Tok Daaihgeuk: to flatter (lit. to carry on one's shoulders a pair of big feet) In the Tang dynasty, an empress called Mouh Jak Tin (A.D. 625-705) had a favorite lover called Sit Waaih Yih. A low ranking official named Jeung Kap always followed Sit Waaih Yih to serve as his attendant. Whenever Sit wanted to mount his horse, Jeung Kap prostrated himself on the ground to serve as a stepping stool for his master. This may be the origin of the phrase tok daaihgeuk.Big feet, little feet.I've been … [Read more...]
Author Blurbs, Part Two
June 24, 2013 6 Comments
Filed Under: author, blurb, Cantonese, Chinese, manuscript, proverbs, query, sayings, submission, Tang dynasty, writer, writing
Space(s) After Periods
December 24, 2012 5 Comments
Yauh Mouh Yauh Yihk: adult children no longer listen to their parents (lit. have feathers and wings)Baahk Geui Yih (A.D. 772-846), a famous poet of the Tang dynasty, heard about a son who abandoned his parents. Saddened, he wrote the following poem entitled Swallow: A pair of swallows built a nest under the eaves, And the mother swallow bore four babies. The babies grew bigger day by day, They always demanded food as if they never got enough to eat. Although the two swallows were already … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Cantonese, Chinese, Chinese sayings, periods, poem, poetry, sentences, spaces, swallows, Tang dynasty, typewriter, writing
Writer’s Digest West Conference- First Impressions
October 22, 2012 4 Comments
Yatlauh: the bestIn China, from the Tang to the Ching dynasty, nine ranks of officials existed. The highest and first level was known as yatlauh. I attended the Writer's Digest West Conference this past Saturday. It was yatlauh, fulfilling and exceeding all my expectations. Let me break down my experience into three parts:1) Jamie Ford, the author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: As a keynote speaker, he discussed being true to yourself and pursuing a story that resonates with … [Read more...]
