Episode 147 - Bauhinia Blakeana (III)

My visit to the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence triggered this 3rd post on Bauhinia Blakeana.

Bauhinia Blakeana is said to be a mix of Bauhinia Purpurea and Bauhinia Variegata. It is a sterile plant which does not produce seed. Propagation of the tree is usually by way of adapting the branch of a Bauhinia Blakeana to the trunk of a Bauhinia Purpurea. Hence if you see a Bauhinia Blakeana, you will see a demarcation line in the stem of the tree. The upper part of the tree is a Bauhinia Blakeana and the lower part is a Bauhinia Purpurea. Sometimes, the lower part of the tree develops new sub-branches, creating an interesting phenomenon - you can see 2 different types of flowers in one tree.

The photo above, taken during my visit to the Museum, shows a Bauhinia Blakeana with flowers of Bauhinia Purpurea on the lower part of the tree. Note also the difference in colours on the lower part and upper part of the trunk.

Episode 146 - The Eight Banners

These photos were taken at the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence earlier today.

A special event of the Museum is exhibiting some cultural relics of the Eight Banners of the Manchu.

The "Eight Banners" was the military system of the Manchu. Each Banner had a strong team of army. With the powerful Eight Banners, the Manchu conquered the Ming Empire in the 17th Century and ruled China for nearly 300 years.

The exhibition introduces the "Eight Banners" military system, the army outfits and the weapons. The colourful clothes as shown in the photos above are the military outfits of the Eight Banners.

The Museum is located at the eastern coast of Hong Kong and was once a military fort of the British army.

Episode 145 - Beautiful Forest

This photo was taken from the Peak.

The city is always condemned by people as an ugly concrete forest. However, if you look at it from a distance, you will probably change your mind.

If we only pay attention to unhappy events, our mind will be occupied by sorrows, angers and hatred. We will then lose our ability to appreciate the beautiful aspects of those things around us.

Looking at the same thing from a different perspective defamiliarises stereotyped preconceptions.