21st Century Necromancer

Chapter 334 Traditional Customs (Request for Monthly Tickets, Request for Subscriptions)

"Mr. Chen Yu, what are they constructing over there? It looks quite interesting," Hiromi Jounouchi asked curiously after they left the park, observing people working on setting up various red lanterns and frames in the square by the park's entrance.

Chen Yu glanced at it and said nonchalantly, "Oh, that? Those are festive lanterns for the New Year. But haven't they finished setting them up yet this year? In previous years, they should have been up by now, right? Hiromi, if you're interested... We can't go see them tomorrow since it's New Year's Eve and we need to be at home, but how about the day after tomorrow night? They are much more interesting to look at in the evening."

"Festive lanterns? What are those?" Hiromi Jounouchi repeated the Chinese term Chen Yu had used, and based on the pronunciation, she guessed, "Are they something similar to fireworks?"

"Hmm, you could think of it that way," Chen Yu considered her assumption and found that, to some extent, there wasn't anything wrong with it, but he elaborated, "These are lanterns shaped into various forms. When they are lit up at night, they take on all sorts of shapes. Although some might look kind of silly, and a bit rustic, they truly are a part of Chinese tradition. It's just that in the past, the lanterns used to be more beautiful and refined. These days, you mostly see these sculptural types."

Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire

"So, is it like the Christmas trees set up during Christmas?" Hiromi Jounouchi tried to understand exactly what Chen Yu was describing, "Also, you mentioned that the ones from before were prettier, what were they like? And what about this Chinese tradition you spoke of?"

Hearing Hiromi Jounouchi's questions, Chen Yu looked around and then led her to a nearby shop. At the entrance of the store, he pointed to a delicate little lantern hanging by the door and said, "Lanterns are an evolution of the ancient Chinese lantern. You know about the big red lanterns, right Hiromi?"

"Duh, I do know what lanterns are!" Hiromi Jounouchi bristled at being teased, retorting while pointing at the hanging lantern and telling the shopkeeper, "Excuse me, I'll take this one, please!"

However, the shopkeeper, seeing what Hiromi Jounouchi was pointing at, immediately apologized, "Sorry, this one is not for sale."

"Eh? Isn't this a product?" Hiromi Jounouchi asked, eyeing the beautiful lantern hanging at the shop entrance with undeniable curiosity along with a hint of disappointment and envy in her voice.

"This was made by my father; he used to sell lanterns. But nowadays, people don't really buy them anymore, so he only makes one to hang up here during the New Year. So, this one is not for sale," the shopkeeper explained apologetically.

With regret etched on her face, Hiromi Jounouchi didn't insist and simply bowed slightly to the shopkeeper before turning to leave with Chen Yu.

Chen Yu continued to explain about festive lanterns to Hiromi Jounouchi as they walked away: "Just like the one you saw at the shop, the lantern hanging by the door was a traditional lantern made of bamboo, colorful silk, or paper. According to tradition, on The Fifteenth of the First Lunar Month, which is the fifteenth day after the Lunar New Year, every family would display their lanterns.

But in modern society, traditional handmade lanterns are no longer as popular as they once were, and even the custom of displaying lanterns has diminished, mostly becoming what you just saw in the square. The riddles that were an essential part of the festival on the fifteenth day are also not as popular as before, though it seems they are making a comeback in the last few years with the rise in popularity of traditional culture," he said.

"What's a lantern riddle?" Although she hadn't managed to buy a lantern, Hiromi Jounouchi wasn't particularly upset, as it was just a spur-of-the-moment desire, much like her new-found interest in the lantern riddles Chen Yu mentioned.

"It's one of the Chinese traditional customs, existing alongside the lanterns as a riddle-solving game," Chen Yu explained to Hiromi Jounouchi, even presenting a riddle for her to guess: "In the past, while displaying lanterns, people would write riddles on paper and hang them beneath the lanterns for a guessing game. If you could guess correctly, you could take the lantern home.

Look, I have a lantern riddle right here, Hiromi, try to guess: 'Liu Bei weeps, and Liu Bang smiles. What character is this?'

"Eh? Why suddenly make me solve a riddle? How could I possibly figure it out when I've just started learning Chinese!" Hiromi Jounouchi was caught off guard by Chen Yu's lantern riddle, and although she racked her brain, being far from proficient in Chinese, she indeed couldn't guess it.

"The answer is the character 'cui.' In Chinese, the top half of the 'cui' character is 'yu,' and the bottom half is 'zu,' together forming 'Yu-Zu.' Liu Bei's sworn brother was Guan Yu, and Liu Bang's enemy was Xiang Yu. 'Yu-Zu' signifies that 'Yu has died,' hence the clue: Liu Bei cries, and Liu Bang laughs." Chen Yu explained to Hiromi Jounouchi, simultaneously tracing the character on his palm to help her understand.

"Who could guess that! I'm not Chinese! I'll give you a Japanese riddle to guess then!" Hiromi Jounouchi pouted, seemingly miffed as she tossed out a riddle to him in return: "????????????????(What situation 'cuts a finger' but doesn't hurt?)"

"Hmm... Let me think!" Although Chen Yu knew Japanese, this riddle had stumped him for the moment.

"Can't guess, huh? Hehe!" Seeing Chen Yu's troubled expression, Hiromi Jounouchi burst out laughing.

However, as Chen Yu was attempting to buy some time, his phone rang very "opportunely."

With a teasing smile plastered on Hiromi Jounouchi's face, Chen Yu signaled an apology to her before answering the call.

"Professor Zhang? How did you know I was back in the country? Happy New Year to you too! I should have been the one to call you first." The caller was Professor Zhang, Chen Yu's teacher from his university days and the father of Zhang Zhao and Zhao Min, whom he had briefly met in Japan.

"Isn't it because you, Professor Chen, have become such a big shot now? The head of surgery at The Third People's Hospital, Director Liu, actually called me up, not even letting people have a peaceful New Year, all to persuade you, Professor Chen Da, to perform a demonstration surgery for him." Professor Zhang's voice conveyed a touch of helplessness and embarrassment over the phone, as he clearly didn't want to disturb Chen Yu during the New Year: "I didn't want to get involved in this, but since Director Liu is an old classmate of mine from university, I ended up having to shamelessly ask you for this favor."