Apart from wines: Paleography (Part II)

(Continued)

So, who wants to know when some words were written? What is the use of doing that? To answer that, I first want to share a story - actually an experience of myself.

Some years ago, I was involved in a project at work. I was sent to Utah in the United States by my boss. Why me? Two reasons: I practice western calligraphy, and I type fast. I guaranteed you, in Hong Kong, if you tell someone you are a calligrapher, that sounds like you are an artist and you will then be linked to the idea that 'you don't earn much'. If you tell someone you type fast, that sounds like you are a typist and (again) you will then be linked to the idea that 'you don't earn much'. So neither one of them would be considered as having some valuable skills.

Well - but with both of the skill sets, I was sent far away to the middle of US on a business trip. Plus, there was basically no one else in the company who could take over that. No one got such skill sets combined! So, those skills which were almost of 'no use' were turned into opportunities and my valuable assets!!

So, what I had to do there? And what was the project about?

There were two objectives: first, I got to do a typing test there and see how fast I could type (I couldn't do it online because no one knew the effect of the transmission rate of data via the internet line. So I had to be physically there to type with the system there.); second, I got to learn reading those so-called 'ancient writing'. As someone who knew calligraphy, it is easier for me to learn the basics about 'ancient writing'. So, that was my first encounter of the term 'Paleography'.

If not because of such experience, I bet I would never have thought there were people who really study the ancient writing, and what was the reason behind the study.

The reason of study was to trace our family lineage, and know our family story, plus history. Those doing these studies are the genealogists. They are the one who study genealogy, which is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. And Salt Lake City in Utah is more like the centre of such study in the world.

To trace the lineage, there were thousands of ancient records which the genealogists would refer to. Examples of records are census reports, birth records, death records, passenger list on board sailing to other places. Since these records are all hand-written, and there were abbreviations to understand and decipher. So there came the use of 'Paleography' - first analysing the writing, then understanding the words written there. Hence, with further analysis of the words identified, the family lineage could be traced.

While everything is now being digitalized, and with the development of search engine - all records got to be turned into TYPED ones. So, my typing speed has become the benchmark of the data centre doing typing jobs. As someone who learnt some basics of paleography, I got to teach the typists how to read the ancient words after I came back to Hong Kong. I also had to do a training manual on Paleography.

So that was it.

Today, I still remembered when I was in Utah, I was taken to the archive centre to see those original copies of records. I was really amazed to see thousands of real records from ages ago. Some records were turned into microfilms for archive, because the originals were too fragile. I have been reading all those calligraphic hands in books, but then all a sudden, those real ones were in front of me!

Apart from the surprise seeing all those, it was amazing that the 'unwanted' skills (calligraphy & typing) have brought me to learn something about the extraordinary subjects: 'Paleography' and 'Genealogy'.

(End)

P.S. To view the 'digitalized database' of family lineage, please click HERE for link to the UK site, or HERE to the US site.

Also, click HERE to read the profile of Abraham Lincoln and the related record images, so then you will have better idea about 'Paleography' and 'Genealogy'.

Apart from wines: Paleography (Part I)

Quite a lot of times, we say wines are a mix of arts and science. Probably that is why it is not that easy to 'thoroughly' understand wines. It's not easy - you got to be an artist to appreciate the beauty of wines and the culture behind; on the other hand, you got to be a scientist to understand winemaking as it is indeed a chemical process (the alcoholic fermentation) involving some microorganism (the yeast).

Grown up in Hong Kong, and being educated all through my primary school and secondary school years, it seemed to me arts and science are rivalry. They were separated into two 'streams' in the school - I could only choose either Arts or Science. Arts subjects include History, Geography, Chinese History, etc., whereas Science subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc. Since then, my world was split into two.

Until I started working in the wine industry, and being told that wines are a mix of arts and science - I realized that my world has become one again.

Although I chose the Science stream, but I have never given up Arts. I practice western calligraphy, I could stay at museum and just be there staring at an artpiece from different angles for half an hour. So, I am really glad to be immersed in the 'One World' again now - wine is like a glue that put Arts and Science together.

Tonight, I was reading some books about letters. Then I came across a word that reminded me of another subject which I was interested in some years ago. Apart from wines, that is a subject that puts Arts and Science together. It is called 'Paleography'.

It is a study of ancient writing. Somehow, it is a scientific study of an artform. It requires analytical skills and a strong sense of ordering in order to decipher and recognize the words, hence identify when the words were written.

One who is reading here may ask, who would want to know when the words were written, and why there is the need to do that. I will answer that in next piece of writing.

(To be continued)

P.S. If you want to play a little game and get a touch of what 'Paleography' is about, please visit check out the website HERE.

What is 'arts'? What is 'arts of wines'?

I still couldn't believe that I am actually teaching the course 'Art of Wine Label'. And even more unbelievable was the fact that I was a Science student before I went into Business School at University. Plus, the super unbelievable thing was how come when I was preparing the notes - I have already got the idea about arts, about arts history (though definitely my understanding is not as in-depth as a 'real' Fine Arts student), and the appreciation about arts.

Teaching arts-related subject is basically a challenge, and teaching wine-related subject is also a challenge. There comes 'arts x wines' - that is a REAL CHALLENGE. In fact, I think the challenge itself lies at the fact that it's really a huge subject - it's about history, about life, about living, about time passing by, about emotions, about expression... how could I get to the point and focus? It's hard, I found.

It took me quite a while to figure out where to start, and where to pinpoint for my students. Although after all, I realized that some of my students attended my course because of 'wines' - but I do think behind 'wines' - there lies the 'arts' about wines and about life.

I'm really glad to have the opportunity to realize my 'dream' to teach such a 'wines x arts' course. Perhaps I might not be performing at the best I should have been, but I truly hope through the sharing, I could deliver what means by 'arts' and what means by 'wines' to all my audiences.

In fact, both are really simple thing - they are just expression of life, passion, and living.

Stone from the Ruin

This afternoon, I showed my friend one of my most favorite sculpture, which is actually the one in the slide right in front of me on my desk at home. Then he said to me, "it is just a stone from the ruin." Because of this, I wanted to write something even though I am so busy with work.

The first sight of this sculpture dated back to around like 10 years ago. I saw that at an exhibition at the Landmark in Central. Since then, I love it so much. In 2000, I was in France. I realized my dream for I made a visit to the museum having this ORIGINAL sculpture. (http://www.musee-rodin.fr/). I bought this slide, poster, bookmark, publications, postcard, etc. Until now, I have got several books about this artist and his works!

After my friend's comments, I wondered why I like this 'stone from the ruin' that much. The answer perhaps just: 'REAL'.

To my friend, perhaps that's a piece of stone without any meaning. Or as he said, because I don't know anything about sculpture and I couldn't make it, therefore I love that so much. However, there have been so many sculptors around in the World. Why this only? All his works actually present that kind of 'REAL' touch. The verve in there really caught me.

Turning such 'ordinary stone' into an artpiece which is so humane is not easy at all. His handicraft is really amazing!

(Finally, I would like to quote some words from a book to tell you more about this particular sculpture. English only.)
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The Kiss. 1886. Marble. Musee Rodin, Paris.
'That embrace in which there is both desire and chastity'
"The man's head is bent, that of the woman is lifted, and their mouths meet in a kiss that seals the intimate union of their two beings. Through the extraordinary magic of art, this kiss, which is scarcely indicated by the meeting of their lips, is clearly visible, not only in their meditative expressions, but still more in the shiver that runs equally through both bodies, from the nape of the neck to the soles of the feet, in every fibre of the man's back, as it bends, straightens, grows still, where everything adores - bones, muscles, nerves, flesh - in his leg, which seems to twist slowly, as if moving to brush against his lover's leg; and in the woman's feet, which hardly touch the ground, uplifted with her whole being as she is swept away with ardour and grace."
- Gustave Geffroy -
Rodin: The Hands of Genius. (ISBN 0500300194)