- Holy mountain, Black Hair Mountain: climbing more than a mile up to a waterfall

- Back-View Falls, Komuyoji temple: prayed at the Hall of Gyoja

- Shirakawa Barrier, Sukagawa post station: visited a man named Tokyu, answer his
asked to found the Barrier
- Shinobu Village, Shinobu Motling Rock: borrowed a board and crossed over to
Matsushima and the shore of Ojima.
- Hiraizumi: attempted to find a logging, but cannot, so they spend the night in an
impoverished hover; looking far at Sode no watari, Obuchi no maki, Mano no
kayahara, and other famous places; logged for the night at a place called Toima
- Village of Iwade: passed Ogurazaki and Mizu no ojima; from Narugo Hot Springs,
proceeded to Passing-Water Barrier and attempted to cross into Dewa Province
- Obanazawa: visited a person named Seifu
- Yamagata: came to the Ryushaku-ji mountain temple, the Mogami River, Three
Mountains of Dewa.
- Gassan, Moon Mountain and Yudono, Bathhouse Mountain: climbing
- Castle town of Tsurugaoka: welcomed be the samurai Nagayama Shigeyuki, go to the
port of Sakata, stayed at the house of a doctor named En’an Fugoku
- Kisagata: visited the Noin Island, Kanmanju temple
- Northern provinces: crossing the most dangerous places with names Children Forget
Parents, Parents Forget Children, Dogs Turn Back, Horses Sent Back; visited Tada
Shrine
- Iro-no-hama, Color Beach: gather little red shells, come to Flower temple, drank tea,
warmed up sake
- Mino Province, traveled to Ogaki, gathered at the house of Joko
2. Cao Xueqin’s The Story of the Stone
General:
- In what situation did Cao Xueqin write the novel The Story of the Stone?
The Story of the Stone was written between 1740 and 1750, when Cao Xueqin lived
in the suburbs of Beijing, struggling to support himself by selling his paintings, and it also the
end of his life.
- What story about what characters is the core of the novel?
The novel is the story of a magical and conscious stone, the one block left over when
the goddess Nü-wa repaired the damaged vault of the sky in the mythic past, incarnated as the
sole legitimate male heir of the powerful household of the Jias. The novel also centered at the
triangle of Baoyu, Daiyu and Baochai.
Chapter 96:
- In the excerpt from chapter 96, where is Jia Zheng about to do? How does his
mother response to that event? What does she want to discuss with Jia Zheng?
How old is she in the moment she talks to Jia Zheng?
Jia Zheng offered his humble and gratitude for the appointment, and suggested a day
for his departure. But his mother is saddened and wants to discuss a matter of great
importance with him. She wants to discuss the future of Baoyu, who will be left behind and is
in a wretched state, and also said about the talks with a man that he must marry a lady with a
destiny of gold to help and support him, or he can die. Grandmother Jia is 81 years old at the
time she talks to Jia Zheng
- What plan does Daiyu hear about from the maid named Simple? How does she
response to her when knowing about that story? What does she do after that?
 Daiyu hears that Baoyu is leaving soon, so her family decided to arrange with Mrs
Xue to marry Baoyu and Miss Chai as quickly as possible. As soon as those two are married,
they are going to find a husband for Daiyu.
Daiyu was speechless with horror and her emotions were in disarray. Then, she came
back and met Baoyu to ask him something.

Chapter 120:
- In what situation does Jia Zheng meet up again with his son Baoyu? With
whom does Baoyu go with when the meeting takes place? How does Jia Zheng
understand and explain about this strange meeting?
Jia Zheng encounters his son Baoyu at a post-station in Piling during a sudden cold
turn in the weather.
Baoyu leaves with a Buddhist monk and a Taoist.
Jia Zheng concluded that Baoyu is a being from a higher realm who has descended to
experience human life.

3. The Song of a Soldier’s Wife (Chinh phụ ngâm)

- Summarize the biography of the author and the translator of The Song of a
Soldier’s Wife in two short paragraphs (about 50 words each)
Đặng Trần Côn was born around 1710-1720 in Nhân-muc. He loved to study and
worked in different jobs, but he didn’t get a high position because he failed an important test.
People liked him because he enjoyed life, liked wine, and was good at writing poems. His
best work is a poem called “The Song of a Soldier’s Wife”. This poem talks about war and
the sadness it brings.
Phan Huy Ich, born around 1750 and died in 1822, was a respected writer and won the
doctorate in 1775. He wrote a lot in both Chinese and Vietnamese, including a new version of
"The Song of a Soldier's Wife" by Đặng Trần Côn. His version, which uses a special type of
rhythm, tells the story of a wife missing her husband who is away at war. It is very popular
and many people can relate to it.
- In what situation is the Song composed? Who are the main characters of the
story?
“The Song of a Soldier’s Wife” was written during a war, showing the sadness it
brings.
The main character of the story is a soldier and his wife. The soldier is fighting in the
war, and his wife is at home. The poem tells us how much the wife misses her husband and
wants peace.
- How are the main characters and the landscape around described when they
have to part?
- The main characters are shown in the middle of this chaotic setting.
- Landscape portrayed as tumultuous and preparing for war
- The text expresses the characters' strong emotions and sadness.
- The descriptions of nature help emphasize the sad mood of the scene.