Children hunt crickets in the hush of night, one lantern flickering beyond the fence. The Song people loved c…
Children hunt crickets in the hush of night,
one lantern flickering beyond the fence.
The Song people loved cricket fighting. Breeding and training fighting crickets was a craze that swept the nation. Even Chancellor Jia Sidao earned the nickname "Cricket Chancellor" for his obsession. As recorded in the History of Song, when Xiangyang was under siege, Jia was still at home enjoying himself, pitting crickets against one another with his concubines, showing not a hint of urgency. When a guest arrived and teased, "So this is what national affairs mean to a chancellor," it spoke volumes of his singular passion.