Tuesday, 7 January 2014

Foreword of a Disgruntled Writer

Those who knows me well will acknowledge the fact that I am, seemingly, a Korean fanatic. Perhaps it needs clarification that the fact is that, I am not. Being misunderstood in many ways viz. having being called 'Jewish' and fellow humans forewarned of their safety for befriending me, it is just natural that someone who savours a multitude of human culture would be treated as such when it comes to meeting people with limited perspective and culture. I don't just learn about culture, I embraced them and incorporate them into my daily life.

Dealing with such people does not require sociability but rather, art. Well, it might be a known-fact that human communication might indeed be an art in its on right, relations with such human being often necessitates the usage of 'arti-stoic' intertwining of nonsense and superficiality while having the outlook of a dignified and cultured Homo sapiens.

Started off without knowing Chinese at all (though I have been sent to Chinese tuition class at 9 years old), I would deem such achievement of mine no further than a feat in its own right. While my calligraphic skills is totally out-of-this-world and could only be admired by aliens, I had, at least, scratch out those limited time I hardly have and learnt Chinese. It is not just the language I learn, I am learning the whole package. In simple term, I am learning to be a Han.

In retrospect, why don't you learn to be a naturopathic health scientist while remaining ever committed to preserving whatever left of our cultural remnants?

If you can't do it, it is simply you don't have the heart to learn and that's all the reason that you need.

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

The Philosophy of a Noachide Chinese

I absolutely loathed the term Noachide, as it has a connotation of a new religion. In fact what we are doing now is nothing new, we are just going back to our root, rediscovering our heritage. As now I am advantageous enough to know of a few people of different religious background, I have come to a conclusion that actually we are just not that different from others. Well, we could have different perspective on various issues, the solution is often the same. Figuring out the Godhead that is...

The discovery
What made me realise this point is my current involvement with the Hanfu innovators movement. I termed them innovators as they accept new elements readily and though they do practice traditional rituals and decorums, they do add and subtract to the rituals as they seem fitting in modern society. In my opinion, this is not something that is arduously wrong. It is rather an honest remark and a practical way to reintroduce what had lost for generations.

Well, knowing myself, I am someone who prefers things to be 'original' so to speak. Even if it is NOT original I would like to know from which source it derives from, and which formulaic principle is used to create it. I am not someone who would take things that are plausible in every way but are created out of no where.

The discovery I have made so far, corresponded to my belief (as a 27 years old that is...), that each and every belief is much closer than you think. Why we are different is because we differ from each other habitually, culturally, and philosophically. Deep down, we are the same. We have the same yearning for the basic things in life. Water, food, oxygen, and Divinity.

What we should do is, instead of proclaiming anyone being greater than anyone, it is better to acknowledge that everyone is as equal as everyone else. Why we are different culturally? It is because we do things different from each other. Something that has go on for at least a few thousands years couldn't be VERY wrong. My argument is always that, as a Chinese, we have everything in a complete set and why would we want to vouch for others' when we have our own way of doing things?

Religion aside, as this is a complete different matter. Religion entails belief and when it comes to belief, it is a rather personal thing. Culturally, we can choose but before we choose, why don't we try exploring something closer to home first?

The Realisation
That music cultivates the mind and soothe the soul is true. I would like to quote my own personal experience, whee I believe that proper music conditions the mind in a fitting way. What we feed ourselves with tell a lot to others. Our Chinese Sages talk about proper music or elegant music, if you may, condition a person to act accordingly. What entails proper music is the thing that I am currently interested in.

May I find what I am looking for.

Sunday, 31 March 2013

菁菁者莪 (Luscious is the Tarragon)


Though modified from a marriage poem, this shi is used to celebrate the audience given by a feudal lord to a vassal.

菁菁者莪
菁菁者莪、在彼中阿。
旣見君子、樂且有儀。

菁菁者莪、在彼中沚。
旣見君子、我心則喜。

菁菁者莪、在彼中陵。
旣見君子、錫我百朋。

汎汎楊舟、載沈載浮。
旣見君子、我心則休。

Luscious is the Tarragon
Lusciously the tarragon grows,
In the midst of the slope.
The audience with our lord,
Blissful but yet courteous.

Lusciously the tarragon grows,
In the centre of the islet.
The audience with our lord,
Gladdens my heart.

Lusciously the tarragon grows,
In the middle of the mound.
The audience with our lord,
Bestows me much prosperity.

Unsteadily the osier boat rocks,
Oft-times it plunges and bobs.
The audience with our lord,
Has set my heart to rest.