The Divine Presence

Author(s):  
Barend J. ter Haar

Statues and other images were central in the worship of the anthropomorphic deities that became increasingly popular from the Song onwards. Stories would be attached to them, both more personal recent memories and collectively transmitted miracles from the more distant past. These images and stories structured how people imagined the deity and what he was capable of. They enabled them to identify the deity when he appeared to them in a dream, in a vision, or even in real life. This chapter follows the ways in which people encountered Lord Guan in temples and shrines, as well as in dreams and visions, and how they actively enacted him in ritual theatre and different forms of spirit possession. It closes by looking at some of the stories that local people in some regions told of the deity’s early life, again with the aim of making him more real and more imaginable.

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 19-43
Author(s):  
Nguyen Minh Quang ◽  
Joop de Wit

This paper aims to understand how T-learning helps communities achieve better sustainability outcomes. On the basis of an intensive literature review and field research conducted in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, the paper proposes a substantial linkage between T-learning and sustainability. It first outlines the environmental changes in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, which appear to serve as “disorienting dilemmas” that force local people to learn and gradually shift their farming practices to align with a climate-resilient development. The paper relies on the outcomes of household surveys, field observations and focus group discussions to explore the impacts of T-learning on building adaptive capacity and sustainability transition in two community-based projects in Can Tho City and Ca Mau province in the Mekong Delta. Our findings reveal that T-learning enables experts and practitioners to introduce new ideas and accordingly mobilize local people to make changes without inciting doubt, dismay or concern. In an ideal T-learning approach, small-scale farmers learn from being under the supervision of experts in “field-based schools” that offer real-life experience and encourage learners to shift their livelihoods to eco-friendly agricultural practices. The paper sheds new light on how a critical approach to education for sustainable development through T-learning can be, under specific conditions, one strategy. It concludes that T-learning should be acknowledged as a potentially important part of the broader approach to climate-resilient development in vulnerable grassroots communities.


Author(s):  
Barend J. ter Haar

During the sixteenth century, the educated elite developed their own beliefs about Lord Guan, with very distinct stories and expectations that were not necessarily shared by the non-literate community. As literacy increased during the Qing period, these beliefs and associated practices then also spread to a larger segment of the population, especially during the nineteenth century. From being a deity who primarily operated through his violent martial actions, appearing in dreams and visions, he acquired a new dimension in which he communicated with his literate audience through writing. He assisted his devotees with a more personal kind of help, still appearing in real life, dreams, and visions, but now also providing counsel by means of prognostication and spirit writing. The deity’s predictions were often enigmatic and became clear only after the unfolding of events, serving as a confirmation of what had happened rather than a very clear guide.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-409
Author(s):  
Baizhen Gao ◽  
Rushant Sabnis ◽  
Tommaso Costantini ◽  
Robert Jinkerson ◽  
Qing Sun

Microbial communities drive diverse processes that impact nearly everything on this planet, from global biogeochemical cycles to human health. Harnessing the power of these microorganisms could provide solutions to many of the challenges that face society. However, naturally occurring microbial communities are not optimized for anthropogenic use. An emerging area of research is focusing on engineering synthetic microbial communities to carry out predefined functions. Microbial community engineers are applying design principles like top-down and bottom-up approaches to create synthetic microbial communities having a myriad of real-life applications in health care, disease prevention, and environmental remediation. Multiple genetic engineering tools and delivery approaches can be used to ‘knock-in' new gene functions into microbial communities. A systematic study of the microbial interactions, community assembling principles, and engineering tools are necessary for us to understand the microbial community and to better utilize them. Continued analysis and effort are required to further the current and potential applications of synthetic microbial communities.


2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-65
Author(s):  
Francine Wenhardt

Abstract The speech-language pathologist (SLP) working in the public schools has a wide variety of tasks. Educational preparation is not all that is needed to be an effective school-based SLP. As a SLP currently working in the capacity of a program coordinator, the author describes the skills required to fulfill the job requirements and responsibilities of the SLP in the school setting and advises the new graduate regarding the interview process and beginning a career in the public schools.


2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-119
Author(s):  
M MACDONALD ◽  
N HAWKINS ◽  
M SHAW ◽  
J MCMURRAY ◽  
H DARGIE ◽  
...  

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