Rounding Day Trail Acculturation

In this city, well-preserved traces of different religions. Also traces of Peranakan and colonial era that gave the feel of a thick history. Semarang provide a vivid example of the beauty of tolerance, acculturation, and traditions.

Entering the complex, bright red color dominates almost every corner. The boisterous lion dances and rousing welcome at the gate. The dragon writhed, approached the audience with acrobatic style, led to the court of Temple Building Stone Sam Poo Kong vast and magnificent.

Rows of statues of gods with colorful lights lined up behind a large statue of Admiral Cheng Ho who was raised a hand. Temples were built in the 14th century is indeed very closely related to the history of the arrival of Cheng Ho to Indonesia. He who was sailing in the northern coastal areas of Java affected by the storm and dropped anchor in Semarang, in the Simongan.

Zheng He commanded that the Muslims built a mosque there. However, because the building is typical of Chinese architecture with the dominant red color, people of Chinese descent in the neighborhood think of it as a temple. It continues today. Sam Poo Kong temple is now once petilasan attracted many pilgrims, including a stone cave under the main building.

However, traces of Islamic nuance still be found here, which is a large drum placed in the main room. Not far away there is a tomb of Zheng He's ships helmsman who also converted to Islam.

For Confucians, Cheng Ho was a god, nor his assistants. Almost all the sculptures here are the personification of the characters around the Cheng Ho, from the wheel to cook interpreter. Petilasannya were named according to their respective functions. As Kyai Djangkar, the former anchor is taking care of Cheng Ho. Also Kyai and Nyi Tumpeng which cooks Cheng Ho.

"The statues were made as a thank you for the people here to Cheng Ho," said Vera Damayanti, travel guide group The Enchanting Beauty Indoriental Journey of Sari Ayu Martha Tilaar, who retrace the places that inspired the color on the product Sari Ayu cosmetics.

 Open

Semarang is rich in historic buildings because of the cohesiveness of the community in respect and maintain all traces of acculturation that occurs through the past. There are more than 100 buildings were declared a historic building or cultural heritage in the city.

Humanist Prof Ir Eko Budihardjo suggests, acculturation coast of Java is very strong because it is basically a very open coastal communities to absorb outside influences. He distinguished character of the country gung (eg Yogyakarta and Solo) pantura community character. If public servants tend to be gung aristocratic, closed, homogeneous, and is difficult to receive the effect, otherwise the coast tends to democratic, open, heterogeneous, and receptive to influence.

"So people Semarang's easy if you want to preserve something. You have nicknames, such as mace sewu, Blenduk, are wrong, "said Eko who spoke at the launch night Sari Ayu color trends 2013 in Semarang, Thursday (06/12/2012) night, with chairwoman Martha Tilaar Group Wulan Tilaar Maharani and Deputy Marketing Director Kilala Tilaar. The event was also enlivened by potehi wayang (puppet China) with the story of Sie Jin Kwie.

Acculturation also looks striking in Pagoda Avalokitesvara, which consists of seven buildings with a high level of about 45 meters, which is a reflection that a hermit would achieve perfection in the seventh grade. Its uniqueness, besides glorifying the Buddha, this temple is also great emphasis Kwan Im Goddess or Goddess of Mercy, a number of statues facing the four directions of the compass.

"Sie Kwan Im Po Sat", this phrase emblazoned on the front of the statue of Goddess Kwan Im is placed right in front of a statue of Buddha. "It means the world to observe and listen, bodhi satva. This sentence is a picture of Goddess Kwan Im loving-kindness can be widely realized, "said Edi, a guide on Temple Buddhagaya Watugong.

In one corner of the park surrounding the pagoda there is a giant statue of Buddha in a sleeping position with his head rested. His face was smiling. The statue that looks like it is also found in Thailand, and visited by millions of people every year. In the middle of the main courtyard, a statue of Buddha was also put under the bodhi tree brought Narada Mahathera in 1955.

Dutch "small"

Absorption of foreign influence in the architecture building in Semarang not only from China, but also the Netherlands. So much to the point that the city is also nicknamed "Little Netherlands". Icon is a 90 percent Blenduk church building and its contents are original, also Lawang Sewu (thousand doors) that its main building is almost completely restored and will soon be used as a craft center.

Sewu Lawang face the colonial era to the center of the railway administration is no longer scary. The main building is now resplendent in white paint wiped clean. Some wood panel walls dominate the work spaces are shiny. Also hundreds of wooden door painted dark brown that was left open, creating a charming symmetrical rows.

From the balcony on the second floor, we could see most of the city of Semarang with its center in Simpang Lima. In between all that, "pearl" Lawang Sewu stained glass panels still towers over the main staircase downstairs, the shape is still perfectly intact. During the day, the sun will break through the glass entrance grille, reflecting the bias of different colors.

Here also is provided "underground tour" down the hallway water under the building with water height calf. First, the place is often used as the location of events "fighting guts" on television because supposedly full of spirits. Now, the buildings erected in 1904 it became the new magnet Semarang !.

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