Loyal to the End
That is the title of a paperback recently published in Hong Kong by Earnshaw Books Ltd and was included by Swindon Book Co. Ltd in their July New Releases List. It was authored by Francis Wann who has described himself as a producer, photographer, editor and teacher; and who has a PhD in Semiotics and is the author of The Other Wen Su, and the translator/editor of the poetry anthology Let It Be by Lujah; and is also an occasional features writer for Leica International.
Francis of course is my younger brother whom I had made mention of in my autobiography published in January 2021. It was in the pandemic days and I was inspired or spurred into producing mine after he had his The Other Wen Su published and displayed in some reputable bookshops. In the end, I couldn’t find a distributor. Nevertheless, although I don’t have the proof, his production didn’t become a best seller, despite it being referred to be some scholars.
Fast forward to last December, Francis told me that he was working on another book project and had a publisher interested. A working team was formed, tasked with formatting, designing and translation, with a view to having it published internationally, including in China. Francis also shared with me that the thrust of his new book was based on the earlier one which didn’t sell well. It will relate how the birth of a male infant on 7 February 1906 had impacted on the life of Wen Su, our Grand Uncle, who was then a court official and was called upon to choose a name for him. Wen Su chose the name of Pu Yi, and according to one version of the story, personally placed the boy on the Dragon throne in 1908, three years before the Qing Dynasty fell. Now let me quote from Paul French, author of Midnight in Peking, who contributed a blurb on the book’s back cover, “Scholar, diplomat, calligrapher, scion of a landlord family… and tutor to the Last Emperor of China, Puyi. Wen Su’s life both illustrates and evokes the final decades of the Qing – its weaknesses, flaws and its grand traditions. A wonderfully illustrated insider view of the end of a dynasty.”
The book aims to highlight Wen Su’s loyalty to the Last Emperor and the Qing Dynasty, to the end, but leaves readers to question what value the loyalty had when he was on the wrong side of history. Food for thoughts indeed. Francis also asked me to keep the story of his project under wrapped, which I did. Indeed, I haven’t seen him since.
Then, for a specific reason, I had organized to have breakfast with Francis on Tuesday, 8 July, at 9 am at Helena May on Garden Road. Somehow, both Francis and I became Associate Members of Helena May about 20 years ago, roughly at the same time, without each other knowing. My motivation to join was very simple. My wife had died and I lived alone on Seymour Road, with no permanent helper and often ate alone. Helena May was close enough and offered a convenient venue for food, coffee and personal reflection. Then I got married and rejoined all other social and recreational clubs on both sides of the harbour so that I haven’t been using Helena May that much if at all. I decided to call off, but since I had paid my dues in advance, up to end of June, I gave the club notice of my intention six months earlier. They acknowledged my plan, but advised me to hand them back my membership card as soon as possible afterwards. I had therefore set up the breakfast meeting to hand back my card on the one hand and had a free meal from my brother on the other. I reckoned that my plan had worked out beautifully, and more.
No sooner had Francis sat down than he handed me a small packet in a brown envelop. He asked me to unwarp it presently, which I did with great care and respect, and – as I had half expected it – out came the sleek paperback Loyal to the End, with the subtitle “The Life and Letters of Qing Dynasty Minister Wen Su” neatly autographed by its author.
It turned out to be an extended and quiet breakfast – we were the only patrons throughout – and the two brothers had a lot of catching up. In between, Francis mentioned some bizarre incidents in the family allegedly happened some 30 years ago, with such intricate and incredible details that any novelist would love to work on. But that would be another story.
I move from book publishing to wine tasting which was what Su and I did last night, or more appropriately called wine and spirit education. Su picked up the recent club magazine from Aberdeen Boat Club and noticed a wine program – from novice to connoisseur – organized by the House manager for Catering and House Keeping, featuring six sessions of one hour each in the next six months, from July to December, each with different subjects on wine tasting or wine pairing. The first session took place last night, and off we went, amidst heavy rain and thunderstorm. It was rather interesting and we had a Nepalese lady who said she was a member of ABC as the presenter. She owns a string of credentials related to wine, but primarily was running a program of the WSET or Wine and Spirit Education Trust, which I have since found out – from the internet – bills itself as a school running wine certification courses. Last night was the first lesson and covered the fundamentals, beginning with what a wine was. The tutor or presenter then showed the class how to hold a wine glass properly and introduced a systematic approach to wine tasting, involving five S’s. Very briefly, they are as follows.
First, SEE, when the one holding the glass examines the wine’s appearance by holding it up to a light source or against a white background, noting its colour, clarity and intensity.
Second, SWIRL, when one gently swirls the wine in the glass to release its aromatic compounds.
Third, SNIFF, when one brings the glass to one’s nose and inhales deeply to assess the wine’s aromas.
Fourth, SIP, when one takes a small sip of the wine, allowing it to coat one’s palate and notes its flavors, acidity, tannins and body.
Fifth, SAVOR, when one reflects on the overall experience, considering the wine’s finish, balance, and on how the different elements interact.
It all sounds rather technical and theoretical. It reminds me of someone who said that one never discusses how to perform sex, one just has it. But the wine program certainly has the merit on putting all wine drinkers on the same page so that hopefully they all speak the same language. Is this what education is all about?
