in the grove
in the grove
The Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove – celebrated mavericks who escaped the oppressive life of the court for wine, poetry and philosophy amidst the bamboo forest. But who were these sagely iconoclasts? What were their names and why are they worthy? And what about other mysterious lists we read about? The four books? The six schools? The nine tribes? Seven Worthies is dedicated to diving into Chinese history and culture, one list at a time.
bamboo roots
bamboo roots
new shoots
new shoots
worthy
reads
worthy
reads
musings
musings
Warring States Mnemonic
Though I've tried with flashcards, I just find the names of the Warring States difficult to get into my head. I therefore present a little mnemonic song, to be sung in the style of a 1920s jazz number. I did think of firing up the old Garageband and having a go, but lacking the time or musical talent, I here present the lyrics alone.
How to Train your Charioteer
I had never given too much thought to chariots in Ancient China until I came across a list in the Book of Zhou (周禮, 2nd century BCE) of the five essential skills of the charioteer. As I started to explore this intriguing resume, I realised that my mental image of the chariot had been totally wrong. I had been imagining a very nimble thing for a solitary rider, or perhaps a pair: essentially, I suppose, a Spartan chariot or something out of Ben Hur. In reality, these things were much more like tanks - large, armoured, packed with gear, and frequently accompanied by large numbers of protecting troops.
