BACCARAT RESTAURANT of Cheung Chau Island

BACCARAT RESTAURANT

百家樂菜館 G/F, 9A Pak She Praya Road, Cheung Chau

長洲北社海傍道9號A地下

Cheung Mo Tat, the owner of Baccarat Restaurant. His wife is from China. He has his wedding photograph taken at the studio just next door to his restaurant (photo above). Several months later the studio moved to another better business location. Cheung immediately took over the vacant studio and converts it into his 2nd restaurant keeping the original studio decoration (photo below).

Cheung's success did not come by chance. He taught himself English and welcome customers in English whenever Western tourists pass by his shop. Very few restaurants in this island speak English, as least not as enthusiastic as him

As such, Baccarat Restaurant is a popular stop for western travelers.

By December the new extension is ready (photo above) and Shirley and co-worker are ready to welcome customers.

Mother of Cheung (photo above). Proud over the son's success in new restaurant extension.

The Cheung is a big family. Other family members also having business along the same street as the restaurant. A young brother run this fruits stall near the ferry pier (photo above). Another member run a bicycle rental shop end of the street.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival 1992

The highlight of the one week festival (photo above). The residents paraded through the island village lanes.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival 1992

A unique festival happens on the tiny island of Cheung Chau where I stay.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival (Jiao-festival) of Cheung Chau has been practiced for more than 100 years.

A century ago, Cheung Chau was devastated by a plague in the late Qing dynasty.

Local residents set up a sacrificial altar in front of Pak Tai Temple to pray to the god, Pak Tai, to drive off evil spirits.

The residents even paraded the deity statues through the village lanes.

The plague ended after performance of the ritual.

Since then, residents on Cheung Chau organized a Bun Festival every year to express thanks to the god for blessing and protecting them.

With residents' participation every year, the ritual was passed down through the generations.

The festival also provides a platform for residents to perform their folk craft, such as making paper-mache effigies of deities, setting up the bamboo scaffolding of the Bun Mountain, and making handmade buns in preparation for the Bun Festival.

This is accompanied by folk performing arts like Taoist rituals and music, a parade, lion dances, qilin dances and drum beating.

The elderly residents participate in this festive activity with their children, preserving it from one generation to the next.

This festival was held from the 5th to 8th day of the Fourth Lunar Month for 1 week.

The weeklong festival climaxes with a large, carnival-like street procession featuring costumed children on stilts held aloft above the crowd, lion dances and other colorful participants.

The parade winds its way through the narrow streets to the grounds near the Pak Tai Temple, which are dominated by enormous bamboo towers studded with sweet white buns, and where the main festivities take place.

At midnight, athletes scramble up one of the towers in a contest to grab the top-most 'luckiest' ones.

Remark : This yearly Cheung Chau Island Jiao Festival had been inscribed onto China's third national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2011.

Sai Wan Village of Cheung Chau Island

6th May 1992

Sai Wan Village of Cheung Chau Island. This is the place I lived for 2.5 years (January 1991 to June 1993)

The hill in the middle is where the famous Cheung Po Tsai Cave located at.

Cheung Po Tsai cave was the favorite hiding place for the notorious pirate Cheung Po Tsai. Even I stay near by the famous cave, I visit the cave only once in a year. The cave is nothing more than a hole in the rock. No interesting though promoted by tourism as FAMOUS.

The Cave entrance and passage is narrow. Fat people not sure if you can climb in and out.

Cave inside is dark but you can rent torches from village people waiting for customers at the cave entrance.

The trial to Cung Po Tsai Cave is 200 meters away from my flat.

The red building at the left is where my flat is. A small sampan pier at the right.

The sea view from this high vista is pretty lovely.

The tallest building at this village are these 3 blocks. My flat is at the block at the left. 2nd Floor.

When you come to this island you might feel in a different country. Here is not the upscale, modernized Hong Kong.

Those who are tied of concrete city find this place a gorgeous.

These are the water taxis of the Island (see photo above). The boats park at Sai Wan Village...

Cheung Chau Island is only two kilometers in length

A lot densely populated small island. Remarkably and charmingly with temples, trendy beaches.

What most interested me are the isolated footpaths over the hills and along most crazy stretches of coastline.

Sai Wan Village Cheung Chau Island

Sai Wan Village

Cheung Chau Island

4th May 1992 Monday

1991 CHINA TOURISM CARNIVAL GUANGDONG HAPPY FESTIVAL

先賢古墓道

先賢古墓道

穿过一座悬有"高风仰止"大牌楼而入，

沿着一条两侧石栏杆的石路，便可步人先贤古墓内。

赛义德-艾比-宛葛素古墓

Visit to Cemetary of Pioneer of Islam in Kwang Zhou

先賢古墓道

广州清真先贤古墓

清真先贤古墓。清真先贤古墓位于解放北路兰圃西侧。明清中国学者称伊斯兰教义为"至清至真"，因而伊斯兰教又被称为"清真教"。

清真先贤古墓是以赛义德-艾比-宛葛素为首的40多位阿拉伯著名伊斯兰教传教士的墓地。古墓是一座园林式的墓园，四周绕有墙垣，内有拜殿、方亭、厢房，穿过一座悬有"高风仰止"大牌楼而入，沿着一条两侧设有石栏杆的石路，便可步人先贤古墓内。

Ancient Tomb of Islamic Father

Islamic culture

Islam is one of the five major religions in China. The four others are Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism and the Protestantism.

Muslims take great pride in citing a hadith that says "seek knowledge even it is in China."

It points to the importance of looking for lore, even if it meant travelling as far away as China.

Observing the Prophet's instructions, his followers sent missionaries to China one after another.

Some historians hold that, as early as the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618) during the revelation of Islam (AD 610-632) to the Prophet, Islam had already appeared in China.

Still, many believe the visit led by Waqqaas and Qays was Islam's earliest contact with China during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan, the third caliph.

After triumphing over the Byzantine, Romans and Persians, Uthman ibn Affan dispatched a deputation to China in AD 650, eight years after the Prophet's death.

Waqqaas was said to have died in Canton, today's Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, where he established the Huaisheng, literally meaning "in memory of the Holy Prophet" Mosque, or Memorial Mosque, one of the first Islamic buildings in China and proof of the early communication between the two cultures.

And in AD 713, an ambassador from the Islamic Caliphate was received at the Tang court.

Since then, both overland trade along the silk route and maritime trade via the spice route to the southeastern port of Canton flourished. So did cultural and scientific exchanges.

Many Muslims came to China to trade and they began to have a great economic impact and influence on the country.

Muslims virtually dominated the import-export industry by the time of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Some of them later became permanent residents in such prosperous cities as Xi'an, Quanzhou in Fujian Province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, Hami and Guangzhou, where they built mosques and cemeteries.

One of the most prized Chinese musical instruments, the pluck-stringed pipa, actually originated in the Islamic world and was called barbat, tanbur or mizhar in Arabic and Persian.

And the Chinese word for ball, qiu, was said to originate from the Persian word, gui, the name for the game of polo.

Chinese medicine, both the material and prescriptions, were also influenced by Persia and Arabia, as recorded by Tang Dynasty officials.

中山大學 SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY

中山大學 SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yat-sen_University

One of the top university in China at that time and even now. Those who study in Chinese schools or those study modern Chinese history know this university.

The university motto has produce many famous personal in modern Chine :

1) Study extensively 博學

2) Enquire accurately 審問

3) Reflect carefully 慎思

4) Discriminate clearly 明辨

5) Practise earnestly 篤行

Sun Yat-sen College of Medical Science

Computer Exhibition 1990

I came to the Computer Exhibition 1990 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 5 & 7 Floor.

Arrived at noon but only leave at 6:00 pm when the loud-speakers announced closing for the day.

The current popular PC model is 80386 as exhibited by AS&T and Epson.

One of the attractions is Chinese Characters Input demonstration that attracted many bystanders. 7 typists from China representing 5 Input Methods. Their speed are 100+ words per minutes. Incredible fast!

I bought a book on E-Tien Chinese Input System with two 3.5" Diskettes. After reaching home I started learning till midnight.

1990 Black Pair

Cheung Chau Old Folk Home

Beside the Bat Dai Temple is an old folk home.

7:20 pm Already had my dinner and stroll around the north part of Chung Chau which I come only occasionally. Being passing many times this old folk home several times before, this time I took a further step into to see the world of the old people.

At one side is a row of rooms for the male. Room big enough for 2 beds against the wall with the door in the middle. Two person per room.

Being not polite to room around with out permission, I stay most of the time in the common hall where the television is on and a dozen of old folk are watching.

The women look must alert and healthy then men.

Cheung Chau Peniel Church

便以利會長洲堂 Cheung Chau Peniel Church

Just 5 minutes walk from my room is a very unique church constructed of solid rocks. I used to stroll from to the sea side passing this church. The church is alwaysclosed and silent. But I like to see it open and see how it look inside.

On 22 April 1990, a Sunday morning when as usual I stroll to the sea side passing the church, this time it is opened with a Sunday Church service is in the mid of secession. Attracted by the Hakk a speaking pastor (I am a Hakka) gently and quietly I skipped into the Church and sited at an empty corner at the back seats.

Thinking no body notice me, but not before long a graceful lady very gently came and handled me a Hymn book and moment later a Bible.

There were about 50 church members that morning mostly elderly. Pastor talked in Hakka. He is a big middle age man speaking in strong Hakka voice. I can't remember what the pastor has talked that day but still remember he descript the difficult life in the early day when people are shortage of money and food when "....... many parents after feeding the family in the morning continue to worry where to find food for the evening......"

Getting out of the church quietly is not as easy as getting in. After the last hymn, every one started to leave, I was the one nearest to the door but as I turn to leave, the pastor is already standing at the door side to greet every one good bye. In a a small church with small group of members, the pastor already long spotted a new face among them. So he welcomes me for the first visit and urges me to come each Sunday.

Penial Church of Cheung Chau Island was opened in 1930.

During my 3 years stay in Cheung Chau, this Island has the highest population even since.

In 1992, one night I reached home and saw a Census form for me on the door. I filled and returned the form. That was the 1992 Hong Kong population census.

According to the census, Chung Chau has about 40,000 people. That period, 1990s, was Cheung Chau most populous period. The current 2000s is only 25,000 people.

Christmas Dinner 1989

1989 Christmas Dinner at Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong

2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong

Susan - 1st on the left of photo.

Shalley - 3rd from left.

Shirra - 4th from left

Said Kadivian and Roxan Terell

Said Kadivian and Roxan Terell

In the mid-1990s Said Khadivian came to Hong Kong initiative in to get mass

teaching off the ground. Khadivian is speciallized in Mass Enrollment.

Chinese are dis-united (Taiwan Nationalist, Mainland Communist, Hong Kong Capitalist). Bahais leaders in Hong Kong believes Chinese will never be united unless they accept God's new messanger, unless they all become Bahais. Baha’is want to unite the world through conversion.

It is for the conversion works the Hong Kong Bahais invite Said Khadivian (Saeid Khadivian ?) from Japan, together with him are 2 Japanese one of them was a youth.

I was unwilling to joint in the teams, but in order not to be labelled by the Assembly members as the "Unfaithful" or "Inactive", I must show my face. (One can not reach God without first obedient to the Assembly members)

Entry by Troops Coordinating by Sai'd Khadivian as coordinator

郑康理 - 地球危機與世界大同

鄭康理與聯合國副祕書長于香港傳達世界和平訊悉酒會中會唔時留影。 1988-11-28

鄭康理與全球合作共創更好世界計劃主席巴拉瑪女士于世界和平訊悉酒會中會唔時留影。
尖沙咀金域假日酒店。
1988-11-28

文昌中学早期优秀毕业生情况简表
（于民国政府与军队任职部分）
57 郑康理，原名郑庭业 1915一
文昌县东阁镇大架村人 县立文昌中学毕业
军需学校第11期毕业 陆军上校军需处长

郑康理,原名郑庭业,陆军上校.1915年生,东搁镇大架村人.



書　　名 地球危機與世界大同　 作　　者 鄭康理　 出 版 商 華風　 出版日期 民77　 稽 核 項 [36],265 面; 圖; 21 公分　 標　　題 倫理學　

Chapman

Chapman is among those came to my birthday in 1988. A progressive youth I would not forget. He has an inspiring story to tell about himself but will never tell unless it is someone close enough.

When I first met him 2 years ago he was only in Hong Kong for lest then 10 years. Working in a steel furniture (?) started as an ordinary apprentice to a skill technician. He was among thousands and thousands young people skited into Hong Kong for a batter life.

Chapman is one of those Chinese who left home to seek a fortune at a distance. He was driven to do so during his time million refugees smuggling across the border to Hong Kong to escape the famine and poorvety in China. Hong Kong, under the shelter of British democracy till 1997, is the centre for free trade in China. To fuel Hong Kong economic development is this constant supply of refugees from mainland China serving as a source of cheap labor.

He told me he swam across the river at night. Slowly using a couple of days time to quietly slick into Hong Kong city center. Once in the city center, a refugee is safe. (“抵垒政策”，即凡是已经进入市区的非法入境者，都可以向人事登记处登记，领取身份证。) And he proof himself to be one of those hightly needed behind the economy growth of Hong Kong. During my 6 years stay in Hong Kong, there was 1 whole year I did not see him. When I see him again after so long, he told me he has been to oversea, his employer send hime to Singapore (?) for training. And now return as a high skilled production staff.

And today he is able to free hiself came to my birthday celebration.

Port Dickson Winter School December 1987

26th December 1987 Port Dickson Baha'i Winter School

By now Malaysia has a visible number of Chinese speaking Baha'is members.

Malaysia is the only NON Chinese country that has a proud Chinese education system.

Loi Krathong in Chiang Mai City

November 1986

Loi Krathong in 1986, Chiang Mai

The Loy Krathong Festival is Thailand's most beautiful and meaningful celebration.

It is a festival of light, of public fireworks and millions of candle flames flickering and moving in gentle water currents.

Loy Krathong takes place on the full moon in November.

Loi Krathong Parade at night through the Chiang Mai streets.

Each village sent their decorated car with color lanterns, flowers and big krathong some village also has the traditional dancing and music band to joint the parade as homage to Lord Buddha and Goddess of River.

By the end of the evening, there are hundreds of flickering lights bobbing up and down on the water.

This Festival is a 13th century Sukhothai tradition of Brahmin origin to give thanks to the Goddess of water and to seek forgiveness for misdeeds.

This tradition is strong in agricultural societies where the river gives life and sustenance in a close bond between Man and Nature.

During the evening, many people come to the river to float their krathongs. People usually make a wish at the same time. They believe this will bring them good luck.

As each individual's krathong floats away, it is time to say goodbye to old regrets and to look forward to a brighter future.

The krathongs (photo above) contain a flower, a candle and three incense sticks. The sticks are lighted before being placed on the water.

The Akka Village

November 1986

I have long been interested on the tribal people in the North Thailand and while in Chang Mai I took the opportunity to joint a guided 2Days 1Night hill track to an Akka Village.

The journey :

By mini bus from Chieng Mai to a small village;
From the small village by elephant up to a hill station;
From the hill station walk up to a Akka Village for the night

A panoramic view of the Akka village where our tour group spend the night. The tourist hut (hotel) is at the right hand side.

The children (in the middle of above photo) don't go to school and it didn't look as though they were doing any agricultural works. But it good they do not ask for “Money” like children in other tourists corrupted area I been to.

This Akka village seemed untainted by tourists. They keep their traditional natural feel without any false acts.

The Aka generally prefer to live along mountain ridges at high altitudes of approximately 1,000 meters and they rarely moved south. The Aka houses are on low stilts, with a large porch leading into a square living area with a stove. The roof is steeply pitched.

Our group consists only 6 tourist on 3 elephants. Each elephant has a care taker.

With an Akka rice farmer (photo above) beside her rice farm.

The Akka are shifting cultivators. They cultivate dry rice for consumption and grow corn, millet, peppers, beans, garlic, sesame and other varieties of vegetables as additional subsistence crops.

Crop production is often inadequate to meet their needs.

The Akka are well known to tourists for their extraordinary costumes and exotic appearance. They originate from Tibetan Highlands.

Over the years they left their homeland and migrated south to Yunnan, North Burma and Laos, and have only recently entered North Thailand, 150 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akha_people

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無拉巷袁其良學院