18 replies to this topic

[Zuo Zongtang]

Because you can spam c**p on this forum like no other.

And since Chinese history is so expansive, most people never meet each other in the history sections. Instead, they meet new people here.

[Mok]

Human nature. It veers towards the inconsequential, unnecessary and inessential.

[caocao74]

Grhhh, we humans have the attention span and patience of a rodent.

How long is the attention span of a rodent? Maybe I'll start a thread in DGI to find out .

[yehzhaofeng]

There's DRAGONS!

[Yang Zongbao]

GASPEH!

Yzf, you're back!

Also, I suppose DGI is good for us to talk about subjects less dry than History.

And, it also is was a favorite hangout for a lot of people without much interest in histoire.

[Centaur]

And, it also is was a favorite hangout for a lot of people without much interest in histoire.

Really? I am getting worried...

[JB_Xyooj]

Too us... this is the place to drive out our inner idoits.

[TwinkieDP]

Human nature. It veers towards the inconsequential, unnecessary and inessential.

Hmmm, insightful, but doesn't give much hope for the human race.

[urofpersia]

The original intention of DGI was to have a place forummers can relax and simply socialise etc. Its good and did serve that purpose well.

Whenever the admin team quotes stats about how well the CHF is doing in terms of number of members hits etc, unfortunately while the majority may have a causal interest in history most are not interested enough (and lack sufficient knowledge but this is really an excuse) to take part in the historical areas. Thus DGI is a natural forum to post to because 1) You dont need any knowledge beyond an ability to communicate in English 2) You can have really simple replies.

forummers also tend to (whether they admit this or not) to see DGI as a quick and easy way to increase post-counts. So they do it.

Unfortunately this is true of forums with a large population and demographic everywhere. It does serve the purpose of making CHF very prominent on search engines and attracting eyeballs, members etc. and build a social community.

One downside that can be seen whenever policies are made to discourage posting to DGI etc, forummers complain loudly, threaten to leave etc. dismaying others. Their unhappiness is genuine and it is because CHF, while a historical discussion forum in name, to them personally is really a social/chat forum. Consider all the various ranking systems where even the moderator status is won like a badge, CHF for some forummers is really more akin to a Massively Multiplayer Online Game.

The purpose of CHF is first and foremost for the studying Chinese history and CHF need to be run with this group as a priority. This core group may well only comprise less than 20% of all forummers but if CHF does not cater to them first an foremost and its focus changes to serve the other 80% then you risk losing your core audience. Then, CHF may well wear history as a window dressing.

Edited by urofpersia, 11 December 2006 - 10:40 PM.

[Wujiang]

Because it serves "meat buns"

[TwinkieDP]

Because it serves "meat buns"

And wine dont forget...

[abuzuhri shin]

Oh Travellers that enter the Dragon Gate Inn, here we offer you Two Bamboo Koans
from the tattered Teahut of Abuzuhri shin of Western lake, Putrajaya, Malaysia. The
Western Journey in long and dangerous, its deserst is hot and barren, Many monks and
hui silk road merchants also perished if they are not fully equiped. This koans deal
with paradox of life and where a Cup of Real Tea will refresh Our Spirit. Hey presto :

THE BLUE BAMBOO RIVER KOANS FOR CHINESE SEEKER

First Koan : A Quarter, Half and One Sufi

A Quarter sufi speaks to Half sufi while traveling through the Forest of Schizuan Province. Look, we put to test :
“Don’t believe in that One sufi ahead of us from the West. Two wandering Eastern sufi who happen to pass nearby heard this remark at the road junction of Lu Xun and scolded the quarter, half and one sufi ,

“ All Sufis are charlatans, beware ! From North and South,
they pretend to drink the Tea of Ecstasy,
while the Oolong and Pue erh Tea leaves still not dried in the Summer”.
Three Sufi are too much and too heavy for my words to carry.
Exposed. Broken. Collapsed. What more to understand ?

A woodcutter non-sufi who still alive today recounted this events to Master Izi
and he ordered tea hut attendant Zuigan of Eastern Lake Precint of Kuang to record this
in the Blue Bamboo River Koans Collection.

Neo-Hsue Tou Commentary :

Many seekers are being called travelers of the Path, but no one can claim to be a full sufi yet.
A traveler may arrives or get lost on the Way. The Forest of Dunya is never kind to travelers
who enter it without a tested Guide. Without a Weapon of Tawhid.
Without a Light of Discrimination-Furqan. Buying sufic books and reading many old jawi
or Arabic kitab/texts of commentaries cannot help one to see in the night of modernists anti-sufi.
On daytime the goats from the University Farms will attack and chew up the green books
because they are very hungry and not trained well by their Masters and Dukturs
who prefer to feed them with spiritual empty grasses and syllabus from the Orientalist wastelands.

Neo-Hsue Tou Verses

Maulana Rumi Mountain collect clouds
Darqawi Deserts pour the rains
Half falls north of Master Izi River
Half falls into Attendant Zuigan Hut
Others may be stuck at Old Temples

Those who fear the Reality will be given knowledge

Do not say I have not warned you
A sufi a zen a monk still a name
Forest, desert and mountains
They cheat people most time
Or make them fight in politics
Sichuan Lu Xun Pur Erh

The Tea of China never Smells
Three sufi will make loud Noise
One solitary wali sat facing a city Wall
Music and drums they sell Tariqats

Kitaro and Wu Ming is my Friend
Leave all books journal and papers
Took the Sun burning Path
Where Universities cannot teach
Tea Hut or Tea Shop, most welcome.

Dr. Fuad Yeoh got Three Degrees
With envy I wrote it with gold
Master in Engineering and BA
Quranic studies from Yarmuk University
Islamic Ph.D from Aberdeen !

He leave all and he possess all
Children and wives full of energy
Chinese, Malay and Morocco
Wisdom and light shines through
Do Still remember the Night of Power

We ask the Real ,the Majestic, the Exalted to
Enlighten our hearts and life journey…

------------------------------------------------------
Second Koan :
Many Doors of A Tea Hut

Sufism is a science of madness and stillness. It depend where you are and how rich you are.
Ha ha ha , only the poor speak this Way. Dust, dust..kuntu turaba .
A sufi hut had many doors, why none dare to seek, travel and make a visit ?
To enter and drink Tea is another matter. To test, we put this question to you :


Master Dogen asked his students one day in the assembly hall – who got a new sms today ?
Where does he built his Dailin Nur College ? Do the Japanese Government approved his spiritual teaching overseas ?
How many students from Granada, Weimar, Zurich, Cape Town, Jakarta, Bandung, Johor Bharu and Penang recently get enrolled for an eight weeks course in Blue Heiddegerian Studies and to organize an seminar called ‘The Time of I Ching ‘ ?

Here is the Maxis Message from Dr.Abdad of USM, former chief editor of Rumi Nusantara Journal
received on 8.00pm dated 2 of Dec. 2006 :

‘This piece of koan need fathom.
When the door opens, whirl follows you.
You cross the line, feel that touch on the shoulder by one that beckons.
The cups are there all the time
Perfumed wine waiting for the lips

The second whirl arrives and the touched
Shoulder warming up to a larger circle.
The flirting fire ambers till dawn
The whispering hearts need no filled cup now.

Another door yonder closing in
Sufi doors opens more of whirl,
cup , touch, heart and wisper.

Suddenly Master Izi attendant Masako San brought an old message jumbled up in Chinese mandarin from our old Melawati garden Companion Dr. Muhammad Fuad Yeoh, Deputy President of Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (Macma) after a quick translation by Sidi Zuigan…it is decided to be included in this Blue Bamboo Collections as follow :

‘Traveller has not been endowed with the honour to enter any of Master’s doors
for the chosen only is able to taste and be intoxicated by Master’s spirits, wisdom,
aura and fun. It is not a question of fear but simply to whom
the bounty the Almighty grants .
For which Traveller unfortunately is not one ‘.

Attendant Zuigan Commentary :

We are extremely thankful to Allah Tabaraka wa Taala this blessed morning where two of our long time Companions and ardent readers of Zen and Sufism send us their warm greeting of peace beside penning out new koans for all of you ! You shall not forget to record this in your diary. When you finished this short course, go seek and pay visit and respect to them on my behalf.

My old bones and feets not strong enough to make travels to Malaysia, Indonesia, Europe or Africa this winter. Bow three times to this two wise scholars, we feels that their Islam and Sufism are our true ally and will transform our future Way and revive the lost Wisdom !

Neo- Hsue Tou Verse

To sit in sunlight or to sit in shade
It doesnt matter the sun is East or West
This light from the blessed oil and Olive
From the star, the lamp and niche
Allah guides to His light whom He will
One man enrich a whole community

Let wage war against Number and Papers
O Sages of China and Nippon let appear!
The Time of Spring is here. A Tea Hut.
One traveller falters, ten will comes !
Once the door shut, the hut is gone !

By order of Master Dogen and Master Izi

[Mok]

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