#come at me sophon

[tehnakki]

I would just like to confidently state after watching Third Body Problem that--as someone who has had a floater in their left eye for a year that is large enough to block words while reading--that everyone who ended their work or killed themselves because of the countdown in their vision were weak.

[newar]

notes on episode 2 of netflix three body problem spoilers for the books as well

• da shi is perfect. no notes

• MORE BUG MOTIF… i really like that they added more. hopefully it doesn’t get too on the nose

• don’t like how they made the sophons manipulate the camera footage… i don’t doubt that they had the ability to do that in the books, my issue is that it’s not SUBTLE… the trisolarans didn’t want people to think something supernatural or alien was going on, or that there’s some saboteur working against humanity. they wanted them to think that their understanding of physics was incorrect... they really missed the mark with this

• the VR game scenes are pretty good! and the Sophon cameo… <3

• having da shi’s wife be dead was a good choice i think. considering he was kind of not really an involved father in the books iirc. a good talk on the fragility of the human race

• also this random woman they added in to move the plot along is so unecessary. like idk why it couldn’t have been wenjie doing all this

• oh sorry i was wrong. will downing is supposed to be tianming!! that actually works out better. i think they’re doing the staircase project this season as well

• oh they made wade the one who says “there’s someone behind everything”…. i feel like it worked better in the books coming from da shi… it’s his practical mindset against the academics and “intellectuals”

• still annoyed they didn’t include wenjie’s sister, HOWEVER the confrontation btwn wenjie and her father’s killer was good, it shows how wenjie views humanity now, how she humans as unable to come to a “moral awakening” on their own since the girl didn’t repent for what she did. i believe this happened in the books as well, just not with the girl that dealt the final blow

• also. small detail. but the button wenjie pressed should have been red like in the books. like the way they talk about the “red sun” and the cultural revolution etc in the books makes the colour seem meaningful to me. beyond just being a red button

• OVERALL: things are getting interesting! not too invested in the characters aside from wenjie and da shi just yet, but i don’t actively dislike them

[aikoiya]

Fear The Man That Fears No God

My mom was watching something on Netflix a bit ago called the "3 Body Problem" about aliens coming to earth to kill us & take over.

You know, the norm.

But she & I both noticed some very antireligious ideas in it.

Something that really stuck out to me was something that this nuts-o physicist lady named Ye Wenjie said.

Turns out, she was the one who first contacted the aliens as a young woman. Her father had just been killed by a group of atheists who were mad that he wouldn't say that there was no God.

Instead, he said the most honest thing from his perspective, that there was no conclusive (secularly accepted) evidence one way or the other.

And they didn't like that answer.

She contacted the aliens & essentially said, "help us, we've messed things up."

Which is what drew them there.

Now, what got me sputtering like an idiot in confused disbelief was this weird, sacrilegious story that I have zero idea where it came from.

---

"So Einstein dies. He finds himself in heaven, and he has his violin. He's overjoyed. He loves his violin more than physics. Even more than women. He's excited to find out how well he can play in heaven. He imagines he'll be pretty damn good. So he starts tuning up, and the angels rush at him.

'What are you doing?' they say.

'I'm getting ready to play.'

'Don't do that. God won't like it. He's a saxophonist.'

So Einstein stops. He doesn't play. But it's difficult. He loves music. And there's actually not much to do in heaven. And sure enough, from high above, he hears the saxophone. He's playing 'Take the 'A' Train', do you know that one? Einstein knows it too. And he thinks, I'm going to do it. I'm going to play with him. We're going to sound great together. So he starts playing 'Take the 'A' Train'. The saxophone stops, and God appears. He marches over to Einstein and kicks him in the balls, which hurts, even in heaven. Then he smashes Einstein's beloved violin to bits. Eternity without music. Heaven has become hell for Einstein. And as he writhes on the ground, holding his smashed balls, an angel comes over and says: 'We warned you: Never play with God.'"

---

Like, I get that it's supposed to be some sort of joke that's supposed to help Saul later, I think.

But this when added with the Sophons, which feels like an attempt to suggest that anything miraculous that happens is just a delusion. (Which is dumb, because miraculous things happened even before Ye made contact with them, so the Sophons weren't behind them at all.)

As well as the portrayal of a handful of religious individuals as following the Sophons despite the fact that they themselves say that they are just microscopic computers the size of a photon. They also say that they are incapable of telling lies, which is their purported reasoning for wishing to get rid of humanity. As they believe it means that they are incapable of co-existing.

Seems to suggest that this was a very antireligious show. Not just anti-Christian. Not just atheistic or areligious. Antireligious.

Which... considering how religion is one of the cornerstones of culture, isn't a great stance to take.

But, I can't help but wonder if the author of the books missed something.

Like, yes, people do terrible things in the name of God, but what I fear most is the sort of things that people would do in the name of no God.

For one, it's speculated that Hilter may have been antireligious. That the only God he worshipped was the laws of the universe & is quoted as having said that science, not religion, that would pave humanity's way forward. Heck, he used science at the time as an excuse for his antisemitism.

And Stalin was an atheist.

In other words, it matters not who they pray to, if someone wishes to do terrible things, then they'll do them regardless of whether they have an excuse or not.

Fear the man who fears no God. Fear those who worship only science, for it is ever-changing & they will use the current understanding of it as an excuse to commit evil. But even more than that, fear he who worships only himself. For they who do will commit terrible acts far beyond any other.

Aikoiya's Writing Tips Masterlist

[wangmiao]

hii! i just finished reading the dark forest!! what a journey, i think it took me about a month to finish it lol. i wanted to share some thoughts !!

i found some of the concepts fascinating.. what stuck with me the most now i that i (try to) recall everything that happened, was the battle of darkness and the dark forest theory as a whole was brilliant. i imagine those people that were just- endlessly floating in the immensely vast universe and it made me think "oh wow how Sad and Hopeless that must've been" i too would've want to end it all, i believe that's a lot to endure.. that's one

another thing was the infamous wallfacer project. well that was new. and the fact that they had to plan everything on their own bc of the sophons, that's also kind of depressing lol. one thing i was confused was: why was luoji re-elected as a wallfacer at the end? i mean there wasn't anything more he could have done anyways?

da shi as always is such a great person😭 he never abandoned luoji during this long crazy journey, even after 200+ years. honestly i love his character a ton, i wanted to see what would happen to him at the end but there was nothing! will he be on Death's end? or his character just ends here? :((

i thought the whole thing with the "trees" as homes was pretty cool, though i couldn't really see it in my imagination haha i honestly can't imagine what would our society be like in, say, 300 years from now

i found it too simplistic(? that only when the trisolarans communicated with luoji did they stopped their plan to coming to earth, or maybe there's something i missed? or maybe it is really just that: communication solves everything? lol idk

and a deserved special mention to zhang beihai, respect!

i think that's everything i've got on my mind right now, but in general it was very interesting and depressing and dark.... what were some your favourite moments from the book? i can't wait to start death's end next !! but i'll start later, i have to fully process this book first hahaha anyways that's all, have a great day or night!!! :))

hello, friend! it's great reading this ask, and i'm glad you decided to share it with me. i have to say that i read the books years ago, so my memory on everything is not that fresh. and since i read the chinese version, i don't know some of the vocabularies they used in englishn. while i'll try my best to reply to this ask, i'm sure there's gotta be some novel fans here that could do better than me.

the dark forest is indeed very interesting and depressingly dark. i was definitely in awe when i heard the dark forest theory for the first time (before i read the books, and that was partly why i decided to read them). i also really like 水滴/waterdrop or droplet which is just something that looks simple but super super super powerful.

i enjoyed reading about the wallfacer project. even the three failed ones are equally fascinating and disturbing. i want to bow down to liu cixin's imagination...if i remember it correctly, luo ji is re-elected because his "咒语/spell or curse" actually came true. and at that time humans are really hopeless, so they just want to have someone that they believe can save/lead them.

da shi is everything. i lol need a da shi myself. unfortunately, he's not in the third book. my inner shiwang shipper feels that shi qiang and wang miao got similar style of exist from the story. and the common believe (i don't even remember if i read it in the novel or it was fan theory) is that shi qiang dies of natural causes at old age like wang miao. i kinda feel like maybe shi qiang and wang miao promised each other that they'd try to stay alive so that they can both be copernicus *sobs*...

ok...bear with my silly shallow shipper's talk for a moment, you know some people were like shiwang will be no more once season 2 of three body comes out, and everyone will start to ship shi qiang and luo ji, and it kinda bothered me a bit (ps. i know most people including myself didn't ship anything while reading the books, but man, these dramas are really forcing it on us lol). but i don't anymore, because i really think wang miao is special to shi qiang. besides shi qiang being a good and protective human being who will die for the greater good, i think one of the reasons that he stays with luo ji all this time is because luo ji reminds him of wang miao. even though it is only mentioned very breifly, i do believe liu cixin meant to tell us how important wang miao is to shi qiang... “我这辈子还只见着他一个”

as for luo ji stopping the trisolarans, i think he uses the dark forest theory, and his threat of exposing the location of the trisolaris (and in turn exposing earth's location) stops their plan.

and zhang beihai is an awesome, complex, and well loved tragic hero even though he isn't a very major character like luo ji. i remember yu hewei said in an interview that if he didn't play shi qiang, he'd probably like to play zhang beihai. i'm really curious who they'd pick to play zhang beihai in season 2.

anyways, thanks so much for the ask. you made me want to re-read the books, and i know i really should! have a nice day/night!

[andromedaexists]

l'éclipse ardente

Got some exciting news last night…

A short story I wrote and y'all didn't know about (because i've been so swamped in school stuff and Not Here), l'éclipse ardente, was accepted into sophon lit's 3rd Issue: Eclipse!!

It's got: ☀️ballet 🌑queer celestial bodies ☀️yearning 🌑desperation and most importantly… it's got love as devotion!

I do want to talk a little bit more about this piece, since I have the room to here. I really challenged myself with this short story. When I first heard about submissions for the Eclipse issue, I had an idea pop into my head for a story based on the greek mythology behind the eclipse. That would have been something I'm more familiar with: a story of wrath and anger.

But I wanted to go outside of my own comfort zone, and I've been rewarded for doing so! As many of y'all know, I don't write about love often, if at all. Sure, I have my grief short stories that are technically about love, but they're more about the loss of love. This piece, while containing themes of grief, is wholly about the beauty of love and of devoting yourself to the one you love.

And that is something that I think is incredibly beautiful, even though I don't often talk or write about it.

So I really hope y'all love it!

(yes of course i'm gonna give y'all a taste of this story)

We’ve been playing this game for millennia now, the Sun and I. It’s all we’ve—I’ve—ever known. We dance around one another, teasing each other. Coming together briefly only to have cruel fate swing us out of the other’s grasp at the last moment and hold us apart.

We fall in love over and over and over again, because what else is there for us to do?

And why not another sneak peek?

And when we get to come together? Oh, when we get to come together…

That’s when everything falls into place, when the very whims of the universe make sense to me.

AND ANOTHER

It’s these moments that keep me moving, keep me dancing for every moment of my existence. It’s what I was created for, what I’ve been subsisting off. I have carved a home for myself in the gaze of my Sun.

[anglaoshi]

Stand By Me - Algger - SDC (with Lucas)

To begin, I should talk about Algger’s most recent popular dance performance: his duet with Lucas on Street Dance of China.

It is beautiful and imaginative, yet barely scratches the surface of Algger’s potential as a choreographer and dancer. The theme of the challenge was “parallel world” and Algger made a clever interpretation that meshes the mundane with the speculative. Instead of an alternate universe or other paranormal phenomenon, the dance depicts a person’s relationship with their shadow. At the highest conceptual level, the work is a paean to individuals' relationship with their own physical shadows, and the spiritual properties of shadow as companion. 

Perhaps there is an interpretation of this dance in which the shadow is not the physical 2D photonic structure (or its archetypal companion role), but the psychoanalytic concept of the abjected self, with its base drives and repressed needs. No, surely that interpretation would be just my own projection of unfulfilled desire when it comes to this dance. Something that is missing from this dance, for me, is the heft and depth that usually typify Algger’s choreography. When I watch Algger dance, I want to feel my heart race in fear. I want to feel the dangerous atmosphere he creates so gracefully. Of course, it’s perfectly understandable to take a lighter approach instead here, given the broadcasting considerations for SDC. But I don’t have to like it! Still, I think it will draw more fans toward Algger and grow our community, so I can’t be too harsh. 

The elusive, fleeting companionship between a person and their shadow is represented physically through the narrative of the dance. In the story, a person enters the two-dimensional world of the shadow and finds both a splendid environment and a delightful friend. Algger’s explanation of being inspired by perceptual barriers between physical dimensions is reminiscent of the the chapter describing the manufacture of sophons in the novel Three Body by Liu Cixin, which similarly explores the relationship between physical dimensionality and experiential complexity. 

The initial tableau is a genius design. It is visually striking and contains multiple layers of connotation. The backdrop suggests a cityscape, while lights projecting onto the stage form the illusion of a crosswalk. Foreshadowing the themes of the dance, the crosswalk floor– the foundation upon which the dancers play– is brought into existence only by the placement of shadows. As Algger walks on one plane, Lucas mirrors his movements, walking against gravity. The dancers’ roles here are clearly depicted. Algger, who plays the 2D shadow character, casts a strong shadow from sharp key light, while Lucas casts none. The positioning creates an optical illusion, or perceptual shift, where a viewer can, by turns, see two different orientations of a single real moment. Is Algger upright, or is Lucas? It’s a matter of perception, a visceral illustration of the subjectivity, mutability, and distortion that form the barriers between physical planes. Altogether, the image pivots around a dizzying number of physical and conceptual axes. The ideas interact and turn in an elaborate system, like the arcs and globes of an orrery.

In just a few measures, the dance builds to its first peak: a lift. As a matter of technique, the smoothness of this move really is a credit to Lucas, since it’s his momentum and velocity control that brings such a beautiful fluidity to the lift as it twists and rolls. 

Next, as the shadow, Algger gets the idea to flatten Lucas and unfurl him within the 2D world. The flattening move is cute and well timed. The unfurling move, in which Lucas, upside down, is orchestrated by Algger to rotate and swivel in many directions, is visually fascinating, fluent, and clean. 

Regarding the various breaking moves, what I will say is that Algger has earned every right to be fearless. Lucas, of course, is exceptional. They both have immense versatility that expands the potential that their collaboration holds. The main scene of the story, where Lucas and his shadow play together in 2D, depicts a caring friendship. There is a delightful sequence showing how their relationship progresses. First, there is a split screen effect with Algger voguing downstage and Lucas breaking upstage. Here, the shapes of the two dancers’ bodies reverberate, but don’t quite mimic each other. The shapes of the dancers’ bodies is a metaphor for the way a shadow can alter and warp the shape into which it’s cast, which is in turn a metaphor for unfamiliarity, the archetypal experience of starting to make a new friend. Lucas spins his body: Algger rolls his hands. 

Then, the two smile at each other and begin to dance the same steps. Their synchronization is good here, especially for two dancers who do not have much experience as a duo. This is the time, which occurs in any friendship, when the two people discover how much they have in common and what they like to do together. It is a cute, giddy sequence.

Finally, the logic of the dance is drawn neither by refraction nor by synchronization. They now dance synergistically, heightening the exuberant energy. These are two characters who have learned to grow, as themselves, together. Each exerts pressure and provides support, helping their friend to reach new heights. It is a complete and well executed narrative arc. My favorite part is when Lucas somersaults over Algger’s leg, extended in vivacious arabesque.

Interspersed in this storyline is imagery about exciting new experiences, crossing boundaries of perception and dimensionality. Lucas is dazzled by the sights of the parallel 2D world and a ground move suggests a panoramic rotation, as if to bring the 3D experience of a sphere to the 2D world. As they turn, Algger and Lucas look almost flat, like cardboard cutouts. 

Familiarity and fantasticality mingle as the denouement approaches. In a shoulder stand, Algger uses his feet to again mimic and distort the movements of Lucas’s shoulders. This time, the pairing suggests reflection– a kind of loyal, inverted recreation that the shadow makes of the one who casts it. Lucas swivels at the waist: Algger twirls his legs as the knee. 

At the climax, Lucas catches air vaulting over Alggger’s back, flowing into an exuberant freeze. The friends say farewell, and Lucas steps back into his native dimension. The final image is of the two walking in the city together again, bathed in blue light, as if to suggest an entire day has passed in joyful companionship. Now we see that first image from the other perspective, with the dancers’ positions literally switched to illustrate the paradigm shift. Notice, Lucas’s body doesn’t cast a shadow, unlike Algger at the beginning. Because his shadow, his eternal friend and companion, is embodied by Algger. 

Here I have described the main themes and connotations contained in the dance. Overall, it is a complex and heartfelt story told in a charming, guileless mood. As a choreographer, Algger’s aesthetic is often dark, with a luscious density, but this choreography is sprightly, dazzling. The story beats go quickly, and a boyish gentleness replaces Algger’s typical aggression and bravado. It is an ebullient, carefree dance, while also being developed and complete. Algger challenged himself to create a minimalistic and soft piece. As a dance routine in general, or on SDC, this one is easily a 10/10. From the excellent baseline of Algger himself, though, it scores an 8/10 for me. I loved the mood, the artistry with regards to elements of production like costume and lighting, and the complex connotations. But I am someone who came to adore Algger for his succulent, edgy choreography as part of Hello Dance, so it felt sluggish and generic at times. Still, an incredibly enjoyable watch and a virtuosic work in its own right. 

Yibo’s face captured my reaction well, so here’s one for the girlies: 

Next installment: Lonely Warrior, maybe? I’ve also been obsessed with Worth It lately. Chime in if you have a request!

[juncojuncojunco]

remembrances of earth's past initial concluding thoughts （xxxx)

very rough thoughts before I read/watch a bunch of other people's reactions/analyses, not anything analytical about plot/style/character/etc, just strings i found intriguing

very obviously this is a first contact story where humanity never meets its original pursuers. there is such a deep yearning and loss (for each other!) that pulls across the centuries of the narrative, even after both homeworlds are destroyed. the dance between earth and trisolaris is just so confoundingly complex--fear, admiration, concern, intimacy, distrust, mutually parental. the first thing that comes to mind is the chinese phrase 惺惺相惜 (星星!), to be concerned for, appreciate, and sympathize with another of equal caliber. from the first moment of contact-Ye Wenjie bruised enough from humanity's brutality towards her that she wants divine intervention-Trisolaris greeted Earth with a warning for them to quiet down in a universe on edge for the faintest snap of a branch. That just makes me so emotional man, even if Trisolaris as a whole decided to, as all civilization would, attack and take over the solar system.

Earthers getting to know/introducing people to Trisolaris through a video game. through a game where the aliens look like their historical heroes and figures. goddamn. Earth sending a brain to the enemy on a pipe dream that the brain will someday bring them intel, even knowing that the most likely thing to happen to the brain is that it will be studied and tortured and make their enemy understand them more deeply. trisolaris decoding the brain and its owner's biology and building him a body and a habitat below the engine of their generation ship. letting him have a chance at speaking with a woman and possibly releasing intel back to earth (which did happen! and they didn't even punish him when Cheng Xin arrived at the DX world with curvature propulsion technology). the soil and the logo-less life necessities trisolarans built for the potential human dwellers in the miniverse 647. Sophon existing as a sophon, as a robot, as a genocidal commander, as a... friend? for the last humans in the universe? my god.

are the characters realistic? no not really, but it doesn't really hinder the reading when it's so obvious they're just dust in the story of time and embody archetypes and a responsibility to history rather than to themselves. the best and worst of humanity portrayed in all 3 books were all about what I expected, it's just that the relationship between earth and trisolaris is just so so so so ...? trisolaris being a completely transparent race in book 1 who aren't even capable of lying, to trisolaris who even under the threat of a dark forest strike lies to Earth with the false technologies and research they send? That is a monster humans built with their own hands. some guy in the ETO said their lord was a naive child against the mind of a human. humans singlehandedly created a monstrous trisolaris who lies about the droplets left surveilling the earth, who lies and takes out the entire earth's space fleet in 10 minutes as soon as the swordholder changed hands. But earth also gave them art and music and stories, and if Yun Tianming meant it literally he also invented childhood for them? That is so so so so !

all the moments that I would read a whole epilogue/side story on:

Yun Tianming's fairytales, also his entire story after becoming just a brain. i'm doubtful if its really even him as we know it after revival--he was so so pessimistic about humanity and realized he meant nothing to Cheng Xin, his sunniness when they met again just doesn't check out. I just can't see how it's him. It makes more sense even for that body to be controlled by Trisolaris, who somehow has decided to communicate with humans through their likeness? The way they turned Sophon into a human robot?

What happened between Luo Ji and his wife/kid

Wang Miao who just disappeared after book one? wish Da Shi didn't abruptly drop after deterrence era too

more about what Blue Space and Gravity went through

AA and Yun Tianming in planet blue, waiting their whole lives together. all the things they would have told each other!!

a depiction of a 2 dimensional civilization would have been nuts

also, ending a story about a dark forest universe where its civs only care about their own survival, coming together (presumably) to abandon their private universe strongholds so the great universe could hold on and not expand infinitely into a dead world? ending a story where you risk death if you spoke a single word into the void of the dark, with an immense energy expenditure message to all the small universes, in millions of languages? god.

maybe there will be more organized reflection maybe this is just it! regardless, i'm thinking about this story forever !!!

[mineofilms]

Non-Spoiler Review of Remembrance of Earth's Past

Remembrance of Earth's Past or known as (The Three-Body Trilogy) by Liu Cixin • Book 1: The Three-Body Problem • Book 2: The Dark Forest • Book 3: Death's End • Book 4: The Redemption of Time (written by Baoshu) (Optional)

The opinion by many out in the world is that the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” is the greatest science fiction series every written. Written by Liu Cixin, a Chinese computer engineer and science fiction writer. Liu Cixin is a nine-time winner of China's Galaxy Award. In 2015 Liu Cixin won the Hugo Award for his novel “The Three-Body Problem” as well as the 2017 Locus Award for “Death's End.” Liu Cixin also won the Chinese Nebula Award. In English translations of his works, his name is given as Cixin Liu. He is a member of China Science Writers Association and the vice president of Shanxi Writers Association. He is sometimes called "Da Liu" (Big Liu) by his fellow science fiction writers in China.

The “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” is the first Science Fiction series to hit the national spotlight in China’s history. It is so popular China holds the series in high regard as a National Treasure. The book series was published from 2006-2011 and translated into English by Ken Liu starting in 2014 to 2019. American audiences are only now discovering this masterpiece of Science Fiction and Existential Horror. Netflix has a show planned for 2024 for “The Three-Body Problem,” the first book. It is uncertain if all the books will be converted for the show or if they are only doing the first book. The main trilogy take place over a few hundred years starting in and around the aftermath of World War 2 and go up to the year 2400+ to another 18 million years into humanity’s future. The optional 4th book which isn’t officially part of the canon but has the permission from Liu Cixin. I personally count the fourth book as part of the canon, but it is also ignored by other readers of the series. It is totally optional and to me does not hurt the story, plot or characters. It just gives the series a proper end rather than the ambiguous ending left at the end of “Death’s End.”

This BLOG serves as a NON-Spoiler introduction to the series. Here we are just going to describe the basic plots of the four books and some thoughts about them. The hope is I grab your interest enough so that you all go and either read these books or listen to them on audiobook. The audiobooks were very well produced and have that radio/theater quality and style to them. Very few science fiction novels actually change how I think. This series absolutely did that with its concepts of first contact, the dark forest theory, game theory, nihilism, time, relativity, relativistic time, reality possibly being an infinitely long loop, love, death, infinity, multiple-dimensional realities, macro and micro quantum reality, religion not being real and existentialism.

The Three-Body Problem (Book 1):

“Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, the greatest scientists around the world start to commit suicide, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20518872-the-three-body-problem#?ref=nav_brws

The Dark Forest (Book 2):

“Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion — four centuries in the future. The aliens' human collaborators have been defeated, but the presence of the sophons, supercomputers printed on protons. These subatomic particles allow the Trisolarans instant access to all human information in real time. They have the ability to disrupt Earth’s ability to create technologies greater than the Trisolarans. This all means that Earth's defense plans are exposed to the enemy. Only the human mind remains a secret. This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a daring plan that grants four men enormous resources to design secret strategies hidden through deceit and misdirection from Earth and Trisolaris alike. Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists but the fourth is a total unknown. Luo Ji, an unambitious Chinese astronomer and sociologist, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he's the one Wallfacer that Trisolaris wants dead.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23168817-the-dark-forest

Death's End (Book 3):

“Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully as equals without the terrible threat of mutually assured annihilation. But the peace has also made humanity complacent. Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the early 21st century, awakens from hibernation in this new age. She brings with her knowledge of a long-forgotten program, “yhe Staircase Program,” dating from the beginning of the Trisolar Crisis, and her very presence may upset the delicate balance between two worlds. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle?” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25451264-death-s-end

The Redemption of Time (written by Baoshu, Book 4):

“Set in the universe of “Three-Body Problem trilogy,” “The Redemption of Time” continues the events from the end of “Death’s End.” This original story by Baoshu―published with Liu’s support―envisions the aftermath of the conflict between humanity and the extraterrestrial Trisolarans. In the midst of an interstellar war, Yun Tianming found himself on the front lines. Riddled with cancer, he chose to end his life by entering “the Staircase Program,” only to find himself flash frozen and launched into space where the Trisolaran First Fleet awaited. Captured and tortured beyond endurance for decades, Yun eventually succumbed to helping the aliens subjugate humanity in order to save Earth from complete destruction. Granted a healthy clone body by the Trisolarans, Yun has spent his very long life in exile as a traitor to the human race. Nearing the end of his existence at last, he suddenly receives another reprieve―and another regeneration. A consciousness calling itself “The Spirit,” later, “The Master,” has recruited him to wage war against an entity that threatens the existence of the entire universe, “the Lurker.” However, Yun refuses to be a pawn again and makes his own plans to save humanity’s future…” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36262251-the-redemption-of-time

My Opinion:

I will do a bigger BLOG-breakdown of the series with heavy spoilers at some point in the future. This BLOG is for people who have not read or listened to the series and have seen my posts using quotes from all four novels for the past three months. I tend to post quotes from the book I am listening to when I do my workouts, nature walks or treadmill atmospheres. This book series is nothing but brilliant. It’s no wonder China has been trying to adapt this to visual media. As of the writing of this BLOG there are five listings for this on IMDB.com for different kinds of visual media for this property. The only one I think I will have access to, that I can actually watch, will be the 2024 Netflix show on the “Three-Body Problem.” Depending on if you read the optional fourth book, “The Redemption of Time,” the meaning of these novels take on their own meaning.

• What Is Real? • Is Reality Real? • Do We Even Know The Difference If Any of “This” Is Real? • Does Anything At All Have Actual Meaning? • Does Anything Actually “Matter?”

The phrase "This has all happened before, and it will all happen again" is a line from the reimagined science fiction series "Battlestar Galactica." In the context of the show, it reflects the idea of cyclical history and the recurrence of events. The idea is that history repeats itself, and the same patterns and conflicts reoccur throughout time. This is a theme over the course of the four novels that is heavily explored.

This series is sometimes referred to as “existential horror.” This isn’t to imply horror in the traditional sense. Like, say, the existential horror of aliens invading Earth, like in, “Independence Day,” a monster on the ship “Alien,” or the everyday reality we live in not being real at all, “the Matrix.” It is more existentially terrifying from concepts it raises and how those concepts are dealt from the different perspective of these ideas coming from the different cultural perspective of a computer engineer in China rather than our standard Western way of telling a story, dealing with characters and the existential themes of the nature of our Universe. How this series deals with these questions in our everyday society. An example I will pull from, that really isn’t a spoiler, but how love between two people is dealt with here. China handles these things much differently, culturally and artistically, than say, how American writers tend to write about love in a fictional story. Once you get used to how the information is being displayed in the confines of the story and characters; the easier you get lost in the existential terror of the events as they unfold. To me, listening to these books was like how I saw “The Matrix” for the first time or “Alien” for the first time. That it was more than just a monster movie or insane visual action. You get lost in the concept of “what if” this could all be at play in some point in Humanity’s near or perhaps distant future. That “what if” this is all some sort of simulation or video game where the plot is so fixed that any choice you make has no impact, imprint or evidence on the outcome of the game. That no matter what you do in the game; you end up at the same boss fight at the end, with the same life, the same weapons, the same everything. It's these types of environments where the lack of realism is felt and where we eventually realize that something is not right with said reality. Human beings possess a kind of intuitive alarm in our minds. We hear a voice that isn’t a voice. It is a thought, but we describe to others as a voice. Others do not hear what you heard. They only know of it because you described it to them. However, they do not actually know for themselves. An example would be; we trust when we look up at the Moon that it is there, but you, I, most, have never been there to touch, see, step foot on it to know it if is actually there or not. Granted, we do know that it is there. We see it from Earth, we see its impact on the tides. We feel its gravity. Our mind alerts us when something doesn't feel real. That is usually how we know we are in a dream. Some things seem real, some seem normal and then you see a giant spider in the sky where the Sun should be. Eventually the brain will tell you what is real and what is not real. It is when our realities are flipped upside down and inside out, like a tesseract, that feelings on reality become existential horror. If we were in a simulation of reality and everything was so perfect that we’d began to perceive the artificiality of our surroundings.

Reality is never perfect in the concept of what we humans think of as perfection. In reality perfection and infinity are one-in-the-same. That; “on a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything. You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You are not a unique snowflake. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world...” ― Chuck Palahniuk, “FIGHT CLUB.” Granted this is not the Universe of “Fight Club.” However, it could be. Some of the quotes in Palahniuk’s “Fight Club” and “Choke” speak to me in a way that his characters tend to live in a reality-bubble where the main character is always questioning whether or not the reality they are in is a real one. “The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide. Self-improvement is masturbation. Maybe self-destruction is the answer.” ― Chuck Palahniuk, “FIGHT CLUB”

If reality seems too good to be true or too erratic to be natural it can lead to dissatisfaction and rejection of that reality. That is why I say if you do not want your reality shattered. If you do not want to think of humanity, you, us, everything, every moment, every lover, every taste, touch, smell, sight seen or idea in your mind as just another grain of sand on an infinite beach and that grain having no effect whatsoever, no impact, imprint or evidence on the outcome of the collective sand on that infinite beach. That no matter what you do as a grain of sand on the beach you end up with the same life, the same job, the same woes, the same loves, tastes, fixations, disappointments, depressions, disappointments; the same everything. Then do not read these books. If you believe in God. You might not anymore at the end of these books. If you believe all life is precious you also may not believe that anymore. That is how impactful this series can be. However, if you are just a science fiction junky, like myself, and want your mind blown by an amazing story, I implore you to read or listen to these.

The Three-Body Series explores the grandeur and mysteries of the universe. It underscores the contrast between human mythologies and the scientific understanding of the cosmos. The vastness of space, the insignificance of humanity in the face of cosmic forces, and the pursuit of knowledge and scientific truth. The series invites readers to contemplate the Universe's enormity and complexity, highlighting the importance of scientific exploration. Liu Cixin's work combines science, philosophy, and storytelling to convey a sense of wonder about the Universe, which forced me to question our place in the cosmos. This series will intersect with science, philosophy, and human existence, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate profound intellectual exploration in science fiction literature.This series not only offers a riveting science fiction story, but also encourages readers to contemplate the nature of knowledge, the mysteries of the universe, time, and the implications of our place within it. It's a compelling invitation to embrace the wonders of science and the unknown, making it a must-read for those who appreciate both intellectual depth and an engaging narrative.

“The creation myths of the various peoples and religions of the world pale when compared to the glory of the big bang.” Liu Cixin, “The Three-Body Problem”

Non-Spoiler Review of Remembrance of Earth's Past Also known as "The Three-Body Trilogy" by David-Angelo Mineo 10/25/2023 2,514 Words

[soulnottainted]

F/O Phone and Deaktop Wallpaper Commissions!

Hi there! I’ll be doing commissions to make wallpapers of your f/o or fav character!

I’m making these solely to help me get some money to pay for my recent two trips to the ER, as well as being unemployed because of the pandemic (where both my parents are at risk so I’m not going to be getting an in-person job). I can’t sign up for unemployment because I have only worked my summer seasonal job. And if there isn’t another stimulus check coming, I’ll have no income.

Each Phone wallpaper will be $5. This will include one picture of your fo (if you have a specific picture let me know) and an aesthetic collage behind them (usually all pictures in the collage are the same color. If you want more than one color, example- black and orange, it will be $1 more). If you want a specific THEME of the aesthetic board it will be an additional $1 (example- space and the solar system).

Desktop Wallpapers will be $10, simply because it’s much larger than the phone wallpaper.

So

Phone Wallpaper: $5

Desktop Wallpaper: $10

Extra color in aesthetic background: +$1

Specific theme for aesthetic background: +$1

If you want to help me out and purchase one, I will be making a Google doc keeping track of open slots. At a time I will be opening 4 for each type of wallpaper. The Google doc to check for openings is here. Please IM me details of what you’d like and I’ll put you in for a slot! Payment is by Paypal only.

If you want to just buy me a coffee, here is my ko-fi.

If you could reblog this post, I’d most appreciate it! I need all the help I can get! And in return you get something for you!

[donttouchmyasymptote]

also the greatest fear of a 3body adaptation is when we evitably get to death's end and Sophon/Tomoko comes onto the scene. the psychological damage that will get dealt to me when the world and internet sees a robot dressed as a japanese woman in a kimono serving tea and fighting with katanas

[oscarschineselitblog]

Ten Interesting Chinese Novels

Please Dont Call Me Human By Wang Shuo  ” Contemporary Chinese writer Wang Shuo, widely celebrated for revealing the "dark corners of new China" (Newsweek), applies his genius for cultural irreverence to one of the world's sacred rituals: the Olympic Games. In Please Don't Call Me Human, he imagines an Olympics where nations compete not on the basis of athletic prowess, but on their citizens' capacity for humiliation-and China is determined to win at any cost. The plot unfolds into an alternately bizarre and hilarious satire of nationalism, the Olympics, and the cult of celebrity. Banned in China for its "rudeness" and "vulgarity," this mercilessly brutal satire is filled with the kind of word play and outlandish antics that have earned Wang Shuo his own "genre by itself-call it China noir “ (Good Reads)

A Hero Born: The Definitive Edition By Jin Yong  “After his father—a devoted Song patriot—is murdered by the Jin empire, Guo Jing and his mother flee to the plains of Ghengis Khan and his people for refuge. For one day he must face his mortal enemy in battle in the Garden of the Drunken Immortals. Under the tutelage of Genghis Khan and The Seven Heroes of the South, Guo Jing hones his kung fu skills. Humble, loyal and perhaps not always wise, Guo Jing faces a destiny both great and terrible.However, in a land divided—and a future largely unknown—Guo Jing must navigate love and war, honor and betrayal before he can face his own fate and become the hero he’s meant to be.“ (Barnes & Nobles)

The Fat Years By  Chan Koonchung  “ An entire month has gone missing from Chinese records. No one has any memory of it, and no one seems to care except for a small circle of friends who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of the sinister cheerfulness and amnesia that have possessed the nation. When they kidnap a high-ranking official and force him to reveal all, what they learn—not only about their leaders, but also about their own people—stuns them to the core.”  (Barnes & Nobles)

The Vagrants by Yiyun Li  “ is based on a true story from 1970s China. In this tragic Chinese novel, a 28-year-old woman who has just survived ten years of a prison sentence has now been sentenced to death for her loss of faith in Chinese Communism. Following her death, we see the ripples it causes within her local community. “ (Books and Bao)

The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu “ The Three-Body Problem is a science fiction novel by the Chinese writer Liu Cixin. The title refers to the three-body problem in orbital mechanics. It is the first novel of the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy, but Chinese readers generally refer to the whole series as The Three-Body Problem. “ (wikipedia)

Dream of the Red Chamber by  Xueqin Cao, Chi-chen Wang “ For more than a century and a half, Dream of the Red Chamber has been recognized in China as the greatest of its novels, a Chinese Romeo-and-Juliet love story and a portrait of one of the world's great civilizations. Chi-chen Wang's translation is skillful and accurate.” (Good Reads)

The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth's Past Series #2)by Cixin Liu, “ In The Dark Forest, Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion-in just four centuries' time. The aliens' human collaborators may have been defeated, but the presence of the sophons, the subatomic particles that allow Trisolaris instant access to all human information, means that Earth's defense plans are totally exposed to the enemy. Only the human mind remains a secret. This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a daring plan that grants four men enormous resources to design secret strategies, hidden through deceit and misdirection from Earth and Trisolaris alike. Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists, but the fourth is a total unknown. Luo Ji, an unambitious Chinese astronomer and sociologist, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he's the one Wallfacer that Trisolaris wants dead.” (Barnes & Noble)

Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong “ An epic Chinese tale in the vein of The Last Emperor, Wolf Totem depicts the dying culture of the Mongols-the ancestors of the Mongol hordes who at one time terrorized the world-and the parallel extinction of the animal they believe to be sacred: the fierce and otherworldly Mongolian wolf” ( Good Reads)

Deaths End by LIu Cixin “ Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully as equals without the terrible threat of mutually assured annihilation. But the peace has also made humanity complacent.

The Wandering Earth By Liu Cixin “ I’ve never seen the night, nor seen a star; I’ve seen neither spring, nor fall, nor winter. I was born at the end of the Reining Age, just as the Earth’s rotation was coming to a final halt. The Sun is about to unleash a helium flash, threatening to swallow all terrestrial planets in the solar system. On Earth, the Unity Government has erected Earth Engines. With them it plans to propel our planet out of the solar system, setting it on a journey into outer space in search of a new sun. The Earth begins its centuries-long, wandering travels through outer space. Just as we began our journey, my grandfather passed away, his burnt body ravaged by infection. In his final moments, he repeated over and over, “Oh, Earth, my wandering Earth...”

[minhschinalitblog]

Ten Interesting China’s Novels

Journey to the West 

 Journey to the West is a classic Chinese mythological novel. It was written during the Ming Dynasty based on traditional folktales. Consisting of 100 chapters, this fantasy relates the adventures of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) priest Sanzang and his three disciples, Monkey, Pig and Friar Sand, as they travel west in search of Buddhist Sutra. The first seven chapters recount the birth of the Monkey King and his rebellion against Heaven. Then in chapters eight to twelve, we learn how Sanzang was born and why he is searching for the scriptures, as well as his preparations for the journey. The rest of the story describes how they vanquish demons and monsters, tramp over the Fiery Mountain, cross the Milky Way, and after overcoming many dangers, finally arrive at their destination - the Thunder Monastery in the Western Heaven - and find the Sutra. (Amazon.com)

1984

 Winston Smith toes the Party line, rewriting history to satisfy the demands of the Ministry of Truth. With each lie he writes, Winston grows to hate the Party that seeks power for its own sake and persecutes those who dare to commit thoughtcrimes. But as he starts to think for himself, Winston can’t escape the fact that Big Brother is always watching...  A startling and haunting novel, 1984 creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the novel’s hold on the imaginations of whole generations, or the power of its admonitions—a power that seems to grow, not lessen, with the passage of time. (Amazon.com)

When Red is Black

 When the murder of a woman is reported to the Shanghai police while Inspector Chen is on vacation, Sergeant Yu is forced to take charge of the investigation. The victim, Yin Lige, a novelist known for her banned book, has been found dead in her tiny, humble room off the stairwell of a converted multi-family house. It seems that only a neighbor could have committed the crime, for the building is kept locked at night. But there is no apparent motive. Sergeant Yu tries to unravel the reclusive woman’s past and begins to realize it may have larger political implications. The Cultural Revolution might be more than 30 years in the past, but its effects can still be felt at every level of Chinese society. (Amazon.com)  

War trash 

 Ha Jin’s masterful new novel casts a searchlight into a forgotten corner of modern history, the experience of Chinese soldiers held in U.S. POW camps during the Korean War. In 1951 Yu Yuan, a scholarly and self-effacing clerical officer in Mao’s “volunteer” army, is taken prisoner south of the 38th Parallel. Because he speaks English, he soon becomes an intermediary between his compatriots and their American captors.With Yuan as guide, we are ushered into the secret world behind the barbed wire, a world where kindness alternates with blinding cruelty and one has infinitely more to fear from one’s fellow prisoners than from the guards. Vivid in its historical detail, profound in its imaginative empathy, War Trash is Ha Jin’s most ambitious book to date. (Amazon.com)

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze

  When Young Fu arrives with his mother in bustling 1920s Chungking, all he has seen of the world is the rural farming village where he has grown up. He knows nothing of city life. But the city, with its wonders and dangers, fascinates the 13-year-old boy, and he sets out to make the best of what it has to offer him.

 First published in 1932, Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze was one of the earliest Newbery Medal winners. Although China has changed since that time, Young Fu's experiences are universal: making friends, making mistakes, and making one's way in the world. (Amazon.com)

The Dark Forest 

 In The Dark Forest, Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion-in just four centuries' time. The aliens' human collaborators may have been defeated, but the presence of the sophons, the subatomic particles that allow Trisolaris instant access to all human information, means that Earth's defense plans are totally exposed to the enemy. Only the human mind remains a secret. This is the motivation for the Wallfacer Project, a daring plan that grants four men enormous resources to design secret strategies, hidden through deceit and misdirection from Earth and Trisolaris alike. Three of the Wallfacers are influential statesmen and scientists, but the fourth is a total unknown. Luo Ji, an unambitious Chinese astronomer and sociologist, is baffled by his new status. All he knows is that he's the one Wallfacer that Trisolaris wants dead. (Amazon.com)

The Russian Concubine

 A sweeping novel set in war-torn 1928 China, with a star-crossed love story at its center.  In a city full of thieves and Communists, danger and death, spirited young Lydia Ivanova has lived a hard life. Always looking over her shoulder, the sixteen-year-old must steal to feed herself and her mother, Valentina, who numbered among the Russian elite until Bolsheviks murdered most of them, including her husband. As exiles, Lydia and Valentina have learned to survive in a foreign land.  Often, Lydia steals away to meet with the handsome young freedom fighter Chang An Lo. But they face danger: Chiang Kai Shek's troops are headed toward Junchow to kill Reds like Chang, who has in his possession the jewels of a tsarina, meant as a gift for the despot's wife. The young pair's all-consuming love can only bring shame and peril upon them, from both sides. Those in power will do anything to quell it. But Lydia and Chang are powerless to end it. (Amazon.com)

Please Don’t Call Me Human

 Now Wang Shuo, easily Chinas coolest and most popular novelist, applies his genius for satire and cultural irreverence to one of the worlds sacred rituals, the Olympic Games. In Please Don’t Call Me Human, he imagines an Olympics where nations compete not on the basis of athletic prowess, but on their citizens capacity for humiliation and China is determined to win at any cost. Banned in China for its rudeness and vulgarity, this astonishing, tripped-out novel is filled with outlandish antics that have earned Wang Shuo his own genre, hooligan literature. (Amazon.com)

   Where the Mountain Meets the Moon 

  In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.  Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers. (Amazon.com)

The Three-Body Problem

Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision. (Amazon.com) 

[pamphletstoinspire]

Commentary by Cornelius a Lapide on Luke - Chapter 1: 39-56 - Latin Vulgate

Mass During The day of The Assumption:

Verses:

39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the mountainous country with haste, into a city of Juda:

40 And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord:

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour.

48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear him.

51 He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54 He hath received Israel, his servant, being mindful of his mercy.

55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed, for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months: and she returned to her own house.

Commentary:

Ver. 39.

This city is generally supposed to be Hebron, a sacerdotal town, (Josue xxi. 11.) situated in the mountains, to the south of Juda, and about 120 miles from Nazareth. (Bible de Vence)

Ver. 41.

The infant leaped in her womb. According to the general opinion of the interpreters, this motion of the child at the time was not natural: and some think that God gave to St. John [the Baptist], even in his mother's womb, a passing knowledge of the presence of his Redeemer. See St. Augustine in the above cited letter to Dardanus. (Witham)

Ver. 42.

In the same words she is pronounced blessed by Elizabeth, and by the angel Gabriel, both inspired by the Holy Ghost, and this not only to the praise of Jesus, but for his sake, to the praise of Mary, calling her blessed, and her fruit blessed; and thus, as Ven. Bede asserts, holding her up to the veneration of both men and angels.

Ver. 43.

The mother of my Lord. A proof that Christ was truly God, and the blessed Virgin Mary truly the mother of God. (Witham) --- Elizabeth was a just and blessed woman; yet the excellency of the mother of God does so far surpass that of Elizabeth, and of every other woman, as the great luminary outshines the smaller stars. (St. Jerome præf. in Sophon.)

Ver. 47.

In God my Saviour, as appears by the Greek text,[8] though literally in Latin, in God my salvation. (Witham)

Ver. 48.

The humility of his handmaid,[9] i.e. the humble, low, and abject condition; as perhaps might be translated both in this and in ver. 52. For the blessed Virgin does not here commend and praise her own virtue of humility; as divers interpreters observe. See St. Francis de Sales, in his introduction to a devout life, part 3, chap. vi. (Witham) --- As death entered into the world by the pride of our first parents, so was it proper that the path to life should be opened by the humility of Mary. (Ven. Bede) --- Not Elizabeth only, but all nations of believers are to call her blessed. (Theophylactus)

Ver. 51.

The wise men of the Gentiles, the Pharisees and Scribes, were powerful; but these the Almighty cast down, and exalted those, who humbled themselves under his powerful hand. (1 Peter v.) The Jews were proud in their strength, but their incredulity brought on them their humiliation; whilst the low and mean among the Gentiles, have by faith ascended to the summit of perfection. (St. Cyril of Alexandria in St. Thomas Aquinas' catenâ aureâ.) (Witham)

Ver. 53.

The Jews were rich in the possession of the law, and the doctrines of the prophets; but, as they would not humbly unite themselves to the incarnate word [Jesus Christ], they were sent away empty, without faith, without knowledge, deprived of all hopes of temporal goods, excluded from the terrestrial Jerusalem, and also from that which is in heaven. But the Gentiles, oppressed with hunger and thirst, by adhering to their Lord, were filled with all spiritual gifts. (St. Basil in Ps. xxxiii.)

[pamphletstoinspire]

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE, FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BIBLE

Chapter 1 - Part 4

36 And behold thy cousin, Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:

Ver. 36. We find that Aaron, who was of the tribe of Levi, took a wife of the tribe of Juda, viz. Elizabeth, the sister of Naasson. In the successors of David we find that Joiada, the chief priest, took a wife of the family of David, viz. the daughter of Joram; from which it appears that both the royal and sacerdotal tribes were united, and that Mary and Elizabeth were relatives. It was certainly proper that Christ should be born of both these tribes, because he was in himself both king and priest. (Ven. Bede)

37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.

Ver. 37. No explanation given.

38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her.

Ver. 38. Behold the handmaid. With all modesty and humility of heart and mind, the blessed Virgin consented to the divine will: and from that moment in her was conceived the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. (Witham) --- Thus ought the virgin, who brought forth meekness and humility itself, to shew forth an example of the most profound humility. (St. Ambrose)

39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the mountainous country with haste, into a city of Juda:

Ver. 39. This city is generally supposed to be Hebron, a sacerdotal town, (Josue xxi. 11.) situated in the mountains, to the south of Juda, and about 120 miles from Nazareth. (Bible de Vence)

40 And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.

Ver. 40. No explanation given.

41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb: and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

Ver. 41. The infant leaped in her womb.[7] According to the general opinion of the interpreters, this motion of the child at the time was not natural: and some think that God gave to St. John [the Baptist], even in his mother's womb, a passing knowledge of the presence of his Redeemer. See St. Augustine in the above cited letter to Dardanus. (Witham)

42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Ver. 42. In the same words she is pronounced blessed by Elizabeth, and by the angel Gabriel, both inspired by the Holy Ghost, and this not only to the praise of Jesus, but for his sake, to the praise of Mary, calling her blessed, and her fruit blessed; and thus, as Ven. Bede asserts, holding her up to the veneration of both men and angels.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Ver. 43. The mother of my Lord. A proof that Christ was truly God, and the blessed Virgin Mary truly the mother of God. (Witham) --- Elizabeth was a just and blessed woman; yet the excellency of the mother of God does so far surpass that of Elizabeth, and of every other woman, as the great luminary outshines the smaller stars. (St. Jerome præf. in Sophon.)

44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Ver. 44. No explanation given.

45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

Ver. 45. No explanation given.

46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord:

Ver. 46. No explanation given.

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour.

Ver. 47. In God my Saviour, as appears by the Greek text,[8] though literally in Latin, in God my salvation. (Witham)

48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Ver. 48. The humility of his handmaid,[9] i.e. the humble, low, and abject condition; as perhaps might be translated both in this and in ver. 52. For the blessed Virgin does not here commend and praise her own virtue of humility; as divers interpreters observe. See St. Francis de Sales, in his introduction to a devout life, part 3, chap. vi. (Witham) --- As death entered into the world by the pride of our first parents, so was it proper that the path to life should be opened by the humility of Mary. (Ven. Bede) --- Not Elizabeth only, but all nations of believers are to call her blessed. (Theophylactus)

49 For he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.

Ver. 49. No explanation given.

50 And his mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear him.

Ver. 50. No explanation given.