I usually try not to post stories that are too long, because I know many of you like to sit down and finish a reading in a single sitting, but today’s reading is worth a long read. This is the classic children’s folktale, The Magic Paintbrush (《神笔马良》, or sometimes just 《神笔》). The Magic Paintbrush has been adapted into multiple cartoons and plays, but the oldest and most classic version is a stop-motion animation released in 1954, soon after the founding of modern China. There’s a version of the original on Youtube, so after you finish today’s reading, I suggest you go watch the film.
The story follows a young village boy, Ma Liang, who wants to become an artist, but he can’t afford a brush, so he practices drawing with sticks. One day, he is given a special brush more precious than anything he could buy in the store: the brush is magic, and anything he draws with it comes to life. Ma Liang then draws his way through a series of adventures, escaping those who want to use the brush for evil.
Key vocab
打柴 – dǎ chái – to gather firewood
有志气 – yǒu zhì qì – ambitious; determined
坚持 – jiān chí – to persist; to insist on
间断 – jiàn duàn – to interrupt; to discontinue
贪婪 – tān lán – greedy; avaricious
马厩 – mǎ jiù – stable (for horses)
圣旨 – shèng zhǐ – imperial edict/decree
摇钱树 – yáo qián shù – money tree
汹涌 – xiōng yǒng – turbulent; surging
神笔马良
听人家说，从前，有个孩子名字叫做马良。父母亲早就死了，靠他自己打柴、割草过日子。他从小喜欢画画，可是，他连一支笔也没有啊！
一天，他走过一个学馆门口，看见学馆里的画师拿着一支笔，正在画画，他不自觉地走了进去，对画师说：”我很想学画，借给我一支笔可以吗？”
画师瞪了他一眼，”呸！”一口唾沫吐在他脸上，骂道：”穷孩子想拿笔，还想学画画？做梦啦！”
说完，画师就将马良撵出门来。
马良是个有志气的孩子，他说：”为什么穷孩子不能拿笔，连画也不能学呢？我就是要学画画！”
他没有笔，但还是坚持学画画。
从此，马良下决心学画，每天用心苦练。他到山上打柴时，捡一根枯树枝，在沙地里学着描飞鸟。他到河边割草时，用草根蘸蘸河水，在岸石上学着描游鱼。晚上，他回到家里，拿一块木炭，在窑洞的壁上，又把白天描过的东西，一件一件再画一遍。
一年一年地过去了，马良学画没有一天间断过。他窑洞的四壁，画上叠画，麻麻花花全是画了。当然，进步也很快，真是画的鸟就差不多会叫了，画的鱼就差不多会游了。有一回，他在村口画了只小母鸡，村口的上空就成天有老鹰打转。有一回，他在山后画了只黑毛狼，吓得牛羊不敢在山后吃草。但是，马良还是没有一支笔。
他多么想自己能有一支笔啊！
一天晚上，马良躺在窑洞里，因为他整天干活、学画，已经很疲倦，一躺下来，就迷迷糊糊地睡着了。
不知道什么时候，窑洞里亮起五彩的光芒，来了个白胡须老人，把一支笔送给马良，说：”这是一支神笔，要好好用它。”
马良接过来一看，那笔金光灿灿的，拿在手上，沉甸甸的。他乐得蹦下床来：”谢谢你，老爷爷……”
马良的话没有说完，白胡须老人已经不见了。
马良一惊，就醒过来，揉揉眼睛，原来是个梦呢！可又不是梦啊，那支笔不是好好的在自己的手里嘛！
他用笔画了一只鸟，鸟扑扑翅膀，飞到天上去，对他”唧唧喳喳”地唱起歌来。他用笔画了一条鱼，鱼弯弯尾巴，游进水里去，对他摇摇摆摆地跳起舞来。他欢喜极了，说：”这神笔，多好呀！”
他十分高兴，就奔出窑洞，挨家挨户去敲门，把伙伴们都叫醒，告诉他们：”我有支笔啦！”这时才半夜哩！
马良有了这支神笔，天天替村里的穷苦人画画：谁家没有犁耙，他就给他画犁耙；谁家没有耕牛，他就给他画耕牛；谁家没有水车，他就给他画水车；谁家没有石磨，他就给他画石磨……
一天，他画了一只没有眼睛的白鹤，一不小心，在它脸上溅了一滴墨水，白鹤便眼睛一睁，扇起双翼，飞上天去了。
天下没有不透风的墙，消息很快传进了邻近庄园里一个恶财主的耳朵里。这财主向来贪婪、霸道，就派两个家丁来把他抓去，逼他画画。
马良年纪虽小，却生来是个硬性子。他看透这财主的坏心肠，任凭财主怎样哄他、吓他，要他画金元宝，他就是不肯画。
财主将马良关在马厩里，也不给他饭吃，非要他画金元宝不可。
夜晚，雪纷纷扬扬地落着，地上已经积起了厚厚一层。财主想，马良这一下一定受不了啦。他走到马厩去看看，只见里面透出红红的亮光，远远闻到一股香喷喷的味道。他觉得奇怪，悄悄走近，往里一看，啊！马良烧起了一堆木柴，一面烤着火，一面正吃着热烘烘的饼子呢！
财主知道，这柴火和饼子，是马良用神笔画的，就气呼呼地去叫家丁来，要他们夺过马良手上那支神笔。
好几个凶猛的家丁，冲进马厩，却不见马良，只见后面墙壁上，靠着一架梯子。马良趁着天黑，攀上这梯子，翻墙走了。
财主急忙叫家丁攀上梯子去追。家丁们没爬上三步，就摔下来了。原来，这梯子是马良用神笔画的。
马良出了恶财主的庄园。他知道在村子里是不能住了，他向自己的村落挥了挥手，默默地说了一句：”伙伴们，我会回来的。”
马良用神笔画了一匹大骏马，跳上马背，向大路上奔去。
没有走出多少路，只听见后面一阵喧哗，回头一看，火把照得通明，财主骑着匹快马，手执一把明晃晃的钢刀，带着一群家丁追上来了。
眼看就要追着了，马良不慌不忙，用神笔画了一张弓，一支箭。箭一上弦，”嗖”的一声，射中财主的马，马一颤动，财主翻身跌下马去了。马良拍拍大骏马，大骏马像飞一样地向前驰去了。
马良连日带夜地在路上跑了好几天，到了一个市镇里，看看离家乡已经很远了，就在这儿暂住下来。
他画了许多画，拿到街上去卖。因为他怕人知道，便不让画活起来，画成的东西，不是少嘴便是断腿的。
这一来，整个市镇都轰动了。当地的官员将这件事奏给了皇帝。皇帝下了一道圣旨，派人来带马良到京城去，给皇帝画画。
马良不肯去，他们把他拉去了。马良听见过许多这个坏皇帝欺侮小民百姓的事，心里恨透了，哪肯给皇帝画呢！皇帝叫他画一条龙，他却画了一只大壁虎。皇帝叫他画一只凤，他却画了一只大乌鸦。大壁虎和大乌鸦十分难看，在皇宫里乱爬乱叫，还打起架来，弄得皇宫里污七八糟。
皇帝大为发怒，就命卫士们抢下马良的神笔，将他打入了监牢。
皇帝拿到神笔，就自己来画了。他先画一座金山。贪心不足的皇帝，画了一座又一座，画了一座又一座，重重叠叠地画了许多。画好一看，哪是金山！却是一堆堆的大石头；上面压得太多，就塌下来，差一点把皇帝的脚也砸伤了。
皇帝还不死心。他心里想，画金山不成，就画金砖。他画了一块嫌小，画了一块嫌小，最后画成长长的一大条。画好一看，哪是金砖！却是一条长长的大蟒蛇，张开血盆似的大口，向他扑来。幸亏卫士们救得快，不然，皇帝早被大蟒蛇吃掉了。
皇帝没有办法，只得将马良放出来，又假惺惺地对他说了一些好话，什么要给他许多许多金银，什么要封他做很大很大的官……
马良一心想夺回神笔，他装作答应下来。皇帝见马良答应了，很是高兴，就把神笔还给了马良，要马良给他画画。
皇帝想，画金山、金砖都不成，那么画株摇钱树吧！摇钱树上，结的都是钱，轻轻一摇，就能掉下许多钱来，这有多好啊！他就叫马良画摇钱树了。
马良心里打定了主意，不说什么话，提起神笔一挥，一个无边的大海出现在眼前了，蓝蓝的海水，没有一丝波纹，亮闪闪的像一面大玉镜。
皇帝看了很不满意，脸一板，喝道：
“叫你画摇钱树，谁叫你画海！”
马良在海中央画了个岛，岛上画了株树，说：
“这不是摇钱树嘛！”
皇帝看见那株树，散发着耀眼的金色光芒，喉咙里咽了几口唾沫，就”嘻嘻嘻”地笑了起来，急巴巴地对马良说：
“赶快画只大船吧！我要到岛上去摇钱！”
马良画了一只船，皇帝就带了许多兵士，上船去了。
马良画了几笔风，海水皱起密密的波纹，船就开动了。
皇帝心里痒痒的，嫌船走得太慢，在船头上叫：”风大些！风大些！……”马良加了几笔粗粗的风。海动荡起来了，船上的帆鼓得满满的，急速向海中央驶去。
马良又加上几笔大风。海不安地吼叫起来，卷起汹涌的浪涛，船摇晃起来了。
皇帝开始害怕，向马良摇手，大声地喊道：
“风够了！风够了！……”
马良装作没有听见，不歇手地画着风。海水发怒了，浪涛扑上船去了，船倾斜了，船上乱起来了。
马良还是不住手地画风。风更大了，吹来了许多厚厚的乌云，又鸣雷，又闪电，还下起暴雨来。浪更猛了，海水像一堵堵倒坍的高墙，接连不断地往船上压去。
皇帝被海水打得浑身湿漉漉的，抱着船上的桅杆，不住地叫喊：
“风太大了！船要翻了！不要再画了！……”
船翻了。船碎了。坏皇帝呢？不见了，大概沉到海底去了……
“神笔马良”的故事，就这样传开了。但是，马良后来怎样了呢？大家都不清楚。
有的说，他回到自己的家乡，和那些种地的伙伴在一起。
有的说，他到处流浪，专门给穷苦的人画画。
Ma Liang and the Magic Brush
People say that long ago, there was a boy named Ma Liang. His parents had died early, and he survived by gathering firewood and cutting grass. He loved drawing from a young age, but he didn’t even have a single brush!
One day, he passed by the entrance of a school and saw an artist inside holding a brush and painting. Without thinking, he walked in and said to the artist: ‘I really want to learn to draw. Could you lend me a brush?’
The artist glared at him. ‘Pah!’ He spat in Ma Liang’s face and scolded: ‘A poor child wants to hold a brush and learn to paint? Dream on!’
With that, the artist drove Ma Liang out the door.
Ma Liang was a determined child. He said: ‘Why can’t a poor child hold a brush? Why can’t I even learn to draw? I will learn to paint!’
He had no brush, but he persisted in learning to draw.
From then on, Ma Liang resolved to learn painting and practiced diligently every day. When he went to the mountains to gather firewood, he picked up a dry twig and practiced drawing birds in the sandy ground. When he went to the riverside to cut grass, he dipped grass roots in the river water and practiced drawing fish on the rocks along the bank. At night, when he returned home, he took a piece of charcoal and drew everything he had sketched during the day again on the walls of his cave dwelling.
Year after year passed, and Ma Liang never missed a single day of practice. The four walls of his cave were covered with drawings upon drawings, completely filled with pictures. Naturally, he improved quickly – the birds he drew almost seemed ready to sing, and the fish he drew almost seemed ready to swim. Once, he drew a little hen at the village entrance, and hawks circled overhead all day long. Another time, he drew a black wolf behind the mountain, and the cattle and sheep were too scared to graze there. But Ma Liang still didn’t have a brush.
How he wished he could have a brush of his own!
One night, Ma Liang lay in his cave. Because he had worked and practiced all day, he was very tired, and as soon as he lay down, he fell into a drowsy sleep.
He didn’t know when it happened, but the cave lit up with colorful light, and an old man with a white beard appeared and gave him a brush, saying: ‘This is a magic brush. Use it well.’
Ma Liang took it and looked – the brush glittered with golden light and felt heavy in his hand. He was so happy he jumped off the bed: ‘Thank you, grandfather…’
Before Ma Liang could finish speaking, the old man with the white beard had already disappeared.
Ma Liang was startled and woke up, rubbing his eyes. It had been a dream! But then again, it wasn’t just a dream – wasn’t the brush right there in his hand!
He used the brush to draw a bird, and the bird flapped its wings, flew up to the sky, and sang ‘chirp chirp’ to him. He used the brush to draw a fish, and the fish swished its tail, swam into the water, and danced for him with a swaying motion. He was overjoyed and said: ‘This magic brush is wonderful!’
He was so happy that he rushed out of the cave, went door to door knocking, waking up all his friends, and told them: ‘I have a brush now!’ It was only midnight!
With this magic brush, Ma Liang drew for the poor villagers every day: if someone didn’t have a plow, he drew them a plow; if someone didn’t have an ox, he drew them an ox; if someone didn’t have a waterwheel, he drew them a waterwheel; if someone didn’t have a stone mill, he drew them a stone mill…
One day, he drew a white crane without eyes. By accident, a drop of ink splashed on its face, and the crane opened its eyes, spread its wings, and flew up into the sky.
Walls have ears, and news quickly reached a wicked landlord in a nearby estate. This landlord was always greedy and tyrannical, so he sent two servants to capture Ma Liang and force him to paint.
Though Ma Liang was young, he was born with a stubborn nature. He saw through the landlord’s wicked heart and refused to draw gold ingots no matter how the landlord coaxed or threatened him.
The landlord locked Ma Liang in the stable without giving him food, insisting he must draw gold ingots.
At night, snow fell heavily, and a thick layer had already accumulated on the ground. The landlord thought Ma Liang surely couldn’t bear it any longer. He went to check on the stable and saw a red glow coming from inside, and from afar he could smell a fragrant aroma. Puzzled, he crept closer and peeked in – ah! Ma Liang had built a fire with wood, warming himself by the flames while eating hot baked cakes!
The landlord knew the firewood and cakes were drawn by Ma Liang with the magic brush, so he angrily called his servants to come and seize the magic brush from Ma Liang’s hands.
Several fierce servants rushed into the stable, but Ma Liang was gone. They only saw a ladder leaning against the back wall. Ma Liang had climbed the ladder in the darkness of night and escaped over the wall.
The landlord hurriedly ordered his servants to climb the ladder and chase after him. The servants hadn’t climbed three steps before they fell down. It turned out the ladder was drawn by Ma Liang with the magic brush.
Ma Liang escaped from the wicked landlord’s estate. He knew he could no longer stay in the village. He waved goodbye to his village and silently said: ‘Friends, I will return.’
Ma Liang used the magic brush to draw a magnificent horse, jumped on its back, and galloped off down the road.
He hadn’t gone far when he heard a commotion behind him. Looking back, he saw torches blazing brightly – the landlord was riding a fast horse, holding a gleaming steel blade, leading a group of servants in pursuit.
Just as they were about to catch up, Ma Liang calmly used the magic brush to draw a bow and an arrow. As soon as the arrow was on the string, it flew with a ‘whoosh’ and struck the landlord’s horse. The horse stumbled, and the landlord tumbled off. Ma Liang patted his steed, and it flew forward like the wind.
Ma Liang traveled day and night for several days until he reached a market town. Seeing that he was far from home, he decided to stay there temporarily.
He drew many pictures and took them to the street to sell. Because he was afraid of being discovered, he didn’t let the drawings come to life – everything he drew was either missing a mouth or had broken legs.
This caused a sensation throughout the town. The local officials reported the matter to the emperor. The emperor issued a decree and sent people to bring Ma Liang to the capital to paint for him.
Ma Liang refused to go, but they dragged him there anyway. Ma Liang had heard many stories about this wicked emperor bullying common people and hated him deeply, so why would he paint for the emperor? When the emperor told him to paint a dragon, he painted a big gecko. When the emperor told him to paint a phoenix, he painted a big crow. The ugly gecko and crow crawled and cawed all over the palace, even fighting with each other, making a complete mess of the imperial court.
The emperor was furious and ordered his guards to seize Ma Liang’s magic brush and throw him into prison.
The emperor took the magic brush and tried to paint himself. First he painted a golden mountain. The greedy emperor painted one after another, stack upon stack, many golden mountains. But when he looked at what he had drawn – they weren’t golden mountains at all! They were just piles of big rocks, and because he had stacked too many, they collapsed and nearly crushed his feet.
The emperor still wouldn’t give up. He thought, if golden mountains won’t work, I’ll paint gold bricks. He painted one and thought it was too small, painted another and still thought it was too small, finally painting one long, huge piece. But when he looked at what he had drawn – it wasn’t a gold brick at all! It was a long, huge python with a mouth like a basin of blood, lunging at him. Fortunately, the guards rescued him quickly, or the emperor would have been eaten by the python.
The emperor had no choice but to release Ma Liang. He spoke sweet words to him, promising to give him lots and lots of gold and silver, promising to make him a very, very high official…
Ma Liang’s only thought was to get his magic brush back, so he pretended to agree. The emperor was delighted to see Ma Liang agree and returned the magic brush to him, asking Ma Liang to paint for him.
The emperor thought, golden mountains and gold bricks don’t work, so let me have a money tree! A money tree that grows coins, and with just a gentle shake, lots of coins would fall – how wonderful! So he told Ma Liang to paint a money tree.
Ma Liang had already made up his mind. Without saying a word, he raised the magic brush and with a sweep, a boundless sea appeared before their eyes. The blue waters were perfectly still, without a single ripple, shining bright like a great jade mirror.
The emperor was very displeased. His face hardened as he shouted:
‘I told you to paint a money tree! Who told you to paint a sea!’
Ma Liang painted an island in the middle of the sea, and on the island he painted a tree, saying:
‘Isn’t this a money tree!’
The emperor saw the tree radiating dazzling golden light, swallowed several times, and began to laugh ‘hee hee hee,’ saying eagerly to Ma Liang:
‘Quick, paint a big ship! I want to go to the island and shake the money tree!’
Ma Liang painted a ship, and the emperor boarded it with many soldiers.
Ma Liang painted a few strokes of wind, the sea rippled with dense waves, and the ship began to move.
The emperor’s heart itched with impatience, complaining the ship was too slow. Standing at the bow, he shouted: ‘More wind! More wind!…’ Ma Liang added a few thick strokes of wind. The sea began to churn, the ship’s sails filled completely, and they sped rapidly toward the middle of the sea.
Ma Liang added several more strokes of strong wind. The sea began to roar restlessly, and surging waves rolled in. The ship began to rock.
The emperor became frightened and waved at Ma Liang, shouting loudly:
‘Enough wind! Enough wind!…’
Ma Liang pretended not to hear and kept painting wind without stopping. The sea became angry, and waves crashed onto the ship, which began to tilt, and chaos broke out on board.
Ma Liang still didn’t stop painting wind. The wind grew even stronger, bringing thick dark clouds, thunder rumbling, lightning flashing, and a violent rainstorm pouring down. The waves became fiercer, and the seawater rose like collapsing walls, crashing down on the ship one after another.
The emperor, drenched from head to toe by the seawater, clung to the mast and kept screaming:
‘The wind is too strong! The ship is going to capsize! Stop painting!…’
The ship capsized. The ship shattered. And the wicked emperor? He was nowhere to be seen – he had probably sunk to the bottom of the sea…
The story of ‘Ma Liang and the Magic Brush’ spread far and wide. But what happened to Ma Liang afterward? Nobody knows for sure.
Some say he returned to his hometown and lived together with his farming friends.
Some say he wandered everywhere, painting only for the poor.
