Happy New Year to myself and my family!

徒步随想

我也写一个报告。实际是两个，两个课题合并一个报告。普通人总要记录一点自己的生活，否则就忘了 呵呵~~~

一

查上次的课题时间，6月2日出走朝凤庵-蟒山-朝凤庵，time flies, 都已经两个月了！

345快在高速上飞驶，我想起了爱因斯坦的相对论。相对论在太阳系是很准确的，牛顿力学作为它的子集，反而误差更大，物理学家说了。这么快的345，那时间就变慢了——至少比那些还在被窝睡懒觉的人，时钟走得慢点。

既然这样，那我们相遇的人，其实并不生活在宇宙的同一个维度，也许只是我们的影像重合而已。大学同学聚会，可能会验证这个想法。再加上思维的巨大的千差万别，虽然北京这么多拥堵的人群，其实我们单个的个体，却是alone的。Alone没有情绪的因素，跟孤独无关。差点忘了这事儿，打算给自己起个英文名，就叫Lonnie.

小小的一个自己，这个SELF真是很神奇的存在。也有偶尔LONELY的时候，但是那个时候，读一篇好文，听一段美好的讲座或者音乐，就立刻感到那种灵魂与作者的沟通，就像老朋友一样——在这个意义上，虽然生活的特定时间和空间位置不同，却是在同一个维度的。 这也是报名参加曹雪芹小径课题的一个起因。

那天还看到了什么，让我想想。啊，政法大学门口，一群学生在拍学士照，穿着黑的怪异的袍子和帽子。他们要毕业了，开始新的生活。为什么叫政法大学呢？法律和政治是在一起的？政治决定法律，还是法律影响政治？嗯，不管它，反正是高等学府啦~~~

记得那天吃桑葚的时候，不小心也吃进了桑葚上的虫子。BUG们的味道，如果不是这么偶然，还真没勇气尝尝~~~

回城在公交车上睡了一路，一睁眼，到马甸桥了，该下车了 哈哈~~~

二

这次的课题，7月31日出走白家疃-三柱香-植物园。两次都是xulaoshi的，再次感谢xulaoshi开出这样稍微休闲一些的课题，否则我真是一年也只能眼巴巴看着大家出走。

曹雪芹，在我的眼里，就是一个伟大的灵魂。“伟大的灵魂”这样的说法，并不是说他多伟大，只是说他是宇宙时间空间维度中一个美好的存在而已——因为没有合适的词，就只好称作“伟大的灵魂”。其实，跟中文的“伟大”，好像没有啥关系。

这种伟大的灵魂，都是我的好朋友 哈哈~~~

走走好朋友走过的小路，也是很好的一件事情。于是就报名来。

天气有点闷热，走了很久都不到山脚。单肩小包里的2瓶水，压得一边肩膀疼，后背也站不直啦。下次还是要武装起来，背个双肩包。



途中遇到一个开电动车、安装修理雨棚的人，沿村吆喝着生意，车上没太注意，好像是雨棚之类的。xulaoshi说: 别看小，也是一个生意。老郑说：每个人都有自己的佛。我对这种小生意充满了敬意。

真到了山脚，植物茂密，感觉凉爽多了。上山的泥土小径，因为前一天刚下过一场雨，松软潮湿，走着很舒服~~~

下山还是比较崩溃，左边膝关节受力比较谨慎。感觉打太极拳，比爬山更运动我的身体，以后爬山的时候，可能会愈发少了。

最近开始学习太极拳，老师很好，很耐心。所以，自己只好认真练，怕辜负了老师。早晨跟众人一起打拳，旁边观望的一老太，说：我可打不了这个，这么慢，我是急性子。啊，局外人总是说出一些不着边际的话来。

每个人都有自己的佛。这个佛没有宗教的含义。那也是一个怡然自得的自我的世界。

Going to College

Yuan is going to apply for a college. We are visiting a lot of websites of universities/colleges.

We do have these in mind, that it has to be a comprehensive school so she can attend as many courses she is interested in. She likes majors that is Art related, especially studio Art. So the school must be strong in Art area.

The location is easy. She likes the distinctive four season climate. I am also concerned about the dining service, living and security around the campus.

The most I hope, is that she have a happy four year's college life, and she makes many new good friends.


I'm still learning about schools. I'm hoping there are reviews from students.


最近在帮娃儿选学校。还真不好选呢。

第一，要选个综合性的大学，她可以充分的选择自己喜欢的各种课程。

第二，要美术专业相关的比较强项。

第三，学校的地理位置，要四季分明。

第四，学校的饮食和住宿。

第六，学校及周边的治安要好。

第七，学校是否比较亲和。能否交到朋友，过个愉快的大学四年，是我最关心的！

芍药花

公园里，芍药在盛开。香气宜人。深深浅浅，各种的粉。

 

the Course Cervantes' Don Quixote

Last a few months, I watched the online lectures from Yale's Open course, Cervantes' Don Quixote. The course was taught by Professor Roberto González Echevarría. He is an old gentleman and did a marvelous job telling about the book.

http://oyc.yale.edu/spanish-and-portuguese/span-300

All the lectures we can watch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-D0iXLZWO0&list=EC4A35EEAEE3880943&index=1

To watch them with transcripts:
http://v.163.com/movie/2011/6/0/F/M83ELFK0R_M83ENE50F.html

The lecture is so wonderful I decided I must read the book to have a better understanding. So I ordered the book from amazon. Now I have finished Part I, both the watching and the reading.

It is true that reading the book Don Quixote is learning about life. I wish I had done this years ago so I could have avoided some mistakes in life. And the lecture is the best addition to reading the book. Without all the background, all the interpretation by the good old professor, I would not have learned so much as I have now.

I think that is the meaning of education. It is to help us make less mistakes in our life and to let us live more happily. The purpose of education is not about what we can do, but about what we can not do in life.

The Character Beautiful

This is a character,  whose equal in English is the word BEAUTIFUL. It is pictograph, the upper part showing a big male goat with strong horns, down the upper part a man. That is the word BEAUTIFUL comes from, men are beautiful - so our ancestors believed.

It is universal that the males are more beautiful than females. A male lion with all the mane looks much better than a female lion. Most male birds are more colorful than their females.

Why? Females do not have to be good looking to be attractive, they are noble. They are noble because they are female, the precious resource for their species. As we know, eggs are always much less than sperms.(注：以上来自王东岳先生的讲座)

Pretty look is not a priority for females in animal world. Females just put their energy on other important aspects, which is a RIGHT thing for their species to survive.

But now we human is the other way round. Women are supposed to be prettier. Women put more effort on being good-looking. Is it the outcome of long human history when males are more powerful in society? So women put much of their energy on looking good outside, sometimes in the value of ignoring the harm to their body/health. Think about the huge market for silicone breast implanting. Breasts are for babies, or for men?

Can this culture/social phenomenon lead human beings to go extinct?

Snow

For no particular reason I put on one more quilt when I went to sleep last night. That was so right! 一夜酣眠。早晨7点多被楼下高声说话的声音吵醒。起来！As usual I went to open the window to let in some fresh air. Wow, Trees are white! They are covered by thick white snow. And the sun is shining. No wonder the lousy sparrows were quiet this morning.

Rapidly I went out of the door with my small camera. Below are the pictures from this morning. Notice some spring buds are pushing out.

The best of human

I was moved by the documentary film Searching for Sugar Man. I found in him the beauty of human mind. His music are tranquil, and I felt the positive tone in his voice even when he singing the cold fact. My heart is always blessed seeing the beautiful in human spirit.

You can know a person by how he speaks, and how he walks. He does the hard labor. He is a grounded man, as his daughter said. He walks like that. He didn't sleep in the big double king size bed, so somebody didn't have to make another bed. He is a great Dad, we can see how much his daughters love him.

And as to his music, I think it was ahead of his time. The Rock'n'roll 60's was like a teenager, struggling, helpless, lonely, trying to voice out with passion. This is how I see the 60's, it was exactly like how I felt a few years ago when I loved the old RocknRoll. Now in Rodriguez's songs, I heard the serenity, the grounded spirit, the soft and strong heart. And this is the real thing, the higher level our mind revolves to. Sometimes the words do not matter much in a song, the music tells the story all along.

I love the man Rodriguez.

New Year' Eve

大年三十，从来都是重要的。全国的人，都回家过年了！

我也忙活，上午洗个澡，换上新的和干净的衣服。Darn Tough的新袜子，很漂亮，碳黑和LIME绿的配色，深橙色的字母。很喜欢这个风格！

做了白菜豆腐和米饭。这普通的饭菜，真是很智慧的，因为古中医学那本书里，我发现了能治愈我N年前那次咳嗽的方法：白菜心煮黄豆！那次咳嗽困扰了我很久，医生开的方子也不对，后来自己好的。

突然很困，倒下就睡着了。睁眼一看睡了俩小时。起来，要洗很多衣服，都需要手洗，因为是羊绒啊内衣啊之类的。我惊叹自己的效率了。看着晾了一阳台的衣服，成就感大大的。

因为有快递要来，不敢出门。结果快递没来。天擦黑出去买豆腐。豆腐坊的人可能喝酒了，问我：你是干什么的？我说来买豆腐。“都回家过年了，买什么豆腐啊！” 心情总是容易被别人刺激到。离开豆腐坊，心里一阵悲凉。路上人很少。这个时候，就意识到，一家人团圆是多么珍贵的事情！

路边灯光下还有推着三轮摆摊的女人。超市也有工作的员工。万种的生活。不同的生活。

走在回家的路上，眼泪几乎出来。因为孤独？因为节日？God is everywhere. I can definitely feel it! 虽然我不是信徒，但是就是感到这空气中有一种无形的力量。The invisible power in the air. 想起了卖火柴的小女孩。在这合家团聚的晚上，她是多么的孤独。

回想这一年，真是有很多要感谢的。这每日的生活，也是跟神仙一样的。世上没有绝对的完美。珍惜当下，因为当下的时刻，就是最幸福的时刻！Living the moment, the everyday life, because this moment is the happiest!

the nature of erotic love

最近听Notre Dame大学的《古代智慧与现代爱情》，这种思考型的课程，感觉还是挺不错的。

关于大学的教育，仍然应该是literal education(人文教育)，而不是专业或者技工型的教育。这个话题当然是扯远了，不过，大学出来的人，确实是要有一种情怀，与众不同的。

回到erotic love, 也就是爱情/情爱。

我个人是一直对中国千余年来的女性，充满了同情，原因不用说了，地球人都知道。直至今日。远古时期，爱情可能是更天然和容易的事情。所以，现实的状况，早已远离了这个nature of erotic love。

每次赔人参观故宫，看到殿堂高大的门柱上的对联，关于德行、关于修身、关于公正，就感觉到皇帝很虚伪。这些皇帝，对周围那么多的女人，宫女妃嫔，就没有一星半点的同情心？！所以，封建时代的男人，是否体验过什么是爱情？又扯远了。

回到大学时候。那个时候，甚至现在仍是这样，会有一两个漂亮女生，被称为校花，然后就成为所有男生的梦寐对象。可能有时这校花同学在宿舍也许很邋遢的 哈哈。众多的男同学没有审美个性不说，其实，很多就是为了在其它同学面前显示，而并非真的爱上那校花？这么看，那校花也很可怜。这个也可以叫做集体的无意识？嘿嘿。又扯远了。

回到课程Ancient Wisdom and Modern Love.

课程围绕三个dimentions, 一个是Plato's Symposium and Phaedrus, 一个是Shakespeare's plays: Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream, 另外就是几个Catholic writers的短篇故事。第四个dimention就是另外参照了7部电影，也可以更多，电影主要是为text提供concrete的examples.

下面才到这个blog的精华，也是我最深刻的认知。

Erotic Love是很神圣的一件事，对于当事人的心灵、身体，以及由此产生的新的生命，都是很divine, 很神性的。就像人需要有梦想一样，爱情/情爱，也一样是梦想一样的东西，inspire我们的生命，发现我们自身的美和价值。

以上红色字体部分，是俺个人的定义，切勿转抄。

There Are No Accidents

What a neat and wonderful story, the Kunfu Panda！I watched Part I last night, one more time.

There are no accidents. 师傅和熊猫第一次在武士圣殿见面, 师傅就把从不传弟子的五溪指功，显示给熊猫,虽然出于无意。结果，就是这个绝活，把太郎彻底打败。

乌龟在说，"Your mind is like this water. When it is agitated, it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear." 回首看，当我们忙着考试、拿学位，我们模糊了自己的理想爱好，甚至走在了错误的路上。或者是，工作、升职，却忘了想一下，所做的是否有价值和意义。或者是，结婚成家，却忘了自己保护自己，甚至忽视了自己要的到底是什么。只有静下心来，抛开世俗杂念，the answer becomes clear.

虽然太郎是个坏蛋，但是，他逃脱的那个过程，甚是精彩。在武艺的层面，他是很聪明的。太郎的配音，也是非常棒，尤其那个拳头一扬，“Our battle will be legendary.”那个legendary的调调，把个缺心眼的太郎展现无遗。在道的层面，他是逆行的。So, finally he was defeated.

There is no secret ingredient. To make something special you just have to believe it's special. 大道的方向，是光明的；信念的力量，是潜力无穷的。这也是为什么熊猫打败了强大的对手。熊猫，憨憨的外表下，还是有一颗悟性的心。

在第二部里，inner peace, 又赋予他驾驭身体之气、宇宙之气的能力

Inner Peace/ Kungfu Panda

I have seen the movie Kungfu Panda many times. I watched it first at a cinema. I fell in love right away with the story and those little humors.

I then watched them at home, again and again. There are many sections I am very fond of.

1. When Shifu tells Po about inner peace.

"Every master finds his path to inner peace, some choose to meditate for 50 years, in a cave just like this, without the * taste of food or water. Some choose suffering, as I did... It was the worst, most painful, mind-destroying horrible moment I have ever experienced. But once I realized the problem was not you but within me, I found inner peace, I was able to harness the flow of the universe."

That is very meaningful. I think I have found mine, although not quite the same as Po or Shifu's.

2. When Dad Goose gets Po's travel bag, the food, vegetables, cookies, and the action figures. I love when Po's eyes looking from his favorite things to his friends' direction. That is wonderful animation that was done.

3. When Po's mother left him in a radish basket, her eyes full of tears. That is the most sad moment.

4. The old goat says, "Your story may not have a such happy beginning, but that doesn't make who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you choose to be. So who are you, panda?"

Yes, it is who we choose to be.

5. When Po hits back all the firing metal balls. That is beautiful. And even when the peacock is defeated, Po is telling him to let go the past. He is such a good-hearted panda. There is no revenge, no hatred. That is one of the best parts I like very much.

There are so many that I can't tell them all.

Many thanks to the cauliflower and noodles :)

Finally I can have pesticide-free vegetables.

A woman and her husband grow vegetables without pesticides in the far-northern suburbs of Beijing. Recently they sell their vegetables at the nearby market. I became a customer and soon they have had a lot of customers like me. They deliver their produce to us two times a week.

The vegetables might not be totally organic, for the seeds on market are not organic. At least they grow them pesticide-free, and the vegetables do taste good.

This monday I ordered cabbage, potatoes, radish and shalot. They also gave me two small cauliflowers and eggplants for free.

I cooked a small cauliflower with raddish for lunch. They were soooo good that I wanted more. I used not to eat cauliflower because they were just plain tastless big head to me. But this cauliflower tasted so good. So I cooked the same for dinner, with a bowl of noodles that I made from organic wheat flour.

With the delicious dinner before me, I feel how good and beautiful life is! Many thanks to the cauliflower and the noodles, before I ate them. :)

---

终于吃上不打农药、不上化肥的蔬菜啦~

有个四川女孩，和她的丈夫，在延庆租了蔬菜大棚。最近这女孩就来附近的菜市场推销她的蔬菜。我就成了她的客户。陆陆续续，她的客户已经很多了。她就每周给这些客户们带两次菜。

这次我订了她家的圆白菜、土豆、小萝卜、荆芥和一点儿香菜和小葱。她昨天另外送我几个小菜花和茄子。中午我就做了一个菜花+小萝卜。真是好吃极了~ 我一直不喜欢那大而无味的白菜花，却原来，这菜花也是很好吃的啊。所以决定晚上接着吃菜花+小萝卜，配上我自己制作的面条。

一碗喷喷香的菜花+小萝卜，一碗煮好的白面条，看了都觉得这小日子太美好啦~ 吃之前，好好感谢了眼前这菜花和面条。

2012 ^-^

It is said that the year of 2012 will be the end of the world.

That is possible, since that when a positively-charged electron meets a negatively-charged one, they simply dissapear to be vacuum.

The end or not, I do hope there will be a new start. A start that humans look into their heart, to feel the nature, and realize life itself is part of the nature and universe, and finally have back the deep instinct to live in harmony with nature. There will be no nations, or countries. We rise with the sun, we fell asleep when the night sets in. We love the land underneath that supports us. We love our children who are part of our own life. We worship our ancestors who had left us the brilliant wisdom.

In a way, a primitive society is better than today's advanced society where all the technologies destroy our planet and put our future to an abyss.

Walden

Before sleep, I like to keep the light on for a few minute, reading a book or doing nothing. These days I keep Walden at my pillow. Walden was written by Henry D. Thoreau, and it is a wonderful book. Reading his beautiful words, I feel that I am in the Nature and really part of the Nature. Life is amazing and peaceful. He was a true human being whom God or Nature created, who had the wisdom and can think and feel. But when I turn to see the real world the people are all creatures who have been modified, that is a sad thing for the planet.

Trip to Yunnan - Lijiang

Jan 31th, 2012 丽江一日

在丽江停留一日，是为了看纳西古乐的演出。曾听说古老的纳西文字濒临灭绝，所以想尽可能多的了解一些纳西的文化。

同住的女孩一大早赶飞机了，我也就醒了。在陌生的束河居住，离丽江古城还有一段距离。于是在前台买了地图，赶到了丽江古镇。这样似乎会离回家更近一些。

拎着行李，一大早在冷清的丽江街头寻找住处，感到的还是异乡的孤独。问了几家，都住满了。后来有人将我带到一个离四方街不远的胡同。终于住下了，虽然院子和房间都很阴冷。

这边的街道比较窄，房屋又是至少二层的，所以阳光很慢的才能撒在街道上、院落里。

我一手托着地图，一手拿着专业的指南针，就沿着地图走街串巷了。期间回客栈两次，纯粹是为了验证能否找回住处。

丽江太嘈杂了。人多、招牌多。招牌的名字，搞笑的很，都是故作浪漫的名字，跟古城不搭调。

在纳西摄影师牛DUN的店铺买了几本书。其中有英文原版的《LOST HORIZON》,有纳西纸书、东巴文化等等，还有他以前拍摄的丽江的照片——那是祥和的丽江，小桥流水，洗衣的妇人，开花的墙壁。据他讲，他是现在唯一一个居住在丽江古城的原古城人了。老城的人，都把房屋出租给生意人，自己去外面买房居住了。即使现在城里的纳西族人，也是周边过来的。他痛心丽江的被毁坏。开发旅游，确实是毁灭性的行为。

晚上的纳西古乐演出，出乎我的意料之好。我本来是只听摇滚的人，本没有抱太高希望的。宣科的演说，更是亮点。宣科绝对是一流的演说家。他的平实的语言、手势、柔和的强调、诙谐的词语，震撼心灵。那是智慧、沧桑，那是对世界的大爱。我的眼泪出来了。如果说马丁路德金的I have a dream,能让人热血沸腾，宣科的娓娓道来，却是心灵的相通、人生的俯瞰。希望有机会，我还能够去听他的演说。那一招一式，都会使人受益匪浅。

83岁的宣科，还在上山。上山下乡，去到山村，教农民唱歌。这个合唱团，要首先征服欧洲，然后征服世界。那天籁的声音，友善的眼神，每日劳作晒黑的脸蛋，指缝里的泥土。我会为他们骄傲，这才是真正的代表了中国的人民。

Trip to Yunnan - Hiking the High Trail

Feb 30th, 2012 Tiger Leaping Gorge

一大早，天还没亮，我们就从山白脸出发啦。今天是计划走高路到桥头的。
一段上升后，就是沿山脊行走了，正好恢复爬升的疲劳。左侧是玉龙雪山的背面，山体陡峭，下面就是奔腾的金沙江。这段徒步路线还是很有特色的。迎面大部分是来自欧洲各国的徒步者。

中午过后，又有一段不大的爬升，剩下就是下降了。

自己竟然坚持走下来了，还是很高兴的。然后我们就乘车奔丽江了。车开了很久呢。

Trip to Yunnan - Chateau de Woody

Jan 28th, 2012

山白脸客栈。客栈的院子面对高高直直的大山,下面是金沙江。庭院里开着花。客栈干净整洁，老板娘也颇有西式作风，说话做事利落平等。印象很好。