福建安南诗山的凤山寺-广泽尊王的总舵 Fengshan Temple in Shishan, Fujian, China.

*WS 130: 福建安南诗山的凤山寺--广泽尊王的总舵 Fengshan Temple in Shishan, Fujian, China*

今天要介绍的是福建省南安市诗山镇的凤山寺，主座是广泽尊王。郭圣王，俗名郭忠福，诗山郭山人，生于后唐公元923年，长工出身，7岁丧父，牧牛俸母，乡邻称他为郭孝子。后晋公元938年，他16岁时，上山为母采药，古藤堆上坐化。后人念其孝，在郭山建庙奉为神明，庙名为郭山庙。此庙对信徒有求必应，故香火鼎盛。自宋至清，获历朝皇帝六次敕封爵号，长达十四字，简称广泽尊王。因郭山地形如凤盘舞，后改名为凤山。郭山庙也变成凤山寺。凤山寺历朝获重修扩建，是一间有规模的寺庙。不过在文革时期，受到非常严重的破坏，几乎成为废墟。1978年在海外华侨信徒的赞助下，凤山寺开始重建，十年内完成。2004年主殿因受虫蚁蛰蚀之害，又重建。 

现在的凤山寺，寺殿分前后三殿，共有建筑物30余栋。我们2013年曾到这游览。第一张照片所示是庙门，高13米，寺匾“凤山览胜”是明代举人所题。第二张是庙门后的建筑，壁雕尊王的传奇生平故事。第三张是前殿，高18 米，中祀尊王。第四张是后殿。第五张是尊王塑像。接下来的三张是寺里的一些装饰。寺殿多属歇山式重檐屋顶，屋脊立有釉面陶塑的龙、凤、鱼、乐伎等。有十多条的龙，非常壮观，如最后两张照片所示。 

明清时期，福建人大量移民台湾，广泽尊王信仰也被带入台湾。至今，广泽尊王分炉在台湾有600余座寺庙，遍布岛内。福建移民也带广泽尊王到其他东南亚国家。槟城就有多间凤山寺，如Tanjung Tokong湾岛尾凤山寺，Batu Maung灵应堂凤山寺，Gelugor麒麟嶺凤山寺等。

The travel sight featured in this series is a famous temple in traditional Chinese belief (Taoism and ancestor worship) in Fujian, China – the Fengshan Temple in Shishan Town.  

Around 923 AD, Guo Zhongfu was born in this Shishan village. He became an orphan at 7 and stayed with the mother and was known to maintain a high level of the virtue of filial piety. Legend said he died while praying atop a pile of vines at the age of 16 when he went up the mountain to collect herbs for the mother. A modest temple was built to honour him and over the centuries it was greatly expanded. He was posthumously awarded various titles by many emperors in succeeding dynasties. He was commonly called King Guanze, one of the royal titles so awarded. The temple was renamed Fengshan which is the name of the hill where it was located. 

The huge temple complex was severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. In 1978, under the sponsorship of overseas Chinese believers, Fengshan Temple began to be rebuilt and was completed within ten years.  

The present Fengshan Temple is divided into three courtyards, with more than 30 buildings. We made a visit here in 2013. The first photo shows the gate of the temple, 13 m high. The 3rd photo shows the main hall. The last photos show decorative elements in the temple. The buildings are of double-eave roofs, with glazed pottery dragons, phoenixes, fishes, and floral patterns erected on the roof ridges. There are more than ten dragons, in various poses, offering a very spectacular view. 

During the last few centuries, a large number of Fujian people moved to Taiwan, and the worship in King Guangze was also brought to Taiwan. There are more than 600 temples in his name in Taiwan. In fact King Guangze is worshipped in other Southeast Asian countries. There are several temples in Penang built to worship him: in Tanjung Tokong, Batu Maung and Gelugor.

The private residence of Casa Batllo in Barcelona, Spain

*WS 129: the private residence of Casa Batllo in Barcelona, Spain*

This is another of the 7 projects of the great Antoni Gaudi listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was originally a private house, several stories high, owned by a middle class family and in 1904 Gaudi was commissioned to refurbish the building. And a completely new residence was created. We were here in 2017.  

Gaudi replaced the original facade with a work in glass and stone. The new  facade wall was made to curve and bend like a wave, covered with a mosaic of coloured glass and ceramic fragments. First 2 photos.  The top of the building looks like the back of a dragon. It appears to have scales and a spine which seem to change colour as one look at it from different angles. 3rd and 4th photos. 

The interior is just as remarkable: pillars, balconies, doors, etc in fanciful shapes and material, with a room decorated to look like it is under water. 

We paid about RM 100 each for the entrance fee, queued for an hour to go in. The original house owner could never imagine he has left a gold mine to his decendents.

Exploring Torres del Paine National Park near Puerto Natales, Chile

*WS 128: Exploring Torres del Paine National Park near Puerto Natales, Chile*

The Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, is located in southern Chile, within the Chilean Patagonia region. It encompasses the Chilean steppes, forests,  towering granite peaks, rivers, blue lakes, glaciers, etc.

We were here in 2019, a full day exploring mostly around the Lake Nordenskiold and Lake Grey neighbourhoods. The steppes are shown in the 1st photo. The next 5 were taken around Lake Nordenskiold.  The name "Torres del Paine" actually refers to the 3 granite towers of Torres d'Agostini, Torres Central and Torres Monzino. The 6th photo shows the majestic Southern Crested Caracara, a bird of prey. 

The last 2 photos show the shore of Lake Grey fed by the Grey Glacier some distance away. A difficult walk on a very windy day. Felt like about to be swept away with the strong lateral wind. Probably due to wind tunnel effect.

A guided walk on the Fox Glacier in the Southern Alps, New Zealand

*WS 127: a guided walk on the Fox Glacier in the Southern Alps, New Zealand*

A glacier is a persistent body of dense ice formed by the accumulation of snow and constantly moving under its own weight. The Fox Glacier is a 13-km long glacier near the middle of the west coast of the South Island in New Zealand. It is the longest of the glaciers in the Southern Alps, descending some 2,600 m on its 13 km journey towards the coast, ending about 300 m above sea level. It is a major tourist attraction with up to 1,000 visitors a day during peak season. 

We were in New Zealand in 2013 and took up a 2 hour Fox Glacier guided walk, donned with rain jackets, boots, hats, walking sticks, etc, all provided by the guiding company. The walk costs NZ$ 115 each, about RM 300. Unfortunately it was drizzling most of the time or with gloomy sky when it was not drizzling. No great photos. 

The 1st photo shows the special spikes clipped onto our boots. The 2nd photo shows the initial part of the walk, probably over the ground where the glacier has been not too long ago. The Fox Glacier was in the retreating phase. The last photo was taken on the way out.

*WS 126: The ruins of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece

*WS 126: the ruins of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece*

Delphi is a small town in upper central Greece, 180 km north-west of Athens, the capital. Delphi was the site of a major temple dedicated to Apollo. The ancient Greeks considered Delphi as the center of the World. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visited the ruins in 2012. 

In Greek mythology Apollo is a "principal" god, the alpha in the pack of gods. A big part of the slope of Mt Parnassus was occupied by the Apollo temple complex. The first temple buildings were dated around the 7th century BC. Most of the ruins we see today are dated to the 4th century BC. The main structures shown are the re-constructed Treasury of the Athenians in the 5th photo, the surviving columns of the Temple of Apollo in the 6th photo and the 4500-seat stadium used to host the Pythian Games in the 7th photo. The Pythian Games are the precursors of the Olympic Games. 

In Greek mythology, the god Apollo spoke through the oracles and the Delphi Oracle was the greatest of all Greek oracles. She would be consulted before all major undertakings including wars and the founding of colonies. 

About 1 km from the Apollo Temple is the small complex of Temple of Athena Pronaia, the Greek Goddess of wisdom and warfare. The iconic ruin here is the Tholos of Delphi, a circular temple building constructed between 380 and 360 BC. It has 20 Doric columns arranged in a circle 15 m in diameter, with 10 Corinthian columns in the interior. Three of the Doric columns have been restored, making it the most photographed place at Delphi, 8th and 9th photos.

The last photo shows a modern oracle at work at the shaded area near the Temple of Athena Pronaia. Overheard her saying in English, "this place is special, has tremendous energy. You must think positive and all your dreams will be fulfilled...." Her words were translated to Greek to about 30 young people. She must be leading a motivation course. What special energy level? Or just to con for a living?

Street art in Valparaiso, the “Graffiti Capital of South America”, Chile

*WS 125: street art in Valparaiso, the “Graffiti Capital of South America”, Chile*

Valparaiso is a seaport and major city in Chile, located 120 km north-west of Santiago, the capital. For tourists it is famous for 2 things, classic funicular railway to the low hills, and street art or graffiti. A big part of the old city consists of low hills where railcars have been in operation since 1883. The whole area is a labyrinth of sloping streets and cobblestones alleys. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We were here in 2019, roaming around the hills for several hours and feasting our eyes at the murals found at every wall and corner of the streets. The old city has self-claimed to be the "graffiti capital of South America". 

In 1973 Chile came under the military rule of General Pinochet. Every form of self-expression was subpressed. An underground network of artists started painting powerful messages on the walls of the back lanes. When the country returned to democracy in 1990, the local government decided to make street art legal and it blossomed. Today it is part of the city’s fibre. 

It is not a nuisance at all. In fact hotels, restaurants and shops compete to have murals painted on their walls. They attract business. And artists compete to produce the best.

The 1st photo shows a railcar and the line, one of about 15 lines still in use.  The 2nd is a mural more about politics. The next 2 are from famous artists. The 3rd is the work of a Spanish artist Cuellimangui who has a liking for sea worms. The 4th is a typical expression of a couple painted by a husband-n-wife team collectively known as Un Kolor Distinto. The simple one in the 5th photo is entertaining. Others are just samples of what we have seen.