Body Worlds and The Cycle of Life Exhibition

Last weekend, while I was in Singapore, a couple of close friends and I managed to check out the AWESOME Body Worlds and The Cycle of Life exhibition at the Singapore Science Centre. The original Body Worlds exhibition is the brainchild of Dr. Gunther von Hagen, a scientist who invented the process of plastination. This technique halts the further decaying of animal tissue, and allows the parts to be flexed into various position.

You can see selected images of the exhibition from the images gallery tab from the website. Through this exhibition, we can see the amazing functions of the human body. In addition, the Cycle of Life, which is an addendum to the Body Worlds exhibition, shows in great detail how human life is formed, right from conception to birth.

You can also see videos related to plastination on Youtube, an example of which is shown here (from The Discovery Channel):



In different parts of the world, the original Body Worlds exhibition is shown with a different sub-exhibition. In Philadelphia in the USA, it's Body Worlds and the Brain, while it's Body Worlds and the Story of the Heart at the Ontario Science Centre in Canada. In other parts of the world, the original Body Worlds exhibition is still on show. When will this awesome show come to Malaysia.

This exhibition in Singapore, other than humans in "action", also featured the plastinated bodies of selected animals. The most awesome exhibit, I guess, will be that of the full body of a giraffe. A giraffe! Standing tall and erect, long after it has died. Visiting that exhibition really made my day, despite the SGD20 admission (just add another SGD1 to visit the Science Centre as well). Well worth the fee!

It is a great educational opportunity for everyone, especially children. For me, the greatest lesson I learnt from the exhibition is how precious life really is. A quote from Swiss philosopher Henri Frederic Amiel that says, To know how to grow old is the masterwork of wisdom, and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living." was displayed in the exhibition.

Yes, to grow old well and to live life without regrets is indeed a difficult and noble undertaking. In the gosho The Gift of Rice, Nichiren Daishonin writes, "Life is the foremost of all treasures. It is expounded that even the treasures of the entire major world system cannot equal the value of one’s body and life. Even the treasures that fill the major world system are no substitute for life."  (WND, 1125)

2009 is ending, and 2010 will soon be upon us. What kind of life do we want to lead in the coming new year, and for the rest of our lives? I had a great early Christmas with dearest friends last weekend in Singapore, and I hope that our friendship will last eternally. Indeed, eternal friendship is indeed one of life's greatest gifts.

The Body Worlds exhibition in Singapore will be on until March 2010.