Upon first arriving at the Temple of Heaven, we were not only excited by the vibes of one of the oldest cultures; but taking the time to learn all the different cultural associations got us taking pictures in an attempt to capture the authenticity of that moment. When trying to get a panorama shot, I noticed something which reminded me about a struggle we learned in our history class. These were the classic stories of first nation population loosing land, identity and consequently the heritage it carried. In that moment, it felt that chapter of future history textbooks were being written in front of our eyes as a country like China transitions from a feudal system to a communist system to an interesting mix of industrialized communist nation. Being able to see the contrasting views really goes to remind us about the importance of preserving all that has come before us because without a clear sense of the past, it's hard to build a sustainable future forward. With events like a visit to a 360 years old house and a lavish restaurant in the same day, we are left contemplating where tradition and heritage will find it's place in the upcoming industrial China.
Sarthak
Sarthak