Nowhere man, Nowhere land -橱窗透过时代倩影

三四十年一转,迷嬉装(Maxi)又流行起来。追源朔流,迷嬉装与叛逆的嬉皮士文化息息相关。

美国流行的嬉皮士(Hippie)文化的传播，对上世纪60年代末70年代初的青年影响深远。摇滚乐，迪斯科成为一股新浪潮，也同时带来各种社会问题。嬉皮士是西方国家1960和1970年代反抗习俗和当时政治的年轻人，嬉皮士运动代表着年轻人在反叛的自我意识的推动下通向未知天地的旅程。当时美国经济发达,可是年轻人却面对国家认同感的危机，对此,约翰肯尼地 （John Fitzgerald Kennedy）发表的就职演讲有一句至理名言：“不要问国家能为你做什么,你应该问你能为国家做什么。”（Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country。）


嬉皮士想要改变他们的内心而乖离社会的主流，有许多嬉皮士希望利用毒品所产生的幻觉来达到内心的追求，并通过反传统的行为作风如蓄流长发，大胡子，色彩鲜艳的衣着或不寻常的衣饰来取得认同。他们的迷失可以通过当年著名的乐队Beatles 的歌曲Nowhere Man来表达：

He's a real nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere Man, please listen,
You don't know what you're missin',
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.






那个年代除了嬉皮士和迪斯科装扮外，英国时装设计家Ossie Clark 和 John Bates等人所设计的迷嬉装也曾经流行一时 ，带动全世界的时装潮流。迷嬉装以反潮流为考量,当年流行迷你裙及紧身裁剪，迷嬉装则宽而长,颜色鲜艳，斑斓中带有迷幻的神采，配合几何花纹，自成一格。

Back to the future

This picture was taken in Sep 2004, Wei Dun village （维敦乡）of Guangdong province, China.

Sep 2004. In less than a month's time was the streaming exam for Howard. By nature of most parents, they would possibly lock their children up to prepare for the streaming exam. I called streaming a nuisance as it not only created unnecessary divides among the children at their premature age, it deprived children from learning and modelling from their academically stronger peers. The implication of social class would carry on throughout their adult lives. Some of the “upper class” brand the not so successful lot as stupid. But how to define success? In a pyramid social hierarchy, who is supporting who? The effect of streaming is detrimental!

I objected streaming since it was first introduced into the Singapore education system in the late 1970s. After more than 30 years of history, the ruler claimed that streaming had served its purpose in the past and now has to modify the system to move on in the new economy world. While the ruler has made streaming into a softer form now, the ruler also created gracious explanations to withdraw from the controversial debates in the last 30 years.

I have diverted too much. The subject is not about streaming.

In Sep 2004, I decided to take on a different education path. Instead of locking my children up to prepare for exam, I brought them to the village that their grandfather had grown, had tremendous memory with.

we boarded a ferry in Hong Kong, heading to He San （鹤山）and drove into the village the next day. The village had changed compared to my first visit in 1993. It was unrecognisable. In 1993, the village was still a village that we used to know through film shows and TV serials. Old, muddy and congested. Buffaloes cooled their bodies in the yellowish river, the air was damned and mixed with plant and animal smell. Experience in village was just a typical farmer's life.

In 2004, the village had been reconstructed with concrete and steel. We drove on proper roads funded by a group of Hong Kongers who had grown up here but migrated in the 1940s. I was told that my two uncles in Hong Kong were among those who contributed sustantial amount for the reconstruction effort.

We stopped at a local restaurant and spent $10 RMB for a sumptuous breakfast before proceeding to the old house（老屋）. This picture was taken by the river next to the restaurant.

The river was used for dragon boat race in every fifth month of the lunar calendar. At that time, dad was at the age of Howard. Stand by the river with Howard, the feeling was like time had wound back for 60 years. There are tremendous changes in China in the last 60 years. PLA liberalised the entire China in 1949, supporting North Korea war in 1957, banning immigration to the external world in 1959, culture revolution in 1966, death of Lin Biao, Zhou En Lai and Mo Zhe Dong （林彪，周恩来，毛泽东） in the mid 1970s, rose of Deng Xiao Ping （邓小平）in the 1980s to remake China into a world dominant economic power again. Now, Beijing 100 years' Olympic dream was just over. China history had never been bored.

By the way the river is still used for dragon boat race in every fifth month of the lunar calendar.

Dad was very excited. Same did my children. I was excited too. This ordinary picture has exceptional sentimental value for us. It witnesses the grow of my previous generation, the little effort for me to pull them together in the month of September four years ago, and the grow of my next generation.



I have no regret of trading the streaming exam preparation with exploring the traditional road and root. This trip was a life education. This exploration worth 1001 time than an exam.

二十世纪本地电影与传统戏剧回顾 (Part 4-final)

回顾与前瞻

现代化和教育制度的改革也彻底改变了人们生活与娱乐方式，西化和1979年推行的讲华语运动对年轻人起了很大的冲击。他们听不懂方言，空闲的时候，喜欢到迪士可舞厅和酒廊，根本听不懂三、四个小时的大戏。

电影也在与传统戏曲争夺观众，而且具有明显的优势。以往电影院都散布在市区，如牛车水的大华戏院、金华戏院和东方戏院、桥北路的奥迪安戏院与光华戏院和史丹福路一带的首都戏院与国泰戏院。从乡间要“下坡”（到市区）才可看到电影，费时费力，十分不便。新加坡独立后设计卫星镇时，将电影院归为发展蓝图中的一项设施。电影院成了方便的公共设施，自然吸引许多电影观众。

（直落亚逸街：19世纪的时候，街边酬神戏也很热闹。图片来源：互联网）

社会环境、政治制度、经济环境的改变，使原本有利可图的职业戏班逐渐亏损倒闭，不过业余戏曲活动发展仍大有前景，业余粤剧活动势头最好。以冈州会馆粤剧组来说，1968年演出黄仕英新编的《新白蛇传》获得好评，并于1970年代初到香港演出。冈州会馆粤剧组向来重视舞台布景及灯光效果，1968年开始采用立体布景，在演出中增添新的舞台效果，例如《牡丹亭惊梦》有模拟鸟声，在台上放出十数只活鸟；《洛水神仙》中仙女从天而降等。如今粤剧团体如敦煌剧坊还是挺活跃的。

新加坡身处在一个中西交汇的大环境，早就已经广泛接受各地区的移民。我们的先辈大多从中国南方千里迢迢乘船来到南洋开创新生活，也带来了地方性的文化与娱乐。他们以勤劳刻苦的精神融入新加坡社会，提升了新加坡的整体水平。

（新加坡河：刻苦耐劳的先民的象征。图片来源：互联网）

移民与新加坡的历史息息相关，早年的新加坡已经张开双手，欢迎外地人前来安家置业，今时今日我们是否应该以宏观的态度与包容的雅量来对待移民问题呢？这是值得我们反思的。

（印度移民创建的马里安曼庙）

二十世纪本地电影与传统戏剧回顾 (Part 3)

新加坡戏剧走过的路，谱一曲新加坡戏剧的歌

十九世纪末二十世纪初，大量移民从中国东南方如广东、潮州、福建等地到新加坡谋生，他们多数从事劳力工作，同时带来各地的风土人情与地方戏种。虽然配乐不同、方言各异，但在舞台设计和曲目题材上，地方戏曲都大同小异。古典文学与民间故事如三国演义、白蛇传、西游记、武松打虎、秦香莲等都通过潮州戏、歌仔戏等传统戏曲与木偶戏来传播。看街戏已成为凝聚各族的社区活动。

（甘榜戏台。图片来源：互联网）

战后的20年是新加坡地方戏曲的黄金期。新加坡首个成立的业余剧社余娱儒乐社在1945年9月，日军投降后不到一个月便开始活动，次年8月一连两晚在快乐世界公演汉剧作为和平周年纪念演出。京剧团体也在1946年作首场演出，为南洋女子中学复校筹款义演。南洋客属总会国乐部（后改为汉乐部）在1949年为苏门答腊占碑火灾义演汉剧两晚，筹赈帮助灾民。

1945年光复之后京剧的文武行以大世界游艺场内的重庆戏院为舞台，成立了东方大京班。京剧在新加坡进入一段短暂的兴盛期。新中国建国后中国艺人返回中国，东方大京班结束，职业京剧团消失了，京剧也步向衰落。

艺人回中国的原因不难理解，一些戏班演员于战前到南洋的原因，主要是逃避中国当时的动荡局势，当然也包括了过埠“淘金”的期望，如一般客工的心理，打算赚了钱便回家，没有长期留下来的打算。可是，来了不久，却因太平洋战争而滞留本地。战事已过，在中国有家人亲友的，或有强烈的祖国观念的的艺人，想回家的情绪自然是强烈的。

新中国建国后切断了中国戏曲的来源，到了1950年代中期以后，戏班才稳定下来。1957年韩战爆发，树胶价格猛涨，新加坡的各行各业在树胶及其他原料价格上涨的带动下，欣欣向荣，娱乐事业也随着一片蓬勃。这期间有超过20个职业戏班在新加坡演出。有水准、受欢迎的戏班常年在设备完善的游艺场内的戏台演出，至于在迎神庙会演出街戏的戏班多数演潮州戏和歌仔戏。当时的街戏在中元节、庆典、神会时的演出是免费的，因此吸引了大批观众。除了观众，尚有许多小贩售卖小吃、地甘（一种赌博），热热闹闹的。这些演出多由商贾、庆典炉主、各组织的会员、或做公德的信徒赞助。这类“神功戏”是由庙堂所供奉的神灵来决定的，他们通过投掷胜杯与神灵沟通。大戏通常每日演出两场，午场下午两点开锣、五点结束。晚场于七时半开锣，演至午夜12点。

（街戏。图片来源：互联网）

最活跃于游艺场的剧种首推粤剧。新加坡的粤剧演出多是由台主请来外地的剧团，如香港的粤剧名伶来新加坡当台柱。邵氏是当时的大台主，常聘请海外粤剧名伶到新加坡，再加上本地的粤剧演员，凑合成临时的班底演出。与其他剧种相比，新加坡的粤剧剧目丰富多彩，海外来的艺人都各自有其独特的艺术成就。以薛觉先这位泰斗级人物为例，他是粤剧的代表、与马师曾、桂名扬和白驹荣合称四大天王。他要求演员忠于剧本，也大胆的将西洋乐器引入粤剧。表演艺术上，他创下“薛腔”，开北派武打，自然提升了观众的欣赏水平、推动了粤剧艺术的发展。

（粤剧红伶梁醒波。图片来源：互联网）

至于布袋木偶戏，上世纪三十年代“老班新赛乐手戏班”从中国福建来到新加坡落地生根。新赛乐的特色是在戏台上下了许多功夫, 戏台雕梁画栋，搭建精美，还用了一千个小灯泡做装饰，在夜间空地上演出时，璀璨夺目。戏台还可以在一小时内组装，转移阵地非常方便。木偶的脸谱以彩绘来表达不同的人物形象，造型有生旦净丑，忠奸分明。

1965至1980年间，新加坡政府采取劳工密集的经济发展政策。当时新加坡的劳工成本与发达国家相比相对低廉，吸引了劳工密集的工业如电子业、制造业和加工业等等。许多乡村都改建成工厂、公路、商行、组屋等；原为渔村的裕廊发展成裕廊工业区；原为农村的大巴窑、宏茂桥、勿洛、淡滨尼则发展成供人们居住的卫星镇。

人们搬入组屋区后，电源充足，电视电缆设备完善；随着经济发展，人们收入增加，购买能力增强，电视越来越普遍。新加坡广播局逐渐提供更多节目，发展成为全日播放，工作读书之余，留在家里观赏电视节目成为最大的娱乐消遣。

注：该文引用下述主要参考资料

1. 赖素春，新加坡华语戏曲的发展（1920年-1945年），新加坡文献馆。

2. 赖素春，反殖时代新加坡戏曲的再度繁荣（1945-1965），中国网络文学联盟。

3. 赖素春，独立后的新加坡戏曲的衰落（1965-1980），新加坡文献馆。

4. 电影戏剧展馆研习坊，国家博物馆，2008年。

5. Terence Chong, Ethnic Identities and Cultural Capital: An Ethnography of Chinese Opera in Singapore, Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 13:283–307, 2006, ISSN: 1070-289X print / 1547-3384 online.

二十世纪本地电影与传统戏剧回顾 (Part 2)

马来电影的黄金时代

战后新加坡电影院以放映好莱坞影片为主，占70%，其余的是英国片、华语片、印度片和马来片。新加坡是马来电影的制作中心，其影片主要在本土和附近区域发行。当时新加坡有两个著名的马来电影制作机构：邵氏的马来电影公司（Malay Film Production，1947 － 1969）和国泰克里斯公司（Cathay Keris，1953 - 1972），在五十和六十年代生产了260 多部马来电影。

邵氏的马来电影制作主要在No.8 Jalan Ampas 进行。起初这些马来电影由华人执导，不过马来同胞比较认同印度片的拍摄手法和文化，所以由印度导演取代。早年的马来电影以马来传奇人物与爱情故事为题材，后来还有战争片,恐怖片(油鬼子)与僵尸片(Potianak)。

我们的马来电影工作者也考虑到电影的社会使命，认为电影在带给大家娱乐之外，还应该带动社会发展，所以后期的马来电影开始转型,以当时的社会素材为主线，反映人们的心声。最为人津津乐道的是穷小子与千金小姐的爱情故事，经过重重波折后有情人终成眷属，未来充满希望。观众开心，戏院老板也开心，皆大欢喜。

面对国泰强而有力的竞争，邵氏大胆启用当红的马来演员拉姆力(P Ramlee) 当导演，当时拉姆力只有26岁，却制作了许多叫好叫座的影片。谁是拉姆力呢？拉姆力是一名多才多艺的演员，还能作曲填词，他主演的汉都亚 (Hang Tuah) 使他红透半边天。

（P Ramlee. 图片来源：互联网）

汉都亚是十五世纪马六甲王朝著名的将领，为人正义，十分效忠。相传他小时候和朋友汉布德一起击败海盗，不久后得到当时的马六甲苏丹穆沙法沙（Sutlan Mudafar Sha，第五代苏丹）的赏识，并给予他出任海军司令的职位。在穆沙法沙任期间，打击海盗行动得到好评。

穆沙法沙去世之后，他儿子苏丹满速沙（Mansur Misura）登基。汉都亚的童年好友汉布德和汉嘉伯（Hang Jebat）叛乱，想案杀苏丹满速沙。汉都亚发现了这个阴谋之后，在友情与效忠之间他选择杀掉了他的童年好友，之后汉都亚带领马六甲进入黄金时期。1475年汉都亚在马六甲去世。

国泰克里斯也造就许多人才，其中一个著名的电影音乐工作者是朱比赛 (Zubir Said)。朱比赛的经历其实就是当年的社会缩影。他从印尼来到新加坡组织乐队，他的父亲则认为搞音乐与他们的宗教信仰相抵触，朱比赛父子互不相让，搞到关系破裂。1959年新加坡自治，朱比赛写了新加坡国歌, 吐气扬眉，父子关系也跟着恢复。

（朱比赛。图片来源：互联网）

1963年新马合并，邵氏转移阵地，北上吉隆坡去了。同年电视引进东南亚，1967年印尼对抗，马来电影市场紧缩。随着大时代的变迁, 马来电影公司和国泰克里斯公司相继结业，马来电影制作从辉煌走进历史。

二十世纪新加坡电影与传统戏剧回顾 (Part 1)

二十世纪初的新加坡

十九世纪末至二十世纪初，新加坡是一个繁华的海港城市。1860年,中英签下“北京条约”，中国华人可以自由移居到英国殖民地，加上1893年满清政府废除移民禁令，大量移民到此新加坡谋生。当时华人占四分三，其余来自马来群岛和印度等地。1934至1938年间，还有将近二十万名三水女工( 三水,顺德,东莞)南来，不同种族社群带来了各自的娱乐消闲活动。电影和地方戏剧是主要的大众娱乐，而戏剧则多与宗教社群节庆有关。这些大众娱乐使各族取得共识，互相包容，和谐共处。

谈起新加坡电影，梁志强，陈子谦(Jack Neo，Royston Tan)等都是很勤劳有创意的现代电影工作者。梁志强的钱不够用，小孩不笨都大受欢迎，跑吧孩子的小演员郑智允还得了金马奖。其实新加坡电影业在第二次世界大战后曾经蓬勃发展，风光一时。

新加坡电影业追源溯流

1904年，新加坡设立第一家电影院---巴黎电影院 (Paris cinema, North Bridge Road), 不过真正开拓新加坡电影业的先河的是上个世纪二十年代的邵氏机构。邵氏兄弟来自浙江宁波，邵氏电影家族的源头是邵家老大邵醉翁在上海创办的天一影片公司。他们看准东南亚一带华人多，久离祖国的华侨思念家乡，正是国产影片的好市场！可是，新加坡的各个电影院却像约好了一样，不接受天一的默片。当时华英戏院老板孔先生也是浙江宁波人，他答应把戏院租给邵氏放电影。邵氏兄弟在新加坡站稳了脚步，1930年在新加坡正式挂牌成立邵氏兄弟公司，先后买下了美芝路的新娱乐剧院和曼舞罗戏院 (Alhambra，Marlborough)。

（美芝路的新娱乐剧院和曼舞罗戏院）

1929年到1933年，美国的经济危机引发了世界性的经济萧条, 新加坡也受到冲击,电影院大削价来争取观众。30年代中期，世界经济开始复苏，电影业的状况有所好转。邵氏兄弟趁机放手大干，在新马建起多家电影院。同时，他们先后买下了新世界游艺场、大世界游艺场、快乐世界游艺场等，娱乐事业越办越火红。

马来亚出生的陆运涛创办国泰机构，跟邵氏分庭抗礼。1939年新加坡国泰机构第一间冷气戏院国泰戏院正式开幕，有1300个座位。新加坡观众可以舒舒服服地看电影了。

国泰戏院就建在国泰大厦内。国泰大厦高16层，是当年东南亚最高的建筑物。1942年日本侵占新加坡，新加坡易名昭南岛，国泰大厦被日本人用为军事情报局。1945年日本战败，英国联军统帅蒙巴登在国泰大厦设立联军总部。一年后国泰大厦才归还给陆运涛，重新放映电影。

（新世界游艺场。图片来源：互联网）

（新世界游艺场拆除前。图片来源：互联网）

When right brain rules....

Recently I engage in humanities. Not sure if it is a sign of old age. :) The recent visits to historic places such as Beijing were definitely one of the triggering points. Reading the memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew and Chen Peng and books on Buddha and Zhuang Zhi(庄子) were the others.

Oh no. Perhaps it should be the other way round. Because I was searching for a balance, searching for ying-yang, hence I chose such visits and readings.

I have been involving in science, engineering and money talks all these years. These have enabled me to contribute to the national economy. In return, these contributions have enabled me to earn a living and to feed my humble family. They have enabled me to appreciate the tranquillity, beauty and ugly part of the world.

On a particular self reflection day, suddenly I felt lost in the state of the art human world. I felt mentally tired and lack of energy to push on. I was deeply depressed. Certainly that was not a healthy sign especially after I had made a commitment to live until 120 years old. If indeed I could live in longevity, The state I am in now is equivalent to an infant. I am just an infant and the world is there for me to explore. I am just at the beginning of entering into many years of new discovery.

The past encounters and survival instincts built up over time could possibly provide me some form of confidence to move ahead and deal with the various unknown challenges for the many years to come. But the emptiness still persisted.

Then I found humanities. It filled the gap that was hidden deep in my soul. Humanities gave me a sense of balance. History is there for us to learn and relearn.

After changing position and perception, the world looks so different. It is no longer a place of pure science and engineering that talks about hard fact and logic. It is no longer a place of finance and money that talks about material wealth.

Standing at the great wall of China, can you imagine the 2500 years of battles that were embedded with human, social and culture development? The discovery of the past and present is right from the bottom of the heart. It is about right brain. It is about feeling and human touch. At that moment, I found that I was quite wealthy. Wealthy at heart.


Driving pass Hwa Chong Chinese High along Bukit Timah Road, can you imagine once upon a time, the hot blooded Chinese school students formed a united front defending their rights against the colony government? They had the passion, they wanted an independent Singapore (or Malaya?), they wanted the colony government to get out of the country. They fought a war without weapon.

Walking down Singapore river, I could hardly imagine that I was living by the river, which was smelly, dirty, busy and full of energy, for 19 years?

If Singapore river cultivated my life, the last year of staying by the river totally brightened my pair of eyes. I was studying in Singapore Polytechnic then and was an active member in the Chinese Language Society (CLS). During lunch times and over the weekends, the members would gather around and sing along. 黑水河 was a popular song. It was a song dedicated to the hard labours making a living at the Singapore River. They sang with powerful voices but I just couldn't feel the touch. I thought perhaps our CLS friends did not really know about lives by the river.

The house rental getting expensive and father decided to move out from the river bank to a one room flat at Maude Road near New World. My CLS friends volunteered to paint the flat for me but on the actual day, only one of them turned up for less than two hours. At that time we had yet to subscribe to utility supply in order to save some money. We borrowed water from a very helpful neighbour. She came from the poor and knew the poor. My friend complaint about my poor planning and he had to clean his hands with a pill of dirty water. What a damn! He left angrily.

He did not know what was poverty. I did not blame him. He was just one of the many hot blooded youth in CLS but did not really know what was hardship. Where are they now? I loss touch with most of them. Nevertheless, they formed part of my personal history. The past is like illusion, sometime I wonder whether the past exists or it's just a dream.

It is full of green outside my window. The green is rooted on a small nation called Singapore. Does Singapore exist or just a illusion? Every national day I would glue myself in front of the television. In the recent years, tear came to my eyes. My right brain has taken the ruler's role. My heart would be full of joy with all the young hearts who'd put in their months of effort to present a perfect show in front of the nation. They were proud of their nation and love their nation whole heartedly for that night, at least.

One fine day they would be getting old, they would find the history and the past are like illusion. But they could proudly tell the next generations that they've walked through the real and the illusion. They contributed to the nation building.

National day is around the corner. Happy birthday Singapore.

风起云涌--二十世纪五十年代传奇

听君一席话,胜读百年书.

星期六下午,翻新后再出发的国家历史博物院.

韩山元花了两个小时给我们上了一节上一世纪的历史课,从新加坡的四十年代到六十年代独立为止.五十年代学生运动与工人运动蓬勃发展,间接促进殖民主义的灭亡.1959年新加坡自治,英国控制国防与外交.1963年新马合并建立马来西亚,新加坡成为变相的反对党.1964马来西亚外交部长在Geylang Serai发表政治煽动演说,最后演变成721全国暴动.

新加坡的'马来西亚人的马来西亚'与马来西亚的'马来人的马来西亚'理念不同,加上种种不合常理的争端,使合并后的马来西亚雪上加霜.1965年8月9日,李光耀力排众议,宣布新加坡独立.

这里头有两个大疑团和一个小秘密.人都好奇,先谈秘密.新加坡的内阁只有李光耀是土生土长的新加坡人,其他都是早年在马来亚出生,他们的根在马来亚.新马一衣带水,本来就是一家,他们的理想是建立一个独立繁荣的马来亚,而不是独立的新加坡.

在这个区域,马印都跟新加坡对抗,中国称李光耀为走狗,英国江河日下,准备撤军.新加坡是个烂摊子,前路茫茫,何去何从?我们看到铁人李光耀流泪了.这是悲情牌吗?我看不是.英雄有泪不轻弹,只因未到伤心处.

疑团一:为甚么1963年新马合并称为合并,不是统一?历史上新马本来就是一家,血浓于水,在这关键时刻,却把两地的血缘抹杀了?

疑团二:日军占领马来亚三年零八个月,新加坡三年零六个月,马共负起抗战的使命.五十年代走入森林,血洗城市,这段历史是一段空白.我只在陈平的回忆录里读到详尽的马共与英殖民地政府斗争的叙述.有趣的是李光耀回忆录详细记载了他跟方壮璧会面的经过而只稍提陈平,陈平的回忆录则完全不提李光耀.





马共最终缴械走入勿洞和平村,历史画上句点.如今对抗时期已经过了半个世纪,江湖恩怨已成过眼烟云.回顾过去,我们应该如何对待评价这段血泪史?

风起云涌的年代过去了,我们处身于崭新的E-时代,血气方刚的理想抱负是过去的代名词.曾经投身于时代洪炉的有志之士是老了?死了?还活跃地生活着?还是禅心已作飞泥絮,莫向春风舞鹧鸪?

光绪与北京近代史--最是无情在深宫

最近在北京与周边城市走了一回,适逢汶川地震一个月追悼会与堰塞湖爆破成功,避开另一场浩劫。汶川地震团结了中国,展示中国民族独立无畏温情骨气的一面,震撼人心。

汶川地震的种种事迹很快就会走进历史,像当年的唐山大地震一样。在北京十刹海胡同拜访了一户当地人家,从三十年前受地震波及后重建家园。或许汶川地震更像北京的许多历史事件,再叱咤一时也避不过风云变幻,改朝换代的命运。

秦始皇修复长城,上下五千年,纵横十万里,其中一段长城穿越北京八达岭,是旅游点之一。北京更多的历史原于明清,从明朝朱棣开始。在北京看景点学历史,温故知新,更能神会人面对时空于固步自封的局限性。


故宫为明成祖朱棣于1406年在元朝大都皇宫的基础上开始建设的，1420年正式落成，从1420年落成到1911年清帝逊位的约五百年间，共有明清两代二十四帝在故宫生活过。





故宫在辛亥革命之前被称为“紫禁城”，它的名字来自「紫微星垣」。中国古代星像学家把天上的星星分为三垣，四象，二十八星宿等。其中三垣指紫微星垣，太微星垣和天市星垣。紫微星垣居于正中，据传皇天上帝的居所（紫宫）就在紫微星垣中，人间皇帝自称“天子”便仿皇天上帝居所的名字用其“紫”字为紫禁城。

比起末代皇帝溥仪,光绪的遭遇令人感慨。光绪(德宗)登基时只有四岁,两宫太后"慈禧","慈安"即"垂帘听政".至光绪16岁,慈禧"归政",但仍实掌大权，暗中操纵朝政。



光绪十五年正月二十日(1889年2月19日)，十九岁的光绪帝举行大婚典礼。光绪的一位皇后两个妃子都是慈禧做的主，皇后正是慈禧亲弟弟桂祥的女儿叶赫那拉氏，即隆裕皇后。隆裕皇后容貌马脸高额，瘦弱驼背，突眼露齿。光绪极为不满，但也无奈。



慈禧选自己的侄女为皇后，为的是朝政交给光绪后，还能利用皇后来控制和操纵皇帝，掌握皇帝的一举一动。

光绪的两位妃子瑾妃和珍妃是亲姐妹，但相貌性格却大不相同。珍妃貌美端庄，活泼机敏。珍妃对光绪的同情和体贴，激起了光绪对未来的憧憬和热情。大婚后的数年间，光绪与珍妃共同度过了一生中较为轻松的时光。珍妃又向光绪推荐了她的老师文廷式，引发了光绪要改革政治及摆脱束缚而有所作为的欲望。这是慈禧最不愿看到的。

光绪二十年（1894年），岁次甲午，七月一日中、日两国正式宣战，后清廷战败，签订马关条约(甲午战争)。甲午战败后，朝野有志之士便提倡维新变法。至光绪二十四年（1898年）德宗下诏变法(百日维新,历时仅一百零三天。因是年为戊戌年，故称为戊戌变法)，以康有为、谭嗣同等人推行新政。但以慈禧太后为主的守旧派反对变法，于是发动政变，光绪被幽禁，康有为、梁启超逃亡日本,谭嗣同等“戊戌六君子”遇害，光绪本人亦被软禁在中南海瀛台。此后，光绪度过了十年没有人身自由的囚徒生活。

光绪二十六年（1900年），义和团起事，仇杀外人，引起英、俄、法、德、美、日、意、奥八国共组联军，8月15日攻陷北京。慈禧仓惶出逃，临行前还不忘处置珍妃，令太监崔玉贵把珍妃推到宁寿宫外的井中害死。


金井一叶坠，凄凉瑶殿旁。残枝未零落，映日有辉光。沟水空流恨，霓裳与断肠。何如泽畔草，犹得宿鸳鸯。

光绪二十七年（1901年），岁次辛丑，九月七日，在北京与各国所订立的条约，共十二款，以赔款一项为最重，数目高达白银四亿五千万两，为不平等条约中最苛刻的。

光绪三十四年十月二十一日，病入膏肓的慈禧太后命太监把她抬到瀛台被她囚禁了十年之久的光绪皇帝床前。病体沉重的光绪皇帝和病体更加沉重的慈禧太后沉默无语地对视着,在沉默的目光中维新派领袖向保守派首领做最后的抗争--只要能比她活得更长，就有机会实施慈禧太后所反对的维新主张。


在经济上, 光绪接受了维新派发展民族资本主义的主张, 为中国民族资本主义的发展扫清道路; 在文化教育方面, 开办学堂, 改革科举制度, 派人出国留学、游历等, 这就使知识分子扩大了眼界, 给长久封闭的国家带来了一些西方的先进思想、理论和技术。光绪皇帝能否大刀阔斧,效仿西方来变革中国呢?

就在这一天，光绪皇帝死了。第二天，慈禧太后也放心地一命呜呼。

宣统三年十二月二十五（1912年2月12日），隆裕太后在天安门颁布末代皇帝爱新觉罗溥仪的退位诏书， 封建皇朝正式灭亡。

鹰蛾

在住家附近发现鹰蛾hawk moth，加上两翼大概超过30cm。头一回总是令人兴奋不已，深深被它古色古香的花纹给迷住了。





鹰蛾有八百五十种，遍布世界各地。跟蝴蝶一样，孩提时代附在叶子上，专搞破坏，成长后传播花粉，贡献社会。成长是一个明心见性的过程，酸甜苦辣，百炼成钢。


明心见性是佛性。佛性慈悲为怀，以人性的光辉坦然面对天灾人祸。世界任何地方都有可能发生天灾，但是短短十天内亚洲地区的两个近邻国家──缅甸和中国，相继发生了特大灾难。

五一二大地震，中国举国上下全力以赴在四川的救灾努力制造了许多可歌可泣的真实故事。母亲垂死前还不忘把乳头塞入婴儿嘴里，拯救小生命。母爱的光辉叫人感动又心酸。当大家往钱看的当儿，灾难巧妙地把人们唤醒。人性与尊严拴成一线，化口号为实践，中国的未来充满希望。



缅甸风灾，估计死亡与失踪人数已达13万4000人，由于善后工作迟滞缓慢，造成尸横遍野和传染病蔓延的重大危机。而流离失所，面对粮食、药物短缺的缅甸民众，则多达两百万人。一次风灾，使得最大城市仰光满目疮痍，灾情恶化。

缅甸军人政府慢条斯理，自然引起国际社会质疑军人政府这三十年来的经济建设和防灾设施到底做了多少，面对生灵为何无动于衷。依洛瓦底江你是否哭泣？







为了不曾忘却的怀念

孩子你要记住
虽然我们的告别没有一点声响
爸爸妈妈爷爷奶奶没有给你送行
我们满怀期待与希望
纵然阳光不会永远灿烂
你们要睡得安详
堆满鲜花的梦想
会把你们送到快乐天堂


爸爸妈妈与亲爱的朋友
请别再为我们悲伤
我们会乘着鹰蛾的翅膀
一天一天长大
不论冰雪严寒
把和平快乐的种子洒落四面八方
你们要记住
要活得比阳光
更
辉
煌

Passionate-Swedish-Tiger

I went to Sweden on a few occasions. Sweden has 450 thousand sq. km of land (about 600 times of Singapore). Depending on your journey, one possible ways to reach Sweden is transit through Copenhagen. A connection train from the Airport will bring you to the various major cities.

Sweden has 9 million people, about double the population of Singapore. By equal distribution, each person would own 50,000 sq.m of land. Like other countries in the Northern Europe, Sweden is famous for its science, technology and innovation. Back in the Viking years (8th century), Sweden had already invented slender flat-bottom landing ship to fight the amphibious warfare with the Russian. The fighting doctrine was well developed. In a typical battle, each landing ship would carry about 200 soldiers to launch a surprise attack. Swedish won most of the battles.




In Singapore, we would be familiar with the following Swedish products:
-War fighting machines like warships, submarines and Bofor guns
-Advanced electronics like radars and mobile phones
-Power generations like engines and oil and gas machinery
-High-end automotive like Volvo car
-Wooden creatures like IKEA furniture.

Sweden is highly successful in international sports. Sweden ranks seventh in the Olympic medals table with a total of 550 medals, of which 170 gold. The number of World Champions are also plentiful; two mixed titles in Badminton, 1985 and 1993; Bandy four titles in 1981, 1983, 1987, 1993 and 1995; Table-tennis twelve titles. The Swedish tennis players, Björn Borg, Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg are known all over the world with two decades of fantastic achievements. Swedish football team has been competing in the world class arena.

Swedish speak their own native language but they generally have very good command in English. They don’t go round to glamorise their efficiency and effectiveness in commanding other languages. To them, additional languages allow them to break the communication barrier with the external world and enable them to connect the others culture. The world is their Oasis.

I wonder what that additional 4.5 million people have helped in making the Swedish unique? Swedish are not worker-holic. In fact they take a slower pace in order to appreciate the tranquillity of life. They pay about 30% of income tax. These money goes into a common pool which provides social security for them.

My Swedish friends felt that the different is not about that 4.5 million extra people. The different is about PASSION. Passion is a simple but very powerful word. However, this seed must be planted at a very young age, and the schools are responsible for cultivating the mindset throughout the educational years. Once passion is rooted in a person, it will become part and parcel of life.

Passion? Passionate about what? My Swedish friends said you don’t need to have a big dream nor a stretch goal. What you need is just passionate about what you do. You can be passionate about making ice cream, passionate about teaching and crafting, passionate about writing and swimming, and so on. Once the passion is in you, you will automatically develop dream and you will strive to do well. Innovation will come along.

The Swedish model of innovation is rather similar to Japan and majority of the Europe. It relies on deep experience and rooted culture to refine the products and achieve breakthrough. This is unlike the US which emphasises on quantum leap. US generate new products overnight. Which model do we subscribe to? My feeling is we draw the best out from every model. However, a team of 11 world-class strikers do not make a good football team. Perhaps we blended too many models without deep social and culture considerations. The integration of the best strikers did not suit us well.

We do have our own success. Someone coined “management innovation” as our key success. This innovation is a product of our catch-up game. In the process of realising a first-class economy, we developed passion in buying businesses and technologies to quickly lever up ourselves with the first world. This is a short-cut way to get rich. But I afraid that our economy does not have a deep root based on our own products. This may be vulnerable and eventually impact on the long-term sustenance of Singapore Inc.



In early 2000s, the emergence of IT defined the “new economy” for the world. It was a CLICK world rather than the conventional BRICK world. CLICK world was virtual and short-life. It is the BRICK world that last. BRICK gives less excitement and has to be rooted on solid ground, not virtual, not floating. Dream must be rooted on solid foundation. Dream can only be realised on BRICK.

Let’s cheer with Swedish beer. I invited my Swedish friends. Oh no. They said. Swedish beer culture, like a lot of Swedish culture, is imported. Carlsberg controls 75% of the Swedish beer market.



It should be TIGER’s time. We cheered. Oh yes, TIGER is a world class brand. Made in Singapore.

The Leap Years (After note)

Taiwan's presidential election 2008 had brought to a closure. Ma Ying-Jieu won by 16% majority vote (58% versus 42% for Frank Hsieh).

Ah Long should be one of the happiest persons on earth. He wanted the sky to change colour from Green to Blue. Now the sky has turned blue as he wished. 58% blue. This is another moment of democracy. The thrust of democracy.

水能载舟亦能覆舟.

The two presidential candidates had adopted gentleman approach after the result was released. They not only showed greatest respect to the wishes of Taiwanese, they also showed greatest mutual respect towards their opponent. To me this is already a great leap of democracy of Taiwan as compared to the previous elections.

Ma Ying-Jieu didn't write off DPP. In deed he gave credit to DPP who has contributed to the democracy movement of Taiwan, '这次的选举，大家当然有许多批评，甚至有许多的火花，但是我们从来不敢忽视民进党在过去的几十年当中对台湾民主、台湾进步的贡献......不论输赢如何，我们同感骄傲.民主自由是台湾最珍贵的资产，我们生活在其中平常也许感觉不到，但一旦到关键时刻，民主自由所展现的力量是沛然莫之能御.这是台湾最大的资产，也是台湾最迷人的资产.' Ma Yin-Jieu phrased his opponent for his frank and gentleman politician style.

Frank Hsieh admitted defeat, '台湾选民已经用选票作出决定，我接受败选的事实.我在这里要恭喜马英九先生和萧万长先生...民主包括结果，也包括过程，过程难免有争议，但是我们接受，不愿再有抗争，让我们的社会非常迅速地能够修补因为选举所留下来的裂痕，让我们的人民能够很快地生活在爱与信任的环境里面.'

Walked to the end of his political journey, Frank Hsieh showed the strongest part of his character,'这是我个人的挫折，不是台湾主体性的倒退，是民主的结果，不是民主的失败.台湾的发展从来就不是顺风而行，风愈大我们愈要走，我们要永远跟人民站在一起，衷心地为台湾祝福，我们相信人民，也相信台湾.' He had ended his political career graciously.


[台北实景 a scene in Taibei：是‘大中至正’还是‘自由广场’？]

A friend (Yeo) put his personal thought through SMS, '台湾人民终于不再以意识形态投票，为台湾的胜利，台湾的民主欢呼.'

I said he sounded like half of a Taiwanese, he said, '为他们闷了八年了，更为了我们少了那一点点的民主而遗憾.'

Don't worry. The leap year is just a moment of sensation, a moment of excitement. Day after tomorrow life will be back to normal.

The Leap Years

Watched THE LEAP YEARS played by Wong Liling, Joan Chen, QiYuWu and Ananda Mathew Everingham. It is a Singapore's love story based on a novel by Catherine Lim. The story talks about a young Singaporean girl having chance upon her special someone on 29th February. She decides to base her intuition on an Irish leap year tradition that no man will refuse any request of a lady and invites him out for a date. Together, they embark on a romantic journey that spans over 12 years, meeting only thrice in 12 years, on the leap year.




THE LEAP YEARS was one of the best local films I have seen so far. The film is not up to the standard of a Hollywood nor a Hong Kong movie. But the story is engaging based on modern sensibilities. The English is natural and real which has moved away from Jack Neo's singlish dialect comedy. THE LEAP YEARS would probably capture some of the fascinating sensibilities and the essence of life in contemporary Singapore.

It happens that the Taiwan president's election also falls into the leap years. Today is the fourth direct election for the President of Taiwan. Either Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Frank Hsieh or Kuomintang (KMT) nominee Ma Ying-jeou will end the Ah Bian's era.



Still remember quite well how Ah Long's rather comical way of laughing over himself for how naive he was in those younger days. He was a supporter of the Green Pan. The day that he received his pay envelop, he rushed to listen to the DPP speech and accidentally dropped his full month salary into the collection box. Apart from staring at the envelop being covered by more and more cash, he couldn't do any thing extra. He went home to ask for pocket money from his mother. They scolded him for gambling. No one believed him that he had accidentally "donated" his monthly income to the Green Pan.



Who is Ah Long? He is not the Loan Shark. He is the tour guide that helped me to explore Taiwan based on modern fascinating sensibilities. He even pointed to a shop at XiMengTing(西门町), saying that was where the great pretty LinQingXia(林青霞) was discovered and started her big screen career. True of false? probably only Lin would know better. Nevertheless with Ah Long, my recent tour of Taiwan was a memorable one.

沙岩下的故事

野柳的沙岩长期受到台风巨浪的侵蚀，形成蘑菇状。沙岩的生命并不长久，菇茎会逐日缩小，菇头会倒下去。油尽灯枯，这是自然的规律。




想起一个自然的规律下引申的故事，发生在芸芸众生中的故事。





年底发了花红，姐妹二人开开心心地买了大包小包的，双手一点空档也没有，尽兴而归。回到家楼下才猛然记起，糟了，今晚电梯维修，怎么上八十楼去啊？

姐妹俩你望着我，我望着你，最后决定一步一步地走上去。

好不容易走上二十层，两人气呼呼的，几乎软成一团，坐在那儿，互相埋怨。埋怨到头来，还是得想个办法啊！

哈！真糊涂！这公寓大家都挺熟络，治安良好，没人会把这把这大包小包拿走的。把全身的包袱放下，明天早上电梯维修好了再下来拿不就行了吗？于是姐妹俩空着手，一口劲就爬上了五十楼。

在五十楼往外望，世界变得渺小。妹妹说。

不。 姐姐不苟同。眼内有尘三界窄，心头无事一床宽。大或小只取决于个人的心境，所处的位置，采取的角度和时空的距离而已。

妹妹想想也不无道理。横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同。不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。说的也正是如此。其实姐妹俩趣味相投，见解一致，是应该互相扶持，一起走完这条路的。刚才真不该吵了一架。




两人在互相扶持互相勉励下，终于完成最后一程，可以进屋子里好好休息了。两人高兴地给了一个five。

紧接着两人的脸色都变了。钥匙放在包包里，留在二十楼！

如果楼梯代表人的一生，二十代表青年，包包代表梦想，五十代表人生历炼，那么八十就是该好好休息怡情的时候了。可是在二十岁的时候嫌那包裹太沉重，把梦想都放弃了，到老的时候回首前尘，还能无所憾吗？

你和我是不是芸芸众生中的一份子？

佛光山之暇想

在台湾认识阿龙，是一名专业导游。他说曾经为相依为命的母亲祈福，结果奇迹出现，从此结下佛缘。高雄佛光山，星云大师和他阿龙是一体。他半玩笑半认真地说。

姑不论阿龙与佛光山的因缘。人生因某种际遇而奠定往后的一生是许多人都拥有过的经历。星云大师十二岁中日战争逃难与母亲走失，跟了一个和尚。和尚说你跟着我可很苦的，没有猪肉吃，没有人间的娱乐，要吃苦，要诵经。和尚就是避风港，你去到那里我跟到那里。星云大师从此结下佛缘。如今佛光山与星云大师已成一体。



佛光山创办于1967年,它‘给人信心、给人欢喜、给人希望、给人方便’，以文化弘扬佛法、以教育培养人才、以慈善福利社会、以共修净化人心。其中净化人心是大学问。

跟一般所谓的平民相处，他们的喜怒哀乐很简单，能学会一套太极拳已经能开心好久好久。我跟他们在一起也很开心，不用处于心机的备战状态。人生有涯，你能拥有多少？淡薄为大，所以生命可以更宽广。



也接触另一群人，多是有识之士。他们总是不如意事常八九，快乐是很短暂的。为什么？有这么一个乾隆下江南的故事。乾隆问金山寺的和尚每天有多少条船来回长江，法磐回答说两条。乾隆不解，长江水道繁忙，船只往返不计其数，怎么只有两条？于是继续追问其因。法磐回答：

“长江只有两条船，一条为名，一条为利。世上熙熙，皆为利来，世上攘攘，皆为利往。”我们身在名利当中，当局者迷而不知觉，又怎能快乐起来呢？

眼内有尘三界窄，心头无事一床宽，说的无非是“看破”二字。能看破名利，人心自能净化，生命自能宽广，快乐自能持久。明白为何和尚的芒鞋没有鞋头了吧？人只有低下头才能看得穿世俗，才能看破。其中最首要，也最困难的是以谦卑的心态来看破自己。

猪年既过，鼠年在既，愿你拥抱快乐。