Health Beauty 22 NOVEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 4, 2014 EPOCH TIMES SHUTTERSTOCK Juicy Reasons to Eat More Strawberries By Margie King www.greenmedinfo.com W ho doesn’t love strawberries? And you don’t need any reason other than the pleasure of their sweetness to eat them every day. But according to researchers from Oklahoma State University, there’s lots more to strawberries than the flavour. eir study was published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition with funding from the NIH and the California Straw- berry Commis- sion. In it the researchers review over 130 studies attesting to the strawberry’s status as a “functional food.” ere is no regu- lated meaning for the term “func- tional food.” But it usu- ally refers to a food that provides some benefit in addition to calories that may re- duce disease risk or promote general health. at can be said of every fresh, organic whole food. But func- tional food is also a term that has become a market- ing tool for food manufacturers who “enrich” their processed foods with vitamins, minerals, herbs and other supplements. But strawberries don’t need any enriching. ey consistently rank among the top fruits and vegetables for health benefits. ey are full of powerful natural compounds that include: • Antioxidants —Strawberries were found to have higher oxy- gen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) activity than black rasp- berries, blackberries or red rasp- berries. One study even found strawberries have the highest an- tioxidant capacity of ALL fruits and vegetables commonly avail- able in the UK as measured by the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay. • Polyphenols—Strawberries have been listed among the 100 rich- est sources of dietary polyphe- nols. ey contain flavonoids like catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, kaempferol, cyanidins, narin- genin, hesperadin, pelargonidin, ellagic acid and ellagitannins. Fla- vonoids are free radical scaven- gers, and have anti-inflammatory effects. ey also dilate blood vessels and slow tumour growth. • Vitamins and Minerals— Strawberries are high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid), B vitamins, vitamin E, folate, carotenoids and potassium. • Anthocyanins—ese are water- soluble compounds responsible for the deep colours of berries and are among the principal bioactives in strawberries. • Phytosterols—ese plant- derived sterols have structures and functions similar to cholesterol. All of those natural components translate to a broad range of health benefits. Animal and cell culture studies show strawberries may be effective in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease including obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipi- demia, hypertension, and oxidative stress. Here are eight scientifically proven reasons to eat more strawberries: 1. Strawberries Lower Heart Attack Risk In an analysis of data from over 93,000 subjects in the famous Nurs- es’ Health Study I and the Nurses’ Health Study II, researchers looked at the effects of eating strawberries and blueberries on cardiovascular health. ey found that over a 14-year peri- od, women eating just three servings weekly of blueberries or strawberries reduced their risk of heart attack by 33% compared to those eating berries once monthly or less. In addition, in an analysis of data from over 34,489 postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women’s Health Study, eating strawberries was associ- ated with a significant reduction in deaths from cardiovascular disease over a 16-year follow-up period. 2. Strawberries Reduce Hypertension Researchers again used the data from the two Nurses Studies as well as data from the Health Professionals Follow- Up Study to measure cardiovascular health benefits of strawberry and blueberry anthocyanins. ey found that higher intakes of strawberry and blueberry anthocyanins (16–22 mg/day) were associated with a significant 8% reduction in the risk of hypertension. at was compared to those consuming only 5–7 mg/day of berry anthocyanins. Continued on the next page 8
Transcript
Health Beauty
22 NovemBeR 21 – DeCemBeR 4, 2014 epoCh Times
SHUTTERSTOCK
Juicy Reasons to Eat More
StrawberriesBy Margie King
www.greenmedinfo.com
Who doesn’t love s t r aw b e r r i e s? And you don’t need any reason
other than the pleasure of their sweetness to eat them every day. But according to researchers from Oklahoma State University, there’s lots more to strawberries than the flavour.
Their study was published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition with funding
from the NIH and the California Straw-
berry Commis-sion. In it the
researchers review over 130 studies attesting
to the strawberry’s status as a “functional food.”
There is no regu-lated meaning for
the term “func-tional food.” But it usu-ally refers to a food that p r o v i d e s some benefit in addition to calories that may re-duce disease risk or promote general health. That can be said of every fresh, organic whole food. But func-
tional food is also a term that has become a market-
ing tool for food manufacturers who “enrich” their processed foods with
vitamins, minerals, herbs and other supplements.
But strawberries don’t need any enriching. They consistently rank among the top fruits and vegetables for health benefits. They are full of powerful natural compounds that include:• Antioxidants—Strawberries
were found to have higher oxy-gen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) activity than black rasp-berries, blackberries or red rasp-berries. One study even found strawberries have the highest an-tioxidant capacity of ALL fruits and vegetables commonly avail-able in the UK as measured by the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay.
• Polyphenols—Strawberries have been listed among the 100 rich-est sources of dietary polyphe-nols. They contain flavonoids like catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, kaempferol, cyanidins, narin-genin, hesperadin, pelargonidin, ellagic acid and ellagitannins. Fla-vonoids are free radical scaven-gers, and have anti-inflammatory effects. They also dilate blood vessels and slow tumour growth.
• Vitamins and Minerals—Strawberries are high in vitamin C (ascorbic acid), B vitamins, vitamin E, folate, carotenoids and potassium.
• Anthocyanins—These are water-soluble compounds responsible for the deep colours of berries and are among the principal bioactives in strawberries.
• Phytosterols—These plant-derived sterols have structures and functions similar to cholesterol.
All of those natural components translate to a broad range of health
benefits. Animal and cell culture studies show strawberries may be effective in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease including obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipi-demia, hypertension, and oxidative stress.
Here are eight scientifically proven reasons to eat more strawberries:
1. Strawberries Lower Heart Attack RiskIn an analysis of data from over 93,000 subjects in the famous Nurs-es’ Health Study I and the Nurses’ Health Study II, researchers looked at the effects of eating strawberries and blueberries on cardiovascular health. They found that over a 14-year peri-od, women eating just three servings weekly of blueberries or strawberries reduced their risk of heart attack by 33% compared to those eating berries once monthly or less.
In addition, in an analysis of data from over 34,489 postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women’s Health Study, eating strawberries was associ-ated with a significant reduction in deaths from cardiovascular disease over a 16-year follow-up period.
2. Strawberries Reduce HypertensionResearchers again used the data from the two Nurses Studies as well as data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to measure cardiovascular health benefits of strawberry and blueberry anthocyanins. They found that higher intakes of strawberry and blueberry anthocyanins (16–22 mg/day) were associated with a significant 8% reduction in the risk of hypertension. That was compared to those consuming only 5–7 mg/day of berry anthocyanins.
Continued on the next page
8
Continued from Page 22
3. Strawberries Lower Inflammation and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) In a study of 38,176 female US health professionals enrolled in the Women’s Health Study participants were asked whether they ate fresh, frozen, or canned strawberries “never”, or “less than one serving per month”, or up to “6+ servings per day”. Over an 11-year follow-up period, cardiovascular disease was lower among those consuming more strawberries.
CRP levels were significantly reduced among women consum-ing just two or more servings of strawberries per week. Elevated CRP is strongly associated with inflammation and is a high-risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
4. Strawberries Reduce Cancer RiskIn a prospective five-year cohort study in an elderly population, higher consumption of fresh strawberries and other fruits and vegetables was associated with significantly reduced cancer mortality. The authors attribute these observations to
the carotenoid content of fruits and vegetables known to exert anti-carcinogenic effects.
In another larger five-year prospective cohort study, eating more foods from the Rosaceae botanical subgroup, including strawberries, was associated with a protective effect against oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma compared to eating less of this fruit group. The same cohort also reported reduced rates of head and neck cancer among those consuming more servings of the Rosaceae botanical subgroup including strawberries.
Other studies show that strawberries can even reverse early stage oesophageal cancer.
5. Strawberries Reduce Oxidized CholesterolStudies show strawberries increase plasma antioxidant capacity helping to reduce oxidised LDL cholesterol. In human trials fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried strawberries were shown to reduce oxidative stress associated with metabolic syndrome or eating high-fat meals.
6. Strawberries Lower LDL Cholesterol and Raise HDL CholesterolThe fibre, phytosterols, and polyphenols in strawberries have been shown to lower serum total and LDL cholesterol. It’s also been shown to raise serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol.
7. Strawberries Help Control Blood Glucose LevelsPolyphenols in a berry mixture that included strawberries produced a lower glucose response after eating a meal.
8. Strawberries May Help Reverse Age-Related Neuro-degenerative DisordersIn an animal study, researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Centre on Aging at Tufts found that strawberry extracts significantly reversed signs of age-related neuronal deficits.
And animals eating a diet including 2% strawberries for two months showed significant protection from radiation damage to neurons. Researchers suggest that strawberries and other berries may have a role in reversing Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.
Are Fresh or Frozen Strawberries Better?
Studies show benefits to all forms of strawberries whether fresh, frozen, dried, pureed, or made into juices or jams. But the more they’re processed the more strawberries can lose some of their active compounds.
Frozen strawberries have sig-
nif icantly higher vita-
min C (ascorbic acid) and poly-phenols than
freeze-dried or air-dried. Process-
ing strawberries into juices and purees also
results in a loss of ascor-bic acid, polyphenols,
and antioxidant capacity. And canning strawberries or mak-ing them into jams can signifi-cantly reduce the levels of an-thocyanins and total phenolic compounds.
Fresh or frozen are the best choices for health benefits when it comes to strawberries. But processed strawberry products still have some benefits and are a good choice when the real things aren’t in season.
Just remember to buy organic berries. Most conventionally grown strawberries are heavily sprayed with pesticides.
For more studies visit Green-MedInfo’s page on strawberries.
This article was originally published on www.greenmed-info.com. Join their free Green-MedInfo.com newsletter.
hEALTh & BEAUTYEpoch TimEs NovEmBER 21 – DEcEmBER 4, 2014 23
SHUTTERSTOCK
Studies show benefits to all forms of strawberries whether fresh, frozen, dried, pureed, or made into juices or jams.
Ladies love nail polish and fashion, and so does artist Chan Clayrene!
Back then, she fell in love the vibrant colours in each tiny nail polish bottle, and started using nail polish to create glittering fashion illustrations.
Hailing from Kluang, Malaysia, Clayrene has a Diploma in Fine Art from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, where she majored in western painting, and a Bachelor with Honours in Fine Arts from Loughborough University, United Kingdom.
The self-proclaimed dream chaser and lover of fairy tales cannot live without art in her life.
Clayrene is presently an art educator in Singapore. Her photography work was showcased at New York’s EMOA Space Gallery for Falling into Fashion—an Autumn Exhibit for New York Fashion Week in November 2012. She held her first Solo Art Exhibition, The Cotton Candy Fantasy, at the French Book Shop in Singapore in December 2012.
To view more of her fashion illustrations, visit www.instagram.com/artclaytion.
health & Beauty Epoch TimEs24 novEmBER 21 – dEcEmBER 4, 2014
All Photos Courtesy of ChAn ClAyrene
enter the Fantasy World ofDolce & Gabbana. Spring on Hermes.
Dream of Paris.
Hermes Nail Polish on Water.
Josh & Emma.Autumn.
Violet Fantasy.Elie Saab. Winter on Hermes.Marchesa Fashion.
ShutterStock
By Miriam Silverberg
A younger friend of mine recently paid me the loveliest compliment: She told me I should write a column on
aging gracefully since I was the perfect example.
I am among the first wave of baby boomers so you can do the math. As my readers know, I love fashion and style. My taste in clothes hasn’t changed very much through the years. I still have clothes in my closets from 30 years ago, and I still wear them. I take good care of them, my shape is the same as it was 30 years ago, so why not? Incidentally, this includes shorts.
I still wear mini skirts since I have excellent legs and being short, I think short skirts look better on me. In my opinion, how you dress as you get older is more a product of your shape than age. There are many women of 60 or 70
who look more stylish than 20-year-old girls because the older women have taken care of themselves and kept their figures.
Some women who are already dowdy at 25, dress like old ladies when they reach 40 or so. You’re not dead at 50 so
why dress as though you are?I still buy clothes in the children’s
department because they fit me better. Of course, I make sure nothing I wear is too infantile. But you’d be surprised how stylish the clothes are.
If you’ve kept your figure, why not wear bright colours? One of the great things about getting older is that women develop more confidence and aren’t afraid of wearing something they wouldn’t have had the nerve to wear when they were much younger. Don’t dress to blend in with the woodwork. Why shouldn’t people look
at you admiringly?An older woman cannot let herself
go. She always has to be “on”. By that I mean she always has to look her best. Her hair must be perfectly done. At this point she should have found a truly flattering hair style and kept it. A truly stylish woman doesn’t keep changing hairstyles, especially when she’s older. And you can’t afford to go without makeup. As we age, makeup is essential.
I feel undressed without full eye makeup and I love bright red lipstick.
Of course, how you wear makeup and what you wear depends a good deal on your face and complexion. If you are very wrinkled, you can’t wear the same cosmetics as someone who has less wrinkles. We’re never too old to go to a makeup counter and ask the advice of a good makeup artist.
Just because we’re older doesn’t mean we should lose our interest in fashion and stop dressing up.
Miriam Silverberg is a freelance journalist and owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity firm in Manhattan. She may be reached at silverbergm@m i n d s p r i n g .com.
health & Beauty novEMBER 21 – dEcEMBER 4, 2014 25Epoch TiMEs
You’re not dead at 50 so why dress as though you are?
Miriam Silverberg.
courteSY of the author
Aging Gracefully
Home Décor
26 november 21 – december 4, 2014 epoch Times
A fragrant candle and bowl of flower petals will help create a Zen-like feeling of tranquility in any bathroom.
A guest bedroom ready for family or friends over the holidays.
Mihai SiMonia/PhotoS.coM
Sandra ShieldS/the ePoch tiMeS
By Sandra Shields Epoch Times Staff
The holiday season is looming and family and friends have let you know they are planning a visit.
It’s best to prepare early before the busy time of baking, entertaining, shopping, and decorating starts.
If you have a spare room or guest room this may be the time to add a fresh coat of paint. Otherwise, prepare a corner in the family room or den. Add a screen for privacy and set up a sofa-bed or futon.
Look for ways to add extra hooks or racks behind bedroom and bathroom doors for hanging clothes, wet towels, etc.
Set out a breakfast bar of cereal, bread for toast, coffee and tea, mugs, bowls, and plates and an
electric kettle so your guests don’t have to rummage around looking for basic items. It allows them get up in the morning when they’re ready and be self-sufficient without you.
To make your guests’ stay more comfortable, stock the bedroom with a few essentials to make it warm and inviting:• A throw to cuddle up with on
chilly evenings, plus a spare blanket for the bed
• A few good books and magazines to give them (and you) some down time
• A portable fold-up luggage rack will keep the luggage off the floor and off your clean bedding
• An alarm clock, set to the correct time (turn off the alarm)
• Plenty of coat hangers in the closet and space for hanging clothes if guests are staying a couple of days or more
• A CD player with a selection of music
Five Tips for a Luxurious Spa BathroomThe bathroom your guests will use is just as important as the bedroom, so supply it with a few luxurious bath products to make them feel pampered as if staying at a spa.1. Fragrant candles and fresh
flower petals in a dish for a calming soak in the bathtub
2. A spa basket filled with bubble bath, creams, peppermint lip gloss, brushes. Don’t forget an extra toothbrush, toothpaste, and other necessities your guests may have forgotten
3. Plush towels with assorted holiday soaps scented with seasonal fragrances
4. Slip-on slippers and bathrobe5. Fresh flowers or greenery
HouseguestsPreparing for
home & décor november 21 – december 4, 2014 27
By The Green Divas www.NaturallySavvy.com
Detergents and fabric sof-teners can be a major source of indoor air pollu-tion. They can also cause
skin irritations, and even be poison-ous if ingested or used in- cor-rectly. Plus, the envi-ronmental impact can be significant, pollut-ing waterways and killing fish.
Let me lead you down the friendly, non-toxic, eco-friendly path for doing laundry.
1. Decode Your Detergent.“HE”, “Ultra-Concentrated”, “Su-per Stain Fighting Power”, “All Nat-ural”, “Free & Clear”—what does it all mean?
Well, nothing really. Just like most labels, these words are typically marketing gimmicks. To figure out what detergent you need, find one with earth friendly ingredients (see next tip), read the instructions for whether it can be used in an HE
(High Efficiency) machine if you have one, and find a scent that you like (see tip number five for making sure your scent is safe)!
2. ID the Ingredients.Look for ingredients you can identify—and avoid these (source: motherearthliving.com):• benzaldehyde• ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid• fragrance• diethanolamine• quaternium-15• 2-butoxyethanol• chlorine• perchlorethylene (perc)• ethyl acetate• nonylphenol ethoxylate• ER/KSN/OB/OB-1 (optical
brighteners)• linear alkyl sodium sulfonates
(LAS)• petroleum distillates (also
called naphthas)• phosphatesCheck with the Environmental
Working Group to review specific brands and ingredients, and their safety. You can also try making your own.
3. Skip the Softener.Fabric softeners contain a tonne of chemicals and fake fragrances that should be avoided. Try plain white vinegar instead, pour right in the compartment that you would put the softener, and use about the same amount that you would for softener. Vinegar is a natural fabric softener, and can be great for removing build up in your washer! Not to mention i t is sure to save you
money. As for dryer sheets—they’re not needed when you use vinegar in your wash, meaning more money saved, and less waste!
4. Have a ball.Dryer balls, that is. Using wool dryer balls in the dryer is a great way to speed up dry time, reduce static and reduce wrinkles. You can make your own, or buy some. If you find that you still have an issue with static, try crumpling up a sheet of aluminium foil (from your kitchen) and placing it inside an old sock or some pantyhose, and tossing it in your dryer with the laundry.
5. Free Yourself From Fragrance.Despite all those television ads, you don’t need to use chemicals and fake fragrances to make your laundry smell clean. Clean laundry smells clean. It does not smell like flowers, or fruit, or an
ocean breeze. However, we have come to associate a scent with our laundry being clean, and if
you’re not ready to give that up—try essential oils in your laundry!
The trick is to find a scent that you like, that is strong enough to come through onto your laundry. This can take some trial and error, but in my experience, citrus and woodsy oils seem to be the strongest. You can place a few drops in with the vinegar for your wash cycle, and/or
onto the wool dryer balls in your dryer.
Tips for aGreener Laundry
Let me lead you down the friendly, non-toxic, eco-friendly path for doing laundry.
epoch Times
Tips for aGreener Laundry55
aLL photos from fotoLia
By Peter Loh Member of Yew Tee Riders
We come from all walks of life with a common pas-s i o n — R O A D
BIKING! While the genesis of the Yew
Tee Riders group about eight years ago is somewhat nebulous (as some of the original founders are now based overseas or have left), the ideals and objectives re-main clear—we are just a bunch of cool cyclists working out to-gether for fitness, fun and food, enjoying the freedom of roaming our island home and neighbours’ backyards on two wheels.
The group’s name reflects the neighbourhood that most of our members reside in, but we do have members from other parts of the island, including the East. A highlight this year was our group’s participation in our na-tion’s 49th National Day Obser-vance Ceremony at Yew Tee. We were part of the sport contingent and proudly did the march past in full gear with our bikes.
Our main Saturday morning ride starts from Yew Tee Esso sta-tion, located diagonally from the Yew Tee MRT Station. There are two rides every Saturday to meet different training needs and to ca-ter to those who may not be able to join the later ride. The first ride sets off at 4 am sharp, and does the central and Lim Chu Kang route. From Yew Tee –Upper Bukit Timah – Dunearn – Leonie – Sembawang – Man-
dai – Neo Tew – Lim Chu Kang – Chua Choa Kang and back to Yew Tee within 2 hours. This ride is led by Joseph Neo, whose clan of five family members are also in the group—from the eldest Bro Alex in his late fifties to the youngest, Andy (42 yrs). It’s a 60km loop at an average speed of 30-33 kmph. Riders may join—tag and go—anywhere along the route; just inform the leader beforehand. This ride also takes place on some weekday mornings but the sched-ule is not fixed.
The route for the 6 am ride var-ies, and can be anything includ-ing Round Island (about 120km), Half Round Island to Mount Faber climb to Central includ-ing up South Buona Vista’s snak-ing road, Western route via West Coast to Nanyang Technological University, and the Mandai-Sele-tar Loop. Rides end with break-fast at Yew Tee Foodfare or other coffeeshops nearby, but this is free and easy. Routes are posted on our Facebook page one or two days before (see Yew Tee Riders on Facebook for details). There are also occasional Sunday morning rides but at a more leisurely pace to the downtown area, including the Marina Bay waterfront.
Meet-up for weekday evening rides are mostly at the first bus stop opposite Mandai Shell sta-tion. Again, there is no fixed schedule but advanced notice will be given.
Our members’ steeds range from top-of-the-line Pinarel-lo Dogma 2 to Specialised S-
Works, from Colnago to Storck, and from Giant and Polygon to Argon. But as they say, the bike is only half the story.
One of our youngest and fast-est riders, 13-year-old Boaz Yu, started out on an MTB (Moun-tain Bike) and is now on a Poly-gon. Many of us dread the day he upgrades to a full carbon bike as he is already faster than most of us. Nevertheless, we will encour-age him. Who knows, he could be cycling for Singapore someday!
“I am thankful to Joseph Neo (who stays in the same block as me) and his team for taking good care of Boaz during his rides,” said Boaz’s father, Howard Yu.
“As a father, I was initially con-cerned about Boaz taking up this endurance sport on Singapore’s not-so-cyclist-friendly roads. So I accompanied him on his first 60km ride on his MTB with my MTB. I was surprised that he was cycling way ahead of me—perhaps it was due to my lack of training. As he progressed in his skills and commitment, I pro-moted him to a Polygon road-bike. I was greatly surprised by Boaz’s ability to complete the 118 km Round Island ride with the YT Riders on 11 Oct’14 in a good time of 4h 28min.
“As a former PE teacher and avid cyclist myself, I hope that Sport Singapore will place great-er emphasis on developing the talents of young riders,” added Howard.
Sometimes, we have riders on MTBs—and recently one on a Tern
foldie—who complete round-island rides with us. Brave souls! I must say. Of course, we do have a sweeper for every ride, who will guide the slower riders to the finishing point.
Two of our bravest members have now joined the ranks of Robert Downey Jr. sans the suit after completing the Langkawi Ironman race. They are NS man and naval diver—Foo Jie Huai, and probably the smallest-sized member of our team—Loo Chee Keong. He certainly proved size doesn’t matter. It’s all mind and heart—the YT Riders’ spirit.
They gave their all in the 3.8 km swim in open sea, the 180 km bike ride, and the full marathon. Both acknowledged that training with YT Riders certainly helped them prepare for the 180km ride.
YT Riders also participate in overseas rides such as Tour de Bintan, Century Rides in Kuan-tan, Trengganu, Ipoh and soon Malacca. Or just leisure rides in
parts of Malaysia such as Kota Tinggi, Desaru and our recent Port Dickson adventure. (See our Facebook page for a report on this trip) Our members have also gone on interesting cycling escapades to Kathmandu, Taiwan, Thailand, and so on. It’s always interesting to hear their stories, and to aspire to one day follow in their tyre tracks and ride on the roof of the world from Lhasa to Kathmandu.
In addition to our regular rides, our members conduct bike main-tenance sessions where aspiring bike mechanics who really know their stuff show you how to prop-erly clean and lubricate the bike’s derailleurs, cassette, etc. A well-maintained bike is a safe bike, and safety is paramount to the YT Riders’ group. “Obey all traffic rules” and “Stop at all red light” are constant refrains our ride leader will repeat. One of the aims of every ride is to ensure we all get home safely for the next ride.
The camaraderie of group riding and the fun and food plus freedom to roam are what keep many of us coming back despite the need to get up at ghostly hours—some as early as 3.30 am! I must say that my overall fitness as well as riding speed and technique have improved since joining the YT Riders group about a year back.
So whether you are a newbie at road biking or a seasoned rider, feel free to join the YT Riders for one of our spins. We look forward to welcoming you! In the meantime, “Stay Strong, Ride Safe and Leave No One Behind.”
Dear reaDer Epoch TimEs28 novEmbEr 21 – dEcEmbEr 4, 2014
Dear Readers, do you have an article to contribute?Epoch Times welcomes your contributions.
Do send in your articles tofeedback@epochtimes.
com.sg!
We look forward to welcoming you! In the meantime, “Stay Strong, Ride Safe and Leave No One Behind.”
Yew Tee Riders – Going the Distance for Fitness, Fun and Food!
Round Island Ride. PhOtOS cOuRteSy Of yeW tee RIdeRS
Food Travel
All photo from E trAvEl Blog
30 november 21 – december 4, 2014 epoch Times
By Margarette L www.etravelblog.com
Europe in winter certainly makes a wonderful sight as everything is blanketed in white. And with winter comes a whole
array of attractions that will definitely make anyone interested in the thought of at least spending one Christmas in a European country.
There is so much that you can experience while having a tour of the continent during the season although you have to be prepared as it is bound to be cold. Nevertheless, some of the best holiday drinks are perfect for these winters.
If London is your destination, a sip of the most decadent chocolate drinks will surely warm you up inside as you brave the biting winter chill. For those who love this sweet drink, here are some of the best shops to stop by:
Paul A Young, Branches at Bank, Islington and SohoThe chocolate store under this shop looks like a wood-panelled apothecary but it doesn’t come as a surprise as the chocolatier behind this shop defines himself as a flavour alchemist. Now with 3 branches, the tiny shop is certainly a place where you can experience a burst of flavour. The hot chocolate here is crafted without milk using the Aztec-style. However, you can use other spices to enhance the flavour of your drink and if you can still take more sweetness, take the drink with a salted caramel brownie.
Choccywoccydoodah, 30-32 Fouberts PlaceThis café and cake shop is quite lively and it has a wide assortment of items that are red, gothic, frilly, beaded and shaped as flowers. This place is quite popular and it is perfectly normal to be on queue especially when you time your visit on a weekend. You can expect to sip their chocolate which comes with huge pink marshmallows and whipped cream. Customers have a choice whether to go for white chocolate with cocoa, 38 percent milk and there is a 70 percent chocolate drink.
Rococo, 5 Motcomb StreetIf hot chocolate is what you are looking for then it would be awesome to try the
Sea salt hot chocolate. This 75 percent chocolate blend contains the organic Grenada chocolate and if you really like it, you can actually buy the blend and take it home. You can choose among the espresso style shots and the milky chocolates in a mug. Plus, both drinks come with a truffle.
Melange Chocolate Shop, 184 Bellenden RoadThis little shop in Peckham will make you feel as if you are in a Chocolat scene and that is definitely saying something. You can be sure to find yourself hunched over a steaming mug of the decadently sweet and dark chocolate which con-tains the top secret recipes of the Isabelle Alaya, a French Chocolatier. Aside from creating the bet sweet drinks, she also conducts workshops in chocolate mak-ing, just in case you want to reproduce the sweet treat on your own.
William Curley, 198 Ebury StThis place is certainly a must try when
for those who love this sweet drink, here are some of the best shops to stop.
you are in London and no one can deny that chocolates here are among the best. You can get a mug of high quality, rich and gloopy chocolate and enjoy it to your heart’s content. The primary difference between the hot chocolate here and the others is that William Curley, the master baker, makes use of real grated chocolate instead of syrup or powder. They have a classic chocolate blend as well as Mayan with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and an Aztec with chili hints.
Said, 41 Broadwick StThis branch of a shop in Rome has attracted its fair share of customers and it is located in the heart of Soho, The chocolates here are displayed in jars and their hot chocolate can be seen bubbling in a cauldron. Hot chocolate here is rich and think and the place is a good stop especially when you are a bit exhausted while doing your Christmas shopping.
Hot chocolate is certainly an awesome drink when you are in the mood for something sweet and warm. And, if you find yourself craving for this sweet treat, there are certainly a lot of choices open to you.
This article was written by Margarette L. originally published on www.etravelblog.com.
Hot chocolate at Paul A Young.
Hot chocolate at Choccywoccydoodah.
Hot Chocolate at Melange Chocolate Shop.
6 Stops for a Sipof the Most Decadent
Hot Chocolate in London
Hot Chocolate William Curley.
Jonathan Yapa) Dear Santa, All I want for Christ-mas is a pink four-wheeler for my sister, she is very sick with brain cancer. b) Christmas means having fun with your family, spending time with your family, seeing all the beautiful lights, decorating the tree, eating all the food you can eat, celebrating Jesus’s birthday and buy-ing presents for other people.
Yih Ling Chana) Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to be able to savour all the goodies, roasted meats, log cakes, lava cakes ( esp. From Melvados ) and not gain a sin-gle ounce! Hehehe b) Christmas is day that comes only once a year, but when it comes it brings good cheer, holiday mirth and merriment!
Xueer Anga) Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is for the people around me and myself to be happy. b) Christmas means it’s time to be yourself and re-ward yourself by doing something you have not dare to do before!!
Qr Zhanga) Dear Santa, All I want for Christ-
mas is another trip to Taiwan! b) Christmas means yet another meaningful day to treasure.
Fred Vana) Dear Santa, All I want for
Christmas is to visit my mom in the prison where she is being persecuted
in China for her belief.b) Christmas means the birth of Jesus
Christ. It is a time of God showing His great love and mercy for us.
Consolation Prize will be given to ALL participants! Send in your entries today! Contest ends on 31 De-cember 2014.
@ewmonPontian Wanton Mee is pretty good although I won’t call it the best in Singapore. The portion is a bit small and the char siew dry but the delectable handmade noodles made up for it. They were springy and well cooked. There’s also both fried and soup wantons with the noodles and I love how the fried wan-tons add a crunch to this tasty dish.
@ewmonAs its name suggests, this restaurant spe-cialises in prata. We ordered a plain and cheese prata. The prata is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside—just the way I like it. I love
its texture as there was a bite to it yet soft and chewy. Prata Planet definitely proves that food does not have to be expensive to be good.
@michshawnelleHomemade pizza with a bunch of healthy ingredients like capsicum for freshness, pineapple for the tropical zest, oyster mushroom for crunch, extra to-mato for flavour & a
final drizzle of olive oil to seal the rich flavours and give that extra shine !! :D mmm~
@sgfoodiaryChicken Kebab—I really do like this kebab as it is rela-tively cheap for the amount of portion that was served.B esides the price,the sauce is a must-go with the kebab! They
just taste perfect as a combination I do know pasar malams do sell this a lot but I seldom see it in Indian-Muslim foodplaces. I decided to order it and I was satisfied! Do take note that the stall itself is 24hrs but not the sale of kebab.
1) Snap a photo of a Singaporean dish of your choice, and write a short review of 20 words or more!2) Follow #EpochTimesSingapore. Share the pho-to on Instagram and tag #EpochTimesSingapore with your review.
3) The entry with the most ‘Likes’ wins S$150!Each reader is entitled to submit a maximum of four food snapshots.Consolation Prize will be given to ALL participants! Send in your entries today! Contest ends on 31 De-cember 2014.
Dear reaDer november 21 – december 4, 2014 29epoch Times
entries for epoch Times Snap & review:Singapore Yummy Food Instagram Contest. WIN $150 Cash!
entries for epoch Times: Christmas Facebook Contest. WIN $50 Worth of Vouchers from Melvados and $50 Cash!
WE WiSh To hEAr From YouThe Epoch Times welcomes your comments and feedback on the content we run, as well as news and issues you can share that we may follow up with in our next issue. Do send your thoughts to [email protected] with your name, email address and phone number.
How to participate
all photos from “the andaman”
By Epoch Times Staff
What defines Paradise? For most busy city dwellers,
‘paradise’ is an idyllic place or ‘heavenly’ location where one encounters a state of supreme peace, happiness, bliss and peace.
The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort located in an idyllic tropical setting on Ma-laysia’s Langkawi Island, tucked away within a 10 million year old rainforest and an 8,000 year old fringing coral reef along the tran-quil Datai Bay, which is lauded as the 9th best beach in the world by National Geographic, ideally captures each of these features of ‘paradise’.
The Andaman, Langkawi brings together the luxuries of a five star resort as well as a blissful experience in the heart of the most alluring nature where guests can partake in a wide range of activi-ties which include Jungle Trek-king, Mangrove Cruise & Swim-ming, Nature Walks: Rainforest Awakening, UNESCO Geopark Cruise, Escorted Wildlife Pho-tography Tours, Birdwatching and more!
Awarded the ASEAN Green Hotel Award by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malay-sia, 2013/14 International Hotel Awards for Best Sustainable Ho-tel and Best Spa Hotel in Malaysia and a finalist in 8 different Hos-pitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA), the resort presents 178 exquisite rooms which are
designed magnificently to por-tray a contemporary Malaysian style.
The rooms provide enchanting views over the beckoning Anda-man Sea and the ancient rainfor-est. Enjoy the alluring scenery while sipping a cup of coffee or catching a movie on the 32-inch LCD flat screen television with DVD player and cable channels. Guests can also connect with friends and family using the complimentary Wi-Fi.
Additionally, the resort houses 14 units of Direct Pool Access Rooms, and 2 new Rainforest Swimming Pools where one can enjoy the tranquility of a 10 mil-lion year old rainforest and the pleasure of having a swimming pool right outside their doorstep.
Guests staying at the Luxury Garden Terrace Rooms can expect to soak up the sun, and enjoy the moonlight from their designer garden terrace while admiring the backdrop of The Andaman’s rainforests, catching a glimpse of the rare colugo, dusky leaf mon-key, hornbills and more.
Moreover, the resort has a lot to offer for food lovers. The distinctive dinning places at the resort which include The Res-taurant, The Japanese Restau-rant, Beach Bar, Jentayu Lounge, Tepian Laut and Jala Restaurant offer diners a variety of mouth-watering local specialties and International cuisines.
For a pampered retreat, V Botanical Spa, nestled on a ver-dant hillside, amid the serenity of an ancient rainforest is an ideal
sanctuary which offers unique treatments such as the signature Kahuna Wave Massage as well as yoga and meditation classes. What’s more, this is also the first spa in Southeast Asia which provides 100% certified-organic food-grade products.
The Coral NurseryThe tsunami incident in 2014 had a devastating damage to the fringing coral reef. Luckily, no one sustained injuries thanks to the thousand year old coral reef which absorbed the impact from the energy and Tsunami waves which struck Datai Bay on that ill fated day.
The Andaman, A Luxury Collection Resort has utilized the beauty of the 8,000 year old fringing coral reef that sits in front of the resort brilliantly through the Coral Nursery. The Coral Nursery is an initiative by the resort to rescue damaged corals and restore the fragile ecosystem.
First of its kind in South East Asia, the coral nursery offers guests the unique opportunity to get upclose and personal with Mother Nature by organizing a variety of activities which include growing new corals, removing dead corals from the reef, educa-tional Coral Walks, Coral Feed-ing Sessions and more!
Guests also have an oppor-tunity to see up close the many treasures that exist under the tranquil Datai Bay. The Coral Nursery features a snorkeling area for guests of all ages! A
‘one-on-one’ Private Guided Snorkel is part of the wonderful ex-perience that the Coral Nurs-ery is conducting for its guests to explore the captivating life under the sea.
Younger guests could also spend a day with the Marine and Coral Curator through the Young Marine Biologist activity, where they can spend a day learning about everything from the heart-of-house pump and filter operations, to taking tempera-tures and PH tests while assisting in Coral Transplanting sessions.
The Andaman is one of the few
places in the world
which can offer a tropical
rainforest and a coral reef within 100 meters of each other. At The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort on the Malaysian holiday island of Langkawi, you are bound to experience ‘paradise’.
For more information on The Andaman and its exclusive packages, please visit www.theandaman.com or contact +604-959-1088 or email [email protected].
The Andaman, A Luxury Collection Resort , Langkawi uniquely set in the rainforest between Mat Cincang mountain range and the Andaman sea.
food & travelEpoch TimEs novEmbEr 21 – dEcEmbEr 4, 2014 31
Simply scan the QR code or visit:http://goo.gl/1xFNPz
2 Lucky ReadeRs to Win a2 nights stay foR 2 at the the andaman a LuxuRy coLLection ResoRt, LangkaWi.
The Beach.
The AndAmAn
a Luxury CoLLeCtion resortParadise on the Datai Bay, Langkawi
Coral Nursery.
Food & Travel Epoch TimEs32 novEmbEr 21 – dEcEmbEr 4, 2014
all photos by beth Williams, besuDesu abroaD
By Beth Williams BesuDesu Abroad
After publishing 10 things to do in Kuala Lumpur, I imme-diately got an overwhelming response with people saying
things like “eating better be at the top of the list!” and “9 out of 10 of those things better be eating!”
And although my list wasn’t actually in a particular order, without a doubt, I would have to put eating at the top of it. Malaysian food is probably the most underrated food ever, and now I can’t get enough of it.
So if you don’t know what Malaysian food is, don’t worry. Before my trip I really hadn’t tried a lot of Malaysian food. Come to think of it, I think the only thing I really knew beforehand were laksas and rendang. But even though I personally hadn’t had a lot of experience with Malaysian food, I knew it was something people raved on and on about.
This gave me high hopes for eating on my trip, but yet I was a little afraid of trying new foods in a country that places so much emphasis on shrimp, which is something I’m allergic to. Where was I to start? How was I supposed to know if something had shrimp in it? I started to get a bit paranoid the more I worried about it.
However, that’s where Food Tour
Malaysia came into play. I was super excited to be joining a food tour on my first night there to get the lowdown on what foods were delicious– and safe for me to eat!
Food Tour Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur’s original food tour, and while I haven’t been on any other food tours in Malaysia, I can’t imagine there being a better one.
Food Tour Malaysia promises that you’ll “taste the real Malaysia” while on their tours. Little did I know this meant embarking on an over 5-hour journey through local establishments on the outskirts of the city. Being led around by a local, to joints where only locals go, was an experience I couldn’t have easily replicated on my own.
As I’ve mentioned before, Malaysia is made up of primarily three cultures:
Malay, Indian and Chinese, so it was only fitting that we sample a variety of dishes from each culture.
On top of that, after hours of conversation on culture, politics and general life in KL, I felt that I left the tour with a much better understanding of the country and its people.
So what’s better than learning about the staples of Malaysian cuisine and culture?
Actually eating the food!So without further adieu, here’s a
look at some of the best dishes from my introduction to Malaysian food:
MalayOur first stop of the night was a hawker centre for some proper Malay cuisine. Our small group of four sat down and within minutes baskets of food were
being placed in front of us at our table.The first thing we tried was nasi lemak,
which is unofficially known as the national dish of Malaysia. Traditionally, this is a breakfast item, but nowadays
Malaysian stall. Nasi lemak.
Otak-otak.
Street satay.
malaysia is made up of primarily 3 cultures: malay, indian and Chinese, so it was only fitting that we sample a variety of dishes from each culture.
Foodies!Malaysia is For
By Bee Yin Low www.rasamalaysia.com
The humble looking chicken skewer was one of my favourites at Chinese buffets. Deeply flavourful and juicy, eating food on-a-stick was so much fun, and delicious!
Ingredients:• 8 oz (230g) chicken thigh and leg
meat, cut into small pieces• Bamboo skewers• Oil, for brushing• White sesame seeds• Scallion, sliced into small pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese rice wine• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil• 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder• 3 dashes white pepper• 1/2 tablespoon honey
Method:Rinse the chicken and cut into small pieces. Pat dry with paper towels. Soak the bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before using.
Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients in the Marinade for 30 minutes. Make sure the Marinade nicely coats the chicken meat.
Thread 3-4 pieces of chicken onto the bamboo skewers. Set aside.
Heat up the grill and grill the chicken skewers on both sides, until
n i c e l y cooked and slightly charred. Brush some oil on both surfaces while grilling.
Top the honey sesame chicken skewers with sesame seeds and chopped scal-lions. Serve warm.
To jazz up the pres-entation, drizzle white sesame seeds on top of the chicken skewers, and add some sliced green onions. Enjoy!
This recipe is reposted from rasamalaysia.com with permission.
Food & Travel november 21 – december 4, 2014 33epoch Times
you can find people eating this at all times of day.
Nasi lemak is simply rice cooked in coconut milk, but this dish is all about the toppings. What this dish comes with varies depending on what region of Malaysia you’re in, but typically you’ll find a hard-boiled egg, peanuts, anchovies, and sambal piled on top.
As we were shovelling spoonfuls of rice in our mouth, another basket was placed in front of us. Inside it looked like a bunch of thick leaves held together by toothpicks. Our guide Deric pulled out the toothpicks and the actual dish was revealed inside.
Called otak-otak, Malay for “brains”, this dish is made of mashed fish paste that’s been infused with spices. Once all the ingredients have been nicely blended together, they spoon them into the leaf and barbecue it over a grill until the leaf becomes slightly charred.
While the texture looks a bit off-putting from first glance, once you bite into it, the flavour of the spicy fish keeps you eating more until its all gone.
Finishing what we could, we then had a short chat with the chefs, telling them how delicious we found Malay cuisine thus far. We watched as they quickly and effortlessly assembled more of the dishes we had just eaten before making our way to our next destination.
ChineseAh, Chinese food, something I’m at least familiar with due to living in Hong Kong. We arrived at another location that seemed similar to a hawker center, except for Chinese dishes only. Sitting around on plastic tables, talking, we waited for our food to arrive.
Soon, dish after dish was brought to our table, and like proper Chinese, we
began to pick what we wanted from each individual dish, family-style.
There were a variety of noodle-based dishes, like the Malaysian favourite Hokkien mee, as well as things like spring rolls, peking duck and yin yang rice.
While none of these were particularly new to me, I found the peking duck to be absolutely amazing and I kept picking away at it piece by piece. However, I did try one thing that was new, asam boi.
Asam boi is a drink often sold in hawker centres. It was bright and yellow in colour, so I immediately got excited thinking it would taste like lemonade. That excitement quickly disappeared when Deric informed me that lemon flavoured anything is extremely rare as lemons can’t grow in Malaysia, and the imported ones are extremely expensive. He corrected me by telling me the drink was made from limes.
Ugh, I hate limes. After hearing what
it was, I was immediately reluctant to give it a try. I thought there’s no way I could like it. Asam boi is a drink not only made from limes, but it’s also been flavoured with sour and salty dried plum.
There was really nothing that sounded appealing about this drink, but seeing as I’m always thirsty, and I needed something to accompany all that peking duck, I gave it a sip. Delicious.
While I still can’t say I like limes (since I’ve tried them post-trip in Hong Kong), there’s just something about these combination of flavours that was incredibly refreshing and thirst quenching!
As we hopped in the car to seek out our next location, we happened upon a night market. Deciding it would be fun to experience one of KL’s “roaming night markets”, we scoured for a parking spot and m a d e o u r w a y
through the crowds.Walking through the twisting path
of stalls, we stopped to make small purchases of anything that looked appetising. We grabbed a few bags of fish crackers, different meat satays, and a few desserts, before stopping near a vacant alley to eat them.
All the street food I sampled was exceptional, but my favourite was something called apam balik.
This sweet treat is basically a really thick giant pancake loaded with sugar and peanuts. It may sound really simple, but the flavours were what made it great. Watching the vendor skilfully make each pancake, we were amazed at the work and skill that went into making it.
We knew we weren’t the only ones who loved this snack, as a crowd of others gathered around us waiting for their turn to purchase one.
Yue Yi (乐毅) was a capable general for the State of Yan (燕国) during the Warring States Period (475–221 B.C.),
and was considered a master of both the pen and the sword.
During his time, the State of Qi (齐国) was very powerful and had a vast territory, but the Duke of Qi was a ruthless ruler who often looted the neighbouring states.
Using his political and diplomatic skills, Yue Yi helped the Duke of Yan establish an alliance with five other states—the Zhao, Chu, Han, Wei, and Qin—against the State of Qi. He was appointed the supreme commander and led the joint forces of the six unified states to attack Qi.
The military operation was so successful that within six months, some 70 cities in the Qi state were conquered. Afterward, all of the troops of the alliance except Yan’s returned to their own states. Yue Yi stayed in Qi to continue leading the war against the two remaining strongholds.
However, after three years of battle, Yue Yi was still unsuccessful in conquering the remaining two cities. Moreover, someone tried to convince the Duke of Yan that Yue Yi was intentionally prolonging his stay in Qi so that he could gain support from the local people and eventually establish
himself as the ruler of Qi. The Duke of Yan responded, “Yue Yi’s
achievements and contributions are magnificent beyond compare.” He then sent word to Yue Yi that he would award him the title of King of Qi.
With much gratefulness, however, Yue Yi declined the honour.
Victories Destroyed Due to a King’s SuspicionAfter the Duke of Yan passed away, his son succeeded him as Duke Hui of Yan (燕惠王). Knowing about the conflict between the new duke and Yue Yi, the Qi general Tian Dan (田单), seized the
opportunity to start the rumour again.The young Duke of Yan, who
was already suspicious of Yue Yi, immediately replaced him with another general and ordered Yue Yi to return to Yan. Aware of the duke’s hostile stance toward him, Yue Yi fled to the West and sought shelter in the State of Zhao.
Tian Dan later defeated the troops led by the new Yan general and recovered the 70 cities previously lost to the alliance army, thus destroying all of Yue Yi’s previous efforts and victories.
The new Duke of Yan regretted replacing Yue Yi, but he also resented Yue Yi for seeking refuge in the State of Zhao and feared that the Duke of Zhao might request Yue Yi to lead a military attack against Yan.
So the young duke sent a letter to Yue Yi, in which he acknowledged his own fault for being misled by his advisers, but he also reproached Yue Yi for not honouring his promised service to the former Duke of Yan.
The letter concluded by asking Yue Yi, “How will you repay the previous Duke of Yan for his great favour and trust?”
Letter to King HuiIn a moving letter of response to the young duke, Yue Yi explained that only with the support and trust of their ruler can talented and competent individuals make great contributions to the state.
He expressed his deep loyalty, gratitude, and respect toward the previous duke. He also shared his
frustration and regret over the unsuccessful military operation due to the interference from the young duke. However, he did not return to Yan because he feared he would be charged with violating the law and sentenced to death under false accusations by the duke’s advisers.
Yue Yi further expressed his belief in tolerance. Although he had been wronged by the young duke, he would not seek redress, as he did not wish to damage the reputation of the young duke or his father.
“I have heard that gentlemen will not speak ill of one another despite ending their friendship. And when a loyal official leaves his country, he will not seek to clear his name. Although I am not eloquent, I endeavour to follow this code for gentlemen,” Yue Yi wrote.
For the rest of his life, Yue Yi was true to his word. He did not harbour resentment or seek revenge. On the contrary, he tirelessly worked toward building good relations between the states of Yan and Zhao.
Yue Yi’s sincere and earnest reply to the Duke of Yan was to become a famous letter in Chinese history.
Yue Yi is highly respected by later generations as one of China’s greatest generals because of his loyalty to his monarch, his humanity toward all people, and his wisdom, diplomacy, and military talent.
Additional reporting by Cindy Chan.
34 NOVEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 4, 2014 EpOCh TiMEs
Values Virtues
Yue Yi: Role Model of Generals The ToleranT General
Yue Yi expressed that although he had been wronged by the young Duke of Yan, he would not seek redress as he did not wish to damage the reputation of the young duke or his father.
By Mindy ChaoNewlandmagazine.com.au
C onfucius once said to his disciples, “Lack of tolerance in small matters upsets
great plans”. This means that a lack of patience or forbearance when encountering small matters can lead to the inability to achieve great things.
“Tolerance” is the cornerstone to achieving great things. Many stories
throughout history illustrate that, a person who is able to tolerate what others cannot tolerate, will achieve what others are unable to achieve.
Zhang Er and Chen Yu were well-known historical figures from the State of Wei, which was taken over by the Qin State during the Warring States Period (circa 500 BC – 221 BC). Zhang and Chen travelled incognito and arrived in Chen County, where they worked as doorkeepers.
One day, a petty official scolded and beat Chen Yu. He thought about fighting back, but Zhang Er privately rebuked him.
When the petty official left, Zhang Er pulled Chen Yu aside and said, “Remember what I told you before? Have you thought about the consequences if you don’t put up with this minor humiliation?” Chen Yu conceded that he was right.
Soon afterward, both
Zhang Er and Chen Yu became ministers. If they had quarreled with the petty official, they might never have had the chance to be promoted.
Patience and tolerance arise from noble virtues of humbleness, maturity, generosity, and long-term vision, which can help us to accomplish great things; on the contrary, impatience and intolerance may often offend others and lead to the disruption of great plans.
By Epoch Times Staff
During the short dynasties of the Eastern Wei and Northern Qi (534-577), the political climate
was volatile because of hostilities between the Xianbei, a sizeable nomadic Mongolian tribe, and the Hans. The dynastic transition was also a time of transition from the Xianbei Culture to the Han Culture in northern China.
Cui Xian (崔暹) was appointed the deputy prime minister, and was highly regarded and respected by Emperor Shizong (世宗).
Cui liked to promote talent. He recommended Xing Shao (邢邵) to the Emperor as staff in the prime minister’s office, and also as head of covert operations. Because of Cui’s recommendation, Xing was recruited. Xing later won the Emperor’s trust and high regard.
Being head of covert operations, Xing had the opportunity to spend time with the Emperor. During their conversations, Xing frequently disparaged Cui, which upset the Emperor.
One day, Shizong told Cui, “You always praised Xing’s merits, but Xing only mentioned your shortcomings. You’ve got to be an idiot!”
Cui replied unassumingly, “Xing talks about my shortcomings and I talk about his merits. We are both stating the facts and there is nothing wrong with it.”
Cui was tolerant with others and strict with himself. He not only affirmed the strengths of others, tolerant of their shortcomings, but was also able to confront his own.
As the old saying goes, “Tolerance is magnanimous, freedom from desires is strength.” Tolerance requires great bearing, and breadth of mind, and those who embrace it live in a realm of altruism and benevolence.
Source: History of North Qi (Bei Qi Shu)
By Lu WenMinghui
The Chinese character 忍 (rěn) is a pictophonetic character—one formed by combining a component
that denotes the character’s meaning with a component that provides the character’s pronunciation.
忍 means to forbear, endure, or tolerate. It also has connotations of self-restraint and self-control. It is composed of the character for “heart” (心,xīn) on the bottom, which denotes
the meaning, and the character 刃 (rèn) on top, which provides the pronunciation.
刃, referring to the blade of a knife, also contributes to the meaning of the character 忍.
That is, 忍, meaning forbearance, is formed by placing a “knife” over the “heart”. It depicts having to bear suffering that is like a knife through one’s heart, and implies that this quality is not easily achieved by ordinary people, but requires a higher level of discipline, cultivation, and will.
Values & VirtuesEpoch TimEs novEmbEr 21 – DEcEmbEr 4, 2014 35
ChinESE idioMS
ChinESE CharaCTErS
intolerance of small Matters upsets Great Plans - 小不忍, 则乱大谋 -
The Virtue of Tolerance
Chinese Character for Tolerance: Ren (忍)
This idiom means that a lack of patience or forbearance when encountering small matters can lead to the inability to achieve great things.
“Xing talks about my shortcomings and I talk about his merits. We are both stating the facts and there is nothing wrong with it.”
Cui Lo, in response to his colleague Xing’s frequent disparagement of him
values & virtues Epoch TimEs36 NovEmbEr 21– dEcEmbEr 4, 2014
By Derick ChanEpoch Times Staff
Dizi Gui (Standards for Being a Good Student and Child) is a tradi-tional Chinese text for
children that teaches moral values and proper etiquette.
In Chapter 4, “Be Trustworthy”, we are taught that rather than speaking too much, it is far better to speak less. We should say only the truth and avoid distorting the facts of the matter. In addition, manipulative words, foul language and uncivilised behaviour should be avoided at all costs.
The person who is able to do all this demonstrates to others that he is dependable and trustworthy. Here are some good historical examples of men who spoke honestly—or dishonestly.
Yanzi Correcting a Ruler’s Faults with Frankness Yanzi was the prime minister of the State of Qi during China’s Warring States Period. Loyal and righteous, Yanzi always gave the Duke of Qi frank criticism that would benefit the state, at the risk of offending him.
One day, the Duke of Qi held a banquet for his friends and of-ficers. Drinking happily, he said, “Feel free to drink as much as you want. Don’t take etiquette too seri-ously.”
Yanzi responded, “It is etiquette that differentiates man from animals. Etiquette is required to maintain peace and order in society. If our officers disregard etiquette, our country will descend
into chaos and the king could be usurped. How, then, will you handle that?”
Hearing Yanzi’s criticism, the duke was very unhappy and chose to ignore to him. Later, when the duke left the room, everyone but Yanzi stood up to see him off. When the duke returned, Yanzi did not stand up or receive him. The duke asked everyone to be cheerful, but Yanzi did not cooperate. Instead, he drank by himself.
Witnessing Yanzi’s bad manners, the duke was furious. “You just said how important etiquette and rules are, but now you ignore them yourself!”
Yanzi immediately stood up and bowed. “Your Majesty, please don’t be angry. I dare not be offensive. All I did was to demonstrate what the lack of etiquette would lead to. If your majesty should disregard etiquette, it would be like this.”
Realising what Yanzi meant, the duke said, “Apparently it was my fault. Please be seated. I’ll listen to your advice.”
Yanzi served three generations of rulers, and always spoke frankly with them without avoiding the truth of the matter. They, in turn, valued his courage and wisdom.
Emperor Wen of Han Employs the Honest and Avoids the ManipulativeEmperor Wen of the Han Dynasty was one of the most benevolent rulers in Chinese history. Once, he paid a visit to the royal zoological park.
When he reached the tigers’ cage, he asked the park ranger questions about the tigers. The ranger, who
was not an eloquent person, was slow to answer him.
Instead, the animal caretaker nearby quickly pushed his way forward to answer the Emperor’s questions. Pleased with his an-swers, the Emperor ordered his minister, Zhang Shizhi, to promote the caretaker to replace the park ranger.
In response, Zhang Shizhi said, “Both Zhou Bo and Zhang Xiangru are well-respected officials of the court, yet neither of them are eloquent speakers. If Your Highness promotes the caretaker only because he is an articulate speaker and knows how to please his superiors, then others might follow suit. Everyone may focus on improving their speech instead of fulfilling of their duties. I ask Your Highness to consider the consequences.”
Emperor Wen thought Zhang Shizhi’s words made sense and thus withdrew his order.
When employing the right per-son for a job, one often gauges a person’s ability by how eloquent he is. As a result, some people exploit their speaking skills to flatter or curry-favour their superiors.
The animal caretaker was that kind of person. A cunning man, he seized the chance to outshine and embarrass his boss in front of the Emperor, instead of being humble and kindly to support his boss. He failed to act out of kindness and be mindful of others.
Even in our modern day, there are quite a few such smooth
talkers, and this is a relevant issue for government or company employers.
Focus on the candidate’s capabilities and identify those who are selfless and responsible, instead of those whose outward appearances aim to impress others. Doing so will minimise losses to the country and the company.
lessons from Dizi gui
* Rather than speaking too much, it is far better to speak less. Speak only the truth and avoid distorting the facts of the matter. Manipulative words, foul language and uncivilised behaviour should be avoided at all costs.
Trustworthiness Begins With What One SaysHave more than you show, Speak less than you know.
William Shakespeare
baikE/blog
A painting of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty sitting in Shanglin Garden. Emperor Wen learned from his minister, Zhang Shizhi, to judge a person by his character and not by his ability to please his superiors.
奸巧语 秽污词 市井气 切戒之
见未真 勿轻言 知未的 勿轻传
事非宜 勿轻诺 苟轻诺 进退错
凡道字 重且舒 勿急疾 勿模糊
彼说长 此说短 不关己 莫闲管
见人善 即思齐 纵去远 以渐跻
见人恶 即内省 有则改 无加警
唯德学 唯才艺 不如人 当自砺
若衣服 若饮食 不如人 勿生戚
闻过怒 闻誉乐 损友来 益友却
闻誉恐 闻过欣 直谅士 渐相亲
无心非 名为错 有心非 名为恶
过能改 归于无 倘掩饰 增一辜
话说多 不如少 惟其是 勿佞巧
凡出言 信为先 诈与妄 奚可焉
弟子規
信
*
arts & culture Epoch TimEs38 NoVEmBER 21 – DEcEmBER 4, 2014
By Thaddeus Radell
The Ship of Fools is amongst the Louvre’s most delicate and
piercingly luminous images, its motley crew stitched together with inspired invention and impeccable craft to elucidate a timeless moral question.
Painted by Hieronymus Bosch around 1500, The Ship of Fools was presumably inspired after Sebastien Brant’s book of satirical poems of the same title, published in 1494 (of note is that each poem,
112 in all, was illustrated by a woodcut, many having been carved by Dürer).
The Flem-ish printer and humanist Josse Bade van Asche sup-plemented the Brandtian fleet of mostly male fools with his own illustrated text of a Large Ship of Fe-male Fools, a text also con-ceived of hav-ing influenced Bosch.
The Lou-vre’s picture is a fragment of
the upper left wing of a trip-tych. The other existing side panels are Allegory of Glut-tony and Lust (Yale University Art Gallery), Death and the Miser (The National Gallery in Washington D.C.) and The Wayfarer (Rotterdam). The central panel is lost.
In the picture, a ship of
fools is adrift on a calm sea, a slender tree taking place of a mast, an owl or death mast half hidden amongst its foliage. The principal group of figures centres around a table over which preside a monk and a nun, busy either singing or trying to eat a suspended crêpe without their hands, an activity made more difficult by the agitation of the line by a fellow reveller.
Two oarsman have ceded their navigational task to par-ticipate in the game, a woman strikes a prostrate drinker, a man reaches to cut loose a roasted goose, a swimmer beckons for more, a man vom-its. The antics of this reck-lessly bemused human cargo propel a straightforward al-lusion to the vain pursuit of excessive eating and drink-ing as a means to either evade life’s more refined cultural of-ferings or, more probably, to forget the punishing ordeal of daily life itself.
Of more elusive meaning, perhaps, are the two remain-ing figures. A small figure, the only indeed dressed as a Fool, perches in a tree, facing away from the others and in-trospectively sipping out of a bowl. Another figure, a swim-mer, rises up out of the water, either gingerly trying to par-ticipate in the party, or rather trying to direct or guide the craft itself, albeit gently.
Bosch parades this won-drous diversity of highly ar-ticulated forms in a finely tuned orchestration that cen-tres around the suspended crêpe. Each shape is a delight to the eye, each contour seem-ingly refined to perfection, and the subsequent interplay between positive and nega-tive space becomes a puzzle of seemingly divine design.
And yet a mere pictorial puzzle this great picture is not.
As Glenn Gould explained in one of his Canadian Broadcast presentations, anyone can write a fugue. But there is an esoteric perfection to the poetics of a fugue written by Bach that remains without equal.
Bosch first elevates his picture onto this higher plateau of art by inserting a convincing yet almost unnoticeable moment of magic. That fine moment sounds when the crêpe is set in motion by the delicate plucking by a tiny hand.
This outrageously subtle visual note is, however, plucked with enough force to tip the main vertical axis of the tree and consequently reverberates throughout the entire motley company.
Every shape tips and shifts, activating an adjoining shape to create a rich pictorial fugue (most probably in a minor key) and the tight gearing of the composition is deliciously palpable as the Ship is set in motion.
The rowdy occupants are adrift upon the unforgiving sea of their desperate lives, their abandonment of both oars and moral purpose com-plete and remorseless. The ex-ception is the Fool himself.
Alone, his crooked back to the mob, he remains impervious to the wafting, insidious echoes of gluttony and drunkenness as he stares, stares into his bowl, wondering what he missed.
Born and raised in Michigan, the son of two artists, Thaddeus Radell completed his B.F.A. at University of Detroit/Mercy before moving
to New York City to study at Parsons School of Design. Soon after receiving his M.F.A. in 1982, Radell left NY and moved to France, where he spent the next fourteen years, teaching and painting, dividing his time between his studios in Provence and Paris. Returning to New York City in 2000, he now exhibits regularly in the city and teaches at The Borough of Manhattan Community College and Parsons School of Design.
‘Ship of Fools’ by Hieronymus Bosch
Art SpeAkS
Art Speaks is the Epoch Times’ global art exploration project. Here we explore works of art created before 1900 from all parts of the world - Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania - and in all mediums whether they be decorative or fine.
The goal of Art Speaks is to serve as a forum to diversify the public’s artistic appreciation and for writers and readers to gain from each other more pathways to explore traditional art.
Anyone who has insight to share is welcome to participate. To pitch an idea, first submit a photograph of the artwork you wish to write about via http://tiny.cc/arttalks. If approved, an editor will contact you to begin the writing process.
“A Ship of Fools” by Hieronymus Bosch (circa 1450–1516)
Alone, his crooked back to the mob, he remains impervious to the wafting, insidious echoes of gluttony and drunkenness as he stares, stares into his bowl, wondering what he missed.
In a world of overindulgence, is the fool the wisest? A detail from “A Ship of Fools” by Hieronymus Bosch (circa 1450–1516)
wikimediA commons
By David Wu Epoch Times Staff
There are ancient Chi-nese legends about the “Four Great Beauties”, women of such beauty
that they were able to influence emperors and kings, and change the course of empires. Though little detail is known about them, they are credited with having had a great impact on Chinese history.
Wang Zhaojun (王昭君) was one of these “Four Beauties”. She was born into a well-educated family at the time of the Western Han Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Yuan, and when she came of age she was chosen to be a lady-in-waiting in the royal palace.
According to an established practice, Emperor Yuan always chose concubines from among the palace ladies based on their portraits. But the royal portrait painter, Mao, would only draw the most beautiful portraits for the ladies that bribed him.
Zhaojun knew the “rule” very well, but was determined not to win the emperor’s attention through this shady means. So, she refused to bribe the painter. Consequently the painter portrayed her as less attractive than she really was.
Like many of the other palace ladies, without a good reference through the portrait, she endured years of staying in the palace like a bird in a cage, with no opportunity of receiving the Emperor’s favour.
Marriage Arranged for PeaceIn 33 B.C., the ruler of the Xiongnu, China’s enemy to the north, visited China’s capital, Chang’an, and asked to forge an alliance with the Han through an arranged royal marriage. Reluctant to honour the Xiongnu King with his only princess, Emperor Yuan decided to choose a palace lady instead.
He told the would-be consorts: “I will treat the lady who
volunteers to go to the Xiongnu region as a princess.” Since the Xiongnu lived a nomadic life in the far, unknown north, none of the palace ladies were willing to accept his offer—except Wang Zhaojun.
Having seen her unflattering portrait, Emperor Yuan betrothed her to the Xiongnu king. It was not until after the wedding that the emperor saw Zhaojun for the first time.
The emperor was astonished by Wang Zhaojun’s stunning beauty, as well as her graceful manner and intelligence. However, it was too late to keep her for himself. With enormous regret, he let her go to the Xiongnu as promised.
Upon returning to his palace, Emperor Yuan studied the portrait of Zhaojun once again and, in a fury, he had the painter executed for his deceit.
A Sacrifice That Saved LivesWang Zhaojun lived with the Xiongnu for the rest of her life, and devoted herself to fostering peace between the Xiongnu and the Han Chinese. She persuaded her husband, the Xiongnu King, to maintain peaceful relations with the Han Empire. In addition, she introduced Chinese culture to the Xiongnu.
After her husband’s death, Wang Zhaojun chose to follow the Xiongnu custom of marrying the king’s successor. This was contrary to Chinese Han tradition in which a woman
would remain a widow unto death to preserve her chastity. However, she did so in order to maintain the peace and friendship between the two countries.
As an alternative to the com-mon practice of “conquer the world by force and the winner rules”, Emperor Yuan chose a more diplomatic method of re-solving conflicts between na-tions, by arranging royal mar-riages.
This practice spared so many lives that would otherwise have been lost in years of war. Emperor Yuan’s decision and Zhaojun’s sacrifice resulted in 60 years of peace between China and the Xiongnu.
Honouring a Virtuous BeautyAfter her death, the Xiongnu built a memorial for Wang Zhao-jun. For generations, it was me-ticulously maintained by the Xiongnu as well as the Han Chi-nese people, who both revered her.
Wang Zhaojun is also honoured in a legend that echoes the ancient Chinese belief of “the good will be rewarded with good, and the evil with evil, even after death”.
The legend tells that after death, a woman who possessed both great beauty and virtue will be rewarded in the after-life, especially if she had been wronged or had suffered during her life. Her spirit will live on as a deity in charge of a flower.
One of the most famous women
in ancient China who met this standard was Wang Zhaojun.
According to this legend, Wang Zhaojun became the deity of the peony after her death.
In Chinese culture, the peony represents elegant beauty, nobility, and prosperity. It is much loved by the Chinese people and is considered the national flower of China.
values & virtuesEpoch TimEs NovEmbEr 21 – dEcEmbEr 4, 2014 37
SnapShotS of ChineSe hiStory
The emperor was astonished by Wang Zhaojun’s stunning beauty, as well as her gracefulness and intelligence.
Wang Zhaojun
YU - CHILD/EpoCH TImES
‘Beauty’of Peace
Wang Zhaojun, one of the famous “Four Beauties” of Chinese history, sacrificed a life in her homeland to promote peace between the Han Chinese and the Xiongnu.
Epoch TimEsPublished in 35 countries and 21 languages.
arts & cultureEpoch TimEs NoVEmBER 21 – DEcEmBER 4, 2014 39
Art AppreciAtion
The 5 Pillars of Art AppreciationBy Howard YuFor The Epoch Times
Do you recall the article, “How to Evaluate Good Art?” published in the 17
– 30 October 2014 issue of the Epoch Times? This article is a technical supplement to it.
The five pillars of art appreciation are subject matter, form, colour, lines or brushstrokes, and composition.
1. Subject MatterSubject matter basically signifies what the work is about, or what its theme is. Examples of subject matter include still life (Photo 1), scenery (Photo 2), calligraphy and so on.
2. FormForm refers to how accurately the objects are depicted. How-ever, there is a difference between accu-racy and exag-geration. Oc-casionally, the artist makes a conscious effort to distort or cre-ate an amplified effect (i.e. exaggerate). Photo 3 illustrates an excellent display of form by a world-class portrait artist—notice the superb resem-blance to the actual human form and facial expression.
3. ColoursAn artist can use a variety of colour schemes and techniques to achieve cer-tain effects. Colours con-tribute to the realism of the artwork, and they can be used to evoke emotions. Photo 4 ref lects
Howard, his wife and his par-ents actively promote both local and foreign fine arts. They co-manage Da Tang Fine Arts in The Adelphi, #B1-31.
CORRECTION :The photo caption for the article titled 'How Does Fine Art Improve Our Creativity?' published in the previous issue of Epoch Times should read '(L - R) Mdm Grace Chiang (Howard's Mum), Artist Wu Xue Li, Mr Howard Yu, Director of Da Tang Fine Arts and Mr Lau Tai San, VP of SCCCI at the launch of the two-month long Art Exhibition held by Da Ta Fine Arts, in Rendezvous Hotel Singapore on 31 October 2014.' Epoch Times apologises for the error.
the artist’s masterly skills in the use of colour—the play of light on the girl’s lustrous hair, the life-like quality of her beautiful eyes, and the strong emotion in the piece.
4. Lines or BrushstrokesLines or brushstrokes are fundamental elements of Chinese and Western art. You may recall hearing of this term in your first art lesson. (Photo 5: this artwork is done purely in ink; notice the distinct lines and strokes.) Lines and brushstrokes are the fundamentals of visual art.
5. CompositionComposition refers to the way objects are ar-ranged relative to one another in a visual space. It is used to cre-ate balance, a sense of depth, or to draw the viewer’s focus to the intended subject mat-ter. This aspect usu-ally differentiates an average art piece from a good piece of art. (Photo 6: An example of good composition, in terms of how the people, the field and the building are arranged within a relatively small piece of art).
These five pillars are called the aesthetic technicalities of fine art appreciation.
In order to understand art at a more intimate level, it may be necessary to further study the philosophical, historical and cultural heritage of the artwork. This will be covered in the next instalment of this series.
From 20 to 30 November 2014, there will be three major art fairs held in Singapore. This will be an opportune time to hone your skills based on what you’ve learnt from my contributions.
For those who are keen to obtain free admission tickets to any of these art fairs, you may contact me through the contacts listed on the right.
Appreciate Art. Art Appreciates.
Photo 1: Still life by top Korean painter Park Chul-Hwan.
Photo 2: Scenery by Goh Siew Guan, UOB Painting of the Year Award Winner.
Photo 3: Portrait by Li Shu Ji, a world-class portrait artist.
Photo 4: Village Girl by Wang Fei, a China-born, Singapore-based artist.
Photo 5: Street Scene by Ms Lisa Ng, a Singaporean amateur artist.
Photo 6: The Padang by Jayson Castor, a Filipino expatriate amateur artist
Da Tang FinE arTsDa Tang FinE arTs
Da Tang FinE arTs
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Da Tang FinE arTs
Da Tang FinE arTs
Epoch TimEs40 NovEmbEr 21– dEcEmbEr 4, 2014 advErTisEmENT
