Saturday, April 29, 2017

Master Yun: Message, On The Opening Night (26 April 2017)

(My message, on the opening night of "The Symphony of Prosperity and Elegance -- The Feng Shui Art of Master Yun Long Zi", 26 April 2017)

What a wonderful evening. And it is so lovely because you are here.

Somebody says that all great civilizations do three things: they build it, they write it and they paint it.

To build it...
Singapore is a beautiful island with beautiful buildings. As a grandchild born in a family line of feng shui masters, I am honoured to have been involved in the building of the many buildings and premises, especially in the beginning years of my career.
What I am most proud of, was not the physical buildings themselves, but the building of the quality of the lives of the people living in those buildings. 
I have been thrilled to see lives... turning from ashes to crowns of glory, from tears of desperation to songs of joy , from poverty to prosperity.

To write it.
As a team, Lotus on Water has written prolifically. Till today, Lotus on Water Facebook has 1 million four hundred thousand over fans, with close to five hundred written articles. Our fan base is second highest in Singapore, just next to Singapore Airlines. Boy, they better fly faster.
Again, what we are proud of is not just how many fans we have collected, or how many articles we have written, but how we have been consistently, persistently, and relentlessly writing about possibilities of all births and backgrounds; we have been writing about successes in unbelievable conditions and situations; and we have been writing about light in pitch darkness.



To paint it. 
So today is a new next phase. It is our first solo art exhibition. Again, I am not excited to paint what we can see with our physical eyes. I am interested to paint what has been revealed to our inner eyes.... pictures of hope, strength, greatness, elegance, luxury, and prosperity. Pictures of possibilities, destiny, purposes, dreams and celebration. 
What we paint, we create. We don't just paint what has been created; we also paint to create.

So when Dr Woon Wee Lee asked me if I would name a school of art for my paintings, what would I call it? I said: Celebrationism.

Art is A luxury. And Luxury is for us humans. No animals, no plants would pay any attention to luxury. That's why there is a saying: (do not) cast your pearls before swine.

Homo sapiens is the only living species on earth that love, pursue and embrace luxury.

And I think it is good.



Art, a luxury, burns people with passion, enthusiasm and a fervour to pursue excellence even after whatever we need is met.

Art, a luxury, makes people smile, dream and hope even when they are inflicted by hunger, frost and darkness.

The Chinese phrase for motivation is 推动力。Literally translated, it is called "push factor". But "push factor" is no longer relevant when the society is sufficient, wealthy and prosperous. Like Singapore.

So I would like to coin a new Chinese phrase for motivation. I call it 拉动力。Literally translated, it means "pull factor". 拉动力 or "pull factor" is relevant in all societies, and for all people. It is relevant for people who are wealthy and relevant for people who are poor. It is relevant for people who are warm and has a lot to eat, and relevant for people who are cold and hungry.

And luxury is 拉动力。
Art is 拉动力。
Celebration is 拉动力。
Feng Shui is 拉动力。
The celestial world is moving because of 拉动力。
The Peacock is 拉动力。
Beauty is 拉动力。
Elegance is 拉动力。
Prosperity is 拉动力。

I always think that an art exhibition should not just be an "art pieces hanging activity". It should be a force of 拉动力,a force that pulls people with a taste for aesthetic, people with elegance in their soul, and people with a prosperous mentality together, to create beautiful dreams and spirited Celebrations.

And this is what "The Symphony of Prosperity and Elegance" is about. This is what Celebrationism is. This is also what Lotus on Water is.

Have a wonderful evening of Celebrationism.

-- Master Yun Long Zi

(Originally posted here: https://www.facebook.com/masteryunlongzi/posts/1370132253076751)

Master Yun: Address To Prestigious Guests, On The Opening Night (26 April 2017)

(My address to the prestigious guests, on the opening night of "The Symphony of Prosperity and Elegance -- The Feng Shui Art of Master Yun Long Zi", 26 April 2017)


Your Royal Highness, Prince Tesso Sisowath, also the Secretary of State of Cambodia.
We are very, very, very, very honoured to have your Royal presence with us. This is not the first time your Royal Highness are with us for an occasion that is very significant to Lotus On Water. And every single time your Royal Highness are with us, we are greatly encouraged and exalted by the grace of your Royal blessings.


Mr Marcel Bertaud, the Laurent Perrier Director of the whole of Asia. 
Mr Marcel Bertaud speaks exceptionally fluent Japanese. His love, understanding and conviction of the Asian culture would put many of us Asians to shame. 
Marcel and I know each other for more than a decade. You are a dear friend of mine. It is an honour, and also an emblem of our friendship to receive you as the representative of Laurent Perrier, our sponsor for the event this evening.


We are also very honoured to have, among ourselves, the most respected academicians. They are the most authoritative and influential figures in the areas of arts, languages and cultures, from the best universities and institutions in Asia.

We have among ourselves:

Professor Alan Chan Kam Leung, Dean of College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Nanyang Technological University.
He is the most magical cheer leader I have ever seen. It is a joy and we are very honoured to have you here, Professor Chan.

Professor Yow Cheun Hoe (游俊豪), Director of the Centre for Chinese Language & Culture AND the Chinese Heritage Centre, Head of Division of Chinese School of Humanities & Social Sciences at the Nanyang Technological University
We are very honoured to have you here, Professor Yow.

Professor Luo Fu Teng. Head of Chinese Studies, Singapore University of Social Sciences. Thank you for penning your review on my art work. We are very honoured to have you here, Professor Luo.

Professor Lee Cheuk Yin, Director of Wan Boo Sow Research Centre for Chinese Culture at National University of Singapore. We are honoured to have you here Professor Lee.

Mr Ma XinLe (马欣乐), Vice President of the China Academy of Paintings. He is not only an academician but also an artist. His works are highly auctioned at Christie’s Auction House. And among the many famous collectors of his paintings are Queen Elizabeth the Second, Bill Clinton and David Rockefeller just to name a few. He has specially adjusted his time from founding an art foundation in Beijing, and his lectures at the Princeton University to join us this evening. I can only use the phrase 受宠若惊 – overwhelming surprises for the friendship and support he has shown me. Welcome to Singapore. We are very honoured to have you here Mr Ma.

Professor I Ruo Fen, Nanyang Technological University. Can a lady be this intellectual and at the same time look so beautiful? Look at her. We are very honoured to have you here Professor I.

Professor Goh Hock Huan of Hong Kong University. A very, very old friend of mine. Thank you for penning your review on my art work. We are very honoured to have you here, Professor Goh.

Dr Tan Li Xiang of Singapore University of Social Sciences. A very old friend of mine. If you don't understand the meaning of the word "persistence", get to know her. Thank you for penning your review on my art. We are honoured to have you here, Dr Tan.

Mr Jimmy Ye, Head of Creative Experience, Singapore Management University. A very dear and kind friend, and a very inspiring and encouraging friend as well. We are very honoured to have you here, Mr Jimmy Ye.


Some of them have been my friends for years, but most of them have been my friends for decades. Without their affirmation, we are not half this proud. Without their dedication in their fields of studies, we are not half this profound.

We also have a few school principals, most of them personal friends of mine:

Mr Low Chun Meng, Principal of Nanyang Junior College. 
 
Mr Lawrence Chong, Principal of Woodlands Garden School.

Mr Joel Tan Kian An, retired principal and a ceramic artist. Thank you for penning your review on my art.

Mrs Tan Wie Pin, Principal of Anderson Primary School. She is here this evening with an entire platoon of parents who are very committed to education and community services – the SAC members.

Our present world is much brighter because you have dedicated your lives to engineering the lives of children yesterday. We are honoured to have you, the educationists here.

Also, I want to welcome my art teacher Mrs Valery Tan, who has been my art teacher since I was thirteen years old. She has always been inspiring; always introducing me – even to the point of pestering me – into different art forms and media. And she never stops doing that, even till today. Once a teacher, always a teacher. 
I am grateful you were there for me when I was thirteen, handholding me into the gates of the wonderful world of art, and you are still here for me when I am forty five, for my first solo art exhibition.

In ancient Florence of Italy, we had the Medici family; in modern Singapore, we have the UOB, the United Overseas Bank. They are the patron of art in this country. We are honoured to have the UOB Privilege Reserve Banking team of representatives led by Mr Nigel Chua, Ms Geraldine Yeo and Mr Daniel Lau. And we thank them for inviting us to hold a private art exhibition to their most privileged clients on 25th of May this year, at the beautiful Marina Bay Financial Tower.


Speaking about Italy, we have my favourite Italian luxurious brand. We welcome Mr Ken Kress, Mr Furuzawa, Mr Peter Thewlis, Mr Mario Felisari and the team of representatives from Ermenegildo Zegna. I appreciate you for such a warm support, and I want to thank you for helping me to receive His Royal Highness Prince Tesso, with your Italiano hospitality when His Royal Highness arrived. And thank you for your collaboration in my upcoming UOB art exhibition next month. And once again thank you Laurent Perrier for sponsoring us for that exhibition as well.

The Ministers of Cambodia have also sent in their ladies to grace our opening this evening. We have Lady Sok Chanda Sophea, Minister attached to Prime Minister, Secretary General of the Council for the development of Cambodia. And Lady Min Coanna. We thank you for your elegant support.


In Singapore, we have our most prestigious heritage Hotels in Raffles Hotel and The Fullerton Hotel, in China we have the equivalent in White Swan Hotel, based in the charming city of Guang Zhou. We have their team of representatives led by Mr Deng Wenyue (邓文岳). White Swan Hotel is the only place outside of Singapore that is impossible for me to get homesick. They have intended to hold my next overseas exhibition there in November this year. So... book your plane tickets and your rooms early. Once again I thank Prince Tesso for agreeing to be the Guest of Honour there. And I thank Laurent Perrier to be my sponsor there.
 

We also have representatives from two celebrity Chef restaurants. From Waku Ghin we have Mr Eric Li their sommelier. You look at his beautiful figure, you feel so safe to eat.

From Bread Street Kitchen of Chef Gordon Ramsay, we have Chef Sabrina Stillhart (it's devastating, she makes us realize that the best lady chef in the world is not my grandmother), and Mr Britt Ng their sommelier. Mr Britt Ng is not just the champion sommelier of the whole Asia last year, but also the champion sommelier in my heart since seven years ago.
The Cantonese have a saying: 千金难买心头好。The fondness of the heart is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. I go to their restaurants not just for the nourishment of the body but also for the nourishment of my soul.


Also, we have the representatives of Urban Hair, my weekly hairstylist, led by Founder Mr Eugene Ong. Going to Urban Hair doesn't give me more hair obviously, but it definitely gives me more style.

We have Miss Pandora Ip and Mr Bernard Tay, the President and Vice President of Singapore Sogetsu Society respectively.

Dr Tan Li Xiang, the president The Chinese Teachers literary Recital Society.

We also welcome the team of representatives from BullionStar, led by COO Mr Luke Chua. BullionStar is the best place to deal with Gold and Silver in Singapore.

We also acknowledge the media friends who has flown in to Singapore from all over Asia here. We welcome:

Mr Brian Yim from Millionair Asia, 
Ms Arusu Pisuthipan from Bangkok Post,
Mr Sun Muning from China Radio International,
Mr Henry Yeo from Borneo Bulletin,
Ms Siaw Pei Seok from United Daily News,
Ms Suzana Chew from Artitute.

And of course, we also have you among us, the very loyal and very, very, very precious clients, members and people of Lotus on Water. You are the very reason why Lotus on Water exists. Your good fortune, and your joy, are our pride.

There are many, many more of you in the list. I cannot mention all here, if not we won't get to go home tonight. My friends, my pals, my neighbours.

Oh dear, what have I done to deserve the acquaintances and friendships from all of you? I cannot thank you enough of your support...

-- Master Yun Long Zi

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

情感、逻辑和信仰

情感是必不可少的。上天赋予了我们情绪,快乐的,悲伤的。试想:你咬到了舌头却毫不感觉。这个很严重吧,不是吗?

没有了快乐和浪漫的情感,人生便失去了美好与魅力。

但情感并非人类独有。动物也有情感。

那……人类为何胜过动物呢?答案就是逻辑。

人类因逻辑而胜过动物,因为动物很少,甚至没有逻辑思考。一些人常说“我们因情感而为人”,事实正好相反,我们因逻辑而为人。

逻辑还可以被称为:常识、理性、思考、科学、哲学……。逻辑还是人与人心灵的桥梁,因为每个人的情感不尽相同,但在逻辑的基础上,我们便可以进行对等的沟通。

就因为我是人,所以我相信逻辑。我相信规划,相信编预算,相信专注某件事,也相信遵守和履行承诺。我相信我必须称一块石头为石头,一块翡翠为翡翠。我相信吃得健康,睡得足够,还有说话诚实。因此,我坚持销售品质最高的产品,不偏离风水的本质,无论你信我与否。当然,我也相信生意必须赚取利润,就好像我相信我必须支付租金。

凭逻辑做决定;选择品质最高的天然翡翠。抱持信心;相信品质最高的天然翡翠。

下来就是“信仰”了。信仰没有逻辑无法存在,所以信仰符合逻辑,也超越逻辑。

信仰如何符合逻辑?

从一开始做生意,我就相信我们必须出售货真价实的风水宝物。我不认为客人会因为信任我而就把一块塑胶、玻璃、石头或任何一块假翡翠错认为有风水益处的真翡翠。当年,我不晓得是否有人愿意出高价购买货真价实的翡翠,所以我先在家里为人看风水。但我的生意发展得很好,店面一间接着一间开。这就是信仰如何符合逻辑。

信仰也超乎逻辑。

打从我开门做生意,我便告诉自己每年都必须拨出一笔款项进行投资。

我有一尊被九朵莲花围绕的水晶观音,水晶雕像高大华丽。当时的售价是超过一百万新元。几年前,一位员工弄断了其中一朵莲花。当时感觉就像被一块砖头砸中。

为了安慰我,经理提议将莲花黏回去再出售。我不愿意如此。我上前将标价取下,以“非卖品”取而代之。

我叹了一口气,对自己说:“这或许是我做生意以来,第一次没多余的钱进行投资。”

同年,我从一个意想不到的来源得到了一百多万元。那年,我做出了人生中最大笔的投资,它所带给我的收益也是前所未有。

那尊观音菩萨像还屹立于云龙子神佛像馆,但仍旧是,非卖品。

这提醒我们,信仰运作于逻辑之中却又超越逻辑。

——云龙子大师,2014412

(译)

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

If you have read my first article about Pixiu...




We know that they are loyal and obedient to it's master. These two qualities are something we cannot buy with money, so it is actually not very logical since money is important, right?

So if it is not really logic, then what would it be? If you ask me...I would say it's faith.  




Master Yun is also loyal and obedient to the words of the heavens. I remembered he told us that, yes he is a very powerful Fengshui Master but not really a very powerful business man. So how come Lotus on Water is so successful? 



Because he follows the inspiration of heavens. 

Since Pixiu have the characteristics of which, in Master Yun's words, faith operating within logic...could Pixiu provide us the wisdom for us to have faith in the path of greatness?



Its voracious appetite towards gold, silver and jewels seems to be encouraging us to always aim for the best things in life and not settle for anything less.

Pretty much similar to what Lotus on Water believes in -- Nothing but the best. 

I want to thank blessed regulars for your strong faith and support and congratulate you on your wonderful achievements with the Lotus. And for you who have yet to take your first step with the Lotus to take the leap of faith. 

Huat Ah!

-- Samuel Ling, Assistant to Advisor

Monday, April 24, 2017

The miraculous Pixiu.

We spoke about the one of the characteristics of Pixiu in the first article, about it's strong will to protect it's master. 


And I re-read Master Yun's Facebook post on "Celebrationism: On Elegance" where he mentioned about how he started educating people on what natural jadeite is, the types and how they should be worn in ways that would benefit the wearer based on their birth chart. 

Honestly, it is really a uphill task. A task which will be a fool for one's pains given how the market was and still is now. 





It is because of Master Yun strong will to have a positive influence to our culture, and so Lotus on Water is born -- a glorious Fengshui revolution.

Of course, through out all these years, there were difficult times, betrayal, challenges, huge ones. 


But once again, the strong will to win brings us grand victories in all those battles. 

In the story of the 3rd Lotus Guan Yin, we know that Master Yun dismissed all the staff who were in cahoots with his aunt, who were not courageous enough to stand up for the standards they were taught when they first entered Lotus on Water. 


Coincidentally, the Lotus seeds (those that we give you when you purchase your Lotus collections) which Master Yun says is our heart, are also carved in the form of a pixiu. 



Could Pixiu be a nourishment to our heart and soul? To add strength to our "free will" and give us the strong will to earn more money, to be wealthier and more prosperous...I certainly think so!

-- Samuel Ling, Assistant to Advisor 

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Question -- why is that pixiu carved from Earth category agarwood?

From this sentence 天地人三合:
1. 天时      (Heavenly time)
2. 地 利     (Earthly resources)
3. 人合   (Human collaboration)

So the earth are where the treasures are hidden. So since pixiu are able to attract the wealth to it's master, would it be able to attract more if it is carved from earth agarwood? -- probably...since it is it's territory! Haha.

An artistic shot by Mr Kan
But in all seriousness, I feel there is a connection. 

Imagine every single 108 agarwood beads below it are one million dollars...wow! Isn't it amazing? How wealthy and prosperous you can be with this dark earth agarwood pet pixiu. 

I believe many of you should know the different category in the earth agarwood series -- yellow, red and dark.
So we all now this is carved from dark earth agarwood. 

When there is light, we can see. We see opportunities, we see potential dangers and we can react to them. What happens in darkness?...we fear, we lose hope, we are lost. 

Hence the "dark" earth agarwood pixiu -- to help us draw the 财气  in darkness, to guard our wealth when there are blind spots.



Like the Sacred Ring of Lotus Loyalty, made of pure gold because it is almost the only metal that can withstand the test of time. 

And since dark earth agarwood are the most aged proving it's ability to stand the test of time too, (which is not easy, given how agarwood is form) what could be more suitable to carve something which has the characteristic of loyalty?


-- Samuel Ling, Assistant to Advisor