In Japan, Murasaki is both the name of a color and the name of a famous person. The color is purple or rather the shades of purple that can be produced by a certain type of dye. The famous person should be better known worldwide except she is Asian.
Murasaki Shikibu, or Lady Murasaki (紫 式部), in the early years of the Heian period in Japan wrote what is considered the world's first novel or at least the first novel to be considered a classic and this novel isn't just a tale that describes events, but it is also the first psychological novel. The story, "The Tale of Genji", was written in the women's language (hiragana) which more closely approximated the spoken language of the time because learned and aristocratic men wrote in Japanese Chinese, or kambun.
The novel can be broken up into three parts and has 54 chapters in all. Genji or the shining prince dies during the novel and the narration (the Uji chapters) then follows his supposed son. In the novel, Murasaki is the girl whom Genji abducts, raises and eventually marries.
East Asia gave the world the first novel and that kind of creativity is notable during Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
An English edition of "The Tale of Genji" is available free online.
Showing posts with label LAsian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LAsian. Show all posts
Friday, May 3, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
'LAsian' is another derogatory phrase for Asians?
According to the Urban Dictionary, the first definition for LAsian is:
The example given is: Look at that LAsian and his Hyundai, must be on his way to their Mecca, Vegas...
I'm not originally from Los Angeles and the LAsians who I found a bit cliquish were the Gardena-area Japanese Americans who were sure they knew just what a banana was because I didn't understand their subculture or appreciate it. There is actually more to Japanese American culture than what grew up in Gardena and no one in San Diego had called me a banana before except as a rhyme with my name.
However, this description doesn't fit with the Gardena Japanese Americans (except for that 30-something who was still living at home that had nothing but disposable income but there are plenty of men like that in other ethnic groups) I knew nor many of the Asian Americans I've met.
The second definition in the Urban Dictionary is a "lesbian of asian descent." Seriously do writers for the Urban dictionary know how to use caps? That contribution came from Improve Asylum on 21 June 2005. This is Improv Asylum's only contribution as well. According to this expert, "lasian was first used in the show 'Pork Fried Clowns,' as performed by the Improv Asylum, Boston, MA, in the spring of 2005."
While I've been accused of being a lesbian (usually by white men who I wouldn't date while I was single, especially those who didn't believe heterosexual guys danced), I've never had the urge to be intimate in a carnal sense with a woman and I've also not fond of Las Vegas. I don't gamble at all.
The last definition, contributed by JLow on 28 October 2012 is Lasian for a "lady asian." JLow has also only given one contribution.
So as a lady Asian, a guerrilla geisha and dancing dragon lady, this blog is from the LAsian point of view. As a writer, I don't think we can erase some phrases but sometimes we can tweak how they are used and some of my short story writing is about tweaking, twisting and expanding the images and stereotypes of Asians, Asians Americans and women.
What's LAsian?
Who do we let define us?
Lady Asian asks
An Asian American, typically from Los Angeles or other large cities on the West Coast. Their style is a blend between street gang and skater. LAsians wear slightly tilted to the side baseball caps without curving the bill, oversized designer sunglasses, and sleeveless basketball jerseys even if they have no muscles. In their minds they are a player, in your mind they are a gigantic douche. You will find these types everywhere on the west coast. They are exceptionally bold in their Mecca, Las Vegas, where they constantly brag about their access to the hottest clubs on Facebook well into their 30 and 40s. There is a high probability that they are night club promoters and fill their photo albums with pictures with women who they never had a chance to sleep with.
The example given is: Look at that LAsian and his Hyundai, must be on his way to their Mecca, Vegas...
I'm not originally from Los Angeles and the LAsians who I found a bit cliquish were the Gardena-area Japanese Americans who were sure they knew just what a banana was because I didn't understand their subculture or appreciate it. There is actually more to Japanese American culture than what grew up in Gardena and no one in San Diego had called me a banana before except as a rhyme with my name.
However, this description doesn't fit with the Gardena Japanese Americans (except for that 30-something who was still living at home that had nothing but disposable income but there are plenty of men like that in other ethnic groups) I knew nor many of the Asian Americans I've met.
The second definition in the Urban Dictionary is a "lesbian of asian descent." Seriously do writers for the Urban dictionary know how to use caps? That contribution came from Improve Asylum on 21 June 2005. This is Improv Asylum's only contribution as well. According to this expert, "lasian was first used in the show 'Pork Fried Clowns,' as performed by the Improv Asylum, Boston, MA, in the spring of 2005."
While I've been accused of being a lesbian (usually by white men who I wouldn't date while I was single, especially those who didn't believe heterosexual guys danced), I've never had the urge to be intimate in a carnal sense with a woman and I've also not fond of Las Vegas. I don't gamble at all.
The last definition, contributed by JLow on 28 October 2012 is Lasian for a "lady asian." JLow has also only given one contribution.
So as a lady Asian, a guerrilla geisha and dancing dragon lady, this blog is from the LAsian point of view. As a writer, I don't think we can erase some phrases but sometimes we can tweak how they are used and some of my short story writing is about tweaking, twisting and expanding the images and stereotypes of Asians, Asians Americans and women.
What's LAsian?
Who do we let define us?
Lady Asian asks
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