After such a long separation, my clothes
have turned baggy.

相去日已逺，衣帶日已緩。
The floating clouds blot out the sun. The migrating
man has no intention to return.

浮雲蔽白日，遊子不顧返。
Longing for you quickens my ageing. Now the
end of the year is approaching.

思君令人老，歳月忽已晚。
I will say no more. Take good care of
yourself.

棄捐勿復道，努力加餐飯。

Thank You for Your Coming is a series of programs presented
by Chongqing Satellite TV encouraging the youth to fulfill their aspirations. Focusing on the Chinese dream, the theme of
the times, it offers the genuine reflection of the struggling experiences of
the young, eulogizes the youth and spreads positive energy around displaying
gratitude, making apologies and showing love. What I watched was that relayed
on the Channel of Jilin Life. The real stories in the programs have convinced me
of the existence of true love. I am deeply fascinated by the eloquence of the host
and the distinguished guests present.

Du Fuguo lost his eyes and hands in an
explosion when he was demining at the jungle bordering Vietnam. It happened
on the afternoon of 11 October 2018. Facing an unidentified explosive found at
the minefield, he volunteered to take the place of one of his comrades-in-arms tackling
the problem. He barked, “You retreat. Let me try.”Afterwards all sorts of honors heaped upon him. He’s still rehabilitating in
hospital and to have artificial limbs installed. He can walk freely but has
great difficulty in eating, dressing, undressing and relieving himself. He determines
that he can take care of himself one day through prolonged practice.

It was reported recently that some wild Asian elephants frequented the villages near the primeval forest in Yunnan. They came just for food. All the local people know they are protected by law, so no one has ever attacked these intruders though they have caused great damages to their properties and crops. Certainly the victims can claim compensation for their losses. Neither driving them away nor building defenses can solve the problem. To lay food for them on the outskirts of these villages cannot be a permanent solution. It seems to me that the best way is the complete withdrawal of all human activities there and returning the space to the elephants.

Last night when I returned to our flat, I felt a little warmer than usual. It seemed as if the heating supply has started. Then I made an examination of the first part of the heating pipe in the kitchen, it didn’t felt cold any more. Moreover I needn’t put on any heavy coat near the balcony for keeping warm. At school Mr Y confirmed my assumption. In the meantime, I saw the blue truck carry coal to the boiler room again. Our school’s central heating system has been put into operation. Tonight at our apartment I have to take off parts of my clothes on account of the high temperature.

We should count our blessings, how could we
always envy others’ good luck? How fortunate it is for us to be safe from calamities under
the protection of Heaven!

身在福中何生妬，幸無殃兮天眷顧。

It’s ominous for a man in poverty to become
rich overnight, which may be a sign of impending doom.

困厄之中忽暴富，早斃凶兆至劫數。

Every day of the three-day holiday was rainy and the rain was just slight and short. But every night the moon still made its appearance.
Sister and brother came over seeing mother with moon cakes in turn. Because son has phoned to say that he is to come back at the National Day holiday making a new video of mother on her birthday and sending it to the special website as demanded, we decided to keep the cakes for him.
Yesterday evening I picked some edible green beans, flour and rice deserted at the rubbish carts in our housing estate.

A biography
of the writing brush

毛颖传

The
writing brush came from Zhongshan. Owing to the great service when helping the Great
Yu administer the east and foster the living beings, its ancestor the hare had
been conferred upon the title of lord of the fief at Mao region, becoming one
of the twelve gods of corresponding symbolic animals after death.

毛颖者，中山人也。其先明眎，佐禹治东方土，养万物有功，因封於卯地，死为十二神。It had ever said, “My descendants, as the offspring of a god, should
be quite different from other living things for they will be born of the mouth.” Later this came true indeed.

尝曰：“吾子孙神明之後，不可与物同，当吐而生。”已而果然。

The ancients were mostly prudent and capable
beyond their years. But our
contemporaries fail to improve their knowledge and skills with age.

古者少年多老成，今之人兮徒增歲。

All the unearthed from the tombs of the Qin
Dynasty are priceless treasures. We can only leave ashes behind us.

秦朝墓中盡珎寳，我軰身後唯骨灰。

The price of the eggs has gone up recently with the close of the hot weather. I could buy only 16 eggs at ¥10.
The other day I saw many winged insects in the middle room where our corn was stored. The prolonged storage had begot the appearance of worms. After breakfast mother began to remove the impurities from the corn with a winnowing fan. Soon I carried two half-filled bags of cleaned corn with a wheelbarrow to the mill east of town. Today was a trading day. But when I passed the market it had been almost deserted. The matron serving me at the mill said the vendors were reluctant to come for the taxes levied on them.