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Lion and a paifang (traditional Chinese Gate) at the NYC Winter Lantern Festival, Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Pailou.Paifang.
Entrada al Lago del Loto de Kaohsiung en el sur de Taiwán. En la arquitectura tradicional china, puerta monumental de estructura adintelada, de una, tres o cinco vanos, construida en madera o piedra, y con voladizos.
Entrance to Lotus Lake in Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.
In traditional Chinese architecture, a monumental gate with a lintel structure, with one, three or five openings, built of wood or stone, and with corbels.
Un spectacle traditionnel sur la place Sun-Yat-Sen, à l'intersection des rues Clark et De La Gauchetière, dans le quartier chinois de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
La danse du lion est une danse traditionnelle de la culture chinoise et d'autres pays asiatiques où des danseurs, revêtus d'un costume de lion, imitent les mouvements de l'animal. Elle est exécutée le plus souvent pour le Nouvel An chinois et pour d'autres festivités religieuses ou culturelles chinoises car cette danse est censée apporter la chance.
Elle est parfois confondue avec la danse du dragon, malgré deux différences importantes : le nombre des danseurs (deux pour chaque lion, alors qu'un seul dragon en demande au moins une douzaine) et le fait que les danseurs sont visibles dans la danse du dragon, figurine qu'ils tiennent et manipulent au bout de longues perches. Les mouvements de base de la danse du lion, contrairement à ceux de la danse du dragon, se retrouvent par ailleurs dans la plupart des arts martiaux chinois. (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danse_du_lion)
Le quartier chinois montréalais dont le cœur est situé à quelques pas du Palais des congrès, forme un gros pâté de maisons délimité par la rue Saint-Dominique, à l’est, par le boulevard René-Lévesque, au nord, par la rue Viger, au sud, et par la rue Jeanne-Mance, à l’ouest. L’essentiel de son activité commerciale se concentre sur le boulevard Saint-Laurent et dans la rue de la Gauchetière, piétonnière à cet endroit. À ses quatre coins ont été érigées des paifang, des arches traditionnelles ouvragées qui marquent son périmètre. Le quartier chinois montréalais possède plus de paifang que tout autre quartier asiatique au Canada.
Ce quartier a vu le jour dans les années 1890, alors que les immigrants chinois qui après avoir travaillé dans les mines et à la construction du chemin de fer à l’ouest du pays élisent domicile dans la métropole québécoise. C’est l’une des plus anciennes communautés asiatiques d’Amérique du Nord. C’est là qu’ils ouvrent de petits commerces de restauration et d’exportation, mais aussi des buanderies sur la rue de la Gauchetière. Certains d’entre eux tentent de s’établir dans d’autres quartiers, mais avec peu de succès. Depuis sa création, il a échappé aux expropriations et aux développements immobiliers.
S’il devient une attraction touristique dans les années 1960, à la suite de la tenue à Montréal de l’exposition universelle, Expo 67, ce n’est que dans les années 1980 que le secteur prend réellement son essor, avec la piétonnisation de la rue de la Gauchetière. Le Quartier chinois de Montréal demeure le centre névralgique des célébrations entourant le Nouvel an chinois.
One of the most iconic features of Montreal’s Chinatown are the four Paifangs (arches) that welcome visitors. In traditional Chinese architecture, a Paifang symbolizes a fortuitous entry into a benevolent time and space. Redwood represents enduring fortune, while the sturdy frame signifies strength and protection.
Location: 1029 St Laurent Blvd #975, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
This is the traditional commemorative gate known as 仁華門 (Inhwa-mun), one of the main entrance arches to Incheon Chinatown, located in Incheon, South Korea.
Incheon Chinatown was officially established in 1883 following the opening of Incheon Port. It is recognized as the only remaining official Chinatown in South Korea, preserving the legacy of early Chinese immigration to the peninsula. The district maintains a strong architectural and cultural influence from China, with the Inhwa-mun serving as one of its most emblematic structures, marking and symbolizing the historical identity of the area.
The 仁華門 (Inhwa-mun) stands in a prominent spot that provides easy access to the district. It sits next to the 한중문화관 (Korean–Chinese Cultural Center), an institution dedicated to fostering cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Korea and China. The proximity of these two key landmarks—the historic gate and the cultural center—highlights the area’s role as a significant cross-cultural hub.
Today, Incheon Chinatown is a vibrant cultural destination known for its colorful streets, traditional gates, and its blend of Chinese and Korean heritage. Visitors can explore historic buildings, temples, and museums, as well as enjoy regional Chinese-inspired dishes such as jjajangmyeon, which is said to have originated in this very neighborhood. The area also connects to nearby attractions like Jayu Park and the modern Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village, making it a unique intersection of history, culture, and contemporary tourism.
USA B/N 2024.
The Historic Chinatown Gate is an imposing monumental archway located at the western entrance of the Chinatown-International District neighborhood in Seattle, Washington.
Type and Style: It is a modern Paifang style arch, which serves as a symbolic gate and marks the entrance to the historic neighborhood.
Construction and Dedication: The project for the gate was a community dream that took 50 years to achieve. It was designed by Ming Zhang and Paul Wu and dedicated on February 9, 2008.
Physical Characteristics: The structure stands 45 feet (14 meters) tall and features a steel frame adorned with 8,000 ceramic tiles manufactured in Southern China. Its vibrant colors (red, yellow, gold, and blue) symbolize good luck and happiness.
Symbolism: The gate is decorated with intricate details, including dragons and a phoenix, said to ward off bad luck, and an orb at the top representing a "fireball from heaven" bringing good fortune. Its upturned eaves are designed to soften the "strong energy" of straight lines.
Funding: The $500,000 construction cost was raised by the Historic Chinatown Gate Foundation, a non-profit organization established by community leaders.
All other paifangs or archways have 4 columns and this one built for the accreditation of Xu Guo (1527-1596), a top ranking official in the Ming administration, has 8.
Huizhou, Anhui, PRC.
The traditional Chinatown Gate (paifang) with a foo lion on each side is located at the intersection of Beach Street and Surface Road.
Paifang (牌坊), a gateway structure at the entrance to Tien Tan Buddha (天壇大佛) in Ngong Ping, Hong Kong
Un spectacle traditionnel sur la place Sun-Yat-Sen, à l'intersection des rues Clark et De La Gauchetière, dans le quartier chinois de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
La danse du lion est une danse traditionnelle de la culture chinoise et d'autres pays asiatiques où des danseurs, revêtus d'un costume de lion, imitent les mouvements de l'animal. Elle est exécutée le plus souvent pour le Nouvel An chinois et pour d'autres festivités religieuses ou culturelles chinoises car cette danse est censée apporter la chance.
Elle est parfois confondue avec la danse du dragon, malgré deux différences importantes : le nombre des danseurs (deux pour chaque lion, alors qu'un seul dragon en demande au moins une douzaine) et le fait que les danseurs sont visibles dans la danse du dragon, figurine qu'ils tiennent et manipulent au bout de longues perches. Les mouvements de base de la danse du lion, contrairement à ceux de la danse du dragon, se retrouvent par ailleurs dans la plupart des arts martiaux chinois. (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danse_du_lion)
Le quartier chinois montréalais dont le cœur est situé à quelques pas du Palais des congrès, forme un gros pâté de maisons délimité par la rue Saint-Dominique, à l’est, par le boulevard René-Lévesque, au nord, par la rue Viger, au sud, et par la rue Jeanne-Mance, à l’ouest. L’essentiel de son activité commerciale se concentre sur le boulevard Saint-Laurent et dans la rue de la Gauchetière, piétonnière à cet endroit. À ses quatre coins ont été érigées des paifang, des arches traditionnelles ouvragées qui marquent son périmètre. Le quartier chinois montréalais possède plus de paifang que tout autre quartier asiatique au Canada.
Ce quartier a vu le jour dans les années 1890, alors que les immigrants chinois qui après avoir travaillé dans les mines et à la construction du chemin de fer à l’ouest du pays élisent domicile dans la métropole québécoise. C’est l’une des plus anciennes communautés asiatiques d’Amérique du Nord. C’est là qu’ils ouvrent de petits commerces de restauration et d’exportation, mais aussi des buanderies sur la rue de la Gauchetière. Certains d’entre eux tentent de s’établir dans d’autres quartiers, mais avec peu de succès. Depuis sa création, il a échappé aux expropriations et aux développements immobiliers.
S’il devient une attraction touristique dans les années 1960, à la suite de la tenue à Montréal de l’exposition universelle, Expo 67, ce n’est que dans les années 1980 que le secteur prend réellement son essor, avec la piétonnisation de la rue de la Gauchetière. Le Quartier chinois de Montréal demeure le centre névralgique des célébrations entourant le Nouvel an chinois.
Forever Bicycles is a 2014 unveiled sculpture by Chinese born artist Ai Weiwei.
The work is from the Collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa and it sits on a rise in Winnipeg's The Forks.
The monumental archway is reminiscent of the traditional Chinese paifang or commemorative gate found in Chinatowns around the world.
The artwork is made up of a seemingly endless arrangement of wheels, spokes, and bicycle frames.
In the title, “forever” is both a nod to the brand of bicycles that flooded China’s streets as a popular means of transportation, and to the optical illusion of movement and infinite depth that appears to go on forever as one looks at the mesmerizing array against the prairie sky.
AI WEIWEI:
Ai Weiwei (b. 1957) is an artist who currently resides and works in multiple locations, including Beijing (China), Berlin (Germany), Cambridge (UK) and Lisbon (Portugal).
His father, poet Ai Qing, was denounced by China’s Communist Party in 1958 and his family was sent to labour camps, first near the North Korean border and then eventually in Xinjiang province.
They returned to Beijing in 1976 after the end of the Cultural Revolution.
Ai studied animation at the Beijing Film Academy, then studied art in New York in the early 1980s.
Upon returning to China a decade later, Ai advocated for experimental artists by publishing underground books and curating avant-garde exhibitions.
Ai’s artworks are often ambitious in both scale and scope and engage directly with contemporary geopolitics: from global issues of human rights violations to the realities of exile and dislocation, to government corruption and the abuses of power.
He is an outspoken advocate of human rights and freedom of speech.
He was the recipient of the Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent in 2012 and of the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award in 2015
THE FORKS:
The Forks is a vibrant public space at the heart of Winnipeg’s downtown where locals and tourists gather for celebrations, recreation, and much like the early Indigenous peoples, to meet one another.
As one of Manitoba’s most popular attractions, the 56-acre site features local shops, restaurants, The Forks Market, some of the City’s best open public spaces, and a number of major cultural facilities, including the Children’s Museum, Manitoba Theatre for Young People and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Photographed from the top of a low hill after heavy rains . The archways were erected to commemorate important events like eg. the visit of a VIP or a philanthropist or to honor individuals who were viewed as role models of the state .
More than 250 archways ( paifang) constructed in the Ming and Qing dynasties are scattered around the county . Paifang is a unique architectural form and a reflection of traditional Chinese culture .
Cette murale de béton de la rue Saint-Urbain orne le flanc de la pâtisserie Harmonie au 85 rue De La Gauchetière O, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Ce bas-relief a été créé en 1984 par l’artiste cantonnais Andrew Lui venu étudier les arts visuels en Ontario. Située au cœur du quartier chinois, à l’intersection des rues Saint-Urbain et De la Gauchetière, il est composé de 8 panneaux en béton coulés et moulés de couleurs rosée. L’ensemble montre différentes musiciennes et danseuses.
La pâtisserie Harmonie offre des pâtisseries typiques de Chine avec pâte aux fèves rouges ou des tartelettes portugaises de Macao.
Le quartier chinois montréalais dont le cœur est situé à quelques pas du Palais des congrès, forme un gros pâté de maisons délimité par la rue Saint-Dominique, à l’est, par le boulevard René-Lévesque, au nord, par la rue Viger, au sud, et par la rue Jeanne-Mance, à l’ouest. L’essentiel de son activité commerciale se concentre sur le boulevard Saint-Laurent et dans la rue de la Gauchetière, piétonnière à cet endroit. À ses quatre coins ont été érigées des paifang, des arches traditionnelles ouvragées qui marquent son périmètre. Le quartier chinois montréalais possède plus de paifang que tout autre quartier asiatique au Canada.
Ce quartier a vu le jour dans les années 1890, alors que les immigrants chinois qui après avoir travaillé dans les mines et à la construction du chemin de fer à l’ouest du pays élisent domicile dans la métropole québécoise. C’est l’une des plus anciennes communautés asiatiques d’Amérique du Nord. C’est là qu’ils ouvrent de petits commerces de restauration et d’exportation, mais aussi des buanderies sur la rue de la Gauchetière. Certains d’entre eux tentent de s’établir dans d’autres quartiers, mais avec peu de succès.
Depuis sa création, il a échappé aux expropriations et aux développements immobiliers. S’il devient une attraction touristique dans les années 1960, à la suite de la tenue à Montréal de l’exposition universelle, Expo 67, ce n’est que dans les années 1980 que le secteur prend réellement son essor, avec la piétonnisation de la rue de la Gauchetière. Le Quartier chinois de Montréal demeure le centre névralgique des célébrations entourant le Nouvel an chinois.
A Paifang, also known as a pailou, is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway.
The word paifang (Chinese: 牌坊; pinyin: páifāng) was originally a collective term for the top two levels of administrative division and subdivisions of ancient Chinese cities.
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
Chinatown in Montreal (French: Quartier chinois de Montréal; traditional Chinese: 蒙特利爾唐人街) is located in the area of De la Gauchetière Street in Montreal. The neighbourhood contains many Asian restaurants, food markets, and convenience stores as well being home to many of Montreal's East Asian community centres, such as the Montreal Chinese Hospital and the Montreal Chinese Community and Cultural Center.
The area was once home to Montreal's Jewish community, with thousands of Yiddish speaking immigrants settling in the area from 1890 to 1920, as part of a Jewish quarter centred on Saint Laurent Boulevard.
The first Chinese immigrants to Montreal arrived in March 1877. The first Chinese that created Montreal's Chinatown belonged to the Chan, Hom (Tam), Lee, and Wong clan groups. Many Taishan Chinese settled (all following the Leung Family) in the area because they worked for the railways and it was convenient for these occupations.
Among the first Chinese residents was Jos Song Long who opened a laundromat on Craig Street (today Saint Antoine Street). Most Chinese residents primarily spoke Toisanese, a sister language of Cantonese, and had moved from British Columbia and southern China to what had been a primarily residential area. Initially, many Chinese Montrealers ran laundromats, as owning their own businesses allowed them to avoid the pay discrimination that they had faced in British Columbia. Businesses such as laundromats required geographic proximity to its customers, and as a result, this type of business became quite common in Montreal, with Chinatown being largely commercially oriented.
In 1902, the area officially became known as "Chinatown", and specifically referred to several blocks centered on De La Gauchetière Street between Chenneville and Clark Streets. On these streets, many Chinese-owned businesses opened, notably restaurants and specialty grocers. The neighbourhood was strategically located with modest-sized lots, affordable rents and close proximity to Saint-Laurent Boulevard, which attracted non-Chinese clients.
Over the years, Hong Kong Chinese and ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam also set up shops and restaurants in the area.
From the 1970s onwards Montreal's Chinatown was subject to many of the cities' redevelopment plans, reducing the size of Chinatown and its expansion. This saw to the expropriation and demolition of over 6 acres of private properties in the construction of the Complexe Guy-Favreau and a city block of Chinatown for the construction of Palais des congrès de Montréal, even as community consultation and negotiations were still on-going. Rezoning of areas east of Saint Laurent from Chinatown in the 1980s has further prevented the growth expansion of Chinatown businesses. In 2022, it was announced that Chinatown would be granted heritage status by the province to shield the neighbourhood from further negative effects brought on by development and gentrification.
Much of Montreal Chinatown is located on La Gauchetière Street and around Saint Urbain Street and Saint Lawrence Boulevard (boul. Saint-Laurent), between René Lévesque Boulevard and Viger Avenue (Place-d'Armes Montreal metro station), occupying roughly the area of a city block. The part of La Gauchetière that crosses through Chinatown is a pedestrian walkway, making it more inviting for a stroll. On several weekends during the summer, the street becomes a lively outdoor fair. Prior to 1970, a significant part of Chinatown extended west to Jeannes-Mance Street.
Montreal has the most paifang (gates) of any Chinatown in Canada, with 4 gates.
Odeon Circle or Wongwian Odeon is a roundabout (traffic circle) in Bangkok, it's the intersection of Yaowarat, Charoen Krung, and Tri Mit or Mittaphap Thai-China roads in Samphanthawong sub-district, Samphanthawong district. In the circle, there's a red huge Chinese architecture gate (Paifang) which was built by Thai Chinese descents as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 72nd anniversary in 1999. It's known as a gateway of Bangkok's Chinatown which Yaowarat as a main artery.
The top of the gate is inscribed in both Thai and Chinese letters on both sides, which means that "Gate of Commemorates the 6th Cycle Anniversary of HM the King's Birthday". The gate was officially opened on 5 December 1999 by Princess Sirindhorn presiding over the ceremony.
On the ground floor of the roundabout. There's a brass plate with a Chinese inscription (地; de) that translates to "earth" or "soil" and at the same point. At the top there's another Chinese inscription (天; tiān) means "heaven" or "sky". According to the belief of the Chinese. If anyone is standing at this point, that person will be given the cosmic energy according to faith in Feng Shui.
Side of the gate, there're two lion statues making from white jade which was sent from government of China as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 80th anniversary in 2007.
I felt inspired by LEGO's Chinese New Year sets to build a paifang -- a traditional Chinese gateway. It was fun to use as the many great elements and figures from the sets and add a little bit of neighborhood. The gate fits the Modular Building standard, and the houses are a "Quarter Modular" style I've been trying out (a quarter of a baseplate each).
For more photos see the album.
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
At the southern entrance to the gardens, at Upper Albert Road, is a memorial arch dedicated to the Chinese who died assisting the Allies during the two world wars. The inscription on the lintel reads: "In Memory of the Chinese who died loyal to the Allied cause in the Wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945". The granite arch in the shape of a paifang was erected in 1928. Reference to the Second World War was added later.
A bustling street in Yokohama Chinatown, Japan, showcasing traditional Chinese architecture, including a colorful paifang, and commercial buildings with shops and restaurants like Yokohama Daihanten, under a bright sunny sky.
Chinatown is an area of Liverpool that is an ethnic enclave home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe. Located in the south of the city centre, Chinatown has many Chinese businesses, such as Chinese restaurants and supermarkets, and facilities for the Chinese community. The area is also notable for its Chinese-style architecture; with the paifang on Nelson Street being the largest, multiple-span arch of its kind outside of China.
Odeon Circle or Wongwian Odeon is a roundabout (traffic circle) in Bangkok, it's the intersection of Yaowarat, Charoen Krung, and Tri Mit or Mittaphap Thai-China roads in Samphanthawong sub-district, Samphanthawong district. In the circle, there's a red huge Chinese architecture gate (Paifang) which was built by Thai Chinese descents as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 72nd anniversary in 1999. It's known as a gateway of Bangkok's Chinatown which Yaowarat as a main artery.
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
Chinatown in Montreal (French: Quartier chinois de Montréal; traditional Chinese: 蒙特利爾唐人街) is located in the area of De la Gauchetière Street in Montreal. The neighbourhood contains many Asian restaurants, food markets, and convenience stores as well being home to many of Montreal's East Asian community centres, such as the Montreal Chinese Hospital and the Montreal Chinese Community and Cultural Center.
The area was once home to Montreal's Jewish community, with thousands of Yiddish speaking immigrants settling in the area from 1890 to 1920, as part of a Jewish quarter centred on Saint Laurent Boulevard.
The first Chinese immigrants to Montreal arrived in March 1877. The first Chinese that created Montreal's Chinatown belonged to the Chan, Hom (Tam), Lee, and Wong clan groups. Many Taishan Chinese settled (all following the Leung Family) in the area because they worked for the railways and it was convenient for these occupations.
Among the first Chinese residents was Jos Song Long who opened a laundromat on Craig Street (today Saint Antoine Street). Most Chinese residents primarily spoke Toisanese, a sister language of Cantonese, and had moved from British Columbia and southern China to what had been a primarily residential area. Initially, many Chinese Montrealers ran laundromats, as owning their own businesses allowed them to avoid the pay discrimination that they had faced in British Columbia. Businesses such as laundromats required geographic proximity to its customers, and as a result, this type of business became quite common in Montreal, with Chinatown being largely commercially oriented.
In 1902, the area officially became known as "Chinatown", and specifically referred to several blocks centered on De La Gauchetière Street between Chenneville and Clark Streets. On these streets, many Chinese-owned businesses opened, notably restaurants and specialty grocers. The neighbourhood was strategically located with modest-sized lots, affordable rents and close proximity to Saint-Laurent Boulevard, which attracted non-Chinese clients.
Over the years, Hong Kong Chinese and ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam also set up shops and restaurants in the area.
From the 1970s onwards Montreal's Chinatown was subject to many of the cities' redevelopment plans, reducing the size of Chinatown and its expansion. This saw to the expropriation and demolition of over 6 acres of private properties in the construction of the Complexe Guy-Favreau and a city block of Chinatown for the construction of Palais des congrès de Montréal, even as community consultation and negotiations were still on-going. Rezoning of areas east of Saint Laurent from Chinatown in the 1980s has further prevented the growth expansion of Chinatown businesses. In 2022, it was announced that Chinatown would be granted heritage status by the province to shield the neighbourhood from further negative effects brought on by development and gentrification.
Much of Montreal Chinatown is located on La Gauchetière Street and around Saint Urbain Street and Saint Lawrence Boulevard (boul. Saint-Laurent), between René Lévesque Boulevard and Viger Avenue (Place-d'Armes Montreal metro station), occupying roughly the area of a city block. The part of La Gauchetière that crosses through Chinatown is a pedestrian walkway, making it more inviting for a stroll. On several weekends during the summer, the street becomes a lively outdoor fair. Prior to 1970, a significant part of Chinatown extended west to Jeannes-Mance Street.
Montreal has the most paifang (gates) of any Chinatown in Canada, with 4 gates.
The Gate of Harmonious Interest (Chinese: 同濟門) is a gate and cultural landmark located in Chinatown, Victoria, British Columbia. It spans Fisgard Street, west of Government Street. Erected in 1981, it was part of the revitalization efforts of Chinatown by the City of Victoria and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. The gate, standing at 38 feet high, is adorned with intricate red and gold decorations that represent themes of unity and harmony.
Two inscriptions on the gate, "To work together with one heart" and "To help each other achieve harmony," commemorate the collaborative effort between Chinese and non-Chinese communities in its construction and restoration. Flanking the gate are two hand-carved stone lions, donated by Victoria's sister city of Suzhou.
Designed by Mickey Lam, then the city's urban design planner, the construction of the gate cost $130,000, with contributions from the B.C. provincial government, Victoria's Chinese Canadian community, and other sources.
This description incorporates text from the English Wikipedia.
Odeon Circle or Wongwian Odeon is a roundabout (traffic circle) in Bangkok, it's the intersection of Yaowarat, Charoen Krung, and Tri Mit or Mittaphap Thai-China roads in Samphanthawong sub-district, Samphanthawong district. In the circle, there's a red huge Chinese architecture gate (Paifang) which was built by Thai Chinese descents as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 72nd anniversary in 1999. It's known as a gateway of Bangkok's Chinatown which Yaowarat as a main artery.
The top of the gate is inscribed in both Thai and Chinese letters on both sides, which means that "Gate of Commemorates the 6th Cycle Anniversary of HM the King's Birthday". The gate was officially opened on 5 December 1999 by Princess Sirindhorn presiding over the ceremony.
On the ground floor of the roundabout. There's a brass plate with a Chinese inscription (地; de) that translates to "earth" or "soil" and at the same point. At the top there's another Chinese inscription (天; tiān) means "heaven" or "sky". According to the belief of the Chinese. If anyone is standing at this point, that person will be given the cosmic energy according to faith in Feng Shui.
Side of the gate, there're two lion statues making from white jade which was sent from government of China as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 80th anniversary in 2007.
I was holding off posting this because a few have been posted recently by Matt Pasant and Tyler Bliss but wanted to throw mine in the mix. It is cool how the relatively same shot can be made by three different guys with three different looks. Thanks for looking!
A Paifang, also known as a pailou, is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch.
Taken @Summer palace, Beijing, China
A Paifang, also known as a pailou, is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure
Odeon Circle or Wongwian Odeon is a roundabout (traffic circle) in Bangkok, it's the intersection of Yaowarat, Charoen Krung, and Tri Mit or Mittaphap Thai-China roads in Samphanthawong sub-district, Samphanthawong district. In the circle, there's a red huge Chinese architecture gate (Paifang) which was built by Thai Chinese descents as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 72nd anniversary in 1999. It's known as a gateway of Bangkok's Chinatown which Yaowarat as a main artery.
Side of the gate, there're two lion statues making from white jade which was sent from government of China as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 80th anniversary in 2007.
Paifang Street (牌坊街) in Chaozhou (潮州), China.
This street is famous for its concentration of ancient memorial arches (paifang).
Odeon Circle or Wongwian Odeon is a roundabout (traffic circle) in Bangkok, it's the intersection of Yaowarat, Charoen Krung, and Tri Mit or Mittaphap Thai-China roads in Samphanthawong sub-district, Samphanthawong district. In the circle, there's a red huge Chinese architecture gate (Paifang) which was built by Thai Chinese descents as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 72nd anniversary in 1999. It's known as a gateway of Bangkok's Chinatown which Yaowarat as a main artery.
Side of the gate, there're two lion statues making from white jade which was sent from government of China as a part of the celebrations of King Bhumibol’s 80th anniversary in 2007.
West Burnside St and NW 4th Ave, Portland, Oregon.
The front side of the Chinatown Gateway as seen from the Taco Land food cart on NW 4th Ave. The paifang was undergoing repairs to its tiles. Yeah, the street lights are kinda in the way.
Media:
* Wikipedia: Chinatown Gateway
* Willamette Week: "Randyland, Part II," by Nigel Jaquiss, Nov. 17, 2009
I felt inspired by LEGO's Chinese New Year sets to build a paifang -- a traditional Chinese gateway. It was fun to use as the many great elements and figures from the sets and add a little bit of neighborhood.
These gates marked precincts in ancient Chinese cities, but living in the US I've only seen the gates in Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, San Francisco, and DC. This one is mostly based on Seattle's with its double red columns on each side.
For more photos see the album.
Paifang Street (牌坊街) in Chaozhou (潮州), China.
This street is famous for its concentration of ancient memorial arches (paifang).
Portland, Oregon
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The Chinatown Gateway is an outdoor paifang and sculpture which serves as an entrance to Portland, Oregon's Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. The gate was proposed by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in 1984. Architect Yu Tang Wang and artist Sun Chau completed the gate's design, which was built by Ting Hwa Architects in Taiwan. It was then shipped to Portland and installed in one week before being dedicated in November 1986. It cost $256,000 and was the largest of its kind in the United States until one in Washington, D.C. was completed several months later. (Source: Wikipedia)
Torii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Torii (disambiguation).
Main article: Mon (architecture)
The famous torii at Itsukushima Shrine, a Ryōbu-style torii.
A torii (鳥居?, literally bird abode, /ˈtɔəri.iː/) is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred (see sacred-profane dichotomy).[1] The presence of a torii at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small torii icon represents them on Japanese road maps.[note 1] They are however a common sight at Japanese Buddhist temples too, where they stand at the entrance of the temple's own shrine, called chinjusha (鎮守社?, tutelary god shrine) and are usually very small.
Their first appearance in Japan can be reliably pinpointed to at least the mid-Heian period because they are mentioned in a text written in 922.[1] The oldest existing stone torii was built in the 12th century and belongs to a Hachiman Shrine in Yamagata prefecture. The oldest wooden torii is a ryōbu torii (see description below) at Kubō Hachiman Shrine in Yamanashi prefecture built in 1535.[1]
Torii were traditionally made from wood or stone, but today they can be also made of reinforced concrete, copper, stainless steel or other materials. They are usually either unpainted or painted vermilion with a black upper lintel. Inari shrines typically have many torii because those who have been successful in business often donate in gratitude a torii to Inari, kami of fertility and industry. Fushimi Inari-taisha in Kyoto has thousands of such torii, each bearing the donor's name.[2]
The Japanese torii is derived from the Indian Torana which also inspired the Chinese Paifang.[3]