The Legend of Ru Yuan

Written by: Lillie

Author's Note: I read this legend some years ago. It had very little detail to it, so I have tried to extend and embroider it, therefore this may not be accurate in some places. However, I hope you can still enjoy it. If you know of a proper version, please contact me and let me know!

A long time ago, there lived a merchant called Ou Ming. He was a very succesful young man, but he had a streak of greediness in him. He travelled by a little boat to do business.

It so happened that on one such business trip to Lake Pengze, there was a ferocious storm. Wind, rain and lightning seemed to be determined to sink the little boat that carried Ou Ming and his crew. By some miracle, the little boat survived through the storm, which raged all day and all night.

When the storm finally lifted the next day, the crew found they could not recognise their surroundings. The strong waves of the storm had carried them far off course. In the distance was a beautiful, lush green island that looked quite uninhabited. The sea pushed the little boat along to the island, until the boat landed onto the soft, white sands of the island. The crew got off the boat to see if any damage had been done to their vessel.

Ou Ming found them discussing among themselves in worried tones. "What is the matter?" he asked.

"The storm has damaged one side of the boat," said one. "It would be unsafe to travel on it, and we have nothing with which to mend it. We are stranded here."

Ou Ming's brow furrowed with worry. This was a strange island, and they had only limited provisions. Before he could worry for long, however, there came a voice shouting behind him.

"Sir! Sir!"

Ou Ming turned around to see who the stranger could be, and beheld a well-dressed, well-educated-looking elder man. The man bowed.

"My name is Qing Hongjun and I own this island. I could not help but here what your crew member said. Do not worry - I will provide you with a boat to get off the island. However, for now you must come with me and rest before you leave to return home."

Qing Hongjun took Ou Ming to a grand, richly decorated house and entertained him warmly. He provided Ou Ming with all kinds of delicacies to eat and rich clothes to wear. As if this was not enough, he led Ou Ming from the dining hall to a suite of rooms filled with rich treasures, antiques and ornaments.

"As you are my guest, I would like to give you a gift. I do not have many good things in my humble abode, but if there is anything that you would like to have, please let me know and I will give it to you."

Ou Ming stared at all the treasures in amazement. There was more wealth present in this one room than he had ever seen at any one time in his life, and there were yet more rooms to enter and stare at. Gold, silver, jade, pearls, rich porcelain and all kinds of precious stones and metals surrounded him. The wealth of everything dazzled him. He picked up first one item, then another, unable to choose. He wanted to take the most valuable item, for fear that if he did not, he might regret it in the future.

An old servant entered the room carrying a teapot and a cup. He bowed to Ou Ming and said, "My master asks you to take your time to choose. Please have a cup of tea first." Ou Ming took the offered cup and quenched his thirst. As the old man was leaving, Ou Ming heard him whisper, "Ru Yuan is the real treasure."

Ru Yuan is the real treasure.

"What is ru yuan?" Ou Ming thought aloud to himself. He could not imagine what it could be because he had never heard of its existence before. "Maybe it is far rarer and more precious than gold and silver!" With this in mind, he approached the master of the house.

"Thank you for your generousity," he said. "As you press me to choose something, I only wish for ru yuan."

Qing Hongjun gave a start when he heard Ou Ming's request. Unhappiness filled his face, and he sat deep in thought, but he had given his word that Ou Ming could have anything he wanted in his home. With one last heavy sigh, he called, "Ru Yuan!"

A beautiful serving girl appeared, the most beautiful girl Ou Ming had ever seen - this was Ru Yuan.

"Go with this gentleman," her master ordered her. She curtsied.

When Ou Ming was leaving with Ru Yuan, Qing Hongjun presented a richly decorated, large chest of jewellery to Ru Yuan. "Take these jewellery with you as a reward for your loyal service and a memento of me," he said. Ru Yuan thanked her master and left with Ou Ming.

As they boarded the ship that Qing Hongjun was lending Ou Ming, the merchant thought, "I must find a way to get that jewellery. Who knows what kind of wealth there is inside it? It is wasted on a mere serving girl."

After returning home, Ou Ming treated Ru Yuan very well, almost as if she were his bride. Believing him to be in love with her, and thus falling in love with him herself, Ru Yuan one day said, "Do not treat me like an outsider. You may have my jewellery."

As soon as she gave him the key and he picked up the box, Ou Ming dealt Ru Yuan a harsh blow. "Why are you sitting here with nothing to do? Go do your work!"

Shocked, Ru Yuan found herself working day and night. Ou Ming treated her harshly and hit her when she paused from her work for even a moment. Heartbroken, Ru Yuan could not understand how things had turned out this way.

Finally, one Lunar New Year Day, Ou Ming saw Ru Yuan gather water from the well in the early morning. "She only gets up at cockcrow," he said to himself. "I must teach her a lesson before she gets lazier." So saying, Ou Ming hurried into his clothes and picked up a bundle of twigs. Armed, he ran after the unsuspecting Ru Yuan.

Seeing her master coming after her to beat her, Ru Yuan dodged his blows and began to run. Out in the courtyard by a tree was a broom.

"I shall vanish into it," she thought desperately, "and never appear again!" With a sudden lunge, she threw her arms out to the broom and disappeared into it. Ou Ming stopped dead in his tracks. He could not believe what he was seeing. How could a broom hold a person? But before he could react, the jewellery began to fly towards the broom and vanish inside it. All the gold, silver and jewels he had taken from Ru Yuan followed her, as well as all his own wealth.

Henceforth, Ou Ming became a pauper.

This is why homes are cleaned on New Year's Eve and brooms are hidden the next day, to prevent belongings and things people wish for being swept away.

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