Rural Japan : tradition and harmony

My business travels to Japan were mostly to its major cities, Tokyo and Nagoya. This time, my wife and I made a leisure trip to the rural Japan. We stayed in hotels that were well-known to the locals for their hot springs.

(Foliage in Mt. Tateyama)

Travelling outside the cities allows you to see more traditional Japanese communities.  Intensively cultivated farms and carefully managed orchards can be seen along the rural roads.  Glasshouses are also common for better controlled environment and protection from cold weather.

(Local farmer attending his paddy field)



(Village in Hida Furukawa after morning rain)

You can feel the sense of quiet and peace in the rural villages.  There are not many cars on the roads.  Village houses are small and orderly built around the green fields. Rural population has long been drawn towards cities for better education and career opportunities. 

(Old village house converted into lodging in Shirakawa-go)
 

(Cottage pottery industry)

(Street market of farm products)

Japanese garden initially followed Chinese in its early creation.  Gradually, it formed its own unique styles.  Gardeners follow strict traditions in attending their plants.  They are well maintained in orderly ways.  A strong sense of quiet beauty can be felt by visitors walking inside the garden.  The Japanese Zen garden is its extreme example. 

(Classical Japanese garden - Kenroku-en)

(Pine tree of five hundred years old)

In the past century, Japanese gardeners had helped creating many beautiful gardens in North America.  With the fusion of both East and West gardening techniques, Japanese garden find its new live in the new territories.  If you are interested to see more, you can read Brown, Kendall H.. Quiet beauty: the Japanese gardens of North America. Vermont: Tuttle Publishing, 2013.

Hainan : the pearl of South China Sea

Hainan is in the Southern part of China and its second largest island.  The island falls between Tropical and Sub-tropical zones in the South China Sea.  In recent years, Hainan is being developed into a world-class resort island with plenty of sunshine and beautiful beaches.

(Hainan as Hawaii of China) 

Hainan was formed by volcanic activities million years ago with high mountains in the center and lowlands along its seashores.  It have abundant of hot springs which add attraction to many resorts in the island. The aboriginals of Hainan, known as Li people, have lived in the island for more than three thousand years.  Immigrants from Mainland settled in the lowlands and gradually out-numbered the aboriginals.

(Status of aborigine, Li, legend)  

 

(Tropical forest in the central part of island)

Tourists from Russian was first attacked to Hainan by its tropical weather and beautiful beaches even before China opened its door to the West.  In the past ten years, many Western resort hotels and golf clubs were developed in the island.  Two international airports, in Haikou in the North and Saniya in the South, provide direct flights to many cities in China and overseas.



(Golf club built on top of volcanic land)

(Thai-style resort)

(Coconut trees around the swimming pool)

(Expansive apartment building near the cruise terminal)

South China Sea is rich in oceanic resources.  It is strategically important to the ocean-going trade routes.  This draws tension between China and its neighboring states in the recent years.  The South China Navy is stationed in Saniya in the South.  You can easily see some of the marine boats nearby.

(Chinese navy ship)

The Aegean Sea : it is blue and white

Each summer, millions of tourists from around the world come to the Aegean Sea. They come to enjoy its beautiful sunshine, to cruise around its islands and to visit some of its historical sites.  The Aegean Sea lies between Turkey and Greece.  The early Minoan and Hellenic civilizations developed around the Aegean Sea and its islands several thousand years ago. 

(The Duden waterfall in the seashore of Antalya, Turkey)

          

(The St. John Castle in Bodrum, Turkey)

Taking pictures in the Aegean Sea, you will find blue and white as their main colors - blue sea, blue sky, white clouds and white houses.  With abundant sunlight and beautiful environment, you will be surprised by your ability in taking many good photos.

(St. Paul Bay in the Rhodes Island)
 

Among the islands of the Aegean Sea, Santorini is one of the most interesting one.  Its sea coastlines are composed of high cliffs, volcanic rocks and flat land.  Santorini was known as Thera in ancient Greek time.  About four thousand years ago, major volcanic eruptions took place in the Thera island.  The eruptions were so strong that it blew off part of the island.  Such nature disease also started the decline of the Minoan civilization. 

(High cliff formed by volcanic activities in Santorini)

(A small uninhabited island of volcanic rocks in Santorini)

Nowadays, tourism is the main support of the local economics in Santorini.  If you stay in the island for two to three days, you can enjoy its great natural beauties in leisure.  You can also hire a donkey taxi taking you through its narrow streets and many white houses.  There are over three hundred churches in the island.  They are more than enough for the locals if not for the tourists.

(White houses and hotels built on the cliff of Santorini)

(One of the many churches in Santorini)

(A little girl in Santorini showing off her pet)

When taking the cruise in the Aegean Sea this summer, there is time for personal reading.  Homer's Lliad and Odyssey or Apollonius's Voyage of Argo can be interesting.  They will take you back to the ancient Hellenic world and their exciting sea journeys through the Aegean Sea.

Khmers art : sculptures and bas-reliefs

From the trip to Angkor, I start to appreciate the beauty of Khmers art in particular its sculptures and bas-reliefs.  When the Frenchmen rediscovered Angkor Wat in the tropical forest, they were surprised to find the magnificent stone architecture full of sculptures and bas-reliefs that they could not comprehend.  After decades of studies by archaeologists and historians, they now understand that Khmers art and architecture had evolved more than ten centuries of development to reach its peak in the 12th to 14th Century A.D.

Instead of marble, Cambodia has abundant supply of sandstone.  Skillful Khmers craftsmen had made use of high quality pink and black sandstone and turned them into some of the master pieces of Khmers art.  Early in the Cambodian history, Indian sea traders had came to do business with Khmers.  They also introduced their religion and culture to the locals.  Thus, we can find many Khmers sculptures and bas-reliefs about Brahma religion and stories.  

(The whole Banteay Srei was built by pink sandstone and volcanic stone) 

(Beautiful bas-relief on pink sandstone of over 12 centuries old)

Most of the historical Khmers temples were commissioned by kings and nobles for religious and political purposes.  Sculptures and bas-reliefs were used to communicate the Khmers beliefs and messages.  Besides the Hindu gods and later Buddha, many of the Khmers temples were richly decorated with apsaras. 

(Apsaras at the entrance of Angkor Wat)

(Apsaras at the Ta Prohm temple)

(Goddess in the wall of  Banteay Srei) 

In Angkor Wat and Bayon, there are beautiful stone bas-reliefs in their walled galleries.  These bas-reliefs communicated not only the religion stories and the victories of their Khmers kings, they also demonstrated aspects of Khmers life.

(Epics of the Battle of Lanka)

(Khmers soldiers going for war together with war elephants)

(Khmers hunters and fishmen)

If you are also interested in the Khmers art, you should not miss the Angkor Museum and the National Museum in Phnom Penh.  In case you are not in Cambodia, you can read Jessup. Helen Ibbitson and Thierry Zephir (ed.). Sculpture of Angkor and ancient Cambodia millennium of glory. London: Thames and Hudson, 1997.  This book can show you some of the master pieces of Khmers art kept in Cambodia, France and USA.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia : one of the World's Seven Wonders

The rediscovery of Angkor Wat in the center of Cambodian plain by the Western world in the nineteenth century had created a lot of interests and attention.  Angkor Wat was built by the Khmer Empire under King Suryavarman II nine centuries ago.  After the downfall of the Khmer Empire in the sixteenth century, Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples were laid ruin under the approaching tropical forest.  Even though local Khmer were aware of their existence, Angkor Wat was unknown to the West.  Until 1860 a young Frenchman Henri Mouhot made his venture into this medieval site.  Since then, the French colonists and archaeologists reclaimed Angkor Wat from the forest.

(Angkor Wat with its reflection in the water pond)

(Angkor Wat is very beautiful in particular during sunrise)

Besides Angkor Wat, there were several hundreds of temples built by the Khmer in the Angkor area and the central Cambodia plain during the eighth to the thirteenth centuries.  Hinduism first established its cultural roots in Cambodia and then followed by Buddhism.  These temples were built by the Khmer kings and nobles with mix of Hinduism and Buddhism.  

Another great Khmer architecture in Angkor is the Bayon temple built by the King Jayavarman VII.  A series of building projects in the capital, Angkor, were commissioned by this powerful Khmer King. This possibly represents the prime time of the Khmer Empire which had extended its territories into nowadays Vietnam and Thailand.

(At the entrance gate of the Bayon)

(One of the Bayon's face towers - totally 54 towers, each depicted with four faces)

Archaeologist teams from Cambodia and many foreign countries have been working in Angkor in the past decades trying to restore and to protect these Khmer art and architecture.  Many of them are still lying ruin inside the tropical forest.  It is interested to see the strength of nature.  As time past, nature can reclaim its territories from human establishments.

(Tree standing on the ruin of Ta Prohm)

(Tourists taking picture in the "Lost City")

After the glory days of Khmer Empire, Cambodia had fallen into hands of external colonial aggressions, including Thailand, Vietnam, France and Japan. Local Cambodian had underwent great hardship during the civil war with its Khmer Rouge.  The terrible experience with the "killing field" still remains with those survivors.  

Local village live has now returned to its old way.  It seems that the only change is curious tourists around.


  

Persian art and architecture : beauty of form and color

The rich culture of Persia and the skillful hands of Persian masters create beautiful art and architecture.  Persia was well placed at the middle of the ancient silk roads between the East and the West civilizations.  Through centuries of cultural exchanges, Persian art gained its mastery and also made significant impacts on others.

Among various Persian handicrafts, Persian carpet and tableware are my favorites. They are not only skillfully made with beautiful designs but are also decorated with colors in harmony.  High quality items are expensive as they command high artistic value.

(Fine Persian carpet with life tree design)

    

(Beautiful plates with lapis lazuli color)

With long Islamic tradition, mosques are the most important architectures in Iran.  Over the years, many masters and architects built beautiful mosques in different Iranian cities.  Their beautiful domes and minarets shine over the city sky. 


(Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan)

 

(Grand interior design of  the Lotfollah Mosque)

If you are in Isfahan, Naghs-e Jahan Square is the place you must see.  In the square, you can see jewels of Safavid architecture: the Lotfollah Mosque and the Shah Mosque. These great works were built over five hundred years ago.  Their grand design and beautiful decorations of stucco and mosaic tiles still command high status among the Islamic architecture.

(Geometric designs of mosaic tiles)

Just after seeing a few examples of Persian art and architecture, you will note that they are rich in geometric design. There are meanings behind the Islamic patterns.  The three basic shapes are used to symbolize:
  - the square of earth or materiality,
  - the triangle of human consciousness, and
  - the hexagon (or circle) of Heaven.

Nature light is also used to enrich the architecture design.  Similar to the rose windows in Catholic churches, color glass of beautiful patterns is commonly used in Persian houses.

(House windows with colorful glass)

Persian garden : paradise of the world

Iranians love garden.  Besides mosque, garden is probably the most popular place for Iranians.  Their strong appreciation of garden can be explained by its geographical environment.  Most of Iran is on the plateau surrounded by mountains and deserts. With limited rainfall, most of the land is bleak and dreary except the short Spring time. Inside the garden, its foliage and fountain give people the sense of peace, security and abundance.

(Iran plateau)

Development of Persian garden begun several thousand years ago.  Ancient Persian invented the qanat system to collect underground water for drinking and cultivation.  Precious water is regarded as source of life.  The most common feature of a Persian garden is water stream in its center with tree lanes on both sides.  Even better is to have water fountains along the way.

(Dowlat Abad Garden, Yazd)

Tall trees are planted in the garden to provide privacy and security from outside.  Iranians also like to have fruit trees, palm trees, roses and other flowers in their gardens. 

(Eram Garden, Shiraz)

Most of the historical palaces or summer houses of Iranian kings have gardens.  For example, Shah Abbas II  built his Chehel Sotoun Palace with a huge pavilion in the middle of his garden with a long pool. The pavilion of twenty columns is called forty columns pavilion due to water refection.

(Chehel Sotoun in Isfahan and its "forty columns" pavilion) 

During our tour of Iran, we have visited more than six Persian gardens.  One of the most interested one is the Fin Garden in Kashan.  Crystal clear water is channeled through the garden.  With the difference in levels within the garden, non-stop water stream and fountains make the garden full of life.

(Fin Garden, Kashan)

(Water fountain in each junction of the garden paths)

(Beautiful decoration in the Fin Garden)

The Iranian vision of garden as paradise has permeated their thinking, arts and poems.  Hafez is one of the most famous Iranian poets.  He wrote a poem titled "one rose is enough".  Below is the translation by Robert Bly.

One rosy face from the world's garden for us is enough,
And the shade of that one cypress in the field
Strolling along gracefully for us is enough.

I want to be far away from people whose words
And deeds don't match.  Among the morose and heavy-
Hearted, a heavy glass of wine for us is enough.

Some people say that good deeds will earn them
A gated house in heaven.  Being rakes and natural beggars,
A room in the tavern for us is enough.

Sit down beside the stream sometime and watch
Life flow past.  That brief hint of this world
That passes by so swiftly for us is enough.

Look at the flow of money and the suffering
Of the world.  If this glimpse of profit and loss
Is not enough for you, for us it is enough.

The dearest companion of all is here.  What
Else is there to look for?  The delight of a few words
With the soul friend for us enough.

Don't send me away from your door, oh, God,
Even to Paradise.  Your alleyway, compared,
To all space and time, for us is enough.

It's inappropriate, Hafez, for you to complain
Of your gifts from Fate.  Your nature is like water;
Your beautifully flowing poems for us are enough.