Tag Archives: Buddhism
Dai New Year in Yunnan (Part Two) Posted by sasha on Apr 18, 2016
For Day 2 of 3 in the Dai New Year celebrations in southern Yunnan, most people head to the local temple to perform the ritual of washing the Buddha. Spend the rest of the afternoon strolling around the park, and then take in a cultural performance in the evening.
Water Splashing Festival in Yunnan Posted by sasha on Apr 16, 2015
Yunnan province is one of the most ethnically diverse places in China – among the country’s 56 ethnic groups, 25 reside here. One such group is the Dai (傣族 – dǎi zú), who live primarily in the southern region of Yunnan known as Xishuangbanna (西双版纳 – xī shuāng bǎn nà) and are also in neighboring…
An Inner Mongolia Adventure Posted by sasha on Sep 12, 2014
Once upon a time, I headed to a train ticket office in Beijing with a list of destinations that I was considering traveling to for the National Holiday (国庆节 – guó qìng jié). My girlfriend hadn’t been in China for that long, and she really hadn’t seen much outside of Beijing. It being one of…
Red Snail Temple (红螺寺) Posted by sasha on Aug 26, 2013
Out in Beijing’s Huairou district, you’ll find the Red Snail Temple. This Buddhist temple is over a thousand years old, and it’s a great place to learn about Chinese history and culture, while at the same time getting some exercise and breathing the fresh mountain air. 怀柔区 – huái róu qū Huairou district 红螺寺 –…
Mt. Tai (泰山) Posted by sasha on Aug 7, 2012
In Eastern China’s Shandong Province, you’ll find the most sacred of China’s 5 Great Mountains – Mt. Tai. According to Chinese legend, if you climb this mountain, you’ll live to be 100. Over the years, countless Emperors, poets, and scholars have visited this holy site, and tons of people make the pilgrimage here every day…
Longmen Grottoes Video Posted by sasha on May 7, 2012
A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000, the Longmen Grottoes outside of Luoyang, Henan province, are one of the best examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Here, over 100,000 statues of Buddha and his disciples are carved into the limestone caves of the Xiangshan and Longmen mountains. It’s an amazing sight, and certainly worth a visit…
Buddhist Longmen Grottos (龙门石窟) Posted by Stephen on Dec 3, 2011
To understand the vast Buddhist influence upon Chinese culture, one must travel to the Longmen Grottos (龙门石窟－Lóng mén shí kū) located just outside of Luoyang (洛阳－Luò yáng), Henan province. Nestled around the Yi River (伊河－yīhé), these Longmen Grottos are home to some of China’s most famous stone and rock sculptures, depicting, among other things, images…