Pacts with the DevilFrom Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. LavalPart 2 – Myths, Traditions, Things (Mitos, Tradiciones, Casos) 082. The Generous Devil (El Diablo Generoso) A gentleman had a large estate which lacked irrigation, and this left him with nothing but losses in dry years (e.g. droughts). In the neighboring…
Záo bì tōu guāng (鑿壁偷光 – 凿壁偷光)
鑿壁偷光 (Záo bì tōu guāng)(1) lit. to pierce the wall to steal a light (idiom)(2) fig. to study diligently in the face of hardship From link. Source: Liu Xin’s Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital – Book Two (劉歆 – 西京雜記·卷二) Kuang Heng was diligent and studious, but his family [was poor and] couldn’t afford…
081. The Son of the Devil
From Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. LavalPart 2 – Myths, Traditions, Things (Mitos, Tradiciones, Casos) 081. The Son of the Devil (El Hijo Del Diablo) Not many years ago there lived in Petorca a small and chubby old man of about seventy years old, who was known by the name…
Yuè xià lǎo rén (月下老人 – 月下老人)
月下老人 (Yuè xià lǎo rén)(1) minor divinity concerned with marriage(2) matchmaker(3) go-between From https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/bookView.jsp?ID=715 In the Tang Dynasty, there was once a man named Wei Gu (韋固) who traveled to Song City (宋城) and stayed at the South Inn (南店). One night, Wei Gu went outside of Song City and saw an old man sitting…
080. The Dancing Devil
From Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. LavalPart 2 – Myths, Traditions, Things (Mitos, Tradiciones, Casos) 080. The Dancing Devil (El Diablo Bailarin) (1910.)It’s well known that in the 18th century the Devil was great friend with the miners of Petorca, where he had established his kingdom. On paydays, he went…
Yuē fǎ sān zhāng (約法三章 – 约法三章)
約法三章 (Yuē fǎ sān zhāng)(1) to agree on three laws (idiom)(2) three-point covenant(3) (fig.) preliminary agreement(4) basic rules From https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/bookView.jsp?ID=590 In the ending years of the Qin Dynasty, the country was in chaos and heroes rose up one after another to fight against the tyranny of the ruling government, among which Liu Bang‘s and Xiang…
079. The Bucktoothed Child
The Devil – El DiabloFrom Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. LavalPart 2 – Myths, Traditions, Things (Mitos, Tradiciones, Casos) 079. The Bucktoothed Child (El Niño Dentudo) (1910.) A tenant farmer was walking quietly along the edge of a fence when he heard some baby cries coming from a bush; he…
Yǔ máo wèi fēng (羽毛未豐 – 羽毛未丰)
羽毛未豐 (Yǔ máo wèi fēng)Lit. Feathers Not Yet Fully Grown From https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/bookView.jsp?ID=553 Su Qin, courtesy name Jizi (季子), was a native of Luoyang and a proponent of the Vertical Alliance system (縱橫), who together with Zhang Yi (張儀) were students of Guiguzi. According to the Zhan Guo Ce – First Book of Qin, after he…
078. The Cleric
Treasures – TesorosFrom Cuentos Populares en Chile (Chilean Folktales) – by Ramón A. LavalPart 2 – Myths, Traditions, Things (Mitos, Tradiciones, Casos) 078. The Cleric (El Clerigo) (Told by D. Francisco Vásquez, in 1911.)A long time ago no one dared to walk certain alleys near the Putagán river, because out of the blue, without anyone…
Yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng (有誌者事竟成 – 有志者事竟成)
有誌者事竟成 (Yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng)1. A really determined person will find a solution (idiom);2. Where there’s a will, there’s a way From link. Source: Southern Dynasties – Song – Fan Ye (范曄) – Book of the Later Han – Biography of Geng Yan: “While in Nanyang (南陽) you had proposed this grand strategic…