Thursday, May 31, 2012

Guangqi Park Revisited (5/31/2012)

Thursday, May 31, 2012
Today's morning stroll was down Caoxi Road. I first passed what is left of the former Convent of Older Sisters:
Built in 1868, it was part of a large complex across the street from the Xujiahui Cathedral.
The Xujiahui/Zi-ka-wei Bibliotheca:
The library was first established in 1847, and later it was housed in this 1867 building originally built as the rectory for the cathedral.
Xu Guangqi Statue:
Remember that our neighborhood is named for this man who was an extraordinary scholar-bureaucrat, agricultural scientist, astronomer and mathematician, who worked with the Jesuit Matteo Ricci to translate several Western texts such as Euclid's Elements into Chinese. Xu converted to Catholicism and donated much of his land to the Church.
A symbol of the astronomer:
Over at Guangqi Park, the Spirit Way with Christian touches at his tomb:
The stele corridor:
A couple of retirees:
A sculpture of Father Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi:
A sculpture of a sleeping assistant and Xu Guangqi:
Mossy tree:
The Xu Guangqi Memorial Hall:
The lotus pond and pavilion:
Nearby is the Xujiahui/Zi-ka-wei Observatory:
I was chased away before getting a photo of the front of the building!

Thursday, June 21, 2012
Took the opportunity to get photos of the observatory:
Weather monitoring equipment:
Another shot of St. Ignatius Cathedral:
Also went to the former Xujiahui/Zi-ka-wei College/High School, established in 1850 by the Jesuits:
Now the Xujiahui Public High School.
And the former Tsung Te/Morning Star Girls' School:
Now part of the Middle School No. 4.

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