China - Dazu (Chongqing) - Baoding Shan

Monday, 29 April 2019

Near Dazu, a city within the Chongqing municipality, lies the Baoding Shan complex of Buddhist sculptures set in a variety of niches and carved-out caves, somewhat reminiscent of Ellora and Ajanta Caves in India. Whereas the Indian caves were places of worship and residence, the carvings at Baoding Shan are mostly educational -- teaching the precepts of Buddhism to the local population in Sichuan, China.

A would-be monk, Zhao Zhifeng, coordinated the work over the years 1177 to 1249 CE. The area was so remote (there was no paved road in the area until the 1970s) that the sculptures survived the upheavals of World War II and the Cultural Revolution. Today they are preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

An excellent on-line work on Baodingshan can be found here.

The government has built a new entrance to the site.

The second gate when entering the site.

The modern world intrudes in other ways, too. Pillars with extensive surveillance  equipment could be found throughout the site.

We entered at the western end of the site along the northern wall. The sheer number of figures and stories was overwhelming.

One of ten scenes depicting Hell.

Another gruesome scene of Hell.

Buddha Shakyamuni Repays His Parents' Kindness with Great Skillful Means. Parents' kindness to their offspring, and the reciprocal filial piety toward parents are important themes in the images.

Parinirvana, the death of the Buddha, or the reclining Buddha, occupies the eastern end of the complex.

1,000-armed Guanyin. The arms seem to be flames surrounding the bodhisattva.

A demon holds the Wheel of Reincarnation.

It's not all doom-and-gloom (except, perhaps for the mouse). Tucked away at the right foot of the demon holding the Wheel of Reincarnation, a cat and mouse provoke each other. (This also reminds me of the cat performing penance at Mahabalipuram in India.)

A roof-top dragon as we leave the sculptures.

Also on the grounds is a small temple.

Candles in front of the temple.

China - Chongqing - Pandas

Monday, 29 April 2019

The Chongqing Zoo is known for its pandas. It has a significant number of giant pandas, and also a few red pandas. Although the two species are not related, both are critically endangered.

Recent genetic research has put the red panda in its own zoological family, which is related to weasels, skunks, and raccoons. It is somewhat smaller than a raccoon, and bears a resemblance to a one with it's facial mask and striped tail.

Red pandas are seriously cute.

But the main attraction at the zoo are the several giant pandas living there. Mostly they lounge around chomping on bamboo and sleeping. The giant panda feeds exclusively on bamboo, but has a digestive system more like a carnivore's than an herbivore's. As a result, a panda does not extract much energy from it's food source, and so needs to eat almost continuously. When not eating, a panda is usually resting or sleeping. Such a life!

Eating bamboo.

Three young pandas were together in one enclosure. This one was enjoying bamboo, ...

... while the other two were having a wrestling match.

During our time at the zoo, the pandas were unusually active (for a panda, that is).

After spending two to three years with their mother, giant pandas lead a solitary life. They are notoriously picky when choosing a mate, and have a very short annual window for reproduction. Along with habitat loss, these characteristics make increasing the numbers of pandas difficult.

China - Chongqing

Sunday, 28 April 2019

The Chongqing municipality is about the size of Austria and has the largest population of the four municipalities in China, about 34 million. The city itself has a mere 19 million inhabitants, is quite hilly, and has a large industrial base.

One of many bridges over the rivers in Chongqing.

The view from our hotel room showed a modernizing city of high-rises.

Our hotel was near the central business district ("CBD"), so we had an evening walk to check out the area. The clocktower is the "Liberation Monument" that commemorates the defeat of Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang by the Communist Red Army.

The illuminated top of a skyscraper that is reminiscent of the Chrysler Building in New York.

More illuminated buildings.

We were staying at the JW Marriott.

It wasn't all luxury goods. This produce shop was selling the notorious durian fruit.

China - Leaving Tibet

Sunday, 28 April 2019

On our way from Lhasa to Chongqing. It will be a relief to return to plentiful oxygen levels, even if the price will be air quality.

Driving back to the airport, we passed a bridge with an unusual design.

A closer look at the bridge supports.

I was also prepared to try to get a picture or two of yaks grazing along the river banks.

More yaks. China has started some serious tree plantations throughout the country.

A 3-D mural at the entrance to the longest tunnel on the way to the airport.

Compared to other Buddhist countries we've visited, prayer flags were not prominent in Tibet -- and when they were displayed, they were in these circular "teepee" arrangements.

The dry mountains around Lhasa.

We also passed over snow-covered peaks on our way to Chongqing.

China - Lhasa - The Barhkor & More

Saturday, 27 April 2019

The area around the Jokhang Temple is known as the Barhkor. The main street takes you on a circumnavigation of the temple. It reminded me a lot of the Bodnath Stupa and environs in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The old streets are filled with shops.

More of "old Lhasa".

Yak skulls for sale.

A small park in the middle of Lhasa featured two large gold-colored yak statues.

Sometimes our group dinners seemed more appropriate for "Knights of the Roundtable" in Camelot.

China - Lhasa - Jokhang Temple

Saturday, 27 April 2019

The Jokhang Temple is the most important temple in Tibet. It was built in 639 CE, soon after the arrival of Buddhism to Tibet, and was built on a site where a demoness supposedly slept underground.

The large square in front of the Jokhang Temple. There was a heavy military presence in this area, with soldiers on duty and heavy-duty riot gear at the ready.

A large incense burner in front of the temple.

The temple entrance.

The main courtyard inside the temple.

Entry to the inner temple. No photographs are allowed inside.

Every inch is colorfully painted.

Rows of butter lamps.