Saturday, July 10, 2010

Let's not forget...

Life, health, the faculties of hearing and seeing, two hands and two legs, water, air, food - these are some of the more visible blessings in the world, while the greatest of all blessings is that of Islam and correct guidance. What would you say to someone who offered you large sums of money in return for your eyes, your ears, your legs, your hands, or your heart? How great is your wealth in reality? By not being thankful, you do not render justice to Allah's countless favors. - 'Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni


On the day I discovered there is a ganglion cyst on my left foot, I realized:
Be able to walk, to run, to jump, to dance freely with no pain on the feet is truly a blessing from God. Let not forget about this.

Monday, May 3, 2010

My Monochrome Beijing

Wander around Beijing in the winter, everything seem freeze in time. With it richness historical background, sometimes can't help but has the illusion of criss-crossing the modern and history lives.

Hou Hai Bei Yan

This is the area of Hou Hai, infront of the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling. It is a quiet area by the side of the lake with attractive hutongs. It was snowed the day before, the weather was colder than expected. But there was still a group of winter swimmers swam in the lake.

Soong Ching Ling, one of the legendary women in China history. It is love that brought her together with an extraordinary man - Sun Yat Sen. There goes the lifelong adventure of upholding her husband's ideals of liberty and equality within China's political and social arenas.

Garbage collector at Xian Shan Gong Yuan

Splendid view of Forbidden City from Jing Shan Park

Forbidden City serves as home to the Ming and Qing emperors. It had witness the glory and decline of the emperors for almost 500 hundred years.

Recently, Forbidden City has reminds me of the last emperor - Pu Yi. Ever since he ascended the throne at aged 2 years old and 10 months, he was fated to live life that out of ordinary, a life that can never be controlled by him.

Pu Yi started as the emperor for Qing dynasty around 2 years old, was expelled from the Forbidden City at 18 years old. At aged of 28, he became the puppet emperor of Manchukuo. At the end of World War II, he was captured by Soviet Red Army as war criminal for 5 years. He was repatriated and re-educated in war criminals management centre for 10 years. At aged of 53, he was declared reformed.

Later in his life, he visited Forbidden City once. This time, he is no longer an emperor but just a regular civil of The People's Republic of China.

Deer at Beijing Zoo

Some animals are very alert with me walking closer and camera pointed to them. They usually ran away before I managed to have a single shoot. But there was exception form this little cute deer.

View from Mutianyu Great Wall's watchtower

In the misty weather the visibility is poor but the view of Great Wall is still spectacular. I always wonder how the people built it back then many centuries ago.

Qin Shi Huang - the first emperor of Qin dynasty and also a pivotal figure in Chinese history. He is the emperor who unified China, standardized the Chinese scripts & units of measurements, undertook gigantic projects like Great Wall & Lingqu Canal, etc... All these were very impactful in the development of China history.

He is too 'well-known' with his great atrocities like eliminated hundred schools of thought, buried alive scholars & burned books that previously existed, in search of elixir of life, built of mausoleum that guarded by a life-sized Terracotta Army, etc... All was executed at the cost of countless lives for achieving his personal agenda.

Senior citizens infront of Tiananmen Square

Are they the survivors of Cultural Revolution?

Area around Forbidden City Guard Canal

Walking around the area outside the Forbidden City, it is peace and tranquility. What a contrast with the racket inside the Forbidden City.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Memoir

So far yet so close, we have never been apart

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Eat, Play, Sleep, Think

"The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it." ~ Tuesdays with Morrie

Life is too short to live under others' expectations for who you should be, how you should behave, lifestyle that you should be resided. They would tell you what you should do to become successful in life.

The succeeded life is perhaps no other than status gained in community or work place, certain amount of savings in the bank, a stable job or potential career that provides financial security, started up a family before the biological clock is alarming. Once you have all these, you are considered quite a successful person in the community.

As your parents, your friends, your neighbours or even your grandparents are following this platform. It made us believe that this is one and only way to define 'success' in life. Because the majority is doing so, you think you have to do the same things too. Never cross your mind is that there is alternative, or wonder this culture is what you want. Too often it is because the culture said so, it is better for us to obey like most of the people. Rather than ponder over.

Life is short. If you like the culture, you buy it! If you don't think it works, don't buy it. If it works for you, please remember it doesn't mean it works for everybody as well. If your friend is strong enough to against the culture because it doesn't suit them, can you please leave them alone?!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

God is

God is in the snowflakes in the air. He is also in the salts that keep snow from refreezing.
God is in the blooming roses in the garden. He is also in the wind that blows away withered roses.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

20 years

What is the thing that you have been doing for the past 20 years?

At first you didn't / never expect it would be succeeded. Along the way, there were doubts and encouragements. Most importantly, deep down inside your heart you knew: this is it! The mixture feelings gave you the strength to carry on. Time flies and there has been 20 years since the day you started. And now, you hope you can go on with it till as long as you can.

Monday, February 22, 2010