The recently published Zhang Zhitan Diary, compiled by Zhou Haijian and Yu Zezhou and published by Phoenix Publishing House in December 2025, contains entries related to the family affairs of Eileen Chang, which later appeared in her literary works. Zhang Zhitan (1884-1935) was a native of Fengrun, Zhili. The most influential figure of the Fengrun Zhang family in the late Qing Dynasty was Zhang Peilun. Zhang Zhitan's father, Zhang Peixu, was Zhang Peilun's younger brother, and another cousin, Zhang Renjun, served as the last Governor-General of Liangjiang. Zhang Zhitan passed the imperial examination at the provincial level before the age of twenty, entered official service in the late Qing, but his primary career was during the Beiyang Government period, where he held key positions such as Secretary-General of the State Council, Vice Minister of the Army, and Minister of Communications. He also served as Secretary-General of Duan Qirui's Punitive Expedition Army Headquarters and Director of the Foreign Affairs Department of Wu Peifu's Fourteen-Province Anti-Bandit Allied Forces Headquarters. The diary begins on January 1, 1925, and ends on February 15, 1935, primarily recording daily life and social interactions.
After the establishment of the Republic of China, Zhang Zhitan, along with his brother Zhang Zhicheng's branch and Zhang Renjun's branch, settled their families in Tianjin. Zhang Zhitan was a prominent government official, while Zhang Renjun remained loyal to the Qing dynasty, leading to differing political stances and relatively infrequent contact between the two families. After 1926, Zhang Zhitan contemplated retirement and returned to Tianjin in April or May, where he visited his cousin. The diary notes they had not seen each other for fifteen years, likely dating from the 1911 Revolution. In early February 1927, Zhang Renjun fell seriously ill. On the dawn of February 8, Zhang Zhitan received a phone call informing him of his cousin's passing. This day was the seventh day of the first lunar month in the Year of the Rabbit (Dingmao). He recalled that his uncle Zhang Peilun had passed away on February 4, 1903, also the seventh day of the first lunar month in the Year of the Rabbit (Guimao). He wrote in his diary, "To share the same death anniversary, the same zodiac year, and the same hour as Sixth Uncle? Could this day be an unlucky one for our family?" Based on the diary and recollections of Zhang family descendants, Zhang Zhitan likely had a good relationship with Zhang Peilun and held strong family values.
The Family Matters of Eileen Chang
Strictly speaking, the so-called family affairs of Eileen Chang refer to matters involving her father, her eldest uncle, and her aunt—essentially the affairs of Zhang Peilun's children. During the Tianjin period (1922-1928), Eileen Chang was still a young child. However, events she personally experienced or heard about were later incorporated into her works. Zhang Zhitan Diary provides another perspective. Zhang Zhitan was a direct participant in the family's move south in 1928 and was a closely involved observer of the family property division lawsuit after 1929.
Zhang Zhiyi's Dismissal of His Concubine and the Move South
Zhang Peilun married three times; his first two wives died early, and his last marriage was to Li Jugou, daughter of Li Hongzhang. Many of his children died young. When Zhang Peilun passed away in 1903, he left three children: second son Zhang Zhixian (1877-1942), third son Zhang Zhiyi (1898-1953), and daughter Zhang Maoyuan (1902-1991). Zhang Zhixian was born from Zhang Peilun's first marriage, while Zhang Zhiyi and Zhang Maoyuan were born to Li Jugou, resulting in a significant age gap. After Li Jugou's death in 1913, Zhang Zhixian became the head of the Zhang family, raising his younger siblings. However, according to the shared impression of Eileen Chang and her brother Zhang Zijing later, Zhang Zhixian managed the household strictly, and both Zhang Zhiyi and his sister wished to escape his control as soon as possible, "the farther away, the better."
In May 1921, Jin Yunpeng formed his cabinet for the third time as Premier of the Beiyang Government, and Zhang Zhitan was appointed Minister of Communications. Seizing the opportunity through his cousin's introduction, Zhang Zhiyi secured a position as an English secretary at the Tianjin-Pukou Railway Bureau. The following year, he moved to Tianjin with his wife, children, and sister Maoyuan. Soon after gaining this freedom, Zhang Zhiyi clashed with his wife Huang Suqiong over taking a concubine and smoking opium. In 1924, a disappointed Huang Suqiong left Tianjin for Britain under the pretext of accompanying her sister-in-law (Zhang Maoyuan) for overseas studies. According to Eileen Chang's account, a few years later, "(the concubine) also hit my father, breaking his head with a spittoon. Then someone from the clan intervened, forcing her to leave. I sat on the windowsill upstairs and saw two flatbed carts slowly leaving through the main gate, carrying all the silverware and belongings she took away. The servants all said, 'Now things are better!'" Years later, in Random Notes, she also wrote that her father kept urging her mother to return, "promising to quit opium, and the concubine was gone. We moved to Shanghai to wait for my mother and aunt to return from abroad." Thus, in 1928, the Zhang family moved back to Shanghai.
Readers somewhat familiar with Eileen Chang's biography are mostly aware of this experience, which primarily comes from the accounts of Eileen Chang and Zhang Zijing. Zhang Zhitan Diary records the entire process of the move south. Zhang Zhiyi first appears in the diary on June 15, 1926. Prior to this, Zhang Zhitan often stayed in Shanghai, Beijing, Hankou, and other places due to official duties. It was only after April or May 1926 that he spent more time in Tianjin. Zhang Zhiyi visited his cousin's home roughly every few months. The relationship between the cousins resembled normal familial interaction, not particularly close.
In September 1927, two entries related to Zhang Zhiyi suddenly appeared in the diary: (September 3) "Inquired about Tingzhong's recent situation, summoned Bai Chongwen. What he said was mostly beyond expectation. For a young man to be so dissipated is truly worrying." (September 9) "Jicai came for a long talk, then summoned Bai Chongwen again to inquire about Tingzhong's matters." Tingzhong was Zhang Zhiyi's courtesy name, sometimes written as "Tingzhong" in the diary. Jicai was Zhang Yunkao, the fourth son of Zhang Renjun. Zhang Renjun had passed away earlier that year. He was a cousin to Zhang Zhitan and others, but his age was closer to the previous generation. Therefore, Zhang Yunkao was technically a cousin's son (nephew) to Zhang Zhitan and Zhang Zhiyi in terms of generation, but was actually older than Zhang Zhitan. As for "Bai Chongwen," Eileen Chang also mentioned him in her unfinished work Table of Love and Hate, writing it as "Bai Chongwen." He was the son of the steward of Huang Suqiong's natal family. As a child, he accompanied the young master in the study, thus becoming literate. Later, he accompanied Huang Suqiong as part of her dowry to the Zhang family, serving as a "cheap secretary." Before Huang Suqiong left Tianjin, she asked him to stay a few more years to help look after things, so he and his wife remained with the Zhang family. He appears more than once in Eileen Chang's works. In the 1944 essay Whispered Words, he is the "male servant who is literate and ambitious," described as slight and handsome, good at telling stories from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, often practicing calligraphy with a brush dipped in water on the green stone anvil in the courtyard. In The Fall of the Pagoda and Little Reunion, he is "Zhiyuan" and "Yuheng"—the name changes, but the deeds are the same. He frequently wrote letters to Britain reporting on the family's affairs.
Little Reunion includes the most crucial letter: This one Ruiqiu kept. After returning to China, it was mixed among small photos, and Jiuli happened to see it: "Respectful Miss: Presumably the previous report has reached your esteemed attention. The other day, the Thirteenth Master summoned your servant to inquire about the injection matter. Your servant reported that Third Master is now also getting injections, and his addiction is very severe. The best strategy now is to 'take away the firewood from under the cauldron' and 'lure the tiger away from the mountain.' First, have the Thirteenth Master find an excuse to invite the Sixteenth Master for a short stay, then proceed with the expulsion. The Sixteenth Master can postpone going to Shanghai, as Third Master is from the south and might follow him south. The Sixteenth Master is weak and cannot control her. Yesterday, your servant secretly entered the Sixteenth Master's inner chamber and stole a needle of medicine, which was given to the Thirteenth Master for testing..."
Comparing this to real events, the Eleventh Master and Thirteenth Master of the Sheng family in the novel almost directly correspond to the real-life brothers Zhang Zhitan and Zhang Zhicheng. The Sixteenth Master Naide is Zhang Zhiyi, consistent with the Zhang family's custom of using generational rankings. "Third Master" refers to Zhang Zhiyi's concubine in reality. This indicates that both Zhang Zhiyi and his concubine had progressed from smoking opium to the more severe "injections." The content in The Fall of the Pagoda is largely similar. In short, the situation in Zhang Zhiyi's home gradually deteriorated, and clan members sought ways to expel the concubine, with the Zhang family's male servant also involved.
This is not a major plot point, but interestingly, the two entries mentioning "Bai Chongwen" in Zhang Zhitan Diary align almost perfectly with Eileen Chang's writings. It's likely this letter truly existed—an example of moving from "reality" to "literary realism." The only slight difference is that in the novel, the person summoning Bai Chongwen is the Thirteenth Master (corresponding to Zhang Zhicheng).
September 10 was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many relatives and friends came to Zhang Zhitan's home to offer holiday greetings, and Zhang Zhiyi also came. At that time, Zhang Zhicheng happened to be in their hometown, Lutai. Zhang Zhitan received a letter from him that day, also discussing Zhang Zhiyi's matters. Another relative, Zong Henian, had arrived from Beijing two days prior and was staying at Zhang Zhitan's home. Zong was Zhang Peilun's nephew and was close to Zhang Zhiyi and his brother. On September 11, after the guests left, Zhang Zhitan discussed Zhang Zhiyi's troubles with Zong Henian and wrote a reply to his brother. On September 13, Zhang Zhicheng returned to Tianjin, and the Zhang Zhitan brothers prepared to fully resolve Zhang Zhiyi's "family matters." That evening, they met with another cousin's son, Zhang Yungao, "to resolve various matters at Tingzhong's residence, not retiring until 2 a.m."
On September 14, "Busy all day with matters of sending away Tingzhong's outside woman." Zhang Yungao came again, and Zhang Zhitan sent a telegram to Zhang Zhixian, who was far away in Shanghai, naturally about this matter. From this day on, Zhang Zhiyi stayed at his cousin's home. Zhang Zhitan gave up his room to him and moved upstairs himself. It seems they accepted Bai Chongwen's suggestion of "taking away the firewood from under the cauldron." The entry for September 15, 1927, in Zhang Zhitan Diary mentions "younger brother Mai, Zaoxiang"—that is, Zhang Zhicheng (Cimai) and Zhang Yungao (Zaoxiang, nephew of Zhang Renjun). On September 15, Zhang Zhicheng and Zhang Yungao went to Zhang Zhiyi's home to handle the matter. Zhang Zhitan wrote a letter to his mother in Lutai reporting the details and simultaneously received a telegram reply from Zhang Zhixian. Afterwards, Zhang Zhitan also went to Zhang Zhiyi's home.
This section in Little Reunion is written as follows: Naide was picked up by car sent from the "New House" (a term servants used to refer to the cousin who had been a minister), she (the young protagonist Jiuli) didn't even know. In the afternoon, suddenly hearing noisy voices downstairs. "The Thirteenth Master is here," the maids said excitedly. Li Ma and Bi Tao went to listen on the stairs... only faintly hearing Thirteenth Uncle pounding the table and scolding, a woman crying and shouting, suddenly these phrases emerged, intermittent, in the forced loud voice of Jiangnan Mandarin, very unpleasant. Is this Third Love? Jiuli felt shocked. The Thirteenth Master left by car. Downstairs, they busied themselves packing luggage. Male servants all went to help carry things. Before dark, several flatbed carts piled high were pulled out of the main gate. Upstairs, everyone crowded at the windows to watch. "This is good!" Bi Tao said... Li Ma said, "They say all her things were given to her to take away, and she is not allowed to hang out her shingle to do business in Tianjin or Beijing." Bi Tao said, "They say she's going to Tongzhou; she's from Tongzhou." "Nantongzhou or Beitongzhou?" Li Ma said. It seemed no one knew.
Comparing this, on September 15, the Zhang Zhitan brothers, after unifying the family's opinion, went to angrily drive the woman away. It seemed the matter could be concluded, but there was more.
On September 16, Zhang Zhitan wrote, "Tingzhong went out privately, severely reprimanded him. He was quite stubborn, seemed without remorse, worrisome." September 17, Zhang Zhitan received a reply from his mother. September 18, Zhang Zhitan went early to discuss Zhang Zhiyi's matters with a friend and sent another telegram to Zhang Zhixian. That day, Zhang Zhiyi moved back to his own home. September 19, cousin's son Zhang Yungao moved into Zhang Zhiyi's home. Zhang Zhitan received a telegram reply from Zhang Zhixian and a letter from his mother. On the evening of September 20, Zhang Yungao came to discuss Zhang Zhiyi's matters with Zhang Zhitan until late. September 22, Zhang Zhitan entrusted his subordinate Geng Yuesheng to help handle matters related to the expelled concubine. Received a letter from Zhang Zhixian. He couldn't help but lament, "Busy all day managing other people's idle affairs... makes one depressed." September 24, Zhang Zhiyi and Zhang Yungao came to Zhang Zhitan's home, "busy all day, achieving nothing." September 29, Zhang Zhitan's mother returned to Tianjin from Lutai. September 30, Zhang Yungao came, probably to continue discussions, but Zhang Zhitan wrote, "Handling Tingzhong's family matters, still no progress, makes one gloomy." That day also had an entry: "Kui and Ying, the two children, came." These were Zhang Zijing and Eileen Chang, the only mention of Zhang Zhiyi's two children in the diary. Eileen Chang was seven, Zhang Zijing six.
October 1, Zhang Zhiyi, Zhang Yungao, and others came to Zhang Zhitan's home one after another. October 5, "Tingzhong's dismissed concubine boarded the 'Xinkang' steamship heading south today." Only at this point was the matter truly resolved, taking about a month, with Zhang Zhitan troubled by it almost daily. However, from subsequent entries, dismissing the concubine was only the first step. The Zhang clan's goal was likely for Zhang Zhiyi to reconcile with Huang Suqiong, hence hoping he would return to Shanghai and persuade his wife to come back.
October 7, Zhang Zhiyi and Zhang Yungao came to Zhang Zhitan's home. October 9, Zhang Zhitan's mother returned to Tianjin. October 11, Zhang Zhitan received a telegram that Zhang Zhixian had already set sail from Shanghai to Tianjin. October 13, Zhang Zhixian arrived in Tianjin, staying at Zhang Zhiyi's home. Zhang Zhitan had a long talk with his elder cousin until late, then went home and sent a letter to Zong Henian. October 15, Zong Henian also arrived in Tianjin. Zhang Zhixian came to Zhang Zhitan's home in the evening for discussion. Zhang Zhitan also talked with his mother for a long time. October 16, Zhang Zhixian came again to Zhang Zhitan's home to discuss his brother's matters, "seemingly no thorough solution." In the evening, Zong Henian had a deep talk with Zhang Zhiyi. Zhang Zhitan heard the account later, "Heard there are still many misunderstandings. How difficult family matters are, sigh."
October 19, cousin's son Zhang Yunfang, cousin Zhang Xun, and Zong Henian went together to persuade Zhang Zhiyi, without result. Zhang Zhitan couldn't help but write in his diary, "Ting showed a very rebellious and arrogant attitude. Is this person truly beyond saving?" Again lamenting, "Busy for half a month, achieved nothing, studies neglected daily, sigh." October 20, things suddenly took a turn. Because everyone was gathered together rarely, the Zhang Zhitan brothers, the Zhang Zhixian and Zhang Zhiyi brothers, Zhang Xun, and Zhang Yunfang went out to take a photo. Zhang Zhitan wrote, "Tingzhong actually agreed to go south. It is the blessing of Uncle and Aunt's spirits, endlessly gratified." Uncle and Aunt refer to the deceased Zhang Peilun and Li Jugou. This was the first such tone in the diary since early September. October 21, "Tingzhong's matters somewhat settled." Clearly, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Zong Henian and Zhang Xun left Tianjin.
According to plan, Zhang Zhiyi would first return to Shanghai with his elder brother. On October 25, the two went south. Subsequent events were simpler. Zhang Zhiyi wrote to Britain requesting his wife and sister to return. In December, he went to his cousin's home to inform them they had agreed to return and that "the funds sent to Britain have been remitted." This was likely travel expenses. On the second day of the Lunar New Year in 1928, Zhang Zhiyi came as usual to pay New Year's respects. On February 8, he discussed going south with his cousin. On February 15, he went to see his cousin early, "said received a telegram from London, his wife had appendicitis, surgery performed, condition still good afterwards." Between March and April, Zhang Zhiyi and his cousin interacted more frequently. Zhang Zhitan, as the previous year, celebrated his birthday. On May 2, Zhang Zhiyi came to tell him his wife and sister "want to return, need funds."
The diary does not record the exact date Zhang Zhiyi left Tianjin this time. On August 23, there is an entry: "Tingzhong lives at 528 1/2 Weihaiwei Road, Shanghai." It seems by this time Zhang Zhiyi had already moved back to Shanghai with his children and servants and informed his cousin of the address. This was likely the Zhang family's initial residence in Shanghai in 1928. Then, on October 1, Zhang Zhitan received a letter from Zhang Zhiyi saying his sister and others had returned to Shanghai on September 21 aboard the British ship "Canada."
From the diary's content, Zhang Zhiyi and his concubine's drug problems gradually worsened. The Zhang clan likely heard rumors before September 1927. Even Zhang Zhicheng, temporarily staying in Lutai, knew, as did Zhang Renjun's sons, nephews, and Zhang Zhitan's friends and colleagues, suggesting the matter had circulated within a certain range before. In his book My Sister Eileen Chang, Zhang Zijing said the real reason his father left Tianjin was that his opium smoking and notorious fights with the concubine damaged Zhang Zhitan's official reputation, leading to his dismissal as Minister of Communications in January 1927, which deeply shocked Zhang Zhiyi and made him resolve to change. When this happened, Zhang Zijing was only six or seven. This recollection likely came from family stories heard in adulthood and is untenable.
Zhang Zhitan was known among Beiyang Government officials for his resourcefulness, navigating adeptly between the Anhui and Zhili cliques. The diary begins in early 1925 when he was a capable official under Wu Peifu, often on official business in Shanghai, Japan, Hankou, Beijing, etc., only returning to Tianjin in April 1926. In May-June, the Zhili and Fengtian cliques temporarily compromised, leading to the brief restoration of Yan Huiqing's cabinet, and Zhang Zhitan was again appointed Minister of Communications. At that time, the Zhili and Fengtian cliques were superficially united but inwardly divided, and most cabinet members held a passive attitude. During this period, the Guangdong revolutionary government had begun the Northern Expedition, capturing Wuhan in September-October, with Wu Peifu retreating to Henan. Zhang Zhitan returned to Tianjin from Beijing in late September and immediately submitted his resignation. However, his resignation was only approved during the cabinet reshuffle in January 1927. The appointment, tenure, and resignation during his second term as Minister of Communications were clearly political acts, closely tied to the constantly changing Beiyang situation. Resigning and returning to Tianjin to live in retirement did not mean he lost interest in politics; it was likely based on his assessment of the current situation. Moreover, according to the diary, the spread of Zhang Zhiyi's family matters among relatives and friends and the attention of Zhang Zhitan and others occurred nearly a year after he submitted his resignation.
To resolve Zhang Zhiyi's troubles, Zhang Zhitan not only involved himself and his brother directly but also mobilized Zhang Zhiyi's elder brother Zhang Zhixian, several sons and nephews of Zhang Renjun, and another cousin, Zhang Xun. Almost all important Zhang clan members in Beijing and Tianjin were mobilized, and he also consulted his mother multiple times. The Fall of the Pagoda, being written in English, is the most straightforward and detailed: "The New House couldn't make up its mind. Only busybodies would expel a cousin's concubine behind his back, yet they couldn't just ignore it. If left alone, he would eventually become addicted and end up destitute, a burden to them. In the end, they couldn't go against the Eighth Master's mother's wishes. The old lady of the New House couldn't stand an unmanageable concubine, and this one had never even come to kowtow to her. Expelling her was a good deed, something to talk about for years, and something for which Yu Xi's deceased mother would be grateful." (Translation by Zhao Pihui)
Zhang Zhiyi is not a major historical figure. The reason his lifestyle and experiences receive a certain degree of attention and circulation today is primarily due to Eileen Chang's works. However, she always wrote subtly, often expressing through the comments of other characters in her novels. For example, in the eyes of his only sister, he was outdated and somewhat ridiculous; in the eyes of the capable male servant, he was weak and unable to control his family. The diary provides another perspective. In contrast, in the eyes of his cousin, who held strong family values and was fourteen years his senior, he was young and dissolute, stubborn and unconstrained, remaining defiant even under earnest advice.
Furthermore, according to the diary, in early May, Zhang Zhiyi was still in Tianjin and mentioned his wife and sister needed him to send travel funds. Before August 23, the Zhang family had already moved back to Shanghai, and Huang Suqiong and Zhang Maoyuan arrived in Shanghai on September 21. Therefore, the previously assumed timeline by researchers, based on Zhang Zijing's account that the family returned to Shanghai in the spring of 1928, is not entirely accurate. The time should be later. The ending of The Book of Change writes about the young girl Pipa returning to Shanghai by ship from Hong Kong in the summer of 1942, recalling the previous experience: That summer she came from Tianjin to Shanghai... also summer, also morning, last time she sat in an open carriage, the old amah by her side. This might be closer to the facts. The Fall of the Pagoda also writes about Pipa returning to Shanghai with her nurse's family, living in a very small lane house, sitting on the balcony to cool off in the evening. The autumn heat, stifling like a steamer, suddenly brought rain, "the dampness also brought out the old wood smell of the balcony and the smell of soil, though no land was visible nearby."
As for the Zhang family's initial residence in Shanghai, Zhang Zijing remembered it as "a stone-gated house in an alley on Wuding Road." This might also be a misremembering. In contrast, the address recorded in Zhang Zhitan's diary—528 1/2 Weihaiwei Road—seems more reliable. Based on the numbering at the time, it should have been west of Chengdu Road, between Maoming Road and Shimen Road.
The 1929 Zhang Family Property Division Lawsuit
The diary also mentions a lawsuit between Zhang Maoyuan and Zhang Zhixian. In 2022, based on newspaper reports and court announcements from that year, and referencing nine letters from the "Zhang Zhitan Letter Drafts" sold at Beijing Hanhai's Autumn Auction in 2014, I conducted a detailed analysis of the Zhang family property division lawsuit from 1929 to 1931. Zhang Zhitan's diary also contains brief mentions of this matter, serving as corroboration for the previous discussion.
The cause was Zhang Maoyuan suing her eldest brother Zhang Zhixian in 1929, with two demands: first, that Zhang Zhixian, having been adopted out to his uncle Peijing in childhood, legally could not inherit his biological parents' property, and Zhang Maoyuan demanded he return the property previously allotted to him to her; second, that the property division did not involve Zhang Peilun's book collection, requiring a new distribution. Zhang Zhiyi also filed a lawsuit demanding analysis of this part and requested the court to first seal the ancient books held by Zhang Zhixian. On May 11, the Shanghai Provisional Court held the first hearing.
The earliest mention in Zhang Zhitan's diary is on March 27 of that year: "Received Fourth Brother's (Zhang Zhixian) letter, learned he is involved in a lawsuit with Maomei over family matters. Difficult to dissuade either side, feeling unhappy." Four days later, he received another letter from Zhang Zhixian along with food sent with it, "learned Fourth Sister's (Zhang Maoyuan) matter still not resolved properly. The change among flesh and blood makes one's heart ache. Tingdi (Zhang Zhiyi) also sent a letter, what he said also makes no sense." He wrote two letters to his cousin (April 4, May 8), which should be the initial two letters from Zhang Zhitan to Zhang Zhixian before the lawsuit that I previously judged in my article. He tactfully suggested Zhang Maoyuan might have misunderstandings about her brother and advised his cousin to patiently explain to his sister to avoid a court confrontation.
Then, on May 10, he received a letter from his cousin, "learned the dispute with Maomei still unresolved, Tingzhong also joined in, sigh." After the court hearing on May 11, Zhang Zhitan soon received news from Zhang Zhixian. He lamented in his diary: "The lawsuit has already gone to court. Thinking of our ancestors' pure reputation pains the heart." (May 20) He also still hoped someone could mediate to resolve the lawsuit, this time seeking Zong Henian as the intermediary. Between May and July, he wrote to Zong Henian multiple times and maintained contact with Zhang Zhixian. On July 16, the first-instance judgment ruled in favor of Zhang Maoyuan. On July 20, Zhang Zhitan received a telegram learning his cousin had appealed, dissatisfied with the judgment.
During this period, his communication with Zong Henian about the matter became more frequent, with constant letters and telegrams. Simultaneously, the matter gradually spread. Given the first-instance loss and Zhang Zhitan's understanding of the newly established Nanjing Nationalist Government's laws, he believed the situation was unfavorable for his cousin, worried a second-instance loss would be a major blow, and hoped even more Zong Henian could help mend the relationship. The diary's lament about the family property lawsuit on May 20, 1928. Previously, when reading Zhang Zhitan's letters, I already felt his attitude towards the property lawsuit was somewhat complex. The diary makes this more evident. He held strong family values. On one hand, he disapproved of close relatives turning against each other over property and felt saddened, "The change among flesh and blood makes one's heart ache," lamenting that three siblings could come to such a state. Simultaneously, holding traditional views, he found it difficult to accept such a matter going to court.
On the other hand, his stance in this matter was also subtle. Judging from prior relationships, Zhang Zhitan was closer to Zhang Zhixian. Their age difference was small, and interactions recorded in the diary were more frequent. In contrast, Zhang Zhiyi and Zhang Maoyuan, born around 1900, though of the same generation, behaved more like the next generation. Their interactions with Zhang Zhitan seemed more distant, while they were closer to Zhang Zhicheng, with more frequent correspondence. For instance, Zhang Zhiyi informing about his divorce, and Zhang Maoyuan consulting and discussing her claims before and after the property lawsuit, wrote directly to Zhang Zhicheng.
Zhang Zhitan felt "difficult to dissuade either side" from the beginning. Zhang Zhiyi joined his sister's side and expressed himself in letters. Zhang Zhitan wrote "what he said also makes no sense." Later, seeing Zhang Zhixian's appeal, he similarly sighed, "To retort to this extent, only a deep sigh." His approach was similar to handling Zhang Zhiyi's concubine dismissal and move south. Besides Zong Henian, he also wrote to the Zhang Yunfang brothers, likely hoping they would advise from the side, and discussed solutions with his mother. Afterwards, he immediately sent telegrams to Zhang Zhiyi and Zhang Maoyuan hoping they would come to Tianjin. This was likely the result of discussions with his mother, aiming to mediate. But the siblings politely refused, suggesting Zhang Zhitan come to Shanghai instead. Zhang Zhixian had a similar idea. So Zhang Zhitan pinned his hopes on Zong Henian going to Shanghai to persuade his cousin. In his letters to Zong Henian, he did not agree with his cousin's hardline attitude, believing Zhang Maoyuan's proposal after the first-instance win—to divide the family property equally among the three siblings—was also reasonable.
However, Zhang Zhixian was unwilling to accept, wanting to divide into four shares, taking two for himself, with Zhang Zhiyi and Zhang Maoyuan each getting one. In a later letter to Zong Henian, Zhang Zhitan thought, "This is of no benefit to Mao and damages Ting, how can this proceed!" Their efforts ultimately failed. In his letters, he couldn't help but complain, expressing some dissatisfaction with his cousin's attitude, only acknowledging they had done their best and that Zhang Peilun and his wife would understand from the afterlife.
Subsequently, related records in the diary became fewer. On October 8, Zhang Zhitan received a telegram from Shanghai and wrote, "The lawsuit is not easily resolved." A month later, on November 8, he received a letter from Zhang Zhixian, "The lawsuit is resolved." This likely referred to the second-instance result, which overturned the first-instance judgment and rejected the plaintiff's claims. Afterwards, the diary no longer mentions this matter. In reality, Zhang Maoyuan, dissatisfied, appealed to the Nanjing Supreme Court. After trial, the high court ruled, "Regarding the books and litigation costs parts, remand for retrial; the appellant's other claims are dismissed." The overall situation was settled; Zhang Maoyuan lost the main part of the lawsuit.
The Zhang family property division lawsuit was later incorporated by Eileen Chang into The Fall of the Pagoda, Little Reunion, and Random Notes, with varying detail but largely the same content.
After 1930, due to military disasters and tomb raiding, the Zhang family's ancestral graves in Fengrun were endangered several times. Zhang Zhitan, well-informed, mostly consulted with Zhang Zhixian and others upon learning the news to devise countermeasures, but this pertained to Zhang family clan affairs. The only entry related to Zhang Zhiyi's family is from April 5, 1930: "Received Tingzhong's letter to Mai (Zhang Zhicheng), learned he has divorced his wife, and is again at odds with Maomei. The discord among flesh and blood, the changes in the family, never thought to witness them in my lifetime, truly the misfortune of life today." Just as he believed siblings facing each other in court damaged their ancestors' pure reputation, his cousin actually getting a divorce was probably even harder to accept.
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