This reading tells the story of a moment that took place before I brought Rascal home. While standing beside the Songhua River with my two best friends in Harbin, I found myself reflecting on the quiet power of nature and the concept of 道 (Dao). At the time, it seemed like an ordinary pause in an ordinary day. Looking back, it feels like the last quiet moment before a new chapter of life began.

The story below is adapted from my original Chinese writing and includes excerpts and themes from my memoir, The Four Seasons of Rascal: The Dog from Harbin.

As you read, pay attention to how the river, the conversation, and the decision to return to the dog vendor all come together in a single moment—one that would eventually lead to a journey spanning two countries, four states, seven cities, and thirteen and a half unforgettable years.

— Todd

📌 Note for Learners:

If you’re new to reading Chinese, don’t worry! The version below is in full Chinese characters.

✨ Just scroll down to find the instructor version—with pinyin, vocabulary, and audio to guide you step by step.

松花江边的一刻

离开狗市以后，我们决定先不急着买狗，而是到松花江边走一走。朋友想等一会儿再回去讨价还价，看看能不能把价格压低一些。

站在松花江旁，望着江的彼岸，我的脑子里没有任何执着。江水慢慢地流着，却展现出大自然无穷的力量与魅力。看着平静的江面，我忽然想到中国文化中的“道”。道似乎就像眼前的江水一样，不争、不急，却拥有推动万物前行的力量。

不一会儿，远处传来轮船的汽笛声，把我拉回当下。我望着轮船顺着江水缓缓滑向码头。转头看了看身边的两位朋友，他们也静静地望着江面，脸上没有任何表情，只是在欣赏周围的一切。

“你们觉得那只小狗怎么样？”我好奇地问。

他们想了想。其中一位朋友说：“感觉还不错，不过我也说不准。毕竟我从来没养过狗。”

我轻轻地“嗯”了一声，又把目光转回松花江。

多年以后回想起来，那一刻其实很特别。那时的我并不知道，那只连站都站不稳的小狗将陪伴我十三年半，也不知道它会跟着我跨越两个国家、四个州和七座城市。

我只是静静地站在松花江边，看着江水向前流去。

而命运，也正在慢慢地向我流来。

Download the PDF file HERE.

These PDFs are designed to help you immerse yourself fully in the language, focusing on reading and comprehension without Pinyin or vocabulary lists. And they include both simplified and traditional character versions. You can download, print them out, and use them for study and review at your own pace.

📖 本故事改编自《淘气宝四季》里的中文短篇故事。

This reading is adapted from an original Chinese short story featured in The Four Seasons of Rascal: The Dog from Harbin, published by Cultur668 Publishing.

松花江 (sōng huā jiāng) Songhua River
边 (biān) side; bank; edge
一刻 (yí kè) a moment

狗市 (gǒu shì) dog market
决定 (jué dìng) to decide
急着 (jí zhe) to be in a hurry to
讨价还价 (tǎo jià huán jià) to bargain; to haggle
价格 (jià gé) price
压低 (yā dī) to lower; to drive down
一些 (yì xiē) a bit; somewhat

💡 讨价还价 is a wonderful expression for bargaining in markets. Literally, “quote a price and return a price,” describing the back-and-forth negotiation process.

Book excerpt: Page 97: Return to the Pups

As we walked toward the end of the street, we drew nearer to the Songhua River Walk.

The River Walk was a picturesque, park-like pedestrian walk along the Songhua River. It started in the south, near the Shangri-La Hotel, and stretched all the way north to 道外 — Dao Wai, where we found ourselves then.

As we neared the River Walk, there were more fish. The Chinese love to raise fish almost as much as they like to eat them.

Click here to read more.

站 (zhàn) to stand
旁 (páng) beside; next to
彼岸 (bǐ àn) the opposite shore; the far bank
脑子 (nǎo zi) mind; brain
任何 (rèn hé) any
执着 (zhí zhuó) worries, attachment; fixation
江水 (jiāng shuǐ) river water
慢慢地 (màn màn de) slowly
流 (liú) to flow
展现 (zhǎn xiàn) to display; to reveal
大自然 (dà zì rán) nature
无穷 (wú qióng) endless; infinite
力量 (lì liang) power; strength
魅力 (mèi lì) charm; appeal
平静 (píng jìng) calm; tranquil
江面 (jiāng miàn) river surface
忽然 (hū rán) suddenly
想到 (xiǎng dào) to think of; to occur to
文化 (wén huà) culture
道 (dào) the Dao; the Way
似乎 (sì hū) to seem; as if
眼前 (yǎn qián) before one's eyes
不争 (bù zhēng) not to contend; not to compete
推动 (tuī dòng) to propel; to drive forward
万物 (wàn wù) all things; everything in existence
前行 (qián xíng) to move forward; to advance

💡 道 (dào) is one of the central concepts of Daoist thought. Depending on context, it may be translated as "the Way," "the Path," or the underlying principle that guides the natural unfolding of the universe. I prefer to call it simply 'Dao' — not 'the Dao' — because adding 'the' diminishes the universal omnipotence that 道 evokes.

不一会儿 (bù yí huìr) in a little while; before long
远处 (yuǎn chù) the distance; far away
传来 (chuán lái) to be heard; to come from afar
轮船 (lún chuán) ship; steamboat
汽笛声 (qì dí shēng) ship whistle; horn sound
拉回 (lā huí) to pull back
当下 (dāng xià) the present moment
顺着 (shùn zhe) along; following
缓缓 (huǎn huǎn) slowly; gradually
滑向 (huá xiàng) to glide toward
码头 (mǎ tóu) dock; wharf
转头 (zhuǎn tóu) to turn one's head
身边 (shēn biān) by one's side
静静地 (jìng jìng de) quietly
表情 (biǎo qíng) expression
欣赏 (xīn shǎng) to appreciate; to admire
周围 (zhōu wéi) surrounding; around
一切 (yí qiè) everything; all things

💡 当下 (dāng xià) is a beautiful word that appears often in Chinese philosophy, meditation, and modern mindfulness writing. It refers to the present moment — the here and now.

Read Rascal's story.

觉得 (jué de) to feel; to think
小狗 (xiǎo gǒu) puppy; little dog
怎么样 (zěn me yàng) how; what do you think
好奇 (hào qí) curious
想了想 (xiǎng le xiǎng) thought for a moment
其中 (qí zhōng) among; one of
感觉 (gǎn jué) feeling; impression
不错 (bú cuò) not bad; pretty good
不过 (bú guò) however
说不准 (shuō bù zhǔn) can't say for sure
毕竟 (bì jìng) after all
从来 (cóng lái) never; ever since
养 (yǎng) to raise; to keep (a pet)
轻轻地 (qīng qīng de) lightly; gently
目光 (mù guāng) gaze; look
转回 (zhuǎn huí) to turn back

💡 说不准 (shuō bù zhǔn) is a common conversational expression meaning "I can't really tell" or "it's hard to say," often used when someone lacks knowledge or certainty about a situation.

多年以后 (duō nián yǐ hòu) many years later
回想起来 (huí xiǎng qǐ lái) to look back on; to recall
其实 (qí shí) actually; in fact
特别 (tè bié) special
那时 (nà shí) at that time
并不知道 (bìng bù zhī dào) did not know at all
连 (lián) even
站不稳 (zhàn bù wěn) unable to stand steadily
陪伴 (péi bàn) to accompany; to be by someone's side
十三年半 (shí sān nián bàn) thirteen and a half years
跟着 (gēn zhe) to follow
跨越 (kuà yuè) to cross; to span
国家 (guó jiā) country
州 (zhōu) state; province
座 (zuò) measure word for cities, mountains, bridges, and other large fixed structures
城市 (chéng shì) city

Book excerpt: Page 104: The Arrival

The vendor picked up the tiny fuzzball and passed it to me. He seemed so fragile. I used both hands to take him, though he was small enough to fit in one.

Grey and white, with markings that suggested something wild in his lineage — something savage — belonging to open spaces and wintry days.

He was oblivious to everything — the noise of the market, the crowd pressing in around us, even other animals on tables nearby.

He just lay in my hand, head facing down, as if the world had not come into focus.

I crouched down and gently set him on his tiny feet, slowly letting go, not sure how he would react. Almost fearing he might disappear under some browsing feet.

But he just swayed.

Back and forth, unsteady on the asphalt. His four small legs trying to find their footing.

I put my hand under his belly to catch him before he went down. He pulled himself out of the head spin slowly, steadied — and then took two small steps.

This was the first time I caught him.

But not the last...

Click here to read more.

江边 (jiāng biān) riverside; riverbank
向前 (xiàng qián) forward
流去 (liú qù) to flow away; to flow onward
命运 (mìng yùn) fate; destiny
正在 (zhèng zài) in the process of; currently

💡 命运 (mìng yùn) means "fate" or "destiny," but in Chinese literature it often suggests the unfolding path of a life rather than a fixed predetermined outcome. In this passage, the flowing river becomes a metaphor for both time and the quiet arrival of a future not yet seen.

Book excerpt: Pages 107 - 110

I told the vendor I would take him.

I reached into the front right pocket of my jeans — where I’ve kept my wallet since a pick-pocketing at the Taipei train station in 1985 and still do — pulled out my wallet, opened it, and counted out six red one-hundred renminbi bills, each graced with a familiar portrait of Mao.

The vendor watched intently as I counted the bills — American-style, transferring each from my left hand to my right: one, two, three, four, five, six.

He took the bills and counted them Chinese-style, keeping them in his left hand and flipping each one with his right thumb: 一、二、三、四、五、六.

He nodded once. The money was correct.

I picked up my puppy. And he fit perfectly into the crook of my arm.

After months of back and forth, contemplation and cold feet — talking myself in and out of it — here he was. My canine companion. And I did not know where it would go from here.

I looked at Sean and Zhang. Smiles on both their faces, and questions in their eyes.

With the puppy tucked under my arm, I walked away from the table[.]

If you would like to read more of The Four Seasons of Rascal, please visit www.RascalTheBook.com or Click here.

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This poem is an invitation. Not to recklessness, but to something the Daoists understood deeply: the art of letting go. Of sorrow. Of hollow ambition. Of the exhausting performance of being someone important.

Pour the wine. Climb the terrace. Let the moon find you.

诗仙 — The Immortal of Poetry

李白 (701–762 CE) is the most celebrated poet in Chinese history. His title, 诗仙 (shī xiān), means the Immortal of Poetry — and he earned it. Born during the golden age of the Tang Dynasty, he wandered China most of his life, writing, drinking, and marveling at everything he saw.

He was also, by all accounts, completely impossible to contain.

As a young man, Li Bai studied swordsmanship alongside poetry — a combination that tells you something essential about his character. He wanted both the blade and the brush. He trained with Daoist hermits in the mountains. He believed, with apparent sincerity, that he might achieve physical immortality. He was charming, restless, and constitutionally allergic to routine.

When Emperor Xuanzong (唐玄宗 táng xuán zōng) finally summoned him to the imperial court, Li Bai arrived — and promptly scandalized everyone. He wrote brilliant poems on demand, yes. But he also showed up drunk to imperial audiences, demanded that a powerful court eunuch pull off his boots, and generally behaved as though the rules of the palace were suggestions that didn’t apply to him. He was dismissed within two years. He seems to have considered this a victory.

He married four times. He wandered constantly — the Yangtze River, the mountains of Shandong, the wilderness of the south. He had deep friendships, most famously with the poet 杜甫 (dù fǔ), who worshipped him and worried about him in equal measure. Where Li Bai burned bright and wild, Du Fu was careful, tender, and heartbroken by the world. Together they are considered the twin peaks of Tang poetry.

Late in life, Li Bai backed the wrong side in a political rebellion and was sent into exile. He was pardoned before reaching his destination, and spent his final years wandering again — older, quieter, but still writing.

Legend says he drowned one night reaching for the moon’s reflection in a river.

Whether true or not, it tells you everything about him.

📌 Note for Learners:
If you’re new to reading Chinese, don’t worry! The version below is in full Chinese characters.
✨ Just scroll down to find the instructor version—with pinyin, vocabulary, and audio to guide you step by step.

《月下独酌》 其四

穷愁千万端，美酒三百杯，

愁多酒虽少，酒倾愁不来，

所以知酒圣，酒酣心自开，

辞粟卧首阳，屡空饥颜回。

当代不乐饮，虚名安用哉，

蟹螯即金液，槽丘是蓬莱，

且须饮美酒，乘月醉高台。

Download the PDF file HERE.

These PDFs are designed to help you immerse yourself fully in the language, focusing on reading and comprehension without Pinyin or vocabulary lists. And they include both simplified and traditional character versions. You can download, print them out, and use them for study and review at your own pace.

独 (dú) – alone; solitary
酌 (zhuó) – to pour wine; to drink
月下独酌 (yuè xià dú zhuó) – drinking alone under the moon
其 (qí) – (classical) the; used in numbering. 其四 The Fourth.

穷 (qióng) – exhausted; endless; impoverished
愁 (chóu) – sorrow; grief; worry
千万 (qiān wàn) – ten thousand; countless
端 (duān) – kind; form; variety
美 (měi) – beautiful; fine; good
酒 (jiǔ) – wine; alcohol
美酒 (měi jiǔ) – fine wine
杯 (bēi) – cup; glass

Literal translation:

Sorrows exhausted — ten thousand forms; fine wine — three hundred cups

虽 (suī) – although; even though
倾 (qīng) – to pour; to tip out
不来 (bù lái) – does not come; will not arrive
来 (lái) – to come; to arrive

Literal translation:

Sorrows many, wine though little — wine poured, sorrows do not come

所以 (suǒ yǐ) – therefore; so; this is why
知 (zhī) – to know; to understand
酒圣 (jiǔ shèng) – the sage of wine
圣 (shèng) – sage; saint; sacred master
酣 (hān) – pleasantly drunk; tipsy
心 (xīn) – heart; mind; inner self
自开 (zì kāi) – opens by itself; naturally opens
自 (zì) – self; naturally; by itself

Literal translation:

Therefore know the wine sage — wine-warmed, heart opens by itself

辞 (cí) – to decline; to leave behind
粟 (sù) – millet; grain
卧 (wò) – to lie down; to rest
首阳 (shǒu yáng) – Shouyang Mountain (place name)
屡 (lǚ) – repeatedly; again and again
空 (kōng) – empty
饥 (jī) – hungry; starving
颜回 (yán huí) – Confucius’s most devoted student (proper name)

Literal translation:

Declined grain, lay on Shouyang — repeatedly empty, hungry Yan Hui

Get your copy here!

当代 (dāng dài) – this era; the present age
乐 (lè) – happy; joyful; to enjoy
饮 (yǐn) – to drink
不乐饮 (bù lè yǐn) – to not enjoy drinking
虚 (xū) – hollow; empty; false
名 (míng) – name; fame; reputation
虚名 (xū míng) – hollow fame; empty reputation
安用 (ān yòng) – what use is; of what purpose
哉 (zāi) – classical exclamatory particle (similar to “indeed!” or “!”)

Literal translation:

This lifetime not enjoy drinking — hollow name, what use indeed

蟹 (xiè) – crab
螯 (áo) – claw of a crab
即 (jí) – exactly; precisely; is
金 (jīn) – gold; golden
液 (yè) – liquid; fluid
金液 (jīn yè) – golden liquid; immortal elixir
槽 (cáo) – trough; barrel; vat
丘 (qiū) – hill; mound
槽丘 (cáo qiū) – hill of wine barrels
是 (shì) – to be; is
蓬莱 (péng lái) – mythical Daoist paradise; isle of immortals

Literal translation:

Crab claw is golden elixir — wine barrel hill is Penglai

且 (qiě) – furthermore; and yet; go ahead
须 (xū) – must; need to; it is necessary
且须 (qiě xū) – one must; go ahead and
饮 (yǐn) – to drink
乘 (chéng) – to ride; to travel by
月 (yuè) – moon; month
乘月 (chéng yuè) – to ride the moon; to travel by moonlight
醉 (zuì) – drunk; intoxicated
高 (gāo) – high; tall; elevated
台 (tái) – terrace; platform; stage
高台 (gāo tái) – high terrace; elevated platform

Literal translation:

Must drink fine wine — ride the moon, drunk on the high terrace

Note:

• 且须饮 — one must drink!

• 乘月 — ride the moonlight

• 醉高台 — drunk upon a high terrace

That’s classic Li Bai cosmic exuberance: wine, moonlight, elevation, and freedom. 🍷🌙

Natural English Rendition

Drinking Alone Under the Moon — No. 4

My sorrows are endless, countless in their forms, yet here before me — three hundred cups of wine.

Though sorrows outnumber the wine a thousandfold, the moment it is poured, sorrow does not come.

This is the wisdom of the wine sage: when the heart is warmed with drink, it opens by itself.

I think of those who refused their grain on Shouyang Mountain, of Yan Hui, repeatedly empty, repeatedly hungry.

But if in this lifetime you cannot find joy in drinking, what use is a hollow name to anyone?

A crab claw is my golden elixir, a hill of wine barrels is my paradise.

So let us drink the finest wine, ride the moonlight, and lose ourselves on the high terrace.

Cultural & Classical References

Li Bai’s poetry often blends vivid imagery with layers of cultural and philosophical meaning. Some lines echo Daoist ideas about freedom and transcendence, while others allude to well-known figures and stories from Chinese history. The brief notes below highlight a few of these references so readers can appreciate the deeper resonance behind the poem’s images of wine, moonlight, and wandering thought.

Daoist & Classical Imagery in the Poem

酒圣 (jiǔ shèng) – “Sage of Wine.” A playful cultural title often associated with legendary drinkers such as Li Bai, celebrating wine as a source of inspiration and poetic freedom.

金液 (jīn yè) – “Golden liquid.” In Daoist alchemy this refers to an immortal elixir, believed to grant longevity or transcendence. In poetry it can metaphorically refer to wine.

蓬莱 (péng lái) – A legendary Daoist paradise island in the Eastern Sea, said to be home to immortals and magical elixirs. Appearing in poetry often suggests transcendence or escape from the mundane world.

乘月 (chéng yuè) – “To ride the moon.” A poetic image suggesting wandering freely through the night, sometimes implying spiritual or Daoist transcendence.

醉 (zuì) – Drunkenness in classical poetry often symbolizes freedom from worldly constraints, a state where inspiration, nature, and the cosmos merge.

虚名 (xū míng) – “Empty fame.” A philosophical concept common in Daoist and classical Chinese thought, criticizing the pursuit of reputation and worldly recognition.

Classical Historical References

首阳 (shǒu yáng) – Shouyang Mountain, associated with the legendary brothers 伯夷 (Bó Yí) and 叔齐 (Shū Qí), who refused to serve a new dynasty and chose to starve there rather than compromise their principles.

颜回 (yán huí) – The most beloved disciple of Confucius, remembered for his humility, virtue, and contentment despite poverty. In literature he often symbolizes moral integrity and simple living.

Tang Poetry Lens 🍷🌙

In Tang dynasty poetry, images of wine, the moon, and wandering thought appear again and again. For poets like Li Bai (701–762), wine was not simply a drink but a symbol of freedom and inspiration. Drinking under the moon allowed the poet to step beyond ordinary life—beyond reputation, duty, and social constraints—and enter a moment of spontaneous clarity.

The moon, in turn, was a silent companion. It reflected the poet’s solitude, but also connected him to the wider cosmos. In this way, many Tang poems move between earthly emotion and cosmic imagination, blending everyday life with the language of Daoist transcendence.

When Li Bai raises his cup to the moon, he is doing more than drinking—he is inviting the universe itself into the poem.

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蒲松龄 was known for his ability to weave traditional Chinese values with elements of the supernatural. His stories reflect the yin-yang balance of life and death, good and evil, and the seen and unseen worlds. 狐仙的故事 (The Fox Spirit Story) is one of these tales, portraying the relationship between a kind-hearted human and a magical fox spirit who rewards his compassion with loyalty and protection.

In this simplified version of 狐仙, we explore a short retelling of the original story, showing how kindness and good deeds can bridge the gap between the human and spirit worlds.

📌 Note for Learners:
If you’re new to reading Chinese, don’t worry! The version below is in full Chinese characters.
✨ Just scroll down to find the instructor version—with pinyin, vocabulary, and audio to guide you step by step.

狐仙的故事

很久以前，在一个安静的小村庄里，住着一位善良的年轻人叫小明。小明每天都勤劳工作，帮助家人和村里的老人。他总是很乐于助人，大家都很喜欢他。

一天，小明在回家的路上，看到路边有一只受伤的小狐狸。小狐狸看起来很虚弱，小明心生怜悯，决定把它带回家照顾。他每天给小狐狸包扎伤口，喂它吃的东西，几天后，小狐狸的伤好了，恢复了健康。

奇怪的是，等小明准备把小狐狸放回树林时，小狐狸突然说话了！它变成了一位美丽的姑娘，微笑着对小明说：“谢谢你救了我，其实我是狐仙。因为你的善良，我决定留在这里，保护你和你的家人。”

从那天起，狐仙就悄悄地帮助小明家。每当小明遇到困难时，狐仙都会出现，给他提供帮助。有一次，村子里突然来了强盗，大家都很害怕。就在强盗准备伤害小明时，狐仙立刻出现，把强盗赶跑了。

村里的人都知道小明家有一位神奇的守护者，他们非常感激小明和狐仙的帮助。从那以后，小明和狐仙成为了好朋友。小狐狸虽然是一位狐仙，但它总是用自己的力量保护善良的人们。

小明明白了，不管是人类还是狐仙，只要心地善良，就能成为好朋友。狐仙也明白了，帮助别人不仅让她得到了朋友，还让她在这个世界上找到了归属感。

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感谢合作！

Download the PDF file HERE.

These PDFs are designed to help you immerse yourself fully in the language, focusing on reading and comprehension without Pinyin or vocabulary lists. And they include both simplified and traditional character versions. You can download, print them out, and use them for study and review at your own pace.

Reading breakdown by paragraph with vocabulary and audio.

狐仙 (hú xiān) – fox spirit

故事 (gù shì) – story

很久以前 (hěn jiǔ yǐ qián) – a long time ago

安静 (ān jìng) – quiet, peaceful

村庄 (cūn zhuāng) – village

善良 (shàn liáng) – kind, good-hearted

年轻人 (nián qīng rén) – young person

勤劳 (qín láo) – hardworking

帮助 (bāng zhù) – to help

家人 (jiā rén) – family members

老人 (lǎo rén) – elderly, old person

乐于助人 (lè yú zhù rén) – willing to help others

喜欢 (xǐ huān) – to like

一天 (yī tiān) – one day

回家 (huí jiā) – to go home

路上 (lù shàng) – on the road, on the way

回家的路上 (huí jiā de lù shàng) – on the road home

路边 (lù biān) – roadside

受伤 (shòu shāng) – injured

虚弱 (xū ruò) – weak

心生怜悯 (xīn shēng lián mǐn) – to feel compassion

决定 (jué dìng) – to decide

照顾 (zhào gù) – to take care of

包扎 (bāo zā) – to bandage

伤口 (shāng kǒu) – wound

喂 (wèi) – to feed

恢复 (huī fù) – to recover

健康 (jiàn kāng) – health

奇怪 (qí guài) – strange, unusual

奇怪的是 (qí guài de shì) – what was strange is/was

准备 (zhǔn bèi) – to prepare

狐狸 (hú li) – fox

放回 (fàng huí) – to release, to put back

树林 (shù lín) – forest

突然 (tū rán) – suddenly

说话 (shuō huà) – to speak

变成 (biàn chéng) – to become, to turn into

美丽 (měi lì) – beautiful

姑娘 (gū niang) – young woman

微笑 (wēi xiào) – to smile

救 (jiù) – to save

其实 (qí shí) – actually, in fact

保护 (bǎo hù) – to protect

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从那天起 (cóng nà tiān qǐ) – from that day on

悄悄地 (qiāo qiāo de) – quietly, secretly

帮助 (bāng zhù) – to help

遇到 (yù dào) – to encounter

困难 (kùn nán) – difficulty

出现 (chū xiàn) – to appear

提供 (tí gōng) – to provide

有一次 (yǒu yī cì) – once, one time

村子 (cūn zi) – village

强盗 (qiáng dào) – robber, bandit

害怕 (hài pà) – to be afraid

伤害 (shāng hài) – to harm

立刻 (lì kè) – immediately

赶跑 (gǎn pǎo) – to drive away, to chase off

Let’s take a closer look.

The translation shows the characters followed by English, arranged by meaning.

从那天起 (from that day forward)，狐仙就悄悄地 (the Fox Spirit secretly) 帮助小明家 (helped Xiao Ming’s family)。每当 (each time) 小明遇到困难时 (when Xiao Ming encountered difficulties)，狐仙都会出现 (the Fox Spirit would appear)，给他提供帮助 (offering help to him)。有一次 (one time)，村子里突然来了强盗 (suddenly, bandits came to the village)，大家都很害怕 (everyone was very scared)。就在强盗准备伤害小明时 (just as the bandits were about to harm Xiao Ming)，狐仙立刻出现 (the Fox Spirit immediately appeared)，把强盗赶跑了 (chased the bandits away)。

村里 (cūn lǐ) – in the village

神奇 (shén qí) – magical, miraculous

守护者 (shǒu hù zhě) – guardian

感激 (gǎn jī) – to be grateful

从那以后 (cóng nà yǐ hòu) – from then on

力量 (lì liàng) – strength, power

保护 (bǎo hù) – to protect

善良 (shàn liáng) – kind-hearted

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明白 (míng bái) – to understand

不管 (bù guǎn) – no matter

人类 (rén lèi) – humans, mankind

心地善良 (xīn dì shàn liáng) – kind-hearted

成为 (chéng wéi) – to become

帮助 (bāng zhù) – to help

不仅 (bù jǐn) – not only

得到 (dé dào) – to get, to obtain

归属感 (guī shǔ gǎn) – sense of belonging

Character Radical

The 犭(quǎn) animal radical, which relates to animals, particularly in the context of wild or mythical creatures. This radical appears in several key characters in the story and aligns with the theme of the fox spirit (狐仙), an animal that is central to the plot.

Example from the reading:

• 狐 (hú) – fox (the standard two-character form is 狐狸 (hú li), with 犭 appearing in both characters)

Other Common Examples of the 犭 radical:

• 猫 (māo) – cat

• 狼 (láng) – wolf

• 猪 (zhū) – pig

• 猴 (hóu) – monkey

• 狗 (gǒu) – dog

The characters below also share the 犭 radical, tying them to traits that can be associated with animals, particularly wild or aggressive behavior.

• 狠 (hěn) – ruthless, cruel

• 猛 (měng) – fierce, violent

• 狡 (jiǎo) – sly, cunning

• 狂 (kuáng) – mad, wild

Yin-yang Character Groups

Yin-yang character groups illustrate the balance and complementary nature of concepts in the Chinese language. Here are three pairs that align with the reading:

• 善 (shàn) – 恶 (è): Good and Evil

• 强 (qiáng) – 弱 (ruò): Strong and Weak

• 勇 (yǒng) – 怯 (qiè): Brave and Cowardly

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🪷 三宝使者 – The Three Pillars
Guided exploration of Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist teachings, using native-written texts and conversational prompts.

📘 易经通 – I Ching Companion
Accesss the wisdom of the Yijing through the lens of respected thinkers like 鲁洪生 (Mainland) and 曾仕强 (Taiwan).

📚 一日一成语 – A Daily Idiom Learner
Study classic 成语 (idioms) with cultural and usage notes — one per day or as many as you like.

🌸 小金星星 – Tang Poetry & Language Study
A tool for exploring 唐诗 (Tang poetry), with a focus on rhythm, context, and cultural insight.

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"Almost anyone who has studied basic Chinese will have encountered the popular idiom “马马虎虎” (Horse-Horse Tiger-Tiger). In Chinese, such idioms are called “成语 (chéng yǔ),” and each one has a story behind it, known as a “典故 (diǎn gù).”

As we finished working through “画龙点睛,” one of my students made a specific request for our next lesson — “The story of 马马虎虎.” So, I set out to find a version suitable for his language level.

After some research, I found this version that I’m sharing here — a simplified story of the origin of the Chinese idiom “马马虎虎.”

请注意：如果你是母语者，请通过Substack留言指出错别字或语法问题，以便保持帖子质量。

感谢合作！

《马马虎虎的故事》

从前，有一个喜欢画画的老爷爷，他特别擅长画马和老虎。有一天，小朋友们来找他，请他画一匹马和一只老虎。

老爷爷高兴地答应了，没多久，他用心地分别画了一匹马和一只老虎。小朋友们围过来看画，他们觉得这幅画很特别。

可是细看后，小朋友们发现，画中的马有点像老虎，而老虎又有点像马。于是他们笑着对老爷爷说：“老爷爷，您画得马马虎虎啊！”

老爷爷也笑了起来，没有生气。这个故事后来传开了，“马马虎虎”就成了形容做事不够认真、不够仔细的词语。

这个故事告诉我们，做事情要用心，否则就会“马马虎虎”哦！

I love reading stories in Chinese!

Story breakdown by paragraph with vocabulary and audio

从前 = once upon a time

老爷爷 = an old man

特别 = especially, special

匹 = (measure word for horses)

擅长 = to be skilled at

答应 = to agree, accept a proposal

没多久 = not long after

用心地 = intentionally, carefully

分别 = to divide, separate (分别画了 = to paint separately)

围过来 = to gather around

幅 = (measure word for a painting, or scroll)

Let’s take a closer look.

The English translation shows the characters following English, arranged by meaning.

The old man 老爷爷 happily 高兴地 agreed 答应了, not long after 没多久, he 他 carefully 用心地 painted 画了a horse 一匹马 and 和 a tiger 一只老虎 separately 分别. The children 小朋友们 gathered around 围过来 to look at 看 the painting 画. They 他们 felt 觉得 this painting 这幅画 was very special 很特别.

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发现 = to notice, realize

画中的马 = the horse in the painting

于是 = and then

马马虎虎 = vague, careless, so-so

生气 = to get angry

传开 = to be shared around, passed around

形容 = to describe

做事 = to do things, to work

不够认真 = to not be serious enough, not conscientious enough

仔细 = careful, detailed

词语 = a phrase, saying

Let’s take a closer look.

The English translation shows the characters following English, arranged by meaning.

The old man 老爷爷 also 也 began to laugh 笑了起来, he wasn’t angry 没有生气. This story 这个故事 later 后来 was shared around 传开了，”Horse-horse, tiger-tiger 马马虎虎” became 就成了 a phrase 词语 to describe 形容 doing things 做事 haphazardly 不够认真, not 不 careful 仔细 enough 够.

用心 = diligent, to be diligent

否则 = otherwise

哦 = （expresses stating a fact other’s may not be aware of)

Character Radical:

月 = This is the “moon” or “meat” radical, 月字旁 (yuè zì páng) or 肉字旁 (ròu zì páng).

Moon Radical:

月 (yuè) means “moon.” The “moon” radical appears in characters related to time, light, or celestial bodies. For example:

• 明 (míng) - ”bright”

• 期 (qī) - a period of time

Characters in the reading with the moon radical are:

• 有 (yǒu) - “to have, there is, there are”

• 朋 (péng) - ”friend”

Meat Radical:

月 （肉 ròu) means “meat.” The “meat” radical is common in characters related to the body, flesh, or health. For example:

• 肝 (gān) - “liver”

• 背 (bèi) - “back (of body)”

• 腿 (tuǐ) - “leg”

• 肩 (jiān) - “shoulder”

Determining the Meaning:

To determine whether 月 represents "moon" or "meat," consider the context and meaning of the entire character.

Yin-yang Character Groups:

• 问答 (wèn dá) = ask-reply; Q&A

• 粗细 (cū xì) = thick-thin; thickness

📜 Exploring Classical Chinese Thought through GPTs

Check out these free AI tools that I built for learning Chinese classical thought! If you’re open to the possiblities of AI, you’ll be amazed with these.

They’re free to use, not commercial, and all draw directly from Chinese-language source materials.

Here are a few:

🪷 三宝使者 – The Three Pillars
Guided exploration of Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist teachings, using native-written texts and conversational prompts.

📘 易经通 – I Ching Companion
Accesss the wisdom of the Yijing through the lens of respected thinkers like 鲁洪生 (Mainland) and 曾仕强 (Taiwan).

📚 一日一成语 – A Daily Idiom Learner
Study classic 成语 (idioms) with cultural and usage notes — one per day or as many as you like.

🌸 小金星星 – Tang Poetry & Language Study
A tool for exploring 唐诗 (Tang poetry), with a focus on rhythm, context, and cultural insight.

Thanks for reading Mapping Mandarin™! I love doing this and want to keep all posts free for everyone. Please consider pledging to help keep them free. A yearly pledge or even a month now and then would be a great help. 感谢！

Count me in!

Also, check out my other Substack: Heart Of China Journal!

And the Master Mandarin YouTube channel!