Guardian

Christian wasn't deeply disheartened by Charlize's misunderstanding. He recognized that in the early 1990s, Japan's influence on the world dwarfed that of China. During this period, Europeans and Americans would commonly mistake an Asian person for a Japanese. This wouldn't change completely for another two decades. It was true that Japanese characters shared many similarities with Chinese characters, and Charlize naturally associated the two, which wasn't surprising.

Of course, while this misunderstanding was understandable, it still needed to be addressed.

"The text on these three sheets of paper is identical, and they all represent the two Chinese characters 'Shen Tu'."

"'Shen tu?'"

The two characters held no English equivalent, which was unsurprising. Charlize couldn't comprehend it, so Christian had to elaborate further.

" 'Shen Tu' is one of the earliest Door guardians in ancient China. These 'door guardians' were considered household protectors. People would carve the guardian's name on a peach wood board and hang it on their doors to ward off evil spirits. It prevents malevolent forces from invading their homes."

"Ah, I see now"

Charlize nodded, having grasped the concept.

"But why are there three different ways to write the same name?"

"What are these three ways? There are four ways to write 'Huizi'"

Inwardly, Christian continued to bemoan the lack of cultural awareness. However, he wisely kept these thoughts to himself, as voicing them might lead to confrontation. After collecting his thoughts, he explained:

"Sally, can you sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?"

"'The Star-Spangled Banner'? Isn't that the U.S. national anthem?"

Charlize nodded simply and honestly, "I can't sing it."

"What?"

"Why is that weird?! I'm South African even though I'm in Hollywood. It's not strange for a South African girl not to know the American national anthem. Besides, the song's lyrics are quite challenging; many Americans can't sing it properly themselves"

"You make a reasonable point; I can't argue with that."

Given the unhelpful example, Christian had to switch to another one.

"Have you read Shakespeare's original works?"

"I have, or rather, I've read... a few pieces."

In English-speaking countries, Shakespeare was the revered figurehead of actors and literary circles. Though actors like Charlize, hailing from humble backgrounds, weren't expected to recite his works with the proficiency of British actors, they were still expected to be more familiar with his works. Reading just a few of them was considered inadequate. No wonder Charlize felt embarrassed.

"Just a few, huh"

Christian didn't use this as an opportunity to expose Charlize's lack of knowledge. Instead, he continued:

"Since you've read the originals, you must know that Shakespeare's works can be quite challenging for modern readers."

"True."

Charlize nodded, concurring with Christian's statement.

"When I first watched 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' I couldn't understand many things."

" 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'? I thought you'd mention 'The Merchant of Venice' "

"Enough, Sherlock"

"In short, Shakespeare's original works can be hard to grasp because they were written in Old English."

Christian touched his nose and dropped the teasing.

"Shakespeare's works were known for their eloquence and beauty, but they can now be cryptic and tough to understand. This is because these works, much like 'The Star-Spangled Banner', are composed in Old English. It's only natural that we find them challenging. This situation is an inevitable consequence of language evolution. Chinese has a much longer history than English and has gone through more stages. The 'three ways of writing' I mentioned refer to how 'Shen Tu' was written in three specific historical stages."

With this, he gestured toward the blank paper affixed to the wall.

"The top layer displays the characters used by modern Chinese—simplified characters. The lower layer features traditional characters used centuries ago, not significantly different from simplified characters. The bottom layer showcases Yin Runes, a script that appeared over a thousand years ago during the Tang Dynasty but has been lost to time. I learned this script through a special channel."

At this point, Christian paused and picked up a new paper—a painting this time. It portrayed an ancient general with a stern visage, wielding a unique bamboo-like weapon. This painting was one that Charlize had recently bought from Chinatown while preparing for this discussion. Back then, Christian had mentioned that the general in the painting was...

"This is Qin Qiong"

Christian affixed the picture over the three sheets of paper already in place, obscuring the writing.

"He was a general in the Tang Dynasty of China and one of the two most well-known Door Guardians in Chinese folklore. If we were to liken them to pop icons, Shen Tu would be Elvis, and Qin Qiong would be Michael Jackson."

"So he's more contemporary than the Shen Tu you mentioned and closer to the modern conception of a door guardian?"

Christian's clever metaphor made Charlize understand quickly. However, she had one more question.

"But he's a general. Why is he regarded as a Door Guardian?"

"Well..."

Christian scratched his nose.

"Differing from Shen Tu, who was a Door Guardian from the outset, Qin Qiong was initially a real historical figure. He served as a general under Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. Never mind; in short, he was a formidable ancient Chinese Emperor. Think of him like Caesar or Napoleon."

Using an analogy to illuminate Chinese history once more, Christian continued:

"Emperor Taizong won numerous battles and established a vast empire. However, the stress of warfare and political intrigue took a toll on his mental well-being. He frequently had nightmares where the spirits of those he'd killed came back to haunt him, draining his life force. This made the once brave Emperor fearful. In response, he asked his two most trusted generals, including Qin Qiong, to stand guard while he slept. Afterward, he no longer suffered from nightmares. Though we now view this as a psychological issue, a thousand years ago, people found it magical, and they began placing the portraits of these two generals on their doors in the hopes that they would protect them from malevolent spirits, much like the Emperor's guardians."

"So, that's how Qin Qiong became a Door Guardian?"

"Yes, and even today, many Chinese households still hang his portrait on their doors."

"It's truly a fascinating legend."

Charlize sighed.

"So, by displaying his portrait, you hope his power can protect us?"

"That's right, though the specifics are somewhat different."

"But how do you know about this? These Eastern practices always seem mysterious to me."

"Well, who taught me to deal with ghosts and exorcisms? It was a Chinese"

To be precise, a Chinese ghost. Moreover, Lao Tzu was originally Chinese. It wasn't so strange.

Christian grumbled internally but then glanced at the opposite wall.

"The poster opposite Qin Qiong, the one with the motorcycle and shotgun, is that a T-800? If we're going to display Door Guardians, we need a pair. You can take down that poster as well. We'll keep this side and attach the other two-door guardians that correspond to Qin Qiong and Shen Tu."

"Sure"

Understanding Christian's intentions, the blonde actress cooperatively removed the poster of the future governor. She watched as Christian put up three more sheets with the same unfamiliar script. Then, she affixed an image on the white paper—this time, it depicted a dark-faced general.

"This is Yu Chigong, the other general who, as I mentioned earlier, guarded Emperor Taizong's gates along with Qin Qiong. Seeing your interest in these portraits, I'll explain."

"In ancient China, there were corresponding left and right gates, so the Door Guardians had to be paired to function properly. The counterpart to Qin Qiong is Yu Chigong and the counterpart to Shen Tu is Yu Lei, as written on the three white papers behind them."

Satisfied with the symmetry, Christian breathed a sigh of relief and, with a unique hand gesture, began to concentrate.

"Thousands of families always exchange new peaches for old ones."

He released his pinched fingers, and a subtle whirlwind materialized in the bedroom, then dissipated rapidly. This occurrence struck Charlize as quite extraordinary.

"Did the arrangement work this way? Did you just recite a spell?"

"It's not incorrect to call it a spell. However, it's just a couplet. Just like Tagore's Life is as gorgeous as summer flowers, and death is as quiet as autumn leaves.'"

"A couplet? Can a couplet be used as a spell?"

"Of course. Most so-called spells are, in essence, psychological prompts for the user and the observer. From that perspective, modern language, more accessible than the cryptic verses and proverbs from movies, makes a better spell. As for this couplet, it was composed by Wang Anshi, a renowned writer from China's Song Dynasty. I find it very suitable for our current situation, so it can be used as a spell."

"Really? So, the spell you just recited is like poetry, with a melodious sound."

Charlize offered a dry chuckle.

"Though, to me, it's as cryptic as the 'Bible' used by movie exorcists to banish demons—equally unintelligible."