The Great Vehicle Cave Heaven of Earl Stone City

Keep up the good work, author! Heaven rewards diligence. Wishing you a happy life, smooth work, and all the best.

I saw my aunt's comments; she really worked hard for Jinxi during those years.

Thanks to "Old Pig Man" for commenting on the somewhat incoherent opening phrases: The very first four characters, "" (cán shēng, meaning "a life hanging by a thread in the wind"), vividly depict a desolate desert landscape under the setting sun, a testament to the exquisite use of language. The opening lines immediately evoke a sense of bleakness, loneliness, and desolation. While "" has multiple meanings, here it clearly refers to "a life barely spared." The Peking Opera "Suo Lin Nang" contains the line, "Looking back on the fleeting prosperity, life is but a dream, a life hanging by a thread amidst the turbulent waves." This phrase, "a life hanging by a thread amidst the turbulent waves," signifies that one's future is as uncertain as the turbulent waves. This perfectly captures the mood of this poem, whose protagonist is a survivor struggling to stay alive in a desolate world—isn't this precisely "a life hanging by a thread amidst the turbulent waves"? The second line, a question, "Where has the code of chivalry gone?", Actually employs a subtle intertextual technique. Intertextuality means "combining different elements to form a coherent meaning." Here, "the code of chivalry" can be interpreted as "martial arts chivalry." Clearly, the protagonist of the poem is asking: "In this apocalyptic world, where has the code of chivalry gone?" To understand this, we must understand what "chivalry" () means. "Chivalry" is a uniquely Chinese cultural marker, referring to someone with martial arts skills, courage, and a willingness to sacrifice oneself for others. However, as early as the *Han Feizi* (""), it was pointed out: "Scholars use literature to disrupt the law, and chivalry uses martial arts to violate prohibitions, yet the ruler treats them all with courtesy; this is why chaos arises." Chivalry is essentially a group of people who break the rules with superior martial prowess. In the past, chivalry broke the rules to help the weak and punish the strong, but what about chivalry in this apocalyptic world? Although the protagonist doesn't explicitly say so, this question is enough to show that the chivalrous figures in this apocalyptic world have long lost their desire to help the weak and punish the strong; "chivalry" has become "banditry," and some may only be left with aiding and abetting evil. It is clear that the end times are not only the end of nature and the end of the external world, but also the decline of humanity and the end of human nature. The third line employs a typical technique we mentioned in the previous episode: the "sentence splitting" method for rhythm. The poet splits the sentence not only for rhythm but also to emphasize the four characters "good and evil, gratitude and resentment." The end times are complex; perhaps not everyone is a monster, but there will also be flowers of kindness and acts of kindness. After all, human nature is complex. Under harsh external conditions, some will succumb to their desires and become puppets of their own desires, while others will uphold their principles and become embodiments of morality. However, considering the second line, the virtuous in the end times are unlikely to possess "force," because those who wield force no longer represent justice. Those who raise the banner of justice are merely unarmed ordinary people. This is the light of humanity, yet also a tragedy in the end times. The fourth sentence is the finishing touch of the first half. The first three sentences describe the survival attitudes of others in the apocalypse, but what about the protagonist's? This sentence provides the answer: the protagonist wants to be a "free spirit wandering the martial world." The concept of "martial world" must be considered in conjunction with the word "chivalrous" mentioned earlier. Wherever there are people, there is a martial world. The protagonist, wandering in the apocalypse, wants to be a person who acts swiftly and decisively, and acting swiftly and decisively is the most fundamental aspect of "chivalry." In the Analects, it says: "Someone asked: 'What do you think of repaying evil with kindness?' Confucius said: 'Then what will you repay kindness with? Repay evil with justice, and repay kindness with kindness.'" Who was the earliest chivalrous person in China? It was Confucius, but we won't elaborate here. In short, the fourth sentence clarifies that the protagonist wants to be a free spirit of chivalry who "repays evil with justice and repays kindness with kindness," perhaps without realizing that he has already reached the essence of "chivalry." The first half paints a picture of hell, yet within this hellish landscape, the flower of humanity blooms. In this apocalyptic world, those who wield power bully the weak, ordinary people bravely resist, and the protagonist, throughout his wandering life, gradually becomes the most authentic "chivalrous" being. But is this the end? Individual strength has its limits, so this is not the end. Where then is the end? The second half provides the answer. The three sentences in the second half are progressively deeper, each link connected to the next. The fifth line, "Mortal ties severed," begs the question: is the protagonist's swift retribution for restoring world peace? No, it's to sever his own worldly ties; his kindness is merely a way of drawing a line. What led the protagonist to this thought? It's the earlier point, "Even individual strength has its limits." This single sentence pulls back the heightened emotion of the last sentence of the first half, revealing the harsh reality of the apocalypse to the reader. It delivers a resounding slap in the face while simultaneously posing a question: what is the protagonist's purpose in severing his worldly ties? The sixth line, "Going to cultivate immortality," indicates that the protagonist has severed his ties with the mortal world in order to cultivate immortality. What is "immortal"? This is also a word with many meanings. Here, I personally analyze it as "a person who transcends the mortal realm." The protagonist's act of separating himself from others is to become a person who transcends the mortal realm. This both answers the question and raises another question: what is the protagonist going to do by cultivating immortality? The seventh line is the masterpiece that will be passed down through generations. The four characters "" (treading through the mortal world) are worth repeated reading and contemplation, day and night. It's not "seeing through"—seeing through implies indifference after cultivating immortality; it's not "understanding"—understanding implies detachment after cultivating immortality; it's "treading through"! These two characters directly reverse the course of events, completely overturning everything. The protagonist's cultivation of immortality is "transcending the world," while "treading through" is "entering the world." The protagonist has mastered a power stronger than "martial arts," becoming an "immortal," and powerfully shattering the mortal world under the current apocalypse with a higher level of power. What magnanimity and vision! Every time I read it, it's enough to leave the reader thoroughly satisfied, making me want to reread it from the beginning.

Two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Your kid must be old enough to run errands by now, right? 🙊

Here it comes, here it comes, sending you a little heart.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 🌹🌹🌹 Keep writing, never change!

River crab, an autumn blessing.

River crab, everything goes smoothly.

The first month of the lunar calendar is the Spring Festival, and the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is filled with the festive atmosphere of lanterns. Delicious and fragrant glutinous rice balls are served. Wishing you a joyous festival filled with blessings, good fortune always by your side, and all your wishes fulfilled! Happy Lantern Festival!

Happy Chinese New Year! Your brother is here to send his blessings. I absolutely have to be there, haha.