Rollins - China Journey

The GREAT WALL

2008-07-06T23:17:00.003-04:00

Throughout the trip we visited plenty of beautiful destinations but I have to say that the highlight of the trip was the Great Wall. The Great Wall of China; the only man made structure that can be viewed from the moon. Although Pr. Yao didn’t think so, I used Google Earth and was able to see it. It was nice to see that the Wall was located a little bit out of the city, this way we would get the chance to breathe better air. It was also nice to see mountains for a change. The part that we visited was small, but we still got a chance to see a decent part of the Wall. I am guessing the view would have been better if I was all the way on top, but due to physical limitations I wasn’t able to get all the way on top. I wasn’t discouraged though, the uneven steps of the Wall made for a difficult challenge. I still got a certificate that said that I climbed the Wall.

2008-07-06T20:32:00.002-04:00

One of the most interesting days in class while being at JinGiao was the day that we held an open discussion with the students of the college. The presentations from both groups were not of the best quality, but I think that both groups had doubts about the requirements of the presentations. Everyone in the room was uncomfortable and shy, we all warmed up very quickly. Although I found some of the topics to be of great interest, I also thought that some questions were simply childish. I was surprised to find out that their perception about the United States and Americans is mainly formed by what they see in the movies. “Do you all have guns in your houses? Are there a lot of car chases around the city?” Questions of this nature were not only funny, but they also showed the minimal contact that the students had with the American culture. Their proficient English speaking skills had me quessing otherwise until I heard the questions. Something else that also struck me during this meeting was the relationship students had with their professor. During the discussion Pr. Chen was loud and ordered students to take positions around the room. Taking from their responses I got the feeling that they didn’t have much of a choice. Students are very obedient to their professors. I believe this is good in certain occasions, but overall students should be able to make their own decisions and form their own opinions. During their college education, students should be making important decisions and forming their characters, if they follow orders all the time, or listen blindly to their professors, then it is likely that they will take on the same personalities as their professors. I was relieved to find out that my classmates agreed with me on this. The situation made us cherish our educational system, one which allows for an open interaction between students and professors.

2008-07-06T20:21:00.002-04:00

I was very disappointed with the food that we had in China, I am a big fan of the American-Chinese food in the States so I was expecting something similar, perhaps even better. I was surprised to find out that most of the food served was unsalted, and at times, tasteless. Nonetheless I tried almost all of the items served in front of me. I believe that as a group we really disliked soup, which is a main part of the Chinese meal. I think that the beast meals that we had on the trip, were in Beijing, specifically, the picked duck. The duck and all the other foods served with that meal made out for an incredible dinner. Something else that I was not used to, was having three meals a day. Although this is customary in the Chinese culture, in the US, I eat only when I have time or remember to do so. Also, my experience from McDonalds and KFC wasn’t much different from the United States. The food wasn’t the best part of the trip, but I was always able to find something that I liked.

ERA- Intersection of Time

2008-06-29T21:57:00.000-04:00

Era is a modern arena for acrobatic and circus performances. It is a seat circus theater with a revolving stage, computer- controlled lighting and state- of- the- art acoustics. ERA- Intersection of Time is a complete source of entertainment for it presents amazing acrobats. One is enchanted by the world that is created through the use of multimedia, technology, lighting and sound effects, elaborate costumes, original live music and a lot more.

The show from ERA was one of the most exciting and breathtaking shows that I have ever seen. I have seen acrobatic shows before, but nothing compared to what we saw in Shanghai. What I thought was different about this show, was the fact that it combined the performances, a light show, and live music. Some of the most interesting performances on the show were the jumping acrobats, the motorcycle show and the couple flying around the stage. Some of the performances were so dangerous that they had us with our mouth open. I remember walking out and the only thing I could say was “WOW that was amazing!”

http://www.cityguideshanghai.com/entertainment/era.html

Driving

2008-06-15T18:56:00.003-04:00

I thought that the way the Chinese drive in their crowded cities was one of the most entertaining things to observe while traveling on the bus. They drive so aggressively and quick with almost no errors. They merge much better there than they do here in America. Most traffic jams are caused because of merging from people getting on the highway. Modern capitalistic China has allowed for millions to own cars, and therefore they will have congested streets, but because of their system of letting people in, aggressive merging, and talented urban driving skills the traffic is not nearly has bad as it should be. Cities like D.C. and New York are wretched driving cities and it is often faster to walk, but if all American drivers were taught to drive the way they do in Shanghai and Beijing then we would be a lot better off. In Chengdu, a Chinese driving licence is issued if you can achieve a pass rate of 90% in the computerized theory test of one hundred (mostly) multiple choice questions. Tests are available in Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and so on. If you do not pass at 90%, you can do a second test without paying any further fee. This is a relatively high score for a drivers exam, but it shows they know what they are doing when they pass. It was always exciting to weave in and out of traffic, I really wanted to get on a scooter there, but I think i would have been killed. Their were times when i could reach out my window and touch the drivers face across from us because we had gotten so close in our lanes. It mad every trip go by a lot faster, and I would rather watch the Chinese drive than a movie any day.

2008 Olympics and national pride

2008-06-11T17:37:00.002-04:00

I am pretty sure that at this point, we are all familiar with the fact that Beijing is hosting the Olympics. But what really surprised me about the trip was how excited the country, not only the residents of Beijing, are about the upcoming games.

I was struck with the differences between this and the most recent American Olympiad, which I think was Atlanta 1996. Granted I was young, but I do not recall the entire country preparing for the event anywhere near like the Chinese are doing. I was most surprised at how the Olympiad was being advertised within Shanghai, several hundred miles away. The road from the airport was dotted with many billboards advertising and supporting the Olympiad.

Likewise, when it came time for my host family, the Olympics were part of our discussion. My host's family was curious what I thought about the preparations and buildings. Conversation drifted to what they thought of the games, which of course consisted of the stock answer of it being a way for China to show off to the world.

While this is no doubt true, I do not think that this hits at the heart of the matter. Many Americans still have misconceptions of Chinese products as being shotty or cheap. While this may have been true in the past, China is today able to produce some extremely high quality products such as Lenovo computers and Haier appliances. I think that the Chinese are dealing with this stereotype as best they can, and seek to showcase their strengths to the world. This showcase though, is not just a showcase, it is also a pursuit to shatter common misconceptions about the quality of life and the advancement of this Asian nation.

The Bund

2008-06-11T17:02:00.002-04:00

Some of my favorite pictures of Shanghai were either taken of, or from, the Bund. The Bund was the downtown of the old International Settlement, and the first point of entry to Western visitors of old Shanghai. It is located on the Waterfront, across from the new Pudong Downtown district. Other notable landmarks near it include Nanjing Road, which dead ends directly into the district.

Perhaps the most noticeable landmark of this area is the The Customs House, the only building besides the hotels, whose function has not changed since its inception. This is the building with the familiar clock-tower at its perch. The notes ring to the song "The East is Red," one of Chairman Mao's favorite songs and also a hallmark of the Cultural Revolution. The Customs House, while at one time under British Authority, has been under the command of the Central Government since the 1950's.

The Bund is still the center of Shanghai. In fact, the old HSBC Building, was used until the 1990's as the City Hall, which only recently moved to its location on the People's Square. Even with its central location, due to the age of many of its buildings, many fell into disrepair. Today, however, the government is pursuing revitalization of this historic area, including moving all automobile traffic to a tunnel in order to facilitate a pedestrian friendly river-front. Other activities include renovation of many of the old buildings, including facade repair, and a total renovation of the Peace Hotel.

Mandarin Please

2008-06-09T19:52:00.000-04:00

你好！The last two years I have been studying Mandarin with professor Wei. I’m not sure why I chose Mandarin but I’m glad I did. When you tell most people that you have been studying Mandarin for two years they seem so impressed and think you should be fluent, not so much. For Mandarin not only do you have to learn the language but you have to be able to read the characters. There are endless combinations of characters that mean several different things and can become quite confusing. Even after two years of Mandarin I can’t carry on a conversation for very long. Since I’m not immersed in the language at school and we learn from a textbook, I can read Mandarin better than I can speak it. The tones always get me. I hope the trip will allow me to better my Chinese speaking skills and hopefully pick up new vocab as well. I’m sometimes afraid to speak to someone that is Chinese because I’m afraid I will miss pronounce and they won’t have a clue what I’m talking about. I would probably be better off writing the characters and communicating that way but I need to practice my speaking. We’ll see how it goes. 再见！I promise I know more than hello and goodbye!

Food?

2008-06-09T19:27:00.000-04:00

Before we left for China I was always the one among friends and family that would try any type of food. My family would always say, “Eww, Megan I can’t believe you’re eating that.” However, after going to China I realized that there are a lot of foods I will not even consider trying. For once in China I was the one saying, “Eww, I can’t believe you’re eating that.” I seemed to survive fine on poptarts, gummies, granola bars, white rice, and room temperature soda. Yes, during the trip I would crave a nice juicy burger with everything on it, within reason. However, I wouldn’t go back and change a thing. The food is a part of the experience and trying new things. One day I thought I would be adventurous and eat a cooked mushroom but come to find out it was eel. My saving grace was McDonalds! Their chicken nuggets and fries were the best I have ever had, but that’s partly because I was starving. In all the times I only ate white rice and broth there was a bright side, you lose weight. That didn’t last long because I devoured everything in sight once I was back in the States. I won’t be eating Americanized or Authentic Chinese food any time soon but I miss the big group meals with a big lazy susan and everyone trying to guess what they were about to eat. It was an amazing trip and I can’t wait to go back.

Thoughts on Peking Opera

2008-06-09T19:00:00.001-04:00

Before our trip to China I was excited about seeing a Peking Opera performance for the first time. I have never been interested in seeing opera performances before but was anticipating the Peking Opera. However, I was very disappointed within the first 5 minutes of the performance. The same scene lasts a lifetime! It would be impossible to understand what they were singing about and it was nice having the translations on the large screens, but that’s all I liked about the Peking Opera. The acrobatic was nice but I was ready for them to spice it up a bit and give us a little more entertainment. I think watching a Peking Opera performance would be hard for Westerners. We are so use to being entertained constantly at a show that there can’t be any dull periods or the show’s a dud. The two grown men in front of me didn’t help either because they kept excessively laughing for no reason, but it was the only highlight of the whole show. In all, maybe not everyone disliked it but I can easily say it wasn’t the best part of the trip and I won’t be seeing any more Peking Opera performances.

Peking Opera

2008-06-09T18:58:00.000-04:00

Peking Opera has over a 200 year history. It originally came to Beijing in 1790 but did not fully form until 1845. It’s a form of traditional art that uses music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. When it was originally created it was not for the public’s enjoyment. However, during the development under Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi the performance became more accessible to the common people. Even though today the Peking Opera is performed indoors it hasn’t always been that way. In the earlier stages of the Peking Opera the performances were performed in open-air stages. The bright colors of their costumes were used so the audience could see the performers on the dimly lit stages. The Peking Opera was also initially an exclusive male pursuit. Women didn’t come start appearing on the stage until late 1800’s. Women were soon used regularly in performances and regarded as having talents as good as males. The first female Peking Opera was opened in Shanghai.

In a Peking Opera performance there are four main roles performed: Sheng, Dan, Jing, Chou. Sheng are the leading male roles, Dan are the female roles, Jing are usually mostly male roles that play the warrior or hero role, and Chou are the clowns in the performance with a white nose. You can tell a characters role in the play by their facial paintings, which has become an art form.

http://www.asiarecipe.com/chiopera.html

American Food in China

2008-06-08T14:30:00.003-04:00

Everyone remembers eating at McDonald's, Papa John's, and KFC in China. But I'm here to say that while sometimes it tasted really good, other times it tasted really bad. For instance...
McDonald's was awesome. I don't think I had ever been so glad to see a double cheeseburger without onions in my life. I devoured that burger and then my fries. But while my burger had tasted like fatty goodness, the fries weren't what they normally would have been in the U.S. That was alright though, because we had McDonald's again in Chicago. Those fries were the American classic.
KFC was a let down. They didn't really have anything that we had in the States except the popcorn chicken which was unexpectedly spicey. The chicken sandwich I ordered had a strange aftertaste but I was so hungry I didn't care. In the end, I was glad I had asked for french fries instead of mashed potatoes. I was skeptical that Chinese KFC mashed potatoes would live up to American KFC mashed potatoes and I had been right. Jillian had gotten the mashed potatoes and let me try some and I was grossed out. It tasted, to me, more like it was mashed potato skins. She didn't seem to care and ate them anyway, but I was happy that I'd gotten fries.
Subway was pretty interesting. The basics were there and I even dared to have a BLT despite the bacon looking pretty raw. In the end it was good, but didn't live up to the stuff I'm used to eating, but I reminded myself that we were in China and not that states. I think the BLT would have been better had they cooked it longer, but I made Amy and Jillian swear they'd call 911 or 119 or whatever was the emergency number was if I started choking or had some kind of bad reaction to the bacon. But I was fine so it was alright.
Everyone loved the Papa John's. The only thing I was curious about was how Papa John's got to China but skipped the rest of the United States? It's not in California and that's the closest state to China, so I was a bit blown away. But the pizza, as we all know, was perfectly greasy and wonderful.

Craw Fishing in China

2008-06-08T14:22:00.002-04:00

I know Mark already wrote about something similar to this, but the day that we spent at the farmer's house was special to me too.
When we got the chance to go Craw fishing I originally didn't jump on the chance because I was playing with the "rabbit" (also known as a guinea pig). Eventually I got tired of worrying about whether it was going to pee on me or not, so I grabbed a fishing pole and gave up Mr. Rabbit to Megan. I ended up sitting next to Amy and Jillian and Cecil and fishing along with them with my trusty frog leg. At first I didn't catch anything, but eventually I started feeling some nibbles. I caught a couple of smaller craw fish, but I was determined to catch a nice big one.
Jillian, who I am sure remembers, was fighting with a determination to catch the Moby Dick of craw fish, though Amy, Cecil, and I had actually seen it. "Did anybody see that lobster?" Rings a bell in the whole ordeal. But while she was fighting with the large craw fish, I sat patiently waiting for another nibble among the reeds and leaves floating on the top of the water when I felt a hard tug on that trust frog leg.
When I managed to pull up the line I had this huge craw fish clinging to the leg and chewing on it. We quickly grabbed the bucket we'd been throwing them in and knocked him off to line to sit around with the thirty or so other craw fish we'd collectively caught. I showed Dr. Zhang and he congratulated me on my spectacular catch, saying I caught the King of Craw Fish, but it wasn't to be stolen from a determined Jillian who was hell bent on catching her White Whale. I'm sorry she never did. But I know he's in that water, laughing that he managed to elude a human with a frog leg tied to her fishing pole.

A "Hole" New World

2008-06-08T11:40:00.007-04:00

I'll admit, I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to adjust to the differences in Chinese life. I didn't know how I would like the food, the hard beds, or the lack of clean tap water. But I quickly learned that I could easily adjust to all of these things. The one thing that I just could not get used to, was the toilet situation. I mean you can't even call that thing a toilet. It is a hole, with a foot lever. Each night before I went to sleep, I sat up in bed and had a one hour brainstorming session. I tried coming up with any reason for chosing to create holes instead of toilets. After hours upon hours of exploring every possible cause for this, I came to two conclusions. First, and most obvious, is that it probably saves money. Nowadays, you're looking at $100 for a toilet. A well dug hole on the other hand might cost $2.50 when labor and equipment are added up. But there is more to it than money. The reason the Chinese love their holes is simple. The ancient tradition of squatting everywhere, as opposed to sitting or standing, lends itself nicely to holes. Think about it. Everywhere we went we saw people squatting instead of, sitting (which is needed for a toilet) or standing (which is pretty much a requirement for using a urinal). I am now searching for the answer to what is clearly the next question in this giant mystery: Where did squatting originate? And why is it still being used today? I am currently investigating many possible answers to this question, and I'll be sure to let everyone know once I get to the bottom of this. But one thing is certain. I will leave no rock unturned, no hole unexplored in my search for enlightenment on this issue.

Country Living

2008-06-08T11:12:00.005-04:00

Although visiting famous places like the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, and Heaven on Earth (aka Hangzhou) were unforgettable, I really enjoyed our visit to the countryside. After all the walking around we had been doing, it was extremely relaxing to fish by the river (and let me make it clear that I won the fishing contest until Mario picked up 3 polls), and to lay in the hammocks under the trees. I'll admit that I was a bit disappointed when I learned the only thing we could catch was crawfish; however, after catching about seven in twenty minutes, I felt like the crawfish catching king and loved every minute of it. I also think Chairman Yao will agree with me when I say that I could have layed in those hammocks and taken in the scenery all day long. Although the countryside lacks many modern amenities, there is something to be said about the peacefulness of their lives. To end this visit, we enjoyed yet another delicious Chinese meal. I loved almost every dish they brought out, and was amazed when I saw that they created all of that food in such a modest kitchen. Overall, I think our visit to the countryside was a perfect, relaxing end to our stay in Shanghai.

Buddhism and the Lama Temple II

2008-06-08T00:26:00.002-04:00

Alright, so I have to admit that the teenage punk rockers and models bowing down before a Buddha in worship was a sight that I could not take my eyes from. Not only is Buddhism quite alive there and the younger generations actively worship, but it seemed to be something that was incorporated into the daily system. To do list: meet up with rock band, perform in bar, go to temple to worship, work on new song. I refused to take any pictures of the worshipers because I felt that it was rude to take pictures of someone while practicing their religion, but the girl with the furred hoodie, yellow knee-high stilettos, and a bundle of burning incense in her hand seemed so out of place to me. Apparently, Buddhism is more relaxed than the Christian worship in the respect that you don’t have to be in “Sunday’s Best” to worship. And was the Lama Temple beautiful or what? I thought it was gorgeous with its ancient architecture and fresh paint. All three of the artworks in the Guinness Book of World Records were breathtaking, especially the huge Buddha. I almost fell backwards trying to see the top of the thing—true story.

Feng Shui-- It's Not Dead Yet!

2008-06-08T00:02:00.002-04:00

No sir! Feng shui is still around and kickin’! However, the power of the feng shui has now been limited to architecture and at-home beliefs. So no, it does not have its once glorious foothold in Chinese politics, but it is far from gone. There is actually a tower in downtown Shanghai that is named the “Feng Shui Tower” because it was designed and placed according to the qi. I was unable to get a picture of it because we had already past the building when the guide pointed it out. I asked the girls from my home stay about it, and they laughed at me. They felt that it was more closely followed by the parents’ generation. That may be so, but you can still buy the “compasses” that will show you locations that have a good qi. I believe that Cecil bought one on one of his many escapades. I, for one, thought that many of the buildings around the Oriental Pearl Tower were awesomely modern and edgy, but it turns out that most of those state-of-the-art buildings were designed with feng shui, a set of beliefs that is centuries old, in mind.

Silly experiences in China

2008-06-07T17:23:00.002-04:00

On the first real day that we were in Shanghai, I remember going to the museum in the downtown area. It was especially memorable because of a boy who really made his mark in my memories. It was during the later part of the day when every had been taking that written poll in the hallway on the second or third floor of the museum. Everyone else had left except Amy, Jillian, and I. Right after we finished the written poll and received our thank you Chinese knots Jillian mentioned that the guy sitting on the other side on the bench of her looked kind of sketch and she was curious to know if he was a pickpocket since we’d been warned to watch out for them. Being the foreigners we are, we ended up chattering away while staring the poor boy down, who eventually got so flustered he ran off and ducked into a nearby exhibit hall, but peeked around the corner after he’d been gone for all of three seconds. We sat there and chattered away, noticing that he came out of the room and pretty much ran off to the other side of the floor and was talking on his phone. Somehow we came up with the genius idea to slide over on the bench and wait until he looked in our direction and wave at him just to see what he did. Eventually he did look at us and we, of course, waved at him which served to fluster him and he ran off into yet another exhibit. At this point, we wondered if it was strange to wave at boys when you were a girl, but were determined to do it again. When he came out of the exhibit and stood on the landing of a nearby stairway, we waved again and, at last, he waved back. When he disappeared again, we gave up on the idea of him coming back and I wandered off to ask Dr. Yao if it was audacious of young women to wave at young men. When I returned to where Jillian and Amy were sitting, waiting for me, I discovered that the boy had returned and somehow had asked where I had gone. We got into a very difficult conversation as neither could speak the other’s language with any kind of proficiency. At one point he left and sought out someone who spoke Chinese and English and we saw that he was talking to Dr. Yao, which made us laugh. The whole situation ended with him giving me his phone number and we traded e-mail addresses before Jillian, Amy, and I fled the museum.

The whole ordeal with the boy was enough to fluster me for a few days as I’d really just had it put into perspective how horrible my Mandarin was. I mean, I knew it was really bad since I only knew a few words and maybe three phrases, one of which included “Wo shi mei guo ren.” But to be face to face with a person around my own age who could speak as much English as I could speak Mandarin was both frustrating and funny. It was even funnier for us because Amy realized that even after a whole year of Mandarin classes, she couldn’t speak much more Mandarin than the boy could speak English. This experience made me realize, later on, that even a year’s worth of Mandarin training wouldn’t be enough to adequately prepare myself for being thrown straight into China. I would need much more training than Amy had and then some before I would be comfortable with the idea of returning to

China

again.

Family For a Day

2008-06-07T16:09:00.005-04:00

We learned so many amazing things in China but my overall favorite experience was the day I spent with the Chinese college students. Everyone in our Rollins group split up and went off by themselves to spend the afternoon with a student who was an English major. I think most of us were a bit hesitant at first but it ended up being the most enjoyable time of my trip. My new friends took me to Nanjing Road and then to one of their homes for a fabulous feast! Their father had cooked all the food and it was by far the best meal I had in China. I learned to make spring rolls and play Mahjong among many other things. Elaine's father did not speak a word of English but we were communicating perfectly. He was such a fabulous chef and host and I was delighted to be in his home. I have the contact information of my new friends in China. They even gave me my very own Mahjong set! Walking through the small streets of Shanghai on that rainy night with my new friends is something I will never forget. I was able to experience family life in Shanghai, China...Wow!

Discover Yourself in China

2008-06-07T14:52:00.004-04:00

Our lovely little journey to China has come and gone. People continue to ask me, "how was China?" My answer has been, "I love China!" The thing is, it is not that simple. You cannot begin to explain a country and its people to someone verbally, and pictures or videos just don't do the experience justice. My feelings about traveling continue to grow stronger after each trip I take. Travel

should be mandatory, a prerequisite to living over the age of 25. How can anyone be expected to be empathetic or understanding of our world if they never explore it? I guess not everyone loves to travel but I feel this trip to the People's Republic of China has once again broadened my outlook on life and the people I share this planet with. I want everyone to have the opportunity to feel this way! I realized the vitality and immensity of where I was while standing in a dim classroom in Shanghai. It was 2:28 p.m., one week after an earthquake had caused catastrophic damage to parts of the country. Most of us stood by the windows of the classroom, watching the cars on the highway in preparation for the upcoming moment of silence. We all faced the West and for 3 minutes straight everyone stopped. For exactly 3 minutes, people all over China just stopped. It was during this time that the realization of where I was hit me. I had never experienced so much strength and hope. This is what the people of China exuded day after day. I felt what they felt in those 3 minutes. They wanted to pull through, to be great. They were great. I loved the Great Wall and the countless temples we visited on our journey, but I loved the people I encountered more. Next time someone asks me, "how was China?" My response will simply be, "you have to go."

Longjing Tea

2008-06-07T14:30:00.003-04:00

Longjing tea, translated as Dragon Well tea, is considered the national tea of China. It is grown almost exclusively in the Longjing area of Hangzhou, near the Western Lake.

Cultivation of this tea dates back thousands of years. Mention of Longjing Tea dates back to the first ever tea book, written by Lu Yu in the Tang Dynasty. Tea on the mountains is grown year round, however, harvest, is only taken from mature plants at least 5 years old. Also, the tea is only able to be harvested when the new buds arrive in the Spring, creating a very short window to provide the leaves.

The leaves are then dried my master craftsmen, using a low even heat to prevent the leaves from decaying after they are picked. The tea drier must by skilled, as too much drying will burn the tea, leaving it bitter, while too little will not preserve the harvest.

Longjing has become a symbol of China and its teas. It is usually served to state guests, and is said to have been Chairman Mao's favorite. Other notable recipients of Longjing Tea include Richard Nixon, Henry Kissenger, and Queen Elizabeth.

Longjing is one of many types of green tea that is noted for its health benefits. Green teas contain much higher amounts of antioxidants and have been found to lower LDL cholesterol. Also, many observational studies have noted that people who consume green teas have a noticeably longer life span compared to those who don't. More studies are being done on the health benefits of the tea.

Sources: http://www.teaspring.com/Tribute-Xi-Hu-Long-Jing.asp

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea#Potential_effects_of_green_tea_on_health

Shanghai Museum

2008-06-07T13:58:00.002-04:00

The Shanghai Museum is located in the People's Square, not far from City Hall. Its present location dates back to 1996, however, the museum itself has operated since 1952. The collections contain of 120,000 pieces of Chinese art and artifacts. The museum is free to enter for all citizens, noting the government mantra that the collection is history and belongs to everyone. It is a popular tourist destination, and after visiting it, I must say, it should not be missed.

Some of the more interesting collections include fine Chinese porcelain, bronze sculptures, and coins. One unique exhibit is dedicated exclusively to minority group art from within China, and this contains some unique ceremonial pieces.

Another unique floor houses nothing but furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, offering a glimpse of how wealthy Chinese citizens lived in those time periods.

This museum, while large to the casual observer, apparently does not have the same caliber of collections housed in Beijing and in Taiwan. This once again illustrates the painful divide of the Chinese people, as, the Taiwan museum contains many of the priceless relics taken by Chiang Kai Shek when he fled in 1949. All in all, however, it is a great museum for exposure to Chinese Art and Culture.

Shanghai Urban Planning and Exhibition Hall

2008-06-05T19:22:00.003-04:00

The Shanghai Urban Planning Hall, despite its incredibly unexciting name, is a major achievement in urban planning and formidable tourist attraction in Shanghai. It is located in the heart of the city; right off of the People's Square, next to the Shanghai Municipal Government Building. It is also a hallmark of "the New China" taking shape; illustrating the progressive steps that the Chinese government is implementing to modernize their country.

I can say from experience that by far the most impressive attribute of this building is the fourth floor model room. Continually being updated, it displays what the Shanghai skyline will look like in 2020. The sheer scale of the model is enough to overwhelm someone. Visitors can peer from the Oriental Pearl to all the way to the new 2010 Expo site and beyond. All in all, this model takes up almost 600 square meters, allowing visitors to walk all around the city, and even see it form a bird's eye view on the floor above. The building also highlights some of the new developments being green-lighted by the city, including environmental cleanup, and updated port and airport terminals (though to be honest, the ones now seemed pretty good to me).

This is definitely a good way for any visitor to get a sense of the scale of the city as well as its major initiatives.

Source: http://61.129.65.84/live/travel/destdetail.asp?id=29

A Summary of Chinese Martial Arts

2008-05-11T23:26:00.002-04:00

What was fascinating was while learning about the Chinese Martial Arts, there were two major forms known as Wushu & Kung-fu. These martial arts began only as self defense and training for Chinese Soldiers during the reign of the Yellow Emperor. During the Shang dynasty, Confucius suggested to Duke Ding to practice both the literary and martial artforms, thus allowing non-military individuals the chance to learn the form for health reasons as well.

From these martial art forms, came influences with weapons such as the swords and spears. As time went on, many different groups of Chinese developed their own styles and forms based on their location and leadership. Even the Shaolin Monasteries became training grounds for martial arts, not just for defense but for healthy exercise. Of the many common Chinese martial art forms of today include: Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Tiger, Bak Mei Pai, Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Wing Chun, and Tai Chi Chuan. Many of these martial art forms have cross over seas and merged with different fighting styles all over the world. During the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period (770 B.C. - 221 A.D.), a woman competed in a sword competition by the name of Yuh Niuy. After the competition to understand how she used a sword, she shared philosophies which have been passed down through writings such as:

"When fencing, though highly alert,

The appearance is as calm as a fair lady's

But when in action, a vicious Tiger emerges."

These teachings on style and form influenced philosophy where many forms became a lifestyle of internal and external training. It was only when both mental and physical aspects of the training showed the most effective results. I personally would love to study a form. The hardest part is picking just one to start off with. We'll see when I get back home to the States.

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References:

Shouyu, Liang. "An Introduction to Chinese Martial Arts". Located at www.nardis.com/~twchan/liang.html

Pictures provided by:

Wikipedia. Chinese Martial Arts. Located at http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_martial_arts

Chinese Acrobats

2008-05-11T22:59:00.003-04:00

Acrobats are highly regarded in China, and take many years of practice to master the art. Children begin intense training as young as four, and begin training with a troupe around age eight. For roughly two years, children practice the fundamentals, like flexibility, strength, and balancing. Following these two years, children will practice particular routines for four or five years, until they are ready to perform around age sixteen.
Along with their physical strength and ability, acrobats practice Chi Kung. This Asian philosophy focuses on inner strength and aims to get the mind and body to work in harmony.
Over the past few decades, the Chinese have formed over 120 troupes with more than 12,000 acrobats. These acrobats have traveled to over one hundred countries to entertain and strengthen international bonds. Some traditional Chinese acrobatic routines include; "Lion Dance, Cycling Feats, Tight-wire feats, Traditional Style Conjuring, Hoop Diving, and Wushu."

Rural Life in Jinshan

2008-05-11T22:10:00.003-04:00

Finding information on rural life in the Jinshan District was difficult, however, I will be able to enrich my blog after we visit the countryside in a few days.
The Jinshan District (or 金山区), is one of the largest of Shanghi's 19 districts. It is located in the southwest part of the city. There are over 550,000 people living in 586 sq. kilometers. The Jinshan District has beautiful beaches, and is deeply rooted in cultural traditions.
Some of these traditions include black ceramic arts and crafts, and peasant paintings. Although I could not find much information on the Jinshan District in general, I did find a few resources discussing the well known traditional peasant paintings. These paintings were popularized in the late 70's when peasants discovered beautiful paintings created by the farmers. Their art was put on display at the Shanghi Art Museum and the art quickly became famous, and called the "Jinshan Farmer's Paintings."
The Jinshan District has undergone some developement in recent years. Leaders followed an approach described as, “recognizing the situation, facing up to the difficulties, solving problems, seizing opportunities and making progress.” There has always been, and remains considerable agricultural activity, however, industrial progress has been made and an infrastructure is being built. One major company taking advantage of this progress is Shanghi's Petrochemical Company, which is headquartered in the district.

Cloisonné

2008-05-11T16:38:00.004-04:00

Having been ordered to return with copious amounts of Cloisonné goodies for both Mother’s Day and all around souvenir gifts, urged me to dig into what it actually was. Since we are going to be visiting the Cloisonné factory, I thought others might want to know what goes into these delicate designs.

This idea of inlaying colorful materials onto a metal base actually began in Egypt in 1800 B.C. by soldering wire to create cavities. It continued on through the centuries; the Greeks used powdered glass to color their works.

Cloisonne as a Chinese art form originated in Beijing during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). The bright blue color, a favorite in the Orient, was created during the reign emperor of the ‘Jingtai’ period of the Ming dynasty. This blue came to be known as ‘Jingtai Blue’ or 'The Blue of Jingtai.' The process evolved over the centuries creating a wider range of colors, more intricate designs, and a furthering of what was made as cloisonné.

The process of making cloisonné consists of adhering a pattern of metal wire to a metal (usually bronze but can also be brass) surface, whether that be a vase, bead, snuff box, or jewelry. There are two methods of bonding the wire design to the metal base. Either gluing the design of wire to the product and then firing the piece to bond the metal together (the glue is evaporated in the firing process) or soldering the form to the base (this seems to be more common). The wire design results in cellular spaces, called cloisons (French for “partitions” or “compartments”), these cloisons are then filled with an enamel paste made from crushed glass or other pigments. The enamel is dried then fired in an oven to melt it to the metal. Since the enamel may shrink from firing, this process may be repeated as needed to achieve a desired result. The whole piece is then ground down and polished to desired smoothness. The metal of the cloisons is then covered with gold by electroplating.

The end product was so desirable that the Japanese soon adopted it and China has become the standard by which cloisonné is judged worldwide. Anyway, I found the whole thing interesting especially since all the women of my family have been making requests for it. I feel like a cloisonné mule, providing bootlegged art for the masses.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

2008-05-11T13:31:00.004-04:00

TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine includes treatments, theories and diagnosis such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and massage. It is largely based on the philosophical concept that the body is a small universe with a perfect set of interconnected systems that maintain healthy function. While this medical practice is often considered alternative medicine, many of the benefits are undeniable.

The philosophy behind TCM is similar to that of the Taoist philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of a strong relationship between the environment and human beings. Yin-yang, the Five Phases, Zang Fu organ theory, and the human body Channel system are also a few of the sources that make Traditional Chinese Medicine what it is.

I am so glad we will be learning more about Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. I have seen acupuncture clinics and the like in the United States but it will be interesting to learn about the practice straight from the horse's mouth. I wonder how Chinese Medicine in the U.S. and Chinese Medicine in China differs? I bet I will find out when visiting the Chinese medicine museum on the 7th day of the field study! See you there!!!!

Vegetarianism in China?

2008-05-10T22:55:00.002-04:00

It is almost time to go to China! All the excitement has been building for so long and it is amazing that the trip is just about here. A few of my friends are worried for my safety and whatnot, but I have no doubts about that. The only thing on my mind is food.

I live off of a Vegetarian diet here in the states, so I have spent some time thinking about what obstacles I will face during the upcoming trip. My friend Lily went on last year's journey and ended up living off of white rice and watermelon. While these are both completely delicious, I am not sure if eating only that for 12 days straight is beneficial.

After some research I discovered that meat is often times a status symbol in China. Buying and eating meat remains an indicator of material success. Vegetarianism is not highly common, but it has been around since the 7th Century and is often practiced by devout Buddhists. This fairly rare diet has begun to see a resurgence in the cities, and while there are certain places to get meat-free food, I am not sure if we will be visiting them.

I looked up the phrase "I eat Vegetarian," which is Wo Chur Su and stocked up on granola bars. I have read other posts about Vegetarians going to China and their experiences.

The good thing is I am going to keep an open mind and whole-heartedly enjoy this experience with a new culture. If someone makes me veggies soaked in chicken fat, then I will eat it up and see what happens to my body, instead of denying it and offending them. I realize I have no worries, just an amazing expedition ahead of me. I am willing to face any food challenges ahead...plus white rice is one of my favorite staples and Gandhi survived his 21 day fast!

Buddhism and the Lama Temple

2008-05-10T15:24:00.005-04:00

Ok, let's not deny it. Most likely, when we think of Buddhism, we think of a monk sitting in robes and meditating in a garden. This religion started in India, but it spread throughout Asia, including China. The main foci of Chinese Buddhism are those of Pure Land and Zen. Pure Land claims that nirvana cannot be obtained by simply meditation, but rather only pure devotion can grant one the “Pure Land”. Zen focuses on meditation and that, in order to obtain the Buddha-like nature, one must meditate and be mindful of daily experiences. What I would like to know is how the ever-westernizing China has changed its beliefs and followings of the Buddhist religion?

One of the largest and most important of the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world is the Yonghe Temple in Beijing. Another name for this temple is the “Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple”, or the less formal “Lama Temple”. This temple was built in 1694 and was initially an official residence for court eunuchs. In 1722, half of the building was converted into the monastery while the other half remained an imperial palace. The building was opened to the public after the Cultural Revolution in 1981. Within the temple, there are five halls: The Hall of the Heavenly Kings, The Hall of Harmony and Peace, The Hall of Everlasting Protection, The Hall of the Wheel of the Law, and The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses.

There are many famous statues in the Lama Temple, including the Buddhas of the Three Ages, the Five-Hundred-Arhat-Hill, and the Maitreya Buddha. The Buddhas of the Three Ages are three bronze statues of the Buddha of the Past, Present, and Future stanging in order from right to left in the Hall of Harmony and Peace. A statue of the healing Buddha, Bhaisajya-guru, stands in the Hall of Everlasting Protection. The Five-Hundred-Hrhat-Hill is a carving made of red sandalwood with the statues of those who achieved nirvana made of five different metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin) and is located in the Hall of the Wheel of the Law. The Maitreya Buddha is the Buddha of the future carved out of a single piece of white sandalwood that stands 26 meters tall. Three different artworks in the Lama Temple were in the Guinness Book of Records in 1993.

Feng Shui- Chic or Old School?

2008-05-10T15:01:00.003-04:00

About a week ago, I was telling one of my friends about this blog assignment. When I told her that I was thinking about writing about feng shui, she asked what interior decorating had to do with China. Of course, not wanting to be a total jerk to her, I told her that the decoration version is based off of ancient Chinese ideals.

Feng shui is not just about placing bamboo in a glass vase with shiny black rocks at the bottom, like most American's have simplified it to be. The art of feng shui is a belief that incorporates astronomy into everyday decisions in order to create correlations between humans and the universe. This art is not just some painting you hang on a wall, but rather this is real serious business, especially in pre-modern Chinese politics. Feng shui started around 4000 B.C., and is still used today.

What decorators and designers around the world have done is taken the essential aspect of attaining Chi and modified it to finding the right flow. For example, an interior decorator places furniture in a certain arrangement so that the room can flow, or an architect can design a building so that it can have an astronomical flow. An example of such a building stands in Hong Kong, and has a square hole horizontally though the middle of it so that the Chi can be achieved.

I am interested to see both how feng shui has affected the modern architecture and design, as well as to see how the younger generation views the importance of these beliefs. Also, here in the United States, feng shui is one of the interior decorating crazes; America’s Next Top Model is totally rockin’ it; but what about in its homeland of China? Is it really ‘hip’ there or is it something of the past?

National College Entrance Examination

2008-05-10T00:32:00.003-04:00

So I don't have much background information about this particular subject since my week has been pretty hectic (in fact, the week before was even crazier) so this is really just last minute research. Like Lindsey, I used Wikipedia to get my information. I know it's not the most reliable source, but it's the quickest.

So the National College Entrance Examination is held annually in mainland China, and there is no age restriction on who can take it (as of 2001), even though it is usually required for students to take before they can enter college or university.
My main focus is on how the students feel about the exams. I understand that with anything even slightly important there is always going to be an agreement and opposition to it. I learned that some of the major opposition to it is that most people think that it only focuses and tests how much a student has been able to learn/memorize during their lifetime. I think this sounds a lot like the standardized testing that American students are subjected to every year during their primary, secondary, and high school years.

I'm excited about going and being able to talk to students in my own age range, because, like Lindsey, whenever Ive been to a foreign country I never really get the chance to talk to anyone, instead am stuck as part of a crowd of tourists. I'm really looking forward to this!

Pandas-The Foreign Policy Commodity

2008-05-10T00:22:00.002-04:00

It is hard to see the 3 foot tall, 250 pound panda as anything else but an adorable ball of fluff and innocence that stuffs itself on bamboo. However, the giant panda has turned into a commodity by becoming the foreign policy weapon of China.
China will loan a panda to foreign countries for a ten year period costing 10 million dollars. Pandas are loaned to other countries as a friendly gesture in order to improve and/or maintain international relations.
This all seems nice and friendly, but the serious issues surrounding the giant panda is being ignored.
The giant panda is one of the world's most endangered species; there are roughly 1,600 pandas living in the wild. This is because female pandas reproduce so slowly-only once a year, and the male pandas have a notoriously low sex drive. The pandas' natural habitat in the mountains of Sichuan province is getting smaller and smaller each year. Farming and economic pressures continue to push the pandas higher and higher up into the mountains causing significant habitat loss and bamboo loss for the pandas. However, the Chinese government has been making many strides in association with the World Wildlife Fund to help teach and uphold conservation of the natural habitat.
I find it difficult to support sending an endangered species from its natural habitat to foreign country just to have the panda sit in a zoo where people can gawk and stare at these helpless animals.
I'm very interested in hearing whether the Chinese people consider the panda a commodity and whether they support panda diplomacy.
Pandas are only found in a few mountain ranges of China, if I were Chinese, I wouldn't want to exploit such a rare and unique creature.

Chinese Cinema

2008-05-09T20:06:00.002-04:00

Wow, I don't feel like such a procrastinator anymore now that I see that only one other person has posted their blog! I was also assigned to write about Chinese cinema, however my knowledge is not quite as extensive as Cecil's.
As wikipedia tells me, motion pictures were introduced into China in 1896 and the first recorded screening was in August of that year in Shanghai. The film industry was mainly run by foreigners (making great diplomatic strides) in the beginning stages and shanghai became the center of all the action.
What I'm really curious about in Chinese cinema is what the Chinese students think of our American cinema. I want to compare and contrast the differences of the booming and busting Hollywood and Shanghai movie scene. Is China plagued by the obsession of celebrities as well? Is Shanghai as corrupt as Hollywood? Are there many types of genres? Is the same kind of equipment used? ...I mean I know almost everything is made in China...
When I visited China last summer, I never really got the chance to interact with students or people my age since I was stuck with the family being the annoying tourists with the cameras out all the time. I mean, a few people came up to us to ask to get their picture taken with us, but it's not like I got the chance to ask, "so what do you think about Chinese cinema?" I think this will be a great opportunity to really get a taste of eachothers culture and lifestyles.
I'm so excited!!

The Chinese Film Industry

2008-05-08T02:43:00.002-04:00

Well now that finals are over I have finally gotten some free time to prepare myself for the field study to China. From my class experience I presented on the Chinese Film Industry, and it's ever evolving balance between art and political purpose. Like it's western counterpart, Hollywood has seen the influence of independent film makers going out and making cheaper films than the bigger blockbusters. Giving more creditability to the artist, it only seems natural for the art to convey the message of it's creator to it's selected audience.

Having experienced the film schools of the States and am curious how differently the learning of the art can be in China? I'm looking forward to speaking to some of the Shanghai University students, and hopefully running into a fellow independent film-maker along the way. As the research gathered on the topic of Hollywood and Chinese Film combining in the ways of crossing over storylines and talented actors, there seems to be no end in possibilities.

Movies such as "The Departed" starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Matt Damon was actually a remake of a Chinese film titled "The Infernal Affair". But then on the flip side of that, Chinese actors Jackie Chan and Jet Li star for the first time in the english version of "Forbidden Kingdom", re-telling a classic Chinese fairytale. Speaking for an entertainment side, the more films one can make and sell in both markets is going to be much more profitable in the long run. With piracy of films so easy in the United States and China, it is no wonder that more money can be made off a tv-series based on a film, than multi-million dollar blockbuster release.
I'm looking forward to getting to know the Chinese Film Industry, like any art form, the more you experience the art first hand the better you will become in the art yourself.

The Monkey Experiment

2007-06-20T01:35:00.000-04:00

Please accept by most sincere apologies for being the last blogger.
But I am totally new to the blogging community and this will be my first blog ever. Aren’t we excited?? Anyway, the weeks are passing quickly as the memories of the China trip filter, settle and sometimes fade. On more than one occasion I pulled out the pictures taken and bored someone to tears over the near 1000 images of the trip. The one image I continue to say prior to viewing ‘this one is my favorite picture” does not come from my collection of photos shot. The day we were in PinYao and after lunch, Brett and I along with a few others walked down the rows of shops headed to our next destination. There was a crowd gathering and a woman with a monkey on her shoulder. I walked on past while Brett snapped a shot of the activity. Stopping to wait for him, I began to get a wild hair. I approached the monkey handler to ask for a price. (Of course Prof. Zhang did all the translating). 5YUAN!!! That was a price I couldn’t pass up. The money paid promptly allowed me to receive a hairless bare monkey b*tt on my outstretched hand.

The adventure didn’t stop there. Next the handler placed the monkey on my shoulder. (Yes I removed the hat) While I stood there with a grin gawking at the cameras the handler approached again and the crowd reacted at the same time the handler backed away. Of course, I am thinking what the animal control person may say next, ‘monkey’s only bite with quick frightening movements’. There was no blood or gnawing of Logan’s ear. Apparently he just didn’t want to leave my shoulder. Maybe I could have smuggled him home.

The whole event left my mind and memory rather quickly as we continued on our China tour. After a week of high fever sickness, I finally went back to work with the living. (Two visits to the doctor proves the illness wasn’t SARS, Bird Flu, or Monkey Pox) The people at my job love pictures from vacation so I provide more China photos including the monkey picture. That one I only sent to a close friend who proceeded to forward to the recognition director. Every week pictures are posted for Humpday to inspire and give everyone a smile for the day. Long story short, coworkers asked about the trip and commented on the photo. “Got that monkey on your back” was the winner. But one real funny guy in IT decided to treat me with special gift. I am now making plans for a sweat revenge one day.

At least the legs are shaved in this picture. And no this is not me for those unsure about the picture.

New Chinese Diet

2007-06-19T22:59:00.001-04:00

You to can shed the pounds on the Chinese diet. What would you say about losing 10% of your current body weight? Well I can not only tell you how...

Actually, I have to admit the amount of weight I lost in China was more than expected. Prior to traveling to China I realized there would be foods not of my liking. I even expected to eat a little less than normal. The unexpected foods, lack of cheese and breads, smaller plates, use of chop sticks, less soda, sugar and decreased appetite all contributed to my blessed event. The continued running around from place to place also helped a little.

The food started out as a good selection of a foreign cuisine. Where the first nights exhaustion and late night beer didn't deter my eating, the discovered chicken head provided enough reason to put the chopsticks down. For me, the biggest reason for not choosing a food resulted directly from the presentation. As those who sat near me realized, I am a picky eater.

China can not accept the blame for my inability to eat. The food provided appeared to feed many other students. Brett and Rob both never seemed to have a problem eating all the different and unique types of food placed on those lazy susan. The food was nothing more than a cultural learning experience. Brett even grabbed a bite of the food pictured above. He even continued the night with a game of mahjong without any ill affects.

The first sign of my weight loss started while still in China. The last couple days I remember mentioning (complaining) to Rob about the pair of shorts falling off my hips. So I noticed the decrease in inches but didn't realize the extent of the loss. The food wasn't the only reason.

Apparently some people cared enough to watch my eating habits at each of the meals. Of course they only mentioned the concerned after being back in Florida. Anyway the point is that at most of the meals I ate very little. This created some concern but since I continued to walk upright didn't require any intervention.

If only those around me saw the world as I did during some of those interesting meals. The night of the dancers presented a most surreal occasion. Now maybe it was the beer but I swear the lack of nutrients caused such visions.

The fun and joking aside the difference in cuisine might be considered a bigger issue for travels to countries not similar to their own.

Personally I thought the loss of 20 pounds was a really good thing for me but some friends are concerned at the short amount of time. The biggest contributors for me were more likely the lack in cheese and bread. I am (was) a heavy pizza eater plus I put cheese on everything.

Now that the food in China sounds awful by my description there is a very good ending to the story. Since returning from China I changed the amount and types of food eaten. The trip helped provide me with an opportunity to discover a new method of keeping fit and trim.

Maybe there is something to that Chinese Diet.

Eating in China

2007-06-17T02:36:00.000-04:00

Ok, so this is my third post-trip blog entry because I joined a Facebook group involving China and read about someone's experience mistakenly eating dog in China. And then I thought about other people's comments about their weird experiences with the food in China on our trip. I think about what constitutes a "normal" meal and it is understandable that eating dog may be normal to some Chinese or other people in the world. Many Hindus cringe when we eat beef and Judaism restricts pork, and so on. The reality is, cultures are different, and as long as we all live in our own spaces in the world, which will be forever, then we should respect each other's cultural differences. I know that on our trip we came across some pretty interesting food choices, like fungus that looked like a French fry and another fungus that looked like some sea creature to me! We also encountered BLOOD bars at our hot pot AKA huo guo dinner. Everyone constantly had to ask, "What's that?", "PLEASE tell me what type of meat that is!" and so on. It is really fun to reflect back on and laugh about our interesting meal experiences in China!

My perspective is that when going to a foreign country, it is inevitable to encounter different kinds of foods. So this is the perfect opportunity to have fun and be adventurous! I tried almost every dish except for things that I had previously found to be unappetizing to me in the U.S. I even ate the fungus! And it was interesting lol, but good! Especially the "sea anemone" fungus which was kind of crunchy but in a different kind of way. I did decline the blood bars though. (I must admit I did scream a little when the blood juice trickled down Kaylin's arm, but this was involuntary) :P I really did enjoy our meals in China and even though McDonald's was a celebrated event by our group (me included), I liked trying new foods! I do sympathize with the guy who accidentally ate dog in that Chinese Facebook group. But, it couldn't have been THAT bad! At least he now has an interesting story to share! Zaijian :)

Cows, Kids, and an Abundance of Kindness

2007-06-12T18:44:00.000-04:00

The one memory that sticks out the most was the trip to WuFa Village in Datong. Throughout our travel we had been to the most wonderful tourist sights filled with perfectly manicured flowers and hand painted pagodas, but that wasn’t the real China. The village was filled with roaming cows in backyards, dogs running loosely, homes that looked as though they were made of hardened clay and would crumble at the slightest rumble of thunder. The adults and children there were so warm and welcoming. As one of the first group foreigners to be allowed in that particular village, for once we were not at an attraction, but THE attraction. Children would run up behind us and giggle and whisper. They were proud of their homes and family and it showed in the smiles spread wide across their faces. Once there, we were graciously welcomed into a man’s home. He spoke of his several jobs, his home, the government, and of course, his family. It was heartbreaking yet uplifting to see how, according to American standards, such a poor man could be so happy. He was delighted to share his small home with foreigners, offering us his gratitude for visiting.
In America, happiness is the outcome of wealth. However, the competition for the best title, biggest house, and nicest car are all temporary worldly pleasures. Values such as family, community, and friends are what last a lifetime. And in most cases when you look at the people of China, you see those values holding strong. If their satisfaction was based on flat screen televisions, $40,000 vehicles, and ipods, they would be the most unhappy people in the world, always grasping for more, the best never being good enough. I find it very interesting that China is the primary source of our worldly desires and products. Their work ethic is strong, their morals are high, and their respect is above standard. It would truly be interesting to see the lazy, overpaid, and unteachable Americans take lessons from the Chinese.

I loved having the opportunity to visit the village and absolutely adored the children. If I have the chance to go back to China, the WuFa Village will be one of my anticipated stops.

I May Have Conquered the Great Wall, But the Blood Bars and Fungus Conquered Me.

2007-06-12T18:11:00.000-04:00

China was one of the most rewarding trips I have ever, and probably will ever experience. Riding on a plane for 13 hours straight only to end up in a foreign communist country with a 12-hour time difference, climbing the Great Wall of China, learning to breath through my shirt or quit breathing just to use the ladies room, practicing my Mandarin, shoe shopping and feeling like I’m Big Foot, dashing and dodging honking buses and armies of bicyclists, and experiencing the varieties of food in each province only added to my unique trip. Not to mention chicken’s heads being cut off on the streets, cats brushing up against my legs in restaurants (now that I think of it, is that what the chicken tasted like that night?), the fungus I pretended were French fries, and of course, something that I will NEVER forget (partially because it was on my arm the rest of the night), the famous BLOOD BARS! Needless to say, forget the gym, forget those zero-carb diets—just go to China.

One motto I brought back with me to the States was “you don’t know how bad it is until you see it for yourself”. I knew the country was known for its manufacturing and mining, but I truly did not realize that because of those things, China never sees the sun. The pollution was so thick in some places that it almost seemed necessary to have an inhaler in the pocket of your jeans. In Beijing the dust from the construction didn’t help with the cloudy skies. People would walk around with masks and cloths in front of their noses and mouths to prevent themselves from coughing. There were many times that I would wipe my hand across my forehead and face only after to find dust and dirt all over my hands. I understand the mining is one of the largest producers economically for China, but at times I felt horrible for the people who have to live in and near the polluted cities. Not to mention it doesn’t help the situation when everyone smokes in that country. For such a prosperous and “smart” country, I wonder why they haven’t found a way to cut down on the pollution problem yet.

I have to admit—there were times I complained or grumbled about the food, the walking, the nauseating smells and whiffs (like when walking past a bathroom or a crate of pigs), or afraid of gaining thunder thighs if I used the bathroom more than once a day, but through it all I learned more immersing myself in the culture than I ever would have immersing myself in a textbook. And as an Asian Studies minor, that’s a good thing, because now I might actually pay attention to what I’m reading when I hear about the different dynasties and how quickly China is going to surpass all other countries economically.

I look back at my pictures and many times, have to remind myself I actually went to the Hanging Temple or the Stone Caves. Even today it feels like such a dream—a dream come true. I came back with the most amazing stories. Can YOU tell YOUR friends that you held a monkey dressed in a circus suit in the middle of a strange alley in the middle of China? Well I can, and my stories and adventures will never get old.

Shanghai University

2007-06-12T14:03:00.000-04:00

One of my most memorable days on our trip was visiting Shanghai University. We had learned in class of the different changes in the Chinese education system over time, and I have heard countless Americans tell me how superior Chinese education is to ours in this day and age. The University itself, especially the library, is quite impressive. So is the daily course load each student is required to complete. It makes me realize that even though I feel like I have so much work to do, it isn't much compared with my eastern counterparts. Speaking with them also gave me much insight into the younger generation in China. I have spoken with Chinese Americans, but never with a Chinese student. It was intersting to me how one student viewed the Great Wall as a means of isolation and thought it should be torn down like the Berlin wall. Also, one young girl in particular made me think quite a lot when she told me that she was in school to follow her passions, but that she would still depend on a man to support her. I also noticed a little tension between some of the Chinese students regarding if the government should change and westernize or not. To me it was a good thing to see this diversity. It shows that these students are just like us. Some of them like their government the way it is. Some do not. However, it marks to me a great accomplishment that these students can now speak their own opinions without fear. This is very important. I feel I learned a lot from these students and I wish I had more time with them. They were all so kind and honest with us. I feel like I have a much greater understanding of Chinese culture after meeting with them for a short period. Though I am only beginning to understand, they put me in the right direction.

Climbing the Great Wall of China

2007-06-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

Of course I had to do one of my reflection blogs on climbing the Great Wall of China. I have always wanted to climb the Great Wall. I have ran the bulls in Pamplona and climbed the pyramids in Egypt. Climbing the wall meant so much to me and was an experience I will never forget. This was the part of the trip I was looking forward to the most. I remember sitting on the bus waiting and waiting to get there. The ride wasn't that long, but it seemed as if it was taking forever. I am not sure what I expected out of my first view of the magnificient wall, but I can gurantee that what I saw exceeded anything that I could have expected. As we were making our way up into the mountains, twisting and climbing along the edges the wall was hidden from my sight. I knew it was just beyond one more hill, and felt that way for about ten minutes. The anticipation was like none other I had seen. All of a sudden we made a turn and it was there. No, not a small section of the wall peaking out of the mountains and reaching to the sky, but what seemed like the entire wall. It was to my right it was to my left it was in front of and behind me all at once. The great dragon completely surrounded me. I eagerly got off the bus, took the group picture, and set off on my climb. I took pictures of my first step and was so excited. While climbing I met many friendly Chinese and other foreigners and stopped to take photographs with them. I also viewed the "Love Locks". I am not sure if you remember them, but they were on the right side of the wall as we climbed up. There were hundreds of padlocks attached to a chain with red ribbons tied to them. These locks were put on the Great Wall by young lovers after their marriage. They lock it together and then throw the key over the wall to symbolize their everlasting love. I didn't know what they were when I saw them, but after looking it up the Great Wall is a perfect location for something like this. It is most certainly an everlasting structure and a love should aspire to have that staying power. While I was climbing I did not realize quite how far I had to go. After the two towers I was tired. I paused and got some souveniers. I realized time was growing short and basically had to run to the top. It hurt very much, but was well worth it. The view from the top was beautiful. And to think that this is the only man made structure you can see from space and I climbed the top of it . It is a great feeling and a great sense of accomplishment. I understand why the Chinese people are so proud of the wall and am proud as well.

Shanghai Roads

2007-06-12T11:57:00.000-04:00

While we were driving around the city of Shanghai, one thing that really stood out to me was the way the roads were built. I mentioned it to a few people, but no one really seemed to think much of it. However, I thought it was a pretty impressive engineering feat.

I remember driving down the highway one day with my brother, and seeing how jammed up the traffic was. There was a highway expansion going on, but there was the problem of what to do when there could be no more expansion? Eventually while expanding out the builders would hit houses, and obviously they cannot expand inward, for they would hit the road. My brother and I concluded that it might get to the point where roads would have to be multi-layered.

And this is why the roads in Shanghai stood out to me. It was as if I were seeing the traffic plans I feel will soon be necessary in portions of the roads where I live in reality. All of the roads are built on top of each other, intertwining in any way possible to to save space, using the least amount of space possible.

Yes, we ate at McDonalds

2007-06-12T03:12:00.000-04:00

A little more than half-way through the trip, we made the democratic decision to eat dinner at McDonalds. How very American of us. I personally did not vote (how very American of me) because I was ready to do whatever the majority really wanted to do. Looking back, I'm glad we went to McDonalds.

Our Zhengzhou McDonalds blocked off a section of seats for us, and came around to take our order. We pointed to a sheet with pictures to place our order and within a reasonable amount of time, our food was delivered. I wonder if any American (or other country's) McDonalds would extend the same amount of service to international visitors. I like to think they would, but I've visited the McDonalds around Disney and I've never seen any employee taking orders at tables.

Eating at McDonalds made me realize just how much time we reserved for eating at the Chinese restaurants. With each meal, several dishes were delivered. No, not several, MANY dishes were delivered. On a few occasions, I anxiously awaited the watermelon to signify the end of the meal because I was full. Usually there were still more vegetables and soups on their way. We wasted so much food. With the McDonalds dinner stop we had some time to walk around Zhengzhou and shop at the mall. That was a nice change of pace. McDonalds also meant fewer people sitting at the table. I enjoyed the large tables, but it was a nice break to go back to the smaller group size that I'm used to at home. I didn't have to wait for food to make it's way around the table, or talk. It was more than just eating fast food, it was also a great chance to have a casual, informal meal.

What I tell my friends

2007-06-12T01:42:00.000-04:00

My friends want to know how CHINA was.
It was rough. The trip was tough, the food gave me the willies (quite honestly), and I walked around dehydrated because I didn't want to use the restrooms, but besides that CHINA was cool, a very interesting place.

I began the traveling rather fatigued, so the long flight delay and subsequent 13 hours in the flying tube was just plain long. Train travel was fun, I really enjoyed that AND the majong. The train was so much better than traveling the very long distances by bus.

The food got harder and harder to take. I'm not asking for a pity party, no, no, no. I take responsibility for my hangups. At first I was mostly fine with eating, but as things progressed the issue of water quality and hygiene bothered me more. Being that everything is washed in water not suitable for drinking is one strike. Okay, so everything has to be cooked. The next biggie was hygiene and the restroom situation. Restroom cleanliness was substandard and sometimes just gross. But do they think it is gross or normal? if it is normal how do they reguard personal hygiene? How would I reguard their personal hygiene? and, how does that translate to my food? Cooked or not cooked, ...does it really matter what the matter may be? Howard Hughes wouldn't have been able to do it.

The restroom situation was soooo bad! If it wasn't for the retreat of our very nice hotel accomodations I think I could have just died. One restroom could have seared my corneas and respritory tract with its noxious fumes, another expected us to squat while in the company of a fellow squater. Sorry! No can do!

After the Hutong, I increasingly became dehydrated. Then it became a strategy. To keep myself from potty trama, I simply had to limit the H2O, it was that bad.

Besides that China was vast and interesting. I have 1200 pictures I would gladly tell you all about, many times.

My favorite places in China

2007-06-12T00:54:00.000-04:00

My favorite sites were the Yu-gang Stone Cave, the Hanging Temple, and Shao-lin Temple.

The Stone Caves are like nothing I’ve ever seen. I think everyone’s first reaction was, ‘How did they do that?’ Mine was, ‘Wow, its so big!’ The great effort to nothingness astonishes me. Consciousness, effort, and nothingness; Wow.

The Hanging Temple, again, like nothing I have seen; and again, what a huge effort! I had only gotten through half of the Temple when I saw all of ya’ll on the ground, ready to go. I ran through the second half and was very glad I did at least that. I wish we could have stayed longer; I wish we could have spent the night.

But, in succession, one temple out shined the one before it. Shao-lin Temple is great. Those are the luckiest monks in the world. I hope they didn’t mind too much while I (all of us tourists) snapped our cameras at them. They seemed pretty tolerant of our intrusion and ‘geeked-out interest.’

The place seemed peaceful, beautiful, and ACTIVE, orderly, purposeful, clean and clear; and that is not a compliment, more an observation of esthetic. I am glad China has/or is in the process of shedding her spiritual-phobia. I feel happy and relieved for Shao-lin that is so well preserved and cared for.

I loved the environment at Shaollin, the little signs (of which I have made a pictoral), and the pagoda forrest that seems so appropriate for its purpose.

I would return to China to see any or all of these places again.

Shanghai: Love at First Sight

2007-06-11T23:56:00.000-04:00

John Updike said “The true New Yorker secretly believes that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.” He's obviously never been to Shanghai.

After an exhausting morning flight from Zhengzhou, riding through the streets of Shanghai revitalized me. The modern architecture was abundant. Each skyscraper had it's own personality adding to the exciting skyline. With each turn, there was a new surprise, a previously undiscovered building. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the city's most unique landmark and Asia's tallest tower . The Grand Hyatt is the highest hotel in the world. And finally, the under construction Shanghai World Financial Center will be the world's tallest building for a short amount of time.

If innovative architecture isn't your thing, Shanghai could still be your city. Buildings that seem more fitting in Europe lined the Huang Pu River. Some of the alleyways reminiscent of Datong had a more typical Chinese feel. The Yu-Yuan Gardens is a good place to enjoy the serenity of a beautifully landscaped garden, while watching the gold koi in the ponds.

Of course people in Shanghai don't live there because they want a tranquil life. Shanghai is an adrenaline filled city with extreme diversity. The maglev train (which I didn't get to ride) goes at amazing speeds. The elevator at the Oriental Pearl TV tower races to the top... and then back down again. Underground walkways on Nanjing Road guarantee shoppers don't have to stop for traffic, and traffic doesn't have to stop for them. People drive through tunnels and on bridges above the ground, always on the move.

The city explodes at night. Neon lights and skyscrapers illuminate the sky. From the Bund, views of the Pudong district include logos from all of the international corporations that call Shanghai home. Boats sailing the Huang Pu River display ads from local shops, hotels and restaurants. Commercialism at its best, a capitalist's dream.

I fell in love with Shanghai as soon as we arrived. It was the antithesis of everything I loved about my second favorite place in China (Shaolin Temple), but the epitome of everything I enjoy in life. Great design, variety, fast-paced but with a place to relax if needed. Shanghai is the most modern city in China, and provides a glimpse into its future expectations. A beautiful place that combines the most traditional Chinese ideals with the energy and guts to let the world know that they are not kidding.

Reflecting on Unique Aspects of China

2007-06-11T23:01:00.005-04:00

China possesses many unique traits such as their national treasure, the panda bear, a vast 55 minority groups, a widely diverse landscape and the largest population in the world. Another commonality Chinese people share is their close-knit family bond. Chinese families share a very important and very different bond from what we have in America. Of course, many Americans have close relationships with our immediate family but its more common that children move out by their early twenties and it’s not uncommon for parents and children to live in different states.

In China however, it is most common for parents to raise their child along side the grandparents. I frequently noticed older men and women (most likely grandparents) caring for young children during the day and then parents spending time with their child at night after work hours. Although many see the only child policy as an infringement on human rights, I noticed a much higher rate of parent participation due specifically to having just one child.

It’s way to frequent that in Florida, a huge tourist destination, I see women with multiple kids trying to control a bunch of unruly children while her husband just sits by and watches. It’s too common in America to see bratty children misbehaving with their siblings while the parents just sit by and watch. In China, I never once saw parents neglecting to participate with their kids and the one temper tantrum I saw was quickly stopped by parents doing what their supposed to do... parenting! Having the one child policy is a responsible decision when you analyze how ridiculously over populated China is as well as the rest of the world. When considering the Chinese family unit I noticed corresponding evidence to the increase in the Chinese middle class. Throughout most of the areas I visited there were not only western tourists but also many Chinese tourists. We often ran into the same Chinese families traveling on a similar tour route. Our translator and a few Chinese people I spoke with all explained that given the large growth of the middle class in China, it is more more prevalent for Chinese families to tour across their country. This occurrence is also influenced by the complications and expense of getting a travel visa.

It’s easy to romanticize a foreign culture especially a non-western one. But, I observed that my Chinese peers looked, acted and dressed more western than I had expected. Four out of our five guides were under thirty. This concludes that the Chinese of my generation are the ones who are most effected by China’s new role as an emerging global power as they are enrolled in new expansions of education and working opportunities.

This demographic is being exposed to new languages, most commonly English, and the idea that they can be anything they put their mind to. Although this life idealism is often associated with American culture, it is just one more example of how the two countries are becoming intrinsically linked. Utilizing education brings opportunities for more secure or high paying job along with new options to study abroad and later return to China expanding the diversity in a cultural exchange between America and China. Those of my generation are also influencing economic grown due to having expendable funds directly from jobs they attained because of their higher education and foreign language skills. This model also applies to students in America who have gained international business and foreign language skills.

Through interaction with my peers, I learned so much about the modern citizen's opinion of China. They are well aware of the pollution and sanitation problems that need to be redefined. Many of the Chinese students I spoke with recognized that air quality is a huge problem. This was one of the major issues for other students on the trip because after seeing some of the very poor living conditions of our peers. Although I have sympathy for the issue, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of guilt. As a global consumer of many Chinese made products I too was contributing to the pollution by purchasing products made by the factories that created such environmental hazards. As I thought more about this problem, I considered the fact that a few decades ago, America and Europe became stringent about the amount of pollution released. During the same time, China was open and ready to allow an influx of new foreign businesses and less focused on the environmental impact.

Besides the coal production, foreign businesses are able to have more lenient rules for the pollution caused by their factories, which they quickly moved out of America and into countries like China. If we hadn't started cutting back on the pollution in America 30 years ago, then we would probably have many of the same pollution hazards in our own country today. Typically, I have not agreed with our President Bush’s foreign policies but after experiencing the pollution in China I agree more than ever that terms need to be met on a path to cleaner air. I feel strongly that sanitation and air quality are undeniable human rights but I also understand that new rules take years to implement and in order for changes to effect society. I noticed that in Beijing hundreds if not thousands of new trees were planted in order to clean the air for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympic Games. I think it will be interesting to see what people say about the air quality a year or a decade from now.

My experience concluded that Chinese people are extremely friendly, outgoing and eager in interact with foreigners. I liked exploring the modern cities like Beijing and Shanghai but I was even more interested in learning about the smaller villages like the grape farming village we visited outside of Datong and the minority villages I visited outside of Guilin.

Rollins students visiting a school in northern China.

As tourism in China begins to boom, so grows a strong interest in visiting unique aspects of China. Site like the Great Wall of China, Qiao Family Compound and The Forbidden City can only be seen in this country. The Great Wall experience was especially important to me because it’s something that I have learned about from an early age. It is truly one of the most famous man made monuments in the world and a climbing it is a gratifying challenge to complete.

After the conclusion of the field study with Rollins College, I was able to visit the city of Chengdu where they have a special research and breeding center for giant pandas. This animal sanctuary is like no other in the world. The panda is the national treasure of China and an animal that has been around for over 2 million years. Today, global concern for the environment grows to encourage preserving natural ecosystems and helping threatened species, like the panda. Visiting this center was one of the most thrilling and uniqe experiences of my life. After making a substantial donation to the breeding center I was able to hold one of the seven baby pandas at the nursery! This exceptional experience is something that I will never forget and will always remind of the importance of supporting environmental and animal issues.

Holding a baby panda in Chengdu!

Father south in the city if Guilin I spent a few more weeks traveling through villages belonging to the Yao, Miao and Dong autonomous groups. This region is home to 11 of the 55 minority cultures inhabiting China. Visiting this area was completely different from the industrialized coal mining cities of the north and the western influenced cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Minority cultures have thrived for centuries almost completely secluded from the rest of China. Unfortunately, there are still issues and concerns for those living in the autonomous regions but they have been able to continue a traditional way of life inside China, a country booming with global expansion and outside influences. Today many indigenous villages are beginning to incorporate more modern technology like satellite dishes and electricity, while continuing important traditions passed down from their ancestors.

I really enjoyed visiting with the Red Yao people. One family welcomed us into their home and offered a customary cup of tea and rice, peanut soup which I gladly tasted. I found the Yao women especially beautiful. First, their traditional clothes are made from brightly colored, intricately patterned fabrics. Second, the Yao women had gloriously long hair, which they are known for only cutting once in their life. Inside their home, a few women took down their hair to show how the length. For some, their hair surpassed their height as two of them needed to stand on a small stool to keep their hair from hitting the ground. Experiences like this remind me that beauty is culturally relevant and adornment to one isn’t always seen in the eye of the beholder. Some ethnic minorities in China, such as the Yao, spread across different areas of Thailand and other border countries. Within each subgroup are an array of similar traditions carried out in their own way relevant to their geographical locations.

Visiting with women in the Red Yao village near Guilin.

Dong Minority Village

Many of the people living in the autonomous villages were friendly and eager to share with me aspects of their daily life and traditions. After traveling for hours (by car and by foot) into the mountains, I gained even more of an appreciation for their traditional lifestyle in such a beautiful but rugged terrain. This experienced further influenced my passion for learning about the human experience. When I learned how different groups adapted to life and elevations in the same area. For example, the Yao people thrived in the valley, along the riverside. While the Dong people had adapted to life at the mountain top where they built one of the most famous landscapes, the Longseng Rice Terrace. This rice terrace is also referred to as, “The Dragon’s Back” because of it’s rigid texture that extends as far as the eye can see.

Looking down from the top the mountain, I felt so lucky for the opportunity to see such a wonderful part of nature and to experience a variety of unique ways of living. Like many travelers, the emotions during my trip to China varied, from the excitement of visiting awe-inspiring sites to the perils of homesickness. Looking back, I remember fondly the kindness of Chinese people, the allure of the exotic and the inspiration to continue on a path of cultural understanding through travel.

Longsheng Rice Terrace near the Dong Village

The Great Wall: Great In More Ways Than One

2007-06-11T22:44:00.001-04:00

Visiting the Great Wall was one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me. The section of the wall that we climbed was 4100 steps long and I had no idea what would be in store for me climbing those steps. I think of myself as a fit person being on the varsity crew team. But, climbing the uneven steps on a hot day was hard. Everyone felt it. It was amazing to reach the top and realize that I had accomplished something important. The Great Wall is such a famous monument in the world. Before I knew that it was the only man made structure that can be seen from space. But, from Erica’s presentation I learned of the defensive, isolating reasons for the Wall and I learned of all the hard work that the Chinese had to endure to make the Wall. So many people died and their bones are inside the Wall. As I toiled at climbing the wall, those people had toiled even more than me and had even died on it. Another poignant point that I noticed was that many people had set up tables for selling items and they were placed along the wall, even high up. It was amazing to think that these vendors climbed the wall so many times with all of the tables and wares. I struggled, while it is normal for them. I also saw cleaning ladies sweeping up at each tower. And Chinese school boys raced each other up the steps in track suits that must have felt so hot to wear. I completely saw how much the Great Wall was a part of the Chinese. It was a huge part of those people; a national treasure. Everywhere we went, people would ask us if we had visited the Great Wall. It is so important to the Chinese; I only wish the U.S. had the same.

Tradtions and Modernity in Today's China

2007-06-11T22:42:00.001-04:00

Chinese people have a unique way of continuing to build on their past accomplishments. As China moves forward into modernity traditional aspects are combined with their new ideas and technological advancements.

In Beijing our group visited the Hu-tong back alleys. Here we saw courtyard homes from the dynastic period while riding in a pedi-cab. Besides the tour we were given a special opportunity to meet a Chinese painter Yanzhen Zhang. I was delighted that he invited us into his home because it gave us a chance to see how Chinese people live. We were especially lucky because his wife taught us how to make Chinese dumplings and later cooked a huge meal for us. I loved Yanzhen Zhang’s artwork style, which is a perfect example of mixing history and modernity. Yanzhen Zhang studied traditional Chinese painting and mastered it. He later continued studying modern art and incorporated what he learned with his skills in traditional painting. I really like the traditional style of Chinese paintings, especially the images that involve nature like cherry blossoms and bamboo. Being able to meet the artist, visit his studio and learn about his experiences makes the paintings I bought even more special. My favorite parts of the trip were interacting with Chinese people like the artist, the tour guides, the students at Shanghi University and the minority cultures in Guilin.

Another example is the tradition of kung fu at Shaolin Temple. This is a centaury old tradition that is kept popular today due in part from famous films from kung fu masters like Let Li and Jackie Chan. Visiting Shaolin Temple was a peak into the past, exploring the history of the temple and founding ideas of kung fu. Today the surrounding city is packed with people interested in keeping the traditions alive.
Later on my trip, I visited the southern cities of Guilin and Yangshuo. The Li River plays a very important role for the cities in this area, providing food and transportation. Later, we took a river cruse down the Li River to the town of Yangshuo where we discovered even more beautiful misty mountains. This area relies heavily on fishing from the river and cormorant fishermen are seen up and down the water floating on bamboo rafts. Cormorant fishing has been a reliable task throughout the past in this area. These birds are used to catch fish and return them to the fisherman. The agility of maneuvering a bamboo raft seems like enough of a task but these fishermen are able to fish even in the black of night. In their spare time, many have set of areas along the river where they will give tourists a relaxing ride downstream. This river ride exemplified to me the ingenuity of Chinese people. While we floated down the river every ten minutes or so we could come to a larger bamboo raft filled with food and treats. The people on these rafts provided snacks, drinks and souvenirs to the passers by. These basic bamboo rafts came equipped with stoves for cooking chicken, fish and shrimp. Later down the river there was a small drop, only about two feet, but enough of a drop to cause excitement on such a slow moving river. As the tourists squeal with excitement down the drop a large bamboo raft just a few dozen feet ahead snaps your picture with a digital camera and by the time you float by their raft your picture is printed and ready to be sold. I thought this was one of the most creative ideas. Here the people of Yangshuo took an ancient tradition of building bamboo rafts and incorporated modern technology to make a profit and appease tourists. It’s not everyday that you see a collection of brand new digital cameras, computers and photo printers floating down a river on a bamboo raft.

Top Two Favorite Sights In China Pt. 2

2007-06-11T21:49:00.000-04:00

At Shanghai University w/local students and Pearl TV Tower

At the Bund

The tallest building in the world

The modern city of Shanghai

Another favorite sight was definitely Shanghai. I found that everything that we had the opportunity to see was a great experience. Overall, Shanghai is China's most advanced city and as an American it was interesting to see the power that China holds. America is the epitome of stressing capitalism and it is a leading world power in all aspects of business, commerce, and modernity. Comparing Shanghai to America's developed cities is quite interesting and as America's relations with China continue to grow closer it will be interesting to see the impact of this prosperous relationship and the opportunities it will create throughout the world. Posted below are some simple reflections of what we saw in Shanghai.

On May25th we flew to Shanghai. Shanghai is an extremely young and modern Chinese city. It is the financial and business center of China. Shanghai makes up 30% of the Chinese economy. It contains a population of 18million people and 6million foreigners. In Shanghai it is obvious that there is a lot more economic liberalization practiced in order to improve the Chinese economy overall. Our first stop in Shanghai was the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. It is the tallest tower in Asia and the third tallest tower in the world. The antenna of the Pearl Tower is over 387ft alone. The tower is in the heart of the Budong, Blue River, which divides Shanghai into East and West. I noticed that it is an extremely modern city with an endless number of innovative high-rises. The tallest sky rise in the world is being built here and will be 96 stories high. The average price of real estate in Shanghai is $3,000 per 1sqm. Even though there is a population of 18million people, only 6 million have cars because there is a lot of traffic and congestion. It was quite interesting to see that the most expensive apartment in Shanghai is six million dollars and is owned by the Chinese government and an American venture. This is a prime example of how America has become heavily involved with Chinese business and has a strong influence on the Chinese economy. After the Pearl Tower, we went to eat at a typical Shanghai restaurant where the regional food is known to be much sweeter and milder than other Chinese dishes. After lunch we visited Shanghai University. It is known to be one of the best universities in China, however Beijing University ranks first. At the university we met many Chinese students, professors, and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. The students were extremely intelligent and spoke incredibly good English. The students from Rollins and Shanghai engaged in a long debate about the differences between American and Chinese lifestyles, politics, and student life. The students told us that they take about ten classes a semester where they are allowed to choose their own schedules. The university contains over 30,000 students. After our visit to the university we went back to our hotel, The New Century Hotel, where there were many tourists from all over the world, including India, Italy, Germany, and many Americans. After a short rest we went to a dinner show where the waiters wore roller skates to serve the food. There were many singers and dancers which provided very fun entertainment. After dinner was over we went to the Bund at nighttime. The Bund is a famous spot at night where once can walk along the river walk and see the entire Shanghai cityscape and skyline. The skyline is breathtaking with it’s vast amount of gorgeously illuminated buildings. Many boats cruise around the river, and the city brilliantly glows in a complete spectrum of colors. At the Bund there are many European inspired buildings from the British Quarter. The Bund is the most popular gathering place for local Shanghaier’s to go with their friends and families at night.
Unfortunately, our trip was winding down and May 26th would be our last day in Shanghai. On our last day we went to the Yu Garden of the Ming dynasty. The garden had beautiful greenery and was a main compound for the emperor and all of his wives. The emperor had thirty-two children in total. The Yu Garden is a large shopping street where many local Shanghaier’s go to shop, and eat. It is an extremely popular and crowded place to go on Saturday’s. After the gardens we visited the High Tech Park, which is the main research and corporate hub of many powerful companies, such as; GE, Amway, and Motorola. After the High Tech Park we went to the famous Nanjing Road. The road is the main shopping street in Shanghai. It is bustling with mobs of people and is filled with hundreds of department stores. It was truly a shoppers paradise. We concluded our amazing trip throughout China with a Shanghai acrobat show. The acrobat show was extremely exciting and impressive that had many courageous and talented acts. It included plate balancers, roller skaters, hula hopers, table jugglers, and a brave motorcycle show. Sadly, the following morning it was time to board the magnet train, the fastest transportation system in the world. The magnet train took us to the airport in less than seven minutes with the highest speed of 430 km/h. To arrive to the airport by bus from our hotel would of taken over forty minutes. The difference and speed was incredible. Our flight back home to Orlando totaled to over sixteen hours, but the long plane ride gave us plenty of opportunity to rest and reminisce about our incredible journey traveling through the middle kingdom. China is an amazing country with many modernly cosmopolitan and powerful cities with huge economic and political power, but it also contains many small charming villages where traditional Chinese culture can be found. China opened my eyes to a new world, and I hope one day I will be able to return to China and get to see what the future has in store for this great

country.

-Christina B

Top Two Favorite Sights In China

2007-06-11T21:28:00.000-04:00

During our extensive two week travel throughout China I saw many things that made a significant impression on me. If I had to pick the top two places that we visited, it would be the Shao-lin Temple near Zhengzhou and of course China's newest and highly modernized city of Shanghai.

Zhengzhou: Shao-lin Temple

Zhengzhou really stood out to me because it is one of the best ancient cities to get to know Chinese history. The Shao-lin temple was also fascinating because as a visitor it was amazing to see how religion and cultural traditions come together. The Chinese are becoming highly modernized but their deep rooted cultural traditions and ancient history will always lie close to their heart and be an active part of their lives.

May 23rd was our first day in the large city of Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou is located in the Henan Province, which is the largest province of China. The province contains over one hundred million people. I learned that there are 33-34 provinces in China and overall China has an enormous population of 1.3 billion people. The largest industry in Hunan is Agriculture such as wheat production. The province has history that dates back to over 5,000 years ago. At the center of the Henan province is the Yellow River. The river is the mother river of China. Our local tour guide, Jack told us that Henan is the best place to get to know ancient Chinese history because it is the oldest province in China. It was interesting that the citizens of Henan believe they are descendents of the dragon, a mythical creature that the Chinese greatly admire. Our first sight to see in Zhengzhou was the Shao-lin Temple. The Shao-lin Temple is said to be the monastery of all the world and is the origin of all martial arts. The warrior monks of the Shao-lin temple are synonymous with Chinese gongfu. Buddhism and martial arts are the elements that nourish and occupy the Shao-lin monk on an everyday basis. The martial arts performed here has become a popular subject in many films and becomes the fantasy of young school boys to become martial art masters. Unlike, other martial arts, Shao-lin Martial arts foster a great religious sense and a spiritual way of life. The monks of Shao-lin in ancient times were also sometimes called upon to fight for the court, which then evolved into the creation of a standing army of monk-soldiers. The monks used an ancient fighting technique called finger point, where they were able to put a hole in the highest and thickest of tress with a single finger. The main temple contains three Buddha’s; past, present, and future. Many of the monks live on the Shao-lin grounds and they are not allowed to marry, eat meat, and chose to live a very simple life. They also believe that the lotus is a holy flower, therefore it is often used as their symbol. We also got the opportunity to see the monks in their procession to a religious ceremony at the temple. The temple also contained many gongfu schools for young boys to learn the ancient art, we saw many talented boys practice their routines and daily exercises. After getting the chance to observe what a typical day at the temple was like, we went to see a kung-fu show. It was amazing to see the young men and boys perform such physically demanding exercises. They had mastered the use of swords and ancient gongfu fighting moves. Overall, I found the Shao-lin Temple to be extremely spiritually and physically intriguing. There is definitely no place in America where once can experience such an immense sense of spirituality and observe the complete immersion to master the skillful art of martial arts.

-Christina Benitez

A Chinese Perspective

2007-06-11T01:03:00.000-04:00

Reflecting back on the trip, I tried to put myself into the Chinese perspective. What would it be like to live in such a large country among billions of other people? What would it be like to live under a Communist, authoritarian government? And without suitable water to drink or pure air to breathe?

An Abundance of Bicyclists

I found it difficult and overwhelming to think of being an individual in the masses. China is very focused on the collective rather than the individual and this is practical for an individual is but a speck in China. I can compare it to me studying at the University of Florida and studying at Rollins. I would have a smaller chance of being noticed by teachers or making any significant impact at UF, compared to personally knowing teachers and having thoughtful discussions in class at Rollins. Living in China I would find it very difficult to be noticed and especially to be a leader. So many people are the same. From the way they look, to what they study, to their position in life. Becoming a somebody in China is much harder than in the U.S.

Mao Is Still Revered
Living under a Communist government would be hard for me to deal with. But, I see how the Chinese live with it. Most have lived under strong Communist authority their whole life. Before that, dynasties ruled over China, in an even harsher authoritarian way. The Chinese have never known what freedom truly can be. Coming from American democracy, I would find it very difficult to not be able to make my own choices or to speak out my opinion to whomever I choose. My final essay for the class spoke of the need for freedom of speech and I still strongly believe that this is a very important freedom that all humans should have. The Chinese government takes away many human rights and I feel sorry that many ignore these violations.

A Smoggy Day in Shanghai

The problem of living in dirty polluted conditions is one that saddens me as well. Factories, cars, and coal production have contributed to a lot of pollution, yet the government does not seem to have many plans to reduce this problem. If I lived in China, I would get sick right away. I did get sick on the trip and I think that the major instigator of this was the air. The human body is not meant to be eroded by smog and harsh

Where is the Blue Sky?

germs. The streets were filthy, trash was abundant, and even Shanghai, a very developed city, was dirty to me. With the amount of people living in China, there must be someone who will be able to clean up, at least cleaning bathrooms and clearing the streets. There has to be a solution to limiting noxious fumes from factories. The government needs to put a focus on this issue of pollution and hygiene, or else devastating consequences will result.

But, besides the negative issues that I thought of, I also saw the beautiful culture of China and would love to live there despite the government. The Chinese are lucky that they are surrounded by so much natural beauty, I truly hope that its beauty may remain forever. And I really enjoyed the sweetness shown toward us in China. I will remember our experience forever and I hope to go back sooner rather than later!

Government vs People

2007-06-11T00:44:00.000-04:00

The government seemed to be preoccupied with the Olympics and what that means symbolically for China. The development that is occurring in and around Beijing is all geared towards creating an impressive infrastructure to greet the foreign visitors. They tore families, entire neighborhoods, from their homes so that those areas could be demolished for new Olympic Park buildings. Yes those housing buildings are nicer than what existed there before and yes the people will be able to move in to them after the Olympics, but to tear people from their homes without giving them the opportunity to express to the government how they felt about it or without the government explaining its reasoning and position fully to the people do not seem like actions the government of a developed nation would take.

There in lies one of China's major problems, I think, evidenced by what I saw and heard while there. The government controls a massive portion of its citizens' lives and the citizens for the most part have no forum to express their feelings and wishes and largely no recourse for actions taken by the government which they find repugnant. Our local Beijing guide An was very nice and very candid with us on the bus, yet when we spoke about the Tian'an Men Square Incident, she warned us not to mention anything about it while there because of the multitude of plain clothed police officers. Not being used to anything like that, I could not help but try to scan all of the people on the Square to try to identify and avoid any police officers. This was also highlighted in my difficulty in asking the Shanghai University students a question about the development of China and the voice of the people when a dispute came up between to students about the issue. I am an American, very much so; I believe in the ideals of American democracy. There is little that pains me more than not being able to have some influence over what happens in my life and further not being able to express my opinion about whatever. I now have a much greater appreciation for the freedoms I enjoy in this country and the influence I have over the political direction of our nation.

Still a Developing Nation

2007-06-11T00:42:00.000-04:00

The fact that China is still a developing nation was something I understood academically but had never truly seen. In politics and Political Science there is much discussion about China today, its economy, and its predicted economic superiority to come in the not too distant future. Actually being in China and seeing the poverty first hand has changed my view of its ascendant position in the world. There are many in this nation who speak about the dangers of China, its rapidly growing economy and its increasing military spending, but seeing that village and seeing the almost barren wasteland of Datong's surrounding area from coal strip mining has shown me that even though China's economy and military spending are growing and growing fast, it still has a far road to travel before it can be counted fully among the developed nations of the West and Japan.

China may have had an extra trillion dollars to spend this past year, but it has much work to do to complete its ascendance. The money that China is making is concentrated around Beijing and along the coast. Out away from the major cities, there is a lot of nothing. Some of the countryside was very beautiful especially along the train tracks to Datong and around Zhengzhou, but even then there was a whole lot of nothing. I was surprised to see the dilapidated houses in which so many people lived; the cleanliness of even the big cities is very questionable in places. I do not see how a nation can be considered a developed one when there are dirty cows roaming freely through the streets of a medium income farming village dropping their droppings wherever they wish. I live in a small town in rural Pennsylvania where there are a lot of farmers, Amish, and low income families, and there are no places I know of in any proximity to my town that are in the same condition as the Five Laws village we visited. I understand that China is still a developing nation and that it takes time for a place like Five Laws to become a place like my home. The point I want to make, however, is that fear of America's loss of unquestioned superiority that so many like to remind us of is as of yet largely unfounded.

China is a great nation with a long and glorious past, but it still cannot provide basic human needs to all of its citizens. I was very surprised and found it very telling that the Chinese do not even drink tap water without first boiling it, and then only do so usually only if they cannot buy any bottled water. People always say not to drink the tap water in Mexico, but I have never heard that the Mexicans do not drink the tap water. I find it unfortunate that with an extra trillion dollars, the Chinese government who makes all decisions concerning infrastructure do not seem to be using any of that money to improve their water filtration system. The idea of basic human needs is one that is mentioned often when discussing developing or underdeveloped nations in Political Science, and it is an extremely important and relevant topic. Things such as clean drinking water, air quality regulations, adequate health care, etc. are important basic human needs and I did not see those being in the forefront of the government's agenda. The trees planted on the barren hilltops in the mining areas were only planted after dust storms swept up from Shaanxi and hit Beijing; only then did the government act to help restore the vegetation lost during strip mining.

Post-China Entry 2

2007-06-10T08:04:00.000-04:00

When viewing the instruments of torture and punishment used against criminals in historic China, the comment was made that such harsh measures were necessary to control the huge population. This got me thinking about whether the size of a given population could act as a primary formative element in other ways as well. It certainly seems to logically explain the often-mentioned divide between East/West and Society/Individual. In a larger community, a sense of cooperation would be essential; if there had been no such group cooperation, the community would have collapsed into anarchy. Smaller groups, on the other hand, encourage individualism, given that any individual stands a better chance of being well-known in his or her own right by the others. This also appears to help explain why the democratic and republican systems of governance formed primarily in the West, while Asian countries relied more heavily on authoritarian styles of absolute governance. In a small community, not only would everyone would want his or her own voice heard when important decisions were to be made, but such inclusion was also possible. In a much larger community that existed prior to current voting procedures, there would be no way to possibly take a vote from amongst the common people. The average citizen would have no real part in government and therefore be uninformed about what was going on, making him or her even less suitable and desirous of democratic voting.

Small things can be indicative of larger differences. Historically, Westerners greet one another by shaking hands. The reason for this custom is evident: it is a blatant check to make sure that the person with whom you are meeting is not carrying a knife or other concealed weapon with which to attack you. Eastern greetings, however, have historically been quite different. A traditional bow shows not only a greater focus on social hierarchy and subservience, but it also serves a second purpose: by exposing one’s neck to the other person, one is showing respect and trust that the other person is not armed or desirous of harm. It is possible that these two drastically different styles of greeting stem from a continuation of the ideas mentioned above. Since family serves as the functional unit of Chinese society (as opposed to the individual here), the Chinese place a much greater degree of importance upon ideas of obedience and subservience to parents and other family members. Working for the good of society presumably helps build a trusting attitude, whereas the smaller groups of Westerners, due to their constant fighting back and forth, have no real trust for those with whom they are very familiar.

Another formative element which I would be remiss for not mentioning is China’s isolation from the rest of the world. The Great Wall alone suggests that isolationism, even borderline xenophobia, is a facet of China that cannot be ignored. China is one of the few societies to voluntarily take a major developmental step backwards, and perhaps its act of burning its merchant fleet and destroying its maps and charts stands out as the most serious of any societies’ steps back. It seems as though a case could be made for isolationism and xenophobia as the causes of this drastic action. Although I’ve focused mainly on population size and a little bit on China’s history as being isolated, these are by no means the only two factors that worked to make modern Chinese culture the way it is. No doubt there are incalculable number of elements responsible, and not being an anthropologist or sociologist, I am probably the last person who should attempt a more comprehensive theory of how any culture arose, much less one with which I have as little experience as China.

Post-China Entry 1

2007-06-10T08:03:00.000-04:00

Before leaving for China, I found it interesting to study the reactions of those around me when they learned that I was traveling there for a field study class. Likewise, my friends and family have been far more inquisitive about the trip upon my return than they might have been had I simply been traveling in another state in the U.S.A. This got me thinking, even before we left, about the underlying perceived differences that become apparent from even these simple inquiries. Had I told people I was going to Mexico there might have been minor interest, and probably even less so if I had told them I was going to South Dakota. Why, then, should China be a much more fascinating destination?

There are several possible responses to this question, but they all have at their base an underlying, central answer. For one, China is a lot farther away than most of the other destinations to which I might conceivably be traveling. It is also not somewhere to which most Americans travel with great frequency, in part due to the aforementioned distance. There is also the perceived notion that China is very different from here, much more so than Mexico or South Dakota. This is the most direct clue that there is more to how people responded than simply the distance I was going to have to fly. The central assumption, the one in the back of everyone’s mind, is that China is drastically different, alien, and foreign to our sensibilities. This sentiment has been described in a number of ways, from Orientalism to Otherness to Alterity, but whether it is viewed through the lens of philosophy, anthropology, or sociology, it is the same phenomenon and combating it is the most important reason for a trip such as ours.

The concept of Otherness has a long and important history in philosophy and anthropology. Writings on Otherness in philosophy, also known as Alterity, can be traced back at least as far as the German idealist Hegel. For Hegel, the Other was a necessary and fundamental aspect of self-consciousness; put briefly, the appearance and recognition of another is part of what helps us to form an identity ourselves. Without the need to define another, we might never experience the need to define ourselves. Jean-Paul Sartre also wrote about the formative effects of Otherness on the way we perceive ourselves and the world around us. The general concept of philosophical Alterity is that the mere act of recognizing something as an Other in part defines what you are, for if there were no Others at all, then you would conceivably be boundless and undefined.

Qiao Family Compound 喬家大院

2007-05-14T16:55:00.000-04:00

A true rags to riches story, Qiao Guifa was very poor and an orphan during his childhood. As a teenager, he traveled to Baotou to attempt multiple ventures. He ran several types of businesses including pawnshops and grain shops but eventually made a living as a servant during Emperor Qianlong (1711 - 1799) reign in the Qing Dynasty. Qiao Guifa and business partner, Qin started selling fodder, bean sprout and bean curd. Several years later, they had become very wealthy. The Qiao’s family enjoyed the peak of success while under Qiao Zhiyong who followed the principles of being industrious, modest and generous.

The first portion of the compound was built in 1756. There would be later renovations and additions to the compound. The compound is located in Qiao Town in the Qi Xian County within Shanxi Province. The area covers about 2 acres with the construction filling almost 4,000 sq meters. There are six main courtyards, twenty small courtyards and 313 rooms. The compound was built for family safety and against aggressive business related competition. The walls surrounding are about 11 meters.

The compound was so large and magnificent that people were astonished by the wealth of the Qiao family. Yet, the compounds value only consisted of less than one percent of the total Qiao fortune. The compound gained most of the recognition for its large scale but also received accolades for the exquisite craftsmanship reflected in the brick carving, woodcarving and murals.

The craftsmanship is accompanied by many tablets within the compound. Two particular tablets are the most valuable. The ‘ren zhou yi fu’ displays the handwriting of Li Hongzhang (1832-1901). He was a famous general during the Qing Dynasty. Qiao Family had donated large amounts of money to the Qing army. The second tablet ‘fu zhong lang huan’ was bestowed to the Qiao Family by verbal instruction from Empress Dowager Cixi (1836-1908). Qiao Family had donated money to pay for her escape from Beijing.

In 1991, the Qiao Compound became international renowned as a result of Zhang Yimou movie “Raise the Red Lantern” starring Gong Li. The mansion was used as the backdrop for the live of the fourth wife ‘concubine’ of a wealthy man during the 1920’s.

People’s Square 人民广场

2007-05-14T10:30:00.000-04:00

People's Square (Ren Min Guang Chang) is a vast public square surrounded by government buildings. Before 1949 the Square was used as a course to race horses. After the Communist government came into play when betting and gambling was banned, a part of the course became the People's Square, used for spectator stands. During the 1990's the Shanghai Municipal Government building and the Shanghai Museum were moved out of their original buildings. One of the newest additions in the Square is the Shanghai Grand Theatre and the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.

Other features include a 320-square-meter water fountain, subway station and an underground shopping mall. Because the square attracts many people, it makes an ideal venue for people watching. The People's Square has become an outstanding landmark in Shanghai due to its geographical conditions and governmental developing plan of Shanghai.

Bund and Nanjing Road 外滩, 南京路

2007-05-14T10:09:00.000-04:00

The Nanjing Road located in Shanghai is one of the world's busiest shopping streets in the world (Yay Girls!). Near the Road is the Bund, a riverfront area famous for its view. This Road is also highlighted for tourist attractions and holidays such as celebrations for the Chinese New Year, the Spring Break (March Break), New Year's Eve, Christmas, and Easter. Some parts of the buildings and shopping centers also host a fireworks show over the main isle of the street. Although the Nanjing Road is popular for shopping, it is also known for its con artists who try to rip off tourists. Many times they focus on more inappropriate services for men and women. Often times, if you ask to take their picture they will leave you alone. They also stray from large groups.

The bustling Nanjing Road spans over 5.5 kilometers east to west. On both sides of the road are more than 600 shops and shopping centres carrying high quality, brand goods. The eastern part of the road is pedestrian-only with various attractions as well as its shops. Once the premier shopping street, it has been recently eclipsed by Huai Hai Road. Nevertheless, it attracts many people. Transportation is convenient as visitors can catch the metro at various points along the road. Filled with stores, art galleries and restaurants, this internationally known street is bound to fill up those already full suitcases.

The Ancient City of Ping Yao

2007-05-14T07:06:00.000-04:00

The history of Ping Yao stretches over 2700 years. Ping Yao was called the Ancient Tao before the Dynasties of Qin and Han. The county, also named Ping Yao, show records it was the manor of a tribal king in ancient China named Yao. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the county belonged to the Kingdom of Jin. The Warring States Period brought the city into the Kingdom of Zhao. The Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty each named the city Pingtao and Zhongdu county, respectively.
The original construction of the city dates back to the western Zhou Dynasty. Later the city underwent a renovation during the Ming Dynasty for defense purposes. Most of the original architecture remains intact and in good shape since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Ping Yao is located within the Shanxi province positioned 715 km south west from Beijing and 80 km from the provincial capital of Taiyan.
Ping Yao was the economic center of China during the late Qing Dynasty. At the time over half of China's financial institutions were located here. One of the institutions, Rishengcheng was the first draft bank in China. The financial reach of the traveled as far as New York and San Fransisco in America.
The city is now known for its well preserved ancient city walls. The wall encloses the city with a length of 64 kilometers. The wall reaches 12 meters high and 3 to 6 meters wide. There are six city gates that help contribute to the other name of the city. From the air, the city resembles the shape of a tortoise. Traditionally the tortoise is considered a symbol of longevity. Also along the wall there are 72 watchtowers and 3,000 external battlements. The watchtowers are to represent 72 people of great wisdom while the external battlements represent the 3,000 disciplines of Confucius.

Also nearby is the Dachengdian Temple. The only Confucius temple built in the Song Dynasty to be renovated later in 1163. There is a history of over 800 years in this temple.
In 1986, the Peoples Republic of China designated Ping Tao as a historic city. Ping Yao became a World Heritage Site in 1997 along with Zhenguo Temple and Shauanglin Temple.

Yungang Stone Cave

2007-05-13T21:54:00.000-04:00

Yun-gang Stone Cave Overview

One of the most fascinating, singular sites in the Shanxi province is the Yungang cave system. Located near the city of Datong at the base of the Wuzhou Shan Mountains, these caves are recognized by the United Nations as a world heritage site. Construction on the site began in 460 C.E. with the aim of creating a monastery and a testament to the Buddha. It took decades for the stone caves to be carved out and for the religious icons to be created. The final result was astounding: there are 252 grottoes total (which are commonly grouped together into fifty-two caves), with more than 51,000 Buddha carvings and statues, ranging from thumb-sized pieces to one fifty-six foot tall giant.

The caves are, for the most part, in extremely good physical condition. Many caves still possess layers of paint. In addition to the surviving Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, there is a well-preserved frieze that runs through many of the caves. This frieze tells in relief the story of the life of Siddhartha Gautama and how he attained awakening and became the Buddha.

Although in many ways the site has been remarkably well-preserved, it still has suffered an understandable amount of weathering and erosion given its incredible age. The front wall has eroded completely in many places, leaving the Buddhas exposed to open air; some of the larger statues are visible from a distance.

Foreign artifacts have also found their way into the caves over the centuries. Weapons and lion statues from Persia and Byzantium, tridents and curling acanthus leaves from Greece, draperies and head dresses from India are all present inside the grottoes. There are even statues from other religious tradtions: one cave features Vishnu sitting on top of a bull, Shiva, and an unidentified guardian wielding a trident.

Ying County Wood Pagoda and the Hanging Temple

2007-05-13T21:51:00.000-04:00

Ying County Wooden Pagoda

The Ying County Wooden Pagoda, originally named the Sakyamuni Pagoda at Fogong Temple, rests northwest of Ying County in the Shanxi Province. It is the only pure wood pagoda in China. Built in 1056 during the reign of the Liao Emperor Qing Ning by a monk called Monk Tian, the pagoda is the front centerpiece of the Buddhist Fogong Temple.

The pagoda is an octagonal structure with five stories, 67.31 meters in height, the tallest pagoda in China. However, there are four secret stories underground, staircases leading downward are hidden under doors in the floors of the first story on down, creating nine floors in all. The first floor gateway faces a statue of Sakyamuni which is 10 meters tall and there are many Buddhist paintings lining the walls. Each floor contains statues, scriptures, and paintings of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Disciples.

The pagoda has survived many earthquakes in the past 900 years of its existence. During the Yuan Dynasty an earthquake lasted for seven days, yet the pagoda remained intact. It is a strong structure, reflecting the achievement of wood architecture of ancient China.

An interesting note is that there is an inscription “The Miracle of Heaven” hanging below the eaves of the third and fourth floor which was written by the Ming Emperor Ying Zong. He was on a spiritual journey, passed through Ying County, and held a banquet at the Pagoda, relishing its peace and beauty.

Hanging Temple

The Hanging Temple near the city of Datong of the Shanxi Province is a monastery built during the Northern Wei Dynasty in 491 A.D. Residing at the foot of Mt. Hengshan (one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism), the temple hangs on the side of the mountain by an intricate framework. Wooden crossbeams were half-inserted into the rock, with the rock acting as support.

The temple is dedicated to Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, making it very unique. Sculptures of the different religious leaders, Sakyamuni, Confucius, and Laotzu appear together as well as other sculptures, carvings, and altars. The 40 wooden halls linked by bridges and stairways lead in only one direction due to lack of space.

The temple was originally built on the cliff to avoid flooding, rain, and snow. It was also built there to reduce noise, following a Taoist principle.

Tienanmen Square

2007-05-13T20:16:00.000-04:00

Tienanmen Square: Beijing

-Christina Benitez

A main attraction of Beijing is Tienanmen Square. It is the Sweeping Square Of The Gate Of Heavenly Peace. It is also known as the "soul" of China. The Square is composed of paving stones and has been the scene of the 1989 student demonstrations and their violet climax. It is also the center of the Communist universe and a enormous statement of state power. Chairman Mao is buried here and the monolithic Chinese parliament overlooks the square.

Today, Tienanmen Square has become the backdrop to vast military parades that go along the northern perimeter of Chang'an Jie (Avenue of Eternal Peace).

The square has an authoritative design but has become a "battleground" for the tussle between government and disaffected groups. However, the square acts as a huge park, with couples strolling hand in hand, children playing, and enthusiastic kite flying. The view here is said to be astonishing. In the early evening, soldiers of the PLA troop out to lower the Chinese flag, which attracts large crowds of people. The square brings together the city's people.

There are many soviet style monuments. To the north is Tienanmen Gate, with its huge portrait of Mao. South is the Mao Zedong Mausoleum. The hall was constructed the year after Mao's death in 1976. To the very south lies the Quanmen Gate which is one of the few remaining gates of the old wall of Peking. The West side of the square is dominated by the Great Hall of the People, where China's parliament meets. Visitors can enter the building when the National People's Congress is not in session. Opposite of this site is the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the Chinese History Museum.

Shanxi

2007-05-13T20:01:00.000-04:00

Overview of Shanxi

Shanxi is a province in the northern part of the People’s Republic of China. China is composed of twenty-two provinces, most of whose boundaries were established in the late Ming dynasty. Shanxi’s name literally means “the west of the mountain” or “mountain’s west,” and it is derived from the province’s position to the west of the Taihang Mountains. The other provinces that border Shanxi are Hebei to the east, Shaanxi to the west, and Henan to the south; to the north is Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region that belongs to the PRC. Much of the Shanxi/Shaanxi border is formed by the Yellow River, and much of the Shanxi/Inner Mongolia border is formed by the Great Wall of China. Shanxi occupies an area of 156,000 square kilometers (about 60,000 square miles) and has a population of over 32 million.

The capital of Shanxi is the city of Taiyuan. Taiyuan is an extremely old city which has been destroyed, flooded, and rebuilt many times since its construction in ca. 500 B.C.E. Historically, Taiyuan has some times been referred to as the Dragon City, owing to the number of kings that have come from there. Modern day Taiyuan is well-known for its Liuxiang shopping district and the serious environmental improvement efforts. These efforts, including the construction of parks along the Fen River and the lowering of thee city’s pollution and environmental impact, have been praised by the United Nations and are being emulated in other cities across China. Other notable locations in Shanxi include the village of Dazhai, which was singled out during the Cultural Revolution as a paradigm of exemplary work ethic and hardiness on the part of the peasant proletariat.

The Shanxi Province is at a high altitude, and it is characterized by a cold, dry, and arid climate, and it is also frequently plagued by sandstorms. Annual rainfall is between 400-600 millimeters, and the water resources of the province are steadily declining. A certain degree of Shanxi’s economy is based upon agriculture; important crops include wheat corn, potatoes, beans, and millet. Agriculture in Shanxi is limited to only these items by the province’s climate and dwindling water resources. Shanxi contains 260 billion metric tons of known coal deposits, about one third of China's total. As a result, the province is a leading producer of coal in China, with annual production exceeding 300 million metric tons. The extraction and refinement of coal is Shanxi’s largest economic endeavor.

Another notable feature of Shanxi is the presence of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The center, which is actually a considerable distance from Taiyuan, is one of the four satellite launch centers of China’s space program. The site has been primarily used to launch meteorological satellites and other earth resource satellites, but it has also launched a number of ballistic missile tests.

Beijing Overview and Tiananmen Square

2007-05-13T19:37:00.000-04:00

Beijing is the heart of the Middle Kingdom. It is also the capital city, therefore the Chinese "universe" orbits Beijing, and the political power is heavily based here. The main dialect spoken in Beijing is Mandarin Chinese. An important part of Beijing is the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is Beijing's "walled heart", thus the forbidden city is a prime example of Beijing culture and custom. The plan of the Forbidden City extends outward, framing Beijing in a broad "grid" pattern composed of wide boulevards and squares.

Beijing has heavily modernized, however old reminents still remain which has made the city a melting pot of modern and past customs. The streets are filled with workers, soldiers, entrepeneurs, and loads of tourists.

Despite its rapid adaption to western culture, the city doesn't lack history. The Lama Temple and the Temple of Heaven are the most prominent examples of Beijing architecture. The Great Wall also snakes its way north of the capital city, where the Summer Palace makes for an excellent sight to see.

Beijing is also the home of students learning madarin. The city has been given the nickname "Big Mac" because you can find fast food almost everywhere throughout the city. Another extremely popular Beijing dish is the Peking duck. It is very hard to get around the city because its roads are heavily populated and chaotic. Walking around the city is also very tiring because the city is very big. The most popular methods of transporation include; walking, buses, subway, renting a bicycle, or a cheap taxi.

Oriental Pearl TV Tower 东方明珠电视塔

2007-05-13T18:49:00.000-04:00

The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is located next to the Huangpu River in the Pudong New District of Shanghai. The construction of the tower started in 1991 and was completed four years later in 1995.

The Tower is a towering 1,535 ft high making it the tallest tower in the continent of Asia and the third tallest tower in the world. To give the structure the stability needed, the building starts several stories below ground.

There are three observation levels in the building, the lowest at 295 ft, the next at 863 ft, and the tallest at 1,148 ft. There is a revolving restaurant 876 ft up. The antenna spire that broadcasts the television and radio programs alone is 387 ft.

Large double decker elevators take visitors, a maximum of fifty people per elevator, up the tower at the rate of seven meters per second.

The Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi inspired the design of the tower by a line in his poem "Pipa Song." The line is, "大珠小珠落玉盘” which translates approximately to, "like pearls, big and small, falling on a jade plate." The poem is about the music of the Pipa insrument.

Pudong New District 浦东新区

2007-05-13T18:01:00.000-04:00

Pudong is a financial district in Shanghai that has been developed and built up over the last seventeen years to become China's financial and commercial center. Pudong literally means "East of the Huangpu River" and the Bund is located on the opposing side of the river. Pudont is one of the larger districts of Shanghai and has come to epitomize the modern city.

Pudong was once mostly farmland until development began in 1990. The development was designed to create a new Special Economic Zone in Shanghai where more liberal economic laws are in place to help China catch up to the West and Japan. This is in line with the selective economic liberalization Deng Xiaoping started in the 1980s. Since Shanghai is a directly administered city, at the level of a province, its districts are governed at the level of a prefecture level city. Pudong is governed at the level of a sub-provincial level city.

In 2005, Pudong's GDP was $25.5 billion, a testament to the success of this Special Economic Zone. Pudong has attracted many investors from within China and from around the world. It seems as though Pudong will help ensure a bright future for Shanghai and for China.

Shanghai and Yu-Yuan Garden

2007-05-13T01:15:00.000-04:00

Shanghai - on top of the sea.

Shanghai is the largest city in China, and the third largest city in the world. The 2000 census put the population of Shanghai to 16.738 million The city has one of the biggest ports, and is the center of China's modern day economy. It's biggest economic rival in the country is Hong Kong. Shanghai is also a large political hub. The city of Shanghai actually has province level status in China.

There is no single "downtown district" in Shanghai; the center of urban life is scattered throughout many districts. The city has a very extensive public transportation system, and for a city of it's size, traffic is relatively smooth and convenient. It is considered to be the "birthplace of everything modern in China."

Now for the weather in Shanghai. The climate is classified as humid subtropical. In normal terms, it experiences all four seasons - freezing temperatures in he winter, and an average of 90 degrees in the summer months of July and August. Heavy rain is frequent in the early summer. It says that it gets ridiculously hot in the summer months, but as we're going in May, it probably shouldn't be as bad as it would be in July or August.

The Yu-yuan Garden is considered to be one of the four finest Chinese gardens in China, and is located in the center of the Old City in Shanghai. It took 20 years to build the garden, and Pan Yunduan began the construction in 1558. It was a private garden built to please his father, who was a high ranking officer in the Ming Dynasty.

The garden takes up 5 acres of land and is divided into 6 general areas. These are: the Grand Rockery, Heralding Spring Hall, the Inner Garden, Jade Magnificence Hall, the Lotus Pool, and the Ten Thousand-Flower Tower. Each area is separated by a dragon wall.

Much damage was done to the garden over the years, and finally the Shanghai government repaired it in 1956-1961. At the end of this time, it was opened to the public once again. In 1982, it was declared a national monument.

Handy Exchange Chart

2007-05-12T23:21:00.000-04:00

I've gotten a little chart together, exchanging renmenbi into U.S. Dollars:

1	$0.13	125	$16.25	500	$64.99
10	$1.30	150	$19.50	600	$77.98
20	$2.60	175	$22.75	700	$90.98
25	$3.25	200	$26.00	750	$97.98
50	$6.50	250	$32.50	800	$103.99
75	$9.75	300	$39.00	900	$116.98
100	$13.00	400	$52.00	1000	$129.97

Bird's Nest Stadium

2007-05-12T17:59:00.000-04:00

The Beijing National Stadium, or bird's nest, will be the central location for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The government received many entrees for design. Thirteen designs were showcased in Beijing for public vote. Of those, three designs entered the final competition. The design from a Swiss-based architecture firm that collaborated with China's Institute of Architecture Design and Research won. While most comments are positive, some residents feel it seems "messy and incomprehensible." Another worrisome item was the "disproportionate" cost of the retractable roof, which would have taken up one-eight of the total cost. They decided to omit that feature.

It's nick-name "bird's nest" came from the media who felt that it did indeed look like a birds nest. This look is caused by curved steel-net walls that function to integrate the stairs, walls and roof into one system. The stadium covers and area of over 140,000 square meters an will hold up to 100,000 spectators. Its construction is budgeted at almost 450 million USD. Considering its size, it is an environmentally conscience building. Some of it's "green" features include: rainwater collection system, translucent roof providing sunlight to the grass, and a natural ventilation system. Inflated cushions will be installed inside the structure to provide protection from the weather. The lobby will have restaurants and shops.

During the Olympics it will be the site of the Opening and Closing ceremonies, as well as all track and field events. After the Olympics it will be used for national and international sporting events and cultural activities.

Wang-fu-jing Business District

2007-05-12T14:10:00.000-04:00

Wangfujing street, or the "walking street", is one of the Chinese capital's most famous shopping streets. It is now considered the central heart of the city. Wangfujing is a fairly long street, where most areas of Beijing are easily accessible. The street is home to many department stores, boutiques, souvenier shops and areas that sell food and Chinese paintings.

Wangfujing is a seven hundred year old commercial street. During the Qing Dynasty, many aristocratic estates and residences were built there. A well, full of sweet water was found soon after, which gave the street its name, "wang fu" means aristocratic palace and "jing" means well.

Much of the road does not allow cars or other motor vehicles, which allows the street to be full of pedestrians. Before the late 1990s, trolleybuses, buses and other traffic ran through the street, making it very congested. During 1999 and 2000, modifications were made to make Wangfujing Street car-free, except for the trolley tours.

One of the major shopping malls, Oriental Plaza, is located at one end of the street, Wangfujing Nankou. The street heads north and ends at the Sun Dong An Plaza.

Great Wall of China

2007-05-12T13:26:00.000-04:00

One of the country's most significant representations of culture and history is the Great Wall of China. The wall takes the shape of a gigantic dragon. It winds across northern China from east to west, passing through deserts, grasslands, mountains, valleys and plateaus. The wall is over 4,000 miles long, with an average height of 40 feet and a width of 16 feet.

The first part of the wall was built in 770 BC and the construction continued on for centuries, when each dynasty continued to add more. It was built in order to protect China from raids by the Mongols and Turkic tribes. The primary purpose of the wall was not to keep out the people who could scale the wall, but to insure that semi-nomadic people on the outside of the wall could not cross their horses or return easily with stolen property. During those times, the weaponry only consisted of swords, spears, lances and bows and arrows, nothing strong enough to defeat the structure of the wall.

The wall was one of the most strategic military structures. It is complemented by defensive fighting stations, to which wall defenders could retreat if overwhelmed. Each tower has unique and restricted stairways and entries to confuse attackers. Barracks and administrative centers are located at larger intervals. And, in addition to the usual military weapons of the period, specialized wall defense weapons were used. The watch towers, which were spread about a half mile apart were used to house troops, send smoke signals and store weapons.

The materials used were those available near the site of construction. Near Beijing, the wall is constructed from quarried limestone blocks. In other locations it may be quarried granite or fired brick. Where two such materials are used, two finished walls are erected with earth and rubble fill placed in between with a final paving to form a single unit. In some areas the blocks were cemented with a mixture of glutinous rice and eggwhite. In the extreme western desert locations, where good materials are scarce, the wall was constructed from dirt rammed between rough wood tied together with woven mats.

Even today, new parts of the wall are being discovered. In Oct. 2002, a 50 mile section of the wall was discovered in northwestern china, centuries after being submerged by the sands that move across the arid area each year.

The Wall is included in lists of the "Seven Medieval Wonders of the World" and it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Long-ting Park & City Gate 龙庭

2007-05-12T12:44:00.000-04:00

Long-ting Park was built during the Song dynasty and is located in the city center, along the Imperial Way. In the park are many souvenir shops and traditional restaurants.

Dragon Pavilion

The Dragon Pavilion is a famous monument in this city. It was the emperor’s palace during the Jin and Song Dynasty and later became a Taoist temple when the Yuang Dynasty ruled. You must climb 72 steps to enter the palace and the entrance has nine carved dragons. Behind the Dragon Pavilion is a public park with two lakes, Pan Lake and Yang Lake.

Iron Pagoda

The Iron Pagoda is an octoganal Buddhist pagoda made of glazed bricks, origionally build during the Song Dynasty in 1049 A.D.

Overview of Kaifeng 开封简介

2007-05-12T12:41:00.001-04:00

Kaifeng is an ancient walled city south of the Yellow River, in the Henan providence. This city is one of the main cities of ancient Chinese civilization, know as “the capital of seven dynasties”. This area was where some of the earliest Chinese settlements were constructed. Kaifeng was the capital city of seven dynasties beginning with the Kingdom of Wei (475-331 B.C.) Then followed by the Northern Song Dynasty (960 a.d.-1126 A.D.), Lin, Hang, Zhou and Jin dynasties. During the Song Dynast (960-1137) this city was at its height. The population reached almost 700,000 people, confirming that it was a very popular and powerful city. Inside the city walls, the Imperial City is protected by the “Red Phoenix Gate”

There is a historical Jewish center in the western part of the city. Many Jewish merchants settled after trading along the Silk Road, beginning sometime around the 8th century. Today, there are many religious relics of both cultures in the Kaifeng Municipal Museum. There was a large synagogue built in the 12th century, which unfortunately was destroyed by a flood in the late 1800’s.

Xiangguo Temple

This Buddhist Temple was built in 555 A.D. The monastery was home to thousands of monks and there is a treasury with ancient Buddhist artifacts.

The Summer Palace

2007-05-10T22:34:00.000-04:00

The area now known as the Summer Palace was first built in the 12th century Jin Dynasty and was called Golden Hill Palace. It is 12 km outside o Beijing. At roughly 300 hectares (726.5 acres) it is the largest existing imperial garden in China. The largest areas are Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, the rest holds over 3000 structures and many gardens. It can be divided into four parts:

1. Front-Hill Area: This area holds the most number of buildings to include some of the Summer Palace's most important buildings.

2. Rear-Hill and Back-Lake Area: Fewer constructions with many trees and winding paths.

3. Court Area: The main entrance to the Summer Palace, the East Palace Gate brings people into the Court Area where administrative work was conducted. This is where the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu ruled.

4. Front Lake Area: The Lake and six bridges.

The major scenic spots are:
-The Pavilion of the Fragrance of Buddha: It's walls are carved with images of Buddha
-The Marble Boat: Built in 1755, the boat is completely made of marble.

It began as a retreat for the emperors away from the main imperial palace, the Forbidden City. In the Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Kublai Khan had canals constructed to transport water to the palace. The Kunming Lake was enlarged and became a reservoir. In the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qian Long hired landscape artists to replicate palaces and gardens around China, increasing the number of gardens found on property. He renamed the spot Longevity Hill. In 1860, many buildings were destroyed when the Anglo-French Allied Forces invaded China.

From 1888-1898, Empress Dowarger Cixi used funds she took funds meant for the Imperial Navy to restore the Summer Palace, and then moved her administration there upon completion. She renamed it Yi He Yuan. Many of her changes were expensive and excessive. The kitchen was eight courtyards and employed 128 eunuch cooks. She exclusively used 290 of 294 hectares. The palace began to symbolize the imperial family's decadence.

During the Boxer Rebellion, the palace was destroyed again. When CiXi returned in 1903, she ordered a full-scale restoration and that is what exists today.

In 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List.

Zhengzhou

2007-05-07T17:40:00.000-04:00

Hi,
Its Suki. Zhenzhou is said to boast to be one of the origins of the Chinese nation, because it is so old.

Overview of Zhengzhou 郑州简介

Zhengzhou is the capital of Henan province, and the ancient capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1100 BCE). Zhengzhou is a historically significant city of ancient China. During the Shang Dynasty, it was a walled city and the ruins still stand. They were also early makers and users of bronze that they used for military and ritual use.

In 2004, China named Zhengzhou its eighth ancient city; and “as a civilization is junior only to ancient Egypt, India, and Babylon,” (http://www.world66.com/asia/northeastasia/china/henan_province/zhengzhou).

Touring sites say that because Zhengzhou is a provincial capital, “is the height of fashionable entertainment and shopping in Henan – you won’t be disappointed.”

The weather should be comfortable, we should be there during the most desirable time of the year. Today’s temperature, May 7th, is 65 degrees F, with mist, so we might want a light jacket when we go to Shaolin Temple. Take into account the elevation of about 3K feet, forrest, and mist.

Zhenzhou has just concluded the Ancestor Worshipping Ceremony of 2007. It was celebrated at the Birthplace of Emperor Huang Xuanyuan, who “is the common ancestor or all the Chinese in the world,” (http://www.zhengzhou.gov.cn/zfwz/detail/detail.jsp?id=070418094647).

Recommended area attractions are the Shaolin Temple, the Yellow River Scenic Area, Huge Statues of Emperor Yan & Huang, and the Birthplace of Emperor Huang Scenic Area.

Zhengzhou adopted the China rose as the city’s flower in 1983, and are in the midst of celebrating their venerated flower at this moment with the First Chinese China rose exhibition. The exhibit opened in Zhenzhou April 28th and will continue through May 16th. Twenty cities in China have participated in the show. Zhengzhou will plant 2 million roses this year and will build a China rose park, this year.

Web Bits:

Mt. Songshan Mt. Songshan, 1,512 meters above sea level, is one of China's Five sacred Mountains and is known for its majesty and magnificent view. The entire site is composed mainly of the Taishi and Shaoshi mountains and covers over 70 kilometers of the central plain. It is Listed as one of the 44 key sightseeing zones in China. Mt. Songshan has a total of 72 peaks, each with its unique grace and charm. A special geological formation in the region is known as "Five Generations Under the Same Roof ".The 20 famous scenic sites on the mountains all have spectacular peaks valleys, caves, waterfalls , springs and forests. Scenic spots particularly worth touring include: watching the Moon at Songmen Gate, Qiyin Summer Resort, Feast in the middle of Shizong River, Shaolin Temple (known as the First Temple Under Heaven), the Star watching Terrain, the oldest existing brick tower in China, and Zhongyue Temple which is the largest existing Daoist temple among the Tive Sacred Mountains.
http://www.zhengzhou.gov.cn/zfwz/detail/detail.jsp?id=060419013242

General Introduction
General Information Zhengzhou is an old city. As early as 3500 years ago, it had become a major capital city of the Shang Dynasty. With a long history, Zhengzhou boasts one of the origins of the Chinese nation, giving birth to a brilliant culture of the Chinese nation. Zhengzhou had been a capital city for five times, respectively of the dynasties of Xia and Shang and of the states of Guan, Zheng and Han; and a prefecture in the eight dynasties of Sui, Tang, the Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing.
Location of Zhengzhou
With the Yellow River to the north, the Songshan Mountains to the west and the Huanghuai Plains to both the east and the south, Zhengzhou is located in an area in the Central Plains between Latitude 34`16` N-34 8` N and Longitude 112`42` E-114`14`E. The city proper occupies 1,0113.32 Square kilometers including the built-up area of 137.5 square kilometers.
Investment Zhengzhou foreign Investment Center had been established by Zhengzhou People`s Government, responsible for the introduction, examination and approval, and administration of enterprises with foreign investment. The Center integrates the business of foreign trade and economic cooperation, industry and commerce ......
http://www.zhengzhou.org.cn/english/english.php

Shaolin Temple

2007-05-07T16:00:00.000-04:00

Hi,
This is Suki. I'm looking forwrd to visiting Shaolin Temple. It is historically significant. Check out the utube link at the end of my essay. I attempted to add pictures, but I couldn't do it. I included an excerp from Wikipedia because I thought it was interesting, but didn't want to pretend I had my own words for it.

Shaolin Temple 少林寺

少林寺,Shaolinsi, “monastery of the woods near Shaoshi Peak.”

The Shaolin Temple is a Chan/Zen 禅 Buddhist monastery. Legend has this place as the origin of all martial arts/Gungfu.

An Indian dhyana master, Batuo, traveled to the ancient capital of Luoyang to teach Buddhism around 495 CE, during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), and won favor with the Emperor Xiao Wen. This Emperor built Shaolin Temple for Batuo and his followers, in the Songshan Mountains.

The monk, Damo/Bodhidharma, came to Shaolin from India, in 517/527 CE. He is the creator of Chinese Zen. He is said to have meditated in a near by cave, on Song Mountain, for nine years; it is now called Damo Cave. There, he taught himself self-defense. He later taught these skills to the disciples at Shaolin.

It is not decisive that Damo is the absolute beginning of the practice of martial arts, but that’s all we have to work with right now.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Shaolin monks saved the life of an Emperor, Li Simin, and had then been allowed to have soldier-monks. The Temple housed over a thousand soldier-monks at their apex during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

“Kangxi (1654-1722), the second Qing emperor, was a supporter of the Shaolin temple in Henan and he wrote the calligraphic inscription that, to this day, hangs over the main temple gate,” (wikipedia).

The Qing government, in 1732, hammered the Temple, the monks, and the practice of martial arts for supposed anti-Qing activities. Legend has it that Shaolin martial arts spread with fugitive monks upset by the Qing crack down.

The Temple has survived a few bad fires, the worst in 1928, by the warlord, Shi Yousan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llqup1Uir6k

"In 1928, the warlord Shi Yousan set fire to the monastery, destroying many priceless manuscripts of the temple library, some of its halls, and damaging the aforementioned Stele.
The Cultural Revolution purged all monks and Buddhist materials from within its walls, leaving the temple barren for years. During most of the second half of the 20th century, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) used Shao-lin for training bogus monks- actually Red Guard or Red Army soldiers/agents. The temple and grounds, including the cemetery of past priests known as Ta-lin (Big Forest) and the Pool of the Nine Dragons, was used as an artillery target by the CCP army for decades.
The target practice extended to Omei (Emei) Mountain Temple, a place that once housed the Shao-lin sister nuns. Shao-lin was subsequently rebuilt, repopulated and designated an official tourist site by the Chinese government after the overwhelming success of the Jet Li movie Shaolin Temple in 1982.
Martial arts groups from all over the world have made donations for the upkeep of the temple and grounds, and are subsequently honored with carved stones near the entrance of the temple.
In the past, many people have tried to capitalize on the Shaolin Monastery by building their own schools on Mount Song. However, the Chinese government eventually outlawed this, and so the schools all moved to the nearby towns. The CCP did not wish its monopoly on all things Shaolin to be jeopardized, nor did it wish to lose the lucrative franchise of Shaolin souvenirs.
A Dharma gathering was held between August 19 and 20, 1999, in the Shaolin Monastery, Songshan, China, for Buddhist Master Shi Yong Xin to take office as abbot. He is the thirteenth successor after Buddhist abbot Xue Ting Fu Yu. In March 2006 President Putin of Russia became the first foreign leader to visit the monastery."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Monastery

HIS212F: 中国 - Journey to the Middle Kingdom

2007-04-26T10:09:00.000-04:00

Dear Students of HIS212F:

It's hard to believe that we will be in China in little more than two weeks. To better prepare for our field study trip, I have listed some points of interests along our itinerary, and I hope each student will pick up a couple of items from the list and conduct research on their backgrounds, historical significance, things to look while in China, etc., and post your summary findings on this blog before our departure time, so that other group participants can gain some insights from your learning experience.

List of Points of Interests that we will visit in May 2007:

Beijing:

1. Beijing Overview北京简介 / Tian-an-men Square 天安门广场

2. People’s Hall of Congress 人民大会堂 / Forbidden City 紫禁城 (故宫)

3. Summer Palace 颐和园 / “Bird Nest” Stadium

4. Great Wall 长城 / Wang-fu-jing Business District 王府井大街

5. Temple of Heaven 天坛 / Hu-tong 胡同

Shanxi:

6. Overview of Shanxi山西简介/ Yun-gang Stone Cave 云冈石窟

7. Ying County Wood Pagoda 应县木塔 / Hanging Temple 悬空寺

8. Qiao Family House at Qi County 祁县乔家大院/ Pingyao Ancient City 平遥古城

Henan:

9. Overview of Zhengzhou 郑州简介/ Shaolin Temple 少林寺

10. Overview of Kaifeng 开封简介/ Long-ting Park & City Gate龙庭

Shanghai:

11. Overview of Shanghai 上海简介/ Yu-yuan Garden 豫园

12. Oriental Pearl Tower 东方明珠 / Pu-dong District 浦东新区

13. Bund & Nanjing Road 外滩, 南京路 / People’s Square 人民广场