Ancient Calligraphy

[DreamCatcher]

If anyone can interpret the following:
http://users.breathemail.net/johnallison/sikkim4.jpg

I would be very obliged.

University language departments around the world are stumped, or can't be bothered to reply.

The inscription is on a brass sealing wax stamp given to my father by the King of Sikkim circa 1940. Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

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PistonBroke

[matelot]

It looks like classical Chinese - but somebody out there must have an idea.

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When I was on motor patrol...

[smith]

Can't read! The picture is too dark. Send me the real thing and I'll try to tell you what it says.

[DreamCatcher]

If that picture is too dark for a pilot... either stop flying, get your eyes tested, or turn up the brilliance/contrast on your monitor :-)

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PistonBroke

[smith]

Wet Dream Catcher,
Thanks for insulting me.

[matelot]

Seems to me you bit, smith. He/she did put a smiley at the end. I had a look and it's clear as a bell ;-)

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Me, sweat? I'm that cool, it's condensation.

[This message has been edited by matelot (edited 13 September 2000).]

[This message has been edited by matelot (edited 13 September 2000).]

[DreamCatcher]

Thank you Clara!!!

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PistonBroke

[smith]

Dream Catcher:

LOL! Even if I have better eyes I can't read it anyway! But I do know people who can read it and one of them already told me what it means. LOL! Anyway, I wish you what it says on the stamp!

[DreamCatcher]

smithy

I don't profess to know everything in the world, but I'm getting pretty close! (Got to blow your own trumpet 'cos nobody else will).

I accede to your advantage: pray tell the definition of LOL. As for the stamp, just luuurve rabbit! (And the associated jewels). Yes?

PS - If it WAS too dark to read, how did you know enough to converse with others who DID know? :-)

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PistonBroke

[This message has been edited by DreamCatcher (edited 14 September 2000).]

[smith]

Dream Catcher:

I was only "Laughing Out Loud" = LOL.
As to how I conversed with the old wise man, that's simple. I e-mailed the guy your url and asked him to view it. Obviously, it wasn't too dark for him.

Anyway, I still wish you what it says on the stamp.

[DreamCatcher]

Smudger

Thanks for the 'LOL'.

As for your wishes, as apparently no one else knows what it means - although I now do - you'll just have to revel in it yourself :-)

All the same, appreciate the interchange!

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PistonBroke

[smith]

You do? How did you do that? So, what does it mean? Let's see if we have the same answer.

[airwave]

It says:
"Join not a website forum shouldst thine skin be unthick. Be not triggerhappy with your mouseclick lest you may endure the wrath of your portal brethren. And have a nice day"


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I can see your house from here...

[matelot]

smith

You've got people going here! Owner of the local Chinese restaurant reckons it's something like Jade Rabbit (whatever that means! (Year of the Rabbit?))

So if you've got something hilarious on the dream catcher, let's hear it. If he's got a reasonable interpretation (100% likely), he's no need to broadcast it on this forum.

Go, go, go - let's hear it.

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Me, sweat? I'm that cool, it's condensation.

[DreamCatcher]

smith? You know I have a reliable interpretation. I think your 'wise men' were winding you up.

Thanks, sailor: close enough without knowing context ;-)

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PistonBroke

[smith]

Sorry that I didn't reply to you earlier,I didn't mean to keep you folks in suspense. I just got back from a trip.

The Chinese restaurant owner didn't get it right. He must thinking of cooking rabbit meat when he looked at the stamp (rabbit meat taste awful btw). My wise man actually studied Chinese calligraphy and he is 100% sure that it is not jade rabbit.

The answer is ...................

Ping An

[matelot]

Are we actually considering Chinese? Or Cantonese, or Mandarin, or Sikkimese, or Tai, or Tibetan? Or some other ancient dialect, even.

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Me, sweat? I'm that cool, it's condensation.

[smith]

Ping An - Mandarin for safe, safety, be safe.

[DreamCatcher]

Thank you, squire. Back in January, an old language professor (he was surely losing his marbles) at Cambridge thought it was Sanskrit and had something to do with safety or caution, but then he went off at a tangent, addling his brain still further!

Since then, a couple of sources came up with 'jade rabbit'.

But a motto such as 'be safe' on a (royal) sealing wax stamp surely makes more sense.

So I'll go with your input, which I'm sure is totally reasonable.

And thanks for the banter!

Be safe.

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PistonBroke

[smith]

No worries, mate! BTW, It's not Sanskrit, it's just ancient Chinese Calligraphy.

Frats,

Smith

[This message has been edited by smith (edited 18 September 2000).]

[hailstone]

'tien fong'

sky - wind

[DreamCatcher]

Hailstone

Muchy scratchyass

Confuscian (sic) coming in now! This is a new one and looks perfectly reasonable. Can you advise any more of the context, particularly the dialect?

I need to get the interpretation into print, but it'll be a right bummer if off track.

Cheers :-)

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PistonBroke

[KIFIS]

Sorry I am late. Had to send this to Taiwan. It is confirmed by a Chinese gentleman who could read the ancient script and then double-checked it from his dictionary that the characters on the stamp are ancient Chinese caligraphy in the form of a script. There are two characters and they say “ Ping An . “ The top character (in two parts) is Ping, the bottom character in (one part) is An. These two characters when combined ( as they are) mean SAFE. There is no other statement other than safe and it is meant to be a form of blessing for all things that need to be safe i.e. health, journeys, etc etc.
You may be interested to know that these two characters that make up Ping An can often be seen on Chinese New Year posters that are pasted on the wall or on the front door of the family home at the beginning of every Chinese New Year. Combined with two other characters the meaning is for “ Safe passage as you enter the home and safe passage when you exit the home.” There are four Chinese characters for this :” Chu (exit) Ru (entry) Ping An (safe) “.

KIFIS

[matelot]

I suspect DC will be well pleased.

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Me, sweat? I'm that cool, it's condensation.

[DreamCatcher]

Sure am, matelot.

Thanx, KIFIS: it looks like you've been to a lot of trouble, particularly with the detail. Certainly bears out what smith came up with, so good confirmation.

Thanx guys. If you hear of anyone locked up for sniffing round Chinese doors....

PS - smith, KIFIS...... PING AN!

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PistonBroke

[This message has been edited by DreamCatcher (edited 26 September 2000).]