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  Borobodur occupies a similar place in the imagination to Angkor Wat: forgotten for centuries, partially buried in volcanic ash and reclaimed from the jungle in the late 19^th century. It is also one of the most compact and perfect Buddhist monuments in Asia. It's a popular destination for local Indonesian tourists, but it is getting fewer western visitors these days, the result of tough economic times and a general lack of enthusiasm for Muslim destinations.

Before Indonesia was converted to Islam, a gradual process that happened over several hundred years, the country was a patchwork of Hindu and Buddhist belief. Borobodur was constructed by the Sailendra dynasty, who were Buddhists. Construction is thought to have taken place between 750 and 850AD.

Borobodur lays claim to being one of the most elegant and symmetrical mandala-monuments in Asia. In one sense, describing a Buddhist temple as a "mandala" is a true-ism since all Buddhist architecture is based on the concept of a mandala, as the oldest Indian texts on temple designs specify. A mandala, in Buddhist terms, is a palace for the gods and so too are most Buddhist temples. Real-world temples must serve other needs as well, accommodating lay believers, monks and providing space for rituals, so the mandala form is more often than not difficult to discern, though it can still be seen clearly in some Buddhist monuments such as Samye in Tibet.

In Borobodur there is no compromise in the perfect mandala form, square at the outside and circular at the center. There is no interior space, just galleries for pilgrims to walk around and view the sculptures and friezes. The outermost, lower galleries have friezes depicting past lives of the Buddhas (Jataka tales), while the mid-levels feature mainly meditating figures. The degree of abstraction increases gradually from the outside, as worldly clamor is replaced by contemplation and finally by pure circular form at the center.

Borobodur is sometimes described as a mystery, and there are certainly many puzzles. These are made more difficult by the fact that the monument has few inscriptions, and no texts survive in Java from the period when the monument was made. One puzzle concerns the meditating Buddhas on the upper levels: there are six kinds versus the more usual group of five Dhyani Buddhas.The overall form of Borobodur is not hard to understand though: there are several monuments of the same type that are still functioning today, the best example of which is probably the Great Stupa (Kumbum) at Gyantse in Tibet. Something of the atmosphere that once surrounded Borobodur can also be experienced at the Shwedagon in Burma. Like the Shwedagon today Borobodur was once whitewashed, probably gilded and garlanded with flowers too, and filled with pilgrims rather than tourists.

Both Borobodur and the Great Stupa at Gyantse are points that were meant to serve as a destination for - and the culmination of - a pilgrimage. The pilgrim goes on a physical journey that is also a spiritual journey. After traveling for many days or months to reach the spot, the traveler walks around the monument in a clockwise direction, gradually ascending through a pantheon of Buddhist teachings that reflect increasing levels of spiritual attainment. The sculptures of the monument reflect the pilgrim's journey, from mundane concerns through meditation towards the hope (at least) of enlightenment.


I traveled to Borobodur in February during the rainy season, stayed at the Hotel Manohara near the monument. Seeing the sun rise is a must-do, and cooler too at 6am than later in the day. There are fewer visitors in the rainy season, but it rains most days from about 3-4pm onwards. Weekends are best avoided because of the crowds of local day-trippers.

To get to Borobodur, fly to Jakarta and then go via road, or fly on to Yogjakarta. It is just a couple of hours drive from Yogja and can be done as a day trip from there, but I recommend staying overnight for at least one night at the monument. Sunrise and sunset have the most interesting light.

If you are thinking of paying a visit to Beijing's 798 Art District (and you should), and if (like me) you have a taste for the bizarre, you should visit the Beijing Happy Sheep Art Area exhibit.

This store displays works by the Jin Chong Wu company (the name means "Golden Pets" in Chinese), consisting of animals "rendered immortal" by the "latest German taxidermy technology".

Not content with merely stuffing deceased pets, the Jin Chong Wu company is staffed by true artists, who transform previously loved animals into dynamic, if rather alarming, exhibits. My favorite example is a small dog (at left) that appears to be getting rather too friendly with a globe. Whether this is an ironic comment on the state of the economy, the environment, or merely a portrayal of what the poor animal liked to do best with its free time before it died of exhaustion, I am not sure.

Taxidermised family pets used to be a familiar sight in Victorian England: visitors to country houses are occasionally startled by glass cases containing moldering cats and dogs. But the business had taken a dip in popularity by the mid- 20th century and acquired sinister overtones. Hitchcock fans will recall that Norman Bates described his hobby as "stuffiing animals".

Jin Chong Wu are doing their best to put the art of taxidermy back in the mainstream where they believe that it belongs. I am not sure that another of their starring exhibits will do the trick however. A rather scrawny cat with a unfortunate patch of black fur under its nose delivers a snarling salute (or perhaps begs for second helpings of tuna).

Aside from the demented dog and cat, Jin Chong Wu seem to have stuffed a great many goats and sheep, these animals presumably being easier to get hold of than cats and dogs. A number of goat heads stare contentedly from wooden plaques and the center of a large porcelain plate.

The company say that they would like to have the chance to stuff as many animals as possible, so if your pet expires don't fling or flush it away, bring it to the Happy Sheep Art Area and have it turned into a conversation piece. Expect to pay more for unusual poses.

The Happy Sheep Art Area is at Zone D, 798 Art District, Jiu Xian Qiao Road, ChaoYang District in north Beijing. It's amongst some narrow alleys so you might have to search for it for a while.

The Jin Chong Wu website is at www.jinchongwu.com

flatbed scanners are such fun

The Beijing Contemporary Art Fair, now on at the Agricultural Exhibition Center in Chaoyang district, is a four day jamboree for the art world, with an emphasis on the buyer. Hence the preponderance of medium sized, hangable works, especially oil painting and photography. This year the show is well presented and is worth going to see, whether you have cash in hand or not.

The Fair is a cross section of contemporary Chinese art with a smattering of overseas (particularly European) dealers. To critique the whole show would be impossible, so instead I offer my brief (and indispensable) guide to trends in the local art scene...

Emerging... soon to be must-haves:
3D
LCD
3D LCD girls
girls with weapons!
3D LCD girls with weapons!! (sorry, that last one is just wishful thinking on my part)

Still Red Hot:
migrant workers (their careworn faces look at you from oil paintings, photos and video installations ... I wonder what the going rate is for hiring a posse?)
girls
animals
girls with animals
girls! girls!
fruit
doodles
Buddha
photography (so much easier than the fiddly business with the paint and the brushes)
Feng Zheng Jie (I counted at least 4 galleries featuring his works)
Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol (the Old Masters of recycling, now recycled themselves)
facial hair (Chinese artists competing with European dealers for the title of  "Most Whimsical Whiskers")

Fading somewhat:
Mao
irony (maybe '08 just wasn't the year for it)
advertising imagery
fat babies (bye bye babies, you won't be missed)

Nearly gone!
oil paintings based on photos modified with Photoshop filters (good riddance)

(illustration: Android - Plus by Hung TungLu: 3D lightbox installation)

The art show ShContemporary runs from 11th to 13th September, and this year features a number of international galleries, including Rossi and Rossi from London, who this year will feature work by Tibetan artists.

Tibetan contemporary art is a relatively new field, with international exhibitions including Tibetan works for the first time in the last 2-3 years. The origin of the current crop of Lhasa-based artists can be traced to the Gedun Choephel gallery, situated on Lhasa's Barkhor square and founded by a professor from the Lhasa university. One of the first major exhibitions of works by artists from this group was sponsored by Ian Alsop, who invited artists to paint on the theme of the Lhasa Train, the new line for which was being completed at the time. Ian has also shown Tibetan artists work at his Peaceful Wind gallery in Santa Fe.

More recent shows have included the Red Gate gallery's show Lhasa - New Art from Tibet at their Beijing gallery in the 798 district and shows by Rossi and Rossi in London. Both were excellent, and the catalogue from Brian Wallace and Tony Scott's  798 show is a must-have for those interested in this field.

Gade is a particularly interesting figure amongst this group: his paintings (such as the one shown here) depart from the styles normally seen amongst young Chinese artists and incorporate tradtional objects such as the handmade paper used for traditional Tibetan books. I was particularly struck by a "performance" piece of an ice Buddha melting in the Kyichu river at Lhasa at the 798 show and bought one of the prints that recorded the work.

I am not sure that I will be able to attend the Shanghai show (I will be in Shanghai the day before giving a talk to the Royal Asiatic Society, but need to head back to Beijing for another appointment...) but I would be interested to hear feedback from any Shanghai residents who go to it. It's in the Shanghai Exhibition Center (ie the Russian-looking building with the pointy spire on top!) on Yan An road.