Asia

In Search of the Artistic Legacy of the Silk Road in Dunhuang

In Search of the Artistic Legacy of the Silk Road in Dunhuang

The lives of a thousand years ago were transformed by artists into idealized heavenly realms, and today, that ideal has revived in Dunhuang, becoming a scene we can see and hear in the earthly realm.

Amansara: A Poetic Legacy of Tropical Idealism

Amansara: A Poetic Legacy of Tropical Idealism

In the Amansara library, I came across a history of Cambodian architecture. The author noted that Ta Prohm is preserved by a principle of “maintenance as found”—only the most minimal structural support is provided, with no attempt at reconstruction. It is not merely a conservation technique, but a philosophical stance:…

Shinta Mani Wild: Reimagining Cambodia’s Golden Era in the Rainforest

Shinta Mani Wild: Reimagining Cambodia’s Golden Era in the Rainforest

The 1950s and ’60s were, in retrospect, the golden age of postcolonial Cambodia. The horrors yet to come had not descended upon this land; the old elegance of Indochina still lingered in the rhythms of everyday life. As William Shawcross once wrote in Sideshow, it was “a land of pastoral…

Galle | Summer Light Begetting Life in the Act of Demise

Galle | Summer Light Begetting Life in the Act of Demise

This time in Sri Lanka, I will focus my entire journey on the stretch of the southwest coast around Galle – the stretch of sea where the Indian Ocean churns most fiercely.

Gannan | Where the Gods Have Departed, Time Confronts the Desolation

Gannan | Where the Gods Have Departed, Time Confronts the Desolation

Geography breeds isolation, and isolation invites myth. Xiahe, deep in the Tibetan lands of Gannan, was spared the weight of tragic histories and abandoned ruins.

Capella Ubud: Dreamed A Dream in Jungle

Capella Ubud: Dreamed A Dream in Jungle

If the expedition’s ship runs aground, what would you do? Would you stay by the shore, seeking a path back to civilization from the ocean, or would you step into the dense jungle, forging a new life

Asia Archives - Chalffy Chan