MC Yan x Kevin Tsui
Happiness Economics, the Thangka Way
30/05/2025
19:30 - 21:30
HKD 50
6/F, China Paint Building, 1163 Canton Road, Mong Kok
Introduction
Anyone who has studied Western art history would know that before modern art, religious art was the the norm, differing vastly from the East, which practiced the longstanding tradition of literati painting. Religious art served not only to propagate faith, but also served as a tool for meditation, with the Thangka being a prime example. The practice of Buddhism can be seen as an investment — the pursuit of joy over suffering. Kevin Tsui, author of “The Economics of Investing in Art”, once asked Thangka master Sonam Penjor about the difference between his works and others on the market. Penjor noted that non-practitioners paint for the money, but practitioners chant while painting. Time and again, Kevin and MC Yan have questioned, “Can money buy happiness?” While Bhutan today remains a low to middle-income country, it was once named the happiest place on Earth. Does this conflict with conventional economics? Kevin and MC Yan discuss the relationship between religious art, practice, and happiness, using economic principles to explore the Bhutanese perspective on happiness.
Each successful registrant attending the event will receive a discount code, allowing them to enjoy a one-time discount of HK$1,000 when they register for any tour within the six months. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
About Our Guest
MC Yan
A member of the hip-hop group LMF and a leading figure in Asian graffiti culture, MC Yan has researched Tibetan tantra for over a decade and later converted to Buddhism, advocating for the practical application of Buddhist theories. His first visit to Bhutan in 2016 enlightened him to the intrinsic link between the nation’s people and nature, intrinsically linked with nature, leading him to believe that Bhutan, compared to other Buddhist countries, is closest to the Buddhist concept of a pure land.
Kevin Tsui
Founder of the think tank Pagoda and Chief Economist at Orientis, a European research and investment education company, Kevin graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in economics and holds a lifetime teaching position at Claremont McKenna College. He has also lectured at The University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the National University of Singapore, and was a visiting fellow at the Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research. Tsui’s publications have appeared in the “American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics”, “B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy” and the “Economic Journal”, among many others, and his book, “The Economics of Investing in Art”, earned him the “Best Publication Award” in the Business and Management category at the 3rd Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards. Apart from research and teaching, Kevin has engaged in private consulting and investments in the food and cultural industries, and writes several columns in Hong Kong-based publications.