The Gay Genius Chapter26

I. The central question

Q: What could we learn from Su Tungpo and Wang Chaoyun's romance?

A: About Su Tungpo's first marriage, Lin Yutang said that was a perfect couple because a genius man and a woman with normal knowledge got married. However, Wang Chaoyun was not a normal woman, she was the one understand Su Tungpo best. What's more, they shared the same hobbies and belief, such as poetry, Buddihism and Taoism. In other words, we could say Wang Chaoyun and Su Tungpo were the same kind of person, that's the reason why Wang Chaoyun followed Su Tungpo untill her last time of life. Maybe the best romance is that two person is either complementary or parallel.    

II. The sentences

1. The poems were remarkable in that the sentiment of love was blended with the sentiment of religion.

in that the sentiment of love was blended with the sentiment of religion   爱情与宗教浑融的情感，看似截然相反的两种情感，却正是苏东坡与王朝云之间超越了俗世情感的体现。

2. It is not necessary to philosophize about the vicissitudes of human life. From a very matter-of-fact point of view, I can just imagine myself to be a scholar candidate from Huichow who has failed in the examinations and decides to live in his hometown for life.

philosophize    to talk about serious subjects in detail or for a long time

matter-of-fact   实事求是的，讲求实际的

3. In accordance with her wish, she was buried at the foothill around the Feng Lake, west of the city, near a pagoda and several Buddhist temples.

in accordance with   与……一致，依照

foothill    山麓小丘