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Mr. Know-It-All’s Guide to Life
Dear Mr. Know-It-All,
Halloween is coming up. Can you tell me about Chinese ghosts?
– Cool Ghoul
What good timing, Cool Ghoul. Why don’t I
tell you about the spooky spirits we have on
the cover of HK Magazine this week:
the Taoist grim reapers themselves?
They are the hak bak mo seung ( 黑 白
無 常 ), the “Black and White Impermanence.”
“Impermanence” is the Buddhist doctrine
of mutability: all things must change, and
nothing can ever remain static—particularly
our lives. This pair of deities guides the
spirits of the recently deceased to the
underworld. The Black Guard has domain
over the evil souls; while the White Guard
guides those who have been good in life.
The White Guard wears a hat
emblazoned with the phrase yat geen fat
choi ( 一 見 發 財 ), “Fortune at one glance.”
The Black Guard’s hat reads teen ha tai ping
( 天 下 太 平 ), “Peace under heaven.” The tablet
he holds is a symbol of authority, engraved
with the character ling ( 令 ), “order.” They
are often depicted with long red tongues,
to scare away evil demons.
How did these opposing guards come
about? Well, there are a variety of stories,
but they all share a common theme: loyalty.
This is my favorite.
Mr. Know-It-All answers your questions and quells your urban concerns.
Send queries, troubles or problems to mrkia@hkmagmedia.com.
Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu were two
policemen in Fuzhou in times gone by.
Respected by all, they saw each other
as nothing less than brothers.
One day, the pair was ordered to track
down an escaped convict, who had run
away during a torrential storm. The pair
ventured out into the screaming winds and
driving rain, but they searched far and wide
without success. As the rain grew stronger
they decided to split up and each search
one half of the city, meeting under a bridge
in the middle of town.
Fan Wujiu made it to the bridge first,
but Xie Bian was held up chasing the
fugitive. As the waters rose, Fan refused to
leave his spot under the bridge, certain that
his brother would arrive. The floodwaters
crashed down on him, and Fan drowned
just moments before Xie arrived. In anguish
for causing the death of his brother, Xie
killed himself.
On seeing the true loyalty of these two
policemen, the Jade Emperor raised them to
godhood, and put them in charge of guiding
spirits to the afterlife. Never again would a
soul be left standing, waiting for help to arrive.
#PrivateEyeHK
Your Yeas, Nays, Praise:
Know your
ghosts
Our tablet app: Out Now!
“Sometimes things expire early,
then you just need to get a new tin.”
with half a brain have no disillusion that
their corrupt government loves them. In
the next 10 years, most China cities could
be in rebellion and burning. There are not
enough police and army to stop a mass
revolution in China. China knows this; it is
why the government is so fearful of what is
happening in Hong Kong.
Look at the Asia map. What country in
this area is China’s friend? They have made
enemies with nearly every surrounding
country. UN, UK and the US will also support
Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan…
and now even Vietnam.
Robert James MacFarland
We’ve Got it Covered
Our design team has been earning lots of
praise for our recent cover art. Here’s the
latest love from Twitter, referring to our
“End of Hong Kong” issue [Oct 3, issue 1064].
Some great design taking place
@HK_Magazine, new edition latest in
a string of smart covers
@steve0george
@HK_Magazine’s latest cover. I have
a feeling this could be inspired by the
pineapple cans in “Chungking Express”
@ptypk
Don’t worry about it. Hong Kong will be
dead in one year if people keep occupying
the streets.
Andy Chin
China very much likely will be in civil
war given all the regional kerfuffle that has
sprouted up all over. This is why they fear
the Hong Kong protest will spread inland.
This is also the reason why the government
will never keep the army abreast of news
like the Hong Kong protest.
Matthew Yau
Sometimes things expire early, then
you just need to get a new tin.
Ghandi Mandela
A Clear Day at Jardine’s Lookout
Photo by Mary Elizabeth Moser
Enders’ Game
Our story “The End of Hong Kong” [Oct 3,
issue 1064], which detailed four scenarios
come the expiry of the Basic Law in 2047,
garnered more predictions on Facebook.
There are other possibilities. No. 5: China’s
Communist system continues to deteriorate
and fail, as it is doing now. Any China people
Shenzhen South.
Steven Schwankert
We will be fuxx big time.
Bruno Burg
Hong Kong is officially Xianggang SEZ!
James Chou
6 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, October 24, 2014