Proposal :

Toro Nagashi in Outer Space

prepared by Hui Wai Keung2011 ~ 2012

Special Thanks to :

The students from Moriya Junior High SchoolThe students from University of TsukubaMiss. Ramirez CeciliaMiss. Miyuki InoueMiss. Mizuho IshiiMr. Kohei HashimotoMiss. Mami OdaiProfessor. Takuro OsakaMr. Gosuke SugiyamaMiss. Harumi ShimuraMr. Takashi Takanashi

This project was initiated by the artist, Hui Wai Keung, during his residency at ARCUS Project, Moriya, Ibaraki, Japan

copyright @ 2011-2012 Hui Wai Keung All rights reserved

to the end of the universe

to the end of the universe

This project is about having a ceremony of “water lanterns” releasing in outer space. A proposal is going to be submitted to different space agencies such as JAXA and NASA.

The releasing of water lanterns is a traditional ceremony take place in many Asian countries. Tōrō Nagashi held in Japan is the one with strong linkage to ancient cosmology. During the time, people float paper lanterns down a river. This is primarily done in the evening of ancestor worship festivals. It is traditionally believed that the lanterns will guide the spirits of the departed back to the “other world”. Ancient people always have the concept of “other world”, where the spirits are living in. It is believed to be located on an island at the end of the sea. It is a scarey place but a wonderland without worry. This contradictory character is strongly attached to the concept of “utopia”.

People always have fantasy of an utopia found somewhere far out in the sea. This thinking was shared among different places in the world. However, this fantasy inevitably lost its stand now, after the scientists have shown us the spherical earth. There is no end of the sea. Nowadays, people only recognize those lantern ceremonies as a custom, but hardly believe the physical presence of an “other world”. Our physical connection to the ancestors is inevitably broken.

This art project wonders whether tradition could be transformed and metamorphosed into a contemporary version, so that some of our ancient poetic belief could be re-established in front of the scientific dogma. This project thus tries to switch the location of “other world” from the end of the sea to the end of the universe, where we have never explored. This new version could re-form a physical utopia in our imagination.

“They” have just gone to another place after death, not disappear.

Toro Nagashi in Outer Space

boundary of the sea= boundary of the World

Other Worldon an island

at the end of the sea

our living world

The cosmology of ancient people ......

traditionalwater lantern

Other World at the end of Universe

boundary of the Universe= boundary of the World

our living Earth

The proposed metamorphosed cosmology ......

space lantern

SPACE TORO

Structure:

During its journney to the end of the universe, a lantern not only have to withstand the pull of Earth but also other planets it would encounter. With a view to have a better chance of escaping the gravitational wells, the space lantern is better to be made by materials with low mass, which are chosen to be aerogel, the lightest solid material in the World, and other metal.

As there is no oxygen found in the outerspace, the lantern ignites the flame by burning a pyrotechnic mixtures of solid fuels and oxidizers, depends on its self-sustaining exothermic chemical reactions . The compositions will be those materials used in flares, which burn slowly and produce a brilliant light.

aerogel

paper

illuminant compound ( potassium perchlorate mixed with charcoal, sawdust, aluminium, magnesium, and a suitable polymeric resin )

delay material( black powder )

mechanical firing system

According to the Fundamental Studies in Droplet Combustion and Flame Extinguishment in Microgravity (FLEX) experiments held by NASA, in the absence of gravity, fire in outerspace burn “one-dimensionally”, which means the flame will be shaped a like ball without buoyant flow.

Once the timer is countered back to its zero position, the safty lever is released automatically

The primer is fired to shoot the pyrotechnic initiator by a strong force of spring.

It inigites a chemical reaction and burns the pyrotechnic initiator (pyrogen), then black power, and finally the illuminant compound.

1

2

3

4

The astronaut adjusts the timer switch to a random position before releases the lantern.

APPENDIX A:

Toro Nagashi

Tōrō nagashi is a Japanese ceremony in which participants float paper lanterns down a river; tōrō is traditionally another word for lantern, while nagashi means “cruise, flow”. This is primarily done on the last evening of the O-Bon festival based on the belief that this guides the spirits of the departed back to the “other world”.

The O-Bon Festival (お盆) takes place in middle July or August. It lasts for three days. It is a traditional Japanese custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday. People return to ancestral family places during the festival period. They visit their ancestors’ graves, at the same time the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. The festival ends with Tōrō nagashi. This ceremony usually culminates in a fireworks display. O-Bon Festival has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years. Similar ancestors worship fesivals can be found in other Asian countries such as China and Taiwan.

The Tōrō nagashi ceremony normally gathers a lots of people. It has become a touching and romantic community event. Family members join together to “farewell” their deceased ancestors. When the ceremony begins, people take their lantern to the launching platform (or boat) and place it gently into the water. Names of the dearly departed are written on these lanterns along with messages if preferred. There is a candle inserted in the paper lantern’s center. It is illuminated and the flame flickers poetically alone its dark jounery. Lanterns are then floated down rivers symbolically signaling the ancestral spirits’ return to the “other world”.

( source: https://vimeo.com/48212973 )

Ancient Japanese always have a concept of “other world”. Sometimes, It was not only a religious or mythological idea, but perceived to be physically existing. The other world was located at either some non-accessible place in the middle of mountain or an island at the end of the sea. With a view to grasp the idea of “the end of the sea”, we have to understand the ancient cosmology. It is a flat and “horizontal” earth. The land where living people were dwelling was the center of the Universe. It was surrounded by the sea. If it was strongly influenced by China cosmology, the sea could be a large flat square. No matter whether it was a square or a circle, there was an edge at the end of the sea. The edge was connected to the sky.

Not until 7th century were “sea” and “sky” actually thought to be the same thing. Both were expressed in the same word, “あま”, in ancient Japanese language (大和語彙). Its prounciation was the same to the word “上”, with meaning of “up” or “top”, was also a synonymous with the word “神”, with the meaing of “deity” or “god”.

Not only the ancient universe was flat, the hierarchy between human and deity was also flat. Ancient Japanese believed that everything in the world had spirits (kami), including human, animal, weather pheonomans, mountain, tree, stone, and even the bowl and cloth at home. Once any spirit got particular beauty or power, it deserved respect. Until around 200 B.C., people started worshipping their ancestors, and believed that they would be still living in another world after death. Their dwelling places was situated in a mountain or an island at the end of sea. The position could be where the sun sets and rises. Even though it was a remote place, both worlds were not totally sperated. During some festival times each year, the ancestors could come to meet their offsprings and blessed them fortunate. It might be a long and dark journey sailing from the end of the sea. Living people thus release the water lanterns to guide the spirits. That is just what we see in the Tōrō Nagashi ceremony.

APPENDIX B:

OtherWorld

There were various names of “other world” mentioned in Japanese mytology. One of them is called Tokoyo-No-Kuni (常世の国). According to Kojiki (古事記), a female deity named Sukunabikona (少產名命) appeared there sailing on a boat and dressed in bird feathers (or butterfly wings). She came to aid Okuninushi (大國主命) in creating the country, and then departed again for tokoyo-no-kuni. It is an utopia island where people obtain eternal life. It is a world blessed with boundless wealth, pleasure, and peace. Those who came from tokoyo-no-kuni were thought to impart special blessings. The tangerine trees growing there always yield delicious fruit. It is also the home of the spirit of grain. There is another island called Ne-No-Kuni (根の国), where it is the dwelling place of the departed. Normally, they were recognized to be two different worlds. However, if we analyzed their names in etymological way, they might be the same place. The pronunciation “tokoyo” of the word, “常世”, is a combination of “underground” and “endless night”. The orginal word of “根” is “ネ”. It has the meaning of “invisible power”. Thus, both Tokoyo-No-Kuni (常世の国) and Ne-No-Kuni (根の国) are refered to a dark world where people are afraid but have to go after death.

Another name is Nirai-kanai (ニライカナイ) used in the legend from Okinawa area (沖縄, 琉球). The word “niruya” is presumably linked with the ocean. Nirai-kanai is an island where the deities dwell, and from where they bring both good fortune and catastrophe to the human world. Fire and rice originated there, as well as rats and insects that can harm the crops. Nirai-kanai is also the place where the spirits of the dead go. For instance, the spirits of female lay ritualists (Jp. kamionna, Okinawan nanchu) on Kudaka Island are said to go there after death.

These utopia islands are obviously similar to Gokuraku-jodo (極樂淨土) of Buddhism and Penglai (蓬萊), Fangzhang (方丈), Yingzhou (瀛洲) of Chinese Tao religion. They were also islands of longevity. Penglai is a place without pain and winter; there are rice bowls and wine glasses that never become empty no matter how much people eat or drink from them; and there are magical fruits that can heal any disease and grant eternal youth. On the other hand, there is also a scary dwelling place for departed in Tao religion. It is Mount Lofeng (羅酆山) which is located at a remote place on the North sea.

Thus, both Chinese and Japanese ancient beliefs offer prototypes of utopia island at the end of the sea. It is a wonderland but also a dark world we are afraid to go after death.

APPENDIX C:

Islands

...... Never the Muse is absent from their ways: lyres clash and flutes cry and everywhere maiden choruses whirling. Neither disease nor bitter old age is mixed in their sacred blood; far from labor and battle they live. ......Hyperborea @ Tenth Pythian Ode (Greece, ~6th century BC) by Pindar

...... to the Elysian plain…where life is easiest for men. No snow is there, nor heavy storm, nor ever rain, but ever does Ocean send up blasts of the shrill-blowing West Wind that they may give cooling to men.Elysium @ Odyssey (Greece, ~8th century BC) by Homer

... 北方有鬼國，...... 滄海之中，有度朔之山，上有大桃木，其屈蟠三千里 ......

羅酆山 @ 山海經 (China, ~4th century BC)

...... The island of apples which men call “The Fortunate Isle” gets its name from the fact that it produces all things of itself; the fields there have no need of the ploughs of the farmers and all cultivation is lacking except what nature provides. ......Avalon @ The Vita Merlini (Britain, ~1150) by Geoffrey

...... Ab Orcadibus Thylen usque quinque dierum ac noctium navigatio est; sed Thyle larga et diutina Pomona copiosa est. ......Thule @ Gaius Julius Solinus (Roma, ~3rd century) by Polyhistor

Aaru @ (Egypt ~2400 BC)

Fortunate Isles, Hesperides (Greece ~9th century BC)

Ogygia, Elysium @ Odyssey (Greece ~8th century BC) by Homer

Hyperborea @ Histories (Book IV, Ch. 32–36) (Greece 450 BC) by Herodotus

Baltia [or Basilia or Isle of Abalus] @ (Greece ~4th century BC)

by Xenophon, Pytheas, Timaeus

Meropis @ Philippica (Greece ~4th century BC) by Theopompus

蓬萊 [Penglai], 方丈 [Fangzhang], 瀛洲 [Yingzhou], 岱輿 [Dàiyú], 員嬌 [Yuánjiāo]

@ 山海經 [Shan Hai Jing] (China ~4th century BC)

羅酆山 [Mount Lofeng] @ 山海經 [Shan Hai Jing] (China ~4th century BC)

Atlantis @ Timaeus (Greece ~360 BC) by Plato

Panchaea @ Sacred History (Greece ~3rd century BC) by Euhemerus

Ultima Thule @ Georgics (Roma 29 BC) by Virgil

Brittia @ (Roma ~4th century) by Procopius

Mag Mell @ (Ireland ~6th-9th century)

常世の国 [Tokoyo-No-Kuni] @ 古事記 [Kojiki] (Japan ~8th century)

根の国 [Ne-No-Kuni] @ 古事記 [Kojiki] (Japan ~8th century)

...... These islands, however, are greatly annoyed by the putrefying bodies of monsters, which are constantly thrown up by the sea ......Fortunate Isles @ Natural History (Greece, 77-79) by Pliny the Elder

この神風の　伊勢の国は常世の浪の　重浪よする傍国のうまし国なりこの国に居らむと　おもふ

常世の国 @ 万葉集 (Japan, -8th century)

...... A great fire was burning in the hearth, and from afar over the isle there was a fragrance of cleft cedar and juniper as they burned. But she within was singing with a sweet voice as she went to and fro before the loom, weaving with a golden shuttle. ......Ogygia @ Odyssey (Greece, ~8th century BC) by Homer

...... And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands of the blessed along the shore of deep-swirling Ocean, happy heroes for whom the grain-giving earth bears honey-sweet fruit flourishing thrice a year, ......Elysium @ Works and Days (Greece, ~700 BC) by Hesiod

龍宮 [Dragon Palace] @ うらしまたろう 浦島太郎 [Urashima Tarō] (Japan ~8th century)

Hawaiki @ (Māori, New Zealand ~8th-13th century)

Land of Women @ Immram Brain [maic Febail] [The Voyage of Bran]

(Ireland ~8th-9th century) by Christian monks

La isla de San Borondón [Saint Brendan’s Isle] @ The Voyage of Saint Brendan

(Ireland ~9th century)

Island with eternal youth, Island of salmon, Island with eternal laughter, ...etc.

@ Voyage of Máel Dúin (Ireland ~10th century)

Annwn [Annwfn or Annwvyn] @ The Four Branches of the Mabinogi

(Wales ~11th–12th century)

Avalon @ Historia Regum Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain)

(Britain 1136)

Hy-Brasil @ (Ireland ~14th century)

Tír na nÓg @ Oisín (Ireland ~15th century)

Utopia @ Utopia (England 1516) by Thomas More

Prospero’s isle @ The Tempest (England 1610) by William Shakespeare

Christianopolis @ Christianopolis (Germany 1619) by Johann Valentin Andreae

Taprobane @ Civitas Solis [City of the Sun] (Italy 1623) by Tommaso Campanella

Bensalem @ New Atlantis

(England 1627) by Francis Bacon

Adrian: … the air breathes upon us here most sweetly Sebastian: As if it had lungs, and rotten ones. Gonzalo: Here is everything advantageous to life. Antonio: True; save means to live. Gonzalo: How lush and lusty the grass looks! How green! Antonio: The ground, indeed, is tawny! Sebastian: With an eye of green in’t.Prospero’s isle @ The Tempest (England 1610) by William Shakespeare

…… and breed more cattle than are necessary for their consumption; and they give that overplus of which they make no use to their neighbors. When they want anything in the country which it does not produce, they fetch that from the town, without carrying anything in exchange for it. …… and there being no property among them, every man may freely enter into any house whatsoever. At every ten years’ end they shift their houses by lots. ……Utopia @ Utopia (England 1516) by Thomas More

...... Nobody needs to go anywhere else. We are all, if we only knew it, already there. ......Pala @ Island (England 1962) by Aldous Huxley

...... They imagine that the souls of the dead are transported to that island.

...... fishers and farmers, whose duty it is to ferry the souls over. This duty they take in turn. Those to whom it falls on any night, go to bed at dusk; at midnight they hear a knocking at their door, and muffled voices calling. Immediately they rise, go to the shore, and there see empty boats, ...... Neither on the voyage nor at landing do they see any one, but they hear a voice loudly asking each one his name and country. Women that have crossed give their husbands’ names. ......Brittia @ (Roma, ~4th century) by Procopius

...... where the air was never extreme, which for rain had a little silver dew, which of itself and without labour, bore all pleasant fruits to their happy dwellers, till it seemed to him that these could be no other than the Fortunate Islands, the Elysian Fields. ......Fortunate Isles @ Life of Sertorius, ch. viii, (Greece, ~1st century) by Plutarch

安期島, 仙人島 @ 聊齋誌異 [Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio]

(China 1680) by 蒲松齡 [Pu Songling]

女護島 [Island of Women] @ 好色一代男 [The Life of an Amorous Man] (Japan 1682) by 井原西鶴 [Ihara Saikaku]

Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, Houyhnhnms @ Gulliver’s Travels (England 1726)

by Jonathan Swift

Buyan @ The Tale of Tsar Saltan (Russia 1831) by Alexander Pushkin

Tsalal @ The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (USA 1838) by Edgar Allan Poe

Altruria @ A Traveler from Altruria (USA 1894) by William Dean Howells

仙人島 @ 癡人說夢記 (China 1904) by 旅生 [Lv Sheng]

Aman @ The Lord of the Rings (England 1937) by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Islandia @ Islandia (USA 1942) by Austin Tappan Wright

A desert island @ Lord of the Flies (England 1954) by William Golding

桃花島 [Taohua Island] @ 射鵰英雄傳 [The Legend of Condor Heroes]

(Hong Kong 1957) by 金庸 [Jin Yong]

冰火島 [Ice and Fire Island] @ 倚天屠龍記 [The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber]

(Hong Kong 1961) by 金庸 [Jin Yong]

Pala @ Island (England 1962) by Aldous Huxley

The Elder Isles @ The Lyonesse Trilogy (USA 1983-1989) by Jack Vance

There ought to be something

very special about NO boundary

conditions of the universe and

what can be more special than that

there is A boundary?

APPENDIX D:

End of

the Universe

The eternal inflation scenario (proposed

by physicist, Andrei Linde) predicts

that our observable universe resides

inside a single bubble embedded in a

vast inflating multiverse.

They have just gone to

another place after death,

not disappear.