Borobudur: Pathway to Enlightenment This web site tells the fascinating story of the largest Buddhist temple in the world ... and the most unusual. There is information here on how the sacred temple was rediscovered in 1814 and restored with the help of many international organizations. Photographs of the temple and its artwork illustrate the genius of the Sailendra kings who ruled Central Java in the 9th century and built this great monument.
Borobudur: A Photographic Essay A recent traveler to Borobudur has posted a web site with photos of his visit to the great temple. This will show you what it is like to walk the galleries and reach the top of the great stupa.
The Creative Eye The Asia Society invited artists, architects and writers to select an item from their collection of Indian, Japanese, South East Asian and Chinese art then write comments about the art. Some of the texts are scholarly, some poetic, some personal and some all three. Choose some of the 75 artworks yourself and see if you and the commentator agree.
Ankor Wat, Cambodia The web exhibit features the temples of Angkor, built from 879 - 1191AD. This was when the Khmer civilization was at the height of its development, and represents one of humankind's most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. From the great citadel of Angkor, the kings of the Khmer empire ruled over a vast domain that reached from what is now southern Vietnam to Yunan, China and from Vietnam westward to the Bay of Bengal. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 Hindu temples in all, are the surviving religious remains of a grand social and administrative metropolis whose other buildings - palaces, public buildings, and houses - were all built of wood and are long since decayed and gone.
The Phra Phuttha Chinnarat Buddha This temple has a stunningly beautiful image of Buddha. It is venerated not only in Thailand but throughout all of southeast Asia. The bronze image of the seated Buddha is a superb example of late Sukhothai sculpture and was cast during the reign of King Li Thai in 1357.
Kathmandu, Nepal Swayambhunath Stupa is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Kathmandu valley. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spire are visible for many miles from all sides of the valley. It was a holy site long before the area converted to Buddhism. This site tells the history of the many temples and shrines surrounding the stupa. The photos give you a good idea of what a large temple complex looks like.
Oriental Architecture If you are interested in seeing more examples of South East Asian architecture, visit this web site then click on the link to Thailand, Myranmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia or Vietnam. You will have a choice of many architectural examples to explore. Photographs are donated by generous people so quality varies, but it is fascinating to see many details and get an idea of the size of a building or temple.
Fire Over Earth Throught the seven artworks in this Asia Society web exhibition, you'll learn about the ceramic traditions of China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. This area of the world is rich in clay and the minerals needed to make brilliant artworks that are artisticly beautiful and technically outstanding.
Buddhism: A Journey Through Asia For over 25 centuries Buddhism has grown and flourished - and sometimes declined and disappeared - all over southern and eastern Asia. This short web essay gives you a brief overview of the Buddhist religion and three beautiful artworks.
The Hindu Religion Hinduism grew out of native religions on the Indian subcontinent and then blended with the religion of Aryan invaders about 1,500 BC. This brief essay will give you more information about its beliefs and links to many other sites with other information about Hinduism.