The move to Pinyinise Chinese names in schools meant technically switching to a different system of spelling for names to which people were unaccustomed to.

He really gave that digging some stick. = he threw himself into the task of digging

The poets have made tragedies enough about signing one's self over to wickedness for the sake of getting something plummy; I shall write a tragedy of a fellow who signed himself over to be good, and was uncomfortable ever after.

It was ever thus.