In ancient time, the one, who had been to the desert like Fa Xian in Jin Dynasty and Xuan Zang in Tang Dynasty, all described the desert as a horrible place. Then people had such a deep impression. The book The Diary of Fu Guo written by Fa Xian says there were so many evil spirits and hot wind which would kill people immediately if they met. The desert was so bleak that you wouldn't see a bird in the sky or an animal on the land. It was sand everywhere that you couldn't feature out the way out. You could only follow the bones of dead people and horses to feature the way out. The twelfth chapter of the Western Regions of the Great Tang says it was the quicksand east. The sand was always moving by the wind. The footprint of people and horses would be covered by the sand soon. So it was easy to lose the way.
Is the desert as horrible as what FaXian and XuanZang said? After the Liberation, the workers from the Internal and External Process, the oil Ministry and Chinese Academy of Sciences has gone through the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang for many times. However, there is no ghost or something strange which has stopped their way. Why?
Suppose Fa Xian set out only with 7 monks. After a while, someone could bear the pain and left, or someone died on the way. At last, only FaXian was alive. XuanZang went to the desert by himself, too. The so-called Xingzhe Sun (Tripmaster Monkey), Bajie Zhu (a pig), Heshang Sha (a monk) are all created in fairy tale of the Pilgrimage to the West. At that time they didn't have enough water and food carried by the camels, let alone the cars or planes to rescue. Of course, it was hard.
Does the desert really have the devils? According to the education level of people at that time, it did seem to have devils. However, after we know the nature law, it is easy to explain the strange and fantastic scenery. The strange and fantastic scenery is common to see at noon in summer in the desert. When people were so thirty on their way in the desert, suddenly they saw a big lake with blue water. The lake seemed not far. When they were so happy to go for the lake, there seemed a distance that could exist forever. It is the so-called "within sight but beyond reach". The Arabians have experience in desert. They call this phenomenon as " the Devil's Sea". This phenomenon was discovered by Mundici who was a mathematician and hydraulic engineer at the beginning of 19th century. Mundici went with Napoleon to fight for the colony with UK. At that time, the French soldiers were so surprised to see the " the Devil's Sea" and they went to ask Mendici. After the deep thought, Mendici said the reason was that the sand was so hot in the sun. The air near the ground was much hotter than the air 1 or 2 meters above the ground. Because of the refraction and reflection, people would get into the illusion that the trees grew upside down, the blue sky was reflected on the ground and seemed just like the sea. If the temperature of the air near the ground is 7 or 8 degrees lower than the air above in a short distance, it will be the same just like what we really see near the see. The seldom-seen islands or people under the horizon will be all reflected on the sky in the castle in the air, which can also be called Mirage. We Chinese always use the words "fantastic" to describe this phenomenon, which seems reasonable.
In the desert, not only the ray light can make us feel wired, but also for the sound. XuanZang Tang thought that it was the devils confusing man. Until now, the ones who live in the desert still believe this. People call the sand which can make sound as "singing sand". There is a place called Mingsha mountain ( Singing Sand Mountain) in Zhongwei Town in Ningxia. It is the ShaMen Head now. The Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Railways set a station to manage the sand. It is the Tengger desert behind the station. The desert here is really close to the Yellow River. The sand is over 100 meters high. It faces the south. There is a spill in the middle which is always with spring water out. The sand here is always admired by man. It is said that people will gather together on the top of the mountain and slide from the slope of the mountain in the Dragon Boat Day. The sand will make a huge sound just like the thunder. Two years ago, I went the the Mingsha Mountain with a few of my colleagues. We did hear the huge sound of the sand when we went down the mountain. The sound seemed like the cars far away. It is said that if the sand is the dry silver sand which contains the quartz, after it is heated by the sun, when the wind blows or people or horses move, the friction of sand can make sound. This is the so-called "Singing Sand". The ancient said "What once seemed bewildering will no longer be so. You will lose if you belive the bewildering." In fact, all the strange phenomenons in the desert can be explained by the science.
I am from a family of three, my husband, my son and I. We are just like three countries which have good relation. However, there are some warning signals of fighting or quarreling sometimes.
Because I am a writer, we always need to go to the post office to send the manuscript to the editorial department or to post books or reply letters to the readers. As usually my husband will do it with a school bag. I will say thanks nicely when he is back. However, he felt impatient as time flies.
One Sunday, I was preparing for making dumplings. After backing from the post office, my husband was so angry and said, "I was waiting in the queue for a long time. At last, I got a tongue-lashing. This is really not a good job for human."
I said, "Take some water! Calm down! "
He said, "Don't play up with me. I will not do it any more."
I said, "What shall we do? We can't hire an hourly worker for this."
He said, "No one will do it even though you want to hire. This job is really nagging."
I said."It is hard to say. Where there's muck, there's brass."
My husband said excitedly, "What you mean is that you want to pay ? How about this? How much do you want to pay per month? I will see if it is worthwhile? I will save the money into my own private coffer. It is not your business."
I said, "OK. Let's talk about it. Give me a prize."
My husband thought carefully and said, "500 yuan per month."
I screamed, "You are really wicked! Do we have so much at home?"
He shook his head, "I don't want to do it even with this much! There is no branch."
I said, " I will do it by myself. I can save some money for our home."
There was a black horse in the desperation. My helpful son said, "Mom, I will do it. I don't need 500 yuan. 400 hundred is enough."
I said, "OK. Everything will be good with competition."
My husband said immediately, "Son! Don't grab my job! Now I announce I will low the prize. 300 yuan per month."
I said to my son, "How about you? What's your opinion?"
The young is always clear-cut. He said without blinking, "200. 200 is enough for me."
I looked around and said, "So? Is there anyone who wants pay it lower?" She was planning to make it sure with the rolling pin in her hand.
My husband said to my son hurriedly, "The third party benefits from the tussle."
My son didn't change his mind and said, "A gentleman's promise is a promise."
I said, "We made a deal?"
My husband changed his words hurriedly, "I changed my mind. 100 yuan per month. 100 yuan is enough."
My son said immediately, "50. 50 yuan per month. I will send all the letters for mom. OK?"
I looked at my husband with smile, "The trade monopolies and regional blockades are not right. So we need the anti-unfair competition law."
My husband was full of power and grandeur to said, "I am going to announce. To post the letters without paying. Whatever, I did it free before. I will do the same in the future. It is not hard for a person to do something good. It is also not hard to do it for my whole life."
My son said gloatingly, "Mom, if I want to do it now, I need give you money."
I said, "Son. Just leave this chance to your father. If I have time in the future, I will go to the post office by myself. Do you know what the next important thing is?"
They said together, "What's that?"
I said, "To make dumplings! We argued for such a long time. The flour has woke up over time!" Then mom knocked the roll pin heavily.
Which Job You Take, Which Job You Will Hate
"Every profession produces its own topmost master in 360 kinds." That means there is no difference between jobs. If you work hard in your own field, you can get the top positon. This also advice people to focus on your own career, not just see "That hill is higher than mine (never be satisfied where one is)". What actually happened is that there is difference between jobs just the mountains are not at the same height. Even the best are different. The watermelon king can't compare with the steel king. The wonton king can't compare with the Kerosene king.
Every career has its own hardship, especially on the way to success. If you take a job, you should just work hard on it. Some people only see monks eating bread, not see them being initiated into monkhood. Then they admire the monks. They think the monks are happy without any pain. They start to groan and regret that they took the job. What's more, they will tell their children not to take this career. This is called " Which job you take, which job you will hate."
The one, who creates the word " Which job you take, which job you will hate.", may just want people to know your own place and behave yourself. However, this word also show the feeling of having no alternative. In face, we should love the job we take. Because every job has its own fun, at least, you'll feel happy when you complete your work. Many people, who are dedicated, not only are satisfied with their own job, but also tell their children to take this career. This is called " Inherited his father", there is no hatred among this.
A son should not look down on his mother even though she is ugly,and a dog never minds if his host is poor
Dogs are smart. however, they are not that smart. A beggar with a walking stick and an alms bowl asks for food door by door. There is always a skinny dag along with him. If he gets some leftover, he will share it with his dog. However, the dog will not leave him to go with a rich man. So dogs are not that smart just with loyalty.
In the children mind, mother should be the most beautiful, lovely and trustworthy. People can be ugly,but mom is not. Mom can be old, but not ugly. There was a very popular children song "Crow Song", " Crow crow caws to me, crow crow is filial. The old crows can't fly, cow to the young crows. The young crows back from hunting, will feed mom first. ' My mom fed me before.'" This is a song about the crow feedback to tell people be filial. I am really moved by the last word, "My mom fed me before." Everyone will feel grieved when they hear the lyric "My mom fed me before". Everyone will feel proud of their mom, who can think their mom is ugly?
"A son should not look down on his mother even though she is ugly, and a dog never minds if his host is poor". It is right. However, it is wellknown that people like to be rich instead of being poor. Maybe the good reputation "never mind being poor" should just for the dogs in the future. There are examples that the kids look down upon their mom. I know two examples, not only one. There are two people who got the so-called "high education". They invited friends to their home. There were two old ladies in poor clothes out to serve the tea. The hosts didn't introduce them to the guests. The guests just thought the old lady was the maid of their family. However, later people knew from others that the old lady was their mom. The host thought their mom was so ugly that she would make them lose faces. They make their ugly mom to serve the tea just like making good use of waste materials.
"A dog never minds if his host is poor" is right. However, "A son should not look down on his mother even though she is ugly" may become a fallacy in the future.
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