Utagawa Yoshiharu (歌川芳春) (artist 1828 – 1888)
The hero Hakujitsuso Hakushō (白日鼠白勝), Daylight Rat, fighting a giant rooster, from the series Mirror of Heroes of the Shuihuzhuan (Suikoden gōketsu kagami - 水滸傳豪傑鏡)
1856
10 in x 14.25 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Ichibaisai Yoshiharu ga
一梅斎芳春画
Publisher: Yamaguchiya Tōbei
(Marks 591 - seal not listed)
Censor's seal: aratame
Lyon Collection - Kuniyoshi print of this character
Newfields (Indianapolis Museum of Art)
Lyon Collection - Kyūmonryū Shishin from this series
Lyon Collection - Rōshi Ensei from this series There are two prints in the Lyon Collection dealing with two different episodes in the life of Hakujitsuso Hakushō. One is by Kuniyoshi - see #1358 - and the other one is shown here.
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This character is referred to as Pai Sheng or Bai Sheng, the wine vendor, in the Chinese version of the story. He is first mentioned in Chapter 16: "In Anlo lives an idler named Bai Sheng, better known as the Daylight Rat." He is recruited into a gang of thieves and is involved in stealing the birthday gifts. When confronted: "Bai Sheng denied everything. They bound his wife, but she also refused to talk. The policemen searched the house. They noticed that the earthen floor beneath the bed was uneven, and started to dig. At a depth of three feet, one of them uttered a cry. Bai Sheng's face turned the color of clay. From the hole in the ground, the diggers extracted a bag of gold and silver."
Bai Sheng was questioned by the authorities and beaten savagely until he bled from his wounds, but he would not tell them what they wanted to know. However, eventually he gave up the name of the leader of the gang, but said he didn't know who any of the others were.
"A twenty−catty rack for condemned criminals was locked around Bai Sheng's neck. His wife, also fettered, was sent to the women's prison" Bai Sheng was incarcerated at the Jizhou prison." In time he told the authorities more. Bai Sheng saw that denial was useless. “Yes,” he said. “They all live in Stone Tablet Second Brother is called Ferocious Giant, Fifth Brother is called Reckless Rash, and Seventh Brother is called the Devil Incarnate.” “What are the names of the other three?” “Wu Yong the Wizard, Dragon in the Clouds Gongsun Sheng and Liu Tang the Red−Haired Demon.” “Now we're getting somewhere! Return Bai Sheng to his prison and lock him up,” said the magistrate. He ordered Inspector Ho to Stone Tablet Village. “Once we take the three Ruans the case is half solved.”
The brigands sent a person unknown to the Jizhou prison to bribe guards to let Bai Sheng escape. The plan worked.
In Chapter 86 our hero had another remarkable escape. “Duan Jingzhu and Shi Yong are here with Bai Sheng.” “Bai Sheng was trapped together with General Lu. It's a wonder he was able to get away,” exclaimed Song Jiang. He summoned the three to his tent. Duan Jingzhu spoke first. “I was scouting with Shi Yong among some high mountains,” he said, “when I saw a bundle of felt rolling down from a summit. We watched it roll to the foot of the slope. It looked like a big ball of felt clothing, all tied with cord. We walked over to the edge of the grove, where it stopped, and found Bai Sheng inside.” Bai Sheng explained. “General Lu and twelve of us chieftains were engaged in a fierce battle. Suddenly the sky darkened and the sun lost its lustre. We couldn't tell one direction from another. We heard voices and the neighing of horses. Lu ordered us to charge. Before we knew it we were deep in a cul−de−sac surrounded by high cliffs and no way out, cut off from any grain or fodder. Our whole column is truly in a bad situation. General Lu directed me to roll down the mountain and try to get through to report. Luckily, I ran into Shi Yong and Duan Jingzhu. We hope you'll send reinforcements quickly, brother, and get us out of there. We're sure to die if you don't.”
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We were unable to find the story of the battle with the giant bird, but you know how myths are - they grow and grow and grow and it is often difficult to track down their source.
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There is another copy of this diptych at the McMaster Museum of Art in Hamilton, Ontario.
Yamaguchiya Tōbei (山口屋藤兵衛) (publisher)
Suikoden (水滸傳) (genre)