花香霧氣中底夢 A Dream Amid Flower Scent and Mist

A Dream in Flower Fragrance and Mist

，，In a hillside dwelling of thatched roof and mud walls, the flower fragrance and mist that nothing could hold back stole in through the sparse blinds, rushing straight at a pair of dream-

．，，『，．，-ers. The wife shook her husband awake and said, 'Get up quickly — our quilt and bedding are nearly soaked through. No wonder I keep feeling cold; it

．』turns out the sun has been imprisoned in a jail of thick fog and cannot come out.'

，，．The man in the dream had his own warmth within his heart, and whether it was cold outside or not did not concern him at all. Without opening his

，『，！eyes he said, 'Ah, how fragrant!？』It must be that the jasmine dew on your table has spilled, mustn't it?'

『？'What are you talking about?．．』You're still dreaming. Just open your eyes and look at the scene beyond the blinds.'

，，，『Sure enough, he rubbed his eyes, and pulling the quilt around him sat up, saying to his wife, 'No wonder I kept dreaming of a crowd of women playing in a light

他: tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)
果然: guǒ rán — 1. really 2. sure enough 3. as expected 4. if indeed (HSK 3)
揉: róu — 1. to knead 2. to massage 3. to rub (HSK 7-9)
了: le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)
眼睛: yǎn jing — 1. eye 2. classifier: 隻 (zhī), 雙 (shuāng) (HSK 2)
擁: yōng — 1. to hold in one's arms; to embrace 2. to surround; to gather around 3. to throng; to swarm 4. (bound form) to support (as in 擁護 (yōng hù)) 5. (literary) to have; to possess 6. Taiwan pr. (yǒng)
着: zhāo — variant of 著 (zhāo) (HSK 1)
被: bèi — 1. quilt 2. to cover (with) 3. (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) 4. used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) 5. (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊[bei4 lu : 3 you2] to "go on a trip") (HSK 3)
坐: Zuò — surname Zuo (HSK 1)
起來: qǐ lai — 1. to stand up; to get up 2. also pr. (qǐ lái) (HSK 1)
對: duì — 1. right; correct 2. towards; at; for 3. concerning; regarding 4. to treat (sb a certain way) 5. to face 6. (bound form) opposite; facing; matching 7. to match together; to adjust 8. to fit; to suit 9. to answer; to reply 10. to add; to pour in (a fluid) 11. to check; to compare 12. classifier: couple; pair (HSK 1)
妻子: qī zǐ — wife and children (HSK 4)
說: shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)
怪不得: guài bu de — 1. no wonder! 2. so that's why! (HSK 7-9)
我: wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)
淨: jìng — 1. clean 2. completely 3. only 4. net (income, exports etc) 5. (Chinese opera) painted face male role (HSK 6)
夢見: mèng jiàn — 1. to dream about (sth or sb) 2. to see in a dream (HSK 4)
一: yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)
羣: qún — variant of 群 (qún) (HSK 3)
女子: nǚ zǐ — 1. woman 2. female (HSK 3)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
微: Wēi — 1. surname Wei 2. ancient Chinese state near present-day Chongqing 3. Taiwan pr. (Wéi)

．，．』rain. If you hadn't woken me, I'd still be dreaming on.'

：『．』His wife too sat up wrapped in her woolen quilt and said, 'I had a dream as well.'

『．』'Tell it to me quickly.'

『．，．'I dreamed that I had lost you. All alone I searched for you everywhere on this mountain, but no matter what I could not find you. I crossed over

．．the mountain, and there I saw a beautiful young woman carrying a basket of beads on her arm, scattering them wildly over the flowers and leaves of the trees. I went up to her

山: Shān — surname Shan (HSK 1)
後: hòu — 1. back 2. behind 3. rear 4. afterwards 5. after 6. later 7. post- (HSK 1)
只見: zhǐ jiàn — 1. to see (the same thing) over and over again 2. to see, to one's surprise, (sth happen suddenly) (HSK 5)
一個: yī ge — 1. a; an; one 2. the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
美麗: měi lì — beautiful (HSK 3)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
女郎: nǚ láng — 1. young woman 2. maiden 3. girl 4. classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi)
挽: wǎn — 1. to pull 2. to draw (a cart or a bow) 3. to roll up 4. to coil 5. to carry on the arm 6. to lament the dead 7. (fig.) to pull against 8. to recover (HSK 7-9)
著: zhāo — 1. a move in chess (Taiwan pr. (zhuó)) 2. trick; tactic 3. (dialect) okay; all right 4. (dialect) to put in; to add (HSK 1)
一: yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)
籃: lán — 1. basket (receptacle) 2. basket (in basketball)
珠子: zhū zi — 1. pearl 2. bead 3. classifier: 粒 (lì), 顆 (kē)
向: Xiàng — surname Xiang (HSK 2)
各: gè — 1. each 2. every (HSK 3)
樹: shù — 1. tree 2. classifier: 棵 (kē) 3. to cultivate 4. to set up (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
花: Huā — surname Hua (HSK 1)
葉: Yè — surname Ye
上頭: shàng tóu — 1. (of alcohol, love etc) to go to one's head; (of an idea, a song etc) to get into one's head; to capture one's attention 2. (old) (of a girl on her wedding day) to start wearing one's hair in a bun (rather than a plait) (HSK 7-9)
亂: luàn — 1. in confusion or disorder 2. in a confused state of mind 3. disorder 4. upheaval 5. riot 6. illicit sexual relations 7. to throw into disorder 8. to mix up 9. indiscriminate 10. random 11. arbitrary (HSK 3)
撒: sā — 1. to let go 2. to cast 3. to let loose 4. to discharge 5. to give expression to 6. (coll.) to pee (HSK 7-9)
我: wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)
上前: shàng qián — to advance; to step forward
去向: qù xiàng — direction in which sb or sth has gone; whereabouts (HSK 7-9)
她: tā — she (HSK 1)

，「，？」，，——』to ask after your whereabouts, and she asked me with a smile, "Who is he, and what do you want him for?" Naturally I answered that he was my husband——'

『！』，．'So it turns out you remember him even in your dreams!' He said this with a laugh, his eyes still carrying a very comical look.

．，『！His wife did not like this. She turned her face away from her husband and said, 'What a thing to say!You're always finding fault with other people's

，．』，．words. I won't say any more.' She pushed aside the woolen quilt and at once called for the maid to prepare wash water.

，，『，．，，Her husband quickly caught hold of her and pleaded, 'Dear one, I won't dare do it again. Go on with your story — if I run my mouth again after this, I'll willingly

．』take my punishment.'

『？』．：'Who's so eager to punish you?' His wife sealed this round of peace with her mark. She went on:

『，．．……』'That woman told me you were hiding in the pomelo-blossom grove in front of the mountain. And then it seemed I had forgotten you again ......'

『……．，；'Oh, you again ...... No, I promised not to say anything more;，．otherwise I'll have to take my punishment. Did you find me in the end,

？』or not?'

『，．：'I didn't walk any further, I only stood to one side watching her scatter the beads. Strange to say: those beads, once they stuck to the flowers

，．，．，「and leaves, all turned into scattered dew of five colors, until even my own body was covered with it. I couldn't help myself, so I asked the young woman. She said, "Things

葉: Yè — surname Ye
上都: Shàng dū — Shangdu, also known as Xanadu, summer capital of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)
變成: biàn chéng — 1. to change into 2. to turn into 3. to become (HSK 2)
五彩: wǔ cǎi — 1. five (main) colors (white, black, red, yellow, and blue) 2. multicolored
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
零: líng — 1. zero 2. nought 3. zero sign 4. fractional 5. fragmentary 6. odd (of numbers) 7. (placed between two numbers to indicate a smaller quantity followed by a larger one) 8. fraction 9. (in mathematics) remainder (after division) 10. extra 11. to wither and fall 12. to wither (HSK 1)
露: Lù — surname Lu (HSK 6)
連: Lián — surname Lian (HSK 3)
我: wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
身體: shēn tǐ — 1. the body 2. one's health (HSK 1)
也: Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)
沾滿: zhān mǎn — 1. muddy 2. covered in (mud, dust, sweat, blood etc) 3. daubed in
了: le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)
我: wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)
忍不住: rěn bu zhù — 1. cannot help 2. unable to bear (HSK 5)
就: jiù — 1. (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then 2. (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after 3. (same as 就是 (jiù shì)) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly 4. only; as little as 5. as much as; as many as 6. to approach; to move towards 7. to undertake; to engage in 8. (often followed by 著 (zhe)) taking advantage of 9. (of food) to go with 10. with regard to; concerning 11. (bound form) to reach; to attain (as in 一蹴而就 (yī cù ér jiù)) 12. (pattern: 就 (jiù) ... 也 (yě) ...) even if ... still ... 13. (pattern: 不 (bù) ... 就 (jiù) ...) if not ... then must be ... (HSK 1)
問: wèn — to ask; to inquire (HSK 1)
那: Nā — surname Na (HSK 1)
女郎: nǚ láng — 1. young woman 2. maiden 3. girl 4. classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi)
女郎: nǚ láng — 1. young woman 2. maiden 3. girl 4. classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi)
說: shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)
東: Dōng — surname Dong (HSK 1)

，，．，are just the same as ever, unchanged; it is only that your mind was different before and after, and so you feel they changed. You took them for beads while I

，．，，had not yet let go of them, because you thought this basket of mine could never hold dew. You took them for dewdrops after I had let go of them, because

．：，you thought those flowers and leaves could not hold beads. Let me tell you: what you recognize lies not in the thing itself, but in the person who uses the thing, and in

．，，．？the time. What you love lies not in the substance, but in the feeling that the substance expresses. How is it that you love the moon?Is it that you love that thing hanging in the sky, already

時間: shí jiān — 1. (concept of) time 2. (duration of) time 3. (point in) time (HSK 1)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)
所: suǒ — 1. actually 2. place 3. classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc 4. that which 5. particle introducing a relative clause or passive 6. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 3)
愛: ài — 1. to love; to be fond of; to like 2. affection 3. to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen) (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
不在: bù zài — 1. not to be present 2. to be out 3. (euphemism) to pass away 4. to be deceased
體質: tǐ zhì — 1. (a person's) constitution; underlying physical condition; physical makeup 2. (of an organization, society etc) structural soundness (HSK 7-9)
乃: nǎi — 1. to be 2. thus 3. so 4. therefore 5. then 6. only 7. thereupon (HSK 7-9)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
體質: tǐ zhì — 1. (a person's) constitution; underlying physical condition; physical makeup 2. (of an organization, society etc) structural soundness (HSK 7-9)
所: suǒ — 1. actually 2. place 3. classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc 4. that which 5. particle introducing a relative clause or passive 6. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 3)
表: biǎo — 1. exterior surface 2. family relationship via females 3. to show (one's opinion) 4. a model 5. a table (listing information) 6. a form 7. a meter (measuring sth) (HSK 2)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
情: qíng — 1. (bound form) feelings; emotion; sentiment; passion 2. (bound form) situation; condition (HSK 7-9)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)
怎樣: zěn yàng — 1. how 2. what kind (HSK 2)
愛: ài — 1. to love; to be fond of; to like 2. affection 3. to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen) (HSK 1)
月: yuè — 1. moon 2. month 3. monthly 4. classifier: 個 (gè), 輪 (lún) (HSK 1)
呢: ne — 1. (sentence-final particle) used in questions to link back to prior discourse or context ("what about...?", "and...?") 2. (sentence-final particle) indicating that a state or situation still holds 3. (discourse particle) used to mark a slight pause or emphasis in speech (HSK 1)
是: shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)
愛: ài — 1. to love; to be fond of; to like 2. affection 3. to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen) (HSK 1)
那: Nā — surname Na (HSK 1)
懸: xuán — 1. to hang or suspend 2. to worry 3. public announcement 4. unresolved 5. baseless 6. without foundation (HSK 6)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
空中: kōng zhōng — 1. in the sky 2. in the air (HSK 5)
已經: yǐ jīng — already (HSK 2)

？long dead — a dark, lifeless orb?？How is it that you love snow?？」』Is it that you love that piercing cold of his, cutting to the very bone?"'

『，，．』'The moment she spoke of snow, I gave a shiver and woke up.'

：『．』Her husband said, 'So in the end you never found me.'

，，『？……His wife grabbed hold of his hair with one hand and said with a laugh, 'Isn't this finding you? ......，？』So tell me, how was this dream?'

『．．'Everything you dreamed is good. What that young woman said is right too. Isn't our happiest moment the one right after a

凡: fán — 1. ordinary 2. commonplace 3. mundane 4. temporal 5. of the material world (as opposed to supernatural or immortal levels) 6. every 7. all 8. whatever 9. altogether 10. gist 11. outline 12. note of Chinese musical scale (HSK 7-9)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)
所: suǒ — 1. actually 2. place 3. classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc 4. that which 5. particle introducing a relative clause or passive 6. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 3)
夢: mèng — 1. dream (classifier: 場 (cháng)) 2. (bound form) to dream (HSK 4)
都: Dū — surname Du (HSK 1)
是: shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)
好: hǎo — 1. good 2. appropriate; proper 3. all right! 4. (before a verb) easy to 5. (before a verb) good to 6. (before an adjective for exclamatory effect) so 7. (verb complement indicating completion) 8. (of two people) close; on intimate terms 9. (after a personal pronoun) hello (HSK 1)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
那: Nā — surname Na (HSK 1)
女郎: nǚ láng — 1. young woman 2. maiden 3. girl 4. classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
話: huà — 1. dialect 2. language 3. spoken words 4. speech 5. talk 6. words 7. conversation 8. what sb said 9. classifier: 種 (zhǒng), 席 (xí), 句 (jù), 口 (kǒu), 番 (fān) (HSK 1)
也: Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)
是: shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)
不錯: bù cuò — 1. correct 2. right 3. not bad 4. pretty good (HSK 2)
我們: wǒ men — we; us; ourselves; our (HSK 1)
最: zuì — 1. (before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est 2. (after 之 (zhī)) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最 (shì jiè zhī zuì) "the greatest in the world") (HSK 1)
愉快: yú kuài — cheerful; happy; pleasant; delighted (HSK 6)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
時候: shí hou — 1. time 2. length of time 3. moment 4. period (HSK 1)
豈不: qǐ bù — 1. how couldn't...? 2. wouldn't it...?
是: shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
接: jiē — 1. to receive 2. to answer (the phone) 3. to meet or welcome sb 4. to connect 5. to catch 6. to join 7. to extend 8. to take one's turn on duty 9. to take over for sb (HSK 2)

，？』，，，，『！kiss, when we gaze at each other?' He grinned foolishly at his wife; she picked up the woolen quilt and threw it over his head, saying, 'You devil!．』This time I certainly won't let you have a second gaze.'

吻: wěn — 1. kiss 2. to kiss 3. mouth (HSK 7-9)
後: hòu — 1. back 2. behind 3. rear 4. afterwards 5. after 6. later 7. post- (HSK 1)
彼此: bǐ cǐ — each other; one another (HSK 5)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
凝視: níng shì — 1. to gaze at 2. to fix one's eyes on
嗎: má — (coll.) what? (HSK 1)
他: tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)
向: Xiàng — surname Xiang (HSK 2)
妻子: qī zǐ — wife and children (HSK 4)
癡: chī — variant of 痴 (chī)
笑: xiào — 1. to laugh; to smile 2. to laugh at (HSK 1)
妻子: qī zǐ — wife and children (HSK 4)
把: bǎ — 1. to hold; to grasp 2. to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate 3. handlebar 4. classifier: handful, bundle, bunch 5. classifier for things with handles 6. (used to put the object before the verb: 把 (bǎ) + {noun} + {verb}) (HSK 3)
絨: róng — 1. velvet 2. woolen
被: bèi — 1. quilt 2. to cover (with) 3. (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) 4. used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) 5. (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊[bei4 lu : 3 you2] to "go on a trip") (HSK 3)
拿起: ná qǐ — to pick up
來: lái — 1. to come 2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb) 3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 (huí lai)) 4. ever since (as in 自古以來 (zì gǔ yǐ lái)) 5. for the past (amount of time) 6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 (lái shì)) 7. (between two verbs) in order to 8. (after a round number) approximately 9. (used after 得 (dé) to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 (tán de lái), or after 不 (bù) to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 (chī bu lái)) (HSK 1)
蓋: Gě — surname Ge (HSK 4)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
他: tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)
頭上: tóu shàng — 1. overhead 2. above
說: shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)
惡鬼: è guǐ — 1. evil spirit 2. devil
這: zhè — 1. (pronoun) this; these 2. (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun) 3. (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. (zhèi), esp. in Beijing) (HSK 1)
會: huì — 1. can; to have the skill; to know how to 2. to be likely to; to be sure to 3. to meet; to get together 4. meeting; gathering 5. (suffix) union; group; association 6. (bound form) a moment (Taiwan pr. (huǐ)) (HSK 1)
可不: kě bu — see 可不是 (kě bu shì)
讓: ràng — 1. to yield 2. to permit 3. to let sb do sth 4. to have sb do sth 5. to make sb (feel sad etc) 6. by (indicates the agent in a passive clause, like 被 (bèi)) (HSK 2)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)
有: yǒu — 1. to have; there is 2. (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意 (yǒu yì) intentional) (HSK 1)
第二次: dì èr cì — the second time; the second occurrence
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
凝視: níng shì — 1. to gaze at 2. to fix one's eyes on
了: le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)

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What it’s about

Mist and flower scent enter a rough mountain house and soak the bedding of a married couple. The wife wakes her husband, who would rather remain with a dream of women playing in rain. She has dreamed that she lost him and met a beautiful woman scattering pearls over leaves. The pearls became dew because the observer's expectations changed: identity lies not simply in matter but in the user, moment and feeling through which matter appears.

The dream woman asks whether anyone loves the moon as a dead dark sphere or snow for its bone-piercing cold. We love what bodies express, she says, not bare substance. Yet the wife becomes absorbed in the pearls and forgets her search, while her husband cares chiefly that she never found him. Their teasing resumes in waking life: she catches his hair, he speaks of lovers gazing after a kiss, and she covers his head to prevent a second gaze. Philosophy remains inseparable from playful attachment.

When it was written 背景

Xu repeatedly gives a wife the sharper philosophical speech, here embedding it one level deeper in a female figure inside her dream. The distinction between substance and the affection it manifests draws together Buddhist suspicion of fixed perception and a modern defense of embodied romantic love. The mountain hut's cold mist grounds the metaphysics in sensation, and the husband's interruptions keep abstraction comic. Learners can track the repeated verbs 夢, 找 and 愛: the dream argues that perception depends on relation, while the frame demonstrates how quickly a lover turns even that argument into a demand to be remembered.

Words in this chapter 生词

女郎nǚ láng女郎nǚ láng — young woman · maiden · girl · classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi)
找着zhǎo zháo找着zhǎo zháo — to find
珠子zhū zi珠子zhū zi — pearl · bead · classifier: 粒 (lì), 顆 (kē)
挨罰ái fá挨罰ái fá — to be punished · to be fined
霧氣wù qì霧氣wù qì — fog · mist · vapor
麽mó麽mó — tiny · insignificant
撒手sā shǒu撒手sā shǒu — to let go of sth · to give up
體質tǐ zhìHSK 7-9體質tǐ zhì — (a person's) constitution; underlying physical condition; physical makeup · (of an organization, society etc) structural soundness (HSK 7-9)
找不着zhǎo bu zháo找不着zhǎo bu zháo — to be unable to find
搖醒yáo xǐng搖醒yáo xǐng — to shake (sb) awake
沾滿zhān mǎn沾滿zhān mǎn — muddy · covered in (mud, dust, sweat, blood etc) · daubed in
濃霧nóng wù濃霧nóng wù — thick fog