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Comments 17

flemmings May 16 2010, 16:28:42 UTC
Thank you for these, also for linking Li Bai's poem to a site that explains each hanzi.

Ha ha for the donkey, but I'm not seeing the frog.

Jiang Zemin's calligraphy is the easiest to read. Copybook writing.

(Think you have a borked link at 'the first of six locks.' Takes me to my own manage pictures in lj.)

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feliciter May 17 2010, 08:58:41 UTC
not seeing the frog

With a bit of squinting and a lot of imagination and, the peak might look like the upturned mouth of a frog, with a cleft separating the upper and lower jaws :p

Zhou Enlai's inscription is the only one to include an acknowledgment of the poem as Li Bai's, hence displaying his humility compared to the leaders beside him.

(oops, fixed.)

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flemmings May 17 2010, 11:58:01 UTC
Um well, nice of Zhou Enlai and all. But I got the impression googling yesterday that the poem is not only famous but naturally associated with the spot. Putting Li Bai's name on something like that feels to me somehow, um, unnecessary at the best, pedantic at worst. 'Oh, this is Li Bai's poem, BTW. I know you don't know so I'll tell you.'

Unless it's the American reflex 'Credit your sources always or be called a plagiarist OMG!!!' ^_^

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feliciter May 17 2010, 12:15:03 UTC
It is a very famous poem (for native Chinese speakers anyway, among which I cannot be included, having had to learn Mandarin in school and never speaking it on a regular basis until starting work). But I think the point the guide was trying to make (and which seems to be based on the leaders' personalities) is that Zhou Enlai was the only one who bothered to credit the poet?

Credit your sources always or be called a plagiarist

Certainly isn't a modern Chinese reflex! XD

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yumearashi May 16 2010, 23:33:24 UTC
Those are amazingly lovely, you are so lucky to travel to such awe-inspiring places!

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feliciter May 17 2010, 09:01:48 UTC
Welcome back to LJ! ^_^ Hope all is well with you.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed. The scenery in China never fails to amaze, though the actual travelling leaves much to be desired :p Still need to generate trip report on even more fantastic scenery from the last trip.

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yumearashi May 17 2010, 15:31:07 UTC
Thanks! Life is trudging on. My dad offered to let me work for him remotely, which would be awesome, but if I can't get health insurance it won't happen - and I've been turned down by two companies already. So I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much. In other news, still obsessed with Assassin's Creed ^.^;;; It has hit the mark of my most prolific fandom in terms of pieces of fiction written. And the previous record holder, MaLoki, has its body of work written over the course of years. I started writing for AC in January ^.^;;;;;

That's the problem with traveling - the act of getting there is never as enjoyable as the destination.

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feliciter May 18 2010, 11:50:49 UTC
Good to hear that things are looking up on the creative side ^_^

work for him remotely

Pardon my ignorance, but how does one do that?

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ambientlight May 17 2010, 11:10:59 UTC
your travel posts are so educational. :D

that first photo is wonderfully evocative - ah, mist. sadly i find the dam a bit of an eyesore. but the Wu Gorge photos are gorgeous lovely too.

i... don't really recognise Mao in that rock formation, but fair enough.

i find china's reconstruction-y approach to history fascinating. like renovating bits of the Great Wall.

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feliciter May 17 2010, 12:21:39 UTC
Wu Gorge photos are gorgeous

Thank you! But will never do justice to the original. And my post includes a minute fraction of the information-engorged-inundated-packed travelogue from the very knowledgeable guides on the boat.

Mao in that rock formation

L to R in the first photo: Mao cap, slightly pudgy face with jutting chin, folded arms, paunch :D

Like the Dam, building and rebuilding goes on in all aspects of Chinese life.

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ambientlight May 17 2010, 12:38:05 UTC
ahhh, okay, i see it now. that's quite a paunch. :D;; did the guide actually say that? :p

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feliciter May 17 2010, 13:03:28 UTC
Actually it was a fellow traveller who noted the resemblance - the guide didn't comment on it at all, as the peak was apparently not famous or very high. Could just be any cadre grown prosperous in the service of the Party and the State ;p

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rasetsunyo May 18 2010, 14:38:10 UTC
How utterly gorgeous. I'm sad I'll never get to see them as they are in the paintings though. :/

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feliciter May 18 2010, 17:25:10 UTC
The landscape has changed significantly for the worse in the last two decades, due to the Dam, pollution, industry and tourism, according to people who visited in the 80s and early 90s. I'm just thankful that some of the natural scenery has been preserved for commercial purposes.

(Paintings?)

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