Karma Police

Kyoto in Winter

2011-01-16T20:27:00.005+09:00

Kyoto in Winter
link to a Web photo album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/KyotoInWinter?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ-v5u7dxJaaKQ&feat=directlink

Otherwise grey and gloomy, covered with snow, Kyoto in Winter is beautiful, magical, mysterious!

Photos from this album were taken on 31st of December 2010 and on 1st of January 2011.

Kyoto in Summer

2011-01-16T20:26:00.004+09:00

With very much delay and two seasons later here is a link to an album with pictures from the 2010 Summer in Kyoto
link to the Web album:

Second Autumn in Kyoto TWO

2011-01-16T20:26:00.002+09:00

Second Autumn in Kyoto (second album)
link to a Web photo album :
http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/SecondAutumnInKyotoTWO?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ6b4ZyT__enKg&feat=directlink

I was too busy in November and December (the best time for autumn leaves in Kyoto) to go to as many places as I wished and take pictures...It's a great pity, but I was really busy with preparing and submitting graduate applications for PhD programs at US universities...Still, I managed to steal a few hours and take some photos (not as many as I wished and I couldn't even come close to fulfilling my large list of temples to visit during autumn foliage season)...This is the second album of my Second Autumn in Kyoto...

Second Autumn in Kyoto

2010-11-29T09:02:00.000+09:00

There is a season missing actually, as I still haven't uploaded the Summer in Kyoto album, but first this one as it's ready...

Second Autumn in Kyoto
http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/SecondAutumnInKyoto?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-e-PLCs7TERQ&feat=directlink

Photo Album: Takano River in Autumn

2010-11-29T08:55:00.001+09:00

Takano river is just 2 minutes frommy apartment, and is my favourite place for a walk...With my terribly busy schedule lately I'm missing the Autumn season here, this time because despite my plan to visit many places and see them in their Autumn look, I'm afraid I cannot spare much time as I'm busy sending applications for PhD programs in USA (and UK actually, though the chances are that evenif I'm accepted there they have no sufficient funding)...
Actually I have absolutely no time to post...
Here are my photos...

Takano River in Autumn
http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/TakanoRiverInAutumn?authkey=Gv1sRgCKrbvZHE55LwTQ&feat=directlink

Honenin Temple 法然院, Kyoto

2010-11-29T08:43:00.003+09:00

An interesting temple I visited 3 times in the past month.

Today I had scheduled another meeting with the head monk there, but I had to re-schedule it, because I'm really very busy and there is too much on my mind...

Here is a link to a web album with photos from this small, but very charming temple.

Honenin Temple

http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/HoneninTempleKyoto?authkey=Gv1sRgCKOm2cbnjqn-ugE&feat=directlink

Catching Up...

2010-11-29T08:30:00.001+09:00

It has been a long while since I stopped posting regurarly here...
I've been planning to post a Summer in Kyoto post with link to an Web album for a while now, but I still haven't finished selecting and uploading the photos...
It is actually already another season and I'm taking photos to be used in a prospective Second Autumn in Kyoto...

Meanwhile.
As those of you who know me personally, know, in September I went back home for a month. The heat in Kyoto was trully unbearable, and also I seriously needed to take a break from my not so great emotional state here. I needed to get some perspective, to think things over, to find some comfort among family and friends. I've been away from home for almost 10 years now, but this was the time when I really I felt terribly and desperately homesick.
Going back home was a good idea. Although my plans for mountain hiking, relaxation and rest mostly failed, and actually I had to deal with annoying and unpleasant things, it was still better than spending anothr month alone, lonely and depressed as I was in Kyoto.
Being home with my mom and my 20 year-old cat was simply healing.

Unfortunately at the end of my stay my grandma got sick and had to be taken to hospital. A few days after I was back already to Kyoto I learned that she passed away.
It's very hard to be away from home in a moment like this. Alone with your sadness and grief.
I loved her dearly and she will be very much missed.
My trip back home was very good, because I had a chance to see her a few times during my stay and actually in a way to say good bye.

Meanwhile, despite my intention to try to sort things out a little bit during the month back home, and to come up with some sort of decision about what to do in my life next, I didn't manage to gain much clarity.
In the first days, when I came back to Kyoto, I had made up my mind to disregard my emotional state and try to enjoy my stay in Kyoto more, instead of feeling sad and lost, as I have been feeling for a very long while now, but...the news of my grandmother's passing away simply put me back where I was, feeling lonely, downcast, sad....

Regardless of everything.
This month is really crucial to my life. I just need to pull myself together. Somehow.
I need to make an effort to find motivation and strenght, or at least organise myself to do what has to be done.
This and next month I'm applying for doctoral programs (to be starting from next year Fall 2011). As my sholarship here is until the end of Marh 2011, I need to decide what to do and where to go next.
It is a big crossroads actually.
I'm now in my 10 year of my "Journey to the East". I gained a lot of knowledge and insight, both academic and personal, but I also became disillusioned, disintegrated, on top of the disilusionment, I got very hurt and I don't know how to cope with all this. This 10 year self-inflicted exile, travelling to lands thousands of kilometers away, alone. No doubt that this is a spiritual journey, but I'm in the point where I feel great doubt, and confusion...

First Chinese Nobel Prize 2 - reactions

2010-10-10T20:16:00.007+09:00

Today since morning I spent quite a few hours since reading about the impact of the news of Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize win and some very different reactions. Especially interesting were the Chinese netizens reactions to the news as seen in the blogs, comments, etc.

Among the Chinese netizens reactions 4 stood out:

1. The popular Chinese blogger Han Han after 1AM on the 9th of October posted a blog entry titled "2010.10.08", which however had no text and instead consisted only of quotation marks, i.e. " ".
(This timing of the post roughly coincides with the actual timing of the announcement of the news which because of the time difference between Norway and China.)
Han Han has a huge following and many people who are apparently subscribed to his feed were immediately alerted that he has posted something and went to see it.
Quickly this post attracted thousands of readers and hundreds of comments even though it was past 1:32AM at night. (Currently the readers are above 200 000 and comments are more than 5000!).
At first most posts were by followers who asked "What do you mean?" and apparently had no clue what he alluded to.
But soon many comments aired the opinion that the blog entry's title is very telling as it is the date of the announcement of Liu Xiaobo's choice as this year's Nobel peace Prize recipient.
Some posters wittingly observed :"Since all the words are "sensitive" (i.e. pending censorship) the only thing that's left are punctuation marks."
I read through several pages of comments. Some were fascinating. But the most fascinating thing was to see that despite the blocked access to the news, despite the blocked search engines, despite the "harmonized" (i.e. censored) contents, despite the "sensitive words" censorship many people have already heard of this news and felt simply happy and elated.
Many people used various ways to avoid their comments from being "harmonized" and deleted and used various abbreviations, oblique allusions, phonetically similar characters instead of "sensitive words". The Chinese netizens' language innovation prompted by fear of online censorship is indeed a very amazing phenomenon!
It's very surreal.

2. Among the comments after the above mentioned minimalist blog post at Han Han's blog one struck me as very amusing. According to a few who commented after the said post, the central news emission deliberately avoided the news about the prestigious award, and instead as it turns out one of the most important foreign news was that a panda in a zoo abroad got pregnant. Netizens ridiculed this choice of news.
The funny and ironic part (and with a potential to be interpreted symbolically) is that a Chinese rare and bordering extinction animal (behind bars) has managed to conceive a future offspring.

3. Somewhere near the 50th page of comments after Han Han blog's entry the following Question/Answer type anecdote:

新浪网友2010-10-09 12:27:27

问：有没有中国人获得诺贝尔奖？

答：有，但他们都拿着外国国籍。

问：有没有中国公民获得过诺贝尔奖？

答：有，但他们都是中华民国的公民。

问：有没有新中国的公民获得过诺贝尔奖？

答：有，但他不承认自己是中国公民。

问：有没有承认自己是中国人的新中国公民获得诺贝尔奖？

答：有，但是我们不承认他是中国公民。

问：有没有自己承认自己是中国公民，国家也承认他是中国公民的新中国公民获得诺贝尔奖？

答：有，但他在监狱里。

The rough translation from Chinese is:
Question: Has a Chinese person won the Nobel Prize?
Answer: There are a few, but they have a foreign citizenship.
Q: Has a Chinese citizen won the Nobel Prize?
A: There are, but they are the Chinese Republic citizens.
Q: Are there any New China citizens who have won the Nobel Prize?
A: There is one,but he himself doesn't admit that he is a Chinese citizen.
Q:Is there a citizen of New China who admits to be a Chinese citizen who has won the Nobel Prize?
A: Yes, there is, but we don't admit that he is a Chinese citizen.
Q: Is there a Chinese citizen who admits himself to be one, and the State also admits that he is a citizen of New China who has won the Nobel Prize?
A: There is, but he is in prison.

4. One of the strongest image statements came from artist Kuang Biao (邝飚). In this cartoon, posted by Kuang to his QQ blog, a Nobel Prize medallion is locked behind prison bars. Underneath the image, Kuang has simply written “10-8-2010,” a historic date. (seen at China Media Project's site) .

In addition, two links to interesting articles from the New York Times:

China's Unwanted Nobel Prize http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/10/08/when-dissidents-win-the-nobel-peace-prize?ref=asia

China, Angered by Peace Prize, Blocks Celebration
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/world/asia/10china.html?_r=2

First Chinese Nobel Prize

2010-10-10T12:04:00.001+09:00

Yesterday morning I saw with great relief that the Norwegian government did not cave in to Chinese pressure and was not intimidated by the threat from last week and gave this year's Nobel Peace award to a Chinese political prisoner.

The award is undoubtedly indeed really very significant and meaningful.
A historing turning-point.

China's Liu Xiaobo wins Nobel Peace Prize
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/08/AR2010100801502.html?wprss=rss_world/asia
Nobel Prize Is Seen as Rebuke to China
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/world/asia/09beijing.html?_r=1&ref=china

Jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo wins Nobel Peace Prize

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101008/ts_afp/nobelpeacechina_20101008202250
Chinese dissident Liu wins Nobel Peace Prize
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101008/ap_on_re_us/nobel_peace_prize
Obama urges China to free Nobel successor
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101008/pl_afp/nobelpeacechinausobamarights_20101008201304

back home for a month

2010-09-21T21:59:00.000+09:00

Back home for a month... To rest, recharge, rethink...see things from a different angle... try to find some balance...

Especially the past few months in Kyoto, I felt suffocated, unable to make even the smallest movement out of the routine, nothing new happened, at least nothing new of importance, I felt stuck, unable to think, that's why after some musing I made the decision to go back home for a month (going back to Kyoto on the 5th of October)...

I need to rethink things very seriously, I need to drag myself out of the standstill, recharge, somehow see ahead...

explanation about the changed blog alias

2010-09-21T21:52:00.000+09:00

I assume some explanation is needed (and somewhat belated) as to my changed alias, i.e. the name I currently use to sign my posts "Chodrol", which in case someone has noticed is different from my previous blog alias "Jataka" which I decided to change.
Actually I have posted previously about the name Chödröl in my post about my last July trip to Tibet, here.
As I explained there the name was given to me by two Tibetan Buddhist nuns in the remote Tibetan town of Sakya. For the past 9 years I have very much existed with a different than my given name, most notably during my 8 year stay in China, when only a handful of people even asked me what my real name was and for whom I will perhaps always remain remembered with my Chinese name.
As I am trying to "move on" with my life and cut the ties with China as much as possible, or at least gain some healthy distance, I think that the latest name/alias given to me by the two nuns in Sakya last year is not too bad to take a step towards distancing myself from the 8 "Chinese years"...
Of course, the name/alias is merely coincidental. I have no claim to posses any divine knowledge or wisdom. The only resemblance to the White Tara is my very pale skin and my interest in the Buddhist teaching. I guess that (mainly the skin) caused the nuns (unprompted) to come up with this name...?! Any other resemblance is merely circumstantial. I "claim" this alias merely because it was gratiously given to me. I gratefully accept it. And as i already said I hope it can turn the wheel for me and change the road-block I find myself in.
I'm very far from possessing any of the qualities of the Bodhisattva or the Buddha. Perhaps the only similarity is that I am awakened enough to know that there is much to be learned and to question and doubt the existing explanations?! And I travel looking, looking breathlessly...

photo is from the big pagoda in Gyantse, Tibet

Kyoto in Spring 2

2010-09-03T10:38:00.000+09:00

It has again been months since my last post. A season has changed actually and it is Summer now. I've been meaning to post and give a link to a second Spring in Kyoto album with photos, but I have failed to do so until now. I am meanwhile compiling and uploading a Summer in Kyoto album which hopefully I will post not after months but sooner, although frankly I haven't done much visiting of temples and taking pictures for the past 3 or so months...I had plans to visit (and re-visit) gardens and temples but I didn't make it happen...The weather has been horrid actually, first a rainy season in July, followed by stiffling heat in August...I completely failed to see the gardens with the July blooming hydrangea, wisteria and irises. I meant to, even planned it, but for many reasons failed to make it happen...So unfortunatelly part of the seasonal beauty of Kyoto in Summer has not been "documented" in pictures...

So until I compile the album of the current season (i.e. Summer), meanwhile here is a link to a somewhat belated Spring in Kyoto continued web album...
Again the photos are taken with my mobile phone's camera (I'm doing more or less the same pictures with my film camera of course, and one day they may also see the light in a future photo exhibition perhaps...), so the image quality is not good and the limitations of the very simple camera of the phone (no zoom or anything actually...) are not giving much more than an idea...
But that's what these photos are meant as really, ideas, feelings, angles as I see them...
Hopefully they can still carry a bit of the feeling I have of Kyoto.

So here is the link:
Spring in Kyoto 2

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/d.karmapolice/SpringInKyoto2?authkey=Gv1sRgCOru1aT4iu3xlQE&feat=directlink#

As always comments and feedback are most welcome...

Kyoto in Spring

2010-04-22T21:10:00.008+09:00

It has been almost 5 months since my last post here...
I have been really discouraged to post which is the main reason for not maintaining this blog and for personal reasons I was unable to write or share in this rather anonymous way that in effect lacks any feedback...The lack of feedback in my life lately has been too much anyway to add the additional lack of feedback here, hence my long silence...

I made a web album with some spring scenery here in Kyoto, that hopefully is a good opportunity to break the silence...

(As with the previous Kyoto in Autumn web album, the photos in this one are made with my mobile phone camera, hence quality of images is poor, but hopefully my "angle" of seeing of things can still be felt even despite image quality deficiencies...)

Here is the link:
Spring in Kyoto
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/d.karmapolice/SpringInKyoto?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbh3ezJkorBtAE#

At the end of March I moved-in into a new place, a one-room apartment, very close to Demachiyanagi station 9i.e. very conveniently close to Kyoto University where my classes are...) which I picked, apart from it being convenient, for its great location and beautiful view...
It took me the whole of January of apartment seeking and incredible nervous exhaustion to find this place and the moving itself was incredibly exhausting experience, but a full month into this new place I must say it was worth it...

Here is the link to a web album with photos of my room and the view and the nearby area...
A Room With a View
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/d.karmapolice/ARoomWithAView?authkey=Gv1sRgCOHi6avD1vnQlAE#

Hm, hopefully someone will leave a comment...some sort of feedback...

Who is to blame for the failed talks in Copenhagen?

2009-12-29T12:25:00.002+09:00

The very weak and dissapointing results shown at Copenhagen call for a change of the UN negotiating process...More links on the Copenhagen talks, from UK's "The Guardian"...

Copenhagen treaty was 'held to ransom', says Gordon Brown
UK's PM Gordon Brown calls for reform of UN climate talks after Copenhagen talks end in weak agreement(the Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/21/copenhagen-treaty-gordon-brown

The road from Copenhagen
UK Climate secretary Ed Miliband accuses China, Sudan, Bolivia and other leftwing Latin American countries of trying to hijack Copenhagen

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/20/copenhagen-climate-change-accord

How do I know China wrecked the Copenhagen deal? I was in the room
As recriminations fly post-Copenhagen, one writer offers a fly-on-the-wall account of how talks failed
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/22/copenhagen-climate-change-mark-lynas

Copenhagen: The key players and how they rated
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/20/copenhagen-obama-brown-climate

Danwei interviews Jonathan Watts: "Copenhagen will shape our lives for years to come"
http://www.danwei.org/foreign_media_on_china/danwei_interviews_jonathan_wat.php

and other points of view about why the talks in Copenhagen failed:

If you want to know who's to blame for Copenhagen, look to the US Senate
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/21/copenhagen-failure-us-senate-vested-interests

Blame Denmark, not China, for Copenhagen failure
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/dec/28/copenhagen-denmark-china

INTERVIEW - Copenhagen blame game not helpful - U.N. climate chief
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091224/india_nm/india449579

Disappointment at Copenhagen deal 'justified': Obama
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091224/sc_afp/unclimatewarminguspolitics

news feeds: China VS the World

2009-12-29T12:00:00.003+09:00

These few days there have been a few (at least 3) very interesting and thought provoking duel-like "spats" that seem to be putting China VS (at least some) Western democracies.

One is the deportation of the 20 Uighurs from Cambodia. (In apparent snub to international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which China by the way is a signatory, but definitely doesn't act like one). The UN, the USA and EU have all expressed concern about this. Here are 2 links on the topic.

Deported Uighurs told UN of fears of China return
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_re_as/as_china_uighurs_4#

Editorial (New York Times)
China, Cambodia and the Uighurs
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/opinion/22tue2.html

The second issue is the political trial of Liu Xiaobo.

Liu trial a travesty: Human Rights Watch (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissidentjusticeushrw_20091222072820
Chinese activists warned over dissident trial
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091222/wl_asia_afp/chinarightsdissidenttrialeuus_20091222072820
The Trial of Liu Xiaobo: A Citizens' Manifesto and a Chinese Crackdown
Perry Link
http://blogs.nybooks.com/post/293446113/the-trial-of-liu-xiaobo

Chinese Dissident Gets 11-Year Prison Term
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/25/world/asia/25china.html

Trial in China Signals New Limits on Dissent http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/world/asia/24china.html?em

video about Liu Xiaobo
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/17275236;_ylt=Ar2u60H__VW8FKSDXUjLhxIBS5Z4

The third one is the failed talks at Copenhagen.

China blasts claim it 'hijacked' climate talks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091222/ap_on_re_as/as_china_britain_climate_2

Ed Miliband: China tried to hijack Copenhagen climate deal
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/20/ed-miliband-china-copenhagen-summit

How China Stiffed the World in Copenhagen
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/12/21/how_china_stiffed_the_world_in_copenhagen

-----

A China related article in the New York Times I came across recently.

Uneasy Engagement: China’s Export of Labor Faces Scorn
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/world/asia/21china.html?bl

A day Before the Copenhagen Talks :pessimism and concern

2009-12-29T10:00:00.001+09:00

The unprecedented gathering of politicians in Copenhagen shows the urgency of the question, but frankly things seem far from optimistic about the global climate change summit dubbed "Hopenhagen", as a play of words between the name of the city the meeting takes place and the hope this meeting will actually have a meaningful outcome...A hope for a Fair, Ambitious and legally binding deal to protect our climate, but, unfortunately, there is enough reason to be pessimistic about the possibility for such an outcome. The two major emitters of CO2 gases which are one of the main reasons to blame for the raising global temperatures caused by man's negative interference with the Planet are USA and China. The current "superpower" and the emerging one. One of the countries with "historical" burden of blame for the build up CO2 in the atmosphere and the current (and by all predictions to be the major future) one Number One polluter in the World, China. The problem is, the consequences of the rising carbon emissions are not a question of "per capita", or "state of economical development", the burden of pollution that is emitted is huge and it will have huge impact on the whole Planet, in fact because of the rising ocean level some small (and politically "insignificant") island countries are faced with not so far in the future fate of being completely submerged... It is really hard not to get angry at the arrogant, short-sighted and stubborn position of the Chinese government on the "issue" of responsibility. They talk loudly about historical responsibility, but the irony is that at this very moment China single handedly is building new historical responsibility, and is de facto the biggest polluter of this planet, with predictions that its polluting role will rise more, even double. And while we can say that indeed the western developed economies have contributed much to the accumulation of CO2 and there is a clear negative impact of their economic development,it was largely done out of ignorance for the consequences.The present situation of China, however is different, China is fully aware that this is bad, but refuses to act responsibly...and instead of thinking and acting responsibly and wisely, is pointing at others. An immature and insane behaviour only guided by self -interest that unfortunately influences the whole world. It is high time other countries realise that China is NOT a developing country in the same sense as they are. And they will only lose if they continue to be sided in the same category with it. Because China while indeed in a stage of development is in a far different league with any other so-called "developing country". It is arrogant, greedy and improper for China to ask for money from developed countries and at the same time be the current Number One polluter of the world who has no intention to cut it's emissions. It is immoral and irresponsible.And in this case China has no right to finger point at others, since it itself finds it impossible to face up to hard truths.The truth is that the Chinese government doesn't care at all about if Tuvalo islands or other such ("insignificant" in their view) island countries completely disappear from the face of the Earth. They say that the "interests" of the "Chinese people" are paramount and "come first". Actually the truth is that those politicians have little right to even talk about the so-called interests of the Chinese people, for the simple fact that the insanity of the way that China is "developing" is not only poisoning the rest of the world, it is poisoning its own people. And while the Chinese representatives in Copenhagen arrogantly ask for accountability for past historical responsibility they should be ashamed, and face the reality of the present and future historical responsibility of China, and while they ask the west to do some soul searching it is also they too who should actually think more deeply about the price of the Rise of China...the price that ordinary Chinese people pay, and the price everybody else will pay, because political borders are no much more than a temporary illusion, the Earth is a interconnected organism, that we don't even come close to actually understand. Just on the eve of the start of the Copenhagen summit China announced a pledge to slow down it's emissions intensity (not cut down or reduce), it is better than nothing, but a very legitimate worry (and my worry too) is how will the Chinese hold on to this pledge in reality. The reason why there exists doubt and controversy is that this pledge is not legally binding, and with a very poor history in rigged reports and tempered statistics I seriously doubt that the Chinese will be able to pull even this through...

Autumn in Kyoto - photos

2009-12-07T11:30:00.001+09:00

I selected some photos which I took for the past month (i.e. November) in Kyoto, and also in the nearby Ohara and Nara during a few one day excursions. They are mostly of Buddhist temples and temple gardens, but there are also some of Shinto shrines, or of some places or images in Kyoto that impressed me.

Here is the link to the web album with the photos I selected.

Even though the quality of those photos is really not good (they were taken with my mobile phone), it is the only way I can share with you digital images of what I'm seeing...Meanwhile I'm of course also taking photos with my camera, but since I use film, it will take a while before I develop the films and make prints and can be able to show you some "real" pictures...Meanwhile this is, in the present circumstances, what I can show you...although with no great image quality (in fact it is really not good), I hope some of the feeling and some of my way of seeing things can be felt even through these images...

the album link again, just in case...
http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/KyotoInAutumn?authkey=Gv1sRgCP6hhu7S1eOdZA#

P.S. I'm getting really very discouraged by the lack of feedback...it is pointless to share without any reaction...

Something beautiful...

2009-11-27T18:56:00.008+09:00

These two photos are of (very cute moss covered) stone images of "Jizo", a child image of the Bodhisatva Jizo 地藏菩萨 who out of compassion willingly entered Hell in order to save all sentient beings there...In Japan he is especially associated with saving children, and people often make little Jizo statues such as those as a remembrance for a lost child...

(One of the photos of my blog's sidebar is a photo of 4 Jizo stone images...A picture I took more than 2 years ago when I visited Kyoto for a week...)

This is another photo taken on Wednesday at Sanzen In (in Ohara) and at the stone statue at the back is actually a statue of the "grown-up" version of Jizo Bodhisatva...

After going to Ohara first on Monday, but not being able to take as many pictures as I wanted, in fact these stone child Jizo statues were the main reason I went back again on Wednesday morning ...On Wednesday although it was again overcrowded with Japanese tourists (mainly elderly ones) I had a very relaxing feeling looking at those very cute child Jizo moss covered stones, the light was very beautiful, it was a warm and pleasant Autumn day (it deffinetely warmed me up after the very cold temple visits in Nara on the previous day, which I suspect is the reason for me catching this very bad cold)...At the time I was leaving the temple garden I was actually feeling almost happy, as if viewing the very cute stone statues had a healing effect...Perhaps they actually do have...

(The quality of these images is bad, since they are taken with my mobile phone...but since I don't have a digital camera, these are the only ones I can show you for now...)

Staying home with a bad cold

2009-11-27T18:29:00.003+09:00

After 3 consecutive days of temple visiting (in order to visit most Japanese temples you have to take off your shoes), on Monday to a nearby to Kyoto town called Ohara, on Tuesday to the ancient capital Nara (it was just incredibly cold and I think that's the chief reason for my bad cold now), and on Wednesday morning again back to Ohara (because it was so beautiful and on Monday I ran out of film and the light was not good enough to take decent photos), I fell ill yesterday evening and today I'm down with a very nasty cold which renders me completely helpless.
I decided I'll just not go to classes today and instead try to rest at home...
In the early afternoon I hardly found any strength to go down hill (as I mentioned before the dorm is on the top of a rather steep climb from the railway station) and go and store up with some groceries from the local supermarket...I'm drinking hot herbal tea all day long and taking medicine which obviously isn't working...

When you are terribly depressed and feel desperately lonely and sad, the LAST thing you need it to be ill...

I've been feeling terribly exhausted the past month, at the beginning of the month my emotional condition was at its worst, now I'm just terribly exhausted...
Yesterday at Sanzen In temple in Ohara there was a less frequented path on which I found a very crudely cut stone sitting Buddha figure. It is really very exceptional for me to pray (I'm not sure if I ever did really), but I suddenly and very naturally put my hands and pressed the palms in front of my face, fingers touching the place between the eyebrows, I closed my eyes and silently prayed for two seconds :
"Please, please help me make this unhappiness go away!"

About Obama's soft approach on human rights in China

2009-11-27T09:57:00.007+09:00

Last week I came across this very interesting analysis evaluating Obama's visit to China and Obama's approach to human rights issues. There are some very insightful points with which I agree...It is yet to be seen how Obama's administration changed approach to China will influence things, but I really worry that because of the financial crisis and the US huge debt to China the world is somewhat held "hostage". I feel very pessimistic about how China's growing political and economical clout shifts the importance of universal values and ideas...Anyway, these are just my thoughts...

Obama's Soft Approach on Human Rights
(New York Times - Room for Debate Blog)

As for the overall impression of Obama's trip to China, many observed that instead of making any obvious and meaningful progress on any of the issues on his agenda, "he seemed to drift genially from one staged event to the next, politely toured a few famous national landmarks, and met with his half-brother for five minutes."

Obama went to China and all he got were some photos at the Great Wall http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2009/mz0905_11_13.asp

But of course diplomacy sometimes is not a matter of seeing results right away, so just let's wait and see...
Maybe Obama's strategy of "reassurance" works...

------

About Obama's visit also see China Media Project's
Obama in China: an information war behind the scenes

China annonces slowing emissions growth

2009-11-27T09:56:00.000+09:00

Yesterday the Chinese government announced a pledge to use 40- to 45-percent less carbon per unit of GDP by 2020 compared with 2005 levels. This in essence means to try to be more energy efficient, but in fact it doesn't mean reducing or cutting its existing carbon input which ranks first in the world currently and in fact China's output will actually be growing as its economy continues to grow...
I remain very sceptical about the Chinese actually being able to become energy efficient and actually being able to make factories, etc being less poluting...Report and data forging is just too commonplace practice in China. Actually I'm really doubtful if the world really knows the actual figures about China's huge carbon print on the world...
Also policy is one thing, making local authorities to actually impliment them quite another issue...
-----

"
"There's no question their carbon emissions would continue to grow under this scenario," said Charlie McElwee, an international environmental and energy lawyer based in Shanghai. "This isn't by any means an agreement by China to either cap, much less reduce, the amount of its carbon emissions. It's only slowing down the rate at which emissions are growing."If China did nothing and its economy doubles in size as expected in coming years, its emissions would likely double as well. Thursday's pledge means emissions would only increase by 50 percent in such a scenario. "

---

But anyway, making the pledge is better than nothing...

China announces planned emissions cuts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/26/AR2009112600519.html?wprss=rss_world

China vows to dramatically slow emissions growth (AP)

China's climate pledge to meet a quarter of global needs: IEA

About AIDS in China

2009-11-27T09:50:00.001+09:00

Two days ago news reports showed statistics about the spread of HIV AIDS in China. I find that the most important part of this data was the fact of the big rise of hetorosexualy spread AIDS and its connection to the very decadent growing trend in modern China of prostitution and debauchery. The lack of ethical and moral values is causing a social decadence that has huge impact on Chinese society. The figures of this AIDS report are just a data prove of this trend...

While by law outlawed prostitution is widespread and commonplace all over China. In addition a wrongly understood sexual emancipation makes young people irresponsible, morally corrupt and dissipated.
This were one of the most ugly things I saw and observed in China and one of the reasons I feel very reluctant to feel optimistic about China's Rise.

UNAIDS: Sex main cause for HIV spreading in China

Also read:

UN AIDS chief in China to push for stronger civil society
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091125/hl_afp/healthchinaunaids_20091125171646
Hetero Sex Leading Cause of HIV in China
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/25/world/main5775643.shtml

----
A somewhat related article:

No bars, no mistresses, Chinese officials warned
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091114/ap_on_re_as/as_china_morality_politics

rare articles questioning the petition system in Beijing or part of Control 2.0 ?

2009-11-27T08:19:00.003+09:00

Two weeks ago I came across a very rare article published by Chinese official media outlet Global Times. The article was published in its English edition, which usually is completely different from its Chinese (pro-nationalist) edition.
I thought it was a significant thing, since the policy of the government until now was to vehemently deny the existence of the so-called black jails.
(I tried to post a comment on the site, but of course it was immediately deleted.)

Petitioners in tents, thugs in cop cars
http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/metro-beijing/highlights/photo/2009-11/484849.html

Two days ago international media outlets reported on another article in a state-run magazine discussing openly the existence of the black jails. (Funnily that article came out just days after the Foreign Ministry spokesman again denied their existence...)

State-run magazine reports on black jails in China

Media being tightly controlled by the state, one only can imagine that the appearance of these articles is not just a coincidence and it is in fact part of a strategy...It is hard to tell what the real goal of this strategy is. I remain sceptical, and in my view it is a reaction to the growing voice of Chinese 'netizens' and grassroots activists who often discuss issues which simply do not exist in state governed news lets... Since recently the government has realised that the way to control information is by being the first to report it. In this way they can actually channel the meaning of the news and have control over it.
This new strategy has already been called Control 2.0.

China scholars' self-censorship

2009-11-26T20:37:00.002+09:00

Last week a US report on China grabbed media headlines.
China ramps up espionage against US: study

What I find very important and worth paying more attention is the following paragraph about western China scholars self-censorship:

The commission also found that China has launched an effort to influence US think-tanks and academia by rewarding scholars with access and depriving visas to more critical voices.
"It becomes self-censorship. If you're in graduate school and want to become a China scholar, you need to go to China. And if you criticize the Chinese government on certain things, you won't get in," said Bartholomew, a former top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"What it means is that we have a generation of China analysts who are being created who don't necessarily have the freedom or the ability to think through a broader range of questions," she said.

Itadakimasu - "I humbly receive the gift of this food"

2009-11-22T11:09:00.007+09:00

The Japanese pause before a meal begins to show respect and thankfulness for the food they are about to eat and say itadakimasu 頂きます [いただきます] - "I humbly receive the gift of this food" .
It is expressing gratitude to the person who has made the food for you, but also for the life of the plants or animals which consist of this food. Itadakimasu, in its original meaning means "to receive and consume life." The word infers gratitude for having received the meal while acknowledging the life that was taken and displaying remorse.

In reality this show of respect has lost its meaning for the Japanese and they keep on saying these words each time out of habit and as a type of ceremonial form. The deep meaning has been completely lost.As many things in Japan today it is style and form over substance.
As a matter of fact only relatively recently have Japanese started raising animals such as cows, pigs and chicken and consuming their meat. Until about century ago (I'm not completely sure about the exact timeline) they only consumed fish, but out of Buddhist compassion they did not consume other animals. But now meat is quite commonplace for the Japanese and many "traditional" dishes are made with pork, veal or chicken. In fact it is almost impossible to find any food or even a snack that doesn't have any meat or fish in it. As I have mentioned already, it is very hard to be a vegetarian in Japan.

When I learned about the meaning of "itadakimasu" it really got me to thinking deeply about how little we humans are responsible for things we do daily. How little acknowledgement and gratitude we have that what we have is taken or given by other species. The clothes we wear, the houses we built, the food we eat. The indifference and ignorance we spend our lives in.
I don't want to sound like an activist,I just feel that we spend our lives in complete ignorance and fail to acknowledge even basic things that comprise our lives.
Are we only destroyers who arrogantly and greedily take?
Actually the key is to be more aware, less ignorant, more responsible and much more humble...

Just now I read another article that comments on the issue of Japanese whaling, opposed by many wildlife protectors and an issue that often makes the headlines including today.
Australia 'disappointed' at Japan whaling mission

There has been a lot of talk about how Japanese hunt and kill whales and dolphins. I have been following this issue for a few years and it always stirs a lot of thoughts in me. Actually many though not necessarily connected with Japanese whaling per se, but with the bigger issue of humans cruelty towards sentient beings.
As to the Japanese whaling. It is a very controversial issue that raises a lot of questions.
Whales and dolphins are not fish, they are mammals, actually quite intelligent mammals...That is the reason for the international uproar each time there is a report of Japanese hunting and killing them. That and the cruelty.
But to me, it is a bit hypocritical to feel compassionate and fight for the life of one or two species, but overlook the hundreds of tones of other ocean and sea animals killed each day.
Many activists (sometimes quite militant) try to disrupt Japanese from whaling, which by the way is internationally outlawed, but some Scandinavian countries have not signed to it, or as in the case of Japan are using a loophole and under the pretext of "scientific research" keep on killing whales on an annual quota.
It has been going on for years.
So it is not actually news.
But today again I came upon a headline raising the question and couldn't help but remark...
One of the arguments the Japanese use is that whale (and dolphin) meat eating is a cultural thing for the Japanese. An argument that looked from the point of view of "cultural differences" sounds fair to raise, since indeed people differ in their cultural understanding about which meat to eat. It is a "cultural thing" for some Asians to eat dogs and cats (Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese), as it is a "cultural thing" for the French to eat horse meat, snails and frogs for instance. In a way those eating habits will be considered barbaric by some, but in the mentioned countries they are a "cultural thing"...So, having established in all fairness that indeed while for some eating dogs is quite routine, for others is absolutely unimaginable, is it fair to accept this as a "cultural difference"? I would say no. Not because I think there is a cultural standard by which cultural habits should be measured, but because cruelty to any animal is wrong. Not differentiating whether it is whales or dolphins, or dogs, or horses...What about the millions of pigs, cows and chickens that die each day?!!
I usually avoid directly confronting people about eating meat.
But when I do, the question I always ask is if they feel OK fully knowing and understanding that the meat they eat comes from an animal that was killed usually suffering great pain. Many people just don't even make the connection that “chicken is chicken,” and also that beef is cows and pork is pigs.
If someone who knows that clearly and says he/she accepts this fact and takes full responsibility, then I have nothing else to say. It is indeed their choice. I don't and can't respect that choice, but there is nothing you can do when someone says he is indifferent to cruelty, pain and feels no compassion.
But I get much more angry at people who are completely ignorant (usually choose to be intentionally so) that each day through their act of consuming meat they cause the suffering and pain of sentient beings. Those people often actually "like" some species of animals, even keep animals as pets. And by a very twisted logic and ignorance they fail to see that there is absolutely no difference between a cute little cat or puppy and a calf or a piglet.
There are people who justify eating meat because they think meat tastes so good, an argument that I find outright insane because it completely ignores and directly justifies the fact that a life has been taken just for taste.
Outright speciests (the most arrogant and ignorant defenders of meat eating) say that humans are on the top of the food chain and this justifies humans in eating and exploiting the rest of the species.
And I get even more angry at people who simply shrug their shoulders telling me that eating meat has been in humans culture for thousands of years which is a proof for it being "natural"...
This argument is of course ridiculous for the same reason why slavery or cannibalism for instance are considered unthinkable now.
Humans can and should evolve!
Within our own species, only 100 years ago women had no rights and were considered inferior to men. (In some countries this has not changed yet). Does it mean that given the history of the fact that women were considered second rate human beings for centuries it is a valid argument for it staying like this forever?!
I believe that the same goes for consuming meat.
Humans have evolved very much since the times that they had to depend on hunting for animals to sustain their lives. It was done out of not having much other choice.
But in 21st century, we have much more choices.
And if not for ethical reasons humans should and need to reconsider their meat consummation in the near future, since data shows that raising animals for their meat is unsustainable and ruining for our Planet. So if not out of compassion we should evolve in consideration of the fact that there is no way current consummation of meat and fish can be sustained.

Going back to Japan and itadakimasu.
Eating fish is really big in Japan. If you enter any Japanese supermarket the thing that immediately "impresses" is the huge quantity and diversity of fish and fresh or prosessed sea food...I'm really wondering : how much of this fish meat is left unsold and is wasted?

How humble and grateful are we for the gifts that we receive?

Kyoto in Autumn

2009-11-21T11:38:00.010+09:00

The past two weeks I felt very depressed and emotionally very sad and because of my depression felt too weak to do anything...Apart from the Ikebana exhibition in downtown Kyoto and late afternoon walk in Uji last week I didn't do anything meaningful or good to improve my bad emotional state...
Meanwhile Kyoto has become really very beautiful.
I will try to organise myself and use the few free days (because of Kyoto University's annual festival) and visit a few places and try to be out a couple of times, instead of just sitting in my room and feeling dejected and sad...
Yesterday afternoon I went to the North West part of Kyoto for some temple and red leaves viewing. I chose it because I was hoping there will be less tourists compared with the famous temples in downtown Kyoto...
It was rather chilly and the temples I went to were a bit crowded, but not completely annoyingly so. It is high tourist season now in Kyoto, and thousands of tourists come to the city, so I deliberately chose a couple of places which are not so crowded.
Unfortunately the sky was cloudy and I didn't manage to make great photos since the light was not good.
Nevertheless I also took some photos with my mobile phone in order to be able to show you some digital images here....The quality is of course quite bad, but still something is better than nothing...I will try to make a web album and upload some more of the digital photos there...
On Monday I plan to go to Ohara and visit the temples there. (Ohara is on the North of Kyoto)...
I'm rather looking forward to it...
I need to start doing meaningful things here, things that can give me energy and positive feeling, instead of feeling miserable, unhappy and sad the whole time...
On Tuesday (which is also free day because of the university's festival) I will go on a group outing organised by the foreign students department at Kyodai (short for 'Kyoto University') to Nara. I don't expect much from the Tuesday Nara trip, since I don't like group activities, but since I was invited by one of the professors who is taking the students and also he said we will have a rare opportunity to touch the Great Buddha statue in Todai Ji 東大寺(perhaps the most famous Buddha statue in Japan, dating as early as the 8th century) I thought that can add some meaning for me...

Melancholy and sadness

2009-11-15T13:14:00.009+09:00

This picture by A. Durer depicting a melancholy emersed angel is one of my favourite works of Art. It was on my wall in my Beijing dorm for some time (after I bought a small poster at a British Museum exibition in Beijing)...It is a very beautiful image.

My current emotional condition is actually really not good. I feel very depressed, disheartened, sad. I lack any motivation to do anything.
After a very improved emotional condition in August, during which I felt full of motivation and ability to be organised and constructively being able to do many things, now I feel completely exhausted even since waking up in the morning and feel completely disheartened...

It is really not good, but I see no way to cope with it, currently that's how it is..

Yesterday afternoon I went to see an exhibition about Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) at the Museum of Kyoto in an attempt to go out of my room and do something meaningful. (The exhibition was actually somewhat disappointing.)However, at one point I remembered my first encounter with ikebana which was long time ago. I think I was 10 or 11 then. Our school (as any school in the country at that time) each year had something like a knowledge competition day in which students would prepare for and be a day of competition on very broad fields of knowledge, from science, history to art and culture. Students from various grades and classes will compete in different fields of knowledge participating in various types of competitions in which they would demonstrate their knowledge or skill in the filed of knowledge. It is actually a very interesting paradox about the then education. Although we were heavily politically brainwashed, the education was actually very comprehensive and definitely good, and did not made us culturally ignorant. I remember that among other things I participated in an ikebana competition (I really don't know how ikebana was even a part of the Soviet-style competition), but I remember I won it. Of course I didn't receive any training or instruction on flower arranging, I just used my intuition.

Yesterday, while walking through the museum exhibition I remembered this childhood memory and it really deeply struck me again how deep and long-standing is my connection to Japan and East Asia. And here I am now, having realised my childhood and adolescent dream, due to my melancholy and very low spirits I fail to actually enjoy it and use this great chance creatively and constructively...

Just as the depressed angel in Durer's picture, sitting dejected and melancholy...

world new geo-political realignment?

2009-11-15T12:14:00.003+09:00

This Monday was the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, undoubtedly a most significant watershed in the modern Europe and World history, an event that had great impact and started a process of great change and a big shift in the world political alignment with huge consequences for many nations, including my home country.
Currently with the economic rise of China, and with the help of its favourable position as a UN Security Council, China's political influence grows each day and we are actually currently witnessing a new looming realignment of power, a shift that for now remains quite unpredictable, but which will no doubt have big consequences for the world.. I've been following this process as closely as I can, trying to understand and see beyond headlines. Especially as regards human rights, cultural issues and other human values I am actually very concerned and sceptical about China's growing clout and influence.
A possible new power shift of influence will have great impact.

The US President, Mr. Obama is going to make his first presidential visit in China next Monday as part of his Asia presidential trip which started on Friday. This visit is actually at a very significant moment, and can prove determining as to how the future geo-political alignment is. It remains to be seen how he handles it. I am mostly very interested how he will (and if he will) handle the political, ethnic and human rights issues.

Late on Friday, Mr. Obama landed in Tokyo, Japan for a very brief visit as the first stop of his Asia tour.

Obama Lands in Japan Seeking to Reassert Role in Asia http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20091113/pl_bloomberg/aidgvlwdg0zq_1

Notable from the first hours of his Asian trip was his speech in Tokyo yesterday, in which much attention was given to the rise of China, and to the assertion that the USA intends to actively participate in the region as a full member Pacific nation. In his speech he did mention human rights, but it was either vague and unspecific, or when it was more specific it was aimed at the military totalitarian regime of Myanmar (Burma), which by the way authoritarian China supports. In short, if I can judge from his speech, when he actually lands in China, human rights issues will be just mentioned on the go and briefly. The reasons for that are complex, major one is that China is de facto the US creditor, and as such has huge leverage.
And this is very very significant and at least at the moment plays a significant role in shaping the relationship. In a way, it hard not to say that US world leader status is in decline...
Empty talk about "American values" do not impress the Chinese...

I understand the need for pragmatism and for seeking Chinese cooperation on important issues (such as the economic crises, climate change and nuclear proliferation) and being very careful to avoid confrontation so as not to alienate the Chinese, BUT this will give the Chinese authoritarian government exactly what it wants - freedom to gain more world influence not based on values, but solely on money and pragmatic interest.
Maybe we are witnessing the emergence of the first Empire that has no value system or beliefs which it wants to spread, a spiritually empty Empire based on materialism and profit only.

I don't mind if somebody challenges the US world leader position, but I strongly mind and feel concerned that the country whose influence grows only based on economical and military reasons and has no deeper value system than materialism to offer to humankind which China is now, is emerging as a "world leader", because at least to me China definitely does NOT qualify to be a world leader at all.
So that's why human rights and other universal values are so important...

It is crucial how the US handles the relationship with China, so let's see...I'm kind of sceptical about President Obama and his new administration's ability to address this huge (and definitely very difficult) challenge...

Full text: Barack Obama’s Asian policy speech in Tokyo 14 Nov. 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e985a46-d0c2-11de-af9c-00144feabdc0.html

articles on Obama's China visit:

When Obama Goes to Beijing
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/11/09/when_obama_goes_to_beijing
Obama to raise human rights with China's Hu: official (AFP)http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091109/pl_afp/uschinarightsobama_20091109232126
Obama confronts an Asia reshaped by China's rise (AP)http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091109/ap_on_re_as/as_obama_asia_3
Obama Walks a Delicate Tightrope on His 1st Trip as President to China (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/business/global/14yuan.html
China’s Role as U.S. Lender Alters Dynamics for Obama (NYTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/world/asia/15china.html

Rights groups urge Obama to press China
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/294178,rights-groups-urge-obama-to-press-china.html
China Focuses on Territorial Issues as It Equates Tibet to U.S. Civil War South (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/asia/14beijing.html

-----------------------------
Also somehow related and connected is the effort and attention China (CCP) is obviously paying recently of expanding its "soft power", or in other words the strategy of internationalising its propaganda and brainwashing trough "public opinion channelling".
Very insightful are China Media Project articles and analysis on the subject, the most recent is:

Is China’s new communications worldview coming of age?http://cmp.hku.hk/2009/11/12/2926/

20th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling : a watershed in modern history

2009-11-09T10:10:00.005+09:00

Twenty years ago the lives of millions of European citizens changed dramatically and irreversibly. The fall of the Berlin Wall is without doubt one of the most iconic historical events of our modern history. The barriers between the East and West crushed and fell down, not only those for the East and West Germans but also for the rest of the divided Europe. 20 years later Europe is open to an extend unimaginable then.

I remember very vividly and clearly, then only a teenager, who has just started to form my political views, and just starting to doubt the System on my own, seeing the footage from Germany on TV, feeling the change of history, being part of it...Europe has changed, the World has changed. It was hard to believe, but it was true.
The Wall fell.

Germany celebrates memory of Berlin Wall falling (AP)

Twenty years ago today, the great dividing line between the Iron Curtain and the West came down, felled by the tides of history and the irrepressible will of millions of people.AFP video

news updates:
World leaders line up to mark fall of Berlin Wall(Reuters)

China rising? : Star Wars Made in China?

2009-11-09T10:05:00.003+09:00

No, I don't mean the cult sci-fi film. I mean China's growing military ambitions...

A very amusing news blip happened these few days. First a top China air force commander has called the militarisation of space an "historical inevitability".
Last Monday agencies reported that in a wide-ranging interview in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily, marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese PLA air force, air force commander Xu Qiliang said it was imperative for the PLA air force to develop offensive and defensive operations in outer space.

Read the AFP report China chief says space arms inevitable: state media (AFP)

And then a day or two later the Chinese Foreign ministry was quick to deny this saying China plans are "peaceful"- China says space plans peaceful.
Even Hu Jintao hurried to also make a point by hurrying to make statement to try to mask over the air force commander's slip of the tongue.
I would say, that is quite amusing.

After watching the absurdly kitsch gargantuan military parade on October 1st (by the way, there is an interesting analysis by China Media Project of the symbolism behind the used portraits, slogans and songs during the military parade, read "In modern China, no place for totalitarian anthems" here) and after taking into consideration the growing territorial claims tensions with its neighbours (India, Japan, Philippines, etc.) over disputed borders and islands, and some emboldened moves and demonstrations of the growing Chinese military might, and after taking into account the de facto military situation last year in Tibet (a forcefully militarily annexed territory) and this year's heavy military presence in both Tibet and restive Xinjiang, I am very very far from convinced that China's rise is peaceful. If peaceful means under the threat of a gun, then yes, it is "peaceful".

It's like saying that "War is Peace".

A Song: The Dull Flame of Desire

2009-11-02T22:04:00.016+09:00

DULL FLAME OF DESIRE

I love your eyes, my dear
their splendid, sparkling fire
when suddenly you raise them so to cast a swift embracing glance
like lightning flashing in the sky

but there's a charm that is greater still : when my love's eyes are lowered
when all is fired by passion's kiss
and through the downcast lashes I see the dull flame of desire

This is an English translation of a poem by the Russian poet Fyodor Tyutchev (1803-1873). This poem also appears at the end of one of the movies that impressed me very much more than 10 years ago - "Stalker" by director Andrei Tarkovsky , 1979 mosfilm studios. This is the text of the song by Bjork. (The video for the song is kind of strange, I suggest you just listen to the song...)
It is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever listened to. It is passionate, beautiful, fragile, tender...just as the feeling it describes.
It is amazing how much this song speaks to me...
These few days I'm listening over and over to it and to the other amazingly good songs from "Volta" - 'Wanderlust', 'Pneumonia', 'I See Who You Are'.

I feel very very sad.

-----

Here are two more absolutely beautiful poems (in English translation) of Tyutchev.

Silentium!

Speak not, lie hidden, and conceal the way you dream, the things you feel.
Deep in your spirit let them rise
akin to stars in crystal skies
that set before the night is blurred:
delight in them and speak no word.
How can a heart expression find?
How should another know your mind?
Will he discern what quickens you?
A thought, once uttered, is untrue.
Dimmed is the fountainhead when stirred:
drink at the source and speak no word.
Live in your inner self alone within your soul a world has grown,
the magic of veiled thoughts that might be blinded by the outer light,
drowned in the noise of day, unheard... take in their song and speak no word.

/trans. by Vladimir Nabokov/

------

Longing, desires still ravage my soul which strives to reach you.
In recollection's twilight I try to catch your image. I can't forget your face.
It is a lovely constellation, timeless, in every place, unreachable, not knowing fluctuation.

China exports its censorship

2009-11-02T08:51:00.005+09:00

China protest halts Bangladesh Tibet exhibition (AFP)

Bangladesh: Chinese Pressure Censors Tibet Exhibition In Dhaka

China censors beyond its borders – Drik exhibition on Tibet banned

China's censorship gets transnational more and more frequently.It is a worrying trend that I have been observing very closely and thinking much about. By applying diplomatic pressure in the past months China managed to make the French president Sarkozy to apologize for meeting the Dalai Lama, forced the South African government to deny visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader, to make US President Obama not meet the Tibetan monk (i.e. in other words forcing him into self-censorship) , to ask Nepal government to arrest Tibetan activists, to try to apply pressure on the Melbourne film festival organisers to cancel the screening of Uighur exile activist documentary to which they didn't cave in, to apply pressure on Frankfurt Book Fair organizers to not allow dissidents to participate, and yesterday to shut down a Pro-Tibetan exhibition in Bangladesh.
These are just a few of the occasions that in recent months made it to the news headlines.

The alarming trend of this censorship export is indeed very very worrying.
It is not just the Tibetan issue.The Chinese government obviously thinks that it has jurisdiction over any content that relates to China no matter where in the world it is. An absurd notion that carries serious imperial complex undertones and most of all shows the complete lack of understanding that while China is an authoritarian dictatorship, other
countries do try to have democracy and rights, and have freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. China's pressure seems to be changing this.
And while before they would just issue a verbal protest (about the so-called hurt feelings of the Chinese people), now they are directly interfering into other countries...(Ironically, China often complains about criticism on its very poor rights record calling it meddling in its "internal affairs"...)
In my view, most alarming is not the direct pressure (which per times is really very clumsy), but more worrying is making people trample over their principles and exercise self-censorship.
That is even much more dangerous and worrying.

---

Meanwhile on October 26, 2009, the US Government issued it's International Religious Freedom Report for 2009.
See the report on:

china http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm
tibet http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm#tibet
index by regions and countries: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/index.htm

As it has been the custom we should expect any day now China to issue it's own human rights report on the US. It's a very hilarious immature behaviour, which is quite ridiculous actually, but it actually is meant for the nationalistic Chinese to read...

When Chinese are criticised for something they always get defencive, but almost NEVER confront the issue they are criticised for. Instead they use as contra-argument criticism (usually unrelated). Thus of course, nothing gets resolved, the so-called "feelings of the Chinese are hurt once more", and the gap of misunderstanding grows even bigger. Instead of actually addressing the concrete accusation and deal with it objectively, they get self-righteous and defensive...Example, someone criticises Chinese government for the forceful suppression of protest and dissent in Tibet, instead of studying and asking the question why are the Tibetans protesting, the Chinese netizens (for instance) would give the completely unrelated contra-"argument" about how the Americans killed off the Indians two centuries ago and hense say that they suspect Western critisism (another idiotic and paranoid assumption that there is a united western front against China) has "ulterior motives". Amazing logic isn't it?! Actually I'm quoting from real life.
But amazing actually how unanimous and common the mechanism of this illogical reaction is.

---
Also related to the topic of China's poor rights record and its allarming growing influence:

RIGHTS: Rising China Poses Danger to Peace, Say Nobel Laureates http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49087

Big in Japan : Cheburashka (updated)

2009-10-31T11:16:00.005+09:00

Here are two of the posters displayed on two different JR railway stations that actually drew my attention to the new popularity of the Russian cartoon character Cheburashka from my previous post.

Big in Kyoto : Jidai Matsuri Festival - Festival of the Historical Ages

2009-10-23T20:23:00.009+09:00

Yesterday, in between classes I went to see a yearly event in Kyoto, each October 22nd, on the streets of Kyoto there is a costume procession, a parade which main topic are the different historical ages concerning Kyoto.
The festival is called Jidai Matsuri 時代祭り,Festival of the Historical Ages.
The arrangement of historical periods was from a nearest to the farthest - i.e. from Meiji Period to Heian period.

Actually it was quite fun. The costumes were quite nice. There was a sort of easy-going-ness in the performers (selected among Kyoto citizens, not professional performers)...It was kind of nice bar two things that made me think about other not immediately connected things : Japan's military past and almost absolutely 'trash' present. First one (militarism) was rather strongly felt, especially when a group of very young boys marched with rifles), and with the fact that except few occasions the marchers were predominately men, 60% some kind of warrior type. The second aspect that gave me a not so pleasant feeling was how the young people of the procession (actually come to think about it, the representatives of the modern age) had these blank stares and lack of personality about them, not mentioning the coloured haircuts and strange shoes...
But overall I'm quite impressed by this seemingly grassroots citizen activity that has a very traditional and 'rustic' (in the best way possible) feeling about it.

I did not mistake when I chose to come to Kyoto. It is a marvelous city.
I just wish people had more character...and communicated more.

Otherwise, did I mention, unlike any other important and famous Japanese city, in Kyoto there are no high rise buildings,no neon signs and lights, no airport...

It's like an island within the island.

I like it.

I just wish I was not that lonely and had someone to share it with...

P.S. The pictures used here were not taken by me. I still don't own a digital camera... I borrowed some not so bad photos from a classmate of mine in order to tell you about the event with some images from that same day...He went to a different portion of the parade, but I asked him to borrow me these images...

By the way, I had to leave the procession as I was very late for class, so I missed out the Heian period. Hopefully next year October I will be here and see it again?! Who knows, my plans are really very vague now...

NOT so Big in Japan - being a vegetarian

2009-10-23T20:15:00.000+09:00

Biggest problem I'm facing. Being a vegetarian it is really hard to get a cooked meal that is suitable.
The past weeks I'm very much going on sandwiches (bread and cheese ones predominately) and it kind of feels not so well. I already had some mishaps with food...It is very frustrating actually. For a country that came to eat meat only some 80 years ago it is sort of amazing how much less vegetarian Japanese cuisine is...Of course there is a lot of fish, but fish is also life, so I don't know (yet) how Japanese being Buddhists managed to circumvent the killing of fish 'sin' which is major in their diet...
Half of my master thesis talks about how killing and eating fish has bad karmic influences, it is kind of ironic I am now in this country that kills and eats a lot of fish.
I am not judging. With the situation of Japan, it being an island, topography, geography, etc. it is perhaps natural that they have not become complete vegetarians.

What I wanted to say (share)is that being a vegetarian in Japan is really not easy.
I don't have time and energy to cook and I'm still to find alternatives to eating predominately sandwiches...
Hm, let's see how it evolves...
There must be a solution...

Big in Japan - Cheburashka

2009-10-20T09:30:00.005+09:00

Chiburashka and Crocodile Gena are Big in Japan!
No. I'm not kidding!

See this Japanese poster :
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/images/B001FWIT6O/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=561958&s=dvd

Read this : Cheburashka arrives in the land of the rising sun
http://russiatoday.com/Art_and_Fun/2009-10-18/cheburashka-japan.html

Five years ago at the Tokyo International Anime fair, Russia’s SoyuzMultFilm signed a contract with Japan’s SP International for the rights to distribute Russian cartoons abroad. They bought the rights for Cheburashka until 2023. The Japanese company plans to make from 46 to 52 episodes starring the Soviet cartoon character
With the permission of Eduard Uspensky, the creator of Cheburashka and his best friend Crocodile Gena, Japanese director Kudo Susumu has stretched four Soviet puppet cartoons to 26 episodes, each three minutes long.
On October 7, TV channel Tokyo aired the pilot version of the first episode titled “The First Friend”. The episode is about how Cheburashka and Gena meet. The show was an immediate hit among Russian web surfers.
The plot of the new series will be based on numerous books by Eduard Uspensky, including those released in the past few years. Among them are: “Crocodile Gena’s Business”; “Cheburashka Abducted”; “Crocodile Gena’s Holiday”; “Crocodile Gena – The Police Lieutenant”; and even “Crocodile Gena Joins The Army”.

-----
For those of you who are very familiar with the Soviet Union cartoon characters Crocodile Gena and Chiburashka since childhood is unnecessary to explain who they are, we have actually grown up with the songs, cartoons and books about them. To this day I fondly remember and still like them. I even reread the book recently and it is one of the very few songs I remember the words to and occasionally feel like singing.

---The origins

According to the story by Uspensky (the book author), Cheburashka is a funny little creature unknown to science, and lived in a tropical forest. One day, however, he accidentally ends up in a crate of oranges, falls asleep, and wakes up in front of a puzzled shop owner. The salesman calls him Cheburashka as, after his long sleep, the animal was tumbling down all the time (in the book the salesman’s word for tumbling is “cheburakhnutsa”).

Cheburashka also became known in some countries outside the former Soviet Union (and of the Soviet Bloc). He became very popular in Japan after an animated film series about him was shown in 15 cinemas all over Japan and was watched by approx. 700,000 Japanese between summer 2001 and spring 2002. In 2008, the Cheburashka films were inducted into the Ghibli Museum Library with Japanese theatrical release on the same date as Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

The amazing thing is, it would appear that Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena are very Big in Japan. On the subway station of JR line which I almost daily use I noticed sign boards with the very familiar to me imaginary Russian characters.
I don't know what exactly the posters say, but from the look of it it looks like a message urging people not to talk loudly, not to use cell phones etc while commuting...It impressed me very much, as you can imagine. I didn't expect a Soviet children book character to appear and be famous in Japan!
But so it seems.
Haven't seen the Japanese cartoon, just noticed the boards at the railway stations...
I dug a bit in Google to find out what that might be about so I found out a bit of the above background that would explain the existence of those posters...
I love being reminded of their existance even in Japan :)

Here and here are links to the Japanese version of the song of Crocodile Gena. Enjoy!

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News Feed : about a dwarf theme park in Kunming, China

2009-10-19T21:35:00.003+09:00

Actually, although I left China, most probably and I would like to think 'for good' (meaning both for the better and forever that is)it doesn't mean I have seized my China watching, in fact I read the news every day and although now it is not first hand observation I still try to keep one eye on it.
Two days back I came across an article about a dwarf amusement park near Kunming (Yunnan province, South China) and it doesn't surprise me at all. Chinese are kings of kitsch, ugliness, cheap fun and shallow entertainment. In this particular case it is abuse of a bodily deformity from which someone figured out they can get some cash from. The rest of the world has long passed through the 'freak show' faze, in China it is now...and noone seems to exactly mind very much...

link : In China, it's a small world after all

I heard a few years ago about dwarf tossing in Northern China, but this news about the dwarf theme park is even more creepy...

Words of wisdom and other words of idiocy

2009-10-19T21:05:00.002+09:00

A lot can be said of all the misunderstanding that appears to exist between the West and China. But there is something that is actually NOT a misunderstanding and it is not just a question of cultural (or whatever) differences of opinion, and that is having your own vison, searching for dignity and the right of freedom and choice. There are no such things in China and most people (the people who should be questioning, i.e. 'intelectuals') don't even question it. Does it mean that they don't need those or does it mean that have been so successfully brainwashed?!

Yesterday I came across a quote that impressed me.

"Human groupings have one main purpose: to assert everyone's right to be different, to be special, to think, feel, and live in his or her own way. People join together in order to win or defend this right. But this is where a terrible, fateful error is born: the belief that these groupings in the name of a race, a God, a party or a State are the very purpose of life and not simply a means to an end. No! The only true and lasting meaning of the struggle for life lies in the individual, in his modest peculiarities and in his right to those peculiarities."

- Vasily Grossman

At the same time, same day, I came (again) an old quote that is probably the most idiotic of all the stupid things China Foreign Ministry this (and other) spokespeople have uttered:

"Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang

It is a different point of view all right!
They CANNOT convince me, ever!, that this is a matter of having a different opinion. Human society has been evolving and it is NOT a question of East or West, Chinese need to catch up and learn. It is not a question of government or Party, it is a question of the people themselves. If they can figure out and offer another way to humanity that promotes dignity, happiness, values, moral principles and freedom, then great, we'll gladly learn and welcome it,but if they keep on doing what they are doing, and keepon going the way they are, then, no thank you, we don't want you to be a superpower!

And yes, for this exact reason, people are not letting you alone, and scrutinise and watch you and criticize you. And that's how it should be.

Big in Japan - Hand Washing Day

2009-10-18T21:42:00.005+09:00

Hand washing is big in Japan, in fact, really big.
Recently due to worries connected with the threat of H1N1 (the so-called, wrongly, 'swine flu') nowadays everywhere (for instance at the entrance of the university canteens of Kyoto Univ., at the entrances of Department stores, etc.,in the offices and public places, there are bottles filled with alcohol for sterilization of the hands, so last Thursday's International Hand Washing day is sort of an anti-climax here.
In Japan everyday is hand washing, mask wearing day :)

See related article: Japan takes hand washing to new level

Hm, let's hope H1N1 doesn't get out of hand and my classes get cancelled...

........ ....... ....... ...... ......

Additionally, since it concerns hygiene, in this post I SHOULD mention Japanese public toilets.
After living in China for 8 years, in the most squalid of all the foreign students dorms possible, and sharing a torn-down, often dirty and very disgusting toilet, and unavoidably daily using university buildings toilets (which where appalling also) and seeing (and per times using) Chinese public toilets that border on the horrific, now using a Japanese public toilet is the opposite experience. Only rarely the toilet looks like a public one (train station toilets are in fact not very clean, but not unbearably so, so they are exception to this description) and unbelievable though it may seem to someone used to the awful university toilets in my university in Beijing, here Kyoto university public toilets are impeccable. A stark and very meaningful difference between the 'first rate' university I studied in Beijing and here.
On some level I will never recover from the scenes of filth and horrible smell of China.
The contrast is very stark.
I'm sure you have all heard of toilet seats that warm, and toilets that have all kinds of functions. Automatic flushing,automatic function with a sound that imitates flowing water, etc. There is toilet paper and soap available. All this is true. And mind you, true for public toilets at that.

Infernal Landscapes

2009-10-15T21:52:00.004+09:00

I just came across a blog post at a New York Times photography dedicated blog that reports that Lu Guang, a Chinese freelance photographer, has won the W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for his project, “Pollution in China.”
Here is a link to the New York Times LENS blog that features some of his pictures and another link to some other of his pictures for which he was awarded in 2006 a World Press Photo Award in the Contemporary Issues category...
Photographically speaking his pictures are very strong, and some of the images are very powerful, but somehow there is a little bit of staging in some of them and too much prying into personal tragedy which I don't like. Nevertheless it is not bad that a Chinese photographer is photographic also the other dark side of the Chinese Rise. There should be a balance in the picture of Modern China. Apart from the expensive gargantuan parades and opening ceremonies, not all is well. This week there is another case that came to light (I lost count but lately it must be the fifth one at least)of lead poisoning found in children.
Yes yes, China has achieved really a lot, but at what and whose cost exactly?!

Big in Japan - Katakana

2009-10-15T20:47:00.005+09:00

Well, after learning Hiragana, it is time for the Katakana, the other basic Japanese language syllabary. It has the same sounds as the Hiragana,but in modern Japanese it is used for foreign words, foreign names, etc. In Japanese there are many foreign words (which sound like a very bad English ) for instance 'uniform', 'tennis', 'hotel, 'taxi', 'omelet','toilet', hm practically every modern thing...The Japanese have actually stopped using some Japanese words that have originally existed and have replaced them with foreign words...For instance today in our textbook such borrowed word for 'lion' caught my attention...While there has been perfectly established word for lion with kanji too in use for many centuries, why would Japanese want to use such a weird sounding new borrowed word?
All those borrowed words sound extremely weird and it will be a challenge to memorize since they are in fact a very bad misrepresentation (in their greater part if not all) of English words.
So actually this trade in the modern development of the Japanese language shows some very interesting sides of the wish to copy, imitate or in the best case and intention study the West.

Actually the Katakana has a very different origin than the use for it today. It was indeed used for transliteration of foreign texts (we must always keep in mind that Buddhist texts are foreign to China, Japan and Korea for instance, and while Japanese monks used mostly Chinese translations of Buddhist texts, they are still foreign)or for showing how a character should be read by Buddhist monks who would write katakana symbolls to indicated reading adding them to the original texts as little signs above or on the sides of a character. So, again, that's another instance of huge cultural influence that Buddhism had which prompted the development of the language (the same is true for the classical Chinese language also as a result of the translation of the Buddhist texts).
Both Hiragana and the Katakana have actually developed from Kanji (Chinese characters), and while Hiragana has evolved from the cursive writing of Chinese characters, Kitakana signs are parts of several characters, taken only as phonetic indications for reading.

It is of course very interesting for me to think about these intercultural exchanges and influences between India (as the country of origin of the Buddhist ideas, philosophy and religion,and China and Japan which embraced it) the bridge for which was Buddhism, which undoubtedly prompted the development and the flourishing of those east Asian cultures. It is not exaggerated to say that Chinese and Japanese classical cultures will be nothing without the introduction and influence of Buddhism. Or at least will not be what they are.

As I said, I'm taking an intensive Japanese course. In one week we had to learn both the Hiragana and the Katakana syllabary. It's like learning to read two alphabets really very fast...Hm, actually I have to get back to memorizing the two really very 'Big in Japan' kanas now...Interestingly we have a different teacher each day of the week (overall 5 teachers for the basic Japanese language class, and three additional teachers for three other classes, so totally 8). It is interesting, since all of them are completely different as style of teaching, approach and (I guess)as personalty. Additionally this semester I'll also audit an introductory class about Japanese Classical Literature (taught in English). It's actually very busy. With each day having several hours of classes, homework to do, and at least two hours commuting.

Big in Japan - Hiragana

2009-10-13T19:56:00.006+09:00

Although I attempted learning Japanese some 3 years ago(during which time I learned only a bit) it is now that I am trying for the first time earnestly, very systematically and with motivation to learn this language.
For fact, my first Japanese textbook and grammar I bought in 1992, which was more than 15 years ago. It shows that my intentions go way back...

Although,frankly speaking I'm feeling very low in spirit and feel rather depressed (for very personal reasons I feel very sad and lost), starting having a schedule in which learning Japanese is the main objective is sort of a positive thing. It will give me some focus and will engage my time and thoughts, and since it's an intensive course it will be a challenge...
Today, was my second time in this intensive course (last Friday was the first and yesterday, Monday was a national holiday,so we didn't have classes) and apart from learning Japanese I had two hours in a course dedicated to Japanese society and culture. This class is taught in English, and I'm very hopeful not so much as to what I'll learn as information but the way this course is presented is good. Today in the recess I had a chat with the teacher, Ms. K (she speaks just excellent English, the best I've heard a Japanese speak, very impressive) and just from a few minutes of talking with her I understood that it is COMPLETELY different how she views my wish and obvious motivation. It is very different from the lack of enthusiasm, with the complete lack of curiosity and appreciation I have met with in China throughout the whole 8 years...But I will talk about Prof. K. and her classes in other posts I'm sure.
By the way Intend to audit another class of hers which is on Classical Japanese Literature. Well, what can I say, it's a dream come true for me. After 15 years!

So back to my Japanese language classes. We have classes each day from Monday through Friday, and each day we will have a different instructor. This obviously has it's great advantage since the style of each tutor is quite different. The big thing we are currently learning is the first of the two Japanese phonetic systems/'alphabets' (linguistically more correct to say syllabary'), the Hiragana. (The other is the Katakana and we are yet to learn that.) Hm those two are of course in addition to the Kanji, i.e. the Chinese characters. My advantage in that will be that I already know the meanings of the kanji. It remains for me to learn how to read them in Japanese. It will be very confusing, not only because I will mix them with the Chinese reading, but also because the Japanese have two readings!!! Crazy people!
So, back to Hiragana, the 'big thing' from my days now. The above pic. is actually not the complete list of all Hiragana, but what remains are variations to those. As it is,the Hiragana origin is calligraphy of kanji (Chinese characters) see Where do the kana come from.

A very funny (and very weird thing indeed) was told to us by our Friday tutor Ms.H.
She said that as a little girl she used to write Hiragana mirror-wise, and actually that this is a very common occurrence among young Japanese children when they start studying how to write...Its a very strange phenomenon that is associated with dyslexia.The interesting bit is that our Friday tutor claims that mirror-writing is a very common thing among Japanese children.Very very strange and interesting...

OK, I have to go back to learning the rest of the Hiragana. I'm somewhere in the middle yet...Have to know all 50 by tomorrow.

China (Tibet) and India Border Issue : a potentially explosive crisis point

2009-10-11T10:47:00.008+09:00

A month and so ago I came across a couple or so articles discussing the border dispute between China and India.
For instance Unmasking China By Bharat Verma in Indian Defence Review in July and Why India is Clueless about China by Brahma Chellaney (publ. September 07, 2009).

The China (Tibet)-India border issue is very complicated and indeed worrying, and in July for instance I eye witnessed a freight train loaded with tanks passing through Tibet (my first thought was, well that's going to the border). China's military presence in Tibet is not only aimed at "harmonizing" the Tibetans after last years anti-Han rule riots, but also is a potentially very explosive sovereignty issue with many complex implications.
The tensions in Tibet are escalating and the Tibet issue might prove to be one of the most important ones on the world diplomatic stage. An issue in which not only China-India and Tibet are sides to.
Just now I came across an article in Newsweek which discusses the border issue and some of it's implications.
Why India Fears China (Newsweek)

There simply isn't such thing as a military "peaceful rise"...

UPDATE:

OK, just two days after the above post...
China angry over India PM visit to disputed region (AFP)

Hm, as my friend M. who jokingly commented on my too many political postings lately quoted:
"Long live the international situation"!*

...for those of you who understand Chinese, a news video clip with China TV channel report on the matter in true "1984" style...I'm a "big fan" of the spokesmen (and woman!) of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry...It would have been very amusing to watch the bile, aggressiveness and inferiority/superiority complex that they emanate, if it wasn't giving me the chills...

*This was one of the ridiculous slogans during the communist era in the Eastern Block...
We often joke using it when we talk about politics and international affairs...

Big in Japan - the Railways

2009-10-11T10:15:00.006+09:00

Apart from being very punctual a very good thing about trains here is how quiet people are inside (compared to Chinese which are always noisy). In China commuting is always noisy. Chinese always speak loudly, there is always some talking (usually very loud)on the PA system, there are TV screens installed in all the public transport. It's unimaginable to try to read for instance.
In contrast, Japanese try to keep quiet their conversation, the talking on cell phones is prohibited (you have to turn off the sound and if you are close to priority seats you have to switch your cell altogether). It was a nightmare to have to listen to some one's endless and usually loud talk on their mobile phone.
I used to (before going to live in China) enjoy reading while commuting. In this way I have read quite a few books. After going to China I had to give up this, since for many reasons it became impossible. Mainly because of the noise. In China I took up the habit of always listen to music while walking or travelling. Partly to block off the annoying noise.
Now I am looking forward to my everyday commuting for classes, as it will give me a good chance to retake my old custom of reading.

Another good thing is that don't get people staring at me. Or pointing. That is a relief after being singled out immediately. I prefer this lack of attention which gives me privacy to the completely annoying rude staring.

At train and subway stations there are stacks with leaflets with various sort of information. I kind of like that.While they in fact are a sort of an advertisement for the corresponding railways company, some of those are a great way to get informed about upcoming cultural events, exhibitions and tourist attraction (main goal of the leaflets seems to be to tell you how to get to the places taking the corresponding rail company)...I already have a stack of those from Kyoto station with routes how to go to monasteries and temples. Autumn is a very tourist time for going to those...Or so I've heard. I still haven't been to any yet sine I arrived a week ago.

Another good thing here is how distances are often given by walking minutes. Since I'm very much into mountain hiking and usually enjoy very much walking, I really appreciate that in Japan giving directions often is calculating time in walking distances. I like that too.
In Beijing I merely forgot what it is to enjoy a stroll in the city. Just walking from A to B.
How did I survive in this horrible city for 8 years really beats me.

A thing that will get time getting used to is the fact that in Japan (similar to Britain) traffic is on the left side. It feels very unnatural tome still and I often get confused about directions because of this...

Another good thing that commuting will give me a chance to do is an opportunity to observe people. A few days ago late afternoon I was taking the local JR (Japan Railways)line for a couple of stops. It seemed that students have just ended classes and were commuting back home from school as there were many students waiting at the station and getting on the train. Two (I presume middle school or high school) girls sat on the seats opposite mine (some boy students sat next to my seat). The two girls were heavily made up (I presume just after class they have done so in the toilet) with fake eyelashes, eyeliner, etc. Still wearing their school uniforms. As they sat down in the train they started taking off some of their school uniform (jackets and ties)and change into cardigans or readjust it. It looked like thisis sort of a ritual, i.e. something they doeach time after school. In a silly way they also wanted the boys to watch them. One of the girls folded her skirt in the waist several times as to make it several time shorter. It looked ridiculous to me, but obviously that's what schoolgirls do.

-------
The draft for this post was written while commuting in the morning on Friday 9th of October, taking the Keihan railway from Ohbaku station (which is near to where I live now in Uji)and Demachiyanagi(which is the station nearest to Kyoto University's main campus where my classes are).Commuting today took me around 45 minutes,at one point I had to change trains at the transfer Chushojima station in between...

Beijing’s World Media Summit - what exactly is it?

2009-10-10T21:00:00.004+09:00

Yesterday after I saw few world news agencies news reports (for instance) about a currently held in Beijing so-called 'World Media Summit' I felt amused...
If that's not part of China's grand strategy using 'soft power' to enhance its aspirations for influencing“global public opinion” then what is it?!
(And the timing of this summit, just days after the gargantuan military parade. What a joke! )

Today I saw David Bandurski's article at China Media Project and he seems to be also thinking pretty much the same as me...

He rightly points out: "This “summit” may be dressed up as a platform for professional, “non-government” exchange — but it is really a naked ploy by the CCP to enhance China’s global influence over media agendas. "

And that's that. Hm shouldn't other people start getting the message already?!
Shouldn't all this be worrying them?!

Global media groups knuckle under to curry Beijing’s favor (China Media Project)

UPDATE from 13th:

How Much Will Global News Outlets Bet on China?(TIME)
Key paragraph is the last one :"At a time when media are still reeling from the economic downturn and the Internet-led destruction of traditional advertising and subscription models, China has money to spend and offers new markets for foreign media. The risks are high. Not only could Western media players miss out on a big deal in China, they could sell their soul to win one. "

Internet Human Rights Declaration

2009-10-10T11:23:00.002+09:00

On October 8th 15 Chinese intellectuals/netizens published an 'Internet Human Rights Declaration'.
While the text itself may not be saying 'anything new' it's an act of courage that is to be commended. Especially notable for me is the declarators proffessed believe in citizen responsibility -indeed it is of upmost importance.

Here are links to the declaration's original text in Chinese and its English translation.

US President Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize : too much too soon?

2009-10-10T10:46:00.008+09:00

Good morning. Well, this is not how I expected to wake up this morning. President Barack Obama has just been surprisingly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

These by the way are also the first public words of US President Barack Obama on his winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It is yet to be seen does the president truly deserves the honour.
It can be said that this award is a sort of an encouragement/early vote of confidence (i.e. he was awarded it before actually proving he deserves it...), not particularly towards Obama himself, but towards the "going back to the basic principles" of the USA. Judging from President Obama's speech and his final ending words "That's why the world has always looked to America. And that's why I believe America will continue to lead.", he seems to realise this very clearly.

Well. An interesting turn of events. Well now, we can say that when Obama meets the Dalai Lama say after two months...why not for instance while accepting the award in Oslo on Dec.10?. In this way he can easily say he is meeting him in the capacity of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, not as head of state...In this way he will be meeting the Dalai Lama ,but while smartly avoiding to meet him in the White House...

The complete text of the citation awarding the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama as delivered by the Norwegian Nobel Committee (via AP)

relevant news feeds:
Obama wins shock Nobel Peace Prize (AFP)
Gasps as Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize (AP)
Obama's Nobel win should spur climate commitment: UN climate chief Yvo de Boer said(AFP)

Typhoon Melor passes by

2009-10-09T22:40:00.010+09:00

My latest post about 'me in Japan' ended with my observation about the different climate and weather here...And mentioned raining...

Hm, little did I know that just a day later a typhoon is going to 'land' in Japan...Luckily it turned out that the impact on Kyoto and Kansai area (where Kyoto belongs to) and the power of the typhoon were not as bad as feared. It turned out that actually there was a typhoon warning (of which I didn't have the slightest idea) and my yesterday opening ceremony and placement test were hence rescheduled for today...However I didn't know that, and actually went to the campus surprised to find it out. Indeed in the evening (Wednesday to Thursday) the weather seemed quite bad with heavy rain and strong wind,but not as bad as to get me thinking of typhoons (not that I know what a typhoon looks like), and in the morning although it was still heavily raining the weather didn't look extraordinary bad to me so I went to campus...
Well, luckily the typhoon by-passed here and was weaker than expected...
Good thing that.
It got me thinking though, hm what does this island with its freakish earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, etc. has in store for me?! And how should I know what to do?

Is Tony Blair lobbying for China now?

2009-10-09T22:17:00.009+09:00

Just finished reading a co-opted article in the Wall Street Journal titled China's New Cultural Revolution by non other but the former British PM Tony Blair. I couldn't just not comment on this!

In it (among other things) is the following incredibly stupid paragraph:
...
Confucius, the marvels of the Tang dynasty, calligraphy, the beauty of traditional Chinese painting and literature—all of this infuses the speeches, commentary and discourse of contemporary Chinese life. Chinese films, art, fashion and pop music are thriving. There is a new Cultural Revolution taking place in 21st century China, and it is a lot healthier than the old.
...

This particular paragraph (especially in the context of the rest of the misinforming article) shows such utter 'well-informed ignorance' and lack of knowledge and understanding of China that makes one gasp with wonder. Who the hell made Tony Blair an expert on Chinese society and culture?!

Recently on CNN I watched an interview with this British buffoon taken while he was wrapping up his recent China visit...Is this guy now on Chinese payroll or is he simply an ignorant imbecile?!

Oh, now I see. It turns out the Wall Street Journal since August 2007 is owned by dubious global media mogul Rupert Murdoch...who at this moment happens to be in Beijing for a 'World Media Summit' organized by CCP mouthpiece Xinhua...

What Lies between Chinese Writers and the Nobel Prize

2009-10-09T21:09:00.004+09:00

As someone whose specialty is Chinese Literature, I have actually stopped even wondering, why Modern and Contemporary Chinese literature is so incredibly mediocre and bad in quality...My major is Classical Chinese Literature and I still believe that it indeed is one of the greatest world literatures. But that is in an obvious stark and shocking contrast to the Contemporary and Modern Chinese one. I have often tried to come up with an explanation for this phenomenon (i.e. why contemporary and modern Chinese literature is so mediocre and talentless) and this pondering actually gave me a broader perspective to come up with a bigger and more broadly encompassing theory about the "fall of the great Han culture" (I am deliberately not using the term 'Chinese' )...Actually exactly the realisation of the above has made me start to deeply rethink many of the cliches about China. Made me think deeply about the phenomenons, about the development (or rather more correctly said in the case of Han Chinese culture in view of it's state now, the entropy) of the so-called Chinese civilisation...I believe that literature is a great way to observe and explain the development Han Chinese culture. Literature contains a huge amount of social, political, historical, cultural information. It is a great source and gate for understanding China.

I remember few years ago a conversation with a teacher giving us a two semester lecture about modern Chinese literature. In a class break I approached him and directly asked him :"How is it possible that Chinese writers didn't write anything worthwhile during the Mao era? I understand that they were not able to publish anything and had to do so secretly, but I'm wondering how is it possible for someone to don't try to write despite that in secret...?I mean, the situation in the Soviet Union was very similar towards writers and intellectuals,but after the Perestroika there are many manuscripts which were kept hidden by writer's relatives and families and finally saw publication. Some very good works, even masterpieces. " He looked at me (with the kind of look that says " You don't understand Chinese culture") and gave me an explanation that chilled me to the bone: " They didn't write because their families would give them up." But I don't think that Mao is the reason for this complete collapse of the Chinese literary tradition. Th reasons date much further back and (in my view) stem from Chinese culture itself (hence my use of the word 'entropy). Good literary writing is a very creative process, it's a process of sharp observation and understanding, most of all it is an expression of the human condition that can touch and reach the reader in a very special way. A good writer is not someone who sees things so differently, and tels you something you don't 'know' at all, but someone who sees and sees them more sharply, more deeply and most importantly who can point directly to things that you otherwise instinctively always felt, but somehow failed to fully mentally grasp or articulate, a good writer is someone who can put his 'observations' in a language that can 'speak' to you.

Maybe one of the reasons and an explanation why Chinese writers' writing is so mediocre is their their readers' mediocrity?

A blog post by Chinese blog Fool's Mountain What Lies between Chinese Writers and the Nobel Prize got me to go back to this years-old subject of reflection of mine...

First Days in Japan - Daily things : Made in China VS Made in Japan

2009-10-07T22:30:00.004+09:00

These few days I've been scouting the nearby supermarkets, shops, etc. Main reason to buy some necessary daily things(washing powder, cleaning detergents, etc.), but also see what my options are as concerns daily necessities, i.e.food mainly.'Nearby' actually is not very correct to say, since the nearest decent supermarket is at least 25 minutes walk from the dorm, and another one is two stops away with the railway, plus the 10 or so minutes walk...Problem is, I HATE carrying bags, but it will be unavoidable, I'm afraid.I will definitely have to rearrange my eating habits a great deal. The variety of cheese I could find in the big supermarkets is much worse than say Carrefour in Beijing.And cheese being my main important food, then this news isn't very good. Amazingly, Camembert cheese is a common cheese here, as opposed to say cheddar.Bread predominately is with sugar, but that's not news, in China it was the same.Surprisingly, there is almost a complete lack of choice of imported things. If there are they are impossibly expensive.This also opposed to Beijing Carrefour chain shop at Zhongguancun which for instance I appreciate it now) was very well stocked in imported goods).I still have yet to find where am I going to buy my coffee!Good thing I brought 3 packs of coffee with me. There is coffee, but doesn't seem to be even remotely good...Again, I sigh about having Lavazza in the nearby to my university in Beijing Carrefour store.I remember clearly seeing Lavazza sold in Japan, but that was in Yokohama and Tokyo. It may turn out Kyoto and Uji might just not have it...

Since Friday, when I arrived, I've been eating salads, sandwiches and bread. Salad is usually my main meal anyway, but I'm not used to eating so much bread(since going to China that is, 8 years ago)...My tonight's dinner was (newly just found) whole grain bread (without sugar!)with really nice (also just discovered)cream cheese and fresh tomatoes. For desert - more of the delicious cream cheese with big California raisins. C'est pas mal du tout! (French for : Not bad at all!)

Although I have the facilities, I haven't yet cooked a meal. Bought the main things already, such as cooking oil, pasta, rice...It appears that if I want a warm meal I have to cook it myself.I must say that I was mentally prepared that vegetarian options are very scarce in Japan from my 2 years ago one and a half months visit to Japan.While scouting the supermarkets it inadvertently caught my attention that things are predominantly either made in China, or they originate from Japan.It almost appears as the former are predominant. But it must be admitted that the quality of some of the Chinese made things is at least not bad. Better than the average in China itself.

Another curiosity is that some things I would expect to be easiest to find (such as washing basin) are in fact hard to find!(In comparison,in China washing basins would be readily available in every supermarket... )Yesterday I finally found one, but it took me some searching. In China I had my own washing machine, but here in the dorm it is shared and I have certain doubts how clean it is.It appears I will have to wash most of my clothes by hand unfortunately.
Another shopping connected problem is that everything is in Japanese (even foreign brand names with few exceptions) are written with a Japanese alphabet.And it appears that nobody speaks any English.A fact that makes one wonder since all Asians study English from childhood.
Today I was trying to find some things. It takes a lot of guessing work to get the right thing.I was starving at one point and I bought something that looked like a doughnut (i.e. presumably sweet and no particular danger for vegetarians). Big mistake. I took a bite and discovered it is actually filled with something that is definitely not vegetarian. Took a look at the ingredients at the back of the package (mislead by the look of the snack I didn't do it while picking it up at first)...Can't read Japanese yet, but could distinguish the two Chinese characters for pig and meat, enough for me to just spit out the bite I took and throw the thing away immediately.That will teach me a lesson AGAIN to remember that APPEARANCES almost always ARE MISLEADING!

Weather wise, Japan weather is definitely different from Beijing weather. 3 out of five days it has been raining! That opposed to 6 months of no drop at all in Beijing last Autumn/Winter this is quite a change of climate!

news feed: Guiding The Public Opinion/Headcleaner

2009-10-07T14:27:00.007+09:00

As always China Media Project has an interesting material discussing on media in China. This time what I find most interesting in the recent article Shenzhen’s new media rules: is anyone paying attention? is the observation how Chinese English language propaganda has effectively managed to mislead certain western media. Without knowing, the western media might just be helping the Chinese into 'guiding the public opinion'? It is indeed very alarming! Following the recent tendencies (for instance this year the purposedly huge amount of English language propaganda articles about Tibet) it is not hard to imagine that the recent and planned huge investments in foreign language (English) Chinese propaganda is probably going to pay off. This kind of 'soft power' tactics of the Chinese, unbelievable though it seems might just as well probably going to work like a charm.
We have to just sit and watch. Or do we?!

----
Also, see another recent good and interesting analysis on Chinese media by CMP - More hard words on China’s “war for public opinion” .

"Working for Human Rights is an Act of Compassion" - HHDL

2009-10-07T10:20:00.019+09:00

news feed: Dalai Lama gets human rights award in Washington

(AP)Oct. 6th
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers honored the Dalai Lama with a human rights award Tuesday even as President Barack Obama faced harsh criticism for delaying a meeting with the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader.
The Dalai Lama and Obama will not meet until after Obama visits Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing in November. China reviles the Dalai Lama and pressures foreign governments not to meet with him. The Obama administration, which needs Chinese support for crucial foreign policy, economic and environmental goals, wants to establish friendly ties between Hu and Obama during next month's visit.

link to the full text of the article:
Dalai Lama receives rights award at Capitol
a link to a video about it with an excerpt from HHDL's speech (by AP)

Dalai Lama set aside by Obama, honored at U.S Capitol (Reuters)
....
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi presented the award to the Dalai Lama and warned: "Unless we speak out for human rights in China and Tibet, we lose moral authority to speak out for human rights anywhere else in the world."
....
Republican Senator John McCain, who lost last year's presidential election to Obama, also spoke at the ceremony, saying: "The Dalai Lama has spent his life in the passionate, tireless and non-violent defense of his people's right to self-determination and dignity."
...
Obama to meet Dalai Lama after China trip (AFP)

Relevant UPDATES:

Chinese writer embraces Dalai Lama, seeks dialogue (AFP)
Chinese writer Wang Lixiong (husband to the Beijing based Tibetan poet and blogger Woeser) who helped spearhead a petition by 308 prominent Chinese who last year questioned Beijing's crackdown on protests in Tibet, received 'Light of Truth' award in Washington at a Campaign for Tibet ceremony, and at the stage publicly exchanged embrace with the Dalai Lama, in defiance to Chinese authorities. It remains to be seen what repercussions this will have when he returns back to China.

US House speaker Pelosi Remarks at the International Campaign for Tibet's 'Light of Truth' Awards Ceremony

My view?

Well it is hard to be in President Obama's shoes right now. He is a politician. In his pre-election campaign he was pro-human rights, pro-Tibet, etc. Met the Dalai Lama then (probably because taking a picture with the saffron-robed old monk looked good for his pole ratings?). His administration however obviously thinks that with softer diplomacy you get better results with the Chinese. Maybe not for the Tibet issue, but the upcoming visit in November to Beijing is important to get the Chinese join in the effort of making the Copenhagen talks about climate change work, negotiations with North Korea work, etc. At least that's what the Americans hope for.
We are heading for the time when pragmatism trumps anything and everything.

And while it might be so indeed, and making the Chinese participate in the world affairs is generally speaking a good a idea, not meeting the Dalai Lama sends the wrong message to the Chinese and to the rest of the World.

The problem is, I think the Chinese are smart and play with that very well.
With the Chinese, which are simply totally obsessed with history, PRECEDENT is everything!

The fact is the Chinese are very ambitious to become world No2 with the ultimate goal of preferably being No1. And that not only as economic power. And they are going to start more and more meddling in the world affairs (just as the Americans do - "to protect their interests"). Nevermind their assurances about 'China's peaceful rise' and 'not wishing to become hegemon'. With the huge surge in nationalism among the ordinary Chinese, hugely encouraged and directed from above, it is scary to imagine what will happen when more emboldened and empowered China is on the world stage. Hitler Germany's social nationalism rose because of the humiliation from losing WW1. Chinese are very BIG in holding grudge for the past. One very clear example is their attitude towards the Japanese.
The difference between having America as hegemon and having China as hegemon is that Americans (at least some of them) have some certain set of values that they profess to believe in. Values that they try to spread. Some of those values per se are not that bad - democracy, human rights, etc.
The question is, what does the new aspiring to become World hegemon, i.e. China, promote as values and how those values are going to influence the future of mankind?!
Judging from the current state of the value system in China, it is VERY scary to think that those people who lack integrity, who lack basic values and principles, who lack ethical and moral base, who lack spirituality and respect are the aspiring future rulers of the World.

At the same time involving China into the world matters is in a way 'the right strategy'. Obviously it is done with the hope that if China gets more involved and engaged it will naturally change and adapt to the established set of world values. And while that might be true and work out, at the same time while encouraging China to enter the world stage the world is also empowering China to start changing this set of world values. And that's where the danger is. And that's what we are actually witnessing as happening.

For the Obama's administration these days the Dalai Lama seems to be expendable. Yes, he is a good man making a photo with whom will look good in the portfolio, BUT the Dalai Lama has no power whatsoever. And the Tibetans are what, only 7 million?
Politicians (and diplomats) talk and meet with those who have power, who are useful, who can get things done. They don't meet people because they are good and nice, and are pleasant to spend time with, right?!

At the same time the Dalai Lama is a very powerful symbol. Undoubtedly he is a man who has and is doing much in making this world a better place. It's a fact.
Yes, he talks and 'lobbies' for Tibet, etc. , but most importantly people know him and are positively influenced by his talk about compassion, about Buddhism. In other words, he is effectively spreading the Dharma. And that is a very very big deal.

So for me, support for the Dalai Lama is not support for the 'Tibetan cause', it's a support for the promotion of a set of positive human values and principles.

A New Beginning : in the country of the rising Sun

2009-10-03T12:06:00.006+09:00

Yesterday, 02 October, local time around 8:30 I arrived in Japan at Kansai Osaka Airport.

After terribly exhausting couple of days, after almost no sleep and rest I begin something completely new in my life.

On the 1st of October I left my hometown boarding an incredibly early flight at 6:20, for which I had to get up 3:45 and practically (since I was packing until 1 AM) didn't even manage to get much sleep. I changed flights at Frankfurt airport, but since there was 7 hours waiting for the transfer flight, I felt more and more exhausted with time. The flight from Frankfurt to Osaka took over 11 hours. I hardly slept a few minutes. Just watched movies.

Meanwhile, before leaving for Japan, on Tuesday there was a cocktail party at the Japanese embassy in my hometown. I was invited to make a short 'thank you' speech. During the cocktail several people approached me and we talked. I chatted quite a long time with the ambassador, a tall, lean and aristocratic man with reported Imperial lineage...It was interesting.

At the reception I also met the students which were going to travel with the same flight to Osaka on a Japanese government scholarship for one year. So during the Frankfurt airport stay and formalities yesterday and today morning we shared company. Today after I arrived at the dormitory at Uji I met some of the new arrivals of foreign students which also will live in my dorm at Ohbaku...We did the formalities for residence together. Actually after spending time with so many new people I felt somewhat lonely and tired listening and talking with people with whom I have very very little in common, but more importantly seemingly very little to want to share with and little I can learn from.
It has been such a long time since anyone has managed to impress and move me emotionally.
Almost immediately after arriving at the dorm we were asked to start doing formalities, and go with one dorm suppervisor (walk for 10 min, take the train for one stop, walk some more) to go to the City Hall. It was raining, and at times even pouring. Feeling extremely tired with no time to even refresh myself it was very exhausting.
Yesterday afternoon/evening, after spending more than 3 hours at Uji City Hall where we applied for foreigner certificate, health insurance, etc. I came back to the dorm finally with the chance to take a shower and start arranging the room.
My new room (in which I can stay for the remaining 6 months)is much smaller than my Beijing dorm room, but it is much better, cleaner and has a balcony. It has a bed, a desk, a small bookshelf, a small fridge, a wardrobe, a kitchen corner with stove, cupboard and sink. MOST importantly I have my own bathroom with shower and toilet! And that is a very important improvement in my living conditions.

Last evening while being busy with taking out things from the huge and heavy parcels I sent to myself from Beijing and trying to (at least start) with finding place for them, someone called my dorm room (it was an elderly Japanese man who is the night shift dorm supervisor). He could speak very little English, but I understood he contacted me to give me the things left for me by a Chinese student I knew by email who has lived at the dorm. I went down (my room is on the 3rd floor of the 5 storey building of the dorm).Meanwhile I discovered the Internet connection in the room doesn't work so I told him, he said he will see to it and after maybe an hour he came to my room bringing a new modem set. He was very kind because it was obvious he wanted me to be able to use Internet immediately so as to contact my parents at home and tell them I arrived safely. (My gsm mobile phone doesn't work here).With half-Japanese and broken English he made me feel his kindness.

The dormitory is too far from the railway. There are hardly any stores and shops around. It is a residential area which so far doesn't promise much. Apparently I'll be preparing my food at the dorm. The eat out options are minimal, if not zero.The good thing is that I will have the conditions to be able to do so. There is a small fridge, stove, a sink and suitable cupboards in the room. Luckily I send a lot of things from Beijing such as I will need daily. Yesterday night I started unpacking and arranging things. Today and tomorrow I will go on doing this, so as my new room gets the feeling of a home.
By the way the parcels I send from Beijing before I left China meanwhile have arrived and where put in my room waiting for me. A Chinese student (the one mentioned above,which was introduced to me by the kind Japanese professor who is my advisor at Kyoto univ.), who has just left the dorm has kindly left me some things, such as a TV set, etc.

The remaining couple of days I intend to go on with arranging the things from my luggage and parcels from China and trying to make the room tidy and homey.
On Monday I'll be going to the main campus of Kyoto University - Yoshida campus, for doing the registration procedures. My classes begin on Friday, 9th Oct.
So the week ahead is going to be for settling in, registration, formalities, etc.
It feels strange, after the 8 years spend in China to begin a new life here.
It feels exciting (and a bit scary) to have many unknown things waiting to happen.

I wish I can somehow take off the burden that I'm carrying from China, but this is more easily said than done...I still feel very sad and lonely.

If not anything else Kyoto is a much better city than Beijing. Much more beautiful, much more cleaner and more pleasant.
And there are the Buddhist temples and Zen gardens that can give me energy and strength.
There is a new language to learn. Actually being in Japan in a sense is a dream come true. Even though it's an old dream. Even though I feel somewhat lost and confused at this point of my life.

It's a new beginning. At a new place.

Bread and Circuses : marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist State (UPDATED)

2009-09-29T16:15:00.009+09:00

Bread and Circuses is a millennia-old method of keeping the masses under control, which together with the "carrot and stick" approach is the way the CC State uses in order to create "harmony".

Last year was the Beijing Olympics, this year is the upcoming gargantuan parade for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist State this week.

The Big Propaganda Machine is again rolling - Stalinist and Hollywood style.
A video.

No Detail Is Overlooked as China Prepares to Celebrate (New York Times).
And Pictures showing preparations for the October 1st parade.

In addition to the Thursday 60th anniversary, this year is a year of other "sensitive anniversaries", Tibet, Tiananmen, etc, and observation makes one think deeply.

20 years on, on Tiananmen tanks will roll again, but this time there will be cheers and ballons - an indication of mass-amnesia of 1,3 billion people. It is very scary.

Also the escallated ethnic and social tensions (in Tibet and Xinjiang) are showing how far and deep are the exhisting problems and how things are far from "harmonious"...
Connected news articles:

About the social challenges that China faces today:
60 years on, China faces major social struggles (AFP)

China's Internet Censorship Gets "Worse And Worse" Ahead Of 60th Anniversary
China Clamps Down on Internet Ahead of 60th Anniversary

The National Day celebration follows the most violent and sustained unrest against Chinese rule in decades in its far western regions of Xinjiang and Tibet.

Ahead of the parade for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Chinese State which is on the 1st of October China bans foreign tourists from Tibet again!*

*China requires foreigners to obtain special permission to visit Tibet and routinely bars them from all Tibetan minority areas of the country during sensitive periods. The region has been periodically off-limits since riots in March 2008 saw Tibetans protesting Beijing's rule attack Chinese migrants and shops, and torch much of Lhasa's commercial district.

An UPDATE - After the Parade (3rd October):

News feeds about the spectacle:

video

pictures

articles:

Communist China marks 60 years with tanks, kitsch (AP)

China marks 60 years with spectacle of power (Reuters)

On China's 60th anniversary, Tibet wants quiet (The Christian ScienceMonitor)

Another UPDATE:

An interesting analysis of the State sponsored Hollywood-style 'docu-drama style' blockbuster film 'Founding of a Republic' (建国大业) - Reshooting History in a New China Film (TIME).

3 days in the mountains

2009-09-28T15:46:00.004+09:00

Last week I finally managed to get away and go to P. mountains for 3 days hiking. Previously since I am back I went on two occasions for a day hike to nearby (not so far away from my hometown)mountains, but it's much different to go to a bigger mountain and sleep up there at high altitude away from cities and civilisation. The special physical exhaustion of mountain trekking is something I miss very much yearlong. The way the body feels walking, trekking at higher altitude, with the majestic views of mountains around is something that I cherish very much.
P. is a very majestic and beautiful mountain, but it is also very severe looking and sometimes technically hard for hiking. It has a very stone-hard feeling about it, 'cold' beauty that I can appreciate, but frankly it is not the kind of mountain I feel most comfortable with. I prefer green slopes and softer outlines, forests and rounder hills and ridges...
After a year of almost zero physical exercise I thought that I'm in a very bad shape, but it turned out that it's actually not so bad.

The trek was good and energy-filling apart from the last part of our third day when we climbed down from a dangerously-looking peak.

Here is a photo showing the last peak we climbed on the 3 day of our trekking in P. mountain. The picture shows with a red line the descend path. The technically difficult descend almost led to a tragic outcome, since one of our fellow climbers misstepped and slipped on a stone, damaged his knee and suffered a severe shock that caused loss of cautiousness. I really don't know how, but he managed to regain consciousness and some strength and with much struggle we managed to climb down from the dangerous and technically difficult path and safely went down.

You can see more views from the places I went to this time here. (The pictures are not mine and are not taken this time)

The exhibition

2009-09-26T17:40:00.000+09:00

Here is a link to a web album where I have uploaded some photos showing a part of the exhibition (it's in the cafe of the galery where the exhibition was held that's why there are chairs and tables). The album also contains some selected images which entered the final selection for the exhibition or would have entered if there was enough space...

http://picasaweb.google.com/d.karmapolice/WhereThereAreFliesThereAreAlsoBuddhas?authkey=Gv1sRgCI7t6O6J2qiObw#

I hope this will give those of you who didn't have opportunity to see the photos or the exhibition a chance to have some idea of my latest "project"...

By the way the exhibition ends today...

Is China Now the Climate Change Good Guy? (news feeds)

2009-09-26T15:30:00.000+09:00

Having left China almost a month ago, I still keep on tracking (on a daily basis) news about China and keep on following closely the "Rise of China".Climate change without doubt is a question that deeply concerns since it affects the whole Planet, and China has a growing (and alarming) "contribution" to it.With the advancement of the Copenhagen UN meeting where the successor of the Kyoto Protocol is supposed to be signed by world countries the focus on China's involvement is a point that gets much attention, and since China is already the world's N. 1 carbon dioxide emitter (=worst polluter) this attention is very natural, furthermore it is easy to forsee that the fact of China's Rise direct is not going to change any time soon.It is to be noted that Chinese leaders are making a diplomatic effort to show some amount of participation(but really very vague), but frankly I remain really very sceptical about the real value of these almost empty speeches about commitment, since the reality is that Chinese leaders and citizens are in reality very far from being really responsible and concerned about environmental protection and very far from really making any meaningful and truly effective actions.

Here are a few recent news articles that discuss China's recent participation in the climate change:

Is China Now the Climate Change Good Guy? (TIME)

Has China Really Gotten Serious About Climate Change? (TIME)

China to rely on coal 'for long time'(AFP)

Photographic Exhibition :Where there are flies there are also Buddhas

2009-09-19T01:04:00.005+09:00

This is the photo that heads the exhibition and which is featured on the poster too.
The title of the exhibition is :Where there are flies there are also Buddhas (see this older post about explanation of the title).
The exhibition will continue until 26th.

As a matter of fact I actually almost had given up making the exhibition - the very poor organization, the lack of time, lack of money, etc where all reasons that made me give up the idea to make the exhibition, but...As I thought about it more, I decided it is nevertheless worthwhile to make something...So here it is. The opening was yeasterday evening. The lack of time meant that only a few people came for the opening itself, but I hope some people will go and see my photos in the remaining days before the 26th. Fot this exhibition (this is my second photo exhibition, as I believe those of you who know me know) 31 images were selected and exhibited. Mostly these are images from my last trip to Central Tibet (the so-called Tibetan Autonomous Region) in July this year. Only 4 or 5 pictures are taken during other trips from other tibetan regions. I will try to upload more images from the exhibition from the upcoming days and share here...

Yesterday I gave two interviews for the media, hopefully in this way more people will find out about it...

Overall there are many things about I'm not happy about, mainly about the organization...The printing turned out quite good. After a couple of days during which I was completely desperate that nothing decent will come out as a result, I managed to find a place and make quite good prints. The colours are not bad and the overal result of the images is not too bad I think...
But again, as everything was made in a haste, there was no time to do things well in arranging for things, no time to inform the media, no time to invite more people...Hopefully in the coming days somehow people will learn about it and go and see it...
I feel sorry that some people I personally invited and some that promised to come didn't show up at the opening last night...

Anyway. Let's see what happens during the following few days...

all that you leave behind...

2009-09-11T16:29:00.005+09:00

It has been a while since my last post. In fact there has been a month since my last post...Although I was very motivated right after returning from my Tibet trip to write a series of posts about it for many reasons I failed to do so meanwhile. Also added is me being aware of how few people actually follow and read my posts, so frankly I feel very discouraged and definitely not very much motivated to write more or more frequently...

Actually, there are more reasons for this blog silence (apart from the discouraging lack of readers and support)...

Meanwhile throughout the whole of August I was extremely busy with shipping, posting, packing...IT IS NOT EASY to pack and leave after 8 years. The amount of books and stuff (especially books) that I realised that I have managed to accumulate made me feel nauseous of buying books for a while. I send most of the things (books) back home to Europe. I send some daily necessities, cosmetics and clothes to Japan. (As I believe most of you know, my next destination from October is Kyoto.)

The cargo will arrive here (back home) after I have left for Japan. I am currently trying to make my mother physiologically prepared for the amount of boxes which will arrive...Unpacking will be who knows when and where...

I send the things to Japan to an address which I know to be my dormitory. Perhaps I am the only person who has ever asked the postal service to send the packages slower (!) since I am afraid that even though I have used the slowest possible (land/sea) mail perhaps my packages will arrive before me.

As of a few days ago, I know that I will be travelling on the 1st of October and will arrive in Osaka on the 2nd of Oct. Luckily there is a pick-up service that will take me on the same day to Kyoto directly to my dorm.

My (Japanese language) classes are scheduled to begin on the 9th of October.

Meanwhile, it has been 11 days since I am back home in Europe. Ever since my arrival I was very busy since the very first day and the first week since my arrival I was busy mainly with organising and doing arrangements for my pending stay in Japan. Issued a new passport(my old one expires soon), went to the Japanese embassy a couple of times for the visa (I have a 2 year visa now) and other formalities. Meanwhile been corresponding with my academic advisor and the international student's office in Kyoto University about formalities and arrangements, etc. So I haven't had chance to rest much. And after the very exhausting last few weeks I do need to rest and relax...I had the intention and wish to make a photo exhibition with my photos from Tibet. I had the films developed in Beijing, but made the paper prints here. It took me 3 days and I printed out most photos in size 13x18 in order to see them and decide. I selected some 50 prints that are good and can make a good exhibition, but as of yesterday I don't believe that the exhibition can happen. Main reason is financial, but also the lack of time to properly make a good organisation and also lack of support and motivation...For now it looks that I will just end up showing the pictures to my friends.
But another main reason why making an exhibition now is not a great idea is my need to have a rest. If I do make the exhibition happen now will mean that I will have absolutely no time to take a break and go somewhere...I feel very exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I have too many things on my mind right now...

The last few weeks in China were very hard. Mainly because of physical exhaustion (the packing and sending of all of my things, working to make the money to pay for it and for two weeks going to a seminar lecture in Buddhism) my last month in China and Beijing was incredibly tense and exhausting...

Emotionally it was very hard too. I left many things undone. Things that were actually in my control to do and I failed to organise myself. But also many things that are beyond my control were also left undone. Going to Japan is maybe not such a great idea. It is too close to China and it will be hard for me to put some things behind...

And as it has been my established "custom" for the past 4 years I cried on the Beijing airport. I hope these will be my last tears of sadness and bitter helplessness on Chinese soil. Ever!

Hm. This didn't turn out as a very cheerful post...But that's how things are...
These days there are good things happening too though. Being home, seeing friends, spending time with my mum, my cat (which is now at the incredible age of (at least) 18 years old! but looks quite healthy and well)...Actually being home feels cozy and relaxing...

China contributes much to increasing of green gas gases, but will do little to the reducing of climate change

2009-08-07T00:33:00.002+09:00

China refuses to budge on greenhouse gases (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090805/sc_afp/chinaclimatewarmingun_20090805160124

BEIJING (AFP) – China refused to budge Wednesday on its demands that rich nations commit to large greenhouse gas cuts at upcoming climate change talks, while also declining to put a ceiling on its own emissions.

China and other developing nations will call on rich countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels at negotiations in Copenhagen in December, said Yu Qingtai, China's top climate negotiator.

"We have all along believed that due to the historical responsibility of the developed nations, they must continue to take the lead with large reductions beyond 2012," Yu told reporters.

We "have demanded that developed nations reduce emissions by 40 percent... this is fair and reasonable... China's position has not changed."

The December negotiations are aimed at hammering out a new climate change pact to replace the Kyoto protocol that expires in 2012.

As a developing nation with low per-capita emissions, China is not required to set emissions cuts under the UN Framework on Climate Change.

The European Union has said it will slash emissions by 20 percent by 2020 compared with the 1990 level.

The US Congress is considering legislation that would reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases along with the United States, has said neither of the cuts are enough.
.....

I believe that the last sentence is very important!
Both key emitters are playing a "game" in which everyone loses...
Actually, the cutting to which they will agree to will not only be insufficient, but the arguments (especially those of the Chinese who drive me nuts with their stubborn, bordering on clinical, refusal to face reality)for not doing so will cause a damage that simply cannot be mended. China's claim to have the "right" to give priority to industrial development over ecology, is so insane and stupid that it just makes one angry with the shortsightedness of a statement like that. Not only it is stupid, but it is dangerous, it's like playing a Russian roulette with 5 bullets...Yes, in the short term industrialisation and economical development will improve the livelihood of many people, but in the long term it will the downfall of all...It's so absurd to look for a small profit when there is possibility to lose all...
The problem is, in this case not only the Chinese will suffer the consequences of their actions. All the Earth's 'citizens' will. Humans, animals, plants...All.

Interestingly, two and a half months earlier there was this report. I was going to post about it, but was busy and forgot to. Today reading again the same things made me remember my old intention to blog about it.

China says rich nations must cut emissions by 40 pct
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090521/sc_afp/chinaenergyclimatewarming_20090521161940

2009/05/21
BEIJING (AFP) – China confirmed Thursday that it will demand rich nations cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 in upcoming global climate change negotiations.

In a position paper published for negotiations to be held in Copenhagen in December, China -- one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases that cause global warming -- did not commit to any legally binding reductions.

"Developed countries shall undertake to reduce their GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions in aggregate by at least 40 percent below their 1990 level by 2020," said the paper, posted on China's planning agency's website.

"Developed countries shall take responsibility for their historical cumulative emissions and current high per capita emissions to change their unsustainable way of life and to substantially reduce their emissions."
(AFP)

In short, China says, we KNOW that we are currently emitting more GHG than everybody else, and with the temp we are using energy and making all kinds of waste, and have a completely unsustainable way of life, and our environment is already in a hazardous state, and at least 70% of the water is irreversibly polluted, etc.
going it's getting worse each day, but since HISTORICALLY you did it first you are to blame.
China says that the West has started the industrial revolution, thus causing irreversible damage to the environment,
leading lifestyles which due to the over consumption are unsustainable, and after saying that (which the West realises is bad and should be changed, and by the way nobody denies),
China says, but after we SEE that this is obviously wrong(and we blame you for it) we reserve the right (with that knowledge) to make as much damage as you did, because we also need to develop...
What kind of insane logic is this?!
This is an argument of a 6 year old kid in a kindergarden, who does something bad, for instance makes a mess,
and when asked to stop, points to the other kids, "Oh but they started first!"
IT IS INSANE!

related links:

a week later on 2009/05/28:

US delegation mixed on China climate change pact
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090528/ap_on_re_as/as_china_pelosi_4#updates-conn

And very essential is this one from June 18th:

Climate catastrophe getting closer, warn scientists
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090618/ts_afp/climatewarmingscience

-----------

In short. In December in Copenhagen, nothing of consequence will be signed. There will be SOMETHING signed, but not really something that will make a difference.
It will be just an opportunity for some people to do a business/work trip to Europe.

Yet another proof that ignorance and shortsightedness of people is infinite.

Where there are flies, there are also Buddhas...

2009-07-31T21:21:00.002+09:00

人有れば蝿あり仏ありにけり
hito areba hae ari hotoke ari ni keri

where there's people
there's flies
and Buddhas

Kobayashi Issa *
1823

This is a Zen (Chan) Buddhist haiku by 19 century haiku-poet Kobayashi Issa. I have always enjoyed his simple, rural haiku, filled with irony, humor and undistilled Zen...
This haiku came up to my mind at one point of my recent Tibet journey. At one of the last points of the itinerary of the trip, in the very remote Sakya, there were so many flies that one had to wave ones hands all the time to avoid their landing on food, etc. Sakya is most notable (and named after) the famous monastery of one of the 4 most important Tibetan Buddhist sects, Sakya sect.Our objective of visiting Sakya was of course the famous monastery there...
Issa's haiku suddenly came up in my mind.

At this very remote, and very very poor place, I remembered Issa's haiku, which in an amazing and 'acurate" way described the whole trip...
People, flies and Buddhas.
I had a sort of revelation.
In Mahayana Buddhism EVERYONE has the potential to be a Buddha. Everyone. People, dogs, flies...Me, you.

I choose this paraphrased sentence of Issa's haiku, i.e. "Where there are flies, there are also Buddhas..." as the title of my Tibet's trip posts...I actually very much hope I can be able to organise a photographic exhibition in my hometown in the upcoming September with this title...Keep your fingers crossed!

Meanwhile. These past few days I have been caught in the net of having to do (and think) about other things which prevented me from initiating the posts about the Tibet trip...Another reason is my incapability to upload any pictures, which greatly upsets my plans for artfully/beautifully presented posts...The censorship's grip has become even tighter, lately it's hard to figure a way to go past it...

Meanwhile, at least titlewise I managed to outline some basic starting points of my recount of the trip...Actually I was very excited about the conceptual idea of putting my experiences, obsrvations and thoughts together...Kind of a project...
Anyway I will try to organise the upcoming Tibet trip related posts more or less in the following order:

The Itinerary
Altitude, Nature and Views
The Colonization of Tibet
Pilgrim's Path
Monasteries, Temples and Stupas
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
Monks
Nuns
Khadags, prayer flags, butter tea and tsampa
No-harming of Sentient Life
Discussions, Debates and Raised Questions
Daily Needs
Lhasa, Towns and Villages
Museums
Photography Moments and Shots
Fellow Travelers
The Perpetually Weeping Bodhisattva

Chödröl
....

* Kobayashi Issa is without doubt one of my most favourite poets. His rural Zen Buddhist "sudden enlightenment" poems are one of the reasons why I find myself here in Asia, studying It's languages and cultures...From October based in Kyoto,I will do my best to learn Japanese if not for other reason then at least to be able to fully appreciate his (and other haiku poets') poems in original...
Here is a link to Kobayashi Issa haiku if you want to check out more of his poems. On this site there are more than 9,000!
http://haikuguy.com/issa/index.html

Why Rebiya Kadeer is not the Dalai Lama. Why Xinjiang is not Tibet.

2009-07-30T15:15:00.006+09:00

There has been almost a month since the tumultuous and bloody events in early July in Xinjiang.
It was a very important and thought provoking event with many complex reasons and implications.
Quite deservedly there have been many commentaries and analysis.
Unlike the events from March last year when for quite sometime Tibetans rose up in different parts of Tibetan territories for quite some time. Which prompted heavy military crush of the dissent,
and troubles during the international Olympic torch relay, which in turn spurred unseen nationalistic surge among the Han Chinese, the bloody events in Urumqi did not last for that long, and did not cause quite the effect of last years events.
But both events have their shared similarities, but also there are many differences as well.
I also have been thinking about the events, I'll try to express a few of my thoughts about the question...

Firstly,a really must-read post at the very good China blog "the China Beat":

The Urumchi Unrest Revisited
http://thechinabeat.blogspot.com/2009/07/reflecting-on-urumchi-events.html
(for those of you in China, since this is a blog on blocked by Chinese authorities site, i.e. the same one as my blog's, this link can be only opened by proxy or another means of circumvention of the Great Firewall)

A good post by Evan Osnos about the re-drawal of two Chinese film directors from Melbourn film festival...
Jia Zhangke and Rebiya Kadeer
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2009/07/jia-zhangke-rebiya-kadeer.html

In the usual (and extremely imbecile) way Chinese local and central authorities said the ethnic and race violence in Urumqi was "an organised and plotted act by foreign hostile forces, lead by the "terrorist" Rabia Kadder".
That's a claim that the Chinese CG claims to have prove of, but has yet to provide evidence of, but we can reasonably doubt such claim's credibility.
The parallel with last year is obvious. Dalai Lama (and "his separatist forces") was said to have plotted the demonstrations, violence and riots of the Tibetans. A claim that the Chinese authorities NEVER really showed a prove of.

In recent days, after the bloodbath in Urumqi took place, a scheduled appearance of Rebia Kadeer, a famous Uigur exile, at an Australian (Melbourne) film festival, that is to screen on the 8th of August a documentary about her, prompted a very interesting aftermath of the events.
Kadeer is due to attend the August 8 launch in Melbourne of the documentary "10 Conditions of Love", which depicts her life story and which prompted Chinese attempts to have it pulled from the city's film festival.
After trying to "convince" Melbourne Film festival's organisers to cancel the screening of the film (through it's embassy and other official channels), and after mainland Chinese director's withdrew their films from the festival, China's foreign ministry officially complained to Japan for allowing a visit by Kabeer,
and has also complained to Australia over the planned visit next week at the festival by Kadeer, the foreign affairs department in Canberra said Wednesday.
All this cannot but remind us of Chinese reactions and actions towards the international visits of Tibet's exiled leader HHDL Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama) and the diplomatic attempts of the Chinese government to pressure foreign governments.
Dalai Lama has just received an honorary citizenship from the city of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.
(I suggest every capital in the free democratic world follow up and give him one!)

By the way, Kadeer on Tuesday drew support from the Dalai Lama, who told an audience in Warsaw that Kadeer shared his belief in non-violence and was not seeking a separate state.
Speaking on the Xinjiang situation, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said: "Using force, this will never bring genuine harmony. Harmony must come based on trust, and trust you cannot bring by a gun."

While both the Dalai Lama and Kadder are exiles, and while both lobby for western sympathy and while both are finger-pointed at by the Chinese, I believe that putting the Dalai Lama and Kadeer under the same sign is not correct.
I have no knowledge if and to what extend the framed "plotter-terrorist" Uigur exile is actually the Uigurs leader (whatever that means). That she has taken the role of one is perhaps true, but if she has the qualifications and the authority to do so is another question.
The Dalai Lama's person is something else. After my recent trip to Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) and to Tibetan areas, I have no doubt that he is in fact very revered by the Tibetans. In fact by every Tibetan I met or had opportunity to speak to.
(But that will be a subject of another post...)

During my recent trip to Tibetan areas through observation and talks with local people I have had many insights into some sides of the deep problems that exists with China's failed policies as regards to Tibet.

I believe that the same mechanism is also relative for Xinjiang. I was already in Tibet when the recent violent events in Xinjiang unfolded.
No doubt despite differences this instance of ethnic violence and the events from last year's March events in Tibet both have connection with the failed policies of the central and Local governments...
No doubt the ethnic problem is one of the very serious problems China has and is still to face up to in future...

In Lhasa almost every 50 meters in the Tibetan part of town there are military (armed) patrols. On roofs at strategic points in the old quarter of Lhasa, where I lived while I stayed in the city, and also at temples there were soldiers. On the road from Shigatse towards Lhasa I became witness to military presence on the Lhasa-Shigatse highway for a stretch of at least 150 km. (We learned that the Panchen Lama very controversial elected by the Chinese governement, and who is obviously not accepted by the Tibetans, was scheduled to go to Tashilumpo, a monastery-residence of the Panchen Lamas.)
Every 50 meters on the highway from Shigatse towards Lhasa there stood an armed soldier! I saw at least several convoys of total at least 150 military trucks heading inside Tibet. I saw at least one freight train carrying among other things at least one tank (that could be meant for the border)...*
Outside TAR, in Qinghai province (and I heard all other provinces that have Tibetan population) every Tibetan town has troops armed with heavy sticks that make show drills on the streets...
At least 80 percent of the city of Lhasa is now de facto Han Chinese.
For instance at least 80 % of the taxi drivers in Lhasa were Han. On the train to Lhasa at least 80% of the passengers (especially the hard seats) were migrant Han Chinese workers. Most Tibetans cannot even afford (or be able to buy a ticket for) a hard seat. Most Tibetans apart from pilgrimage to holy sites actually don't seem to want to go anywhere. (Those who want are not alowed. For isnstance Tibetans usualy cannot obtain an international passport.)
In both directions to and from Lhasa there were hardly any Tibetans! This if not anything else proves that building the railway to Lhasa is not a contribution to the development of Tibet, it is not to the benefit of Tibetans, but merely it is to facilitate its colonization and make it quicker!

To me all the above no doubt looks like an occupation and colonization.
In view of the situation I somehow think Tibetans' anger is understandable...(Violence of course is not excusable for any reason...)

I don't support violence, but I'm definitely not supportive of the
China's nation building methods...nor do I think that if everything
was so harmonious as the government claims is there will be a need of such military intimidation. People have a boiling frustration and it will inevitably erupt. China no doubt has the means (military might) to quash any riot or even uprising...

No doubt Tibet now is part of China. So is Xinjiang.
I'm not so informed about the political, historic and cultural
background of Xinjiang, and since I have never been there I don't feel authorised to express much opinion...
But as regards Tibet, I have made an effort to acquaint myself as best I can...There are many similarities in the reasons for the ethnic tension and violent outbursts.

Some have drawn parallels between the violence this month in Urumqi and last years' Tibetan riots in Lhasa. In fact there are many, but also each has it's own reasons and background that sets it clearly apart from the other.
The biggest similarity perhaps is that both instances of ethnic violence were brought by the suppression of a demonstration. In Lhasa last year BEFORE the violence unleashed, before
angry Tibetans burned, beat and killed Han Chinese, there were several peaceful protests which forceful suppression led to the violence.
I have no doubt that there was a demonstration. I have no doubt it was a peaceful one.
The problem is that the demonstration showed dissent. To differ from the official line is equal to a crime. Hence all dissent should and is crushed.
In Tibet, possession of a picture of the Dalai Lama is punished by two years of prison.
Or so I have been told by Tibetans during my last trip.

Obviously demonstrating in China is almost equal to suicide. Especially if it is a political one. (Biggest example Chinese government ordered fire against unarmed civilians 20 years ago in Beijing. For a nation simply obsessed with history, it enrages me how ignorant and apathetic young Chinese are towards this part of their nations history!)
Or if it questions the rule of the Party in some way.

Intimidation and suppression of religious believes and their free practice, the marginalization of indigenous ethnic group whose native land is over flooded
by outsiders (migrant workers, etc), assimilation...
I think all of those and more are shared problems not only of Tibetans and Uigurs but (I suspect) by all other many minorities.
The difference between Tibetans and Uigurs and all the rest of the minorities is that Tibetans and Uigurs live on VAST territories that China will
NEVER surrender. These territories have mineral resources yet to be exploited by the Chinese. Most importantly, these territories are borders!
Another important part is that for very clear historical reasons those territories have NOT been a part of the former Chinese empires for VERY long periods of time.
In the case of Xinjiang, my knowledge of history makes me conclude that while the territory which is now included in the Autonomous region of Xinjiang was not part of Chinese empires,
it was NEVER a country, but a dozen of different independent kingdoms. So, objectively and historically speaking, if we have to take this into account, Uigurs CANNOT have the right to claim an independent country
on the whole territory that is Xinjiang...(Not sure of a possible legitimacy of a much smaller Uigur state)
So, in short, while Xinjiang was indeed forced by military force into entering the new Chinese state at the end of the (last) Qing dynasty, this invasion, colonization, etc. is not one of an independent country.

All that, however, does not nullify the fact that the Uigurs (and other Muslim minorities) have been systematically oppressed, their rights violated.
And it doesn't mean that Chinese Central Government (I intently never use Communist when I refer to China, since I don't believe communist should be misused as a bad word, and most importantly I don't believe
that the Chinese government is actually communist at all...)
Since I do not really know very well the situation in Xinjiang and most of the background is very vague for me, I cannot have the
qualification to comment on the events around 5th of July that led to the ethnic bloodbath between Uigurs and Han Chinese...
There are similarities in many points though.
One similarity is that the Chinese government (AGAIN!) without acknowledging its failed policies that have most probably let to the build up before the
erupted violent outburst is again trying to put the blame on "outside malicious plotting forces", and more specifically pointing it's finger at one single person. This time
it is a woman, a mother and grandmother of a dozen, who has been a dissident and exile. Some news agencies have called her leader of the Uigurs. Hm, I am not sure that she is in fact recognised by the Uigurs themselves as such...
In difference with Dalai Lama, who is IN FACT, really the Tibetans leader (at least most Tibetans think so), she is most probably made more popular by the Chinese efforts to put the
blame on "outside plotters"...Whatever her agenda might be, I find it hard to believe this woman is a violence and organised murder plotter and leader of a terrorist organization, as the Chinese Government claims her to be...
But as I said I am not aware about her real stature among Uigurs...so I have no way of knowing how cursing and blaming her, and finger-pointing at her will work...
As for the Dalai Lama. Finger-pointing at him, banning his image and making monks and nuns renounce him will only make his person all the more loved and revered among Tibetans, and in an ironic way this repression will lead to the formation of even stronger Tibetan identity...something the CCP and the central government really doesn't wish for...It has quite the reverse effect actually...
In Tibetan parts of Qinghai and Gansu Provinces (which are actually Amdo Tibetan territory) in Tibetan Buddhist temples monks defiantly display the exiled spiritual leader's photos! It is to be noted that in Tibetan temples and monasteries portraits of spiritual leaders and teachers are a necessary part of the prayer altars. That's a very distinctive part of their religious culture and tradition. The display of images of past and current reincarnations of living Buddhas or of great teachers is very central to their believe and ritual. Hence to display the image of the Dalai Lama is very much in line with this tradition and religious ritual. The Chinese government had the very counterproductive and unwise policy of banning his portrait. This is very strictly upheld in TAR, but I have seen (quite astonished) that this order is overtly opposed by monks and believers outside of the official Tibet Autonomous Region. An act of civil disobedience that leaves me to believe there is still much to be seen in line of this...

I will post more on this in one of my posts about my Tibet Trip...

UPDATE (31th August):
* It turns out the tanks I saw heading into Tibet (apparently) appeared in a Chinese State media report for a showcase military drill...Of course, without any doubt, the purpose of sending tanks into Tibet is not to just film the video report of the drill and show it on CCTV...Showing it yesterday on the central TV certainly is made deliberately...Chinese TV has no habit of "just" informing its population of military drills and making a news of it just like that...

China Strong (black humor mock-newspaper article)

2009-07-27T22:58:00.003+09:00

While I'm trying to organise my thoughts and impressions about my recent Tibet trip, and hopefully start a series of posts about it very soon, I'm also, (news "hungry", since for at least 2 weeks didn't read or follow news much) trying to catch up with news and events that happened meanwhile while I was on the road...
Needless to even doubt it, the biggest news for the past two weeks was the Urumqi ethnic violence which erupted just a day before I took off from Beijing...
I'm also trying to catch up on reading posts on blogs I'm following...

Following a link from Evan Osnos' LETTER FROM CHINA ( a very good China blog) on the New Yorker, came across a very funny mock-edition of newspaper called "The Onion" which recently had a China-dedicated edition...

Below is a short China related article in The Onion that I find quite funny (and short enough) to reprint...

CHINA STRONG

NEW YORK—According to all sources, the People's Republic of China is strong. The nation is united, the military unmatched, the economy vibrant, and the people ever joyful.

Similarly correct sources verified that China has always been triumphant.
In other news, the Chinese government is fair, all-knowing, and wise, propelled by the strength of two billion loyal hands, all pulling together as one under the Great Celestial Bureaucracy high above.

Experts all agreed that there can be no question of this claim, as this claim is the truth.

As of press time, the brute and inexpressive English language could not convey the full magnificence of China, nor its excellence in every arena, nor the protective warmth of the red sun that shines forever on its borders, nor the innumerable glories of its Great Leaders.

New reports also indicate that China will grow stronger yet. 鱼

link:
China Strong
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/china_strong

Pilgrimage To The Land Of Snows

2009-07-23T20:32:00.006+09:00

I'm just back from Tibet.
I came back late last night and the rich mix of experiences, impressions, thoughts, feelings boil in me...It's quite strange to find myself in my old room that I have lived in for 7 years, back to the city that I have considered "home" for 8 years...
It's quite a big difference. Not a difference that can be measured in the cities difference in development. It's a difference of soul.
For me Beijing has no soul. Tibet has.

I don't know quite how to "adapt" to my old self, and I'm really not sure if I wish to...
For at least couple of weeks I have almost completely forgotten about my long-time sorrow and sadness, my loss of motivation and purpose...
I'm not quite uncertain how to express most of my thoughts and observations which are many and put some of them into words.

No doubt. It was a trip which in my current confused emotional state I needed badly. A new experience to hopefully stir change. I haven't traveled for very long.
At this time that I find myself at my life's crossroads, with big changes awaiting, a trip like this came as a gift...
Perhaps deeply inside I was asking for some turn for the better in the way things are...
So it was more of a pilgrimage than any trip I have taken.
Visiting temples and "power places" in the land where native people still believe mountains and lakes to posses unimaginable great powers over humans...A land where there are god-like spirits to be made tame by offerings made by the pilgrims...Having seen the vast expanses of the majestic land is Tibet I can't help seeing the "logic" in this expressed reverence for Nature...One is simply dwarfed among the vast expance of endless land, high mountains and mountains...
At least before the Han Chinese came with tanks, buldozers and railways to "tame" the land...

Hm, I actually don't even know from where to start relating my trip's experiences and observations...A couple of recent comments encouraged me to try to share some of it here. I will try to do my best and somehow organize things in my head and heart and make it somehow post-able.
There are too many things that have stirred my deep thoughts and deeply impressed me. Personal, spiritual, political, ethnical, social...
I took many pictures, but only very few are digital since I'm very 'oldfashioned' and use still obstinately film and a completely manualy operated camera...
I have a feeling for some very good shots, but that remains to be seen when I manage to develop them...For now, I have 25 films in my fridge...

Apart from taking many pictures and enjoying nature, undoubdedly I saw many things that stirred my deep reflexion on many issues...
The intimidating military armed patrols all over Lhasa and Tibet, the control, the obvious colonization process that is underway, the extreme poverty, the problems of modernization, the destruction and rebuilding, the overwhelming landscape that has moulded this land's people culture...This trip gave raise to many questions and many musings...
I will try my best to put at least some of them in some kind of order and share them here as a series of posts...

It was a good trip. Very rich in experiences and observations. As nearer to a "spiritual trip" as I have been.
I'm asking myself - in what capacity was I - a traveler, a researcher, a photographer, a pilgrim, or merely just a tourist?!
Perhaps a bit of all.

Somehow on some level deeply I probably hope to have "gained" enough merit with all the homage that I paid to Buddha images and altars, the offered kataks (katak, or "hada" in Chinese pronuncion,is a white Tibetan silken/flaxen scarves used as offering objects at temples, etc.), with all the khorras (khorra is circumambulation, or walking around an object of reverence)around statues and temples...enough to turn the wheel of my life in a new positive direction and stop the sorrow of loss and the feeling of lack of motivation...
I don't know if this very close to religious experience will have this result. But if nothing else I got a new name. A Tibetan name. For more than 8 years I had a Chinese name and many people that I have met for the last years knew me as my Chinese self.
I got asked a few times if I'm a Buddhist. I answered affirmatively. I'm not religious, but yes, my worldview is undoubtedly Buddhist. I see no contradiction. In many ways I'm a practicing Buddhist, without being a religious follower, without believing in prayers and rituals, without feeling affiliation to a community of others, there are many things in my way of life, in my understanding and ideas that make me such. So if I have to label myself I would not mind terribly labelling myself as a Buddhist.
It's not a matter of religious faith, it's a matter of accepting as true some (or most) of the explanations of human existence that Buddhist idea offers.
At the same time although I feel very remote from the Tibetan Buddhism, and hardly know anything deeply about it, each time during my travels the experiences in Tibetan Buddhist temples have brought me the closest to a religious experience...

During this trip I got a new name. I see this now as standing out with a special significance.
My new name is Chödröl, which translated means Dharma Tara, Tara of the Teaching. Tara (or especially as i am told the White Tara which my new name implies, is a female Buddha painted in white, a peaceful image in many Tibetan murals and statues)...I was given this name by the nuns in the Sakya nunnery in Southern Tibet. They were very kind and hospitable and I feel very honored to be given this name by them...

So with a new name I hope I can have a chance for a new, fresh start.
I wish I had enough wisdom to see trough all the sorrow and the things that make me sad even now...Just enough to be able to take a breath and look around myself clearly with hope...
Having experienced the physical shortness of air and oxygen in the high altitudes of Tibet I realize that I have almost stopped 'breathing' during the past couple of years...
I need to start anew somehow.
With a new name, a name full of positive power, I hope I will somehow manage to turn the Wheel...

Dalai Lama calls for democracy and reform for the future Tibetan leadership

2009-07-12T21:21:00.000+09:00

(This is a scheduled post...I'm actually not in Beijing right now, but I believe this is news worth mentioning...And since I'm not going to be posting for a while I have made this a scheduled post...And since my trip is to the "Land of Snows" this news is relevant in a way too...)

Dalai Lama says favours democratic leadership

(Reuters)The Dalai Lama has encouraged Tibetans in exile to embrace the democratic system of electing a leader, saying it was essential to keep step with the larger world and to ensure the continuity of their government.

In a video clip shown to hundreds of monks, nuns and lay people in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala late on Saturday, the 73-year-old also said it was no longer essential to thrust spiritual and political leadership on one person.

"The Dalai Lamas held temporal and spiritual leadership over the last 400-500 years. It may have been quite useful. But that period is over," the Nobel Prize winner said in the clip, according to a translated transcript.

"Today, it is clear to the whole world that democracy is the best system despite its minor negativities. That is why it is important that Tibetans also move with the larger world community," he said.

The Dalai Lama has suggested before it is up to Tibetans whether they continue with the spiritual institution after he dies, and could order an election among Tibetans abroad.

"When we put the whole responsibility in the person of the Dalai Lama, it is dangerous ... it is appropriate that a democratically elected leader lead a people's movement," he said.

"In reality, a change is happening in the responsibility of the Dalai Lama as the temporal and spiritual leader. This, I think, is very good ... a religious leader having to assume political leadership, that period is over," he said.
"As election takes place every five years, irrespective of whether the Dalai Lama is there or not, the exiled political system will remain secure, stable and sustainable in the long term," he said in the clip broadcast on Saturday.

See the full Reuters news report at
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20090621/tpl-uk-tibet-dalailama-b3150e0.html
-------------

Trip To The Roof Of The World

2009-07-08T12:00:00.004+09:00

As some of you know well, I am away at the moment...
If everything goes as scheduled I am already in Tibet (proper)!*
It is a trip I have long wanted to make...and have been really looking forward to these few weeks...
I have 30 colour films for my camera. The chances are I am going to probably use them all and even at some point wonder why didn't I get more...but let's see...
It has been a LONG time since I was on a trip and almost as long since I took pictures...I'm really looking forward to it...

Will probably and hopefully post more and much when I get back...

At this moment I'm on The Roof of The World!!!
This is probably the closest to the sky and stars I will get...

* By which I mean TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region).
I have made several different trips during the span of the last 8 years to other Tibetan regions and areas on the Qing-Tibetan Plateu, to some Tibetan autonomous regions in Si Chuan, Gan Su, Qing Hai and Yun Nan Provinces, but this will be my first trip to the so-called U-Zang region.

---------------

UPDATE:

(The Great Firewall of China doesn't allow me to have the capability of posting a comment in my own blog...so I answer here...)

Hey,Thanks for the comments and encouragement!
Will do my best to post as much as possible about the trip...
"Just a girl", thanks for the interest! I'm quite flattered that my blog has caught the attention of strangers...
Dear M. I laughed at your funny and witty comment (I'm sure it was your intention to make me laugh. It is appreciated), but no, I'm sorry, I didn't meet Karlsson anywhere...hm, some travelers of old claim to have seen levitating/flying Buddhist lamas/monks in Tibet...I was not so fortunate ;)
Saw a few Tibetan antelopes and a couple of wild foxes, many many pilgrims and some monks, marching military and tourists, but no flying humanoids on the Roof...But now that I think about it, I saw at least two snipers, Han Chinese soldiers, based on the roofs of Lhasa...

Film: Seven Pounds

2009-07-05T10:11:00.000+09:00

In an earnest effort to reduce the China-related posts, here is a post about a film that I watched the last couple of days and which impressed me for several reasons...

The film is "Seven Pounds", and though produced and filmed in the United Stated is unconventional for an American movie. Apart from the incredibly talanted performance of Will Smith, the beautiful music, great direction (the same director who made the very beautiful movie "The Pursuit of Happiness" again with Will Smith as the lead actor), etc. the most important that makes this film stand out is the story.

It's a story about goodness, self-sacrifice for the sake of the well-being of others and love. And while I'm sure that the makers of this movie are perhaps completely unaware of it's Buddhist connotations, for me it touched on topics that I am very much emotionally or academicaly interested in...It's actually very closely connected in a way with the topic of my theses - bodily self-sacrifice in order to safe someone else's life...It's also a very unconventional gentle love story involving self-sacrifice. Me, being uncurably romantic and naive as I am, find such story moving, touching and "real".I don't wish to give out more of the plot because it is interesting to watch without knowing what is actually happening.
Highly recommend this film.
It's a film that is very human and thought provoking. The best kind.

Sorrow and Depression

2009-06-26T20:52:00.006+09:00

It's been 8 years since I left everything I knew, I left family and friends, and made the life-changing decision of coming to live and study long-term in China. It was a choice I made very resolutely and responsibly. It was a brave thing to do. And I have achieved most of my goals.
It will undoubtedly have great impact on my life.
I have learned a lot, and many things have happened. I have changed a lot.
Recently I'm looking back to this part of my life and think very deeply about what I have found and experienced, what I have seen and felt,
what I am going to leave behind...For several reasons my life in China in the past 3-4 years has not been happy. Actually those of you who know me know well that I was extremely unhappy and sad. There are things that are beyond my power to positively change no matter how hard I try. I feel incredibly broken hearted, saddened, vulnerable, dejected...Each day I wake up and the day feels broken…

I regret very much staying in China the past 3 years. I should have left. Even though I had no "plan". I should have left. I stayed because I felt helpless to make a choice for change. I lacked courage and strength to move on.
I stayed because I was hoping with all of my heart for a positive change, I tried hard, but instead things got worse.
Now with each day closing in on my departure (which for the moment I decided will be somewhere in the end of August) my feeling of helpless sadness and loneliness increases each day and crushes me relentlessly.
Some days the burden of empty and joyless lonely days is unbearable. I feel lost.
It is true that 8 years ago I made a conscious choice to leave everything and come to such a far away country, in a way it is a sort of an "exile".
But being alone in a completely foreign country can be a devastating experience.
I am bearing the toll of my own decisions and choices.
I have no one to blame.

I'm trying to positively look forward to the change that will happen in my life with leaving China, but at this moment it is very hard to imagine that I will find joy and happiness in my life.
Unfortunately for many reasons China has had a damaging impact on most of my dreams, illusions, hopes. I feel much more bitter, much more cynical and negative compared to my usual pessimism, thoughtfulness and oversensitivity...
China was a mysterious place to which I traveled with a wide open heart hoping for enlightenment, knowledge, self-development. For some time I could cope with my loneliness, because there was so many new and different things to discover and experience. But from one point on disillusionments and disappointments just kept on piling up. I lost my sense of purpose.
I feel so utterly disillusioned now that it is hard to imagine that even such an
idealist like me will ever find courage to believe and hope and once again some day find the courage to open my heart to anything or anyone ever again.

These days I feel the burden of all this even more acutely.
It’s so hard to find again courage and strength and hope.

The hardest thing.

"DON'T BE EVIL"

2009-06-26T00:01:00.003+09:00

I actually really didn't wanted this BLOG to be a "China Blog", but it seems inevitable, since almost all of my posts are China-related...
This is yet another post about China.

Ahead of the 60th anniversary (on 1st of October later this year) when Communist China was established, OBVIOUSLY China is taking serious measure to make sure everything goes rosy and great for this important for the Party event...
ANYthing that can question, threaten It's authority will be 'harmonized'.
So the censorship machine is rolling relentlessly. As I already pointed out (it turns out others have similar thought and observations the recent Green Dam filtering censorship software might turn out to be an idea that will most probably have the opposite of the sought result...
Some have already noted the short term and long term implications of the enforced censorship...
I'm not sure about that. We must wait and see.
I have NO doubt that the recent Internet crackdowns are not just directed at really preventing porn from harming the young generation...I'm just sure that the purpose(s) is larger and broader...The anti-porn campaign is just giving credibility to the real purposes of the Internet crackdown. More simply put - the aim is control. Control (restriction) of freedom of expression, freedom of information, freedom of disagreement...

And while this Green Dam fiasco might have already backfired and actually prompted some people to become even more anti-censorship savvy and sensitive to the thuggish control coming from the top (some have already protested and even issued a manifesto, see below...), in the long term I'm thinking if this software and other measures actually manage to hold up it will have unimaginable consequences for the majority of the Internet users. And as we well can imagine controlling the Masses is more crucial than controlling everybody...Maybe the Government thinks that that is a risk worth taking.

Those who are more obstinate will find ways to circumvent the "Great Firewall", the others will just complacently put up with it...In the long run, people just accept "reality" and live with it. That's it. There is an amazing Chinese "quality", that always irritates me the most - putting up, indifference and complacency with the current status-quo of things...it is almost a miracle for someone to even question and demand change...Not a big one, even just a small dayly matter one...It's not that Chinese don't see problems or don't mutter under their nose complaining. But it is extremely rare that they will take actual action in improving or changing things...That's my explanation as to why the hell change is so incredibly slow in China. For an extremely dynamic country (perhaps unparalleledly dynamic) real, essentials change takes place with the slowness of eons...

The Chinese are ULRA practical people. If the intrusion is not too great they will just put up with it. There is a line of "tolerance" that if not crossed will just not lead to substantial disruption of the status quo. Ironically the Chinese proud themselves with their "endurance" 忍. And while endurance can actually be a positive quality in many cases it can easily be a negative one. In my view, if you have principles you should stick to them. In many cases Chinese-style "endurance" is actually meaning that they have nothing to stand up for. Nothing to defend, no values they feel strongly about, no principles that are crucial to honorable existence, no dignity. This kind of "endurance" I just don't respect and refuse to accept.

----
Meanwhile. China has obviously declared war to Google Inc. After blocking YouTube and Blogger some time ago, on Wednesday all Google services were disrupted, including main search engine, Gmail, Google Talk, etc.
It's an all out Cold War of China VS Google Inc.
Under the pretext that Google's search engine is providing links to porn sites, China is extorting (blackmailing) the popular mega-corporation to make even more compliant to "Chinese law" changes. (China's local search engine Baidu is linking to porn sites undisturbed meanwhile)
Google search already has complied with previous China "requests" for censorship. They will most probably do so now too.

The US government issued a formal protest against the Green Dam software, but the emphasis is on the trade, business aspect of the issue (firms are given the costly ultimatum to provide the questionable software with each PC sold in China after 1st of July)...

Hm. How about human rights issues?!

In some relevance, Yahoo!'s CEO on Thursday said a memorable sentence when asked about the requirements of the Chinese government and their implications for the restriction of freedom of information. (Not Yahoo!'s job to 'fix China': CEO )
She said: It is not Yahoo!'s job to fix the Chinese government.” That’s not the mandate that the shareholders gave us."

Hm, that comes from a company infamous for disclosing information before to the Chinese government which led to the imprisonment of Chinese dissidents...

So. When the question is about money big companies such as Microsoft, Yahoo! and Google with probably think more about profit rather than on loosing trust with "consumers"...
In Google's case, the most free-source and a corporation that has already won the trust and respect of users, whose motto by the way is "Don't Be Evil", siding up with "Evil" in excange of material interests will be a crucial loss of trust and respect. At least on my side...

----
Green Dam-ned related blog post and news:

Rebecca MacKinnon who specializes in studying Chinese media and Internet in her BLOG RConversation(blocked in China)in her blog post "China's censorship blowback" observed:
Most of China's educated, largely apolitical, internet-connected urbanites have until now been generally willing to accept the political status quo - and with it a certain amount of censorship, thuggishness and injustice, political paranoia and occasional bizarreness - in exchange for overall social stability (compared to any other time in living Chinese memory), economic growth, plus an impressive increase in China's global power and status. But whoever is driving the latest Internet crackdown and the accompanying moralistic propaganda drive may have done substantial damage to the government's credibility.

------------

China Blocks Google to Stifle Online Dissent Ahead of Nation's 60th Anniversary

"The U.S. and China are waging a war over the Internet, a war of information. It's a new Cold War," said Li Xiguang, dean of the journalism school at Beijing's Tsinghua University.

A declaration published Thursday by anonymous Chinese Internet users promised that all new efforts at censorship would be met with online sabotage.

"We are the Anonymous Netizens. We have seen your moves on the Internet. You have deprived your netizens of the freedom of speech. You have come to see technology as your mortal enemy," read a translation of the Declaration of the Anonymous Netizens published on a popular English-language blog, The Shanghaiist.

"For the freedom of the Internet, for the advancement of Internetization, and for our rights, we are going to acquaint your censorship machine with systematic sabotage and show you just how weak the claws of your censorship really are," the declaration continued.

Ai Weiwei, a well-known Chinese artist who recently was put under government surveillance for his attempts to create a complete list of children killed in last year's Sichuan earthquake, has called for a boycott of the Internet on July 1 as a protest against the Green Dam software.

--------

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

The 3 slogans of the Ministry of Truth in Orwell's "1984"

"God Is Great!" - the call of reform in Iran?!

2009-06-22T20:55:00.000+09:00

Undoubtedly the biggest world news (which followed soon after North Korea's recent nuke test) are the protests that followed last week's elections in Iran. Days of protests of young Iranian people with the help of world wide web services like tweeter, youtube, etc. have drawn the attention of the world. It turns out Internet has a great role in the organising and reporting of the protests.
After a supposedly fraud election bloody clashes with police and security services have resulted as defience to accepting the re-election of current Iranian President Ahmadinejad.
Since the Iranian Revolution these are the biggest and most tumult times in Iran. No doubt there will be a change. Let's hope that change will be for the better!
According to reports, in Tehran, cries of protesters, "God Is Great!" echo in the night...

----

In some relation.
In view of the events in Iran and the Internet role in the anti-government (pro-democratic, pro-reform) movement, NYTimes op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote a piece urging the support of anti-Internet censorship tools...*

Tear Down This Cyber Wall
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/opinion/18kristof.html?_r=2

Hm, I'm thinking. Chinese authorities and censors no doubt are watching (and learning)from the current situation of Iran...
What happens in Iran will no doubt be crucial not only for Iranians but also for the World.
The irony in the similiraty of Internet control (censorship) between the two countries is that Internet censorship has and is encouraging anti-authoritarian sentiments. Iranians are among the people who as a result of government consorship and control have become very savvy as to circumventing Internet censorship and control. Internet defience is not necessary equal to political defience, at least initialy, but too obvious censorship can have a very unexpected side-effect.
A situation very similar to that in China...
Recent stepping up of Internet control in China may turn out to have the oposite of the wanted effect...
And that can turn dangerous...

*By the way this post is made possible with the help of such tools...

China's New Censorship Softwear Tool Green Dam's Currious Black List of Words

2009-06-22T17:54:00.007+09:00

The "hot" topic of the last few days has been the new controvercial requirement made by the Chinese government for the installing of a "filter"-software called "Green Dam Youth Escort" which is to be included (pre-installed or otherwise provided) with each new computer sold after the 1st of July. While under the pretext it is to prevent youth from the harmful pornography and violence contents on the Internet, many people have already expressed serious doubts not only about implementing the order, but also the quality of the product...But most importantly it is very dubious what exactly the purpose of this softwear is. Is it really preventing and protecting youth from porn and violence or is it yet another effort (and at that not a very subtle one) to curb freedom of information?!

Recently on Wikileaks (http://wikileaks.org/wiki/A_technical_analysis_of_the_Chinese_'Green_Dam_Youth-Escort'_censorship_software)
there appeared a technical analysis of the said software.

The other day I spend some time carefully studying the linked list of non-pornographic words' black list.
It is just amazing what kind of words are deemed dangerous!!!

Green Dam black word list
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=czovL2RvY3MuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS9WaWV3P2lkPWFoMjd4ejRwYno2c18yNGM2ZHcyN2c2&b=13

Now reading this list carefully one is struck with the following absurdities. Never mind the obvious forbidden topics, i.e. "the usual suspects" such as FalunGong, Tiananmen "6.4 accident", Dalai Lama, human rights, officials corruption etc., there appear to be words in this list that one wonders why are they considered dangerous, the most absurd is the including of words such as gratitude, moral conduct, goodness, Confucianism...?! Hm, wasn't this software supposed to prevent youth from "harmful content"?!! How exactly does words such as humanity, humanism, goodness, etc. figure in being dangerous and harmful?!

Another inexplicable feature is the inclusion of the names of cities and countries...If you want to search for Australia, Amsterdam or Ukraine for instance you'll be prevented from opening such contents. One wonders why the hell names of countries and cities are deemed sensitive?!
But the most obvious target (apart from FaLunGong which appears to be the main target of the software judging from the black wordlist contents and particular obsession with the forbidden sect)seem to be all terms and ideas connected with Buddhism...
Buddha, Guanyin and Amitabha Buddha are obviously dangerous and harmful to the "healthy" growth of the future Chinese generation?!
It's no joke. Most basic Buddhist terms are in this black list : karma, karmic retribution, reincarnation are in the blacklist. But the wordlist is far from subtle. It is obvious that the "target" is religion and believes of all kind. Not only Buddhism is considered dangerous (monk, nun, temple, praying to Buddha, scriptures are obviously "dangerous" words), all sorts of basic words that have to do with religion are considered dangerous...priest, church...But definitely Buddhism is the main target. Practically some of the basic terms that appear in Buddhism are "dirty words"?!

So now it appears that "Buddha" is a dirty word?!!!

Who is the crazy, insane/ incompetent person who made up the list?!

It's ironic that those same people beat the drum of the so-called 5000 years of Chinese culture and history.
But, damn it, without Buddhism and Buddhist culture, China's culture doesn't come up to much isn't it?!!
Daoism and Daoist priests (and also Confucianism) figure in the blacklist, so one wonders what is not harmful to the Chinese youth if Chinese culture itself is in the blacklist...Perhaps money and stock and shares...?!!

I get the feeling that this softwear as many other Chinese intiatives was so badly conrived that it will instead of doing the "job" it was set to do it will backfire...
Already it has a very ironic side-effect of drawing riducule from people who otherwise will remain politically indifferent.

I have no doubt that this is (mostly) a (it appears badly contrived) political softwear. Not to mention the dubious fact that this is a state-inplemented monopol and there is the question of the huge amount of taxpayers money that will enter in a particular someone's pockets...Ironically, "corruption" is in the blacklist of "dirty/dangerous words"...

Sadness

2009-06-19T22:24:00.008+09:00

I haven't posted for a while...My last post is 10 days old.
Meanwhile I was away from Beijing for a week down to Canton (Guangdong Province) for a (well-paid) translation job...
That makes my plan to go on a trip to Tibet (a trip I'm really looking forward to and hope it will happen) in the beginning of July possible, which of course is the reason I took up this job in the first place...
Actually in a way it was an interesting experience. It gave me an insight into part of China’s reality I haven’t experienced before…There is a lot I can say and recount about those 6 days, but I will do this in another post in the coming days...
These days I just don't feel like writing...

Meanwhile.I came back 2 days ago and it feels so strange...
The truth is I feel an immense feeling of emptiness and sadness...
I can't help but feel very depressed. Even more than usual.
The problem is I know the reasons for my depression very well.
Time passes relentlessly. Days, weeks, months pass and I don't seem to be able to fix and mend things I wanted and needed so much to fix and positively change...I have almost no hope left that things will improve even a little bit.
It makes me feel very helpless and incredibly sad.
I don't know what to do anymore...
I really don't know.

I hope with all of my heart things can somehow miraculously turn for the better. Somehow. I don't hope for impossible things. I just hope to have a chance to make things better.

------
Three days ago, on June 16th, was my birthday. I got a stuffed grey plush dolphin as a present from a stranger in a bar in one of the most boring/depressing towns I have visited ever.
I usually don't much celebrate birthdays and holidays anyway, but my feeling of loneliness increased acutely...

The “Six Why”'s of The Party

2009-06-19T22:01:00.001+09:00

A post by David Bandurski on China Media Project (a blog I follow and respect) points out another recent Orwellian-like Party directive dubbed the "Six Why"'s...
Issued just a day after the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen events it is giving out a sign about what will the Party try to maintain lest to keep the Great Wall of "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" (whatever that means) from toppling down...

go to:

Because forsaking Marxism means toppling the Great Wall
http://cmp.hku.hk/2009/06/19/1668/

解读“六个为什么”(has the original text in Chinese on the CCTV website)
http://news.cctv.com/special/lgwsm/01/

The Tank Man - more reflections and angles on the Tiananmen 20th Anniversary

2009-06-09T17:03:00.006+09:00

One of the most strong and iconic images from 20 years ago (and one of the most important news photo of all time) is the photograph of a man standing in front of a row of tanks advancing on the Changan Avenue (the most important boulevard in Beijing with a completely contrasting name which ironically means, The Avenue of Everlasting Tranquility).The anonymous pedestrian dubbed "the Tank Man" ,blocked a row of tanks, producing one of the iconic images of that event.
Few images are more recognizable or more evocative. Known simply as “tank man,” it is one of the most famous photographs in recent history.

Twenty years ago, on June 5, 1989, following weeks of massive protests in Beijing and a crackdown that resulted in the deaths of hundreds, a lone man stepped in front of a column of tanks rumbling past Tiananmen Square. The moment instantly became a symbol of the protests as well as a symbol against oppression worldwide — an anonymous act of defiance seared into our collective consciousnesses.

Recently on the Lens Blog on the New York Times site there is a sort of a research on the origins and different versions of the image. It is VERY interesting!

There was not just one “tank man” photo. At least four photographers captured the encounter that day from the Beijing Hotel, overlooking Changan Avenue (the Avenue of Eternal Peace), their lives forever linked by a single moment in time. They shared their recollections with The Times through e-mail.
Here are two links to related posts:

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/behind-the-scenes-tank-man-of-tiananmen/
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/behind-the-scenes-a-new-angle-on-history/

I found these links following a post at the China Blog at the Time.com site. It's a blog that is blocked in China since at least 2 months. Here is the link to the corresponding post:
A New Perspective on Tank Man
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=Oi8vY2hpbmEuYmxvZ3MudGltZS5jb20vMjAwOS8wNi8wOC9hLW5ldy1wZXJzcGVjdGl2ZS1vbi10YW5rLW1hbi8%3D&b=5

Also check out this photo essay on the Tank Man on Time.com:
http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2009/tiananmen_20_franklin/

Also, Tiananmen anniversary connected an article and a post. The article is by John Pomfret in the Washington Post. The post is on Room For Debate blog on the New York Times.com site.
John Pomfret is one of the accused "anti-China" journalists who has a firsthand experience of the events in Beijing from 20 years ago since at that time he was a correspondent for the Associated Press. His article discusses a topic that also interests me very much, i.e. how has the CCP managed to stay in power and even make its position even more secure after such a breach of public confidence as the events in Beijing 20 years ago showed.

After Tiananmen, China Wedded Force With Freedom
John Pomfret
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060501970.html

China’s New Rebels (on the Room for Debate Blog on the New York Times site)
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/chinas-new-rebels/

"You've Been Harmonized"- China Demands New PCs Have Web Site-blocking Program

2009-06-09T10:50:00.000+09:00

Almost the biggest Chinese news from yeasterday and today is the report that China will require that Web filtering software be included with all computers sold in the country after 1st July. According to The Wall Street Journal on Monday, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology sent computer makers a notice on May 19 that PCs to be sold in China as of July 1 must be preloaded with the software.
The program would either be installed on the hard drive or enclosed on a compact disc, the newspaper reported, adding that PC makers would be required to tell authorities how many PCs they have shipped with the software.

OBVIOUSLY it's another step up in Chinese government's efforts to control pornography, but more significantly to control other 'sensitive' content on the Internet. After the recent 'anti-porn' Internet campaign during which under the pretext of cracking down on porn China shut down numerous websites and blogs which of course have nothing to do with pornography, the CCP government takes the "harmonizing" one step further - a softwear. (See bellow the AP report about the possible uses of the softwear.)

While the manufactorer Jinhui Computer System Engineering claims that the purpose of the software (called Green Dam Youth Escort in Chinese) is to prevent children from surfing prornografic content, one very important and significant ability of the program is to be noted:
Jinhui's Web site says its program also prevents the use of proxy servers or circumvention software to visit banned sites, measures often used by savvy Internet users in China.

Now that is obviously meant to stop/'escort'/ PC users from surfing politically 'sensitive' sites, etc. The move obviously is meant to give the Chinese government even more control over what users are viewing on the Internet.

Acording to reports China has hundreds of millions of web users, a number that grows each day. Without control who knows what can happen.
No doubt vulgar, pornographic, lewd and obsene content is controlled in other countries too (and in my view it should be), BUT controlling political content and free expression is not OK.
In China pornographic content is called "yellow"黄色,in a perverse twist the Party equals dissent views to pornography.

But when the Party says 'harmony', it means it!

China requires PCs to come with anti-porn software (AP)
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090608/ap_on_hi_te/as_china_internet_12

....
Through such mechanisms as network-level filters installed at the nation's Internet service providers, the government routinely blocks political sites, especially ones it considers socially destabilizing such as sites that challenge the ruling Communist Party, promote democratic reform or advocate independence for Tibet.
....
John Palfrey, an Internet censorship expert at Harvard University, described the latest requirements as "a potential game changer in the story of Internet control," by moving China's "Great Firewall" closer to the user, where censorship can be more effective.

Although users can unblock sites or uninstall the software, many won't bother or know how, Palfrey said. There's also the possibility of the software leaving traces, he said, giving users a false sense of security if the software blocks or monitors usage anyhow — or giving users enough uncertainty that they'll practice self-censorship.

"One of the most effective parts of China's controls is self-censorship, the perception that you are being watched or blocked," Palfrey said in an interview from Washington, D.C.

And though the software isn't currently designed for monitoring usage, Palfrey said a future update could give it surveillance capabilities, something easier to implement once the basic software is already on PCs. (AP) !!!!!!!

---
China Demands New PCs Have Web Site-blocking Program (PC World)
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20090608/tc_pcworld/chinademandsnewpcshavewebsiteblockingprogram_1

China Rising? - news feeds

2009-06-09T09:55:00.006+09:00

For the past couple of weeks and more while I was busy with writing my thesis, its defence, etc. several news caught my attention and I made a point to post about them. Meanwhile some time has passed,and maybe some are quite "old news", but since I believe that they say much about the current Chinese society I think it's worthwhile to at least point out to them with links and brief comments.

The FIRST news feed is a report about child traficking and kidnapping, a topic on which I commented in a previous post.
I have no comment to add to what I previously said.

Child kidnappers arrested in China: state media (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090529/wl_asia_afp/chinacrimechildkidnap_20090529083710

The SECOND piece of news is somewhat connected to the first since it is about human traficking. It is a news about released slaves. Yes, I haven't misspelled, slaves. Hm, I think the report speaks for itself. It also makes one remember a scandal a couple of years back when hundreds of kiln slaves were released.
This happens in a country that CLAIMS to be a socialist country, and aspires to become a world power!

Police free 32 mentally-handicapped from forced labor, arrest 10 suspects(Xinhua)
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/22/content_11418308.htm

10 arrested in east China over brick kiln slavery
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090522/ap_on_re_as/as_china_slavery_1

BEIJING – Police in eastern China have arrested 10 men for allegedly enslaving mentally handicapped people who were forced to work at brick kilns and endure beatings, an officer said Friday.
A total of 32 people were freed in an April 28 raid on the kilns located on the outskirts of the city of Jieshou in Anhui province, the police officer said, confirming a report by the official Xinhua News Agency.
The victims were all mentally handicapped people between the ages of 25 and 45, said the officer, who declined to give her name as is common with Chinese officials.
The boss of the operation told police he bought the laborers from a taxi driver in neighboring Shandong province who had picked them up off the street, the officer said. The victims were forced to work up to 10 hours per day with no pay and beaten if they refused.
Investigations were continuing to uncover more evidence about trafficking links, the officer said.
Hundreds of brick kiln slaves, many of them handicapped, were freed in raids in 2007 in northern China.

THIRDLY.
An interesting article in the New York Times about the demolition of the ancient town of Kashgar.
The report shows a very typical attitude of the Chinese towards old architecture and buildings with cultural significance that should be preserved - raze it and rebuild. Then say it's thousand years old. Thus China is full of ancient buildings that are brand new.
Another issue is that in the name of "progress", "modernisation", "security" Han Chinese manage to successfully destroy not only what remains of their own culture, but also that of other nationalities living in the territory of China. In this case the completely distinct from Han Chinese Muslim culture of the uigurs without much asking them.

To Protect an Ancient City, China Moves to Raze It
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/world/asia/28kashgar.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

FOURTH and last in this list of news is a topic much talked about in the media (sex themed articles obviously sell well and atract much attention. For a few days only numerous articles on the topic appeared in blogs and official media outlets). I decided to post about it too because for me it shows the chaos in Chinese society as concerns the absence of ethics, morals and values. Prehaps I'm too concervative in a way and a sex themed park is something that in principle in my view is a bad taste cheap vulgar entertainment that has no positive value.

But in the case of a Chinese one more other issues are involved.
In China prostitution, sexual promiscuity, debauchery, adultery are shockingly common. They are as common as smoking and eating. That common.
In their most ugly and vulgar forms.
In my observation Chinese are very far from being conservative, on the contrary. But to me they are extremely underdeveloped and backward in their understanding.
And while some people point out that China is yet to experience "sexual revolution" they are obviously misunderstanding reality. China doesn't need sexual revolution, China needs a little bit of "feminism". Chinese women appear very 'tough', even seem to be 'in charge' (seriously I have seen and heard men being bossed around, even hit and beaten by their girfriends, wifes, etc. which for one thing showes agression), but when it comes to understanding of sex they are living in the middle ages. Debauchery, adultery, prostitution and promiscuity are NOT signs of "sexual liberation". In fact they point to the oposite.
Hm, I guess I sound like a 'feminist' (and in fact I'm actually not), but it is deplorable to see men treating women like things, commodities, driven by lust and women obediently playing a part in this men's world. It is EXTREMELY rare to actually see someone feeling anything. Not just emotion, but a true feeling. Not lust, but love.

Love of course is non-existent.
Hm, I have a "theory" that love has never existed in China, but on that some other time.

I got a bit carried away... Back to the sex theme park.
The incredibly ugly (and offensive) statue which was supposed to stay at the entrance of the park would have stirred the anger of feminists in other more advanced parts of the world.

A Controversial Sex Park in Guandong Province that stired debate:

China builds first sex theme park
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8053596.stm

'Evil' China sex park torn down: state media (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090518/lf_afp/lifestylechinasexoffbeat_20090518161745

Staid in China: Yet-to-open sex park demolished (AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090518/ap_on_re_as/as_china_sex_park_demolished_6

The demolition highlights conflicted views on sex in modern China, where a prudish attitude toward discussion of sexuality is paired with an almost clinical approach to its physical aspects.
....
While pornography is banned and sex education largely unheard of, shops selling sex toys and related items stand out prominently in many neighborhoods and sex outside marriage is widely tolerated. Prostitution, while technically illegal, is widespread, and the keeping of mistresses among prominent businessmen and Communist Party officials is considered commonplace.
(AP)

The Umbrella Men - Undercover Policemen prevent media from reporting on Tiananmen Square (updated)

2009-06-08T17:36:00.008+09:00

Here is some black humor about the Anniversary.

This is a video from BBC, showing BBC's Beijing correspondent James Reynolds trying to get on the Square on the 4th of June, two plainclothes policemen stand in front of the camera with open umbrellas.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8082604.stm

Also below is a VERY funny version of this video with the original sound replaced with a song "The Umbrella Man".

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5237156/13823434

I tried to embed the videos here, but it doesn't seem to be working...

----
Also another amusing piece I wish to recommend here also connected with the anniversary is a black humor story (in Chinese) "An account of an ordinary citizen's adventure",posted on the Douban Blog.Below is the link to the original post. (Sorry, no English version for those of you who don't read Chinese.)
Obviously the story was written about this very Thursday. Inside I can see some of my own experiences on that day which independently proves most of my observations. It is a VERY good satire piece. Some of the parts are just great!

小市民奇遇记

author：十七只猫和鱼
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=Oi8vd29lc2VyLm1pZGRsZS13YXkubmV0LzIwMDkvMDYvYmxvZy1wb3N0XzA3Lmh0bWw%3D&b=13&f=frame

UPDATE. Last time it turns out the link to this black humor story I posted doesn't work (maybe it was "harmonized"?). I'm posting a link which goes to Tibetan writer Woeser's Blog were the story was re-posted.

Judging from posts on the net it turns out that many people have been to the Square (or tried to get there) that day. Strangelly enough we all picked the afternoon and more or less observed the same things. It's good to know somebody actually remembered the date...I wonder what if we all happened to go at the same time?!

See for instance two James Fallows Blog posts:
1. About his attempt to go to Tiananmen on the eve of the 4th when the Square was off-limits
http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/06/this_evening_in_beijing.php
2.The account of his wife who went there on the 4th and managed to visit the Square and observed the same orchestrated "crowd" of "visitors".
For instance her experience with her bag being searched, etc. and her estimate that at least 85% of the people on the square were undercover or outright security personnel coincides with my observation...
http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/06/june_4_report_1_beijing.php
---
Notes from a Non-anniversary
(a post I saw at the China Beat Blog)
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=Oi8vdGhlY2hpbmFiZWF0LmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8yMDA5LzA2L25vdGVzLWZyb20tbm9uLWFubml2ZXJzYXJ5Lmh0bWw%3D&b=5

The Gate Of Heavenly Peace - June 4th 2009

2009-06-07T15:10:00.016+09:00

No doubt June 4th is a special day in modern Chinese history. This week's Thursday was the 20th anniversary of the military crackdown on 5 weeks of protests in Beijing that ended in massacre.

The CCP government used force against unarmed civilians. Some people say that it is not entirely correct to call those protests "pro-democracy" since there was no coherent agenda to unite all of the protesters. What is undeniable though is that the young people of Beijing (university students were at the “helm” of events, including and very prominently students from the university in which I study), with a big support from workers, teachers and many others, wanted change, so if not "pro-democracy", I think the events can be called “pro-change”. Reports say that during those few weeks of protests in Beijing and other cities and towns of China there were hudreds of thousands if not millions of people who joined the anti-government protests. It is not clear how many, but at least a few hundred people were killed on the eve of June 4th 1989.
The "anti-revolutionary political hooliganism" (the way the Party still calls the events) was crushed with bloodshed.

20 years later a lot has changed in China and Chinese society. Mostly material change. Actually in many aspects China now is the synonym of change. But in my view and understanding the rapid change around is more or less only on the surface. (Some deeper and conceavably far-reaching changes are also taking place, but I remain very sceptical of their value.)
But most importantly, one thing HAS NOT changed. The same (and only) ruling Party that ordered the army to crush the protests is still in power. The portrait of Chairman Mao is still overlooking one of the ugliest and depressing squares in the World - Tiananmen Squire.
With a "carrot and stick" policy 20 years on since it ordered massacre towards its own unarmed civilians The Party has managed not only to stay in power (something unimaginable in a democracy), but also manages to convince the masses that ONLY under the guidance of The Party China can "progress and prosper". So 20 years from the pro-change protests, many important things have not changed. China IS still an authoritarian contry where security and stability overwrite almost every basic human right. No dissent or varying view is allowed.
20 years ago the government/Party ordered the Peoples Army's (!)tanks to roll over unarmed civilans, but Beijingers today look as if suffering from a severe case of amnesia.
As if nothing has happened. Life goes on.

On Thursday, the 20th anniversary of the "Tiananmen events" I was curious to see what kind of measures will the CCP take for Tiananmen on this sensitive anniversary day, so I decided to go and see the square on that day. I suggested it to a Chinese classmate and we decided to go in the afternoon, and a classmate of his came along with us. So the 3 of us took the subway heading for the center of Beijing. We got of one stop before Qian Men (which is the nearest subway stop on line 2, but we assumed will be closed). So we got off at He Ping Men and walked for a while towards the square. That day was exceptionally hot, before and at noon the sun was scorching, but when we started off from the university the sky was cloudy and it looked like rain.
Walking on we saw policemen watching and patrolling the streets, although it was one stop away from the square itself. As we approached we saw security increasing and by the time we got in sight of Tiananmen we saw heavy security presence, plainclothes policemen, guards and policemen in uniform all over the place.
I have read that the previous two days the Square was cordoned off and no visitors were allowed, but I also read Thursday morning in Western media that on June 4th the Square is open and that there is an impressive number of plain-clothes policemen, guards, uniformed policemen all over the squire.
We and all visitors to the sprawling plaza in central Beijing were stopped at checkpoints (underground passways leading to the square which otherwise is cordoned off by short steel fences) and were searched. Obviously, foreigners (such as me), were singled out and bags were also hand searched (apart from X-Rayed). The policeman who was standing after the X-Ray machine was busy with a bunch of other foreigners so he didn’t notice me, when I slipped and followed after my Chinese friends. I overheard him asking (both in Chinese and English) the foreigners if they were journalists. Later I saw foreigners turned away at checkpoints and media reports confirm that foreign television crews and photographers were firmly turned away, which I can confirm to be true, since apart from me there were only a few other foreigners on the square at that time.
When we went up on the square what struck us immediately were the tourist busses parked behind Mao’s mausoleum, something otherwise uncommon. Also a large part of the tourists were wearing badges with the national emblem of China, a fact that looked suspicious to me. Many others (I presume, plainclothes policemen, wearing badges with the national flag, were walking around looking almost intently on us.
Uniformed and plainclothes officers, easily identifiable by their similar shirts, seemingly outnumbered tourists.
Actually we stood out in a way. Me wearing a black blouse, black skirt and black sandals (deliberately, see Wear White Day post), my friend and classmate-of-sorts L.X. wearing a white T-shirt with the name of our university, and his classmate also wearing a white T-shirt and slippers. Obviously we stood-out, hm, especially me in my black "attire".
Later on there was a strange drizzle from which we hid in one of the north underpasses, and then we came back again on the square. Obviously, because we stood at one place for a while we caught the attention of security, and when we decided we should start moving an uniform policeman waived at us to approach him, showed us his police badge (I guess that was for my sake, because his attitude was "textbook") and wanted to see the identification of my two Chinese friends. After they gave him their students cards, he asked them (not addressing me): “And this person is…?”, meaning me...I immediately said (in Chinese) that I’m a classmate and I also presented my student card ID. The policeman then asked my friend to open his backpack and see its contents. There was a laptop and a copy of my graduation thesis which a gave him a couple of hours before. Then the policemen asked us what we were doing on Tiananmen. My friend’s classmate said we were having a meal at a nearby restaurant (a lie) and just came for a walk. Convinced or not, he murmured that our university is a “good university” and let us go. We decided we have stayed long enough on the square (meanwhile I have (deliberately) taken my picture in front of Mao’s mausoleum and in-between two uniform guards in front of the Heroes Monument, in both occasions making the victory sign with my hand. A symbolic gesture, my very humble way of protest) so we headed for the northern underpass exit. Thus our visit to Tiananmen Square, "The Gate of Heavenly Peace",ended.
Heading for a subway entrance we continued on foot for a while on Changan Avenue, "The Avenue of Long Tranquility", hm, another name that is contradictory to historical and actual events. On this same avenue (the main street in the center of Beijing) 20 years ago the army tanks approached to crush the protests...

Even if someone wanted to protest there were enough measures to make this protest either impossible or in the best, short-lived.
In fact most of the people we saw on the squire that day were either undercover or outright security, or were provincial middle age tourists. One of the stark difference with 20 years ago was that, apart from the 3 of us maybe there were no other students on the square.
And this fact says much, I think.
Even these 2 Chinese guys came to Tiananmen because I came up with the idea. I do not believe that they would have done so without my suggestion…
So all of this makes me think very deeply about things.

Is it decades of brainwashing, is it fear, is it innate utilitarianism, or is it being generally apolitical that makes young and/or educated people of today so selfishly apathetic to the obvious flaws in Chinese society? The stark differences between poor and rich, the absence of law and order, the corruption, the moral and ethical decay, the violation of basic rights, the authoritarian system that suffocates ANY different view, etc, etc.…How come NONE of those very obvious problems doesn’t raise any protests?! Why?!

What is the price for staying silent?!

news feeds:
Police Swarm Tiananmen Square to Bar Protests
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/world/asia/05beijing.html

China security tight in Tiananmen
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090604/ts_nm/us_china_tiananmen_17

----

With this post I really wanted to embed the picture of the "tank man", one of the most famous reportage photos in the world, but I couln't...Blogspot is still blocked and posting (especially embedding images) is really not easy...

Message on the Twentieth Anniversary of Tiananmen Square by Hillary Rodnam Clinton

2009-06-04T13:52:00.000+09:00

Below is the full text of the message as seen on the webpage of the US Department of State. Since it IS an important message I'm posting it here, instead of merely giving a link.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message on the Twentieth Anniversary of Tiananmen Square
by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 3, 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this the 20th anniversary of the violent suppression of demonstrations in Tiananmen Square by Chinese authorities, we should remember the tragic loss of hundreds of innocent lives and reflect upon the meaning of the events that preceded that day.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets for weeks, in Beijing and around the country, first to honor the late reformist leader Hu Yaobang and then to demand basic rights denied to them.

A China that has made enormous progress economically, and that is emerging to take its rightful place in global leadership, should examine openly the darker events of its past and provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal.

This anniversary provides an opportunity for Chinese authorities to release from prison all those still serving sentences in connection with the events surrounding June 4, 1989. We urge China to cease the harassment of participants in the demonstrations and begin dialogue with the family members of victims, including the Tiananmen Mothers. China can honor the memory of that day by moving to give the rule of law, protection of internationally-recognized human rights, and democratic development the same priority as it has given to economic reform.

----------------------------
Also in this line:

US Congress urges China to free Tiananmen inmates
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090603/wl_asia_afp/chinapoliticsrightsuscongress_20090603031336

Statement on the 20th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square of HH the 14th Dalai Lama
(since the site is blocked in China I'm directly posting links that make it accesible)
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=Oi8vd3d3LmRhbGFpbGFtYXdvcmxkLmNvbS90b3BpYy5waHA%2FcD00NjA%3D&b=13&f=frame (in Chinese)
http://www.fast-box.net/browse.php?u=Oi8vd3d3LmRhbGFpbGFtYS5jb20vbmV3cy4zODMuaHRt&b=13&f=frame (in English)

China blocks more sites ahead of anniversary

2009-06-03T09:36:00.002+09:00

Apart from Google owned YouTube (since March) and Blogger (since middle of May) which were already blocked earlier, as of Tuesday China censors have blocked access also to Twitter, Bing, Flickr, Opera, Live, Wordpress and Hotmail...
That is this is added to the sites which are blocked always anyway, like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders...the list goes on and on...

20 years later China still thinks it can hide its skeletons in the wardrobe.
Or judging from the apathy and silence of the Chinese citizens, maybe it can?!

China blocks websites ahead of Tiananmen anniversary (Reuters)

A very interesting Chinese report on Tibet

2009-06-02T23:17:00.000+09:00

A couple of weeks ago I came upon a report on Tibet in Chinese that although filled with Marxist terms etc is very interesting to read...Since I haven't posted here for a long time I didn't comment on it meanwhile.
I read the report as soon as I accidentally stumbled upon it on Internet (the link was at the Tibetan poet Woeser's blog).
The report is mainly remarkable for the fact that it is a Chinese report, written by Chinese. Recently TIME had an article about it. The International Campaign for Tibet (the site is of course blocked in China) has an English translation of the report.
Below I post some of the contents of the ICT article, and at the end of this post are the links to both the original Chinese text and the English translation of the report.
It is very worth to read this report.

The article at TIME:
Failed Government Policies Sparked Tibet Riots: Reporthttp://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090526/wl_time/08599190089900

............
A bold and remarkable new report by a group of Chinese scholars in Beijing challenges the official position that the Dalai Lama “incited” the protests that broke out in Tibet in March 2008, and outlines key failings in the policy of the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Tibet. The report, which is translated into English by International Campaign for Tibet (http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/ict-news-reports/bold-report-beijing-scholars-reveals-breakdown-china%E2%80%99s-tibet-policy), is the first such analysis from inside China and comes at a time of crackdown in Tibet when the PRC government is taking an increasingly hardline position against the Dalai Lama.

Until now, the report which was posted online on May 12, 2009, has appeared only online in Chinese and it is unlikely to be disseminated publicly in China. It is the result of a month-long investigation by a Beijing-based lawyers’ organization and thinktank called Gongmeng (Open Constitution Initiative). The report’s authors, several of whom attended the prestigious Beijing University Law School, conclude that China’s strategies to ensure ‘stability’ in Tibet have failed, and that China’s propaganda offensive has created divisions and further exacerbated tensions.

The authors of the report state: “Even though research was carried out in the field for only a month, we deeply sensed the popular discontent and anger behind the incidents [of the spring 2008 protests], and the complexity of their social roots… An important perspective for interpreting the 3.14 incident [March 14, 2008, when protesting turned to violence in Lhasa] is that it was reaction made under stress by a society and people to the various changes that have been taking place in their lives over the past few decades. The notion that appears impossible to understand is the implication that reasonable demands were being vented, and this is precisely what we need to understand and reflect upon.”

The authors cite as a contributing factor to the protests that began in March 2008 the high levels of marginalization among Tibetans as a result of Chinese economic policies, saying: “From the level of actual benefits, the current rapid process of modernization has not given the ordinary Tibetan people any greater developmental benefits; indeed, they are becoming increasingly marginalized.” The report also refers to deepening rural-urban inequality in Tibetan areas, and notes the government policy of not interfering with the numbers of Chinese migrants flooding into Tibetan cities, and the undermining of the Tibetan language leading to disempowerment of Tibetans.

The report notes that in Lhasa, taxi drivers are mainly non-Tibetan, travel agencies are nearly all owned by outsiders, tourist stalls are not owned by Tibetans, and large numbers of Chinese work in businesses and the tourism industry. The scholars relate the impressions of a taxi-driver from the Chinese interior in Lhasa, who said: “When the land you’re accustomed to living in, and the land of the culture you identify with, when the lifestyle and religiosity is suddenly changed into a ‘modern city’ that you no longer recognize; when you can no longer find work in your own land, and feel the unfairness of lack of opportunity, and when you realize that your core value systems are under attack, then the Tibetan people’s panic and sense of crisis is not difficult to understand.”

The Open Constitution Initiative report is carefully worded, presenting its arguments in Marxist language typical of that seen in much of China’s social sciences, and it frequently quotes phrases and vocabulary used by the Chinese Communist Party leadership. Perhaps exercising the same caution, and possibly based on an intention not to alienate policy-makers, the report portrays the issue of Tibet only as one of governance and policy, without exploring the more politically sensitive issue of the relationship between Tibet and China, nor do they go so far as to use the concept of colonialism to describe the situation in Tibet.

One of the most important points in the report, which has led to intense debate among Chinese and Tibetan bloggers since it was posted, is the way in which a virulent propaganda campaign has stoked divisions among Chinese and Tibetans. The scholars say: “The ensuing over-propagandizing of “violence” was used to make the 3.14 incident ever larger, which created certain oppositional ethnic sentiments… Such propaganda actions are in the long run detrimental to ethnic unity. The fascination that Han citizens have expressed toward Tibetan culture changed to fear and hatred of the Tibetan masses.”

The new report by the Open Constitution Initiative is the first investigative report on the protests last year and the Tibet situation, based on fieldwork and analysis. The full text of the report is available in Chinese here, and the English translation by the International Campaign for Tibet here.

thesis defence

2009-06-01T20:59:00.002+09:00

My defense (of my master graduation thesis) was yesterday afternoon.
These past days have been completely overwhelming and utterly exhausting for me. I had very little time to write my thesis. I actually wrote it in more or less than a week, which for a 80, 000 character 115 page paper is not enough...
It was completely physically and emotionally exhausting.
But it passed.

The defense yesterday was not that bad as the Cultural Revolution poster would suggest (the characters mean “Big Criticism” or “Big Judging“)
I meant it as a joke…

Actually it was rather relaxed and friendly. All the teachers I have known for some time and their attitude was more or less favorable.
Actually most of the views they expressed were rather positive and encouraging.
It was the first time I have actually heard so much constructive and useful critique and advice in all my years here in this university.
I really regret they didn't tell me those things all the time...
I had the honour of a teacher and a couple of friends coming especially to hear my defense.
And just now a few minutes ago my advisor gave me a call to tell me to take more rest and relax which was unexpectedly very kind of him.
I am very happy for all this attention now at the end of my 7 years here.
It means a lot to me to be able to leave with more hope and strength.

So, yesterday was an important day of my life.
I turned the page of almost a decade.
It's a big deal.

But where to from now on?
I really don't know what will happen...

The Road Goes Ever On And On...

Wear White Day : "six-four"

2009-06-01T20:22:00.007+09:00

Only a couple of days from today, on Thursday June the 4th falls the 20th anniversary of one of the most important events in modern Chinese history - the military suppression of the Chinese young people's call for change in 1989. The government ordered the army to open fire, and crush unarmed civilians with tanks. It doesn't matter exactly how many where killed, hundreds or thousands. What matters is that they were killed by their government. The same government that rules today and uses much more subtle ways to suppress the dissent views, variety of ideas, discussion, critique, doubt or wish for political and social change.

The events that ended in the massacre on the eve of the 4th of June 20 years ago were called "counter-revolutionary rebellion" and for most Chinese today are successfully pushed into obscurity. Obscurity caused by fear or by apathy.On the other hand, the Government "understands" the (Han)Chinese people very well. The Chinese are possibly the most utilitarian, materialistic people of the world. There was a very smart way to rule the masses that the Roman empire invented two thousand of years ago and the Party uses well - "bread and spectacle".The Party has also added one more ingredient - nationalism.So the tactic for the masses is improve the economy and put as much incredibly debilitating and low-quality programs and adds as possible on TV, etc.Make people become consumers and not citizens.The (fake) Marxist materialist communist ideology helps too."But the tradeoff has been that young Chinese have no real role in shaping their country’s future — and may not be very interested in having one."
Actually as a matter of fact, Chinese people en masse do NOT want freedom of vote, expression and religion. For one reason or another, as a matter of fact for the HUGE majority these are non-existing problems, since most believe that "religion is superstition", they have actually no opinion and as a matter of fact really have nothing to say...So all the above are redundant then right?
The expectations of the West that Chinese actually want freedom do not correspond to the overall situation.The majority of Chinese have no idea what "freedom" of this or that is, and they really don't care.I don't know if this is a successful result of the evil genius Party plan and policies, or it is the "natural" state of events. I see and understand that very well.
But still it is terribly disappointing to see what most of the young Chinese are today. Is this China's future? Materialist, empty, utilitarian, apathetic, mediocre...and/or nationalistic.When I see those pictures from 1989 I'm thinking, is it possible that this is the same country?!

WEAR WHITE

For commemorating this 20th anniversary some have come up with the idea to wear white that day.I think it is a very smart idea.
I find it hard to believe that someone can get arrested for simply wearing white, right?!
Maybe wearing black clothes might also do. Both are concidered colours of mourning.

20 years ago the Berlin Wall fell and this fact changed the world. It is time that the Great Wall of China also falls sometime soon.

China needs to change. For it's own sake.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xqyvg-2sQ30/Sh8_STgcJOI/AAAAAAAAAPA/3s3dazljEFY/s800/capt_photo_1241753377246-1-0.jpg

Tiananmen dissident calls for 'white China' day (AFP)

BEIJING (AFP) – Wang Dan, a key figure in the 1989 pro-democracy protests in
China, said Thursday he hoped the nation would be "covered in white" to mark the
anniversary of the bloody Tiananmen crackdown."We are promoting a campaign
called 'White Clothes Day,'" Wang, who was jailed for years in China before
being exiled, told AFP from Taiwan, where he was staying temporarily to continue
his fight for democracy."That means we appeal to Chinese people to wear white
clothes (the colour of mourning in China) on June 4 to remember June 4, and we
hope that on that day, we can witness a China covered in white," he
explained.Studying at Peking University in 1989, Wang was first on a list of 21
most wanted students in China after the army cracked down on the Tiananmen
demonstrations, killing hundreds, and possibly thousands.After being arrested,
Wang was sentenced to four years in prison in 1991 and freed in 1993. He was
re-arrested in 1995 after continuing to campaign for human rights and democracy
and sentenced the following year to a further 11 years in jail.

------------------------- ---------------------------------------------

Western media have published some interesting articles recently days before the anniversary.I find those comparing the generation of young people 20 years ago and those of today the most interesting, here are some articles, that if you have time you may read:

Apathy of China's Young GenerationTiananmen anniversary unimportant to China's youth
(LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-china-youth22-2009may22,0,1381,full.story
Tiananmen protests hold little interest for China's youth (Reuters)http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090528/wl_nm/us_china_tiananmen_youth_2
China faces dark memory of Tiananmen (AFP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090531/ts_afp/chinapoliticsrightstiananmen_20090531052350Activist groups have called on citizens simply to wear white -- the traditional colour of mourning -- to honour those killed in the mayhem that erupted when tanks and troops rolled in to crush the protests.
Web-savvy & cynical: China's youth since Tiananmen (AP)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090530/ap_on_re_as/china_born_on_the_fourth

DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER
DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER
DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER
DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER
DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER

("1989" George Orwell )

finally handed-in my thesis today

2009-05-26T21:38:00.005+09:00

It HAS been a while since my last post.
I didn't even read the news with my morning cup of coffee the past few days (apparently meanwhile North Korea did a nuke test of which of course I was oblivious. Hm, to think of it, is it so important for our existence to have this kind of information really?!)
And of course I didn't have any time to post here.
The last few days were physically and mentally busy and exhausting.
In just a few days I had to write my thesis. In fact it only took the time since Thursday until today 7 o'clock in the morning to finish it.
In fact I have worked on this topic for the last 3-4 years and I have collected so much material that I still haven't even managed to mention or use some of it. However writing all than on paper under emotional pressure is NOT easy.
It was an intense and wearisome experience.
Here I wish to thank my Chinese friends and classmates who helped me those few days with the overwhelming task. I wish to thank my dear (pregnant) friend H. R.F. for her help and for staying in front of the computer for hours for two days in a row. I also want to thank Z.F. for checking and being responsible for the Traditional Chinese Character script. ( I decided that since my thesis is using so much of Classical Chinese texts, it must be printed in the form that is as close to the original as possible).
Lastly said, but mostly indebted I am to L.X. for his forbearance and untiring help those few days. Without his help and support this thesis would not have been ready today.
I am indebted to all three of you. MARGA, thank you!
After sleeping for 2 hours last night and after not having key elements even ready a couple of hours before deadline, with the help of my friends I somehow managed to get it done in time.
I haven't even read the thing (or seeing it in a finished for printing form)before I printed it out. Reading it now, I find that there are quite a few places that I could have easily seen and changed if only I had time to at least read it once.
Oh, well.
Frankly speaking judging from the whole attitude of my advisor and the teachers who are going to read the paper it is very HARD to feel motivation for doing something very good. It will not be appreciated.
My defense is this coming Sunday.
For my own sake I'll try this days to at least correct the mistakes I already noticed...

i found a peephole...

2009-05-18T22:41:00.009+09:00

I DID find another way to embed pictures!!!

This annoying Chinese censorship will make me more PC-savvy if not something else! An unexpected encouragement in creativity and a bonus out of nuisance!

something beautiful

2009-05-18T21:44:00.004+09:00

Yesterday in the early afternoon, frustrated and for many (mainly emotional) reasons, unable to write and work on my thesis, I took a walk on campus in my favourite northern part of it. There are fewer tourists and other annoying Chinese in that part of campus, with a few secluded walk lanes and lakes. It's actually very beautiful and has given me much strength during the past few years. It's also the area where I (used to) run each day in the morning...

Yesterday, feeling rather depressed I decided it's not a bad idea instead of staying in my room, to just be outside for a while...
The weather was actually quite good, clear blue sky, very strong subnshine and the intense green of the trees...
(The day before there was a pretty nasty sand storm, something normal at this time of year here in Beijing...I am terrified to think what is the condition of my lungs after breathing this filthy poluted air for 8 years.
Yesterday it appeared all cleared up by the strong wind, so it was a fine day.)

Anyway, as I was strolling alone on a winding secluded lane in my most favourite,most secluded and peaceful part of campus (and Beijing, and whole of China)I saw in one of the lakes a mother duck with her four ducklings swimming in front of her.
It is not rare to see birds and squirrels on campus, since a part of it is a park, and I believe I have previously seen the she-duck and her partner swimming before together, but this scene was so incredibly simple, but immenselly beautiful and serene...
Imagine, lush green, patches of shadow and sunshine on the water, the gentle swishing sound of the ducks swim, a woodpecker on a nearby tree knocking hard on the tree bark, soft, but intense light of an early afternoon...and silence.

I followed slowly the five ducks' swim for a while, gracefully, passed under a sort of a concrete bridge towards the next lake, until they hid in the reeds...There was actually the male duck (you can tell from his colourfull feathers, different from her brown and simple ones) being by himself. The she-duck following her 4 ducklings gracefully passed him (he was actually at some distance) and went further away...
The beauty of these few minutes was complete. I watched very quitely, almost transfixed.
It was a gift.

As I mentioned a couple of times already, I'm suppossed to be writing my thesis these days. There isn't much time left, and I'm almost nowhere...I'm going to write some other time more about it, but what I saw yesterday, the tranquility of the scene with these ducks gave me much inspiration since my thesis has much to do with animals in the Buddhist jatakas (former birth stories), but about that, some other time...

Meanwhile Blogger is still blocked here in China, but hopefully I will be able to circumvent the censorship and post nevertheless with the use of proxy browsers...
It appears that if I post from my laptop all the options for colours and fonts might work, so that's not bad. I was afraid my posts will be too dull without any pictures and other 'embelishments'...Uploading pictures seems not to be possible, but I'm going to think something up...

Big Brother Is Watching You: China Blocked Blogger!!!

2009-05-17T20:53:00.005+09:00

This is absolutely vexing and irritating!!!

The moment I decide to make a blog and it is sabotaged.
I have little hope that THEY are going to unblock it...Youtube has been blocked for more than a month (if not even longer) and there are no signs it will get unblocked...And now blogger...
With the sensitive anniversaries coming up, my guess is that the black-out will go on at least until October...

It took me some time to find a way to post this, but at least this time out-smartened the censor-geeks.
Here is a way to circumvent the Great Firewall:

http://www.proxyblog.cn/free-web-proxy-sites/allunblockercom/

or

http://www.allunblocker.com/

Actually these days I have many things to share here, but have no time for posting...
I am writing my thesis (or rather I am trying to), but still, I had to see if I can find a way and post this...

For now it works.

(I have a GREAT photo to go with this post, but in the current situation this option and all the rest of the "fancy" options are not available...So for the time being, unfortunately,no special fonts,no colours, no photos, monochrome with just words...)

The 2008 Sichuan Earthquake : In Memorial of All Sentient Beings

2009-05-12T08:57:00.019+09:00

Picture: A stone at Dongkekou Quake Relic Park records the date and time of the earthquake that killed 780 residents of Donghekou village last year in China. By Calum MacLeod, USA TODAY

My initial intention for today's post was to title it "Selling Pain:1st anniversary of the Sichuan Earthquake" and to vent my indignation, disbelieve and disgust at the brainless, imbecile and insensitive idea to make profit out of misery, disaster and tragedy.
As I have said before, in China everything can be marketed and sold as long as there is someone willing to buy it.

Picture:On a hilltop overlooking the ruins of the town of Beichuan, hundreds of Chinese tourists now queue up to buy pieces of the disaster legend. Vendors sell picture books and DVDs of the disaster, incense and candles to be placed on memorials.

However just now, on waking up, I decided against writing the post about this. At least not today. But here is an article to give you some idea about the "earthquake tourism" that is a profitable business in the disaster zone one year after the earthquake:

Chinese earthquake park turns pain into profit
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-05-10-quakepark_N.htm

Instead of writing about this somewhat perverse phenomenon, I'll use this post to commemorate not only the people who perished as a result of the earthquake, buried under the rubble of their homes or other (sometimes badly constructed) buildings, children who never finished their classes and never went home, and the suffering and pain of those whose loved ones have perished, but most importantly I want to commemorate today the REST of the sentient beings who suffered and perished. Today, no doubt everybody will commemorate and mourn the more than 80, 000 people who died, but I'm sure nobody will even mention that along with the humans, together sometimes, possibly hundreds of thousands of other sentient beings also perished at the same time exactly.
It made an impression on me that in last year's reports for the earthquake only a few articles even mentioned the animals as the other victims of this natural disaster at all. A couple of dead pandas and a pig that survived made the news. And only one article actually mentioned the thousands of dead animals, "domestic" or wild. Another article (or the same one, I don't remember) actually mentioned the huge animal life loss, but it was in connection with the comment of the big negative impact of the earthquake on the local pork industry (Sichuan is "famous" for it's pork).

Hm, I wish I could somehow "redeem" this neglect, human insensitivity and lack of compassion today.
Suffering and pain is NOT a prerogative of humans.

So, this post is in memorial of the REST of the sentient beings that lost their lives in much the same, (if not much greater) helplessness facing this natural disaster.
I cried many times at the reports of the human tragedies, but my heart also goes to those nameless, uncounted, unaccounted-for, neglected other sentient beings who also died in pain, suffering, helplessness and terror.

And if there is a lesson to be learned, it is that people's smugness is ridiculous. Humans are NOT masters of this Planet. We are just 'visiting'. For a short while.
And we have absolutely no clue about how or why. Actually most times no clue about nothing at all.

Let ALL sentient beings be happy and safe!
.

'Empire of the Sun' author J.G.Ballard passed away

2009-05-09T14:45:00.009+09:00

British author J.G. Ballard, whose boyhood experience in a World War II internment camp became the novel and film "Empire of the Sun," died today at age 78, CNN reports. He had suffered from cancer for several years.
Ballard was born in a Western enclave in the Chinese city of Shanghai in 1930. The Japanese occupied the city in 1937, and Ballard and his family were placed in a civilian internment camp in 1943.
"Empire of the Sun," his semi-autobiographical account of the war years, became his best-known work, and it was made into a film by director Steven Spielberg in 1987.

I remember as a teenager first seeing the film and vividly remember how deeply it touched and impressed me. It is one of the most thought provoking films I have seen. I saw the film many times during the years. The direction (Steven Spielberg) , script (Tom Stoppard), production, cinematography, etc. are all excellent, but the most important is the incredibly brilliant performances of the actors, especially of the very young then Christian Bale. Because of the film I discovered also the book, which is also excellent.
"Empire of The Sun" is an emotional account of the Japanese occupation of Shanghai as seen from the eyes of a 12 year old foreign boy and is an account of the great changes that he undergoes as a result of his disturbing war experience. It is perhaps the best "war movie" I have ever seen. It has a heart.

If you haven't seen the film or read the book I recommend them strongly!!!

Links for the film on the Chinese Youku site:
part 1 http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f1881268o1p0.html
part 2 http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f1881268o1p1.html
part 3 http://v.youku.com/v_playlist/f1881268o1p2.html

China opposes honorary Paris citizenship for HHDL

2009-05-08T11:25:00.008+09:00

Again!

The "feelings of the Chinese people are to be hurt" by the French!

(Reuters) – China Thursday warned France not to grant exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship of Paris when he visits next month, saying it would only anger the Chinese people.
Last year, China pulled out of an EU summit that France was to host after President Nicolas Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing brands a separatist.
The relationship between China and France deteriorated after the disruption of the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay last summer by pro-free Tibet activists incensed many Chinese.
(People's Daily) - China demanded Thursday that the city of Paris stop interfering in China's internal affairs.Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the comment in response to a question on the city's decision to give honorary citizenship to the Dalai Lama next month.
-------
Now THAT will keep the Chinese nationalists busy for days!
Just in time to divert the attention from the upcoming Tiananmen anniversary.
By the way, also next month, the Dutch also are to hurt the sensitive feelings of the Chinese people, as the Netherlands Parlament, despite a warning (!) from the Chinese ambassador, invited and intends to meet with the Dalai Lama when he visits Holland.

Dutch to invite Dalai Lama to parliament
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jGVq3ezb1jGcE4bbKxf_KQoL5LRgD97JLBQ01

The World's Loneliest Pig

2009-05-07T23:36:00.007+09:00

This is excellent!!!

"Afghanistan's only known pig has been locked in a room, away from visitors to Kabul zoo where it normally grazes beside deer and goats, because people are worried it could infect them with the virus popularly known as swine
flu.
The pig is a curiosity in Muslim Afghanistan, where pork and pig products are illegal because they are considered irreligious, and has been in quarantine since Sunday after visitors expressed alarm it could spread the new flu strain.
There are no pig farms in Afghanistan and no direct civilian flights between Kabul and Mexico.
"We understand that, but most people don't have enough knowledge. When they see the pig in the cage they get worried and think that they could get ill," the director of the zoo, Saqib said. "

(REUTERS)

The domestic pig was a gift to the zoo from China (!), which by the way usually gives away/lends pandas as good-will gifts to foreign countries. Hm, the choice of giving a Muslim country a pig is to say the least strange...

China itself recently because of the hysterics around the A/H1N1 flu virus, last week quarantined some 70 Mexicans, 26 Canadians and four Americans, some of them reportedly quarantined SOLELY on the grounds of their nationality (which is completely insane!).

The rest of the REUTERS article is exceptionally entertaining and very worth the reading.

The pictures are excellent!

Human stupidity and insanity really have no limits!

Afghanistan's only pig quarantined in flu fear

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5444XQ20090505

News Feed: Collapsed School Buildings

2009-05-07T22:04:00.007+09:00

Really shouldn't be posting today or any of those days...I DO have to work on my thesis, there is hardly any time left.
But that's NEWS.

Chinese officials (obviously under huge pressure because of the coming up one year anniversary of the May 12th devastating Sichuan earthquake that killed more than 80 000 people and destroyed the livelihood of millions more) have finally succumbed and announced a number of the supposed schoolchildren victims, something despite of many months of probing they have been (to say it mildly) reluctant to do.
For those of you you haven't followed. Many parents have questioned authorities about the disputable adequacy of school buildings in the affected regions, the main argument being why adjacent government buildings were still standing while the schools were turned to rubble. Many people expressed doubts (and outrage) at the possible lack of enforcement of safety standards and the substandard school building which possibly might have caused their collapse ( and the possible crime of side-stepping building regulations to cut/embezzle funds ) and it is indeed one of the few more massive questioning of authority by ordinary Chinese in recent months. Until today the Chinese authorities (local or central) had not announced the figure of the dead schoolchildren. According to reports, they did so today.
The figure is not small : 5,335 students have perished under the rubble of their classrooms.
A compilation of reports from Xinhua and local newspapers at the time put the number of dead and missing children and teachers at around 9,000, but this possibly will never be known...

The important thing is that this was a great tragedy and the obliquitous attitude of the authorities will always will be raising doubts, even if most of the children actually didn't die because of shoddy construction, but because of the devastating strength of the earthquake.

Recommended:

China Releases Student Quake Death Figures
http://china.blogs.time.com/2009/05/07/china-releases-student-quake-death-figures/

Looking back on Chinese media reporting of school collapses
http://cmp.hku.hk/2009/05/07/1599/

a very interesting outline of the media coverage and the authority control of it...