"I'm looking for the monster from the Han River..."

Today I'm taking a short break from political discussion, while still embracing the wonders of travel.

As a humerous interlude, allow me to share one of my trips to Korea with you.
For those who enjoy foreign films, the Korean hit 'The Host' will be a favourite - and those familiar with the movie will instantly recognise the iconic locations around the city of Seoul.

Free Tibet - 52 YEARS LATER

SECURITY in Tibet has been tightened, and suffocating restrictions on travel in the region have been imposed ahead of the anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising of 1959.

The area has effectively been closed to foreigners, and where once it was very difficult to get entry permits to the roof of the world, it is now virtually impossible.

 

Cosham: Do people in England really care about campaigns
such as Free Tibet?



Back in early 2009 when I was there, it was possible to slip away from your minders and speak to people - even though it was only 8 or 9 months after the 08 riots. It was strictly forbidden of course, but certainly do-able, as we found out.

But at this time of the year, when the anniversary of the largest challenge to Chinese rule comes around, the Chinese police show up for work with just that little extra fire in their step - their fists clenched just that bit tighter.




Emotions are high among the Tibetans still, though hearing that from someone inside Tibet is rare. The Dalai Lama is still blamed by the government for virtually every incident that happens, even though he has made it clear multiple times that he no longer seeks independence - just meaningful autonomy.



Lhasa - the capital of Tibet and the site of regular
protests against Chinese rule.
Photo by: Joe Briscoe



But back over here in England, when many are taking to the streets and waving banners and boards more likely to read 'Stop the cuts!' rather than 'Free Tibet' does anyone actually care anymore?

When the race for labour leader was nearing it's final stages last year, I must say that even though my head knew David Miliband to be the best choice, I still hoped against all hope that he would be beaten by his brother.

Why?



Because of this article in the Telegraph, dated January 9, 2010.

An excerpt:

...a remarkable statement from the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, slipped out on the FCO website on October 29 2008, just before representatives of the Dalai Lama were due to hold talks in Beijing on the future of Tibet.

Buried in the statement was Britain's recognition for the first time that, like "all other members of the EU… we regard Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China". The historic significance of this change was not lost on Beijing, since until then Britain, with its unique role in Tibet's history, had for 100 years been very careful not to recognise Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. The group known as Free Tibet noted that Miliband's concession gravely weakened the position of the Tibetan envoys without getting anything in return – commenting how extraordinary it was that Britain should have "rewarded China in such a way in the very year that China has committed its worst human rights abuses in Tibet in decades, including killing and torture".



The Chinese military constantly patrols the Barkhor Square in Lhasa - the
spiritual home of Tibetan Buddhism and site of regular protests.
Photo by: Joe Briscoe



In one move, Miliband had undermined what so many people had been working so hard towards. Whether there were any gains from the concession we don't know. What did the Chinese offer our government in return for such a statement? But, whereas an admission of such a kind about a multitude of places would have made national press and ruffled feathers, this one slipped past virtually unnoticed. The Telegraph and the New York Times being the two major exceptions.



So the mighty Free Tibet campaign has failed. There is afterall, no hope.

Not so fast.

While the peace loving Dalai Lama grows old and frail and talks repeatedly of 'retirement', a younger generation of Tibetan youths outside of Tibet are growing impatient. They are less tethered to the anti-violence mantras of their spiritual leader, and more outraged than ever before at their lack of a home land. And if the hope of a free China seems so distant, then it is in the hands of this volatile and firey younger generation that the future of Tibet rests.



Lhasa: Tibetans, gathered outside the Jokhang temple in the city centre.
Photo by: Joe Briscoe



Whether or not that is a good thing I can not say - only time will tell. But what would restore my faith in the people of England and the west in general, is an effort to show solidarity. To breach the almost impenetrable wall of lies and propaganda that encircle China and Tibet, and to prove to the world and to ourselves that we care about more than just budget cuts. That while we are able to protest against such problems here at home, we are also able to stand up for those who not only have no libraries or public toilets, but even don't have their own country, or basic human rights for their families.

Today is March the 10th - a very special day in the history of a very special country.

A country which remains bound and chained and tortured.

And while John Humphries may have been suckered in, those of us that truly know China are not fooled.

Free Tibet indeed.

What a day that would, and still could be.

 

England: Cosham railway station.

艾未未 - Calling across the Thames

STROLLING along the banks of the Thames last week on one of my rare trips to the capital, I was caught somewhat off guard.

I know my way around the city centre fairly well these days and don't tend to get lost so easily, but for just a second I was thrown a little off. The sight of a Chinese dissident's name, calling to me across the Thames was the last thing I expected to see, and it caused me to perform a rather comical double take.

Even though he is one of the most respected artists in the world, the name Ai Weiwei means little to most in England. But in recent months, he has arguably found his largest British audience with his sunflower seed exhibition, currently showing at the Tate Modern until May 2, 2011.

Weiwei is that most rare of things - a Chinese dissident who has somehow retained the freedom to travel in and out of China, whilst also speaking his mind. Although the Beijing 'authorities' have constantly tried to silence him, by closing down his popular blog, and even attacking him, Weiwei continues to be vocal about his disapproal of the situation in China.

London's Tate Modern: Ai Weiwei's exhibition runs until May 2, 2011
Photo by: JOE BRISCOE

Now finally, with this ceramic sunflower seed display in London, people are beginning to associate his name with his art.

Previously, whenever I mentioned his name to people in England, I was invariably met with blank stares until that is, I explain that this is the man who designed the iconic Bird's Nest stadium for the 2008 genocide Olympics in Beijing.

Cast your mind back a few months to that BBC documentary with Alan Yentob and that Chinese guy? Yes, that's him too.

WHO IS AI WEI WEI?

Born in 1957, Weiwei is the son of Chinese poet Ai Qing, who was denounced during the Cultural Revolution and send to a labour camp when Weiwei was just 1 year old.

When he was 20, Weiwei enrolled at the Beijing Film Academy, and studied alongside superstar Chinese directors Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou - but unlike these artists of the silver screen, Weiwei decided to vary his creativity somewhat. From 1981 to 1993 he lived in New York, creating conceptual art, until he was forced to return to China when his father became ill.



Beijing: Weiwei has publicly distanced himself from him most
prominent creation - the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing.
Photo by: JOE BRISCOE



His controversial art, along with his fearlessness to speak his mind has propelled him into an unenviable position. In 2009 he was savegely beaten by Chinese police, after trying to testify for Tan Zuoren - a fellow outspoken champion of human rights. 

The pair had attempted to compile a complete list of those who died in the catastrophic Sichuan earthquake in the hope that corruption in the local governments which led to the collapse of schools in the area would be fully revealed.

The beating caused Weiwei  to be admitted to a hospital in Munich were he underwent emergency brain surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage.

But last year, Weiwei was ranked 13 in ArtReview's guide to the 100 most powerful figures in contemporary art, and he quickly consolidated the position with his display at the Tate Modern.



London displays: A virtually unspoken name in China.

Photo by: JOE BRISCOE



THERE is very little chance of hearing his name mentioned in normal conversation in China, as even typing his name into the search engines immediately trips the great firewall, which censors it outright.

And so to see his name, bold as day, screaming out across the Thames was a pleasant moment indeed - and one which immediately reminded me of the massive chasm which still separates countries like England from China.

The air really is more fresh over here....

  



China; taking our breath away...

WHAT could be more unsettling than the thought that a 'Communist' totalitarian superpower may actually posses military hardware to match that of the democratic countries of 'The West'?

Obviously with such ongoing critiscism of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that may be a controversial opening in itself, but nobody can deny the increasing relevance of China's military in the asia-pacific region and indeed in the world today.

It is highly illegal to photograph military hardware in China,
 but a leaked photo made the world aware
of the Chinese J-20 prototye

When Hu Jintao finally admitted that China was indeed developing their own stealth fighter- the J-20 (seemingly named after a soft drink), alarm bells rang for many around the world. Although it was well known that the Chinese were actively pursuing their first aircraft carrier - something which would give them considerable bargaining power in their constant maritime disputes and border clashes - the thought that something as advanced and 'American' as a stealth jet was being built by them hadn't even entered the West's collective mind.

It wasn't long, however, before fingers were pointed and the familiar cry of 'knock-off' could be heard. China's reputation for copying successful products, illegally manufacturing them and selling them domestically is well known, and it seemed this wasn't just limited to shanzhai ipods and dodgy clothes brands. Soon came claims that the technology behind the Chinese J-20 Stealth was stolen from a US F-117 stealth jet which was shot down over Serbia. Of course the Chinese rejected these claims, as they always do, but it is not difficult to imagine Beijing going out of it's way to acquire the wreckage for their own ends.

And today, a rather humourous chapter is added to the ongoing coverage of China's air force. The hilarious news that China's state-run broadcaster- CCTV -  has tried to pass off scenes from the 80s movie 'Top Gun' as video footage of their own air force have done little for their credability on the world stage.

The Wall Street Journal has compared the 'news' footage with the movie scene in question:




So, as China seeks the attention of the rest of the world, trumpeting their advances in technology and military might, it is rather unfortunate for them to be caught attempting to pass off Hollywood movie footage from 30 years ago as footage of their own air force.

Beijing often utilises it's air force in displays of power - hoping that the sheer scale and noise of the jets will impress and intimidate the people enough - it is a tactic they employ on a daily basis too. It is not uncommon to be forced to stop a conversation in Shanghai's city centre and wait for the deafening noice of a fighter jet, passing overhead, to fade.

The military maintain a constant presence over

 cities such as Shanghai - Footage by Joe Briscoe, 2010



The oppressive 'big brother' in the sky is something that most city residents are used to, hardly noticing the warplanes circling above. But the younger generation seem to be more than aware of it.

One student I spoke to in Shanghai, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It always comes over in the class time. So many times we have to wait for it to go over so we can hear the teacher. It's so unnecessary I think. Are we at war with someone?"

But how important does this 12 yr old think it is to have such a rapidly expanding military?: "China needs to be strong" he said, "but so many poor people are more important I think. Give them a house and doctor first, then we can spend on other things."

Fighter jets constantly circle heavily populated areas of China - 

an ominous reminder of power to the people below.

- Footage by Joe Briscoe, 2010

So while the country continues its long quest for an aircraft carrier and presses forward with designing it's own fleet of stealth jets, it seems that the sharp-eyed youth of today who spotted the cinematic addition to their news report and the students who grow tired of the military presence interrupting their classes are less than excited by the prospect of more money being spent on airborne machines of death.

Even if Tom Cruise is, unknowingly, the posterboy.

राज घाट - A moment of peace in India's Raj Ghat

Delhi has problems. Nobody can deny that.


It is not only dangerous, but feels dangerous too. While recently announced figures show that the crime rate in Delhi in 2010 was down compared to 2009, the number of cases nevertheless remained high at 48,161.

The quality of life for thousands living there is unacceptably poor, the noise and pollution is oppressive and those not used to the city will likely find little to recommend it, either as a backpackers stop or a holiday destination.

But there is a place in Delhi where the constant noise gives way to silence. The countless tourist scams are respectfully left outside and the unfaltering tide of traffic leaves this oasis - tucked against the banks of the river Yamuna - in relative seclusion.

In fact, at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, राज घाट, - or Raj Ghat - is the closest you will find to absolute serenity inside Delhi.



 When Mahatma Gandhi died in 1948 he was cremated on this site, and it remains to this day an undulating, joy-filled park with a majestic central walled enclosure into which people are drawn for peace, contemplation and solace.



A black marble platform marks the spot of Gandhi's

cremation on 31 January 1948

Photo by: JOE BRISCOE



Indeed, gently strolling around the mini-mecca, it is difficult not to begin pondering the important questions in life.

As you stand there, staring into the eternally flickering flame which marks the spot where the father of modern India became one with the world around him, the world around you stops and time itself can pass you by. The utmost respect is seemingly demanded by the very stone walls which encircle the centrepiece, and an atmosphere of forgiveness and acceptance fills the air between those wandering around.

The very principles of Gandhi himself seem to have been contained in this rather special place.

One wishes they could be amplified and beamed from here around the rest of the world.



 राज घाट - The eternal flame provides comfort
 to people from all over the world.
Photo by: JOE BRISCOE

 The flame, which is never extinguished, repeatedly draws a hushed reverance from those who peer into it - eyes which are shown countless shapes dancing and leaping within the glass.

The day of Gandhi's assassination remains the country's 'Martyr's Day', and the day of his birth, known as Gandhi Jayanti, is a nationwide holiday - but it is here that one is truly able to marvel at what the man achieved. To still be bringing calm and quiet to a corner of a city as noisy and harsh as Delhi, 63 years after his death, is a miracle itself. One which plays as a fitting and continuous epitaph to the effects that a single man had on a nation.



"...we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow.."   - Jawaharlal Nehru 

 And while Nehru, in his radio address to the country, told the world of India's loss and it's inability to any longer go to Gandi for solace, it is worth remembering that even today, Gandhi and the simple, peaceful oasis of Raj Ghat continues to provide that tranquility for those who visit it. 

 Visit it, as everyone should.



Nowhere does a sunset say as much as it does at Raj Ghat.
Photo by: JOE BRISCOE



Hardly a Photographer, but... 5

Permit me to share more of the photographs which for one reason or another, are significant to me.
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LOCATION:     YEAR:
India, 2009

I was recently asked by a special someone I met last year in Asia what the most cherished moments of my time travelling were. I can only reply that on each and every occasion where I met someone new I was the lucky recipient of such warmth and kindness.

On many occasions I was able to stay in touch with the people I met, thanks to the wonders of the internet - and yet there were many more times where the people I was fortunate to spend time with, or travel with did not have internet access, or didn't even own a phone.

In these cases when you say goodbye to them, you know it really is goodbye. Forever, most likely.

Some I have pictures of, some I don't.



"Don't break my little heart"
Photo by: JOE BRISCOE



For me, this picture represents that final image of a person that you have in your mind - the one that stays with you after you leave and always pops into your head when you think about them.

And then you think...

I wonder what they are doing now...

Hardly a photographer, but...

HAVING been fortunate enough to travel to a significant number of incredible places in the world, there are many moments which have stayed with me until now, and will likely do so for the rest of my life.

A trusty IXUS 50 Digital Camera -
 All you need!

Though most of the time these instances are too fleeting or personal to allow a camera to steal them, occasionally I have been able to trap a brief instant between my shutters.

I shall occasionally post a short selection of a few moments which - for one reason or another - I felt demanded to be caught.

I would greatly appreciate comments or suggestions on this one...
All pictures: JOE BRISCOE

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India, 2009:

WHEN arriving at a place as famous as the one featured in this photograph, the temptation to shoot it from every possible angle grabs you, and you spend a good hour taking virtually the same picture again and again. After the initial urge to do this passes and you feel confident with your 'safety' images, then you begin to look around.

Suddenly the area ceases to only contain the world's most famous building, and as if by magic all the life around you appears. Families, workers, security guards, children playing, people looking lost - even lovers gazing at each other.

And before you know it, you're looking at an incredibly touching moment, a defining second in the life of a small child. Their first trip to the international symbol of their country. A day which will be burned into their memory for the rest of their life.

A family in India stares upon the Taj Mahal for the first time.
I could see the little girl would remember this day for the rest of her life.
All pictures: JOE BRISCOE

And as the family of three stepped through the gates and were confronted with their first view of the world's most famous monument to love, I raised my camera and caught it forever. Though only I saw the face of the little girl as her eyes gradually settled on the landmark, hopefully from this picture you can imagine the sparkle in her shining little eyes too.

I am not ordinarily one for deliberately out of focus photographs, but in this case I very quickly decided that the building itself remained instantly recognisable when out of focus. I took a number of similar pictures both in and out of focus, but this one seems to retain the scale and dominance of the Taj Mahal the best.
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Tibet, 2009:

HOW to photograph the repression of a people? When cautiously exploring Tibet, a place which feels every bit an occupied country, chances to speak to people freely are few and far between. Most will not say anything at all, and those that do are guarded and vague. Add to this the fact that one is accompanied, supposedly at all times, by a 'minder' appointed by the government. Although my colleage and I did managed to give said 'guide' the slip for a while, the massive police and military presence on every street makes one constantly think twice about doing anything undesireable.

And so, for the most part, I was reduced to shooting the things which our guide pointed to.

The video footage I gathered whilst in Tibet however remains a source of much amusement to me.  Each time an armed guard or sniper hidden among the rooftops noticed I was filming him, his expression would change to a look of terror and shout at me while waving his hands frantically. I of course would slowly point the camera away, trying to make it seem like I had simply been panning past him all along.

A Tibetan mother and daughter are fascinated by the first 'westerner' they've
ever seen. Behind them, the infamous Sera monastry - nestled
beneath the mountains which encircle Lhasa.
All pictures: JOE BRISCOE


The above picture though, is a still I managed to take while attempting to get inside one of the buildings of the infamous and now dangerously symbolic Sera monastry - one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, and particularly famous for nurturing rebellious monks.
As I looked around the exterior of the old Tibetan building and beyond to the mountains I caught sight of a mother and daughter, secretly watching me. As is often the case in Asia, a moment passed between us, I snapped the picture and we shared a smile.

Although the reasons for the devout buddhists attempting to enter the monastry couldn't have been more different to those of this old British atheist, for a second we were all just people trying to enter a very special and symbolic place.



The sun, symbol of Tibet, streams down through the roof of Sera monastry,
 illuminating the dust which has remained trapped in the gloom for an age..
All pictures: JOE BRISCOE


Once inside, the monastry was otherworldy. When within the main hall, I was transfixed by the devotion of the monks and tried desperately to store every second of their heart-trembling chanting in my memory - thinking perhaps that I could store such raw energy and peaceful defiance deep inside for myself.

Soon however, my colleage and I evaded our minder and strayed out - poking our noses around the restricted areas of the monastry. Restricted by the Chinese government, that is.

One of the wonderous little places we stumbled upon is featured in the above photo. An absolutely incredible little room which, as I recall, produced all the food for the thousands of monks who could be staying at the monastry at one time. But the room was so much more than that. It was a snapshot of a different age - littered with ancient Tibetan artefacts and kept in a way that could only have been done in Tibet. The smell of butter lamps soaked out of every wall, and, like the most wonderful film set, the sun splashed down through the roof, making the centuries old dust dance and swim. The ancient, musty air itself alive with the memory of happier times and the experience of tragedy.

While a photo can never contain all that, this one at least puts the basic image into your mind.

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Indonesia, 2010:

AS always when travelling, the people you meet are always the most interesting thing. But sometimes, simply watching people without talking to them, and observing their actions - trying to guess where they are from and what they are all about - is just as rewarding as speaking to them.

A lone woman, accompanied by nobody, yet basking in the
intense rays of one of natures most spectacular shows.
All pictures: JOE BRISCOE

As hundreds descended onto the beach at Bali to watch the world renowned sunset, I instead turned my attention to the many who, like me, were watching the spectacle by themselves.
Alone with their thoughts, living their own adventure and yet surrounded by so many strangers.

The sunset, needless to say, was awe-inspiring, but not half as beautiful as the incredible mixture of cultures and nationalities which joined together each night to share the same experience.

I snapped many pictures of all kinds of people over those nights, but the one I have included above is one of the better composed images. Although shooting sunsets is relatively easy, the lone woman I had been watching, seemingly in her own little world with something on her mind, stepped into the sun at precisely the right moment.

And I grabbed it.
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China, 2007:

IN a country where gaudy nationalistic monuments and historical shrines to a long-dead culture exist on every street corner, it is something of a rarity to be impressed by them in China anymore. And yet the sheer scale and simple brilliance of the Xi'an city walls still manage to make me smile.

Imagine an entire modern city, surrounded by vast battlements which encircle the entirety of it. While outlying districts have sprung up on the other side of the wall, Xi'an can still be easily negotiated by simply knowing where you are in relation to the wall. There are only a few entrances and exists to the city, meaning that even today, the city could be defended in exactly the same way as a thousand years ago.

And while the walls have of course been rebuilt many times since then, they remain grand and imposing during the day.



But, as the Chinese have a bad habit of doing, by night they are illuminated by somewhat tacky, red (of course) lights. But for once, rather than turning away from them, I was momentarily taken by the resulting affect.



The South gate to the city walls of ancient Xi'an.
Imperialistic, imposing and enchanting.
All pictures: JOE BRISCOE



The picture above is a section of the South Gate, taken a few weeks before Chinese new year in early 2007. If nothing else, I was quite pleased with the way the colour turned out, especially considering the camera used and the fact that it was taken at night.

Who would have thought that Chinese imperialism could be so pretty...



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