On the morning of 27 April 2004, Manfred and I met at a coffee shop in the 'Soho New Town'. This was to be his last morning in Beijing.

We had arranged to meet up for coffee a couple of days earlier, after which I had agreed to take him to the airport for his flight to Shanghai.

I sat down. It was not long before Xiao Xu arrived, followed immediately by Manfred. He was very punctual. He was well groomed, as usual, and carried only a high-quality briefcase. He looked very well. It seemed that he belonged to those who liked to travel light. We were alike in this aspect. Every time I go travelling, I wish I were able to go empty handed.

We greeted each other. His tone was always merry. He sounded more like an energetic youngster, than a man of 58. I had started working with Manfred last year. Although we hadn't known each other for very long, we were able to communicate directly, as I am able to speak some German. He said, "You look quite well," to which I replied, "You also look very well." I had had an exhibition at his gallery in Hong Kong earlier that year, which had gone very smoothly. Both Manfred and I were very pleased. After chatting for a while, Ah Gui (Li Gui Jun) also arrived. Like Manfred, he is also a merry person with a passion for life. Following his arrival, we switched to speaking in awkward English and continued chatting amicably. It dawned on me then that we behaved more like friends than business partners. For the most part, Manfred appeared to be a smart businessman. However, if you ever sat down and chatted with him, you would have discovered a person full of fun, humour and compassion...

In January, I visited Hong Kong for the first time. Manfred came to pick me up from my hotel and took me out for a drink. He drove a Masarati, a lavish, classic sports car, in metallic blue, with a 4.2L engine. The car had the aura of an Italian gentleman - romantic yet subtle. I am also fond of cars. I like to think of them as sculptures in motion. The streets of Hong Kong are narrow and full of bends. Suddenly, as we were driving down a slope, Manfred stepped on the accelerator, before proceeding to speed up another slope. He zig-zagged through several lanes before halting at a set of traffic lights that had turned red. I was scared and started breaking out in a cold sweat. Although I too enjoy speeding around in my car in Beijing, the roads in Beijing are so much wider than the streets of Hong Kong. People say that a person's motoring habits are a reflection of his character. I immediately connected Manfred with someone who likes to take risks.

Our few encounters had revealed Manfred to be a decisive person, who was good at thinking on his feet. He was also able to get ahead of others in many areas. I liked him for his decisiveness and his integrity. I visited the gallery on my second day in Hong Kong. The paintings were already up on the wall and in good order. I didn't have that many paintings on display, so they were neatly arranged in this spacious 200m² space. The paintings looked very nice hung up and my catalogues were arranged neatly on a desk. Everything was in order. It was perfect. Later on I was introduced to the Gallery's staff, Selina, Sammi and Jenny, all of whom were attractive and friendly. They passed me nice cups of coffee. I then met the quiet Desmond who was in charge of photography. The atmosphere in the Gallery was reminiscent of a big family.

Many people attended the exhibition and my paintings sold well. I was amazed that Manfred was able to sell so many paintings in such a short time. Nicole was also there to congratulate me. I was so happy that day.

Manfred was an earnest and firm art dealer. Every painting that was commissioned was well recorded and once the painting was sold I always received my payment on time. It may sound rather simple, but very few art dealers are able to work as efficiently as he did. Indeed, he was a man true to his word.

...Time slipped past and we had already had a few cups of coffee. Guo Fang called and said she could not join us as she was feeling unwell. Manfred comforted her, "Don't worry Sophie. You will be alright"...

On the way to the airport, there was a traffic jam. Manfred was a bit worried. I told him not to worry and then speeded up the car, like he had done when I visited him in Hong Kong. He was so excited to see me overtaking one car after another, he said, "Yes! This is how everyone should drive!"

As we neared the airport, he suddenly blurted out, "I'm going to publish a book that will contain 500 pages from my collection. This will be the thickest book on Chinese contemporary art ever!"

As we bade each other farewell at the airport, Manfred shook my hand tightly and said in his mischievous tone, "You must drop by 'Ashanti'. See you in May in Shanghai". Then he disappeared into the crowd...

The impression that Manfred left on my memory was this signature smile, mischievous, like that of a child's. He was so full of passion and had an unmatchable vigour for life. He had so many grand plans that had not yet been realised. One can hardly believe that he is really gone...

Liu Ye
Summer, 2004