Saturday, November 29, 2008

Hulu (葫芦) or Calabash in English

Hulu has its long standing in Chinese culture. It has many different meanings, Hulu is for good fortune, blessing, longevity and prosperities. It is said that Hulu has an ability to improve your health and increase your wealth. The shape of Hulu is also a symbol of Heaven and Earth united together. From top to bottom, it shows that the integration of Heaven, Earth and Human being. And also it is said Hulu is able to absorb bad evil spirits and put it inside Hulu. You can hang Hulu around your home, inside the car, office or etc.

I took this picture at a small shop besides Shenyang Empire Palace. The owner is an artist who carves chinese characters, special patterns or sceneris on Hulu, a very neat shop, I spend almost two hours at this store looking around, bought two hulu. The bigger one with a hundred of Fu (Luck) character on, the other with a Fu and a Shou (Longevity). I love them very much.

Hulu or calabash is a wine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a container or pipe. In old time of China, people used Hulu as container to hold Chinese wine or water. They hang this Hulu container under their belt, kept wine or water inside the container, fulfilled their journey and kept them alive. People used Hulu container at household also. It is called Piao. You could see them most in countryside. My parents grew up from farm so we still used Piao (Hulu) as container when I was young at my home.

Hulu Shi is a type of traditional Chinese music instrument made from Hulu, It is called Gourd Pipe in English. The instrument has a wind camber; main tone pipe has seven holes in it. Musician blows through the mouthpiece at the top of the gourd and controls the air going out of the holes with their fingers, and generates harmonies with beautiful melody. I enjoy listening music, not super fun to any particular music but enjoy the melody of many different types of musics. I like to put music at backgroud whatever I am doing, like reading, cooking, cleaning or doing housework at home. I brought some Chinese music CDs from China last time I went back homed in September this year. One of CDs is Hulu Shi (Gourd Pipe). I keep it in my car so I can listen to the chinese music when I am driving; sometimes I give my coworker ride to home if we work at late shift. She liked Hulu Shi very much and asked me to get one next time I go back China. Once I gave a ride for a young guy, he is at my daughter’s age. He told me that he was learning to play flute, similar as Gourd Pipe, and his teacher is very good at Gourd pipe. He loves Hulu Shi too. The music is international language; people can understand its beauty no matter what your nationalities are. The melody of harmony will bring you peace of mind.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Brothers Kamarazov

Finally I finish reading the book Brothers Karamazov. If you are going to start another book, that is the one I recommend. It is the one you want to read in one breath. you will like it, I do. The book made my time too short.
When I read the story about the little boy Kolya, A tiny flash arose up from my far memory, I believe I watched that movie long time ago when I was a little kid, maybe younger than kolya at that time. a little boy walking into the dark, lying between railway tracks, train passing by. Another flash was Ivan talking with the imagine of his hallucination. That was all I could recall.
The whole story is beyond my language. Go ahead, find the book, start to read. It is definitely not sleeping pills no matter you like it or not.
"Love cannot be created from nothing, only God can create something from nothing..." But mother's love is unconditional and human being pursues elusive love and never ceases for centuries.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Blog. Blogger. Blogging

Blog, Blogger, Blogging...
I am in the process of practice, keep searching for a better host which I can post my photos or make a hyperlink to connect my blog with my gallery. It took me a long time to come up a name for my blog, YJ-Corner. I like sitting in the corner, quietly looking at the world with my smile. My blog will keep changing while I am learning and it will be getting better surely and slowly :)

Welcome you, my friends. Looking forward to seeing you at my corner. Thanks!