MDDM Ch. 64 As above, so below

[JL]

jbor :

>       Hsi cackles. "As above, so below. Eclipses indicate for all to see
>     that something is wrong in the very Heart of the State,...tho' with this
>     Emperor, if *anything* goes amiss, his shoes failing to fit, his
>     Luncheon disagreeing with him, whatever it is, he'll blame it 'pon the
>     Eclipse,-- that is, upon us."
>       Ho groans. "Our heads, for a little indigestion?" (624.22)
>
>The jokey repetition by Zhang of this cliché or motif in this interlude
>seems to undercut its supposed pertinence to the novel as a whole, or at
>least it demonstrates how such a formulation is open to travesty and abuse.


pertinent enough for me.
at the Heart of our States are institutions and individuals
who would purport to be fully in control while reserving
the right to blame outside influence for setbacks.
whether up-there or down-here, someone is at fault
if the unforeseen occurs.  and if it was foreseen,
the emperor's clothes look even skimpier when he
obviously can't do a damn thing about it.

JL
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  'events, dear boy, events!'   - harold macmillan
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