Take-Aways

There was a bit of a buzz in the classroom on Wednesday. Everyone was talking about whether they would or would not go to Tian An Men square for the one year to the Olympics festival. Till then I had heard nothing about it. I had not even bothered to think about it. In customary Chinese love of symmetry and deference to superstition on the 8 of the 8th month at 8 o’clock, 8 being a particularly fortunate number, there was going to be something akin to a pre-opening ceremony festival. Yes, these guys are that ready! I was really not planning to go, even after I heard about it that morning. I had plans for that day all of which revolved around my little person and my little person’s future. On top of that, big crowds in Beijing become part of your daily scenery, you really don’t want to seek them out when you don’t have to. At which point I would like to digress for a second into today’s Mandarin lesson. Here is teacher Wang’s interpretation of why Chinese people like sports like ping pong, badminton, wushu and Taichi and not team sports. According to her, that is the only time a Chinese person can get any degree of privacy, the only time they can be left to fend for themselves and not feel part of a crowd, a family, a group. Europeans are good at football because they are so few of them that they crave the company and comfort a team can provide. I love that. What nations think of each other, how they perceive each other. But going back to my main topic…… My day ended up being crap. My ego got unnecessarily bruised and with a mind full of doubts I ended up nursing a glass of mango juice in the underground mall at Wangfujin. But I was so near, so near to the main action that by the time I emerged out of the Oriental mall into the street I could feel the energy. The big screen on Wangfujin was broadcasting scenes of Tian an Men.The usual reporters marking time trying to come up with stories out of the pause before the party starts. The evening was warm but not too hot. It was dusk and suddenly there was something palpable in the air, an expectation, an excitement, a buzz. I had to follow it. I had the bright idea to approach the square from the top, from the Forbidden City. The walk was wonderful and before I knew it I was part of a general pull al of us drawn by the same gravitating force. Not too crowded yet but feeling part of a gentle current. I was almost there when I noticed that the current was being diverted, the area was cordoned off and the stream was being manoeuvred back to where we started, back to the Wangfujin main strip. Of course that got me even more determined to get there. So from Wangfujin I followed the main avenue that leads straight onto Tian An Men. The street was cordoned off to cars and totally pedestrianised. Imagine a six lane avenue all pedestrian. The atmosphere was totally festive. Everyone was taking pictures and the buildings were all brightly lit. And just as I was getting there the fireworks started. I could see bits of them over the Gate of Heavenly Peace, from the side as though I was standing on the wings of an immense stage. So much energy and this is not even the real thing. It’s wonderful to be included in something that is bigger than yourself even only as an observer. I was galvanised. Almost there when, …blocked again. So now I turned the compass South. I will approach the square from the South, from Qian Men. So now I am walking parallel to the Great Square, which is actually a huge rectangle, obviously I am walking down the long side – remember this is the largest square in the world supposedly capable of holding 10,000,000 people (or the whole of Greece). At every turn the streets are blocked and blocked and blocked again. A whole one block radius from the square. Reaching the South avenue I try again. This time it feels right. I have a good feeling about this. Clearly I am not the only one to feel this as suddenly I am caught in the pressure of the crowd, people are piling up behind me pushing and pushing. I was starting to get unpleasant thoughts when it felt like a damn ahead was burst and we could move again freely. But the relentless organisation was again one step ahead of us we were just released to move in a loop to get right back to where we came from. Disaster was averted but the square was well and truly insulated. I felt nothing but admiration. They had thought of everything. They had people everywhere – police I mean – and there was not a single loophole. If I have one prediction about next year’s Olympics is that they will be efficient and orderly. They will deliver for all those who have access to them. The rest had better stay home and watch it on TV.