Life in China 2016: A Picture A Day, October 11 – Moon gates are very old elements used in Chinese architecture and gardens. They can be indoor or outdoor and serve as a connection or transition between two places. Sometimes you actually have to step over a threshold, which adds even more emphasis to the concept of entering a new place. The full moon is “worshipped” in China, and considered a symbol of happiness. The moon gate represents the full moon rising and is therefore very inviting for people to pass through. Today we visited the Lingnan Museum of Fine Art and Keyuan Park and this moon gate was in a garden area between the two. We had planned to visit Keyuan Garden, a very well-known garden in Guangdong Province, but it was closed today :-( We will have to go back! I’m sure they have more moon gates in the garden!
Han Dynasty Tomb Image Bricks
Life in China 2016: A Picture A Day, July 14 – Today we went to the Shenzhen Museum to see some special exhibits; One was about Burial Tombs of the Han Dynasty (206BC – AD 220). It was something I hadn’t learned about before and it was interesting how similar the practices were to the Ancient Egyptian burials and tombs. Over 10,000 underground brick and stone tombs have been discovered throughout China! This exhibit was of relics from the province of Sichuan. Statues were made to represent all the comforts of life, and were placed inside the tomb, and these “image bricks,” either molded or carved, were used to decorate the inside of the tombs. The images on the bricks portrayed important aspects of life: eating, farming, hunting, transportation, entertainment, etc. Statues represented the same things, and murals were also used. It all reminded me of the items that are made of cardboard and burnt for the dead in in modern day China.