On My Laziness

〈詠慵詩〉

On My Laziness

 白居易

by Bai Juyi

Translated by Yoyo

With help from Stephen Owen's An Anthology of Chinese Literature

Owen, Stephen. An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911. New York: W.W. Norton, 1996. 498-99. Print.

有官慵不選，有田慵不農。

With office I'm lazy to serve, With crops I'm lazy to farm.

屋穿慵不葺，衣裂慵不縫。

With holes on the roof I'm lazy to mend, With ripped cloths I'm lazy to stitch.

有酒慵不酌，無異樽長空。

With wine I'm lazy to pour, no difference pouring into eternal emptiness.

有琴慵不彈，亦与無弦同。

With zither I'm lazy to pluck, like the famous "Harp Without Strings."

家人告飯盡，欲炊慵不舂。

The family tells there is no more food, I'd wish for a bowl but too lazy to carve one.

親朋寄書至，欲讀慵開封。

Close friends send letters, I wish to read but too lazy to open the seal

常聞嵇叔夜，一生在慵中。

I often hear Xi Shu Ye, was lazy his entire life

彈琴復鍛鐵，比我未為慵。

He plucked the zither and smelted metal, he was not as lazy as me.

Amazon Prime and Du Mu

When I read Amazon Prime could ship any package to you door the next day.  I remembered a couplet from Du Mu:

一騎紅塵妃子笑

A horserider and red dust, the consort laughs

無人知是荔枝來

No one knows the lychee are coming.

Legend has it that consort to the Tang emperor Yang Guifei loved to eat lychee, but Chang 'an (modern day Xi'an) was too far north from where lychees, so Xuanzong sets up a modern day pony express system to relay lychees quickly to the consort.

Other texts of the period also record crops and farmers being trampled on, just so the consort can eat tropical fruit.  If she were alive today, she could book any fruit on first class and have it on her doorstep within 24 hours. In fact millions of us can order something from across the world at speeds Tang royalty can only dream of.

I'm reading the book "All Natural" by Nathanael Johnson.   In his chapter on sugar, he talks about how the word "sweet" is synonymous to momentary pleasure, not contentment.  In chemistry terms, it's the difference between feeling endorphines (content) and dopamine (pleasure).  Because consumers can't tell the difference, we equate one with the other.

Du Mu warns us of the impact of one individual's overzealous passion for pleasure.  Call me old fashioned, but being able to move items within a day of our desire for pleasure makes be cautious of greed with technology.  Not just with solid packages, but the attention we place on material pleasure.

I am reminded of another quote from Du Fu, (don't get this confused with Du Mu):

朱門酒肉臭

At the red gates, the odor of wine and meat

路有凍死骨

On the road frozen dead bones

When we attend to our pleasure, what do we neglect?

Comments?  Thoughts?

Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 6

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

by Eileen Chang 張愛玲

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

Part 5

徐太太笑道："提起你妹妹，我還等他們的回話呢。"

Madam Xu laughed, "Bringing up your sister, I want to hear what they have to say."

流蘇道："七妹的事，有希望麼？"

Liu Su said, " 7th Sister's situation, is there hope?"

徐太太道："說得有幾分眉目了。剛才我有意的讓娘兒們自己商 議商議，我說我上去瞧瞧六小姐就來。現在可該下去了。你送我下去，成不成？"

"There's some general idea after talks.  I just thought about letting the ladies negotiate.  When I wanted to go listen 6th Sister came.  Right now I should go down.  Why don't you send me down, agree?"

流蘇只得扶著徐太太下樓，樓梯又舊，徐太太又胖，走得吱吱格格一片響。到了堂 屋裡，流蘇欲待開燈，

Liu Su felt obligated to help Madam Xu by the hand.  The stairs were old, and Madam Xu was plump, walking there was moaning and groaning.  When they reached the main room, Liu Su wanted open the lights.

徐太太道："不用了，看得見。他們就在東廂房裡。你跟我來，大家說說笑笑，事情也就過去了，不然，明兒吃飯的時候免不了要見面的，反 而僵得慌。"

"There's no need, I can see.  They are in the east room.  Come with me, everyone is laughie-talkie, the situations will pass over.  If not, tomorrow you have to see them all again, and you'll be stiff and panicky."

流蘇聽不得"吃飯"這兩個字，心裡一陣刺痛，硬著嗓子，強笑道："多謝嬸子——可是我這會子身子有點不舒服，實在不能夠見人，只怕失魂落魄 的，說話闖了禍，反而辜負了您待我的一片心。"

When Liu Su heard the words "eat," she felt a stab in her heart.  Her throat turned stiff.  With a strong laugh she said, "  Thank you auntie -- but this time my body doesn't feel too good, I honestly can't see people.  I'll be scared out of my wits, my words will bring disaster, instead I'll fail to live up to my place in your heart."

徐太太見流蘇一定不肯，也就罷了，自己推門進去。

Madam Xu saw Liu Su was unwilling, so she gave up.  She pushed the door and left.

門掩上了，堂屋裡暗著，門的上端的玻璃格子裡透進兩方黃色的燈光，落在青磚地上。朦朧中可以看見堂屋裡順著牆高高下下堆著一排書箱，紫檀匣子， 刻著綠泥款識。正中天然幾上，玻璃罩子裡，擱著琺瑯自鳴鐘，機括早壞了，停了多年。兩旁垂著朱紅對聯，閃著金色壽字團花，一朵花托住一個墨汁淋漓的大字。 在微光裡，一個個的字都像浮在半空中，離著紙老遠。流蘇覺得自己就是對聯上的一個字，虛飄飄的，不落實地。白公館有這麼一點像神仙的洞府：這裡悠悠忽忽過 了一天，世上已經過了一千年。可是這裡過了一千年，也同一天差不多，因為每天都是一樣的單調與無聊。流蘇交叉著胳膊，抱住她自己的頸項。七八年一眨眼就過 去了。你年輕麼？不要緊，過兩年就老了，這裡，青春是不希罕的。他們有的是青春——孩子一個個的被生出來，新的明亮的眼睛，新的紅嫩的嘴，新的智慧。一年 又一年的磨下來，眼睛鈍了，人鈍了，下一代又生出來了。這一代便被吸到朱紅灑金的輝煌的背景裡去，一點一點的淡金便是從前的人的怯怯的眼睛。

The door closed, the main hall was quiet, yellow lamplight from both sides  of the detail on the glass lattice of the door penetrated through, falling on the green brick floor.  Through the haze one could see the main call with it's high and low stacks of arranged book boxes, red sandalwood boxes, and carved green quotes.  In the middle almost naturally, in the shadow of the glass, stood an enamel bell chime, the mechanism was already broken, it was still for many years.  On it's two sides red couplets hung, the gold word for "longevity" was surrounded by flowers, each flower vase was saturated with big inky words.  In the glimmer, every single work was floating in mid-air, leaving the old paper behind.  Liu Su felt she herself was like a character on the couplet, floating, not falling on-site.  The Bai residence was little like an immortal's cave dwelling:  passing a fleeting drawn-out day, the moral world aged a 1000 years.  But if 1000 years passed here, each day would be roughly the same because each day is the same monotony and boredom.    Liu Su crossed her arms and held onto her neck.  With a blink of an eye 7, 8 years have passed.  You still young?  Don't worry, in two years you'll be old.  This place, youth is not rare.  Some are youths, children one by one are forced to be born, new bright eyes, new red supple lips, new intelligence.  Year after year it wears away, eyes turn dull, people turn drull, and the next generation is born.  This generation get sucked behind the vibrant red and shining gold splendor, bit by bit the fading gold is exactly the timid eyes of peoples past.

Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 5

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

by Eileen Chang 張愛玲

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

Part 4

那人走到床前坐下了，一開口，卻是徐太太的聲音。徐太太勸道："六小姐，別傷心了，起來，起來，大熱的天……"

That person sat in front of the bed.  It was Madam Xu who opened her mouth.  She assured her, " 6th Sister, don't feel sad.  Come, some up, it's hot today...."

流蘇撐著床勉強站了起來，道：" 嬸子，我……我在這兒再也呆不下去了。早就知道人家多嫌著我，就只差明說。今兒當面鑼，對面鼓，發過話了，我可沒有臉再住下去了！"

Liu Su propped herself up from the bed and barely stood, saying, "Auntie, I..... I can't just sit in a daze here anymore.  I already knew people here resented me, I only said the truth.  Today one end gonged, the other end drummed.  After spilling words, I have no face living here!"

徐太太扯她在床沿上一 同坐下，悄悄地道："你也太老實了，不怪人家欺負你，你哥哥們把你的錢盤來盤去盤光了。就養活你一輩子也是應該的。"

Madam Xu pulled her to sit alongside her on the bed, she quietly responded, " You are too honest, no wonder people take advantage of you.  Your older brother and them took shuffled your money plate around leaving nothing.  They should provide for you for the rest of your live."

流蘇難得聽見這幾句公道話，且不問她是真心還是假意，先就從心上熱起來，淚如雨下，道："誰叫我自己糊塗呢！就為了這幾個錢，害得我要走也走不 開。"

Liu Su could hardly hear these truthful words, without paying attention to whether or not Madam Xu was acting, Liu Su's heart heated up, tears pouring like rain.  She said, "Who said I was confused! Just for the money, I can't leave if I wanted to."

徐太太道："年紀輕輕的人，不怕沒有活路。"

"Young people shouldn't fear not having a path ahead."

流蘇道："有活路，我早走了！我又沒唸過兩句書，肩不能挑，手不能提，我能做什麼事？"

" If was a way out I'd leave!  I've never ready to words in a book, my shoulders never carried anything, my hands never lifted anything, what can I do?"

徐太太道："找 事，都是假的，還是找個人是真的。"

"Finding work is a lie, find the right people."

流蘇道："那怕不行。我這一輩子早完了。"

"That won't do, my life is already over."

徐太太道："這句話，只有有錢的人，不愁吃，不愁穿，才有資格說。沒錢的 人，要完也完不了哇！你就是剃了頭髮當姑子去，化個緣罷，也還是塵緣——離不了人！"

"That's what only rich people say.  They don't worry about food or clothes, they can say that.  Poor people, you ending it still won't end it!  If you shaved your head to be a nun, and end your karma, you'd still be dust-- you can't escape people!"

流蘇低頭不語。徐太太道："你這件事，早兩年託了我，又要好些。"

Liu Su was silent as she lowered her head.  Madam Xu said, "This situation, if you came to me two years ago would have made things easier."

流 蘇微微一笑道："可不是，我已經二十八了。"

Liu Su laughed, "Exactly, I'm already 28 years old."

徐太太道："放著你這樣好的人才，二十八也不算什麼。我替你留心著。說著我又要怪你了，離了婚七八年了，你早 點兒拿定了主意，遠走高飛，少受多少氣！"

Madam Xu said, "Trying a person of your talent, being 28 isn't too bad.  I'll help you worry. Talking about me would be blaming yourself, I divorced for 7, 8 years already.  If you decided earlier, you would have long gone and had much less problems!"

流蘇道："嬸子你又不是不知道，像我們這樣的家庭，哪兒肯放我們出去交際？倚仗著家裡人罷，別說他們根本不讚 成，就是贊成了，我底下還有兩個妹妹沒出閣，三哥四哥的幾個女孩子也漸漸地長大了，張羅她們還來不及呢，還顧得到我？"

Liu Su said, "Autie, you must know this as well.  How could families like ours let us socialize? Ending my reliance on family, others say family don't agree, but they already did.  I still have two little sisters who aren't married, 3rd and 4th Brother still have two girls about to become adults, I can barely attend to them, how can I care for myself?"

Part 6

American Cool

Don't worry, I'm still going to talk about China.

I don't like violent movies, but Quentin Tarantino's movies violence perks my interest.  He always shows how to kill with style.

But there's only one clip I want to talk about.  Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-RsDGPI5Y

A little background.  Uma Thurman is a narc dealer's wife, and John Travolta is the same narc dealer's minion.  The narc dealer tells Travolta to show Thurman a good time.  Travolta is careful not to overstep his limits, and Thurman wants a little perk in the evening.  They have somewhat awkward dinner conversation, and Thurman spontaneously was Travolta to dance in a competition.

If a non-American watched only this clip, one would instantly know this is American.  Why?

Aside from the 50's music and diner, notice these are 90's people dancing to 50's music.  They're so serious about exuding a sense of cool.  This dance exudes a certain allure and confidence: "I'm so cool because I'm dancing to the beat and dancing to the dorkiest style music, but I'm not smiling because I'm still cooler than you."

The American can always take a style and transform it something else.  American art looks at a style from the past, and says screw it, I can do better.

American cool is neurotic and dangerous towards the past.  It impulsively reinvents, accepts and rejects the past.  A young country doesn't have to feel to guilty about how it chooses to interpret it's cultural history.

An old country like China is horrendously careful what it chooses how to express it's culture.   Let's revisit the 2008 Olympics.  I highly doubt Hu Jintao would have jumped off a helicopter to warm up the crowd.

But why can't the Chinese make fun of its own culture once in a while?

On the Middle of a Boat Reading Yuan Jiu's Poetry

舟中讀元九詩

On the Middle of a Boat  Reading Yuan Jiu's Poetry

白居易

Bai Juyi

Translated by 幽柚

把君詩卷燈前讀，詩盡燈殘天未明。

I take your poem scroll in front of a lamp, after reading your poem and blowing out the lights the sky is not yet bright.

眼痛滅燈猶暗坐，逆風吹浪打船聲。

My eyes hurt after blowing out the lights sitting there quietly, going against the wind the sound of the waves hit the boat.

***I just realized translating "Love in a Fallen City" might take 2 months.......

Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 4

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

by Eileen Chang 張愛玲

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

Part 3

正說著，門簾一動，白老太太道：「是誰？」四奶奶探頭進來道：「媽，徐太太還在樓下呢，等著跟您說七妹的婚事。」

At that moment the door moved, Mother Bai asked, "Who's there?"  4th Wife poked her head in and entered, " Mother, Madam Xu is still downstairs, waiting to talk with you about 7th Sister's wedding."

白老太太道：「我這就起來。你把燈捻 開。」

Mother Bai responded, "I'll just get up then.  Go open the lamps."

屋裡點上了燈，四奶奶扶著老太太坐起身來，伺候她穿衣下床。白老太太問道：「徐太太那邊找到了合適的人？」

With the room lit, 4th Wife helped Mother by the hand to stand and helped her change her clothes.  Mother Bai asked, " Where did Madam Xu find a suitable mate?"

四奶奶道：「聽她說得怪好的，就是年大 了幾歲。」

4th Wife answered, "I heard her say he was unusually good, its just he's a bit older."

白老太太咳了一聲道：「寶絡這孩子，今年也二十四了，真是我心上一個疙瘩。白替她操了心，還讓人家說我：她不是我親生的，我存心耽擱了她！」

Mother Bai sighed, " This child Bao Lao is 24 this year, indeed a sore spot in my heart.  Helped her worry for nothing, and let people gossip about me:  She's not my natural child, I deliberately delayed her!"

四 奶奶把老太太攙到外房去，老太太道：「你把我那兒的新茶葉拿出來，給徐太太泡一碗，綠洋鐵筒子裡的是大姑奶奶去年帶來的龍井，高罐兒裡的是碧螺春，別弄錯 了。」

4th Wife helped Mother Bai to the outer room.  Mother Bai said, "Go get those new tea leaves out and give Madam Xu a bowl.  The green canister has old auntie's (father's eldest sister) Long Jing tea, the high canister has Green Snail Spring tea, don't mix them up."

四奶奶一面答應著，一面叫喊道：「來人哪！開燈哪！」只聽見一陣腳步響，來了些粗手大腳的孩子們，幫著老媽子把老太太搬運下樓去了。

4th Wife answered, she shouted, "  Servants!  Light the lamps!"  With a sudden burst of footsteps, a few rough handed big footed children helped carry the old lady downstairs.

四奶奶一個人在外間屋裡翻箱倒櫃找尋老太太的私房茶葉，忽然笑道：「咦！七妹，你打哪兒鑽出來了，嚇我一跳！我說怎麼的，剛才你一晃就不見影 兒了！」

4th Wife went alone to the outer room, flipping over chests and draws to find the old woman's private stash of tea, suddenly she burst out laughing, " Ye!  7th Sister, you came out of nowhere and gave me a jump!  When I was talking you left in a flash!"

寶絡細聲道：「我在陽台上乘涼。」

Bao Lao quiet said, "  I was on the balcony cooling off."

四奶奶格格笑道：「害臊呢！我說，七妹，趕明兒你有了婆家，凡事可得小心一點，別由著性兒鬧。離婚豈是容易的 事？要離就離了，稀鬆平常！果真那麼容易，你四哥不成材，我幹嗎不離婚哪！我也有娘家呀，我不是沒處可投奔的，可是這年頭兒，我不能不給他們划算划算，我 是有點人心 ，就得顧著他們一點，不能靠定了人家，把人家拖窮了。我還有三分廉恥呢！」

4th Wife laughed with a cackle and said, "Shy aren't you?  I say, 7th Sister, one of these days you're going to have family in-laws, you must be more careful with everything, your 4th Brotheris useless, why shouldn't I just divorce?  I also have my own family, it's not like I can't seek shelter.   But throughout these years whether or not I let them weigh our the pros and cons, I was a little compassionate.  If I could look after them just a bit, and not rely on people, and pull people from poverty.  I still have my sense of honor!"

白流蘇在她母親床前淒淒涼涼跪著，聽見了這話，把手裡的繡花鞋幫子緊緊按在心口上，戳在鞋上的一枚針，紮了手也不覺得疼，小聲道：「這屋子可 住不得了！……住不得了！」

Liu Su was in front of her mother's bed desolately kneeling and heard these words.  She took the embroidered shoes on her hands and pressed it on her heart, the needles stuck on the shoe stabbed her hand, yet she felt no pain.  She quietly said, "I can't live in this house anymore!.....  Can't live here!"

她的聲音灰暗而輕飄，像斷斷續續的塵灰吊子。她彷彿做夢似的，滿頭滿臉都掛著塵灰吊子，迷迷糊糊向前一撲，自己以為是枕住了她 母親的膝蓋，嗚嗚咽咽哭了起來道：「媽，媽，你老人家給我做主！」

Her words were dark but clear, like murky dust hanging int he air.  It was as if she were dreaming, her full head and face hung with the dust, billowing forward. She thought she was resting her head on her mother's knees,   whimpering, "Ma, ma, you are the old person who made the decision!"

她母親呆著臉，笑嘻嘻的不做聲。她摟住她母親的腿，使勁搖撼著，哭道：「媽！媽！」

Her mother's face stared blankly, laughing without sound.  She clung onto her mother's leg, with all her strength crying, "Ma!  Ma!"

恍惚 又是多年前，她還只十來歲的時候，看了戲出來，在傾盆大雨中和家裡人擠散了。她獨自站在人行道上，瞪著眼看人，人也瞪著眼看她，隔著雨淋淋的車窗，隔著一 層無形的玻璃罩——無數的陌生人。人人都關在他們自己的小世界裡，她撞破了頭也撞不進去。她似乎是魔住了。 忽然聽見背後有腳步聲，猜著是她母親來了，便竭 力定了一定神，不言語。她所祈求的母親與她真正的母親根本是兩個人。

Vaguely many years ago, she at the mere age of 10 was watching a show, in the pouring rain was squeezed away from her family.  Alone standing on the sidewalk, staring at people.  People were staring back, separated from the dripping rain inside car windows, separated by a formless layer of glass-- countless strangers.  Everyone is shut within their own little world, even breaking her head she can't get through.   It's as if she were possessed.  Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps behind her, guessing it was her mother, with all her energy she knew her spirit, speechless.  The mother she prayed for and her real mother were two different people.

Part 5

Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 3

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

by Eileen Chang 張愛玲

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

Part 2

流蘇氣得渾身亂顫，把一隻繡了一半的拖鞋面子抵住了下頜，下頜抖得彷彿要落下來。

Liu Su shook uncontrollably with anger, took a half-sewn sandal and pressed it hard on her cheek, her jaw trembled as if it were about to fall.

三爺又道：「想當初你哭哭啼啼回家來，鬧著要離婚，怪只怪我是個血性漢 子，眼見你給他打成那個樣子，心有不忍，一拍胸脯子站出來說：好！我白老三雖窮，我家裡短不了我妹子這一碗飯！我知道你們少年夫妻，誰沒有個脾氣？大不了 回娘家來住個三年五載的，兩下里也就回心轉意了。我若知道你們認真是一刀兩斷，我會幫著你辦離婚麼？拆散人家夫妻，這是絕子絕孫的事。我白老三是有兒子的 人，我還指望他們養老呢！」

3rd Brother said, "I remember at the time you were weeping when you came back home, venting that you wanted a divorce, blaming me for being man to the blood.  Seeing him I have a beating, my heart couldn't stop, I stood up beating my chest saying, ' Although I Bai the third am poor, my family isn't short of a bowl of food my my little sister!  I know you both are a young couple, who doesn't have tatrums?  When worst comes to worst coming back home living for 3, 5 years,  in two shakes you change your mind again.  If I knew you both were serious about cutting the cord, would I help you arrange a divorce?  Splitting up a husband and wife ends children and grandchildren.  I Bai the third is a person who has sons, hoping they would live long!"

流蘇氣到了極點，反倒放聲笑了起來道：「好，好，都是我的不是！你們窮了，是我把你們吃窮了。你們虧了本，是我帶累了你們。你 們死了兒子，也是我害了你們傷了陰騭！」

Liu Su was angry to the extreme, yet she laughed out loud and said, "Fine, fine, this is all my fault.  You're all poor because of me.  You all lost money because I was a burden.  Your son is dead because I harmed your good intentions!"

四奶奶一把揪住了她兒子的衣領，把他的頭去撞流蘇，叫道：「赤口白舌的咒起孩子來了！就憑你這句話，我兒子死了， 我就得找你！」

4th wife grabbed her son by the collar and threw her son's head towards Liu Su shouting, "Your red lips and white tongue cursing the children!  If my sons dies for what you said, I'll come after you!"

流蘇連忙一閃身躲過了，抓住四爺道：「四哥你瞧，你瞧——你——你倒是評評理看！」

Liu Su with a quick dodge grabbed 4th Brother and said, " Look 4th brother, look---you----you judge for yourself!"

四爺道：「你別急呀，有話好說，我們從長計議。三哥這都 是為你打算——」流蘇賭氣摔開了手，一徑進裡屋去了。

4th Brother said, "Calm down, speak slowly, let's slow down and think.  3rd Brother is all your fault---"  Liu Su resentfully threw down her arms, and went straight into the inner room.

裡屋沒點燈，影影綽綽的只看見珠羅紗帳子裡，她母親躺在紅木大床上，緩緩揮動白團扇。流蘇走到床跟前，雙膝一軟，就跪了下來，伏在床沿上，哽 咽道：「媽。」白老太太耳朵還好，外間屋裡說的話，她全聽見了。她咳嗽了一聲，伸手在枕邊摸索到了小痰罐子，吐了一口痰，方才說道：

The inner room had no lights, shadowy and charred she stared into the pearl collection and muslin canopy.  Her mother was laying down on the big wooden bed, brandishing her big circular fan.  Liu Su walked to the front of the bed, with her pair of weakening knees she knelt down, leaned along the bed half choked said, "Mom."  Mother Bai's ears were still good, she heard everything in the outer rooms.  She lightly coughed, reached beside her pillow with her hands searching for her spit bucket, spat her phlegm and said,

「你四嫂就是這麼碎嘴 子！你可不能跟她一樣的見識。你知道，各人有各人的難處。你四嫂天生的要強性兒，一向管著家，偏生你四哥不爭氣，狂嫖濫賭的，玩出一身病來不算，不該挪用 了公帳上的錢，害得你四嫂面上無光，只好讓你三嫂當家，心裡嚥不下這口氣，著實不舒坦。你三嫂精神又不濟，支持這份家，可不容易！種種地方，你得體諒他們 一點。」

"Your 4th wife always lashes her tongue like so.  Your life experience can't compare to her's.  You should know, everyone has their problems.  4th wife naturally wants a strong boy to run the family.  Your 4th Brother can't live up to his standards, crazy gambling and too many whores, let's forget him playing 'til he's sick, he shouldn't embezzle public money, scaring the color off 4th wife's face, forcing 3rd Wife to manage the house.  3rd wife can't swallow this, truly discomforting.  3rd Wife's attitude isn't that great either.  Supporting this family is not easy!  At all kinds of places, just show a bit of understanding."

流蘇聽她母親這話風，一味的避重就輕，自己覺得好沒意思，只得一言不發。白老太太翻身朝裡睡了，又道：「先兩年，東拼西湊的，賣一次田，還夠兩年 吃的。現在可不行了。我年紀大了，說聲走，一撒手就走了，可顧不得你們。天下沒有不散的筵席，你跟著我，總不是長久之計。倒是回去是正經。領個孩子過活， 熬個十幾年，總有你出頭之日。」

Liu Su hearing wind of her mother's words, tuning her  cheek to the major problems at hand made Liu Su feel ashamed.   She had no choice but not utter a single word.  Mother Bai turned her body inwards to sleep and said, "These past two years, chaos on top of chaos, selling the farm could feed us for two years.  Now it won't do.  I'm already old, if I say I'll go, one flip of my hand and I'll leave, I can't take care of you all anymore.  All good things must come to an end,  you leaving with me wasn't a plan I had for a long time.  Going back was actually the honorable thing to do.  Taking care of a child and living your days, enduring another 10 years there would have been a way out."

Part 4

Fresh

A couple of friends got curious about the character xian1.

鮮

This is a compound character, with "fish" on the left and "sheep" on the right.

After a couple of months of debate, and still more debate, here are my two cents.

Here's what the 古漢語常用字字典 (Commonly used classical dictionary) 4th editions says.

pg.413:

1) Fish. Live fish. Laozi: "Governing a big country is like braising a fish." E.g. Fresh, newly killed after entrapping it. Mu sheng in "Qi Fa": "Fresh coy of the skinny fish kind" . E.g. Fresh blood-red, fresh and shiny. Li Bai in "Midnight Wu Song": Red makeup and a fresh day.

2) Premature death, early death. "Zuozhaun.Gao gong 5 years": The freshly buried person is from the western gate."

3) xian3 (possible pun) for 顯， less. "Zuozhuan Dinggong 13 years": The rich who do not ride a horse are rare (鮮)。

4） xian4 (ANOTHER possible pun for) 獻， to pay tribute.

Another source:

http://data.book.hexun.com.tw/chapter-368-12-21.shtml

This websiite gives three different interpretations of the "fresh" based on 3 seperate thoughts from classical text.

1) The first group from the oldest text, the Jinwen, associates this word with鱻. If you put this in word and zoom in, it's 3 fishes! So the sheep on the right should represent the number 3, or 三。

2) The second group thinks that this character represents a species of fish in northern China. Since there's little water, fish was very rare. These were a grassland people, and thought lamb was fresh. But on the off chance that they did eat fish, it tasted "fresher". So this character would be the extreme form of describing the essence of fish. Kinda like "rare fresh."

3) A third group believes that northerners think sheep are fresh. And southerners think fish are fresh. Combining the two would mean something like, "double fresh."

Fresh aint easy. I vote for number 2.

Lucky Chinese New Year Phrases

My mom just called my overseas relatives and of course gave everyone some customary greetings.

To my uncle: "身體健康 （Good Health)"

Response, "Health?  My foot hurts like hell!"

That's right!  It's time to milk the older generation for money without guilt!

Here are some classic phrases I'm handing out for free:

恭喜發財

Happiness and Health

新年快樂

Happy New Year

財源廣進

Let money roll in!

大吉大利

Big fortune big luck!

年年有餘

Have extra each year!

步步高升

Climb higher with each step!

事事如意

Have things go as you wish!

心想事成

Let what your heart desire come true!

萬事如意

Let 10000 things be as you wish!

一元復始

Let's start anew!

金玉滿堂

Gold and jade fill a hall!

竹報平安

Bamboo fortune says good year!

龍鳳呈祥

The dragon and pheonix show fortune! (For couples)

The fun ones to think about:

鴻圖大展

The wild goose painting is really big!

(The word 鴻 is a pun for grand, 宏。  圖 is a pun for 途，meaning future.  So it's suppose to mean "May your plans for the future spread wide."  Usually for business people.)

早生貴子

Hurry up and give birth to a son!

(A tad sexist.)

For the numberphile:

一路發財

One road of flourishing wealth

雙星報喜

Two stars signal happiness

三洋開泰

3 suns start peace.
(3 suns references spring)

四季平安

4 seasons of peace

五福臨門

5 fortunes enter the door.

六六大順

6 6 great ease

(6 6 is a pun for 流流，or flow.   So it means, "Flow with great ease."  Great for relatives who have chronic digestion problems. )

七子八婿

7 sons and 8 wives

(For the polygamists of the family.)

八仙過海

8 saints cross the ocean

(Legend has it that there were 8 daoist immortals.  Each represent a group in humanity.  Together they use their magic items to cross the Bitter Sea.  It means that those you know will all pull together and succeed.)

九九重陽

The double 9th sun

(It means to live longest to the end.  Stories goes there's this family that encounters a daoist.  Daoist tells the family to carry as much chrysanthemums and chrysanthemum flowers up a hill and stay up there for one night.  The family has a lovely drinking party.  When they go back home, all their livestock is dead.  In the Daoist tradition this day is the day with the most Yang energy.  So it goes downhill after this day.)

十全十美

10 complete 10 beautiful

And a partridge in a pair tree!

To all the snake lovers:

金蛇狂舞

Gold snake dance crazy!

筆走龍蛇

Brush flows like the dragon and snake.

蛇足飽滿

Snake feet are stuffed!

魅力如蛇

Charming like a snake

絕不蛇本

Never be in debt!

(Snake is being used as a pun for debt.)

金蛇出洞

The gold snake leaves the hole

金蛇郎君

The gold snake husband?  playboy?  whoremaker?

蛇形刁手

Hand like a snake!

(Name of a Bruce Lee movie)

把幹媽的蛇出這幹媽的飛機！

Get these mother fucking snakes of this mother fucking plane!

(飛機 is also a euphemism for penis.  So this can also mean, "Get these mother fucking snakes off the mother fucking penis."  I wonder of Samuel L. Jackson knew?)

Happy Chinese New Year!

Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 2

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

by Eileen Chang 張愛玲

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

Part 1

他們同時看了六小姐一眼。白流蘇坐在屋子的一角，慢條斯理繡著一隻拖鞋，方才三爺四爺一遞一聲說話，彷彿是沒有她發言的餘地。

Together they looked at 6th sister for a glance.   Bai Liusu sat at a corner of the room, slowly and methodically embroidering sandals.   Just then 3rd brother gradually raises his the sound of his voice, as if she has no extra room to speak.

這時她便淡淡地道：「離過婚了，又去做他的寡婦，讓人家笑掉了牙齒！」

At this moment she said indifferently ,

" Already divorced. and still be his widow.  I'll let people laugh 'til their teeth fall out!"

她若無其事地繼續做她的鞋子，可是手指頭上直冒冷汗，針澀了，再也拔不過去。

As if nothing happened she continue to work on her shoes, yet at a her fingertips kept emitting cold sweat.  The needle turns rough, and she can't push it through.

三爺道：「六妹，話不是這麼說。他當初有許多對不起你的地方，我們全知道。現在人已經死了，難道你還記在心裡？他丟下的那兩個姨奶奶，自然是 守不住的。你這會子堂堂正正地回去替他戴孝主喪，誰敢笑你？你雖然沒生下一男半女，他的侄子多著呢.隨你挑一個，過繼過來。傢俬雖然不剩什麼了，他家是個 大族，就是撥你看守祠堂，也餓不死你母子。」

3rd Brother said, "6th Sister, I didn't mean it that way.  At the time he had many unforgivable points, we all know that.  Now the person is already dead, could it be you remembered it in your heart?  He abandoned 2 greats aunts, obviously unable to hold onto.  This time why don't you gracefully go back and be there for his funeral rites?  Who would laugh at you?  Although you did not give birth to a boy or half a girl, he still has many nieces and nephews.  Go ahead and pick one, this will still move on.  Jia Se obviously doesn't have much remaining, his family is a big clan, it's looking after their ancestral shrine without you,and your mother isn't going to starve to death."

白流蘇冷笑道：「三哥替我想得真周到！就可惜晚了一步，婚已經離了這麼七八年了。依你說，當初那些法律手續都 是糊鬼不成？我們可不能拿著法律鬧著玩哪！」

Bai Liusu coldly laughed, "3rd Brother so considerate helping me think!  Pity being late one step, the marriage has already past 7, 8 years.  Following what you say, at the time weren't those legal procedures were an incomplete mess? Let's not play around with the law now!"

三爺道：「你別動不動就拿法律來唬人！法律呀，今天改，明天改，我這天理人情，三綱五常，可是改不了的！你生 是他家的人死是他家的鬼，樹高千丈，葉落歸根——」

3rd Brother said, "You without needing to used the law to scare people.  Oh law, today changes, tomorrow changes.  Today I'm concerned with human matters.  The 3 principles and 5 virtues, these cannot be changed!  Your life is with their family, your death is their family's ghost.  A tree a thousand chi high, the leaf falls back to its roots..."

流蘇站起身來道：「你這話，七八年前為什麼不說？」

Liu Su stood up and said, "Why didn't you say this 7, 8 years ago?"
三爺道：「我只怕你多了心，只當我們不肯收容你。」

3rd Brother said, "I was only afraid you were being considerate, that we wouldn't consent to sheltering you."

流蘇道：「哦？現在你就不怕我多心了？你把我的錢用光了，你不怕我多心了？」

Liu Su said, "Oh?  Now you're not afraid of me being considerate?  You used up all of my money, and you're not afraid I'm being too considerate?"

三爺直問到她臉上道：「我用了你的錢？我用了你幾個大錢？你住在我們家，吃我 們的，喝我們的，從前還罷了，添個人不過添雙筷子，現在你去打聽打聽看，米是什麼價錢？我不提錢，你倒提起錢來了！」

3rd Brother looked straight into her face and said, "I used your money?  How much of your big money did I use?  You live in our home, eat ours, drink ours.  Back then it was enough, adding a person was simply adding a pair of chopsticks.  Now go ask around, rice costs how much?  I didn't bring up money, and you did!"

四奶奶站在三爺背後，笑了一聲道：「自己骨肉，照說不該提錢的話。提起錢來，這話可就長了！我早就跟我們老四說過——我說：老四，你去勸勸三爺，你們 做金子，做股票，不能用六奶奶的錢哪，沒的沾上了晦氣！她一嫁到婆家，丈夫就變成了敗家子。回到娘家來，眼見得娘家就要敗光了——天生的掃帚星！」

4th Wife stood behind 3rd Brother, laughed and said, "Your own flesh and bone, normally shouldn't speak about money.  Bringing up money makes this conversation a whole lot longer!  I already told 4th early on-- I said, ' 4th,  go persuade 3rd Brother, deal with gold, deal with the stock market, don't use 6th Wife's money, if not you'll moisten your bad luck!  Once she was married off, the husband became a spendthrift.  Coming back to the married woman's home, one look at the home and you lose everything-- nature's comet!"

**Note:  Comet translates to "broom end star."  It's considered REALLY bad luck to see one.  It usually foreshadows calamity.**

三爺 道：「四奶奶這話有理。我們那時候，如果沒讓她入股子，決不至於弄得一敗塗地！」

3rd Brother said, "4th wife says it well.  If we at the time didn't let her save her lil butt, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Part 3

Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 1

by, Eileen Chang

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

上海為了「節省天光」，將所有的時鐘都撥快了一個小時，然而白公館裡說：「我們用的是老鐘。」他們的十點鐘是人家的十一點。他們唱歌唱走了板，跟不上生命的胡琴。

For "daylight savings" in Shanghai, all clocks must move an hour forward.  But the Baigong Place said, "Our clocks are old."  Their 10 o'clock is people's 11 o'clock.  They sing off tempo, unable to keep up with life's huqin.

胡琴咿咿呀呀拉著，在萬盞燈的夜晚，拉過來又拉過去，說不盡的蒼涼的故事——不問也罷！……胡琴上的故事是應當由光艷的伶人來扮演的，長長的兩片紅胭脂夾住瓊瑤鼻，唱了，笑了，袖子擋住了嘴……然而這裡只有白四爺單身坐在黑沉沉的破陽台上，拉住胡琴 .

The huqin EEEEeee's and YAAAaaaas,  in the numerous cup lamp night, pulling back and forth, telling this bleak unending story--- never mind, don't ask.  The story coming from the huqin out to come from the bright colorful actors that come to perform.  Between two long pieces of rouge sits a jasper nose, singing, laughing, sleeve covering a mouth, yet this place only has 4th Brother Bai alone sitting on a deep dark on a ruined balcony, playing the huqin.

正拉著，樓底下門鈴響了。這在白公館是件稀罕事。按照從前的規矩，晚上絕對不作興出去拜客。晚上來了客，或是平空裡接到一個電報，那除非是天字第一號的緊急大事，多半是死了人。

While playing, the door rings downstairs.  To the Baigong Place this was a rare event.  Following the rules from the front, at night time there is no flashy welcome.  When a guest arrives a night, or during the day if a telegram arrives, it only means it's a first class emergency.  Most of the time the death of someone.

四爺凝神聽著，果然三爺三奶奶四奶奶一路嚷上樓來，急切間不知他們說些什麼。陽台後面的堂屋裡，坐著六小姐，七小姐，八小姐，和三房四房的孩 子們，這時都有些皇皇然。四爺在陽台上，暗處看亮處，分外眼明，只見門一開，三爺穿著汗衫短褲，楂開兩腿站在門檻上，背過手去，啪啦啪啦撲打股際的蚊子.

4th  listed closely, as usual 3rd Brother and 3rd Wife made a ruckus going upstairs, impatiently not know what they're saying.  Behind the balcony in the main room, 6th, 7th, and 8th Sister.  And in the 3rd and 4th room were the children.  During this time everyone was restless.  4th Brother from the balcony was peering into the brightness from his secret perch, with bright eyes observing only a door opening with 3rd Brother wearing and undershirt and shorts, legs spread standing under the doorstep, arms swinging pitter-pattering slapping his share of mosquitoes.

遠遠的向四爺叫道：「老四你猜怎麼著？六妹離掉的那一位，說是得了肺炎，死了！」

From afar he faced 4th Brother and shouted, "4th, guess what?  6th sister left that person, said it was pneumonia, dead!"

四爺放下胡琴往房裡走，問道：「是誰來給的信？」

4th Brother put down his huqin, walking toward the room he asked, "Who gave the letter?"

三爺道：「徐太太。」

3rd Brother replied, "Madam Xu."

說 著，回頭用扇子去攆三奶奶道：「你別跟上來湊熱鬧呀！徐太太還在樓底下呢，她胖，怕爬樓。你還不去陪陪她！」

While saying this, he turned his head and shooed 3rd wife and said, "Don't come here to add trouble!  Madam Xu is still downstairs.  She's fat and fearful of climbing stairs!  Go keep her company!"

三奶奶去了，四爺若有所思道：「死的那個不是 徐太太的親戚麼？」

When 3rd Wife left, 4th Brother as if he had a thought in his mind asked, "Isn't the one who died a relative of Madam Xu?"

三爺道：「可不是。看這樣子，是他們家特為託了徐太太來遞信給我們的，當然是有用意的。」

3rd Brother said, "No it isn't.  From the looks of it, it's their family specifically entrusting Madam Xu to pass the news to us.  without doubt with some intention."

四爺道：「他們莫非是要六妹去奔喪？」

4th brother said, "Could it be they want 6th sister to hurry home for the funeral?"

三爺用 扇子柄刮了刮頭皮道：「照說呢，倒也是應該……」

3rd Brother used a folding fan handle to scratch his scalp, " Normally, this ought to be that way..."

Part 2

Chicken Soup for the Chinese Soul

Just look at this:


My childhood dream was to become a food critic.  I was acutely aware of every breath I took being a sickly child with asthma, so one of my favorite past times was watching my mom cook.  If I can't breath, it might as well smell delicious.

When Anthony Bourdain travels the world and asks what people's last meal would be, it would usually be something that mom made.  For me, it's 潮州粿條湯.  Here are some stats:

It's essentially chicken noodle soup.  You have a simple chicken stock that's been simmering for hours on the stove.  Just when you're about to eat, you boil rice noodles in plain water, and THEN you pour your chicken stock on top.  Add scallions, fried garlic, cilantro, and preserved cabbage.

(A lil rant:  rice noodles come is all shapes in sizes just like Italian pasta.  I hate it when English recipes say "rice noodles" or "rice vermicilli."  It's equivalent to a linguini alfredo recipe telling you to add "stringed pasta."  Which one?  Spaghetti? Linguine? Capellini?)

Oh, this may sound simple, when this is made in my house, we pay attention to detail!  The pickled cabbage must be dried outside for a week, mixed with rice wine a garlic, and then set outside in a jar for 3 months.  The chicken broth is made from chicken slaughtered within 3 days, and then simmered for 4 hours.  To make a cup of fried garlic, you have to peel 4-5 pieces, finely minced, then deep fried.

When the cosmos aligns and everything is perfect, the sensations I feel eating this are amazing!  My lung would suddenly feel relaxed and I'm able to breath.  Flu?  No problem, all the junk from my sinuses would expel like Hoover Dam.

I don't feel bloated either because most of what I consume is liquid.  My whole body enters this clean, transcendent state, toxins flush away.

You begin to question the nature of reality when you start adding this:



This is deep fried rice flour dough.  The legend goes the the two halves represent the couple the defamed the Southern Song Dynasty general Yue Fei.  As punishment, the dish becomes a pun everyone thereafter would say "Fry!  Evil Devils!"

Something miraculous happens when you dunk this into the soup, you enter a state of paradox.  It's crispy and soupy!  It's sweet and savory!  It all becomes  balancing act!  With each bite of karmic debt accounted for, the universe finds balance.

This is my chicken soup for the soul.

Youtube Monday!

Yup, I'm just going to post fun random Chinese stuff on Mondays from now on!  Enjoy!

You be the judge.  The best Yang Guifei drunk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4kIevm_dHI

Catchy.  Tongue twister called "18 Worries"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gffgoNQJvXo

 

To calm your nerves.  Guqin performance- "Flowing Water"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpGSTBGLcz8

 

Feel free to comment!

Documentaries on China

Verilynot asked me of any good documentaries out there.

Quick answer:  not really.

Like any story, history biases towards who's telling the story.  Most Americans would agree that history prior to the founding of the United States isn't heavily politicized.

Western-style scholarship of Chinese history had little interest until the past couple of decades.  Various elements of Chinese history is still being heavily debated.

For instance, Confucius is still a touchy subject with the Chinese government.  A couple years ago the Chinese authorities removed a statue of Confucius at Tiananmen Square.  (Click here make Confucius disappear.)

I remember one documentary in high  school about the boxer rebellion heavily bias towards the West.  I remember the video narrating a terrified American woman describing the Chinese invading the international section of Beijing.

There are a few documentaries that I recommend about modern China:

Young and Restless in China

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/youngchina/

This documentary is about the story a few average people in modern China.

Tankman

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tankman/view/

This talks about the implications of Tianamen Square to what we see today.

Who's Afraid of Aiweiwei?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ai-wei-wei/

About the dissident artist Aiweiwei

中国国宝档案   Chinese Treasure Files

http://www.youtube.com/user/LionTavern?feature=watch

This youtube channel has 10 seasons on aspects Chinese history translated to English.  Although I would be very careful with bias.  I'm skeptical of some of the modern scholars presented in this video.

台北故宫  The Taipei Palace Museum Series

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnDg0ttxKyk

The opening of each episode has a horrendously cheesy theme song that makes it sound like a Korean drama.  But this documentary series is my absolute favorite on Chinese artifacts.  Not only are the academic sources reputable and cross-checked with Western standards, each episode always tries it's best to talk about how the artifacts are relevant to the modern viewer.  Many of my blog posts on Wordpress were inspired by the themes of this documentary series.  Unfortunately, the subtitles are only in Traditional Chinese.  I wish youtube had a method or means for amateur translators to translate foreign material...

Anywho, I hope this helps!  Feel free to leave your comments!

Crash Course China

Very generic, but good overview of Chinese history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylWORyToTo4

My Rant Against Li Bai- The Poetic Drunk

Almost every elementary  introduction of Chinese poetry opens with this Tang poem from Li Bai:

静夜思

Quiet Night Thought

translated by Yoyo

床前明月光

In front of my bed a bright moon

疑是地上霜

I thought the ground was covered with frost

舉頭望明月

I raise my head to gaze at the bright moon

低頭思故鄉

Lowering my head I think of my home

(Painting by Liang Kai, Northern Song)

Then the teacher goes, "Oh, how sad.  During a cold winter night, the moon evokes his inner lonely emotions."

"And of all the things he things he thinks about, he thinks about home!  Kids, take note!  Always be filial to your parents (the moral of almost every parable we learn as children)!"

Here are some things about Li Bai that a Chinese teacher will never tell you:

1.  HE'S NOT HAN CHINESE.  He was born near the Kyrgyzstan/central Asia.

2.  He wanted to leave home.  The man somehow traveled 2000 miles from his "home village" to Xi'an China.

3.  He's a chronic alcoholic.  Everyone who met him has kept some record of him being drunk/wasted/drinking someone under the table.

4.  He's completely reckless with his behavior.  While drinking and writing poetry with Emperor Xuanzong, he orders a high level eunuch to sniff his shoe.  That thankfully kicks him out of the Tang palace.

5, His calligraphy is butt ugly.  It literally was a drunk guy who wrote it:



When I read "Quiet Night Thought" again, I read it as a poor, lonely Chinese man having a hangover late at night.  Li Bai's poetry is simple and catchy.  Or as one of my professors said, "The Madonna of Tang China."

Perhaps my disdain for Li Bai is like my dislike of cheap party music.  Everyone likes it , but it completely lacks substance.  If I read Li Bai at my current age, perhaps I would have liked him more than when my Chinese teacher told me he was the epitome of Chinese poetry as a young kid.

Let's introduce alcoholic writers to students when they're at least teenagers.