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Life-death River

Soul pacifier: ·§saung-gauk"


A Japanese book critic Chuk-San Dao-hung writes a marvelous novel named ·§saung-gauk·¨(which means ·§Burmese Harp·¨), in which describing a solider changing into a monk who buries those unidentified corpses around Burma. In spite of the whitewash element, there are indeed some good points to ponder.

The main character is called as Shui-dao and he is a very good musician of playing harps. He looks like a Burmese and hence he is always appointed as the route finder. The first half of the novel is about how some music-loving soldiers add colours in battlefields by enjoying their own music.

Then after Japan was defeated, he was required to induce to capitulate. He nearly died under such circumstances. Fortunately, some aborigines saved him and he uses the identity of monk to cover up. But at last, after encountering so much, he became a real monk. He didn't return home and promised himself that he would continually bury unknown corpses in Burma.

The core idea includes the glorification of world war sins. However, it states the transformation from living to the dead. In the novel, there is such a description. ·§After that, I realize the Burmese is not afraid of death. Man's live must end in death. Death, in other sense, means we are getting rid of all troubles in this world."

The place where he would like to rest himself is Burma, not his homeland. A country with peaceful mind is more important. ·§Although the living standard in Burma is low, what the citizen's possesses is more envying. ·§ The attitude of the author deserves respect.

The author says he deems this as a fairly tales. This saying must be focused on a combination of Warfield and music in the book. Nonetheless, if we judge it by Thanatology standard, it is actually not "naive" and in fact is very innovative at all.

 

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