Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

I was linked to a Chinese BBS site yesterday to read an interesting article. Apparently, one Chinese publisher decided to publish a compilation of past-year high school graduation examination model essays and somehow included in it a somewhat suspicious piece of writing. Not to mention that the book was a compilation of full-mark essays. I doubt someone really wrote this for the exams but it’s still worth a read. I would glady purchase the book if I ever came across it.

Regretfully, most of the Chinese humour is lost in translation so for those who can’t read Chinese, enjoy a quarter of the humour. For the others, you may read the original text at the link above.

Translated passage:
“Essay Question:
Do you still remember your childhood? As one grows and matures, the once beautiful aspirations and simple pleasures of life eventually leave us. Within the lush forests, the Mayan civilisation evaporated; along the Silk Route, the Kingdom of Gaochang vanished. Mankind progresses along transience. As we walk alongside transience, we sigh as we witness the changing of seasons, or quote “Who says life can’t be any shorter?”…
What are your sentiments after reading the paragraph above? Write an essay with the theme “Walking Amid Transience”. You could narrate a personal story, express your emotions or just voice out your views.

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Walking Amid Transience: The 3 Greatnesses of Lolis – Petite, Slender, Push-easy

I dedicate this piece of writing to all the named and unnamed otakus who are warriors in their firm battle for the great Otakudom.
“A little setback means nothing; there will be a solution no matter what. Regardless, I will heed whatever you request, my Master. ‘Do whatever as you please Master’ … …”

I do not understand why, but this line suddenly played on in my mind. I fully understand that it is not time for me to be lazing around, but I cannot help but put down my writing pen and paused on whatever I had been writing on the examination script.

“It is… summer.” The relentless sun conveys the summer atmosphere, I could not help but sigh at this thought.

Yes, it is indeed already summer. It is the time when lolis start using their cute, pink lips to suck on mysterious white fluids flowing down what might be a rod that is smacked with heavy mosaic. The cheerful lolis will not be defeated by this extreme heat, they are always full of life. Be it when they are wearing their dark-coloured one-piece swimsuits, or be it the miniskirts they wear that might flash a cartoon bear image anytime, the light that is called “Moe” which shimmers on them will always be brighter than the sun, and feasting to the eyes.
This, is the season of “Moe”.

But… but what is this depression I am experiencing despite this blissful season?

Regardless of the scenic changing of seasons, no matter how beautiful a flower might be, there will come a time when it has to bear fruit—not to mention the shy little flower buds awaiting to blossom. In contrast, the time they exist are so much shorter, so much that I could cry.
A classic literature which featured a 10000-year-old shota had this to quote, “Everytime a loli refutes the existence of faeries, another faerie dies. “

The writer did not bother to continue to elaborate.

I believe that whenever a loli refutes the existence of faeries, their life as a loli ends. A loli who has shed her innocence is like a flower which has shed its colours, withering at a rate visible to the naked eye. These lolis might end up becoming Yaoi Girls who exclaim “May all be seme, All’s Homo with the World”; or they could just end up as haggard obasans debating with the storekeeper over twenty cent discounts, that is something no one can bear to witness. Oh the lolis with the moe moe cheerful smiles!~

Flowers bloom and wither. Every year, a batch of lolis turn into maidens, progressing towards the unforgiving world of elder sisters and wives. Their departure is like that of the falling petals of the cherry blossom, vanishing in its prime. So beautiful, yet so heartbreaking.
Other than suffering from a heartbreak, what else can I do?

Just like the unchangeable fact of an ever-increasing entropy, time flies by us—as their pass by, they mercilessly remove the halos of moe…

However, however!…

How could we enjoy our blossom of flowers in the consecutive years if this batch of flowers does not go?
If the lolis do not wither, where can we possibly enjoy our smiles of elder sisters and mature ladies?
Indeed, time has robbed us of our moe moe lolis, but at the same time, time has given these ex-lolis a greater variation in moe-ness.
Lolis are moe, but a world with only lolis is not. If we were to just focus on the growth of lolis, and end up ignoring our 3-lesses(speechless, heartless, emotionless) and nadeshikos, moe statuses that only levels above elder sisters can attain, we will just be going against our otaku
agenda of total dominatrix.

In the morning, I worship thee, elder sisters; in the evening, I push thee, lolis. I lure the mature ladies in spring, while I seduce wives in winter.
Sulking before even motivating oneself to attain such a level of moe-ness is unacceptable by otaku standards.
My inner lust burns greater than scorching wax, my will to walk on is pumped up stronger than before.
No matter if you are still around tomorrow, I will still be smiling here.
I smile, as I witness the transience of the lolis; I smile, as I spread out my arms to welcome a tranquil tomorrow.

Marker’s Comments
This piece of writing excels in the fact that it utilizes unique material; it portrays the writer’s understanding of the title “Walking Amid Transience” through the story of an online game character. As the game protagonist shifts from one phase to another, the theme becomes ever more significant. The author is clearly an online gaming hobbyist or a fan of fantasy fiction. It is really remarkable how he is able to assimilate his interest with his graduation examination paper.“

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