Chinese FishFun Company combines ancient philosophy with modern management ideas
At this year’s Xiamen 2018 Trade Fair, we noticed unusual mosaics and an even more unusual company name: „FishFun“. We did some research and learned some basics on Chinese literature and philosophy. We also grasped the principle behind this form of mosaic art.
But let us begin with the difficult part, which CEO Joe Chen explained.
The name of the company goes way back to the famous piece of Chinese literature „Autumn Floods“ by Chuang Tzu (also written as Zhuang Zhou or Zhuangzi). The famous poet, active around 300 BC, is considered one of the foremost Chinese philosophers.
Anecdotally, Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling on the bridge over the Hao River one day. Zhuangzi said, „The minnows are darting about free and easy! This is how fish are happy.” Huizi replied, „You are not a fish. How do you know that the fish are happy?” Zhuangzi is said to have replied, „I recognize the joy of the fish in my own joy at watching them.”
The text is famous under the heading „Fish Fun“ in China and exemplifies Chaung Tzu’s concept of joy when man is one with nature.
Joe Chen projected this idea upon the company, which his father founded in 2004 near the city of Foshan in Guangdong province. „Between an enterprise and its customers, the enterprise is like a fish, and the customers are like water. Only by constantly providing our customers with quality products and top services can an enterprise obtain is sustainable growth source“, he replies to our mail.
A similar relationship exists between the company and its staff: Chen sees the enterprise as fish and the staff as the water – just as water can carry a boat, employees can advance an enterprise if management treats them well.
FishFun company operates with a staff of 30. Whereas the company tendered to the local market only until recently, Chen now hopes to break into the US-American and worldwide markets – the main reason behind the fair participation.
And the distinguishing factor behind FishFun’s mosaics? They are made of squares or octagonal tesserae (pieces of mosaic) measuring 8 x 8 mm. Depending on the composition, smaller or larger gaps form between the tesserae. The effect makes the work unique.
„Sketch“ is the title of the new collection derived from its precursor „Pixel“.
And where does the skill come from? Chen learned from his parents who ran an enterprise for ceramics prior to FishFun. Chen enjoyed playing with mosaics as a child and gathered information from books and trade magazines.
(13.07.2018, USA: 07.13.2018)