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Wu Song
Wu Song ( zh, c=武松, p=wǔ sōng), also known as Wu the Second ( zh, c=武二郎, p=wŭ èrláng, labels=no), is a legendary hero recounted since the 13th century; and one of the well-known fictional characters in the ''Water Margin'', one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Pilgrim", he ranks 14th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Heroes. In folk tales derived from the novel, Wu Song is a martial arts student of Zhou Tong and specialises in '' Chuojiao.'' In the novel he fights well with ''bang'' (quarterstaff) or a pair of broadswords. Attestations The legend surrounding the heroic figure ( ''haohan'') has existed since the Song Dynasty period: a passing mention of a story about Pilgrim Wu () occurs in Luo Ye (), ''Zui weng tan lu'' (, "Chatterings of an Old Drunkard". 13th century), a ''leishu'' type encyclopedia from the period. Also a ''zaju'' play had been written by one Hong Zi Li Er (, Red-Tattooed Second Li, fl. 1295), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wu (surname)
''Wú'' is the pinyin transliteration of the Chinese surname wikt:吳, 吳 (Simplified Chinese wikt:吴, 吴), which is a common surname (family name) in Mainland China. Wú (吳) is the sixth name listed in the Song Dynasty Chinese classics, classic ''Hundred Family Surnames''. In 2019 Wu was the ninth most common surname in Mainland China. A 2013 study found that it was the eighth most common surname, shared by 26,800,000 people or 2.000% of the population, with the province having the most being Guangdong. The Cantonese and Hakka language, Hakka transliteration of 吳 is Ng (surname), Ng, a syllable made entirely of a nasal consonant while the Min Nan transliteration of 吳 is Ngo, Ngoh, Ngov, Goh, Go, Gouw, depending on the regional variations in Min Nan pronunciation. Shanghainese transliteration of 吳 is Woo. 吳 is also one of the most common surnames in Korea. It is spelled O (surname), 오 in Hangul and romanized O by the three major romanization systems, but more commo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quarterstaff
A quarterstaff (plural quarterstaffs or quarterstaves), also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European pole weapon, which was especially prominent in England during the Early Modern period. The term is generally accepted to refer to a shaft of hardwood from long, sometimes with a metal tip, ferrule, or spike at one or both ends. The term "short staff" compares this to the "long staff" based on the pike with a length in excess of . The height of the staff should be around the same as the user plus their hand set upright on their head (approximately ). Etymology The name "quarterstaff" is first attested in the mid-16th century. The "quarter" possibly refers to the means of production, the staff being made from quartersawn hardwood (as opposed to a staff of lower quality made from conventionally sawn lumber or from a tree branch).OED; The possibility that the name derives from the way the staff is held, the right hand grasping it one-quarter of the distance from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jingyang Ridge
Jingyang Ridge () is a place in Yanggu County (), Shandong Province, China, that is referred to in the classic novel Water Margin as the place where one of the novel's heroes, Wu Song Wu Song ( zh, c=武松, p=wǔ sōng), also known as Wu the Second ( zh, c=武二郎, p=wŭ èrláng, labels=no), is a legendary hero recounted since the 13th century; and one of the well-known fictional characters in the ''Water Margin'', one of ..., killed a man-eating tiger with his bare hands. Jingyang Ridge is located a few kilometers northwest of Zhangqiu village (). It is a designated scenic area that protects a hill-top temple and several monuments related to the story of Wu Song. Historical buildings and monuments in the scenic area include: *"Place of Wu Song hitting the tiger" () *Wu Song Shrine () *Mountain God Shrine () *Roaring Tiger Pavilion (). References Landforms of Shandong Landforms of China Ridges of Asia {{Shandong-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sworn Brother
Blood brother can refer to two or more men not related by birth who have sworn loyalty to each other. This is in modern times usually done in a ceremony, known as a blood oath, where each person makes a small cut, usually on a finger, hand or the forearm, and then the two cuts are pressed together and bound, the idea being that each person's blood now flows in the other participant's veins. The act carries a risk due to blood-borne diseases. The process usually provides a participant with a heightened symbolic sense of attachment with the other participant. Cultures Scandinavia The Norsemen entering the pact of foster brotherhood ( is, Fóstbræðralag) involved a rite in which they let their blood flow while they ducked underneath an arch formed by a strip of turf propped up by a spear or spears. An example is described in ''Gísla saga''. In '' Fóstbræðra saga'', the bond of Thorgeir Havarsson (Þorgeir Hávarsson) and Thormod Bersason (Þormóð Bersason) is sealed by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Song Jiang
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition and variation of sections. Written words created specifically for music, or for which music is specifically created, are called lyrics. If a pre-existing poem is set to composed music in classical music it is an art song. Songs that are sung on repeated pitches without distinct contours and patterns that rise and fall are called chants. Songs composed in a simple style that are learned informally "by ear" are often referred to as folk songs. Songs that are composed for professional singers who sell their recordings or live shows to the mass market are called popular songs. These songs, which have broad appeal, are often composed by professional songwriters, composers, and lyricists. Art songs are composed by trained classical composers fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chai Jin
Chai Jin is a fictional character in ''Water Margin'', one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed "Little Whirlwind", he ranks 10th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits, the first third of the 108 Stars of Destiny. Background and history The novel depicts Chai Jin as handsome-looking with eyebrows like those of a dragon, eyes like those of a fenghuang, red lips and white teeth. He is descended from Chai Rong, the second emperor of the short-lived Later Zhou dynasty. The Later Zhou general Zhao Kuangyin usurped the imperial throne from Chai Rong's young son, Chai Zongxun, in the Coup at Chen Bridge of 960 AD and became the founding emperor of the Song dynasty. According to ''Water Margin'', Zhao Kuangyin felt guilty about the usurpation so he treated the Chai clan well, granting them many privileges which were later passed on to their descendants. Among these was immunity from prosecution except for capital crimes. The privilege was inscribed in a ''danshu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wu Dalang
Wu Dalang (), also translated as Wu the Elder, is a major character in the classic Chinese novel ''The Plum in the Golden Vase'', and a minor character in the ''Water Margin'', another classic. In both novels, he is murdered by his adulterous wife Pan Jinlian. A well-known figure in Chinese culture, he represents the quintessential cuckold. Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian, as depicted in these two novels, are fictitious. The real people were nothing like the characters in these stories. Story Wu Dalang is the elder brother of the hero Wu Song. Because he is short and ugly, he is nicknamed "Three-inch nail". In contrast, Wu Song is a strong and powerful warrior with good looks. The brothers' parents died when they were young and Wu Dalang shouldered the responsibility of raising his younger brother. Wu Song once got into a fight and knocked out his opponent. He thought he had killed his opponent and fled to avoid arrest by the authorities. The brothers were later reunited after a long pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is a condition wherein an organism is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than , regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is , although some individuals with dwarfism are slightly taller. ''Disproportionate dwarfism'' is characterized by either short limbs or a short torso. In cases of ''proportionate dwarfism'', both the limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most have a nearly normal life expectancy. People with dwarfism can usually bear children, though there are additional risks to the mother and child dependent upon the underlying condition. The most common and recognisable form of dwarfism in humans (comprising 70% of cases) is achondroplasia, a genetic disorder whereby the limbs are diminutive. Growth hormone deficiency is responsible for most other cases. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Those w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chuanqi (theatre)
''Chuanqi'' is a form of Chinese opera popular in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and early Qing dynasty (1636–1912). It emerged in the mid-Ming dynasty from the older form of '' nanxi''. As it spread throughout the empire, it absorbed regional music styles and topolects and eventually evolved into different local genres, among them ''kunqu''. Of the 2000 plus titles recorded in history, over 600 ''chuanqi'' plays are extant, including ''The Peony Pavilion'' by Tang Xianzu, ''The Palace of Eternal Life'' by Hong Sheng, and ''The Peach Blossom Fan'' by Kong Shangren. Music Whereas its precursor '' nanxi'' predominantly used southern Chinese tunes, which were pentatonic, melismatic, slow and soft, ''chuanqi'' widely incorporated northern tunes which were heptatonic, syllabic, fast and forceful. This process had begun in the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), which reunified northern China (the former Jin dynasty (1115–1234)) and southern China (the former Song dynasty (960–1279)), as '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theatre Of China
Theatre of China has a long and complex history. Traditional Chinese theatre, generally in the form of Chinese opera, is musical in nature. Chinese theatre can trace its origin back a few millennia to ancient China, but the Chinese opera started to develop in the 12th century. Western forms like the spoken drama, western-style opera, and ballet did not arrive in China until the 20th century. History Theatre in China dates back to as early as the Shang dynasty (16th century BC?– 1046 BC). Oracle bone records reference rain dances performed by shamans, while the ''Book of Documents'' mentions shamanistic dancing and singing. For the Zhou dynasty ( 1046 BC – 256 BC), evidence from the ''Chu Ci'' suggests that in the 4th or 3rd century BC State of Chu, shamans performed with music and costumes. Some scholars have identified poems from the ''Classic of Poetry'' as possible lyrics of songs accompanying court dances from the early or mid-Zhou dynasty. The Zhou royal court as well ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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