The Magical China Trip 2012

Photos: Lijiang

emacinat — Mon, 3 Dec 2012 09:50:00 GMT

Photos: Dali

emacinat — Sun, 2 Dec 2012 11:40:00 GMT

Photos: Kunming

emacinat — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 09:14:00 GMT

Stone Forest, Western Hills

Kunming, Dali, Lijiang – October 27-30, 2012

emacinat — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 09:12:00 GMT

Kunming

Around 1940, Kunming was the Chinese end of what would become the Burma Road, an old road that led from India through Myanmar to China. It was also sometimes known as the “Road to Mandalay.” During WWII, it became a critical route for getting supplies into southwest China to support the war against the Japanese. During this time, my father was working for the China Defense Supplies Corporation, a Chinese company based in America. It was his job to find ways and to make recommendations for making the Burma Road passable for the trucks carrying supplies to the Chinese in Yunnan province.

Daen and I took the overnight train from Chongqing to Kunming, our second time in a “soft” sleeper car. This kind of ticket gave us a bunk in a compartment containing four bunks. Daen and I had taken the soft sleeper compartment from Xi’an to Chongqing as well. Because there were only two of us, we shared the compartment with two other people. On the train from Xi’an to Chongqing, we shared with a man and a woman (no relation to each other). On the train from Chongqing to Kunming, there were two men, one of whom got off the train around 11:30 p.m. and the bunk was taken by another man getting on. When Daen woke up the next morning, he took a close look at the man, wondering, but not sure, whether it was the man from the evening before. It was not.

I like traveling on trains. Daen took a series of shots from the window tracking the dawn. Now that I can get to YouTube, I’ll put the slide show somewhere on the blog as soon as I figure out how. Sleeping in the soft sleeper is not so bad; the rhythm of the wheels on the tracks can be a comforting feeling. However, the compartment we were in on the first train squeaked and bumped, so it was not the best situation. On the second trip, our compartment was closer to the center of the car and sleeping was much easier.

On the train, you can either bring your own food or buy snacks and meals from a cart. The first time we brought snacks; the second time, we brought noodles (the kind you add hot water to) and then discovered we had forgotten chopsticks; so, we bought a meal from the cart. It was actually pretty good and not too expensive since one meal had enough food for the two us. Later, we discovered that the noodle soup came with a fold-up fork. We ate it the first evening in Kunming because we were too tired from sightseeing to go out.

We really only had one day in Kunming to visit several places. Originally, we were scheduled to fly to Dali at 7:30 a.m., but our guide double-checked and the flight had been changed to a noon flight. Whew!

The first place we went was the Stone Forest, an amazing geological site with stone formations that dazzle the eye and trigger the imagination in the same way the clouds do. It was a beautiful day and we wandered through passages, around outcroppings, into nooks, and up to breezy pavilions. It was great to be outside and among such striking shoka.

By the time we went to the Western Hills, a favorite resort area in Yunnan, we were already tired. Several books I’ve read talked about their beauty and peacefulness and this is the reality, too. From the Dragon Gate, one can look out over Erhai Lake and see just how big not only the lake is, but also how big Kunming (3 million people) now is. Erhai Lake ( 洱海, pronounced er high) means “Ear Sea” because it is shaped somewhat like an ear. It is huge, about 25 miles long and 5 miles wide. It was an impressive sight.

That night we stayed in our hotel room, ate the snacks and noodles we hadn’t consumed on the train, and rested. We did not discover the room had internet access until it was time to leave the next morning, but that was probably a good thing because we had no distractions from sleeping. The hotel at one time was a showcase of modern accommodations. I’m not sure when it was built – 40s, 50s, or 60s – but it had not been updated since its heyday, so it was rather rundown. We were on the 23^rd floor overlooking an older part of the city, having a clear view because no buildings nearby were as tall. Floors 2-4 comprised a supermarket, but we never figured out how to go there; the elevator buttons for those floors were disabled. Other floors were for meetings and entertainment. The top floors, beginning with ours, were the guest rooms.

Dali

From Kunming we flew a short hop (half an hour or so) to Dali. In this part of Yunnan, two cultures come together – Han and Bai peoples. China actually has 56 officially recognized minority peoples. The Han are who the average person thinks of as a Chinese person. The Bai people are native to the Dali area. Bai (白族, pronounced buy ju)means “white” and they are so named because their houses are whitewashed with religious designs and symbols painted in black on the gables. It is a lovely area, also on the shores of Erhai Lake.

We briefly toured the ancient city of Dali and then went to the Three Pagodas, which are considered the landmarks of Dali. The main pagoda was begun in 9^th century A.D. and the other two completed about 100 years later. They are arranged on the corners of an equilateral triangle. The Three Pagodas are well known for their resilience; they have endured several man-made and natural catastrophes over more than one thousand years. It was recorded that main pagoda had been split in an earthquake on May 6, 1515 AD (Ming Dynasty). However, it miraculously recovered ten days later in an aftershock. The most recent record of severe earthquake in the Dali area occurred in 1925. Only one in one hundred buildings in Dali survived, but the Three Pagodas were undamaged. During repairs on the main pagoda in 1979, three copper plates were found at the bottom of the steeple which recorded the exact years of previous repairs: 1000, 1142, and 1145.

Behind the pagodas is a Buddhist temple known as Chongsheng Monastery. It was once the royal temple of the Kingdom of Dali. Originally built at the same time as the first pagoda, it was destroyed in a fire during the Qing Dynasty. The temple was rebuilt in 2005. We climbed to the top of the levels of the temple and were treated to a magnificent view of the lakeshore.

The next morning we drove to Xizhou (喜洲, pronounced she joe) where there was a traditional market. I really enjoyed wandering through looking at the various foods for sale. Normally a family goes to the market once or twice a day to get the food they need for that day. There are meats of many kinds – pork, beef, yak, chicken (usually live) – plus an amazing array of tofu made from different beans (soy, chickpea, etc.). The meat is displayed on tables and cut to the buyer’s specifications. All parts of the animal are available to use. There are vast amounts of vegetables – long narrow eggplants, bright orange or white carrots, greens that defy naming, Chinese potatoes, white, yellow and orange sweet potatoes, plus fruit, rice, beans, and noodles, each of which have a number of varieties from which to select. A part of me would like the kind of life that allowed me the time to go to market each day and select fresh items for my meals. There were other kinds of things for sale, such as clothing, household goods, baskets, and shoes, but it was the food that got my attention.

We also visited an embroidery school in Xizhou. Young women from the village come there to learn the art of embroidery with silk. Their designs are traditional and all work is done by hand. It was a wonder to see. Having the school helps keep some of the young people employed; otherwise, they need to go to the city (Dali) to find work in order to make a living, a trend that is growing among the Bai people. I talked with the teacher at the school. I mentioned that this kind of embroidery was something I would like to learn. She replied that if I had a month to spend at the school, she could teach me. I’m tempted – so I took her card. Who knows … ?

Included in the tour was a boat ride on Erhai Lake during which we got to see cormorants in operation. These birds are big, black, and beautiful. The fishermen tie string around the bird’s long neck so that it cannot swallow the fish it catches, and then send it out to fish in the lake. What it catches it brings back to the owner and he gives it a reward of smaller bites of fish. The birds are trained from shortly after hatching, so they are very tame. Daen and I each got to hold a couple of them on our arms. I’m not big on birds, but these seemed to have intelligence and I really liked them. Each owner seemed to have 10-15 on the fishing boat. It was a fun experience. There were several other boatloads of tourists from China or Taiwan who seemed to find Daen and me almost as entertaining as the birds since we were the only wai guo ren (foreigners) on the lake.

Lijiang

It is a long drive from Dali to Lijiang – over 3 hours up and over the mountains on a very nice, but winding road. The traffic was bad because so many trucks lumbered their way slowly up the mountain. While the scenery was lovely, we were happy to reach Lijiang. Our driver was not used to these roads so she drove slowly and was hesitant to pass the trucks. (She also failed to downshift, so the engine was working overtime to keep us moving.) I think she was happier to reach our destination than we were. The guide planned to do the driving on the way back so the driver could unwind from the ordeal.

Lijiang is an old city that once was a sleepy town unknown by the rest of China or the world. The town has a history going back more than 800 years and was once a confluence for trade along the old tea horse road. The Lijiang old town is famous for its orderly system of waterways and bridges. The old town of Lijiang differs from other ancient Chinese cities in architecture, history, and the culture of its traditional residents, the Naxi (纳西, pronounced na she) people. Then it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, as our guide said to me, it is dying: Tourism is choking it to death. The people who lived in the ancient city have had to move out in order to avoid the crowds and noise of the people who come for the show. Most of the native population now lives in high-rise apartments, a far cry from their ancient residences.

The first night we were there, Daen became violently ill. It certainly had the look of food poisoning, but I had literally eaten the same thing he had, bite for bite, and suffered no ill effects. The only thing I can think that was different was the “meat on a stick.” We each had our own stick, although they came out of the same cooking vat. He spent the next day in bed. Fortunately, the room could be made completely dark, so he was able to sleep. There was no recurrence of the symptoms.

At Daen’s urging, I spent the day sightseeing with our guide, Eleanor. Lijiang is practically in the shadow of a mountain called Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. One can feel the energy of this scenic, snow-covered peak. I was actually rather lucky to see it because quite often it is obscured by clouds, fog, or mist – which it was by the next day.

We first went to Black Dragon Pool, a park and museum surrounding a mountain-fed river. The drought in this area has so far lasted three years, with little expectation of improvement for the time being. We could see the empty channels of former water sources for the pool. While perhaps picturesque, it spoke of serious problems for the future.

In the park, we came across some older Naxi women in local dress. Eleanor explained the various aprons and colors and styles. The Nakhi women wear wide-sleeved loose gowns accompanied by jackets and long trousers, tied with richly decorated belts at the waist. Sheepskin is worn over the shoulder. The younger women dress a little differently from the older women, only being allowed to wear a black shawl as a symbol maturity. We also encountered a table of older women playing Mahjong. I made the comment to Eleanor that someday I wanted to learn how to play. She immediately mentioned it to the women and they very excitedly invited me to join them. First, they demonstrated the plays to me, and then they invited me to play a round. I didn’t win, but I certainly felt welcomed and had a lot of fun. They asked my age, and then told me theirs – the younger ones were in their 70s, the oldest was about 84.

Later, we walked up to Lion Hill for a clear and breath-taking view of the mountain. Eleanor was fun to be with. Her English was excellent and we talked of many things. The Naxi have many interesting customs, including a belief in the divinity of all things. The way of the Tao, particularly fengshui(风水, pronounced fung shway), has been practiced there, among other religions, for many centuries. My guide told me they claim the black dragon as their ancestor. We chatted till late afternoon. By the time I got back to our room, Daen was feeling some better but didn’t want to eat much. I went to a bakery I had seen and bought some innocuous-looking bread (and other goodies) for us to eat in the room.

The last day in Lijiang Daen and I were on our own, so we explored. I took him to the Black Dragon Pool and museum; we wandered around the town, but didn’t climb up Lion Hill again. Although he was feeling better, we pretty much took it easy so as not to overdo.

The last night was Halloween and what a party was being made! Daen and I found an out-of-the-way restaurant and had a delightful, vegetarian meal. But in walking back to the hotel, we became embroiled in the large number of celebrants. It was particularly challenging because of the narrow streets along the canals. I think Daen would have enjoyed the celebrations, but it was not something I was up for.

Part of the tourism of the city was exhibitions of the old ways. A few Nakhi men carry on the ancient Chinese tradition of hunting with falcons. In our wanderings, we saw some of the falcons just sitting on their owner’s arms (no hood). Also, in the evening, horsemen would ride the small horses through the crowd, carrying packs and reminding the visitors of the old trade route that brought Lijiang its livelihood. A person could also pay for a ride on the ponies.

The next morning Eleanor escorted us to the airport. I left Daen having lunch at the airport and boarded my flight for Taipei, Taiwan. Later that afternoon, he got on a plane bound for Beijing, where he would spend the night and then fly home from there.

Chongqing and Vicinity – October 23-26, 2012

emacinat — Fri, 9 Nov 2012 10:57:00 GMT

My gratitude goes to my niece Jody who researched Chongqing and Kunming for me so I would have some background information on my father in those cities. My father was in Chongqing and Kunming in 1939 and 1940. He went to there because the Chinese Government moved their headquarters there. At the time, he was still an employee of the Central Trust Bank of China.

He wrote that he was staying in a hostel in Chongqing. Every time he left for a trip to inspect the Burma Road, it seems, he came back to a different room. He describes his latest room in Chongqing to a friend, Mrs. Marion Davidson, in a letter of Nov. 3, 1939:

Aside from having four walls, a floor and a ceiling, it is unworthy of the name [room]. ... It was intended to be a bathroom but they did not have enough fixtures to fit it out so they just decided to use it for an emergency bedroom ... It has a rather nice bed, a dresser, and a washstand-towel rack. One chair does the needful when one gets folded up enough to be able to sit. I come into the room with a shoehorn and leave it by means of a bootjack. Fortunately, I can shave in a bathroom nearby. Otherwise, I could not swing my arm enough to shave in here. I did manage to get a small table set in on which to set my typewriter but I have to be careful that the carriage of the typewriter does not knock the plaster off the wall.

He sheltered from the Japanese air raids on Chongqing in the caves in the cliffs and, at one point, my brother visited him there and was thrilled to see those caves. My father explained that the Japanese bomber pilots followed the Yangtze River to the town so he knew they were safe from bombings when the nights were cloudy and the pilots could not see the river. Thanks to those caves, many people survived who otherwise might not have. Due to the bravery, perseverance, and sacrifices made by the local people during World War II, Chongqing became known as the City of Heroes.

The caves are still being used – as businesses, dwelling places, and storage space. I happened to ask about the caves just as we were travelling past them (coincidence?). I hadn’t recognized them as caves; they don’t look like caves until one really looks at them. I expected rough irregular openings in the hills, but they have normal Chinese doors and gates, and, when you look, you can see that they have been hewn out of the cliffs at some time in the distant past. (Don’t quote me on that semi-geological statement.) Our driver, who is a native of Chongqing, told us that they go way back into the cliffs like a rabbit warren. She mentioned that the car wash we had been through the day before was one of them. At the time, I had thought it was rather a tight fit for the van, including some unusual turns, but I had not connected the dots. It was cave of granite (?) just big enough to hold the carwash equipment and to have an entrance on one street and an exit on another. I wish I had taken pictures of it. However, Daen did take shots as we drove slowly by the other cave entrances.

The bombings on Chongqing were intense, causing great loss of life. One evening the home of the head of the British, or possibly Canadian, Friends (Quaker) Mission caught fire during an air raid. My father and others worked through the night to put the fire out, carrying buckets of water repeatedly to the second floor. At the top of the stairs he kept stepping on what he thought was a wet rug. It was revealed by daylight to be the back of the woman who lived next door, who had been blown up, over the wall, and into the house by a Japanese bomb. He also told the story of running to the caves during an air raid when he felt a harsh push from behind. Turning to see who had shoved him, he saw a dismembered arm lying on the ground behind him.

It seems my father often walked up into the hills across the river from the main part of the city. One time he saw a man who had lost his feet in a bombing begging beside the road. The man had preserved his feet and had set them in front of his knees. Another time he had lunch at a Buddhist temple. He was told that the meal would be vegetarian and was surprised when he was served shellfish. He was told by the waiter that since the shellfish did not have eyes they were considered vegetarian. Those hills today are covered by city buildings – high-rise apartments, banks, stores, and continuing new construction.

Even before he relocated in Kunming, my father took frequent trips from Chongqing to inspect the Burma Road. On December 3, 1939, he wrote to Mattie (his wife): "The fall of Nanjing has complicated the transportation problems of China and renders the Yunnan-Burma Highway (Road to Mandalay) all the more important. I suspect that I shall, sooner or later, find myself concentrating on that road. Not that I can do a lot to help, I can only suggest things which should be done and hope that they are done. As I have said many times before, if I have a batting average of 5%, I shall feel that I have accomplished something.”

Of course, that is exactly what he did – concentrate on that road, on identifying what was needed to make it passable for trucks and to set up service stations on it, and then lobbying in Washington, DC, for the US to provide those materials through the Lend-Lease program.

Today, although generally unknown by westerners, especially tourists, Chongqing is a bustling, growing city, the largest city in the world at 33 million people. Because it is growing so fast, it still has the feel somewhat of a smaller city (also non-domestic tourism has yet to be developed there). However, it is not a completely forgotten city. World industry has come to Chongqing in the form of Ford Motor Corporation, Visteon, TRW, Johnson Controls, LEAR, Delphi, and Cummins from the US; DENSO and Exedy from Japan; and Mahler, Siemens VDO, GKN, and GITI from Europe, among many other firms. Of course, there are the requisite McDonald’s, KFC, and Starbucks.

Chongqing is also one of the most important inland ports in China. My father wrote that the only way from the river into the city proper was a long climb up very steep and slippery stairs. I’m sure that when my father was there, the river was the only convenient way to access the city and that is why those steep, slippery steps leading up to the heart of the city were so important. Today, steps from the river to the city are broad and easy to climb. There is a plaza and sort of a park at the confluence of the Yangzi and Jialing Rivers, where one can access the river to eat on restaurant boats or take a Yangzi River cruise. Daen and I didn’t go to the actual river wharfs and our guide was not a native of Chongqing, so we didn’t explore other river access points.

Daen and I liked Chongqing. In spite of its size, it has a good feel to it. I would like to return to Chongqing and do some more exploring on my own. There is a small chance that the temple in the hills is still there. Also, I would like to look at other river access points.

Chongqing Old Town

Our first stop in Chongqing was the “Old Town” where a museum of sorts preserves some of the Qing dynasty culture by way of buildings, landscape, and artful manikins. It was reminiscent of what most Americans think of as China Town, but better cared for than many other examples of this lifestyle. These museums are usually government owned and run. Official guides take the visitors on a tour of the sites. The young woman who showed us through this museum spoke excellent English and was delightful.

Dazu Grottoes

The Dazu Grottoes are stone carvings in an area several hours by car from Chongqing. The earliest carvings were begun in 650 AD during the early Tang Dynasty, but the main period of their creation began in the late 9th century, when a Prefect of Changzhou, pioneered the carvings on Mount Beishan. His example was followed after the collapse of the Tang Dynasty by local and gentry, monks and nuns, and ordinary people. In the 12th century, during the Song Dynasty, a Buddhist monk named Zhao Zhifeng began work on the elaborate sculptures and carvings on Mount Baoding, dedicating 70 years of his life to the project.

Off limits to visitors for many years, the carvings were opened to Chinese travelers in 1961 and foreign visitors in 1980. Until 1975 there was only a muddy path between the town of Dazu and the main cluster of carvings. The isolation helped keep the art unharmed during the Cultural Revolution.

Daen and I visited these two sites. The size and detail of the carvings are amazing. For me, the carvings were beautiful, but did not inspire the feeling of reverence that I felt at the Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou. Daen suggested that this was because the carvings were promoted by businessmen and the gentry instead of monastics. It was nevertheless awe-inspiring.

Hongyan Revolutionary Memorial Museum, Zhazi Cave, and Stillwell Museum

Because of my interesting in WWII history and Chongqing, we visited the Hongyan Revolutionary Memorial Museum, Zhazi Cave, and Stillwell Museum. The buildings at Hongyan used to be the base of the Southern Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Chongqing office of the Eight Route Army during the period of Anti-Japanese War. It opened as a memorial museum on May 1st, 1958, and is now considered one of China's most important monuments. Daen and I were the only westerners among the many Chinese visitors.

The Zhazi Cave was the Nationalist Party prison in the hills of Chongqing. The prison is not on the normal list of touring sights, especially for westerners, but we went there because of my personal interest in WWII history. Again, Daen and I were the only westerners.

These two sights were both sad and depressing – Hongyan because of the stark offices, containing bed, table, chairs, and bookcase, and somber energies that pervaded the building; Zhazi because of the harsh living conditions and the lists of names of people whose lives ended in 1949.

The Joseph Warren Stillwell Museum is housed in Stillwell’s Chongqing residence; however, it has not been well cared for. Many of the pictures and captions were illegible because of dampness and mold. Stillwell, himself, a controversial figure, was removed from the Asian field in 1944. Yet, the site conveyed the deep gratitude of the Chinese people, especially in this area, for his assistance and that of the Americans during WWII.

We also visited a museum (not state supported) honoring Claire Lee Chennault, head of the American Volunteer Group, which became the Flying Tigers.

Although my father worked in the same area as these men (China-Burma-India Theater), he was not military; he was working directly for the Chinese the entire time he was in China (1929-1944).

Photos: Chongqing and Vicinity

emacinat — Sun, 4 Nov 2012 12:39:00 GMT

Old Town, Dazu Grottoes, WWII Museums

Xi’an and Vicinity – October 20 – 22, 2012

emacinat — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:35:00 GMT

Daen finally arrived on Friday afternoon, October 19^th, exhausted but happy to be in China. I was greatly relieved and happy to see him. He had his own adventures getting there, including having to travel all the way across Seoul, Korea, from Incheon to the Gimpo airport via a special railway. He said Korea was very clean and, at 5 a.m., almost empty of people.

China, on the other hand, especially Xi’an, has many, many people, including locals plus tourists from China and all over the world. Xi’an felt like a tourist town to me. After the comparative quiet of Baoji, Xi’an seemed frenetic and even a little artificial. This is not to say I know much about Xi’an. We stayed at a hotel near the very center of the city with many exclusive shops, restaurants, and hotels nearby. It was interesting to see, but a lifestyle that is more foreign to me than China itself.

Terracotta Warriors

One of the first places we went was the Terracotta Warriors archeological site. On our way, we stopped at a factory that makes the warrior figures in many sizes from small to life-size. It was interesting to see the kilns and the process, which uses the same clay as was used by the original creators. The factory also displayed incredibly beautiful (and expensive) lacquer furniture that practically made us drool.

At the archeological site there are three “pits” dug into the earth. When you think “pit” think football field. The first pit is at least that big. Pits 2 and 3 are a bit smaller, but no less impressive. There is also a museum of selected items that have been removed from the pits. Interestingly, “reproduction” equates almost with the genuine article in the Chinese displays. If an item is a replica, it is stated on the description card, but it is nonetheless valued. Things like the bronze chariots were crushed long ago; wooden staffs that the warriors held have long crumbled to dust; the original paint on the army figures disintegrates upon its first contact with the air; thus, much replication/reproduction is required. What impresses me most is the Chinese capability to do the replication using the ancient methods.

Actually viewing the digs is almost indescribable given the age, artistry, and magnitude of the find. The terracotta army is considered funerary art for Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇, pronounced chin shur huahng) the first emperor of China. It includes something over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits near Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum.Other terracotta non-military figures were also found in other pits and they include officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. The figures were discovered in 1974 by farmers in the Lintong District of Xi’an as they were digging a well. Today Lintong is a bustling tourist town for both domestic and foreign visitors. Daen and I actually got to meet one of the farmers to whom we immediately took a liking. He is probably my age (possibly older), dignified and friendly. He autographed the book we bought that tells about the discovery and the site.

Although it was crowded (because we visited on the weekend), it was a wonderful experience, something not to be missed if you are coming to China. It rather sets the stage for grasping the magnitude of Chinese engineering projects and architecture; such as, the Great Wall, the Grand Canal, or Yangze River Gorge Dam.

You will also notice a change for the better in the character of the photographs I’m posting to this blog. I have passed to baton to Daen for the interim. He is enjoying taking the pictures, and I’m happy for him to do so. If I see something I particularly want to photograph, I do, but otherwise most of the shots are from those Daen is taking.

Huaqing Hot Springs

Next, we went to Huaqing Hot Springs. It was built in 723 by an emperor of the Tang Dynasty as part of the Huaqing Palace, using the local hot springs for geothermal heating. It is famous as the supposed scene of the emperor’s romance with his consort, Yang Guifei, a woman considered to be one of the four most beautiful women in all of the history of China.

The grounds of the hot springs are being restored so it can be a more attractive tourist site. I continue to be impressed by the use of the old methods for making new things and repairing existing things. China is fortunate to have the artisans who are able to continue this kind of work. The new structures being built at Huaqing Hot Springs, like the old ones, are being built without the use of nails – it is all tongue and groove. One particular structure under construction reminded me of the Amaraji Maha Marai family’s chapel, which our brothers have been working on all this past summer. It is also built completely using tongue and groove.

At Huaqing Hot Springs, many of the old pools are pretty well dried up, partly because the water has been diverted to convalescent homes and other uses. However, one can imagine the beauty of this place in its heyday: elaborate pools of warm water of different temperatures to ease arthritic joints, sore muscles, and luxuriate in. This site was also the scene of the 1936 “Xi'an Incident,” when Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped by Yang Hucheng and Zhang Xueliang so that they could convince the Generalissimo to work together with the Chinese Communists in resisting the Japanese encroachment on the Chinese mainland. After several days, Chiang was rescued and Yang and Zhang arrested. Zhang was fortunate in being placed under house arrest; Yang was executed.

Forest of Stele Museum and Imperial Tomb Statues

The Forest of Stele Museum presents a large number of stone tablets upon which have been written the Confucian rules, mores, and teachings; the oldest collection of the Confucian classics, cut in 837 CE. Each tablet stands well over six feet high and is about three feet wide. Not only is the message on each tablet significant for Chinese history and culture, but the handwriting style of each writer is also distinct as an art form. Rubbings are taken from the tablets by applying rice paper to the surface of the tablet and wetting it down. Next, it is rubbed gently, but vigorously, to transfer the indentations from the carving to the paper, while also securing the paper to the tablet. When the paper has dried to the correct level of dryness, black ink is patted onto the surface of the paper using a round applicator and refillable ink pad about 7” square. The result is a white on black rendering of the stone tablet. I found it fascinating.

Other exhibits on this site include early sculptures and objects from Imperial tombs, many of which are statures of the Buddha. One of the statues of Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, had been particularly well loved by the people. Because of that, it seemed she was still inviting people to touch her and accept her blessing.

Ancient City Wall

In Xi’an, the walls, ramparts, gates, and watchtowers form one of the oldest and most complete city defense system still around. Built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City, it completely surrounds the city center. When the weather is good, one can walk or rent a bike or rickshaw or an electric cart travel around the full 14km circuit. Unfortunately for us, it was raining so we took a quick look from under umbrellas and then retired to our hotel room.

Shaanxi (Province) Historical Museum

The history of Shaanxi is said to be the history of China, and this museum is one of the nation's best. Four major galleries in large, Tang-style buildings house a vast collection of artifacts. It took quite a while to go through it all. Beginning with prehistoric man, the museum presents the history of China through the various pre-dynastic and dynastic periods. We took a lot of pictures of interesting items. As with any large museum, it was too much to absorb in just one visit.

Banpo Village Relics

The Banpo museum depicts the remains of a 6000-year-old Neolithic community discovered in 1953. There are two exhibition halls displaying items from the site such as stone tools, spinning wheels, pottery, and daily living utensils. The third, the Site Hall (a bit over half an acre), demonstrates the residential, pottery making and burial sections of the village, including huts, kilns, and tombs. Although this is a fascinating museum, I found it hard to know what was authentic from the archeological dig and what was a “replica.” Some of the confusion for me comes from the fact that, unlike the archeological sites I am familiar with in the western world, Chinese sites are covered by buildings to protect them from the elements. The other confusing factor for me is that the digs are so clean and neat. The walls seem to have been either dug or shored up to keep the displays intact. Western digs always look not only messy, but also rather precarious. Furthermore, the archeologists here work at night so they are not bothered by visitors. Thus, the dig looks like a replica of the real thing. At the site of the Terracotta Warriors, the very size of the dig indicated its authenticity; but here at a small site, it was harder to tell.

Photos: Xi'an and Vicinity

emacinat — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:38:00 GMT

Xi'an

emacinat — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:50:00 GMT

Today is Wednesday. I am back at the Xi’an Skytel Hotel; a guide picked me up from the train station and delivered me here, then hurried off to pick up someone else at the airport. What do I do with myself while waiting for Daen to arrive on Friday?

Well, first I can struggle through calling hotel services to have some laundry done. I’ve washed things by hand, but am at a point mid-way through the trip that I really would like truly clean clothes. It will be expensive, but worth the cost. (I did check “No Starch.”) I spent a good five minutes on the phone trying to convey what I wanted and understanding what she was saying. I think we managed well enough because a woman showed up shortly afterward to take my laundry bag. I should have my clothes back tomorrow or the next day. I can get by till then.

Yesterday in Baoji was a different story. I thought the cleaning lady was asking if I had any laundry so I told her no. Then later, when my room had not been made up, Sun had called for service for me, and the same lady showed up, I realized my mistake. Ooops! I had to apologize. I told her I had misunderstood and she was very kind about it. Today’s laundry story could still become an adventure.

Next, I went out to get some cash and to eat lunch, an interesting prospect. It seems my hotel is in the middle of a huge downtown shopping area. Finding a little local restaurant is a little daunting. I looked for restaurants with people in them, but they were too full – no room for a foreigner. I ended up at a soon-to-be megamall. It included MacDonald’s, Dairy Queen, a coffee shop, and other modern restaurants, not all of which are open yet. As I have said, it seems that all of China is under construction. Anyway, I was in a very quiet, seemingly deserted part of the mall, and finally asked a couple of girls where I could find something to eat. They immediately gave me a menu and took me to a new restaurant, with no people in it at all. I was a little leery, but game at the same time. Turns out it is a hot pot restaurant. Several young women hovered over me to help me order. I actually didn’t get it was hot pot until the food started to come. Then I felt rather abashed. My waitress helped me cook the food I had let them order for me: beef, tofu, and a type of tofu noodle. It was delicious and I ate my fill. The whole thing came to a total of 20 yuan RMB, the equivalent of about $3.20. I was very pleased actually; most meals seem to be closer to 30-40 yuan RMB.

I walked around the block, so to speak, after lunch and found my way back to the hotel. I’m afraid I’m just a country girl at heart, though. Stores and shopping areas are not my cup of tea. Did I mention that there is a Walmart in this shopping area, too? Like many large supermarkets in China, it is underground. Access is from a busy street lined with shops of every kind – busy with people, that is. No vehicles are allowed on that street, making everything a huge shopping complex. I didn’t go into the Walmart, though I may tomorrow out of curiosity.

I was rather happy to get back to the hotel. I don’t know that I make a very good tourist. I prefer to have business to take care of instead of looking at things I have no desire to own. The overhead costs must be horrendous, especially for the inventories of watches, jewelry, purses/bags, shoes, and clothing on display. Then, again, China has a quickly growing middle-class of young people who want to look smart.

I have just recently (in past couple of days) been able to watch a little Chinese television. Before that, I needed a longer break to overcome the assault of a foreign language constantly in my ears. Don’t get me wrong, I love China and the Chinese language; it’s just part of the culture shock a person goes through. Anyway, the TV ads are just like American ads; that is, sound bites and glitz. The Chinese people are being programmed to the “good life,” the same way as Americans have been.

In Huang Shan City, I went to a movie with my guide to wile away an afternoon (I was tired of just walking and looking – and what does an older American woman have in common with a young Chinese man?). We saw the American movie “Bait.” Don’t bother to see it unless you like B-grade movies in 3D. While there were some scary parts, it mostly made me laugh, sometimes because it was supposed to be funny and sometimes because it was supposed to be scary. Its plot was reminiscent of the older version of “The Poseidon Adventure,” the one with Gene Hackman. Anyway, my reason for mentioning this is that there are no age ratings for movies in China. (Also, there are no theater requests to “silence your cell phone.”) Thus, there were very young children attending this movie with their parents – I didn’t see any grandparents. It makes me wonder what these children will grow up believing. I didn’t hear any of them crying, but it concerned me nonetheless.

Okay, enough said. I’ll write up my Suzhou and Huang Shan adventures instead of boring you with a look into my thoughts.

Baoji, October 14-16, 2012, the Magic Continues

emacinat — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:41:00 GMT

October 15, 2012 - After visiting the Famen Temple yesterday, my guide and the driver brought me to Baoji. Imagine Boise’s worst inversion, and then double it. It’s a good thing I don’t suffer from SADD. I have a feeling the sunshine is a rather rare occasion here.

My sleep pattern was somewhat interrupted this morning to get up about 3:30 a.m. so I would be somewhat awake for the Amaraji Maha Marai Grandmother Wisdom meeting at 4 a.m. (2 p.m. in Boise). We are a group of older women who are trying to learn what it means to be old and wise instead of old and foolish. It was wonderful to see everyone, which included the ladies from Olympia because we were all on Skype. Technology can be very helpful. It worked great as long as each person spoke directly toward the computer mike. Otherwise, their words distorted.

I went back to bed when we concluded and slept till 7 a.m.; I usually get up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. I got dressed and went to breakfast – a buffet similar to all the hotel buffets, so no pictures. These buffets are actually very good, providing a variety of items to choose from. I tend to go for the bread and fruit (with a fried egg, if they have it), but I tried millet porridge (I think of it as gruel) this morning and it was good. I also enjoy dou jiang, hot soy milk. But I also like coffee. I’m getting used to its strength here.

After breakfast, I came back to my room and updated my resume, placing it on a thumb drive so I can carry it with me easily, along with other info, such as my scanned passport and scanned transcripts from the various institutions I’ve attended, plus recommendations. I added my picture to the resume, because that is expected, but I did not put my age (although it is also expected). I figure I will let them guess from my picture and dates of school graduations.

Then I looked up the one university here in Baoji – Baoji University of Arts and Sciences. I tried emailing a request for an interview, but no email address is provided on their website; the guesses at an address bounced back. No surprise there. So, I decided I needed some help. The website did provide phone numbers, so I went down to the lobby, which fortunately wasn’t busy at the time, and asked for someone who spoke English to help me call the university. With the help of the manager and three young women, we called the university and found someone who spoke excellent English. I talked to him a bit, told him I wanted to teach English in Baoji next year, and that I was in town today and tomorrow. He agreed to meet with me after work, so we are scheduled to meet at the university gate at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

And there you have it. I spent the rest of the day exploring the nearby shopping district. I picked a restaurant that looked busy and ate lunch there, then came back to the hotel and worked on the blog entry.

October 16, 2012 – The Magic at Work:

Sunshine today!!

Yesterday afternoon, I went down to the coffee shop about 4:30 p.m. for coffee and a fruit salad. A young Chinese woman, Sun, who has been working in the hotel, began chatting with me. Her English is exceedingly good. She has been in Baoji awaiting renewal of her ID, which allows her to live in Beijing. She had to return to her hometown here in Shaanxi until she got it. It has now arrived and she is getting ready to leave Baoji. During the conversation, she decided to befriend me since she has some time between ending her job at the hotel and returning to Beijing. She volunteered to go with me to the university. Since I had failed to ask the gentleman’s name, phone number, or position at the university in our quick conversation yesterday morning, I accepted her offer.

Calling the university turned out to be the best thing I could have done. Because of that phone call, I met with Mr. George Liu, whose English is excellent. He was curious to meet me because I came in person to Baoji. Also, he was surprised that the phone call we made from the hotel went directly to his phone number. (The phone number we called was the one listed on the university’s website.) It turns out he is the “director of personnel” (my description). He said he was the person in charge of interviewing people, although he could not make a decision on his own because there is a hiring committee (probably a CCP committee).

I believe he was impressed because when he started to take notes, I pulled out my thumb drive and handed it to him. That way he was able to upload my information into his computer and not have to take cumbersome notes. He also mentioned that talking face to face was much more satisfactory than over Skype – and, even though Skype is great, he’s right. I don’t know how long we talked; it felt like 45 minutes to an hour. He asked the normal questions about why I want to teach in Baoji, how much teaching experience I have, and job responsibilities. He also asked the sensitive questions that I had expected (because China does not have Equal Opportunity Employment):

How old are you? He was surprised at my age, which I was hoping he would be, and said that if I pass a physical examination (which I’m sure I can), it should not be a problem. One foreign teacher this year is 67 years old.
Are you religious? I told him I was part of the Amaraji Maha Marai family and explained that the name means “The People of Love and the Great Promise.” I gave him one of my Metta cards. I also said that we are a small group and our mission is to focus on the Metta. I said I don’t preach or try to convince others of anything. I’m not sure what he was looking for, but he seemed satisfied.

He gave me salary particulars, which corresponded with several jobs I’ve seen on the internet: a monthly salary, an apartment with all the amenities, including internet access. The pay is not a lot, but like small cities in the US, the cost of living in Baoji is not so high. Compare taxi costs, for example. In Shanghai the base price for a taxi is 13 yuan RMB; in Beijing, it is 10 yuan RMB; in Shenyang it is 8 yuan RMB; and in Baoji it is 6 yuan RMB.

Baoji University of Arts and Sciences has some 20,000+ students. It has a new campus (where I met with George) and an old campus. It was founded in 1958. Last year there were 10 foreign teachers, most of them American. This year there are six, again the majority American. The Chinese like native-speaking English teachers.

All in all, it was a very positive interview. He actually said he liked my personality. He also placed significance on the fact that my call had gone directly to him – and he was the right person to talk with. I am cautiously optimistic that he will convince the committee that I be hired. They will begin working on the new teacher hiring process in February and continue through spring. If I am selected, I would need to be back in Baoji by the last week of August. I will have additional paperwork to fill out and the university would pay for the official visa and other paperwork. If I understood it correctly, I would pay for the flight from the US and the university would pay for a return flight after a year. Any interim trips would be at my own expense.

So, the first step has been taken. We’ll see where it goes from here.

Today Sun and I explored parts of Baoji – People’s Park and city center. The former is an amusement park a little bit like Julia Davis Park in Boise. The latter is, like many Chinese cities, undergoing constant construction. It is busy and dirty. The area near the university and the hotel is much quieter and cleaner. However, there is a huge new shopping mall downtown for those who like to shop.

Baoji prefecture has a population of 3.7 million according to the 2010 Chinese census. The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. (This resolves some of the confusion I had regarding the local population.) Surrounded on three sides by hills, Baoji is in a valley opening out to the east. Historically, its location is strategic because it controls a pass in the Qin Mountains between the Wei Valley and the upper Han River called Chia-ling River (嘉陵江，pronounced Jia-ling Jiang)]. The ancient North Silk Road passes through Baoji, which connected the ancient Chinese capital of Xian to ancient Parthia, a region of northeastern Iran.

To the South of Baoji lies the beginning of the plank road into the Qin Mountains (秦岭, pronounced chin ling). There are also several natural sites such as the Jialing Jiang Fountainhead with its small waterfalls and forests. To the north is Bei Puo (pronounced bay puoh), a giant hill made of loess with a panoramic view of the city and a landscape dotted with small farming villages that offer local cuisine.

The above information came from Wikipedia. When I asked at the hotel staff, no one knew the name of the mountains or the river.

Photos: Baoji

emacinat — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:26:00 GMT

Famen Temple

emacinat — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 19:54:00 GMT

I went to the FaMenSi (法门寺, pronounced fa mun tssuh) this morning. The ancient temple, which has undergone considerable reconstruction since its origin circa 557 to 581, has been pretty well overwhelmed by the new one, completed in 2009. The Chinese build for size, and the new temple is huge! Because the holiday season is pretty well over, not that many people were there today, but I can imagine the vastness of the new temple and its approach filled with hundreds of thousands of people. (Remember “People Mountain, People Sea.")

This is a special place, however, for deep beneath the ancient pagoda lay relics of the Buddha, undiscovered until 1987 upon the opening of an underground palace. The relics have been removed and protected. There are four relics claimed to be directly related to Buddha: Two of these were made of white jade. The third relic was from a famous monk. These three are called "duplicate relics" (影骨, pronounced yin gu) or “shadow bones.” They were placed together with a "true relic" (灵骨, pronounced ling gu) or “finger relic” in order to protect them. The latter was claimed to be a finger bone of the Sakyamuni Buddha. Since then, Famen Temple has become a Buddhist place of pilgrimage for the Chinese. I think I was the only westerner there this morning.

I experienced the awe inspired by the monolithic style and size of the New Temple, but did not go in. My goal was to go to the old temple. Many people were there, too, though nowhere near the capacity of even the old temple. There was a deep reverence at the old temple, with people burning incense and sending their prayer to Buddha. I also burned incense, for my spiritual teachers and their teacher, praying the Metta (in Chinese):

祝愿万物都有新鲜洁净的水饮用。
Zhùyuàn wànwù dōu yǒu xīnxiān jiéjìng de shuǐ yǐn yòng.

祝愿万物都有食物吃。
Zhùyuàn wànwù dōu yǒu shíwù chī.

祝愿万物都有一个家。
Zhùyuàn wànwù dōu yǒu yīgè jiā.

祝愿万物都得到关爱。
Zhùyuàn wànwù dōu dédào guān'ài.

祝愿万物都知道自己的追求。
Zhùyuàn wànwù dōu zhīdào zìjǐ de zhuīqiú.

祝愿万物健康幸福。
Zhùyuàn wànwù jiànkāng xìngfú.

祝愿万物都远离苦难。
Zhùyuàn wànwù dōu yuǎn lí kǔnàn.

今天我会尽我所能让这些祝愿成真。

Jīntiān wǒ huì jǐn wǒ suǒ néng ràng zhèxiē zhùyuàn chéng zhēn.

Which means:

May all beings have fresh clean water to drink.

May all beings have food to eat.

May all beings have a home.

May all beings have someone to share love with.

May all beings know their true purpose.

May all beings be well and happy.

May all beings be free from suffering.

Today I shall do what I can to make this so.

At the altar beneath the pagoda, a monk was blessing the people. Along with my love offering, I gave him a copy of the Metta in Chinese, trusting he will pray with us for these statements to be true.

It was a very moving experience for me and a highlight of my trip. (I did not take pictures inside the sacred spaces.)

P.S. We did get to see the place where the relics were discovered – by stooping down and looking through a window into a small underground hall and room.

Photos: Famensi - Famen Temple

emacinat — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 19:32:00 GMT

Photos: Huang Shan - Yellow Mountain

emacinat — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:04:00 GMT

Huang Shan – Yellow Mountain

emacinat — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 18:18:00 GMT

Well, I didn’t exactly climb the mountain. Alvin, my guide, talked me into taking the cable car up. However, we walked up steps and down steps for a good 3-½ hours. Does that count? I think it does. I had no idea what I was getting into. Had I walked up the mountain, Alvin said it would have taken another 3-4 hours. I puffed my way up and down the stairs as it was – this in spite of running stairs at school and at the library to prepare for the trek. There is no level spot except where the Hotel(s) have been placed. There are currently six hotels on the mountain, soon to be seven.

The Yellow Mountains are amazing. I think you have to be here to believe them. The first day we arrived in gray clouds and mist. It was cold. I had not brought my heavier weather jacket because we had to carry everything up the mountain and weight mattered. I stored my suitcase at the hotel in Huang Shan City. Fortunately, the hotel on the mountain acknowledges the cold and provides (bright red) down jackets. I wore mine in the afternoon and evening (in my room!) because there is no heat. Fresh air seems to be the rule and there is fresh air aplenty. I slept warm and cozy under two duvets.

On our way from the cable car terminus to the hotel, we stopped by “Beginning to Believe Peak.” As the story goes, a monk was wandering in the Yellow Mountains looking for the monastery (long gone now). He had climbed and climbed in the fog and mist so long that he was beginning to lose faith. When he reached a certain peak in the mountains, the sun came out and showed him the way. Thus, it became “Beginning to Believe Peak.” The interesting part of the story to me is that we also climbed in the fog and mist, but shortly after Alvin took my picture at the top of the peak, the sun came out and began to warm us up. The message: “Do not lose heart.”

After a lunch buffet at the hotel, Alvin and I walked to the Grand Canyon of the West Sea. Huang Shan Mountain area is actually rather large. There are trails, that is, cement pathways with innumerable steps, leading to the various scenic sights. These sights have all been named over the millennium and one could spend weeks going to each view. The Grand Canyon of the West Sea (there is no real West Sea, unless it is the cloud sea that appears under certain weather conditions) is particularly impressive, though not very close to the hotel, so Alvin picked that as a good afternoon’s excursion.

It took a while to get there, and we didn’t make the full loop, but it was definitely worth the walk, weak knees, and sore feet. The fall colors and the sudden drop-offs were spectacular. I felt a reverence for these mountains, a connection with the ancient past, and a new appreciation for the beauty of nature. At one point, we were pretty much alone on the trail – highly unusual in populous China – so we sat on a convenient bench, as much to breathe and be as to rest. I could feel the special energy of the mountains, which seem both completely unlike any place else in the world, and very similar to the mountains of Idaho where I live.

When I left Idaho, the fall colors were just beginning. Here they were on the verge of coming into fullness. In Idaho we have both pine and deciduous trees on the mountain; the same on Yellow Mountain. In Idaho, in view from my bedroom windows there is a tall granite outcropping, its gray solidity in contrast to the trees and shrubs that grow next to it. The granite outcroppings in the Yellow Mountains surpass any I have seen, but they are the gray granite I see in Idaho.

As I snapped one of the pictures, called “Framed Mountains,” I experienced an “aha” about my unconscious. Not many of you have seen my attempts at drawing because I don’t share them. However, when I draw, I often use a 3x5 card and, with pen and ink, create a frame line about ¼” in from the edges. Within that frame, I place short-needled pine branches in the foreground and soft peaked mountains in the background. When I saw the photo I had taken, I realized that it looked like a real-life rendering of my drawings. I wonder how many lives I have spent in Huangshan or just in China itself. I had never recognized my drawings as having a real source. I usually think of the mountains in them as similar to the Boise foothills (just above Lucky Peak) with pine trees in the foreground. But now I wonder …

The morning of the second day in the Yellow Mountains dawned clear, crisp, and cold. Tour groups began assembling outside the hotel (in view and earshot of my room) around 6 a.m., ready to head out to watch dawn come in the mountains. I was too cold (and a little too sore) to explore very far, but after breakfast I sat in the sun until time to head back to the cable car. Then I took more pictures along the way. The clear air and sunshine changed the characteristics of the mountains wonderfully. I find I like the mountains in the mist and in the sunshine. It is all a part of the creative and changing earth.

Chinese Gardens, Suzhou

emacinat — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 23:16:00 GMT

It’s all about the view in China. Here in the south, with the weather a little milder than other places and the growing season extended, the gardens are designed for summer living or retirement homes. The vast majority of the gardens began as private places for the rich and wealthy. Most of the original owners were either very rich merchants or scholars and officials who had pleased the Emperor and so the land was given to that individual upon retirement from service.

Each garden is built around a central lake or pool, with buildings, plants, and stones laid out to please the eye. A different view is offered in each direction through windows, open walls, and paths. It gives a whole new meaning to “picture” window. The classical Chinese garden is enclosed by a wall; it has one or more ponds, a rock garden, trees and flowers, and an assortment of halls and pavilions within the garden, connected by winding paths and zigzag galleries. Even the paths across the bridges or along the water are zigzagged so that each turn proffers a slightly different perspective. By moving from structure to structure, visitors can view a series of carefully composed scenes, unrolling like a scroll of landscape paintings. To walk in a Chinese garden is to meditate, to be one with nature, and to enjoy beauty.

Today the Chinese gardens are preserved, renovated, and open to the public. Many of the buildings have been restored to look old. It is fascinating to see new buildings under construction that look like they should be taken down instead of being created. But I applaud the motivation that retains the historical while creating endurance.

The gardens that I visited in Suzhou included the Humble Administrator’s Garden, Lingering Garden, Lion’s Grove, and Master of Nets Garden. There are four main characteristics to an esthetic garden stone: form (形, xing, pronounced shing), substance (质, zhi, pronounced jer), color (色, se pronounced suh), and texture (纹, wen, pronounced one), as well as softness, transparency, and other factors. The “Auspicious Cloud-Capped Peak” in the Lingering Garden fits those requirements perfectly. Each garden is a little different, depending on the personality of its original owner, but much of the beauty follows similar patterns.

Windows are gracefully placed to guide the eye to a spot of beauty such as a rockery, banana tree, special flowering tree, or water. They are decorated in patterns pleasing to the eye that don’t interfere with the ability to see the picture view. None of the paths within the garden are straight. They always lead you around a corner to a new vista or turn you so that you can experience the beauty of the various perspectives of a rock or tree. Every garden has a living area, a reception area, and resting pavilions where one can take tea, write, think, or simply breathe and be.

The reception areas are of three kinds: family reception, men’s reception, and women’s reception. These rooms are standard throughout the gardens and are furnished similarly, with a large hall for the family (grandfather and grandmother at the head of the room), table and chairs for the men, and opium couch for the women – who had bound feet, of course, and couldn’t go outside the home to get a fix.

The Humble Administrator’s Garden site was initially the residence and garden of a Tang Dynasty scholar. Later in the Yuan Dynasty, it became the monastery garden for the Dahong Temple. Then, Wang Xiancheng, an Imperial Envoy and poet of the Ming Dynasty appropriated the temple. In 1510, he retired to his native home of Suzhou after a long persecution by the East Imperial Secret Service, and began work on the garden. The garden was named after a verse in Pan Yue's Idler's Prose, "I enjoy a carefree life by planting trees and building my own house...I irrigate my garden and grow vegetables for me to eat...such a life suits a retired official like me well." This verse symbolized Wang's desire to retire from politics and adopt a hermit’s life. It took 16 years to complete the garden. Wen Zhenming wrote an essay Notes of Wang's Humble Administrator's Garden, and painted Landscapes of the Humble Administrator's Garden in 1533 CE to commemorate the garden.

Lingering Garden is a renowned classical Chinese garden. It was commissioned by an impeached and later exonerated official in 1593 CE. It was initially called the East Garden and became famous in its day.During the Sino-Japanese War, the garden was abandoned, degenerating into a breeding zone for army horses. After establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Suzhou government took over and renovated the garden. It was reopened to the public in 1954.

The Lion Grove Garden is famous for the large and labyrinthine grotto of taihu rock (rocks brought from Lake Taihu) at the garden's center. The name of the garden derives from the shape of these rocks which are said to resemble lions. The Lion Grove Garden was built in 1342 CE during the Yuan Dynasty by a Zen Buddhist monk, in memory of his teacher. (Lake Taihu is a large lake in the Yangtze Delta plain, on the border of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in Eastern China. It is the third largest freshwater lake in China.)

Master of Nets Garden is considered among the finest gardens in China. The garden demonstrates Chinese garden designers' adept skills for synthesizing art, nature, and architecture to create unique metaphysical masterpieces. The Master of the Nets garden, then called Ten Thousand Volume Hall, was first constructed in 1140 by the Deputy Civil Service Minster of the Southern Song Dynasty government. He was inspired by the simple and solitary life of a fisherman depicted in philosophical writings. After his death, the garden passed through numerous owners and subsequently fell into disarray until around 1785 when it was restored by a retired government official of the Qing Dynasty. He drastically redesigned the garden and added multiple buildings, but retained the spirit of the site. He often referred to himself as a fisherman and renamed the garden the Master of the Nets Garden, as an allusion to the simple life of a fisherman.

As all you who know me know, I am no gardener. However, my experience of these gardens has touched something within me, an appreciation for formalized beauty. Chinese gardens are not about the greenery, the water, or even the rocks. They are symbols of man’s participation with beauty and nature. They represent the inner self, cultivated, nurtured, and given its highest expression that joy may be created and life appreciated unto its breadth and depth.

Food

emacinat — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:06:00 GMT

Ok, I’m getting used to Chinese food now. I keep forgetting to take pictures before I tuck in! So far, the only repeats I’ve been served are several versions of sweet and sour pork. I think Americans are expected to want it. Two versions were too sweet, but one of them was just right – crispy (I could even munch the bones) and not too sweet. Americans are also expected to want rice. I like rice, but I don’t feel I have to have it in order to believe I’m eating Chinese food.

This morning a couple of sparrows joined me in the dining room at the Xinan Country Garden Hotel. They weren’t tame, though, so I couldn’t get their pictures. Doors and windows are left open to allow the sweet breezes to flow through (no screens). I was the only guest dining; everyone else has gone back to work after the holiday.

I haven’t mentioned my dinners because I have gotten into the habit of buying a couple pieces of fruit (apple, orange, etc.) and some bread and eating in my room. It gives me time to read, contemplate, and write. The fruit is very good. I love the green-skinned oranges. They are easy to peel and very sweet, like the mini oranges you can buy by the box. The apples are small by American standards and not as sweet (Fuji, of course, are my favorite American apples), but they are crisp and delicious with delicate color and flavor. They are reminiscent of Pink Lady apples. So far, the bread has been from bakeries that are western style. I’ve not found the neighborhood store that sells fruit, vegetables, and local bao or its equivalent like we found in Beijing three years ago.

I have discovered a wonderful “pie crust” fried bread. It is made by the local vendors, is flat and thin like a cracker, but is actually what we think of as pie crust or even the Greek phyllo dough used for baklava, though a little heavier. It has two layers and in-between the layers is a thin sprinkling of either fresh or dried green vegetable. The mixture is spicy, crunch, greasy, and delicious. It costs anywhere from one to three yuan each. I do have one picture of me holding the hot, fresh bread.

Sights of Hangzhou

emacinat — Tue, 9 Oct 2012 19:32:00 GMT

In Hangzhou, I visited the Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum, a Tea Museum and Plantation, the Lingyin Temple, and Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine. To be honest, only the latter two were of particular note, although the kiln was interesting. I was not allowed to take pictures there, but I did find one on the Internet of the exact kiln we saw at the Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum. I have placed in the Hangzhou Picture Gallery.

Lingyin Temple:

The uniqueness and beauty of the Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺, pronounced ling yin ssuh) was in great contrast to the other sights. This place is like an art gallery in stone in the wild. I was deeply impressed by the attention to detail and thought a great deal about the prayers that went into the carvings there. The temple's name is commonly literally translated as Temple of the Soul's Retreat. It is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist temples in China, and contains numerous pagodas and Buddhist grottoes.

The monastery was founded in 328 AD during the Eastern Jin Dynasty by a monk who came from India. From its inception, Lingyin was famous. At its peak under the Kingdom of Wuyue (907-978), the temple boasted 9 multi-story buildings, 18 pavilions, 72 halls, more than 1300 dormitory rooms, and was inhabited by more than 3000 monks.

However, its prominence did not save the temple from raiders. It has been rebuilt no less than sixteen times. The current buildings are modern restorations of late Qing buildings. During the Cultural Revolution, the temple and grounds suffered some damage at the hands of Red Guards. However, they escaped large-scale destruction partly because of the protection of Premier Zhou Enlai. Today the temple is thriving as a destination for both pilgrims and tourists.

The figures are carved into the walls of caves, on the sides of granite outcroppings, and in niches, either natural or created. Everywhere one turns, a new figure presents itself. Often the carving was done seemingly in the dark, for the caves are dark today. I don’t know what light source was used. It is an eerily striking and sacred place for those who can feel it.

The Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine:

This was fascinating, but over my head. Kanaychowa, it is right up your alley. I took pictures of I know not what. I have put just a few in the Hangzhou Gallery. Have at ‘em.

Photos: Food and Restaurants

emacinat — Mon, 8 Oct 2012 11:29:00 GMT

A Record of Chinese and Western Dishes consumed while traveling in China

The Leisure Bicycle Ride around West Lake, Hangzhou

emacinat — Mon, 8 Oct 2012 11:27:00 GMT

Think about the words “Leisure bicycle ride around West Lake.” What images does this conjure in the western mind? Maybe you think about riding a sleek 21-speed mountain bike along the green belt in Boise, even riding out to Lucky Peak to experience the river beside the path.

Now think again. Make that bicycle a 50-year-old girl's bike, weighing in at about 100 lbs., single gear, brakes on the handlebars (unevenly adjusted, of course, so that the back break slows the bike, but doesn’t stop it and the front brake would throw you over the handlebars if you used it), yellow plastic basket on the handlebars. The bike pulls strongly to the right and I can’t even get it centered to balance on it. (One never forgets how to ride a bike, right?) So I traded bikes with Vickie, my long-suffering guide. Now the bike only weighs 75 lbs. and doesn’t pull so hard to one side or another. Imagine, “pretty in pink.” The pink pedals fit my legs just fine, though I’m still too short to be on the pink seat when I stop; that is, I have to dismount each time I want to come to a stop or I will topple over. Now I’m set to go.

Vickie leads me straight to the busy street! Wait a minute! What happened to “leisure”? We rode for an hour and a half around West Lake in car, bus, taxi, bike, electric bike, and pedicab traffic. I only had to walk the bike twice – both times because the moon bridge over the water was too steep for me to pedal up (no gears, remember). The other four or five bridges we crossed were not so steep; determined pedaling got me across.

All in all I did just fine. I only hit one person: a family had stopped on their bikes ahead of me, and I couldn’t stop in time. When they saw it was an old foreign woman, they were very accepting of my apologies. The near misses as the bike geed when it should have hawed don’t count because no one was hit. I remembered all the traffic rules I’ve taught myself and managed pretty well. Somehow, though, I hadn’t expected to have to use those very rules on a “leisure” bike ride.