My China Musings

This blog is my thoughts on many things and about my adventures of living and traveling in China.

Misc

Last Tueday evening, I was sitting at the computer reading my email, when I noticed that wires were moving and I noticed that tea in my cup was moving....I realized we were having an earthquake. Turned out to be a 7.1 shaker off the coast of Taiwan. I yelled at my friend, who by then was feeling it, too...and we decided to leave the building. We didnt run out.  We didnt feel panic. No, it wasnt that intense here in Shiqiao, but the building we live in is old and brick and we are 6 floors up.  Earthquakes do not frighten me, I am from Alaska and have rode out some biggies...In fact one of the biggest in history (American history). I was a little concerned because building standards, here, are not what they are in Alaska. I wanted the option of being able to get out in case the building started to crack. My friend had never felt an earthquake before and he was a little on the frightened side. His fear was that the quake would get harder.  It didn't and the building doesn't appear to have damage. It swayed but nothing fell off the shelves.

Connecting to the internet has been hard since the quake. It damaged the fiber optic lines between Asia and the rest of the world. Today was the first day of being able to get into many sites without the system timing out. Isnt it amazing that all  this technology that is suppose to be so advanced is useless in an emergency. Mobile phone communications cease to exist during an emergency, because of so many people trying to call. Quakes damage the cables that are suppose to take any amount of abuse. Maybe carrier pidgeons will make a come back.

Today is the last day of 2006 on my side of the Pacific. It has been a busy year.  Teaching, moving, having a broken foot, and seeing new places are among the past year's happenings. I hope for you all, a great and prosperous New Year. May all your dreams and plans be fulfilled.  Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 23:41 | link | comments |
china, earthquake, living in china

Christmas in China and.......

Some friends and I went to a concert last night of a thirteen girl band. "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" was the lead in song, followed by 3 or 4 more Christmas songs, all  sung in English. They seemed out of place. I would venture to say, I may have been the only English speaking person there. I did not see any other foreigners sitting in the audience. Thinking to myself as the girls were singing, they have no idea what a white Christmas means, what sleigh bells are or anything else that song is about. A fellow teacher where I work said the other day that Christmas in China is empty. I thought to myself, how can any holiday be empty? Last night I discovered what he meant. Listening to those girls sing of things they have never ever witnessed, the songs were empty. They did not know what or how to sound. What I mean is, "Jingle Bells" should sound happy, "I wish you a Merry Christmas" should sound a bit joyful, but they didn't. They were just words, almost monotone. I knew what my colleague meant. A group of university students in Beijing called for Chinese people to boycott Christmas. They contend that it is just another way to westernize China. At first I thought that this is laughable, then I decided that I agree with them. Christmas as practiced in China is a farce. Even those Chinese nationals that are Christian have no clue about the traditions of Christmas. For example, gifts are given because of the story of the shepherds bringing tribute to the newborn and the gifts of the Magi. Somewhere in translation, the Magi and gifts got lost. Buying gifts is strictly for the merchants to take part in the cash cow.  Christmas in the west is a busy selling and buying spree. Business in China want to tap into that spree. Decorations go up in October. They come down in July, if they come down. Waitresses look a little uncomfortable wearing Santa hats. Going into stores and hearing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" is a little un-nerving. I  have been asked what does "hark, the herald angels sing mean." I just said the angels are singing because they are happy. Best quick answer I could think of.  Santa is not given as much respect or reverence. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" is played on the street washing and garbage trucks. Presents are promoted but not the good boy and girl routine. I have to agree that the spirit of the season is not here. Don't say it. Without the traditions, Christmas spirit feels pretty empty. 

I will have to say, I have some very good Chinese friends who help make Christmas a special day for me. I am among the lucky expats living in China.   

I thought I had seen everything in my almost 5 years in China. But yesterday, I was proven wrong. I went to the neighborhood supermarket to get a few things. It is common for supermarkets to set up displays outside for promotions.  I noticed when going into the store that the promotions seemed to be for condoms.  Yes, I said condoms.  Noticing mint flavored ones, and orange flavored ones, I thought to myself, well never mind what I thought to myself. On the other side of the entry was chocolate flavored and plain. I went on into the store slightly laughing to myself. Is nothing sacred in China?! However, nothing had prepared me for the view when I exited.  Not only were flavored condoms being touted, they came with a 10  foot high, bright pink, cartoonized,  use your imagination here, dancing around in front of the store. I could not help myself, I had to laugh and I laughed out loud. I answered my own question. No, nothing is sacred in China. And no, I did not have a camera with me. PInk parts and flavored condoms....come to China if you don't have such things in your home town. There is no more to say, at the moment. So till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 04:37 | link | comments (1) |
china, living in china, guangzhou, panyu

Baomo Yuan

     Baomo Yuan (Baomo Gardens) is one of those out of the way places that you have to just discover. Many of the local people know of this place, but just as many never heard of it. Seated in Panyu District, this park is a wonderful place to just wander through. Entrance fees are a little steep, owing to fact tourist buses are lined up outside its gates.  (Anytime tourists show an interest in something, the price in China get jacked up because it is a widely held belief that foreigners are rich.)  After seeing this park, the price is justified. It is full of rock gardens, man made waterfalls and nooks and crannies filled with flowers, calligraphy, and art. Among the surprises was a museum filled with all kinds of ancient to modern Chinese treasures. Back when the Qing Dynasty fell and China was invaded by the French and British, many things were taken from China to Europe. One man's family returned one eighth of the artifacts it held to China as a donation.  Come to this museum and lay your eyes on these treasures and I will guarantee you your brain will short circuit because of the sheer magnitude of the number of things returned. You will wonder what can the other 7/8ths consist of.  Ancient bronze wear and porcelain objects are now on display. Tang dynasty horse figurines, some life size and beautiful, intricate jade carvings as well as Song Dynasty ceramics were given to this museum. Two jade burial suits were returned. Jade burial suits are examples of the fine workmanship more than a thousand years ago. Gold thread was made to put the paper thin jade pieces together. These kind of things always boggle my mind when I remember that craftsmen did not have the tools or technology of today.  My only criticism is there are very few explanations in English. Without my friend, Zhao Hai, I would have not been able to learn as much as I did about this museum's collection. Still, I would recommend anyone in the area to visit it.  Just go and have a view. Even without knowing the background of the piece, you can appreicate the beauty and workmanship of the items.

Another wonderful thing about this park is the calligraphy. Not only does it have a wall showing calligraphy from some of China's famous calligraphers through the ages, it has a calligraphy museum separate from the artifact one. Calligraphy is a favorite of mine. I cannot read too many Chinese characters, but I love to look at it. Calligraphy and traditional Chinese art are so delicate and intricate. In Xiangfan, one of the more famous calligraphers had his family home. It has now been turned into a museum of sorts. Mi Fei aka Mi Fu was famous during the Song Dynasty. He  wrote the story about Mu Lan, the girl who went to war in place of her father when Kubli Khan drafted all the men to fight. Going to that museum was a favorite destination of mine. Now, it seems everywhere I go, I meet up with an example of Mi Fu's calligraphy. I have seen it on Tai Shan in Shandong Province, at the Great Mosque in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province...and on Sunday at Baomo Yuan among the roses. It is kind of like meeting an old friend from home.  

Last but not least, it is the Holiday season, so I will say to you all.....Season's Greetings.  Till next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 07:56 | link | comments |
china, calligraphy, living in china, guangzhou, guangdong, panyu

TCM

Have you ever had your body read by a TCM practioner? TCM stands for Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is quite enlightening. First, your pulses are read, not just to see if you have a heart, but to listen to your body. Each major organ of the body has its own pulse.  You would be surprised what can be found out from those little places on your wrist. A young man was told, in front of a room full of people, that he had had sex for the first time the night before. (Yes, he blushed.) You see, when you visit a TCM doctor's office, it isnt a private office where you are seeing the doctor all by yourself. You set in a room with many other people and wait your turn to have your consultation. No medical records are kept. The doctor simply reads your body, writes out what you need to have your chi brought back in balance. Most often, a person is given a list of herbs, he or she takes to a TCM  pharmacy. Just because the prescription is for herbs, don't even think they will come cheap. These herbs are probably cost as much or more than chemical medicines. Herbs take a little longer to take effect but when they do they work very well. While western styled medicine treats symptoms, TCM treats more holistically...in other words, the  whole body and it's systems are treated as one. If a person develops, say cancer, then there is a serious problem in the balance of energy in the body. Herbs are taken along with  other practices like acupuncture are used to bring the balance back.  I have met a couple of people who have different cancers who are using TCM. They have been living like this for more than 20 years. They are not exceptions. There are many, many people in China using this way to control cancers. I dont think American Medical Assn. would want this fact advertised. 

Acupuncture is another facet of TCM.  Most people say they cannot stand the thought of a needle being stuck in their body. But, the needles are so thin you dont feel them. If a place is painful upon insertion of a needle, then the flow of chi is stuck in that particular place. If you have anger issues, then the liver system will have blocks in the flow of the energy. When a needle is placed near the little toes, it will hurt, until the acupuncturist adjusts the needle, allowing the energy to flow unabated. Once that system is in balance, then needles can be placed without any pain being felt. If you have a nagging headache, go see an acupuncturist and get a "tune up" as I call it. The pain will go away. Another TCM practice is qigong. Qigong practioners move energy with their hands to balance the chi. A very different feeling but just as effective. Believe it or not, taiji chuan is a form of TCM. Tai Chi is a form of moving mediitation, used to bring the chi into balance. Each move is to open the meridians of the body and to get the chi moving. When the chi is in balance, the body is healthy. That is the crux of Traditional Chinese Medicine, keeping the chi in balance.

I know that western medicine has it's place. I have a grandson who would not be if it weren't for westen styled medicine. However, I think it has lost its focus somewhat. Money is the driving force. I had a doctor in Portland that  I really liked that refused to see me even though I had been his patient for more than 5 years because the company I worked for changed insurances. He claimed that under the new insurance, he could not make enough money. Without the insurance, I could not afford his fees. Traditional Chinese Medicine, puts the responsibility of health on the doctor. The TCM doctor is considered a failure if the patient gets sick. I dont think many US doctors would subscribe to that thought. Nor do drug companies want the world to know how effective plant medicine can be.

One of my friends said that the Chinese government is evaluating TCM in an eye to do away with it. I personally, hope that China doesnt do that.  Til next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 23:30 | link | comments (1) |
china, tai chi, living in china, tcm

If I could sing a song of China

If I could sing a song of China, I would sing of her people, common everyday men and women who grew up in the countryside. Their ages would be 40s and older. This generation has endured things that most of us cannot even imagine. A very good friend told me a story a parent just recently related to the family. My friend had never heard this story, and my friend is more than 30 years old. It isn't one of those "Once upon a time...& they lived happily ever after tales. A few generations back, a great (not sure how many) grandfather came back from a war, a hero. He was rewarded with land on which he built a small hotel and livery stable. For many years this place was a well known waystop for travelers as well as providing a good life for himself and the following generations.  Along came the Chinese revolution. Things changed for the people. Decision makers decided to dam a river and flood the area where this hotel was located in order to form a reservior for a nearby city. Not just this hotel was involved, but a whole small town or village. The townspeople were told to they had to leave. They were divided up and sent to other areas. Each family was given one room for them to live in. It didn't matter how many people were in the household. My friend's family consisted of nine people all stuffed into that one room. Not only did they lose their hotel/house, means to make a living was gone in a flash. This family survived. Using his wits, the father managed to keep his family together. Now more than forty years later, the Chinese government is compensating those, still alive, who were moved from that area. Nothing can really repay these people for the loss of family heirlooms and friends from such a move, but at least some recompense is being offered.

Another friend told of a grandparent's home being destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and the family treasures confiscated.  This house had been in the family for more than 9 generations. Reason for such actions was the spouse had been a landlord. I have met numerous people who were sent to "re-education" camps and left there for 20-30 years because they fought on the opposing side. You can see scars on some that are the marks of punishment left from that time period. During the "Mao-hood" as it is sometimes called, a people considered to be intellectuals were persecuted. Intellectuals had no rights.  Some college professors were lucky to have escaped with their lives. Seems incredible, doesn't it?

My friend says that the stories are just now being told by the older generation because some of this is too painful and no one wants to think of it. My friend told as a child watching people seeing other people in the streets and starting to cry or holding on to one another. My friend now understands why people from different villages would be so emotional upon seeing each other. They were seeing friends and family that were forcefully separated from them when made to move. Time is just beginning to heal these wounds.   I intentionally did not use names of people or places. I do not want any of these people reprimanded for telling their stories. Til next time.

posted by: CarolenChina at 04:29 | link | comments (2) |
china, living in china

Template by motime.com  |  header image credit: Markus Gann © www.begann.de