1 Result in the "Translated Over Tea" category
Definition: 
Welcome to my little translation nook Translated Over Tea!🍵📜
A small corner of the internet where I share English translations of classic Chinese stories and novels that I’m currently reading and exploring.
A quick note about the translations: I am not a native Chinese speaker, nor do I fully understand the language. My translations rely on modern translation tools, careful reading, and additional research to understand the context and meaning of the stories. Because of this, there may be small imperfections along the way, and I truly appreciate your patience and understanding as I continue learning.
What I do have, however, is a deep appreciation for the wisdom found in these ancient stories and a genuine love for Chinese culture. Over the years, I’ve also become a big fan of Chinese music—especially songs from the dramas I’ve watched. Those dramas were actually one of the things that sparked my curiosity about the literature behind the culture.
I first started reading Chinese novels when I was around 28 years old. At the time, I often felt frustrated when I couldn’t find English translations of books I was curious about. Many fascinating stories simply weren’t available to English readers, and that curiosity stayed with me for years.
Now that translation tools are more accessible and I can do my own research, I decided to start translating and sharing the stories I’m currently reading. This project is truly a passion for me. It’s my way of learning, appreciating the culture I admire, and helping other English-speaking readers discover these beautiful works of literature.
If you love stories that teach, inspire, or make you pause and reflect, you’re in the right place. Thank you for joining me on this journey!🍵📚
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Of the three virtues of an official, integrity is the foremost beauty. Only by strictly observing the "Four Hidden Truths" can one be a gentleman. To pervert the law and accept bribes is to lack honor and shame. Disregarding human suffering, blurring the path of divine reason. Public opinion is overturned, right and wrong are brought to ruin. Despised by mankind, shunned by the scholarly forest. A bandit in official robes, the fragrance of books turned to stench. People’s resentment pierces the heart;…-
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Book Title: Haoqiu Zhuan|The Fortunate Union|The Pleasing History Author: Mingjiaozhongren (A Man of the Confucian School) Book Synopsis The Fortunate Union: A Classic Chinese Tale of Chivalry, Virtue, and Romance (Original Title: Haoqiu Zhuan / 好逑传) In this 18th-century masterpiece—one of the first Chinese novels ever introduced to the West—a noble scholar and a virtuous beauty navigate a world of corruption, danger, and strict…
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Do not say there are no ghosts or gods in this world, For they have existed among us since ancient times. They do not dwell in the mid-air above, But walk beside us throughout our lives. The spirit waxes and wanes with one’s own heart; If the heart is corrupt, the ghost runs wild. If you can trust in your own conscience, What ghost would dare open its mouth? When courage fails and the heart turns ugly, That is when ghosts come to hinder your path. Since the ghost is born of your own mind, You know that…
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430.0 K • Ongoing
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English Titles: Marriage Destinies to Awaken the World | Marriage as Retribution, Awakening the World | The Bonds of Matrimony, A Marriage to Awaken the World Author: Anonymous, published under the pseudonym Xizhou Sheng (西周生, “Scholar of the Western Zhou”). While early 20th-century scholars (notably Hu Shih) attributed it to Pu Songling (蒲松龄, author of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio), this has been…
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In times of peace, the national destiny flourishes. Heaven and earth are clear; the seasons are regular. The winds and rains are balanced; the miasma is cleansed. Civil officials are incorruptible; military generals are vigorous. Clerks do not embezzle; the people suffer little illness. The wicked are purged; the virtuous are promoted. Scholars cultivate themselves; ministers offer honest counsel. Bribery is blocked; sycophancy is ended. Backdoor dealings are sealed;…
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430.0 K • Ongoing
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The young master has a luxurious nature,Windflow and wild in his studies, mad with abandon.He disciplines himself without measure or rule,His mouth moist but lacking in literary talent. He selects courtesans, treating gold as cheap,Calls friends busily for green ant wine.Swaggering through wine shops,Barking orders as he charges into the hunting grounds. Dressed in finery with sable as adornment,In military attire with leopard as garment.His flirtatious words lack purity like snow,His critiques of…
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430.0 K • Ongoing
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The Opening Verse Leaves even the greatest doctor's skill quite spent. Rely not on the strength of youth or pride, For spirit fades when darkness starts to stride. To slaughter living things with cruel intent, After seeing off his guests that evening, Chao the Young Master felt as though someone had slapped him hard across the face. A chill ran through his body, his hair stood on end, and he felt thoroughly unwell. He managed to hold on for a while, handing the divided pheasants, rabbits,…
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430.0 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Chapter 3: The Old Scholar Appears Twice in a Dream; The Young Master Decides to Visit his Relatives
The Opening Verse Parents worry only when their children fall ill, To guard one's body is to honor their will. Look upon the dry bones within the grave, Even in death, for their kin, they remain a slave. The Omen of the Hawk One of the Chao family servants, Li Chengming, tucked the white fox pelt under his arm and headed out the gate. He was tasked with getting it cured quickly so it could be made into a saddle cushion for the New Year's ride. He hadn't walked more than a few dozen paces when…-
430.0 K • Ongoing
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The Opening Verses Not a single word of learning, yet he wears a scholar's cap, Swaggering through the markets as a "Man of the Mountain." A tongue for gossip like a matchmaker’s mouth, A body that bows and scrapes like a concubine’s frame. Falsely claiming the famous as his acquaintances, Recklessly boasting that noble lords are his kin. With a few medicinal threads presented as a gift, He lightly swindles away a mountain of silver. And another: The arts of the…
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430.0 K • Ongoing
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If you have wealth, do not abandon the wife who shared your chaff and bran, In times of poverty and hardship, you relied upon each other. Why surround yourself with jade hairpins and pearls? Better to be full on home-cooked meals, and brave the cold in coarse cotton. Do not envy the beauty of a glamorous concubine, For guarding against her wiles will exhaust your mind. Given half a chance, she will slip away for secret trysts. How could she ever be content to stay by your side? She only knows how to fly…
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430.0 K • Ongoing
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