But my China room has much more to remind me of the early days of the China trade,- and indeed the activities in which I took part myself - - - -

Being a sailor I have to mention Tin Hau, who is sitting at my western window sill, and looking mildly at me when I enter the room  - - - -

Tin Hau is well known all over Asia,- but under different names - - -
Tin Hau is the name used in the Hong Kong region.

She is the protector of all seafarers,- being it fishermen, swimmers, dragon boat racers, lifeguards,- and of course my own category,- the sailors.
 
 

Her story goes back more than a thousand years,- when she was born on an island at the  coast of the Fukien province.
Tin Hau's fame amongst the sailors came from the fact, that already as a child she had a unique ability to predict the weather,- which for sailors and fishermen is extremely important-, and quite often a matter of life and death, when the typhoons suddenly come howling in from the South China Sea - - - -

Therefore Tin Hau's special talent saved a lot of lives,- when she urged the fishermen and sailors NOT to go to sea at certain periods.

After she died, her fame soon spread along the China coast,- and a sort of cult was built up around her person - - - -
Temples to her honor were built at all fishing villages,- and stories like she could walk on the water, calm the sea and even help fishermen to a better catch,- and to avoid sickness-, started to circulate - - -
This eventual earned her the title "Queen of Heaven" and annual festivals to her honour are arranged in the sea side towns and villages - - - -

Being an old "salt" myself, has made it quite natural for me also to remember and honor Tin Hau for the help she gave to my earlier "brothers at sea".
And may she also continue to protect me from the perils of the sea for many more years to come.

Therefore,- she now has her place at my western window sill, overlooking my China room towards the east, - the place she originally came from - - -

But there is much more - - - -

My paintings of scenes from the early China trade tell a fantastic story,- and it is a joy to sit and look at those cleverly made copies of real historical paintings - - - -
And what a story they tell - - - -

Please have a look at:

Updated:   July 30th. 2001
                  May 12. 2005