April 29, 2009

• 4/29/09

  Today's "go somewhere" was the Kyushu National Museum in Dazaifu to see the following, quoted from the Museum website.

  

  The Special Exhibition "Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World," is now open at the Kyushu National Museum since April 11, 2009. This is a comprehensive introduction to Tibetan culture, which has received considerable attention worldwide but is as yet fairly unfamiliar in Japan. We welcome visitors to this large-scale collection of fine arts, shown for the first time in Japan. It includes works from palaces, temples, museums, and other sources, many of which are registered as World Cultural Heritage Sites, located in China's Tibetan Autonomous Region and Chengde, Hebei Province.  The Tibetan cultural sphere, encompassing a shared lifestyle and common language as well as Tibetan Buddhism and the native Bon religion,extends from today's Tibetan Autonomous Region to Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, Yunnan Province, and adjoining areas. This sphere reached its apex of influence in the late 8th century, when it was as powerful as the Tang, Uyghur, and Arabian empires.
  
  Tibetan culture was shaped by a different body of Buddhist teachings than the Indian mid-term esoteric Buddhist thought (transmitted by the monks Kukai and Saicho, the founders, respectively, of the Shingon and Tendai sects) that, along with classical Chinese sutras and mandalas, entered Japan in the early 9th century. Instead, Tibet was transformed by a second wave of Indian esoteric Buddhism in the 10th and 11th centuries. Since that time, priests have attempted to systematize the teachings of esoteric Buddhism, and training for achieving enlightenment has come to be conducted according to the level of understanding of each disciple. In Buddhist statues and Buddhist paintings, which are an indispensable part of Buddhist practice, the Tibetan Buddhas appear as revered deities who take unique forms. We invite you to confirm with your own eyes the fascinating differences between Tibetan Buddhist art and Japan's Buddhist sculptures and paintings.

  (Some of these Buddhas were not exactly suitable to the eyes of children...)

  Here are some pictures from this trip to Dazaifu.

  

  A Dazaifian manhole with a plum design.

  

  A moogle seen in a souvenir shop - Mr. Daruma must be getting bored from meditating.  No, I didn't buy it.

  

  This is an "Ikinari Dango," most of which I have eaten.  It is made of azuki beans and sweet potato wrapped in dough and steamed.  Very nice, not too sweet.

  

  The Tenmangu Shrine at Dazaifu - I am attempting an ukiyoe technique here with some thing in the foreground and something in the distance.

  

  This was a cranisch bird that actually let us get quite close to it.  Perhaps it wanted the rest of my snack.

  

  Another place close by Dazaifu with a different manhole - Oono

  

  Now to the untrained eye this ridge on the left doesn't look like much, but it is actually part of the wall of an ancient moat from the latter 7th century. 

  
  
  Hubby has made another addition to his "collection."

  • 06:47
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