#zhenghe

[greenfrog04]

A new avialan theropod from an emerging Jurassic terrestrial fauna

Published 6th September 2023

A new species of avialan therapod, Fujianvenator prodigiosus, thought to be one of the stratigraphically youngest Jurassic avialan from the Tithonian age of Zhenghe Fauna locality, China.

Fujianvenator prodigiosus holotype and detailed line drawing

Fujianvenator prodigiosus phylogenetics

Life reconstruction of Fujianvenator prodigiosus, art by Chuang Zhao

source:

[is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not]

A jumpship appears before you. It hails to you. The captain speaks "this is the zhenghe requesting permission to dock with you. Our commander would like to meet you face to face. "

The iff identifies the ship as a Belter one. However you hadn't received any news of Belter reinforcements. And a single jumpship doesnt exact bring to mind a large force.

"Unknown vessel, you are violating safe flight restrictions around SLS McKenna's Pride." "State your business." There is a pause. "Very well. Send one shuttle. Only one, quiaff?"

[leoteaworld]

Top 10 Famous Chinese Tea (9) Silver Needle White Tea(Bai Hao Yin Zhen 白毫银针)

Type: White TeaOrigin: Fuding County, Zhenghe County of Fujian ProvinceDescription: Fleshy bright colored and covered with tiny white hairs. The flavor and fragrance should be delicate, light, fresh, and sweet. Silver Needle White Tea or Bai Hao Yin Zhen is a kind of white tea grown in Fuding and Zhenghe County of Fujian Province.Amongst all the white teas, Baihao Yinzhen is the most expensive…

[chinesegreenteagoldentriangle]

One of the top ten green teas in China - Baihao Yinzhen

Baihao Yinzhen is known as "beauty" and "tea king" in tea. It is a white tea produced in Fuding in the east of Fujian and Zhenghe in the north. The silver needle of Baihao is full of slopes, as white as silver and as slender as a needle. When brewing, "full cup of floating tea milk", silver needles stand upright, staggered up and down, very beautiful; the soup color is yellow, bright and clear, and the taste is fragrant and sweet.

[judyhopps934-mt-zd]

Here's a peek at my AP World Project that I am doing with a friend of mine.

PS: Group Work Ettiquite has nothing to do with this project. I am grateful for this particular group work setting.

[wuyiorigin]

Mini Shoumei cake of 2021 spring harvest . Nice shape for easy making.## #tea#wuyishan#whitetea#fujianwhitetea#fuding#zhenghe#baicha#silverneedle#baimudan#shoumei#shuixianbai#chinesetea#looseleaf#agedwhiteatea#teacakes#teaculture#tealover#tealife#teamaker#teaproducer#teaofinstagram #teastagram #teaphotography #teablog #gongfucha #gongfutea #teaceremony #teaoftheday （在 Wuyi, Fujian, China） https://www.instagram.com/p/CTBjo0lIZma/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ofgraveconcern]

The guests have been seated, the wine has been poured, and the music has started to play. How will these characters of the 15th century interact, and will there be murder as the night continues? You are invited to witness…. @ofgrave.concern @historymagpie #richardiii #waroftheroses #houseofyork #houseoflancaster #margaretofanjou #vladtepes #vladdracula #zhenghe #nicolasflamel #hieronymusbosch #princesinthetower #elizabethwoodville #moctezuma #jeannedarc #joanofarc #johannesgutenberg #lucreziaborgia #williamshakespeare #medievalhistorylovers #15thcenturystyle #15thcenturyreenactment #15thcenturyart #15thcenturyfashion #dinnerparties #dinnerpartieswithpurpose #historicalcharacter #historicalcharacters #historicaldinner #historicalfantasy #historicalfantasyfiction https://www.instagram.com/p/CRrQVQSFmVo/?utm_medium=tumblr

[scienza-magia]

La Cina sta per essere la prima superpotenza nel Sistema Solare

La Cina prepara ZhengHe, una missione multipla nel sistema solare. L’agenzia spaziale cinese (CNSA) ha aumentato notevolmente le attività spaziali negli ultimi anni e ha grosse ambizioni per il futuro. Sulla Luna è in piena fase operativa la missione Chang’e 4, con un lander e un rover che operano da più di un anno, mentre la sonda Tianwen-1 è in viaggio verso Marte, partita a fine luglio per quella che è la prima missione interplanetaria cinese completamente indipendente. A fine anno dovrebbe partire una nuova missione verso la Luna, che riporterà campioni di suolo a Terra, e dall’anno prossimo inizierà la costruzione della nuova stazione spaziale tutta fatta in casa. Prossimamente, invece, è prevista un’avventura spaziale nuova e un po’ particolare, per certi versi abbastanza unica nel suo genere. Si tratta di ZhengHe (in cinese semplificato 郑和, traslitterato Zhèng Hé), una missione esplorativa nel sistema solare con (almeno) due obiettivi molto distanti tra di loro. Il termine deriva dall’omonimo esploratore cinese, molto famoso nella cultura locale, un ammiraglio che nel XV secolo con più di 300 navi andò in Indonesia, in India, in Arabia e in Africa. A CNSA announcement today makes clear that China has approved a very ambitious asteroid/comet mission. It will collect samples from near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 & deliver them to Earth then head to main belt comet 133P via Mars flyby. That profile calls for launch in 2022. pic.twitter.com/SCCBLOSC58 — Read the full article

[argothide]

Controvertido mapa de 1763 supuestamente copiado de uno del siglo XV, el cual estaría atribuido a Zheng He y en el que aparecen América y Oceanía unos setenta años antes de la llegada de Cristóbal Colón. La Hipótesis de 1421 es una reciente y controvertida teoría elaborada por el marino británico retirado Gavin Menzies la cual afirma que Zheng He circunnavegó el globo y descubrió América a principios del siglo XV, antes que Cristóbal Colón y Fernando de Magallanes. Puede ampliar la información en wikipedia y un sinfín de fuentes accesibles. ***En un siguiente post, publicaremos las versiones que invalidan esta teoría, así como otros detalles que la amplían. #China #ZhengHe #eunucos #historiadeasia #historiadechina #teoriasdelpoblamientoamericano #navegantes #navegacion #GavinMenzies #hipotesisde1421 #nipposfera https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYPfcylc2M/?igshid=is6vsseqyqbr

[blerdsunite]

#mingdynasty #zhenghe #ajuranempire #somalia #1414 The Somali people and China have a relationship that predates the middle ages. The Ajuran empire had strong ties with China, the Ajuran which had a strong naval force and China did a lot of business. Zheng He, a Hui Muslim, he brought back the giraffe as depicted in this drawing from around 1414-15. Somalia and China picked back up where colonialism had broken their ties in 1960. The Chinese having a naval base in Djibouti now isn't exactly strange considering their history. Listening to the Tariq's and others of the world that don't know what's going on isn't helping us one bit. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw7YRK_nNRh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=h0f3hoozg5dm

[psitrend]

38 rare pictures of eunuchs during the Qing Dynasty

New Post has been published on https://china-underground.com/2012/10/22/38-rare-pictures-of-eunuchs-during-qing-dinasty/

38 rare pictures of eunuchs during the Qing Dynasty

A eunuch (太監, Taijian) is a man who has been castrated in his early life for this change to have major hormonal consequences.

Related articles: how to make a eunuch in ancient China, Amazing old restored photos of China, images of the Boxer prisoners, pictures of the Xinhai Revolution, the first Sino-Japanese war prints

They have performed a wide variety of functions in many cultures: treble singers, courtiers, domestics, religious specialists, government officials, and harem servants.

Records of eunuchs in China date to the Shang dynasty, when the Shang kings castrated prisoners of war.

In China, castration included the removal of the penis as well as the testicles.

Both organs were cut off with a knife at the same time.

From ancient times until the Sui Dynasty, castration was both a traditional punishment and a means of gaining employment in the Imperial service

Men sentenced to castration were turned into eunuch slaves of the Qin dynasty state to perform forced labor for projects such as the Terracotta Army.

From ancient times until the Sui Dynasty, castration was both a traditional punishment (one of the Five Punishments) and a means of gaining employment in the Imperial service.

In China, castration included the removal of the penis as well as the testicles. Both organs were cut off with a knife at the same time.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, there were about 70,000 eunuchs employed by the emperor, with some serving inside the Imperial Palace.

Certain eunuchs gained immense power that occasionally superseded that of even the Grand Secretaries, like Zheng He, who lived during the Ming Dynasty.

When the Ming army finally captured Yunnan from Mongols in 1382, thousands of prisoners were killed and, according to the custom in times of war, their young sons – including Zheng He – were castrated. (Wikipedia)

Certain eunuchs gained immense power that occasionally superseded that of even the Grand Secretaries, like Zheng He, who lived during the Ming Dynasty.

Images of Chinese eunuchs

Sources

via Eunuchi

http://www.getty.edu/research/exhibitions_events/exhibitions/brush_shutter/essential_china.html http://www.usrf.org/news/010308-eunuchs_china.html http://gb.cri.cn/15884/2007/02/01/ http://taijian.baike.com/article-80849.html http://ilishi.blog.sohu.com/118388051.html Wikipedia

Topic: eunuch pics, eunuch photos, castration eunuch, castration pictures, castration photo, castration pics, Chinese eunuchs, what does a eunuch look like

#AmazingHistoricalPhotos, #ChineseCastration, #ChineseEunuch, #ChineseEunuchs, #ChineseEunuchsCastration, #Eunuchs, #FivePunishments, #HistoricalPhotos, #Images, #MingDynasty, #OldHistoricalPhotos, #OldPictures, #QingDinasty, #RestoringOldPhotographs, #SuiDynasty, #ZhengHe

[leoteaworld]

What is Baihao Silver Needle White Tea And How to Identify The Quality

What is Baihao Silver Needle White Tea And How to Identify The Quality

Baihao silver needle belongs to white tea, micro fermented tea, named after its plump buds, covered with white hair, like hidden snow. Origin: Fuxi, Toutou, Taimu mountain, Zhenghe, etc. Process: withering, drying, and picking. It is white and thick in color. Aroma: pure and fragrant. Soup color: light apricot yellow, clear and bright Taste: fresh, mellow, and full of flavor. Leaf…

[acrazybayernfan]

Tonight I dreamed of Iga loosing her match against Qinwen Zhengh 6-3, 5-7, 2-6. The Chinese tenniswoman is a real danger and Iga last match wasn’t so convincing so I’m really afraid. On another hand the last time I dreamed about a sport result it was before the Bayern/Baca quater-final, in my dream we were loosing 2-0 with two goals from Suarez (seeing Suarez celebrate a goal against your team is the worst possible type of nightmare, I assure you) and then everyone knows how it really ended. So perhaps that’s a good sign for Iga.

[szalacsi]

history

“I’m from Malaysia. 

China has traded with Malaysia for 2000 years. In those years, they had been the world’s biggest powers many times. Never once they sent troops to take our land. 

Admiral Zhenghe came to Malacca five times, in gigantic fleets, and a flagship eight times the size of Christopher Columbus’ flagship, Santa Maria. He could have seized Malacca easily, but he did not. 

In 1511, the Portuguese came. 

In 1642, the Dutch came. 

In the 18th century the British came. 

We were colonised by each, one after another. 

When China wanted spices from India, they traded with the Indians. When they wanted gems, they traded with the Persian. They didn’t take lands. The only time China expanded beyond their current borders was in Yuan Dynasty, when Genghis and his descendants Ogedei Khan, Guyuk Khan & Kublai Khan concurred China, Mid Asia and Eastern Europe. Yuan Dynasty, although being based in China, was a part of the Mongolian Empire. 

Then came the Century of Humiliation. Britain smuggled opium into China to dope the population, a strategy to turn the trade deficit around, after the British could not find enough silver to pay the Qing Dynasty in their tea and porcelain trades. 

After the opium warehouses were burned down and ports were closed by the Chinese in ordered to curb opium, the British started the Opium War I, which China lost. Hong Kong was forced to be surrendered to the British in a peace talk (Nanjing Treaty). 

The British owned 90% of the opium market in China, during that time, Queen Victoria was the world’s biggest drug baron. The remaining 10% was owned by American merchants from Boston. Many of Boston’s institutions were built with profit from opium. 

After 12 years of Nanjing Treaty, the West started getting really really greedy. The British wanted the Qing government: 

 1. To open the borders of China to allow goods coming in and out freely, and tax free. 

 2. Make opium legal in China. Insane requests, Qing government said no. 

The British and French (with supports from the US), started Opium War II with China, which again, China lost. 

The Anglo-French military raided the Summer Palace, and threatened to burn down the Imperial Palace, the Qing government was forced to pay with ports, free business zones, 300,000 kilograms of silver and Kowloon was taken. 

Since then, China’s resources flew out freely through these business zones and ports. In the subsequent amendment to the treaties, Chinese people were sold overseas to serve as labor. 

In 1900, China suffered attacks by the 8-National Alliance (Empire of Japan, Russian Empire, British Empire (including India), France, USA, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary). 

Innocent Chinese civilians in Peking (Beijing now) were murdered, buildings were destroyed & women were raped. The Imperial Palace was raided, and treasures ended up in museums like the British Museum in London and the Louvre in Paris. 

In late 1930s China was occupied by the Japanese in WWII. Millions of Chinese died during the occupancy. 300,000 Chinese died in Nanjing Massacre alone. Mao brought China together again from the shambles. There were peace and unity for some time. But Mao’s later reign saw sufferings and deaths from famine and power struggles. 

Then came Deng Xiao Ping and his infamous 'black-cat and white-cat' story. His preference in pragmatism than ideologies has transformed China. This thinking allowed China to evolve all the time to adapt to the actual needs in the country, instead of rigidly bounded to ideologies. It also signified the death of Communism in actually practice in China. 

The current Socialism+Meritocracy+Market Economy model fits the Chinese like gloves, and it propels the uprise of China. Singapore has a similar model, and has been arguably more successful than Hong Kong, because Hong Kong being gateway to China, was riding on the economic boom in China, while Singapore had no one to gain from. 

In just 30 years, the CPC have moved 800 millions of people out from poverty. The rate of growth is unprecedented in human history. They have built the biggest mobile network, by far the biggest high speed rail network in the world, and they have become a behemoth in infrastructure. They made a fishing village called Shenzhen into the world’s second largest technological centre after the Silicon Valley. 

They are growing into a technological power house. It has the most elaborate e-commerce and cashless payment system in the world. They have launched exploration to Mars. The Chinese are living a good life and China has become one of the safest countries in the world. 

The level of patriotism in the country has reached an unprecedented height. For all of the achievements, the West has nothing good to say about it. China suffers from intense anti-China propagandas from the West. Western Media used the keyword “Communist” to instil fear and hatred towards China.

Everything China does is negatively reported. They claimed China used slave labor in making iPhones. The truth was, Apple was the most profitable company in the world, it took most of the profit, leave some to Foxconn (a Taiwanese company) and little to the labor. 

They claimed China was inhuman with one-child policy. At the same time, they accused China of polluting the earth with its huge population. The fact is the Chinese consume just 30% of energy per capita compared to the US. 

They claimed China underwent ethnic cleansing in Xinjiang. The fact is China has a policy which priorities ethnic minorities. For a long time, the ethnic minorities were allowed to have two children and the majority Han only allowed one. The minorities are allowed a lower score for university intakes. There are 39,000 mosque in China, and 2100 in the US. 

China has about 3 times more mosque per muslim than the US. When terrorist attacks happened in Xinjiang, China had two choices: 

1. Re-educate the Uighur (CENSUDED by Youtube) before they turned (CENSUDED by Youtube). (**Here I could not copy the exact word, since today it is censored by YouTube if I write it next to the indicated ethnicity. It is the one used to identify those crazy people who are killing people thinking that by doing this they will be able to go to paradise**). 

2. Let them be, after they launch attacks and killed innocent people, bomb their homes. China chose 1 to solve problem from the root and not to do killing. 

How the US solve terrorism? Fire missiles from battleships, drop bombs from the sky. 

During the pandemic, When China took extreme measures to lockdown the people, they were accused of being inhuman. 

When China recovered swiftly because of the extreme measures, they were accused of lying about the actual numbers. 

When China’s cases became so low that they could provide medical support to other countries, they were accused of politically motivated. Western Media always have reasons to bash China. Just like any country, there are irresponsible individuals from China which do bad things, but the China government overall has done very well. 

But I hear this comment over and over by people from the West: I like Chinese people, but the CPC is evil. What they really want is the Chinese to change the government, because the current one is too good. 

Fortunately China is not a multi-party democratic country, otherwise the opposition party in China will be supported by notorious NGOs (Non-Government Organization) of the USA, like the NED (National Endowment for Democracy), to topple the ruling party. 

The US and the British couldn’t crack Mainland China, so they work on Hong Kong. Of all the ex-British colonial countries, only the Hong Kongers were offered BNOs by the British. Because the UK would like the Hong Kongers to think they are British citizens, not Chinese. 

A divide-and-conquer strategy, which they often used in Color Revolutions around the world. They resort to low dirty tricks like detaining Huawei’s CFO & banning Huawei. They raised a silly trade war which benefits no one. Trade deficit always exist between a developing and a developed country. 

USA is like a luxury car seller who ask a farmer: why am I always buying your vegetables and you haven’t bought any of my cars? When the Chinese were making socks for the world 30 years ago, the world let it be. 

But when Chinese started to make high technology products, like Huawei and DJI, it caused red-alert. Because when Western and Japanese products are equal to Chinese in technologies, they could never match the Chinese in prices. 

First world countries want China to continue in making socks. Instead of stepping up themselves, they want to pull China down. The recent movement by the US against China has a very important background. 

When Libya, Iran, and China decided to ditch the US dollar in oil trades, Gaddafi’s was killed by the US, Iran was being sanctioned by the US, and now it’s China’s turn. The US has been printing money out of nothing. The only reason why the US Dollar is still widely accepted, is because it’s the only currency which oil is allowed to be traded with. 

The US has an agreement with Saudi that oil must be traded in US dollar ONLY. Without the petrol-dollar status, the US dollars will sink, and America will fall. 

Therefore anyone trying to disobey this order will be eliminated. China will soon use a gold-backed crypto-currency, the alarms in the White House go off like mad. 

 China’s achievement has been by hard work. Not by looting the world. I have deep sympathy for China for all the suffering, but now I feel happy for them. China is not rising, they are going back to where they belong. Good luck China.”

[foxghost]

Joyful Reunion, Chapter 14

Translator: foxghost @foxghost tumblr/ko-fi1 Beta: meet-me-in-oblivion @meet-me-in-oblivion tumblr Original by 非天夜翔 Fei Tian Ye Xiang Masterpost | Characters, Maps & Other Reference Index

Book 1, Chapter 4 (part 2)

Though he misses Lang Junxia, Duan Ling has gradually understood something: perhaps if his father didn’t come, Lang Junxia wouldn’t have left.

Some will come and some will go — it’s just like how Lang Junxia described it himself. You can’t have all the good things that happen in the world; one will always have regrets, one way or another.

A lot of things feel like they were pre-arranged for him by the heavens itself.

Not without astonishment Duan Ling realises that if he ever has questions about any of the books he’s reading, as long as he brings them up to Li Jianhong, he can almost always answer them. On top of that, while his answers are wholly different than those the headmaster comes up with, they do not contradict his other interpretations, leaving Duan Ling little option but to be persuaded.

“Dad, didn’t you tell me that you didn’t get much schooling?”

“Life is limited, knowledge is limitless.2” Li Jianhong answers, “Who can truly say they’re well-read? All one can learn are bits and pieces. The more you know, the less you understand.”

Duan Ling only half understands, but he nods anyway. Today, he has flipped through his books for a while, and now he asks, “Dad, Confucius said that a gentleman reveres three things. What does that mean?”

“First to revere fate, second to revere the ruling class, third to revere the words of sages. A wretch who does not know the inevitability of fate would not know he should revere it..”

“Revere doesn’t mean fear.” Li Jianhong gives an impromptu explanation as he looks out into the courtyard, “It means to respect. Only by honouring one’s fate can one find shelter.”

“And what does fate mean?” Duan Ling asks.

“Everyone has something that they must accomplish in their lives, and that is decided from the very moment they are born. Some are born to farm, some are born to fight in wars, some are born to be the emperor. There are all kinds of fates, endlessly dissimilar.”

“But how am I supposed to find out what my fate is?” Duan Ling asks another question.

“It makes perfect sense for you not to know,” Li Jianhong puts down his bowl and heaves a sigh. “Dad doesn’t know either. Independent at thirty, confident at forty, knows one’s fate at fifty, said Confucius — we’re not supposed to find out until we’re fifty.”

“Isn’t that too long?” Duan Ling doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Yeah. We spend the first half of our lives bumping about in the dark not knowing what we’re supposed to do — it’s truly a waste of time.”

Li Jianhong gets up and walks away, but Duan Ling is still thinking about what his father told him; he finds him far more interesting than his teachers.

But soon Li Jianhong is walking past his door again. It’s drizzling outside, and Li Jianhong has changed into a cloak. He has a bundle in one hand. “Don’t you need to go to the Illustrious Hall today? Want to keep going to school?”

“Oh!” Duan Ling remembers now — today is the day he’s picking up his papers. He’ll be able to pick up the last essay he wrote at the Illustrious Hall and get it stamped by the headmaster so he can hand it in at Biyong College. He’s nearly forgotten, but Li Jianhong somehow still remembers everything, and takes him out on horseback. They plan to go get the papers, then head to the ink room to register for the exams before heading out of the city for a leisure trip.

Shangjing’s Biyong College is situated in the middle of Zhenghe Street, teeming with pedestrians and carriages that come and go in an endless stream. A line has already formed outside, all from noble and high-ranking functionary households. Standing apart from the crowd, Duan Ling and his father look on, both of whom dressed in plain commoners’ clothing.

“Do you envy their show of wealth in their beautiful carriages?” Li Jianhong asks without much thought.

Duan Ling shakes his head. A lot of these people are his fellow alumni from the Illustrious Hall. They’ve spent years studying with each other, but he never imagined that they came from such eminent families. Duan Ling says to Li Jianhong, “The headmaster taught us that one must be content with poverty and be the ruler of one’s own self.”

Li Jianhong nods. “Even though the headmaster talks a lot of nonsense, in this instance he is correct.”

Duan Ling laughs as he goes to get a number for registration on his own, so Li Jianhong pulls his hood down low until it covers half his face, and he stands in the shadows as he scans the faces of the passersby.

“Duan Ling!” Cai Yan calls his name from a distance. “What are you waiting for? Come over here!”

Though Duan Ling has completed his course of study at the Illustrious Hall, he has made few friends; because Lang Junxia made sure he only lived in the secluded side wing, he had little opportunity to meet with his fellow students. The only people he’s relatively close to are Cai Yan and Borjigin, whom he met on the first day, and Helian Bo who was occasionally given the standing punishment along with him.

Cai Yan came with this older brother as always, and he beckons at Duan Ling. So Li Jianhong walks over to greet them, saluting Cai Wen with one hand wrapped over his fist.

“Thank you for looking after him,” Li Jianhong says.

"I hardly did anything. "Cai Wen smiles, returning the gesture.

Cai Yan rests his arm over Duan Ling’s shoulder, letting him line up in front of himself, and the two of them exchange pleasantries. Duan Ling seldom sees Cai Wen, and he cannot help recalling that one winter where Lang Junxia was injured. In the days following that incident, Duan Ling returned to the Illustrious Hall, and Cai Yan came to see him without prompting; noticing his swollen right eye, Cai Yan thought Duan Ling was beaten by the adults at his house, and talked with him for a while to console him.

Ordinarily the two of them were almost never in the same class together. By the time Duan Ling started school, Cai Yan was already in the literature pavilion learning the four books and five classics ahead of time, as well as writing essays, and by the time Duan Ling advanced to the literature pavilion, they were classmates only for a few brief months before Cai Yan was taken back home, where his brother hired someone to teach him. Therefore the two of them did not see each other often at all.

But Duan Ling did have some idea of Cai Yan’s family situation. He knows that even though Cai Wen is Cai Yan’s older brother, the two did not share the same mother, and Cai Yan’s needs to be taken care of by Cai Wen everyday the same way Lang Junxia looks after Duan Ling. It made Cai Yan and Duan Ling intangibly closer still. Aside from this, Cai Yan and his older brother had also run into Duan Ling and Lang Junxia twice outside of school; once at the Mid-Autumn lantern festival, and the other time at the Double Third festival3 on a spring outing by the water.

However, Ding Zhi seems to like Lang Junxia, but not Cai Wen so much, thus when their respective elders happen to run into each other the atmosphere feels a bit awkward.

While the young men stand in line, the adults around them have a friendly chat. Duan Ling has forgotten to introduce Cai Wen to his father; Cai Wen is dressed in sky blue casuals today, looking quite dashing with a fighter’s bearing, like a sharp, newly forged sword. What they talk about is nothing more than the two children’s studies. Compared to the respectful distance Lang Junxia tends to keep, Li Jianhong comes off as far more cordial.

When Lang Junxia is mentioned, Li Jianhong merely brushes off the subject with a simple, “He’s my servant, and I wasn’t going to let him interfere too much in my son’s studies. Once I finished work and came to Shangjing, I sent him back to the south to take care of the business.”

Cai Wen nods. “I’ve been told you’re a merchant, Duanxiong?”

Li jianhong nods. “It’s not going so well. I was just thinking about finding some other way to make a living. Ambition I’ve plenty, but with all this war going on it’s hard to find a foothold anywhere, so what can I do but eat away at my savings while sitting idly on my hands. I’ll worry about that when I’m done watching over my son and he’s grown.”

Cai Wen laughs. “Judging by your bearing, Duanxiong, surely you wouldn’t have to eat away at your savings. You’re just being overly modest.”

Though Li Jianhong’s clothes and ornaments are not extravagant, his every movement and every word carries a particular aura, far from anything like a nouveau riche. In recent years Shangjing is filled with all kinds of folk, rich and poor alike; many nobles have also taken their entire families to shelter beneath the Liao celestial emperor’s feet. Though Cai Wen thinks Li Jianhong is no ordinary man, he has already met Duan Ling, and so he does not think too much of it.

Cai Yan sees a youth walking towards them and says, surprised, “Helian Bo!”

Duan Ling says smilingly, “Helian Bo!”

“You’ve come too!” Cai Yan greets him, “Come over here.”

Helian Bo has grown as well; he often got sent to stand out in the hallway alongside Duan Ling as punishment, and at fourteen he’s already rather tall, with dusky skin. He’s dressed in the Xiqiang fashion, with high brows, deep-set eyes, and chiselled features. Ordinarily he looks rather imposing simply standing there without saying a word, but in fact, he stutters.

Helian Bo is with his steward, so he nods at Duan Ling and Cai Yan, then tells his steward to leave before going to stand behind the two of them silently.

“Did you see Borjigin?” Cai Yan says offhandedly.

Helian Bo shakes his head. He looks at Li Jianhong, obviously the first time he’s ever seen him.

“My dad,” Daun Ling finally remembers to introduce him.

Helian Bo puts one palm on top of another, so Li Jianhong nods at him and returns the salute. Duan Ling looks behind him to find a carriage stopped on the road. Helian Bo points over that way and explains to Duan Ling. “My mom.”

His mother’s the one who brought Helian Bo here to register. Shangjing custom does not allow female family members to appear in public, so Helian Bo has come to line up by himself. He cups a hand over his fist to Cai Wen and the others in an apology.

The young men chat casually with each other for a while, and when it’s their turn, Duan Ling wants to let the others go first, but Helian Bo makes a gesture palm up at Duan Ling, please go ahead, and along with Cai Yan the two let the youngest among them go first.

“Duan Ling can come over whenever he’s free.” Caii Wen says, “I hired a teacher from the south. He can choose some of the easier material to teach him for now.”

“It’s wonderful of you to offer, thank you,” Li Jianhong says.

Cai Wen waves it off, don’t mention it, while Duan Ling has already gone inside with his answers, handed it in, and got it stamped. Li Jianhong says goodbye to Cai Wen, and he steps away with Duan Ling to pay the exam fee.

By the time Duan Ling is done, his friends are already gone. Noticing that Duan Ling is still looking back to search the crowd repeatedly, Li Jianhong asks, “You have friends that didn’t come?”

“Batu didn’t come.” Duan Ling replies, “We said we’d come today to register for the exams.”

Li Jianhong thinks to himself for a little while before asking Duan Ling, “Did you make any other friends?”

“Those are the one that are good to me. But I don’t know why their families are so strict with them.”

“Well, I forgot to ask, actually. Was Lang Junxia strict with you?”

Duan Ling shakes his head. It’s already been a while since he parted from Lang Junxia, but when he thinks about the past, he cherishes the comfortable years he spent with Lang Junxia very much still. Not that he didn’t want to play around, but Duan Ling was terrified of disappointing him. However, he can tell that Cai Yan, Helian Bo, as well as his other fellow classmates seem to have been having a hard time, as though there was a constant gloom pressing down on their heads.

“Helian Bo and the others … I don’t know how to say it, but they always looked like … looked like … um …”

Li Jianhong says, “Like there’s a ghost trailing them, forcing them to study so they can’t even laugh out loud.”

Duan Ling smiles. “That’s it.”

“They’re all mature beyond their years. They’re not like you.”

Duan Ling heaves a sigh.

Li Jianhong says, “They’re all heirs of politcal hostages, so naturally ever since they were little they understood more than those around them.”

“Well, I know that. But is it all that scary?” Duan Ling asks.

Li Jianhong holds Duan Ling’s hand as they walk down the street. “Helian Bo is the son of the Xiqiang royal family’s Helian Luan. Borjigin is a descendent of the Yuan Jiwowen line. As for the brothers Cai Wen and Cai Yan, they’re the offspring of the Cai family who moved north to work as officials in Shangjing. They’re children from mixed marriages with Khitan women.”

“In other words,” Li Jianhong explains, “Their dads are all foreigners, and most of them are royal kin. They’re here as hostages in exchange for peace between their home country and the Liao empire. If war breaks out between them, the Khitans will kill them.”

Duan Ling falls quiet for a moment before he asks, “Who is Southern Chen’s hostage?”

“The Southern Chen imperial family doesn’t have a hostage here — because the Han refuses to yield.”

“A lot of people who went to school with you in the Illustrious Hall are the descendents of the Liao empire’s south-side bureaucrats. If they ever defect, the Liao emperor would kill their sons.” Li Jianhong asks, “Do you know a child with the last name Han?”

“I do!” Duan Ling immediately thinks of that Mister Han.

“He’s actually Khitan. His dad is the imperial tutor of the southern administration.”

Duan Ling nods. He’s standing at the intersection with Li Jianhong; Dayu’er Lane is right next to them. Duan Ling stands there, and peers in for a while. “I want to check Batu’s house.”

And so Li Jianhong steps into Dayu’er Lane with Duan Ling, but they discover that many Khitan soldiers are inside, questioning everyone they see.

“Who’s there?” They’re immediately on guard.

“I’m …” Duan Ling has just started speaking when Li Jianhong’s hand on his shoulder lightly presses down.

“When I was taking my son to register earlier I ran into General Cai outside Biyong College.” Li Jianhong says smoothly, “He noticed that Borjigin was absent so he asked me to come check on him.”

“It has got nothing to do with Cai Wen.” The officer says, “Return and tell him to mind his own business.”

Li Jianhong nods at him and leaves with Duan Ling, a slight furrow between his brows.

“Why are they …”

Li Jianhong puts a finger over Duan Ling’s lips, letting him know not to ask. By the time they get home, Duan Ling has already forgotten all about it, and goes to work in his flowerbed. After a while, Duan Ling finds Li Jianhong getting some sun on the recliner in the courtyard, his eyes narrowed as though lost in thought.

“Dad.” Duan Ling is going to ask him to go sleep inside, but Li Jianhong’s eyes open and he beckons Duan Ling closer.

So Duan Ling goes and sprawls all over Li Jianhong. Li Jianhong holds Duan Ling close to him with one hand, and takes his hand with another.

“What’s this? Your hands are covered in mud, just wiping it on your dad’s face all day long.”

Duan Ling wipes both hands on Li Jianhong’s clothes and says, “I’m hungry.”

“What do you want to eat? Let’s go get something at a restaurant …”

Duan Ling is about to wash his hands, but Li Jianhong doesn’t loosen his hold; he carefully examines Duan Ling’s expression while looking at his eyes. “Tell me this before you go. Are you good friends with Borjigin Batu?”

There’s gravitas in Li Jianhong’s expression, and Duan Ling gets a bit worried, thinking Li Jianhong must disapprove of him making friends with Batu, so he starts thinking about how he should answer. And yet after just this short pause of hesitation, Li Jianhong is saying to him, “If he is then say he is, if he isn’t then say he isn’t. What’d you think I’d do to you?”

Duan Ling answers, “He is.”

“Life is long, and you must have a few friends. Go wash your hands.”

I do not monetise my hobby translations, but if you’d like to support my work generally or support my light novel habit, you can either buy me a coffee or commission me. This is also to note that if you see this message anywhere else than on tumblr, do come to my tumblr. It’s ad-free. ↩︎

It’s by Zhuangzi. The full quote is Life is limited, knowledge is limitless; the pursuit of the limitless with the limited can only end in failure. ↩︎

The double third festival happens on 3-3, on the third day of the third lunar month. ↩︎