The Temple: Buddha Statue and Spirit House

Thailand is a nation that's known for its beautiful travelers destinations, exotic dishes, and delightful individuals. Another pertinent element of any culture is religion, and Thailand is 95 % Buddhist. This 95 % figure could be revealed just by taking a stroll outside ones lodging, accommodation, or guest house; temples are everywhere in Thailand. A couple of temples are more well-known than others, differ in sAcale, and have different significances. Some temples serve the local populous by being a place of worship, while other temples are more geared toward tourists that come to Thailand. No matter what the aim of the temple is, or its attributes, all these temples have some variant of a Buddha statue and a spirit house located on the temple grounds.

Different types of Buddha statues and poses can be identified in these Buddhist temples; different poses mean different meanings for a Buddha statue. The most common style of Buddha pose a person will see of a Buddha statue is the calling the earth to witness pose. A person who's visited a Buddhist temple likely have seen this pose, but didn't know the term for it. The pose is of Buddha sitting with his legs crossed, and his left arm on his left leg. His right hand is pointing at the ground. This pose stands for enlightenment for Buddha; enlightenment being one of the most important periods in Buddhism. Other poses integrate the different stages of Buddha. Building these phases and poses of the Buddha statues for temples isn't done with major construction companies or private enterprises, but typically by the monks who live and stay at the temple. These monks devote themselves to Buddhism, and to reveal this commitment, they create splendid statues and care for the temple.

Outside of creating statues and taking care of the temple, monks will build a spirit house for the temple and for people's residential properties. Thai's who practice Buddhism believe that lands and properties have spirits. These spirits can be good or wicked, and people must consult these spirits and shelter these spirits when transforming, adding, or building anything on the spirits land. Sheltering and accommodating these spirits applies to Buddhist temples likewise. In most temples and houses, the spirit houses will have some food items, beverages, or flowers as offering to these spirits. Altering these "gifts" to the spirits can differ; some change these gifts daily, while others weekly. Buddha statues can also be designed to accommodate different kinds of spirits and tastes. Some spirit houses are VERY intricate while others are very simplistic.
No matter how simple or ornate a spirit house, they serve the same aim. There are allot of other complimentary states and practices that can accompany the spirit house, such as Singh statues and mirrors. These statues are placed in the front of the entrance of the temple to ward off hateful spirits, that's why these statues look very intimidating, and normally big.

Singh statues, the Buddha statue, and spirit houses all are fun and fascinating components of the religion of Buddhism and Thai culture. If one is aware of the reasoning behind many of these intricate pieces of cultural art, then perhaps people will take more time out of their busy schedule to admire these works of art!

The Style of China, the Mandarin Collar and Chinese Dress

The growth of the Mandarin Collar and Chinese Dress

China is flourishing at an exponential rate economically, and with this success has been the expansion of Chinese style and fashion. Through this progression, many Chinese have gone abroad to study or work; bringing their social norms and style along with them. Among these components of fashion and heritage, is the clothing and apparel that are culturally intertwined with Chinese culture. Two pieces of garments in particular have made an impact, the Chinese mandarin collar and the Chinese dress.

The Chinese dress is worn during formal and special occasions. These special occasions incorporate weddings, Chinese New Year, and engagements. In Chinese culture, special occasions are still linked with customs. Everything about the Chinese dress exemplifies culture with China, and that incorporates every component of the dress. The material is generally formed of a smooth silk; silk being located and formed in China. The colour selected for the Chinese dress is normally red, with red being a color of good fortune and luck in Chinese culture. Much like the color red, other colours chosen for the dress speak for an element and meaning in Chinese customs. The length of the Chinese dress varies, being above or below the knee. This dress can be discovered all around the world, and is particularly noticeable in places of high concentration of Chinese like Los Angeles and the west coast of the United States. But more traditional attire that's made itself around the globe is not only limited to Chinese population, but also mens well.

The banded collar is a popular shirt that's made its journey worldwide. The popularity of the mandarin collar has remained popular, and saw a spike in popularity during Mao Ze Tung's control of China; when a tailor made a suite that incorporated the Banded collar. The banded collar is worn formally and informally, and is often considered a substitute for polo shirts or casual business wear In Asia. The real difference between this shirt and another business casual wear is the collar, the collar typically goes a couple centimeters and does not fold down. The benefits of this extra few centimeters have allowed the Banded collar to branch out into other areas of apparel; among these regions is under armor for the US army. This under armor is useful to reduce chaffing when carrying weapons or heavy supplies.

The mandarin collar along with the Chinese dress have made an imprint in Chinese society, and as the development and expansion of China takes place, so will the adoption and adaptation of these two pieces of outfits. Just like many other Asian culturally related items that have expanded globally (e.g. Monk Bags, Buddha statue), Chinese fashion and dresses may become a household item.

The Buddha Statue Around Asia

Buddhism and it's importance with its images play a precisely designed role in Buddhism. Buddhist temples and sculptures are discovered all around the world, but the major area that these beautiful figures and temples can be spotted is in Asia. India is referred to as the birthplace for Buddhism, but since the beginning of Buddhism, Hinduism has taken the lead as the leading faith performed in India. Even areas like Indonesia that use to be predominantly Buddhism is now primarily Muslin. Other spots such as Japan, Korea, and China have even transferred other ways in regards to faith. Federal governments in China have limited methods in regards to faith, Japan has a huge variety of religions, and Korea is entering the path of Christianity. Even Malaysia has become dominantly Muslim. Surprisingly, a few nations in the world are highly unequal and predominately Buddhist. Thailand for example has a 95 % Buddhist populace; Laos and Cambodia also have a leading Buddhist population. Even though many temples and representation of Buddha could be discovered in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos; the best popular temples are scattered worldwide. Typically when people think about a widely known temple, people are quick to think of Angkor Watt in Cambodia as the most widely known or the gold Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand; but in reality other widely recognized temples exist in countries that are not mainly Buddhist; Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia is the largest temple on earth and has the largest Buddha statue on the planet.

In a way, Buddhism is a way of life to some, not necessarily a religion. Some factions of Buddhism or components of Buddhism have branched off to become an ornate part of people's lives or thinking. An example of this branching off is yoga. Initially used as a tool for monks in Buddhism as a way for meditation, it has expanded beyond Buddhism to accommodate people of all religions and backgrounds. It's not uncommon for people who work in business, athletes, moms, dads, and every other type of personal factor to use yoga as a tool. The art of Fung Shui, where the design, color, and makeup of a room matter in regards to harnessing positive energy is a popular tool for many homeowners. These are components of Buddhism that broken off, but what about different interpretations of Buddhism and practices that exist today. Just like any religion, there are liberals and conservatives for Buddhism. Buddhism has a strict code of discipline, but some individuals do not go by the creeds word for word; but absorb other spots of the faith they find relevant. On the other hand, there are the conservatives practice the faith word for word. What I have learned is there is no right or wrong way to exercise a faith, and interpretation is between the follower and its faith. As the world becomes more globalized and issues become more relevant in a global sense, Buddhism will need to find a way to be more socially engaging while fundamentally keeping its creeds and rules in these situations.

The Largest Golden Buddha Statue in the World

The holy place of the golden Buddha statue is located in Bangkok. The holy place is known as Wat Traimit Witthayaram. When the capital of Thailand was moved from Sukothai to Bangkok, many Buddha statues were moved to Bangkok. Many of these representations were taken from several areas in Thailand. Many of the representations taken were from northern Thailand and central Thailand. The northern part of Thailand has seen many invasions and battles with the Burmese for centuries. Riches, especially gold, were stolen and melted down during aggressions from the Burmese as quarries during battle. This looting and plunders included Buddha sculptures. Many times these sculptures were covered in Clay and mud to cover up them from their actual gold makeup.

One representation in Bangkok that was disguised in clay was being moved to a several location. During this movement, the statue was accidently dropped, and when this happened, it was revealed that the sculpture was actually made of gold bullion than the clay. The amount of gold bullion that was in this sculpture is a total of 5 ton, and is considered the biggest gold Buddha representation in the world. The total height is 10 feet tall and head is in the shape of an egg, proving once again that its origins are from the Sukkothai period. Depending on the area of the representation, the representation varies in the degree of gold. The sculpture is 40 % gold from the body of the sculpture to the neck, 80 % from the neck to the forehead, and 99 % gold bullion on the top of the representation.

The sculpture is determined to be worth $250,000,000 in value, but the value of the statue is likely to go up because of the growth in the price of gold bullion that's taking place in world markets. The preservation of this sculpture and the holy place that accompanies it is important for the culture of Thailand and has a unique saga. A number of underlining stories can actually be learned from this saga. His sculpture stands for a period in Thai culture that required many valuables and treasures to be hidden because of constant conflict. Another part of the statue is the fact that it exemplifies the change of the capital of Thailand from Sukkothai to Bangkok. And I think another philosophical point to layout is the fact that people should never evaluate a book by its protect, and assume that what's on the outside is not what's on the inside. The temple that the Buddha statue was originally located in Thailand was dilapidated and falling apart, so the statue was to be transferred to another holy place. If the first holy place would of initially known that the Buddha was gold bullion, then the likely hood of the statue staying in the original spot would of increased. One could only think of the amazement of the individuals who were moving this clay sculpture, and once the representation revealed that it was gold bullion, the trauma on their face.

The Revolution of the Mandarin Collar Tunic

If a person is looking for a unique comfortable shirt with some class, then the mandarin collar tunic may be the way to go. These collar tunics have a number of precarious names such as the Chinese collar or the cadet collar. Despite being invented in China, the tunic has managed to find uses in the west, not only for style, but also practical reasons.

The Banded collar, which is included in both male and female garments, is Manchurian in origin. Some of this garments are collar dresses, suits, jackets, and regular shirts. The history of these mandarin collars are not actually that long ago as many individuals would think. This garments is not traditional and has not existed for thousands of years ago like Han outfits, but are garments that actually is Manchurian, which is a region in northeastern China. There are two situations that catapulted the Banded collar into popularity. The first event was the Qing Empire defeating the Han Ming Empire; after the defeat and collapse of the Han Empire, Han clothing was outlawed and Qing fashion and garments, such as the Mandarin Tunic were adopted. During the role of the Qing Dynasty, the Mandarin Collar flourished, and even after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the collar continued to be popularized. The second situation that kept the mandarin collar popular was throughout Mao Tse-tung's rule over China. One of Mao's colleagues, a revolutionary like himself, named Sun Yat-sen developed a suite that represented the nationalism the Chinese and integrated the collar into a suite form. Despite the style being different, this allowed the Banded collar to adjust and expand the chances of this style surviving into the future. The suite that was developed was quite different that the other articles of garments worn during the Qing dynasty, especially in regards to color and theme. Component was not silk, but cloth. On the other hand, Mandarin collars such as the Qipao were viewed as capitalist, but this Chinese dress still managed to flourish and adapt in regions like Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Even young ladies managed to make slight adaptations, not as extreme as Sun Tse-tung's did, but females altered the skirt size to align the dress more with what is conceived fashion at the time.

The Mandarin Collar has become preferred in a lot of regions and careers all over the world. The US military uses a hybrid version of the banded collar as a way to reduce chafing with body military and carrying devices. In the business world, many people, mainly when doing business in Asia, will opt for the mandarin tunic because they do not need to wear a Tie. It's still presentable to do business with a Mandarin collar tunic in certain occasions. And some people choose to wear the Mandarin collar because of its style and trend. Ladies even have their own type of Mandarin collar outfits. These forms usually integrate a silk kind element and knots instead of buttons.

The Colors of the Chinese Dress

One must be saying, what's a Qipao Chinese dress? And why do the colors matter? But if one has ever seen a motion picture with the plot taking place in olden Chinese times, or even Rush Hour, then you have seen these more traditional type of Chinese dress. These dresses are still worn to this day during formalities in Chinese, Chinese New Year and weddings.

These customary dresses began during the Ching (also known as the Qing Dynasty) Dynasty from 1644- 1911 AD. Even after the other throw of the Qing empire, the dress still managed to survive even during the course of Chairman Mao's rule, despite being considered capitalist. Many other areas of China that didn't conform to communist like Hong Kong and Taiwan still wore the dresses for special occasions. Because of the rise of Chinese neighborhoods and emigration of many Chinese to work or study abroad, the dresses can be seen during some occasions in Los Angeles and other high regions of Chinese communities.

The component down to its color option have symbolism and meaning in Chinese society and history. The color red for example means the color of good fortune, this symbolizes fire which means good fortune and happiness. This color option is discovered everywhere in China is by far the most commonly used color option in China. The layouts of gold and yellow on the red dress embody earth. Yellow is considered to be the center of everything, and is also an imperial color option of China. Black exemplifies water, neutral color. Green on the other hand is represented with prosperity, nausea, health, and harmony. Blue describes immortality. White is a representative of metal, and means brightness, purity, and fulfillment. The color schemes that are selected for the dress really depends on the individual. Each color scheme has a representation of a feeling, element, and many other actors.

Modern Qipao now a days are tailored and range from any color scheme to match any theme or event. It's common for Chinese people to even have more than just one Chinese dress. The fundamentals and the dress itself has not adjusted over the hundred of years, and today has become a way for China to represent itself to the world. As the belief of fashion emphasizes shorter skirts, it was common for Chinese woman to adjust the length of the skirt. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Qipao was opted to represent the female athletes for the Chinese delegacy. Since the dress is a sign of formality in Chinese culture, the dress is commonly worn by staff members who work in the Chinese airline sector, hotels in China, and eating venues in China. This dress also can be viewed as an icon of Chinese growing impact and patriotism worldwide. As many societies and countries try to harmonize modernity and progression with custom and history; the Qipao may be a way to bridge the gap between customary and contemporary. The one element of the dress that may of changed over the years may be the length of the skirt.

Buddha Statue at Borobudur Temple

Buddhism has existed for 1000s of years, and so has its statues and artistry. But what is more representative of the artistry and religion of Buddhism than these marvelous and exceptional sculptures of Buddha? But if one was to suspect where the oldest sculpture was, one would likely guess India, Thailand, and Myanmar because of the appeal of travel and leisure in these areas; but in actuality the earliest statue of Buddha is in Indonesia. Angkor Wat is probably the most popular sculpture or temple that numerous individuals think of when thinking of a statue of Buddha, and would likely be everyone's initial guess.

The Temple the earliest Buddha statue is located in is known as Borobudur Temple in the Central Java province. This temple is thought to be between 7th or 8th century in age. Indonesia is predominantly Muslim now, and the temple was ditched centuries ago because of the mass conversion process to Islam in the nation. Forgotten for hundred of years from neglect, the temple was covered in ashes and taken over by jungle, hiding in the forest and forgotten.

It was not until 1814 that an Englishman found the temple in 1816, and ever since then the restoration process has begun to take place with the Indonesian federal government leading the charge in partnership with UNESCO. It's a true blessing that this majestic temple and Buddha sculpture has not fell victim to war and eliminated due to religious contrasts.

To describe the temple and its Buddha statues would be a travesty for the temple, because the layout and design of this temple were meticulously designed to portray and underlining tone of Buddhism. The temple provides a wide variety of designs and architecture. At one location of the temple a person can see structures of a large "stupa" or a Mandala, the main part of the temple is square in contour, and is surrounded by plates of the education of Buddha along with sculptures of Buddha. On the mount, there is a mount or a point standing for the knowledge of Buddha.
The structure itself is one having many in and out 90 degree points that forms what looks like an overall square design. On the top of this contour is a platform that has the stupa and mandala wheel. And on the very top is the mound that represents enlightenment.

The lack of assisting traveler sites in the location and channels to funnel information about this temple, the temple has not gained as much publicity as the ones in Myanmar or even Afghanistan for that matter.

This temple Of course, there may still be older statues that exist, but these have yet to be uncovered. Just like the temples and structures of the ancient Aztecs in Mexico, numerous of these buildings have been covered by dense forest and forgotten over time.

It will be important for the Indonesian federal government to continue to take a proactive role in dependably supporting and preserving this special Buddhist temple in Indonesia.