My Collection 1 : For hunters 我的收藏品之一 ：猎人的用具

I love collecting handicraft, and it is always part of my experience during my journey. It would be great for me to share with you my collection.

This wooden item was bought from Sulawesi. Hunters used this container to keep the poison for hunting purpose. The poison could be from plants or from animals such as snakes, or scorpions. Hunters hang this item at their waist. Whenever they are ready to hunt, they will put poison on the needle, and a blowpipe will be used to shoot the needle towards the animal.

我爱走爱看，也喜欢收集世界各地的手工艺品。我想除了把这些收藏品摆设在柜子里，或许我可以在这里与大家分享。

这一个小小的木制器具来自印尼苏拉威西。猎人们会把这器皿挂在腰间。从植物或动物如毒蛇，蝎子等提取的毒物将被置放在这器皿的小空间里。当找到猎物时，猎人们会把针点上这毒物，再用喷管将针射向猎物。

贵州行之第十二篇 ：千户苗寨

苗族是贵州最大的少数民族之一，而有着千户苗寨之称的西江则是最大的苗寨之一。寨子里的房子都依山沿河而建，窄窄的巷子穿梭在房子间联系着寨子里的每户人家。


房子多数都用木制成，加上黑色的屋瓦。一部份的屋瓦被摆设成牛角形状代表着苗族们的吉祥物。因房子都依山而建，站在高处看就只看到乌漆麻黑的一片形成了这千户苗寨的特色。


因寨子里的房子都毗邻而建，而且都用木或竹子建成，因此防火安全成了村民们生活中最得注意的事项。西江村民代表会也设立了非常严谨的村规民约，让大家更加积极注意防火安全。火患肇事者或破坏防火设施者都依照村规民约处罚。除了罚款以外，这里的村规还有一个叫“四个一百二”的处罚方式，那就是肇事者得呈上米酒，糯米，猪肉各一百二十斤，炮竹一万二千响，并罚鸣锣喊寒一年。

寨子一带的山地都被辟成了可农耕的梯田。不同的季节里栽种不同的农作物，如稻米，油菜花等。米饭是苗族的主食。那一年经过了一场雪灾后迟来的春天，农民们唯有把命运交予上天。（备注2010 ： 今年贵州，云南等地正面临着严重的干旱。希望上天快快把雨水带到这些地方，不只村民们需要用水，农作物的收成更靠上天供给的阳光与雨水。）


寨子里一所相当大的学校。看到一群学生们在打乒乓。可爱的是那乒乓桌可是与我们平时用的不同哦。中国培育出这么多优秀的乒乓高手，不会也是从这洋灰乒乓桌开始的吧？


寨子里常可遇见孩童们嬉戏。当他们看到你的到来时，比较大胆的甚至会跟着你到处走。这一次我却例外，我选择跟着孩童走，结果跟着他和弟弟回家。他家阿嬤正忙着蒸糯米准备酿制米酒。看到我拿着相机，那男孩笑得好灿烂。山区的孩童脸上通常都带着两撇。。不是须，而是鼻涕。当然我也曾在一些村子里遇到不愉快的经验，尤其那一些比较多游客到来的村子， 一大群的孩童追逐你和你要钱等。遇到这一类情形，我通常都不会拿起我的相机，也尽量避免交流，慢慢地他们便会散开了。
走着走着听到其中一间村民的房子里传来了热情的笑声和歌声。原来一群打扮得俏丽的苗家女人正们正开心的唱歌跳舞。她们的其中一名姐妹将出嫁，而这聚会正是她的单身派对。喝了米酒的女人们都玩得忘我。
一日之计在于晨。早晨的千户苗寨在一片寂静中慢慢地看到一家接着一家的烟囱开始冒烟了。村民们起身准备早餐，接着开始一天的生计咯。那一刻真温暖了我的心。


千户苗寨或许没有华丽的设备，更没有城里的喧闹，但是苗族多姿多彩的文化，村民间的和睦共处，大家为生计的辛劳都让这个千户苗寨变成生动和丰富。

Turkey 5 : Devotional Road

Sumela Monastery was founded as early as 4th centry, re-builit and restored for many times in dfferent centuries, by different empire of Turkey. Devotional road is always not an easy journey of life. Many monasteries of different location and different religions share similarities, where they are mostly built in places away from cities, up on the hill slope, or hidden in forests and caves in order to provide a quiet place for prayers and learning.

Sumela Monastery was located in Macka region, and it is basically built into a steep slope of Karadaglar/Black Mountain. From the valley, visitors need to walk uphill for about 30 minutes to reach the entrance of the monastery. The journey is short, but many parts are quite a steep walk. There are plenty of maple tress along the way, and the colorful maple leaves beautifies my journey up to the monastery.

A long and narrow stairway leads me to the entrance of the monastery. Among the major elements in this monastery are the Rock Church, chapels, kitchen, student rooms, library, guest rooms and sacred spring. However, only limited compartments are opened to public/visitors.

The inner walls and outers wall of the Rock Church and chapels are decorated by frescoes. These frescoes were made as early as 13th century during the reign of Alexios III of Comnenian Empire of Trabzon. These fresoces can be in the inner wall of Rock Church.

There are different kind of frescoes used to decorate the early churches. Some are painted directly on the rock wall, while some are painted on to a thin layer of plasters on rocky wall, and this is the type observed in this monastery.

The frescoes found in this monastery are badly damaged, but the outline of the frescoes can still be observed clearly. The main subjects of these frescoes are biblical scenes, as well as stories of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The outer wall of the church is filled with frescoes of various biblical scenes such as resurrection of Jesus Christ, etc. However, I notice that many frescoes of people are destroyed, with either both eyes or face gone. After I asked the guard stationed in this monastery about the reason, then I know that when Islam came to Turkey, many frescoes related to Christianity are destroyed by Muslims and in their belief, a being is represented by both eyes or face. Therefore, most of the frescoes ended up with both eyes or face gone.

Devotional road is always about faith. Look at how the devotees of the world, of various religions practice and devote themselves to the God or to what they believe. It is always a wonderful experience to visit religious places and learn about others' religions or belief.

Note : Aya Sofya Museum is also worth a visit in Trabzon. This is not the Aya Sofya in Istanbul.

贵州行之第十一篇 ：一个象征仁，义， 礼， 智， 信的村寨

肇兴-一个我非常喜爱的少数民族村寨，位于贵州黔西南的群山之间. 两条源自山间的小河穿寨而过，村民们的吊脚楼都沿河而建，清澈的河水都用来洗衣，抹地等。

我在这寨子里待了五天，留宿一家位于河边吊脚楼的小客栈。每天早晨起身都不必闹钟。 一大早侗家妇女们开始用木槌捶打侗布的声音比把我从被窝里给拉起身。这寨子的早晨是忙碌的，有到学堂上学去的学生们，有开门做生意的老板们，有开始织布，染布，洗布，捶打侗布的妇女们，有到田里干活的同志们，等等， 让这里的早晨美丽而充满意义。

位于山坡上的肇兴中学是看肇兴全景的一个好地方。傍晚时分我一个人走着走着到了这地方看全景和拍照，让我认识了一帮可爱的老师们。他们的热情招待，以及分享，让我感受到这帮来自其他县城或村寨的老师对教育的热衷和执着。沈老师耐心地为学校设立实验室，搬运以及点算实验器材，等都看得出他的用心。来自贵阳的美术设计师更付出两年时间到这学校里担任美工教师。杨老师也为对美术有兴趣的学生们增设课余班。杨老师小小简陋的卧室变成了一所小小课室，学生们也不介意那有限的空间，学习用具也只有一只铅笔，一块橡笔擦，削笔用的小刀片，以及那薄薄的画纸。这一切都不阻他们对学习美术的热衷。看着杨老师耐心的教导，学生们认真的学习，那真感动了我，也让我回忆起当年我当临时教师离职时一位学生对我说的一番话。

这寨子里有五座鼓楼，五座花桥和五座戏台。这五座鼓楼分别称为仁团鼓楼，义团，礼团，智团，和信团。简简单单的五个名称却象征着村民们必学习待人处事的人生哲学和价值观。鼓楼是侗寨的文化符号，更是活动中心点，也正因如此那象征着鼓楼的义，礼，智，仁和信也成了村民们生活的中心点。

（备注 ：我会在下一篇更详细的介绍鼓楼和花桥）

在这寨子里待了好几天，不但让我结交了一帮可爱和热情的朋友们，更让我感动的是村民们对生活以及文化的执着。那叮叮咚咚捶打侗布的声音象征着村民们对侗家文化的不离不弃。（请看我的贵州行之第九篇）。学生们用着最简单的美工器具但却不放弃认真地学习，我更应该珍惜以及善用我所拥有的。