MyPlain

Blog

  • Drinking Tea

    I really like drinking tea, especially when it is brewed in the traditional way. A light flavor and an authentic aroma are what I look for.

    At home, particularly on weekends like today, I like to take out my favorite tea set. With water boiling and tea brewing, a slow, leisurely time unfolds for me.

    When I travel, especially in the Yangtze River Delta, South China, and Southwest China, which are home to many famous teas, I always bring a simple tea set. Local tea paired with local water creates a special experience that is hard to find in Shanghai.

    When wandering through small towns or villages, I usually keep a small teacup and some favorite tea leaves in my bag. Whenever a friendly host offers tea, I take out my own cup to enjoy local tea. If they want to know about tea from other places, I will take out my own tea and share it with them.

    You see, tea is a great companion for quiet thinking. It is also a great way to make new friends.

  • No.10《园冶·卷三·铺地》梳理

    This chapter from The Craft of Gardens discusses the art of paving in Chinese gardens. It describes various materials (stone, brick, pebbles) and patterns, emphasizing that paving should harmonize with the surrounding landscape, be both durable and elegant, and avoid overly kitschy or impractical designs.

    白话文：
    砌地铺路，花园和住宅一般有所不同。厅堂大殿里铺地，全部用磨过的砖。如果是曲折的小路，常用各种乱石铺砌。院子中间可铺成“叠胜”纹样，靠近台阶的地方也可以铺回纹。八角形的花纹嵌在方砖里，或用鹅卵石拼成蜀锦般的图案；楼阁前铺设台阶，依照花纹凿成瑶台模样。用瓦片和石板组合，像锦线一样交错，使得地面可供人席地赏花、对月酣醉。破瓦片也有用武之地，用在湖石边铺成水波起伏之状；碎方砖也有大用处，围绕梅花铺出冰裂纷纭的效果。路径虽然平常，但台阶应有脱俗之趣。脚步所至，如步步生莲；林深之处，春意从何而来？窄窄的花径适合用石头铺，宽大的空庭则要用砖。各种方圆的纹样，因地适宜铺砌，磨砖归瓦匠去做，杂碎活儿交给钩儿。

    （一）乱石路

    园林铺路，用小乱石铺成像石榴籽一样密实的路面，坚固而雅致。无论曲折高低，随山势沟壑而变化，都适用这种铺法。也有用鹅卵石夹着花纹铺路的，但那样既不坚固又容易俗气。

    （二）鹅子地

    鹅卵石宜铺在不常走动的地方，大小石子间杂铺砌为佳——不过恐怕工匠做不到。用砖或瓦嵌成各种锦纹也可以，但若嵌成鹤、鹿、狮球等图案，反而显得可笑。

    （三）冰裂地

    用青石板碎片拼成冰裂纹，适合用在山堂、水边、台榭、亭子旁。样式可参照前文“风窗”一节，随心意灵活变化，砌法不拘一格。用破碎方砖磨光后铺砌效果更好。

    （四）诸砖地

    用砖铺地，在屋内通常磨光后平铺；庭院里则宜立起来侧铺。方胜、叠胜、步步胜等纹样，都是古人常用的套路。现在的人字纹、席纹、斗纹，可以根据砖的长短灵活处理，也是有定式的。

    原文：
    大凡砌地铺街，小异花园住宅。惟厅堂广厦中铺，一概磨砖，如路径盘蹊，长砌多般乱石，中庭或宜叠胜，近砌亦可回文。八角嵌方，选鹅子铺成蜀锦；层楼出步，就花梢琢拟秦台。锦线瓦条，台全石版，吟花席地，醉月铺毡。废瓦片也有行时，当湖石削铺，波纹汹涌；破方砖可留大用，绕梅花磨斗，冰裂纷纭。路径寻常，阶除脱俗。莲生袜底，步出个中来；翠拾林深，春从何处是。花环窄路偏宜石，堂迥空庭须用砖。各式方圆，随宜铺砌，磨归瓦作，杂用钩儿。

    （一）乱石路
    园林砌路，做小乱石砌如榴子者，坚固而雅致，曲折高卑，从山摄壑，惟斯如一。有用鹅子石间花纹砌路，尚且不坚易俗。

    （二）鹅子地
    鹅子石，宜铺于不常走处，大小间砌者佳；恐匠之不能也。或砖或瓦，嵌成诸锦犹可。如嵌鹤、鹿、狮球，犹类狗者可笑。

    （三）冰裂地
    乱青版石，斗冰裂纹，宜于山堂、水坡、台端、亭际，见前风窗式，意随人活，砌法似无拘格，破方砖磨铺犹佳。

    （四）诸砖地
    诸砖砌地，屋内、或磨、扁铺；庭下，宜仄砌。方胜、叠胜、步步胜者，古之常套也。今之人字、席纹、斗纹，量砖长短合宜可也。有式。

  • Three Things I Love Most in Zhujiajiao

    I visited Zhujiajiao a few days ago. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been there. I know it’s famous, and I know it’s often listed as one of the top destinations in Shanghai for foreign tourists, but my favorite part is far from the crowded streets.

    One of my absolute favorites is the ancient stone bridges at sunrise and sunset. Luckily, that bridge is rarely crowded at those hours.

    Beyond the bridges, I thoroughly enjoy the small garden in Hexinyuan, whether on sunny or rainy days. I know it’s essentially a museum showcasing various antiques, reconstructed from an old residence, but its quiet atmosphere always transports me into a poetic state of mind.

    Yet, the most captivating aspect is the locals living in their traditional homes. They live beyond the tourist zones, yet they have a vibrant vitality that I can feel the moment I step into the town. Flowers bloom all year round, with different varieties appearing in different seasons. Fruit trees bear fruit from summer to autumn, and the pets—including cats, dogs, and birds—are far livelier than those in downtown.

    I recorded some short videos of the first and second things. You can see them here:

    https://youtube.com/shorts/w7T95hgfhwA

    and here:

    https://youtube.com/shorts/5O5i6wmOlQA

    As for the last one, well, I chatted with several local aunties and uncles, and they showed me many beautiful things from their homes: flowers, old decorations, and smart changes for a more convenient life, and so on. But I didn’t film that part out of politeness. You really need to see them for yourself.

  • A Hike at the Beginning of This Year

    Recently, I’ve been going through my phone’s photo album, and it finally pushed me to write about some of this year’s hikes that I hadn’t documented yet.

    One trip that stands out was the one to Guangfu, an ancient town on the eastern shore of Taihu Lake in Suzhou. We went there in January specifically to see the famous black-headed gulls. The trail was a bit tricky — steep and slippery in places — but the view from the summit made it all worth it.

    The most memorable part, though, was at Yonghui Temple by the lake. We spent a wonderful afternoon with tea, watching hundreds of gulls soaring over the water — a scene that was both peaceful and magnificent. After that, we came across a wonderful sunset.

    Old friends might remember that I mentioned this hike right after I got back. If you want to see more pictures, you can find them here.

  • Some Chinese Vocabulary

    It’s a little late, but I’m here to drop some Chinese vocabulary that I taught my friend last Sunday, in case you want to learn Chinese too.

    1. I introduced the concept of “seasonal ingredients” (shí lìng cài 时令菜) — foods that taste best in a particular season, like water spinach (kōng xīn cài 空心菜) in summer.
    2. 靠近 (kàojìn) – means “to be close to” or “to approach.” Example: 别靠太近 (Bié kào tài jìn — Don’t get too close).
      远离 (yuǎnlí) – means “to stay away from” or “to keep distance.” Example: 远离危险 (Yuǎnlí wēixiǎn — Stay away from danger).
    3. 错过 (cuòguò) – means “to miss out on something.” Example: 别错过《奥德赛》这部电影 (Bié cuòguò “Àodésài” zhè bù diànyǐng — Don’t miss the movie The Odyssey).
    4. 薯条 (shǔtiáo) – French fries; the word literally means “potato strips.”
    5. The four seasons: 春夏秋冬 (chūn, xià, qiū, dōng) – all have first-tone pronunciation except xià (summer), which is fourth tone. A mnemonic: it’s so hot in summer that you need to bring the temperature down — so, a falling tone!
    6. 菜 (cài) – refers not only to vegetables but also to meat dishes (荤菜 hūn cài).
      卤菜 (lǔcài) – braised dishes. Though cooked in water, the long cooking time and various spices make them flavorful. Many ingredients can be braised, including beef, pork, chicken, duck, goose, seaweed, tofu, and some vegetables.