I’m dying to get my hands on the DVD actually. I really recommend the book, as well. And, you’re right, you can’t please all the people all the time (it remains the story of my life, in fact, 泣！）

Hmmm, peonies in North Carolina…In California it is impossible. They need cold or frost perhaps? If your mom says it’s a go, be sure to let me know.

Yes, I found out after continuing on your site.

Junya Sato of Yamato fame made a movie based Inoue’s novel also titled Dun Huang (named Silkroad in English version which is unfortunately abridged). It was in late 80s. I remember watching it in China as a little kid. I believe it’s possibly the first Sino-Japanese joint film production.

I also remember reading some Chinese commentators in Chinese newspapers criticize the movie with its full Japanese cast as donning the cloth of Chinese history to reflect the glory of Yamato spirit. Sometimes there is just no pleasing everyone. As is evident from some of the posters here.

At the time, I just thought the movie was really cool. Have never seen film with such high production value before, My friends and I were quite blown away by the numerous well orchestrate battle scenes. Incidentally, it also piqued my interest in Central Asian history.

You make me want a garden full of peonies now. I am gonna call Mom to see if she could coax peonies to bloom in North Carolina.

Thank you! No, you probably already figured out the reference but its from the poem 登科後

http://tosando.ptu.jp/shi2000-2.html

by 孟郊 (meng jiao)

My tea teacher has a garden full of the biggest peonies you have ever seen– huge flowers, each is bigger than a child’s head. When they bloom, her garden is utterly transformed– from a delicate undestated world of mossy rocks and small trees to this riot of really almost scandalous red.

Having seen the splendor of her small garden full of giant peonies I can image the poet’s absolute, unabaounded joy at having passed the coveted exam: like seeing all the peonies of chang’an.

The translation of the poem on my site is from Inoue’s novel Tun-huang (that is the english name/I am not making a political statement in my spelling)–

Inoue, in my opinion is one of the few Japanese writers who really translate well into english, and that book was a really great english translation– that I think reads just like the japanese.

But, you know, back to the peonies, it can be maddening waiting for them to bloom– hence the empress’ understandable anger!

Have a good one.

Great Website!

I am curious about the reference for “all the peonies of Chang’an”.

Are you referring to Empress Wu Ze Tian’s banishment of the flower?

Nice to hear from you– and basically we agree. However, I did want to respond to two points in the spirit of bi-lateral relations (ours). The expression in your last comment (just above) at frustration over censorship– was very much undestandable. In contrast, what I was trying to (perhaps unsuccessfully) bring up was the expat griping of, “well in America, we…” stuff because truly, Ben Franklin and any balance of powers according to the US constitution are not as helpful (in my opinion) as keeping to the historical and cultural context (at the very least, keeping the conversation to philosophical principles which the speaker should explicitely name) would seve as a better tool for communication than sarcasm and implied (often straight-out stated explictely too) comparisons which is the hallmark of what I call the expat gripe!

And you see, the ironic thing is that many of the gripes have absolutely nothing to do with an authoritarian government or regime. The Chinese– like many others in this part of the world– would not appreciate “big brother” comments on the Olympics or anything else no matter what their current government– as that is really a cultural issue– not a political one. That was my main point actually that much of the dialog I am seeing is identical to what goes on here in japan– despite the fact that yes things are more open. And yet, and yet…

Anyway, I have procrastinated here at your place long enough…. work is waiting. If by any chance you know anything about the english translations of the 3 types of ink used in Chinese ink painting, I could use some advice for a translation deadline– you know where to find me (that is unless you are blocked…)

Have a good one,
Peony