(Source: www.math.nus.edu）
Archive for April 29th, 2008
Chinese Culture – Sand Sculpture(1)
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
By piling, digging, carving and hollowing out this common element, turning it into mythical scenes and fairytale figures, sand sculptors have turned the art of carving in sand into a new trend in many big cities.
A Brief Introduction to Sand Sculpture
Known as a modern art for only 20 years, sand sculpting is a popular and recreational art capable of drawing widespread attention from the public. Sand sculptures can create new tourist programmes wherever they go, bringing in considerable commercial profits. From this point of view, the art is the result of the perfect combination 
of modern art and modern commerce and is closely linked with tourism. For the last 20 years, this symbiosis has greatly promoted the development of sand sculptures around the world.
Sand sculptures can now be found in more than 100 countries and regions, especially in popular coastal cities. Sand sculptures have become one of the most popular itineraries during sea visits. Meanwhile, the art has also spread to the inland cities.
Over the past few years, the art has aroused widespread interest in Asia — with Japan, Singapore and China as hosts to various sand sculpture contests. With the launch of the International Colored Sand Sculpture Festival in Yunnan Province , China, the art is also becoming richer in content.
Instant-Disintegrating Art
Sand and seawater are the basic materials for sand sculptures, which are molded into various patterns by digging, carving and hollowing out sand. Sand sculptures contain no chemical adhesives. Once a piece of the sculpture is completed, a special glue-water solution is sprayed over the surface to set the sculpture. Normally, the sculpture can be preserved for several months. Since it is not easy to preserve sand sculptures, which disintegrate over a period of time, the art form is also known as “instant-disintegrating art”.
（Source: chinaculture.org）
China Travel – Ornamental Pagoda at The Guanghui Temple
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
The Ornamental Pagoda in the Guanghui Temple is located on the hillock to the east of Shengmin Street in Zhengding County, Hebei province.
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The pagoda is also called Duobao Pagoda. The Guanghui Temple was first built in the Zhenyuan reign (758-804) of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), but the pagoda was not completed until the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). With the most unconventional style and the most splendid decorations, the pagoda is unique among China’s brick pagodas. It is 40.5 meters high, octagonal and has three storeys, and looks like a pavilion. The plane of the first floor is octagonal. With hexagonal one-storeyed small pagodas in four corners, the first storey is just a suite room in the shape of a pavilion. Round arches are opened on the facade of the Ornamental Pagoda and walls of the small pagodas. The plane of the second storey is an octagon. There are four doors in the four primary walls with false lattice window beside them, while only false straight and lattice windows on other four walls. Wooden square blocks inserted between the top of column and crossbeams in the body of the pagoda support the eaves. The third storey becomes a bit smaller, having only one door in the primary wall and false doors in other three sides. Above the third storey is the conoid body of the pagoda decorated with carvings of Buddhas and various animals. These carvings are orderly concentrated and rich in variety. The top part is an octagonal roof and the pagoda top, which is already broken.
The Guanghui Temple thrived in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Emperor Qianlong had visited there many times, worshipping and sightseeing. He even inscribed a horizontal board for it. Today, the Ornamental Pagoda is still standing there, while the Guanghui Temple has gone with the history.
(Source: chinaculture.org)
