BR 05: Confucianism in China

Confucius felt that learning should be a pleasant experience and one that should be approached with joy. (p.14)

    I often hear that Chinese people are learning and working hard, but I have never heard the reasons. The reason is the Confucianism. I'm interested in why people believe it so strongly and keep their minds all the time. In past time, there was family rulers, but as the time passed, their power were gradually weak. So, people were suffering from nation's poor. They tried to forget it by relying on Confucianism and learned about it. In the saying, there are many tips for our daily life. For example, studying, working and living and so on. Now that it has been inherited from ancient people. Children also learn about it in their school and house and they keep conducting that. Chinese people think that it is the best way to believe it and follow it. Therefore, they feel the bond of their family, friends and have loyal feeling.

           
            This books has clear pictures and history in detail. If you want to know              Chinese philosophy, I recommend it.

 Waring, Rob. (2009). Confucianism in China. Massachusetts: National Geographic.



             

BR 04: Seasons and celebration

The day he died, he sent a note to this woman, and at the end of the note, he said: ' Your Valentine.' （p.4）

       Now that Valentine's day is common in Japan, and people present a chocolate for their boyfriend or friends. They believe that the day is happy day in order to tell their true love or friendship. However, the day is originated from a man's love for a woman in a heartbreaking situation. That is what I was interested in. I think he realized that he couldn't have happy life with her, but he just wanted to tell his mind. His way of thinking was similar to temporary people. Those who fall in love want think that it's important to make others to know themselves. Valentine's thinking is inherited by people all over the world.
     
     This book is in the Oxford Bookworms series. It has many colorful pictures and histories about celebrations. I recommend you to read it if you're interested in the difference between Japan and other countries.

Maguire, Jackie.(2003). Seasons and celebration. Oxford: Oxford.
                                                                                    

BR 03:Romeo and Juliet

Nothing else is important. Call me love, not Romeo. (p.11)

      As you know, there are a variety of love stories. This is one of the most famous stories in the world. I like entire scenes in this story, but especially I was impressed with Juliet's garden's scene. Their family have been enemies before they have seen in a party, so they can't have happy life even if they are joined at hip. However, they believed that the two families would get along and they could get married. As they said, the name wasn't important for them. They loved what they were. They wanted just true love. I think Romeo and Juliet's love makes us heartbreaking.
     
     I recommend you to read it. If you read, you can understand their time situation. What would you do if you fall in love with a enemy.

Shakespeare, William. (1998). Romeo and Juliet. Oxford: Oxford.
                                                                              

BR 02:Flying Pumpkins!

One of team member explaines, " The ladies that don't like to get involved, they know right around September...October, that it's about time to become a Punkin' Chukin' widow.（p.9）

     There are many interesting festivals in the world and people try to prepare for them by spending most of their time like Japan. This festival is called 'Punkin' Chukin' Contest.'  I'm interested in this festival because the way which they compete is so strange. As you hear the name of it, you may think about Halloween. Before I saw this cover, I guessed about it like you. However, they try to make greater and more strong machine to fly pumpkins! Most of participants are men, so their wives feel stressed and depressed because their husbands are too keen on making them. In Japan, men are also dancing hard to win a yosakoi contest. So, I can understand their situation and feeling. Festivals are just their culture and living!!!

     I want you to read this book and feel their concentration and minds whom men want to protect for a long time.

Waring, Rob. (2008).  Flying pumpkins! Massachusetts: National Geographic.
                                                                                                                                        

BR 01: How to be an Alien

In England, the weather is always an interesting, exciting, subject and you must be good at talking about it. (p.7)

     I was interested in the English people's behave for others. Like Japanese people, they often talk about the weather when they see others. For them, talking about it is common, so they tend to judge them by their way to talk.  For example, in bad weather, there are two people and if one of them says, " I don't like the rainy day like today.", the other should say, " I think so." or " I agree with you." In other words, you have to be for a man or woman even if you don't think so. This situation is strange because the person forces his or her idea on the other.
     
     This book is in the Penguin Readers series. If you want to go to England, I recommend you to read it.


 Hopkins, Andy.＆ Potter, Jocelyn.(1999).  How to be an Alien.
Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited.