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The children of Yap Ah Loy sued their mum in court (1898 - 1904)

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1957/0118652W In the Court of the Senior Magistrate at Kuala Lumpur Civil Suit No. 138 of 1898. In the matter of the Estate of Yap Ah Loy, deceased, between Yap Hon Chin (28) Yap Loong Shin (23) Yap Leong Soon (18) Yap Kim Neo Yap Leong Sem by his next friend Ong Chi Siew Yap Leong Fong Plaintiffs and Kok Kang Keow (48), otherwise called Kok Ngeo Nga who is sued as Administratrix of the Estate and Effects of Yap Ah Loy, deceased. On the tombstone of Yap Ah Loy, we were given the following list: 1 隆興 (b. 29 December 1869, d. 5 January 1933), 2 隆盛 (Loong Shin, b. 4 April 1875, d. <1925?), 3 隆顺 (Leong Soon, b. 6 March 1880, d. 8 December 1907, died when he was only 27.8), 4 隆發 (b. 10 August 1882, d. 21 September 1900, died when he was only 18...
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《心經》裡面的「般若波羅蜜」一詞

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很多年前曾經到過香港大嶼山的 心經簡林 。 心經簡林 是一個由三十八個巨型木簡，按數學無窮大「\(\infty\)」符號的形狀排成的木陣。在木陣裡面，除了第一個題目簡、第二十三個「空」簡和最後一個落款簡之外，其他的木簡都刻有《心經》的部分經文。 《心經》的全名叫《般若波羅蜜多心經》。我是在香港電影《 月光寶盒 》裡面，第一次聽到「般若波羅蜜多」這個詞的。在戲裡面，它是周星馳先生用來開啓可以讓時光倒流的月光寶盒的密語。必須注意的是，周先生把咒語唸成了「般若波羅蜜」，把「多」字給去掉了。 月光寶盒 的密語：般若波羅蜜. . . 不管「般若波羅蜜多」或是「般若波羅蜜」，念起來很別扭，很明顯它們都不是漢語，事實上，它們是由三個印度字組成的合成詞。「般若」的巴利語「paññā」的音譯：是知識或智慧的意思。「波羅」是巴利語「pāra」的音譯，它和英語前綴「para」一樣，是超越的意思，例如，英語「paranormal」就是超自然的意思。「蜜／蜜多」是巴利語「mī/mīta」的音譯，它是希臘語「metron」的親戚，也是英語「mete」或「measure」的祖先，想表達的是既定或肯定的意思。 把「paññā」+「pāra」+「mī」三個印度字連在一起，「般若波羅蜜」指的便是一種備受肯定、完美超凡的智慧。在周星馳先生的哲學世界裡面，也只有利用這種完美超凡的知識transcendental wisdom，才能將時空逆轉。 大嶼山的心經簡林與數學的無窮大「\(\infty\)」符號 可惜的是，我們暫時還沒有發現這種transcendental wisdom。可喜的是，數學家倒是發現了很多transcendental number（ 波羅蜜數 ）。波羅蜜數是一種很特別的數，因為你必須用無窮大「\(\infty\)」的概念才能將它正確地寫出來。例如，銀行用來算 複利息 的「\(e = 2.718\ldots\)」，就是一个波羅蜜數。 $$e = 2 + \frac{1}{1+\frac{1}{2+\frac{2}{3+\frac{3}{4+\frac{4}{5+\frac{5}{6+\frac{6}{7+\frac{7}{8+\frac{8}{9+\frac{9}{\ddots}}}}}}}}}} = 2.718\...
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Khoja Hassan

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火者亞三 先生是中古馬六甲時代很出名的一條水。 Khoja Hassan (b. 1473, d. 1521) was a rather colorful mantri in Melaka. He was the maritime mantri (水官 Laxamana 1 ) in Melaka, he took over the role from his father-in-law, a certain mister Tuah in Sejarah Melayu. The role was then passed to his brother-in-law 2 when Melaka was about to be sacked by the Portuguese. It is clear from this example that nepotism is deeply integrated in Asiatic court politics. He was of Southern Chinese descent (probably Fujian or Guangdong), but his name reveals that he was a Muslim Chinese. Khoja is linked the Persian word khvâjəh ( خواجه ) and it is originally used to describe a class of Muslim converts in India. Amur leopard by Kwon Jung-soon Given his familarity with Chinese matters, he was recruited by the Portuguese after the fall of Melaka, as the envoy of the new Portuguese Melaka. When he was in China, he became the play companion of the 10th Ming Emperor (Zh...
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「日上三竿」到底是早上多少點？

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從吉打 Lembah Bujang 布央谷開車回家，經過怡保的時候剛好是晚餐時間。 在麥當勞用過晚餐後，發現開車的我好像也有點睏了，於是決定在怡保睡一覺。我們把車開到 Bandar Meru Raya ，然後跟 Casuarina 要了一間房間。 隔天早我見小兒子辛円睡到很遲還不願意起床，就拿起手機給他照了一張相 1 。 原想給照片標上：阿円睡到日上三竿 2 ，大太陽曬屁股還不起身。但，住在我頭腦裡面的另外一個人問我： 三竿 到底是 : 點？ The timestamp of the photograph was 9:12:09 morning (28 May 2017). The explanation given by National Academy for Educational Research of Taiwan 台灣國家教育研究院 is：太陽已上升到 三根 竹竿相接的 高度 。表示時候不早了。This explanation suggests that ‘三' (three) is to be interpreted vertically and absolutely, instead of umbrally and relative to the physical pole. Given the fact in the phrase 三竿 (three poles) was recorded by an observatory officer, it is unlikely that the former intepretation is correct. 大太陽曬屁股還不起身嗎？ 於是我便上網查了一下該成語的出處：「日上三竿」應該是出自《 南齊書・天文誌上・日光色 》的一段話。《南齊書・天文誌》是南齊政府天文局官員根據每日的觀測日記整...
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But Tuan Douglas said the market square is mine to keep (1883)

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From Yap Tek Loy Captain China To the Tuan Besar 4th Moon 5th day 11th May 1883 After Compliments Your Petitioner Yap Tek Loy in obedience to order begs that your benignity and patronage be unfolded. That on the 29th December 1882, 11th moon 20th day, your Petitioner received a letter from Tuan Governor about the present market place to be given up to the Government after your Petitioner's death and cannot be preserved for his posterity. Formerly Capt. Douglas ordered Your Petitioner to pull down several shop houses and made into a market and rented out to provision sellers. This your Petitioner obeyed but could not be helped in wasting money and labor, at that time, Capt. Douglas said that if after your Petitioner's death the market to be removed to any place where the Government likes, but ground...
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