F2F Class Notes (Nemo) [R]

Vocabulary

poem (n): 1-a piece of writing in which the words are arranged in separate lines, often ending in rhyme, and are chosen for their sound and for the images and ideas they suggest:
E.g.: My father can still recite the poems he learned off by heart at school.
E.g.: He gave an inspirational reading of his own poems.

poetry (n): 1-poems in general as a form of literature:
E.g.: He dedicated his poetry to the glory of God.
E.g.: He regarded poetry as sentimental self-expression.

poet (n): 1-a person who writes poems
E.g.: Wordsworth is one of Britain’s most famous poets.

fragrance (n): 1-a sweet or pleasant smell. 2-a liquid that people put on their bodies to make themselves smell pleasant
E.g.1: I love the delicate fragrance of roses.
E.g.2: She bought a brand new fragrance for men.

masterpiece (n): 1-a work of art such as a painting, film, or book that is made with great skill. 2– a skillful or impressive example of something.
E.g.1: Leonardo’s “Last Supper” is widely regarded as a masterpiece.
E.g.2: Her press conference was a masterpiece of media manipulation.

military (n): 1-the armed forces. 2-军队
E.g.: The military has opposed any cuts in defence spending.

military (adj): 1- relating to or belonging to the armed forces.
E.g.: The general made some  statements about his country’s military strength.

calligraphy (n): 1-(the art of producing) beautiful writing, often created with a special pen or brush: 2-书法
E.g.: There’s some wonderful calligraphy in these old manuscripts.

ritual (n): 1-a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony.
E.g.: Coffee and the newspaper are part of my morning ritual.
E.g.: The birds were performing a complex mating ritual.

formalities (n): 1-something that has to be done but has no real importance: 2-something that the law or an official process says must be done:
E.g.1: You’ll have to sign the visitors’ book, but it’s just a formality.
E.g.2: We’ll have to observe the formalities (= do what is expected).

encounter (n): 1-a meeting, especially one that happens by chance. 2-an occasion when people have sex, usually with someone they have not met before.
E.g.: I had an alarming encounter with a wild pig.
E.g.: This meeting will be the first encounter between the party leaders since the election.

PLUM flowers which blossom in freezing winter with a special fragrance have a unique place in the hearts of Chinese writers, poets, musicians and artists.

“Three Stanzas of Plum-blossoms” (Meihua San Nong) is one of the masterpieces which oaks the plum for its pure and unbending features. “San nong,” or three stanzas, has a similar melody that is played three times in the piece.

The earliest existent score of “Three Stanzas of Plum-blossoms” of a bamboo-flute piece was collected in Zhu Quan’s “Shenqi Mipu” (literally “magic secret scores”) in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is said to have been created by Huan Yi, a well-known scholar, military officer and musician in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 318-420).

As the story goes, calligrapher Wang Huizhi, the 5th son of Wang Xizhi, was on his boat to Jiankang, when he saw a carriage passing by. When he learnt that Huan was in the carriage, he invited Huan to play a piece for him.

Even though he was a high-ranking official at that time, Huan did not refuse as he also appreciated Wang’s calligraphy though they had not met before. He went to Wang’s boat and played the piece which later came to be known as “Three Stanzas of Plum-blossoms.”

After finishing the piece, he left without talking to Wang. The two scholars, giving no importance to formalities and rituals, simply enjoyed the music. This unexpected encounter gave birth to the “Three Stanzas of Plum-blossoms.”

It went on to become one of the most popular bamboo-flute pieces on the Qinhuai River in the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It was later adapted into a piano piece by Chinese composer Wang Jianzhong in 1972, while a pop song by Keung Hang with the same name in the 1990s was also inspired by this piece.