Impressive!

This is what I call impressive. 6 stealth frigates moving from a column into a line abreast.

Total Defence Day

Today is actually Total Defence Day. I didn't know that Total Defence Day is set on 15 Feb each year to coincide with the anniversary of the surrender of Singapore during World War Two.

Here is my contribution to total defence, an article on being prepared.

Japanese Calligraphy - Wa ga koi ha わが恋は

わが恋は
いはぬはかりそ
なにはなる
あしのしのやの
下にこそたて

Japanese Calligraphy - Ura ni taku 浦に焚く

浦に焚く
藻塩の煙
なびかめや
四方の方より
風は吹くとも

Japanese Calligraphy - Shirotae no 白妙の

白妙の
袖の別れに
露落ちて
身にしむ色の
秋風ぞ吹く

Japanese Calligraphy - Satemonaho さてもなほ

さてもなほ
とはれぬ
秋のゆうは山
雲吹く風も
峰に見ゆらん

Japanese Calligraphy - Nagame Wabi ながめわび

ながめわび
それとはなしに
ものぞ思ふ
雲のはたての
夕暮の空

Japanese Calligraphy - Aki kureba 秋くれば

秋くれば
ときはの山の
松風もうつる
ばかりに身にぞ
しみけるいずみしきぶ

This is the first in a series of posts on Japanese calligraphy of poems written in kana かな. Some of the words written are not as per the poem but are Chinese characters (kanji 漢字) chosen to replace the kana (かな) characters because they have the same sound, such as in the last line, in which the Chinese character 希 is used to replace the kana き.

Taiji phrase

This is a phrase that I thought up while waiting for the train today, on my way to my taiji pushing hands class. Maybe I will actually write out this phrase one of these days when I have more time.

Lunar eclipse during Chinese New Year

Just as there was a solar eclipse on the first day of the Chinese New Year, there was a lunar eclipse on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, the day that celebrations for the new year usually ends.

Talk about omens...

Lion dance

I came back from my taiji class this morning only to be greeted by the noise of drums and cymbals. Guess what? There was a Chinese New Year celebration today at my estate, and lion dance was part of the celebrations.

Lion dance is not really something that I am crazy about, but last week, when I was visiting my wushu coach, he had a lion dance at his place as well. The noise level was HUGE! My friend's son was hiding behind him, afraid yet amazed by the loud drumming, so much so that he didn't really notice the dancing lion.

One thing that mars the lion dances this year. Apparently, there are some lion dance troupes that went around soliciting. In Singapore, that is not allowed. Lion dance troupes are only allowed to perform at residences and places that invited them. They are not supposed to go door-to-door asking if people want performances. A friend of mine was also complaining that last night, there was a lion dance troupe performing in his estate way past 10pm, which is downright inconsiderate, given the noise level. While we bask in the festive season, let's not forget that we need to continue to respect the needs of others.

Wen Tianxiang's 《正气歌》

One of the poems that I like was written by Wen Tianxiang (文天祥), known as 《正气歌》, written when he was imprisoned by Kublai Khan. The phrase 「時窮節乃見、一一垂丹青」 is especially meaningful, as a person's integrity is tested in trying times.

《正氣歌》

天地有正氣　雜然賦流形
下則為河嶽　上則為日星
於人曰浩然　沛乎塞蒼冥
皇路當清夷　含和吐明庭
時窮節乃見　一一垂丹青

在齊太史簡　在晉董狐筆
在秦張良椎　在漢蘇武節
為嚴將軍頭　為嵇侍中血
為張睢陽齒　為顏常山舌
或為遼東帽　清操厲冰雪
或為出師表　鬼神泣壯烈
或為渡江楫　慷慨吞胡羯
或為擊賊笏　逆豎頭破裂

是氣所磅礡　凜烈萬古存
當其貫日月　生死安足論
地維賴以立　天柱賴以尊
三綱實繫命　道義為之根

嗟予遘陽九　隸也實不力
楚囚纓其冠　傳車送窮北
鼎鑊甘如飴　求之不可得
陰房闃鬼火　春院閟天黑
牛驥同一皁　雞棲鳳凰食
一朝蒙霧露　分作溝中瘠
如此再寒暑　百沴自辟易
嗟哉沮洳場　為我安樂國
豈有他繆巧　陰陽不能賊

顧此耿耿在　仰視浮雲白
悠悠我心悲　蒼天曷有極
哲人日已遠　典刑在夙昔
風簷展書讀　古道照顏色

《正气歌》 at Wikisource