Francis Books

Let's see... I'm not done reading it yet, and I don't know how much if any of this is actually from a "manuscript," but I'd certainly like to know what scholars think of it.

Furthermore, I believe that even if it's not the "true" gospels that there are some excellent lessons in this book. At least from what I've read, I think they go along with Jesus' teachings wonderfully. It makes some great cases for treating animals kindly and not eating meat-- something that is a big part of my personal faith. Certainly, I see no reason why Jesus would shun these things and I, personally, believe that he would embrace these things.

I don't know if this is "truly" the gospels because I am no scholar, but I have no worries about trusting the teachings of this book (again, at least from what I have read so far). Also, whether or not this book is true, it does seem very viable and likely that, as Ouseley claims, parts of the Bible were extracted or re-written in order to suit the needs of whomever produced the orders...

A good read so far. I hope to finish the book soon and then make another review to see if I feel the same way.

I really enjoy this book and who knows it might be closer to the truth than we think. The only thing one needs to be aware of is that while the back cover of the book says the information came from a manuscript still hidden in Tibet the Introduction clearly states that it is 'channeled' information. It goes on to state that the information that differs from the canonical gospels comes from no known source. Just know what you're reading.

Mason's characters always sparkle with diversity. Sung Wing-kei is a native of Hong Kong who is an offspring of a concubine belonging to a favorite general of Sun Yat-sen. He got his start in business by collaborating with the Japanese. Nina Tizzard is an exotic oriental ballet dancer whose career has been spent mostly in Europe. Add to this a generous sprinkling of smugglers, socialites, soldiers of fortune, ex-patriots and the usual line-up of military types, both foreign and domestic, and you have the ingredients of a typical Hugh North adventure.

Hugh North solves his twntieth case in the GRACIOUS LILY AFFAIR. The story bears the usual Mason trademarks of thorough research, exotic locales, a smorgasbord of intriguing characters and a plot that includes a series of murders and a puzzle to solve within the larger riddle. Bermuda is where it all begins when a Portuguese plane carrying a courier crashes offshore. What stands out most in a Colonel North story is the attention to detail.In this instance we are introduced to more than sixty sites between Bermuda and the Far East. There are also some interesting tidbits on local ethnic customs.

We started off getting one of this series for a vacation car trip. Now we have collected eight more for any and all trips in the car, and for our enjoyment at home. I put this in when asking the kids to help with chores and clean their room. We also love listening to this instead of watching tv. We love the Explorers cd. The stories are very exciting and the narration is clear and very interpretive. I think my kids are learning and enjoying learning. I have to admit I have learned a few things I didn't know about early explorers too.

In Great Explorers, author and biographer David Angus presents the thrilling stories of Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, Bartholomeu Diaz, Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Captain Cook, Lewis and Clark, Stanley and Livingstone, and The Apollo Moon Mission. Very highly recommended for personal, school, and library audiobook collections, this Naxos Audiobook 2-CD compact edition is expertly narrated by Frances Jeater, Sam Dastor, and Kerry Shale, and has a running time of 2 hours, 36 minutes.

The amount of detail and research that went into this book is amazing--I keep thinking I've learned the whole field and then I turn to the book and discover something new. The book is long but very readable, full of fascinating illustrative quotes, and is based on truly thorough knowledge of the primary sources. By the way, this paperback has the same pagination and material as the entire two volume hardcover. Be careful not to get the abridged version by mistake--it deletes footnotes which are key to using the book as a starting point for your own research.

Read this in College. Found it to be the best complete review of American Indian policy from colonial times to present.

This book by Dr. Hara gives an excellent overview of the basic scientific progress in green tea research. Dr. Hara has devoted his live to the promotion of green tea and is an expert in the field.

Dr. Yukihiko Hara was the first to purify green tea catechins on a larger scale. As Director of the Food Research Laboratories at Mitsui Norin Co, he and his colleagues worked in their extra time to purify these compounds and make them available in the late 1980's. The methods they developed are used today to purify the green tea extracts available from pills to shampoo. This book reports on their scientific efforts exploring the activity of the catechins and reviews the work of others in the field. It is clearly written in layman's language with many illustrations.

Key areas covered include where catechins come from and how they are purified, anti-oxidant and radical scavenging in food products and animals. Their tests, mostly in animals of the anti-bacterial action, the anti-viral action and the anti-cancer action, are reported in the next few chapters. Each chapter describes the experiments in sufficient detail so you can evaluate the meaning of the effect. There are further chapters on health effects in humans, including fat reduction and improved bowel function, help for diabetes and also hypertension, backed up by straightforward experiments. He ends with a general discussion of trends in the field.

Much of this work was done by Dr. Hara's group and close collaborators, so the original papers were published in Japanese; for many experiments this book is the only way to read about them in English. Green Tea Catechins are now studied around the world, but the quantities needed originated in this lab and he has supplied the catechins other scientists have used for most of that work. Mitsui Norin purified the catechins sold at Sigma Chemicals until this last year.

Currently Dr. Hara's group has a collaborative research effort with the US National Cancer Institute to test the anti-cancer effects of green tea catechins in people with precancerous lesions. The book provides the background one needs to appreciate this effort and gives the history of the science leading up to the NCI trials in a convenient way.

Dr. John Weisburger, the distinguished research scientist from the Americal Health Foundation, has written a helpful foreword.

Zev Vilnay was a great lover of the land of Israel. He knew every pathway and corner of the land. His descriptions of it are filled with insight and understanding .The work is a pleasure to read. I do not know how up-to- date this particular edition is but I still go back, from time to time and reread an old edition I have in order to learn about a certain place I think to visit. A first- rate work by a very exceptional person, one of that remarkable generation that helped bring the Jewish state into existence.

This is the best hands-on guidebook to Israel I have found. Vilnay's thoroughness is commendable. Every highway in Israel is described in accurate detail so you know exactly what you are looking at and where you are. For example: Heading North from Acco on the Acco-Nahariyya Road, 1.2 km, you see the remains of a Turkish aqueduct built in the 17th century, followed by a grove of eucalyptus trees planted in the 1930's...Both of these are illustrated for good measure. The walking descriptions are just as detailed: In Acco, Turn up Fishmonger's Alley, on the fourth shop on the right, ask the shopkeeper to show you the Crusader seal on the wall behind his wares...There are many historical hikes described in the same accurate detail. This book's compact size makes it easy to bring along when you travel. Unlike other guidebooks there are no photographs, only illustrations, but they are very detailed and correct. Also, the print is quite small. But that is because there is so much information packed into this book. Vilnay knew the Land of Israel like no one else. Though he has passed on, his encyclopedic knowledge and love of the land is presented at your fingertips in this gem.

I just finished re-reading Guilt Imagination and Freedom. It is one of these `teaching' books whose meanings deepen as one grows. In the past years it has served as a guide and grounding ally in my therapy practice. It has helped me understand and create intimacy not only with my clients but importantly, with myself. From this book I understand how guilt is endemic to life, a fact one might just as well accept lest we should decide to change ourselves into statues. Guilt is not pathology, it is spirit aching to come alive and it calls us to task through the various symptoms we experience. Guilt expresses our misalignments with our true purpose. Through the practice of imagination this life-affirming book teaches how to work with guilt, embrace it, and in so doing, allow it to become transformative and healing. An in-depth philosophical and psychological exploration of the phenomenology of guilt, the book also has lots of clinical examples, which teach the practical application of imagination as a healing tool. I highly recommend it to all students dedicate to exploring consciousness.

This book is a clearly written method for using imagination and imagery to overcome guilt and removing the "ball and chain" that drains ones energy. Dr. Clifton is amazing! I feel so much better and have more ambition and vigor. Thank you!

The wartime diaries of Guy Liddell represent an invaluable primary source for any scholar investigating the history of British Intelligence during the Second World War. Liddell, who directed Counter-Espionage for MI5, scrupulously jotted down multifarious details of on-going cases, including the continual roundups of Nazi spies and the running of the Double-Cross agents, whose controlled deception of the enemy helped Britain win the war.

Although Liddell's observations in the first volume usually stick to the intelligence business at hand, every once and a while, he briefly depicts daily life in the early days of the war. For instance, on October 15, 1939, he writes of a hysterical woman living somewhere on the east coast of England, who penned a letter complaining about the great number of "dangerous" kites being flown by children. On May 19, 1940, he relates an amusing anecdote (that illustrates the differences of language on either side of the Atlantic) about how the Americans, who had ordered "cots" from Harrods, were surprised when, instead of camp-beds for the army, they received crib-beds for infants. On September 24, 1940, Liddell gives us a glimpse of London of the Blitz, writing that as he was leaving the Reform Club, where he had been dining with Anthony Blunt and Guy Burgess, the Luftwaffe dropped incendiary bombs on nearby Pall Mall. Occasionally, a limerick or poem will creep into the diary, but most of the pages are devoted strictly to the serious business of defeating the enemy.

My only reservations about the book concern Nigel West's editing, which has been done with an extremely light touch. Even though he presents a roster of personalities at the beginning of the book, Mr. West is less than informative about the hundreds of personages who appear in Liddell's diaries. BISCUIT, for instance, is identified as the cryptonym for Sam McCarthy, who is then cross-referenced only as BISCUIT (One has to consult another source to discover that Mr. Biscuit was a "reformed crook, drug smuggler, and con man" [Haufler, "The Spies Who Never Were," Penguin, 2006] 30). More and thorough annotations would make the book accessible not only to scholars but also to the interested reader. I also found Mr. West's omission of Kim Philby from the roster of personalities puzzling, since Liddell mentions him in several entries of the diary and even consults him on one occasion. Both Anthony Blunt and Guy Burgess (who, like Philby, were later revealed to be unrepentant Soviet agents) are included, being identified as--respectively--"MI5 officer and Guy Liddell's personal assistant" and "Broadcasting expert employed by SIS." One hopes that the omission was accidental and that Mr. West, as an historian, has not voted Philby a damnation of memory. Since Philby was head of counter-espionage in Section V of SIS at the time, he deserves as much recognition as do Blunt and Burgess. One cannot change history by omitting the facts.

As far as I can tell, these diaries are unique in the history of secret services. Guy Liddell was Britain's MI-5, director of counter-espionage during all of World War II. And I think by any measure that he did a supurb job. His doublecross operation of capturing every Nazi agent that came into England during the war undoubtedly saved live, saved time, and was a major assist in the Normandy landings.

In most histories there's a logical flow from the beginning to the end. The trival, the mis-directions, the plain old mistakes, and perhaps above all is the shear number of different kinds of operations going on all the time. How could he have kept them straight? And while all this was going on he had all the traditional problems of budgets, finding good people, putting up with the politicians, life working for the Government.

This is likely to be one of those books that becomes a reference book for all of the books on World War II intelligence operations. It's a great companion to MI-6 and the Machinery of Spying by Davies, also published by this publisher.

This is volume one of a two volume set. The other book covers from 1942 to 1945.

The Handbook of Food-Drug Interactions
Beverly McCabe, Eric Frankel and Jonathan Wolfe, editors. 2003. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL
ISBN 0-8493-1531-X
The philosophy of interdisciplinary cooperation is clearly emphasized in this book as exemplified by the participation of various disciplines in the health care field. The evidence of cross-training is highlighted by the subject matter and the authors' backgrounds. Contributors include dietitians, pharmacists, a diabetic educator and a medical doctor. Many of the authors have their doctorates in their area of specialization.

The book starts the reader out with some basic concepts of pharmacy, moves on through drug biopharmaceutics, food- drug interactions and metabolism. There are some excellent guidelines covered on the monitoring of the nutritional status in patients on medication schedules, and a review on how aging affects drug metabolism. Gerontology and drug-nutrient considerations go hand in hand in their own unique set of assessments and recommendations. When over 85% of chronic diseases and disabilities that the elderly face could have been prevented by nutrition interventions, this is an especially important chapter for those involved in nursing home care or care of the geriatric client in any setting. This population is also the group most prone to polypharmacy, and, thus, multiple food-drug interaction potentials.

Included as well is a chapter on the importance of the role of the gastrointestinal system (G.I.) in the
scheme of things. For example, the effects of gastrointestinal disease states (GERD, PUD, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease) and how it impacts drug/nutrient metabolism/interactions and excretion are explored in a broad sense of the word with the inclusion of multiple charts and sample drug dosage recommendations, mechanisms of action and side-effects provided to assist the readers organization and understanding of topic area. The same chapter on G.I. function reviews appetite enhancers, enzyme replacement therapy, drugs to treat lipid disorders, drugs affecting fluid balance, high sodium medications and diabetes insipidus. At the end of the G.I. chapter are numerous print and internet resources to aide the clinician who wants to study the subject area a little further or find some patient education materials.

The remaining chapters discuss nutrition support, obesity and appetite enhancers, alcohol and nutrition, and the role of non-prescription drugs and nutrient interactions. Even counseling and herbs were included in this editorial review of food-drug interactions. The chapter on herbs, counseling and geriatrics are especially compatible because this age group is more likely to not only be victims of polypharmacy, but the use of alternative therapies including herbs rises from approximately 33 % to 42% as the person ages. Less than 40% of patients in one study reported their use of these herbs to their health care practitioners. Thus, the potential for interaction between their drugs and herbs places such consumers at high risk for a negative outcome.

The appendices are truly a work of art covering some of our most common questions such as the contents of different elements in foods (i.e. gliadin, tyramine, histamine, calcium, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, oxalates, caffeine/methylxanthines, alcohol, and purines); the clinical significance of grapefruit juice/drug interactions as applied in a clinical setting, commonly used micronutrient and electrolyte additive in IV feedings; average pH values of bodily fluids to beverages, the most commonly prescribed generic and brand name medications and drug side-effects are just some of the topic areas.

I consider this to be one of the most extensive pharmacological and scientific reference manuals in press today with almost 200 pages of appendices and 17 chapters that cover a multi-faceted array of topics that portray not only the mechanisms involved, but how to put this knowledge into practical and clinical use. It would make a great library edition, but is not practical, nor is it intended to be, the book you carry with you on rounds. On the other hand, this book identifies food interactions (and their mechanism) that the typical pocket-sized hand-book that you carry on rounds totally misses. This gives health care providers, such as physicians, a clear understanding of why dietitians make their recommendations and helps dietitians understand what recommendations to make. For the pharmacist, this book presents a potpourri of issues that face the pharmacist every day in an encapsulated form. For the doctor, it helps him understand more about the medication (and the alternatives) he can prescribe in light of the presenting problem and recommendations received from the rest of the health care team. Not for the lay reader.

The philosophy of interdisciplinary cooperation is clearly emphasized in this book as exemplified by the participation of various disciplines in the health care field. The evidence of cross-training is highlighted by the subject matter and the authors' backgrounds. Contributors include dietitians, pharmacists, a diabetic educator and a medical doctor. Many authors have their doctorates in their area of specialization. The editors were also multi-disciplinary as were the reviewers.

The book starts the reader out with some basic concepts of pharmacy, moves on through drug biopharmaceutics, food-drug interactions and metabolism. There are some good guidelines covered on the monitoring of the nutritional status in patients on medication schedules, and a review on how aging affects drug metabolism. Gerontology and drug-nutrient considerations go hand in hand in their own unique set of assessment and recommendations. When over 85% of chronic diseases and disabilities that the elderly face could have been prevented by nutrition interventions, this is an especially important chapter for those involved in nursing home care or care of the geriatric client in any setting. This population is also the group most prone to polypharmacy, and, thus, multiple food-drug interaction potentials.

Included as well is a chapter on the importance of the role of the gastrointestinal system (G.I.) in the
scheme of things. For example, the effects of gastrointestinal disease states (GERD, PUD, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease) and how it impacts drug/nutrient metabolism/interactions and excretion are explored in a broad sense of the word with the inclusion of multiple charts and sample drug dosage recommendations, mechanisms of action and side-effects provided to assist the readers organization and understanding of topic area. The same chapter on G.I. function reviews appetite enhancers, enzyme replacement therapy, drugs to treat lipid disorders, drugs affecting fluid balance, high sodium medications and diabetes insipidus. At the end of the G.I. chapter are numerous print and internet resources to aide the clinician who wants to study the subject area a little further or find some patient education materials.

The remaining chapters cover nutrition support, obesity and appetite enhancers were revisited, alcohol and nutrition was discussed, and the role of non-prescription drugs and nutrient interactions was covered. Even counseling and herbs were included in this editorial review of food-drug interactions.

The appendices are truly a work of art covering some of our most common questions such as the contents of different elements in foods (i.e. gliadin, tyramine, histamine, calcium, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, oxalates, caffeine/methylxanthines, alcohol, and purines); the clinical significance of grapefruit juice/drug interactions as applied in a clinical setting, commonly used micronutrient and electrolyte additives in IV feedings; average pH values of bodily fluids to beverages, the most commonly prescribed generic and brand name medications and drug side-effects are just some of the topic areas.

I consider this to be one of the most extensive pharmacological and scientific reference manuals in press today with almost 200 pages of appendices and 17 chapters that cover a multi-faceted array of topics that portray not only the mechanisms involved, but how to put this knowledge into practical and clinical use. It would make a great library edition, but is not practical, nor is it intended to be, the book you carry with you on rounds. On the other hand, this book identifies food interactions (and their mechanism) that the typical pocket-sized hand-book that you carry on rounds totally misses. This gives health care providers, such as physicians, a clear understanding of why dietitians make their recommendations and help dietitians understand what recommendations to make. For the pharmacist, this is a potpourri of issues that face the pharmacist every day in an encapsulated form. For the doctor, it helps him understand more about the medication (and the alternatives) he can prescribe in light of the presenting problem and recommendations received from the rest of the health care team. Not for the lay reader.

CHINA'S HARMONY RENAISSANCE: What the World Must Know
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF UNITED KINGDOM, MORGAN STACEY, PETER NEUMANN AND ERIC CHIPPS
Excerpt from Jan 2007 speech by Hon. John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State, United Kingdom:
There's been a great deal of talk about harmony in recent times. In fact, the academic, Francis Fung, has argued in his recent paper "Chinese Harmony Culture: Old and New - Promise for a Less Confrontational World" that China is witnessing a harmony renaissance.
He claims that great debates are happening today in China over whether Socialism with Chinese characteristics can be Socialism with harmony. And Fung maintains that China's harmony socialism will provide an alternative model, as the leading system of governance in the 21st Century.
Indeed, I note that in October the Chinese Communist Party launched a national campaign to build a more harmonious society. In doing so, China appears to be reaffirming its own rich cultural tradition of harmony.
And now, opening the Sheffield Confucius Institute, I reflect on the fact that this emphasis on harmony between man and nature is part of a tradition of Chinese thought going back 2,500 years. This tradition has, of course, evolved and changed over time."


Blog Response by Morgan Steacy

I have been reading professor Fung's letters and articles, posted to his blog site for the last week, and have become comlpetely enraptured by the hope of future possibility that they bring. Although there is nothing that I could do physically, as I am in Toronto, and the World Harmony Festival is taking place in San Francisco, if there were anything that I could do from home to volunteer my time over the summer months, I would be thrilled to be a part of something that I have been advocating myself for some time privately.
I am currently a student at York University in Toronto, Canada, studying East Asia focusing on China. My main area of concern lies squarely within your realm of thought insofar as ascertaining the facets of Chinese thought that may be able to ameliorate the social situation of my country and the world at large. I am certain that I would be able to contribute to your organisation with great success.
Please feel free to contact me by any means, and I look forward to being in touch.



Dear Francis,

Thanks for the update, I hope you and the family are well. I think it is wonderful to see the concept of a "harmony" paradigm being promoted in the media. So much of Western cultural history has been based on a conflict paradigm (crusades, competition for scarce resources, clash of civilizations, political struggle, etc.). It is extremely important to open people's minds to unity, universal love and harmony as governing principles of society, the world and the universe.
Best regards,

Peter Neumann

Recommendation by Eric Chipps, Chipps Management Consultants
In today's world of international conflicts, religious strife, North and South disparities, terrorism, extremism and unilateralism, harmony renaissance is the only common value universal solution. The tide of Harmony Renaissance is inevitable. All present will become pioneers of Harmony Renaissance. Harmony advocates non-violence. Its' premises are tolerance, acceptance, respect, equity, patience and humility. As powerful as we are we will not have nobility and hope unless we practice humility. This is the new global awareness. Harmony is the conduit to facilitate multi-directional cultural flow not just from West to East and North to South. Harmony is the all-embracing unifying force for unity in diversity.

Dr. Fung has initiated the World Harmony Organization in North America and has already attracted interest and support. It is a growing influence in North America, Europe and China from important figures in academic and social circles, economics and politics, as well as a growing number of concerned citizens in many countries.

Clearly, the policies of confrontation currently contributing so much to world tensions are unproductive, as well as damaging to the progress of society. By developing the ancient Chinese promotion of harmony, the Organization hopes to become again the third pillar in supporting democracy and religious principle as the foundation of a more peaceful and productive world.
[...]

REVIEW OF HARMONY ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN RIGHTS
Francis C. W. Fung's most recent essay, "Harmony Essential to Human Rights" has struck a cord that I believe to be invaluable at this stage of human existence. His focus here is clear from the title but his approach to the topic is unique and insightful. With contributions to this topic as common as they are, it is difficult to find an article that sheds new light on the subject, but this is just what Fung has done.
Human rights are considered by most to be equal and inalienable for all people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or nationality. Fung has posited that, while this is an ideal goal to strive for, it is necessary to understand that each individual nation has limitations that create obstacles in the path of human rights development. He further notes that it is possible that behaviour that could be perceived as a human rights violation in one place may well be a legitimate course of action in another. China's one baby policy exemplifies his point perfectly because of the fact that this is a case where the seeming infringement of one's human rights is, in fact, a boon to the greater good.

Creating the elaborate web of infrastructure necessary to operate a fully functional society bereft of so-called human rights violations requires discernment of the needs of that particular society along with a stable economy. Given the fact that China's population crisis has created a situation wherein many are unable to provide the necessities of life for children due to a lack of facilities and resources, it seems unconscionable that the North American media should pass judgment so readily without sufficient knowledge or personal contact with the situation. The idea that a blanket of human rights, conceived by the Western world, is able to cover any situation is egocentric and more importantly inaccurate.

Having identified the problem as being an inability to understand the varied needs and values of nations as they relate to the implementation of human rights, Fung goes on to suggest that it is the imminent Harmony Renaissance that could reveal the solutions. Harmony requires that people allow for the differences between cultures without passing judgment. It requires that people take the time to ask questions and make decisions after they have heard the answers.

The concept of ritual is instrumental to Confucianism and may lend itself well to this discussion. The tenet holds that in carrying out ritual properly one becomes a human being. The performance of ritual requires genuine interaction with another individual or individuals. If we were to think of every moment as being ritualized, we would be forced to connect to the other that we intend to judge rather than simply imposing our own standards upon the other on whom those standards have no bearing.

Excusing nations for all violations of human rights is certainly not what is being called for. Nor is Fung necessarily claiming that each nation should independently determine the degree to which human rights can be provided. Rather the importance of what Fung is claiming lies in the acknowledgement and acceptance of difference. The manner in which a country behaves is determined by its history, its geography, its current socio-economic make-up and intangible cultural traits. Without a profound understanding of all factors involved it is impossible to understand decisions made. It is with this outlook that modern leaders and citizens must enter the global-political realm and replace careless judgments with calculated decisions based in the growing tide of harmony.
Morgan Steacy, York University, Department of East Asian Studies

REVIEW BY MORGAN STEACY, ASEAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT, YORK UNIVERSITY
Freedom, Democracy and Harmony Diplomacy: A Review by Morgan Steacy, York University, Toronto, East Asian Studies.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Can't we all just get along?", and thought that it sounded reasonable? This is exactly what I believe happened to Dr. Francis Fung, Director General of the World Harmony Organisation. Dr. Fung has written an article entitled, Freedom Democracy and Harmony Diplomacy that essentially asks this very question. The difference here is that he answers with a resounding, yes.
Up until now no one has ventured to explore the reasons that people have so often asked this question, but have never actually dealt with why the answer that should be YES seems determined to remain NO. So, how does this article evade the puerile nature of the question that it deals with?
Dr. Fung has chosen the USA, as the major world power, to be the primary focus of his urgings. He links historical downfalls of people quite succinctly with the current situation of the world. He describes a world that is so overcome with the notion of "spreading freedom" that there is never a moment to stop and think about the hypocrisy of deciding to "bring freedom" to another nation.
He describes this as "freedom diplomacy", a process which is detrimental to societies because of the fact that they are not determining their own freedom, making it inherently flawed. He further points out that while terrorists have acted in order to destroy our freedom, their success in actually doing so has been ineffective. He claims that it is our reaction to terrorism that has actually limited our freedom. He is not claiming that countries should eliminate counter-terror measures. The point he is making is that we are dealing with the symptoms of a problem rather than the problem itself.
Some believe that the answer to the problem lies in the style of governance that persists in regions where terrorists are able to survive. The answer, to these people, is simple. Spread democracy. If democracy's impact has been felt to the extent that it has in so many other parts of the world, then surely there is no reason for it to fail elsewhere. The truth, unfortunately, lies far from this simplistic view. It is impossible to deny that democracy has been a boon to many societies, and has even been the backbone of success in the modern world, but there are differences in the way that each nation practices democracy. The flexibility that democracy allows within a defined structure is one thing that makes democracy such an amazing concept. Unfortunately, it is often the case that narrow-mindedness and a lack of true cultural understanding inhibit the propagation of actual democracy, and it is only imperialism that perseveres.
Finally, Dr. Fung, having illuminated many of the problematic approaches currently being undertaken, leads the reader to the solution. Harmony is an approach that supports rather than censures, it is tolerant rather than judgemental and it is inclusive instead of being exclusive. Harmony is meant to encompass the fundamental principles that one ought to adhere to in all facets of life. Decision-making processes would be geared towards harmony, rather than personal gain, from an individual level all the way to a global plain.
Dr. Fung has taken a concept that is so seemingly simplistic and breathed a palpable life into it in this essay. The statement that he is making is direly needed and I hope that he continues to make statements like these so that people will start to realise that the solutions that are currently failing to solve the contentious issues of global peace will continue to fail until we realise that it is our very goal that is misguided. We need to establish global harmony before thinking about global peace. Harmony does not imply agreement, only tolerance. It is possible to bring harmony about quickly through education and compliance. Once the people of the world commit to harmony as a means to solve problems, the problems of the world will finally become manageable, and maybe then we will all "just get along".

Francis C. W. Fung's most recent essay, "Harmony Essential for Human Rights" has struck a cord that I believe to be invaluable at this stage of human existence. His focus here is clear from the title but his approach to the topic is unique and insightful. With contributions to this topic as common as they are, it is difficult to find an article that sheds new light on the subject, but this is just what Fung has done.
Human rights are considered by most to be equal and inalienable for all people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or nationality. Fung has posited that, while this is an ideal goal to strive for, it is necessary to understand that each individual nation has limitations that create obstacles in the path of human rights development. He further notes that it is possible that behaviour that could be perceived as a human rights violation in one place may well be a legitimate course of action in another. China's one baby policy exemplifies his point perfectly because of the fact that this is a case where the seeming infringement of one's human rights is, in fact, a boon to the greater good.
Creating the elaborate web of infrastructure necessary to operate a fully functional society bereft of so-called human rights violations requires discernment of the needs of that particular society along with a stable economy. Given the fact that China's population crisis has created a situation wherein many are unable to provide the necessities of life for children due to a lack of facilities and resources, it seems unconscionable that the North American media should pass judgement so readily without sufficient knowledge or personal contact with the situation. The idea that a blanket of human rights, conceived by the Western world, is able to cover any situation is egocentric and more importantly inaccurate.
Having identified the problem as being an inability to understand the varied needs and values of nations as they relate to the implementation of human rights, Fung goes on to suggest that it is the imminent Harmony Renaissance that could reveal the solutions. Harmony requires that people allow for the differences between cultures without passing judgement. It requires that people take the time to ask questions and make decisions after they have heard the answers.
The concept of ritual is instrumental to Confucianism and may lend itself well to this discussion. The tenet holds that in carrying out ritual properly one becomes a human being. The performance of ritual requires genuine interaction with another individual or individuals. If we were to think of every moment as being ritualised, we would be forced to connect to the other that we intend to judge rather than simply imposing our own standards upon the other on whom those standards have no bearing.
Excusing nations for all violations of human rights is certainly not what is being called for. Nor is Fung necessarily claiming that each nation should independently determine the degree to which human rights can be provided. Rather the importance of what Fung is claiming lies in the acknowledgement and acceptance of difference. The manner in which a country behaves is determined by its history, its geography, its current socio-economic make-up and intangible cultural traits. Without a profound understanding of all factors involved it is impossible to understand decisions made. It is with this outlook that modern leaders and citizens must enter the global-political realm and replace careless judgements with calculated decisions based in the growing tide of harmony.

Morgan Steacy, York University, Department of East Asian Studies.