my Badain Jaran Desert trip

This six-day trip, October 10 to October 15, 2016, covered 2000 km in distance. We had 12 persons in total, including the tour leader. The tour leader is a thoughtful and experienced young man who specializes in outdoor and exploratory trips. More information can be found at http://www.worldhey.com/.

Alxa League in Inner Mongolia

The starting point was the capital city YinChuan [1] in Ning Xia Hui Autonomous Region. Historically, this was the capital of Xi Xia [2] at the time of South Song Dynasty.  We traveled in and around Alxa League, Inner Mongolia [3].  This league has three banners, i.e., the Ejin Banner [4], the Alxa Left Banner, and the Alxa Right Banner. We started from east (Alxa Left Banner) to the very north at Ejin Banner first on the north side of two deserts, Tengger Desert [5] and Badain Jaran Desert [6], then south to the west (Alxa Right Banner). After the Badain Jaran Desert exploratory visit, we traveled back on the south side of two deserts.

On the way to Ejin Banner on the west, the driver pointed out to us a couple of times a mirage [7] in the desert, which was discernible as a few islands spread over a sea or lake. That was my first mirage, not counting the less phenomenal "fake water" on the hot-road during the summer time in the United States' Southwest.

Here are some annotations and background for the pictures throughout the trip.

Guang Zong Temple on the west side of Helan Mountains

1) Guang Zong Temple (also known as South Temple or Nan Ssu) on the west side of the Helan Mountains [8] that purportedly is the resting place for Dalai Lama VI [9]. His death or disappearance was mysterious during the Qing Dynasty.
   This temple had more than 1500 monks a century ago. This legendary Dalai Lama was born outside of the Tibetan region.  He was a very talented poet and spawned many legends during his life.

Huyang Trees in Ejin Banner area

Huyang Tree Reflection in Ejin

2 and 3) Huyang (Poplar Diversifolius) trees [10] reflections at Ejin Banner.
  This is a species of poplar tree in the willow family. It can be found in many desert areas around the world, and it is very much adapted to dry conditions.  The forest of these trees in the Ejin Banner area is famous for its formation and water reflections, as experienced by many travelers in recent years.




4) Sea gulls near the reed wetland in Juyan Lake [11]
   The Juyan Lake is one of several terminal lakes for the inland Heihe River (Black River). There are few rivers that don't flow to the oceans. Heihe is one of them. I normally associate sea gulls with oceans. Apparently they don't need oceans to exist, they just need the right water environment, I imagine.

Sea Gulls in Juyan Lake

Juyan Lake Sunset

5) Sunset in Juyan Lake
   This was a rare chance to take good pictures during the sunset in this wetland area with many reeds.

6) Strange Huyang Forest

Strange Huyang Forest

We went to this forest before sunrise. Supposedly the environmental changes in this area caused all trees to die, but the arid condition in the desert areas prevented the trees from decaying further.










7 and 8) Ruin of the Black Water City and Walled Fortress
   This was an important city for the Xi Xia (Tangut) State on the western end of its territory. It was known by a few different names, including the Mongolian name Khara-Khoto [12]. It was conquered by Genghis Khan in 1226, but it continued to flourish.  It was abandoned, though, for more than seven hundred years after the Ming Dynasty defeated the Mongols and took the city in 1372.  Its importance was lost during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.  Interestingly enough, this city appears in the "Travels of Marco Polo" as Etzina.
Various expeditions and excavations in the 20th century unearthed many books, xylographs (woodblock prints), scrolls, and manuscripts in Tangut language. The Mongolian Buddhist stupas [13] traditionally house the sacred scriptures and religious articles. Dictionaries were among the unearthed items, including a Chinese-Tangut glossary that made the Tangut (Xi Xia) study possible today.

Stupas of the Khara-Khoto Ruin from the Distance

The Mongolian Buddhist Stupa in Khara-Khoto Ruin

9) Badain Jaran Desert Jeeps - Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
10) Mongolian Yurt
11) Sand Dune and Desert Lake
12) Badain Jaran Desert ridge at sunset

Expedition with Desert Jeeps with Camels in the distance

Sand Dune and Desert Lake

The Badain Jaran Desert [6] covers an area of 49,000 square kilometers, which is about 30 percent larger than the island of Taiwan. It has more than 140 lakes, and many are in the southern region of the desert.  These lakes provide life sustenance for the herds and limited vegetation. This desert is home to the tallest stationary dunes on earth. The Bilutu Peak measures 500 meters from its base, and is the tallest stationary dune in the world.
   We hired three desert jeeps for our group for an excursion trip going up and down the sand dunes and visiting/viewing the oases.  We stayed in a guest house for one night with dinner and breakfast served.  There was no shower.  Water was precious. We got the the place early enough and did not have to stay in a yurt/ger.  We have 5 twin-sized beds for men and similar ones for women.  The tour leader told us that the yurt is usually not as well heated as our small brick compound.

Mongolian Yurt

Sunset on Sand Dune Ridge

     

I was very fortunate to be in good health throughout this trip.  I was able to take many good pictures with my simple iPhone and iPad. Nevertheless, there are many challenges for the unprepared and uninitiated.
1) Difficult and unacceptable toilet facilities on the road.
2) Dry air that caused allergic reaction for one team member.
3) Huge temperature swing between day and night for the travelers who had to get up around 5am three times to see the sunrises.
4) On the rough and exciting desert jeep ride, two members had to bail out after the first 5 km due to severe motion sickness. Fortunately, there was a decent hotel near the entrance of the geopark in the desert.

References:
[1] YinChuan 银川 - Capital City of NingXia Hui Autonomous Region -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinchuan
[2] Xi Xia 西夏 History in China - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Xia
[3] Alxa League, Inner Mongolia 内蒙古阿拉善盟 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alxa_League
[4] Ejin Banner 额济纳旗, Inner Mongolia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ejin_Banner 
[5] Tengger Desert 腾格里沙漠 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengger_Desert
[6] Badain Jaran Desert 巴丹吉林沙漠 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badain_Jaran_Desert
[7] Mirage 海市蜃楼 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage
[8] Helan Mountains 贺兰山 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helan_Mountains
[9] Dalai Lama VI - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Dalai_Lama
[10] Huyang Tree 胡杨树 - Diversifolius poplar - Euphrat-Pappel https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%83%A1%E6%9D%A8  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_euphratica https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphrat-Pappel
[11] Juyan Lake 居延海 (Gashuun Nuur) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juyan_Lake_Basin
[12] Black Water City 黑水城 /Walled Fortress and its XiXia Cultural Treasures - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khara-Khoto
[13] Mongolian Buddhist Stupa - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupa

English with an American Corporate Accent - 040

This is another collection from recent meetings and trips. It works best if you can find a native English speaker with exposure to corporate America to elaborate on the finer points that I cannot cover well here.

* They are squatting in our device name space. [They are simply sitting in our device name space.]
* Peter said not to hold our breath for that decision. [Peter said not to expect that decision to come anytime soon.]
* Pre-allocating them will give us some head room to operate. [Allocating them beforehand will give us some leeway to operate.]
* Let's sort them out in chronological order so that we can formulate a punch list for execution. [Let's sort them out in chronological order so that we can formulate a to-do list for execution.]

* There are bigger fish to fry. [There are more important things to worry about.]
* We should hold their feet to the fire, otherwise, nothing gets done. [We should keep the pressure on, otherwise, nothing gets done.]
* They made a valiant effort to deliver that project before the gate closes. [They tried their best to deliver that project before the gate closes.]
* I am going to write an email to them for a waiver. This requirement at the 11th hour is impossible to meet. [I am going to write an email to them for a waiver.  This late requirement is impossible to meet.]

* We are in the weeds for the last forty-five minutes. [We are overwhelmed with details for the last forty-five minutes.]
* It will be an unbounded path if you enable that feature by hand. [It will be an uncontrolled path if you enable that feature manually.]
* Is there a chance that the rug gets pulled out from underneath when you are traversing that linked list? [Is there a chance that the linked list gets modified when you are traversing that linked list?]
* That stock is certainly on the up and up, although we don't know why. [That stock is certainly reliable and honest, although we don't know why.]

My first Vietnam trip - Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

This was my first trip to Vietnam.  I learned from news and various media that communist Vietnam is also going through incredible market economy changes to modernize herself. I have many Vietnamese friends, and almost all of them or their parents came to America when the American and the South Vietnamese lost their war in the mid 70's. They don't like the communist regime.

I joined a 5-day, 4-night Taiwanese tour group, which cost me about $1100 USD with everything included. This tour uses Vietnamese Airlines and it has no mandatory shopping. The fees for Vietnamese visa and all meals are included.  The visa is on a separate piece of paper, and there is no trace of the visit on your passport. This becomes a common practice when visiting certain countries. The lodging accommodation was excellent with one night at Ha Long Bay Novotel, one night at the Indochina Sails Cruise Junk, and two nights at the Hanoi JW Marriott.

Indochina Sails Cruise Junk

Logistically, the flight from Taipei was very early, so that we managed to visit a couple of tourist spots in Hanoi before we took a 4-hour-long bus ride to Ha Long Bay in the afternoon.  The bulk of the travel on the road is of State Highway caliber at best and often goes through small towns.  It will be a quick 2-hour run in the future for this 200-kilometer trip when they upgrade to true Interstate Highway caliber roads.


Ha Long Bay is truly beautiful and is a mature karst and limestone landscape.  It is Guilin on the sea, but at a much larger scale.

Panoramic View from the top of Titop Island

Sunrise in Ha Long Bay

Early morning in Ha Long Bay

 

Vietnamese straw hat at the Boat Terminal

I had my Vietnamese straw hat before the bay tour.  It was handy and good thing to have for the weather in this region.  But it immediately conjured up the image of a Viet Cong from the Vietnam War era.


Like many developing nations, Vietnam had to balance the zealous development projects with environmental and ecological concerns.  This half-finished amusement park near the beach was an example that many of my tour group members felt unnecessary at all.

Half-finished amusement park near the Ha Long Bay beach

On our way to Ha Long Bay, there were many unoccupied resorts and buildings near the beach.  We were told that they were yet to recover from the 2008 economic recession because of over-development.

Unoccupied beach-front resorts and buildings

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. It has more than one thousand years of history, and for the most part, it was dominated by the Chinese.  Hanoi was taken by the French in 1873. It became the capital of French Indochina in 1887.  It became the capital of North Vietnam in 1954 when the colonial period ended.

Spectacular telephone pole wiring in Hanoi's Old Quarter

Modern-day Hanoi is divided by a river.  The New Hanoi quarter was built in the last twenty years, and roads and streets are well planned with many new modern buildings and hotels. Old Hanoi quarter is the original Hanoi. This picture shows spectacular telephone pole wiring.

Typical tall and narrow buildings in Hanoi and suburbs

The architecture and style of the houses and buildings are heavily influenced by the hot and humid weather and by the French adaptation of existing Chinese structure. They are in general tall (high ceiling) and narrow.

Temple of Literature (Confucius)

Ancestral Workship Hall

Chinese writings are visible only in temples and ancestral worship halls. The Temple of Literature, aka Temple of Confucius, followed the Chinese civil examination system to promote study and to select government officials.
The Vietnamese pronunciation has very strong similarity to some of the southern Chinese dialects. Modern-day Vietnamese romanization/writing is based primarily on the Portuguese pronunciation system.  I was told that the grammatical structure is a mixture between that of Chinese and French.


The French brought in Catholicism to Vietnam. I visited the St. Joseph's Cathedral in the old quarter.  My old habit of looking for Catholic Church happens to be part of the tour :-)

Hanoi St. Joseph's Cathedral

Hanoi Hotel Metropole (Sofitel Legend)

The historic 1901 French colonial-style Hotel Metropol is charming and beautiful.  Our tour group had one of the lunches there.


Ho Chi Minh Museum is a place to see Vietnamese history from the North Vietnamese perspective.  The Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is next to the Ba Dinh Square. The tour guide said that there is an annual maintenance trip to Moscow in the Fall. This is quite unbelievable to me though. The communist party did not honor Ho Chi Minh's wish to have himself cremated. He was out of the country for 30 years, traveling and residing in many countries, until he came back to Vietnam in 1941 to lead the independence movement. I was fascinated to learn that he was in Canton, China between 1925-1927 at the Whampoa Military Academy, where he would presumably have been acquainted with many Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communist pioneers. It was documented that he married a Chinese wife, Zeng Xueming, in that period.  But this is denied by the Vietnamese government to perpetuate the myth of his celibacy.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

We went to see a water puppetry show in a theater.  It is pretty interesting to think about the techniques required to perform with controlling sticks under the water.

We visited the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in whirlwind style.  It was best to do it that way, because the humidity level was quite unbearable for the June weather.
Vietnam has many small ethnic minorities, who need education and job training to keep up with progress in the whole country, and there is much to do.

Three-hour Ferry from Pingtan Island, China to Bali, Taiwan

This is to wrap up my crossing ventures from China to Taiwan by sea.  My last attempt was two years ago from Xiamen to Kinmen, and it was less than 30 minutes on a commuter ferry.

The Strait-Crossing Ferry

Most travelers fly from mainland China to major cities in Taiwan these days.  Crossings by ferry have only been available in the last few years.  I took a short ferry run from Xiamen to Kinmen a couple of years ago in July 2014.  That was symbolic, since Kinmen is still 100 plus miles away from Taiwan proper.  This ferry from Pingtan Island crosses the Taiwan Strait in 3 hours with a top speed at 39 knots (nautical miles per hour).

A five-kilometer-long bridge to the Fujian mainland was completed in November 2010. Pingtan Island is about 120 km from the nearby city Fuzhou, and it takes about 2 hours in bus/shuttle.  The destination Bali is a port at the Tamsui River outside of Taipei city.  There are bus and subway connections nearby.

Armed Guard at the Beijing South Railroad Station

After my business travel to Beijing this time, I took a high-speed train, G27, at 9:45am from Beijing on June 4, 2016 and arrived around 5:30pm in the city of Fuzhou.  The one-way ticket cost me 719 RMB (about 110 USD). June 4 is a particularly sensitive day in China these days, and the security was tight in the train station. The armed police/military was clearly visible in the Beijing South Railroad Station. Fuzhou is the provincial capital of FuJian, which is directly across from Taiwan over the Strait.

There is one ferry crossing from both sides of the Strait every day, you can find the schedules on these two websites [1] [2].  Use either site to book and purchase tickets for passengers with a will-call arrangement.  The Monday morning ferry run is at 9:00am from Pingtan, and the transportation is iffy if I tried to take that ferry from Fuzhou.  I decided to stay in Pingtan Island, and I used Airbnb app to book a hostel-like room near the beach. It was my first excuse to use Airbnb.

Fuzhou City Light

Fuzhou WuYi Square from Shangri-La hotel Window

I used my Shangri-La points to book the hotel in Fuzhou, which allowed me to have comfort and leisure before my comparatively rougher day ahead.  Fuzhou is quite a modern city now.  I took my limited time to see the city and its old quarters before I left for Pingtan Island around 3pm.  

Saint Dominic Cathedral

FuZhou local snack- mostly sticky rice based

As usual, I found my Catholic Church in the city.  Saint Dominic Cathedral is in the Cangshan district. Fuzhou was one of the earliest ports open to foreign trade in Qing Dynasty. 








The Lin Zexu museum was an interesting visit, as I came back to read a whole lot more about the significance of the First Opium War and the unraveling of Modern Chinese History. Lin was a Fuzhou native and was sent to Canton as the envoy from the Emperor in Beijing to enforce the ban on opium trade. 
The old town was interesting and layout of the residential clusters dated back to the Jin Dynasty around 300AD. I enjoyed some local food for lunch in the old quarters.

Lin ZeXu Museum

 











 

Deity in the unregulated Super Shuttle

The concierge at the Shangri-La hotel found the information for me on the Fuzhou South Bus Station that has hourly bus runs to Pingtan Island.  I took a cab to the Station and bought a ticket for 55 RMB. It turned out to be from an unregulated private super shuttle van.  They have ticket-selling stalls, looking quite official, at the alleyways before the entrance of the bus station.  I was mislead to buy a ticket from such stall.  When some gentleman came up to help with my luggage right after I paid for the ticket, I knew that something was not right.  Anyway, I could speak the language and decided to go along with it.  That was not the first time.  I had to wait a little for the driver to gather enough customers, and later the van had to stop at two places to pick up the last two passengers.  It was quite packed with a total of 8 people including the driver.  The driver wasn't too crazy in driving by the Chinese standard, and it was safe enough for the 2-hour ride.

He dropped me off at the Pingtan Bus Station.  I had to take another cab to my beach-front BnB place. Fortunately I had a Chinese phone number, and the driver could talk to the BnB owner to get me that. It was not easy and straightforward. Although the island is changing rapidly, Pingtan Island still is a big fishing village. The day was cloudy with light rain.  It was not a good thing to be left out in nowhere. They didn't use meters for the taxi ride and this was usually not a good sign for visitors.  I got to the place for 40 RMB.  

Pingtan Island Beach BnB - near Island Research Center

Pingtan Beach - near Island Research Center

The lodging itself was 21USD (135RMB) for one night.  It was a reasonable accommodation, including a clean room, a queen-sized bed, air conditioning, and a TV.  I rarely turn on TV in China except in major international cities and when I am feeling extremely bored.  The owner gave me the WiFi password; the Internet connection was quite useful.  The concept of "B and B (Bed and Breakfast)" is different in China and probably in many other places.  The Bed part is there from privately owned lodging facilities.  The Breakfast part is not translated and observed in this setting.  Fortunately I had an instant noodle package with me. With hot water, I could get by.  The instant coffee package from Shangri-La came in handy also for the morning. Food option were limited at the beach-front venue.  This beach was frequented by Chinese visitors for day-trip group outings.  A cookout at the beach and BBQ were available, but arrangements had to be made beforehand.  Otherwise, choices are limited and you also have to take food quality and hygiene standard into consideration.

Panoramic View of Pingtan Beach - near Island Reseach Center

Pingtan Ferry Terminal Ticket Office

I did not do much for the evening except talking to the owner and his family members at their dinner table. The owner is a young entrepreneur running a 6-room beach house. Both his father and grandfather are still fishing during the season. I recall that they said that May to August is their mandatory off season to leave the sea to replenish itself. I took a bit of rice congee as a courtesy for their invitation.  The rain stopped overnight.  I rose early enough in the morning to take advantage of the quiet and serene moment.  I took an hour or so strolling around the beach.

Pingtan Customs and Border Control

To be on the safe side, I asked the owner to order a taxi for me at 7am.  It was again a negotiated fare.  It went through multi-tier arrangement and ended up paying 90RMB for the 20-minute ride.  I was one of the first few arrived at the ferry terminal.  The ticket office was not open until 8 o'clock.  The customs/immigration/border-control facility was not open until 8:30am. I was early, and I eventually saw six tour groups either going to Taiwan or coming back from their mainland visits.

I pre-ordered my ticket online with a travel agent [1].  The transaction was reasonable.  The fare was 600RMB (about 90USD) and the service charge was 30RMB.  I had a piece of paper printed in Beijing to exchange for the actual ticket.  Basically it is a will-call transaction.

Ferry Boat middle Section

The ferry boat was about 1/3 full on my trip. It can accommodate 700 or so people with three cabin sections.  The ride was smooth this time of the year. 

Goddess Protecting the Ferry Boat in the Front Section

When it got to Bali, Taiwan, a shuttle bus took us to the customs/immigration office area.  
With my pre-trip research, I was planning to take the bus to Taipei City Center or take the subway from GuanDu/HongShuLin. Either way, I realized that I had to take a short taxi ride to Bali town or to the subway station.  I was quite tired and with a large luggage, I ended up taking the cab all the way to the city.  It was about 30 minutes and cost me 760NTD (23USD).

Arriving at Bali Port at the mouth of Tamsui River

This travel route still needs a lot of ironing out, and it is not yet ready for individual travelers, especially non-Chinese speakers.  I saw that about six tour groups from both sides of the Straits on this ferry. I think this is an interesting experience from both side of the Straits and might be less expensive as well.  The tour operators could arrange the lodging and transportation to bridge the gaps that are not convenient for individual travelers.

Waiting for Shuttle at Bali Port, Taipei

[1]  http://www.csf.com.tw/ocean/price.php  in traditional Chinese
     台北市龍江路96號2樓  02-25169779, Boat ticket from Pingtan -  电话：0591-23192222 传真：0591-24199222 ATTN. MS CHANG J
[2]   http://www.amoytrip.com/book-pingtan-taiwan-ferry.html in English 

English with an American Corporate Accent - 039

This is another collection from recent meetings and trips. It works best if you can find a native English speaker with exposure to corporate America to elaborate on the finer points that I cannot cover well here.

* In the data security context, we have to make sure that the storage component is not the weakest link. [In the data security context, we have to make sure that the storage component is not the most vulnerable link.]
* We can repurpose the drive, when they are done with it. [We can reuse the drive for other purposes, when they are done with it.]
* We'll have another side-bar to discuss that tomorrow morning. [We'll have a separate meeting to discuss that tomorrow morning.]
* I understand that it is in your long list of things to do. What is your elevator pitch then? [I understand that it is in your long list of things to do.  What is your short summary then?]
* My summary from the brainstorm session was vetted a couple of times internally, before outside consumption. [My summary from the brainstorm session was reviewed a couple of times internally, before we distributed it outside of the group.]
* Nothing is a slam dunk unless we know more about the future priorities. [Nothing is going to happen easily unless we know more about the future priorities.]
* There you go, you did not hear from me about this. [There you go, you did not learn this from me.]
* We are thrashing on that issue as far as zero-administration goes. [We are going back and forth on that issue as far as zero-administration goes.]
* Let me clue you guys in.  What Ron is talking about is the regression found by that integration a week ago. [Let me give you guys a hint. What Ron is talking about is the regression found by that integration a week ago.]
* It takes four months for them to act on it. I am sure that is not their barn burner issue. [It takes four months for them to act on it.  I am sure that is not their first priority item.]
* My question could possibly be seen as somewhat of a tangential topic. [My question could possibly be seen as somewhat of a peripheral topic.]
* Item number two is really just throwing the switch, once item number three is completed. [Item number two is really just simply enabling that, once item number three is completed.]

Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf - Chinese

Original Link below : part of a collection

http://www.slkj.org/wenyan/24650.html Among many other collections. “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in original Classical Chinese and the translated modern day vernacular Chinese.

Unabridged Translation
http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2015/12/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-unabridged.html

　

文言文《东郭先生和狼》选自高中文言文，其古诗原文如下：

　　【前言】

　　东郭先生把“兼爱”施于恶狼身上，因而险遭厄运。这一寓言告诉我们，即使在人与人的关系中，也存在“东郭先生”式的问题。一个人应该真心实意地爱人民，但丝毫不应该怜惜狼一样的恶人。 现在，“东郭先生”和“中山狼”已经成为汉语中固定词语， “东郭先生” 专指那些不辨是非而滥施同情心的人，“中山狼”则是指忘恩负义、恩将仇报的人。

　　【原文】

　　赵简子（春秋时晋国大夫）大猎于中山，虞人（掌管山泽的官吏）导前，鹰犬罗后，捷禽鸷（读音zhì，凶猛）兽，应弦而倒者不可胜数。有狼当道，人立而啼。简子唾手登车，援乌号之弓，（传说中黄帝的弓。黄帝乘龙升天时，堕下一弓，百姓抱弓而号哭，因此后人名此弓为‘乌号’。出自《史记》）挟肃慎之矢（我国东北方的少数民族，造的箭非常有名，用一进贡），一发饮羽，狼失声而逋

（读音bū，逃跑）。简子怒，驱车逐之。惊尘蔽天，足音鸣雷，十步之外，不辨人马。

　　时墨者东郭先生将北适中山以干仕。策蹇（读音jiǎn，跛、瘸）驴，囊图书，夙（早晨）行失道，望尘惊悸。狼奄（读音yǎn，突然）至，引首顾曰：“先生岂有志于济物哉？昔毛宝放龟而得渡（传说晋时预州刺史毛宝曾将一只小白龟放入江中，后毛为石勒所败，跳入江中，得白龟相助而活命。见《续搜神记》），隋侯救蛇而获珠（传说隋侯曾治愈一条受伤的大蛇，后蛇于江中衔一大珠为报答。见《淮南子》），龟蛇固弗灵于狼也，今日之事，何不使我得早处囊中以苟延残喘乎？异时倘得脱颖而出，先生之恩，生死而肉骨也，敢不努力以效龟蛇之诚！”

　　先生曰：“私汝狼以犯世卿、忤权贵，祸且不测，敢望报乎？然墨之道，兼爱为本，吾终当有以活汝。脱（即使）有祸，固所不辞也。”乃出图书，空囊橐（读音tuó，袋子）徐徐焉实狼其中。前虞（担心）跋（踩、踏）胡（这里指下巴），后恐疐（读音zhì，压）尾，三纳之而未克（成功）。徘徊容与（本意是闲暇自在，此处指慢条斯理），追者益近。狼请曰：“事急矣！先生果将揖（作揖、行礼）逊（谦逊、礼让）救焚（火灾）溺（溺水）而鸣鸾（车的鸾铃）避寇盗耶？惟先生速图！”乃跼蹐（读音jú、jí，曲缩）四足，引绳而束缚之，下首至尾，曲脊掩胡，猬缩蠖（读音huó，蛾蛹）屈，蛇盘龟息，以听命先生。先生如其指，纳狼于囊，遂括（拴紧）囊口，肩举驴上，引避道左，以待赵人之过。

　　已而简子至，求狼弗得，盛怒，拔剑斩辕端示先生，骂曰：“敢讳狼方向者，有如此辕！”先生伏质（体）就地，匍匐以进，跽（读音jì，长跪）而言曰：“鄙人不慧，将有志于世，奔走遐方，自迷正途，又安能发狼踪以指示夫子之鹰犬也？然尝闻之：‘大道以多歧而亡羊。’夫羊，一童子可制之，如是其驯也，尚以多歧而亡；狼非羊比，而中山之歧可以亡羊者何限？乃区区（仅仅）循大道以求之，不几于守株缘木乎？况田猎，虞人之所事也，君请问诸皮冠（虞人所戴的帽子，代指虞人）。行道之人何罪哉？且鄙人虽愚，独不知夫狼乎？性贪而狠，党豺为虐，君能除之，固当跬（读音kuǐ，一举足曰跬，两举足曰步）左足以效微劳，又肯讳之而不言哉！”简子默然，回车就道。先生亦驱驴兼程而进。

　　良久，羽牦之影渐没，车马之音不闻。狼度简子之去远，而作声囊中曰：“先生可留意矣。出我囊，解我缚，拔矢我臂，我将逝矣！”先生举手出狼，狼咆哮，谓先生曰：“适为虞人逐，其来甚速，幸先生生我，我馁甚，馁不得食，亦终必亡而已。与其饥饿死道路，为群兽食，无宁毙于虞人，以俎豆（读音zǔ，两中都是盛食物的器皿）于贵家。先生既墨者，摩顶放踵，思一利天下，又何吝一躯啖我而全微命乎？”遂鼓吻奋爪，以向先生。

　　先生仓猝以手搏之，且搏且却，引蔽驴后，便旋而走，狼终不得有加于先生，先生亦极力拒，彼此俱倦，隔驴喘息。先生曰：“狼负我！狼负我！”狼曰：“吾非固欲负汝，天生汝辈，固需吾辈食也！”相持既久，日晷（读音guǐ，古代用日影测定时间的仪器）渐移，先生窃念：“天色向晚，狼复群至，吾死矣夫！”因绐（读音dài，欺骗）狼曰：“民俗，事疑必询三老。第（只管）行矣，求三老而问之，苟（如果）谓我当食即食，不可即已。”狼大喜，即与偕行。

　　逾时，道无行人，狼馋甚，望老木僵立路侧，谓先生曰：“可问是老。”先生曰：“草木无知，叩焉何益？”狼曰：“第问之，彼当有言矣。”先生不得已，揖老木，具述始末，问曰：“若然，狼当食我耶？”木中轰轰有声，谓先生曰：“我杏也，往年老圃种我时，费一核耳。逾年华，再逾年实，三年拱把（两手掌合围那么粗），十年合抱，至于今，二十年矣。老圃食我，老圃之妻子食我，外至宾客，下至于仆，皆食我。又复鬻（读音yù，卖）实于市以规（谋）利。我其有功于老圃甚巨。今老矣，不得敛（谢）花就实，贾（读音gǔ，招惹）老圃怒，伐我条枚，芟（读音shān，剪除）我枝叶，且将售我工师（工匠）之肆（店铺）取值焉。噫！樗（读音chu一声，臭椿树，其木不能成材）朽之材，桑榆之景（‘景’通‘影’。‘桑榆之景’代指老年），求免于斧钺（读音yuè，大斧子）之诛而不可得。汝何德于狼，乃觊（读音jì，企图）免乎？是固当食汝。”言下，狼复鼓吻奋爪，以向先生。先生曰：“狼爽盟矣！矢询三老，今值（遇到）一杏，何遽见迫耶？”复与偕行。

　　狼愈急，望见老牸（读音zi四声，母牛），曝日（读音pù，晒太阳）败垣中，谓先生曰：“可问老牛。”先生曰：“向者草木无知，谬言害事。今牛，禽兽耳，更何问为？”狼曰：“第问之，不问将咥（读音dié，咬）汝。”先生不得已，揖老牸，再述始末以问。牛皱眉瞪目，舐（读音shì，舔）鼻张口，向先生曰：“老杏之言不谬矣！老牸茧栗（牛角象蚕茧、栗子一样小的时候），少年时筋力颇健，老农卖一刀以易我，使我贰（做副手）群牛事南亩，既壮，群牛日益老惫，凡事我都任之。彼将驰驱，我伏田车，择便途以急奔趋；彼将躬耕，我脱辐衡（牛车架在牛身上的横木），走郊埛（读音jiǒng，郊野）以辟榛荆。老农亲我犹左右手。衣食仰我而给，婚姻仰我而毕，赋税仰我而输，仓庾（读音yǔ粮囤）仰我而实。我亦自谅（自信），可得帷席之蔽，如马、狗也。往年家储无担石，今麦收多十斛（读音hu二声，和‘担’、‘石’都是古代容积单位）矣；往年穷居无顾借（理睬），今掉（大幅度地甩）臂行村社矣；往年尘卮（读音zhī，酒杯）罂（读音yīng，坛子），涸唇吻，盛酒瓦盆，半生未接；今酝黍稷，据樽罍（读音léi，都是酒器），骄妻妾矣；往年衣短褐（读音hè，粗布衣服），侣木石，手不知楫（读音jí，聚集），心不知学，今持兔园册（旧时教科书），戴笠子，腰韦带（熟皮做的皮带），衣宽博矣。一丝一粟，皆我力也。顾（但是）欺我老弱，逐我郊野；酸风射眸，寒日吊影；瘦骨如山，老泪如雨；涎垂而不可收，足挛而不可举；皮毛俱亡，疮痍未瘥（读音chài，痊愈）。老农之妻妒且悍，朝夕进说曰：‘牛之一身无废物也：肉可脯，皮可鞟（读音kuò，去毛的皮，皮革），骨角且切磋成器。’指大儿曰：‘汝受业庖丁之门有年矣，胡不砺刃于硎（读音xíng，磨刀石）以待？’迹是（依照这种迹象）观之，是将不利于我，我不知死所矣！夫我有功，行将蒙祸。汝何德于狼，觊幸免乎？”言下，狼又鼓吻奋爪，以向先生，先生曰：“毋欲速！”

　　遥望老子杖藜而来，须眉皓然，衣冠闲雅，盖有道者也。先生且喜且愕，舍狼而前，拜跪啼泣，致辞曰：“乞丈人一言而生！”丈人问故，先生曰：“是狼为虞人所窘，求救于我，我实生之。今反欲咥我，力求不免，我又当死之。欲少延于片时，誓定是于三老。初逢老杏，强我问之，草木无知，几杀我；次逢老牸，强我问之，禽兽无知，又将杀我。今逢丈人，岂天下之未丧斯文（文人儒者）也！敢乞一言而生。”因顿首杖下，俯伏听命。丈人闻之，欷歔（唏嘘）再三，以杖叩狼曰：“汝误矣！夫人有恩而背之，不祥莫大焉！儒谓，受人恩而不忍背者，其为子必孝，又谓虎狼知父子。今汝背恩如是，则并父子亦无矣。”乃厉声曰：“狼速去，不然，将杖杀汝！”

　　狼曰：“丈人知其一，未知其二。请诉之，愿丈人垂听。初，先生救我时，束缚我足，闭我囊中，压以诗书，我鞠躬不敢息。又蔓词（东拉西扯的话）以说（读音shuì）简子，其意盖将死我于囊，而独窃其利也。是安可不咥？”丈人顾先生曰：“果如是，是羿（后羿。传说后羿传授箭术给逢蒙，后来逢蒙将后羿射死）亦有罪焉。”先生不平，具状其囊狼怜惜之意。狼亦巧辩不已以求胜。丈人曰：“是皆不足以执信也。试再囊之，吾观其状，果困苦否？”狼欣然从之，伸足先生。先生复缚置囊中，肩举驴上，而狼未之知也。丈人附耳谓先生曰：“有匕首否？”先生曰：“有。”于是出匕。丈人目先生使引匕刺狼。先生曰：“不害狼乎？”丈人笑曰：“禽兽负恩如是，而犹不忍杀，子固仁者，然愚亦甚矣！从井以救人（为救井里的人也跳进井里），解衣以活友，于彼计则得，其如就死地何！先生其此类乎？仁陷于愚，固君子之所不与（不赞成）也。”言已大笑。遂举手助先生操刃，共殪（读音yì，杀死）狼，弃道上而去。

　　【翻译】

　　赵简子在中山声势浩大地打猎，看山的官吏们在前面引路，老鹰和猎狗排在后面，敏捷的鸟凶猛的兽，应声（弦的声音）而死的不可胜数。有只狼在道上，象人一样站在那号叫。简子吐口唾沫到手上跳上车子，拿起宝弓，搭上利箭，一箭射到羽毛都陷入肉中，狼号叫着逃跑。简子恼怒，驱赶着车子追赶它。扬起的尘埃遮天蔽日，马蹄之声如同鸣雷，十步之外，看不清人马。

　　当时墨家学者东郭先生要来北方的中山谋官。赶着跛脚驴，袋子装着图书，清早赶路迷了道，望见扬起的尘埃非常害怕。狼突然来到，伸着脑袋看着他说：“先生一定有志于救天下之物的吧？从前毛宝放生小白龟而在兵败落江时得白龟相助得以渡江活命，隋侯就了条蛇而得到宝珠，龟蛇本来就没有狼有灵性，今天这情景，何不让我赶紧待在袋子里得以苟延残喘呢？将来什么时候（我）如果能出人头地，先生的恩德，是把死救活让骨头长肉啊，（我）怎么会不努力效仿龟蛇的诚心（相报）啊！”

　　先生说：“私藏你冒犯世袭公卿、忤逆权贵，祸将不测，那敢指望什么报答啊？然而墨家的宗旨，博爱为本，我一定要救你活命的。即使有祸，本来也不打算回避的。”便（从袋子里）拿出图书，空出袋子慢慢地将狼装入其中。前面怕踩着了它的下巴，后面怕压着了它的尾巴，再三装它都没成功。慢条斯理，追赶的人更加近了。狼请求道：“事急啊！先生当真要（这么）斯文有礼地救火救溺水之人、摇响车铃躲避盗贼的吗？还是请先生赶紧动手啊！”便蜷缩起四肢，拿绳子（给先生）绑起袋子，低下头弯到尾巴，弓起背埋起下巴，像刺猬一样蜷缩像蛾蛹一样曲身，蛇一样盘曲龟一样屏息，听凭先生（处置）。先生按照它的指示，装狼在袋子中，便栓紧袋口，扛上驴背，退避到路旁，等候赵简子的人过去。

　　不久简子到，寻找狼没找到，非常生气，拔剑斩车辕的顶端给先生看，骂道：“敢隐瞒狼的方向的人，有如这车辕！”先生将身体趴到了地上，匍匐着前进，一直跪着说：“鄙人不是很聪明，（但）有志于对这世界有所贡献，奔走远方，自己迷失了道路，又怎么能发现狼的踪迹来指示给你的鹰犬呢？然而我曾经听说：‘大道因为岔道多而丢失羊。’羊，一个孩童就可以制（伏）它，像羊这么驯服，还因为岔道多而丢失；狼不是羊可以比的，而中山的岔道可能丢失羊的道理还有什么不同吗？这仅仅沿着达到找它，不是强如守株待兔缘木求鱼吗？何况这狩猎，是看山人的事，您请去问戴皮帽的人（看山人）。（我这）过路的人有什么罪啊？鄙人虽然愚钝，难道不知道狼吗？生性贪婪而凶狠，和豺为伍作恶，您能除掉它，本就应当尽力以效微劳，又怎么会隐藏它而不说呢！”简子无言以对，回车上路。先生也赶着驴子以加倍的速度赶路。

　　过了很久，扎着牦牛尾巴的旗子渐渐消失了，车马的声音听不见了。狼估计简子去远了，就在袋子里面发出声音说：“先生可考虑了吧。把我从袋子里放出来，解掉绑我的绳子，拔掉我臂上的箭，我要走啊！”先生动手放出狼，狼咆哮着，对先生说：“刚才被看山人追赶，他们来的太快，所幸先生救了我，我非常饿，饿了没有食物，也终将死掉玩完。与其饿死在路上，被众野兽吃掉，不如死在看山人手里，成为贵人家的盘中物。先生既然是墨家学士，累得从头到脚都是伤，（不就）是想为天下作一点贡献吗，又何必吝惜一副身躯让我吃而保全我的小命呢？”便伸嘴舞爪，向先生（进攻）。

　　先生慌忙用手和它搏斗，边反抗边退，躲避在驴子后面，绕着圈跑，狼始终不能加害先生，先生也极力抗拒着，彼此都累了，隔着驴喘息。先生说：“狼背叛我！狼背叛我！”狼说：“我本来不想背叛你的，（可）天生你等，本来就是需要我们吃的啊！”相持已经很久，日影渐移（西斜），先生私下想：“天色就要晚了，狼又会成群来到，我死定了！”因此骗狼说：“（按照）民俗，事情有疑问必定问三位老人。（咱们）只管走，找三个老人问他们，如果说我应当被吃就（给你）吃，不该吃就算了。”狼大喜，就和他一起前行。

　　过了一会，路上没有行人，狼非常谗，望见老树直立在路旁，对先生说：“可以问这老树。”先生说：“草木无知，问它有什么用？”狼说：“只管问它，他会有话说的。”先生不得已，向老树作揖，详细叙述（情况）始末，（然后）问道：“如此，狼应当吃我吗？”树中轰轰响发出声音，对先生说：“我是杏树，当年老农种我时，只费一颗果核。过了一年开花，再过一年结果，三年有合掌那么粗，十年有合抱粗，到今天，二十年了。老农吃我，老农的老婆孩子吃我，外到宾客，下到仆人，都吃我。还在市场卖我谋利。我对老农有非常大的功劳。如今我老了，不能花谢结果，惹得老农恼怒，砍伐我的枝条，剪除我的枝叶，还要把我卖给木匠店换钱啊。唉！（我这已）不成材的朽木，老态的光景，但求免除斧凿的杀戮都不行。你对狼有什么功德，就指望免死啊？这样（的情况）本来就应当吃你。”正说着，狼又伸嘴舞爪，向先生（进攻）。先生说：“狼违背盟约啊！约定好问三位老人，现在（只）遇到一棵杏树，何必马上就逼迫呢？”再一起前行。

　　狼更加着急，望见（一头）老母牛，（正在）断墙之中晒太阳，（就）对先生说：“可以问老牛。”先生说：“前面草木无知，瞎话坏事。现在是牛，禽兽啊，又问它干什么？”狼说：“只管问他，不问就吃了你。”先生不得已，向老母牛作揖，再次叙述（情况）始末来询问。牛皱眉瞪眼，舔鼻子张嘴，向先生说：“老杏的话不错啊！（我）老牛角还是如蚕茧栗子一般的时候，少年时筋骨颇为健壮有力，老农卖一把刀换到了我，让我做群牛的副手耕种田地，等到（我）长壮了，群牛日渐老而无力，凡事都由我来承担。他要奔驰驱使，我背负的是田猎的车，选择便利的道路急速奔驰；他要亲自耕种，我脱去（背上的）车梁走在郊野开辟荆棘。老农对待我犹如左右手。衣食仰仗我供给，嫁娶仰仗我完成，赋税仰仗我交付，粮囤仰仗我装满。我也自信，能够得到帷幄席子遮蔽（风雨），像马、狗一样。原来（他）家储蓄的粮食一担一石都没有，如今麦子的收成有十斛那么多；从前（他）穷的没人理睬，如今甩着膀子在村社行走；往年（他）灰尘封着酒杯酒坛，嘴唇干，盛酒的挖盆，半辈子没装过酒；如今用粮食酿着酒，拿着酒杯，骄惯着妻妾啊；往年（他）穿着粗布衣服，和树木石头为伴，手聚不拢，心里没学问，如今拿着书，戴着帽子，腰扎皮带，衣服宽松啊。一根丝一你粒粟，都是我功劳啊。但是（如今）欺负我年老体弱，赶我到郊野；冷风吹眼，寒冷天的太阳照着身影；瘦骨嶙峋（如山），老泪如雨；涎流得收不住，脚痉挛得饿抬起；皮毛都没有了，疮痍没有痊愈。老农的老婆又嫉恨有凶悍，早晚说服道：’牛的一身没有废物啊：肉可以做脯，皮可以做皮革，骨头和角还能做成器皿。‘指着大儿子说：’你学徒庖丁的门下有年头了，为什么还不磨好刀等着呢？‘照这样的迹象看来，是叫要不利于我，我不知道要死在什么地方啊！我（虽）有功，马上就要蒙受灾祸啊。你对狼有什么公德啊，就指望免死啊？”正说着，狼又伸嘴舞爪，向先生（进攻）。先生说：“不要急！”

　　远远望见（一个）老人（男子）拄着木杖过来，胡子眉毛洁白，衣帽（打扮）修仙雅致，应该（大概）是有道之人。先生又喜又惊，丢下狼前去（见老人），啼哭着下跪拜倒，说道：“乞求老人一句话来救我活命！”老人询问原故，先生说：“这狼被看山人逼迫，向我求救，我实际上是救了它。现在它反而要吃我，怎么央求都不行，我又要死在它手上。想稍微延迟一下，约定决定这事在于三老。最初碰到老杏，强迫我问它，草木无知，几乎杀了我；其次碰上老母牛，强迫我问它，禽兽无知，又要杀我。现在碰上老人，岂不是天下没有丧尽斯文人啊！斗胆乞求（您）一句话就我活命。”因此在手杖只下磕头，爬着听从老人的示下。老人听了，叹息再三，用手杖扣击狼说道：“你错啦！别人对你有恩而背叛他，没有比这更不好的啊！儒家说，受人恩而不忍心背叛的人，他为人子必定孝顺，又说虎狼也知道父子之情。如今你背叛有恩的人到如此地步，就是屏除父子之情也没有如此的啊。”便厉声道：“狼赶快滚，不然，将用杖打死你！”

狼说：“老人你只知其一，不知其二。请让我把它说清楚，希望老人您屈尊听一听。当初，先生救我的时候，捆绑我的脚，把我封闭在袋子里（还）压上诗书，我曲着身子不敢喘息。（他）还东拉西扯说服简子，他的意思可能是要让我死在袋子里，而独自窃取这好处。这样（的人）怎么能不吃他？”老人看看先生说：“果然这样的话，这后羿也是有罪啊。”先生认为不公平，具体地说出他把狼装到袋子中的怜惜狼的意思。狼也巧辩不停来取得胜诉。老人说：“这都不足以令人信服。试着再把狼装到袋子里，我看那情状，果然是困苦不？”狼欣然按照他说的办，伸脚给先生。先生又绑了狼放进袋子里，扛到驴背上，而狼没察觉到什么。老人趴在先生的耳朵对他说：“有匕首没有？”先生说：“有。”于是拿出匕首。老人用眼神让先生拿匕首刺狼。先生说：“不是害狼吗？”老人笑道：“禽兽背叛恩德如此，还不忍心杀，您的确是仁者，然而也够愚蠢的啊！跟着一起跳进井里救人，脱下衣服救活朋友，从对方来考虑是好，那和置自己于死地有什么不同！先生就是这类人吗？仁慈得陷入愚蠢，本来就是君子所不赞成的啊。”说完大笑。便抬手帮先生操刀，一起杀死了狼，（将狼）丢弃在路上后离去。

Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf - unabridged translation - Part III

Part I - http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2015/11/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-unabridged.html
Part II - http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2015/12/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-unabridged.html

Part III - final

After they walked for a while, there were no pedestrians in sight. The wolf was very hungry, and he saw an old tree on the side of the road.  He said to Mr. Dong Guo, "You can ask this old tree." Mr. Dong Guo said, "Trees and plants are ignorant of things, what’s the use of asking them?" Said the wolf, "Just ask it, it will have something to say."

Mr. Dong Guo reluctantly bowed and asked this old tree. After giving the details of his account, he asked, "So, should the wolf eat me or not?" The old tree roared and said, "I am an apricot tree. The old farmer planted me with just a small seed in a nut. I started to flower in one year, and the next year I had my first fruit. In three years my trunk grew thick enough to be held with two palms. After 10 years, one had to encircle me with both arms. Today, I have lived more than 20 years.

“The farmer ate my fruit, his wife and children ate my fruit, his guests, even the servants, ate my fruit. They sold my fruit in the market to make money. I did great things for this old farmer. Now I am too old to flower and bear fruit, and the old farmer is angry with me. He is cutting my branches and pruning the leaves, and he is going to sell me to the carpenter for money. Sigh! I grew to become deadwood.  In my old age, I am not exempt from being chopped down for furniture. What have you done to the wolf to avoid your destiny? In this case you should be his meal."

Hearing this, the wolf opened his mouth with claws waving and was ready to devour Mr. Dong Guo. Mr. Dong Guo said, "Wolf, don’t forget our agreement to ask three old wise men.  We have only encountered one old apricot tree. Don’t be so fast!" And then both of them moved along together.

Now the wolf became anxious. He and Mr. Dong Guo saw an old cow sunbathing behind the broken walls of a farm house. The wolf told Mr. Dong Guo, "You can ask this cow." Mr. Dong Guo said, "That apricot tree was so ignorant that his nonsense almost cost me my life. This cow is a beast. What could she know and offer? " The wolf said, “Just ask her. If you don’t, I’ll eat you."

Mr. Dong Guo reluctantly bowed to the old cow and told his story again. The old cow frowned and stared at Mr. Dong Guo with her mouth wide open while licking her nose, and said, "The old apricot tree said it quite right. My old farmer sold his knife in exchange for me when my horns were the size of a chestnut and a silkworm cocoon, when I was a young but sturdy calf. He let me follow other cattle to work in the fields. When I grew up and became stronger, I took care of everything as the herd of cattle became old and weak. I took him to places on short notice. I carried the load of the farming work. I chose the short routes to get to places quickly. When my farmer would personally cultivate new fields, I would take off my yoke and work on the open fields to remove thorns and bushes for him.

“My farmer treated me like his right-hand man. He relied on me for food and clothing.  He relied on me to provide expenses for the marriages of his children.  He relied on me to work to pay the taxes. He relied on me to keep his barns and grain houses fully stocked. I was confident that I would be able to get a nice shelter like the horses and dogs in the household.

“There was not much wheat and grain surplus at all from year to year, so now the harvest I brought in had to be saved. Nobody in town ever noticed my farmer when he was poor. Now he raised  his head high walking through the village. In previous years, his drinking cups and wine jars were collecting dusts. His cups were never filled with wine, and he never tasted the wine then. Today he drinks the wine made from the grains with his spoiled wives and concubines. In previous years, he could only wear simple and coarse clothes. He was only able to have the rocks and trees as company. His rough hands could not hold much in them. He was not considered as a refined person at all.

“Now, he is carrying books, wearing a hat with a nice leather belt around his waist. His clothing is fit, refined, and flowing. I should be given credit for those tiny cotton threads and those small millet grains. Now that I am old and frail, I am sent to the countryside. The cold cutting wind is hurting my eyes. The sun is casting shadow on my thin and bony figure on this cold winter day. My tears can not stop flowing, and I am not able to stop my drooping, either. My foot cramps so badly that I cannot lift it, and I am so hungry. I am losing my fur fast, and my sores and wounds will not heal.

“The farmer's wife is jealous and brutal, she always mumbled and said, ‘Nothing from a cow goes to waste. Her meat can be made into jerky, her skin can be made into leather, her bones and horns can be made into useful utensils.’ Pointing to her oldest son, she said, ‘You have been an apprentice chef for a long time now. Why not grind your good butcher knife to get ready for it?’ It is very unfavorable for me. I do not know when and where I will die. Although the farmer and his family are indebted to me, I soon will suffer and meet my fate. What have you done to the wolf to escape from your destiny?”

Just then, the wolf opened his mouth and stretched out his claws again at Mr. Dong Guo. Mr. Dong Guo said,."Don’t be in such a hurry! "

Far away there was an elderly man with a wooden cane approaching. He had white eyebrows and beard, and was dressed elegantly. He was very much a gentleman. Mr. Dong Guo was quite pleased yet very nervous, leaving the wolf to meet this elderly man. He knelt down, crying, and said, "I beg you to have one good word to save my life!" The old man asked for the reason, and he replied, "This wolf was hunted down and asked me to save him. After I saved him, he wanted to eat me. My begging did not work, I would have had to die by his hands. I delayed this fate when the wolf agreed to decide the matter with three old wise men.

“First we encountered an old apricot tree. The wolf, forced me to ask it for advice.  This ignorant tree almost got me killed. Then we ran into an old cow. Again the wolf forced me to ask her. This ignorant beast almost got me killed as well. Now I see my hope in you, sir. The world has to have some grace and sensibility left to save my life! Your one word can save my life." Mr. Dong Guo was kowtowing unceasingly to the old man’s cane, and bent down to listen what the old man had to say.

The old man listened and sighed repeatedly. He used his cane to poke the wolf and said, "You're wrong to betray those who helped you. There is nothing worse than this. Confucius said, ‘A man who could not betray those who had helped him is for sure a filial son.’ It is also said that  even a tiger or a wolf knows that the son would return favor to his parents. Now you have betrayed so much to someone who saved you. This is a complete disgrace on your part that you don’t understand to be thankful." He snapped with anger and said to the wolf, "You get out of here right now. Otherwise, I will beat you to death with this cane! "

The wolf said, "Sir, you only know one part of the story, let me explain the whole thing to you. I hope that you have the patience to listen to my side of the story. Mr. Dong Guo saved me all right.  He tied my feet and put me in the bag. He piled his books on me that I could barely breathe. He was taking his time mumbling with Jianzi. I think he meant to let me die in the bag so that he could benefit from it afterwards. Why should I not eat this kind of disgusting person?”

The old man then looked at Mr. Dong Guo and said, "Sure enough, if this is indeed the case, you are guilty too and you deserve this.” Mr. Dong Guo thought that this was not fair at all and tried to explain his pity towards the wolf and the reason for hiding him in the bag. The wolf also argued unceasingly to convince the old man. The old man finally said, "I am not convinced either way. Why don’t we try to re-enact what happened, with you, wolf, going back into the bag again. It would give me the opportunity to assess the situation to see if the wolf was really in distress." The wolf was happy to comply, and he offered his feet to Mr. Dong Guo. Mr. Dong Guo tied him up to put him into the bag, and then threw the bag over donkey’s back. The wolf did not notice anything unusual.

The old man moved closer to Mr. Dong Guo and whispered in his ear and said, "You have a dagger?" Mr. Dong Guo replied, "Yes, I do." Then, he took out a dagger. The old man signaled Mr. Dong Guo to kill the wolf. Mr. Dong Guo said, "Isn’t this going to harm the wolf?" The old man laughed and said, "This betraying beast! You are still unwilling to kill him? You are indeed benevolent, although you are truly foolish and stupid. It would be truly altruistic of you if you were willing to jump into a well to save a person and willing to take off your coat to save a friend. But that is the equivalent of putting your own life in danger! Are you this type of benevolent but stupid person? Any gentleman would disapprove of this behavior." The old man laughed wildly and raised his hands so that he and Mr. Dong Guo could kill the wolf together.  They discarded the body and walked away.

[References]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wolf_of_Zhongshan  A simple introduction with some background.

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9Mf6YUu1Do  A cartoon with Chinese narrative.

[3] https://jasonkim29.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/the-wolf-of-zhongshan/   A very much abreviated story in English.

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIb8aPvOzDY   A Chinese shadow puppetry show (with Spanish subtitle).

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtyRdVEmd4  A modern day storytelling of “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in English.

[6] http://www.slkj.org/wenyan/24650.html Among many other collections. “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in original Classical Chinese and the translated modern day vernacular Chinese.

[7] http://tpaullee.blogspot.com/2016/02/mr-dong-guo-and-wolf-chinese.html  Kept in this same blog space for archival and conveniences. “Mr. Dong Guo and Wolf” in original Classical Chinese and the translated modern day vernacular Chinese.