20131030

Travel to South Korean 1 : Seoraksan national park 

I saw Mt. Seoraksan from a hotel.

< I saw Mt. Seoraksan from a hotel.  >

I tell you about the impression of the trip to South Korea.
I visited South Korea several times during these ten years.
The maximum South Korean charm is in history, traditional culture, and a meal for me.
South Korea is the nearest countries from Japan, and is having relation deep for many years.
However it experienced the big misfortune.
I wish the understanding of both countries deepens mutually, and I introduce South Korean towns, culture, and nature.

韓国旅行の感動や感想をお伝えします。
私は韓国をこの10年の間に数回訪問しました。
私にとって韓国の最大の魅力は歴史、伝統文化、食事にあります。
韓国と日本は最も近い国で、古くから深い繋がりを持ちながら、大きな不幸を経験しました。
互いに少しでも理解が深まるように願って、韓国の街や文化、自然を紹介します。


 some visit places of me are red spheres 

< some visit places of me are red spheres >

First, I introduce Mt. Seoraksan where I visited October 23, 2013.
This mountain at 1708 m elevation is on South Korean northeast end, and is the third hight peak of South Korea.
This mountain has been suddenly covered with clouds on that day.
However, this cloud wrapped the sharp rocky mountain and the autumnal leaves in good season, thereby we could see mysterious scenery.
On the ropeway in the national park, we rode up the observation deck till halfway up the mountain in a breath.

最初に、20131023日に訪れた雪岳山を紹介します。
この高さ1708mの山は韓国の北東端にあり、韓国三番目の高峰です。
この日、この山系は急に雲に覆われてしまった。
しかしこの雲が白く尖った岩山と今が盛りの紅葉を包み込み、神秘的なたたずまいを見せてくれた。
国立公園内のロープウェイに乗り、中腹の展望台まで一気に昇ります。


precipices and autumnal leaves closed on my gondola of the ropeway 

< precipices and autumnal leaves closed on my gondola of the ropeway >


I looked downward from the top station of the ropeway

< I looked downward from the top station of the ropeway


 I saw the Japan Sea from the top station

I saw the Japan Sea from the top station >


I saw several scenery from a walk road from the top station

I saw several scenery from a walk road from the top station

< I saw several scenery from a walk road from the top station


the top is the end of the walk road

< the top is the end of the walk road  >
Although a view from this top must be wonderful, I had not any time.

この頂きからの眺めは素晴らしいはずだが、時間が無く行けなかった。

I saw the mountain range from the hill of the walk road 

< I saw the mountain range from the hill of the walk road >
Unfortunately faraway mountains were veiled.
It sprinkled and I was dreadful about falling down

残念ながら遠くは霞んで見えない。
小雨もぱらつき、落ちそうで怖い!


I looked upward from the park of the down station of ropeway

< I looked upward from the park of the down station of ropeway
There was not rain in the park, and clouds of the edge of the mountains began to end slowly, too.
This superb view was combined with trees of crimson, gold, green color, and strangely shaped rocks precipices, and flowing clouds.
And it changed every moment

下では雨が無く、山の端の雲も途切れつつある。
この絶景は真紅、黄金色、濃い緑の木々、多様な風合いを持つ奇岩絶壁、薄く墨を流したような雲が織りなして、刻々と姿を変えていった。

Introduction Seoraksan national park”  ( in Japanese, English, or Chinese)


   

20131027

Go around the world of Buddha statues 3:  The changes of the Japanese Buddha statue

Great Buddha, Todaiji temple, Nara, 752 year (only head was made in the end of the 17th century), H.15m. 

< Great Buddha, Todaiji temple, Nara, 752 year (only head was made in the end of the 17th century), H.15m. >

This time, we look at the changes of Buddha statue expression from the typical sedentary statue of Nyorai(Tathagata).

It was the mid-sixth century that Buddha statue first came into Japan from the Korean Peninsula.
In Japan, Buddha statues production began in the early 7th century and reached prosperity in the Kamakura period.
The Japanese word Nyorai refers to Buddha,and means "a person knowing the truth".
The kind of Nyorai is Shaka, Yakushi, and Amida etc.


今回は、仏像表現の移り変わりを、代表的な如来座像から読み解きます。

最初に仏像が朝鮮半島から日本に流入したのは6世紀中頃です。
7世紀前半から日本で仏像制作が始まり、鎌倉時代に隆盛を迎えます。
如来とは仏陀(悟った釈迦)を指し、「真理を知る人」を意味する。
如来には釈迦、薬師、阿弥陀、大日、弥勒と盧舎那仏がある。



The Asuka period when Buddha statue sculpture began

仏像彫刻が始まる飛鳥時代

Shaka Nyorai of Buddha triad, Horyuji temple, Nara, 623 year, bronze, H.88cm.

< Shaka Nyorai of Buddha triad, Horyuji temple, Nara, 623 year, bronze, H.88cm.  >

Japan had finished making the foundations of a united nation, and begun to learn a lot from continent.
This statue was made for mourning Prince Shotoku who performed the politics based on Buddhism.
This Buddha statue expression resembles things that were brought to the Korean Peninsula from China.
The features are narrow face, slender body, symmetrical expression of the costume, an almond type eye, and archaic smile.


日本は統一国家の地固めを終え、大陸から多くを学び始めた時でした。
この像は仏教に基づく政治を行った聖徳太子の菩提をとむらう為に造られた。
この仏像様式は、中国の北魏から朝鮮半島に伝わったものを色濃く残している。
面長な顔、細身、左右対称な衣文、アーモンド型の目、口元のアルカイックスマイルが特徴です。



The Nara period when the culture of aristocrat and Buddhism began

貴族と仏教の文化が花開いた奈良時代

Yakushi Nyorai of Buddha triad, Yakushi-ji temple, Nara, early 7th century, bronze, H.2.5m. 

< Yakushi Nyorai of Buddha triad, Yakushi-ji temple, Nara, early 7th century, bronze, H.2.5m. >

Japan learned from China, built a capital city and established the political institution.
Emperors built temples all over the country, and Great Buddha in Nara for national prestige.
An Emperor built this temple in order to pray for recovering from disease of his empress.
The features are full cheeks, long and narrow eyes, rich body, and the detailed expression of clothes gather.
This style that had dignified and decent expression was common to Buddha statues in China of the time (Tang Dynasty).

日本は唐にならって都を造り、政治制度を整えた。
天皇は全国に国分寺や、国の威信をかけ東大寺の大仏を造った
この寺は天皇が皇后の病気平癒を祈願し建立された。
ふっくらした頬、切れ長の目、豊かな体躯、細かな衣の襞が特徴です。
この端正で威厳が感じられる作風は、中国の唐の仏像に通じる。




The Heian period when an aristocratic culture prospered

貴族文化が隆盛を迎えた平安時代


Amida Nyorai, the Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in temple, Kyoto, 1053 year, wood, H.2.8m 

< Amida Nyorai, the Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in temple, Kyoto, 1053 year, wood, H.2.8m 

the Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in temple

< the Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in temple >


the Buddha statue is visible at center by the lighting-up.

the Buddha statue is visible at center by the lighting-up.  by  http://waoblog.exblog.jp/10771014 >

One aristocratic family deprived imperial family of the national governance, and the centralized system declined before long.
When Tang Dynasty had ruined in the end of the 9th century and the social confusion of China was prolonged, Japan began to bring up original culture.
The aristocrat who reached an extreme of prosperity tried to reproduce a paradise by building this temple.
The purpose of the Buddhism moved from national protection to the stable condition of the aristocrat.
The features are quiet and graceful Buddha statue, and the sculptured mandorla in a skilled way that attached to the back of this statue.
The Japanese independent style was completed at this time.


この時代は、国家統治が天皇家から一貴族家に握られ、やがて中央集権制
は衰退していく。
9世紀末、唐が滅び中国の争乱が長引くと、日本は独自の文化を育み始める。
栄華を極めた貴族がまさに極楽浄土を、この寺によって再現しようとした。
仏教の目的は国家の鎮護から貴族の安寧へと移っていた。
おだやかで優美な仏像、飛天をあしらった透かし彫りの光背の派手さが特徴です。
ここに日本独自の表現が完成した。



The Kamakura period when samurai began to assume the political power


武士が政権を担い始めた鎌倉時代


Dainichi Nyorai, Enjo-ji temple, Nara, 1176 year, wood, H.1m, by Unkei

Dainichi Nyorai, Enjo-ji temple, Nara, 1176 year, wood, H.1m, by Unkei

< Dainichi Nyorai, Enjo-ji temple, Nara, 1176 year, wood, H.1m, by Unkei >

In this period, money economy progressed rapidly along with the violent change of the politics.
The farmer and the samurai were enthused about new Buddhism.
Then people performed the reconstruction of temples that had gone to ruin by lost national support and Buddha statues that had lost by war damage.
It was the sculptor group of Unkei to done most of this work.
They accommodated the request from the new samurai class.
This statue was first work of Unkei that was representative of sculptors of the Kamakura period.
They changed it into realistic and dynamic style from the elegant style of the Heian period.



この時代は、政治の激変と共に貨幣経済が急進し、農民や武士が新しい仏教(浄土教、禅宗)に熱狂していく。
そして国家の支援を失い荒廃し、戦禍で消失した寺院と仏像の建立が行われた。
この一翼を担ったのが運慶率いる仏師グループで、新興の武士階級の要望に応えた。
この像は鎌倉時代を代表する運慶最初の作品です。
彼らは平安期の風雅な様式から写実的でダイナミックな造形に変えて行きました。


Great Buddha, Kamakura, the 13th century, H. 12m.

< Great Buddha, Kamakura, the 13th century, H. 12m. >

After that time
The Buddhism continued spreading among common people and took root in the Edo period.
On the other hand, the traditional style of Buddha statue was continued by protection.

それ以降
仏教は庶民に浸透し続け江戸時代に定着することになる。
一方、仏像の表現形式は伝統を逸脱することがなくなる。




20131020

A trip to Taiwan 1: Taroko National Park

 Eternal Spring Shrine  

 Eternal Spring Shrine  

This time, I introduce to you the most impressive natural landscape in Taiwan.
That day, when we were going into Taroko National Park, unluckily it began to rain.
However, rain and muddy stream were making beauty further conspicuous.

We traveled Taiwan for five days in early December 2011.
Taiwan is an island of 400 km from south to north, and 140 km from east to west.
It belongs to the Subtropical Zone and the Torrid Zone.
It is on the ocean 140 km away from China continent.
The central part is a band of mountains higher than 3000 m.


今回、台湾旅行で最も感動した自然景観を紹介します。
この日は、あいにく山間に入る頃から雨が降り出しました。
しかし雨と濁流がいっそう美しさを際立たせてくれました。

私は2011年12月初旬の5日間、台湾を旅行しました。
台湾は、亜熱帯と熱帯に属する南北400km、東西140kmの島です。
中国大陸から140km離れた太平洋上にあります。
その中央部は3000mを越える山脈が連なっています。


Position in Taiwan    

 Position in Taiwan    


A gate of the longitudinal road from east to west. A red arrow shows Taroko National Park. "Tunnel of Nine Turns". 

A gate of the longitudinal road from east to west. A red arrow shows Taroko National Park. "Tunnel of Nine Turns". >

Taroko National Park is near Hualien city of the Taiwan east seashore.
There was only a seaway until this road was made, and the development of this area had been left behind.
The road along this canyon is one of a few roads that cross Taiwan.
This highway construction was severe.

太魯閣峡谷は台湾東側の都市花蓮の近くにあります。
この道路が出来るまでは航路しかなく、この地域の発展は遅れていました。
この峡谷沿いの東西横貫道路は台湾を横断する数少ない道の一つです。
この道路建設は苛酷を究めました。


 Eternal Spring Shrine : construction victim is worshiped. 

 Eternal Spring Shrine : construction victim is worshiped.  


Deep mountains and dark valleys which get dim in rain.


Deep mountains and dark valleys which get dim in rain.

< Deep mountains and dark valleys which get dim in rain.


Towering cliffs. Marble rocks brighten white because of rain. A muddy flow.


Towering cliffs. Marble rocks brighten white because of rain. A muddy flow.

 Towering cliffs. Marble rocks brighten white because of rain. A muddy flow.


looking up a vast rock

 looking up a vast rock 


A small shrine

 A small shrine 


Taroko National Park is viewed from the river mouth. 

  Taroko National Park is viewed from the river mouth. 

When we finished the sightseeing of Taroko National Park, rain stopped completely.
I took a photograph from the train that goes to Taipei from Hualien.

太魯閣峡谷の観光を終える頃には、雨はすっかり上がっていた。
花蓮から台北に向かう列車から撮影した。























20131017

History of sickness and medical art 12 : Ancient Egypt 2


a mural painting of a doctor's grave in about 2200 BC. Massage of hand and foot.

< a mural painting of a doctor's grave in about 2200 BC. Massage of hand and foot. >

This time, I write about sickness and medical art of Ancient Egypt.

今回は、古代エジプトの病気と治療について書きます。


A picture of Job in the Old Testament at the 9-century in Roma. Job was suffered from a skin disease. 

< A picture of Job in the Old Testament at the 9-century in Roma. Job was suffered from a skin disease. >

Sickness
Although they knew about 200 kinds of sicknesses, there is no sick description in connection with entrails like lung or liver, etc.
Probably, it was beyond their understanding.
As for medical disease, clear things were only constipation, the inflammation of the rectum, cystitis, and the bloody urine by blood fluke.
However, the description about external lesion and external injury is clear.
Frequent sicknesses are bronchial asthma, erysipelas, gonorrhea, scurvy, epilepsy, polio, and parasitic disease
Hansen’s disease and smallpox often attacked people.
It seems that the skin disease that Job was suffered from by a mischief of God was Hansen's disease.
From mummies of the past kings such as Ramses, the remains of an artery disease or an infectious disease of their face were seen.
A lot of mummies of the commoner have pneumoconiosis caused by the dust storm of the desert, and diseases due to the parasitic worm.
Arteriosclerosis was seen in 20% of adults.



病気
彼らは約200種類の病気を認識していたが、肺や肝臓、膵臓、腎臓などの病気に関する記述はない。
彼らの理解を超えていたのだろう。
内科的疾患で明確なのは便秘、直腸の炎症、膀胱炎、住血吸虫による血尿のみである。
しかし外部の病変と外傷についての記述は明瞭である。
よく現れる病気は気管支喘息、丹毒、熱帯性肝炎、淋病、壊血病、てんかん、小児麻痺、寄生虫疾患で、しばしばハンセン病と天然痘に襲われた。
ヨブが神の悪戯で患った病気はハンセン病と推測される。
ラムセスなどの歴代王などのミイラからは動脈疾患や顔面の伝染病跡が見られる。
一般人のミイラから、砂漠の砂塵による塵肺症や寄生虫による病気の多いことが確認され、成年の20%で動脈硬化が見られた。

Medical treatment
Prescriptions of the medical disease were 700 kinds and were categorized according to entrails.
As for surgery, treatment of fracture, extraction of calculus, operation of eyes, and removal of external tumor have been performed.
A trepanning of skull, treatment of cavity, and also making a false tooth were performed.
Surgical instruments such as many pins, scissors, and knife were pictured in the mural painting of ruins.
Steam from tar fragments, coriander, powder of carob, and opium were also used for anesthesia.


治療
内科疾患の処方は700種あり、関係する臓器ごとに分類されていた。
外科は骨折治療、結石の摘出、目の手術、外腫瘍の除去、包皮切開が行われていた。
頭蓋骨の穿孔手術、虫歯治療、ブリッジによる義歯作りも行われた。
遺跡の壁画に数多くのピン、ハサミ、ナイフなどの外科用器具が描かれている。
麻酔にタール破片からの蒸気やコリアンダー、イナゴマメの粉末、アヘンも使用された。


Horus : It has a head of falcon and is a God of the sky and the sun.

A charm of Horus's eye 

< Horus : It has a head of falcon and is a God of the sky and the sun.
A charm of Horus's eye >

When rational medical arts could not cure it, people relied on magician who was always nearby.
The reason to use feces, urine, and the blood for prescription is because people thought that the demon that is the cause of the disease avoids it and runs away.
In addition, the people demanded help from Amen-Ra, Toto, Horus, Isis of Gods and gave prayer.
Getting on a charm became common, it of Horus’ eyes that protected from snake, scorpion, or crocodile were the most common.

The medical treatment was provided at the sanitarium of shrines too.
Patients were isolated in small rooms, and offered prayer.
In addition, while sleeping, they were given the grace in dreams, and were cured.
Also they took a ritual bath in the shrine.
This resembles the medical treatment of Asklepios's shrine that prospered in Greece.

Next time, I write down drugs etc. of ancient Egypt.


合理的な医術でうまく行かない場合は、常に身近にいた呪術師の出番となった。
処方に糞、尿、血を使う理由は、病原である魔物が嫌い逃げ出すと考えたからである。
また神々のアメン、トト、ホルス、イシスなどに助けを求め、祈りを捧げたりした。
護符を身に付けることも普及しており、蛇やサソリ、ワニから守ってくれるホルスの目が最も一般的だった。

神殿のサナトリウムで治療が行われてもいた。
患者は小部屋に隔離され、祈りを捧げ、眠っている間に夢の中で神の恩寵にあずかり癒され、さらに神殿のプールで沐浴も行った。
これはギリシャで隆盛を極めた治癒神アスクレピオスの神殿治療に似ている。

次回は、古代エジプトの最後で、薬剤等を記します。












20131015

Card throwing and Higgs boson

 Card throwing

This year, the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to the prophet of the "Higgs boson".
Existence of this particle was confirmed in the huge underground experiment place in the Geneva suburbs this year.
About this importance, I write down my impression.

今年、ノーベル物理学賞は「ヒッグス粒子」の提唱者に与えられました。
この粒子の存在は、今年、ジュネーブ郊外の巨大な地下実験所で確認された。
この重要性について、私の感想を記します。


the detector of European Laboratory for Particle Physics(CERN),

 the detector of European Laboratory for Particle Physics(CERN), two persons at the lower left >

When young, I had a certain question.
When throwing a card, if we let the snap of a wrist and rotated it, it will often fly to a distance.
If it is not rotated, it will fall immediately.
This is because the inertia energy increases by the rotation and it becomes difficult to slow down to air resistance.
This is the same reason as a spinning top that was rotated becomes difficult to fall over.
However, I didn't quite get it.

The substance of our universe
Now, human beings can explain a motion of Galaxy or planets within our universe of radius of 13,700 million light-years by gravity.
However, the gravity isn't transmitted in a trice but only transmitted at the velocity of light.
This is mysterious again.
It seems that it is filled with something even if the universe is a vacuum.


若い頃、私にはある疑問がありました。
トランプカードを投げる時、手首のスナップを効かせて回転させると遠くまでよく飛びます。
回転させないと、ふらふらとすぐ落ちてしまいます。
これは回転により慣性エネルギーが増え、空気抵抗に対して減速し難くなるからです。
回転させたコマが倒れ難くなるのと同じ理由です。
しかし、釈然としませんでした。

宇宙の中身
現在、人類は半径137億光年(実は400億光年)の宇宙内の銀河や星の動きを重力で説明することが出来ます。
しかし重力は、瞬時ではなく光速でしか伝わりません。
これまた厄介です。
宇宙空間は真空であっても、何かで満ちているようで、中世からこの考えはありました。


Higgs boson produces inertial mass.

< Higgs boson produces inertial mass. >

The appearance of Higgs boson
In 1964, "Higgs boson" was propounded as what is able to give inertia mass to the material of our universe.
In order to prove it, many scholars have experimented with the particle accelerator of a round of 27 km for a few decades.
And at last it was confirmed.

What this discovery means.
When a card was rotated, Higgs boson that had stuck to it operated on it and the inertia mass was increasing.
An understanding to the universe and inertial mass took a step forward.
However, the gravity is not explained yet.

ヒッグス粒子の登場
1964年、宇宙の物質に質量を与えるものとして「ヒッグス粒子」が提唱されました。
それを証明する為に、多くの学者が一周27kmの粒子加速器で数十年も実験を行って来たのです。
そしてやっと確認されたのです。

この発見が意味するもの
回転させると、カードにヒッグス粒子が纏わり付き、慣性が増大していたのです。
宇宙、慣性質量への理解が一歩前進しました。
しかし重力をまだ説明することが出来ないそうです。


History of the Universe

< History of the Universe >

When was this Higgs boson born?
The universe was born by Big Bang 13,700 million years ago from a void spot, and the particles were also born.
By the subsequent rapid expansion, Higgs boson were filled in the universe within a much shorter than 0.0000001 seconds.
And the particles came to have inertial mass except light.
In this way, the substance of the universes came to have the form and the movement, and then became stable.

What is great?
We, human beings are able to reason till a maximum space of 40 billion light years or a minimum world of much smaller than 1/100,000,000 mm, and at 13,700 million years ago.
Then we are able to prove it in the experiment.
Human beings evolved from the life that had arisen 4 billion years ago at a planet of this universe.
And we accomplished it by accumulation of the knowledge for approximately 3,000 years at most.
However it seems to be difficult to get peace and tranquility.


このヒッグス粒子は何時生まれたのか?
137億年前、何も無いところから宇宙がビッグバンで誕生し、粒子も誕生した。
その後の急速膨張で、0.00・・01秒以内に、ヒッグス粒子が宇宙に満ち、光以外は質量を持つようになった。
こうして私達宇宙の物質は、形と運動を持つ安定したものとなったのです。

何が凄いのか
我々人類は、最大半径400億光年の空間、最小1億の10万分の1mm以下の世界、さらに137億年前の過去まで推論し、それを実験で証明することが出来たのです。
人類は、この宇宙の一点で、40億年前に生じた生命から進化し、高々3千年ほどの知識の蓄積によって、これを成し遂げたのです。
その割には、平和や安寧を得ることは難しいようですが。