The Garden Gate
China 2005
This was a “show” village. It had been restored to its former beauty. Costumed employees, like this woman, performed in dances and worked in restaurants or tea houses. She wears a lovely silk dress of a type and style not to be seen in any other Chinese village. She stands before a moon gate, named for the round shape.
We visited several formal gardens that were once owned by wealthy Chinese back before communism “equalized the income”. No expense had been spared in the original garden design and plantings, although when we saw it (now it is owned by the state) many neglected plants needed watering and feeding.
There were masses of Chinese viewing the garden with us. They, too, had never seen anything like it.
I muted the colors of the scanned slide and added a pink tone to lend an air of romance and longing.