Kopitiam Kong Thai Lai

This is Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew's favorite table....















The old name sign board, Kong Thai Lai


































The frontage of an ordinary kopitiam

Kedai Kopi Kong Thai Lai
Kopitiam Kong Thai Lai is an typical Penang coffee shop, Hainan style. It looks ordinary. What is so famous about this coffee shop?

It is located at a pre-war double storey shop at Hutton Lane, Penang. A walking distance from the T junction of Penang Road and Campbell Street. This coffee shop served the best kopi-o(black coffee or coffee without addition of milk). The shop is famous not only because of its coffee, but because of the story or history of its relationship with the famous personality, the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, the richest man in Penang and the founder of Honda Motor.

Tan Sri Loh was a regular customer of the coffee shop. His favorite table was the first table when you enter the shop. It is an ordinary wooden table. Why not the marble top table at the center, or the tables at the corners? I believed it was his favorite because it has the view of the street, overlooking the activities of the street. May be the location of the table will provide him inspiration for his business venture, may be it will remind him of the memory of his old days as motor apprentice at Maxwell Road, where he frequently having kopi-o at an old coffee shop at the end of a hard day.

When we visited the shop, the table was occupied. Hay, what is the feeling of sitting at the table, where the late Tan Sri Loh had sat. Feel like a billionaire?

Tan Sri Loh frequently visit the kopitiam was because he still cherish his time relaxing at the coffee shop, when he was an ordinary person. May be the coffee shop was the place he make his first decision, that lead to his successful business career. He still want to be an ordinary person, the feeling and to regain the ordinary life that he had lost when become billionaire. He just want to be an ordinary person at the kopitiam.......

The life of billionaire is lonely, and an ordinary person is much better where you can talk of anything in the kopitiam. The favorite past time for old Penang resident is sipping cofee in kopitiam, talking about local politic, comment on international affair, the latest news in town, or just bullshit all the way...... nobody care, people just listen... with the same goal of passing time...

An ordinary life, that was what Tan Sri Loh lost , after become a rich man....... he may be lonely......he need simple friendly relationship...... at kopitiam, like you and me, an ordinary person,ordinary Penanglang(Penang people).. ...

Loh Boon Siew(1915-1995)
Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew 1915-1995 (Chinese: 駱文秀) also known as “Mr Honda” was a Penangite tycoon and the first sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia.

Boon Siew was born in Hui-An, Fujian province of China(中國福建省惠安縣赤石鄉). He spent his childhood collecting pig dung (then used as fuel) to make a living. At age 12, he arrived in Penang in a small boat from China with 5 friends namely Loh Poh Heng and Loh Say Bee. He could speak only Hokkien (Min Nan) and had virtually no formal education. He worked as an apprentice car mechanic (earning three dollars monthly) upon his arrival. It is said that Boon Siew's sifu used to hit him in the head whenever he did something wrong. He stayed in a ‘coolie keng’ (workers' quarters) at 4, Katz Street, Penang and he supplemented his income by washing buses at night for 10 cents per vehicle.

At age 18, Boon Siew purchased 11 buses using his $2,000 in savings. He reconditioned the buses and sold them for $12,000. Next, he used the money he earned to buy another 39 buses. In 1942, during WWII, all his hard-earned money was confiscated by the invading Japanese army. But Boon Siew did not give up. After WWII ended in 1945 and the Japanese were defeated, he started selling bicycles, tyres and motorcycle accessories, and soon he expanded his business to used cars, transports and buses(Yellow Bus Company).

In the 1950s, Boon Siew made his first of many forays into property development with his friends Say Bee and Poh Heng by building residential villas in Taman Saw Kit in Penang. Today, his work is continued by his Boon Siew Group and new residential areas are currently being built in Casa Permai 2.

Honda Cup
In 1958, Boon Siew noticed the widespread popularity of the Honda Super Cub motorbike which just introduce in Japan. He believed that this low-cost, high-efficiency machine would find a similarly receptive market in the rapidly urbanizing areas of Malaysia. Boon Siew arranged to meet with Mr. Soichiro Honda, the bike's creator, and quickly convinced him to set up a Honda subsidiary in Malaysia.

Not surprisingly, the first Malaysian Honda showroom was set up on Pitt Street in Penang, very near the home of Boon Siew. As a sign of their deepening bond of trust and respect, the Japanese Honda Motor Co Ltd soon appointed Boon Siew the sole distributor for Honda motorbikes in the country just as the historic first 50 units of Honda 4-stroke cub were being imported into Malaysia.

A factory was built in Penang to assemble the Honda Cub and the Honda motorcycle assembled in Malaysia was renamed the Boon Siew Honda. The Honda Cub became the best selling motorcycles in Malaysia and Boon Siew was recognised as the first person to bring the Honda Cub motorcycles into Southeast Asia. The popular Cantonese word Cub仔, which means "small (Honda) Cub" and is now a generic for small underbone motorcycles in Malaysia, originates from the Honda Cub.

In 1963, Tan Sri Loh listed his companies as Oriental Holdings Berhad. In 1970, he further ventured into plantation after acquiring estates formerly owned by Jardine Matheson.IN 1978, he ventured into Hotel sector by building a 40 rooms motel at Batu Ferringhi, Penang. Today the hotel venture has expanded ,it is now known as Bayview International Hotel & Resorts. In 1980s, the company ventured into manufacturing of the car components for export market in Thailand.

Tan Sri Loh died in his sleep at the age of 79 on Feb 16, 1995.
(source: wikipedia)

So you want to sit at the table, where Tan Sri Loh once sit ?

Places after his names:
- Jalan Loh Boon Siew( 骆文秀路)is named after Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew. It is a road between Burmah Road and Jalan Padang Victoria. Near Westland Primary School and Chinese Recreation Club(or CRC).
- Boon Siew Flat in Tanjong Bunga,
- Wisma Boon Siew, Butterworth.
- Boon Siew Group, a pioneer developer in Penang, is named after the late Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew.
- The Loh Boon Siew Scholarships from the Loh Boon Siew Benevolence Sdn Bhd

He contributed much to Lam Wah Ee Hospital and Penang Old Folks Home. He was the largest donor.

骆文秀，马来西亚檳城大亨.早年从福建移民,后在通过二手车生意,获得成功.后在马来西亚贩卖本田摩托.是馬來西亞華人企業家「白手興家」的典範。

幼年在中國福建省惠安縣赤石鄉撿拾豬糞供做燃料，完全沒有機會接受教育。十二歲離鄉別井到檳城謀生，初時找到一份汽車修理學徒的工作，在晚上還幫人洗巴士掙錢，每輛收10仙，月薪只有三元。

18歲的那一年，利用他的2000令吉積蓄，一口氣買下11輛殘舊巴士。過後，他將這批修復過的巴士，以1萬2000令吉脫售。他雄心萬丈，再利用這筆錢買下39輛巴士。

1942年第二次世界大戰期間，他的財產被入侵的日軍充公，變成一無所有。在1945大戰結束後，他東山再起，轉賣腳踏車、輪胎及摩多零件等。過後，他將業務擴充至售賣二手汽車，同時涉足運輸業及巴士業。

一九五八年，是駱文秀事業中的重要轉捩點。這一年，他創立了東方實業，開始經營地產生意，在檳城與友人合資興建高級住宅，是檳州最早的發展商之一。
(source: wikipedia)


駱文秀路　王國的起點　傳奇一生成典範
2004-2-23
文：周秀惠，梁俊琳 圖：伍志強，周達萬


提起駱文秀，那曾經是全馬無人不知無人不曉的大實業家、大慈善家，可問起駱文秀路在哪，可能還會有人呃、呃，說不出來。

原來駱文秀路就位于距離車水路1926古迹酒店只有不到2百公尺的一條橫路，那是一條全長只有0.2公裏的街道，寂靜的駱文秀路，只有一排18間排列整齊、古樸典雅的雙層排樓。

相較于駱文秀對國家經濟、社會慈善所作的貢獻，全長只有0.2公裏的駱文秀路就顯得有些微不足道。

在一個天氣還算晴朗的午後，我們從車水路直駛，經過著名的“台灣古早味”後左轉，映入眼簾的是右邊漆上鮮豔色彩的“秀秀蝦面”。“秀秀蝦面”後就是駱文秀路上唯一一排18間的雙層排樓。這排象征著小資産階級的建築物可說是駱文秀路的特色，其中大部分還保留爲住宅之用，只有兩三間被用來作商業用途。

在這雙層排樓的對面，就只有一棟占地寬闊的獨立洋樓。根據在當地住了20多年的伯伯告訴我們，在這條駱文秀路上，沒幾樣東西和駱文秀扯上關系，唯一一樣的就是這棟價值150萬令吉的獨立洋樓。

“這棟洋樓的業主就是駱文秀，以前駱文秀在世時雖不住在這裏，不過三天兩頭就會過來看看，可是現在聽說要賣了”。

駱文秀曾經是名字響當當的人物，紀念他的道路卻靜靜的躺在鬧市中，誠如他精彩的一生，最終還是歸于平淡。

傳奇一生成典範
已故丹斯裏駱文秀是中國福建惠安縣赤石鄉人，生于1916年，1995年在槟城逝世。丹斯裏是大馬著名的大實業家、大慈善家，雖未踏進校園一步，卻走出成功，精彩的人生，其人生奮鬥精神已經成爲白手起家的典範。

12歲搭船來馬
12 歲時駱文秀離鄉背景，搭上鼠疫肆虐的大船，來到馬來西亞槟城謀生，第一份工當的就是機械學徒，工余則靠幫人清洗巴士來賺取外快，18歲時駱文秀已經成爲槟島很出名的機械技師，同年他以2000令吉的積蓄買下了11輛二手巴士，翻新後賣出又賺了一筆，過後創設建黃巴士公司，爲未來的鴻大業奠下基礎。

1958年駱文秀的一趟日本之旅。成了他人生的一個轉捩點，他取得了本田摩多在大馬及新加坡的代理權，由于駱文秀經營有方，在1990年以前本田摩多一直是大馬銷量最大的摩多品牌，除了本田摩多外，文秀集團也取得本田汽車的代理權。

日本行成轉捩點
不過，最令人津津樂道的是駱文秀憑著一個信念：“人口會增加，土地卻不會”而大量購買土地，並因此成爲槟城地産界的佼佼者。駱文秀的成功因素之一是他具有高瞻遠矚的眼光，除了代理本田摩托車和汽車外，他也炒地皮，投資生意多元化。丹斯裏駱文秀經營多種生意，包括車業、摩托車、工廠、地産、建築、金融、園丘、酒店等，營業遍及美亞各國，以銷售本田摩托車馳名，以擁有多地産飲譽大馬。

駱氏所經營的商業機構，遍及馬新等地不下40余家，包括文秀有限公司、東方企業有限公司、槟威實業有限公司、槟城實業有限公司、文秀發展有限公司、嘉摩多、北馬工程貿易有限公司、大威有限公司、勇士機件工業有限公司、真白利發展有限公司、大石水泥有限公司、南方銀行、南霹雳種植有限公司、黃色巴士車有限公司、N.G.K.有限公司、湯淺電池（馬）有限公司等。

熱心教育
丹斯裏駱文秀爲一名熱心慈善教育公益事業、急公好義、爲善最樂的人士，同時提倡文教、劍及履及，素爲各族所共欽。他曾任病老院、中華總商會、槟州華人大會堂、駱氏同宗社、惠安公會、鍾靈中學、槟華中學、協和中學、中華中學、菩提中學及其它社團、慈善機構、各男女學校的主席、董事或名譽主席要職。

駱文秀不但是一名成功的實業家，更是一名慈善家，他生平捐給學校、醫院、社團及福利團體的金額超過千萬令吉，特別是當年槟城民間發動籌建南華醫院基金，駱文秀即以一元對一元的方式前後爲南華醫院捐出了7百萬令吉。

一元對一元捐7百萬
駱文秀生前也非常孝順母親，爲了紀念已故母親蘇桔女士，他在南華醫院紀念館內建了一個蘇桔紀念堂。

坐擁數十億資産，駱文秀仍不改他樸實，隨和的作風，坐的仍是本田汽車，出入也沒保镖隨行，因爲根本沒有人會想要傷害這麽一個好人。

Related books/articles:
1. Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew: the life and times of a fire dragon(2006), by Raymond Flower, Winston Lim, Cheng Yean Loh (Dato'.), published by SNP Editions.

Tibet Debate, Dalai Lama and Dilemma

Tibet issue has been on global agenda for many years, and yet western countries are still strongly behind Dalai Lama government in exile. There are foreign involvement in their activities on the ground of their own political hidden agenda.

1. British invasion 1904-1911
The authorities in British India renewed their interest in Tibet in the late 19th century, and a number of Indians entered the country, first as explorers and then as traders. Treaties regarding Tibet were concluded between Britain and China in 1886,1890,and 1893, but the Tibetan government refused to recognize their legitimacy and continued to bar British envoys from its territory. During "The Great Game", a period of rivalry between Russia and Britain, the British desired a representative in Lhasa to monitor and offset Russian influence.
At the beginning of the twentieth century the British and Russian Empires were competing for supremacy in Central Asia. To forestall the Russians, in 1904, a British expedition led by Colonel Francis Younghusband was sent to Lhasa to force a trading agreement and to prevent Tibetans from establishing a relationship with the Russians. In response, the Chinese foreign ministry asserted that China was sovereign over Tibet, the first clear statement of such a claim.
On July 19, 1903, Younghusband arrived at Gangtok, the capital city of the Indian state of Sikkim, to prepare for his mission. A letter from the under-secretary to the government of India to Younghusband on July 26, 1903 stated that "In the event of your meeting the Dalai Lama, the government of India authorizes you to give him the assurance which you suggest in your letter." The British took a few months to prepare for the expedition which pressed into Tibetan territories in early December 1903. The entire British force numbered over 3,000 fighting men and was accompanied by 7,000 sherpas, porters and camp followers.

The Tibetans were aware of the expedition. To avoid bloodshed the Tibetan general at Yetung pledged that if the British made no attack upon the Tibetans, he would not attack the British. Colonel Younghusband replied, on December 6, 1903, that "we are not at war with Tibet and that, unless we are ourselves attacked, we shall not attack the Tibetans".
Despite the mutual agreement, the British expedition did kill large numbers of unprepared Tibetan soldiers and civilians. The biggest massacre took place on March 31, 1904, at a mountain pass halfway to Gyantse near a village called Guru. Colonel Younghusband tricked the 2,000 Tibetan soldiers guarding the pass into extinguishing the burning ropes of their basic matchlock rifles before firing at them with the Maxim machine guns and rifles. The Tibetan casualties, according to Younghusband’s account, were "500 killed and wounded." Others have claimed that the Tibetan casualty was as high as 1,300.
According to the British, their intention was to disarm Tibetan soldiers who were being surrounded. The slaughter was triggered by the Tibetans who fired the first shot. But the accounts of those who pulled the triggers make it clear that the British had the intention of killing as many as possible. “From three sides at once a withering volley of magazine fire crashed into the crowded mass of Tibetans,” wrote Perceval Landon. “Under the appalling punishment of lead, they [the Tibetans] staggered, failed and ran…Men dropped at every yard.”

The British soldiers mowed down the Tibetans with machine guns as they fled. "I got so sick of the slaughter that I ceased fire, though the general’s order was to make as big a bag as possible," wrote Lieutenant Arthur Hadow, commander of the Maxim guns detachment. "I hope I shall never again have to shoot down men walking away."
In a telegraph to his superior in India, the day after the massacre, Younghusband stated: "I trust the tremendous punishment they have received will prevent further fighting, and induce them to at last to negotiate."

When the British mission reached Lhasa, the Dalai Lama had already fled to Urga in Mongolia, Younghusband found the option of returning to India empty-handed untenable, so he proceeded to draft a treaty unilaterally, and have it signed in the Potala by the regent, Ganden Tri Rinpoche, and any other Tibetan officials he could gather together as an ad hoc government. The Tibetan ministers whom Younghusband dealt with had apparently, unknown to him, just been appointed to their posts. The regular ministers had been imprisoned for suspected pro-British leanings and it was feared they would be too accommodating to Younghusband.
A treaty was concluded which required Tibet to open its border with British India, to allow British and Indian traders to travel freely, not to impose customs duties on trade with India, a demand from British that Lhasa had to pay 2.5 million rupees as indemnity and not to enter into relations with any foreign power without British approval.

The Anglo-Tibetan treaty was accordingly confirmed by a Sino-British treaty in 1906 by which the "Government of Great Britain engages not to annex Tibetan territory or to interfere in the administration of Tibet. The Government of China also undertakes not to permit any other foreign State to interfere with the territory or internal administration of Tibet. Moreover, Beijing agreed to pay London 2.5 million rupees which Lhasa was forced to agree upon in the Anglo-Tibetan treaty of 1904.
In 1907, Britain and Russia agreed that in "conformity with the admitted principle of the suzerainty of China over Tibet" both nations "engage not to enter into negotiations with Tibet except through the intermediary of the Chinese Government."
(source: wikipedia)

Note:
1904 -1911

China was still under Manchu or Qing Dynasty. It was just after Boxer Rebellion, and China was at the weakest in history where many foreign countries has occupied China territories with the excuses of free trade, including forced import of opium planted in British India. It was after Opium War,British took over Hong Kong, and many treaty ports were forced to open for opium trade. Taiping Rebellion ended in 1864, but Dr Sun Yat-sen has started the Chinese revolution movement from Japan. Manchu China has no defense power at all, politically and financially they are weak,and they were facing the internal threats of reform movement, and revolution. It seems that the British invasion of China(and Tibet), only end when Dr Sun overthrown the Manchu and formed Republic of China in 1912, which included all races of China, including Manchu, Han, Hui, Tibetan,Mongol and other minorities. The new nation, Republic of China, is recognized by the world,including USA,British,Japan, India and many countries in the world. The formation of new nation formally put Tibet as part of new China, whatever the dispute and historical background is not meaningful after the formation of new China in 1912, it is formal.


2. 1912-1949: de facto independence

The Dalai Lama returned to Tibet from India in July 1912 (after the fall of the Qing dynasty), and expelled the Amban and all Chinese troops. In 1913, the Dalai Lama issued a proclamation that stated that the relationship between the Chinese emperor and Tibet "had been that of patron and priest and had not been based on the subordination of one to the other." "We are a small, religious, and independent nation," the proclamation continued. For the next thirty-six years, Tibet enjoyed de facto independence while China endured its Warlord era, civil war, and World War II. Some Chinese sources argue that Tibet was still part of China throughout this period. Tibet continue in 1913-1949 to have very limited contacts with the rest of the world and Lhasa is for foreigners the prohibited city.
(source: wikipedia)

13th Dalai Lama only returned from India in 1912, after formation of new China. Proclamation was made in 1913,legally it has no effect. China was at warlord war(at the initial stage of nation formation, civil war(between communist and Kuomintang) and WW2(Japan invasion). They have no resources and time to look at Tibet. Tibet was at the dark age and the worst human right violation under 13th Dalai Lama.In 1950, it was reported by the west mass media,"the invasion of Tibet" in 1950 and the subsequent Seventeen Point Agreement, the PRC asserted control over Tibet. Legally there is no invasion as Tibet is still part of China, and there is only change of government from capitalist to communist. One month later, on 17 November 1950, Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub) was formally enthroned as 14th Dalai Lama, at the age of fifteen(a young boy).

Note 1: 13th Daila Lama passed away in 1933, and 14th Daila Lama was "formally enthroned" in Nov 1950, legally there was no Dalai Lama between 1933-1950.
Note2: Dalai Lama literally means ocean teacher, Lama is teacher,and Dalai is a Mongolian word for ocean. It was reported that the title was bestowed by Mongolian ruler Atlan Khan(1507-1582), a foreign ruler from Mongolia. The first official Dalai Lama , Sonam Gyatso was invited by Atlan Khan in 1571 to spread Tibetan Buddhism to Mongolia, which later become a state religion. Sonam Gyatso was an Abbot at the Drepung Monastery who was widely considered one of the most eminent lamasor teacher of his time. Although Sonam Gyatso became the first lama to hold the title "Dalai Lama" as described above, since he was the third member of his lineage, he became known as the "Third Dalai Lama." The previous two titles were conferred posthumously upon his earlier incarnations. The 4th Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589 – 1616) was a foreigner, who is a Mongolian , the grandson of Atlan Khan.The Fifth Dalai Lama Lozang Gyatso, with the support of Gushri Khan (1582-1655), a Mongol ruler, united Tibet under the control of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism(Yellow hat sect). Gushri Khan become the overload of Tibet. The Mongol army in Tibet and Tibetans loyal to the Gelugpa are said to have forced monks of some Kagyu monasteries to convert to the Gelug school in 1648. The 6th Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso(1683-1706) was a non-Tibetan, a Monpa from India. From the history, it was clear that the Mongolian influence was strong and Dalai Lama can be a foreigner, not necessary Tibetan. What is the political implication for the historical fact? Is Dalai Lama a political system or merely social/religion system? Can a political system accept foreigner as their political leader? If it is a political system, what is the political right of other sects of Tibetan Buddhism, which spread among the countries? Please also ponder on how the Mongol's influence on Dalai Lama system....

Note3: The introduction of teacher reincarnation or reincarnation of Dalai Lama was in 1283, when Karma Pakshi(1203-1283)of Black Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism wrote a will to locate his reincarnation after his death. Other sects including Yellow Hat sect followed the teacher reincarnation system. The succession of Dalai Lama is based on Buddhism belief of reincarnation, a religion concept. Is it a political concept or religion concept? If it is a political concept, is the political succession system acceptable by advocates of democracy and human right?(Then, the west should abandon democracy and its election system).

Note4: Yuan Dynasty (元朝)where China was ruled by Mongol lasted from 1271-1368. Han Chinese retook China and form Ming Dynasty(明朝) from 1368 to 1644. Qing Dynasty(清朝)formed by Manchu took over from 1644-1912 until the formation of new modern China, Republic of China(中華民國) in 1912. Chinese communist won the civil war over Kuomintang, and took China in 1949 as People Republic of China(中華人民共和國).

Note 5: China's political administration system of occupied territories was totally different from the west, mainly based on their culture on Confucianism. They allow the culture of their captured territories to flourish and even adopt some of their culture. Some of the citizens of captured territories were even accept to serve in Chinese military and government. The west , who based basically on power and control , cannot understand the system. The Chinese system was better than totality control of the west, Arab, Mongol and Ottoman. Looking at Middle east, America, Africa where the nations and people conquered by the stronger nation were either killed or assimilated , or forced to accept the conqueror's religion or culture. The conqueror had direct control and did not accept the culture of the people they colonized, the people of occupied territories lost their identity through time e.g Arabization, Turkization, Romanization. Chinese political administration was different, they allowed the people they captured to keep their identity, indirect control by tributary ally system where the country concern was given some form of freedom to administrate their country, even administration power, and their identity still remained e.g. Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, Mongol, some of the occupied people were admitted into their government or military. Many of the occupied territories gradually adopt the culture based on Confucianism, there were intermarriage of the people, but their identity still remained. They did not use force after occupation to assimilate the people of occupied territories. Thailand also adopt the same system over their occupied territories e.g Kedah, Kelantan , Trengganu. The west cannot understand. Which system is better? the Asian still have strong identity, unlike the Europe, Middle East, Africa, some of early civilization was lost, some languages lost, some religion lost, some culture lost, some people also lost in history...If China was to behave like the west , some of the small country today in Asia will have lost in history....The understanding of sovereignty was totally different from the west before modern China was formed in 1911.

Noe 6: The Dzungars, a nomadic tribe from Mongol,invaded Tibet in 1717.They soon began to loot the holy places of Lhasa, which brought a swift response from Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty in 1718; but his military expedition was annihilated by the Dzungars, not far from Lhasa. A second, larger, expedition sent by Emperor Kangxi expelled the Dzungars from Tibet in 1720 and the troops were hailed as liberators. They brought Kelzang Gyatso with them from Kumbum to Lhasa and he was installed as the seventh Dalai Lama in 1721. Qing made the region of Amdo and Kham into the province of Qinghai in 1724,and incorporated eastern Kham into neighbouring Chinese provinces in 1728.The Qing government sent a resident commissioner (amban) to Lhasa.
If Tibet is not part of China, why Qing Manchu(a non-Han, non-Tibetan race) sent a large armies to save them?

Note7: A rebellion against the Chinese occupation was led by noblemen and monasteries and broke out in Amdo and eastern Kham in June 1956. The insurrection, supported by the American CIA, eventually spread to Lhasa. It was crushed by 1959. During this campaign, tens of thousands of Tibetans were killed and the 14th Dalai Lama and other government principals fled to exile in India(source: wikipedia). It was the beginning of the political ambition of 14th Dalai Lama?


3. CIA(USA) involvement(1957-1969)

Between 1957 and 1969 the CIA armed, financed and helped to train Tibetan guerrillas who operated, first inside Tibet, and later after the Dalai Lama's escape to India in 1959 from a base in Mustang, a remote corner of northwestern Nepal. This project, code-named ST CIRCUS, was one of the CIA’s longest running covert operations. The withdrawal of the CIA's support in 1969 was as abrupt as its initial involvement was unexpected: the Tibetans had simply fit into America's larger policy of destabilizing or overthrowing Communist regimes, and when that no longer applied, they were abandoned.

With unique archive footage and exclusive interviews with former resistance fighters and surviving CIA operatives, The Shadow Circus: The CIA in Tibet reveals for the first time this hitherto unknown chapter in Tibet's recent history. Presenting a tale that is both heroic and tragic, full of sad ironies and unexpected twists that overturn all preconceptions about both Tibet and the CIA.
(source: http://www.asianamericanmedia.org)

In October 1998, The Dalai Lama's administration acknowledged that it received $1.7 million a year in the 1960s from the US Government through the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and also trained a resistance movement in Colorado (USA). When asked by CIA officer John Kenneth Knaus in 1995 whether the organisation did a good or bad thing in providing its support, the Dalai Lama replied that though it helped the morale of those resisting the Chinese, "thousands of lives were lost in the resistance" and further, that "the US Government had involved itself in his country's affairs not to help Tibet but only as a Cold War tactic to challenge the Chinese.
(source: wikipedia)

Note:
1957-1969
The Chinese Communist took over China in 1949. USA supported General Chinag Kai-shek who had moved to Taiwan. The period was after the Flood of Dongting Lake in 1954, where 40,000 deaths. China was under their own Hundred Flower Campaign(1956-1957) and Great Leap Forward Campaign(1958). The cultural Revolution begin in 1966. These were all internal campaign. China split with Russia in 1963, and border dispute with India in 1962(problem left by British colonist after their invasion of Tibet). It was also the most difficult time in the reign of People Republic of China or communist China, where they were going through internal power struggle and purity cleaning of the communist party. All Chinese people suffered during this period, all races including Han, Tibetan....especially cultural revolution. The human right violation was to all subjects under their rule under the different campaign, especially cultural revolution, the communist rule.

The UK and USA are two of the superpowers from the west, which are located far from East Asia,at the time China was financially and politically weak, what are their purpose of invasion and direct involvement in Tibet? The answer is clear.

Third-party views on Tibetan sovereignty
Parts of Tibet were temporarily captured by the Chinese and became territories of the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD).[83] Around 650, the Chinese captured Lhasa.[84]

Most scholars outside the PRC say that during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), Tibet was an independent region outside Ming control.

According to historian Zahiruddin Ahmad, since at least the 18th century, when the Qing Government was setting up its local government structure and promulgated laws for the governing, Beijing has, in the words of a foreign missionary who witnessed, had "absolute dominion over Tibet"[85].

Tibetologist Melvyn C. Goldstein writes that England and Russia formally acknowledged Chinese authority over Tibet in treaties of 1906 and 1907; and that the British invasion of Tibet stirred China into getting more directly involved in Tibetan affairs and working to integrate Tibet with "the rest of China."[86]

F. Spencer Chapman questions the validity of China's purported authority in deposing the Dalai Lama twice in the early 20th century, noting that, at the same time China "deposed" the 13th Dalai Lama, it claimed sovereignty not only over Tibet, but also over Nepal and Bhutan.[87]

The "Patron-Priest" relationship (Tibetan: chöyön; Wylie: mchod-yon) held between the Chinese court and the Tibetan lamas has been subjected to varying interpretation. The 13th Dalai Lama, for example, knelt, but did not kowtow, before the Empress Dowager and the young Emperor while he delivered his petition in Beijing. Chinese sources emphasize the submission of kneeling; Tibetan sources emphasize the lack of the kowtow. Titles and commands given to Tibetans by the Chinese, likewise, are variously interpreted. The Chinese gave the 13th Dalai Lama the title of "Loyally Submissive Vice-Regent", and ordered to follow China's commands and communicate with the Emperor only through the Chinese Amban in Lhasa; but opinions vary as to whether these titles and commands reflected actual political power, or symbolic gestures ignored by Tibetans.[88][89] The kneeling before the Emperor followed the 17th-century precedent in the case of the 6th Dalai Lama.[90]

Thomas Heberer, professor of political science and East Asian studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, wrote: "No country in the world has ever recognized the independence of Tibet or declared that Tibet is an 'occupied country'. For all countries in the world, Tibet is Chinese territory."[91]

Other tibetologists write that no country publicly accepts Tibet as an independent state,[92][93][94][95] although there are several instances of government officials appealing to their superiors to do so.[96][97] Treaties signed by Britain and Russia in the early years of the twentieth century,[5][98] and others signed by Nepal and India in the 1950s,[99] recognized Tibet's political subordination to China. The Americans presented their view on 15 May 1943:

"For its part, the Government of the United States has borne in mind the fact that...the Chinese constitution lists Tibet among areas constituting the territory of the Republic of China. This Government has at no time raised a question regarding either of these claims".[39][100]

The 1994 U.S. State Department report to Congress declares:

"Historically the U.S. has acknowledged Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. Since at least 1966, U.S. policy has explicitly recognized the Tibet Autonomous Region...as part of the People’s Republic of China. This long-standing policy is consistent with the view of the entire international community, including all China’s neighbors: no country recognizes Tibet as a sovereign state. Because we do not recognize Tibet as an independent state, the U.S. does not conduct diplomatic relations with the self-styled 'Tibetan government-in-exile'."[101]

The US government recognizes Tibet as part of China, but the US Congress has at times expressed a different perspective, calling Tibet an occupied country.[102]

In 2008, European Union leader Jose Manuel Barroso stated that the EU recognized Tibet as integral part of China:[103][104]

"I have confirmed that the EU is attached to the territorial integrity and unity of China, and that naturally applies to Tibet" [105]

In October, 2008, the British government clarified their official position on Tibet's status:

"Our ability to get our points across has sometimes been clouded by the position the UK took at the start of the 20th century on the status of Tibet, a position based on the geopolitics of the time. Our recognition of China’s “special position” in Tibet developed from the outdated concept of suzerainty. Some have used this to cast doubt on the aims we are pursuing and to claim that we are denying Chinese sovereignty over a large part of its own territory. We have made clear to the Chinese Government, and publicly, that we do not support Tibetan independence. Like every other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China". [106]

(source:wikipedia)

What is the past human right record of Dalai Lama of Tibet 1912-1949?.

Is he a religion figure or political figure, the global perception of his dual role is blur....as a religion figure, Tibetan Buddhist(various sects) has a large followers from Han Chinese people,even from oversea. There is a big Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Beijing , there are temple in over China, and Chinese areas in oversea. As political figure, the Chinese people known the past human right violation records,and cannot accept Dalai Lama as political leader. He played a dual personality at his own global political platform. Sympathisers with the Chinese position highlight statements by the government of the People's Republic of China that, prior to 1959, 95% of Tibetans lived in 'feudal serfdom', and cite cases of abuse and cruelty in the traditional Tibetan system(source: wikipedia).....The 14th Dalai Lama may not experienced the hardship and bitterness of his people as a slave, as he was proclaimed the reincarnation of 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.

The world is silence....despite having strong evidences in historical books, documentary films.....why? The acceptance of 14th Dalai Lama as religion leader or political leader, they are confused at the Dalai Lama's dual personality.....at the same time the west also played their dual personality, diplomatically support that Tibet is part of China, but politically support the Tibet government in exile and Dalai Lama, what is the ultimate motive of the hypocrisy. The answer is clear.

.... Despite the documentary evidences and historical fact, the support of the Dalai Lama is still active. What is their actual agenda, until the desperate stage of using Olympic games as weapon in 2008? A study of history will revealed that it was all the political games of the superpowers. They have their own political problems in their country, their own human right records despite advocating for human right. Tibet is like Scotland of UK, Hawaii of USA; if China is provoking the Scotland and Hawaii for independence, what will be the responses form both UK and USA? The respect of law and treaties,the recognition given to the Republic of China in 1912.....are they, as advocate of law and democracy still adhere and recognize the law and treaty?

To change history is to return America back to Red Indian, Alaska back to Eskimo, Hawaii back to native Hawaiian.... the world's political border will be recreated..... how about that? it will be interesting to see what happen......forget about global warming, H1 N1.... let all nations start all over again.....

Who create global political tension? we should know very well how the superpower played their political games, their hidden agenda are all classified information now, but when the records open,all will be shocked of their involvement and the lies behind heir masks. Just like Opium War(China), South East India, Middle East, Vietnam, Iraq.... all the hidden agenda and human right records will be open.....why don't they talk about human right at that time?

I hope the understanding of Tibet history, will reduce another global tension point in the world. Please read the history with open mind. Chinese history is not straight forward, it has been ruled by various races,Mongols, Manchu, Han in ancient time; there were small kingdoms formed by various races, there were wars. Some survived, some disappeared. There were stateless nomad tribes from outside who come to China, and stayed. There are cultural assimilation,inter-marriage and religion assimilation in view of the silk route in ancient time, there are more than 50 races in China. Chinese nation formation cannot be based on racial ground alone. The superpower are anticipating on the breakup of China based on racial and religion ground ; they perceived China as their potential threats. Look at political history of Middle East, North East India, Burma; the policy of divided the races into smaller nations, created inter-racial conflicts, provide empty promises and support the war, to let them involved in their ambition of nation formation. The superpower with colonist mentality(or cowboy mentality) can still go on with their hidden agenda without notice by the world. They, the outsiders continued to debate on the Tibet issue, they are in dilemma on the issue;and yet the decision maker of the future should be China and Tibetan in China, not the outsiders....

Another global political games....local innocent people suffered.

We just prayed for world peace and let us focus on more urgent global agenda. All followers of religion should preached peace and not war and violence. Let not politician alone lead this world, they have failed the people in the past. The politician should served the people under the democracy concept, not their own personal agenda, locally or globally, in whatever platform they are....who care about their political agenda, we ordinary people just simply want to live in this borderless world with peace......

Documentary by National Geography



Li Ao's lectures on Tibet ownership Part 1-6
The lectures was given by Taiwanese historian,social commentator, Li Ao(李敖), he is famous for speaking out without fear and favor. Li Ao was credited for his contributions to the democratic movement in Taiwan between the 1960s and 1980s. In the 1960s, he was the editor-in-chief of Wenxing (文星), a magazine that promoted democracy and personal freedom. He was jailed by the Kuomintang government for more than five years (from 1972 and 1976, and again from 1981 to 1982) after helping a pro-Taiwan independence political prisoner, Peng Ming-min, escape to Japan in 1963. Ironically, Li Ao had a long history of being an advocate of reunification. Throughout the 1970s, Li Ao received much international attention for his imprisonment. He was highlighted by Amnesty International as one of the three most important political prisoners in Taiwan in 1974.

After his release, Li Ao continued to publish magazines and newspapers, criticizing the government. Ninety-six of his books were banned in Taiwan before 1991. In the 1980s he also sponsored other numerous anti-Guomintang magazines. For further detail about his profile, please refer to wikipedia under his name.

The video are the lectures by Li Ao on the history of Tibet supported with documentary evidences. Only Part 1 is with English sub-title, other parts regretfully without English sub-title.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5/6


Part 6/6






Related articles & video:

1. 《西藏往事》 Part 1-9, documentary by CCTV,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3HGExIR7s4
2. 西藏农奴的故事 Part 1-5, by CCTV, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfDB99GAi4w
3. Tibet 1900-1959 Documentary - Part 1 / 6, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jT9wrS01ME
4. The past of Tibet, Part 1-3, by CCTV, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF7vm9HXwEs
5. History of Tibet, www.wikipedia.org
6. Tibet, www.wikipedia.org
7. 14th Dalai Lama, www.wikipedia.org
8. Li Ao, www.wikipedia.org
9. Serfdom in Tibet controversy, www.wikipedia.org
10. A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951: The Demise of the Lamaist State(1991), Melvyn C Goldstein, University California Press. This book claimed to be neutral, but it is "drawing from a wealth of British, American, and Indian diplomatic records; first-hand-historical accounts written by Tibetan participants; and extensive interviews with former Tibetan officials, monastic leaders, soldiers, and traders".
Note: Readers need to know the background of the authors for any books on Tibet to form a unbiased views. Difficult to find English books on Chinese views, but they are the one with the support of historical records and documentary evidences.

Penang listed by CNBC

Penang has been listed by CNBC as a highly recommended place to seek medical treatment not only because of its competitive price but also for its well educated community.

The hospitals are staffed with highly trained doctors and nurses as well as having excellent and modern facilities. For the families accompanying the patients, Penang has much to offer in term of temporary lodging, shopping and getting around.

Medical tourism has helped to push Penang to a more service-based economy. CNBC's Adam Bakhtiar reports on what's driving patients to Penang.

CNBC(officially the Consumer News and Business Channel, until 1991) is a U.S. News and satellite television business news channel in the U.S.

Thursday August 20, 2009
CNBC features Penang hospitals

PENANG has been featured in a CNBC video which promoted its medical tourism.

State Tourism, Culture and Arts Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said the news network broadcast a six-minute video last Friday highlighting the reasons why patients chose Penang.

“We offer high quality ser-vices with more affordable pricing compared to Singapore as well as some western and European countries.

“So coming to Penang to seek medical treatment is like coming for a holiday as the state is a vacation destination with lots to offer,” Law said yesterday.

He said medical tourism not only helped the medical industry as other industries like airlines, hotels and food also benefited.

The video clip can be seen at http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1214756303&play=1.

Law said Penang Health Association chairman Datuk Dr Chan Kok Ewe was quo- ted in the broadcast as sa-ying that the state reco- rded RM171mil in profit from medical tourism last year with the figure expected to increase to RM180mil this year.

“The earning is two-thirds of the RM250mil profit from medical tourism nationwide. Dr Chan also said we had 212,000 foreign patients last year and the number is expected to climb to 230,000 this year.

“We have a steady 15% growth in the industry each year. This is good despite the current economic slowdown,” Law said.

He said the state government was grateful to all private hospitals for their initiative and continuous effort to upgrade their facilities and services.

(source: The Star)

The lost civilization - Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia Civilization was one of the early civilization which had been lost in history. It was the civilization of people living in today's Iraq. Today not only the civilization, their languages, their people had been lost in time. Unlike Persia, today's Iran who was able to survive from wars and Arabization, and remained strongly in its Persian character(except religion). Like Egypt civilization, Mesopotamia civilization left without traces left in Iraq, today Iraq together with Egypt are highly arabized , except some archeological sites and artifacts remained to remind us of their existence in history....is it sad for the civilization?....

Mesopotamia (Arabic: بلاد الرافدين transliterated: Bilad Al-Rafidayn, Greek exonym: Μεσοποταμία, "land between the rivers") is a toponym for the Tigris–Euphrates region in the eastern Mediterranean, largely corresponding to Iraq, as well as northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khūzestān Province of southwestern Iran.
Widely considered as the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer, Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires. In the Iron Age, it was ruled by the Neo-Assyrian Empire and Neo-Babylonian Empire, and later conquered by the Achaemenid Empire. It mostly remained under Persian rule until the 7th century Islamic conquest of the Sassanid Empire.

The urban history of Mesopotamia begins with the emergence of urban societies in northern Iraq in the early 6th millennium BCE.

A cultural continuity and spatial homogeneity for this entire historical geography ("the Great Tradition") is popularly assumed, though the assumption is problematic. Mesopotamia housed some of the world's most ancient states with highly developed social complexity. The region was famous as one of the four riverine civilizations where writing was first invented, along with the Nile valley in Egypt, the Indus Valley in Pakistan and Yellow River valley in China (Although writing is also known to have arisen independently in Mesoamerica).

Mesopotamia housed historically important cities such as Uruk, Nippur, Nineveh, and Babylon as well as major territorial states such as the city of Ma-asesblu, Akkadian kingdom, Third Dynasty of Ur, and Assyrian empire. Some of the important historical Mesopotamian leaders were Ur-Nammu (king of Ur), Sargon (who established the Akkadian Kingdom), Hammurabi (who established the Old Babylonian state), and Tiglath-Pileser I (who established the Assyrian Empire).

"Ancient Mesopotamia" begins in the late 6th millennium BC, and ends with either the rise of the Achaemenid Persians in the 6th century BCE or the Islamic conquest of Iraq in the 7th century CE.

(source: Extract from wikipedia)

Genesis Chapter 9 of the Bible, narrates the curse Noah puts on Ham for viewing him naked in his tent. The descendants of Ham (called the descendants of Canaan, Ham's son), are to be the lowest of slaves. Because his sons Shem and Japheth cover their father's nakedness, Noah blesses them and their de scendants, giving them the sons of Ham as slaves. Genesis 10 lists the descendants of the three sons of Noah which make up the three great races: the Japhethites (sons of Japheth), the Hamites (sons of Ham), and the Semites (the sons of Shem). "From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood."

Genesis Chapter 11: 1-2

1 Now all the earth had one language and the words were common [to all].

2 And men moved east, and they found a plain in the land of Shinar and they settled there.

The land of Shinar was reported to be Babylonia. It was first Sumer, Akkad, and then Babylonia. This is where the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth went after they tarried in the highlands of Armenia, after the Great flood. This is the place where Tower of Babel was built, where the Book of Genesis Chapter 11:1-9 told us that after the collapse of the tower, the common language or a unity language was gone, mankind begin to speak different languages, they are then scattered.

The video series Part 1-6 is focused on Sumer(苏美尔).

Sumer is the ancient country in southeastern Mespotamia(now in Kuwait and northern Saudi Arabia, the southern part of modern Iraq). It is the birthplace of first civilization in world history. The Sumerian history lasted from 3500 BC to 2000 BC. The Assyrian and Babylonian culture continued the Sumerian civilization after the period.

Sumer was the half of Mesopotamia to the south, where Akkad to the north was the other half. The Sumerians formed city states, but constantly at war with each others and other people, due to water is a scarce resources. The stronger city state took over the smaller and weaker city states, city states become larger.

The five "first" cities said to have exercised pre-dynastic kingship:

1. Eridu (Tell Abu Shahrain)
2. Bad-tibira (probably Tell al-Madain)
3. Larsa (Tell as-Senkereh)
4. Sippar (Tell Abu Habbah)
5. Shuruppak (Tell Fara)

Other principal cities:

6. Kish (Tell Uheimir & Ingharra)
7. Uruk (Warka)
8. Ur (Tell al-Muqayyar)
9. Nippur (Afak)
10. Lagash (Tell al-Hiba)
11. Ngirsu (Tello or Telloh)
12. Umma (Tell Jokha)
13. Hamazi 1
14. Adab (Tell Bismaya)
15. Mari (Tell Hariri) 2
16. Akshak 1
17. Akkad 1
18. Isin (Ishan al-Bahriyat)

(1 - location uncertain)
(2 - an outlying city in northern Mesopotamia)

Minor cities (from south to north):

1. Kuara (Tell al-Lahm)
2. Zabala (Tell Ibzeikh)
3. Kisurra (Tell Abu Hatab)
4. Marad (Tell Wannat es-Sadum)
5. Dilbat (Tell ed-Duleim)
6. Borsippa (Birs Nimrud)
7. Kutha (Tell Ibrahim)
8. Der (al-Badra)
9. Eshnunna (Tell Asmar)
10. Nagar (Tell Brak) 2

(2 - an outlying city in northern Mesopotamia)

The Sumerian eventually battle another people from the north, who are from Arabian Peninsula, called Akkadians,who are Semitic, who spoke Semitic language( related to Hebrew and Arabic). The city states of Sumer fell under Akkadian kingdom, the capital is Akkad, which later become Babylon. The Akkadian however abandoned much of their culture and adopt Sumerian culture.The Sumerian of the city of Ur did regain control , but only for a short period, another Semitic, the Amorites, gain control and started the end of Sumerian, who disappeared from human history around 2,000 BC. Genesis 10:16 described Amorites is the descendants of Canaan, son of Ham.

But the Sumerian civilization continued to the Semitic people, who adopt the Sumerian culture,which included system of Monarchy, Law, Writing, Religion, Science and Mathematics. Who is the Sumerian? the original Sumerian or the Semitic people who adopt their culture?.......

Noted Sumerian history recorded the story of the Great Flood(similar to the Great Flood of Noah), and according to Book of Genesis, the originator of the Hebrew race is the patriarch Abraham, who originally came from the city of Ur. Is it Sumerian Ur?














Note: Middle East , Near East ancient history is the lesser read history by us(including me), despite that the happening in this region will affect our lives in other region including Asia, Europe and America as well. The history of the past was complicated but interesting. There were wars with blood of the politic, race and religion, and tears from suffering of ordinary people. There were conflicting information from various schools based on their religion, politic, and racial bias. The understanding of the ancient history will enable us to understand the modern history of the region better. The modern history in Middle East is as complicated as the ancient history. The history seems to repeat. This is my personal reading of the historical articles, it helps me to understand global problem better, and not based on media biased articles(west and east). There are various sources in the internet and books, other than wikipedia. You need to be wise personally to select the data. Middle East is not all Arab history, there are Persian, Turks, Kurds, Jews, Arameans, Copts, Yemenis, Greeks, Samaritans, Pashtuns, Turkmens....... some have lost their native languages, some races are on the way to extinction e.g. Samaritans is with 700 people left. There were IDP, political refugee....the problems are all caused by politic, war, genocides, all caused by mankind itself. It is the history of greed and power, messes left by colonists(west and east)......

The posting was to provide some historical background to understand the video.

歌曲：红屐桃 Ang Giah To （潮州话童歌谣）

"Red Wooden Shoes Peaches", a Chaozhou (Teochew) children song inspired by LIM Daikim story.




歌舞 《红屐桃》

　　歌词：
　　红屐桃、红屐桃，红屐穿起觅惕跎哎嘿哟啰。
　　奴仔行磨砌宫灶，砌起宫灶哎嗨哟趣味多。
　　红屐桃、红屐桃，奴仔都说大人好，欲做大人着出花园，
　　拜天、拜地、拜父母。
　　红屐桃、红屐桃，你做公来我做婆，
　　阿婆绣花、公种作，有食、有穿乐呵呵。
　　红屐桃、红屐桃，屐桃当船漂落河。
　　阿妹摇桨哥掌舵，满河笑语满船歌。

　　词、曲作者、编舞均由潮州人完成。作品紧紧抓住红屐桃这一乡土题材。在榕树下、水池边 ，在老宅深巷，在田野上、鹅群中演译稚气童真。

　　作品大胆引进西方踢踏舞的元素，音乐以木琴和木屐主奏，画面运用抽帧、反复的组接手段 ，综合强化律动，让稚气童真产生难以阻拦的张力。营造出一个山欢水笑、草木皆舞的气氛 。把大自然的各种形态都统一到歌舞的旋律与节奏上来。

(歌词与文章来源： 潮州广播电视网站)

Mysteries of the Garden of Eden"

A History Channel documentary that explores the different theories of the Garden of Eden's location. It is titled "Decoding The Past - Mysteries Of The Garden Of Eden".

Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden (Hebrew גַּן עֵדֶן Gan Eden Arabic: جنة عدن Jannat ‘Adn,)[1] is a location described in the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden (Gen. 2:8). This garden forms part of the creation and theodicy of the Abrahamic religions, often being used to explain the origin of sin and mankind's wrongdoings.

Where is the Garden of Eden?

Genesis 2:10-14

A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

The location of the Garden of Eden remains the subject of much controversy and speculation. The creation story in Genesis relates the geographical location of both Eden and the garden to four rivers (Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates), and three regions (Havilah, Assyria, and Kush).[2] There are hypotheses that place Eden at the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates (northern Mesopotamia), in Iraq (Mesopotamia), Africa, and the Persian Gulf.

Archaeologist Juris Zarins claimed that the Garden of Eden was situated at the head of the Persian Gulf, where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers run into the sea. On the History Channel's Decoding the Past, in the episode "Mysteries of the Garden of Eden", it is noted that circa 6000 BC, ocean levels were rising, and that near the present entry of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to the Persian Gulf there are geological traces of two fossil rivers from that time frame entering from east and west of the Persian Gulf, conjectured to be the Pishon and Gihon. The conjecture was presented that the Garden of Eden referred to a low-lying fertile valley in what is now the Persian Gulf, which was flooded when the seas rose past the level of the lowest passes of the mountains near the present Strait of Hormuz.

"Mysteries of the Garden of Eden" Part 1


"Mysteries of the Garden of Eden" Part 2



"Mysteries of the Garden of Eden", Part 3



"Mysteries of the Garden of Eden", Part 4



"Mysteries of the Garden of Eden", Part 5



Adam was prohibited to enter the garden again due to disobedience to God and his sin. The disappearing of Garden of Eden, reported due to climate change and flood; and mankind will never able to go there again. It will never be found despite of our effort to find it since ancient time.

Just ponder now, the current climate change, will a great flood come again like in Noah's time? will nations and countries be sink again by the great flood........

What happen in Taiwan now(2009), where the flood caused by typhoon, the collapse of house and hotel, the landslide, remind us of the same situation that will be like if it happen(climate change and flood)....when climate change and the ice in North Pole is melting, the sea water keep rising, the land and nations sink under the sea.......

Nations fighting against each other , race going against another race to form a new nation and create new tension in the world; all these will be gone, when the climate change and the ice begin to melt.....a rise in the sea water and the land and nations will sink(be it ancient or new)....

or is it the time the mankind focus all our resources on common climate change agenda, instead of fighting on different platform on building new nations, create tension , war and killings....?

Is this the sign at the borderless era? H1V1, natural disaster of great magnitude, climate change, air pollution... ....

Our Utopia, our Shanglira, our kingdom; will be gone if mankind continue to be selfish and inward looking......like Garden of Eden.

We pray that it will not happen as God has promised Noah......

Note:Please pray for Taiwan and the victim of the typhoon and flood.

Qinghai - Tibet Railway (青藏铁路纪实) Part 1-3