Four Character Proverbs
Sakura Japanese Kanji Proverbs
This is actually something shared in both Chinese and Japanese traditions, but I found a fascinating blog that *only* posts those four-character proverbs and translates them into what they mean with Japanese cultural references in English. I especially liked the one that is literally "Old Man (living in) Fortress with Horse" that culturally means "Don't be happy when good things happen. Don't be sad when bad things happen. Because what it looks like may not be its final consequence." And that meaning is assigned through cultural knowledge of a really long and interesting story. *laughs*
*sheepish* Of course I was looking for the location of Japanese sakura groves near the sea and still haven't found *that* yet.
Uhm... and, yes, I'm getting mad, crazy ideas for my Samurai Champloo fic in the process.
This is actually something shared in both Chinese and Japanese traditions, but I found a fascinating blog that *only* posts those four-character proverbs and translates them into what they mean with Japanese cultural references in English. I especially liked the one that is literally "Old Man (living in) Fortress with Horse" that culturally means "Don't be happy when good things happen. Don't be sad when bad things happen. Because what it looks like may not be its final consequence." And that meaning is assigned through cultural knowledge of a really long and interesting story. *laughs*
*sheepish* Of course I was looking for the location of Japanese sakura groves near the sea and still haven't found *that* yet.
Uhm... and, yes, I'm getting mad, crazy ideas for my Samurai Champloo fic in the process.