China's ancient disneyland

In 1993 there was an earthquake in Lijiang. Fortunately, the ancient town of Lijiang was not largely damaged, and it was placed UNESCO world heritage.

The old town is full of small canals, cobbled paths, stone bridges, ancient chinese houses etc. Part of the ancient tea horse route. The architecture are beautiful but that is all.

The houses now house souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels etc. So if you like souvenir shopping, then it is your place.

Unfortunately, we were bothered to go far and hence could not say more about places surrounding this ancient disneyland!


- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Lijiang,china

Leaving shangri-la

We travelled for 5 hours from Shangri-la to Lijiang. Still in Yunnan. I had the seat next to the driver, who started the journey with chanting. However, when we diverted the journey to stop by the Tiger Leaping Gorge. He started grumbling about the road. I understood his concern as the road was under repair and we were definitely in a bit of danger. Jon was so concerned that he begged us to turn back.

Tiger Leaping Gorge was beautiful. You have thousands of meters of shear mountain cliff amid a few small villages.

Anyway, we did not stayed there, only for lunch! We made a mental note to cone back again.

After lunch, we continued and crossed over to Lijiang. As we leave Diqing prefecture, a little pinch in my heart to leave my new found friends in shangri-la.

The countryside of Lijiang was beautiful, and the ground get greener as we decent. The driver who was happily fed after lunch, took us to the first bay of Yangtze river, the longest river in china. You really have to see it to be wooed by its beauty. What really attract me is the simplicity of country life.

Another hour and we reached our hostel Lijiang old town.




- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:China

Thangka

Thangka painting is an art form which was exported from Nepal to Tibet which had a bit of influence from Tang China.

It has become popular with the Tibetan because of its transportable form as early Tibetan were mostly nomadic.

Thangka painting skills are passed through generation within the artist family.

Some are painted by talented monks. In the old days, these may be visualization that appeared in their meditation.

We have the honor to meet a master like this - Lama Lobsong Kedrup at the Thangka Academy.

His paintings are full of meanings and we spent many hours talking about these. Being a Buddhist, it fascinates me to hear all the stories behind a thangka - the meanings of each symbol, the reason behind a colour.

The Master's painting is quite different to most thangka. When I get back, I will add one on here. So watch this space.



- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

Gen Tharpa Gongcheng

On the last day in Shangri-la, master took us to visit his good friend and master who spent 27 years in meditation retreat in the mountain.

When we arrived at a little room in Song Zhan Lin monestary, we were greeted by a smiling old monk. We offered him a white silk scarf each, and he blessed it and offered it back to us.

Upon inspection, his room contains a stove, his cot where he sleeps and meditates, a few utensils and stools for visitors. And nothing more. Yet this monk beamed inner content and happiness, not worried about having any world comfort. What a freedom he possesses.

We spoke through the master for quite a while. He remembered Geshe-la from the days in India.

Before we said goodbyes, he gave us another white silk scarf to bless our journey and bid us a safe return to Shangri-la.

This kind of draw our six weeks stay to an end. But beginning of our journey to get back to Singapore.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, china

Thangka Academy

Check out

www.thangkaacademy.com


- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangrila, China

Garlic

Master Kedup described karma to be like garlic. When you chop up some garlic, even when all garlic has disappeared into your cooking but the smell still linger on.

Just like our karma, the effect of our past actions may not be apparent to us but just like the smell of the garlic, it is there, lingering on.

Be mindful of thy body speech and mind!

Location:Shangri-la, China

Five Buddha temple

We set off at 9am in the morning for a five hours walk in the mountains.

The children started off as usual, complaining and grumpy. But soon their energy picked up and they got excited when they see horses.

The terrain was beautiful- snow mountains as background. Stupa appears every now and then. Cows, horses, yaks, zo (a cross of yak and bull), sheep grazing along the way.

On the way, we pass Banyan Tree luxury accommodation. Very nice.

On the other end, a very kind Tibetan family await us with yak butter tea, yak cheese and bread. Ever so kind! The tea was very much appreciated after such a long walk.

Finally, we headed up another hill to get to the Five Buddha Temple. Very peaceful! What is most interesting is that the front inner yard of the temple is a little animal farm. Local come here to release animals that were destined for slaughter. There were goats, chicken, rabbits, dogs etc etc.

We arrived home with sore feet but happy! Now we all sat soaking our feet in hot water and wondering where to go for dinner.

- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

How to cope with the cold

I asked Master Lobsong how does he cope with the cold, as it is getting to me and affecting my meditation.

He replied that whenever he is cold he thinks of his spiritual guide, and he thinks of Je Tsongkapa. He would remember how Je Tsongkapa would accept his external condition in the snow mountain and believed that if he cannot withstand this minor suffering, how could he take on the sufferings of all sentient beings!

Ah....this makes me feel quite childish. How can I stand before Buddha and promise to take on the sufferings of all beings and yet cannot bear a small inconvenience of being cold!


- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

Jon's thoughts

Like to play in sun but when sun goes in, I just have to go into the room where it is warmer!!!!!!!!!


- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:In Shangri-la

San San thinks in Shangri-la, when the sun shines she feels like she is being roasted and when the sun goes in she feels like she is being dipped in freezing cold water. And so she would not like to stay long term!


- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Where to be next!!!

In a few days, it will be 3 weeks in Shangri-la. We have started looking at varies places to rent, and the more we look the more we are having doubts about being in Shangri-la. Keeping warm has become priority in our life, and it is consuming most of our time. (Imagine trying to meditate in the cold of zero degree - teeth chattering, buried under blanket)

I received a few emails asking about our life; and I believe people romanticize that we in the countryside.

The fact is our life here is no different to our life if we are in Singapore or Seoul. Our days are pretty routine with making prayers, drawing classes for Dave, homeschooling, trying to learn Mandarin, going for walk and so on!

What may be the only difference is the comfort of warm weather and hot showers!!!

We have come here with the uncertainty of how long we are going here for. Now with the first month almost up, we are thinking where next!!!!

We feel the need to keep traveling - maybe travel overland back to Singapore or maybe overland to UK.

It does not matter what we decide - I have not regret being in in the cold! There is so much to learn from the people around. Their level of patience and acceptance is just amazing!

It is also unfortunate to see that this is slowly eroding away as modern life slowly take over, as money starts to take over!!!! Their problems and troubles start to image the ones my mother has at home.

Now I understand what it means when they said one day there will be no Buddha - dharma, and we will live in ignorance. I must remember never be contented with my practice - samsaric pleasure should never take over!




- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangrila, China

The biggest prayer wheel

In the center of Shangri-la old town, there is a temple with Je Tsongkapa. Next to the temple, they built a very big prayer wheel that need at least 3 adults to move it. In the wheel, inscripted 12.4 million om mani pani hum. Just turning it 3 times, you send out so much compassion wishes!!!!

Even though the initial intention for this wheel was for tourist purpose but it is to me not even abit tacky. The simple wish, everyone turning the wheel placed, is simply beautiful!

I was feeling rather emotional today, and was depressed. After an outburst, I took Jon to the prayer wheel to calm down.

While I was there, I seek Buddha's help. I felt a total mess. I felt useless and helpless. How can I stop all these unhappy feeling arising from nowhere?

B sent an answer. The Prayer Wheel stopped moving while I was there, pondering what to do. There was 4 of us but yet we could not move it! We tried and tried, push and pull but the wheel would not budge at all. Finally a few more people turned up and we managed to get it going.

I am not a lone island. My spiritual practice cannot progress if I do not try to accept other and let them help me. I need to try harder to learn from everyone, see their sufferings and develop renunciation!

May everyone be happy, May everyone be free from misery, May everyone have equanimity, free from hatred and attachments!


- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

Hundred Chicken Temple

It was Saturday, and the students at Thangka Academy had a free and easy timetable.

We decided to join them. We started off the day, cleaning and sweeping, wiping off dust etc. Everyone helped including the center manager, Sonam.

The younger students were happy to be in charge for a change, showing us and directing us what to do!

We had lunch at the center, simple meal prepared by the cook. Then we headed off to the temple on the hill just behind the center.

Jon has befriended the younger boys very quickly. They eagerly showed us the way and picking berry(????) for us to try on the way.

A 15 minutes hike from the back of the center to the Hundred Chicken Temple, and no, we did not find hundred chicken there! Along the way, there are horses and cows grazing freely on the hills. As we hiked higher, one could see the whole town of Shangri-la surrounded with beautiful mountains tall enough to reach the heaven. It was a beautiful day, despite being winter. Not a cloud in the sky!

As you reach closer to the top of the hill, you are greeted by the beautiful colours of the Tibetan prayer flags.

Many devotees come to this temple, offering incenses and butter lamps. When we reached the temple, they were making light offerings and the main hall of the temple were covered with lights from the butter lamps.

The students took us to the underhall of the temple which was not lit. It is supposed to remind you of the hell. Cold, dark and scary!

Dave thought it is a much better representation of our samsaric life. The darkness represents our ignorance, the cold refers to our selfish self-grasping nature. We head through the dark tunnel tumbling and scared. But if someone has a torch, showing you the way, your confidence grow and you take braver step ahead. Just like beginning to learn more about dharma, our steps in life become more confident when there is a kind teacher guiding us. At the end of the dark tunnel, if you look carefully, you will find a little Buddha. Just like our practice, with effort, we will be enlightened!!!

What a trip! So much to learn.
- Posted by Mich using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

Altitude sickness

In the mid of trying to make our little room feel like a mongolian tent, we had forgotten that we are in high altitude!

We did everything that were opposite to the advises given by the great mighty virtual space.

Rest and to take easy is essential as our body need time to adjust to the thinner oxygen. It is not a good idea to try to do too much in the first few days.

Well - we forgotten! To top it off, we forgot to drink plenty of liquid.

Naturally, we developed shortness of breath if we over-exert our body. The body resume to normality once we slow down. San developed dizziness and nausea on the first day. Both of the children were restless and tired on the first day. But they rested and recovered quickly.

However, Dave and I did not take care and we continue to keep busy.

Headache is what come next, intense and long-lasting. It would not clear even when we took some painkiller. We started to pay attention to what our body is telling us. Even then it still took a couple of days to return to normal.

If it got any more worse, I would have an excuse to buy a can of oxygen. Something that I have been wanting to experience. Ha!
Michminster





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

Silver lining

The weather has got better in comparison to 5 am in the morning... The sun is out and we are basking in it before it hides behind the rain clouds.

It is quiet and relaxing. We just had lunch and the children is fooling around, the freezing cold forgotten. Dave is happily adding insulation to keep the heat inside our room!

How our mind changes! I smile that at this moment we are all contented.

Michminster

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Shangri-la, China

Freezing

Five o-clock in the morning and sleep has left me for the last few hours. I begin to wonder if my family and I are going to survive this winter! It is only November and we have only been here for 2 days.

Winter is looking bitter and cold from where we stand. The room in Thangka Academy is not geared up to cope with accommodating anyone for the cold temperature. We tried our best to keep warm, hugging our blanket and relying on our new found comfort of electric blanket.

I realize that Dharma has been the last thing on my mind. In this 'extreme' condition, all I crave for is the little comfort we took for granted, just barely few days ago.

This reminded me why I have encouraged this move. I want to get away from all the distractions and concentrate to make my spiritual life my main focus. Like Geshe-la said there is no way to get away from our distractions as they are in our mind. A simple life is where we are content with what we got and not look elsewhere for more! Even in a cave, we would still have our favorite spot!

So I am going to try harder once again and make this trip a worthwhile experience and not just a meaningless entries in my life!

Michminster

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Location:Shangri-la, China

The most meaningful exam

Michmister: Tomorrow is our Dharma exam on the book, Understanding Our Mind. D and I have been trying to prepare for it for the past few weeks but it will only be clear how will we have prepared when we the exam tomorrow.

Nervous but not panicking. Just wishing we could remembered what we have been taught. The interesting thing is that there are new things to remember. Feel like we have just started revision.

I do, however like these exam. the marks are not an issue. The important thing is that it forces us to study and keep the teaching on our mind for a few weeks. To me, this is very meaningful.




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Location:Seoul

Multiple headache

SpamSpam: Today I learn to times big numbers in two ways.
The first way is called the long column method.The second method is the same but shorter. I am confused with it.


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Location:Seoul

Death

Michmister : Finally, I was fed up with Facebook and had enough of myself wasting time posting messages and poking into others life. I sentenced myself to death on Facebook and delete it. Guess what - Dave followed suit. Brillant.

Location:Seoul

Kersang's Relay Station Guest House in Shangri La

Kersan's Relay Station No 1 Yamenlang Jinlong St. Old Town Shangri-La, Yunnan, china Tel: +86 887 8223 118 Mobile: +86 139 8878 9193 email: matthieuw34@gmail.com, gesanzhuoma@gmail.com

Michmister: Owned by a French guy who married a local beauty. A very comfortable place. Toilet and showers are modern. Rooms are spacious. The view was fantastic. Altogether, there were 4 rooms with ensuites, 4 room with common toilets. Price are between RMB80 to RMB 180. It was wooden structure. During summer, it was cool. Expect it to be cold in the winter. Near the old town shopping but not in it.

The Wind of Change

Michmister : Changes have been on our mind for a long time, and there have long discussions about what we are going to be and to do. We persuaded ourselves to stay because our Dharma Practice teaches us to be content.

However, as always, when the wind gathers, there is no stopping it. Both D and I felt it and we just were not sure where is it blowing.

Merit led us to meet Richard who told us about the Tibetan Thangka Academy. A seed was planted as we dreamt about painting Thangka and purifying our past harmful actions.

Then without any warning, our conditions gathered and we made the decision for D to give up his work, and we will travel to the mountain of China, Tibet Border to Shangri-la to learn Thangka Painting and Mandarin.