This was the Welcoming Dragon that greeted us as we approached The Botanical Garden entrance. There were thousands of people there so you will see other visitors in my images.
The admission fee was regularly $25 a person, but one couple lives across the river from St. Louis and is a member of The Botanical Garden so we got reduced tickets of $15.00 and it was worth every dime. We were given guide books so my information is from the guide.
This set is called Dragon Embraces the Pillars. Chinese dragons are strongly associated with water in popular belief. They are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas.
This lovely statue was sharing the water with the Lotus Flowers.
This is an evening tour, so the sun is setting.
The following set is the Sail Boat. Ancient Chinese sailing vessels, known as junks, are still in use today. Although seafaring junks are made of wood and bamboo, this vessel is made from plastic bottles and follows the 3 R's of sustainability: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. The Missouri Botanical Garden says it Reduced the number of plastic bottles used in the St. Louis area by collecting used plastic bottles for the set and they will be Recycled at the end of the exhibit. About 4,600 bottles were used to make the set.
The next set is the Moonlit Pathway. The symbolic significance of moons and stars has been traced to Chinese coins from approximately 2,000 years ago. The two women on the left are my two friends on the tour with me.
The guide says this moonlit pathway evokes a heavenly sky, but also wealth, power, and abundance as you pass beneath the canopy of stars and moons.
Panda's Paradise was next. This bear is native to central-western and southwestern China. Did you know that 99% of the panda's diet is bamboo?
The First Emperor's Quest for Immortality set.
The Flying Apsaras set. Here Flying Apsaras, sometimes referred to as feitian in Chinese, are flying celestial beings whose images are mostly found in cave murals.
The Four-Faced Buddha set.
The Butterfly Lovers set is a "Romeo and Juliet" tale passed down in China for well over 1,000 years.
The last set I'll show is the Heavenly Temple. Heaven and Earth symbolically meet in the Heavenly Temple.
Wow, what a tour this was at the Missouri Botanical Garden! Hope you enjoyed it, I know it was a bit long - Judy.
Linking to:
The Dedicated House on Monday
Table
Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
on Tuesday On
Judy at DIY
by Design for Swing Into Spring
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants
for What’s It Wednesday
White
Wednesday at Faded Charm
Open House Party
at No Minimalist Here on Thursday
Favorite Things
Thursday at Katherine’s Corner
Home and Garden
Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Kristen’s Creations for Share Your Creations on Thursday
Kristen’s Creations for Share Your Creations on Thursday
Feathered Nest
Friday at the French Country Cottage
