The world of Tzu Chi January 2021 (Vol.130)
TZU CHI 130 29 L istening to the babbling sound of water flowing outside their home, and taking in the greenery view of the courtyard is the most enjoyable thing for Malacca volunteers, Chang Pai Jen and his wife, Lim Guek Hong. From exterior to interior décor of their home, everything is designed and master-minded by Pai Jen, with due respect given to the opinions of his wife and children, to create their dream home. The combination of a thick and heavy timber table, several big wooden long chairs, a huge cabinet of unique design and different kinds of decorative objects made from wood and stones sitting in their living room, effuse a unique air of charisma. From furniture arrangements to their attitudes towards life, Pai Jen and his wife are strong advocates of simplicity-is-beauty philosophy. They ask not for charming appearance, nor luxurious materials, but rather they seek to bring out the beauties and values of everything within their reach. For them, the biggest enjoyment in life is to make something that is not only a beauty to the eyes, but also touches the heart. Giving old things a new life All the wooden décor and furniture in his home were made from timber and planks disposed by others, which Pai Jen regarded as treasures. He brought them home and sawed them into smaller pieces to make small stools, mailboxes, table legs and others. With a few strokes of watercolour pens by his daughter, several pieces of termite infested wood were soon turned into unique and artistic décor items. Initially, Pai Jen’s friends did not understand why he asked for discarded timber from them until they saw his finished products. They, in turn, asked for the finished products from him. Pai Jen commented happily, “These discarded objects were to be sent to dump sites. With some creativity, we can give them a new lease of life, thereby reducing wastes.” Pai Jen is a furniture factory owner with expertise in woodwork. He is also good in electrical, plumbing and iron works. He pointed to the beautiful handmade seashell lamp on the ceiling, and the ceiling fan, and shared about all electrical installations inside the house. He also shared on how the ventilators on the roof help reduce indoor temperature by two to three degrees, effectively save on electricity cost. All these objects were collected from Tzu Chi recycling centre, and have become part of his new home after going through cleaning, painting and repairing process. Pai Jen further pointed out that the piano in the house was also from Tzu Chi recycling centre. After dismantling and repairing using recycled parts, it becomes a musical instrument for his children. The electrical organ was also a recycled item that he repaired and turned into a new musical instrument that his children enjoyed very much playing with. The organ will later be given away to others who need it, so as to extend its life span. “We hardly buy any new items for the house and always think of ways to extend the life of resources. This door was disposed by others. We brought it home, did some touch- ups and gave it a fresh paint to make a new door for our home. Due to space constraints, we were unable to shift all the things from our old house, so we gave them away for others to use,” explained Guek Hong.
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