"The sharp knife of a short life

I've had just enough time..."


- "If I Die Young" The Band Perry


I see Beauty in many things. And like the ghosts that only speak to you if you notice them, they tell me wondrous tales. With my camera and my thoughts, I captured these as faithfully as I can to share with you. And by doing so, they gave me the reasons. And though the thousand reasons may not all be sweet and some indeed bitter; they are still reasons to live. Come to think about it, that is Life, isn't it?

Sunday 12 February 2012

The Cheerful Boatman of West Lake.




I've has just enough time to...   take a boat ride on West Lake.


Taken of my cheerful boatman of West Lake


It was my fortune to hire this cheerful boatman to take me on a tour of the romantic West Lake. She effortlessly pushed the heavy oar and gently swayed with the rocking of the boat wearing a perpetual smile on her face. And in a sing-song voice, she narrated the romance of The Scholar and The White Snake.


One of the lovely view of the lake.


Through her words, I imagined the scholar walking under the weeping willow meeting Lady White Snake and falling in love with her. How the strict monk seeking to uphold the Law of Heaven forbade the union of man and spirit and drove them apart. And when he could not severe their love for each other, imprisoned her under the Pagoda for eternity. A tragic but beautiful love story. So if you go to the West Lake of Hangzhou, hired one of the boatman for this is the best way to view the lake and hopefully, you will get a boatman as pretty and as cheerful as the boatman who showed me West Lake.

_______


This animation film by Yun Tin Ruan, a famous comic artist in China give a slightly different take. It tells of White Snake practising for 1000 years to be a perfect woman. She falls in love with a man by Hangzhou's West Lake but the man's distrust eventually kills their love. The tale is used as a metaphor for the relationship between man and woman in a male dominated society. Watch it - the animation is fantastic!







3 comments:

  1. A 1000 Reasons
    From Shanghai, I travelled by train to take a plane out of Hangzhou back home as it was the only suitable flight for me that day. Had a few hours to kill and what better way than to do that in one of the most famous and romantic lake in China. So we hired a boat and I was lucky to get a boatman (or should I call her boatlady or boatwoman to be politically correct?) as cheerful as she in the picture. She handled the boat at ease without breaking a sweat and in her sing song voice and occasional hearty laugh narrated to us the legend of the scholar and the snake.

    ★henrhyde added this photo to her favorites.
    Beautifully narrated by you.
    Also a beautiful image.
    You see happiness and beauty , wherever you go.

    Kathy_9
    Great shot and as always, I enjoy "traveling with you" and learning about other countries.

    MAMEDE HARFOUCHE
    KEEP SAFE, Thou.
    KISSES AND PEACE.
    الله أكبر * " ALLAH HU AKBAR! "

    oOo Bev oOo
    o0o oh to be happy in the work we do ...:-)) oOo

    ReplyDelete
  2. A 1000 Reasons
    This is not a place to take in, in a hurry. Other than the boat trip, one should leisurely strolled along the bank and viewed the lake from different angle. It would be nice too to use the boat to stop at small island or out of way places just to enjoy the scenery. Or to go up the Pagoda where the monk imprisoned the white snake. Man and snake shall not love, and why not?

    ★henrhyde added this photo to her favorites.
    An image of beauty.
    Wonderful narration.

    Kathy_9 (
    A beautiful image and story!!

    ★i_still_believe_in_u and ΞSSΞ®®Ξ added this photo to their favorites.

    ΞSSΞ®®Ξ
    fantastic capture. lovely place and moment perfectly framed

    brdonovan
    wonderful writing and insight.
    indeed the world still seems male dominated; some changes happen over generations, slowly.
    great work; i like the metaphor
    ★brdonovan added this photo to his favorites.

    MAMEDE HARFOUCHE
    STAY BLESSED, Thou.
    KISSES AND PEACE.
    الله أكبر * " ALLAH HU AKBAR! "

    njchow82
    Seen in:{Oriental Land}

    mario.soure
    Parabéns!
    Esta foto foi vista no PHODDÁSTICA!!!

    sasithorn_s
    Parabéns!
    Congratulations!

    Valter49
    Parabéns!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Other than the vessel journey, one should relaxing walked along the lender and considered the river from different position. It would be awesome too to use the boat
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    ReplyDelete

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