Will someone versed in Chinese please tell me what the syllables referred to below mean?
Curious Reason for Admiration. - A traveller mentions, that of all modern heroes, the Duke of Wellington is the most popular in China : that, it is said, results not from the victories obtained by this nobleman, for about the battle of Waterloo the Chinese know but little, and care still less ; it is the name of the noble Duke that possesses such a charm to the ears of his admirers; it sounds, and it is pronounced, very much like a word of Chinese origin - Wee-ling-tong. As the name of this hero thus pronounced contains three distinct Chinese words, he is in their estimation one of the greatest men that ever lived - perhaps descended in a direct line from the five-clawed dragon, who, it seems, is the guardian saint of the Celestial Empire.
The Times, October 23, 1822.
Curious Reason for Admiration. - A traveller mentions, that of all modern heroes, the Duke of Wellington is the most popular in China : that, it is said, results not from the victories obtained by this nobleman, for about the battle of Waterloo the Chinese know but little, and care still less ; it is the name of the noble Duke that possesses such a charm to the ears of his admirers; it sounds, and it is pronounced, very much like a word of Chinese origin - Wee-ling-tong. As the name of this hero thus pronounced contains three distinct Chinese words, he is in their estimation one of the greatest men that ever lived - perhaps descended in a direct line from the five-clawed dragon, who, it seems, is the guardian saint of the Celestial Empire.
The Times, October 23, 1822.
3 comments:
that was an interesting one - he was supportive of the opium trade between India and china, i suppose.
"Wei Ling Tun". I can't find any direct translation for those characters. But it does sound like a Chinese name. Most of the Chinese have got three syllabus in their name, the first being their surname and the second being their generation's character and the last being their personal character.
Some have got only two characters in their names. In this case, the generation character is missing.
Maddy: I suspect Wellington, when he wasn't winning battles, was more interested in womanising. Haven't heard he was an opium aficionado, though!
CK: Thanks for that. Clearly, the Times's correspondent was just being facetious, then, eh?
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