Sky-writing in China

[Self loading bear]

In a book of Dutch pilot A. Viruly from the 1930's I found this print.
It is explaining why sky-writing never really got of the ground in China.
Can anyone help me with the translations of the Chinese characters?



Cheers SLB

[dook]

There are about 3500 Chinese characters !

[Self loading bear]

That is why I am asking for help!

[dook]

We have many language schools here.

I could e-mail your image to one of the Chinese ones and ask them.

[Allan Lupton]

"Beware of pickpockets" perhaps?

[India Four Two]

I’m guessing it might be the instructions on how to get out of a spin!

[sycamore]

Flied Lice
Spling loll
Char Siew Fun
Beef Kai Lam
Clispy dook
Aaahhh Fook!

[Quemerford]

*other racists are available

[dook]

"Clispy dook"

I object Your Honour.

That restaurant is owned by Wun Hung Lo.

[sycamore]

No offence meant ,Sir..!!

[Herod]

"Don't spin; stop spinning, recover, Oh sh*t"

[Jhieminga]

Originally Posted by dook

That restaurant is owned by Wun Hung Lo.

Hmm, I think I once flew with his brother.

Wun Wing Lo.

[Fareastdriver]

It's illustrated in traditional Chinese Script so you will be able to find out at your local Chinese restaurant. Most are run by Cantonese who still use that script.

[Barksdale Boy]

With my late headmaster's words ringing in my ears: "translate ideas not words", I would offer the following translation: "living by the motto life is but a dream and just floating around is fine ain't gonna end well if you're flying an aeroplane".

[jolihokistix]

The answer is boring, but Barksdale Boy got it above. It is from a poem by the famous Li Bai 春夜宴桃李園序, and the four well-known characters 浮生若夢 mean “Life is but a Dream... “ (to be continued?)

PS There is a 2018 mainland TV drama using these words in the title.
https://forums.soompi.com/en/topic/4...3509;梦/

It is also the Chinese title for a 1938 US movie
http://www.wikiwand.com/zh-tw/浮生若夢
You can’t take it with you

[jolihokistix]

PS Regardless of the meaning, which seems to be secondary, the joke must be more about emphasizing that whereas sky-writing in European languages goes sideways, Chinese classical calligraphy demands you go down to the bottom of each line.

[Load Toad]

Wow some of these gags are really funny and not old at all

[Self loading bear]

Originally Posted by jolihokistix

PS Regardless of the meaning, which seems to be secondary, the joke must be more about emphasizing that whereas sky-writing in English goes sideways, Chinese classical calligraphy demands you go down to the bottom of each line.

This was of course the first objectieve of the sketch.
Thanks Barksdale and Joli for the true translation.

Apperently the Chinese poem is chosen without clear reason or only the last two characters are ”tuned” to the subject.

All others, Thanks for the suggestions.

SLB