Footnotes
Chapter 39
[1] A small tablet engraved with a name that is used to commemorate someone or symbolize the spirit of an ancestor or deity. Spirit tablets are usually fairly small, can be made of various materials, and may be kept in a shrine or family home.
Chapter 40
[2] Couplets written on red paper and displayed during the Spring Festival express wishes for the coming year.
Chapter 41
[3] From “Ode on the Sunset over a River” by Tang dynasty politician and poet Bai Juyi.
[4] From “Shengchazi: Lantern Festival” by Song dynasty historian and poet Ouyang Xiu.
Chapter 42
[5] An official communication to the emperor from a subject of the empire.
Chapter 44
[6] The spear’s name means “blue clouds, nine continents.”
Chapter 45
[7] A traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to speed the healing of wounds.
Chapter 46
[8] Lit in front of an ancestor’s spirit tablet to demonstrate respect and veneration.
[9] From “Peach Blossoms of Dalin Temple” by Tang dynasty politician and poet Bai Juyi.
Chapter 47
[10] A loving term for one’s husband. Literally, “eunuch.”
Chapter 50
[11] A term applicable to a younger brother’s husband.
Chapter 58
[12] Lines from the Mencius.
Chapter 65
[13] Silk balls are tokens of love. During a wedding, the bride holds the ball and the groom holds a ribbon attached to it, symbolizing their union.
[14] A loving term for one’s wife. Literally, “old woman.”
Chapter 67
[15] The fourth of twelve hours in traditional timekeeping.
[16] The third of twelve hours in traditional timekeeping.
Chapter 68
[17] A chess-like game played with black and white stone pieces on a grid. Better known in the West as Go.
Chapter 70
[18] Jing Ke was an assassin from the Yan state sent to kill the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang). He failed, and the Qin state unified all states to form the Qin Dynasty (BCE 221–207).
[19] Line from The Grand Scribe’s Records by Han dynasty historian Sima Qian.
Chapter 71
[20] Longevity locks, typically made of precious metals, are meant to “lock in” a child’s good fortune.
[21] Widows were required to observe a restrictive vigil period for their husbands that could range from three months to three years.
Chapter 72
[22] Physician during the Eastern Han dynasty; the first to use anesthesia during surgery.