The Degradation of a Culture

A couple of days ago, I had a conversation with my friend Jackie (a.k.a China Boy). I was curious about some of the cultures in mainland China. Basically I was asking him about authentic festivals in China, e.g. Traditions, how they celebrate, and particularly the stories linked with the festivals itself…etc. Ok, now that I’ve finished setting up the scenario. Here’s how our conversation unfold;

The festival in question was “Mooncake Festival”. Obviously, being pure Chinese, he celebrated this particular event. So I laid out the question like this “My Dad and primary school teacher used to tell me that Mooncake Festival was to celebrate the successful toppling of the government (long long ago)”…story goes like this, long ago, in China, the people where unhappy about their government regime. So, the people decided to revolt. I assume the regime exercise marshal law at the time, hence, the rebels communicated with each other via notes stuffed into little pastries…long story short, the rebels were able to topple the government due to the ‘hush hush’ or their plan. I also told him my mom would tell me this myth when I was little about “the princess on the moon” (Chang Eer Bpen YueàSorry, best I could do)…again, long story short, the princess ate some kind of drug and ended up flying to the moon…I mean literally fly to the moon…I don’t mean getting stoned…Jackie had a version about 2 lovers on the moon (somehow, that reminded me of the song, “under the lover’s moon”), but it’s basically still the same princess (and both involved a moon).

Anyway, I asked him which story is engraved to the festival…what surprised me was that he said mooncake festival is linked with the “Princess Chang Eer”…and that he had never heard of the story of the rebels and I was the first person to enlighten him on this issue. Well, I don’t know about you, but the story about the rebels seems more convincing. I mean, that would make the celebration more meaningful…you know…about oppression, freedom and equality. Sadly, the memory of these brave rebels have faded into thin air…and replaced by some Princess on the moon.

Unfortunately…mooncake festival is just one many festivals that has deviated from it’s true meaning…Christmas for example…celebration of the birth of Jesus…now, Santa seem to have taken center stage. Easter-the death and resurrection of Jesus…but for some reason…chocolate, bunnies and eggs found it’s way to this most meaningful celebration …(Easter and some celebration of fertility were combined into one festival (or some other more appropriate word)). Christianity isn’t the only victim in this vicious degradation… In England, most people have forgotten why they celebrate the “Bonfire Festival”…and in Australia…I bet nobody knows what St. Patrick’s Day is about (to be honest…I don’t either)…all I know is that on this day…people drink all day all night…can it really be such a shallow joyous occasion?…but then again…that the only thing the Irish is good for…

It’s sad that such significant events/celebrations (well, maybe except St. Patrick’s Day)… eventually…all of the memory of history past will just be forgotten…how sad indeed. I guess that’s why Mom and Dad always made it a point to help us understand the truth behind each festival…and I guess the truth behind everything…hopefully, we’ll all be more careful and not take things for granted in the future.

Hah...No More Complains Ya'll

Hello everybody, it’s been a while. I apologize, there’s really no good reason for the lack of post, well, other than laziness and lack of ideas. Anyway, just wanted you guys to know everything is fine over hear in Newcastle. The weather is finally starting to feel like autumn, and not a moment too soon. The heat was just annoying. Well just to let you know…I just started my second term of the semester. The courses have been going pretty smoothly. It’s definitely tougher but it does expose us to the current engineering practice in Australia. Oh, this semester, I’m taking a course called hydrology which is being thought by the head of the civil discipline. I must say, he kind of reminds me Wong Fu, my high school physics teacher. He sets the most ridiculous assignment question. Never the less, he has a sage like presence…he seems to command a lot of respects…from peers and students.

The FOCUS group (my bible study group) has been doing pretty well lately. There seems to be a different attitude among the circle. A sort of air of enthusiasm seems to be present now. Oh, F.Y.I, we have a new full time worker leading the group now, his name is Dene. He came this year as a replacement for Senno (who left to continue his ministry in Bathust). We all definitely miss him, he had such charisma and an easy going attitude. However we all have easily warm up to Dene as well. He’s definitely passionate about his work and an all around nice guy. But what strikes me the most is his incredible honesty with the group. He and his wife are so open about various aspects of their lives, like their finances and marriage. For instance, he go like “I just got this amount of money from…and I’m thinking of…” or “I currently have this amount of money…” in conversations. Sometimes he and his wife will talk about their marriage and like some of their struggles. I personally think it’s really neat that they feel they have nothing to hide from the group. I don’t think I never met anybody that honest or rather open in my life (family doesn’t count, we’re suppose to be open to each other).

Speaking of which, my friend had a very cute quarrel with his girlfriend (nothing serious). It all started when his gf decided to surprise him after class. So she waited for him outside the engineering faculty. Unfortunately, because he wasn’t expecting her, so they never met up. Naturally, he gets an angry phone call from her...I could tell that he was overcome by anxiety. So being the nice guy that I am, I gave him the best advice I could possibly give. I told him my standard 101 which was “I’m sorry…you were right… I was wrong…please forgive me…it won’t happen again”…and he replied “But I didn’t do anything wrong”…and hence my reply was simply “dude…you gave up your right to be ‘right’ the moment you decided to date”…hahahahahha…awesome…I particularly like fooling around with these two love bird…his gf would sometimes ask me “So what did you guys talk about during the break”…and I would go… “Well, he said…eeeeerrrr wait…no, I can’t tell you…it’s better that you don’t know.” Anyway, it’s all done in good fun…no damage (not even a dent) was ever done by any of my silly remarks… cause they know I’m just kidding (definitely sure)…

Anyway, I stop here…I’ll post more about my easter break when I get pictures of friends. I’m beat anyway…till then…