Like A Teapot

I need distraction today and happened to have an appointment that brought me out of the house.

The weather is not good. It is cloudy and raining. Not a heavy downfall, but rather spare large raindrops hitting the head. I appreciate the cool air, especially in light of the fact that a heat wave is coming up on Thursday, which is forecasted in both west coast Canada and the United States.

I bought lots of grocery. I also bought Chinese medicine for my sprained ankle. I got both herbal pastes and a special oil that is made of herbs. I have the paste on right now.

I was a bit dazed the whole time I was out, due to bad news received earlier in the day. I sighed loudly a few times in my friend's car and also when walking on a parking lot. My friend brought up the topic of the Olympia. She watched synchronized diving but missed the opening ceremony.

Synchronized diving and artistic gymnastics, two of my favourite events are over now. There should be more diving though, for the indivicuals. I do not know the schedule, as I am not as crazy about the game as some people thought. It is just the fact that China is the host this year that makes things more interesting for me. It is interesting to learn of the world's reaction to the Chinese approach.

The opening ceremony is a fantastic showcase of Chinese creativity and ingenuity. It cleverly and successfully reminds the world that the four great Chinese inventions - gun powder, paper making, printing, and the compass - forever changed China and the world. At least this is a clear message that Canadian television viewers received when watching the ceremony at home, as it is repeatedly emphasized by CBC's star presenter Peter Mansbridge, who was doing the live coverage in Beijing.

I do not know how other national news networks covered the opening ceremony. But I feel no one could have done a better job than Mansbridge. He is respected by Canadians and is respectful of Chinese history and culture. I mentioned him in a post on the US Super Tuesday election coverage (without giving his name). He is simply cool and is definitely fast becoming an icon of Canada.

It seems that all personal matters pale in the face of the large-scale devastation in China. Although over ten days have passed since the disaster struck, shock and sadness is not lifting up for anyone who continues to pay attention to the grim situation on that part of land.

That part of land was once my motherland. Although both of my parents were born outside China, I was born and grew up there. Although I had a hard time while living there, I cannot stop caring for what is happening over there. Every nation has its merits and short-comings. Often the merits of China and its culture are not sufficiently recognized and understood by the rest of the world and the virtues and intelligence of the Chinese people underestimated.

It seems that it never occurs to some people that because China has a large population, while it includes a lot of poor and unsophisticated folks, it also at the same time produces a large ratio of bright, well-educated, and highly intelligent people, who are at any rate smarter and more well-informed than many dwellers of the first and second worlds and deserve equal, if not more, respect with many of those proud citizens of western democracies. Living in a western democracy does not mean that you are immune of ignorance and cannot be a narrow-minded idiot, especially if you don't travel.

Luckily there are also many nice and sensible people around. It is touching and comforting, as my Opera friend themugs aptly points out in an earlier comment, that after last week's earthquake, the world has poured out generous help and proves to have evolved into a truly global village.

When the Olympic torch reached Guangzhou, China on May 7, 2008, the municipal male hospital gave a massive gesture, amusing commuters and passersby.

This is a supplement to the discussion of a poem by ancient Chinese poet Wang Wei that started in quentin's blog. It is a modest attempt to facilitate western readers' appreciation of the intricate beauty in that widely celebrated poem, which I am afraid may be lost in translation. I do not blame the translators for any shortfall as I know how difficult a task they faced. As indicated earlier, I shall concentrate on the most enchanting part of the poem, which is highhighted in blue down below.

It describes a life attitude as well as a daytime activity of a middle-aged man who is influenced by Buddhism and enjoys a carefree life in the mountains: he strolls around leisurely and eventually arrives at where a stream ends. He then sits down and watches misty clouds forming and rising from the water. Note the Chinese character for cloud in its traditional form: 雲. Does it not look like water rising up from a river or a sea?

Philosphically it says: nothing ends; it flows from one form to another. I may have reached the end of the stream, but it does not matter. I sit down to appreciate another fantastic view of water (this time running upward in the form of mist and rising cloud). I simply go with the flow.

This is distinctly the Way's point of view. But it should be fairly easy to understand. Remember Greek philosopher Heracleitus also declares that there is a unity in the world which is formed by the combination of opposites. "Everything flows; nothing stands still."

If you care for humour, it may also remind you of what German philosopher Schopenhauer says about its attribute: a sense of humour is a divine characteristic because it makes it possible for a man to maintain his soul in freedom (from being chained) and seek the ultimate joy in life that lies in the creation or cherishing of what is beautiful.

Linguistically, it has a glory all its own. I do not know how to convey it but to urge you to investigate how Edward Elgar's Symphony No.1 in A flat major, Op. 55 was received when it was first performed in Britain's and Europe's music halls a century ago. Rapture is perhaps the word to describe Chinese readers' reaction to the poetic splendour. That is more than delight and respect. After all, Wang Wei was also a painter and a musician.

English translation:

Villa on Zhongnan Mountain (Version A)

In my middle years I came to much love the Way
and late made my home by South Mountain's edge.
When the mood comes upon me, I go off alone,
and have glorious moments all to myself.
I walk to the point where a stream ends,
and sitting, watch when the clouds rise.
By chance I meet old men in the woods;
we laugh and chat, no fixed time to turn home.

My Villa at Mount Zhongnan (Version B)

In my mid life I began to love the Buddha Law.
I decided to live the rest of my life at the foot of Mount Zhongnan.
When I am in the mood for an outing, I wander alone in the woods.
I savour the pleasant feelings with no one.
I stroll along the brook to its origin.
Then I sit down and watch the rising clouds.
Occasionally I meet an elderly woodsman.
I chat and laugh, forgetting to return home.
In simplified Chinese:

终南别业 王维

中岁颇好道，晚家南山陲。
兴来每独往，胜事空自知。
行到水穷处，坐看云起时。
偶然值林叟，谈笑无还期。

I watched a documentary on Chinese acupuncture on and off tonight. On and off because every few seconds came a stupid remark from the presenter.

The highlight, which comes near the end, is that MRI or cat-scan shows that acupuncture has an effect on the activities of the brain, which explains why it can help reduce pain. With this 'evidence' as understood in western medicine, came the repeated use of such words as "exciting", "amazing", and "astonishing", which were accompanied by the narrator's exuberant facial expressions that could only be described with the same words.

This itself is irritating. But the first two thirds of the film is even more so, because she acted as if no other westerner had explored and shed light on the subject before, not to mention the smile she wore when uttering stupid things or the studied nonchalance with which she walked down the street, supposedly doing some research 'ground work' with an inquisitive mind.

It is all very well to be skeptical in the name of science, but ignoring existing literature is not the way to go where research is concerned. I read a well-written book that covers the subject thoroughly about twenty years ago. It was in English and authored by a journalist from the UK, where she is from.

The long documentary could have been a fairly good "public understanding of science" film had it been less preoccupied with the presenter's many preconceptions and doubts, which are obviously liberally used to accentuate a later finding.

The ERI episode, fankly, is the only thing worth reporting. It is the only thing that can be considered new, in the sense that before neuro-imaging became available we could not show visully the actual functioning of the brain when acupuncture is applied. The 'evidence' is, however, not "surprising" for anyone who is familiar with the essence of Chinese medicine and the cognitive difference between Chinese and western medical theoretical frameworks!