Happy Chinese New Year
Last night at work very late, and it had to be very late because I work in a restaurant and we had been busy because it was Friday night, I found a little time to talk to two women who were some of our last guests. These two young ladies were telling me they were excited to see Oprah tomorrow. That would be Sunday, but I guess they meant today, Saturday, January 25th 2020, Chinese New Year.
It is the year of the rat.
My mother came in last night late, after me, and she found the little cartoon on Google. Last year we celebrated Chinese New Year with a movie night, watching Mulan and The Joy Luck Club. I'm probably going to miss a movie night tonight, but I can still get an egg roll from Quiktrip.
Kidding aside, I thought it was serendipitous that Oprah came to town on Chinese New Year. My most treasured memory of her was having scribbled on a little piece of paper "The Good Earth," a book she'd mentioned on one of her book club episodes. I might not have kept that scrap of paper, but there was a little bit of advice on it, with a little bumblebee doodle in glittering orange-gel ink I had written "More flies with honey."
This scrap of advice with the title to the classic Pearl S Buck novel was tucked into my wallet for years. I saw it often and as perhaps years passed, I promised myself I'd read The Good Earth. And I did. In two installments. Half of it as a junior in college studying English, the other half the year after I'd graduate. It was amazing to me when I'd finally finished it two years later, and it became my favorite novel.
There are so many beautiful things about that book. I learned so much about China and their customs. Later on my mother, who is a huge fan of Amy Tan, and I were able to bond over a shared affection for the culture, which in its rich traditions seem so beautiful and exotic.
The story follows the life of Wang Lung, a poor man who as the novel begins, is nervously picking up his first wife who has been a slave for a wealthy family. Her hard work and knowledge along with his determination see them through poverty to becoming wealthy with a large family.
I have images in my head of their home on the rice fields, a small shack with wooden slatted floors, and of the little shrines where incense is burnt to their ancestors. They survive a terrible famine that for years I made uninterested listeners aware of. "Did you know that people starve to death? They eat their own children?"
In being an English major, (sort of), I wanted to know all the famous titles of great books. One that I found in a Wikipedia article on the 100 greatest books of all time was the "Tale of Genji" which before being very well acquainted with my book looked to be a really good book. It was one I selected. I think this book inspired Buck's classic. They are very similar. And both are written by women.
The year of the rat is supposed to be a new beginning, an ushering in of the yang. It can be a time of good fortune. I am not sweeping the house today.
*I found out that I'd been uninformed and Genji is a Japanese tale. Still the story of Genji and The Good earth bear a resemblance.
It is the year of the rat.
My mother came in last night late, after me, and she found the little cartoon on Google. Last year we celebrated Chinese New Year with a movie night, watching Mulan and The Joy Luck Club. I'm probably going to miss a movie night tonight, but I can still get an egg roll from Quiktrip.
Kidding aside, I thought it was serendipitous that Oprah came to town on Chinese New Year. My most treasured memory of her was having scribbled on a little piece of paper "The Good Earth," a book she'd mentioned on one of her book club episodes. I might not have kept that scrap of paper, but there was a little bit of advice on it, with a little bumblebee doodle in glittering orange-gel ink I had written "More flies with honey."
This scrap of advice with the title to the classic Pearl S Buck novel was tucked into my wallet for years. I saw it often and as perhaps years passed, I promised myself I'd read The Good Earth. And I did. In two installments. Half of it as a junior in college studying English, the other half the year after I'd graduate. It was amazing to me when I'd finally finished it two years later, and it became my favorite novel.
There are so many beautiful things about that book. I learned so much about China and their customs. Later on my mother, who is a huge fan of Amy Tan, and I were able to bond over a shared affection for the culture, which in its rich traditions seem so beautiful and exotic.
The story follows the life of Wang Lung, a poor man who as the novel begins, is nervously picking up his first wife who has been a slave for a wealthy family. Her hard work and knowledge along with his determination see them through poverty to becoming wealthy with a large family.
I have images in my head of their home on the rice fields, a small shack with wooden slatted floors, and of the little shrines where incense is burnt to their ancestors. They survive a terrible famine that for years I made uninterested listeners aware of. "Did you know that people starve to death? They eat their own children?"
In being an English major, (sort of), I wanted to know all the famous titles of great books. One that I found in a Wikipedia article on the 100 greatest books of all time was the "Tale of Genji" which before being very well acquainted with my book looked to be a really good book. It was one I selected. I think this book inspired Buck's classic. They are very similar. And both are written by women.
The year of the rat is supposed to be a new beginning, an ushering in of the yang. It can be a time of good fortune. I am not sweeping the house today.
*I found out that I'd been uninformed and Genji is a Japanese tale. Still the story of Genji and The Good earth bear a resemblance.
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