Confucius say...

Tim and I went to Chinese New Year celebrations at the British Museum today (the first day of the Year of the Rat was on the 7th February). There was wonderful Chinese dancing (martial arts, a torch festival dance, aerobics and a Sichuen opera dance), traditional Chinese music (played on a one-stringed bow instrument and a multi-stringed instrument which was hit with sticks), shadow puppets, Chinese opera (the singing is uncannily like cats fighting) and different teas to try (delicious).

We also caught a talk about the symbolism of nature in Chinese paintings, in which we learnt that bamboo painting is one of the highest forms of painting, next to calligraphy. Apparently, the bamboo represents Confucian principles, since the consciencious man will consider various viewpoints like bamboo swaying in the wind, but will not compromise his principles, as bamboo does not break. I like this metaphor for scholarliness. Confucius is credited with a lot of wise sayings on the subjects of respect for fellow citizens and being of upright standing, though it is not clear whether he actually wrote these things down himself, or whether others did.

Just before we left, I cadged us some fortune cookies from one of the food counters (we were really supposed to buy some food I think). I had the pink one and Tim had the green one, but I really wanted the green one, so we swapped. I got "He who reads cookie fortune has the wisdom of Confucius", which I choose to take as a sign that I'm going to finish my thesis really soon.

Leaving the Smoke

This is my last night in London. I'm sad to be leaving Tim, who I've lived with for more than six of the past seven years, but at the same time relieved to be getting out of the Big Smoke. I've trained myself out of getting the "London headache" I used to get every time I came here, but it still makes me feel nervous and vulnerable to be living in a sea of seven point five million people (more than twelve million if you count the whole of the London area).

Tim scolds me for talking about things not being natural, because natural makes no sense in the context of how humans live today, in fact anything beyond living in caves and eating berries is not natural - and I have to agree with him. Nonetheless, there is something deeply unnatural to me about living in close proximity to this many other humans. I think human beings feel safest in small tribes which allow them to recognise everyone else, and I frequently find myself wanting to bare my teeth at the crowds of strangers on the tube or the street.

I also miss greenness living in London. Possibly it makes small pleasures such as some snowdrops in the cemetery, a sunset seen from Hampstead Heath, or a mouse on the underground tracks, all the more special. I get strange looks when people catch me trying to hold conversations with squirrels. I think I will be happy to be back in the countryside though, where I can walk for hours without seeing another person, and where the leaves will be starting to open now.