Thoughts On the 43rd Reunion

By

Pat Wong

First, I want to congratulate the Hong Kong Class Reunion Committee for planning and executing such a faultless program for all participating Lighters and their families. It was an undertaking difficult to match. I feel ambivalent about not going on the Malaysia tour. I am sorry to miss the excitement and the spectacular sight of a fiery fondue table as mentioned in May Chen's (A13) article. But would there be enough space for my wheelchair to back away if I were there? I don't think I could save my beer for sure!

--------------- Hong Kong ---------------

My previous visit to Hong Kong was more than thirty years ago. The sub-ways weren't built then. There are so many high-rises now that the city is truly a concrete jungle not just in the financial districts but also in the residential districts. The city looks prosperous but many high-rises need a coat of external paint and some unfinished ones have stopped construction all together. I guess the worldwide economic down turn is being felt here as well.

Over all, the city is fairly accessible for wheelchair users. Occasional overpass street crossings can usually be avoided by getting to the next intersection where it may be an underpass with lifts or an usual surface crossing with curb cuts. Every other bus is accessible where the driver will drop down a ramp and willingly assist you in getting on and off the bus. I think the locals use subways as their main mode of transportation. Most stations don't have lifts that go all the way from the surface down to the tracks. However, they try very hard to assist wheelchair users. If you phone ahead, they will send a staff member to meet you at the station with a machine that can take the wheelchair up and down the stairs. The machine made a funny chucking noise that attracts many passersby; all the commotion made me a performer for the thirty or so onlookers. I wondered if they have plans to install lifts in most of the subway stations. She told me yes, but it would probably be three or four years down the road. Of course, there will always be the omnipresent taxicabs. A friendly chat with a taxi driver usually gives a broad insight into the city. 

What struck me the most was not how much the appearance of the city has changed, but how courteous people have become. I still remember when you had to fight for your life to board a bus, and you were lucky if the driver didn't swear at you much less assist you. Now, from subways to buses, to cable cars up and down the Victoria Peak, officers on the street, to government officials behind the desks, all are very helpful and non-bureaucratic. Passersby are eager to help if they see you pondering at a street corner with an open map. All these made me feel like we were on the streets of Alice in the Wonderland! Pang Won-Tong (B18) and Lawrence Wong (F5) told me that Hong Kong has given human rights a high priority more so than any other part of the country, and that civil education is prevalent on TV and radio broadcasts. They talk about how important tourism is to the local economy, and urge citizens to be good to tourists as they willingly spend money. The civil education is obviously a success. Nonetheless, I looked for a second opinion and found one. James Koo (A40) told me that it was very simple - it is because my family speaks fluent English; he further pointed out that if you speak Shanghainese which nobody understands, you will be treated differently.

Even our room at the Salisbury YMCA Hotel was quite wheelchair friendly. It also served as a temporary and not so well lit clinic for Esther, Kung Huai-Han's (C28) charming wife and our resident dermatologist. We considered ourselves lucky to have met her during this trip; we all know how long in advance we have to make appointments to see a specialist like her. In contrast to the arrogant dermatology professors in UCSF who treated my father in his final days, she is very compassionate and friendly. Remembering how hard I had to fight to get the care I was entitled to in the earlier days of my injury, we shared her frustration with the HMOs from opposite sides of the fence - I, from the patient's side; she, from the physician's side.

Looking back some fifteen years ago, because of the UCSF dermatology professors' narrow-minded treatment centering on his itchy skin condition, the diagnosis of my father's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was delayed. I didn't have a chance to ask Esther whether such lack of a holistic approach in patient care by specialists is the norm or the exception. Perhaps she wouldn't mind to comment on it the next time we meet.

--------------- Guangzhou ---------------

Unlike Hong Kong, Guangzhou is utterly inaccessible for wheelchair users even though there are curb cuts at major street corners. Many steps do have ramps right next to them; but they are for people pushing their bicycles. I didn't dare to try using these ramps for fear of flipping over backward. Even the McDonald's we visited had a big step threshold, though their red-bean pies and taro pies were superb. Perhaps if they introduced these varieties in the U.S., they wouldn't have suffered the first-ever losing-quarter in their corporate history. We wanted to stroll down Lower Ninth Street that was fenced off to traffic. On the map, it was within walking distance from the White Swan hotel. However, many street crossings were overpasses with steep steps. After an initial attempt, we had to flag down a taxi but it could not take all five of us. Michael and Peter decided to walk instead. By the time the taxi navigated to the rendezvous street corner, they were there already, waving at us! 

Even though White Swan is a five-star hotel, it does not have the concept of wheelchair accessible accommodations. Fortunately, the staff was very courteous and cooperative, and readily agreed to remove the bathroom door for the duration of our stay. This allowed me to access the bathtub, which otherwise was blocked by the open door that could not be closed when the wheelchair was in there. I sincerely hope that the hotels in Beijing are more progressive. If they are not, China has a few more years to catch up. As the 2008 Olympic Games are right around the corner, which will be followed by the Paralympic Games for handicapped athletes. It will be scandalous if the city and its hotels are deemed inaccessible. Perhaps our resident hotel tycoon, Peter Sun (B9), would comment on whether my concern has merit. I casually talked to a local outside a branch of the China National bank with a step threshold, and asked how the local wheelchair users get around in Guangzhou. Her blunt answer was that they probably just stay home! Maybe I should do some research on the Internet to see how the wheelchair population copes in the major cities of China.

From Lower Ninth Street to Beijing Street, which was also fenced off for pedestrians, the taxi driver told me that the damn Northerners on motor scooters made the traffic very hazardous. The city has stopped issuing new licenses to motor scooters, but he thought it would take a few more years to thin out the traffic. To him, probably anyone who doesn't speak fluent Cantonese is a Northerner. I guess prejudice is inherent in all of us.

--------------- Garden and Monastery Tour ---------------

Our resident artist and architect, Tse Shun-Kai (C10) is the designer of the famous Kowloon Walled City Garden. We were honored to have him lead the tour and explain to us his design philosophy. I thanked him in person for designing such an exquisite garden over hilly terrain, which is totally accessible for wheelchairs. I asked him whether he consciously had handicapped visitors in mind in his design. He said yes, and further pointed out that this garden is often cited as a model for inclusive designs. I detected a sense of profound satisfaction in him while watching a group of youngsters bouncing bare-footed and enjoying a fun filled moment, on a pebble-stone pathway he had intended for them. I sure would love to read the article he composed in the early Nineties to successfully convince the authority to adopt his design philosophy.

While touring the Chi-Lin Monastery, Tse Kong-Fong (A35) whom I haven't heard from since Taiwan University days, introduced me to the ancient Chinese religion of the Heavenly-Way. From his brief talk and the few booklets he gave me, it seems that the Heavenly-Way is a Chinese adaptation of Buddhism that transforms a Buddhist philosophy to a full religion. Strictly speaking, Buddhism is not a religion, as it does not address the existence of an all-mighty creator who demands faith for salvation. Buddha is but an enlightened teacher who shows the way for all to escape the suffering of endless reincarnations so as to reach the state of Nirvana. The Heavenly-Way, on the other hand, conforms to the mold of religion by introducing the Supreme One who is the creator. Although the Heavenly-Way's teaching is very much in parallel with that of Buddhism, it incorporates many ideas of Confucianism and Taoism as well. Faith plays an essential role among its followers. It also shares vocabulary with Buddhism but with different implications. For example, the three treasures in Buddhism refer to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, which respectively are the enlightened one, his teachings, and the ordained followers. If one seeks refuge in the three treasures and follows the teachings, he will escape the endless suffering in a more timely and efficient manner. However, one must practice the teachings diligently to improve oneself; mere faith will not provide a shortcut to enlightenment or salvation! In the Heavenly-Way, the first treasure is one's door of conscience through which to communicate with Heaven. The second treasure is the five sutras or five true words and their teachings. The third treasure is a contract with Heaven that is like taking refuge in its teachings and promising to follow them. I am puzzled as to why identical terms are used to reflect vastly different ideas. I also feel that the Heavenly-Way trivializes the concept of causation, or karma, by rigidly assigning certain consequences to certain deeds. For example, if one cannot find a wife in the present incarnation, it is because he committed adultery in the previous incarnation. Such trivialization teaches followers to behave out of fear rather than encouraging them to improve their positive karma.

--------------- Hong Kong Pui Ching ---------------

I was late to the principal's talk; the long driveway leading to the Mathematics Room was so steep that I couldn't make it without help. During his presentation on the future high-rises on campus, I asked him whether Pui Ching has any wheelchair students. He said there was one a few years back but none now. I was going to follow with a question on whether that student left because he had graduated or because of the inaccessible and challenging terrain on campus. However, I did not ask because he seemed impatient at the time, and I felt that I probably shouldn't push things too far and just be a polite guest. Anyway, I was overwhelmed by my sense of purpose to prompt him to be more inclusive - to not exclude mentally competent yet physically handicapped faculty and students.

My only regret about the entire experience was that I was not afforded an opportunity to speak to the Mathematics team members and faculty to show my appreciation for a scholarship in my father's name and to offer a few words of encouragement to the team. I did not insist because I wasn't sure I could make a memorable impromptu speech. In hindsight, a mediocre speech is probably better than no speech at all.

The spiral staircase in the then "new" building seemed so much smaller than I remembered it to be! Many Lighters shared this illusion. After many group pictures were taken at this famous site, we went to the dining hall for a homey dinner. The dishes were not fancy but delicious. The taste of the stuffed melon with dried scallop still lingers; it was a rather unique and creative dish. The only other time I recall dining on campus was in our senior year. Through the passage of time, I still remember during that dinner, just as one of the female classmates bit into a piece of Chinese sausage, joker Carl Man (C35) screamed out in pain. Other female classmates showed a lot of concern thinking that his scream was for real.

--------------- The Gala Dinner ---------------

The Gala dinner held at the Garden City Club was the main event of our class reunion. The location was classy, the service was unbeatable, and the food was uncompromising. 

Before the dinner, Walter Mok (D18) gave a presentation about his high tech startup. I was a bit late, just in time to catch a glimpse of his impressive viewgraph of the Stanford Linear Accelerator! All of his potential staff and connections are professors, engineers and scientists with doctorates. We may have the Lighters' version of Apple Computer in the making. Too bad, James Koo didn't have equal time to brief us on the status of his high tech ventures. Gina Mok (A7) gave us a lot of hints on traveling and how a travel agency can help. She also showed us how to pack efficiently without wrinkling the garments by rolling them up. Bonnie said that's how Matt Helm, the fictional international spy legend, packs! Tse Kong-Fong talked about nutrition and how to live a healthy life with such enthusiasm that he lost track of time. After repeated warnings, our ceremonial master extraordinaire, S.S. Lau, had to cut him short before he could hand out his booklets on the Heavenly-Way.

During the Gala dinner, there were a couple of local radio personalities to perform for us. The reunion committee, especially S. S. Lau, must have a lot of clout and must have spent a lot of effort to secure their appearance. I think the committee might have tried too hard to make the dinner memorable. I am sure most of the Lighters would have been just as happy to hear our resident star, Lo Ding-Ching, sing. May Chan (F43) supposed to brief us on the current status of Australian Lighters, instead she gave a very colorful synopsis of her professional, as well as emotional, life. There were some comments about her switching of the paradigm, but I would rather learn more about one Lighter than hearing many one liners on many Lighters. I suppose opinions vary. During the speech, she mentioned her fiery temper in her younger days. I asked her "boyfriend of the year", across the dinner table, how is her temper nowadays? He gave a very diplomatic answer that was as evasive as a skilled politician's.

--------------- Epilogue ---------------

In closing, let me quote Christopher Reeve, the superman who is paralyzed from the neck down. He once said that he could see from his children's eyes, their facial expressions, and body language that they truly wanted him to be around rather than feeling that his existence is a burden for them. It was based on such insight that I accepted many Lighters' help in pushing my wheelchair around and over many barriers. My thanks especially extend to Lawrence Wong who personally drove me and taxied me whenever the tour buses and subways couldn't take me. To him, S.S. Lau and Pang Won-Tong, who made so many special arrangements to make my participation possible, I can only say "thanks" and be forever in debt. I am sure none of you would want to trade places with me and let me reciprocate in the strict sense of the word. 

I received a lot of praise for my three sons who traveled with me. My reply to them is that I am sure their own sons and daughters would rally around them as well if they had need, as I do. I hope my saying so does not appear to diminish my appreciation for my sons.