NIE

Back to NIE to attend a briefing on a part-time masters course. On the one hand, I feel wonderful to be back studying again; on the other, worried about coping studying part-time and working. Pictures I took at NIE.

Further More ... Literatures in Chinese History

To understand and appreciate the different dynasties, here is a selection of a few common Chinese Literatures at the different eras.

Pre Qin Dynasty ( from long long ago until 221 BC)

• 离骚 (Lament) by Qu Yuan - The guy who drown himself in Miluo River, and that was when the dragon boat festival and dumpling eating started.
• During these times, the Spring, Autumn and Warring States Periods, were time of turbulence in China. There were a number of philosophical writers, they include all the Zi(s) : Laozi, Kongfuzi, Mengzi, Mozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi and Hanfeizi.

Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC)
Not much literature during this period because, firstly, Qin Shihuang burnt the books, and this dynasty only lasted 15 years. But the chinese script was unified, so this laid a foundation for further literature works.

Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD)
Han Dynasty is the golden age of China.

• Liu Bang the first Emperor of Han Dynasty wrote Ode to the Mighty Wind:大风起兮云飞扬，威加海内兮归故乡。安得猛士兮守四方？
• Sima Qian wrote the Record of the Grand Historian,史记.
• And the famous Poem in Seven Paces by Cao Zhi. When his brother , Cao Pi, threatened to kill him, the talented son of Cao Cao wrote this, 七步诗: 煮豆燃豆萁，. 豆在釜中泣。 本是同根生，. 相煎何太急

Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD)

The Literatures during Tang Dynasty are numerous. The 300 Tang Poems are just for wetting the appetite. Just to name a few:

• The famous Li Bai and his Reflections on a Quiet Night : 床前明月光,疑是地上霜,举头望明月,低头思故乡.
• The long narrative Song of Unending Sorrow, it ends with 天长地久有时尽， 此恨绵绵无绝期。

Song Dynasty

• The hero Yue Fei wrote the Full River Red:

怒发冲冠，凭栏处潇潇雨歇。
抬望眼，仰天长啸，壮怀激烈。
三十功名尘与土，
八千里路云和月。
莫等闲白了少年头，空悲切。

靖康耻，犹未雪；
臣子恨，何时灭！
驾长车踏破贺兰山缺。
壮志饥餐胡虏肉，
笑谈渴饮匈奴血。
待从头收拾旧山河，朝天阙。

• At this point, I would like to point out that there two chinese words for poem. They are si, 诗, and ci, 词. Ci apparently is very popular during the Song Dynasty. I am not sure of the difference though, can anyone help?
• A well known ci writer is Li Qingzhao started her 声声慢 poem with 寻寻觅觅，
  　　冷冷清清， 凄凄惨惨戚戚 . . .
  

Yuan Dynasty
This is the time when Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire in 1206.

• A unique poetic form San qu developed.
• Za ju, stage plays , were also very popular then.

Ming Dynasty
This is the time when there are tonnes of famous fictions appeared:

• Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong - based on record by Chen Shou in Records of the Three Kingdoms in Jin Dynasty. This novel narrates stories of Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan during the Han Dynasty.
• Water Margin by Shi Nai'an- based on an uprising led by Song Jiang during the Song Dynasty.
• Journey to the West - based on the true story of a Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang (602 -664 BC) who spent 18 years travelling to India to study Buddhism, and returned to China with Buddhist scriptures. The author, Wu Cheng'en added the characters - Monkey King, Pigsy and Sandy - into the adventure.
• Canonisation of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin- this story stretches from Shang Dynasty of the King Zhou to the Zhou Dynasty of King Wu.

Qing Dynasty

• Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin narrates the decline of four great official households Jia, Wang, Shi and Xue. And of course the romance between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu.
• Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling. This is a collection of short stories ( about 500) of ghosts, goblins, fox-fairies, flower spirits ...
  

The information is adapted from an info-comic book Gateway to Chinese Classical Literature; you can get hold of it to read more about Chinese Literature

Curse of the Golden Flower and the Dynasties in China

After watching Curse of the Golden Flower, I am amazed at the rich culture in the Tang Dynasty. So I surf the net to find out more about the History of China, the result - this : the History of China in the nutshell from wikipedia:

Dynasties in China:

Dynasty			Links	Years
The Three August Ones and the Five Emperors	三皇五帝	sān huáng wǔ dì	(H - E)	before 2070 BC	628+
Xia	夏	xià	(H - E)	2070 BC - 1600 BC	470
Shang	商	shāng	(H - E)	1600 BC - 1046 BC	554
Western Zhou	西周	xī zhōu	(H - E)	1046 BC - 771 BC	275
Eastern Zhou traditionally divided into Spring and Autumn Period Warring States Period	東周 春秋 戰國	dōng zhōu chūn qiū zhàn guó	(H - E) (H - E) (H - E)	770 BC - 256 BC 722 BC - 476 BC 475 BC - 221 BC	514 246 254
Qin	秦	qín	(H - E)	221 BC - 206 BC	15
Western Han	西漢	xī hàn	(H - E)	206 BC - 9 AD	215
Xin	新	xīn	(H - E)	9 - 25	16
Eastern Han	東漢	dōng hàn	(H - E)	25 - 220	195
Three Kingdoms	三國	sān guó	(H - E)	220 - 265	45
Western Jin	西晉	xī jìn	(H - E)	265 - 317	52
Eastern Jin	東晉	dōng jìn	(H - E)	317 - 420	103
Northern and Southern Dynasties	南北朝	nán běi cháo	(H - E)	420 - 581	161
Sui	隋	suí	(H - E)	581 - 618	37
Tang	唐	táng	(H - E)	618 - 907	289
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms	五代十國	wǔ dài shí guó	(H - E)	907 - 960	53
Northern Song	北宋	běi sòng	(H - E)	960 - 1127	167
Southern Song	南宋	nán sòng	(H - E)	1127 - 1279	152
Liao	遼	liáo	(H - E)	916 - 1125	209
Jin	金	jīn	(H - E)	1115 - 1234	119
Yuan	元	yuán	(H - E)	1271 - 1368	97
Ming	明	míng	(H - E)	1368 - 1644	276
Qing	清	qīng	(H - E)	1644 - 1911	267

There is actually a mnemonics to help memorise this:
三皇五帝夏商周
春秋戰國秦漢流
三國魏晉南北隋
唐宋元明清民收

Christmas and Poinsettia

Christmas is round the corner and poinsettia is a common plant during this festive season. Also, it is not uncommon, the hear people describing it as a RED flower. Do you know that the red part of the plant is actually a modified leave - look closely at the picture below, imagine the red portion as green. Does it look like a leave to you now? The flower of the poinsettia plant is actually the small portion at the centre.



Another modified leaf, common in Singapore, can be found in the bougainvillea plant. The purplish-pink part are the modified leaves and the tiny white centres are the flowers.


Nature is so intriguingly wonderful. Do you know that the Pitcher's Plant, the spines of the cactus and the tendrils are actually modified leaves?! Grape and cucumber vines are also modified leaves. Due to their weak stem, these plants have vines helping them climb.

Crap!

These hard-shell , crab-like creatures look like they are from the dinosaurs age. Don't think they are uncommon in Singapore though. In fact this is not the first I see these thingy at the Kallang Sea Sports Club.

Can anyone help me to identify them? What are they called? Are the edible???

Also, wondering are they husband and wife? or parent and child? Seems like they are propagating their genes.

What is this?

Does anyone know what this is? Actually I have no idea myself. Looks like some kind of lettuce to me - it seems more like a modified leaf than a flower?!?! This photo is taken by one of my colleagues who visited China recently.

Tea

There are a number of types of tea. I shall try to summarise them:

Generally, tea refers to leaves of Camillia Sinensis plant.

Black Tea: Fully oxidized tea
OoLong Tea: Partially oxidized tea
Green Tea: tea not oxidized
White Tea: tea not oxidized ; leaves selected from newly grown tea plant.
Chai Tea: Black Tea with spices ( Example: cinnamon, ginger), and usually with milk
Herbal infusions: technically it's not from tea plant. They are infusions of herbs and flowers; no caffeine of course, since caffeine comes from tea leaves)
Fruit infusions: also this is not from tea plant. They are infusions of fruits; no caffeine
Rooibos (red bush) tea, usually Red Tea: This is technically not a tea, but a herbal infusions. It is made of fermented or unfermented leaves of Aspalathus Linearis plant; not from the 'normal' tea (Camillia Sinensis) ; high in anti-oxidant ; lacks caffeine.
Scented Tea: Tea scented with flowers/ fruits ... For example Earl Grey refers to black tea scented with Bergamot.

Further notes:
Do not mix up scented tea and infused tea. For example -
Peppermint Scented Tea is different from Peppermint Infused Tea. Peppermint scented tea refers to tea leaves (camillia sinensis plant) scented with peppermint; whereas Peppermint infused tea refers to peppermint leaves infused in water.

Some pictures of tea taken at Tea Chapter:




This is white tea, by the way.

Where is this?

Can you guess where this photo is taken?

Can you guess where this is?

Took this photo while I was ...

Can you guess where this is?

The Orchid

Different countries have their national flower, for example: Holland's tulip, England's rose, Malaysia's Hibiscus, Canada's Maple Leaf ( that's technically not a flower), France's Fleur de Lis ( Scout's Honour) . For Singapore, we have Vanda Miss Joaquim, a kind of orchid.

Singapore seems of have an affinity for orchid. It's probably because it's hardy and can be grown in the hot, humid equatorial region. Personally I think it's clean - no need for soil; it can be planted and sticked to almost anywhere : it can be potted on the floor, potted and hung, tied to coconut husk and sticked onto trees, walls, fences ... ; and of course it's beautiful - it comes in all sorts of colours, shapes and sizes.







The uploading is taking too long, please go to the link below, to my web album instead:

http://picasaweb.google.com/yapkianwee/Orchids

Try to slideshow, I have a pleasant surprise when I clicked on it.

Singapore Botanical Garden

Here are some photos taken in Singapore Botanical Garden:

3 star kayaking course

I just started my 3 star kayaking course again - yes again. This is my second attempt; I can't really recall when I did my first course.

After so many years, I still can't do a proper row... How disheartening. Actually, I'm not that bothered, as long as I have fun learning. The joy of kayaking, besides showing off the eskimo rows, is really in touch with the nature - the sun, sand, sea.

For those who have not been to Kallang Sea Sports Club. Here are some pics.

The pic above shows Nicol Highway over Kallang River.

As I am writing this blog, ZoukOut is slipping through my fingers. The party animal in me is tempting me to 'chiong' out of the door and get drunk and sweaty, or at least have a bit of fun. It may just be the last ZoukOut in Sentosa before the IR develops, who knows.

Well, I would consider attending a kayaking course while recovering from a flu is adventurous enough for any city dweller. Actually, I'm still having a stuffy nose. And I probably have enough sea water in me to keep the fever subsided, I hope.

I must add that the weather today is a blessing.

Sentosa IR and Vivo City

The government just annouced the results of the Sentosa IR bid - the winner is ... Genting. Wow I suppose next time we can expect people gambling at Sentosa, follow by gambling at Star Cruise on the way to KL, and then, yet another attempt by the IR to suck up all your money at Genting Highlands. It's that cool. Mountain high cool. Ain't No Mountain High Enough to bring IR to you dude, Singapore...

Anyway, personally I think it's a wonderful news. I'm not a sucker for casino. But China, India and other countries are coming up so fast, we need a way to suck up all their $$$. Casino seems to be a very good bet (pun intended) - Ancient gambling artifacts as early as 2300BC has been uncovered from China!

Another up and coming shopping centre is Vivo City, the biggest shopping centre in Singapore - so far. I've been there a few days ago, and I must say, I'm not really impressed by it. Here are some photos:

Coffee and Caffeine

Rainy weather always conjures coffee drinking.

What's in a name? Caffeine by any other name will look like this:



A lot of people are wondering about the amount of caffeine in a coffee?

Actually, there is no straight forward answer. The amount of caffeine in a coffee depends on

• the temperature of water ( the hotter the water, the more caffeine will be dissolved.
• the grind ( the finer the grind, the more caffeine will be dissoved)
• the time ( the longer you soak the coffee powder, the more caffeine will be dissoved.)
• the type of coffee ( in general, robusta beans have more caffeine than the arabica beans)

For a general guide, the picture below is useful. It is taken from Coffee by Philippe Boe.

The First Post

This is the first post. The previous post(s) is(are) backed dated.

A picture I have taken a few days ago. This was taken at Marina Square using a 2 megapixel mobile phone.

Scouts Malacca Trip

Brought students to Malacca. It is Goodwill Camp among Singaporeans, Malaysians, Thais, and Indonesians. For Singaporeans who are squashed in the middle geographically, it consisted of 2 parts : Batam and Malacca. I went for the Malacca portion only.


My first digital camera , a 2 megapixel Nikon, spoilt on the way. Well ... if it's time to go, it's time to go. This is the last picture taken by that camera.


The scouts enjoyed themselves sight-seeing and shopping at pasar malam... This is more of a leisure camp so I shan't be too particular about the rowdy behaviour.


This is the HUGE pineapple tart in a shop at the night market.


I suppose all leisure camps come with their share of vices. So here are a number for the record:

• gambling poker cards (UNO cards are everywhere!)
  
• alleged smoking
• adult leaders - drinking at pubs.

and Joel with his funny shaved hair trying to get everybody's attention.

In Praise of Slow

Just finished reading the book In Praise of Slow. I am so inspired to slurrr , I mean , slow down the pace of life to sloth speed. The book argues that by slowing down, you can actually achieve more, do things better - ironically faster and more efficient. You will appreciate life more. I suppose this will be my new year resolution for year 2007.I am doing my part for the slow culture; I have lent the book to a friend after finishing it. And of course, blogging it is another way of spreading the slow culture. Here are the different covers of the book in different languages.

http://www.inpraiseofslow.com/slow/gallery.php?galid=1

Enjoy

Slowly

If you finish this book in a week, you have not read it yet.