Category: Dao Fen-tao

Dao 道

9/6/2019

Dao (道), is a hanzi (漢字; Han Chinese character) that has different meanings depending on the context. Meanings of Dao (道) includes:

To speak, to tell, or to talk (when used as a verb)
- 說：常言道
Literal paths and passages, such as roads, waterways, and etc.
- 路：街道、河道
Metaphoric paths; in other words, the methods or process of achieving a goal
- 方向，途徑：志同道合、分道揚鑣
A philosophy relating to the law and order of the natural world and its occurrences, such as the central philosophy of Daoism (Taoism)
- 傳統思想流派與理念：天道、道家、道教
Skill sets that are often technical, artistic, and/or ritualistic, such as xiang-dao (香道; incense ceremony), cha-dao (茶道; tea ceremony)
- 技術或方法：香道、茶道、醫道
Narrow, linear marks and traces
- 線條：鉛筆道兒
A classifier in Chinese
- 用作量詞

Arcade (Video Arcade)

6/15/2019

Retro, coin-operated video gaming machines designed for public audiences.

When the player inserts a coin into a video arcade machine, in return, the machine offers the player a limited amount of lives or time to play the game.

lit.the divided peach | euphemism: homosexuality

"... Mizi Xia and the Duke Ling of Wei was visiting a peach farm. When Mizi found a tasty peach, he took a few bites; then, he gave the remainder to the Duke. The Duke was touched by the gesture and said, “you really adore me! You are sharing the peach with me because you realize it is so delicious.”

Some time later, the Duke’s attraction toward Mizi had diminished. One day, when Mizi offended the Duke, the Duke responded, “this person has offended me several times. For example, he had used the royal chaise by forging my name and permission. Furthermore, he once offered me a leftover peach because he no longer wanted it.”
--
Segment translated by me, taken from Shui Nan by Han, Feizi

Fen-tao (分桃), or "the divided peach," is one of the historic euphemisms for (male) homosexuality used in Chinese history.
The term originated from Shui Nan (《韓非子·說難》; “the Difficulties of Persuasion”), an essay written by Han, Feizi (aka. Han, Fei) in the 3rd century BCE.

lit. buddha-like flower / treasure flower

pronounced as: bao sh'young flower

The baoxiang flower or "bao-xiang hua" is a type of fictional, hybrid floral design. Each individual design represents a fusion of plants and motifs originated from different cultures, including South Asia (India), Central Asia (Persia/Sogdia), the Mediterranean (Byzantium & Greece), and Chinese domestic arts.

The baoxiang flowers used in "Duan-Xiu" and Fen-Tao" are adapted from the Tang dynasty (618-907) murals in Cave no. 45 and no. 321 of Mogao Caves, Dunhuang. Particularly, Cave no. 45 dates back to the High Tang era (of Tang dynasty), a prime time of cultural and economic exchange in Asia.

Acorn Sign (Toronto)

6/11/2019

The “acorn” street sign (as shown below) was first introduced on the streets of Toronto during the 1950s. Since the mid-2000s, these acorn signs have been gradually replaced by a newer generation of signages.

The design below is inspired by the remaining "rainbow" street signs found in the Church-Wellesley Village, Toronto. This region's postal code begins with "M4Y".

Hua Yang Nian Hua 花樣年華

6/10/2019

lit. the era like blossoms

“That era has passed. Nothing that belonged to it exists anymore.”
那個時代已過去。屬於那個時代的一切都不存來了。
--
caption from In the Mood For Love 《花樣年華》

“Hua Yang Nian Hua (《花樣年華》)” is the Chinese title of In the Mood for Love (2000), a film directed by Wong Kar-Wai.

Ephemera

6/9/2019

Things that only exists for a short time
Collectibles, especially written and printed materials that were initially designed to be temporarily useful or important, such as tickets, posters, and etc.

The word came from Greek: ephēmeros. Its singular form originally implies a plant that only lasts for one day, or an insect with a very short lifespan.

Tong-zhi 同志

6/8/2019

lit. comrade/queer

pronounced as: tone zhi
(to pronounce zhi, say “jay (j)” without the “ay” sound)

“Tong-zhi” (同志) might originate from the idiom: “zhi tong dao he” (志同道合), or literally, the ones who share the same aspiration and walk the same path.
In the 20th century, ”tong-zhi” became the Chinese equivalent of “comrade” under the influence of socialism/communism.
In the 80s, “tong-zhi” was appropriated (again) by the LGBT+ community from Hong Kong to address fellow queer folks. Today, tong-zhi has become a respectful and popular term to address LGBT+ folks or to self-identify.

Dao 道

Arcade (Video Arcade)

Fen-tao 分桃

lit.the divided peach | euphemism: homosexuality

Bao-xiang flower 寳相花

lit. buddha-like flower / treasure flower

Acorn Sign (Toronto)

Hua Yang Nian Hua 花樣年華

lit. the era like blossoms

Ephemera

Tong-zhi 同志

lit. comrade/queer

The Glossary

List of Terms

lit.the divided peach | euphemism: homosexuality

​lit. buddha-like flower / treasure flower

​lit. the era like blossoms

lit. comrade/queer

The Glossary

List of Terms

lit. buddha-like flower / treasure flower

lit. the era like blossoms