(9-96) Many Americans ask me what kind of religion I practice in China. I always find myself unable to come up with a clean, crisp answer. Most Chinese I know do not practice any religion. We don't go to church weekly; we don't have a bible; we don't say any prayers at any time. Comparing to the religious standards here, we really are a bunch of atheists living in a society with no spiritual guidance.

Sometimes, I take the easy way out, just claim that I am a Buddhist. The truth is, up to this date, I haven't read a single sutra yet. Then I think about the claim that Confucianism is being practiced as a religion. True, they made me memorized every Confucius saying through elementary and high school. However, other than a few fragmented phrases that I can recite without thinking, I know nothing about the philosophy, and I feel nothing towards the philosophy. What, then, made me who I am. I think about the things that affect me most as a child and a young adult. To my surprise, it was Kong Fu stories. I remember the hours I spent away from home, hiding in a corner of a small alley, reading volumes of comic books of Kong Fu stories. (Of course, they are prohibited, otherwise I didn't have to hide.) As I grew older, I started to read Kong Fu novels. You can rent them from the store. No one buys Kong Fu novels, because each story could easily take up to 20 or 30 volumes. That's my favorite pass time. Some girls favored the romance novels, but I always preferred the Kong Fu novels for its clear cut of right and wrong, for the fight between good and evil. Justice always prevails. My favorite phrase is "Seeing injustice when passing by, pulling out the sword to fight." (lu jian bu ping, ba dao xiang zhu.) The theme is always around justice, the heroes and heroines are always willing to defend it with their lives.

The story I am going to tell has all the flavors of a Kong Fu novel, however, it is a true story recorded in history around 2500 years ago. A rich man named Yan Sui helped a good friend named Xia lei to become a prime minister in country Han. However, when Sui went to Han to visit Lei, Lei let Sui wait for months without seeing him. Finally Sui used his money to bribe the people around the king of Han, and made his way to the king. The king liked Sui, wanted to use him; but Lei stopped the king. When Sui found out, he was angered, and decided to find an assassin to avenge.

When he traveled to Chi, he saw a man using a huge ax to cut an ox in a slaughter house. The man used the ax with such an ease and precision that caught Sui's eye. Sui went to try the ax; it weighed at least 70 pounds. Sui took a good look at this man. He was 8 feet tall(Chinese measurement), round eyes with big beard. His cheek bone was more prominent than usual, and he didn't have the Chi accent. Sui befriended him, and asked where he came from. He said: "My name is Nie Zheng, from Wei. I came from Deep Well Alley. I have a quick, short temperament. I offended some people back home, therefore I moved here with my mother and sister. Now, I slaughter ox to make a living."

Sui was very generous with Nie Zheng. Nie Zheng would not accept any gifts and money from Sui without knowing his motives. Sui told him the story of Lei's betrayal. Nie Zheng said: "My mother is still alive, I dare not work for you. Please find someone else." Sui said he just wanted to be friends. Years later, Nie Zheng's mother died. Sui helped the funeral. When it was over, Nie Zheng said: "Now, my life is yours. I will do anything for you." Sui asked whether he had any plans for the revenge. Zheng said: "Prime Minister is a high post. There are heavy guards and soldiers. I have to attack with surprise, not with force. I will go and find my chance to execute. From this day on, you may not see me again. You don't have to worry about your avenge against Lei."

When Zheng arrived in Han, he waited for three days, observing the routines of the prime minister. One day, the prime minister finished the morning report in the palace. He left with big chariots, and guards with swords and armor. Zheng followed them to the prime minister's residence. The prime minister got off, and did some business in the hall. Zheng looked up and saw that soldiers were lined up from the door to the stairway, to the hall above. He saw Lei sitting behind the table taking reports and making decisions. When things were done, there was a moment of relaxation. Zheng immediately called out: "I have an urgent matter to report." He walked from the door directly to the hall. There were guards trying to stop him. He pushed them away. They fell and tripped. When Zheng reached the table, he took out a dagger. Lei was shocked, wanted to stand up. It was too late. The dagger was right on the heart. It was chaos every where. People yelled: "Assassin." The door was closed. All the soldiers went for Zheng. Zheng killed a few. He looked around, realized there was no chance for him to get away. He took out the dagger, cut off his face, dig out his eyes, and slit his throat, and died. People went to report to the king. King asked who the assassin was. No one can recognize him. They displayed his body on the market. Announced a big reward for his name. A week went by, still no one knew who he was.

This news slowly reached Wei. When Zheng's sister heard about the event. She cried: "This must be my brother." She dressed in white and went to Han. She saw Zheng's body in the market, she held the body and cried. The city official asked how was she related to the dead. She said: "He was my bother Nie Zheng. I am his sister Ying. We came from the Deep Well Alley, my brother was well known for his bravery. He knew killing the prime minister would be a serious crime. He was afraid that it would be traced back to me. That's why he cut off his face to hide his name. How can I let him die without his name being known." The city official said: "If he is your brother, you must know the reason for his crime, and the person behind this murder. If you tell the truth, I will ask the king to pardon your life." Ying said: "If I love my life, I will not be here. My brother killed the prime minister with his life to avenge for someone. If I don't tell my brother's name, then I let him die in vain. If I tell the name of the person behind this, then I let my brother die without justice." She then ran and hit her head against the stone pole in the market and died. The official reported to the king. The king sighed, and ordered a good burial for both of them.

The word "justice" in Chinese is yi. It actually means more than justice. Meng Zi (a Confucianist) said: "Yi - man's way." The dictionary defines yi as what's proper, what's right. The yi in this story is not the justice done for the rich man's revenge. The yi in this story is what Nie Zheng done for his friend and his sister. The yi in this story is what the sister done for her brother.