A Tale of Two Races

Historically, it was said that the Chinese played an important role in molding of Japanese civilization as many traditions of the former were adopted by the latter throughout the centuries. In addition, and literally speaking, the Chinese Book of Songs, said to be the beginning of Chinese epic can be compared with Japan’s Man’yoshu. Both tell of the ways of living and the feelings of the ancient civilizations of both countries. In a way, the history of Chinese rulers has an evident semblance with that of the Japanese since both countries were ruled by nobility or rulers of similar status, who were believed to have been descendants of mythical or legendary empires.

If one is to keenly observe, there were quite a number of things, which the Japanese civilization was able to adopt from the Chinese, like the writing system, which, according to tradition, was introduced through Korea, around 405 CE. It was said that Buddhism was also introduced to Japan through Korea around the sixth century. Historical accounts also showed that in both countries, the emperor held the highest position in the land. 

With a closer look, one will notice, however, the differences between the two civilizations; the Chinese being the more advanced of the two, as based on historical accounts, provided a pattern for Japan in shaping up its culture and its people’s way of life. But though it was the case, the Japanese system of ruling those times greatly differed from that of the Chinese, since the Japanese emperor of the ancient days only played as a figure head, meaning he assumed the throne but he did not hold the power to rule, and some other high-ranking officials, in the person of court nobles, regents or even the retired seniors of the dynasty performed the task for him.

The succeeding paragraphs describe the historical accounts on the Chinese tradition, where one will notice its similarities and differences with the Japanese.

 The Chinese tradition has it that the predecessors of modern-day China were five mythical emperors who ruled the country in the ancient days. The first was known as Fu Xi who, according to tradition, reigned from 2852 – 2737 BC; then there was Shu, the emperor of the Northern Sea, Hu, the emperor of the Southern Sea, and Hun Dun (also known as Chaos), emperor of the Center. According to the legends, when Emperors Shu and Hu went to the land of Emperor Hun Dun, the ruler received them with great hospitality. And in return, as an expression of gratitude to their host, they put seven orifices in his body, one orifice a day for seven days, only to realize after their task was through that they had killed the emperor in the process. It was said that only after Hun Dun’s death did the orderly universe came to existence. The last of the five emperors was Huang-Ti, or otherwise known as the Yellow Emperor. He was believed to have reigned from 2697 – 2597 BC, and was the one to have been succeeded by the first dynasty known as Xia, that was said to have reigned from 2205(?) – 1570(?). But since there were no archeological proofs for the existence of the Xia Dynasty, it was considered as legendary like the five rulers who preceded it.

The first Chinese dynasty that was archeologically proven to have existed during the ancient days was the Shang Dynasty (1570(?) – 1045(?) BC). Based on archeological discoveries and through depicting the Late Shang oracle-bone inscriptions, it was found out that the Shang was an aristocratic society that was ruled by a king who had control over military nobility. It was further discovered that he appointed territorial rulers to govern the different parts of his kingdom and required them to support him in all his military undertakings.

Although there were no written accounts found relating to the final defeat of the Shang, later texts indicate that Zhou ruler King Wu defeated Shang ruler Di Xin over the Battle of Muye in the northern Henan Province around 1045 BC.

Comparisons were made between the downfalls of the Shang Dynasty and the legendary Xia Dynasty. According to Chinese traditional history, the last rulers of both dynasties were debauched and tyrants that their people revolted against them, causing their kingdoms to crumble.

After the conquest of the Shang Dynasty by the Zhou in about 1045 BC, the latter was considered to be the most powerful in China in terms of political aspects. It was said that although the Zhou adopted many of the Shang Dynasty’s culture, it also made gradual transformations including the evolution of government from feudal state to a centralized form, which helped in developing more frequent interactions among regions. It was also during the reign of the Zhou Dynasty (1045(?) – 256(?) BC) that the teachings of Confucius began to spread all over China.  Confucius (551 or 552 – 479 BC), a Chinese educator and philosopher who became one of the most important figures in Chinese history, was the founder of Confucianism. Confucius’ Analects or Assorted Sayings included the famous principle of reciprocity: “Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you.”1 According to tradition, his teachings contributed to the molding of government rulers into righteous and properly educated gentlemen who could lead the people by way of examples. However, despite this scholar’s efforts, the rule of the Zhou Dynasty still came to an end when a number of states joined the non-Chinese forces in rebellion against it. According to tradition, the fall of the Zhou Dynasty marked the beginning of the Ch’in Dynasty (221 – 206 BC).  Ch’in was a small state situated in what used to be ruled by the Western Zhou, but despite of its size, it was said to be the first true Chinese empire, ruled Ch’in Shih-huang-ti as its first emperor (221 – 210 BC). Tradition also has it that it was from Ch’in that the name China was derived. Many reforms were made during the reign of this dynasty, including the abolition of hereditary aristocracies wherein the territories were taken from the aristocrats and divided into provinces that were ruled by the emperor’s chosen government officials. The desire of the Ch’in to achieve cultural uniformity caused it to condemn many schools of philosophy, which developed during the late Zhou.

Several achievements were made during the Ch’in Dynasty. Besides uniting China and expanding its territory far over the boundaries of the former Zhou Dynasty, the building and completion of the Great Wall took place during this period. The achievements of this dynasty, however, did not hide the encumbrance of taxation, forced labor and military service among the commoners, which urged them to rebel against the Ch’in rule.

After the fall of the Ch’in Dynasty, there were several more dynasties that came to power, one after another. The Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), founded by Gaozu, was known as the golden age of Chinese Philosophy. Its recognition of Confucianism as the official doctrine was said to have been among its important contributions in Chinese culture. The Xin Dynasty (AD 9 – 23), which was founded by Wang Mang – its only ruler – was short-lived, due to his inability to resolve the agrarian crisis; the worsening situation even caused the Xin leader his life.

As time went on several other dynasties came to power including the T’ang Dynasty (618 – 906 AD), founded by Li Yuan. T’ang was said to be unprecedented in the history of the Chinese civilization, and Hsüan-Tsung (also known as Minghuang or Brilliant Emperor) – T’ang’ Dynasty’s sixth emperor – was said to have been one of the greatest Chinese rulers. During T’ang’s reign, many reforms were introduced and implemented for the betterment of the people’s way of life but in the end, like all the others, the T’ang Dynasty met its downfall.

According to Hsün-Tzu, a Chinese philosopher during the reign of the Zhou Dynasty, “Heaven operates with constant regularity. It does not prevail because of [a sage-king like] Yao; nor does it cease to prevail because of [a tyrant like] Jie. Respond to it with good government, and blessings will result; respond to it with misgovernment, and misfortune will result.” 2

This philosophy might prove to be true in some way, for if we are going to look back and make a careful analysis of the reasons involving the establishment and downfall of these dynasties, we will perceive that in the beginning of the reign of most of the sage kings lay the goodness of their intensions but as time went on, these intensions somehow slowly slipped away, and were replaced by ones which were no longer selfless, probably influenced by several things or people or principles. Their people grew weary and eventually turned against them because they [the people] no longer felt protected or contented, meaning that the goodness that they once found was not anymore in existence.

ENDNOTES:

          1 “Analects of Confucius.” William Theodore de Bary et al., ed. Sources of Chinese Tradition. Vol. 1. CD-ROM. New York: Columbia University Press, 1960.

          2 Hsün-tzu. “Concerning Heaven.” William Theodore de Bary et al., ed. Sources of Chinese Tradition. Vol. 1. CD-ROM. New York: Columbia University Press, 1960.

SOURCES:

“Analects of Confucius.” William Theodore de Bary et al., ed. Sources of Chinese Tradition. Vol. 1. CD-ROM. New York: Columbia University Press, 1960.

Dickey, Norma H. “China.” Ed. Norma H. Dickey. Vol. 6. Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia. 1986.

Hsün-tzu.

“Concerning Heaven.” William Theodore de Bary et al., ed. Sources of Chinese Tradition. Vol. 1. CD-ROM. New York: Columbia University Press, 1960.

My Country in the Midst of Poverty [A short story with an open-ending]

 This is an excerpt of my unpublished novel. I became so engrossed with what I was writing that I did not even think of having a back-up file or even a hard copy of my work.

Unfortunately, my file was infected by a virus and I was not able to save the rest of my work, and all that I was able to salvage was this portion…

Life was hard.  In fact, it was like an endless nightmare.  For someone like her who came from a poor family, who lived a hand-to-mouth existence, there seemed to be no hope left.

The Most Unacceptable Solution To Your Problems: Giving Up!

There comes a time in a person’s life when he feels so helpless that he loses hope and faith in God.

I, honestly speaking, have had that same feeling once. I felt so depressed, not being able to find a solution to my problem that I even shouted, “God, please take away my life so that my pain will be taken away as well!” But just as I expected, God did not grant my plea, simply because: He knew what’s best. He knew the solution to my problem and He knew that death was far from being the answer that I was looking for.

I’ve read a book entitled STREAMS IN THE DESERT [by LB COWMAN], wherein GOD made me realize and understand His purpose for not taking away my life the way I pleaded Him to do. On page 107 of the said book, it says:

     Why is it that GOD leads us in this way, allowing such strong and constant pressure on us? One of His purposes is to show us His all-sufficient strength and grace more effectively than if we were free from difficulties and trials. WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY TO SHOW THAT THIS ALL-SURPASSING POWER IS FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US [2Cor. 4:7].

     Another purpose is to bring us a greater awareness of our dependence upon Him. GOD is constantly trying to teach us how dependent we are on Him — that we are held completely by His hand and reliant on His care alone.

     This is exactly where JESUS Himself stood and where He desires us to stand. We must stand not with self-made strength but always leaning upon Him. And our stand must exhibit a trust that would never dare to take even one step alone. This will teach us to trust in Him more.

     There is no way to learn of faith except through trials. They are GOD’s school of faith, and it is much better for us to learn to trust Him than to live a life of enjoyment. And once the lesson of faith has been learned, it is an everlasting possession and an eternal fortune gained. Yet without trust in GOD, even great riches will leave us in poverty.

Sometimes, we think that what we do is for the best; we often make decisions guided by human knowledge and understanding. We always forget that without the power of GOD, our lives will be in ruins…No wonder we feel depressed and helpless despite our efforts to achieve something…It happens, because we forget the most important source of strength and knowledge — GOD.

When you feel like giving up, turn to GOD. He is the answer to all your questions, to all your doubts and fears, to all your needs.

Let Not Freedom Be Suppressed

If there is one thing in this world that man is sure to ask for, it is freedom. It is the freedom to live a normal life, the freedom to do what he wants to do, for as long as he is not causing harm to anyone; the freedom to speak his mind for as long as he is not offending anybody with his words.

Ah, freedom, freedom, freedom. Freedom is a priceless gift that all of us may have. In fact, from the day we were born, we should have been enjoying the luxury of being free! Isn’t it good to be compared to a wild flower that grows freely in the fields? Or to a bird that freely spreads its wings as it glides through the air, welcoming the breeze under the bright sunlight?

But what if that freedom is suppressed, deprived by another human being? One who is more powerful and more influential? Even then, man can still be compared to a bird – only, a captive bird; one that is struggling to be free from being held in a cage; a bird whose freedom to fly is being hindered by iron bars. Man, then, can still resemble a flower in the fields – a flower crushed by destructive feet; left to wither in the heat of the sun.

Man’s greed for power and money – always the cause of tragedy, the root of all sufferings, the reason for loss of lives; and more often than not, the victims are the helpless, the poor, the weak. The powerful, the greedy, they resemble the iron bars which deprive the bird of its freedom; they resemble the feet that crush the flowers in the fields, trampling them against the soil.

Man’s cruelty against man had been existent almost after the world was created by God. From the time of Cain and Abel to the time of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus, and up to the present, all that are evil exist in almost everything that man does.

Everything that is good, we want for ourselves. Everything that is good –all for ourselves! Is it the reason why we inflict pain to our fellowmen? So that we will gain something good – for our own benefit?

God created man to rule over all His other creations, didn’t He? And we do! We rule over all that are visible to our eyes – the animals, the plants, and most of all, the people.

Yes, we rule! We dictate the lives of our fellowmen, what they should and should not be doing, or saying or wearing; how they should live their lives, how they should carry themselves; what they should do…Yes, we rule, we dictate, we dominate, we manipulate!

The thirst for fame, for power, for wealth – we drown ourselves with greed without knowing that by doing so, everything that is good in us dies with our hope of having a better life; one that is free not from trials but from the miseries caused by selfish people who think of nothing but themselves.

Isn’t it better if we turn our thirst for worldly things into a thirst for God’s unfailing love? Surely the world will be a better place to live in.

Words Are Just Words…Or Are They?

Sometimes we say something which we take back after realizing that we shouldn’t have said it at all. Out of anger, we sometimes swear or curse, then regret what we’ve said afterwards. Sometimes we call people names then we feel guilty after doing it.

Words are just words…or are they? Don’t your words mean something to someone? Aren’t the things you say not important to anyone? If nobody values your words, then you probably are a person with no worth at all.

If people do not pay attention to anything we say, then we better think twice before speaking up. If people ignore us, then maybe we do not matter to them.

Don’t you feel rejected when nobody listens to you? It’s a hurtful thing to discover, to find out that people treat you as if you do not exist.

Why then, are you being treated that way? Have you asked yourself “why?” If many people are treating you indifferently, maybe there’s something wrong with you…maybe you should ask yourself “what” is wrong and “how” can you make it right.

Maybe you should listen to a friend…maybe it’s time you admit to yourself that not all people can and will just accept what you have to say with no questions asked.

Maybe, for once in your life,  it’s time for you to “understand” rather than be “understood.”

When History Speaks: The Horrors Of Having A Purple Color

 History cannot help but repeat itself. Man never learns from his mistakes, and instead of working hard to improve himself and change his ways for the good of all, man commits even more heinous crimes, further victimizing the oppressed and the helpless.

How unfortunate were people who lived long ago, under the cruelty of a more superior race! They were shamed and tortured because of their color and ignorance! The black slaves during the late 1600’s; victims of exploitation; bartered as chattel. They were taken to an unknown land to perform hard labor; their right to live freely was taken away from them by people whom they didn’t even know, ones whom they haven’t even met.

These poor people were usually prisoners of warring African tribes that were sold to either European or American slave traders; they were forced to march on the ports held by Europeans, who, on some occasions were even the ones who performed the kidnapping of the Africans.

From Africa, the poor captives were transported to the Americas in exchange for goods; from the Americas, the slaves were then traded for goods for European markets and then were returned to Europe – through a form of triangular trade known as the Middle Passage Atlantic slave trade was how the human shipping was done.

During the journey, the slaves were boarded on ships that were primarily designed to carry freights rather than people. The prisoners were chained and were given very little room for movement; although women and children were allowed to move more freely, the men were chained together in pairs; one’s right leg to the other’s left. All were given very little food, only enough to sustain them. The sanitation ranged from poor to non-existent. It was said that there were approximately ten million slaves, who survived the journey from Africa, and around three million died due to starvation and disease.

Historical accounts also show that many of these captives tried to escape by leaping off of their captors’ boats; they remained under water and refused to be rescued that they soon drowned. Others starved themselves to death. They did these things in their belief that by doing so, they would be able to return home. However, their captors discovered that it was also a part of their [slaves’] belief that they could only return home if they were whole, meaning none of their body parts or limbs was missing. And for this reason, the captors usually cut off the limbs of their captives in order to prevent them from escaping. Many slave traders even sexually abused the black women – raped them.

These cruelties were probably the cause why several slaves decided to stage a revolt against the abusive slave owners, like the rebellion that took place in South Carolina in 1739. In the said event which happened in September 9 of the said year, a number of slaves assembled at the Stono, a River situated outside Charleston. The said group went to a local store, opened it by force, armed themselves and killed the storekeepers before heading south.

It was reported that the whites – numbering from twenty to one hundred – armed with weapons, went in pursuit of the runaway slaves and exchanged fires with them until the rebels were down to thirty, majority of which were captured and executed in the succeeding months.

The white colonists found the increasing number of Negroes to be quite alarming that they worked on a Negro Act stating the limited privileges of the slaves such as assembling in groups, earning their own money, learning how to read and growing their own food. Although the slaves were already deprived of the said privileges for quite some time, the Negro Act only took effect after the Stono Rebellion.

To sum it all up, the interaction between the slaves and masters was not at all pleasant; slaves remained slaves in the eyes of the masters. And what was more heart-shattering was the fact that they were even treated like animals; their lives were thought to be as worthless as trash because they happened to be black. In return, the Negroes felt nothing but fear and contempt for their white masters for their inhuman and unjust treatment. It turned out to be a war of the races, wherein the masters, obviously, were the victors, since they were more powerful and more influential than these poor people known as “men of color”.

 The caption says “Slaves Left To Die” I got this illustration from Flickr and since history confirms the existence of slave trade and maltreatment of the black race in the earlier times, then I guess this is not an exaggeration but rather a clear revelation of inhuman acts. 

Some Quotes To Ponder

ABSENCE from whom we love is worse than death

And frustrate hope severer than despair. – WILLIAM COWPER

LOVE reckons hours for months, and days for years;

And every little absence is an age. – JOHN DRYDEN

FRIENDSHIP, like love is destroyed by long absence,

Though it may be increased by short intermissions. – SAMUEL JOHNSON

ACTION may not always bring happiness;

But there is no happiness without action. – BENJAMIN DISRAELI

HOPE and PATIENCE are two sovereign remedies for all,

The surest reposals, the softest cushions to lean on in adversity. – ROBERT BURTON

MISHAPS are like knives, that either serve us or cut us,

As we grasp them by the blade of the handle. – HERMAN MELVILLE

AGE appears to be the best in four things – old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. – FRANCIS BACON

TEMPER: a quality that a critical moments, bring out the best in steel and the worst in people. – OSCAR HAMMLING

ART is not a handicraft; it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced. – LEO TOLSTOY

TRUE CONTENTMENT depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Deogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander. – CHARLES CALEB COLTON

When The Ones Who Cry Are Men…

Man is said to be the stronger sex. When it comes to physical strength, man is indeed reliable. He can protect you, defend you, and guard you. When we think of “heroes”, more often than not, we think of “men”.

MAN is always associated with words such as strength, power, speed, agility, and bravery. But a simple teardrop rolling down the face of a man, is it cowardice? Many people think that a man should not shed a tear. Some people believe that for a man to be seen crying is synonymous to being a weakling, but is it? Man is a human being, who is capable of feeling grief, happiness, anger.

Tears of happiness for the joyous moments in his life; tears of sorrow for the times he needs to grieve over the loss of someone he loves; an overwhelming emotion of love for his country; an overflowing joy as he experiences God’s love.

Men who cry are men who defy the hardships in life. Men who cry are men who express their deepest feelings with sincerity. Men who cry are honest men who are not ashamed to express their true emotions. Men who cry are unafraid to tell the world, that behind their strength, is their weakness…

Men who cry are brave men.

A Glimpse to One of the World’s Natural Wonders

The Great Barrier Reef, located in the Australian continental shelf, is the largest coral reef group in the world.

Single reefs up to nearly 3,000 in number – scatter from Gladstone, Queensland to the Gulf of Papua in Papua New Guinea – make up this natural wonder.

According to scientists, the Great Barrier Reef started forming around 500,000 years ago, when the sea was approximately 20 meters higher than its present level.

Around 125,000 years ago, when the sea was believed to be more or less the same as its present level, was when the reefs started developing on the Australian continental shelf. Large portion of this shelf was exposed as a continental plain some 20,000 years ago; when the sea was 130 meters lower than its current level and majority of the earth’s body of water was in the form of ice.

 aereal view of The Great Barrier Reef

 
Green Island - Great Barrier Reef - Australia

Around 18,000 years ago, the level of the sea rose again, forming new seas which covered the existing reefs, those which rose from the continental plain – hills made up of limestone. During this time, corals started growing in the new seas.

CORAL REEF BUILDERS

Reefs are made up of skeletons of coralline algae and dead corals that were held together by lime stones from tiny animals known as coral polyps and plants known as coralline algae.

The most suitable condition for the growth of coral reef builders is that which provides constant water temperature [20º C or higher] and the presence of sunlight. Such condition can only be found from mid-tide down to a level of about 40 meters. Aeration or the joining of air and water and the presence of nutrients which serve as food are also very essential to the coral reef builders’ growth.

The presence of color in the reef is caused by pigments in the polyps’ tissues. Polyps’ tissues also serve as habitats of zooxantellae. These are single-celled plants which are partly responsible for the success of coral reef builders.

Among marine environments that give shelter to different kinds of marine animals, particularly fish, the coral reefs are said to cater the most inhabitants.

TERMS TO REMEMBER

Continental islands

These are mountains that were cut off from the mainland as the sea covered the coastal plain.

Coral cays

These are small islands that were formed as the waves, wind and tidal currents piled rubble, shingle or sand deposit on large reef tops.

PLACES TO VISIT:

Although the Whitsunday group is where most resorts in the region can be found, only the resorts located in Green Island, Heron Island and Lady Elliott Island are the ones that can be considered part of the reef itself.

Source: World Book Millennium 2000 [International]

A Tribute to an Artist: Immortal Name, Immortal Work

Michaelangelo was born Michaelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni on March 6, 1475 to a well-respected Florentine family in the village of Caprese, situated in the valley of Arno in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. His parents were Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti di Simoni, a poor yet nobleman from Florence, and Francesca di Neri Miniato di Siena, who died six years after Michaelangelo was born due to prolonged illness. He(Michaelangelo) was the second of the five children in the Buonarroti family; all were boys and only one was married. Because Michaelangelo did not have an interest in school, he used to run away to watch artists work or he would spend time drawing.

In April, 1488, Domenico Ghirlandaio, the most famous painter in Florence, apprenticed Michaelangelo in his workshop where he learned to appreciate antiques, paint using fresco and cross-hatching. He stopped painting sooner than the completion of his apprenticeship, and started working as a sculptor under the guidance of one of Donatello’s students – Bertoldo di Giovanni. Michaelangelo’s talent impressed Lorenzo (Il Magnifico) di Medici that in 1489, he invited the young artist to stay in his palace to attend his (Lorenzo’s) school. During his stay, he was able to learn Lorenzo’s special interests which included poetry, writing and architecture and was able to excel in them as years went by. He also had the opportunity to get exposed to the most superior philosophical and political ideas during that time as well as to meet the most influential and talented personalities who visited the palace during his stint in it. He continued being a part of the di Medici household until the time of Lorenzo’s death in April 8, 1492.

After the ruler’s demise, Michaelangelo began traveling. Equipped with skills and knowledge he gained while living in the di Medici palace, together with his comprehensive examinations of the human anatomy and the Greek art, his artistic skills in sculpture, painting and drawing became exceptional by the time he arrived in Rome on the third week of June in 1496. One of his numerous artworks was a life-size cupid he made resembling a Grecian antique. This incident wherein he sold the Cupid was said to be the beginning of the story behind the carving of the “Pieta”.

At first, the buyer of the statue, Cardinal Raffaele Riario did not detect that the piece was a fake, but it was not long after it was purchased that the Cardinal discovered the deception and immediately, he sent for Michaelangelo, not to be punished but to give him a job. The Cardinal authorized him to start carving an eighty-inch high statue of Bacchus, the Roman mythological god of wine for his garden. Unfortunately, Riario rejected the artwork. It was however became a part of the collection of Jacopo Galli, a Roman banker who was known both to the Cardinal and Michaelangelo.

In the latter part of 1497, Michaelangelo was to start carving another major sculpture, a Pieta, intended for the tomb of Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas, the French Cardinal of Saint-Denis. The said artwork was to be positioned at the St. Peter’s ancient basilica. The signing of the formal document regarding the agreement was done on the last week of August, in 1498. It was Jacopo Galli who acted as Michaelangelo’s guarantor and put into writing that the Pietà was the kind of marble work that no living artist could ever surpass. In the English translation of the document, Galli wrote: “I, Jacopo Galli, do promise that Michaelangelo will complete the said work within one year, and that it shall be more beautiful than any work in marble to be seen in Rome today.” (Stone, 3). The marble that the young artist used came from Carrara – well-known for its pure white marble – for the said sculpture and began carving immediately after the document was signed, hence, sealing the agreement. Michaelangelo was to receive a total of 450 gold papal ducats for his work; the said amount was to be divided in such a way that the artist would receive 150 before he began the sculpture and 100 for every quarter of the year until the time of completion of the work.

Michaelangelo decided to carve the face of a younger version of Mary – one who looked a little older than the one who bore the Christ child – instead of a middle-aged woman. He also removed the traces of violence that the previous versions of Pietà used to represent; such evidence of violence as the holes in Jesus’ hands and feet and the blood which flowed from his side wound. In addition, the artist also made Jesus’ facial appearance similar to that of a peacefully sleeping man as he lay in Mary’s lap.  The artist’s interpretation of Pietà was said to be unrivaled since the ideals of Renaissance concerning naturalism and classical beauty are in equilibrium.

 

Pietà, the Italian word for sorrow, pity and compassion, comes from the Latin word pio, meaning pious. However, this term does not mean piety or pious. Pietà is oftentimes associated with artworks which depict the image of the Virgin Mary as she mourns over Jesus’ lifeless form.

It was unfortunate, for the Cardinal was unable to have a glimpse of the completed statue since Michaelangelo exceeded the one-year term that was agreed upon, and by the time it was done, the Cardinal was already lying peacefully in his tomb. Although Michaelangelo was able to accomplish the Cardinal’s requirement that the image of Christ in the Pietà should be life-size, the statue was never placed in his tomb.

Michaelangelo’s Pietà was described by experts as brilliant in the technical sense. A drill was used in order to expedite the progress of the work; it was also polished a number of times in such a way that it would glisten, thus, making it hard for the ones viewing it to comprehend that it was once nothing but a plain block of marble. 

The statue’s manner of building is shaped like a pyramid. It widens down the folds of Mary’s dress to the Rock of Golgotha, the large mass of stone which supported the cross to which Jesus was crucified. If one is to analyze, it is evident that the figures are out of proportion since it may seem illogical to perceive a woman cradling a fully-grown man. However, the connection of the effigies appears quite natural since Mary’s body is hidden in her dress. 

The statue stands at 69 inches high and if Mary were to stand, she would reach a height of seven feet. The statue was carefully and dedicatedly carved by Michaelangelo as what can evidently be seen by anyone who looks at it. The expression of love is clear in Mary’s right hand cradling Jesus; her left hand beautifully stretched out seems to ask God “Why?” as she looks down sympathetically and lovingly at Christ’s lifeless form.

Michaelangelo preferred carving a perfectly formed male figure as his representation of Christ over a male form that was disfigured as a result of hanging on the cross for a long period of time. His comprehension of the human anatomy contributed to the lifelike appearance of the figures particularly that of Christ’s body lying across Mary’s lap.

Due to the Virgin’s youthful appearance, the statue was deemed heretical by other artists during Michaelangelo’s time. It was even described as freakish; called it “Lutheran caprice” because they found the work very different – in all angles – from its predecessors.

According to Francisco de Holanda, a Portuguese painter and humanist, Michaelangelo told the biographer Ascanio Condivi about the Vatican Pietà and explained to him the reason why the appearance of the woman looked quite young for a mother.

For fear of rejection, Michaelangelo, together with the help of a family of stonemasons, placed the statue into the chapel while the entire Rome was sleeping. The Pietà was never given a formal blessing, nor was it formally installed.

The Pietà became a major attraction when it was installed in Santa Petronilla Chapel in old St. Peter’s in time for the Holy Celebrations of 1500. As Michaelangelo proceeded to work on the unfinished statue, he was watched over by a large number of crowds. One day, he accidentally overheard a conversation from a group of visiting pilgrims discussing that the statue was carved by a man from Milan named Gobbo. That incident triggered the young Michaelangelo to sneak into the chapel in the middle of the night, carrying only a candle as a means to light him as he carved his name across Mary’s chest. He later on felt sorry about what he did and swore never to repeat such action in his other works again.

The Pietà was moved from one place to another for several times and during those times, accidents were never avoided. In one of the transfers, four fingers on the left hand of Mary were damaged. It was then restored in 1736. The most severe damage that the statue had ever sustained occurred in 1972, when a mentally disturbed man struck the figure of the Virgin Mary with an instrument. The damage caused by the action was of great extent that it took several years before the Pietà was installed again. Taking precautionary measures, it is enclosed in a thick glass barrier which cannot easily be accessed by anyone except by those who are authorized to do so.

Michaelangelo began carving the marble statue at the age of twenty-three and completed it when he was twenty-four. According to historians, the Pietà did not cause quite as stir the way the Bacchus did, but experts on arts commented that it was because of the Pietà that Michaelangelo’s name rose to fame as he was recognized as a leading sculptor in his time. Although the Pietà may appear plain and devoid of ornaments compared to other statues carved during its time, it looks solemn and stronger and its simplicity itself depicts beauty. Many commented that Michaelangelo had never again accomplished such perfectly made masterpiece in his lifetime.

Sources:

Discussion About His Early Years and His Vatican Pieta. 2007. AskMichaelangelo.com. December 14, 2007. <http://www.ask.michaelangelo.com>

Pagels, Elaine, Thomas Merton, Fr. Thomas Keating, Lorraine Kisly, Ravi Ravindra. The Inner Journey: Views from the Christian Tradition (PARABOLA Anthology Series). 2006. Sandpoint, ID: Morning Light Press.

Stone, Irving. The Agony and the Ecstasy. 2004. New York: New American Library.

Stone, Irving.  The Making of the Pieta. December 14, 2007 <http://avemaria.bravepages.com/articles/jul/pieta.html.>

True Criminals

I’ve written this article about a couple of years ago. I decided to post this since it’s very timely. Well, I believe the contents are like a perpetual calendar, a perennial plant, a non-seasonal fruit.

For as long as there are corrupt and deceitful officials in the government, there will always be TRUE CRIMINALS.

There are TRUE CRIMINALS that I know of but they are not found in jails; they do not roam the streets at night and they are not shabby-looking characters whom you will definitely run away from once you meet them on a dark alley.

These TRUE CRIMINALS are not the thieves who break into houses; not the snatcher who slashes someone’s bag; not the bandits who rob banks but rather, these TRUE CRIMINALS are dressed in corporate attires and are well-known for attending social functions where they cheerfully clink their wine glasses; laughing heartily and enjoying sumptuous feasts while their countrymen dig garbage to look for food to put on their tables.

I remember one time, I was able to watch a documentary program wherein a family living in a dump site admitted that they would gather any food that they could find among the garbage, and after boiling, it would then serve as their meal; what would be left would be eaten the following day.

The TRUE CRIMINALS that I know of ride in luxury cars provided for them by their “public offices”, taken of course from “government funds”; while children from poor families walk almost a mile — either wearing worn-out slippers or walking on barefoot — just to reach school.

There are even TRUE CRIMINALS who own bank accounts in their chosen country yet insisting that they don’t; while many Filipinos have not a single penny in their pockets. These TRUE CRIMINALS enjoy the luxury of a mansion while their poor countrymen live in roofless carts made of wood; some are even taking shelter underneath the trees.

The TRUE CRIMINALS were the ones who were unhesitant in shooting a group of young alleged carjackers like wild animals, insisting that they did so because the ones being pursued fought back; mercilessly killing the ones who were already on the verge of death instead of taking them to the hospital for treatment and giving them a chance to defend themselves in court if in case they lived.

Truthfully, the TRUE CRIMINALS are the ones who murder the nation’s life source through shameless acts of CORRUPTION and DECEIT.

The most notorious of these TRUE CRIMINALS are the ones who wave their hands to gain popularity and recognition that will help them win in the election while their countrymen wave their hands and cry for help, drowning in the flood of hardship caused by selfish, greedy officials who are assuming the highest positions in the land.

…The Philippine MAFIA? Well, not my idea, I just repeated what I saw on television this evening.

The Irony of Being A Filipino

I am a Filipino. I am proud to be one. But sometimes, it makes me wonder if I am a Filipino in name only. How do I prove that I am proud of being born in this country, belonging in this race, having Filipino blood running through my veins? How do I show my love for my homeland?

There are times when I feel helpless, upon seing my fellowmen suffer while I sit comfortably inside my home watching the day’s events take place.

Reality bites! But whether we admit it or not, this is how many of our countrymen - including me - picture the Philippines nowadays:

PHILIPPINES:

Geographical and Cultural Description

More than seven thousand one hundred islands; Pearl of the Orient; rich in culture, beautiful sceneries, a country that is home to hospitable people…wait, there’s more!

Striking Features:

Population explosion, poverty, unemployment, extra-judicial killings, increasing rate of politically-related crimes, conspiracy, deceit, corruption, manipulative tactics of traditional politicians, and of course, the never ending rallies everywhere. Boy, you name it, we have it!

A Rhyme for My Country

Philippines, a very dear name;

But most of the time now,

It’s always being put to shame.

It used to be the home of the brave,

Where heroes lay proudly in their graves;

But now, what has become of this nation?

Historical Background

In the older days, laying down your life for your country was what it would take before you could be called a hero.

Heroes then were the ones executed by firing squad, strangulation with an iron collar or “garrote”, and later on, shot in the head while climbing down the ladder of a plane…All of them had one thing in common, though. They died with honor.

They left a legacy, something that the generations to come would be proud of. To have a Filipino blood flowing through your veins was something to boast about.

…That was then…

Heroic Acts

…This is now…

The recognition of heroic act is very easy to gain nowadays. In fact, it’s just like candies being sold by vendors whose stalls are found under the LRT stations. Now why do I say this? Some might be offended but the reality will hit you in the face without you knowing it:

All you have to do is climb the Mt. Everest, which, as everybody knows, has already been reached by numerous thrill-seeking individuals who did it for self satisfaction; to prove something to themselves and to the people around them. White, Asian, lame, blind…so what’s new? Flash! Flash! Your name’s everywhere! You’re the first Filipino to reach the top of the world! You’re on TV, you’re popular but that’s just it.

Oh, there’s another one; just simply cross the Iraqi border then let yourself be kidnapped and surely you’ll walk in red carpet when you come home; plus a house and lot, a capital to start a small business…and guess what? You can even run for the coming elections!

Political Situation

All you have to do is take the side of the “high and mighty” and you’ll win by hook or by crook! As for your opponent…well, they will either go to jail for whatever crimes that they can possibly be accused of, politically related or otherwise, or they may get killed through an ambush that will definitely be blamed on the New People’s Army or any other leftist groups.

Tourist Spots

The country’s pride: Palawan, Banawe Rice Terraces – the places that attract foreigners and make them want to repeatedly go back to our country – now pose a threat to the visitors’ safety. Now who would want to endanger his/her life for the sake of adventure and experience?

More Work For the Jobless

“More employment for the newly graduates and jobless Filipinos…” I think this line’s been repeated more than a hundred times already.

True, there are more job opportunities for our countrymen, only, not here in the Philippines. Well, a promise remains “just a promise”, and I think it will stay that way for quite a very long time, considering the fact that the leader of the land is determined to stay in power longer than necessary.

People and Events To Remember

President Estrada won by a landslide during his time. Ironically, he’s been under house arrest for plunder for quite a long time. But how about deception, is it also punishable by law? Uh…the “I AM SORRY” thing, remember, my dear fellowmen?

The late Fernando Poe, Jr. ran for presidency last May 2004 Elections. Unfortunately, another candidate claimed the victory…Too bad FPJ died without knowing the truth…He could have been the 14^th President of the Philippine Republic. Moreover, it could have been proven that he really won fair and square.

Too late for the truth? I hope not; there are still many who are hoping that somehow, it shall prevail.

Manny Pacquiao achieved fame through sweat and blood. Did some red-plate rider help him in the ring? The answer is NO. Yet Manny ran for congressman through the encouragement of well-known opportunists despite his inexperience and well, sad to say, his inability to lead politically.

Poor “Pacman”; he may be a true champion in the ring, but when it comes to making sound decisions, he’s a real loser, letting himself be used and manipulated by some blabbering politicians who claimed to have been with him ever since he started his boxing career. Well it might have been true, only, they were outside the ring - betting.

Julia Campbell went to the Philippines to do charity works and yet she was brutally killed for no apparent reason, well, except for “mistaken identity”.  She was even blamed for her own death by some all-knowing, self-righteous “old man” who might never have experienced the love of a mother…Poor Julia? NO! Poor old man…someday, you’re going to die too, and if that happens, I hope that the things you said and did to many people will not come back to haunt you even in your grave.

The latest – ZTE Scandal – there’s a text message, stating that from her initials GMA, Mrs. Arroyo changed them to EMA… Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became Evilyn Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Erap jokes” were entertaining, but this one and the others similar to this, well, they simply are infuriating. One who hears them will definitely not be entertained.

Am I to be sued because of this? Well, I am affected by everything that’s been happening around me and I can’t just sit around and watch my country die helplessly.

Furthermore, this is a FREE COUNTRY…or IS IT STILL?

Exploring the Art of Painting

Before I go on any further, I would like to inform everyone who will happen to read this article that I do not paint to earn a living. I just happen to appreciate nature as well as the talent that God has given me.

How It All Began

When I was in grade school, I used to ask my uncle to do my projects for me. I would relay to him the instructions that my teacher had given the class and my uncle would do it overnight so I could submit it the following school day. I frequently earned bonus points for submitting my projects ahead of submission date.

Unfortunately, during my sixth grade, my uncle and I had a petty quarrel. Well, I couldn’t ask him to do my projects for me then, could I? So I had to make them on my own…And that was the time that I discovered I could draw.

Since then, I had been the one who’s been doing my art projects. And it was during my second year in high school that I discovered that I could also paint. I learned about it when I decided to copy the painting hanging on the wall of our living room. I bought a cartolina and borrowed my father’s old Tempera watercolor and started the job. [The finished work was used as a background in our group’s English short play].

I have done many paintings in watercolor but I was not able to keep all of them. Some, I gave to my friends as birthday presents or as a remembrance to those who had left the country [funny, my paintings reached the United States, yet I haven’t got the chance to do so ].

Anyway, here’s one of my favorites. I hope you guys will come to like it as well…

The Work

Title: One Merry Day; Medium: Oil on Canvas; Size: 12″ x 18″  

This painting probably had the longest time spent among my works. I think it took me about three weeks or more to finish this. I started with the background; A mixture of white and green [just a small amount of green and plenty of white] which I applied as some sort of coating before I started painting the leaves, and the rest of the background. 

The Background

As I did the brush strokes, I have learned that it was not that hard to paint the sunlight using oil as medium. Doing the background – which consisted of trees and fruits, wild flowers and grass – was equally easy, although the oil paint took quite some time to dry up since the amount that I used was quite plenty.

The Main Subject

What took most of my time, however, was making sure that the body of the horse was in proportion and that its color would depict cheerfulness – the reason why I decided to use ivory white instead of the animal’s original brown color. I copied the horse from a back issue of a cowboy magazine, by the way.

Some Tips: 

Solvents

Disadvantages of Using Turpentine

I used to blend colors using oil of turpentine, but there were disadvantages: One, it has a very strong odor which is hazardous to health – oftentimes, I suffer from headaches upon inhaling the fume; two, it is quite costly yet the amount contained in one bottle is oftentimes not sufficient to finish a single piece. Sometimes I have to use three or more bottles to finish one single work.

Better Alternative

I have learned from a friend who is a professional painter that I could use linseed oil instead of oil of turpentine. The former is much cheaper.

When I bought these products, I noticed the big difference in their prices: One bottle (325ml) had a price of Php30.00, [if I am not mistaken]; well, try buying one at a hardware, instead of purchasing from notable bookstores such as NBS. The oil of turpentine, on the other hand had a price of Php385.00 per bottle (containing about 50 – 100 ml) [Note: the prices that I mentioned were from way back 2004].

Well, although I had bought these products years ago, I’m quite sure that there is still a big difference in their current costs.

Brush and Palette Cleaner

Oil of turpentine is quite an expensive brush cleaner [lolz! What was I thinking when I used it to soak my brushes???? ] My painter friend also advised me to soak my brush on kerosene, and well, you can use it to clean your palette as well. Just don’t let the oil to dry up completely or you will definitely be having a hard time cleaning your palette - I’m talking about the aluminum type

I’ll be sharing some of my works and ideas in my next post….Hope you guys learned something from this article. Thanks for dropping by.

Should you have any suggestions or comments please don’t hesitate to drop a line.

Have a nice day, everyone!

Fine Dining

Last Friday, my friend and I went out to unwind. We decided to have dinner and do some window shopping. Well, they’re just  our simple means to relaxation after a long tiring week at work. Honestly, we’re not into high-class, expensive restaurants; as long as the food and drinks are great and the atmosphere is relaxing, they’re enough. In other words, we are the type of people who are easy to please.

Anyway, I’ve posted several pictures of great tasting food and drink(s) that we ordered, and believe me, they really were superb! As a matter of fact, it’s our nth time there…

bottomless iced-tea

penne pasta (really great!..i tried cooking this at home. )

fries, bbq spare ribs, shrimp and onion rings

calamari (left); iced tea for the drink (center) and loads of pasta (right)!!! hmmm….

pana cotta (did i spell it right??? ) for dessert

 …the place?….well, it’s Pizza Hut SM Mall Of Asia branch!

Oh, and by the way, this isn’t a paid advertisement.

Monalisa II

I couldn’t say what was I thinking then or what made me stop in the middle of my work…Maybe I got bored…Maybe I was tired…Or maybe I just wasn’t in the mood; I didn’t really know. I couldn’t remember. All I know now is that I felt sorry I stopped; I felt unsatisfied cause I wasn’t able to finish my work.

I found this unfinished piece as I went looking for something [which I couldn’t recall what] among my things just a couple of nights ago.

This Iris lacks a petal, a stem and some leaves. I had already made enhancements, as onecan see. I used mixed media on this; charcoal for the darker shadings and orange and gold metallic inks for variation. For the outline, I used a medium-sized silver marker.

Well, maybe I wasn’t just contented with the outcome that time that’s why I decided not to continue it…But when I found it, I realized that I should have….What do you guys think??? 

Palawan

 A couple of years ago, before I had my first art exhibit, I happened to drop by a book store that sells second hand items. I looked around, tried to find the perfect subject for my first painting on canvas and here’s what I’ve found: a post card of Palawan.

I studied the picture and carefully chose the colors that I would be using. I took note of the brush strokes; tried not to linger on any angle since I was using acrylic.

Because it dries easily, I had to be careful, otherwise, the work would turn out to be a disaster.

I concentrated on the color of the water and the reflection of the rocks on it…I made some variations as one can see in my finished work.

One thing I like about using acrylic paint is that it gives a glossy effect on the subject.However, once it dries up and you’re not careful with your strokes, uneven brush prints will be quite visible, unless of course you know exactly what to do about it.

Above: picture of Palawan; Below: a painting of Palawan, my first work on canvas. Title: “Palawan; Medium: Acrylic; Size: 12″ x 18″