Immortal Master Kong

Sattue of Confucius at Ni Shan Academy

 中文链接：不死的孔子

Of the three main pillars of Chinese civilisation, I liked Daoism at first sight. Believe it or not, my first introduction to Daoism was Alan Watts’ The Way of Tao, a book I picked up in a secondhand bookstore in Canada. I found out much later that my late father was actually lifetime president of a Daoism Association in Hong Kong. He never discussed his spiritual practice with us. Typical Daoist.

With age, I have become a belated student of Buddhist wisdoms at a respectable distance.

But until recently, Confucius was to me an archaic sage whose ideas had long putrefied. Had I lived in the tumultuous moments of May Fourth in early 20th century, or the Cultural Revolution, I would have chanted for its uprooting. Enough is enough. China had been struggling desperately for a century. Nothing seemed to work. Confucius was to blame. Time to get out of the two-thousand-year-old straight jacket. His ideas, so deeply engrained in Chinese society, was fettering progress, cutting China off from the modern age.

不死的孔子

Link to English Version - Immortal Master Kong

可能由於性格關係吧，中華文化三大支柱儒釋道之中，我對老莊一讀鐘情。這裡有個小插曲：我首次認識道家，竟然是在加拿大偶然讀了Alan Watts 的老番版本 The Way of Tao。當時不知道先父原來是香港道德會善慶洞的會長。他從不對我們說道，真有道家個性！

漸入老年後，覺得佛學的生命觀和科學性更高更妙，卻自問只有資格靜靜旁聽，心裡拜服，不敢自認「學佛」，更莫論修証了。


至於儒家，我一向懷有負面偏見。假如年輕時身處五四運動或文革的歷史洪流，我肯定也會高呼「打倒孔家店」！這不怪誰，中國給煙商海盜踢屁股踢了整個世紀，什麼方法都試過，什麼道理都說盡，還不是一塌糊塗，翻身無期？夠啦！幾千年的老化石，難以改造，無法消化，是中華民族的毒瘤，前進的絆腳石！不打倒怎成？

Trump's China Card

中文版：川普对华宣战的背后

Trump’s gone nuts again, accusing China of meddling with the internal affairs of the USA. Pence — the guy who secretly aspires to become president next year — gave a speech at the Hudson Institute last week, basically declaring a cold war on China, unprovoked. 

Few sane persons could seriously believe that. But many Americans do. Being free spirits by self-declaration, they’re not very serious about serious matters such as international relations. Plus many have been secretly missing that little cunning sneaky yellowish Fu Manchu, and are happy to see him resurrected by the imagination of their national leaders. Not having to pretend civil feels like freedom to some.

It’s a waste of time putting forth common sense arguments such as “hey, the USA has been openly interfering, actively subverting actually, other countries’ elections and political process on a daily basis!” or “hey, if the American system is so pitifully vulnerable, why is it being sold by brute force to everyone else on planet earth?” or “Uh, can I see some evidence, please?” 

No! America is America. It’s exceptional: exceptionally violent, exceptionally arrogant, exceptionally bullying, exceptional in everything, with few exceptions.

So, is this declaration of cold-war against China just another senseless move by Trump the Great-again? 

Not really. Trump is not as stupid as he looks.

Let me guess his strategy, which is becoming obvious. Yes, what I’m about to say is entirely guess work without evidence. Everyone’s doing that. All journalists do that in their daily news. Presidents of rich and powerful democracies depend on fantasy for evidence. Why can’t I? Plus my speculation track record is not too bad so far. 

Trump’s declaration of war against China mainly serves three purposes. 

川普對中國宣戰的背後

English Version: Trump's China Card

川普發病，大家已經見怪不怪。最近無緣無故對華挑釁升級，派副總統在華盛頓的 Hudson Institute 對華宣讀冷戰書，又誣蔑中國干擾中期選舉雲雲。

副總統 「噴屎」 這番胡言亂語，稍微有腦筋有常識的人聽了都可能噴飯。但一般的美國人崇尚的是自由，不是什麼常識思考等過時東西，不少人心底里也挺懷念小時候電視那個黃面灰牙，下流賤格，皮笑肉不笑，滿肚子奸計的中國佬 Fu Manchu，見到他在總統口中復活，心內暖暖的有分久違的優越感和親切感。

反駁川普政權的論點多的很，如 「美國無時無刻不在明的暗的干擾全世界的選舉和政治運作哦！只准州官放火？」 或 「美國制度原來如此脆弱，不堪一擊，那麼為何要不惜動武把這糟制度強於他人呢？」 又或 「嗯，來點證據如何？」

但據理力爭對凡事例外的美國人來說太複雜，都是浪費唇舌。

那麼川普對華攻擊越演越烈，是否招牌神經失常呢？非也。他這一著我看很有章法，一點不笨。

容許我猜度一下川普總統的陰謀吧。猜度當然沒有什麼真憑實據和分析圖表，但全世界的自由傳媒都憑空捏造事實，大總統和國會議員亦復如是，為何我不可以互猜亂說呢？何況我以往的胡猜甚為準確，記錄不錯，應該繼續用功。

那便放膽猜吧。我認為川普對華攻擊，起碼有三個目標：

简体字的文化承传

本来与文化无缘的人，炒股票房地产发了财，想弄点品味上身，其实可以理解，亦并非坏事。只要不强逼我听他描述在法国欣赏意大利歌剧的完整过程，我一定不会嘲讽，甚至会赞赏鼓励。

不过在香港这文化沙滩的历史阴影里，滋生了不少独特怪病。患者喜欢逢人便说自己和孩子的 “中文很差哦，嘻嘻！” 这种殖民地心理病，在其它地方难得一见，在香港却很普遍。这类人宣布自己 “Chinese 很 lousy” 并非谦逊，而是对自己英国化进程的一种肯定，甚至“炫耀”。曾几何时，“中文很差” 的确在某些人眼中是地位象征。

更奇怪的是，这批自认 Chinese 很 lousy 的 lousy Chinese，绝大部分英文也很 lousy，可惜未够程度自知。回归后，他们进一步强调自己不会普通话，简体字也不会看，嘻嘻！一百多个简体字也学不会的人，就算不是严重智障，也肯定有学习缺憾，本来值得同情。但他们对自身缺点十分自豪，令我不知如何反应最恰当。

可能很多人都看过以下一张在香港颇为流行，毫无常识却自以为刻薄风趣的贴子：

“中華文化悠遠5000年，保存最完整的不是在大陸，而是在台灣，很多文化的斷層，在文字簡化上卻有具體的表徵： 

漢字簡化後～ 亲 親卻不見， 爱 愛而無心， 产 產卻不生， 厂 厰內空空， 面 麵內無麥， 运 運卻無車，导 導而無道， 儿 兒卻無首， 飞 飛卻單翼， 云 有雲無雨， 开 開関無門， 乡 鄉裡無郎。  

可巧而又巧的是： 簡體字未簡化的有.... 魔仍是魔， 鬼還是鬼， 偷還是偷， 騙還是騙， 貪還是貪， 毒還是毒， 黑還是黑， 賭還是賭， 賊仍是賊！ 真是妙不可言呀！好的字通通簡化了，不好的字全部都保留...， 發現漢字簡化的這位仁兄，真是造詣高深！”

哎，在 “网上市集”，造诣高低谁定义，是个有趣问题。台湾语体文可以保存五千年的中华文化，也算语出惊人。

以上贴子最近又在朋友群组出现，引起 [甲骨文明道易傳] 的作者陈锦平医生作出评语与解释。我看后才知道原来很多简体字除了方便简单，有助减少文盲外，更不乏文化传承。得到陈博士的允许，在这里节录分享如下。【大括号内是我的胡乱插嘴，并非陈医生的原文】：

Trump's Clash with Civilisation

鏈接到中文版本：從貿易戰看 “不文明” 衝突

Clash of Civilisation is an oxymoron. Truly civilised tribes clash over vital resources and existential issues, not values or beliefs. So what makes a society civilised? Clever technologies are not a defining condition. In uncivilised hands, they only make the world more dangerous and confused. 

   Queuing straight and calm on a hot day for ice cream is but a superficial indicator. When ten starving persons compete for three breads, those who insist on lining up nicely for their empty turn had long been eliminated by recurrent harsh reality in experienced old countries. Not long ago, no self-preserving Chinese would line up unless under supervision of a big stick. Now that there are eleven breads for ten well-fed folks, especially in the cities, orderly lines are the norm. It’s that simple.

Tolerance, if not necessarily respect, of differences is a fundamental attribute of civilised behaviour. 

   If you tell the typical Chinese that your god flies higher and faster than his ancestors and the Buddha working together, he’d be politely awed: “Wah! So impressive! Very good! Got to go now. Let’s have lunch sometime okay?” He won’t debate, and certainly won’t punch you for your amusing belief. He’d be even less inclined to comment on how your country elects leaders. It’s none of his business. Is it not? Before recent times, if you told him that Country A bombs Countries B, C, D, E, F… to make them vote for their leaders, he wouldn’t have believed you. 

Civilisation clash therefore seemed to me somewhat irrelevant to China, until recently. Trump’s trade war makes me think that differences in “cultural genes” could at least be partly responsible for the current conflict.

從貿易戰看 “不文明” 衝突

Link to English: Trump's Clash with Civilisation

我一向認為「文明衝突」這概念有些自相矛盾。

自古以來，人類群體為了生活爭奪有限資源在所難免，但與文明無關。何謂文明？科技先進不一定代表文明；軍事技術先進的野蠻人只會令世界更危險，更多戰禍，生靈塗炭。至於乖乖排隊則是表面風度，在資源豐富的社會屬自然現象，並不稀奇，也不代表心裡「文明」。

在十個人爭三份菜的的苦日子，只有傻瓜才會在第四位慢慢排隊。這類傻瓜中國不多。現在十個人有十一份菜，在國內城市基本上看不到爭先恐後的鏡頭，就是這麼簡單。說開便說，究竟是誰令我們這曾經富甲天下的文明古國挖破臉皮插隊搶飯吃的呢？

算啦，不翻舊賬，言歸正傳。其實真正的文明人，是不會為了信仰不同而你死我活的。人家說他的上帝飛得比我們的祖先高快遠，而且無所不在，典型中國人都會客氣大贊：「哇厲害！佩服哦！有點事，改天喝茶！」，根本不會爭論，更莫說拔刀斬人了。至於別人喜歡以何種方式挑選領導，更切底與我們無關，理都懶理。為了逼使別國搞投票民主而出兵討伐的行徑，在文明人眼中簡直匪夷所思。

所以國際間「不文明」的衝突，我們至少表面不太關心。但川普對華發動「貿易戰」，令我意識到中美「矛盾」似乎與文化背景有某程度的關聯。

Blue Moon Nirvana

中文版本：“藍月涅槃” 鏈接

A few days ago, on my way to evening meditation at Dong Shan (link to Shadows of Cave Mountain), I was captivated by the moon. It was a “blue moon”, a rare event in the Gregorian calendar, happening only once in a blue moon, golden in colour. 

It was also the 15th day of the second moon according to the Chinese lunar calendar — Buddha’s Nirvana Day, and the 31st of April 2018, Easter Saturday, the only Christian holiday which follows the lunar cycle. Jesus had just been hammered into his passionate version of Nirvana about two millennia ago, holding his breath until Monday. Coincidence never fails to intrigue.

藍月涅槃

Link to English Version: Blue Moon Nirvana

三月三十一日是陰曆二月十五，當我緩步輕聲走往洞山禪堂途中（洞山禪影 鏈接），突然被天上的月光迷住了。天邊掛著金黃色的「藍月亮」。 原來藍月只不過是陽曆同一月內出現的第二個月圓，並非天文奇景，也不藍色。至於因何得名，則無從考究。由於不常發生，被視為罕見，所以有 「once in a blue moon」 之說。剛巧當晚為佛祖的涅槃日，也是基督教唯一的陰曆節日復活節。據說念耶穌大約兩千年前被劊子手釘進了臨時涅槃，閉氣三天後再重現江湖。

Dissecting the Nouveau Riche

鏈接中文版：細看暴發戶

More than 120 million Chinese travel overseas annually. Occasionally, one or two unruly tourists would make headlines, triggering another round of nouveau riche caricature and soul searching. What exactly are the nouveau riche? My on-line dictionary defines the slightly pompous French term as “people who have recently acquired wealth, typically those perceived as ostentatious or lacking in good taste.” At least four subjective terms in this definition —  recent, wealth, ostentatious, and good taste — need further clarification.

細看暴發戶

Link to English Version: Dissection the Nouveau Riche

中國去年出口一億兩千多萬遊客。偶爾幾個在國外或飛機上撒野出洋相，便會被大做文章。國人也會積極搖頭，埋冤暴發戶風氣熾熱難當。究竟何謂「暴發戶」呢？根據我的字典，暴發戶是近期發了財的人，喜歡炫耀，品味低俗云云。英文通常借用有幾分造作的法語名詞 Nouveau Riche — 「新發財」 之謂也。不過細想之下，「近期」，「發財」，「炫耀」，「品味」 等概念都值得進一步探討。

Imminent Liberation of Taiwan？

連接到中文版：短期內解放台灣？

Predicting Brexit and Trump’s presidency had once brought my contrarian sanity into question. Fortunately, the ‘surprising’ outcomes showed that insanity is indeed a dominant force, and my unhealthy appreciation of lunacy has been useful in comprehending 21st century reality. However, some crazy visions are still based on rationality, at least for the time being. One of them is China’s reunification with Taiwan, which I think will happen much sooner than most people believe. The likelihood of concluding the currently suspended Chinese Civil War in the near future, say the coming year or two, is very high — higher than ever. Many of my learned friends roll their eyes at this prediction.

短期內解放台灣？

 

 LINK to English: Imminent Liberation of Taiwan？

我在2016年寫博文 ‘撐’ 特朗普， 又預測英國脫歐，有些朋友擔心我神經錯亂。兩項選舉結果最終如我所料，其實不足以證明我看法的合理性，只不過反映了精神病患者已成大多數，具有民主優勢而已。思維正常的人唯有讓開一旁，自言自語牢騷世風日下。

趁大家對精神病人的社會地位猶豫之際，我想把解放台灣的分析加入病歷，立此存照。