Thank you for the interesting tale of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai! It is definately similar to the english version of Romeo and Juliet. Hope you do well on your exams.
Take care! Lauren :)
Monday, April 23, 2007
March 6, 2007
Hello Lauren,
I am so glad that you are interested in the Chinese Legends that I prepared. Today I will tell you the third story about Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Zhu Yingtai who was very smart and liked poetry. At that time girls were not allowed to go to school. So Zhu dressed up so she looked like a boy to go to school.
On the way to school, she met her classmate Liang Shanbo, they became brothers. From then on they studied together. During the three years, Liang protected an looked after Zhu and didn’t know that Zhu was a girl. After three years, they went back to their homes. On the way, she implied to Liang that she was a girl, but Liang didn’t understand her intention. Zhu had no choice but to say she had a sister and she wanted her sister to marry him, so Zhu asked Liang to marry her sister in her home as soon as he arrived at his home.
But because Liang was late and missed the date, Zhu was forced to marry another boy called Ma. Having known the fact, Liang regreted it so much that he died. On the day that Zhu married, she passed the tomb of Liang and was very sorrowful and cried before the grave of Liang. Then it was dark all around and began to rain heavily. Meanwhile, thunder cracked the tomb and Zhu jumped into it. Instantly, the tomb closed. Then there was a rainbow in the sky and two big butterflies who flew with each other. It is said that the two butterflies were Liang and Zhu’s spirits. This story is also called the Chinese Romeo and Juliet.
Best wishes, Tingting
March 5, 2007
Hi Tingting,
That was a very interesting story! Perhaps after your exams we can chat about it in more detail. For now, keep studying hard! Let me know when you are all done with exams. I have included some pictures of me and my friends in this email. The first one is of me and my friend Marissa at Carnival, our annual fundraiser at school. I'm on the left with the haku lei on my head. The second picture is of my friend Cat, me, and my friend Tiffany. Lastly, the third picture was taken about two years back with Erica, Me, and my other friend Blake. I hope you enjoy them. These are some of my closest friends. They aren't all Chinese, actually, only one of them is Chinese. Thank you for sending me the literature, can't wait to hear from you again!
Lauren :)
That was a very interesting story! Perhaps after your exams we can chat about it in more detail. For now, keep studying hard! Let me know when you are all done with exams. I have included some pictures of me and my friends in this email. The first one is of me and my friend Marissa at Carnival, our annual fundraiser at school. I'm on the left with the haku lei on my head. The second picture is of my friend Cat, me, and my friend Tiffany. Lastly, the third picture was taken about two years back with Erica, Me, and my other friend Blake. I hope you enjoy them. These are some of my closest friends. They aren't all Chinese, actually, only one of them is Chinese. Thank you for sending me the literature, can't wait to hear from you again!
Lauren :)
March 3, 2007
Hello Lauren,
We meet again! I admire you that you have already finished all your applications. And I believe you will succeed. Meanwhile, I will work hard too. Let us keep contact all the time.
All the content I prepared are tanslated by myself during the holidays. I think it is a good chance to practise my English. Today, I will tell you the second legend called the girl named Meng Jiangnv.
It is said that there was a family planting a pumpkin. When harvest time came, they got a very beautiful girl. When she grew up, it was the time when Qin emperor (China's first emperor in history) caught men to build the Great Wall. A man came into the girl's garden in order to evade it while the girl was looking for her fan in the lake. At that time, there was a consuetude that if a girl's skin was seen by a man, she had to marry him. And the girl liked the man as well. So they married. After just three days, the man was caught to build the Great Wall.The girl missed her husband so much that she ignored the hardships and dangers on the journey to seek him.When she arrived at the foot of the Great Wall, she was told that her husband had already died and his ashes was under the Great Wall.
She was so sorrowful that eight hundred kilometers of the Great Wall broke down by her crying. Finally she found her husband's ashes and decided to take him back to their hometown to bury. Hearing that the girl broke down the Great Wall by crying, Qin gave orders to catch her to condemn her. But seeing the girl was very beautiful, Qin forced her to marry him.
The girl made three terms. If Qin could comply, she would marry him. First, he had to make a tomb for her husband; Second, Qin should mourn like a dutiful son before her husband's tomb; Third, Qin must travel with the girl in the sea for three days. And Qin wanted to get hold of the beautiful girl very much, so he complied. Having held a memorial ceremony for her husband, the girl jumped into the sea when travelling.
People made up this story not only to hold a memorial ceremony for people who died when building the Great Wall, but to condemn Qin's barbarity.
Hope you enjoy it!
Best wishes, Ting Ting
We meet again! I admire you that you have already finished all your applications. And I believe you will succeed. Meanwhile, I will work hard too. Let us keep contact all the time.
All the content I prepared are tanslated by myself during the holidays. I think it is a good chance to practise my English. Today, I will tell you the second legend called the girl named Meng Jiangnv.
It is said that there was a family planting a pumpkin. When harvest time came, they got a very beautiful girl. When she grew up, it was the time when Qin emperor (China's first emperor in history) caught men to build the Great Wall. A man came into the girl's garden in order to evade it while the girl was looking for her fan in the lake. At that time, there was a consuetude that if a girl's skin was seen by a man, she had to marry him. And the girl liked the man as well. So they married. After just three days, the man was caught to build the Great Wall.The girl missed her husband so much that she ignored the hardships and dangers on the journey to seek him.When she arrived at the foot of the Great Wall, she was told that her husband had already died and his ashes was under the Great Wall.
She was so sorrowful that eight hundred kilometers of the Great Wall broke down by her crying. Finally she found her husband's ashes and decided to take him back to their hometown to bury. Hearing that the girl broke down the Great Wall by crying, Qin gave orders to catch her to condemn her. But seeing the girl was very beautiful, Qin forced her to marry him.
The girl made three terms. If Qin could comply, she would marry him. First, he had to make a tomb for her husband; Second, Qin should mourn like a dutiful son before her husband's tomb; Third, Qin must travel with the girl in the sea for three days. And Qin wanted to get hold of the beautiful girl very much, so he complied. Having held a memorial ceremony for her husband, the girl jumped into the sea when travelling.
People made up this story not only to hold a memorial ceremony for people who died when building the Great Wall, but to condemn Qin's barbarity.
Hope you enjoy it!
Best wishes, Ting Ting
March 3, 2007
Hi Tingting,
I hope you do well on your entrance exams! You sure are studying very, very hard for them. I am also a senior. I have already completed all of my applications to various colleges and am eagerly awaiting their response. Thank you for working so hard to teach me more about Chinese culture. Also, thank you so much for sharing with me the legend! Since you have limited time to email back and forth, it is ok for you to get a copy of the story online or something and email that to me instead of you having to type it out yourself. I know you are very busy. I will wait in anticipation for your next email. After your examinations, we can chat about the literature. Until then, keep studying hard! :)
Mahalo! Lauren
I hope you do well on your entrance exams! You sure are studying very, very hard for them. I am also a senior. I have already completed all of my applications to various colleges and am eagerly awaiting their response. Thank you for working so hard to teach me more about Chinese culture. Also, thank you so much for sharing with me the legend! Since you have limited time to email back and forth, it is ok for you to get a copy of the story online or something and email that to me instead of you having to type it out yourself. I know you are very busy. I will wait in anticipation for your next email. After your examinations, we can chat about the literature. Until then, keep studying hard! :)
Mahalo! Lauren
March 1, 2007
Hello Lauren,
I wish that we could talk at the same time and see each other's picture. But I don't have any blogs or others. I just have email. And as you know, I am now in senior two and next term I will be a senior three student and should be prepared for the entrance examination of universities. So everyone in our school has to study until very late. But I will do my best to tell you more about Chinese culture via emails. Because your parents are Chinese, I think you may have heard of a lot of the content I prepared from your parents. But I still hope you can learn something from it.
For next three days, I will tell you three famous legends of China. I hope you like it. The first one is called farming boy and kniting girl.
Long long ago, one of the god’s daughter was very good at knitting. Not only could she knit different patterns such as colorful clouds but she could also knit many other beautful things. In the world there was a hardworking man who was very poor and lived with a cow.
One day,the cow told him to steal the woman’s clothes while she was bathing in the lake. Then the woman fell in love with the man and they married. From then on, every day the man did farm work while the woman knited. And they had two children, one girl and one boy. They lived together very happily.
But one day, the god knew that his daughter was married in the mortal world, he was so angry that he sent some heaven soldiers to take his daughter back. With the cow's help, the man ran after the soldiers to heaven with his kids. Seeing the man following them,the god made a galaxy between the man and his daughter. So then they could do nothing but cry.
In the sequel, the god was moved by their deep love. He asked a magpie to tell them that they could meet once a week. Unfortunately, the bird made a mistake. She told them they could only meet on July 7th (lunar calendar). So the god punished the bird to make a bridge for them. So on July 7th, the man and the woman met on the bridge to talk with each other. That day became the Chinese Valentine's Day.
I wish that we could talk at the same time and see each other's picture. But I don't have any blogs or others. I just have email. And as you know, I am now in senior two and next term I will be a senior three student and should be prepared for the entrance examination of universities. So everyone in our school has to study until very late. But I will do my best to tell you more about Chinese culture via emails. Because your parents are Chinese, I think you may have heard of a lot of the content I prepared from your parents. But I still hope you can learn something from it.
For next three days, I will tell you three famous legends of China. I hope you like it. The first one is called farming boy and kniting girl.
Long long ago, one of the god’s daughter was very good at knitting. Not only could she knit different patterns such as colorful clouds but she could also knit many other beautful things. In the world there was a hardworking man who was very poor and lived with a cow.
One day,the cow told him to steal the woman’s clothes while she was bathing in the lake. Then the woman fell in love with the man and they married. From then on, every day the man did farm work while the woman knited. And they had two children, one girl and one boy. They lived together very happily.
But one day, the god knew that his daughter was married in the mortal world, he was so angry that he sent some heaven soldiers to take his daughter back. With the cow's help, the man ran after the soldiers to heaven with his kids. Seeing the man following them,the god made a galaxy between the man and his daughter. So then they could do nothing but cry.
In the sequel, the god was moved by their deep love. He asked a magpie to tell them that they could meet once a week. Unfortunately, the bird made a mistake. She told them they could only meet on July 7th (lunar calendar). So the god punished the bird to make a bridge for them. So on July 7th, the man and the woman met on the bridge to talk with each other. That day became the Chinese Valentine's Day.
February 28, 2007
Hello Tingting!
If you would like, you could call me by my Chinese name, Gum Foong. Otherwise, Lauren is fine :) My parents are both Chinese. Also, my Dad is a little bit Hawaiian as well, but technically I am pure Chinese. It is a pity that we cannot talk at the same time! You are very busy with school! What kind of school do you attend for such a long time? Do you have some sort of website or blog page that we should connect through such as myspace, facebook or blogspot? Please let me know. Other than that, I hope to hear back from you about the literature that you selected for me to read.
Take care!
Lauren :)
If you would like, you could call me by my Chinese name, Gum Foong. Otherwise, Lauren is fine :) My parents are both Chinese. Also, my Dad is a little bit Hawaiian as well, but technically I am pure Chinese. It is a pity that we cannot talk at the same time! You are very busy with school! What kind of school do you attend for such a long time? Do you have some sort of website or blog page that we should connect through such as myspace, facebook or blogspot? Please let me know. Other than that, I hope to hear back from you about the literature that you selected for me to read.
Take care!
Lauren :)
February 28, 2007
Hi Lauren,
I am so glad to hear from you again. Are your parents Chinese? You mentioned that you celebared the new year as well. And I am sorry that I don't have MSN. I go to school from 7 o'clock in the morning and come back home at 19 from Monday to Saturday. On Sunday I have to go to extra classes from 7 to 18. So the only time to talk is on Sunday... And I have already checked the time difference between China and Hawaii. When it is 18 in China, it is 24 in Hawaii. And when it is 19 in China, it is 1 in Hawaii. So it is a pity that perhaps we can not talk at the same time. So sorry! I am looking forward to your reply.
Best wishes
Tingting
I am so glad to hear from you again. Are your parents Chinese? You mentioned that you celebared the new year as well. And I am sorry that I don't have MSN. I go to school from 7 o'clock in the morning and come back home at 19 from Monday to Saturday. On Sunday I have to go to extra classes from 7 to 18. So the only time to talk is on Sunday... And I have already checked the time difference between China and Hawaii. When it is 18 in China, it is 24 in Hawaii. And when it is 19 in China, it is 1 in Hawaii. So it is a pity that perhaps we can not talk at the same time. So sorry! I am looking forward to your reply.
Best wishes
Tingting
Friday, April 13, 2007
February 26, 2007
Hi Lauren,
I am so glad you wrote back so quickly. Email is the most convenient way for me to talk to you and anytime is O.K. I will reply to you as soon as possible. Now I will tell you a legend about the Spring Festival, what you call Chinese New Year. Because we are now celebrating this holidays.
Long long ago there was a beast called Nian (means Year). At the end of the year, he would come out to eat people. People were very frightened of Nian. One day a old man told people that the beast was afraid of firecrackers and red color. When the end of year approached, people would set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts on their windows and doors to drive the beast Nian away. So now we still set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts although we know the beast doesn’t exist.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, every family gets together to celebrate it. We make dumplings and a big dinner while watching the Spring Festival on TV. Sometimes we put one coin in the dumplings. If someone finds the coin in his dumplings while eating, he will have a good fortune in the coming year. On the Eve, people will stay up late until the next year comes. As soon as 12 o’clock comes, people go outside to set off firecrackers. That is the busiest time of the celebrations. During that time, children are happy because they will receive some money from his or her parents and relatives. That money called Yasui Qian (means not let children become older).
This festival lasts 15 days. On the last day, family will also get together to eat Tangyuan. Yuan means round. In China, people think that round means gathering. So we have these with the hope that every member of the family can get together. On that day, the moon will be round. And we also buy lanterns with which go outside that night. Sometimes we will guess the puzzles on the lanterns. It is very much like your Thanksgiving Festival.
There are also some pictures of the Spring Festival. Are you interested in it? I am looking forward to seeing your pictures. Any of yours is OK. You can also send all of them to me if you can. Next time I will tell you something about the most famous of Chinese traditional legend or something of Chinese dance. I hope you will like it.
Best wishes,
Tingting
I am so glad you wrote back so quickly. Email is the most convenient way for me to talk to you and anytime is O.K. I will reply to you as soon as possible. Now I will tell you a legend about the Spring Festival, what you call Chinese New Year. Because we are now celebrating this holidays.
Long long ago there was a beast called Nian (means Year). At the end of the year, he would come out to eat people. People were very frightened of Nian. One day a old man told people that the beast was afraid of firecrackers and red color. When the end of year approached, people would set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts on their windows and doors to drive the beast Nian away. So now we still set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts although we know the beast doesn’t exist.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, every family gets together to celebrate it. We make dumplings and a big dinner while watching the Spring Festival on TV. Sometimes we put one coin in the dumplings. If someone finds the coin in his dumplings while eating, he will have a good fortune in the coming year. On the Eve, people will stay up late until the next year comes. As soon as 12 o’clock comes, people go outside to set off firecrackers. That is the busiest time of the celebrations. During that time, children are happy because they will receive some money from his or her parents and relatives. That money called Yasui Qian (means not let children become older).
This festival lasts 15 days. On the last day, family will also get together to eat Tangyuan. Yuan means round. In China, people think that round means gathering. So we have these with the hope that every member of the family can get together. On that day, the moon will be round. And we also buy lanterns with which go outside that night. Sometimes we will guess the puzzles on the lanterns. It is very much like your Thanksgiving Festival.
There are also some pictures of the Spring Festival. Are you interested in it? I am looking forward to seeing your pictures. Any of yours is OK. You can also send all of them to me if you can. Next time I will tell you something about the most famous of Chinese traditional legend or something of Chinese dance. I hope you will like it.
Best wishes,
Tingting
February 23, 2007
Aloha Lauren!
I am so glad to hear from you. I am so sorry that I write back to you so late. As you know, because of the Spring Festival , I returned to my hometown Henan to celebrate with my grandparents. I just came back to Beijing yesterday. As soon as I saw your email , I sent this email to you immediately. I also sent you some of my pictures in the affix .I hope this email is not very late.
And which part of Chinese culture do you want to know? Looking forward to your reply!
Best wishes
Tingting
I am so glad to hear from you. I am so sorry that I write back to you so late. As you know, because of the Spring Festival , I returned to my hometown Henan to celebrate with my grandparents. I just came back to Beijing yesterday. As soon as I saw your email , I sent this email to you immediately. I also sent you some of my pictures in the affix .I hope this email is not very late.
And which part of Chinese culture do you want to know? Looking forward to your reply!
Best wishes
Tingting
February 22, 2007
Aloha Tingting!
My name is Lauren, and I am a member of Mrs. Shigemitsu's World Literature class. I attend Punahou School and am currently a senior. I am very excited to get the opportunity to get to know you and your culture through this project. Hope to hear from you soon.
Lauren :)
My name is Lauren, and I am a member of Mrs. Shigemitsu's World Literature class. I attend Punahou School and am currently a senior. I am very excited to get the opportunity to get to know you and your culture through this project. Hope to hear from you soon.
Lauren :)
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