China sackings over ruined ancient Buddhist frescos

[W.G.Ewald]

Two officials in China have been sacked after unauthorised "restoration" work left centuries-old Buddhist frescos ruined, state media report.

The paintings were inside a 270-year-old temple in the north-eastern province of Liaoning, and dated back to the early period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

They have been completely painted over with cartoon-like Taoist figures.

Chinese culture.

 

[pmaitra]

The ancient frescos were completely painted over with Taoist figures

Source: BBC News - China sackings over ruined ancient Buddhist frescos

Elsewhere, something similar happened.

Cecilia Gimenez: "Everybody who came into the church could see I was painting"

Source and video: BBC News - Spanish fresco restoration botched by amateur

Now, I cannot decide which one is worse.

 

[Tolaha]

When I saw the phrase "painted over", I assumed that they used modern/gaudy colors over existing ones. But these are different drawings altogether. What were they thinking, if they were thinking at all!?

 

[Free Karma]

Wow the new one looks like it was done in mspaint o.0

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Elsewhere, something similar happened.

Now, I cannot decide which one is worse.

But can you see the difference?

What happened in China was officially approved. What happened in Spain was definitely not.

 

[no smoking]

But can you see the difference?

What happened in China was officially approved. What happened in Spain was definitely not.

In someone's own quotation: "Two officials in China have been sacked after UNAUTHORISED "restoration" work."

 

[W.G.Ewald]

In someone's own quotation:" Two officials in China have been sacked after UNAUTHORISED "restoration" work".

But they were officials. :-D The Spanish "artist" was just an amateur.

 

[t_co]

But they were officials. :-D The Spanish "artist" was just an amateur.

But were they discharging official duties when they painted these over? The word 'unauthorized' implies that they weren't.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

But were they discharging official duties when they painted these over? The word 'unauthorized' implies that they weren't.

I like this part:

With investigations still going on, more officials will be punished, the paper added.

Experts who work for the provincial cultural heritage office in Liaoning have suggested the frescos could be restored to how they used to look, but they will never be as good as the originals.

The "restoration" work has drawn condemnation from users of Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

One user said "I feel some people's brains were kicked by a donkey."

 

[t_co]

I like this part:

So what if you like it?

 

[W.G.Ewald]

So what if you like it?

Belligerent little cuss, aintcha? Or did a 10 year old hack your account?

 

[Armand2REP]

The officials must be local pee-ons, anyone big and they would brush it under the rug. CCP has no respect for the heritage of
China.

 

[amoy]

if it's certified "cultural relics" it certainly has to be approved for "restoration". unbelievably the officials did themselves most likely they hired "artists" to paint it over. as witnessed unsurprisingly many Chinese "restorations " hv damaging effects on originals. it also has a lot to do with aesthetic taste - many Buddhist temples lost their simple but serene beauty that had existed hundreds of years after being refurbished radiantly. worshippers, however, enjoy that sort of vulgar grandeur.



Sent from my 5910 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bose]

But were they discharging official duties when they painted these over? The word 'unauthorized' implies that they weren't.

Well done China !! continue your march with your destruction of your culture and history...

 

[kickok1975]

I have to point out this is not Chinese culture regardless of whatever intention you have. Our culture is much longer and influential for thousands of years.

Stupid people, corrupted officials are everywhere in the world, including in America where people shooting each other on a daily basis. Let's all look at mirror before making fun of others.

Chinese culture.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

I have to point out this is not Chinese culture regardless of whatever intention you have. Our culture is much longer and influential for thousands of years.

Stupid people, corrupted officials are everywhere in the world, including in America where people shooting each other on a daily basis. Let's all look at mirror before making fun of others.

In China government shoots people. In American people shoot each other. We are more democratic.

 

[t_co]

Belligerent little cuss, aintcha? Or did a 10 year old hack your account?

Nope, just forcing you to explicitly lay out your claims.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Nope, just forcing you to explicitly lay out your claims.

Bull shit.

You wrote, "So what if you like it?"

You should have written, "So why did you like it?"

Your English skill certainly lets you see the difference.

And I did not claim anything, I expressed an opinion.

 

[t_co]

Bull shit.

You wrote, "So what if you like it?"

You should have written, "So why did you like it?"

Your English skill certainly lets you see the difference.

And I did not claim anything, I expressed an opinion.

No, I meant it in the context of "how does that impact our original argument" if you like that section in the article?

I was forcing you to either explicitly claim what you were trying to imply or back down and not claim it.

If I asked you why you liked it, then you could answer it in a way that did not relate to the original discussion.

Maybe the reason why you find my language grating is that I approach every single discussion on this forum with the attitude of Atticus Finch in an Alabama courtroom. You can imagine in what sort of role(s) I place the other interlocutors here.

 

[dhananjay1]

At least they are no longer destroying ancient art work on a huge scale in the name of 'cultural revolution'.