Chitchat # 5

Translation of S.S.'s Excerpt from Kam Yung

Bob Chen

My fellow schoolmates/lighters: It has been many years since I last read " The Saga of Books, Blades, Beneficence, and Vengeance". I re-read the book recently, found the following passage very interesting, and copied below for you all to share. It started when Emperor Chien-Lung went to Hai-Ning to pay respect at his birth parents' (Chen Tse-Kung, same parents as Chen Chia-Luk) grave. The brothers, like any tourists, wandered around the local attractions. One night, the two came to West Lake to enjoy the full moon. Chen was lucky enough to invite the famous courtesan Jade, the pleaser, to board the boat to entertain. Her sharp wits were quite extraordinary, one glance in a split-second would convey such charm that all men wanted to behold. Just listening the song " one-half " sung by Jade: " All is quiet without a soul outside the green sash window, kneeling before the bed trying to kiss, scolding the heart-breaker to stop, although my words are harsh; one-half wants to refuse and one half wants!" My fellow lighters, what do you think? Are they great? A basic-law committee member can write such fine schmaltzy words. Don't you think one should get hold of a copy of the "basic-laws" to study?