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感應與掌葉蘋婆樹側記 英譯版【Interaction with Stinky Sterculias & A sidelight of the Stinky Sterculias】
來源: | 作者:pmo6334f2 | 發布時間: 2019-04-11 | 1320 次瀏覽 | 分享到:


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Interaction with Stinky Sterculias

 

I still remember when I just moved to Fangliao Art Village last year, it was the leaf abscission period of the two big stinky sterculias in my front courtyard. Never would you sweep the courtyard clean for leaves kept falling here and there. Many friends suggested that I should cut them down. On the one hand, there would never be fallen leaves, on the other hand, the trees wouldn’t grow any more so that it could be avoided that their roots spread to the house to cause damage. Moreover, there would never be pungent odour during the flower phase of the trees.

 

However, I’ve always felt like they were the original settlers, according to the order of arrival, we should give basic respect to them. We certainly couldn’t sacrifice their right to exist for our own benefits. In case the house is damaged by the growing roots, we just move out.

 

As to the troublesome fallen leaves, when you have a different mindset, it would be a romantic thing. And while sweeping the leaves of the courtyard, at the same time we are reminded that we should clean our mind as well. We should even express gratitude to the trees for letting us have so many opportunities to give by our labour. Therefore, I occasionally sang songs (Yuan-He-Miao-Yin-A miraculous sound from self-nature sung by Master Hong Sheng) to reward them.    

  

To the life existing in the infinite universe, the most valuable thing is rapport and harmony. When others scramble for more, we need give more and be more considerate for all beings.

 

The other day, the artist next door told me that it was the two trees’ most flourishing time in this year since he moved to the village. And during the flowering phase there wasn’t any pungent odour at all. Also, it seemed that the ground of the courtyard didn’t crack any more.  I guess those were the trees good-faith response.

 

It is very hot this year. However, I don’t need to turn on the electric fan or air conditioner while sleeping because my room is always cool, which is really different from the other artists’ rooms. It is probably the big trees’ care, too.

 

Global warming is getting more and more serious. Many scientists are also trying their best to seek methods for solving the problem. We should give blessings, support and cooperate with them. However, good environment is from pure mind and harmonious world is from tranquil heart. The root of environmental protection lies in mind. We shouldn’t neglect the energy of mind. If we can resolve our inner conflicts, the outer conflicts can be resolved as well and if we can keep our heart pure and kind, the natural environment will return to pureness, too.

 

Written by Hong Sheng

In 2007

                                                     

A sidelight of the Stinky Sterculias

 

I have seen the two stinky sterculias when Master Hong Sheng lived in Fangliao Art Village. They grew very tall and dense which could be called Tree Kings among the trees nearby.


 


 

As my major was landscape design when I studied in the university, thus I am familiar with this kind of trees. It is also called skunk tree and sterculia foetida. “Skunk” means “foul smell”, “sterculia” means “shit” and “foetida” means “odour”.  From its name we could know it is really quite smelly. Many local residents in Taiwan even have petitioned around against the odour of the trees. What is it on earth that makes the trees so smelly? It is when the trees are blossoming that their flowers would give off the unbearable foul smell. Some people describe it as smelly as pig manure and chicken manure. Especially after the flowers are trampled, the smell would get worse. Once some citizens petitioned Taichung Environmental Protection Bureau for the rotten flesh smell near their house, since they suspected there were dead dogs or dead cats nearby. 

 

However, there wasn’t any foul smell of the flowers during Master’s living, because Master was very kind to them. In September 2013, when I revisited Fangliao Art Village I took some pictures and videos. From the pictures we can see the tall trees were still healthy and strong at that time. They were very close to the house. Looking up under the trees, I could find that they helped to shade the house a lot and made the house very cool. Yet their big roots were apt to damage the ground, too.


 


 

But not everyone would be kind to the trees as merciful Master did. In 2015, out of some curiosity, I visited the village again and found that half crown of the trees had been cut off. Maybe people did it for the reason that the fallen flowers and fruit would pollute the road.  

 

From the picture taken in September 2013, we could see the trees of the village were very beautiful. While in the picture taken in August 2015, all the trees seemed to have no vitality due to the injury of the Tree Kings. I was so surprised. Could the plants convey and feel their pain mutually? I firmly believe they could.



 

If everybody could follow Master’s teachings,“To the life existing in the infinite universe, the most valuable thing is rapport and harmony. When others scramble for more, we need give more and be more considerate for all beings”, I believe all beings could get along with each other peacefully and the world would certainly be harmonious.

 

Written by Qiyan