Dynasty Capital Luoyang - a photo retrospective
Dynasty Capital Luoyang - a photo retrospective
Luoyang is a city that was about 3 or 4 hours drive from Zhengzhou, where I was living. Realizing that China has more than 5000 years of civilization, history has provided it with a number of dynasty capitals, and Luoyang was an important one. It has been more than a few years since I visited it, but I was there at least 3 times. As with some of the other photo retrospectives I've been posting, you may aleady have seen at least some of these photos already. However I have re-edited them, and they are a little clearer than before.
There are five sections to this retrospective: The Peony Festival, King Park, The White Horse Temple, The Geological Park, and the Longmen Grottoes.
1. What I discovered here is that it can be more important as to whom you know than what you know. The first thing to do is make friends with people of some importance. This man was the Deputy Police Chief of the City of Luoyang. I met him at a school graduation. He wanted me to call him if I came to Luoyang so he could take me out to dinner. I never did call him, but if I had ever got into trouble there I think I could have been able to get away with it.
2. Luoyang is the location for the Chinese National Peony Festival. The Peony is the national flower of China so it is an important festival held in the spring when the flowers blossom. Peonies used to grow in my grandmother's garden, and when I was young I was fascinated watching the ants crawling up and down the Peony stalks. This is a typical Peony which I photographed when I visited the main Festival park.
3. A pagoda type of building in the Festival park.
4. The vivid rosy red colour of this flower attracted me.
5. For a permanent souvenir, artificial Peonies.
6. King Park is the main park in Luoyang. It has a zoo that disgusted me. The most beautiful huge tiger was in a cage that was about 20' x 30', with a hut at the far end. The tiger just kept walking around and around in his prison. If you think THAT was bad, the elephant had one foot tied to a post with a chain about 20' long. In Chongqing, where I'm now living, at least the zoo is a habitat one, similar but smaller to the magnificent Toronto zoo.
7. The park has a small lake, down below, with rental boats.
8. Probably the most important site in Luoyang itself is the White Horse Temple. 2 Indian Monks on white horses brought the teachings of Buddhism to China, Luoyang being their destination. The Emperor who was in Luoyang at that time was pleased with what the monks had brought and granted them some land and built their first temple there. Although this ceramic horse, which stands about 3 feet high is not white, it is located at the temple.
9. In the past I posted a more comprehensive photo-essay about the White Horse Temple, so this time I will focus on the monks in residence, and then the Temple gifted to China by India. First, this monk plays the drum (not in a rock and roll band).
10. I'm not entirely sure what this group of monks were doing.
11. I consider this one of the best photos I have ever taken - it certainly is one of my absolute favourites. This monk is obviously taking a break to meditate. I would entitle this photo: "Primary Colours".
12. This is the Temple located on the White Horse Temple grounds that India gifted to China.
13. My wife and I are posing before the Buddha located in the centre of that temple.
14. Near Luoyang is a fascinating Geological Park. This is on the way in, past a waterfall.
15. And walk along an active stream between two rock walls.
16. One of my students is leading me along the rock wall on my first trip there.
17. The next time I went I took my whole class. This was one of the best classes I ever taught.
18. Finally, the 'piece de resistance' , the Longmen Grottoes. Famous in China, there are Buddha statues in most of the caves, and there are also the massive ones, but first, on the way in, you pass this - my favourite house in China, running water, roof garden, automatic flushing toilet, who could ask for anything more?
19. Many caves, most with Buddha statues inside.
20. Across the river, a Monestary - with all those Buddhas, there was bound to be one.
21. Finally, some of the giant Buddhas carved out of the existing rock. Very big, but not as big as the Giant Buddha of Loshan, but I've already posted an article showing that one.
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Hope you have time to see this between bouts of July 4th revelry.
What a great photo essay Buzz. Simply delightful.
I think that most westerner's really have no idea of the beauty of China, nor the civilization that predates most everything on earth.
One of these days I'll have to tell you about one of my first trips to China, 1983...It was quite the experience.
Keep the photo essay's coming, they are interesting and delightful.
Congratulations, Buzz,
Among all of your unique, excellent photo essays … THIS MAY BE YOUR VERY BEST TO DATE!
The Peony is painterly and exquisite!
Come on people … THIS PHOTO ESSAY DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION AND ADMIRATION … it's a must see.
DITTO
Never mind trying to help, my friends, the essay has nothing to do with American Politics, and doesn't insult anyone, so it will soon wither and die as all my others do.
Buzz, as always, you did a marvelous job capturing beauty. These pic's of China are beyond beautiful. Thanks for sharing your talent and such beauty.
Thanks Nona. I guess I made a mistake in posting it on a holiday weekend.
If you're going to delete all the comments related to Buzz's complaint then the complaint should have been deleted too. Come on!
If you're going to delete all the comments related to Buzz's complaint then the complaint should have been deleted too. Come on!
There were some very nice compliments that followed the complaint, as well as an admission by Buzz that perhaps he made his initial comment a bit too precipitously. The entire exchange exhibited some positive behavior that is very much needed.
I have been heavily criticized for remarks that I have made about what kind of comments there are on the forum. Buzz makes these sorts of complaints more regularly than anyone here. If responses to his comments are deleted than the original complaint should be removed too.
John,
The complaint was a response to my plea for more participation … I will check to make sure that's the case and may well delete it either way.
My comment …
Come on people … THIS PHOTO ESSAY DESERVES YOUR ATTENTION AND ADMIRATION … it's a must see.
I made the first reply to Buzz, so I know what I said. My point is why wasn't his complaint removed when the responses to it were removed?
So, which comment do you want removed, John?
Never mind.
I just woke up to see this dialogue about my complaint. The original statement I made was a statement of fact. Most of the articles I post gather little interest, and soon "wither and die" (I credit "On Top of Old Smokey" for that phrase). I acknowledged in that comment that American politics is, as John has rightfully pointed out to me, of much more interest to the vast majority of members than anything that I post. Some of the articles I post get little more than my introductory comment. (Kavika should be congratulated for posting a few sunset photos and getting more than 250 comments - he has set a record for a photo essay.) I rethought my petulant complaint that followed the original factual one, and realized too late that I should not have posted it. A.Mac volunteered to delete it and I suggested that the whole thread following it should also be deleted, which he did at my request. This photo-essay has since raised enough interest for me to want to continue posting them, and I thank Sister-Mary for understanding what was done and said.
Beautiful!
Very nice Buzz. I always like the use of color that you find in China. Most Western art, particularly architecture, is much more subdued with respect to vivid coloration, although I have seen a few that are on that level, particularly the buildings making up the Kremlin compound.
Dear Friend Buzz: Super photos.
Thanks.
Enoch.
FYI: I deleted several related comments as they were simply based upon a misunderstanding; no CoC or any other improprieties involved.
Buzz, I'm planning on writing a book, ''A Ojibwe in China'' the grand adventure. LOL
Actually it was a grand adventure in 1983...Kavika with his metal chopsticks.
Kavika, I look forward to seeing China through YOUR eyes.
Thanks, A.Mac
Great pics! Sorry I've been in the mountains for the last 4 days and paying, little, well actually no, attention to NT. BTW, for your Canadian self-happy Canada's 15oth birthday! (though belated as it is).
I was a lot happier being a Canadian when Harper was Prime Minister than I am now, but thanks anyway.
So are a lot of folks that I talk/spend time with north of the border. They are especially incensed over his 'pay to play' methodology and accepting being courted by the rich (something he seemed to eschew prior to the elections).
Excellent photo essay, Buzz. ) Thank you for sharing a piece of the world you live in.
And I thank you, Neetu2, for making this site more beautiful when you post your poetry here from time to time.
Ah, are you nudging me to post something, Buzz??
I know I haven't done so in a long time. In fact, I have not written anything new in almost a month because I have no time to. It is disappointing even to me. When I don't write, I get all cluttered in my head!
You can't fool me. I know you posted something recently on Linkedin. LOL Post it on the Collaborative forum and see if we can match it to an image.
Oh my, you always catch me, Buzz! I will gladly post it. Let me see if I can find my way to the collaborative forum...
There, Buzz, I just posted the poem without an image.
I, and a couple of others have already posted photos there for you to consider. However, I'm sure A.Mac could come up with one that would be a most relevant and suitable match.
Thank you, Buzz.
You are correct Buzz, but do not fret. This is the first time I've seen this. Those are great photos. The statues of the Buddhas in Taiwan were much more plump.
I've looked at the monks you are not sure what they are doing, although one of them looks to be in a sparring position and focusing on someone or something to the left of the photo to me. The granite surrounding him takes away this thought somewhat as any mishap could cause a terrible headache or worse since perfection in falling is questionable.
Hi Buzz,
I somehow missed this. What an amazing photo essay. You get such a feeling for what life is like in China. There are so many colors in China compared to NY, it feels like technicolor.
Great Job!
buzz- as i am new, i am looking at these past photo's, i may not have left a comment on all of them but i think they are great..very interesting. thank you for posting them.