鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
Icriedwatchingthefilm"TheWarlords"（"投名狀"）lastweekend.ButIdidn'tcrybecauseofthestory,whichwasfullofpathos,butratherIcriedbecausethesetofthefilmbroughtbackimagesofwhatChinesecultureandheritage,andmostimportantofall,Chineseritual,wasallabout.
AsgoodasZhangYi-mou,thedirectorof"TheWarlords",PeterChan,broughtalivenotonlysomestunningsceneriesofmagnificentfortsandhouses,butalsotheuttergrandeuroftheImperialCourtatthe"ForbiddenCity".TheyremindedallofusofthegargantuanscaleofthearchitectureofwheretheDragonThronesatandEmperors,andinthiscasetheDowagerEmpress,ruled.Thesynodofeunuchs,thehierarchiesofdukes,marquesses,earls,viscountsandbarons（公、侯、伯、子、男）,thebattalionsoftheImperialarmy,theregimentsofguards,standards,banners,weapons,shields,helmets,robes-allresplendentandstandingsuppliantbeforetheunimpeachablerulerofthemightyMiddleKingdom.InsidetheHallofRites,theoiledtilesonthefloorgleamed,thecylindricalcolumnsroseupinmagnificentvermillion,thethronecarvedandgiltedinmagnificence-itwasallatthepinnacleoftribalsplendour.Forme,itwasnotsomuchasymbolofpoliticalimperialism,butmoreofanartisticachievementinre-creatingaritualonwhichoureyes,andmoreimportantly,oursenses,properlyfeasted.Arh,thesenses!Thosearethemostimportanttentaclesofman.Withoutstimulationofoursenses,wewouldbesomuchthepoorerinourimagination.Thespiritualsideofusconsistsofoursensesandthegreatesthumanendeavoursinvariablycomefromourspiritualroots.Soonseeingallthesewonderfulthingsonthescreen,mysensesweretransformedintoabeautifulworldofsublimity.AndtheImperialCourtwasnotall.ThefortofSoochowandthegatesleadingoutofavillageinthedesolatemajestyofthelandscape,withheroesandvillainsandfamiliesandarmies,allobservinghumanrites,virtuousandvillainous,saintlyandsinful......NowonderIcried.Iwascryinginecstasyforaworldinwhichourwordsanddeedsmattered;aworldinwhichweweresurroundedbythingsdesignedandcraftedcarefullyandwithdedicationcoupledwithapropersenseofspirituality.Littlewonderwithpeoplewhodonotseetheseimagesorworse,havingseenthemandnotmovedbythem-thattheyshouldcarryontalkingrubbishmostofthetime,andiftheyhadmoney,wouldgoonbuildingmonstrousandmeaninglessshoppingmallsandshops.AndIdespisethewaysolittleChinesetraditionsandheritageandculturepermeatesourquintessentialChinesecity.HongKonghasalltheluxuriesoffreedomandwealth,yetwecontinuetobuildblancmangesandfailtobeinspiredbyChinesehistoryanditssumptuouslyrichrituals.Ireallycannotbringmyselftowriteanymoreaboutthissorrowfulstateofaffairs.WhenIseeandmeetandreadaboutwhatourleadersthinkandhowtheybehave,Iclenchmyfistwithfluorescentveinsinintellectualincandescence!
Twomonthsago,IwroteabouttheoutrageouswayinwhichoneofmyemployeeswasgivenanappointmenttohavesurgeryinDecember2009-awaitofover2years.Ashehasahistoryofcancerandthesurgeryinvolvedanewgrowth,Ithoughtsomeoneinauthoritywouldtakenote.Indeed,IchallengedboththeHealthDepartmentaswellastheHospitalAuthoritytocomment-invitingthem,hopingthemtoredressthisunacceptablewayinwhichaHongKongcitizenwhopaystaxshouldbetreated.Butnotawhisper.Nobodyinauthorityhasevenbotheredtoacknowledgethiscase.Nobodyhashadthegutstoaskaboutthisgrossinjustice.Sotoday,IamgoingtopublishtheI.D.numberofmyemployee（No.D019568（6））sothatQueenMaryHospitalshouldbeabletoidentifythecase.IamalsogoingtosendcopiesofmypreviousarticleandthisonetotheSuperintendentofQueenMaryHospitalandaskhimwhatheisgoingtodoaboutit.It'sbadenoughthattheyshouldtreatmymaninsuchacavalierfashion.Whentheystillsitontheirbacksideanddonothingfollowingthepublicationoftheproblem,Igetirritated.Andso,quiterightly,shouldmyemployeebeequallyifnotmoreirritated.Thismatter,liketheDownSyndromecaseItriedacoupleofyearsago,shallnotrestuntilit'sresolved.
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逢周日刊出
