The Great Wall

Wednesday June 30
Today we went to The Great Wall of China. Originally built as defense against the northern, nomadic raiders, the Wall has become one of China’s greatest tourist attractions. Young and old, Chinese and foreign tourists, everyone wants to say, “I climbed the wall,” and then buy the T-shirt. The steps can be very steep and we all took many breaks on our way to the top. We carried water bottles and bought even more water once we reached the top. Still, one man climbing in our area became sick to his stomach on the way up and other members of our group witnessed another tourist who was convulsing as she became overheated from the exertion.
Though it was tiring to reach the top, it’s impossible to forget that those that built the wall carried those stones and bricks up the steep mountains sides before the steps existed, and many lost their lives during the process. The views were amazing. The photos from this hazy day won’t due the views justice.

Chinese retirement

Tuesday June 29
Today we went first to the Temple of Heaven, where the emperor used to yearly perform the ritual sacrifice of oxen, to ensure a good harvest for the people. Beautiful building. It’s a shame to say but we have seen so many beautiful buildings. What was fascinating to many of us was that that the temple grounds.
The temple grounds are essential a large park: covered with lush lawns, winding paths, cool covered walkways and shady mature trees. The grounds have become to gathering place for the retirees of Beijing. They bring their lunches. Sometimes they bring their grandchildren. They arrive early and stay much of the day. They participate in a number of free activities: dance lessons, singing lessons, cards and dominoes. Perhaps most impressive were the physical games which they played: hacky sack (seriously, grannies and grandpas playing hacky sack!), paddle ball in which the two ladies stood 50 yards apart from and just slammed the ball back and forth to each other, and tai chi
They performed tai chi with paddles and balls, swords and without any props at all. We took a short lesson with a 70 year old master. It was calming, but quickly it became clear that tai chi practice is more than just meditation, it will build leg and core strength! Many of us broke a sweat during the short 20-minute exercises she led us through.
One man brought a special long brush, which he dipped in water to write traditional Chinese poems in Chinese calligraphy on the walkway. His granddaughter stood at his side. What a life for retirees. I wish we had those kinds of opportunities for our retirees!

Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

Monday, June 28
After an hour flight (our fifth this trip with just one return trip to Chicago to go!) we arrived in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Our first stop: Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public gathering place. Located on the square: Chairman Mao’s mausoleum, where his body has been preserved and displayed since his death in 1976, the national museum, their capitol building, where the people’s representatives meet and discuss the business of the nation and the Forbidden City. It really is an enormous space.
Perhaps Tiananmen Square is best known for the student protests which ended in a government crackdown and hundreds of deaths. Though we did not ask our Chinese guide about these events, she said that most tourists do ask about what happened and so she explained to us that no one could know for sure what happened during those days in 1989. Though she was alive in 1989, she was a small girl. She said the students began their protests against government corruption, which they mistakenly believed existed. First the demonstrations were entirely peaceful but in the end, “some people died”. She added that who exactly died was uncertain, perhaps it was soldiers maybe some students or actors. This is all complete garbage, of course, but it is impossible for Chinese to learn what really happened then and there because their news and internet are censored.
In any case these events, which are unclear to many, if not most, Chinese, are less important to them than the fact that it was from the balcony of the wall surrounding the Forbidden City that Chairman Mao declared the beginning of the People’s Republic, the beginning of “New China” which is a phrase we have heard so often during this trip.
The Imperial Palace, once known as the Forbidden City because it was forbidden to most except the emperor, his wives and advisors, was gorgeous, and much larger than I had imagined. It’s one of those things that you have to experience to understand and I am so grateful to have seen it for myself. Almost time to come home and I am looking forward to seeing everyone and sleeping in my own bed!

*** Editor's Note: Tiananmen Square is 108.7 acres or 440,000 square meters ***

Chinese Muslims and Moped Cabs

Sunday, June 27
Our day started out with a trip to the Grand Mosque. Up until a few years ago, I did not know about the minority Muslim Chinese people. The early Muslims traveled here on the Silk Road, and brought their faith with them. Their architecture, their dress… even their food is an interesting blend of their Muslim heritage and the surrounding Chinese culture. Two Muslim boys ran through the courtyard, wearing their traditional caps to cover their heads, and played Kung Fu. A sign atop a pagoda in the mosque garden read, in Chinese characters, purity (one) faith- expressing the central Muslim belief in one god. Our lunch in a Muslim restaurant featured mutton (lamb), a staple of middle-eastern Muslim food, and noodles, favorite Northern Chinese food. It was delicious.
Since our afternoon was free, we headed to a Taoist temple, which was fascinating. But the cab ride back was a study in Chinese culture. No cabbie would agree to take us. Not speaking Chinese, we did not understand why. A nice gentleman explained to us that the cabbies were in the middle of shift change. No one wanted to take a group of Americans far away from their area right before the end of their shift. We finally convinced a moped cab driver to take us. Once settled in to the tiny benches and cage attached to the back of a moped, we ventured out into the crazy Chinese traffic, where traffic rules and tiny things like lane markers are never any obstacle for the Chinese drivers. One of my fellow teachers asked, “What is this we are riding in?” I’m pretty sure it is not street legal in the U.S., but we survived and enjoyed the ride, as the smaller vehicle made it possible for us to drive down some narrow streets and the breeze through the cab was delightful on this hot day.
Gift idea for the day: Brazil soccer jerseys. The World Cup is HUGE here. Another teacher and I have been looking for China national team jerseys to bring home for souvenirs. Wherever you go, you can find Brazil, Germany, and Italy, but no China. Sold out, perhaps? No. When we asked at a shop for “China Football jerseys”? Several shop attendants bust out in hysterical laughter. Finally someone explained, “China team, very bad. No one wear this. You buy Brazil?” By the way, Chinese national badminton and table tennis jerseys are readily available.

Final Gift Idea???

Before we saw the warriors, we went to factory where they make very fine copies of the Terracotta warriors. Just as with the real ones, they can replace the head with any unique face. So my gift idea for today: life-size terracotta soldiers with MY face on it, for everyone!

Terracotta Warriors

Saturday, June 26
Today was our trip to the countryside near Xi’an, where the Terracotta warriors lay hidden for thousands of years. Designed to be a force to defend the emperor in his afterlife, the foot soldiers and cavalry and chariots were forgotten until farmers, drilling for a new well, accidentally came upon the ancient force in the 70s. Many of the warriors remain buried, as the painstaking archeological work continues to this very day. While many of the warriors share the same body, each of their faces is different. The artisans made them to share the likenesses of the emperor’s real-life soldiers. Their hands grasp swords and bows and arrows that have long since disintegrated, but their faces reflect the determination of a well-trained and experienced guard worthy of an emperor.
Finally we spent the evening in the Muslim quarter. Xi’an is home to a sizable Muslim minority. Some of the best deals in town can be had here, but the crowds on this Saturday night were HUGE! We walked through the crowded alleyways and bought a few souvenirs. The evening was unusually cool and even a few raindrops fell, which the people in this dry province were surely glad to see.

Xi'an

Friday June 25
Today after an early flight (4 a.m. wake-up call) we arrived in Xi’ an (she an). Xi’an is home to the famous terra cotta warriors, which we will get to see tomorrow. But we started here with a visit to a school. I enjoyed very much observing a 5th grade math class in which every student was actively engaged and no one misbehaved for even a moment. Nonetheless, they were active, involved and excited about learning to calculate the volume of a cube.
Then we went for a short walk on the city wall, which is enormous. The wall was built during the Ming dynasty to protect the city from northern invaders. It’s much larger than any of the city walls I saw while in Europe. On Sunday Ellen and I are planning to rent bikes to ride along the top of it. It’s huge!
Finally we attended a dinner theater show, which featured music and dancing inspired by the Tang dynasty. Xi’an was the here have I heard that one before?
Gift idea of the day? Lots of raw meat lying out in the fresh air on the counter in the market. Meatloaf, anyone?