User Comments - pearltowerpete

Posted on: 未来世界大战

Hi all,

As Jenny explained, the Chinese military plays a more significant role in daily life and people's world views than in many other countries. 

War and the stories we tell about it are highly charged topics. If we had discussed a real or likely conflict, the response would have been ferocious and unhinged. The only reason we used any country names at all (instead of "Nation A, Nation B") was to be able to introduce some useful geography.

And anyone who doubts the importance of terms like "guided missiles" might want to check out Taiwan, which currently has about 700 guided missiles aimed at it, 24/7.

Posted on: Seeking Without Finding -- 寻隐者不遇

Hi all,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have been away on an organic farm in Shanxi. But now I'm back at CPod.

Hi xuchen and monica5

The poem is a bit easier than some others in this series. But you should feel a sense of accomplishment at being able to understand it.

Even more, I feel a sense of awe at the poet's craft. Imagine being able to string together twenty relatively simple characters and have people discussing them (in another language!) more than a thousand years later. Clearly, he struck a chord with this one. 

Hi bill,

Thanks for your kind comments, and for the Watts citation.

Hi theimposter and miantiao,

Thanks for the references. There is definitely a lot of crazy wisdom in Monty Python.

Hi ketangli and bodawei

You are both too kind. I really have no idea what would drive a 62 year-old man to go to war. It's worth doing a bit of research.

Hi hugorestall,

Fascinating back-story about Jia Dao. Thanks for sharing.

Posted on: Seeing off a Monk, Returning to Japan -- 送僧归日本

Hi holdai567 and user293676

Sorry for the confusion in the intro. I was in Shanxi province last week and unable to fix the omission.

And thanks, tvan and lotsofwordsandnospaces for helping out.

Hi changye,

Thanks once more for your learned contributions, especially regarding katakana.

Hi bababardwan,

Thanks for the quote. Just as the classical myths and the Bible form a deep well of common experience in the Western tradition, Buddhism provides many illuminating images and allusions in the East.

Hi christian,

I hear you loud and clear about the PDFs. This series will be much more useful and accessible when they are availabe. Please bear with us and our intrepid tech team...

Hi bendidelaowai,

You're very welcome. I would guess that the word in question is 天下, a vague word which can refer to Chinese civilization or the known world (in Chinese eyes).

Posted on: Seeking Without Finding -- 寻隐者不遇

Hi bababardwan

Actually, you should say 爱情可遇不可求. But I like your rain analogy.

Posted on: Seeking Without Finding -- 寻隐者不遇

Hi Chauncey,

The phrase is 可遇不可求, kěyù bùkěqiú, meaning something that you can only bump into but can't actively seek.

Hi tina2858

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted on: Seeking Without Finding -- 寻隐者不遇

Hi all,

Here is today's poem.

Posted on: 《杜拉拉升职记》

杜 is a very rare surname in Modern China, but many French people use it when they get a Chinese name.

This is because it's similar to "Du.."

Posted on: Luke is Back! And So Are the Zombies!

Hi miantiao,

Hilarious depiction of Windows. I went to the one on Huaihai road, which has Baileys for the suspicion-arousing price of 10 RMB. The melamine makes it extra delicious.

Shanghai badly needs to follow the example of your enlightened city, and get itself a Bookworm. That's where you'd find me.

Posted on: Guilin Mifen

Hi light487

Thanks for all sharing your wealth of experiences with us.

Baby bok choi is 娃娃菜 wáwacài. In recent months, people have been advised not to purchase this, as there have been cases of unscrupulous merchants simply peeling down regular-sized bok choi and then selling the insides for a premium.

Posted on: Watching the Sun Go Down -- 登乐游原

Hi paulinurus

Thanks for your enthusiasm!

Hi cjd60

The poem you're thinking of is 春晓, by 孟浩然 Mèng Hàorán. There's a nice little picture with translation here. The translation is good, but uncredited.

Hi zhenlijiang

Your mention of mono-no-aware was a blast from the past for me. I remember discussing The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon as an undergraduate. The relevant scene was when Sei Shonagon and her servants made a pile of snow and then watched it melt away as the spring came. They felt a sort of melancholy at the passing of time. It's relevant to this poem, I think.

Hi darylk

I agree, there are certain painful similarities to Li's observations of the Late Tang and our own modern US. Here's hoping we can get our act together before the sun goes down.