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Impression of the Namgyal Monastery

It's a pity that no cameras could be brought into the Namgyal Monastery during the teaching with the Dalai Lama's presence. Some photographs I took two days before the sessions are just uploaded in my flickr account.

posted at 2:43 AM | View by Post 3 comments   

Lessons by the Himalayas

I just passed the longest vacation I have had since 1998: 14 days at Dharamsala. I kept postponing to finish this post because it is definitely not easy to put the experience into words.

Dharamsala is in the North of India, up in the mountain area close to the Himalayas, a very small village where Tibetans and Indians share a cozy community, aka Little Lhasa. There is not much attraction at its first glance, except the panoramic mountain scenery adorned by the instantly changing weather with mesmerizing spectacle. Yet, in a little walk around you will notice the real charm immediately: friendliness and peacefulness on every face you meet over a hearty greeting: Tashidele! (Tibetan: May fortune be with you). The isolated earth is actually more "tibetan" than the present Tibet - a purely spiritual realm.

I was there to attend the Dalai Lama's teaching for 10 days in his monastery, the Namgyal Monastery, on the mountain 18-hour afar by coach from Delhi. We were cut out from civilisation and totally immersed in dharma learning and contemplating, not just like the life of monks but that of fairies I thought, which was absolutely "luxurious" to experience for once in one's life. (It's still like a dream now.)

This is the second time I met the Dalai Lama and it enhanced further my affection and confidence in Buddha's philosophy in a dramatic way. The 70-y/o spiritual leader is flexible and resourceful but not tricky in conveying his teaching, with a good sense of humour. When one has true compassion towards people you feel his overwhelming soothing energy filling the air, and everything he says just touches your heart like an old friend, or a father, not to mention the inspiration and impact on the intellectual side. (right: press photo)

Such incredible opportunity was possible because my late Master once went to this unfamiliar land alone some 10 years ago at his old age, during the 80's. Tibetans were not friendly to Chinese then. He stayed under harsh condition just to finish the study of the Dharma from the Dalai Lama. Only in years, the habitants started to appreciate the virtues of this old Chinese monk and gradually accepted him and his students who visited the monastery annually. Now the locals would even greet proactively in their limited Mandarin when they saw us. I am entirely grateful for the path laid for getting to learn Buddhism, and I pay my deepest tribute to all teachers of Dharma, represented by the Dalai Lama and my beloved Master.

And I hope you understand what I have experienced... perhaps after a few more posts about it.

posted at 12:59 AM | View by Post 0 comments   

Talk Talk

This tele-communication advert (from Koko) reminds me of the old days:


Handbill image of Dream 2 by Cheung Chi Wai.

posted at 10:54 PM | View by Post 0 comments   

CEO (Art) blogs too

Although his official title is much more modest, we are used to addressing him as "boss". And he always gives you that I - know - you - are - making - fun - ok smile on the spot. letters to the city reads the same cosy (not the length of articles though.) It was there since weeks ago, apparently after our occasional lunch together gossiping about people and things in the field, including his new addiction to Matthew Scudder, "surprisingly". I think he meant the head of one of the most important arts centres in the city should devote his life to something more serious, entirely.

The articles being posted are not newly written, but still fresh, and charming in a way because of the personal tone, which hopefully may help it to be listed.

posted at 10:56 PM | View by Post 0 comments   

The Deadline

The whole city was writing proposals madly because it was one of the two deadlines in a year for project grant applications to the semi-official biscuits distributor.

I talked on Skype with Jamsen in Ogaki (Japan) and the producer in Hong Kong for the collaboration proposed till 3 a.m. last night. Tiring, but I felt good when I finally finished the first draft of the script with 11 scenes for J's video, under such pressure. Called it Premier Consciousness but it's not quite satisfying. I came up with the Chinese when the proposal was sent - 識田上的事, like "the incident on the field of consciousness".

Jamsen claimed that he could not find the connection among the scenes (stream of consciousness?), but he had thought of some nice installation ideas with echoing elements. Eno said she thought of Derek Jarman's colours although the subject is a "black" field.

Incredible that we were able to submit two proposals at last for 20 Beans + A Box. The other one is for a performance entitled tentatively From Dots of Actions to Formation - the second piece of the series I have been working on since The Lightless Ring of Angels last year.

I enjoy working as an artist, actually.

posted at 1:02 AM | View by Post 1 comments