Hopes, Prayers and Promises.

Growing up in the UK I have been used to seeing votive candles lit in rememberance and for prayers in Churches. You have to wonder if the candle helps and if it is really sufficient as it will eventually gutter and die. Does this impact on the efficacy? Does it mean that only the sentiments attached to the longest burning candles are important?

Earlier this year the Pont Neuf in Paris hit the headlines due to panels of the bridge tumbling away into the Seine. The Pont Neuf is famous internationally and covered with "love locks" attached by copious amounts of lovers who have imprisoned their love with a generic metal lock and then flung the keys into the murky depths of the water below. I've never bought into anything like this, but this Summer I couldn't resist. The locks looked amazing. It was like an art installation and I just had to be a part of it. 

It would appear that "love locks" have made it to China. In Wuzhen water town there is a temple dedicated to the God of love. Outside the trees are stifled by red ribbons with gold characters and biro inscriptions. Inside the temple there are rows of chains on the walls that have heart shaped locks and red ribbons attached. It surprised me to see the locks inside. I am used to the ribbons and other small ornaments outside the various temples , but I was surpirsed by the locks.

I started comparing the ribbons, tags and locks to the votive candles. Let's face it, they last a lot longer. They are bold. You can personalise them and you can enjoy the challenge of visiting at a later date and trying to find your own. The wooden tags I saw at a temple in Hangzhou were in a mixture of languages and contained names, dates and what it was that the person desired. I suppose the only problem you have is that it is no longer private.

The best thing really about these visual displays are that people still hope.