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Some much-needed skills for the season
A fly-fighting story.

Rachelle
2 days ago1 min read


Hanging belly and the summer heat
An idiosyncratic solution to the summer heat.

Rachelle
Jul 71 min read


沈周《枇杷》“Loquats” by Shen Zhou (1427-1509)
In celebration of the first-ever loquat harvest in my garden.

Rachelle
Jun 301 min read


屈大均《廣州荔支詞》“On the lychee of Guangzhou” by Qu Dajun (1630-1696)
Fruit of the summer solstice.

Rachelle
Jun 231 min read


On mosquitoes, the more ferocious ones
A pssage from Duan Chengshi's 段成式 (803?-863) Youyang zazu 酉陽雜俎.

Rachelle
Jun 161 min read




陸遊《葱》“Scallions” by Lu You (1125-1210)
On another member of my vegetable garden.

Rachelle
Jun 21 min read


孫肇瑞《觀放白鷹》“Watching the Release of a White Eagle” by Son Joseo (fl. 15th century)
After seeing a falcon performance for the first time...

Rachelle
May 261 min read


柳貫《枇杷》“The loquat” by Liu Guan (1270-1342)
In commemoration of the first sign of loquat fruits in my garden.

Rachelle
May 191 min read


A story for the new solar term: Beginning of Summer
Starting 5th May 2025

Rachelle
May 122 min read




凌雲翰《林子山畫菜上有蝸牛故及之》“On a snail on the vegetables in Lin Zishan’s painting” by Lin Yunhan (b. 1462)
曉畦春雨細如毛, 菜本青肥挾土膏。 葉㡳蝸牛曽濕久, 詩人猶欲刺升髙。 In the planting plots at dawn, with spring rain as fine as hair, Vegetables grow lush and plump,...

Rachelle
Apr 282 min read


A spring scene
Painting and inscription by Wen Zhengming 文徵明 (1470-1559)

Rachelle
Apr 212 min read
![蘇軾《除夜訪子野食燒芋戱作》“Written in jest on a visit to Ziye on the New Year's Eve when [we] had some roasted taro” by Su Shi (1037-1101)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/044059_b7f717ce0dca49fb8340ec7b474eae31~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/044059_b7f717ce0dca49fb8340ec7b474eae31~mv2.webp)
![蘇軾《除夜訪子野食燒芋戱作》“Written in jest on a visit to Ziye on the New Year's Eve when [we] had some roasted taro” by Su Shi (1037-1101)](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/044059_b7f717ce0dca49fb8340ec7b474eae31~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/044059_b7f717ce0dca49fb8340ec7b474eae31~mv2.webp)
蘇軾《除夜訪子野食燒芋戱作》“Written in jest on a visit to Ziye on the New Year's Eve when [we] had some roasted taro” by Su Shi (1037-1101)
Learning about how to use cow dung from poetry.

Rachelle
Apr 142 min read


A positive perspective on lost chickens
An anecdote from Feng Menglong's 馮夢龍 (1574-1646) Gujin xiaoshi 古今笑史.

Rachelle
Apr 72 min read


李東陽《水僊》“On Daffodils” by Li Dongyang (1447-1516)
Spring colours.

Rachelle
Mar 312 min read


方回《次韻志歸(其六)》In response to “A Remark on My Return”, with the same rhyming scheme (No. 6), by Fang Hui 方回 (1227-1305)
On a new member of my vegetable garden: perilla.

Rachelle
Mar 242 min read


張弼《耕隱》“A Tiller-Recluse” by Zhang Bi (1425-1487)
On a familar spring day.

Rachelle
Mar 102 min read


On Wild Boars
In an attempt to learn more about the beast before our next encounter in my backyard.

Rachelle
Mar 32 min read
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