Follow me to a trip to China

[Ponypoor]

Great question. I meant to add, but forgot to say that it is more of a museum now.

The first level is mostly tourism shopping, but there are definitely rooms for dining/living. I managed to get to the upper levels of the 3rd square building, mostly abandoned. Usually the very top floor is for sleeping.

I think many people dont want to live there any more because there is no flushable toilet.

I can see how that might be a deal breaker for where to live! But still an amazing place, wonderful architecture.

 

[LhickenChicken]

still watching this thread I am so sorry about Tina lightm. It always hurts when you lose a chicken, and sometimes you can't ever get over it.

Those earth houses are so cool! Wish I could be that smart to think that way. I just don't think sometimes

 

[lightm]

'landrace' is the generic term for chickens that are indigenous to a given area and that have largely evolved on farms with little human input. In particular, they've not been deliberately bred by humans trying to achieve some sort of standard appearance. Basically they're the descendants of the fittest local birds, who survived to reproduce without human intervention. That is, local mutt

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[lightm]

June 28th. We went to the Southern Putuo temple.

There are four major Buddhism temples in China, serving different gods. One of them is Putuo temple in Zhejiang province. This one in Xiamen is like a southern mini version of it, hence southern Putuo.

Fujian truly has a very different culture than Zhejiang. There are more temples here. There are especially many ancestral shrines, which I rarely see in my province Zhejiang. The tribalism concept is stronger here.

Their temples and shrines are exquisite and distinctive looking, influenced by Mazu culture which is also very popular in Macau and Taiwan. Mazu is a goddess of ocean who protects Fishman.

On the relatively crowded bus to the temple

Lotus pond near the entrance (the pic did not capture the pond which is behind the tiny pagoda)

Temple entrance

Inside

A bit of hillside right behind the temple

Nice statue of two lions playing with a ball

Another impressive tree

Then we headed back out and these pictures below are nearby.

Always huge vines/trees on the wall

A shopping district. It was so hot and humid that day. Being out was brutal. This picture also gives a glimpse of the general architecture style of Xiamen. It actually is heavily influenced by the West during a colonial time in late 1800.

 

[Ponypoor]

June 28th. We went to the Southern Putuo temple.

There are four major Buddhism temples in China, serving different gods. One of them is Putuo temple in Zhejiang province. This one in Xiamen is like a southern mini version of it, hence southern Putuo.

Fujian truly has a very different culture than Zhejiang. There are more temples here. There are especially many ancestral shrines, which I rarely see in my province Zhejiang. The tribalism concept is stronger here.

Their temples and shrines are exquisite and distinctive looking, influenced by Mazu culture which is also very popular in Macau and Taiwan. Mazu is a goddess of ocean who protects Fishman.

On the relatively crowded bus to the templeView attachment 3562975

Lotus pond near the entrance (the pic did not capture the pond which is behind the tiny pagoda)View attachment 3562974

Temple entrance View attachment 3562973

InsideView attachment 3562972View attachment 3562970View attachment 3562971

A bit of hillside right behind the temple
View attachment 3562969View attachment 3562968

Nice statue of two lions playing with a ball
View attachment 3562967

Another impressive tree
View attachment 3562966

Then we headed back out and these pictures below are nearby.

Always huge vines/trees on the wall
View attachment 3562965

A shopping district. It was so hot and humid that day. Being out was brutal. This picture also gives a glimpse of the general architecture style of Xiamen. It actually is heavily influenced by the West during a colonial time in late 1800.
View attachment 3562964View attachment 3562963View attachment 3562962

Beautiful temple, truly wonderful.

Re: road and buildings - Those buildings could have been built here we have that architecture here.

Love the trees and vines

 

[Perris]

the temple and its environs are stunningly beautiful in your fabulous photos.

Love the lions carved from the rock. Are there any Buddha statues done thus there, like the Leshan Buddha in Sichuan?

The deserted streets are a real surprise, and I'm wondering just how hot and humid it gets there? Because I am reminded of my one and only trip to Washington DC, which coincided with what the locals were calling an unusually chilly spell for July; it all depends on what you're used to, because we thought it was incredibly hot and were dashing into buildings just for a blast of air conditioning!

 

[Ponypoor]

the temple and its environs are stunningly beautiful in your fabulous photos.

Love the lions carved from the rock. Are there any Buddha statues done thus there, like the Leshan Buddha in Sichuan?

The deserted streets are a real surprise, and I'm wondering just how hot and humid it gets there? Because I am reminded of my one and only trip to Washington DC, which coincided with what the locals were calling an unusually chilly spell for July; it all depends on what you're used to, because we thought it was incredibly hot and were dashing into buildings just for a blast of air conditioning!

Yes I agree it’s all what you’re used to. I will wander around with just a sweater on out at the barn doing chores on -20C - my poor cousin from california runs back to the house where it’s warm

Ageeed on the rock carving - amazing

 

[lightm]

the temple and its environs are stunningly beautiful in your fabulous photos.

Love the lions carved from the rock. Are there any Buddha statues done thus there, like the Leshan Buddha in Sichuan?

The deserted streets are a real surprise, and I'm wondering just how hot and humid it gets there? Because I am reminded of my one and only trip to Washington DC, which coincided with what the locals were calling an unusually chilly spell for July; it all depends on what you're used to, because we thought it was incredibly hot and were dashing into buildings just for a blast of air conditioning!

No, no huge Buddha there. I have been to the Leshan Buddha in Sichuan more than 10 years ago. It was truly magnificent! I was a fraction tall of its feet. You can walk around the giant statue as simple stairs were built around it.

Temperature was like 33c with 80% humidity. It was definitely really really hot.

 

[lightm]

June 29th morning. Xiamen botanical garden. It is a massive park, built around a hill.

We entered through South gate. Right away we took probably 10 escalators built on the hillside to get to the very top. You could do some very nice hike instead.

Bottom

On the way up

Topish

Then on the way down along the other side of the hill, is the more traditional botanical garden.

this looks like arizona.

This is rain forest area

Other pictures

wish I knew the name of this bird. It is blue on the back.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Beautiful pictures!