My Trip to Switzerland

Setting off from Singapore, the flight took us a total of 12 hours to reach the Frankfurt Airport in Germany. From there, we took another plane and finally reached Geneva after one hour. During this short journey, I experienced for myself how the German airline company made changes in order to cater to the needs of the customers. This was done in a simple way; about 15 rows of seats that belong to the economy class were replaced with those of the business class, creating more space in the centre to place coffee tables.

Throughout the journey, all we saw are mountains that are higher than the clouds. I think they might be the Alps. Upon arrival at the Geneva Airport, we saw nothing special. However, we did not need to fill up forms when we pass through the customs. The custom officers will let the passengers pass through by just taking a glimpse at their passports. Our luggage passed through without any interference as well.

Our accommodation was a 5-star spa resort hotel, which is a 30-minute drive from the airport. The hotel faces Lake Geneva on one side and a garden on the other. The design of its interior is beautiful. We chose a more spacious room that faces the garden because I was sharing the room with my wife and daughter. Although the scenery we saw from the room was not that magnificent, we were surrounded by the fragrance of flowers and could still hear the birds chirping. This hotel houses a well-known Chinese restaurant and France restaurant; it also has the best spa and massage centre in Geneva. The lowest expenditure is 180 Swiss Francs (approximately S$200+) for duration of 80 minutes. One can enjoy aromatic massage and perhaps a free drink. However, I gave up the enjoyment due to the high price. The hotel only serves western breakfast, which costs S$50 for each person. I think it is not bad, as their service is excellent.

There is an ancient touch in the hotel’s design, which makes it classical and elegant. In addition, it has the characteristic of the conventional outskirts in Europe. For me, the most unforgettable component is its library, which has a large collection of China ancient cultural relics.
This hotel is quite far from the city area and it costs S$80 for a round trip, but we also have to consider the traffic situation. The taxi fare in Geneva is as terrifying as that in London. Once you get into the car and the driver asks about your destination, the fare meter will start to run. Not only that, the charges also varies according to the different types of taxi. The most “high-class” charge will come from those branded taxis such as Mercedes.

At the entrance of the hotel, there is an old pine tree. The pines on the tree are as big as rambutans and the branches spiral in a regular pattern, giving the tree a youthful feeling. This is akin to the impression that Switzerland gave me. Although it is an old country, it still keeps up with the times. The management system in Switzerland is also number one in the world.

Most of the time, Singapore is learning from Switzerland but the former looks more like a man-made garden city. It is indeed not an easy task to create a man-made natural landscape without revealing the traces of manipulation.

Fengshui of the Royal Family Series 2 (Returning Dragon Protects the Master)

In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to Mainland China. China wants Hong Kong's development to reach another climax, thus the country came up with a feng shui plan, "Returning Dragon Protects the Master", together with Hong Kong's authorities. In this plan, a convention and exhibition centre that resembles a big tortoise (although the designer explained that it was "a flying seagull") was built on Hong Kong's "Lion Fire Land". This building served as the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony. China hopes that the two countries will look after each other. However, the Hongkongers who are used to the democratic lifestyle appears to be very worried about China's communism.

Other than that, a Tian Tan Buddha was built on the "Lotus Land" of Lantau Island. The Buddha faces North, but his hand faces Northeast, which is the direction where Hong Kong and Taiwan are located. Ever since the Buddha was sanctified, Taiwan has been attacked by typhoons rapidly and this has caused discontent among the people. No one knows whether this is the will of Heaven or a coincidence. In my opinion, to ensure peace in Taiwan and for the country to submit willingly, it is best to construct a Bu Dai (bag made of cloth) Monk. The bag he carries bears double meaning, one is to gather the power emitted from the Buddha's hands, the other is to make the country submit willingly.

The above mentioned is the modern version of "Returning Dragon Protects the Master". Government officials are advised to visit Hong Kong frequently and they are likely to get promoted when their heart is inclined towards their motherland.

It is said that Ming Chengzu (Zhudi) wanted to strengthen the royal family, thus he sent the official in charge of astronomical phenomena to the South to search for a land with excellent feng shui-it must possess Dragon, Fire, Tortoise and a Dragon that will return to protect its Master. At last, the official found Wudang Mountain and Wuduo Mountain. Wuduo Mountain is a "Phoenix Land", which looks like a standing Phoenix topographically. Some feng shui masters call it the "Five Dragons Land", but my beloved teacher, Reverend Min Zhi Ting, had inspected the feng shui of the grave sites several times and concluded that it was a "Phoenix Land". There is a saying that goes, "Wudang in the South and Wuduo in the North". However, Wuduo Mountain is not open to public access, thus few know about it. In fact, Wuduo is truly the land with excellent royal feng shui. Many famous priests in Wudang, such as Sun Si Miao, Chen Chuan and Zhang San Feng, had trained there before. The land was later classed as a prohibited land of the royal family, thus few know about it.

Kaifeng Hall

Kaifeng is the ancient capital of the six dynasties and enjoys equal fame as Luoyang. When one travels to Henan, the places that one must definitely visit are Luoyang, Kaifeng and the Shaolin Temple. However, I always missed out Luoyang in my past trips.

Kaifeng (kai-开 means open, feng-封 means close) has a meaning of "rise and fall". 400 years had passed and the prosperous scene on the drawing of "Riverside Scene on the Qing Ming Festival"（清明上河图）had ceased to exist. Even Justice Bao who was famous due to Kaifeng, also paled in significance. In the past, Kaifeng's Justice Bao Shrine was used to display the great achievements of Justice Bao. Later, the local government built the Kaifeng Hall, which was far bigger than the Justice Bao Shrine. The Kaifeng Hall has even become a tourist attraction. The current Kaifeng Hall was built according to the design of the Kaifeng Hall in the Song Dynasty. But the original location was flooded, thus another place was chosen for the new building.

You must reach the Kaifeng Hall by 9am, in order to watch Justice Bao open the door to welcome the guests and receive the decree scroll. During the ceremony, Qin Xiang Lian suddenly came forward with two children and wanted to sue Chen Shi Mei, who abandoned his wife and children to become the emperor's son-in-law. Thereafter, Qin Xiang Lian was brought into the hall and the court began to hear the case. We continued to follow the tour guide, so as to know more about the rise and fall of Kaifeng. Coincidentally, we bump into the actress who acted as Qin Xiang Lian. She was squatting by the roadside, chatting with her friends. She quickly covered her face with her hands when she discovered we were snapping photos of her.

Actually, Qin Xiang Lian could have chosen a better way out. She could just take the money and raise her children to nurture another top scholar. However, for the sake of love and justice, she ruined the future of Chen Shi Mei and caused his death. Perhaps, she never thought that a moment of persistence was enough to cost Chen Shi Mei his life. Of course, if she had let him off, we would not have such a nice show to watch now.

For Qin Xiang Lian, the most unforgivable thing about Chen Shi Mei was not his heartlessness but his ruthlessness. From this example, we can see that over-persistence will sometimes arouse the tendency for others to commit wrongdoings.

Nowadays, freedom is the concept of marriage. However, there are still occurrences of incidents where couples kill each other. Is it worth to exchange love for life or to exchange life for love? I am a rational and optimistic person. In my opinion, romance only occupies part of one's life. Besides romance, there are many other things that one can use their heart to complete. Living for love and dying for love---it is better that we leave these to history.

I spent 100 Chinese yuan to let the tour members have a photo taken with Justice Bao. The extra income that Justice Bao received should be higher than his salary then, no wonder he was so enthusiastic!

Kaifeng Hall, we shall meet again!

The Origin of Yellow Crane Tower's Fengshui

Yellow Crane Tower is situated in Wuhan (capital of Hubei province), at the junction of Han River and Yangtze River. Swift currents that changed their direction of flow frequently had caused Wuhan and Wuchang to suffer badly due to the floods. This caused headache for the rulers of all dynasties. In the end, the flow of direction of Han River was changed. Wuhan was divided into three cities, forming Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang, which were separated by rivers.

Wuhan had been the key water passage for generations, it was important for both commercial and strategic plans. In order to grasp the traffic situation of the river, a watching tower was built---Yellow Crane Tower. However, since the Han Dynasty, the tower was destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly due to wars. The battle between warlords destructed the Yellow Crane Tower in Qing Dynasty. It was only until 1984 that an exact-looking Yellow Crane Tower was built at the current location. And, this is the fate of the Yellow Crane Tower.

The third storey of the tower holds an exhibition of the models of towers in the past generations. Due to their different functions, the style of the buildings also differed widely. Restoration of the original look of this historical building is due to fengshui considerations and also to retain the culture.

The basis of the Yellow Crane Tower is the "Eight Trigrams". From the appearance, it seems to have only five (五) storeys but it is actually nine (九)-storey high, which symbolises the power and authority of the emperor (九五至尊). The fengshui of the current location is better than the original, because the tower is built on a "Tortoise Land" surrounded by snakes. Suppression of the tortoises and snakes will prevent them from stirring up waves and reduce the occurrence of floods. Legend has it that the tortoises and snakes were the stomach and intestines of the Xuan Tian deity. In order to turn over a new leaf, Xuan Tian deity put his stomach and intestines into the Yangtze River for cleansing. This move of him touched the Heaven and Earth and he became a celestial being upon attaining immortality. However, the stomach and intestines turned into tortoises and snakes, creating trouble in the seas. Thus, Xuan Tian deity had to send two celestial cranes to subdue the animals. As time goes by, the cranes became the symbol of the Yellow Crane Tower.

I have been to the Yellow Crane Tower in 1994. At that time, not only can I overlook the Tortoise Mountain and Snake Mountain of Wuhan, the magnificent view of the convergence of the three rivers can also be seen. But now, high-rise buildings are everywhere and the beautiful scenery has ceased to exist. Of course, the fengshui is also affected.

Today, Yellow Crane Tower sits at Southeast (Chen-辰) and faces Northwest (Xu-戌). The tower faces the Yangtze River Bridge and the convergence area of the three rivers. In front of it is a sarira pagoda, and the Millennium Bell stands behind the tower. Besides strengthening the fengshui, the two structures also helps to enhance the luck of the devotees.

Fengshui of the Royal Family Series 1 (Phoenix returns to its nest)

The main aim of this Fengshui Tour is to explore the design and layout of the fengshui of the royal family.

Ri (日) and yue (月) [these two words formed ming (明)] are of the "Fire" element. The family name of the emperors in the Ming Dynasty was zhu (朱), which is also "Fire". Thus, the royal family kept searching for a land of "Fire" to enhance the fengshui of the empire, in hope of an everlasting Ming Dynasty. If we look at the replacements of the past dynasties, the Song Dynasty ("Wood") was taken over by the Yuan Dynasty ("Metal") and the latter was replaced by the Ming Dynasty ("Fire"). Being the "Wood" element, Song Dynasty can create "Fire". During the Ming Dynasty, the capital was actually Kaifeng ("Land of Swallows in Forest"). But, floods were too frequent and the energy of "Water" was too intense in Kaifeng. This caused Ming Taizu to be worried about his empire, so he sent the advisor, Liu Bowen, to search for a dry land with "Fire". In addition, the land must be of strategic importance with excellent fengshui and able to let the throne be passed down for generations. At last, Liu Bowen found the "Phoenix Land" in Beijing. However, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhudi, was still worried. Thus, he started on the long journey to implement the project of "Returning Dragon Protects the Master", so as to further stabilise his throne.

"In the skies, it is a phenomenon. On the ground, it takes shape". This is the emphasis in the study of fengshui. Thus, the founder, Liu Bowen, planned the design and layout of Beijing according to the Zi Wei Enclosure in the skies. Traces of this plan can still be seen at the Palace Museum and some other ancient buildings now. The Ming Mausoleum is located at Tianshou Mountain, which is the area of Dragon pulse in the Northwest of Beijing. The fengshui layout of this area is unique on earth, but it was destructed by the Qing Dynasty ("Water").

In 1994, I had done an analysis of Beijing’s fengshui formation at the Peking University. At that time, most scholars thought that Beijing was a "Dragon Land". I was the only one who opposed this view and insisted that it was a "Phoenix Land", this is because my ancestors had participated in the design project of Beijing. I said with certainty that, if a bird nest, a bird egg and a bird bowl appear in Beijing, it will prove that it is a "Phoenix Land". Indeed, Beijing now possesses Bird Nest (Beijing National Stadium), Bird Bowl (The Water Cube) and Bird Egg (Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts). Later, Bird Head (Olympic Torch Tower) and Bird Feet (new CCTV building) are also added, creating a fengshui formation of "Phoenix returns to its nest". When the "Phoenix" arrives in Beijing, it is the time when the city will be well-known to the whole world. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games certainly impressed everybody.

Look out for the next issue - Wudang Mountain and Wuduo Mountain.

The Story of Advertising

In Taiwan, there is this professional in the field of advertising called Li Xin Pin who was born in the 1970s. She majored in Advertising and graduated from the National Chengchi University (Taiwan). Currently, she is studying for her PhD at the Peking University. In addition, she is also the lecturer for "Advertising-Planning and Creativity" at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University. Apparently, she is a beauty from the photographs I have seen. I came across her works about ten years ago, which are aggressive and full of expectations.
Her latest work, "Fei Xie Bu Ke, Bu Xie Hui Si"《非写不可，不写会死》, is a standard textbook. There is a famous saying in the preface written by her, "Knowledge can be reproduced, but not intelligence", which makes one ponder. As compared to her previous book, "Tui Fan Li Xin Pin De Chuang Yi Xue"《推翻李欣频的创意学》, it is just like she has come up to the shore from the vast ocean. On the cover of this book, the following is written, "Creativity-Create-New Creation". In the future, whether she will enter the dead alley in life and overcome the obstacles or grow old in the dead alley, it all depends on what she sees and hears. What worries is she might still be doing well at the age of 30; but fears might arise at 40, time will be wasted at 50 and she will not be so energetic at 60.

I prefer her early works, such as "Ai Yu Xiu Dao Yuan"《爱欲修道院》, exchanging love letters with the lover you cannot be with, sets one sighing; "Bu An Yu Shi"《不安于室》seems to be a memorandum of the peaceful and prosperous times, blending in characteristics of some countries in Europe and Asia, it produces a sensual journey enriched with colours, smell and taste. At the ending of another book, "Qing Yu Liao Li, Ai Qing Chu Fang"《情欲料理，爱情厨房》, it introduces this book of hers, "Shi Wu Lian"《食物恋》- "I use my dreams and excess emotions to re-create a food chain. This is a book full of seductions and is also a book of betrayal. It seduces your sense and betrays your food recipe." "Guang Gao Fu Zuo Yong"《广告副作用》and "Wei Ni Si De Hua Li Xing Gan Dai"《威尼斯的华丽性感带》captured my heart as well. Li Xin Pin is sensitive to the surrounding environment, people, things and events, which makes her able to interpret the romantic side of advertisements in a perceptual and rational way.

Due to my own interest, I collected over ten books written by her. Thus, I always tell my friends if I did not go into the field of fengshui, I would definitely enter the advertising industry. This is because I am a perceptual and rational person.

The more the old man looks at the writings of this little girl, the more exciting it gets. But as this little girl grows older, the old man gets older as well. The journey of the heart for everyone is outstanding in his or her own way, but they are actually on the same track.

The Land of a Basket of Flowers

Recently, URA announced the Jurong Lake Masterplan 2008 to transform the Jurong Lake District into a unique lakeside destination for business and leisure. This plan will work towards to make over this place into West region's most alluring lake scenery.

Between year 2002 and 2004, I used to reside in Jurong East's HUDC area. Opposite my place reveals the alluring sight of Chinese and Japanese Garden. During my stay there, I published two poetry books. Looks like the conducive environment has fired up my imagination to come out with exquisite work. However, the economy was at its downturn due to the SARS period at that time. I was also probably at my most downcast period.

Actually, ever since I got married, I have always stayed in the West. Traffic jams are minimal in the morning and traffic is smooth towards the evening. Coupled with many well-known learning institutes, Singapore's two Government University and two polytechnics gathered in the West as well. However, as the West is filled with industrial parks, people who are worried of air pollution chose not to reside in this area. In actual fact, there is ample rainfall in the West thus air pollution problem is brought under control. The only problem is that there are many heavy vehicles on the road and therefore traffic accidents may be rampant. Other than these, residing in the West should not pose much of a problem.

The situation seemed to have changed lately because more can be seen residing in the West. Sometimes, I wonder if Singapore's last paradise will be destroyed after so much large-scale revamp.

Singapore's west region is seen as the dragonhead that has once brought about a turning point economically. However, many industrials have started to venture out. Coupled with the introduction of both light and heavy industrialization, the beauty of Jurong seems to be misplaced. But then again, the purity and simplicity of Jurong area linger.

Through my work, I realized that friends who reside in the East are extravagant in terms of renovations whereas people who reside in the west seek simplicity and do not invest much on renovations. This is how the East and West differ from each other. As both Jurong East and West sit towards the South-West of Singapore, the luck cycle will also help to bring about a change for the better. However, the population residing in this area is not large thus its expenditure is also not as significant. How is situation in Jurong going to improve?

After the vigorous development of shopping malls such as IMM and Jurong Point, it further led to an increasing number of people residing in the West. In addition, there is also a large influx of immigrants that further contributed to the development of Jurong area. Till date, luxurious shopping districts, hotels and cafes are still lacking in the West. The Government hopes to develop Jurong into both a tourist attraction and business district. In hope of bringing new vibrance to this area, good management is essential or the masterplan will not be a success.
In fact, fashion design, delicacies, lifestyle, business, industrial, housing properties and relaxation are the hypes today. There is a need to strike a balance among these things and to come up with a comprehensive plan to enhance development.

The Surgeon Who Acts By The Book

Recently, I came across frightening news. A client of mine is suffering from very unfavourable fengshui back home. After residing for a few years, his wife contracted serious illness. Thus, client decided to invite a geomancy amateur to assist him in his residence's fengshui.

After the amateur went to client's place, the situation failed to improve. In fact, it got worse and client's wife was once again admitted to hospital. Then, client got me to help him. After inspection, I realized that there are a lot of problems with the setting back home. First thing first, fengshui requires us to understand the environment then inspect the interior setting according to the owner's Ba Zi.

My client has told me his situation before hand but I will still analyze all possible reasons that led to his suffering before I decide what to do. Deciding on measures to solve problems according to the specific circumstances is the key issue here. Analyzing life destiny will only tell us why certain things happen and where did it go wrong. However, if we were to adjust the setting back home, it is just like a surgeon operating on a patient. The surgeon needs to be highly experienced or the operation will be a failure.

When I got to my client's residence, I witnessed that its fengshui is really bad. Its main door is met with 'Tian Kan Sha' (coupled with 'Shuang Tian Sha'). I could feel the impending force just by standing in front of the main door. At the back of the house sits the MRT track and roads. According to fengshui, this is also what we called,'shuang lian dao sha'. Given such circumstance, it is an imperative to dispel the impending evil forces before adjusting the interior setting.

The residence sits at east and faces west. This is an inauspicious direction in fortune 8. The house is dimly lighted and possesses strong negative spirits. Mirrors are necessary to provide light and receive positive energies. However, the geomancy amateur removed them all. Fengshui teaches, ‘It is not scary to face evil forces and we can't escape these negative forces'. We could be facing evil forces initially but not anymore when changes are implemented.

Blamed it on the amount of experience because this fengshui logic has not changed over the years. The amateur has committed all of the mistakes my fellow experienced colleagues feared the most. This is exactly what I mean by 'surgeon operating by the book'. Isn't it scary?

No one is born to be scared of tigers. The new generation of geomancers should develop strong foundations. Acquiring fengshui knowledge of a mere one a half years is simply not enough! I would think that a geomancer has to study for at least three years. Thus, if you come across lessons that claimed that you would be able to acquire fengshui after going through a few classes, please do not believe them easily.

Analyzing fengshui is similar to being a doctor. One has to have ethics to prevent undesirable aftermath.

Doctors Are Like Parents

Some people longed to get married all their life. However, due to the fact that some may destined to be ill fated, problems thus arise after marriage. Actually, problems can still surface before marriage similarly.

Friend finally found the man of her life. However, she is seven to eight years senior. Of course, the male's parents objected countless times. This couple approached me to help them select an auspicious date to carry out their marriage. I used ‘Fight fire with fire, magic must defeat magic' as an approach to seek a turning point for their marriage. The male's parents acquired some knowledge of fengshui and they are also aware of the know-how to choosing an auspicious date. After looking at the date that I chose, the parents demanded me to fill them in with more details pertaining to the reason I chose the date. Of course, it was very hard for me to reveal them the utter truth. Thus, I could only try my best to convince them to proceed with the date I chose. After marriage, friend contracted terminal disease. These days, there are no longer incurable diseases. However, friend refused to proceed with the operation she needed, fearing that there will be unsightly scars left behind.

I personally feel that since friend has already fulfilled her first wish, that is to get married, she should continue to have the will power to live so as to fulfill her second wish. Her second wish is none other than to procreate and to live to old age with her husband forever.

It is inevitable that people find it hard to accept such unexpected news. I find it hard to accept it too. I really hope that friend's family members will give her the moral support she needs and encourage her to receive treatment as soon as possible. Then, pick an auspicious date for her to proceed with the operation.

Many times, so long as the patient and doctor could complement each other well, chances of getting cured exist. Of course besides depending on the heaven's will, things be still under people's control. We should continue to shower her with love and care and persuade her to receive treatment.

Doctors are like parents. Many people started believing in fengshui and nowadays, my clients are of my children's age. I am similar to my clients' parents, I hope that they live good days ahead too!

Democratic Progressive Party defeated itself

Taiwan's fengshui resembles a fish. However, I am still unsure of where the head and the tail of the fish are sitting at. It is unlike Malaysia where the state Johor is clearly the head of the fish with its mouth opening at Johor Bahru. Singapore is a carp on the land of fish pearls.

Looking at Taiwan's Presidential Elections, it seems to me that the South of Taiwan is most likely where the head of the fish locates. And how did I draw such assumption? Looking at this politically, regardless of DPP or KMT, the winning party over South of Taiwan shall rule the whole of Taiwan.

Chen Sui Bian won the hearts of South of Taiwan and took on the Presidential role. Before Ma Ying-Jieou decided to participate in this presidential run, he spent an entire year going around South of Taiwan to engage with the residents sincerely. Clearly, Ma has really given much thought to the matter compared to Chen. This is also what I call fengshui's magnetism. That is, we use magnetism to get merge spirits and energies; from sociology's point of view, it is seen as an approach to blend in with the crowd in hope of gaining popularity along the way.

The people who are of great help to Ma today are, the citizens who used to support DPP, Chen Wen Xi who pushed Chen to the Presidential throne, Shen Fu Xiong who resented DPP and Shi Ming De who leads the Red Army.

Taiwan's Zhong Tian channel that broadcasts the programmes 'Wen Xi Xiao Mei Da' and 'Quan Ming Zui Da Dang' are all zooming Chen and DPP into criticism. Whenever DPP reveals any strategic movements, KMT will always expose DPP's plan over the television.

Given such advanced technology today and influential media such as Phoenix Television, we are able to get our objectives right to perceive this Taiwan's Presidential Elections.

Friends, according to life analysis, Ma and Chen are as if water and fire respectively. They are unable to come together and thus Ma is seen as Chen's unlucky star. Many times, Ma certainly caused umpteen headaches for Chen.

Although Ma has been selected, he will only be officially taking on the Presidential role on 20th May. So, between this crucial periods, Ma's status is still easily challenged by Chen should there be any problems with Ma.

Courageous people will receive heaven's help and righteous people will support Ma. From what I see, Taiwan shall be experiencing relatively good luck.

I sincerely hope that Ma will be elected as the President and confident that Ma will be capable of exciting the Asia's stock market.

China's Five-Star and International's Five-Star

I have always stayed in the five-star hotels whenever I visit China. The hotel provided ample facilities but I am not satisfied with their service.

Appearance can be revamped to give it a new outlook but it takes time for them to change their attitude. International's five-star emphasizes ‘to give customers whatever they ask for' whereas China's five-star's principle is merely ‘to expect customers to accept whatever they provide'. These days, many state-enterprises have transformed into the latter remarkably.

I stayed at Hua Ting Hotel and Towers the last time I went Shanghai. That five-star hotel provided well-equipped facilities and international buffet. The buffet restaurant is huge and they serve many varieties of food. However, it was so much to the point that I did not what to eat.

I never like buffet style so we went to dine at the 26th level-high Chinese restaurant. Its design, facilities and food are comparable to international's five-star standard but their service has deteriorated. We ordered braised goose as a starter, soup, fish and lotus rice as main dishes.

He Nan's mayor and a businessman of Xin Jiang accompanied usI for dinner. There were altogether five of us sitting at a wooden table, all the way to a conducive corner. The night scene outside the window was alluring; also there was a small bridge carrying water inside the restaurant. We asked for a kilogram worth of 20-year old Shao Xin Wine in high spirits.

The wine was warmed and served before the food came. Warmed wine is exceptionally delicious. We chatted for a while over our wine. In the midst of eating our starter, the soup was served. I told the waitress, "Miss, can you hang on please?' I have just completed my sentence when two dishes were placed onto the turning platform in the middle of our dining table. I told the waitress again, "Don't we get a portion each?" My complaint was not valid.

We merely ate a few mouthful of dishes when the waitress came again, "Sir, do you want us to help you portion out the lotus rice?" I replied, "Miss, please wait for a while more!"
Very soon, the waitress asked about the fish. I told her to hang on again!

We did not want the fish to turn cold before we started eating so we decided to eat the fish before the lotus rice.

In the end, both the lotus rice and fish have turned cold! We asked for fruits and the waitress said, "Sir, we charge for the fruits." We smiled bitterly and nodded our heads.
We finished a meal of almost 3000 RMB at a five-star restaurant in less than an hour. Sadly but true, I have not come across such five-star restaurant in Singapore.

Service may need to come from our heart but there is a need for good management as well. It is very important not to overlook this area. Given such service attitude, it seems really difficult to promote Shanghai as a tourist attraction to greater heights.

Seeing Guan Yin once again

Guan Yin is as if a mother figure which grants people whatever they ask for in my heart. In the eyes of the Chinese society, Guan Yin has always been widely embraced.

I have always loved Guan Yin since young, especially her merciful visage and pearly earlobes. I have once dreamt of Guan Yin before. Guan Yin Goddess asked me what do I hope for. I was still a mischievous young boy who merely requested Guan Yin Goddess to allow me to touch her ears. Surprisingly, Guan Yin acceded to my request. I sensed the roundness and smoothness of Guan Yin's earlobes. The feeling was so surreal despite it being a dream.

The General Manager warmly welcomed my business trip to SuZhou this time round. He brought us to the renowned temple, 'Chong Guang Monastery' at Teng Yang Lakeside. Inside the Earth palace, I saw a surreal Guan Yin statue. It is about seven to eight-storeys high. Upon hopping onto an elevator to the highest level, it closes the gap between Guan Yin's visage and myself. I could not help it but felt a sense of respect when I came into close contact with Guan Yin's mercifulness.

Having visited several Guan Yins' statues, the one at 'Chong Guang Monastery' was one of my favourites. My next favourite is located at Beijing's 'Hong Luo Monastery'. Although it was not as majestic as the previous, the figure remained vividly in my mind.

I visited temples, monasteries, churches and mosques. I admire the artistic structure of the buildings more than gaining a better understanding of the different religions. I respect all forms of religion and their thoughts and views. They are certainly worthy of our lifelong pursuit and worshipping.

Friends, do not discriminate other peopl's religion. God may be sitting quietly aside but they live in our hearts. We should not be badmouthing or criticizing any religion. Passing by any churches, temples, monasteries or mosques, I always take a deep bow as a form of respect. We should all learn to respect one another's religion.

Shanghai Trip

This time to Shanghai was a two-day trip. My wife loves shopping so she chose to stay at Hua Ting Hotel & Towers at the bustling Xu Jia Hui business district. It is an old five-star hotel, which gives an evanescence of ancient feeling. The rooms have been renovated so it was not bad after all.

The Sports Hall is just opposite of our hotel. The transportation is good and is only a 20-minute drive from the famous Xu Jia business district. There are Metro City, Liubai shopping centre, Grand Gateway Plaza, Huijin Department Store and Shanghai Orient Shopping Center. All these places sell relatively expensive goods and are certainly a pleasant place for shopping and relaxation.

I prefer the pre-revamped Grand Gateway Plaza because it was folksier and harnessed more flavour of olden Hong Kong and Shanghai's characteristics. After the place has been revamped, it has become no more like other shopping places. In fact, the design is almost similar to the shopping center, Shanghai Orient Shopping Center, on the opposite side.

I love eating the delicacies at Shanghai. However, due to the faulty ventilator, it caused a stench in the air. Especially when the heater was switched on, it makes respiration really unpleasant. My darling and I passed by several restaurants and Crystal Jade Kitchen (Singapore) was one of them. We did not patronize it because of its poor ventilation. In the end, we decided to eat at this Hong Kong restaurant where they serve all Hong Kong delicacies.

I always returned from a rewarding journey from Grand Gateway. This time round, I did not get to buy any thing. After that, we went to Huijin department store and Liubai shopping center and managed to get a few things because those places still harness Shanghai's clear characteristics.
Sometimes I ponder, what is going to happen if the world were to transform into no different from any other. It gives people a familiar feeling but it is a matter of time people tend to grow sick of it. Unless the people do not seek a new outlook, they are still particular about places' uniqueness.

We often tell everyone that it is important for people to have their own personality and wear their style. Similarly, shopping centers need to have their own variety of items; buildings need to be exquisite. If they are all becoming the same, is there a need to flaunt one's glamour and charisma?

The Way of Heaven and Earth

Lately, everyone is discussing about 'saving the Earth'. Especially ever since U.S former Vice President Gore released his 'save the environment' documentary, it has awaken many people's ideas on the dying planet, Earth.

In fact, the contributions of Geomancy have not changed from the ancient to contemporary times. For instance, sitting on hilltop facing the sea, harnessing wind energies, presence of water, these are all the fundamental conditions set forth for ideal Geomancy. Should there be any negative energy in the surrounding, it is an imperative to resolve this problem. Otherwise, residents may experience poor health in the long run and as a result, destroy the environmental projects. Residing in a conducive environment not only helps to cultivate the correct mindset, it helps to improve health and indirectly help people to contribute to the workings of saving the environment.

This time round, Way OnNet used the concluding paragraph in Chapter 81 of “Taoist Scriptures” during our 25th Anniversary. It says, “With all the sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not; with all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive.”

Earth is affected by both heaven's will and human activities. The Way of Heaven is in accordance to the stars. Thus sets forth the concept of the harmony of Yin and Tang such as the sun and the moon, the four seasons, and etc. These concepts provided thoughts, spirits and conducts with regard to the environment for the people. However, the Earth does not exist for itself, neither does it grows for its own. We need to seek approval to using the Earth. In return, the Earth will also contribute to you.

The most important factor is still humans. Human activities are the most destructive because people are blinded by the benefits they could reap. If people were to abide by a set of rules, learn to cooperate instead of competing, refrain from further destroying our environment, everyone can live harmoniously. Despite the fact that humans have a short lifespan on Earth, the amount of destruction done to the environment is massive. Water, air and space pollution, we all need to learn to give up some benefits in order to manage these issues. If we were to remain ignorant about such destruction and continue to harm the environment, it is a matter of time we face the disastrous consequences.

Humans are constantly in war with both heaven and earth, striking a life balance on Earth. As a result, some places may encounter fire hazards, droughts, flooding, typhoons or earthquakes, and etc. Like how China went through snowstorm, it was followed by a string of unfortunate events such as flooding and outbreak of epidemic diseases. All these are signs of how Earth is resenting. However, many lives were sacrificed along the way to make Earth's woes known.

Way OnNet promotes the spirits to save the earth by letting you understand your destiny and yourself. Take good care of yourself in order to contribute to saving the environment.

US Elections

In 2004, I have once predicted that Europe and U.S will be the most badly hit countries for the next twenty years. Looking at the 7th Luck Cycle (1984-2003), it came the formation of the European Union and introduced a common currency, euro. These have been least expected among the people. Under the leadership of Clinton, U.S has also progressed remarkably. As the Luck Cycle turned to the 8th, glamorous events came to a turning point. Today, Europe and U.S both faced their predicament. It is similar to Russia's condition in the 6th Luck Cycle, when it flourished and collapsed in the 7th Luck Cycle. Looking at these, we ought to believe in the energies of the Flying Star.

Inevitably, Europe gradually ended up in a crisis after 2004. Similarly, the U.S economy has also weakening under the leadership of Bush. Today, U.S election is the hype. Hillary and Obama are representing the Democrats while McCain is representing the Republicans.

Hillary has always been regarded the best candidate to resurrect U.S' plunging economy. However, it seems that all walks of life have turned to support Obama instead. The blacks like Obama and Michael Jackson certainly managed to capture the hearts of the people. If not for Michael Jackson's misconducts, he could have remained in the hearts of many people till date.
In my own opinion, Hillary is an intellectual woman. Thus making her a good role model for the women. Her husband had countless affairs but she gave him support nonetheless and also sacrificed for her family. All these showed her magnanimity and nobleness that deserved to be the credited.

On the flip side of the coin, Hillary is perceived to be too weak in the eyes of contemporary women. This has deeply saddened Hillary to great extent. To everyone's surprise, Clinton stepped out to support Hillary in the U.S Elections. This seems to be the best way he is able to help Hillary out. Given U.S' economic condition, this has also shown the importance of unconditional support, love and tolerance. If U.S chooses to escape from reality and adopt unconventional strategy, it is also the time U.S faces a big crisis and befalls into her destiny in the 8th luck cycle.

Obama may represent the Democrats but more people will turn to support McCain, the White. If U.S insists on adopting aggressive inter-relations to maintain U.S' prosperity, U.S shall end up in a North-South war sooner or later like before.

According to life analysis of Obama, as he is born in the year of the Ox, 2008 is his lucky year. Followed by McCain, who is born in the year of Dog, experiences average luck. However, as Hillary is born in the year of Pig, luck is definitely not on her side this year.

For U.S' ups and down, we do not look at the mere right timing because being at the right place and meeting the right people are equally important. In Year 2010, year of Xin Mao, U.S will be experiencing a downfall until 2014, when a turning point could occur. Looking back history, both China and the USSR could not stop the workings of the flying stars, let alone U.S….

Congratulations to Singapore on winning the bid to host 2010 Youth Olympics

It is to everyone's surprise for Singapore to triumph over Moscow to approbate the Olympic Torch to be passed on to South-east Asia, thus receiving the honour to host the 2010 Youth Olympics. Visitors from China, India, America, Europe, Australia and more make up the potential spenders in Singapore through vacation. Thailand, a country filled with romance; Malaysia, a place to seek excitement; Philippines, the alluring sight; India, a place that constantly progress; Vietnam, taking on changes of the world; Myanmar, the turbulent one and Singapore, the country filled with creativity caliber.

Apart from the mere robust economy and potential political capabilities, it is the immense enthusiasm Singaporeans internalized in them that sparked off novel ideas that have contributed to this victory. Putting all these qualities together, they made Singapore very impressive. In the eyes of everyone, Singapore is indeed small. However, we received multiple opportunities to hold large-scale conferences and did not fail to clock new record time and again. The remarkable achievements above revealed a far cry from normalcy. Magnificent events such as 2007's International Monetary Fund Conference conducted, 2008's Singapore Flyer and F1 Night-racing, 2009's grand opening of the Integrated Resort and 2010's Youth Olympics, have clearly value-added Singapore. It is no doubt that given Singapore's capabilities; we are certainly eligible to take on the challenge to host the next World Cup. However, due to the space constraint, we have to give this a miss.

Singapore may emphasize too little in areas of sports relatively but this did not stop our sportsmen from taking on challenges and picking up tips and strategies from Europe. In fact, we have even successfully brought in several foreign sports. Also, MediaCorp has also offered attractive incentive to attract various renowned directors from Hong Kong to produce our local serial dramas in the past. It is through measures like this; Singapore's production gradually gained international recognition that we ought to be proud of.

Levels of education among Singaporeans may have increased today. However, Singaporeans lack a sense of belonging too. Sprits are often fluctuating and Singaporeans are increasingly becoming obsessed with the desire of gain. Thus, all these led to Singaporeans becoming impractical as time goes by. Huge investments have been pumped into Singapore but its success is not remarkable. Being too diverse could be one culprit.

WayOnNet Group, hereby, would like to use our utmost sincerity to congratulate Singapore on winning the bid to host the 2010 Youth Olympics. On the other hand, be cautious of Year 2009 and 2010 for these two years reflected many changes that will be taking place in South-east Asia. Youth ought to take on more challenges ahead to embark the route to success.

Cyclone at Myanmar & Earthquake at Si-Chuan

Lately, a string of unfortunate events occurred one after another. It was merely a moment ago when a powerful cyclone swept through Myanmar. Its death toll climbed to at least ten over thousand of people and left thirty over thousand people gone missing. In less than two weeks, Si-Chuan in China, was struck with a high-magnitude earthquake.

Villagers of Myanmar scrabble to survive amid the dead bodies in the flooded city. Flooding of paddies caused a rice shortage in the country. Taking away Myanmar’s rice bowl has further added to the woes of the population. Although the impact of this disaster was not as great as the Tsunami, its destruction was indeed overwhelming.

Shortly, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck near densely populated areas in South-West Si-Chuan province unexpectedly. Tremors from quake were felt across much of the mainland, including Beijing and Shanghai that are more than 2,000 km away. The total number of casualties and the immeasurable loss are apparently still clocking.

WayOnNet Group, hereby, would like to express our greatest condolences to the affected families in the tragedies in Myanmar and Si-Chuan.

Times Have Changed

It has been quite some time I last visited Bintan Island. I made a business trip to Bintan in the 90s for its industrial piece of land and also the resort. The stay back then was not long. I have been travelling to and fro to Bintan very often and the feeling is still good.

This time round, coupled with the entire company members, we went Bintan Island for a short company trip. The strategic meeting was also held there to discuss, fine-tune the directions and set the goals of our Internet website to focus.

As it was holiday season, the morning boat tickets were all sold out. Thus, we had to take the afternoon speedy boat ride to Bintan Island.

Upon reaching the island, we arranged to first visit Bintan's orchard. It cost $45 per person and we spent about two to three hours looking at the fishpond and its orchard that were beyond our imagination. After that, we went to the beaches to take some photos and saviour coconut juices.

After sunset, we went to one of the tourist attractions by the name of 'Pasar Oleh Oleh'. There are restaurants, massage parlour, handicrafts stalls, eateries, and etc. On the other side, there is also an exquisite restaurant cum a few artistic handicrafts and apparels boutique. We took up a $68 package that comprised an hour-long massage and western-styled dinner. Compared to the trip to the Orchard, this definitely seemed more worthwhile.

By the time we all lodged into hotel, it was already 11 plus Singapore time. I have always thought I was familiar with Bintan's surrounding till I realized that the place has been revamped. Compared to last time I visited for work, it looks completely different now.

We arranged to stay at a suite that came with a garden. We were able to do morning exercises, practise Tai Chi and watch Phoenix Television. They definitely provided me a very homely feeling!

Fire Control

I loved to cook when I was young, as both my grandfather and parents were good cooks. Further more, my mother-in-law was once a protégé of a famous chef, and I intend to publish a cookbook based on her recipes in the future.

I am not a culinary expert, but I love eating and experimenting with flavour creations. If I eat anything nice, I will try to re-create it at home.

Cooking actually requires a lot of skill, be it choosing cooking ingredients or utensils, but the key lies in controlling the degree the ingredients are cooked, and the consideration of the order of adding the ingredients, when to eat the dish, size of the serving etc. When everything is OK, the cook's mood is also important. Emotions do not affect my professionalism at work, but I am after all not a culinary genius or professional chef. If my cooking is appreciated, I will be more motivated to cook; if I am criticized, my desire to cook can be greatly affected. Well-meaning suggestions can improve skill, but if there is no sincerity in it, it will only make the recipient glum and moody.

Nevertheless, cleaning up the mess is the round that tests my patience the most, and of course professional chefs can get away with that. However, when the guests dissipate, I would feel that everything is worth it.

In order to reward my staff for the past year's toil, my wife, my maid and I organized a forty-pax buffet. I started preparing from eight in the morning, and the party lasted until 10pm. In the morning, my maid and I cut vegetables and fried some small snacks, but the star of the show was the soup. The maid was busy preparing all the required utensils and cutlery. There were 5 types of vegetable sides and fried snacks, and 200 fish balls, 10 cans abalone, fresh prawns, octopus etc., which all had to be prepared by hand. The star of the day was my well-honed yam rice and black pepper beer crab.

After enjoying the gourmet spread, everyone started pitting their gambling skills against each other. Ha ha, in the end I won back 3 cans of abalone, all thanks to their generosity!

It seems that only actual participation in the decoration and preparation work of a party can make one appreciate it even more. Next year, I wish that everyone would come to my house to cook two or three small dishes and exchange culinary pointers, and win prizes!

The Fire at Cloud Gate Dance Theatre

The year has barely started when Seoul's Namdaemun gate of immense historic value was burnt down. Another fire destroyed Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's practice grounds and office area, burning up 30 years of Mr Lin Hwai-min's achievements.

In Taiwan, many people are generous towards donating to political and religious causes, but when it comes to the arts, the scenario is the same as Singapore's, where the government's handouts keep one afloat but struggling.

Perhaps, this world-renowned dance troupe should relocate to USA or Europe, where they can maintain a living just by ticket sales alone. With hefty sponsorship, they can focus on performing without worries.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre is the Taiwan arts entity that I support most. Almost every time they perform in Singapore, I will be there. Looking at Mr Lin Hwai-min, one would think that he has exhausted all his creative means, but every time he manages to prove contrary. It is my hope that he can bring us new inspiration, thinking and benefit with his every visit.

It is totally different from modern drama directed by Singapore's Toy Factory Productions' Mr Goh Boon Teck, which are so real they make you suffer inside, forget the storylines, the dances and basically everything after you reach home. But whenever you are silent with your thoughts, scenes of the beatific contemplations arise in your mind.

Mr Lin Hwai-min is born in the year of the Pig (1947), and is currently a ripe 60 years of age. He is full of determination, quick-witted and creative, like artist Chang Dai-chien, novelist Hemmingway and philosopher Thome H. Fang. On the other hand, he also has the unsual charisma and charm found in the likes of Taiwan's ex-president Chiang Kai Shek, USA's ex-president Jefferson and Singapore's Senior Minister Mr Lee Kwan Yew.

Completing Wood (Bamboo), Water (Water Moon) and Earth (Wanderer), we are still short of Gold and Fire performances. May Mr Lin Hwai-min and Cloud Gate Dance Theatre members can withstand the test of "fire" and create a fire-related dance in the future. Change adversity into strength, and dance the way to another Spring!

Review of "Ah Long Pte Ltd"

I got to know Jack Neo (梁智强) when I was serving NS. Back then, his Chinese name was 梁智强. Will ("志") could not be compared with Wisdom ("智") in current society, and indeed after he changed his name, he was no longer just "Two Rifles" (两支枪, a moniker he used to go by). The new name propelled him from comedian to hosting and finally to directing. Later on he was also conferred the title of PBM by the Singapore government as I was.

This is an era of creativity. You must know how to live with the times, keep to your objectives, and survive at the same time, which is not easy at all! Director Neo's capability to shine throughout his two decades of entertainment career does not come easy.

It is already difficult to be in the creative line in Singapore, much less to continually re-invent. Recently, the government is aggressively promoting the arts and culture scene, leading it to blossom and become more competitive at the same time.

I like challenges and breakthroughs, but I am getting on in years and seniority, so I can no longer be like when I was young and charge ahead without a care. Now I need to cover all aspects carefully, so it becomes a stumbling block. I wish to maintain my influence but dare not be boldly creative; I wish to boost my reputation but I need to moderate. In the past, there were only 4 mouths to feed at home, but now I have to feed many. This is the so-called burden of development and success, acronym "price to pay"!

From "Money No Enough", "I Not Stupid", "Home Run" to "The Best Bet", all these are inspirations from life and the common man's concerns that make excellent movie material. But movie making is also about technicalities and visuals, making "Just Follow Law" feel and look encumbered, so although the box office results were good, there was less applause and more criticism. Ah Long Pte Ltd followed up on the problems that were highlighted in "Just Follow Law", with the same dose of humour and tear-jerkers, but what message do we bring home? After all, few people have brushes with the loan sharks, unlike "I Not Stupid" which could reach out and touch many. As such, many friends criticize this film from a by-stander's perspective and not as a been-there and done it all.

"Money No Enough" is just an exclamation mark, not a reason nor an excuse. Hope Director Neo can reinvent himself, find some good topics, scriptwriters, storylines, and investors. Then he can ascend the stairway of success.

50 year-olds find it difficult to forget the past and face the future. My friend, take it in your stride!

A Look at the Effects of a Harsh or Cosy Winter from China's Blizzards

In 2007, the Second Black Illness Star aligned itself with China, which prophesied serious epidemics worldwide. China was fortunate to avoid suffering the full impact, with only the appearance of minor bird flu cases. This does not mean that there are no viruses - they may be lying in wait for an opportunity.

If 2007's year-end had been a cosy winter, then 2008 would have been an excellent virus-breeding environment due to the warm weather and give rise to large scale epidemics.
The blizzards in the beginning of 2008 could possibly have eliminated all the viruses in the ground and thus the threat of epidemic, but the entrance of the White Water Star may bring unexpected floods that wash the viruses deep underground.

As there are always epidemic outbreaks after floods, plus the fact that the annual average global temperature for 2008 may rise again, the viruses are granted beneficial conditions to spread rapidly.

In 2009 we meet the Nine Purple Star, boding a year of flames and dry earth. It is also China's Grand Duke of Jupiter (Tai Sui) year. There are droughts throughout the year and the Five Yellow star in the North brings more weather change - all these combine into a hot and windy weather. Crop harvests are bountiful but the weather will affect everyone's emotions. Some illnesses like fevers may descend without notice.

In 2007 there was an abundance of water and people were easily agitated; in 2008 water and heat are plentiful and people become excitable; in 2009 fire is in over-supply and people become unusually quick-tempered, leading to wars and riots etc.

Many friends say that an almanac can accompany you to old age, but it is not always easy to decipher all the messages that the almanac is trying to convey.

Chinese New Year Gathering

Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI)'s Lunar New Year Gathering is held annually on the 1st of the first lunar month, and is a good day for the coming together of many Singapore Chinese and the representatives and members of all the nations. Many long-retired leaders of SCCCI will also return to celebrate and meet up with old friends.

Lunar New Year falls around the same time as the time that the Singapore Government will announce its fiscal budget, and many ministers and VIPs will be present to elaborate on the government's new policies. SCCCI also takes the opportunity to reflect the member's concerns to the government. Of course, the policies and concerns vary accordingly to the nature of the times!

My observation: when times are good, the famous seldom appear and VIPs flood the gates, as the famous have to go around visiting their friends for the LNY; during the bad times, the opposite occurs as they switch roles. The VIPs have to go around visiting their friends to look for more business opportunities.

SCCCI is the traditional gathering ground for many matured businessman who are mainly Chinese. I am sure other similar institutions will definitely have their niche. SCCCI leaders and VIPs will exchange name cards and new SCCCI leaders will proffer their name cards to the VIPs to garner more support.

After all, the way of doing business depends on whom you know, and, most importantly, who knows you! The more people who know you, the more opportunities you have; the more people you know, the bigger the opportunities that present themselves to you.

When business is good, bear in mind not to offend everyone or when business suffers, the whole world will be out to get you!