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Sino Literature
Reading Books From China's Past
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This blog is dedicated to reading Chinese literature and the impact is has on me in a totally unscientific way.
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神魔小說 (21)
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Translations of Chinese Literature – Sino Literature on How To Escape Mould And Dust Through Digitization
Translations of Chinese Literature – Sino Literature on Fengshen yanyi 封神演義
Popular Novels, Their Endings, and Their Fandoms – Sino Literature on Fengshen yanyi 封神演義
Happy New Year! – Sino Literature on The Nezha Story in Fengshen yanyi: My Kaleidoscopic Research
Happy New Year! – Sino Literature on What on Earth are "shenmo xiaoshuo" 神魔小說?
Tag: Chinesische Literatur
Dowager Jia and Granny Liu
Today's look at the two grand old ladies of Honglou meng 紅樓夢 was first conceived of and published as a shorter post for the "Older Women in Translation" month on the Global Literature in Translation Initiative blog, curated by Caroline Lodge of book word. I am very thankful to Caroline for accepting my submission. Make sure to check out her fascinating series!
There aren't many interesting older women in traditional Chinese novel, apart from the stereotypical "70-year-old widowed mother" that is rhetorically invoked by characters as a person they need to take care of. This makes the meeting of Dowager Jia 賈母 (also Grandmother Jia) and Granny Liu 劉姥姥 in Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢 (first print 1791) by Cao Xueqin 曹雪芹 (1715 or 1724 – 1763 or 1764) so fascinating.
This book is one of the most famous Chinese novels and describes the life in an elite household of late imperial China. It is mostly focused on the day to day life of the youngest generation, a group of cousins – all female except for the protagonist Jia Baoyu 賈寶玉 – and in some part on the squabble and intrigues of their parents and married relatives. Only occasionally their routines are punctuated by receptions in the living quarters of the revered Dowager Jia and by visits from outsiders such as the peasant woman Granny Liu in chapter 40 of the 120 chapter novel.
The Jia family is, however, in general decline due to changing circumstances and the ineptitude of its male descendants, culminating in an imperial raid of the clan's premises that makes it necessary for Dowager Jia to use her jewelry and valuables to bail out her children and grandchildren. Not soon after she passes away with the knowledge of the clan's imminent ruin, that is described in the remaining chapters.
Cao Xueqin wrote Honglou meng to commemorate the talented young women he had met in his youth, before the decline of his own clan's fortunes. His melancholy view on women is reflected in Jia Baoyu's famous assessment that, while young girls are pure creatures, marriage irrevocably corrupts them. Even though the narrative follows its teenage protagonist into a world of brilliant female youth, it treats its side characters with the same care. Consequently, both "old ladies" are portrayed as realistic and interesting characters during their appearances.
Dowager Jia surrounded by her grandchildren. Illustration by Sun Wen 孫溫 (1818-1904), via Wikimedia Commons.
Throughout most of the novel, the Dowager Jia is presented as a respected yet distant authority figure, sometimes receiving family members in audience in her living quarters and joining them on special occasions. She has long since retired from her duties as a household manager, handing over management of the vast family compound to her daughters- and granddaughters-in-law, enjoying the spoils of decades of hard work in the clan of her husband, whom she outlived. She demands respect from all other household members and holds onto what she believes her due, even in instances when this goes against the wishes and interests – both reasonable and not – of her two sons.
Despite the demands of patriarchy that would see her living for the Jia clan alone, she shows attachment to both her birth family and her deceased daughter by allowing her neglected grandniece Shi Xiangyun 史湘雲 and her orphaned granddaughter Lin Daiyu 林黛玉 to stay in the Jia family household and receive similar treatment to the Jia patrilineal offspring. She is no just authority figure either, having clear favorites among the Jia clan, such as her talented yet spoilt grandson Jia Baoyu and granddaughter-in-law Wang Xifeng 王熙鳳, whose astute (and sometimes aggressive) management of the household reminds her of her own youth.
It is through the latter that she is introduced to Granny Liu, a peasant woman whose whose son-in-law had a superficial connection to the Wang clan. When lack of money to support themselves prompts her son-in-law to take out his frustration on his wife, Granny Liu decides to take matters into her own hand: To protect her daughter from further abuse, she intends to procure funds from the Jia family by paying a visit to Wang Xifeng with her small grandson in tow for extra sympathy points. Xifeng, always eager to please the Dowager and remains in her good graces, sees some entertainment value in the simple country woman and invites her inside for a meeting. Her instincts prove right and Dowager Jia not only gives Granny Liu the much needed handouts, but also a tour of the spectacular garden that the novel centers around.
The Garden. Illustration by Sun Wen, via Wikimedia Commons.
While both woman live in vastly different circumstances and even though Granny Liu expertly plays the part of bumbling country fool for the Dowager's amusement throughout her visit, a brief moment of kinship shines through in the meeting of these two old women. Both have presumably lived a live full of hardship, though of different kind, one living in poverty, one standing her ground against the jealousy of other household members. Both have outlived their husbands and are spectators for the lives of their children and grandchildren. Both in very different ways defy the stereotype of the helpless "70-year-old mother" utterly dependent on her children for her own livelihood.
Their circumstances and actions might at times feel strange to 21st c. readers, especially those unfamiliar with Chinese literature and its female characters. Nevertheless, their characters are quite rounded and realistic, even if their ways of managing things doesn't always make them likable. Their meeting is a high-point in this novel about a group of young people.
Seeing that Dream of the Red Chamber is very much a story of youth, you shouldn't turn to it to read about older women (or even middle aged ones for that matter). But if you come across this novel as part of a quest for world literature, genre-defining masterworks, or even just to check out the book all the Chinese readers rave about, you might want to pay some special attention to those two remarkable women.
The Story of the Stone, translated by David Hawkes and John Minford, 1973-1980, on Worldcat.org
A Dream of Red Mansions, translated by Glady Yang and Yang Hsien-yi, 1978-1980, on Worldcat.org
Der Traum der roten Kammer oder die Geschichte vom Stein, translated into German by Rainer Schwarz and Martin Woesler, 2006-2009, on Worldcat.org
Posted on 2019-09-02 2019-08-26 Categories Novels of Manners, On ReadingTags Chinese Literature, Chinesische Literatur, Hongloumeng, Weltliteratur, World LiteratureLeave a comment on Dowager Jia and Granny Liu
Translations of Chinese Literature
A while back I was contacted through this blog by a reader asking if I could recommend the English translation of Fengshen yanyi 封神演義 (Creation of the Gods, by Gu Zhizhong), especially considering that it is a bit pricey. After answering them via email, I also want to share my recommendation on Sino Literature and give some context to translations of Chinese classics into other languages. I'll mostly stick to translations of Fengshen yanyi and Xiyou ji 西遊記 (Journey to the West), because I have the most experience with them.
The publisher of Gu Zhizhong's translation, the Foreign Language Press in Beijing, is actually responsible for some pretty solid English translations to Chinese classical novels. See below for the covers for the editions of their translations of the Four Masterpieces: Three Kingdoms (a translation of Sanguo yanyi 三國演義 by Moss Roberts), A Dream of Red Mansions (a translation of Honglou meng 紅樓夢 by Gladys Yang and Yang Xianyi 楊憲益), Journey to the West (a translation of Xiyou ji 西遊記 by W.J.F. Jenner), and Outlaws of the Marsh (a translation of Shuihu zhuan 水滸傳 by Sindey Shapiro).
The way in which the Foreign Laguage Press commissioned translations was quite interesting, as Jenner's recollection of the translation process in Journey to the East, "Journey to the West" in the LA Review of Books reveals. I had no idea how much events in China in the 20th c. affected Jenner's work as a translator until I read this article. But because of this, his translation ended up being published in 1983-1984, shortly after Anthony C. Yu 余國藩 published the first unabridged translation in the USA between 1977 and 1983. Which is good news for readers, because it means you have two very different translations to choose from!
Anthony C. Yu's scholarly translation is of course very famous. But personally, I found it hard to read compared to Jenner's style. This might be owing to the fact that Yu was not a native speaker of English, but I rather think it was because this Professor of Religion and Literature was more interested in scholarly correctness than readability. I often use his work as a reference during my research, but I was glad that my first exposure to the novel was through Jenner's work, who did a great job in capturing the spirit of the original, which had been a stated aim of his:
My aim in doing Journey to the West was to make it as much fun in English as it is in the original. I also wanted it complete and uncut.
An excerpt of Jenner's translation on Read Paper Rebublic. I personally really enjoyed his style and I would definitely recommend this translation to any casual reader.
The same publishers that commissioned Jenner and other English native speakers to translate a bunch of significant Chinese novels also asked Gu Zhizhong, who I assume to be a Chinese native speaker, to translate Fengshen yanyi. The translation was first published in 1992 as Creation of the Gods. Unfortunately I can only partially recommend Gu Zhizhong's translation, and I will give you my reasons to let you decide for yourself:
The positive: It is the only complete translation of Fengshen yanyi into a Western language that I am aware of. The edition I read (from 1992 I think), was also nicely done with interesting woodcut illustrations throughout the novel.
The negative: Firstly, it is not a very faithful translation. Poems are generally left untranslated and sentences often paraphrased. I think, when ever the translator found something difficult, he just skipped it. Secondly, I think Gu Zhizhong was not an English native speaker and not very familiar with Western mythology and some of his translations are really off. For example Taiyi zhenren 太乙真人 ("True Man Primordial") a powerful Daoist immortal, becomes "Fairy Primordial" in his translation, which conjures up a very different image.
Nevertheless, this translation is good to get a general feel for the novel. As for the price: maybe you can find a copy at a university library near you, so you don't need to buy it? Especially if you have universities with Sinology/Chinese Studies departments near you, you might find it there. I also always recommend checking worldcat.org to see, if the book is available anywhere near you. Lastly, there seems to be a PDF version of a bilingual edition of Fengshen yanyi floating around the internet. But I don't think this can actually legally be bought anywhere, unfortunately.
For anyone reading German: there is an incomplete translation of Fengshen yanyi by Wilhem Grube, which I wrote about in this post.
There is also an excellent German translation of Xiyouji out now: Die Reise in den Westen, by Eva Lüdi Kong. This translation conveys both the fun and the religious and cultural background of the novel.
For more info on Xiyouji, check out the excellent Journey to the West Research blog by Jim R. McClanahan.
Gu Zhizhong, Creation of the Gods, 1992, on Worldcat.org
Anthony C. Yu, Journey to the West, 1977-1983, on Worldcat.org.
WJF Jenner, Journey to the West, 1982-84, on Worldcat.org
Eva Lüdi Kong, Die Reise in den Westen. Ein klassischer chinesischer Roman, 2017, on Worldcat.org
Grube, Wilhelm, Metamorphosen der Götter: Historisch-mythologischer Roman aus dem Chinesischen, 1912. Facsimile on archives.org part 1, part 2
Posted on 2019-07-24 2019-07-23 Categories 神魔小說, On ReadingTags Übersetzung, Chinese Literature, Chinesische Literatur, translation, Weltliteratur, World LiteratureLeave a comment on Translations of Chinese Literature
Popular Novels, Their Endings, and Their Fandoms
Today's post discusses the ending of Dream of the Red Chamber(Honglou meng 紅樓夢), namely the last forty chapters of the 120-chapter novel, and the different ways the fans of Honglou meng deal with them. These chapters were added on by the publishers of the first print edition around three decades after the death of the author Cao Xueqin 曹雪芹 (1715 or 1724-1763/4) in 1791. This post is mostly inspired by the recently aired finale to Game of Thrones that lead to heated online debates among disappointed fans who were quick to point to the overall decreased quality of the show after the material of the book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin was surpassed and producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had to take over writing according to Martin's outline themselves. Chinese fans had the added disappointment that the scheduled broadcast of the very last episode was cancelled due to Trump's war on Huawei. This didn't stop online discussions of the finale though, and it seems that I'm not the only one to make a connection between Game of Thrones and Honglou meng.
So what had happened in 18th c. China and how does it affect readers of Honglou meng today? Cao Xueqin, a scholar from a prominent clan which had since lost both prestige and wealth, worked on a epic novel based on his own childhood experiences of living in the compound of a rich family. Manuscripts of this unfinished novel, still called The Story of the Stone 石頭記 in those days, circulated among his friends, some of which added commentaries on the margins as a sort of peer-review to help Cao improve his work. These are known as "rouge versions" 脂本. Unfortunately, Cao only completed 80 chapters before he passed away in his 40s or 50s. We don't know the exact life dates of Cao Xueqin, nor are we able to ascertain his place in the family tree of the Cao family. This tells us that he was nowhere near as revered in his own day as he became later. After Cao's death the Honglou meng was in danger of remaining an unfinished manuscript circulating in handwritten copies. But in 1791 publishers Cheng Weiyuan 程偉元 and Gao E 高鶚 published a complete 120 chapter version based on the "rediscovered original draft" by Cao Xueqin. With the rigid structure of full-length novels 章回小說 there is no doubt that Honglou meng was conceived as a 120 chapter novel, but the fortuitous rediscovery of a draft that had remained unknown for almost 30 years is highly dubious.
The increased reach of print medium allowed the now complete work went on to make an impact on the literary scene. Parents even feared for their daughters' health as they were binge reading and observed depressive bouts when they reached the chapter in which Lin Daiyu 林黛玉 dies of a broken heart. I don't know if boys didn't read Honglou meng or if parents simply weren't as concerned about their reading habits. Lin Daiyu's helplessness when love clashed with matchmaking certainly was something most of the young ladies 閨秀 of the Qing would understand and share.
Honglou meng's popularity continues to this day. I'm not aware of anyone reading themselves to death, but both the novel and a 1987 TV show are held in great esteem in the Sinophone world. The academic study of the book is so plentiful that it spawned its own discipline: Redology 紅學. In the course of this study the author Cao Xueqin, his life and his work took center stage in the discussion and appreciation of the novel. Consequenlty, a purist reading of the novel would insist to stop at chapter 80, claiming the ending to be a purely economically motivated hack-job not worthy of attention. They would lament the lack of an ending but prefer its unfinishedness to an inferior conclusion. Fans disappointed by inferior endings/ sequels/ adaptations to beloved works take similar stands, choosing to not engage with these (parts of) shows. As an additional coping mechanism, fans also like to pretend these seasons/movies never happened. Currently people might say that its neat that the excellent animated series Avatar-The Last Airbender is being adapted into a life-action TV show, since its a shame that is has definitely never been adapted into a movie. (Statements like these have the added benefit of separating fans from casual bystanders who tend to accept claims to the contrary on Google, Wikipedia, imdb etc.)
Photo from a Shaoxing Opera 越劇 production of Honglou meng in 1963. Depicted is the pivotal scene of Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu reading a script for The West Chamber 西廂記, a romantic play deemed to racy for them . Via Wikimedia Commons.
I'm not aware that a consensus on denying the existence of an ending to Game of Thrones has been reached, but there has been a petition to re-shoot the 8th season. While nothing similar is known concerning a rewrite of the Cheng-Gao version ending, several unauthorized sequels show that there was a market for alternative endings. However, in the case of Honglou meng that meant writing a happy end that the original author never intended. It is clear from some hints early in the novel, that Cao had envisioned fates for his characters that were probably much more devastating than what the Cheng-Gao version describes. Yet sequels and rewrites were overly concerned with resurrecting their heroine Lin Daiyu and creating a household in which formerly clashing characters now lived in harmony. Game of Thrones fans on the other hand seem to accept the fact that beloved characters need to meet cruel fates, since that is part of the nature of the show, but they would prefer them to do so in a way that does not insult character development and storytelling.
It remains to be seen if Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire will be able to establish its own discipline of scholarship ("Gameology"? "Throneology"?). If it does the current debates and the debacle of the last season are definitely going to contribute immensely to academic debate. In the meantime, the resonance this show found online in American, Chinese and other markets and the heated online debates it sparked, serves to show the power of great narratives and how they inspire people everywhere, just as Honglou meng continues to inspire readers to this day. And a little (or a lot of) controversy around its inception only serves to liven the debate.
A lot of excellent introductory essays to Honglou meng and Redology can be found in:
Andrew Schonebaum and Tina Lu, Approaches to Teaching "The Story of the Stone" (Dream of the Red Chamber), on Worldcat.org
The Story of the Stone: A Chinese Novel in Five Volumes, translated by David Hawkes and John Minford, on Worldcat.org
A Dream of Red Mansions, translated by Gladys Yang and Yang Xianyi, on Worldcat.org
Der Traum der roten Kammer oder die Geschichte vom Stein, translated into German by Rainer Schwarz and Martin Woesler, on Worldcat.org
P.S. I haven't had a chance to watch Game of Thrones or read A Song of Ice and Fire yet, since the show came on while I was writing my PhD and I can only deal with one epic narrative (i.e. the topic of my PhD, Fengshen yanyi 封神演義) at a time. A question for everyone who has seen/read it: Knowning how it ends, should I still watch it? Should I watch to the end or stop before? Should I read the books instead? I'd love to hear your recommendations! Also, when the show first came out, people told me it was like The Romance of the Three Kindoms 三國演義. Does this assessment still hold up?
Posted on 2019-06-26 2019-06-25 Categories Book Trade, Novels of Manners, On ReadingTags Cao Xueqin, China, Chinese Literature, Chinesische Literatur, Dream of the Red Chamber, GameofThrones, Hongloumeng, Story of the Stone, Weltliteratur, World LiteratureLeave a comment on Popular Novels, Their Endings, and Their Fandoms
Smallpox in 19th c. China
I am currently reading The Talented Women of the Zhang Family by Susan Mann, an imaginative retelling of the biographies of the Changzhou 常州 writer Tang Yaoqing (1763-1831), her four daughters and the daughters of her youngest children, daughter Zhang Wanying 張紈英 (1800-1881) and son Zhang Yuesun 張曜孫 (1807-1863). Here I stumbled upon a poem lamenting the death of several young children because of smallpox, which was particularly striking in light of recent resurgences of childhood diseases due to the anti-vax movement. I thought I might share it here, to give a little insight into the devastating effects outbreaks of smallpox had as recently as the 19th c.
In her book, Mann was able to reconstruct a situation in which female education was passed on within the family, since – except for second daughter Zhang Guanying 張𥿑英 (1795 – 1824) – all daughters remained with their natal family 娘家 for most of their live even after marriage. The books focus on the younger siblings' children makes it seem like the elder sisters Zhang Qieying 張䌌英 (1792- after 1863) and Zhang Lunying 張綸英 (1798-1859) never had children of their own. In fact, Qieying had given birth to three children, Lunying to two. But in 1827, while the family was in Jinan 濟南 en route to their father Zhang Qi's 張琦 (1764-1833) new post as governor in western Shandong, a son and daughter of Qieying and the two daughters of Lunying died in a smallpox epidemic. Lunying would (as far as we know) never give birth again and insted adopt a son from her husband's family and a daughter from her sister Wanying's children. Qieying gave birth to another son who also died of smallpox. This was in 1831 in Beijing, whence she had moved to be with her husband and his son from his first wife who had passed away.
Around 1839 Zhang Qieying wrote a poem about the smallpox deaths of those five children, which clearly shows her pain and loss:
讀孫子瀟先生杏殤詩感而賦此即效其體
觸目驚心景不殊,淚縱橫下已沾襦,淒涼心事緣同病,婉轉形容儼畫圖。六載兩經魂欲斷,(注:丁亥春殤子女二人,壬辰冬復殤一子。)全家一月眼為枯。早知順逆非虛語,(注:俗謂痘症,宜「長者先,幼者後]為順,反此為逆。)姊妹同傾賞上珠。(注:時隨侍先母寓濟南,婉紃妹兩女亦以痘殤,同一月也。)
《靈》、《素》無徵治未詳,悔將鍼藥視尋常。見無夭相偏夭折,人祝長生竟不長,病遽似因投峻劑,醫庸猶說有良方,最傷慈母心尤切,徹夜焚香禱上蒼。
彌留時節忍恩維,似解依依不忍離。喚母聲低神漸散,看爺眼直淚猶滋。此生已分無來日,半世空名說育兒。一十二年腸幾斷,可堪更讀《杏殤》詩。
From the "Ming Qing Women's Writings" Database at McGill University
Moved on Reading Master Sun Zixiao's "The Death of Apricots," I Composed This Poem in the Same Genre
Striking my eye, stopping my heart, a scene exactly as I knew it,
Tears course down my face, soak through my jacket.
Grievous aching of the heart, its cause the same pain.
Fraught images so vivid, the poem seems like a painting.
Twice in six years have I seen souls die,
Note: In the spring of 1827, I lost a son and a daughter; in the winter of 1832, another son.
For months at a time my whole family's had no more tears to shed.
Early in my live I was to learn the reality of "each in its own time."
Note: The saying goes that in smallpox, it is timely for the elder to go before the younger; the reverse is untimely.
Elder sister, then younger sister, each lost precious "pearls in the palm."
Note: At the time I was accompanying our late mother, lodging in Jinan; Lunying in that same month lost her own two daughters to smallpox.
The little souls had no symptoms, so a cure was not carefully considered,
How I regret that we used needles and herbs as if we were treating an ordinary illness.
The children gave no hint of dying, then suddenly they were gone,
Everyone had wished them long live, but their lives were not long at all.
As the illness worsened, we administered powerful drugs,
The doctors all insisted they had good remedies.
Hardest hit was the loving mother, her hurt cut to the quick,
From sunset til dawn burning incense, praying for unseen help.
The moment when the crisis came, I now can bear to recall,
They seemed about to depart and yet unable to bear to leave.
Calling their mother in low tones, their spirits ebbing away,
Looking at their father, eyes still ahead, tears still welling.
Their share of this life over, with no days left to live,
While for half my own life I've made empty talk about rearing children.
After twelve years with a heart near breaking,
I am ready to reread "The Death of Apricots."
Translation by Susan Mann, in The Talented Women of the Zhang Family, p. 94
While this poems is very powerful on its own, I would still like to add some context: death of young children was common enough that poets developed a dedicated image to talk about it: "death of apricots" 杏殤, which goes back to a poem by Meng Jiao 孟郊 (751-814), lamenting the death of his son. The poem that inspired Zhang Qieying was written by Sun Yuanxiang 孫原湘 (1760-1829, courtesy name Zixiao 子瀟) as a lament for his own young children.
It is also important to note that the Zhang family were among the elite of their time and had access to good doctors and medicine and Qieying was staying in the capital Beijing with all its resources during the death of her third child. Even though, they were unable to shield their children from the virus or find medicine that could heal them. It can only be imagined how much worse this type of childhood diseases ravaged normal families.
It seems that since the development of vaccines against common childhood diseases we have lost sight of the devastating effects that smallpox, measles etc. have had on previous generations. For the five dead children of the Zhang family, we only know their year of death because of this lament. Because they died so young, neither their names nor their years of birth have been recorded. They might as well not have existed, except for their parents' grief about their deaths.
Please vaccinate your children.
Ming Qing Women's Writing Database at McGill University
Susan Mann: The Talented Women of the Zhang Family, 2007, on worldcat.org
Posted on 2019-03-11 2019-03-08 Categories PoetryTags China, Chinese Literature, Chinese Poetry, Chinesische Literatur, Weltliteratur, World Literature, Zhang Qieying, 張䌌英Leave a comment on Smallpox in 19th c. China
The Chinese Year of the Pig started two weeks ago and I thought this might be a good time to reflect on the state of Sino Literature this past year, especially since the blog has been rather dormant recently. This has to do with the fact that I moved to Taipei last autumn to start working as a postdoc at NCCU 政大, develop my new research project on women in late imperial China and continue my work on Nezha-related topics. Especially the task of exploring possible ways to approach my new research topic and reading up on primary sources as well as secondary literature has somewhat taken over my brain and pushed everything I ever new about shenmo xiaoshuo神魔小說 to the side. This makes it very hard to contribute to this blog on a regular basis.
Taipei 101 being photogenic on a sunny day. Lately it usually hides behind clouds.
The good thing is that my content, like my research, is by no means time sensitive and any post I am going to write about a 400-year-old novel will still be as relevant next year as it would be today. The stats for my blog seem to support this: while the largest part of my readership is directed to Sino Literature from my social media pages, where I share new posts, a reassuring number of views come from people typing book titles into search engines. One of the reasons for starting this blog was the feeling that there was not a lot of resources about late imperial literature other than the most famous novels out there. The fact that people decided to click the link to my blog seems to confirm this impression.
Another thing I am quite happy about is the fact that views come from all over the world, as this side-by-side of 2017 and 2018 shows. People interested in the novels I discuss – though still few in numbers – live all over the world:
This greatly motivates me to keep on writing for Sino Literature, as soon as I can free up some brain cells.
Thanks everyone and a Happy New Year!
Posted on 2019-02-18 2019-02-18 Categories UncategorizedTags China, Chinese Literature, Chinesische Literatur, Weltliteratur, World LiteratureLeave a comment on Happy New Year!
A Quiet Hero: Yang Jian 楊戩
Today I want to talk about my favorite hero from Fengshen yanyi 封神演義: Yang Jian 楊戩, a young Daoist adept with magical abilities, a third eye in the middle of his forehead, the Howling Celestial Dog 哮天犬 by his side. He is the righ hand man of commander Jiang Ziya 姜子牙 and continually raises his profile throughout the novel. I like Yang Jian, because he is intelligent, a good fighter, has manners, is capable of strategizing, and gets stuff done. He is neither a distant, calculating strategist like Jiang Ziya, nor a hot-blooded fighter like Nezha 哪吒 et al.
Photo Dharma from Penang, Malaysia [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
Especially the latter is a beloved character type in Chinese popular literature, with Sangguo yanyi's 三國演義 Zhang Fei 張飛 and Shuihu zhuan's 水滸傳 Li Tieniu 李鐵牛 as prime examples. They are popular, because they don't stand being bullied, condescension or unfair treatment, but unlike regular commoners, they are endowed with superhuman strength that allows them to actually vanquish their opponents. It is these same beloved qualities that sometimes annoy me: they are quick to anger and always act upon their feelings immediately. They are incapable of looking at the bigger picture and channelling their anger into more effective methods of defeating their enemies. Usually they aren't even interested in the bigger picture at all. Their only course of action is violence and especially Li Tieniu regularly wipes out entire villages in a frenzy of rage.
Yang Jian on the other hand is a quiet hero: He reliably contributes to the cause of the Zhou. He also stops to think in the face of danger and does not rush into unnecessary confrontations. But he is by no means a boring character. He is regularly sent to all corners of the world to borrow potent weapons from Immortals 仙 living on serene mountains. He is the readers' guide into the marvelous world of Daoist perfection.
He also gets to fight seven animal demons (who took on human form) on Mei Mountain (梅山七怪) with Nezha as his sidekick. (Chapter 92) The monsters he fights are at their core a white ape, a water buffulo, a dog, a wild boar, a centipede, a white snake and goat. Naturally they don't stand a chance against our heroes. This fact is important, when we look at Yang Jian in another context: Xiyou ji 西遊記. Yang Jian is another book-hopping character and has a rather memorable fight with the handsome monkey king 美猴王 Sun Wukong 孫悟空 at the beginning of the novel.
This fight sees both characters go through a number of transformations, trying to outdo each other. The scene is hilariously depicted in the classic 1964 animated movie 大鬧天宮(1:35, Youtube link that worked December 2018). Interestingly, Yang Jian – who is mainly known as Erlang shen 二郎神 in this novel – enters into the fight with the monkey king right after Nezha has to retreat defeated, making it very clear that he is a stronger and more cunning fighter than Nezha in both novels. In Xiyou ji, Yang Jian is not able to defeat Sun Wukong and it takes the intervention of Laozi 老子 and ultimately the Buddha, to restrain the monkey king. Fengshen yanyi tries in many ways to rectify the depictions the Xiyou ji (which was presumably published 2-3 decades earlier) and redeems Yang Jian from this defeat.
Yang Jian also features heavily in the story of progress the Fengshen yanyi tells: The Zhou dynasty, which is established at the end of the novel, is the Golden Age of Confucianism, in so far that this is the time people talk about when they mention "the good old days" when everybody still behaved as they should. The founding kings Wen 文 and Wu 武 are revered as paragons of sage rule. Naturally, their opponent king Zhou 紂 of Shang is vilified as a cruel and unprincipled tyrant who let himself be influenced by – gasp – a woman!
Fengshen yanyi doesn't confine this theme of progress to the political sphere. The kind of hero that carries the Zhou to victory is one such example: Early on in the novel the hot-blooded "vanguards" such as Nezha, Leizhen zi 雷震子 (the god of thunder) and Huang Tianhua 黃天化 assist in small personal battles and help kick-start the war that had been brewing since the beginning. But later on in the story they lose prominence while Yang Jian, who joined the party rather late, becomes Jiang Ziya's right hand man – signifying the increased maturity of the Zhou dynasty. Seems like the author of Fengshen yanyi also preferred heroes with foresight to those with no self-control.
Unfortunately, heroes like Yang Jian remain exceptions in Chinese literature to this day. The public opinion seems to still favour quick-to-anger characters that pack a heavy punch. Or intelligent but frivolous characters that usually get annoying after a while. So if you know about any character like Yang Jian, who is a good fighter with self-control; intelligent and professional; and gets to do cool stuff: Please let me know.
Creation of the Gods, translated by Gu Zhizhong on Worldcat.org
Journey to the West, translated by Anthony C. Yu, on Worldcat.org.
Journey to the West, translated by WJF Jenner, on Worldcat.org
Die Reise in den Westen, translated by Eva Lüdi Kong, on Worldcat.org
Posted on 2018-12-10 2018-12-09 Categories 神魔小說, Historical Fiction, On ReadingTags China, Chinese Literature, Chinesische Literatur, Fantasy, Weltliteratur, World LiteratureLeave a comment on A Quiet Hero: Yang Jian 楊戩
The Ouevre of Jin Yong 金庸
If you have been paying attention to new Chinese literature in translation in the past couple of months, you have surly seen announcements and reviews for the first English translation of The Legend of the Condor Heroes 射鵰英雄傳 by the famous Hong Kong author Louis Cha 查良鏞 (*1924), who better known by his pen name Jin Yong 金庸. The first installment of Condor Heroes now published is called "A Hero Born" and the translator is Anna Holmwood. I have yet to read this novel, so I can't say anything about the book in Chinese or English. Rather, this post is to talk about Jin Yong's oeuvre and how it was framed in the reviews to appeal to a Western audience. A caveat: My understanding of Jin Yong novels is based on the 2003 adaptation of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils 天龍八部 and the first few chapters of A Deadly Secret 連城訣, which I am reading at the moment. (This is a very poor basis for a book review. Kids, don't do that at school!)
The reviews on "A Hero Born" face the daunting task of introducing a new audience to a whole universe that is very much based in Chinese history and tradition. The wuxia 武俠 elements may be traced back to classics such as Shuihu zhuan 水滸傳 (Water Margin), with strong fighters that adhere to a very specific "chivalrous" conduct. The backdrop is firmly rooted in Chinese history, that would be familiar to a Chinese reader, but completely foreign to a Western one. (A failure of our school systems exclusive focus on European and Post-Columbian North American history perhaps?) As a Sinologist I was very fascinated by the use of the complex political landscape of the Northern Song 北宋 (960–1127) in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, where the leaders of Dali 大理, Yan 燕, Jurchen 女真, Western Xia 西夏 and Liao 遼 (Khitan 契丹), as well as various spies and ambassadors contributed to a layered and varied storytelling, with groups of bandits, monks and assassins making the chaos complete.
This was the universe I pictured in my mind, when I read the first of many reviews to claim that Jin Yong's novels are "the Lord of the Rings of Chinese Literature" and the author as "China's Tolkien". And I asked myself: How? How does a storytelling universe based on historical tradition compare to a fictional world that was created for its story? How do the complex relationships between characters, the power play of various groups and the conflicting loyalties the characters face compare to a novel featuring a character that is the ultimate enemy? Was this comparison made, simply because there are fantastic elements in both of them? Unfortunately, there is a tendency among literary critics to not take novels in the "fantasy" genre seriously, to disregard nuances and subgenres (often lumping it together with science fiction on top of that) and picture the readership as predominantly young adults. Is this what happened here?
I had sort of forgotten about this awkward comparison until I saw a summary of Alexandre Dumas' (1802-1870) The Three Musketeers (1844) on youtube in the excellent playmobil reenactment by "Sommers Weltliteratur to go" (in German only).* Only knowing The Three Musketeers from the excellent movies featuring Michael York and Richard Chamberlain (and other movies which, while fun, weren't nearly as good), I learned now that this story was originally published as a serial, with new chapters published separately. (Again, don't do this at home kids. I do not assume that I have "read" The Three Musketeers after having seen some movies and a youtube summary.)
As Martin Sommer was retelling the back and forth of the story that was full of sword fights of the four protagonists against whole armies, d'Artagnan repeatedly falling in love, betrayals, power plays, hidden connections between characters etc., I was very much reminded of the style of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils: larger than life heroes destroy whole enemy armies, one protgonist falls repeatedly at love at first sight, characters get betrayed by those closest to them, tragic deaths lead to dramatic vengence plots and secret relationships between characters are constantly uncovered. At every turn the stakes are high and they only get higher. This breathless tension is unfortunatley coupled with a clumsy writing style, lack of in-depth world-building and an overall YA novel or soap opera feeling in the main characters approach to relationships.
Just like Dumas, Jin Yong published his works in installments. Both of them were professional writers dependant on publications for their income and even both hired other writers as ghostwriters: Auguste Maquet and Ni Kuang 倪匡 respectively. They needed to keep the readers interested in every installment; slowly building up towards a climax or crafting a complex story was not possible. They were the exact opposite to J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) who took almost 20 years to slowly write his masterpiece and argue with publishers about proposed cuts and volume titles while continuing his day job. The stories they wrote reflect their fast writing and publication process. And before you complain about the lack of the supernatural in The Three Musketeers as compared to Jin Yong's works: I personally never gave up on a book because there was too much or too little magic in it. I did give up on books, because I did not like the style of writing.
I don't think that the works of Jin Yong should need to be framed in terms of a "corresponding Western novel" to be considered worthy of our time. To me, the very fact that they are unlike the books I read as a kid or teenager makes them more interesting. But I understand that for some readers it might be helpful to have some idea of what they will get themselves into and I think telling them Jin Yong's oeuvre was "the Chinese Lord of the Rings" is misleading. Instead: Think Three Musketeers, think constant excitement, adventure, love triangles and sword fights set against a romanticized historical universe. Not one giant epic story that is given time to grow, but fun and excitement in every single installment.
Jin Yong's works in the original Chinese can be bought in many reprints across the Chinese-speaking world.
Jin Yong, A Hero Born, Vol.1 of Legend of the Condor Heroes, translated by Anna Holmwood, MacLehose Press 2018.
Alexandre Dumas on gutenberg.org (page currently blocked in Germany)
*Many thanks to my colleague Andrea Kreuzpointner for alerting me to the fact that playmobil reenactments are a thing.
Posted on 2018-10-08 2018-10-07 Categories Contemporary Literature, 神魔小說, On ReadingTags China, Chinese Literature, Chinesische Literatur, Jin Yong, Weltliteratur, World Literature, wuxiaLeave a comment on The Ouevre of Jin Yong 金庸


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Print > Edmund Dulac
Pierre Alexandre Lemare
Edmund Dulac
Image Size: 5 x 4 inches
Size: 8 in. x 5 in. (20.32 cm x 12.7 cm)
Frame Size: Mat: 10.25 x 6 25 inches
About The Artist: Edmund Dulac
Edmund Dulac was French illustrator of English books. He was born in Toulouse, South of France in 1882. He studied law while he attended classes at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, also in Toulouse. After winning an award at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and being bored of law after two years, he then enrolled full-time and knew where his future endeavours lay. He got a scholarship in Paris and soon after left for London in 1904 where he began a brilliant...


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On March 25, 2016 By dmacbritlit2In UncategorizedLeave a comment
Within Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market", one of the most striking passages to me takes place between lines 422-446. Previously, we saw Laura be successfully tempted by the Goblin men to try their "fruits".Here, we see Lizzie has escaped the safety of Laura and her home to find the Goblin Market. Previously enamored with the idea of these Goblin men, Lizzie finally manages to find them. However, their seduction turns sinister as they scratch, bite, and pinch her, trying to get her to open her mouth and taste their "fruits".
This passage is full of both incredibly violent and overtly-sexual imagery. First, we see Lizzie be likened to a "horse" being lead to water. The common use of horses nowadays is very objective. They are used by men, and are mostly ridden from a starting place to an end or finish. Therefore, not only is Lizzie objectified, but also made out to be a tool for the ease of these Goblin MEN. Repeat, MEN. There is not a single reference to any goblin women in this text, which also paints the idea that the only men in this story are these small, repulsive creatures.
These men become violent when Lizzie refuses to taste their "fruits" for themselves. Phrases such as "kicked and knocked her", "coaxed and fought her", and "pinched her black as ink" are used to describe their forceful ways of trying to have Lizzie open her mouth. The specific phrase "pinched her black as ink" is used to describe them bruising Lizzie, which leaves darker marks on her fair, white skin. This definitely seems to be saying that these men are tainting Lizzie's innocence through their bruising her "pure" white skin. Finally, these men, fed up with her refusal to eat, drench Lizzie with the "juices" from their fruit. This "juice" is overtly sexual, as fruit is typically thought of as fertility. Therefore, the juices of the fertile parts of these goblin men are left smeared all over Lizzie's face and neck. This passage both shocked and repulsed me, as the blatantly sexually-charge and violent imagery oozed off of these pages.
On March 25, 2016 By meghanegregoireIn Uncategorized1 Comment
Rosetti's Goblin Market has this prelapsarian vibe right from the opening lines, but you might not realize it until further into the poem. After line 4, with the "come buy, come buy" readers do get the sense that these goblins are attempting to upsell or persuade the maids to buy their fruit. Reminds us of something else in literary history, no?
Maids heard the goblins cry:
"Come buy our orchard fruits,
Come buy, come buy:" (1-4)
However, Rosetti doesn't stop there. Throughout the rest of the poem, Laura and Lizzie are faced with the temptation by the goblins to eat of the fruit they are trying to sell. It became quite clear that Laura was the sister who should be worried about in terms of falling victim to the temptation. "Laura bow'd her head to hear/ Lizzie veil'd her blushes" gives readers the sense that Laura was eager to read into what the goblins were saying/selling while Lizzie was hesitant and even went so far as to attempt to persuade her sister out of such a potentially bad situation.
Throughout the poem, while Laura claims at one point they should not engage with the goblin men or the fruit they are selling, she continuously falls into the trap of temptation from the goblins. They [the goblins] clearly had a motive and Laura was falling right into it.
It is interesting that Rosetti alludes to the story of Adam and Eve in such a way that involves two sisters rather than a man and a woman, and the tempting force, instead of a serpent, is a goblin. While this was written in the Victorian era, it certainly has the mythical and almost supernatural elements that Restoration and Romantic literature also encapsulated.
It is unique how early in the piece Rosetti makes the temptation known; there is no masking what is going to happen in this poem even in the opening lines. She gets straight to the point and carries the theme throughout the piece. As stated, the Adam and Eve vibe is definitely there, however, where we don't get much of an image of what life is "like" prior to the temptation, I still see a unique way of describing the prelapsarian element to Lizzie and Laura. Rather than having a whole story/context given about them, their "before the fall" is the back and forth with the goblins.
On March 25, 2016 By tmgallantIn Uncategorized1 Comment
In this poem "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti the goblins represent evil or possibly Satan. The fruits represent the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve ate in the garden of Eden. This is made very clear in the first stanza of this poem, especially when the goblins say "Come buy our orchard fruits, come buy, come buy" They are trying to lure innocent people into buying their fruits in order to corrupt them. In the first few lines, they are talking about luring maidens in to sell them fruit. In this age women are seen as very innocent and naive, they would be very easy to convince to eat the fruit that is forbidden in this case. There are also several words used in order to make the fruit seem more desirable to the women. At first all of the fruits are all described as plump and then in the middle of the stanza it is said that they are "All ripe together in summer weather" I do not know about anyone else but I personally really like all fruits that are typically ripe in summer. They just seem more sweet and juicy at that point. There is also the fact that they describe some of the fruit in a sexual way in order to make it more appealing. They say, "Figs to fill your mouth" Honestly, this whole poem seems to be a parody of the fall of Adam and Eve. The goblins are Satan and all the fruits that they are selling are forbidden to the maidens that might be tricked into eating them. It is also a narrative poem so it seems more like a story then a poem to me.
On March 25, 2016 By rlevi13In Victorian1 Comment
In this passage beginning at line 475 Lizzie returns to her sister Laura with her takings from the Goblin Market. Although she has found the fruit to ensure that Laura may live and regain her youth Lizzie sacrificed herself in the process being taken advantage of by the many Goblin men and their forbidden fruits they forced upon her. She states "Must your light like mine be hidden" showing this venture to the market was indeed of dark intentions and ultimately sacrificial of her youth and innocence in order to aid Laura. The images of light and dark contrast one another in a way that imitates good and evil; Paradise lost and the curse of mortal men then seems to play a part in the fate of the sisters. It then states "undone in mine undoing and ruined in my ruin" showing her humanity and the ultimate "blame" one could place on humans for their own ill fate. The images of the fruit restoring her from a sultry drouth and her tears "dropping like rain" reiterates the idea that fruit and the fertility it insinuates despite the dark sacrifice of innocence to reach it are essentially a part of nature and the existence of the race. The natural images of fruit and nature to describe these biologically human traits seems to pay homage to the garden of Eden; the contrast of barren and dry in comparison to the forbidden markets which are fruitful and restoring. It seems to point out a lack of total control the human has to in the end take part in its own doom as a race. Without the fruit Laura would die but in order to keep her alive and save the humans or in this case her life Lizzie makes the ultimate sacrifice; her innocence.
On March 24, 2016 By almostgraduationIn Blog, Victorian1 Comment
The passage I am focusing on for this close reading of Goblin Market is from line 32 to line 80. This passage really drew me in because I felt like it was very similar to Paradise Lost by John Milton. The goblins in this poem remind me of the snake in Paradise Lost in the way that they are almost seductive in the way they advertise the fruit. The forbidden fruit itself is a big similarity between these two pieces.
In this passage Lizzie very much reminds me of God when he tells Adam and Eve to not eat the fruit. We can see this where Lizzie says, "We must not look at goblin men,/We must not buy their fruits." She is telling Laura not to look at the goblin men and buy their fruits for it will tempt her, such as the snake tempted Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Rossetti repeats the words "We must not" in both lines to show the significance of how evil the goblins are. It also shows how Lizzie is trying to look out for her sister and guide her down the right path, instead of eating the fruit and having the same fate as Jeanie.
The goblins call out to the girls, saying, "Come buy" repeatedly, still tempting them as the snake did to Eve. Laura especially reminds me of Eve when Rossetti writes, "Curious Laura chose to linger." Rossetti uses alliteration in this line, focusing on repetition of c's and l's. The word curious is what really drew me in, because when Eve was in Paradise, she was very curious about the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil as well as the forbidden fruit that grew from the tree.
As seen in later passages Laura buys and eats the fruit, just as Eve ate the fruit, as well as Laura's near death experience is similar to Eve becoming a mortal and the fall of man. Rossetti's Goblin Market reminded me very much of John Milton's Paradise Lost with the references to forbidden fruit and seductive creatures.
On March 24, 2016 By kpanaggio0220In Victorian1 Comment
Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market could be seen as a take on the agrarian lifestyle versus the industrial one. As the industrial revolution takes hold of the nation, it brings with it a dirty sinful lifestyle that tempts and threatens the sweet nature of the agrarian life, as we can see with Lizzie and Laura. Lizzie unlike her sister Laura is not at all tempted by the forbidden fruit whereas Laura is. However it is interesting to see how Lizzie disregards this, when her sister has sinned and given into the dirty lifestyle of industrialism.
Lizzie's love for her sister as the reader can see is unconditional; she goes to great lengths to end her sisters suffering, much like a Christ figure. "Eat me, drink me, love me" (Rossetti 1506) Lizzie is offering up her body for Laura as a form of communion, who has sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, much like Eve. Lizzies has gone through great lengths to end her sisters suffering, "For your sake I have braved the glen and had to do with goblin merchant men"(Rossetti 1506) again making herself look more like a Christ figure as Christ scarified himself for humanity. Lizzie ends up giving up her innocence, which we can view as her agrarian lifestyle, and trades it in for the industrial one that she has warned Laura about, just to save her for her sins. What is particularly interesting is how sexual in nature this form of communion is, its almost as if both sisters must sin again to become pure. Lizzie offers up her body, much like Christ, however she does so in a very sexual nature "Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices" (Rossetti 1506) it gives the reading an interesting tone, in order to receive penance both sisters must act in deviant and sinful way, both sister must give into the industrial life, to regain their peaceful agrarian one.
Christina Rossetti. "Goblin Market." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 1496-1508. Print.
On March 24, 2016 By Sam GIn Uncategorized1 Comment
Sam Gagnon
Currents in Brit lit
I read this poem, and immediately washed my hands afterwards. It is filthy rich with compelling storytelling, harrowing overtones, and fluid language. I'm not inclined to say I have a dirty mind, but allusions to eroticism are recklessly splattered across one stanza to another. Value and temptation are persistent in the piece, but at the same time, value and temptation aren't just tethered to want of purchase and want of product. When I disenfranchise myself from the whimsical wonder the goblins provide along with the quaint simplicity of the sisters' relationship, playful beckoning unsheathes its mask and rears its sickening face. When Laura succumbs to devious pleasures, her sanity begins to disintegrate. As a man myself, I'm not trying to stand on a soapbox and self-righteously shame men, but from a feminists lens, the passage I'm about to elaborate upon demonstrates a contrast between the naïve gullibility of Laura and the oppressive resentment the Goblin men conceal with their song and dance masquerade.
As Laura disregards fair warning and goes in for the fruit, lines 123-128 go to say
"You have much gold upon your head, they answered all together: Buy from us with a golden curl. She clipped a precious golden lock, she dropped a tear more rare than pearl, then sucked their fruit globes fair or red."
More often than not, currency is measured in terms of silver or gold. In this instance, Laura's value as a human being stems from her free flowing blonde hair. It's unfortunate to say, but some men, on a universal standpoint, still determine a woman's importance based upon physicality. This sentiment appears to ring true with just the first line alone. Considering the fact that my perception of Goblin's falls in line with disfigured creepy little creatures, it only makes sense to me that these Goblins are synonymous with the foulest representatives of my gender.
While money is nice in its own regard, the Goblins desire to exploit and humiliate women appears to host more worth to them. As they request a lock of hair for their fruits. When Laura snips her hair, my restoration senses tingle, and I reminisce about Alexander Pope's "Rape Of The Lock." While two different breeds of animal, they both share a commonality in how womanhood is desecrated by unnecessary means. Except in this case, Laura willingly prostitutes her femininity for a greater evil.
Dominion over a Woman's choice and freedom are magnetized as Laura sheds a tear more rare than pearl. I imagine that when the goblins see that Laura caters to their offer despite her emotional distress, the goblins find more power in puppeteering people than they do collecting coin. The last line has sex written all over it. Laura is doing the dirty only to pay homage to the conception of what she thinks she wants. The goblins offer enticing fruit, yet fruit is bound to rot and sweet nothings aren't much more than what they are.
Ultimately, misguidance and blissful ineptitude harnesses Laura's dependency to the goblin's and their fruit. While it wasn't fair that she was involved in the circumstances that she was, her fate was the byproduct of fallaciously accepting things at face value without paying attention to multiple dimensions in the situation. Moral of the story being, don't believe in everything you see, don't listen to everything you hear, and always think twice before making decisions.
On March 24, 2016 By palindromicnomIn Uncategorized, Victorian1 Comment
Christina Rossetti's Pre-Raphaelite poem, "Goblin Market" tells a story of two young sisters who live a simple, agrarian life and are tempted by goblin men who advertise their fruits to the maids. The character of Lizzie, who never succumbs to the goblins' temptations, acts as a Christ-like figure who is responsible for Laura's salvation in the end of the poem. This religious symbolism is obvious in the passage in which Lizzie returns to Laura after attempting to buy some of the goblins' fruit for her dying sister:
Never mind my bruises.
Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices
Squeezed from goblin fruits for you,
Goblin pulp and goblin dew.
Eat me, drink me, love me;
Laura, make much of me
For your sake I have braved the glen
And had to do with goblin merchant men (Rosetti 1506).
Lizzie is literally offering Laura her body because it is covered in the goblins' juices after they mashed their fruits into her face when she refused to eat them. This passage is extremely reminiscent of a huge tenant Christian faith, that Jesus Christ was tortured and ultimately died for the sins of all men. The lines, "Never mind my bruises./Hug me, kiss me…" is reminiscent of Jesus' plea to all humans to accept Him as their Lord and savior. Specifically, when Lizzie talks of her bruises, the reader is reminded of how, before Jesus was crucified, he was whipped. The Bible even says that "He [Jesus] was bruised for our iniquities" (King James Bible, Isaiah 53.5).
In addition, Lizzie makes it clear that she dealt with the goblins for Laura: "…suck my juices/ Squeezed from goblin fruits for you…For your sake I have braved the glen/ And had to do with goblin merchant men." Lizzie specifically said that she "squeezed" and "braved" the goblins, two words that indicate that she did a burdensome, terrifying task. Not only this, but she did these things "for you [Laura]" and "For your [Laura's] sake." Lizzie qualifies her actions, specifying that she did each of those things for Laura. In the Christian religion, Jesus also went through torture, death, and even hell so that his followers could be forgiven of their sins and go to heaven. In this case, Lizzie represents the savior and Laura represents those who need to be saved.
The biggest indication that Lizzie is acting as a Christ figure in this poem is that she offers her body for Laura to consume. It echoes the Christian communion. Lizzie says "Eat me, drink me, love me." She isn't literally asking Laura to consume her, just as Jesus didn't ask his disciples to literally eat his body and drink his blood during the sacrament. Rather, they ate bread and wine which were symbolic of accepting Jesus, following him, and being saved. Lizzie is asking Laura to "eat" and "drink" her and be saved. Laura is saved from the brink of death when Lizzie gives her the goblin juices; Lizzie saves her sister just as Jesus saved his followers.
Lizzie symbolizes Christ in "Goblin Market" because she is wounded by the Goblins, acts selflessly in order to save Laura's life, and offers her body for Laura to consume. Each of these elements can be connected back to the Jesus' various actions to save his followers. Christina Rossetti was a Pre-Raphaelite. They were a group of artists responding to the huge, largely industrial transformations that were taking place in British Society in the Victorian Era. They sought social and spiritual unity by rejecting their highly alienating industrial world and instead focusing on retelling medieval stories. The abundant presence of religious elements, such as Lizzie as the Christ, in "Goblin Market" emphasizes a struggle for spiritual understanding.
Isaiah. King James Bible. Bible Hub, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2016.
Rossetti, Christina. "Goblin Market." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed Stephen Greenblatt. Ninth ed. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 1497-1508. Print.
On March 24, 2016 By rcdavis1In Uncategorized1 Comment
"Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti is a poem about goblin-like men trying to sell their various types of fruit to two girls: Laura and Lizzie. They are very insistent that they take a bite of the fruit they have to offer and even take unusual payment to make sure the women get a bite. The passage, or line specifically, that really caught my attention is line 479, "For my sake the fruit forbidden?" For any person who has read Paradise Lost by John Milton these two words together is no stranger to the scholarly eye. Granted these two words together form alliteration, which not only makes the two words stand out amongst the others but notice the phrasing of the words. Not "forbidden fruit" like we're used to but the words are flipped to "fruit forbidden." When we are looking at the archetype forbidden fruit we are thinking of an apple that, when eaten, leaves the human race vulnerable to sin and temptation. The particular phrasing in this poem leaves the reader to believe that, because they moved the words around, it distinguishes itself to a deeper meaning than Paradise Lost and is talking about numerous fruits mentioned in the poem. If the goblin, animal-like men only offered apples than a clear similarity could be made to Milton's work but since it's different we can associate each fruit with a different temptation. We also see at the end of the stanza, in line 492 that Lizzie has not eased to temptation, unlike her sister due to her "hungry mouth," which is saying how she has not been corrupted and has successful avoided temptation for the time being. In conclusion this poem discusses the temptation of the world, in many different forms and specifically talking about the enticement that greedy men have to offer to women. The men being described in such a negative manner doesn't portray them as prince charming, in fact quite the opposite, and women should avoid the temptation, or the "fruit forbidden", to resist to them.
On March 24, 2016 By sgriffiths8In Victorian1 Comment
Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market is overflowing with vehement sexual imagery, despite the fact that she insisted that is was appropriate for children. Lines 390 through 420 depict the shift that occurs when the goblins discover that Lizzie wants to take the fruits to Laura in hopes of curing her. In lines 334 through 349, the goblins were portrayed as being very happy and affectionate (too affectionate, if you ask me) ("chuckling, clapping, crowing", "hugged her and kissed her, squeezed and caressed her"). However, this changes quickly as they "grunt" and "snarl" and appear now to be evil and violent.
In both instances, the goblins are compared to animals however the comparisons are vastly different. When Lizzie and Laura first meet them, they are "wagging" and "purring" like harmless creatures, but when Lizzie encounters them later on they lash their tails and bark and hiss. The goblins absolutely represent a binary, as they embody both innocence and corruption.
When Lizzie is attacked by the goblins, the word choice suggests that their intentions are perhaps more sinister than previously thought. The goblins "held her hands and squeezed their fruits against her mouth to make her eat". The fact that they held her down and "squeezed their fruits against her mouth" suggests that this act was performed against her will. Also, the goblins "tore her gown and soiled her stocking" which too suggests that she was violated in some way by the goblins.
Color is also symbolic in this passage, as Lizzie is described in line 408 as being "white and golden". White symbolizes purity, which has been soiled by the goblins in the previous stanza, however she stands strong despite the horrors she has faced. Lizzie is also compared to "a royal virgin town, topped with gilded dome and spire, close beleaguered by a fleet mad to tug her standard down". This image of a beautiful, untouched town being ravaged by pillagers also alludes to the sexual violence that has befallen Lizzie. Surely, Rosetti includes this scene to make a statement about the evils of temptation and how reputation greatly affects women in the Victorian era.


Once, at the Havana airport, Sacks was asked if he might donate some clothing for those in need. He handed over his entire suitcase.
The neurologist and writer died on Sunday at the age of eighty-two. His writing testified to human frailty and human strength.


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Stories for October 26th 2018
Friday, October 26th 2018 - 19:25 UTC
Search for ARA San Juan deemed "useless" will go on after pressure from Argentine Navy
Ocean Infinity, the US company searching the missing Argentine submarine ARA San Juan, revised its decision to halt operations deemed "useless" until February and resumed work to comply with the minimum 60-day task agreed upon, it was reported.
Uruguay has no knowledge of lawsuit over PLUNA, says Minister Rossi
Uruguay's government knows nothing about a lawsuit from a US investment fund for the bankruptcy of the flag airline PLUNA, Transport Minister Víctor Rossi explained Wednesday.
Juncker wants Venezuelan "dictator" Maduro brought to justice as international pressure mounts
European Union (EU) Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Wednesday Wednesday said Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro has become "a matter for the international justice system" and needs to "be brought before the courts."
Honduras domestic political dispute plays to the benefit of Trump and Republicans
The flier began circulating on social media in Honduras this month, showing a lone migrant sketched against a bright red backdrop. It was a call to join a caravan, the work of leftist activists and politicians who had helped lead migrants north in the past. But they also tossed a political spark into the mix, blaming their right-wing government for the exodus: "The violence and poverty is expelling us."
Higher taxes ahead for Argentine real estate owners
Argentine President Mauricio Macri has created a new body within his administration to reassess the value of land and home property in order to "reflect the reality of the real estate market" ... and recalculate taxation thereupon.
Controversy in Westminster over "legal witch hunt" of British troops that served in Ulster
More than one third of Tory Members of Parliament, including a former Defense secretary - have written to the prime minister to demand an end to "legal witch hunts" of military veterans. Signatories to a letter delivered to Theresa May on Tuesday also include more than 50 members of the House of Lords, including four former chiefs of defense staff.
Lula on stage calls on "democrats" to unite and defeat the "fascist adventure"
Jailed ex-president Lula da Silva called on "democrats" on Wednesday to put aside their differences and unite in a bid to defeat a "fascist adventure" in Sunday's presidential election run-off. Right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro is favorite to defeat Lula's Workers Party (PT) colleague Fernando Haddad in the weekend's two-horse race.
Falklands: Brexit and Argentina's plan for closer links with the Islands
Brexit brings a chance to strengthen ties between Argentina and the Falkland Islands, the country's foreign minister Jorge Faurie said in London. Faurie met with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and the pair discussed increasing trade and travel links between the Falkland Islands and South America.
Falklands receives visit of US Congressmen's chief of staff and advisors
A delegation from the United States including a Chief of Staff for a Congressman and a Foreign Policy Adviser in the office of a senator will arrive in the Falkland Islands on Friday October 27 leaving November 3.
Scotland's Sturgeon convinced a no deal Brexit, the most likely outcome
A no-deal Brexit may be the "most likely outcome" of the UK's negotiations with the EU, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs. The First Minister said that while the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the bloc are 95% agreed, there remains an "impasse" over the issue of the Irish border.


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by Cecelia Watson
A page-turning, existential romp through the life and times of the world's most polarizing punctuation markThe semicolon. Stephen King, Hemingway, Vonnegut, and Orwell...
The Accidental Memoir
by Eve Makis, Anthony Cropper
Unti on Writing
Roxane Gay, the prominent cultural influencer, novelist, and New York Times bestselling author of Hunger and Bad Feminist, provides the tools necessary for everyone...
The White Man's Guide to White Male Writers of the Western Canon
by Dana Schwartz, Jason Adam Katzenstein
Narrated by a once-in-a-generation voice, that @GuyInYourMFA: a handbook for the wannabe literary elite and those who laugh at them, illustrated by a New Yorker cartoonist.What...
by Dean Nelson
From respected journalist, professor, and founder of the Writer's Symposium by the Sea, a book that demystifies the art and science of interviewing, in the vein of On Writing Well or How...
Where the Past Begins
by Amy Tan
FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR AMY TAN, A MEMOIR ON HER LIFE AS A WRITER, HER CHILDHOOD, AND THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FICTION AND EMOTIONAL MEMORYIn...
A Little Book on Form
by Robert Hass
From the former U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winner, an illuminating dissection of poetic form, traditional and modern, for students, enthusiasts, and newcomers alikeIn...
Other Formats Trade Paperback E-book
Writing Fiction (Collins Need to Know?)
by Alan Wall
This one-stop practical guide will show you how to write the novel that's in you bursting to get out. To make your progress easier, it comes in a handy ebook format with expert advice throughout.
Wasting Time on the Internet
by Kenneth Goldsmith
Using clear, readable prose, conceptual artist and poet Kenneth Goldsmith's manifesto shows how our time on the internet is not really wasted but is quite productive and creative as he puts the...
How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
by Viki King
The ultimate survival guide, How to Write a Movie in 21 Days takes the aspiring screenwriter the shortest distance from blank page to complete script.Viki King's Inner Movie Method...
by Annie Dillard
In this collection of short essays, Annie Dillard—the author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and An American Childhood—illuminates the dedication, absurdity, and daring that characterize...
Unless It Moves the Human Heart
by Roger Rosenblatt
Multiple award-winner Roger Rosenblatt has received glowing critical...
Who's Writing This?
by Dan Halpern
After seeing a new translation of Jorge Luis Borges′s mini-essay "Borges and I" (included here), Halpern asked numerous writers to muse briefly on "the fictional persona ′behind the scenes,′"...
A Broom of One's Own
by Nancy Peacock
For the twice-published novelist, reading an article about herself in the National Enquirer—under the headline "Here's One for the Books: Cleaning Lady Is an Acclaimed Author"—was...
Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing
by Elmore Leonard
"These are the rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what's taking place in the story."—Elmore LeonardFor...
Bestselling author Elizabeth George has spent years teaching writing, and in Write Away she shares her knowledge of the creative process. George combines clear, intelligent, and...
Fruitflesh
by Gayle Brandeis
Get Your Creative Juices FlowingA sumptuous, sensuous writing guide from the author of the award-winning The Book of Dead Birds
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition
by Renni Browne, Dave King
Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. Here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the techniques of the editing trade that turn promising manuscripts...
Couldn't Keep It to Myself
by Wally Lamb, Nancy Whiteley, Tabitha Rowley, Nancy Birkla, Robin Cullen, Diane Bartholomew, Dale Griffith, Brenda Medina
In a stunning work of insight and hope, New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb once again reveals his unmatched talent for finding humanity in the lost and lonely and celebrates the...
The Art of the Novel
by Milan Kundera
Kundera brilliantly examines the work of such important and diverse figures as Rabelais, Cervantes, Sterne, Diderot, Flaubert, Tolstoy, and Musil. He is especially penetrating on Hermann Broch, and...
Other Formats Digital Audiobook Unabridged
by Richard Rhodes
Uniquely fusing practical advice on writing with his own insights into the craft, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes constructs beautiful prose about the issues would-be writers are most...
Spider, Spin Me A Web
by Lawrence Block
The craft of writing is a lot like spinning a web: You take threads and weave them skillfully together, and only you know where this intricate network of twists and turns begin and how it will end....
Borges On Writing
by Jorge Luis Borges
Borges On WritingIn 1971, Jorge Luis Borges was invited to preside over a series of seminars on his writing at Columbia University. This book is a record of those...
Telling Lies for Fun & Profit
Characters refusing to talk? Plot plodding along? Where do good ideas come from anyway? In this wonderfully practical volume, two-time Edgar Award-winning novelist Lawrence Block takes an inside...


Does the Yealink T4X series of phones have the ability to capture the ELIN (Emergency Location Identification Number) from the TIA TR-41 committee – location identification portion of the LLDP advertisement? See attached Wireshark screen capture. If not how can that be submitted as a Product Development request.
The ELIN is sent to PSAP to identify the location of the caller making a Emergency call and in the U.S. that is a 911 call. If the phone had that ability to do this then the phone system manufacture can develop the ability to retrieve that information from the phone when it is plugged into the network. So if users move their phone it will automatically get its new location information from the Ethernet Switch when it is plugged in.
Polycom added this ability to their phone in Release_4_0_0. You can read that on page 10 of their release notes for 4.0.0. I will attach it to this post.
Also Cisco uses it in their Cisco Mobility Services Engine.
Please if you can email me and let me know if Yealink R&D sees this as a viable and possbile addition to the Yealink phones capabilities.
I would like to know if Yealink is considering this developing the ability for their phones to acquire location information via LLDP?


Supporting candidates who have outstanding leadership qualities, will fight for working people, a healthy environment, and a better future for our children.
Supporting women, people of color, young people, and LGBTQ candidates running for office.
Supporting strong progressive candidates in competitive primaries against more conservative opponents.
Supporting progressives in races where the balance of power in the elected body is at stake and where Fuse efforts could help gain or protect a progressive majority.
With an email list of nearly 100,000 people and hundreds of thousands Washingtonians using the Progressive Voters Guide, Fuse will educate voters about these candidates in the 2018 general election. The full list of endorsements is online here and will be included in Fuse's Progressive Voters Guide: www.progressivevotersguide.com.


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Jeyrick Sigmaton (born February 15, 1994), better known as Carrot Man, is a Filipino actor and model. He went viral in 2016 and was discovered by guesting in Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.

Personal life and career
Sigmaton is a native Igorot of Ekachakran tribe from Mountain Province and his only livelihood, before he was discovered and went  viral through guesting in Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, was lifting baskets of carrots to be delivered by trucks; thus he was called 'Carrot Man'. And when he was asked which celebrity he wanted to see, he answered the new host in GMA, Willie Revillame, then he guested on Revillame's show in GMA, Wowowin.

On 2021, Sigmaton won the Best Actor award for the Short Film category at the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) Autumn 2021 in New York.

References

External links

Living people
 1994 births
 Igorot people
Filipino male film actors
Filipino male models
People from Mountain Province
Filipino Internet celebrities

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


There is so much you can do to help end youth homelessness and show that you care. All support is welcome and makes a real difference.
YPS has a very strong belief that it takes a community to make a difference to youth homelessness and to the lives of our children/young people. YPS cannot respond to or solve youth homelessness in our area alone- we need the help of our community members, local business, Local Government & our State & Federal Politicians.
Yet, while we need significant systemic change in our society to end youth homelessness – one voice, one person alone CAN make an impact.
For many of the children/young people we support there is a sense of invisibility, isolation, rejection and fear that nobody cares. The myths and stereotypes that surround youth homelessness often see the child or young person 'blamed' for their homelessness which can further isolate children/young people from their community or from seeking the support they need. This and their early experience of homelessness can have significant long-term impact on a young person's safety, health & wellbeing.
There are lots of ways you can help us end youth homelessness & show our children/young people that their community does care.
YPS is a registered Charity so all donations over $2.00 are tax deductible.
Make sure you have the correct information and contact details for your local support services- YPS and other youth focused agencies and programs. If you hear of a child/ young person experiencing homelessness then you'll have the information to be able to share that may just make a huge difference in a young person life.
Make sure your family, friends and colleagues have this info too- the more people that know what's available the better chance a child/young person has of getting the support that they need.
Help us keep children & young people & their needs on the Political agenda, help us lobby for greater investment in the youth of your community, help us respond to the affordable housing crisis across our region.
Write to, email, social media tag your local Council, State & Federal Ministers and Members- let them know that you as a community member want them to increase their investment in youth homelessness & the services that support children & young people in your area.
YPS implements a number of events each year to fund raise & raise awareness & education of youth homelessness in our region. These campaigns helps us build our communities knowledge of the issues and pathways into youth homelessness & gain support for our children & young people.
So jump in, get involved, if you see us on the Streets stop & say Hi, buy a raffle ticket, spread the word & spread the message that YOUTH HOMELESSNESS MATTERS!
The myths and stereotypes around youth homelessness have a significant negative impact on children & young people & perpetuate incorrect information. Help us challenge these myths & educate our community on the REAL reasons & impacts of youth homelessness for our children & young people.
Their family name is often a barrier, if their parents have had negative rental experience.
If you're a Landlord you have the ability to make a difference by giving young people an opportunity in your property. Not all young people are disrespectful party animals!- in fact the majority just want somewhere safe to live so they can get on with their lives. It is a risk, but no more a risk than renting to anyone else.
Ask your Real Estate Agent to check if young applicants are being supported by a Service (either YPS or another support agency) as this is a positive not a deficit. Young people who are receiving support generally have a greater understanding of their RTA obligations & there is a support person there to help mediate any issues that may come up during the tenancy.
The other option would be to contact your local Community Housing Provider (CHP) to see if they do Headlease arrangements in your area. Headleasing is a great way for Landlords to lower the risk on their investment property as you are guaranteed a rental return even if the property is vacant for a period of time & there are other benefits as well. To find out all the benefits of Headleasing contact your local CHP.
If this option is for you then let the CHP know that you want your property available specifically for young people and they will do the rest.
Youth unemployment is a significant concern across our community- in fact the MNC has the second highest Youth Unemployment rate in NSW. Poverty has direct links to youth homelessness and can have long-term impacts on a young person's ability to secure safe housing & be active members in our community.
There are lots of Government funded programs and incentives that support Employers to employ a young person in Traineeships, Apprenticeships or just as general staff members. If you're an Employer or local Business owner take a look at the support available to you & think about giving our young people a go.
If you have any other ideas on how you'd like to help then give us a call & have a chat- we are always happy to work with our community to support children & young people.


Part 2 of the Cubenen Gardens tale is out and things are starting to go underway. With the rules of the trials laid out Seaglass and his friends head to the Middle District in order to challenge a golfer at his favorite profession. They do get sidetracked however, and meet some new and interesting faces.


We all have done some type of landscaping at one time or another. Going out on a Saturday morning to mow the lawn. Picking out just the right area in your backyard so your vegetable garden will have the most sunlight during the day. Staining your backyard deck to protect it from the wear and tear of the outside elements. Choosing just the right type of plants to accent those shady areas around your home. Making sure you have the correct tools and equipment to complete your projects.
Doing landscape projects around your home can be a fun and very rewarding experience. Some people putter around the garden to relax and release the tension of a stressful day. Others may choose to do landscape projects around the home to get their daily excercise. Then others may choose to landscape their front or back yards to improve the property value of their home.
Whatever your reason is for improving and creating a beautiful outdoor living area. Landscape Living is here to assist you with simple landscape, garden and design ideas and tips and tricks that are easy and affortable to do. So if you are interested in learning how you can improve the landscape and garden around your home. Bookmarking our site would be a great idea as we wil be actively posting great ideas and articles to assist you with all of your landscape, garden and design projects. So what are you waiting for? Bookmark our site to your favorites and dig in.
Get our year round Insider Tips and Information on How To Improve Your Landscape and Garden. Sign up and recieve your Free Copy of our Hardscaping Your Landscape Report. A $97 value Yours Free for being an Insider Member. Get Your Free Report Now!
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Thank you for the useful articles you have here. Maintaining one's garden is a very important part of landscaping.
This one's a post that's full of information and inspiration. Our outdoor space is an extension to our homes, and it is just as important as our house's interiors. At the end of a busy day or week, it's really nice to come home to a place with a beautiful and relaxing outdoor living area. It would also be nice to have a place where you can breathe some fresh air and enjoy a wonderful view with friends and family. I believe it will be a good investment to get expert landscapers who will create a truly wonderful garden or landscape for your home.
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Coach Kennedy to have his day in court
Kitsap
BREMERTON — Former assistant football coach Joe Kennedy will see some movement Monday in his religious liberty suit against Bremerton School District.
Kennedy claims the district in 2015 wrongfully barred him from praying on the field after football games and retaliated against him for violating the ban. Oral arguments from both sides in the case will be heard in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle.
"We're grateful for the opportunity to have Coach Kennedy have his day in court to have his arguments heard," said Mike Berry of First Liberty law firm, Kennedy's lead attorney. "We're hopeful for a favorable outcome."
Joining the case on behalf of the school district is a coalition of groups led by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The coalition includes a dozen organizations — some affiliated with Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism — that argue religious education of children is a matter best left to families and houses of worship.
Kennedy's cause is also being supported by many legal allies, including former Seahawk Steve Largent, who argue Kennedy's right to free speech was violated.
Other "friend of the court" briefs filed on Kennedy's behalf came from former Dallas Cowboy defensive tackle Chad Hennings and an attorney for two Garfield High School football coaches, who joined their players in September in a pregame demonstration to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
School district officials in September 2015 became aware that Kennedy had been participating in and often leading prayer with students before and after games. Superintendent Aaron Leavell issued a letter to all district employees clarifying that while students can pray publicly at school, employees must refrain from doing so. The school district's policy is based on the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits establishment of a government sanctioned religion.
Kennedy initially abided by the district's edict, but after the game on Oct. 16, 2015, he walked onto the field and knelt in prayer. He was immediately joined by a swarm of players and others. The district placed him on paid leave and did not renew his contract in 2016.
Kennedy's legal team in October 2016 appealed a ruling in U.S. District Court of Western Washington, bumping the case up to federal court. The district court denied Kennedy's request for a court order requiring the Bremerton School District to reinstate him as a coach while his case was making its way through the courts.
Kennedy and his legal team argue that his postgame prayer did not violate the U.S. Constitution's provision for the separation of church and state, since the prayer occurred after the game concluded. The district argues that Kennedy was still on duty as a coach until students had left the field and gone home.
Andrew Nellis of Americans United for Separation of Church and State will argue to the court that while students in public schools have the right to openly pray on school grounds, school employees hold positions of authority over students so are enjoined from public display of religious practices.
"Students at public schools should have the right to practice their own faith without being pressured to join in a religious practice that's not their own," Nellis said. "What was going on, he was creating an inherently coercive environment for students on the football team and in the school."
Both Americans United and First Liberty have been party to other high-profile religious liberty cases, arguing from opposing positions.
Bremerton School District's attorney was not available for comment.