Questions tagged [literature]
The Chinese literature
17
questions
1
vote
1answer
50 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
votes
1answer
53 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]:
...
5
votes
4answers
292 views
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 ...
0
votes
0answers
67 views
Can't track down an early 20th century short story
I read a Chinese short story a long time ago, but can't track it down now. Don't remember the author, but he was one of the early 20th century classics (maybe even Lu Xun?...).
Plot: An intellectual ...
0
votes
1answer
191 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
121 views
Has 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
116 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) ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
Types of 剧 in (modern) China?
When studying Chinese, the Chinese learner journal had a section to talk sky the various kinds of 剧 (theatrical work, opera, drama), for example 北京剧, etc., and it almost seems to me like every city ...
0
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3answers
191 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 ...
4
votes
4answers
164 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。
...
5
votes
4answers
4k views
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
28 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
40 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
73 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
44 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
votes
1answer
212 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 ...
3
votes
2answers
647 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 ...
