Tony's World --- 秦网

The Intrepid

2010-04-04T19:15:00.004-07:00

This is an American version of a 'patriotic education centre', as we call it in China. I was really surprised by the sheer volume of visitors on Saturday. Weather factor, maybe? Coincidentally (or not), this gigantic aircraft-carrier is docked right in front of the Chinese consulate. Hmm...

Math land v.s. CS land

2010-03-27T08:39:00.002-07:00

I came across this article on an NLP blog (http://nlpers.blogspot.com/2010/01/arxiv-and-nlp-ml-and-computer-science.html) that made a humorous comparison of publishing a paper in the 'math land' and in the 'CS land':
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is a cartoon view of how (some branches of) math research gets published:

Authors write a paper
Authors submit paper to a journal
Authors simultaneously post paper on arxiv
Journal publishes (or doesn't publish) paper

We can contrast this with how life goes in CS land:

Conference announces deadline
One day before deadline, authors write a paper
Conference publishes (or rejects) paper

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For Operations Research, I would say from my observation that it lies on the convex combination of the Math land and the CS land in this perspective, with considerably more weight on the Math side.

Machine Learning in Picasa

2010-02-27T10:42:00.002-08:00

I was (re-)trying out the software version of Picasa yesterday and found a new exciting face recognition feature. It's not really that new since it has existed in Picasa for more than a year already. (See here) In contrast to Facebook, where you the user have to pinpoint where are the faces in a picture, Picasa automatically detects the presence of a face and fits it in a rectangle of appropriate size. This technology is actually very common now in point-and-shoot digital cameras, but surprisingly, it seems to be kinda new for photo album software. So this is the first part of the new feature, face detection. It makes sure that only a human-being's face is selected, not a dog's or a monkey's. These two pages [1], [2] contain a survey of some face-detection algorithms.
Now after a face is boxed out in a picture, I'll be able to enter the name of that person, and the identity will be linked to the corresponding contact in my Google address book. The next part of the 'new' feature heavily involves classification tasks: Picasa searches through my entire photo collection on my hard drive, detects the faces (if there are any), and classifies the identities of the faces based on the trained examples, i.e. those faces that I have specified names for. It then lists all the faces that the underlying classification algorithm determines as matches and asks me to label the results as a correct or wrong match. The procedures repeat when new photos are added to my photo library. This is a typical supervised-learning process. What algorithms do they use? Possible: Bayesian approaches, SVM, hybrids, or maybe something completely novel.
An initial tryout shows that the face classification algorithm that Picasa uses is quite impressive in terms of mis-classification rate. With less than 10 trained examples that I provided at the beginning for my parents and myself, Picasa subsequently made identity suggestions of about 300 faces that it detects in my library, and only less than 20 were wrong. There are also some interesting observations for the misclassified faces. For instance, those for my mum all came from her siblings, indicating that they actually look alike. (Of course, they do.)
The computational performance, however, is not quite up to my satisfaction. Since I have a large photo gallery, it took really a long time to perform the above tasks. Furthermore, as the tasks were running in the background, they consumed about 80% of the CPU power, and my cooling fan was making a lot of noise because of the large amount of heat generated. Apparently it's not a battery-friendly or mobile-oriented application. Nevertheless, it's a refreshing feature that Google has implemented here.

Happy Year of Tiger!

2010-02-13T08:28:00.002-08:00

Driver License

2010-02-11T19:02:00.001-08:00

Two months after I passed the road test, I received my new driver license in my mail box, finally.
Yes, two months. If you send a parcel from China to the US by sea, it would have already arrived too. So whom to blame? There are only two parties involved in this send-deliver process: the Department of Motor Vehicles and USPS. DMV claimed that they sent out my license shortly after the road test, that is, before Christmas last year. And online delivery status shows that the letter containing my license was returned as 'undeliverable' to DMV by USPS. Hence, it has been sitting at DMV until I called last week. For a moment I was wondering if I had put the address wrong, but wait, my Learner Permit was delivered successfully with exactly the same address. So do tons of other daily junk mail. Determined to find out what has gone wrong, I examined my mailbox in utter details. Oh, here it is: the number tag on my mailbox is missing. However, my mailbox sits along with all the neighboring ones in a row, and apparently the numbers are arranged in order. The one before mine is 4A, and the one after is 4C. And, each apartment DOES have one mailbox. By now, anyone reading this will have concluded correctly that my mailbox is 4B because one thing that differentiates human beings from machines is the ability to inference. (Well, technically speaking, machines nowadays can do some sort of inferencing as well.) And, this is an absolutely EASY inferencing problem. You don't even need the 'fancy' Bayesian rule ... So that leads me to the following conclusion: USPS has switched to such an advanced delivering system that they are now using machines (albeit with bugs) to do the job. Period.

Sunset @ Hudson River

2010-02-08T20:57:00.001-08:00

Continued

2009-11-28T21:44:00.002-08:00

Continuing to swing between Live Space and Blogspot. It's essentially just about choosing between Microsoft and Google. Space is fancy, feature-packed, but slow, while Blogspot is clean, concise, and fast. Pretty accurate reflection of the two companies.

Summer!

2009-04-18T18:55:00.002-07:00

New York is strange city. A week ago, it almost felt like still winter; today, it has hit 25 Celsius, at evening time. The stairs in front of Low Library on campus are good indicator of the weather---they are packed with people enjoying the sunshine these days, a big traffic hazard though. But great! Finally summer has come here. I have not experienced a complete New York summer yet, though I can imagine the scolding sun baking the forever-working souls.
Another summer.

Jorge Cham

2009-04-16T22:57:00.003-07:00

Jorge Cham来Columbia了。作为PHD Comics的忠实读者，于是也做了回粉丝，排了队买书要签名。他本人和漫画里的主角颇为神似。:p

过年liao

2009-01-24T07:01:00.000-08:00

小年夜的早上，梦游似的坐到了office里面。拜六的缘故，office里只有我一个人，享受一下这难得的清静。明天就是除夕了，虽然这里没什么气氛，但有家人的祝福，还有晚上和朋友们一起的晚会，就足够了。

新年的愿景：

1。

2。

3。

具体内容就不写了，好像是说出来了就不灵了之类。

Beijing

2009-01-06T20:42:00.002-08:00

上次去北京已经是五年半前的事了，那时刚准备去加拿大。上次的记忆似乎就是壮观的天安门，天坛，拥堵的马路和破旧的地铁。这次的印象倒是蛮不错的。

从苏州已有non-stop的去北京的特快，路上大概11个小时，一个晚上也就到了。来和去都遇上睡觉打鼾的，所以其实没有怎么睡好，但还是比坐飞机好受些。

终于有机会去到了鸟巢和水立方。鸟巢确实比电视里和照片上都要雄伟，感叹如今真的只有中国人才造的出这样的建筑---社会主义优越性的完美体现。鸟巢门票50，水立方30。我和表哥给它算了一下。鸟巢一年的维护费大概是7000万，照这样的客流量，光门票就足以自给自足。

第二天开始我的“正事”，去图书大厦和王府井书店淘书。名牌衣服要去美国买，但是textbook绝对要在中国买，理由都一样：差价太大。天安门在两书店之间，于是忍不住还是从地铁站钻出来看了一眼。现在广场上进入都要安检，还有三三两两的军警巡逻，所以人并不是太多。估计FLG在这儿是彻底没戏了。

北京的地铁现在焕然一新，托奥运会的福。我强烈建议纽约的MTA应该来中国考察一下，看看地铁其实也是可以搞得很干净和现代化的。

在北京很高兴见到了XJ和Keddy，大家不免又回忆起了一起在UBC的幸福时光。大学毕业后人都散了，只有这种区域性的小型聚会有可能了。

最后附上一张很“《时代》”的照片，呵呵。

新年

2009-01-01T01:07:00.002-08:00

昨天晚上自恃已康复, 结果被一杯cocktail搞得头重脚轻, 回到家还没听得寒山寺的钟声就昏昏睡去了.
元旦的早晨, 大太阳, 心情顿时开朗. 但是外面更冷了, 据说有零下三度, 感觉差不多有零下十. 江南的冬天就是这么难过. 中午去了新开的"丈母娘", 听说评价不错. 走进大堂就见一Chairman Mao的石像, 供得跟个财神一样. 如今这年月, 靠老毛发财致富的还真不少. Btw, 他们的"农家土鸡煲"很impressive, 值得一试.

冷->病

2008-12-29T16:21:00.006-08:00

大概是前几天积寒成疾, 昨天突然病倒, 发烧到38度7, 人虚的跟一团boneless chicken breast似的. 下午实在撑不住了, 只得去了我家旁边的社区卫生所. 医生一看, 二话不说, 挂水! 两瓶水挂下去, 果然元气就回来了. 中国医生对于感冒发烧的态度就是比老外医生来的爽快. 老外医生特别麻烦, 不到不得已连片抗生素都不给你, 声称多用生素容易对其产生resistence. 但是不用的话, 几天都不会好, 天天suffer, 最后还是得用, 就跟我上次一样. 你说你丫早点用我不是早好了么.
昨天挂水的时候, 看到了很汗的一幕. 一位病友的水快挂完了, 就叫护士来换水, 可那护士偏偏下楼了. 旁边一路人甲很自信的说, 来, 我帮你换. 说完就把那人的针头拔下插在了另外一瓶上. 我当时顿时就是点点点点....

选举日

2008-11-04T19:09:00.001-08:00

作为international student，Election Day就不用凑热闹了，所有就参加了学校转为留学生组织的去Woodbury Outlets血拼，为衰败的美国经济做点贡献。扫了一堆衣服和裤子回来，今年过冬应该没什么问题了。:p

Congratulations, China!

2008-09-27T10:28:00.003-07:00

Chinese astronauts have successfully completed China's first 'space walk'. Kudos to China, and the astronauts!

Lost

2008-09-22T21:53:00.002-07:00

华尔街5大投行倒了三家，剩下两家转行，实际意义上都不存在了。那还读什么OR和FE?? 看来将来说不定还是要做回老本行。

起程

2008-08-19T19:28:00.000-07:00

平安开过了十全街, 师傅说我满师了.
今天中午去机场, 又要启程了!
拥抱纽约.

重元寺

2008-08-10T18:40:00.004-07:00

可能是地处郊区的缘故, 照片上的天空出现少有的一点蓝色. :) 回国后拍的照已经厌烦了那种毫无生气的灰色.

菜驾

2008-08-03T18:33:00.002-07:00

昨天晚上, 第三次练习驾车, 跌跌撞撞从练车的地方开到了家门口. 中途熄火两次, 被教练狂批. 我这个菜驾俨然成了马路上的人民公敌, 后面的车不停的honk, 不断用远光灯闪, 我的后视镜和左右反光镜全是一片亮的, 对面开过来的车也经常打远光灯, 马路两旁还有突然窜出的行人... 这路是人开的么??

Post-dinner Walk

2008-08-01T17:42:00.004-07:00

The Mi Du Bridge
the fortified wall
Our country is much more generous than Canada in electricity to brighten up the city at night. :p
The Moat

The moat again
The tower on the East Campus of Soochow University

上海印象

2008-07-27T04:51:00.006-07:00

十里洋场, 大上海

The HSBC Building
Nanjing Rd
东亚饭店
Nanjing Rd
Experience the rapid train
The Huangpu River

Bank of China building and the statue of Chen Yi, the first mayor of Shanghai since the communist rule.

HSBC Building and Customs House
The Bund
The old HSBC building

浦东陆家嘴

RoboCup 2008 谢幕

2008-07-23T17:27:00.005-07:00

回家的第一个礼拜，没想到是那么的忙碌，似乎成了温哥华生活的延续。RoboCup一星期，天天往博览中心跑，朝九晚七。从前窝在lab里赶project的感觉一下子就上来了。
RoboCup的规模出乎想象的大。从来没进去过园区的博览中心，这次算是转了个够。第一次亲眼看到真的Nao robot，无比激动。可惜它们的活动水平似乎还不如simulation，小遗憾。不善长写长篇大论，就拿照片冲数吧。

My participant pass

President of RoboCup Federation and 苏州美女

Nao robot!
科文中心

competition site
Nao robots in action
UBC !
Sony Aibo

别了，温哥华

2008-07-11T01:41:00.002-07:00

行李装箱，整装待发。望着一袋又一袋跟了我五年的，即将被扔掉的东西，突然意识到又是一段经历将翻过。生活以五年一个轮回以惊人的相似度重演着。
RoboCup是UBC生涯的最后一仗，一定争取打好。希望家乡能给我们好运。
My dear friends, 我们后会有期。别了，温哥华！

忙

2008-07-03T08:58:00.002-07:00

近日忙于赶RoboCup的project和收拾行李准备撤离，过去一个多月的游记待回国安定后补上（如果回国还能上到这个网站的话）。

Graduated

2008-05-28T19:12:00.004-07:00

毕业啦！五年寒窗终于赚得一张薄纸。希望下一个五年能顺利获得另一张纸。

Ma Ying-jeou Inaugurated 英九兄终于上台了

2008-05-22T00:37:00.003-07:00

其实英九兄背后的国父孙中山也是一帅哥。

举国哀悼

2008-05-19T00:48:00.003-07:00

幸福不是必然的。
珍惜生命，珍惜现在。

四川地震遇难的同胞们，一路走好！

[ZT] 媽媽給寶貝短信遺言　每個看到的人都落泪了

2008-05-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

搶救人員發現她的時候，她已經死了，是被垮塌下來的房子壓死的，透過那一堆廢墟的的間隙可以看到她死亡的姿勢，雙膝跪著，整個上身向前匍匐著，雙手扶著地支撑著身體，有些象古人行跪拜禮，只是身體被壓的變形了，看上去有些詭异。

　　救援人員從廢墟的空隙伸手進去確認了她已經死亡，又在沖著廢墟喊了幾聲，用撬棍在在磚頭上敲了幾下，里面沒有任何回應。當人群走到下一個建築物的時候，救援隊長忽然往回跑，邊跑變喊“快過來”。他又來到她的尸體前，費力的把手伸進女人的身子底下摸索，他摸了幾下高聲的喊“有人，有個孩子，還活著”。

　　經過一番努力，人們小心的把擋著她的廢墟清理開，在她的身體下面躺著她的孩子，包在一個紅色帶黃花的小被子里，大概有3、4個月大，因爲母親身體庇護著，他毫發未傷，抱出來的時候，他還安靜的睡著，他熟睡的臉讓所有在場的人感到很溫暖。隨行的醫生過來解開被子准備做些檢查，發現有一部手機塞在被子里，醫生下意識的看了下手機屏幕，發現屏幕上是一條已經寫好的短信“親愛的寶貝，如果你能活著，一定要記住我愛你”，看慣了生離死別的醫生却在這一刻落泪了，手機傳遞著，每個看到短信的人都落泪了。（來源：新華網論壇）

心灵的震撼和撕痛

2008-05-14T21:36:00.001-07:00

Bowen Island

2008-05-05T14:47:00.005-07:00

Horseshoe BayMiller Landing Beach
A bio-chemist is absorbed in recording natural sound.

A deer
Snog Cove

专业摄影师在聚精会神
Snow-capped mountains --- very BC
A wild duck
Guess what is the function of these two cement poles at this stone beach?

《北京欢迎你》Beijing Welcomes You

2008-05-04T23:19:00.002-07:00

Almost all of the Chinese (including overseas Chinese and a Korean) pop stars have appeared in this MV. Truly impressive!

圣火国内传递示意图

2008-05-01T14:24:00.001-07:00

终于拿到F-1了

2008-04-29T23:54:00.002-07:00

今天下午又去了趟美领馆，取回了等待多时的F-1签证和护照。至此，终于可以安心准备迎接父母的到来和七月份的回国了。哇咔咔~~

顺便把上礼拜五的签经也写一下。
早上九点半的appointment，安检进入美领馆后，等了要有一个来钟头，才见到VO。VO是个看上去满好说话的华人阿姨。
VO: So, you've already got a B-1 visa, and now you are applying for an F-1 visa?
Tony: Yes. (明知故问。申请表上不是写着么？但一想到太傻上说千万不要只回答一个字，于是赶紧补上。) I'm going to Columbia University to study towards a doctoral degree in Operations Research.
VO: Why don't you apply in China?
(一愣，这阿姨难道是笑面老虎？)
Tony: Oh, I have been living in Vancouver for almost five years already.
VO: But you know, usually people apply for their first F-1 visa in their home countries...
(靠，难道她今天不想让我过了？？不过死马还是要当活马骑。)
Tony: For the last five years, I have been studying at UBC. And now, I'm still living here. I saw in the application instruction that I should apply in the country of residence, so ...
VO: Okay, okay. So when did you come to Canada?
(这阿姨总算没有再追究下去, 长舒一口气.)
Tony: In August, 2003. (VO 开始一个字一个字的往电脑里打.)
VO: When are you going to graduate?
Tony: I'm graduating soon in May. (VO 继续打字.)
VO: Did you do a Master at UBC?
(用五年读Master, 我疯了?)
Tony: No, I did a Bachelor's degree.
VO: What type of Bachelor's?
Tony: BSc.
VO: But your I-20 says you are going to do a PhD at Columbia?
Tony: Yes, I'll get my Masters degree automatically after the first year.
VO: So you are going to do a Masters and PhD at Columbia. (自己一边念着, 一边打字. 我怎么感觉她像第一次干这工作似的.)
VO: Who is going to pay for your studies?
Tony: The department of IEOR has offered me a TA-ship, which covers both tuition and living expenses. Here's the award letter. (递上系里的信. VO瞄了一眼就推回来了.)
VO: May I see your SEVIS fee receipt?
Tony: Sure. Here you go. (再递上.)
VO: Okay, so I will approve. (在我的DS表格上作了记号,开始拿护照领取单.)
VO: Come again on Tuesday to pick up your passport.
此时心中顿时大喜,竟然没有问回国计划之类的最BT的问题. 大有逃过一劫的感觉.
Tony: Oh thanks a lot!

回顾一下过程, 除了一开始两个问题有点险之外, 其他都是问什么就直接可以答什么, 应该还算是简单的面签了.

Sakura blossoming even more

2008-04-13T17:00:00.003-07:00

Pictures taken along Agronomy Rd, between Forestry and CS.

圣旨

2008-04-05T01:18:00.003-07:00

我总觉得台湾的正式文件看上去都很“怀旧”，貌似清朝的圣旨。特别是那个带红边的大印。

又是樱花灿烂时

2008-03-31T16:59:00.002-07:00

“樱花大道”---Lower Mall

游台湾

2008-03-31T00:47:00.000-07:00

马英九前天说今年7月份可以开放大陆游客赴台，听起来像是在不久的将来就可以去台湾玩了。

睡眠剥夺综合症

2008-03-28T14:10:00.004-07:00

最近几天老是睡不好，倒也不是说睡不着，就是睡不久。昨天两点睡的，早上八点半就醒了，真是要我的命啊。疯了！

University of Washington, Seattle

2008-03-19T15:59:00.006-07:00

Suzzallo Library
It boasts to be "the soul of the university". Indeed architecturally aesthetic.

Paul G Allen Centre. Home of the CSE department. There are only 160 undergrads in the CS department, and yet they have such a luxurious building! Yeah, American universities are RICH.

The Quad

Unidentified Gothic style building

The lake view from the backyard of a CS prof's house. Oh man, that guy's super rich. He has his own deck.

The view from the top of Paul Allen Centre. I'd say this is in no way comparable with the view we have in CS2 at UBC. While we look at the Pacific Ocean, they have only that small lake, and moreover, they have to endure that green, scenery-destroying chimney!

The front entrance of Paul Allen Centre.

Cherry.

Deep corridor symbolizes knowledge? Just my wild guess...

Tibet Was, Is, and Will Always Be Part of China!

2008-03-16T17:22:00.004-07:00

This is the best-ever video I saw on Youtube!
Most Westerners don't know anything about Tibet. What they "claim" to know is all from their "objective" Western media. What qualifications do you have to comment or criticize other countries' internal affairs when you haven't yet cleaned up your own mess of racial problems in your backyard? So if you don't have the full knowledge of what you are talking about, please keep your mouth shut!

纽约

2008-03-14T23:57:00.011-07:00

3月1日下午4点，从北卡RDU机场离开。

晚上6点，降落在纽约JFK。在飞机上不禁感叹这个城市真的很大。（谁叫咱来自农村呢。）

学校给找的旅馆还挺不错的, 一个人睡两张床, 就一爽字. :)

在曼哈顿如此拥挤的地方，竟然还有一Central Park的绿地，真是amazing啊。

Columbia的招牌建筑。

“那条街”
“那条街”上的那头牛（和人）。

这次拍了几张自以为很得意的照片，拿上来秀一下。
时代广场的灯亮到照相机没有闪光在晚上也曝光很短（当然，我用的傻瓜模式）。

Ellis Island. 据说最初的来美国的移民都要先在这个岛上的这个“移民厅”登陆后才能进入曼哈顿的。

帝国大厦。WTC双子楼被炸后，就数它最高了。（有没有点S&C片头照的那个味道?)

自由女神像是绿色的原因是。。。铜锈。这尊像另外也使我联想起<红色警戒>的游戏.

看看这些照片，觉得我的摄影技术有提高了。自恋中。。。

Surprise

2008-03-13T11:54:00.003-07:00

昨天晚上在junk folder里发现了UIUC CS的offer，无语中。。。Yahoo的spam filter也过于严格了吧。Anyways, 还是蛮surprise的，本来以为现在这个时候收到的admission decision都是拒信。（一方面也因为最近收到的拒信是在太多。）至此，今年的admissions game基本上收宫了。接下来就要进行思想斗争来做最后的决定。收到的这几个offers都挺不错，但又都不是自己最想去的(最想去的没要我）。这种状况实在令人想抓狂。

SAMSI Workshop

2008-03-11T11:56:00.010-07:00

2月28日，启程千里迢迢飞去北卡罗来纳，参加SAMSI办的一个undergrad workshop。先飞到西雅图Sea-Tac机场，转机去盐湖城。西雅度不愧是高科技城市，机场里似乎人手一个iPhone。。。

盐湖城从机场看出去似乎有点像温哥华，只是他们的雪山更靠近城市，更山区。飞机上有很多人都是去滑雪的，原来盐湖城也是个滑雪胜地。
经过将近一整天的转机飞行，终于到达位于北卡的Raleigh-Durham地区。还好主办方满贴心，拍了车子到机场直接把我们拉到Research Triangle Park的Radisson住下。之所以叫Research Triangle Park，是因为这里在Raleigh, Durham, 和Chapel Hill之间，然后三座城市又分别是北卡州立，Duke，和北卡大的校址。
这次北卡之行感觉并没有留下太深的印象，因为到达后第二天一大早主办方就把我们车到SAMSI在RTP的楼里，开始lecture，一直到晚上五六点钟，回hotel吃晚饭。第三天一样一大早就上课，中午十二点结束后，大家就都直奔机场离开了。本来还以为会去Duke参观一下之类的，结果就只是上课而已。不过北卡的天气似乎不错，也不是很冷。Research Triangle Park看上去有点像Burnaby EA, Kodak, 和HSBC在那块地方，到处都是树，但冷不丁树丛里就冒出来一块牌子，写着"IBM"，就是传说中IBM在北卡的那个研发中心吧。
在SAMSI听到主办方讲的最经典的一句话就是"You'll never get hungry at SAMSI." 哈哈。尽管吃！美国人还真是满有钱的，出钱把这二十几号人从美加各地拉到这里，就上那么一天半课，我其实并不太理解他们怎么justify这个cost。

MURC (Multi-disciplinary Undergrad Research Conference)

2008-03-11T11:29:00.006-07:00

Me and my poster. Compared to those posters on topics of Bio-chemistry and Psychology, mine definitely looks boring to the general audience, so very few people actually stopped by and bothered to take a look. Anyways, as long as UBC reimburses the cost of printing my poster, it's fine to me...

Mounted Police Spotted On Campus!

2008-03-10T16:49:00.004-07:00

This is the first time that I saw mounted police on UBC campus ever since I came here. The horses are handsome and elegant, I would say. But I was just wondering about one question: they are not RCMP, but Vancouver Police, surprisingly. UBC is technically not part of the City of Vancouver, so it is actually under the charge of RCMP. So what are the VPD people doing here? And I also could not help wondering, is the security level at UBC raised to such a level that we need mounted police to patrol around the campus?

Tony's Blogger Re-opens!

2008-03-10T13:26:00.003-07:00

Three years ago, I abandoned Blogger on the ground that posting pictures here was really pain in the neck. Now Google has acquired Blogger and has actually made a lot of improvements to it, including picture posting. So I decided to re-open my Blogger, which is probably a nice place to post some of my travel-logs. Stay tuned. :)

Co-operation b/w Mainland and Taiwan on South China Sea Islands

2005-07-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

两岸曾在太平岛默契合作
　　
　　南沙群岛已定名的岛、洲、礁、沙共有185 处，其中，太平岛（又称“黄山马”）最大，面积约0.45 平方公里，海拔4到6 米。然而，围绕这样一座“小岛”，其战略意义和主权意味丝毫不减，中国周边邻国也一直在暗中窥伺。
　　
　　其实，一段时间以来，太平岛由台湾实际控制，在南海诸岛的归属上，台海两岸均坚持中国对其拥有主权的立场。两蒋主政台湾时期，两岸甚至在太平岛有过“默契的合作”。
　　1974年，大陆为反击南越武装侵占西沙群岛，决定展开自卫反击战。1月19日，西沙反击战打响，中央军委急调东海舰队4艘军舰赴西沙驰援。由于台湾海峡长期被台军和美国第七舰队控制，以往解放军舰艇来往于东海与南海之间，都要绕道台湾东南的公海，以避免引发摩擦和冲突。此次因军情紧迫，解放军军舰奉令直接从台湾海峡通过。
　　
　　台军在蒋介石“西沙战事紧”的指示下，不仅没有开炮，还打开探照灯方便解放军舰队顺利通过。洛杉矶著名政论家于摩西称，他在蒋介石的大溪官邸发现了蒋当时的手令，其中写道：“查我东海舰队，赴西沙作战，沿线我国军，开放航道，太平岛军医院随时待命，救治西沙之战伤员……”
　　
　　另据报道，1988年，在同越南海军发生冲突以前，大陆舰艇编队曾在南沙太平岛停靠一周，补充了大量的淡水和主副食品。
　　
　　在上世纪七八十年代发生的这两场海战中，台湾方面都对中国大陆为维护国家主权所采取的行动表示理解。两岸在维护国家领土安全上，站在了一起。海峡两岸在关乎国家主权时血浓于水的亲情，曾经有过充分体现。然而，目前台当局“亲者痛，仇者快”的做法难免令国人扼腕叹息。

source: http://www.6park.com/news/messages/18593.html

The best article ever seen about Korean War

2005-06-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

浴血朝鲜

http://www.6park.com/bolun/messages/34490.html

沙林　
40年前，中国和印度在喜玛拉雅山交火时，前美国远东军司令麦克阿瑟说：“谁想跟中国陆军打仗，一定有病。” www.6park.com
　这位在二战中打得极为漂亮、解放了亚洲许多国家的“远东王”是在朝鲜战争中得到这个经验的。他因中国人而倒霉，最后的岁月很是暗淡。可是，“1950、1951年，汉江的水多次变成红色。”《远东朝鲜战争》的作者王树增在深秋的夜里对我感叹：“整整50年过去了，谁还记得遗体留在寒冷雪原上的中国士兵们？” www.6park.com
　这位解放军作家整整3年没有干其他事（连他的妻子王莹也“陪读”成了朝鲜战争的专家），清贫、寂寞、激动地埋首于朝鲜战争的资料中，采访最后的风烛残年的老军人，去那些谁也不知当年事的部队发现可能的痕迹。挥去泪水，尽量客观。 www.6park.com
　心绪难平地看了这两卷书，我想说，谁想知道没有虚饰的真实历史，谁想触摸民族最勇敢和最脆弱的一面，请看《远东朝鲜战争》。 www.6park.com
　 “我要让亚洲共产党国家血流成河” www.6park.com
　 “朝鲜战争咱们牺牲太大，当时能不能不出兵？” www.6park.com
　王树增的书出版数万册，加上大量的盗版，普及面颇大。问他最多的是这个问题。有些大学生还说，要是不抗美援朝，咱们就挨着韩国，搞贸易搞建设多方便，丹东没准儿就是第二个香港。 www.6park.com
　 “从当时情况看，我觉得中国共产党别无选择，只有一条路，打！”王树增这样回答。 www.6park.com
　当时只有两个国家不被西方世界承认，一个是红色中国，另一个是北朝鲜。当联合国军向中国边境推进时，麦克阿瑟放话———“我要让亚洲共产党国家血流成河”、“不能期望联合国军在鸭绿江边停止不前”。 www.6park.com
　中央会议上，周恩来担忧地说，如果让联合国军压到鸭绿江边，中国北方一千多公里的边境线将面对武装到牙齿的军队。这样，蒋介石随时可能在东南沿海反攻。前后一夹击，你这个政权将无一日之宁。 www.6park.com
　毛泽东对这一点看得很清楚，他深谙兵法，知道最好的防守是进攻，拒敌于国门之外。 www.6park.com
　王树增引述的一代领袖胆气豪迈的话令人玩味。 www.6park.com
　看看苏联人的做法，就能看出毛泽东的胆量。实际上对朝鲜战争最着急的是苏联人，但他们与美国人的关系是猎人与野兽的关系，都互相害怕。苏联极希望中国人出兵。1950年9月，彭德怀率38军、39军、40军、42军20多万大军如苏联人之愿马上就要跨入朝鲜了，毛泽东的一封急电把他从鸭绿江边召回。 www.6park.com
　原来美国一架轰炸机误炸了苏联一个机场。美国人吓坏了，生怕触怒苏联巨熊，连忙道歉，表示要送肇事飞行员到军事法庭受审，并保证赔偿一切损失。过了几天，又过了几天，苏联方面没有任何反应，美国人更加害怕了，认为苏联正在进行战争准备，是大战前的平静。殊不知苏联被美国随时可以攻击苏联任何部位的能力吓坏了，斯大林认为：不到万不得已，决不能同美国打。于是给毛泽东发去“苏联空军没有准备好，不能出动”的电报。 www.6park.com
　没有空军掩护，几十万志愿军将在朝鲜的丘陵平原中任美国飞机轰炸扫射，这仗是没法打的。毛泽东陷入巨大的矛盾之中，决定志愿军暂不出动，同时让周恩来立即到苏联去，“还是恩来同志辛苦一趟”。 www.6park.com
　周恩来和林彪一起来到克里姆林宫。对于苏联空军不能出动，斯大林说：“如果和美国全面冲突起来，仗打大了，也会影响中国的和平建设……”周恩来说：“如果苏联空军不出动，中国暂缓出兵。”斯大林沉默了好久才说：“那么，就让金日成在中国东北建立个流亡政府吧。” www.6park.com
　联合国军迅速向中朝边境推进，毛泽东最后决定还是出兵。据史料记载，当周恩来向斯大林表示，即使没有苏联空军支援，中国也决定出兵时，斯大林流出了眼泪，连说，还是中国同志好，还是中国同志好。 www.6park.com
　苏美这种互相害怕，恰恰证明中国共产党人的胆大。 www.6park.com
　毛泽东和彭德怀不是没有考虑战败的问题，彭德怀在中央会议上说：“如果我打败了，顶多是解放战争晚了几年。中国有的是山，咱们再上山而已。” www.6park.com
　中国军队突袭成功 www.6park.com
　 “中国军队在朝鲜主要打了五次战役，记住，五次战役就是抗美援朝史。”王树增强调：“前两次战役我们全胜，后三次有胜有负，比较不如意是第五次战役。” www.6park.com
　中国军队的突然袭击，奠定了第一、二次战役的胜利。之所以能有突然性，是因为美军对中国意图判断的严重失误，中国人怎么敢出兵跟我们美国人打，双方力量悬殊太大了！没有可比性。毛泽东、彭德怀正是利用了这一点，不惧强敌，出其不意地狠打。美国人根本不了解中国共产党人。他们见过几个中国共产党人？几十年来除了马歇尔调停国共两党时在北平见过几个，他们对中国军队的看法还停留在李鸿章的清军上。非要吃一二次战役的亏才能缓过劲儿来。 www.6park.com
　中国军队一出手是非常狠的，世界上任何一支军队都会一下子踉跄欲倒。这里面凝聚着很多仇恨，其中有对美国人干涉台湾的愤恨。朝鲜战争爆发以前，美国人准备放弃台湾，他们没有一兵一卒在岛上，朝鲜战争一爆发，美国人第一个反应不是针对朝鲜，而是台湾，马上派第七舰队封锁了台湾海峡。这说明美国人一开始就判断错误，他们以为是“亚洲共产党的集团扩张行动”，他们高估了亚洲地区共产党的联盟性。实际上朝鲜战争爆发时，中国在朝鲜连使馆都没设。 www.6park.com
　这个错误判断是导致中国出兵的重要原因之一，用老百姓的话来说，你不是封锁了吗，反正我也解放不了台湾了，咱就帮兄弟打吧。 www.6park.com
　胜利的另一个原因是毛彭的指挥才能。中国出兵是仓促的，彭德怀说，我从未打过这样的仗，既不明敌情，又不明友情，根本不知道联合国军进到什么地方，只揣着与毛主席商定的作战计划，后来发现根本不管用，因为联合国军进军太快了。 www.6park.com
　彭德怀的应变能力将经受严峻考验。 www.6park.com
　两百年来所有战争的胜利者遭奇耻大辱 www.6park.com
　中国人跟美国人打的第一仗是怎么取胜的？ www.6park.com
　 10月19日黄昏，志愿军数十万人先后渡过鸭绿江。这时，平壤已被占领，彭德怀面容憔悴，满头白发，超过了先头部队，只带着几个警卫员在朝鲜的山野中寻找去向不明的金日成。彭总已经深入到敌后，与南朝鲜一个团擦肩而过。志愿军司令部整整两天与他失去联系，令人匪夷所思的是彭总又独自一人从包围圈中走了出来。 www.6park.com
　彭总在一座叫北镇的金矿里见到金日成。人民军已被打散，金日成的信息失灵，他不知此时麦克阿瑟正亲自率兵空降到平壤以北，包抄从平壤北撤的士兵和官员。 www.6park.com
　这时志愿军遇到的麻烦是后撤的人民军堵塞了道路，人民军在路上一遇到志愿军，第一句话就是：你们有飞机没有？一听说没有，就一个劲儿地摇头。 www.6park.com
　志愿军入朝一个星期后，美韩军队还不知道。这一天，南朝鲜先头部队坐在车上啃着苹果谈笑风生地追击着人民军，志愿军埋伏在山岗上，不到20分钟，就把南朝鲜的这个营解决掉了。 www.6park.com
　随后美军飞机进行了准确的报复性轰炸，整个山岗像一支巨大火焰。但令南朝鲜军人奇怪的是，一些奇怪的影子在火中露出头，顽强射击。这样一支有战斗力的军队是他们从未遇到过的。当20多名南朝鲜士兵终于爬上山岗时，看见了一个衣衫破烂的士兵从工事里站起来，怀里抱着一根爆破筒，几乎是微笑着向他们走来。南朝鲜士兵突然明白，但跑已经来不及了，士兵怀中的爆破筒爆炸了。这是中国人，肯定是中国人！南朝鲜人惊呼。 www.6park.com
　这一天是1950年10月25日，被中国政府定为抗美援朝纪念日。 www.6park.com
　中国军队第一次与美国军队直接开打是在离中朝边境不远的云山，美国人换下已经精神崩溃的南朝鲜军队：“他们（南朝鲜军）是泥塑的部队，完全是一种精神恍惚的状态，对于附近时而发生的枪声全不在意，全无表情。” www.6park.com
　 “中国军队几乎看不出队形的攻击人流在各个方向时隐时现，瞬间便冲到美军面前。”美军战史记载，中国的炮火十分猛烈，一检查弹道，发现是二战中曾在斯大林格勒出现、让德军胆战心惊的82毫米“喀秋莎”火炮。这种武器的出现，意味着进攻的军队不是一般的军队。它的士兵出奇地勇敢，一个中国士兵在部队受阻时，绕到敌人机枪阵地后，抱住美军机枪手一起滚下山崖──类似的情景在中美两军第一次战斗中到处发生，美国人在“奇怪的呐喊声”中不断死伤，争相逃命。 www.6park.com
　 “黑夜是中国人的。”王树增说。美军战史也写道：“夜间混战中，中国人好像无处不在。在二战中抗击过日本人夜间进攻的陆战队员们发现，中国人的战术也极为相似──他们用英语使劲地喊“你在那里”，或是“我看见你了”。陆战队员以紧张的心情默不作声地迎击中国人。一辆俄制T－34坦克冲破了一个路障，不分青红皂白地向迫击炮阵地、车辆甚至单兵射击。陆战队一枚火箭击中了这辆坦克，它的炮塔突然转过来，只用一发炮弹便打掉了陆战队的火箭发射组……至少有一部分敌人的攻击部队是从背后爬到E连阵地的，显然是顺着野战电话线摸上来的。中国人抓住了许多在睡袋里睡觉的人，并且杀死了他们。” www.6park.com
　这时，美国方面还不能确定中国军队是否正式参战。令他们吃惊不小的是，中国的广播电台公开承认其军队在朝鲜，称是为了保护水力发电地区的“志愿军”。这是美国人第一次听到志愿军这个词。美国远东军情报官威洛克推测，这是中国人在玩“鱼和熊掌兼得”的把戏。他认为，中国人极端敏感和极爱面子，一口咬定在朝鲜没有正规有组织的军队，这样既可在万一被打败时不损害中共军队的声誉，又可给退败的北朝鲜军队以实质的支持。 www.6park.com
　入朝这一个星期以来在云山周围的一系列战斗，被西方军事学家称为“一个不宣而战的战例”、“世界战争史上少有的遭遇战”。 www.6park.com
　这次遭遇战，使中国人了解了与美国人打仗的感觉。一个世界上最先进的工业国的军队不过如此。美第24师曾经在战场上拣到一本中国某部队编印的《云山战斗经验基本总结》小册子，上面除了对美军在协调火炮和坦克，步兵火力速射，以及空中支援能力表示羡慕外，对于美国士兵的战斗力却大为不恭： www.6park.com
　美国士兵在被切断后路时，会丢弃所有的重武器，扔得到处都是，而且还装死。他们的步兵缺乏战斗力，胆小怕死，不具备进攻和防御的胆略。 www.6park.com
　他们在前进时如果听见枪声，便会退缩不前。他们只能在白天打仗。 www.6park.com
　他们不习惯夜战和白刃战。如果他们战败，便会溃不成军，如果他们没有炮火支援，就会不知所措。当补给停止时，步兵便会完全丧失斗志。 www.6park.com
　这样的描述使美军难堪，二百年来所有战争的胜利者，二次世界大战中打败了日德那样强大的军事机器，并成为全世界救星的美国军队，还没有遭到过如此大辱。 www.6park.com
　美国的工业能力令中国军人扼腕叹息 www.6park.com
　志愿军的第二次战役是戏弄麦克阿瑟的过程。彭德怀把近40万大军隐蔽在靠近中国边界的大山中，用打了就跑、丢弃辎重、释放俘虏等办法诱敌迈入这个巨大的包围圈。 www.6park.com
　麦克阿瑟这个被东南亚国家和日本看成“神”的将军大意冒进，令掌握大规模共军移动迹像的美军情报部门和官比他大、却“在他面前像学校的男孩子在城里遇到街头恶霸一样怕得发抖”的五角大楼的高官们，甚至杜鲁门总统都深表怀疑，大家都预感到前方某个地方一定有中国军队像猎人一样在等待美国人，但谁也没有勇气和主意阻止这个不顾战法、犯着低级错误的的自大老头。 www.6park.com
　麦克阿瑟下达全线进攻令后，命令自己的专机沿着鸭绿江往北飞，“看看苏联人和中国人的迹象。”这让在场的人都惊呆了，因为苏联的米格飞机和中国的高射炮布满江边。但他们什么也没看到，他们不知道，就在他们的飞机底下，近40万中国大军隐身在一望无际的雪原之下。 www.6park.com
　中国军队突然收紧巨大的包围圈，“大韩民国第二军团被歼灭，在中国军队的猛烈攻击下，在不到24小时之内业已完全消失，再也找不到该部队的痕迹了。”美国广播公司这样报道。 www.6park.com
　麦克阿瑟的右翼完了。左翼的美国人也遭到重创。先头连一个排长布洛顿看到令他一生难忘的情景：在山顶的战壕中，突然站起一排中国士兵，“高举双手，是投降的样子”，当美国人在“可以看见中国士兵军服扣子的距离”成散兵队形站起来，一个会中国话的南朝鲜士兵开始喊话：“从壕里走出来投降吧！”中国士兵回答道：“来这里抓吧！”在和中国士兵对话时，又有许多中国士兵加入到举手的行列。“他们突然一起投出手榴弹，然后又钻进战壕里。”布洛顿的排损失惨重。 www.6park.com
　美国人遇到了一支世界上最奇怪的军队，他们惯用手榴弹，投出的手榴弹的密集程度令美国兵如陷地狱。在狭窄的洼地里，拥挤在一起的美国兵无法躲避手榴弹。一个当年仅17岁的军械员克劳福德回忆说，手榴弹下雨般地在他身边落下，仅他踢出去的就有40多颗。 www.6park.com
　毛泽东极为渴望用优势兵力像淮海战役歼灭国民党军那样全歼美军几个整师。这时，宋时轮率领的27军、26军、20军果然把作为美军王牌海军陆战1师包围在寒冷的盖马高原上。但美国本土的海军陆战队总部的官员听到这个消息后，竟然轻松说：“有中国佬好看的了。” www.6park.com
　陆战1师确实能打硬仗。有个叫德洞岭的高地对于他们南撤至关重要。师长史密斯特派曾在硫磺岛与日军进行过惨烈战斗的连长巴伯率兵守卫。战斗空前残酷，美军死伤过半，仍与冲进来的中国士兵展开肉搏。双方使用了能够使用的一切器械，镐、锹、枪托、刺刀和拳头。士兵扭在一起在黑暗中滚动，互相掐喉咙、挖眼睛、咬面部。山顶一度被志愿军占领，但很快又被美军反击下去……“接近早晨6时，随着一声尖厉的哨声，中国士兵迅速撤出战斗。” www.6park.com
　骄傲的海军陆战队员被中国士兵的勇气所震慑：“中国士兵突然就在大雪中出现，有的人脚上连鞋都没有，这令美军士兵在零下40度的气温中看上去简直如一种幻觉（朝鲜盖马高原邻近东西伯利亚）。 www.6park.com
　 “好像对美军炽烈的火网毫不在意，第一批士兵倒了后，第二批就跨过尸体前进，还有第三批第四批。其不怕死的精神仿佛是殉教者，令美军官兵非常害怕。”（日本出版《朝鲜战争》） www.6park.com
　但德洞岭高地最终未被志愿军占领，它在陆战1师的撤退中起到了关键作用。 www.6park.com
　如同90年代关注“沙漠风暴”一样，世界各国和新闻网都在关注这次美国军队史无前例的大撤退。美国几乎倾全军之力保护陆战1师不被全歼。从“西西里”号、“莱特”号、“福基”好、“菲律宾海”号、“普林斯顿”号等航空母舰上起飞的战斗机、侦察机、中型和重型轰炸机，在陆战1师头顶上形成金属天幕，一寸一寸地掩护其后退。 www.6park.com
　在美军的退路上有一座关系数万美军生死的桥，水门桥。其钢梁没有桥墩，悬空架在万丈深渊之上。志愿军三次炸桥，最后一次把钢梁与山崖的水泥接口也炸没了。这样一来，美军应是插翅难飞了，志愿军因而没再派兵把守。 www.6park.com
　生死存亡之际，陆战1师的工兵紧急设计，然后急电美国本土用巨型运输机运来八套巨型钢梁，在日本进行空投试验，改用超大型降落伞，把钢梁直接空投到水门桥……不到两天时间，在北朝鲜东北部偏僻山区的一座悬崖上，架起一座可以通过所有型号坦克和车辆的钢铁大桥。志愿军发现后，追悔莫及，陆战1师终于逃逸。 www.6park.com
　 “第八集团军司令谨向中国军队总司令致意！” www.6park.com
　王树增有幸翻阅“一尺多厚”的毛彭来往电报，他发现毛泽东对朝鲜战场的指挥是一般人想象不到的。电报的密集程度、所涉及的战役细节程度恐怕是世界之最。它详细到某个制高点的控制，一个师级单位的调动，状如解放战争三大战役。这一切有个前提，即中国将领们无不对毛泽东的军事指挥艺术心悦诚服。 www.6park.com
　第二次战役后，美国军队退到三八线一带，通过各种途径表示，恢复战前状态。如果中国方面同意停火，战争也许就结束了。但毛泽东对秘密访华的金日成说：“打第一次战役、第二次战役胜利了，但还不够，还要接着打。你敢越过三八线北进，那我为什么不能越过三八线南进？” www.6park.com
　中国志愿军极度疲乏，而敌人大踏步撤退，有生力量损失并不大。从军事上看，他们的撤退也是狡猾的，放弃了无险可守的平原。 www.6park.com
　与此同时，一位后来改变美军命运的、极为狡猾慎细的美陆军副参谋长李奇微从美国本土起飞。 www.6park.com
　美韩军队的散乱和颓唐令李奇微大为不满，他命令宪兵把黑洞洞的枪口对准6辆后逃的南朝鲜卡车，他们只得调头往前线开（但李奇微的参谋说，一会儿他们会以更快的速度开回来）。他集合军官训话：“文字工作可以晚上做，白天，枪炮声大作的地方才是你们必须去的地方！指挥官的位置必须是敌我双方互相开枪的地方。一旦同敌人接触，就要像狗一样咬住，决不能放过……把强大的部队埋伏在侧翼，突然发动猛烈攻击，最重要是把中国人杀死。把赤色中国洗成白色！” www.6park.com
　 1950年的最后一天，中国6个军的几十万将士突然从茫茫雪地中跃出，冲向三八线。第三次战役由此开始。即使是这个足智多谋的李奇微，也没料到他到朝鲜前线仅两个小时，中国军队就发动了一场一点不小于诺曼底登陆的全线突破。联合国军全面溃散。从前沿逃来的长列南朝鲜士兵狼狈南行，面色憔悴发黑，精疲力尽，绕过李奇微在上面挥舞手枪的吉普车。 www.6park.com
　 1951年1月3日，李承晚宣布“迁都”，汉城顿时陷入巨大的混乱之中，至少有一半市民（约50万）决定再次逃亡。 www.6park.com
　李奇微站在汉江桥头看到：“几十万的难民背着包袱、扶老携幼，争先恐后地向汉江拥去。难民们纷纷从冰上渡江。紧抱着婴儿的母亲，背着老人、病人、残疾人的男人，扛着大包袱和推着小型两轮车的人们……没人去扶助那些跌倒的人。在这悲惨的逃难中，谁也没时间去帮助邻居。没有人流泪哭泣，只能听见在冰上走路的痛苦的喘息声。”（《李奇微回忆录》） www.6park.com
　李奇微几乎是最后一个撤出汉城的美军，他收拾起桌上的全家福照片，然后在墙上写了一句话：“第八集团军司令谨向中国军队总司令致意！” www.6park.com
　打到哪里停住？ www.6park.com
　王树增在书中描述了李奇微上任后，一个巨大阴影慢慢接近志愿军。 www.6park.com
　北京举行了声势浩大的庆祝游行。1951年1月5日，《人民日报》发表了《祝汉城光复》的社论，用前线指挥官的口气号召：向大田前进！向大丘前进！向釜山前进！把不肯撤出的美国侵略军赶下海去！ www.6park.com
　当国内报纸到达彭德怀手中时，他感到紧张和焦躁：“有些人只知道我们打了胜仗，不知道我们取胜的代价和困难。速胜论的观点是有害的。我们的报纸怎么能这么宣传？” www.6park.com
　彭德怀等将领经历过无数次战役，对战争中的伤亡不会过于伤情。但朝鲜战争志愿军官兵的伤亡速度、数量超出了他们的感情承受力。 www.6park.com
　中国军队的前锋到达了三七线，彭德怀下达了一道引起激烈争论的命令：全军立即停止追击。彭德怀在回国任职后的一次作战会议上回忆起第三次战役时说：我打了一辈子仗，从来没有害怕过，可当志愿军打过三八线，一直打到三七线时，我环顾左右，确实非常害怕。美军几乎是不战而退，志愿军官兵都知道，三八线并不是他们打过去的，几乎可以说是走过去的。凡战场上出现这种大规模的撤退，精明的军事家必然会十分警惕。眼看着几十万中朝军队处于敌人攻势的情况下，我几天几夜睡不好，总想摆脱这个困境。本来后方的物资供应就很难维持，这时敌人又派飞机对我军运输线猛烈轰炸。战士们吃不饱穿不暖，空中有飞机炸，地面对着美军的坦克大炮，左右沿海是美军的舰队，不下船就可以把炮弹打过来。志愿军随时有遭厄运的可能，我不能把几十万军队的生命当儿戏，所以必须坚决地停下来！ www.6park.com
　斯大林的军事观察员、苏联驻北朝鲜大使拉佐瓦耶夫对彭德怀突然停止进攻极为不满，他对斯大林说，彭是“军事上的保守主义”。彭德怀火冒三丈：“拉佐瓦耶夫？他打过什么仗？第二次战役时我们停止追击就是他不同意……” www.6park.com
　王树增说：确实，李奇微的到来，开始扭转美军的劣势。在骊州，他对中国军队入朝后的所有战斗记录凝思了三天，终于发现了中国军队的“命门”所在──每次中国军队的进攻到第七八天时，就没吃没喝没弹药了，不撤也得撤。李奇微称之为“礼拜攻势”。他因而总结出对付的办法：当凶猛的“礼拜攻势”接近尾声时，以强大的反击力量立即投入前沿，向弹尽粮绝的中国军队毫不迟疑地扑上去。用火海方式实施火力摧毁，以杀伤中国军队的有生力量…… www.6park.com
　彭德怀下令停止进攻，美军反而来劲了，回头就咬，全世界包括美国国会和中国军队，都没想到美军的反攻发动得如此之快，而且是在中国军队最不愿意进行战斗的时候。面对这种局势，彭德怀指挥志愿军，通过阻击和运动防御，迫使敌人停止进攻。 www.6park.com
　所有的战斗都异常残酷，在修理山、在泰华山、在汉江南岸，中国士兵用血肉之躯，阻挡李奇微的火海战术。志愿军阵地的失守，照例都是在最后一个肢体不全的战士抱着成捆的手榴弹或是爆破筒，滚向敌人后发生的。 www.6park.com
　王树增说，情况确实很险，几十万中国军队如果继续南进的话，将正好落入李奇微的圈套。在三七线上，联合国军以逸待劳，修筑了十分坚固的工事，正等待着饥饿和缺乏弹药的志愿军士兵闯入火网。 www.6park.com
　 “志愿军的冬天，一个空前流血牺牲的阶段开始了。”王树增对这一段的描写倾注了最多的感情。 www.6park.com
　为了这本朝鲜战争的书，王树增在广州那个灯红酒绿的浮躁的环境中彻夜查资料，有人对他说：你有病啊？ www.6park.com
　 “我有一个小愿望，就是想让当代青年看到我们民族经历的往事……记住士兵，那些士兵！” www.6park.com
　王树增的妻子王瑛说：“你没发现，这本《远东：朝鲜战争》就是献给我们战士的。一提到普通士兵，他就不能自已。” www.6park.com
　 “我当过10年伞兵，我对士兵有感情。我的部队前身是打上甘岭的，是黄继光、邱少云的部队。想想那些躺在异国土地上的战士，我什么都说不出来，他们那么年轻，他们是农民的儿子……”王树增沉默而冷面地对着我。 www.6park.com
　一种无可名状的感受刺疼记者。当有的国家对每一个牺牲的儿女都设有灵牌，或在纪念碑上镌有密密麻麻的名字、永远受到民族的整体追念时，我们农民的儿子呢？ www.6park.com
　前不久，一个专门研究韩战（朝鲜战争）的日本学者来到中国，他想看看邱少云国度里的大学生，他对大学生们说，邱少云真是世界上少有的勇敢的人，是一个民族的骄傲。有个大学生竟回答说：现在再也不会有那么傻的人了。 www.6park.com
　 “这是我们民族的悲剧！”王树增对这件事很长时间不能释怀。 www.6park.com
　今年夏天，美国原准备和韩国在仁川举行大规模的模拟登陆，并把当年参加联合国军的西方各国的军事代表团都请来，以纪念朝鲜战争50周年，后担心刺激朝鲜的南北和谈而作罢── www.6park.com
　在谁也没提起旧事时，美韩总是不忘，它起码勾起我们因往事而汹涌的感情。 www.6park.com
　誓与敌人同归于尽的战士比比皆是 www.6park.com
　王树增给我们描述了第四次战役──那是我们从不知道的由青春、热血、失利、胜利筑起的波澜壮阔的战场。 www.6park.com
　毛泽东一度想让志愿军攻到三六线，并在那里休整。而在前线的彭德怀心里清楚，这没有任何可能，只能通过阻击和防御，迫使敌人停止进攻，这就是第四次战役。 www.6park.com
　所有的战斗都异常残酷，在修理山、在泰华山、在汉江南岸，中国士兵用血肉之躯，阻挡李奇微的火海战术。志愿军阵地的失守，照例都是在最后一个肢体不全的战士抱着成捆的手榴弹或是爆破筒，滚向敌人后发生的。 www.6park.com
　王树增说，你能想象数十门火炮加上30多辆坦克一起向一个小山包轰击1个小时、8架飞机又轮番扔下大量凝固汽油弹后是什么情形吗？山头被削去1米，连土都在燃烧。中国士兵竟然还活着，还站起来射击。这给美国兵的心理震撼是极为强烈的，他们甚至怀疑自己手中卡宾枪射出的子弹是否有意义，中国人是杀不死的。 www.6park.com
　彭德怀利用敌人东线的一个小疏忽，发动横城反击战，使联合国军的进攻失利，全线动摇。 www.6park.com
　在横城反击战中，中国战士的英勇，使美军最现代化的武器也为之减色。“当一个人抱着同归于尽的心态，局面就会有变化。”王树增提到一个叫翟文清的前副师长，他永远不能忘记他当营教导员时一个叫于水林的战士，在横城反击战中，敌人坦克集群冲过来，局面很危，于水林手提手雷，冒着弹雨冲到坦克跟前，连续炸毁两辆重型坦克，局面为之一变。他又端枪追击从坦克中跳出的美国兵。身中数弹，全身血红，还捉到了8名俘虏。 www.6park.com
　王树增特别感动的是于水林受伤回国后的故事。他消失在茫茫人海中，与部队失去联系。只知道他是热河人，翟文清就派人到承德地区去找。找了好多年，直到“文革”前，才在内蒙古昭乌达盟一个贫困村里找到他。他是村里最贫困的，右臂已截肢，没有父母和兄弟姐妹，孤身一人住在生产队的马棚里。当地没有一个人知道这个衣衫褴褛的残疾汉子是荣获一等功的大功臣。翟文清副师长千里迢迢赶来，紧紧抱住他，泪如泉涌。当地政府知道于水林是大英雄后，给他盖了间房，为他找了个女人。结婚时，翟文清把他和女人接到部队……生活艰难，而老军人多情而仗义。以后每年于水林都会被接到部队，直到他病逝。翟副师长亲自料理了这个老战士的后事。 www.6park.com
　在横城反击战中，志愿军一个师创1次战斗歼敌最多纪录，消灭敌人3350名。但在砥平里，由美军和法军联守的一个阵地要冲没能拿下来，使志愿军终没取得第4次战役的大胜。那是异常惨烈的一仗，双方都刻骨铭心（美国人今年在国内大肆纪念砥平里之战）。志愿军先后投入8个团，多次攻入阵地，到处是混战肉搏，美国的重型轰炸机从日本本土、南朝鲜釜山机场和航空母舰上起飞，怪叫着低飞擦过战场，把志愿军的攻击线路炸成一片火海。志愿军伤亡太大，经常是一个连上去没几分钟，就只剩六七个人了。连长指导员全都牺牲，司号员炊事员指挥战斗，打到最后一个与敌人同归于尽，杨根思式的战士比比皆是…… www.6park.com
　对砥平里的攻击是在志愿军基层军官坚决要求下停止的。下级军官要求不打，在中国共产党领导的军队里是极为罕见的。 www.6park.com
　彭德怀知道后，同意停止进攻。志愿军对砥平里的攻击失利。 www.6park.com
　在砥平里，我们的伤亡很大。40军的3个团就伤亡1830人。359团3营的官兵几乎全部伤亡，3营营长牛振厚在撤退时说什么也不离开遍布3营战士尸体的阵地，最后硬被拖下来。 www.6park.com
　 40年后，一位美国历史学家专门来到韩国的砥平里，在三七线附近的冻土里挖出19具中国士兵的遗骸，以及志愿军的子弹、水壶、牙刷、胶鞋等…… www.6park.com
　彭德怀有一个最重要的特点：爱兵 www.6park.com
　 “比较一下两军的统帅是很有意思的。”王树增在书中重点描写了这两个人：“志愿军统帅彭德怀像块巨石一样，他脸上从来没有笑容，全党全军只有毛泽东敢跟他开玩笑，这跟他的身世有一定关系，他是赤贫的孩子，这一点跟毛泽东和周恩来不一样，他一直在基层，在一线，没享过一天福。”从王树增的言谈中可以感受到他对彭德怀的深厚感情。 www.6park.com
　即将出兵时，他在沈阳开最后一次会，突然感叹说：“我命苦啊！”在场的人都很惊讶，因为他从没说过这种话。“长征时我打最艰苦的仗，抗日时我在太行山……现在又是朝鲜战争……我是命中注定要吃苦的。”他最后说：“如果没有苦，要共产党员干吗？”全场为之肃容。 www.6park.com
　王树增写到彭德怀，往往欲泪难止。他说，想到彭老总后来的命运，觉得他还不如牺牲在朝鲜战场。 www.6park.com
　而美国第8集团军统帅（侵朝美军主要是第8集团军）李奇微是典型的现代军人，他儒雅而理智。相比之下，麦克阿瑟传统老旧多了。他比麦克阿瑟小二十几岁，突出的特点是对战争局势判断敏锐而果敢。 www.6park.com
　朝鲜战场的复杂、诡奇、壮阔，主要是彭德怀和李奇微两个人斗心斗智的结果。 www.6park.com
　彭德怀还有一个最重要的特点，就是爱兵。他的心拨开那些干部，直扑向那些最基层、最令人怜爱、最艰苦的战士。在朝鲜战场，他最大的忧虑就是我们的后勤，当美军飞机把整个后勤线炸得支离破碎，而战士们卧在雪中连炒面都吃不上，冻死饿死很多，还要遭受凝固汽油弹的伤害时，他的头发就无可阻挡地白了。 www.6park.com
　为了使这些战士的处境能够好一点，在第4次战役最危急的时候，彭德怀忍痛离开回北京，他迫切需要中央了解朝鲜战场最真实的情况──有人写过这些情节，但《远东：朝鲜战争》中有最真实的记录──飞机降落沈阳加油时，前来迎接他的军政首长请他到休息室休息吃饭，他眉头紧锁心情恶劣：“我不吃饭！不休息！你们别管我！”他就站在飞机旁等，飞机加完油后，立即飞向北京。到了北京，他直奔中南海。当得知毛泽东不在中南海而在西郊玉泉山的静明园时，他又立即赶往那儿。到了静明园，因为毛泽东在睡午觉，秘书和警卫人员不让他进。他大吼一声：我有急事向毛主席汇报！不由分说，推门而进。 www.6park.com
　毛泽东没有恼怒，边穿衣服边说：“只有你彭老总才会在人家睡觉时闯进来提意见！”彭德怀向毛泽东汇报了朝鲜战场的艰难情况，以及与美军作战和与国民党作战的不同。毛泽东终于表示，根据现在的情况看，朝鲜战争不要急于求成。 www.6park.com
　在周恩来主持的军委扩大会上，彭德怀充满感情地说：“国内只知道取得三次战役胜利的一面，并不知道严重困难的一面。第一批入朝的9个军，经过3个月的作战，已经伤亡四万五千多人，另外，生病、冻伤、冻死约四万人……几十万志愿军既得不到充足的粮食供应，更吃不到新鲜蔬菜，第一线部队只能靠一把炒面一把雪坚持作战。战士营养不良，面黄肌瘦……” www.6park.com
　有些领导开始强调自己的困难，彭德怀实在听不下去，禁不住拍案而起：“这也困难，那也难办，你们整天干的是什么？我看就是你们知道爱国，几十万志愿军战士他们不知道爱国吗？你们到朝鲜前线去看看，战士住的什么，吃的什么，穿的什么！这些可爱的战士在敌人飞机坦克大炮的轮番轰炸下，就趴在雪地里忍饥挨冻……其艰苦程度甚至超过红军时期。经过几个月的苦战，伤亡了那么多战士，他们为谁牺牲，为谁流血？战死的、负伤的、饿死的、冻死的，这些都是青年娃娃呀！难道国内就不能采取紧急措施吗？” www.6park.com
　人们鸦雀无声，屏息静气。 www.6park.com
　回到住所，彭德怀怒气未消地对浦安修说：“前线战士那样苦，北京还到处跳舞！我这个官老爷当然饿不着冻不着，可那些年轻的战士呢？我这个司令官不能睁着眼睛不为他们说话！” www.6park.com
　彭德怀此次回京起到了相当的作用。他促使中央军委做出了有利于改善前线条件的一系列决定。几天之后，他匆匆回到几十万大军正在受苦牺牲的地方。 www.6park.com
　中国军队的勇敢悲壮惊天动地 www.6park.com
　令王树增和王瑛夫妇不能忘记的另一个老军人是范天恩。这位主力军（38军）中的主力师主力团团长是有名的范大胆，打了许多硬仗胜仗，在全军非常有名，后来官至烟台警备区司令，今年79岁，已报病危。王树增夫妇从38军打听到他的下落后，赶去采访。但对于50年前那场战争，他一句话不肯说。 www.6park.com
　 “过了很长时间，他终于开口，你猜他说的什么？”王瑛问我。“说的竟然是一个孩子的事。临死前只有一件事放不下心，就是那个孩子。”老战士含着眼泪，像是要托付给王树增夫妇。 www.6park.com
　这孩子当年是一个孤儿，流落在哈尔滨街头拾捡为生，后来被苏联红军收留。苏联红军撤离时，想把他带走，但政策不允许，只得把他留在齐齐哈尔火车站，他又重新流浪。范天恩带部队经过时，看这个孩子独自蜷缩在寒风中，十分可怜，就把他收留。这孩子特别聪明，就让他干机要员，成天跟着范天恩，情同父子。第二次战役后，范天恩回国轮训时想带他一起走，又怕人家说……等他回来后，听说那孩子战死了，用老乡的衣柜做了一个薄棺埋在汉江边。 www.6park.com
　 “他的家人在哪儿？他姓王，我要找到他的家人。”范天恩在最后的时候总在说这句话。王树增知道这是一个老人永不能实现的梦了。“50年了，就是有家人也早就死了。” www.6park.com
　彭德怀从北京赶回第四次战役的战场，得到的第一个消息是：中国军队节节后退的局面已经无法控制。计谋多端的李奇微接连发动了“屠夫作战”和“撕裂作战”，突破了汉江。彭德怀于是向中央提出放弃汉城。中国军队退至三八线以北。双方又回到了战争起始状态。 www.6park.com
　在边打边退的过程中，中国将士付出很大牺牲。弹药的极度缺乏令志愿军战士丧失了保卫阵地和自己的基本条件。朝鲜中部那些山岭上的石头常常是他们用来与坦克大炮搏斗的武器。许多中国士兵腹中空空衣不遮体地倒在了没有人烟的荒山野岭中。当部队后撤时，只能看着战友的遗体躺在凄风冷雨中渐渐遥远。 www.6park.com
　随后赶来的美国兵看到这些尸体也不禁浑身颤栗。美国陆战1师军史上记录道：“这些尸体横七竖八地躺卧着，很多还与美国士兵的尸体抱在一起。由于尸体的冷却，已无法把他们分开。” www.6park.com
　志愿军退到三八线以北，杜鲁门和华盛顿的政客们以为志愿军没有能力也不愿意再打了，撤了一直与其作对坚持要打到鸭绿江的麦克阿瑟。但杜鲁门确实不如在亚洲生活了14年的麦克阿瑟了解中国人。彭德怀和同事正策划一次自朝鲜战争爆发以来规模最大的战役。他致电毛泽东：“此次战役是极为重要的，是一场大恶战。即使付出五六万人的代价，也要消灭敌人几个师……” www.6park.com
　毛泽东很赞赏，周恩来却提醒：“我们前几次战役的情况证明，一次包围美军几个师、1个整师、甚至1个团，都难以达到歼灭的目的，而这次战役的第一阶段就预定歼灭敌人5个师，其中有美军的3个师，恐怕客观上难以做到……” www.6park.com
　但毛泽东批准了彭德怀的作战方案。 www.6park.com
　这时李奇微已经取代自大的麦克阿瑟，成了联合国军总司令，他选中军事怪才范弗里特接替自己原来的职务。这个人更加阴狠，在中国军队准备进攻时，他打破美军常规，不修筑防御工事，仍下令北进攻击。他说，对于中国人，防守是不行的，只有进攻。 www.6park.com
　他把李奇微的“火海战术”用得更狠，使用的弹药量是美军规定限额的5倍以上。一些美国国会议员要质询这种“范弗里特弹药量”浪费了美国纳税人的钱。范氏大为光火：“让那些议员们来看看敌人的尸体和俘虏吧……” www.6park.com
　美军全线越过三八线。 www.6park.com
　 1951年5月29日晚，朝鲜中部大雨如注。在山洞里，光着上身的彭德怀用最低沉的声音对洪学智说：出事了！60军180师被包围在汉江南岸。 www.6park.com
　连日大雨使汉江江水猛涨，180师1万多中国官兵只能拉着仅有的3根铁丝北渡突围。美军的照明弹悬挂在头顶，炮兵和低空盘旋的飞机把密集的炮弹砸向毫无还击能力的中国士兵。齐胸深的江水汹涌，力气弱小的女兵紧紧拉住马尾，人们互相呼喊，还是有人不断被江水卷走。中国士兵的鲜血使汉江江水成了红色。 www.6park.com
　 180师周围是5倍美军的死死包围，每一个方向的突围都发生了极其残酷的战斗。比死亡更可怕的是饥饿，全师断粮多日，伤兵更加悲惨，伤口由于不能及时处理而溃烂。有的士兵主张把驮炮的骡子杀了吃，但是立即遭到反对，士兵们宁可饿死也不愿意杀跟随自己出生入死的骡马。驭手们怕它们被人吃，就解开缰绳放它们走，但是这些骡马恋着主人，人走到哪儿跟到哪儿，令炮兵驭手们放声大哭。 www.6park.com
　当60军韦杰军长得知负责救援180师的179师和181师行动失败，一头栽倒在军指挥部里。 www.6park.com
　 180师开了最后一次党委会，决定分散突围。师长郑其贵带领警卫分队和部分机关人员在黎明时分遭到美军坦克追杀，钢铁履带把中国军人的身体卷进去，然后抛起来。几名警卫战士向与郑师长的行动相反的方向跑，以吸引美军火力。郑其贵等趁机冲过山去。郑其贵回过头看到，一个战士当场被打死，另一个战士负伤仰面倒下，被两名黑人士兵抓着两腿拖走。 www.6park.com
　 40年后解密的志愿军司令部的资料显示：“除师长、参谋长及担任掩护大行李的一个建制营等部分人员突围外，余因饥饿与疲劳走不动，吃野菜中毒或作战死亡、失散等约七千余人。” www.6park.com
　中国军队继续北撤，战线距离三八线越来越远。将士们忍受着一种难以言传的情绪的折磨。彭德怀认为，不能再退了，无论从军事上还是政治上，无论从道理上还是心理上。他决定在朝鲜中部高山险阻之地守住最后的防线。派谁来守呢？各军损失严重，只有36岁的军长傅崇碧率领的63军略好一点。 www.6park.com
　第63军最悲壮的一页翻开了。一边是中国士兵的血肉之躯，一边是美军坦克的钢铁长龙，两边翻滚厮杀。战场距彭德怀的指挥部不过百里，他拒绝撤退。经常一个人在黑暗中向南眺望，他知道他的士兵一个个倒在阵地上，心疼焦虑。他知道中国农民家庭是如何盼自己的儿子长大，平安。 www.6park.com
　几天前，志愿军一个独生子的父亲写信问能不能让他的儿子回家，有人指责这个老人觉悟不高，破坏抗美援朝。彭德怀知道后发火，命令立即把这个战士从近百万士兵中找出来，给这位老人送回去：“战士不是父母养的？就你是？” www.6park.com
　残酷的阻击战打了整整10天结束，63军胜利完成任务，美军的进攻被挡住了。彭德怀亲自迎接从前沿下来的63军官兵。士兵们浑身的衣服已变成一缕缕的布条，许多人只剩下粘满血迹的裤衩。彭德怀刚说了一句“祖国感谢你们”，官兵们就都哭了，他们想起了倒在异国土地上的战友。 www.6park.com
　第五次战役的最后结局最终使毛泽东和彭德怀认识到，在朝鲜打美国人与在国内打国民党根本不同。在敌人海陆空的立体优势面前，我们过分乐观于自己的兵力优势和敌人缺乏近夜战的能力，尤其是美军已经掌握了中国军队某些暂时的弱点……得到这个认识付出了血的代价。 www.6park.com
　胜利女神站在了哪一边？ www.6park.com
　知道记者在写朝鲜战争，许多人问，咱们到底是赢了还是输了。更多的人在问王树增。他回答道：“你我这样的人在拳台上跟泰森打了个平手，你说这是泰森的胜利还是你我的胜利？” www.6park.com
　第5次战役后，杜鲁门急着想停战，认为长期陷在朝鲜战场是中了苏联人的诡计。而中国领导人需要面对更为重要的台湾和西藏问题，况且已成功地制止了联合国军占领全朝鲜的企图。 www.6park.com
　杜鲁门“像猎狗一样到处寻找能和中国方面取得信息交流的线索”。找了一些不行，最后只能把一些信息向毛泽东的一个远亲传达，拿马歇尔的话说：像是“把一封信塞进瓶子里放到旧金山附近的大海里”，指望毛泽东能收到，简直太渺茫了。 www.6park.com
　经过一系列外交斡旋，杜鲁门向远东最高司令官李奇微发出命令，要求他一字不差地向朝鲜共军司令发出：“我得知贵方可能希望举行一次会议，以讨论以后停止朝鲜的敌对行为……我提议此会议可在元山港一只丹麦伤兵船上举行。” www.6park.com
　 7月1日，彭德怀和金日成复电：“联合国军总司令李奇微将军：我们同意为举行关于停止军事行动和建立和平的谈判而与你的代表会晤。会晤地点，我们建议在三八线上的开城地区……” www.6park.com
　交战双方开始谈判后，南朝鲜这个几乎被遗忘的政府感到受到了极大侮辱。李承晚多次表示“誓死不与共产党谈判”，汉城多次举行大规模群众游行，喊出“打到北方去”！但没有人理会这个政府。 www.6park.com
　谈判整整进行了两年，其间没有发生大规模的战役。却有无数次阵地对攻战，最著名的是在上甘岭发生的。 www.6park.com
　尽管南朝鲜军把志愿军看成了神，听到一点中国军队的风声就望风而逃，但停战协议的签字就要举行时，李承晚竟然不要联合国军，要“单干”。志愿军发动了金城战役，专打要“单干”的南朝鲜军。结果南朝鲜军队伤亡惨重，丢失了大片土地。新上任的联合国军司令官克拉克说：“让中国人教训一下韩国人吧！”三八线从来是笔直的线，就是在金城一带凸出一块，那是金城战役使然。 www.6park.com
　 1953年7月27日，停战协议正式签字。当双方倾销弹药的枪炮巨响停止后，战线突然沉寂下来，双方官兵从战壕中探出头来观察，然后一起欢呼。几个中国士兵溜达到美军阵地上，拿出几粒糖果和一块手绢要送给美军士兵。这些农民子弟把自己仅有的最好的东西拿出来，他们以为吃着牛排睡着鸭绒睡袋的美国大兵也把它们当宝贝…… www.6park.com
　王树增记录了这样一件事。停战那天，一名志愿军小战士奉命往前沿阵地送命令。这天炮火变得异常猛烈，他奔跑着、躲避着，多次被炮弹掀起的泥土掩埋。就要到阵地时，他被炸倒，醒来时发现自己的一只脚齐腕而断。他开始往阵地爬，一只手抱着自己的断脚。他爬上阵地时已是黄昏。小战士从胸前掏出命令，上面写着：今晚22时正式停战。届时不准射出一枪一炮。 www.6park.com
　指挥员把小战士抱起来，大喊：“来三个人把他背下去！不准让他死！拿着他的这只脚！” www.6park.com
　 50年后，王树增和王瑛到处打听这个小战士的姓名，无结果。在岁月风霜中，他安在否？王瑛问我或问她自己。 www.6park.com
　停战那天晚上，彭德怀走上前沿阵地，几个小时前这里还在战斗。一队担架抬着志愿军战士的遗体走下来，彭德怀掀开每一个担架上的白布，眼睛里渐渐充满泪花。他哽咽地说：“就差几个小时，他们这么年轻……把他们的名字记下来，掩埋好，立上个牌子……” www.6park.com
　走下阵地时，彭德怀突然命令吉普车停下，他在泥土中拣出一只满是弹洞的白搪瓷杯，上面写着：献给最可爱的人……许久以后，他喃喃问：“这个兵，牺牲了？还是负伤了？” www.6park.com
　我不禁想起同是统帅的麦克阿瑟卸职后，在美国国会演讲时脱口而出的那句名言：“老兵不会死，他只会悄然而逝……”

RJC CLDCS Theme Song

2005-06-04T00:59:00.000-07:00

莱初华会会歌：

Victoria Day long weekend @ Vancouver Island 之 Victoria

2005-05-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

We were back to Victoria on Victoria Day just to catch the famous Victoria Day Parade. I hadn't seen a real parade in Canada, so I was pretty curious about the event. The parade took place at Douglas St, the main street in downtown Victoria. We arrived at ten sth, almost an hour after it started cos none of us could get up that early. :p We were totally exhausted in the first two days.

My camera was punctually out of memory the day before. Luckily Jingjing's camera still got a lot of space, so I was able to get all those pictures of the parade. A lot of high school bands joined the parade, but sarcastically about 90% of the bands were from Washington State, and even Oregon. And the American school bands all looked much more professional and better-trained than the local bands, which was quite a pity tho...

American high school band

oh, she's pretty!

Norway pirates

Victoria Chinese

hot chics

After the parade, I took some pics in front of the BC Parliament Building and Empress Hotel as usual. The weather was surprisingly sunny with a comfortable temperature. Dont know what the hell happened when we were at Tofino. This time I went into Empress Hotel. It's simly gorgeous! But everything inside is so expensive, not for ppl like me... :p

BC Parliament Building

Empress Hotel at the back

~~THE END~~

Victoria Day long weekend @ Vancouver Island 之 Tofino

2005-05-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

So here we are at Tofino on Saturday night after four hours of drive from Nanaimo. The weather was nasty, raining all the time with irregular breaks. Thanks to our Great Chef Fiona. Without her, we were really like 饥寒交迫. Once in her hands, simple stuff can turn into a tasty meal. :)

The masterpiece of our Great Chef, Fiona

The town of Tofino is really...err...tiny. There are less than ten streets in total, even considering all places that actually have some ppl living there. But it has an awesome location, right facing the open Pacific, yup, the real Pacific, absolutely not the calm water that's surrounding the UBC campus. So the next morning, we went ahead to Chesterman Beach and Long Beach to embrace the sea. It was sitll downpouring, and the wind was roaring like a beast. With only a t-shirt and a jacket, I was shivering all over. (I expected to enjoy the sunshine at the beaches!) But the bad weather created another kind of sea view, grey sea water, big waves and tides. Water was coming up to the shore so fast that your fee could be 'underwater' within seconds. Now I know why tsunami can wipe out so many ppl---It's simply too fast.

Tide and wave, Chesterman Beach

Lonely rock in the ferocious Pacific

Drenched all over, and cold!!

Just before lunch, we took a boat to go to a small island called 'Spring Garden'. It's said that this island is privately owned by an American woman, who actually pays for the boats for ppl to visit her island. But it's not open every day, and we were very lucky to be just in time.

Spring Garden---世外桃源

My photography skill is steadily advancing, hehe

To be continued...

Victoria Day long weekend @ Vancouver Island 之 Nanaimo

2005-05-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Victoria Day is for commemorating Queen Victoria's Birthday. (She's Queen Elizabeth II's grandmother, if I'm not wrong.) Thanks to the granny Queen, we got a long weekend from last Saturday to this Monday. So, Howie, Fiona, Jinging, and I, four of us decided to spend the holiday on the Island and have some fun.

The trip started with some thrill. We planned to catch last ferry at 9pm last Friday to Victoria, but we left Fairview at about 8:35pm and it's about 35 min's drive (almost 2 hours of bus) from UBC to Tsawwassen Bay Ferry Terminal with smooth traffic. I was already thinking about the ferry-missed-scenario. But there came our trip-saver, Fiona's friend. Within 15 min, he drove us from UBC to Tsawwassen, and thanks to his incredible speed, we were just on time for the last call for boarding. I believe that driving recorde will remain to be challenged for a while. :p

After one and half hours on the sea, we arrived at Swartz Bay on the Island, picked up the car we rented and began our 'adventure' the next morning. As Howie is the only one who has a driver license among four of us, he inevitably became the exclusive driver. See how confident he was while driving in the down-pour along the meandering mountain road! :p

Howie, the driver

Our first stop out of Victoria was Nanaimo, "the harbour city". (That's what it says on the giant welcome-board.) Although it's the second-largest city on Vancouver Island, it's actually no bigger than a small town. But there are some nice buildings and we were also very lucky to catch their Heritage Day and be able to take photos with ppl in traditional British costumes.

War Memorial

Court House

Scottish skirt

Our tight schedule only allowed us to 'drop by' Nanaimo, and then we began our 'long march' to Tofino, which is on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The route we followed cut right thru the Island and the inter-connecting mountains. It's a long journey from Nanaimo to Tofino due to the mountain road as well as the shitty weather. During the 3 hour+ of drive, the ladies dozed off one by one, but I stayed awake till the end to make Howie feel less lonely while driving. :p

To be continued...

日本武士百年前杀死朝鲜国母其子孙到韩国谢罪

2005-05-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

日本人可以到韩国去谢罪，是不是也应该到中国，到南京去一样去谢一下罪呢？
P.S. 明成皇后长的还真是个标准的韩国妇女。:p [Tony]

　　一些日本人来到韩国南洋州市的洪陵，祭拜了长眠在这里的朝鲜王朝高宗皇帝和明成皇后。110年前杀害明成皇后的日本人的子孙为祖辈流下了忏悔的眼泪，也替祖辈进行了真诚的谢罪。这个迟来的“民间谢罪团”再度勾起韩国人对那段痛苦历史的回忆。
　　朝鲜国母惨遭毒手
　　明成皇后是李氏朝鲜王朝末期的政治家和女强人。在国运日渐衰落、列强虎视眈眈要吞食朝鲜的动荡局势中，她为高宗皇帝亲政立下了汗马功劳。这一时期，日本加快了并吞朝鲜的步伐，借帮助李氏政府镇压甲午农民战争之际，在朝鲜部署了大量军队。
　　1895年10月8日，日本政府决心采取行动除掉明成皇后这个眼中钉，日本驻朝鲜公使三浦嗦デ鬃灾富恿苏獯未拧傲院钡淖髡叫卸Ｊ艿街甘镜?0多名日本剑客和浪人在日本军队的配合下，闯入朝鲜皇宫景福宫，在明成皇后就寝的玉壶楼里杀害了明成皇后和多名宫女。
　　三浦梧楼以保护为名，带着军队掌控了景福宫，并命令手下毁尸灭迹，这一行为引起了朝鲜国内和国际社会的愤怒。日本政府为了平息事态，对三浦梧楼和国友重章等55名凶手进行了审判，但不久却以证据不足为由将他们全部释放。
　　凶手子孙真诚忏悔
　　参加110年前刺杀行动的主犯国友重章和家入嘉击的子孙这次专程到韩国，为祖辈犯下的罪行谢罪。由国友重章的孙子、家入嘉击的儿媳和日本熊本“怀念明成皇后组织”的10名成员组成的“谢罪团”，在访问韩国期间祭拜了明成皇后，向高宗皇帝的子孙作了真诚的谢罪。他们还到明成皇后被害的景福宫现场参观。
　　国友重章的孙子河野龙巳见到高宗皇帝的子孙时流下了忏悔的眼泪。他说，站在明成皇后陵墓前，他唯一所能讲的话就是“向您谢罪，请宽恕我们”，他为祖辈感到无比惭愧。
　　河野龙巳说，小时候他认为爷爷的行为是爱国主义的表现，但知道了事实的真相后，他才知道爷爷犯下的是无法弥补的错误。他本人早就想到韩国谢罪，但既没有勇气又没有机会，这次在“怀念明成皇后组织”的帮助下，他终于下决心亲自到韩国向明成皇后谢罪。
　　家入嘉击的儿媳是茶艺专家，在祭拜明成皇后时用日本茶艺传统礼节上了茶。她指出，这是以她自己的方式向明成皇后谢罪。
　　呼吁日本政府谢罪
　　韩国媒体对河野龙巳等人到韩国谢罪作了充分报道。舆论认为，经过了漫长的110年之后，当年杀害明成皇后的凶手的子孙们为祖辈谢罪的确是有点太晚了。但不管怎么说，这还是表明，日本有良知的人们对日本过去的罪行是有正确认识的。
　　110年来，日本政府对杀害明成皇后一事并没作出深刻反省。河野龙巳等人说，记录杀害明成皇后事件的日本历史教科书仅有一种，而且最近右翼分子想方设法要删除这些内容。
　　这次组织“谢罪团”的是日本熊本市的民间组织“怀念明成皇后组织”。去年11月成立的该组织致力于寻找杀害明成皇后的凶手后裔、调查有关记录、还原历史真相等工作。
　　韩国一直要求日本对过去的罪行作出反省和谢罪，希望日本对历史负责，对下一代负责。河野龙巳表示，日本对历史的谢罪要从110年前杀害明成皇后的罪行开始。他还说，这次迟来的谢罪是一个新的开始，他们将为真实地记录历史而尽最大的努力。
　　“怀念明成皇后组织”表示，他们最近将开展一场市民运动，以促使政府在教科书上真实记录杀害明成皇后事件。

新闻来源: 自由时报于 May 14

News Repost

2005-05-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

台湾人似乎特别在行编卡通，新闻里面车祸事故或是抢劫银行都可以以卡通呈献，现在连战也被搞上了，只是因为西安小学生欢迎他的一首儿歌。就如文章里所说，两岸其实在文化上是已经有相当大的差异，这一点从综艺节目上就可以看出来。
[Tony]

“连爷爷您别回来了！”
● 林琬绯

　　西安后宰门小学三天前欢迎连战到访时所表演的儿歌，在台湾全岛爆红，从立法院、媒体、大学、“唱”到互联网，只不过版本各异，趣味盎然。

　　西安小学生唱的原版是：“两岸的小朋友手拉手儿把歌唱，爷爷啊，您回来啦！您终于回来啦！您的母校热情欢迎您！爷爷啊，祝您健康、幸福、快乐！”小学生字正腔圆的夸张表演，让台湾观众连连喷饭，媒体甚至如此形容：“可怜在场的连战紧抿嘴唇强忍，后面的连胜文和连惠心，早已忍不住笑出声来。”

　　独派集团当然不会放弃机会，把儿歌改编成不同版本，尽其嘲讽。

　　民进党先由立委人蔡启芳在立法院以台语朗诵一回：“连爷爷啊，您别回来了。这是您亲吻过的土地，台湾人请您别回来了！”随后，多位立委再组成诗歌朗诵团，就在立法院大厅怪腔怪调就地表演：“连主席，让您与您的熊猫，一只叫‘一国’，一只叫‘两制’，一起度过与祖国的美好时光。您就别再回来啦！您就别再回来啦！”

　　台联也有自己的版本：“带着您的LV留在中国吧。在中国有您的阿嬷，在台湾您什么都没有。喔！不！您还有一堆钱，还有千亿党产啊！”

　　独派团体的改编版固然荒谬无聊之极，但大陆的八股样版戏让台湾观众鸡皮疙瘩掉一地，却也多少显示了两岸即使是在文化上，仍存许多“尚待磨合”的鸿沟。

　　昨天国民党的中常会还播放了连战和平之旅的新闻纪录片，在看到西安后宰门小学学生表演“连爷爷，您回来了”的片段，原本一脸严肃的连战也忍不住笑了出来。

　　民进党昨晚举办的国代造势晚会，也由成人打扮成西安小学生，重新演译这个片断，讽刺连战“左边也回来了，右边也回来了，上面也回来了，下面也回来了”。

《联合早报》

----------------------------------------------------------
有了连战的“前车之鉴”，宋楚瑜反倒有点怕这样的欢迎仪式了。

红了“连爷爷”
吓坏“宋爷爷”
● 林琬绯

　　西安后宰门小学欢迎连战重返母校的夸张演出，让“连爷爷”被台湾全岛“唱”了足足一个星期，宋楚瑜见了，心有戚戚焉。

　　据说，为了避免再成为另一个“宋爷爷”，宋楚瑜已请大陆中共官方不要再安排类似的欢迎仪式。

　　大陆方面能否明白“宋爷爷”的难言之隐，还得等到“宋爷爷”9日回到湖南家乡昭潭小学母校的时候才有分晓。

　　不过，昨天当宋楚瑜抵达西安首站，一个星期前拿着花束彩球列队迎接连战的小学生阵仗却没有出现，改由一群中学生出场，虽然“欢迎、欢迎，热烈欢迎”的典型口号还是不能少，由大孩子来喊，却显得含蓄低调得多。就不知是纯属巧合，还是大陆官方煞费苦心的安排？

　　据台湾媒体报道，“爷爷！您回来了！您终于回来了！”的后宰门小学学生朗诵片段，近日除了给绿营立委卖力改编模仿演出，现在就连手机都能下载片段当来电答铃，不只有原音版，还改编成“爷爷您打来啦”的手机夸张版，搞笑上阵，令人喷饭。

《联合早报》

Night Trip @ Grouse Mountain

2005-05-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

Went to Grouse Mountain on Thursday night with Jingjing and Angela. This is the second time I went to Grouse Mountain, but with a totally different purpose. Last time, I went for hiking and actually climbed all my way to the top. This time, however, we took the SkyRide. (It's damn expensive, over 30 dollars for round trip, holy...) And I took some quite professional-look photos of the night view of Vancouver looking from the top of Grouse Mountain. Pretty satisfied with my performance on photography this time, heehee. More photos in my MSN space.

Night View of Vancouver from top of Grouse Mountain

万家灯火

Dusk

UBC: Looks so small surrounded by the sea

Last time, there were only two grizzlies on Grouse Mountain. Now, three more wolves have joined the family. Look at those “狼深邃的眼睛”.

Photo courtesy of Jingjing

Nostalgic

2005-05-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Computer Pro's Working Desk @ Gage

Settled in Fairview

2005-04-29T23:02:00.000-07:00

After two days of packing and 'transporting', and with the help from Eddy and Howie, I have finally moved everything from Gage to Fairview, the summer residence. Fairview is certainly inferior to Gage, in my opinion. First of all, there's no TV. How am I gonna watch the remaining Rockets playoffs, and the 台湾八卦? That sux! And also, Fairview is farther away from the bus loop. That will make a huge difference starting from next week when I have to go to work every day from 9 to 5. But well, it's set. And I have made my room look more or less the same as before, quite feeling like home. Life has to go on.

Shanghai Auto Show

2005-04-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

Look at the models at Shanghai Auto Show! How could the Vancouver Auto Show compare with it? There was NOT a single model at the Vancouver show...

Shanghai Auto Show 2

Shanghai Auto Show 1

Queen Elizabeth Park

2005-04-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Went to Queen Elizabeth Park with Xiao Se this afternoon. I'd consider it quite a worthy trip. The garden is pretty much of the same style as The Butchart Garden in Victoria. But, this one is totally free, and it appears as good.

(All photos below courtesy of Eddy, the professional photographer~~~~-to-be)

Sunken Garden---simply marvellous

Sunken Garden---another view

Hmm...What does this tree look like? Let your imagination run wild!

Lovely tulips

Such beautiful flowers

French done

2005-04-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

Just finished my FREN 102 final. It was pretty manageable, slightly harder than the previous chapter tests, but that's pretty much expected for a final exam. Although this is my only final this term, and I've actually been slacking for a long time, I still feel relieved when it's done. Alright, now I really have to start writing my work term report, which I have been 'brainstorming' for a long long time and yet haven't written a single word for. Meanwhile, I also have to pack up my stuff and prepare for the move to Fairview. Annoying...

2005-04-20T23:27:00.000-07:00

French final tomorrow, no blogging today...

My first work term has ended.

2005-04-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

I went back to Schemasoft with Billy this afternoon to return our PCs. So now, I've officially finished the work term at Schemasoft. In the end, they actually let me keep the 17" bulky monitor as a 'token of appreciation', haha. (I'd rather keep the tower itself :p) What can I use it for? If the IT service 'buys back' monitors, maybe I'll just sell it, for whatever price offered. Certainly I'm not gonna carry it along when I move to Fairview at the end of the month. Bye Schemasoft! Oh wait, actually should be Apple Canada now. :p

Recommended TV Drama 2 --- Love Story in Harvard (Korea)

2005-04-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

片名：爱在哈佛 Love Story in Harvard
长度：16集
地区：韩　国
类型：爱　情
编剧：崔莞圭
导演：李彰洙

Actually the drama title is kinda misleading, because only less than half of the story happened and was filmed in Harvard. The rest is all in Seoul. Just like a typical Korean drama, the heroine fell into a life-threatening illness, but this time it's a happy ending. Nevertheless, it's undoubtably a highly recommended piece of work (I would give it a 4.5 star). And, the campus scenary of Harvard is indeed breath-taking, gorgeous, and...(haven't yet found another appropriate adjective) Wish I were there!

More photos and wallpapers of this drama in my MSN Space photo album.

金泰熙饰李秀茵：哈佛医学系3年级的学生。小时候随父亲移民到美国，受了不少磨难。在父亲的影响下养成了独立，坚强的性格，是个聪敏能干的女孩子。非常率直，从来都不隐藏自己的感情，为了和贤宇相爱。放弃了一直梦寐以求，对自己来说千载难逢的机会。懂得什么是真正的爱情。为了所爱的人，愿意付出和牺牲。

金来元饰金贤宇：哈佛法律系留学的新生。在韩国有名望的法学世家出生，并被抚养长大。祖父是受人尊敬的大法官，父亲是律师事务所的代表，在头脑、为人、行为方面都非常优秀。不受名誉、金钱和权利的束缚。是个善良、热心、有人情味的人。

李廷镇饰洪正民：美国式的理性主义者，原理原则主义者。得体、优雅的衣着和举止，具有贵族气质。冷酷、理智，过于自负。从小在没有挫折，优越的环境下长大。心地却有着因父亲好不容易建立起来的事业却因为贤宇的父亲所经营的律师事务所中的诉讼中彻底失败而失去父亲的不幸阴影。

金枚饰刘真雅：在典型的美国式教育下长大成人。为了得到想要的东西和达到自己的目的会不择手段，性格执拗，还具有很强的占有欲。但是因为恋上了正民，为了得到正民的爱，甚至于达到了会为了爱情而不惜舍弃自己的地步。然而，却始终无法得到他的心。

Hilarious

2005-04-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

Is God playing a joke with me? Yesterday he gave me a blow on my head, and today he made me an offer? I can't stand such 大悲大喜 for many times before I go crazy. He IS making me crazy.
Last night, I emailed my co-op coordinator asking her if BC Cancer Research Centre had made their decision on hiring, cos I couldn't wait to know whether my last chance still exist or not. So this morning, she called BCCRC, and actually BCCRC was just about to send me email to make an offer of a Anaylst/Developer position in their genome research lab. And just now, the guy interviewed me that day emailed me to confirm the offer. Finally... The interview-offer ratio stops at 12:1. :P It turns out really like what Lu Yi said---my last chance is my offer. Thanks, Eddy, Lu Yi, and Donkey, for comforting me. Really appreciate your support from 'around the world' (Vancouver, London, Singapore, ya, that's indeed 'around the world', haha).
In the past, I thought I was a calm person who can face frustration confidently. But now, looking back, I was actually behaving like a child, emotional, impatient, unconfident... funny.

Feel so down...

2005-04-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Didn't pass the HR interview with Creo, not even had the chance to meet with the technical staff. Sighz... What a blow on the head! Time's running out, mid-April already now. Seems like I really have to seriously think about what if I can't get a co-op job for the summer, although I've always been unwilling to do so. What's wrong with me this term?? I think I've broken the record for the interview-offer ratio in the department. What a sarcastic and humiliating record...

Demonstration!

2005-04-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hoho, anti-Jap demonstration in Suzhou! Didn't expect that would happen in my hometown at all! Looks like pretty serious, riot police deployed, and got ppl arrested... (Photos were sent from Eddy and Li Bin.)

In front of Suzhou People's Store

2005-04-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

Arresting

2005-04-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

As DPP is so screwed in handling the Cross-Strait relations right now, the co-operation between CCP and KMT for the third time in the Chinese history becomes not only possible, but even necessary as well. More.

2005-04-11T22:14:00.000-07:00

Rockets thrashed Sonics by 90:78, as expected

Rockets advanced to playoff

2005-04-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

Yay, Rockets beat Suns. Shuang! Now looking forward to the match against Supersonics tonight. Most likely will win.

Sui Feifei has arrived at Sacramento Monarchs, ready for WNBA.
Her resume: http://sports.qq.com/a/20031221/000049.htm

BT is indeed so 'BT'...

2005-04-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Still downloading my 《爱在哈佛》at a turtle speed of 5K/s... unbearable... however, one guy somewhere on campus is downloading from me at 200+ K/s!! wat de... feel so 'unbalanced' while watching that wild difference. :(

Vancouver Auto Show 05

2005-04-09T23:13:00.000-07:00

Went to Auto Show at BC Place Stadium this afternoon, and saw a lot of cars, cool or ugly. Ppl usually say “香车美女”，but today there was no single 美女 for those “香车”, which is quite a pity... Basically I'm a 外行, so I just took a lot of pictures for my photo album of my MSN Space.

The Rich Cultural and Linguistic Background of the Suzhou Dialect

2005-04-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

最近突然对苏州话的研究有了兴趣，在网上search了不少有关文章，以下是《中国百科全书》对苏州话的诠释：

苏州话苏州话，一种吴语方言，属于吴语太湖片苏沪嘉小片。长期以来一直是吴语的主要代表方言之一（上海话也是吴语的代表方言，但实际上苏州话和上海话差别很小，苏州话比上海郊区一些吴语方言更容易被上海市区人理解）。
苏州话以软糯著称，所谓吴侬软语（侬作人解）就是由此而来。昆曲和评弹都使用苏州话，并流行于整个吴语太湖片。现代苏州话有27（或28，如果不分尖团）个声母，43个韵母，7个声调，这个声韵调系统也是吴语的一般情况。
苏州话也是一种文学语言，19世纪兴起的吴语文学如《海上花列传》就是以苏州话写成。

还有就是我总算找到了一首用苏州话唱的歌，不是评弹哦。

苏州好风光（新版朱虹演唱）

上有呀天堂下呀有苏杭
城里有园林城外有水乡
哎呀苏州好风光好呀好风光哎呀哎呀
春季里杏花开雨中采茶忙
夏日里荷花塘琵琶丁冬响
摇起小船轻弹柔唱桥洞里面看月亮
桥洞里面看月亮哎呀哎呀
秋天里桂花香庭院书声朗
冬季里腊梅放太湖连长江
推开门窗青山绿水巧手绣出新天堂
巧手绣出新天堂哎呀哎呀
上有呀天堂下呀有苏杭
说不尽苏州好呀好风光
哎呀哎呀
哎哎呀说不尽苏州好呀好风光
哎呀哎呀说不尽苏州好呀好风光说不尽苏州好呀好风光

这首歌唱得非常好，把苏州话的“软”和“糯”表现得淋漓尽致。但是，我听了几遍都觉得有些字的发音似乎和我平时讲的不一样。比如“下”，“水”，“茶”，“江”，“月”这些字在那首歌里的发音感觉更接近普通话，不得其解。我们Eddy Wu同学的解释是唱歌里的发音有时就是和口语不一样的。Well, I'll just take it as it is.

这一篇《吴侬软语苏式美食--从金庸武侠小说细看姑苏》讲的也是蛮有道理的。
http://spaces.msn.com/members/tonyqin2005/Blog/cns!1pUzPY8NepMbIzJc9OOgymRw!163.entry

F.I.R. released their second album

2005-04-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

F.I.R.'s new album is so disappointing... :-(

ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest Final

2005-04-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

As the Blogger server was down from yesterday afternoon to night, I posted this entry in my MSN Spaces, which can be found here:
http://spaces.msn.com/members/tonyqin2005/Blog/cns!1pUzPY8NepMbIzJc9OOgymRw!134.entry

Happened to find the lyrics of "Eyes On Me"

2005-04-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Whenever sang my songs　
on the stage　on my own
Whenever said my words　
Wishing they would be heard

I saw you smiling at me　
Was it real or just my fantasy
You'd always be there in the corner of this tiny little bar

My last night here for you　
same old songs　just once more
My last night here with you　
Maybe Yes　Maybe No

I kind of liked it your way　
How you shyly placed your eyes on me
Did you ever know that I had mine on you？

Darling So there you are　
with that look on your face
As if you've never hurted　
As if you've never down
Shall I be the one for you　
Who pinches you softly but sure
If frown is shown then　
I will know that you are no dreamer

So let me come to you　
Close as I wanted to be
Close enough for me to feel your heart beating fast

and stay there as I whisper
How I loved your peaceful eyes on me
Did you ever know that I had mine on you？

Darling　So share with me
your love if you have enought
your tears if you're holding back
of pain If that's what it is
How can I let you know　
I'm more than the dress and the voice
Just reach me out then you will know that you're not dreaming

Faye Wong / Eyes On Me

Tired of interviews...

2005-04-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Just came back from two interviews in a day, one with ACL in the morning, and the other with BC Cancer Research Centre in the afternoon. ACL is pretty good, big multi-national, downtown location, and more importantly, the software they are developing is business statistical tools, which fall right into my academic interests. They also seem to be very serious about co-op interviews. This morning's interview is already the second round (no other company ever did that), and including the first round, I've been interviewed by three different groups of ppl. Tired...
On the other hand, the BCCRC interview seems to be more enjoyable. Got a nice interviewer, Asian, pretty young, but wait, he's a Post-Doc already! The working environment is awesome. A lot of glass, looks really techy and 'transparent', with enough light, natural light. The software they are working on is a bio-statistical tool, which is also good to me.
Tomorrow got one more with Pro-face INDE Electronics, and next Monday morning with another company whose name I have to check out later. The only thing I'm 'impressed' about it is its location---North Shore! Holy... Have to take the sea bus to go there. How early shall I have to wake up??
Pray, pray... Pls let me get an offer soon. Really sick of going for any more interviews...

What UBC would have looked like

2005-04-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

(UBC Archives Photo #1.1/1331)

Original plan of the UBC campus, by architects Sharp and Thompson - bird's eye view, looking south-east.

Recommended TV Drama (China/Korea)

2005-04-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

天若有情

星级：
片　长：四十集
制片人：杨佩佩
主要演员：
　　　　董　洁 --饰展　颜
　　　　车仁表（韩国）--饰季冬阳
　　　　陈孝萱（台湾）--饰王　琪
　　　　黄志玮（台湾）--饰方以安
　　　　六　月（台湾）--饰李纬凡
　　　　施　羽 --饰周大山

“如果说春天与秋天永远只能隔着半个地球遥遥相望，那么，四十岁男人与十八岁少女之间，也永远存在着这样的距离。
爱情最悲哀的，莫过是在错的时间遇见了对的人。岁月没有痕迹，但却很少有什么能与之抗衡！
唯有爱情，在这个季节变幻的星球上，只要有爱情，这样的故事就会永远延续…… ” ---新浪网

刚看完，感觉非常不错，还蛮有深度的，值得推荐！演员阵容挺强的，都是实力派。超喜欢这种大陆/台湾/韩国 hybrid。

董　洁

车仁表/六月

六月/陈孝萱

六月

陈孝萱

车仁表

董　洁

车仁表/陈孝萱

黄志玮

（所有剧照均来自新浪网）

Blogger possibly blocked by the Chinese government

2005-04-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

Kao, my father said when he tried to visit my blog, he kept getting this "Address not found" error, but the address he's using is perfectly right. Must be the government blocked Blogger as a whole... shoot... very Bu Shuang now :(

Vote on the poll

2005-04-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

In the poll here, there's another version recorded by a girl. http://wys35.livejournal.com/
My version is in the previous post.
Vote on the poll for which one is better!

天天山海经--苏州话新童谣完整版

2005-04-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

既然保留吴语任重道远，就从小的做起好了。这段苏州话童谣就蛮有意思的。
原文自 http://www.sinolect.org/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=709

大清老早，掼只书包，分量蛮重，作业要交。昨天夜里，老早捆觉，节目
再好，遥控器上交，为啥大人，比伲逍遥，（蛮好哉，伲小辰光电视机阿
没有个勒）等伲长大，抱牢俚捆觉。七点钟出门，伲最勤劳。公交车浪，
牛奶面包。学堂升旗，大家立好。BPMF，全要记牢。三三得八？（究竟多
少？）课间休息，不好乱跑。中浪吃饭，胃口蛮好，就是味道不及阿婆烧
个好。铅笔橡皮，能用就好。互相攀比，没有必要。见到老师，真有礼貌
，身心健康，顶顶重要。团结同学，不作兴打小报告。读书卖力，赛过帮
爷娘赚钞票！

转载：+3说吴语

2005-04-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

原文来自 http://www.dingjia3.com/diary/showlog.asp?log_id=509&cat_id=30#mark_950 看了很有感触。

序：以前写的，希望能够被人看一下。
我的第一语言是吴语
吴语广泛流行于苏南，浙北和上海一带，少说有几千年的历史吧，是中国第二大方言。当然我不会在这里罗列一堆关于吴语的考证，相信你们对这些没什么兴趣，我也十分懒得去网上搜集。只想说明我在没有必要讲‘普通话’的时候是绝对讲吴语的，这是我对‘第一语言’的诠释。我的吴语是被老人们认为‘很不标准’，但是我还是很自信的使用，这是我对作为一个‘吴人’的诠释。我拙劣的吴语已使自己在听评弹或说书时完全不知其所云，但是我仍然能静下心来欣赏，这是我对‘吴文化’的诠释。

不免有些自豪
不知是否是巧合，吴语地区明显是全中国历代以来经济上最富饶，文化上最充实的地区。我实在有太多的理由为自己的文化背景而觉得有些轻飘飘。语言是一种文化的载体，也是分享着这种文化的那群人的标签。我能坚持使用吴语，可以说是一种作为‘吴人’，拥有吴文化的自豪。全世界都知道新加坡人的英语是最难听的，但是他们仍然很当回事的称其为‘Singlish’；台湾人硬是把闽南话说成‘台语’，无非也是想拥有一种将自己与中国分割开来的语言，确立自己的文化特性。文化没有血缘性，每个人只有亲身去感受才会了解某种文化，而语言能很好的让人去接近它所从属的文化，也能很好的把自己和其他文化区分开来。总之语言很重要便是了。

当自己的语言面临濒危
一次在新加坡和几个比自己小一些的苏州人吃饭，我自然一开口就是吴语，没想到他们竟然说‘你怎么讲苏州话？’，‘我们在苏州都讲普通话的’… 作为学长我其实完全可以用‘忘本’之类的话教训一下后辈，当然作为‘吴人’的良好品德之一，我还是靠一个深呼吸让自己忍耐住，当然在心里早已把他们骂得狗血喷头。不过其实这是很普遍的现实，在苏州，特变在年轻人中间，讲吴语的越来越少，小朋友们绝对是一口标准的普通话。另外无数外来人口的涌入，现在在苏州街头听到的只有带着苏州口音的普通话和带着外地口音的普通话两种，吴语是无处查找的。这样的‘里应外合’早已使吴语基本上已经看到了死期。

我们对此无能为力
很多老一辈的苏州人，或者说吴人，对此很不能接受，觉得老祖宗的东西被年轻人给丢了，或者很一本正经的要开展所谓保护吴语的运动。我很能理解这些‘老苏州’的心情，吴语的濒临灭绝无疑撼动他们所信仰的文化，他们自然也是不能接受为自己所自豪的文化在年轻人中间已不受欢迎，或者说已在被驱逐的边缘。但是我，作为一个思想很开放，很年轻，又很热爱吴文化的新一代吴人，却是很清楚其实我们对此无能为力。

伟大的国家要你死，你不得不死
1949年，操着一口吴侬软语的蒋中正先生被朱毛大军赶到了台湾，吴语的日子就此不好过起来。我们伟大的党是喜欢‘大中国主义’的，大家都要讲普通话，最好还能来这么几下‘京片儿’，吴语的存在实在不合时宜。我们伟大的祖国是喜欢‘统一’的，不同的文化会带来内部的碰撞和不融合，吴文化自然不能太猖狂。我们伟大的政府是喜欢‘先解决重要问题’的，中西部的人民饭都没有吃，谁有空来保护一个腐朽的‘吴语’？总之，吴语像是一个得了肺癌晚期的死刑犯，太可怜了，法官都懒得判你死刑，你就自己慢慢等死吧。

市长的回眸一笑
苏州曾经有这么一个市长，据说是有语言学的背景，一时兴起，鼓励苏州电视台开了一个用吴语主持的新闻节目。此事一下子引起‘老苏州’们的强烈反响，认为吴语的春天又来了，认为保护吴语的行动展开了。那个女主播长得也很漂亮，因此虽然都是隔夜新闻，我和父亲还是每天会看。可惜的是，苏州市长的更换频率比我回国的频率还高，那个市长现在早已经不在位了，吴语的春天自然是一瞬而过。一两个和吴语有关的电视节目无非只是对吴语一种临死前的缅怀。记得前些时候昆曲被列入世界遗产名录，很多‘老苏州’还很高兴，其实他们不知道那张名录里的文化遗产都是些不吃香的东西，曾经辉煌过，快死了，就赶快找个安身之地，像弄块灵牌供奉起来。总之都是闹剧，吴语继续等死。

对于吴语的离去，我很坦然
总之我的，我们的吴文化在被削弱；我的，我们的吴语在淡出这个世界。说吴语的有几千万人口，其中关心吴语生存的最多这么几十万，要和另外13亿中国人去争个说法，实在没有什么必要。如今吴语地区的经济似乎是愈来愈好，相反却引来了更多的外来人口，他们进来时把吴文化踩在脚下，我们不敢啃声，因为那会被说成‘地方保护主义’。于是想起了小色的一句话：“面对强奸犯，与其反抗，不如就这样去享受。”当然，每次引用这句话都觉得很别扭，希望下次感觉好些。

吴语还是自己的第一语言
我不知道自己的后辈们还会不会吴语，或者说还听不听得懂吴语，想必可能性是不大的。但这对于我来说倒能够接受，正如我之前所说的，文化没有血缘性，文化不必强求。对于吴语，只要有人听得懂，我还是会说下去，毕竟吴语是自己的第一语言，毕竟吴文化是自己所立足的文化。

Singlish A To Z

2005-04-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

Singapore is a multi-cultural society, and so is Singlish, which integrates words and phrases from Chinese ( Hokkien/Cantonese/Mandarin), Malay, and Indian, and is so widely used in Singapore along with the 'proper' English. The following words and phrases are just those that I know. Certainly there are a lot more which I may not even heard of during my years in Singapore.

AGAK-AGAK(ah-ga, ah-ga)
Malay term meaning "to estimate".

AH LIAN
A pet-name which literally means, "lotus flower". In real life, it refers to an unsophisticated Chinese girl. Stereotypically dresses in neon colours, wears a huge ribbon perched on the top of her head, and carries a tiny basket.

ALAMAK
An Malay expression of dismay, surprise or alarm.
"Alamak! Why you go and do this sort of stupid thing?"

ALSO CAN (ohso-can)
Usually found at the end of sentences. Means "this is okay with me," or "this can also be done."
1. "This one you want to pay by installment, also can."
2. "You only owe me $5. But if you want to give me $10, also can lah."

ANG MOR
Hokkien for 'red-hair'. A pejorative term used to describe Caucasians. I read from somewhere that during the Ming Dynasty, when General Zhen ChengGong fought with the Dutch and drove them out of Taiwan, the Chinese called the Dutch 'Red Hair Devil'. Since the Taiwanese also use a variant of Hokkien, I guess that's how this term 'Ang Mor' was included into the Hokkien vocabulary and passed down the generations.

B.G.R.
Acronym for Boy-Girl Relationship

BLUR
Used to describe someone as rather inept or in a world of his own. May also be used to describe the feeling of being dazed.
1. Such a simple thing also cannot do. You damn blur!?
2. Wah lao, I do maths, do until blur, man.

CAN
Monosyllabic answer denoting one's ability to fulfil a requested task or problem.
A: Lend me your car leh.?
B: Can lah.

CAN OR NOT?
A question on whether something is permissable.
1. "Today after school follow me go downtown, can or not?"
2. "Eh, borrow me $5 today, tomorrow I return you, can or not?"

CHEEM
Hokkien term meaning something is profound or deep or intellectual.
"You study philosophy? Wah lao, damn cheem, man!"

CHIO
A somewhat impolite way of describing a woman as pretty.
"Checkout that chick, man. Damn chio!"

CHIO BU(chee-oh boo)
A pretty woman. A somewhat rude term.
"Far East Plaza got a lot of chio bu."

DIE DIE
To go all out, with no possibility of non-compliance. The Singlish equivalent of "die trying".
"I promise die die will pay you back tomorrow."

DON'T PLAY-PLAY
Direct translation of a Hokkien phrase. A warning against hubris: do not fool with things beyond your ability. "This job is very crucial. Dont play play hor."

EXTRA
An adjective usually applied to people who do things which are unnecessary or pointless, kind of different from other people.
1. "Eh, Recess already you still want to do homework! You damn extra, you know!"

GAU MM DIM
Cantonese for "cannot manage". Often used in the sense that things are going out of control.
"Ah Lien got promoted to marketing manager? Wah lau, she sure gao mm dim one."

GOSTAN
A Malay contraction of the colonial instruction to "go astern", i.e. to reverse one's vehicle or turn it around. Can be used as a verb.
"You can gostan your car some more. Still got space behind."

GOT
Denoting availability of something.
Beng: "Got milk or not?"
Seng: "Got!"

HOR
Another Singlish tag, used like a punctuation mark.
"He, hor, very kan cheong one."

IS IT?
A phrase that's tagged on to virtually any question (usually grammatically incorrect). It is also used on its own to express skepticism.
1. "You got mail, is it?" (You've received mail, have you?")
2. A: "I got accepted into Harvard." B: "Is it?"

K.L.K.K.
Acronym for "kia lai kia kee" - Hokkien for "to walk about" or "stroll".
"Eh, let's go Orchard Road and K.L.K.K."

KAN CHEONG(kahn chee-ong)
A Cantonese term meaning nervous, worried or uptight.
"Your exam in June, now only March, you kan-cheong for what?" (The exam's in June and now it's only March. What are you getting so nervous for?)

KIASI(kee-ah-see)
Hokkien term literally meaning, "afraid of death". Used to admonish someone for being coward.
"Raining only, cannot go out, meh? Why you so kiasi one?"

KIASU(kee-ah-soo)
Hokkien adjective literally meaning, "afraid of losing". A highly pejorative description beloved of Singaporeans. Kiasu-ism is possibly the defining national characteristic. Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong once suggested that the Singaporean is kiasu, kiasee, and if he is a man, kiabo (being afraid of his wife)--- the famous triple K's.
"No need to copy all my notes lah. Dont be so kiasu one."

LAH
The ubiquitous Singlish tag. Used like a fullstop in a sentence.
1. "It was just like that lah."
2. "Never mind lah."
3. "Donno lah."

LAO SAI
Hokkien for "dribble shit". It means a case of diarrhoea."Ang mor png, chia'h liau sure lau sai" ("After eating western food, you will definitely have diarrhoea.")

LEH(lay)
Yet another Singlish tag, similar in usage to "Lah", but which adds a slightly quizzical tone to the sentence.
"I didn't know Ah Beng was like that, leh."

LIAO
A Hokkien tag which depending on the context can mean either "already" or "finished".
1. "His mother early-early si liao, loh." (His mother died very early.)
2. "Like that his business sure liao, lah." (In such circumstances, his business is surely finished.)

LOR(law)
Yet another Singlish tag, similar in usage to "Lah", but which adds a slightly cynical or resigned tone to the sentence.
"Aiyah, don't care him. He's always like that, lor."

MAH FAN(mah farn)
Mandarin for "bother" or "bothersome"; used either as a verb or adjective. Guess it's one of the few Mandarin phrases in Singlish.
"Why you always come and mah fan me one?"
"Why they want to ask so many questions? So mah fan one?"

MAMA SHOP
Corner stall selling miscellaneous sundry goods, often run by Indian shopkeepers.

MEH
A Singlish tag which accompanies questions. Adds a slight tone of incredulity.
"Ah Beng is like that, meh?"

MONG CHA CHA
Cantonese for "blur, confused".Similar to Blur

OFF
Economical verb meaning to turn or shut something off.
"Please off the light."
Same rule applies to "On".

ON
Very enthusiastic, like participating in a lot of clubs/societies/volunteering work
"she's damn on, man, got four exec positions this term."

ONE
Yet another Singlish tag, similar in use to "lah", but which almost always follow a word which is some sort of attribute. This probably stems from words such as "de" in Mandarin and "eh" in Hokkien.
1. "Why you so stupid one?"
2. "Aiyah, he's like that one, lah."

PLAY CHEAT
Inexplicably, to cheat.
"I warn you, ah, don't play cheat or I tell teacher then you know!"

ROJAK (roh-jah')
A salad of mixed vegetables taken with sauce. Of Malay origin, it has been adapted by all races. In Singlish, it is used as an adjective, to describe something as being either eclectic, or just plain messy.
"This sort of multi-cultural event ah if don't plan properly will come out all rojak."

SABO
Singlish contraction of "sabotage". Used to cover instances of practical jokes and tricks to outright betrayal.
"You don't sabo me, I warn you ah!"

SEE HOW
To leave the matter alone and watch how it develops. Often repeated for emphasis.
"I oreddy submitted the application form. So now just see how, see how, lor."

SHAKE LEG
To be idle.
"Eh, you got homework, hurry up go and do! Don't just sit here and shake leg!"

SIAN(see-en)
A wonderfully concise Hokkien adjective which conveys boredom, weariness, frustration and emptiness.
1. My job is damn sian, man.
2. Wah lau eh, I do Further-maths, do until sian oreddy. （我靠，我做 Further-Math 做到sian了啦。）

SEOW
Hokkien for "crazy".
1. "You want to go and talk at Speakers Corner? You seow or what?"
2. "Look at that seow char bor (crazy woman)!"

SO HOW?
Economic term, used in the same manner as "So what now?"
"The show is oreddy sold out. So how?"

SORRY NO CURE
Singlish phrase used to express indignation at an inadequate attempt at an apology
A: "You lost my textbook?"
B: "Ai yah, sorry lah!"
A: "Sorry no cure!"

SUAY(sway)
Hokkien adjective meaning "calamity" or "catastrophe". (衰）
"He was so suay today, got up late, missed bus, and got scolded by his boss."

TZAI
A compliment about one's coolness.
Ah Lian agreed to go out with him? Since when he so tzai one??

VOMIT BLOOD
Literal translation from Chinese (mandarin or dialect), which is used to describe undergoing extreme difficulty, intense suffering or great irritation.
"Yesterday, hor, I teach my son Maths, teach until vomit blood."

WAH LAN/WAH LAN EH/LAN EH(wah lahn)
Hokkien term, which kinda has a sexual connotation, and yet probably the most common Singlish expression of all, it is used in much the same way as "oh my goodness", "wow", or "damn!", depending on the tone used, and the context. A more polite variant is "Wah Lau".
1. "Wah lan eh! How can you do this sort of thing to me?"
2. "My first thought when I saw her was 'wah lan eh'."
3. "Lan eh, I ask you to do this sort of simple-simple thing, you can also cock up!"

WAH LAU
The most common polite variation of "Wah Lan". I can forget all the Singlish phrases but this one.

WHAT ( T is slient here)
Yet another Singlish sentence tag, this is often used by people who are in defensive situations.
A: "How come you borrow my shirt now got hole one?!"
B: "Borrow that time orredy like dat, whaaaat!"
A: "Then why you never say first?"
B: "You never ask, whaaaat!"

YAN DAO
A handsome male.
Mr Shitface: I am so yan dao!
Mrs Shitface: Yah, right!

YOUR HEAD
Mild curse used to disabuse someone of his or her erroneous assumption.
1. A: "You sure fail the test!"
B: "Your head lah!"
2. "She? Win Miss Universe? Your head lah!"

Viewing downtown on Singapore River

坚决反对日本成为安理会常任理事国

2005-03-31T23:30:00.000-08:00

联合国秘书长科菲·安南2005年3月21日向联合国大会提交了联合国改革报告。在随后召开的新闻发布会上安南说支持日本成为常任理事国。简直是开玩笑嘛。

作为热血华人欢迎各位把这个网址发给您的朋友！亮出您的鲜明立场，签名反对！！http://kr.poptang.com/

Three Patriotic Desktop Wallpapers

2005-03-31T21:39:00.000-08:00

天安门

2005-03-31T21:38:00.000-08:00

太和殿

2005-03-31T21:36:00.000-08:00

天坛

Interesting opinion on the food and drug industry

2005-03-31T14:28:00.000-08:00

As usual was watching TV during lunch, and happened to see this American program with a special guest talking about a book called 'The Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know'. According to the TV program guest, the food and drug industry simply doesn't want ppl to be healthy because otherwise their profits would be severely affected. Take a simple example. We are always encouraged to 'eat right'. However, many food labelled 'Diet' nowadays actually contain ingredients that are added specifically to increase appetite, to make ppl hungier, and inevitably to make ppl fat. Why? The fatter one gets, the more he/she would eat, which means more profits for the food industry. As for the drug industry, the black scenes are even worse, according to the program guest. The American authority that regulates the drug industry explicitly states that 'Nothing can prevent, cure, or diagnose a disease unless it is a drug'. Along with this rule, they are classifying more and more illnesses as 'disease'. Even obesity is a disease. The result? More and more natural cures (non-drugs) are eliminated from ppl's knowledge. Manufactures of those natural cures cannot state that those things have curing effect to particular diseases because if they do, they are effectively selling drugs without a license, which is illegal. And a drug license can cost as much as hudrends of millions of dollars. In one word, more and more illnesses can be cured only by drugs, as ppl know, because they will never get to know about other natural cures. The direct consequence is higher demand for drugs, which again represents $$ to the drug industry.
Pretty insightful and interesting theories.

SchemaSoft in news (probably for the last time)

2005-03-31T00:45:00.000-08:00

Hoho, SchemaSoft being acquired by Apple has become head news.

Here's the actual link to the news page:
http://news.com.com/Apple+swallows+SchemaSoft/2100-1047_3-5630368.html

"Apple did not say how many of those employees would be retained nor say whether they would remain at the SchemaSoft's headquarters in Vancouver. "
---Of course they wouldn't mention anything about lay-off: They dismissed the whole QA team! And that's why I'm working remotely from home right now to finish off my work term! (Refer to my post on Mar 14 and Feb 24 for more info.)
According to the current situation, most likely they will retain the Vancouver office. It's located in Yaletown, man, such a nice place to work in.

Two more interviews

2005-03-30T23:57:00.000-08:00

So tired... Today I went for two co-op interviews in a row, one with Research In Motion in the morning and the other one with ACL Services in the afternoon. The one with RIM is actually a telephone interview. So I went to sit in this super small room (or rather cell?) in the Science Co-op office and talked on the phone with two interviewers for about half an hour. These two guys from Waterloo (RIM is a Waterloo company) were really specific to technical questions, but I was pretty lucky that I got all the technical questions (mainly C++/Java) correct except one, which I really have no idea about. Overall this interview went pretty fine, and after going through all the previous interviews, I feel more comfortable to talk a lot during interview than before. As for the one with ACL Services, there are over ten other interview candidates competing for this position, and moreover, there's a second round next Monday! So I don't really put much expectation on it. When can I actually settle this sticky co-op thing??? This is already my 7th interview in this term. Damn... Utterly sick of going for any more interviews!!

FREN 111 Summer Session

2005-03-30T23:47:00.000-08:00

The night class section of FREN 111 summer term is still full... almost crying liao... So I decided to take a chance by talking to the prof teaching that section directly. She's a very kind-looking granny. Female version of Santa Clause, to be specific. :) She talked slowly and softly, really nice. There she told me that actually a lot of ppl had registered the course just as insurance cos they were not sure if they could pass the course this term. Oh, well... Beginners' French courses are not that hard at all, aren't they? But anyways, I have to wait till the last week of April to see whether there would be any ppl dropping the course or not. My fate is still in the hands of others. Sighz...

TTC and RSVP

2005-03-29T22:11:00.000-08:00

Just came back from my French 102 class, and today actually learned something: another interesting interpretation of 'TTC'. In a French store or restaurant, TTC doesn't really mean Table Tennis Club (which I'm so used to and so familiar with), but 'toutes taxes compris' (All Taxes Included). It's probably a nice word to see (to my wallet, at least).
And on the way back just now, I was thinking about this 'RSVP'. It's such a common word that I always take it for granted, but have never thought about what it stands for. So far, the interpretation I think that makes most sense is 'registre s'il vous plait' (register please), but the verb for register in French is actually 'enregistrer', so I'm still not very sure...

Fort Langley Trip

2005-03-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

I didnt' want to stay at home for the Easter weekend, so I looked through the Vancouver travel guide and found this small town called Fort Langley. Oh well, it's a national historic site, so there we go. I went with Eddy since he would always be interested in going somewhere outside the City of Vancouver, haha. The bus trip is pretty long, two hours plus. I better write down the bus numbers and stuff, in case I'll go there again next time. Bus 41 from UBC to Joyce Station, and then Skytrain to Surrey Central Station, then Bus 502 to Langley Centre, finally C62 to 96 Ave & Glover Rd.
Fort Langley is such a small town that basically all the shops are located along the single street, Glover Rd. And from where I got off the bus to the bridge over the Fraser River, it's probably less than 500 metres. At the other side of the river, it's simply forest. It's said that the aboriginal ppl are still living there. So cool.
Amon the shops, most of them are gift shops, and the rest are restaurants as I can remember. They've got pretty cool stuff in the gift shops (definitely not key chains or mugs that I always see along Robson St). I bought two pretty weird collectors' spoons and a 1918 one-cent coin. The coin is amazingly much larger than what we have nowadays, and the material is also apparently better.
The main attraction of the small town is of course the 'Fort'. It's preserved as National Historic Site, so we had to pay for entrance fees, sighz... Actually we almost missed the 'Fort' because the entrance of the site is built like a museum which I'm not so interested in. It was until I took the picture at the flag pole that I realized that there's a 'Fort' behind the 'museum'.
The Fort is kinda cool, enclosed by wooden barricks. There are several buildings inside, all of which are made of wood. The explanation I heard is that metal was very expensive stuff back then and had to be shipped from England (Gosh!). So they wouldn't use metal unless absolutely necessary. Then there's this Big House. The British proclaimed British Columbia a British colony in the house pretty much in a rush because there was rumour of possible American take-over. Consequently, Fort Langley became the birth place of British Columbia. The narator girl told us that this Big House was kind of a men's club. Only men with social status high enough could stay there. But from the interior decoration and furniture in there, I'd say that the living standard was still far inferior to that I saw in a castle in Victoria.
The reason why I have been using quotation marks around the word Fort all the time is that I hardly saw any weapons there. The only one I saw was a small cannon exhibited in one of the houses. This fort probably had little millitary significance but merely a trade post (local business office in modern terms).
Overall, I would rate this place 4 Star for a one-day trip.

2005-03-28T17:08:00.000-08:00

At the entrance of the 'Fort'

2005-03-28T17:07:00.000-08:00

The Big House

2005-03-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Eddy

Interesting picture @ a Fort Langley gift shop

2005-03-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

Isn't the flower at the top like a person's face?

2005-03-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

Fort Langley Railway 'Bike'

Two 仙剑 desktop wallpapers that I like the best

2005-03-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

赵灵儿----刘亦菲 (She's so young!)