[Jaclyn Pop]

The material from this week reminded me of what we read for the first session, specifically the article “Framing the Asian City.”  In this article, I remember reading about the third landscape in Asia, which was explained as the colonization of Asia.  At first, I wasn’t able to picture what that landscape looked like. (Having never been to Asia and not having the first-hand experience and perspective, I don’t know if I’ve been able to accurately picture what any of the various landscapes look like.)  Now it is all making so much more sense!  

[Jaclyn Pop]

After reading this week’s (11/3/2020) articles and watching the lectures, I automatically thought back to this “Framing the Asian City” reading.  At first, when I read this article, I could not really picture the “third landscape” (Asia’s colonization) that is mentioned on page 3.  Now that I have learned a bit more about this European colonization and seen some pictures (ex. Japan experiencing colonialism through Portugal/the Catholic churches, Shanghai’s lining with the keystone arches, Kyoto city hall, the Diet Building, and Galle in Sri Lanka) I am able to picture Asia’s third landscape much more clearly.

[Jaclyn Pop]

Jennifer, I was thinking the exact same thing when reading and watching the lectures.  I teach 4th grade, and I kept thinking about the Spaniards colonizing the land of Alta California and all of the things that happened to the indigenous people who lived there.  It also made me think of Columbus "discovering" the Americas and what happened to those indigenous people as well. 

[Jaclyn Pop]

Kimberly, I agree. I've never really thought of colonization being a two-sided thing, and when Vinayak explained how, in fact, it is a "complex process" in which "the language is foreign, but the materials, construction techniques, flora and fauna are of the native place," it made sense.  But I agree with you - it definitely seems like more of a one-way process that has a clear beneficiary (the colonists).  

[Jaclyn Pop]

Thank you for sharing these pictures, Philip!  I agree - it's so crazy to see the difference that a single year can make!  I also find it so interesting to see how certain buildings themselves have developed over that year's time. I have both pictures open in different tabs right next to each other, and I keep flipping back and forth between them.  If I had seen both pictures without being told they were the same location, I don't think I would have realized it on my own.  Do you mind if I share both of these pictures with my students?  I think they would really like seeing the "before and after" of the intersection.  

[Jaclyn Pop]

I am wondering something similar in regard to Thames Town, outside of Shanghai.  In the video, it seems like Vinayak is saying that when we look at these towns that have gone through a "Disney-fication" through a visual lens, focused on the town’s aesthetics, then we tend to think of them as something that is inauthentic, but when we look through a different lens and focus on the town’s performance standards and how the town makes people feel, we might be able to understand these types of places in a different way.  I searched Thames Town on Google and the first few websites that came up were travel sites and blogs.  An article on huffpost.com described Thames Town as a “deserted, fake English town in China” that is mainly used “as the backdrop for English-themed wedding photography.  I guess I am wondering, how exactly does Thames Town make people feel?  What is the performance standard of Thames Town?  I am interested in learning more!

[Jaclyn Pop]

I agree, Alison. I thought this was very interesting, too.  I was actually surprised to learn that the Great Buddha had any Greek/Roman influence at all. 

[Jaclyn Pop]

That comparison makes so much sense!  I hadn't thought of it that way.  Thanks, Kimberly!

[Jaclyn Pop]

While reading, "Between Use and Katsura," I learned about the Ise Jingu.  At first, the thought of the Shikinen Sengu ceremony was something that I could not comprehend (I am sure I still do not fully comprehend it, of course), because it was hard to imagine putting so much effort into building something so amazing and awe-striking, just to have to rebuild it again in 20 years.  After reading further, I came to the understanding that the rebuilding of the Ise Jingu every 20 years essentially was the purpose. As far as I understood, this is where the four scales of the sengu ceremonies as well as the modokim rituals come in.  On page 7 Bharne explains, “Modokim [is], a ritual practice of invoking the presence of kami  (Gods), guided by the rhythms of day and night, sun and moon, the four seasons of  the year, and the process of  harvest. The twenty year cycle of Ise’s sengu commemorates this rhythm while its rituals physically celebrate as part of Shinto belief, various aspects of the natural geography.”  I think this goes hand in hand with the first scale of the sengu ceremonies, which is the regional geography scale – the scale that commemorates “the surrounding natural element- mountain, forest, river and agricultural field” (Bharne, p. 5). At first, learning that a grand work of architecture has been going through the cycle of being built, torn down and rebuilt every twenty years, since ~686-697 CE, did not make sense to me.  Why build something so amazing just to tear it down two decades later?  After learning about the rituals and the reasons for the building and rebuilding, I was able to comprehend it a bit more.  As I fall in the “for most” category (page 5), I have always thought the Ise Jingu was interesting because of its architecture.  Now I think it is even more interesting because of its history.  

[Jaclyn Pop]

Hi! My name is Jackie Pop.  I am a 4th Grade teacher at Community Magnet Charter School in Los Angeles, CA.  This is my 6th year teaching, but it’s my first year teaching remotely since the very start of the school year. (We ended last year remotely, which I have found is very different than starting off remotely!) Remote learning has definitely had its challenges, but I've been trying to stay as positive as possible throughout the process. 

Prior to our COVID lives, I used to enjoy spending time with friends and family, going out to restaurants and playing in recreational sports leagues on the weekends.  

I have traveled a bit throughout life, but not nearly as much as I would like.  Hopefully we’ll all be able to travel again in the near future!

[Author]

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