Du Fu's Thatched Cottage in the Du Fu's Thatched Cottage Museum Park ChengDu
These 3 photos are of the famous Poet's Cottage. It's original site was a few hundred meters away. Du Fu wrote many beautiful yet realistic poems about his life experiences.
A tower in the vast Du Fu's Thatched Cottage Museum park complex
10,000 Buddha Tower in Du Fu's Thatched Cottage Museum park complex & Below the original foundations
The reconstruction required new foundations with a 22 degree shift to allow the old foundations to be seen
Calligraphy at the Du Fu Museum Park Many people say that my cursive Chinese writing is just terrible scribble. Now I know that they are just jealous because I have mastered a unique form of calligraphy.
A beautiful walkway in the Du Fu Museum Park
The Tang dynasty Archaeological Museum in the Du Fu's Thatched Cottage Museum Park This Museum in addition to relics like the clothing below, shows an excavation from the time of the Tang Dynasty. I've seen something similar next to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris France. Very Interesting.
A mural in a temple currently under construction at the QingYangGong Daoist Temple in ChengDu This little temple is opposite the Tea House, and the photos below are of some Tea House staff members. I promised them I would publish their photos. The side street on the other side of the road is within walking distance of Du Fu's Thatched Cottage Museum.
Dan Tai Bi Dong - Tea house.
An assortment of Animals At the Da Xiong Mao Ji Di Panda Park www.panda.org.cn
Sleeping and Eating - What a life
Red Panda For 50 RMB you can have one on your lap and have a friend take photos.
Bamboo walkway at Da Xiong Mao Ji Di Panda Reserve ChengDu
Girls in Training to pour Tea Taken in a beautiful Mall Type area (QingTai Road) within walking distance of the Daoist Temple
Carol's Coffee House This place makes the best pizzas in the world - REALLY!. Located not far from the Taoist Temple (somewhere). Don't quote me but I think it is next to the WuHou Temple Complex and is called the JinLi Street Bazaar. It is a very ancient street with traditional buildings.
A photo of ChengDu at night taken from the 18th Floor of the ChengDu Pearl International Hotel The Pearl is a 3 star Chinese Hotel but very suitable for foreigners at only 238 RMB per night. Not much to look at from the outside, it is exquisite in the foyer. It is so close to the North Railway station, and central to every place I visited. The number 001 and 302 buses were our main form of transportation to everything. Pearl International Hotel
A Temple - but where? I can't remember! Maybe Wuhou Ci.
The photos above and below are in the same place In was in this street of buildings that the girls were pouring Tea.
Praying and Worshiping Everywhere I went, even if there were no worshiping facilities provided, young and old were bowing and praying to statues everywhere.
Poems by Du Fu (712-770 CE)
Du Fu Selected Poems Translated by Rewi Alley Foreign Languages Press 2001
Green cedar leaves and gorgeous sun-glow May be food for the immortals, but not for men; The world is tough and real, my road full Of hardship; Nothing to cook, so leaving The well stiff with ice; Not clothing enough So sleeping cold through the night; yet It is bad to have one's wallet completely Empty, so I leave a coin in it Just to comfort me.
The Lovely Lady
Surely The most lovely of her day Now relegated to this back valley, Memories of happier days buried With her amidst wild greenery; The fall of the capital has taken Her brothers; not even did their Great rank save them, or enable Their corpses to be found; The world has no time to waste On the unlucky; love is like A candle in the wind; her husband Has found a new woman already, in His eyes as beautiful as jade; Leaves fold up together at dusk, The wild duck does not sleep alone; Her man sees his new favourite Smile, but does not hear His old one weep; In the mountains the water flows Well and clear; but down on the easy Plains, it grows muddy; she has sent Her maid to sell bits of jewellery for food, Then returning, help her to pull vines And mend the broken hut; She picks a flower, though not To wear in her hair; cuts a bundle Of pine branches; there is chill In the air and her sleeves of coloured cloth Are thin; yet unheeding, she stands Leaning against a bamboo, Watching the sunset.
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
Just a note to say I have enjoyed looking at your pictures. Only visited China (Tsingtao & Shanghai) in 1946 prior to communist takeover. Have never had the opportunity to return.
Glad you liked the photos. When I get the time I will do some articles on the specific places - there are a lot more photos.
'Only visited ...in 1946 ... no opportunity to return?????? MY GOD you are more ancient than I am!!!!
Just take a plane - that is the most expensive part of the trip. Tell the Government you are staying with a friend - Me ... and you are free to travel.
I met a woman who, without speaking Chinese, had been travelling on her own for 6 months all over the place, staying in Chinese Hotels (ie - ordinary non foreigner places), catching trains etc.... What Chutzpah!
