Sitting on one's haunches

It is quite common for people in countries like India and China to sit on their haunches. Mostly it is the poor who do so when there are no chairs for them to sit. Mostly on the road side waiting for something or the other. Sitting on one's haunches is actually very good for flexibility and is considered an exercise. A pity that few of us do it nowadays.

Here are two men in China, on the streets, sitting on their haunches on the roadside.

A man in South India resting on his haunches on the pavement.

A man sitting on his haunches which he appears to find more comfortable than actually sitting on the ledge on Marine Drive in Mumbai

A holy man sitting on his haunches on a ledge on the side of a bridge.

Check out all the photographs of People on this blog. Or any other labels below this post.

Li River in China

The Li or Lijiang River in Guangxi Zhuang in China winds through peculiar shaped mountains or perhaps you can call them hills, the kind you have never seen before. They are like cones or tubes or in some cases like sand dunes! The cruise along the Li River is popular with tourists. These green hills make a very picturesque sight.

Here is a small boat laden with tourists winding its way along the Li River. The green rocky cone shaped hills are in the background.

Some of the hills are like pointed cones. Trees line the narrow beach along the river Li.

Some of these rocky hills have been given different names in Chinese because of their weird shapes.

A long shot of the Li river. The river, the beach, the boat and the hills.

You might also like to see pictures of other interesting sights of Guilin like the Elephant Rock in Guilin China or the Reed Flute Cave at Guilin, China, both of which are natural formations.
Or more photographs of Nature scenes or beautiful Scenery.
Or pics of China, including those of its cities, its people, and monuments.

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Elephant Rock in Guilin China

On the banks of the Li River in Guilin lies this charming natural rock formation. You can see from this picture why it is called Elephant Rock. The effect of the rock formation is that of an elephant drinking water. An elephant's thick legs also formed naturally as is its trunk. The Chinese are very fond of this symbolic formation and this natural monument has become associated with Guilin, a city which is a popular destination for tourists. In this photograph in the foreground there is also a boatman on a raft made of logs.

A closer look at Elephant Rock in Guilin, China.

You might also like to see pictures of another natural formation, the exotic Reed Flute Cave at Guilin, China or the man-made Great Wall of China

Or for a cultural tour try Chinese Emperor's Crowns or Terracotta Warriors from China  or Forbidden City in Beijing, China

Or more images from China of the Chinese people, and of other important places in China.
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City of Xian in China

These are pictures of the city of Xian in China is not only a historical city, it is also famous for industry. Industrial zones is one of the reasons for the increasing air pollution as can be seen in the photos. This picture is taken from an upper storey of a hotel and offer's a bird's eye view of a section of the city, the section which is the commercial district.

Broad roads and swanky buildings.

Cyclists have plenty of space to ride.

A photo taken while taking off from the airport at Xian. Fog or pollution?

You might also like to see pictures of the Xian Dance Opera or photos of the streets of Beijing with people, traffic, cyclists, pavements and buildings or Hong Kong Skyscrapers or check out the label "China" for images of this country including that of important monuments, it's people, and tourist markets.
Or take a look at other cities around the world. For example Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia or Florence and Rome in Europe or Goa in India or check out what other cities of the world look like at a glance.

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Terracotta Warriors from China

These Terracotta warriors are part of the Terracotta Army. These are scores of terracotta sculptures which showcase the army of Qin Shi Huang, who was the first Emperor of China. These pieces of art were buried with the emperor. The idea was that they would be the protectors.

They appear to have been carved out from real people as each figure has different facial features. This was quite a feat as it is estimated that there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots in all, and not all have been excavated. The work is still on. All these figures were found in pits near the Emperor's mauseleum and they contain not just soldiers but also other officials, and also musicians.

The pit out of which the terracota warriors were dug out from are huge and there are many of them.

Here you can see how deep the terracotta warriors were buried. Tourists are watching from the gallery.

You might also like Great Wall of China or Chinese Emperor's Crowns or the Reed Flute Cave at Guilin, China or more images from China of the Chinese people, and places.

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Great Wall of China

Here are photographs of  the Great Wall of China. This wall was built in ancient times to protect Imperial China against invaders. It is built along the northern borders and has been built and re-built over many centuries, starting from over 2000 years ago. The actual wall is about 6,259 kms long but if trenches and natural barriers are counted, then this fortified border is 8,850 kms long. However, with all its branches is said to measure 21,196 km.
All types of materials were used to build the wall including stone, mud, wood and bricks. Some parts of the wall have been eroded or destroyed and these images were from Beijing where the all has been well preserved.

The wall snakes across the picturesque mountains.

A section of the Great Wall.

Here is a merged photograph showing the panorama of the Great Wall of China. You can see the wall snaking into the distance amidst the natural beauty of the mountains.

You might also like Tiananmen Square in China or The Great Mosque of Xian, China or the Shanghai Skyline in the daylight

Or check out all the photos on China which includes people, places, silhouettes and sketches.

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Chinese architecture silhouettes

Silhouettes of different examples of the Chinese style of architecture.Chinese architecture has its own unique style and is centuries old, as ancient as Chinese civilisation itself. There is an emphasis on articulation and bilateral symmetry.

This is a silhouette of a rather staid and normal building on the outskirts of Beijing.

A simple black and white silhouette of a few buildings in the Forbidden City complex.

Another main building in the Forbidden City complex.

A black and white silhouette of the Temple of Heavan in China.

A silhouette of a shopping complex in Lu Garden in Shanghai.

A silhouette of a small temple like structure inside a large temple complex. The intricacy of the decorate work on the doors and windows has been highlighted.

You might also like sketches of the Chinese style of architecture: Chinese Architecture Sketches or  Chinese style architecture sketches of the Forbidden City
You can check out more photographs and posts on China which have pictures of tourist attractions, Buddha temples, Chinese cities and the Chinese people.  There are also pictures and sketches of skylines of Chinese cities like Shanghai.

If you are interested in buildings then check out the label "Architecture"and here you will find sketches, silhouettes as well as photographs of ancient monuments, skyscrapers, high-rises and other types of buildings from different parts of the world.

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Chinese Emperor's Crowns

The crowns are from the Dingling museum, near Beijing, and were excavated from tombs of dead royals. Royals from th Ming dynasty were buried with their valuables.

This is one of the most spectacularly beautiful and delicate imperial crowns, golden in color, and made from a gold net. It is the Emperor's Dragon Crown.

Ornate jeweled crowns were also found in plenty. For example, Phoenix crowns were worn by the Chinese empresses and also other important noblewomen on certain ceremonial occasions. They were like ornamental head-dresses, decorated with designs of dragons, phoenixes, and encrusted with gold, pearls, and precious stones. The designs kept changing according to the fashion and naturally the more the wealth and status of the woman, the more ornate was her crown. In fact it was mandated the number of dragons, phoenixes and pheasants that could be worn by a certain woman. It depended on her status. Blue is an imperial color in China.

Next to the white crown encrusted with jewels, this was what was written on a plastic plate (shortened version):

The crowns of the Empresses were dug up from Ding Ling. The dragon design is welded by the embossing method, and that is how the hollow shape is made, giving a three-dimensional effect. The design of the phoenix is plastered with a bird's feather. There are pearls and precious stones used for decoration of the crowns. In one of the many crowns there are more than 3500 grains of pearls and more than 150 pieces of precious stones!

Check out all photographs on China, which includes skylines of major cities, important monuments, Chinese people, Chinese culture and Chinese life.

You might also like Statues and sculptures of women at the Sistine Chapel or Male sculptures in Vatican city museum or check out all the images in the Sistine Chapel including that of exterior architecture and other types of art.

More related images: The Louvre Museum Paris - exterior and interior with pieces of art
Sketches of Venus de Milo at the Louvre in Paris or Venus de Milo at the Louvre in Paris or Painter at the Louvre, Paris

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Chinese Architecture Sketches

Chinese architecture has its own unique style and is centuries old, as ancient as Chinese civilisation itself. It is a classThere is an emphasis on articulation and bilateral symmetry. Some of these pencil sketches have elaborate shading and are more like black and white illustrations. This brings out the elaborate decorations and artistic work on these buildings. The intricate carvings, and also hanging decorations that beautify these structures is shown.

Some are simple line drawings.

This is an illustration of a Chinese style building at Shanghai in a garden complex called Yu Garden. Note the turret like structures forming the roof which point upwards. They appear to be decorative. The balconies of this building are also well decorated and in fact the whole building looks adorned.

This is a sketch with simple lines without shading of the same building at Lu Gardens in Shanghai.

This elaborate dome-like structure is part of a temple complex. It is not the main building.  The roofs are built in a way to let the rain water flow away. Bamboo and wood is used. On the first floor of the structure you can see a small balcony going right around. Most of these balconies are very narrow and more for ventilation rather than anything else.

This is a sketch of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. The bottom part of the dome was not included as it was just a mass of tourists. This one is very elaborately decorated as it is a temple. A detailed and high res image of these sketches are with me.

This is a sketch of one of the decorative arches of The Great Mosque of Xian, China. A large part of the structure is made of wood.

This building or buddhist temple sketch is part of a Buddha temple complex in China. The tall concrete or stone structure is tapering towards the top.

A building we saw on the way to the Great Wall of China. Not the sloping roofs built in a way to let rain water flow away.  Here the balcony is slightly larger.

A sketch of a chinese style building outside Beijing in China.

This is a sketch of a temple like structure in the Chinese style of architecture situated in a temple complex. Note the elaborately curved arches and decorated doors and windows, typical of sacred structures.

Related Viewing: More images of the Chinese style of architecture: Chinese style architecture sketches of the Forbidden City
Also check out more photographs and posts on China which have pictures of tourist attractions, Buddha temples, Chinese cities and the Chinese people.  There are also pictures and sketches of skylines of Chinese cities.
If you are interested in buildings then check out the label "Architecture"and here you will find sketches as well as photographs of ancient monuments, skyscrapers, high-rises and other types of buildings from different parts of the world. 

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Chinese style architecture sketches of the Forbidden City

These are sketches of the Chinese style of architecture which has evolved over many centuries in China and East Asia."Articulation" and bilateral symmetry are significant features of this style of architecture.
All of the sketches in this post are of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Some are simple line drawings, other black and white shaded illustrations. The detailed illustration bring out the intricate decorations that are a part and parcel of many classical buildings in China.
Many temples and palaces have large curved roofs, typical of sacred buildings and also some homes of the rich may have this style.

This building sketch is part of the Chinese Imperial Palace. The palace area is very large and is called the Forbidden City. There are some people with umbrellas alongside the road.

Another simple sketch of chinese style architecture. A part of the Forbidden City complex.

This building sketch is in one of the courtyards within courtyards of the Imperial Palace. In all of these palace structures you can see the intricate designs on the roof, doors, windows and even walls. All types of motifs are visible and bamboo and wood are used freely. The way the structures are designed, they allow the rain water to flow away.

Another part of the Forbidden City with a large courtyard in front of it. Courtyards and enclosed gardens are a common feature in ancient Chinese houses, more so of the rich. These allow for ventilation and also privacy for the inhabitants.

A sketch and glimpse of some Chinese style architecture inside the Forbidden City. High walls cordon off the buildings from the outside world. Note the elaborate decorations on the roof, doors, windows and walls.

A simple line drawing of a part of the Forbidden City complex.

It is a long way through the huge Imperial Palace complex. There are courtyards and there are long passages with buildings on each side.

Related Viewing: Chinese Architecture Sketches  or check out more photographs and posts on China which have pictures of tourist attractions, Buddha temples, Chinese cities and the Chinese people.  There are also pictures and sketches of skylines of Chinese cities.
If you are interested in buildings then check out the label "Architecture"and here you will find sketches as well as photographs of ancient monuments, skyscrapers, high-rises and other types of buildings from different parts of the world.

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Lake in Ladakh - Pangong Tso

Pangong Tso is a lake in the Himalayas and these are views of the lake from Ladakh in India. It borders not just India  but also Tibet and China. It freezes in winder although it is saline water. Apparently there is no aquatic life here although presence of  birds is seen. A number of migratory birds come here to nest.

These are photographs of the lake with blue skies as the background. The mountains are silhouetted against the sky and the blue waters of the lake are in the foreground. The first picture can be used as a header, as it is a stitched picture of two images, giving a panoramic view of Pangong Tso lake.

Snow-capped mountains can be seen in the background. A rough stony lake bank.

The water is so clear that the pebbles on the river bed are visible. Gray pebbles.

In this picture of the Ladakh lake the is a lone motorcyclist riding on the banks of the lake.

This is a serene nature scene. The waters of the lake are still. This area is very serene and still

(Larger images of these photos are available with me)

Related Pictures: Photos of the mountains of Ladakh or for more similar images try the labels "Nature" or "Scenery" or Headers or Backgrounds or Nature Headers
More Pictures of lakes in India: Panchgani scene of lake and hills
For photos of rivers try the label "Rivers"