简歌扬 (号山水闲人)
Preserve Memory for the Past · Leave Kindling for the Future
Ancient Wisdom · Modern Life
The path is open to all, but depth unfolds for those who truly walk it.
My story
Preserve Memory for the Past · Leave Kindling for the Future
My Childhood and Teenage Years
I was born in 1974 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, into a traditional and literary family. In my earliest years, it was my grandfather, a veteran of the Red Army, who raised me with the quiet strength of kindness, courage, and resilience. My parents, though busy with their work, surrounded me with the presence of art and music, while my grandmother opened the door to literature and nurtured in me the habit of reading. My father, an artist, guided me in painting, a practice I carried through high school.
Children of our generation in China grew up in simple yet joyful days. With no television or electronic devices at home, most of our spare time was spent freely playing outdoors. From early on, I also loved reading, immersing myself in both Chinese and foreign books.
Yet my health was fragile throughout childhood. In my teenage years, I began to follow masters and practitioners, learning meditation, inner cultivation, and martial arts. Through this dedicated practice, I gradually overcame illness, and my body grew strong, carrying me forward with renewed vitality.
My Education and Early Work Experience
I graduated in 1995 from Sichuan International Studies University, majoring in English literature, economy and trade, and minoring in French. Exploring the university library, I delved into classical books on philosophy, religion, life, and cultures.
Post-graduation, I worked as a translator in an American pharmaceutical company and later became a business development manager at a large German corporation (Messer Group), successfully establishing 17 WOFEs and JVs in China within four years. I then joined Cerestar (Cargill), working with over 100 expatriates to build the first largest food production factory in North China. I've lived in Chengdu, Beijing, Songyuan, and Shanghai, and traveled to many cities in China.
My Marriage and Family
I married my German husband in 2000, and we have a son and a daughter. We lived in Beijing, North-east China, and later moved to Shanghai for 10 years, where we befriended neighbors from around the world. In 2012, we moved to Hamburg, Germany, living there for five years. Since 2017, we've been residing in Switzerland.
My Hobbies - More for Learning
I have always been a lifelong learner.
Reading has been a central part of my life for many years. Whenever possible, I dedicate five to six hours a day to reading, studying, and reflection. Philosophy, history, literature, culture, and the wisdom traditions of different civilizations continue to inspire both my work and my understanding of life.
I also enjoy architecture, design, travel, and exploring different cultures. These interests continually broaden my perspective on people, society, and the world.
Music plays an important role in my life as well. In recent years, I have devoted myself to the study of the Guqin, one of China's oldest musical traditions, through which I continue to explore culture, aesthetics, nature, and self-cultivation.
Whether through books, conversations, travel, music, or cultural exchange, I remain curious about the world and grateful for every opportunity to learn from it.
My Lifestyle - Less is More
My husband and I have sold all our properties, embracing a simple and happy life. I've adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, consuming only one meal a day (lunch). When it comes to lifestyle, LESS IS MORE!
Cultural Milestones
The journey has never been about building institutions alone, but about creating spaces where cultures can meet, traditions can continue to speak, and future generations can discover their roots.
Year Milestone
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2002 - First Cultural Salons in Shanghai
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2012 - Founded the Health & Happiness Ecosystem
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2012 - Cultural Exchange Activities in Hamburg
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2017 - Continued Cultural Practice in Switzerland
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2022 - Founded IAK Switzerland
On the way
Over the past twenty years, my path has been less about expansion and more about clarification. Living across different cultural contexts, I gradually learned to distinguish between what can be inherited, what needs to be questioned, and what must be re-understood.
Moving with my family from China to Germany and later to Switzerland was not merely a change of geography, but a shift in perspective. Living between cultures continuously challenged my assumptions and required me to translate meaning rather than simply transmit knowledge.
What once began as personal interest slowly became a deeper inquiry: how ancient wisdom can remain alive in contemporary life, how reflection can be woven into everyday experience, and how dialogue can take place without reducing difference.
In this process, my work unfolded not as a role to define, but as a way of being—shaped by learning, practice, dialogue, and the ongoing clarification of understanding. I became a builder of the IAK Digital Platform and, together with my husband, I am co-creating the Health & Happiness Ecosystem, translating reflection into structures that connect people, culture, and lived experience.
My journey cannot be separated from the legacy of my family. Across four generations, their devotion to education, faith, sacrifice, and art has shaped the foundation upon which I stand today.