Wu Tao Zu

by C H

‘During the Tang dynasty, the Chinese artist Wu Tao-tzu was one day standing looking at a mural he had just completed. Suddenly, he clapped his hands and the temple gate opened. He went into his work and the gates closed behind him.’ Sven Lindqvist, The Myth of Wu Tao-tzu

B/W

PHILLIP ADAMS
Okay, when it’s over, you’ve then got to fill in the rest of your life. Fifty is not that old these days.

PAUL KEATING
I’m not quite going at 50 either. I’ve got a few years yet.

PHILLIP ADAMS*

But you know there’s nothing sadder than an ex-national leader. Generally, we don’t know what to do with them, do we?

PAUL KEATING
They are a reasonably I wouldn’t say yes, they are a reasonably sad lot, I suppose.

PHILLIP ADAMS

Tragic, most of them. What are you going to do for the next years?

PAUL KEATING
I don’t want to be one of them. If the Commonwealth can leave me off the invitation lists and forget about me.

PHILLIP ADAMS

We’ll fix it up with the protocol office, it’s easy.

PAUL KEATING

I would be delighted, you see. So one can just fade away to being a person who is allowed to do normal things again. That’s what I’d like to do, and all the things I like. I love I’ve got my wife and family, which are my principal interest in life, and all the other things I like. I like music, I like supporting people in music, I like supporting people in the arts, I like architecture, decoration, all the things I’m into. You know all the things I’m into, you’re into them yourself. And you can go about people say what are you going to do after public life? And I say, because they expect you to line up :for thisfcharity or that charity, and I say, well what I’m going to do is indulge my senses, that’ s what I’m going to do. They say what do you mean by that and I say, exactly what I’ve said. That’s what I’m going to do.