The Art of Living

The images of old Hong Kong always touch my heart. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, but I have lived in New York for about forty years. I have thought about retiring there. But the recent riots make it less likely. Besides, what I have feelings for is the old Hong Kong. I visited the new Hong Kong several years ago. Much has changed. The more modern Hong Kong has become, the more Americanized it is, and the less I feel that there is anything special…

The attached picture shows an old man eating noodle in the middle of a street. Not in a fancy restaurant. Yet, he seems to be savoring it, eating the noodle in a leisurely and mindful way. It reflects a slow culture. It is something totally missing in the U.S. Two years ago, there was a show on Netflix called “Samurai Gourmet.” It was not a very popular show in the US. But I was impressed by it. For it shows the appreciation of little things in life. For example, eating fish and other simple food at a rural inn-restaurant.

The images of old Hong Kong often teach the art of living, which is what Zen is. We don’t need to experience something big or extraordinary in order to be happy. Happiness is to be found by slowing down, so that we can discover the beauty in ordinary things. I call that ordinary magic.