Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

This photo was taken at the Lama Temple in Beijing, China. This temple fascinated me for its juxtaposition of ancient and modern. Looking at the temple's traditional architecture and monks passing by in yellow robes, it felt as if you had stepped directly out of bustling Beijing and into ancient China. But to see the steady stream of modern Beijing citizens coming in on their lunch hour, burning and offering incense while bowing and kneeling, was a striking contrast. China's long and rich history fascinated me throughout the trip. But it especially struck me to see how a temple like this one, in a large and communist city like Beijing, had not become primarily a tourist attraction appreciated mainly for its historical significance. Rather it was an active part of day to day religious life for modern Chinese. The moment really brought China's old and new together into a unique perspective.