Shwedagon: Golden Pagoda of Myanmar [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Moore (Author), Hansjorg Mayer (Author), U. Win Pe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

For hundreds of years the golden stupa of the Shwedagon, the pagoda enshrining the sacred hairs of the Buddha, has dominated the landscape of Ragoon. Since the 19th century, it has been the spiritual symbol of the entire Burmese nation. This work provides a multi-faceted view of the magnificent Buddhist shrine. It contains a series of photographs which seek to capture the atmosphere and vibrancy of a visit to the Shwedagon. The text discusses the history and evolution of the stupa, illustrated with old pictures and plans.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In order to make sense of this book, you must follow these directions: first turn to page 158 and read a short explanation (the first in the book) of what Shwedagon is and where it is located. Next, read the following seven-page explanation of Buddhism and then find the five poor-quality photos (on pages 102 and 103) to get a glimpse of the main shrine and its setting in the heart of Yangon (formerly Rangoon). A clear architectural plan on page 110 and an equally good elevation on page 133, coupled with a 19th-century photo on page six, will complete the background work you'll need to do to understand the main section of the book--which consists of 88 color photos shot on a one-day stroll by an amateur photographer (is that really the camera strap dangling in front of the lens on page 88?). An absurd collection of blurry tourist-quality photos accompanied by a pedantic art-historical text by art history scholar Moore and writer U Win Pe, this book is as disappointing as going to see a friend's awful slides from his vacation in some fabulous spot you have always wanted to visit. Not recommended.
-David McClelland, Philadelphia
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500974837
• ISBN-13: 978-0500974834
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,749,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Travel > Asia > Myanmar

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Odd But Beautiful Mishmash, December 1, 2001

By 

"krchicago" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shwedagon: Golden Pagoda of Myanmar (Hardcover)

This book has many wonderful elements, but could have used a good editor to pull those elements together into some kind of meaningful whole. The first 100 pages are photographs of the Shwedagon pagoda itself, the surrounding shrines and images in the pagoda complex, and people worshipping. The pictures themselves are generally wonderful (although a few are out of focus). This photographic section is described as a "circumambulation" of the pagoda, but the pictures do not appear to be in any particular order and jump back and forth confusingly from one side of the pagoda platform to the other. Two pictures of the same shrine may be 25 pages apart. Moreover, the captions often presume knowledge that the reader may not have unless he has skipped ahead and read the text portion of the book.

Following the initial photographic section is a 50-page section of text titled "Shwedagon: Its History and Architecture." This section is also liberally illustrated with photographs, including some from the late 19th or early 20th centuries. The historical information is actually quite brief and the architectural information almost non-existent. Instead, most of this section provides background on Buddhism, the various not-strictly-Buddhist religious practices that are also enshrined on the pagoda platform, and other information helpful to the visitor trying to understand what they are seeing and what is happening at the pagoda. Lots of interesting material here, but it's badly organized and often introduces a topic only to drop it with little real explanation. (For example, the author states that "An intricate system that has little or nothing to do with linear time has determined the location of shrines," but then gives no suggestion as to what that system is, except that it is not "astrology.")

A third section of about 20 pages provides additional information about Theravada Buddhist beliefs and practice, and the significance of the Shwedagon to practicing Buddhists. Though quite brief, this section contains illuminating and moving descriptions of the role of giving in Burmese Buddhism and the power of meditating at the Shwedagon. Unfortunately, because it is so short, this section can only hint at the interesting issues raised by the apparent conflicts between Buddhist theory and Burmese practice.

I am giving the book 4 stars mostly for the photographs, which are beautiful and which provide a range of images that I have not seen elsewhere. The text itself cannot take the place of a good guidebook, although it does provide supplemental information and (in the final section) a different perspective.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Shwedagon Golden Pagoda of Myanmar, September 22, 2009

By 

Graham S. Bell "G.S.B" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shwedagon: Golden Pagoda of Myanmar (Hardcover)

It is disappointing that the photography in this book fails to do justice to what is a magnificent symbol of Buddhist worship in Myanmar.