The strings are plucked to play it, not strum like a guitar.
As such ancient guzheng players used to wear tortoiseshell or ivory as fingerpicks.
If you are an avid viewer of Chinese historical costume dramas, you would have seen a guzheng being played by either or both the male and the female leads or even anyone in the cast.
The sound of the guzheng is atmospherically and ethereally old china.
It is so powerful that it is used in some fantasy historical dramas as some sort of weapon of destruction. Love it.
Though, a version of guzheng can also be found in other Asian countries such as gayageum in Korea,koto in Japan, yatga in Mongolia, etc.
It is the 12th of 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac of the Chinese calendar.
It is the 12th or last of the animals because it was the last one to arrive when the Jade Emperor called for a great meeting.
LAZY PIG comes from the story during the great race for the Jade Emperor’s great meeting, the pig took it upon itself to stop and forage, when it had its fill, he promptly slept.
Global Granary would like to wish you all a Happy Chinese Valentine’s Day! Jiayou
Yep, me too. I find it rather ‘strange’ to be celebrating Valentine’s Day today. Valentine’s Day is on 14th February every year. 🙂
Today, however, is the Qixi Festival, also known as Qiqiao Festival. This festival is celebrated just like the St Valentine’s Day, where lovers go on dates, giving presents like chocolates and flowers.
The Qixi Festival originated from one of the poems from the Shijing collection of Odes and Songs dating back from 11th to 7th century BC.
The poem is a narrative of the saga of the romantic but forbidden relationship that develops between a human and a goddess.
Niulang was a poor cowherd boy, who lived with his brother and brother-in-law. He was a male Cinderella, maltreated, and abused to the point of being thrown out of the house.
Niulang then met an old man, who told him that there was a job going for a resourceful cowherd. Niulang was so grateful to the old man, who was, in fact, a supernatural being. He brought Niulang to the heavens to look after sick cows.
In no time, the bovines where thriving. The old man was grateful to the young man. He noticed though that Niulang looks lonely. As a reward for the hard-working man, he introduced him to a beautiful girl, who spends her day weaving. She is a goddess incognito and her name is Zhi Nu.
It was love at first sight for both of them.
A marriage between a mortal and a deity is strictly prohibited.
But they did not care; they were in love and got married, had two kids and would have lived happily ever after if the goddess’ grandmother did not find out.
The grandmother, Wang Mu Niang Niang, thought her granddaughter was contentedly weaving infinite yarns 🙂 in a corner of the heavens; she did not know that she was playing wifey to some mortal.
She was incandescent with rage. With her hairpin she scratched a wide ribbon in the heavens separating Zhi Nu from her mortal family.
Zhin Nu and Niulang with their children cried so much that their tears flowed into the chasm between them creating a river.
It might be pity or it might be a wish for some peace and quiet from all the cryings that a great flock of magpies formed a bridge so the family can be reunited for a day.
So it was then decided that on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month each year, the magpie will help to reunite the family. That is why today is also known as Magpie Day.
This drama is very underrated. Destined to Love You has the potential to be popular internationally, if not globally, if only all the episodes are given English subtitles, allowing a wider audience to enjoy it fully.
It has the charm comparable to those massively loved British Carry On films, sophisticated intelligence of the Monty Python and satirical comedy of Mel Brooks, The Producers.
The drama is corroboration of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
I fell in love with Destined to Love You the moment I saw the first episode. It was so engaging. I wanted to see more.
There was great chemistry between the love triangle played beautifully by Chen Qiao En (aka Joe Chen), Jia Nia Liang and Bosco Wong. The chemistry was such that you would be happy that anyone of the two leading men will get the girl (Joe Chen).
Apparently Jia Nia Liang really wanted to make the drama that he willingly had his pay cut. He was so good in the drama. You just fall in love with his antics which are sometimes excruciatingly funny. I have never laughed so much watching a tv program.
Below is a synopsis I cut and pasted. I just could not put into words what the story is all about from my own point of me; there just too many ‘choice’ scenes that I would like to include and therefore would probably curtail your enjoyment if I give too much away.
Qixi Festival (Happy Chinese Valentine’s Day)