Tag Archives: Japan

Hiroshima A Bomb site

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Recently took a week off to Japan and saw lots in Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. The whole journey pleases me tremendously seeing the different shrines, temples and culture these places have to offer and several of them are the UNESCO heritage sites. One particularly left a vivid impression in my mind is the Hiroshima A Bomb Dome and Memorial. The site was massive and I went around seeing the museum which explained how the originally prosperous city was bombed and eradicated everything within 43 seconds on 6 August, 1945 at 8.15am. A timepiece which stopped at exactly 8:15am that morning was hung in the middle of the hall to remind all of us this historic moment. Blood stained burnt clothing, welded and mashed glass pieces under extreme heat, chargrilled children’s lunch boxes, images of people burnt with their limbs melted like popsicles under the sun, malformed horses without legs, women with burnt scars allover their bodies – uncounted number of evidences of these victim of war – I can still see them in my pupils and my mind now. My friend asked me: do you think all these historic narration and objects suggest hatred or hope? I said it’s hope. Of course this is my hope that the lesson learned becomes hope for all of us. But I also cannot not forget that nearly the moment Hiroshima was bombed, Japan was invading many places and especially China and killing countless lives. Dropping off the atomic bomb absolutely is not the best solution but what could be done during that critical moment? I have been to the concentration camp site museum in Germany, Munich before. Again, the images left behind for those who are lucky to be alive to witness is beyond our understanding. So many times, so many innocent lives were lost because of the decisions of a few selfish souls. I am blessed that I don’t have to go through war and persecution, and I live in an extremely blessed territory Hong Kong. In one of the shrine where we can write our personal wish on a wooden plank and put it up so the wish could come true: I wrote WORLD PEACE. May nuclear wars be completely gone in this world one day and the US, China, Korea, Soviet Union etc will come together at ease and peace eventually.

Quote of the Day
I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country.
Leviticus 26:6
I pray to God that we will all one day surrender weapons and ourselves to God completely. Let Him rule.

Postscript Quote 
What has kept the world safe from the bomb since 1945 has not been deterrence, in the sense of fear of specific weapons, so much as it’s been memory. The memory of what happened at Hiroshima.
John Hersey 

To be an artist and also a Christian

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Senior pastor at Sunday service said he just had a very precious chance meeting a contemporary artist Makoto Fujimura. Makoto is Boston born Japanese by descent and is a devout Christian and he has been commissioned to be the only designer to illuminate the Four Gospels to celebrate the 400th publishing anniversary of the King James Bible. What is stunning is that it’s the first time a single designer has been chosen in nearly 500 years. I was watching this short film about the work and the process and heard a person being interviewed said “It’s very risky for an artist who is working on mainstream contemporary art to be Christian, because people are immediately going to make an assumption about you and what you are trying to say in your art”. This is quite enlightening to me as I have never really think about it, would our religion come into conflict with our profession? Are we bold enough to claim what we believe in face of personal interest? One further thing special about Makoto is that he chooses to read only one theologist’s work in one full year so that he can truly taste that person’s work and thinking throughout. Taste implies taking in and connecting the sense to the matter with both our sense and mind, and pastor reminds us to taste the Bible and words of God and not just skim it superficially. Maybe this is one thing we can change in our study plan.

Quote of the Day
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
1 Peter 2:3
I pray to God that we will savor on His words and dwell in His teachings.

Postscript Quote 
What makes art Christian art? Is it simply Christian artists painting biblical subjects like Jeremiah? Or, by attaching a halo, does that suddenly make something Christian art? Must the artist’s subject be religious to be Christian? I don’t think so. There is a certain sense in which art is its own justification. If art is good art, if it is true art, if it is beautiful art, then it is bearing witness to the Author of the good, the true, and the beautiful.  
R.C. Sproul

Kendo

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I love to watch NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai – meaning Japan Broadcasting Station) while I m in the gym running, and a few days ago it’s sports series about Kendo. Kendo meaning Way to the Sword has the highest number of people registered who are learning this art compare to Judo, Karate etc. This sport combines martial arts and the movement of sword into one, it’s highly spiritual as they show one video a young kendo player who won the game but at the end used his fist to show a very subtle gesture of “YES” and then he is disqualified completely from the game although his skills outshine the opponent. This is because kendo player must control all the emotions inside their heart and should not show any movement that hints disrespect or pride. I was stunned by how much this traditional form of sport emphasizes the spiritual side of the player. Another video showed that a 90 year old master easily without big steps and movements of his hands, by precise and forceful move, beat his opponent who is at his 20s in a few strokes. How many sport enable a person to blossom in terms of status, skills as they age? Kendo stresses that as a player grow old, his mind matures and reaches the higher level even though his bodily state deteriorates, but the spiritual side is way more important than the physical stature. That means, no one needs to retire in kendo! How amazing this art allow people to keep learning, and nothing could stop us from improving but with humility. I find this sport so Christian as it trains our tolerance, humility and control our desire for earthly matter. So many culture and art from Japan is worth our study and appreciation.

Quote of the Day
Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.
Jobs 8:7
I pray to God that I will appreciate His creation and all things that He asked us to do including to humble ourselves.

Postscript Quote 
The Way of a Warrior is based on humanity, love, and sincerity; the heart of martial valor is true bravery, wisdom, love, and friendship. Emphasis on the physical aspects of warriorship is futile, for the power of the body is always limited.
Mystic Kendoka

They speak Japanese

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I was on holiday yesterday and I managed to go for a morning walk to enjoy the amazing weather in HK. It happened to be the time when a lot of the students were waiting to get on school bus, I passed by a bus full of Japanese kids and the mothers were smiling happily waving their children goodbye and I heard them murmuring Japanese because they have always been very polite and gentle when they speak. I told myself this scene is so peaceful and good, Japanese are not scared to speak Japanese in the street in front of foreigners like me. I feel terribly bad for the Japanese in China, because they are being attacked, beaten up and their stores being destroyed, and from the news the Japanese do not dare to speak in Japanese because they would be abused. Today, 18th September is the day when 81 years ago, Japan invaded China’s Shengyang and the 14 years war and resistance fight began. I understand the pain of war (of course not completely) and those who invaded caused trauma, but that does not have anything to do with the people we see in the street or those chefs behind the sushi counter, or the technicians of Toyota etc. Why are we funneling our anger and hatred to the irrelevant innocent people? I don’t know why we Chinese hold grudges in our hearts and not let things go. If we don’t let history pass, we would not be able to look forward. Of course requesting an apology I would consider as fair but we don’t use violence. We all shouldn’t use our fist to express our thoughts and don’t let Satan fool us.

Quote of the Day
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children.
Ephesians 5:1
I pray to God that we will let God judge instead of considering ourselves as the judge.

Postscript Quote 
Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.
Buddha

Imagine

By Posted in after thought, China, politics, society, Uncategorized Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The protest against Japan in China shocks me while I was following the news in TV and newspaper. More than 50 cities in China have protests and unrest of all sorts of size and scale. I couldn’t believe my eyes when some Japanese department stores were looted and raided without a single products left, it’s simply robbery and people took advantage of the incident and manipulate many people’s emotions. I feel completely ashamed of this non-sensible and crazy act of the Chinese. Patriotism and nationalism is not expressed like this…what people have done now I consider as an insult to the country China. If they want to claim back the territory, do it through peaceful protest and not these insane riots. It’s the Chinese people who are ultimately being hurt and harmed. I seek my senior pastor’s help in praying for the country, Japan and the riots in the USA as well. So many people out there are so easily instigated. Could a movie or an island be more important than our lives that God has created? Looking at the current world, I am sure God will feel really sad and sorrowful, He wants to see us unified and not disintegrated.

Quote of the Day
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3
I pray to God that He restores us the kind heart and rekindle the compassion in us, let us not be blinded by personal desires and selfishness.

Postscript Quote 
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peaceYou may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one


John Lennon, Imagine

Killing fields

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During my Taipei trip, I visited the iconic Eslite book store and relaxingly strolled the massive bookstore checking the latest release. My eyes was caught by a black & white historic image of an Asian woman’s head being cut off by a long sword, in her arm she was still holding a small baby in her chest. This is an extremely horrific book cover and the the book title is Nanjing massive Rape-sacre, it’s supposed to be the Nanjing Massacre but the Chinese character ‘rape’ has been used in a way that it means massive rape and also massacre. I took the book and read for a long while as I have never seen a collection of writings with so many images of the historic incidents. All the images were appalling and I cannot believe why human beings could become so evil to that extent as I believe the soldiers were not even on drugs or under chemical’s influences. The way they treated the women and the Chinese were beyond words. The moment I closed the book, I wonder what I should do. Should I buy the book or? I saw some Japanese passed me by at the bookstore, I thought of my mom saying she hates Japanese. I asked myself, what is the out-take of knowing this event? I know God only wants us to be aware of historic events and be mindful not to repeat it in any way. Just like the 4 June Massacre – if the Chinese people has been through being murdered, why would they do to their own race, own people? Look at Syria, why is war and killing of civilians still happening now in 2012. It’s 75 years already since the last war broke. Have we not progressed at all? Why human being would choose to let Satan over-take us?
Quote of the Day
Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
Psalms 68:30
I pray to God that one day we will stop all wars and bring peace to the land where God has created for us.

Postscript Quote 
If it’s natural to kill, how come men have to go into training to learn how?
Joan Baez

desert, stars and camels

By Posted in after thought, travel Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments
I was privileged to travel to Morocco Marrakech in the past week and what I see always on the travel guide I got to see with my own eyes. The old city, the fortress, the donkeys, the markets are all amazing and the highlight of the trip was my excursion to the desert. The ride was pretty unforgettable for being it’s super lengthy that it took us around 11 hours to get there and another 11 hours to return to the city. But it’s more than worthwhile as the feeling of standing on top of the sand dunes seeing the sun rising from the east is beyond words. I sat on the sand and pray and the feeling of getting close to God is something very exceptional and different from praying home or at a church. I could not explain how this world is created except with the power of God. We asked the local tour guide why are there still people willing to live in the desert? And he simply explains that it’s the choice of the people, their ancestors live there and they choose to follow what their ancestry brings them, it’s their land, it’s their territory. He elaborates further by quoting that it’s the same why people in Japan still choose to live in the country although it’s so frequent with fatal earthquake, it’s their land. It’s rather true that when we have chosen our will, we would stick with it, and that is the reason God is hoping we could choose to believe in Him.   Please visit here to see my travelogue photos!
Quote of the Day
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”
2 Chronicles 20:20
I pray to God that I will continue to pray to Him wherever I situate, and getting closer to Him.

Postscript Quote 
I can understand why those primitive desert people think a camera steals their soul. It is unnatural to see yourself from the outside.
Nigella Lawson 

as happy as a balloon?

By Posted in after thought, culture, environment, social-economic, travel Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Further to what I wrote yesterday about Japan, I found out something about how Japan is planning for the city, the Japan government is developing an index to measure happiness aiming to measure well-being and the progress of the society, 3 bench-marks will be used: household wealth, physical and mental wealth, and community and social ties, and statistics based on poverty rates, suicides, perceptions of family ties and fear of radiation will all be studied. This reminds me of one thing I read quite a while ago, it’s called Balloons of Bhutan.  Way back in 1972 the 4th king of this small country already uses Gross National Happiness to measure its prosperity and productivity. And 6 years ago, Bhutan been rated as the happiest country in Asia and the 8th happiest one in the world. How do they do that? I have no idea, a foreigner has no idea how they do it and also went to Bhutan and interviewed 117 people from Bhutan and gave them balloons by asking how happy they are on a scale of 10, with 10 as the happiest and they would be given the same number of balloons, and at the end this foreigner ask the people to write the wishes onto the balloons! You can take a look at what they wrote there by clicking here. Quite a few I glanced they said they wish to take the rest of their life meditating. It’s amazing how someone would like to give their lives to pursue meditating! What is God’s point of view on happiness? Lets think about this further what makes you happy and what makes you unhappy? We’ll continue tomorrow.

 

Daily Quote
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2
I pray to God that I will rely on God for the joy He has given in us.
Postscript Quote
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.
James Oppenheim 

a simple life

By Posted in after thought, family, film, social-economic Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Went to see the award-winning film “A Simple Life” with family and it happened the film shot so much story about the elderly in HK, their community homes and their finale time as the story narrates how a master treated the old helper who spent over 60 years of her time with the household, and finally got too old and ill has to be sent to elderly home for the rest of her life. It’s not something new to me at all but I think it has shown a lot more to my family. I am so glad my mom went as the next time if I go visit the elderly, I am sure she could visualize so much more what I do and where I go. HK is not alone, Japan is probably the country who has the oldest population, on average people live up to 80 years old, and in 20 years, one in three Japanese will be older than 65 years old and there are more and more lonely deaths there. Meaning people are found dead in their homes alone, there are thousands of kodokushi every year now, all the lonely people. It’s also reported that “more than 30,000 Japanese seniors are arrested every year for shoplifting. Many of those arrested told police they stole out of feelings of boredom and isolation, rather than any economic necessity.’’ This is extremely sad when longevity has always been perceived as a sign of bliss and when you have no one accessible to you, long life could well turn to be a curse. What can we do to turn this around? Make friends and befriend with the needy ones, partners and family could one day become non-existent but God’s love for you is eternal. Turn God’s love to be the life-stream of someone else.

Daily Quote

Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!

1 Samuel 25:6

I pray to God that He would empower my patience and heart for the needy ones.

Postscript Quote 

When you have nobody you can make a cup of tea for, when nobody needs you, that’s when I think life is over.

Audrey Hepburn

we didn’t do that

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The incident that the Mayor of Nagoya, Mr Takashi Kawamura made a remarks that the Japanese only made a conventional acts of combat instead of the massacre has caused Nanjing to break the sister city relationship with Nagoya. Mayor further explained his thoughts by saying his father had been treated kindly by residents when he was based there in 1945 – something that would not have happened if Japanese troops had committed atrocities there in 1937. This is one of the most amazing thing I have ever heard and I indeed feel sorry for this Japanese man that he has demonstrated his complete ignorance and refusal of accepting the fact that there are chance that people could be wrong, and as long as we could repent – turning around, there would be forgiveness and liberation ultimately. With his mentality and sense of value, I wonder how he can put a city in good operation for Japan. There are so many Japanese who have admitted what their country men have done wrong in previous generations and I look forward to seeing also the forgiveness of many Chinese nowadays to remove grudges from their heart. Chinese also have killed many at wars and others such as the people in Tibet. We see specks in other people’s eyes but forget about the plank in our own.

Daily Quote
How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
Matthew 7:4

I pray to God that we will stay forgiving just like how God has incessantly forgives us.

Postscript Quote
There are five things which no one is able to accomplish in this world: First, to cease growing old when he is growing old; Second, to cease being sick; Third, to cease dying; Fourth, to deny dissolution when there is dissolution, Fifth, to deny non-being.
Buddha