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JULY 8, 2022
Hello, everyone!
Yesterday was Tanabata (七夕), a holiday of love, celebrated annually on July 7 in Japanese households.
Today, many households celebrate the yearly reunion of Orihime and Hikoboshi, the weaver princess and the mortal cow herder who were separated by Orihime's father, Tentei, the emperor of heaven. After Orihime and Hikoboshi met, fell in love and got married, they began to neglect their formal duties, which angered Tentei. He banished the two to separate ends of the Milky Way, but Orihime's sorrow convinced Tentei to allow them to meet on July 7 each year if they completed their duties.
The myth behind this holiday originated from Chinese folklore, however, throughout the centuries, the narrative merged with different Japanese details, creating a slightly different twist on this loving story. The Chinese equivalent of Tanabata, known as Qixi, follows the lunar calendar and will take place in early August.
Today, many continue the Edo period tradition of tanzaku, or writing their wishes on paper and tying them to bamboo branches. People also decorate bamboo branches with various streamers and bags to represent their wishes for prosperity and longevity.
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Race in America 🌎
In Utah, an Asian festival celebrates 80 Asian ethnic groups in a family reunion-esque celebration.
The Utah Asian Festival is celebrating its 45th year this Saturday, bringing together three generations worth of Asian families to perform and enjoy good food. At the Sandy’s Mountain America Expo Center, organizers support local businesses by inviting Asian mom-and-pop shops and family-owned food trucks.
And, to pay homage to their community’s humble beginnings, the Festival continues to charge no admission fees for any visitors who wish to see the diversity and beauty of the Asian community.
According to the Department of Law, Judge Jo-Ann Chung is the first Asian American woman to serve as a judge in the Alaska judicial system.
Chung was appointed to the Anchorage district court in 2011, and local Alaskans have voted to keep her on the court twice. She describes her day-to-day work as a combination of criminal and civil cases in a “people’s court.” Like Judge Judy, clients come in day-in and day-out, filling her every hour with their issues.
Chung grew up in Boston, and worked in many states as a prosecutor and a public defender in New Mexico, California and even overseas in Hong Kong, before landing her current position.
In Other Asian News 🗞
China is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best as the nation moves to protect itself against possible sanctions.
The nation aims to insulate its economy in a way that cushions against future harm from other countries, should those other countries find some fault with its actions. Western companies and investors, particularly from the U.S., are deeply involved in Chinese businesses, making their cooperation with existing sanctions difficult. However, should animosity from any side worsen, U.S. investors and their Western allies would be put in a stressful position.
The assessment comes from the FBI and MI5 directors, Christopher A. Wray and Ken McCallum.
The beloved creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kazuki Takahashi, passed away at 60.
Local firefighters found his body by the Nago coast in Okinawa prefecture, and coast guard officials shared that the reasons behind his death are still unknown. He was found at 11:27 a.m. on Wednesday, and the Coast Guard continue to investigate his death.
Takahashi’s series made a global impact and remains culturally iconic today. His protagonist, who fights with cards in magical duels, continues to inspire merchandise, games and other creative endeavors since its initial publication in 1996.
As news of his death rang throughout social media, domestic and international fans reminisced about their memories with the franchise, bringing out their card collections and games to honor its creator.
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Art and Literature 📖
Multimedia artist Kim Kulim, 85, is making his paintings debut at the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Kim is considered by many to be South Korea’s first avant-garde artist and who the New York Times considers “a founding father of Korean multimedia” — one who pushed art in the aftermath of the Korean War. Kim was born in a small town in 1936 under Japanese colonization.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always touched on a lot of social issues. When I first started as an artist, and even now, I have kept myself informed about current events all over the world,” Kim said.
He added about his work, “The opposing elements of life are everywhere. I want to depict desire in the age of chaos, and chaos comes from all the contradictions I’ve experienced throughout my life.”
Hong Kong novelist and screenwriting giant Ni Kuang died last Sunday. He was 87.
In the film industry, Ni was known for penning many of the action films produced by Hong Kong box office titans the Shaw Brothers. Ni also helped conceptualize stories and characters for two of Bruce Lee’s biggest films, “The Big Boss” (1971) and “Fist of Fury” (1972). He also authored an adventure series of stories called “Wisely” that showcased battles against aliens and monsters and, sometimes, political criticisms.
Ni was also a vocal critic of the Chinese Communist Party and lauded Hong Kong as a refuge of free thought. “Freedom of speech is the mother of all freedoms. Without freedom of speech, there is no other freedom at all,” Ni said.
What else is on our minds? 🧠
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