Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. List of Illustrations xi
4. Acknowledgments xiii
5. Introduction xvii
6. Cast of Characters xlix
7. Preface to the Chin P‘ing Mei tz‘u-hua 1
8. Preface to the Chin P‘ing Mei 6
9. Colophon 7
10. Four Lyrics to the Tune "Burning Incense" 8
11. Lyrics on the Four Vices to the Tune "Partridge Sky" 10
12. CHAPTER 1. Wu Sung Fights a Tiger on Ching-yang Ridge; P‘an Chin-lien Disdains Her Mate and Plays the Coquette 12
13. CHAPTER 2. Beneath the Blind Hsi-men Ch’ing Meets Chin-lien; Inspired by Greed Dame Wang Speaks of Romance 43
14. CHAPTER 3. Dame Wang Proposes a Ten-part Plan for “Garnering the Glow’’ Hsi-men Ch'ing Flirts with Chin-lien in the Teahouse 62
15. CHAPTER 4. The Hussy Commits Adultery behind Wu the Elder’s Back; Yün-ko in His Anger Raises a Rumpus in the Teashop 82
16. CHAPTER 5. Yün-ko Lends a Hand by Cursing Dame Wang; The Hussy Administers Poison to Wu the Elder 96
17. CHAPTER 6. Hsi-men Ch’ing Suborns Ho the Ninth; Dame Wang Fetches Wine and Encounters a Downpour 111
18. CHAPTER 7. Auntie Hsüeh Proposes a Match with Meng Yü-lou; Aunt Yang Angrily Curses Chang the Fourth 125
19. CHAPTER 8. All Night Long P’an Chin-lien Yearns for Hsi-men Ch’ing; During the Tablet-burning Monks Overhear Sounds of Venery 147
20. CHAPTER 9. Hsi-men Ch’ing Conspires to Marry P’an Chin-lien; Captain Wu Mistakenly Assaults Li Wai-ch’uan 170
21. CHAPTER 10. Wu the Second Is Condemned to Exile in Meng-chou; Hsi-men and His Harem Revel in the Hibiscus Pavilion 188
22. CHAPTER 11. P’an Chin-lien Instigates the Beating of Sun Hsüeh-o Hsi-men Ch’ing Decides to Deflower Li Kuei-chieh 205
23. CHAPTER 12. P’an Chin-lien Suffers Ignominy for Adultery with a Servant; Stargazer Liu Purveys Black Magic in Pursuit of Gain 224
24. CHAPTER 13. Li P’ing-erh Makes a Secret Tryst over the Garden Wall; The Maid Ying-ch’un Peeks through a Crack and Gets an Eyeful 253
25. CHAPTER 14. Hua Tzu-hsü Succumbs to Chagrin and Loses His Life; Li P’ing-erh Invites Seduction and Attends a Party 274
26. CHAPTER 15. Beauties Enjoy the Sights in the Lantern-viewing Belvedere; Hangers-on Abet Debauchery in the Verdant Spring Bordello 298
27. CHAPTER 16. Hsi-men Ch’ing Is Inspired by Greed to Contemplate Matrimony; Ying Po-chüeh Steals a March in Anticipation of the Ceremony 316
28. CHAPTER 17. Censor Yü-wen Impeaches Commander Yang; Li P’ing-erh Takes Chiang Chu-shan as Mate 337
29. CHAPTER 18. Lai-pao Takes Care of Things in the Eastern Capital; Ch’en Ching-chi Supervises the Work in the Flower Garden 356
30. CHAPTER 19. Snake-in-the-grass Shakes Down Chiang Chu-shan; Li P’ing-erh’s Feelings Touch Hsi-men Ch’ing 376
31. CHAPTER 20. Meng Yü-lou High-mindedly Intercedes with Wu Yüeh-niang; Hsi-men Ch’ing Wreaks Havoc in the Verdant Spring Bordello 401
32. APPENDIX I. Translator’s Commentary on the Prologue 429
33. APPENDIX II. Translations of Supplementary Material 437
34. NOTES 449
35. BIBLIOGRAPHY 543
36. INDEX 573