Recently there has been a surge of popular interest in tracing one’s ancestral roots. Aristocrats and noble families have been obsessed with bloodlines for centuries. For the common person, it’s always a spot of fun (and soothing to the ego?) to discover an illustrious name somewhere in the family line, no matter how distant or […]
Book Review – “Symbols & Symbolism: Embrace Multiculturalism”
What symbols do we recognize most in our corporatized world today? Logos like those of the apple of Apple Inc. or the arched M of McDonald’s? What about images as innocuous as the male and female figures on restroom doors, ingraining in us specific assumptions about reality and directing us to live our lives in […]
Refusing to See Reality in “In the Mood for Love”
In the Mood for Love did for Hong Kong what La Dolce Vita did for Rome. Just as the Trevi Fountain was relatively unknown as a tourist spot before Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni’s iconic embrace, In the Mood for Love is a sensuous, colourful masterpiece that eroticizes cramped living spaces and romanticizes the gritty alleyways […]
Mango Tapioca Dessert
This is one of my favourite desserts of all time. I’ve spent many a hot summer night enjoying one variation or another in one of Hong Kong’s many diverse dessert diners. It’s an instant classic that combines the creamy indulgence of coconut milk with the tropical and delightful flavour of mangoes. The tapioca pearls add […]
Facing the Loss of a Loved One
Master Jingzong; English translation by Jinghua, edited by Fojin Two objects, A and B are fastened together by a rope. When A drops, it will naturally affect B if B is not anchored. However, if B is rooted, it will be able to hold up A and not let it fall, and will eventually pull […]
Pickled Spinach
An intriguing appetizer from Japan, makombu tsukudani is a refreshing and tantalizing dish that is served with a flavourful punch and packed full of nutrition. Serve it with steamed rice, or in a bento box. With thanks to Susan Sim of Ci Bei magazine for the recipe. Pickled Spinach 600g spinach A handful of roasted sesame […]
Why We’re So Unhappy
The other day I came across a brilliant parody article from the satirical site Newsthump, highlighting how hard a basic task like buying a vacuum cleaner has become in our society. The point is not necessarily that vacuum cleaners are difficult to buy, but how much more effort it seems we must spend on mundane […]
HKU’s PhD Students Seek Spirituality Beyond Dogma
When we think about spirituality, we mostly think about specific teachings or doctrines that need to be accepted. This is a common assumption among communities with traditional faiths like Catholic Spain or Islamic Indonesia. For such communities, spirituality can be a sensitive issue because it traditionally brings to mind a place of worship or scriptures, […]
Gatha of Praise for Amitabha Buddha
Amitabha’s body is like golden mountains. The splendor of his marks illuminates the Ten Directions. Only those who recite his name are embraced by his light. His Fundamental Vow is the most powerful. Tathagatas of the Six Directions extend their tongues to attest: By reciting Amitabha’s name exclusively, sentient beings will arrive at the Western […]
Master Huijing’s Dharma Words about Benefits in Amitabha-recitation
The Infinite Life Sutra says, “If there are people who hear the Name of that Buddha, rejoice so greatly as to dance, and remember him even once, then you should know that they have gained great benefit by receiving the unsurpassed virtue.” It means that when we hear this name – Namo Amituofo, we will […]