SHIJUN ART JOURNEY: ancestral home

Friday, February 3, 2017

Journey to China 2016

Never knew how much I love to see the Ancestral Temple of Foshan

My hometown Foshan is located in the northern area of the Pearl river basin, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Guangzhou, China. Last autumn-early morning-it's all still and quiet- it's a magical moment.

With a long history dating back to approximately 5,000 years, the city gained its name from the three Buddha statues unearthed in this area in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Having a temperate climate with abundant rainfall, it has been a land of fish and rice. Besides fishing and farming, the local craftsmen were also known for their skills in making ceramics. Thriving handicraft industries, commerce, and the arts made Foshan one of the four most famous towns in Tang and Song (960-1279) dynasties. It has a reputation as the home of Chinese ceramic arts, Cantonese operas and martial arts.

Step into a world of rich culture and history and discover how this very site was the coveted jewel in the crown when it comes to the preservation of Chinese arts that has influenced the rest of the world.

Chinese lanterns

Lucky prayer tree

Temple Garden

Wanlu Lake

My ancestral home in LongChuan County,Guangdong.

Poem written on ancestral home in LongChuan by an uncle.

Ancestral home in LongChuan

Rice paddy in Longchuan

Preparing a feast at ancestral home in LongChuan

Stuffed tofu, a regional specialty

Fried barbecue pork rind

Southern China water chestnet

Produce from the southern China market

Guangdong Dim-Sum

Field trip to Suzhou

Reading ten thousand books is not as useful as traveling ten thousand miles. ~ Chinese proverb

Ancient city gateway into Suzhou

Suzhou and an amazing water village

Ancient garden in Suzhou

Taisi water garden in Suzhou

A rainy day in Hungzhou, west lake.

Fellow travelers visiting ancient town in Heyuan county

Relaxing at Suzhou hotel

Renshou Pagoda, Foshan, China

All photos by Shijun & Charles Munns

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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Foshan, Guangdong China 2012

I was born in China, in the city of Foshan. Up until the 2003 I lived there with my family before coming to American. Foshan, also called "Zen", has a long history of over 1300 years; she gained her present name when local villagers dug out of Tapogang mound, 3 bronze Buddha statues left by Indian monks. Foshan is a famous historical and cultural city, known as one of the "four renowned towns" from olden times in China. She is a place full of colorful, fantastic forms, textures and buildings.

Foshan Ancestor Temple with a long history can be traced back the North Song Dynasty(1078-1085). It is one of the main cultural relics of Guangdong province as well as one of the most famous tourist sites in Guangdong.

Zumiao Temple is an example of the famous foundry and potting handicraft industry in Foshan history. The refinement and beauty of its architecture reflected of the prosperity of ancient Foshan. Indeed, it is a precious historical heritage of Foshan. Therefore, Ancestor Temple is granted the reputation of "Oriental Art's Palace" by visiting foreign friends.

It is dedicated to Beidi (Northern Emperor), the Northern God, who is said to have power over the waters of Guangdong, so the temple also known as "Northern Emperor Temple". It is the first temple in Foshan.

Zumiao Temple

Zumiao Temple prayer writings

The original buildings of the temple were burnt down in the late Yuan Dynasty and reconstructed in the fifth year of Hongwu Period, Ming Dynasty (1372). Owing to its long history, Chinese called it Zumiao temple.

Zumiao Temple lucky tree

Zumiao Temple carved stone garden

Zumiao Temple with wonderful old bonsai

Zumiao Temple, every building is like a piece of ancient artwork.

Zumiao Temple with many amazing stone carvings on the Torii gate.

Zumiao Temple

Zumiao Temple, toss a coin for good fortune. Turtles represent long life.

Another old garden in Foshan called Liang Garden with painted pillars and carved beams of a magnificent building,

Liang Garden

Liang Garden, a wonderful carved stone bench

My father's ancestral village, Longchuan, Guangdong Provence. There is a sense of tranquility in this old village, it is just like the Oriental Ink Painting, possessing a beauty that transcends time.