Close Reading of Peking University's "Shut-down Gate" Twenty-four Versions_Jokes_Classic Jokes_Kai Xin Jokes_Jiu Le

by jackyli on 2011-01-03 22:14:01

The translation of this text is as follows:

At the lovers' inn, they engage in passionate battles, coming and going with great vigor and skill in all forms of martial arts, honing true abilities. What a fine pair of prodigies, sweeping away heroes in all directions with their staffs, unafraid to die under the peony flower, for after eighteen years, they will rise again as good men, still full of vitality. They spread their affections far and wide across the five lakes and four seas, leaving behind numerous students, each with their own charm, creating a scene of a hundred flowers blooming together competing for the spring, everywhere filled with the sounds of orioles singing and swallows dancing. Truly, a harmonious society in a time of prosperity.

Note: The original Chinese text uses poetic and somewhat euphemistic language that blends metaphors of martial arts prowess and romantic/sexual exploits with cultural references. The translation attempts to preserve the tone and meaning while making it coherent in English. Some nuances may not fully translate due to cultural and linguistic differences.