What failure?

Many pro-establishment types like to gloat - claiming that Occupy Central has failed.  That the pro-democracy protesters failed to pressure Beijing to change its stance on the election for the Chief Executive in 2017, to make it more open.  On that specific, narrow, score, the Occupiers had indeed failed to move Beijing.  

However, the Occupiers did demonstrate that HongKongers - particularly the young - are willing to go to great lengths to press for democracy and open elections. That HongKongers can remain calm and disciplined while showing great resolve in stating their demands.  That HongKongers are not afraid of tear gas grenades when they are sufficiently committed.  That HongKongers can be creative in stating their case.  That HongKongers now know much more about the political processes and civic disobedience.  

The world is amazed at the peaceful and disciplined way HongKongers march and protest.  On this broad, general score, Occupy Central is a resounding success.  

People in power behaving badly

A 14-year old girl drew two flowers with chalk on the wall outside government headquarters.  She was arrested for "criminal damage" (刑事毀壞罪行) and held at a police station for 17 hours.  Later she was sent for detention at a children’s home.    Is making a drawing with chalk a serious crime?  Who is she hurting with a chalk picture?  Why is the police allowed to abuse its power like this with impunity?

A high ranking police officer, a certain Mr. T, claimed that the police protected the Occupiers like a loving mother (慈母).  It is nauseating to hear such inane proclamations after witnessing so many incidents of heavy-handed tactics by the police.  Yes, the police could have behaved worse and we probably should be glad that it did not.  But the claim is simply outrageous.  It reminds people of "DoubleSpeak" in George Orwell's 1984. 

A pro-establishment politician, a certain Ms. Y, demanded that a university punish a professor for advocating the Occupy Central Movement  This came after the university decided that the professor did nothing wrong. She is obviously desperately trying to show Beijing that she is against the Occupy Movement. 

These are just some of the more obvious signs that many of the people in power are behaving very badly.  It is not a sin to be opposed to Occupy Central.  There are many who oppose for honourable reasons.  The majority of our police are professional and honourable.  But being small-minded, vindictive, and abusing political power is not honourable. 

Persepolis tributes

Persepolis was sacked and burned by Alexander the Great in 330 BC, only about 200 hundred years after it was built.  But it must have been glorious while it lasted. Even now, 2,500 years later, what remains of it is still mighty impressive.  In comparison, we have nothing comparable in China from the same period.  

The Medes (round hats) and Persians (square hats) on the bas-relief at Persepolis were holding hands, because they were in alliance.  The Median-Persian Empire was the greatest that the world had seen up to the time.  

Numerous delegations from conquered nations were depicted on bas-relief on the walls, separated by cypress trees.  They bore tributes of cows, horses, goats, …

It must have felt great to be a Persian Emperor. 

Persian Charity

On the way from Tehran to Isfahan, we stopped in Kashan to visit the Borujerdis House, the house of a wealthy merchant. It has a beautiful house, a rectangular courtyard, a central water channel, intricate carvings and plaster work and wind catcher towers.  A legend also says that the three wise men who followed the star to visit Jesus at his birth at Bethlehem were from Kashan.   

Wandering on the street after lunch, while others were busy texting on the Internet, I chanced upon a group of men cooking something in big cauldrons.  

They seemed friendly.  So I went close to look, and found stews of meat and vegetables.  

We did not speak each other’s language.  But their gestures seem inviting.  I believed they were actually inviting me to stay and eat with them.  One of them insisted that I at least eat some of the fruit.  I peeled and ate an apple, and thanked the man as much as I could. 

Later, I found out that they were cooking food to be given to the poor.  The day was the eve of a holiday in memory of one of the 12 Imams.  That chance encounter is one of my most rewarding moments in Iran.  I learn first hand how friendly and charitable the Iranians are. 

Persepolis

I have wanted to visit Persepolis for a long time.  Finally, here I am.  I have seen photographs of it before and I have had an idea what it looks like.  But I am still surprised by how big the place is, how high the platform is, and how tall the gates and pillars are.  

It is believed that Cyrus the Great, who repatriated the Jews and other displaced people to their homelands, started building the ceremonial palace around 515 BC.  And it was Darius I (the Great) was built most of it. So it was roughly around the time that Confucius, Buddha, and Isaiah were alive. Amazing.  

When I am up close to the Gate of Nations and other pillars, they look even more oversized. 

When I get up to what is believed to be the tomb of Artaxerxes II in the mountain behind and above Persepolis, the gates that looked huge a moment earlier is now so small.  And the people are no more than specks of dust, or little ants. 

Such a huge complex of palaces.  Yet it was built just to receive (and impress) delegates from other nations, not even to live in.

At the time when Persepolis was built, the Persians also built the greatest empire that the world had known up to that point.  China was in the Warring States Period then.  We are always proud of our 4,000 (some say 5,000) years of civilisation.  Yet we have nothing left from that period of the scale of Persepolis.  

My Persian cat

Here is my Persian cat.  She found me on a street in Tehran, and just would't let go. 

Antelope

I know there are lots of antelopes in Africa, and there are many different species.  But I was still surprised to see antelopes on the menu at the Spier Hotel in Stellenbosch, where we had our conference.  The impala steak looked quite lean.  And it was surprisingly tender and tasty.  

A couple of days later, at the waterfront in Cape Town, I found Springbok.  Equally lean, tender and tasty.  

I felt slightly guilty, having seen many of their relatives running wild at Akagera National Park in Rwanda a year ago.  But they are not that much different from deers and goats, aren’t they?