Words and Pictures

Confucius lived a long time ago - around 2600 years ago, and for thousands of years regular rituals were an important part of the memory of Confucius. Those ceremonies were restored after many years of neglect and held at the Confucius temple in Qufu. It was an elaborate ceremony with horns and drums and many [...]

One of the reasons why the Forbidden City has lasted so long is because a good portion of it is made out of stone, marble or masonry. The buildings all rest on stone foundations, but they are built of wood and have all two frequently burned to the ground. The stonework however is disappearing more [...]

Historically China has been quite xenophobic and even when foreign “guests”, as they are called, are allowed into China, a lot of effort is made to separate them from the Chinese populace. They live in separate housing areas and attend foreign schools and for a long time had their own stores. Many of those barriers [...]

Things are not always what they appear to be. Here it appears that a car is stranded in the middle of a lake, but in reality the family is out for a nice boat ride. The boat/car provides a fun way for the a young family to go out for a ride and yet keep [...]

If you are lucky and get a clear day in Beijing, the view from Coal Hill is stunning. This was taken a few years ago and I am certain there are more and taller buildings there now, but the contrast between the undulating tiled roofs of the Forbidden City and the rigid “skyscrapers” of the [...]

It is one thing to contemplate the enormity of 1.3 billion people. It is another thing to consider all the things that can be associated with that number of people. For many years bicycles were the preferred means of transportation in Beijing. They were relatively inexpensive, they could be easily produced and with a small [...]

A young craftsman is busy making bird cages at a free market in Chongqing while his pet monkey investigates the contents of his tea cup. Free markets are one of the best places for pictures in China because there are so many people, they are all busy and it is much easier as a photographer [...]

George Bush isn’t the only cowboy in Beijing. This young boy at the Beijing railway, spontaneously curled up the brim of his straw hat into what resembled a cowboy hat. In reality there just aren’t very many cowboys in China.

This brass saddle (which is actually on the back of a miniature elephant) was not built for comfort but for beauty. The remarkable skills of China’s craftsmen and women is unparalleled. Granted many of the objects have no function other than to be admired.

It may be pretty from a visual standpoint, but pretty sunsets often come at a high price. This sunset near Beijing was enhanced (not digitally) but by the abundant air pollution from area factories, traffic emissions and lots of atmospheric dust.