Water Writing

PhotoDavid78

A group of Calligraphers gather every morning in the park in Nanjing and write poetry with water. The writing lasts a few minutes until the sun dries it. It draws a crowd and people discuss the meaning of the poem and compliment the artist on his fine handwriting. Once the poem disappears, the next calligrapher writes and the discussion continues.

RSL

Splendid shot, David. Backlight always gives a sparkling result.

rpcrowe

Beijing Summer Palace
Calligraphy writers are in evidence at Beijing's Summer Palace park

Richard

How cool. Love the shadows.

rainbow

Like this one... I like how the people are either focused on the critic on the far left (and like the pointing hand) or the calligraphy. Well composed!

PhotoDavid78

thanks everyone for your comments. Yes, this is done in parks all over China along with other culture based activities like tai chi, kung fu, and dancing. I wish the United States had more of a community/culture based society instead of television, video games, and work-work-work with only 2 weeks of vacation.

RSL

David, The United States used to have the kind of community culture for which you're pining. TV killed it. When I was a kid most houses had porches, often with divans and swings. If you sat on the porch in the evening neighbors often would stop by to chat. Nowadays everybody's inside watching crappy TV. You've seen community culture in China, and I could tell you stories about Thai girls who married U.S. GIs, moved to the states, couldn't live without the community culture they'd been used to in Thailand, got divorced, and went back to Thailand.

PhotoDavid78

RSL wrote: »

David, The United States used to have the kind of community culture for which you're pining. TV killed it. When I was a kid most houses had porches, often with divans and swings. If you sat on the porch in the evening neighbors often would stop by to chat. Nowadays everybody's inside watching crappy TV. You've seen community culture in China, and I could tell you stories about Thai girls who married U.S. GIs, moved to the states, couldn't live without the community culture they'd been used to in Thailand, got divorced, and went back to Thailand.

I'm going to have to disagree with you slightly in that TV didn't kill it. Lazy parenting did. I am 33 years old so I grew up with television but my parents didn't allow me to watch more than 2 hours of TV a day. Now a days, parents use television to babysit their children instead of taking them to a park. My wife is from China and lives with me in the U.S. We find time to go out after work and on weekends and we also enjoy watching a few television shows together. To me, blaming television for the breakdown of culture is the same thing as blaming a rifle for shooting a person.

RSL

David, I'll concede the point. That kind of problem always lies within human nature.

But I was around before the beginning of TV, and I saw the transformation that took place once TV became more or less universal. When I was in college I was going with a girl whose folks, of an evening around the house, would read, or talk -- even to their daughter and to me -- discuss what was in the newspaper, etc. Then, they bought a TV. From that point on any evening at her house was an evening watching TV. The discussions died.

You and your wife are unusual. You're able to fight it. I used to watch a lot of TV in the evening. Loved M.A.S.H. But as TV went downhill I kept saying to myself that it couldn't get any worse. Finally, after thinking that for years, and feeling my optimism slipping away, I gave up TV entirely. For at least the last twenty years the only time I've watched TV was during an election. It's a great relief and I've gotten a lot of reading done that I'd put off again and again.

The problem with TV is that it's a powerful temptation to be entertained without having to work at it. But having a rifle around doesn't tempt you to shoot anyone, provided you're sane.

Wayupthere

Great shots, great story!

Finally, after thinking that for years, and feeling my optimism slipping away, I gave up TV entirely.

That happened to me 2.5 years ago. I had more and more channels with nothing to watch. I kept saying "it cant get worse"..yes it can
Problem is now I think of the thousands of wasted hours
TV did kill a lot of community in America. These shots are such a breath of fresh air
Gary

PhotoDavid78

Wayupthere wrote: »

Great shots, great story!
That happened to me 2.5 years ago. I had more and more channels with nothing to watch. I kept saying "it cant get worse"..yes it can
Problem is now I think of the thousands of wasted hours
TV did kill a lot of community in America. These shots are such a breath of fresh air
Gary

Thanks for the kind comments although I still believe blaming the tool is not the way to go.

RSL

David, As I said, the problem lies with human nature. The TV is only a temptation, much like the apple, and equally destructive.

PhotoDavid78

RSL wrote: »

David, As I said, the problem lies with human nature. The TV is only a temptation, much like the apple, and equally destructive.

Yes I agree and I saw that you wrote that before. I was actually commenting on Gary's comment.