Friday, October 29, 2010
South Beauty
When I was browsing the gossips online, I found a high-end Chinese restaurant chain "South Beauty". Their website includes menu, which is great. Because I can use it to tell people about some Chinese food.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Parents Visiting Seattle
Parents came last Friday and will stay for a month. A couple days before, I talked to a couple friends whose parents had visited. All of them said that their parents got bored within a week. It seems like I have to find ways to keep my parents entertain.
First day when my parents arrived, my mother commented my apartment was too small for three people. I didn't want to tell her how much I pay for my rent. My father defended me that my place was as big as our first apartment in Zhongshan.
Second day, my parents and I visited Space Needle. It was my first time as well. We also went to Kerry Park. Then had a late lunch in Chinatown.
Third day, we went to Best Buy at Northgate. My parents already started to think about presents for relatives.
Fourth day, I took my parents to the UW campus. They were excited to see the library in person, as they had seen it online all the time.
Today, my parents met my advisor. My mother felt she couldn't express herself due to her lack of English capability.
My parents walked to my office from home themselves this afternoon. I was a bit relief. However, I still concern if they can explore the neighborhoods on their own. I suggest my parents to go to the Gasworks Park themselves tomorrow. Let's see what happen.
First day when my parents arrived, my mother commented my apartment was too small for three people. I didn't want to tell her how much I pay for my rent. My father defended me that my place was as big as our first apartment in Zhongshan.
Second day, my parents and I visited Space Needle. It was my first time as well. We also went to Kerry Park. Then had a late lunch in Chinatown.
Third day, we went to Best Buy at Northgate. My parents already started to think about presents for relatives.
Fourth day, I took my parents to the UW campus. They were excited to see the library in person, as they had seen it online all the time.
Today, my parents met my advisor. My mother felt she couldn't express herself due to her lack of English capability.
My parents walked to my office from home themselves this afternoon. I was a bit relief. However, I still concern if they can explore the neighborhoods on their own. I suggest my parents to go to the Gasworks Park themselves tomorrow. Let's see what happen.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Zhouqu
For the pass few days, I have heard a lot of news reports from TV and radio stations about landslide happening in Gansu Province, China. However, I had no clue what the news reporters said about the town. I had to check online and found it was Zhouqu(舟曲).
Do I expect too much from the western news reporters?
Do I expect too much from the western news reporters?
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Housing
I was invited to lunch with two friends who, like me, came from China for graduate school at UW. One of them is working on her dissertation on housing in China. Inevitably, I asked her about her dissertation, and we talked about how ridiculously expensive the housing in Beijing has become.
Nine years ago when I just graduated from the university, the housing market in China started to become active. People started to own their residential units and purchase condos. Shanghai had the most active housing market in China at that time. I always heard how rapid the housing price in Shanghai increased.
The skyrocketing housing price and struggles of many people in China facing to buy a house made a TV series "Wo Ju", meaning a nutshell of a house, very popular in China last year. Wo Ju tells the story of a white-collar couple struggling to buy a house in Shanghai. They graduated from renowned Chinese universities and have a 2-year-old child. Yet as they could not afford a house in the city, they end up borrowing money from their relatives. Protagonist Hai Ping's younger sister, Hai Zao, rents an apartment with her boyfriend Xiao Bei, in an attempt to save money for their future house and wedding. Hai Zao then meets Song Siming, a 42-year-old government official, and has an affair with him. Song gives Hai Zao money and other benefits to help her sister's family out. Song is later found guilty of taking bribes and dies in a car accident. Hai Zao and Song's child was born premature and died.
I don't always understand why the housing price in Beijing could start practically nothing and caught up with and surpass Seattle in less than 15 years. Economists like to explain as demand surpassing supply. I can't help wonder why there are so much demand. Beijing is the capital. For people who are not familiar with China, China is a country with a very long history of central control. In other words, China is a country with a very strict hierarchical system and politics is closely related with economy. The center of the politics is also the center of economy. If the housing value are determined by location, location, and location, Beijing, no doubt, is the prime city to live. This justifies why housing is more expensive in Beijing than other cities, but it doesn't explain housing is unaffordable for the majority of the residents in Beijing. I don't define affordable as 30% of a household's gross income. Unaffordable here means even a household uses all their income or acquires all kinds of loans and mortgages, they still can't buy a tiny condo.
My friend who is working on housing in China stated a theory. A very small percentage of Chinese people have got rich. They're looking for high return investments. However, Chinese government control all high profitable industries, and no private investment is allowed. Housing market is the only market that the government doesn't forbid private investment. Thus, money is flooring in, which escalates housing price. That's why so many rich Chinese purchase housing in Beijing even though they don't live there at all. That's why housing price in Beijing is unusually high that owning housing is a unrealistic dream for ordinary Beijing residents.
Nine years ago when I just graduated from the university, the housing market in China started to become active. People started to own their residential units and purchase condos. Shanghai had the most active housing market in China at that time. I always heard how rapid the housing price in Shanghai increased.
The skyrocketing housing price and struggles of many people in China facing to buy a house made a TV series "Wo Ju", meaning a nutshell of a house, very popular in China last year. Wo Ju tells the story of a white-collar couple struggling to buy a house in Shanghai. They graduated from renowned Chinese universities and have a 2-year-old child. Yet as they could not afford a house in the city, they end up borrowing money from their relatives. Protagonist Hai Ping's younger sister, Hai Zao, rents an apartment with her boyfriend Xiao Bei, in an attempt to save money for their future house and wedding. Hai Zao then meets Song Siming, a 42-year-old government official, and has an affair with him. Song gives Hai Zao money and other benefits to help her sister's family out. Song is later found guilty of taking bribes and dies in a car accident. Hai Zao and Song's child was born premature and died.
I don't always understand why the housing price in Beijing could start practically nothing and caught up with and surpass Seattle in less than 15 years. Economists like to explain as demand surpassing supply. I can't help wonder why there are so much demand. Beijing is the capital. For people who are not familiar with China, China is a country with a very long history of central control. In other words, China is a country with a very strict hierarchical system and politics is closely related with economy. The center of the politics is also the center of economy. If the housing value are determined by location, location, and location, Beijing, no doubt, is the prime city to live. This justifies why housing is more expensive in Beijing than other cities, but it doesn't explain housing is unaffordable for the majority of the residents in Beijing. I don't define affordable as 30% of a household's gross income. Unaffordable here means even a household uses all their income or acquires all kinds of loans and mortgages, they still can't buy a tiny condo.
My friend who is working on housing in China stated a theory. A very small percentage of Chinese people have got rich. They're looking for high return investments. However, Chinese government control all high profitable industries, and no private investment is allowed. Housing market is the only market that the government doesn't forbid private investment. Thus, money is flooring in, which escalates housing price. That's why so many rich Chinese purchase housing in Beijing even though they don't live there at all. That's why housing price in Beijing is unusually high that owning housing is a unrealistic dream for ordinary Beijing residents.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Food, Eating
Growing up in China, I was not particularly introduced to a religion or encouraged to take a religion. Some of my friends teased me that I was a communist. Well, I don't have a religion, but I consider myself as a socialist or an unbeliever of capitalist more than a communist. However, I take what I eat and what restaurants I go seriously and adventurously.
Even though sandwich is simple and fast, I don't like to have it for lunch. I don't like American hamburgers or pizzas. Not because they look cheap or unsophisticated, it is because I don't find them tasty. Ordinary meats such as chicken and pork from American supermarkets are tasteless. I have to buy organic kosher chicken and organic pork (I wish I could find organic kosher pork.^_^.). I didn't know how to cook until 22 when I moved to the states. I made international phone calls to my mother to ask how to cook. However, at the second year when I started cooking, I invited ten people for dinner and cooked all the dishes.
One thing I enjoy most while traveling is to try local cuisine. I had an unforgettable time at a local restaurant in Seoul with a friend who introduced me to eat live octopus, a famous Korean dish. I still remember the moving octopus in the plane when the waitress bringing it out from the kitchen. I also love telling people funny stories about food. I have told many of friends the experience my parents and I had on eating larvas. Exploring different restaurants is one of my favor activities.
Not surprisingly I enjoy "No Reservation", a travel TV show on food, and like the TV show host, Anthony Bourdain. I even bought one of his book - Kitchen Confidential. I'm reading it every morning during breakfast. I'm having a good time. I found Bourdain's comments on vegetarians amusing.
Even though sandwich is simple and fast, I don't like to have it for lunch. I don't like American hamburgers or pizzas. Not because they look cheap or unsophisticated, it is because I don't find them tasty. Ordinary meats such as chicken and pork from American supermarkets are tasteless. I have to buy organic kosher chicken and organic pork (I wish I could find organic kosher pork.^_^.). I didn't know how to cook until 22 when I moved to the states. I made international phone calls to my mother to ask how to cook. However, at the second year when I started cooking, I invited ten people for dinner and cooked all the dishes.
One thing I enjoy most while traveling is to try local cuisine. I had an unforgettable time at a local restaurant in Seoul with a friend who introduced me to eat live octopus, a famous Korean dish. I still remember the moving octopus in the plane when the waitress bringing it out from the kitchen. I also love telling people funny stories about food. I have told many of friends the experience my parents and I had on eating larvas. Exploring different restaurants is one of my favor activities.
Not surprisingly I enjoy "No Reservation", a travel TV show on food, and like the TV show host, Anthony Bourdain. I even bought one of his book - Kitchen Confidential. I'm reading it every morning during breakfast. I'm having a good time. I found Bourdain's comments on vegetarians amusing.
Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.
.... Amoebas, however, are transferred most easily through the handling of raw, uncooked vegetables, particularly during the washing of salad greens and leafy produces. So think about that next time you want to exchange deep tongue kisses with a vegetarian.
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Like a Marathon
Finally sent my first draft out this morning.
Hopefully I can be in time to do defense in July.
At the meanwhile, I'm still looking for a job.
At least, summer finally came.
Hopefully I can be in time to do defense in July.
At the meanwhile, I'm still looking for a job.
At least, summer finally came.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Travel
Last week, my parents finally had their first oversea trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Apparently they had a good time. My mother can't stopping telling me what they had seen on their trip. My father emailed me some nice fun pictures they took. That's what I like about traveling: seeing new places, meeting new people, and sharing stories.
One of my memorable trips was my European trip a few years ago. I took a plane from Paris to Roma. After I arrived, I found the airport was somewhat small, and not crowded at all. I had to walk a few minutes to the train station where only one clerk was selling tickets. With help from a couple from Eastern Europe, I purchased my ticket to the center of Roma. Within half an hour, I got onto a train. I started to doubt if I caught the right train when I saw the sign of Roma was the opposite direction where the train was heading. I asked a lady sitting close to me if the train was going to Roma. The lady said her English wasn't good and told me to ask other people. Then I asked a young fellow who was reading an Italian newspaper sitting next to her. He looked at me and smiled, and told me this train was coming from Roma. Maybe he felt that he should make me feel ease, he added I didn't need to worry, and I could stay on the train to the terminal and the train would go back to Roma shortly. I relieved and thanked him. When he was waiting to get off the train, he saw me again. He asked me where I came from. I told him that I just flew from Paris. He asked me if I was a Chinese. I said yes. Then he started speaking Mandarin to me! I couldn't even tell if he was a Chinese.
A friend joined me in Roma the next day. After 3 days in Roma, my friend and I planed to fly to Berlin to visit our friend. When we got to the airport, my friend was looking for our flight. After quite some time, he still couldn't find it. He checked the tickets again, and he found that we came to the wrong airport! There are two airports in Roma: Ciampino airport and Fiumicino airport (the main airport). Then I remembered how small the airport when I first arrived in Roma. I didn't remember the name. I guess it was Ciampino. The airport we were at now was big and full of people. I guess it is called Fiumicino or Leonardo da Vinci airport. Neither my friend nor I can speak Italian. The airline tickets we had were booked in Danish. Neither of us doubled check the tickets before we came to the airport. Both my friend and I complained about the Roma airports with such difficult names for foreigners. Ciampino and Fiumicino, they should just call Cappuccino.
We missed our flight and had to purchase new tickets. The worst thing was that my friend couldn't find his luggage when we arrived in Berlin (he got his luggage before he went back home). It was very expensive to buy the last minute tickets. It was priceless to see my friend cursing from Roma to Berlin.
One of my memorable trips was my European trip a few years ago. I took a plane from Paris to Roma. After I arrived, I found the airport was somewhat small, and not crowded at all. I had to walk a few minutes to the train station where only one clerk was selling tickets. With help from a couple from Eastern Europe, I purchased my ticket to the center of Roma. Within half an hour, I got onto a train. I started to doubt if I caught the right train when I saw the sign of Roma was the opposite direction where the train was heading. I asked a lady sitting close to me if the train was going to Roma. The lady said her English wasn't good and told me to ask other people. Then I asked a young fellow who was reading an Italian newspaper sitting next to her. He looked at me and smiled, and told me this train was coming from Roma. Maybe he felt that he should make me feel ease, he added I didn't need to worry, and I could stay on the train to the terminal and the train would go back to Roma shortly. I relieved and thanked him. When he was waiting to get off the train, he saw me again. He asked me where I came from. I told him that I just flew from Paris. He asked me if I was a Chinese. I said yes. Then he started speaking Mandarin to me! I couldn't even tell if he was a Chinese.
A friend joined me in Roma the next day. After 3 days in Roma, my friend and I planed to fly to Berlin to visit our friend. When we got to the airport, my friend was looking for our flight. After quite some time, he still couldn't find it. He checked the tickets again, and he found that we came to the wrong airport! There are two airports in Roma: Ciampino airport and Fiumicino airport (the main airport). Then I remembered how small the airport when I first arrived in Roma. I didn't remember the name. I guess it was Ciampino. The airport we were at now was big and full of people. I guess it is called Fiumicino or Leonardo da Vinci airport. Neither my friend nor I can speak Italian. The airline tickets we had were booked in Danish. Neither of us doubled check the tickets before we came to the airport. Both my friend and I complained about the Roma airports with such difficult names for foreigners. Ciampino and Fiumicino, they should just call Cappuccino.
We missed our flight and had to purchase new tickets. The worst thing was that my friend couldn't find his luggage when we arrived in Berlin (he got his luggage before he went back home). It was very expensive to buy the last minute tickets. It was priceless to see my friend cursing from Roma to Berlin.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Entertaining News
While I was running hierarchical models, I checked out the China Daily and found a piece of news "Guangxi nails diary scandal official". Receiving bribery of $71,000 in 8 years, this Guangxi official could face "a sentence of at least 10 years in jail if convicted". Out of curiosity, I did an online search in Chinese. It returned quite a lot of links focusing on his diary detail recording his extra marital affairs with five women. At the same time, quite a few people considered he was not a bad official.
I just can't help bust out laughing in the office.
I just can't help bust out laughing in the office.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Friday, March 05, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Korean Wave
After I came back from the dentist this afternoon, instead of 1 hour, my mouth had been numb for three hours! I couldn't eat despite I was very hungry. In addition, I couldn't concentrate on writing. I also got an email from my senior requesting my research proposal that we have discussed and hope to collaborate on. The draft proposal was only half way done. Nonetheless, What I really wanted to do was to watch live broadcast of women's figure skating.
Before the winter Olympics started, I found out this gold favored Korean figure skater, Yu-Na Kim. After I watched her on youtube, I just fell in love with her performances. I can't wait to watch her skate. Before the game started, I began to search online to see if there was any online live broadcast. At the same time, my mouth finally gained back some consciousness. However, no luck on online live broadcast. I got back to my half-finished proposal. Every half an hour or so, I checked the message updates on the game and followed the scores. Finally, I sent out the draft proposal. I hope my senior finds it understandable........
And then I found Yu-Na Kim did her performance and scored very high! No doubt, the gold is hers. With tremendous pressure and high expectations, it's extraordinary she did an almost perfect performance. I have to find the video of this performance.
Before the winter Olympics started, I found out this gold favored Korean figure skater, Yu-Na Kim. After I watched her on youtube, I just fell in love with her performances. I can't wait to watch her skate. Before the game started, I began to search online to see if there was any online live broadcast. At the same time, my mouth finally gained back some consciousness. However, no luck on online live broadcast. I got back to my half-finished proposal. Every half an hour or so, I checked the message updates on the game and followed the scores. Finally, I sent out the draft proposal. I hope my senior finds it understandable........
And then I found Yu-Na Kim did her performance and scored very high! No doubt, the gold is hers. With tremendous pressure and high expectations, it's extraordinary she did an almost perfect performance. I have to find the video of this performance.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
转载 “我真的不知道梁思成和林徽因是不是幸福”
一个朋友是梁家亲戚，回忆起家人谈梁林，那种羡慕与略带醋意的语调，即便隔了几十年仍然让人感觉扑面而来--林徽因在建筑设计上有着过人的敏感，然而，只 有她的家人知道，这位才女在和梁思成一起工作的日子里，从来只肯画出草图便要撂挑子。后面，自有梁思成来细细地将草图变成完美的成品。而才女林徽因这时便 会以顽皮小女人的姿态出现，用各种吃食来讨好思成。
这段轶事，是2003年的时候才知道的，以之询于中央美院参加过人民英雄纪念碑设计组的教授，那位一贯艺术家风度极强的老先生，脸上露出的是孩子气的微笑：
梁思成不在的时候，林徽因的图并不是不能自己画。
也许，她要的就是这种被思成宠着的感觉。而宠着林徽因，只怕也是梁思成最大的快乐。
女人，有时可以不讲理一下？
女人，有时可以不讲理一下。
徐志摩在紧追林徽因时，发现前来寻他的张幼仪已经怀孕，便说：“把孩子打掉。”那年月打胎是危险的。张说：“我听说有人因为打胎死掉的。”徐说：“还有人因为坐火车死掉的呢，难道你看到人家不坐火车了吗？”
从这一段对话，也许可以看出徐志摩和梁思成最不同的地方。
当因了陆小曼的一个个烟泡而为钱奔忙不堪，随飞机坠落的那一瞬间，徐志摩可会想到张幼仪？
张幼仪终身不曾言徐之不是。
男人，委实没有不讲理的权力。
梁思成也罢，金岳霖也罢，都是那种有一副宽厚温暖的胸怀，可以让女人靠一下的男人。林徽因在北京城墙上的坚持，尽显一个建筑学家的执着与刚烈，但是，再刚烈的女子，恐怕也无法避免对身后有一副坚实臂膀的期待。这种说不清的东西，就是一个男人的责任。
有时候，放弃也是一种对爱的负责，比如金岳霖最后一刻的弃权。
林 徽因对徐志摩的感情，可以从很多地方看出来，一如我们每个人都可能有自己曾经深爱而又终于未能相守终生的人，即便几十年的风雨过后，依然在你心中一角深深 埋藏。关于林徽因和徐志摩的评价，大概还是要用梁从诫先生的话来说吧，我以为那是最贴切的说法-- “徐志摩的精神追求，林徽因完全理解，但反过来，林徽 因所追求的，徐志摩未必理解……”
一个男人面对一个远比自己成熟的女子，就算他是中国的雪莱，在恋爱的季节，也不是一个乐观的兆头。
所以，林没有选择徐，几乎可说是命中早已注定的事情。
当胡兰成用一块砖头把张爱玲变成被砸晕了的快乐女孩的时候，梁思成正在为林徽因清理前面路上所有可能绊倒她的杂木乱石，有时候，还会被林徽因用砖头砸一个两眼发黑。
婚姻是一座城，它可以围困你，也可以守护你。
梁思成究竟因为什么原因使林徽因最终投下终身？林徽因自己没有回答，她说，会用一生来回答这个问题。
今天的日本，最美丽的旅游城市，就是京都和奈良，一个世俗，一个出尘。
如果没有梁思成，早就没有京都，也没有奈良了。
1944年，时任中国战区文物保护委员会副主任的梁思成，奉命向美军提供中国日占区需要保护的文物清单和地图，以免盟军轰炸时误加损伤。这份材料，是梁思成历尽心血完成的。
但梁思成希望美军能将另外两个不在中国的城市也排除在轰炸目标之外--日本的京都和奈良。
1932年，上海淞沪会战中，十九路军抗敌的前线，一个清华大学出身的年轻炮兵军官在激战中因无医无药殉于阵中。
梁思米，吃大米，梁思忠，吃大葱……
这是后来的火箭专家梁思礼先生当年写下的句子。梁家，大体就是这样一个快乐的地方。
这个年轻的炮兵军官就是梁思成的亲弟弟梁思忠。
1941年，在成都，日军利用恶劣天气，以诡异的云上飞行方式奇袭中国空军双流基地，一个中国飞行员不顾日机的轰炸扫射，冒死登机，起飞迎战，在跑道尽头未及拉起就被击中，壮烈殉国。
三年后，林徽因依然为这个战死的中国飞行员写了一首哀婉的长诗，叫做《哭三弟恒》。
这个中国飞行员，就是林徽因的三弟，“在北平西总布胡同老宅我们叫做三爷的那个孩子”--林恒。
因了国恨家仇，梁思成先生进入营造学社后从不与日本人交往。在长沙大轰炸的烈火中，谦谦君子的梁思成怒吼出：“多行不义必自毙，总有一天我会看到日本被炸沉的！”
所 以当梁思成提出保护京都和奈良时，在当时的人们看来是一个难以理解的决定，而且，也超出他的工作范围。但是，他依然这样做了，而且并不是临时起意而已。他 的弟子罗哲文这样记载他们从事这项工作时候的情景：“他们住在重庆上清寺中央研究院……每天，梁先生拿过来一些图纸，让罗哲文根据他事先用铅笔标出的符 号，再用绘图仪器绘成正规的地图。罗哲文虽然没有详问图纸的内容，但大体可以看出，地图上许多属于日本占领区的范围。而梁先生用铅笔标出的，都是古城、古 镇和古建筑文物的位置。还有一些地图甚至不是中国的。当时罗哲文虽然没有仔细加以辨识，但有两处他是深有印象的，那就是日本的古城京都和奈良。”
梁思成这样解释他提出这个建议的原因--“要是从我个人感情出发，我是恨不得炸沉日本的。但建筑绝不是某一民族的，而是全人类文明的结晶。”
至今，依然有日本人认为当年侵略中国，是文明对野蛮的战争。
那么，有梁先生这样的中国人，就是在无言地告诉后人，日本人那时是在戕害一个怎样高贵的民族。
林徽因选择的梁思成，是怎样的一个男人。
他不一定有徐志摩的才华，也不一定有胡兰成的浪漫，但是，梁思成，是那种胸中真正有一个大海的男人。
谁能看到这片大海，谁才能配得上梁思成。
有人问梁思成和林徽因在一起幸福吗？
我不知道。
我只知道在抗战中，他们曾共同守在贫穷的李庄。那时，梁思成的脊椎病使他必须穿上铁马甲才能坐直，体重降到四十七公斤；那时，林徽因在日日咯血的生死线 上挣扎，“几个月的时间就毁灭了她曾经有过的美丽”。那是真正的受难，没有电，没有自来水，每日伴随他们的是臭虫和油灯。
然而，当外国友人邀请他们定居美国的时候，这一对苦难中的人拒绝了。他们说，中国在受难，他们要与自己的祖国一起受苦。
林徽因在回答“日本人来了怎么办”这句话时，平静而言：“门外不就是扬子江？”
而另一件值得一提的事情，是由于奈良附近的军事目标众多，1945年，盟军不得不作出对其进行轰炸的准备。而为了最大限度地保护奈良的历史遗迹，盟军需要一张标明详细文物地点的地图。
这一次，画这张图的，是林徽因。
当抗战胜利的时候，人们才知道，他们竟然在李庄写出了十一万字的《中国建筑史》，两个人那时每天为了这部书工作到夜半，竟然“欲罢不能”。
我真的不知道梁思成和林徽因是不是幸福。
有的男人是真丈夫，当得起让人生死相许
海的梁思成。
这段轶事，是2003年的时候才知道的，以之询于中央美院参加过人民英雄纪念碑设计组的教授，那位一贯艺术家风度极强的老先生，脸上露出的是孩子气的微笑：
梁思成不在的时候，林徽因的图并不是不能自己画。
也许，她要的就是这种被思成宠着的感觉。而宠着林徽因，只怕也是梁思成最大的快乐。
女人，有时可以不讲理一下？
女人，有时可以不讲理一下。
徐志摩在紧追林徽因时，发现前来寻他的张幼仪已经怀孕，便说：“把孩子打掉。”那年月打胎是危险的。张说：“我听说有人因为打胎死掉的。”徐说：“还有人因为坐火车死掉的呢，难道你看到人家不坐火车了吗？”
从这一段对话，也许可以看出徐志摩和梁思成最不同的地方。
当因了陆小曼的一个个烟泡而为钱奔忙不堪，随飞机坠落的那一瞬间，徐志摩可会想到张幼仪？
张幼仪终身不曾言徐之不是。
男人，委实没有不讲理的权力。
梁思成也罢，金岳霖也罢，都是那种有一副宽厚温暖的胸怀，可以让女人靠一下的男人。林徽因在北京城墙上的坚持，尽显一个建筑学家的执着与刚烈，但是，再刚烈的女子，恐怕也无法避免对身后有一副坚实臂膀的期待。这种说不清的东西，就是一个男人的责任。
有时候，放弃也是一种对爱的负责，比如金岳霖最后一刻的弃权。
林 徽因对徐志摩的感情，可以从很多地方看出来，一如我们每个人都可能有自己曾经深爱而又终于未能相守终生的人，即便几十年的风雨过后，依然在你心中一角深深 埋藏。关于林徽因和徐志摩的评价，大概还是要用梁从诫先生的话来说吧，我以为那是最贴切的说法-- “徐志摩的精神追求，林徽因完全理解，但反过来，林徽 因所追求的，徐志摩未必理解……”
一个男人面对一个远比自己成熟的女子，就算他是中国的雪莱，在恋爱的季节，也不是一个乐观的兆头。
所以，林没有选择徐，几乎可说是命中早已注定的事情。
当胡兰成用一块砖头把张爱玲变成被砸晕了的快乐女孩的时候，梁思成正在为林徽因清理前面路上所有可能绊倒她的杂木乱石，有时候，还会被林徽因用砖头砸一个两眼发黑。
婚姻是一座城，它可以围困你，也可以守护你。
梁思成究竟因为什么原因使林徽因最终投下终身？林徽因自己没有回答，她说，会用一生来回答这个问题。
今天的日本，最美丽的旅游城市，就是京都和奈良，一个世俗，一个出尘。
如果没有梁思成，早就没有京都，也没有奈良了。
1944年，时任中国战区文物保护委员会副主任的梁思成，奉命向美军提供中国日占区需要保护的文物清单和地图，以免盟军轰炸时误加损伤。这份材料，是梁思成历尽心血完成的。
但梁思成希望美军能将另外两个不在中国的城市也排除在轰炸目标之外--日本的京都和奈良。
1932年，上海淞沪会战中，十九路军抗敌的前线，一个清华大学出身的年轻炮兵军官在激战中因无医无药殉于阵中。
梁思米，吃大米，梁思忠，吃大葱……
这是后来的火箭专家梁思礼先生当年写下的句子。梁家，大体就是这样一个快乐的地方。
这个年轻的炮兵军官就是梁思成的亲弟弟梁思忠。
1941年，在成都，日军利用恶劣天气，以诡异的云上飞行方式奇袭中国空军双流基地，一个中国飞行员不顾日机的轰炸扫射，冒死登机，起飞迎战，在跑道尽头未及拉起就被击中，壮烈殉国。
三年后，林徽因依然为这个战死的中国飞行员写了一首哀婉的长诗，叫做《哭三弟恒》。
这个中国飞行员，就是林徽因的三弟，“在北平西总布胡同老宅我们叫做三爷的那个孩子”--林恒。
因了国恨家仇，梁思成先生进入营造学社后从不与日本人交往。在长沙大轰炸的烈火中，谦谦君子的梁思成怒吼出：“多行不义必自毙，总有一天我会看到日本被炸沉的！”
所 以当梁思成提出保护京都和奈良时，在当时的人们看来是一个难以理解的决定，而且，也超出他的工作范围。但是，他依然这样做了，而且并不是临时起意而已。他 的弟子罗哲文这样记载他们从事这项工作时候的情景：“他们住在重庆上清寺中央研究院……每天，梁先生拿过来一些图纸，让罗哲文根据他事先用铅笔标出的符 号，再用绘图仪器绘成正规的地图。罗哲文虽然没有详问图纸的内容，但大体可以看出，地图上许多属于日本占领区的范围。而梁先生用铅笔标出的，都是古城、古 镇和古建筑文物的位置。还有一些地图甚至不是中国的。当时罗哲文虽然没有仔细加以辨识，但有两处他是深有印象的，那就是日本的古城京都和奈良。”
梁思成这样解释他提出这个建议的原因--“要是从我个人感情出发，我是恨不得炸沉日本的。但建筑绝不是某一民族的，而是全人类文明的结晶。”
至今，依然有日本人认为当年侵略中国，是文明对野蛮的战争。
那么，有梁先生这样的中国人，就是在无言地告诉后人，日本人那时是在戕害一个怎样高贵的民族。
林徽因选择的梁思成，是怎样的一个男人。
他不一定有徐志摩的才华，也不一定有胡兰成的浪漫，但是，梁思成，是那种胸中真正有一个大海的男人。
谁能看到这片大海，谁才能配得上梁思成。
有人问梁思成和林徽因在一起幸福吗？
我不知道。
我只知道在抗战中，他们曾共同守在贫穷的李庄。那时，梁思成的脊椎病使他必须穿上铁马甲才能坐直，体重降到四十七公斤；那时，林徽因在日日咯血的生死线 上挣扎，“几个月的时间就毁灭了她曾经有过的美丽”。那是真正的受难，没有电，没有自来水，每日伴随他们的是臭虫和油灯。
然而，当外国友人邀请他们定居美国的时候，这一对苦难中的人拒绝了。他们说，中国在受难，他们要与自己的祖国一起受苦。
林徽因在回答“日本人来了怎么办”这句话时，平静而言：“门外不就是扬子江？”
而另一件值得一提的事情，是由于奈良附近的军事目标众多，1945年，盟军不得不作出对其进行轰炸的准备。而为了最大限度地保护奈良的历史遗迹，盟军需要一张标明详细文物地点的地图。
这一次，画这张图的，是林徽因。
当抗战胜利的时候，人们才知道，他们竟然在李庄写出了十一万字的《中国建筑史》，两个人那时每天为了这部书工作到夜半，竟然“欲罢不能”。
我真的不知道梁思成和林徽因是不是幸福。
有的男人是真丈夫，当得起让人生死相许
海的梁思成。
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Internal Peace
One of my friends' birthday wish is to gain internal peace.
Since college, people around me have completed their post-graduate studies, promoted to a new position, got married, become parents, bought a new house, etc., while I'm still working on my degrees and being at the same life stage as before. I would question myself why my life is stagnant. Anxiousness has started to grow inside me.
Internal peace will be my birthday wish as well.
Since college, people around me have completed their post-graduate studies, promoted to a new position, got married, become parents, bought a new house, etc., while I'm still working on my degrees and being at the same life stage as before. I would question myself why my life is stagnant. Anxiousness has started to grow inside me.
Internal peace will be my birthday wish as well.
Be happy who I am,
Enjoy what I do,
Content what I have, and
Be confident what I can achieve.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Bizarre
I met one of my neighbors when he was walking his three dogs. At that time, all his three dogs were small and very adorable. Three months later, when I saw him again, he had two small ones and one big one. While I was wondering where the his third dog went, he told me the big one had grown from the size when I first met him. He also mentioned he was a Tibetan mastiff. I had no idea what Tibetan mastiff was. Only until a couple weeks later, one of my Chinese colleagues told me that Ma Junren, who was a coach for long distance running in 1990s, was breeding Tibetan mastiffs nowadays. And Tibetan mastiff is a very expansive dog in China. I got to know the level of expansiveness today. A piece of news on a young Chinese woman from Xi'an paid $600,000 for a Tibetan mastiff was in USA Today.
When I was browsing the online news, I was shocked to see one on how South Koreans think about height of a person.
The prevalence of extreme, bizarre news in the main stream media astonishes me. Furthermore, media report news as if they are advertising some Hollywood movies.
When I was browsing the online news, I was shocked to see one on how South Koreans think about height of a person.
The prevalence of extreme, bizarre news in the main stream media astonishes me. Furthermore, media report news as if they are advertising some Hollywood movies.
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