#Chinese is an interesting language and something I think I'd like to study once I'm done with summer classes and consequently done with school and have the time other than work. Are there any #blind #chinese speakers on Mastodon who know the best way for blind folks to learn Chinese? I'm not completely without knowledge because I've done my own preliminary studying on how to pronounce the syllables and the associated tones, (they don't intimidate me in the slightest.) I'm looking to find resources on dictionaries that can give me phrases that correspond to what might be translated to in English though I am aware translation will never truly help me understand the nuances.
"Chen Yaozuo was a #Teochew prime minister & grand tutor of the crown prince of the #SongDynasty (960–1279) in the 11th century. Coming from a family of officials, he was a rising star at the start of his career, until he bravely, or some might say foolishly, answered a call of Emperor Zhenzong for open criticisms by submitting a memorial that spelt out the ills of the times, including matters that no one else dared to speak about. As a result, Chen Yaozuo was banished & demoted to become an assistant prefect in the Teochew prefecture. This happened in 998, almost 180 years after Han Yu of the Tang dynasty suffered a similar fate."
"....Chen Yaozuo was more of a problem-solver than Han Yu, and he knew this. At the same time, he sensed the Teochew people’s deep admiration for his fellow Confucian. Cleverly capitalising on this, Chen Yaozuo erected a shrine in honour of Han Yu and he used it to commence his own programme to promote education among what was still a backward population. In pursuit of this goal, the Sichuan native also set up a Confucian temple and places of learning, while identifying and encouraging able families to send their children to schools.
Chen Yaozuo left Teochew after three years of devoted service to its people. He subsequently revealed in an inscription presented to a study room in Zhangpu (a county in Fujian adjacent to Teochew prefecture) that his time in Teo-yor was passed without major worries, despite it being enveloped in miasma."
"Chen Yaozuo’s heart remained with the place even many years after his departure. His poem below, “A note to Registrar Li Zi in Chaoyang” (送潮陽李孜主簿), illustrates this:
潮陽山水東南奇 The mountains and waters of Chaoyang are a wonder of the Southeast 魚鹽城郭民熙熙 Fishing boats, salt beds, and people going in and out of the city form a merry sight 當時為撰玄聖碑 Back then I had to write inscriptions for the sages 而今風俗鄒魯為。 Today its customs are like Zou and Lu [i.e. the home countries of Mencius and Confucius]
#Chinese #historians credit Han Yu for starting what we may call a #revolution through #literacy in Teochew. Yet the extent of Chen Yaozuo’s tireless contributions towards this cause can be seen by its fruits. Before his arrival, the Teochew prefecture produced only three men who attained the status of jinshi, the highest scholarly title awarded by the Chinese imperial court since the late 6th century. By the end of Song, the records show more than 170 jinshi from Teochew, of whom about a third came from Teo-yor.
Beyond scholarly titles, the creation of an educated class sparked a golden age in Teochew with accelerated advancements in agriculture and industry that ended its days as a backwater."
History has a funny old way of repeating itself. Chen Yaozuo (陳堯佐) was a prime minister and grand tutor of the crown prince of the Song dynasty (960–1279) in the 11th century.
The Nazi regime during WWII forever gave the term #ConcentrationCamp a name symbolic of #atrocity, so when British #colonizers once again visited the idea of #ForcedRelocation of #IndigenousPeoples to isolate them they needed another name for the enclaves. They came up with #NewVillages. The New Villages were created under the Briggs Plan, which was developed to combat the communist insurgency in #Malaya during the 1950 #MalayanEmergency. The plan was prepared by Sir Harold Briggs, a British General who was the Director of Operations in Malaya.
#Britain lost the Malayan Peninsula and their fortress at Singapore to the Japanese during WWII and reoccupied their former dominion after the fall of Japan. Among the many difficulties the British encountered was the presence of roughly a half-million #Chinese in rural Malaya, most working as farmers working small plots of land for their own sustenance on land they did not own or lease. The British administration regarded these Chinese as squatters and found them a problem because they were physically distant from the machinery of British authority, which most of the Malayan population was not happy to see return to their country.
When the Malay #CommunistParty received support from armed #guerrillas from Malaya and #China, the British, intent on restoring #Imperial rule to the peninsula, looked with additional distrust upon these rural Chinese. While some of the Chinese were certainly sympathetic to the communists, most were indifferent. The British concern was that the communist #insurgents would receive support from the squatters in the form of food, neglecting the fact that the majority of the Chinese squatters were barely able to grow enough to support themselves. The Briggs plan required the forced relocation of the Chinese.
The New Villages isolated the Chinese, and they were guarded by Malayan police and British Military Police and some troops. The Chinese could not leave the villages except under escort and nobody was allowed in without the permission of the guards, making them effectively prisons. The villages were built with running water and electricity, amenities absent from most Malayan villages, and health care and some educational facilities were provided. This caused resentment towards the British from the Malay outside the villages, who didn’t receive the same amenities, and the Chinese, who resented the forced relocation settlement.
Although the New Villages, of which 450 were built, were an improvement over the forced detention camps of the Boer War, and death rates in the villages were roughly the same as for the rest of the country, there were racially motivated #CollectivePunishments directed towards the Chinese population in the villages. #Deportation without trial by the administration was a common punishment for the Chinese. Law within the villages was the decision of the British. Many of the villages are still standing and in recent years have been restored to serve as tourist destinations by the Malaysian government with support from China.
Military and police members inspect the remains of a Russian drone in the Shevchenkivskyi district after the Nov. 5 attack in Kharkiv. As a result of the strike, two women were injured. (Oleksandr Manchenko/Gwara Media/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
Umerov confirmsfirst battlesbetween Ukrainian and North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast. The clashes were small-scale, according to Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Russia launchesrecord numberof drones in October, General Staff reports. Russia launched at least 4,300 Shahed-type attack drones and similar UAVs imitating Shaheds against Ukraine between August and October 2024 — a sharp increase compared to earlier months — according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Ukrainian Legionin Poland reportedly receives over 500 applications in a month. The recruitment center of the Ukrainian Legion in Poland has received over 500 applications in a month from Ukrainians living in 30 countries, Ukrinform reported on Nov. 5, citing the center's officials.
Ukrainian GPS spoofing for repellingdrone attackscould indirectly affect smartphone clocks, General Staff says. Users in Ukraine have begun to experience more frequent automatic time changes on their smartphones due to the activation of electronic warfare systems during air raid alarms.
Googleresponds to claimsmap images revealed locations of Ukrainian weapons. "These satellite images were taken more than a year ago and come from publicly available sources — we deliberately do not publish the latest images of war zones," Google said.
Putin appoints Ukrainewar veteranas governor of Tambov region. Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed a Ukraine war veteran to govern one of Russia’s regions, marking the highest position awarded to a participant in the full-scale invasion so far.
The Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) — one of the largest international forums in Eastern Europe — will take place on Nov. 7, with the Kyiv Independent as a media partner.
KIEF brings together representatives of business, government, and society to promote Ukraine's integration into the global community.
Zelensky used talk with Trump about nuclear weapons as leverage before crucial US election, analysts say
With Ukraine's future hanging in the balance ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, Ukraine’s president turned up the heat, invoking the specter of nuclear weapons to nudge whoever lands in the Oval Office toward offering more conventional weaponry to Kyiv.
Photo: Uliana Boichuk/Novyny LIVE/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv confirms first battles between Ukrainian and North Korean soldiers in Kursk Oblast
The first clashes between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and North Korean soldiers have already taken place in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed on Nov. 5 in an interview with South Korean TV channel KBS.
Ukraine struggles to contain Russian advance in Donetsk Oblast as US elections loom
As U.S. voters head to the polls on Nov. 5 for presidential elections likely to shape the course of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the situation on the battlefield is beginning to unravel for Kyiv.
‘Trump wants to do everything he can to help Putin,’ McCain Institute head says
Evelyn Farkas, head of the McCain Institute—a U.S.-based think tank named after the late Republican Senator John McCain—fears that Donald Trump's return as president would be the worst-case scenario for Ukraine.
Harris or Trump — Ukraine braces for best, worst-case scenarios as US elects new president
The two candidates' pre-election positions on continuing to support Ukraine with weaponry are in such stark contrast that some experts estimate whoever emerges victorious will impact whether Kyiv stays in the fight or is choked of supplies to the point of capitulation.
Russian military shoots6 Ukrainian POWsin Donetsk Oblast, Prosecutor General's Office says. Russian troops shoot six captured Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in the Pokrovsk sector of the front line in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office reported on Nov. 5.
Russian attack on Zaporizhzhiakills 6, injures 23. Russian forces reportedly targeted an infrastructure facility, starting a fire. The full extent of damage is being determined.
Russia strikes near residential area inKharkiv**, injuring at least 2.** Moscow struck the Shevchenskyi district with a Shahed-type drone at nearly 5 p.m. local time, according to the preliminary data.
McFaul on Ukraine's future with Trump vs. Harris
International response
Sweden unveils newaid packagefor Ukraine worth over $9 million. Sweden will provide Ukraine with a new aid package valued at nine million euros ($9.8 million), which includes two vessels designed to enhance maritime security. The country will also supply 40,000 protective masks and respirators to Ukraine's Emergency Service personnel.
Estonia wants to barRussian, Belarusian citizensfrom voting in local elections. Estonia aims to narrow voting eligibility in local elections to exclude Russian and Belarusian citizens in order to counter Russian influence, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told state broadcaster ERR on Nov. 4.
North Koreanmilitary involvementin Russia's war to be met with 'coordinated response,' G7 foreign ministers say. Besides the G7 members, including the U.S., Japan, Italy, the U.K., Germany, France, Canada, and the High Representative of the European Union, the statement was also signed by South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
U.S. presidential election
Republicans take backUS Senate. The Republican party has won control of the U.S. Senate, according to projected election results on Nov. 5.
Trump winskey US stateof North Carolina. With 90% of votes tallied, Trump led Democratic challenger Vice President Kamala Harris 50.8% to 48%. The projection marks the first call of a major swing state in the U.S. presidential election.
Chinese accounts linked to Russianelection disinformation. Analysts at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab found that accounts originating in China helped amplify Russian disinformation videos targeting U.S. voters.
Russia stepping upelection interferenceas US citizens head to polls, intelligence agencies warn. Russia is expected to intensify attempts to undermine the U.S. vote on election day with a focus on swing states, U.S. intelligence agencies said in a statement on the eve of the election on Nov. 4.
Bomb threats across multiple states traced toRussian email domains**, FBI says.** As Americans head to the polls on Nov. 5, the FBI has announced that bomb threats targeting polling sites in multiple states appear to have originated from Russian email domains. The agency clarified that none of these threats have been deemed credible.
This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand's visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Contact partnerships@kyivindependent.com for more details.
Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Boldizsár Győri, Francis Farrell, Kateryna Hodunova, Olena Goncharova, Abbey Fenbert and Dmytro Basmat.
If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining ourmembership program_**. Start supporting independent journalism today.**_
With Ukraine's future hanging in the balance ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, Ukraine’s president turned up the heat, invoking the specter of nuclear weapons to nudge whoever lands in the Oval Office toward offering more conventio…
Happy mooncake festival! It’s today 🥰 I almost forgot but went past Kenzo’s Kitchen and they were baking! One is lotus seed and the other is red bean #food #Launceston #AsianMastodon #moonCake #Chinese
One of the phrases that’s been popular in China this year according to this article: sixthtone.com/news/1014370
For more context, people in China have been assembling plain white bread sandwiches to try to understand how we live in this part of the world, and they are posting through it (the idea of eating anything cold or raw, especially a vegetable, is seen as especially disgusting in the Chinese world, with some exceptions)
This is the best frozen har gow. It tastes better than many lower end takeout dimsum spots in San Francisco. Just steam or microwave it yourself at home.
I know this because I’ve eaten many bad frozen har gows before finding this one!
![(long text warning)
The Tang dynasty poet Han Yu (768–824) wrote a well-known fable about Bole and qianlima.
Only when an era has a man like Po-le are there thousand-li horses. Thousand-li horses are common, but Po-les, on the other hand, are rare. Thus even though there may be famous horses, they only become abused under the hand of the man to whom they are enslaved, and they die in the stables—never having been recognized as thousand-li horses. Thousand-li horses at times consume a whole dan [approximately 60 kg] of grain in one feeding. If the one who feeds them does so without knowing they are capable of a thousand-li, then even though they may have the ability to go so far, they, having not eaten their fill, are lacking in strength, and their talent and beauty are not apparent. Moreover, if one wanted to rank them with regular horses, they would not make the grade. How then could they be asked to have the ability of going a thousand li? They are whipped inappropriately and fed in such a way that they cannot fulfil their innate talents. Yet when they cry out, they cannot be understood. With whip in hand the man approaches them and says, "There are not any good horses in the empire." Alas! Is it that there are really no good horses or is it perhaps that there is no one who really understands horses?](https://fedi.ml/photo/preview/640/698069 "(long text warning)
The Tang dynasty poet Han Yu (768–824) wrote a well-known fable about Bole and qianlima.
Only when an era has a man like Po-le are there thousand-li horses. Thousand-li horses are common, but Po-les, on the other hand, are rare. Thus even though there may be famous horses, they only become abused under the hand of the man to whom they are enslaved, and they die in the stables—never having been recognized as thousand-li horses. Thousand-li horses at times consume a whole dan [approximately 60 kg] of grain in one feeding. If the one who feeds them does so without knowing they are capable of a thousand-li, then even though they may have the ability to go so far, they, having not eaten their fill, are lacking in strength, and their talent and beauty are not apparent. Moreover, if one wanted to rank them with regular horses, they would not make the grade. How then could they be asked to have the ability of going a thousand li? They are whipped inappropriately and fed in such a way that they cannot fulfil their innate talents. Yet when they cry out, they cannot be understood. With whip in hand the man approaches them and says, \"There are not any good horses in the empire.\" Alas! Is it that there are really no good horses or is it perhaps that there is no one who really understands horses?")
