S3E01 | True to His Word | 完璧归赵
Saying: “To return the complete Jade to Zhao”
Pinyin: Wán Bì Guī Zhào
Chinese: 完璧归赵
Welcome back to Season 3 of the Chinese Sayings Podcast!
In this season, all episodes will feature heroes and brave soldiers from Chinese history. The season opener features Sima Xiangru promises his king if the precious He Shi Bi jade ornament should get stolen or lost, he will find it and return it safely to his home state of Zhao all in one piece.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ānyáng | 安阳 | City along the Yellow River. The Shang Dynasty had their base there |
| Bì | 壁 | a flat jade disc that has a whole in the middle, used in ancient rituals and ceremonies |
| Chéngdū | 成都 | Present day capital of Sichuan province |
| Chéngyǔ | 成语 | Chinese saying, idiom |
| Guī | 归 | To return something |
| Hàn Dynasty | 汉朝 | The dynasty that followed the Zhou |
| Hán Fēizǐ | 韩非子 | Student of Xunzi and later one of the fathers of Legalism |
| Hándān | 邯郸 | Capital of the ancient Zhao state |
| Hé Shì Bì | 和氏璧 | Ancient piece of jade with a long story. Later turned into the imperial seal of Qin Shihuang |
| Héběi | 河北 | Hebei Province |
| King Huìwén of Zhào | 赵惠文王 | Gullible King of Zhao from 298-266 BCE |
| Kingdom of Qín | 秦国 | The champions of the Warring States Period. They founded a dynasty |
| Lìn Xiāngrú | 蔺相如 | Loyal and capable official to the Zhao king |
| Shuāngmù Lín | 双木林 | "Double Tree" Lin (林), the most common surname with the L-i-n pinyin spelling |
| Shānxī | 山西 | Shanxi Province |
| Shǎnxi | 陕西 | Confusing next-door province to Shanxi, differentiated by being spelled Shaanxi. |
| Shǐ Jì | 史记 | Records of the Grand Historian |
| Sīmǎ Qiān | 司马迁 | Son of Sima Tan. They co-authored the Records of the Grand Historian |
| Sīmǎ Xiāngrú | 司马相如 | Great poet and scholar-official of the Han |
| Wán | 完 | finish or complete |
| Wán Bì Guī Zhào | 完璧归赵 | To return the complete Jade to Zhao |
| Wèinán | 渭南 | City along the Yellow River |
| Xiányáng | 咸阳 | Present day Xian, the capital during the Qin Dynasty (and a few more dynasties after that too. |
| Yíng | 赢 | The Clan who ruled the Qin State |
| Zhào | 赵国 | Zhou Era state and major contender during the Warring States Period |
| Zhèngzhōu | 郑州 | City along the Yellow River, also the capital of Henan Province |
| Zhāoxiāng | 秦昭襄王 | Wily king of Qin 325 to 250 BCE |
