The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting (28 page)

‘What about Ah Zhao?’ Dr Allen asked. ‘Were there Jews living in China so long ago?’

‘Absolutely. There’s evidence that a few Jewish merchants travelled to Kaifeng
, which was formerly called Bian Liang, around that time, to trade cotton goods for silk. The Song Emperor was so pleased with the cloth He received that He allowed the Jews to use His royal surname of Zhao, as well as the surnames of His favourite ministers.’

‘How sad that Ah Zhao and Zhang Mei Lan didn’t end up together!’ CC said.

‘Oh I don’t know…’ Grandma Wu looked thoughtful. ‘I like to think that Ah Zhao got away that night and eventually fulfilled his dream of retracing his father’s footsteps and discovering his heritage. In any case, he left behind this brilliant painting. By the way, I want to show you something else that’s simply amazing!’

Grandma Wu flipped the book over and showed CC a poem printed on the last page. ‘It says here that this poem was written by a Northern Song Dynasty Buddhist nun named Fo Ni
. My historian friend, Professor Yu, tells me that Fo Ni was the religious name of Zhang Mei Lan, sister of the famous court painter Zhang Ze Duan. Imagine Mei Lan’s poem being published in the same book as the photo of Ah Zhao’s painting! How many couples get to have their creative work exhibited together, centuries after their deaths. So, in a way, they have been united after all!’

CC nodded thoughtfully as she turned the pages from the poem to the painting, then back again to the poem.

What we call ‘death’ is really a beginning

‘The end’ is just another term for being born

Every life is a commencement but also a close

Every epitaph a lullaby

‘What a beautiful poem!’ CC exclaimed. ‘It feels so good to look at this painting without that awful feeling of déjà vu that troubled me before. Thank you a million times, Dr Allen.’

Grandma Wu nodded with satisfaction. Then she got up slowly and stretched. ‘I’ve been sitting still for far too long. It’s time for me to do some
tai chi
exercises. Now that CC has made a full recovery, Dr Allen, is it all right for me to take her to Chungking as soon as I can get boat tickets? My son is waiting there for us with our three other young charges: David, Sam and Marat.’

Dr Allen nodded. ‘We’ll miss you both. I hope you’ll come back and visit, but I know these are dangerous times. I can’t help feeling there will be other difficult journeys ahead for all of us.’

Grandma Wu smiled. ‘It’s the journeys we take in our lifetime that make us who we are.’

‘I hope Big Aunt is happy, wherever she is on her journey,’ CC said wistfully.

Grandma Wu looked at CC over the top of her glasses. ‘Don’t forget the wonderful poem you just read. “What we call death is really a beginning.” Your Big Aunt had a great capacity for happiness. I’m sure that remains true, wherever she is now.’

‘I’m going to copy that poem in my diary,’ Dr Allen said. ‘It will give my terminal patients a lot of comfort to learn it by heart.’

‘Thank you, Dr Allen and Grandma Wu,’ CC said. ‘I owe a lot to both of you. I’ll never forget everything you’ve done for me.’

‘No, CC! Trust me! I should be thanking you and Grandma Wu instead!’ Dr Allen said. ‘Besides learning a lot of history of the Song Dynasty, I also discovered a whole new way of looking at the world. I used to think there was a logical, scientific explanation for everything – especially medical problems – and that death was something
final
: the absolute end.’

CC looked up at him. ‘So what do you think now?’

Dr Allen laughed. ‘In the words of Ah Zhao himself,
you he bu ke
? Is anything impossible?’

How to Pronounce Chinese Words

Most of the Chinese words and phrases in this book are pronounced as they are written in English. However, here’s a short guide on how to say some of the trickier words:

Glossary of Chinese Words

Numbers:

yi			1
er			2
san			3
si			4
wu			5
liu			6
qi			7
ba			8
jiu			9
shi			10