Palace Monk
This kind gentleman was happy to pose with visitors for less than a 10 cent donation as he rested on the steps leading up the Potala Palace. He of course is also swinging the prayer wheel. Notice in the background the red "grass" which is used in the construction of many Tibetan monasteries. Interestingly enough, this natural grass, Bmbey, that has been soaked in red clay is original to the palace construction in the 1600's! Can you think of any building material we have today, natural or synthetic, that can stand strong through 400+ years of weathering??
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. A... ... read more 
