Found this photo on my phone. My dad wrote this idiom when we visited Gardens by the Bay some time ago. You can tell that I admire his calligraphy, which explains why this photo is still in my possession.
The idiom is 国泰民安 (guó tài mín ān).
Let’s unpack these characters, one by one.
国: country
泰: peaceful
民: citizens
安: safety
So, this idiom expresses my father’s hopes for Singapore to be a peaceful country and have citizens who feel safe and secure.
I suspect this will resonate heavily with @didiplaywell who spent the best years of his life working towards this ideal for his country. 😆