davidmcb In reply to Da-Wei [2013-02-21 14:22:42 +0000 UTC]

My Pleasure

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davidmcb In reply to bobswin [2013-02-21 14:24:52 +0000 UTC]

Sure thing! Its pretty smoky there these days. Way too many cars.[link]

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samong98 In reply to ??? [2013-02-20 02:14:40 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for the fav!

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Jialin In reply to ??? [2013-02-11 11:49:31 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for faving [link] !

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samong98 In reply to samong98 [2013-02-01 15:03:19 +0000 UTC]

And the feature too

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davidmcb In reply to deadly-blossom91 [2013-01-30 14:31:15 +0000 UTC]

Sure! Glad you could make it to China!

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deadly-blossom91 In reply to davidmcb [2013-01-30 16:11:20 +0000 UTC]

Yes

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lsy199011 In reply to ??? [2013-01-28 11:35:10 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for the favs,and thank you for introduced Beijing to the people all over the world!

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zeitgeist99 In reply to ??? [2013-01-28 03:20:20 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for favorites.

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davidmcb In reply to SniperOfSiberia [2013-01-25 01:10:43 +0000 UTC]

Great! I'm an America now and I may go back to China in the fall. Still haven't decided. I'd love to visit you sometime if possible! I'm thinking of trying to work in India for a while or to work somewhere besides China. How are you doing these days?

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SomeRandomMinion In reply to ??? [2013-01-13 21:45:12 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for the fave on "Dashie's Demolition"!

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davidmcb In reply to SomeRandomMinion [2013-01-21 10:35:14 +0000 UTC]

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scubapic In reply to ??? [2013-01-12 17:13:37 +0000 UTC]

on Masque du poisson lion !

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hannahgrace-art In reply to ??? [2013-01-03 04:05:13 +0000 UTC]

Just wanted to say thanks for taking all of those beautiful pictures of China! I needed photos for reference and I found a ton from your gallery. So I give you a Fav Spam! You have such beautiful photos, keep up the good work!

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davidmcb In reply to hannahgrace-art [2013-01-25 01:12:03 +0000 UTC]

thank you! I'll try my best!

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davidmcb In reply to mrmistophelees [2012-12-31 22:37:36 +0000 UTC]

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davidmcb In reply to DanGuimberteau [2013-01-25 01:17:32 +0000 UTC]

My pleasure! Are you from France? I am crazy about French literature, Voltaire, Balzac, Rabelais, Proust, Celine, Maupassant, Hugo, Genet,Baudelaire, Baudrillard, Lacan, Diderot, Robespierre, Dumas...and so many more...seems you have some of the greatest minds on the planet.

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DanGuimberteau In reply to davidmcb [2013-01-25 09:24:20 +0000 UTC]

Hi! Thanks for posting.
I live about 8 miles east from Paris.
I'm glad you like French literature; I must say that we are very lucky to have so many great writers.
Do you read/speak French at all?
Are you American of Chinese origin?
I went to China in November, and I must day I was fascinated by this civilization; I'm dying to go ther again and see more of
its treasures.
Take care.
Dan

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davidmcb In reply to DanGuimberteau [2013-01-25 15:11:28 +0000 UTC]

Hi! Of course I can read french a little bit. Its often very similar to English. When I'm reading Rabelais in English I like to find the French passage and compare it to see if it has been translated well or if it has been censored! Its much easier to study on a computer. Unfortunately when I tried learning French in college my pronunciation was quite bad. My Italian pronunciation is quite good. I studied Bosnian for about three years adn ahd good pronunciation as well. My Japanese and Chinese pronunciation is quite good and I can even speak some Chinese dialects. For some reason I had a lot of trouble with French pronunciation and my only tutor was an English girl who was very impatient with me. Ultimately I done the best with Chinese. Maybe I'll get another chance with French one day If I am lucky. I am an Irish American with a little Welsh ancestry but mainly Irish in a cultural sense.

If you have questions about China I have lived and studied there for about 8 years. Feel free to ask me! If you are in Gansu, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Wuhan, Yunnan, or Beijing I might have some friends for you to meet! Let me know.

I have been reading Simulacres et simulation by Buadrillard in English recently and have found it quite inspiring. Have you ever read it? Here is an article about it in French: [link] By for now!

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DanGuimberteau In reply to davidmcb [2013-01-28 17:37:13 +0000 UTC]

Hi, David!

Thanks for the reply.
I see you are what we call in French "Un distingué linguiste".
I wish I could speak Chinese. My late trip to China was wonderful, and I want to learn more about this civilisation whis is still a bit mysterious for us.
You must have a very good level in French to be able to read Rabelais. Even for a French native, the language is not that easy.
Shame, I didn't know you before my trip to Beijing, as I would have loved to meet your friends.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Take care.

Dan

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davidmcb In reply to DanGuimberteau [2013-02-03 02:57:17 +0000 UTC]

Rabelais is so rewarding. haha:

(I)t was decreed that in this new structure there should be neither clock nor dial, but that according to the opportunities and incident occasions all their hours should be disposed of; for, said Gargantua, the greatest loss of time that I know is to count the hours. What good comes of it? Nor can there be any greater dotage in the world than for one to guide and direct his courses by the sound of a bell, and not by his own judgment and discretion. -Rabelais on the building of the Abbey of Theleme

but still my French is next to none. What I do is compare texts to translations to look for mistakes or censorship lie this passage:

Chapter 1.LIV. The inscription set upon the great gate of Theleme.

Here enter not vile bigots, hypocrites,
Externally devoted apes, base snites,
Puffed-up, wry-necked beasts, worse than the Huns,
Or Ostrogoths, forerunners of baboons:
Cursed snakes, dissembled varlets, seeming sancts,
Slipshod caffards, beggars pretending wants,
Fat chuffcats, smell-feast knockers, doltish gulls,
Out-strouting cluster-fists, contentious bulls,
Fomenters of divisions and debates,
Elsewhere, not here, make sale of your deceits.

Your filthy trumperies
Stuffed with pernicious lies
(Not worth a bubble),
Would do but trouble
Our earthly paradise,
Your filthy trumperies.

Here enter not attorneys, barristers,
Nor bridle-champing law-practitioners:
Clerks, commissaries, scribes, nor pharisees,
Wilful disturbers of the people's ease:
Judges, destroyers, with an unjust breath,
Of honest men, like dogs, even unto death.
Your salary is at the gibbet-foot:
Go drink there! for we do not here fly out
On those excessive courses, which may draw
A waiting on your courts by suits in law.

Lawsuits, debates, and wrangling
Hence are exiled, and jangling.
Here we are very
Frolic and merry,
And free from all entangling,
Lawsuits, debates, and wrangling.

Here enter not base pinching usurers,
Pelf-lickers, everlasting gatherers,
Gold-graspers, coin-gripers, gulpers of mists,
Niggish deformed sots, who, though your chests
Vast sums of money should to you afford,
Would ne'ertheless add more unto that hoard,
And yet not be content,--you clunchfist dastards,
Insatiable fiends, and Pluto's bastards,
Greedy devourers, chichy sneakbill rogues,
Hell-mastiffs gnaw your bones, you ravenous dogs.

You beastly-looking fellows,
Reason doth plainly tell us
That we should not
To you allot
Room here, but at the gallows,
You beastly-looking fellows.

Here enter not fond makers of demurs
In love adventures, peevish, jealous curs,
Sad pensive dotards, raisers of garboils,
Hags, goblins, ghosts, firebrands of household broils,
Nor drunkards, liars, cowards, cheaters, clowns,
Thieves, cannibals, faces o'ercast with frowns,
Nor lazy slugs, envious, covetous,
Nor blockish, cruel, nor too credulous,--
Here mangy, pocky folks shall have no place,
No ugly lusks, nor persons of disgrace.

Grace, honour, praise, delight,
Here sojourn day and night.
Sound bodies lined
With a good mind,
Do here pursue with might
Grace, honour, praise, delight.

Here enter you, and welcome from our hearts,
All noble sparks, endowed with gallant parts.
This is the glorious place, which bravely shall
Afford wherewith to entertain you all.
Were you a thousand, here you shall not want
For anything; for what you'll ask we'll grant.
Stay here, you lively, jovial, handsome, brisk,
Gay, witty, frolic, cheerful, merry, frisk,
Spruce, jocund, courteous, furtherers of trades,
And, in a word, all worthy gentle blades.

Blades of heroic breasts
Shall taste here of the feasts,
Both privily
And civilly
Of the celestial guests,
Blades of heroic breasts.

Here enter you, pure, honest, faithful, true
Expounders of the Scriptures old and new.
Whose glosses do not blind our reason, but
Make it to see the clearer, and who shut
Its passages from hatred, avarice,
Pride, factions, covenants, and all sort of vice.
Come, settle here a charitable faith,
Which neighbourly affection nourisheth.
And whose light chaseth all corrupters hence,
Of the blest word, from the aforesaid sense.

The holy sacred Word,
May it always afford
T' us all in common,
Both man and woman,
A spiritual shield and sword,
The holy sacred Word.

Here enter you all ladies of high birth,
Delicious, stately, charming, full of mirth,
Ingenious, lovely, miniard, proper, fair,
Magnetic, graceful, splendid, pleasant, rare,
Obliging, sprightly, virtuous, young, solacious,
Kind, neat, quick, feat, bright, compt, ripe, choice, dear, precious.
Alluring, courtly, comely, fine, complete,
Wise, personable, ravishing, and sweet,
Come joys enjoy. The Lord celestial
Hath given enough wherewith to please us all.

Gold give us, God forgive us,
And from all woes relieve us;
That we the treasure
May reap of pleasure,
And shun whate'er is grievous,
Gold give us, God forgive us. -MFR and ...

Inscription mise sur la grande porte de Thélème - François Rabelais

Inscription mise sur la grande porte de Thélème

Ci n'entrez pas, hypocrites, bigots,
Vieux matagots, souffreteux bien enflés,
Torcols, idiots plus que n'étaient les Goths
Ou les Ostrogoths, précurseurs des magots,
Porteurs de haires, cagots, cafards empantouflés.
Gueux emmitouflés, frappards écorniflés,
Bafoués, enflés, qui allumez les fureurs;
Filez ailleurs vendre vos erreurs.
Ces erreurs de méchants
Empliraient mes champs
De méchanceté
Et par fausseté
Troubleraient mes chants,
Ces erreurs de méchants.
Ci n'entrez pas, juristes mâchefoins,
Clercs, basochiens, qui le peuple mangez,
Juges d'officialité, scribes et pharisiens,
Juges anciens qui les bons paroissiens
Ainsi que des chiens jetez au charnier;
Votre salaire est au gibet.
Allez-y braire; ici on ne fait nul excès
Qui puisse en vos cours susciter un procès.
Pour procès et débats,
Il n'y a guère de lieu d'ébat
Ici où l'on vient s'ébattre
Pour votre soûl débattre,
Puissiez-vous avoir plein cabas
De procès et débats.
Ici n'entrez pas, vous, usuriers avares,
Gloutons, lécheurs, qui toujours amassez,
Grippeminauds, souffleurs de brouillard,
Courbés, camards, qui dans vos coquemars
De mille marcs n'auriez pas assez.
Vous n'êtes pas écoeurés pour ensacher
Et entasser, flemmards à la maigre face;
Que la male mort sur-le-champ vous efface.
Ah! face inhumaine
De ces gens! Qu'on les mène
Tondre ailleurs. Céans
Ce serait malséant;
Quittez ce domaine,
Face inhumaine.
Ci n'entrez pas, vous, balourds mâtins,
Ni soirs ni matins, vieux chagrins et jaloux;
Vous non plus, rebelles, mutins,
Ectoplasmes, lutins, de Danger comtes palatins,
Grecs ou latins, plus à craindre que loups;
Ni vous, galeux, vérolés jusqu'au cou;
Emmenez vos lupus ronger ailleurs de bon coeur
Croûteux, couverts de déshonneur.
Honneur, louange, bon temps
Sont ici constants
D'un joyeux accord.
Tous sont sains de corps
Aussi leur dis-je vraiment:
Honneur, louange, bon temps.
Ci entrez, et soyez bienvenus,
Bien réussis, vous tous, nobles chevaliers.
C'est ici le lieu où les revenus
Sont bien reçus pour qu'entretenus
Grands et peuple menu, vous soyez par milliers.
Vous serez mes intimes et mes familiers:
Gaillards et délurés, joyeux, plaisants, mignons,
Tous de la classe des gentils compagnons.
Compagnons gentils,
Sereins et subtils,
Sans nulle bassesse,
De délicatesse,
Voici les outils,
Compagnons gentils.
Ci entrez, vous, qui le saint Evangile
Annoncez en sens agile malgré ce qu'on gronde;
Vous aurez céans refuge et bastille;
Contre l'hostile erreur qui tant distille
Son faux style pour en empoisonner le monde:
Entrez, que l'on fonde ici la foi profonde,
Puis que l'on confonde par écrit et par vives paroles
Les ennemis de la sainte Parole.
Que la Parole sainte
Désormais ne soit éteinte
En ce lieu très saint.
Que chacun en soit ceint,
Que chacune porte en son sein
La parole sainte.
Ci entrez, vous, dames de haut parage,
Sans ambages, entrez sous d'heureux présages,
Fleurs de beauté au céleste visage,
Sveltes comme pages, au maintien pudique et sage.
Faire séjour ici est gage d'honneur.
Le grand seigneur qui fut du lieu donateur
Et dispensateur, a pour vous tout ordonné
Et a, pour parer à tout, beaucoup d'or donné.
Or donné par don
Ordonne pardon
A qui le dispense.
Et c'est haute récompense,
Pour tout homme de droit sens
Qu'or donné par don.

haha its so interesting! It is really hard to translate something like this without a lot of explanations.

"Or donné par don
Ordonne pardon" for example I try to read Nodier in French because he is interesting and has never been translated into English. I have to depend on translation software the results are questionable at best. Still I love reading [link]

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DanGuimberteau In reply to davidmcb [2013-02-03 13:01:59 +0000 UTC]

Hello David!

Congratulations for your translation of a particularly tricky exerpt from Rabelais' work.
Although I haven't had the time yet to look closely at your translation, it looks fairly faithful to the text.
I have copied it and will come back to you with a sharper view.
Take care.
Dan

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davidmcb In reply to DanGuimberteau [2013-02-03 15:19:38 +0000 UTC]

Thats not my translation!!!! You flatter me! Many people translate Rabelais and I simply sometimes compare various English translations to the original text to look for omissions and mistakes.I can only dream of learning French to such a level! hahaha Its Urquhart. There is also Burton Raffel, Samuel Putnam,Albert Jay Nock and Catherine R. Wilson and others! [link]

Best,

David

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DanGuimberteau In reply to davidmcb [2013-02-03 23:27:58 +0000 UTC]

Sorry, David. I'm stupid.
Still I'll read the translation carefully.
Best wishes.

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davidmcb In reply to DanGuimberteau [2013-02-04 14:20:25 +0000 UTC]

no! youre not stupid! it was me who didnt explain myself clearly.

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AnaBelenRuiz In reply to ??? [2012-12-18 00:19:55 +0000 UTC]

Sheng ri kuai le! have a wonderful day

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