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| Saturday, June 28, 2008 |
"korean food sucks. the beansprout are so long (she gestured with her 2 second fingers, displaying them at a width of about 10 cm) and theirs heads are so huge (she estimated the size using her right thumb and second finger), when you eat them, you are practially eating beansprout heads. and the barbeque meat, i guess they dont know how to marinate, it taste like nothing but charred susbstance. and omg i have to eat kimchi for every meal. on my 7 day stay in korea, how badly i craved for yong toufu. i came back and ate it 5 times in a single day. gernerally, the food is really bad. after every meal the tour guide will ask us if we are full. notcied that he did not asked us if the food was good, he asked us if we have had enough. so i guess koreans are not particular about food, they eat whatever that's healthy. and i have to stress, KOREAN FOOD TASTE REALLY BAD!" tt's really out of my expectation. i used to think that korean food are very nice, at least those korean barbeque in singapore do. so what they featured in Dae Jang Geum is only a "korean" interpretation of what they call their "delicacies". "the chopsticks we used are 2 short and flat sticks. its extremely hard for us to eat, especially when you cant lift up your rice bowl as its so hot (cuz the bowl were made of metal). i asked why they made the chopstick so short, the response was that in aisa, we require long chopstick to reach out for shared dishes but in korea, you dont have to do so. and why is it flat? simply becuz it is an easier process making flat chopstick rather than those round ones." next time i will bring my own chopstick if i ever have the chance to go to korea. "everything in korea is so expensive, guess how much one bowl of instant noodles cost? 6 DOLLARS!!! YES 6 DOLLARS!!!! (she claps the back of her right hand against her left palm). and their smallest not is 10000 won (thats about s$14), so everyday i have to keep a thick stack of notes in my wallet, cant even close it. " i'll bing my own instant noodle and biscuits as well. "their palace is so small, without me realise it, we are already at the end of the palace tour. forbidden city in china has 999 pavillions, they have only 99 in korea." she's referring to the Chang'dok Palace (昌德宮, palace of prospering virtue) of choson dynasty, also referred to as the East Palace as it is located in the east of Gyong'bok Palace (景福宫). it became the main palace of choson dynast in the 17th century after the burning down of Gyong'bok Palace.  "one thing i've notice about korean woman, they wont go onto the streets without putting on make up!" shall talk about my lunch with yiwen. we intend to eat buffect at suki sushi at lot one, but apparently due to renovation work, the outlet is no longer in business. so we left with no choice but to surrender to eating sakae sushi. they suck, dont even have sashimi. i ate so much rice that i dont feel like eating anymore for the whole of next week. nevertheless, had a good chat (gossip) with yiwen. according to yiwen, here are some interesting facts: -why do some people have what you call "fu qi lian"? according to scientific research, apparently humans have this special affinity towards someone one looks like you. true enough, to be able to live with someone for the rest of your life, you have to be comfortable with his/her appearance. -yiwen has an expressive face. and she certainly loves to put up an act cute and innocent face. -cant rmb what other rubbish we bitched about. (as i've said they are rubbish) will update when i rediscover my memory. met debbie on the way home, she's going over to australia soon. all the best~ |
| (sc) ♥ 2:44 PM |
| Wednesday, June 18, 2008 |
惠庆宫洪氏，豊山洪凤汉之女，思悼世子李愃之正宫，正祖大王之生母。1762年改封惠嫔，高宗年间追封献敬懿皇后。1815年於昌庆宫景春殿過世，享年八十一岁。 红砖壁瓦的殿阁，葬送了谁的美梦 男尊女卑的束缚，造就了多少悲剧 当雄图霸业成为过眼云烟，一如美人昙花一现的璀璨 江山如画，美人如花，只怕经不住岁月的摧残 黄泉路上，若有君相随，也不枉此生 红砖壁瓦的殿阁 如果冥冥之中早已注定，或许和你的缘分，早已穿越了生死。两百多年后，我仍然感受得到你无尽的恨与止不住的伤。是怎样的哀怨和冤屈驱使你写下了流传后世的《恨中录》？ 有幸嫁入王室，也许并不是一件值得向往的事。夫君英年早逝，儿子又过续为他人之子，与尔我诈刀光剑影的宫廷，你到底是怎样度过漫长的岁月？不是永远的世子嫔，但在入土百年之后才得以追封为后，若你泉下有知，真得会感到释怀吗？即使洗刷了冤屈，奈何逝者已去。 宫阙层层，埋葬了他华丽的梦，留给你一生的痛。 男尊女卑的束缚 那个时代的悲剧，有和平翁主的悲凄，有和协翁主的悲惜，有思悼世子的悲役，也有你的悲泣。 什么时候可以踏上那片土地，放眼重重殿阁，迷失在穿越时空的无奈中。弥漫在岁月里的伤情记载了谁的悲欢。 你纷飞的泪可曾是史书上未干的墨迹？ 当雄图霸业成为过眼云烟 成者为王，败者为寇。那一线之隔，是跨越不过的天涯。 若非嫁入王室，你的人生会否改写？嫁于贵族不见得从此幸福美满，至少成为王妃得以千古留名。无缘一睹你的芳容，更无法了解真正的历史，我只有从蛛丝马迹去猜测。 满池春水，映出你破碎的笑。 江山如画，美人如花 十八世纪对爱情的定义是什么？你爱他吗？他又是否爱过你呢？众所皆知，他迷恋朴景嫔，但最终他还是亲手将她送入了地狱。 --“即使到了最后那段日子，他从未对我以死相胁” 对于你，他的嫔宫，在他病得无可救药的时候，他是否仍有那么一丝残存的温柔？历史浩瀚，即便没有动人的海誓山盟，亦情愿醉度今生。 若能穿越古今，愿效仿昔日幽王，弃江山只为搏红颜一笑。 黄泉路上，若有君相随，也不枉此生 帝王之路，终是一条通往黄泉的路。 仅以此文恭献，聊表敬慕之情。  |
| (sc) ♥ 12:16 AM |
| Sunday, June 15, 2008 |
my review of the drama. It’s a bit very long…The drama begins somewhere before the time when Princess Hwap’yong (Hwap’yong Ongju 和平翁主) died of childbirth and ends with Prince Sado (Sado Seja 思悼世子) dying in the rice chest. The events are mostly authentic; some lines of speech are even exactly the same with that in Lady Hyegyong’s memories (Memoirs of a Korean Queen: Lady Hyegyong), all except for the part about Princess Hwawan (Hwawan Ongju 和缓翁主). In the drama, Princess Hwawan is said to be secretly in love with Prince Sado (She once asked (hint) him “there is a person whom I’m deeply admired with. But I know clearly that I can never be with him in this life. What should I do?”), thus doing her best to help him, and enjoyed a cordial relationship with *Lady Hyegyong. However, the actual character of Princess Hwawan totally differs. According to Lady Hyegyong’s biographical narratives, Princess Hwawan is portrayed as a capricious, power-hungry, domineering and ignorant woman. Though she did helped Prince Sado, coming to his rescue during many perilous situations, and even mad it possible to obtain royal permission for the Prince’s trip to Onyang, she did these only under the pressure of Prince Sado’s threats. After Sado’s death, being the apple of her father, King Yongjo’s (英祖大王) eyes, she wielded great power. Together with her adopted son, Chong Hugyom (郑厚谦, she planned evil plots to get rid of and harm people in order to be the sole object of her father’s affection. She estranged King Chongjo (正祖大王), then the Grand Heir, with his Queen, alienate him form Lady Hyegyong and harm the Hong Family (Lady Hyegyong’s family), which is one of the factors leading to the fall of the Hong family. In her memoirs, Lady Hygeyong referred to Princess Hwawan as Madam Chong, which is indicating a person of unimportance and of a **lower status. This clearly shows Lady Hyegyong’s resentment towards her. Lady Hyegyong says in her memoirs “ There are 2 versions of the incident (Sado incident) of that year (1762). Both are equally narrow, one sided and untrue one is that His Majesty’s (King Yongjo) decisions was noble and just, one to be uphold as estimable to Heaven and Earth…In short, Prince Sado is turned into an unfilial person and a criminal…The other version is that, though Prince Sado had no illness, His Majesty listened to slanders and committed that terribly excessive act (imprisoning Sado into the rice chest).”This drama is more inclined to the second version, as Prince Sado’s illness seemed to be deliberately avoided. For example, his obsession with Pingae (Park Kyongbin 朴景嫔, one of his secondary consorts, is omitted, as well as his phobia on clothes. His madness is totally not talked about. In addition, the drama portrays him as enjoying an intimate relationship with Lady Hyegyong, he loved and cared about her. But the truth is, he never really cared about her, as well as his other secondary consorts because of his illness. Lady Hyegyong says in he memoirs“he has not being talking to me in a friendly and intimate manner for several years.” *The title “Hyegyong (惠庆”is given to her after the death of Prince Sado. Her official status is the Crown Princess Consort of Crown Prince Sado. During King Chongjo’s reign, her status was elevated to “Hyegyong-gung (惠庆宫”. She was posthumously given the title “Queen Kyongui (Kyonggui Wanghu 敬懿王后)” during King Kongjo’s (高宗) reign. **In 1778, under official pressure, King Chongjo stripped her of her royal title and the privileges associated with it and banish her to Kanghwa Island (江华岛) PostscriptPersonally, I feel that the beginning of the drama is somehow too exaggerated. By saying this, I’m referring to the actor and actress. At the time of filming (year 2001), Hong Rina is 33 and Eim Ho 30. Despite this, they are supposed to act as 13-year-old Lady Hyegyong and Prince Sado. Frankly speaking, no matter of their makeup, this is impossible and they do not look the least bit like teenagers. Eim Ho’s face is even “decorated” with beards. Nevertheless, this drama is certainly worth watching. You must watch it if you are a fan of Hong Rin. Her exceptionally acting skills is highly demonstrated in the drama. And she’s really very charming in traditional Korean costume （hanbok), her beauty can be compared to that of any Miss Universe/International/Korea etc. (I’m not exaggerating the facts!)  Lady Hyegyong  Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyong the chinese version: 《帝王之路》剧情说世子是无辜的，之所以被赐死是因为英祖听信了奸臣（包括文成国）的流言蜚语。但事实并非如此。《恨中录》里是这样记载的（这是我个人翻译的，翻译得不好，请凑合着看）：“最初的时候，先王陛下（英祖大王）的确不爱护、关心他的儿子。但最终，他实在是在迫于无奈的情形下才做了那样的决定。至于思悼世子，虽然他与生俱来的宽阔的胸襟和仁慈的本性值得仰慕，可是他的确疯了，而且无可救药。为了国家的存亡，他不得不成了牺牲品。…… 无论是一味的谴责先王陛下，或坚实世子没病，还是将造成壬午事件的罪责加诸在当朝官臣身上，都不过是在歪曲事实。而且这对先王陛下，思悼世子还有先王（正祖大王）来说，无非是一种不公平的侮辱。”由此可见，剧情是错误的。 世子死后，为了保护世孙（正祖大王）的王权。英祖才下旨将他变为孝章世子（思悼世子夭折的兄长）的养子，从此不再是惠庆宫娘娘与思悼世子的合法孩子。因此，虽然儿子是一国之君，惠庆宫娘娘仍不能冠上“大妃”之称，就像剧中所说，她是“永远的世子嫔”。由于世子的病情严重影响了王室的颜面，所以世子之死成了宫中世代的禁言。惠庆宫娘娘之所以写下了这章日记，是为了让后人能够知道历史的真相。她如此说道：“身为一个孙子，却无法了解那一场带来严重后果和影响力的事件。我认为这实在有违天理。特别是，那件事的主角是他的亲生祖父。纯祖虽然有心想要知道，无奈先王，他的父亲，却由于太过悲伤而不能亲自向儿子叙述任何相关的事迹。如今，谁还有这个胆量及资格去向纯祖叙说那件事的莱龙脉去；又有谁能够完全知悉那一些不为人知的内幕。如果有一天连我也离开了，便再也没有第二个知情者了，而从此纯祖也再不可能知道真相了。为了避免让他受到这般因无知所带来的耻辱，有一段时间我希望提笔将这件事完完整整地呈现给他。阅读了以后，他再将之摧毁。” 历史上，思悼世子似乎并不爱护他的嫔宫，但他很尊重她。毕竟，他们是一起长大的。惠庆宫娘娘曾说：“即使到了最后那段日子，他从未对我以死相胁。”世子真正迷恋的，是剧中只闻其名不见其人的朴景嫔。从《恨中录》中，我看不到世子对嫔宫的爱。我只看到惠庆宫娘娘无尽的心痛和悔恨。她本应追随世子九泉之下，但为了世孙，她不得不苟且偷生。正祖大王是有名的孝子，然而却在壮年之龄（40岁）忽然逝世。纯祖大王当时尚年幼，由贞纯王后（剧中那个小王后）垂帘听政。贞纯王后的家族与洪家向是宿敌，因此这五年间（1800-1805），惠庆宫娘娘受尽屈辱，她最疼爱的三弟也含冤而死。后来纯祖大王继位，惠庆宫娘娘才得以安享晚年。 和缓翁主在历史上即使是个奸险的女子。世子在世时，她惧怕他的威胁而对他言听计从。世子死后，她仗着英祖的宠爱（和平翁主逝世后，英祖将所有的爱转移到了和缓身上），掌握了庞大的权势，还企图离间世孙和惠庆宫。当正祖继位，她才被定罪，削去身份，流放到江华岛。 那个时代的悲剧，除了思悼世子和惠庆宫，当然也有和平翁主与和协翁主的个人悲剧。历史上没什么关于和协翁主的记载，但我最喜欢的便是她。她是当朝的大美人，却受到父亲冷漠的对待。想必她的驸马［锦城尉］也不一定喜欢她吧，否则他怎么会因为党派之争而陷害世子呢。她是世子最喜欢的姐姐，明知自己帮不了什么忙，仍尽全力保护世子。可惜红颜薄命，和协翁主在19岁时死于麻疹。过世后，甚至有人在背后说是她把瘟疫带入宫廷的（和协翁主是当时其中几个最先染上麻疹的人）。这位身份高贵，却一生坎坷的公主，不知有没有人注意过她？   Princess Hwahyop 和协翁主 |
| (sc) ♥ 1:14 AM |