我收藏的四个最珍贵的观音——第一座

她是我第一座不会卖掉的观音。金身是紫罗兰的翡翠。

她体积算大，有一尺来高。她盘膝而坐，手中持着一枝未绽放的莲花蕾。她令我、也领我从无到有。

当她来临之时，连第一间云龙子旺财馆都还没有开。我当时是在家里见客户的。

当年，新加坡90%以上的翡翠都是“B”与“C”的。

“B”代表漂白（"bleach")。但不是用漂白水漂白。而是用强烈的硝酸，浸透到翡翠里头，把里头的瑕疵溶解，以此"洗”净翡翠。“洗”过的翡翠脆弱得能一揑就碎，必须用硬化剂硬化才行。这种内部结构己遭破坏的翡翠佩戴起来不但不能起到旺运的作用，还会对身体有害。这种翡翠不是我会愿意卖的。

“C”代表加色（“colored")过的翡翠。俗话又稱打針玉。即然颜色是假的，它所代表的五行也不是真的。

云龙子旺财馆只卖“A”翡翠。而且比“A”的要求更高。一定要是最好的，第一手的。对，云龙子旺财馆的翡翠绝不便宜，这里的翡翠是标准的化身。

这两种翡翠只能产生心理上的慰藉，不能为运势加分。然而天然翡翠就算在当年也算是奇高无比，我不能确定人们是否愿意为它们付出高额的价格，所以便把住家的客厅稍加修整，摆上天然翡翠让客户自行选购。

这座观音是一块大料切割出来的，质地挺好。当时是打算卖个好价。

但奇怪的事发生了。或说是奇异的感觉。我总觉得这座观音想留在我身边。

故此，我走到观音座前上了香，默默祝祷。我告诉观音，如果她愿意留在我这里的话，我也十分愿意恭奉她。只是要把她留下来的代价太高，需要跨出信心的一大步。这时心中有股灵感，便脱口而出，请她显示跡象，十天内让一笔前所未见的收入到临。让我有能力把她请在家中恭奉。

几天之后，我把这件事忘了。这时来了个电话，是荷兰的客人——凯斯。几个月前，凯斯到新加坡，从朋友口有听说了我，便上门找我看命。我当时告诉他，这次回荷兰之后，会有一笔意外之财入他袋中。

他回荷兰之时，我的话语不时在他耳边响起。一天，他坐在厨房饭桌上结算帐单，耳边又响起了我和他说过的话。他略带嘲笑地和他伙伴说：“这位新加坡的大师说我会有一笔意外之财，怎么我竟然有的只是这一大叠未付的帐单…”

话音未落，他突然想起在离开荷兰之前，他买了一张彩票，并把它压在烟灰缸下。他赶紧拿起彩票在网上对。天呀！他赢得了欧元一万元。

凯斯、云大师和凯斯的生意伙伴在餐馆面前。这是2005年。现在，凯斯和他的生意伙伴已有多两间酒店。

凯斯拥有一家餐馆。不久，所有的员工与客户都知道了这个消息。许多人开始要求他把我请到荷兰给他们看风水。其中一个人是在荷兰奔驰的老板。他要求我为他在荷兰的多家奔驰展览厅看风水。

凯斯此通电话的目的是要我在最短的时间内买好一张机票为这2O多家客户看风水（我到达时人数逐日増加)。

我听完电话。看看手表，日期离我在观音前的祈祷正好十天。

过后发生的事情有如春天的花朵。一阵阵的奇迹与好运如抵挡不住的浪潮拍打过来。

我到荷兰所收到的酬金不但付清了这座观音的价格，还让我开了第一间云龙子旺财館。

第一间云龙子旺财馆，望向Upper Thomson大路。这是2006年。

第一间云龙子旺财馆第3周年时，云龙子旺财极品翡翠馆已经营业了。至今，它有着世界上最好的翡翠，招待云龙子旺财馆的贵宾。

2011年5月，云龙子旺财馆再创高峰。沉檀香馆和极品神佛像馆正式营业。云龙子旺财馆晋升为云龙子旺财半条街。原本的两间旺财馆也乘此改头换面。

云龙子旺财半条街。云龙子旺财各馆，至今自豪毅然。对真实和至尊的绝对标准。对庸俗的零容忍。和坚决的信念。

这座紫罗兰观音至今在我家中受我们的香火供奉。并应允了我许许多多的祈求。

这座观音手持的是未绽放的莲花蕾，有些不太寻常。但像花蕾逐渐盛开成花朵，她为我们接下来带来的荣耀与光辉，是肉眼所未能预见的。这是信心的花蕾。

《西游记》里头，观音从天而降，给人们伸出援手，施出福气。但我从未看见过观音金身从天而降。

这尊翡翠观音，今天依然在云大师家里。就是这尊观音，令云大师从无到有。云龙子旺财馆由此诞生。

观音的福气往往随一股灵感而来，像往心灵呼出一句话，要我做出信心的行动，踏出信心的一步。

圣经记载，摩西背后有埃及的军队追逐，前面却是汪汪红海。上帝却要摩西把手杖插入水中。当他听从心灵的声音时，奇迹发生了，红海开了。一个凡人变成先知。

同样的，在我几乎什么都没有的当年，观音手持一枝莲花蕾出现了。她给我一股灵感。而我接受了那蕾信心。云龙子旺财馆从此诞生于世。

这座观音，领我从无入有。

——云龙子大师，27 April 2014

我收藏的四个最珍贵的观音——前言

云龙子旺财馆售卖过许多十分珍贵的观音像。但有四个是最珍贵的，不会售卖。她们曽以超乎逻辑的方式问我彰显了她们的能力。

第一座是令我从无到有的观音。

第二座是拒绝被量衡的观音。

第三座是绝不妥协标准的观音。

第四座是以小胜大的观音。

她们在我人生的不同階段来临，也在云龙子旺财馆的不同階段来临。她们似乎不愿意离我们而去，所以如今成为我们的一部分，也成为了我们护卫的精神。

——云龙子大师，27 April 2014

"3. When we wear everyday, how do we clean them?" and others matters of maintenance

Previously, we talked about taking care of our jadeite, sandalwood and agarwood collections. 

There were some more questions posted by our blessed clients in relation to this matter:

3. When we wear everyday, how do we clean them?

4. Sometimes, we wear them when we go to the beach. How can we clean them after that?
5. When we wear them to work, and in the course of work the collections turned dirty, what do we do?

Basically,we have roughly covered these in the previous post, click and check out "How do we take good care of our jadeite jewelry?"

And here's a quick summary of what to do:
1) Wear your Lotus jadeite consistently - your qi takes care of the jadeite
2) You can wear your Lotus jadeite to take a bath, provided it is not attached to Lotus sandalwood or agarwood, because the latter should minimize contact with water as much as possible. Click and check out how to take care of sandalwood and agarwood here: http://bit.ly/1fDx3Q9
3) Use a soft brush to clean out the dirt, if any
4) And, do bring back to the gallery for maintenance, either using the silk cloth for quick polish, or we can send it for electron-clean

Note the blue cloth in the background. Lotus on Water uses this special silk cloth for cleaning and polishing the Lotus jadeite.

One more FAQ:

6. When we don't wear them for a long time, and leave them in our cupboards, how do we maintain them?

When you are not wearing your Lotus collections - jadeite, sandalwood or agarwood, place them in the containers that came along with them. We don't want to affect the fengshui of the space with our personal collections. Unless, you have been advices where to place your Lotus collections in either your house or office, to enhance the fengshui further.

Your personal Lotus collections can be an enhancer to the space fengshui.

Not much maintenance when the Lotus collections in the containers. When you are to wear them again, just perform the above points.

Remember most importantly, wear your Lotus jadeite consistently. You are already taking good care of them by doing that. And you are huat-ing at the same time.

Let me know if you have other FAQs, huat ah!

My Four Most Precious Guan Yin: the First

She is the first Guan Yin that I will never sell. She is a jadeite Guan Yin lavender in colour.

She is rather big, a seated Guan Yin holding not a lotus flower in full bloom but in bud. She is about 30 cm in height. She has brought me from "nothing" to "everything."

When this Guan Yin came, I have not even started my first Lotus on Water gallery yet. I was meeting clients in my house.

At that time, more than 90 percent of the jade sold in Singapore were the "B" and "C" jade.

"B" jade stands for "bleached" jade whereby jade is soaked in strong acid so that the strong acid will seep through the jade to melt off the impurities inside. The jade become so brittle because the internal structure is destroyed. Hardener has got to be introduced to strengthen the jade. I would never sell this kind of jade. Not only was it useless, but it would be harmful to the health of those who wear it. 

"C" jade stands for "coloured" jade. It is also called the injected jade. The colour is not real, and thus the element it shows is not the element it possesses. 

Lotus on Water only sells "A" jade. And not just "A" will make it. It must be the best, and it must firsthand. Yes, the Lotus jadeite is never cheap. Lotus jadeite is the mark of standards.

Beautiful. But they are "B" and "C" or even worse. Some are "certified" too.

These two types of jade are not beneficial to the luck of wearers except, perhaps, psychologically. However "A" jade (natural jade not tarnished by chemicals) was so expensive even at that time that I was not sure if people were willing to pay for them. Thus I converted my living room into a mini showroom to display my "A" jade to interested clients to be.

This lavender jadeite Guan Yin is carved out of a big raw jadeite of rather fine quality.

At that time, when it was carved, it was meant to be sold, at a good price of course.

But strange things happened. Strange feelings indeed. I kept having the feelings that the Guan Yin wanted to stay with me.

So I went up to the Guan Yin, lighted an incense and said a prayer. I told her that I would very much like to own her if she would want to stay. But the price of owning her would be challenging. It would require a leap of faith. I asked her for a sign. Out of an inspiration from my heart, I asked that in ten days, a big amount of income would come to me so that I can afford her. 

A few days later, I received a phone call from a client in Netherlands. His name is Kees. He came to Singapore a couple of months ago. He heard from his friends about me. So he came to see me. I told him by the time he returned to Netherlands, there will be an unexpected wealth coming to him. 

So he went back to Netherlands with my words ringing in his ears once a while. One day, sitting at the kitchen table, reading piles of bills to be paid, he suddenly recalled what I said again. He commented to his partner: "this Master in Singapore said that I am going to have unexpected wealth coming, but look here, I am busy paying my bills instead...."

Just as he was finishing his lines, he remembered he happened to buy a lotto ticket before he left Netherlands and he left it under the ash tray. He took out the ticket and checked at the internet. Yes! He won a prize of ten thousand euros.

Kees, Master Yun, and Kee's business partner in front of the restaurant. This was in 2005. Kees and his business partner now owns 2 more hotels.

Kees owned a restaurant and soon all the clients and the staff of the restaurant got the news of it. Many who have heard the story about this weird master from the east asked him if he could get me to provide feng shui services for them. One of them happened to own many Mercedes car showrooms in Netherlands.

So the purpose of Kees calling me is to get me to buy a plane ticket to fly to Netherlands to provide feng shui services for these twenty over clients (it turned out more after I arrived).

It was exactly on the tenth day after I said my prayer to this Guan Yin.

The rest that happened after that was like flowers blooming in spring. It was floods of miracles and blessings unstoppable. 

The amount of money I received from Netherlands not only allowed me to own that Guan Yin, it allowed me to open my first Lotus on Water gallery along Upper Thomson Road. 

The first Lotus on Water gallery along Upper Thomson Road. Started in 2006.

By the third anniversary of the first gallery, the Lotus on Water Exquisite Jadeite Gallery was opened. Till today, it serves Lotus on Water's VIPs, and is house to some of the best jadeite in the world.

2011 May, Lotus on Water expands further. Opening up the Agarwood and Sandalwood Gallery, and the Exquisite Buddha and Deity Sculpture Gallery. Lotus on Water galleries become Lotus on Water Street. And the existing galleries get a facelift.

Lotus on Water Street. The chain of Lotus on Water galleries, standing proudly today. Absolute standards for the authentic and the best. Zero tolerance for mediocrity. And enduring faith.

The lavender Guan Yin stayed in my house till this day and has continued to answer to many prayers. 

This Guan Yin does not hold a lotus in full bloom, but a lotus in bud (which is not typical). Like a bud that blooms into flower that has yet flourished, it has brought grace and glory that were beyond what our eyes could see. It is a bud of faith. 

We have heard stories from the "Journey to the West" of how Guan Yin descends from the sky to bring blessings and assistance to people. I have never seen her literary coming down from heaven and I wonder how many people have seen that.

The jadeite Guan Yin, still in Master Yun's place today. This is the Guan Yin that brought Master Yun from nothing to something, and gave life to Lotus on Water galleries.

But her blessings always come in an inspiration. It comes with a voice, asking for actions of faith, sometimes a leap of faith. 

God asked Moses to plunge his Shepard staff into the water when the Egyptian armies were chasing after him. The man followed the voice in his heart. Miracles happen. The Red Sea opens. A man becomes a prophet.

Likewise, this Guan Yin comes to me holding a stalk of lotus bud when I had almost nothing. And she gave me an inspiration, and I accepted the bud of faith. Lotus on Water was born. 

She is the Guan Yin that has brought me from nothing to everything. 

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 25 April 2014

The other jadeite Guan Yin. Standing, also with the lotus bud, in the Exquisite Buddha and Deity Sculpture Gallery now. The jadeite Guan Yin in Master Yun's place is off limits. But at least we get to see the partner, the standing jadeite Guan Yin here.

My Four Most Precious Guan Yin: Prologue

Lotus on Water has sold many marvelous Guan Yin, but there are four that are most precious to me. And I will never sell them. They have manifested their power to me in ways reasons cannot fully explain.

 

The first is the Guan Yin that has brought me from "nothing" to "everything."

The second is the Guan Yin that refused to be weighed and measured.

The third is the Guan Yin that says standards are not to be compromised.

The forth is the Guan Yin that wins big with little. 

They came to me at different stages of my life and the life of Lotus on Water. They have shown signs of not willing to part from us. Now they are part of us. They have become what we stand for. 

They are the four Guan Yin that have brought us grace and glory from the beginning till today. 

Allow me...

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 25 April 2014

Fisher of Fish - Lotus On Water Gold Medal (2013)

Since young, I have harbored great ideals within me.

And as a result, I suffered a lot of frustration at times.

For the world we live in is still far from ideal.

Of course, there is no value in frustration as it does nothing to improve the situation.

And it is a cowardly to just blame and take no responsibility.

Thus, I often ask myself, what can I do to improve the situation, even just a little bit?

There was a period when I invested quite a bit of money in charity.

However, sometimes, the side effect of such charity is that we are feeding people with fish instead of teaching people how to fish. And we are breeding "eaters of fish" instead of "fishers of fish".

While fishers of fish grow in strength, stature and wit; eaters of fish become fat, lazy and weak. If that is so, charity may bring harm instead of good, if we are not careful.

If enterprise itself would bring good to this world while bringing revenue as well, wouldn't enterprise be better than charity? I am proud that Lotus On Water has been thus so far.

Last Saturday, Lotus on Water presented the first Lotus on Water Gold Medal to the Chinese Studies Honors graduate. Together with the Gold Medal, we also gave out three book prizes to students who did excellently well.

I had made a special request that the awards be given to students who did well in dissertation instead of examination. It is while doing the dissertation that there is training of reasoning power. And self-learning ability is enhanced. It is in true self learning that the "fisher of fish" is nurtured.

May this "fisher of fish" breed more fishers of fish.

May the star of sparks set vast lands of wood on fire.

This is my wish for the winner of Lotus On Water Gold Medal, and the winners of the other three book prizes as well.

Congratulations to all of you. And my gratitude to my Alma-mater, Nanyang Technological University, for indulging in my dream to inculcate the "fishers of fish" mindset in our culture.

 

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 2 August 2013

昨日，在‘第六届国际“朝阳杯”中小学生朗诵艺术比赛’发言 (first posted on facebook, 15 July 2012)

陈丽湘老师让我上台来给各地学生一点鼓励。但我刚才在台下欣赏了大家精湛的表演，在想，还有什么需要鼓励的呢？所以，来了这台上，我不说什么大道理，只说三件小事。这三件小事是：一个粽子，一把扇子，和两条鱼。

先说一个粽子。

为什么我要说一个粽子的事？因为全世界的华人，无论你是什么国藉，是什么宗教信仰，是什么政治倾向，每一年的农历五月初五端午节， 你都会吃粽子。我们华人，一说到粽子就想到楚国的屈原。

我的大学老师周清海教授在课堂上曾经说过屈原，他说，屈原的爱国精神不应该是表现在他投江自尽，而是表现在他用了自已楚国的语言，写下了楚国的诗歌，让楚国的文化可以永远留存。

你今天谈到屈原，你可以说，他当官是挺失败的，因为他连保住他国家的能力都没有，怎么可以称得上是个好官呢？谈到做人，你也可以说，他做人也是满失败的，因为生命是短暂的，而他将短暂的生命更短暂地结束了。

屈原的成功，是在于他将自己国家民族的语言，提升到诗的境界，而因为这样，他将自己国家民族的文化永恒地保存下来。屈原的爱国，也是因为他将自己国家民族的语言，提升到诗的境界，而因为这样，将自己国家民族的文化永恒地保存到今天。

四五千年后的今天，当全世界的华人都在五月初五吃着粽子的时候，希望我们大家心中想的是我们该如何，将口中的语言提升到诗一样的境界，从而令我们自己的华人文化可以永恒地保存着。

一把扇子。

为什么要说一把扇子呢？因为我手中常常都会拿着一把扇子。很多人看到我手上拿着一把扇子都很想问我：“大师你为什么要手上拿着一把扇子呢？是冷气不够冷吗，还是风扇不够凉快吗？”所以我今天在台上说说我为什么要拿一把扇子。

其实，我也不是一开始就拿扇子的。四五年前，日本有一个法国人和一个韓国人邀我到他们日本的房子看风水，其中有一天，为了体验当地人的生活，我决定乘搭当地的地铁（就是火车）到市区去。

当时是夏天，天气很热。一进地铁就看到很多西装笔挺的日本男人，从公事包里掏出一把纸扇，在那里扇啊扇啊的。

我当时第一个想法是：“哎呀！这些日本男人怎么都这么娘呀？”

接着我马上意识到：“这个想法实在是太不应该了。为什么呢？因为男人拿扇子本来就是华人自己的文化。我自己没有领导日本男人用扇子，反而还笑他们用扇子很娘？”

所以，从那一次开始，我便拿扇子。每次有人问我：“大师，你为什么提扇子。”我便说：“这是全世界最环保的冷风机。”

西方人发明的多环保的冷风机和冷气机都不比这把扇子环保。而这把扇子上面用的，是中国人最伟大的四大发明之一的纸，如果今天世界各地的华人都用扇子，那中国制造宣纸的技术肯定不会在地球上消失。

两条鱼。

最后我要说的是两条鱼的事。这两条鱼是什么鱼呢？一条是金鱼，一条鲤鱼。请问鲤鱼是哪里来的？是中国。请问金鱼是什么人培植出来的？是中国人。

我想问，鲤鱼在中国卖的是什么价钱？一斤没几块钱。那鲤鱼在日本卖多少钱？一条几百，甚至几千块，几万块，和百多万块钱的也有。金鱼在中国卖多少钱？一条几块钱。金鱼在日本卖多少钱？一条几百块钱，几千块钱。

请问在中国卖的金鱼和鲤鱼及在日本卖的金鱼和鲤鱼有什么不同？答案是，在中国卖的，是金鱼的生命和鲤鱼的肉；在日本的，是金鱼的文化和鲤鱼的文化。

身为华人的我们今天应该感到汗顔的是：我们今天手上只抓住了金鱼的生命和鲤鱼的肉，而将这金鱼的文化与鲤鱼的文化出卖了给日本。

其实，除了这两条鱼，我们还把许多原来属于华的文化都卖了给别人。比方说明朝的花道的文化，北宋的茶道文化，香道文化。

听说，现在在中国大陆的小学生不需要学习书法。所以几十年之后，书法文化将在中国大陆上逐渐消失，就如鲤鱼文化，金鱼文化，花道文化，香道文化一样。随着书法文化的消失，制造宣纸的文化，制墨文化，制砚台的文化，制朱砂的文化，制印章的文化也会跟着消失。

而这些文化将在哪里找到？在日本找到。因为在日本，所有的小学生都必须学习书法。

这些文化都是誰出卖的？是我们华人出卖的。是什么时候出卖的？是今天出卖的。因为我们今天并没有付出我们的时间，我们的金钱，去使用，珍惜，保护属于我们文化的东西，并把它提升到诗的境界，把它提升到艺术的境界。

朝 阳杯诗歌朗诵艺术比赛，当年由陈丽湘老师与郝知本教授发起创办。当时，老实说，我还年幼无知，不怎么看得起朗诵艺术，觉得这个嘴巴说说的东西有什么了不 起。现在有了点年纪，长了点智慧，知道了伟大的爱国情操不是在轰轰烈烈的战场上发生的，伟大的爱国情操是看起来最微小的属于自己的事物上，年复一年，持续 不断地使用它，维护它，尊重它，珍惜它，把它提到诗的境界，艺术的境界。这样，这个属于我们的文化，就有希望永恒地，在我们的手中，留存下来。

在这里恭贺，第六届朝阳杯圆满成功。在这里恭祝中华朗诵艺术，万寿无疆。

-- 云龙子大师，14 July 2012演讲

KEEP CALM and WEAR JADE, and expect the best

Some random thoughts on the last Penang trip, thought I might share it here.

The sunrise was beautiful. If you have observed a sunrise before, you will notice that every single moment, a new image presents itself. One of the most volatile periods of a day, the other being evening, reminds me that change is constant, regardless of who we are, what we do. The stars are constantly moving.

 

There will be a time when things are changing for the seemingly-not-so-good. Like suddenly the light went off, the tunnel is pitch black, and darkness feels like eternity. 

But bear in mind. The light is coming. If it can change for the seemingly-not-so-good, it can surely and definitely change for the better, the fantastic and the prosperous. And the change might happen immediately. It might happen in the next door that opens, or the next phonecall.

And since the constantly moving stars are not something we can control, the only thing we can do would really be: KEEP CALM and WEAR JADE, and expect the best. Expect the best out of every person we meet, every opportunity that comes in our way.

There is definitely a reason to every change that happens. Perhaps it might be so grand that we don't understand just yet. Or it has not been revealed to us. But just be steadfast, wear our Lotus jadeite, and expect the very best. Because I believe we deserve it.

And, expect the best.

One upcoming change - that also can't be controlled: Summer is coming, in less than 12 days. Start of summer 立夏 is imminent. That means spring of 2014 will officially end, one-quarter of the Wood Horse year has gone by. 

That also means a great opportunity to up our aura, luck and prosperity. This is more than a change of month. This is a change of seasons - a brilliant and effective time to have your loved ones start with their first Lotus jadeite, or to up your own luck even further.

Seize our opportunities, seize our luck, seize our prosperity.

Let the Sun be Sun. Let the Rain be Rain.

I was in a discussion group, a council committee whereby I was elected a member and agreed to join recently, to contribute to a certain society.

During the discussion, a suggestion was made. A committee member has his view. I felt compelled to give mine too. My view, which happens to be different from most members' discussion, engaged everybody in a heated discussion. Well I gave my view, and tried my best to convince them to see things from an angle they have probably considered, and that's quite enough. That's the duty I am to perform and I have done it.

One member said: "I agree with what the president has said..."

I looked at him in his eyes with a faint smile. I thought you are suppose to give a view and cast a vote based on your conscience and conviction, and not based on what the president has said.

It is precisely because of this that I have turned down many committee and council group to be their president. With the status I am in, I would have invited a lot of votes from individuals who cast them not based on their conscience and conviction, but based on the relation they have or they want to have with me.

I believe the Universe gave a vision to a group of people, he would not give the full detail picture to just one person. If that is His purpose, He would have just made one person see and the rest of us blind.

The full vision of the Universe would be too much for just one person to contain and fulfill.

Yes the Universe may have given a picture to one person. But there will be detail pictures of certain parts that He gave to other individuals. The different individuals come together with their angles and views of the picture, and with each individual parts to piece the pieces together. That's when a dream comes true and the vision becomes reality,

Have true conviction to your conscience and aspiration. Then, there will be beauty and greatness.

It should be a dream come true not just from and to one person, but from and to each person.

Recently we have weird weather. The sun was uncomfortably scorching a few weeks, and then rain for many days. Then a miracle happens. Garden who have not bloomed for years suddenly burst into a palate of colors.

It won't work when the rain becomes so agreeable that it shines like the sun. It won't work when the sun shows loyalty by transforming itself into the rain.

They each must retain the integrity of the conviction that Universe has placed in them. They each must express the peculiar grace they are meant to shine.

It seems weird to have extreme weather (actually not so weird after all since we don't even have snow here). But it is through this weirdness that greatness and beauty are created.

We each speak, our own conscience and our own conviction. Then the miracle of beauty and greatness will be performed.

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 18 April 2014

Feelings, Logic and Faith

Feelings are essential. They must be given by God, both the happy and sad feelings are. Imagine you don't feel pain when you bite your tongue. That's serious, isn't it?

Life will loose its beauty and attraction without the feelings of happiness and romance.

But feelings are not exclusive to human beings. Animals have feelings too.

So...What makes human beings superior to animals? It's logic.

Logic makes us superior because animals perform very little (almost none) in logic. Contrary to most people saying that "feelings make us human," it is in fact, logic that makes us human.

Logic has many other names and adjectives, such as: common sense, sensibility, thinking, scientific, philosophical...And logic bridges the mind of one person with another. For each of us has our own unique feelings, but when we use logic, then there will be a common ground for us to begin our communication with.

So I believe in logic, precisely because I am human. I believe in planning, budgeting, focusing and also in keeping and fulfilling my promises. I believe I have to call a stone a stone, and a jade a jade. I believe in eating healthily, sleeping sufficiently and speaking honestly. Thus I believe in maintaining a high standard of quality in the products we sell, and I believe in not deviating from the essence of feng shui whether if people believe or disbelieve in me. And of course I believe in making profits as much as I believe in paying my rents.

Be logical. Go for the real and highest order of jadeite. Have faith. Believe in the real and highest order of jadeite.

Then it comes to "Faith". Faith does not operate without the presence of logic. It comes within and above logic.

How does Faith comes within logic?

When I started out my business, I believe I should sell only feng shui collections that are real and authentic. I do not believe that just because my clients believe in me (faith) then I can call a piece of plastic, or glass, or stone or any other kind of fake jade, a jade and it still works. I did not know if people are willing to pay such a high price for a real thing, thus I started out from home. The business boomed and I opened one shop after another. It's faith operating within logic.

And Faith operates above logic.

Ever since I started business, I told myself I must have a certain amount of money put into investment every single year.

I had a huge and beautiful crystal Guan Yin that has nine lotuses around her. Our price tag was above a million Singapore dollars . A couple of years ago, the staff in charge of it broke one lotus. I felt as though a brick has struck my head.

To comfort me, the managers then persuaded me to stick the crystal lotus back with silicon and still sell it. I refused. I went to take down the price tag and replaced it with a tag that says: "Not for Sale."

I sighed and talked to myself: "Maybe this year is the first year of my doing business that I have got no money left for investment."

That same year, I received more than a million cash out of a source I have never imagined. That year I invested in an investment biggest that what I have ever invested. It has also proven to make the highest amount of return afterwards.

Today, that Guan Yin is still sitting in front of my Lotus on Water Exquisite Buddha Sculpture Gallery. It is still, not for sale.

It reminds us that Faith operates within and above logic.

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 12 April 2014

Pessimism and Optimism

Why would people choose pessimism over optimism? Because it is easier. Much easier.

It requires very little effort to be pessimistic. It risks no hope and risks no pain of hope brokenness. It needs no effort to love and to believe. It needs no patience for the wait, effort for "just try it one more time". It requires much much less effort to kneel down and submit to "reality" than to stand up and build your own dream.

Optimism is not for the naive, but for the courageous. The one who is courageous enough to believe, to trust, to wait.

Optimism is not for the silly but for those with greatness, it is for those who see that their life is worthwhile -- worthwhile for the fight, worthwhile for creating a better world, worthwhile for the wait, worthwhile for anticipating what their heart can imagine.

Always look towards the sun.

Optimism belongs to those with pride, who refuse to let their world sink into the mud of mediocrity and despondency.

Optimism is for the grower. It is for those optimistic enough to pay the price of sowing the seeds, watering with perspiration, till the gold of the field send them fragrance of their harvest.

Optimism would need to pay, just like pessimism would. But optimism pays now and harvest later. Pessimism does nothing. They pay their price later so they feel as though they never need to pay. But the price for pessimism will come slowly but surely.

Optimism is for the warrior, the fighter, the creator, the exceptional, the minority.

Optimism is for those great enough to stand up and say: "See. This is what my life should be. And so it shall."

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 10 April 2014

A Dinner with a Musician

I met up with an old friend, who is a musician, and had dinner with her a couple of days ago.

I have not seen her for years. And she is doing well. She is a Chinese orchestra conductor who has helped many many Chinese orchestras win many trophies. She has always been a capable woman, a capable musician ever since I knew her. She was married last year and her husband is doing increasingly well.

I am very happy for her.

She told me she is thinking of stepping down from certain roles and responsibilities to focus more on her family life. And I am glad she has the option to do so.

This morning I thought of her again. And I was wishing something from her. 

I wish that she would compose more music pieces - Chinese music pieces, and happy Chinese music pieces, to be precised. 

Be happy. Smile, and prosperity shall follow.

Our gallery plays only Chinese music. We used to play the very famous "The Butterfly Lovers" but recently I found it rather sad. I want the music of my gallery to remind all of us a "happy ending" rather than a "sad ending".

I went to shop for Chinese music that is optimistic, happy, blissful, something that would lift up the human energy and spirit. There's very few. Except for Chinese New Year songs.

As a person whose calling is related to Chinese Culture, I wish that my Chinese orchestra composer friend, and to many other evangelists of the Chinese culture. Yes! We do need more sunshine, more optimism, more happiness in our arts and culture.

Let's all work harder to create this positive energy.

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 8 April 2014

Lotus on Water: The Origins

It’s a double decker SBS bus. Gold-yellowish coat of paint, with luxurious splashes of red and purple. You can’t miss it: Master Yun’s sitting portrait occupies the entire two floors. Like a giant, he stares at you. Some say when Master Yun looks into their eyes, it is as if he is piercing into the deepest abyss of their souls, knowing everything of their past, and more importantly, their future.

Right beside Master Yun’s glow writes this: Huatastic to Prosperity 旺事如意. One of the most “in” prayers of Lotus blessed clients.

The service number of this bus is 165. My hokkien-speaking clients love this. Read “165” in hokkien, it means “always having for the whole journey” – always prospering. And for the fans, this Lotus on Water bus has a name. They call it the Huat Bus.

The Huat Bus runs from Hougang to Clementi, passing through Upper Thomson Road. If you have taken the Huat Bus before, you will see the Lotus on Water Street – 4 Lotus on Water galleries standing proud.

The façade is bright and magnificent. Precious and treasured collections of carved crystals and raw jadeite boulders worth tens and tens of thousands SGD are generously displayed, shining radiantly into the walkway.

For the majority, these 4 Lotus on Water galleries are here as it has always been. There are those who remember there was a time when there were only 2 galleries, side by side. And there are the blessed clients who have followed the Lotus since it’s early days, would occasionally remark in the main gallery: this is where it all started.

The first Lotus on Water gallery started in June 2006. It shocked the fengshui market with its majestic touch and the highly valuable fengshui items. Before Lotus on Water, majority of the fengshui world was deemed as superstitious, uncouth and a nest of random soothsayers. Master Yun believes our culture deserves better. It should be treated with respect. After all, it is one of the oldest traditions with a rich history of prosperous dynasties. And the first thing to do to earn respect from others, is to respect ourselves. Hence, only the real and most precious fengshui collections, only the best and first-hand fengshui items, only the categories and standard of earthly treasures that the emperors once used are accepted.

And way before the revolutionary arrival of the first Lotus on Water gallery, Master Yun Long Zi, who is now retired, founded Lotus on Water and started the cause at his own home.

Receiving the mantle from his grandfather, the 5^th generation fengshui master in the family, Master Yun could have performed like his predecessors: practice the ancient art in private.

But Master Yun didn’t.

There is always this obsessively extremist characteristic in Master Yun. It is either he doesn’t do it, or he does it to the best. Many people say this, but few have done it. From what I know of Master Yun all these years, he always stays truthful to what he does and has the habit of makings things great. Not just good, but GREAT. When he was in university, his thesis was literally extraordinary. He was awarded first class honors – a prestige that the universities in Singapore had not seen for at least a decade before him – for his logic, sensibility, and I believe as well, greatness in mind and heart. Master Yun majored in both Chinese and English language and literature.

I believe it was also Master Yun’s great sense of responsibility that prompted him to reflect and revolutionize the ways of his predecessors.

In the humble beginnings of his home, Master Yun already insisted on the pinnacle of standards that Lotus on Water continues to uphold today. Only the natural, first-hand, and the best quality fengshui items were sold; there was no tolerance for anything less. He did not know whether anyone would buy the Lotus jadeite, perhaps no one would, because the real stuff were much more expensive that the man-tampered or fake jadeite that flooded the market then. Master Yun only knew one thing: to do what is right.

Only the best, natural, first-hand jadeite.

And faster than what was expected at all, Master Yun and Lotus on Water gathered faithful followers. There are always like-minded people who are after the best things in life; people who appreciate the value of precious and rare earthly treasures; people who aspire for greatness and victories in their lives and take action to make it happen – these individuals resonated with the cause of Lotus on Water. The blessed clients who followed the Lotus since its dawn, bought jadeite directly from Master Yun’s place.

In the wondrous jadeite collection then, there was this jadeite Guanyin statue. The Guanyin sits on a lotus flower and holds a stalk of lotus, yet to bloom. It was one of the most expensive collections then and several offers were made to buy this jadeite Guanyin. Master Yun hesitated. He felt his affinity with this Guanyin. Yet, to not sell this jadeite Guanyin would mean to forsake a huge amount of money.

Master Yun offered incense to the Guanyin and prayed: if the affinity is for the Guanyin to stay in Master Yun’s place, let there be a huge income in 10 days’ time.

The other jadeite Guanyin. This jadeite Guanyin is standing. It is currently housed in the Exquisite Buddha and Deity Sculpture Gallery. The only jadeite Guanyin left since the dawn of Lotus on Water.

And Master Yun went on with his affairs, nearly forgetting about the prayer, till a client from Netherlands called.

He called and requested Master Yun to do fengshui all the way in Holland. Master Yun replied that he only goes overseas to do fengshui when there are at least 5 locations or houses.

The Dutch client said: it’s not 1, not 5, but 21. There were 21 houses waiting for Master Yun to fengshui in Holland.

When this Dutch client last met Master Yun, Master Yun told him that there is a large pool of windfall coming to him. The Dutch client went back to Holland, flipping through his bills, and remembered the prediction. He sneered: the “Chinese magician” said I would have a windfall, but look at me clearing huge bills here! Just as he was saying this, he remembered a lotto (equivalent to our Toto) ticket he bought before he left for Singapore. No surprise – he won. I don’t remember how much, but apparently it was such a windfall amount that he sprained his back in the excitement of jumping around. The Dutch client owns a restaurant. And he told every one he came across about the story of the fengshui master from the east.

He called Master Yun exactly on the 10^th day of the prayer.

So, to the disappointment of many, the sitting jadeite Guanyin stayed in Master Yun’s place, not for sale.

Master Yun’s faith and insistence on quality bought him something else even greater: the power of this jadeite Guanyin was so immense that the amount of money earned from this Holland trip was sufficient to start the first Lotus on Water gallery.

The first gallery was started in June 2006. Every June, we celebrate the anniversary with a big bang. We celebrate Lotus on Water’s great leap to greatness, and also to remind ourselves the importance of great faith and the unquestionable tolerance for only the highest order of fengshui collections. They are the foundations on which Lotus on Water bloom, from nothing to something.

From 1 gallery to 2, then to 4…the rest is just prosperous history.