Stunning Sunflowers

This year sunflowers are really uniquely beautiful with fuller centre and comes in different shape of yellow. 

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Return to the the Wolves: Touching Documentary

You be bawling your eyes out if you watch this touching documentary of a human saving and caring for baby wolf and letting him return back to the wild. There are a total of 12 episodes documenting the life of this wolf Ge Lin. 

This grateful wolf would leave food for his human mother and once saved her by leading his horse friend to help her. Sadly Ge Lin suffered heartbreak when his pups were harmed by cruel poachers who hunted for wolf skin. Human beings should be compassionate and merciful like this kind artist who helped to remove animal traps. I think she is a bodhisattva on earth saving animals. Humans really don't need animal skin for clothing. This planet earth is a better place with compassion and less greed. 

Time to Stop Harming Crows

I was shocked to read more than 500 crows were taken down just because some crows made loud noise and some attacked people. Not all crows hurt people. In fact, I noticed some are quite gentle. Time to stop indiscriminate culling on all crows. Think of other alternative ways. Now I understand what Vernerable Huineng who said. 菩提本无像。像乃人心中之物。有像就把菩提给遮蔽了。 There is no form in wisdom. Forms lie in person perception. Looking at forms (appearance), it hide wisdom compassion. Some people lost their compassion just because others are of different forms/appearance. I finally understand what he meant. 

Be compassionate and merciful. Stop cruel harming of sentient beings. In fact, crows are revered in Wudang mountains as it helped to save people's life by making loud noise and leading the person out of the mountain. 适可而止。Don't go overboard with harming sentient beings. Karma is real. What the person done, it will be returned back to the person who done or instigated.

潮州文化108 好汉英歌

我喜欢有武术因素的潮州英歌。很有威严！英歌源于水浒传的108好汉。

好汉歌

Sunflower Surprise 恋恋向日葵 2026

Bright cheery sunflowers are back at Gardens by the Bay from 9 October 2026 till 9 November 2026!

This year discover more than 5000 stunning sunflowers of 20 varieties set in Portuguese theme for the very first time at Sunflower Surprise: Garden by the Ocean in Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. Explore one of Lisbon's oldest neighbourhoods, Aflama  and discover Portuguese textiles, crafts and Azulejo-inspired designs and later costal heritage through the Costa Nova and a 6 metres tall Belem lighthouse, and  traditional Portuguese carrack.

Nearest MRT stations: Bayfront MRT and Gardens by the Bay MRT stations 

If you like flowers, visit Blooming Flowers and Arts blog here: https://bloomingflowersnarts.blogspot.com/

闪烁的向日葵将于2026年10月9日至2026年11月9日重返滨海湾花园！ 今年，新加坡滨海湾花园的花穹园内首次推出"恋恋向日葵：海滨花园"主题展，展出超过5000株20个品种的惊艳向日葵。漫步里斯本最古老的街区阿弗拉玛区，您将发现葡萄牙纺织品、手工艺品及马赛克瓷砖设计灵感，还可通过科斯塔诺瓦区和一座6米高的贝伦灯塔、传统葡萄牙卡拉克船，领略海滨遗产。园内还重现了里斯本标志性店铺门面与街头小摊，同时设有葡萄园、橄榄林及软木橡树景观。

今年，"恋恋向日葵"：滨海花园"活动旨在纪念新加坡与葡萄牙建交45周年，由新加坡葡萄牙大使馆联合呈现。

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I like these graceful White Nite Sunflowers.

好听 《荒》

近年来，我越来喜欢听中国古风的音乐。强烈推荐这首歌， 荒。这首歌然我想起佛和道，我所皈依。因果真实不虚。

Changes

I notice great changes in the 40 years old neighbourhood. I miss the vibrant wall multicultural cute design outside young nursery/kindergarten. Also it had been quiet and peaceful in the past. It's only recently, like a year or two that the playground and near the fitness corner, you can hear children screaming and screeching in loud pitch frequently. I mean it's normal for children to raise their volume when playing but nowadays the way they scream are very high sharp pitch and very loud.

People staying above floor is always making noise by hitting the floor. It seem like they are always doing renovations or just want to make noise.   

I asked my friends and relatives if they noticed the change in children and also teenagers. My relative shared with me some teenagers like to scream in high pitch in the public bus causing public nuisance! Maybe they need help to release stress. I also noticed some teenagers playing loud music in public bus. Public buses need to put up reminders in the bus that if people play loud music or make loud noise in public transport, there will be fine now. The volume and pitch are much louder now. If parents despite teaching and the children are still screaming like that, maybe they need to seek help. Or are they intentionally creating noise pollution to disrupt the harmony and peace of the neighbourhood? Maybe that's the reason why some Singaporeans are leaving due to the crowd and noise. 

Early intervention can help the children to self-regulate. Schools should also remind their students not to scream in high pitch when playing. Parents should not ignore if their children like to scream in high pitch. Parents should be around to teach their children to be mindful of noise level and be considerate of others and not leave them disrupting the peace in the neighbourhood. In addition, if they have teenagers, they should monitor what websites their children visit. It is very worrying that children and teenagers are screaming in public. 阿弥陀佛

Protea Flowers 帝王花

The vibrant eye-catching Protea flowers are a sight to behold. Protea is native to South Africa and it is one of the oldest flowering plants on Earth dating back to the supercontinent Gondwana, over 300 million years ago.

If you love flowers, visit Blooming Flowers and Arts blog here:https://bloomingflowersnarts.blogspot.com/

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经典的济公活佛 Classic Jigong Drama

小时候爱看的电视剧。饰演济公活佛的演员游本昌在几天前过世。阿弥陀佛。

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节快乐！

I finally visited Ngee Ann City to buy orh nee or yam paste mooncake today as it is Mid-Autumn Festival. I'm Teochew and love orh nee or yam paste moon cake with flaky crust. Since it is the last day, I only paid $40 in cash for 8 mini mooncake instead of $60.00.   

I also brought traditional paper lantern and had fun just carrying the lantern with candle inside the lantern. What about you? How did you celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?  

My mum said the orh nee mooncake tasted delicious. I also love it as it is not too sweet. 

On this full moon day, may this day bring you joy as you enjoy the mooncake and pomelo with your family. Happy Midd-Autumn Festival! 

今天是中秋佳节，我终于去义安城买了芋泥月饼。身为潮州人，我最爱酥皮芋泥月饼。因为是最后一天，我只用40元现金买了8个小月饼，省下了20元。 

我还带了传统纸灯笼，光是提着里面点着蜡烛的灯笼就觉得很有趣。你呢？你是怎么过中秋的？

妈妈说这酥皮芋泥月饼很好吃。我也很喜欢，因为它不太甜。 

值此月圆之夜，愿您与家人共赏月饼、品尝柚子，欢聚一堂。中秋快乐！

皓月闪烁，星光闪耀，中秋佳节，美满快乐！

Suntec City Sky Garden

The Suntec City Sky Garden is a lush oasis located on Level 3 of Suntec City accessible from the lifts at Tower 1.  There is no admission fees and there is no need to make reservation to explore the Sky Garden. 

Enjoy the beautiful bamboos swaying at the top with tropical flowers like heliconias and plumerias in the garden. You can view an overview of the iconic Fountain of Wealth and the 5 buildings surrounding the fountain. 

Just take the lift from Suntec City Tower 1 visit the garden. 

Nearest MRT Stations: Esplanade MRT, Cityhall MRT and Promenade MRT stations

Visit Blooming Flowers and Arts Blog for more flower posts here.

Lilytopia 2026 at Gardens by the bay

Discover more than 7000 lilies from 46 varieties of lilies at this year Lilytopia at Flower Dome set in Ancient Egypt with replicas of vibrant temples and arts. In addition to unique lilies, see giant water lilies like Victoria amazonica and Victoria cruziana grown from seeds by the Gardens by the bay team for the past 1.5 years. 

Date: 21 August 2026 to 27 September 2026

Nearest MRT stations: Bayfront MRT and Gardens by the Bay MRT stations

今年在滨海湾花园的花穹中举办的Lilytopia活动，以古埃及为背景，重现了色彩缤纷的神庙与艺术，展出超过7000株来自46个品种的百合。除特色百合外，还能观赏到由滨海湾花园团队培育1.5年的巨型睡莲，包括亚马逊王莲和王莲等品种。 

日期：2026年8月21日至2026年9月27日

Visit Blooming Flowers and Arts blog for more flowers and arts update here.

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Interest Rate Increase?

Kevin Warsh hinted of interest rate hike recently. Will local banks also increase interest rate for savers? Banks are quick to raise interest rates for credit cards but slow to increase interest rate for saving account. In Singapore, it is low 0.05% interest per annum if you don't credit your salary and saving for some local banks. I'm thinking of changing OCBC to other banks. 

I'm thankful to one local bank for giving decent interest rate at about 1.5% for UOB stash account. At least every month, I have some money to buy coffee and snacks. 

丙午年鄭博見驚人預言

今年丙午年丙申月壬申日发生了突如其来的泥石流。我只知道今年的气候会很热和大能量会有大地震还有消防员会很忙。这个专业的预言家真厉害。他精准的预言今年六到八月在尼泊尔会有泥石流还有霍尔木兹海峡关闭。你们可以看他今年一月所给的预言。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUT2xiZvpOE&t=10759s

每天进步一点点 Great Translation of English by Chinese Mathematics Teacher

太赞了。 朋友分享给我。现在分享给你。

Diamond Sutra Buddhism

I find the following verse from Diamond Sutra helpful in letting go unhappiness. In life, there are times you need reminder or encouragement. Life is life Tao, that looks like sine wave with up and down when rotated. But it is when there is duality that you understand what it means in both polarities.  

If you are interested to read more about Buddhism and the Heart Sutra, you can visit my blog here. 

I spent some time translating meaningful part of this drama on the life of the 6^th Patriarch of Chan, the Venerable Huineng as I find that it is helpful. Please highlight to me if there is error in translating. 

Venerable Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarchof Chan (February 27, 638 – August 28, 713) was said to attain awakening when he heard a verse from the Diamond Sutra 应无所住而生其心. Without abiding anything, give rise to the pure mind. 

 

When the Fifth Patriarch of Chan Venerable Hong Ren explained to him the Diamond sutra. Venerable Hui Neng was "suddenly and completely enlightened, and he understood that all things exist in self-nature.

 

应无所住而生其心，Without abiding anything, give rise to the pure mind 

云何应住，云何降伏其心 When does the cloud abide, how does the cloud calm the mind

佛说应无所住而生其心 Buddha said without abiding in forms, arises the mind

即是说心即是佛,佛即是心 Meaning Pure Mind is Buddha and Buddha is Pure Mind. 

他做了一首偈子Venerable Huineng came up with the following stanza when he understood the verse. I think true self, is our consciousness. 

何其自性本自清净！What is true self, it is intrinsically pure

何其自性本不生灭！What is true self, it is neither born nor extinguish 

何其自性本自具足！What is true self, it is self-sufficient

何其自性能生万法！What is true self, it can produce immeasurable dharma/ideas

 

From the Diamond Sutra

Subhuti, all great bodhisattvas should give rise to purity of mind in this way: they should not give rise to a mind that abides in form; they should not give rise to a mind that abides in form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. They should give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything.

Subhuti, a bodhisattva should turn away from all notions, and initiate the mind of anuttara samyaksambodhi. He should not give rise to a mind abiding in form, and he should not give rise to a mind abiding in sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas. He should give rise to a mind that does not abide in anything. 

When we contemplate the following verses from the Diamond Sutra, your mind should not be affected by forms which are transient, dependent on causes and conditions. 

一切有为法，如梦幻泡影，如露亦如电，应作如是观

“All conditioned phenomena
Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, Like dew and lightning.
One should contemplate them in this way. “

All phenomena appear in the world is a combination of causes and conditions that is temporary by nature. It will pass. There is no permanent nature to form which is subjected to change due to causes and conditions, thus it is illusory. Thus why be sad over something that is illusory. Just let it go and not be attached to it.

A lot of suffering comes from the mind which is influenced by forms like sight, hearing, touch, taste or perception. When someone criticised us, we get upset, when someone own something we don’t have, we want it. We are always influenced by the three poison, greed, anger and delusion. 

From the book, Miracles Happen: The Transformational Healing by Dr Brian Weiss, “ Chinese philosopher Hui-neng (6^thpatriarch of Chan Buddhism/Zen) wrote, “When we are free from attachment to all outer objects, the mind will be in peace. Our essence of mind is intrinsically pure, and the reason why we are perturbed is because we allow ourselves to be carried by the circumstances we are in. He who is able to keep his mind unperturbed (calm), irrespective of circumstances has attained enlightenment. “ 

 

A woman who went through a near-death experience shared,” I realized that life is like a dream”. She wrote, “ When you are born, you wake up into mortality in this physical body. When your physical body dies, you return to immortality.” 

 

I realised what is 无我 no-self as our consciousness or mind changes identity in various body forms in our many reincarnations. Thus there is no permanent self-identity. Do not cling to anger and just let go.

Diamond Sutra Part 1 is here

Happy Singapore 61st National Day. Aranda Lee Kuan Yew Orchids 新加坡61周年国庆快乐。李光耀兰胡姬花

Today on 9 August, Singapore is celebrating 61 years of independence. The success of modern Singapore is inextricably linked to our first Prime Minister, the astute and wise Mr Lee Kuan Yew who led Singapore with his fellow comrades like Dr Goh Keng Swee, from third world to first world. Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew for your lifelong dedication to Singapore.

If you love flowers too, visit my Blooming Flowers and Arts blog here. 

今天，8月9日，新加坡庆祝独立61周年。现代新加坡的成功与我们的首任总理、精明睿智的李光耀先生密不可分，他与吴庆瑞博士等同志一道，带领新加坡从第三世界跃升至第一世界。感谢李光耀先生毕生对新加坡的奉献。

Aranda Lee Kuan Yew

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终于看功夫女足了！

昨天8月8日终于看功夫女足电影了！我们80后都是看星爷的电影长大的。每逢新年过节都是看星爷的喜剧。百看不厌。

星爷还是宝刀未老。这部喜剧还是这么好笑又有哲学。不管输赢，全力以赴，。不努力，肯定不能赢。Be Water, My Friend, 让我想起了老子道德经的上善若水。

”上善若水。水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道。居，善地；心，善渊；与，善仁；言，善信；政，善治；事，善能；动，善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。“

昨天的电影，只有第一排没人。

Singapore Garden Festival 2026

You can watch the recently concluded Singapore Garden Festival 2026 here. I like the impressive landscape gardens with amazing architecture designs and also intricate penjing.

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大合唱《平凡之路》

 好听。百听不厌。