issue 497 section b
DESCRIPTION
Epoch Times, Singapore Edition: Issue 497, Oct 17 – Oct 30, 2014TRANSCRIPT
Health Beauty
22 OCTOBER 17 – 30, 2014 EpOCh TimEs
SHUTTERSTOCK
By Lynn Jaffeewww.acupuncturetwincities.com
What do heart disease, stroke, arthritis, co-litis, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple scle-
rosis, diabetes, chronic fatigue, and Alzheimer’s have in common? Well, yes, they’re all diseases, but the A+ answer is that they are all caused by or associated with inflammation.
Scientists are finding that the com-mon cause in a long list of illnesses is an inflammatory process that’s run out of control. Inflammation is controlled by a group of hormones called prostaglandins, some of which promote, and others that re-duce inflammation. You can affect these hormones through a number of factors, including emotions, life-style, and especially through diet.
In Chinese medicine, inflamma-tion tends to be associated with heat. This heat can be very appar-ent when you have an infection of red and warm arthritic joints. The heat, however, my not be so obvious and cause subtler symptoms such as a mild sensation of feeling warm, chronic thirst for cool drinks, irrita-bility, lots of sweating, restlessness, and constipation.
This inflammatory heat can come from a variety of sources. One is through improper diet, which according to Chinese food therapy includes too many spicy, greasy, or rich foods, and sweets. Heat also occurs from stagnation in Chinese medicine. This simply means that when things don’t move well, it creates a buildup that causes heat. In your body, anything from your
energy or digestion to your emotions can stagnate. If you’ve ever seen someone get hot with anger, that’s an emotional stagnation causing a little heat.
Western scientists have found that the foods you eat can be pro-inflam-matory or anti-inflammatory. Fats are strongly linked to inflammation, because your body makes prosta-glandins from fatty acids. Similar to Chinese food theory, the fats that promote inflammation include par-tially hydrogenated oils/fats, and polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, peanut, and safflower. Also, trans-fats, such as margarine or vegetable shortening, and saturated fats, as found in animal products (except fish) promote inflammation.
Now you may be thinking that there’s nothing you can eat, but there’s actually one or two healthy choices. Just kidding! There are lots. Anti-inflammatory foods in-clude fish (especially deep sea fish), fish oils, olive oil, nuts (especially walnuts), ground flax seeds or flax seed oil, and soy foods. Other anti-inflammatory foods include colour-ful fruits and vegetables, known for their high anti-oxidant content, which also decreases inflammation. In addition, ginger and turmeric, both Chinese herbs are effective in taming inflammation.
There is a blood test that measures the level of inflammation in your arteries called C-reactive protein, or CRP. However, if your health insurance plan tends to deny more than approve, a fasting blood insulin test is more likely to be covered and is also an indicator for inflammation. In general, higher insulin levels in your blood, means greater inflammation.
Some quick tips that can help keep inflammation under control include:
• Maintain an appropriate weight. Fat tissue is an accumulation of dampness, which over time will ultimately turn to heat.
• Get regular exercise. It gets energy moving and relieves stress, both of which can contribute to inflammation. It also improves the health of your heart and lungs. You don’t need to sign up for a triathlon; walking for 20-30 minutes at least four times a week will do the trick.
• If you’re a smoker, quit now. Today. In case you haven’t
noticed, smoking creates heat in your body, inflames your lungs, and inhibits your circulation
• Take processed foods off your shopping list. In most cases, processed foods are made with lots of sugars, trans-fats and chemicals; all of which can contribute to inflammation. If an item has a long list of ingredients that you can’t pronounce, put it back on the shelf and roll your cart to the produce aisle.
• Get your stress under control. Take a Yoga class, do some deep breathing, or visualize your happy place–whatever it takes. Stress is a killer in its own right. For some simple stress relief exercises, go here.
• Floss. That’s right, pull out the Reach, POH, or Oral Care and go to town. There is a direct re-lationship between gum disease, inflammation, and heart disease.
• Get medical care for any infection that doesn’t heal quickly. Again, there’s a direct link between chronic infections and systemic inflammation.
• Pay attention to food sensitivities, as they can cause inflammatory symptoms, not only in your gut, but throughout your body. Some common culprits include grains that contain gluten, dairy foods, and the nightshade plants, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. If you suffer from digestive problems, you may want to experiment with eliminating those foods that you suspect are causing problems.
This article was originally published on acupuncturetwincities.com
Fats are strongly linked to inflammation, because your body makes prostaglandins from fatty acids.
FOTOlia
Ginger and turmeric, both Chinese herbs are effective in taming inflammation.
Colorful fruits and vegetabless, known for their high anti-oxidant content, decreases inflammation.
What You Need to Know About Inflammation
hEALTh & BEAUTYEpoch TimEs ocToBER 17 – 30, 2014 23
Muscle Strength Vs. Muscle EnduranceBy Chris Freytagwww.lifefitness.com
I hear this statement all the time—“heavy weights with low repetitions will bulk you up while light weights
with high repetitions will tone you up.” Is there a difference in these two types of training? Yes, but it’s not about the way you look, it’s about muscle strength versus muscle endurance.
Doing less repetitions with more weight will help you increase your strength. Doing more repetitions with lighter weights will help you build up endurance. And the truth is, in the real world, you need both and use both in your everyday life.
Muscle strength is the ability to exert a maximal amount of force for a short period of time. In the gym, that may be bench pressing
a heavy barbell 5-8 repetitions. Think about lifting that heavy box when moving—that requires strength.
Muscle endurance is the ability to do something over and over for an extended period of time without getting tired. In the gym, that may be doing 50 body weight squats in a row, moving to a rhythm. Skiing, for example, is a sport that uses muscle endurance. When you are going down the slope, bending your knees, firing your quads, and swooshing down that hill or mountain for several minutes to even longer you need endurance.
While at the gym, you will see a variety of people doing a variety of strength and endur-ance exercises. When teaching a strength class, I always incor-porate some exercises that will build muscle strength and some that involve muscle endurance to
round out the participants training. I do this because as I said above, out in the real world, you never know whether you’ll need strength or endurance to complete everyday tasks.
And, ignore the myth that using heavy weights will bulk you up. Men genetically can develop more muscle mass through heavy lifting. However, women, for the most part, do not have the type of testosterone to create that huge muscle bound look. Remember, more muscle is a good thing. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn throughout the day and the more capable you are to perform any activity that comes your way.
Source: lifefitness.com/blog. Visit the Life Fitness blog for more health and fitness information.
Ignore the myth that using heavy weights will bulk you up. ... Women, for the most part, do not have the type of testosterone to create that huge muscle bound look.
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Epoch Times Staff
The Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair is set to enthrall visitors with a wide array of glittering fine jewellery,
which are set to illuminate the halls of the Sands Expo and Convention Centre from 23 to 26 October 2014.
The biggest and most significant fine jewellery event in Singapore and the region, the fair will occupy more than 10,000 square metres of exhibition space, and showcase over 200 exhibitors from Singapore and around the world. Well-known jewellers from Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, USA, and others countries will contribute to the plethora of fine jewellery on display, including loose gems, diamonds, and pearls.
On the opening day (Thursday, 23 October 2014), awards will also be presented to the winners of the Singapore Jewellery Design Competition 2014, to recognise talented, young jewellery designers.
Since 2009, the Singapore Jewellery Design Award (SJDA) has played an important role in nurturing talents in jewellery design. The theme for this year’s competition was “The Most Important Day of Life” in three different periods—the past, the present and the future.
The winning designs will be on display at the Singapore Jewellery and Gem Fair, which also serves as a platform for emerging design talents to debut their creations in an international arena.
The winners of the SJDA are:
• Category A (Past) Winner: Ms Anastasia Antonovich, Russia, Moscow State University of Design and Technology.
• Category B (Present) Winner: Mr Kevin Koh, Singapore, Nanyang Polytechnic.
What sparked your interest in jewellery? Kevin Koh: I liked how each piece of jewellery has its story of its own from the start. After signing up for a short jewellery course in my school I learnt more about the process of jewellery making and it made me wanted to create a piece of my own.
What’s the inspiration behind your winning jewellery design?
Kevin Koh: The inspiration is from the roots of a tree.
What are your plans for the coming future?Kevin Koh: To take part in more competitions and learn more about jewellery before I graduate. Apart from industrial design, I also hope to pursue jewellery making in university in the future.
• Category C (Future) Winner: Ms Carla Hesita, Philippines, University of The Philippines Diliman.
What sparked your interest in jewellery? Carla Hesita: Perhaps it’s because of my passion for things that I consider to be beautiful, or the challenge that jewellery design presents. Perhaps even both. I see that jewellery design allows me to express my creativity yet at the same time demands that I retain practicality. I can answer this challenge in many ways, in many designs, and it keeps getting interesting for me.
What’s the inspiration behind your winning jewellery design?Carla Hesita: I was inspired by the theme itself – the future. My winning design is a vista of my own journey through the times, the manifestation of my own vision and hopes for the future, my eventual projected reality, and it won as if it was a prophecy.
The concept is translating the bars of tribulations into a ladder to the climax of one’s journey in order to break free from its bounds and exalt oneself in a new form. One is unveiled as a star born out of the chaos from which it was forged; hence, the ring is a revelation of oneself in the ultimate form.
What are your plans for the coming future?Carla Hesita: Among my choices are pursuing a second degree or perhaps a master’s degree.
But many thanks to the SJA and this year’s manufacturing sponsor, Yuli Inc.—Fine Jewellery, I have had this opportunity to publicise my designs; this, besides boosting my reputation, could be my key to wonderful job opportunities as well, and so the jewellery industry is currently my top choice after I graduate.
HealtH & Beauty Epoch TimEs24 ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014
ALL Photos courtesy of singAPore JeweLLery & gem fAircategory A (Past)
category B (Present)
category c (future)
Emerging Design Talents Debut Creationsat the Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair
By Elaine Tiong
Playing host for the 2012 Olympic Games, the city of London has seen people from all around the world
captivated by its beauty. But the love affair doesn’t stop there.
The city is also now the home of fashion royalty, literally, with the Duchess of Cambridge featured on the Vanity Fair International Best-Dressed List for the second year running.
Kate Middleton was flung into the international spotlight after she wed Prince William in early 2011.
In the lead up to the royal wedding,
fashion enthusiasts everywhere speculated about who would be awarded the honour of designing a gown that would go down in history. Patriotically so, the crown was awarded to Sarah Burton for the house of Alexander McQueen, who did not disappoint in creating a timeless regal masterpiece.
Since then, the paparazzi have gone crazy capturing her every move and consequently every outfit.
Indeed, I am a self-confessed Duchess of Cambridge group-ie, having fallen in love with her effortlessly classic beauty and style. What is so appeal-ing about Kate is that she tru-ly is the people’s princess—engaging in fashion habits that the general public can relate to.
For others of such profile, be-ing snapped in the same outfit twice would be considered a ma-jor fashion faux pas. However, Kate repeats clothes with pride and makes us all feel better for constantly repeating outfits.
Reassuringly, she is also a fel-low lover of high street-fashion chains such as Zara and Top-shop. Often she mixes and matches accessible and af-fordable pieces. Kate per-fectly demonstrates that you don’t need money to have style.
With black tie events aplenty, she is no stranger to fine couture fashion either. The duchess has been seen parading a series of breathtakingly beautiful gowns.
Although each look has been distinctly unique, Kate maintains a style of sophisticated femininity with a hint of demure glamour. She has mastered the fine art of always dressing appropriately for every occasion, with her immaculate outfits complemented by her perfect poise and dazzling smile.
Admittedly, Kate’s style might not be everyone’s fancy, but no one can deny that her tasteful wardrobe filled with classic staples and feminine silhouettes is perfectly fit for a princess.
Elaine Tiong is a freelance writer and event stylist. She can be contacted at: [email protected]
HealtH & BeautyEpoch TimEs ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014 25
magazine.foxnews.com
Kate Middleton’s Royal Style
although each look has been distinctly unique, Kate maintains a style of sophisticated femininity with a hint of demure glamour.
Precision-tailored pieces by Alexander McQueen.
A bottle-green dress by Emilia Wickstead.
Waiting to meet vol-unteers and workers during a Royal British Legion Poppy Day event at Kensington Palace.
Kate Middleton in a cornflower blue coat by Alexander McQueen, during the New Zealand Royal Tour.
carl court/afP/getty images
magazine.foxnews.com realstylen
etwo
rK.com
/
By Canadian Home Trends
Cheryl and David, two busy executives with three teenagers, sought a source of serenity
within their home, which is nestled on a 1.5-acre ravine lot.
“Life is hectic and I wanted a space that I could call my own,” Cheryl says. “My focus was to fi-nally have a master bedroom and bath that offered me calmness and functionality.”
Communication is key to the collaboration between designer and client. “Sandra got to know us. The trust was there for her
to manage the project,” recalls Cheryl of designer Sandra Nash, from Making a Scene.
Originally painted all white, the master bedroom, ensuite, dressing room and entry hall, as well as the bedroom’s second storey loft, lacked the contemplative spaces the homeowners craved. “The overall look I asked for was timeless and it had to be livable,” Cheryl says.
Now the bedroom’s aesthetic is reminiscent of a 1930s Hollywood film set with a sprinkling of Victorian era design motifs. The mirrored bedroom suite is grand and elegantly feminine with a
26 october 17 – 30, 2014 epoch times
The bedroom’s aesthetic is reminiscent of a 1930s Hollywood film set with a sprinkling of Victorian era design motifs.
The sculpted and tufted chaise lounge, with its cash-mere throw, provides a private pocket of luxury in which to relax while reading.
Dramatic silk-embroidered drapes grace the bedroom’s central window tableau while hobbled Roman shades ac-centuate the side windows.
Hollywood Glamour: Master Bedroom Oasis
ALL PHoTos courTesy of LArry ArnAL
Home Décor
headboard tufted in a pearlised grey fabric. The bed’s coverlets and cushions echo the Art Deco geometrics of the bed, side tables, and wool rug.
White accessories and silvery metals gleam against the deep grey paint that tailors the walls. White also stylises the bed-room’s millwork, transforming it into architectural statements. Sculpted and tufted, the chaise lounge, with its cashmere throw, provides Cheryl with a private pocket of luxury, a nook to read in.
“Don’t wait to sell your house to stage it. Design for how you live now,” Cheryl advises.
“Adding textiles is practical because of their sound-absorbent qualities. Draperies also provide light control, privacy, and energy savings,” Sandra notes.
Dramatic 12-foot (3.65-metre) silk-embroidered drapes grace the bedroom’s central window tableau, while hobbled Roman shades made of linen accentuate the side windows. These window treatments invite ravine views, but also heighten David and Cheryl’s privacy.
The entire redesign took four months. Cheryl advises, “Be patient, and understand that bathrooms have many trades involved. Make sure your designer can give a clear timetable of when things are to be completed.”
A study of lightness and
brightness, the ensuite bathroom uses modernised Victorian motifs in the metal furniture’s curlicues, grommeted drapery panels, as well as the shower and bathtub fixtures. Creative contrasts enhance the white room’s personality. Sandra’s use of crystal finials on the curtain rods, cow hides on the Calacatta marble floor, and chandeliers add whimsy.
“A chandelier in the bathroom and toilet room adds an elegant and romantic feel to a space so integral to unwinding, especially while bathing, as the first thing you do in a tub is look up,” Sandra says. The ceiling, painted the same grey as the bedroom, provides continuity throughout the rooms.
“Don’t forget your fifth wall—the ceiling,” she adds.
“Sandra gave us exactly what we were looking for,” says Cheryl. “My breath was taken away and I cried when she made the reveal. All our expectations were exceeded. We never imagined it could be this spectacular.”
Canadian Home Trends Magazine gives you a personal tour of the most stunning homes and condos. In each issue, you are given the tools to recreate designer spaces you’ve always dreamt of having at home, in-depth renovation and design advice, and the best places to shop. To subscribe, visit www.CanadianHomeTrends.com
home & décorEpoch TimEs ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014 27
The ensuite bathroom uses modernized Victorian motifs in the metal furniture’s curlicues, grommeted drapery panels, as well as the shower and bathtub fixtures.
Life is hectic and I wanted a space that I could call my own.My focus was to finally have a master bedroom and bath that offered me calmness and functionality.
Cheryl, executive
Photo courtesy of oNG&oNG
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24
White accessories and silver metals gleam against the grey painted walls.
By News Canada
If eye-catching colour is turning your head in décor showrooms these days, you’ll be pleased to know
that the sheer beauty of a post-modern kitchen sink can indeed be coupled with the toughest surface.
A hot topic in 2014, for example, is a superstar material for sinks called silgranit, which has been gaining a lot of popularity in recent years. This is a rock-solid composite, made in Canada, engineered in Germany—and Toronto is one of only two silgranit production facilities in the world.
“Silgranit is a patented material that combines 80 percent natural granite stone with a premium, acrylic-resin formula to give the sink unsurpassed hardness, strength and durability,” says Edyta Drutis at Blanco Canada, an innovator in kitchen art technology.
These sinks, she points out, are non-porous for exceptional hygiene and easy care. They are also scratch-, chip- and stain-resistant, and they are strong enough to withstand the heat of saucepans straight from the stove—and tough enough to let you cut food right on the surface.
“If you’re looking for a beautiful kitchen feature that will never lose its brand new
look and appeal, these sinks will give you a lifetime of pride,” Drutis says.
“The colours are cinder, anthracite, truffle, café, biscotti, and white, each one a non-fading, densely textured earth shade. Cinder, for example, is a velvety warm charcoal with a hint of brown. Anthracite is a beautiful black sink, dramatic but also serene. All of the colours are imbued with a mineral pearlescence to catch the light and each one is designed to complement the other décor features in your kitchen.”
Trend-Setting ModelsThe two most talked about silgranit sinks this year are first, the Blanco Precis Cascade, with a revolutionary bi-level bottom, and secondly, the Blanco Diamond Low Divide U 1 3/4, a functional double-bowl design.
“The Diamond Low Divide U 1 3/4 model is one of a kind,” says Drutis. “Indeed, we say ‘raise the bar in your kitchen by lowering your divide.’ The main feature of the sink is a low partition in the large, double bowl. This partition gives you added room to fit large pots, pans, and trays, making clean-up much quicker and easier.
“In a busy kitchen, the Diamond Low Divide functions as a regular double-bowl sink—
but is able to do so much more.”The Blanco Precis Cascade is
also a star performer this year, turning heads with its super-square modern bowl design, also with bi-level bottom.
“The lower level is designed to soak your pots and pans, while the raised level equipped with a mesh basket can function much like a second bowl, perfect for cutlery or glassware, or for washing fruit and vegetables. Both sinks are exceptional examples of the silgranit innovation—and you can even get the faucets colour-matched with silgranit finishes,” Drutis explains.
“Coloured faucets are striking when paired with the colour of your sink,” she continues.
“And yet, if you think you might miss the usual gleaming finish on this fixture, take a look at the faucets with a split finish. This gives you the silgranit col-our at the base and shiny chrome on the rest. Varying faucet styles are available including models with pull-down and pull-out features, dual spray function and a wide variety of designs to satisfy today’s kitchen needs.”
Each faucet, like each Blanco sink, is an achievement of Ger-man engineering and sophis-ticated styling—and with the solid brass construction, says Drutis, they are built to last a lifetime.
More information is available online at www.blancocanada.com.
Silgranit, a pat-ented material that combines 80 percent natu-ral granite stone with an acrylic-resin formula, gives sinks un-surpassed hard-ness, strength, and durability.
Silgranit sinks, which come in a range of col-ours, are scratch-, chip- and stain-resistant.
Put Your New Kitchen Sink in
home & décor Epoch TimEs28 ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014
These sinks are non-porous for hygiene and easy care. They are strong enough to withstand the heat of saucepans straight from the stove—and tough enough to let you cut food right on the surface.
ALL PhoTos courTesy of News cANAdA
Stone
• 2gallonshotwater• Add a few drops ofessentialoil,ifdesiredRinsingisnotrequired,
but if streaking occurs,rinse.Donotuselemonjuice,
vinegar or other acidson marble, limestone, ortravertine. To wash these
floors,useasquirtof liquidsoap (such as castile soap or
dishsoap,notdetergent)inyourbucket of water and wet mop.Rinse.Toomuchsoapwillcausestreaking.These floors may be the
best candidates for a steammop, but first check with themanufacturer to be sure steammopping does not void yourwarranty.All floors of all types are
scratched and scarred bydirt. Mats outside and insideeach entrance can help limitthe amount of dirt on yourfloors. A shoeless house canmake a tremendous difference.Remember,howoftenyousweeporvacuumandwhatyouusetomop yourfloorswill determinethe longevity of your floor’sfinish as well as the level ofpollutioninyourhome.
By Michael Edwards Organic Lifestyle Magazine
Our floors are thelargest surface areain our homes thatrequire regular
cleaning.Ifweusechemicals,webreathe them in day and nightuntil they dissipate.There is noneed to add to our indoor airpollutionwhenwecanusesimpleand handy, homemade cleaningsolutions.
How to Clean Wood, Bamboo, and Laminate FloorsItwouldbesoeasytocleaneveryfloor of our home with a steamcleaner.Nomuss,nofuss,nothingbut water turned to steam. Butregardless of the claims madeby the manufacturers, steamcleaners can damage wood,bamboo,andlaminatefloors.Laminatefloorsconsistoflayers
ofmaterials glued together. Anywater, but especially steam, willbreak down the bonds betweenlayers, causing them to buckle
and split. Steam can strip thefinish that is protecting yourhardwood floor. Moisture thatseeps into the wood will causegrains to swell and thewood towarpandsplinter.The primary rule for bamboo,
laminate, and hardwood floorsisthesame:donotwetmop–drymop (though damp mop wouldbe a better descriptive term).After thoroughly sweeping orvacuumingyourfloor,useawellwrung out sponge or rag mopwithplainwater,waterwithafewdrops of essential oil, or waterwith 1/4 cup of vinegar (addedto a 2 gallonor 7.6 litrebucket).Usewarmwater;itwillevaporatefaster than cold. Buff the floorsdrywithasoftclothortowel.Perusing thenet, youwill find
othersuggestionssuchas1/2cupof lemon juice added to water.However, a manufactures’ sitewarns against using citrus toclean laminateflooringas itwilldamage the finish after repeateduse. Many sites, including amanufacturer’ssite,suggestusing1/4cupofdishsoaptoabucketof
water to clean sealed hardwoodfloors–without rinsing. Butit only stands to reason that,over time, soap residue wouldaccumulate. Ifyoudorinse,youare usingmore water. Since theobject is to clean with the leastamount of water possible, thismethoddoesn’tmakesense.One wood laminate manufac-
turer suggests mixing vinegarand water into a spray bottle.Rather than spraying the liquidonthefloor,useittodampenthebottomofyourdustmop.Another solution, claimed to
be even better for wood floorsthanvinegar,iscleaningwithtea.Brewblacktea(1teabagpercup
of water), and either fill a spraybottle tomist the floor (a smallareaatatime)thenfollowwithadampmop,ormake enough teatoimmerseyourmopinabucket.Asbefore,wringoutyourmopsoitisasdryaspossible.
How to Clean Linoleum, Tile, and StoneLinoleum and tile floors canalsobecleanedwithvinegarandwater.The ratios vary accordingto preference from 1/4 cup ofvinegar to a one-to-one ratio ofvinegartowater.Forareallydirtyfloor,trythefollowingrecipe:• 1/4cupwhitevinegar• 1/4cupbakingsoda• 1 tablespoon liquid dish
soap(remembertochooseanaturalsoap)
home & décorEpoch TimEs ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014 29
DIY: Natural Floor Cleaningfotolia
if we use chemicals, we breathe them in day and night until they dissipate.
By Beth Williams BesuDesu Abroad
Next to Tokyo, Kyoto is the second-most popular city for tourists to visit,
and it should be. Kyoto was the first capital back in 794AD and today it’s become Japan’s living cultural archives.
If you’ve come to see shrines and temples, you can’t go wrong visiting Kyoto. The city has more than 1,600 Buddhist temples and over 400 shrines. Regardless of how you spend your time exploring, it would be impossible to leave Kyoto without running into one.
Many people who visit are interested in visiting the UN-ESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto, and for those who are, you won’t be disappointed as there are 17 of them. It would be impossible to see all of them given most people’s itinerar-ies, and honestly you shouldn’t rush them because they are all beautiful in their own way and deserve ample time spent to appreciate them.
So instead of trying to fit in as many as possible, here are 7 of the must-visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto.
Kinkaku-jiKinkaku-ji is one of Kyoto’s most popular tourist attrac-tions, as it’s well known across the world. Covered in gold leaf, the pavilion reflects brilliantly into the pond surrounding it.
Whether you visit during the fall when there are red momiji leaves contrasting the gold, winter when the gold is topped with pure white snow, or on a clear day allowing you to see the beautiful temple’s golden reflection– there is never a bad time to visit Kinkaku-ji.
The pavilion itself houses relics of Buddha and each floor features a different architectural style, but visitors are not allowed to enter the building. Even so, wandering the gardens and admiring the pavilion is worth the visit.1 Kinkakuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto City
Ginkaku-jiThe Silver Pavilion looks just like the Golden Pavilion, only… it’s silver. Most people will say that when compared to Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji is nothing special, however, it’s the gardens that make this
place special.Possibly the best in Japan, in
the garden you’ll find the “Sea of Silver Sand” and the “Moon Platform”. The sand garden is said to symbolise Mount Fuji and it is quite spectacular. The large pile of sand that represents Mount Fuji, or the “Moon Platform” is said to reflect the light of the moon and shine it onto the Silver Pavilion. Since this temple closes early evening onward, we may never know if this rumour is true.2 Ginkakuji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Nijo-joIt’s hard to miss this castle, as it’s located in the centre of Kyoto. Surrounded by a huge moat, the inside castle grounds feature a beautiful garden with shrines located around the premises.
Constructed in 1603 Nijo Castle may not resemble your typical castle as it’s a single-story flatland castle, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not impressive. The rooms inside are all beautifully decorated with paintings and gold leaf, and feature traditional rice paper sliding doors and tatami mats.541 Nijojo-cho, Horikawa-nishiiru, Nijo-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City
Kiyomizu-deraLocated up on a mountain, Kiyomizu-dera is an impressive temple. The main hall is it’s biggest attraction as it was built solely out of wood without a single nail. It’s from the decks here that you can look out across much of Kyoto and it is a popular sunset destination as it casts a romantic silhouette of all the buildings. Just be prepared for the crowds.
The veranda itself is support by some high pillars as it’s built hanging off of a cliff. Back in the Edo period people believed that whoever jumped from the 13m high cliff and survived, would supposedly have their wish granted. Records have it that over 200 people have actually jumped and more than 85% survived. This practice is nowadays prohibited for
obvious reasons.1-chome, Kiyomizu, Higashiy-ama-ku, Kyoto City
Ryoan-jiThe world famous rock garden at Ryoan-ji is what draws most people to visit this popular Zen temple. Also called the Temple of the Dragon Peace, people come sit and contemplate the rock garden from the porch– sometimes for hours.
If you don’t know much about Japanese rock gardens, do know that the rocks and sand are meticulously groomed to represent something greater, usually the cosmos.
The remaining space at Ryoan-ji is made up of a giant forest with a large lake. This area is peaceful and the lake is often covered with flowering waterlilies, although it is not frequently visited as most people only go to see the rocks.13 Ryoanji, Goryonoshita-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City
To-jiIn addition to the actual temple, which dates back to the Heian Period, To-ji, or Kyo-o-gokokuji, Temple contains buildings dating back to the 14th to 17th centuries. The Lecture Hall (Kodo) houses the oldest extant Esoteric Buddhist statues in all of
Japan. Most people visit To-jo to see the five-tiered pagoda, which is considered a National Treasure, as it rises above the landscape as a symbol of Kyoto. With a height of 57 meters, it is the tallest pagoda in Japan.1 Kujo-cho, Minami-ku, Kyoto City
Tenryu-jiTenryu-ji Temple is the first-ranked of the “Five Great Zen Temples” of Kyoto. It was established in 1339 by Shogun Ashikaga Takauji on the site of the Kameyama Detached Palace, for the purpose of consoling the spirit of Emperor Go-Daigo.
Behind the main hall is the Sogenchi Garden, which has been designated a Special His-toric Site and a Special His-toric Scenic Area. Enhanced by the surrounding landscapes of Mount Arashiyama and Kameyama, it is great exam-ple of aristocratic tradition blended seamlessly with Zen culture, displaying the beauty of the four seasons.68 Susukinobaba-cho, Tenry-uji, Saga, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City
Copyright © 2014 by BesuDesu Abroad. This article was written by Beth Williams and originally published at BesuDesu Abroad.
Food Travel
30 october 17 – 30, 2014 epoch times
7 Must-Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto
Kyoto was the first capital back in 794 AD, and today it’s become Japan’s living cultural archives.
Kinkaku-ji.BesuDesu ABroAD
By Epoch Times Staff
Penang—also known as the “Pearl of the Orient”—is a melting pot of cultures and old
school charm. An enthralling fusion of Chinese, Malay and Indian influences is evident in its cuisine and colourful architecture.
Situated at 505 Jalan Tan-jung Bungah, Four Points by Sheraton Penang is the ideal accommodation choice in Pen-ang if you are looking for a comfortable stay at affordable rates. There are 220 clean and stylish guest rooms and suites, each well-furnished with com-fortable beds, free bottled wa-ter, free Internet access and a spectacular seaside and ocean view. Enjoy the friendly service
and well-equipped amenities, as well as tasty breakfasts and freshly brewed coffee at reason-able rates.
With so much to do, boredom is hardly an option at Four Points by Sheraton Penang. Enjoy free wireless High Speed Internet Access, and stay updated with office work at the business centre. Work up a sweat in the well-equipped fitness centre, take a leisurely swim in the outdoor pool, or unwind in a yoga class.
Enjoy a comfortable meal at The Eatery, an all-day dining restaurant which serves deli-cious breakfast and delectable Malaysian and international cuisines. After a tiring business trip or sightseeing day, delight in a mug of local or internation-al beers at The Best Brew.
For those who are interested
in the rich heritage of Penang, Four Points by Sheraton Penang is just 15 minutes away from George Town—a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Explore the quaint charm of its colonial architecture alongside numerous traditional shophouses and cafés.
Penang entices tourists with its picturesque coastlines and Four Points by Sheraton Penang is ideally located along the Tanjung Bungah beachfront.
For the convenience of its guests, Four Points by Sheraton Penang offers complimentary daily shuttle bus services to both George Town and Batu Ferringhi Beach areas.
Batu Ferringhi Beach is a short 15-minute walk from the hotel, as is TESCO supermarket, which is a short 10-minute walk from the hotel.
Also within close proximity of the hotel is the famous Gurney Drive, a food paradise with an exciting lineup of Penang’s best hawkers and restaurants, as well as shopping malls such as Gurney Plaza, Island Plaza and Time Square.
Nestled along a tranquil seaside suburb in the northern coast of Penang Island, Four Points by Sheraton Penang is also an ideal choice for beach weddings, events and meetings.
The hotel’s largest ballroom, Pearl, is a 500 square-metre
ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beau-tiful Straits of Malacca.
The hotel features two ball-rooms and a pre-function area with panoramic views of the ocean. All venues are equipped with the latest audiovisual tech-nology and are fully supported by a professional events team to
cater to a range of functions.Be it for a large-scale function
or a relaxing vacation, Four Points by Sheraton Penang is the optimum choice.
Four Points by Sheraton Penang505 Jalan Tanjung BungahTanjung BungahPenang 11200
food & travelEpoch TimEs ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014 31
Deluxe Ocean Front Suite - Bedroom.
Hotel Facade .
The Best Brew.
Swimming Pool.
Great Hotel. Great Rates.four Points by Sheraton Penang
all photos from “four points by sheraton penang”
Advice for Young EntrepreneursAs for advice for young entrepreneurs, he shares, “Firstly, just don’t be afraid. There will definitely be fear and risks [to take]. But if you really want to do something, the only way to know whether it works or not is to do it. The only thing I can say is that to know how to manage a business, you have to run a business. You have to run a business to know how to do business.”
“With any successful million-aire, billionaire—they were not millionaires [when they first started]. Only after they started running a business—and along the way they adapted to changes and overcame obstacles—did they become successful. It is the same for young people. If they want to do business and be an entrepreneur, they have to start
Cakes by NicherNicher is a Japanese Yakigashi-inspired bakery which serves wholesome and hearty pound cakes and muffins in neat gift boxes (Yakigashi are Japanese baked desserts, often packaged as gifts).
The pound cakes are priced at S$6–S$8 for a half loaf and S$12–S$16 for a whole loaf. The muffins are priced at an affordable S$1.50–S$2 each.
The pound cakes come in six delicious flavours, ranging from Orange (S$12), Plain Jane (S$12), Almond Marble (S$14), Matcha Azuki (S$14), Chocolate Coffee (S$14), to Earl Grey Berries (S$16).
As for the muffins, there are five yummy flavours to choose from, including Summer Berries (S$1.50), Blackcurrant (S$1.50), Banana Walnut (S$1.50), Chocolate Chip (S$1.50) and Cheese (S$2). Light and buttery,
Owner of Nicher – Mr Melvin Koh and his friend, Sean. Nicher’s bakery stall in an old school coffee shop at 71 Seng Poh Rd.
food & travel Epoch TimEs32 ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014
Photo Courtesy of NiCher Photo Courtesy of NiCher
Continued from Page 4
CORRECTION:The article titled ‘Hat-ter Street Bakehouse & Cafe’ published in the previous issue of the Epoch Times incor-rectly stated the price of the dessert ‘Oh-My-Tian’ as S$8.90. It should be S$7.50. We apologise for the error.
Nicher’s packaging box.
Muffins.
Matcha Azuki Pound Cake (S$14).
Blackcurrant Muffin (S$1.50).
Earl Grey Berries Cake (S$16).
Almond Marble Pound Cake (S$14).
Chocolate Coffee Pound Cake (S$14).
these snack-sized treats were delicious.
Nicher’s most popular cake flavours are the aromatic Matcha Azuki, the Earl Grey Berries and the rich, dark Chocolate Coffee cake. Their moist, hearty banana walnut muffins are also best-sellers.
The pound cakes are packed in cute pink boxes specially designed by Koh’s wife.
Nicher creates seasonal recipes for the festive seasons as well, such as the chestnut fruit cake sold during Christmas.
Nicher bakes Japanese-inspired cakes that are soft, moist, and beautifully flavoured without being cloyingly sweet.
Try complimenting their cakes with a good ol’ cup of hot local Kopi-O (traditional black coffee). These light, buttery treats go perfectly with local coffee and are definitely a delight!
Nicher - Block 71 Seng Poh RoadTel:9645-5604Open: 8am to 3pm www.facebook.com/nicher.at.home
Photo Courtesy of NiCherPhoto Courtesy of NiCher
Photo Courtesy of NiCherfred faN/ePoCh timesfred faN/ePoCh times
By SmokyWok
I am excited today to feature a classic dim sum favourite, steamed rice rolls Hong Kong style (港式肠粉).
This version of steamed rice noodle rolls or ‘cheong fun’ which means intestine-shaped noodles can be made with a myriad of fillings, from roast pork, shrimp and scallops.
The rolls are a simple concoction of rice flour, tapioca flour and corn flour and water where a thin layer is steamed with dried shrimp and scallions, and then rolled up. As with most dim sum, these rolls are best served piping hot.
Trust me, your guests will be so impressed.
food & travelEpoch TimEs ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014 33
all photos by JV photography/smokyWok
As with most dim sum, these rolls are best served piping hot.
1. Mix the flours together in a large bowl. Add in the oil while slowly kneading with your other hand. 2. Add the water slowly and continue mixing with your hands, getting rid of any lumps. The batter will be quite watery. Prepare your steamer, the rice rolls have to be steamed over high heat. Prepare a rectangular tray for steaming by laying a piece of wet cheesecloth on top, if using. If not, brush the tray lightly with oil. 3. Ladle enough batter to cover tray in a thin layer. Add in dried shrimp and scallions. Steam for about 3 minutes or until set. The rice layer will look opaque once cooked. Remove from wok. 4. This is how the rice layer should look like when it has been fully cooked. 5. Lightly brush your work surface (I use a large chopping board) with oil. 6. Tilt the tray at an angle, then with a spatula start gently scraping off the layer while creating a roll. 7. Place roll on oiled chopping board and coat lightly with the oil. You can choose to slice the rolls or just leave them as they are for serving.
Hong Kong ‘Cheong Fun’ Recipe(Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls)
Ingredients:• 250g rice flour• 76g tapioca flour• 38g corn flour/ corn
starch• 50g oil• 900 ml water
Filling:• 1/2 cup dried shrimp,
soaked and rinsed• 6 stalks green onions/
scallions, sliced
1
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2
6
3
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4
By Leo TimmEpoch Times Staff
The Statue of Liberty, personification of Unit-ed States, turns 128 years old on Tuesday,
28 Oct 2014 with a celebration meant to mimic the one held 128 years ago.
Standing 151 feet (46 metres) tall from base to torch, and comprised of 300 copper pieces, the statue has stood in the harbour since 1886, ten years after it was conceived of as a centennial gift from the French people celebrating America’s independence.
The Statue of Liberty welcomed more than 12 million immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island (1892–1954), and she remains a symbol of val-ues such as freedom, democracy, opportunity and human rights.
In 1984, the Statue of Liberty was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO describes her as “a masterpiece of the human spirit … a technological wonder that brings
together art and engineering in a new and powerful way.”
With the Union’s victory in the Civil War affirming the existence of the United States as a unified polity and bringing an end to institutionalised slavery, French abolitionist and U.S. Constitu-tion expert Édouard de Labou-laye proposed that a great gift be made to the American people in recognition of these achieve-ments, as well as to commemo-rate the alliance between France and the United States during the Revolutionary War. In 1870, sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bar-tholdi, an avid proponent of de Laboulaye’s idea, began design-ing a monument representing American liberal values, La Lib-erté éclairant le monde (Liberty Enlightening the World).
Fundraising for Lady Liberty’s colossal depiction was a com-bined effort. Bartholdi and de Laboudaye, apart from propos-ing and designing the sculpture, were both actively involved in promoting financial and politi-cal support on both sides of the Atlantic for the centennial gift.
While the project served at once to commend President Lincoln and the American nation for their progress towards human equality, it was also the hope of de Laboudaye that the people of France could peacefully imple-ment the same liberal democratic ideals.
Liberty represents simultane-ously the ideal of the nation as well as the hope of people all over the world. For Americans, she depicts our founding spirit and reinforcement of the knowledge that this spirit is an unalterable characteristic with implications beyond mere political affiliation. For the rest of the world, particu-larly for nations and groups suf-fering under oppressive regimes, she presents an enduring prom-ise that the ideal, avowed on the North American continent two centuries before, shall one day be fulfilled and enjoyed by all worldwide.
Though it was intended for the statue to be completed and opened in time for the 100th an-niversary of American independ-ence in 1876, financial difficulties
delayed the opening by ten years. The statue herself was built in Paris in 1884 and shipped to the United States the following year, during which time funds had fi-nally been procured for the base or pedestal on which Lady Lib-erty stands. After all this, plus a four-month reassembly period, the statue was dedicated on 28 October 1886, with thousands of spectators present at its opening.
In the one and a quarter cen-tury since the embodiment of Liberty was erected in New York Harbour, the sculpture has been opened, closed, reopened, reno-vated, aged, and improved as she makes her journey from one era to the next.
Her majestic figure towering above the waters has been seen by millions of people, notably the immigrant multitudes arriving from the Old World in what was commonly a newcomer’s first glimpse of the continent.
The statue was thus recognised both nationally and internationally as an apt representation of the USA and that for which it stands.
Lady Liberty ‘Enlightening the World’
Values Virtues
34 octoBER 17 – 30, 2014 Epoch timEs
Heroes Broadcast the Truth with Uncompromising CourageDaring mission gives Chinese people freedom to knowledge, and sparks wave of resistance against China’s ‘Great Firewall’Clearwisdom.net
On 5 March 2002, Mr. Liu Chengjun and other Falun Gong practitioners tapped
into the Changchun City Cable TV network and broadcast two videos: “Self-immolation or De-ception?” and “Falun Dafa around the World”.
The documentaries stayed on the air for 40-50 minutes. Hun-dreds of thousands of Chinese citizens watched as the truth of Falun Gong was explained. The BBC, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported the story on 7 March 2002. The Reu-ters report said this incident was “one of Falun Gong’s bravest acts”.
The programme “Self-immo-lation or Deception?” analysed a China Central TV (CCTV) news broadcast that claimed a group of Falun Gong practitioners set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square.
The host called attention to mul-tiple flaws in the broadcast, helping viewers realise that the so-called “news” was simply staged propa-ganda to defame Falun Gong. The “self-immolation” was sub-sequently verified by the United Nations’ International Education
Development to be “staged by the [Chinese] government”.
The second programme was “Falun Dafa Spreads Worldwide”, which showed the thousands of proclamations and certificates is-sued to Falun Gong from govern-ments and organisations world-wide. The programme provided evidence that Falun Gong was embraced by over 100 countries and regions.
On the 12th year of this landmark event, we recall the courageous practitioners who broke through the information blockade and overwhelming propaganda in
China, and showed the people in Changchun the facts about Falun Gong.
The Pioneer of the New Brand EraOn the morning of 1 May 2010, Mr. Liang Zhenxing, the Falun Gong practitioner who founded the intercept team, passed away at age 46. He had been arrested by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) a few days before the team tapped into the TV network. Despite enduring torturous interrogations, he refused to give in. His suffering won precious time for his team.
International media reported, “The man whose ingenuity had spurred the group’s work on Internet freedom died in China.” Like other Falun Gong practitioners, Liang’s story shines in Chinese history.
In his last years of life, Liang was imprisoned and isolated from the world. It’s a shame he didn’t know that he and his team had pioneered a brand new era of spreading information about Falun Gong. Their successful tap-ping into the state’s TV network broke the iron curtain of the CCP’s propaganda, and has in-spired many others in the last 12
years to do the same. At the same time, its powerful
effect eventually led to a breakthrough in Internet anti-blockade software, which severely
crippled the CCP’s censorship and surveillance project “Golden Shield”.
Continued on the next page
By Epoch Times Staff
The Chinese term 自由 (zìyóu) comprises the characters 自 (zì) and 由 (yóu), where 自
signifies the self, and 由 means “cause” or “reason”.
The character 自 also has deeper meanings of freedom and closeness to one’s natural self. For example, the word 自在 means to feel free without restraints or inhibitions. 自然, which is the Chinese word for nature, also means to act in a natural, unrestricted way.
The word 自由 means freedom, which is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance
or restraint. 自由 also stands for liberty,
which is the state of being free from oppressive restrictions in a society. These restrictions are imposed by authority or others on one’s views, behaviour, or way of life.
The 2012 documentary film ‘Free China: the Courage to Believe’ (自由中国) is an award-winning film that illus-trates how China’s prisoners of conscience are subjected to forced labour and even organ harvesting. The film further exposes profound issues such as genocide and unfair trade practices with the West. But with the courage to believe, the dream of freedom will one day be realised for these prisoners.
Values & VirtuesEpoch TimEs ocToBER 17 – 30, 2014 35
The overwhelming success of tapping into the Changchun TV network proved that lies and information blockage cannot stop the truth from spreading, and the brave will not yield to violent persecution.
falunarT.org
‘Uncompromising Courage’, oil on canvas by Kathleen Gillis. This painting was based on the true story of Mr. Liu Chengjun.
Freedom(zìyóu)
自由
The Front Aerial
By Shen Yun Performing Arts
One critical component of Clas-sical Chinese Dance is techni-cal skill. Dancers spend arduous hours mastering CCD tumbling techniques, which are often in-volve being upside down in the air.
The dancer on the right is per-forming a front aerial, which is a complete forward revolution without the hands touching the ground. To begin, the dancer swings the arms very fast, lunging the leg over the torso. In mid-air, the legs are extended and split.
In order to master this technique, the dancers must undergo hours
of training in handstands to gain arm strength, abdominal power, lower back flexibility, and coordination. As you can see, it isn’t easy to defy gravity!
ChinESE ChArACTErS
The gravity-defying Front Aerial—a complete forward somersault in which the hands do not touch the ground.
nTdTV
DEmYSTifYing ClASSiCAl ChinESE DAnCE
Continued from page 35
“A Loyal Heart That Shines in the Pages of History”
After Liang was arrested, Liu Chengjun rose to the occasion to become the new leader of the intercept team. He accomplished the incredible mission with uncompromising courage, giving millions of Chinese people the freedom to know the truth.
Unfortunately, Liu was ar-rested and sen-tenced to 19 years in prison. After twenty-one months of suffering, Liu succumbed to torture on 26 December 2003 at only 32 years old. On the same day, the prison gathered a large number of policemen, disregarded his family’s objec-tions, and for-cibly sent Liu’s body for cremation without au-topsy.
On 5 September 2007, the Asia Pacific Human Rights Founda-tion in Australia held the 2007 Human Rights Awards Ceremo-ny in the Parliament House of New South Wales. Mr. Liu, a Fa-lun Gong practitioner killed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for tapping into the cable network to broadcast the facts about Falun Gong, was post-humously awarded the Fidelity Vindicator Award.
The Chinese name of the award, translated directly, means “A Loyal Heart That Shines in the Pages of History.” It came from the famous poem of a Chinese national hero Wen
Tianxiang. The poem says, “Everyone must die. Let me but leave a loyal heart shining in the pages of history.”
In his speech, Member of Leg-islative Council Gordon Moyes called the award to Liu a tes-timony of history. Mr. Zhang Erping, spokesperson for Falun Gong, said he was honoured to receive this award on Liu’s be-half. He said that the heroic un-dertaking of Liu and his fellow Falun Gong practitioners shook the conscience of the world, and because of their tenacious efforts the truth was brought to more Chinese people.
Zhang said that the award re-minded people of the appalling crimes against humanity that are still going on behind the guise of a prospering Chinese economy. He called for all to stand together in safeguarding justice and ending the persecu-tion.
Light of Truth Forever BrightThe overwhelming success of
tapping into the Changchun TV network proved that lies and in-formation block-age cannot stop the truth from spreading, and the brave will not yield to vio-lent persecution. Many in China were inspired by the incident, and instances of TV tapping have oc-curred one after another since then.
The Weekly Standard pub-lished a long re-port authored by
Ethan Gutmann, in part 12 of volume 16, on 6 December 2010, entitled “Into Thin Airwaves—How a few unknown Chinese heroes helped world freedom.”
It mentioned that “It is also a fact that the State Department reads the New York Times, which credited the Global Inter-net Freedom Consortium—es-sentially a group of Falun Gong computer engineers—with the creation of revolutionary web systems that not only have ena-bled millions of Chinese citizens to surf beyond the Great Fire-wall, but also provided the plat-form for the vast majority of the citizen reportage that reached the West during the aborted Green Revolution in Iran.”
Mr. Gutmann, an adjunct fel-low with the Foundation for De-fence of Democracies, believes that the development of current, widely-used circumvention soft-wares—such as Dynamic, No-boundary, and Freegate—was inspired by these heroes.
The Right to KnowLies have distorted the
Chinese people’s conscience and sense of justice, and incited hatred toward a group of people who practice the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. However, the truth dissolves it all, and puts the right to know back in people’s hands.
Many who found out the truth chose to stand on the side of the righteous. The day after the truth about Falun Gong was aired in
Changchun, local citizens took the initiative to go to the courts to condemn the CCP and show support for Falun Gong.
Thanks to the pioneers and their followers, the true story of Falun Gong has spread worldwide. People in more than one hundred countries are practicing Falun Gong. More than one hundred million Chinese people have quit the CCP and its affiliated organisations.
The bravery and sacrifice of the intercept team in Chang-chun reignited hope during China’s dark period under the CCP. Falun Gong practitioners in China and around the world paid a high price for the sake of freedom of press, speech and belief.
Values & Virtues Epoch TimEs36 ocToBER 17 – 30, 2014
Heroes Broadcast the Truth with Uncompromising Courage
The team’s successful tapping into the state’s TV network broke the iron curtain of the CCP’s propaganda, and has inspired many others in the last 12 years to do the same.
“False Fire: China’s Tragic New Standard in State Deception” is a documentary produced by NTD television in 2003, which unrav-els the 2001 Tiananmen Square “self-immolation” incident.
The film systematically analy-ses suspicious aspects of the incident, and exposes that the so-called self-immolation was very likely directed by the Chi-nese government to frame Falun Gong and to fabricate excuses for the persecution of Falun Gong.
For its analytical approach and exposure of the tragic event, “False Fire” was awarded a Certif-icate of Honorable Mention at the 51st Columbus International Film & Video Festival. The festival has one of the highest reputations in the documentary genre, second only to the Academy Awards.
The documentary can be viewed at www.falsefire.com
Mr. Zhang Erping (right) receives the Fidelity Vindicator Award on behalf of Mr. Liu Chengjun.
Mr. Liang Zhenxing, before the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.
This is the last known photo of Mr. Liu Chengjun. In the pho-to, his left arm was not in his sleeve. He could no longer sit up by himself and had to lean against the wall.
2. Wang was said to have been badly burned. Both hair and plas-tic disintegrate rapidly in fire, yet both Wang’s hair and the green plastic Sprite bottle between his legs—which was used to dowse gasoline on himself—remained remarkably intact (circled in red).
1. In video footage from the CCTV broadcast, a policeman waits behind “self-immolator Wang Jingdong”. Only after Wang shouts some slogans does the policeman cover him with the fire-extin-guishing blanket—as if waiting for a signal. If this were truly a life or death matter, one would expect him to be covered up immediately.
A screen capture of the Global Internet Freedom Consortium website. The website’s free circumvention software has enabled millions of Chi-nese citizens to surf beyond China’s Internet blockades.
Self ImmolatIon or DeceptIon?
‘False Fire’: Unravelling the Facts of the 2001 “self-immolation”
minghui PhoTos minghui PhoTos
minghui PhoTos
Values & VirtuesEpoch TimEs ocToBER 17 – 30, 2014 37
Free to Practice and Believe Everywhere—Except ChinaBy Joshua PhilippEpoch Times Staff
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is an ancient Chinese self-cultivation practice. An esti-mated 100 million people began practicing Falun Dafa in China between 1992 and 1999, due to the health benefits of the medi-tation and exercises, and its em-phasis on improving a person’s character according to truthful-ness, compassion, and tolerance.
“There is an old saying in Chinese that if you have something good, it’s selfish to keep it as your own,” said Ms. Yi Rong, chair of the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party. Yi has a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and is a former Chinese diplomat.
“Many people in Western society have a chance to know, because of the free media, that there is persecution against this group,” she said. “But even people in a free country, they might know what’s going on, but they might not know what this practice is about—why there is a persecution, why people practice, or why people keep practicing even when facing such brutal persecution.”
She said the practice and values of Falun Dafa have deep roots in traditional Chinese culture. “China is a country with a profound tradition and value system,” Yi said. “Our first emperor, the Yellow Emperor, was a Daoist, and his teacher was very famous in Chinese history, Guang Chengzi. There are lots of
wonderful stories about him.”She said the Daoist teachings
Chengzi passed down to the Yellow Emperor included the code for how the emperor ruled. “So Chinese have this foundation to believe there are requirements for human beings—to keep harmony between human beings with heaven, with nature, and keep harmonious relationships with each other.”
This spiritual foundation was sustained in China’s culture through 5,000 years of history, “and there are a lot of great practices passed down that teach people to improve spiritually and physically,” Yi said. “Chinese really believe that the human body can transcend while practicing the spiritual and physical exercises.”
She said the spiritual foundation of Chinese people was the springboard that helped make Falun Dafa as popular as it was China. “When Falun Gong came out, a lot of Chinese people who knew their history well, who are really keen on such traditional practices, immediately realised this is one of the high level, complete systems of practice,” Yi said. “In the past, many practices were only half passed down, with the physical or spiritual teachings. However Falun Dafa was passing down a complete system of spiritual perfection and physical refinement.”
Exposing PersecutionThe practice has endured in
China—and flourished outside China—even while being targeted for destruction by the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) for the past 15 years. During 15 years of persecution,
the true number of practitioners who have been killed by the CCP is unknown, and virtually impossible to obtain, due to the regime’s methods. However, two independent studies estimate that 30,000 to 65,000 or more Falun Dafa practitioners were killed for their organs, and these totals certainly represent only a fraction of all those killed by the various means used by the regime.
“I think the international community hasn’t paid enough attention to this severe human rights issue in China,” Yi said. “The CCP tries to cover it up, and tries to label Falun Gong as an anti-China organisation.”
“So for practitioners, only outside of China are they free to talk to people about the truth of Falun Gong. Because New York is an international community, it is like the image of the whole world,” she said. “I think it’s one of the best places to call for the international community to help, and to let more people know about the truth about Falun Dafa and about what’s going on in China, and to stop the severe persecution against Falun Dafa in China.”
She said the reason Falun Dafa practitioners are persecuted to such a degree
is that the practice strives to embrace Chinese values that the CCP has sought to destroy. “The CCP tries to eradicate and destroy the Chinese traditions and values,” she said. “The communist government took the power, and cannot represent China, cannot represent Chinese
people.”“What they ask for,
practitioners ask for, is only the freedom to practice, the freedom of belief,” she said. “They only want to uphold their beliefs in Falun Dafa, and they only want the rights to practice, to believe.”
Falun Gong practioners at a group exercise event in New York, USA, on 13 May 2014.
Falun Gong practioners from around the world at a group exercise event in New York, USA, on 10 May 2014. To date, Falun Gong is practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide.
Edward dai /Epoch TimEs
Edward dai /Epoch TimEs
values & virtues Epoch TimEs38 ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014
By Epoch Times Staff
“Dizi Gui” (Standards for Being a Good Student and Child) is a traditional Chinese textbook for children that teaches children
morals and proper etiquette.Chapter Four of Dizi Gui, which is titled
“Be Trustworthy”, teaches us precisely how to do this in our daily lives. The first lesson is that “Before using someone else’s things, we must make sure that we have their permission to do so. If we don’t ask, it amounts to stealing.”
Dizi Gui goes on to state: “When borrowing someone else’s things, return them on time. When others borrow things from you, if you have them don’t be stingy. By doing so, you will find it easier to borrow things from them in future, when you urgently need to do so.”
A good illustration of this lesson is Xu Heng, who adamantly refused to pick a pear that didn’t belong to him.
Xu Heng Declines to Pick Wild Pears Xu Heng (许衡) was a neo-Confucian scholar and imperial official during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 A.D.)
Once, when he was a child, he and his friends went to play in the wilderness on the outskirts of the town. It was a hot day and, after a particularly boisterous game, the children got very thirsty.
They noticed a pear tree by the road and began helping themselves to the pears. Xu Heng, however, was the only one who didn’t pick a pear, and instead sat quietly under the tree.
As his friends enjoyed their pears,
they asked Xu Heng why he didn’t have one too. Xu Heng replied, “I cannot pick things that don’t belong to me.”
Upon hearing his response, his friends were upset and voiced their disagreement. One of them retorted: “You know what the current state of our country is like; the war has created turmoil and chaos, and people are dying or fleeing the country. Besides, this pear tree does not belong to anybody, why can’t we pick some pears to eat? Wouldn’t it be stupid not to eat some?”
Xu Heng solemnly replied, “Perhaps this pear tree is indeed without an owner. But since we don’t know the truth, how can we disregard our conscience and assume that it doesn’t have an owner? Should we just do as we please and eat something that doesn’t belong to us?”
Despite his young age, Xu Heng was already governing himself with moral principles, and was able to articulate such a profound philosophical argument. Not only were his young friends perplexed, even an adult would have had a hard time understanding his point of view.
Despite this incident, Xu Heng continued to stick to his moral principles instead of conforming to prevailing societal norms and beliefs. He studied diligently and became the leading scholar in the court of the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan (1215–1294 AD).
Governing oneself with the right principles is a choice we make based on our beliefs and life purpose: how responsible we are with our lives, what path or direction we set ourselves on, and choosing to do the right thing.
With such a life, even if we don’t leave an indelible mark in history, we would still have led an extraordinary and virtuous
life. Having principles in one’s heart is an important element to leading a righteous life.
Xu Heng, a neo-Confucian scholar and imperial official of the Yuan Dynasty, adhered to strong moral principles from a young age. As a child, he once refused to pick wild pears from a tree, as he felt it was wrong to take things that did not rightfully belong to him.
swcrxgh/blog
lESSonS from dizi gui
* Dizi Gui states that “Before using someone else’s things, make sure you have permission to do so. If you don’t ask, it amounts to stealing. When borrowing someone else’s things, return them on time. When others borrow things from you, if you have them don’t be stingy. You will then find it easier to borrow things from them in future, when you urgently need to do so.”
朝起早 夜眠迟 老易至 惜此时
冠必正 纽必结 袜与履 俱紧切
置冠服 有定位 勿乱顿 致污秽
衣贵洁 不贵华 上循分 下称家
对饮食 勿拣择 食适可 勿过则
年方少 勿饮酒 饮酒醉 最为丑
步从容 立端正 揖深圆 拜恭敬
勿践阈 勿跛倚 勿箕踞 勿摇髀
缓揭帘 勿有声 宽转弯 勿触棱
执虚器 如执盈 入虚室 如有人
事勿忙 忙多错 勿畏难 勿轻略
斗闹场 绝勿近 邪僻事 绝勿问
将入门 问孰存 将上堂 声必扬
人问谁 对以名 吾与我 不分明
用人物 须明求 倘不问 即为偷
借人物 及时还 后有急 借不难
晨必盥 兼漱口 便溺回 辄净手
弟子規
謹
*
Being Trustworthy: Xu Heng Refuses to Pick Wild Pears
How to Evaluate Good ArtBy Howard YuFor The Epoch Times
With the proliferation of myriad forms of “art” in modern
society, how do we assess whether a piece of art is “good”? In other words, what constitutes a good work of art?
Before we proceed to discuss this topic, let me first define “aesthetic art”. In my opinion, “aesthetic art” is an art that expresses an idea or emotion in a beautiful manner. While there are many art forms such as performance arts or digital media arts, we will focus purely on visual arts in this discussion.
Firstly, the piece of art must give the viewer a sense of harmony, beauty or peace. Since time immemorial, visual art was created to direct and inspire mankind towards the Creator and His creations (the seasons, scenic landscapes, floral and fauna, and so on).
“Art is like a staple, like bread or wine or a warm winter coat in winter. Man’s spirit grows hungry for art in the same way his stomach for food.” The words of Irving Stone eloquently describe the necessity for art in our human existence.
However, over time and with the negative influence of man’s sinful nature, the original intention of the visual arts has somehow become tainted. Influences by the media and pop art over the past decade have further added to the already-confusing state of the visual arts.
But the truth cannot be hidden forever. It is vital for the preservation and promotion of aesthetic art that we remain steadfast in the appreciation of true art, and not be confused
or challenged by incorrect teachings. The Five Pillars of Art Appreciation are Subject Matter, Form, Colour, Lines / Brushstrokes and Composition. These academic subjects will be dealt with in greater detail in the next issue.
Thankfully, there are four basic avenues through which we can equip ourselves to appraise art confidently. Firstly, one should be familiar with the works of master artists. These masters are usu-ally born before 1950. Locally, we have Choo Keng Kwang, Aw Tee Hong, Liu Kang (deceased), Chen Wen Hsi (deceased), and others. Most of them pursued the arts out of passion, rather than to seek acclaim. The Lee Kong Chian Reference Library at the National Library Building and the Li Kai Shing Library at SMU are excel-lent resources for their works.
Secondly, to immerse oneself in the art, the best way is to interact
with the artists themselves if they are is still alive, or to speak with a curator. I remember attending a curatorial talk by the National Museum of Singapore (NMS), which helped me understand and appreciate the Pioneer Artists who have shaped Singapore’s art scene. One can also search the In-ternet for reliable sources on the artist or his creations, or join the free docent talks at the Singapore Arts Museum (SAM) or NMS.
The third method (also the most enjoyable one) is to visit the many free art exhibitions hosted by the 80-plus private art galleries across Singapore. Interestingly, Singapore has boasted the great-est concentration of art galleries in the world since 2013. It is liter-ally possible to visit a new art ex-hibition every week in Singapore.
Not to be missed are the Af-fordable Art Fair (AAF) and the Singapore Art Fair, which will be held in November 2014. Last
year, I spent three days at the fair admiring the various art-works from different countries, and learnt much from the small talks given by the curators. Who knows, you may meet your Prince Charming or Cinderella at such an event. Well, I fell in love with the mystical artwork of Park Chul-Hwan at the 2013 AAF. Sparks flew… and now I am host-ing Park’s artwork in my gallery. Other great places to meet art lovers and collectors include the opening day for new art exhibi-tions and art auctions.
Finally, one can register and login to free art forums online, to engage in discussions with other art lovers. For the more serious like myself, one can also enroll in online courses with reputable art institutions such as Sotheby’s Institute of Art. There are also several onsite art management courses available at some of our local art institutions. An additional art qualification may open doors for better jobs or investment. The sky is the limit. Appreciate Art. Art Appreciates.
Howard Yu is the director of Da Tang Fine Arts Enterprise Pte. Ltd. He was a professional teacher and a former docent with Singapore Art Museum. Currently, he curates art exhibitions, gives art talks to private organisations, and welcomes business collaborations.
Contact details: [email protected]+65 8268 5299
values & virtuesEpoch TimEs ocTobEr 17 – 30, 2014 39
Epoch TimEsPublished in 35 countries and 21 languages.
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An additional art qualification may open doors for better jobs or investment. The sky is the limit. Appreciate Art. Art Appreciates.
AppreciAting Art
Doves - 82cm by 122cm by Choo Keng Kwang
CourTEsy oF Choo KEng KwAng
DA TAng FinE ArTs
Howard Yu, Director of Da Tang Fine Arts, sharing the insights of fine arts appreciation with his visitors.
Epoch TimEs40 ocTobEr 17 –30, 2014 advErTisEmEnT