Sunday, September 18, 2005
My Japan-Related Study Updated
Me with Mrs. Wakako, my classical painting teacher. With me trying to smile and hope nobody would notice the mess of my drawing in front, which I obviously tried to covered. This photo was taken by my other classmate, using my old phone, Sony T610. It was late morning, around 11 something, and the sun was coming in through Mrs. Wakako's apartment window. So, not bad for a photo by the phone. Now my classmate, a Chinese lady, stops her lesson. So it's a one on one lesson which Mrs. Wakako likes a lot since she prefers to speak only Japanese with me (but I have to open my dictionary all the time).
I have class with her every Sunday morning. But I meet her also during the week when I go down to walk/jog downstairs since we live in the same condominium. She is always very kind to me and always comes to talk to me, correcting my japanese, givining me sweets from Japan, etc.
And it is always fun in her class, you see, because she always leaves on the NHK channel, both to help tune my ears to rapid-fire spoken Japanese, but also to listen to the Sunday Singing Contest! If you have NHK at home, tune in at 10:15, Bangkok time for something hilarious! hee hee hee It's a family show where some contestants age 97! And every week they would feature many 80 something contestants. And teenaged singer hopefuls also compete in the same program! Now I really believe the statistics I read that now 1 in 5 of Japanese poplation is now aged 65 or over. And in 4 years, it's going to be 1 in 4! I think the background music plays an important role in the result of what I draw. If the music is nice and calm, so would my pine tree. But if it's barely tolerable, my goldfish suddenly looks like it's going to explode! hee hee hee
Regarding what I study with her, I don't really know how to call it. Theoretically it should be called "Chinese brush painting." But then, again, the flavor and influence is heavily Japanese (the kind of birds, flowers, and seasons she taught me to draw, including the food she cooked for me!) And definitely my approach and my objective in studying it is definitely from a Zen Buddhism point of view. Very interestingly, she teaches Zen-like philosophy of life while she teaches me to draw also. The Japanese are highly philosophical people, or at least those that I have studied with.
You see, an elite samurai during the peace-time Edo period (what I would like to focus in my Ph.D. study) had to be trained in the high and refined arts of not only military and martial arts, but also literature, calligraphy, poetry, tea ceremony, painting, and probably at least one musical instrument. In every aspect of his training, meditation prevails, directly or indirectly.
Take Battou Jutsu, or the art of sword drawing, which I am training in. You have to do mini-meditation both before and after each drawing and also one long period at the end of the day's training session. Everything makes sense and goes in according to the mindfulness training in Theravada Buddhism's Vipassana Meditation. But I'd rather not bore you about it here yet! Wait until you read my dissertation and you can choose to fall asleep there and then! hee hee hee
And this is my samurai sword sensei (teacher), Fukushima Ryoichi. He's so cool! I love the steely look in his eyes. This photo is from his interview in GM magazine. Contrary to this look, he's very kind and patient and I'm very grateful that he accepts me as his disciple! You can read his interview in my Flickr page. I scanned it in there already. It's http://www.flickr.com/photos/nashara/
Let's see, now I can write a bit Haiku, I can paint a little, do a little calligraphy (that looks very child-like!). Mrs. Wakako kindly lent me an old book that teaches you how to move your brush strokes correctly when you do calligraphy (see below). Gosh, it's so difficult! I really respect ever Japanese kids that had to go through this kind of test at school!
Well, what else. Yes, I know a bit of martial arts, literature and calligrapy. I still need the Ikebana flower arranging lesson and the tea ceremony lesson. And then I'll be a complete samurai! hee hee Well, my aim is just to understand the mindset of one.
On the pop culture side, I recently went to see a Japanese movie called, "Farewell, Kuro" at The House movie theatre on RCA, which is very near my house. The Poster of the movie is here below. My sole reason to go there was to practice my listening skills because I was to have a conversation exam the next day. As the title goes, you don't have to be THAT good in Japanese to guesss that "Sayonara, Kuro" is a sad & sentimental movie or not, eh? Gosh, I hate it when I go to movies alone and I have to cry!
More on my self-designed endeavour to understand the Japanese culture from inside out, I went to see Madamme Butterfly. Yes, that sad, grand opera by Puccini. The Hungarian Opera troop recently had two shows at Thailand Cultural Center as part of American Express's International Dance and Music Festival. It's a very, very sad show that i don't recommend to any of you who have sensitive or romantic hearts! Beautiful music and set, though. I especially love the lighting that shows the four seasons of Japan. Strangely, I found the lonely bridge in the stone garden area the saddest corner of the whole stage, no matter which part of the act it was. May be I read too much of the Zen literature!
And this is me during intermission. Trying to wear something of an Asian flavor. You know, the Shanghai Tang look. But I guess I don't look Chinese enough, no? Wa... How come nobody believed me when I told them my maternal grandfather is Chinese? And, hey, don't laugh. It really was COLD inside the theatre. And although the opera features all the beautiful four seasons of Japan, all I could feel was the miserable winter! There were times, to tell you the truth, that I thought I was in the audience of Les Miserables! Sorry the picture is not so clear. It was taken from my phone. This time it's the new one, Sony K 750i. Not bad considering the minimal lighting inside the theatre.
Anyway, all in all, I hope to be able to prove in a lively and colorful tone that mindfulness meditation doesn't need to be boring and anti-social. It can be something of high artistic value that not only fulfills the life of each individual but helps propel the development of each society. Well, that may sound a bit lofty but i hope tot prove that it is quite a practical thing to do. At least my countless experience observing and participating in meditation retreat has proven to me. And now my study of the Zen-influenced Japanese culture also proves the same.
I hope I live long enough to prove this fact to the world. And that, in my most humble way, makes people more interest and start to explore the nature around them and to try to understand the basics of their body and mind better, so that we all would have a better society to live in together.
Oh, i start to sound like John Lennon while composing the lyrics of "Imagine." Must be the effect of some med the doc give me. hee hee hee And because of that, I think i'd better stop here!
Have a nice day, you all!
Let's see, now I can write a bit Haiku, I can paint a little, do a little calligraphy (that looks very child-like!). Mrs. Wakako kindly lent me an old book that teaches you how to move your brush strokes correctly when you do calligraphy (see below). Gosh, it's so difficult! I really respect ever Japanese kids that had to go through this kind of test at school!
Well, what else. Yes, I know a bit of martial arts, literature and calligrapy. I still need the Ikebana flower arranging lesson and the tea ceremony lesson. And then I'll be a complete samurai! hee hee Well, my aim is just to understand the mindset of one.
On the pop culture side, I recently went to see a Japanese movie called, "Farewell, Kuro" at The House movie theatre on RCA, which is very near my house. The Poster of the movie is here below. My sole reason to go there was to practice my listening skills because I was to have a conversation exam the next day. As the title goes, you don't have to be THAT good in Japanese to guesss that "Sayonara, Kuro" is a sad & sentimental movie or not, eh? Gosh, I hate it when I go to movies alone and I have to cry!
More on my self-designed endeavour to understand the Japanese culture from inside out, I went to see Madamme Butterfly. Yes, that sad, grand opera by Puccini. The Hungarian Opera troop recently had two shows at Thailand Cultural Center as part of American Express's International Dance and Music Festival. It's a very, very sad show that i don't recommend to any of you who have sensitive or romantic hearts! Beautiful music and set, though. I especially love the lighting that shows the four seasons of Japan. Strangely, I found the lonely bridge in the stone garden area the saddest corner of the whole stage, no matter which part of the act it was. May be I read too much of the Zen literature!
And this is me during intermission. Trying to wear something of an Asian flavor. You know, the Shanghai Tang look. But I guess I don't look Chinese enough, no? Wa... How come nobody believed me when I told them my maternal grandfather is Chinese? And, hey, don't laugh. It really was COLD inside the theatre. And although the opera features all the beautiful four seasons of Japan, all I could feel was the miserable winter! There were times, to tell you the truth, that I thought I was in the audience of Les Miserables! Sorry the picture is not so clear. It was taken from my phone. This time it's the new one, Sony K 750i. Not bad considering the minimal lighting inside the theatre.
Anyway, all in all, I hope to be able to prove in a lively and colorful tone that mindfulness meditation doesn't need to be boring and anti-social. It can be something of high artistic value that not only fulfills the life of each individual but helps propel the development of each society. Well, that may sound a bit lofty but i hope tot prove that it is quite a practical thing to do. At least my countless experience observing and participating in meditation retreat has proven to me. And now my study of the Zen-influenced Japanese culture also proves the same.
I hope I live long enough to prove this fact to the world. And that, in my most humble way, makes people more interest and start to explore the nature around them and to try to understand the basics of their body and mind better, so that we all would have a better society to live in together.
Oh, i start to sound like John Lennon while composing the lyrics of "Imagine." Must be the effect of some med the doc give me. hee hee hee And because of that, I think i'd better stop here!
Have a nice day, you all!
