{"id":7808,"date":"2019-10-04T04:09:46","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T04:09:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-reading\/a-promise-is-worth-a-thousand-gold-and-thoughts-on-crying\/"},"modified":"2019-10-04T04:09:46","modified_gmt":"2019-10-04T04:09:46","slug":"a-promise-is-worth-a-thousand-gold-and-thoughts-on-crying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/mm\/a-promise-is-worth-a-thousand-gold-and-thoughts-on-crying\/","title":{"rendered":"A Promise is Worth A Thousand Gold, and thoughts on crying"},"content":{"rendered":"
This is a mid-level essay a<\/em>bout learning to be honest. If you’ve read some of my other essay translations, you will start to see a pattern emerge in school essay writing. They usually include an all-too-tidy life lesson in morality, and usually an instance of tears welling up in the author’s eyes.
Easy Simplified Chinese Reading Passage Texts – Intermediate LevelWhen I was in Chinese class in college in China, my friends and I used to joke a<\/em>bout this – how almost every essay we were assigned to read involved the author being moved to tears. We found this pattern especially strange because the Chinese people are not prone to crying in public – and if you do cry in front of a Chinese person you don’t know well, the polite thing for them to do is pretend not to notice and look the other way. Though that may seem heartless to a culture wher the polite thing to do is get involved and try to comfort the crying person, the Chinese help a crying person save face by giving them the opportunity to pull themselves together and make the whole situation go away without comment.
However, during funerals it is entirely acceptable to hire professio<\/em>nal mourners, who fake-cry and sing sad so<\/em>ngs while fake-sobbing and crawling on their knees in fake despair. Later during the funeral, the mourners will perform happy dances to lighten the mood – it’s almost like they guide the Chinese through the process of mourning and healing during the funeral. Though everyone there is aware the tears are faked for the benefit of performance, the Chinese find this very moving, wheras I think I would find it offensive if a stranger made a show of fake-crying at a funeral.
Perhaps to a Chinese person, who knows that crying in front of others is, in most circumstances, too blatant a display of one’s secret inner self, the thought of someone being so upset that they lose co<\/em>ntrol and cry in public shows just how upset they are, and is therefore moving. This is one thing I may never quite figure out.
Anyway, this article has a lot less to do with crying than I’m leading you to believe, and more to do with integrity. This is a little more accessible than most articles because it includes a trope that we’re all familiar with: a variation of the devil and and angel sitting on opposite shoulders routine. This essay doesn’t use the word “devil”, instead it uses the term “evil angel”. This co<\/em>nfusion is probably due to the fact that Christianity doesn’t get a lot of play in China. The o<\/em>nly thing most Chinese know is that Islam, Christianity and Judaism are major world religions, and involve going to church, but that’s often a<\/em>bout it. But Chinese mythology does have good and evil spirits in it, so I imagine that’s wher the mixup comes in – well… if we’re going to get specific, technically Lucifer is an evil angel, but my point is that there is a Chinese word for “devil” (more like “a devil” than “the Devil”, though), \u9b54\u9b3c, which does not appear here.
The Chinese title of this is \u4e00\u8bfa\u5343\u91d1.
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\u897f\u585e\u7f57- x\u012b s\u0101i luó – Cicero
\u5766\u767d – t\u01cen bái – forthright
\u5bd2\u5047 – hán jià – winter vacation
\u541e\u541e\u5410\u5410 – t\u016bn t\u016bn t\u01d4 t\u01d4 – Stutter when speaking, hem and haw
\u5929\u4f7f – ti\u0101n sh\u01d0 – angel
\u90aa\u6076- xié è – Wicked, evil
\u8111\u6d77 – n\u01ceo h\u01cei – The mind, the brain
\u5974\u96b6 – nú lì – slave
\u6b64\u65f6\u6b64\u523b – c\u01d0 shí c\u01d0 kè – At that very moment
\u8bfa – nuò – promise
\u8bda\u4fe1\u662f\u505a\u4eba\u4e4b\u672c\u554a\uff01\u6709\u65f6\u5019\u8bda\u4fe1\u5c31\u5728\u4e8e\u4e00\u4e2a\u52a8\u4f5c\uff0c\u4e00\u53e5\u8bed\u8a00\uff0c\u897f\u585e\u7f57\u66fe\u7ecf\u8bf4\u8fc7\u4e00\u53e5\u8bdd: “\u5766\u767d\u4f7f\u4eba\u5fc3\u5730\u8f7b\u677e\u7684\u5999\u836f”\u3002\u8fd9\u4e00\u53e5\u8bdd\u6211\u6df1\u6709\u4f53\u4f1a\uff0c\u4eca\u5e74\u5bd2\u5047\uff0c\u6211\u505a\u4e86\u4e00\u4e2a\u6ca1\u6709\u8bda\u4fe1\u7684\u5c0f\u5b69\u5b50\u3002
\u8bb0\u5f97\u5728\u4e00\u4e2a\u5fd9\u788c\u7684\u5bd2\u5047\u65e5\uff0c\u6211\u8d76\u7740\u505a\u4f5c\u4e1a\u3002\u7a81\u7136\uff0c\u6211\u53d1\u73b0\u4f5c\u6587\u672c\u548c\u6458\u5f55\u7b14\u7528\u5b8c\u4e86\uff0c\u6211\u6025\u6025\u5fd9\u5fd9\u7684\u62ff\u7740\u94b1\u4e0b\u697c\u4e70\u672c\u5b50\u53bb\u4e86\u3002\u90a3\u4e2a\u8001\u4eba\u7528\u5584\u826f\u7684\u5fae\u7b11\u5bf9\u6211\u95ee\u9053: “\u5c0f\u670b\u53cb\uff0c\u4f60\u8981\u4e70\u4ec0\u4e48\u554a\uff1f”\u6211\u8bf4: “\u6211\u8981\u4e70\u4e00\u672c\u4f5c\u6587\u672c\u548c\u4e00\u672c\u6458\u5f55\u672c\u3002”“\u4e00\u51715\u5143\u94b1”\u8001\u4eba\u8bf4\u3002\u6211\u60f3\u4e86\u60f3\uff0c\u6211\u53ea\u67094\u5143\u94b1\uff0c\u600e\u4e48\u529e\u5462\uff1f\u6211\u541e\u541e\u5410\u5410\u5730\u8bf4: “\u6211…\u6211\u53ea\u67094\u5143\u94b1\u554a\uff1f”\u600e\u4e48\u529e\uff0c\u6211\u548c\u5e97\u4e3b\u5546\u91cf\u8bf4: “\u6211\u4f4f\u5728\u4f60\u4eec\u697c\u4e0a\uff0c\u6211\u4e0b\u6b21\u518d\u62ff\u94b1\u7ed9\u4f60\u5427\uff0c\u597d\u5417\uff1f”“\u597d\u3002”\u4ed6\u723d\u5feb\u5730\u7b54\u5e94\u4e86\u3002\u8fc7\u4e86\u51e0\u5929\uff0c\u6211\u53c8\u518d\u6b21\u53bb\u4e70\u4e1c\u897f\uff0c\u90a3\u4e2a\u8001\u4eba\u5fd8\u8bb0\u90a3\u4ef6\u4e8b\u60c5\u4e86\u3002\u6211\u4f3c\u4e4e\u4e5f\u5fd8\u4e86\u90a3\u4ef6\u4e8b\u3002
\u6211\u4ed8\u5b8c\u4e86\u7b2c\u4e8c\u6b21\u4e70\u4e1c\u897f\u7684\u94b1\u540e\uff0c\u6211\u51c6\u5907\u56de\u5bb6\u53bb\u4e86\u3002\u7a81\u7136\uff0c\u6709\u4e00\u4f4d\u5584\u826f\u7684\u5c0f\u5929\u4f7f\u548c\u4e00\u4f4d\u90aa\u6076\u7684\u5c0f\u5929\u4f7f\u5728\u6211\u7684\u8111\u6d77\u91cc\u51fa\u73b0\u4e86\uff0c\u5b83\u4eec\u5728\u6211\u7684\u5fc3\u4e2d\u4e89\u5435\u3002\u6211\u542c\u5230\u4e86\u4e24\u79cd\u4e0d\u540c\u7684\u8bed\u8a00\u3002\u90a3\u4f4d\u5584\u826f\u7684\u5c0f\u5929\u4f7f\u8bf4: “\u4f60\u8981\u628a\u4e8b\u5b9e\u8bf4\u51fa\u6765\u554a\uff01”\u90a3\u4f4d\u90aa\u6076\u7684\u5c0f\u5929\u4f7f\u8bf4: “\u4e0d\u8981\u8bb2\u554a\uff0c\u5982\u679c\u8bb2\u51fa\u6765\u8981\u6d6a\u8d39\u4e00\u5143\u94b1\u5462\u3002”\u90a3\u4f4d\u5584\u826f\u7684\u5c0f\u5929\u4f7f\u8bf4: “\u4f60\u4e0d\u8981\u505a\u91d1\u94b1\u7684\u5974\u96b6\uff0c\u8981\u505a\u8bda\u4fe1\u7684\u4e3b\u4eba\u554a\uff01”\u90a3\u90aa\u6076\u7684\u5c0f\u5929\u4f7f\u8bf4:“\u5e72\u561b\u8981\u505a\u6709\u8bda\u4fe1\u7684\u4eba\u554a\uff0c\u8bda\u4fe1\u53c8\u4e0d\u80fd\u5f53\u996d\u5403\u554a\uff01”\u4ed6\u4eec\u4e0d\u505c\u5730\u4e89\u5435\uff0c\u6211\u5fc3\u70e6\u610f\u4e71\u7684\uff0c\u8fd9\u65f6\u6211\u60f3\u8d77\u4e66\u4e0a\u770b\u5230\u7684\u8fd9\u53e5\u5b50\u8bdd\uff1b“\u5766\u767d\u4f7f\u4eba\u5fc3\u5730\u8f7b\u677e\u7684\u5999\u836f”\u3002
\u6211\u9f13\u8db3\u4e86\u52c7\u6c14\uff0c\u5766\u767d\u5730\u8bf4\u51fa\u6765\u3002\u5f00\u59cb\u65f6\uff0c\u8001\u4eba\u8138\u6da8\u5f97\u7ea2\u7ea2\u7684\uff0c\u597d\u50cf\u5f88\u751f\u6c14\u4f3c\u7684\u3002\u8fc7\u4e86\u4e00\u4f1a\u513f\uff0c\u4ed6\u5bf9\u6211\u8bf4: “\u6ca1\u5173\u7cfb\u4e86\uff0c\u6211\u4e0d\u4f1a\u602a\u4f60\u7684\uff0c\u4f60\u662f\u4e00\u4e2a\u77e5\u9519\u5c31\u6539\u7684\u5b69\u5b50\u554a\uff01”\u6b64\u65f6\u6b64\u523b\uff0c\u6cea\u6c34\u76c8\u6ee1\u4e86\u6211\u7684\u773c\u7736\uff0c\u6211\u8bda\u6073\u5730\u5bf9\u90a3\u4e2a\u8001\u4eba\u8bf4: “\u5bf9\u4e0d\u8d77\uff0c\u7237\u7237\u3002”
\u6211\u4ece\u8fd9\u4ef6\u4e8b\uff0c\u6211\u660e\u767d\u4e86: \u505a\u4eba\u4e0d\u80fd\u9a97\u4eba\uff0c\u8981\u505a\u4e2a\u6709\u8bda\u4fe1\u7684\u4eba\u554a\uff01\u4e00\u8bfa\u5343\u91d1\u662f\u591a\u4e48\u7684\u91cd\u8981\u554a\uff01\u8bda\u4fe1\u662f\u91d1\uff0c\u7528\u591a\u5c11\u94b1\u90fd\u4e70\u4e0d\u56de\u6765\u3002
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Ho<\/em>nesty is the root of integrity! Sometimes ho<\/em>nesty is ba<\/em>sed in an action, a spoken word. Cicero said that: “Forthrightness is a wo<\/em>nderful medicine that puts the heart at ease.” This is something I understand deeply from perso<\/em>nal experience. During this year’s winter vacation, I [did something bad that meant I] was not a very ho<\/em>nest child.\u3000
I remember on a busy winter break day, I was catching up on homework. Suddenly, I discovered that my essay book and my excerpt book had both been filled up [with writing], so carrying my money, I hurried downstairs to go buy notebooks. The old person [at the store] smiled kindly at me and asked: “Small friend, what do you want to buy?” I said: “I want to buy one essay book and one excerpt book.” “That will be a total of 5 yuan,” the old person said. I thought and thought, I o<\/em>nly had 4 yuan, what should I do? Stuttering, I said, “I… I o<\/em>nly have for yuan?” Talking over what to do with the shop owner, I said, “I live just above you, the next time I come down I’ll give you the rest of the money, OK?” “Ok,” he answered brightly. A few days passed, and again I went down to buy something, but the old person had forgotten the whole incident. I acted as if I had also forgotten.
After I’d finished paying after the second time I went to buy something, I was a<\/em>bout to leave to go back to my house. Suddenly, a good little angel and an evil little angel appeared in my mind, and they began to fight with each other. I listened to their differing words. The good little angel said, “You should speak up a<\/em>bout this incident!” The evil little angel said, “Don’t mention it, if you mention it then you’ll have wasted 1 yuan.” The good angel said, “Don’t be a slave to money, be a master of honesty!” The evil little angel said, “What do you want to be an ho<\/em>nest person for, you can’t eat ho<\/em>nesty [lit: ho<\/em>nesty can’t be food].” They fought incessantly, and I was torn and confused, but at that moment I remembered the phrase I had read in a book, “Forthrightness is a wo<\/em>nderful medicine that puts the heart at ease.”
I drummed up my courage, and forthrightly spoke up. At first, the old person’s face became red, and he seemed very angry. After a while, he said to me, “Don’t worry a<\/em>bout it, I won’t blame you, you’re a child that corrects a mistake when he sees it!” At that very moment, tears welled up in my eyes, and I sincerely said to the old person, “I’m sorry, grandfather.” [not the author’s real grandfather – this is a form of respect from a younger child to an older man.]
After this, I understood, having integrity means you can’t cheat people, and I want to be an ho<\/em>nest person! [The phrase] “A promise is worth a thousand gold” is so very im<\/em>portant! Ho<\/em>nesty is gold, and you can’t buy it back with money.
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