Raphael
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Colin Miller photographs Buddhist monasteries and temples in Sichuan province, China.
Monks listen and pray at Kandze Monastery in Ganzi, China.
Colin Miller
When Colin Miller flew to Chengdu, China, this November, it wasn’t with the intent of making a series of photographs of Buddhist temples and monasteries. But when he started traveling Sichuan province with friends who lived in the region, he was immediately drawn to the bastions of color standing out from the brown hills and snowy mountains.
Monk in his dorm room at Golo Gompa.
Colin Miller
Honored visitor is greeted with sweets at Kandze Monastery in Ganzi, China.
Colin Miller
Drumming in Golo Gompa, Sichuan, China.
Colin Miller
For the next 2½ weeks, the Brooklyn-based photographer and his friends traveled by bus and van to small towns in the province, stopping at local places of worship. While many of his photos feature the red-robed monks who prayed and often lived at the places he visited, Miller was most interested in the spaces themselves, particularly their intricate architectural details and saturated decorations. “The way I shoot for a project, I just react to whatever I find,” he said. “It was a matter of seeing what kind of access we had, what kind of places were interested in letting us in.”
Temple in Darjay Gompa, Western Sichuan, China
Colin Miller
Monks praying at Darjay Gompa, Western Sichuan, China.
Colin Miller
After exploring Sichuan, the group spent a few weeks in Ganzi province, where they visited Seda Buddhist Institute, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist school. Founded in 1980, it now houses tens of thousands of monks and nuns, many of which study there for more than a dozen years. “I got to see less of the interiors there, but it was a really incredible place to be. Each morning, we’d wake before sunrise and hear the chants of thousands and thousands of monks,” he said.
Monks gather in front of a temple during a festival at Larung Gar, Seda Buddhist Institute.
Colin Miller
Monks in the early morning mist at Larung Gar, Seda Buddhist Institute.
Colin Miller
Buddha statues in Kandze Monastery in Ganzi, China
Colin Miller
Monks listen and pray at Kandze Monastery in Ganzi, China.
Colin Miller
When Colin Miller flew to Chengdu, China, this November, it wasn’t with the intent of making a series of photographs of Buddhist temples and monasteries. But when he started traveling Sichuan province with friends who lived in the region, he was immediately drawn to the bastions of color standing out from the brown hills and snowy mountains.
Monk in his dorm room at Golo Gompa.
Colin Miller
Honored visitor is greeted with sweets at Kandze Monastery in Ganzi, China.
Colin Miller
Drumming in Golo Gompa, Sichuan, China.
Colin Miller
For the next 2½ weeks, the Brooklyn-based photographer and his friends traveled by bus and van to small towns in the province, stopping at local places of worship. While many of his photos feature the red-robed monks who prayed and often lived at the places he visited, Miller was most interested in the spaces themselves, particularly their intricate architectural details and saturated decorations. “The way I shoot for a project, I just react to whatever I find,” he said. “It was a matter of seeing what kind of access we had, what kind of places were interested in letting us in.”
Temple in Darjay Gompa, Western Sichuan, China
Colin Miller
Monks praying at Darjay Gompa, Western Sichuan, China.
Colin Miller
After exploring Sichuan, the group spent a few weeks in Ganzi province, where they visited Seda Buddhist Institute, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist school. Founded in 1980, it now houses tens of thousands of monks and nuns, many of which study there for more than a dozen years. “I got to see less of the interiors there, but it was a really incredible place to be. Each morning, we’d wake before sunrise and hear the chants of thousands and thousands of monks,” he said.
Monks gather in front of a temple during a festival at Larung Gar, Seda Buddhist Institute.
Colin Miller
Monks in the early morning mist at Larung Gar, Seda Buddhist Institute.
Colin Miller
Buddha statues in Kandze Monastery in Ganzi, China
Colin Miller
