User:Woon Wee Teng

WOON Wee Teng

BACKGROUND INFORMATION & EDUCATION:

Mr. Woon Wee Teng was born in the year 1957. He received primary education at Lee Kuo Chuan Primary School and secondary education at Victoria School. At 19 years old, he was enlisted to the Singapore Army for National Service and thereafter he went to Northumbria University to read law. He was called to the Bar of United Kingdom in 1983 and became a Barrister-at-law of Middle Temple, London. He served his pupilage in 3 Gray's Inn, London under 2 banking law pupil masters Peter Cresswell (the former President of Bar Council) and William Blair (brother of Tony Blair, the ex-Prime Minister of UK).

He subsequently returned to Singapore to study for post-graduate practical law course and was later called to the Singapore Bar as an Advocate and Solicitor in 1984. He served his Singapore pupilage under Harry Dyne. He was also called to the Australian Bar. He initially practised law with the firm of Messrs Donald Burkinshaw and then with W T Woon and Company which subsequently corporatised as Justicius Law Corporation. During his practice, he was appointed as Commissioner of Oaths and Notary Public and he practised in the areas of building and construction law, commercial law and banking law. He sat on the Board of Public Listed Companies (including SiS International Holdings Limited) as Independent Non-Executive Director. He was acknowledged in the 1st Edition of the Encyclopedia of Banking Law (Butterworths) for his contribution.

At the age of 50, he retired from legal practice to dedicate on his collection of art and antiquities (particularly Buddhist and Hindu works of art); promoting art and culture at Nei Xue Tang Buddhist Museum and other museums; writing articles; and working on his upcoming book on Yunnanese Buddhist art works from Nanzhao Kingdom (AD 738 - 902) and Dali Kingdom (AD 937 - 1253). He devoted time in studying Buddhist art works from Yunnan and visiting museums and private collectors all round the world to discuss and gain first hand knowledge on this, at one time and still is, rather obscure field. He himself is an avid collector of Buddhist art works from Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms particularly rare gold artefacts from such period and the highly-sought after 阿嵯耶观音 (Acouye Guanyin) and 大鹏金翅鸟 (translation: Large Bird With Golden Wings). It is his vision that a World Buddhist Museum be established and towards this end, he has canvassed for support and continue passionately to collect world-class quality items for display in such Museum one day and also better understanding with those of other races and faiths

FAMILY BACKGROUND:

His father is Woon Tai Jee (was a famous Hainanese chef and confectioner) and his maternal mother is Lim Ai Fang and his other mother is Cheong Kam Hee.

His siblings are Woon Tek Seng, Woon Wee Phong and Woon Wee Hao and together they operate "Killiney Kopitiam" who is well known for their special blend of coffee, tea and kaya (a type of coconut and egg jam) toast. Killiney coffeeshop is the oldest in Singapore with humble beginning in 1919 on Killiney Road and still serving locals, tourists, celebrities and dignitaries beverage and all day kaya toast delights.

He is married to Christine Storey, a Geordie lass from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK and they have 2 sons, Jeremy and Jonathan. They have a home in Durham, UK and in Singapore.

HOBBY & INTEREST:

In his youth, he had keen interest in martial arts particularly Shaolin Pugilism. His name is in the record of Shuanglin Tze (the seat of Shaolin Pugilism in Singapore founded by Shaolin Grandmaster Sek Ko Sum, the last of "Fighting Monks" from Southern Shaolin Temple from Fujian Province). During his tertiary education days in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he brought Shaolin Pugilism to the North East of UK. He taught Shaolin Pugilism and he also shared with and explained to the English Chinese heritage and culture. During his student days, he established the biggest school for Shaolin Pugilism in North East by teaching at Newcastle University, Newcastle Polytechnic, colleges and his police friends and others. His other keen interest is in the collecting of Buddhist artefacts and amulets. He started at a very young age and he amassed more than less than 40,000 pieces to establish a museum in Singapore under the name of "Nei Xue Tang - A Buddhist Art Museum " (www.neixuetang.org) at 235 Cantonment Road, Singapore 089766. He was granted permission by the Singapore National Heritage Board to start such Museum under a special "Home Museum" scheme where a collector's home is permitted to operate also as a museum to showcase his /her collections. Nei Xue Tang Buddhist Museum was the first of its kind in Singapore established by him. He was given the Distinguished Patron of the Art Award by Dr. Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, for his substantial contribution to art and culture. This Award is given to distinguished art patrons who gave more than $1.5 million.

Through Nei Xue Tang Buddhist Art Museum, he helps to promote Buddhist art from diverse Buddhist countries (particularly Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and China). The Museum is proud of its visitorship of King, Queen, President, Ambassador, Buddhist Mater, celebrity and the ordinary man in the street. To him, art is universal and does not know barrier and boundary. Further, he regards art as the language of beauty and peace and that it is through art that one can create better understanding and cordial relationship with people from another culture, race, faith or country. It is his belief that when people truly appreciate culture, heritage and objects of beauty, they should have no wish for violence, war and utter or senseless damage or destruction.

Unfortunately, he was stricken with a grave illness of internal bleeding in 2006 probably brought about by the stress of managing an important museum and at the same time a hectic law practice. In 2007, he made a painful decision to part all his art collection in Nei Xue Tang to Mr. Oei Hong Leong, a Singapore tycoon. This is done to fulfill his lifetime vision for a World Buddhist Museum to be built by another person with substantial wealth and equally great vision when he knew that his modest mean and poor health cannot accomplish such vision on his own. He continues to serve Nei Xue Tang as Art Consultant and help to curate and promote Buddhist and Hindu art through Nei Xue Tang.

SOCIAL, ART & CULTURAL WORKS:

Trained in the law, he is a firm believer of upholding Justice and the Rule of Law. Also, there must be good governance, transparency and accountability. To him, those who commit crimes against humanity and those who cheat and harm the poor, elderly, weak and helpless must not be allowed to escape with impunity. He believes that the world would be a better place if people do not look the other way when wrong is committed. All good and decent people should stand up against greed, evil, corrupt and abusive power. He hates the lack of will to investigate, prosecute or to do anything by those charged to protect citizens when it is their job, duty and responsibility. He and his family foundation generously give to the Law School of Northumbria University and the Student Law Centre of Northumbria University. In the Student Law Centre, the academic and professional staff and law students as part of their curriculum are helping poor and helpless citizens to seek justice. The money given is used to encourage scholarship and the pursuit of law; for book prize; sending law students overseas or in UK for legal training and to give them exposure and experience; and pay for court fees for those who could ill-afford when seeking legal redress. He believes that nurturing and training a new breed of pure, selfless and committed young law students to genuinely pursue law not for the money is indeed the initial and fundamental step forward.

His other passion is in the arts. Towards this end, he and his family foundation initiated the biggest annual art prize amounting to GBP 40,000 which is open to final year art students in UK universities (overseas students included) . The art prize is called the Woon Foundation Painting and Sculpture Art Prize comprising of 1st Prize Woon Tai Jee Art Fellowship Prize in the form of a bursary of GBP 20,000; 2nd Prize Lim Ai Fang Art Prize of GBP 9,000; 3rd Prize Cheong Kam Hee Art Prize of GBP 6,000 and two Consolation prizes of GBP 3,000 and GBP 2,000. The winner of the 1st Prize shall be able to use the bursary to pay for the costs of the Fellowship at the BxNU Institute for Contemporary Art at BALTIC 39. BxNU is an institute as a result of a collaborative partnership between BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Northumbria University. The 1st Prize winner will also have access to dedicated space in the BxNU institute at BALTIC 39 for the duration of the Fellowship and also receive critical and professional development support from a Mentor. All winners will have their entries catalogued and exhibited.

The Art Prize is basically to nurture and support young budding artists; to uplift and promote art in UK (particularly the North East and Northumbria University); and in memory of his parents.

He loves Chinese, Thai and Khmer art and he amassed a huge world-class collection of them (including very rare and highly-sought after Prakon Chai Maitreya, Sukhothai Walking Buddha, and large standing Khmer Buddha statues). He actively promotes Thai Buddhist art in Thailand and Singapore. He donated substantial monies in building, preserving and restoring the architecture of Thai temples. He gave donations to Pho Chang Academy of Fine Art to promote traditional Thai Art and worked closely with their academic staff and students in their creations. He also supported and gave big donations to make Thai Buddhist amulets for distribution at Thai temples as part of his effort in promoting Thai Buddhist art in amulets and in performing Buddhist meritorious deeds. He wrote a book entitled "The Buddhist Images of Quarters No.6 Wat Rakang" and it is also written in Chinese to benefit those who do not read English. He wrote the article "The Power Of Faith and Devotion: Votive Images and Talismans in Buddhist Art" in promoting the Buddhist art in amulets from diverse Buddhist countries and went to China to give talk on them.

He loaned many artefacts to Asian Civilisation Museum, Singapore for exhibition and made generous gifts as well. He gave whole-heartedly to maintain, support and educate the orphans and novices of Quarters No. 6 of Wat Rakang and elsewhere. He and his family foundation gave generously to help the poor, sick and helpless in Singapore and elsewhere. During his legal practice, he often waived his fees for taking up cases fighting for just and equitable cause in Court when his clients had no money to pay.

CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH BUDDHIST MASTERS

He is a very close disciple of the famous late Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Sayadaw of Monywa, Myanmar; Phrakru Palat Wichit of Wat Rakang, Thailand; Arjan Nong of Wat Saikow,Thailand; Chaokoon Sophon of Wat Napradu; Arjan Udom, a highly respected Kalawat (Lay Thai Buddhist Master) of Singapore and disciple of Luangpu Lindam of Wat Naka, Kedah, Malaysia; Luangpu Maung of Wat Tebkoonjorn, Lopburi, Thailand; and Rev Foo Hong Kim of Wat Sattha Puchaniyaram, Singapore. He is the godson of Luangpu Pasangkit of Wat Phra Non Chaksi, Singburi, Thailand. He is very close to "Uncle George" Neo who is one of the very few surviving disciples of Tok Raja (Luangpu Khron) of Wat Bangset, Kelantan famous for the making humpback pidta amulets. Also, he was very close friend to the late Khun Ko Jun who was personal attendant and disciple of Phortan Klai of Wat Tat Noi, Thailand.

Through his close relationship with many leading and famous Buddhist monks and their close disciples, he received and collected a treasure trove of Buddhist artefacts and amulets. From Phrakru Palat Wichit, he received and collected many precious "Somdej" amulets of Wat Rakang resulting in him writing the above book entitled "The Buddha Images Of The Masters Of Quarters No. 6 Wat Rakang".

As from Arjan Nong, he received and collected many valuable Luangpu Tuad amulets. As for "Uncle George" Neo, he received and collected many highly sought after takruts (rolled-up metal sheets with inscribed yantra) and humpback pidta amulets personally made by Tok Raja and some are on loan to Asian Civilisations Musuem for exhibition and published in their above book. From Khun Ko Jun, he received the hair relic and amulets of Phortan Klai. Finally, from Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Sayadaw, he recieved many personal and special "talun" (i.e. philosopher's stones made from mercury through alchemy, incantation and meditation), takruts and amulets from this beloved and very highly revered Burmese master. He and his brothers together with Singapore friends gave very generously to Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Sayadaw to help him successfully build the world highest Legyun Cakra Standing Buddha in Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Monastery in Monywa, Myanmar. They also helped in many temple building and maintenance projects and other Buddhist causes in Thailand, China,Tibet and elsewhere."