the T'ai-chou school, a nineteenth century Chinese syncretic philosophy (combining Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism) favored by the author.
Huang Ying-t'u, also called Huang Jen-jui, an educated man from a family of high officials who had come to Shandong to offer advice on river control. Huang Jen-jui is about thirty years old and is pleasant but dissolute. Lao Ts'an encounters Huang Jen-jui while traveling and, through him, meets the courtesan Ts'ui-huan and learns of a tangled and unsolved multiple murder case.
Ts'ui-huan, a young courtesan whose name means “Green Bracelet.” With a companion, she is invited to entertain Huang Jen-jui and Lao Ts'an. Ts'ui-huan relates how she fell into prostitution. Moved by her story, Lao Ts'an devises a means to free her from bondage. She later becomes his concubine.
Kang Pi, a narrow, arrogant judicial official, brought into a multiple murder case. His inhuman use of torture produces a miscarriage of justice. Lao Ts'an, however, intervenes and saves the wrongly convicted widow and exposes the real murderer, a callow nephew. Kang Pi represents another Manchu official, Kang I, who, like Yü Hsien, was a real enemy of the author.