Letter: A Brief Memoriam for the Yellow Flower Hill Uprising
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A Brief Memoriam for the March 29 Yellow Flower Hill Uprising in 1910
It was almost a century ago, Dr. Sun Yat Sen led the Revolution that overthrew the Manchu Dynasty. In the course of Revolution, many heroes died. On March 29, 1910 (Lunar Calendar), the “Canton Uprising” ( 廣州起義) or more popularly known as the “Yellow Flower Hill” Uprising (黃花崗) in Canton was the most famous and gallant one. It was led by Wong Hing or Huang Xing (In Chinese, 黃興). My grandma, who was the sister of Hu Han Min (胡漢民), and her sister-in-law 陳淑子 disguised as brides and smuggled weapons from Hong Kong for this uprising. The revolutionaries made the ultimate sacrifice for their people. The uprising turned into a catastrophic loss. Most revolutionaries were killed, only few managed to escape. Only 86 bodies were found (only 72 could be identified), and the bodies of others could never be found.
The ones that were found became known as the 72 Martyrs (七十二烈士). They were buried by a brave businessman in the Yellow Flower Hill (originally called the Red Flower Hill). The dead were mostly youths with all kinds of social backgrounds, students, teachers, journalists, rich merchants, and oversea Chinese. Before the battle, most of the revolutionaries knew that the battle would probably be lost, since they were heavily outnumbered, but they went into battle anyway. Their letters to their loved ones were later found. One named Lin Jue Min 林覺民 wrote a farewell letter to his young wife, which became the poignant, heartrending 別妻書. A must read in the old days.
But the defeat roused up everyone in China and on October 10th the next year, the revolution became an all out event. Soon after the gun fired its first shot in Wu Han’s Yellow Crane Tower 黃鶴樓, the Republic of China 中華民國 was born. The day October10th was the original National Day for China, known as the Double Ten Day (雙十節). The Yellow Flower 72 Martyrs’ tomb is in Canton. Although the Communist could not erase this part of the Chinese history, they tried. They have erased all the writings bearing the original name “Republic of China” or “Kuomintang” that were etched in the stone. Have they put them back by now? And their tour guides never mention the most famous day of the Yellow Crane Tower.
We should never forget history but time has changed and so much of our history was distorted by the Communist. But I for one will not forget the truth. Even if I am standing all by myself.
（一）
燕丹賓客唱紅牙，痛說當年一著差。
遙對豐碑磨損地，零星涕淚祭黃花。
（二）
文章脊骨自經營，豪氣天生豈偶成？
惟恐終隨秋草盡，荒祠夜夜聽狐鳴。
— end —-
Admin, 11 pictures are being uploaded. Please free to use which ones you want to use.
These pictures have been taken on Yellow Crane Tower and some in memorial garden in Canton by TonyP4 during my trip to China.
There are currently 1 comments highlighted: 71265.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Great story…
I see many mini-series from the Mainland with stories from the late Qing and Republican periods. I never got a sense that the ROC (or for that fact, the Qing) was denigrated.
Am I just being naive or is Sun-Yat Sen and other early revolutionaries still being denigrated in the schools on the Mainland?
April 1st, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Bai sent me a lot of info. that I will twist his arm so he can share them with us. I cannot tell you his real name, or I have to kill you. 🙂
They must be the real facts from his father, grand pa/ma, uncles.. some participated in the revolution. They are facts. What we learned from schools could be different.
We’ve been to Yellow Crane Tower. We did not know the significance in our history until now. Does CCP omit the fact due to the glorious act of a different political party? If so, they should change as you cannot fool folks all the time.
Admin, how come I cannot see three of the last four pictures.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:00 pm
@TonyP4,
There is a problem with the plugin we use to generate thumbnails for large jpg files. You may still see the picture if you click on them.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Manchu is one of the 55 or so minorities. So, I treat them as civil war.
China overthrew the empire (ruled by a king) after a long history and formed a people’s republic (ruled by a president). It has precise meaning in Chinese (king country and people’s country). Should learn how to input in Chinese.
China almost returned to an empire by Yuen.
That’s our significant history.
—–
On a separate thread on religion. Do Chinese in the main land learn about how Dr. Sun broke the arm of a Buddha stature and said ‘if you cannot protect yourself, how can you protect those who worship you?’
April 1st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Any one has the letter to the patriot’s wife?
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Hi folks, this topic may not be a good one for debate, as there is not much to debate.
However, I would like to know whether CCP does not want us to learn this part of history due to the glory of the previous government.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:05 pm
This is the famous letter from the patriot to his young wife. Any one read this one before?
It is many, many times sadder than the Letters from Imo Jimo where the Japanese soldiers were portrayed as ‘human beings’. Watch Nanjing, the documentary, and you will see what I mean.
Hope some one would translate it into English.
This is sent to me from Bai. I’m stealing his thunder. 🙂
Admin, why he needs to be activated to be able to comment?
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意映卿卿如晤：
吾今以此書與汝永別矣！吾作此書，淚珠和筆墨齊下，不能竟書，而欲擱筆！又恐汝不察吾衷，謂吾忍舍汝而死，謂吾不知汝之不欲吾死也，故遂忍悲為汝言之。
吾 至愛汝，即此愛汝一念，使吾勇於就死也。吾自遇汝以來，常願天下有情人都成眷屬；然遍地腥羶，滿街狼犬，稱心快意，幾家能夠？語云：「仁者老吾老以及人之 老，幼吾幼以及人之幼。」吾充吾愛汝之心，助天下人愛其所愛，所以敢先汝而死，不顧汝也。汝體吾此心，於啼泣之餘，亦以天下人為念，當亦樂犧牲吾身與汝身 之福利，為天下人謀永福也。汝其勿悲！
汝憶否？四、五年前某夕，吾嘗語曰：「與其使我先死也，無寧汝先吾而死。」汝初聞言而怒；後經吾婉解，雖不謂吾言為是，而亦無辭相答。吾之意，蓋謂以汝之弱，必不能禁失吾之悲。吾先死，留苦與汝，吾心不忍，故寧請汝先死，吾擔悲也。嗟夫！誰知吾卒先汝而死乎！
吾 真真不能忘汝也。回憶後街之屋，入門穿廊，過前後廳，又三、四折，有小廳，廳旁一室，為吾與汝雙棲之所。初婚三、四月，適冬之望日前後，窗外疏梅篩月影， 依稀掩映。吾與汝並肩攜手，低低切切，何事不語？何情不訴？及今思之，空餘淚痕。又回憶六、七年前，吾之逃家復歸也，汝泣告我：「望今後有遠行，必以具 告，我願隨君行。」吾亦既許汝矣。前十餘日回家，即欲乘便以此行之事語汝；及與汝對，又不能啟口。且以汝之有身也，更恐不勝悲，故惟日日呼酒買醉。嗟夫！ 當時余心之悲，蓋不能以寸管形容之。
吾誠願與汝相守以死。第以今日時勢觀之，天災可以死，盜賊可以死，瓜分之日可以死， 奸官污吏虐民可以死，吾輩處今日之中國，無時無地不可以死，到那時使吾眼睜睜看汝死，或使汝眼睜睜看我死，吾能之乎？抑汝能之乎？即可不死，而離散不相 見，徒使兩地眼成穿而骨化石；試問古來幾曾見破鏡重圓？則較死尤苦也。將奈之何！今日吾與汝幸雙健，天下之人，不當死而死，與不願離而離者，不可數計；鍾 情如我輩者，能忍之乎？此吾所以敢率性就死，不顧汝也。
吾今日死無餘憾，國事成不成，自有同志者在。依新已五歲，轉眼成人，汝其善撫之，使之肖我。汝腹中之物，吾疑其女也；女必像汝，吾心甚慰；或又是男，則亦教其以父志為志，則我死後，尚有兩意洞在也。甚幸！甚幸！
吾家日後當甚貧；貧無所苦，清靜過日而已。吾今與汝無言矣。吾居九泉之下，遙聞汝哭聲，當哭相和也。吾平日不信有鬼，今則又望其真有；今人又言心電感應有道，吾亦望其言是實；則吾之死，吾靈尚依依汝旁也，汝不必以無侶悲！
吾愛汝至。汝幸而偶我，又何不幸而生今日之中國！吾幸而得汝，又何不幸而生今日之中國！卒不忍獨善其身。嗟乎！紙短情長，所未盡者尚有幾萬千，汝可以模擬得之。吾今不能見汝矣。汝不能舍我，其時時於夢中得我乎！一慟！
辛亥三月二十六夜四鼓意洞手書
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
@TonyP4,
Everyone is free to comment on this site. I think your friend confused the account registration process to comment requirement.
As to Mr. Lin’s letter, it was in the official Chinese textbook when I was in high school, so I don’t think CCP does not want people to learn this part of history.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Correction. Should be Iwo Jima.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Allen wrote:
Am I just being naive or is Sun-Yat Sen and other early revolutionaries still being denigrated in the schools on the Mainland?
+++++
Sun Yat-Sen was never denigrated to begin with. Teaching of history of that period is also becoming more objective in general with the passage of time. The stuff against KMT had been mostly ideological anyway, not personal.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Lin Juemin’s letter to his wife is taught in mainland China’s high schools as a part of the standard 语文教材。 If you go to Beijing around the National Holiday (October 1st), you will see a large portrait of Sun Yat-sen erected in the Tiananmen Square. According to Beijingers, it’s been a tradition since the early 80s, which was roughly the time the effect to erase the trace of ROC and KMT stopped.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Thanks for the correction. I do not know about this letter and the Yellow Crane Tower uprising in Hong Kong. When I was in Yellow Crane Tower, nothing was mentioned about this historical event.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:34 am
Friends, we can debate about things only when we know the facts. If we were never told what happened, our judgment will be biased and our arguments will be nothing more than endless and pointless quarrels. I only want to tell what I know in China’s last 100 years. In the best of my knowledge and in the most truthful way. Correct me if I have any omissions or oversights. I hope when we know more about history, we can assess and debate what’s right or wrong in a more objective manner. Then the time we spend in debating each other is more productive. Even if it doesn’t really matter much to the Chinese government.
I always want to be wrong about my view of the Chinese Communist. I love China so much that I wish I was wrong. After all, no one should equate anti-communist to anti-China. Unless you are one of those Angry Youths (憤青).
I am happy to learn that they are teaching Lin Jue Ming’s farewell letter in schools. I hope they will teach KMT history in full. Especially the 1911 revolution and the role and sacrifice of the KMT army during the resistant war against the Japanese.
My comment of “erasing history” is based on personal observation. I was in Canton in 1993 and then in 1997. I saw the missing of the replica of the Statue of Liberty that was supposed to be on top of the 72 Martyr Tomb. It was donated by the overseas Chinese in the US. And I found all the “Dedicated by KMT” that were originally etched on every stone was washed. Then when I visited the tomb of my grand uncle 胡漢民 and my grandma, the original grand entrance was completely blocked by a big school. We had to go inside the school, walk across the playground in the back and then climb over a short wall. It was totally hidden. No one would find it. Clearly, the government did not want anyone to see it but did not want to bulldoze it outright.
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Hi Bai, thanks and I wish you to continue to contribute here. This site has less Angry youths, Chinese apologists and Chinese bashers than most other similar sites. We encourage debate and find out the truth. This site is well run and reflects different POVs: mainlanders, overseas, foreigners, and even Tibetans.
This topic may not be debatable and controversial compared to Chinese human right, Tibet… However, it is more interesting for Chinese and what we learned from school about our recent history (we did not learn much in Hong Kong).
In Western calendar, the date is 4-27-1910. It should be the 99th anniversary this 27th day.
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
@Bai
I think, if things progress well in China, those things might get put back or out in the open. I get upset by FQ too, especially when they are FQ and Chinese apologists. During school we were taught the story of 72 martyrs I have never had the pleasure to visit their tomb. Hopefully, when I graduate (in a year… 3 years long over due) I want to see all of these historical sites in China. I am thinking backpacking, but I can’t handle more than 2 days without a shower… so many just traveling…lol
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Hi Mia, you need those cheap Chinese perfume and you do not have to take a shower even in hot & humid summer days in South China. 🙂
I’ve friends and friends’ daughters backpicking to Europe. They never regretted. At first I was thinking she was missing the best job market for the decade. China is quite affordable esp. for the local or pretend to be – quite easy for you as you can speak Mandarine.
Take some pictures and try to sell them. So, you may be able to deduct all your expenses. Better yet, convince your parents to give you the money as it is educational experience. Taking local tours could be an alternative.
Send us a postcard when you go.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:22 pm
@Tony
My parents are “小氣鬼” they will not give me money to go to china…
I went to europe. We rented a car and drove all over southern france, barcelona and italy. I prefer no sweat traveling… lol
I love traveling, so when I go to China, it will get well planned out by me… where I can get a shower at least once every two days.. and hot meals 🙂
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
More.
Lin. http://www.cctv.com/english/TouchChina/China20th/20020801/100096.html
——
Partial translation of the letter.
From http://hi.baidu.com/king2014/blog/item/b9251238af0214f5b211c7a7.html
与妻书（清 林觉民） The Last Letter to My Wife –-by Lin Juemin
意映卿卿如晤：吾今以此书与汝永别矣！吾作此书时，尚是世中一人；汝看此书时，吾已成为阴间一鬼。
My beloved Yiying:
I hereby say goodbye to you, never to return. While writing this letter, I still belong to this world, but by the time you read it, I will have been transferred to the hell.
吾作此书，泪珠和笔墨齐下，不能竟书而欲搁笔，又恐汝不察吾衷，谓吾忍舍汝而死，谓吾不知汝之不欲吾死也，故遂忍悲为汝言之。
When composing this message, I get so sad that tears mix with ink on the piece of paper. Unable to finish it, I feel tempted to put the pen aside. Then on second thought, I am afraid that you may fail to grasp my intention. That is, you are likely to misunderstand that I am not only ruthless enough to leave you behind but also oblivious to your insistence that I must not end my life. Therefore, repressing my sadness, I go on explaining the reason to you.
吾至爱汝，即此爱汝一念，使吾勇于就死也。吾自遇汝以来，常愿天下有情人都成眷属；然遍地腥膻，满街狼犬，称心快意，几家能彀？司马春衫，吾不能学太上之忘情也。语云：仁者【老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼。】吾充吾爱汝之心，助天下人爱其所爱，所以敢先汝而死，不顾汝也，汝体吾此心，于啼泣之余，亦以天下人为念，当亦乐牺牲吾身与汝身之福利，为天下人谋永福也。汝其勿悲！
I love you with all my heart. It is thanks to my deep affection for you that I pluck up my courage to face death. Since our first contact, I have always hoped that all the sincere couples in this world will be tied by marriage. Nevertheless, as the present world is full of disgusting smell and fierce beasts, how many of them can be said to be blissful? Like Bai Juyi, who was depressed by the unfair treatment he had suffered, I am not so cool-headed as Heaven that I can overlook compassion. As mentioned in one of the classics, the kind person respects all the seniors and also cherishes all the children, whether they are related to him by blood. Encouraged by my passion for you, I am determined to help human beings love their beloved ones. For this reason, I dare to embrace death sooner than you, deserting you heartlessly. Supposing you get into my heart and soul, you are bound to take all our fellow countrymen into consideration even though you may be full of sorrow. In this way, you may be happy that we stand up for the everlasting welfare of all mankind at the cost of our own. With this in mind, you have good reason not to be saddened.
汝忆否？四五年前某夕，吾尝语曰：【与使吾先死也，无宁汝先吾而死。】汝初闻言而怒，后经吾婉解，虽不谓吾言为是，而亦无词相答。
Do you remember I had a significant conversation with you one night about four years ago? On that occasion, I said, ＂If I have to make a choice, I would rather die later than you.＂ On hearing this, you flew into a temper. After listening to my patient clarifications, you still disagreed with me but found no suitable words to refute me.
吾之意盖谓以汝之弱，必不能禁失吾之悲，吾先死留苦与汝，吾心不忍，故宁请汝先死，吾担悲也。嗟夫！谁知吾卒先汝而死乎？吾真真不能忘汝也！
My main point is that you are too feeble to bear the loss of me. How dare I die earlier than you and leave the unbearable sorrow to you? Thus, I would rather mourn your death than let you mourn mine. Oh, how heartbreaking! Who can foretell that I am to die sooner than you? Needless to say, I cherish you more than anything else.
回忆后街之屋，入门穿廊，过前后厅，又三四折，有小厅，厅旁一室，为吾与汝双栖之所。初婚三四个月，适冬之望日前后，窗外疏梅筛月影，依稀掩映；吾与汝并肩携手，低低切切，何事不语？何情不诉？及今思之，空余泪痕。
Now my memory goes back to our house, which is situated on the hind lane and forms a part of a huge housing complex. After entering the gate and walking on the hallways, one may pass by the antechamber and hind chamber. Taking three or four turns, one will see a small living room. Next to the living room is our nest of love. Some four months after our marriage, roughly on December 22nd, the moonlight peered through the sparsely-planted plum trees near the window, painting the ground with bright and dark spots. I strolled with you hand in hand in the garden, exchanging all sorts of views and revealing all the secrets in our hearts to each other. Thinking of the warm incidents is now making me tearful.
又回忆六七年前，吾之逃家复归也，汝泣告我：【望今后有远行，必以告妾，妾愿随君行。】吾亦既许汝矣。前十余日回家，即欲乘便以此行之事语汝，及与汝相对，又不能启口，且以汝之有身也，更恐不胜悲，故惟日日呼酒买醉。嗟夫！当时余心之悲，盖不能以寸管形容之。
Another thing which happened six or seven years ago comes back into my mind. Then I returned home after getting away. As soon as you saw me, you wailed, saying, “If you ever have to leave home again, be sure to take me with you.＂ And I agreed. Last time when I was home, more than ten days ago, I intended to have told you about this mission, but when you were in my presence, my tongue failed me. Moreover, as you were with child again, I held my tongue lest you should be overwhelmed with grief. What I could do then was drink myself to unconsciousness day after day. Oh! My sorrow was beyond description in that period of time.
吾诚愿与汝相守以死，第以今日事势观之，天灾可以死，盗贼可以死，瓜分之日可以死，奸官污吏虐民可以死，吾辈处今日之中国，国中无地无时不可以死，到那时使吾眼睁睁看汝死，或使汝眼睁睁看我死，吾能之乎？抑汝能之乎？
I really desire to to keep you company until we both die a natural death. However, in terms of the current situation, everyone is liable to die of natural disaster, robbery, foreign occupation, or corrupted officials＇ persecution. As miserable Chinese of the present, we are compelled to die anywhere and anytime. With our final days imposed upon us, can I bear to see you perish before my eyes, or can you take a similar act?
—–
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:17 pm
To continue the translation via google’s automatic service. It is better than nothing.
—–
Ru Zhenzhen I also should not forget. Backstreet Memory House, wearing a gallery entry, have been around the hall, and three, the already discounted list, there is a small hall, one room next to the Office for the habitat of the two-吾与汝. Three first marriage, in April, right before and after winter望日, Shu-Mei screen on the window film, one backdrop.吾与汝join hands in small voice low, not what language? He did not appeal the situation? And this thought, spare tears. Memory and six or seven years ago, I have of running away from home reversion, Yu泣告me: “there is hope for future travel, must have been to, I愿随line-jun.” XU Ru-吾亦say both.十余日go home before, this trip即欲things乘便language Ru; and Ru-right, then I should not Kai. And Ru in the有身also, may be more sad, but it is wine day call day买醉. Cardiff is cheap! At that time, more than sad heart, cover-inch pipe can not describe it.
Prudential is willing to work with Ru-I to die相守. The first view today’s times, natural disasters can die, can die Rogue, can divide up the day of death, rape officials abuse the public official can die, the Chinese吾辈today, no place can not die without, to look at that time so I watched Die Ru, or Ru helplessly watch me die, I can be of even? Suppression of even汝能? Can not die, but do not meet discrete, only two places to wear eye and bone into a fossil;破镜重圆seen how a few years old? Especially die than suffer also. He will be the Chennai! Fortunately, today’s dual-吾与汝health, people all over the world, improper die die, and from and from those who do not want to, of uncountable; love my generation such as those between the能忍? So I am here on率性die, do not also顾汝.
无余die today I regret, not into the affairs of state, in their own comrades. According to a new five-year-old has gone adult, Yu ask of their good to me Xiao. Ru-ventral thing, I suspect the female is also; female must like Ru, even comfort my heart; or another man, it also makes it to the father as the Chi, then I’m dead, there are two holes in it is intended. Very lucky! Very lucky!
Our home when the very poor; poor suffer nothing, just a quiet day off. And Ru吾今say a word. Heaven my home, tele-Wen Yu cry, cry with, and also when. I normally do not believe in ghosts, this is also true there is hope; modern telepathy also made money, look to his words吾亦are real; is my death, my soul is still next to it Yiyi Yu, Yu Lu no tragedy need not be !
To Sir Ru to. Fortunately, even thou me, how unfortunate and Health of China today! Fortunately, I have to Ru, how unfortunate and Health of China today! Can not bear to stay single.嗟乎! Short-long love of paper, not by those who are still a few million, Yu can get the Analog. Can not see吾今Yeouido. Ru I should not care, its always in my dream was even! One grief!
March 26 Hsinhai intended to drum hole four nights handwritten
>
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:39 pm
@TonyP4,
Thank for doing this. I am surprised that there isn’t a decent English translation of this beautiful letter. I just set up a wiki at http://foolsmountain.wikispaces.com/. Anyone who is interested in translating this letter, please go there and improve the current version Tony provided.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:26 pm
# 17
miaka9383
“when I go to China, … where I can get a shower at least once every two days.. and hot meals ”
Traveling in most cities, towns and villages in China, showers and hot meals are the least of your worries.
Culture shock, however, might be.
Here’s a good example. Even a big star like Chow Yun Fat & his wife spent a secret get-away week in a small village up in the hills, off the tourist beaten tracks. And because the tiny village is not a tourist spot, the price of tasty organic meals (i.e. vegies & chicken & fish straight from their own family small farm) and accommodation are super cheap and very good. A night in a nice single to 3 beds air conditioned bedroom with all the modern amenities- hot water shower and western toilets, costs only 60RMB (under 10US dollars) regardless of bed numbers. One price. So if you travel with a friend, that’s just 5 bucks a night each, or less with a third traveler.
If you can get “Travelogue” program on CCTV9 (International) on the internet, watch as many episodes as you can, and don’t forget to take notes.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 pm
@Hongkonger
I don’t get cultural shock….. so I guess I have nothing to worry about.
Shower and food is all I care about actually.. I know.. it sounds sad.. but I aspire to be Andrew Zimmerman, be able to travel the world and eat as much as different food as possible….
April 4th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Tony P4
A great posting. I very much enjoyed the story and I do hope the PRC and the ROC can reconcile.
And compliments to you friend Bai Ding (Hundred Nails?) on the evocative poems.
One of my greatgrandfather is actually Manchurian who resigned from his office as Imperial Inspector because he got fed up with all the infighting, corruption and general ineptitude of the Court and literally retreated into the hills with his hundred plus family members. Of course, there was also the small matter of him having executed a corrupt minor local official, whose extended family was not that minor after all, but that’s another story, so you can just imagine the kind of chaos China was in back then.
April 4th, 2009 at 4:02 am
admin
There’s a typo which I believe should read “disguised as brides” rather than “disguised as bribes”, unless I’m wrong of course, by which I mean I did not knowingly intend to disparage Tony P4’s parental lineage…..or unless it was some deliberate ruse dreamt up by his grandmother and grandaunt. 😉
(or maybe I’ve put my foot in it and have just dug myself a grave…..)
April 4th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Oli,
Thanks, corrected. 😉
April 4th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Yes, Oli, you’re correct. It sounds amusing too with the error. The author is Bai Ding. I just steal his thunder.
This is what Bai Ding wrote to me and is quite interesting:
On translation in #18. It is what I found from the web, but it is not a full translation. From the translation, the Chinese in literate style is very frugal in words but hard to understand.
Bai: The fact the translator can understand this style of Chinese writing tells me that his/her Chinese proficiency is very high. This is a literate style (文言)，not exactly classical, 古文, but it can be a challenge for people who have never been exposed to.
On Chinese poem. Contrary to my belief, Mandarin is a newer language and is not good for poems.
Bai:
Cantonese has more tones than Mandarin. It has inflected tones. Also, it is a much ancient dialect. When we recite classical poems in Cantonese, they rhyme nicely. But if we recite them in Mandarin, they are sometimes off. When the poets designed the rhyming schemes （韻部）thousand years ago, they didn’t speak Mandarin. Although they did not speak Cantonese either, Cantonese retains a lot of ancient auditory characteristics. I think some other old dialects (like Ha Ka) will have the same effect on poems. Mandarin is definitely not. China was desperate and it decided that all of us must speak Mandarin. And they also abbreviated the Chinese characters. That is not right.
On Cantonese. Agree with Bai especially some foul language in Cantonese is very expressive. I’ve a lot of Cantonese slang/jokes in my blog last month (click on TonyP4) if you understand Cantonese.
Bai: Cantonese is earthy (not really 俗)，but that’s the beauty of a vernacular dialect. And it is very vivid, accurate and pointed.
April 4th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Bai Ding means ordinary person. Do you remember the poem 談笑有鴻儒，往來無白丁.
April 4th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
@miaka9383,
I don’t think you need to worry too much about hot meals – as long as there are people, you’ll find food! I once found myself in the middle of some mountains, hungry and unsure how far the next village was. I saw some locals and asked them how long it would take, and they ended up inviting me back to their house for dinner for a small contribution. Chinese are particularly resourceful when it comes to seeing an opportunity to make a little extra money, and I saw it as money well spent because I got to see how the locals lived by following them out to the mountains and fields to get the food, then see how they cooked it.
As for showers, I was on the road for months and can say that almost all places on backpacker trails have some kind of tourist infrastructure set up. The only exception I came across was in the Miao village of Biasha in Guizhou, where the only place to stay was the village chief’s house. There was no shower, just a shared outdoor toilet. As it was cold and raining, I ended up staying in the nearest town instead. My advice would be that unless you’re certain you’ll have somewhere satisfactory to stay, arrive in each place fairly early so that if the facilities don’t suit you, you still have time to check out the sights before making arrangements to stay somewhere else.
@TonyP4,
Good to see a different kind of post here.
I agree, swearing in Mandarin just doesn’t do it for me!
April 4th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
The e-mails I sent to Tony p4 were typed as what e-mails are, and never edited. I found another typo in the brief paragraph on poetry. It should be a “deflected” tone instead of a “reflected” tone. Tony please correct it for me. Thanks.
In Chinese poems, each word is single syllabic. And it is either one of the two tones: the Level （平）and Deflected （仄）. The Deflected tone actually consists of the Rising（上）, Falling （去）and the Entering （入） tones. Each has a different auditory effect.
All poems in the world has some rules. This rule produces the effect that gives poems its musical effect. Western poems has a rule of Da Dum. Where the Da is the light sound and the Dum is the accentuated. For example: in the two-syllabic word “To-day”, the “To” is the Da and the “Day” is the Dum. They also have a set of forms.
But the Chinese, due to its mono syllabic nature, are more sophisticated and more fun to write. Not that it is easier.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Admin, would you please correct my comment #26 as Bai Ding pointed out in #29. Thanks! Tony
April 5th, 2009 at 1:27 am
@TonyP4,
Changed #26 as requested.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Tony P4 & Ms Chief,
I don’t know if you guys ever get this from your foregn friends. Just as I don’t hear the romance in French simply because I don’t speak it, Cantonese to the foreign ears seems to sound crude while Mandarin less so.
Tony,
Thanks for 陋室銘之 談笑有鴻儒，往來無白丁.
山不在高，有仙則名。
水不在深，有龍則靈。
斯是陋室，唯吾德馨。
苔痕上階綠，草色入帘青。
談笑有鴻儒，往來無白丁。
可以調素琴，閱金經。
無絲竹之亂耳，無案牘之勞形。
南陽諸葛廬，西蜀子云亭。
孔子云：「何陋之有？」
苔痕上階綠 ，草色入簾青。談笑有鴻儒，往來無白丁？
第一句話明明說很久沒有人來，所以階梯上都長滿了青苔，窗簾看出去長滿了青草。可見住的位置很荒涼。可是看到大部分的翻譯都說充滿生機和一片綠意，環境清幽。而第二句又更誇張了，說往來的都是大儒，往來沒有白丁！我覺得這句話的意思是：
那些被認為是大儒者是可笑的，來往的老百姓反而是值得學習的對象，如果眼中只有看到對方的缺點，任何人都是「白丁」。否則「陋室」中人就是與世俗人一般，是以外表看人的人了。
Tony,
Here are some fun stuff for your happy blog,
寢室銘
覺不在深，有睡就行。
吃不在多，能胖則靈。
斯是寢室，惟吾閒情。
雜誌翻得快，快報看得勤。
游泳摸三圈，尋思自摸贏。
可以看A片、玩網路。
無書聲之亂耳，有cd之樂聽。
雖非大賓館，堪比套房級。
心裡云：爽個不停。
辦公室銘: 事不在多，有做就行。話不在多，中聽則靈。
斯是辦公室，惟吾得閒情。公文翻得快，漫畫看得勤。
電話講不完，尋思唱歌去。可以聊聊天、上網路。
無雜聲之亂耳，有MP3之樂聽。難比大酒店，可似茶館級。
心裡云：爽到不行。
工作銘: 錢不在多，十萬就行。事不用少，好混則靈。
斯是涼缺，惟吾開心。老闆常加薪，上司不點名。
閒閒拿獎金，股票常漲停。有空常休假，出國四處行。
無塞車來煩心，無加班之勞形。運若長江水，財比滿天星。
April 4th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
愚公銘 … for Fool’s Mountain
山不必高，有公則平。
海不必深，投土則平。
斯是愚公，惟其心恆。
土石投海多，草色入簾青。
嘲諷有智叟，獻疑有其親。
可以平王屋，除太形。
有遺男之相助，有子孫之共鳴。
冀州王屋山，河陽太形峰。
愚公云：「何苦不平。」
政治銘: 才不在高，有官則名。學不在深，有權則靈。這個衙門，唯我獨尊。
前有吹鼓手，後有馬屁精。談笑有心腹，往來有小兵。
可以搞特權，結幫親。無批評之刺耳，有頌揚之雷鳴。
青雲直上天，隨風顯精神。群眾曰：「臭哉此翁！」
個不在高，百八就行。情不在深，浪漫則靈。斯是少東，惟吾遣金。
情書寫得精，禮物送得勤。能唱會彈琴，有車且多金。可以任差遣、亂使性。
無鼾聲之亂耳；無家事之勞形。壯勝猛男體、貌比牛郎俊。完事云：達令真行。
女友銘: 髮不在長，馬尾就行。愛不在濃，溫柔則靈。斯是小鳥，惟吾是依。
點心做得精、情話說得勤。能舞會調情、體貼且窩心。可以腰纖細、掌中輕。
無嘮叨之亂耳；無打掃之勞形。情似深海雋、貌略天仙遜。永不云：今晚不行。
For the rest:
男友銘, 求學銘: 師徒銘: 考試銘,..金錢銘, 權勢銘,
別墅銘,大款銘, 明星銘, 學術銘, 親情銘, 鋼琴銘
Click:
http://www.geocities.com/b032303/
麻雀銘: 藝不在精，有錢則靈。人不在多，四位則行。斯是清娛，惟麻將經。
斷么斷，聽門前清 。海底撈月，槓上尋坎心。
可以建精神，活腦筋。有晝夜之娛遣，無男女之區分
四圈見勝負，得意勿忘形。賭鬼云：「何厭之有？」
April 4th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
HKer, it is so funny. Thanks! Will include them in my blog.
This is the poem we are required to recite in HK. Do you have the same requirement? I hated to recite poems as it used up my limited brain cells. However, the benefits in later life outweigh the suffering then. haha.
I remember at least one naughty one in Cantonese on the same poem in my time in HK. It may not be polite to share it here, but just have a good laugh just thinking of it – a kind of HK male bonding. Thanks again.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:53 am
HongKonger & TonyP4,
I guess people like the sound of Mandarin as it has lots of sounds like sh, x, ch, zh, which are quite soft. I’ve found that Cantonese and Mandarin are spoken at different volumes, with Cantonese being slightly louder. What’s your experience of this? Cantonese is very singsongy and to foreign ears can sound like arguing, even if you’re just having a normal conversation. I think it’s due to a combination of the inflection and animated gestures, like the head bobbing forward when giving emphasis. Maybe it seems a bit aggressive to some, but perhaps this is why swearing works better!
I definitely hear the romance in French accents, but some people only hear it when French people speak English, not French. Does German sound harsh to you?
Here’s a joke which works in Taishanese but I think you can figure it out with Cantonese. It doesn’t work in Mandarin:
Ah Ming was known as the class rebel. he was proud of his reputation as the bad boy because he knew very well that the girls love a bad boy. One day in class, his teacher joked about him in front of everyone, which he really didn’t take kindly to, so was angry. It was time to go over some English, so the teacher started testing the students on vocabulary. ‘Now, Ah Ming, how do you say “猫” in English?’ He didn’t know the answer and decided to be defiant, so after ignoring the teacher for a few seconds and avoiding his gaze, with almighty effort and noise, he first gathered the saliva from the back of his throat ‘Kaaargh!’ then spat it out on to the floor ‘Tu!’. For a split second, he was pleased with this show of contempt, until the teacher’s eyes lit up, shocked ‘Yes, that’s right! Well done, Ah Ming!’ Ah Ming was a little confused before assuming the teacher was being sarcastic and was now seething at having been made fun of. After a few more questions around the class, it was Ah Ming’s turn again to answer another question. ‘How do you say the English word for “绿色”?’ To restore his reputation he decided to be rude and really get into trouble this time, so he barked ‘Ghee leen ah!’, only to be perplexed at becoming the star pupil, his reputation destroyed!
April 5th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Ms Chief #34
That joke was freaking hilarious. Got me rolling around for a good part of 5 mins.
April 5th, 2009 at 7:48 am
@ HKer, Ms Chief & TonyP4
HKer, Tony P4, LOL! I think you guys too have a wicked streak. I guess we are all 同道中人, 脑不由己!
Yes I do speak Cantonese as one of my grandmother is Hakka from HK, but I also find that HK Cantonese is often full of colloqiualism that changes almost monthly, much more so than any other dialect or other overseas Chinese communities. It seesm to me as though everybody in HK and particularly in the media are always trying to come up with clever sayings all the time to outdo each other.
Should I not visit HK for a year or so, I end up not being able to understand half the things people there are talking about! Consequently, for the first week or so I keep my mouth shut and just absorb the local mood until I get a handle on things, just so that I don’t come across as a total non-local.
I suppose this is a reflection of the competitive and vibrant nature of HK society, however the funny thing is that I see a similar phenomenon accelerating in mainland China as well, particularly on the internet and among the young. Overall I tend to regard this as quite positive.
On a side note I also find that Cantonese and Putonghua/Mandarin as it is spoke in SE Asia are also slowly diverging and drifting from the norm in HK and China. To the extent that it can at times sound quite distinctive with very pronounced local characteristics, especially the tendency to attached a “la!” at the end of the sentence for emphasis.
April 5th, 2009 at 8:13 am
MS Chief,
I enjoy watching foreign movies, French, German, Italian, Mexican, Korean, Japanese etc. I do think French ladies speaking English is very sexy. Southern Belles and Japanese girls too.
LOL. To non-Taishanese, it is indeed a funny sounding dialect. We have a lot of jokes in Cantonese by faking their accent. In the 80s, one the more well know HK comedians, Mak Ka used Taishanese in many of Sam Hui’s comical action hits.
My Mom used to think people from Chao Zhou were arguing when they were simply talking.
I personally enjoy listening to Dong Bei Mandarin, even the Taiwanese accent, especially coming
from their 槟榔 girls. (Not their ex-President, though.)
April 5th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Oli,
Yes, observing Hong Kong pop culture is an interesting undertaking. There’s the local eatery, wet market, dried goods and traditional grocery stores’ set of simplified phononymns. Numbers for prices and characters on food menu posters for example. Then there’s the Triad’s code words for all sorts of nouns and adjectives, particularly numbers, but those seem to become part of the mainstream usage very quickly.
When Steven Chow popularized 無厘頭文化, we all had a lot of fun. Think National Lampoons, Scary Movies etc. Although his typical movie roles are kind of similar to those that Peter Sellers, Steve Martin and Leslie Neilsen are known for, being a big fan of Bruce Lee, who can also be very funny, Steven Chow’s characters, are mostly very witty and like his idol, always plays a hero and a winner.
無厘頭文化嘅祖師爺,周星馳 .原本成句係「無厘頭尻」，曾經一度被誤認作粵語粗口嘅其中之一。「尻」字最最最原本係解屁股舊骨，『說文解字：尻，臀也。』，而「無厘頭尻」原意係指啲人頭尾不分，亂晒大籠，唔知做乜，後尾因為個「尻」字等同賓舟嘅粗口字，所以先畀人用嚟當粗口咁用，其實原本哩個詞語係相當文雅。
另一個來源係來自無來頭(來係白讀梨音)，即係唔知邊度來。
http://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%84%A1%E5%8E%98%E9%A0%AD
April 5th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Ms. Chief, may I include your joke in my blog which is a collection of jokes. Very funny!
Cantonese is ‘enhanced’ almost weekly due to the wealth of the city. When folks are rich, they’ve more time to ‘enhance’ their life: language, music, art…Same in many historical periods in China. My theory anyway. That’s why a rich man has a mistress. 🙂
English in HK has been ‘enhanced’ too: ‘likeky’, ‘feel’, ‘hurt’, ‘friend’… HKer can give us a lengthy list. I come across them by watching HK mini series – some of them are quite good. HK folks like to include some English words in the Cantonese phrase to boost their social standing, true or not?
April 5th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
TonyP4,
Be my guest, spread the laughter!
I’m sure there’s a lot of truth in your theory as you’re supposed to be able to tell the prosperity of a society by the state of its arts scene.
Yes, whenever I see Cantonese celebrities on TV these days, they always add a generous sprinkling of English words. I’m not sure if it’s all just showing off though, sometimes I get the feeling they think the English more succinctly expresses their sentiments.
To my ears, the pronunciation of Cantonese has evolved quite a bit. People seem to be dropping the ‘ng’ sound at the start of words like 牛. Also, ‘n’ sounds at the start of words are sounding more like ‘l’s and I have difficulty telling the difference between 男 and 蓝 these days. I also think the the tones have changed though I can’t quite put my finger on how exactly.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Tony,
Judging from the movies I love y’all know I am not a young man. In the old days, just as Tainanese words were added in Cantonese as condiments for humor, English mispronounced served the same purpose in conversation, lyrics and movie scripts. However, these days, this Chinglish in Chinese is getting out of hand . Some folks do it because they went to English medium schools with no Chinese taught, hence are not fluent in Chinese reading comprehension, which of course affect their spoken fluency. My father who was fluent in Cantonese, hakka, mandarin and English also had a hard time writing Chinese. I too went to English only schools, but I was fortunate to have a mother who taught me to read basic Mandarin at home.
Normally, I do consciously try to use Cantonese in conversation without butchering it.
When I watch or listen to a Cantonese or Mandarin movie or song, I would prefer not to hear them overly adultered with English. It’s kinda like too much French or whatever in spoken or written English. An occassional word and phrase in a paragraph to enhance the sentiment is certainly fine.
Ms Chief,
“Yes, whenever I see Cantonese celebrities on TV these days, they always add a generous sprinkling of English words.”
Many of the younger celebrities are overseas Chinese who grew up speaking English most of their lives.
“‘ng’ sound at the start of words like 牛. Also, ‘n’ sounds at the start of words are sounding more like ‘l’s and I have difficulty telling the difference between 男 and 蓝 these days.”
This slacker’s pronunciation phenomena 懒音 is universal it seems.
HRT (high-rise terminals), HRT or uptalk, causes a statement to sound more like a question because the speaker’s voice gets higher at the end of the sentence, a speech habit that is taking over the way we talk.
More and more people do these days. All over the world, in fact – in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand – and it’s on the increase. Naturally, it’s mainly young people that use HRT: teenagers, of course, but more and more pre-teens are doing it as well. There are even some adults who have either grown up using it or who are getting HRT off their kids. Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. “Linguistic trends always begin decades before they are noticed by the media,” he says, citing a 48-year-old college professor friend from southern California who, he says, has always been an “uptalker”. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if it went global,” says Pinker. “The coolest kids decide to talk that way and it spreads like wildfire.” The Guardian, Friday 21 September 2001
当今粤语懒音现象大观: 今时今日，无论是出街或者打开电视又或者打开收音机，懒音现象都扑口扑面而来。这种懒音现象，由以香港最为严重，现在香港的青少年，有百分之五十都讲懒音的。能讲标准粤语的人，听到这些懒音都会觉得不舒服。因为这些带有懒音的粤语，已经偏离了正宗的粤语，而最大的问题是，很多人意识不到自己讲的是懒音，而且这种懒音现象正影响越来越多的人，包括很多广州以及附近的青少年。
April 9th, 2009 at 3:12 am
I only want to add the following to our discussion on Cantonese. We are really far away from the Yellow Flower Hill.
We usually refer to the languages spoken in China around the隋, 唐,宋 periods (between 6th and 10th AD) as Middle Chinese (中古漢語). Some modern Chinese dialects still have certain characteristics that are closer to the older pronunciations of Middle Chinese than others. Reading rhyme-based classical literature (文言), especially poetry, in these dialects seems more coherent to the original reading must have been. Such dialects include Cantonese, Southern Min 閩南, and the Wen Zhou 溫州dialect. These southern dialects retain more of the original tones. Not all, but more.
Cantonese has nine tones, Mandarin has four, and the old Middle Chinese (中古漢語) has eight. Cantonese preserves many Middle Chinese’s syllable sounds that Mandarin has lost or merged. For example, the characters 裔, 屹, 藝, 憶, 譯, 懿, 誼, 肄, 翳, 邑, and 佚 are all pronounced “yi” in Mandarin, but they are all different in Cantonese. And the character 學 is another example of what was lost in Mandarin. In Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese, it is “hohk”, “hók”, “hak”, “học “,”hak”, and “gaku” respectively. The pronunciation in Mandarin is “xue”. Big difference.
I find the best way to decide is through Chinese poetry. Read the poem by the famous Du Fu of Tang Dynasty and you’ll find that Cantonese makes them sound better. In Cantonese, we got chum, sum, yum, sum and kum. In Mandarin, we got get xun, sen, yin, xin and qin.
丞相祠堂何處尋，錦官城外柏森森。
映階碧草自春色，隔葉黃鸝空好音。
三顧頻煩天下計，兩朝開濟老臣心。
出師未捷身先死，長使英雄淚滿襟。
(This was rhymed within the Rhyming Group of 侵韻)
April 9th, 2009 at 3:38 am
Bai Ding, just curious, do you happen to know any published audio materials (like tapes, CDs) that teach people how to recite traditional Chinese poems in Cantonese?
April 9th, 2009 at 4:57 am
The short pronunciation ended with a short p, k, t is called 入聲. It’s all but disappeared in Mandarin but still existed in some Chinese dialects, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese. Researchers often cross-reference to Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese to try to figure out how people in Sui/Tang/Song pronounce certain words. Kind of interesting if you think about it in today’s context, especially given how Chinese are viewed overall negatively in those countries… For that I think Chinese ought to be more introspective.
April 9th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Is the disappearance of the 入聲 good for entering Chinese into the computer?
I’ve never thought of Cantonese as a decent spoken language until now.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
May,
I really don’t know of any but will search. I think it might be similar to the 木魚. The Taiwanese uses Southern Min to “sing” poems. It is very musical and provincial.
The one rule I was told to recite a poem (詩) is to read the last word of the first complete phrase in each line that ends in level tone 平聲 a little longer while keeping an even pitch. It is like phrasing in playing music.
For example, the first complete phrase that ends with a level tone is 祠堂. I would read the 堂 a bit longer and maintain the same pitch, take a very short breath and then drop short for the rest. Etc.
丞相祠堂 — 何處尋，錦官 — 城外柏森森。
映階 — 碧草自春色，隔葉黃鸝 — 空好音。
三顧頻煩 — 天下計，兩朝 — 開濟老臣心。
出師 — 未捷身先死，長使英雄 — 淚滿襟。
April 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Bai Ding,
I see, Thanks!
Speaking of musicality of the Chinese dialects, someone in my family is from Suzhou. Every time I visit Suzhou, I am hooked to the TV. Many of the TV programs in the city are broadcasted in the local dialect. Although I don’t understand much, the sound of it is just mesmerizing. One particular program discusses a lot of social issues in the city. The funny thing is even when the male host is making some criticisms, when spoken in Suzhou dialect, it sounds like music to my ear 🙂
I hails from 武昌，Wuhan. So your story of 黃花崗 and 黃鶴樓 has a special meaning for me.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
@ May #48: Your comment reminded me of a friend of mine in Shanghai who once told me the girls from Suzhou had the sweetest voices in China. 😛
April 11th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
To May #48. Yes, it is the handsome 江南. 吳濃軟語，very sweet and sensual. The men and women are known for their corporeal appeal and the beauty of their literature and music. They are scholars.
If I would visit Mainland China one day, it will be Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan and Shanghai. There are so many remnants from the Republic. Although the Yellow Crane Tower and the bell of the Cold Mountain Monastery （寒山寺的鐘聲）are no longer the original, I still want to be there. And to visit the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Tomb （中山陵）, and the tomb of the famous hero Xie Jin Yuan （謝晉元）, who guarded the Four Banks’ Warehouse （四行倉庫）during the Anti Japanese War with only 400 men. And I think about Du Mu’s 『煙籠寒水月籠沙，夜泊秦淮近酒家』. I hope the Qin Huai River （秦淮河）is still flowing as it has been for a thousand years.
Let me end this article with the following:
【沁園春】再寫黃花
再寫黃花，記取江山，碧血染成。
把貂裘換酒，男兒瞑目，胡塵洗盡，粉碎皇清。
天下為公，人間誰管？白日青天不太平。
黎民苦，恨操戈同室，禍起東瀛。
曾經百載餘腥，嘆黃鶴樓前風未停。
問贏家安在？書生見短，時人冷落，楚澤吞聲。
拂拭殘碑，空留幾字，難喚魚龍沸海情。
天何意？悲壯夫有志，如此朝廷。
April 11th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Hey, Bai, thanks for your interesting post. That’s an area of Chinese history I haven’t read into much.
I’m guessing most of the defacing of tombs etc happened in the earlier Communist years. But although I doubt (and would be horrified if) it still happens, I do wonder whether the CCP is willing to admit what it did or was done in its name. After all it is still reluctant to come clean on so many issues.
I think China would really benefit from an independent, open Truth and Reconciliation Commission like they had in South Africa. Then Chinese could really learn about their past and heal the wounds that have festered for decades. But that would probably require a change of political leadership so, unless a new faction of the CCP takes power that wants to clean out the old guard by dropping them in the mess they made, I guess it will have to wait until multi-party politics. I’d like to think it would happen sooner, but your view on that would probably more accurate than mine.
April 12th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Bai Ding, thank you. You write so beautifully, esp. the last poem. Almost bring tears to my eyes.
April 14th, 2009 at 12:58 am
May, thank you. I am flattered. I hope I am only one of many others who will write with the same passion about the chivalry of our heroes in history. I certainly hope that one day Mainland China will let its people know the truth of this part of our history and the KMT’s contribution in those days.
Raj, the Yellow Flower Uprising was actually a later event. We have read the Farewell letter by one of the revolutionaries to his wife. Let me mention three earlier martyrs whose contributions and influence were indisputable. They were immortalized in our consciousness.
1 – Wu Yue 吳樾 – Born in Anhui. He believed that the only way to overthrow the Manchu was by assassinations. He actually wrote a book about assassinations. He wanted to kill them, one city at a time. In his earlier years, he had abandoned all the old Chinese classics and decided to follow the reform route. When the Qing Dynasty sent five top officials (including the famous 徐世昌) to go abroad, he decided to try to kill them. His friend recommended a special bomb for him. He wrote a letter to his fiancé to say goodbye and disguised himself as one of the official’s entourage. He succeeded in sneaking into the train where the five officials were on but was in a different car. As he was approaching them, the train suddenly jolted and his bomb went off too soon. He was blown up. His whole body was in pieces.
2 – Lu Hao-tung (陸皓東) was the first revolutionary martyr of the Republic of China 中華民國. He was Sun Yat Sen’s childhood friend. In the same year he died, he designed the “Blue Sky with a White Sun 青天白日旗” emblem that came to be used as the Kuomintang (KMT) party flag and the national flag of China until the Communist took over Mainland. He was executed by the Manchu when plans of the 1895 Canton Uprising were leaked out. (I always question about China’s ban on this flag. No one is asking it to return using this flag as the national flag. But they should allow this flag to be hung all over China because it represented more than a political party. It was the icon of the birth of a nation. The revolutionaries died with this flag. It is our history. That’s bigger than the two political parties. Even during last year’s celebration of the 1911 victory in the Yellow Crane Tower, the very first one in Mainland, this flag was absent. That’s absurd. )
Qiu Jin 秋瑾- Born in Fujian. Not satisfied with her being a housewife and found herself in contact with new ideas, she decided to travel overseas and study in Japan in 1904. She was known for her swordsmanship and wearing Western male dress. She joined the Triads, who at the time advocated the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and return of Chinese government to the Chinese people. She also joined the Tokyo-based 同盟會 led by Sun Yat-sen. In 1907 she became head of a school intended for the military training of revolutionaries. After an uprising led by her cousin Xu Xilin 徐錫麟 failed in July 1907, Qiu was arrested in her school. Xu himself got his heart pulled out by the Qing officials. Qiu was tortured by Qing officials and was publicly executed in her home village later, at the age of 31. Her confession to the Qing officials was her famous quote, “The Wind and rain in Autumn are too distressing to people! 秋風秋雨愁煞人”。She was buried beside West Lake 西湖, in Hangzhou. It should still be there. Next time you are there, please try to find her tomb.
February 27th, 2011 at 10:34 pm
The letter was a lesson in our Chinese literature reader in Hong Kong, at least in the 1970’s. It was not required, however, and you can imagine how a busy student would deal with something not required and written in classical Chinese.
I read it, nevertheless, and have remembered it through the decades.
Unable to find an English translation, I have decided to do it myself
http://www.skypoint.com/members/tang/translations/linjuemin.html
I have taken some unavoidable liberties. A word-for-word literal translation would have completely destroyed the flow and the feel of the letter (sima green shirt being wet with tears, for example, would have made no sense). Later on I will add some linked footnotes to explain the discrepancies.
Let me know if I have missed anything important.
March 1st, 2011 at 11:16 am
WC, thanks for the translation.
It is also one of the chapters, if I recalled correctly, of our Form One (初一) Chinese language textbook. Regrettably, our teacher skipped it perhaps due to the depressing storyline. And like you, I read it on my own. I first know about this letter when I watch the movie 黄花岗72烈士 starring 林青霞，and seem like from then on, the phrase “吾作此書，淚珠和筆墨齊下，不能書竟，而欲擱筆。” planted into my brain, forever.
October 11th, 2011 at 5:57 am
1. I have seen documentaries from the PRC and never got the impression that they tried to distort the HuangHuaKang history or denigrate the KMT. (It may have been different in the 50s to 70s) In fact there was a whole fairly recent series on the transition from dynastic rule to the Republic (i.e. ROC). I also saw the PRC-produced series “Rise of the Great Powers” and thought it had a lot more balance than much of the Western narrative on China. So why hold onto stereotypical views of either side (CCP or KMT)?
2. As for the uprising itself, it was meant to be part of a larger uprising but all the other groups held back or there was some fault in comms. The 90 odd martyrs decided to go ahead nonetheless although they knew the inevitable personal cost.
3. Regardless of our view of either the CCP or KMT, we can probably agree on one thing – eternal remembrance and respect for the martyrs of HuangHuaKang !
July 26th, 2013 at 8:54 am
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