Explore the remarkable story of Gengniang, a woman of unwavering virtue who faced adversity with courage and resilience, making her a symbol of heroism in Chinese folklore.
Jin Dayong, a scion of a prominent family in Henan, married the daughter of the county magistrate, You, as his wife. His wife’s nickname was Gengniang, and she was beautiful and virtuous. Their marriage was exceptionally deep and harmonious. Due to the chaos caused by marauders, the family had to leave their hometown. With his family in tow, Jin Dayong fled to the south. On the way, they encountered a young man and his wife, who were also escaping trouble. This young man, who claimed to be from Yangzhou and went by the name Wang Shiba, offered to guide Jin Dayong.
Jin Dayong was delighted and decided to travel together with Wang Shiba’s family. When they reached the riverbank, Gengniang quietly warned Jin Dayong, saying, “Don’t share a boat with this Wang Shiba. He has repeatedly ogled me, his eyes darting around and his face showing unease. He must have ulterior motives.” Jin Dayong agreed not to share a boat with Wang Shiba.
However, when they reached the riverbank, Wang Shiba was extremely helpful and even arranged for a large boat without waiting for Jin Dayong’s response. He assisted in loading their luggage onto the boat without any complaints, and Jin Dayong couldn’t bring himself to refuse. Moreover, Wang Shiba was accompanied by his young wife, so Jin Dayong thought there shouldn’t be any major issues. After both families boarded the boat, Wang Shiba’s wife shared a cabin with Gengniang, and she treated Gengniang with great warmth and friendliness.
Wang Shiba sat at the front of the boat, chatting with the boatmen as if they were long-time friends or relatives. After a while, the sun set, and the waterway stretched far and wide. Jin Dayong looked around and felt the surroundings were mysterious and treacherous, making him increasingly suspicious.
A while later, a bright moon gradually rose, revealing that the boat was surrounded by reeds. The boat came to a stop, and Wang Shiba invited Jin Dayong and his son to step outside the cabin to enjoy the scenery and relax. Taking advantage of Jin Dayong’s distraction, Wang Shiba pushed him forcefully, causing him to fall into the water. When Jin Dayong’s father saw this, he was about to cry for help but was struck into the water by a boatman with an oar and drowned. Jin Dayong’s mother went out to check what had happened upon hearing the commotion. As she did so, she was struck by a boatman with an oar and also drowned.
Only then did Wang Shiba shout for help. In truth, when Jin Dayong’s mother went out to investigate, Gengniang was right behind her, silently witnessing everything. So when she heard that the entire family had drowned, she did not panic but cried, “My in-laws have all died; where can I find a place to settle down?” Wang Shiba entered the cabin and consoled her, saying, “Don’t worry, Madam. Come with me to Jinling. My family in Jinling has houses and land, and we are very prosperous. I will ensure you have no worries about food and clothing.”
Gengniang stopped crying and said, “If that’s the case, I will be satisfied.” Wang Shiba was overjoyed to hear this and made every effort to satisfy Gengniang’s needs for clothing, food, and daily necessities. In the evening, Wang Shiba approached Gengniang for intimacy, but she declined, citing her menstrual period. Wang Shiba then went to sleep with his own wife.
During the early hours of the night, Wang Shiba and his wife started arguing loudly, although the reason was unclear. Wang’s wife shouted, “You’re willing to do such a thing; aren’t you afraid of lightning striking your head from the sky?” Enraged, Wang Shiba raised his hand and struck his wife. She cried out, “Let me die! I’d rather not be the wife of a murderer!” Wang Shiba angrily dragged his wife out of the cabin door, and shortly after, there was a splash, and everyone exclaimed that Wang Shiba’s wife had fallen into the water.
Before long, the boat arrived in Jinling. Wang Shiba brought Gengniang home and introduced her to Wang Shiba’s mother. When Wang’s mother saw Gengniang, she was surprised and asked why she wasn’t the previous daughter-in-law. Wang Shiba explained, “My former wife drowned, and this is my newly-wedded wife.”
Back at home, Wang Shiba wanted to share a bed with Gengniang again. Gengniang smiled and said, “A man in his thirties, haven’t you slept with a woman before? Common folks even celebrate their wedding night with a glass of wine. Your family is so wealthy; this should be easy. When two people are sober, what’s the point?”
Wang Shiba was very pleased and quickly arranged food and wine for Gengniang. Gengniang held a wine cup and warmly urged him to drink. Wang Shiba gradually became intoxicated and declined, saying he couldn’t drink anymore. Gengniang then picked up a large bowl of wine and insisted on him drinking it, coaxing him to finish it. Wang Shiba couldn’t refuse and reluctantly drank it. As a result, he got too drunk to stand, undressed himself, and urged Gengniang to hurry to bed.
Gengniang removed the dishes and blew out the candle, pretending to go to the bathroom. She took a knife with her and returned to the room. In the dark, she found Wang Shiba’s neck and with a powerful stroke, she cut it. Wang Shiba didn’t die immediately and shouted as he sat up. Gengniang struck the knife again, and only then did Wang Shiba breathe his last.
It seemed like Wang Shiba’s mother heard the unusual noise and came over to inquire. Gengniang killed her too. At this moment, Wang Shiba’s younger brother, Wang Shijiu, sensed that something was wrong. Gengniang knew she was doomed, so she hastily tried to take her own life with the knife. However, the blade was too dull and had a gap, and she couldn’t pierce herself. So, Gengniang opened the door and ran outside. Wang Shijiu chased after her, and Gengniang had no choice but to leap into a water pool in the courtyard.
Wang Shijiu yelled for the family, and when they retrieved Gengniang from the water pool, she was already dead. Her appearance was still as beautiful as when she was alive. When people examined Wang Shiba’s body, they found a letter on the windowsill. Upon opening it, they discovered that it was written by Gengniang, detailing the unjust murder of her entire family. People believed Gengniang was a remarkable and courageous woman, and they decided to raise money to properly bury her.
By morning, thousands of people had come to see Gengniang. When they saw her body, they couldn’t help but kneel down to pay their respects. In just one day, they raised over a hundred taels of silver, and they buried Gengniang in the southern suburbs. Some kind-hearted people even adorned her with a phoenix crown encrusted with pearls and robes that were only worn by court ladies, along with many other items for the burial.
Initially, when Jin Dayong was drowning, he luckily grabbed a piece of driftwood, which allowed him to stay alive. As daybreak approached, Jin Dayong floated to the surface of the Huai River and was rescued by a passing small boat. This small boat was arranged on the river by an elderly wealthy man named Mr. Yin specifically to rescue drowning individuals. After Jin Dayong regained consciousness, he went to Mr. Yin’s mansion to express his gratitude. Mr. Yin treated Jin Dayong exceptionally well and invited him to stay at his home to teach his son.
Jin Dayong hesitated because he didn’t know the whereabouts of his parents and Gengniang, and he wanted to search for them. After a while, someone reported to Mr. Yin, saying, “Another elderly man and woman who drowned have been recovered.” Jin Dayong suspected it might be his parents, so he rushed to check and indeed found them. Mr. Yin arranged coffins for Jin Dayong’s parents. While Jin Dayong was grieving, another person came to report, “A woman who fell into the water has been rescued, and she claims that Jin Sheng is her husband.” Jin Dayong was greatly surprised. He wiped away his tears and rushed outside. However, the rescued woman was not Gengniang; she was Wang Shiba’s wife. She cried bitterly in front of Jin Dayong, hoping he wouldn’t abandon her. Jin Dayong said, “My heart is already in chaos; how can I care for others?” The woman became even more sorrowful upon hearing this.
After Mr. Yin inquired into the details of the situation, he happily suggested that this might be a divine arrangement and strongly urged Jin Dayong to marry the woman. Jin Dayong used his parents’ recent death as an excuse and expressed his intention to seek revenge, fearing that his family might hinder him. The woman said, “By your logic, if Gengniang were still alive, could you have used seeking revenge and mourning as excuses to drive her away?” Mr. Yin thought the woman’s words made sense and offered to temporarily adopt her on Jin Dayong’s behalf. He suggested that they could marry after Jin Dayong had taken his revenge. Jin Dayong finally agreed.
During Jin Dayong’s parents’ funeral, the woman wore mourning attire for her children and wept uncontrollably, as if she were sending her in-laws off. After the funeral, Jin Dayong, armed with a sharp blade and a begging bowl, was ready to go to Yangzhou to seek his revenge. However, the woman stopped him and said, “My maternal family name is Tang, and they have lived in Jinling for generations. They are from the same hometown as that heartless Wang Shiba. Wang Shiba claimed to be from Yangzhou, but he was actually deceiving you. Moreover, the river bandits in this area are mostly his accomplices. I fear that harm might befall you before you can take your revenge.” Jin Dayong, upon hearing this, didn’t know where to begin.
Suddenly, there was widespread talk in the area about a woman who had avenged her enemies. People of all ages along the Huai River were discussing it, and the woman’s name and reputation were well-known. That woman was none other than Gengniang. Jin Dayong was initially delighted to hear this news, but then he became even more sorrowful. He once again expressed to Tangshi that he could not marry her, saying, “Gengniang was fortunate not to suffer disgrace and protect her family’s honor. How can I bear to marry another and betray her unwavering loyalty?” Tangshi believed that there was already an agreement for Jin Dayong to marry her, and she refused to leave midway. She was willing to be a concubine and would never leave Jin Dayong.
At that time, there was a deputy general named Yuan, a longtime friend of Mr. Yin, who was about to travel west. Before leaving, he came to visit Mr. Yin. General Yuan saw Jin Dayong, highly appreciated him, and invited him to work under his command to manage official documents. Not long after, when rebels rose in the region, General Yuan was ordered to suppress the rebellion and achieved great success. Due to Jin Dayong’s involvement in important military matters and his contributions, he was appointed as an officer in the guerrilla forces. He later returned to Mr. Yin’s home. It was then that Jin Dayong and Tangshi formally became husband and wife.
A few days later, Jin Dayong, accompanied by Tangshi, went to Jinling, specifically to visit Gengniang’s grave. As they passed through Zhenjiang, they planned to visit Jinshan for sightseeing. While they were boating in the river, suddenly a small boat approached them, carrying an elderly woman and a young woman. Jin Dayong noticed that the young woman bore a striking resemblance to Gengniang. The small boat swiftly passed by, and the young woman gazed at Jin Dayong through the window of the cabin, her expression resembling that of Gengniang. Jin Dayong was both astonished and puzzled but didn’t dare to ask hastily. In his desperation, he shouted, “Look, a flock of ducks is flying up to the sky!” The young woman, upon hearing this, responded loudly, “It looks like a hungry dog wants to eat the fresh meat of a kitten!” These two sentences were inside jokes that Jin Dayong and Gengniang used to share in their private chambers.
Upon hearing this, Jin Dayong was even more amazed and quickly turned the boat towards the small one. Indeed, the young woman was Gengniang. A servant helped Gengniang board their boat, and Jin Dayong and Gengniang hugged each other, crying with tears of joy. Passersby were deeply moved by their reunion. Tangshi came over and respectfully greeted Gengniang following the etiquette of a concubine meeting the principal wife. Gengniang was astonished and asked what was happening. Jin Dayong explained the entire story in detail. Gengniang, after listening, held Tangshi’s hand and said, “The conversation we had in the cabin on the same boat all those years ago still lingers in my heart. I never expected that today, enemies would become one family. Thank you for burying my in-laws on my behalf. I should thank you first. How could you treat me with such formal etiquette?” So, the two women regarded each other as sisters based on their age, with Tangshi being one year younger, making her the younger sister.
Originally, after Gengniang was buried by the citizens of Jinling, she herself didn’t know how much time had passed. One day, she suddenly heard someone loudly say, “Gengniang, your husband is not dead, and you can still reunite.” At that moment, Gengniang felt like she had just awakened from a deep dream. She reached out and touched walls all around her, realizing that she had already passed away and been buried. She only felt a sense of suffocation but no other suffering.
One day, a few ruffians in the village, noticing the numerous and exquisite burial items accompanying Gengniang, grew greedy. They dug up her grave, opened the coffin, and were about to steal the burial items when they discovered that Gengniang was still alive. They were instantly terrified and didn’t know what to do. Gengniang, fearing harm from them, pleaded, “Thanks to your arrival, I can see the light of day again. Take my golden hairpin and earrings on my head, and please sell me to a temple as a nun. You can earn some money from it. I will never reveal this matter.” The thieves kowtowed and said, “Lady, you are virtuous and honorable, admired by both gods and humans. We, as lowly individuals, resorted to such unscrupulous acts due to our destitute lives. As long as you keep this a secret, it’s a great fortune for us. How can we dare to sell you to a temple as a nun?” Gengniang insisted, “It’s my own willingness.” Another grave robber suggested, “There is a Mrs. Geng in Zhenjiang, a widow without children. If she sees you, she will surely be delighted.” Gengniang expressed her gratitude to them.
She personally removed her precious pearl jewelry from her head and handed it all to the thieves. At first, the thieves hesitated to accept, but Gengniang insisted, and they finally bowed in thanks and accepted the items. They then escorted Gengniang to Mrs. Geng’s house, explaining that Gengniang’s boat had lost its way due to a strong wind. Mrs. Geng was a wealthy local widow, elderly and without a companion. She was thrilled to welcome Gengniang and treated her like her own daughter – they had just returned from a trip to Jinshan. Gengniang explained the entire situation to Mrs. Geng in detail. Jin Dayong then boarded Mrs. Geng’s boat and paid his respects to his mother-in-law. Mrs. Geng warmly treated him like her own son-in-law. After staying at Mrs. Geng’s house for a few days, they finally left, and the relationship between the Geng and Jin families continued unbroken ever since.
The chronicler of strange tales said: “In the face of great adversity, those who endure humiliation willingly may survive, while those who remain virtuous and unyielding may face death. Those who survive often provoke intense hatred, nearly causing their eyes to bulge, while those who embrace death bring sorrow and tears to others. As for someone like Gengniang, who can converse freely in front of her enemies and personally kill them, even among the renowned courageous men throughout history, there are very few who can match her! Who says that women cannot be like the heroic and valiant Wang Yanyun?”
《庚娘》
金大用，中州旧家子也。聘尤太守女，字庚娘，丽而贤，逑好甚敦。以流寇之乱，家人离逖。金携家南窜。途遇少年，亦偕妻以逃者，自言广陵王十八，愿为前驱。金喜，行止与俱。至河上，女隐告金曰：“勿与少年同舟。彼屡顾我，目动而色变，中叵测也。”金诺之。王殷勤，觅巨舟，代金运装，劬劳臻至，金不忍却。又念其携有少妇，应亦无他。妇与庚娘同居，意度亦颇温婉。王坐舡头上，与橹人倾语，似其熟识戚好。未几，日落，水程迢递，漫漫不辨南北。金四顾幽险，颇涉疑怪。顷之，皎月初升，见弥望皆芦苇。既泊，王邀金父子出户一豁，乃乘间挤金入水。金父见之，欲号，舟人以篙筑之，亦溺。生母闻声出窥，又筑溺之。王始喊救。母出时，庚娘在后，已微窥之。既闻一家尽溺，即亦不惊，但哭曰：“翁姑俱没，我安适归？”王入劝：“娘子勿忧，请从我至金陵。家中田庐，颇足赡给，保无虞也。”女收涕曰：“得如此，愿亦足矣。”王大悦，给奉良殷。既暮，曳女求欢，女托体姅，王乃就妇宿。初更既尽，夫妇喧竞，不知何由，但闻妇曰：“若所为，雷霆恐碎汝颅矣！”王乃挝妇。妇呼云：“便死休！诚不愿为杀人贼妇！”王吼怒，摔妇出，便闻骨董一声，遂哗言妇溺矣。
未几，抵金陵，导庚娘至家，登堂见媪。媪讶非故妇。王言：“妇堕水死，新娶此耳。”归房，又欲犯。庚娘笑曰：“三十许男子，尚未经人道耶？市儿初合卺，亦须一杯薄浆酒，汝家沃饶，当即不难。清醒相对，是何体段？”王喜，具酒对酌。庚娘执爵，劝酬殷恳。王渐醉，辞不饮，庚娘引巨碗，强媚劝之，王不忍拒，又饮之。于是酣醉，裸脱促寝。庚娘撤器烛，托言溲溺；出房，以刀入，暗中以手索王项，王犹捉臂作昵声。庚娘力切之，不死，号而起；又挥之，始殪。媪仿佛有闻，趋问之，女亦杀之。王弟十九觉焉。庚娘知不免，急自刎，刀钝鈌不可入，启户而奔。十九逐之，已投池中矣。呼告居人，救之已死，色丽如生。共验王尸，见窗上一函，开视，则女备述其冤状。群以为烈，谋敛赀作殡。天明，集视者数千人，见其容，皆朝拜之。终日间，得金百，于是葬诸南郊。好事者为之珠冠袍服，瘗藏丰满焉。
初，金生之溺也，浮片板上，得不死。将晓，至淮上，为小舟所救。舟盖富民尹翁专设以拯溺者。金既苏，诣翁申谢。翁优厚之，留教其子。金以不知亲耗，将往探访，故不决。俄白：“捞得死叟及媪。”金疑是父母，奔验果然。翁代营棺木。生方哀恸，又白：“拯一溺妇，自言金生其夫。”生挥涕惊出，女子已至，殊非庚娘，乃王十八妇也。向金大哭，请勿相弃。金曰：“我方寸已乱，何暇谋人？”妇益悲。尹得其故，喜为天报，劝金纳妇。金以居丧为辞，且将复仇，惧细弱作累。妇曰：“如君言，脱庚娘犹在，将以报仇居丧去之耶？”翁以其言善，请暂代收养，金乃许之。卜葬翁媪，妇缞绖哭泣，如丧翁姑。既葬，金怀刃托钵，将赴广陵。妇止之曰：“妾唐氏，祖居金陵，与豺子同乡。前言广陵者，诈也。且江湖水寇，半伊同党，仇不能复，只取祸耳。”金徘徊不知所谋。
忽传女子诛仇事，洋溢河渠，姓名甚悉。金闻之一快，然益悲。辞妇曰：“幸不污辱。家有烈妇如此，何忍负心再娶？”妇以业有成说，不肯中离，愿自居于媵妾。会有副将军袁公，与尹有旧，适将西发，过尹。见生，大相知爱，请为记室。无何，流寇犯顺，袁有大勋，金以参机务，叙劳，授游击以归。夫妇始成合卺之礼。
居数日，携妇诣金陵，将以展庚娘之墓。暂过镇江，欲登金山。漾舟中流，欻一艇过，中有一妪及少妇，怪少妇颇类庚娘。舟疾过，妇自窗中窥金，神情益肖。惊疑不敢追问，急呼曰：“看群鸭儿飞上天耶！”少妇闻之，亦呼云：“馋猧儿欲吃猫子腥耶！”盖当年闺中之隐谑也。金大惊，返棹近之，真庚娘。青衣扶过舟，相抱哀哭，伤感行旅。唐氏以嫡礼见庚娘。庚娘惊问，金始备述其由。庚娘执手曰：“同舟一话，心常不忘，不图吴越一家矣。蒙代葬翁姑，所当首谢，何以此礼相向？”乃以齿序，唐少庚娘一岁，妹之。
先是，庚娘既葬，自不知历几春秋。忽一人呼曰：“庚娘，汝夫不死，尚当重圆。”遂如梦醒。扪之，四面皆壁，始悟身死已葬。只觉闷闷，亦无所苦。有恶少窥其葬具丰美，发冢破棺，方将搜括，见庚娘犹活，相共骇惧。庚娘恐其害己，哀之曰：“幸汝辈来，使我得睹天日。头上簪珥，悉将去，愿鬻我为尼，更可少得直。我亦不泄也。”盗稽首曰：“娘子贞烈，神人共钦。小人辈不过贫乏无计，作此不仁。但无漏言幸矣，何敢鬻作尼！”庚娘曰：“此我自乐之。”又一盗曰：“镇江耿夫人，寡而无子，若见娘子，必大喜。”庚娘谢之。自拔珠饰，悉付盗，盗不敢受，固与之，乃共拜受。遂载去，至耿夫人家，托言舡风所迷。耿夫人，巨家，寡媪自度。见庚娘大喜，以为己出。适母子自金山归也。庚娘缅述其故。金乃登舟拜母，母款之若婿。邀至家，留数日始归。后往来不绝焉。
异史氏曰：大变当前，淫者生之，贞者死焉。生者裂人眦，死者雪人涕耳。至如谈笑不惊，手刃仇雠，千古烈丈夫中，岂多匹俦哉！谁谓女子，遂不可比踪彦云也？