Antarctica Dreamscape- A Talk by Yi Pin

To enable Christchurch public to have a better understanding of the last piece of Pure Land on Earth – the snow-covered Antarctica, on 24th March 2018, Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery Christchurch invited Ms Yi Pin, who is a famous Taiwanese author residing in New Zealand, to give a talk called ‘Antarctica Dreamscape’. About 100 people turned up for the occasion. The talk was divided into 2 sessions and was conducted separately in Chinese and English languages.

In her opening speech, gallery curator Venerable Abbess Manshin expressed her deep respect for Ms Yi for her brilliance in her literary works, and her courage and determination in participating in the Antarctic expedition. After their chanced meeting in the beginning of this year, Venerable Abbess decided to invite Ms Yi to give a talk to the public to share her experience on her Antarctic Expedition.

Ms Yi told the audience that she was honoured to be able to share with them her 2016’s 33 day Antarctic Expedition. It all started with her sister asking her to prepare information pertaining to the Antarctic Expedition. In the course of her gathering of the information, she recalled the book ‘The Worst Journey in The World’ which she had translated many years ago. The book recorded the history, events and people involved in the Antarctic Expedition led by British explorer Robert Scott. These recalls suddenly aroused in her the passion and enthusiasm to join the Antarctic Expedition.

For the expedition, Ms Yi went alone and shared accommodation with a stranger. Their ship underwent the roaring sea of latitude 40-50 degree, the angry sea of latitude 50-60 degree and the screaming sea of latitude 60-70 degree. With every 10 degrees increase in latitude, the waves became more ferocious beating on the ship causing it to swing as if hit by an earthquake, sending fear down one’s spine. Ms Yi said that all these experiences were to test whether she had actually followed Buddha’s teachings to incorporate practice of ‘calmness’ and ‘peace of mind’ in her daily life. In her talk, Ms Yi used elegant and appropriate words to carefully describe what she had seen and heard in the journey. At the same time, she also presented slides to show what she had captured with her camera, scenes like magnificent and majestic iceberg, playful sea seals, lone ranging yellow-eyed penguins, huge elephant seals, giant kelps, and elegant Emperor penguins. The audience were really captivated by the presentations.

In her talk, Ms Yi pointed out that their ship had broken the record of sailing into the southern-most point in terms of latitude, ever reached by any ship. This is nothing to be happy about as it only means global warming has taken its toll and is a real cause of worry. Ms Yi did not wish the last Pure Land be destroyed in this manner. Just as in Buddha’s teachings, this Expedition only reinforces the truth that life must undergo hardships and challenges before one can reach one’s inner Pure Land. One has to genuinely experience and feel for everything and living the moment is practicing Buddhism.

After the talk, Venerable Abbess arranged for interested audience to buy Ms Yi’s book ‘Antarctica Dreamscape’ and Ms Yi gladly signed the books as commemoration.