title: Takuya Kimura

text: He first landed the lead role in "Long Vacation" in 1996. The series, which aired every Monday night, saw massive success and was the highest-rated program that year, thus becoming a social phenomenon. Media stated that, "women disappear from the city on Mondays", pointing out the large viewership and how intoxicating the show was for women in Japan. After Kimura playing a young pianist, there was a rapid increase of young men who started taking piano lessons. The cultural impact and influences of the show is commonly referred to as the "Lonvaca (ron-bake) phenomenon". This was also a breakthrough for Kimura as an actor and helped him gain recognition and a more broad fan base.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 2000, he starred in a television series, "Beautiful Life", which became a massive hit, with the final episode marking above the 40% household share rating and becoming the highest-rated program for that slot (Sunday 9:00pm). In 2001, Kimura starred in "Hero", which became the all-time highest-rated television series in Japan and the only program in history to have all episodes mark above the 30% household share rating. Subsequent television series, such as "Good Luck!!", "Pride" and "Engine", also generated high-ratings. Five of his most successful television series, "Hero" (2001), "Beautiful Life" (2000), "Love Generation" (1997), "Good Luck!!" (2003), and "Long Vacation" (1996) are ranked in the top ten highest-rated television series in Japanese history.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 2004, he played a supporting role in a Cannes-nominated film "2046", and walked the red carpet of Cannes Festival for the first time. Kimura also voiced Howl Pendragon, the titular character of Studio Ghibli's "Howl's Moving Castle" in 2004. He was the lead actor in "Love and Honor" (2006). Although he was nominated for numerous prestigious awards for "Love and Honor", including the Japan Academy Award, his agency, Johnny & Associates, declined all nominations, though some organizations still announced him as the winner, such as the Tokyo Sports Film Awards, headed by Takeshi Kitano and Cinema Junpo. Earning over 40.3 billion yen, the film became the biggest hit for director Yoji Yamada during his four-decade career, as well as becoming the biggest box-office earner in Shochiku's history.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In "Blade of the Immortal" (2017), Takashi Miike cast Kimura for the role as he found him fitting due to Kimura's personal life and the differences he has with the other members of the music group SMAP. Additionally, since Kimura was also popular within Japanese fandom for over two decades by the time the film was made, he felt that his appeal would attract a bigger audience. When Miike asked his team about what they thought of Kimura playing the role of Manji, the team reacted negatively, believing that he would not be able to portray Manji. However, Miike still felt that due to Kimura's experience in films, he has suitable to play the leading role in the movie.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: He said that he personally selected Kimura, "a superstar who made the transition from the Showa era to the Heisei era," as "the world's strongest member of the Miike Gang, the Ittō-ryū fighting school of our film industry." Kimura expressed multiple thoughts about his acting as Manji, such as how he deals with make up and action sequences. However, Kimura suffered a major wound while filming, resulting in him not being able to walk for various days. Blade of the Immortal was eventually screened out-of-competition at the Cannes Festival, making this Kimura's second appearance at the event.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 2021, it was announced that Kimura would be starring in the television adaption of German author Frank Schätzing's environmental thriller, The Swarm. The series is now in post-production.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 2022, Kimura was announced to star as historical figure Oda Nobunaga alongside Haruka Ayase as Nohime in "The Legend and Butterfly", a film to commemorate Toei's 70th Anniversary in 2023. This is the first time Kimura has portrayed Nobunaga in 25 years, following his first appearance as the 16th century samurai in the 1998 historical drama "Nobunaga Oda: The Fool Who Takes The World" for TBS. The film is scheduled released on January 27, 2023, and is directed by Keishi Otomo and written by Ryota Kosawa. On November 6, 2022, Kimura made an appearance dressed as Nobunaga at the annual Gifu Nobunaga Festival alongside fellow actor Hideaki Ito on horseback. The festival drew in half-a-million people, more than the city's population, with many hoping to catch a glimpse of Kimura.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: As a member of the boy band SMAP, he used to co-host a weekly variety show "SMAPxSMAP" for 20 years until the group's dissolution on New Year's Eve 2016. They welcomed a number of international celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Lady Gaga as well as Japanese guests.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: He has also occasionally made cameo appearances in other shows, such as on Netflix's , and has been a guest on numerous variety shows.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Since 2003, Kimura hosts an annual variety show entitled "Santaku" alongside comedian Sanma Akashiya to commemorate the start of a New Year. However in 2017, it was broadcast in April due to the official disbanding of the SMAP on New Year's Eve of the previous year.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Early in the development of action game "Judgment", the developers at Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio considered using a famous actor to portray the lead Takayuki Yagami.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Writer Toshihiro Nagoshi was afraid audiences would accuse them of toning down the character due to Kimura's popularity. However, Kimura was open to the team's suggestions and worked with the developers to hone the character. Sega was pleased with Kimura's performance, noting he needed far fewer retakes during recording than they anticipated. Some lines were rewritten to better fit Kimura's delivery, but the writers ensured these changes would not deviate from Yagami's personality. The game's dialogue was recorded in chronological order so players would feel Kimura's voice evolving as Yagami's character develops during the story. Kimura enjoyed his work on the game, and Nagoshi remarked on Kimura's quick response to his messages. In contrast with previous "Yakuza" titles, the game was not recorded until after the whole scenario was written, which helped Kimura and the other actors.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Due to Kimura's popularity within "Judgment", Japanese fans have often nicknamed the game with "Kimutaku" being a short of Takuya Kimura while "Gotoku" ("Like a" Japanese) as a reference to the original Japanese title of "Yakuza""".


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Kimura reprised his role as Yagami in the sequel to Judgment, entitled "Lost Judgment" released on September 24, 2021. He announced the sequel in an event entitled "Judgment Day" alongside series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Kimura married singer Shizuka Kudo on December 5, 2000. They have two daughters: Cocomi, born on May 1, 2001; and Kõki, born on February 5, 2003.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: As a member of SMAP, Kimura alongside his fellow bandmates were former ambassadors for telecommunications conglomerate SoftBank. He is also well-known for being the previous brand ambassador for the Japanese men's grooming brand GATSBY, promoting its iconic Moving Rubber series. Kimura has been the brand ambassador for several other well-known brands, such as Suntory, Levi's, LINE, and Nikon. He is also known for starring in a series of ads for Toyota, alongside Takeshi Kitano and Hugh Jackman. Kimura and Kitano portray Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, while Jackman portrays the sailor Marco Polo. Together with Beyoncé, Kimura served as the brand ambassador for Japanese fashion brand Samantha Thavasa.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: As of 2021, Kimura is the current brand ambassador for McDonald's in Japan, and car manufacturer Nissan. In 2021, he partnered with Ray-Ban to produce two lines of special Ray-Ban Aviators and Wayfarers, with his initials engraved by hand.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum (; 11 June 1912 – 7 October 1990) was the vice president and second prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai. He ruled Dubai for 32 years from 1958 until his death in 1990.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Sheikh Rashid was responsible for the transformation of Dubai from a small cluster of settlements near the Dubai Creek to a modern port city and commercial hub.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: A quote commonly attributed to Sheikh Rashid reflected his concern that Dubai's oil, which was discovered in 1966 and which began production in 1969, would run out within a few generations.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: "My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel",


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: He therefore worked to develop the economy of Dubai so that it could survive after the end of oil production, and was a driving force behind a number of major infrastructure projects to promote Dubai as a regional hub for trade, such as:


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Dubai remained in a stand-off with Abu Dhabi at the time Sheikh Rashid became ruler of Dubai following the armed border dispute between the two emirates in 1946, and he established a close relationship with Qatar. Sheikh Rashid's daughter married the emir of Qatar in 1961. In 1966, India devalued the rupee, and Qatar and Dubai adopted the Gulf rupee as a common currency, whilst Abu Dhabi adopted the Bahraini dinar.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: The Emir of Kuwait assisted in the financing of the dredging of the creek, along with a popular issue of bonds, the 'creek bonds' and revenue derived from land reclamation made possible by the dredging. The project resulted in Dubai's rising prominence as an entrepôt, a position cemented by the visionary construction of a 15-berth deep-water port, Port Rashid, starting in 1969.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Sheikh Rashid brought Dubai to join Abu Dhabi and other northern emirates to create the United Arab Emirates in 1971, and in 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a uniform currency, the UAE dirham.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Jebel Ali port was established in 1979, and the customs free zone Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) was built around the port in 1985. By the late 1990s, JAFZ developed into a commercial free zone.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Sheikh Rashid's father was Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, while his mother was Sheikha Hessa bint Al Mur bin Hureiz Al Falasi.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum married once to Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, the daughter of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Rashid and Latifa had four sons and five daughters:


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Both his predecessor and successor as Prime Minister of the UAE was his son, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid was the prime minister of United Arab Emirates from 1971 to 1979, and acceded as ruler of Dubai on his father's death on 7 October 1990, until his death on 4 January 2006. Following Maktoum's death in 2006, another of Sheikh Rashid's sons, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, acceded to these positions and is the current vice president and prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai.


title: Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum

text: Sheikh Rashid was half-brother—46 years older—to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, presently the Chairman of Emirates Airline.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: The Doors of Perception is an autobiographical book written by Aldous Huxley. Published in 1954, it elaborates on his psychedelic experience under the influence of mescaline in May 1953. Huxley recalls the insights he experienced, ranging from the "purely aesthetic" to "sacramental vision", and reflects on their philosophical and psychological implications. In 1956, he published "Heaven and Hell", another essay which elaborates these reflections further. The two works have since often been published together as one book; the title of both comes from William Blake's 1793 book "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell".


title: The Doors of Perception

text: "The Doors of Perception" provoked strong reactions for its evaluation of psychedelic drugs as facilitators of mystical insight with great potential benefits for science, art, and religion. While many found the argument compelling, others including German writer Thomas Mann, Vedantic monk Swami Prabhavananda, Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, and Orientalist scholar Robert Charles Zaehner countered that the effects of mescaline are subjective and should not be conflated with objective religious mysticism. Huxley himself continued to take psychedelics for the rest of his life, and the understanding he gained from them influenced his final novel "Island", published in 1962.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Mescaline is the principal active psychedelic agent of the peyote and San Pedro cacti, which have been used in Native American religious ceremonies for thousands of years. A German pharmacologist, Arthur Heffter, isolated the alkaloids in the peyote cactus in 1897. These included mescaline, which he showed through a combination of animal and self-experiments was the compound responsible for the psychoactive properties of the plant. In 1919, Ernst Späth, another German chemist, synthesised the drug. Although personal accounts of taking the cactus had been written by psychologists such as Weir Mitchell in the US and Havelock Ellis in the UK during the 1890s, the German-American Heinrich Klüver was the first to systematically study its psychological effects in a small book called "Mescal and Mechanisms of Hallucinations" published in 1928. The book stated that the drug could be used to research the unconscious mind.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: In the 1930s, an American anthropologist Weston La Barre, published "The Peyote Cult", the first study of the ritual use of peyote as an entheogen drug amongst the Huichol people of western Mexico. La Barre noted that the Native American users of the cactus took it to obtain visions for prophecy, healing and inner strength. Most psychiatric research projects into the drug in the 1930s and early 1940s tended to look at the role of the drug in mimicking psychosis. In 1947 however, the US Navy undertook Project Chatter, which examined the potential for the drug as a truth revealing agent. In the early 1950s, when Huxley wrote his book, mescaline was still regarded as a research chemical rather than a drug and was listed in the Parke-Davis catalogue with no controls. Mescaline also played a paramount part in influencing the beat generation of poets and writers of the later 1940s to the early 1960s. Most notable, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, and Allen Ginsberg—all of whom were respected contemporary beat artists of their generation. Theirs and many other contemporary artists' works were heavily influenced by over-the-counter forms of mescaline during this time, due to its potency and attainability.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Huxley had been interested in spiritual matters and had used alternative therapies for some time. In 1936 he told TS Eliot that he was starting to meditate, and he used other therapies too; the Alexander Technique and the Bates Method of seeing had particular importance in guiding him through personal crises. In the late 1930s he had become interested in the spiritual teaching of Vedanta and in 1945 he published "The Perennial Philosophy", which set out a philosophy that he believed was found amongst mystics of all religions. He had known for some time of visionary experience achieved by taking drugs in certain religions.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Huxley had first heard of peyote use in ceremonies of the Native American Church in New Mexico, soon after coming to the United States in 1937. He first became aware of the cactus's active ingredient, mescaline, after reading an academic paper written by Humphry Osmond, a British psychiatrist working at Weyburn Mental Hospital, Saskatchewan, in early 1952. Osmond's paper set out results from his research into schizophrenia, using mescaline that he had been undertaking with colleagues, doctors Abram Hoffer and John Smythies. In the epilogue to his novel "The Devils of Loudun," published earlier that year, Huxley had written that drugs were "toxic short cuts to self-transcendence". For the Canadian writer George Woodcock, Huxley had changed his opinion because mescaline was not addictive and appeared to be without unpleasant physical or mental side-effects. Further, he had found that hypnosis, autohypnosis and meditation had apparently failed to produce the results he wanted.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: After reading Osmond's paper, Huxley sent him a letter on Thursday, 10 April 1952, expressing interest in the research and putting himself forward as an experimental subject. His letter explained his motivations as being rooted in an idea that the brain is a reducing valve that restricts consciousness, and hoping mescaline might help access a greater degree of awareness (an idea he later included in the book). Reflecting on his stated motivations, Woodcock wrote that Huxley had realised that the ways to enlightenment were many, including prayer and meditation. He hoped drugs might also break down the barriers of the ego, and both draw him closer to spiritual enlightenment and satisfy his quest as a seeker of knowledge.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: In a second letter on Saturday, 19 April, Huxley invited Osmond to stay while he was visiting Los Angeles to attend the American Psychiatric Association convention. He also wrote that he looked forward to the mescaline experience and reassured Osmond that his doctor did not object to his taking it. Huxley had invited his friend, the writer Gerald Heard, to participate in the experiment; although Heard was too busy this time, he did join him for a session in November of that year.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Osmond arrived at Huxley's house in West Hollywood on Sunday, 3 May 1953, and recorded his impressions of the famous author as a tolerant and kind man, although he had expected otherwise. The psychiatrist had misgivings about giving the drug to Huxley, and wrote, "I did not relish the possibility, however remote, of being the man who drove Aldous Huxley mad," but instead found him an ideal subject. Huxley was "shrewd, matter-of-fact and to the point" and his wife Maria "eminently sensible". Overall, they all liked each other, which was very important when administering the drug. The mescaline was slow to take effect, but Osmond saw that after two and a half hours the drug was working and after three hours Huxley was responding well. The experience lasted eight hours and both Osmond and Maria remained with him throughout.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: The experience started in Huxley's study before the party made a seven block trip to The Owl Drug (Rexall) store, known as World's Biggest Drugstore, at the corner of Beverly and La Cienega Boulevards. Huxley was particularly fond of the shop and the large variety of products available there (in stark contrast to the much smaller selection in English chemist's shops). There he considered a variety of paintings in art books. For one of his friends, Huxley's poor eyesight manifested in both a great desire to see and a strong interest in painting, which influenced the strong visual and artistic nature of his experience.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: After returning home to listen to music, eat, and walk in the garden, a friend drove the threesome to the hills overlooking the city. Photographs show Huxley standing, alternately arms on hips and outstretched with a grin on his face. Finally, they returned home and to ordinary consciousness. One of Huxley's friends who met him on the day said that despite writing about wearing flannel trousers, he was actually wearing blue jeans. Huxley admitted to having changed the fabric as Maria thought he should be better dressed for his readers. Osmond later said he had a photo of the day that showed Huxley wearing flannels.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: After Osmond's departure, Huxley and Maria left to go on a three-week, car trip around the national parks of the North West of the US. After returning to Los Angeles, he took a month to write the book. "The Doors of Perception" was the first book Huxley dedicated to his wife Maria. Harold Raymond, at his publisher Chatto and Windus, said of the manuscript, "You are the most articulate guinea pig that any scientist could hope to engage." The title was taken from William Blake's poem "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell":


title: The Doors of Perception

text: If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is: Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Huxley had used Blake's metaphor in "The Doors of Perception" while discussing the paintings of Vermeer and the Nain brothers, and previously in "The Perennial Philosophy", once in relation to the use of mortification as a means to remove persistent spiritual myopia and secondly to refer to the absence of separation in spiritual vision. Blake had a resounding impact on Huxley, he shared many of Blake's earlier revelations and interests in art and literature. In the early 1950s, Huxley had suffered a debilitating attack of the eye condition iritis. This increased his concern for his already poor eyesight and much of his work in the early part of the decade had featured metaphors of vision and sight.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: After a brief overview of research into mescaline, Huxley recounts that he was given 4/10 of a gram at 11:00 am one day in May 1953. Huxley writes that he hoped to gain insight into extraordinary states of mind and expected to see brightly coloured visionary landscapes. When he only sees lights and shapes, he puts this down to being a bad visualiser; however, he experiences a great change in his perception of the external world.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: By 12:30 pm, a vase of flowers becomes the "miracle, moment by moment, of naked existence". The experience, he asserts, is neither agreeable nor disagreeable, but simply "is". He likens it to Meister Eckhart's "istigkeit" or "is-ness", and Plato's "Being" but not separated from "Becoming". He feels he understands the Hindu concept of Satchitananda, as well as the Zen koan that, "the dharma body of the Buddha is in the hedge" and Buddhist suchness. In this state, Huxley explains he didn't have an "I", but instead a "not-I". Meaning and existence, pattern and colour become more significant than spatial relationships and time. Duration is replaced by a perpetual present.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Reflecting on the experience afterwards, Huxley finds himself in agreement with philosopher C. D. Broad that to enable us to live, the brain and nervous system eliminate unessential information from the totality of the 'Mind at Large'.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: In summary, Huxley writes that the ability to think straight is not reduced while under the influence of mescaline, visual impressions are intensified, and the human experimenter will see no reason for action because the experience is so fascinating.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Temporarily leaving the chronological flow, he mentions that four or five hours into the experience he was taken to the World's Biggest Drug Store (WBDS), where he was presented with books on art. In one book, the dress in Botticelli's "Judith" provokes a reflection on drapery as a major artistic theme as it allows painters to include the abstract in representational art, to create mood, and also to represent the mystery of pure being. Huxley feels that human affairs are somewhat irrelevant whilst on mescaline and attempts to shed light on this by reflecting on paintings featuring people. Cézanne's "Self-portrait with a straw hat" seems incredibly pretentious, while Vermeer's human still lifes (also, the Le Nain brothers and Vuillard) are the nearest to reflecting this not-self state.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: For Huxley, the reconciliation of these cleansed perceptions with humanity reflects the age old debate between active and contemplative life, known as the way of Martha and the way of Mary. As Huxley believes that contemplation should also include action and charity, he concludes that the experience represents contemplation at its height, but not its fullness. Correct behaviour and alertness are needed. Nonetheless, Huxley maintains that even quietistic contemplation has an ethical value, because it is concerned with negative virtues and acts to channel the transcendent into the world.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: After listening to Mozart's C-Minor Piano Concerto, Gesualdo's madrigals and Alban Berg's "Lyric Suite", Huxley heads into the garden. Outside, the garden chairs take on such an immense intensity that he fears being overwhelmed; this gives him an insight into madness. He reflects that spiritual literature, including the works of Jakob Böhme, William Law and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, talks of these pains and terrors. Huxley speculates that schizophrenia is the inability to escape from this reality into the world of common sense and thus help would be essential.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: After lunch and the drive to the WBDS he returns home and to his ordinary state of mind. His final insight is taken from Buddhist scripture: that within sameness there is difference, although that difference is not different from sameness.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: The book finishes with Huxley's final reflections on the meaning of his experience. Firstly, the urge to transcend one's self is universal through times and cultures (and was characterised by H. G. Wells as The Door in the Wall). He reasons that better, healthier "doors" are needed than alcohol and tobacco. Mescaline has the advantage of not provoking violence in takers, but its effects last an inconveniently long time and some users can have negative reactions. Ideally, self-transcendence would be found in religion, but Huxley feels that it is unlikely that this will ever happen. Christianity and mescaline seem well-suited for each other; the Native American Church for instance uses the drug as a sacrament, where its use combines religious feeling with decorum.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Huxley concludes that mescaline is not enlightenment or the Beatific vision, but a "gratuitous grace" (a term taken from Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica"). It is not necessary but helpful, especially so for the intellectual, who can become the victim of words and symbols. Although systematic reasoning is important, direct perception has intrinsic value too. Finally, Huxley maintains that the person who has this experience will be transformed for the better.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: The book met with a variety of responses, both positive and negative, from writers in the fields of literature, psychiatry, philosophy and religion. These included a symposium published in "The Saturday Review" magazine with the unlikely title of, "Mescalin – An Answer to Cigarettes", including contributions from Huxley; J.S. Slotkin, a professor of anthropology; and a physician, Dr. W.C. Cutting.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: For the Scottish poet, Edwin Muir "Mr. Huxley's experiment is extraordinary, and is beautifully described". Thomas Mann, the author and friend of Huxley, believed the book demonstrated Huxley's escapism. He thought that while escapism found in mysticism might be honourable, drugs were not. Huxley's 'aesthetic self-indulgence' and indifference to humanity would lead to suffering or stupidity; Mann concluded the book was irresponsible, if not quite immoral, to encourage young people to try the drug.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: For Huxley's biographer and friend, the author Sybille Bedford, the book combined sincerity with simplicity, passion with detachment. "It reflects the heart and mind open to meet the given, ready, even longing, to accept the wonderful. "The Doors" is a quiet book. It is also one that postulates a goodwill – the choice once more of the nobler hypothesis. It turned out, for certain temperaments, a seductive book". For biographer David King Dunaway, "The Doors of Perception", along with "The Art of Seeing", can be seen as the closest Huxley ever came to autobiographical writing.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: William Sargant, the controversial British psychiatrist, reviewed the book for "The British Medical Journal" and particularly focused on Huxley's reflections on schizophrenia. He wrote that the book brought to life the mental suffering of schizophrenics, which should make psychiatrists uneasy about their failure to relieve this. Also, he hoped that the book would encourage the investigation of the physiological, rather than psychological, aspects of psychiatry. Other medical researchers questioned the validity of Huxley's account. According to Roland Fisher, the book contained "99 percent Aldous Huxley and only one half gram mescaline". Joost A.M. Meerloo found Huxley's reactions "not necessarily the same as... other people's experiences."


title: The Doors of Perception

text: For Steven J. Novak, "The Doors of Perception" and "Heaven and Hell" redefined taking mescaline as a mystical experience with possible psychotherapeutic benefits, where physicians had previously thought of the drug in terms of mimicking a psychotic episode, known as psychotomimetic. The popularity of the book also affected research into these drugs, because researchers needed a random sample of subjects with no preconceptions about the drug to conduct experiments, and these became very difficult to find.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Huxley's friend and spiritual mentor, the Vedantic monk Swami Prabhavananda, thought that mescaline was an illegitimate path to enlightenment, a "deadly heresy" as Christopher Isherwood put it. Other thinkers expressed similar apprehensions.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Martin Buber, the Jewish religious philosopher, attacked Huxley's notion that mescaline allowed a person to participate in "common being", and held that the drug ushered users "merely into a strictly private sphere". Buber believed the drug experiences to be holidays "from the person participating in the community of logos and cosmos—holidays from the very uncomfortable reminder to verify oneself as such a person." For Buber man must master, withstand and alter his situation, or even leave it, "but the fugitive flight out of the claim of the situation into situationlessness is no legitimate affair of man."


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Robert Charles Zaehner, a professor at Oxford University, formed one of the fullest and earliest critiques of "The Doors of Perception" from a religious and philosophical perspective. In 1954, Zaehner published an article called "The Menace of Mescaline", in which he asserted that "artificial interference with consciousness" could have nothing to do with the Christian "Beatific Vision". Zaehner expanded on these criticisms in his book "Mysticism Sacred and Profane" (1957), which also acts as a theistic riposte to what he sees as the monism of Huxley's "The Perennial Philosophy". Although he acknowledged the importance of "The Doors of Perception" as a challenge to people interested in religious experience, he pointed out what he saw as inconsistencies and self-contradictions. Zaehner concludes that Huxley's apprehensions under mescaline are affected by his deep familiarity with Vedanta and Mahayana Buddhism. So the experience may not be the same for others who take the drug and do not have this background, although they will undoubtedly experience a transformation of sensation. Zaehner himself was a convert to Catholicism.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: That the longing to transcend oneself is "one of the principal appetites of the soul" is questioned by Zaehner. There are still people who do not feel this desire to escape themselves, and religion itself need not mean escaping from the ego. Zaehner criticises what he sees as Huxley's apparent call for all religious people to use drugs (including alcohol) as part of their practices. Quoting St Paul's proscriptions against drunkenness in church, in 1 Corinthians xi, Zaehner makes the point that artificial ecstatic states and spiritual union with God are not the same.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Holding that there are similarities between the experience on mescaline, the mania in a manic-depressive psychosis and the visions of God of a mystical saint suggests, for Zaehner, that the saint's visions must be the same as those of a lunatic. The personality is dissipated into the world, for Huxley on mescaline and people in a manic state, which is similar to the experience of nature mystics. However, this experience is different from the theistic mystic who is absorbed into a God, who is quite different from the objective world. The appendices to "Mysticism Sacred and Profane" include three accounts of mescaline experiences, including those of Zaehner himself. He writes that he was transported into a world of farcical meaninglessness and that the experience was interesting and funny, but not religious.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Soon after the publication of his book, Huxley wrote to Harold Raymond at Chatto and Windus that he thought it strange that when Hilaire Belloc and G. K. Chesterton wrote the praises of alcohol they were still considered good Christians, while anyone who suggested other routes to self-transcendence was accused of being a drug addict and perverter of mankind. Later Huxley responded to Zaehner in an article published in 1961: "For most of those to whom the experiences have been vouchsafed, their value is self-evident. By Dr. Zaehner, the author of "Mysticism, Sacred and Profane", their deliberate induction is regarded as immoral. To which his colleague, Professor Price, retorts in effect, 'Speak for yourself!'".


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Professor of religion and philosophy Huston Smith argued that "Mysticism Sacred and Profane" had not fully examined and refuted Huxley's claims made in "The Doors of Perception". Smith claims that consciousness-changing substances have been linked with religion both throughout history and across the world, and further it is possible that many religious perspectives had their origins in them, which were later forgotten. Acknowledging that personality, preparation and environment all play a role in the effects of the drugs, Huston Smith draws attention to evidence that suggests that a religious outcome of the experience may not be restricted to one of Huxley's temperament. Further, because Zaehner's experience was not religious, does not prove that none will be. Contrary to Zaehner, Huston Smith draws attention to evidence suggesting that these drugs can facilitate theistic mystical experience.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: As the descriptions of naturally occurring and drug-stimulated mystical experiences cannot be distinguished phenomenologically, Huston Smith regards Zaehner's position in "Mysticism Sacred and Profane", as a product of the conflict between science and religion – that religion tends to ignore the findings of science. Nonetheless, although these drugs may produce a religious experience, they need not produce a religious life, unless set within a context of faith and discipline. Finally, he concludes that psychedelic drugs should not be forgotten in relation to religion because the phenomenon of religious awe, or the encounter with the holy, is declining and religion cannot survive long in its absence.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: Huxley continued to take these substances several times a year until his death, but with a serious and temperate frame of mind. He refused to talk about the substances outside scientific meetings, turned down an invitation to talk about them on TV and refused the leadership of a foundation devoted to the study of psychedelics, explaining that they were only one of his diverse number of interests. For Philip Thody, a professor of French literature, Huxley's revelations made him conscious of the objections that had been put forward to his theory of mysticism set out in "Eyeless in Gaza" and "Grey Eminence", and consequently "Island" reveals a more humane philosophy. However, this change in perspective may lie elsewhere. In October 1955, Huxley had an experience while on mescaline that he considered more profound than those detailed in "The Doors of Perception". He decided his previous experiments, the ones detailed in "Doors" and "Heaven and Hell", had been "temptations to escape from the central reality into false, or at least imperfect and partial Nirvanas of beauty and mere knowledge." He wrote in a letter to Humphry Osmond, that he experienced "the direct, total awareness, from the inside, so to say, of Love as the primary and fundamental cosmic fact. ... I was this fact; or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that this fact occupied the place where I had been." The experience made its way into the final chapter of "Island". This raised a troublesome point. Was it better to pursue a course of careful psychological experimentation... or was the real value of these drugs to "stimulate the most basic kind of religious ecstasy"?


title: The Doors of Perception

text: A variety of influences have been claimed for the book. The psychedelic proselytiser Timothy Leary was given the book by a colleague soon after returning from Mexico where he had first taken psilocybin mushrooms in the summer of 1960. He found that "The Doors of Perception" corroborated what he had experienced 'and more too'. Leary soon set up a meeting with Huxley and the two became friendly. The book can also be seen as a part of the history of entheogenic model of understanding these drugs, that sees them within a spiritual context.


title: The Doors of Perception

text: William Blake (1757–1827), who inspired the book's title and writing style, was an influential English artist most notable for his paintings and poetry. The "doors of perception" was originally a metaphor written by Blake in his 1790 book, "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell". The metaphor was used to represent Blake's feelings about mankind's limited perception of the reality around them:


title: The Doors of Perception

text: "The Doors of Perception" is usually published in a combined volume with Huxley's essay "Heaven and Hell" (1956)


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: Pratik Gandhi is an Indian actor. He worked in Gujarati theatre before entering Gujarati cinema. He received wide acclaim for portraying Harshad Mehta in Sony LIV series "Scam 1992". He acted in several Hindi films thereafter.


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: Gandhi was born in Surat to parents who were teachers. He completed his schooling at V. D. Desai Wadiwala (Bhulka Bhavan) High School in Surat. He studied at Surat where he was involved in theatre arts. He graduated in Industrial Engineering from the North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon in 2004. From 2004 to 2007, he worked with National Productivity Council in Satara and Pune. He later worked at Reliance Infrastructure (cement division) in Mumbai from January 2008 to 2016.


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: Gandhi participated in the Gujarati play "Aa Paar Ke Pele Paar". He played a role in the Gujarati film "Bey Yaar" (2014) and in plays "Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon", "Hu Chandrakant Bakshi" and "Ame Badha Sathe To Duniya Laiye Mathe". In "Mohan's Masala", he performed a monologue in three languages, English, Hindi and Gujarati on the same day. He played a lead role in his next film, "Wrong Side Raju" (2016) which won the National Award for Best Gujarati Film. His next Gujarati films "Love Ni Bhavai" (2017) and "Ventilator" (2018) were commercially successful.


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: He played stockbroker Harshad Mehta in the 2020 Sony LIV biographical drama web series "Scam 1992" directed by Hansal Mehta. He received wide acclaim for portraying Harshad Mehta.


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: Gandhi appeared in the 2021 Hindi film "Bhavai" where he played a lead. The film received mixed reviews. His next Hindi film was "Atithi Bhooto Bhava" was released in 2022. Gujarati film "Vaahlam Jao Ne" (2022) was his next release.


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: He will appear in Hindi film "Dedh Bigha Zameen," written and directed by Pulkit. In July 2022, director Hansal Mehta announced a multi-season biographical web series on Mahatma Gandhi starring Pratik Gandhi in lead role.


title: Pratik Gandhi

text: Gandhi's parents are teachers. He married actress Bhamini Oza in 2009 and their daughter Miraya was born in 2014.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Edward Rubin Griffin (born July 15, 1968) is an American comedian and actor. He is best known for portraying Eddie Sherman in the sitcom "Malcolm & Eddie", the title character in the 2002 comedy film "Undercover Brother", and Tiberius Jefferson "T.J." Hicks in "" (1999) and "" (2005). He also portrayed Orpheus in "Scary Movie 3" (2003) and voiced Richard Pryor on "Black Dynamite" (2012–2015). Griffin was ranked at number 62 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and was raised by his single mother, Doris Thomas, a phone company operator. His family were Jehovah's Witnesses. In 1984, at 16 years old, he moved to Compton, California to live with his cousins. He later became a father and enlisted in the U.S. Navy but was discharged within months for using marijuana. After six months in jail on an assault conviction following a fight, he made ends meet dancing and painting houses.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: At a comedy club open-mic night in 1989, Griffin hopped onstage on a bet and earned a standing ovation with family stories. He talked his way into stand-up gigs around town and in L.A. One popular bit was his gay version of tough-guy comic Andrew Dice Clay, who later hired Griffin to open for him.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Once he achieved a fair amount of success in standup, Griffin became legendary at The Comedy Store for stopping in to do guest sets on open mic nights and staying up on stage long enough to tire the audience out for the hapless budding comic who had to follow him.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin has appeared in films such as "The Meteor Man" (1993), "The Walking Dead" (1995) “David E. Talbert: A Fool & His Money” (1997), "" (1999), "Double Take" (2001), "Undercover Brother" (2002), "John Q" (2002), "Scary Movie 3" (2003), "" (2005), "Norbit" (2007), and "Urban Justice" (2007).


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin has appeared on television shows such as "Malcolm & Eddie" (1996–2000) and "Chappelle's Show" in the skit "World Series of Dice" as Grits n' Gravy.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin performed on two tracks from Dr. Dre's 1999 album, "2001", and the intro track from The D.O.C.'s 1996 album "Helter Skelter".


title: Eddie Griffin

text: In 2011, Comedy Central released Griffin's stand-up comedy special "You Can Tell 'Em I Said It" on DVD.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin and his mother got into an argument at his 20th birthday party when she accused him of stealing jewelry from her, which Griffin denied doing. Afterward, Griffin did not see his mother for four years until he moved back to Los Angeles, California in March 1992, to be closer with his family when his mother was injured in a car accident.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin has been married four times. He married his first wife, Carla in 1984 when he was 16 years old. They divorced in 1997. He married his second wife, Rochelle, in 2002 and divorced in 2009. On September 8, 2011, he married his third wife, Nia Rivers. However, they filed for divorce after one month of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. They were officially divorced six months later in 2012. He married his fourth wife, Ko Lee Griffin, on July 27, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: In March 2007, Griffin participated in a charity race at Irwindale Speedway to promote the film "Redline", using a Ferrari Enzo owned by Daniel Sadek. During a practice run, Griffin accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and lost control of the Enzo, crashing hard into a concrete barrier. He walked away unscratched, but the $1.5 million supercar was badly damaged. Griffin later criticized reporters who suggested the crash was a publicity stunt.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: During the sexual assault allegations on Bill Cosby, Griffin suggested that Cosby was the victim of a conspiracy to destroy his image and claimed, without specification, that several other prominent African-American men had been victims of similar conspiracies.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin has been called out by actor, writer, producer, director, and comedian Seth Rogen due to an experience they shared in a Las Vegas elevator where Griffin is said to have made anti-Semitic remarks to Rogen, his wife Lauren Miller Rogen, and Jonah Hill.


title: Eddie Griffin

text: Griffin has also been called out by the Sikh community for referring to an elderly Sikh man as "Osama Bin Laden" in the aftermath of 9/11, not understanding the difference between Sikhs and Muslims and also thinking that stereotyping Muslim Americans for the sake of "comedy" was appropriate given all the hate crimes both the Muslim and Sikh communities endured after 9/11.


title: Incest in film and television

text: Incest as either a thematic element or an incidental element of the plot, can be found in numerous films and television programs.


title: Incest in film and television

text: Sometimes, two characters do not know about their blood relationship when they enter a sexual or romantic relationship, or one of them knows while the other does not.


title: Water Margin

text: Water Margin (Shuihu zhuan) is one of the earliest Chinese novels written in vernacular Mandarin, and is attributed to Shi Nai'an. It is also translated as Outlaws of the Marsh and All Men Are Brothers.


title: Water Margin

text: The story, which is set in the Northern Song dynasty (around 1120), tells of how a group of 108 outlaws gather at Mount Liang (or "Liangshan" Marsh) to rebel against the government. Later they are granted amnesty and enlisted by the government to resist the nomadic conquest of the Liao dynasty and other rebels. While the book's authorship is traditionally attributed to Shi Nai'an (1296–1372), the first external reference to the novel only appeared in 1524 during the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty, sparking a long-lasting academic debate on when it was actually written and which historical events the author had witnessed that inspired him to write the book.


title: Water Margin

text: It is considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It has introduced readers to many of the best-known characters in Chinese literature, such as Wu Song, Lin Chong, Pan Jinlian, Song Jiang and Lu Zhishen. "Water Margin" also exerted a towering influence in the development of fiction elsewhere in East Asia, such as in Japanese literature.


title: Water Margin

text: "Water Margin" is based on the exploits of the outlaw Song Jiang and his 108 companions (The 36 "Heavenly Spirits" (三十六天罡) and the 72 "Earthly Demons" (七十二地煞)). The group was active in the Huainan region and surrendered to the Song government in 1121. They were recorded in the historical text "History of Song" in the annals of Emperor Huizong of Song, which states:


title: Water Margin

text: Zhang Shuye's biography further describes the activities of Song Jiang and the other outlaws, and tells they were eventually defeated by Zhang.


title: Water Margin

text: Folk stories about Song Jiang circulated during the Southern Song. The first known source to name Song Jiang's 36 companions was "Miscellaneous Observations from the Year of Guixin" (癸辛雜識) by Zhou Mi, written in the 13th century. Among the 36 are Lu Junyi, Guan Sheng, Ruan Xiao'er, Ruan Xiaowu, Ruan Xiaoqi, Liu Tang, Hua Rong and Wu Yong. Some of the characters who later became associated with Song Jiang also appeared around this time. They include Sun Li, Yang Zhi, Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen and Wu Song.


title: Water Margin

text: A palace memorial by Hou Meng, included in the "History of Song", states: "Song Jiang and 36 others cross Qi and Wei (the central belt of the North China Plain) at will. Government troops number tens of thousands but no one dares oppose him. His abilities must be extraordinary. Since we also face plunders by Fang La and his outlaws from Qingxi, why not grant Song Jiang and his men amnesty and request them to lead a campaign against Fang La to redeem themselves?"


title: Water Margin

text: A direct precursor of "Water Margin" is "Old Incidents in the Xuanhe Period of the Great Song Dynasty" (大宋宣和遺事), which appeared around the mid-13th century. The text is a written version of storytellers' tales based on supposed historical events. It is divided into ten chapters, roughly covering the history of the Song dynasty from the early 11th century to the establishment of the Southern Song regime in 1127. The fourth chapter covers the adventures of Song Jiang and his 36 companions, and their eventual defeat by Zhang Shuye. Versions of some of the stories and characters in "Water Margin" are clearly visible, including "Yang Zhi Sells His Precious Sabre", "Robbing the Convoy of Birthday Gifts", "Song Jiang Kills Yan Poxi", and "Fighting Fang La". Song Jiang and his outlaws are said to operate in the Taihang Mountains.


title: Water Margin

text: Stories about the outlaws became a popular subject for Yuan dynasty drama. During this time, the material on which "Water Margin" was based evolved into its current form. The number of outlaws increased to 108. Even though they come from different backgrounds, and include scholars, fishermen, imperial drill instructors, officers, and others, all of them eventually come to occupy Mount Liang (or Liangshan Marsh).


title: Water Margin

text: While the book's authorship is attributed to Shi Nai'an (1296–1372), there is an extensive academic debate on what historical events the author had witnessed that inspired him to write the book, which forms a wider debate on when the book was written. The first external reference of this book, which dated to 1524 during a chit-chat among Ming dynasty officials, is a crucial evidence. The date of external reference, 1524, was regarded as a reliable evidence because it presents strong falsifiability. Other scholars put the date to the mid-14th century, sometime between the fall of the Mongol-ruled Yuan dynasty and the early Ming dynasty.


title: Water Margin

text: Both the Jiajing reign of Ming dynasty (1521-1568) and the closing years of Mongol-ruled Yuan dynasty (1360s) were marked by a chain of rebellions, which confused scholars a lot as to which of the two inspired the author, and hence when was the book written. The proponents of the Yuan dynasty argued that "Water Margin" became popular during the Yuan as the common people (predominantly Han Chinese) resented the Mongol rulers. The ambivalence persisted into later times, and the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming dynasty, acting on the advice of his ministers, banned the book.


title: Water Margin

text: The opening episode in the novel is the release of the 108 Spirits, imprisoned under an ancient stele-bearing tortoise.


title: Water Margin

text: The next chapter describes the rise of Gao Qiu, one of the primary antagonists of the story. Gao abuses his status as a Grand Marshal by oppressing Wang Jin; Wang's father taught Gao a painful lesson when the latter was still a street-roaming ruffian. Wang Jin flees from the capital with his mother and by chance he meets Shi Jin, who becomes his apprentice. The next few chapters tell the story of Shi Jin's friend Lu Zhishen, followed by the story of Lu's sworn brother Lin Chong. Lin Chong is framed by Gao Qiu for attempting to assassinate him, and almost dies in a fire at a supply depot set by Gao's henchmen. He slays his foes and abandons the depot, eventually making his way to Liangshan Marsh, where he becomes an outlaw. Meanwhile, the "Original Seven", led by Chao Gai, rob a convoy of birthday gifts for the Imperial Tutor Cai Jing, another primary antagonist in the novel. They flee to Liangshan Marsh after defeating a group of soldiers sent by the authorities to arrest them, and settle there as outlaws with Chao Gai as their chief. As the story progresses, more people come to join the outlaw band, including military personnel and civil officials who grew tired of serving the corrupt government, as well as men with special skills and talents. Stories of the outlaws are told in separate sections in the following chapters. Connections between characters are vague, but the individual stories are eventually pieced together by chapter 60 when Song Jiang succeeds Chao Gai as the leader of the band after the latter is killed in a battle against the Zeng Family Fortress.


title: Water Margin

text: The plot further develops by illustrating the conflicts between the outlaws and the Song government after the Grand Assembly of the 108 outlaws. Song Jiang strongly advocates making peace with the government and seeking redress for the outlaws. After defeating the imperial army in a great battle at Liangshan Marsh, the outlaws eventually receive amnesty from Emperor Huizong. The emperor recruits them to form a military contingent and sends them on campaigns against invaders from the Liao dynasty and rebel forces led by Tian Hu, Wang Qing and Fang La within the Song dynasty's domain. Although the former outlaws eventually emerge victorious against the rebels and Liao invaders, the campaigns also led to the tragic dissolution of the 108 heroes. At least two-thirds of them died in battle while the surviving ones either return to the imperial capital to receive honours from the emperor and continue serving the Song government, or leave and spend the rest of their lives as commoners elsewhere. Song Jiang himself is eventually poisoned to death by the "Four Treacherous Ministers" – Gao Qiu, Yang Jian, Tong Guan and Cai Jing.


title: Water Margin

text: This outline of chapters is based on a 100 chapters edition. Yang Dingjian's 120 chapters edition includes other campaigns of the outlaws on behalf of Song dynasty, while Jin Shengtan's 70 chapters edition omits the chapters on the outlaws' acceptance of amnesty and subsequent campaigns.


title: Water Margin

text: The extended version includes the Liangshan heroes' expeditions against the rebel leaders Tian Hu and Wang Qing prior to the campaign against Fang La.


title: Water Margin

text: "Water Margin", praised as an early "masterpiece" of vernacular fiction, is renowned for the "mastery and control" of its mood and tone. The novel is also known for its use of vivid, humorous and especially racy language. However, it has been denounced as "obscene" by various critics since the Ming dynasty.


title: Water Margin

text: Susan L. Mann writes that the "desire for male camaraderie" is "far from a mere plotline," for it is a basic theme of this and other classic novels. She places the novel's male characters in a tradition of men's culture of mutual trust and reciprocal obligation, such as figures known as the Chinese knight-errant. Sima Qian, the Han dynasty historian, devoted a section to biographies: "Their words were always sincere and trustworthy, and their actions always quick and decisive. They were always true to what they promised, and without regard to their own persons, they would rush into dangers threatening others." She finds such figures in this and other novels, such as "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Journey to the West", all of which dramatized the "empathic emotional attraction between men who appreciate and play off against one another's complementary qualities."


title: Water Margin

text: Licentious and treacherous women are another recurring theme. Modern critics have debated whether "Water Margin" is misogynistic. Most beautiful women in the novel are depicted as immoral and cruel, and they are often involved in schemes against the protagonists. Among them is Pan Jinlian, the sister-in-law of Wu Song, who has later become an archetypal femme fatale and one of the most notorious villainesses of classical Chinese culture. On the other hand, the few "good" women in the story, like Sun Erniang and Gu Dasao, are not particularly noted for their beauty, or are even described as being plain or ugly. The leader of the outlaws, Song Jiang admonished "Any outlaw that meddles with women is contemptible."


title: Water Margin

text: Critics offer various explanations for "Water Margin"'s prejudice against women. Most common among modern Chinese critics is the patriarchal society of the Imperial China. Professor Sun Shuyu of The Chinese University of Hong Kong argues that the author(s) of "Water Margin" intentionally vilified women in order to discipline their would-be-outlaw audiences.


title: Water Margin

text: Since fiction was not at first a prestigious genre in the Chinese literary world, authorship of early novels was not attributed and may be unknowable. The authorship of "Water Margin" is still in some sense uncertain, and the text in any case derived from many sources and involved many editorial hands. While the novel was traditionally attributed to Shi Nai'an, of whose life nothing is reliably known, recent scholars think that the novel, or portions of it, may have been written or revised by Luo Guanzhong (the author of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"). Other contenders include Shi Hui (施惠) and Guo Xun (郭勛).


title: Water Margin

text: Many scholars believe that the first 70 chapters were indeed written by Shi Nai'an; however the authorship of the final 30 chapters is often questioned, with some speculating that it was instead written by Luo Guanzhong, who may have been a student of Shi. Another theory, which first appeared in Gao Ru's "Baichuan Shuzhi" (百川書志) during the Ming dynasty, suggests that the whole novel was written and compiled by Shi, and then edited by Luo.


title: Water Margin

text: Shi drew from oral and written texts that had accumulated over time. Stories of the Liangshan outlaws first appeared in "Old incidents in the Xuanhe period of the great Song dynasty" (大宋宣和遺事) and had been circulating since the Southern Song dynasty, while folk tales and opera related to "Water Margin" have already existed long before the novel itself came into existence. This theory suggests that Shi Nai'an gathered and compiled these pieces of information to write "Water Margin".


title: Water Margin

text: Some believe that "Water Margin" was written entirely by Luo Guanzhong. Wang Daokun (汪道昆), who lived during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor in the Ming dynasty, first mentioned in "Classification of Water Margin" (水滸傳敘) that: "someone with the family name Luo, who was a native of Wuyue (Yue (a reference to the southern China region covering Zhejiang), wrote the 100-chapter novel." Several scholars from the Ming and Qing dynasties, after Wang Daokun's time, also said that Luo was the author of "Water Margin". During the early Republican era, Lu Xun and Yu Pingbo suggested that the simplified edition of "Water Margin" was written by Luo, while the traditional version was by Shi Nai'an.


title: Water Margin

text: However, Huikang Yesou (惠康野叟) in "Shi Yu" (識餘) disagree with Wang Daokun's view on the grounds that there were significant differences between "Water Margin" and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", therefore these two novels could not have been written by the same person.


title: Water Margin

text: Hu Shih felt that the draft of "Water Margin" was done by Luo Guanzhong, and could have contained the chapters on the outlaws' campaigns against Tian Hu, Wang Qing and Fang La, but not invaders from the Liao dynasty.


title: Water Margin

text: Another theory states that Luo Guanzhong was from the Southern Song period vice the Ming dynasty. Cheng Muheng (程穆衡) suggested in "Notes on Water Margin" (水滸傳注略) that Luo lived in the late Southern Song dynasty and early Yuan era. Huang Lin'gen (黃霖根) pointed out that the name of one of the compilers of "Anecdotes of Jingkang" (靖康稗史) was Nai'an, and suggested that this "Nai'an", who lived during the Southern Song dynasty, was Shi Nai'an. He also felt that Shi wrote a simplified version of "Water Margin", which is not the current edition.


title: Water Margin

text: Another candidate is Shi Hui (施惠), a "nanxi" ("southern opera") playwright who lived between the late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty. Xu Fuzuo (徐復祚) of the Ming dynasty mentioned in "Sanjia Cunlao Weitan" (三家村老委談) that Junmei (君美; Shi Hui's courtesy name)'s intention in writing "Water Margin" was to entertain people, and not to convey any message. During the Qing dynasty, Shi Hui and Shi Nai'an were linked, suggesting that they are actually the same person. An unnamed writer wrote in "Chuanqi Huikao Biaomu" (傳奇會考標目) that Shi Nai'an's given name was actually "Hui", courtesy name "Juncheng" (君承), and he was a native of Hangzhou. Sun Kaidi (孫楷第) also wrote in "Bibliography of Chinese Popular Fiction" that "Nai'an" was Shi Hui's pseudonym. Later studies revealed that "Water Margin" contained lines in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang variety of Chinese, and that "You Gui Ji" (幽闺记), a work of Shi Hui, bore some resemblance to "Water Margin", hence the theory that "Water Margin" was authored by Shi Hui.


title: Water Margin

text: Early scholars attributed the authorship to Guo Xun (郭勛), a politician who lived in the Ming dynasty. Shen Defu (沈德符), a late Ming dynasty scholar, mentioned in "Wanli Yehuo Bian" (萬曆野獲編) that Guo wrote "Water Margin". Shen Guoyuan (沈國元) added in "Huangming Congxin Lu" (皇明從信錄) that Guo mimicked the writing styles of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin" to write "Guochao Yinglie Ji" (國朝英烈記). Qian Xiyan (錢希言) also stated in "Xi Gu" (戲嘏) that Guo edited "Water Margin" before. Hu Shih countered in his "Research on Water Margin" (水滸傳新考) that Guo Xun's name was used as a disguise for the real author of "Water Margin". Dai Bufan (戴不凡) had a differing view, as he suspected that Guo wrote "Water Margin", and then used "Shi Nai'an" to conceal his identity as the author of the novel


title: Water Margin

text: The textual history of the novel is extraordinarily complex for it includes oral folklore, storytellers' tales, and printed versions of different parts and variations. Not until the 1920s were there studies which began to set these questions in order, and there is still disagreement. The earliest components of the "Water Margin" (in manuscript copies) were from the late 14th century. The earliest extant complete printed edition of "Water Margin" is a 100-chapter version published in 1589. Another edition, with 120 chapters by Yang Dingjian (楊定見), has been preserved from the reign of the Wanli Emperor (1573–1620) in the Ming dynasty. Yet other editions were published in the early Qing dynasty.


title: Water Margin

text: One of the most widely read editions was published by Jin Shengtan in 1643, reprinted many times. Jin provided three introductions that praised the novel as a work of genius and inserted commentaries into the text that explained how to read the novel. He cut matter that he thought irrelevant, reducing the number of chapters to 70.


title: Water Margin

text: A printed copy of the "Water Margin", dating from the Jiajing Emperor's reign in the Ming dynasty, titled "Jingben Zhongyi Zhuan" (京本忠義傳), is preserved in the Shanghai Library. The various editions of "Water Margin" can roughly be classified into two groups - simplified and traditional.


title: Water Margin

text: The simplified editions include stories on the outlaws being granted amnesty, followed by their campaigns against the Liao dynasty, Tian Hu, Wang Qing and Fang La, all the way until Song Jiang's death. At one point, the later chapters were compiled into a separate novel, titled "Sequel to Water Margin" (續水滸傳), which is attributed to Luo Guanzhong.


title: Water Margin

text: The complex editions are more descriptive and circulated more widely than their simplified counterparts. The three main versions of the complex editions are a 100-chapter, a 120-chapter and a 70-chapter edition. The most commonly modified parts of the complex editions are the stories on what happened after the outlaws are granted amnesty.


title: Water Margin

text: "Water Margin" has been translated into many languages. The book was translated into Manchu as Möllendorff: Sui hū bithe. Japanese translations date back to at least 1757, when the first volume of an early "Suikoden" ("Water Margin" rendered in Japanese) was printed. Other early adaptations include Takebe Ayakari's 1773 "Japanese Water Margin" ("Honcho suikoden"), the 1783 "Women's Water Margin" ("Onna suikoden"), and Santō Kyōden's 1801 "Chushingura Water Margin" ("Chushingura suikoden").


title: Water Margin

text: In 1805, Kyokutei Bakin released a Japanese translation of the "Water Margin" illustrated by Hokusai. The book, called the "New Illustrated Edition of the Suikoden" ("Shinpen Suikogaden"), was a success during the Edo period and spurred a Japanese "Suikoden" craze.


title: Water Margin

text: In 1827, publisher Kagaya Kichibei commissioned Utagawa Kuniyoshi to produce a series of woodblock prints illustrating the 108 heroes in "Water Margin". The 1827–1830 series, called "108 Heroes of the Water Margin" or "Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori", catapulted Kuniyoshi to fame. It also brought about a craze for multicoloured pictorial tattoos that covered the entire body from the neck to the mid-thigh.


title: Water Margin

text: Following the great commercial success of the Kuniyoshi series, other ukiyo-e artists were commissioned to produce prints of the "Water Margin" heroes, which began to be shown as Japanese heroes rather than the original Chinese personages.


title: Water Margin

text: Among these later series was Yoshitoshi's 1866–1867 series of 50 designs in Chuban size, which are darker than Kuniyoshi's and feature strange ghosts and monsters.


title: Water Margin

text: The book was first translated into Thai in 1867, originally in samud thai (Thai paper book) format, consisting of 82 volumes in total. It was printed in western style in 1879 and distributed commercially by Dan Beach Bradley, an American Protestant missionary to Siam.


title: Water Margin

text: Pearl S. Buck was the first English translator of the entire 70-chapter version. Titled "All Men are Brothers" and published in 1933. The book was well received by the American public. However, it was also criticised for its errors, such as the mistranslation of [[Lu Zhishen]]'s nickname "Flowery Monk" as "Priest Hua". In 1937, another complete translation appeared, titled "Water Margin," by J. H. Jackson, edited by [[Fang Lo-Tien]].


title: Water Margin

text: Later translations include Chinese-naturalised scholar [[Sidney Shapiro]]'s "Outlaws of the Marsh" (1980). However, as it was published during the [[Cultural Revolution]], this edition received little attention then. It is a translation of a combination of both the 70-chapter and 100-chapter versions. The most recent translation, titled "The Marshes Of Mount Liang," by Alex and John Dent-Young, is a five-volume translation of the 120-chapter version. Includes a prologue but omits the foreword by Shi Nai'an and some passages related to the official details of the Ming Dynasty.


title: Water Margin

text: These translations differ in the selection of texts and completeness. The Jackson translation is the only translation to contain [[Shi Nai'an]]'s foreword. The Shapiro translation omits the prologue, the foreword, and most of the poems. The Dent-Young translation omits the author's foreword and the passages concerning the [[Ming Dynasty]] administration and the translators admitted to compromising some details and retaining inconsistencies in their "Brief Note on the Translation".


title: Water Margin

text: "[[Jin Ping Mei]]" is an erotic novel written under the [[pen-name]] Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng (蘭陵笑笑生) ("The Scoffing Scholar of Lanling") in the late [[Ming dynasty]]. The novel is based on the story of [[Wu Song]] avenging his brother in "Water Margin", but the focus is on [[Ximen Qing]]'s sexual relations with other women, including [[Pan Jinlian]]. In "Water Margin", Ximen Qing is killed by Wu Song for murdering the latter's brother, while in "Jin Ping Mei" he dies a horrible death due to an accidental overdose of aphrodisiac pills.


title: Water Margin

text: "Shuihu Houzhuan" (水滸後傳), which roughly translates to "The Later Story of Water Margin", is a novel written by Chen Chen (陳忱) in the [[Qing dynasty]]. The story is set after the end of the original "Water Margin", with [[Li Jun (Water Margin)|Li Jun]] as the protagonist. It tells of how the surviving Liangshan heroes are forced to become outlaws again due to corruption in the government. When the armies of the [[Jurchen people|Jurchen]]-ruled [[Jin dynasty (1115–1234)|Jin dynasty]] invade the Song dynasty, the heroes rise up to defend their nation from the invaders. The heroes eventually decide to leave China for good and sail to distant lands. Apart from the surviving Liangshan heroes from the original novel, "Shuihu Houzhuan" also introduces new characters such as [[Hua Rong]]'s son Hua Fengchun (花逢春), [[Xu Ning]]'s son Xu Sheng (徐晟) and [[Huyan Zhuo]]'s son Huyan Yu (呼延鈺).


title: Water Margin

text: "Dang Kou Zhi" (蕩寇志), which roughly translates to "The Tale of Eliminating Bandits", is a novel written by Yu Wanchun (俞萬春) during the reign of the [[Daoguang Emperor]] in the Qing dynasty. Yu disagreed that the Liangshan outlaws are loyal and righteous heroes, and was determined to portray them as ruthless mass murderers and destroyers, hence he wrote "Dang Kou Zhi". The novel, which starts at the Grand Assembly of the 108 outlaws at Liangshan Marsh, tells of how the outlaws plundered and pillaged cities before they are eventually eliminated by government forces led by Zhang Shuye (張叔夜) and his lieutenants Chen Xizhen (陳希真) and Yun Tianbiao (雲天彪).


title: Water Margin

text: The Qing dynasty writer Qian Cai intertwined the life stories of [[Yue Fei]] and the outlaws [[Lin Chong]] and [[Lu Junyi]] in "[[Media about Yue Fei#The Story of Yue Fei|The Story of Yue Fei]]" (1684). He stated that the latter were former students of the general's martial arts tutor, [[Zhou Tong (archer)|Zhou Tong]]. However, literary critic C. T. Hsia commented that the connection was a fictional one created by the author. The Republican era folktale "[[Media about Zhou Tong#How Wu Song becomes Zhou's student|Swordplay Under the Moon]]", by [[Wang Shaotang]], further intertwines Yue Fei's history with the outlaws by adding [[Wu Song]] to the list of Zhou's former students. The tale is set in the background of Wu Song's mission to Kaifeng, prior to the murder of his brother. Zhou tutors Wu in the "rolling dragon" style of swordplay during his one-month stay in the capital city. It also said that Zhou is a [[Blood brother|sworn brother]] of [[Lu Zhishen]] and shares the same nickname with the executioner-turned-outlaw [[Cai Fu]].


title: Water Margin

text: [[Frank Chin]]'s novel, "[[Donald Duk]]", contains many references to the "Water Margin". [[Song Jiang]] and [[Li Kui (Water Margin)|Li Kui]] make several appearances in the protagonist's dreams.


title: Water Margin

text: "Rise of the Water Margin" (水滸再起) is a novel launched in 2022 by the American author Christopher Bates in which all of the Chinese characters and their approximate character arcs are 21st century modernizations of people in "The Water Margin". In this cyber-thriller, the characters of [[Lin Chong]], [[Lu Da]], [[Gao Qiu]], Gao Yanei, Zhang Zhenniang, Fu An, Cai Jing, Chai Jin, Wang Lun, Zhu Gui, Zhao Ji, Li Shishi and many others appear. The location of Liangshanpo is a deserted ghost city known to its investors as Mount Liang Swamp, repurposed as a hacker enclave.


title: Water Margin

text: [[Eiji Yoshikawa]] wrote "Shin Suikoden" (新水滸伝), which roughly translates to "New Tales from the Water Margin".


title: Water Margin

text: In addition to its colossal popularity in China, "Water Margin" has been identified as one of the most influential works in the development of early modern Japanese literature.


title: Water Margin

text: "Water Margin" is referred to in numerous Japanese [[manga]], such as [[Tetsuo Hara]] and [[Buronson]]'s "[[Fist of the North Star]]", and [[Masami Kurumada]]'s "[[Fūma no Kojirō]]", "Otokozaka" and "[[Saint Seiya]]". In both works of fiction, characters bearing the same stars of the "Water Margin" characters as personal emblems of destiny are featured prominently. A Japanese manga called "[[Akaboshi: Ibun Suikoden]]", based on the story of "Water Margin", was serialised in "Weekly Shonen Jump".


title: Water Margin

text: A Hong Kong [[manhua]] series based on "Water Margin" was also created by the artist [[Lee Chi Ching]]. A reimagined series based on "Water Margin", "108 Fighters", was created by [[Andy Seto]].


title: Water Margin

text: Between 1978 and 1988, the Italian artist [[Roberto Raviola|Magnus]] published four acts of his work "I Briganti", which places the "Water Margin" story in a setting that mixes Chinese, Western and [[science fiction]] (in [[Flash Gordon]] style) elements. Before his death in 1996, the four completed "acts" were published in a volume by Granata Press; two following "acts" were planned but never completed.


title: Water Margin

text: Most film adaptations of "Water Margin" were produced by Hong Kong's [[Shaw Brothers Studio]] and mostly released in the 1970s and 1980s. They include: "[[The Water Margin (film)|The Water Margin]]" (1972), directed by [[Chang Cheh]] and others; "[[Delightful Forest]]" (1972), directed by Chang Cheh again and starring [[Ti Lung]] as [[Wu Song]]; "[[Pursuit (1972 Hong Kong film)|Pursuit]]" (1972), directed by Kang Cheng and starring [[Elliot Ngok]] as [[Lin Chong]]; "[[All Men Are Brothers (film)|All Men Are Brothers]]" (1975), a sequel to "The Water Margin" (1972) directed by Chang Cheh and others; "Tiger Killer" (1982), directed by [[Li Han-hsiang]] and starring Ti Lung as Wu Song again.


title: Water Margin

text: Other non-Shaw Brothers production include: "[[All Men Are Brothers: Blood of the Leopard]]", also known as "Water Margin: True Colours of Heroes" (1992), which centers on the story of Lin Chong, [[Lu Zhishen]] and [[Gao Qiu]], starring [[Tony Leung Ka-fai]], [[Elvis Tsui]] and others; "[[Troublesome Night 16]]" (2002), a Hong Kong horror comedy film which spoofs the story of Wu Song avenging his brother.


title: Water Margin

text: Television series directly based on "Water Margin" include: [[Nippon Television]]'s "[[The Water Margin (1973 TV series)|The Water Margin]]" (1973), which was filmed in mainland China and later released in other countries outside Japan; "[[Outlaws of the Marsh (TV series)|Outlaws of the Marsh]]" (1983), which won a [[Golden Eagle Awards (China)|Golden Eagle Award]]; [[China Central Television|CCTV]]'s "[[The Water Margin (1998 TV series)|The Water Margin]]" (1998), produced by [[Zhang Jizhong]] and featuring fight choreography by [[Yuen Woo-ping]]; "[[All Men Are Brothers (TV series)|All Men Are Brothers]]" (2011), directed by Kuk Kwok-leung and featuring actors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.


title: Water Margin

text: Animations adapted from "Water Margin" include: "[[Giant Robo (OVA)|Giant Robo: The Animation]]" (1992), an anime series based on [[Mitsuteru Yokoyama]]'s manga series; "[[Outlaw Star]]" (1998), another cartoon series which makes several references to the novel; "[[Hero: 108]]" (2010), a flash animated series produced by various companies and shown on [[Cartoon Network]]. "Galaxy Divine Wind Jinraiger", an anime in the [[J9 Series]] planned for a 2016 broadcast, has also cited "Water Margin" as its inspiration.


title: Water Margin

text: The 2004 Hong Kong television series "[[Shades of Truth]]", produced by [[Television Broadcasts Limited|TVB]], features three characters from the novel who are reincarnated into present-day Hong Kong as a [[Triad (organized crime)|triad]] boss and two police officers respectively.


title: Water Margin

text: Video games based on the novel include [[Konami]]'s console RPG series "[[Suikoden]]" and [[Koei]]'s strategy game "[[Bandit Kings of Ancient China]]". Other games with characters based on the novel or were partly inspired by it include: "[[Jade Empire]]", which features a character "Black Whirlwind" who is based on [[Li Kui (Water Margin)|Li Kui]]; [[Data East]]'s "[[Outlaws Of The Lost Dynasty]]", which was also released under the titles "Suiko Enbu" and "Dark Legend"; "[[Shin Megami Tensei: IMAGINE]]". There is also a beat em' up game "Shuǐhǔ Fēngyún Chuán" (), created by Never Ending Soft Team and published by Kin Tec in 1996. It was re-released for the [[Mega Drive]] and in arcade version by Wah Lap in 1999. An English version titled ""Water Margin: The Tales of Clouds and Winds"" by [[Piko Interactive]] translated and released in 2015. Some enemy sprites are taken from other beat 'em ups and modified, including "[[Knights of the Round (video game)|Knights of the Round]]", "[[Golden Axe (video game)|Golden Axe]]" and "[[Streets of Rage]]."


title: Water Margin

text: "Yan Poxi", a [[Pingju]] form of the story focused on the concubine [[Yan Poxi]], was performed by [[Bai Yushuang]] and her company in [[Shanghai]] in the 1930s.


title: Water Margin

text: "Water Marginised" (水滸後傳) (2007) is a folk [[reggae]] narrative by Chan Xuan. It tells the story of a present-day jailbird who travels to Liangshan Marsh in hope of joining the outlaw band, only to find that [[Song Jiang]] and his men have all taken bureaucratic jobs in the ruling party.


title: Water Margin

text: "108 Heroes" is a three-part Peking Rock Opera (first shown in 2007, 2011 and 2014 respectively) formed through a collaborative effort between the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Shanghai International Arts Festival, Taiwan Contemporary Legend Theater, and the Shanghai Theater Academy. The show combines traditional Peking Opera singing, costumes, martial arts and dance with elements of modern music, costume and dance.


title: Water Margin

text: Characters from the story often appear on [[Chinese playing cards#Money-suited cards|Money-suited]] playing cards, which are thought to be the ancestor of both modern playing cards and mahjong tiles. These cards are also known as Water Margin cards (水滸牌).


title: Water Margin

text: The trading card game, Yu-Gi-Oh! has an [[archetype]] based on the 108 heroes known as the "Fire Fist" (known as "Flame Star" in the OCG) (炎えん星せい, Ensei) where the monsters aside from Horse Prince, Lion Emperor, and Spirit are based on those heroes.


title: Water Margin

text: The [[Jurchen people|Jurchen]] chief and Khan [[Nurhaci]] read the Chinese novels "[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]" and "Water Margin" learning all he knew about Chinese military and political strategies from them.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 21 March 2002, Amanda Jane "Milly" Dowler, a 13-year-old English schoolgirl, was reported missing by her parents after failing to return home from school and not being seen since walking along Station Avenue in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, that afternoon. Following an extensive search, Dowler's remains were discovered in Yateley Heath Woods in Yateley, Hampshire, on 18 September.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 23 June 2011, Levi Bellfield, who had already had three life sentences with a whole life tariff imposed for the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amélie Delagrange and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, all of which had taken place after Milly Dowler's murder, was also found guilty of abducting and murdering Dowler and received another whole-life sentence. On 27 January 2016, Surrey Police announced that Bellfield had admitted to abducting, abusing and killing Dowler.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Following their daughter's death, Dowler's parents established a charity called Milly's Fund to "promote public safety, and in particular the safety of the children and young people." The case generated debate over the treatment of victims and witnesses in court after Dowler's family criticised the way they were cross-examined during Bellfield's trial.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Dowler's murder played a significant role in the News International phone hacking scandal. In 2011, reports revealed how journalists at the "News of the World" newspaper had accessed Dowler's voicemail after she was reported missing, giving her parents false hope she was still alive. The resulting outcry from the British public contributed to the closure of the newspaper and led to a range of investigations and inquiries into phone hacking and media ethics in British media.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: At 3:07p.m. on 21March 2002, Milly Dowler left Heathside School in Weybridge, Surrey, and walked to Weybridge railway station with a friend. The girls disembarked at Walton-on-Thames railway station, one stop before Dowler's usual stop of Hersham, and went to eat at the station café. After Dowler telephoned her father at 3:47p.m. to say she would be home in half an hour, the girls left the café at 4:05p.m., with Dowler walking home alone. She was last seen three minutes later walking along Station Avenue, by a friend of her sister, who was waiting at a bus stop.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: A closed-circuit television camera located further along the road showed no images of Dowler. A red Daewoo Nexia, which belonged to Levi Bellfield's girlfriend Emma Mills, was photographed driving past by the same camera at 4:32p.m. In an April 2009 interview, Bellfield said that he was driving the car.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: When Dowler failed to return home, she was reported missing to the police at 7:00p.m. A nationwide search for her followed, with 100 police officers and helicopters searching fields, streets and rivers around Hersham. Detectives who had investigated the abduction of Sarah Payne were called in to help. Police and the Dowler family made many appeals for information, including a reconstruction on the BBC's "Crimewatch UK". A plea was also made by "Pop Idol" winner Will Young, whose concert Dowler had attended shortly before her disappearance.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: The "Crimewatch UK" appeal included a direct appeal to Dowler in the hope that she had run away from home of her own accord. Her mother expressed hope that her daughter had run away, but said that she could not think of a reason why she would want to do so. "The Independent" reported in 2011 that Dowler had, some time previously, written a mock leaving-home letter and notes showing she had been unhappy.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: A week after Dowler's disappearance, the police stated that she was probably not taken by force. They reasoned that while she was unlikely to have gone off with someone she did not know of her own free will, no-one had come forward who had witnessed a struggle despite a number of apparent sightings of her prior to her disappearance.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 23 April 2002, the discovery of a body in the River Thames prompted media speculation that the remains might be those of Dowler, but the body was identified the following day as that of 73-year-old Maisie Thomas, who went missing in March 2001 and whose death was not believed to be suspicious. In June 2002, despite further searches, the offer of a £100,000 reward by national tabloid newspaper "The Sun" and her parents continuing to send text messages to her mobile telephone in hope of a reply, Dowler remained missing. That month, police told her parents that she was probably dead.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 18 September 2002, naked human remains were discovered by mushroom pickers in Yateley Heath Woods near Yateley, Hampshire. They were later confirmed through dental records as Dowler's. Due to the severity of the decomposition, the cause of death could not be ascertained. No items of Dowler's clothing or possessions—the purse, rucksack or mobile phone—she had with her at the time of her disappearance have ever been recovered. The discovery of the body led the police to reclassify the case as a homicide investigation. Undertaken by Surrey Police, the investigation was code-named Operation Ruby.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 22 November 2002, police set up a road block near the spot where the body was found. Some 6,000 motorists in the area were questioned, but no leads were discovered. Initially the Surrey Police had considered Dowler's father a suspect, as police have often found that family members are implicated in such cases. They later apologised for the missed opportunities their attention to this track may have caused. On 23 March 2003, DNA of an unidentified male was discovered on an item of Dowler's clothing in her bedroom, suggesting that her killer may have met her before. This link was ruled out within three months, at the same time that a DNA link to a church robbery in Sunderland was also ruled out.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Paul Hughes was convicted of making death threats and was jailed for five years after sending letters to Dowler's sister threatening to kill her and claiming to have killed Dowler. Hughes sent the letters while imprisoned for indecently assaulting a 12-year-old girl; the prison service apologised for not screening mail effectively. Lianne Newman, of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, repeatedly phoned Dowler's parents, school and the police, pretending to be Dowler. Newman was jailed in April 2003 for five months after pleading guilty to five counts of making phone calls to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. Gary Farr, of Retford, Nottinghamshire, repeatedly e-mailed Dowler's parents, friends and police officers working on the case, claiming that she had been smuggled out of the country to work as a prostitute and stripper at nightclubs in Poland, and that her alleged death had been a cover-up. Farr was sectioned indefinitely under the Mental Health Act on 19 October 2006 for being a serious psychological danger to the public after admitting a charge of harassment.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: In March 2008, a man was arrested over the 'disposal' of a car linked to the murder investigation but was released later that same day. In October 2009, Bedfont Lakes Country Park in West London was searched by police in the hope of finding the red Daewoo Nexia, but they recovered neither the car nor anything else of interest to their inquiry. The car has yet to be found.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 25 February 2008, Surrey Police confirmed that Levi Bellfield was their prime suspect in the murder inquiry and that they were "very interested" in questioning him following his conviction of the murders of two young female students and the attempted murder of a third. On 30 March 2010, Bellfield was charged with Dowler's abduction and murder. As a result, the inquest into the death was adjourned. On 6 October 2010, Bellfield appeared in court via video link, as he was already serving three life sentences for murder and attempted murder, and was formally charged in relation to the Dowler case.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Bellfield's trial began on 10 May 2011 at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Wilkie and concluded on 23 June 2011; the jury found him guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment the following day, and the trial judge recommended a whole life tariff in line with his previous murder convictions three years earlier. The trial of Bellfield on another charge for the attempted abduction of Rachel Cowles, an 11-year-old girl known to have been offered a lift in the Walton area by a man in a red car on 20 March 2002, was abandoned due to newspapers publishing prejudicial material. The judge ordered that the charge should remain on file.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Following Bellfield's trial, the murder of Dowler, investigation, and trial were the subject of a special "Crimewatch" programme, titled "Taken: The Milly Dowler Story," which was broadcast on BBC One on 30 June 2011. It featured interviews with witnesses, Dowler's family, and investigators. The programme explored how Bellfield was caught, and featured a reconstruction of how the crime was believed to have unfolded based on court transcripts.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 27 January 2016, Surrey Police announced that Bellfield had admitted to the abduction, rape and murder of Dowler. This was after another arrest in the Dowler case had been made and Bellfield was interviewed about whether he had had an accomplice. After his confession, the police released the individual they had arrested without charge. On 12 February 2016, Bellfield changed his story, denying that he had confessed to Dowler's murder.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: After Bellfield's sentencing, the Dowler family strongly criticised their treatment during the trial. Dowler's sister Gemma described the day that her parents were cross-examined by Bellfield's defence lawyer as "the worst day of my life". Her mother told reporters outside the Old Bailey:


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Dowler's father, Bob, commented on Bellfield's refusal to give evidence in court, and to appear for sentencing. He added:


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Chief Constable Mark Rowley, who oversaw the investigation, joined the Director of Public Prosecutions in calling for changes and for greater protection of victims and witnesses during court cases. Rowley said it was a "most bizarre and distressing coincidence" that the Dowler family had their privacy "destroyed", at a time when footballers and celebrities were being granted super-injunctions to protect details of their personal lives.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke rejected calls for a review of criminal cases. Clarke said that, while Bellfield had been convicted of previous murders, he had to be presumed innocent in the Dowler case and found guilty by a jury in a full court process. To avoid prejudicing the trial, the court did not allow evidence to be introduced of Bellfield's "obsession" with schoolgirls, and his attempts to procure sex from them.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: "The Guardian" reported on 4 July 2011 that Scotland Yard had discovered Dowler's voicemail had been accessed by journalists working for the "News of the World" and the newspaper's private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. "The Guardian" also reported that, during the police investigation into that newspaper's phone hacking activities, detectives discovered that journalists had deleted some messages—potential evidence—in Dowler's voicemail box because it was full, in order to free up space for new messages, to which they could listen. The deletions after Dowler was missing led family and friends to think that she was still alive. It was later reported that Dowler's phone automatically deleted messages 72 hours after they were listened to.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Dowler's parents announced via their solicitor that they would pursue a claim for damages against the "News of the World." In September 2011, it was reported that the Dowler family had been offered £2m in personal damages. In January 2012, it was reported that Surrey Police and other police forces knew soon after Dowler's death that "News of the World" staff had accessed her mobile phone messages, but did not take issue with this. Instead a senior Surrey officer invited newspaper staff to a meeting to discuss the case.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: Dowler's parents, Sally and Bob Dowler, launched a charity called "Milly's Fund" on the day of her memorial service in October 2002. Its mission was "to promote public safety, and in particular the safety of the children and young people". The charity provides risk assessment advice to teenagers, youth workers, and educators. Its work includes the "Teach UR Mum 2 TXT" campaign, which encourages children and parents to stay in contact via text messaging, including a glossary for parents of commonly-used SMS abbreviations.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: The campaign was awarded "Best Use of Mobile for Accessibility" at the 2004 GSM Association Awards. Milly's Fund commissioned a five-part soap opera titled "Watch Over Me" (2003), which encourages personal safety for teenagers, to be distributed to every school in the UK. In 2005, the family announced that the charity would be transferred to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. Milly's Fund was wound up that year.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: At the 2005 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, a garden designed in memory of Dowler by Penny Smith won the Tudor Rose award, the show's highest honour. Its design was supported by the Surrey Police and Milly's Fund.


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: On 29 June 2017, Dowler's sister Gemma released a book dedicated to Dowler, titled "My Sister Milly".


title: Murder of Milly Dowler

text: The investigation that led to Bellfield's arrest was dramatised in the three-part 2019 television series "Manhunt", with Martin Clunes playing Colin Sutton.


title: Milos Raonic

text: Milos Raonic (; , ; born December 27, 1990) is a Canadian inactive professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 3 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which he first achieved on 21 November 2016, making him the highest-ranked Canadian player in history. Raonic is the first Canadian man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open semifinals, the French Open quarterfinals, and the Wimbledon final. He has won eight ATP Tour titles.Raonic's career highlights include a major final at the 2016 Wimbledon Championships; two major semifinals at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and 2016 Australian Open; and four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals at the 2013 Canadian Open, 2014 Paris Masters, 2016 Indian Wells Masters, and the 2020 Cincinnati Masters. Raonic first gained widespread recognition by reaching the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open as a qualifier, where he was said to be the future of professional tennis. Coupled with his first ATP Tour title three weeks later, his world ranking rose from No. 152 to No. 37 in one month, and he was awarded the 2011 ATP Newcomer of the Year. Raonic is the first player born in the 1990s to win an ATP Tour title, to be ranked in the top 10, and to qualify for the ATP Tour Finals (the latter of which he achieved in 2014). Raonic is frequently described as having one of the best serves among his contemporaries. Statistically, Raonic is one of the best servers in the Open Era, winning 91% of service games to rank third of all time. Aided by his serve, he plays an all-court style with an emphasis on short points. All his singles titles have been won on hardcourts. His overall winning percentage of 68% is one of the highest among currently active players.


title: Milos Raonic

text: Raonic was born on December 27, 1990, in Titograd, SFR Yugoslavia (now Podgorica, Montenegro), and is of Serb heritage. Prompted by the breakup of Yugoslavia and subsequent ethnic conflict, and seeking more professional opportunities, his family moved to Canada in 1994 when he was three, settling in Brampton, Ontario.


title: Milos Raonic

text: His parents are both engineers; his father, Dušan, holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, while his mother, Vesna, has degrees in mechanical and computer engineering, including a master's. He has two older siblings: his sister, Jelena, is eleven years older, while his brother, Momir, is nine years older. Raonic's uncle, Branimir Gvozdenović, is a politician in the Government of Montenegro, where he has served as Deputy Prime Minister. Raonic is fluent in Serbian and English.


title: Milos Raonic

text: His first, brief introduction to tennis came at age six or seven with a week-long tennis camp at the Bramalea Tennis Club in Brampton, followed by weekly hour-long group sessions led by tennis coach Steve Gibson, who recognized his potential. He moved to nearby Thornhill, Ontario soon after, and one or two years passed before he asked his parents if he could play again. His father sought out coach Casey Curtis at the Blackmore Tennis Club in neighbouring Richmond Hill, Ontario. Curtis was at first reluctant to take on Raonic, but was convinced after Raonic demonstrated his commitment by working with his father and a daily for two months. Years later, Raonic said he chose tennis because of its "individuality and [because he] felt [he] could train more alone and on a ball machine with [his] dad".


title: Milos Raonic

text: Raonic and Curtis worked together "twice a day, almost every day, for the next nine years." Provided that he complete his courses, Raonic was allowed to reduce his hours of attendance at Thornhill Elementary School so that he could practise more, which he did both before and after school. His parents and siblings supported his tennis, taking turns driving him to practice and tournaments, but did not push him to it or interfere with coaching. Rather, they emphasized school throughout, insisting that he maintain academic excellence as a prerequisite to playing tennis. He attended Thornhill Secondary School, and accelerated his course load—achieving an 82 percent average—so that he could graduate a year early. Late in 2007, at the age of 16, Raonic moved to Montreal as one of the first group of players at Tennis Canada's new National Tennis Centre, thus marking the end of his formal relationship with Curtis.


title: Milos Raonic

text: Raonic's four favourite sports teams are FC Barcelona, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto Raptors. He played in the 2016 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game held in Toronto.