Master Yun And His Assumption Of Greatness

For quite some Sundays, Master Yun has been meeting up with followers, regularly. Over the warmth of Fortune Tea, fragrance of the Lotus Incense, and the joy of Lotus Songs gently in the background, Master Yun imparts skills and philosophy of Chinese calligraphy.

Holding the arcane calligraphy brush upright, lifting the elbow off the table, an hour or two of practicing strokes can be quite drilling. Yes, the followers gather not to seek Master Yun's advice for their futures, but to write Chinese calligraphy. 

It can be a form of meditation, it is a form of training, no doubt. And when executed properly, writing Chinese calligraphy is an exercise of yin-yang. How to balance the structure of the Chinese character, lighter then heavier strokes, or the other way around...

And the followers have moved on since practicing strokes and drawing circles. Their recent homework: to complete a 8-meter long scroll of scripture. This is a daunting and seemingly impossible task even for those who have attended more formal courses for years. A couplet, maybe. But a 8-meter long scroll, scripture-writing which requires (very) small font size and delicate strokes, no. 

If you asked the followers couple of months ago when they first started familiarizing themselves with the very-difficult-to-control writing brush, they would never have believed they could accomplish something as grand as this. Remember, we are not talking about school children, or people who signed up and paid to specifically learn Chinese calligraphy. We are talking about a gathering of adults, who are here voluntarily and perhaps for the fun of it, with little or no (even negative) Chinese background. How is it possible that they can write even just their name with the calligraphy brush?

And so the next question: why would Master Yun even bother his time and energy for this endeavor that might end no where?

But from all these years that I know Master Yun, I dare say such questions hardly crossed his mind.

Master Yun never doubted. He simply never thought that anyone can't make it.

I have known Master Yun for 20 years. Some of you are familiar, Master Yun is the 6th generation fengshui master in his family, but it was always a private practice. Generations of masters, they had a main career, and they kept their fengshui art a secret. If you had read "The Rise of the Fengshui Master 云龙子传", you would know that Master Yun was a school teacher. And 20 years ago, I was his student. 

Master Yun taught primary school. Perhaps a will of the heavens. Because the young has less doubt, and more faith.

Other than having primary school children write calligraphy and fall in love with Chinese culture -- me being one of them, Master Yun already moved some of them to write novels, in Chinese. 20 thousand word-count novel.

How much is 20 thousand words? When I was in my last year in Peking University, the criteria for my bachelor degree graduating thesis was 15 thousands word-count.

Some people are spectacular performers. They are better than others, they climb fast, they become the high-flyers. Master Yun is a little bit more than that. It is not just about what he does. Not just about how good he gets. The beauty of his work manifests in the achievements of the people he inspires. 

He never doubts the potential of those who follow him. He innocently assumes greatness in people.

The fashion of society now expects the least of people. Standards are rearranged to allow the majority to pass, to feel good. And people speak of the minimum: what's the minimum criteria, what's the most basic, oh I just want to be ok, oh I don't expect much...Master Yun walks the other way. He didn't intend for it. Some people rebel for the sake of rebelling. Master Yun does not belong to this "hip" group. He is naturally so. It is in his character. He naturally assumes others to be great. 

When Master Yun was doing his honors, one of his classmates was fearful and was satisfied if she can get just a second-lower honors. Master Yun told her: no, you can do better than that. He shared his notes, he explained difficult concepts, he asked tough questions. In the end, his classmate achieved second-upper honors. Master Yun attained first-class honors.

And greatness comes from consistent improvement. Perfection is a path. Improve a little bit here today, improve a little there tomorrow. Such has been the personality of Master Yun, since he was a child.

There are side effects to such a peculiar disposition. One of them, Master Yun has little close friends. Friends often come together for comfort. But Master Yun offers no rest.

Such is the spirit of the Lotus. In its time, the founding Lotus gallery was glorious. Never was there another fengshui gallery bright with chandelier, fit for a king. But it wasn't as glorious as today. It got better. It got more glorious by the day. It got more glorious, anniversary by anniversary.

And so is expected of Lotusons. The Lotus advisors must embody this spirit. In our recent recruitment advertisement, stand these 3 pre-prerequisites:

1. This is no common retail-assistant/shop-attendant job. If you are looking for a mediocre job that requires the least of you, do not waste time applying -- you won't even last the first week.

2. This is more of an apprenticeship career. You will be mentored, challenged, educated and groomed for years. You will be consistently forced to break out of your comfort zones. You will learn and relearn. If you cannot let go of your existing perspectives, don't bother applying.

3. You will go through training after training. It will be tough. Initially, you will be paid reasonably lowly. You will be assessed every few months, which might lead to your promotion, then gradually, you will be paid reasonably, higher, and depending on your performance, highly. If you are shortsighted, lack of vision for your own future and fortune, or simply looking for a simple basic pay for the rest of your life, don't apply.

You can start lowly. But you cannot always be lowly. Once you are part of the Lotus, greatness is assumed of you.

Clients and followers of the Lotus? When Master Yun was speaking to clients actively, he often thrust them into unimaginable possibilities. Master Yun would tell them: you can do this, you can get this house, you can move your business in this direction...the most common response was: oh no, I can't! 

Master Yun would then ask, why not? And go on to analyze and breakdown the seemingly colossal impossibilities, simplifying the steps and ways. Improve a little here, take a step there. Of course, whether the clients took on the advice, it was definitely in their hands, and reflected in their future. Till today, we continue Master Yun's ways. Till today, to blessed Lotus clients: Oh, you can be better than this. Oh, you can be better than what you are now. You can be way better than just minimum. 

And so for the past 10 years, blessed clients have been growing along with the Lotus. Some move from a rented place to owning a bungalow, some from jobless to promotions, some from one-man-show to employer of 300 strong...what they are today, they dared not dream of it yesterday. And what they shall be tomorrow, is not what they can imagine today.

And today is yet another day to believe, to be great.

-- Kan Ying Loong, Executive Director