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“Kanzen”or complete, Hibiki is a harmonious blend of innumerous malt and grain whiskies which are meticulosly blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas.
Seductive, blossoming and enigmatic, Hibiki celebrates an unrivaled art of blending, fine craftsmanship and a sense of luxury from the House of Suntory. From its launch, Hibiki has been embraced as the paragon of The Art of Japanese Whisky, the very product of Japanese nature and her people.
Hibiki is not only Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky, but among the most prestigious and honoured whiskies in the world.
Cheers to Friday and the weekend ahead!
Olympus E-P2
LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25/F1.4
ƒ/1.6 25.0 mm 1/80 100
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The people and cats seem to live harmoniously together within the walls of Chefchaouen's medina (old town). No dogs.
The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms, every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him. Auguste Rodin
SMC Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR
This serene photograph captures a tranquil beach scene at sunset, with the sun setting over the calm sea. The composition adheres to the rule of thirds, with the horizon line placed in the lower third of the frame, allowing the sun to dominate the upper third. The leading lines of the shoreline guide the viewer's eye towards the horizon, emphasizing the vastness of the scene.
The color palette is predominantly soft and muted, with warm hues of the sunset transitioning into cooler blues and grays of the sky and sea. The use of light is masterful, with the sun's reflection on the water creating a shimmering golden pathway. The light also casts a gentle glow on the distant mountains and the pebbled beach, enhancing their silhouettes.
Symbolically, the image evokes a sense of peace and contemplation, with the solitary figure in the foreground adding a touch of human presence to the otherwise vast and natural landscape. The figure's small size in relation to the expansive scene emphasizes the individual's insignificance against the grandeur of nature.
The image's composition and use of light are reminiscent of the Romanticism movement, which often emphasized the sublime and the beauty of nature. The photograph's aesthetic quality is very high, with its harmonious balance of colors, gentle lighting, and serene atmosphere creating a visually appealing and emotionally resonant piece.
In terms of artistic movement, this photograph aligns with the principles of Romanticism, emphasizing the beauty and power of nature. The image's composition, use of light, and symbolic elements are all characteristic of Romantic landscape photography. The subjective aesthetic quality of the image is very high, with its serene and contemplative atmosphere making it a visually appealing and emotionally resonant piece.
I got stuck in the harmonious balance of the water. Came and went ... Like someone dancing in tune with a music whith closed eyes.
Something curious and comical about these rocks lies in their morphology.
If you look at the two main rocks in the background, you will notice red lines, apparently, cut or separate these rocks in the middle. The color of the stripes said, varies depending on time of year and day because of the effect of light intensity incident on the materials.
In general, it seems apparent that this curiosity stems from the rock formation, which is justified by the fusion of a sheet of material completely different from the rest of the rock formation.
To see these rocks, just down the first flight of wooden walkway, from North to South, on the beach of Loving, in Viana do Castelo. "... And remember, choose the right tide!"
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Fiquei preso no harmonioso balanço da agua. Ia e vinha... Como quem dança em sintonia, uma melodia de olhos serrados.
Algo curioso e caricato sobre estas rochas, reside na morfologia das mesmas.
Se analisar atentamente os dois principais penedos, no plano, ira notar umas riscas avermelhadas que aparentemente, cortam ou separam estas rochas ao meio. A cor das ditas riscas, varia consoante a altura do ano e do dia, como efeito da intensidade de luz incidente nos materiais.
Em termos gerais, parece que esta aparente curiosidade, tem origem na formação rochosa que se justifica com a fusão de um lençol de matérias totalmente diferentes da restante formação rochosa.
Para ver estas rochas, basta descer no primeiro lance do passadiço de madeira, no sentido Norte para Sul, na praia da Amorosa em Viana do Castelo. "… e não esquecer escolher a maré! "
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Amorosa beach / Viana do Castelo / Portugal
Taken with a Canon 450D and kit lens, EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS.
Victoria Bridge, Old Railway Bridge Located a few miles from Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, UK
A very historic and untouched part of the country with this amazing 100 year old iron steam train Rail Bridge and this tranquil riverside path leading alongside.
When I sometimes get stressed I like to stroll it all away here. Its much more effective than any medication.
Hope you enjoy! Please Favourite & Follow to view my newest upcoming works, Thank you
Budapest, Hungary.
MÁJUS 21-ÉN, PÉNTEKEN KIÁLLÍTÁSOM NYÍLIK SZÉKESFÉHÉRVÁRON, AZ ÖREGHEGYEN. GYERTEK! :)
With all Its serenity and solitude, Jorpokhri, a tiny place on hilltop stands only 19 km away from Darjeeling town in the state of West Bengal, India. You cannot resist to walk along its fascinating nature’s trail amidst the dhupi and pine forests at an altitude of 7,400 ft above sea level. Jorpokhri is part of Senchal forest and is a nature reserve. The entire area is maintained by Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). I walked for hours alone in the woods, and could see, listen, touch and smell so much that I never had before. It was my poetic pilgrimage through the silent notes of nature. And I wrote all my feelings what I would like to share with you my friends…….
SILENT NOTES
There had I walked alone
Amidst the silence of woods,
Where I had no desire or fear of losing,
For a place yet unknown.
The breeze that brought the sweet fragrance
Of the flowers that bloomed anew,
And I felt the freshness of the petals
As fresh as morning dew.
My feet could listen the melodious notes
Of the path I walked for,
And my shadows followed my harmonious foot steps
That I never had perceived before.
The gurgling of the tiny streams
Seemed so lyrical and nice,
That the songs they were singing for,
Had not been sung so alive.
The light and shadows on the forest floor
Of the mystic dawn,
That turned my mind so tranquil and cool
As I walked on and on!
The vibrant casts of beaming sunshine
That burst through the forest mists,
Seemed to bring the message of God
Ushering all new hopes to live.
The birds that sang all unforgettable notes,
To bring the woods so alive,
And I saw the sign of resonance everywhere
Where lives ever cried for lives.
The cool breeze that whispered around
Sprinkled the morning dews,
That diluted all my teardrops
With all its goodness and hues.
My heart whispered all my unspoken words
For which I awaited so long,
Amidst the sounds of silence
To that eternal call.
There I left my tiny footprints
That might fade with time,
But my soul that resonated ever
Will remain and will never die.
This sleek and contemporary lobby space in Tokyo exudes a refined elegance, combining minimalist design principles with carefully curated natural elements. The dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows provide a panoramic view of a lush courtyard, seamlessly integrating the outdoor greenery with the pristine, tranquil interior. The interplay between the dark, textured brick walls and the bright natural light creates a captivating contrast that enhances the overall ambiance of the space.
At the heart of the lobby is a striking floral arrangement housed in a sculptural vase. Vibrant orange, yellow, and white blossoms, accented with dried pampas grass, introduce a touch of organic warmth to the modern, cool-toned environment. Strategically placed lighting below the seating area bathes the floor in a soft, golden glow, highlighting the clean lines and geometric precision of the decor.
The tiled flooring complements the sleek, linear design, while subtle pops of color from pillows and planters add depth and personality. The integration of natural materials, from the plants outside to the floral centerpiece, demonstrates a thoughtful approach to biophilic design, aimed at enhancing relaxation and comfort within an urban setting.
This chic interior is a testament to Tokyo’s ability to harmoniously blend cutting-edge architecture with serene, nature-inspired aesthetics. It's an inviting space that feels both luxurious and calming, perfect for travelers seeking a quiet refuge within the city’s vibrant energy.
Welcome to the tranquil grounds of the D.T. Suzuki Museum in Kanazawa, Japan. This serene image captures the museum's contemplative walking path leading to a concrete doorway that opens up to a reflective water feature. The pathway, made of stone slabs set in gravel, guides visitors through a beautifully landscaped area. Lush greenery, including a tree with hanging branches and leaves, frames the scene, enhancing the sense of peace and introspection.
A visitor stands in the distance, either taking a photo or quietly observing the surroundings, adding a human element to the serene setting. The water feature at the end of the path mirrors the trees and sky, creating a harmonious blend of nature and architecture. This design encourages reflection and mindfulness, aligning perfectly with D.T. Suzuki's teachings on Zen and tranquility.
The use of concrete and stone in the architecture is a nod to minimalist design principles, creating clean lines and a stark contrast to the lush natural surroundings. The museum's layout promotes a sense of journey and discovery, inviting visitors to slow down and absorb the serene environment.
Whether you're exploring Zen philosophy or simply enjoying the peaceful ambiance, the D.T. Suzuki Museum offers a unique experience. The thoughtful design and natural elements come together to provide a space for quiet reflection and deeper connection with the principles of mindfulness.
@ Gateshead
It is often controversial when period and contemporary styles of building inhabit the same space. Can it be done successfully and harmoniously? And what of the occasions when elements of modern architecture are incorporated into the renovation of old buildings? For many, these questions can evoke an emotional response; yet it is not usually realistic to stem the tide of progress, nor is it acceptable or desirable to demolish the finest buildings of yesteryear.
One example is the former Baltic Flour Mill on the Gateshead quayside, which forms the brick shell of the building pictured (Centre For Contemporary Arts). Next to it are high rise apartments and it can be seen that efforts have been made to achieve some commonality in design.
"Goldfinch and Daisies" by Patti Deters. Amid a lush meadow of pretty white daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), a yellow American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) perches gracefully on a slender daisy stem, blending harmoniously with the soft yellows of the flower centers. As if painted onto a canvas of wildflowers, the composite goldfinch appears to float among the blooms. The songbird's delicate grip on the stem sways slightly with the breeze, creating a moment of quiet poetry in motion. This serene moment captures the beauty of spring and the intricate connection between pollinators, flora, and the avian world, offering a glimpse into the tranquility of nature. This picture is one of several where the subject color closely matches its surroundings - some of which are at the links below. If you like outdoor nature photography, please enjoy more birds, animals, and other wildlife images at patti-deters.pixels.com. If you like outdoor nature photography, please enjoy more birds, animals, and other wildlife artworks at patti-deters.pixels.com.
patti-deters.pixels.com/featured/red-bellied-woodpecker-i...
patti-deters.pixels.com/featured/winter-bluebird-in-hackb...
patti-deters.pixels.com/featured/canada-jay-in-the-snow-p...
patti-deters.pixels.com/featured/hummingbird-euphorbia-pa...
there's something beautiful harmonious about the sharing beloved places to the beloved people in your life. it's like connecting two halves of a stone that was broken in half fifty years ago. the edges are worn down, no sharp parts. there's a discussion there, a connection between the two halves. because you love them both. because they are both in your heart.
i was just talking to a friend of mine this past week, sarah nieman, and i told her that i wanted to be more personal on this photostream. i wanted to be more honest with you. i'm not here to show you the glamourous bits of my life, or just a series of a pretty girls in pretty places.
i've recently fallen in love, and it has made me so brave. i don't mind speaking to you now, to tell you that i've found this beautiful boy and i have finally shown him this beautiful place. he's from the west coast. he hasn't seen much of this ocean before.
Rom - Kapitolsplatz
The bird's-eye view of the engraving by Étienne Dupérac shows Michelangelo's solution to the problems of the space in the Piazza del Campidoglio. Even with their new facades centering them on the new palazzo at the rear, the space was a trapezoid, and the facades did not face each other squarely. Worse still, the whole site sloped. Michelangelo's solution was radical.
The three remodelled palazzi enclose a harmonious trapezoidal space, approached by the ramped staircase called the "Cordonata". The stepped ramp of the cordonata was intended, like a slow-moving escalator, to lift its visitors toward the sky and deposit them on the threshold of municipal authority. Since no "perfect" forms would work within the dimension of the plaza, his apparent ellipse in the paving is actually egg-shaped (oval), narrower at one end than at the other. The oval shape combined with the diamond pattern within it was a play on the previous Renaissance geometries of the circle and square. The travertine design set into the paving is perfectly level: Around its perimeter, low steps arise and die away into the paving as the slope requires. Its centre springs slightly, so that one senses that he/she is standing on the exposed segment of a gigantic egg all but buried at the centre of the city at the centre of the world, as Michelangelo's historian Charles de Tolnay pointed out. An interlaced twelve-pointed star makes a subtle reference to the constellations, revolving around this space called Caput mundi, Latin for "head of the world." This paving design was never executed by the popes, who may have detected a subtext of less-than-Christian import, but Benito Mussolini ordered the paving completed to Michelangelo's design in 1940.
Michelangelo looked at the center to find a solution to the Capitoline disorder. The statue provided a center and a focus. The buildings defined the space, and it is this space, as much as the buildings, that is the impressive achievement of the Capitoline complex. It is a giant outdoor room, a plaza enclosed and protected but open to the sky and accessible through five symmetrical openings. Axiality and symmetry govern all parts of the Campidoglio. The aspect of the piazza that makes this most immediately apparent is the central statue, with the paving pattern directing the visitors’ eyes to its base. Michelangelo also gave the medieval Palazzo del Senatore a central campanile, a renovated façade, and a grand divided external staircase. He designed a new façade for the colonnaded Palazzo dei Conservatori and projected an identical structure, the Palazzo Nuovo, for the opposite side of the piazza. On the narrow side of the trapezoidal plan, he extended the central axis with a magnificent stair to link the hilltop with the city below.
(Wikipedia)
Der Kapitolsplatz, italienisch Piazza del Campidoglio, ist seit der Frühen Neuzeit bis heute der zentrale Platz auf dem Kapitol in Rom. Der italienische Staat hat den Kapitolsplatz mit dem Europäischen Kulturerbe-Siegel ausgezeichnet.
In der Antike befand sich an dieser Stelle eine Senke, die als Asylum bezeichnet wurde. Diese Senke wurde eingerahmt von den beiden Hügelkuppen Capitolium, auf dem sich der Tempel des Jupiter befand, und der Arx, auf der eine Burg und der Tempel der Iuno Moneta standen. Zugang zu dieser auf dem Kapitolshügel befindlichen Senke hatte man nur vom Forum Romanum aus.
Im Spätmittelalter wurde die Senke aufgefüllt, um dem Senatorenpalast eine dorthin gewandte Ausrichtung zu ermöglichen. Da der Anblick des Forums den damaligen Besitzern nicht mehr gefiel, verlegten sie die Fassade von dort weg auf die gegenüberliegende Seite. Als die Päpste nach ihrem Exil in Avignon wieder die Macht in Rom erlangten und sich gegen die Adligen zu behaupten wussten, übernahmen sie auch die Macht auf dem Kapitol. Unter ihrer Regie entstanden hier weitere Gebäude.
Im ersten Drittel des 16. Jahrhunderts erhielt Michelangelo von Papst Paul III. den Auftrag, den Platz des Kapitolshügels in Rom neu zu gestalten. Im Jahre 1538 hatte man das bronzene Reiterstandbild des Kaisers Mark Aurel hierher gebracht und gedachte nun, einen würdigen Rahmen dafür zu schaffen. Während die meisten seiner Ideen schon im 16., spätestens jedoch im Laufe des 17. Jahrhunderts umgesetzt wurden, wurde die optische Hervorhebung durch die besondere Art der Pflasterung erst im Jahre 1940 ergänzt.
Der Entwurf von Michelangelo für den Kapitolsplatz sah folgende Elemente vor:
Die Cordonata, eine Freitreppe in Form einer großen Rampe, die den Zugang von Norden her ermöglichen sollte. Die Stufen und die Steigung der Rampe waren so konzipiert, dass sie für Reiter zu Pferd tauglich war.
Die Cordonata von heute ist eine Treppe, welche die Piazza d'Aracoeli mit dem Kapitolsplatz verbindet.
Die Basis der Treppe wird flankiert von zwei Löwen. Auf halber Höhe auf der linken Seite steht eine Skulptur Cola di Rienzis, die 1887 von Girolamo Masini geschaffen wurde. Das obere Ende der Treppe wird markiert von den dominanten Statuen der Dioskuren Kastor und Pollux mit ihren Pferden am Zügel, die hier 1585 an Stelle der von Michelangelo vorgesehenen Statuen installiert wurden. Wie alle Statuen auf dem Platz sind es Kopien, die meisten der Originale werden in den Kapitolinischen Museen aufbewahrt..
Die Gebäude (Senatorenpalast, Palazzo Nuovo, Konservatorenpalast) sollten trapezförmig zueinander stehen, damit der Platz optisch größer wirkte.
Die Statue des Mark Aurel sollte nach Norden in Richtung Vatikan ausgerichtet sein. Das Reiterstandbild sollte durch Linien auf dem Pflaster, die einen zwölfzackigen Stern, der in ein Oval eingepasst ist, darstellen sollten, optisch hervorgehoben werden.
Das Reiterstandbild wurde 1538 auf Anordnung von Papst Paul III. Farnese von seinem alten Standort vor dem Lateranpalast auf den Kapitolsplatz umgesetzt. Daher befinden sich auf dem Sockel des Standbildes, der ebenfalls von Michelangelo entworfen wurde, die Lilien der Farnese. Nach Abschluss der Renovierung 1990 befindet sich das Original in den Kapitolinischen Museen.
Der Senatorenpalast sollte eine große Doppeltreppe erhalten, die die Symmetrie des Platzes unterstreichen sollte.
Erbaut wurde der Palast nach Michelangelos Entwurf, aus der Zeit zwischen 1547 und 1579 stammt aber die Fassade von Giacomo della Porta und Girolamo Rainaldi.
Die zweiläufige Treppe, die zum Portal des Palastes führt, wurde zwischen 1547 und 1754 errichtet, ohne den im Entwurf vorgesehenen säulengestützten Baldachin.
In der Arkadennische unter der Treppe steht auf einem Sockel eine antike Skulptur der Minerva, die in eine Roma Dea umgewidmet wurde, als 1588/89 der von Matteo di Città di Castello (1555–1632) entworfene, der Treppe vorgelagerte Brunnen gebaut wurde. Die beiden flankierenden Kolossalstatuen, die den Nil und den Tiber symbolisieren, stammen von den Konstantinsthermen und wurden 1518 auf den Kapitolsplatz gebracht.
Heute ist der Senatorenpalast das Rathaus der Stadt Rom und Amtssitz des Bürgermeisters von Rom.
Am 25. März 1957 wurden im Senatorenpalast die Römischen Verträge von der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Frankreich, Italien, Luxemburg und den Niederlanden unterzeichnet.
Der Palazzo Nuovo wurde erst im 17. Jahrhundert im Auftrag von Innozenz X. unter der Leitung von Girolamo und Carlo Rainaldi ausgeführt, die zumindest in der Gestaltung der Fassade den Vorgaben Michelangelos folgten. Abgeschlossen war das Projekt erst 1663. Heute ist der Palazzo Nuovo Teil der Kapitolinischen Museen.
(Wikipedia)
Detail of the decorations on the lobby Christmas Tree in "Westbrook," the historic mansion of industrialist William Bayard Cutting, at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park on Long Island in New York. Volunteers do a great job of decorating the mansion for the holidays. If you look closely, you can see a handsome photographer reflected in the red ball. You can visit the Arboretum at www.bayardcuttingarboretum.com.
Harmonious is Epcot's fireworks and light display show dedicated to "The World’s Most Magical Celebration" —celebrating the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort.
[ENG] Santa María de Naranco is one of the most enigmatic and harmonious monuments of Western architecture. It is an old palace that was the Aula Regia of the palace complex that King Ramiro I (842-850) ordered to be built on the outskirts of the capital of the kingdom of Asturias. It was completed in the year 842. Its artistic style is the so-called Asturian or "ramirense" art, within the pre-Romanesque period. It functioned as a temple from the collapse of the chevet and part of the naves of San Miguel de Lillo (12th century) until its restoration in the years 1929-1934. It is located on the southern slope of Mount Naranco, about 4 km from Oviedo (Asturias, Spain). It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. More photos in the album Santa María de Naranco (9th century)
[ESP] Santa María de Naranco es uno de los monumentos más enigmáticos y armoniosos de la arquitectura occidental. Es un antiguo palacio que fue el Aula Regia del conjunto palacial que el rey Ramiro I (842-850) mandó construir en las afueras de la capital del reino de Asturias. Se terminó en el año 842. Su estilo artístico es el denominado arte asturiano o "ramirense", dentro del prerrománico. Funcionó como templo desde el derrumbamiento de la cabecera y de parte de las naves de San Miguel de Lillo (siglo XII) hasta su restauración en los años 1929-1934. Se ubica en la ladera meridional del Monte Naranco, a unos 4 km de Oviedo (Asturias, España). Fue declarado Patrimonio Mundial de la Humanidad por la Unesco en 1985. Más fotografías en el álbum Santa María de Naranco (siglo IX)
23P1460
The capture of the southern gate of Tianjin. British troops were positioned on the left, Japanese troops at the centre, French troops on the right.
Massacres by the Westerners: After the liberation of legations, the military, settlers, blinded by the presence of mutilated bodies, impaled bodies, heads placed in pyramids, and countless Christian Chinese corpses defiling the water wells, and in a state of decomposition in the ditches, commit the worst atrocities. They kill the people accused of being Boxers by the thousands, loot, rape, and be photographed on the imperial throne.
The Boxer Rebellion, Boxer Uprising or Yihetuan Movement was a violent anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising that took place in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty. It was initiated by the Militia United in Righteousness (Yihetuan), known in English as the "Boxers", for many of their members had been practioners of the martial arts, such as boxing. They were motivated by proto-nationalist sentiments and opposition to Western colonialism and associated Christian missionary activity. The uprising took place against a background of severe drought and the disruption caused by the growth of foreign spheres of influence. After several months of growing violence against both the foreign and Christian presence in Shandong and the North China plain in June 1900, Boxer fighters, convinced they were invulnerable to foreign weapons, converged on Beijing with the slogan "Support the Qing government and exterminate the foreigners." Foreigners and Chinese Christians sought refuge in the Legation Quarter. In response to reports of an armed invasion to lift the siege, the initially hesitant Empress Dowager Cixi supported the Boxers and on June 21 issued an Imperial Decree declaring war on the foreign powers. Diplomats, foreign civilians and soldiers as well as Chinese Christians in the Legation Quarter were placed under siege by the Imperial Army of China and the Boxers for 55 days.
Chinese officialdom was split between those supporting the Boxers and those favoring conciliation, led by Prince Qing. The supreme commander of the Chinese forces, the Manchu General Ronglu (Junglu), later claimed that he acted to protect the besieged foreigners. The Eight-Nation Alliance, after being initially turned back, brought 20,000 armed troops to China, defeated the Imperial Army, and arrived at Peking on August 14, relieving the siege of the Legations. Uncontrolled plunder of the capital and the surrounding countryside ensued, along with the summary execution of those suspected of being Boxers. The Boxer Protocol of 7 September 1901 provided for the execution of government officials who had supported the Boxers, provisions for foreign troops to be stationed in Beijing, and 450 million taels of silver—approximately $10 billion at 2017 silver prices and more than the government's annual tax revenue—to be paid as indemnity over the course of the next thirty-nine years to the eight nations involved. The Empress Dowager then sponsored a set of institutional and fiscal changes in an attempt to save the Dynasty by reforming it.The Righteous and Harmonious Fists (Yihequan) arose in the inland sections of the northern coastal province of Shandong, long known for social unrest, religious sects, and martial societies. American Christian missionaries were probably the first to refer to the well-trained, athletic young men as "Boxers", because of the martial arts and weapons training they practiced. Their primary practice was a type of spiritual possession which involved the whirling of swords, violent prostrations, and chanting incantations to deities.The opportunities to fight back Western encroachment and colonization were especially attractive to unemployed village men, many of whom were teenagers.[8] The tradition of possession and invulnerability went back several hundred years but took on special meaning against the powerful new weapons of the West.[9] The Boxers, armed with rifles and swords, claimed supernatural invulnerability towards blows of cannon, rifle shots, and knife attacks. Furthermore, the Boxer groups popularly claimed that millions of soldiers of Heaven would descend to assist them in purifying China of foreign oppression.[10] These beliefs are characteristic of millenarian movements of nativist resistance, especially the characteristic magical belief, shared by the Ghost Dancers of North America and the Kartelite Cults of Africa, that the believer could be rendered invulnerable to bullets.In 1895, in spite of ambivalence toward their heterodox practices, Yuxian, a Manchu who was then prefect of Caozhou and would later become provincial governor, used the Big Swords Society in fighting bandits. The Big Swords, emboldened by this official support, also attacked their local Catholic village rivals, who turned to the Church for protection. The Big Swords responded by attacking Catholic churches and burning them. "The line between Christians and bandits", remarks one recent historian, "became increasingly indistinct." As a result of diplomatic pressure in the capital, Yuxian executed several Big Sword leaders, but did not punish anyone else. More martial secret societies started emerging after this. The early years saw a variety of village activities, not a broad movement with a united purpose. Martial folk religious societies such as the Baguadao (Eight Trigrams) prepared the way for the Boxers. Like the Red Boxing school or the Plum Flower Boxers, the Boxers of Shandong were more concerned with traditional social and moral values, such as filial piety, than with foreign influences. One leader, Zhu Hongdeng (Red Lantern Zhu), started as a wandering healer, specializing in skin ulcers, and gained wide respect by refusing payment for his treatments.[13] Zhu claimed descent from Ming dynasty emperors, since his surname was the surname of the Ming imperial family. He announced that his goal was to "Revive the Qing and destroy the foreigners" ("扶清灭洋 fu Qing mie yang"). The combination of extreme weather conditions, Western attempts at colonizing China and growing anti-imperialist sentiment fueled the movement. First, a drought followed by floods in Shandong province in 1897–1898 forced farmers to flee to cities and seek food. As one observer said, "I am convinced that a few days' heavy rainfall to terminate the long-continued drought ... would do more to restore tranquility than any measures which either the Chinese government or foreign governments can take." A French political cartoon depicting China as a pie about to be carved up by Queen Victoria (Britain), Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany), Tsar Nicholas II (Russia), Marianne (France) and a samurai (Japan), while a Chinese mandarin helplessly looks on.
A major cause of discontent in north China was missionary activity. The Treaty of Tientsin (or Tianjin) and the Convention of Peking, signed in 1860 after the Second Opium War, had granted foreign missionaries the freedom to preach anywhere in China and to buy land on which to build churches.[16] On 1 November 1897, a band of armed men who were perhaps members of the Big Swords Society stormed the residence of a German missionary from the Society of the Divine Word and killed two priests. This attack is known as the Juye Incident. When Kaiser Wilhelm II received news of these murders, he dispatched the German East Asia Squadron to occupy Jiaozhou Bay on the southern coast of the Shandong peninsula. Germany's action triggered a "scramble for concessions" by which Britain, France, Russia and Japan also secured their own sphere of influence in China. In October 1898, a group of Boxers attacked the Christian community of Liyuantun village where a temple to the Jade Emperor had been converted into a Catholic church. Disputes had surrounded the church since 1869, when the temple had been granted to the Christian residents of the village. This incident marked the first time the Boxers used the slogan "Support the Qing, destroy the foreigners" ("扶清灭洋 fu Qing mie yang") that would later characterise them. The "Boxers" called themselves the "Militia United in Righteousness" for the first time one year later, at the Battle of Senluo Temple (October 1899), a clash between Boxers and Qing government troops. By using the word "Militia" rather than "Boxers", they distanced themselves from forbidden martial arts sects, and tried to give their movement the legitimacy of a group that defended orthodoxy.
Aggression toward missionaries and Christians drew the ire of foreign (mainly European) governments. In 1899, the French minister in Beijing helped the missionaries to obtain an edict granting official status to every order in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, enabling local priests to support their people in legal or family disputes and bypass the local officials. After the German government took over Shandong many Chinese feared that the foreign missionaries and quite possibly all Christian activities were imperialist attempts at "carving the melon", i.e., to divide and colonize China piece by piece.[23] A Chinese official expressed the animosity towards foreigners succinctly, "Take away your missionaries and your opium and you will be welcome." The early growth of the Boxer movement coincided with the Hundred Days' Reform (11 June – 21 September 1898). Progressive Chinese officials, with support from Protestant missionaries, persuaded the Guangxu Emperor to institute reforms which alienated many conservative officials by their sweeping nature. Such opposition from conservative officials led Empress Dowager Cixi to intervene and reverse the reforms. The failure of the reform movement disillusioned many educated Chinese and thus further weakened the Qing government. After the reforms ended, the conservative Empress Dowager Cixi seized power and placed the reformist Guangxu Emperor under house arrest.
The national crisis was widely seen as being caused by foreign aggression. Foreign powers had defeated China in several wars, forced a right to promote Christianity and imposed unequal treaties under which foreigners and foreign companies in China were accorded special privileges, extraterritorial rights and immunities from Chinese law, causing resentment among the Chinese. France, Japan, Russia and Germany carved out spheres of influence, so that by 1900 it appeared that China would likely be dismembered, with foreign powers each ruling a part of the country. Thus, by 1900, the Qing dynasty, which had ruled China for more than two centuries, was crumbling and Chinese culture was under assault by powerful and unfamiliar religions and secular cultures. Chinese Muslim troops from Gansu, also known as the Gansu Braves, killed a Japanese diplomat on 11 June 1900. Foreigners called them the "10,000 Islamic rabble." In January 1900, with a majority of conservatives in the imperial court, Empress Dowager Cixi changed her long standing policy of suppressing Boxers, and issued edicts in their defence, causing protests from foreign powers. In spring 1900, the Boxer movement spread rapidly north from Shandong into the countryside near Beijing. Boxers burned Christian churches, killed Chinese Christians and intimidated Chinese officials who stood in their way. American Minister Edwin H. Conger cabled Washington, "the whole country is swarming with hungry, discontented, hopeless idlers." On 30 May the diplomats, led by British Minister Claude Maxwell MacDonald, requested that foreign soldiers come to Beijing to defend the legations. The Chinese government reluctantly acquiesced, and the next day an international force of 435 navy troops from eight countries disembarked from warships and travelled by train from Dagu (Taku) to Beijing. They set up defensive perimeters around their respective missions.On 5 June, the railway line to Tianjin was cut by Boxers in the countryside and Beijing was isolated. On 11 June, at Yongding gate, the secretary of the Japanese legation, Sugiyama Akira, was attacked and killed by the soldiers of general Dong Fuxiang, who were guarding the southern part of the Beijing walled city. Armed with Mauser rifles but wearing traditional uniforms,Dong's troops had threatened the foreign Legations in the fall of 1898 soon after arriving in Beijing, so much that troops from the United States Marine Corps had been called to Beijing to guard the legations. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II was so alarmed by the Chinese Muslim troops that he requested the Caliph Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire to find a way to stop the Muslim troops from fighting. The Caliph agreed to the Kaiser's request and sent Enver Pasha (not the future Young Turk leader) to China in 1901, but the rebellion was over by that time. Also on 11 June, the first Boxer, dressed in his finery, was seen in the Legation Quarter. The German Minister, Clemens von Ketteler, and German soldiers captured a Boxer boy and inexplicably executed him.[34] In response, thousands of Boxers burst into the walled city of Beijing that afternoon and burned many of the Christian churches and cathedrals in the city, burning some victims alive.[35] American and British missionaries had taken refuge in the Methodist Mission and an attack there was repulsed by American Marines. The soldiers at the British Embassy and German Legations shot and killed several Boxers,[36] alienating the Chinese population of the city and nudging the Qing government toward support of the Boxers. The Muslim Gansu braves and Boxers, along with other Chinese then attacked and killed Chinese Christians around the legations in revenge for foreign attacks on Chinese. Japanese marines who served in the Seymour Expedition. As the situation grew more violent, a second international force of 2,000 sailors and marines under the command of the British Vice-Admiral Edward Seymour, the largest contingent being British, was dispatched from Dagu to Beijing on 10 June 1900. The troops were transported by train from Dagu to Tianjin with the agreement of the Chinese government, but the railway between Tianjin and Beijing had been severed. Seymour resolved to move forward and repair the railway, or progress on foot if necessary, keeping in mind that the distance between Tianjin and Beijing was only 120 km. When Seymour left Tianjin and started toward Beijing, it angered the imperial court. As a result, the pro-Boxer Manchu Prince Duan became leader of the Zongli Yamen (foreign office), replacing Prince Qing. Prince Duan was a member of the imperial Aisin Gioro clan (foreigners called him a "Blood Royal"), and Empress Dowager Cixi had named her son as next in line for the imperial throne. He became the effective leader of the Boxers, and he was extremely anti-foreigner like his friend Dong Fuxiang, and wanted to expel them from China. He soon ordered the Qing imperial army to attack the foreign forces. Confused by conflicting orders from Beijing, General Nie Shicheng let Seymour's army pass by in their trains.Admiral Seymour returning to Tianjin with his wounded men, on 26 June. After leaving Tianjin, the convoy quickly reached Langfang, but found the railway there to be destroyed. Seymour's engineers tried to repair the line, but the allied army found itself surrounded, as the railway both behind and in front of them had been destroyed. They were attacked from all parts by Chinese irregulars and Chinese governmental troops. Five thousand of Dong Fuxiang's "Gansu Braves" and an unknown number of "Boxers" won a costly but major victory over Seymour's troops at the Battle of Langfang on 18 June. As the allied European army retreated from Langfang, they were constantly fired upon by cavalry, and artillery bombarded their positions. It was reported that the Chinese artillery was superior to the European artillery, since the Europeans did not bother to bring along much for the campaign, thinking they could easily sweep through Chinese resistance. The Europeans could not locate the Chinese artillery, which was raining shells upon their positions.Mining, engineering, flooding and simultaneous attacks were employed by Chinese troops. The Chinese also employed pincer movements, ambushes and sniper tactics with some success against the foreigners.Italian mounted infantry near Tientsin in 1900
News arrived on 18 June regarding attacks on foreign legations. Seymour decided to continue advancing, this time along the Beihe river, toward Tongzhou, 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Beijing. By the 19th, they had to abandon their efforts due to progressively stiffening resistance and started to retreat southward along the river with over 200 wounded. Commandeering four civilian Chinese junks along the river, they loaded all their wounded and remaining supplies onto them and pulled them along with ropes from the riverbanks. By this point they were very low on food, ammunition and medical supplies. Unexpectedly they then happened upon the Great Xigu Arsenal, a hidden Qing munitions cache of which the Allied Powers had had no knowledge until then. They immediately captured and occupied it, discovering not only Krupp field guns, but rifles with millions of rounds of ammunition, along with millions of pounds of rice and ample medical supplies. There they dug in and awaited rescue. A Chinese servant was able to infiltrate through the Boxer and Qing lines, informing the Eight Powers of the Seymour troops' predicament. Surrounded and attacked nearly around the clock by Qing troops and Boxers, they were at the point of being overrun. On 25 June, a regiment composed of 1,800 men (900 Russian troops from Port Arthur, 500 British seamen, with an ad hoc mix of other assorted Alliance troops) finally arrived on foot from Tientsin to rescue Seymour. Spiking the mounted field guns and setting fire to any munitions that they could not take (an estimated £3 million worth), Seymour, his force, and the rescue mission marched back to Tientsin, unopposed, on 26 June. Seymour's casualties during the expedition were 62 killed and 228 wounded. Qing imperial soldiers during the Boxer Rebellion Meanwhile, in Beijing, on 16 June, Empress Dowager Cixi summoned the imperial court for a mass audience and addressed the choices between using the Boxers to evict the foreigners from the city or seeking a diplomatic solution. In response to a high official who doubted the efficacy of the Boxers' magic, Cixi replied: Both sides of the debate at the imperial court realised that popular support for the Boxers in the countryside was almost universal and that suppression would be both difficult and unpopular, especially when foreign troops were on the march. Two factions were active during this debate. On one side were anti-foreigners who viewed foreigners as invasive and imperialistic and evoked a nativist populism. They advocated taking advantage of the Boxers to achieve the expulsion of foreign troops and foreign influences. The pro-foreigners on the other hand advanced rapprochement with foreign governments, seeing the Boxers as superstitious and ignorant. The event that tilted the Qing imperial government irrevocably toward support of the Boxers and war with the foreign powers was the attack of foreign navies on the Dagu Forts near Tianjin, on 17 June 1900. Locations of foreign diplomatic legations and front lines in Beijing during the siege On 15 June, Qing imperial forces deployed electric mines in the River Beihe (Peiho) to prevent the Eight-Nation Alliance from sending ships to attack. With a difficult military situation in Tianjin and a total breakdown of communications between Tianjin and Beijing, the allied nations took steps to reinforce their military presence significantly. On 17 June they took the Dagu Forts commanding the approaches to Tianjin, and from there brought increasing numbers of troops on shore. When Cixi received an ultimatum[when?] demanding that China surrender total control over all its military and financial affairs to foreigners, she defiantly stated before the entire Grand Council, "Now they [the Powers] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield to them, I would have no face to see our ancestors after death. If we must perish, why not fight to the death?"It was at this point that Cixi began to blockade the legations with the armies of the Peking Field Force, which began the siege. Cixi stated that "I have always been of the opinion, that the allied armies had been permitted to escape too easily in 1860. Only a united effort was then necessary to have given China the victory. Today, at last, the opportunity for revenge has come", and said that millions of Chinese would join the cause of fighting the foreigners since the Manchus had provided "great benefits" on China. On receipt of the news of the attack on the Dagu Forts on the 19th of June, Empress Dowager Cixi immediately sent an order to the legations that the diplomats and other foreigners depart Beijing under escort of the Chinese army within 24 hours. The next morning, diplomats from the besieged legations met to discuss the Empress's offer. The majority quickly agreed that they could not trust the Chinese army. Fearing that they would be killed, they agreed to refuse the Empress's demand. The German Imperial Envoy, Baron Klemens Freiherr von Ketteler, was infuriated with the actions of the Chinese army troops and determined to take his complaints to the royal court. Against the advice of the fellow foreigners, the baron left the legations with a single aide and a team of porters to carry his sedan chair. On his way to the palace, von Ketteler was killed on the streets of Beijing by a Manchu captain. His aide managed to escape the attack and carried word of the baron's death back to the diplomatic compound. At this news, the other diplomats feared they also would be murdered if they left the legation quarter and they chose to continue to defy the Chinese order to depart Beijing. The legations were hurriedly fortified. Most of the foreign civilians, which included a large number of missionaries and businessmen, took refuge in the British legation, the largest of the diplomatic compounds. Chinese Christians were primarily housed in the adjacent palace (Fu) of Prince Su who was forced to abandon his property by the foreign soldiers.Representative U.S., Indian, French, Italian, British, German, Austrian and Japanese military and naval personnel forming part of the Allied forces On the 21st of June, Empress Dowager Cixi declared war against all foreign powers. Regional governors who commanded substantial modernised armies, such as Li Hongzhang at Canton, Yuan Shikai in Shandong, Zhang Zhidong at Wuhan and Liu Kunyi at Nanjing, refused to join in the imperial court's declaration of war and withheld knowledge of it from the public in the south. Yuan Shikai used his own forces to suppress Boxers in Shandong, and Zhang entered into negotiations with the foreigners in Shanghai to keep his army out of the conflict. The neutrality of these provincial and regional governors left the majority of Chinese out of the conflict. They were called The Mutual Protection of Southeast China. The legations of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, Russia and Japan were located in the Beijing Legation Quarter south of the Forbidden City. The Chinese army and Boxer irregulars besieged the Legation Quarter from 20 June to 14 August 1900. A total of 473 foreign civilians, 409 soldiers, marines and sailors from eight countries, and about 3,000 Chinese Christians took refuge there. Under the command of the British minister to China, Claude Maxwell MacDonald, the legation staff and military guards defended the compound with small arms, three machine guns, and one old muzzle-loaded cannon, which was nicknamed the International Gun because the barrel was British, the carriage Italian, the shells Russian and the crew American. Chinese Christians in the legations led the foreigners to the cannon and it proved important in the defence. Also under siege in Beijing was the Northern Cathedral (Beitang) of the Catholic Church. The Beitang was defended by 43 French and Italian soldiers, 33 Catholic foreign priests and nuns, and about 3,200 Chinese Catholics. The defenders suffered heavy casualties especially from lack of food and mines which the Chinese exploded in tunnels dug beneath the compound. [58]The number of Chinese soldiers and Boxers besieging the Legation Quarter and the Beitang is unknown.1900, soldiers burned down the Temple, Shanhaiguan. The destruction of a Chinese temple on the bank of the Pei-Ho, by Amédée Forestier. On the 22nd and 23 June, Chinese soldiers and Boxers set fire to areas north and west of the British Legation, using it as a "frightening tactic" to attack the defenders. The nearby Hanlin Academy, a complex of courtyards and buildings that housed "the quintessence of Chinese scholarship ... the oldest and richest library in the world", caught fire. Each side blamed the other for the destruction of the invaluable books it contained. After the failure to burn out the foreigners, the Chinese army adopted an anaconda-like strategy. The Chinese built barricades surrounding the Legation Quarter and advanced, brick by brick, on the foreign lines, forcing the foreign legation guards to retreat a few feet at a time. This tactic was especially used in the Fu, defended by Japanese and Italian sailors and soldiers, and inhabited by most of the Chinese Christians. Fusillades of bullets, artillery and firecrackers were directed against the Legations almost every night—but did little damage. Sniper fire took its toll among the foreign defenders. Despite their numerical advantage, the Chinese did not attempt a direct assault on the Legation Quarter although in the words of one of the besieged, "it would have been easy by a strong, swift movement on the part of the numerous Chinese troops to have annihilated the whole body of foreigners ... in an hour." American missionary Frank Gamewell and his crew of "fighting parsons" fortified the Legation Quarter, but impressed Chinese Christians to do most of the physical labour of building defences. The Germans and the Americans occupied perhaps the most crucial of all defensive positions: the Tartar Wall. Holding the top of the 45 ft (14 m) tall and 40 ft (12 m) wide wall was vital. The German barricades faced east on top of the wall and 400 yd (370 m) west were the west-facing American positions. The Chinese advanced toward both positions by building barricades even closer. "The men all feel they are in a trap", said the American commander, Capt. John T. Myers, "and simply await the hour of execution."On 30 June, the Chinese forced the Germans off the Wall, leaving the American Marines alone in its defence. At the same time, a Chinese barricade was advanced to within a few feet of the American positions and it became clear that the Americans had to abandon the wall or force the Chinese to retreat. At 2 am on 3 July, 56 British, Russian and American marines and sailors, under the command of Myers, launched an assault against the Chinese barricade on the wall. The attack caught the Chinese sleeping, killed about 20 of them, and expelled the rest of them from the barricades. The Chinese did not attempt to advance their positions on the Tartar Wall for the remainder of the siege. Sir Claude MacDonald said 13 July was the "most harassing day" of the siege. The Japanese and Italians in the Fu were driven back to their last defence line. The Chinese detonated a mine beneath the French Legation pushing the French and Austrians out of most of the French Legation.On 16 July, the most capable British officer was killed and the journalist George Ernest Morrison was wounded. But American Minister Edwin Hurd Conger established contact with the Chinese government and on 17 July, an armistice was declared by the Chinese.[68] More than 40% of the legation guards were dead or wounded. The motivation of the Chinese was probably the realization that an allied force of 20,000 men had landed in China and retribution for the siege was at hand. Han Chinese General Nie Shicheng, who fought both the Boxers and the Allies.
The Manchu General Ronglu concluded that it was futile to fight all of the powers simultaneously, and declined to press home the siege.The Manchu Zaiyi (Prince Duan), an anti-foreign friend of Dong Fuxiang, wanted artillery for Dong's troops to destroy the legations. Ronglu blocked the transfer of artillery to Zaiyi and Dong, preventing them from attacking. Ronglu forced Dong Fuxiang and his troops to pull back from completing the siege and destroying the legations, thereby saving the foreigners and making diplomatic concessions. Ronglu and Prince Qing sent food to the legations, and used their Manchu Bannermen to attack the Muslim Gansu Braves ("Kansu Braves" in the spelling of the time) of Dong Fuxiang and the Boxers who were besieging the foreigners. They issued edicts ordering the foreigners to be protected, but the Gansu warriors ignored it, and fought against Bannermen who tried to force them away from the legations. The Boxers also took commands from Dong Fuxiang.Ronglu also deliberately hid an Imperial Decree from General Nie Shicheng. The Decree ordered him to stop fighting the Boxers because of the foreign invasion, and also because the population was suffering. Due to Ronglu's actions, General Nie continued to fight the Boxers and killed many of them even as the foreign troops were making their way into China. Ronglu also ordered Nie to protect foreigners and save the railway from the Boxers. Because parts of the Railway were saved under Ronglu's orders, the foreign invasion army was able to transport itself into China quickly. General Nie committed thousands of troops against the Boxers instead of against the foreigners. Nie was already outnumbered by the Allies by 4,000 men. General Nie was blamed for attacking the Boxers, as Ronglu let Nie take all the blame. At the Battle of Tianjin (Tientsin), General Nie decided to sacrifice his life by walking into the range of Allied guns.
Xu Jingcheng, who had served as the Qing Envoy to many of the same states under siege in the Legation Quarter, argued that "the evasion of extraterritorial rights and the killing of foreign diplomats are unprecedented in China and abroad." Xu and five other officials urged Empress Dowager Cixi to order the repression of Boxers, the execution of their leaders, and a diplomatic settlement with foreign armies. The Empress Dowager, outraged, sentenced Xu and the five others to death for "willfully and absurdly petitioning the Imperial Court" and "building subversive thought." They were executed on July 28, 1900 and their severed heads placed on display at Caishikou Execution Grounds in Beijing. Han Chinese General Dong Fuxiang was overtly hostile to foreigners and his "Gansu Braves" relentlessly attacked the besieged legations. Reflecting this vacillation, some Chinese soldiers were quite liberally firing at foreigners under siege from its very onset. Cixi did not personally order imperial troops to conduct a siege, and on the contrary had ordered them to protect the foreigners in the legations. Prince Duan led the Boxers to loot his enemies within the imperial court and the foreigners, although imperial authorities expelled Boxer troops after they were let into the city and went on a looting rampage against both the foreign and the Qing imperial forces. Older Boxers were sent outside Beijing to halt the approaching foreign armies, while younger men were absorbed into the Muslim Gansu army. With conflicting allegiances and priorities motivating the various forces inside Beijing, the situation in the city became increasingly confused. The foreign legations continued to be surrounded by both Qing imperial and Gansu forces. While Dong Fuxiang's Gansu army, now swollen by the addition of the Boxers, wished to press the siege, Ronglu's imperial forces seem to have largely attempted to follow Empress Dowager Cixi's decree and protect the legations. However, to satisfy the conservatives in the imperial court, Ronglu's men also fired on the legations and let off firecrackers to give the impression that they, too, were attacking the foreigners. Inside the legations and out of communication with the outside world, the foreigners simply fired on any targets that presented themselves, including messengers from the imperial court, civilians and besiegers of all persuasions. Dong Fuxiang was denied artillery held by Ronglu which stopped him from leveling the legations, and when he complained to Empress Dowager Cixi on June 23, she dismissively said that "Your tail, is becoming too heavy to wag." The Alliance discovered large amounts of unused Chinese Krupp artillery and shells after the siege was lifted.
The armistice, although occasionally broken, endured until 13 August when, with an allied army led by the British Alfred Gaselee approaching Beijing to relieve the siege, the Chinese launched their heaviest fusillade on the Legation Quarter. As the foreign army approached, Chinese forces melted away. The Boxers bombarded Tianjin in June 1900, and Dong Fuxiang's Muslim troops attacked the British Admiral Seymour and his expeditionary force.
Foreign navies started building up their presence along the northern China coast from the end of April 1900. Several international forces were sent to the capital, with varying success, and the Chinese forces were ultimately defeated by the Eight-Nation Alliance of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Independent of the alliance, the Netherlands dispatched three cruisers in July to protect its citizens in Shanghai. British Lieutenant-General Alfred Gaselee acted as the commanding officer of the Eight-Nation Alliance, which eventually numbered 55,000. The main contingent was composed of Japanese (20,840), Russian (13,150), British (12,020), French (3,520), U.S. (3,420), German (900), Italian, Austro-Hungarian and anti-Boxer Chinese troops.[83] The "First Chinese Regiment" (Weihaiwei Regiment) which was praised for its performance, consisted of Chinese collaborators serving in the British military.The international force finally captured Tianjin on 14 July under the command of the Japanese Colonel Kuriya, after a day of fighting. A Group Photograph at Quetta, Baluchistan (Chief Commissioner's Province), British India of some of the Officers of the 26th Baluchistan Regiment of Bombay Infantry of British India – before leaving India to go to China in 1900 to suppress the Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901).
Notable events included the seizure of the Dagu Forts commanding the approaches to Tianjin and the boarding and capture of four Chinese destroyers by British Commander Roger Keyes. Among the foreigners besieged in Tianjin was a young American mining engineer named Herbert Hoover, who would go on to become the 31st President of the United States.[85][86]
The march from Tianjin to Beijing of about 120 km included about 20,000 allied troops. On 4 August, there were approximately 70,000 Qing imperial troops and anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 Boxers along the way. The allies only encountered minor resistance, fighting battles at Beicang and Yangcun. At Yangcun, the 14th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. and British troops led the assault. The weather was a major obstacle. Conditions were extremely humid with temperatures sometimes reaching 42 °C (108 °F). These high temperatures and insects plagued the Allies. Soldiers dehydrated and horses died. Chinese villagers killed Allied troops who searched for wells.
The heat killed Allied soldiers, who foamed at the mouth. The tactics along the way were gruesome on either side. Allied soldiers beheaded already dead Chinese corpses, bayoneted or beheaded live Chinese civilians, and raped Chinese girls and women.[88] Cossacks were reported to have killed Chinese civilians almost automatically and Japanese kicked a Chinese soldier to death.[89] The Chinese responded to the Alliance's atrocities with similar acts of violence and cruelty, especially towards captured Russians.[88] Lieutenant Smedley Butler saw the remains of two Japanese soldiers nailed to a wall, who had their tongues cut off and their eyes gouged.[90] Lieutenant Butler was wounded during the expedition in the leg and chest, later receiving the Brevet Medal in recognition for his actions.
Chinese troops wearing modern uniforms in 1900
The international force reached Beijing on 14 August. Following the defeat of Beiyang army in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese government had invested heavily in modernizing the imperial army, which was equipped with modern Mauser repeater rifles and Krupp artillery. Three modernized divisions consisting of Manchu Bannermen protected the Beijing Metropolitan region. Two of them were under the command of the anti-Boxer Prince Qing and Ronglu, while the anti-foreign Prince Duan commanded the ten-thousand-strong Hushenying, or "Tiger Spirit Division", which had joined the Gansu Braves and Boxers in attacking the foreigners. It was a Hushenying captain who had assassinated the German diplomat Ketteler. The Tenacious Army under Nie Shicheng received western style training under German and Russian officers in addition to their modernised weapons and uniforms. They effectively resisted the Alliance at the Battle of Tientsin before retreating and astounded the Alliance forces with the accuracy of their artillery during the siege of the Tianjin concessions (the artillery shells failed to explode upon impact due to corrupt manufacturing). The Gansu Braves under Dong Fuxiang, which some sources described as "ill disciplined", were armed with modern weapons but were not trained according to western drill and wore traditional Chinese uniforms. They led the defeat of the Alliance at Langfang in the Seymour Expedition and were the most ferocious in besieging the Legations in Beijing. Some Banner forces were given modernised weapons and western training, becoming the Metropolitan Banner forces, which were decimated in the fighting. Among the Manchu dead was the father of the writer Lao She.[citation needed]
Corporal Titus scaling the walls of Peking
The British won the race among the international forces to be the first to reach the besieged Legation Quarter. The U.S. was able to play a role due to the presence of U.S. ships and troops stationed in Manila since the U.S. conquest of the Philippines during the Spanish–American War and the subsequent Philippine Insurrection. In the U.S. military, the action in the Boxer Rebellion was known as the China Relief Expedition. United States Marines scaling the walls of Beijing is an iconic image of the Boxer Rebellion.
The British Army reached the legation quarter on the afternoon of 14 August and relieved the Legation Quarter. The Beitang was relieved on 16 August, first by Japanese soldiers and then, officially, by the French.
Massacres by the Westerners: After the liberation of legations, the military, settlers, blinded by the presence of mutilated bodies, impaled bodies, heads placed in pyramids, and countless Christian Chinese corpses defiling the water wells, and in a state of decomposition in the ditches, commit the worst atrocities. They kill the people accused of being Boxers by the thousands, loot, rape, and be photographed on the imperial throne.
In the early hours of 15 August, just as the Foreign Legations were being relieved, Empress Dowager Cixi, dressed in the padded blue cotton of a farm woman, the Guangxu Emperor, and a small retinue climbed into three wooden ox carts and escaped from the city covered with rough blankets. Legend has it that the Empress Dowager then either ordered that the Guangxu Emperor's favourite concubine, Consort Zhen, be thrown down a well in the Forbidden City or tricked her into drowning herself. The journey was made all the more arduous by the lack of preparation, but the Empress Dowager insisted this was not a retreat, rather a "tour of inspection." After weeks of travel, the party arrived in Xi'an in Shaanxi province, beyond protective mountain passes where the foreigners could not reach, deep in Chinese Muslim territory and protected by the Gansu Braves. The foreigners had no orders to pursue the Empress Dowager, so they decided to stay put.
The Canova Temple of Possagno is built on a sunny hill, at the foot of Col Draga and near the San Rocco valley, about 330 meters above sea level, in front of the artist's birthplace.
It can be seen from afar for those arriving from the east (Pederobba), from the south (Vallorgana) and from the west (Fietta).
It rests on three large steps of different slopes and on a vast cobblestone of "cógoli" collected from the Piave and arranged in artistic geometric shapes (design by Giuseppe Segusini, 1850).
Observing the Temple from the outside, three architectural elements can be distinguished, one inserted into the other, as if they were harmonious parts of an ideal succession: the colonnade, which recalls the Parthenon in Athens; the central body, similar to the Pantheon in Rome; the apse of the main altar, elevated by six steps compared to the other two elements, signifying the Christian cathedral.
Hereâs a photo I took in Central Park in New York City To capture this image I used my Canon 5DMKII with a FE 24-105mm F4 lens. Settings: 1/13 sec, f/11, ISO 100. To process this digital image I used the Film Emulation Collection Lightroom presets and profiles. I absolutely love the colour and grit of this Lightroom collection, itâs perfect for todayâs digital photographer that wants a beautiful film look! If you want to see this image in high resolution click here VIEW 4K PHOTO. Copyright: Tim Martin and Presetpro.com. Lightroom Presets: Complete Lightroom Collection
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Venice, 27 March 2010
The Tetrarchs of Constantinople – origin, journey to Venice, and archaeological facts
Origin and iconography
The sculpture of the four Roman emperors was carved around the year 300, during the Tetrarchy, from an exceptionally valuable material – Egyptian red porphyry, reserved for imperial representations.
It depicts two pairs of rulers in a symbolic, ceremonial embrace, emphasizing the idea of unity and harmonious rule rather than individual portraiture.
Original location in Constantinople
The monument was originally installed at the Philadelphion, a central and highly symbolic square of Constantinople.
It formed part of the representative imperial urban landscape celebrating the continuity and stability of the Roman Empire.
The looting of 1204 and arrival in Venice
During the Fourth Crusade (1204), the Venetians took numerous works of art from the sacked Constantinople, among them the Tetrarchs.
Today the sculpture is embedded in the southeastern exterior corner of St Mark’s Basilica – recognizable by the contrast between the dark porphyry and the light Venetian marble.
Damage and archaeological discoveries
The figure on the far right was missing its left foot and ankle. During a medieval restoration the missing part was replaced with pink porphyry, which clearly differs from the original.
In 1965, during German-Turkish excavations at the Philadelphion in Istanbul, the lost original foot fragment was discovered.
It is now kept in the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul.
This confirmed the sculpture’s provenance and its relocation after 1204.
The head of Justinian I and Venetian legends
A porphyry head of Emperor Justinian I once stood on the upper balcony of the basilica – also brought from Constantinople after the Fourth Crusade.
It is now preserved in the Procuratie of St Mark’s.
In Venetian popular tradition this head was often mistakenly identified with that of Francesco Bussone da Carmagnola (executed in 1432 on St Mark’s Square), and later with the legendary Fornaretto, a young man who, according to legend, was unjustly executed.
The “Stone of Proclamation” (Pietra del Bando)
At the very corner of the basilica is the so-called Stone of Proclamation, on which – according to 15th-century records – the severed heads of traitors of the Republic were displayed for three days and three nights as a warning to passers-by.
This tradition likely contributed to later confusion regarding the identity of the porphyry head.
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ITALIANO
Venezia, 27 marzo 2010
I Tetrarchi di Costantinopoli – origine, arrivo a Venezia e fatti archeologici
Origine e iconografia
La scultura dei quattro imperatori romani fu scolpita intorno all’anno 300, durante la tetrarchia, in un materiale estremamente prezioso – il porfido rosso egiziano, riservato alle rappresentazioni imperiali.
Raffigura due coppie di sovrani in un abbraccio simbolico e cerimoniale, sottolineando l’idea di unità e di governo concorde, piuttosto che un ritratto individuale.
Collocazione originaria a Costantinopoli
Il monumento era originariamente collocato presso il Philadelphion, una piazza centrale e altamente simbolica di Costantinopoli.
Faceva parte dell’urbanistica imperiale celebrativa della continuità e stabilità dell’Impero romano.
Il saccheggio del 1204 e l’arrivo a Venezia
Durante la Quarta Crociata (1204) i veneziani portarono via numerose opere d’arte dalla Costantinopoli saccheggiata, tra cui i Tetrarchi.
Oggi la scultura è inserita nell’angolo sud-orientale esterno della Basilica di San Marco – riconoscibile dal contrasto tra il porfido scuro e il chiaro marmo veneziano.
Danni e scoperte archeologiche
Alla figura all’estrema destra mancavano il piede sinistro e la caviglia. Durante un restauro medievale la parte mancante fu integrata con porfido rosato, chiaramente diverso dall’originale.
Nel 1965, durante gli scavi tedesco-turchi presso il Philadelphion di Istanbul, fu ritrovato il frammento originale del piede perduto.
Oggi è conservato nel Museo Archeologico di Istanbul.
Ciò ha confermato la provenienza della scultura e il suo trasferimento dopo il 1204.
La testa di Giustiniano I e le leggende veneziane
Sul balcone superiore della basilica si trovava un tempo una testa in porfido dell’imperatore Giustiniano I – anch’essa portata da Costantinopoli dopo la Quarta Crociata.
Oggi è conservata nelle Procuratie di San Marco.
Nella tradizione popolare veneziana questa testa veniva spesso identificata erroneamente con quella di Francesco Bussone da Carmagnola (giustiziato nel 1432 in Piazza San Marco) e più tardi con quella del leggendario Fornaretto, giovane che secondo la leggenda fu ingiustamente condannato a morte.
La “Pietra del Bando”
Proprio all’angolo della basilica si trova la cosiddetta Pietra del Bando, sulla quale – secondo registri del XV secolo – venivano esposte per tre giorni e tre notti le teste mozzate dei traditori della Repubblica, come monito ai passanti.
Questa tradizione ha probabilmente alimentato la successiva confusione riguardo all’identità della testa in porfido.
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FRANÇAIS
Venise, 27 mars 2010
Les Tétrarques de Constantinople – origine, arrivée à Venise et faits archéologiques
Origine et iconographie
La sculpture des quatre empereurs romains a été réalisée vers l’an 300, à l’époque de la tétrarchie, dans un matériau extrêmement précieux – le porphyre rouge d’Égypte, réservé aux représentations impériales.
Elle montre deux paires de souverains dans une étreinte symbolique et cérémonielle, soulignant l’idée d’unité et de gouvernement harmonieux plutôt qu’un portrait individuel.
Emplacement originel à Constantinople
Le monument se trouvait à l’origine au Philadelphion, une place centrale et hautement symbolique de Constantinople.
Il faisait partie de l’urbanisme impérial visant à célébrer la continuité et la stabilité de l’Empire romain.
Le pillage de 1204 et l’arrivée à Venise
Lors de la Quatrième Croisade (1204), les Vénitiens emportèrent de nombreuses œuvres d’art de Constantinople mise à sac, dont les Tétrarques.
Aujourd’hui, la sculpture est intégrée dans l’angle sud-est extérieur de la basilique Saint-Marc, reconnaissable par le contraste entre le porphyre sombre et le marbre vénitien clair.
Dommages et découvertes archéologiques
La figure la plus à droite avait perdu son pied gauche et sa cheville. Lors d’une restauration médiévale, la partie manquante fut remplacée par du porphyre rose, nettement différent de l’original.
En 1965, lors de fouilles germano-turques au Philadelphion à Istanbul, le fragment original du pied perdu fut retrouvé.
Il est aujourd’hui conservé au Musée archéologique d’Istanbul.
Cette découverte a confirmé l’origine de la sculpture et son déplacement après 1204.
La tête de Justinien Ier et les légendes vénitiennes
Une tête en porphyre de l’empereur Justinien Ier se trouvait autrefois sur le balcon supérieur de la basilique – elle aussi apportée de Constantinople après la Quatrième Croisade.
Elle se trouve aujourd’hui dans les Procuraties de Saint-Marc.
Dans la tradition populaire vénitienne, cette tête fut souvent confondue avec celle de Francesco Bussone da Carmagnola (exécuté en 1432 sur la place Saint-Marc), puis avec celle du légendaire Fornaretto, un jeune homme qui, selon la légende, fut injustement condamné.
La “Pierre du Ban” (Pietra del Bando)
À l’angle même de la basilique se trouve la soi-disant Pierre du Ban, sur laquelle – selon des documents du XVe siècle – les têtes coupées des traîtres de la République étaient exposées pendant trois jours et trois nuits, en guise d’avertissement aux passants.
Cette tradition a probablement contribué à la confusion ultérieure concernant l’identité de la tête en porphyre.
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Venecija. 27.III.2010. Carigradski tetrarsi – podrijetlo, put u Veneciju i arheološke činjenice Podrijetlo i ikonografija Skulptura četiri rimska cara isklesana je oko 300. godine u vrijeme tetrarhije, izuzetno vrijednim materijalom – egipatskim crvenim porfirom, rezerviranim za carske prikaze. Prikazuje dva para vladara u simboličnom, ceremonijalnom zagrljaju, naglašavajući ideju zajedništva i složne vladavine, a ne individualni portret. Izvorna lokacija u Konstantinopolisu Spomenik je izvorno bio postavljen kod Philadelphiona, središnjeg i vrlo simboličnog trga Konstantinopolisa. Bio je dio reprezentativnog carskog urbanizma kojim su se slavili kontinuitet i stabilnost Rimskog Carstva. Pljačka 1204. i dolazak u Veneciju Tijekom Četvrtog križarskog pohoda (1204.) Venecijanci su odnijeli brojne umjetnine iz opljačkanog Konstantinopolisa, među njima i Tetrarse. Danas se skulptura nalazi ugrađena u vanjski jugoistočni kut Bazilike sv. Marka – karakteristična po kontrastu tamnog porfira i svijetlog venecijanskog mramora. Oštećenja i arheološka otkrića Na figuri sasvim desno nedostajalo je lijevo stopalo i gležanj. Tijekom srednjovjekovne restauracije nedostatak je nadomješten ružičastim porfirom, koji jasno odudara od originala. 1965. godine, tijekom njemačko-turskih iskapanja kod Philadelphiona u Istanbulu, pronađen je izgubljeni originalni komad stopala. Danas se čuva u Arheološkom muzeju u Istanbulu. Time je potvrđeno izvorište skulpture i njezino premještanje nakon 1204. Glava Justinijana I. i venecijanske legende Na gornjem balkonu bazilike nekad se nalazila porfirna glava cara Justinijana I. – također donijeta iz Konstantinopola nakon Četvrtog križarskog pohoda. Danas se čuva u Prokurativama sv. Marka. U venecijanskoj pučkoj tradiciji ova se glava često pogrešno poistovjećivala s glavom Francesca Bussonea da Carmagnole (pogubljen 1432. na Trgu sv. Marka), kasnije i s legendarnim Fornarettom, mladićem koji je, prema legendi, nepravedno pogubljen. „Kamen ugovora“ (Pietra del Bando) Na samom kutu bazilike nalazi se i tzv. kamen ugovora, na koji su – prema zapisima iz 15. stoljeća – na tri dana i tri noći bile izlagane odrubljene glave izdajnika Republike kao opomena prolaznicima. Ova tradicija je vjerojatno potaknula kasniju zbrku oko identiteta porfirne glave.
Pattadakal, in Karnataka, represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there. One masterpiece from the group stands out – the Temple of Virupaksha, built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband's victory over the kings from the South.
Pattadakal represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there.
Three very closely located sites in the State of Karnataka provide a remarkable concentration of religious monuments dating from the great dynasty of the Chalukya (c. 543-757). There are the two successive capital cities - Aihole (ancient Aryapura), Badami, and Pattadakal, the 'City of the Crown Rubies' (Pattada Kisuvolal). The latter was, moreover, for a brief time the third capital city of the Chalukya kingdom; at the time the Pallava occupied Badami (642-55). While Aihole is traditionally considered the 'laboratory' of Chalukya architecture, with such monuments as the Temple of Ladkhan (c. 450) which antedate the dynasty's political successes during the reign of King Pulakeshin I, the city of Pattadakal illustrates the apogee of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from the north and south of India.
Situated between the Malaprabha River to the north, and a minuscule village to the south, Pattadakal possesses a sort of holy city comprised of an impressive series of eight Hindu temples dedicated to Siva. Somewhat off to the side, towards the village, is the ninth Sivaite sanctuary, the Temple of Papanatha, as well as a Jain temple. In the monumental complex of the central zone are structures whose design was strongly influenced by the architecture of northern India: the temples of Galaganatha and of Kashi Vishveshvara, which are noteworthy for their square-shaped shikharas with curved edges. They stand along with other temples of a pure Dravidian style - Sangameshvara, built between 696 and 733, and Mallikarjuna, built consecutively from 733-44. Cornices decorate the walls of these temples and the roofs are the complex, storeyed type found in southern architecture.
The unexpected and yet harmonious mixture of these styles provided the inspiration for the masterpiece of Chalukya art, the temple of Virupaksha. This Sivaite sanctuary was erected around 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate the victory in 731 of her husband, King Vikramaditya II, over the Pallava and other sovereigns of southern India. The king's admiration for the art of his conquered enemies is borne out by two inscriptions that offer proof that he brought in from the south an architect and a team of sculptors.
Prominently jutting out from the cruciform temple are three porches, a typical Chalukyan feature. They blend perfectly with the majestic three-storey tower and the walls with their overhanging cornices punctuated by narrow pilasters that separate niches filled with marvellous statuary. An overall concept dictated the choice of statues which illustrate the great themes of Siva theology and mythology.
The evocative ruins of the numerous abandoned sanctuaries within the enclosure may be reached, on the west and east sides, through two monumental gates. In the axis of the courtyard, in front of the temple, is a beautiful pavilion containing a colossal black stone statue of Siva's sacred bull, Nandi. The puja, the ritual washing of the bull, takes place there every morning. Enhanced by its relative isolation south of the principal zone, the temple of Papanatha illustrates once again the aesthetic achievement resulting from the incorporation of two different styles. Papanatha has two rooms where the faithful can worship.
On the west is the principal sanctuary, which is covered with a powerful tower in the northern style; to the east is a more modest room, whose roof is crowned with miniature reproductions of buildings in the purest Dravidian style. Experts have found in the detail of the niches, the pediments and the arcature, many contradictory architectural references. The plastic unity of this great monument, however, comes from the remarkable sculptured decoration illustrating the popular epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to Prince Rama, incarnation of Vishnu.
This miniature painting is only 2 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches. I did it as a study before doing a larger painting. I liked it so much that I framed it. It hangs in my home.
Title: Doolee's Rowboat
Image size: 2 1/4 x 4 1/4inches (5.5 x 10.5 cm)
Paper size: 3 1/4 x 5 1/4 inches (8.5 x 13 cm)
Medium: Windsor and Newton Artist Quality Watercolors on Arches 140lb Coldpressed Watercolor Paper
The artist retains all rights to this image.
If you like my work go to my profile www.flickr.com/people/6catsart/ to find out how you can see more of my wildlife, floral and landscape watercolors.
Gnarled Trembling Aspen trunks bathed in soft morning light. Thompson Plateau, British Columbia, Canada.
Harmonious Glade is a forest village where every breeze, every rustle of leaves, and every chirp of birds weaves together into an eternal melody.
The air hums with the whispers of the departed, their voices carried on the wind, blending seamlessly with the natural sounds of the forest. This is not a place of mourning but of peaceful remembrance.
Every path through the forest leads to sacred sites where the echoes of elven songs reverberate, paying tribute to those who have passed beyond. It is a place where time flows gently, where grief transforms into harmony, and where the memories of those who have transitioned beyond are carried forever.
A Shopping Region -
Sponsored by Harshlands & Belle Epoque
Region by Kadaj Yoshikawa & Janire Coba
Located in Tokyo, Rikugien Garden is a masterpiece of traditional Japanese landscape design, reflecting the Edo period's aesthetic principles. This serene image captures the garden's enchanting beauty, showcasing its meticulously pruned trees and serene pond. The pine trees, their trunks wrapped in traditional straw mats known as "komomaki," stand proudly, demonstrating the garden's dedication to preserving historical horticultural practices. The lush greenery surrounding the pond mirrors the tranquil waters, creating a picturesque scene that invites visitors to pause and appreciate nature's artistry. The garden's winding paths, stone bridges, and charming teahouse offer a journey through time, where each step reveals a new perspective on the harmonious blend of natural and man-made elements. Rikugien, meaning "Six Poems Garden," was created in the early 18th century by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu under the orders of the fifth shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. It is renowned for its scenic beauty, featuring landscapes inspired by waka poems. Each area of the garden represents a stanza, creating a poetic and immersive experience. The garden is particularly stunning in autumn when the foliage transforms into a vibrant tapestry of red, orange, and yellow, attracting photographers and nature lovers alike. The seasonal changes add a dynamic aspect to the garden, making each visit unique. Rikugien Garden is not just a historical treasure but also a cultural haven where visitors can enjoy a cup of matcha in the teahouse while soaking in the serene surroundings. The garden's meticulous design and maintenance reflect the Japanese cultural emphasis on balance, tranquility, and respect for nature.
[ENG] Santa María de Naranco is one of the most enigmatic and harmonious monuments of Western architecture. It is an old palace that was the Aula Regia of the palace complex that King Ramiro I (842-850) ordered to be built on the outskirts of the capital of the kingdom of Asturias. It was completed in the year 842. Its artistic style is the so-called Asturian or "ramirense" art, within the pre-Romanesque period. It functioned as a temple from the collapse of the chevet and part of the naves of San Miguel de Lillo (12th century) until its restoration in the years 1929-1934. It is located on the southern slope of Mount Naranco, about 4 km from Oviedo (Asturias, Spain). It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. More photos in the album Santa María de Naranco (9th century)
[ESP] Santa María de Naranco es uno de los monumentos más enigmáticos y armoniosos de la arquitectura occidental. Es un antiguo palacio que fue el Aula Regia del conjunto palacial que el rey Ramiro I (842-850) mandó construir en las afueras de la capital del reino de Asturias. Se terminó en el año 842. Su estilo artístico es el denominado arte asturiano o "ramirense", dentro del prerrománico. Funcionó como templo desde el derrumbamiento de la cabecera y de parte de las naves de San Miguel de Lillo (siglo XII) hasta su restauración en los años 1929-1934. Se ubica en la ladera meridional del Monte Naranco, a unos 4 km de Oviedo (Asturias, España). Fue declarado Patrimonio Mundial de la Humanidad por la Unesco en 1985. Más fotografías en el álbum Santa María de Naranco (siglo IX)
23P1493
The harmonious colours of the boats ( kayaks / canoes ? ) in the foreground of this photo of Lake Bohinj caught my attention, I've used a Topaz Adjust filter to add a bit of contrast and saturation.
[ENG] Santa María de Naranco is one of the most enigmatic and harmonious monuments of Western architecture. It is an old palace that was the Aula Regia of the palace complex that King Ramiro I (842-850) ordered to be built on the outskirts of the capital of the kingdom of Asturias. It was completed in the year 842. Its artistic style is the so-called Asturian or "ramirense" art, within the pre-Romanesque period. It functioned as a temple from the collapse of the chevet and part of the naves of San Miguel de Lillo (12th century) until its restoration in the years 1929-1934. It is located on the southern slope of Mount Naranco, about 4 km from Oviedo (Asturias, Spain). It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. More photos in the album Santa María de Naranco (9th century)
[ESP] Santa María de Naranco es uno de los monumentos más enigmáticos y armoniosos de la arquitectura occidental. Es un antiguo palacio que fue el Aula Regia del conjunto palacial que el rey Ramiro I (842-850) mandó construir en las afueras de la capital del reino de Asturias. Se terminó en el año 842. Su estilo artístico es el denominado arte asturiano o "ramirense", dentro del prerrománico. Funcionó como templo desde el derrumbamiento de la cabecera y de parte de las naves de San Miguel de Lillo (siglo XII) hasta su restauración en los años 1929-1934. Se ubica en la ladera meridional del Monte Naranco, a unos 4 km de Oviedo (Asturias, España). Fue declarado Patrimonio Mundial de la Humanidad por la Unesco en 1985. Más fotografías en el álbum Santa María de Naranco (siglo IX)
23P1494
[ENG] Santa María de Naranco is one of the most enigmatic and harmonious monuments of Western architecture. It is an old palace that was the Aula Regia of the palace complex that King Ramiro I (842-850) ordered to be built on the outskirts of the capital of the kingdom of Asturias. It was completed in the year 842. Its artistic style is the so-called Asturian or "ramirense" art, within the pre-Romanesque period. It functioned as a temple from the collapse of the chevet and part of the naves of San Miguel de Lillo (12th century) until its restoration in the years 1929-1934. It is located on the southern slope of Mount Naranco, about 4 km from Oviedo (Asturias, Spain). It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. More photos in the album Santa María de Naranco (9th century)
[ESP] Santa María de Naranco es uno de los monumentos más enigmáticos y armoniosos de la arquitectura occidental. Es un antiguo palacio que fue el Aula Regia del conjunto palacial que el rey Ramiro I (842-850) mandó construir en las afueras de la capital del reino de Asturias. Se terminó en el año 842. Su estilo artístico es el denominado arte asturiano o "ramirense", dentro del prerrománico. Funcionó como templo desde el derrumbamiento de la cabecera y de parte de las naves de San Miguel de Lillo (siglo XII) hasta su restauración en los años 1929-1934. Se ubica en la ladera meridional del Monte Naranco, a unos 4 km de Oviedo (Asturias, España). Fue declarado Patrimonio Mundial de la Humanidad por la Unesco en 1985. Más fotografías en el álbum Santa María de Naranco (siglo IX)
23P1467
Death in Bamileke country is an important social event that helps to mark social and family positions. The object of sumptuous celebrations, it reveals above all the state of the very close relations that the living maintain with the subtle worlds of the deceased. A well celebrated death testifies to harmonious and peaceful relations with the world of the ancestors; but a death can also be a sign of dysfunction, of a tension in the relations between the living and the disappeared, or between the living who would have scores to settle. When an individual's disappearance is announced, questions such as the causes and conditions of death tend to determine whether it is a "good death" or a "bad death"; its meaning must be immediately decoded, and it is seers or elders who have reached high levels of knowledge of tradition who are consulted by the family of the deceased to question the guardian spirits.Death that occurs suddenly, "following a short illness", is suspicious. Quickly, she gave neither the deceased nor the family time to fight. Feelings of helplessness and anger then felt naturally tend to find meaning in this tragic event or to look for a culprit, and first of all in the close relational circle (family or friends). Its motivations may be a rivalry about a status, a property, or jealousy. Disease can only be a vector here for a "mystical" death, that is, the work of a wizard.
Similarly, in the Bamiléké imagination, a traffic accident is a weapon and another form of bad death that occurs quickly and unexpectedly. Long-term illnesses, too, when they strike people in their prime. They exhaust the family psychologically, and often financially, before taking the patient away. Here again, since the use of medicine has been in vain, the causes of death will be sought in the universe of witchcraft. Finally, infamous physical and psychological diseases also fall into the category of bad death, the one that hinders or prohibits the process of ancestralization.
Baham's sacred cave, West Cameroon, is a field of granitic rocks under which dark spaces are used for rituals. The Fovu cave refers to a set of natural cavities and a sacred site of purification, washing and mystical practices in Baham, in the Bamiléké country, in Cameroon in the Western region. It is the place where the royal lineage communicates with the spirits. A vast domain of rocks, wooded vegetation and underground watercourses, the populations also perform rituals and sacrifices. The imposing greyish granite masses, in the shape of potatoes, reach up to 15 metres high. Sprinkled with vegetation, the vast field of granitic rocks extends over approximately 15 hectares and offers natural shelters suitable for different ritual practices. The cathedral, the largest rock, seems to be set in a void, without suspension pillars. It is 40 m long, 20 m wide, 15 m high and covers an area of 100-150 m2 that can accommodate dozens of people. Balance seems impossible under this stone deposited by the gods.
Megalithism, which appeared in prehistoric times and has been extinct for years in various regions, is still practised in Cameroon. All over the world and in many domains, it presents on the one hand disturbing similarities, and on the other differences according to cultures. It still contains many mysteries, raising outstanding scientific debates and questions. This paper emerges from this context, and presents the first research result and perspectives of work carried out in the Grassland (Cameroon) as part of the research project in partnership between IRD and the University of Yaounde I concerning megalithism. The work analyses, interprets, and leads one to discover new megaliths (fundamentally standing stones) of Grassland in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach. It shows that megaliths of vast Grassland areas and those of Cameroon in general are not well known though still in practice; and that standing stones have been part of an intense social, spiritual and political life in the kingdoms for centuries. It explains the context in which megaliths are realized and used and also the building techniques, the history, forms, significances and functions of monuments, boosting documentary and field research relating to megalithism as significant deficiencies exist.Every year Fovu attracts thousands of pilgrims, who sometimes come from abroad to make offerings, libations, ceremonies, in order to obtain the favors of the divinity. This place is occupied daily by the Kemsi (seers) of Baham, as well as by charlatans, numerous sects and other evangelical churches. The Royal Palace of Baham is not far away and most pilgrims make a stop there before or after making their offerings to the Gods.
The answer to the question “Should I do it?” is simple: No one has an obligation to another person, no matter what level of commitment in a relationship, to participate in any sexual activity that causes pain, discomfort or distress.
People can discuss desires honestly and be open to sexual exploration, yet be clear about what crosses the line and is not acceptable.
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“Should I Do It?” To Women Who Struggle with Porn-Driven Sex
July 2, 2011 by Robert Jensen
msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/07/02/%E2%80%9Cshould-i-do-...
Usually I address my writing about pornography to men, who are the majority of the consumers of sexually explicit material. But after a recent conversation with a woman friend, I was reminded of how often women who raise concerns about the sexism of pornography are discounted as being overly sensitive, prudish or unable to see things objectively. Since I’m a man, you can be assured–of course!–that I am not overly sensitive or prudish, and that I’m completely objective. So, if you are a woman who is struggling to get your partner to understand your concerns about pornography, I suggest you send this essay to him with a note at the top that says, “It’s not just women who think pornography is sexist.” Then add a note at the bottom that says, “You shouldn’t have had to hear it from a man to take me seriously.”
First, to give credit where credit is due: Everything I know about pornography I learned from women or discovered because of the feminism I learned from women. From the feminist anti-pornography movement that emerged in the 1970s and ‘80s, I learned to critique the system of male dominance and my own place in it. So, there is little that is original in this essay, but much that is important to keep saying.
When I present the radical feminist critique of pornography in public, I am often approached afterward by women with some version of this question:
....My husband/boyfriend/partner wants me to do [fill in the blank with a sex practice that causes pain, discomfort or distress for the woman]. I love him, and I want to be a good partner. Should I do it?
The “it” can be anything, but common requests include ejaculating on her face, anal sex, a threesome with another man or woman, rough sex or role-playing that feels inauthentic to her. Again, not all women reject those practices, but for many they are unwanted.
The answer to the question “Should I do it?” is simple: No one has an obligation to another person, no matter what level of commitment in a relationship, to participate in any sexual activity that causes pain, discomfort or distress. People can discuss desires honestly and be open to sexual exploration, yet be clear about what crosses the line and is not acceptable.
Because I’m a man, women sometimes assume I can also provide a simple answer to their next question, “Why does he want to do that to me?” There is a simple, though not pleasant, answer rooted in feminism: In patriarchy, men are socialized to understand sex in the context of men’s domination and women’s submission. The majority of the pornography that saturates our hyper-mediated lives presents not images of “just sex,” but sex in the context of male dominance. And over the past two decades, as pornography has become more easily accessible online and the sexual acts in pornography have become more extreme, women increasingly report that men ask them to participate in sex acts that come directly from the conventional male-supremacist pornographic script, with little recognition by men of the potential for pain, discomfort or distress in their women partners.
The third, and most challenging, question is: “Why can’t he understand why I don’t want that?” The strength of sexual desire plays a role, but here the answer is really about the absence of empathy, the lack of an ability to imagine what another human being might be feeling. Pornography has always presented women as objectified bodies for male sexual pleasure, but each year pornography does that with more overt cruelty toward women. The “gonzo” genre of pornography, where the industry pushes the culture’s limits with the most intense sexual degradation, encourages men to see women as vehicles for their sexual pleasure, even depicting women as eager to participate in their own degradation.
After more than two decades of work on this subject, I have no doubt of one truth about contemporary pornography: It is one way that men’s capacity for empathy can be dramatically diminished.
To make this point in talks to college and community audiences, I often suggest that “pornography is what the end of the world looks like.” By that I don’t mean that pornography is going to bring about the end of the world, nor do I mean that of all the social problems we face, pornography is the most threatening.
Instead, I mean that pornography encourages men to abandon empathy, and a world without empathy is a world without hope.
This is why pornography matters beyond its effects in our private lives. Empathy is not itself a strategy for progressive social change, but it is difficult to imagine people being motivated to work for progressive social change if they have no capacity for empathy. Politics is more than empathy, but empathy matters. Empathy is a necessary but not sufficient condition to do work that challenges the domination/subordination dynamic of existing hierarchies–work that is crucial to a just and sustainable future.
For women who want to communicate their need for sexual integrity to partners, and for men who want to transcend the pornographic imagination and empathize with their partners, the feminist critique offers a critique of male dominance and a vision of equality that can help. Instead of turning away from the unpleasant realities about how pornography is made, rather than ignoring the inhumanity of the images, rather than minimizing the effects of men’s use of pornography–we should face ourselves and face the culture we are creating.
As long as we turn away from that task, the pornographers will continue to profit. We need ask what their profits cost us all.
Etching by Daniel Hopfer (c. 1470-1536) of “The Lovers,” from Wikimedia Commons
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The I-Don’t-Wanna-Use-Lube Blues
October 3, 2011 by Heather Corinna
msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/10/03/the-i-dont-wanna-use-...
Q: Why don’t I produce enough natural lubricant during sex? There is nothing wrong with me physically. I’m 34 now, but I’ve always been like this! I’m envious of women that talk about how wet they get. Men always ask me why I don’t get that wet. I feel like something is wrong with me. I don’t want to depend on KY for the rest of my sex life. There has to be a solution other than use lubes!!!! From my understanding there are glands near the entrance of the vagina that are supposed to produce lube to help the penis enter the vagina. I don’t think mine work!!! Doctors just say use lube. Help!!!
Every now and then, when I find this concern in my inbox–essentially, this notion that wanting or needing an additional lubricant is some kind of personal failure, or that going without one has some sort of elevated status–I just sit here and scratch my head. Because I see people getting really upset over something they don’t have to.
I certainly get women having issues about vaginal dryness: that’s common, particularly when we’re talking about vaginal sex and heterosexual women. (And I’d put little stock in what a guy tells you about it per his previous female partner; let’s listen to what women have to say for themselves.) But the idea that people are constantly flooding the bedroom with vaginal lubrication every time they have sex just isn’t based in reality.
I also get why people have the idea sex should somehow be movie-screen seamless all the time, at any time, without making any adaptations–there are a lot of sources that enable those unrealistic ideas. But in fact, women’s pleasure during partnered sex, particularly as something separate from men’s pleasure, is something that has really only started to be widely addressed in the last 100 years. Historically and even now, a whole host of sexual norms based primarily on cultural ideas of men’s ideas and wants have meant that a lot of women have had a lot of not-at-all pleasurable sex.
Sexual lubricants are nothing even remotely new. They couldn’t always be purchased in stores, but for as long as people have been having genital sex, people have used all manner of things as a sexual lubricant: butter, oils, honey, saliva, animal fats and guts–you name it, if it’s slippery, it’s probably been used as a lube.
Here’s the part I don’t get: If a lubricant makes sex feel better, why not use it?
There are likely any number of things you do in your life that aren’t “natural” or organic. It’s likely that not all of your clothes are homemade ones created with organic fibers, for instance, and that you eat foods with preservatives or flavor enhancers. I might better understand this attitude about lube coming from die-hard naturists, but more often than not, I’d say that the women who send me lube worries are fine with every other aspect of their lives being less-than-100-percent-organic.
Let’s take this idea about “natural” sex to its logical conclusion. That would also mean going without most methods of birth control, protection from sexually transmitted infections or reproductive health care. Heck, it would mean not using the Internet to ask me this question in the first place. I think it’s reasonable to presume, then, that if and when a vagina is not lubricated enough, or at all, then one could conclude that the “natural” thing is for vaginal entry to just be uncomfortable or painful. And that maybe then, it’s “natural” for some kinds of sex you want to engage in for the sake of pleasure not to be pleasurable at all.
And I just don’t buy that way of thinking.
It is normal for women to sometimes not be wet enough for comfort and pleasure throughout all of a sexual endeavor; and for some women, it’s normal all or most of the time. We do have glands which produce vaginal lubrication when we are aroused, but how much we produce tends to depend on a lot of different factors: Not only does lubrication vary from woman to woman, but we won’t always produce the same amount every day, every year, every decade, in every relationship or in every sexual situation. How lubricated we are also is related to our fertility cycle and the chemical changes in our bodies: When we’re most fertile, our cervical mucus is very thin, fluid and slippery. During pregnancy, women often have increased amounts of vaginal discharge.
Vaginal dryness can also occur for other common reasons, including: medications (such as contraceptives, antidepressants or allergy medicine); smoking; health issues (like diabetes, hysterectomy, pregnancy, yeast or bacterial infections, sexually transmitted infections or allergies); dehydration; cancer treatments; low or decreased libido; not having sex as often as you’re used to; menopause or perimenopause; stress, fatigue, depression or anxiety; and chemical sensitivities to things like detergents.
But for people your age, the most common reason for vaginal dryness is a plain old lack of high sexual arousal or desire: not being as turned on as you could be. Sometimes, we’re just not feeling it with a partner. It’s also possible what you think is a lot of sexual arousal may not be so much after all–it may just be the most you’ve experienced so far, and as your life goes on and you have new attitudes and experiences, you may well discover you can be a lot more aroused.
So, what would I suggest as a plan of action for persistent vaginal dryness that’s got you so upset and doesn’t seem to be about a health issue?
...1)..See if using lube helps, and if so, use it when you need to. Not using lube, or feeling frustrated and disgruntled about using lube, are only going to be more ways to keep yourself from self-lubricating (stress inhibits arousal, after all). Alternately, take a break from the kinds of sex where you don’t feel lubricated enough.
...2)..See a health care provider who is a full-time sexual healthcare provider, not a general family doctor.
...3)..Do the best you can to be honest with that provider and fill them in on your health history–as well as the current status of your relationship and how you feel about your sexuality and sex life–in as much depth as possible.
...4)..Try what they suggest, be that a switch in a medication, a visit to a nutritionist, more masturbation, talk therapy, drinking more water, really only having sex when you are VERY aroused and that’s what you want, taking some time away from intercourse or, most likely, using lubricant as needed. Your doctor may even suggest using a vaginal lubricant daily, even if you aren’t having sex that day.
...5)..In the midst of all of this, whatever the result, take a look at your own body image, sexuality and gender issues. If you have ideas like that being dry sometimes isn’t feminine or womanly, like you’re “less of a woman” because you’re not dripping wet 24/7, or that something is wrong with your body for most likely functioning normally, see if you can’t work on ditching those ideas. It might help to remember that not all women have vaginas in the first place: Being a woman or feminine isn’t only about body parts.
Of course, if you just do NOT want to use lubricants, you don’t have to. That is likely to make some kinds of sex, or sex sometimes, less pleasurable or more uncomfortable. It also can mean things like winding up with UTIs or other infections more frequently. But if you feel better with those risks, you get to make that choice. Again, at times when you’re not lubricating, you also have the option of simply not having the kinds of sex where you need lube added, such as oral sex.
But it shouldn’t crush your ego to need or want lube, any more than it should crush your ego to need or want a haircut, salt on your food or to live in a decent neighborhood. Adding something to increase our enjoyment has nothing to do with our self-worth or with “succeeding” at sex. And using lubricant–whether it’s a need or a want–or being dry sometimes does not make a woman any less of a woman, does not make anyone less sexy, does not mean something is wrong with your body or your sexuality. Is a man not a man because he isn’t erect on demand or all the time? No? (Hint: Your answer should be no.) Well alrighty, then.
Speaking of men, I get letters from men saying they don’t like wetness. I get the same letters when it comes to dryness. However, I can’t recall a single time when I have ever gotten a letter from a man who has a problem with using lube himself or with a partner (perhaps in part because plenty of men use it for their own masturbation). So, when I hear someone tell me what “men” love, it’s always filtered by the knowledge that there are no absolutes with anything to do with sex. People of all genders like and dislike many different things.
Lube feels good. I don’t know about you, but one big reason I engage in sex is to feel good. That strikes me as perfectly harmonious. I don’t feel like I’m failing in any way when my partners and myself are feeling really good and sex rocks.
Obviously, you get to make up your own mind here and make your own choices. But I’d suggest that no matter what choice you make, an attitude adjustment on this stuff–not just on lubricant, but on not comparing oneself to other women and on realistic ideas about sexuality and the way your body functions–is going to benefit you. Most of what I hear in letters like this is that the attitudes expressed and the stress they create are getting you down far more than the issue of lubrication. And I’d say it’s certainly natural to change our attitudes or ideas for the sake of a healthier sexuality and self-esteem and a sex life we enjoy more.
Adapted from a post originally published at Scarleteen.com.
Have a sex, sexual-health or relationships question you want answered? Email it to Heather at sexandrelationships@msmagazine.com. By sending a question to that address, you acknowledge you give permission for your question to be published. Your email address and any other personally identifying information will remain private. Not all questions will receive answers.
Photo from Fickr user Lil’ Latvian under Creative Commons 2.o.
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Tian Tan Buddha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation,
Tian Tan Buddha
Traditional Chinese 天壇大佛
Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Tiāntán Dàfó
Tian Tan Buddha from afar Buddhistic statues praising and making offerings to the Tian Tan Buddha
The statue is located near Po Lin Monastery and symbolises the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. It is a major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong, and is also a popular tourist attraction.
The statue is named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a model of the Altar of Heaven or Earthly Mount of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China. The Buddha statue sits on a lotus[disambiguation needed] throne on top of a three-platform altar. It is surrounded by six smaller bronze statues known as "The Offering of the Six Devas" and are posed offering flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit, and music to the Buddha. These offerings symbolize charity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom, all of which are necessary to enter into nirvana.[2]
The Buddha is 34 metres (112 ft) tall, weighs 250 metric tons (280 short tons), and was the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior to 2007.[3] It reputedly can even be seen from as far away as Macau on a clear day. Visitors have to climb 240 steps in order to reach the Buddha, though the site also features a small winding road to the Buddha for vehicles to accommodate the handicapped.
The Tian Tan Buddha appears serene and dignified. His right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction.The Buddha's left hand rests on his lap in a gesture of giving dhana. The Buddha faces north, which is unique among the great Buddha statues, as all others face south.
In addition, there are 3 floors beneath the Buddha statue: The Hall of Universe, The Hall of Benevolent Merit, and The Hall of Remembrance. One of the most renowned features inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha, consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains. Only visitors who purchase an offering for the Buddha are allowed to see the relic, in order to leave the offering there. There is a huge carved bell inscribed with images of Buddhas in the show room. It was designed to ring every seven minutes, 108 times a day, symbolising the release of 108 kinds of human vexations.
HistoryThe Tian Tan Buddha was constructed beginning in 1990, and was finished on December 29, 1993, the day of the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist religion. The statue was formed out of 202 separate pieces of bronze. In addition to the exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside the statue to support the heavy load. When the statue was completed, monks from around the world were invited to the opening ceremony. Distinguished visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United States all took part in the proceedings.
On October 18, 1999, the Hong Kong Post Office issued a stamp depicting the Tian Tan Buddha. The MTR corporation has also issued a souvenir ticket featuring a photograph of the statue.
Visiting and accessPo Lin Monastery and the Buddha are open to the public between 10:00 and 17:45. Access to the outside of the Buddha is free of charge, but there is an admission fee to go inside the Buddha.
Visitors may also see the nearby monastery, known as the "Buddhist Kingdom in the South," which serves as an international Buddhist retreat, and is one of the largest and most well known in Hong Kong. The monastery was built by three Zen masters in 1920. The main temples have painted vermilion interiors with dragons and many other different Chinese mythical figures on the walls and ceilings. Visitors often spend time in the attached tea garden, the only tea garden in the territory. A five minute walk past the tea garden leads to the "Wisdom Path" - a very large wooden inscription of the Heart Sutra set within a figure 8 to symbolise infinity.
One of the main attractions of this Buddha statue is climbing 268 steps and circling the platform (the lotus) where the Buddha sits.
Also nearby is Lantau Peak, the second highest mountain in Hong Kong