#noble parents out here like 'we must teach our children to respect the buddha and remember the impermanence of mortal life BUT NOT TOO MUCH

[maggiecheungs]

POV: you’re the son of a qing court official and your venerable teacher has just paused his lesson on ideal confucian masculinity to give the class a PSA about the temptations of running off and becoming a taoist monk

#the 'running off to become a monk' trope is one of my absolute favourites it's sooooo funny every time #it happens so often in books and everyone around them always loses their shit #noble parents out here like 'we must teach our children to respect the buddha and remember the impermanence of mortal life BUT NOT TOO MUCH #'we're buddhist..... but not *that* buddhist. stop reciting sutras and go earn lots of money and honour as a state official <3' #meme of the red chamber #dream of the red chamber #hong lou meng #books