Sing Tao Exclusive: Fake Nun's Secular Lives - Fake Marriages, Private Cars, iPhone 6

Fake Nun's Secular Lives - Fake Marriages, Private Cars, iPhone 6

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, written by Sing Tao Daily
Original: A & B

With over a month's investigation, Sing Tao has found out the female chief of Ting Wai Monastery (in Ma Wo Village, Tai Po), Shi Zhiding, had two marriages with mainland monk, in order to help them to gain Hong Kong identity cards. One of them, Ruzhi, has obtained a monk name, Shi Zhiguang, given by Po Lin Monastery in Ngong Ping, after such marriage with Shi Zhiding (or Lung Yan-loi, in secular name) in 2012. Shi Zhiguang has since become the Karma-Dana (General secretary in commoner's word). Marriage between nuns and monks is not only severly against Buddhist rules, but also another way to provide a way for China monks to stay in Hong Kong. She has also been found out that her lifestyle is extravagant, and the accounts of such monastery is but a mess.

Shi Zhiding was born in 27 October 1967 in Jilin Province, China, with her secular name as Shi Aiwen, and became Lung Yan-loi in 1993. She obtained Permanent Residency in Hong Kong since then. She told the media that she became a nun in 1997, but according to the documents in Po Lin Monastery, she became a nun in 2002, and has since become the chief, monitoring over the institution.

According to the Marriage Registry, Shi Zhiding was married in 17 August 2006, with Liu Jianqiang, a 23-year-old merchant. Liu was given a monk name as Shi Zhiqiang after their fake marriage. On such marriage certificate, they said they live in a public housing estate apartment in Tai Yuen Estate, Tai Po, with 2 wedding witnesses who believed are locals.

Shi Zhiding had some telephone conversations with Mary Jean Reimer, a director in Ting Wai Monastery. In which Shi Zhiding admitted twice the fake marriages with Shi Zhiqiang and Ruzhi, and said "I am in fake marriages, do not call the police", "They have obtained HKID cards, you can call the police. It's convenient to others and myself. It is good to be convenient to others, as they work in Po Lin too, and they can provide more comfort to my master (Shi Chuhui, who then lived in Po Lin Monastery). I am not asking Po Lin to give me more money nor asking you more."

Shi disclosed details, too: "Elderly people smells badly because of their urine, and they stink after not bathing for a few days. He was sitting on a chair, and I helped him bathing. He suffers from diabetes, and I dare not to use shower gel, and I use a glove to give him a shower. I took care of the master before, then the one who got HKID card by fake marriage did so. $3,000 a month and to bath for master. Zhiqiang couldn't stay in Hong Kong before, but when he got those ID documents, he helped the master taking bath every day. Master was happy, as if he was a kid."

Sing Tao reporters went to Ting Wai Monastery in 28 August this year, where Shi Zhiding denied of having any sorts of marriage in Hong Kong or China, and retorted by asking why the reporters have to delve into this. That day was having an Obon ceremony, and many Mandarin-speaking monks were chanting. Shi Zhiqiang, the "General Secretary", refused that he is Shi Zhiqiang, and refused to answer all questions from Sing Tao.

After seven years of such marriage, Shi Zhiding and Zhiqiang immediately divorced soon after Zhiqiang obtained HK Permanent Identity Card. Zhiding, who was then 45, married a 38-year-old male teacher, Ruzhi as a "divorced person" in 29 October 2012. They said they live in Classical Gardens, Tai Po. Ruzhi is in turn a monk too, with a secular name Gao Wuguo. He was later given a monk name as Shi Zhiguang by Po Lin as Karma-Dana as well, and "has a high status in the monastery".

During such investigation, Ruzhi (or Shi Zhiguang) has packed his luggage and left Po Lin, and seemed wanting to cut ties with Po Lin. Shi Zhiqiang, the first "husband" of Shi Zhiding, travelled back and forth China and Hong Kong. Most of the time he lives in China except having ceremonies in Hong Kong.

Karma-Dana needs to maintain the law and order within the monastery, and needs "leading morning and evening prays, leading other monks, giving lectures, and chanting charms".

===

Shi Zhiding became a different person after evening. Nearly every night, she returns to the resort in Beverly Hills, Tai Po, on a 7-person-car driven by a male driver, and returns to the monastery in the morning. Shi claims she became a nun in 1997, but actually was in 2002, according to formal documents. She did not perform daily Buddhist duties, but rather, dine out, and even went to a 5-star-hotel and enjoy delicious food, only putting meat aside and eat them all.

According to the Land Registry, the House in Boulevard du Lac, Beverly Hills, Tai Po, was bought by her "disciple", Wang Hui with HK$39.5 million in December 2012. Shi Miaohui, or in secular name Wang Hui, came from China too. She was married and had a pair of daughter, aged 5 and 9. She needs to seek help and get medicines from a psychiatrist. Shi Zhiding said in the phone conversation, "I gave the money to her, she didn't even know how to be a person. She didn't even have the money to have ceremonies for her parents, not even HK$100."

The daughters of Shi Miaohui would sometimes visit Shi Zhiding with the 7-person-car in Ting Wai Monastery. She often talked about selling the house in Beverly Hills with Shi Miaohui.

Ting Wai Monastery was an institution with over 100 years of history. With dilapidated appearance with infected by termites, the monastery has a mouldy wall and broken tiles on the floor. But those who have visited the room of Zhiding said they have seen Shi Zhiding has a nice room with 9 wardrobes of different sizes and a shelf with different skincare products. She also has a private bathroom and all her furnitures are mahogany, an expensive kind of wood. There is a 4-feet king-size bed with a quality mattress, worth of over HK$90,000.

According to their photos and videos, there is a notice of "There is Big and Small Treasure inside, please be aware and close the door". Big and Small Treasure are two female dogs owned by her. The air conditioner will be on 24-hour for them to enjoy. There are wigs and secular clothes and dresses, French skincare products and over a dozen Clarks shoes. What's more, a hairdryer.

Sing Tao reporters have tailed her for her lifestyle. She hopped on a 7-person-car on 20th and 21st September and the male driver drove her to Beverly Hills. They went together in the house, and she returned to the Ting Wai Monastery at 8 am next morning.

Shi Zhiding seldom has dinner in the past three weeks. Most of the time she ate with Shi Miaohui to nearby restaurants. 3pm, 23 September, Zhiding and Miaohui went to Sha Tin to buy a new mobile phone and had afternoon tea together, and returned to the monastery at 6:30pm. A car, EH 7××, registered by Chan Kai-yuen (and his wife), carried Shi Zhiding to the five-star hotel in Harbour Grand Kowloon in Whampoa, with another monk.

Shi Zhiding has a wonderful life if there is no ceremonies. After returning from Beverly Hills to the monastery, she will continue sleeping. When she's up in noon, she would go shopping and afternoon tea with Miaohui and even buy iPhone 6. She even demanded to install Mac computers in the monastery. Her lifestyle didn't fit the Buddhist rule.

According to the observation from Sing Tao, she was often carried by a Mercedes-Benz (RN75××) or BMW car. Often she was carried by a male driver without any company. 

RW: The Evil of CCP Is But Condoned by the Chinese People

The Evil of CCP Is But Condoned by the Chinese People

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, edited by Karen L., written by Robin Wilde (Polymer HK) 
Original: http://polymerhk.com/articles/2015/05/01/15200/ 

(Image source: Progressive Today)

Recently, an article titled "Mainlanders Are Not To Blame, Communisty Party Is" was published on HKDash (a website founded by the Scholarism). The author Crystal Yip sees tainted food, human trafficking and education problem as responsibility solely for the Communist Party. Yip thought that Chinese people should be free from the blame due to the constant brainwash. Becoming one after another ignorant individuals and having the foggiest idea of the concept of freedom as a result of it, Chinese people, to Yip, are innocent.

From Yip's point of view, it seems obvious that she has been overestimating the prowess of CCP. Indeed there is brainwashing education in China. There is no doubt about it. But do note that China is no North Korea. People in China can get access to online information from the outside, though they are expected to encounter some blockages at first. By "climbing over the wall" (fanqiang), these "difficulties" can be got rid of right away. And when you look at the websites based in China, even the popular ones Weibo and Tianya Forum, you'll find as much in-depth grumbles and sarcasm from its people as in Hong Kong, or even more.

Chinese people may hold a grudge against the Party, while it's a different matter to go against it. In the Umbrella Revolution and Anti-Smugglers Movement involving HK-China conflicts, they tended to stay in the Party's side and addressed Hongkongers as "running dogs and slaves of foreigners" despite the fact that they whine about the Party at other times.

To some, such phenomenon is the after-effect of CCP's effort on rigging the public sentiment for nationalism. But then it also shows that Chinese people know what the Party does, whereas they choose to accept it and indulge it.

Some, similar to Yip, regard Chinese people as a bunch of benighted puppets. This misrepresentation reveals itself when tonnes of Chinese students rush into the US and Europe. They study aboard, but the end game is to get a job and permanent residence over there. However they support China on Facebook or Youtube, most of them will stick their feet overseas and few will return.

A decade after the 9/11 attack, Phoenix News interviewed a Chinese U-grad. He said he was happy to see the US "being bullied", and the ones who had done it are heroes. Shortly after the speech, he mentioned his love to America and his plan to be studying there. Speaking of his future, he, in front of the painting of Mao Zedong on Tian'anmen, said happily, "I will be staying there [in the US] as long as I can."

Often do Chinese behaviours go opposite direction with their minds. They may love their motherland, while their bodies follow one's animal instinct -- choosing the best proposal for oneself.

Crystal Yip says the CCP should be the only one to take the blame, for which I do feel the need to clarify -- Indeed CCP is certainly the cause of such problems, therefore a high proportion of responsibility is on the Party. But then I doubt its people can get rid of a share.

For tainted food, due to insufficient surveillance, the relevant authorities are to blame, but it is not the authorities which are in charge of producing it. A little girl was ran over by a car. No pedestrian helped. They are, if not all, ordinary people without CCP membership. There are uncountable fake goods and pirated CDs or books all over China. Some thus get extremely rich and most of them are simply commoners. Is it that fair to let Chinese people go free?

Chinese people are not as innocent as Crystal Yip assumed. On the contrary, they are smart, so smart that they gulp all the way they can by exploiting the loophole under the Communist rule -- and wait for a chance to leave the country behind. But before the day, they know staunchly to play safe. In a way, it is their gratefulness for years of advantages as a Chinese under the CCP's regime.

This situation now reminds me of a quote from V for Vendetta "How did this happen? Who's to blame? Certainly there are those who are more responsible than others. And they will be held accountable. But again, truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror."

What kind of a nation would choose such a party in the first place? And it naturally leads to the second question: with this brutal governance, what provides its people the numbness to live with it for 66 years and to endure its brutality in the foreseeable future?

"Do not do to others what you don't want to be done to you" is one of the motto known by Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher. Abandoning one's born empathy, this nation go angry, tease or scold at Hongkongers' resistance against the tyranny which its people have been attempting to leave. 

Metaphorically, CCP is a monster raising by all people from mainland China. Fully grown, the monster does what it's nature provide and how it's taught. Retribution is it. Could these "victims" avoid the blame? Clearly not.

According to Crystal Yip, "Today, some people wish Hong Kong to be independent from China. I could not agree for a bit, because it is unbearable for one to see a lot of people suffering the suppression of the Communist Party." This is probably the lousiest excuse against Hong Kong independence movement that I've ever seen. Yip demonstrated an extreme case of empathy, forcibly rationalizing Hongkongers' suffering and "obligation" as a companion with Chinese people.

It makes one wonder if it ever occurs to Yip that the relationship between Chinese people and CCP is a form of sadomasochism. As pure outsiders, Hongkongers are not entitled to interfere. Most importantly, no Hongkongers are delighted to stay beside Chinese people and to suffer with them due to her impractical moral high ground. 

Wing Wing: On Donation to China vs Japan

On Donation to China vs Japan

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, edited by Kristee Q, written by Wing Wing (翼雙飛)
Original: http://www.passiontimes.hk/article/05-12-2015/22920 

(GBTimes; in Hong Kong, a citizen donates money to World Vision for Sichuan Earthquake in China)

It has been four years since the 2011 earthquake in Japan. It had been a while since March, but whatthe Japanese did in that time was more than impressive. In June 2011, the Japanese thanked Taiwan by putting advertisements in two Taiwan newspapers thanking them for their efforts in the, earthquake. This year some Japanese NGOs expressed their gratitude by doing volunteer work in superman suits and last March a Japanese restaurant owner in Taipei gave out free curry rice for a week so as to thank the enthusiasm shown by the Taiwanese people.

Some people might say Japanese are over-pretentious as they predominantly show their polite side to others but on the other hand shouldn't we see this as a sign of being educated? To thank those who have helped his/her country in plight is a sign of politeness - putting the word "pretentious"aside, Japanese has won in terms of politeness. When a child receives a gift that he doesn't like much and he still thanks that person, would you say that he is pretentious? If he pouted and remained silent, or even made a long face, would you say that he was sincere and tell him "you don't have to thank others if you don't like the gift"? You simply wouldn't because thanking others is a form of politeness and virtue.

In China, during the Eastern China Flood and Wenchuan Earthquake (seven years ago), tears shed for their victims were uncountable in Hong Kong. Very many people donated their own money to help the flood victims and those who disagreed with such donations were condemned as "cold-hearted". But what have we got in return for our genuine distress and wish to help? Has any Chinese tourists thanked us for "giving a helping hand in our plight"? Are there Chinese putting advertisements in newspapers thanking us? No. Instead we hear of some Chinese tourists humiliating Hongkongers: "If it isn't us [coming], your Hong Kong is certainly doomed!" or "China has arisen, you Hongkong-dogs are jealous of us being rich!"

For sure, these people don't represent all Chinese but Hongkongers are being humiliated online and offline. How can people expect Hongkongers to donate when there are many charities raising donations for China? A decision to donate hinges on how the donor feels about the place and its people. I have a few words for those genuine victims: "Your compatriots are tirelessly zealous in humiliating those who have helped you. If they are so rich and powerful, can you really blame others not seeing the need to help you? Not to mention how much money has been pocketed during the donation process, after many Chinese charity scandals have been exposed."

Therefore it is not strange for Hongkongers to show unwillingness to donate to China.

Some "patriots" might say, "Are Japanese worth emulating? They have tonnes of problems, such as..." Certainly Japan has tonnes of problems, but why don't we learn from their positive attributes? If a nation only nit-picks at others and feels comfortable doing so without learning from their good points such nation will inevitably degenerate slowly but surely.

Yu Jie: Arrogant Headmaster, Arrogant Chinese

Arrogant Headmaster, Arrogant Chinese

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, Written by Yu Jie (余杰)
Original: http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20150317/19079443 

Zheng Qiang was raving a few days ago at a press conference of the Chinese NPC about "the overseas Chinese students saving universities in Britain":

I've returned from Oxford. All their professors are saying the truth: if the Chinese education system did not nurture such a good batch of youngsters, around 20% universities in Britain would be closed - this is true.

So a headmaster from one of the poorest provinces can finally hold his head up high to the "empire on which the sun never sets"!

A Qing dynasty official, Lin Zexu once claimed that "gweilos" from England were but vampires who did not know how to bend their knees. When the arrived, they could be easily attacked. Headmaster Zheng was similarly bursting with pride – so what’s the big deal, Oxford and Cambridge? "If we did not provide flocks of overseas students, your skeleton in the closet – the dilapidated, once-great empire that you have become – will be shown for all to see!"

Post by Hong Kong Columns - Translated.

Somebody doctored a photo of the "Two Meetings" - replacing the banner with "Parents' Meetings of Chinese Students Studying in the West". Quite accurate. Are there any official's children not studying in "evil capitalistic" countries with "ulterior motives"? Whether the offspring of Zheng studies in Guizhou University or abroad is worth our doxing?

[Translator's note: Tsinghua University was "first a preparatory school for students later sent by the government to study in the United States" - Wikipedia]

Top-notch institutions in China, such as Peking University or Tsinghua University, have become the "preparatory schools" for students before they go on to study in the US or Europe. The younger generation of China has never ceased to study, work and live in the West, and contribute to the growth of the West. This is a sign of failure for China’s entire higher education and social system. It is not something headmasters should feel proud of, rather, they should feel ashamed.

Post by Hong Kong Columns - Translated.

Zheng's logic is that of the almsgiver who hands out gifts with condescension.  This attitude is prevalent among Chinese elites and spreading like a cancer. They grab milk formula, daily necessities and luxuries in Hong Kong, arguing: "We are here to spend and give you job opportunities, how dare you not welcome us? Even if we urinate, defecate, jump red lights, and shout whenever we want, you should tolerate us." Chinese elites think Hongkongers would only live on air were it not for the Individual Visit Scheme. Yet "living on air" will not be as a "death" sentence – unlike that facing those kids whose parents are unable to buy quality milk formula so have to drink tainted formula, which makes them become big-headed babies. Does the Chinese dream of Xi Jinping include big-headed babies?

Chinese elites also go to Taiwan to buy fruits and seafood. All purchases have a political undertone. They think when they buy Taiwanese products, Taiwanese people should be grateful, or wish for "reunification" immediately. Yet the Sunflower Movement has shown the will of the younger generation, leaving Chinese leaders to reveal their true colours: "If we don't buy your fruits and seafood, you will suffer!"

China is not the almsgiver of the world, and the world is not the prostitute of China. So you are rich, huh? Buy more paper offerings, and create more smog then!

Atsuna: HKers Are Educated Illiterates, in Lu Xun's Words

Hongkongers Are Educated Illiterates, in Lu Xun's Words

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, Edited by Vivian L., Written by Atsuna
Original: http://www.passiontimes.hk/article/03-02-2015/21495 

[Translator's note: Lu Xun was a famous leftist writer during the first half of the 20th century in China. His works are mostly written in Chinese, and you can find the English translation here.]

Lu Xun's stories are littered with rotten-to-the-core characters--they are either ignorant illiterates, or educated elites who are so fraught with envy one can almost see the green-eyed monster jumping out of the page.

Lu Xun gave up medicine to be a writer because he wanted to rescue the Chinese populace from the age-old depravity by offering stark social criticisms through literaray works. Set in early 20th century China, Lu Xun's stories -- where men wear cheongsams, and struggle over whether to cut or keep their queues (the long pigtails) years after the Qing domination had fallen -- were written to pointedly criticise and mock the society and its people for their crooked ways. It was a time, it seems, that bears little resemblance to our present day Hong Kong--Hongkongers never believe that eating a bread soaked in blood can treat tuberculosis, and we are much stronger than conceited the anti-hero Kung I-chi who is a student of the traditional teaching and a downright loser in all aspects of life--but are we so far from Lu Xun's world?

The aim of education is to enlighten. In Lu Xun's time, education was a privilege. Even if one had a chance to study, it's hard not to be influenced by the traditionalistic backward thinking that was severely outdated in the 20th century society.

Decades of modernised education has virtually eliminated illiterates in Hong Kong, yet a vast number of "educated illiterates" remains in our midst.

In Lu Xun's Medicine, when the jail warden hears the anti-Qing coup leader proudly exclaims, "The great Qing empire belongs to the People!", his only concern is whether he can squeeze some pennies out of the revolutionaries about to be executed. Blue ribbon thugs snarled at mentions of "Hong Kong nation-building" as they find the notion "rebellious", still many sought profit out of the Umbrella Revolution by signing up to the pro-Beijing camp's troop of "amateur thugs" to put on a show in the Mong Kok occupy camp.

Lu Xun taunted the cannabalistic teaching (吃人的禮教) of the old-school feudalistic ideologies in A Madman's Diary. Decades have passed, yet these ridiculous doctrines lived on in reincarnated form here in Hong Kong.

Generations of Hongkongers have been hopelessly bound by the curse of The Great Unity of the "Chinese people" and the pan-democrats' infallible dogma of "Peace, Rationality, Non-Violence and Non-swearing".

The self-deceiving loser protagonist in The True Story of Ah Q professes in "spiritual victories". Despite being synonymous with idiocy, the "Ah Q mentality" continues to be practiced by many in Hong Kong. Even the Umbrella Revolution ended in failure, Hongkongers rejoiced in their spiritual victories when the singer Common mentioned Hong Kong in his Oscar win. As if that was not enough to sate their need to feel good about themselves, they have whipped up an endless string of frivolities to "commemorate" their "hard-fought victory".

Kung I-chi knew how to write the four different forms of the character 回 (hui), for this he is happy as a clam because it makes him the only one who is "knowledgeable".

Leftards (note: faux-LEFTist reTARDs) hail themselves as "knowledgeable" people as well. They like to use jargons to confuse rather than to use valid arguments to win over opponents. When they are losing ground in a debate, they move thegoalposts just as Kung I-chi does, living out his famous saying, "Taking a book can't be considered stealing!". That's why Occupy Central™'s "volunteer lawyers" said they were not obliged to help protesters arrested during the occupy protest.

People of this generation have had much more education than the generations before us. We may not have read as much as it is good for us given our busy lives, yet we should be way more knowledgeable than people in Lu Xun's time! Why are people in this day and age still exactly the same as Lu Xun described?

When there are few choices in life, people become more ignorant. Local author Isaac Sit said,

"If people allow the rulers to decide what is most suitable for them, they become subjects who inevitably grow more and more stupid. If free choice is allowed from the start, people might make wrong choices, but they would learn from their mistakes, and gradually grow smarter."

North Koreans think of themselves as the most blessed nation in the world. Chinese are less delusional, but still think "China has risen because of the Party's right direction" without realising that if it was not for the Great Party, modern China would have advanced to the level of other developed countries decades ago, and not the newly rich with morals of barbarians that it is today.

We have allowed ourselves limited choices since childhood when our parents and teachers always say, "Do as you're told. Don't ask questions." It's only after you are all grown up that you realise you no longer have much choices in how you lead your life, whether it's choices for food and entertainment, or bigger issues like career and government. But you find yourself powerless over the status quo.

Hongkongers might want to read, but everyone has to work their arses off to pay for mortgage. When overtime is the norm, the diligent workers hardly find the time to read or be inspired by the works of Lu Xun, or at the very least suffer the awakening that Lu Xun had already berated characters exactly like themselves 100-odd years ago.

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Contemporary Chinese Literature Tidbits: Ah Q Spirit/Mentality

Post by Hong Kong Columns - Translated.

Siu Kiu: Modern Chinese History Should Be Called the Era of "Red Peril"

Modern Chinese History Should Be Called the Era of "Red Peril"

Translated by Chen-t'ang 鎮棠, Edited by Kathy Griffin, Written by Siu Kiu (蕭喬)
Original: http://www.passiontimes.hk/article/03-01-2015/21448/ 

(Source: Reuters/VOA)

When the Communist regime is someday overturned, its years of rule may come to be regarded as the "Red Peril" in Chinese history.

This is not simply an opinion about the Communist regime, it is a fact. One of the localist slogans has been "to build a culture nation" in Hong Kong. But why "culture"? You have to look at the country across our border. The idea of building a "nation state" belongs in the last century. Now that the Cold War is over and we have seen the outcomes of countries dictated by the Communists, "building a culture nation" seems a more appropriate goal.

China was culturally dead at the moment when the Communists "founded" the PRC in 1949. From 1949 to 1978, all of China was immersed in an era of "extreme Communism". Extreme politicisation was prevalent, embodied by the push to uphold Marxism-Leninism or Maoism, combat Confucianism, pursue collectivism and economic equality, the Cultural Revolution, all sorts of political struggle. These activities in the name of a single political ideology strongly affected each and every aspect of life in China, including politics, the economy, society and culture. Even Confucianism, which had prevailed for thousands years of Chinese history, permeating social relationships from the family to the state, was completely denied and rejected. "Father is dear, mother is dear, but not as dear as Chairman Mao" was a popular slogan during the Cultural Revolution. China became (and still is) culturally dead.

How did the old China "disappear" from the world? We could make a satirical comparison with its neighbouring countries. In Japan, we can find many things that we would regard as “Japanese” in the qualities, traditions and architectures there. Kinkaku-ji or the Apartment of Tokugawa Ieyasu, for example, has been retained for its significant cultural heritage. Japanese soft power is embodied in the kimono, the traditional clothing of the country, which is seen as a symbol of elegance and decency in the eyes of foreigners. Japanese pop music culture is also still part of the global mainstream. In fact, the genuine strength of the country lies in its cultural influence. The rise of Japanese culture happened during the economic miracle era of the 1950s to 1970s. Similarly, Korean culture thrives in Korea (and beyond). You can "find the culture of the country in that country".

Do not think this is a matter of course. In a Communist country, the culture of the country can be completely eliminated. And this is what happened (and still is happening) in China. The current China is not a Sinitic China, but a foreign Communism regime, drawing its breath from Russian or foreign culture. In this China, all forms of traditional culture have been destroyed, including ethics, especially during the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese you see today retain the faces of Chinese, but they do not act as they would have in the past. A culture is defined not only by its tangible parts, such as the Lunar New Year (which is now called "Spring Festival"), but also its intangibles, such as one's cultivation. We have seen the qualities that are deep down Japanese - bushido, and the considerate character - especially in the Fukushima nuclear disaster. This is the collective character underpinning the culture of the nation. But what about Chinese? They are no longer cultivated and civilised as they were in the past. They only carry the selfish gene, and Confucian values no longer exist in their minds.

You can barely argue with Chinese people, as you are not on the same channel. A Chinese citizen might say, "I have my own reasons", "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun", "Money talks", or "We have our own culture". In Hong Kong, we have a different culture – we do not eat dogs, they do.  They have re-interpretation for each and every word. Socialism, "with Chinese characteristics"; Rule of Law (法治), in China would be "governing the country according to law" (依法治国) and so on. Chinese culture has long vanished to thin air, leaving "Chinese-style" culture. It is not difficult to see who is more dependent on whom for safe food when it comes to grey goods smugglers. But they will say, "Without us buying things from you, you, Hong Kong, are dead." So when we talk about the issue of Hong Kong Independence as a nation, we have reason to support this idea of "build a culture nation".

The Chinese today are pathetic. Who is to blame? Probably the "Red Peril" of Communism, but really, the Chinese people themselves. Hong Kong is fortunate enough to have been taken by the British, so we could be slightly removed from the historical tragedy. The current China has nothing to do with Chinese culture anymore. Genuine Chinese culture, however, has been restored in our neighbouring countries. We can see influences of the Tang dynasty in Japan, the Ming dynasty in South Korea, the Qing dynasty in Taiwan, and the Song dynasty in Vietnam. When an ethnic Chinese (huaren) region wants to build its own nation and aim for real strength, it does not have to think this comes solely from rely solely  economic strength or military prowess – it can also come from a cultural foundation. Hong Kong has such a foundation and it should cherish it, or we will fall to the Red Peril.