User Comments - pearltowerpete

Posted on: 古埃及

Hi hutudan,

The line you cited is indeed a bit controversial. It is a common refrain here that China has the only continuously handed-down civilization. For this to be true, the word "civilization" must have such a broad meaning as to be meaningless. How much does today's Beijinger have in common with the Chang'an resident of the Tang era, or an east-coast yuppie with a peasant worker? Their speech, writing system, clothes, food, etc. are all different.

If we get to fundamentals such as "They are all trying to look after their family," or "Everyone just wants to get through the day and give their children a better future," then we can surely provide countless examples from other societies throughout the ages (besides China) which share these beliefs.

So count me unconvinced by the claim in the dialogue. But it's worth discussing seriously, because the idea is a popular one.

Posted on: 古埃及

Hi goulniky,

Thanks for the clarification/expansion. Geometric figures might make an excellent Saved by the Gong lesson. It's worth noting that the first definition in the 现代汉语词典 of the word 塔 refers to a Buddhist pagoda.

Hi changye

Interesting observation. The gleaming limestone coating has been lost to time on most of the pyramids.

Other similarities to gold are that the pyramids served little practical function but required vast armies of underpaid workers ;-)

Posted on: 古埃及

Hi benchannevy,

I stand corrected, said the man to his chiropractor.

Posted on: 农产品补贴

Hi hankpaulson1984,

我对你的想法表示首肯。其实，我一直认为取消农业补贴也应该同时消除美国的electoral college， 甚至消除我们的参议院。

美国的白砂糖为什么比其他国家贵的两倍？ 就是因为我们政客要弗洛里达和其他南部州的支持，不让美国人进口古巴，巴西等地区生产的白砂糖。玉米和牛肉有一样离谱的相关政策。真他妈的腐败。

Now quick, go back to Washington and bail out some investment banks ;-)

Posted on: 古埃及

Hi bababardwan,

Thanks for the technical input. We will get on it.

As for the Chinese word for pyramid, actually, it is based on the shape of the character 金. This habit of using shapes of characters to describe things is fairly common in Chinese.

Examples that come to mind are 十字路口 -- a four-way intersection and 十字架, the Cross. Someone who is pigeon-toed is called a 八字脚. I guess the closest English could come is to describe a curve as s-shaped, for example.

Posted on: No Wonder!

Hi rjberki

There's a reason they call me the fastest gun in the East ;-)

Posted on: Around the Office

Hi als1chin,

电脑 dian4nao3 is definitely used on the mainland. And 计算机ji4suan4ji1 means "calculator" here.

I can't really vouch for Taiwanese usage, though. Can the poddies come to the rescue?

Posted on: No Wonder!

Hi jianxuexi,

Thanks for your kind words!

And "single" is 单身 dan1shen1.

Posted on: A Month as a Monk and Chinese Business Meetings

Hi xuchen,

It would definitely have been much more difficult to do the vow of silence in a city. Of course there are mute people who get through the day just fine, but they have far more experience and competence than an amateur like me.

The key thing about doing it in a monastery is that this is really an established, expected practice and no one makes you feel embarrassed about it. Also, the entire environment has very little external media or white noise, so you are much more able to focus on your own thoughts.

One of the key precepts of the monastery is awareness of each action we take, each word we say. The vow of silence is one way to practice this, as is walking extremely slowly through a park. This is extremely powerful if we think about it not only in a personal, but even in a global sense.

And as a side note about 白酒, I have faked my way through many dinners. Artfully banging your glass on the lazy susan so as to spill as much as possible, pouring it on your shirt, and acting like a lightweight are skills that will serve you well.

And while I know it has a long, illustrious history, let me say here that I can't stand the stuff. Let me sip a gin and tonic any day.

Posted on: No Wonder!

Hi zhouwen10,

You're right, it's 工作狂.