Wednesday, November 23, 2016

SARAWAK: Islamic Nation, Christian State


Sources: The Population and Housing Census of Malaysia, 2010, Department of Statistics

According to the statistics provided by Department of Statistics, a total Christian population in the nation has recorded 9.2% in 2010, which is 2,617,159 out of 28,334,135 in Malaysia. Among a number of 2.6 million of that Christian population, 710,447 are living in Peninsula Malaysia, 853,726 in Sabah and 1,052,986 in Sarawak. In other words, a majority of 72.8% of Malaysian Christian residing in Sabah and Sarawak.

Sources: The Population and Housing Census of Malaysia, 2010, Department of Statistics


In Sarawak, according to the statistics, majority of 42.6% of people in Sarawak are practicing Christianity in their daily life. In other words, although Malaysia is well-known as one of the  Islamic countries in Southeast Asia, the state of Sarawak has a majority of Christian believers, instead of Muslim. The writer of "Jesus in Beijing" - Dr. David Aikman once in University of Southern California talks about when a country reaches a critical mass of 25%, who are believing in anything, not necessary a religion like Christianity, it may change the society. It is because people from that particular group gradually hold the key positions in the governments, schools, enterprises and society as a whole.


Therefore, it is fair to make a statement that although Sarawak is a state in Islamic country, it is not necessarily for it as a state to have similar cultural, environment or constitution like other states have adopted in Peninsula Malaysia.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

日本之「石敢當」

川崎站前「石敢當」
在日本神奈川縣的川崎車站前就可以發現一塊由沖繩(古時被稱「琉球國」)傳來的文化遺跡 -「石敢當」。早在明代洪武帝(1392年)應進貢國之求,下賜「閩人三十六姓」遷入琉球王國,傳授農耕技術,教導治國之道等。當時,遷移琉球王國的「閩人」就是指大多數來自今日以閩東方言區為主的福州人。這石敢當就是當時由福建引入琉球王國的中國文化之一,今日仍可在西日本地區,如沖繩,九州等區域得見。

石敢當背面解說文

在其石背面可見有此解說文:

中文譯文:
石敢當之由來

昭和四十一年(1966年)九月沖繩諸島因數次遭台颱極大破壞,其中宫古島之悲慘狀況被喻為蘇鐵地獄之說。川崎市議會決議超黨派之救援,並展開廣泛全市的救援活動。此碑為宮古島對救援活動贈送特產名石 - 洞石(Travertine)刻上石敢當(Sekikantau)作為返禮。石敢當出自中國古代強力無雙力士之名,刻上此三字建立於三岔路,十字路等為護身之習慣,傳入並擴展於沖繩南九州地方。此地建有石敢當為川崎市與沖繩的友好和文化交流連結之約,且為市民交通安全祈福。

昭和四十五年(1970年)九月一日
川崎市長 金刺不二太郎

由此可見,中日傳統與文化交流始於千年前。今日的中華文化已完全滲透大和民族的生活。為了提高兩族之間的友誼,除了政治談判活經濟合作以外,文化及歷史交流等亦是兩族之間的溝通內容之一,更有可能成為兩方和諧的因素之一。