This is the first paragraph of the essay “Houjouki” written by KAMO no Choumei, a poet and essayist from the Kamakura period (12th to 14th centuries). After this he goes on to say, “Some of the bubbles floating on the pool disappear, while others combine, never staying still for long.” This is an apt description of how the world and life are always changing, equating the world with a wide flowing river and the bubbles on its surface to people. A sentiment that is still true to this day. In other words, it explains that everything is caught up in this unending flow and this includes our successes and failures. The opening lines of “The Tale of Heike” are well known for running along similar lines, “The sound of the temple bell of Gion-shouja echoes, as if to remind us that all things in the world are not eternal.” The conceited Heike family, who thought that anyone not in their family was a nobody, fell from grace in only 30 years. We have witnessed many people fall from grace. This phenomenon can be seen not only in individuals, but also in corporations and nations. In fact, many corporations that prospered 30 years ago are failing or have already been bankrupted. In terms of nations, Mongolia, Spain and Portugal once dominated the world. Even Britain and the Soviet Union (now Russia), which were huge powers in the modern era, are not as powerful as they once were. This line from “Houjouki” could serve as a warning to the conceited and as an encouragement to the depressed.