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Thursday, May 18, 20061148008491
Hundred Looks Hill (Baiwangshan) and Fertilize Your Horse (Woerma)
Yesterday took us to two locations whose names in Chinese, Lady of tdaxp informed me, were nonsense. The characters in both, supposedly, are used entirely for phonetic effect and convey no meaning. Yet it's hard not to translate Bai Wang Shan as Hundred Looks Hill, or even more poeticly ass Centenial Views Mountain. It's a beautiful park within easy walking distance of our neighborhood. While not as astounding as Xiang Shan, it is extremely impressive for someone just one or two blocks away.
The Inscription is a Plea to Keep China Green by Mao Zedong
Likewise, who can help translating Wo Er Ma as Fertilize Your Horse? Even though "Wo," meaning "fertilize," comes from characters meaning "Heavenly Rain," and not one literally meaning excrement, it's hard to know what Walmart was thinking when it chose its Chinese Name. Regardless, Fertilize Your Horse/WoErMa/Walmart was a fun stop, essentially because (with the exception of the food section) it was the same thing as in America.
And now... pictures!
On our way to Baiwangshan, a cat talks imaginary prey
Looking back at where we live
An unnamed river runs between us at the mountain
Leaving Traffic for Baiwangshan
The entrace to Hundred Looks Hills
From the central park at the foot of Baiwangshan
A mysterious door...
.. protects a lived-in courtyard
Lady of tdaxp tells me the sign is generic environment protection, but I imagine it's a cryptic warning, directing travellers away from the ghost path and its hidden pirate gold.
A pagoda half way up the hill
The path less taken --- that we didn't take
Signs of a nonextant lift
The pagoda on the top of the mountain
Very old-style writing: none of my companions were able to translate. Are you?
The lower yard of the summit has trees, a pond, and the pagoda
Stairway to Heaven, or at least the top of Baiwangshan
A fun angle
A single tree. Much of the summit appears pre-made for an opening scene of a Japanese Horror Movie
This guy practiced his jumping skills by seeing how far he could jump without going over. Another scene from a Japanese Horror Movie.
Our neighborhood, from the top
The rest of the lower summit
A Military training school. We could hear the soldiers cheer from the summit.
On the way down, a statue of a woman looks for her child. She won't be able to find him through the smog.
A rocky mountain path leads to a polluted city street
The entrance to Walmart is immediately outside the subway
A Walmart is a Walmart, and a Woerma is a Walmart, too.
The Affluent Class: iPods
These same wallets were on display in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
To get the prices in US Dollars, divide by 8
The photo shoot was cut off here. While attempting to photograph a Walmart sign showing George HW and Barbara Bush, I was shouted at in Chinese to cease photographing. So I did. Yet Walmart was great... and soon, expect a special tdaxp vignette on eating cereal from Walmart.
See you next time!
22:14 Posted by Dan tdaxp in Beijing 2006 | Permalink | Comments (6) | Email this
Comments
Let me try my Chinese:
"Abandon All Hope All Ye Who Enter Here"
Uh, TDAXP, I think you may want to turn around
Posted by: Catholicgauze | Thursday, May 18, 2006
my translation:
that one with the tentacles says 'C'thulhu' ;-)
Posted by: Sean | Friday, May 19, 2006
On second look, it might say "Abadon All Hope of Reliable Connection to Your Blog, Ye Who Enter China..."
Friend of Lady of tdaxp insists that the 6th character on the 1st row means "Love," but I agree with you -- it's clearly Cthulhu ;-) It has eyes, scary tentacles... everything!
http://jimriverreport.com/china/20060518/CIMG1958.JPG
Posted by: Dan tdaxp | Friday, May 19, 2006
see, i was thinking of the 3rd character in the 3rd big row.
dude, it's all C'thulhu! i'm with Catholicgauze: Dan, get out of there! ;-)
two links to check out on your 'Abadon' typo (i know, i'm a freak on this typo stuff, but i just can't help it. i gotta be me):
http://www.joebobbriggs.com/bmovieguide/a/abadon.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/abadon
i slay myself with humor...
Posted by: Sean | Friday, May 19, 2006
LOL!
"The chilling story of a small-breasted vampiress who's sucking the blood of innocent art students. And the only guy who can save her is . . . Duane Jones, the star of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. The reason we know it's Duane Jones is that the movie's titles and posters say "Duane Jones, star of 'Night of the Living Dead'" about 14 times. "
Sounds like the AMDB!
http://www.somethingawful.com/amdb/
Posted by: Dan tdaxp | Friday, May 19, 2006
i know. isn't that awesome! glad you saw the humor in it, too.
tdaxp comments: where Sean and Dan talk to each other ;-)
Posted by: Sean | Friday, May 19, 2006