Xingqiu: Calligraphic Swordsmanship II is an Anecdote during Travelers' Tales: Anthology Chapter.
Start Location[]
Map Location
Location Context
Dialogue[]
A sudden autumn storm seems to have blown through the bamboo forest outside Qingce Village...
- (Talk to Xingqiu)
-
- (The time turns to day)
- Xingqiu: "...Flurry of frost and autumn leaves. How they scatter! How they swirl."
More swordsmanship practice, Xingqiu?
More penmanship practice, Xingqiu?- Xingqiu: Heh, I knew you'd come today. I haven't been here long, actually. This must be exactly what they mean by great minds thinking alike and the understanding shared by kindred spirits!
- Did your brother end up reclaiming his book?
- Xingqiu: No, he hasn't. He did see me reading as I practiced my swordsmanship, and he did sigh, shake his head, and make gestures with his feet and hands... but he didn't ask for the book back.
- So, why did he suddenly...
- Xingqiu: Well... My guess is that this was my father's idea. He's always told me to practice my calligraphy more and pen a few more congratulatory notes on behalf of the family.
- Xingqiu: That way, I could temper my mind, and also gradually get in touch with our business partners, which would lay a foundation for my future role in managing our family affairs.
- Xingqiu: And besides, I don't know who else could open my brother's bookcase, if not my father...
- Xingqiu: But you know me. I'm honestly most afraid of being stuck sitting up straight at a reception table, feigning civility and giving lip service to... Ahem! Sorry, pretend I never said that...
- Yeah, that sounds like it'd be really grating.
- I understand how you feel.
- Xingqiu: Right? *sigh* I'd much rather find a quiet spot to practice penmanship on my own than sit there drinking stale tea and listening to staler conversation...
- Xingqiu: So, I came here under the pretext of working my swordsmanship into my calligraphy and gaining the relevant "enlightenment" from "Chronicle of Cleansing Ink." That way, I get to do a bit of both.
- Xingqiu: I didn't expect that you'd show up so quickly, though. It seems that my swordplay was quite the effective signal beacon.
- And what enlightenment have you gained, perchance?
- Xingqiu: I've realized that even famous figures have an earnest side to them. They aren't prideful, haughty beings of divine skill, as many think.
- Xingqiu: As you can see, this "original annotated copy" contains some remarks and critiques made by a who's-who of swordplay and calligraphy from a previous generation.
- Xingqiu: One can, even if vaguely, glimpse the personalities of those eminent personages shining through. Take this, for example...
- Xingqiu: This is another calligraphy great who didn't get along with Xifan. See how he nitpicks and hangs on to every little error, and how long his annotations are.
- Xingqiu: See, this is the commentary he gave on Xifan's calligraphy: "Free, unrestrained, sharp as a bared edge, like a great tree braced against the wind."
- (The time turns to evening)
- Xingqiu: It sounds like a compliment, but I fear that when he called Xifan a "great tree" it was in the sense that "the greatest tree in a forest is the first to be crushed by the wind."
- An educated person indeed...
- Quite the backhanded compliment, you can barely tell it's criticism...
- Xingqiu: Of course. Those two often butted heads, but one must always be careful when penning words down. Words penned in black and white can hardly be taken back, after all.
- Xingqiu: In response, Xifan penned the following response: "Spring will come, and the tree shall yield lush shade."
- (The time turns to night)
- Xingqiu: And here, too. I remember that the one who wrote this was Tianquan at some point. They say that he was brilliant at both calligraphy and swordplay, but that his comments were always very concise.
- Xingqiu: This is what he wrote: "Lovely, but you never did learn how to sign your name."
- Xingqiu: There's all sorts of other interesting annotations too. Come on, let me show you.
- Hold on just a second...
- Wasn't the point to use swordplay as a way to transition to calligraphy practice?
- Xingqiu: Oh, there's no rush, no rush at all. As my great-grandfather always says, to practice calligraphy is to temper heart and mind. Only by understanding this text can you learn to write the words within.
- Xingqiu: ...Actually, wait. Do you know what time it is right now?
- (The camera shows the moon on full display in the night sky.)
- Well, just look at the sky...
- Xingqiu: Oh, drat! I'm going to be late back. Looks like I'll be getting an earful from my father now!
- Xingqiu: *sigh* Either way, I've got to go face the music now. I'll be back later to practice my swordplay again, though, so if you have time, why not come and join me?
- Xingqiu: I'm sure that we'll improve all the faster by putting our heads together and putting one another to the test.
- Xingqiu: But if you don't want to practice, we can always take a walk, or even go fishing...
- Xingqiu: Heh. Look at me, rambling on like this... I'll head back first. See you later.
Xingqiu: Calligraphic Swordsmanship II
Xingqiu is still working on improving his calligraphy by practicing his swordsmanship in the bamboo forests outside Qingce Village. At least, he was, until he managed to lose himself in a good book...
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Xingqiu: Calligraphic Swordsmanship II | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 行秋・书剑之二 Xíngqiū - Shū Jiàn zhī Èr | Xingqiu - Books and Swords, II |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 行秋・書劍之二 Xíngqiū - Shū Jiàn zhī Èr | |
| Japanese | 行秋・書剣・2 Yukuaki - Shoken - Ni | Xingqiu - Books and Swords - II |
| Korean | 행추・검술과 서예 II Haengchu - Geomsulgwa Seoye II | |
| Spanish | Xingchiu - Caligrafía y esgrima II | Xingchiu - Calligraphy and Fencing II |
| French | Xingqiu : Escrime calligraphique 2 | Xingqiu: Calligraphic Fencing 2 |
| Russian | Син Цю: Каллиграфия и меч II Sin Tsyu: Kalligrafiya i mech II | |
| Thai | Xingqiu: เขียนอักษรและดาบ II | |
| Vietnamese | Xingqiu: Kiếm Và Sách II | |
| German | Xingqiu – Zwischen Feder und Klinge II | Xingqiu - Between Quill and Blade II |
| Indonesian | Xingqiu: Seni Pedang Kaligrafi II | Xingqiu - The Art of Calligraphic Swordsmanship II |
| Portuguese | Xingqiu: Esgrima Caligráfica II | |
| Turkish | Xingqiu: Güzel Yazı ve Kılıç Ustalığı II | |
| Italian | Xingqiu: Spada e calligrafia II |
Change History[]
Released in Version 5.4