南怡岛之秋

南怡岛
远眺
秋天落叶，秋意盈漫
枫叶
火焰飘曳点燃了树梢
随着时间的脚步
铺满遍地残红

空滑索
仰望
一线流星，划破蓝空
凌驾
天神之威势临空而降
89米高塔940米地
跨空飞越岛河

银杏树
近观
迎风轻舞，摇首弄姿
杏叶
数千黄折扇挥之潇洒
顺着入秋的步伐
撒满落地黄金

游池塘
环视
水鸭列阵，鲤鱼戏水
鸵鸟
鹤立园中鉴日月时空
伴着镜月的时针
追溯昔日芳华

c.h.e.f andy

====================

published on 1.3.2025

see my English translation 👇

南怡岛之秋 Autumn on Nami Island

Nami Island
gazing into the distance
leaves falling, the mood of autumn brimming and spreading
maple leaves
like flickering flames, they ignite the treetops
with the passage of time
they cover the ground in a tapestry of the crimson past

the Zip Line
looking up
a shooting star streaks, slicing through the blue sky
soaring
with the might of a deity descending from above
from an 89-meter tower, across 940 meters
flying over the islands and river

ginkgo trees
up close
dancing gently in the wind, swaying with grace
ginkgo leaves
thousands of yellow fans fluttering elegantly
following the footsteps of autumn
scattering golden hue across the ground

viewing the pond
looking around
ducks in formation, carps playing in the water
ostriches
standing tall in the garden, witnessing the passage of sun, moon, time and space
accompanied by the illusory hour hand of the moon in the mirror
retracing the transient beauty of youth

香嵐渓 Korankei Gorge

香嵐渓
枫叶煽火红遍野
银杏溪畔一树黄
秋林闲步，秋色弥漫

待月橋
巴川清澈天籁音
枫裹待月流溪凉
枫树隧道，红毯轻步

五色枫
微风摇曳五彩霞
青紅橙黃绿满荫
华丽辉映，山川入画

飯盛山 (Mt limori)
红云染图半边天
满山枫叶秋意浓
拾级登高，清心怡神

倚巴桥
醉燈挑起丹霞夢
千盏迷幻枫月夜
两岸鍍金，绚丽梦幻

c.h.e.f andy

==================

published on 25feb2025

see my English translation 👇

香嵐渓 Korankei Gorge

Korankei
maple leaves fan the hills in fiery red
a lone ginkgo by the side of the stream is shrouded in gold
stroll through the autumn forest, and bath in the colors of fall

Taigetsu Bridge
clear waters of Tomoe River play out nature’s music
maple canopy over taigetsu bridge and the flowing stream spread out coolness
walk the maple tunnel, and step softly on the red carpet

Goshiki Maple (5 colour maple)
maple leaves sway in the gentle breeze like five-coloured clouds
green, red, orange, yellow, lush greenery offering the shade
a dazzling tapestry, the mountain and river woven into an art piece

Mt. Iimori
crimson clouds colour half the sky
the mountain is ablazed with autumn’s embrace
take a step, climb higher, the air is crisp and refreshing

leaning by Tomoe Bridge
in drunken stupor, the lanterns lit up a scarlet dream
a thousand lights enchant the maple moonlit night
golden gleam on both shores of Tomoe, a breathtaking, ethereal sight

时光，生命，缘分

时光
不留人
单程车票
单向的前进
没犹豫没反顾
不停留不会等待
没人，可以驱使左右

人生
没重来
穷极一生
计成败得失
纠结爱恨情仇
在岁月的洪流里
都是，瞬间过眼云烟

生命
啥意义？
奔波忙碌
经悲欢离合
尝尽喜怒哀乐
在光阴的涟漪里
曾经，泡影般飘散去

思悟
圆因果
发挥潜力？
或活在当下
极其体验人生
在时间的长河里
蕴藏，什么玄妙天机？

缘分
是偶然
稍纵即逝
守一生一世
还是擦肩而过？
在轮回的罗盘里
错过，还是无限重复？

c.h.e.f andy

=======================

published on 22.2.2025

my English translation 👇

Time, Life, Fate

Time
waits for no one
a one-way ticket
moving forward, only one direction
no hesitation, no looking back
never stops, never waits
no one, can command or control it

Life
no second chances
a lifetime spent
in obsession with success and failure
and entanglement in the web of love and hate
yet in the torrent that is the passage of time
everything, is but fleeting mist

Life’s Meaning
what is it?
rushing and toiling
experience sorrow, joy, separation and reunion
having tasted the full spectrum of emotions
in the ripples of time
all that have been, float and vanish like a bubble

Contemplation
complete the cycle of cause and effect
and realise one’s full potential?
or simply living in the here and now
fully embracing life’s experiences
within the endless river of time
is there hidden, some cosmic truth?

Fate
a mere chance
fleeting in an instant
to hold and keep for a lifetime
or just brush past each other?
within the compass of reincarnation
do we miss it and pass over, or endlessly repeat?

给自己的一封信

如果
给50年前的我
写一封信
我会说些什么呢？

1975年
祖母隔年便仙逝
父母才刚过六旬，不是很老
却没能再活过5年

哥姐
已然为人师表
灵魂导师，循循善诱
造就桃李满天下

正逢
新加坡经济暴涨、突飞猛进
十年的快速增长
社会面貌、格局在更新

我会说
多陪伴祖母、父母
哪怕没啥交流
就算只是无语相伴
也是彼此欢颜、愉悦
一生珍藏的记忆

我会说
多关心哥姐
多深入了解、交流
日常生活中多熟悉
彼此起居、日需、爱恶
亲情无价，没有替代

我会说
做人最重要有底气
才能有原则，不为人动摇、左右
底气来自内涵
先要自强不息，奋发图强
有学识、有技能、有见地

每个人
际遇不同
人生很多时候，也看缘分
无论命运
丢给你啥样骰子
好活歹活还是自己说了算

人生嘛
没有再来一次，却可以
感恩从今天起，能
好好活够往后的每一天
好好落实要给自己
50年前说的话

c.h.e.f andy

===================

published on 12.2.2025

see my English translation 👇

给自己的一封信 A Letter to Myself

If
I were to write a letter
to myself 50 years ago
what would I say?

1975
my grandmother passed away the following year
my parents had just turned sixty, though not very old yet
they did not live past another five years

my older brother and sister
had already become role models—
spiritual guides, gently leading the way
nurturing countless disciples across the land

it was also the time
when Singapore’s economy was booming and leaping forward
a decade of rapid growth
the face, vision and mindset of society already in a major transformation

I would say:
spend more time with grandmother, mom and dad
even if there isn’t much to say
even if it’s just silent companionship
it will still bring mutual smiles and joy—
a memory to cherish for a lifetime

I would say:
care more about brother and sister
take time to truly understand and communicate with them
familiarize with each other’s daily routines, needs, likes, and dislikes
familiar love is priceless and irreplaceable

I would say:
the most important thing in life is to have inner strength
so you can stand by your principles without being swayed by others
that strength comes from within—
first, strive ceaselessly for self-improvement and success
be knowledgeable, skilled, and insightful

everyone’s
circumstances differ in life
so much depends on fate
no matter what kind of dice
destiny rolls for you
whether the outcome is good or bad ultimately you decide how to live it

after all
life comes only once, yet you can start by being grateful from today—
live each day to its fullest
and truly put into practice
the words i want to tell myself
50 years ago

赠我

赠我一对乐恩的眼睛
秋水清澈，星星闪烁
深邃，蘊含
无上智慧的大眼睛
乐善好施，感恩福修
传承千古的仁者

赠我一翩乐瑄的风采
乐书勤道， 品学兼优
纵横， 盛溢
瑄玉献世的风采
才华横溢，高风亮节
朴实无华的圣者

赠我一双俊利的手
俊才卓越，鸞鳳翔天
舉善，造福
利人濟世的手
奋发勤政，一心奉道
德才兼备的能者

赠我一颗星颖的心
日月星辰，千秋蘊慧
穎麗、俊秀
真挚善美的心
心系寰宇，鴻鵠之志
美慧志全的智者

c.h.e.f andy

注：

得赠我孙儿女，外孙儿女

==================

published on 9.2.2025

my English translation 👇

赠我 Gift to Me

Gift to me the eyes of 乐恩
clear as autumn waters, twinkling like stars
deep and imbued
big eyes that harbor supreme wisdom
kind and charitable, grateful to accumulate blessings
a benevolent one whose virtue endures through the ages

Gift to me the elegance of 乐瑄
joyful in study, diligent in following the Way
exemplary in both character and scholarship
vast and overflowing
being the elegance of a precious gem offered to the world
brimming with talent, noble and upright
a saintly one of unadorned simplicity

Gift to me the hands of 俊利
outstanding in talent, soaring like mythical birds and phoenixes to the heavens
hands that uplift goodness, that bestow blessings
helping others and enriching the world
industrious in endeavor, wholeheartedly devoted to the Way
a capable one who possesses both virtue and ability

Gift to me the heart of 星颖
like the sun, moon, and stars—imbued with wisdom accumulated through the ages
elegant and outstanding
a heart that is sincere and pure
caring for the world, with aspirations lofty as a swan taking flight
a wise one whose beauty, wisdom, and ambition are complete

P.S.

gifted to me – all my 4 grandchildren

四季樱

四季樱花，自然奇观
花开两季，春秋绽放
三月十月，双节共赏
芳华再现，诗情复燃

山野湖川，落叶知秋
火焰枫林，银杏金装
红叶白樱，交相辉映
春秋同舞，画意依然

花期跨季，秋冬盛放
寒露屹立，清雅芬芳
枫叶煽火，樱瓣飘霜
珠璧交辉，四季流转

秋风掀起了
红白色浪漫
艳红的诱惑
雪白的潔净
瓣叶出意境
秋色入诗画
心境在提升
神魂在穿越
古今原此地
天涯还此时

c.h.e.f andy

===================

published on 2.2.2025

my english translation 👇

Shikizakura (Four-Season Cherry Blossoms)

shikizakura, a breathtaking natural spectacle
flowering in two seasons—spring and autumn
in March and October, flower viewing in both spring and autumn seasons
youth and beauty is reborn, poetic sentiments rekindled

mountains, wilderness, lakes, and rivers, falling leaves mark the arrival of autumn
maple forests a fiery red, ginkgo trees in slates of gold
red leaves and white shikizakura blossoms intertwine, bringing out and enhancing each other’s beauty
dancing together in spring and autumn — the artistic mood is enduring and timeless

with a flowering period spanning across seasons, shikizakura flourishes through autumn and winter
standing firm in exposure to the cold, exuding pure elegance
maple leaves fan the spread of red like fire, shikizakura petals flutter and float like frost
a radiant harmony of red leaves and white shikizakura, as the seasons revolve

the autumn wind lifts up
a romance of red and white—
the allure of crimson
the purity of snow-white
shikizakura petals and maple leaves brings up artistic conception
autumn colours weave into poetry and art
an uplifting of the state of mind
a journey of the consciousness through time
past and present return to this very place
the end boundaries of the earth is back at this very time

过年

年代不遗，岁月不忘
除夕团圆，中华传统世世流芳
家家有宴，户户有席
围炉守岁，家人代代欢聚一堂

时日不变，风雨不改
炎黄子孙，神州习俗生生守护
长幼有宜，老少有爱
闲话家常，父母子女共享天伦

愿蛇年好运
前方一片光辉灿烂
愿万事如意
阖家过的顺心安详

购物送礼办年货
新柔两地人如龙
芦柑鲍鱼猪肉干
蛋卷杏酥菠萝挞
金桔银柳金钱树
水仙蝶兰朱顶红

家人温馨年夜饭
岁岁团圆阖家欢
蛇年带来新气象
惜旧迎新气昂扬
张灯结彩迎新岁
拜年温旧展新貌

c.h.e.f andy

==================

published on 28.1.2025

my English translation 👇

过年 Celebrate Chinese New Year

time have not left behind, years have not forgotten
on Chinese New Year(CNY) eve, families reunite, carrying on Chinese traditions that shine through the ages
every home holds a feast, every household sets a banquet
around the steamboat, keeping watch on the countdown, generations gather together as one

steadfast through changing times and storms of uncertainty
descendants of Yan and Huang guard the customs of Chinese culture
old and young bonded through kinship, generations joined by love
engage casual family conversations, and parents and children share the joy of togetherness

may the Year of the Snake bring good fortune
with a bright and radiant path ahead
may all things go smoothly according to our wishes
and every family enjoy peace, as the heart wishes, and harmony

shopping and buying gifts and goodies for the New Year
people bustle and line up like dragons to buy goodies in Singapore and Johore
lukan, abalone, bak kwa
love letters, almond cookies, and pineapple tarts
golden kumquats, silver willows, money plants
narcissus, butterfly orchids, and festive amaryllis (holly)

a heartwarming CNY eve dinner with family
reunion year after year, a joyful occasion for all
the Year of the Snake brings new beginnings
cherishing the old and welcoming the new with vigor
hanging up lanterns and making decorations for the New Year
visiting to exchange greetings, reinforce old connections and further new ones

四季情

秋菊东篱窥南山
深夜凭栏，月入西厢
黄钟满树十月香
清晓微光，日出扶桑

冬日海棠点点红
凌霜屹立， 香腮轻弹
寒梅傲雪露中宵
一帘幽思，两地情长

春暖花开溢芬芳
杜鹃玉兰，桃红争光
樱花三月意还乡
一缕牵挂，两心荡漾

牡丹花瘦六月天
林里踏青，野鹤山中
湖泊绿肥柳成荫
雁字翱翔，闲云长空

天地川野立舟中
掌桨乘风顺水流
疑是途穷绝境路
峰回水转彼岸丰

c.h.e.f andy

===================

published on 24.1.2025

my english translation 👇

Sentiments for Four Seasons

autumn chrysanthemums by the eastern fence peek at the southern hills
late at night standing by the railing, the moon graces the western chamber
Chinese golden bell tree in full bloom offering the fragrance of October
in the gentle light of dawn, the sun rises on Fusang

winter’s begonia dots the cold with crimson hues
standing erect against the frost, its fragrant cheeks lightly flush
plum blossoms brave the snow, exposed to the elements in the long night
one curtain filled with wistful thoughts, and enduring affection in two places

in the warmth of spring, blossoms overflow with fragrance
azaleas and magnolias, peach blossoms compete in splendor
cherry blossoms in March awaken a longing for home
one thread of care and devotion, and two hearts flutter

peonies fade, bringing forth the month of June
excursion in the woods, cranes roam free in the wild
lake brims with lush green, willows cast their shade
wild geese soar high in 《人》 letter formation, like leisurely clouds in a vast sky

standing on a boat amidst heaven and earth, rivers and the wilderness
with oars in hand, riding the wind and the current flows
what seems like a dead-end road of desperation
with a turn of the peaks and the riverbanks, reveal a far shore lush with abundance

Note:

Fusang – Fusang, mythical island in ancient literature, often interpreted as Japan