Co tam, panie, w polityce? Chińcyki trzymają się mocno!

Wstęp

The phrase “co tam, panie, w polityce? Chińcyki trzymają się mocno?” (What’s up, sir, in politics? Are the Chinese holding strong?) is the first line of the famous play “Wesele” (The Wedding) by Stanisław Wyspiański, written in 1901. It is spoken by Czepiec, a peasant, to Dziennikarz, a journalist, who is attending the wedding of a poet and a peasant girl in a village near Kraków. The phrase reflects the ignorance and indifference of the rural folk towards the political situation of Poland at the time, which was partitioned and occupied by three foreign powers: Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The reference to China is a sarcastic remark about the Boxer Rebellion, a violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising that took place in China between 1899 and 1901.

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Znaczenie i kontekst

The phrase “co tam, panie, w polityce? Chińcyki trzymają się mocno?” has become a popular idiom in Polish language and culture, often used to mock or criticize the political discourse or events. It implies that the speaker is either unaware or uninterested in the serious issues that affect the country or the world, and prefers to focus on trivial or irrelevant matters. It also suggests that the speaker is detached from reality and lives in a bubble of ignorance or indifference.

The phrase can be seen as a reflection of Wyspiański’s critique of the Polish society of his time, which he portrayed as divided, passive, and nostalgic for the past glory. The play “Wesele” is based on a real wedding that Wyspiański attended in 1900, where he observed the interactions and conflicts between the representatives of different social classes and political views. He used symbolism and allegory to depict the historical and mythical figures that haunt the wedding guests and remind them of their failures and responsibilities. The play is considered as one of the most important works of Polish literature and drama, and a masterpiece of modernism.

Aktualność i znaczenie

The phrase “co tam, panie, w polityce? Chińcyki trzymają się mocno?” is still relevant and meaningful in the contemporary context, especially in the light of the global rise of China as a political and economic power. The phrase can be used to comment on the challenges and opportunities that China poses for Poland and other countries, as well as on the attitudes and reactions of the politicians and the public towards China. The phrase can also be used to question or criticize the quality and relevance of the political discourse or media coverage in Poland or elsewhere.

Podsumowanie

The phrase “co tam, panie, w polityce? Chińcyki trzymają się mocno?” is a famous quote from Stanisław Wyspiański’s play “Wesele”, which reflects the ignorance and indifference of the rural folk towards the political situation of Poland at the turn of the 20th century. The phrase has become a popular idiom in Polish language and culture, often used to mock or criticize the political discourse or events. The phrase is still relevant and meaningful in the contemporary context, especially in relation to China’s global role and influence. The phrase can be seen as a challenge for both politicians and citizens to be more aware and engaged in the political issues that affect their country and the world.