Happy new year every friend.

Happy new year every friend. As I have put my energy in a Chinese novel, I am going to close this blog temporarily, until next time there is a linguistic issue.

If you can read Chinese, you may read my novel at http://www.pkucn.com/thread-303818-4-1.html

Or

http://www.aucnln.com/

The title is 乜辛然

Thanks for your support.

Yours Sincerely

苏诚忠

Stories of Chinese word and term (44-3)

 毛遂 said, “That is true, but I am looking the bag now. If you put me in the bag earlier, I would have stick out from the crowd already.”

Then 赵胜 allowed him as his accompany. All the rest 19 people laughed at him on the road. Finally they arrived the court of 楚. The king of irresolute and hesitant, in that case, 毛遂 held his sword talking to the king adopted every possible means, tough and soft, finally the king accepted the treaty and sending troop to save the kingdom of赵胜. In history, this treaty was a famous treaty named 合纵. It means all the weak state came together to fight against a superpower.

Story from the history of China (8)

The purport of Confucianism was restricting the power of emperor or king in polite or humble way. One of the method was using reputation. After a person satisfied with all the material life what he cared about should be reputation. So since the thousand years ago, the ruler of 周Dynasty set three group of characters to indicate the life of a certain emperor or king. These characters was called 谥号. The first group was characters of good meaning, the second group was characters of neutral meaning and the last group was characters of bad meaning. They stipulated that only after the emperor died the later generation court could decide which character might suitable for him.  That is to say, during his life, he didn’t even know what would be his谥号. The emperor 幽was in fact his谥号 (it was a bad character). His real name was宮涅. Now he had died the four nobles taking the helm of state were decided to welcome the old 太子, 宜臼 who had been abolished by emperor 幽 and 褒姒as the new emperor.  

Stories of Chinese word and term (44-2)

The mission of seeking help from kingdom楚 need good talent of diplomacy. 赵胜 want 20 people accompany him to go, but he chose all his dependents only satisfied 19 of them, no more. At that case, a dependent毛遂 recommended himself. 赵胜 asked him, “My friend, how many years have you been here?”

 “Three years” was the answer.

赵胜said, “They said that a talent like an awl in the bag. It will cut through the bag at once to show the talent. You have been here for three years, yet you still keep unknown, so you are not suit the job.”

Story from the history of China (7)

At night when Marquis of 申 heard that all armies of the four estates arrived outside of the city, he was very glad. To help them he told the barbarous king sent his army bringing all the robbed treasures home first, so the king would have no army at night. The barbarous king didn’t think it was a trap, accepted it willingly.

Everything happened as planned. They drove the barbarous king out of capital city. 褒姒didn’t follow the barbarous king but commtted suicide. Then the five masters decided to welcome the old 太子; son of old emperor 幽 as the new emperor, for at that time people believed a country could not without emperor even one day.

Stories of Chinese word and term (44-1)

毛遂自荐, 毛遂 Recommending himself. At the time of War-States, there was a tradition that a noble provided for some people for believing that they had some special talent. Historian used to call these people Dependent 食客 (Eating-Fellow). 秦始皇was the first master 君, who unified the China by power. At his time there were seven strong states in China, they were 齐、楚、韩、赵、燕、魏 and秦. 秦始皇was the master of 秦only. As his grandfather that was the old master had started a cruel reform of their state. This state turned to be a militarism super power. Then he started to invade his neighbour states. When his troop arrived the state of 赵. The master of 赵 asked his brother seeking help from state of楚. The brother named 赵胜, who had provided for few thousand Dependent. 

Story from the history of China (6)

Emperor translate into Chinese is 皇帝, king is 王, then duke公, marquis侯, earl伯, viscount子 and baron男. Legal heir of emperor was called太子. All the masters of kingdom, dukedom, marquisate, earldom, viscount territory and barony were called as 君. Legal heir of king, duke, marquis, earl, viscount and baron had a special name as 世子.  As earl of 郑 died, his son the 世子named 掘突sworn to revenge for his father. He summoned an army of three hundred chariots. He was only 23 years old, didn’t know much about military tactics. With rashness, he lost the battle. When he withdrew his army. He met the 君of other three estates.  

As they knew that the barbarous king had robed the capital city. They decided to attack the city from three side, only left west gate allowed them to escape and 世子 of 郑 ambushed there.

Stories of Chinese word and term (43)

一鸣惊人, a loud warble amazed the world. The story from Kingdom 楚 at the time of war state. After the old king of 楚 died, the prince ascended the throne. During first three years, he did nothing. No one dared to ask him why he kept in silent? Yet one of his chancellor came to his presence bravely and asked him a question. “Your majesty, let me tell you a story that recently a big bird perched on a tree of our kingdom, but after three years, it neither warble, nor fly, can your majesty tell me the reason?”

The new king was holding two girls in both arms, hearing this, he understood and said, “My friend, don’t worry about it, this bird once warble, it will amaze the world. Once fly it will soar up into the sky.”  

It was true later this king turned to be a great king of this kingdom. And this term metaphor some quiet talent.

Story from the history of China (5)

The barbarous king caught the emperor first. He killed him and made the 褒姒 his concubine. When Marquis of 申 know this, he was shocked for at that time killing emperor was a great sin. Yet the barbarous king thought killing the emperor was a great feat. For this reason he could have the right domineers over the people. His behave stimulated them. They complained that the Marquis of 申 introduced them to the city. Marquis of 申 worried about this very much for a society without law any one could die dreadfully for public opinion. He had no choice but sent letters to three of the noble 秦，卫，晋. Besides this as an earl of 郑 had defend the emperor and died bravely. Marquis of 申 sent a letter to his son and told him to drive the barbarous king out of this territory.

Stories of Chinese word and term (42)

沧海桑田Seas change into mulberry fields and mulberry fields into seas  In ancient time, there lived two fairies a male and a female. One day they met in a friend’s house. They greeted each other, the male one said, “Ah long time no see.”  The female one said, “Yes, since last time we met, 500 years has past. Seas change into mulberry fields and mulberry fields into seas three times already. ”

Later this term means -- time brings great changes to the world.

Note: The leaves of mulberry is the food of silk worm.

 Pic from: http://mmbiz.qpic.cn/mmbiz/3HamFouOtt8j7DaQqbBpAMJJZicLyDxElkiaUATaG6nibX0icTWOYyDmGzdXmufJbkbKRMjp6lsKr8qSJtSZqdEGibw/0

Story from the history of China (4)

To do another favour for the褒姒, the emperor made her his empress, her son伯服his crowned prince and abolished old empress 申, her son 宜臼as crowned prince.

Now the ex-empress was the daughter of marquis of 申. He had a small marquis-states and army. The emperor afraid that the father would revenge for his daughter, so he strike first to gain the initiative to attack the marquis of 申.

The marquis of 申 was so scared of the troop from the emperor. His chancellor gave him advice that to seek help from some barbarous tribe. Marquis of 申 did what he was told. In a short time, he joined the barbarous troop surrounded the emperor. The emperor was threatened he light the beacon tower to summon the troops of his nobles. But this time no one came for they thought that emperor was making fun of them again. In this case, Marquis of 申 and the barbarous king win the battle easily.

How to learn Chinese language

Recently I received a message from Chinese-forums.com. One of its member Johnny20270 complained that he has learnt Chinese for two years in London. But when he went to China, he could not catch up the normal conversation. It is not strange. I think everyone will do the same thing. My suggestion is from my experience. Thirty years ago, China was a poor country, students had no money to study abroad. How they learnt English? The trick was by recorder. I know many friends listening a conversation in recorder repeatedly, until they could understand the content clearly. A book English 900 was sold well at that time.

Today, you may not get similar books as Chinese 900. Yet you can practice your listening comprehension by some Chinese TV series. My suggestion is:

 贫嘴张大民的幸福生活

http://www.youku.com/show_page/id_zcbfbe6de962411de83b1.html

人生几度秋凉

http://www.youku.com/show_page/id_zcbffcede962411de83b1.html

常回家看看

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTAxMTUyNjg4.html

Because they had subtitle and after that you may try some series for students that don’t have subtitle, such as:

十六岁花季

http://www.youku.com/show_page/id_zcbfef874962411de83b1.html

十七岁不哭

http://www.youku.com/show_page/id_zcbfee73a962411de83b1.html

花季雨季

http://www.1905.com/vod/play/85520.shtml#guessYouLike

Stories of Chinese word and term (41-3)

China had a tradition that emphasize civil administration above national defence. A pet phrase is 好铁不打钉，好汉不当兵，good iron is not for nail, good person is not for soldier. For they thought that military officers didn’t know art, philosophy and literature etc. although many of them did. At the time of 晋武帝, he still held this point of view. One day he chose a girl for his concubine named 胡芳. They girl cried for she didn’t want to be his concubine. Many friends told her not to cry or it may enrage the emperor. But 胡芳 said, “I don’t even care about death, why will I care about his majesty?” When the emperor heard this, he afraid 胡芳 commit suicide, so he supply her all the best things only next to the emperors. One day, when he play dice with胡芳, she broke his finger in a dispute. The emperor was angry he said, “You are really a shrew, only a general can have such daughter” (胡芳’s father was a general it means general at that time only knew how to fight.) but 胡芳 said in return, “Your grandfather have fight with a lot of warlords, what they are?” the emperor could say nothing but keep in silent. This term is 晋武伤指.

Story from the history of China (3)

The emperor 幽 loved 褒姒 so much that he gave her any precious thing he had. But the strange thing was that 褒姒 seemed unhappy with anything, even after she born a baby named 伯服 for the emperor. The emperor dethroned his old empress and conferred褒姒as the new empress. Yet she never smiled since she entered the palace. It made the emperor so sad, he sworn he would do anything that could make the new empress smile for one time.

One of his chancellors offered a scheme that light the beacon tower would do the job. The emperor did it.

At that time, as a big country, whenever the emperor called together his troop from the nobles to resist foreign invasion that would light the beacon tower. But this time, there was no enemy, he did this in a careless way. All the nobles with their army came to the capital city and they were ready to fight with their enemy but when they found it was but a jest to make the empress smile they were so crazy as if being insulted.

Yes the empress did smile on the wall of the capital city when she saw so many nobles coming to the capital like a drowned mouse. This was the original Chinese term of 烽火戏诸侯

Pic from: http://www.kansp.com/uploads/allimg/c141020/1413O953140-X0Y.jpg

Stories of Chinese word and term (41-2)

司马炎was a good emperor. He cared about people very much at least during his first years in court. He distributed land among people and provided foods for the old and disable. And many times he did farm work personally. He freed plenty slaves to be peasant. And he summoned many minority to surrender. Under his rule, the population developed very fast. Later he unified all the three kingdoms.

Yet this emperor was also a sex mania he got around ten thousand wives. Although five thousand of them were captured from a former falling kingdom of 吴. Just think about if one night for one wife 10,000/365=27 it would take him 27 years to do it. Yet he was on the throne only 25 years. How to choose a wife for a certain night could be a big question. He invented a method that was allow the sheep of his sheep-cart walking randomly. When the sheep stopped in front the house of a wife that would be the night he slept with.  Soon the wives knew this trick, some smart wives dripped the salt water on top of front grass. The sheep love salt grass and they would stop there to eat. The term is 羊车望幸, waiting sheep-cart for happy.

Pic from: http://huangpuweimin.bokerb.com/keditor/2013_02/image/20140310/20140310005035_99829.jpg 

Chinese Culture and History (2)

The legend started nine hundred years ago that was around 1700 BC. It was still the 夏Dynasty, the first dynasty of China. One day, people found there were two dragons making love in the royal court. After consult with a sorcerer, the emperor at that time collected the semen of that dragon in a box. And after nine hundred years later, the history has changed two dynasties already the royal court still kept this semen.

Until one day the emperor 厉 opened the box. By accident the semen spilt over and no one could clean it. After consult the sorcerer the emperor ordered some palace maids dance in naked body to drive out the evil spirits. Then the splashed semen turned to be a turtle. When the turtle escaped from royal court, it collided a 16 year’s old palace maid and this girl was pregnant. The period of pregnancy was eight years long. When she was 24, she gave birth a baby girl. The palace maid was so scared of it, she abandoned the infant along a river side.

That was the later beauty褒姒. A sterile couple found this baby and carried it to the small kingdom named 褒, later their chief contribute the girl to the emperor 幽.

Pic from: http://www.eee-learning.com/sites/default/files/field/image/lolong_crocodile.jpg

Stories of Chinese word and term (41-1)

The film of Red Cliff was talking about the history of Three Kingdoms. It lasted about 60 years 220年－280, finally the descendent of 曹操became stronger and stronger and usurped the throne of 汉Dynasty which was linger on with its last breath of life. Yet as this new power was a totalitarianism, (that means all power was held by the central government. The result is that once the leader was hijacked by someone, all the power would be hijacked too. So other emperor was more likely to distribute his power among his sons. But in that case, it could cause battle among them) soon this power was usurped by another family the surname was 司马. After they got the power, they turned to be emperor and named their dynasty as 晋 Dynasty the first emperor of it was 司马炎.

Pic from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Jin_Wu_Di.jpg

Chinese Culture and History (1)

1046 BC. The last emperor of 商Dynasty named 纣. When he was busy in a battle with some minority people, on his back one of dukes rose in rebellion and successfully seized the power and that was the first emperor of 周Dynasty. This was the third dynasty of China. At that time, whenever a new dynasty was into power, the tradition normally arranged a fief for the old emperor instead killing him. But the emperor纣 was a person staunch with moral integrity. He committed suicide. The new emperor had no choice but arranged his two sons as noble and provide them a good fief.

Then this Dynasty ruled peacefully for two hundred years, until an emperor named 幽. The Chinese historian called this emperor as sex mania. 799 BC.  A small country named 褒 contributed a 13 year’s old beautiful girl named 褒姒 the emperor indulged in love with her. As there was no historian record her background some legend teller fabricated a story for her.

Pic from: http://www.gd500.com/uploads/allimg/140224/1-140224101TC08.jpg

Stories of Chinese word and term (40)

乘興而來 come here with happy, this story was about王徽之 he had a good friend named 戴逵. The two friends lived several hundred miles apart. One day, after a heavy snow, 王徽之 was preparing to visit his friend. He drove a boat for all day and night. Next day, he approached his friend’s house, but when he disembark, he didn’t knock his friend’s door instead he turned back with the same boat.

His the boatman asked him, “Why you do this?”

He said, “I come here with happiness. Now I have enjoyed all of the happiness already and it has ended. Let’s go. ”  

Another Short History of Linguistics (92)

Sometimes Chinese uses changing condition to represent time instead using the time itself such as 斗转星移, luminous point in the night turning and star move. 物是人非，things still there but the person is gone.

Sometimes, Chinese colour could replace some flowers such as: 怡红快绿 joyful red happy green，绿肥红瘦, green is fat and red is thin.  万紫千红，thousands purple and hundreds red, (see picture)

Pic from: http://file21.mafengwo.net/M00/9C/8B/wKgB3FFIA_iAAmEHAA62vbnyNvU44.jpeg

Stories of Chinese word and term (39)

 挥泪斩马谡behead 马谡 with tear, this story was from the ‘The Three Kingdoms’  馬謖（190－228）was a famous strategist at his time. He was the favourite general of 诸葛亮. One day 馬謖 was ordered to defend a town called 街亭.  诸葛亮 told him to be stationed under the mountain. But he was a person of self-assertion, he believed to be stationed on the mountain would be better. Later his enemy cut off his water supply and his soldier could not fight in thirsty. He lost the town of街亭.

According the rule he had to be beheaded. But诸葛亮 didn’t want to do it. He killed him with tear.

 Pic from: http://www.e3ol.com/topics/upfiles/2011/201132315354565318.jpg