Let Your Dreams Lead
Written by Olivia Throssell
“I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.” — Confucius
The history of China is extensive and amazing, but quite mysterious. University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) Senior and Philosophy and Anthropology double major Kirsty Parker has dedicated a great portion of her academic career to studying eastern philosophy. This vein of philosophy depends on the history of China.
As such, on July 20, 2015, Parker had the incredible opportunity to join Dr. John Cheng, two other UHH students, and students from various Taiwanese universities for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to China. The trip was intended to expose the students to the historical features of the country while touching upon valuable philosophies studied by the many different Chinese dynasties.
Parker attended the trip for she viewed it as a chance to venture beyond books and photos and learn about what they were not offering her. “Professor Cheng has always inspired me,” she affirmed, “to think about the East differently. When I heard he was going to be putting together a silk road tour, I could hardly find a reason not to try and go.”
Kirsty Parker with the Buddha statues at Longmen Buddhist Grottoes. Photo courtesy of Kirsty Parker.
Although just two weeks long, the trip harbored an extremely full itinerary. Every day the students found themselves somewhere new; they visited up to two cultural sites per day. The Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven as well as Peking University and Tiananmen Square are several of the locales they visited. After Beijing, where these sites can be located, the students ventured to the Luoyang Buddhist Grottoes, Ming Dynasty Tombs, Terracotta Warriors, and Summer Palace. They even rode camels in the Gobi Desert.
“Our itinerary did require a lot of travel time," Parker admit. "In multiple instances we endured [] 18 to 24 hour train rides. [We took] many busses and [stayed in] multiple hotels. We started in Beijing, and then traveled to Xi'an, and Dunhuang, then back to Xi’an.”
The trip has certainly influenced Parker. She now intends to study even more Ancient Chinese philosophy, and learn about how it influences the present. An artistic individual who wants to keep creating art in her future, the Senior now also wants to use her art to preserve and sustain, as the works she saw on the trip do. Indeed, many of the sights included art pieces that have only recently been found (in the last 200 years or so) but are thousands of years old. Parker realizes the importance that art has had in history and hopes to continue that tradition to help the future.
The Gobi Desert sand dunes outside Dunhuang. Photo courtesy of Kirsty Parker.
When asked what her favorite part of the trip was, the Philosophy and Anthropology major mentions that all sites which featured Buddhism were her favorites.
“I have always really been into Buddhism," Parker stated. "Getting to see the Buddhist caves changed my life. I have spent a great deal of time thinking about Buddhist lessons and ideas. When I got to experience the caves at Luoyang Grottoes, I [] understood certain Buddhist concepts on a deeper, more profound level. The Luoyang Caves are composed of thousands if not millions of Buddha carvings that stretch across miles of cliff face. Hundreds of caves were carve out of the cliffs and reliefs and paintings were designed to fit in virtually every crevice. By seeing all the Buddhas I could really feel what it meant to say that all things have a Buddha nature to cultivate.”
The Great Wall of China outside Beijing. Photo courtesy of Kirsty Parker.
Parker also learned that in China, philosophy has most definitely inspired the expansion and growth we see today. Each site which the students visited had a strong philosophy significance that Professor Cheng discussed in both Chinese and in English. Thank you Dr. Cheng for always enlightening your students.
Unfortunately, this may have been Dr. Cheng’s last year doing this trip as it was his twenty-seventh time. For more information please contact him at johnhlcheng@yahoo.com.
