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Starting on 成化十四年 / chenghua novel!
151 main chapters + 18 extra chapters. Let& #39;s see how much I can finish tonight. Who needs sleep, am I right? :D
151 main chapters + 18 extra chapters. Let& #39;s see how much I can finish tonight. Who needs sleep, am I right? :D
If nothing else, this novel demonstrates just how woefully inadequate my knowledge of ancient Chinese history, and specifically of Ming Dynasty political happenings, is.
I& #39;m reading this so slowly, because I keep breaking off to read baidu. _(:3」∠)_
I& #39;m reading this so slowly, because I keep breaking off to read baidu. _(:3」∠)_
One thing I like about chenghua so far, is it& #39;s very practical and unvarnished depiction of the era& #39;s bureaucracy. Eg.
• the different bureaus origins and inter-bureau politics
• better a seventh ranked (lower) official in the capital, than sixth ranked (higher) in the country
• the different bureaus origins and inter-bureau politics
• better a seventh ranked (lower) official in the capital, than sixth ranked (higher) in the country
• the jinyi wei taking over the shuntian fu& #39;s routine peace-keeping tasks, because the former is action-oriented while the latter comprises mainly bookish officials, such that former looks down on the latter
• the shuntian fu, despite being a mor prestigious bureau, is still--
• the shuntian fu, despite being a mor prestigious bureau, is still--
-- indistinguishable from the other bureaus to the emperor, as everyone in court is an official who mostly behave the same (in contrast, the jinyi wei started out as special ops)
• tang fan insisting on paying for the medicine he was given -- important not to appear corrupt lol
• tang fan insisting on paying for the medicine he was given -- important not to appear corrupt lol
Other people& #39;s live read threads: notable quotes, CP squee, general feels
Me: a comment on the story setting
I& #39;m so bad at doing live-read threads lol
Me: a comment on the story setting
I& #39;m so bad at doing live-read threads lol
Still thinking about the line a few chapters ago, that 回春堂 was obviously the name of a medicinal hall
Other halls in the book: 三元堂, 仁心堂
And I recently read about one irl named 方回春堂
Is there a trend for chinese medicinal hall names, akin to pub names in the UK?
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Other halls in the book: 三元堂, 仁心堂
And I recently read about one irl named 方回春堂
Is there a trend for chinese medicinal hall names, akin to pub names in the UK?
Just learnt another new word for wontons: 馄饨 (hun tun)!
Is it a regional thing? (Baidu seems to suggest that it& #39;s called thus in Shandong.) Is it how you fold the dumplings?
Is it a regional thing? (Baidu seems to suggest that it& #39;s called thus in Shandong.) Is it how you fold the dumplings?
Oh wait, no, this isn& #39;t the first time I& #39;ve seen 馄饨!
Throwback to when I was reading 2ha and wondered about 抄手 vs 云吞.
A friend shared this article with me: 90% of people in China can& #39;t tell the difference between 馄饨, 云吞 and 抄手 https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/33099371 ">https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/3309937...
Throwback to when I was reading 2ha and wondered about 抄手 vs 云吞.
A friend shared this article with me: 90% of people in China can& #39;t tell the difference between 馄饨, 云吞 and 抄手 https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/33099371 ">https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/3309937...
The difference between 馄饨 (huntun), 云吞 (yuntun) and 抄手 (chaoshou), per the article linked above. In English, they& #39;re all wonton(s).
Embedded picture from the article.
So!
• northern region is used to calling them 馄饨, shandong uses 云吞, sichuan uses 抄手
Cont& #39;d -
Embedded picture from the article.
So!
• northern region is used to calling them 馄饨, shandong uses 云吞, sichuan uses 抄手
Cont& #39;d -
• 馄饨 are further divided in large vs small types
• large 馄饨 and 抄手 are often main dishes. A bowl is enough to half-fill your stomach
• 云吞 are made smaller and served as dimsum or to go with noodles
• small 馄饨 are what you stock up at home to cook any time
Cont& #39;d
• large 馄饨 and 抄手 are often main dishes. A bowl is enough to half-fill your stomach
• 云吞 are made smaller and served as dimsum or to go with noodles
• small 馄饨 are what you stock up at home to cook any time
Cont& #39;d
• there are also differences in how they are dished
• 云吞 are fatty, smooth, tender. Taste best with a prawn in each. The skin is thin, so when cooked you can see an impression of the filling. Typically fish soup, but chicken or (pork) bone soup also ok.
Cont& #39;d
• 云吞 are fatty, smooth, tender. Taste best with a prawn in each. The skin is thin, so when cooked you can see an impression of the filling. Typically fish soup, but chicken or (pork) bone soup also ok.
Cont& #39;d
• 云吞 is conceptualised as being able to fit into your mouth (eat a cloud in a bite). Ideally a bowl should have 6 or 8
• 抄手 have thin, slippery skins. Serve in a spicy sauce
• 馄饨 can be cooked many styles, soup or fried. There are regional variations
Cont& #39;d
• 抄手 have thin, slippery skins. Serve in a spicy sauce
• 馄饨 can be cooked many styles, soup or fried. There are regional variations
Cont& #39;d
• for large 馄饨, the pairing of soup base and dumpling filling is more easy going. Pork, chicken, seafood...
• for smaller 馄饨, they& #39;re filled only with meat (70% lean 30% fatty, minced), seasoned with scallions, ginger, salt etc, and the soup has other ingredients
Cont& #39;d
• for smaller 馄饨, they& #39;re filled only with meat (70% lean 30% fatty, minced), seasoned with scallions, ginger, salt etc, and the soup has other ingredients
Cont& #39;d
The article has a comparative table for big and small 馄饨, 云吞, 抄手, for those of us who can read chinese.
I also recommend reading the article too. It talks more about these dumplings, and it& #39;s very interesting!
I also recommend reading the article too. It talks more about these dumplings, and it& #39;s very interesting!
Did I just go on a long tangent about dumplings because Tang Fan was served a bowl of pork and baby scallion 馄饨? Well... :D;;
