#NFTsummer A few weeks ago, we interviewed Xixi Huang (AW#17) in Mandarin and as the AppWorks Fellow who helps us out on the blockchain side, Xixi has a lot of ideas that are worth sharing to a bigger audience. Here's his interview in English:
西西 (Xixi) 黃士晉 is an AppWorks #17 alumni and co-founder of Rydeit. His mission is to bring the applications of blockchain to everyday life because he believes that blockchain can make the world a more fair and better place. As an AppWorks Fellow, he is responsible for guiding founders to think about blockchain and providing insights on blockchain-related investment deals. Before AppWorks, he led his previous team to build more than 10 dapps, including famous games in Taiwan such as 柚子打魚 and Shrimp.Finance. Within a month of launching these games, they had amassed over NT$ 100M (~US$ 3.5M) in transactions. His favorite pastime is traveling with his grandma, and his ultimate goal is to persuade her to buy Bitcoin!
Check out what Xixi has to say about blockchain and NFTs.
#NFTevolution
I started to learn how to write smart contracts in 2016, and learned the entire logic of ERC-20 for tokens and ERC-721 for NFTs. While I was learning about NFTs, I realized that the combination of NFTs with video games was very fitting. In video games, the treasure and equipment you collect becomes virtual assets as NFTs. And the process of using smart contracts to exchange items was very efficient on the blockchain.
At the end of 2018, I designed and created a zombie video game, integrating the concept of playing and drawing cards and packs. Within a pack were 3 NFTs with zombies on them. As a player, the more cards with zombies you collect, the higher your score, and the more tokens you can ultimately earn. From this game, I got connected to other game manufacturers and publishers who were also interested in creating virtual game assets through NFTs. We all had the same idea -- NFTs can bring more meaning and value to the players.
However at the time, many people in the market still believed that tokens and games were riddled with fraud. Since the lifecycle of video games can be short, many traditional gaming companies in the end didn’t find it worthwhile to learn how to integrate NFTs or blockchain into their games.
While the nature of NFTs hasn’t changed, the market has evolved. People’s curiosities are growing, more applications are being developed, and more creators are cropping up. I think now is the right time to start talking to companies about how to integrate NFTs or blockchain into their businesses or games.
#NFTplayground
I think there are many opportunities to start a business these days, and people who want to start one should think about coming to blockchain. Not only is there a huge opportunity but the possibilities are endless. And within blockchain, NFTs currently offer the biggest opportunity. However, it can also pose a new challenge to the team’s endurance, because while easy to obtain traction and users with NFTs, the challenge lies in retaining them.
Similar to other blockchain applications in the past few years, when a new concept is invented, it’ll be flushed with many early users. However, because the surrounding infrastructure wasn’t in place, it was difficult for founders to make valuable extensions or applications. And many of these users don’t actually care about these blockchain products and they are only trying to leverage the ecosystem to make a quick buck. Once they earn all that they can, they will move on to another project.
Right now working on NFTs, you can collect a lot of data in a short amount of time and also make some income to keep you afloat. Founders should seize this opportunity to understand these users, then modify and optimize both their products and mentality to retain them.
Since there’s no geographical restriction on blockchain, I would encourage founders to look beyond your country and region in expanding your NFT products. Also, since blockchain is closely related to finance, if you don’t have a good pricing strategy (or token economics) for your NFT products, the prices might fluctuate greatly. You need to be prepared and remind your users of the risks, otherwise you’ll ultimately get scolded!!
#NFTera
This year, I finally consider myself an official NFT collector. I pay special attention to NFTs with contemporary significance, such as Hashmasks. It signals to the public that NFTs are not just for collecting but that game mechanics can also be applied to interact with users. If we look back ten years from now I’m confident to say that the project that really brought the NFT wave in 2021 would be Hashmasks.
In addition to veteran projects like Hashmasks, other collections I care a lot about are related to Metaverse, such as The Sandbox. I believe that the world will become more and more decentralized and virtual. It is very likely that the next generation will be immersed in a virtual world like Ready Player One, so I am also very optimistic about NFTs in digital worlds like The Sandbox.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to NFTs. Right now, few NFTs are connected with our daily lives. For example, I bought a Hashmask. If I want to show it in my apartment, I might still need to print it out. In the future, how will we connect NFTs to the physical world? I believe they can be applied in many ways, including frames, wallets, cars, house deeds, leases, etc. These products in daily life can be combined with NFTs. We just haven’t opened our imagination yet. It’s hard to imagine that only 20 years ago we were having a hard time believing in the power of the internet.
The development of science and technology not only relies on infrastructure, but also the user's learning curve. The world needs to talk about blockchain more, so that everyone will gradually become familiar with it and it’ll continue to evolve.
If you're a founder working in blockchain or NFTs, welcome to apply to AppWorks >> https://bit.ly/3w0WyIl
meaning of significance in english 在 Auman Facebook 的最佳貼文
Just a quick update for those who might not have heard of our election result as of yesterday.
We've had the highest voting rate since 2004, with a turnout rate of 58% - reflecting how important it is given that it is the first one since the Umbrella Movement in 2014.
Pro-democracy camp has maintained its veto power in LegCo (at least in relation to members bills and constitutional reforms), winning 19 seats out of 35 in the Geographical Constituency, and 11 out of 35 in the Functional Constituency.
There are some new faces in the LegCo, with new generations now entering the council. Six candidates have set to advocate for Hong Kong's "self-determination" in the LegCo. Although localist parties did not do as well as I'd hope, overall the results still remain positive.
In case you've missed it, here's the video which is a continuation of my previous video explaining how Hong Kong is not China. This video will give you a better idea into Hong Kong's flawed institutional structure. It is to be seen whether call for Hong Kong's self-determination can really be brought up in the LegCo.
Lastly, for the next period of time, I will be returning to my usual Cantonese videos (travelling, vlogging etc). I know that many of you perhaps don't understand Cantonese so I will be putting on English subtitles in my future videos.
Thanks,
Auman
Hong Kong Independence?
…all you need to know about recent Hong Kong in 15 minutes
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↓↓Transcript (as requested)↓↓
我們之前提及香港與中國有截然不同的制度
So previously we talked about Hong Kong and China having vastly a different system
香港是一個仿民主社會,而中國即由中國共產黨統治
Hong Kong is a quasi-democratic society while China is dominated by the Chinese Communist Party
所以我們不希望人們混淆兩者
…so we don’t want people to get confused between the two
但故事還未講完
But the story doesn’t end here
明年是2017年,香港主權移交給中國的20週年
Next year 2017, it would be 20 years since Hong Kong’s turnover to China
你大概會以為這段時間香港和中國會越走越近
You would’ve thought that during this time, Hong Kong and China would’ve grown closer to one another
但事實卻非如此
But it has not been so.
香港人和中國人反而變得越來越有隔膜
If anything, we’ve grown to be more and more apart.
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沒錯 在過去20年
Yes it is true that during the last two decades
中國從一個發展中國家 發展成現時最大經濟體系之一
China has gone from being a developing country to what is now one of the largest, if not the largest economy in the world
人民收入增加 生活質素提升 有些中國人也躋身全球富豪榜
…which means rising income for Chinese citizens, better quality of life and China has some of the richest people in the world
香港人應該為中國人身份感到自豪吧
If anything, Hong Kong people should be a proud China man!
我還記得2008北京奧運 那個開幕典禮實在是精妙絕倫
I still remember seeing the Beijing Olympics in 2008; that opening ceremony was outrageously amazing
花了很多心機 很好看
…it was beautifully done and such a joy to watch
那是香港人少有地為國家感到自豪的一刻
It was one of those rare moments where Hong Kong people share the same sense of pride as the rest of China
不過 現實歸現實
But the Olympics is one thing, and reality is another
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事實上,自主權移交以來,香港和中國一直有許多矛盾和衝突
The truth is there have been a lot of conflicts between Hong Kong and China since the handover
香港向中國打開了大門,每天都有大量中國遊客到訪
Hong Kong has largely opened up to China where we get a huge number of Chinese tourists every day
旅客本身不應該是個問題,但我們目睹過不少中國旅客的不文明行為
並不是問題。重點在於中國遊客所製造出來的問題。
While tourism shouldn’t be a problem in itself, we have witnessed a lot of issues with these Chinese tourists
例如不懂得在迪士尼樂園排隊 和隨地小便
There had been reports of uncivilized behavior such as not knowing how to queue in Disneyland and… pissing on the street.
我必須強調 不是所有中國遊客都會這樣做 只有一部份會這樣做
And I can’t emphasize enough, not every Chinese tourists do it, it’s just some that does it
但由於香港每天都有大量的中國遊客 這成為了一個逼切的問題
…but because Hong Kong gets so many of them, that becomes a daily problem for people living in Hong Kong.
除此之外,我們可以看到名牌店和藥房的數量激增,以滿足中國遊客的需求
And it’s not just that, we see the rise in luxury shops and pharmacies in Hong Kong to tailor the need of Chinese tourists
如果你去上水(很接近中國邊境的地方)的街頭
If you go to a street in Sheung Shui, which is a place very close to the mainland border
我以前常常去的──你會看見到處都是藥房
I used to go there a lot - you see streets full of pharmacies
其實我完全不明白為何這些店舖會叫做藥房
…and I don’t even know why they are called pharmacies
因為他們主要不是售賣藥物,而是奶粉和尿片
…because mainly they don’t sell medicine, they sell baby milk formula and diapers.
事實上 大陸人不相信中國製的貨品
The thing is, mainland Chinese don’t trust their own stuff
因為在中國任何東西都有可能是假的 那裡沒有質量管制或食物安全
…because you can get fake everything in China; there’s no quality control or food safety
所以很多中國人都會來香港買日用品 如奶粉
So many Chinese come to Hong Kong to buy daily stuff and one product that has always been in high demand is baby milk formulas
香港部份地區甚至出現奶粉短缺的問題
It has got to a point where the supply became so tight that there is a shortage of milk formulas in some areas of Hong Kong
如果你住在歐洲或美國,這情況可能難以置信
If you are living in the Europe or the US, this might sound really hard to believe
嬰兒配方奶粉和尿片!但這是真的,這切切實實在香港發生
Milk formula and diapers, but it’s true, it is what’s happening in Hong Kong.
還有其他問題,例如中國孕婦來港產子等
I can go on about other stuff as well such as the number of Mainland pregnant women who come to Hong Kong
事實上,在2010年,37%新生嬰兒的父母均不是香港永久居民
In fact, in 2010, as much as 37% of all babies born in Hong Kong have neither parents being a permanent Hong Kong resident
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基於這些中港矛盾的問題 香港出現越來越嚴重的反中情緒
Basically because of all these things, this has led to an increasingly serious anti-Chinese hype in Hong Kong
很多香港人都不歡迎中國人 只想他們離開
Many local people are furious and just want them to go away
但對我來說 問題永遠出於制度
But to me, the real problem always lies in the system
我不想將整件事歸疚於中國人身上
Conceptually, I hate to put my frustration upon the Chinese people
因為要來港購物以保障自身安全並不是他們的錯
Because it’s not their fault that they have to buy things from Hong Kong to ensure that they are safe
但制度上出了甚麼問題?
But what about the system?
關於這個制度我簡述如下
There’s a lot I can say about this system, but for now I will just simplify it as follows
在制度頂端有中國共產黨,之後有香港政府和立法會中的建制派
At the top of the system we have the Chinese Communist Party, then we have the Hong Kong government and the pro-establishment camp in our Legislative council
簡單來說,這個制度一直想將香港變成中國的一個普通城市
In short, this system has been trying to turn Hong Kong into just another city of China
並且破壞一國兩制的原則
…and damaging the core principle of “One Country, Two Systems”
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很長時間以來,香港人一直在爭取民主
For a long time, Hong Kong people have been advocating for full democracy
即是普選,可以提名和投票給我們自己的領袖(行政長官)
That means universal suffrage with the right to nominate and elect our own leader, which in Hong Kong is called the Chief Executive
根據基本法,我們有普選的權利
According to the Basic Law, we have a legal right to universal suffrage.
在過去20年,中國政府曾多次承諾香港人會有普選
In the past 20 years, the Chinese government has assured Hong Kong several times that we are going to get universal suffrage
但他們一直拖延實施普選的日期
But they have been pushing back the date for it
又推托說香港人未準備好,所以2007年和2012年都沒有普選。
…and kept saying Hong Kong wasn’t ready, so we didn’t get it in 2007 and 2012
但北京承諾香港2017年可普選特首
But the Chinese has set a timeline for it, and they said Hong Kong would eventually get universal suffrage by 2017
結果,2014年8月31日,北京說
And guess what, on 31st August 2014, the Chinese said
好,你可以有你想要的普選,但我們需要增加幾個條件
Alright you are going to get your universal suffrage, but we are going to have to impose some conditions
首先,行政長官必需愛國
First the Chief Executive must be someone who is patriotic to China
第二,候選人需要先得到現有的行政長官選舉委員會的提名 (絕大部分都是親中代表)
Secondly candidates are going to be nominated by the current Election Committee, which consists (mostly) of 1200 pro-Beijing representatives
最後,無論誰勝出選舉,都要得到中國政府委任才可成為行政長官
Lastly, whoever wins the popular election must be appointed by the Chinese government
所以他們就是說,好,你們可以普選,但我們保留剔除任何人的權利
So basically they are saying, alright you can get your vote but we reserve the right to screen out anyone that we dislike
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北京公布831決定後,香港人當然很憤怒
After this was announced by the Chinese officials, we were bloody furious
所以我們展開了一連串抗議行動,要求真普選
So we began a series of protests demanding for “true universal suffrage”
我們一直以來都覺得普選就是
For years we have always thought universal suffrage means just that
一個民主及公開的選舉
The right to vote in a democratic and open election
但是中共卻憑空製造了完全相反的東西
But the CCP managed to create something that is completely contrary to that
結果,大學生開始罷課
As a result, university students like myself began boycotting classes
並參與在金鐘香港政府總部外舉行的集會
…and attended gathering outside the Hong Kong government headquarters in Admiralty to protest
這演變成持續79天的佔領金鐘、銅鑼灣和旺角的運動
This has then turned into a 79-days long widespread occupy movement in streets of Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Mongkok
期間警察使用催淚彈和胡椒噴霧來驅散我們,我們即用雨傘作盾
During this time, police has used tear gas and pepper spray to try to get rid of us and we used umbrellas as shield
解釋了為什麼這叫雨傘運動或雨傘革命
That’s why this is called the Umbrella Movement or Umbrella Revolution
我個人不喜歡稱之為革命,因為革命通常與激進的改變有關
Personally I don’t like to call it a revolution, because revolution is often associated with some sort of radical change
但對於我們來說,79天佔領街頭後,仍毫無成果
But for us, after 79-days of occupying the streets, nothing has changed.
到今天為止,一切維持原狀──沒有行政長官普選
So to this day, the status quo remains – there is no universal suffrage for our Chief Executive election
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但是為何我們這麼想要普選?
But why do we want universal suffrage so much?
你要明白,我們的制度一直都有缺陷
Well you have to understand that our governmental system has always been institutionally flawed
一般當我們提到三權分立時,有行政、立法和司法三個機關
Usually when we talk about the Separation of Powers, we have the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary
這三個機關本應互相制衡,沒有人能夠掌控一切的權力
They are meant to act as checks and balances of each other so no one gets too much power
因為正如英國的阿克頓男爵所言:
…because as Lord Acton famously said,
「權力導致腐敗,絕對權力導致絕對腐敗。」
“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
我們不但行政長官是經由1200人的小圈子挑選 當中大部份為親中人士
Not only is our leader of the executive selected by a small-group of 1,200 voters – the majority of whom are pro-Beijing
我們連立法會也不能全部直選
We also don’t get to vote entirely for our Legislative Council
事實上,我們只能直選立法會的一半議員
In fact, only half of our legislators get directly elected by us
另外一半是由所謂的功能組別選出
The other half are elected through the so-called Functional Constituencies
香港一共有28個功能組別
There are 28 different functional constituencies, representing different seats in our Legislative council
原意是為了讓香港不同的界別和工種都能對政府政策有話語權
Originally this meant to provide different professions across Hong Kong to have a say in government politics
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但這個制度本質上存在缺陷
But there’s a huge problem – this system is fundamentally flawed
最為人爭議的是,這制度容許公司和專業團體登記為選民
Most controversially, it allows companies and professional bodies to register as voters
製造了一個漏洞讓大公司同時間可持有多張選票
So this creates a loophole where big business can hold multiple votes at the same time
以飲食業為例,大公司可以登記每間分店為一個選民
Consider the catering constituency, big restaurant companies can register each of their outlets as voters
像大家樂這種大型的連鎖餐廳
So big food chain like Café De Carol
不,這不是一間法國菜餐廳,這是港式快餐店
Nope, it is not a French restaurant – it’s a fast food Chinese restaurant
這些大公司可以登記上一百張選票
Something like that can register up to a hundred votes if they like
另外,不同功能組別之間也有很大差異
Also there is a huge discrepancy between different functional constituencies
例如,在衛生服務界,有37,000個登記選民,但在保險界卻只有130個
For example, in the Health Services sector, there are 37,000 registered voters, whereas in Insurance, there are only 130 registered voters
這個差異根本不合邏輯 為甚麼有些行業會得到更廣泛的代表?
There is really no logical explanation for it – why are some industry represented more fairly while others are not
事實上,近半功能組別都是自動當選的,大部份的席位都由建制派瓜分
In fact, almost half of the functional constituencies are uncontested and most of the seats are dominated by the pro-establishment camp.
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這有甚麼實際意義?
But what is the actual significance?
當立法會議員自行提出草案和議案時,我們有所謂的分組點票
You see, when individual legislators propose bills and motions, we have a split-voting system
意思是,在草案通過之前,
…meaning that to be able to pass the bill
需要得到地區直選和功能組別兩方面均過半數支持
It requires a majority vote in both the geographical constituency – those directly elected by us – and the functional constituency
所以就算一個草案得到總共過半數的支持
So we can have a bill that is supported by the majority of the legislators
但仍會因為在功能組別方面未過半數而流產
But fails nonetheless because it did not pass the functional constituency
理論上,只要控制了功能組別的半數就可以否決任何議員草案或議案
So in effect, you only need half of the votes within the Functional Constituency to reject all bills and motions put forward by individual legislators.
但政府提出的卻不一樣,
But the same does not apply to government bills
只需要取得過半數的支持就可以了
For government bills, you only need to get a majority from all the legislators as a whole
所以有時候會有一些政府議案原本被大部分直選議員反對
So sometimes we have bills that are opposed by the majority of those legislators directly elected by us
但基於功能界別大部份贊成而通過
…but nonetheless get through because of the functional constituency
這個制度的問題在於政府和大商家會有勾結的誘因
The major problem of this is that it creates an incentive for the Government and big business players to side with each other
一方面,有功能組別的支持,政府可以否決所有由議員提出的議案
On one hand with the help of functional constituency, the Government has an effective veto over all motions in the Legislative council
另一方面,商界自己也可以否決不符合他們商業利益的議案,如最低工資和標準工時
…while on the other hand businesses can reject motions that are contrary to their interests such as minimum wage and standard working hours
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因此,行政機關在立法方面有很大的控制權
Because of this, the executive has a lot of control over our Legislative Council
他們很多時候也會做很多與市民意願相反的決定
And they often make decisions that are contrary to public opinions
由於選舉制度上的缺陷,我們也不能有效地向行政機關問責
And because of the fundamental flaws in our electoral systems, there is no way we could hold our executive accountable in any shape or form
你也必須明白 香港政府和和中國政府之間的關係
Conceptually you also have to understand the relationship between our executive and the Chinese government
你也許會認為,在一國兩制原則下,香港政府和中國政府是分開的
It’s easy to say, well the Hong Kong government is separate from the Chinese government because of the principle of one country two systems
我們可以實行自己的政策,這不是中國政府的問題,而是香港政府本身的問題
And we can implement our own policies so it’s not the fault of the Chinese government but of our own government
也許是吧,但我們的選舉制度確保香港行政長官是忠於北京的
That is partly true, but remember we have a system as such where our Chief Executive is guaranteed to be pro-Beijing
因此香港政府和中國政府密不可分
That’s why it has an incentive to side with the Chinese government
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以現任行政長官梁振英為例 他自上任以來都在替北京擦鞋
For example, our current Chief Executive, CY Leung, he has been keen to please Beijing wherever possible
他重視中國的利益多於香港的利益
There are lots of policies where he appeared to have put Mainland’s interest above Hong Kong’s interest
如2012年,政府打算推行強制國民教育
For example, in 2012, the government tried to introduce mandatory National Education classes
想加強學生的國家認同感
…so that students can strengthen their national identity about China
但這被大眾反對,因為很多人都擔心這是偏向共產黨的洗腦教育
This was met with huge public protests as many fear that it would simply be a brainwashing curriculum biased towards the Chinese Communist Party
其他情況還包括否決香港電視的牌照申請,梁振英的5,000萬元賄款醜聞等等
There are also other instances such as the rejection of HKTV, CY Leung’s $50 million corrupt scandal – etc
我們極不滿意現在的政府
Basically, we are extremely unsatisfied with our current Government
制度本身容許我們的政府恣意妄為
The system itself allows for our government to potentially be arbitrary and self-serving
而我們沒有有效的方法向政府問責
And there’s no way we could hold our government accountable in any shape or forms
這就是我們想要普選的原因:我們想選擇自己的領袖
That’s why we want universal suffrage so much – so that we can choose our own leader
當然,這不會在一夕間解決所有問題,但會是一個通往更民主和平的制度的開端。
Yes it won’t solve everything but it will be a start to a more democratic and fair system
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雨傘運動是前所未有的
The Umbrella Movement was a first of its kind
雨傘運動一開始十分和平
It started off extremely peacefully
強調非暴力、理性、愛與和平等等
With an emphasis on being non-violent, rational, love and peace and all that
但隨着時間經過,梁振英政府拒絕回應
But as it went on, the CY Leung’s government managed to remain unresponsive
過了兩個月,人們都不知道要怎麼辦
Two months into occupying the streets, people simply didn’t know what to do
而示威者和警察之間的關係則每況愈下
And the relationship between the protesters and the police got worse by days
有警察使用暴力對待示威者
There was alleged police violence
其中有七個警察將一個示威者拖到暗角施暴
Seven police officers took a protester to a dark corner and beat him up
無可避免地,雨傘運動最終演變成示威者和警察之間暴力的衝突──市民被打、被捕
Inevitably the movement turned into something more violent with protesters clashing with the police – people were beaten up and arrested.
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自雨傘運動以來,社會處於嚴重撕裂的狀態
Since the Umbrella Movement, the society has been hugely divided
市民對警察的信任度跌至新低
Police confidence has gone to an all-time low
一方面,我們發現和平的示威遊行再沒有用
On one hand, we realize peaceful protest no longer does a damn thing,
另一方面,人們正在尋找抗衡警力的方法──亦即採取更激進的行動
…while on the other hand, people are finding ways to counter police force – essentially resorting to more radical actions
這也引致部份市民在意識形態上與傳統泛民主派分道揚鑣
It also led to an ideological separation within the pro-democracy camp
香港的傳統泛民主派視建設民主中國為己任
Traditionally pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong felt it was their duty to build a democratic China
他們其實比任何人都更愛中國
If anything they are more patriotic to China than anyone
他們是對六四天安門事件最大感觸的人
They are the people who felt most strongly about stuff like Tiananmen Square
但在過去20年,香港民主沒有寸進,也看不到中國民主化的希望
But for the last 20 years, democracy has not been advanced for Hong Kong nor does it look likely for China
所以有人開始說
That’s why new advocates are saying,
建設民主中國是不切實際的
Well there’s no real possibility of so-called building a democratic China
我們要先自救
We need to start rescuing ourselves first
因此本土和香港獨立的概念開始萌芽,因為人們對一國兩制開始失去信心
So, there emerges the idea of localism and Hong Kong independence because people are simply losing faith in the so-called One Country Two Systems.
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這些社會不穩和躁動最終導致今年初在旺角發生的事件
All this social unrest has led to what happened earlier this year in Mongkok
那是農曆正月初一
It was the first day into Chinese Lunar New Year;
街上有小販在賣熟食
There were some street hawkers selling street food
這些小販雖是無牌經營,但他們一向都在農曆新年頭幾天擺賣,賺幾個快錢
They are unlicensed but that’s what they have always done in the first few days of Chinese New Year, just trying to make a few extra bucks
這就像香港的小傳統
It’s like a little local tradition in Hong Kong.
但今年警察突然執法,引發示威者與警察之間的衝突
But somehow this time the police decided to confront them – which has led to protesters confronting the police
突然間,小販擺賣演變成騷動,或暴亂,視乎你怎麼看
Suddenly it has turned into a huge unrest, or riot, depending which side you are on
街上有雜物起火,市民撿起磚和樽扔向警察
There were fire on the street, people picking up bricks and bottles throwing at the police
警察向天開了兩槍以鎮壓人群
Two shots were fired in the air for crowd control
這是香港二十年來都未見過的暴力
It was violence on a scale that has never been seen in Hong Kong for the last 20 years
的確 暴力的程度與本身的小販問題根本完全不相稱
In no way was the violence proportional to the whole street food and street hawker issue
但你必須明白背後的原因
But you have to be able to understand it in the light of the whole circumstances
那種自雨傘運動以來積累的憤怒和不滿
The sort of anger that has been accumulated since the Umbrella Movement
社會民怨達臨界點
Social unrest is now at its highest point
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雨傘運動後,各種事情由壞變更壞,北京加重了對香港的控制
Things have gotten from bad to worse for Hong Kong since the Umbrella Movement. Beijing has tighten up control of Hong Kong
我們曾經享有的自由受到嚴峻挑戰
Our once enjoyed freedom has been put to some serious doubt
去年,五個在香港出售中國敏感話題的書籍的書商消失了
Five Hong Kong booksellers who sell sensitive stuff about the Chinese Communist Party went missing last year
他們沒有任何出境記錄,憑空消失了
There were no record of them going out of Hong Kong, and they just disappeared
有好一段時間,沒有人知道他們到哪裡去了,然後……
For a while no-one really knows where they went, and then…
好像魔法一樣,他們出現在中國的電視台,承認他們所謂的罪行
Like magic, there they are in Mainland China appearing on TV, confessing their guilt
其他事情還包括廉政公署(香港引以為傲的反貪污機構)大地震
Other stuff such as the ICAC, an anti-corruption body that we have always been proud of, has also been involved in some major shake-ups
更近期的有立法會選舉有六位候選人被取消資格
More recently, six candidates have been disqualified from running the Legislative Council election
他們被取消資格的原因是因為他們提倡香港獨立
They have been disqualified because they advocate for Hong Kong Independence
沒有法例授權行政機關以政治原因篩選候選人
There is nothing in the law that allows the administrative to screen out candidates running for the legislative council for political reason
這根本違反言論自由
That’s just simply grossly against freedom of speech
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還記得四年前,港獨根本無人提及
And remember, four years ago, Hong Kong independence was not even an idea to start with
現在卻成長為一個熱議的社會話題,越來越多人支持香港獨立
Now it has turned into a whole serious social movement – more and more people are turning to Hong Kong independence
背後的原因?
And the reason behind that?
不久之前有一個網上比賽,讓人用六個字寫悲慘故事。有人寫:
A while back there was a post asking people to write sad stories in six words, and someone wrote this:
「一國,兩制,笑話。」
“One Country, Two Systems, Just kidding.”
這就是香港的現況
And that pretty much sums it up for Hong Kong.
主權移交時,曾經有人承諾我們會有
When Hong Kong got handed back over to China, we were guaranteed of all these things:
言論自由、新聞自由和法治
...the freedom of speech, the freedom of press and the rule of law
但這些都一直被破壞
But these things have been undermined hugely
北京的訊息很清晰:
The message from China is clear:
你想要高度自治嗎?
You want your high degree of autonomy and you want to feel special right?
可是你只能在我容許的限度裡享有自由
But you are only as free as we allow you to be
這些自由是我給你們的,我現在要取回你也不能作聲
We gave you that stuff so shut up if we want to take them back. Period.
但事實上中國沒有給予我們自由
But the truth is China didn’t give us freedom of speech\\
我們的人權都不是中國給予的
You didn’t give us any of our fundamental rights. Period.
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我的理解?
The way I understand it?
香港獨立是被動而不是主動的
Well Hong Kong independence is reactive rather than proactive
這是對中國收緊香港的控制所走的一步
It’s a response to the Chinese government for increasingly tightening up control of Hong Kong
我們已經對一國兩制完全失去信心
We’ve completely lost faith in One Country Two systems
所以我們要求更多自主
As a counteractive response we are demanding for more autonomy
我們想要把握自己的命運
We want to be able to grasp hold of our own fate
所以這就是香港的現狀
So this is where things are right now in Hong Kong
這是一個死結
It’s in a complete deadlock
我們只能二擇其一:接受一國一制或更激進地抗爭
We either accept for one country one system or we have to fight in a more radical manner
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星期日是下屆立法會的選舉投票日,是雨傘運動以來的第一次選舉
On Sunday, it will be our next Legislative Council election – the first since the Umbrella Movement
天知道會發生甚麼事
God knows what’s going to happen
我希望你能去投票,好好考慮要投給誰
But I do urge you to vote, and to think about your vote
Because in a perfect world
你試想,在完美的世界裡
當立法會可以處理大多數事情的話,市民便不需要走上街頭暴力抗爭
…if things can get done in the Legislative Council, then people wouldn’t need to take to the street and to resort to any kind of violence
我們極需立法會抗衡行政機關的權力,而你的一票有莫大的幫助
We desperately need a balance of power right now – and your vote can contribute to that
我們需要議會內有更大的聲音──我們需要更多人去尋找不同的可能
We need more voice in our Legislative council – we need people to look for different possibility
呼。就是這樣。
Phew, so that’s it.
無論你來自香港或香港以外的地方
Whether you are from Hong Kong, or from outside of Hong Kong,
這段和上一段影片都對我以及很多香港人來說很重要。
This video and the last video is important to me, and to a lot of people in Hong Kong
霎時之間這可能難以消化
This is probably a lot to take in if you’re new to this, but don’t just take my words for it
但請繼續留意新聞,和其他人一起討論,做更多的資料搜集,這些東西都可在網上找到
Keep reading the news; keep talking to people about it; go research about this, it’s all over the internet
最後,謝謝收看
And lastly, thanks for watching.
天祐香港
meaning of significance in english 在 玳瑚師父 Master Dai Hu Facebook 的精選貼文
【玳瑚師父茶會課室】 《以茶會友–第八場 :新春大年初三餐會》
8th Recap : 2016 Lunar New Year Dinner With Master Dai Hu (English version below)
2016年二月十日,大年初三,玳瑚師父在新加坡文华东方酒店的MELT ~ The World 咖啡廳,舉辦了《新春大年初三餐會》。餐會開始前,出席者們和玳瑚師父互贈年柑賀年。
餐會當天,最年輕的出席者是兩位二十出頭的年輕人。她他們有這機緣來增長智慧,玳瑚師父為她他們高興。師父甚希望大家抱握青春的時光,主動去接觸佛法和玄學,因為趁早學習改寫自己的命運,這一生才會真正「出人頭地」。
其中有一位出席者,更被玳瑚師父點說,她臉上的光是眾人中最亮的,師父亦娓娓道出其原因,讓眾人了解先輩對後代的影響,原來是如此的密切!
餐會精彩回顧:
丙申年世界動態 ~
一、 哪兩個國家最好不要去?
二、 哪一地區的國家會有病毒感染?
三、 神洲大地會有什麽天災人禍?
四、 新加坡的哪一區會有瘟疫?
五、 猴子的年份,有何寓意?
六、 天災為何而來?
七、 有天災為何不一定是壞事?
丙申年家庭運勢 ~
八、 家中有寵物,為何會離婚?
九、 真心愛一個人,應該期盼她他幸福,不應該在爭吵時,白刀進去,紅刀出來。
十、 單身女子今年的愛情運。
十一、 屋子裡的哪一個方位,會問題多多?
十二、 家中大門開在哪一個方位會特別旺?
十三、 今年家中誰最旺?
十四、 家中哪一位成員,最易沖犯和生病?應該如何防範?
十五、 已婚男主人,丙申年裡的展望、問題及化解方法。
十六、 家中女主人,丙申年裡的展望、問題及化解方法。
十七、 家中長子,要事業與情場兩得意,一定要這麽做!
十八、 家中長女,丙申年裡的展望。
十九、 家中次子,要注意的事項。
現場答客問 ~
二十、 為何不同人拜太歲會在不同的日子?
二十一、 參加寺廟的謝太歲與安太歲同修,卻無法攜帶師父所交代的供品,怎麽辦?
二十二、原來犯太歲不祇是自己的生肖,這樣的情況也會犯太歲!
二十三、矛盾的生肖配偶組合,婚姻會時甜蜜,時有距離感。
二十四、玳瑚師父為何一直不缺錢?
二十五、如果自己今年宜守不宜攻,如何進行購屋換車的計劃?
二十六、怎麽樣的居住環境,是天然的美容師,讓女主人越來越漂亮?
二十七、為超市裡的肉類畜靈唸往生咒,可以怎麽做?
玳瑚師父亦開示在正月初九,供養南無天公玉皇大天尊的意義何在。
現場一位出席者,廖文豪先生,主動說出,在去年的新春餐會,玳瑚師父曾指點她他們夫婦倆,如何能夠互旺彼此,讓先生賺錢更容易,而太太的脾氣也會比較收斂。她他們照做後,果真很快就看到「效果」。廖先生更稱讚玳瑚師父在去年所做的預言一一都應驗,準確無比!
餐會後,玳瑚師父帶領出席者們去觀看設在酒店內的菩薩像。 兩歲孩童見到玳瑚師父向菩薩像合掌頂禮,竟也可愛地模仿師父,向菩薩像合掌禮拜,真是「近朱則赤」啊!
玳瑚師父細心地向大家解說,站立和坐立的佛像有何區別。他語種心長地提醒大家「我們本來就是清淨的。」,何以現在「處處惹塵埃」?人間沒有一樣東西或人,是屬於我們的,包括妳你最愛的孩子。不要一直想要留連在人間。
不要覺得自己一直都不夠,事實上「妳你已經很幸福了」。
人的毒,來自自心,所以能夠從内到外的排毒法祗有佛法,而不是什麼營業品或目前最流行的果汁。
妳你真的學會佛法,修行有成,就不再受五行的約束,也當然不用看風水或批命了。
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On 10th Feb 2016, the third day of the Chinese New Year, Master Dai Hu held a Chinese New Year Dinner Session at Melt - The World Cafe at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The attendees and Master Dai Hu exchanged mandarin oranges and Chinese New Year greetings before the dinner session commenced.
The youngest participants that night were two youths in their early twenties. Master Dai Hu is glad for them, having the affinity to grow their knowledge at such a young age. It is Master Dai Hu's hope that everybody can make good use of their youth, to take the initiative to learn the Dharma and Chinese Metaphysics. The younger we begin, the earlier we can learn the ways to rewrite our destiny, and truly stand head and shoulder above your peers in this lifetime.
Master Dai Hu also pointed a participant out, for having the brightest facial aura among all present. He further explained the cause of it, and highlighted that the influence our ancestors have over the descendants is more intricate and closely knitted than many of us realise!
Highlights of 2016 Annual Luck Cycle Talk:
Global Outlook in the Year of the Fire Monkey ~
1) Which two countries should we avoid travelling to?
2) Which region of countries will see the occurrence of infectious diseases?
3) What natural disaster or man-made tragedy will surface in China?
4) Which region in Singapore will experience an outbreak of contagious diseases?
5) What is the implied meaning in a Year of the Monkey?
6) Why are there calamities?
7) Why is the occurrence of natural disasters not necessarily a bad thing?
Family fortunes in the Year of the Fire Monkey ~
8) Why would having a pet at home increase the risk of a divorce?
9) If you truly love a person, you should wish for his or her happiness, and not draw the dagger during fights and arguments.
10) How is the romance luck for single ladies this year?
11) Which sector in your house will bring you the most problems?
12) Which front door direction is the most auspicious?
13) Which family member will experience the most prosperity this year?
14) In the year 2016, which family member is at the biggest risk of getting sick and experience spiritual disturbance?
15) The outlook, obstacles and solutions for married men in this Year of the Fire Monkey
16) The outlook, problems and solutions for the woman of the house, in this Year of the Fire Monkey
17) To have success in both his career and love life, the eldest son must do this!
18) The outlook for the eldest daughter this year
19) The precautions the second son must take this year
Live Q&A
20) Why do diffferent groups of people make prayers to the Grand Duke of Jupiter, on different dates?
21) You took part in a temple puja, to thank the Grand Duke of Jupiter and welcome the incoming Grand Duke of Jupiter. But you are unable to bring the offerings, as suggested by Master Dai Hu. What should you do?
22) Clashes with the Grand Duke of Jupiter not only depend your Chinese zodiac sign. It could also happen in such situations!
23) A married couple, with contradictory zodiac signs, fluctuates between feelings of sweet bliss and emotional distance.
24) Why is Master Dai Hu never short of money?
25) If you have been advised to stay on the defensive this year, how do you proceed with your plans to buy a property or a car?
26) What kind of living environment is a natural beautifying tool, for the woman of the house to look more gorgeous?
27) The way to recite the Rebirth to Pureland mantra, for the numerous animal spirits in the meats, at a supermarket.
Master Dai Hu also expounded the significance of making offering to the Heavenly Jade Emperor on His birthday, on the 9th day of the Lunar First Month.
A participant, Mr James Liaw, voiced out his positive experience with Master Dai Hu, from last year's CNY dinner gathering. Master Dai Hu had advised him and his wife, on the ways to enhance prosperity for themselves and each other. Those recommendations would help Mr Liaw to make money easier and Mrs Liaw to be more even-tempered. The couple followed Master's advice, and indeed, witnessed the results in a short time. Mr James Liaw also praised Master Dai Hu for the accuracy of his predictions last year!
After the dinner session, Master Dai Hu led all participants to view statues of Bodhisattvas, which was placed in the hotel. Seeing Master Dai Hu put his palms together and bow in respect to the Bodhisattva, a two-year-old toddler mimicked the same act and adorably prostrated to the Bodhisattva too! It was a classic case of positive influence when one is with a good role model.
Master Dai Hu explained in detail to all present, the difference between a statue of a Bodhisattva in a standing position and one in a sitting position. He further reminded us that every one of us came from a original state of purity, but unfortunately got all tainted with the filth of the secular world. There is nothing in this world that absolutely and permanently belong to us, including your beloved children. Do not hanker after the life in this human realm.
Please do not keep feeling that you are lacking. In fact, you are already living a very fortunate life.
The poison in a man derives from his own heart. The only way to detoxification from inside out lies in the Dharma, and not some health food or the fruit juice of the moment.
When you genuinely learn the Dharma and attain true accomplishment, the bounds of the Five Elements will lose their grip on you. And when that happens, there will be no need to do a Feng Shui audit or destiny consultation anymore.
www.masterdaihu.com/8th-recap-2016-lunar-new-year-dinner-with-master-dai-hu/