Muwa Gisun Section Three

discourse 11

Of the two of you, who is older?
He is my elder. I am his junior.
In terms of your knowledge, who is better?
He is better than me.  I do not measure up to him.
Don’t believe what he says. If you put the two of us in a pot and cooked us, we would taste the same.

discourse 12

I cannot bear being in a tightly enclosed place.  If you make half of it a courtyard, that would be just tolerable.  But even if it were alright to sit in the courtyard, still, with the outhouse so near, people could not stand the terrible smell, and it would not be convenient for people to go to the bathroom.

discourse 13
Looking at them one after another, they are all such handsome, fine, and good young men. Truly, one by one, they could not be compared to ordinary people. Truly, these are praiseworthy men [deserving of] their salaries. If they are all like that, what more is there to say?

discourse 14
Did you take what he said just now to be false? Speaking the truth exactly like that [lit., “speaking thus about how things really are”] is what we also should be doing, too, to crush evil and spread good. You should not imitate those people you hear gossiping in the streets.

discourse 15
Who would not willingly say, “Let him be well”? Who would willingly say, “Let him be unwell”? Who does not willingly say, “Let him understand”? Who willingly says, “Let him not understand”? Truly, if one were able to make things happen so easily, what need would there be to worry about the causes of being unwell? Truly, if you could really learn just like that, why would anyone worry about the reasons they don’t understand things?

discourse 16
Manchu and Chinese are just the same – both are limitless. However deep and detailed Chinese writings might get, Manchu can get, too. Some people think of the Manchu language as simplistic; really, how is that any different from sitting in a well and looking up at the sky?

discourse 17
So I have been hiring a matchmaker.
What day has been fixed?
Dream on! [lit., “you’re still dreaming”] Just yesterday we went and paid our respects [lit., kowtowed]. And today they said they would be sending food to the son-in-law. So the match is set.
This marriage of theirs will be great. They are cousins to begin with. To marry kinfolk will be all the closer and sweeter.

discourse 18
Are you going to go riding? Are you going by sedan chair? [Or] are you going on foot? If you go by horse, you cannot take an official horse. If you rent a chair, you’ll have to pay for it. In my view, it would be better if you went on foot. How far could it be, anyhow?

discourse 19
The heavenly stems are: green, greenish, red, reddish, yellow, yellowish, white, whitish, black, and blackish. The earthly branches are mouse, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, and pig.

discourse 20
So it’s as though you have covered your ears to steal the bell [i.e., thinking that it is not ringing] – you are only deceiving yourself. Whom are you fooling? Even though happiness is there right before your eyes, regretting it another day will be too late.

 Section Two