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This calligraphy was displayed at the HDB Hub in front of the Coffee Bean café.
The verse therein is:
安得廣廈千萬間
大庇天下寒士俱歡顏
風雨不動安如山
The verse was part of a much longer poem composed by Tang Dynasty poet, Du Fu (杜甫) about 1300 years ago, after his house was destroyed by heavy storm.
Then, the author was “wondering who and how to build homes, that would withstand rains and storms, for the poor masses in order to bring them joys”.
This piece of calligraphic work, however, was written by renowned local artist, the late Pan Shou (潘受) in 1988.
There was no mention of why Pan Shou wrote this and how it ended up with HDB. But basing on the contents, the year that it was written, and the fact that it is housed at HDB Hub, I would speculate that he was lauding the great achievement of HDB’s Home Ownership Scheme - building cheap public housing for the masses during our early nationhood.
HDB must have been very proud of its past achievements thus displaying it prominently to the public. But in today’s context, is it still something to crow about?
In the 1970s, our parents can buy a 3-room HDB flats for just $7,000. When I bought my 5-room flat in 1988, it was $80,000 and I managed to pay off the loan in 5 years. At one time, HDB only builds 4- and 5-room flats because no one wants a 3-room flat anymore. This is progress!
Unfortunately, HDB flats today are no longer for the poor masses. HDB is pricing new 5-room BTO flats in excess of $ 400K with some even in the $600K to $700K range. Any wonder why we are seeing goons buying resale flats for close to $1 m?
Today, a family needs two salaries to service the loan in their entire working life. You were told to buy a smaller flats such as 2- or 3-room. This is no longer progress. We are moving backward.
The current government has no solution to the housing problems. All the cooling measures to rein in the runaway housing prices are not working.
The asset enhancement programme so proudly boasted by GCT is becoming a overbearing burden to our children. Sadly, the second and third generation leaders of this country are not leading us forward but the other way round.
If Pan Shou is still alive, would he request the return of the work?
The verse therein is:
安得廣廈千萬間
大庇天下寒士俱歡顏
風雨不動安如山
The verse was part of a much longer poem composed by Tang Dynasty poet, Du Fu (杜甫) about 1300 years ago, after his house was destroyed by heavy storm.
Then, the author was “wondering who and how to build homes, that would withstand rains and storms, for the poor masses in order to bring them joys”.
This piece of calligraphic work, however, was written by renowned local artist, the late Pan Shou (潘受) in 1988.
There was no mention of why Pan Shou wrote this and how it ended up with HDB. But basing on the contents, the year that it was written, and the fact that it is housed at HDB Hub, I would speculate that he was lauding the great achievement of HDB’s Home Ownership Scheme - building cheap public housing for the masses during our early nationhood.
HDB must have been very proud of its past achievements thus displaying it prominently to the public. But in today’s context, is it still something to crow about?
In the 1970s, our parents can buy a 3-room HDB flats for just $7,000. When I bought my 5-room flat in 1988, it was $80,000 and I managed to pay off the loan in 5 years. At one time, HDB only builds 4- and 5-room flats because no one wants a 3-room flat anymore. This is progress!
Unfortunately, HDB flats today are no longer for the poor masses. HDB is pricing new 5-room BTO flats in excess of $ 400K with some even in the $600K to $700K range. Any wonder why we are seeing goons buying resale flats for close to $1 m?
Today, a family needs two salaries to service the loan in their entire working life. You were told to buy a smaller flats such as 2- or 3-room. This is no longer progress. We are moving backward.
The current government has no solution to the housing problems. All the cooling measures to rein in the runaway housing prices are not working.
The asset enhancement programme so proudly boasted by GCT is becoming a overbearing burden to our children. Sadly, the second and third generation leaders of this country are not leading us forward but the other way round.
If Pan Shou is still alive, would he request the return of the work?
