China's bitterly cold far northeast showed me a slice of Moscow in China! Harbin had been colonised by the Russian empire during the early 1900's, bringing a Russian flare to Heilongjiang's provincial city, transforming that freezing city into an Eastern Moscow of sorts. Completed in 1937, St. Sophia Cathedral still stands to this day with a fair amount of its European Orthodox design. I was attracted to Harbin for its ice festival but I would have been a liar to say it was the only reason why I dealt with the below freezing weather conditions. Nowadays, St. Sophia's goes by the name 'Harbin Architectural Art Galley' stripped back of its alter and congregation it showed me and many other visitors who the Russian influence fashioned Harbin into a sophisticated Moscow of the Far East. From the outside the revival of this former Orthodox cathedral looked in great shape considering its turbulent past. Saint Sophia keeps serving H! From Russian cathedrals to another European christian house of god, I visited the Shandong capital of Qingdao to stumble upon another Catholic cathedral from the German period of influence. Qingdao was just famous for its beer because St. Michael's Cathedral conducted those key sermons during the European days that brought German and British interest to those East China shores. I admired the large paintings of the JC, it had those Chinese tourists transfixed for certain! Restored to its former glory in 2000, St. Michael's was sure welcomed into the Diocese of Qingdao with its very own bishop who shared the same name as myself! It was incredibly bizarre to see such a convincing looking European house of prayer in Mainland China, when I blocked out the tourists in the courtyard outside the cathedral I could picture the German settlers going to mass back in those first brewing days. After my Macanese mission, I was amazed to see two prime examples of western religion in China.
Bhuddism and Taoism seems to be prominent faiths in the China of today, making up the main focus in prayer within the temples on the Chinese Mainland. I couldn't possibly begin to count the amount of temples I visited during my two year stint in China but I can remember two temples for a good reason. Hangzhou had attracted me firstly to its West Lake but the Lingyin Temple brought me to its doors like a magnet with much force. I learnt that the monastery had been designed and built by an Indian monk named 'Huili' around 328 AD. The main hall caught my attention the most, I may have got confused about the names of the halls but the bright colours pleased my senses to no end. Aside from the temple grounds I found the enchanted stones of the Feilai Park area, formed of jagged rocks, separated by a winding creek I loved life at Hangzhou's Lingyin Temple. Yes, I saw the resting place of Huili's' ashes! From Hangzhou in April 2017, I want to take this opportunity to rewind back to December 2016 during my Christmas holiday within Southwest China's Yunnan province. Touching down into Kunming Changshui International Airport I didn't really have a set plan for my two days in China's spring city but I knew Yuantong Temple was in my sights. I wasn't reading into the history behind Kunming's city center temple because it was so pleasing to the eye I was taken away to another world. The shallow pond in the middle of the temple grounds set a peaceful tone to my visit and added to the atmosphere, no stress was in life during that moment. Yuantong Temple's already placid nature had me centred and focussed, it was the first place that I visited during my Kunming sector and it calmly kickstarted my Yunnan break effortlessly. Spanning 1,200 years since it's opening in 817 AD I didn't notice any major fatigue, I'm taking anti-ageing tips from Yuantong's nature! I was spirited away KM!
Ascending over the Tibetan Plateau took me away from real life to Lhasa, Tibet. My experience was impacted by the many monasteries, temples and one majestic palace I saw during my four day experience. Drepung Monastery was the first Tibetan place of religions significance that I saw in Lhasa, it didn't take me long till I was confronted with a labyrinth of color and timeless scriptures that related to Tibetan Buddhism. The sky shone like a bright blue ocean vista, adding to the heavenly feeling that was already being served so perfectly. Spirited away once again but within the quarters of Sera Monastery allowed me to see the monks debate session, that meeting of minds mesmerised me, I was living to see that slice of Lhasa living in real-time motion. Sera and Drepung Monasteries schooled me about the history and the succession of the Dalai's, I lived a dream! Lhasa's religious offerings were on-point! Lhasa!Johkang Temple crossed my path, ushered into the winding paths within the temple walls gave me the opportunity to see so much more! I had noticed the golden statues of the many buddhas, with eyebrows painted on flawlessly and a piercing eye they were definitely judging each passerby, now that's some shade that I could champion to the highest! Leaving the best for last, climbing up the many stairs to enter the red halls of the Potala Palace I made it to the top even though the thin air choked me. Amazed by the luxurious furnishings and decorations I could well have lived there in my own lap of luxury. Both Johkang Temple and the Potala Palace slayed in their own ways, I felt so blessed. The heavenly sights from the Potala Palace confirmed the reason why I had traveled so far from Wuhan to make those dreams play out in real life. Since my first 'Like A Prayer' blog publication I forged ahead without any religious conviction to find a sense of spirituality. I sense a Mosque next!
Yinchuan's Next!
Joseph Harrison
