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My writing journal --- mybroken_notes.

Wu Yeh Hsien
Chinese Cinderella.

So Cinderella is of Chinese descent. I rarely watch Discovery Channel for the simple reason that facts and documentaries aren't fun for me and they make me sleepy. Hahaha! But last Saturday I was glued to the TV watching a Chinese documentary, re-tracing the origins of the Cinderella story. One Chinese girl did the documentary and went to the far provinces of China to interview tribe leaders, storytellers and historians. Apparently, Cinderella isn't Caucasian and that there was no fairy godmother. Instead, she has a magical fishbone that granted her wishes.

According to the docu, the story of Cinderella was first written in a book during the Tang Dynasty (which was earlier than the one written in the European version). It was included in a journal and story book entitled You Yang Za Zu.

The story was about an orphan girl named Wu Yeh Hsien and like Cinderella she had an evil stepmother and an ugly and equally evil stepsister. Her only happiness was her pet fish, which her stepmom took away from her and ate. (Murderer!)

Saddened, Yeh Hsien took the bones of her pet and gave it a proper burial. Unknown to her, it wasn't the bones of her pet but of a magical fish. In return to Yeh Hsien's kindness, the fish answered her prayers.

Then instead of the prince's ball, Yeh Hsien wished to attend the annual mating festival of their tribe. (One of the tribes in South China holds an annual mating festival to let the single and unmarried members of their community mingle and get to know potential partners.) Anyway, so the magical fish bone gave her a black skirt embroidered with golden patterns, a blue blouse with feather ornaments and a golden pair of shoes made of silk that fit perfectly to Yeh Hsien's small feet.

Yeh Hsien enjoyed the festival. But to avoid being discovered by her stepsister, she fled away from the party and ran towards home. In haste, she lost one of her golden shoes, which a prince from a neighboring tribe found and had devoted his days to finding the owner then marry her. The prince thought that only a fair maiden with a good character could wear and own such a delicate pair of shoes.

The documentary enumerated the following as proofs that the Cinderella story was indeed a Chinese tale:

01. The elaborate description of Yeh Hsien's dress is the same as one of the dresses of a tribeswoman in South China.

02. The magical fish instead of a fairy godmother is another proof that she is Chinese (in Chinese culture, fish brings good luck).

03. Moreover, the small shoes that could only fit the protagonist's feet indicated that she is Chinese. Where in the world can you see a grown woman with small feet other than in old China, where bound feet were signs of beauty and high social status.

04. Furthermore, an expert in Asian history was interviewed whether it is possible that the documented story of Wu Yeh Hsien could have gone out of China and went to its neighboring countries and as far reaching as the European countries. The expert replied a resounding yes. According to her the written story might have gone through the silk road (the trading path from China to India, South East Asia and to Europe).

The expert showed an evidence of how might the story gone from China to Europe. As we all know, paper originated in China. Apparently, China was also the first to recycle paper in the olden days. They recycled used papers and used them as shoe soles. The expert showed a photograph of an old and used paper that were used as shoe soles in the old days. The paper have scripts and the language used were from old China. They have concluded that this might be one of the ways that the story had gone out of China. Another is by word of the mouth, of course. But the first evidence was more convincing, right? Otherwise, they wouldn't have shown it. Hihihi ^^,

Upon reaching the western countries, the people there adapted the story and created their own version of Yeh Hsien and called her Cinderella with a head full of golden brown hair, doe eyes, orphaned by her noble father and was left to the aide of her evil stepmother and ugly stepsisters. Then, to make it more westernized, instead of a magical fish, they used a fairy to grant her wish to attend a prince's ball. And instead of a golden pair of shoes made of silk, the fairy provided her a pair of glass slippers that only Cinderella's feet can wear. Then to make the fairy tale more grandiose, the western storytellers added a coach made of pumpkin, horses that were once mice and other fantastical things. The midnight time limit added more excitement to a simple story that concerns only good values and that every good deed gets tremendous rewards.

So what did I learn from watching the documentary? Well, plagiarism existed already in the olden days. Hahaha! I really don't know if I learned something. One thing is for sure though, I might start watching more programs from the Discovery Channel. I didn't know that it's entertaining. ^_^

Kim HeeChul. This boy is the first SuJu member I liked. He has a funny, sometimes narcissistic personality (he loves himself so much). Hahaha!

At times, I thought he's effeminate especially when I learned that he's been kissing men on stage. His very first onstage kiss was kind of torrid and when I saw it I really thought he's gay. Hahaha! Coz in concerts no one really does that kind of thing. Only in movies really.

Then he started kissing his SuJu members of which I thought: boy, you're molesting your members. ^^~

And he had truly got into my nerves when he kissed SiWon! If I could stamp my feet, I would've. I lay low from liking him because of that... (SiWon's mine! *smacks self*)

Until...

The past month was all about Super Junior for me. I watched Come to Play and Intimate Note episodes. These two programs hooked me up with Kim HeeChul again. I saw his funny and adorable side again. And so, to commemorate my renewed liking to him, here's my chibi version of Kim HeeChul when he performed with SuJu at Music Core...

Preview:


( See my chibi version of Kim HeeChul. )


In other news... Kris Allen beat Adam Lambert. T.T Sad... I was routing for Adam and I thought his performance last night was better than the dark horse. *shakes head* America, that's full of crap! (I apologize to Kris Allen's fans. I am just hurting for Adam right now.)

I am back with MS Painting again. Here are three of my most recent creations. As you all know I ♥ SiWon so much so here are two of his chibi versions (one with chibi YeSung).

Previews:


( Presenting Chibi SiWon )

Sharing with you layout and banners of my favorite Super Junior members.

Preview:


Live preview @ tori_praclayout

Style: S2 Flexible Squares
Account Type: Basic, Plus, Paid
Browser(s) Compatible: Firefox and IE
Work with Ads?: Yes - Vertical (recommended)

( Click to get the codes. )

Sharing with you layouts of my favorite Kim Bum of the Boys Over Flowers phenomena.

Preview:


Live preview @ tori_praclayout

Style: S2 Flexible Squares
Account Type: Basic, Plus, Paid
Browser(s) Compatible: Firefox and IE
Work with Ads?: Yes - Vertical (recommended)

( Click to get the codes. )

Because I am totally hooked in this drama, I decided to create a layout design that features the five lead actors. And now I am sharing them to you...

Preview:


Live preview @ tori_praclayout

Style: S2 Flexible Squares
Account Type: Basic, Plus, Paid
Browser(s) Compatible: Firefox and IE
Work with Ads?: Yes - Vertical (recommended)

( Get the codes and the banners here... )