The rusty gate creaked open, beckoning towards a path of cracked stones; thick weeds blew in the chilly wind. The path led towards a worn house, its window’s barred and the chimney long stopped showing signs of a warm hearth. The wood of the abandoned house were covered with tangled ivy vines, snaking its way along the length of the house, but it still showed flakes of the bright red paint, like a faint ghost of what the building used to be.
The balcony creaked with every step and the wailing wind was the only company one could find. An old lamp hung on a bent hook, the glass broken and the shards on the ground. The brass doorknob squeaked with unused and protested at being opened. A light hung from the ceiling, its bulbs long burned out and the crystals were now dulled from the years of collected dust, forming a thick grimy layer. The wallpaper in the hallway hung limp from the wall, revealing the dull brown color underneath. The pictures laid smashed on the ground, hastily brushed to the side, showing pictures of a brighter time.
The hallway led to a few rooms, the slight breeze pushed one of the doors slightly ajar, revealing a mattress-less bed and the golden poles weathered rain and snow from a cracked window. Beside the bed lay a porcelain doll, its face smashed on the ground, its unfeeling eyes stared straight ahead, a smile plastered on its face. The sight of the room brought a wave of nostalgia.
It happened 47 years ago. Everyone was in bed, blissfully unaware of the events that would occur in the next few moments. At that time, the house was dry and the roof did its job protecting us. The window was clear, almost as if there was nothing between the outside and the inside. The plates were all sparkling and the utensils were polished. A soft downy mattress was under me with a warm quilt and the smiling doll in my arm. We all heard the explosion. As the sound intruded to my sleep, I began hearing the screaming and the crying. I rushed to the window, peeking outside and saw the ball of flames erupting from the nuclear plant nearby. We left the house afterwards, as did many others, letting our dear home crumble into ruins.
In the living room, a shadow of its once warm aura, I sat, watching the sun make its slow ascent in the sky, rocking in the rocking chair that once was my grandmother’s. The living room was a mess. Scraps of paper lay around in al corners and unidentifiable shards of objects were heaped together. The dark brown bookshelf was now collapsed; the books were strewn across the floor. As the sun appeared behind the clouds, its light filtered into the room, from the yellowed window and caught the crystal of the light in the hallway and I was basked in the colorful light of a rainbow.
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Sunday, 6 July 2014
历史文化名城 · 阆中 · 孔家大院 ( 2 )
The Langzhong city, situated in the Sichan province of China, is a ancestral location of my family. Descending from my mother's forefather, Confucius, the 66 generation of the Kong line resided in this particular city. This old house has been constructed for roughly 300 years, every carve embossed on the wall containing the history and culture of our ancestry.
http://www.xcar.com.cn/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=2377517&page=18
孔家大院
孔家大院修建于清康熙年间，为孔子第66代孙所建的住宅，已有320多年历史。该院坐南朝北，由两正院一后花园18间房屋组成，左右对称，中间为主庭，东西两侧为花厅，占地300余平方米，建筑布局为四合院小天井双坡青瓦屋面的穿逗结构，门窗雕花，正庭大梁上有太极图与龙纹彩绘，是典型的川北古民居大院。
明、清时，孔氏为大户人家，以教书为生，兼营其他产业，后家道衰落。1939至1942年，时任川康建设期成会阆中办事处主任的张澜先生，曾在此设署衙办公和居住。
地址:阆中古城白花庵街10号
电话:0817-6229890
门票:3元
[ Last edited by 来了又走了 on 05-11-10 at 19:35 ]
http://www.xcar.com.cn/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=2377517&page=21
资料：
孔氏族人，子孙繁衍，氏族昌盛，延续至今，共有82代，历经2550年。根据“孔子世家谱续修工作协会”会长孔德墉提供的数字，目前孔子后代接近400万人，他们分布于海峡两岸及海外，其中大陆约300万人。
阆中这一支孔子后裔，是怎么来的呢？据《孔子世家谱》记载：孔子52代孔之升从山东曲阜迁居陕西华原（今陕西耀县）。公元1677年，65代孔衍康奉朝廷之命，入川平定吴三桂叛乱，当时平叛已进入第4年，战争异常激烈，该支武官较多，其中多人战死沙场，孔衍康也为国捐躯，遗体运回阆中，安葬在较场坝。4年后平叛结束，66代孔兴石即定居阆中，他的两个儿子的后裔即今天毛家巷孔姓和屏江街孔姓。孔姓家族在阆中城内修有多处大院，包括至今保存完好的孔家大院。上个世纪30年代，阆中这一支孔姓家族在世男性为286人，现在估计近2000人，子孙遍布全国和海外。
从清代以来，阆中这一支孔姓家族不乏杰出人物，如反袁司令孔宝庆，牺牲在阆中西门外；广东巡检孔昭堪，其夫人为著名诗人梁清芬。近现代更是人才辈出，在科技教育界的专家学者达60余人之多，较知名的有现定居美国的原台湾新竹清华大学教授孔筱芳，有阆中中学创始人、省政协委员的孔震生，华西医科大学副校长孔繁成，中国航空航天专家、四川省人大第七、第八届常委孔繁庚，公路专家、京津唐高速公路主设计师孔祥金等，还有多人定居海外，在学术上均有建树。
Leonardo da Vinci
Throughout history, many great men and women made extraordinary contributions to our knowledge and understanding of the world around us as well as ourselves, explaining how things came to be or inventing a new gadget, making life so much more simple for us. Because of Galileo Galilee’s modification to the telescope, we can study the universe more clearly. Thanks to Marie Carrie we know now some basic principles of radiation and we can make sturdier bridges and buildings with accurate right angles because of the discovery of the Pythagorean theorem by Pythagoras. Yet, above all Leonardo da Vinci is considered one of the most important and influential figures throughout history.
Born out of wedlock on April 15, 1452 to Peiro da Vinci and Caterina in Vinci, Florence, Leonardo di ser Peiro da Vinci is considered the archetype of a Renaissance man; he is a man with “unquenchable curiosity and feverishly inventive imagination”. Da Vinci was a polymath, although he is usually regarded as a painter, he also excels in many other subjects such as math, architecture, music and engineering; some say that that he is the most diversely talented person who ever lived. He worked as an apprentice for much of his earlier life and his most renowned pieces are probably the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man.
In 1976, Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant, based on da Vinci’s studies on the heart valve. In December 1903, the Wright brothers first launched their aircraft, but Leonardo da Vinci’s studies of birds and wings provided a base for the aircraft. Da Vinci had a dream where someday men would be able to fly just like birds do and he spent years studying birds. Although that dream couldn’t be realized in the time of da Vinci, without him, the first aircraft might have been invented much later. He also had many designs for an adding machine, tanks and submarines.
Da Vinci was a curious person, who often asked many questions.
He once wrote:
“I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand. Why shells existed on the tops of mountains along with the imprints of coral and plants and seaweed usually found in the sea. Why the thunder lasts a longer time than that which causes it, and why immediately on its creation the lightning becomes visible to the eye while thunder requires time to travel. How the various circles of water form around the spot which has been struck by a stone, and why a bird sustains itself in the air. These questions and other strange phenomena engage my thought throughout my life.”
He also made many connections with seemingly unrelated topics, such as his connection with horse riding and gears, which later became the first bicycle. In one of his notebooks, da Vinci wrote, “connecting the unconnected” which is a way for him to think creatively. Once when da Vinci was standing by a well he noticed that a stone dropped into the well at the same time a church bell rang. Observing how the ripples spread out and connecting that sound also spread out, he made the conclusion that sound travels in waves.
Da Vinci also took many risks, such as experimenting with new paint techniques. When he was painting the Last Supper, he avoided layering plaster on the wall before painting with water colors, and instead, made his own fresco, but his experimentation with paint on the masterpiece failed miserably. Pigments fell off of the painting, inviting decay began to disintegrate the fresco and the paint faded considerably. Leonardo da Vinci’s also studied rivers, and by doing this, he believed that the earth was older than what the Bible said, therefore contradicting the Bible and could have been accused of heresy at any given moment and killed. He believed that ancient oceans left marine fossils on the mountains and not Noah’s Ark.
Da Vinci died on May 2, 1519 but he is still remembered today. Although some of his studies weren’t accurate, they all became bases for many of our new discoveries and innovations. Some say that Leonardo da Vinci was a man born out of his time and with so many contributions he made to our world, he could be just that.
Born out of wedlock on April 15, 1452 to Peiro da Vinci and Caterina in Vinci, Florence, Leonardo di ser Peiro da Vinci is considered the archetype of a Renaissance man; he is a man with “unquenchable curiosity and feverishly inventive imagination”. Da Vinci was a polymath, although he is usually regarded as a painter, he also excels in many other subjects such as math, architecture, music and engineering; some say that that he is the most diversely talented person who ever lived. He worked as an apprentice for much of his earlier life and his most renowned pieces are probably the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man.
In 1976, Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant, based on da Vinci’s studies on the heart valve. In December 1903, the Wright brothers first launched their aircraft, but Leonardo da Vinci’s studies of birds and wings provided a base for the aircraft. Da Vinci had a dream where someday men would be able to fly just like birds do and he spent years studying birds. Although that dream couldn’t be realized in the time of da Vinci, without him, the first aircraft might have been invented much later. He also had many designs for an adding machine, tanks and submarines.
Da Vinci was a curious person, who often asked many questions.
He once wrote:
“I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand. Why shells existed on the tops of mountains along with the imprints of coral and plants and seaweed usually found in the sea. Why the thunder lasts a longer time than that which causes it, and why immediately on its creation the lightning becomes visible to the eye while thunder requires time to travel. How the various circles of water form around the spot which has been struck by a stone, and why a bird sustains itself in the air. These questions and other strange phenomena engage my thought throughout my life.”
Because of his curiosity on why the sky was blue, he concluded that it was the molecules in the air scatter blue light. He even concluded that the moon reflected the light of the sun.
He also made many connections with seemingly unrelated topics, such as his connection with horse riding and gears, which later became the first bicycle. In one of his notebooks, da Vinci wrote, “connecting the unconnected” which is a way for him to think creatively. Once when da Vinci was standing by a well he noticed that a stone dropped into the well at the same time a church bell rang. Observing how the ripples spread out and connecting that sound also spread out, he made the conclusion that sound travels in waves.
Da Vinci also took many risks, such as experimenting with new paint techniques. When he was painting the Last Supper, he avoided layering plaster on the wall before painting with water colors, and instead, made his own fresco, but his experimentation with paint on the masterpiece failed miserably. Pigments fell off of the painting, inviting decay began to disintegrate the fresco and the paint faded considerably. Leonardo da Vinci’s also studied rivers, and by doing this, he believed that the earth was older than what the Bible said, therefore contradicting the Bible and could have been accused of heresy at any given moment and killed. He believed that ancient oceans left marine fossils on the mountains and not Noah’s Ark.
Da Vinci died on May 2, 1519 but he is still remembered today. Although some of his studies weren’t accurate, they all became bases for many of our new discoveries and innovations. Some say that Leonardo da Vinci was a man born out of his time and with so many contributions he made to our world, he could be just that.
Saturday, 5 July 2014
Ancient Greeks in Modern Life
The ancient Greeks
speak of legendary humanoids and creatures, mortal and immortal. They have the
invincible gods and goddesses, like the great Athena and the powerful Zeus, and
the mortal humans alike. Now, we have rich businessmen, creative architects and
those who live as the wind blows. These two completely different worlds, one with knives, the other with guns, may seem opposites, but in the furthest
depths of their way of living, lies a few personality traits that seem to be
passed on generation after generation.
Venturing into the
different realms of monarchy and democracy, the unique rulers set very similar
laws. No man, woman, or child should commit incest (crime of marrying a close relative).
This crime is punished with separate ways, but punished nonetheless. The Greeks
will be tormented with guilt by the Furies, a group of spirits that cause chaos
to a victim. In the modern era, it is punished by being sentenced to prison.
We have in a way
become more civilized, killing is prohibited and there are no exceptions. In
ancient Greece, avenging a father’s death and fulfilling a mission is not
punished, in fact, it is punished if it is not done. For example, when Heracles
needed to slay the Minotaur to fulfill one of his 12 labors, it was not
considered a death crime and blood-guilt. Usually, revenge is sprouted by jealousy
of another family and betrayal. When Athamas, the king of Boeotia, left his
wife, Nephele, to be with Ino (a princess), Nephele asked the goddess Hera for
help. Hera drove Athamus mad and made him kill Ino and his sons, making him
believe that he was killing a deer.
Greed has been and
always will be a problem in humanity. A man always seeks for more and will do
anything to achieve it. When Pelops wanted to marry Hippodameia with a contest,
he bribed the servant (Myrtilus) of his opponent to betray his master. The servant
hijacked his master’s chariot and so Pelops won. On the way home, he killed
Myrtilus so that Myrtilus will not pose a threat to him.
The ancient Greeks did
indeed have gods and goddesses which this religion has now turned into myths. These gods and
goddesses dispensed justice, wrath, greed and revenge on mortal delinquents.
Though they do not appear in mortal life anymore, they are shown by abstract things
like karma, luck, fate, etc. When people are in search for more space, they
often commence war for the land, like the raging war of Troy and the war
between the Russians and Ukraine.
There are certain traits that define humans, its what makes us who we are. No matter how much we evolve, the basic personalities remains the same.
Thursday, 3 July 2014
Alexander the Great
In 334 BC, the Macedonian Empire grew; its borders consisted of Greece, Egypt and present day Pakistan. The Macedonians conquered the Achaemenid Empire or better known as the Persian Empire, the largest empire at that time. The emperor of the Macedonians at the time was Alexander the Great. Under his lead, the Macedonians became one of the largest empires in the ancient world and his army was never defeated, earning his reputation as the greatest commander in history. Alexander the Great became as legendary as many mythical hero like Achilles. Even today, military leaders compare with him and his strategies and tactics are taught in military academies.
Alexander III of Macedon was born on 356 BC to the Philip II of Macedon and Olympias (who is attributed with the phrase “divide and conquer”), princess of Euprius in Pella and was tutored by Aristotle from the age of twelve until he was sixteen. He ascended to the throne at the age of twenty after Philip II was assassinated. In 334, Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire and after a few attempts, killed their king, Darius III and declared himself as the “King of Kings” the equivalent to an emperor. Alexander also became Pharaoh in Egypt, and declared that he was the son of Zeus Ammon, as Egyptian Pharaohs were believed to be sons of gods. As he made his way towards India, he contracted a fever and soon afterwards died in 323 BC.
As Alexander the Great conquered and founded many cities, he also began Hellenizing and spreading Greek culture and philosophy. Hellenic influence spread throughout the lands under the rule of Diadochi. An abundance of Greek statues, architecture and inscriptions have been found many cities around the Middle East and Asia. Many cities were named Alexandria after him and one city, Bucephala, was named after his favourite horse, Bucephalus. The spreading of the Greek language also introduced Greek literature to the Persian Empire, and influenced the philosophy and writing of the region. Even coins now have portraits on one side and important scenes.
Alexander also helped the economy for the ancient Macedonians. When he tried unifying the Greek and the Persian empires, he subsequently created a trade route between the two empires and commerce between Europe and Asia. To encourage commerce, Alexander standardized currency, making it much easier to do trade and business between these two regions. Encouraged, merchants travelled to the empires to sell their products in cities and towns.
Alexander the Great died at the ripe age of 33, yet his legacy continues on today. Even as we speak the English language, we are carrying Greek words in our vocabulary such as in alphabet, optician, psychology, microscope and telepathy. After the death of Alexander the Great, many other Roman and Greek conquerors such as Julius Caesar continued his attempt in Hellenizing, forever changing our modern world.
Alexander III of Macedon was born on 356 BC to the Philip II of Macedon and Olympias (who is attributed with the phrase “divide and conquer”), princess of Euprius in Pella and was tutored by Aristotle from the age of twelve until he was sixteen. He ascended to the throne at the age of twenty after Philip II was assassinated. In 334, Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire and after a few attempts, killed their king, Darius III and declared himself as the “King of Kings” the equivalent to an emperor. Alexander also became Pharaoh in Egypt, and declared that he was the son of Zeus Ammon, as Egyptian Pharaohs were believed to be sons of gods. As he made his way towards India, he contracted a fever and soon afterwards died in 323 BC.
As Alexander the Great conquered and founded many cities, he also began Hellenizing and spreading Greek culture and philosophy. Hellenic influence spread throughout the lands under the rule of Diadochi. An abundance of Greek statues, architecture and inscriptions have been found many cities around the Middle East and Asia. Many cities were named Alexandria after him and one city, Bucephala, was named after his favourite horse, Bucephalus. The spreading of the Greek language also introduced Greek literature to the Persian Empire, and influenced the philosophy and writing of the region. Even coins now have portraits on one side and important scenes.
Alexander also helped the economy for the ancient Macedonians. When he tried unifying the Greek and the Persian empires, he subsequently created a trade route between the two empires and commerce between Europe and Asia. To encourage commerce, Alexander standardized currency, making it much easier to do trade and business between these two regions. Encouraged, merchants travelled to the empires to sell their products in cities and towns.
Alexander the Great died at the ripe age of 33, yet his legacy continues on today. Even as we speak the English language, we are carrying Greek words in our vocabulary such as in alphabet, optician, psychology, microscope and telepathy. After the death of Alexander the Great, many other Roman and Greek conquerors such as Julius Caesar continued his attempt in Hellenizing, forever changing our modern world.
Tuesday, 1 July 2014
Where Heaven Meets Earth
Somewhere, there is a tiny world, where hillsides are painted green and stained with spice. Hills, which look like giant sleeping turtles. The lush grass is spread around the hills like a blanket. It is soft like a lamb's wool and rich with hidden wonders. Priceless treasures like the earthworms who fertilize the field, to the rare emerald swallowtails. In the caves of the hummock, lie resting spirits keeping the valley safe. Their mere humble presence keeps the place humming with warmth and peace.
The mountainside dips down into a stream, the elixir of life cascading down. The glistening water is refreshing and gently flows around the whole area. The flow of the water creates a cleansing ritual, renewing the land and ridding the bad. It covers the unique underwater world of seafood and protects it. The water paints the image of the sky, capturing all the right shades and shapes. Pond lilies surround it like wings of an angel, each flower a different hue from the rest.
The tropical sun smiles upon the meadow and its exotic flowers, filling them with heat. Not too hot, but not to cold. The willows with their long summer icicles sway with the colours of the wind. With each clump o leaves that look like a waterfall, it creates a safe haven for animals seeking shelter or shade. The sweet aroma of flowers create a heavenly bliss. No, this is not Shangri-La. It is called Pratumia, found where heaven meets Earth.
A doe grazes through the field with her fawn. Her grace is a crystal jewel in the grass. Snow white rabbits prance around the lilies by the lake. Life here is simple, endless water and boundless food. But Pratumia isn't simply a meadow. Every night, something peculiar happens. The moon lights up the sky with a calming glow, a wake up call. The hills move. The Nysagi are small creatures, the size of a thumb, with pointy green heads, and eyes that reach into their souls. Their arms are petite and nimble and their stout legs are made of dirt. They lead an easy life; as they wake up each night, they patch up the bald areas, refilling the scenery with plantation. Their whispers are carried into the night.
The Elfra are bigger creatures with a head full of thick locks. With their eyes closed, it is difficult to find his face, but during the night, his features stand out. They are old souls, they have seen the beginning and will live to see the end. Their head gives shelter to many different critters, which are fast sleep at the moment. They move slowly, their rough brown bodies are bulky and silently creak as they move. Their thousand arms reach towards the moon, casting shadows on the ground. They sky is dark but natural lanterns light it up, leading a path for the shifting world.
The sleeping slumbers are slowly woken up by the sweet songs of the nightingale. The Nysagi and the Elfra are put to rest, lulled by the cooing of a dove and the golden melody of life.
The mountainside dips down into a stream, the elixir of life cascading down. The glistening water is refreshing and gently flows around the whole area. The flow of the water creates a cleansing ritual, renewing the land and ridding the bad. It covers the unique underwater world of seafood and protects it. The water paints the image of the sky, capturing all the right shades and shapes. Pond lilies surround it like wings of an angel, each flower a different hue from the rest.
The tropical sun smiles upon the meadow and its exotic flowers, filling them with heat. Not too hot, but not to cold. The willows with their long summer icicles sway with the colours of the wind. With each clump o leaves that look like a waterfall, it creates a safe haven for animals seeking shelter or shade. The sweet aroma of flowers create a heavenly bliss. No, this is not Shangri-La. It is called Pratumia, found where heaven meets Earth.
A doe grazes through the field with her fawn. Her grace is a crystal jewel in the grass. Snow white rabbits prance around the lilies by the lake. Life here is simple, endless water and boundless food. But Pratumia isn't simply a meadow. Every night, something peculiar happens. The moon lights up the sky with a calming glow, a wake up call. The hills move. The Nysagi are small creatures, the size of a thumb, with pointy green heads, and eyes that reach into their souls. Their arms are petite and nimble and their stout legs are made of dirt. They lead an easy life; as they wake up each night, they patch up the bald areas, refilling the scenery with plantation. Their whispers are carried into the night.
The Elfra are bigger creatures with a head full of thick locks. With their eyes closed, it is difficult to find his face, but during the night, his features stand out. They are old souls, they have seen the beginning and will live to see the end. Their head gives shelter to many different critters, which are fast sleep at the moment. They move slowly, their rough brown bodies are bulky and silently creak as they move. Their thousand arms reach towards the moon, casting shadows on the ground. They sky is dark but natural lanterns light it up, leading a path for the shifting world.
The sleeping slumbers are slowly woken up by the sweet songs of the nightingale. The Nysagi and the Elfra are put to rest, lulled by the cooing of a dove and the golden melody of life.
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