Square Bamboo Forest

Square Bamboo Forest is a hidden grove west of Little Mirror Lake, marked by square bamboo and several delicate bamboo houses. A place first described through directions and a warning not to enter becomes the setting for a family recognition that brings A'Zi and A'Zhu together with their parents.

Setting and Approach

A man directs Xiao Feng to the western side of Little Mirror Lake, where he says a square-bamboo forest and several bamboo houses can be found. He instructs Xiao Feng to call out from outside the houses with a deliberately alarming announcement, and advises him not to enter. The man withholds the name of his lord, promising to reveal it later; the instructions make the grove a place to approach cautiously rather than explore freely.

The Houses and the Gold Lock

When the group reaches the forest, the trees prove to be square as described. After walking several zhang into the grove, they find three small houses with bamboo roofs, whose construction is notably delicate. The secluded setting shifts abruptly from a destination to the scene of a discovery when a beautiful woman hurries out at the sound of footsteps, holding a gold lock and calling for someone to come see it. The lock gives the encounter its immediate focus, though the account does not explain its history here.

Recognition and Departure

The forest's encounter ends in visible emotion and reunion. A middle-aged man leads the beautiful woman with one hand and A'Zi with the other as they leave the grove; tear stains mark both adults' faces, while A'Zi grins as though nothing has happened. A'Zhu then comes out of the forest and goes to Xiao Feng's side. The grove thus holds a brief but consequential meeting: its concealed houses frame the family recognition, while the different reactions of tears and A'Zi's composure give the scene its closing contrast.