Letters on the Tao Chi

By Mr. Tsai

Tao, by being in a person, it is his spirit; by nature, reluctantly it can be said the Five Essences in his heart (as we brought up in the past); by energy, it is forever creative for positive outcome in his life.

For us, after receiving Tao, we mean to cultivate it. But many of us take Tao cultivation as merely trying to be nice and kind, trying to be respectful, to be righteous, to learn more to be wise and to believe in God. Such an attitude is at least incomplete if not a total mistake for the Tao cultivation.

No wonder after practicing Tao for so long a time they did not seem to have built up much Tao Chi (energy) inside them. Then, what attitude is correct if trying to be nice and kind, respectful and righteous, to learn to know more and to believe in God is not? The answer is:

The attitude of SINCERITY, STRONG VOLITION, PERSEVERENCE, and FORTITUDE in doing them is closer to Tao and can definitely help a person establish Tao Chi inside him.

Lacking these four qualities in attitude, a person’s good deeds can only be a playful allowance from his ego.

Tao Chi in a person can be easily perceived in his look, his speech and his behavior. Don’t think to pretend though, for a fake flower is always missing something called “spirit” compared to a real one, isn’t it?

I hope every one of us can build it up inside us to overcome the personal karma and be the master of our own life.

To be continued…

Written by Mr. Tsai 12-8-2009

Releasing the Dragon

Part Two

Releasing the Dragon

by Albert Koopman

Grappling with change, and not short of resistance at the top level of the Communist Party leadership during the late 80’s and early 90’s, Deng Xiaoping announced that ‘plunging into the sea of business was good‘ (xiahai)….and that ‘making money was acceptable’
But … in a Sate of transition …..evidenced in all political transformations, a whole new set of problems emerge. Bureaucrats have a tough time giving up their vested interests!

As power is devolved to lower levels … right to the Village level…….. so there appears numerous ‘leaders’ who want to claim their piece of the action…… claiming ‘connections’ at the most lofty of government levels. Some have this access…… most do not. Most start their own businesses! Wealth permitting!

The first group to benefit from the ‘opening’ up of China were the military leaders and cadres who were co-erced into streamlining their operations.

Most of them went into retirement and were given gracious packages …. such as struggling State-owned hotels and MTV Entertainment locales to look after….. and make connections. Many failed…but many also succeeded….. creating some innovative ways to utilize their connections (guanxi) And established businesses! Wealth permitting!

To the extent that they became wealthier, this new…. moneyed ‘class’, also became the single biggest ‘market’  segment of first time consumers…… of washing machines ……cars . ….microwave ovens … TV’s…. cell phones …… and so on. And established businesses! Wealth permitting!

Along with them, an ‘army’ of farmers … who were lucky enough to be compensated for their lots under an avalanche of property development in the countryside……joined in an even more apparent consumer frenzy. And also established business! Wealth permitting.

After a few years, a third mini-segment of consumers emerged. A  mass sell off of State Owned Enterprises put disproportionate compensation packages into the pockets of departing bureaucrat managers.

Besides multitudes of workers being discharged and having to return to their villages,… empty handed, the ‘Fat Paycheque Wangs’ of the world went on to establish businesses. Wealth, of course, permitting.

Traditional Chinese are very hesitant consumers …. preferring to save and to live their lives conservatively. One never knows ‘where lurketh the next malevolent Emperor’.
So… if wealth did not quite permit…. favors were called in from the guanxi and the extended family……. and businesses were once again created.! Tens of thousands of them.

History had caught up with China …… from being the wealthiest Empire in the world in the mid 1850’…. to slipping into 3rd World Status in the mid 1900’s…. to  becoming the next wealthiest country after the USA at the turn of the last century.

Seemingly…. The Dragon lay dormant for the longest time…. murmured for a short decade or two and then …. in the late 1980’s early 90’s sprung alive when Deng Xiaoping woke him up!

The Chinese Dragon Shakes its Tail

Part One

The Chinese Market Opened…or did it?

By Albert Koopman

In November 1999, China and the USA signed an agreement that was to change the face of the global economy. In December 2001 China joined the world, and signed the WTO (World Trade Organization) Agreement!

For China, entry into the WTO served the distinct purpose of liberalizing trade barriers, lowering import tariffs and opening China’s ability to trade with the world as well as opening its own market to the world … and of course, adapting to the necessary accounting and legal compliance accompanying such practices

For the young Wang Yadong … just fresh out of Beijing university … this meant buying a cheaper, imported, model car from Europe!

For John Smith, in Plush Street, New York?…. Why, he envisaged an opportunity for ‘conquering’ the Chinese consumer market …. single-handedly……all 1 Billion of them!

As the anniversary dates of successive WTO Celebrations went by, things turned out different…….unexpectedly!

While China became a major manufacturer of motor vehicles and exporter of parts, creating many new manufacturing jobs …. Europe and the Americas retained the service industry of Carwashes and Software Companies…. and closed down factories left right and centre.

As it went with cars and industrial equipment … so it went with other white goods … telephones … clothing ….. and gee-gaws …… of every type and description, fuelling and feeding the Wal Marts of the world! Benefiting consumers internationally and keeping them happy with ever-dropping prices.

The Chinese interpreted this event differently. For them it was a case of: WOW …. Now we have access to 6 Billion people … with whom we can establish relationships. We’ve got new access to CashFlow. Now we need technology and training….! Fast!

What happened?