Some Pictures from China

[bohonato]

Well, its been about a month since I go back from China, and I have been amazingly lazy. I still have to get a photo ablum and crap like that. Anyway, I been thinking of putting all my photos on a website or something so people can see them. I have a couple that I thought would intrique studio eighters, so here they are:

We arrived in Shanghai on the 11th of June, and the first place we went was the Jade Buddha Temple. The Jade Buddha is a sitting Buddha, 1.9 metres high, carved out of a single piece of solid white jade. Lucky for us, June 11th is also the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.

Holy shit was it amazing. All the monks were out chanting, and the temple was so crowded ( not to mention full of incense smoke). Anway, that is where these pictures come from.



This is the main courtyard.


One of the main halls.

They don't allow pictures of the Jade Buddha (which is amazing) but you can but a postcard!



One of the gardens

[judih]

wow, bohonato
Beautifully clear and colourful shots

are there stories as well?

[Lightning Rod]

thank you for the journey, bohonato

the jade statue is breathtaking

[bohonato]

Judih- thank you, and there is an abundance of stories. That's why I'm thinking of making a website for the pictures, as well as the stories. I had a journal during the trip, but I seem to have stopped right before the Jade Buddha temple. What I do have:

" The next day we went to the Jade Buddha Temple first. I purchased a camera from a street vendor. The flash did not work and I have doubts as to whether there was actually any film in it at all."

Fortunately, there was film in it. I had to purchase the camera from the vendor because I lost my camera (all the cameras I used were disposable) in a taxi-cab in Xi'an going to a mosque. But that's another story altogether.

Lightning- you're welcome, and the Buddha was amazing. There was another one called the Reclining Buddha (Buddha on his deathbed). They were both astounding; they were huge and I can only imagine how much they are worth in monetary values.

[bohonato]

The Buddha's features are more feminine in this piece, for when one reaches nirvana, they lose all gender. This is a copy of the original Reclinging Buddha (still all jade, though).

[Arcadia]

great photos!, beautiful yellow buddha!. It´s almost impossible to be afraid of an buddha image. I wish my grandmother had a buddha instead the bloody sacred Jesus heart in her living-room. I remember that I used to avoid looking at him.

[jimboloco]

did you find anything "made in USA?"

[bohonato]

Awesome picture, jimboloco. Mind if I borrow it?

And as I recall, I don't remember anything there being made in the U.S.A. Well, unless you count the movies. You can buy a bootleg DVD of any movie still in theatres. I got Sin City; its some guy in a theatre with a cell phone. Its great, when anyone gets shot, he jumps.

[mtmynd]

Cool shots, boho... what did China smell like..? Something that pics can't do and I wonder about...

btw: how old are those buddha statues? Truly incredible.

[bohonato]

The cities smelled like cities. Pollution and some garbage. Not really that bad. I was only outside of a city in Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta warriors. Then it was hot, dry, and rural, if you can understand that. I've never really described smells before, so its rather hard. In Hong Kong it rained a lot, so if you can imagine the smell of hot and wet city, that's what it was.

The temple was built in 1882. The jade Buddhas were brought by a monk from Burma. I don't think anyone knows for certain how old they are exactly.

[jimboloco]

jade is awesome also.

is China taking over?
Is that a threat?
Did you do any internet activity whilst you were there, talk with any intellectuals?

You can borrow it, just put it back when you are done.
Been thinking about coloring it in green jade!

[bohonato]

http://studioeight.tv/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3622

I made one post before leaving, and one in Xi'an. China is supposedly becoming a superpower. I wouldn't be surprised if they did, though they are becoming slightly more democratic and capitalistic.

Talking of jade, they are really into it in China. If you wear a piece of jade jewelry, than it shares its powers with you. Our guide was telling us about a friend of hers that moved to San Fran and was in a car accident. They didn't think that she/he was going to live, but they did. Their jade bracelet turned pure white right after the accident, and they claim the jade's power saved their life.

Don't worry, I'll put it back. It would look great in green.

[jimboloco]

cool studio eight gets into china KOOL!