Taj Mahal Thesis

For me, the romantic story behind Taj Mahal is an important factor that give me a positive view of Taj Mahal, and my social location also plays key role during this story telling. Even though people in China no longer carry out the practice of polygyny, a man marries more than one wife, this concept still influence people’s attitude towards female, especially in the suburb where people suffer the poverty. My gender identity as a female in the society where female somehow is a powerless group, I am also touched by the romantic story of Taj Mahal. Nowadays, Feminism is a sensitive topic in China and there are many organizations focus on protecting female’s right. The community I lived in and the education I have received in China all advocate

The western backpackers experience a slow and deep conversation with the Taj also through the romantic gaze. Backpackers believe that photographing is a cliché when experiencing a new culture . They are more willing to leave their camera at home and use eyes to capture the image of the Taj . Backpackers want to use their eyes to remember the place they have seen, and create the unique conversation by the imagination decorated from memories. Using my social location to place myself at the conversation with the Taj, it is hard to decide which way will bring me a better conversation with the Taj, but I will definitely have the conversation through the romantic gaze. I am at a young age that will be willing to accept and try the way of travelling as a backpacker, which I have already tried once. However, my culture background, as the western tourists, is too different than the Taj, I really want to capture the images of the Taj, which can be the solid evidence of my conversation with Taj

As everyone knows that, Taj Mahal is the most familiar symbol of India, however, Shah Jahan built the Taj as a monument of his Persian wife, who was a minority in India . The design of the Taj also uses the Persian style, such as the using of double dome. In this way, the two cultures connected together and Taj Mahal as a result of mix of culture, it represented a perfect combination of cultures, which further create a multi-cultural environment. In my perspective, the best way to create the multi-cultural environment is to put different cultures together and let them have connection with each other directly. In this way, the people can get chance to know and learn deeper things about different cultures and religions. According to my social locations, I had limited knowledge about Christian before I came to St. Lawrence. In Chian, Christian is minority, so I don’t really have chance to know this religion. Although St. Lawrence is non-denominational today, it was founded by leaders of the Universalist Church. And the buildings at campus, especially the chapel, brings me the appeal of different culture, which makes me want to learn more things about it and fit in as soon as possible. I ended up joining the Community Gospel Choir,