Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Introduction. The Austere Lyricism of Cao Naiqian vii
4. The In-law 1
5. Women 3
6. Leng Er’s Madness 5
7. In a Nest of Oat Straw 8
8. Uncle Pothook 11
9. Men 13
10. Thieves 17
11. Widow San 21
12. Dog 26
13. Party 32
14. Leng Er, Leng Er 36
15. Lucky Ox 45
16. Eating Cakes 52
17. Old Guiju 57
18. Danwa 64
19. Heinu and Her Andi 73
20. Sun-Drenched Nest 86
21. The Woman of the Zhu Household 93
22. Lucky Ox, Lucky Ox 102
23. Heavenly Sun 109
24. The Graveyard Shift 115
25. Dog, Dog 122
26. Chou Bang Herds Sheep 131
27. The Taste of Oat Flour 148
28. Wen Shan’s Woman 152
29. Old Yinyin 161
30. Watching the Fields 169
31. Old Guiju and His White Neck 176
32. Flushing out Ground Squirrels 186
33. Corncob 198