| China Through My Eyes by G. N. O'Dell |
A Chinese friend and I arranged a visit to
Lhasa Tibet. His mother is Buddhist Chinese
and I have always been curious of the
spiritual bounty that may lie in the shadow of
Everest. The people are quite friendly and
self sufficient, although in western terms they
would be considered impoverished.
Lhasa Tibet. His mother is Buddhist Chinese
and I have always been curious of the
spiritual bounty that may lie in the shadow of
Everest. The people are quite friendly and
self sufficient, although in western terms they
would be considered impoverished.
We were invited to tour the summer palace of
the exiled Dalai Lama. We entered the court
yard of a small home made of local brick and
mortar. The roofs of the buildings and homes
in Tibet are traditionally flat, and atop the roof,
a vicious guard dog appeared barking,
growling, and snapping at our heads. A
monk guided my companion and I into
the home as we both squatted down low to
avoid the angry dog.
the exiled Dalai Lama. We entered the court
yard of a small home made of local brick and
mortar. The roofs of the buildings and homes
in Tibet are traditionally flat, and atop the roof,
a vicious guard dog appeared barking,
growling, and snapping at our heads. A
monk guided my companion and I into
the home as we both squatted down low to
avoid the angry dog.
The furnishings inside the palace had been
maintained exactly as the young monk had
left it with all the 1950 relics still decorating
the interior. We were taken to the Dalai Lama’
s bedroom and shown a large mural on the
east wall said to be thousands of years old.
The Tibetan guide pointed to the mural and
began telling us a Buddhist story in Mandarin
Chinese he called "The Story of the Monkey
Peoples". He went on to say that the mural
was a representation of the beginning of the
world— a Buddhist cosmology. I thought this
odd because I had been told that the
Buddhist tradition rejected these things.
maintained exactly as the young monk had
left it with all the 1950 relics still decorating
the interior. We were taken to the Dalai Lama’
s bedroom and shown a large mural on the
east wall said to be thousands of years old.
The Tibetan guide pointed to the mural and
began telling us a Buddhist story in Mandarin
Chinese he called "The Story of the Monkey
Peoples". He went on to say that the mural
was a representation of the beginning of the
world— a Buddhist cosmology. I thought this
odd because I had been told that the
Buddhist tradition rejected these things.
 |
| Home Outside Lhasa Tibet 1992 Hu Ran Left, G. N. O'Dell Right |
The mural was a story board arrangement starting at
the story of the Monkey Peoples who were believed to
be the ancestral roots of mankind. The mural showed
a group of people that would not be uncommon today;
however, they glistened of white skin and blue eyes- I
would say spirit-like or angelic.
the story of the Monkey Peoples who were believed to
be the ancestral roots of mankind. The mural showed
a group of people that would not be uncommon today;
however, they glistened of white skin and blue eyes- I
would say spirit-like or angelic.
The holy tour guide began the story like most, One
day; the Monkey Peoples came upon a group of
visitors from another world. They were of such beauty
they startled the Monkey Peoples so they kept their
distance in the thick trees nearby. It was not long for
the Monkey Peoples to understand the group to be lost
and out of compassion, they came to their aid.
day; the Monkey Peoples came upon a group of
visitors from another world. They were of such beauty
they startled the Monkey Peoples so they kept their
distance in the thick trees nearby. It was not long for
the Monkey Peoples to understand the group to be lost
and out of compassion, they came to their aid.
way to return to their home; wherever that could be, he
and in exchange for food and shelter, the visitors
taught the monkey peoples how to read and write and
use arithmetic to their advantage. The castaways also
introduced the Monkey Peoples to applied science
and as time went on; the Monkey Peoples reluctantly
came down from their tree top dwellings and milled
lumber from their primitive dwellings to build shelter of
boards and sticks on the ground.
and in exchange for food and shelter, the visitors
taught the monkey peoples how to read and write and
use arithmetic to their advantage. The castaways also
introduced the Monkey Peoples to applied science
and as time went on; the Monkey Peoples reluctantly
came down from their tree top dwellings and milled
lumber from their primitive dwellings to build shelter of
boards and sticks on the ground.
In the spring of the following year, an illness
(directly translated a virus) came upon the visitors
and each died of the sickness which was the first
disease ever known by the Monkey Peoples. The
Monkey Peoples were not affected by this
disease, and one member of the marooned
group, a young woman, survived yet all the others
of her kind passed away.
(directly translated a virus) came upon the visitors
and each died of the sickness which was the first
disease ever known by the Monkey Peoples. The
Monkey Peoples were not affected by this
disease, and one member of the marooned
group, a young woman, survived yet all the others
of her kind passed away.
She mourned for her lost love ones - day in and
out. The Monkey Peoples could not bear her
sadness and did everything to lessen her grief.
She kept her distance, living alone at the edge of
the Monkey Peoples forest.
out. The Monkey Peoples could not bear her
sadness and did everything to lessen her grief.
She kept her distance, living alone at the edge of
the Monkey Peoples forest.
The Monkey Peoples built her a small home with
a garden and did everything they could to relieve
her sadness but she isolated herself for years in
the hope that someone from her world would one
her out of her mind until one day she left her
home and moved to the Monkey Peoples village.
There she became very happy finding friends and
she took her place in the community as a teacher
of the arts such as painting, sculpting, and music.
a garden and did everything they could to relieve
her sadness but she isolated herself for years in
the hope that someone from her world would one
her out of her mind until one day she left her
home and moved to the Monkey Peoples village.
There she became very happy finding friends and
she took her place in the community as a teacher
of the arts such as painting, sculpting, and music.
Over time, she befriended one of the male
Monkey Peoples and they lived together as a
couple. They had many beautiful children
together which are believed to be the ancestral
lineage of all Tibetan people and the beginnings
of civilization.
Monkey Peoples and they lived together as a
couple. They had many beautiful children
together which are believed to be the ancestral
lineage of all Tibetan people and the beginnings
of civilization.
November 27, 1992 Lhasa Tibet
Gregory N. O’Dell
Gregory N. O’Dell
| China Essay Contest China Through My Eyes Guangzhou News Article 1992 |
O'Dell, Gregory. "China Through My Eyes." Linearism.Org. 24 Oct. 2008. 24 Oct. 2008 <http:www.linearism.org/TheStoryOfTheMonkeyPeoples.html>
| Cite This Page |
| Winter palace of the Dalai Lama G. N. Left Tibetan Mountain Guide Right November 1992 |
| Tibetan photographer asked, " O'Dell are you Chinese? I Wonder why he asked such a question? |
| Papaya Palace Lhasa Tibet November 1992 |
| Buddhist Pray at local Shrine in Lhasa |
| Rare Boy Monk Rare photo shot in alley next to the grand palace Lhasa Tibet 1992 |
I squeezed off 50 rounds in less than 60
seconds before I realized that I had to pay
per round. The Chinese gallery Sergent tap
on the shoulder and said, "Americans pay
seconds before I realized that I had to pay
per round. The Chinese gallery Sergent tap
on the shoulder and said, "Americans pay
Holy Dalai Lama to his escape across the
India border in 1950 something. Prayer
flags are tied to every conceivable point on
the bridge. Tibetan Prayer Flags are to be
hung in the wind to carry the prayer to the
world. I purchased a few and brought them
back to American. My better half had them
framed to my dismay! Tibetan Prayer Flags
must be raised in an outside location so
the wind can carry the pray to the world.
She refused to remove them from their
glass picture frame tomb! Never argue with
a women!
India border in 1950 something. Prayer
flags are tied to every conceivable point on
the bridge. Tibetan Prayer Flags are to be
hung in the wind to carry the prayer to the
world. I purchased a few and brought them
back to American. My better half had them
framed to my dismay! Tibetan Prayer Flags
must be raised in an outside location so
the wind can carry the pray to the world.
She refused to remove them from their
glass picture frame tomb! Never argue with
a women!
 |
Chinese Traditional Mask, Big Nosed
Foreign Devil. Never has an original thought
in his head and always has his noose in
somebody else's Business!
Foreign Devil. Never has an original thought
in his head and always has his noose in
somebody else's Business!
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