心。镜。: Back On-Line

In response to the previous post and partly to my frigid poll results (oh finally I've got 2 responses, thanks man!),　I guess it's time for me to write about bits and pieces of my life.

After getting more familiar with the stark reality, I know there's a better place for our hearts to be. Apart from breaking the ice and usual hobnobbing with the cruel reality, the other side of me yearning for rootedness, in search for the rites of belongings that has long been embeded in each of the human beings. Yes, i work pretty much in retrospect lately. Thanks to dear, for accompanying me all the time, regardless of my whimsical quest for the truth, for something that best addresses our community. Live a day without you is not something I wish to feel, as the seeds I've planted for you is real, together we face this world brandnew.

I Love You.

My quest,
Reasons? The true fact of life is: there is some thing never change, that is everything is changing.
There is no cobwebs if we do not take into account a spider's effort. For every permutations, there is a beginning, there is an owner. Reflect upon reality, many things and happenings share this very powerful relationship which underlie daily processes so frequent so that it virtually sets this whole "mechanism" off our everyday backdrops. More often than not, we don't see the Creator, but the ensuing occurrence that takes place. Just as we often miss the Culprit who set ablaze some dilapidated houses. There are more, if we keep on contemplating.

As a Penangite, it's our pride to be recognized as being a community that's overwhelmed with sense of kamcheng (fellow-feeling), a sense of identity, interrelatedness and communal responsibility as according to Jean DeBernardi, a professional anthropologist from University of Alberta who had personally lived in Penang in the 80's just to accomplish her East Asian Studies for Stanford University. "Penang people have the mentality to pray, to earn money, to support Chinese culture and education. You don't see this strength anywhere else in Malaysia. Penang people are exceptionally full of fellow-felling. We must organize our own Chinese - many still do not participate. We must take care of our own house." - (Unknown committee of Central Primordial, Universal Ferry 中元委员会, by JeanBeNardi)
How lasting this sense of belongings and appreciation will be? Well, time never really tell, our hearts do. Do not presume my definition, ain't anybody from the radicals. What we have seen as time fades away is the gradual fragmentation of our community, subdivided into English-educated and Chinese-educated, and thereafter marking a mentality barrier among us, setting bearings in our believes. I've seen Chinese who hatred his/her own mother tongue, saying it a pile of obsolete bullshit. They favor Ang Moh, for a culture they don't even internalized and some thing they'll never do. Surprisingly, they find contentment being stuck in the transitional path, an intermediate between the English and the Chinese.

So do they lost in their own identity. Or perhaps we called it a hybrid?

It's a widespread disintegration, educationally, socio-politically, even religion. It doesn't really matter.
As long as whoever speaks has the heart to serve.

Not to exaggerate the fact, I got a shock in my life hearing this phenomenon from my friend, whom i refer to as anonymous, apparently this girl who regarded Chinese music as some form of kitsch, uttered her profuse hatred so proudly simply because English songs have melted her heart with their varieties. According to her, Modern Chinese songs only care about love, love and no more. Unlike English songs that well-addressed all range of relationships. Ah, forgive me to say she hasn't known her culture well enough, I just can't help to say.
Music, a fusion of mind and soul, apart from judging the lyrics and whatsoever, the flow of rhythm best encapsulates the overall meaning, conveying certain sentiments that cater for different occasions. Words enhance the feeling, so to say. Open up your heart and listen, you'll find your soul revitalized once again. In fact, there are plentiful traditional Chinese songs that truly speaks the Oriental believe.

犹如被阳光吞噬的影子，人在魂散。
Till darkness falls, it gonna be too late to mourn.

难怪人说我们像一盘散沙
Till high tides encroaches, we are bounded with enormous losses.

It's time for us to cast off our notorious past, stop being the infamies of mercenariness, self-fishness and arrogance. Open up the passageway for better understanding and mutual believes.

Deep down our roots, we know, we were bestowed this wonderful Identity, on the 1st, 9th and 15th day of First Lunar Month we come together celebrate Chinese New Year, Heaven God Worship and Chap Goh Meh; on the 5th of 5th Lunar Month we savor dumplings and some try letting the eggs stand still when the clock strikes 12 noon; on the 1st and 15th of 7th Lunar Month we celebrate the Hell Gate openings, treating deceased ancestors with foods and Participate Poh Toh; on 9th Lunar Month we have abstinent from meaty foods, we consume vege foods in conjunction with the Nine Emperor Gods Festival. For some who do not participate due to religion difference, there is one day that all of us will surely meet, the Chinese New Year eve. Ritual has "united" us, keeping us in close contact amidst this advanced cyber era. We might not be knowing each others that much as we used to be, but there's a place for our hearts to be.

To me, Culture is the cradle of Architecture, it speaks of the spatial existence; of rituals, of customs, of believes, that conjoined Science & Technology in the most functional way meaningfully. Beautiful.

"Multi-ethnicity is just too beautiful, that I can't compare with the blizzards of domestic tyrant. "
"Though rain is ephemeral, I'm still dubious about the winter's sun, for fear that it has undergone a long hibernation."

Anyway, here's some snapshots of my previous field trip to Malaysia, KL and yes back in my hometown.
Due to the contingent absent of my tutor, I had to take up the tour-guiding role for my studio group. So much to see, architecture and culture. All the photos were not uploaded in chronological order but I had provided caption whenever necessary. Some photos credit to Diane and friends, the photographers of our studio.

Departure