Translations from Kelly
I have the translations of the Tuanjiehu Park interviews back from Kelly, which is great news. It is interesting reading indeed. Here is an example of one –
1. What do cricket and cicada songs mean to you?
It means summer. In the hot and tiring summer, their singing makes people feel peaceful.
2. Have you ever had a cricket as a pet? Or do you know any friends or family who have owned crickets? If so, can you tell me about it.
When I was young I raised crickets. Some can sing, some can’t. I forget from which part of their body is how we can tell. I used to catch cicadas pupae in small holes under the tree. Then put it in a box made of window screen. After they lose their ecdysis, some can sing. Moreover, their body was light green, which is very interesting.
3. Do you think there is a connection between these insect songs and Chinese music?
Yes, there should exist some connections between them. There are some poems about cicadas in Chinese poetry. Here is a poem written by Yu Shinan, a poet from the Tang Dynasty.
The Cicada by Yu Shinan:
Drunk with fresh dew, your trill will flow
From ‘mid the sparse parasol trees.
Rising high, far your voice will go,
Not on the wings of autumn breeze
