Questions tagged [literature]
The Chinese literature
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In the novel 猫城记, why does 老舍 use 的 (instead of 地) for adverbs?
From the first chapter of 猫城记 by 老舍, we see examples where 的 is used where I would expect to use 地 (to indicate an adverb):
我应当先去挖坑，但是我没有去挖，只呆呆的看着四外，从泪中看着四外。
动是我自己不能负责的，现在想来，这或者是最近情理的解释与自恕。
鸟儿下来一只。...
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1answer
2k views
What does Lao Tzu mean by "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished"?
Did he pro-claim this quote? I know Modern English didn't exist in his time, thus this is a translation. “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished” – Lao Tzu : quotes
I disagree. The ...
3
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2answers
145 views
The legend of the Chinese dragon
I found a story about the origin of the Chinese dragon in English but can't find it anywhere in Chinese.
The characters' names are Chi Yu and Hieun Tse in the English version.
Does anyone know if ...
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1answer
314 views
Romance of the Three Kingdoms English translation with Pinyin names?
Are there any English translations of Romance of the Three Kingdoms that use Pinyin (including tone marks) for person and place names?
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1answer
62 views
Who said "he who is in a rush shall walk slowly"?
A while back I read the saying "he who is in a rush shall walk slowly". I have seen it be attributed to Confucius (https://www.wer-weiss-was.de/t/redewendung-wer-es-eilig-hat-soll-langsam-gehen/...
3
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1answer
74 views
Ten obligations in 三字经
Here's the final excerpt from part one of 三字经 [1]:
父子恩 夫婦從 兄則友 弟則恭 長幼序 友與朋 君則敬 臣則忠 此十義 人所同
Simplified Chinese:
父子恩 夫妇从 兄则友 弟则恭 长幼序 友与朋 君则敬 臣则忠 此十义 人所同
Translation [2]:
...
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7answers
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A better translation of 假作真时真亦假，无为有处有还无。
In the Chinese classic 红楼梦 ("Dream of Red Mansions"), there is a famous couplet:
假作真时真亦假，无为有处有还无。
Pinyin:
jiǎ zuò zhēn shí zhēn yì jiǎ, wú wéi yǒu chù yǒu huán wú.
This has been translated into ...
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2answers
145 views
Chinese literature database 中文文学作品资料库
Suppose I have a phrase like 说得很好, and I want to know how this phrase is normally used (that is, what usually comes before or after, e.g. maybe it's most commonly used in conjunction with the phrase ...
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1answer
273 views
What is this translation of "Journey To The West"?
I found this English translation of: Journey To The West on Inner Journey To The West dot com.
I can't see any information about the translation though.
Who did it?
Was it published?
Is it in the ...
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1answer
175 views
Has the story《碾玉觀音》been translated into English?
I'm currently reading《碾玉觀音》and whilst I'm aware that Lin Yutang has produced a translation, I've been told it's not particularly loyal to the original plot and therefore am not keen on reading it as ...
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2answers
130 views
Question about the usage of 是---的 in Chinese Bible translation
I have a very poor grasp of Chinese, being only a beginner learning.
These are two parallel translations of John 1:17.
1) 因為律法是藉著摩西賜下的，
2) 律法本是藉着摩西传的
The best I can make sense of them is:
1) ...
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3answers
322 views
Categories in Chinese literature - Original terms
I am reading Sabrina Knight, Chinese Literature, A very short introduction. The book mentions a fourth century division of literature into:
Classics
History
Daoist and Buddhist Masters, Masters of ...
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4answers
183 views
砲響: were there cannons in ancient China?
After reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I was surprised to see a lot of references to 砲響 (the sound of cannonade). Here's a few examples:
嚴綱鼓譟吶喊，直取麴義，義軍見嚴綱兵來，都伏而不動；直到來得至近，一聲砲響，八百弓弩手一齊俱發。
三國演義 ...
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4answers
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Why is Sherlock Holmes translated as "福尔摩斯" (Fuermosi)?
The last name of the detective Sherlock Holmes is translated as "福尔摩斯"(Fuermosi) in Chinese, which seems to be strange, since the Chinese pronunciation is nowhere close to the English one, beginning ...
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1answer
31 views
"There was no attitude of poverty in his poetry" 絶無窮態
more Joseon dynasty classical Chinese.
In the poetry he had written, in the end, there was no attitude of poverty. How was it he never became well-known?
其所爲詩絶無窮態。竟不振。何哉。
Does this make sense? Can ...
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1answer
42 views
Whats the most well known 圣谕书?
四川方言词典 defines 圣谕书 as:
(名)旧时民间流传的劝人行善，宣扬因果报应的故事书，本为*讲圣谕用的底本，所以称～：屋主人时常惯用小竹片撑开眼睑，坐在下面看～。(祖61)
圣谕书 sounds like an interesting version of "Chinese fables".
I'm curious as to what the most well known ...
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1answer
87 views
The meaning of 得趣...to get a taste for something?
More from Chouchengzhi.
I would appreciate thoughts on my translation of the following...my supervisor doesn't like my translation of 得趣 at all! Does it mean something more like 'to get a taste for ...
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1answer
47 views
Another couple of doozies: 許臣時一中之... and 敢不勉增淸烈。益播芳芬。
Ok folks, I have another asshole section from the text I am working on, Suseongji (Chouchengzhi), by a 16th century Joseon literatus...
This time, this passage is driving me nuts:
攻愁有方。許臣時一中之。不疑於用。...
2
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1answer
316 views
Chinese literature vocabulary
I'm looking for synonyms of everyday words, and I realized many of these "complicated words" are used in Chinese literature. Is there a name for this group of words? For example, we sometimes read 蓦然 ...
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2answers
1k views
Oral Tradition: Chinese Folktales, Sayings, Ballads, Songs, Chants, Etc
With the first translation and publication of the first edition of Grimms' Fairy Tales into English recently, I've been wondering a lot about Chinese and/or Sinological oral tradition.
The Wikipedia ...