Asian Studies

The fields of Chinese medicine and Western medicine both arose from the need to understand the human body. Thus, extensive analysis and observation of both internal and external factors were studied, but these were done so using different approaches. Hence, they progressed and evolved differently, with Chinese medicine bound to a system of mystical origins and Western medicine hailed as the more skeptical of the two.

The ancient art of Chinese medicine, once revered as the only true medicine in the world, is gradually dying out. Originally, this art was passed down from one generation to the next in order to ensure the survival of the tradition. It was also an offshoot of the older Chinese beliefs, systematized and refined with the goal of healing and strengthening the human body. It required understanding of a wide variety of things, since it is, in a sense, an expansion of other traditional arts and sciences (Fruehauf, 1999).

On the other hand, Western medicine stood completely at odds with Chinese medicine. Western thought and discipline encouraged a more empirical approach, and this was highly visible in the way Western doctors treated their patients and developed their medicine. Furthermore, it rejected everything that reeked of mysticism, instead choosing to progress through hands-on experimentation.

As partisan as these two sides may be, Mao Zedong, during the beginning of the Communist reign, sought to join the two together. This integration attempt resulted to the birth of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), which also bore a political agenda for the leader. For him, Chinese medicine represented the persona of its people strong, self-reliant, native, and patriotic (Fruehauf, 1999). Noble as the initiative was, practitioners on both sides faced many challenges as a result of this union. The Western method of developing medicine seemed to heavily discredit the traditional Chinese medicines, since repeated experimentation utilizing the latter yielded poor results. By contrast, Chinese medicine required deeper insights on the nature of a multitude of disciplines a quality that Western medicine, by virtue of its emphasis on specialization, neglects. This disparity has led to numerous difficulties, as each aspect of one side only served to highlight the flaws of the other.

But looking more into the fields more traditional roots, the mysticism usually associated with Chinese medicine would be better understood if analyzed alongside their other ancient practices such as tai-chi. This ancient art, which involves the proper circulation of ones inner energy, called chi, has been so deeply ingrained within Chinese culture that it begins to affect the peoples lifestyle. Health is seen in relation to the balance of a persons chi, and Chinese medicine has been formulated with this aspect fully in mind.

The book entitled Samurai and Silk A Japanese and American Heritage is considered to be one of the most informative and genuine readings that mainly tackle the history of modern Japanese society. This book is written by Haru Matsukata-Reischauer, a famous Japanese writer during the mid and late nineteenth century.

She is a granddaughter of the late Masayoshi Matsukata, the fourth and sixth Prime Minister of Japan (Haru Reischauer). Harus grandfather is also a famous liberal finance minister during the Meiji Period. He is one of the most important Japanese leaders who supported the Japanese economic and infrastructure transformation (Haru Reischauer). More so, Harus family is famous for their significant contribution during the period of modernization throughout the whole Japanese country (Haru Reischauer).

Haru Matsukata is the wife of Edwin O. Reischauer, the former United States ambassador to Japan. He is also a renowned American educator and scholar of history as well as Japanese culture.  Born in Japan on the year 1915, Haru attended schools in Tokyo and has finished her college education in Illinois (Haru Reischauer). When World War II has ended, Haru worked in numerous magazine and newspaper publishers in Tokyo. Several years after, she got married to Edwin O. Reischauer in 1956.

As a couple, they have worked together in building a sturdy and respectable Japan-United States relationship in the midst of broad anti-American campaign all over Asia (Haru Reischauer). Soon after the diplomatic engagement of Prof. Edwin Reischauer in Japan, Haru and her husband went back to Cambridge in 1966 and lived a normal life as private citizens.

As a prolific Japanese poet and screenwriter, Haru has made a clear presentation of three different generations from their prominent Japanese clan. As a product of her own personal experiences, Harus book is an exemplar of a genuine depiction of the modernization process that Japan has been through. The book mainly highlights the importance of Meiji era, which is the exact period when Japan started to modernize the whole country and slowly establish its international power.

More so, this book serves as Harus effort in writing a wonderful memoir of her family. Starting off by providing a lucid illustration of her grandfathers, Masayoshi Matsukata (a founding father of the Meiji government) and Ryoichiro Arai (a wealthy entrepreneur in the silk trade), Harus book presents a comprehensive and credible storytelling with regard to Japans renowned financial and industrial success.

Given that Harus book mostly highlights the struggles of Japan towards modernization, the batch of modern Japanese political leaders are targeted as one of the books primary audiences. This is mainly because Haru intends to exemplify how the early Japanese political leaders have sacrificed in order to achieve the highest possible transformation that a country could have. More so, the book intends to draw the attention of recent Japanese leaders as it depicts the main importance of government and political leaders in the progress of a nation.

Furthermore, the book intends to capture the heart and mind of many Japanese in order to remind them of how the early generation of Japanese people strived in order to build a stronger civilization and economy. The book serves as a meaningful account of how the present Japanese generation should protect and value the current state of Japans economy and stability.

On the other hand, Harus book may also serve as a useful reading for most anthropologists. This is mainly because Harus writing lays a weighty elucidation of how different cultures work together under common goals and perspectives. In the book, Haru has made a detailed explanation on how culture diversity played a vital role in the success and establishment of her maternal grandfathers silk business. Though she made it clear that her Arai family side has firm Japanese cultural values, Americanization or adaptation of Western culture has been very indispensable in the overall triumph of their silk business (Reichauer). More so, Harus Samuai and Silk may also serve as a useful reading for the betterment of international relations and most diplomats, as it identifies the importance of strong relationship among the countries around the globe.
From a personal observation, the books main idea is that the road towards modernization is not an easy task at all. It often includes challenges and unavoidable acceptance of numerous changes in order to achieve the greatest possible result. The books main objective is to tell that change and acceptance should not be prevented, more especially when it would bring better results and benefits for the people. All of these ideas and objectives have been accomplished by visibly explaining the triumphs and drawback of Huras family in embracing Japanese and American heritage to their advantage.

In a sense, Hura has used a sound method in presenting information. Given that she wrote Samurai and Silk as a memoir for her family, the book has a credible source of information and data gathering that has lifted its overall quality. Most of the information presented in the book is based on Harus family story, which she has personally experienced. This aspect made the whole book more believable and interesting to read.
From a personal standpoint, the books main strength is its primary storyline, which is purely based on a true to life tale. As a reader, it is always amusing and interesting to read something that has really happened in real life, which could be really informative and a good source of lesson in life. The privilege of knowing the story and life of a prominent individual is always a delightful experience. More so, the values that book has presented is another great strength of Harus masterpiece, as it presents essential lessons that could be really useful and informative in todays modern world.

On the other hand, there are only minimal weaknesses that could be found in the book. One is the tendency of being partial in some part of the books presentation. Given that Samurai and Silk is a story dedicated for Harus family, there are instances that the book is slightly partial in a given topic.

In the end, it is evident that the main motivation of the books research is to state that change is inevitable, more especially when it is driven by time and the situation. Thus, compared to that of the other memoir, Harus Samurai and Silk is more believable and thrilling to read, as it is packed with a lot of personal experiences that are really entertaining.

A. The short movie If I was Like You lends itself to different definitions but can be best defined in terms of Francias (1995) definition in that it illustrates how Asian Americans undergo hardships in assimilating into American culture, not only being accepted by Caucasian Americans but by African Americans as well. In its attempt to depict the Asian identity the film opposes the ruling culture in its portrayal of the white police officer and Daniel opposing his orders. The difference between this film and others within the genre of this definition is that it is not a documentary the struggles portrayed here however, are stark and forceful and compels its audience to sit up and take stock of the situation. It can also be defined as authorship because the power figures are Asian American and content because it is an Asian American movie focusing on Asian American issues.

The short animated movie What are you anyways is best defined by authorship in that it is produced and directed by an Asian American and the main character, although in animation i also depicts an Asian American. It can also be defined as a marketing movie because it is aimed at specific audiences such as Japanese Americans and is probably intent on obtaining funding for production and dissemination. The focus is one individual trying to find his self-identity and fit-in with American society not conflict with it, so it does not adhere to Francias definition in any way.

The past is a distant colony is another Asian short film that fits into different definitions it can be defined in terms of its authorship, its content, its marketing, and at the same time it holds fast to Francias definition in that it is a quasi-documentary illustrating the defiance of the South Vietnamese against communism  the ruling culture and their struggle to assimilate into American culture.

B. Asian American cinema is defined by Francia (1995) as a Cinema of Opposition and Criticism (p.103), meaning it constantly sets out to question, criticize and oppose western culture and dominance in an attempt to pursue and present their own identity and culture. The fundamental differences between Asian cinema and Asian American cinema are that Asian American cinema strives to depict the struggles of individuals now living in America, their struggles with assimilation and cultural identity their films tend to concentrate on the history and culture of their ethnicity most are dependent on funding most do not receive much compensation in the way of monetary gain, and most are presented in the genre of documentaries. This preference for documentaries is because they are the best means by which directors can present their culture, history and identity while at the same time probe and question the superiority of western culture in a less threatening and acceptable manner.

C. Peter Feng (1995) in his article In Search of Asian American Cinema defined Asian American film within four categories authorship, marketing, content and past tense. Authorship pertains to films wherein key or controlling positions, such as the producer and director, are filled by Asian Americans the problem with this definition is that it limits the input in terms of different ethnicities, whereas the genre of film requires cross racial and ethnic cooperation and alliance. Marketing refers to how Asian American films are marketed to specific audiences, whereby they are able to access funding specifically assigned to Asian American cinema in terms of their dissemination and theatres, such as Asian Cinevision. A problem with this definition however, is that it strengthens the western stereotypical view of Asian Americans as never being a true American when Asian films are  exposed together with Asian American films, at film festivals for example. Content is a definition that insists the story within an Asian American movie must concern Asian American issues irrelevant of marketing or authorship factors. The problem with this definition is that it limits the scope of what an audience will expect and accept as an authentic Asian American movie, thus negating the Gregg Araki question. The fourth definition  the Past Tense definition  refers to mainly documentary films made between the late 1960s and early 1980s, which were focused on assimilation and cultural identity of Asians living in America.

2.  The Gregg Araki question is concerned with whether or not an American Asian movie that is
      not concerned with American Asian issues is still classified as an American Asian film.

D. In his interview with Michael Guillen, Peter Feng shows favor for the hyphen to be removed from Asian-American because it is grammatically incorrect the word Asian should be an adjective modifying the noun whereas when hyphenated they both become nouns. The term was originally used in a disparaging way to intimate that Asian Americans were divided in their loyalties to both their home country and America.
2. Focus on East Asia in the TCM series is prominent over other Asian regions that are less evident because America was not really aware of South East Asia until the Vietnam war, and other countries such as India were bequested by British colonialism, so Americans were not really interested in them. Japan and China on the other hand, had been dealing more upfront with America.

3. The representation of the Chinese and Japanese in American film during times of conflict was influenced by the way in which they were regarded by governments and the people Japanese for example initially came to America as the underdog  and merely laborers later however, when Japan emerged as a global player, immigration doors were closed to Japanese other than white collar workers, thus the Japanese in America were in competition with the locals. In film they were depicted as strange, not popular and a faction to be avoided and feared. In film the Chinese transpired from ignorant farmers to allies and friends in war after WW2, and then reverted back to ignorant farmers when communism came into rule.

4. The movie The Crimson Kimono created hot debate in terms of miscegenation because it was the first film to show an interracial relationship with an Asian man and a white woman, and raised the issue of a white woman losing her American citizenship if she married an Asian man, even though he was Asian American. The final scene was the stereotypical kiss, which in this movie was omitted when shown on television in 1960s an d 1970s.

5. Feng does not believe that Asian actors like Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat or jet Li are creating more opportunities for Asian Americans in Hollywood because rather than Hollywood choosing the actor for a film they are making the film around the actor in other words they are making films to suit the Asian actors focused in their own country, and if they are shown in America it is usually only to solve a case or some such mission.

E. Michael Grayson, in the movie Go For Broke joined WW2 to fight for his country against the Japanese but finds he is expected to fight alongside American Japanese in a Nisei unit first constructed in Hawaii.  He tries to get a transfer to his old platoon the 36th unit but inevitably has to stay where he is. While fighting in Italy and France with his Nisei unit however, he gradually changes his opinion and his prejudice diminishes. In the end, he gets his transfer back to his old unit as a liaison officer but by this time he does not want to go. Finally, in the same way that Graysons derogatory opinion of Asian Americans change, so too did his mens opinion of him, particularly after they found out he had defended them against his friend in his old unit. The movie culminates in a battle in which the 36th are surrounded by Germans and the Nisei men save the day. The film ends with heroes returning home and medals and honors being handed out.

2. Lt Grayson, a pure Texan, is the main character in the movie , who considers Japanese American soldiers no different to the Japanese because many were in internment camps before the war but now fighting for America. He got into a fight with his friend Sgt. Culley in defense of his Japanese American men Cullley has ridiculed them in a derogatory manner.

3. Tommy parts with his pet pig when he returns from the front. The French family that had been looking after his pig had no food when he saw the five children hungry and pitiful he decided to give the pig to their father in order to feed the children.

4. Bakatara means you are a heel  a stupid jerk and a heel.

5. In terms of the various definitions presented for Asian American cinema I believe the most appropriate definition for this movie is Content because the movie focuses on the issues of Asian Americans, more specifically and more predominately in this instance, with one mans opinion and stereotypical viewpoint of Japanese and to a lesser extent Hawaiian Americans.  The movie illustrates how the Japanese Americans, even while fighting for America, are considered by other white Americans as inferior and not worthy of fighting alongside them. We see how they are belittled and ridiculed, as too are the Hawaiians but not to the extremes of the Japanese. The most poignant evidence of this, although not being delivered by the main protagonist, is in the scene when Sgt. Culley continually makes derogatory remarks and side swipes at the Japanese Americans in the bar.

F. What Are You Anyways is a short animated, black and white movie depicting multiculturalism today and takes us through the life of Jeff Stearns, the filmmaker. His character is portrayed by a half Japanese and half American boy nicknamed Super Nip, who grew up in a small, predominately white Canadian city called Kelowra. We witness how he struggled with his self-identity through childhood and adolescence until he found love with a girl of the same mixed ethnicity but who had already come to terms with her cultural identity whereupon Super Nip realized where he had failed and thus found his new self.

2. A Hapa is the term used to refer to people who are multiracial which originated in Hawaii in reference to mixed race the Banana Bunch is the name applied to Super Nips cousins  all half Japanese and half white (yellow on the outside and white on the inside) similar to a banana.

3. Stearns earned the derogatory name Super Nip from the western stereotype of Asians (Nips) and martial arts.

4. As a result of dating a monoracial Japanese girl Stearn realized that he was ashamed of his mixed ethnicity and preferred to not to associate with those who looked completely Japanese like his mother.

5. Jenni played the most important role in Stearns life, for it was through Jenni (who had the same mixed ethnicity as him) that he realized she was proud of her mixed race and was therefore not picked on by others, whereas he was ashamed and allowed people to pick on him thus he came to realize that he was in fact lucky to be a Canadian Hapa.
   
The short black and white movie Explosions in the Sky depicts the battle at Dien
Bien Phu, between the Vietnamese and the French colonialists that ended with the division of Vietnam into its north and south segregation. While viewers are enveloped in sites of war that evoke scenes of firework displays rather than artillery, it is the sound effects that impacts most on viewers. Hong-An Truong deliberately fuses two music styles that are fundamentally in opposition one represents the strong cultural ties and values of the Vietnamese (Je ne regrette rien by Edith Piaf) and the South Vietnamese bid to hang on to a and become part of western, particularly American, culture (a bilingual version of Sounds of silence by Simon and Garfunkel). The southern Vietnamese living overseas would find the soundtrack very nostalgic because of its association with Saigon in time of war and its take-over by communist Vietnamese. Such music was a means by which they opposed and defied the north by playing and singing what was termed yellow music and represented their association with the west.

2. Nguyen believes that the romantic aura of French colonialism indelible in the minds of Vietnamese living overseas is confronted in stark and confronting manner. The movie The past is a distant colony moves very slowly like a funeral march the mutterings of two women  one a Vietnamese nun, the other unknown in terms of whether she is French or Vietnamese  talking in French and Vietnamese about their lives provides the soundtrack no evidence is seen of the usual romantic depicted in sepia-hued photographs or studio, staged or spotlighted images in black and white. Instead Truong presents her movie with a variety of unknown, ambiguous and murky reels of film that are presented alongside each other connoting mirror images, such techniques compel the films audience to react. Nguyen claims the reactions induced in her caused her to think more about herself than the movie she also felt the double images represented the opposition or dualism between north and south Vietnam, between capitalism and communism, and between genders. To further oppose the romantic images of French colonialism Truong presents ironic images of French missionaries teaching children to bless themselves, while at the same time we see thousands of now Catholic Vietnamese having to flee the country in fear of communism any scenes of French grandeur are presented in silence with no sound track, and are mirrored with stark and repelling images of the atrocities of war.
   
The short fictional movie entitled If I was like you is concerned with racial tensions  between Asian Americans and African Americans. It is about Daniel, a single Asian American father living in Los Angeles whose son Billy is murdered and left on the footpath by a group of local hoods. Nobody in the neighborhood will help or give any information because they are afraid of reprisal by the thugs. He puts a large sign over his front door saying If I were a nigger like you would my son be dead, and wielding a baseball bat he starts yelling racist remarks. Daniels actions create a fracas outside his house and although some African Americans try to calm him he continues his outburst his objective is not quite clear however, neither is the outcome. The fact that the final scene involves a Caucasian police officer, wielding a gun aimed at Daniel seems to add further credence to the rejection of Asian Americans even in favor of African Americans by the white American community. Characters in this short movie behave in the manner they do because the director Wesley Du is trying to demonstrate the reality of living in America and the impact of racial discrimination on the Asian and African Americans. He portrays how one ethnic group will band together and keep quiet, indifferent to the problems and plight of others how one group discriminated against by others will try to do the same to another in other words creating a pecking order down the line of immigrants with Asian Americans being near the bottom.

In her article discussing the Angel Island Poems, Karen Polster affirms that the poems are among the most dramatic works in the American literature. She believes that they uphold and support the ideology of unlimited and equal opportunities. The collapsing buildings of the former immigration station were supposed to be brought down, before this was done, sections of Chinese writing were discovered on the wall due to the peeling paint of the wooden walls. The writings in some way were poetry. The poems had more than historical relic features. The poems tended to inquire into and support the traditional American principles of Equal and Unlimited Opportunities and the border. These serve as good examples of self reflection a feature that is common in most immigrant tales. The poems also the basis of Chinese-American literature. In the present day society the aspect of equal and unlimited opportunities has not been reflected in various sectors.
Ideologies of opportunity at the frontier (Polster, 2000)

Economic prosperity is the sole reason immigrants including the Chinese continue to come to America.
The frontier indicated a country with no boundaries. There were no limits of social and economic progress.  
The railroads build by the Chinese would support activities in the American soil which would in turn support their economies (Chineses)
Equal opportunity and equal legal representation will never be equally distributed in the economic spectrum of free enterprise.

America was viewed as a land of opportunity and impartiality.

California Economic and labor conditions
Poster questions the assumed involvement of Chinese labor in America. At first their labor was highly appreciated, they were assigned the responsibility of watching over Americas new boundary. They extended their activities since they also became active participants in building of the railroad, agriculture and fisheries. A big percentage of the entire Californian workforce comprised of the Chinese people (Polster, 2000). As they numbers grew, resistance also heightened since they were seen to take up jobs of the natives. The anti Chinese campaigns were on the increase.

The employers were also on the front line in ensuring that racial division was effective in bringing out a gap. They would insist on separate their employees depending on their racial background. This was in an effort to ensure that the laborers could not unite to demand for better working conditions. The Native Americans had better working conditions and were well paid than the Chinese laborers. This aspect marginalized other groups since no preferential treatment was directed to them.

There was high unemployment rate in the 1870s this was due to the post civil war recession. The scarcity of jobs led to the anti- Chinese campaigns (Polster, 2000). The principle of equal and unlimited opportunities lacked meaning during this period. The white miners, field hands were demanding to have the Chinese thrown out of the city since they (the Chinese) had taken up most of their jobs.

The dual wage system presented an aspect on inequality. The Asian laborers were paid less than other working groups. The groups were segregated and made to develop hatred towards each other to ensure that the groups do not engage in talks concerning their wages, this provided an avenue to depress their wages. The absence of a uniform paying scale evidently proved that some groups were discriminated against in spite of their efforts (Polster, 2000).

Race serves as a basis for the formation of class conflicts in America. The protests that were evidenced against the Chinese laborers and the creation of a unique white label in cigars proved that inequality was live. The campaigns were directed to the Chinese so that they could withdraw from their working positions, this aimed at protecting the white laborers against the competition with the Chinese. It is obvious that the Chinese labor was recommendable hence the whites feared that the Chinese could end up taking their territory.
Publications that were directed towards presenting charges against the Chinese presence in the American soil were widespread. They were referred to as slaves who could not fit to be compotators for any Native American (Polster, 2000). The natives were viewed as special creatures that were deprived of their freedom by the immigrants and forced to compete with disgraced creatures in the labor market. Economics and racism was the basis of the humiliation and the Chinese were conscious of this.

QUESTIONING THE IDEOLOGY
Women in America have been fighting for rights since time immemorial. The women do not have equal chances of working as compared to men. Different organizations lobbying for the rights of women have stated that the absence of equality in the field of gender is inhuman (International Labor Force, 2009). Women do not have equal opportunities as men in fields such as study-arts, science entertainment, industry, governance among other groups. Men seem to dominate in all fields hence leaving the lower positions to women. This demeans the potential of women and their ability to perform tasks better like their male colleagues.

It has frequently been alleged that there are unlimited opportunities for women since women have potential like men. Women also have equal potential like men hence they are not under men. It has never been made clear why a balance in the workforce has not been observed if this is true. Men still continue to be preferred to women, this creates a contradicting belief since both genders have potential then picking any to perform a duty is acceptable, why then not create a 5050 offer to these opportunities
 
The ideology of equal and unlimited opportunities leaves some unanswered questions. The ideology does not really demonstrate fairness. The issue of equal incomes has been for all has been a debatable issue over time. The issue of equal incomes has largely been dismissed. Most liberal theories of justice often rationally depict an aspect of inequality of incomes (Wharton, 2005). These theories however fail to push the matter far once they reduce the importance of the issue of equality of incomes.

The issue of unequal opportunities is upheld by many and seen as a necessary evil. While it is appropriate to hire people depending on their skills, experience, and education, this is not evidenced in many areas. Racism forms the basis of job opportunities. The opportunities may be unlimited but they fail to observe equality. Opportunities are in most cases offered based on ones race. When the issue of equal opportunities arises, the comments that people make concerning the issue signifies the degree of racism and sexism in them.
Tinka a US citizen of Indian origin interviews people on the issue of living the American dream. A black citizen states that the American dream is not for all since some people are living the American nightmare. In the taxi business, a white mans cab is preferred to a black man. Blacks are seen as criminals, dangerous and as belonging to a gang. Tinka quotes the late musician Tupac who affirmed that if a Chinese man kills your dog you should kill him in turn. Dogs receive better treatment than some people this further illustrates the degree of racism in the US ( HYPERLINK httpwww.youtube.comwatchvb6dpclFnDx4 httpwww.youtube.comwatchvb6dpclFnDx4)

Majority of the population do not support the ideas of equality in as far as opportunities are concerned (Wharton, 2005). Hiring white over non-whites for the sake of diversity does not make sense according to them. A former contractor affirms that he does not support the idea of equality since he witnessed white males being fired just because they met minimum requirements at the same individuals who were non-whites who met the qualifications were retained. The idea of racial preference makes the whole idea of getting the job done perfectly a second priority.

Religious minority groups especially the Muslims are marginalized, no equal and unlimited opportunities for them (Malick, 2010). The complex and diverse reasons behind the restricting of religious identities of Muslims in America cannot be well understood. The September attacks of the US embassy might just be the main source of this segregation. The policies that were put in place by the US government have encouraged the idea of identifying individuals on the basis of their religious beliefs.

Majority of Muslim women dress like their American peers, this way they lose their identities for the sake of having access to equal and unlimited opportunities. The Pakistan-Americans cover their faces in hijab (International Labor Office, 2009). As their numbers continue to grow, fear builds among many concerning what these women may be carrying behind these veils. The likelihood of the conformed Muslim women having access to resources is higher than the Pakistan-Americans.

Azal Osman a comedian of Indian descent who lives in the US states that he believes that stereotypes are as a result of brainwashing. He complains that people have been brainwashed to an extent that whenever people see Muslims, words like Osama, Saddam and Taliban are used to refer to them. The media has also been accused of stereotyping, Muslim men are referred to as terrorists while the women are seen as oppressed, Osman affirms that the case should be the other way round. The same case applies to airports security is biffed up once a Muslim is spotted. Muslims are generally associated with terrorist activities.

He further makes a joke of the airport situation when he says that people believe that they are going to die. People call their relatives to tell them that there is muslin on board hence death is knocking at their door. This illustrates how the Muslim community faces challenges in their day-to-day lives.

EQUALITY AND OPEN OPPORTUNITIES
Literature
The masculine point of view is seen as heroic, virtuous and with honor as compared to female writers. It has frequently been argued that most interesting female writers cannot be compared to male writers. The female writers have suffered critical neglect for along time. The women writers in America are said to lack the ambition to create books big books, they instead concentrate on writing books with a small volume. These books are received with less critical fanfare.

Majority of books that are marketed are authored by male writers. Women comprise majority of the population that buy and read books. Most of these books focus on their male counterparts (Scott, 1998). Majority of the thrillers, travel books, biographies that women happily read are aimed primarily on men. Before reading a book, majority of them have an already established belief that the book is interesting. Men on the other hand hardly ever read womens fiction because they bear a misconception that they cannot read a work written by a woman and find it interesting.

The value of style and subjects is rarely considered when it comes to measuring good writing. Both women and men have their demeaning values in writing. A section of the two categories have a tendency to write stories that limit the possibilities of fiction. However, critics will direct their questions to female writers the male writer will be left to breath since they are well represented in this field (Scott, 1998).

The Angel Island Poems shows the woes of the Chinese people in the island. They were oppressed by the Native Americans. They regretted coming to America since what they experienced was beyond their expectation. The principle of equal and unlimited opportunities was not reflected, the Chinese were denied chances although they had proved proficiency one. Of the poets laments, I should regret my taking the risks of coming in the first place (Polster, 2000).

The natives maltreated the Chinese immigrants. The Chinese had shown potential in performing many tasks. Humanitarianism was not observed. A poet grieves by stating, Even while they are tyrannical they still claim to be humanitarian this proves that there existed a clear cut difference in the mode of treatment of both the

Natives and the immigrant.
Visual art
The male art community is seen as ideal. It is surprising that despite the many documentations of womens suppression available this field continues to ignore the effort from female artists. Even in the most perfect cases female artists are never easily recognized. Women painters do not receive as much service demand as male painters. Again, men dominate this field. Women are seen as inherent followers as a woman work would be most recognized if she served as an assistant to the men (Kid in the Row, 2010).

In museums, the entire history of painting, sculpture, or architecture can attest male dominance. Womens work in these museums that can highly be seen is photograph work. The museums of modern art have displayed a collection of women artists. This is just a small section of the artistic innovativeness that is found in these museums. Most of the artistic items bear male names (Budick, 2010).

Judging art by Gender is a common phenomenon. Well done work that demonstrates artistic skills is associated with the male species while the female species are associated with moderately well done piece of work which could have been perfect if a male figure was present. Despite the increasing numbers of female artist male artist continue to be a preference for many including women.

Women have a right to pursue professional artistic careers but they do not get chances to put their professionalism into practice (International Labor Office, 2009). The same old irrelevant questions that goes, how come no woman artist has measure up to the best man this questions provides an avenue for prejudiced answers. Male chauvinists and the female sympathizers in arts do not acknowledge the efforts that female artists have employed. Male artistic products will hit the market and be on high demand leaving the females ones hanging for a longer period. This just indicates how the society in general has joined hands in demeaning womens efforts.

Film
The film industry favors men more than women, this is an indisputable fact. In Hollywood for instance, nearly 94 of the films owe their direction to men (Kid in the Row, 2010). Women dominate mainly in hair and makeup, production assistants, or cinema cleaners. The women therefore end up having limited experience in the film industry. In holding auditions for a film it has been held that if the audition is to be held in an apartment, then the female actress tend to read out a sexual scene. This is just but one of the false impressions that the film industry and the society hold towards women.

Women seem to fight a battle they can never win. Prejudice starts from the way the job titles are, everything is divided into directors and female directors this provides more room for inequality. In the show business, women are still judged as objects, they do not have an exceptional place in this field since they are viewed as deserving small positions.

Talent is the most important aspect in acting. This aspect is however overlooked since in our day-to-day activities we meet many unattractive, talented actresses who could not get a chance to discover their potential better. The physical appearance forms a basis for getting a chance, this issue mostly affects the female actresses, and it is common to find male actors who are not physically appealing in the business (Kid in the Row, 2010). For men it is talent that matters but as for women talent has to be accompanied by physical attractiveness.

Music
Statistically this industry is male-dominated. Women have to fight harder to get into the industry. It id argued that once a woman bears a child, it becomes almost impossible for any woman to work long nights away from home. The music industry present job opportunities such as that of publicists, booking agents as well as the artists themselves. The inadequacy of women in the industry is seen as a choice rather than discrimination (Asthana, 2009).

The production industry is dominated by men. Organizers of music functions are mostly men. Most of the leading music labels are mens. It is not an easy road for women they have to fight harder to get a chance to get into the industry. When women are in charge of say organizing music concerts, they are not taken seriously, some people will even insist on seeing her boss.

Humor
Unlike other industries, comedies have welcome have witnessed a large number of women comedians. Some of the women have become world renowned comedians a good example is Margarette Cho, an Asian woman who in her comedian routine has made many statements and movements on gay rights. Men are more in this industry but the most important aspect of it is that female comedians can air their voice and be appreciated.

The trends
In many fields women have been marginalized. Their contribution is overlooked and they are given fewer opportunities than the males. This could be so since women have not stepped up to have their voice heard. More effort is needed so that a fair and just society can be created. The opportunities are unlimited but those set aside for women are fewer.

Karen Polster states that the poems at the Angel Island uphold and question the ideology of equal and unlimited opportunities. These opportunities were in terms of jobs wages, the Native Americans received preferential treatment over the immigrants. This issue is also prevalent in the present day society where the issue of equal opportunities is not observed, this is mostly in Gender issues. Race also plays a big role in determining the allocation of responsibilities.

Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) is the name often associated with a wide range of traditional medical practices normally in use in China. Marjorie Pivar and Quang Van Nguyens Fourth Uncle in the Mountain text discusses various aspects of Chinese medicine.  After reading this informative text, I have gained insight into the reality and significance of Chinese traditional medicine. The medications, which are the most important forms of oriental medicine, have developed over several thousands of years. Chinese medicine may also be incorporated into other traditionally-related Asian medical systems such as those used in Mongolian, Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan medicines as seen in the Fourth Uncle book. In principle, these Chinese medicines employ methods of synthesis and analysis as is evident through Thaus actions in the Fourth Uncle text. Medicine men inquire - on a macro level - into the mutual relationships of the external and internal environment as well as the internal systems of the human body. This aspect aims at gaining an understanding of the important laws that govern the proper functioning of the human organism. Moreover, it focuses on applying such knowledge in the prevention and treatment of illnesses and health maintenance.
TCM is deeply rooted in a comprehensive, unique, and systematic structure which may include the theory of the five elements the Yin-yang, and the Meridian system of human body amongst other systems. Thaus desire to lead a wholesome life is reflective of this concept. Original Chinese treatment was conducted with reference to this philosophical framework which marks a difference between Chinese or oriental medicines and Western medicines because there could be same patients, symptoms or signs but with very different organizational forms of the information. Through the Fourth Uncle book, Thahu performs related healing services to his contemporaries, especially to Quang Van Nguyen. For instance, we can look at similar bodies via two different perspectives in diabetes. The theoretical framework employed by Thau When the sugar or glucose level is unable to penetrate through the wall of cells, diabetes is the result. This is because when the glucose fails to get into the cells, glucose levels in the blood vessels increase. This situation results in the problems associated with diabetes.

The Western medicine (WM) examines diabetes as just a one-way traffic contrary to how Chinese medicine (CM) sees it. CM looks at various possible situations which depend on the particular symptoms and signs of a particular patient. One of these illness patterns is referred to as wasting thirsty. Extreme thirst is one of the well-known signs of diabetes CM agrees on it. The techniques and the treatment however greatly vary. This is looked at as the condition of cells becoming dry and lacking enough water which CM describes as the inside of the body. Another surprising sign of diabetes is that taking more water only results in urinating more. This is because it does not depend on how much water one is taking but the rate of absorption of water component in the body. Glucose is the body component that enhances water absorption by the cells. Glucose gets absorbed into the body cells and out of the blood vessels concurrently when the bodys functions which enhance the absorption or transformation of body fluids are stimulated. CM claims that the cells are unable to absorb body fluids, a situation which results in inability of cells to absorb glucose concurrently. On the contrary, WM claims that the cells cannot absorb glucose, thus resulting in dry cells. This is a good example of where Chinese and WM are concurring in his matter. In contrast, there are some levels of diabetes that do not agree with this symmetry. This is seen as one of the major strengths of CM that enables unique treatment of how a particular patient could experience this illness.  

In diagnosis, it is wonderful to note that Chinese doctors could cure a countless number of patients using physical examination without any assistance from apparatus. They could use four diagnosis methods which included pulse taking and palpation, observation, interrogation and olfaction, as well as auscultation. Olfaction and auscultation is a method that doctors use in collecting messages through smelling odor and hearing sounds a very clear reference for diagnosis. Doctors could directly watch the outward appearance of a patient to know his or her condition through observation (Richard, 2000). The key idea used is that when the internal organs run wrongly or correctly, this is reflected through the tongue, color of the skin, some excrements, and facial organs in the sensory nervous system. This is because the interior and exterior of the body normally correspond. Doctors have a belief that when there is normal functioning of the organs, the frequency, pulse, and pulse intention will be notably stable. Conversely, it varies when not stable. The palpation and pulse refers to instances when doctors note the pulse conditions of the patient on the radial arteries. Eventually, the doctors can know the internal changes of the symptoms. In interrogation, the doctors question the patients and their relatives in order to know the symptoms experienced, about previous treatments, and the disease evolution.
 
The combination of these diagnosis methods makes a collection of facts which assist the doctors in analyzing the virtue of a particular illness and its source from the internal body relations. Moreover, it assists physicians to give a detailed prescription. Traditional Chinese medical science has a distinction from drugs from the WM in that doctors have discovered effects of medicine of several herbs over a long span of time. The patients are supposed to boil the medicine before taking it and the treatments magically take effect.

 Studying the Fourth Uncle in the Mountain text has really proven beneficial as it has exposed me to various aspects of Chinese medicine. For example, I have marveled at Thahus medical prowess that assists the aged monk to successfully take care of Quang Van Nguyen.  The various practices that the monk does reflect the philosophy and tradition that is characteristic of Chinese medicine. I have, for example, learned that Chinese medicine has various terminologies. Despite all these differences in terminologies in medicine handling in either CM or WM, the major focus is to get a patient well following proper diagnosis and proper prescription by doctors. In the contemporary world, traditional medicinal treatments have been adopted and are still playing important roles and also raising great interest and attention as they have done amazingly in the curative effects already reported.

Japanese culture has long been steeped with influence and belief in the supernatural, with many of their practices  just like in many other cultures  revolving around these supernatural beliefs. As such, the influence of the supernatural has found its way into many aspects of Japanese living from formalities to pleasantries, business to pleasure and perhaps the most significant reflection of their supernatural influences, the rich, magical world of Japanese literature.

Being among the most isolated of cultures during its early stages of development long before globalization, Japan was able to develop and cultivate a highly definitive and original literary culture steeped with influences of the supernatural. This isolation and independence was also what gave rise to the Japan that it is today  one which remains one of the leading superpowers in the world whilst maintaining a humble and down-to-earth manner steeped in tradition and beliefs well reflected in every aspect of the nation most especially in its literature.

One such example of the supernatural at work in Japanese literature is Ueda Akinaris collection of short stories entitled Ugetsu Monogatari or Tales of Moonlight and Rain. Considered among the most popular and influential works of fiction of the Edo period which lasted from 1603 to 1868, Tales of Moonlight and Rain contained nine stories that revolved around the concept of the supernatural. Adapted from old Chinese ghost tales, Tales of Moonlight and Rain utilized the ancient Chinese yarns in a retelling by esteemed writer Ueda Akinari. Setting the stories in Japan Ueda Akinaris version of the Chinese tales in Tales of Moonlight and Rain made use of historical people and places as well as traditional literary works.

In one such story entitled Asaji Ga Yado or The Reed-choked House, the main character is haunted by the ghost of his wife whom he abandoned to seek better pastures for his then starting out family. As he returned though, he meets the ghost of his wife and remains haunted and bothered until such time that he had realized the folly of his ways. By then he had already suffered from the haunting of the ghost of his wife. This shows how much Ueda Akinari inculcates a moral lesson in the story as to preach the word of nativism or kokugaku  that which school of thought and philosophical understanding that he subscribes to.

Another story of particular note is the one entitled Shiramine, which featured prominent historical figures that helped deliver the message of responsibility and integrity. The first protagonist is Saigyo, who was also known by his birth name, Sato Norikiyo. Saigyo was a world renowned and well respected Buddhist monk famous for his poetry. The other main character is Sutoku, a former emperor who was abdicated and banished. Both men played parts in Shiramine to tell another cautionary tale telling of the consequences of actions being taken by men.

Other stories in the collection tell their tales in the same manner, each by centering on a supernatural event  ghosts haunting characters in efforts to have them experience life-changing epiphanies and the like - and yet ultimately reaching a moral lesson to educate and serve as reminders for those who live in the real world, as planned by Ueda Akinari.

At first glance, one would think that the stories basically center on the supernatural, but a closer, more educated analysis of Ueda Akinaris work would determine that despite basing the stories on supernatural themes, the aim of the stories were actually to imbibe lessons for the present and perhaps the future in order for them to achieve a sense of responsibility and awareness that would impact the moral and ethical development of individuals and in turn, humanity  a goal that couldnt be any more real by means of the unreal.

Japanese culture has long been steeped with influence and belief in the supernatural, with many of their practices  just like in many other cultures  revolving around these supernatural beliefs. As such, the influence of the supernatural has found its way into many aspects of Japanese living from formalities to pleasantries, business to pleasure and perhaps the most significant reflection of their supernatural influences, the rich, magical world of Japanese literature.

Being among the most isolated of cultures during its early stages of development long before globalization, Japan was able to develop and cultivate a highly definitive and original literary culture steeped with influences of the supernatural. This isolation and independence was also what gave rise to the Japan that it is today  one which remains one of the leading superpowers in the world whilst maintaining a humble and down-to-earth manner steeped in tradition and beliefs well reflected in every aspect of the nation most especially in its literature.

One such example of the supernatural at work in Japanese literature is Ueda Akinaris collection of short stories entitled Ugetsu Monogatari or Tales of Moonlight and Rain. Considered among the most popular and influential works of fiction of the Edo period which lasted from 1603 to 1868, Tales of Moonlight and Rain contained nine stories that revolved around the concept of the supernatural. Adapted from old Chinese ghost tales, Tales of Moonlight and Rain utilized the ancient Chinese yarns in a retelling by esteemed writer Ueda Akinari. Setting the stories in Japan Ueda Akinaris version of the Chinese tales in Tales of Moonlight and Rain made use of historical people and places as well as traditional literary works.

In one such story entitled Asaji Ga Yado or The Reed-choked House, the main character is haunted by the ghost of his wife whom he abandoned to seek better pastures for his then starting out family. As he returned though, he meets the ghost of his wife and remains haunted and bothered until such time that he had realized the folly of his ways. By then he had already suffered from the haunting of the ghost of his wife. This shows how much Ueda Akinari inculcates a moral lesson in the story as to preach the word of nativism or kokugaku  that which school of thought and philosophical understanding that he subscribes to.

Another story of particular note is the one entitled Shiramine, which featured prominent historical figures that helped deliver the message of responsibility and integrity. The first protagonist is Saigyo, who was also known by his birth name, Sato Norikiyo. Saigyo was a world renowned and well respected Buddhist monk famous for his poetry. The other main character is Sutoku, a former emperor who was abdicated and banished. Both men played parts in Shiramine to tell another cautionary tale telling of the consequences of actions being taken by men.

Other stories in the collection tell their tales in the same manner, each by centering on a supernatural event  ghosts haunting characters in efforts to have them experience life-changing epiphanies and the like - and yet ultimately reaching a moral lesson to educate and serve as reminders for those who live in the real world, as planned by Ueda Akinari.

At first glance, one would think that the stories basically center on the supernatural, but a closer, more educated analysis of Ueda Akinaris work would determine that despite basing the stories on supernatural themes, the aim of the stories were actually to imbibe lessons for the present and perhaps the future in order for them to achieve a sense of responsibility and awareness that would impact the moral and ethical development of individuals and in turn, humanity  a goal that couldnt be any more real by means of the unreal.

The Angel Island poems are based on the happenings of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, where some Chinese people were detained for a long time in an island in San Francisco. These poems are historical and they are deemed as relics. In addition to this, the Angel Island poems uphold as well as question the traditional ideologies of unlimited and equal opportunity in the American society.

The kind of readership that the Angel Island poets are addressing in their writings is the historical value of the Chinese people in the American society as well as the evident themes in the poems such as labor, race and immigration in America. The theme of labor is quite evident in the Angel Island poets as these poets write about the labor and economic conditions in the state of California. According to these writings, it was after the war in Mexico that the Chinese labor was welcomed in America. In addition to this, the Chinese people as evident in these poets writings were somewhat fundamental to the fishing and agriculture industries in the state of California. Furthermore, these poets write in detail about the Chinese workers struggle for better working conditions as the various forms of exploitation that they suffered and endured in the American society.

Moreover, in the Angel Island poems, the writers also dwell on the oppression that the Chinese endured, which was racism and economic racism. Lee (61-2) states of how distressed the Chinese were because of been detained in a wooden building and that it was because of racial barriers that caused many difficult situations on an Island in San Francisco. Furthermore, it is quite clear that the Angel Island poets were writing the poems for the Chinese people as a whole including the Chinese detainees as well as future generations. These poems also dwell on the way the Chinese had viewed America as a land of opportunity and equality. Sadly, according to them this was not the case. Furthermore, the Chinese did not expect to be detained in any manner in America. The Angel Island poets disappointment at the lack of equality is widely expressed in most of their poems.

Indonesia as a country continues to be shaped by different aspects of its culture, politics, and norms. This then brings about the connection among its citizens and establishes the value of identity. It is through pursuing these interests that the aspect of policy development becomes seen in political, social, and economic realities. This essay will reflect on the interplay of popular culture and politics in Indonesia and how it shapes the development of values. Moreover, the paper will also try to point out how these connections are applied within the social realm. Lastly, the relationship between politics and popular culture to how people respond shall also be studied.

Elaborating further on the interplay of popular culture and politics in Indonesia, it can also be seen that groups also matter in establishing its connections and value. Here, particular consideration is given towards finding means for culture to influence the political realm. Under this process, it gains considerable impact on how politicians respond and act accordingly. These then influences the ability to induce interaction and promote a corresponding value among what people perceive as real. Such elements begin to emanate within the process of politics and gains momentum as it establishes specific norms and customs within Indonesian society. That is why it can be seen that politicians take high regard to the aspect of popular culture as an essential instrument that can mold public policy and cultivate aspects related to ensuring continued stability and growth.

Relating the connections between popular culture and politics, it can be seen that these correspond to Indonesias music, film, and reality TV genres. Since these represent an essential part of the customs and traditions of the people, both popular culture and politics use these as effective instruments towards merging common themes and furthering interests in each one. In here, Indonesian musical genre becomes highly politicized especially that of dangdut and wayang because of their ability to convey issues and critiques related to the political sphere. In turn, these common themes also help bring about a message to the common people and tries to induce responsiveness and connections through lyrics and messages.

On the other hand, politics also benefits from the process of common culture because the current system remains dependent on the image it presents upon the people. That is why politicians use this facet to convey their attention as it tries to balance the interests of the people in relation to their religion, beliefs, and personal opinions about issues shaping society. By becoming in-tuned with these realities, politicians are able to capitalize on these trends and become reactive to existing common issues.

To conclude, this essay argued the significance of culture and politics in shaping identity within Indonesia. At the same time, insights were also given on how these relationships become manifested through the arts. Lastly, a relationship was identified between politics and common culture and how it equally shapes reality and responsiveness of the people. Assessing these realities, it can be argued that this process does not remain unusual. This is because politics remains to be influenced and shaped by culture and diversifies the manner of how leaders respond to existing trends.

After a period of economic boom, the United States went bust.  The situation today is similar to the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression of the Thirties, which remind people that business cycles dictate their lives.  America is now also at war again after a temporary peaceful lull.  And just like the Roman or Greek empires which rose and fell, the Unites States is now declining relative to other political powers like China.  Christians sometimes panic and think that the end of the world is near, but Buddhists remain calm since they know that all the ups and downs or cycles of life are normal.  It just needs to be moderated to become less painful.  This is what Buddhist philosophy teaches, and it is aesthetically illustrated on the Bhavacakra or the Wheel of Life.  Truly, there is a plethora of symbolism and allegory contained in the art of Ancient Buddhism. The Wheel of Life, said to have been created by Buddha himself, best represents the Buddhist philosophy.
Briefly, Buddhism is all about the Middle Way, which is the solution to the problem asserted in the Four Noble Truths.  The First truth says that life is dukkhaa word used to describe the experience of riding an old wooden cart or wagon with an uneven wheel, or the feeling that you get when you hear a screeching irregular potters wheel when it turns.  This is a description of the cycles of life and everything in the universe.  Everything is part of an infinite cyclical loop of birth, life, death and rebirth.  War or terror, for example, will always be around, since periods of peace are impermanent. And while everybody is certain to die, memories about them live on, so they continue to be reborn.  Hitler, for example, is still alive through books and other media, so he still causes suffering in some parts of the world.

The Second Noble Truth exposes the cause of dukkha.  Rodney St. Michael, In Sync My World, describes the general second truth dukkha is caused by Yin and Yang, two abstract representations of polar opposites that exist in the universe like the opposite poles of a battery or a bar magnet.  Yang for example is compulsive desire.  On the other hand, Yin is aversion or the avoidance of what is desirable.  In terms of race, Yangs are Whites and Yellows and Yins are Blacks and Browns.  With respect to gender, Yangs are males and gays, whereas Yins are females, bisexuals and lesbians.  And in politics, for example, Yangs are Democrats and Yins are Republicans.  The existence of many more occurrences of Yin and Yang produces infinite cycles of suffering.

The Third Noble Truth then says that to extinguish the suffering of dukkha, one most extinguish Yin and Yang and the last Noble Truth asserts that to extinguish Yin and Yang, one must follow the Middle Way, a path of moderation between the two extremes.  The Middle Way is described as the Noble Eightfold Path.  This path reconfigures your mind and lifestyle so that your thoughts, perspectives, compulsions, obsessions, fears and so forth are controlled, calibrated and centered.  By managing ones life through the Middle Way, the effects of dukkha are minimized.

Many scientists, authors, politicians, actors, athletes and other influential people endorse and practice some form of Buddhism since it is an effective secular way to manage life.  The long list includes famous personalities such as Albert Einstein, Henry David Thoreau, Brad Pitt, Tiger Woods, George Lucas and many more (St.Michael, 2003).  Even Pope John Paul II, who invited The 14th Dalai Lama on several occasions to lead world ecumenical conferences, believes in Buddhism (Knickmeyer, 1999).  Many psychologists, psychiatrists and neuro-scientists, such as Carl Jung, also endorse it since it is a scientific philosophy.  President George W. Bush also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama (BBC News, 2007).

Buddha himself is said to have influenced political leaders during his time, and supposedly, he used the Wheel of Life illustration to get his point across.  The Divyavadana, an anthology of Buddhist stories mentions that Buddha gave a copy of the art piece to King Rudrayana.  The artistic diagram depicts a wheel showing the circular traction section, the hub and several spokes that divide the wheel into either five or six sections, depending on the version.  The sections depict various metaphors that relate to different situations that cause the wheel of cyclic suffering to turn in a cause-and-effect pattern.  The causal links are more specifically portrayed as twelve scenes that cause human suffering, from ignorance to death, a cycle that repeats perpetually.  At the hub are three busy animals, a cock, a boar and a serpent, symbolizing greed, ignorance or delusion, and hatred, respectively.  Like a guinea pig running perpetually on a spinning wheel, these three are the roots of evil that cause the chain of suffering to continue until one decides to be freed from it by following the Middle Way.  Lastly, a monstrous beast with a crown of five skulls and three eyes, representing death and time, holds the Wheel with its paws and feet.  Collectively, these tell the story of the Four Noble Truths.

In the five or six sections divided by the spokes, six different worlds are painted as metaphors for various conditions and personalities that cause unhappiness in life. In the first world, the Buddha can be seen with a lute, together with devas, or metaphorically rich and powerful people who think that they are immortal.  But the Buddha reminds them that everything in life is impermanent.  Pleasures do not last, and their erroneous delusions make them suffer just like people in Western First World countries like the United States.  In the second world, asuras or symbolic revolutionaries or rebels, are portrayed, fighting devas.  Here the Buddha is shown with a flaming sword, telling the asuras that communist-socialist states or what was called the Second World, such as the former Soviet Union, is also a world of suffering.  They keep fighting devas and pay the price for it.  In the third world, the Buddha is painted as a monk with a begging bowl and helps average humans who experience the troubles of birth, sickness and aging.  The fourth world depicts the animal kingdom.  Buddha loves animals and considers them to be sentient beings like humans, but humans butcher them for meat, and use them for farming, transportation and entertainment.  They suffer too like humans, but Buddha comforts them by reading a story from a book, as painted on the section.  Then, the fifth world depicts pretas or ghosts of the past, metaphors for bad memories like Hitler that still linger in peoples minds.  People have a hard time letting go and build houses for these ghosts, like Holocaust museums in Europe.  As a result, people suffer.  Finally, the last world is cold and hot hell, or the hellish existence of people because of the extremes of Yin and Yang.  The Buddha here bears a flame, like bodhisatvas or illuminati, giving hope to people in the darkest corners of the world, telling them that, like everything else, their hellish suffering, whether because of poverty, war, disease, broken relationships or anything else, is impermanent.  Eventually, it will end, as the Wheel of Life keeps turning.

Furthermore, the traction section or the Wheel of Lifes outer rim portrays the 12 interdependent causes, linked in various ways, of dissatisfaction or suffering in life, reminding people of the things that they need to be mindful of to live better.  These include ignorance (painted as a blind old man), mental formations or conditioning (like a potter that shapes his own destiny), untamed thinking (similar to a monkey that jumps from tree to tree or one thought to another), name and form or Yang and Yin (like two inseparable people on the same boat), the five senses and the mind (similar to five windows and a door to a house), contact (a man then embraces a woman after the previous situations occur), sensation or feelings (cupid fires an arrow at his eye and hes emotionally stuck), craving or compulsive desire (a woman offers a man some water, just as she satisfies his thirst), clinging or grasping (as a man plucks tree fruits and does not want to lose his loved one), devotion and continuity (the woman marries the man), birth (a woman gives birth after they mate), and aging which leads to death (a corpse in the fetal position shows how the cycle will start again and live in one or more of the six worlds).

In the end, just as Sigmund Freud observed that all human motivations and actions stem from sex, whether physical or simply relational or emotional, Buddha noticed that world suffering is cyclical, caused by desires, and can be managed through the Middle Way, which is what the art of the Wheel of Life tells.  The philosophy has truly influenced the aesthetic values of Buddhism and the Wheel of Life.  Buddhists would indeed have a hard time explaining their beliefs without it.

Buddhism is not just one of the worlds biggest religions, as any history book would show it is also one of the worlds oldest religions. It can be dated as far as 2,500 years ago with members all around the globe that use its three jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha) not only as parts of their religion but also as a way of living and treating everything else around them. Buddhism in its simplest form can be interpreted through two basic tenets or foundations of its teachings (Swearer 71). Overcoming self or personal attachment is the first foundational teaching of Buddhism that seeks to free its followers from the material burdens of living (Swearer 71-72). The second foundational teaching is acting compassionately towards and in behalf of others without waiting or expecting any in return of his or her acts of compassion (Swearer 73). These basic or foundational teachings used to be interpreted and prescribed among Buddhist followers without much variation. However, more than two thousand years are more than enough to instigate some changes in the totality of Buddhism. Just like any other religion, Buddhism must and have adapted to the new pressing needs of its followers and embodiment as a religion. One of the strongest and most distinct modification that Buddhism used to cope with the fast changing times since its founding date can be best seen in the contemporary versions of both teaching and practice of Buddhism such can be seen in the different regions and countries where Buddhism is pronounced. The colors and wonders of the evolution of Buddhism will be tackled exhaustively in this paper particularly through the perspective of Chinuls tono chomsu (sudden awakening and gradual cultivation). This paper will use not only the specific changes pushed forth by Chinul in achieving nirvana, but also the procedural difference this change may imply particularly to Kanhwa or observing the critical phase. All of these will be systematically tackled in this paper.

Putting Tono Chomsu into Context
Buddhism used to be studied according to the country that practices it this approach made the bigger picture worthier of studying away from the focus of researches. Regional approach in studying Buddhism is the bigger picture studying it will pave the way for more comprehensive study of Buddhism (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 199). Chinuls tono chomsu is best understood by integrating it to existing East Asian models and not just through its mother country- Korea. Through this approach anyone can see the existing relationship (even if neglected for a long time) of countries that practice Buddhism. For example, Korean Buddhism when interpreted can be irrevocably laden with assimilative texts from Chinese Buddhism. Chinul (1158- 1210) is the charismatic leader of Buddhism during the Koryo Dynasty in Korea he is also one of the most leading proponents of sudden awakening and gradual cultivation (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 200). These two concepts will be tackled in the remaining parts of this paper and are also the main component of the thesis of this paper. This paper will establish the implications of the specifications of sudden awakening and gradual cultivation of Chinul and its effects to the applicability of Kanhwa or observing the critical phase. This paper will seek to do so by first explaining the real meaning of tono chomsu, relating its implications to Kanhwa and concluding the discussions with the modern day applicability of the discussed arguments.

Amidst the assumptions already laid down by the first parts this paper would further establish that biographical considerations on the leniency of Chinul to Chinese Buddhism can also affect his teaching on tono chomsu. He tried to merge kyo (mouth) and son (mind) in approaching his teaching of Buddhism.    
Sudden Awakening and Gradual Cultivation

Historically speaking, Chinul is proven to be highly influenced by the fifth patriarch of Buddhism- Tsung- mi (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 203). As proof, Chinuls teaching of the tono chomsu can be best studied to the very similar work of Tsung- mi. The spiritual development of Chinul is also undeniably based on the teaching and similar prescriptions of Tsung- mi (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 203).
Tono chomsu just like other spiritual processes is an example of soteriology or belief development. This statement can be further established by that sudden awakening and gradual cultivation is a prescription by Chinul in achieving nirvana through spiritual development. The main components of tono chomsu can be generally classified as the approaches to becoming spiritually developed in relation to Person and Dharma. These components are best explained through the ontological factors of immutability and adaptability (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 204). These components cannot be absent in the soteriological process prescribed by Chinul. In tono chomsu, the mind through the sudden awakening caters the Dharmas immutable and absolute aspects. The sudden awakening through this mind centered approach aim to combine the absolute and phenomenal sides of reality to insure the continuous and progressive spiritual development of its followers. Ultimately, sudden awakening also relieves its followers with the burdens of delusion that tend to bend what is real and what is essential toward irrelevant and immaterial concerns needed in attaining the nirvana. This approach is also essential in the self realization of Buddhism followers regarding the very nature of their existence and nature. The need to change away from the delusions which can be provided by misguided teachings can be easily seen through by those who undergone sudden awakening (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 205). It can be further established that sudden awakening is a necessity in gaining a footing the soteriological process of Buddhism, at least according to Chinul.        

Kanhwas Integration to Chinuls Tono Chomsu 
Kanhwa or observing the critical phase is replaced in the soteriological process by Chinuls tono chomsu. This is a misconception long overdue to be explained by scholars of Buddhism. Tono chomsu is not the antithesis of Kanhwa this claim can be supported by establishing that Chinul integrated Kanhwa as a part of his work but not necessarily as a phase. Chinul integrated Kanhwa in tono chomsu not as a phase but as a representation of the potential problems that a Buddhism follower can encounter (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 206). These problems may revolve around misconceptions of the role of sudden awakening and delusion regarding the right ways of living. Cultivators or the followers of Buddhism may assume that there are no wholesome practices worthy of cultivation and there are no wrong doings that must be eradicated this is the case for those that perceive their personal natures as something immutable (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 206). Cultivators or the followers may also only grasp the verbatim of the teachings innate to tono chomsu in this case the followers do not live to the actual practice of Buddhism (Buswell, Chinuls Systematization of Chinese Meditative Techniques in Korean Son Buddhism 206). These problems are the best examples of Chinuls attempt to integrate the observing the critical phase because just like the tono chomsu the Kanhwa aims to bring out the best out of Buddhist followers.    
 
Tono Chomsu and the Modern World
As said earlier in this paper, the Chinuls tono chomsu seek to improve Buddhist followers in two folds- personhood and in respect to the Dharma. Even if Chinuls work was written more than a century ago and more than a century after the founding date of Buddhism, the potencies of his work as a soteriological approach to Buddhism cannot be denied of existence. Sudden awakening and gradual cultivation to the sentient part of livings will not only pave the way for the full utilization of tono chomsu, but also to the appreciation that Kanhwa is integrated by Chinul in tono chomsu. Even up to today, the teachings of Chinul through tono chomsu are being practice not as mere words but as everyday practices (Jeongbae n.pag.). Having said and defended all of these, this paper deems its objective found in its thesis stands beyond any words.

In Buddhism, it is believed that human beings, nature spirits and inanimate forms possess spirits. Korean Buddhism came into existence as a result of a blend between Chinese Buddhism and Korean Shamanism although the teachings of Buddha remained the same (BiK 3).Due to this fact, the real rituals of Buddhism are merged with Shamanism resulting into an ecumenical approach in thought and practice. The following paper will discuss introduction of Buddhism in Korea and site examples of its artificial nature compared to the original Buddhism.

History
Korean Buddhism is practiced in South Korea also known as Republic of Korea in northeast Asia. Buddhism developed in South Korea during the Three Kingdoms that is Koguryo, Paekje and Shilla. It was introduced from China in the 372 A.D. by a monk, who brought with him Chinese texts and statutes when he was invited from China to the northern Kingdom of Koguryo. In China, Buddhists believed in the law of cause and effect which is, one would reap what he sow and in the search for happiness a philosophy that had much in common with the indigenous Shaman beliefs. This made absorption of Buddhism by the people of Koguryo and subsequently to Paekje and Shilla respectively was quick (BiK 5).

It therefore combined with the original Shamanism whose origin in Korea is still not yet known. As Shamanism is the ancient religion of animism and worship of nature-spirits, it easily merged with Buddhism which did not differ with the rites of nature worship. This led to the establishment of Buddhist temples on special mountains where spirits were believed to reside before the introduction of Buddhism. Buddhists even set aside shrines in some temples for the Mountain Spirit, Sanshin depicted as an old man with a tiger at his feet, Toksong, or the Recluse, and Chilsong (the spirit of the seven stars, the Big Dipper) who were important and specially revered in Korean Shamanism. Buddhism then underwent renewal when colonization by the Japanese came to an end in 1945 (BiK 4)

Four special features characterize Korean Buddhism. These are Bodhisattva principles which embody generosity, good conduct, vigor, patience, meditation and wisdom as its perfections (BiK 6) unification which led to the formation of the Unified Shilla Period after it brought the people on the peninsula together hence social harmony, openness and the mundane.

Approach of Korean Buddhism
Buddhist thought is practically oriented and aims to attain Buddha hood at individual level, and save living beings at the social level. This goal is attained through use of skills. Living beings regardless of religion form the basis of salvation in Buddhism. Therefore Buddhism, Korean Buddhism included is inclusive and tolerant (KE 2).Together with the concept of Buddhist schools, it is evident that Korean Buddhism adopted all concepts of Buddhism (Jeon, 275).

Korean Buddhism is  portrayed as ecumenical as it incorporates both Shamanism and Buddhist systems although it incorporated all concepts of Buddhism. The synthetic feature of Korean Buddhism is well reflected in the inclusion of diverse faith systems in the Korean Buddhist prayer books. The most commonly used Buddhist prayer book in Korea is Seokmun Euibeom or the Guide Book for Buddhist Rituals that records diverse rituals. Within them all Buddhists thoughts and faith systems are intermingled. Hua-yen system is the most prominent among the variety of faith system. This is also confirmed by the worship for Buddha and Bodhisattvas in the Worship, and the chanting of Beopseongge and the Hua-Yen (Jeon, 275).
Misconceptions resulted from the diverse system of faith in Korean Buddhism leading to arguments and conflicts. Various people tried to resolve this by coming up with philosophies aimed at unifying the different Buddhism sects and reforming Buddhism  (KE 2).

Wonhyo, an intellectual according to Korean history used a symbolic thought of Korean Buddhism (KE 2) to warn against rigidity of doctrines and noble domination on Buddhism. He attempted to create a practical Buddhism that was oriented towards the common people. Buddhist research found his work to systemize and integrate Buddhisms diverse doctrines very important.

In an approach known as Hwajaeng-sasang, Wonhyo came up with the philosophy of reconciliation and harmonization. This was in the effort to harmonize and integrate different viewpoints of the various Buddhist sects. With time, conflicts and arguments arose due to different interpretations of this philosophy. To avoid this, he stressed the principle of harmonization of disputes which unified the total view of Buddhist doctrines and created a unique synthesis of Buddhist thought (BMIS 1).

He harmonized all contradictions and disputes by admitting traits of each doctrine emphasizing the teaching that all phenomena are merely products of the mind and urged people to awaken to this fact (KE 2) Wonhyo always focused on oneness, the interconnection of everything with the whole universe. As a result the philosophy of one mind was introduced from his Hwajaeng-sasang. This philosophy teaches that true understanding is attained if one is enlightened and has oneness of mind. As it was embraced by many people it made Buddhism very popular. This way, with his life, he unified doctrine and behavior while he constantly popularized Buddhism, portraying practical orientation (KE 2).

Uicheon used teaching to seek the standard points of Seon and Doctrine. He was a National Master during the Koryo period and tried to re-establish organized Buddhism and bring unity to the Koryo society. During the late-Shilla and early-Koryo period ,the Buddhist order  became corrupt and so he tried to change it focusing majorly around the royal house (KE 2).

As the Unified Shilla period was coming to an end, son Buddhism suddenly expanded following a movement that was centered on the Nine Mountains meditation schools. It emphasized personal cultivation and rejected the royal house central control and doctrinal orders and thus advanced the trend towards regional power centers. Doctrinal orders declined as son Buddhism expanded and doctrinal Buddhism required funds from the royal house so as to publish Buddhist sutras and written works.  Uicheon, noticed the risk and intervened by promoting  religious practice based on both doctrinal learning (Kyo) and meditation (son). However, his approach only led to doctrinal studies acceptance of son in a minimal way (KE 2).

As a practical methodology, Jinul on the other hand, developed the practices of the Three Gateways from his belief of Sudden Awakening and Gradual Cultivation. This philosophy teaches in relation to the mind of Buddha which he said was similar to ones original nature and is based on awakening the true nature of the mind before it is gradually cultivated through meditation and wisdom. Unlike Uicheon, he attempted to reform Buddhism from within the son sect. Jinul gathered a group of seekers who rejected fame and profit and went to live a secluded life devoted to pure religious cultivation during the troubled atmosphere of the military coup in 1170 in Korea. The group was called the Samadhi and Prajna or concentration and wisdom community as their practice included meditation and doctrinal studies(KE 2).

By developing this small, dedicated community of religious practitioners devoted to the dual cultivation of son (meditation) and Kyo (doctrine) he was seeking to restructure the Buddhist world. Today, for most of the Korean son school the community serves as a role model. Though Korean Buddhism still accepted doctrinal studies as being in harmony with son, they began to favor son Buddhism after Jinul. The Korean son school is as a result, much more inclusive and integrated than its Chinese or Japanese counterparts (KE 2).
Both Uicheon and Jinul built philosophies that were majorly concerned with the unification of son and Kyo as they sought to reform Buddhism from their particular historical surroundings point of view (KE 2) whereas Jinul and Wonhyo both believed that all events are as a result of what is in the mind. All the three aimed at unifying other Buddhism sects especially Korean Buddhism due to its diverse beliefs.

Afghanistan has experienced power struggles since it came into existence with some struggles turning bloody while others were being won without much struggle. Since 2001, American together with Afghan forces has taken over the responsibility of offering security. This has help put the insurgents at bay and help improve the living standards of people. This paper is going to look into the historical aspects of Afghanistan and Logar province in particular.

Since the intervention of the international community in Afghanistan, the Taliban insurgency led by al-Qaida has greatly lost control of most regions in the country. They have been rendered incapable of threatening the central government and dominance has only been restricted to The East and the Pashtun South. Although the insurgents had suffered heavy combat losses in 2006, they are continually establishing their influence with its major base being the Pashtun communities. They have also resulted to suicide operations in which they are employing the use of more aggressive, lethal and visible tactics. Were it not the international military help that Afghanistan is receiving together with Afghan security presence in the volatile East and Pashtun South, the government could have lost control of the regions to the al-Qaida (Alfred  Peter, 2007).

The Afghanistan government is committed to developing the country as it can be seen from the political institutions that it has successfully managed to establish through the drafting of a new constitution, coming up with a democratically chosen parliament and holding free and fair presidential system. There are substantial efforts from Afghan National Army together with the National police in trying to promote peace in the volatile east and south regions. Despite the numerous efforts being made, the main obstacles have been the lack of skilled personnel, ethnic together with tribal rivalries and corruption. Afghanistan as a nation is comprised of 34 provinces with the Pashtuns forming the biggest ethnic group. Pashtuns live in the Logar province which is located 100 kilometers to the south of the capital city Kabul. This province is lined by the rugged Kharwar mountain ranges to the south and east where copper is mined. People in the region mainly depend on agriculture which happens to be the driving force behind their economy. Fruits and grains are the ones which are mostly grown in the region (Peter, 2004).

Although there has been a limited access to basic services, the province has undergone considerable reconstruction since the fall of Taliban rule. Health facilities have been constructed in each of the districts in the province and numerous other projects have also been established. The projects include construction of a major roads, radio stations, municipal buildings and building of several schools (Alfred and Peter, 2007).

Afghanistan history
The first people to settle in Afghanistan territory were the nomadic tribes. They settled down in 1500 BC. They were mainly settled on the mountain parts of Afghanistan. They lasted until the time when Alexander Magno came to Afghanistan. The Bactrians and Kushans who were Buddhist later conquered the territory. Later on, Islam through the Turks penetrated the region in the middle of the VII century and remained the most dominant until the Mongol arrived from Gengis Khan who took over domination of most parts. The region came to be known as Afghanistan in the present day. The remaining territory was dominated by Persian Sofawies (Peter, 2004).

Afghanistan came into existence because of the efforts of Ahmad Shah Durrani who managed to unite the existing tribes in 1747 after fighting the Indians and the Persians. He built an emperor which lasted up to 1973. In the XIX century, the country came under attack from the Persians who had the help of Russia in their attempt to expand up to the Indian Ocean. The situation was salvaged by Great Britain who managed to send troops to the country after which they put their governors who could sympathize with the cause. The Afghanistan people did not accept the English who they perceived as invaders. They constantly harassed them and with several confrontations, the Afghanistan people managed to recover their sovereignty in 1921. Muhammad Daoud Kan in 1973 managed to head a military coup that saw the monarch retire after which the country settled (Richard  Donald, 2001).

The country was again invaded in 1979 by the Soviet Union in a bid to support communist rule, an act that generated war between the Soviets and the Afghanistan. The soviet army was forced to withdraw between 1986 and 1989, but another civil war was started by Muyahidin between the Afghan groups. Mohamed Najibula left presidency in 1992 after which a coalition government between Guerrilla groups was formed. Kabul was taken over by the Taliban in 1996 leading to the establishment of a fundamentalist administration. From that time, Afghanistan has been under the rule of political and religious fundamentalists. Some of Afghanistans historical events revolve around the struggle for power with the invasion of the Soviet Union and the British on their territory. They also include the rise of religion and its domination in the country, modernization and how the Taliban came to seize power (Hassan, 1997).

Afghanistans Social Structure
Geography Afghanistan measures 652,230 sq. km. Its main cities are the capital Kabul, Kandahar, Mazar-e-sharif, Herat, Jalalabad, Terrain and Konduz. The country is terrain such that it is land locked with mountains and deserts forming the major part of it. It has a dry climate with occasional cold winters and hot summers (Peter, 2004).

People It has a population of about 28 million people with more than 3 million living outside the country mainly in the neighboring Pakistan and Iran. Since the removal of Taliban from power, a considerable number of people have returned to the country. Its population growth rate is estimated to be 2.6  on an annual basis. The major ethnic groups are the Sunni Muslims who form 80  of the total population, followed by the Shia Muslims who form 19  and the remaining 1  comprises of other religions. The main languages used are Dari and Pashto (Richard  Donald, 2001).

Economy in 2009, Afghanistan was estimated to have a GDP of 23.35 billion. The average GDP growth between 2004 and 2009 was averagely estimated to be 11.25 . Its GDP per capita was 800. Oil, natural gas, copper, coal, talc, barites, chromites, sulfur, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt and precious stones are among the natural resources that are found in Afghanistan. 31 of the GDP is said to be derived from agriculture. Some of agricultural products include opium, lambskins, wheat, sheepskins, corn, rice, barley, cotton, wool, mutton, fruits, karakul pelts and nuts. Industrial sector is estimated to be contributing 26 of the GDP. Some of the industries include small scale industries involved in the production of soap, textiles, fertilizer, shoes, hand woven carpets, furniture, cement, coal, copper and natural gas. The service industry is estimated to contribute about 43 of the countries GDP. Afghanistan acquires approximately 547 million from exports with the exception opium export. Their major markets are the USA, central Asian republics, Russia, India and Pakistan. Its imports are estimated to be 5.3 billion which are mainly petroleum products, machinery, food, textiles and consumer goods (Martin, 2002).

Government and political conditions The first democratic national elections were held in 9th October 2004 in which an estimated 8 million people participated. Another election for the lower houses was held in 2005 which had a turnover of about 53 of the registered voters. The Afghanistan constitution provided an indirect upper house election. The first democratic national assembly was inaugurated on 19th December 2005 with Younus Qanoon being elected as speaker of Wolesi Jirga (lower house) and Sigbatullah Mojadeddi becoming the speaker of Meshrano Jirga (upper house) (Peter, 2004).  

Education there have been impressive advances in terms of providing basic education. About 10,000 schools are now offering education to an estimated population of 6.3 million children. Adult literacy rapidly increased in 2009 with learning centers growing from 1,100 to 6,865. The government has managed to bring financial services to an estimated 169,000 people (Martin, 2002).

Transportation they have managed to restore ring road which connects Kabul, Herat and Kandahar with northern cities of Kunduz and Mazar-e-shariff. The country has no functioning railway system and therefore relies mainly on Amu Danya River on the boarder of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This river acts as a vital trade route among the neighboring countries.

Prominent political figures
King Zahi he was a cousin to the prime minister of Afghanistan who took control of the government in a bloodless coup in 1973. He modernized the military by sending them to USSR for training although he was perceived to be running an oppressive regime. He reigned between 1973 and 1978 after which there was an increased communist threat against him. This led to the split of the party between Taraki and Amin. A military coup was organized by Amin but Taraki took control of the government. After one year, Amin organized an assassination against Taraki and he was assassinated. Amins administration took power but only lasted for a period of 3 months after which the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Amin was killed and Babrak Karmal took over who was replaced by Mohammed Najibullah in 1986. Mohammed brought numerous reforms to the country and in 1989, the Soviet Union left leaving him to run the government independently (Peter, 2004).

According to Chris (2004), Mohammeds regime collapsed in 1992 and an interim government was formed under the leadership of Rabbani. The war lords started fighting after which the Taliban took control in 1994. It received a lot of backing from the people and promised to eliminate warlord control and bring back the king. It controlled the country until 2001 when the US and UK led a campaign that removed them from power and an interim government was put into place.

Afghan National security forces
Afghanistan national security branches include Afghan National Army, Afghan National Air corps, Afghan National police, Afghan boarder police and Afghan public protection program. Afghan national security forces are responsible for ensuring that peace prevails in Logar province and other provinces.