Vignettes of the World
The very last sightseeing on my first day in Arashiyama was the Nonomiya Shrine. The Nonomiya-jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine. Because of its nature as a native faith in Japan, it differs quite significantly from the elaborate temples of Arashiyama, both in terms of …
The grilled eel of Japan is likely the most suitable first course of introduction in Japanese food for those who are not accustomed to eating raw fish. “Unagi’ is the Japanese name for freshwater eel. “Anago” is also eel, but it refers to sea eel. …
Perhaps the way that I toured Arashiyama did not comport with the spirit of Zen. By this time, at around noon or so, I had toured the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji Temple, the Okochi-Sanso Villa and the Jojakko-ji Temple. Then I was rushing to Nison-in Temple before I would be having my reserved lunch at the Unagiya Hirokawa. I really hurried through these sites. However, at every temple I felt calm. The tranquility in Arashiyama was contagious, despite the throngs of tourists everywhere.
Sightseeing in Kyoto necessarily involves a whole lot of temples. That is because there are thousands of them in the city alone. When you travel in Kyoto during the fall, the temples are also where the red foliage is featured prominently, in a perfect fusion of natural and human footprints. I went through tens of temples in this trip and I never got tired of seeing more. That is because in every temple there is something special to offer, unique either in terms of its history, its basis of faith, its architecture or its ambience. They do not look the same or feel the same at all.
Readers of this series on Japan would notice that I tend not to show photos of the Buddha statues inside the temples. The main reason is that I am Christian and I tend not to like Buddha images. But the other side of the coin is that I am able to enjoy all these temple visits even though I do not share the faith. It is with ready recognition in the value of faith in human society that I came to fully appreciate the Buddhist temples of Japan.
At Nison-in Temple, I felt an indescribable sensation when I heard the ringing of its temple belfry. It was more than calmness — the auditory stimulation touched off a spiritual yearning for joy, gratefulness and fulfillment. And then the bell rang again, and then again, and then again. I realized that people were lining up at the belfry to do a prayerful ritual.
Indeed, it was the sound from the Bell of Happiness, the sonoric reminder of life’s blessings.
Photo: Three emperors of Japan were entombed here
At Nison-in Temple, I found an unlikely gem. Beyond the proper grounds for temple structures, I came upon a cemetery. That was where I felt the most at ease that morning, with a sober respect for the spirited, yet also joyful in celebrating the tranquility that lied before my eyes.
A few notable people are buried here at the cemetery of Nison-in. Three emperors were entombed here, Emperor Tsuchimikado, Emperor Go-Saga and Emperor Kameyama. The Mausoleum of Priest Tanku is also inside the temple.
I did not see one soul that ventured into this part of the temple. The seclusion was golden.
The name Nison-in refers to the two revered images that are the resident deities in the Nison-in Temple, with Amida Nyorai on the left and Shaka Nyorai on the right. According to the temple leaflet, Shaka Nyorai “is the one is the one who sends those seeking rebirth in paradise from this side of the world… Amida Nyorai receives them on the other side. The pair represents the beginning and the end of one’s life.”
The temple came from the early Heian period, circa 834 A.D., by the order of Emperor Saga.
The temple practices Tendai Buddhism, with Chief Abbot Ennin taking leadership. During the Kamakura period, Homen Shonin lived and taught Buddhism in Nison-in. He developed a good relationship with the aristocracy. The third generation Chief Priest Tanku taught Buddhism to Emperor Tsuchimikado and Emperor Go-Saga. Properly speaking, the Nison-in Temple had a long standing relationship with the nobility and imperial court of Japan for many eras, besides being the official temple during Emperor Saga’s reign.
During the Onin War (1467-1477), all of the structures of the Nison-in Temple were destroyed by fire. The Main Hall and the Imperial Envoy Gate were reconstructed in 1521.
The Tendai school of Buddhism embraces the Lotus Sutra as its doctrinal foundation. It gained prominence during the Heian period. The chief proponent of Tendai was Japanese monk Saicho, who introduced esoteric elements into the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. By the Kamakura period, Tendai had become a dominant form of Japanese Buddhism. As seen with the Nison-in Temple’s history above, Tendai had official support from the imperial family.
To highlight a point of relevance to the touring of Arashiyama temples, Nichiren Buddhism, as one of the six “Kamakura Buddhism,” was the basis of faith for the Jojakko-ji Temple. It is also located in Mount Ogura, pretty much “next door” in Arashiyama. It arose in response to the corruption and inadequacies of Tendai and its rival Shingon school.
Tendai Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the Lotus Sutra and its unifying nature for all Buddhism. In Tendai’s “One Great Perfect Teaching,” all teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be brought together in one comprehensive perfect system (Wikipedia on Tendai). Tendai Buddhism advocates for the universality of Buddhism.
Descriptions on site at the Nison-in Temple.
The Wikipedia on Tendai.
The Wikiepedia on Nison-In.
After touring the Okochi-Sanso Villa, I made my way to the Jojakko-ji Temple, also in the vicinity. In terms of natural environ, the Jojakko-ji Temple brings to the large selection of temple visits in Arashiyama another kind of aura. The red foliage at Jojakko-ji Temple …
Along the theme of autumn foliage, I visited the Xianhu Botanical Park in Shenzhen a couple days ago. The day of visit is January 16, 2025. There is an admission fee of RMB 15 yuan for entrance between 8:00am and 6:00pm. The park is open …
The Hong Kong Wetland Park is a large conservation park featuring mangroves in Tin Shui Wai, northwestern Hong Kong. On this day I went to the Wetland Park for red foliage photography. The day of visit is January 17, 2025.
The admission fee for the Hong Kong Wetland Park is $30, cash and octopus only. Please allow at least two hours just to walk around the key features of the park.
On this day the exhibition hall was closed due to renovation. That was alright, as the point of the Wetland Park really is to see the nature there. I proceeded to the outdoors right away, and soon arrived at the section for autumn foliage viewing.
Tin Shui Wai is perhaps one of the most recent largescale community developments (new town) in Hong Kong. It has been a few decades since its development. A large area of natural wetland had to be reclaimed in order to make way for both residential and business use. The Wetland Park was originally intended to be an ecological mitigation area to compensate for the loss of the natural environ there. The Hong Kong Wetland Park opened its door to the public in 2006.
Consisting of 61 acres of land and water area, the Wetland Park was envisioned to create a space where the public could learn about an invaluable natural resource, while conserving and preserving the habitat for many kinds of migratory and waterbirds. As such, there are two primary attractions for visitors at the Hong Kong Wetland Park: the birdwatching stations and the mangroves.
This was my second time visiting the Hong Kong Wetland Park. I came to the Wetland Park in search of beautiful autumn foliage, in line with the autumn theme in my recent entries. I will say just a few words about the photography.
You will enter into the Wetland Park and there is really only one path to go throughout the park area. I began by walking on the Stream Walk. You will come across the site of red foliage very soon, as you head on over the Succession Walk. It lies in a waterfront area, and the environment is wide open with beautiful structures on the side.
In terms of the presence of bald cypress trees, which have turned red at this season, there are really only two sections of them. For a place like Hong Kong, where the bald cypress is in fact not native, that will suffice for taking nice scenery photos.
I think a true appreciation of the mangroves in Hong Kong Wetland Park must come with some knowledge. A wetland is where the land is flooded with water, either all time of the year or seasonally. Very often, wetlands are formed where a fresh water system meets the ocean, or a brackish water system. The wetlands in Tin Shui Wai are where fresh water meets the ocean. In this kind of environment, a habitat emerges that is suitable for the flourishing of both aquatic plant and animal species. Waterborne microorganisms support the biosphere in a marshy area. They are the very bottom of a food chain that sustains life. The mangroves can provide food, shelter and nursery ground to different animals such as mudskippers and fiddler crabs. In the Hong Kong Wetland Park, there are freshwater marshes, intertidal mudflats and reed marshes.
At the Mangrove Boardwalk, there is a floating bridge that leads you through a small section of the mangroves and you can see that natural phenomenon up close. To be sure, the scenery is not “pretty.” But if you understand the ecological significance of a wetland, you would find the walk interesting.
There are 5 spots for birdwatching at the Hong Kong Wetland Park, and to take photographs of the birds, you do need super sophisticated equipment, as the bird hides are located rather far away to minimize the disturbance to the creatures. Amongst the three bird hides of Riverside Hide, Mudflat Hide and Fishpond Hide, I found the Fishpond Hide to be the most interesting. In all of the bird hides, there are binoculars for bird watchers to use.
Finally, you will also be able to see the birds afar from the Viewing Pavilion. Before you head out to the exit of the Wetland Park, you will arrive at one more viewing spot, lined with a reed-made screen. I was surprised, as that was actually the one that is closest to the birds, if they are there.
Hundreds of species of birds are commonly seen at the Hong Kong Wetland Park. To name just a few, Grey Heron, Yellow-bellied Prinia, White Wagtail, Great Egret, Little Egret, Great Cormorant, Dusky Warbler, the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill, and many more.
The website of the Hong Kong Wetland Park.
I have been doing a whole lot of autumn excursions, particularly in photographing red foliage scenery. There have been innumerable posts online showing the beautiful Bald Cypress in Lau Shui Heung. I have previously written about the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail loop, and so …
We picked a restaurant randomly for Restaurant Week and came across CulinArt 1862. We figured that it was part of the Towngas Avenue brand dining establishment because of its location and the 1862 reference. This has inspired me to look a bit deeper into Towngas …
The Jao Tsung-I Academy celebrates and memorializes the legendary life of Jao Tsung-I, a sinologist of many talents in arts and history. I took a walk at the venue and joined a public tour.
Jao Tsung-I was very accomplished in Chinese learning and fine arts. Born in Chaozhou (Chiu Chow), Jao Tsung-I came from an incredibly wealthy family that had 4 banks. His mother died when he was just 2 years old. At 11 years old, he stopped formal schooling. Instead, he just learned by reading in his home library. His father wrote a book on Chiu Chow. When he was 16, his father died. Jao took over the book writing.
At age 22 he became a researcher in Sun Yatsen University. In Hong Kong, he brushed shoulders with the literati. In 1949, he immigrated to Hong Kong. At age 35, he was already a professor at University of Hong Kong on classical literature, with research in a broad spectrum of historic Chinese interests such as dance, music, classical Chinese, the arts, and oracle script. Much of the learning in these academic fields are reflected in his artwork. He dedicated his life to the learning and teaching of classical Chinese. Innumerable awards and honors have been conferred to him for his work.
Photo above: The most significant artwork of Professor Jao.
Jao Tsung-I passed away at the very advanced age of 100 in 2018. He did live to see the day of opening of the Academy that celebrates his life. He left behind a rich heritage that constitutes the core substance of the Jao Tsung-I Academy today.
There are three sections in the Jao Tsung-I Academy. The very upper section is up on the hill. With five buildings there they are now serving as the Heritage Lodge, a hotel. In the middle section, the buildings were once the wards for the prisoners and the patients.
In the Lower section, the blocks retain their original red brick appearance. Together these buildings have had a long history in serving various purposes for the government and the community throughout its 114 years, pretty much as the needs arose.
As the former Lai Chi Kok Hospital, the structures of the Jao Tsung-I Academy were built between 1921 and 1924. All of the structures are of red brick, a common feature for colonial-era buildings in Hong Kong. Due to its history serving as healthcare and prison institutions, including as the quarantine center for infectious deceases, the buildings in the middle and upper sections were reinforced with very heavy layers of concrete and sealed with white paint.
During the restoration, effort was made to remove this thick layer of concrete and its white paint in the former wards of the middle section, as a means to reveal the very original face of the blocks. However, it proved to be too difficult to do so for all six blocks. Therefore, only the middle block shows the part of original red bricks now. The buildings in the lower section show the original red brick structures, as they served mostly as staff quarters and administrative units during the Academy’s former lives.
Photo above: This photo shows the parts of the red brick walls that were revealed after removing the concrete and the white paint during the restoration, as an illustration of the original appearance of the blocks in the middle section.
Architecturally, the red brick buildings are eclectic in style due to the combined use of the red bricks and the traditional pitched roofs showing double Chinese tiles.
The former hospital and prison wards in the middle and upper sections were of the utilitarian design, with external staircases in most of the blocks.
Photo above: The small garden pond in the lower section was carefully designed.
Most parts of its history do come with some stigma. In its long succession of many different roles, Jao Tsung-I Academy had been the a quarantine station for approaching vessels, Lai Chi Kok Prison, a specialist hospital for infectious deceases (including leprosy), a psychiatric hospital, and a psychiatric rehabilitation center in the 20th century.
The former Jao Tsung-I Academy stood on the coastline before the reclamation of the Mei Foo area. Its location in this part of Kowloon west also bears upon its previous role in the community. During the late 19th century, the Qing government had set up a customs station close by, called Kowloon Customs. The stone plaque with the inscription “Kowloon Customs Boundary” stands at the east hillside of the site as a testament to this early history.
Amongst the older generation of Hong Kong people there is this common phrase “being sold off as piglets,” referring to the practice of sending off people to do manual labor in foreign countries, as coolies. During a brief period of two years in the early 19th century, the British firm Swire (Taikoo) borrowed the name of The Chamber of Mines Labour Importation Agency and built “pigpens” at the former Jao Tsung-I site. This location served as the laborers’ quarters for those who would be ready for involuntary or voluntary servitude. The workers were held here before they were being sent off to sea at the pier very nearby. Many of those workers were heading off for the gold mines of South Africa.
As the Lai Chi Kok Prison, the Jao Tsung-I Academy took in the prisoner population that crowded the Victoria Prison. It had a good reputation despite being a place of confinement. The Lai Chi Kok Prison was considered a “model prison,” with rehabilitation as its objective. The conditions and treatment here were humane. Female prisoners could raise their children here for three years.
In 2008, the Antique and Monuments Office gave the Jao Tsung-I Academy a rating of Grade 3 Historic Building. The revitalization of the Jao Tsung-I Academy was the very first batch of projects under the government’s Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, which began in 2008. The partner in this revitalization effort is the Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture. As it is named after a preeminent sinologist, the Jao Tsung-I Academy is now the venue for cultural and educational activities.
On-site facilities include multiple museums displaying the arts of Jao Tsung-I himself, a Heritage Hall explaining the history of the site, a higher-end restaurant serving western cuisine (House of Joy), a smaller coffee shop (Timeless Café), and a heritage hotel that welcomes pets. The former prison and hospital wards now serve as the cultural space, showcasing exhibitions and holding seminars for a rental fee.
Beyond the initial contribution by the Hong Kong Government, there is no more subsidy for the running of the Jao Tsung-I Academy. It is operated as an NGO with self-sufficiency.
The Jao Tsung-I Academy is located on 800 Castle Peak Road. Although most people think that the only way to get there is to walk from the Mei Foo MTR Station, there are actually many bus routes (heading the Shatin direction) that stop right outside of the Academy. Please see above picture showing you the bus routes.
Descriptions on site at the Jao Tsung-I Academy.
Public tour at the Jao Tsung-I Academy.
The website of the Jao Tsung-I Academy.
The bloggers and photographers in Hong Kong have been raving about the red foliage that has lined up the public parks in Shenzhen. I jumped on the bandwagon and visited two parks. I first visited the Sihai Park in Shekou, then headed over to the …