Sina Times w w w. s i n a t i m e s . c o m
005 Jul. 3，2009
Montreal Chinatown
Chinatown has its origins as early as 1860 when Chinese immigrants came to Montreal in search of work and prosperity. They settled mainly on de la Gauchetiere and lower St. Laurent Blvd. Today Chinatown is a vibrant community and the original settlement has transformed from residential to commercial. For authentic Chinese food lovers the only place to go is Chinatown! Stroll along the main thoroughfare de la Gauchetiere and experience first hand the hustle and bustle of a vibrant culture. Street merchants selling everything from tasty treats to caricatures will entertain you. You will find great gift ideas including beautiful kimonos, lingerie, crafts and china. No trip to Chinatown is complete without sampling some of the local cuisine, the best that Chinatown has to offer will find you at Restaurant Hong Kong, Le Jardin du Nord and Ming Yeng, serving up Chinese specialties for visitors and locals alike. Choose from a variety of dishes such as Won Ton soups, dumplings, Peking Duck, Crispy Chicken, General Tao, Sea Bass and Lobster dishes.
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CONTENTS Culture Loong: Chinese Dragon Chinese Festivals
Ⅱ Ⅳ
Leisure Learn to Play Chinese Mah-Jong Xiang Qi－Chinese Chess
Ⅴ Ⅵ
Food About Chinese Food & Cooking
Ⅷ
Travel Hainan Island —— The Hawaii of China
Ⅸ
People Tragic Lives of the Chinese Ancient BeaⅫ uties ⅩⅣ In Memory of John Roderick
By Hom
Loong: Chinese Dragon
The benevolent, powerful, worshipful and lucky symbol of China giant red dragon of the Apocalypse gave rise Most people in the West are familiar with the classic Western concept of the
to the use of the beast as symbolic of Satan in Christian art and literature.
dragon, but few possess significant insight
In some European-influenced cultures,
into the Chinese dragon, or the loong
dragons aren’t necessarily evil - but they
[lu:ŋ], which is probably one of the most
often are. At the very least they tend to
recognized dragons in the world. Nowadays,
be solitary and bad-tempered. Outside of
many researchers believe that it is wrong to
Britain, most Western dragons live in caves
translate the Chinese dragon as a ‘dragon’
or mountains, or are hidden away in the
in English, and in fact should be kept as
forest. They often guard a stash of gold and
the word ‘loong,’ which was created on the
are frequently are used to symbolize greed.
basis of the pronunciation of its counterpart
Although most Western dragons are
character in Chinese at least 60 years ago.
brutal, ignorant creatures that kill and eat
In fact, loong is so different in nature from
humans, some are ancient, wise creatures
the Western dragon that perhaps it is more
more akin to those found in the East. They
reasonable to consider a loong and a dragon
vary as much as people do.
to be dissimilar creatures, rather than as the same creature interpreted differently.
In a word, the Western dragon usually carries with it aggressive, warlike connotations that are totally different from
Western Dragon
According to the Columbia
the meaning of the Chinese dragon. Chinese Dragon – Loong.
Encyclopedia, a dragon is defined as a
The Chinese dragon, or loong, is a
mythical beast usually represented as a
mythical creature in East Asian cultures with
huge, winged, fire-breathing reptile. For
a Chinese origin. In contrast to the Western
centuries the Western dragon has been
dragon, which stands on four legs and is
prominent in many legends, and thus its
usually portrayed as evil, the loong has long
physical characteristics vary greatly and
been a potent symbol of auspicious power in
include combinations of numerous animals.
Chinese folklore and art. In ancient China,
The typical Western dragon is a large, scaly
loongs were associated with fertility and
creature resembling a dinosaur or a large
prosperity. Nowadays, the loong stands for
lizard. It usually has wings and can fly,
luck, happiness and power to most ordinary
and often it will breathe fire. An alternative name for a Western dragon is a ‘wyrm,’ a word clearly related to ‘worm.’ This name is more commonly used for a serpentine, water dwelling dragon, but it can be used for any type of dragon. Wyrms are especially common in Britain. In Western culture, the dragon has often been associated with evil. It has the ability to wreak havoc upon a land, and therefore must be propitiated by a human sacrifice or killed. The highest achievement of a hero in medieval legend is the slaying of a dragon, as in the story of St. George. King Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon (or dragon’s head), also killed a dragon. The
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Chinese people. As shown n many pictures, the Chinese
been equated with the weather. It was a divine bringer of
dragon has a flaming pearl under its chin. The pearl is
rain, necessary for the good of the people. Initially, the
associated with wealth, good luck, and prosperity.
loong was benevolent, but the Buddhists introduced the
From its origins as a totem or a stylized depiction
concept of a malevolent influence among some dragons.
of natural creatures, the loong has evolved to become
Just as water destroys, they said, so can some dragons
a mythical animal. The Han Dynasty scholar Wang Fu
destroy via floods, tidal waves and storms? They suggested
recorded Chinese myths where long shad nine anatomical
that some o the worst flooding was caused when a mortal
resemblances - the head of a camel or horse or snake, the
upset a loong. In China, the loong was also a symbol of
eyes of a rabbit, the ears of a cow, the horns of a deer, the
the emperor, whose wisdom and divine power assured the
neck and body of a snake, the belly of a kind of huge clam,
well-being of his subjects. Many Chinese legends draw
claws like that of an eagle, the soles of it’s feet are those of
connections between the loong and the emperor.
a tiger, and the 117 scales that cover it’s body are like that
In the mythologies of various oriental countries,
of a carp. Loongs were considered to be physically concise.
notably in both Japan and China, the loong is the supreme
Of the 117 scales, 81 are of the yang (positive) essence
spiritual power, the most ancient emblem in oriental
while 36 are of the yin (negative) essence. In Singapore
mythology and the most ubiquitous motif in oriental
and many other Asian countries, folktales speak of the
art. The loong represents celestial and terrestrial power,
loong having all of the attributes of the other 11creatures of
wisdom, and strength. They reside in water and bring
the zodiac; this includes the whiskers of a rat, the face and
wealth and good luck and, in the Chinese belief, rainfall for
horns of an ox, the claws and teeth of a tiger, the belly of a
the crops. The three-clawed loong is the Japanese dragon,
rabbit, the body of a snake, the legs of a horse, the beard of
the four-clawed is the most common loong, and the five-
a goat, the wit (or brain) of a monkey, the crest of a rooster,
clawed loong has become the Chinese Imperial emblem.
ears of a dog, and the snout of a pig.
The Chinese dragon plays an important part in
Loongs are occasionally depicted with bat-like wings
Chinese festivals. The Dragon Boat Festival is almost
growing out of their front limbs, but most do not have
purely a dragon-related festival, which has become
wings, as their ability to fly (and control rain/water, etc.) is
an internationally popular event. At special festivals,
mystical and not seen as a result of physical attributes. This
especially the Duan Wu festival, dragon boat races play an
description accords with the artistic depictions of the long,
important part. Typically, these are boats are rowed by a
down to the present day.
team of up to 12 rowers, with a carved dragon as the head
The loong has also acquired an almost unlimited
of the boat.
range of supernatural powers. It is said to be able to
Besides the Dragon Boat, the Dragon Dance has a
disguise itself as a silkworm, or become as large as our
long history, which was already a popular event during the
entire universe. It can fly among the clouds or hide in
Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). The loong in traditional
water. It can form clouds, turn into water or fire, and
Chinese New Year’s Day parades is believed to repel
become invisible or glow in the dark.
any evil spirits that would spoil the New Year. On other auspicious occasions, such as the opening of shops and
Cultural References
residences, festivities such as dancing with dragon puppets
The Ancient Chinese Dragon occupies a very
are also often performed. These are “life sized” cloth-and-
important position in Chinese mythology. The origin of
wood puppets manipulated by a team of people, supporting
Chinese dragons is unknown, but they certainly pre-date
the dragon with poles. They perform choreographed moves
written history. Throughout Chinese history the loong has
to the accompaniment of drums and music.
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Traditional Chinese Festivals
Spring Festival
Place: All over China Date: The first day of the first lunar month
Lantern Festival
Place: All over China Date: The 15th day of the first lunar month
Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)
Place: All over China Date: April 4th or April 5th
Features: Lighting firecrackers, eating New Features: Eating Yuanxiao, displaying Features: Bringing wine, food, fruits and zhiqian (paper made to resemble money and burned as Year feast and waiting for the First Bell lanterns and appreciating the full moon. an offering to the dead) to the tomb sites. Ringing.
Chinese Festivals Chinese people celebrate a seemingly endless series of festivals during the
course of a year. Most of these festivals take place on important dates in the Chinese lunar calendar. The following are the most important festivals celebrated by Chinese people. There are also three longer-period national holidays in China, besides the usual one-day holidays, when almost everyone is free, except for employees in key sectors. It is a time when a large segment of the population is on the move. All travel bookings are extremely tight at these times, hotels generally increase their rates and airports and train stations can be very crowded, as the Chinese people love to travel. The main, multiple-day holidays are as follows: Chinese New Year, in the month of February; International Labour Day, which is the first week of May; and finally, National Day, which is celebrated during the first week in October.
Dragon Boat Festival
Middle Autumn Festival
Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang Festival)
Place: All over China Date: The fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month Place: All over China Features: Dragon boat racing, eating zongzi Features: Eating moon cake and appreciating Date: The 9th day of the 9th lunar month Place: All over China Date: The fifth day of the fifth lunar month
Features: Drinking chrysanthemum wine, eating chrysanthemum cakes, traveling,
and hanging Calamus and Chinese Mugwort. the moon.
hiking in the countryside and carrying dogwood sprigs
 IV
Leam to Play Chinese Mah-Jong A Brief History of Mah-Jong The history of mah-jong dates back 4,000 years to a time when Chinese aristocrats were the only people on the planet to play the game. The ruling class was so snobby about keeping the game to themselves, that they kept the rules a secret from the Chinese peasants. Mah-jong only became public knowledge when China became a republic in 1911.
The Basic Concept of Mah-Jong You will discover when you get into the rules of mah-jong that the game is actually just a version of gin rummy, albeit much more complicated; it's about grouping tiles (in place of cards) together by either suits or sequences. So if you know how to play gin rummy, you're 95% there. Mah-jong must be played with four players. A player's basic goal is to discard and claim tiles to form combinations, until all of his/her tiles fit a certain pattern. Just like with cards, a mah-jong player's set of tiles is called a "hand" and the game goes around in a circle so that each player gets a turn to organize their tiles into a winning hand.
Mah-Jong Titles A mah-jong set consists of 144 tiles: 108 suit tiles, 28 honor tiles, and 8 bonus tiles. Most sets come with three dice, four racks, and a handy carrying case. The racks are long flat boards for you to put your tiles on. They're just like scrabble tile-holders. Some sets also include score-keeping paraphernalia. While about half of the tiles will have dots or lines on them, the other half will have little pictures of Chinese characters. Under the assumption that you don't know how to read Chinese, you have two options: 1. Learn the characters (most follow a pattern or are color coded to help you). 2. Buy a set of Americanized tiles that have numbers on the corner of each tile to help you "read" them.
V
by hom
Each player has 16 pieces
characters. The red player begins
Pieces at the bottom half are red，
play, and then play alternates
while the other side of the pieces
of 7 t y pes: General (K ing),
Chinese Chess, Shiang-
black, red, black, and so on.
are usually black or green.
2 Guards, 2 Elephants (aka
chi (or Xiang qi), is an Oriental
Chinese Chess can be won either
cousin of the more familiar
by putting the enemy General in
A General is in check if
Horses (Knights), 2 Cannons,
European or International Chess.
checkmate or stalemate. It has
the opponent's next move will
and 5 Soldiers (Pawns). The
Phonetically, Xiangqi means
been said that the player who
capture him or her. When one’s
characters for each piece vary
Elephant Chess. Both Chinese
makes the first offensive move
General is in check, it is vital that
b e t we e n t he r e d a nd bla ck
Chess and International Chess
has the advantage.
the General is either moved away
pieces.
are descended from an ancient
The Board
Check
Bishops), 2 Chariots (Rooks), 2
from the attempted capture, or
The following is a
common ancestor—India. This
Chinese Chess is played on
another piece is maneuvered in
description of each piece and
ancient game traveled both east
a 9 x 10 grid. In the middle of
front of the potential capture (or
its movement by its technical
and west to become the most
the board is a river. The pieces
in the case of an attack from the
ranking and prowess.
popular family of board games
are placed on the intersections of
Cannon) it is important to move
The General of the Army
i n t he world t o d ay. G a me s
the lines, called points, and not
the screen out of the way or the
o r t h e K i ng c a n m ove o n e
of this family are played in
in the squares that can be found
attacking piece is captured by a
space horizontally or vertically
Xiang Qi: Chinese Chess
Europe and Asia, as well as in
in International Chess. There
member of the opposition’s own
(f o r w a r d , b a c k w a r d , l e f t ,
the Middle East. They go by
are nine points on each side of
army.
or r ig ht), w it h no d iagonal
names like Shogi, Makrook, and
the board that are marked by
movement. Unlike the "King" in
Shahtranj. Like International
two diagonal lines. (This area is
Chess, Chinese Chess has two
called the Imperial Palace.) The
Checkmate/ Stalemate Checkmate is a position
of the Army" in Chinese Chess
opposing armies with different
open space in the middle of the
where the General is in check
can not move diagonally. I n
kinds of pieces and the object is
board is called the river. The two
and there is no other alternative
addition, the General cannot
to capture the enemy General (or
areas do affect the movement of
to escape from the action of
leave the Imperial Palace. From a
King).
several pieces.
checking. Chinese Chess can
territory perspective, this means
From left to right on the
also be won by forci ng t he
that there are only nine points
Each player starts with 16
bottom and top rows, there is the
enemy into a position where he
that can ever be occupied by the
pieces of 7 different varieties.
chariot, horse, elephant, guard,
has no legal moves available,
General.
Playing pieces are placed on the
king, guard, elephant, knight,
even thoug h the opposit ion
intersections of the board, not in
and rook. On the third rows,
General may not be in check.
restriction is that the General
the squares. The playing pieces
there are the cannons, and on
may never move onto an
are flat disks with red or black
the fourth row are the soldiers.
Pieces and Their Movement
How to Play
VI
International Chess, the "General
Another important
intersection that is directly
across the board from the enemy General
and right (sideways) through the rows of
Pawn). Soldiers can only move and capture
unless there is at least one piece in between
the Chessboard. However, to capture, the
one point forward until they cross the river.
them. Likewise, if there is only one piece
Cannon must first jump over one (and only
They can never retreat. Unlike the Pawn in
between Generals it may not be moved so
one) piece of any color. Chinese purists
International Chess, the Soldier does not
as to expose the Generals to each other.
refer to this intermediary piece as the "Gun
capture by moving diagonally. Once the
This rule becomes an important factor in
Mount."
Soldier crosses the river, it may move one
"checkmate" and "stalemate" situations.
Guards (pronounced as the Shi) is
point to the left or right instead of forward.
The Chariot (or Car, pronounced as Che)
technically the weakest piece in both armies.
However, Soldiers do not get promoted when
maneuvers exactly like the Rook (or Castle)
They move one point in any diagonal
they reach the far side of the board. Instead,
in International Chess. It is the only piece
direction. This, incidentally, is exactly the
they can only move sideways.
that moves and captures exactly the same in
way that the Queen once moved in medieval
both strategy games. It moves any number of
Chess, before it became much stronger in the
In Chinese Chess, achieving a good
unobstructed points in a straight line, up and
fifteenth century. The Guard has a further
attacking position is more significant than a
down (forward/backward) the columns and
restriction in that it cannot leave the palace.
material advantage.
left and right (sideways) through the rows of
This means that there are only five points
One tactical approach is attempting to
the Chessboard.
that can ever be occupied by the Guard.
advance two Soldiers over the river and then
Before the game begins, they are positioned
connecting them. Not only does this jointed
on each side of the General.
unit become stronger, it can be a technical
The Horse (pronounced as Ma) moves and captures the same way as the Knight in
Strategy
International Chess. However, there is one
Elephant (pronounced as Xiang) moves
advantage especially in the endgame when
important restriction that differs itself from
exactly two points diagonally, no more or
it is advancing toward the Imperial Palace
its cousin the Knight: The Horse cannot
less. Its movement is very similar to that of
of the opposition. There are many ways
jump over another piece. The Knight's move
the Bishop in International Chess. However,
to checkmate the General, even if he has
is a combined move of one point in any
the Elephant cannot cross the river so there
many friendly pieces around him. Like any
direction horizontally or vertically, plus one
are only seven points that the Elephant can
strategic board game, it is easy to win (or
diagonal move. However, if the first point
occupy. The Elephant cannot jump and its
lose) the game in a few moves.
of the horizontal or vertical move is blocked
movement is blocked if there is a piece on an
Learning the opening game’s traps
by a piece, then the Knight may not move in
intervening point. Since the Elephant cannot
is usually the first stage. However, as one
that direction.
cross the river, its purpose is defensive in
climbs the steep mountain of mastering this
The Cannon (pronounced as Pao) is
nature. This makes it less powerful than the
game, the quality of opposition will increase.
a unique piece in reference to its technical
Bishop in International Chess. Typically, one
A nd the deploy ment of basic opening
prowess and is the most difficult to learn
Elephant is moved so that it is two points in
game’s traps becomes ineffect ual. My
f rom t he Wester n poi nt of v iew. T he
front of its own General, whereas the other
recommendation is to study the numerous
Cannon is also called the Gun, Gunner, or
remains on its original point. In this way, the
ways of creating positional advantages that
Catapult. It moves exactly like the Chariot.
Elephants protect each other and defend their
could later be converted into a wide range of
It maneuvers any number of unobstructed
General.
"checkmating" scenarios.
points in a straight line, up and down
Soldier (pronounced as Bing or Jui;
(forward/backward) the columns and left
its brother in the International Chess is the
VII
"In theory, practice works well. In practice, theory doesn’t always work at all."
About Chinese Food and Cooking in Chinese recipes such as bamboo shoots,
its variety of flavors is so cleverly contained
Do you know that more than a third of
bean sprouts, water chestnuts and so forth can
in each dish that there is nothing incongruous
the world's population eat Chinese food daily?
be readily purchased from most general food
in the serving of meat and poultry in the same
Even if it was eaten regularly by some only,
stores and supermarkets, and even online!
course. Both the cooking and consumption of
Chinese cooking would still be acknowledged
Chinese food are great culinary experiences.
as one of the greatest and original cuisines of
Besides appealing to our taste buds and eyes,
the world. There is an ever increasing interest
food prepared in the Chinese manner is highly
in and appreciation of Chinese food in the
nutritious, retaining all its vitamins with quick
West. The fact that Chinese restaurants are
and minimum cooking.
mushrooming in the West is ample testimony
The reward of cooking Chinese are
to the variety and quality of Chinese food.
obvious to anyone who has tasted popular
"Have you eaten already?" is a popular
Chinese dishes like a well-cooked Sweet
greeting among the Chinese.
and Sou r Pork, Ku ng Pao Chicken or
The culinary appeal of Chinese cusine
Chinese dumplings or was sustained by a
has taken the Western culture by storm because
plate of steaming Chow Mein or Fried Rice.
those who experimented know how good
Chinesefood-recipes.com has a massive
and economical Chinese food can be. They
selection of free, easy-to-cook and delicious
discovered how easy it is to create Chinese
Chinese recipes and Oriental recipes. Helpful
dishes in their own kitchen and the joy of eating
sections such as Ingredients and Cooking tips
Chinese food can be experienced regularly
are available to make your cooking experience
rather than as an occasional treat.
easy and fun. Happy cooking!
The art of Chinese cooking does not,
"Color, aroma and flavor are not the only
Cous (551-479 B.C.) said, "The path to
contrary to popular belief, present any
the key elements in Chinese cooking; nutrition
your friend's heart and soul begins from your
real difficulty as you will soon find out at
is also a priority."
cooking."
Chinesefood-recipes.com. All the ingredients
Chinese food appeals to the majority and
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 VIII
Top:Sanya dty
This is China's island of pristine beaches, tropical landscape, and runaway tourism.
Bottom:Dadonghai Beach ai night
Located just off the southeastern tip of China, adjacent to Guangdong province, Hainan Island is where most Chinese people aspire to take to the beaches or escape chilly winter. It also attracts a large number of Russian tourists since it is relatively close for them, as well as a small sprinkling of international tourists and backpackers. I stayed in the Sanya region, perhaps the Waikiki of the island, on Dadonghai Beach. This region is devoted entirely to tourism, but I found it interesting nonetheless because it has an extremely different feel compared to the mainland only a stone’s throw away. The beach is pleasant, and at night the Chinese-style cheese takes over, with laser beams, neon, and strobe lights bursting out from the resorts over the South China Sea, and markets of food stalls and tourist trinkets taking over the waterfront
IX
Perhaps my favorite part of Hainan was observing the hoards of Chinese tourists, decked out in matching ultra tacky Hawaiian style beach gear. I saw entire busloads of Chinese people pull up to shops, all go in and purchase the exact same matching flower print shorts and shirt, and then they spice it up with a little fanny pack, digital camera pouch, and sunglasses on a string around the neck. Then they travel in convoy to the different cheesy sites and theme parks in the area set up for tourists just like them. It is quite entertaining to watch really. We didn't spend the entire time on the beach. First we visited the Nanshan Fojiao Wenhua Yuan (South Mountain Buddhist Culture Park), a huge outdoor Buddhist theme park, complete with temples, statues, peaceful parks, and vegetarian restaurants. The centerpiece of the park is the enormous A-Ma statue which, at 354 feet, is 53 feet higher than the Statue of Liberty, making it the tallest statue in the world! A-Ma is a female Buddha that is very popular with fishermen through this part of East Asia.
Top:The tallest statue in the world: A-ma Statue,Buddhist Culture Park Bottom:lmagine thousands of people dressed like this.That's Halnan! Right:Signatures on temple roof tiles
 X
Another day we got a ride inland and visited an excellent outdoor Hill Tribe Museum, with entire Li and Miao villages set up, two ethnic minorities who inhabit the island of Hainan. We saw traditional dance performances, snake and lizard wine making, turtles shaped traditional houses, and a lot of good photo opportunities. Finally, we did a hike up to Luhuitou Peninsula, a sort of love themed park on a peak overlooking Sanya town and harbor, perfectly timed for an incredible sunset over the beautiful southern Hainan coast. Winter is always the hottest season for Hainan Island, as people all over the country try to spend the holidays at a warm place. Sea and beach? Even better. Come join the party!
Top:Traditional homes Left:Li Dancing Right:Miao child
XI
Chen Jia
Yu Ji
Tragic Lives of the nese Ancient Beauties Yu Ji: Concubine Devoted to Her Lover
sang his famous song: Yu Ji replied to the song after performing a final dance
"
Yu J i ( ? - 2 0 2 B C ) w a s a c o n c u b i n e o f X i a n g Yu , a prominent general during the fall of the Qin Dynasty. Yu always accompanied Xiang on his battles. During a five-year war known as the Chu Han
Chu's songs surround us.
My lord's spirit is depleted.
Contention, Xiang gradually lost his power to Liu Bang,
Why then should I still live?
Xiang's rival at the time and later the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Xiang's lack of political skills and his inability to listen to wise advisors eventually led to his downfall.
The Han has invaded us.
"
in front of him:
In 202 BC, Xiang was trapped at the Battle of Gaixia. Liu
After the dance, Yu Ji attempted suicide to alert Xiang.
ordered his army to sing songs from Xiang's native country
Yu hoped Xiang could break out of the Gaixia pocket, for he
of Chu to demoralize Xiang's army. Xiang lost his morale and
still enjoyed support in his homeland in the Wu region, south
was in his camp with his beloved concubine Yu Ji when he
of the Yangtze River. Yu's devotion to her lover was admired by later generations.
"
With Yu's encouragement, Xiang later broke out of the My strength could pull mountains, my spirit pales the world. Yet, so unlucky am I that my horse just refuses to gallop! What can I do if my horse denies me even a trot? Oh my dear Yu Ji, what would you have me do?
"
Gaixia pocket and headed for the river, intending to cross it at Wujiang. The fordsman at the river encouraged him to cross, telling him that the people of Wu were still intent on supporting him as their prince. Xiang laughed and said "Heaven wants me dead, why should I go back?" He then killed himself. According to legend, he cut his throat open with his sword.
 XII
Chen Jia: Empress Beloved and Deposed
Consort Li: Serving the Emperor with Her Beauty
Empress Chen Jiao was an empress during Han Dynasty.
Consort Li, consort of the Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, was
"
S he w a s t h e f i r s t w i fe o f E m p e r o r Wu o f H a n , b u t w a s deposed in 130 BC. They married when he was still the Prince of Jiaodong under his father Emperor Jing, and the marriage did much to enhance his political position, to allow him to
North of China lives a Lady Fair, standing alone, out of nowhere. With one glance she upsets a town;
later become crown prince over his older brother. When he
Another glance, and a whole state tumbles down.
became emperor in 141 BC, she was created empress.
"
Who cares what towns and states are built for?
Initially, Emperor Wu's love for her was so great that he
When my fair lady is gone and no more.
bragged that he would build a golden house for her, inspiring the Chinese idiom "putting Jiao in a golden house", which, however, later became a term for keeping a mistress rather
pretty and attractive. She was good at singing and dancing. Her elder
than a wife. She eventually lost favor because she did not
brother Li Yannian was a gifted composer and lyrics writer. One day, Li Yannian went into the imperial palace to play his new
bear a son, despite spending over 90 million currency coins in seeking treatment for her infertility. Jealous of Consort
song for the emperor:
Wei Zifu, who gave birth to a princess within one year,
Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty asked him if there was indeed such
Empress Chen eventually retained witches to use witchcraft,
a Lady Fair. Li then recommended his sister to the emperor. Consort
in the attempt to restore her husband's love to her and curse
Li became an immediate favorite of the emperor's. However Consort
other concubines. After this was discovered, she was deposed
Li's physical condition was not very good. She was weak and frail. Her
according to imperial laws and put under house arrest. The
condition became worse after the delivery of a son. Consort Li knew
witches and other people in the witchcraft, some 300, were
that she did not have much time left then. Ever since her illness worsened, Consort Li refused to meet
executed in the crackdown. Consort Wei was made empress several years later when
Emperor Wu personally. If the emperor forced himself into her room,
she bore Emperor Wu his first son, after giving birth to
she would cover her face up or turn her face against the emperor. All the
three princesses. The former Empress Chen, now living in
others advised her not to go against the emperor's will, but Consort Li
the cheerless, lonely Long Gate Palace, attempted to regain
replied: "The emperor likes me because I'm pretty. What he is desperate
Emperor Wu's sympathy by hiring the famous poet Sima
to see is the pretty image he had in mind. My beauty is what he deeply
Xiangru to compose a song, which is later known as The
cherished. If my beauty is gone, his love would soon be gone. If the
Ode of Long Gate. Although some later scholars claimed
love is gone, how could I count on him to take care of my brothers?"
that Emperor Wu was so touched by the poetic words, all
When Consort Li was dead, Emperor Wu held a grand burial for
attempts by Chen Jiao to recapture Emperor Wu's heart were
her. Missing Consort Li's fairness so much that Emperor Wu asked an
unsuccessful. She died about 20 years after she was deposed,
imperial painter to draw her image and put it on the wall. After Consort
but the exact year is not known.
Li's death, Emperor Wu cared for her son and promoted her brothers.
Consort Li
XIII
In Memory of John Roderick American foreign correspondent and China expert, he reported on the Far East for 60 years By Jonathan Fryer T he vetera n A mer ica n foreig n correspondent and China-watcher John
the 1949 communist takeover, culminating
John's interest in China was kindled
in the purges and violent upheavals of the
on an A mer ican golf course, when he
Cultural Revolution between 1969 and
was a 13-year-old earning pocket money
1976.
as a caddy in Maine. One player had just
Roderick, who has died in Honolulu of
Nonetheless, he leapt at the chance to
returned from Shanghai and showed him
heart failure and pneumonia aged 93, was a
return to China with a US table tennis team
pictures of young Chinese being beheaded
larger-than-life character who reported and
in 1971, to witness at first hand ping-pong
in the 1927 massacre there which sparked
interpreted events in the far east to western
diplomacy in action. When AP was able to
the civil war. From that moment, he wanted
audiences for more than 60 years.
reopen its Beijing bureau eight years later,
to see history being made at first hand.
T he Ch i nese prem ier Z hou En lai
he was the natural choice to run it. China
B o r n i n Wa t e r v i l l e , M a i n e , t h e
once declared with justification that John
remained the great cultural and political
youngest of five brothers, he had a difficult
"opened the door" to China for the foreign
passion of his life, though he spent most of
childhood as his mother was widowed
media. Between 1945 and 1947, he spent
his later years in Japan and Hawaii.
ea rly. But he d iscove re d a t ale nt for
a total of seven months with the Chinese
His last article - a reflection on how far
reportage, contributing pieces on high-
communist rebel army in Yan'an, centre of
China has advanced economically in recent
school activities for the local newspaper,
the communist revolution, filing dispatches
years - appeared only three weeks before
the Sentinel, from the age of 15. He went on
for Associated Press (AP) on life with
his death. "To my old eyes," he wrote, "it
to study at the small but distinguished local
Mao Zedong and his comrades. Initially
seems almost a miracle that China has
liberal arts school, Colby College, before
enthusiastic about the young poet Mao,
survived the pain and bloodshed to emerge
joining AP as a junior reporter at their
John rapidly became disillusioned with the
from poverty and become one of the richest
Portland office. In 1941, AP moved him to
dictatorial tendencies that emerged after
of Earth's nations in so short a time."
Washington.
 XIV
John Roderick and Chairman Mao waiting for Zhou Enlai in Yan'an Airport, January 27th, 1946
John Roderick and Lin Boqu，one of the CPC leaders
This was shortly after Pearl Harbor
boisterously about politics, literat ure,
To escape Japan's harsh winters, he
and the US entry into the Second World
food and sex, as he liked to do himself.
had got into the pattern of spending several
War, so John was soon drafted into the
He relished the fact that his bir thday,
mont hs each yea r i n a n apa r t ment i n
ar my. He was sent to Yale Universit y
September 15, is the Japanese festival of
Hawaii. He was soon heavily in demand as
to learn Japanese, with the intention of
respect for the elderly.
a lecturer on China, not only there, but also
becoming an interpreter after the eventual
He had expected to stay in Japan only
in Britain and Russia. His zest for life made
defeat and occupation of Japan. But in
a few years, but he became attached to a
him popular with young audiences, as did
the event, he was posted to Kunming in
young Japanese called Yoshihiro "Yochan"
his capacity for indiscretion. His lecture
China, working for the Office of Strategic
Takishita, whom he made his adopted son.
on the Cult u ral Revolution cont ained
Services - forerunner of the CIA. Back in
In turn, Yochan's parents became John's
the unforgettable line: "Then there was
AP's employ at the end of the war, he was
surrogate family. Through them, John was
Madame Mao; she was a bitch."
sent out to join the Red Army at Yan'an,
offered the chance to buy a large 18th-
As deafness began to set in, John
staying in one of the 10,000 caves that had
century traditional farmhouse in the Gifu
became ever more voluble, sometimes
been carved out of the hillsides after the
Mountains, for the derisory price of ¥5,000
silencing the dining room at the Oriental
Japanese destroyed the old walled town.
(the equivalent of about £25).
Club in London, where he stayed during
John towered physically over the Chinese,
The building was dismantled and
his annual visits to Britain, by loudly
and with his jutting jaw and energetic
transpor ted to Kamakura, where John
recalling lunchtime conversations of the
manner, made an indelible impression.
had it lovingly restored. It became a place
past, discussing the quality of oysters,
AP then transferred him to the Middle
of cultural pilgrimage for personalities
or commenting on the comeliness of a
East. He was in Amman, Jordan, two weeks
as disparate as George Bush Sr, Hillary
particular waiter.
after the declaration of the state of Israel,
Clinton and the Queens of Denmark and
A g reat bon vivant, Joh n stopped
and interviewed the UN mediator Count
Greece. It was also the subject of a book
eating anything except chocolate ice cream
Folke Bernadotte only a couple of days
which was published at Princeton last
when he realized the end was near. He had
before he was assassinated in Jerusalem in
year, Minka: My Farmhouse in Japan. In
kept hundreds of his friends in touch with
1948. Short spells in London and Paris -
recognition of his services to Japan, the
his progress - as he did with all aspects of
"the city of my dreams"- were followed by
Emperor bestowed upon John the order of
his life - by email. A group of his nearest
an assignment to French Indochina, where
the sacred treasure in 1985.
and dearest gathered at his bedside for the
he covered the fall of Dien Bien Phu in
From 1980, John was a roving special
final days, during which he pronounced his
correspondent all over Asia. Though he
own epitaph: "People should eat chocolate
W hen Joh n event ually got posted
officially retired in 1984, when he turned
ice cream, instead of killing each other."
to Tokyo in 1959, he was surprised and
70, he continued to write. When Beijing
John Roderick, journalist and China
delighted to find that the Japanese were
was awarded the 2008 Olympics, he began
exper t, bor n September 15 1914; died
nowhere near as anti-American as the
a series of monthly analytical pieces about
March 11 2008
French had been. Moreover, they talked
China's transformation.
May 1954.
XV
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