The gray sky, the cool temperature, the gentle rain, and the hushed silence quickly transported me into the other world in the midst of this world as I stepped out of the busy Chinatown street into the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Said the garden’s brochure, “Amidst the noise and frantic pace of the city rests a place like no other. It is as new as this morning’s sunrise, as old as civilization.”
Immediately I was drawn into the external lure of the garden.
I learned that a classical Chinese garden reflects the Taoist philosophy of yin and yang: light balanced by dark, rugged and hard balanced by soft and flowing, small, by large. Pliable bamboo and rigid stone. Pebble patterns, some rough and others smooth.
It was not long before my internal compass took a turn from the outer view to the inner landscape. Rather than photographing the sights of the garden, I found myself focusing on the mood it evoked within me.
The spirit of the garden took root deep within me.
Another delightful day of going deeper with my camera in hand.
Contributed by Sharon Brown Christopher
All images © Sharon Brown Christopher
