Gion- Kyoto's Geisha District

Before we visited the Yasaka shrine, we passed by a a very old district in Kyoto- the Gion District. Our young guide told us that the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" was filmed here. Originally developed in the Middle Ages, the district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine. It eventually evolved to become one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan. The geisha in the Gion district do not refer to themselves as geisha; instead, Gion geisha use the local term geiko. While the term geisha means "artist" or "person of the arts", the more direct term geiko means essentially "a child of the arts" or "a woman of art".

This neighborhood in Kyoto has two hanamachi (geiko communities): Gion Kōbu and Gion Higashi. Despite the considerable decline in the number of geisha in Gion in the last one hundred years, it is still famous for the preservation of forms of traditional architecture and entertainment. Part of this district has been declared a national historical preservation district. Recently, the City of Kyoto completed a project to restore the streets of Gion, which included such plans as moving all overhead utilities underground as part of the ongoing effort to preserve the original beauty of Gion.

Gion remains dotted with old-style Japanese houses called machiya, which roughly translated means "townhouse", some of which are ochaya or "tea houses". These are traditional establishments where the patrons of Gion—from the samurai of old to modern-day businessmen—have been entertained by geiko and geisha in an exclusive manner for centuries.

Inside the ochaya is a private and closed world where the evening's entertainment may include cocktails, conversation, and games as well as traditional Japanese music, singing and dancing. To this day, geiko and maiko (geisha in training) in full regalia can still be seen in the evenings as they move about through the streets of Gion to and from their various engagements at the ochaya. They dance and sing and they entertain for everyone.

There is a popular misconception that Gion was a red-light district. It was a geisha district, and as geisha are entertainers, not prostitutes, Gion is not, and never was, a red-light district. Shimabara was Kyoto's red-light district. The geiko of Gion still maintain the annual dances, the most popular being the Miyako Odori, "Cherry Blossom Dances" or "Dances of the Old Capital", staged by the geisha of Gion Kōbu. The dances run from April 1 through April 30 each year during the height of the cherry blossom (sakura) season. Spectators from Japan and worldwide attend the events, which range from "cheap" seats on tatami mats on the floor (approximately US$15.00), to reserved seats with a small tea ceremony beforehand (approximately US$40.00).

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, A UNESCO World Heritage Site (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

Built in A.D. 794 on the model of the capitals of ancient China, Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan from its foundation until the middle of the 19th century. As the center of Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years, Kyoto illustrates the development of Japanese wooden architecture, particularly religious architecture, and the art of Japanese gardens, which has influenced landscape gardening the world over.

Kyoto was the main center for the evolution of religious and secular architecture and of garden design between the 8th and 17th centuries, and as such it played a decisive role in the creation of Japanese cultural traditions which, in the case of gardens in particular, had a profound effect on the rest of the world from the 19th century onwards. Buddhism had already been introduced from China and Chinese culture was having a profound influence on Japan when the capital was moved from Heijo-ko (Nara), after 10 years at Nagaoka, to Kyoto, under the name of Heian-ko, in AD 794. The city plan was modeled on Chinese cities such as Changshan, capital of Tang China. It was the heart of the aristocratic society that clustered around the imperial court for the four centuries of the Heian period (794-1192). For most of this period there was a prohibition on the building of Buddhist temples inside the city, apart from the two imperial temples (To-ji and Sai-ji).

Properties on the World Heritage site that date from the foundation of Heian-kyo are Karmwakeikauchi-jinja (Shinto shrine), Amomioya-jinja (Shinto shrine), Kyo-o-gokoku-ji To-ji (Buddhist temple), Kiyornim-dera (Buddhist temple), and Enryaku-ji (Buddhist temple); the two large Buddhist temples of Daigo-ji and Ninna-ji are representative of the early Heian period. By the end of the Heian period the military samurai class was growing in power, and the resulting unrest, coupled with the fact that the world would enter its final years, according to Buddhist doctrine, in 1052, led to an increase in religious fervor. The Buddhist temple of Byodo-in and the Ujigami-jinja date from this period.

A civil war in 1185 led to the establishment of a samurai military regime at Kamakum; however, the imperial court remained at Kyoto. The Sekisui-in at Kozan-ji is the best example of the residential architecture of this period, which ended in 1332 with the establishment of the Muromachi Shogunate. This period saw the building of large temples of the Rinzai Zen sect, such as Temyu-ji, and the creation of Zen gardens, of which that at Saiho-ji is a representative example.

At the end of the 14th century, the Muromachi Shogunate reached the apogee of its power, and this is reflected in buildings such as the villa of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, which later became the Buddhist temple Rokuon-ji. The villa of a later shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, built in a more refined style in the mid-15th century, was also converted into a temple, Jisho-ji. Garden design was refined into pure art, as demonstrated by the garden of the abbot's residence at Ryoan-ji. Much of Kyoto was destroyed in the Onin War (1467-77), but it was rebuilt by a new urban merchant class, who replaced the aristocrats who had fled during the war. In 1568 Oda Nobunaga seized power, and he was followed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who unified the country and built a 23 km wall round Kyoto. The centre of power moved to Edo (present-day Tokyo) when a new shogunate was established under Tokugawa Ieyasu. The authority of the Tokugawa Shogunate was given material form in Kyoto with the construction of the strong castle of Ngo-jo at the heart of the city. At the same time Hideyoshi's defences were dismantled.

The political stability of the Momoyama period (1573-1614) saw a new spirit of confidence among both the military and the merchants, reflected in the opulence and boldness of the architecture, represented by the Sanpo-in residential complex and garden at Daigo-jo and the prayer and reception halls at the Buddhist temple of Hongan-ji, moved from Osaka to Kyoto as a symbol of the city's revival. The beginning of the long Edo period (1615-1867) saw Heian temples and shrines, such as Kiyomimdera, being restored in traditional style. During this period the supremacy of Kyoto as a center of pilgrimage became established. After the Meiji restoration of 1868 the capital and the imperial court moved to Tokyo.

One of the results was the adoption of a modernization policy that led to the transformation of Kyoto into a modern city. This caused the city's cultural heritage to be neglected; however, the national government was aware of what was happening, and introduced the first ordinance for the protection of antiquities in 1871. This was superseded in 1897 by the important Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law, which marked the beginning of the protection and conservation program-mes of modern Japan.

Zhongzheng (Jhongjheng) Park in Keelung,Taiwan

Keelung City (also Jilong or Chilung) is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan and is currently administered as a provincial municipality within Republic of China. It borders New Taipei with which it forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with Taipei itself. Its frequent rain and maritime role earned it the monicker Rainy Port. It is Taiwan's second largest seaport after Kaohsiung.

Keelung City has several attractions, one of which is the Zhongzheng (Jhongjheng) Park. The park is situated on the side of Dashawan Mountain, which is at the east of Keelung City. There is a white statue of Goddess of Mercy in the park. This 25-meter high statue has become one of the characteristics of Keelung. The park overlooks Keelung City and the harbor. There are three levels in the park. On the first level is a historic canon fort. On the second level is a Buddhist library, Martyrs' Shrine and Zhuputan Temple. The temple attracts many worshipers on July 15. On the third level is Guanhai Pavilion. Sitting in the pavilion, visitors can see the entire Keelung and the ocean.

The statue of Goddess of Mercy is the landmark of Zhongzheng (Jhongjheng) Park. It is the biggest Goddess statue in Southeast Asia. Inside the statue is a stairway leading to the top. Zhuputan is where worshipers gather on Zhongyuan Festival. The first immigrants to Taiwan used to fight with each other for land. In order to stop the disputes, they set up a temple for yearly worship. The temple was in Gaosha Park during the Japanese occupation and moved to Zhongzheng (Jhongjheng) Park.

The Atayal Aborogines of Taiwan

Before the Han Chinese immigration began in the mid-1600s, Taiwan was inhabited by people belonging to the Austronesian race, the members of which lived in a vast area extending from Madagascar in the west to Hawaii and Easter Island in the east, and from New Zealand in the south to Taiwan in the north. Taiwan's aborigines are believed to have come from the Malay archipelago in different waves about 6,000 years ago at the earliest and less than 1,000 years ago at the latest. Since their languages are very different--more varied than those of the Philippines--some scholars suggest that Taiwan is the original homeland of all Austronesians. Archeological findings indicate that Taiwan had been inhabited by other people before the current aborigines came. However, little is known about them, particularly when and why they disappeared.

When the Han Chinese came to Taiwan, they divided, for convenience, the aborigines into Pingpu (plains) people and Kaoshan (mountain) people. They further subdivided the Pingpu people into 10 tribes and the Kaoshan people into nine. These labels are misnomers, for they don't reflect cultures and languages, or place of residence, properly. A tribe in one division often has more similarity with one in another division than with one in its own division, and the tribes of "mountain people" don't live in mountains at all. One of the 9 mountain tribes are the Atayals. The Atayal are distributed over a large area in northern Taiwan. Their language can be divided into the Atayal and Sediq branches and is not closely related to any other aborigine language. Atayal men are good hunters, and Atayal women good weavers. In the past, facial tattooing among men and women, for beauty and distinction and to ward off evil spirits, was a feature of this tribe. This practice has been outlawed since the Japanese occupation (1895-1945). Now only those Atayals over 80 years old still have tattoos on their faces. They have a native bamboo dance similar to the Philippines "tinikling".

The Atayal kinship system is patrilineal. Leaders of several religious groups of a community usually constitute the political authority. The prototypical Atayal house is either semi-subterranean or built at ground level, and is made of wood and thatch. There is a watch tower for each cluster of houses.

Wulai Atayal Museum. With its scenic beauty and diverse cultural charms, Wulai District offers a perfect rustic retreat close to Taipei City. Visitors can explore the indigenous culture and history of Wulai at the Wulai Atayal Museum of New Taipei City, situated at the entrance to the Wulai shopping area. The four-story museum presents displays on the history, culture, customs, religious faith, rituals and festivals of the Atayal people as well as the natural ecology of the Wulai area.

Mountain peaks, valleys, waterfalls, hot springs, old-growth forests, and other natural attractions create a perfect setting for a scenic excursion, fitness walks, spring soak and cherry blossom watching. Visitors can also ride on a train and feast on the local indigenous cuisine; experience the living traditions of the Atayal people through tribal festivals.

Taiwan's Yehliu Geopark on Stamps

Yehliu is a cape on the north coast of Taiwan in the town of Wanli between Taipei and Keelung. The cape, known by geologists as the Yehliu Promontory, forms part of the Taliao Miocene Formation. It stretches approximately 1,700 meters into the ocean and was formed as geological forces pushed Datun Mountain out of the sea.

A distinctive feature of the cape is the hoodoo stones that dot its surface. These shapes can be viewed at the Yehliu Geopark operated by the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration. A number of rock formations have been given imaginative names based on their shapes. The most well-known is the "The Queen's Head", an iconic image in Taiwan and an unofficial emblem for the town of Wanli. Other formations include "The Fairy Shoe", "The Bee Hive", "The Ginger Rocks" and "The Sea Candles."

Admission is 50NT$ and is open from 8am to 5pm daily. To go there: From Taipei City, take a Kuo Kuang Hao bus bound for Jinshan from the Zhongxiao-Fuxing MRT station 9 exit 2.From Tamshui, take the express bus bound for Jinshan at Tamshui Station (near Tamshui MRT station). From Keelung, take the express bus bound for Jinshan or Tamshui at Keelung Station (near Keelung Railway Station).

The sheet above features the beauty of the Yehliu Geopark. This is a special set which can only be availed at the park.

Dr. Sun Yat Sen, Taiwan Anthem Writer

Sun Yat-sen (12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925) was a Chinese revolutionary and president. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is referred to as the "Father of the Nation" in the Republic of China (ROC), and the "forerunner of democratic revolution" in the People's Republic of China. Sun played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty during the Xinhai Revolution. Sun was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was founded in 1912 and later co-founded the Kuomintang (KMT), serving as its first leader. Sun was a uniting figure in post-Imperial China, and remains unique among 20th century Chinese politicians for being widely revered amongst the people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Although Sun is considered one of the greatest leaders of modern China, his political life was one of constant struggle and frequent exile. After the success of the revolution, he quickly fell out of power in the newly founded Republic of China, and led successive revolutionary governments as a challenge to the warlords who controlled much of the nation. Sun did not live to see his party consolidate its power over the country during the Northern Expedition. His party, which formed a fragile alliance with the Communists, split into two factions after his death. Sun's chief legacy resides in his developing of the political philosophy known as the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood.

Taiwan's National Anthem, often called "San Min Chu I" (pronounced "San Min Joo Ee"), from the first line of the anthem whose lyrics are taken from the text of a speech given by Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the first president of China at the opening ceremony of the Whampoa Military Academy. The music was composed by Cheng Mao-Yun. The anthem was first selected as the anthem for the entirety of China when controlled by the Kuomintang (1930-1949).

The National Banner Song of Taiwan (alternate anthem) click here.

Picture above taken at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall with statue of the Hero at Taipei

The Kumari Devi- The World's Only Living Goddess

Not only does Nepal have many gods, goddess, deities, Bodhisattvas (near Buddhas), avatars and manifestations, which are worshiped and revered as statues, images, paintings and symbols, but it also has a real living goddess. The Kumari Devi is a young girl who lives in the building known as the Kumari Ghar, right beside Kathmandu's Durbar Square. From time immemorial the practice of worshipping an ordinary pre-pubescent girl as a source of supreme power has been an integral part of both Hinduism and Buddhism, a tradition which continues even to this day virtually in every household. They call this girl Kumari Devi and worship her on all the religious occasions.

The predominance of the Kumari cult is more distinctly evident among the Newar community inside the Kathmandu Valley as she has become an inevitable feature of their worship almost in every Vihar and Bahal and including the nooks and corners of Newari settlements. However, it was the Vajrayana sect of Mahayana Buddhism that was responsible for establishing the tradition of worshipping a girl from the Sakya community as the royal Living Goddess.

The selection of the Living Goddess is a highly elaborate tantric ritual. Upon passing the preliminary test, this is merely concerned with their 32 attributes of perfection, including the colour of her eyes, the shape of her teeth and the sound of her voice. Her horoscope must also be appropriate. The 4 to 7 year poor girls from the Sakya community are made to confront a goddess in the darkened room. The sight of the Buffalo heads scattered around, the demon- like masked dancers, the terrifying noises they encounter scare some of these innocent babies. The real goddess is unlikely to be frightened, so the one who is calm and collected throughout the tests is the only girl who is entitled to sit on the pedestal for worship as the Living Goddess. Then as a final test similar to that of the Dalai Lama, the Kumari then chooses items of clothing and decoration worn by her predecessor.

The god-house Kumari Ghar is a store-house of magnificent intricate carvings where the Living Goddess performs her daily rituals. During her tenure in the god-house, Guthi Sansthan, the government trust fund bears her entire expenses including that of her caretakers. Under normal circumstances, her days in the god-house come to an end with her first menstruation, but if she turns out to be unlucky, as they say, even a minor scratch on her body that bleeds can make her invalid for worship. She then changes back to the status of normal mortal and the search of a new Kumari begins. It is said to be unlucky to marry an ex-Kumari.

On Indra Jatra, in September, the Living Goddess in all her jeweled splendor travels through the older part of Kathmandu city in a three tiered chariot accompanied by Ganesh and Bhairab each day for three days. It is really a grand gala in which people in their thousands throng in and around the Kathmandu Durbar Square to pay their homage to the Living Goddess. During this festival she also blesses the King in keeping with the tradition in which the first king of the Shah dynasty, who annexed Kathmandu in 1768, received a blessing from the Living Goddess.

Nepal's UNESCO World Heritage Site

Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durbar Square is the religious and social heart of Kathmandu's old city, the square is presently known as Hanuman Dhoka, a name derived from the statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, near the entrance of the palace. It is a complex of palaces, temples, shrines, statues and courtyards which were built between the 12th and 18th centuries by the ancient kings of Nepal. The square is a queer assortment of the old and the new - elaborately carved architectural features and curving roofs provide shelter for cows, beggars and weary tourists.

Brahman priests and painted Sadhus perform rituals and pose for photos, while souvenir sellers and rickshaw drivers compete for attention among the crowds. Stone lions guard the gates to the Old Royal Palace that contains a number of courtyards and several museums. Set into the palace wall is a 17th-century stone inscription written in 15 languages; it is believed that milk will flow from the spout below if anyone deciphers the entire inscription. On the other side of the square, the Kasthamandap temple is an open pavilion topped by a pyramidal tower, said to be created from the wood of a single tree. It is purportedly the Valley's oldest building, and the city of Kathmandu derives its name from this ancient temple.

Long jing Village, China- The Hometown of Tea

Longjing aka Longhong or Longqiu sits on the Fenghuangling mountain on the southwest of West Lake. The ancient Chinese believed that the dragon lives here so name it after Longjing. The famous Longjing tea of West Lake is produced in this village. In Ming and Qing era, the Longjing tea became famous because scholars and emperors highly regarded the tea. Qianlong emperor visited Longjing and adjudged its taste as one of Chinas's best. Longjing is interlinked with the sea and the dragon lives in the sea so we call Longjing. Longjing's water is also very strange, for when stirring it. a line which separates the water appears on the surface like a swinging gossamer, then quickly disappears. Its spring water is clean and sweet. Longjing, Hupao and Yu spring are called the three famous springs of West lake.

The souvenir sheet above features the West Lake in Hangzhou issued by China in 1989.

New Zealand's Unofficial National Anthem on Stamps?

New Zealand has honored Engelbert Humperdinck by releasing a stamp based on his song ‘Ten Guitars’. Engelbert released ‘Ten Guitars’ as a b-side in 1967. It was also on his debut album ‘Release Me’. However, despite originally be used as more filler than thriller the song took on a life of its own in New Zealand and is now considered the country's unofficial national anthem. There was even a Facebook petition to have it made the national anthem.‘Ten Guitars’ is said to be one of the most played songs at parties in New Zealand.The 60-cent ‘Ten Guitars’ stamp features in a set of Kiwiana stamps out now in New Zealand.

Engelbert Humperdinck (born Arnold George Dorsey; 2 May 1936) is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)" and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" ("The Last Waltz with You").

The 20th Anniversary of the Restoration of State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Stamp and Souvenir Sheet

Like other republics of the Soviet Union at the time, Azerbaijan had its own anthem, which was in use until shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Azerbaijan was originally given an anthem in 1944, but a slight change to the lyrics came in 1978 with the removal of Stalin's name and other minor changes. The composer of the anthem's melody also wrote the music for the current Azerbaijani national anthem in 1919 before Azerbaijan became part of the Soviet Union.

On January 30, 1920, the Azerbaijan government announced a competition to create a national anthem, but in the result of the fall of Azerbaijan to the Soviet Union on April 28, 1920, the anthem was not adopted. On May 27, 1992, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the "Azerbaijan Marsi," which was created in 1919 during the brief independence period, was approved as the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The composer of the anthem was Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the same person that composed the music to the anthem used by the Azerbaijan SSR.

Above is the stamp set of national symbols with the lyrics of the national anthem. Below is the souvenir sheet with the flag, map and score of the national anthem. These were issued on November 10, 2011.

Slovenian Anthem Lyrics on Stamps

"Zdravljica" was written by France Prešeren, considered as Slovenia's national poet, as a drinking song (in his original manuscript, the layout of the words resemble a wine glass), but also was seen as politically charged piece when it was written in 1844 as it spoke of pan-Slavic nationalism, which was controversial in Austria-Hungary (which Slovenia was part of at the time). It was finally published in 1848, after revolutions in Austria-Hungary lifted the censorship.

In 1905, Zdravljica was set to music for the first time, the entire poem had a choral composition composed for it by Stanko Premrl, and this was the composition chosen as the Slovenian anthem in September 1989. Six months later, it was specified that the seventh verse is the official anthem, and this remains to this day.

The block above contains the flag and some of the lyrics of the Slovenian national anthem. It was issued on 2001.