5-7 April: Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China

Not to be outdone by time constraints, I had tried to cover as much as I could of Xiamen within 3 days. I first visited a beautiful islet called Gu Lang Yu, famous for its high piano population and rich European architectural style.

The red house shown below is a legacy of the islet's past as the prominent site of European embassies during the Qing Dynasty. Like the hundreds of its kind on the islet, it has now become a residence of the common folk after 1949.

The islet is a pleasant place to be in, and indeed it had attracted many influential Chinese of the past to house their residences here. There is a pavilion atop the highest point of the islet, where a skyline view of opposite Xiamen can be obtained. An image of Zheng Chenggong looms near, symbolic of a successful takeover of Taiwan during the Ming-Qing period. It is up to the visitor to decide if it continues to bear any significance as a contemporary.

I hopped onboard a cab to Xiamen University, known as the most beautiful tertiary campus in mainland China. For me, it has to be the most beautiful campus that I have ever visited in the country, followed by Peking University by my own standards.

At the risk of stating the obvious, Xiamen University was founded by Tan Kah Kee. Mini-museums, monuments, statues and buildings bearing his name are scattered all over the campus, adding a nostalgic touch to the picturesque campus.

I stumbled upon a calm and peaceful pond where couples populate by its circumference. By the way, the air is fresher and less polluted in Xiamen than in most other Chinese cities, so it had been a pleasant experience strolling the pathways and roads.

After a while, I decided to get in touch with my material side by going to Zhongshan road, the equivalent of our Orchard Road. The variety of goods and services offered there is decent, not to mention the abundance of discs and more discs.

I realized that I had to fulfil my spiritual needs as well. Off I went to a hilltop temple the next morning. The history of this temple can be traced to as early as the Jin Dynasty.

And then at noon, I prayed at the most famous temple in Xiamen known as Nan Pu Tuo (南普陀). It was established in the Tang Dynasty and had enjoyed imperial patronage for many generations. The vegetarian biscuits and dishes served were superb, so it does not seem too bad an idea to seek monkhood at the temple.

Xiamen and Kinmen

I visited Xiamen en route to Singapore from Anxi. Xiamen is a beautiful city that faces the Taiwan Straits. However, the first thing that I did in Xiamen was to take a ferry and observe the Kinmen archipelago from a distance onboard. The ferry crossed the green indicator below that marks the boundary between China and Taiwan.

I was overwhelmed with joy when the “青天白日”flag greeted me from afar. I had wanted to salute it but I reckoned that if I did, I might not have returned home alive.

The “三民主义统一中国”tablet on the Dadan island was erected by Chiang Ching-kuo to rally all Chinese under the principles expounded by Sun Yat-Sen. The words were big enough to be seen using a pair of binoculars along the Xiamen coastline. He was frustrated at the fact that Taiwan had been expelled from the United Nations.

Prior to this, Chiang Kai-Shek had erected a tablet that says “还我河山”on the Lesser Kinmen island in Yue Fei fashion after the Chinese Civil War. To counter both the tablets erected by the father-and-son duo, China constructed at the beach a big one that says “一国两制统一中国”. It is interesting to see how China and Taiwan have communicated via silent messages indicated on gigantic tablets.

The Kinmen archipelago is smaller than Singapore in its combined land mass. However, it had for the past 60 years experienced massive shellings and repulsed three major invasions from the mainland. This is remarkable for an archipelago that seems too small to be defendable. In fact, Kinmen had protected Taiwan so well that the whole course of history was changed to reflect the status quo that we now see in the Taiwan Straits.

厦门和金门，两地近在咫尺，却又遥不可及。

两门遥相望，却又紧闭门户，不留丝毫缝隙。

3-4 April: Anxi County, Fujian Province, China

I went to Anxi last week to conduct some field research at a local temple. I have a disclaimer to make here: Anxi is a very scenic place, but the photos posted here do little justice to its beauty because the best pictures remain in the memory card of my professor's hi-pro camera, and I failed to capture on a bus in motion the lush green tea plantations that dominate the rural landscape. My first picture here shows urban Anxi as a rather sleepy town:

In a nutshell, I was busy snapping photos of the temple, its architecture, offerings, devotees, altars, idols etc. I had also participated in an annual festive procession to celebrate the celestial birthday of the City God. Again the best pictures of the grand carnival of enacted deities and teeming crowds are left in the hi-pro camera.

Nothing was left to be done at night, so some of the uncles in my tour group decided on something that cannot be done legally in our local context. Here's a glimpse at our arsenal:

My eardrums were almost shattered when the firecrakers fired off.

And I didn't know that fireworks were this cheap even though I understand that the Chinese invented them. The uncles ignited one bout after another like nobody's business. Indeed, it was nobody's business without the kind of enforcement that we have here. I became convinced that we don't need millions to light up the sky.

Crisis!!

I have not completed my thesis yet. Anyway, I had forgotten my MSN password. Please:

1. teach me how to recover my password, or

2. add me at ykchan83@live.com (my new and temporary address)

Now I'm so glad that I had left my blog address in my MSN nick.

And it is no joke that I have lost all my contacts. :(

Victory for Taiwan!!

I hope it is not too early to say this, but it seems that Ma Ying-Jeou has won the Taiwanese presidential elections, trailing Frank Hsieh only in the Tainan County. The Taiwanese have spoken! They have decided to usher in a new era of progress and prosperity! They have decided to rid themselves of the incompetent government that had led them to nothing but pains and woes for the past 8 years! They have decided to seek justice in their own hands, through their own votes! They have made a resounding war cry that shall resonate for the whole of eternity!

台湾一马当先向前冲！马英九冻蒜！Long Live the KMT!

Taiwan has a future now! Brighter than ever before! Jacky Wu will become richer! What wonderful prospects!

The "One China" Market plan proposed by the KMT definitely sounds better than the ethnic divisions that the DPP had been promoting in the past. As a foreigner, I wish Taiwan all the best. BUT, 青いうち、すてきですね！

Tribute to the KMT! Long live the party and its cadres!

And for the victory tonight, this picture that I have will always remain priceless in my eyes:

Here's re-entering seclusion again! Haha!

My Last Entry for the Semester...

...and so I plan. I will 闭关修炼in the next few weeks to work on my Honours thesis, otherwise I will need to rely upon divine help to complete it on time.

I had received phone calls from Debby and Peggy, as well as greeting cards from Marvin. Thanks for all those thoughts! Here's wishing you all the best of health and luck in the New Year!

Valentine's Day was just over, and I had met enough friends last week to convince myself that most of the single and available around me are actively seeking the special someone in their lives. Good luck to them! Find one soon before your virtues are masked by your looks and wealth in the future, that is, on the basic assumption that all of which will improve in the next few years (with higher income you have the resources to doll yourself up and hence enjoy a better appearance). Those who stick with you when you are at your worst ought to be treasured and loved in kind.

Me? I wear shorts to school. Sometimes I don't shave. I prefer books to humans. Cracking jokes is my forte. I am only serious in my papers. Simply put, I just don't care. I have enough loved ones in my life to feel wholesome. Family and friends. What can be missing?

I am an aspiring academic. And an aspiring hermit.

I need to thank Peggy for helping me gather some of the research materials from Taiwan. She deserves a special mention in my acknowledgement list. My professor has been very kind and helpful too! And nice! Thanks to Jack who has always offered me timely advice when I need it. And to Jacky who has never failed to stress me out to make me see the fallacy of my wishful thinking. Thank You very much to every other person who has assisted me in one way or another. A more comprehensive list will appear in my thesis, if I ever get it done on time.

I shall camp at libraries. I shall sleep in campus. I shall feast my eyes on books and papers. I will do anything to complete the thesis. Never underestimate the willpower of a Taurean. But sometimes I do doubt my own intellectual ability. I hope everything works out fine.

On 15 February 1942, the worst capitulation of the British in Japanese hands occurred in Singapore. 66 years later, I make a vow to avoid that of my life.

China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Turkey. See you in my dreams.

Omniscience to my transient life!

现实

已经看透人生、目空一切，
却仍未看破红尘。
遥想过去，只剩现在，现在又走了。
若见故友，未来虚度，说我也将来。

Jacky Wu and his variety shows

I have an idol named Jacky Wu. He currently hosts many variety shows in both Taiwan and mainland China. Occasionally, he directs a few films and cuts a few albums, both of which he has not done in recent years. How is he able to cope with such a heavy workload, traveling from place to place and having to transit in Hong Kong without direct flights across the Straits?

Jacky Wu has emphasized the "Three No's" principle for his variety shows: No rehearsal, No script and No re-take. The viewer has to accept whatever he does or says without NG. This endows his shows with the vibrancy and wit unseen in our local media. Everything has become so impromptu, so real, and most certainly unpretentious. I was in a live recording of his "Guess" show 2 years ago, and the entire process lasted for merely 1 hour for a 2-hour telecast. Yet, with a huge viewership, it is obvious that the quality and entertainment value of his shows are not at all compromised.

I met up with a Taiwanese senior during the New Year. She has a friend who is a Taiwanse-born TV compere working in our one and only media station. Her friend mentioned that it is stifling working in an environment filled with scripts and forced expressions. Unnatural.

My professor appeared in the papers a couple of weeks ago. Some of us had commented that the photos of him looked "fake": my professor was featured reading a book and apparently in deep thought. The photographer should have done something better, like capturing him when he was speaking to the reporter perhaps?

We live in a pretentious world. 也罢，这世界本来就是虚假、虚幻的，只是现在才察觉到。也不算太晚，知道总比麻木好。I need a respite. As soon as I am done with my Thesis, 我就会到那我熟悉和那熟悉我的国度去，独自过着自在和悠闲的生活: 起码要待上一个多月，必定允诺。我就是这副贱骨头，对那封存已久的境与事总是难以释怀。

哭也一天，笑也一天，干脆逢场作戏过一天。笑一笑，就过去了。

We are all a product of our memories and experiences. Without a future to look forward to, I have my memories to fall back on. Back to square one. For eternity. For nothing, if eternity is transient.

Unfair World

How can we claim that the world is rosy when as high as 50%, if not higher, of the world's population are suffering from famine and poverty? Doesn't it prove the Buddhist notion that life is an endless cycle of suffering （苦海无涯）?

A world of CEOs and presidents is unthinkable, and undoubtedly impossible. If I am not mistaken, about 40% of the secondary school students in Singapore fall under the Normal stream. Unbelievable? Unfair? This sounds logical given the disproportional number of independent/SAP schools compared to that of neighbourhood ones.

“大智若愚”，才是终极智慧，才不会自取其辱。

I am not bright, so I always prefer people to tell me the truth upfront to them being discreet and mindful of what they say. Why bother making suggestions and telling me things that you have no intention of fulfilling? All our feelings would have been hurt. To err is human, and I am a mere mortal. Please criticize me upfront if I fall short of your expectations.

I am a practical idealist. Sounds oxymoronic eh? I have my crazy ideals, but I know that my survival in the society fully depends on how I play the game of life. Although I don't dislike society, I have always wanted to leave it and enter reclusion. I will still work my guts out if need be, but given an opportunity, I would rather lead my own kind of lifestyle and forgo the dreams and riches that life has promised to offer.

Anyway, keep your spirits high! Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year 2008!

Wacky Jacky and his Taiwan Desk would like to wish everyone a very Happy Lunar New Year! Thank You for accompanying him through a significant part of his life-the transition from carefree student to prospective working adult. Here's yet another year away from freedom and innocence, into a future of hopes and dreams.

I wonder if babies born in the Year of the Pig will enjoy good luck in the coming year. Superstition perhaps, but it is always welcoming (at least to me) to make your future seem more predictable according to the stars and signs.

I appreciate your SMSes of well wishes, dear friends!

Thanks too to Peggy and Marvin for their overseas greetings!

在此恭祝各界同仁新年快乐、身强体健、永保安康！

Global Warming

I saw my comment appear on Lianhe Zaobao dated 5 February 2008. I had commented on the use and payment of 10 cents for plastic bags in the NUS Co-Op bookstore. I supported the new policy, adding that it would promote the practice of bringing bags out for shopping.

I think we have to start somewhere. I can almost imagine that the air-conditioned nation of Singapore will contribute to and fall into what I coin a "heat cycle". Imagine this: the weather gets hotter by the day, and to make ourselves feel more comfortable we switch on the air-conditioners at higher blast. The engines and turbines with the CFCs emitted will then add onto the amount of greenhouse gases that the atmosphere has already contained. Thus hotter weather. Until we turn the air-conditioners onto full blast. Finally, the situation will reach a stage whereby no level of technology can sustain us and we shall suffer from our own un-doings.

We are already feeling the heat ourselves, so we need no Al Gore and his An Inconvenient Truth to tell us what we should already know. Let's begin bit by bit, starting from ourselves!

What is Civilization?

This is a chim question. I also don't know. I Chinese educated one. But in my words I think civilization is this: “穿着光鲜的衣裳，进行原始的搏斗”. Times may change, history may change, but human nature remains the same lah.

I heard they changing the bus and train system leh. For the better. I also think must change. During the off-peak hours, the frequency all freaky low. The bus-stop got people but bus bay bor bus. Once I wait for 20 minutes and a guy who reach the bus-stop before me still there waiting. 等你等到我心痛！等你等到没有梦！Why 没有梦？Completely lost hope, 没有梦想了！Now I see a bit of hope.

Then sometimes, I think my arm too short to be seen, the bus never stop! Then I take train, peak hours, jialat man. I too puny to wrestle in, so wait for about 3 trains then can squeeze in you know. People in the carriage think that standing at the entrance easy for the 财神爷to see them, so all crowd there. You think everyone alight at Woodlands or Boon Lay meh? Of course I know most people will drop off soon, but be considerate and move in for others to board lah. Even I can understand the announcement on air leh.

The taxi, bus and train system all change at one go, wrong lah. Must be gradual and one at a time. Now the transport system improve to discourage people from buying car, but first step to change the cab fare wrong liao. Now those used-to-take-taxi people change to taking bus and train, when the bus and train cannot tahan the new crowd! Why? This means we still don't have world-class transport system! And we always have to pay world-class fares! How can when we are even worse than Taiwan (the "last" of the Asian Tigers) in this aspect? Aiyah, don't know lah.

Monetized economy: everything calculate in relative gains and profit margins. When got LRT and NEL, bus services gone to make people use the new installations. Our convenience compromised. Like this civilized meh? Aiyah, I also don't know lah.

I don't know how to use nice-sounding words to explain things. I only know how to drink kopi and talk cock. Paiseh hor.

Crazy World

It's total madness at NUS. The Arts students of last semester require a SAP of 4.9 to qualify for Dean's List! The names of my friends "traditionally" "parked" on the list disappear, replaced by a whole chunk of new ones. I think our juniors are very very smart, a mighty force to be reckoned with in the last bell curves that we will experience at NUS.

Being Humble

...is a virtue. And especially held in awe and esteem by the Chinese. “虚心”is the Chinese translation of being humble, but it literally refers to a "void heart". In order to be humble, you have to clear your heart of all bias, knowledge, presumption and misconceptions. This is why sometimes it is easier to learn something from scratch and not at mid-way. Without the implicit distractions that can unleash the best tamed hearts into a world of arrogance and deceit, we can all be humble at heart and learn to accept and see things the way they are. Being humble is never too easy, so it is a virtue to be attained only at great cost and effort.

Why bother filling your life up with fame and glory, when all hearts ought to be void to enjoy the best from life? Being humble allows us to empathize and understand others and things from their perspectives, alleviating ourselves of the agony or hatred that stem from despising or discriminating against certain individuals. We always feel a constant, inevitable sense of inadequacy. Nothing is ever enough, nor is anything enough to satisfy our lust for more. The perceived lack of things spurs us on to pursue better looks, smarter brains and greater wealth, all of which may prove unimportant when we recall upon our lives at twilight. I had almost forgotten how sad I was at Secondary 2 when I scored 0 for my Technical Studies.

“由简入奢易，由奢入间难”。It is hard for the rich and affluent not to be arrogant, but it is harder for them to remain happy in poverty.

Success

What is success? Success is the ability to do the things you like at the highest level possible. One of my friends Tenghui wants to be successful. Please visit the following website to help him succeed in life: http://www.petalsandco.com.sg/

I am never an elitist. When I mean we should attain knowledge, "we" refers to the highly educated people of our kind, such as diploma holders and undergraduates. Those who face problems or struggling with their livelihood do not have the means to acquire knowledge and I can understand that. We do, so we should. Of course, knowledge does not necessarily mean success, but it can be an instrumental element.

I finally found something that I dislike most about people. I hate it when people refuse to reply to my SMSes. It shows the degree of respect the expected respondent has for me. Unless they are overseas or have really valid reasons, I will be the petty soul to ignore their SMSes if they ever text me. These people can succeed in ruining my day.

There are only a few corporations that are successful in the world. These corporations are known as the MNCs. Some of you may have already known this, but at the risk of repeating the obvious allow me to list a few of them here:

Close your eyes if you are in the supermarket looking for your favourite shampoo. I can bet with you at 95% confidence level that they belong to either Procter and Gamble or Unilever.

Just when you think that all Hollywood films are owned and distributed by the Americans, Sony from Japan holds Columbia and Tristar Pictures. Sony also owns our playthings such as PSB, Playstation, my Jacky Wu's SonyBMG, Sony Ericsson, and a truckload of electronic products.

Other than MacDonald's, most of the other fast-food chains that we come across belong to Yum! Brands, a spin-off from PepsiCo. Examples of which are KFC, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's.

As for our automobiles, don't be deceived by the wide variety of brand names that we may see. For one, Volkswagen owns Audi and Lamborghini, amongst many others. Ford owns Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover and many others. General Motors owns Opel, Saab and others. My list is not exhaustive; it can get very long.

Nestle is another giant. Most of the dairy products and ice-cream that we can buy at the market are somehow linked to Nestle, including Milo and Haagen-Daz.

We had a corporatized media industry. How corporatized was it? What about our cabs too?

We have some homegrown brands that I am especially fond of.

Sakae Sushi: Non-drinkers will actually prefer sake to sushi on the conveyor belt.

Shilin Delights: It is delightful to know that the authentic snacks remain in Shilin.

Thai Express: An express way to get depressed over Thai food.

I think they should stop multiplying in branches and numbing our taste-buds.

Having done so, it will be a success!

我的生活心得

于丹在中国中央电视台上的百家讲坛之“《论语》心得”，前阵子在中国热播并得到巨大回响，各界褒贬不一，尤以来自学术界的批判较为引人注目。我倒觉得于丹的诠释虽然只能够代表她自己的理解和看法，但也不失为以一种深入浅出的方式，把古代圣贤的精深道理融会贯通，使之通俗易懂，让普罗大众也能够通过她的讲解得到一些启示。我就肤浅点，对于《论语》只有以下的浅解：

孔子的中心思想的确是“仁”，其表现是：“己欲立而立人，己欲达而达人”和“己所不欲，勿施于人”。“仁”就是“爱人”，就这么简单。“智”就是“知人”，也就这么简单。“忠”、“孝”、“礼”、“义”都是“爱人”的表现，此乃建筑在“知人”的层面上。

凡事都需要“将心比心”。

"Don't do unto others what you won't want others to do unto you".

大家自幼学习，得到了一箩筐的知识：上通天文、下知地理。但是，人们往往欠缺的就是运用知识的“大智慧”。试想想：单单在一年里，遍布在全世界的各所大学就培育出数以万计的毕业生，为何真正成为the likes of Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking, Richard Feynman 的人却屈指可数呢？显然的，大学文凭只能作为我们事业上的踏脚石，而世界上的顶尖人物都不只局限于自己的专业里。In fact, to a fair extent, EQ works on the premise that you know what the others do and how the others feel. It is different from empathy because all you need to acquire is knowledge and not a floodgate of feelings. And when I mean knowledge I mean DIVERSE knowledge. Knowledgeable so to speak. This is my own interpretation of EQ. If EQ is indeed an essential quality to succeed, then human relationships should form the bedrock of our lives.

I was attending a Japanese lecture last week when the teacher asked if we know who the person in her picture is. She was surprised by the silence that we all shared, assuming that we know a lot as undergraduates. I didn't want to play the hero to answer her; I was too shy in a 100-student crowd. Only a small number of us know who the person is (at least I thought it was obvious), as most of the heads shook profusely in reply to the teacher. The person is Yasuo Fukuda, the current Prime Minister of Japan. Sigh, 我们真的活在一个知识贫乏的时代。In another lesson, people could not identify the flag of Finland even when they are using Nokia mobile phones. The lack of time should never be an excuse for a corresponding lack of knowledge. A lack of interest, perhaps?

Obviously, however, I won't succeed, although my definition of success is merely living within my own means. I am an aspiring hermit, whose life will rest upon the tranquility attained from a lack of bonds and relationships.

The Singapore Walker

I have become the Singapore Walker. I have toured much of Singapore in the past few weeks, visiting temples and interviewing priests and devotees alike. I find myself increasingly detached from my own social circle, having talked to more strangers than friends during those weeks. These strangers are whom I regard as "transient friends", and I enjoy the conservations that I have with them. I am comfortable with such a lifestyle. There is no emotional burden, and I don't need to offer anything or hope to be reciprocated in kind. It is free for me and free for all as well.

One afternoon, I was on a bus bound for Jurong East when a group of "rowdy" students boarded it. As if to fit the common stereotype of neighbourhood students, they chunkled and chattered on the bus in obvious disregard of other passengers. The bus was approaching a halt at a bus-stop when two of them ran towards a man who was making his way down the stairs. One boy handed the man a wallet, which belongs to the latter. Most of the passengers who witnessed this scene were markedly impressed by this simple act of honesty and integrity. Therefore, "never judge a book by its cover!"

On another day, I was in Changi Village when I became thirsty and tired and had to stop for a rest near a jetty. I bought ice-cream from a roadside vendor, who was accompanied by his wife. They are a kind couple, and I talked to them for about half an hour. It was a pleasant conversation that spanned from how the DJ Zhou Chongqing broke a leg after biking on Pulau Ubin to why some bicycle tracks in Singapore are unsafe. When I had to go to the washroom, they offered to look after my stuff (which included my wallet and laptop), so I went and took my own sweet time at the loo, enjoying the trust that I had in them. I parted ways with them when a new shipment of returnees, their prospective patrons, arrived from Pulau Ubin.

I need to thank my professors for the time that I am having these days. They are always so kind and patient with me. I don't have to file progress reports, and there is mutual trust and understanding between us. Of course, I cannot rely only on their generosity and kindness to complete my ethnographic data. I have to count on my diligence and, more importantly, passion.

It seems to me, especially so in recent weeks, that research has to be fuelled by passion. The mere prospect of becoming a professor and earning fat paychecks cannot sustain any researcher on the long run. The fieldwork and research that I commit myself to has allowed me to rehearse and prepare for the kind of life that I may lead in the next decades and in retirement as well. I will need to work alone, be innovative in my research topics, squeeze my creative juices dry, be hardworking, and survive a lifestyle surrounded by strangers. I possess the calibre of a hermit, and I am well-aware of it.

Rags and Riches

Deng Xiaoping had once mentioned that a small fraction of the population needs to be rich before the rest can be better off. Following such rhetoric, leaders such as Suharto and Peru's Fujimori have succeeded to a fair extent, but cronyism and corruption may indeed blur the distinction between national reserves and personal coffers. In any case, an economic disparity may seem like a social injustice, but it allows a domestic economic base to be built up and acted upon by the less affluent citizens in the long run, instead of exposing the whole population to the poverty cycle. However, if the income inequality gap continues to widen at the growing expense of the poor for decades, then it cannot be justified and ought to be eliminated. Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe (infamous for its 1-million % hyper-inflation rate) belong to this undesirable category, alongside with the failed states of Afganistan and Somalia.

I was in Taiwan in 2006, and although the island has been experiencing an economic downturn for the past 8 years, I did not see a significant drop in the Taiwanese standard of living. Conventional media coverage has always sensationalized Taiwanese politics, making Taiwan seem like a haven of chaos and mess. In actual fact, Taiwan has operated on a term which I coin “乱中有序”. The politicians may be fighting with their guts out, but the bureaucrats are still performing at the implementation level.

On a sentimental note, I like Taiwan. I dedicate this blog to it.

Death of Suharto

Although it should not come as a surprise, Suharto's death ought to be lamented and regretted upon. While it may be true that there was autocracy, corruption, political purges and prosecution of the Chinese during his reign, Suharto had undoubtedly brought prosperity and stability to Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region. Indonesia was once one of the richest and most economically viable country in the region, alongside with Myanmar and the Philippines. However, it was led by Sukarno and economic growth slowed for nearly 2 decades before Suharto overthrew him in 1966. Industrialization and modernization arrived in Indonesia with massive influx of foreign capital and domestic collaboration with the affluent Chinese magnates. Compare Indonesia with Newin's Myanmar and Marcos' Philippines and you will understand what I mean here. Politically, Suharto contributed greatly to regional stability when he ended the "Konfrontasi" and forged stronger ties with the ASEAN member states. His death deserves a week of mourning from the Indonesians.

This reminds me of a common flaw in the arguments made by Chinese historians with regards to the dynastic cycle. It has been a convenient excuse and explanation for Chinese historians to attribute the fall of a dynasty to corruption and decay. This is so superficial and being too simplistic. We need more research and better claims here. While a degree of extent lingers, there was and is corruption everywhere in every place. For instance, many people think that China suffered from humiliation by the foreign imperialist powers in the late nineteenth century because the Qing court was incapable, useless and most importantly in this context, corrupt. However, the fall of the Qing Dynasty proved to be a worse disaster for China, which succumbed to incessant warfare between the powerful warlords across the country. In fact, a little known fact is that Qing China used to possess one of the most powerful navies in the world, known as the Beiyang fleet which had unfortunately faced its destruction in the hands of the Japanese in the first Sino-Japanese War. A lack of armaments and gunpower in favour of grand celebrations and a marble ship for Empress Dowager Cixi's 60th birthday was the main cause. In addition, many Western scholars have pointed out that the economic productivity of Qing China in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was on par with many of the strongest European nations, and at its peak even with the United Kingdom. Corruption and decay should never be used unilaterally in explaining the fall of dynasties and empires.

Similarly, I don't see that Indonesia has become any better without Suharto's rule. Economic mismanagement, rampant corruption and a general lack of confidence in foreign investors continue to plague the country, although the situation has picked up in recent years.

Having said so much here, I believe that Suharto's flaws should be forgiven and forgotten. This is what I, an interested foreigner, choose to believe in.

世界与我

这世界是空虚的
几亿个陌生的人
认识的就这么多
少了你我也没差

想用笑声来伪装失落的心情
总在人群中是个爱说笑的人
可是我是个别人爱不到的人
我已封闭感情，不配爱人与被爱

这世界要被摧毁，濒临毁灭了吗？
我独自在大气层外围，想要挣脱地球的轨道
失去一切重力的烦恼，把全部的全部都抛掉
梦一场
空一场
痛一场

无所谓
就敷衍走一回
再潇洒走一回
不枉此生

Notice Board

My dear friend Tips needs to complete his thesis by compiling data from an e-questionnaire. Please follow this link http://personal1198060194.bipvinsingapore.sgizmo.com/ and help him fulfill his required quota of respondents.

When you have the time, please visit the website http://blog.omy.sg/ming to know more about the world around us in Mandarin. We all need to be more knowledgeable these days.

I had just returned from the Lorong Koo Chye Sheng Hong Temple. I interviewed a friendly Taoist priest who had patiently answered all my queries within an hour. I must thank him in the acknowledgement page of my Honours thesis.

In addition, I saw The Flying Dutchman in SingPost @ Paya Lebar. And to build on such coincidence, I saw Pornsak at a MacDonald's outlet in Toa Payoh. If only I can strike lottery as easily in the Singapore Pools. My dream is to purchase property in the outskirts of Taipei, on the beautiful island of Formosa! I will donate the rest of whatever I win to charitable causes. As a devout Buddhist, what is wealth and fortune to me anyway? Ultimately, I hope to retire as a hermit on Yangmingshan.

It's been a year, but I still miss my Taiwanese friends, as well as the foreign ones such as Francoise, Hisashi, Marvin, Shingo and Yasushi. I hope that they have been getting on fine.

Reservations about some issues

If only Taiwan politics is part of my research. I just realize that I have been too optimistic about the KMT chances of winning the impending presidential election. The ratio of seats won by the KMT with respect to the DPP may seem impressive, but in effect it is translated to a tight 60% is to 40% of the total vote count, and the actual turnout at the polls was a mere 58% of the whole electorate. What this means is that there is always a chance for the DPP to revive itself and perhaps win the next election, as there are still many staunch "green" voters around to act as its ballast. Moreover, as high as 40% of the population have yet to decide on whom to support. A close fight between Ma Ying-Jeou and Frank Hsieh is expected, and I obviously support the former candidate.

To bring today's post to something relevant to home, I realize that Singapore has become increasingly crowded with each passing year. Overpopulated so to speak. This was not so just a few years ago. The streets of Singapore, be them within town or outside, were usually devoid of people, who were either at work or at least indoors at home. This has ceased to be the case. The most obvious example would be the packed trains that we experience all day round. Whether it is in a lazy afternoon or the peak hours at dawn and at dusk, we see streams of commuters flooding the MRT stations from all directions, led by the busy escalators that transport them. All of us instantly become packed sardines who have to bear with slamming our faces in the windows and jostling with the unduly crowd just to make an exit or entrance. Chaos is an apt word to describe these scenes.

I wonder if I can attribute the train phenomena to the cab fare hikes, which may have forced many people to opt for the MRT instead of the taxi. Or maybe we have been overwhelmed by the huge influx of foreigners that our small nation cannot accommodate, and that our infrastructure and transport system have failed to serve adequately. If I'm not gravely mistaken, Singapore's population has doubled in the past 2 decades, not taking into account the substantial number of foreigners who study and work here on long-term tenures. I'm not saying that we should be xenophobic, but we have to improve various aspects of our current structure before accepting the many many talents from all over the world.

For one, it is a disgrace to see zig-zag lines formed by our commuters at the escalators. I have been a frequent traveler to Hong Kong and Taiwan, and be it the MTR or the Taipei Subway, I can always see a distinct "keep left" attitude in the commuters who allow those in a rush to move up faster at the right. Here in Singapore, there is NEVER a left line of people, even when the overhead panel indicates "1 min" to the next arriving train. Then the poor folks who read the notice and yet miss the train due to the inconsideration of others will have to lament on their bad luck, looking at the screen that runs the same capitalist commercials over and over again. Movie thrillers, recurring songs......

Sometimes all it takes is a little empathy from all of us to make life work better for others. It is never too late to take a small step forward towards building a gracious society.

Support the KMT!

Taiwan politics should be none of my concern. However, it is where my interest lies in. Most of the papers that I had written for my Political Science and Public Policy modules were on Taiwan politics and how Taiwan can seek survival space in global politics. I am not an advocate of Taiwan independence, but I am a supporter of the status quo in the Taiwan Straits.

Moreover, on a more selfish note, I had a picture taken with Ma Ying-Jeou in 2006, and I hope that the picture will value-add itself if he is elected as the President of the Republic of China later this year. :) In fact, I was elated when I first heard that the KMT landslide victory at the polls for seats at the Legislature Yuan. A hefty 81:27! That's 3 to the power of 4 versus 3 of 3! Splendid!

However, Nobel-laureate and former head of the Academia Sinica (the think tank of Taiwan) Lee Yuan Tseh had just voiced his support for DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, saying that there is a need to counter KMT's political power in the Legislature Yuan with a DPP president. I am sure that he has his reasons for suggesting that, but it is pointless in having a "lame duck" president who cannot pass a law or policy without a face-off with an omni-powerful opposition party. The ensuing result can either be potential chaos that will threaten to erupt anytime or political crises that will undermine the efficiency of any decent government. A strong president and a strong party on a cooperative platform are instrumental to putting in place successful directives and implementing them. Of course, I am not an enthusiast of autocracy or despotism. However, I believe that the Taiwanese electorate is mature enough to vote the KMT out if the party fails to perform after its 4-year mandate in 2011. In any case, Taiwan cannot afford an unstable government, not even a coalition of sorts. It is sad to see that the former lead wagon of the "Four Asian Tigers" has now taken a back seat.

The Taiwanese people do not display any form of political apathy, and they know exactly what they are doing. The political atmosphere there exudes an attractive kind of vibrancy that is little seen elsewhere in Asia. The KMT has witnessed sweeping changes in the past decade, and it is no longer an icon for "black money". The Taiwanese electorate should allow the revamped party a chance to redeem itself and serve the people once more.

I look forward to visiting my beautiful Formosa later this year. To a blue-governed one that is.

It's not such a Grim World after all

Most people are nice. Even if they seem mean or nasty at times, it must be an undeniable fact that their hearts are kind. I saw that when I stood at road junctions to sell "flag stickers" for charitable organizations. Some looked angry and fierce, but they would stop over to buy one. I also saw that when I appealed for help from friends. One notable example was my first academic talk in school late last year. Friends who are obviously not interested in the topic would still make an attempt to turn up when I told them of the low turnout that I was expected to enjoy. Even those friends whom I had not kept in touch with for ages came to give me their support. "A friend in need is a friend indeed". "Everyone within the Four Seas is a friend". So, don't lose faith in your own kind nature!

A Chinese Buff? Not Exactly......

I major in Chinese Studies. I chose to do so after the release of my "A" level results. Although the Arts Faculty has always been regarded by many to be a "dumping ground" for poor academic achievers, a disclaimer ought to be made here that I was never forced by any kind of circumstances to enrol into it. And I have never regretted my decision, despite the possibility that Chinese Studies is a "sunset" industry.

But then again, I might have made a wrong choice. Unknown to many, including my closest friends, my real passion lies in History and Political Science, particularly the former. In some aspects, I know more about Athens, Rome and Persia than about China. Nonetheless, I chose to major in Chinese Studies because I do possess an interest in it and more importantly, I know that I can do reasonably well for it. The Higher Chinese subject had never posed a challenge to me, all the way from primary school to junior college. It was one that I could afford last-minute work and yet top the class and perhaps even the level at the end of the day. In fact, for the "A" level examinations for Higher Chinese, I skipped a whole 10-mark question and still got an A grade for it.

Of course, things are a lot different now from what they were in the past. Rote learning and mere memory no longer suffice, and I need to do considerable research before I can ascertain any claim or finding. Whatever the case is, I have never betrayed my true passion. The Chinese Studies discipline is actually very different from that of the Chinese Language. While it is true that we write most of our reports in the Chinese script, we don't do linguistics at all. The Chinese Studies discipline entails a whole array of topics, ranging from history and literature to philosophy and society. My actual specialty is Chinese History, and I kinda suck in the rest. I have decided that my Masters dissertation shall focus on the Sino-Japanese interactions during the Ming Dynasty, with an emphasis on the Ryukyu Islands as an important node in the relevant trade routes. That is, if my application to pursue a Masters Degree is approved. It is my ultimate wish that I can graduate as a PhD holder in History. So if you are talking about my lifelong goal, this shall be it. It may not be simple, but dreams make successful men, and I hope I can become one of them. :)

Now who dares to say that I bear only regressive thoughts? :)

Minimum Workload Requirement??

How absurd! The Faculty had just sent me an email, asking me why I end up in its records for having failed to meet the minimum workload requirement for this semester! The email reads that I should read at least 16 MCs for every academic semester.

I decide to study only 12 MCs this semester, because I had already cleared 168 MCs in the past 7 semesters! Mind you that the standard workload for Honours students is 160 MCs! Haiz, as an "old bird" I deserve a break, don't I? I just want to focus on my research and thesis, as well as to enjoy my last (?) semester at NUS. :)

Chinese Proverbs

何谓成语？“三只小猪”是也！

Regressive Thoughts?

Let peace and love reign! Never allow growth and progress to blind our path in life! I have never made an attempt to dispel these thoughts. In fact, I have persuaded himself that I am not living for this transient life, but for the life of eternity, and that there is tranquility in my heart.

Admit a transient splendour over our lives in the remotest ages!

Overloaded Academic Career in NUS

I had already earned 160 MCs, without taking into account my ISMs, Honours Thesis, and Japanese class. This means that by the end of my last semester, I would have cleared a total of 180 MCs! The difference is the normal workload of an academic semester. I could have graduated earlier!

However, I am not an over-achiever. I will not become a First-Class Honours graduate. I am just a nobody lost in a world of strangers.

岁月随笔

时光消逝，一切成正比。
憧憬越变越少，牢骚却越发越多。
朋友越交越少，交道却越打越多。
时间越用越少，金钱却越赚越多。
快乐越找越少，愁绪却越解越多。
人生如梦，一切了如空。

Enslaved

I will become a unit of production. I must turn myself into a valuable asset to society by working hard. There are obvious, tangible benefits to be derived from excellent work, but as a nobody I have to work extra hard to earn them. Although obvious, these benefits are few and only available to a selected few.

What happens if I work too hard? Will any organization take care of me? Who will bother?

I will be covered by a shield. Paid for by my own monthly contributions. Will it be enough? I think it can't protect me against the formidable viruses, with blood suckers as their accomplice. I will be left to the wastes if I fail to work further, so I must dodge ahead regardless of rewards nor sacrifices.

All is not lost yet. We have the slave union to fight for our rights, even though the union is always preoccupied with its other operations, such as slave insurance, gigantic supermarts and river taxis. Perhaps it can still be counted upon when real trouble brews.

My livelihood is a whip. Tormented souls are my neighbours.

A Tale of Tails

If growth is Gospel truth,
Then I prefer a land before time,
Millions of years ago,
When nothing was known as gold.

All in the name of progress,
Never to look back!
Should I stumble and fall,
There will be no memories to fall back upon.

Again in the name of progress,
Leave nobody behind!
But I am a nobody,
And I am left behind.

I recall a time when we all had tails,
Living a life simple as it was.
No cars and trains to save time,
And no cheques to quantify time.
Time is now saved,
With which to slog more.

If time is money,
I would hate to be a prince.

Release of the Examination Results

I did not check my results when they were first out in the afternoon. I was out the whole day with Daniel and Jiayi, trying to clear my mind of the fear that had culminated as the day approached the release time at 2pm. Many of my friends such as Hauser and Tips had enquired about my grades, and I could not tell them then.

In any case, I had an enjoyable day with both Daniel and Jiayi. Having broken into cold sweat and with trembling hands, literally, I logged onto the relevant website on my laptop, expecting the worst gift bestowed upon me by Heaven.

I have received one of my best results ever. With 2 A+s. Impossible! I almost cried just now! Not that they are super-duper terrific, but I had expected much worse from myself.

For my film modules, I was the crap who had crapped much in my assignments and papers. Throughout the semester, I did not even know the proper terminologies to be used in film analysis, and was a dummy who knew nuts about cinematic techniques. Jacky is the whiz kid in this field. For the examinations, I wrote crap. I didn't even know what to write about, but simply carried on anyway. Guess what: for one I achieved an A+ and for another, an A-. I'm more than satisfied. What a close shave!

My worst grade actually came from one of my ISMs, a B+. Nonetheless, given the overall circumstances, I truly have no regrets. Really.

The past semester had been my busiest and worst one ever. I am currently a Research Assistant, and had chosen to challenge myself by studying 6 modules, including 2 ISMs and 1 CBM. Thank goodness that everything has turned out fine.

I really have no complaints. Those who know how bad I had survived the semester would also know that I am not flaunting my results here. I am just plain lucky. Phew!

Doomsday Looming

Oh no. The exam results will be out in a few hours' time. On Boxing Day. How apt it is to unwrap what I think will be my worst present for years to come.

My pet chant: Grades are transient. All things are.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my readers! Have a happy, merry, joyous Christmas! The lack of adjectives to describe Christmas here has thoroughly exposed my lack of lexical richness and vocabulary and hence, my English proficiency level. After all, I am truly Asian or more specifically, truly Chinese.

I hate to face it, but English has been tagged a status symbol in Singapore. I was in Penghu last year when a Taiwanese told me that the Singaporeans ignored her pleas for help when she asked for it in Mandarin during her tour here. I had never realized that some of us can be so cold and aloof.

I have never really celebrated Christmas. Not that Christmas has been distasteful for me, but I can't sing the Christmas carols, don't really like turkey and ham, and dislike the foam and strands from the spray cans aimed at me. Perhaps I am too conservative for bashes and parties of any nature, whether or not they are of the Christmas content. I do like coffee though, and it is sustaining my consciousness now.

I find myself increasingly unsuitable for life in Singapore. Singapore has been too "Westernized" to my liking. Not only in the hardware but also in the software, that is, the behaviour and mentality of the people at large. Skyscrapers are one thing, the way people think is another. Capitalism and consumerism have already been embedded in the psyche of the people, and with globalization comes growing intensity of these trends.

I am a peace-loving person at ease with myself. At least I think of myself as such. I don't belong to the rat race culture in Singapore. I am not competitive either, and I understand that without the slightest competition I can never reach the cutting edge for my country. Given my inherent nature, I am definitely not an asset or talent to Singapore. At the very least, I just hope that I won't turn into a liability. If I ever become so, I will want to live abroad.

My favourite places: Hong Kong and Taiwan? I had earnestly considered the possibility of moving to either place in the future. However, from my conversations with friends from these places, there are also disincentives that I, a foreigner, may have overlooked. High stress levels, sky-rocketed property prices, poor job conditions are some of the "horror" stories that I have heard. Where else can I go to, or turn to, if I can't thrive in these circumstances?

I am at best a 2nd-Upper Honours degree holder. I will be pursuing my Masters degree in Chinese Studies upon graduation. Sometimes I wonder why I do so much research and academic work that entails little practical purpose. Then it dawned onto me that I just dislike working and studying is actually the lesser of the two evils to me. If I'm better-looking, I could have joined a boy band. If I can speak as well as my idol Jacky Wu, I could have become a TV compere. Alas, I can do neither! Although I am not a smart arse, I have to choose the academia, because it happens to be the field in which I can perform satisfactorily.

Am I willowing in self-pity? Not exactly. I'm just re-evaluating my possible options in life. A lack of confidence? Nope, I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I'm a heartlander at heart. I can never aspire to become the cosmopolitan that marks the lives of my PSC scholar friends, as well as the elite professionals of accountants, doctors and lawyers. The fact that I can face up to the harsh realities of life means that I am still a strong individual, mentally that is.

My Christmas resolution? To believe with all my heart that everything in life is transient.

June 2007: Beijing (a final note)

I have tried my best to condense my 2-week stay in Beijing into 3 entries. It has proven rather impossible to cover the density of my trip in totality, so these entries are neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. I felt kinda "numb" then, having been to China on so many occasions, and had taken very few pictures around.

Other than the numerous temples and rural villages, we had also visited the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). I just couldn't find the famous Marble Ship.

We also went to the Tiananmen Square. "Forward, Comrades!" seemed to be the cry for the Monument to the People's Heroes.

Of course, how could I have missed the sentry guards standing on alert near the Great Hall of the People? However, it was a pity that I failed to catch the changing of guards parade, as well as the hoisting of the China flag accompanied by the Chinese anthem in the wee hours of the morning.

I had the delight of watching a Peking opera performance with my professor and a few students of the module. We drank tea and fanned ourselves in squire fashion.

When it was time for us to part, I had a photo taken with the kind professor and her teaching assistants outside the university hotel.

June 2007: Beijing (continued)

We visited the Temple of Heaven. For me, again. In fact, for the third time within a year.

And we went to the Forbidden City! The Palace is a place that I wouldn't mind going for a number of times. However, due to the Olympics preparations, the palace grounds had turned into a massive construction site. I was greeted by dust and smoke. Many chambers and pavilions became out of bounds due to the works.

Still, I managed to catch a glimpse of the Dragon Throne! Most Qing Emperors had sat on the Throne. I wish to sit on it too.

June 2007: Beijing (to be continued)

I was the Programme Assistant for a USP Summer Programme entitled Chinese Thought and Culture, and since the Programme was conducted in Peking University, I enjoyed the luxury of visiting China once more for the nth time in my life.

The following picture features a pagoda standing by the side of a lake. It is known as 一“塔”“湖”涂. The site is Peking University, and the whole campus is characterized by its picturesque landscape. It is a favourite spot for recreation and sightseeing.

Of course, we climbed the Great Wall. It was my nth time as a 好汉. The scorching sun and heat had almost killed us all. Singapore could have lost a number of talents.

"One World, One Dream". Tell the barbarians that when they scale the walls again.

The 13 Ming Tombs is represented by an excavated one that belonged to Ming Shenzong, more commonly known as the Wanli Emperor. The underground mausoleum is splendid with grandeur. The following picture that I have was taken on the ground, and it features the Chinese impression of a mythical creature known as the "Qilin" (麒麟).

Some notes from life

1. Women can only choose between beauty and knowledge. Having both or having none, to her is a tragedy.

2. What are friends? Friends are idiots who stand by you even after you have made terrible mistakes.

3. Life is fuelled by fear. Stress results from fear. Performance stems from fear. Ultimately, everything becomes fearful.

4. Time is an imagined currency that quantifies your existence. Why bother counting down?

Phenomena

I notice that my towel has been crying excessively! Dripping tears non-stop! What can I do to console it?

Both my toothpaste and soap are getting slimmer by the day! They were so fat just a month ago! How can I boost their appetite?

Perhaps I should not do anything.
Nostalgia beckons because there is nothing to look forward to.

I always leave home early in the day, coming back at night,
And the sleeping cats will always be at the very position where I see them in the morning.
Isn't it nice to be cats?
Taking life at their own pace and time.
Waking up to food and grooming themselves with whatever free time they have.
I asked one of the cats: "How cute! How did you do it?"
The cat turned its head away.

Perhaps I should not have asked.
Silence is sanity's last resort.

Darkness within Darkness

Life is fragile, life is hard.
Life is transient.
Life is bitter, life is sweet.
Life is transient.
Where lies the glimmer of light?
Darkness within darkness.
At times like this,
Dementia is inviting.

Jacky Wu's albums

Wow! All Jacky Wu's albums were sold out! It's hard to find any of them in the market these days. Unlike the Jay Chou and the Jolin Tsai CDs. They are piled up at almost every retail store and I still see the piles around after weeks. Isn't it great to see how Jacky Wu's albums had been selling like hotcakes? It's such a pity that he is too busy to cut another in recent years. It'll be great to hear his voice in melody rather than the usual, chirpy one in his variety shows.

非战之过，天亡我也！

人生实为一出戏。
尽人事，听天命，
古今多少沧海事。
笑傲拂袖一身去，
落得沧海难为田。
笑看风云心未泯，
唯有以泪洗千秋。
一失铸成千古恨，
此恨绵绵无绝期！

Accomplishment beyond means

Wow! I had not spoken to anyone outside home for the past week! Except for chanced meet-ups at corridors and on buses, I did not really talk to anyone other than Jacky, John and Weizan! Nothing to be proud of here, unless I am an aspiring hermit!

I don't mind becoming one though. People always say that it takes courage to pursue your dream against all odds. I would say, however, that it takes greater courage to forgo all the fortune and happiness that you may accumulate and live in the mountains with the bare essentials to survive on. Now that is courage.

I have decided to deprive myself of most, if not all, sensual pleasures that I may possess. With no ambition comes no disappointment, and with no dream comes no hope dashed.

Candle

A candle glows at night. Burning and shedding light. The flame consumes. The wick exhausts. Darkness looms. The candle cries out melting wax. Its existence remains. Converted to ashes. Still air. Endless state.

Everything turns dim. Wick or wit?

One of my smart and funny friends

Conversation 1 (2006):

MK: Yo you are on Dean's List eh?
YK: Wow, how you know?
MK: Someone told me.
YK: You leh?
MK: My name permanently parked there one. No need to check.
YK: ... ...

Conversation 2 (2005):

MK: Wah not bad, your test score is quite high.
YK: Thanks. You leh?
MK: I top the class. So many "tops" until I sian liao. No feel le.
YK: ... ...

Thank You!

As the year draws to a close, allow me to thank some of my foreign friends who had travelled to Singapore over the last few months.

March: Ryota, Angela
April: Hisashi, Marvin, Francoise
July-September: Albert
September: Peggy and her friend, Alex and his sister

Reason for thanking them: For their generous contribution to our small economy, as well as for rekindling our friendship! Welcome back, and see you all soon!

If any of you (whose name is mentioned above) sees this post, please send me some of your photos taken in Singapore. Thanks!

Reflections of a Geek

Here is some advice from a nerd of me:

1. Never mug at the Central Library, especially on the 6th storey, during the weekdays. The Central Library is predominantly filled with people from the FASS, who usually open their laptops and appear diligently hard at work. MSN and Youtube occupy a bulk of their work.

2. Never sit near a group of people who seem to know one another within a one-metre radius from where they are. With friends all around them, their attention span is short enough to spark off conversations at five-minute intervals. The online chats manifest themselves in reality.

3. Simply put, many people who study at level 6 of the Central Library are deluding themselves. They believe that their very existence at the library constitute to sheer diligence and will eventually amount to tangible grades at the exams. However, such efforts are more to compensate for a sense of guilt that may erupt for not making any at all.

4. Even the Science Library may not be conducive at times. Although it has been a well-known fact that Science students are more motivated than Arts students, their disciplines usually require them to consult one another when questions cannot be answered and problems cannot be solved. The problems may plague them for as long as fifteen minutes, and you may want to settle your big business at the washroom given such ample resting time that is forcibly imposed onto you.

Having said so much, I have not been mugging much these days. Instead, I had gone for a movie marathon to watch about thirty films at the Multimedia Lab of the Central Library in preparation for two of my papers. The above points are merely my observations with no hard feelings or offence to anyone in particular. However, many inconsiderate people do appear at the library, and I hope that they can keep their behaviour in check in contribution to a more conducive environment for students who are striving for their Dean's Lists.

Disclaimer: Definitely not for me. I just want to stay afloat.

24 May 2007: Kuala Lumpur (Day 2)

First, the Mazu Temple. After lunch, we walked the stretch of road where many of the government buildings are located. The big Malaysian flag was flying proudly in the air. Later, we visited the famous Petronas Twin Towers. Very tall indeed.

In the evening, we went atop the KL Tower to catch a glimpse of the city landscape at night. Standing prominently amongst all is still our beloved Petronas Twin Towers.

23 May 2007: Kuala Lumpur (Day 1)

We set off from Malacca in the morning and reached Kuala Lumpur in mid-afternoon. It was my first time in the Malaysian capital, and I was impressed by the level of development in the city. We went for some shopping in the central district, which was again cheap and good. Jerry bought loads of DVDs that were either unavailable or too expensive in Vancouver.

22 May 2007: Malacca

Malacca is a sleepy town. We visited some old houses owned by rich "Kapitans". I went to a temple located in the Chinatown area, followed by a trip to a mosque. Then I walked to the central square with the famous church and fort that were built by the Portugese. Finally, I had dinner at a Japanese restaurant that was cheap and good.

Self-Challenge: 10-minute Post

I think Premier Wen is lodging at the Four Seasons Park Hotel. I was on my way home from a bookstore when my bus stopped at Orchard Road for more than 10 minutes, and even when the lights turned green the bus could not move an inch forward with two policemen blocking the flow of traffic on the road. An entourage of posh cars, vans and police bikers appeared from another road at the junction and it stopped right outside the Hotel. No bigger shot than Premier Wen has arrived in Singapore this week, so it must be him lah. I have decided to break my life of seclusion to work in China. Wonder if he has any lobangs for me.

Hogzilla and I were discussing Chinese history a week ago. I told him that Liu Bang succeeded because he had Zhang Liang and Han Xin, and Liu Bei failed because he only had Zhuge Liang. Therefore, what I meant was that a successful CEO or anyone else needed to possess someone who can devise the strategies and another person who can execute them. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Ma Chao, Wei Yan and others CMI lah. Liu Bang himself had said that he could not govern as well as Xiao He, plot as well as Zhang Liang, or manage as well as Han Xin, but he was best at selecting them and realizing their full potentials. Moral of the story? Be a general of generals, not a general of armies!

There is a problem with the education system and the workforce. Most of us are studying to get a better job, better pay, better life etc. Education has become a platform on which we can value-add and "sell" ourselves to employers, who will determine our worth by the salaries that they are willing to pay us. That's awfully disgusting. And in the years ahead, I can foresee some silly competition between individuals such as earning the fattest paychecks, buying bigger houses and posher (or poser) cars, and getting promotions even if it means displaying your soccer skills on the corporate ladder, kicking asses and not balls. To quote Kiyosaki, we should make money work for us, not the other way round. Of course, I guess this is subject to the availability of capital. Whatever the case is, we should think big and achieve greater things.

A survey was done many years back to study the aspirations of children in developed countries, and it reflected that children in the USA and Europe often responded with answers such as "I want to become an astronaut!" or "I wish to become the President!", but what Singaporean children offered were "I want to become rich!" or "I hope to own big cars and houses!" See the contrast? I don't know if there are any cultural attributes to this phenomenon. If there ain't any, then it is worrying, well at least to me. Bold ambitions maybe, but no bold dreams.

Feeling the Academia in me

I'm beginning to feel more like an amateur academic rather than a mere student. This is not to say that my intellectual capabilities have improved by leaps and bounds, but I feel more obliged these days to write good essays beyond the consideration of grades alone.

I used to "mass-produce" essays over a short span of time, and my "best" record was having completed 6 essays in slightly less than 2 weeks. These "factory-made" products passed without any form of proof-reading for quality control, but somehow I was often rewarded decently at the end of the day. I'm not bragging here, but I was just plain lucky in the past. Sheer luck indeed.

Due to the same old problem of time constraint, I still don't proof-read my essays, but would now devote more time and effort in consolidating my thoughts and devising a smooth delivery of my ideas in them. This is perhaps what I coin as an academic obligation. I ought to be more responsible for what I write. However, such a mentality has taken a toll on me. I possess little time to conduct individual field research, and had practically lost all sense and track of time. In fact, it suddenly dawned upon me that the exams will be held in about 2 weeks' time.

In addition, I have begun to formulate arguments of novelty instead of deciding on the "safe" ones in my papers. For instance, in my previous assignments, I discussed about how the demand of the Wu kingdom for horses had actually stimulated the maritime Nanhai trade during the Three Kingdoms period, as well as how Taiwan's State-Owned Enterprises can support a diplomatic quest for political legitimacy. These are controversial arguments that have not been fully ascertained, but I was willing to give them a try.

I suppose these changes within me should be viewed positively, if I really want to become an "academic boy".

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No Money Sia

Some of my friends from Hong Kong and Taiwan had congratulated me on MSN for the Singapore purchase and launch of the Airbus A380. If that's the case, however, I told them that they had spoken to the wrong person. For obvious reasons, of course.

1. I don't own SIA.
2. I can only afford to take the bus, not the one that can fly.
3. I may never get a chance to travel on it anyway, given my status as a low-income earner.

Ah yes, yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of my encounter with Jacky Wu in Taiwan! Hurray!

Egalitarianism?

In some societies, the winners think they have won a fair competition, while the losers are generally unaware that structural inequalities may have contributed to their failure to succeed. The winners always prefer a status quo, and the losers have to live with it. Egalitarianism? Sure, if the winners say so.

I Love Hong Kong

Since the handover in 1997, Hong Kong's economic links with China have strengthened over the years. I just read from a report that there now exists a huge demand for Chinese teachers by private schools and big corporations in Hong Kong. However, owing to visa problems and social stigma, there are few teachers from mainland China who can fill the vacancies. Therefore, I have finally found a lucrative market for my services, because it seems that the Hongkongers are willing to pay high salaries (and I know they can) to satisfy the domestic demand. Finally, I feel wanted! I hope to contribute to Hong Kong's economic growth if I can in the near future. Hong Kong has to be the haven for talents, of whom I shall try harder to qualify as one. Hong Kong!

12 May 2007: Guangzhou (Day 2)

We visited the National Park of Sun Yat-Sen's Mausoleum, and were touched by the heroic deeds of the 72 Martyrs who died in their fight against the Manchu dynasty. As a result, we all wore solemn faces at the Park.
Later in the morning, we went to the Guangzhou Museum, and for a history buff like myself, it was definitely a welcome treat. I learnt about the early history of Guangzhou, starting from the Nanyue Kingdom, to the Panyu city, to the Nanhai trade, to the Shi Xie regime, to the links with North Vietnam, to the Canton trade system, and finally to the modern city that we see now. I took many pictures of the relics exhibited at the Museum.

To wrap up the day, we toured the old streets of Guangzhou to catch a glimpse of what life might have been in the past. However, the streets teemed with shops and shoppers, and they displayed a distasteful blend of traditionalism and commercialization.

Should Guangzhou succumb to capitalism and globalization in entirety, then Hong Kong can take over and assume the role of a cultural ballast for the Cantonese and the Chinese as a whole.

11 May 2007: Guangzhou (Day 1)

Nothing much really happened today. I am a Cantonese, but honestly speaking, I felt happier in Hong Kong than I was in Guangzhou, even though Guangzhou is situated in the Guangdong province where I can better locate my roots. Maybe I am too much of an urbanite. Anyway, we boarded a bus and crossed the Chinese border, stopping over in Shenzhen before we finally arrived in Guangzhou in the afternoon. We visited a junior high school, and then proceeded to a local university for a welcome dinner hosted by its vice-principal. We met a few good friends there who could communicate well in English, and all of us enjoyed our dinner to a large extent, accompanied by Cantonese cuisine and, of course, some beer. How can a meal in mainland China be complete without booze or wine?

Life is like a Vacation

Life is like a vacation, and should be treated like one. Life may be perceived as a time frame in which experiences of sorts should be gained and novelties tried out to derive its fullest. However, it is nonetheless a limited time frame, and imagine rushing through a 3-day tour of Beijing, in a bid to cover the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, Wangfujing, Xidan and the 13 Ming Tombs altogether. Yes, it may be accomplished, but the quality of the trip will be compromised. Similarly in life, our whole existence should be taken in stride and simply be enjoyed. We may only live once. Do coffers and grades really matter?

Antidotes of Life

We are all doomed to die right from the start. However, antidotes of air, food and water shall sustain us for decades before we breathe our last. Emperors who had sought for elixirs aimed to break the limitations of these antidotes, but they usually died faster due to excessive mercury poisoning instead of natural causes. Therefore, "Do nothing, yet nothing is left undone". Why seek fame and glory, when we should let nature take its course?

“无为以无不为”

“古今多少事，都付笑谈中”

Thanks, my dear friends!

To those who had attended my talk last week: Thank You very much! I understand that the talk was not my best presentation to date and that the delivery could have been better, but nonetheless I hope that your time had been well-spent at my mini-seminar. Thank You!!

I had sprained my back and experienced a stiff neck some days ago. The greater pain in the neck goes to my countless assignments. More specifically, these assignments comprise 3 essays that will be due soon, 2 ISM reports due much later due to time grace, and my field research at some temples, of which I have visited none.

Here are some of the dire consequences if I fail to meet the mark this semester for academic performance. I will:
1. Be sacked from the research assistant post for spending too much time on petty assignments and none on my field research.
2. Witness a dramatic drop in the CAP score that allows me to kiss my class of honours goodbye and renders my Masters application useless. It shall be my maiden kiss if this happens.
3. Feel so utterly demoralized that I shall slack through my last semester in NUS.

Whatever the outcome may be, life has to go on. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Everything is transient. I shall possess no desires whatsoever. The worth of a person should never be determined by his or her looks, qualifications or wealth. How myopic and superficial if that's the case. Attitude, character and other inner virtues should be the currency of assessment instead. Easier said than done, but it can be done.

In any case, although it sounds a bit Buddhist, singlehood for life is the epitome of personal freedom. The hassle of courtship and the bondage of marriage are killjoys. Please prevent the diffusion of such views to the general public. After all, the power of procreation can reduce any form of dependence on foreign talents.

Updates on Mini-Seminar

As a follow-up to the most recent entry, here are some of the updates that my dear friends should take note of:

The venue remains unchanged, but more specifically it is called Discussion Room 04-01. This room is located next to the stairway of the USP Block Admin. If you are taking a lift up to level 4, be sure to make a right turn after exiting from the lift, and enter the first room that you see on the left side of the corridor.

Light refreshments will be provided, in gratitude for the support of my dear friends, some of whom not really interested in the topic, others skipping classes to help fill the quota, as well as those who do not have lessons on Friday but will attend the talk nonetheless. And of course, to friends who are genuinely interested in an academic discourse of sorts, THANKS!

I'm now like Taiwan, which is desperate for more support from member states of the international community to gain a seat in the United Nations. So please continue to spread the word further, and see you this coming Friday! :)

Mini-Seminar: The Longzhong Plan: The Geo-Economic Factors leading to the Tripartite Division of Han China

Dear friends,

I will be giving a talk on the above-mentioned topic next Friday. Details are as follows:

Date: 19 October 2007
Time: 2pm-4pm
Venue: Seminar Room ADM/0401 (USP Admin Block; please take the lift to level 4)

Please don't be late, and come prepared with questions! My professor will regard a lack of questions as a failure of my presentation to be stimulating and engaging. Please help!

Despite the fact that I had booked the room for 2 hours, please rest be assured that I shall only speak for about 30 minutes, followed by a Q & A session for another 30 minutes. Please bombard me with loads of questions, and I mean it!

And for those who have pledged to come, THANKS! I really appreciate it. All are welcome! Please ask your friends along too! I need more publicity. If the number of attendees falls below 15, I will have to do the presentation again in an open seminar for members of the public. Please spare me from that by allowing me a reasonable turnout. Thanks!

Yours Truly,
Wacky Jacky

10 October 2007: Happy Birthday, Republic of China!

I dare not call it Taiwan, but it is definitely one of my favourite places on the surface of the Earth. Happy Birthday!!

One of my online purchases on eBay has yet to arrive, when it ought to at the end of last month. So infuriating! I need it for one of my assignments! Shall I file a dispute?

10 May 2007: A Happy Reunion!

I woke up early to the smell and taste of Portugese egg tarts. It was my first breakfast in weeks, since I never have the practice of eating one in my hectic Singapore mornings. After having the tarts, I went to meet Elvis at the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station. It was noon, and he brought me to a buffetaurant for lunch. Our next destination was Harbour City, a famous shopping mall for the rich and affluent. I was the great pretender, comparable to King Richard III.

Of course, it was nice meeting up with Elvis! We skirted the whole district of Tsim Sha Tsui and walked the Avenue of Stars, where we had most of our photos taken. My tired legs soon demanded a rest, but ironically led me all the way to Mongkok before stopping. It was there where we had my favourite mango dessert, again!

In the evening, I went to meet up with Debby, Teresa, Paul, Ansel, Alison and Vivian (from left to right in photo) at a Chinese restaurant in Mongkok. Teresa and I, the Taurean babies, were pleasantly surprised when they wheeled in a cake lit with candles. Then, I received from Debby a bag of homemade cookies as a belated birthday gift. Great taste came with the thought, and Debby has good culinary skills to speak of! Thanks everyone, if you are reading this belated post! Sigh, when will we meet again?!

9 May 2007: Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin and Tsai Wan

Professor Graham took us on a morning trip to the Sam Tung Uk in Tsuen Wan, followed by a tour of a temple that reveres the Goddess of the Sea, namely Mazu.

We also went to a museum located near the Chinese University of Hong Kong at Sha Tin. It's a pity that I don't have the photos of the museum with me here.

I concluded the day by meeting up with Kieron, a friend from the Hong Kong University. We knew each other in Taiwan last year during a competition. Kieron offered me a treat at a Japanese restaurant at Tsai Wan, and we went for mango dessert at my favourite 许留山 outlet at Causeway Bay where I broke a shoe. That spells the intensity of my Hong Kong trip. Thanks to Kieron's discount card, I was able to buy a new pair of New Balance shoes for less than SGD 50 at a nearby shop. An added contribution to the already-robust Hong Kong economy!

8 May 2007: Lamma Island and Causeway Bay

The summer in Hong Kong was unbearable. Nonetheless, it did not deter me from visiting Lamma Island, one of Hong Kong's southern islands. No one else in the group would want to risk a possible heatstroke there, so I took a 1-hour ferry ride to the place alone.

Besides having a beautiful landscape, which I had enjoyed viewing immensely, Lamma Island is also known for its fresh, delectable seafood. What may be less known is that Lamma Island is actually the birthplace of movie star Chow Yun Fatt, who had famously quipped "Welcome to Singapore" in the recent Pirates of the Carribean III. In short, Lamma Island provides a great escapade from the urban hassles of ever-busy Hong Kong.

After a whole afternoon of hiking and trekking, I met up with the rest of the ding gang at Times Square of Causeway Bay for dinner. We headed back for the YMCA hotel after some shopping in the vicinity, feeling thoroughly bushed at the end of the day.

Rewarded for being Overloaded

Thanks to Qihua Jie for her steamboat dinner treat, and also to Daniel for his ramen treat after he has received his first paycheck! Kudos to them for offering me treats, despite my pathetic assignment grades amid the daunting workload that I am currently enjoying. Life is indeed like a box of chocolates, both black and white.

Happy Birthday to the People's Republic of China!