Erected in the seventh century, the Potala Palace was damaged by lightning and afterwards almost entirely destroyed in the times of Landarma who was a bitter opponent of Tibetan Buddhism. But in the 17th century under the Fifth Dalai Lama, the palace was restored to its original form.
Pilgrims perform their duty in various ways. For example, they repeatedly bow their upper bodies until their heads touch the ground or their bodies lie flat on the ground, prostrating. Another well-known ritual is to spin prayer wheels, which range from handheld units that are common souvenirs, to huge ones that stand several meters high. Another practice is to contribute yak butter, which is used to light the oil lamps in temples and monasteries. Another donation pilgrims make is money. They simply put the coins or small notes everywhere, especially near the Buddha statues, and the money is not frequently collected.
With its majestic splendor, the Potala Palace would impress the inhabitants of any world capital. Thus the humble Tibetan pilgrim, who has always lived in a yak hair tent, must view the Potala Palace with great reverence. It is amazing to experience that this 13-storey structure containing 999 rooms, which was built on a steep mountain in Lhasa.
Unlike the majority of the famous architectural wonders of China, the Potala Palace is built on a vertical flat. The palace dominates the city, in fact it dominates the entire Tibet and captures one’s attention immediately. Its walls are slanted like the sides of a condensed Great Wall, seeming to reproduce the outline of mountain slopes.
There is indisputable evidence to prove that the ethnic roots of different cultures had become interwoven long ago. In the oldest part of the Potala Palace, the Prayer Cave Vault, you can see the statues of the Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo (629-650) and his wife, the Tang Dynasty Princess Wen Cheng.
During the Tang Dynasty the Chinese capital Changan (today’s Xian) was one of the centers of world civilization, as it was the starting point of the “Silk Road” to Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe. So it is not surprising that Princess Wen Cheng brought along many scholars and craftsmen who laid the basis for many crafts and trades in Tibet.
Situated right in the center of old town Lhasa, the Jokhang Temple boasts of a history of more than 1,350 years. Legends have it that the construction of the temple took King Songtsen Gampo, and Princess Wencheng three years to complete. Because the original site of the temple had been a lake, the princess had to have white goats to carry soil from elsewhere to fill the lake up.
At first, the Jokhang Temple was called “Resa” and later was called “Jokhang” to mean “Buddhist chapel” in the Tibetan language. “Resa” in Tibetan means soil and goats to indicate that the temple was built with the soil carried to the site by white goats. However, there is another saying about the name of the temple. It is said that the new name has something to do with the Monlam Festival created by Tsongkapa in the 15th century.
The Jokhang Temple, first built in the shape of a two-story boat. It is the most magnificent building remaining from the Tupo Dynasty in Tibet. After being refitted and enlarged by the subsequent dynasties, it now covers an area of more than 25,100 square meters.
Inside the temple there are several chapels. The Jokhang Temple is the main chapel that is in the shape of a courtyard. Behind hundreds of yak-butter lamps, there is the main prayer hall, which houses the statue of Avalokitesvara with eleven faces and 1,000 arms and one thousand eyes on hand palms.
The chapel housing the statue of Songtsen Gampo, who is deemed as the religious king in Tibet, is found on the second floor of the temple. The third floor is a place for monks and lamas to retreat and is seldom open to visitors or pilgrims.
Barkhor Street is an open market street circulating Jokhang Temple. Usually souvenirs are sold during the day, while at twilight, daily necessities seem to dominate the market. And believe it or not, you can easily access the Internet in at least one of the cafes and find a French cuisine or Nepalese restaurant on Barkhor.
I was told that Barkhor was the original layout of Lhasa in just 20 years ago. Everything we see today is a result of very recent development of the city. Most of it is for tourists.
Thanka paintings are a universal feature of temples and monasteries in Tibet. There are over 200 in Jokhang Monastery alone, covering an area of 300 square meters. The painters followed strict rules. For instance, the Buddha must be solemn, and his body must be portrayed in certain specific proportions. Historical and folklore themes thrive in murals.
Religion is very important to the Tibetans with everything being centered around it, along with education cultural was based on religious beliefs.
Probably Buddhism was first introduced to Tibet in 173 CE during the region of the 28th Yarlung King Thothori.
Dharma Wheel symbolizes the unity of all things, spiritual law and Sakyamuni himself. The wheel is usually flanked by two deer, the first to listen to Sakyamuni’s teachings. The male deer symbolizes the realization of great bliss while the female deer symbolizes the realization of emptiness.
Lamas are the teachers of Buddhism. Lama plays an important role in Tibetan Buddhism. Lama teaches all the monks and takes care of the system of Buddhism making sure it continues to work. In 1578 the Lama Sonam received the title of Ta-Le (Dalai) from the Mongolian ruler Atlan khan. Because he wad the third reincarnation found in a row he became the third Dalai Lama.
About 100 kilometers north from the capital Lhasa is Nianqingdanggula Mountain. The mountain is more than 7,000 meters high and is covered with snow all year round.
Namco Lake is located on the Northwestern side of the Niangqing danggula peak. The highest point is 5,200 meters. Namco means “Heavenly Lake” in Tibetan. It is a famous Holy place of Tibetan Buddhism. Driving from Lhasa will take about 5 hours depends on the road condition. Visitors can spend a night at the site living in one of the tourist tents. However, due to the lack of oxygen over the night, visitors should consider bring extra oxygen tank.
There are five highways stretching into Tibet. Sichuan-Tibet Highway is the longest, 2413 kilometers (1496 miles) long, built in 1950 and opened for traffic in 1954. The road climbs up and down 14 high mountains which average altitude is 4000-5000 meters (13120-16400 feet) high, and flies over a dozen of famous rivers such as Lantsang River (Mekong). The climate along the road presents beautiful scenery ranging from spring to winter. However, the road condition is various.
Paying Homage to the Holy Mountain Festival, Choekhor Duechcen in Tibetan, falling on 4th of the 6th Tibetan month, is to commemorate Sakyamuni’s first sermon. People, in their best conduct during the session, go to monasteries to pay homage to the Buddha. Circumambulation around mountains is the popular practice in the festival. Picnicking, singing and dancing are also part of the activities.
During the 1930′s and 1940′s, Chinese haute couture was coming into its own in China’s trading capital, Shanghai. With the presence and influence of many business groups from all over Europe, Shanghai quickly adopted a hybrid East meets West-dressing style that is found in the modern day Cheongsam. Also known as the Chinese Mandarin dress, the Cheongsam fits the slim, curvy figures of Chinese women, especially those in Shanghai, and is still worn on formal occasions.
Following the end of World War I and economic growth, fashion became an important integration into the mainstream society in the bustling metropolis of China. Glitzy fashion columns began appearing in the big newspapers and magazines; popular fashion calendars emerged featuring a different girl sporting a new Cheongsam each month; regular fashion shows appeared in the major department stores where a wide range foreign goods influenced the local tastes. As prosperity spread, people were drawn to pursue Western styles of life that included swimming, social dancing, and golfing.
Furthermore, a myriad of changes in fabric, design, and detailing meant bolder colors and more revealing cuts. Oftentimes, these cheongsams were made of unusual impregnated silk gauzes, brocades, printed damasks, and burnt out velvets. Silk stockings, high-heeled shoes, glittering necklaces, classic fans, makeup portfolios, and beaded purses further accentuated the outfits with an air of seduction. To get a better look at the unique styling of the Chinese Cheongsam, watch Wong Kar Wai’s film “In the Mood For Love” or visit Good Orient’s Cheongsam section.
Though you may have attended a scrumptious buffet extravaganza in Vegas, you probably have never heard of the Manchu and Han banquet that involves over 108 exotic dishes and 3 days to eat. Introduced during the middle of the Qing dynasty, the Manchu and Han banquet is a fusion of eating customs and dishes shared between the Manchus and the Han Chinese. Though the banquet has evolved over time, the first banquet in 1714, known as the “1,000 Elders’ Banquet”, was created to celebrate Emperor Kangxi’s 60th birthday and the peaceful times under his rule. Attended by more than 2,800 people, the mood was so joyful such that the emperor was moved to his satisfaction by writing four large characters, “Man Han Quan Xi” (meaning the Manchu and Han banquet), thus establishing the rare banquet’s place in Chinese gastronomic culture.
Because the banquet symbolized nobility and wealth, strict rules were observed over every aspect of the dinner such as location, number of tables, ranks and positions of those invited, seating, variety and quantity of the dishes, fruits, and alcoholic beverages. All officials were required to wear their official robes and a string of 108 beads typically made of coral or amber. Celebratory music was played, and a gun salute was fired as the guests took their seats. At the banquet, copper basins and clean towels were used to wash the guests’ faces before drinking tea and eating the exquisite dishes. Waiters peeled fruit for them and served cold dishes to begin the wine drinking. This was followed by four hot courses. After three rounds of drinks, shark’s fin was served followed by the second course – a hot dish of meats, then the third and fourth courses. The guests ate and drank as much as they could. The fifth course was cooked rice, porridge, and soup. After the dinner, waiters served a small silver tray of toothpicks, areca (betel nut), and round cardamom kernels. As they ate and drank, they also played chess, recited poetry, painted, or chatted. For digestion, four fruits (oranges, mandarin oranges, shaddock, and apples) as well as pumpkin seeds, almonds, dried lichees, and sugared lotus seeds were served. Due to the rich nature of the ingredients, many of the banquets typically took up to three days to eat, which undoubtedly included countless naps and toilet breaks. This was decadence at its finest!
After the Republic of China was founded in 1911, the Manchu and Han banquets were stopped because of wars among the warlords and the poverty of the people. Today, however, the banquets have returned as a novelty for the booming tourist trade. If you have ever endured the Manchu Han Feast and survived the royal experience, please drop me a line!
I remember being taken to my first Chinese Opera when I was probably no older than 10 and being very confused at why everyone was continually chasing each other in circles while making high pitched screams and jagged movements. Today, I have a much greater appreciation for the 800-year-old art form, which weaves together elements of mime, dance, song, dialogue, swordplay, and acrobatics into one fluid continuous flow. There are more than 300 different operatic forms in China. Among them, the Beijing Opera is the most well known with a history of over 200 years.
In contrast to Western stage entertainment, which is subdivided into different categories such as opera, drama, and sketches, Chinese opera has remained faithful to its original format over time. By doing away with three-dimensional stage props and complicated backdrops found in Western opera, Chinese opera conveys the idea of time and space to the audience purely through the acting of the performers. The acting has transcended the mere imitation of movements in daily life and instead, has become highly stylized and rhythmic dancing movements.
A distinct feature of Chinese opera is the makeup, movements, props, and colorful costumes. These features identify a character’s age, sex, and personality the moment he or she enters the stage. Face painting leans heavily on earlier forms of mask and make up with facial patterns relying on exaggeration and the symbolism of color to suggest a character’s attributes and personality–’a mirror of the soul’. Apart from the exquisitely embroidered traditional costumes, headdresses are a requisite in Chinese opera. The more elaborate the headdress, the more significant the character. Like the face makeup, the color codes of these costumes identify the various ranks, status, and personality of the characters.
Gibbon with is a wise old ape found in the story Birth of the Stone Monkey who advises the Monkey King to learn Taoism. The Monkey King then goes to the Kunlun Mountains where he meets a supernatural being who teaches him the 72 metamorphoses and how to somersault through the clouds. He returns and strangles the Devil King who occupied his home in the Flower and Fruit Mountain during his absence.
Roc symbolizes a monster in the story Lion and Camel Ridge. A guardian of the law at Buddha’s side, he sneaks away to make trouble on earth but is captured and brought back by the Buddha.
Deer Child is a fairy in the story Stealing the Magic Herb. On the Dragon-Boat Festival one year, Xu Xian offers his wife, the White Maid, some magic wine. Unable to resist, she drinks too much and is transformed back into a white snake. Her husband drops dead from terror and she hurries to the Kunlun Mountains to steal a magic herb to revive him. Two guardians of the mountains, Deer Child and Crane Child discover her but she fends them off. They report to their master, Old Fairy of the South Pole, who comes and arrests the girl. But when he learns of her plight, he takes pity on her and gives her some of the life-restoring herb, with which she returns and revives her husband.
Zhongli Chun has a distinctive blue broken flower on her face and is from the story Banquet on the Xiang River. Zhongli Chun. the wife of King Xuan of Qi of the Spring And Autumn period accompanies her husband to a banquet given by the King of Wei on the bank of the Xiang River. The banquet is a trap to kidnap King Xuan, but Zhongli Chun cleverly foils the plot and helps her husband to escape.
Han Zhongli has a red fairy face and is one of the eight immortals in Eight Immortals Cross the Sea.
Xiang Yu is the leading character in the story The Prince Bids Farewell to His Favorite. During the wars between the Chu and Han, Prince of Chu was defeated by Liu Bang and trapped at Gaixia. Hearing his enemies singing songs of Chu on all sides of Gaixia, the Prince realizes he his end is near and bids a sad farewell to his concubine, Yu Ji. After performing a sword dance to comfort him, Yu Ji commits suicide. The Prince then fights his way through the enemy and reaches the bank of the Wu River, but feels he can go no further. Defeated and disgraced, he is too ashamed to return home, so instead of crossing the river he kills himself.
Chong Gongdao with an old clown face is a leading character in Escorting the Woman Prisoner. An old prison guard and a kindhearted man, he escorts a female prisoner/ex-prostitute who is wrongly accused of murder to Taiyuan. Learning of the prisoner’s bitter experiences, he does his best to console her along the way. Eventually he adopts her as his daughter and accompanies her to Taiyuan to help her clear her name.
According to Chinese legend, the true test of character of a future son-in-law can be determined in playing a game of mahjong with him. If he doesn’t feed his future in-laws good cards, he is stingy. If he typically builds big hands, he is a risk taker. If gets upset over losing money, he has a bad temper. Any way you look at it, it’s a no win situation.
For centuries, mahjong remained exclusive of the royal class. It was against the law for commoners to play and the penalty for law-breakers was decapitation. However, around 500 A.D., the penalty was lifted and now centuries later the game has quickly spread to numerous countries around the world including the United States, England, Denmark, and Australia. In 1920, Mahjong first penetrated the United States when Joseph P. Babcock, an American resident of Shanghai, coined and copyrighted the term “mah-jongg,” along with a simplified set of rules. By 1923, mahjong sets were being shipped into the U.S. by the thousands and stood sixth in value in the list of exports from Shanghai. In fact, mahjong became so incredibly popular that the famous game-maker, Milton Bradley, was saved from near bankruptcy when it began producing the sets in the US.
As the game spread across the United States, people were signing up for mahjong classes with regularity. For those who could not afford classes, there were always demonstrations on corner of streets. In New York society’s prestigious Park Avenue, twelve Chinese immigrants demonstrated the game for an entire week. At the end of the first day, they had sold out all of their mahjong sets.
