Traditional vs Modern Architecture design in Shanghai, China Essay

Traditional vs Modern Architecture design in Shanghai, China - Essay Example which would help China connecting with the world. In the 1930s and 1940s there were only a few buildings being built in Shanghai. During 1970s due to the political unsettlement even those building that had a high traditional value were taken over by the government and given to those people who were in need of houses to live in. (Wong) In Shanghai there are two main types of traditional buildings. The first one is of government buildings or properties owned by corporate workers for example government headquarters, consulate buildings, banks, hotels etc. The other type is of residential buildings. The architecture and structure of these types of buildings were simply based on western concepts with a well-built neo-classical design which was usually found in Europe or the United States. In the old city regions residential houses were spread all over the area, this spots another type of architecture in Shanghai. Under this there were two types. The first were luxurious houses with gardens which were made for the rich, the other was small houses made for common people. High rise apartment buildings started to come into sight in Shanghai in the late 1920s as technology improved. These building usually rose to 15 storeys and had escalators for the convenience of people. (Wong) Shanghai consists of many buildings and structures of many different architectural styles. On the bank of the Huangpa River is The Bund, it contains a rich compilation of early 20th century architecture, which ranges in technique from neo-classical HSBC building to Sassoon House which is based on the theme of art deco. The French Concession which is a previous foreign concession is also well preserved. Even though there is extensive development the old city of Shanghai still holds on to buildings which are of heritage value , for example the Yuyuan Garden, a highly structured garden in the Jiangnan style. The city also consists of

Religious persecution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Religious persecution - Essay Example In regard to these, there exist three different forms of religious facets that are of particular vitality in defining religion (Gunn 392). These are: religion as a belief, religion as an identity and religious as a way of life. In any religious persecution or discrimination, any of these three facets might come into play. On the other hand, a combination of all the there faces might sometimes take the center stage. Although the three facets are the ones most commonly associated with religious persecutions and conflicts, other facets of religion not identified here can also be of some relevance. The definition of faith as a belief is based on the convictions that people have concerning God, honest, truth or faith doctrines (Hamlet 265). A religion based on belief emphasizes the adherence to doctrines such as the five pillars of Islam, the transmigration of souls and the Nicene Creed among others. Typically, belief religion is characterized by the emphasis on understanding religious doctrines. Belief based religion is enhanced by conversion and adoption of new doctrines of belief. According to Gunn, from the perspective of the persecutor, the religious behaviors of others are considered as heresy and blasphemy and are therefore superstitiously held. Consequently, the religious leaders of the targeted religion are considered as false prophets, cult leaders and tricksters. In some instances, the whole group is subjected to persecution even if the group shares the same ethnicity with the persecutors. Good examples are cases from countries like Pakistan, Egypt and Iran (Gunn 394). The definition of religion as an identity is based on affiliation to a particular group (Hamlet 267). In this instance, a given religion is associated with a family, a tribe, an ethnic group, race, nationality or statehood. In identity religion, followers believe that they were born in their religion and did not just subscribe to it as