Children's story?

[HSC]

I picked up a book from my local library that was in the children's section. It is in Chinese with pinyin so I am thinking that it was designed not just for children, but for quite young children. As it turns out, I can't even make it through the first paragraph!

The name of the book is 小《水浒》. Here is the first paragraph of the first story entitled 夜走延安府:

北宋末年,徽宗昏庸无道，宠幸奸佞。高俅本是东京（河南开封）的一个无赖，因踢得好球，受到徽宗赏识，没半年，做到殿帅府太尉（官名）。

Can someone comment on this and give a translation?

[nipponman]

What is 俅? I've never seen this character before, is it commons? Sorry for going OT.

[skylee]

高俅 is a name, 俅 (qiu2) is the given name. My dictionary gives the following explanation -

俅俅 - 恭順的樣子

俅人 - 中國少數民族"獨龍族"的舊稱

The passage says, in the last years of the Northern Song Dynasty, the emperor Huizong was incapable and immoral, and he favoured corrupt officials. Gao Qiu, originally a scoundrel of the Eastern Capital (nowaday Kaifeng), was liked by Emperor Huizong because he was good at playing football, and was promoted to Dianshuaifu Taiwei (official title) in less than half year.

[nipponman]

Oh, thanks skylee for that info.

[889]

You seem to have a children's version of the Chinese classic Water Margin.

[chenpv]

I really doubt that it is for children. i dont think a 8-9-year-old child could understand '昏庸无道，宠幸奸佞'

[HSC]

I really doubt that it is for children. i dont think a 8-9-year-old child could understand '昏庸无道，庞幸奸佞'

I tend to agree with that. I can't even find 庞幸 in my dictionary. It looks like a pair of 成语!

因踢得好球 I would have never been able to figure out that that meant "as/because he was able to play football well". If this sentence were read out aloud (i.e. listner does not see the characters) would it be comprehensible? The reason I ask this is because of the one-character abbreviations, which usually do not read well aloud. Am I right in assuming that this is the case, often enough, if not frequently?

因=因为

球=足球 (seems like you can guess it is FOOTball because of 踢)

I would have though that to say something like this would have been more like: 他足球踢得好。 If the object can come to the end, then can I say something like 你说得好普通话?

没半年 Interesting way of saying "less than half a year" ... not (even) a half year.

So anyway, generally speaking, don't you all agree that this is kind of hard for children? Or do I just have a lot of brushing up my Chinese language skills to do?

Thanks for EVERYONE'S input on this. After the explanations, it does seem more manageable. Maybe it's just the lack of exposure makes it so hard at first.

[HSC]

禁军教头王进武艺高强，为人正直。高俅在市井厮混时，行为不端，曾被王进的父亲教训过。现在，他成了王进的顶头上司，蓄意报复；初次见面，就借故要毒打王进，被众军官劝住。王进情知高俅不肯罢休，决定远走避祸，投奔延安府经略（官名）种师道。当日，收拾下行李细软，一骑马驮了老母，星夜逃出东京。

Please explain:

蓄意报复 (maliciously retaliates?)

初次见面 (the very first time they meet up?)

就借故要毒打王进 (why 要? does 毒打 here mean to literally beat up?)

被众军官劝住

王进情知高俅不肯罢休 (I don't get 情知)

一骑马驮了老母

Thanks!

[skylee]

HSC, probably you could not find the word because you had mistaken 寵 for 龐. Take a look at this dictionary -> http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/cgi-bin/agrep-lindict?query=%C3d%A9%AF&category=full&boo=no&ignore=on&substr=on&order=all

I find it amusing that I didn't even notice the typo, probably because in that context before 幸, it must be 寵.

I think you have answered most of your own questions regarding para. 2.

借故要毒打王進 - intended/planned to find some excuses to beat up Wang Jin

被眾軍官勸住 - was stopped by other officers

情知 - knew clearly (my dictionary says, "情知 - 深知, 明明知道")

一騎馬馱了老母 - carried his old mother on one horse (騎 here is a measure word meaning 匹)

Perhaps you need a better dictionary?

[chenpv]

投奔延安府经略（官名）种师道。

This sentence really sucks.

Let me give you the original text: ''......只有延安府老种经略相公镇守边庭......"

[HSC]

投奔延安府经略（官名）种师道。

......只有延安府老种经略相公镇守边庭......"

What is the meaning of 种 here, given as chóng in the printed book.

就借故要毒打王进

I don't understand the use of 要 here.

被众军官劝住

Skylee, thanks for the translation here. Using 众 for 很多 and 住 for 停止, is this classical-type Chinese? Is this standard wording for children's books or is this due to the type of story or era in which the story takes place?

[skylee]

What is the meaning of 种 here

It is a surname. 經略 (jinglue) is an official title.

I don't understand the use of 要 here.

It indicates intention.

Using 众 for 很多 and 住 for 停止, is this classical-type Chinese?

I don't think so. IMHO such usage is fairly common.