Cooking Adzuki-beans and Make Oshiruko お汁粉

The culture of growing and eating beans in Japan was originated from China, such as

Soya-bean and its derivatives/ Soy-source, Soyabean-paste, include Aduki-beans.

Unlike western and some African cultures, eastern people doesn’t eat beans as their staple food and most

of the case, cook them as a kind of sweets or its basis.

(Inside of famous Chinese Moon Cake, you can see the heavy Adzuki-bean paste mixed with Walnut and the oil

which makes it even heavier or richer = to celebrate, the taste richer the better for them to feel rich  :-D)

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Many years ago, at the party held by Thai students, I cooked (supposedly) Japanese Sweet Dish of Oshiruko,

then Thais pointed out “Hey Yoshi, this is not Japanese, it’s our cooking”.

So that, when I visited their country I realized that almost identical cooking called in Chinese name,

Hon Tao Shui (紅豆水) was served every tea house, even a street corner which the Red-bean or Adzuki-beans

was cooked and made sweet soup with Rice-powder dumplings in (and often, some  ice-cube as well = which

we call [Koori-Adzuki] in Japan) And I noticed, the situation is the same wherever the Chinese people lives.

I guess, a lots of western people encountered a Japanese sweet [Yokan], Adzuki-bean Cake with rather revolting

feelings “Yack, What’s this”(since, westerners never expected to eat the bean other than in a savory taste =

same situation of easterners tasted a Green Tea or the Rice with added sugar) 😀

Not necessary in China, but in Japan, adzuki-bean is regarded to be an auspicious food, because of its

red color, especially when it was cooked with a combination of white, such as rice or rice-cake.

Hence, any festive occasions, Japanese cook [Sekihan]赤飯 (Red-colored rice = Glutinous rice with

Adzuki-beans) and [Oshiruko] = (Rice-cake in Adzuki-bean soup) simply because its got red and white  🙂

[]

Because of this, Japanese adzuki-bean got festive value.   It’s carry 3x more price, but pretty high quality.

—– though,  bean is the bean, it is more or less the same as ubiquitous Cowpeas  (top photo).

To make [Sekihan] it’s better to use Japanese bean but,  make Oshiruko can be done with poor-man’s choice.

To make Oshiruko for 4~5 people use 1.5 cup of bean and put it into 7” big pan, start with 2 cups of water

to boil. (Only a shortcoming to use cheap bean is, they got many stones and insect infested bean = you need to

sort them out, before start cooking)

And when the pan started to boil, drain the water and flush the bean with fresh water to clean it.  🙂

Then real cooking start with 4 cups of water. —–> While boiling, the water will disappear.

So, you have to put more water. ( You need to top-up the water 3~4 times and the bean increase the bulk 3 times

or more = till here you may need to boil 3~4 hours ! —– or, if you have slow-cooker it might be a better choice

for an overnight cooking)

When the bean was cooked and became soft, then put plenty brown sugar (rather annoying amount of almost 1kg !

—– this is what sweet meant   😀 )

Then, put 1/3 teaspoon of salt = never put too much,  and leave the pan to quietly boil another 1 hour.

And put Rice cake to boil yet another 2~5 minutes. (Rice Cake made out of Glutinous Rice powder in my-way

should be OK to boil longer but, a Japanese Rice Cake [Kiri-Mochi] 切り餅 which was made of  mixture of regular

rice powder, would be melt and disintegrates)

Then Oshiruko is ready to serve.

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—– I don’t think you have eaten up all the sweet Adzuki soup yet (may be another 5 portions still left) =

boil further to reduce it become sticky paste = it became to [Anko] and can be used to make many

other Japanese sweets, such as [An-Mochi], [Mizu-Yokan]

—– put this [Anko] onto a piece of bread ! = it’s not too bad.   😀

Heavy [Anko-paste] can last a week in a fridge, or it can be frozen for next time, if not till next New Year.  😀

—– So, I’ll put another post to make those [An-Mochi], [Mizu-Yokan] etc. near future.

Enjoy your sweet teeth 😀

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Tree of the Life

————————————————  ( Kailash Mountain  /  Photo = Wikimedia)

This is the roots of a tree said to be brought from the Holy Kailash Mountain of Tibet.

It is a dwarf birch tree < Bitula Kailash Kailasee > only

a tree grow in that high and cold area.

—– as the soil is very thin on the rock, roots can grow

only side way in the shallow soil, and strangely, it said

to be always grow same anti-clock spiral direction

as you can see in the photo.

The ancient legend says that this tree has the

mythical power of the life, hence able to grow

even in such harsh condition.

And the pattern of this roots was said to be the origin of the Swastika／卍 = as

its graphical representation. —– M m m ?

[]

Though, unfortunate to the tree, since this tree was too highly sought after, they are said to be almost

extinct in its original location now. —– How shame.

Yet still, the nature is always the source of the inspiration to the man. —– and to me.

___/\___

[]

PS: It’s a nice story though, do remember, it is a mythical legend.

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Japanese New Year’s Cooking = Ozoni

In Japanese New Year, eating Ozoni (rice-cake in soup) has almost ceremonial importance.

Though, the meaning of its name Ozoni (お雑煮） is unceremoniously humble = Jumble soup.

As Japanese staple diet is rice, anything else is accompanying dishes and a soup, since the rice got its own

taste, it has to be individually appreciated = it’s mean, put the rice together with something else is looked

down as jumble, such as Zousui (rice in the soup. —– Put a rice into Miso-soup was called Ojiya and this word

was used to describe a things in a mess = even a design which got few contradictory concept together would

be mocked as  “ It’s an Ojiya”   😀 )

So, to put a (or two) rice cake into a soup is Zoni. (put O to Zoni is a bit more polite expression).

To be a Japanese, it is [the must have cooking] though, there is no fixed style, and the

ingredients of the soup vary a lot, region to region and a family to family. —– nobody knows

the reason why, but in the western Japan (Kansai)  Zouni is based on a Miso-soup and the east of Sekiga-hara,

Zoni is the Kanto style, on a Soy-source based clear soup = Smashi-jiru.  (It’s a fun to know, in the

western Japan,  people makes Ozoni with  round shaped Rice Cake (made like a dumplings)   🙂

As I grown up in Tokyo, my style is Kanto-fu, and this is Yoshizen’s adaptation to make it in England  🙂

The ingredients, photo above are, (from the left) ;

*   Dried Shitake Mushroom, from a Chinese food shop. (from Taiwan seems to be the best )

— (Don’t buy so-called fresh Shiitake grown in this country under artificial light = they are tasteless.

— Shiitake got to be grown and dried under the strong sun light = Hence they are very rich in Vitamin D)

*   Dried Kombu (Kelp sea-weed) from a Chinese food shop.

*   Lime fruits. ( Yes, Lime —– substitute of Japanese Yuzu Lemon)

*   Glutinous Rice Powder from a Chinese food shop (Must be Glutinous ! )

*   Mangetout Beans (or can be a bunch of Spinach —– to add a green color  🙂 )

*   Onion (one medium size for 4~5 people)

*   Japanese Soy-sauce (Can not be a Chinese Soy-sauce.  It never be the taste same )

*   Chicken (I’m buying Chicken thigh to cut it into small pieces)

Preparation and cooking for 4~5 people ; ( see the photo above)

*   Make Rice-Cake according to the post [Make Rice Cake in 15 minutes] (Please click here)

— (Hardest part is to take cooked cake out of a plastic container — cover them with potato starch)

*   Quick flush 5 Dried Shitake Mushrooms under running water, then soak them in the 2 cups of water in a small

— pan and heat them ( but not boil —– to soften them.  Keep this water as Dashi !)

*   After well washed, put two of 4 inch square Kombu (Kelp) into 7 inches pan with just enough water to

— boil them once.  Drain the water, then put 2 cups of fresh water into the pan and boil.

*   Take softened Shiitake out and cut each of them to 4~6 strips, then put the warm water which the Shitake has

— been soaked, into the pan where Kombu has been boiled (now the pan got 4 cups of water).

— Boil the Shiitake and Kombu, then put sliced onion too, for another 30 minutes.

*   While Kombu, Shiitake, Onion are boiling, cut the Chicken (2 pieces of thighs) to small pieces and add to the

— boiling pan. If you like thick rich taste, use the skin of chicken as well, otherwise remove the skin.

— (Of cause, it can be done without Chicken or alternatively, use Fried tofu is an idea for a vegetarian.)

— Then boil yet another 10 minutes.

—– As those ingredients acted to make the Soup Dashi as well, the soup is now very tasty.

*   Then put the Soy-sauce according to your taste (in fact a lots,

— may be 100 ml ? = 1/10th ~ 1/15th of the amount of the soup)

*    Put prepared Rice Cake (3×2 inches size)  one for each person

—-and Mange tout Bean, then boil further 3 minutes.

*     Make small cut pieces of Lime skin (see the photo left) and

— sprinkle them into the soup. (10 pieces like photo is enough)

— Then the Ozoni is ready to serve.  🙂

(Everybody must be amazed the tiny amount of the lime skin

Changed the taste so good  !  = this is the Japanese Art of cooking)

********************************************************

 ( A sort of Health warning )

Never eat Rice Cake in one big chunk —– as they are very chewy and sticky, never attempt to swallow in

big chunk.  It will stuck in your throat (every year tens of the Japanese people died with suffocation)

Otherwise, enjoy an Ozoni  and  have a Happy New Year  🙂

—-

Cooking MISO-SOUP

A kind of complaint I received time to time was that despite I’m keep saying “Just do it” and

“Our dairy life itself is Zen Practice” though, there was not so much practical instructions.

It’s true. Just talking about an idea of the Zen and make you guessing is a contradiction.

To show How I’m  Just doing must be more convincing than a nice story.  After all, Zen is not for talking.

It was already a year ago, I’ve shown how to make Rice cake,  I’m going to write how to cook

Japanese New Year’s cooking = [O-zouni] (お雑煮) (Rice-cake in Soup) and [O-shiruko]  😀

But to start with much common Miso-soup (味噌汁) (as a warming-up practice 🙂 ).

—– Like Minestrone in Italy, Miso-soup in Japan vary region to region and the Miso (Soya-bean paste) having

hundreds of  varieties, —– same as the Cheese made out of the same cow-milk having so many varieties.

So that, this is a Miso-soup in yoshizen style. (at least, this design has been tested and tasted by hundreds of the

people in the art events, Dorkbot-camp, Space-Hijackers party etc many times with good appreciation.

Hence, when ever like a House party, I’ve been always in charge with cooking this Miso-soup 🙂 )

The ingredients above, from the left ;

• Fried Tofu = bought in a Chinese food shop, always comes in a plastic bag ( = 10 pieces about £1)
• Tofu = also from Chinese food shop. (about £1.50 = would serve up to 10 people)
• Miso (Soybean-paste) = from Japanese or Chinese food shop (about £2.50 for 500g packet)
• Mangetout bean
• Onion
• Potato (option or alternative)

Then prepare the materials (to serve 4 to 5 people) = just cut as seen on the photo,

—– cut 5~6 pieces of Fried Tofu into four strips, half of the Tofu into 1/2 inch cube, slice the Mange tout bean

to narrow strip and slice an Onion (one medium size onion would be good for 5 people)

—– optional Potato (if it was Baked-potato size = cut each of two potatoes into 4 to 5 pieces)

———————-[Chinese Kelp] ————————— [Dried Fish flakes] ——– [Dashi-no-moto] — [Soup packet]

The taste of the soup is depend on the soup-base [Dashi] —– traditionally Japanese uses dried fish

or its powdered products [Dashi-no-moto], but if you are a vegetarian use the sea-weed [Kombu / Kelp]

(I’ll explain it later) —– If you can’t get [Dashi-no-moto] from a Japanese food shop, a cheating can be made

out of a soup packet of [Seafood-flavour Instant-noodle] (about 40P — use the noodle for another cooking)

*  Boil 4 cups of water in a 7 inches (medium size) pan on a strong fire, and boil Onion until they became well

— cooked. (this onion is more for the soup base / taste)

*  Then put Fried Tofu (and Potato as an option) and keep boiling.

*  Put soup-base (not Kombu case, and if you have put potato, it got to be near ready to eat)

*  And put Tofu (as the temperature drop, soup may stop boiling)

*  When the soup start to boil again, put the Miso = squeeze out from a cut corner (like a  1/3 inch thick

— spiral spewing out of the packet) and stir the soup for Miso to completely dissolve.

— (from a 500g Miso packet you may need to squeeze out about 1/3 of the Miso for 4 cups of boiling water,

— though it depend on one’s taste — if you put too much and feel salty, put more water to dilute the soup 😀 )

*  This is my secret, I put few drops of the West Indian Hot-Pepper-Souce into this soup.  (This would give a

— hidden punch 😀 —– some Japanese may put [Shichimi-Togarashi] = Seven flavored Hot-pepper)

*  When the Miso-soup started to boil again, stop the fire ( if it was on an electric hot plate, move the pan to

— another plate = never keep boiling the Miso-soup = it creates bitter taste)

*  Then serve into a bowl while sprinkling the top with sliced Mangetout bean (just give a green color) or

— some likes it with chopped Spring onion.

—– The beauty of this design is, well boiled onion’s sweet taste and nutty flavor from the fried Tofu making the

taste very rich = more like a western soup.  And with potato, it’s also filling as well.  Good for cold winter ! 

[]

 * * * How to use the Sea-weed [Kombu / Kelp] as a Dashi;

Japanese food shop sells [Kombu 昆布or Dashi-Kombu] —– it might be from northern Japan of Hokkaido

but most likely from Korea.   Though, Kombu or Kelp grow all seven seas hence Chinese food shop sells it

as 海帯 (Kelp sea-weed) —– it would be cheaper there though, it might come with a lots of sand 😀

and the taste bitter, may be because of the residue of sea water.

(Japanese Kombu was washed in the pure-water before dry, but Chinese one seemed to be just dried on the beach.

—– So that, when you use Chinese Kelp, it needs to be soaked in the water and wash well, then boil it once and

change all the water, then make a soup base with fresh water (otherwise its taste would be quite bitter).

To use Kelp as a Dashi for this Miso-soup, use 2 of 4 inches square of Kelp pieces, prepare as above

and boiled over half an hour,  then take Kelp out of the pan (if it was a good soft Kelp, you can pinch

and eat) then use this soup base for cooking.   (for Miso-soup, Sumashi-jiru, Ozouni, etc —-)

—– Bonappetit or say  “ Itadakimasu” !   Enjoy a meal.

___/\___

PS :  Even after opened, Miso can last long time though, Tofu and Fried Tofu will go bad very quick.

—– Use them ASAP (use next day of purchase, even kept in a fridge,  is the limit) —– How to keep the half

—– of the unused Tofu left = never freeze (it would become sponge like texture = may be interesting for

—– other kind of cooking ) —– instead, put a Tofu in a small pan of water, and boil short time = keep without

—– open the lid = Tofu can survive till next day — (You may repeat for yet another day  😀 )

—

Japanese New Year’s Card 2012 – (3)

As the New Year is coming only ten days  time,  Nippon Yubin (Japan Post) and many

Sites started to show free New Year’s Card design  🙂

(Though, some are too keen to use it as a tool for their business promotion, it is not necessary straight forward,

such as Japan Post’s images are now in [png] not easy jpeg  (you can tinker in Photoshop) as they expecting

the user to compose the image in their format — still, you may go to their site direct and download the image,

from their 3,000 image collection ! —— (but,  it’s in Japanese !)

Japan Post’s site ; —– 　http://www.yubin-nenga.jp/index.html

http://www.yubin-nenga.jp/search/search_parts.php

 —

And, following are from the Canon’s site = Yes, Canon of  camera and the printer !

With the clout of the global company, they are generous and the design quality is pretty high.

Their site is ;  —-  http://cp.c-ij.com/ja/event/nenga/index.html  —– (there are hundreds of samples !)

 

———————————————————————————————————————————

Powerful Calligraphy above is the character [龍／Dragon], —- ( never mind the rest = all saying ” Happy New Year “)

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Here,  he is saying ” Glad, we got happy new spring  🙂 ” ————–(right) [Kyoga-shin-nen] = Happy New Year.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmMMMMMMMMMM

In the old Moon calender, New Year was about February = beginning of the spring, hence the right one

is saying  ” Congratulate the Early New Spring”.

————————————————————————————————————————

Above left says ” Akemashite Omedetou-Gozaimasu” —————- (right) ” Shinshun” = New Spring.

= Congratulate for having New Year.

Three plants images are  Pine, Bamboo and Plum (松，竹，梅) as they are regarded to be auspicious.

M

Another Japanese site is Epson, though, to download the sample image, it seems necessary to register.

  http://my.epson.jp/myepson/alluser/printown/nenga/index.jsp

So, have a fun to look around and create nice Card.

(My Greeting Card may come soon or later   🙂  )

___/\___

—

Noise in the Mad Friday

————————————————— [Night view from the Regent Studio]

The Friday, a week before the Christmas was dubbed as the Mad Friday, as so many Xmas

parties were held in this timing.   (It became apparent, that it was true, on the street scene on the way back

from the party, I saw too many drunken people hardly able to walk :-D)

And I was invited for one of them, which happened to be happened in one of a mad-house in

the north London, at Regent Studio complex next to the old Regent canal.

As huge building having so many artists, even just one floor having three parties in the same time.

And the one I went was called [nnnnn] (!) = Noise Performing Party 😀

The key person who gave me this information was, yet again the Don of the electronic everything,

James the Tallbasterd —  http://tallbasterd.wordpress.com/ — who is also organizing OWN (open wifi network)

and involved many video, music, art events —– so that I bumped many familiar faces as well.

——————————– [nnnnn] event at Ryan Jordan’s Studio / at Regent Studio, Haggerston, London]

What, I’ve planned something special for this party was to test a latest new toy came to my hand a week

ago = Canon Zoom Fish-eye lens 8mm-15mm 🙂

So far I’ve been pretty happy with my 40 years old Nikon 16mm Fish-eye lens = all of my Fish-eye photos in this

blog has been taken by this lens on Canon 5D MkII with the first ever mount adopter in the world, which I’ve

made 25 years ago, in order to use Nikon lenses on Canon EOS 620.

My general view to the lenses, Nikon had a edge over Canon about the Wide-angle lenses, though this

Canon’s Fish-eye Zoom impressed me with its even quality of the image, corner to corner even with the aperture

fully opened (though, I found quite big color aberration, and the lens is not F4, but about F4.8 = the exposure

showed half stop under —– still, it wouldn’t be so much trouble = just give an exposure compensation)

(On the photo below, blue edge of the circle was caused by the Color aberration and it is persistent in any F-stop)

—————————————————– [James Stevens  and   Adnan Hadzi]

The party started with German base beat ! with my big appreciation. And next good things was that the floor

was a painted concrete = just right grip to the shoes (fluffy carpet imped the quick foot movement)

———————————————————[James  and  Adnan]

Then, James and Adnan started their creation in their noise oscillator and the synchronized video images.

James’ noise generator has two adjustments, on top of the photo sensitive element which give a Thermin like

frequency control. —– still, the noise is nothing but noisy —– sorry to say.  Ha ha ha  😀

Noise approach to the sound hasn’t reached to the level, fit to the human consumption yet.  😀

[Rob Canning and Antonio Glanopolos] – [Jonathan Kemp] ———————-[Tim Goldie and his mate]

The second performers, — was using his electric guitar as a noise source with heavily tinkered synthesized

noise jammed with another computer generated noises.

The third performer’s sound was even more destructive computer generated bong bong noise.

( I don’t think, louder sound doesn’t mean impressive  😀  )

————————————————-[ Tim Goldie]

Then the forth group was resorting much of their sound source and lighting control in analog way = by using

snare drum as a noise generator and other (veiled lady) manually switch on and off the fluorescent lights.

This one was more of the theatrical performance than a noise player —– still as destructive as others.

Very peculiar scene was, the most of the people came to this event knowingly what the Noise

performance is, —– still, fed-up its noisiness and came-out the door to have a chat outside 😀

Well, it might be an excuse to have a party and drink. —– Ha ha ha 😀

( In fact, there was one more performer played though,  it was too much to stay inside = hence no photos )

—– Our ancestor spend hundreds of years to sort-out what the sound should be, out of the noises, and refined

the music instrument they invented, and created a way of tuning and the tonal scale, rhythm and the harmony.

Constant rhythm and its BPM, and how we feel with it,  is related to our heart beat, and the tone whether it

is miner or major is directly affecting our emotion —– anything out of this rules = random noise is a noise.

—– ? ? ?

Of cause, anybody has a right to question “ If not” —– though,  It’s a same old question.

[]

Funny you may find in the aspect of Zen. Zen chase the better and the best of what ever the subject.

And deal with the subject alone as if no other subject exist in the life (at the moment) = (it called mindfulness).

A Tea master may spent 10 years to achieve fine smooth bubble in his Matcha (powdered tea) = achieve the

best is (strangely) human tendency (or obsession  😀 ).  —– No question of what it is for.

It is the closed sphere or circuit.   So, to push the possibility of  Noise to the limit is exactly in the same context.

BUT, tea bubble wouldn’t affect anybody out of its sphere though, Noise travel in the air = reaching other’s ears.

It’s a trouble.    Ha ha ha  😀

Even if it stand highly philosophical, noble notion = sound only reaches to one of the most primitive  sensor of

our organ / ears = its first perception is dangerous or not, good or bad = very basic feelings = far from noble.

Still, the noise itself wouldn’t kill you, if not bad to the ears. ( Trouble is, you only realize it in your later life 😦 )

Nevertheless, seeing familiar faces and chat “ How you happen to know this ?” —– and find

the overlapping networks = in fact, how close we each others are = or how small the world is !

Loud noise would also teach you,  how nice to have quiet peace is. —– Sigh ! —– Ha ha ha 😀

___/\___

[]

Higgs Boson and the Buddhism

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm[ Photo —- Peter  Higgs  / from  BBC News  ]

The scientific world was stirred by the news of the tale of the tail of a sub-atomic particle =

dubbed as the God Particle = Higgs Boson. —– Gotcha !

Higgs boson may not even a particle but just a remnant ripple in the invisible field.

—– Like a ripple on the still water gives off a signal, where the surface of water is, and you may notice

the existence of a clear glass panel, only when it shows a scratch mark.

—– Higgs boson is a tell-tale sign of the invisible, undetectable energy field = Higgs field which said to

give a mass to the existence.

—– When you stir a honey in a jar, you feel heavier resistance on the spoon than in a water = it would give you

heavier feeling of the same spoon. = this resistance or impedance effected on the particles (and its compound,

atoms) are called as a mass. (conventional expression of this mass in relation to the gravity is called weight =

less body weight on the Moon because of less gravity is there).

( But don’t ask me why a sub-atomic particle Neutrino can have no mass and able to move even

faster than the light. —– I don’t think even scientists does know this yet 😀 )

Still, we human seemed to discovering the relation and cause of the phenomena next by next.

[]

Those scientific stances are perfectly in line with the Buddhism.

In the Lord Buddha’s teachings, those relation and the cause behind of the phenomena and the existences

is the Karma, and they, all together is the Dharma.

(Hence, Dharma is all the Existences and its mechanism and the rules behind)

As the dynamics of the phenomena and its momentary appearances are time dependent, so that nothing can

stay the same or permanent. —– Therefore, no perpetual soul kind = Atman can not exist.  Hence no SELF.

The reason why Lord Buddha took this stance, instead to contributes the cause of occurrences

and existences to an imaginary supernatural power = Godly existence was, because of

Lord Buddha’s mind-set was more of the scientist not a man of religion.

Religion is the matter of the belief to a particular ideological myth = not necessary to the

factual truth, therefore,  he defined such Myth as a delusion.

—– This was why,  he was called Buddha = Enlightened man,  not a divine figure or prophet.

[]

But, what made Lord Buddha different from just a physicist was his observation towards the

invisible depth of the  human psyche (now we call as subconsciousness) and found a way to

reprogram this subconsciousness through the practice.

Practice to make a person able to do the things or to live, without useless thinking (in Mushin /

Mind of No-mind) and ultimately able to see the invisible part of the Dharma. (and lives with it).

Even the most advanced science still having left quite large unknown part, we human still couldn’t able to know

what ourselves are. —– Yet, the Lord Buddha’s insight was reaching to this area.

[]

—– In the dawn of the cosmic science, scientists imagined a medium which should fill the space of the vacuum

by which the light-wave can travel,  was the Ether.

The existence of the Higgs field could be parallel to this idea of Ether, as Higgs field fill all the space = from cosmic

space down to the internal space of the material which spread between the sub-atomic particles.

Therefore, this ultimate universal field is the invisible part of the Dharma.

—– I suspect, there could be a possibility, — this universal medium = continuous energy field

( Higgs field ) was the very medium which is contributing the way of the psychic communication,

and this is the ultimate meaning of the Dharma, 

which Lord Buddha called [Panya Paramita].

If this is the case, of cause, the Dharma is everywhere and as it immerse all the existences

= “Everybody posses the Dharma within” !

—– This is what we Zennist are aiming to see, with our practice.

___/\___

—

OFFENSIVE — What ? ? ?

How interesting, after more than a year, some clicked LIKE but non ever clicked Don’t like, or

never received even a single negative comment —– my You tube video clips was identified as

[Potentially Offensive] —– What ? — I beg your pardon ? ? ?

Since I couldn’t have any more information, I don’t have any detail, which one, in what extent ?

[]

Potentially offensive, dangerous etc can be said against anything, by anybody —–

Yes, Baseball bat, Cricket bat are [potentially] dangerous killing weapons, as the facts showed that they

have been actually used to kill a man.

Well manicured nails are [potentially] dangerous weapons, it could cause an injury which may needs

hospital treatment, where the spread of life threatening MRS is a common feature there, and a person

who contracted such deprecating illness could [potentially] die.

But those are the statistical probabilities = may be [potential] one in millions.

The notion of [offensive] came from the imagination = to make a specific imaginary

connection to something they imagined socially or personally , what-so-ever unacceptable,

even just for a single person.    If one person felt offended, it’s mean it is Offensive. —– Is it ?

Isn’t it a trouble of the person’s own imagination ? —– or obsessive delusion kind.

[]

While displaying thousands of killing scene video-clips from Arab springs etc, I’m nothing but amazed by

so-called [You tube community’s] mind-set.  Who are they ?

If you search in You tube while typing Virtual Woman, Funny image or Condom, you will find the

thousands of dubious images or really low grade innuendo.

As I wrote in my post featuring my sculpture Virtual Woman, I created this wire mesh torso to see how

our psyche works. —– and I made it rotates like a computer cage design like a virtual image in a screen.

—– Any 3D body-design in the computer starts from a naked body, of cause.

Putting a skin, costume comes after.  Feel explicit image out of wire mesh is a really mindful imagination !

—– Or, was it because, it looks like a human barbecue ? — “Juicy and succulent” Ha ha ha 😀

Incidentally, I saw the lords of looks like dead naked bodies in the dark basement of latest

Secret Cinema’s event at St. John’s Street, London. They looked pretty realistic in its shape though,

they were made by plastic films and shredded paper. —– so, how a twisted metal mesh can be offensive ?

[]

Or, are they talking about blowing-up a condom ? —– Oh, c’mon. It’s nothing new.

Hundreds of You tube images blowing up a condom.

——— ? ? ?

Or, are they trying to make a fuss, in order to stir a news, expecting me to make a mountain

out of mole hill ?  Any publicities are good for them.

Fortunately or unfortunately for them, I’m a Zen Buddhist.

I’m not seeking a trouble which wouldn’t be an exciting fun.

Even HM the Queen treasuring the drawing of penis in her collection and Tracy Ermin’s open-leg

drawing of her genitals are the ART,  so what offensive my sculptures —– is it, because they are

the great Leonard DaVinci and Tracy Ermin, but I’m just Yoshizen / Kinetorori = M m m,

Isn’t it very discriminative OFFENSIVE view ?  Isn’t it a contempt to Offend me ?

[]

Whether, it was their joke or not, I haven’t received any formal notice (they got my real Email address)

nor my video-clips have been removed (— yet ?) by them.

So, watch the space for any fun-full out-come. 😀

___/\___    Peace for the World and the Cyberspace.   Ha ha ha.

– – –

PS:   After I have blogged here and Tweeted,  You tube withdrawn their comment.

—– Though, I have no idea whether they did read this blog, or just gave a second thought.   😀

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Japanese New Year’s Card 2012 (2) / DRAGON IMAGE

It’s interesting to think, how the ancient Chinese got idea of the Dragon. —– ? ? ?

Their Dragon doesn’t looks like a Snake neither Lizard or Crocodile, but an element of all those,

except its head and the face (some said, that the head with its mane was inspired by a hose)

Still, its image and the myth has been in their culture thousands of years. —– where it came from ?

[]

Neither I know the origin of the Western Dragon which got separate wings.

As Chinese Dragon can fly without having the wings, it is even more mysterious than a looks rational (?) western

Dragon. —– still, the Western Design doesn’t anatomically convincing  (in comparison to the wings of a Bat).

So that, when I designed my Flying Dragon, I didn’t put fore-legs to it.

Anyhow, it is a pure imaginary existence, what so ever the design it is the design, as long as it looks fearsome 😀

The Flying Dragon which got 3m wing-span,  flaps its wings and kicks the legs.   And the head (right photo) got

blue fire in the eyes and the mouth blow a fire —- well, supposedly.  Yes, it did frighten the people    😀

( The reason why the wings are not fully covered was, because of the air resistance — motor wasn’t big enough)

The next photos are the Wire Dragon called Dino  🙂   Its moving image is in the You-tube ;

—– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV0Oyl0B_0g    or click the Link on the right side-bar ( Associates )

I made this, when I was in the South Bank Uni’  Engineering Product Design, Master Course and

the identical (well, more or less) twin is in their permanent collection ( indefinite on loan to them).

The graphic image (right) would be easier to compose for a card.

Lastly, this is the Try-Headed Dragon.  It moves the Heads like the Snakes.

The head was made by a beer can and the long neck is the shower hose.

—– Well, it’s still a kind of the Dragon, don’t you think ?

And the brush Calligraphy are all greeting word for the New Year which

may be composed with the Dragon image to make a New Year’s Card.

( Be sure, never put it, up-side-down or use it for tattoo stencil  😀 )

Rest of the work is up to you.

(I myself is not very keen to use Photoshop, which I learned when

it was a version 3,  and don’t remember how to use !   😀 )

(Left / Read as Gashow  / Congratulate the New Year )  ———–( Right / Read as Gei-Shunn / Welcome the Spring)

—————————————- (Middle /Read as Kinga-Shin-nen / Happy New Year)

Try work hard,  still,  it will be a fun —– it’s a pleasure to live a creative life   🙂

Making a Card would nothing to do your survival, in other words, it is purely for a sake of making card.

( Exactly same as me to create the Kinetic Dragon sculptures = they are utterly useless for my survival )

Nothing essential for the life, it’s mean, it is a light hearted selfless act = Act in Mushin.

Still, you need to work with full concentration (mindfulness) and do it in your best.  Otherwise the result

wouldn’t be an up to the standard.  If it isn’t good enough, try again and again.  You can perfect it.

This is the Zen in action.  Zen is everywhere.  In fact our dairy life is the Zen, provided

you live it in your best, with your mindfulness.

___/\___

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Japanese New Year’s Card 2012 (1)

Observing the search terms which the readers has expected to find here and typed,  indicates, quite a lot of

people are expecting to see the Japanese New Years Card design. —– in effects, it is

the customer’s feed-back, data for a market research for a blogger.  😀

Well well, a humble Zennist Yoshizen is here to serve,  as the charity is in our duty.    Ha ha ha  😀

[]

Though, I couldn’t find the same in the Japan Post’s site this year, or it might be too early.

Instead, I found those free sample image by Googling  in Japanese writing.  The images came from ;

http://www.nenga-juunisi.net/frame-menu.html

( ### Free though, use the image other than personal  New Year’s Card was prohibited by their  Copyright)

—– If anybody is searching in the Net, my advice is NEVER go to so-called Free design site such as

[Mywebsearch] which is offering free card design = if you click their [Downlord], what comes to your PC is

not the design sample but a blatant Trojan-horse which spy and send out all of your Web-log.

How blatant is, it shows you [Terms and Condition] which says “You agree with us to send the data to the third

party” though, there is no click button for you to say [Yes] or [Not Agree] = they start their spy activity at once.

Even if this is nothing but a Trojan-horse = Malware, still,  a person clicked [Down lord] and clicked [Yes] to

agree the program goes into the Hard Drive (believing it is a design sample)  Security Program can’t work.

—– and to remove this Malware, lots of works was needed.  ( their hidden program changes the setting of

such as [Favorite] of starting task, their front page was kept coming back = needed to reset the start

menu —– what a hell. )   In comparison, the Japanese is only fraction of the English speaking population

and the spied data in Japanese is hard to utilize = very few Malware is infesting their site.

Those card designs (in JPEG)  are supposedly [Click and Save] then email as an attachment or for print out

for snail-mail though, I haven’t tested it myself —– I hope, should no instruction in Japanese comes with.  😀

By the way,  why the title  got  – – -2012 (1) is,  – – -2012 (2) will coming soon = watch the space.

___/\___

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