Schooled- Jiàoyù de- 教育的

Be curious always! For knowledge will not acquire you: you must acquire it. -Sudie Back

Monday: Xīngqí yī

Dear diary, I just took the imperial exam. I’m really nervous, since I won’t be getting the results for another week, so I’m coping with my anxiety by writing in this journal. I’m going to start off by telling you the story of how I even got here…

It all started about 10 years ago… I was working in the field with my parents, when I was distracted by my friend Li. He was running down the street, saying something about his grandfather. He seemed to be very distressed, so I went over to talk to him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“It’s my grandfather! I don’t know what’s wrong! He is acting very strange, I think he’s in pain. Please help me!”

When we got to their cottage, there was already another man there, comforting the boy’s grandfather, and the grandfather seemed to be much more comfortable than before. The mysterious man had put a warm rag over the sick grandfather’s eyes and was brewing some medicinal tea.

“Who… who are you?” Li stuttered.

“Liang,” he replied faintly and continued tending to the tea. I was very curious as to who this mysterious man was and how he knew how to take care of the sick man on the bed. We live in a farming village, none of us are doctors! He was very vague, when I asked him if he was a doctor, and he replied, “used to be,” then silence. I was filled with a huge wave of curiosity and yearning. I left Li in the hands of the ex-doctor to tend to his grandfather, and went on with my day. I am needed in the kitchen, but I will write tomorrow.

❤Mei

Tuesday: Xīngqí'èr

I last wrote about my encounter with the cryptic man. I couldn’t stop thinking about the ex-doctor, and how his hands were able to heal my best friend’s grandfather. I wished I could do that. I might still have my grandmother today if I had healing hands. I eventually worked up enough courage to talk to the man again. I continued my everyday jobs, but kept a keen eye out for the man, to see where his cottage was. I waited and waited, but I guess I was looking at all the wrong times. I finally saw him come out of his house about a week later. I waited a few hours and then went over to his house. I knocked on the door, hoping that he would want to talk to me. He opened the door slowly and said, “You were with the boy?”

I nodded and asked, “and you are Liang, right?”

“Can I help you?” he replied.

“Yes, actually. I was astounded by how easily you helped my friend’s grandfather. I want to know how to do that.”

“Well, young lady, you have to go to school for that,” he said, closing the door.

“Wait! I have no money, and don’t know much, but I want to talk.” Then we proceeded to have a very interesting conversation. I, being the inquisitive 7 year old I was, asked him all about how he knew about healing.

❤Mei

Wednesday: Xīngqísān

Where was I? Oh yes, back to the story. When the man welcomed me into his home, he offered me some tea and started his story. He explained all about how he had grown up in a wealthy family and had a natural knack for learning. He told me about how he studied medicine for most of his young adult life, until he eventually took the imperial exam. But when he passed, his parents were trying to send him off to work for the government and emperor, to make them richer. He told me of how he was reluctant to go, just because he thought it was wrong to work so that his parents would get even more money than they already had. Eventually, he decided not to go work for the government, but to do what he wanted; zen meditation. His goal was to reach Enlightenment, and to become more aware, kind, and wise. He decided to live on his own and meditated almost constantly to become more in touch with his spiritual side. He lived by himself in the Himalayas and spent most of his days meditating alone. I’ve been called to dinner, sorry to cut it short, but I will write again tomorrow.

❤Mei

Thursday: Xīngqísì

Continuing the story, Liang then told me all about his great adventures in the mountains, and how serene it was living and meditating by himself way up in the sky. He told me too, of how lonely he was up there and how he eventually decided to make the long journey back down to live with his parents again. However, he did not take into account that because he had gotten older, so had his parents. When he came back, his parents had both passed away. He decided to work for the government, even though that wasn’t what he wanted. He had to make money to take care of himself. He worked as a doctor for the government for about 8 years and made lots of money. However, he lived fairly frugally, saving up as much money as he could. When he was about 45, he retired his position and lived a quiet, happy life in a farming community; my farming community. I will write tomorrow.

❤Mei

Friday: Xīngqíwǔ

I was surprised by Lian’s illustrated answer, so I decided to share with him a little of my story. I started by telling him my name; Mei. I told him about my boring life; just working in the kitchen with the stinging smell of onions, and the dry hands from harvesting and peeling rice. All the harvesting, planting, watering… I also told him about how much I want to learn. I told him about how I had always had this feeling that I was meant to know so much more! But, I told him that unfortunately, my family is very poor, and they needed my help to run the farm. All of a sudden, the man’s face lit up.

“Then I will teach you,” he exclaimed. I, of course was relieved, and accepted his offer.

I had been going to Liang’s for quite a while. I learned all about herbal teas and how they cure different illnesses, as well as acupuncture and the right ways to insert the needles. I was learning so much, and going over to learn was my favorite part of the day. One day, about 4 years later, I was walking down to Li’s house when I saw the coroner walk into his house. I was hit with the sudden realization that my only source of knowledge, and one of my closest friends had just died… I had to go inside to see it for myself, and that’s when I saw a note next to his cot. It read: “Mei, you were my closest friend. I have never met someone as kind and smart as you. I’m sorry I couldn’t be here with you today, but I want all of my fortune to go to you. You use the money to go to school. I want great things for you… great things. -Lian.” I was obviously very shaken up, but I did what I had to do; I went to school. I went through years of training to be a doctor, until I finally got here. I’m just keeping my head held high, and hoping that I pass. I want to make Liang proud.

❤Mei