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Culture Language Learning Science Technology Theocratic

qià‐dào‐hǎochu

qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right]) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[Notes: Tap/click on a Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to reveal its “flashcard”; tap/click on a “flashcard” or its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to hide the “flashcard”. 📖 📄 📘 icons mean 📖 Reveal All, 📄 Reveal Advanced, and 📘 Reveal None re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

At the time of this writing, the Teaching Toolbox in the JW Library app had recently included the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine. While it is not currently in the Teaching Toolbox, this question considered in this issue, “Should You Believe in a Creator?”, remains an important one for Mandarin field language learners to pay special attention to. Many of the Mandarin-speaking people in the field especially need help with this matter, because their cultural background tends to cause them to not believe in a Creator. At the same time, though, whether the Creator exists remains the first major question that needs to be settled before they can make real further spiritual progress. Another important factor is that the worldwide Mandarin field continues to be huge, probably the language field with more people in it than any other language field in history.

For us Mandarin field language learners, though, using Mandarin to discuss the question of the Creator’s existence is especially challenging and requires special effort from us, because of the particularly deeply technical concepts and vocabulary involved. And, this is in addition to the usual unusual challenges presented by Chinese characters, the general misinformation and disinformation present in the world about the Chinese languages, etc.

Finely Tuned to Be Just Right

This week’s MEotW, “qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right])”, occurs in the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine in the fifth and sixth paragraphs of the article “What the Universe Tells Us”:

English:

The universe is fine-tuned to support life. Consider what scientists call the weak force. It keeps our sun burning at a steady rate. If the force were weaker, the sun would never have formed. If it were stronger, the sun would have disappeared long ago.

The weak force is just one of several finely tuned features that we depend on. …

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Yǔzhòu (Yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [universe] 宇宙) zhōng (within 中) de (’s 的) gèzhǒng (gè·zhǒng each · {type of} 各种 各種) lì (force 力) dōu ({each one of them} 都) qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià exactly 恰)‐(dào {is having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · place 好处 好處) → [is just right]), suǒyǐ (suǒ·yǐ {that which} · {is the reason} → [thus] 所以) shēngmìng (life 生命) cái ({only then} 才 才/纔) néng ({is able} 能) cúnzài (cún·zài {to exist} · {to be present} 存在). Lái (come 来 來) kànkan (kàn·kan {look at} · {look at} 看看) kēxué‐jiā ((kē·xué {branches of study} · learning → [science] 科学 科學)‐(jiā -ists 家) → [scientists]) suǒ ({that which (they)} 所) shuō ({speak of} 说 說/説) de (’s 的) ruò (weak 弱)‐hélì (hé·lì {pit (of a fruit) → [nuclear]} · force 核力), zhèi (this 这 這) zhǒng ({type of} 种 種/种) lì (force 力) ràng (allows 让 讓) tàiyáng (tài·yáng highest · {positive/active/male principle in nature (Chinese philosophy)} → [sun] 太阳 太陽) yǐ (at 以) wěndìng (wěn·dìng steady · set 稳定 穩定) de (’s 的) sùdù (sù·dù {being fast → [speed]} · degree → [rate] 速度) ránshāo (rán·shāo {to be ignited} · {to burn} 燃烧 燃燒). Rúguǒ (Rú·guǒ if · {fruit → [if indeed]} 如果) zhèi (this 这 這) zhǒng ({type of} 种 種/种) lì (force 力) ruò ({was weak} 弱) yìdiǎnr (yì·diǎnr a · bit (more) 一点 一點), tàiyáng (tài·yáng highest · {positive/active/male principle in nature (Chinese philosophy)} → [sun] 太阳 太陽) jiù (then 就) wúfǎ (wú·fǎ {would not have had} · way → [would have been unable] 无法 無法) xíngchéng (xíng·chéng {form (n)} · {to come to be} → [to form] 形成); rúguǒ (rú·guǒ if · {fruit → [if indeed]} 如果) zhèi (this 这 這) zhǒng ({type of} 种 種/种) lì (force 力) qiáng ({was strong} 强 強/彊) yìdiǎnr (yì·diǎnr a · bit (more) 一点 一點), tàiyáng (tài·yáng highest · {positive/active/male principle in nature (Chinese philosophy)} → [sun] 太阳 太陽) jiù (then 就) huì (would 会 會) ránshāo (rán·shāo ignite · burn 燃烧 燃燒) de (getting 得) tài ({too much} 太) kuài ({to be quick} 快), zǎo ({early on} 早) jiù (then 就) xiāoshī (xiāo·shī {would have disappeared} · {would have been lost} 消失) le ([(at the end of a phrase/sentence) indicates a change] 了).

📖 📄 📘 Ruò (weak 弱)‐hélì (hé·lì {pit (of a fruit) → [nuclear]} · force 核力) qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià exactly 恰)‐(dào {is having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · place 好处 好處) → [is just right]), dàn (but 但) tā (it 它) zhǐshì (zhǐ·shì only · is 只是) wéichí (wéi·chí maintaining · {holding → [sustaining]} → [sustaining] 维持 維持) shēngmìng (life 生命) de (’s 的) qízhōng (qí·zhōng them · among 其中) yí (one 一) ge ([mw] 个 個/个) yīnsù (yīn·sù cause · {raw silk → [basic element]} → [factor] 因素). …

In the above examples, “qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right])” is used to correspond with the English expressions “fine-tuned” and “finely tuned”. While much cruder than the exquisite systems found in the natural world, many systems produced by human technology can help us to understand the need for certain factors to be finely tuned before an even moderately complex system can function properly. For example, a phone number that’s off by just one number is a wrong number, and older readers will remember radios that needed to be tuned to a certain frequency before the desired radio station could be heard clearly. Speaking of readers, anyone reading this post first had to follow a link (or manually type in a URL) that had to be coded just right—if the web address requested was not within a narrow margin of error, this post would not have loaded!

Let us, then, remember this week’s MEotW, “qià‐dào‐hǎochu ((qià just; exactly 恰)‐(dào {[is] having arrived at} 到)‐(hǎo·chu good · places; points [→ [benefits; advantages | gain; profit]] 好处 好處) → [[is] perfect; just right])”, so that we can be helped to be able to talk to Mandarin-speaking people about how the universe, the sun, the earth, our own bodies, etc. are tuned to be just right, so that we can live, ponder how we got here, and get to know our Creator.

A Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resource for the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine, which discusses the question “Should You Believe in a Creator?”, is in the works. For updates on the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resources that are available, keep an eye on this blog, on the Links News blog, and on the related account on the social network of your choice listed on this blog’s Contact page.

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Culture Language Learning Science Technology Theocratic

Zàowù‐Zhǔ

Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator]) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[Notes: Tap/click on a Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to reveal its “flashcard”; tap/click on a “flashcard” or its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to hide the “flashcard”. 📖 📄 📘 icons mean 📖 Reveal All, 📄 Reveal Advanced, and 📘 Reveal None re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

At the time of this writing, jw.org had just recently featured the article “How Can You Decide?”, from the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! magazine. The title of this issue, in English and in Mandarin, is as follows:

English:

Should You Believe in a Creator?—You Decide

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Zhēnde (Zhēn·de Really · ’s 真的) Yǒu ({(There) Is Having} → [(There) Exists] 有) Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator]) Ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)? Nǐ (You 你) Néng (Can 能) Zhǎodào (Zhǎo·dào {Look For (and)} · {Arrive At} → [Find] 找到) Dá’àn (Dá’·àn Answering · {Long, Narrow Table or Desk → [Set of Information]} → [Answer] 答案)

As can be seen from the above example, “Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator])”, this week’s MEotW, is the Mandarin expression meaning “Creator”. And, as can be seen from this expression’s Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus “flashcard”, the literal meanings of its constituent morphemes come together to mean something like “Master (or Lord) Who Created All Things”.

“Did They Give You Evidence”?

A couple more examples of “Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator])” in use can be found in the second paragraph of the above-mentioned article from the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake!:

English:

Your schoolteachers may have confidently stated that the universe and life in it arose spontaneously, that no Creator was involved. But did your teachers provide you with evidence that a Creator does not exist? On the other hand, you may have heard religious leaders preach that there is a Creator. But did they give you evidence to back up their claim? Or did they ask you to accept their statement as a matter of “faith” or doctrine?

Mandarin:

📖 📄 📘 Xuéxiào (Xué·xiào {learning (place) → [school]} · school 学校 學校) lǎoshī (lǎo·shī {old → [experienced]} · teachers → [teachers] 老师 老師) yěxǔ (yě·xǔ {on the whole} · maybe 也许 也許) huì (will 会 會) hěn (very 很) kěndìng (kěn·dìng agreeing · {to be set} → [being certain] 肯定) de (-ly 地) gàosu (tell 告诉 告訴) nǐ (you 你), yǔzhòu (yǔ·zhòu universe · {all time, past, present, and future} → [universe] 宇宙) hé ({(together) with} → [and] 和 和/龢) shēngmìng (life 生命) dōu (both 都) shì (were 是) pèngqiǎo (pèng·qiǎo {having bumped into} · {being coincidental} → [by chance] 碰巧) chǎnshēng (chǎn·shēng {given birth to → [produced]} · {given birth to → [caused to exist]} → [brought into being] 产生 產生) de ({’s (things)} 的), gēnběn (gēn·běn {root (of a plant)} · {root or stem of a plant} → [fundamentally] 根本) jiù (then 就) méiyǒu (méi·yǒu not · {did have} → [did not have] 没有 沒有) Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator]). Dàn (but 但) tāmen (tā·men he/she · [pl] → [they] 他们 他們) yǒu (had (or) 有) méiyǒu (méi·yǒu not · had → [had not] 没有 沒有) xiàng (to 向 向/曏/嚮) nǐ (you 你) tíchū (tí·chū {carried (hanging down from the hand) → [raised] → [referred to]} · out 提出) zhèngjù (evidence 证据 證/証據) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)? Lìng (another 另) yì (one 一) fāngmiàn (fāng·miàn {direction → [side]} · face → [aspect] 方面), yìxiē (yì·xiē one · {indefinite number of} → [some] 一些) zōngjiào (zōng·jiào {school of thought} · teaching → [religious] 宗教) rénshì (rén·shì persons · {persons trained in a certain field} → [personages] 人士) zhǔzhāng (zhǔ·zhāng advocate · spread → [maintain] 主张 主張) yǒu ({(there) is having} → [(there) exists] 有) yí (one 一) wèi ({place of a} → [mw for persons] 位) Zàowù‐Zhǔ ((Zào·wù Created · Things 造物)‐(Zhǔ Master 主) → [Creator]). Dàn (but 但) tāmen (tā·men he/she · [pl] → [they] 他们 他們) tígōng (tí·gōng {did carry (hanging down from the hand) → [did raise]} · {did provide} 提供) zhèngjù (evidence 证据 證/証據) le ({to completion} 了) ma ([? ptcl for “yes/no” questions] 吗 嗎)? Háishi (Hái·shi {still more → [or]} · {was (it) that} 还是 還是) zhǐshì (zhǐ·shì (they) merely · were 只是) gàosu (telling 告诉 告訴) nǐ (you 你), “xìn (believing 信)” jiù (then 就) gòule (gòu·le {is enough} · {to completion} 够了 夠了) ne ([? ptcl] 呢)?

A Big Presence in the Teaching Toolbox

It’s worth noting that the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! is currently in the Teaching Toolbox in the JW Library app. That means that as of this writing, 3 out of the 6 books or brochures in the Teaching Toolbox—fully one half of them—are focused on the subject of creation/evolution. Additionally, the Enjoy Life Forever! book, one of the other publications in the Teaching Toolbox, has an entire lesson on the subject “How Did Life Begin?”. This big presence in the Teaching Toolbox of material focused on creation/evolution reflects a recent heavy emphasis on this issue on the part of the organization.

Indeed, for people in general to find real spiritual truth and make real spiritual progress, the question of the Creator’s existence is the first basic question that needs to be answered well in their minds, otherwise they are left with just the conflicting opinions, speculations, and platitudes of mere limited, imperfect humans. As Proverbs 9:10 says:

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom,
And knowledge of the Most Holy One is understanding.

In the Mandarin field in particular, it is especially necessary to focus on the issue of the Creator’s existence, because current worldly Chinese culture has particularly heavily predisposed many Mandarin-speakers to not believe in a Creator.

At the same time, the worldwide Mandarin field is by far the largest language field in the world, and it’s likely that it is the largest language field ever in history.

Chart: Languages by First-Language Speakers—2019

So, the need is especially great for Mandarin field language learners to be able to help Mandarin-speakers overcome their cultural backgrounds and cultivate faith in the Creator!

Creation/Evolution, and Also the Great Wall of Characters

However, I suspect that even in their mother tongue, many Mandarin field language learners would be hesitant to discuss creation/evolution, since it is an especially deeply technical subject. Adding the requirement to conduct the discussion in Mandarin, which has traditionally been written using the extraordinarily complex Chinese characters, to many just makes an already daunting task seem even more undoable.

The Great Wall of China

In addition to the inherent technical difficulty of the subject of creation/evolution, Mandarin field language learners also face the Great Wall of characters.

To help with this formidable challenge, the organization’s official Mandarin digital material for the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake!, and for the Was Life Created? and Origin of Life brochures, is available with Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音). Additionally, unofficial Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus material—specifically designed, not to be spiritual food, but for helping Mandarin field language learners to get past the Great Wall of characters and actually learn to understand and speak the Mandarin they need—is available for the Was Life Created? and Origin of Life brochures, and will soon be available for the No. 3 2021 issue of Awake! too. For updates on these Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resources, keep an eye on this blog, on the Links News blog, and on the related account on the social network of your choice listed on this blog’s Contact page.

Categories
Culture Current Events Experiences Language Learning Names Science Technology

Lǐ Huá

Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李)
Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Citing national security concerns, the American government recently passed a law banning the popular social media app TikTok. Ironically (some would say hilariously), many American TikTok users, whom many are calling “TikTok refugees” (“TikTok nànmín (nàn·mín calamity · {persons of a certain occupation} → [refugees] 难民 難民)”), have defiantly responded in protest by migrating to an even more overtly Chinese social media app, Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) (also called RedNote), in such numbers (more than 700,000 in just two days) that Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) became the most-downloaded free app on Apple’s US App Store for a while.

On Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書), many regular Chinese people have found it moving and rewarding to be able to make friends with regular American people, and vice versa. Many Americans have even expressed and shown interest in learning Mandarin to better connect with their new Chinese wǎngyǒu (wǎng·yǒu {net → [network] → [Internet]} · friends 网友 網/网友) (Internet friends).

With all this happening on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書), the topic of “Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華)”, this week’s MEotW, has come up. This expression is a person’s name, with “Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李)”, which literally means “Plum”, being the surname, and a very common one at that. “Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華)” is an interesting expression that is discussed in the MEotW post on “Huáyǔ (Huá·yǔ {Magnificent; Splendid; Flowery; Florescent → [Chinese]} · Language → [(Modern Standard) Mandarin (term commonly used in Singapore)] 华语 華語)”.

So, why are people on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) talking about Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華)?

Imaginary Pen Pals Magically Coming to Life

Here is a TikTok video containing this week’s MEotW, that explains how many Chinese Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) users feel about all the American people who have recently joined the app:

@jasmeizhang As a Chinese, what do we feel about foreigners joining RedNote? #tiktokrefugee #rednote #xiaohongshu #chinese ♬ original sound – jasmeizhang

(For any who cannot access this video, the gist is that when taking exams, students in China often encounter a question that asks them to assume the role of Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華) and write a letter in English to an imaginary foreign pen pal, perhaps about Chinese cuisine or some other topic related to China. So, for many Chinese people, encountering so many Americans and their comments on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) recently feels like the imaginary foreign pen pals they wrote to so many times over the years as Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華) magically came to life and finally wrote back. She concludes by saying, “Thank you for coming over, trying to post in our language, talking to us, interacting with everyone. It makes us feel like we’re not alone in this world. After all, we’re all human, and deep down, humans are more alike than we’re different.”)

After a while, I was also able to find the same video on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書), so here it is coming from there, as a backup in case TikTok really ends up going away and not coming back for users in America or other places:

Here are some of the comments on TikTok in response to this video:

Many of us spent our childhoods “digging to China” in sandboxes, on beaches and in backyards. We were always meant to be friends, Li Hua. 🩵 so much love from all of us

Dear Li Hua, sorry we couldn’t write back sooner! Our bosses are kinda jerks. But we’re working on that! We’re all really happy to see your lives and pets and culture! Love, your American pen pal ❤️

Why am I crying so much at this story 🤧 I felt it would be disrespectful to invade your space but hearing this other side of things, I’m gonna join rednote now and start learning mandarin.

I’m learning mandarin on Duolingo. So far, I can only order hot water and soup. I’m so excited to one day be able to speak your language as beautifully as you speak mine. 🥲

Here is a video I found on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書), with a reply from the American side to Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華):

[The original post can be found here.]

As an example of the cross-cultural exchange taking place, here is another video that I found on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書), by a fellow who very likely had often written letters as Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華) when he was in school:

[The original post can be found here. Here is a rough translation of the introductory blurb: “40-year-old middle-aged retired military officer’s only post-retirement joy; among family members who understands?”]

Wild Beasts and a Great Wall

Unfortunately, as alluded to above, the politics of this Devil-ruled world, with its bitter and sometimes murderous power struggles, work to divide people, in spite of how people naturally desire to make friends and live in peace (and enjoy music). While many Chinese people on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) feel like a Lǐ ({Plum (surname)} 李) Huá (Flower → [Magnificence; Glory; Splendour; Florescence | Best Part; Cream | Times; Years | China] | Flowery → [Magnificent; Splendid; Glorious; Florescent | Prosperous; Flourishing | Flashy; Extravagant | Chinese] 华 華) who after many years actually got replies from foreign pen pals, and while many American people who just joined Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) feel like they finally got to China and met some really nice, friendly people after digging holes to China as kids, their respective governments are in God’s eyes like wild beasts competing for territory and influence, warily circling each other, and preparing for vicious, bloody battle. (Indeed, even in the world, the USA is often symbolically portrayed as an eagle, and China is often symbolically portrayed as a dragon.)

The proud human cultural tradition mandating the use of the abnormally difficult-to-learn-and-remember Chinese characters to write Mandarin also puts a Great Wall between Chinese people and Mandarin learners in other nations who would like to write text messages to each other, leave comments on social media posts, etc. Many turn to tools like Google Translate for help, but these are really just coping mechanisms, band-aid solutions, while the basic problem of the characters remains.

The Great Wall of China

Chinese characters continue to act as a Great Wall dividing people who naturally want to be friends.

Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) technically works as a simple, easy-to-learn full writing system for reading and writing Mandarin, so it is technically ideally suited for texting, commenting, etc. Unfortunately, though, the stubbornly embedded traditional cultural primacy of characters and the related cultural prejudice against Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) will dissuade most people from beneficially using Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) in these ways. (Question: As Mandarin field language learners who are trying to walk on the narrow road to life, and who are doing a life-saving work to help other people also get on this narrow road, should we always limit ourselves to being like most people?—Matthew 7:13, 14.)

(In my limited time so far on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書), I have happened to come across a couple of comments containing Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音). One of these comments (from a user in the United States) renders the same message in English on one line, in simplified Chinese characters on another line, and then in Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) on yet another line, Rosetta Stone-style. The Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) is even well-formatted, not just as with a pronunciation aid, but as with a full writing system, with tone marks, word separation, and punctuation.)

As shown above, audio and video technology also now enable people to just talk (and sing!) to communicate across distance and time. However, even in this regard, many Mandarin learners have allowed the visually intricate characters to stunt their Mandarin speech skills by distracting them from properly focusing on invisible sound, which is what Mandarin speech (and singing!) is actually made of. As discussed in other MEotW posts, this is effectively linguistic idolatry.

Spiritual Family in the Mandarin Field

As Mandarin field language learners, this whole situation with regular Chinese and American people enjoying meeting and making friends with each other on Xiǎohóngshū (Xiǎo·hóng·shū Little · Red · Book → [a Chinese social networking platform, commonly known in English as RedNote] 小红书 小紅書) may remind us of all the wonderful new friends we made when we joined the Mandarin field. As Jehovah’s people serving in the Mandarin field, or in any congregation or group with people from different cultural backgrounds, we are not only aware of the possibility of making friends with people of other nations and cultures, we also know that every human being is really part of the one human family descended from the same ancestors and created by God. Additionally, we know that Jehovah has assigned us to help people from all the nations to join us in his spiritual paradise, in which they can become our spiritual brothers and sisters and live in peace with us forever on a paradise earth. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Let us, then, not let the world’s politics or human traditions prevent us from doing this life-saving, uniting, God-assigned work as well as we ought to.