Monday, February 02, 2004

 
"Who are Hu? Hu Hu Hu Hu,
Don't really wanna' know you,
Who, who, who, who are Hu?"1.
Or: "Shahukuo and [Over]awe"

In the face of underwhelming demand, more of the Jan 3, 2003 *National Geographic* article, "Chasing The Wall," is excerpted here:
"Back at his home, Old Chen pulled out a map and said that the village was originally called Ningxi Hulu. The name translates as: Pacify the Hu.
'Basically[will finish this later because the Middle Empress won't take the peasants' school bus]it means kill the foreigners,' he said with a smile. 'Look at this --' He pointed to another village on the map, ten miles to the east: Weilu. Overawe the Hu. Fifteen miles to the west: Pohubu. Destroy the Hu. Another 20 miles beyond that: Shahukou. Slaughter the Hu. Today these villages use the character for 'hu' that means 'tiger' -- a change made during the Qing dynasty, whose Manchu rulers came from northern tribes and were sensitive to the portrayal of people from beyond the border walls.
Old Chen shook my hand when I left. 'Next time you come,' he said, 'try to bring an archaeologist.'"

"Old Chen,"[53!] as he is described by the villagers, seems to be an engaging, rather than raging xenophobic fellow. He farmed potatoes and raised some five sheep on two "dusty" acres, and his income was about $200 a year. For the benefit of the National Geographic reporter he pulled out his "The Annals of Ninglu/Research Established January 22, 1992," written on rice papers stapled together. The reporter noted that, "Old Chen had the slow, deliberate walk of the Chinese peasant: hands clasped behind his back, head bowed thoughtfully."
One doubts that we will have anyone like Chen to remember us hundreds of years from now, given that our anglo population, unlike that of ancient China, is so much smaller than the tribes of "barbarians" that wish to overwhelm us in "search of a better life."

1. An "Ah, so sorry!"(O.K. I'll admit that while liked "Charlie Chan," such phrases and the filling of his role by an occidental was not merely "profane," but "really offensive"(2.)) goes out to (who else?) "The Who,"- although maybe not to Peter Townsend, lately acquitted of criminal charges related to the downloading of child pornography. An uniformed source(3.) asserts that like Madonna, he was hoping to write a best selling childrens' book: "Willie Horton Hears A Who."
-sorry 'bout *that*.....
2. From "Pretty Wu Manh"
3. Who? Me, that's who.....