蒙學漢文初階 第一百三十五課 Beginning Chinese - Entry Level Lesson #135 東家兒與西家兒為友 east family child and west family child become friend 西家兒至東家 west family friend come east family 東家兒迎入座 east family child welcome enter seat 將所玩之木椀竹豆 [direct particle] all play [pp] wood bowl bamboo bean 陳列作宴客禮 lay_out row to_make banquet guest rite/ceremony/etiquette/courtesy 此雖游戲 this though leisure play 知交際之道矣 know exchange border [pp] path ah A child of the east side and a child of the west side became friends. The west side child went to visit the east side family. The east side child welcomed him to the seat; bringing out all the toy wooden bowls and bamboo beans and arranging them in rows to show the courtesy and etiquette of the host to a guest. Although this is only a make-believe game, knowing the path to social graces [is a must]. Notes: 1. To translate literally, "an east family child" or even "a child from the east family" would puzzled the English reader on the first glance. 2. "To enter seat" means "to be seated". In Chinese culture, when a guest arrived, he is given a seat. How he is to be seated indicates his social importance to the host. The honoured ones are given to the east side of the hall. Unless the guest is of such superiority, he is never seated higher than the host or to take the "superior seat". In all cases, tea is the next thing served. 3. Originally, before porcelain was discovered, serving bowls are made from wood. The rich may use gold or silver ones. When ceramics come into vogue, the wood radical is changed into the stone radical. However, Japanese still use the wood radical character, reflecting the times when Chinese culture was imported. 4. In classical Chinese, 游 and 遊 are the same. In later times, the different radicals were used to disambiguate the different meanings. However, with simplification of Chinese characters, they become synonymous again. Therefore in this passage, 游 is not the simplified character.