Latest news with #HeartSutra
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Revealing 4th cancer diagnosis, Law Kar Ying says he's at peace with death, Entertainment News
Hong Kong veteran singer-actor Law Kar Ying revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The 78-year-old was in China to promote his stage play Mr Donkey recently, when he revealed his condition in a video interview published on May 27. He said: "I am diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time. I asked the doctor, for prostate cancer, how long more do I have to live? If I undergo treatment with injections and medication, he said I have about eight years left. "Now that I know that I have about eight to nine years left, to be able to live till 90, that's a long life. Why do I need to live even longer? I am not afraid [of death] at all." Kar Ying, who is married to Hong Kong singer-actress Liza Wang, was diagnosed with stage-three liver cancer in 2004 and underwent surgery in 2005. In 2013, he was found to have a two-centimetre tumour in his liver and went for surgery again. He was found to have cancerous cells in his prostate in 2019 and underwent surgery in the same year. He said in his latest interview: "I am not going to go through chemotherapy or electrotherapy. I am just going to say goodbye to everybody comfortably." The interviewer asked him to share his "secret" to his vigour at this age, to which he said it's because he's "not afraid of death". Kar Ying added that when he was first diagnosed with cancer in 2004, he recited the Heart Sutra every day. He said: "I had too many thoughts on my mind, so I stopped thinking about them and recited the Heart Sutra. I came to a realisation - 'emptiness'. Life is empty, we come with nothing and leave with nothing. So if there is no concern, [there is no fear]. I think that's what life is all about." Before turning to movies, Kar Ying was a Cantonese opera singer in the 1970s. He is widely known for playing the monk Tang Sanzang in Stephen Chow's A Chinese Odyssey movies (1995). In recent years, Kar Ying continues to perform opera, including his collaboration with the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Artists Club to perform at the Kreta Ayer People's Theatre in Singapore in 2023. [[nid:718398]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
‘Taking care of a child with autism, I learnt things won't always go my way'
Photographer Bob Lee and his son Jun Le wear matching shirts featuring Jun Le's calligraphy, which has become a symbol of his artistic journey with autism. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA 'Taking care of a child with autism, I learnt things won't always go my way' Your Singapore Story: While helping his autistic son find his place in the world, this photographer is also rediscovering the important things in life Raising a child with autism comes with unique challenges, but photographer Bob Lee, 49, refuses to set limits on what his son, Jun Le, can achieve. From discovering his son's gift for calligraphy to starting a fundraising campaign for his art, Mr Lee and his wife have dedicated themselves to ensuring a future for their son, who is now 18, to thrive. Watch their video here. Their journey has not been easy. They left their full-time media jobs to focus on Jun Le's needs, faced rejection from schools and navigated new challenges when Mr Lee's wife was diagnosed with cancer. But through it all, they have found strength in family. Mr Lee now uses photography and conducts public talks to raise awareness about autism because, as he says, if parents do not share these stories, who will? Mr Lee guides Jun Le during a calligraphy session at home. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA 'We discovered Jun Le's talent for calligraphy by accident. To keep him occupied during the circuit breaker in 2020, we encouraged him to copy Chinese characters from the ancient Buddhist text Heart Sutra, which he did in a unique style. We coined it 'Junlefont' and held a fundraising campaign for his creations. Because of their popularity, we have since printed his designs on items like bags, pouches and hongbao envelopes to sell, and also taken on commission requests. Our hope is that this provides Jun Le with a way to support himself after he graduates from school. We recently partnered with Starbucks on a special collection and are thrilled to see Jun Le's calligraphy come to life in the heart of vibrant Chinatown. This collaboration is a meaningful opportunity to share his unique blend of creativity and tradition with a wider audience. My wife and I used to work long hours in the newsroom and had very irregular schedules. But when Jun Le was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, my wife took time off to take care of him. Eventually, we decided to quit our jobs and focus on him full-time. We now run our own company offering photography and translation services. Taking care of a child with autism, I learned things won't always go my way. When I tried to enrol Jun Le into pre-school, I was rejected by all the kindergartens I called. Even though I understood that it was because they didn't have the means to support a child with autism, I still broke down. But over the years, we've learnt to accept things as they come. I believe that it was also through our experience taking care of Jun Le that we were able to better cope with my wife's diagnosis of nose cancer later. We knew it was okay to slow down, to ask for help, to not be okay. Now, our family bond is stronger than ever. We spend a lot of time doing things together – whether it's going on long bike rides or making pizzas and chocolate cakes. Regardless of the activity, it's more important that we enjoy every moment together. Awareness of persons with autism has definitely improved through the years, but acceptance still has plenty of room for improvement. As a photographer, I often give talks about photography at schools and companies. I always take the opportunity to also draw attention to the topic of autism. After all, if we as parents of children with autism don't tell their stories, who will?' For generations, The Straits Times has told The Singapore Story. To celebrate our 180th anniversary, we're putting the spotlight on our communities – for you to tell us yours, from all around Singapore. Discover the stories from your neighbourhood as the series continues at Your Singapore Story.
Japan Times
18-02-2025
- General
- Japan Times
Monk in chaplain training urges people to face death and live life
An assistant chief priest at Ryugasan Unmon Temple in Annaka, Gunma Prefecture, is working to become an interfaith chaplain, challenging the traditional view that monks should not be involved at hospitals. Kodai Furutani, 30 — whose unconventional methods of teaching Buddhism include rapping a modern translation of the Heart Sutra — believes everyone should face the reality of death and live their life without regrets. Rather than focusing on missionary work, chaplains offer emotional care to hospital patients or those who have experienced a natural disaster, helping them navigate their grief.
