Capt. Lin Nan Quotes in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)

Jen-Ai: I like China the way it is.

Capt. Lin Nan: Filthy? Ignorant? Backward?

Jen-Ai: No, but if your house is dirty you can clean it.

Capt. Lin Nan: [after Jen-ai adopts a baby girl] Don't you see how stupid and pointless this is? What are you going to do with her?

Jen-Ai: Call her Six-Pence I think. Do you like it?

Capt. Lin Nan: I said what are you going to do with her? What do you know about babies?

Jen-Ai: What is there to know? When they're dirty you wash them, when they're hungry you feed them.

The Mandarin: What is a foreigner Captain? How would you describe yourself?

Capt. Lin Nan: My heart and my mind are Chinese, only my blood is mixed.

The Mandarin: If I have offended a guest in my home, I shall not forgive myself.

Capt. Lin Nan: It is my own mixed blood which offends me.

Capt. Lin Nan: It's an interesting problem. I shall be happy to hear when you have solved it.

The Mandarin: [after a moment's thought] Then be happy Captain, I just solved it!

The Mandarin: [without emotion] I'm delighted.