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A Story about Retribution: Harming Others is Harming Oneself; a Robber in This Life, a Slave in the Next
2005-11-18When both men were in the mountain and no one was around, Zhao Huan took out his knife and tried to kill his nephew, saying that he wanted revenge for the injustice of three generations. Zhao Xian ran into the woods to a temple made from hay. As Zhao Huan followed, an old monk stopped him and asked him what he wanted. Zhao Huan declared, "I want to kill my enemy." The old monk laughed out loud, "What enemy? You are your own enemy. Wait a minute, I will let you know your past life stories. After that you will be able to see who the bad guy really is." -
Painting: Mighty Virtue
2005-11-17 -
Stories from Ancient China: The Story of “Kind Person’s Bridge”
2005-11-16She said, “We are luckily that you have given us instructions where to build a good house. Since then, our farm has done very well. All our family members are happy and healthy. Our life is really good. We have always wanted to find you and give our thanks to you. To our surprise, you are here again.” She then prepared a banquet to honour him. She requested all her family members to personally thank him one by one. The fengshui master was deeply confused. He felt bad about what he had done before and grew quiet. -
Stories from Ancient China: Qin Hui the Stinker
2005-11-15The crowd surrounded the Futai and was determined to drag him to go and have a look. The Futai had no other choice but to sit on the large sedan chair carried by eight people and they came to the West Lake. A few li’s (the distance unit used by Chinese people. 1 li = 500 meters, or 0.3 mile) away from the lakefront, he smelled a strong odour blowing straight to the sedan chair. Luckily he hadn’t eaten breakfast in the morning because he didn’t get a chance. Even then he barely managed to hold back the vomit. -
Greed without Virtue Leads to Disaster
2005-11-14His wife said to him, "If one is not capable, but assumes a high ranking position, he can only do harm; if one accumulates wealth without merit, he is accumulating potential disaster. Now you are accumulating more and more wealth just because you are greedy. I heard there is a leopard in the South Mountain who was hiding in the foggy rainy for seven days to moisten its fur and help it to grow spots, so that it can better avoid being harmed. If a pig eats everything and gets fat, it will be soon butchered. You do not cultivate virtue but our family is getting wealthy day by day. We are doomed to face disaster." -
Stories from Ancient China: Being an Upright, Honest, and Trustworthy Person
2005-11-13His son nodded his head and looked as if he had finally understood his father. Liang Guozhi continued, “Being honest is the first step to become a good person. Only a person who does not lie and is honest can become an open and upright person.” -
Poem: Coming to Light
2005-11-12The darkest matter fadingmyriads of worlds cascadingnew heavens now coming to light.With compassion come allunfolding where shadows fallawakening hearts forever bright. -
Poem: Shadows
2005-11-11Shadows, a castof many pervadingChina’s heart and soul.Soon coming to passas the truth dawns at lastno longer under the CCP's control. -
Fun With Yuan Dynasty Songs: “Lamb on the Hill” by Chen Caoan
2005-11-10Take Chen Caoan for an example. He was a Han that rose to the post of Deputy Prime Minister. Even a Deputy Prime Minister experienced the pain of discrimination, let alone common Han civilians and peasants. Chen Caoan expressed his misery using sarcasm and black humour, but the humour in the poem made the poet’s sadness become more apparent. Readers are likely to find the poem mildly amusing but feel terribly sad for the poet. -
Fun with Tang Dynasty Poetry: “Self Understanding”
2005-11-09Fang Guan was said to be a Zen Buddhist in his last life, Wang Wei claims himself to be a painter in his previous life.I too observe my fates in past lives, Finding my predestined relationship with poetry more than once.That explains why I create poems like crazy, And wrote even more in sickness than when I was well. -
Preface to the “Fun with Yuan Dynasty Songs” Series
2005-11-08In sharp contrast with Tang Dynasty Poetry and Song Dynasty Lyric Verse, Yuan Dynasty Songs are full of life and their language is very animated. They also allow richer and more colourful expressions. Moreover, they are distinctly more beautiful when recited or sung because of their more perfected rhyming. When they first become acquainted with Yuan Dynasty Songs, readers who are used to reading Tang Dynasty Poetry and Song Dynasty Lyric Verse often find Yuan Dynasty Songs very refreshing. -
Cultivating One's Morality by Enduring a False Accusation
2005-11-07All the bystanders said that Mr. Wei had always been a noble and respectable man and that the patient's son should not vilify such a moral man by accusing him of stealing money. But when the man came out of Mr. Wei's home with silver in his hand, everyone sighed in disappointment. They said, "It is known that a man's true character cannot be judged by his appearance, but who would have expected that Mr. Wei was such a person!" All the town folks began to condemn and defame Mr. Wei, but he seemed impervious to the harsh criticism. -
Suffering Loss is a Blessing
2005-11-06Lin Tuizhai told them, "I don't have much to say. As long as you learn to be forbearing, that will be enough. Since ancient times, there have been lots of heroes who failed in many things only because they couldn't endure a loss! Since ancient times, there were also many heroes who have achieved many things only because they were able to endure the shame and suffering of loss! For example, Han Xin endured the shame of crawling under a thug's legs, but later he was able to become a great general and be conferred as Sanqi King by Liu Bang, while the youth in Huaiyin who insulted him earlier in life became his subordinate." -
Poem: Illuminating
2005-11-05Worlds awakeninghistory in the makingCome hearts ascendcompassion and all. -
Poem: Aeons to Come
2005-11-04Like a flame to the firmamentlight unfolding, awakening worlds upon widest horizons.