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sid_guardian2024-11-29 01:39 pm
jayfire) wrote in sid_guardian2024-11-29 01:39 pm
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Guardian Readalong: Chapters 7 & 8
Hello hello~ and welcome back/welcome to this next instalment of our weekly Guardian readalong!
Previously, on Guardian:
This time, we're on chapters 7 and 8 of the official English translation, which correspond to chapters 12 to 14 in the most widely available fan-translation and the current Simplified Chinese version on JJWXC.
Chapter 7: Investigator Zhu Hong figures out part of what's going on with Li Qian; Zhao Yunlan finally reads the letter from "him"; and Shen Wei finds an innovative use for a chair
Chapter 8: Guo Changcheng is a police officer; everyone runs in a circle; and storage rooms are good for emergency team-building
Excerpts
1) We officially meet Zhu Hong:
By daylight, the office looked far bleaker. The only person on duty in the criminal investigation unit was a female officer who might have been in her twenties. A simple ponytail highlighted her pretty forehead and a clear complexion that was accentuated with light makeup. She was in uniform --- at least from the waist up. Her lower body was covered by a blanket, and she sat very still in her seat. All that kept her from looking like she was convalescing was the rosiness in her face.
Half-closed eyes and a lazy expression made it seem like she might drift off at any moment, but her hands were working busily. The blanket on her lap was large enough that one edge reached the floor. When Zhao Yunlan accidentally stepped on the trailing edge, the other side of the blanket slid up. For a moment, it revealed the tip of a python tail, which quickly withdrew. The woman's attention remained fixed on the security footage. Without looking, she reached down absentmindedly to adjust the blanket.
The nameplate on the corner of her desk read "Zhu Hong."
2) Zhao Yunlan's perception of the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary:
From the official translation:
The Soul-Executing Emissary had come into existence in the depths of the Netherworld, but he was not a ghost immortal, nor was he subject to the Ten Yanluo Courts. Legend said he had originally been a mere wisp of fiendish energy from the darkest bowels of the Nine Hells. But from this inauspicious beginning, in a rare stroke of serendipity, he evolved to attain a physical form.
He wielded the Soul-Executing Blade, and gods, humans, or any other being, whether from the thirty-three levels of Heaven above or the eighteen levels of Hell below, could be executed by that blade if found guilty. Deities and demons alike bowed their heads to him, and all beings feared him...all but Zhao Yunlan.
Whether he was thick-skinned or boneheaded or just missing reflex tendons others had, Zhao Yunlan not only failed to fear the Emissary but found him gentle and refined with a good personality. His only shortcoming was that, whether speaking or writing, the Emissary's language was just a bit archaic --- too refined and flowery.
From the fan-translation:
The Ghost Slayer is a god but not a god, a ghost but not a ghost, and calling him an immortal ghost also wouldn't be correct. Legend says that he was born in the depths of Difu, and he has a mighty blade that knows good from evil, loyalty from treachery. It can slay anything, which is how he earned his name.
From the highest heavens to the deepest levels of Difu, no one in heaven or earth, whether human or god, spirit or ghost, can survive this weapon.
Because of this, everyone is terrified of him; Zhao Yunlan is the sole, foolishly thick-skinned exception. Not only does he fail to be appalled by the ghost slaying, he seems to think that the Ghost Slayer is a rather nice, kind person. The only bad thing about him is the way he talks: too old-fashioned and too long-winded.
3) Xiao Guo is, once again, more perceptive than most people realize:
Guo Changcheng had never been a confrontational person. For him, running away was as natural as a cat eating fish or a dog eating meat. It was practically part of his genetic makeup, and right now, his genes were telling him that the safest place was between Shen Wei and the black cat.
4) Shen Wei's unfulfilled wish:
Guo Changcheng kept sobbing. "Shen-laoshi, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
Perhaps hoping to ease Guo Changcheng's terror, Shen Wei gave the question careful consideration before nodding. "I do."
Through tears, Guo Changcheng choked out, "Like what?"
"There is someone I met only by chance. There are no connections between us; to him, I must only be a stranger with whom he's exchanged a few words." Shen Wei spoke gently against the background noise of scratching nails. "But I very much want to see him one more time."
Questions:
What colour do you think Zhu Hong's snake tail is? (i think we might find out at some point later on but i can't remember so. what are you all picturing?) Why do you think Li Qian wouldn't tell Zhao Yunlan about using the sundial and sharing half her life with her grandma? How do you feel about the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary based on what we know about him so far? If you were up against a hungry ghost, would you choose the mop or the hospital chair?
Our schedule (and you can also sign up here to host a post!)
Previously, on Guardian:
This time, we're on chapters 7 and 8 of the official English translation, which correspond to chapters 12 to 14 in the most widely available fan-translation and the current Simplified Chinese version on JJWXC.
Chapter 7: Investigator Zhu Hong figures out part of what's going on with Li Qian; Zhao Yunlan finally reads the letter from "him"; and Shen Wei finds an innovative use for a chair
Chapter 8: Guo Changcheng is a police officer; everyone runs in a circle; and storage rooms are good for emergency team-building
Excerpts
1) We officially meet Zhu Hong:
By daylight, the office looked far bleaker. The only person on duty in the criminal investigation unit was a female officer who might have been in her twenties. A simple ponytail highlighted her pretty forehead and a clear complexion that was accentuated with light makeup. She was in uniform --- at least from the waist up. Her lower body was covered by a blanket, and she sat very still in her seat. All that kept her from looking like she was convalescing was the rosiness in her face.
Half-closed eyes and a lazy expression made it seem like she might drift off at any moment, but her hands were working busily. The blanket on her lap was large enough that one edge reached the floor. When Zhao Yunlan accidentally stepped on the trailing edge, the other side of the blanket slid up. For a moment, it revealed the tip of a python tail, which quickly withdrew. The woman's attention remained fixed on the security footage. Without looking, she reached down absentmindedly to adjust the blanket.
The nameplate on the corner of her desk read "Zhu Hong."
2) Zhao Yunlan's perception of the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary:
From the official translation:
The Soul-Executing Emissary had come into existence in the depths of the Netherworld, but he was not a ghost immortal, nor was he subject to the Ten Yanluo Courts. Legend said he had originally been a mere wisp of fiendish energy from the darkest bowels of the Nine Hells. But from this inauspicious beginning, in a rare stroke of serendipity, he evolved to attain a physical form.
He wielded the Soul-Executing Blade, and gods, humans, or any other being, whether from the thirty-three levels of Heaven above or the eighteen levels of Hell below, could be executed by that blade if found guilty. Deities and demons alike bowed their heads to him, and all beings feared him...all but Zhao Yunlan.
Whether he was thick-skinned or boneheaded or just missing reflex tendons others had, Zhao Yunlan not only failed to fear the Emissary but found him gentle and refined with a good personality. His only shortcoming was that, whether speaking or writing, the Emissary's language was just a bit archaic --- too refined and flowery.
From the fan-translation:
The Ghost Slayer is a god but not a god, a ghost but not a ghost, and calling him an immortal ghost also wouldn't be correct. Legend says that he was born in the depths of Difu, and he has a mighty blade that knows good from evil, loyalty from treachery. It can slay anything, which is how he earned his name.
From the highest heavens to the deepest levels of Difu, no one in heaven or earth, whether human or god, spirit or ghost, can survive this weapon.
Because of this, everyone is terrified of him; Zhao Yunlan is the sole, foolishly thick-skinned exception. Not only does he fail to be appalled by the ghost slaying, he seems to think that the Ghost Slayer is a rather nice, kind person. The only bad thing about him is the way he talks: too old-fashioned and too long-winded.
3) Xiao Guo is, once again, more perceptive than most people realize:
Guo Changcheng had never been a confrontational person. For him, running away was as natural as a cat eating fish or a dog eating meat. It was practically part of his genetic makeup, and right now, his genes were telling him that the safest place was between Shen Wei and the black cat.
4) Shen Wei's unfulfilled wish:
Guo Changcheng kept sobbing. "Shen-laoshi, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
Perhaps hoping to ease Guo Changcheng's terror, Shen Wei gave the question careful consideration before nodding. "I do."
Through tears, Guo Changcheng choked out, "Like what?"
"There is someone I met only by chance. There are no connections between us; to him, I must only be a stranger with whom he's exchanged a few words." Shen Wei spoke gently against the background noise of scratching nails. "But I very much want to see him one more time."
Questions:
What colour do you think Zhu Hong's snake tail is? (i think we might find out at some point later on but i can't remember so. what are you all picturing?) Why do you think Li Qian wouldn't tell Zhao Yunlan about using the sundial and sharing half her life with her grandma? How do you feel about the Ghost Slayer/Soul-Executing Emissary based on what we know about him so far? If you were up against a hungry ghost, would you choose the mop or the hospital chair?
Our schedule (and you can also sign up here to host a post!)
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Chapter 2 in the official translation, ZYL meeting GCC:
His first impression of the intern could best be summed up as “What a dumbass.”
Chapter 3 in the official translation, DQ to ZYL about Shen Wei feeling comfortable to him:
“You know that’s exactly what I mean, dumbass human,” said the cat disdainfully with a fwip of his tail.
Chapter 7 in the official translation, ZYL to ZH:
Without hesitation or batting an eye, Zhao Yunlan said, “You’d tell them it was menstrual cramps, dumbass.”
You already said that it's 笨女人, "stupid woman", in this instance.
Maybe someone else who's already read the novel can add some from later chapters?
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His first impression of the intern could best be summed up as “What a dumbass.”
“这个蠢货”四个字，就高度概括了赵处对实习生的第一个成形的印象。
Very literal translation:
“This moron.” Those four words summarized Zhao Yunlan’s first whole impression of the intern very well.
In this case, the word is 蠢货 chǔnhuò, which breaks down as characters into yet another word for stupid, and “goods.” LOL
“You know that’s exactly what I mean, dumbass human,” said the cat disdainfully with a fwip of his tail.
黑猫甩了甩尾巴，不屑地说：“你知道我就是那个意思，愚蠢的人类。”
Very literal translation:
The black cat swished its tail and said disdainfully, “You know that’s just my meaning, stupid human.”
The word here is 愚蠢 yǔchǔn (yeah the same chun as above), which um. Best translation is also “stupid” or “dumb.” (Gosh, I’m finding out that Chinese just has a lot of words for “stupid.”) Both characters in this case mean stupid/foolish.
Without hesitation or batting an eye, Zhao Yunlan said, “You’d tell them it was menstrual cramps, dumbass.”
You already said that it's 笨女人, "stupid woman", in this instance.
The synonym for “dumb” here is 笨 bèn. Sorry I don’t have a more differentiating translation xD.
As far as I know, “chun” and “ben” and “yuchun” mean the same thing and are pretty much interchangeable as standalone words. Which word/compound to use depends on things like the rhythm of the sentence (how many syllables you want to put in) and uh I guess subtle differences in the meaning, like “chunhuo” downplaying the fact that the recipient is even a person 😆.
Thank you! This has been interesting for me as well.
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Gosh, I’m finding out that Chinese just has a lot of words for “stupid.”
Haha, right??? The only thing in that area I'd have been able to dredge up on my own is 傻子, which I've definitely seen used as sort of an endearment, so I do wonder about how variously harsh all of these are ... 蠢货 does sound worse to me, but what do I know?
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