Recently, while tidying my office, I chance upon a painting. On closer inspection, I realise it’s a piece by Master Yun in the year 2000. As Master Yun just completed another masterpiece, I shall take this chance to share about these pieces.
Old painting: The Demeanour of a Gentleman 君子之风
The Demeanour of a Gentleman is a painting of ink bamboo, and a look at the paper’s condition reveals its age.
Seemingly a simple piece of ink bamboo, there’s actually some history behind it.
This painting is inscribed with the phrase “the year of gengchen” 岁次庚辰, where “gengchen” refers to the year 2000.
Interestingly, this painting by Master Yun is neither inscribed with “Yun Long Zi” 雲龍子, nor is the seal of “Yun Long Zi” impressed on it.
It turns out that the title of “Yun Long Zi” has not appeared in that year. At that time, Master Yun’s grandfather, Tian Yi Ju Shi 天乙居士, was still around. As Master Yun’s fengshui teacher, he imparted all his skills to his disciple, bestowed upon him the title of “Yun Long Zi” and announced Master Yun as his successor. Tian Yi Ju Shi passed on shortly after.
A painting completed before the emergence of “Yun Long Zi”, definitely a piece of history.
However, neither did Master Yun inscribe his autonym, nor did he impress his name’s seal on the painting. Instead, there are only the two characters “Ke Liu” 可留 (to remain).
So, what is “Ke Liu”? It’s actually Master Yun’s pseudonym. This is taken from Wang Wei’s poem, titled “Mountain Life on an Autumn Evening” 山居秋暝, which means seeking seclusion in the mountain during autumn. Its last two lines read, “let spring flowers fall to rest as they will, just as I remain here for reasons I know” 隨意春芳谢，王孙自可留.
Master Yun was particularly fond of “Mountain Life on an Autumn Evening” at that time, and this was also the first poem he taught me (Master Yun was 28 then, while I was 14). He said, sometimes it can feel like the spring has been taken out of life; and without the fragrances of spring, what’s the point of life? No! Heaven must have its intentions for me to remain in this world. Though, for intentions that might be incomprehensible to us.
Therefore, Master Yun gave himself the pseudonym of “Ke Liu” 可留 (to remain).
Looking at this painting and recalling words of the young Master, they feel like prophecies of the prophet.
At that point in life, Master Yun was a top graduate of his university’s Arts and Science faculty, who got assigned to teach in a primary school. A glorious graduate who ended up as a primary school teacher; like how the spring of life has withered away. It was also at this point when I met Master Yun. He taught me Chinese, he also taught me calligraphy, martial arts, poetry…
Master Yun seemed to have a vision of what he will do, can do, and should do in the future, and it is nothing like what he was doing. Of the people around him, who would have expected in ten years’ time, Master Yun would manage to achieve what he enjoys today.
Perhaps, this was something beyond Master Yun’s imagination too. But in his mind, amongst a cloud of darkness, he saw a light, a light that he followed and brought him to his current fortunes.
Perhaps, many would call this “success”. But Master Yun calls this “intentions”. He said Heaven must have its “intention” for me to be in this world. Our minds might not comprehend, but our hearts should believe.
The style and colours of this painting are typical of “literati painting” 文人画. This is a reflection of the then-Master Yun—a true literato. Coincidentally, this painting named The Demeanour of a Gentleman, is a painting of bamboo—one of the Four Gentlemen.
I remember Master Yun used to live in a rented HDB flat which he named “Ke Liu Ju” 可留居 (Home to Remain). He grew bamboo and orchids along the corridor, and passing residents would rest under the bamboo’s shade.
Interestingly, the flat’s owner drops by weekly to clean the house without a fee. The reason being: numbers on Master Yun’s home appliances were often winning lottery numbers. But Master Yun never bets on these.
Master Yun used to paint in this humble home. It was also this Ke Liu Ju, where his grandfather, Tian Yi Ju Shi, bestowed upon him the title of Yun Long Zi.
Reminiscing this piece of history, I have to say it’s indeed amazing. Thus, I share with you this masterpiece and its amazing past.
-- Kan Ying Loong, Executive Director
(Translated)
(To be continued)
(Originally posted here: https://www.facebook.com/yingloong.kan/posts/1233925593345983)
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