Shen Xiu Causes Seven Deaths With One Bird

Decent Essays
The story of “Shen Xiu Causes Seven Deaths with One Bird” is about the main character, Shen Xiu, who’s bird literally causes seven deaths. The story begins in the third year of the Xuanhe regin period under Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty. A weaver named Shen Yu lived with his wife named Yan by the New North Bridge, outside Wuilin Gate, in the prefecture of Ninghai. The couple had an eighteen year old son named Shen Xiu who was not yet married. “The father made his living by weaving fabrics, whereas his romantically inclined son, ignoring all proper pursuits, did little more than take care of his bird. (The root of all trouble)”
This story is important because it contains Confucian and Buddhist ideas. The Confucian idea contained in the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, once said: “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” Li-Young Lee’s poem entitled “A Story” poignantly depicts the complex relationship between a father and his son through the boy’s entreaties for a story. He employs emotional appeals as well as strategic literary devices to emphasize the differing perspectives that exist between father and son. Through shifting points of view, purposeful structure, and meaningful diction, Lee adds depth and emotion to the love shared by the two characters and illuminates a universal theme of present innocence and changing relationships over time.…

    • 1125 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sad Silence In Li-Young Lee’s poem “A Story” he shows the relationship of a father and his son as the boy is coming of age. He shows the complex relationship between a son and his father through the use of Alternating viewpoints, structure design, and a remorseful tone. Through the use of these literary devices he is able to develop the father’s deep affection and worry for his young son.…

    • 623 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan is a heartwarming and inspiring novel about a young girl who lost her parents and learns about life on her journey of recovering from her loss. Willow Chance is a girl who was adopted by her parents and has been living with them in Bakersfield, California. Since she is exceedingly knowledgeable, nearly everything intrigues her. She is especially fascinated by plants and medical conditions, though, and also is obsessed with the number 7. However, despite her extraordinary brilliance, she is always an outcast at her school because of her unique personality.…

    • 771 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    After reading Hills Like White Elephants to be honest I was greatly confused. Looking up literary commentary I found a wide stretch of articles from abortion to gender arguments. To me while there is plenty of evidence for both and pages of arguments to draw from I cannot do it. Reading over the paper again three or four times I have come to a sad conclusion.…

    • 1844 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    I'm going to be tell you some things in the Christmas CaroI. The first thing that I'm going to tell you is how this old, overplayed story could have any deeper meaning for society and people today. Then, I'm going to use examples of the settings and society now. Then I'm going to make a statement about our culture that matches with the reality of Scrooge's self and his society. That is what I'm going to talk about in the Christmas Carol.…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    There are many movies that choose to stick with in a certain persons mind from childhood. Japan’s Studio Ghibli has created many fond memories of magical adventures for adults and children since its creation, and Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away” is no exception. Released on September 20th, 2002, and directed by the famous Hayao Miyazaki, “Spirited Away” is one of his most prided movies that serve a much deeper meaning then the movie’s surface offers. This movie centers on a sullen 10-year old girl, Chihiro, wanders into a world controlled by witches, spirits, gods, and where humans are turned into beasts.…

    • 1098 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Free and Easy Wandering Closed Reading Free and Easy Wandering is an chapter excerpt from the classic Chinese piece of literature Zhuangzi written by Zhuang Zhou. Written in the Third Century B.C.E. , Master Zhuang wrote during the Warring States period. Free and Easy Wandering is the first of seven in Zhuangzi,with almost all the chapters containing fables and allegories relating a broader message to the reader. Along with the contemporary writing Laozi, Zhuangzi was one of the earliest texts to contribute to the philosophy that has come to be known as the Daoist school of thought. Daoism teaches and encourages its followers to live in harmony with the “Way.”…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Literary Essay I read a fiction novel The Warriors Into the Wild by Erin Hunter. The book is told from a third person narrator. The book is about this kittypet named Rusty and he joins one of the four clans and becomes an apprentice. He has a new name called Firepaw and he learns enough about the other clans and he has to keep secrets that he don’t know if there ture. When everything seems fine he has to fase the biggest change he has ever face to save his camp will he do it or will his camp suffer and lose everything.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the play “The Crucible” written by Arthur Miller we see many themes and lessons in the story. The main theme is focussed on deceit and lying and how lies can lead down a dark road which results in the ruin of many. The Crucible is a fictional play based on the Salem Witch Trials which occurred between February 1692 and May 1693 and resulted in over 150 people being accused of witchcraft and 20 executed. The story focusses on the story of John Proctor and Abigail Williams, his niece, and how lies, jealousy, revenge, and deep seated feuds caused a community to turn on each other in a vicious circle of accusations and misunderstandings. The characters in the play who lie significantly are Abigail, John Proctor, and Mary Warren…

    • 1210 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald displays the pattern of recklessness and carelessness through the American Dream. In the Roaring 20s, the characters felt as though they were invincible, which led to careless lifestyles. The American Dream was to live a lavish, carefree, and fulfilled lifestyle , when in essence, the carelessness would cause a downward spiral in life. Throughout the novel, the characters show recklessness and carelessness with possessions, wealth, and love. Thus, the reality of the American Dream didn 't live up to the perception of it.…

    • 1906 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Funny In Farsi Analysis

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Author Firoozeh Dumas and Mawi Asgedom, both tells their stories from moving to their country to America. In Funny in Farsi, Dumas tells her story in a entertaining way. She moved here with her family. In Of Beetles and Angels, Asgedom talks about his education and family, which is informative. He graduated from Harvard.…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    LT391: Essay (2) “To write is to love and honour and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice.” Sometime it is devastating that broken relationship can never be fixed and this is presented in this short story, “Love and Honour and Pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice”, in which the protagonist learns the genuine significance of writing by the loss of his story which is destroyed by how it is made. Nam Lee is portrayed as a writing student who takes writing too casually and engaging the past with his father entirely changes his attitude toward writing within the act of love and honour and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice of which he eventually learned they are the metaphor of writing.…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The system of honor and filial piety played an important role in shaping young Dapeng’s life. Dapeng’s beliefs were rooted in the beliefs of Confucianisms where the “ system of ethics, education, and statesmanship taught by Confucius and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct”. (AP World History). This system where parents were regarded as the highest admiration was Dapeng’s most important belief. Dapeng sought harmony from nature and from his relationships during a time of turmoil in Chinese history.…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This story revolves around and old man and his unconventional relationship with his caretaker. The postmaster hailing from Calcutta, feels like a fish out of water in the remote village of Ulapur where he works. There, he led a lonely life, with little company and minimal work to do. To cope with this, he often engaged himself in writing poetry describing his peaceful and isolated surroundings. He had Ratan, an orphan girl of the village, to do odd jobs for him.…

    • 1710 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Edgar Allen Poe is an American writer that is world renown for his dark writing style, which allows the reader to be engulfed into his tales of horror and mystery. The Cask of Amontillado is a classic Poe style story that is littered with unexpected twists and turns around every corner. The reader is able to watch from afar as the main character seeks revenge against his “friend” Fortunato. Poe’s ability to create a character like Montresor amazes me because of the unique way in which he reveals the main characters poor mental health without directly stating that he is insane. The gradual realization of this is what makes the story so unique to Poe’s style.…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays