Chen Jun is a Chinese national working in Sri Lanka. As an electrical engineer from the China Machinery Engineering Corporation, he is responsible for part of the operations and maintenance of Lakvijaya Power Station.
He has a lot of hobbies in his spare time such as reading, basketball and fishing, but photography is his favorite. He is an amateur photographer. “Photography is my therapy. To record wonderful moments and beautiful things is joyful and fulfilling,” he said.
1.When Venus meets the sunset. Photo by Chen jun
3.Lightning over the coal terminal. Photo by Chen jun
2.Delicate creatures in the warehouse yard of the power station. Photo by Chen jun
4.The Milky Way illuminating the power station’s deep night. Photo by Chen jun
he photos displayed in this article were taken during the curfew period of the third wave of COVID in Sri Lanka. Generally, Chen Jun’s pays more attention to nature and human interactions.He had tried to show life and spirit despite the depressive period of Covid.
“I am a little embarrassed to call this thing that I love ‘photography’. Although I have passed the rookie stage of pressing the camera shutter arbitrarily, there is still a long way to go as a real photographer.”
His motives are very simple at the beginning. He started taking pictures when he bought the first Single Lens Reflex Camera in 2009.
“At that time, I simply wanted to record my work and life and share it with my family and friends far away in China, so that they would know I was fine in Sri Lanka. I was not a fanatic at the time. Later, with the continuous improvement and appreciating the exquisite works of photographers, I gradually indulged in photography.”
He said the main reason for the emphasis on nature in his photography is due to the influence of his work and living environment. “What I record is my real life at the power station. If a person lives in Colombo or another urban setting, he may have different aspects to capture. In fact, there is no limit in my mind, as long as it is a beautiful thing, my instinctive reaction is to take out the camera and photograph. Thanks to the beautiful island of Sri Lanka, I can always feel the joys of beautiful scenery within a few steps.”
Working and living in Sri Lanka for more than 10 years, Chen Jun had been impressed by many things. The most profound experience for him was when he was invited by a friend to do volunteer work at Abhayagiri vihāra in Anuradhapura in 2012.
Abhayagiri Vihāra in Anuradhapura is a major monastery of the Mahayana, Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism. It is one of the most extensive ruins in the world and one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the nation and the original custodian of the Tooth Relic.
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When I stood under Abhayagiri vihār, I had a spiritual connection which cannot be explained,” he said.
You can feel his excitement even now: “When I went there, I had no idea about the volunteer work to be done, nor the stupa history, but when I stood under magnificent Abhayagiri vihāra, I listened to the Abbot to explain the long history of the temple, as well as the temple’s origin and Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian’s story. I was touched beyond words,” Chenjun said.
“When I stood under Abhayagiri vihār, I had a spiritual connection which cannot be explained,” he said.
In 399 AD, Master Faxian, an eminent monk from China’s Eastern Jin Dynasty, traveled westward at the age of 65 to India and Ceylon to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. On the way to Ceylon, he traveled to more than 30 countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, and brought back a large number of Buddhist scriptures. From the end of 409 to 411 AD, Master Faxian lived in Abhayagiri Vihāra and obtained four classics here. Master Faxianwas 77 years old when he returned to China by sea from Sri Lanka. The 11 people who accompanied him either stayed or died, which made him go back home alone. This journey is truly admirable.
Due to years of erosion and perennial wars and disrepair, the main building of Abhayagiri Vihāra was severely damaged, and the spire of the tower was broken. Chenjun work was to move the scaffolding steel pipes, cement, wood boards, etc. to the top of the tower, and to remove the waste on it.
“I was able to have aconnection with Master Faxian in this sacred place on foreign soil, 1600 years after his visit. That is a miracle and I feel very honored. It is also worth mentioning that the chief monk Rathana at this site once studied at Wuhan University in China. He is modest and very knowledgeable. I was able to communicate with him to draw out his wisdom,” Chen said.
Chen Jun is one of the talented Chinese engineers working for Lakvijaya Power Station. Some of the Chinese engineers have lived here for about 10 years away from their hometown and family. But they have considered Sri Lanka as their second home.