Field trip -- 7/26

Today, Tameka and I had a banana and a granola bar, so yes the hotel has some type of food in the morning

I loved all aspects of the field trip. I want to go back and explore both places in more detail. It was helpful to have a docent explain detailed information. I wish budget cuts did not mean limiting field trips for students. This is a great interactive experience. I plan to show pictures that I took and discuss art & ritual, religion, point of view, fu dogs, Buddha, tea and so much more.

I really liked the gardens. I am thinking you are talking about the handrails and some of the lighting that would have been out of place in the Chinese garden. I really thought the Japanese pavillion's architecture was interesting. Was there any significance or is that just what a random architect came up with? I really wish we could take kids on real field trips, but in place of that I will definately be looking at more virtual tours on museum websites or even creating our own museums by having the students do research and find appropriate pieces.

I found the "Art of the Americas" display fascinating. The different artists were able to capture the essence of the American people. The vivid colors and facial expressions were awesome. These paints were very complex, yet simple. I will also share the picture with my students.

I learned a lot about Buddhism from both visits. I enjoyed learning the legend of the "curls" on the Buddhas head. I have always wondered why different regions have different looking Buddhas...when you look at statues of Jesus Christ they are for the most part uniform.
edited by jsheehan on 7/30/2012

Both of the gardens at the Huntington were beautiful in their own ways. The Chinese garden, a scholar’s garden, was surrounded by a beautiful undulating dragon wall pierced by cloud windows. Graceful willows swayed on the edges of jade colored pools filled with water lilies and brightly colored koi. Sparkling white bridges invited visitors to cross the water to ponder the tranquil setting from shady pavilions adorned with elaborate tiles. Fantastically shaped ivory colored stones, sculpted by nature, lined the paths or created eye-catching sculpture. The walkways were formed of black and white stones arranged to make intricate patterns. All five elements that make up a scholar’s garden were wonderfully represented: rocks, plants, architecture, water, and calligraphy. The Japanese garden incorporated plants, rocks, water, and simple dark wooden fences and buildings. The art of Bonzai and viewing stones were showcased. Carefully pruned trees, raised pathways, artfully arranged stones, and an arched wooden bridge adorned this multi-level space. The emphasis was on natural rather than manmade features. The story of the tea house related by our guide, Ina, was very interesting. She stressed the reverence felt for the simple wooden building where the sacred tea ritual is conducted by a tea master on very special occasions.
The museums were very interesting. It was important to see the similarities and differences between Chinese, Korean, and Japanese art. All three cultures had great reverence for calligraphy and high respect for scholars. All three raised porcelain to an art form using the three colors of cobalt blue, ferrous black, and copper salt orange. Very memorable were the dragon jars and the happy Japanese dog. It was very interesting to learn about Korean funerary tiles extolling the accomplishments of the deceased that were placed in bowls in tombs. This custom appears also to be part of Japanese culture according to Samurai play we are reading. I also loved to hear about the bat motif brining good luck (I have often felt alone in my appreciation for bats). Korean women appear to prefer their environment to be colorful, while men prefer somber colors. I also enjoyed learning about how celadon pottery is made and fired and Frenchman it is named after. The method for making Korean lacquer ware was also enlightening. Who knew there was a lacquer tree?

I really enjoyed going on the field trip. I loved the gardens and learning about the history and choices behind the many decisions. I also liked the history described by the guides. I found the tour on Korean artifacts/history to be very interesting, as it's not usually brought up or offered as a class. I would like to learn more about it. I also found it interesting to learn that Celadon was named after a European/French character. The information about the mythology behind choices and Chinese influence (using a chair in portraits over traditional Korean seating) was also something to research.

PBS has a little bit of information relating to Korea: http://www.pbs.org/hiddenkorea/history.htm.