“The Chinese,” he wrote, “must learn to distinguish ethnic origin and culture from politics and law, and to discard their archaic obsession to claim anyone of Chinese ancestry as legally Chinese, however far removed from China.” He continued: “The real issue is not independence for Formosa but self-determination for the people there. And the Formosan … Continue reading On the Death of Taiwanese Freedom Fighter Peng Ming-min (彭明敏)
Carrie “Lapdog” Lam: Fit for House Arrest in a Mong Kok Coffin Apartment?
The death of free Hong Kong was planned in Beijing, but Carrie Lam will go down in history as its chief executioner. On Monday she said she won’t seek a second five-year term as the city’s chief executive, but her legacy is secure. A career civil-servant who prospered under British rule, she was obliged as … Continue reading Carrie “Lapdog” Lam: Fit for House Arrest in a Mong Kok Coffin Apartment?
What we are reading now:
Ce détail expliquerait peut-être en partie la raison pour laquelle nous avons ces deux versions manuscrites de Dede Korkut: l'une en prose, l'autre en chantefable, en prose alternée de chants versifiés. En effect, l'un des <copistes> semble avoir choisi cette attention aux assonances, rythmes et césures traditionnels qui font émerger la structure versifée du récit; l'autre, … Continue reading What we are reading now:
Quote of the Week: Russian Spin
Die Zensur liebt den Krieg und wird in der Schlacht als Erste zur Pflicht gerufen. (Can Dündar #ÖZGÜRÜZ)
Speaking Chinese in Vladivistok
"I recently spent 7 years living in Russia and was the acquaintance of a very high level person in the Foreign Office who reported at the senior level. One time I was invite to his Dacha for sashlick. On that visit I pointed out to him that during the Song Dynasty, China controlled a large … Continue reading Speaking Chinese in Vladivistok
Quote of the Week: Shanghai Gets a Taste of Beijing’s Zero-Covid Policy
上海疫情持续严峻，上海市新冠肺炎疫情防控工作领导小组27日晚间无预警宣布，为了“尽快实现社会面动态清零”，决定“在全市范圍内开展新一轮切块式、网格化核酸筛查”，自28日清晨起上海将采取分区、分批封控。 (德国之声中文网 2022.3.28)
Video: Right Bank of the Argun (额尔古纳河右岸) in 14 (Transliterated) Evenki Words
Here is a link to the video of my recent presentation entitled <Right Bank of the Argun -- in 14 (Transliterated) Evenki Words>. <Right Bank of the Argun> is the literal translation of Chi Zijian's novel <额尔古纳河右岸> (rendered as Last Quarter of the Moon, by publisher Harvill Secker). I spoke about the significance of these … Continue reading Video: Right Bank of the Argun (额尔古纳河右岸) in 14 (Transliterated) Evenki Words
Author Sheng Keyi’s “Ukraine Series” of Paintings (盛可以 画)
Her painting aside, Sheng Keyi (盛可以) has also authored several works of fiction, including Northern Girls (北妹) Wild Fruit (野蛮生长), Death Fugue (死亡赋格), The Metaphor Detox Center (锦灰), The Womb (子宫), Paradise (福地), and Nostalgia for the Homeland (怀乡书). Her writing has appeared in languages such as French, Italian, Spanish, German, Swedish, Russian, Czech, Polish, Japanese and Korean. … Continue reading Author Sheng Keyi’s “Ukraine Series” of Paintings (盛可以 画)
Morocco: Setting Foot in Tangier, the First Shiite Kingdom and Echoes of Du Fu
Morocco: Where the Sun Truly Sets (Excerpted from H.K. Chang's The Greater Middle East: Travelogue & Reflections) Translated by Bruce Humes in Collaboration with the Author (Map source: Nations Online Project) In the early 8th century, the commander of an Arab expeditionary force spurred his horse toward Tangier on the southern bank of the Strait of … Continue reading Morocco: Setting Foot in Tangier, the First Shiite Kingdom and Echoes of Du Fu
Dastan: Ornate Oral History among the Peoples of Central Asia
As I begin to delve into various forms of Altaic story-telling, I am looking for clear and memorable definitions and descriptions. The quotes below are excerpted from H.B. Paksoy's Dastan Genre in Central Asia Ornate Oral History Dastan (jir, ir, chorchok) is ornate oral history, common among the peoples of Central Asia. It conveys the revered … Continue reading Dastan: Ornate Oral History among the Peoples of Central Asia
Altaic Storytelling 