The concept of the Vinegar Tasters is a traditional motif in Chinese art. It demonstrates the tension and conflict between the three major philosophical strands of Chinese theology, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The three men in the classical paintings are Confucius, Buddha, and Laozi, all dipping into a vinegar potto taste its contents; the first has a sour expression, symbolising how Confucianism needs rules to correct the degeneration of people; the second looks bitter, as Buddhism sees life as beset by pain and suffering; the third is smiling, because Taoism views existence as fundamentally good. All of which may seem like a needlessly convoluted introduction to the story of a shiny blue Focus RS, but there are clear parallels to be drawn here. The three perspectives on life put forward bythe Vinegar Tasters are clearly mirrored in the UK show scene today-some people are cynical and keen to talk down the perceived flaws in other people’s builds, others are bitter about how they feel the lifestyle is slipping ever further from its glory days, while some -
