Letter

This is a corner where popo, at the very bottom of the Chinese language learner hierarchy, talks about the Chinese language.

Was there such a thing?

It has started, as of today.

For the first installment, I am jumping on the bandwagon of Crystal-ru's "Letter to the Hand God" project.

Apparently, anything you feel from your hands is fine, but looking at the entries from other participants, they are all moving articles that make you want to cry.

The call for entries for this project ended quite a while ago.
So, I am not participating, but ratherjumping on the bandwagon.
I am far from the colors, kindness, warmth, and refreshing transparency that Crystal-ru exudes, and I might even make you feel uncomfortable.

I am sorry.

The word "shou-xin" (手紙) also exists in Chinese.
It means "toilet paper".

There are quite a few words that exist in both Chinese and Japanese but have different meanings.
When that topic comes up, "shou-xin" (手紙) is the first one to be mentioned, but as a Japanese person, you might want to complain a little.
Wait, "shou-xin" (letter) is toilet paper?

But please wait.

Toilet paper is precious in China.
Because it is common to go into a restroom and find there is no toilet paper. Carrying it with you is essential.
That said, it is not like it is sold at exorbitant prices in supermarkets, though.

■ Unraveling the history of toilet paper

Before paper came into use, wood chips and bamboo were used in China, and seaweed was used in Japan.

In China, the 6th-century "Family Instructions of Master Yan" mentions that "paper was used for cleaning," which is said to be the oldest record of toilet paper in the world.

When did paper start being used in Japan?
The possibility can be glimpsed in the late 12th-century painting "Gaki Zoshi" (Scroll of Hungry Ghosts).

It depicts those who have fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts among the six realms, and one is defecating while wearing high wooden clogs. There is paper scattered around them.

If this was used to clean up excrement, then paper must have started being used from the end of the Heian period to the Kamakura period.

That said, it was in the Edo period that it became available to the common people.
It was made by dissolving and straining waste paper, and was called "chirigami" or "otoshigami." The "Asakusa-gami" of Edo, "Nishinotoin-gami" of Kyoto, and "Minato-gami" of Osaka were famous. These did not dissolve in water, but since they were pit toilets, that was not a problem.

Previously, in Anko-chan's article, there was a debate about whether one is a "toilet paper person" or a "toilet roll person." To me, "roll" sounded a bit more stylish, and I wondered if it might be a product name, but it seems "toilet roll" is actually older. It was imported from America during the Meiji era, and in Japan, it was either called a toilet roll or translated as "benjo-makigami" (toilet winding paper).

A brand of toilet roll called "Tengu" that existed before the war was stored in a time capsule inside a building called the "Culture Pillar" in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture, and since it is scheduled to be opened in 2040, I would definitely like to see it.

Now, this is a story from 20 years ago, but in China, even in large hotels, you could not flush toilet paper.
The water pressure was weak, so it would clog.
There was a large bucket placed in each stall, and you would throw it away there.

Also, the often-mentioned situation where there are separate doors that look like individual stalls, but when you open them, they are connected inside, is a story that actually happened.

When I was in Shanghai, I was taking classes in a building for international students, which was slightly better treated than the buildings for local university students. I believe the international student dormitory was the only one with air conditioning.
Even in that restroom, the doors were individual, but the sewage was shared.
There were walls for the stalls.
But there was a single trench at the bottom, and when the person before you flushed, it would flow down.

Several years after that, I traveled to Shanghai with my children.
The evolution of the toilets at that time was amazing.

A timer was installed on the door so you could see how many minutes had passed since someone went inside.
In China, they didn't use a single-line queue where you enter in the order that stalls become available; instead, they used a parallel queue where you line up for each door.
Therefore, knowing which door would open first was the information people wanted.
Thinking, 'That person has been in there for 5 minutes, so they should be coming out soon.'
I think it would be better to just use a single-line queue rather than spending money on things like this.

Shouji

This means mobile phone.
Hand desk?
In Chinese, 'ji' does not mean a table, but a machine.
Therefore, 'airplane' is 'feiji'.
'Washing machine' is 'xiyiji'.
Earphones for mobile phones are called 'shouji erji'.

Shoubiao

This means wristwatch.
Why is a wristwatch 'hand surface'?
Some people wear them on the inside of their wrist, right?
It is not the 'surface' of front and back, but rather a small clock is called a 'biao'.

Finally, I would like to introduce one kanji character that I found interesting.

　　|掰 (bai)

You can understand the meaning just by looking at it.
It means to break or tear something with both hands.

'Breaking chocolate' is 'bai qiaokeli'.

It also has a metaphorical meaning and is used to mean things like 'breaking off a relationship'.

I'm sure there are still many interesting topics related to hands, but as someone at the very bottom level of Chinese language learners, this is all I can manage.

Even so, I'm currently suffering from tech neck due to studying too much (?).
I'm a bad example of someone who works hard at making notes but can't speak or listen.

This is the Chinese version of 'The North Wind and the Sun'.
Fables are, in other words, at a children's level.

You can view the articles of everyone who applied to Crystal-ru's 'Letter to the Hand God' from this archive.

The application guidelines for articles related to hands are here.
The deadline has already passed, but Ru-san might introduce some wonderful articles.

Anko-chan's toilet paper article.
Anko-chan is currently taking a break from Note; I wonder if she'll come back soon.

Itsuki-san, thank you as always.

<Cover Photo>
March 28th, at 'Zengjudoku' on the 36th floor of the Marunouchi Building. 160th Anniversary Course

<Reference Materials>
Mizkan Water Culture Center

Tsutomu Sekino, 'Toilet Paper', NPO 21st Century Water Club, 2012