Week 4: 28/1 Discussion: Literacy, Writing, and History of the Book in East and South Asian Civilizations

The topic stated above, like I've said is my topic. I presented this topic for the people in my class. But, so unfortunately, there are not many people in the class when the topic was really interesting, for what I think of course. My opinion. Being a leader for a discussion group is not easy. I have to make sure that when people listen to what I'm saying, they will not feel sleepy. I do hope that people do not feel sleepy when they hear my explanation.

The way that I did my presentation was that I tried to explain everything and hope that people understand. How i did that was like I explained the facts and make it seem like a story for everyone. Who doesn't like story. And in the middle, I will try to put some fun fact in it so that it will not get more boring than my voice. I sound like a duck for people who didn't hear me speak before. So, the topic that I guided in the class was about Literacy, Writing and History of the Books in East and South Asian Civilisation.

The most thing that I discussed about is that China History of books. I wouldn't like to repeat it here again because the whole thing took one and a half hours for me to just explain about the books. So if you want to have an insight of what I've discussed in class, the link is  https://prezi.com/uutcdvqowc0j/literacy-writing-and-history-of-the-book-in-east-and-south/.

Alright. Back to the question that I have now.

1. Was there first have books and literature or was there first have civilisation?
In my opinion, I think that it is a cycle. First, when there is existence of human being, there must have language and words that they used back then. After that, they will have improve their language and they will have civilisation. But, when they existed civilisation, they will also have newer language. The newer language was then being created and the improved version of civilisation will exist. So for me, it is a cycle.

The cycle started dated back since the history of human being started, as how I said just now. Every now and then, there will be people making different changes toward the language we have now. The most frequent changes that I can see for my civilisation now is the Malay language. Every few years, I will hear that this is the newer rule of how it should be used in writing an essay. But a few years later, they will have to change back to how they said it initially. It is really messy in a way because the graduates like me and a lot others would not be able to know. When we try to write an official Malay letter, we are not able to know what the rules are.

2. What are the differences in the Writing, Literature, and History of Books in the Western civilisation to the Eastern Civilisation?
How would I say this? In the western way of writing is like totally different in how we write in Asia. In my second reading that I failed to discuss because of time constrain, there are the Visitation of the Gods. Like they will get what ideas when they dreamed of god being in there with them. It made them write to like it is the story of Gods. That is why they have what we now called Legends. I think those stories came this way.

In the western country, dated so early back then, the way of the western writing are quite emotional as in like how Shakespeare writes. How he wrote was that all about emotions and all about love. The eastern people do not write that way. Comparing to the China people and the English people, they both have different way of writing. But, let's not forget about the similarities of how they write.

Right now as we speak, what do we mean by literature? Does it only mean that the poems that we study now? Again let's not forget that the indian people also have poems, but their poems are more to the godly stuff. Alright. Turning the time back till the twentieth century. People are getting educated by the english people and slowly, how we write are being influenced by the english people. For example, using Malaysia as one. We have been concurred for so many centuries back from 16 century till now. So our style of writing had been influenced so much by the conqueror. Like the poems now, we don't really use those that 'dreaming of meeting with god' stuff to write on our poems.

3. How was the writings back then influences our writings nowadays?
For my opinion, it was the legends stuff that influences us. You see, if we do not have those people who 'dreamed of meeting with gods', how will the legend appear now? And If we do not have those things as what we now call legend, how are we going to write all those storybooks that we have now? It is an endless cycle you see? These writing that we have now, might be the a variations of what our children might write in future days. So, I think that the core of the story written was still being used now as we are writing.

If you do not understand what I've wrote, from the question 2 onward, I am still partially asleep. So sorry if you do not understand it.

So something to think about. After I've talked so much on books and literature, I asked the class that day. Was ebook a book? So for some people, they might think that it is and some might think not. I always say this and I will say this again. It depends on how people thinks. Everything is based on people's mindset. For me personally, I don't think it is a book. A book has it own smell, the uniqueness of the smell, the feeling when you hold it, the feeling of having something vintage on your hands.

Whereas, ebooks. EBOOKS do not have all the smell, the feeling, and everything. As technology grows, it is easier for people to have ebooks. I admit that I also use ebooks. It is so much easier to come by. Why buy a book that is really heavy and it cost so much. But somehow, for me, I have the satisfaction of buying books. When I have a collection of books, it proves that how much I've grown since when I was a little boy without any books with me. Even though I have ebooks already saved in my phone, well if you are wondering, I'm using HTC One M8, but after I finished reading the ebook, I will still insist on buying the physical one for collection sake.

So It varies in people's perspective. I think that ebook is not a book, where it is just electronic file with many pages attached within. No offence to anyone here.

Last thing for the week. I am so happy for that people are visiting my blog and I am not doing this for my own self. Thank you guys for visiting and I hope that you do have a new perspective of what is going on. Please, if you have anything to say about the topic or even about me, you can comment below or if you would like to text me privately, email me at chingyixin1@gmail.com. I will reply you as soon as possible.

Thanks again and again. Tata for now.

Cheerios,
YiXin