I have a very special Postcard Friendship Friday to share with you.
My dear friend, Vivian, is a Fulbright Scholar studying in China this year completing her PhD.
I first met Vivian at the Museum of Fine Arts where we both worked on updating and
reinstalling the Asian Galleries.
We also spent a good deal of time temple hopping in Houston.
With a large Asian population, the city has many beautiful Buddhist and Hindu temples.
When Vivian left for China she asked what I wanted (besides tea) and I said
POSTCARDS!
Vivan was able to vist the amazing Yungang Grottoes in Datong city in the Shanxi Province.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site with 252 caves and 51,000 statues that
represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries.
For a student of Art History, Buddhism and Archaeology -- what a wondrous place!
Vivian sent these to me in early December and they are just arriving.
Talk about the slow boat FROM China!
The Buddhist tradition of religious cave art achieved its first major impact at Yungang,
where it developed its own distinct character and artistic power. The Yungang cave art represents the successful fusion of Buddhist religious symbolic art from south and central Asia with Chinese cultural traditions, starting in the 5th century AD under imperial auspices. At the same time it vividly illustrates the power and endurance of Buddhist belief in China. As Buddhism spread over Asia, it was able
to successfully assimilate with the local traditions and Yungang is a good example.
You can read more about the Yungang Grottoes here.
You can find many photographs of the grottoes by "googling".
Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.
I'm also joining Mosaic Monday.
Wishing you well and much joy!
