The emperor of the South Sea was called Shu [Brief], the emperor of the North Sea was called Hu [Sudden], and the emperor of the central region was called Hun-tun [Chaos]. Shu and Hu from time to time came together for a meeting in the territory of Hun-tun, and Hun-tun treated them very generously. Shu and Hu discussed how they could repay his kindness. "All men," they said, "have seven openings so they can see, hear, eat, and breathe. But Hun-tun alone doesn't have any. Let's trying boring him some!" Every day they bored another hole, and on the seventh day Hun-tun died.

— zhuangzi

via wiki

黒船来航¶

Starting 1852, Commander Perry of the United States navy brought warships to Japan in a bid to end the country's 220-year isolationism and force them to open up trade with the western world.

Through-hulls¶

They bored a hole within the hull To let the water out But more and more with awful roar The water in did spout!

See voasich. 9 for a marvellous rant on through-hulls and sea-cocks.

Lamenting That People Only Know How to Eat and Defecate, without Ever Assigning Their Minds to Their Nature and Life¶

A poetic lamentation from a Taoist adept