# The white mans grave



## ArtphotoasiA (Mar 8, 2012)

Hello forum!
Here some shoot done in a famous Chinese Buddhist temple in the island of Penang in Malaysia that in the old time was called white mans grave because the malaria problem.

The islands history is fascinating so I probably expected too much. The city of Georgetown/Penang is chaotic and smelly with cars stuck in traffic anywhere. The pollution is unsustainable and can barely breathe.


(1)






(2)





(3)





(4)





(5)





Comments and critiques always welcomed...
For the complete job, the story, and more details:

 photos of Penang


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## Trever1t (Mar 8, 2012)

I just love photos from distant lands and different cultures. Thanks for sharing


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## matthewo (Mar 8, 2012)

number 4... is that swastikas on the wall tile?


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## snowbear (Mar 8, 2012)

matthewo said:


> number 4... is that swastikas on the wall tile?


Looks like it.  They are ancient symbols, used by Buddhists for centuries.


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## banderson (Mar 9, 2012)

snowbear said:
			
		

> Looks like it.  They are ancient symbols, used by Buddhists for centuries.



From what I understand, they are a symbol of peace.


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## ArtphotoasiA (Mar 9, 2012)

Hi there, and thanks for all the comments.

Yes you right, swastikas are all over in Malaysia both in Chinese or Indian temple.

As you can see that symbol is not rotated, as in nazi, but is regular and I think mean the constant cycle of life of rebirths for Buddhist and Hindu


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## ArtphotoasiA (Mar 9, 2012)

Trever1t said:


> I just love photos from distant lands and different cultures. Thanks for sharing



You welcome, just added you in Flickr.


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## Trever1t (Mar 9, 2012)

the Swastika is a Nazi symbol when rotated so that it's unbalanced and tetering on a 90* angle. The symbol is otherwise found in many cultures including American Indian cultures.


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## ArtphotoasiA (Mar 9, 2012)

That is interesting.... I didn't know there was swastikas also in American Indian cultures.


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## Trever1t (Mar 9, 2012)

Yes indeed. The Straight Dope: Was the swastika actually an old Native American symbol? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

It's pretty widespread throughout all ancinet cultures. There are many indicators that ancient man communicated and travelled a lot more between the continents than was commonly thought.


edit: I watch a lot of the History channel


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## o hey tyler (Mar 9, 2012)

Trever1t said:


> Yes indeed. The Straight Dope: Was the swastika actually an old Native American symbol? Swastika - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> It's pretty widespread throughout all ancinet cultures. There are many indicators that ancient man communicated and travelled a lot more between the continents than was commonly thought.
> 
> ...



The straight dope ftw.


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## shuttervelocity (Mar 9, 2012)

ArtphotoasiA said:


> Hi there, and thanks for all the comments.
> 
> Yes you right, swastikas are all over in Malaysia both in Chinese or Indian temple.
> 
> As you can see that symbol is not rotated, as in nazi, but is regular and I think mean the constant cycle of life of rebirths for Buddhist and Hindu



Thanks for sharing the pictures.  You are correct about Swastika type symbols in the Hindu culture.  but the ones in your picture seem to be the mirror reflection of the Hindu version.  This is the hindu version with the Ganesha god in between.


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## PapaMatt (Mar 9, 2012)

Nice work and I also love to see other lands. Thank you

Goes to show you how those aliens traveled this earth so many centuries back.  :lmao:


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 9, 2012)

All those incense just can't be helping that pollution problem


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## ArtphotoasiA (Mar 10, 2012)

2WheelPhoto said:


> All those incense just can't be helping that pollution problem



 Sure thing...


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## cgipson1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Love the girls expression in #1! Interesting set!


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## ArtphotoasiA (Mar 10, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> Love the girls expression in #1! Interesting set!



I love also that expression.


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