Higurashi

My recent bedtime reading is Higurashi (終日) by Miyabe Miyuki (宮部美幸).

I must say the plot is so-so, although the story is brilliantly told. After reading nearly a dozen of Miyabe's novels - thanks to AL - I found stories in the Edo period (江戸時代) more enjoyable.

And that's a remarkable period. It was the Qing (清) Empire across the East Sea; both countries faced military and cultural invasion by the Europeans.

But, their fate diverted in 1867, when Sakamoto Ryoma (坂本龍馬) led the famous Taisei Houkan (大政奉還), resulting in the new policy of Meiji (明治維新).

By the way, while talking about Sakamoto, a story of his appears to my mind.

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One day, Saigo Takamor (西郷隆盛), an ally of Sakamoto, asked, "What you mentioned the day before yesterday is different from what you're saying today. How could you win the trust of any people? You, as the world famous figure, must have a firm belief!"

The pioneer of democracy in Japan replied, "Saigo, once you decide on one thing, you want to be consistent. But to do so, you will be behind the times in the future."

As the old Latin proverb says: Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis.

PS. The story of Higurashi largely took place at Hatchobori (八丁堀) of Tokyo - exactly the place where Vivian stayed when she was doing elective in the National Cancer Center.