Ice and Fire: Chung Kuo Series
Page 39
siang chi
Chinese chess; a very different game from its Western counterpart
Ta
‘Beat’, here a heavily amplified form of Chinese folk music, popular amongst the young
ta lien
an elaborate girdle pouch
Ta Ssu Nung
the Superintendancy of Agriculture
tai
literally ‘pockets’ but here denoting Representatives in the House at Weimar. ‘Owned’ financially by the Seven, historically such tai have served a double function in the House, counterbalancing the strong mercantile tendencies of the House and serving as a conduit for the views of the Seven. Traditionally they had been elderly, well-respected men, but more recently their replacements were young, brash and very corrupt, more like the hoppoes of the Opium Wars period
t’ai chi
the Original, or One, from which the duality of all things (yin and yang) developed, according to Chinese cosmology. We generally associate the t’ai chi with the Taoist symbol, that swirling circle of dark and light supposedly representing an egg (perhaps the Hun Tun), the yolk and the white differentiated
tai hsiao
a white wool flower, worn in the hair
Tai Huo
‘Great Fire’
T’ai Shan
Mount T’ai, the highest and most sacred of China’s mountains, located in Shantung province. A stone pathway of 6293 steps leads to the summit and, for thousands of years, the ruling emperor has made ritual sacrifices at its foot, accompanied by their full retinue, presenting evidence of their virtue. T’ai Shan is one of the five Taoist holy mountains, and symbolizes the very centre of China. It is the mountain of the sun, symbolizing the bright male force (yang). ‘As safe as T’ai Shan’ is a popular saying, denoting the ultimate in solidity and certainty
Tai Shih Lung
Court Astrologer, a title that goes back to the Han Dynasty
T’ang
literally, ‘beautiful and imposing’. It is the title chosen by the Seven, who were originally the chief advisors to Tsao Ch’un, the tyrant. Since overthrowing Tsao Ch’un, it has effectively had the meaning of ‘emperor’
Ta Ts’in
the Chinese name for the Roman Empire. They also knew Rome as Li Chien and as ‘the land West of the Sea’. The Romans themselves they termed the ‘Big Ts’in’ – the Ts’in being the name the Chinese gave themselves during the Ts’in dynasty (AD 265–316).
te
‘spiritual power’, ‘true virtue’ or ‘virtuality’, defined by Alan Watts as ‘the realisation or expression of the Tao in actual living’
t’e an tsan
‘innocent westerners’. For ‘innocent’ perhaps read naïve
ti tsu
a bamboo flute, used both as a solo instrument and as part of an ensemble, playing traditional Chinese music
ti yu
the ‘earth prison’ or underworld of Chinese legend. There are ten main Chinese Hells, the first being the courtroom in which the sinner is sentenced and the last being that place where they are reborn as human beings. In between are a vast number of sub-Hells, each with its own Judge and staff of cruel warders. In Hell, it is always dark, with no differentiation between night and day
Tian
‘Heaven’, also, ‘the dome of the sky’
tian-fang
literally ‘to fill the place of the dead wife’; used to signify the upgrading of a concubine to the more respectable position of wife
tiao tuo
bracelets of gold and jade
T’ieh Lo-han
‘Iron Goddess of Mercy’, a ch’a
T’ieh Pi Pu Kai
literally, ‘the iron pen changes not’, this is the final phrase used at the end of all Chinese government proclamations for the last three thousand years
ting
an open-sided pavilion in a Chinese garden. Designed as a focal point in a garden, it is said to symbolize man’s essential place in the natural order of things
T’ing Wei
The Superintendancy of Trials, an institution that dates back to the T’ang dynasty. See Book Six, The White Mountain, for an instance of how this department of government – responsible for black propaganda – functions
T’o
‘camel-backed’; a Chinese term for ‘hunch-backed’
tong
a gang. In China and Europe these are usually smaller and thus subsidiary to the Triads, but in North America the term has generally taken the place of Triad
tou chi
Glycine Max, or the black soybean, used in Chinese herbal medicine to cure insomnia
Tsai Chien!
‘Until we meet again!’
Tsou Tsai Hei
‘the Walker in the Darkness’
tsu
the north
tsu kuo
the motherland
ts’un
a Chinese ‘inch’ of approximately 1.4 Western inches. Ten ts’un form one ch’i
Tu
Earth
tzu
‘Elder Sister’
wan wu
literally ‘the ten thousand things’; used generally to include everything in creation, or, as the Chinese say, ‘all things in Heaven and Earth’
Wei
Commandant of Security
wei chi
‘the surrounding game’, known more commonly in the West by its Japanese name of Go. It is said that the game was invented by the legendary Chinese Emperor Yao in the year 2350 BC to train the mind of his son, Tan Chu, and teach him to think like an emperor
wen ming
a term used to denote Civilization, or written culture
wen ren
the scholar-artist; very much an ideal state, striven for by all creative Chinese
weng
‘Old man’. Usually a term of respect
Wu
a diviner; traditionally these were ‘mediums’ who claimed to have special pyshic powers.Wu could be either male or female
Wu
‘non-being’. As Lao Tzu says: ‘Once the block is carved, there are names.’ But the Tao is un-nameable (wu-ming) and before Being (yu) is Non-Being (wu). Not to have existence, or form, or a name, that is wu
Wu Ching
the ‘Five Classics’ studied by all Confucian scholars, comprising the Shu Ching (Book Of History), the Shih Ching (Book of Songs), the I Ching (Book of Changes), the Li Ching (Book of Rites, actually three books in all), and the Ch’un Chui (The Spring And Autumn Annals of the State of Lu)
wu fu
the five gods of good luck.
wu tu
the ‘five noxious creatures – which are: toad, scorpion, snake, centipede and gecko (wall lizard)
Wushu
the Chinese word for Martial Arts. It refers to any of several hundred schools. Kung fu is a school within this, meaning ‘skill that transcends mere surface beauty’
wuwei
nonaction; an old Taoist concept. It means keeping harmony with the flow of things – doing nothing to break the flow
ya
homosexual. Sometimes the term ‘a yellow eel’ is used
yamen
the official building in a Chinese community
yang
the ‘male principle’ of Chinese cosmology, which, with its complementary opposite, the female yin, forms the t’ai ch’i, derived from the Primeval One. From the union of yin and yang arise the ‘five elements’ (water, fire, earth, metal, wood) from which the ‘ten thousand things’ (the wan wu) are generated. Yang signifies Heaven and the South, the Sun and Warmth, Light, Vigour, Maleness, Penetration, odd numbers, and the Dragon. Mountains are yang
yang kuei tzu
Chinese name for foreigners, ‘Ocean Devils’. It also is synonymous with ‘Barbarians’
yang mei ping
‘willow plum sickness’, the Chinese term for syphilis, provides an apt description of the male sexual organ in the ext
reme of this sickness
yi
the number one
yin
the ‘female principle’ of Chinese cosmology (see yang). Yin signifies Earth and the North, the Moon and Cold, Darkness, Quiescence, Femaleness, Absorption, even numbers, and the Tiger. The yin lies in the shadow of the mountain
yin mao
pubic hair
Ying kuo
English, the language
ying tao
‘baby peach’, a term of endearment here
ying tzu
‘shadows’ – trained specialists of various kinds, contracted out to gangland bosses
yu
literally ‘fish’, but, because of its phonetic equivalence to the word for ‘abundance’, the fish symbolises wealth. Yet there is also a saying that when the fish swim upriver it is a portent of social unrest and rebellion
yu ko
a ‘Jade Barge’; here a type of luxury sedan
Yu Kung
‘Foolish Old Man!’
yu ya
deep elegance
yuan
the basic currency of Chung Kuo (and modern-day China). Colloquially (though not here) it can also be termed kuai – ‘piece’ or ‘lump’. Ten mao (or, formally, jiao) make up one yuan, while 100 fen (or ‘cents’) comprise one yuan
yueh ch’in
a Chinese dulcimer; one of the principal instruments of the Chinese orchestra
Ywe Lung
literally ‘The Moon Dragon’, the wheel of seven dragons that is the symbol of the ruling Seven throughout Chung Kuo: ‘At its centre the snounts of the regal beasts met, forming a rose-like hub, huge rubies burning fiercely in each eye. Their lithe, powerful bodies curved outward like the spokes of a giant wheel while at the edge their tails were intertwined to form the rim.’ (Chapter Four of The Middle Kingdom)
AUTHOR’S NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks must go to all those who have read and criticized parts of the many different drafts of Chung Kuo over the twenty-eight years of its creating: to my good friends and ‘Writers’ Bloc’ companions – Chris Evans, David Garnett, Rob Holdstock, Garry Kilworth, Bobbie Lamming, Lisa Tuttle and Geoff Ryman – for honing the cutting edge; to John Murry – alias Richard Cowper – both for sharing what he knew, and for long years of patient husbandry; to my brother Ian, much-loved, ever-enthusiastic; to Ritchie Smith, dear friend, drinking companion and ‘Great Man’; to Andrew Motion – for finding ‘A Perfect Art’ not so perfect and giving good reasons; and to my agents, Hilary Rubinstein, Clarissa Rushdie and Diana Tyler. Their comments and advice have helped me avoid many pitfalls and – without doubt – given shape to the final manuscript.
I would also like to offer thanks to Bruce Sterling for the inspiration given by his excellent novel, Schismatrix… and for five of his words, now embedded in my text.
I reserve special thanks for two friends whose encouragement, advice and criticism throughout have been invaluable: Brian Griffin for unerringly knowing (better than me sometimes) what I’m up to; and Robert Carter not merely for the introduction to Wei Chi and his patient and astute reading of the emergent book but for all the long years of friendship. To you both, Kan Pei!
To my editors, Nick Sayers at New English Library and Brian DeFiore at Delacorte, Nic Cheetham of Corvus and now to Sara O’Keeffe for taking over at the helm – I can only say thanks for the many kindnesses, and for making the whole business of editing so enjoyable. Their patience, cheerfulness and encouragement were more than I could ever have hoped for.
To Christian Vander and Magma, for the music…
Finally, thanks to my partner-in-crime, Brian Aldiss. If anyone’s shadow lies behind this work, I guess it’s yours. This is delivery on the Planetarium speech that time!
David Wingrove
December 1988/May 2012
CREDITS
The version of the I Ching or Book of Changes quoted from throughout is the Richard Wilhelm translation, rendered into English by Cary F. Baynes and published by Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1951.
The translation of Ch’u Yuan’s T’ien Wen, or ‘Heavenly Questions’ is by David Hawkes from The Songs of the South, An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poems, published by Penguin Books, London, 1985.
The translation of Chiang Yen’s ‘Lady Pan’s “Poem on the Fan”’, from the Yu T’ai Hsin Yung, is by Anne Birrell, from her annotated version of New Songs From A Jade Terrace, published by George Allen & Unwin, London, 1982.
The quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Duino Elegies is from the Hogarth Press, fourth edition, 1968, translated by J. B. Leighman and Stephen Spender.
The game of Wei Chi mentioned throughout this volume is, incidentally, more commonly known by its Japanese name of Go, and is not merely the world’s oldest game but its most elegant. As far as this author knows it has no connection to the trigram of the same name in the I Ching – the sixty-fourth, ‘Before Completion’, but a playful similarity of the kind beloved of the Han might possibly be noted.
Finally, The Game of Wei Chi by D. Pecorini and T. Shu (with a Foreword by Professor H. A. Giles) is a real book and was published by Longmans, Green & Co. in 1929. It was, alas, long out of print, and I have Brian Aldiss to thank for my much-treasured copy. It was my fond hope that its use herein might some day lead to the re-publication of this slender classic, as proved the case.
David Wingrove
December 1988/April 2011
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
PART EIGHT Spring 2201 – The Domain
Chapter 35 – The Dead Rabbit
Chapter 36 – A Conversation in the Firelight
Chapter 37 – Augustus
PART NINE Summer 2201 – Ice and Fire
Chapter 38 – The Saddle
Chapter 39 – Casting a Spell Out of Ice
Chapter 40 – The Scent of Plum Blossom
Chapter 41 – The Darkening of the Light
Chapter 42 – Ice and Fire
EPILOGUE Spring 2203 – Mosaics
A Bridge Over Nothingness
A Gift of Stones
In Times to Come…
Character listing
Glossary of Mandarin terms
Author’s note and acknowledgments
Credits