My Hong Kong Traveling Diary--002:The Temptation From Books

What is the biggest benefit from my 7th Hong Kong Trip? It is not the business itself and the academical reports that I had heard, it is the temptation from the books...

Since I found I could read some original books in English, I could not help to want to touch more new things via more books. That is why I tried to escape from cocketail party or reception and went to the book stores to enjoy reading and buying books...

It was the first time to touch so many original books for me, I hardly knew where I should start. Anyway, from language, literature,architecture, writing to religion... from adults books to children's. I tried to read and choose them as carefully as possible. I had to choose something that I can really read and be interested in it. Also I had to think of the price of them,they are expensive more than 3 to 4 times than the books in our city...

However, I found I could not stand against the temptation, becasue every book opens a window for me, the angles of them to see the world are so differenct. Especially I saw so many Chinese classical peoms, essays, novels have been translated into English, I really wanted to see how Westerns to understand the ancient Chinese thoughts, feelings, how they translated Chinese words and meaning into English. Also, I would really like to know more things about a vaster and larger world via English books. That is why I even bought a Bile. I would really like to know what is making so many Westerners believe Christianism, why the best classical European architecturesin are churches, why a professor tought me that the New Christiansim is an important power to push American economy to develope quickly after the II World War...

When I read and chose the books, some words run in to my mind, and changed clear, strong more and more-- a language is just a window; a book is just a temptation.:)

I am really happy that English language is opening a window for me and it is showing me a new and vast world!

I did not want to leave for the book store until I felt so tired and so hungry that I ordered myself," You must go, otherwise, you would spend all of your money on books..."

How many books do you guess I have now? 38 pieces. I am thinking now, how can I bring them go through the customs by myself? That is a quite long walk road for me... :)

--Shirley
Writern in NTT International House in Hong Kong Baptist University on 5th Jan.,2001
Edited On 29th.,June,2005