Vera Katz Is Chinese

One of the convoluted ways Lan Su Chinese Garden has made money has been to "dedicate" the magnificant convoluted Taihu rocks to people who "donate" a large sum of money to the garden. Almost all the rocks have a shiny brass plaque near them attesting to the generosity of so and so in honor of whoever. The plaques blaze forth in all their gaudy glory now that the gardeners have cleared away the ground cover and bushes that used to balance them out.

A viewer would be hard pressed to say whether the plaque honors the rock or the rock honors the plaque. And since the the plaques have no expiration date, the amortization of the purchase price will eventually result in the cost being pennies per day for the status value of being known as a great guy, even if long dead. Who wouldn't jump at the chance for a plaque?

According to rumor, Vera Katz was offered a plaque for her work as mayor in creating the garden, and not only did she not jump, she might even have winced at the thought of another brass plaque spoiling the view of yet another Taihu rock. In short, she cared more about the viewer's enjoyment than enshrining her name for prosperity.

For this selfless act, she should be awarded the ultimate accolade that scholar gentlemen strived for: "The True Man of No Rank." Although no one will know that Vera chose to preserve beauty over ego glorification, this act, like a white bird singing in the snow, makes the world a better place.

I salute Vera and will think of her whenever I drink in the beauty of the rock that is hers by virtue of her love for it, even if there is no plaque saying so.