Many of the Beijing temples I’ve visited are now museums or significant historical sites. However, the Western Yellow Temple is an active lamasery. The emperor built Xihuangsi in the 17th century to honor the visit of the Panchen Lama to … Continued
The Poly Group is one of the largest entertainment companies in China owning theaters and other amusements all around the country. It is also a major collector of Ancient Chinese artifacts, particularly bronzes. To showcase this collection, the Poly Group’s … Continued
Near the Altar of Agriculture, one of Beijing’s large city parks invites visitors to explore. Taoranting Park, like most large Chinese city parks, is anchored by a central body of water. This lake wraps around islands and peninsulas. This creates … Continued
Xiannongtan or the Altar of Agriculture is one of Beijing’s ancient imperial altars where the emperor would perform sacrificial rites and ceremonies. As I wrote about before, this altar lies at the southern end of the Dragon Line on the … Continued
Beijing, as a capital city of some kind for more than 1,000 years, has been a locus for people from all over China and all walks of life to descend upon. As part of this influence, religious peoples too have … Continued
Beijing has been a capital city for more than 1,000 years. Purposefully placed imperial structures including temples and sacrificial altars dot the urban landscape. There were, in the day, nine Beijing imperial altars. Today, not all remain or are open … Continued
Recently, I’ve been visiting temples all over Beijing, Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, a mosque, etc. Dazhongsi or the Great Bell Temple is just a mile from where I’ve lived for the last three years. I attempted visiting before, but it … Continued
In Breckenridge, Colorado, we met up with others from Utah for a week of dedicated family time. Our rented cabin was just outside of the ski town along the beaver ponds that line the Blue River. It was a wonderful … Continued
My main purpose for being in the U.S. was a family reunion in Breckenridge, Colorado. To get there, I hopped in a car and drove with family from Texas. We made a couple of stops on our Colorado road trip … Continued
I’ve written before about one of my happy places in my hometown, the Dallas Zoo. One of my other happy places is the Dallas World Aquarium. I’ve watched this fantastic, private animal experience grow from just a dozen beautifully curated … Continued