冬至：給老師的信

何老師:

上個月跟M見面, 才知道老師已經退休了。沉溺在工作間，身邊許多一直照顧我的師友都幾乎遺忘了。

昔日上老師的中國文學課, 遊走古今，見莊子、蘇東坡、馬致遠，彷如有朋自遠方來。每憶起那些快意，便想回到母校走一走......原來一恍眼已經是十六年前的往事了。

老師不在母校，賀年卡不知要寄到何處了。沒有老師的聯絡地址，只有這個電郵。大學生考試完了，急不及待收拾細軟離去，這段期間留在校園，感覺很有讀書的意欲，躲藏野貓的庭園、吃得飽滿的金魚水池旁、遍地枯葉的山路，這陣子充滿了寧謐和舒泰。



今天是冬至，在案頭一大堆文件之間，想起老師。據聞過幾天又刮大風了，請老師保重身體，祝福老師生活愉快！

學生
J敬上

敬愛的中學老師「維基百科」條目：http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/何福仁

無視國際人權公約的大國笨豬

挪威諾貝爾和平獎的選舉委員會, 一百一十年來都是獨立超然, 獨立於挪威政府, 就連二次大戰期間強悍的希特拉對委員會一再施壓也無濟於事。今天東方的一個大國勃起了, 自以為財雄勢大, 可以隻手遮天; 七嘴八舌, 限制國民離境, 抹黑諾貝爾和平獎, 甚至網絡鎖國。只不過越是禁, 越多人想了解獲獎人的背景, 也越是顯得這個大國毫無自信, 也沒有風度。

可憐的挪威政府, 竟然被和平獎株連其內, 連正常的經濟交往、貿易合作也受到影響。中國聲稱, 是諾貝爾和平獎選舉委員會把事件「政治化」, 這是荒謬所在。一個和平獎, 每年只有一個, 舉世無雙, 因拿不到獎項而生妒忌, 生猜疑情有可原, 得不到獎項的自然會認為選舉不公。但是硬要把事情提昇至國與國之間的層面, 才是將議題政治化的始作俑者。可笑的是, 為了抗衡諾貝爾獎, 竟然另起一頭三不像, 堆砌所謂「孔子和平獎」。孔夫子給不肖子弟借屍還魂, 仍要為政治任務奔波, 很是可憐。而且孔子跟推動和平有沒有關係這個命題, 本身就成疑問了。無獨有偶, 陶傑先生便指出孔子是一個好戰的政治人物。中國外交部抨擊挪威當局自編自導自演一場鬧劇, 其實是自打嘴巴。

至於身在挪威的華人、留學生, 其主張與其身份實在不符。形軀置身歐洲了, 眼界還是那麼狹窄, 胸襟仍然抱著大中華帝國思想, 仍為中國共產世界護航, 真令中國人丟假。當地一個海外聯誼會的會長甚至宣稱, 鄧小平才有資格獲頒和平獎, 理由是他餵飽了十多億人的肚子, 還宣稱吃飽就是人權, 就是民主云云。憑這句話, 封閉政權下的恐怖感表露無遺了: 十多億人吃飯燒柴, 要看一個老人家的面孔。即是老夫有錢, 你不卑躬屈膝, 便沒有飯吃。有飯吃便是人權, 與街頭巷尾依靠行人施捨的流浪貓狗等量齊觀了。這樣解釋democracy和human rights, 這樣的見地, 枉費了他們在歐洲所吃的所喝的。

至於批評挪威政府硬把西方價值套在中國身上、公然挑戰中國司法等, 更甚是多餘。中國政府未免太言重了, 別人頒一個獎, 你老兄不認同, 沉默不語便是了, 四處張鑼反而顯得自己像個長不大的胖小孩, 更使這個和平獎顯得更有說服力。下次香港特區政府頒授金紫荊獎, 真的要認真想想老外的價值是不是又入侵大中華帝國了: 穿禮服, 上台領受「荷蘭水蓋」勳章, 赤裸裸就是西方文化的產物。說到有沒有挑戰中國司法制度, 似乎是不著邊際的批評, 法官判了A氏有罪, 我認為法官判錯了, 只要提出理據, 便有質疑的權利。 中國語文有「冤情」、「冤獄」這些說法, 就是任何判決都不是絕對的真理。連質疑的容忍也缺乏的國度, 正好說明這個國家既沒有民主, 也沒有人權。

大國不只是面積大, 人口多, 錢多, 軍隊強便是。一個國家沒有氣度, 沒有識見, 沒有包容, 就永遠沒可能得到國際間的尊重。不能怪很多外國人心底裡都瞧不起中國人。不能怪這個世界對中國不公平, 不能怪西方人「反華」, 是中國仍然停留在古代「神州不滅」、「華夷之辨」、「天朝大國」的思維罷了。

延伸閱讀: 陶傑, 「孔子好戰」(《蘋果日報》, 2010年12月10日

Kendo and Reiho of the Japanese society

1. Explain the requirements of Ippon (一本) in Kendo

Like many other martial arts, hitting the correct targets of one’s opponent with a legitimate position, a good posture (構え方と足の位置と踏み方など) and polite manner is a basic requirement of getting Ippon. But learning Kendo is not only learning how to fight using our shinai. Instead we are learning how to co-ordinate our body, the shinai and our mental condition together. Our body, our mind, as well as the way we use our shinai determine whether we can get Ippon.

A valid hitting position with shinai (打突部で正しく打つこと) is judged by the angle and distance we are cutting the men, kote, and dou. Like cutting a watermelon, our shinai works most effectively if we use the sharpest part (i.e. 刃すじ, the opposite side of つる) against the target. To make sure we are using the sharpest part to hit, we have to control our distance with the opponent once we decide to proceed. It is very important to manipulate the sharpest part of the shinai. No matter we are going from a far-away distance (遠い間) or proceeding within the distance between two shinai.(一足一刀), 13 to 15 cm from the tip of a shinai (剣先) is the most effective part.

Spirit is very essential. A good kiai(気合) strengthens our fighting spirit, while a weak kiai will weaken our power and slow down our speed and accuracy. A good coordination between our mind, our body and our hitting means that our voice, our energy and posture are in harmony. In Kendo’s jargon, it is called ki-ken-tai-icchi（気剣体一致）

A good hitting is not completely accomplished without a zanshin (残心), in order to make sure that your opponent does not strike back suddenly. To get IPPON successfully, a good preparation, a good timing, effective hitting and keeping your mind in cautious and concentration are indispensably required.


2. Why do we learn Rei/ Reiho in Kendo (礼．礼法)

Rei and Reiho are two sides of a coin but they should be explained separately. To be concise, Rei is of the utmost importance in Kendo. It is always said that Kendo starts with Rei and ends with Rei (剣道は礼にはじまり、礼に終わる). While Reiho is a way to keep our looking properly and to train our manner politely through a set of Reigi (礼儀). This includes our standing posture and sitting posture. In Japanese, it is called “ritsurei” and “zarei” respectively.

Both Ritsurei and Zarei emphasize that we should respect each other all the time inside a dojo. Whatever we are standing and sitting, keeping our backbone straight and keeping our eye-contact with each other is a basic manner. Actually, kendo training is a good way of self-cultivation. A good manner with a tidy, modest, respectable, and decent appearance is a universal criterion to judge one whether she is an educated person. Therefore sometimes we may think that kendo is not only teaching us a martial art, a sport, a physical game, but also giving us a comprehensive, all-round nurture of ourselves.

In other words, learning Rei/ Reiho is knowing oneself, which motivates us to grow and become mature. When Rei is represented by Ritsurei, it reminds us all the time that getting wins cannot achieve through violence and bad-tempered. Bowing to the dojo and bowing to each other is a way to learn how to maintain one’s manner, discipline and show our kindness to people. Zarei trains our way of breathing and concentration. We begin to realize that a smooth breathing and knowing how to calm down ourselves is a stepping-stone to our next step. Not only for doing keiko on the class, but this training can also apply to our daily life as well.

It is very natural to study Rei/ Reiho when we start to learn Kendo. Why did we choose Kendo instead of other martial arts in the first place? Kendo is somehow a mirror of Japanese way of thinking. Rei/ Reiho is then the very basic common sense that is widely shared in the Japanese society.

* Written for the occasion of 6th Regional Kendo Championships Dan Examination
(4 December 2010, Hong Kong)