These sounds and images can transport you to the imaginary world of ancient China in its most prosperous, carefree and romantic era. In the last video, our Vietnamese flutist plays Adam Cheng’s signature song 笑看风云。
Bookmark this page and keep coming back for some soothing eye and ear candy.
This is a tongue-in-cheek video by this Wuhan lady (now in Florida) who calls herself “Maoshen”. In this video, she tells us that when she was young, he favourite character in Journey to The West was Monkey King and her least favourite character was Tang Seng. Why? Because he was naive, muddle-headed and punished her favourite character unfairly.
She changed when she has grown up. That’s because she realised that right from the start, Tang Seng had the blessings and support of Bodhisattva Guan Yin. This would mean that whatever natural or demonic threat he would face on his mission, he had a deity protecting him. Why would anyone need to fear under such circumstances?
Could his mission been accomplished in a day instead of 14 years? Sure, but what’s the point? The whole purpose of the journey is to perform a heroic feat for devotees. The performance would lose its impact without the tortuous plot and the drama.
Which brings “Maoshen” to the question, are the demons really out to eat up Tang Seng or tempt him into breaking his vows of celibacy? No, they are probably actors and part of the whole scheme to impress the public.
Of course, Tang Seng does exist in real life. His presence was noted at Nalanda University in India. His journey to the West is real. His companions and the demonic threats he faced were all fictional.
Adam Cheng’s Cantonese song 笑看风云 played on flute. It’s the theme song for a Hong Kong television drama series of the same title. The series was broadcast by TVB in 1994. Starring Adam Cheng, Ekin Cheng, Roger Kwok, Amy Kwok and Adia Chan
Bodybuilding is actually a very good sport, especially for older fogies who want to prevent sarcopenia. But when you get competitive and want to win at all cost, then it’s a different story. In my second novel Like a Dewdrop, I wrote on the theme of impermanence and how it doesn’t matter to people who just want a moment of glory. There is nothing right or wrong here.
It’s wonderful to be able to decide how we want to live. It’s equally wonderful to be able to decide how we want to die.
It’s up to the individual to make the best use of this life to achieve what he wants from it. It doesn’t matter how long or short his life is. We may be afraid to go the same way, but how do we know, he may have no regrets. To have lived a glorious moment like a dewdrop makes this life worth living, regardless of how long or short it is.
