Innholdsfortegnelse for 3/2020 i ASIAN Geographic

“How nice the luxury, to argue about rights of the unborn, beginning of life, moment of death, all those sophisticated discussions. Empty talkers… But no such luxury here. Should be a rule: Walk, first, through the fire, then philosophize…”— Rohinton Mistry, Family Matters Welcome to our special edition of ASIAN Geographic + Scuba Diver! This issue will appeal to divers and non-divers alike, encapsulating many a myth, legend, and folk tale across the land and sea. As an English Literature major, stories hold a special place in my heart, and this issue has attempted to combine the different methods of storytelling to show that these narratives are all around us. Our ASIAN Geographic Fire edition also features the significance of the element and how it is celebrated across the continent,…

A folk tale is a story passed down from generation to generation, often by word of mouth. Folk tales are inherently embedded in a culture, and in the modern world, as the tradition of oral storytelling has givenway to books and television, such tales are being collected and written down. Sometimes folk tales seek to explain the world around us. Sometimes they tell of real people and events. Whatever the objective, they are undoubtedly innovative, educational, and enchanting. Here is just a glimpse into the vast world of fascinating folk tales in different parts of Asia, and the history behind them.…

Ahura Mazda, of the Zoroastrians Contrary to popular belief, Zoroastrians do not worship fire. Adherents of this faith, however, do believe that the elements, including fire, are pure. While Ahura Mazda is generally viewed as a god without form and a being of entirely spiritual energy rather than physical existence, he has at times been equated with the sun, and certainly, the imagery associated with him remains very fire-oriented. Ahura Mazda is the light of wisdom that pushes back the darkness of chaos. He is the life-bringer, just as the sun brings life to the world. Fire is venerated as a great purifying agent and as a symbol of Ahura Mazda’s power, but it is in no way worshipped or thought to be Ahura Mazda himself. This can be parallelled…

In his story, Dante endured a rollercoaster of events before reaching hell. Luckily, the Chinese Ten Courts of Hell is far easier to visit today, as a version conveniently exists in the south of Singapore, at the heart of a largely ignored statue park known as Haw Par Villa. This version of the 10 courts is most likely an accumulation of culture and beliefs over many centuries, but given that Justice Bao is one of the 10 kings, it can be deduced that the belief arrived no earlier than the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960–1127). Once a top tourist attraction of the country in the 1970s, Haw Par Villa is now a deserted, somewhat rundown, macabre spot free for all to enter. Its desolation greatly adds to the ambiance of…

Da Shuhua is a Chinese Festival of Lights tradition in Nuanquan Town with a history of more than 500 years. Dubbed the “poor man’s fireworks” – in reference to the blacksmiths who first indulged in this procession – it is celebrated by throwing molten iron against cold bricks to create showers of sparks. Da Shuhua literally means “beating tree flowers”, a name born from the agricultural practice of hitting fruit trees to stimulate growth. The blacksmiths in Nuanquan named the art form as such because the outcome of it has a shape of a leafy tree canopy. Da Shuhua has been classified as one of China’s significant examples of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. It marks the start of the Dragon Boat Festival and is also used to celebrate the…

“Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.”The Art of War, Sun Tzu In the Chinese philosophy of wu xing, fire is also related to the energy of ascension and luminosity. It represents summer, and signifies a time of celebrating and rejoicing in the beauty, fullness and fruition of life. This is the element that represents energy itself. As the second phase of wu xing, fire is generated by rubbing together two pieces of wood, and it must be fuelled by the burning of wood. It then begets earth as fire reduces everything to ashes, which become a part of the earth again. In the conquest cycle, water overcomes fire, which in turn overcomes metal, which can only…

Since antiquity, the concept of hell has existed in many civilisations. For equally as long, humans have also been kept in line by fear of ghastly, eternal torment after death. Of these versions of the afterworld, the Chinese have a distinct vision of hell, which is arguably the most torturous. Even among the Chinese, what exactly “hell” constitutes is often debated. This is caused by the two most common names for the Chinese version of hell being contradictory. It can be referred to as shi ba cen di yu, or the Eighteen Layers of Hell, or shidian yan luo, or the Ten Courts of Hell. T here is no shortage of gruesome punishment in the Chinese version of the afterworld. There are freezing caverns, dismemberment racks, dagger pits, and more.…

IRAN Chaharshanbe Suri Celebrated on the last Tuesday of March “Chaharshanbe Suri is the symbol of good health, cultivation, light, and purity to Iranians.” A Persian Festival of fire, Chaharshanbe Suri takes place on the last Tuesday of March, and sees bonfires sprouting up in various public areas, in alleys, in front of homes and sometimes parks. It is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz (the Iranian New Year). Chaharshanbe means “Wednesday” and Suri means both “red” and “celebration”. In this “red celebration”, people go out and make bushfires and keep them burning till the next morning. This is symbolic of burning all that was bad, pain, unhappiness, sickness and worry, and looking forward to a new beginning. Before the start of the festival, people gather…

Of the countless weapons bought and sold every day around the world, relatively few can be considered a valued part of a cultural heritage. Fewer still are thought to contain some element of the supernatural. The traditional dagger known as the keris is an exception. Indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the keris (or kris) is a precious cultural artifact that played a significant role in the history of the region that still resonates with people today, especially in a unique village on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. In ancient times, the keris was the weapon of choice for the armies of Indonesia and Malaysia, used in battle or to carry out executions. It was common for men of all walks of life to don a keris, used mainly for self-defence.…

INDIA Panchatantra “If loving kindness be not shown, to friends and souls in pain, to teachers, servants, and one's self, what use in life, what gain?”– from Panchatantra, Book 1 The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, arranged within a frame story, dated to roughly 200 BCE, based on older oral tradition. The text’s author is unknown, but has been attributed to Vishnusharma or Vasubhaga – both of which may be pen names. The Panchatantra was translated into many languages, including English, various Indian vernacular languages, Persian, and Arabic. “The Monkey and the Crocodile” is one of the most famous stories from the collection. Once upon a time, in a forest, there lived a monkey who resided on a jamun (berry)…

The status of fire as a component of life can be found in the philosophy of ancient cultures in Asia. Fire has a symbolic function in many of the continent’s – and world’s – religious beliefs, and it is used in celebration as well as mourning. Fire’s dual nature can be associated with purification processes; whilst for others, it is seen as the thing that needs to be extinguished. For some, fire is regarded as life-giving; whilst for others, fire is connected with destruction. It must also be noted that the symbolism of fire extends well beyond the realm of religion and has inspired other areas as well, including the occult, literature, and art. And the results are nothing short of enchanting.…

Diyu, traditional Chinese hell based on the concept of Naraka in Buddhism, is an underground maze with various levels and chambers, where souls are taken after death to atone for the sins they committed when they were alive. This version of hell is said to be a world at the bottom of the universe, or more precisely, at the innermost layer of the cosmos. Hell itself is then divided into many layers (or levels), each characterised by a particular kind of terror. Following is one of many versions of hell’s floor plan: The First Floor: Chamber of Tongue Ripping Those who stir up trouble by gossiping will find their tongues being ripped out. The Second Floor: Chamber of Scissors Those who break up the marriages of others will have their…

1. Devotees taking part in the Agni Keli celebration are split into two groups. These groups stand across from each other at a minimum distance of 10 to 15 metres. 2. Both groups will be given a large supply of palm frond torches that are lit. The aim is to throw the torches at the other group and hit as many of them as possible. During the firefight, each person can throw a torch only five times, and the ritual only lasts 15 minutes. 3. Men can only wear a piece of cloth around their waist and lower body to prevent burns. Burns are soothed with sprayed water. 4. All spectators watch from a very safe distance to avoid any mishaps. 15 MINUTES…