Having written this essay makes me wonder if I should try to start an Eco-Cult

Failures to satisfy the following theoretical concepts have resulted in our current environmental condition.

1. The first concept; striving to accomplish one’s actions by the most environmentally effective and efficient means possible, one that minimizes the need for energy or materials and produces no waste.
2. The second; is the requirement that each person strive to have the closest possible relationship with the resources that provide him or her their quality of life.
3. The last concept; is any detrimental effects created by a person’s actions must remain localized to that person, nor should it require another’s remedy for any damage done.

These concepts are interrelated, interdependent on one another and in order of importance. The first emphasises the importance of environmental decision making as opposed to our current way of monetary decision making. The implications of satisfying this concept would ultimately result in waste free world, where waste is considered a design flaw instead of a necessary result of production. The second encourages one to have a more meaningful and geographical relationship with the resources that provide us our quality of life. Herby our capacity to consume is increasingly dictated by our physical efforts and not our consumer power. The third concept suggests that we may remain as self serving creatures to the extent that it is not at the consequence of others. This results in accepting responsibility for our actions and limited our actions to those under which we have full control and understanding.

I emphasize that these concepts are theoretical and perhaps impossible to satisfy to the fullest extent describe here. Furthermore if one was capable of doing so the result may not result in a life style suitable to the majority of people. These concepts also require one to revaluate what one considers as growth, thus redefining progress. As the implications of these concepts overall result in a fundamental simplification of one life, that some may consider a regressive act. Yet, it is most importantly acknowledged that striving to better adhere to these concepts in our daily lives has significant potential to improve our earth’s environmental condition. 

A Personal Investigation on the Significance of Chinese Bronze

Since having visited the Shanghai Museum’s Chinese bronze gallery, I have developed a sincere interest in the art form.  Specifically, I was taken by the detailed patterns, geometric designs, animal motifs and function of the pieces. Easily overwhelmed by the beauty and craftsmanship, I attempted to conceive how they might have made almost 4,000 years ago.  Though I am hardly knowledgeable about ancient Chinese culture, through a western view my perception has been that of awe and amazement concerning early Chinese technological developments.  After viewing the incredible collection of bronzes, in addition to the other exhibits on ancient Chinese ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, jade, coins, furniture, seals, and minority nationalities my perception of ancient Chinese civilization was effortlessly affirmed.  

The great 'Ke ding', Reign of King Xiao of the Western Zhou Dynasty, Unearthed at Famen Temple, Fufeng County, Shaanxi Providence Height 93.1cm/ Weight 201.5 kg (444.23 lbs). 

The photo of the 'Ke Ding' above, considered the most valuable piece in the entire Shanghai museum, weighs over 200 kilograms! The largest bronze the 'Si Mu Wu ding' weighs 875 kilograms

The earliest bronzes discovered are from the ancient Majiayao culture during the Neolithic period 5,000 years ago. The early development and quality of the art form is quite unique to Chinese culture and speaks highly of its capacity to produce such works as it entered the bronze age in 2,000 BC.    

This chariot was my first view of any Chinese bronze work at the Shanghai museum, it speaks for itself as an indication of how magnificent ancient Chinese civilization must have been.  It was not until viewing the bronzes exhibited in the museum was I truly able to appreciate the significance of bronze production.  I began to speculate the implications of a society's capacity to produce such works.  Foremost, how productive Chinese civilization must have been to dedicate such vast amounts of resources to mining the minerals, copper and tin (some times lead), in order to produce bronze.  Unfortunately, further research has informed me as you might have expected, slave labor is part of the answer.  Yet despite the use of slave labor,  only a well organized and powerful society could allocate so much time and resources to produce such bronze works.


The infrastructure of bronze producing region must have dedicated a large portion of its resources to support mining laborers, not to mention the later production and transportation. Discovered in 1972, excavation of the Tongglushan refining site in the Hubei Providence is evidence of the scale of mining that took place.  Found there was a heap containing over 40,000 tons of slag, and timber supports of over 3,500 cubic meters.  Excavation of the mine indicated that the design of the shafts, over 50 meters below the earth, are the same used today by non-mechanical operations.

How Bronze Castings Were Made
1. Exact model of item to be made from clay.
2. Sections of clay pressed around the outside and inside of the model.
3. Sections of clay retaining the shape and relief of the model were half dried and touched up.
4. A layer the exact thickness of the wall of the item was shaved away from the model.
5. The model and castings (sections of clay) are dried in a kiln.
6. The mold pieces assembled.
7. Molten bronze poured in.
8. Polished after cooling with wet stones and in some cases charcoal for a high gloss. 

Bronze is most often cast using the "lost wax" process. 

This is quite an oversimplified explanation for there are many complicated techniques implemented to over come various challenges craftsmen encountered.  The techniques developed over the dynasties were quite ingenious.  These steps of production were reserved for the most skilled slaves.  For example, a finer clay was used in the inner-wall of the mold to permit gas created during cooling to escape thus accommodating for any bubbles that might affect the surface design.  It is suggested that for the creation of the 'Si Mu ding' would have required several kilns to fire at ounce in order prepare such a quantity of bronze (875 kg). Many other steps that may appear to be easily understood were actually quite complicated such as the design of animals, movable parts and multi-piece works. 

	Percentage Copper	Percentage Tin
For bells and cooking vessles:	6 parts	1 part
For axes and adzes	5 parts	1 part
For battle-axes and halberds	4 parts	1 part
For large knives	3 parts	1 part
For arrowheads	5 parts	2 parts
For mirrors and igniting mirrors	1 part	1/2 part

Types of Bronzes

• Ritual Bronze (Food/Wine/Water Vessels):
• Ding- A four footed container speculated to have been used for various uses, one of them a container for water to used as a mirror, cooking vessel. 
• Jue- Is a tripod goblet for drinking wine, having a narrow spout, handle, and some times two objects resembling horns on either side of the spout on which cloth was placed to collect sediment from the wine. The tripod allowed the wine to be heated over a flame. 
• Hu- Was a wine container taking various forms, used for storage or pouring. 
• Gui- A round footed bowl used for holding cooked rice or millet.
• Nao- Is bell, or percussion instrument. 
• Drums- Large bronze shaped drum.
• Weapons:
• Ge- A "dagger-axe" used for hooking and slashing was in the shape of and ox tongue.
• Mao- Is a spear for which the bronze tip was attached to a wooden pole.
• Ji- Was a halberd designed as a combination of a spear and dagger-axe.
• Yue- Or battle axe was only used in executions. The Chinese character is a pictograph of a man's head being cut off. 
•  Dao- Is a war knife used in battle. 
• Swords of course!
• Tools:

• Si- A plowing tool. This sharp flat tool attached to along curved handle was used to turn soil by pushing it into the ground by foot.
• Lei- A forked tool used similarly to the si was used for digging whole.
• Cha- Or spade was used for digging ditches, has a square blade with rounded corners. 
• Chan- Similar to shovel is used for moving dirt and has a flat wide head.
• Fu- Is an axe, many kinds have been discovered and were used for cutting wood.
• Lian- Is a sickle, two types have been discovered and were used for harvesting as plant cutting tool.
• Nou- Originally meaning large clam shell was a weeding tool. 

Of course there were many types of bronzes, but these are a few examples of most common bronzes discovered, most often in ancient burial tombs. As these (ritual bronzes) would have been used only by nobles or only the emperor himself. There a many complex design variations with abundant use symmetry, animal masks and motifs, effective design in form and function, size and use. Over time the design and beauty of bronze production increased as dynasties can be characterized by their own style of adornments.  Slave craftsmen had developed sophisticated ways of making more and more elaborate and complicated designs of symbolic significance.  The ancient Chinese bronzes are known to have the great variety of wine vessels of any other culture. As slave owning and wine drinking nobles can be traced back to the early period of bronze production around 1400-1500 BC.

I hope this blog has helped convey to you the awe I feel towards early Chinese culture and how bronze works are an indication of a highly developed and powerful civilization. There are however a few questions that still remain. Though it has been goal of this entry to provide evidence, what are the reasons for such a powerful empire. Of course the answer is not simple and there are many factors that must have lead to the success of ancient Chinese culture. Their environments ability to provide resources was above all necessary, slave labor also must have played a major role.  Yet often times racial superiority is discounted, maybe the Chinese were simply genetically inclined to be superior civilization. Consider this, there is evidence that Chinese bronze was developed without influence from outside cultures, they developed the technology all on their own. 


Why Chinese bronze not on the UNESCO world heritage list? It would seem that it more than qualifies. My personal opinion is that it has to do with marketability. While other things such as the Cantonese opera and Great Wall of China bring in a lot of money. It may Chinese bronze may be seen as more difficult to market. Though many replicas can be found for sale, they are not as popular as replica terra-cotta warriors and though archeological sites have provided us a great deal of information these sites may not be as interesting to view as the Great Wall of China. Further more bronze may not be considered unique enough to Chinese culture as other civilizations, though not as beautiful, also developed bronze technology. It may also be true that the period in which Chinese bronze was produced is of greater significance than the bronze themselves. 


Perhaps as China returns to its historical position as the worlds most power nation bronze may enjoy a reemergence as an art form and tribute to ancient China's past. 

Photos take by me on my trip to the Shanghai Museum.

Sources: Hsio-Yen, Shih. Ancient Chinese Bronzes. Hong Kong: Golden Cup Printing, 1982. Print.

Have you tried stinky tofu?

Well actually I haven't tried stinky tofu, but apparently it doesn't taste like it smells. So would you like to know what I have had. Well let me tell you.

• Chicken feet
• Fried or stewed
• With bones or without
• Chicken testicles 
• Tasteless and granulated in texture
• Fresh durian fruit icecream- 
• Smells like the server just defecated near you, but tastes amazing!
• Unfortunately the burps of this food taste like it smells.
• Spleen of a snake-
• So my friend bit the head off of a snake at a snake soup restaurant, and after he bit the head off I drank the bile from the spleen... supposed to be good for you!
•   Ox tongue- 
• Like a tongue might taste.
• Thinly sliced and grilled at a Korean BBQ restaurant
• Sushi and Sashami
• Lots and lots of it, some times twice a day!
• Cheap and delicious!
• Bubble Tea
• One of my addictions.
• MSG
• This miserable food additive is almost impossible to avoid.
• Delicious deserts
• Bowls of icecream with tapioca balls and fresh fruit, red bean, custards, semi-solid tofu.

This is only a 'taste' of all the strange and delicious things I have tried, but don't be jealous. Though the food is inexpensive and tons styles and dishes to choose from every where you go, Asheville is much better food. The healthiest thing to eat here is sushi and even that gets old. Fresh, nourishing, wholesome food is no where to be found. Apparently organic restaurants serve good food here but cost over $100.  

Essay on Chinese Culture

The opportunity to experience Hong Kong through casual observation and formal structured introduction has provided me insight into meaningful aspects of Chinese heritage.  With limited knowledge about China before arriving in Hong Kong, while here I have sought to confirm those admirable perceptions of the Chinese by western people.  During my visit to the walled village of the Tang Clan in Ping Shan and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin I acknowledged important aspects contributing to Chinese heritage for which I would like to discuss: family, education, aesthetics and pride.  

            The structural and social design of the Ping Shan walled village is conducive to family relations.  Observing the structural design indicated that family strongly is integrated into the Chinese way of life, as descendants stay in the same community in order to contributed to the responsibilities of village life and success of future generations.  The social structure of respect for one’s ancestors and providing land for males born into the clan also emphasizes a sense of family.  Combined, the structural and social design permits adequate care for each generation and enduring success of the Tang Clan.

            Facilitated through the joint efforts of the village ancestral hall and those successful members contributing monetarily to the village study hall, confirms a sincere emphasis on education and shared prosperity.  In order to dedicate one’s time to academic studies suggest the support and consensus on the importance of education.  Rigorous studies required significant time of each student that might otherwise be used in contributing to domestic or agricultural operations.  It required the support of everyone so that through education, qualifying them for government positions, they might further the clan’s success and name.

            Aesthetic value of Chinese heritage is simply awe inspiring in its authenticity, craftsmanship and history. Observing what might otherwise appear to be a simple wood, stone and tile structure upon closer observation becomes full of detail, hundreds of years of history and strong ties to the ever important feng shui.  Adornments to these structures characterized by full vivid color are carried out through other aspects of heritage including the Cantonese Opera, performing arts and religious worship.

            Above all the tactful and mysteriously humble tradition of pride is evident throughout Chinese heritage supported by the above mentioned.  Further it is conveyed through restoration works, documentation of the past, concern for protecting the future of Chinese heritage that pride is a strong part of Chinese life.  It speaks highly of the Chinese to manage the delicate balance of respect and pride. 

Some things you might find intersting

Well we have had quite a bit of discussion about my travels. Now for some things you might find interesting, concerning daily and what I have learned about Hong Kongers (how natives refer to themselves).

1. If you wear under arm deodorant, don't tell anybody or they will think you have a sweating problem. Thus Hong Kongers do wear deodorant they just don't admit to it. 
2. My roommate plays World of War Craft of at least 8 hours a day. 
3. The most common response by a Hong Konger to any given stimulus in any given moment is to giggle, complemented by a energetic short step shuffle. This includes when the teacher asks a question (no actual answer follows just giggling), observing something interesting, weird or surprising etc. 
4. There are no clunker cars here. Most people take the subway (quite an impressive subway at that), take taxis, drive luxury cars, or high performance sports cars. Thus people spend a lot of money on cars to show off, it is not uncommon to see a Ferrari, Lamborghini etc.
5. They don't use clean water to urinate or defecate in, all buildings have separate water lines. One running grey water (or salt water) and tap water for bathing and washing. The tap water is treated with ultraviolet light for consumption at select locations. 
6. At 90% It everything you touch is wet. even the bottom of my bed perspires from my body heat over night.
7. Being over weight it totally unacceptable. Young adult males are not ashamed to criticize girls for what they eat or for being slightly more than slim.    
8. Class participation is nonexistent, playing on your laptop while talking to your classmates in class is completely normal. 
9. You have to pay for air conditioning in your dorm by putting credit on you room key.
10. Everybody has an Iphone and makes a point of showing it off by playing with it on the subway.
11. To be continued...

A Week in China

There was certainly more to my week in China than Xi'an. After two days in Xi'an visiting the terracotta warriors and the Wild Goose Pagoda (built in 652 A.D.), we headed back to Chengdu were we had landed briefly on our way to Xi'an two days earlier. Chengdu, the capital city of the Sichuan province, and home to some of the spiciest food in the world.

A short bus trip out of Chengdu took us to the largest Buddha statue in the world, since the one in Afghanistan having been recently destroyed.  Carved into a mountain side over looking a river, the surrounding monastery and park was quite beautiful with traditional gardens, bonsai, and ponds. The next day was quite and adventure due to flight delays we only had 2 hours to spend at a beautiful park in Juizhaigou, called The 5 Color Lakes. Due to the content of the soil. the water has a different colors at different depths. Then back in a taxi for a 2 hr ride to the airport, good night's rest in Chengdu, the next day Shanghai.

By this time I was a bit tired of traveling and spending so much time in big cities, but just the same Shanghai was quite amazing. We visited the 3rd tallest building int the world, and the next day, after a late night at the hostel in deep intellectual discussion with an Irishman and Frenchman, we went to the Shanghai museum. Which along with the Terracotta army was probably the most significant part of the trip. With over 8,000 years of Chinese history, it effortlessly conveys the truth that Chinese culture has exceeded others throughout history.

Since we last spoke

I am seriously laking in the quantity of blog entries, though I have been writing a lot my journal. Sorry you don't get to read it, but you can read this... my public journal. So I hope you enjoyed the effort I put into the writing my previous entries, because I have decided to compromise the quality for quantity. 

The picture is a at international fashion show hosted by the exchange office of City U. My friend Ivan, a local student with whom I studied with last semester at UNCA during his semester abroad, purchased the Uncle Sam costume for me at a large market in Hong Kong. It's funny because there are so many things to be found at this particular market, but I wouldn't have thought he would find this costume. Before and after the fashion show at least a hundred pictures were taken of me with local students, that I am sure are among the millions of photos on Facebook shared with friends containing various captions. 

It was quite an amazing opportunity to travel to mainland China this past week for 8 days over the lunar new year holiday. Arriving in Xi'an on Feb. 10, the ancient capitol of China, after 2 hour flight that turned into a 6 hr flight (almost landing in Xi'an, changing course to land in Chengdu and then back in the air to Xi'an). Here we visited an almost 2,000 year old Buddhist pagoda, walked along the ancient city wall, and most importantly accomplished one of my most anticipated destinations in China...the terracotta army. Build by the first emperor to unify China over 2,000 years ago, it is without question one of the 8 wonder of the world. 

Weekend Trip to Tia O

I spent the weekend with a volunteer organization sponsored by City University, called City Youth Empowerment. During the semester I will participate in a variety of social work activities from playing with school children, tutoring college students in English, cleaning homes of the elderly etc. This weekend's activity was spent in a traditional fishing village, Tia O on the island of Lantau.
View Larger Map  
I have been to Tia O twice now, but this time was a completely different experience. First time was on a hiking trip (more like walking) with other exchange students for the day. This time I was the only non-local student among 25, or so, Chinese students for two days. The first night there ended up being a lot of discussion about cultural differences, which I really enjoyed, among other topics such as "what do you think of Chinese girls?" and are American girls like they appear in the television show America's Next Top Model. For example, Hong Kong locals admire "relaxed" American culture. That is, they feel that the motivation to succeed professionally in Hong Kong's competitive work environment  compromises one's enjoyment of the "good" things in life. 
One of the most notable observations of the fishing community was how terribly polluted it is. It was the first time I realized how sheltered I am from the harm that is being done to the earth. For me this epiphany was even more meaningful because, well I am an environmental studies major, and all I have done is learn about how bad things are and this was the first time to experience it. Despite the overwhelming amount of trash prevalent everywhere and the awareness that whenever a toilet was flushed the pipe lead straight to the water below the stilt house we were staying in, it was a very charming, relaxing and pleasant atmosphere. I also had the opportunity to see the white dolphins, learn about the relationship the natives have with the land and the sea, also understand the factors that effect the rapid change of the community and the people's way of life there.

Time Flys and Stands Still

I have been here for almost 3 weeks now and have seen so many places, and yet I have so much to do. This weekend we took a 75 minute ferry  to Macau, fortunately I don't get sea sick (which actually ended up not being and island). Apparently it is known as the Las Vegas of the east, but having never been to Las Vegas and apposed to gambling I took away some other interesting things from the experience. Like the picture I took to the left from a Portuguese fort established in the 1600's. The canon is aimed directly at a brand new hotel. The picture reminded me how fast time flys and yet seems so slow.

The Big City- Learning to live with a lot of people!

Let me provide a comparison; New York City has approx. 8.3 million people, Hong Kong approx. 7 million. However, the population density is 2,181 and 16,500, respectively. So as you can imagine there are a lot people every where you go. Coming from Asheville with around 78,000 people, it's taking some getting used to. My dorm complex alone has 9 high rise buildings with 10-15 floors in each, accommodating 3,000 students.

There is always something to stimulate the senses; colorful and attention grabbing aesthetics, pleasant and unpleasant smells and almost no where is there space to enjoy peace and quite. From that description it may not sound like the kind of place you wanna be, and to be honest I can't really see myself living here, but for the next 5 months I can't think of any other place I want to be.