Saturday, January 26, 2013

Chi Lin Nunnery 志蓮淨苑

As part of my childhood was spent in Diamond Hill, I was quite familiar with Chi Lin Nunnery there. That was a small temple established in 1932. I used to walk by this temple in those days and now I still remember the Chi Lin Primary School located beside the main gate. In retrospect, this is already many years ago! I left Hong Kong to settle in Toronto in 1988. In 2009, I came back and paid the first visit to Chi Lin with a special feeling.

While in the nunnery, I felt that I was in the time machine of reminiscence. The squatter areas of  Diamond Hill had already been demolished.  Luen Yi Road and Tai Kwun Road I used to walk, the lanes of the squatter areas, Chung Yuen Winery and the Holy Family Church etc. disappeared with the demolition, leaving behind only indelible memories. In 1990 Chi Lin Nunnery was restored and the construction was using the blueprint of the temple in the Tang Dynasty. The nunnery architectural  group including lotus ponds was built with wood without using even a nail. It employed the Chinese carpentry technique of slot and tab joints. The nunnery has the Main Hall of Great Strength, Bell Tower, Drum Tower and Pagoda of Million Buddhas. This time in 2012, I visited Chi Lin again and took photographs in a different technique: I loved its light, shadow, eaves and statues of Buddha which became the themes of this album.

Photo equipment:
Nikon D300s, Nikon GP-1 GPS
AF-Zoom 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6
iPhone 5

Chi Lin Nunnery in panorama
志蓮靜苑全景照

我在兒童時期,對鑽石山志蓮靜苑已經很熟悉。這是一間小小的寺院,建於1932年。當年,我每天都會經過志蓮的大門,仍記得大門旁邊還有志蓮小學。想來,已經是很多年前的事了。我在1988年離開香港,定居加拿大多倫多。2009年返港,第一次進入新建成的志蓮,別有一番感概,當時置身志蓮,使我進入了昔日的時光隧道。以前熟悉的鑽石山已拆去,每天走過的聯誼路、大觀路、木屋小巷、中原酒廠、聖家天主堂等都隨著鑽石山村的拆毀而消失,祇留下永不磨滅的回憶!志蓮靜苑於1990年重建,以仿唐木結構建築為特色,並配以蓮花池成為寺院的建築群組。全部建築不用一顆釘子,祇以榫接的木工技巧搭建而成。全個寺院有大雄殿、鐘鼓樓及萬佛塔等佛教建築組成。今年2012年我再重訪志蓮,拍攝的手法跟以往有別:我喜歡建築的光影、瓦當及特別的佛教裝飾作為攝影的題材。


A panoramic view of the main hall
大雄殿全景

A pair of the nunnery doors
兩扇寺門

3 above and 1 below, a combination of light and shadow!
上三下一,光影的結合!

Long corridor
長廊

Eaves and a suspended bell
簷與鐘

Behind the window
窗後
Shadow on waters
門前水影

Cropped photo
裁剪照片


Nunnery visible through the door
門外寺影

To kneel and worship.  In order to make the photo look simpler and distinctive, I captured these two worshipers together as if there was only one person!
跪拜,其實有兩人!我刻意將他們重疊,取簡樸意景。

Pattern of flowers on the eaves
瓦當花紋

Shape of lotus bud on the fence rail
蓮蕾扶手

Sun and silhouette of eaves
日影與簷影

A close shot of the dragon fountain
龍頭噴泉近照

Born free
自在

● Click to open more photos 點擊更多照片》

● Related album: Artistic pattern in Chi Lin Nunnery 》
   相關帖子「志蓮淨苑的美與藝》



View Chi Lin Nunnery in a larger map



9 comments:

  1. I love these images and they gave me a feel of tranquility

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  2. 鑽石山都係我兒時常去的地方,同D同學時常到大觀/華達片場睇拍戲,當時武俠片全盛,周不時見到曹達華、于素秋、雪莉、馮寶寶、簫芳芳、梁醒波、石堅、關德興……等前輩拍片,一個鏡頭隨時N.G.多次,幾辛苦架。當時志蓮淨苑係老人院,好多老人家坐響門口,眼碌碌,當正我地頑童,所以唔敢行咁埋,驚俾人鬧。最鍾意睇石礦場爆石,每逢正午十二時及下午五時各爆一次,爆前四周打鑼,氣氛緊張,有時炸藥落得多,大幅麻石塌下,聲音似排山倒海,硝煙久久不散,氣勢驚人,非常刺激。有時又會上山捉金絲貓,過七號墳場山澗游水捉七星魚。最唔開心就係響下游開左間漂染廠,將山路攔住,養左好多狗,周時俾狗追,嚇餐死,搞到要兜路行,最唔好就係漂染廠D水冇經過處理就流出九龍灣,五顏六色,嚴重汙染環境。玩完臨走,有時走去下元嶺食擔擔麵,個間上海麵舖明星常到,好出名,旁邊有間上海皮鞋鋪,可以度身定做添。

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    Replies
    1. 當年我都有去大觀片場睇拍戲。記得當日拍攝武俠片「南龍北鳯」,我企係度睇到聚精會神,有人叫我:「細路,企過的。」原來係于素秋坐係度,我企正係佢前面擋住佢視線,真唔識趣!我又見到林家聲,好靚仔,當年迷死人喇!

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    2. 你提及個間中原酒廠,夏天天熱時每當我經過,好鍾意企響大鐵閘望入去,裡頭有個大隻佬肥看更,成坐山咁,多數唔著上衣或將上衣趟開,心口生滿胸毛,好似電影裡頭D劊子手,襯埋酒廠D酒味,好夠煞氣,好形!

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    3. 重有,離開鑽石山冇耐,沿住牛池灣道,山上邊有一個英軍兵房,山路入口處有告示話係禁區,閒人免進,但山路上邊種左幾棵桑樹,每次我養蠶蟲玩,就靜靜走入去爬樹,摘桑葉,食桑棗,山上看守英軍發覺就追出來捉人,真係刺激好玩,兒時頑童的生活,唔見到你D圖片,真係唔會無端端記起,真多謝!我諗個兵房早已剷平矣! 再向東面行就係淘大鼓油廠,成區都係鼓油味,香噴噴,證明真係生曬製造既。

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  3. 特别喜欢你这一专辑.也是摄影爱好者学习的好教材.在平常地方取材,通过你专业的摄影技巧和敏锐的触觉.创作出这么好的作品.回忆2年多情前,我对摄影没什么认识,通过Picasa欣赏你的摄影集,慢慢被感染了!记得当时你对我说:不要太多挂虑,通过简单的构图,利用简单的线条,几何体,合理运用光(明和暗)的对比,以及对影子的发掘。这一集就是:构图/光/影运用的实例.感谢分享!

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    Replies
    1. 謝謝分享了你對攝影過程的感受。不要將攝影看得是太複雜的玩意,在閒時不妨帶部相機,在居所或職場附近練習取景和構圖。初學者可用「全自動模式」拍攝都足夠。不要在乎器材是否名貴,一部簡單的「傻瓜機」或手機已足夠作為練習攝影的工具。記著,我們不會問畢加索或張大千作畫時用的是什麼品牌的畫筆和油墨。最重要是「多看(參攷)、多想(思考)、多拍(練習)」。器材本身不會替你創作優美的攝影作品,祇有多靠你的「攝影腦」和「攝影眼」了!

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  4. Part of my childhood was spent in Diamond Hill too. I went to kindergarten there. I remember seeing movie making, playing around the stream with my sister. There is much happy return of those days watching the photos.

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  5. Thanks for photos.

    ReplyDelete