S.he
H.ears
E.veryone,
E.ternal
N.ight
G.oddess
胜 is originally the image of a boat on the left, which was simplified into the crescent moon. Hanzi may be recycled to depict different things. Here, 月 moon is being used as a picture of a boat seen from on top. See also: 舟zhou1 船chuan2. In zhou2 and chuan2 the boat character has not been simplified or somehow compared to a changeable luminous heavenly body or a human or other animal’s body.
The green sprouting plant on the right 生sheng1 is not only phonetic, it too is simplified. One view is it is originally the HANDS of the HELMSMAN steering the ship on the left. Thus by extension:
THE HANDS OF THE HELMSMAN STEERS THE SHIP OF STATE TO VICTORY
Crib: EEEMTDTDHD
Another view is that the simplification arose out of the idea that effort 力li4 and insight from omens lead to victory.
In fact, both views are correct. The oracle bone character clearly portrays hands, steering the rudder of a ship. But this was simplified to a still semantically sensible idea of power/effort 力 connected 关guan with insight.
Thus in the early modern view:
The SPROUTING POWER of LIFE emerges TRIUMPHANT
it is this, the power of LIFE, which draws the Ship Of State, to VICTORY!
Notwithstanding allegations of brutality, the police in Hong Kong have continually exhibited remarkable restraint, performing better than those of the United States or even France in the face of comparable situations. Despite the best efforts of Hong Kong’s much maligned police, the government in Hong Kong, namely C. Lam, has not and in my opinion cannot solve the problem it (she) created. Lam and her government have no plan. She must step down.
What is to be done? Democratization. Amnesty. And to use HK as a place for more experiments in local self-governance and democracy, including direct democracy under the rule law for application and emulation in the mainland. China must build the rule of law and democracy on the mainland so as to deter enemies of popular rule and to attract support of all Chinese people.
Hong Kong is the fat goose which lays gold eggs. Beijing knows this so likely won’t give it the ax.
In fact, Hong Kong is Xi’s chance to outmaneuver foreign opponents by taking the high ground of popular self-rule under law. I doubt that will happen but Xi is intelligent and strong so could do that. If he does not then either HK will collapse economically bringing China down (not out), or China will impose a Tiananmen 2.0 which will also flatline the Chinese economy: axing the goose means no more eggs. Either of the bad outcomes, economic collapse in Hong Kong or Tiananmen 2.0 serves the interests of international imperialism and is not in China’s self interest. So Xi faces a problem, but there is a solution: new democracy.
I shall work on our provocative Russian puzzle tomorrow.