# Talking About Finland



## xiaoman (May 30, 2015)

Talking About Finland 

 Writer: Tang Fu
Translator:  Xiaoman


             Finland's beauty is really created by Mother Nature extraordinarily, also, as if done by deities. The literal meaning of Finland, should refer to its varieties of  pleasant, aromatic smells and bright and beautiful colors----the blue skies and white clouds. Looking down from the aircraft, you can see that the slowly drifting of the Baltic Sea which is dark blue, extending to the fascinating Finland Gulf: the light blue skies seem as if they have just been washed by rain. The pure white clouds are bright, dancing in the sky. The green forests look like wool covering the earth, and in between those forests, more than one hundred and eighty thousands lakes are lying there in different elegant poses. Breezes blow through forests softly. The water is sparkling while reflecting all kind of flowers, beautifully embraced by mountains. It is not a fairyland, but better than a wonderland. Waves slowly become ripples, and the migratory birds gently fly high in the sky while the fields with crops sway, as if waves moving in the sea. Farmhouses  are near one another or some scattered here and there. The whole scenery is embellished with tall buildings, cottages, red paints, yellow woods, white windows, and clustered flowers. The wide countryside suddenly looks like an European painting which is displayed right in front of you. Such a scene: is it the human world in Heaven, or Heaven in the human world? It is said that, a long long time ago, Finland was underneath the glacier, at the bottom of  the sea, being kneaded by the amazing Creator assiduously,  and then, as if being called thousands of times, it was pushed to the surface of the sea. It is the Creator who spent a lot of time to carve, polish and refine it, and melted the iceberg, made the ocean recede and thousands of beautiful, charming lakes into shapes of jade rings, in which, huge waves boom overwhelmingly, is if competing in splendor. Finland is famous for the numerous amazing lakes and their pure water. It  can be called one of the miracles of the world.  Having high quality, water in Finland is so pure and clear and it sends off fragrance to moisturize its drinkers like nectar. It can be drunk directly without being distilled, and it tastes so good, cool and pure.

The original version link原版链接: http://blog.boxun.com/hero/tangfu/2_1.shtml

(To be continued)


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## escorial (May 30, 2015)

clear water..crisp n clear like the write..enjoyed


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## xiaoman (Jun 10, 2015)

(Thanks Escorial for your comments!  )

Once, after my appendix surgery, the nurse washed my wound directly with water from the sink, which really frightened me and caused my face to turn pale,  but the nurse kept smiling calmly as if everything was going normal. This world has less and less water day by day, but people in Finland use water in a luxurious way. No wonder this crystal clear good stuff has been a great company at banquets and parties in Finland.  It is so tasty, refreshing, and moisturizing , that after drinking  it even Yin and yang can be balanced accordingly. Being nurtured by such good water, no wonder Finnish people are so kind and open-hearted. 



According to historical research, about 9,000 years ago, Finns started to play melodies of life here. This is  a tribe with no slave system, had not experienced  invading or plundering,  but still can be well-fed and well-clothed by hunting and fishing.  With friendly character and the sense of equality they can get along with each other well in a harmonious atmosphere as if these are as natural as air.  About seven centuries ago, after being influenced by Sweden's preachers, Finland naturally was divided into the territory of Sweden, as a part of that country. In the south of Finland,  most  residents there are from  middle Europe, Germany, France, Russia and Hungary. Finnish language started to become a written language in the sixteenth century,  which belongs to the Hungarian family of languages, and from it we can know that the Hungarian population  ratio was slightly higher than that of other nations in the beginning. 

Climate in Finland is a bit chilly, so that pests are cold to dead, leaving a clean and beautiful land. The Finnish sauna bath is so hot. Gentle steam surges and rubs your skin softly, making you feel extremely comfortable. Here is the birth place of  saunas which are so popular all over the world. In the ancient times, people burned stones with wood, but today, electronic stoves are used the most----they put stones on the top of the stove and then sprinkle water over the heated stones, at the same time, placing barbeque sausages on the top of heated stones,  Drinking for fun. Although houses are slightly  smaller,  they are tight enough to resist cold weather. Finnish people, while taking vacation, they go to lakes and saunas which are absolutely friendly resorts to enjoy.  Beside every single cottage is a lakeshore in the countryside,  there are always small units with smoke slowly rising from inside, a wide wooden board bridge lies there, extending from the sauna  rooms to the  center of the lake. After a steam bath, you jump into the waves, it feels like a red hot iron chisel suddenly being dropped to cold water.  While hanging out with friends, just after a few words Finnish people will take up their towels, swing their arms, point to the direction of  the sauna resorts, "Let's go to sauna!"  The misty water starts to "Puff, puff", cough and pop by the raging fire. The aroma of grilled sausages along with beer really make you enjoy  the getting together with your friends, talking  about everything leisurely and openheartedly while being naked and feeling the smooth effects of the sauna. All are good friends, everybody, males, females and children, everyone is as free as the fairies.   Even in the icy winter, people still have the passion to rush out of the red hot sauna rooms and roll a few laps on the soft snow before they knock holes on the surface of the ice and jump into water under it. When they come up from the icy water again their entire body is already as  strong as iron.  The sauna is so enjoyable. Once in the battlefields with deadly billowing smoke, Finnish soldiers still could  ignore the flying bullets and shooting guns, as if nothing happened, relaxed in the sauna bath without being afraid.   



Finland was  separated from Swedish territory by Russia in the beginning of  the 19th century.  Lenin and Germany had a deal and he recognized Finland's independence. Afterwards,  he sent underground party members to Finland to destroy its stability and unity. It was Germany who helped maintain the status quo of this country. Today, most of the Russian mafia members are active in  business activities in Finland, and only the statue of the Russian Emperor, Nicholas,  still stands steadily in the Bishops square, and the name of a main street in Helsinki also refers to it. Up to now, many Russian politicians keep coming  here to cherish the memories of their glorious past.

Strangely enough,  in Finland, not any natural or man-made disasters have ever happened, such as earthquakes, floods, high winds and heavy rain, all seem to be considerate enough to this country that they consciously step aside. A Christ-like perspective on  freedom and equality, angel-like friendly and harmony are the natures of Finns. 

This country has no mineral or other resources but trees, which are used for the purpose of ecology and environmental protection.  They purchase raw materials from Russia(the former Soviet) to make paper, and this makes Finland become in the top four paper making countries in the world.  The average use of paper in Finland is ranked in the second position in the world.  Books printed in spotlessly white  and exquisite papers make you like it so much that you don't wish to get it off your hands. Tissues in public are available and they are free of charge. Everybody is so clean that you don't see any pickpockets being chased by police on the street.  

Finland's electronic communication technology is also the highest in the world. Nokia is an well-known international company.  Everyone in Italy uses mobile phones made in Finland. American editorial cartoons  about Europe show that even cats and dogs are on phone strap leashes, which must be related to Finland.  According to statistics, half the population in Finland has a mobile phone. Based on the early 1997 report which was released by the American radio programs,  the Nokia mobile phone sales in 1996 ranked on the world's second position, more than Sweden,  only next to Uncle Sam (By the time I modified this draft, it had already surpassed the United States).


 （To Be Continued)


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## Dove (Jun 11, 2015)

It's nice. Clear read. But having Finnish relatives - and visited - it is just an odd read. Are you aiming for irony?? 

Cause 

I mean no pests - yeah, we do. Mosquitoes [horseflies, black flies], ticks, fleas, snakes, spiders and other. 
No disasters - flooding is by far the most common. Almost every spring. 

Ps. The bit about the water made me smile. Tap water was once called "likainen vesi" - dirty water - for a reason. The same pollution - pulp mills / sheep farm - that earned the tap water its lovely dub goes unchecked in a number of the natural bodies of water.  

I won't comment further for fear of offending but this isn't quite the Finland I know. It'd be fantastic for a travel brochure though.


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## Kevin (Jun 11, 2015)

> Finland was underneath the glacier, at the bottom of  the sea, being kneaded by the amazing Creator assiduously,  and then, as if being called thousands of times, it was pushed to the surface of the sea.


 poetic


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## Kevin (Jun 11, 2015)

> which belongs to the Hungarian family of languages, and from it we can know that the Hungarian population  ratio was slightly higher than that of other nations in the beginning.


Actually no. They are in the same family, but the Hungarians were a separate specific 'horde'. The Finns are cousins, linguistically, but they were long established, or spread through the northern area before the 9th century arrival of the Magyars (Hungarians)far to the south. Their languages share a 'root', perhaps..


Okay, so this is a translation... therefore 'fact checking' is not relevant, form and language are. I wonder if you have someone to help with the English, a difficult task, indeed.


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## xiaoman (Jun 13, 2015)

Thanks to Escorial, Dove and Kevin!  Yes, it is a difficult task, indeed, since the one who wrote this is an accomplished writer and poet.  I hope that I could make the aesthetics of the original work reflect in the translated work. 
I translated four middle-length stories,  a few short stories and more than 100 classical Chinese poems into English before this one. So I guess that I have come a long way in improving my English writing skills. Of course, I still need to make more effort. Yes. "fact checking" is not relevant while doing translation. The most important thing, I guess, when doing translation is to ensure the accuracy, so  I can't add or ignore the facts in the original work. Anyway, I need to improve my translating skills as well . Thanks all for reading my work! Best wishes!


Some poems written by the writer: http://www.writingforums.com/threads/157315-Jumping-Out-Of-The-Chest-Tang-Fu-(Translation)

The Ghost is one of the stories I have translated: http://www.writingforums.com/threads/157262-The-Ghost-(1)-(A-translated-story)


These two translated poems were published by a Chinese electronic journal:http://www.writingforums.com/threads/156475-A-Translated-Poem-Sending-A-Friend-Back-Home

http://www.writingforums.com/threads/157814-The-Jin-Song?p=1869661#post1869661


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## xiaoman (Jun 18, 2015)

Finland's electronic technology has won Japan's high favor.  Japanese buy quite a few products and skills from Finland and rework on them. In Finland, more than 30% of households have a computer. The computer upgrade here is fast, high price and in high demand.  Chemistry, machinery, metallurgy, shipbuilding technology and skills are ranked in the world top position. Chen Yonggui is fond of Finnish fertilizer. Millions of tons of manure are shipped to him year after year providing high spirit for both producers and consumers. Grandest cruise ships made in Finland are exported to the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia, and other countries. There are no coal, no iron mine in Finland, but steel has good quality and can be sold well. Any products, as long as they are made in Finland,  can give  buyers a worry-free mindset. 
So far, Germany, France, England and so on, more than ten countries have become loyal customers of Finland. 



The Finnish government spares no effort to spread of their culture. The education is free in Finland. Books about other countries' cultures can be seen everywhere. Such as the Three Kingdoms,  The Dream of the Red Chamber, The Golden Lotus, and Tang and Song Poetry, all are available at your fingertips.  Gyms, sporting fields, public facilities, parks and squares  can be found here and there.  The Finnish language is so interesting and sophisticated with detailed and complicated syntax and grammar, that as if a magic that makes you feel  like it is everything but irrelevant.  You must learn grammar first, and then dictionaries.  Every Finn seems to be a language genius. Most of them can speak four and five languages. Finland is a linguistic genius of everyone, most people have four or five foreign languages.  A friend who masters ten foreign languages well can speak with me in Chinese proficiently.  It is said that his Chinese  is under average among languages he speaks. 



The Finnish nation  is a nation with high intelligence. This is a small country with a population of only five million, but as you open the encyclopedia of the 20th century, you will find that  those who are sitting in   second and third position are Finns.  Beginning with the letter S, it is the name of the renowned architects  with the first-class honours,  Eliel Saarinen and  Eero Saarinen , the father and son, who had left their excellent masterpieces in Helsinki,  Paris and America. Tovi. Hansson wrote the popular Mumimama, fairy tales. The world-famous mathematics giant Lars.V.Ahlsors was born in Finland  as well. Rolf. Nevanlinna,  a mathematician, who is also a Finn, established the master piece, the world famous mathematic theory, "analytic value distribution". 

The renowned musician, Jean Sibelius was also born in Finland, a musical college which has inherited his name is a celebrity party resort in Europe. Finland's girls are beautiful, once in a while you hear of them bringing home crowns from beauty pageants all over the world.  Finland's track and field athlete Paavo Mormi  had won nine Olympic gold medals, and he had held this record until 1996 when he was beat by the American.  Finnish men always come out first in the game of the strongest man of the world. 

Finland's capital city, Helsinki is located in the south coast , which was the Russian Emperor's will (the former capital city of Finland is Turku, a city which is adjacent to the southwest coast). With a pleasantly mild climate, the scenery there is so beautiful.  Due to her feminine and graceful beauty, Helsinki is being praised as the daughter of the Baltic Sea.  There are no high rise buildings in Helsinki, but only constructions with elegant and dignified designs, so sophisticated.  Besides, European architectural style of the stone carvings can be seen everywhere.  The urban traffic is in a reasonable order. Most of the  subways cars, streetcars  and  buses seem to be brand new. The atmosphere inside the transportation means is relaxing and refreshing, and most of the time you will find  that the transportation is not crowded.  


nce, I took a train going back to Helsinki from a central city, and I was the only passenger in that entire car,  appreciating the clean and comfortable, beautiful and pleasing empty seats.  Most of the rental cars here are Mercedes-Benz.  All the maritime ports extend in all directions, to Germany or European countries in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean.  Parks and trees can be seen everywhere in the city, which  please both your eyes and mind, making you  too delighted to leave. Leisurely people wander in neat and orderly streets. Everywhere is so clean without dust, no matter streets, alleys, outside the hall or outdoor, no trash can be found, even sidewalks have no stains. Regardless highways or urban areas, there is a flat bicycle path next to all the roads, right beside the sidewalk.  Expenses for such comfortable and safe roads have been considered a huge investment.  Roads belongs to people's livelihood, so I think that  it should be taken into account once and for all.



The capital city which  only has  population of 500,000  attracts millions of visitors every year for sightseeing.  Hospitable Finns make you feel at home. They don't have anti-foreigner sentiment, with  good social order.  Usually, the world famous summits are held in Helsinki (after Bush, Clinton and Yeltsin shook hands there). This young  city has been established less than 200 years. She once was destroyed by raging fire, and was, vigorously blown to smithereens by the Soviet Union's bomb carriers. But  Helsinki  has thoroughly remoulded herself today, that all visitors are fascinated by her charms, her ease and her peace. I have been to many cities  in Finland, most them appear to be so beautiful, clean, and all have different features in the peaceful atmosphere. 


The hustle and bustle of the  city scenery  doesn't appear to be noisy; buildings here are exquisite without being crowded. Being full of fresh air, Helsinki boasts  as the rarely crisp capital city in the world.



Museums and libraries in Helsinki are scattered here and there although the population of it can't keep pace with a small town in China. Municipal public libraries are so handy that they can be found at almost every other street corner. All libraries are equipped with  music rooms, children reading circles, computer rooms, writing workshops individual and soundproofing conference rooms, simply providing people with an overall experience of education and entertainment.  Book borrowers are free of charge with no limit. Besides, libraries also purchase designated books for the specific needs of users. They can also help transfer books from any other libraries in the city, so as to satisfy users' requirements, such service is also free. They even deliver books to patients in hospital beds. The computerized management system in every library allows users to check on their orders themselves, to know how their items are being processed.  The phone just sits around you and it is free of charge.  Everybody likes reading in Finland,  everyone seems to be knowledgeable.  Finland is the first country to launch the anti-illiteracy campaign in Europe.  There is no one who  can't read here. Everyone could read newspapers even 100 years ago. University of Helsinki is anti-illiteracy campaign, a top-notch university  in  Europe, renowned in the world, having  favored many scholars.  Other universities are spread all over the country. 



Maybe only the Christian spirit and the style of  the Garden of Eden can explain Finland, and  get the logical answers. 


 "The  welfare system is so perfect that this country is raising lazy people. "  You may hear some immigrants complain.  Later, their relatives also come to Finland,  and together they complain to the government.  Perhaps,  Finnish children and women enjoy the most in the world. Mothers, apart from having the full pay in the first three years, they also received allowance as reward, children receive benefits based  on per capita, the more children they have, then more benefits they obtain, it all depends on the contribution of  the belly. Even  fathers can get one week of paid parental leave.  Here, anyone,  as long as he is  taking a toddler with him, then he won't need to pay for the bus fares.  When children turn 18(including some time in high school) they all have a bursary,  and get 70% of rental allowance ( 89%  for private rentals)    


Students can borrow money to support their education and pay off the debts slowly in the future.   They also can get exempted from taxes. All students don't need to pay tuition fees. It is compulsory education for nine years for all children studying from primary to middle school. All fees including lunches are free of charge. Books for high school students are not free(parts of them are released by the government) but tuition fees are free. Text books in university are not free, but students don't need to pay tuition fees.  The government also provides drunkards   rationed free drinks, but they don't care,  you can still see them getting drunk and dancing in the street. Oftentimes you can see some drunkards fall down on the street, and police escort them to stay in jail for a few days, and this costs are all covered by the government. 




Leaping to one of the most advanced countries in the world in the middle of 1980s from a backward agricultural country back in 1960s, Finland's economy has been ranked first in the world.  Finland can't compete with Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland, in terms of geographic and strategic position. However, it has kept up with those  high welfare countries in Scandinavia  and at the same time, they build iron walls to prevent the advancement of Russia. According to the report by the United Nations in 1995, among 180 countries, Finland was ranked the fourth position from the bottom, and China was ranked in fourth spot from the top,  so it is easy to see the disparity at a glance.  second line from the bottom


Being located near the North Pole, Finland's  indoor temperature  always feels  like spring in all four seasons, that the constant temperature is 20 degrees Celsius. No matter how many degrees below zero outside,  people will never be  threatened by the coldness. In winter time, I usually don't wear a lot, since the car is already heated before hand,  the bus is even warmer. Walking on the cool street, breathing the chilly cold air, so comfortable! If you are really cold, go into the shops on the roadside, do window shopping for a few minutes, then you will feel warm again. 


While taking a walk on the road, oftentimes I see some retired people carrying plastic  bags, going to the forests or places where cleaners haven't reached, to pick up garbage and  throw into garbage bins. Quite a few senior ladies buy bird seed from shops and feed seagulls and migratory birds. They don't see the birds as a meal unlike the Chinese.


 Once I drove from the unban to the wildness,  and then from the countryside to the lakeshore. From the seashores in the south to the mountains in the north. The flat  highways, laying in the forest and wilderness, across urban and rural areas, as if carpet-like ribbons, singing happily for all the vehicles.  The harmony of nature makes you feel so refreshed.   The pheasants  with their colourful tails,  squirrels,  Pere David's deer, geese, fish, on the roadside, in the air, in the water, eagerly looking,  leisurely swimming, showing intimacy to humans. I can't help but approach them, take  pictures with them. Probably they are so shy or feel strange,  that they  gently  step away and then come back again. The naughty David's deer, horse around the roadside,  nodding to vehicles that are passing by. 


Sometimes  rabbits and squirrels dash across the road, racing vehicles, and sadly become  road-killed animals at the cost of being so naughty.  This vast virgin land is the wonderland for animals to live in. The seas, plains, lakes, forests and fields are the charm of  the harmony which makes you feel so worry-free,  as if you were  a winged angel  and a carefree crane who is  enjoying everything here.  The vast skies and wide and winding  plains bring you so much joy and such a wonderful feeling is hard to be described.  It seems that it is the real destination in life that is being lived here.  

Is it the heaven or  is it a wonderful resort?  This is Finland with its fragrant grace. 


1997 in Finland


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