[Opinion] J-Drama -- Ten Women in Darkness (2016)

Ten Women in Darkness (2016)

1. Of the Asian TV dramas that I have watched recently, I quite enjoy the Japanese drama Ten Women in Darkness ("黒い十人の女") ("Kuroi 10 nin no Onna") (2016).

This 10 episodes drama was first aired weekly in Japan from September 29, 2016 to December 2, 2016.

The drama is based on a script that was made into a movie in 1961, a one episode TV drama in 2002, and a theater production in 2011.

This rather light-hearted TV drama is about how the wife and nine lovers of a middle-aged TV producer together plotted to murder him in order to escape the relationship trap they were in.

By a happy coincidence, the actor that played the middle-aged TV producer (船越 英一郎) is the son of the actor that played the same character in the 1961 movie (船越英二).


2. In recent years, among Asian TV dramas, I have enjoyed watching Japanese TV dramas the most.

This is because of the quality of their scripts.

I did not have any expectations about how good or bad it was going to be when I chanced upon Ten Women in Darkness (2016), but then I was attracted by its story line.

At first, I thought it was just another melodrama about love and men / women relationships.

But I was taken by surprise by each new episodes as the wife and the nine lovers were introduced.

The wife and the nine lovers each has very distinct personalities that came through the acting.

I was totally taken by surprise as the wife and nine lovers developed into a victim's club and together they plotted to murder the husband.

There was a twist to the ending that maintain the light and comedic tone of the drama that I will not give away.

But as one of my brothers has observed about Japanese TV dramas, they almost always have a life lesson to them.

The morality of the life lesson in Japanese TV dramas makes them very attractive in a morally relativistic world.


Reference:

"黒い十人の女", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BB%92%E3%81%84%E5%8D%81%E4%BA%BA%E3%81%AE%E5%A5%B3
(accessed 2017-01-13).

End.

[Opinion] A Conditional Promissory Note

Original: Thursday, January 12, 2017

Last updated: Friday, January 13, 2017


1. Sometimes fiction mimics reality and sometimes it is the other way around, reality mimics fiction.

As to the current Hong Kong Chief Executive Election for 2017, it is reality that mimics fiction.

I have been following the progress of the Hong Kong Chief Executive Election for 2017 with wide eye amazement.

If I am not mistaken, Xi Jinping and many participants in the 2017 Election are following the strategies as analyzed by the character Master Wu in episode 19 of the 1997 Chinese historical TV drama Yongzheng Dynasty.

The similarity or resemblance between fiction and reality is quite amazing.

If I am guessing right that soon-to-be former Financial Secretary John Tsang will become the next Hong Kong Chief Executive, then I will write another blog post detailing some of the parallels between the strategies as analyzed by Master Wu and the actual events for the 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive Election.


2. For those who know putonghua, Master Wu's analysis for the succession to the throne happens between the 34:45 and 43:55 minute marks in the following YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXr35wgiksk


3. Names, Words and Phrases:

John Tsang (Traditional Chinese: 曾俊華; Simplified Chinese: 曾俊华).

Master Wu (Traditional: 鄔思道; Simplified: 邬思道).

Xi Jinping (Traditional: 習近平; Simplified: 习近平).

Yongzheng Dynasty (Traditional: 雍正王朝; Simplified: 雍正王朝).

 
References:

"Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2017", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Chief_Executive_election,_2017
(accessed 2017-01-12).

"鄔思道", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%84%94%E6%80%9D%E9%81%93
(accessed 2017-01-13).

"雍正王朝", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%9B%8D%E6%AD%A3%E7%8E%8B%E6%9C%9D
(accessed 2017-01-13).

End.

[Music] Vivian Lai -- Everyone Has a Dream

Vivian Lai

1. Vivian Lai won a local singing competition in 1989 when she was 16 years old and through it came to the notice of a music producer.

The following year she signed with BMG (Bertelsmann Music Group) and formally entered the Hong Kong music scene.

Vivian Lai subsequently changed management company and signed with PolyGram and became one of the "Seven Little Flowers of PolyGram".

(The other six "Little Flowers" are: Priscilla Chan, Vivian Chow, Shirley Kwan, Winnie Lau, Karen Tong, and Linda Wong.)

The song Everyone Has a Dream ("一人有一個夢想") came out in 1993 and was the peak of Vivian Lai's singing career.

After many years of courtship, Vivian Lai was married in 2002 to Ricky Tsang and she formally left Hong Kong music scene after marrying.

Vivian Lai and Ricky Tsang have a daughter and a son together.

Their marriage ended in divorce in 2014.

(Ricky Tsang is the third and youngest son of Tsang Hin-chi, the founder of Goldlion (Far East) Limited.)

(Vivian Lai has married into money so to speak.)

Vivian Lai started to sing and perform again in 2016.


2. From the August 24, 2016 Sing Tao Daily newspaper (BC Edition):

3. The front page of Ming Pao Sunday Supplement (August 28, 2016) (Western Canada Edition):

4. Vivian Lai singing Everyone Has a Dream (1993):

In a concert celebrating the works of the lyricist Jolland Chan in 2016
(Second of two songs starting at the 4:45 minutes mark):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79SpiY4qGtA


In a charity function in 2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvaXlysd5iY


In another charity function in 2016
(First of three songs):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4w-1S1E8Yk


In a charity function in 2013:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooVX5IEGQbA


In another charity function in 2013:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqfyyXIIfY8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY3TQm0rKW8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPffcLO5RG0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PvaBaiLC30


As a Guest in Karen Tong's 20th Anniversary Concert in 2012:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd0Sqyt3bB8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVVVC-UaiqY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXbKvK9J7F4


This video is circa 1993-94:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTUg9vh37u0


5. A music video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR3EYULX2eo


These are just the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB0yb-SCPUY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_kaShsxMvA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NScVrPOw20g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n9n06EfHR0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcDvfI608Uo


6. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

一人有一個夢想 -- 黎瑞恩

曲︰盧東尼
詞︰向雪懷

如告知某一些的戀愛結果會心傷
曾愉快一試何妨
如告知我的一些感覺你不會欣賞
誰共你一般思想

* 不知那裡風向又傳來了花香
再次編織心中的幻想

# 一人有一個夢想   兩人熱愛漸迷惘
三人有三種愛找各自理想
一人變心會受傷   兩人願意沒惆悵
三人痛苦戀愛不再問事實與真相

何以我每當開始戀愛你這麼緊張
誰令你心跳若狂
何以我每當終止戀愛你變得輕鬆
流露你心中所想

Repeat *, #, #, #


7. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

一人有一个梦想 -- 黎瑞恩

曲︰卢东尼
词︰向雪怀

如告知某一些的恋爱结果会心伤
曾愉快一试何妨
如告知我的一些感觉你不会欣赏
谁共你一般思想

* 不知那里风向又传来了花香
再次编织心中的幻想

# 一人有一个梦想   两人热爱渐迷惘
三人有三种爱找各自理想
一人变心会受伤   两人愿意没惆怅
三人痛苦恋爱不再问事实与真相

何以我每当开始恋爱你这么紧张
谁令你心跳若狂
何以我每当终止恋爱你变得轻松
流露你心中所想

Repeat *, #, #, #

 
8. Names, Words and Phrases:

Goldlion (Far East) Limited (Traditional Chinese: 金利來集團有限公司; Simplified Chinese: 金利来集团有限公司).

Jolland Chan (Traditional: 向雪懷; Simplified: 向雪怀).

Karen Tong (Traditional: 湯寶如; Simplified: 汤宝如).

Linda Wong (Traditional: 王馨平; Simplified: 王馨平).

PolyGram (Traditional: 寶麗金唱片公司; Simplified: 宝丽金唱片公司).

Priscilla Chan (Traditional: 陳慧嫻; Simplified: 陈慧娴).

Ricky Tsang (Traditional: 曾智明; Simplified: 曾智明).

Seven Little Flowers of PolyGram (Traditional: 寶麗金七小花; Simplified: 宝丽金七小花).

Shirley Kwan (Traditional: 關淑怡; Simplified: 关淑怡).

Tsang Hin-chi (Traditional: 曾憲梓; Simplified: 曾宪梓).

Vivian Chow (Traditional: 周慧敏; Simplified: 周慧敏).

Vivian Lai (Traditional: 黎瑞恩; Simplified: 黎瑞恩).

Winnie Lau (Traditional: 劉小慧; Simplified: 刘小慧).


References:

"黎瑞恩", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%BB%8E%E7%91%9E%E6%81%A9
(accessed 2017-01-11).

"一人有一个梦想", baike.baidu.com,
http://baike.baidu.com/view/3182262.htm
(accessed 2017-01-11).

End.

[Book] Os Guinness -- The Dust of Death (1973)

Os Guinness

The Dust of Death (1973)

1. I am presently re-reading some 20 to 30 books that have a formative influence on me in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Among the books is Os Guinness's The Dust of Death: A Critique of the Counter Culture (1973).

The Dust of Death (1973) made sense of the zeitgeist or spirit of the age among the youth of the 1960s and 1970s for me.

How and why did the generation that benefited from the material prosperity of post World War II became lost spiritually?

Os Guinness, with sensitivity, analyzed the antecedents and consequences of the optimism / pessimism dialectic of Humanism.

This book is a large scale cultural study and is very good.


2. The Holy Bible

(1 Corinthians 13:1-7 HCSB):

[1] If I speak human or angelic languages
but do not have love,
I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

[2] If I have the gift of prophecy
and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith
so that I can move mountains
but do not have love, I am nothing.

[3] And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor,
and if I give my body in order to boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.

[4] Love is patient, love is kind.
Love does not envy,
is not boastful, is not conceited,

[5] does not act improperly,
is not selfish, is not provoked,
and does not keep a record of wrongs.

[6] Love finds no joy in unrighteousness
but rejoices in the truth.

[7] It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.


3. The music and lyrics of Suicide is Painless (1970)
(theme song of M.A.S.H.):

(a) Music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JCQep-H3Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmLq87RU97w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-BtquTKw78

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIIqYqtR1lY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gO7uemm6Yo


(b) Lyrics:

Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...

* That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
All our little joys relate
Without that ever-present hate
But now I know that it's too late, and...
Repeat *

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say.
Repeat *

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
And to another give my seat
For that's the only painless feat.
Repeat *

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...
Repeat *

A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it to be or not to be
And I replied 'oh why ask me?'
Repeat *
...and you can do the same thing if you please.


4. The Holy Bible

(1 Corinthians 13:8-13 HCSB):

[8] Love never ends.
But as for prophecies,
they will come to an end;
as for languages, they will cease;
as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

[9] For we know in part,
and we prophesy in part.

[10] But when the perfect comes,
the partial will come to an end.

[11] When I was a child,
I spoke like a child,
I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man,
I put aside childish things.

[12] For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
Now I know in part,
but then I will know fully,
as I am fully known.

[13] Now these three remain:
faith, hope, and love.
But the greatest of these is love.


5. Table of Contents of The Dust of Death (1973):

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1: The Striptease of Humanism
The Rise of Optimistic Humanism
The Surfacing of Pessimism
Four Pillars of Optimistic Humanism
The Striptease of Humanism
Alienation
Mystification
Romanticism
The Twilight of Western Thought

Chapter 2: Utopia or Oblivion?
The Importance of Futurology
Constructing a Scenario
Profiles of the Future
Planetary, Global and Biological Engineering
Sociological Change
The Optimists
The Pessimists: Ten Pressure Points
The Failure of Nerve

Chapter 3: The Great Refusal
Beginning with the Beat
The European Scene
The Angry Young Men
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Provos
The Hippies
The New Left
SNCC
SDS
The Failure of the New Left
The Parting of the Ways
Heightened Repression
From Realism to Romanticism

Chapter 4: One Dimensional Man
The Critique of Technocracy
The System
Critical Voices of the Fifties: Riesman, Whyte, Goodman and Mills
The Critical Voice of the Sixties: Marcuse
The Critical Voice of the Seventies: Ellul
Technophobia or Clarity of Vision?
The Weakness of the New Left-Not Its Critique But Its Alternative
Tragedy, Irony, Absurdity

Chapter 5: Violence-Crisis or Catharsis?
Violence in Political Theory
Violence in Evolutionary Theory
Violence in Psychoanalytic Theory
Violence in Cultural Theory
Violence as Catharsis
Violence as Crisis
Christianity and Violence: Traditional Views
Christianity and Violence: A Radical Understanding
Non-Violence and Christian Realism
Non-Violence and the "Use" of Force
Non-Violence and the "Understanding" of Violence
Non-Violence the Only Resort
Forgiveness Our Only Response
The Third Way

Chapter 6: The East, No Exit
East Meets West in San Francisco
Stirrings in the East and West
The East and Post-Christian West
The Silence of God
Ecology and the Nature of Nature
The Weakness of Western Christianity
Monism: An Eastern Presupposition
Monism and Reality
Monism and Personality
Monism and Morality
A Christian Alternative
Tolerance: East and West

Chapter 7: The Counterfeit Infinity
Paradise Now
The History of Marijuana
Mescaline
LSD
Objections to Psychedelics
Charting the Psychedelic Experience
Death and Evolution
Communication
Utopian Dreams
The Psychedelics and God
Psychedelics and the East
The Psychedelics and Alienation
The Psychedelics and Christian Experience

Chapter 8: Encircling Eyes
The Fire Burns Low
Back to the Occult- Why?
Superstition
Spiritism
Satanism
The Christian and the Occult

Chapter 9: The Ultimate Trip?
The Image of the Church
The Intellectual Stance of the Church
The Jesus Revolution
Christianity: Psychological Truth
Can Christianity Be Verified?
Christianity and Falsification
God's Self-Disclosure
General Revelation: The World and Man
Special Revelation: Christ and the Bible
The Logic of One's Choice

Chapter 10: The Third Race
What Not to Do
The Third Race
Constructive Christian Radicalism
The Necessity of Christian Radicalism
The Logic of Christian Premises
Radicalism and Creativity
Christian Compassion
True Understanding
Outrage
Identification
Is It Possible?


References:

Guinness, Os. 1973. The Dust of Death: A Critique of the Counter Culture. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press.

"Os Guinness", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Os_Guinness
(accessed 2017-01-09).

"Suicide Is Painless", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_Is_Painless
(accessed 2017-01-09).

End.

[Music] Annabelle Louie -- Do not Have to Remember the Old Dreams

Annabelle Louie

1. Annabelle Louie entered a Hong Kong music competition in 1980 and came to the noticed of music producers.

She was subsequently chosen to duet with Michael Kwan the theme song for a 1980 RTV TV drama.

This drama theme song made her known to the public.

Next year, with Do not Have to Remember the Old Dreams ("舊夢不須記"), Annabelle was established as a major Hong Kong singer.

Both the music and lyrics of Do not Have to Remember the Old Dreams (1981) were by James Wong.

Annabelle was married in 1983 and immigrated with her husband to Vancouver, Canada in 1988.

Although not very active, she still sings and performs when the occasions arise.


2. A Hong Kong interview in the October 7, 2016 Sing Tao Daily newspaper (BC Edition):

3. A recent TV performance on Hong Kong's TVB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A15Zk7YISs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXIVGdEkGNQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaIJmd_NlPY

The erhu (i.e. two-stringed bowed instrument) is by Jessie Hou.


In a 2016 charity function in Hong Kong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdX1HPSVOf0


In a 2014 charity function in Vancouver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On4Q-4mvhrI


In a 2010 concert in Hong Kong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wL6KNjYl0s

The erhu is also by Jessie Hou.


In a 2009 concert in Hong Kong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AhoGT_9IvY


In a 2003 Hong Kong theatre production:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqbkus5Po5c


In a 1991 charity function in Vancouver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omam8EQ0gEM


4. This version is transferred from vinyl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS7lpmlTFRE


5. Music videos:

Judging by her looks, this music video must be from the early 1980s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMJ9BTZbkcE


Other videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZSs0_SbV-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uj3wLJ6Oq8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD8FybGMJe8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1Zom9pLf2E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAHFrK1mVtg

and more in YouTube.


6. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

舊夢不須記 -- 雷安娜

作詞：黃霑
作曲：黃霑

舊夢不須記   逝去種種昨日經已死
從前人渺   隨夢境失掉   莫憶風裡淚流怨別離

* 舊事也不須記   事過境遷以後不再提起
從前情愛   何用多等待   萬千恩怨讓我盡還你
此後人生漫漫長路   自尋路向天際分飛
他日與君   倘有未了緣   始終都會海角重遇你
因此舊夢不須記   亦不必苦與悲
緣來緣去   前事的喜與淚   在今天裡讓我盡還你

Repeat *


7. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

旧梦不须记 -- 雷安娜

作词：黄霑
作曲：黄霑

旧梦不须记   逝去种种昨日经已死
从前人渺   随梦境失掉   莫忆风里泪流怨别离

* 旧事也不须记   事过境迁以后不再提起
从前情爱   何用多等待   万千恩怨让我尽还你
此后人生漫漫长路   自寻路向天际分飞
他日与君   倘有未了缘   始终都会海角重遇你
因此旧梦不须记   亦不必苦与悲
缘来缘去   前事的喜与泪   在今天里让我尽还你

Repeat *


8. Names, Words and Phrases:

Annabelle Louie (Traditional Chinese:雷安娜; Simplified Chinese: 雷安娜).

Erhu (Traditional: 二胡; Simplified: 二胡).

James Wong (Traditional: 黃霑; Simplified: 黄沾).

Jessie Hou (Traditional: 霍世潔; Simplified: 霍世洁).

Michael Kwan (Traditional: 關正傑; Simplified: 关正杰).


References:

"雷安娜", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%9B%B7%E5%AE%89%E5%A8%9C
(accessed 2017-01-08).

"霍世洁", baike.baidu.com.
http://baike.baidu.com/view/5502876.htm
(accessed 2017-01-08).

End.