Shanghai Tang's Sir David Tang Wing-cheung
Shanghai Tang founder Sir David Tang Wing-cheung has a new book out, “A Chink in the Armour,” a collection of his columns and articles written over the years. Johannes Pong chats with “Ah Sir” over cheung fun and congee at the China Club.
I wanted to be a bus driver. Then I wanted to be a professor of nuclear physics. In other words, I wanted to be either very basic, or extremely intellectual.
I always thought of starting my own businesses, though. I didn’t want to work for other people.
Not speaking a word of English when I first when to England for boarding school wasn’t traumatizing at all, it was actually rather amusing.
People often underestimate what I call a decent sense of humor. Seeing the funny side of things means that you are optimistic and philosophical about what’s happening to you.
You see a bit more than those who simply sulk and look at the dark side of things.
Never losing this sense of humor is absolutely vital, especially in difficult situations.
