The Scent of Jasmine……can’t be scared off by Guns…

A few days ago, this message appeared all over the Internet:

Message: You all can google translate this and decide if you want to post this and help spread the word, according to your own personal conscience all over the internet in Chinese to help us spread the words! Thank you.
中國「茉莉花革命」時間：2011年2月20日下午2時地點：
北京 王府井麥當勞門前
上海 人民廣場和平影都門前
天津 鼓樓下南京 鼓樓廣場秀水街百貨門口
西安 北大街家樂福門口成都
天府廣場毛主席像下
長沙 五一廣場新大新大廈門口
杭州 武林廣場杭州百貨大樓門口
廣州 人民公園星巴克門口
瀋陽 南京北街肯德基門口
長春 文化廣場西民主大街快樂購超市門口
哈爾濱 哈爾濱電影院門口
武漢 解放大道世貿廣場麥當勞門口

Translation:

China’s “Jasmine Revolution ” Time: at 14:00 on February 20th, 2011 Location:
McDonald’s in front of Beijing Wangfujing
Shanghai People’s Square in front of Peace Cinema
Tianjin, Nanjing Drum Tower Drum Tower Square, Silk Street, next door Stores
North Street, Xi’an, Chengdu, Carrefour entrance
Under Chairman Mao as the Tianfu Square
Dah Sing Changsha Wuyi Square Building a new entrance
Hangzhou Wulin Square, Hangzhou Department Store entrance
Entrance of the Guangzhou People’s Park Starbucks
Entrance of Nanjing North Street Shenyang, Kentucky
Democratic Avenue West Culture Square in Changchun Happigo supermarket entrance
Harbin Harbin cinema entrance
Jiefang Road, Wuhan World Trade Plaza, McDonald’s door

According to the “Official version” : Jittery Chinese authorities wary of any domestic dissent staged a show of force Sunday  to squelch a mysterious online call for a “Jasmine Revolution,” with only a handful of people joining protests apparently  modeled on the pro-democracy demonstrations sweeping the Middle East.

This is what the people were asking for:

統一口號：我們要吃飯.  我們要工作. 我們要住房. 我們要公平. 我們要公義!

Which means:  We are United: We want to eat. We want to work. We want Proper housing. We want  Fairness & Equality. We Need  Justice!

Which really makes me wonder: “Can you stop the scent of a jasmine flower with guns?”

You can try to burn down the plants. But the seeds will spread in the wind.

You can forbid the use of the word and even a child will know the Scent.

You can imprison anyone with Wisdom who has ever known the scent of Jasmine.

But the scent will be no less fragrant to even the most ignorant.

Once upon a time in Chinese Legend there was a  紅花會 (Red flower club)

in a book called 書劍恩仇錄 and all they wanted was the same from the Qin Dynasty!

The symbolic figures were the absolute plagues for the Qin dictatorship because there was not a chinese person alive then who did not silently support the Red flower club.

By pointing guns & secret police at the civilians participating in China’s 20 Feb 2011 Jasmine Gathering, aren’t you just empowering everyone to think of themselves as the new “Red Flower Club” ? You are making legendary heroes (by symbolic association) out of anyone who simply love the scent of Jasmine! My dear Beijing Government, is this an intelligent move?

Did you notice the top rated TV sitcoms of the 70s in Hong kong about the “Red Flower Club” was revived in Oct. 2010?

The theme song has been digitally remastered and sung by Hong kong’s new Pop idol! It sold Millions. Again!

Never underestimate the “mandate of heaven” that is still vested in all the 300 ancient surnames of China.

Try to heed this ancient warning: 眾人惑惑，我獨不從。 內藏我知，不與人論技。我雖尊高，人莫害我。夫江河長百谷者，以其卑下也。 天道無親，常與善人。 戒之哉！戒之哉！

The battle of symbolism for the minds of 1.6 billion has just begun.

This time it is not started with a gunshot or by an image of a Man Standing in front of Tanks like in 1989.

This time, in 2011,  we can only noticed this by a simple ” Jasmine flower” placed in front of all the Trading Meccas in all the capital cities of Mainland China.

So worked up is the Beijing administration over the use of the “Jasmine” as a symbol that Mr Hu Jintao staged this performance by ladies from Africa’s Confuscius Institute praising him for being a “Jasmine flower” to them. I wonder how that looks for the Dignity of Mother Africa to have to speak in Mandarin asking for a job in Mainland China from Hu? Who then says,”Yes, I will cultivate you.” Lets hope Mr Hu is a good gardener in a hot house?

Because Wild Jasmine grows without contrivances and real jasmine’s scent belongs to no one and everyone! Enjoy this battle of Symbology, it is only the beginning….