One day Su Dongpo came upon a officer who was skilled at singing, so he asked, "How do my ci compare with those of Liu Yong?". He replied, "Liu Yong's ci are only suitable for girls of 17 or 18 to sing, holding their ivory clappers and singing 'a river bank covered in willow trees, with the cold breeze before the dawn', the ci of a scholar like yourself requires a great man from West of the Hangu Pass, using a bronze pipa, a pair of iron clappers, singing 'The River Surges Eastward'." Su Dongpo gave a hearty laugh, not knowing how to react.

I think Professor Zheng is praising our southern females. But when it comes to height, it seems that northerners -- especially northern men -- are a bit taller and more intimidating. Don't we often say, "Shandong Strongmen?"