Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/Tabon Caves

Tabon Caves

The filing party (the editor who opened this request) will add the basic details for this dispute below.

Editors involved in this dispute

1. Ghostexorcist (talk · contribs) – filing party
2. Pbmaise (talk · contribs)

Articles affected by this dispute

1. Tabon Caves (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
2. Buddhism in the Philippines#Pre-colonial period (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)

Other attempts at resolving this dispute that you have attempted

• User talk:Pbmaise#Journey to the West painting
• User talk:Ghostexorcist#Buddhism in Philippines

Issues to be mediated

What is this dispute about? What sections, sentences, or issues in the article(s) can you not agree on? If you are the editor who opened this request, list these issues to be mediated under "Primary issues". If you did not open this request, you can add additional issues to be mediated under "Additional issues". The issues to be mediated would be properly agreed upon later, if this request for mediation is accepted.

Primary issues (added by the filing party)

User Pbmaise has posted original research on two articles and is using pictures as evidence of his unsourced statements. He claims to have found a number of previously undiscovered paintings in a cave in the Philippines. First, this image is claimed to be ancient depictions of Asian elephants. No expert analysis from a published source is provided. Second, this image is claimed to be a depiction of the Bodhisattva Manjusri riding a lion (the deity's traditional iconography) and that this supports the early spread of Buddhism to the island. The image has been altered (presumably in Windows Paint) with crude lines to somehow support what he is saying. Again, no published source is provided. Third, this image is claimed to be a depiction of characters from the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Once again, no published source is provided.

When confronted about this, he claims that it is not original research. However, in the Tabon Caves article he inserts his own name into the text and writes things like: “American tourist named Philip Maise…realized”, “This Buddhist themed mural was found in the cave by Maise in 2013” and “Maise concluded”. Again, the conclusions he makes are not supported by a published article.

It’s important to point out that this article states that “These [images] have not yet been dated”. This is more proof of original research.

(And on a related note, this image appears to be a case of Pareidolia. Without supporting evidence from a published source, it’s nothing more than original research.)

User Pbmaise’s edits appear to have a politically motivated reason. His previous edit states: “What is at stake here is Chinese claims against the Spratly islands. Chinese editors have recently rewritten several key Wiki pages to imply they have traditional rights to Islands based on claims they were traders and populated the areas”. These remarks were removed in a following edit.

Additional issues (added by other parties)

• Additional issue 1
• Additional issue 2

Response

pbmaise Wikipedia is built upon a foundation of knowledge that can be referenced. Wikipedia editors may, and are indeed charged with the responsibility to, add and organize material so it is understood by the public. Both I and the person requesting mediation appear to be arguing over whether images that appear on cave walls look like something.

Tabon is a very remote cave and reached by a trip from Puerto Princesa that takes 15.5 hours including a short cave tour. I timed it. I was there yesterday.

I first visited Tabon in 2013. It received less than 100 foreign tourists per year. No active researchers nor academics identified themselves nor spent more than the typical two hours for the past five years.

When I viewed the wikipedia page for the cave that is in dispute...I recall 0 zero zip nada...photographs..and almost no crosslinks.

I essentially have been building this page slowly and adding photos taken within the cave along with an explanation why the photo is significant.

I strive not to introduce anything that cannot be supported by evidence and current thinking.

I will discuss the elephant in the room first.

It will take me a few days to complete this rebuttal. I also have the new high resolution photos to add along with description of artifacts found in the cave and not listed.

I am headed today to the machine shop immigration and to the Palawan Museum in Puerto Princesa. Tonight I submit more.

Elephant in the room

History rarely operates in a perfect vacuum. My knowledge of the importance of the issues that this cave represent could lead to evidence that refutes China's claims to a long standing territorial claim over areas just off the coast of the Philippines is based on news stories. They claim to have both populated Palawan and to have been their historical trading partner. The fact I know this doesn't mean the evidence that Buddhism was present isn't real. The fact I changed my thought about writing this on the talk page of another wiki editor was I realized that this editors objections may be seen to be highly pro China. That is essentially would be a accusation of treason against the USA since the Philippines and the USA are jointly trying to prevent an active Chinese takeover of territory based upon their "historical claims." Rather than taking the editors objections as being disingenuous I decided that I was just a bit paranoid since I am so close to the action. China's movements are tracked by people like me directly and on the sea. They were present just outside Miri Malaysia on a different research project I was on in 2012. I would like to quell suspicion that that either of us are politically motivated.

Rather, I would like to thank the editor since it forced me to get out my yacht and go to the caves for better photos. Further it was on this trip I first learned of the large amount of 5th century Chinese pottery found in the cave. Pbmaise (talk) 05:40, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

Elephants in the cave

“Original images created by a Wikipedian are not considered original research, so long as they do not illustrate or introduce unpublished ideas or arguments.” There is zero question that elephants existed in Palawan. They are still on the neighboring Island. Finding damaged sculptures of what appear to be carbon copies of elephants known to be in the area is not an unpublished idea. The fact that man has been capable of making sculptures is not a new concept. The editor does not have the advantage I have. I am viewing them in person from many angles and many pictures. I will post two more pictures for this mediation. Notice what I term the mother elephant is bridging the cave entrance. Perhaps it is a coincidence that stone grows to include a nose, eye, and ear of a baby elephant. I cannot be faulted for saying it looks like an elephant. Because it is. Had I claimed it was a mastodon, that would have been different. Note they are in the Tabon Caves...not Tabon Cave itself. They are in a higher cave.

I admit I am not an expert on elephants, however, when sculptures are the same size shape, and a mother elephant is close to her young, just like in photos. I think it is safe to say we are looking at elephants. Again it is not an unpublished idea that elephants existed in the immediate area. Pbmaise (talk) 05:57, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

Images in Tabon Cave

Mediation is in regards to images that appear to be Man with hair in a bun riding a lion, Pig or boar Turtle Monkey Horses There is zero doubt in my mind that is what they look like. Further I now have higher resolution pictures I can share soon. These images have heads, legs, arms, eyes, mouths exactly where you would expect them to be. Color changes occur between most animals. Further engraving into the cave wall and bas relief help lend to the image of the Chinese looking man.

There is one and only one way to read all these items in combination with existing research showing Buddhism was present in the area, and a large amount of Chinese pottery found in the cave. At least most if not all of these images are associated with Buddhism. Specifically this same combination of animals occurs in tale that predate the novel a Journey to the West. Further most if not all were made by man.

• 
  Rehabilitation works on Tabon Cave,

The Boar at the apex of the cave

Even in the low resolution photographs it is strongly apparent to me and everyone I show it to that they are looking at a pig. Rather, they usually ask about the tail, and that can be easily explained. It is a wild boar. See the images on Wild_boar and notice both the hairy tail and the pinched waist line in the depictions in olden times. I have much higher resolution photos now but I am growing tired of this.Pbmaise (talk) 07:57, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

The turtle below the boar

This image is stunning in real life because of the way it was created. If that is it is a turtle.

Why in the world would mold grow legs, eyes, heads, and mouths all in the right proportion. Pbmaise (talk) 07:57, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

The Monkey

This image is admittedly difficult to see for some. However, nearly everyone I showed even the low resolution version to could discern clearly feet, shins, things, butt, back, head and arm. Since monkeys are the mediators passion photo to follow. It is clearly standing on the heads of horses. Pbmaise (talk) 07:57, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

The image of Manjusri Riding a Lion

Absolutely incredible to see in person and now realize what I am looking at. The mane of the lion was created as a engraved area and hands of Manjusri reaching out from under the cloak to grasp the reigns as a bas relief too. Further the lion is mid stride with front leg raised.Pbmaise (talk) 08:09, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

Manjusri himself appears to be depicted from head to toe and I can even count what appears to be individual toes. Photos to followPbmaise (talk) 08:05, 15 June 2015 (UTC)

Parties' agreement to mediation

If you are a named party, please sign below and indicate whether you agree or refuse to participate in mediation. Remember that all editors are obliged to resolve disputes about content through discussion, mediation, or other similar means. If you do not wish to participate in mediation, you must arrange another form of dispute resolution. Comments and questions should be made underneath the numbered list below, to avoid confusion.

1. Agree. Ghostexorcist (talk) 06:03, 14 June 2015 (UTC)
2. Agree. Pbmaise (talk) 23:46, 14 June 2015 (UTC)

Decision of the Mediation Committee

This section should only be edited by a mediator. The Mediation Committee's representative will indicate in due course whether the request is accepted (meaning a mediator will be assigned) or rejected (meaning you will have to try a different type of dispute resolution). If the mediator asks you a question in this section, you may edit here.

• Reject. I'm going to reject this case under the authority granted to the chairperson under prerequisite to mediation #9, "the Committee has the discretion to refuse or refer back to other dispute resolution venues (e.g. dispute resolution noticeboard, third opinion, request for comment, or additional talk page discussion) a dispute which would benefit from additional work at lower levels of the dispute resolution process." For the Mediation Committee, TransporterMan (TALK) 14:04, 15 June 2015 (UTC) (Chairperson)