The festival shows Ice sculptures rarely seen in China

Every year starting from January 5 to February 25, China has always held the ice and snow festival, also known as Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival in Habin, Heilongjiang province and a big national festival.

This festival exhibited other works of art made of pure ice as ice castle temple, ice hotel, swimming in ice racing and many other places. The first celebration was in 1963 in the Harbin city in the winter season, the weather is down from -20 to -30 degrees Celsius. An interesting festival is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors to visit the work arts of ice sculpture and entertain to take the photography as well.

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Koh Rong projects ‘will not bring pain’, DPM says

Koh Rong Beach

Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng has sought to reassure residents of Koh Rong, an island off the coast of Preah Sihanouk province that has been leased to a local tycoon, that they would not be adversely affected by planned development projects.

The popular backpacker destination was granted to Royal Group chairman Kith Meng in 2008 under a 99-year lease. Speaking at the opening of Meng’s five-star Royal Sands hotel on the island, Kheng, who is also the interior minister, said that the roughly 600 Cambodians living on the island had nothing to fear from other planned projects.

“The development will also bring benefits to the villagers,” he said. “The developments will not bring pain to the residents. The government would not allow the company’s developments to bring hurt to the villagers.”

He added that the government was working with Meng to employ the so-called tiger skin policy, whereby villagers living on the sites of planned developments can remain on their land while the developer builds around their property.

Boun Narith, local coordinator for rights group Licadho, said that the island’s inhabitants had campaigned since the lease was granted to be able to remain where they are, so Kheng’s assurances might provide some comfort.

“If the authorities use the tiger skin [policy] for the villagers, they will keep some of the land and not be badly hurt by the development,” he said.

Chan Sanch, 40, a Koh Rong resident, said he did not object outright to Meng’s plans.

“But we also need the authority to think of our farms and homes as well,” he added.

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What ARE the buried buildings of Angkor Wat? Researchers discover ancient temple was surrounded by a 1-mile long 'mysterious structure' with towers and a giant SPIRAL of sand

Archaeologists find buried towers, and a massive spiral sand structure

The findings suggests different social structure than previously believed

Wooden defense structures thought to mark beginning of Angkor's demise

King Suryavarman II had Angkor Wat built as a Hindu temple to the god Vishnu 

Sprawling structures forming the shape of a giant spiral and an ensemble of buried towers have been dug up from the grounds of Angkor Wat, spurring new mysteries about the ancient temple.

It was once believed that the Cambodian temple was surrounded sacred precincts, or 'temple cities.

After finding a massive sand structure and other buried remnants of the long-gone society, archaeologists are now saying Angkor Wat was much more complex than previously imagined.

Using laser airborne scanning (LiDAR) technology and ground penetrating radar, researchers were able to map the locations of eight buried towers found on the grounds of Angkor Wat. These are indicated in bright yellow.

Researchers from the University of Sydney, leading the Greater Angkor Project in Cambodia, dug up the artefacts using laser airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) technology, along with ground penetrating radar.

Archaeologists mapped the ancient temple grounds through targeted excavation.

The team led by Professor Roland Fletcher and Dr. Damian Evans discovered a structure more than 1500 m long, running along the south side of Angkor Wat.

The spiral structure is difficult to make out from the ground, and is largely a mystery to the researchers.

In the paper, the researchers say 'the huge, unique and problematic structure of the ‘rectilinear spirals’, has never previously been recognized or even predicted, or supposed, and it still defies explanation.'

Along with this, they found buried towers, which were demolished during construction of the main temple. The researchers believe this may be the remnants of an ancient shrine.

'This structure, which has dimensions of more than 1500m x 600m, is the most striking discovery associated with Angkor Wat to date,' said Professor Fletcher, from the University's Department of Archaeology.

'Its function remains unknown and, as yet, it has no known equivalent in the Angkorian world.'

'Quite how the spirals functioned is not at all clear,' Evans and Fletcher wrote.

Evans and Fletcher found that the spiral structure was not in use for long. 

A canal that cut through the spiral design was built later in the 12th century.

'The spiral features would only have been functional for a brief period during the mid-to-late twelfth century A.D.,' Evans and Fletcher wrote. 

They say that it's possible the spiral structure was never completed.

Evidence of low-density communities now have researchers questioning the social structure that once was.

Researchers mapped the areas surrounding Angkor Wat. The new discoveries have led to the belief that the temple society was much more complex than once believed. The researchers found evidence of roads, ponds, and mounds, which may have been used by workers of the temple (right).

The researchers also found a spiral sand structure, above, which has dimensions of more than 1500m x 600m. One researcher is calling this find 'the most striking discovery associated with Angkor Wat to date,' though its function is still unknown

The researchers found evidence of roads, ponds, and mounds, which may have been used by workers of the temple.

'This challenges our traditional understanding of the social hierarchy of the Angkor Wat community and shows that the temple precinct, bounded by moat and wall, may not have been exclusively the preserve of the wealthy of priestly elite,' says Dr. Fletcher.

It has previously been assumed that enclosed spaces within Angkor Wat indicated cities or towns. Moats, walls, and other infrastructure kept each area contained.

Researchers believe that these closed off urban areas differed significantly from the regions outside.

Wooden structures also found at the site suggest that Angkor Way may have enhanced its defense capabilities near the end of its operation. Construction of these structures are thought to be one of the last major builds to take place at the temple. 

Ankor Wat (pictured) was built by King Suryavarman II had Angkor Wat built as a Hindu temple to the god Vishnu in the early 12th century

Angkor Wat is the first and only known example of an Angkorian temple being systematically modified for use in a defensive capacity,' says Dr. Fletcher. 

The researchers speculate that the wood structure may have been produced between AS 1297 and 1585, with earlier defensive constructions, or between 1585 and the 1630s, to mark the beginning of the end of Angkor, as the neighbouring city, Ayutthaya bore down upon it.

'Either date makes the defences of Angkor Wat one of the last major constructions at Angkor and is perhaps indicative of its end.

At Angkor Wat, sunlight around the towers creates a shadow image of the peaks, casting them onto carved pillars. Sprawling structures and an ensemble of buried towers dug up recently have spurred new mysteries about the ancient temple

King Suryavarman II had Angkor Wat built as a Hindu temple to the god Vishnu. 

The temple has a 213-foot-tall (65 meters) central tower that is surrounded by four smaller towers and a series of enclosure walls. 

The layout 'is considered to correspond with the cosmology of Mount Meru and the surrounding Sea of Milk from which ambrosia was churned by the gods and demons,' wrote a research team in an article published this month in the journal Antiquity. 

A view of the Angkor Wat grounds. Evidence of low-density communities now have researchers questioning the social structure that once was. It was previously believed that the Cambodian temple was surrounded sacred precincts, or 'temple cities

A researcher uses ground penetrating radar to track the location of buried towers. The team was led by Professor Roland Fletcher and Dr. Damian who mapped the ancient temple grounds through targeted excavation

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Preah Ko Temple-Siem Reap

Preah Ko Temple

Preah Ko was the first temple to be built in the ancient and now defunct city of Hariharalaya (in the area that today is called Roluos), some 15 kilometers south-east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia. The temple was built under the Khmer King Indravarman I in 879 to honor members of the king's family, whom it places in relation with the Hindu deity Shiva.

After the Khmer king Jayavarman II founded the Khmer empire in 802 A.D., he finally established his capital at Hariharalaya. Indravarman I was the nephew of Jayavarman II. When he ascended to the throne, he ordered the construction first of Preah Ko, which was dedicated in 879, and later of the temple-mountain known as the Bakong. It is likely that this building program was made possible by the king's peaceful reign and his ability to draw income from the expanding empire. A restoration of the towers took place in early 1990s, financed by German government.

Preah Ko consists of six brick towers arranged in two rows of three towers each perched on a sandstone platform. The towers face east, and the front central tower is the tallest. The sanctuaries are dedicated to three divinized forefathers of Indravarman and their respective wives. The front central tower is dedicated to Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer empire.[1] The tower to the left is dedicated to Prithivindreshvara, King Indravarman's father; the tower to the right to Rudreshvara, his grandfather. The three rear towers are dedicated to the wives of these three men.The central towers all bear images of the Hindu god Shiva.

Preah Ko, which means 'the sacred bull' (Shiva's vehicle Nandi), was built by Indravarman I in 879. It is part of the Roluos group of monuments about 13 kilometers east of Siem Riep. The temple is distinguished from others in the area by the unusual arrangement of its six central towers, which stand in two rows facing east. 

The three towers on the east side are staggered so that the central tower is slightly further to the west. This tower is dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu god closely associated with the rule of Jayavarman II, the founder of the Khmer Empire. The tower to the north was dedicated to the founder of Preah Ko, and the tower to the south was dedicated to the King's father. Each of these shrines once contained a statue, but they were removed at some time in the past.

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Lolei Temple-Siem Reap

Lolei Temple

LOLEI

Location: Lolei is at Roluos, north of Bakong. A modern Buddhist temple is located in the grounds of Lolei near the central towers. Access: Enter and leave the temple by the stairs at the east. 

Tip:

Beware of the ants during certain seasons near the top of the entrance steps. Date: End of the ninth century (893) Religion: Transitional between Prah Ko and Bakheng 

BACKGROUND

Although Lolei is small it is worth a visit for its carvings and inscription. The temple of Lolei originally formed an island in the middle of a Baray (3,800 by 800 meters, 12,467 by 2,625 feet), now dry. According to an inscription found at the temple the water in this pond was for use at the capital of Hariralaya and for irrigating the plains in the area. 

LAYOUT

The layout consists of two tiers with laterite enclosing walls and stairway to the upper level in the center of each side. Lions on the landings os the stairways guard the temple. A sandstone channel in the shape of a cross situated in the center of the four towers on the upper terrace is an unusual feature, the channels extend in the cardinal directions from a square pedestal for a linga. It is speculated the holy water poured over the linga flowed in the channels. 

CENTRAL SANCTUARIES

Four brick tower with tiered upper portions, arranged in two rows, on the upper terrace make up the Central Sanctuaries. As the two-north towers are aligned on the east-west axis, it is possible the original plan had six towers, which probably shared a common base like that at Prah Ko. 

Tip:

The northeast tower is the best preserved.The entrances of the doors to the towers are cut from a single block of stone, as at Bakong. The corners of the towers on the east are decorated with male guardians holding tridents and those of the west with female divinities holding flywhisks. They are sculpted in sandstone with a brick casing. The panels of the false doors have multiple figures. The inscriptions on the doorframes are exceptionally fine. The workmanship on the lintels is skilled and the composition balanced. Some noteworthy depictions are: Indra on an elephant with figures and Makaras spewing serpents (northeast tower); Visnu riding a Garuda with a branch of serpents (south-east tower). 

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Bakong Temple-Siem Reap

Bakong Temple

Bakong is located at Roluos south of Preah Ko. Enter and leave the temple at the east. A modern Buddhist temple is situated to the right of the east entrance to Bakong. It was build in late ninth century (881) by king Indravarman I dedicated to Siva (Hindu) followed Prah Ko art style. 

BACKGROUND

Bakong was the center of the town of Hariharalaya, a name derived from the god Hari-Hara; a synthesis of Siva and Visnu. It is a temple representing the cosmic Mount Meru. Four levels leading to the Central Sanctuary correspond to the worlds of mythical beings (Nagas, Garudas, Raksasas and Yaksas).

LAYOUT

The temple of Bakong is built on an artificial mountain and enclosed in a rectangular area by two walls. It has a square base with five tiers. The first, or outside, enclosure (not on the plan) (900 by 700 meters, 2,953 by 2,297 feet) surrounds a moat with an embankment and causeways on four sides, which are bordered by low Naga balustrades. The second and smaller enclosure (1) has an entry tower (2) of sandstone and laterite in the center of each side of the wall. There were originally 22 towers inside the first enclosures. After passing through the entry tower at the east one comes to a long causeway (3) decorated with large seven-headed serpents across a moat. Long halls (4) on each side lie parallel to the eastern wall. They were probably rest houses for visitors. Two square-shaped brick building at the northeast and southeast (5) corners are identified by rows of circular holes and an opening to the west. The vents in the chimneys suggest these buildings served as crematoriums. There was originally a single building of this type at the northwest and southwest corners but today they are completely ruined. On each side of the causeway just beyond the halls there are two square structures with four doors (6). The inscription of the temple was found in the one on the right. 

Further along the causeway, there are two long sandstone buildings (7) on each side, which open to the causeway. These may have been storehouses or libraries. To the north and south of the storehouses receptively there is a square brick sanctuary tower (8). There are two more on each side of the central platform, making a total of eight. Decoration on the towers is in brick with a heavy coating of stucco. The towers, with one door opening to the east and three false doors, have a stairway on each side, which is decorated with crouching lions at the base. The two to the east of the central platform have a unique feature, a double sandstone base, The door entrance and the false doors were uniformly cut from a single block of sandstone, The decoration on the false doors is exceptionally fine, especially that on the tower on the right in the front row, the false door of which has remarkable Kala handles. The corners of the towers are decorated with female and male guardians in niches.

 

Tip:

the lintels of the west towers are in the best condition. A long building with a gallery and a porch opening to the north (9) is situated close to the western wall (on the left); it is mostly demolished. 

CENTRAL AREA (BASE AND TOWERS)

The square-shaped base (10) has five tiers with a stairway on each of the four sides and, at the base, a step in the shape of a moonstone. Remains of a small structure can be seen at the base of the stairway fairway flanked by two sandstone blocks, which may have held sculpted figures.Elephants successively smaller in size stand at the corners of the first three tiers of the base. The fourth tier is identified by twelve small sandstone towers, each of which originally contained a linga. The fifth tier is framed by a molding decorated with a frieze of figures (barely visible) the ones on the south side are in the best condition.

CENTRAL SANCTUARRY

The Central Sanctuary (11) is visible from each of the five levels because of the unusual width of the tiers. The sanctuary is square with four tiers and a lotus-shaped top. Only the base of the original Central Sanctuary remains. The rest was constructed at a later date, perhaps during the twelfth century.

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Khmer Religion and Beliefs

Theravada Buddhism is the religion of virtually all of the ethnic Khmers, who constitute about 90% or more of the Cambodian population. Buddhism originated in what are now north India and Nepal during the sixth century B.C. Theravada Buddhism is a tolerant, non-prescriptive religion that does not require belief in a supreme being.

Its precepts require that each individual take each individual take full responsibility for his own actions and omissions.

Buddhism is based on three concepts: dharma (the doctrine of the Buddha, his guide to right actions and belief); karma (the belief that one's life now and in future lives depends upon one's own deeds and misdeeds and that as an individual one is responsible for, and rewarded on the basis of, the sum total of one's acts and act's incarnations past and present); and sangha, the ascetic community within which man can improve his karma. The Buddhist salvation is nirvana, a final extinction of one's self. Nirvana may be attained by achieving good karma through earning much merit and avoiding misdeeds.

A Buddhist's pilgrimage through existence is a constant attempt to distance himself or herself from the world and finally to achieve complete detachment, or nirvana. The fundamentals of Buddhist doctrine are the Four Noble Truths: suffering exits; craving (or desire) is the cause of suffering; release from suffering can be achieved by stopping all desire; and enlightenment

Buddha hood – can be attained by following the Noble Eightfold Path (right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration), which constitutes a middle way between sensuality and ascetism. Enlightenment consists of knowing these truths. The average layperson cannot hope for nirvana after the end of this life, but can by complying, as best he or she is able to, with the doctrine's rules of moral conduct-hope to improve his or her karma and thereby better his condition in the next incarnation.

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Khmer Traditional Clothing

"I want younger generations to love Khmer artifacts, to keep them in Cambodia" Liv Saa Em said.

Khmer Traditional Clothing

The lines of culture distinguishing one country from another are blurring. The globalization of technology, information and finance has allowed wealthy countries to export not only their political and economic ideologies to developing countries but their traditions and values as well.

The Cambodian government has made aggressive rhetorical efforts to preserve the integrity of traditional Khmer culture, but younger generations are hungry for a change.

In a seemingly uphill battle to maintain cultural identity in an increasingly homogeneous global community, one man has made it his mission to preserve the past for future generations. 

From household items and clothes to jewelry and sculpture, Liv Saa Em's private collection is one of the largest in Cambodia. "It is my favorite thing to do since I was young. I like to keep antiques in my house because my parents bought a lot of antiques from villagers to keep at their house.

Upon first glance, Liv Saa Em could be mistaken for an ancient Khmer man in his traditional dress. Ancient relics adorn his house as well, stretching from the front door into the darkest corners. The building is his sanctuary; a place Liv Saa Em says keeps him smiling. Visitors to the house, which doubles as a museum, often have offered the collector money for his goods. But Liv Saa Em's mission is to maintain Khmer culture for Cambodia. His message: History is not for sale.

The robbery of Khmer artifacts, for sale to foreign countries, is a rising concern. In efforts to preserve the integrity of Cambodia's tangible history, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts recently prohibited the exportation of artifacts from Cambodia to Vietnam and Thailand. Liv Saa Em agrees with the act's passage, as he too works to preserve artifacts so that all of Cambodia may enjoy them in years to come.

Khmer silk collection

Since the tender age of 13, Liv Saa Em has taken the cue of his parents, who were avid collectors. Now preserving artifacts is not only a hobby--it's a mission. "I'm very upset when I see our artifacts exported to neighboring countries," he said. "We know that they are really Khmer artifacts, but I have no ability to take them back to the country."

Even when it is not in transit, safeguarding art is not always easy. Liv Saa Em said artifacts kept in the National Museum cannot be promised security, and his house in Tang Yab, Prey Kabas district of Takeo province is no better. Pieces of history were shattered in 1976 when young Khmer Rouge soldiers destroyed his parents' house and the artifacts in it.

Unable to forget the loss, Liv Saa Em has made a conscious effort to buy pieces for his private collection at home. Trading medicine or rice for art, the collector has purchased relics from Takeo, Kampong Speu and Phnom Penh. Now Liv Saa Em's reputation for collecting precedes him, and tourists that visit his home hoping to make a purchase are always denied.

"I love Khmer artifacts and I love to keep them forever," Liv Saa Em said.

Liv Saa Em's love affair with the past started when he was just a boy. "I wore simple cloth like other people when I was young," he said. But after completing his studies, Liv Saa Em developed a style of his own. Entering adulthood, he wore the ancient Khmer cloth donned by people of the Funan period and shaved his head so that only a tuft of hair sat atop the middle of his crown.

Businessmen raised Liv Saa Em, the youngest son of a nine-member family that often dressed in traditional Khmer clothing. He was the most beloved of the lot then. Today he is alone. Liv Saa Em's brothers, sisters and parents perished during the war.

Struggling to overcome the loss of his family, Liv Saa Em filled his time honing his skills as a silk maker. He mixes together a rainbow of colors to produce the vibrant fabric that is exported to Japan today and earned him the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts' Award for Best Quality Producing in 1993. His Excellency Nut Narang, the former Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, personally recognized Liv Saa Em as the first successful producer of best quality silk following Pol Pot's regime. His creativity is unceasing. Liv Saa Em rearranges the relics in his house to assume a new look every week. In the afternoon visitors can find the collector sitting amidst his artifacts, which he says are a comfort to him. The house, an increasingly popular tourist destination, has drawn curious visitors from around the country and the world. Movie production companies have made the trip as well, using his traditional house for the backdrop to particular scenes.

Liv Saa Em preserves the past to protect the future. Concerned that irresponsible development could damage ancient artifacts, the collector suggested that Cambodia develop a tourism industry based on the riches of Khmer artifacts and temples.

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People walk through the Angkor Wat temple complex last month in Siem Reap. 

Angkor Wat is to receive significant new restorations in 2017, according to the Apsara Authority, which manages the historic temple complex.
The announcement came following yesterday’s 24th session of the International Coordinating Committee for Angkor (ICC-Angkor) at which conservation, restoration, sustainable development and tourism were discussed.
Long Kosal, an Apsara Authority spokesman, said that the meeting focused on a plan to replace an original wooden ceiling on the monumental bas-relief known as the “Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery” at the east of the temple.
“We have discussed putting the wooden ceiling back for a few years, and today we received approval from the ICC experts,” he said. Kosal explained that this first effort to replace the wooden structure will be based on an ancient fragment from Angkor Wat now held at the Guimet Museum is Paris.
The Apsara Authority has previously cooperated with the World Monument Fund (WMF) in developing plans to emulate the original ceiling design, which Ly Vanna, director of the Department of Conservation of Monuments and Preventive Archaeology, said will be implemented in June 2017.
“Each gallery of our ancient temples, including Angkor Wat temple . . . used to have a wooden ceiling,” he said. “Putting the wooden ceiling in the gallery is based on research into traditional Khmer designs.”
The Apsara authority also said that yesterday’s session sought to clarify its photography policy, noting that tourists and journalists had never been banned from photographing inside Angkor Park, but that some restrictions were placed on those taking film and pictures for commercial purposes.
Source:  phnompenhpost.com

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World Heritage along the Silk Road

World Heritage along the Silk Road

 

DURING the 38th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Doha, Qatar in June 2014, “Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor,” spanning from China to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Subash Temple and five other sites became the first from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to make the list.

Past Glory

Located on a small alluvial plain by the Kucha River, the site of Subash Temple, covering about 190,000 square meters, is 20 km north of Kucha County, once the seat of the ancient kingdom of Kucha. The county sits at the southern periphery of the Tianshan Mountains and faces the Gobi Desert to the south. The Kucha River flows by, dividing the temple in two – aptly named the east and west temples. In the Uygur language, Subash means water source.

The temple was first built during the Wei-Jin Dynasties (220-420). Elite Kucha monk Kumarajiva (344-413) used to preach here. He is thought to have revolutionized Chinese Buddhism with his abundant sutra translations.

 

The site of Subash Temple was added to the World Heritage List in 2014. Yu Xiangjun

Subash Temple saw its heyday during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when it was home to 10,000 monks and received numerous pilgrims. It welcomed legendary monk Xuanzang, who was on a journey west from the then capital Chang’an to ancient India in the 630s. He stayed in Subash and preached there for over two months. In his travelogue Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, Xuanzang described the natural scenery of Subash and the endless stream of devout pilgrims who journeyed there. However, at some point during the 13th to the mid-14th centuries, the temple was abandoned.

Unoccupied for about 1,000 years, the ruins still amaze visitors. Against the backdrop of the open and vast desert, crumbling pagodas are bathed in the golden beams of sunshine. They tell us of past glory.

 

Subash used to be one of the largest Buddhist temples in Xinjiang. Yu Xiangjun

Example of Central Asian Earth Ruins

For about 1,000 years, Subash Temple had great significance in China’s Western Regions and played a pivotal role in cultural communication between East and West. The ruins are highly regarded for their historical, artistic, scientific, and social value. The temple’s construction utilized various typical techniques that can be seen in earthen ruins of arid Northwest China and even in Central Asia.

In the west part of the temple, quite a few Buddhist constructions still stand, including the north, west, and south walls of the main hall. The hall was about 318 meters in circumference, and encompassed a small hall inside and Buddha niches in the walls. Outside the main hall, monks’ dormitories and meditation rooms were situated in the west, while in the north were caves dug into the cliffside about 50 meters away where monks retreated for meditation. There are few murals inside these caves, and characters inscribed on the wall have been identified as ancient Kucha. The style of these meditation caves is unique to Subash.

 

Majestic wall of the Buddha hall. Yu Xiangjun

Sixty meters west of the main hall is the most spectacular pagoda. It sits on a square base, with a slope on the south side directly leading to the second level, on which a stone pillar was erected in the center supporting the roof. This is the only place in Aksu Prefecture, where Kucha is located, where this form of pagoda can be seen. The 13.2-meter-high pagoda is the best preserved structure in the west temple.

Fusion of Eastern and Western Buddhism

In 2012, the heritage department of Kucha County, in cooperation with the School of Cultural Heritage of Northwest University, carried out an excavation of the site at Subash. They found the ruins of a pagoda in distinctive Han style, proving close relations and mutual influence between the Western Regions and the Central Plains.

The pagoda is situated at the center of the west temple beside the river. Archeologists recognized the thick eaves and pyramid shape commonly seen in China’s inland, such as in the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, whereas local Buddhist pagodas in Kucha have a characteristic upside-down bowl form, a typical Central and Southern Asia style.

Buddhism spread east from the Western Regions of China. The Han-style pagodas in Xinjiang prove that Buddhism, after integrating with Chinese characteristics of China’s inland, returned to the Western Regions. This pagoda in Subash, built around the same period as the Tang Dynasty Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (built in 652), is just one example. However, these two pagodas differ in size and function, which confirms that Chinese Buddhism was localized in the Western Regions.

 

The Kucha River divides the temple in two parts. Yu Xiangjun

Historical records show that after reunifying the Western Regions during the Tang Dynasty, the country enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity. In 656, the emperor ordered that Kucha be made the seat of the administrative body of the west, aka the Protectorate of General to Pacify the West. Kucha was then more influenced by the Central Plains Buddhism as communication with the inland strengthened. Under this circumstance, the culture and art of Kucha Buddhism, just like the unearthed Han-style pagoda shows, integrated inland elements and developed new features.

In 1903, a Japanese exploration team led by Otani Kozui unearthed a wooden box in Subash and kept it as plunder in Tokyo National Museum. The box, made for preserving  Buddhist relics, is decorated with paintings of four naked children playing instruments on the lid and a dancing picture on the side. Three years later, French archeologist Paul Pelliot carried out an excavation here and is believed to have stolen seven exquisite boxes containing Buddhist relics.

Other excavated items include Chinese coins dating from the Han Dynasty (202 BC- AD 220) to the Tang Dynasty, silver coins depicting Khosrow II of the Sassanian Persian Empire, murals, clay sculptures, and wooden slips carved with ancient ethnic characters.

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Imperial Mulan Hunting Ground

Imperial Mulan Hunting Ground

By WEI YAO

THE imperial Mulan hunting ground is located at the junction of Hebei Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Many tourists call it “Bashang.” Originally, the Chinese word Bashang meant a plateau covered with meadow and green pastures. Today, Bashang especially refers to several grassland areas located in Zhangjiakou, Chengde, and Chifeng. The Bashang Grasslands comprise four parts: Zhangbei Bashang, Fengning Bashang, Guyuan Bashang, and Weichang Bashang, located in four different counties in Hebei Province. Among them the Weichang Bashang (Weichang in Chinese means hunting ground) is the most beautiful.

The Mulan hunting ground is located at an altitude of between 1,400 and 1,600 meters. The plateau belongs to a cold temperate zone and features a continental monsoon climate. The winter here is long and cold, but the summer is cool and pleasant. In July, while northern China is under intense heat, the average temperature in Mulan remains around 24 degrees centigrade; thick blankets are necessary at night. The Mulan hunting ground comprises meadows, forests, lakes, wetlands, and valleys, making it another good choice for a summer resort. In recent years, its reputation has exceeded that of the popular Chengde Mountain Resort. Also, because it is the nearest grassland to Beijing, many Beijingers consider Mulan the “back garden of the capital.”

A herdsman and his horses by Jiangjun Paozi Lake.

Vast Prairie Dotted with Cows and Sheep

The distance between Beijing and the core area of Mulan is about 450 kilometers, a surprisingly pleasant seven-hour drive. Fresh air and a cool breeze greet you as you arrive at Chengde City, and when you get to the Mulan hunting ground you find yourself transported to a completely different world from that of mega cities full of skyscrapers. You can also take the train from Beijing to Chengde or Siheyong, and a bus directly to the Mulan hunting ground.

The Mulan hunting ground is divided into two parts: the Saihanba National Forest Park in Hebei Province and the Ulan Butong Grassland in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The Saihanba is the largest forest park in northern China. Its total area is 1.41 million mu (94 hectares), two thirds of which are covered in immense forests. The Ulan Butong features a lush grassland landscape. If you are driving, you can first visit the Saihanba park, and then cross the bridge that serves as a border between Hebei and Inner Mongolia to arrive at the Ulan Butong Grassland.

Most travelers choose to stay near the Hongshan Military Stud Farm. Thanks to almost 10 years of development, this place is geared to tourists, so has ample hotels and inns. However, during the busy midsummer season, it is still difficult to find a room or a bed, so advanced booking is advised.

Mo Binxu, editor of a travel website in Beijing, went to the Mulan hunting ground for the first time during the summer of 2011. Of the many scenic spots around China that her job has taken her to, the vast pastures of the Mulan hunting ground amazed her. The poetic scenery includes a white birch forest on the northern side of the mountains, which are dotted with groups of cows and sheep.

As evening approaches, photography lovers flock to Jiangjun Paozi to capture the gorgeous sunset. Paozi means “lake in the meadow.” The Mulan hunting ground is where the Yinhe River and Tuligen River originate. Therefore, lakes are scattered all over like stars in the sky. The Qixing (seven stars) Lake, Gongzhu (princess) Lake, and Yueliang (moon) Lake are other attractions in the area.

Tourists enjoy the grassland on horse back.

Yesterday and Today

The beauty of the Mulan hunting ground has a long history. It became an imperial hunting ground and summer resort in the Liao Dynasty (907-1125). By the time of the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the area, which spans over 14,000 square kilometers, was designated as the imperial hunting ground, the largest ever.

When the hunt began, cavalrymen would gather in a circle to identify an area on the meadow. Then, soldiers, hiding in the woods and wearing deer masks, would blow long wooden horns to imitate the sounds of rutting stags. Deer would be attracted, followed by predatory animals too. The cavalrymen then would gradually close in. The privilege of launching the first shoot belonged, of course, to the emperor, followed by his sons and grandsons. Finally, other members of the imperial dynasty, ministers and nobles would join in the large scale hunt.

In the Chengde Mountain Resort Museum, hangs a painting titled Emperor Qianlong Hunting in Mulan, which vividly depicts the grand scene at the hunting ground. Each hunt lasted 20-odd days. After the hunt concluded, a grand banquet would be held, during which the emperor would invite his ministers to drink and enjoy singing and dancing performances. He would then reward them according to their military exploits.

The emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) enclosed this piece of land not only for recreational purposes but also political reasons. The Mulan hunting ground is located between the capital city of Beijing and Mongolia, and therefore occupies an important strategic position. The hunts organized by the Qing emperors thus also served as military exercises. In 1690, Emperor Kangxi won the Battle of Ulan Butong and crushed the rebellion of a Mongolian tribal leader Galdan. In the following century, Emperors Kangxi, Qianlong, and Jiaqing launched as many as 105 hunts.

Today, the hunting ground is no longer a field of military confrontation. People of different ethnic groups have settled here and developed the local tourist industry. They cherish the nature’s bounty and develop activities for tourists to best experience local customs and the culture of the grassland. During the daytime, you can ride horses, go kart, and paraglide. In the evening, you can stay with local families, eat roast mutton, enjoy fresh air, and gaze at the stars.

A Paradise for Photographers

For photographers, the Mulan hunting ground is a true paradise. Whether in summer, autumn, or winter, there is always a good shot to be captured here: vast green grasslands in summer, golden birch forests in autumn, snow-capped mountains in winter. Each view is unique and breathtaking.

Zhang Shuwen, a local from the Mulan hunting ground, formerly ran a guesthouse near the Hongshan Military Stud Farm, where he made the acquaintance of visiting photographers. Since 2008, he has been a photography lover too and began work as a tour guide exclusively for photographers. For the past few years, Zhang has accumulated a number of impressive shots. Nicknamed “Bashang Old Zhang,” Zhang Shuwen is now well known among photographer bloggers.

Every day, Zhang takes professional and amateur photographers to visit the surrounding sites to take pictures. Zhang loves his hometown and knows all the sites with the best views.

In fact, the Mulan hunting ground has gained in popularity thanks to the efforts of the first batch of photographers who came to Mulan over 10 years ago. Today, more and more locals are starting to work as tour guides for photographers and they are using the medium of photography to showcase the beauty of their homeland to the outside world. Azure skies, green meadows, rolling hills, and thick forests change their colors in different seasons, making Mulan a paradise for photographers from all over the country, throughout the year.

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