Knife Mountains, Woks of Oil
from the saying: 上刀山，落油鑊
I would climb a knife mountain, sink into a wok of frying oil, the saying goes, a story of sacrifice; “Why can’t you do the same for me?” Those are just as heavy as words, a story of guilt and shame, for first of all, never asking another to climb sharp mountains or swim in hot substances, for it does not and will not benefit me, but being expected to return such a deed. But feeling, immediately, in reaction to such a thought that you have been ungrateful and rude. There are some who would immediately reply, do as you need to do, in alignment with an individualistic society, noting that they have the freedom to do what they want to and they chose to do so but you don’t have to. A view that would absolve me of my guilt but also a view that feels like it distances me from others of my culture. There are others who would reply that I should learn to reframe and learn to reconnect with my roots by honouring age-old traditions of filial piety and reciprocality at all costs, yet it still does not feel right to me. In a space where neither feels like the right choice, I feel the weight of a hundred voices from a thousand backgrounds telling me what’s “right” or “wrong” without tackling the “why” in a way that allows me find out what’s true to my heart. I already know that the answer isn’t as clear as falling into the pattern of following one traditional view or another, but that having lived between two cultures, that each choice I make will be a laborious balance of inspect what my true values are, and why they matter to me.
Inviting Stuart Englander| Lori Lamothe | Greg Proffit | Nes Laidler | Zsófia Sáfár | Nerissa Talique | Trista Signe Ainsworth | Fathiyah Zb| Gauri Sirur| Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles | if you’re up to it and anyone else interested to smash that writer’s block, join in on this tiny challenge and write a response, wherever it takes you! It can be a tiny poem, a shortform piece or an essay — whatever comes into that brain noodle!
Poetry Prompt: how has your culture shaped your expectations on what’s “right” or “wrong” in relationships? (Bonus: pick a specific type of relationship to explore in deeper detail)
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Hi I’m Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) and I kinda want to own a wok though. But, considering my marshmallow arms, would I even be able to hold it and shake it? 💪 PS, I PUBLISHED A BOOK 📚
Hop down the rabbit hole? 🐰🕳
^ by TC Hails
