Vocabulary

return to an island

direction of travel; direction of movement

laugh and grow fat; good fortune and happiness will come to the home of those who smile

all people aren't evil; don't distrust everyone; there is kindness to be found everywhere

godsend; lifesaver; timely offer; windfall

general power of attorney

botanical genus

knowing a theory without being able to apply it

thief

to be favorably received and sell extremely well (of a book); to raise the price of paper in Luoyang

one cannot have pleasure without pain; no pain, no gain

there's no pain without pleasure, and there's no pleasure without pain

to be blinded by greed

something indistinguishable or indistinct (like an egret in the snow)

aimless attempt; shot in the dark; crapshoot

aimless attempt; crapshoot; shot in the dark

don't judge a book by its cover; a mountain is not to be honoured just because it is high

sickness and health start with the mind

a fox is not taken twice in the same snare; there are no birds in last year's nest; there aren't always loaches under the willow tree

the soft may prove more durable than the hard; willow trees don't break under the weight of snow

parents may risk life and limb for their children (like a pheasant when the plains are burning or a crane on a cold night)

you get what you pay for; wasting money on a cheap item

a drop in the bucket; a drop in the ocean; pointless exercise; waste of time; (something that is) too little, too late; (pouring) water on a hot stone

it often takes time for one's actions to bear fruit; planted peach and chestnut seeds take three years (to bear fruit), persimmons take eight

the whole year's plans should be made on New Year's Day

street violence against middle-aged men

coffee maker

one man's meat is another man's poison; one man's medicine is another man's poison

self-serving logic

Japonisme; Japonism

money possessed

to inject with a syringe

labour intensive industry

capital intensive

labour intensive

eager; earnest; ardent

of soup and love, the first is the best; one's first spouse tends to be better than any subsequent spouse

treetop

to bury the hatchet; to make up; to be reconciled; to be reunited (e.g. couple); to be reinstated

to crown; to cap