Michael Ong – a Singaporean with a down-to-earth demeanor has devoted his life helping the youth and the underprivileged in Vietnam for the past 14 years. An alumni of the National University of Singapore, he first came to Hanoi in 2001 to help build a Social Work curriculum at the University of Labor and
By Vibrant Dot Staff Sometimes, the most painful events in life can become the greatest drive for a person’s life passion. Barely one week old, Singapore-born Laurentia Tan became seriously ill. When she was 10 months old, she was so floppy that her parents were told that she was a “vegetable”, a “retard”, a “spastic”,
A mission to save orphans? You can call it remarkable, or even heroic, perhaps? On June 1, Singapore representative for this incredible mission – Borong Tsai – chose to forgo his summer holidays for a larger purpose. Normally, Borong likes to play music and draw, but this summer, he and 29 other teens from over
On the walls of artist Choo Keng Kwang’s studio hang a plethora of his oil paintings ranging from Chinatown scenes and doves to a beautiful Balinese dancer. An unfinished painting of a scenic paddy field sits on the floor. “His eyesight is not very good now. He can finish this painting in 1-2 weeks when
There are many problems in life that you will never have immediate solutions to; but so long as we sincerely and whole-heartedly put our efforts into them, the results will surely show one day. This was a lesson I learnt from a story of a boy named Lin, his mother, and his teacher. When Lin
Howard Yu, a professional teacher turned gallerist, is visibly delighted to talk about art appreciation. In 2013, Yu founded Da Tang Fine Arts Enterprise Pte Ltd to honour his parents, who have been in the art gallery business since 1990. Yu’s parents, who admire art and collect art pieces, used to operate ‘Dynasties Antique &
Since 1992, T’ang Quartet has been embarking on critically acclaimed adventures with a purpose – to bring music appreciation to a larger audience. Also known as Singapore’s first professional string quartet, the name ‘T’ang’ is formed by incorporating the last names of each quartet’s members – Ang Chek Meng (2nd violin), Ng Yu-Ying (1st violin),
Many traditions and cultural remnants are dying out fast in Singapore, and one may say that Chinese Opera is easily one of them, despite being listed as a UNESCO cultural heritage. Apart from the annual Hungry Ghost Festival, a traditional Opera performance is certainly a rare sight to behold. The Chinese Theatre Circle (CTC), established
SINGAPORE— Located on the 34th floor of One Raffles Place, Spencer Ogden, the region’s leading energy recruiter, launched one of Singapore’s coolest workspaces on 22 January 2015. The space was designed by Bonita Spencer-Percival, the company’s Design Director, with the vision of incorporating home and garden in its office. To keep executives energised while they
TAIWAN—My first teaching experience at an aristocratic private school was fraught with difficulties. I had a student who hurtfully declared, “My mom said we who pay the tuition fees are the boss. Teachers must listen to us.” Once, when I bought pearl milk tea for my students to reward them for their good performance, they
Primary School Teacher Dad once shared with me a thought-provoking story. In a devout place where everybody attends Sunday service, there was a businessman who was hooked on bowling. For weeks, he sneaked off to bowl while everybody devoutly said prayers to God. A little angel in heaven came to know of this and reported
When a child asks, “Dad, are we rich?” the typical American dad will reply, “I am, but you are not. I earned my money through hard work. When you grow up, you can also do the same.” The child who hears this will be motivated to work hard, and he will develop expectations in life.
My idea of how Valentine’s Day should be spent has evolved over the years. I had spent 10 years in all-girls schools, which meant celebrating Valentine’s Day with my girlfriends at Orchard Road. I would occasionally wonder when I would start spending Valentine’s Day with an actual date instead. The media was a large influence
Do you recall the article, “How to Evaluate Good Art?” published in the 17 – 30 October 2014 issue of the Epoch Times? This article is a technical supplement to it. The five pillars of art appreciation are subject matter, form, colour, lines or brushstrokes, and composition. 1. Subject Matter Subject matter basically signifies what
Art Speaks is the Epoch Times’ global art exploration project. Here we explore works of art created before 1900 from all parts of the world – Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania – and in all mediums whether they be decorative or fine. The goal of Art Speaks is to serve as a forum to diversify
Despite the relative calm in the U.S.-China trade war and the prospects of reaching an agreement, the conflict is likely to develop further in 2019. Review of leading events to this day: The Epoch Times looks at the concurrent battles that make up the trade war. 1. Solar panels and washing machines Beginning from October
Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. – Oscar Wilde Colourful, delicate, and mesmerising, glass art is an ancient art form that harnesses the beauty of light. Glass painting dates back over a thousand years to the Middle Ages, where it was
Daiso beauty products are all over the store, but you might be slightly wary of them, given that they’re just $2 each. It’s natural to be concerned about what goes into the products you put on your face. However, do you know that Daiso has a fantastic range of beauty tools with great quality, almost
It’s that time of the year to tidy things up in your home. What better way to do that than to heed advice from de-cluttering guru Marie Kondo, who has taken the civilized world by storm with her best-selling book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing”? She advises
Chia is not the usual type of young man that you would bump into on the streets or inside MRT trains. Despite being very low-profile, he is the dearest grandson of the Chia family. Speaking of the Chia family, they are rather mysterious—only nobles and top-notch celebrities are invited to their ultra-luxury mansion once in
