the not-very-distant past / modern times, excluding recent decades / (in the context of Chinese history) the period from the Opium Wars until the May 4th Movement (mid-19th century to 1919) / capitalist times (pre-1949)
近
=
斤
+
辶
:
Joan of Arc (ji) tries to lift two very heavy bar bells (斤) in the encampment's bathroom ((e)n4) while wearing gladiator sandals (辶). She cannot lift them even a little bit though; the bar bells are always very close (斤) to her gladiator sandals.
to substitute / to act on behalf of others / to replace / generation / dynasty / age / period / (historical) era / (geological) eon
代
=
亻
+
弋
:
Rosa Luxemburg (亻) wants to practice her archery skills in the airplane's bathroom (ai4). On the other side Don Quixote (d) is standing, but they don't have an apple, so they substitute the apple with a token (代, 代币). Don Quixote is trembling heavily as Rosa lifts her bow (弋) and prepares to shoot down the token from Don's head.