No Way to Access Taiwanese Websites for the Challenge — Strongly Demanding Full Internet Openness!

2006/3/3 10:27:37

Yesterday this woman wrote the post "This Woman Is Preparing to Lead an Attack on Taiwan — If You've Got the Guts and the Goods, Follow Me!" This was of course not just for fun — this woman always follows through on what she says. Challenges like this aren't my first time either. I haven't taken all the men in the world seriously, let alone a little Taiwan. But yesterday when this woman searched around, I simply could not find an accessible Taiwanese BBS to issue the declaration of war. That's rather absurd and frustrating.

This woman once wrote a post: "Freedom of Speech — The Most Important Indicator of a Government's Self-Confidence!" This freedom of speech naturally includes full openness of the internet. So-called full openness of the internet means we can freely traverse all networks in the world. Of course, each website has its own requirements, and that's acceptable. But the internet is the information channel that connects the world — like a highway. Can a highway, once built, really forbid people from using it? That would be the greatest waste.

In truth, we should trust everyone's judgment. Trying to grow flowers in a greenhouse is unrealistic. Freedom of speech and internet openness would not create any problem with public opinion at all. The key is to do things well — then nobody's idle talk matters. And that's a matter of confidence. From the impossibility of accessing Taiwanese websites for this challenge, this woman strongly demands full internet openness! Finally, the challenge post is appended below:

This Woman Is Preparing to Lead an Attack on Taiwan — If You've Got the Guts and the Goods, Follow Me!

A Girl Who Likes Math (Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán)

To subdue a person, besides force, the best approach is of course to subdue them intellectually. This woman makes a ruckus here every day without any real opponents. Thinking about how Taiwan has been making such a fuss lately — it seems like there's nothing but protest after protest. The populace should have its own voice too. If there are those who love peace, there should naturally also be room for those who love war. There are many kinds of war — even in that farcical era, behind the so-called armed struggle there was still the battle of wits.

This woman is preparing to lead an attack on Taiwan — if you've got the guts and the goods, follow me! Of course, the "attack" here is not military force. It's simply going to Taiwanese websites to challenge them and defeat them. This kind of thing requires no bloodshed while still expressing our anger — at least it's more proactive than protest after protest of lip service!

To prepare for the challenge, we need to stock up on ammunition. The simplest approach is writing poetry. Vernacular Chinese, that thing reeking of Japanese pirates, would be utterly pointless for challenging a place once occupied by Japanese pirates. Classical poetry is the most outstanding cultural tradition of the Chinese nation, embodying the cultural roots of all Chinese people worldwide. Therefore, this woman will lead off with "The Southeast," a seven-character regulated verse related to the Taiwan issue. Those who wish to come along, please gather qualified classical poems below. Once we have a sufficient number, we'll launch a combined assault — that way the momentum will be greater. Though this woman is not afraid to fight alone, this kind of thing is better with more people.

What counts as "qualified" means at least that regulated verse must conform to tonal rules, and ballad-style verse must not be contaminated with any vernacular garbage. There are also artistic requirements, but that's a matter for later. Finally, this woman will paste her own "The Southeast" below. Please follow suit — if you've got the guts and the goods, come along!

The Southeast

A Girl Who Likes Math (Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán)

Ten thousand li southeast, the sea floats up to heaven; one crack in the golden vessel, a hundred and fifty years.
Unburied blood of fish and dragons, ancient and modern; phantoms of mirages rise in dawn and dusk smoke.
In the wax and wane of Chinese and barbarian, shamed by Tang heroes; through storm and upheaval, longing for Zheng the sage.
A billion divine souls of China, roused once more; Kunlun uprooted and hurled to fill the surging waves.