Can A Drama Give Any Demographic A Lifeline?

In Calibration … "I'm not strange." (Jung) Other than that, Cheese in the Trap is a surrealist drama which serves cheese-coated piano keys in a mouse trap, complete with a side dish of acrylic blood. Read this WordPress article to revisit the fascinating portrayal of human psychology that once kept viewers spellbound and made the recent turn of events doubly disappointing.

Many people in the Asian drama-watching community know of 2011 Chinese production Scarlet Heart (available on Dramafever) as a girl-meets-many-boys time-travel romance, but the rich cultural tapestry within perhaps deserves more credit. Over 35 episodes, viewers are treated to an eye-opening array of Qing costumes, headdresses and jewelry as well as fascinating references to various Chinese teas and snacks. The talented but doomed eighth prince, for instance, is described as favoring “Rizhu Snow Buds” or “Day Cast Snow Buds” (a word-by-word translation; Rizhu is actually a geographical location)—a type of green tea which name is thought to conjure up an image of beautiful snow melting away with the rise of the Sun, leaving only sadness in its place.

Certainly, too, the drama includes a great wealth of literary references, of which a Tibetan poem and a passage by Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi have been discussed on this site before. As a sample of the plethora of Chinese prose and poetry also woven into the script, below are the poems in scenes corresponding to some of those aired in the Korean adaptation so far:

1. The eighth prince sends the heroine, Ma’ertai Ruoxi, Song poet Qin Guan's “To the Tune of Magpie Bridge Immortal,” an extraordinarily spectacular and romantic poem that provides much comfort to couples in long-distance relationships. Its lines would solve the supposed mystery of the above headline. (Original text | Translation)

2. He next sends her “Fallen Low,” a succinct and highly rhythmic work which historically has different interpretations bound by the common theme of human-inflicted suffering. (Original text | Translation – one of the interpretations)

3. When Emperor Kangxi orders Ruoxi to explain why she calls him a good ruler, she quotes the lines "But alas! Qin Shihuang and Han Wudi [...] Look to this age alone”€ from Mao Zedong’€™s “€œSnow.”€ They may sound sycophantic to modern ears but mark the start of their friendship. If we put aside political differences and regard its mentions of archery and literary prowess as mere symbols of less advanced stages of human civilization, the poem is additionally a reminder that the best need not be in the past — €”the sources of our problems may also be the sources of our solutions. This is a dose of optimism the world at large can benefit from as it grapples with political, economic and environmental upheavals. (Original text | Translation)

It is unfortunate that time constraints prevent The Chair from listing the numerous other classical texts referenced and far more so that few Western-language drama review sites seem to take a profound interest in East Asian literature. The analysis of the portrayal of regional literature in East Asian dramas is a niche area in cultural critique is badly in need of new blood and, pun intended, a few more scarlet hearts.

Please read queer books all year round, not just in June

Remember, read queer all year

LGBTQ+ people don't disappear after June

News Box: Counting the Blessings

Collective political rationality and, perhaps, the forging of consensus on the definition of rationality are beyond the control of the individual, but the ability to give people we care for a sincere smile may still be within our power. In a year when politics in multiple regions of the world has taken more dramatic turns than the typical screen drama, the presence of family and friends, both online and offline, as one constant in life is especially comforting. No matter when you celebrate Thanksgiving or other holidays with elements of gratitude expression, thank you for being around all this while.

Deep Down Inside, Beneath the Clothes of Culture

Deep Down Inside, Beneath the Clothes of Culture

Logic broke down when a bare-bodied male philosopher locked eyes with a little cat in a bathroom. That was the scene Jacques Derrida painted of himself alongside a meditation on how the cat was behind him since it was before him. But more precisely, Derrida was referring to the animal world in general and how animality surrounds and pervades humanity since it precedes the emergence of humanity.…

View On WordPress

Ceramics Yoga, Anyone?

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. (Ernest Hemingway)

There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. (Leonard Cohen)

Luminescent Scars: As light pours into a cavernous space, participants in ballet tights practice their yoga poses within its ceramic-like, curved walls crisscrossed with fracture lines. Powdered gold, copper, brass, silver or platinum fill the lines. The instructor, in shimmering tights, is one of the bundles of rays that have descended to the weary and wounded. Shadows of other scar lines flit across participants’ bodies from time to time in acknowledgment of feelings all around, before transforming into waves of light. The above quotes reproduced by Critical Dance from program notes of Aurum, a ballet set in motion before such patterned backdrops, have told us the art form kintsugi’s ideal of embracing and growing more beautiful through broken parts. Ceramic surfaces portrayed across the sessions hail from a number of masterful or storied wares

:: Full concept ::

Tumblr

Post by @soapver4 · 2 videos

💬 0  🔁 1  ❤️ 2 · Many-Worlds Liminal Yoga · Physical Experience Bubble: A breathtaking network of yoga complexes and outdoor yoga locations

Back-to-Work Sleeping Beauty Vampire

Name: Adelina Codruț 

Age: 1,291

Education:

University of the Dark Arts, PhD in Vampiric Studies

University of Transylvania, Master of Vampirism

Rural Academy of the Undead, Bachelor of Aerodynamics and Bachelor of Mental Aerodynamics

Skills:

Plowing, sowing and weeding garlic fields (Seriously, garlic.)

Fang sharpening

Moving undetected in the shadows

Transformation into a bat or wolf

Mistress of disguise even in human form

Seductive and charming

Mysterious skill sprouts

Bilingual in English and Romanian

Proficient in several other languages

Skilled in leadership, strategy, and negotiation

Writing bestsellers in coffins

Experience:

Founder and CEO of the Transylvanian Vampire Council

Author of the best-selling books "Nightweight, Nightyears," "Solar Utopias" and "Draculas" and the well-acclaimed investigative publication "The True Count: Vampire Migration and Statelessness"

Negotiated a peace treaty between the vampires and the humans in 2077

Led the vampire nation to victory in the Great War of 2123

Slept for almost a century after that due to exhaustion

Awards and Honors:

Vampire of the Year Award (2065, 2077, 2123)

Most Distinguished Vampire Award (2064, 2065)

Order of the Bat Medal (2077, 2123)

Vlad Dracul Award for Excellence in Vampiric Studies (2022)

Summary:

A highly experienced and skilled vampire with a proven track record of success. Seeking a position where I can use my talents and abilities to further the cause of the new vampire-human federation.

References:

Available upon request. (As long as I can find them alive.)

Additional Information:

I am a vegetarian and do not drink blood from humans.

As a being of darkness with unparalleled longevity, I am looking for a career that will provide me with a steady source of income. After slumbering for nearly a century, I am ready to bring my unique skillset and perspective to the world of the living once again.

I grew up in abject poverty. I knew from a young age how merciless life could be. I saw my grandfather burning at the stakes and my mother weeping in an unhinged manner as she cut off the one uncharred limb from his corpse and forced mush made up of the flesh down the throats of her hungry brood.

My education was punctuated numerous times by continental wars, civil strife and drastic policy about-turns. I toiled through a long string of menial jobs before I could afford college. To build up my endurance, I deliberately put myself through challenges like the garlic field stint above. You can trust me to rise up to the challenges of post-hibernation employment too.

During the many periods I have been awake, I have seen the rise and fall of numerous civilizations, some up close. I can give valuable insight into a multitude of ancient societies, offering my unique perspective as an immortal observer. Additionally, I can draw from my memory numerous specific events, figures, and cultural phenomena that would be lost to history were it not for my own personal repository. I believe I am a wealth of ancient knowledge waiting to be shared with the world.

I have also been blessed with the gift of vivid dreams, which, coupled with the yearning of my subconsciousness during those long years of hibernation, fortuitously allowed me to live a second life, experiencing the times and the people I missed in my long slumber. I was able to soak in stories from the olden days, keeping myself sharp and current with the events of the world even while I rested.

When I was not dreaming of the times and people I missed during my long slumber, my intrepid soul would travel through the fabric of time into the very far, post-species future, witnessing the course of fast-forward vampire and human history, collecting the knowledge and insight of millennia and emerging with unparalleled wisdom.

In short, my unrivaled experience in history, politics, and culture are unmatched in the present day, making me a perfect asset to any organization. My appetite for hard work and exploration is as clear as moonlight. I am eager to discuss this opportunity further and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

The time-bending, blood-loathing, immortal vampire,

Adelina Codruț 

Email: vampadelina@ahumaneditor.ai

Why do we study science? Well, since we can't study magic itself (it's invisible, very hard to detect), we choose to study the fields closest to magic: math, physics, biology, computer science, and so on.

A Million Thanks! The EAW Poll Time Continues

Thanks to the warm responses from many Woo watchers, the target no longer looks like a very faraway dream. Add your voice to theirs here before the survey closes. On average, they have taken only 1 minute and 22 seconds to answer the three questions.

In an alternate universe, all the warmongers around would be disciples of butterflies instead.

soapver4.tumblr.com

Soul Nymph Engines

Platform idea: A micro-journaling app, coupled to a network of digital billboards displaying selected journal records, in which users post i