Hero

just watched Zhang Yimou's Hero on TV. not the first time i've watched it. but as always, one gets a different perspective when one watches a good show another time (same goes for books... one tends to get a different perspective when reading a good book another time...).

the problem with watching the show on TV, with all the commercial breaks, is that the commercial breaks interrupt the flow of the show, disrupting the emotional buildup. it isn't as important for most shows, but for an artsy, emotionally heavy film such as Hero, it really decreased the quality of the show.

but the show was great nonetheless. the scenery was breathtaking, particularly the one with the super still, mirror-like lake.

the fight scenes were nothing short of spectacular.

i also liked the way the story was told, where the basic backbone of the story was built first by the lie that Nameless told, then rectified and refined by Qin Shihuang and finally with the gaps filled in by Nameless.

the show brought up a couple of good points which got me thinking.

what is suffering? what is one person's suffering compared to that of the world's? if we have compassion for everyone, then we would realise that we, as individuals, do not suffer. because we suffer only because we exist. so how can we suffer if we put others before ourselves, and in so doing, lose ourselves?

and only in losing ourselves are we able to willingly sacrifice everything that we have so that the greater good is served. however, there are times when the greater good is served by us living on. and if that requires us to sacrifice others so that we can live and thus fulfil the greater good, then we would have to be ruthless and sacrifice others.

of course, one could ask, what is the greater good? in the case of the show, it was simple. the greater good was to have someone strong enough to end the war between the 7 states as quickly as possible so that in the long run, less people would die. the greater good was to standardise the language, the units of measure, come up with one set of laws that can be strictly enforced so that there can be order in the nation.

the last 'thinking point' that i got from the show came at the end of the show. because Nameless tried to assasinate Qin Shihuang, he must be executed. this is despite Qin Shihuang admiring Nameless and wishing that Nameless need not die. so in the end, Qin Shihuang ordered Nameless be executed according to the law. and Nameless died willingly. because that is the only way to show that the law was enforced. it is only through this strict enforcement of the law that order can be brought out of the chaos.

are there parallels to be drawn to reality, to Singaporean society? of course. but there are definitely areas which do not apply. one might say that in today's context, one need not have laws that are as harsh. because we live in more enlightened times. and arguing otherwise would be going down a slippery slope. while i agree that there is some truth in that, i also believe that the evolution of human society is one of multiple iterations, we meander gradually to the ideal set of laws, to the perfect implementation of these laws, with the right balance of rigidity and flexibility. perhaps we may never reach that ideal. but we can always try to move closer, if only asymptotically, to it.

on a lighter note, i think Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi are both gorgeous! mom pointed out, quite rightly, that one of my aunts resemble Maggie Cheung. but of course Maggie Cheung is a lot prettier.