User Comments - obitoddkenobi
obitoddkenobi
Posted on: Thinking of my Brothers by Moonlight -- 月夜忆舍兄
May 26, 2009 at 3:44 AMPete, I agree with Xuchen, you did a good job of explaining a source of Chinese nationalism. Chinese history is rife with the consequences of division and internal consequences of war. I think this causes many people in China who are all too familiar with recent history to be patient about change, even if they want change. The pronouncements of peaceful international relations and "harmony" within plays to this.
As always, I like your pick of a poem, and in particular the discussion of 移情 (yíqíng). I imagine the moon would have to look better at home if you are in forced exile though more favorable or familiar weather patterns could be the cause too. A goose again; a potent symbol for aloneness given the usual social patterns of geese and thoughts of home with the fall migration about to take place. I too, a long way from my birthplace, think of family when I hear geese or see them migrating. Thank you
Posted on: Watching the Sun Go Down -- 登乐游原
May 16, 2009 at 4:38 PM.入相は蛙の目にも涙哉
iriai wa kawazu no me ni mo namida kana
sunset--
tears shine in the frog's eyes
too Issa 1805
Posted on: The Brocade Zither -- 锦瑟
May 12, 2009 at 3:13 AMPete, I think you did a great job explaining the mystery of the mystery. 加油， 加油！Keep it up, I really look forward to this every week.
Posted on: The Brocade Zither -- 锦瑟
May 12, 2009 at 3:13 AMLove, life, poetry, music; "Its a kind of miracle."..."All these artificial divisions are pointless and bewildering. He's asking If it really can be that we need to wait until we are looking back on all this before we understand how impossible to understand it all is." Some things may be arbitrary, but they are countable. Other things are the mystery, a magic moment of inception from which there is no recounting how we got from there to here. And if we couldn't account for the mystery already when it was happening, do we really think we are going to account for it later?
Posted on: Funny Business
May 8, 2009 at 1:45 AMI loved the phrase, 纸包不住火. So fitting for this situation, and such a visual of people trying to cover it up with paper and the fire just getting bigger.
Posted on: Watching the Sun Go Down -- 登乐游原
April 22, 2009 at 1:56 AMPete, just one more piece of evidence ... and I'm only in my 50s.
Posted on: Watching the Sun Go Down -- 登乐游原
April 21, 2009 at 11:55 PMOops, I meant Li Shangyin. I am getting old.
Posted on: Watching the Sun Go Down -- 登乐游原
April 21, 2009 at 5:42 PMI think Liu Shangyin had that quality expressed in Issa's haiku: "This dew drop world is but a dew drop world and yet-" and Gary Snyder's observation, "... yes... impermanence. But this is never a reason to let compassion and focus slide, or to pass off the sufferings of others because they are merely impermanent beings." He saw the beauty of this world.
Posted on: Watching the Sun Go Down -- 登乐游原
April 21, 2009 at 5:04 PMBo Dawei, Nice story to go with the poem, I like the way you told it, ending with Danger No Exit.
Posted on: Introducing Shen Yajin (Helen)
June 1, 2009 at 4:59 AMSay it ain't so Pete... I have so enjoyed Poems with Pete! I think there is definitely enough interest for another season. Soon... soon! Shen Yajin, good to have you on the ChinesePod team. Keep up the good work ChinesePod!