Kevin
@kmichaelwilson.bsky.social
Historical Chinese literature, poetry, and philosophy. Co-host Rereading the Stone podcast https://bsky.app/profile/rereadingstone.bsky.social
book reviews & discussion of Ming-Qing literature, science fiction, etc. https://www.patreon.com/kmichaelwilson
book reviews & discussion of Ming-Qing literature, science fiction, etc. https://www.patreon.com/kmichaelwilson
This “solution” to the problem of “world’s worst wife” is contrasted with divorce, even despite the strength of Di Xichen’s individual case against Xue Sujie, whose “crimes against nature” were inscribed on her very face and body (after the monkey incident)
www.patreon.com/posts/impres...
www.patreon.com/posts/impres...
November 10, 2025 at 5:46 PM
This “solution” to the problem of “world’s worst wife” is contrasted with divorce, even despite the strength of Di Xichen’s individual case against Xue Sujie, whose “crimes against nature” were inscribed on her very face and body (after the monkey incident)
www.patreon.com/posts/impres...
www.patreon.com/posts/impres...
"When you’re not scared of the alien from Alien, or Freddie from A Nightmare on Elm’s Street, you might begin realizing they’re kind of lovable and misunderstood. So, too, with Sujie by the end of the novel."
www.patreon.com/posts/143085...
www.patreon.com/posts/143085...
November 8, 2025 at 9:56 PM
"When you’re not scared of the alien from Alien, or Freddie from A Nightmare on Elm’s Street, you might begin realizing they’re kind of lovable and misunderstood. So, too, with Sujie by the end of the novel."
www.patreon.com/posts/143085...
www.patreon.com/posts/143085...
pretty exciting, this is a long one, much meandering
even if you don't subscribe, you'll be able to see the monkey tomorrow morning
even if you don't subscribe, you'll be able to see the monkey tomorrow morning
November 8, 2025 at 12:06 AM
pretty exciting, this is a long one, much meandering
even if you don't subscribe, you'll be able to see the monkey tomorrow morning
even if you don't subscribe, you'll be able to see the monkey tomorrow morning
"What monkey incident? Well, have you ever seen Nope (2022)?"
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
"What monkey incident? Well, have you ever seen Nope (2022)?"
Debating muting the word "AI" because it's probably the worst form of Bluesky discourse. Who is the audience for this tweet? Where is the author who is privileged enough to have a skilled translator but who chooses "AI" anyway? Show me even one such case.
November 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Debating muting the word "AI" because it's probably the worst form of Bluesky discourse. Who is the audience for this tweet? Where is the author who is privileged enough to have a skilled translator but who chooses "AI" anyway? Show me even one such case.
![Other officials were beaten, tortured, and dismissed. By the summer of 1507, Liu Jin had complete control over the government, and no important documents were approved without his consent. 14]
So far, the Emperor has been spending without any restrictions. In September 1507, he paid 350 thousand liang (13 tons) of silver just for the lanterns for the Lantern Festival. Additionally, the buildings in the imperial park south of Beijing were rebuilt, and he even built the "Leopard Quarter" (Bao Fang) northwest of the Forbidden City. As a result, Liu Jin focused on increasing the Emperor's income.[14] He used the threat of heavy fines to force the officials responsible for finances and taxes to bring in the exact amount of money to Beijing. This caused great concern among government officials, as he also demanded levies and supplies from officials on the northern border and Beijing, which left their families impoverished. [15]
Furthermore, his agents extorted additional silver payments from mines in Fujian and Sichuan, and even organized illegal sales of salt beyond the quotas. When officials arrested them, they were arrested themselves.[14]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:n7zttrwglryfssyh2yycb5fr/bafkreihkqht3wrcazrdrjqnpb5kyfdb3n2bgcynbdy7cbpkd3yzkvdhocm@jpeg)
![While Liu Jin focused on governing the state, the Emperor indulged in the pleasures of the new "Leopard Quarter" [h] surrounded by flattering eunuchs, officers, musicians, lamas, and beauties. The Emperor had particular favorites, including Qian Ning, an officer of the
"Embroidered Uniformed Guards" known for his strength and archery skills, and actor Zang Xian, who was appointed deputy director of the Music Bureau for his musical talent. These favorites held significant influence over many officials and office seekers. [10]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:n7zttrwglryfssyh2yycb5fr/bafkreigf7yjmvgsbbjramorcvorn2huaskxwi5d6ahdozlawar3vjfhtr4@jpeg)
just used Zhen Shiyin 甄士隱 as a verb in my response piece
November 2, 2025 at 2:41 AM
just used Zhen Shiyin 甄士隱 as a verb in my response piece
seeing Sujie wherever I look smh
![[Chorus]
Everyone is a bad guy
And there's no way to, no way to know
Who's the worst
'Cause karma's gonna come for all of us
And I hope, well, I hope, I just hope She comes, comes for you first, oh](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:n7zttrwglryfssyh2yycb5fr/bafkreiat7nf5cisrcpa42ihwkyikqlqxly2s2dxrfjr6kbzefex2k7jpy4@jpeg)
October 31, 2025 at 6:21 AM
seeing Sujie wherever I look smh
I need to dredge up the original, it would be strange for Hu Shi 胡適 (1891-1962) to say this, as divorce is, in fact, discussed and considered at length, many times in the text
![Wikipedia page for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingshi_Yinyuan_Zhuan
Hu Shih complained, however, that the book "is about a million words in length. Throughout these million words on a most unhappy marriage, no one seemed to think of resorting to divorce as a solution", for "Chinese religion, morals, and social usage all conspired to make divorce impossible".[8]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:n7zttrwglryfssyh2yycb5fr/bafkreia65aueniavzeni6dflknml5tgusa5xppwwwkjr4hcycg4ukrvy4u@jpeg)
October 30, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I need to dredge up the original, it would be strange for Hu Shi 胡適 (1891-1962) to say this, as divorce is, in fact, discussed and considered at length, many times in the text
this isn't one of your big city "funny" satires
CW: only tears, no smiles
CW: only tears, no smiles
October 29, 2025 at 7:49 PM
this isn't one of your big city "funny" satires
CW: only tears, no smiles
CW: only tears, no smiles
wait, this is good, right?
this makes Hai Rui good, no? all things considered
(listened to a podcast where the host was like, paraphrasing, "I can't sign off on Hai Rui's going after the moneylenders, it'll affect the base rate!")
this makes Hai Rui good, no? all things considered
(listened to a podcast where the host was like, paraphrasing, "I can't sign off on Hai Rui's going after the moneylenders, it'll affect the base rate!")
![Hai was reappointed as a minor official serving at South Zhili under the Longing Emperor, son and heir of Jiajing Emperor, but was soon forced to resign in 1570 after complaints were made over his overzealous handling of land-tenure issues.
Major moneylenders in the prefecture were accused of lending at exorbitant rates to smaller landowners and tenants, then seizing their lands as collateral. Hai devoted considerable time to investigate these cases, pressing for the lands' return to their previous owners, but was in turn accused by officials of violating procedures and encouraging frivolous complaints and impeached by Tai Feng-Hsiang, a supervising secretary (yushi). [from Wikipedia]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:n7zttrwglryfssyh2yycb5fr/bafkreiete6zmaedjxikoebawgcsgbdsa4b25uhwvz5towkkhpkhrr2zpiy@jpeg)
October 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM
wait, this is good, right?
this makes Hai Rui good, no? all things considered
(listened to a podcast where the host was like, paraphrasing, "I can't sign off on Hai Rui's going after the moneylenders, it'll affect the base rate!")
this makes Hai Rui good, no? all things considered
(listened to a podcast where the host was like, paraphrasing, "I can't sign off on Hai Rui's going after the moneylenders, it'll affect the base rate!")
Only the protagonist Di Xichen is unresolved:
"Where do I go if I'm only afraid of my concubine, not my wife?"
(He ditched his wife back in Shandong, so technically he's not currently afraid of her. He's letting loose in Chongqing, okay?)
"Where do I go if I'm only afraid of my concubine, not my wife?"
(He ditched his wife back in Shandong, so technically he's not currently afraid of her. He's letting loose in Chongqing, okay?)
October 21, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Only the protagonist Di Xichen is unresolved:
"Where do I go if I'm only afraid of my concubine, not my wife?"
(He ditched his wife back in Shandong, so technically he's not currently afraid of her. He's letting loose in Chongqing, okay?)
"Where do I go if I'm only afraid of my concubine, not my wife?"
(He ditched his wife back in Shandong, so technically he's not currently afraid of her. He's letting loose in Chongqing, okay?)
[surveying officials, "go to the east side of the room if you fear your wife, go to the west side if you don't" ]
is the idea here that the west side is where "the wife" is most apt to be?
(nearly all go to the east side; the exceptions prove the rule)
is the idea here that the west side is where "the wife" is most apt to be?
(nearly all go to the east side; the exceptions prove the rule)
October 21, 2025 at 11:28 PM
[surveying officials, "go to the east side of the room if you fear your wife, go to the west side if you don't" ]
is the idea here that the west side is where "the wife" is most apt to be?
(nearly all go to the east side; the exceptions prove the rule)
is the idea here that the west side is where "the wife" is most apt to be?
(nearly all go to the east side; the exceptions prove the rule)
"When I was a commander in Guangxi," General Guo recalled, "My troops would quiver before me. How is it now I can't control these two wretched women?"
Later adding: "These women are more unruly than the Miao people [local ethnic minority group] we tried to dominate!"
Later adding: "These women are more unruly than the Miao people [local ethnic minority group] we tried to dominate!"
October 16, 2025 at 8:40 PM
"When I was a commander in Guangxi," General Guo recalled, "My troops would quiver before me. How is it now I can't control these two wretched women?"
Later adding: "These women are more unruly than the Miao people [local ethnic minority group] we tried to dominate!"
Later adding: "These women are more unruly than the Miao people [local ethnic minority group] we tried to dominate!"
spousal arguments in A Marriage Fate to Awaken the Ages 醒世姻緣傳 (17th C.) so bad, you can feel their reality
"if you can't afford to clothe your wife, I'll walk around naked to shame your worthless *$#%& mother, who sells her body to eat!"
"How dare you, daughter of a silversmith, say such things?"
"if you can't afford to clothe your wife, I'll walk around naked to shame your worthless *$#%& mother, who sells her body to eat!"
"How dare you, daughter of a silversmith, say such things?"
October 15, 2025 at 4:00 AM
spousal arguments in A Marriage Fate to Awaken the Ages 醒世姻緣傳 (17th C.) so bad, you can feel their reality
"if you can't afford to clothe your wife, I'll walk around naked to shame your worthless *$#%& mother, who sells her body to eat!"
"How dare you, daughter of a silversmith, say such things?"
"if you can't afford to clothe your wife, I'll walk around naked to shame your worthless *$#%& mother, who sells her body to eat!"
"How dare you, daughter of a silversmith, say such things?"
don't retweet if you've never let loose (morally) (風流過) in Chongqing
October 13, 2025 at 1:38 AM
don't retweet if you've never let loose (morally) (風流過) in Chongqing
Infinite Jest (1996)
October 12, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Infinite Jest (1996)
the second rule of Qing Dynasty poly marriage:
NO Daoists
NO monks
NO degenerates
🀄📚
NO Daoists
NO monks
NO degenerates
🀄📚
October 11, 2025 at 6:50 PM
the second rule of Qing Dynasty poly marriage:
NO Daoists
NO monks
NO degenerates
🀄📚
NO Daoists
NO monks
NO degenerates
🀄📚
Predator meets Bridgerton
October 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Predator meets Bridgerton
the "saving from drowning" scenario is so ubiquitous in the Confucian imaginary, I can't say I was surprised that it would emerge early in Old Man Shouts At Novel 野叟曝言 (18th C.), a Confucian hero's journey to achieve perfect propriety and to defeat Buddhism and Daoism (which are coded 100% evil)
September 30, 2025 at 5:44 PM
the "saving from drowning" scenario is so ubiquitous in the Confucian imaginary, I can't say I was surprised that it would emerge early in Old Man Shouts At Novel 野叟曝言 (18th C.), a Confucian hero's journey to achieve perfect propriety and to defeat Buddhism and Daoism (which are coded 100% evil)
more people are now saying this
September 30, 2025 at 12:02 AM
more people are now saying this
Hegel died for this
September 30, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Hegel died for this
[Ding Richang upon reading just about anything] What an interesting work... to add to my list!
September 23, 2025 at 7:46 PM
[Ding Richang upon reading just about anything] What an interesting work... to add to my list!
tilde appreciator in the comments
September 22, 2025 at 6:21 PM
tilde appreciator in the comments