More on China

Before and during our stay in China, I took Chinese lessons. Both teachers spent time introducing sounds, kanjis, and hours explaining words and expressions. It was intriguing and difficult. Every word, expression and kanji has layers of symbolic and historic meanings, intricate and complex. It is a language that is very hard to pronounce due to the different tones, and very complicated to translate, because it uses metaphors to ancient knowledge and onomatopoeia (using a term for a word that sounds like what it is describing.) I did not even scratch the surface of the language, and I have a very superficial understanding of the Chinese culture. I wanted to stay longer, in hope to dive deeper into the root of the Mother of Asia, but I had to leave earlier than expected. I mourned that dream during several months, but maybe it wasn’t for me to understand it more than I did.

Having said that, here is what I do understand about Chinese. They are the most disciplined people hive, each following carefully its duty tirelessly, and without apparent doubts of the purpose, means or end result of a mandate. The trust and obedience to their president, the leader of the Communist Party of China is rewarded with experiencing a peaceful and safe country, and punishment with harshness in a penitentiary system where people receive a questionable fair trial. As a result, people massively obey in to fear of being taken away, rather than love to the Communist principles. Policies and decisions are made vertically, and people follow the orders from government with apparent tranquilly and bitter resignation but without protest.

The CPC system causes for visible contradictions, which exacerbated my fascination for the Chinese culture. For instance, how to conciliate communism with religious devotion? In December, we visited Putuoshan Island a pilgrimage centre. We took a bus from Shanghai and then a ferry from Shenjiamen. Putuoshan Island is a centre for pilgrimage with its 30 to 40 Buddhist temples, and around 4000 Buddhist monks and nuns from China and around the world. I had anticipated a forgotten site with ruins and poverty. However, what we found was serious devotion from Chinese from across the country, who would give donations and walk silently for hours-on-end in exchange for miracles on pregnancy, passing exams, obtaining jobs or promotions. We stayed at an AirBnB where the host asked us if we would kindly refer to her as our friend if anyone asked. It is forbidden to host tourists. We walked along the towns, crossed fields and mountains to reach the temples, took a minibus around a mountain top where a grand temple sentinels a humongous effigy of Quan Yin or Guan Xing (the female bodhisattva of compassion and mercy). Her image is visible in many places, with numerous devotees. The temples and the impressive sites somehow survived Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Perhaps the area was too isolated for the people’s liberation army, or perhaps some monks and nuns were able to hibernate, camouflage or flee during the harshest persecution. Maybe some came back or there are new ones who are populating the monasteries. Moreover, the current system has not been able to crush the spiritual needs and beliefs of all in its ruthless requisite for uniformity. Fascinating and troublesome.

Quan Yin

Camphor tree

Temples in PutuoShan

Cinnamon tree 

Beach and temple

Ear Cleaning Museum

Metal design

Cobble stones

Traditional wooden houses facing canal

China

Jose and I spent a year in China and a year in Japan. I am still digesting the experience, but the luxury of time during the quarantine has enabled the Asian dust to settle down. Now I can write about it. I owe it to myself, and to my friends.

We flew to Shanghai in August 2017. Often during the weekends, we would go for hikes to small villages and forests using Meetups, as well as WeChat, the most popular application in China. It is a government screened app that combines Facebook, WhatsApp, Zoom and bike-lending applications such as Mobike and Ofo. It enables you to pay at restaurants, taxis, museums, etc., and you can transfer funds to friends which is very handy. It has a built-in translator, thank goodness! However, it is unmistakably a means of social control, as people are graded according to political tendencies. China is beginning to reward good behaviour giving bonuses and facilitating access to credit. Despite all of its flaws, WeChat was one of the things I missed about China.

My favourite part of China were the wet-markets, where the depth of culture is palpable. I never saw pangolins or bats for sale, but I did see other assorted critters Chinese have learned how to cook and enjoy. In our shopping routines, we mostly went for live shrimp and different types of fish. We were fascinated by their many ways of processing eggs and did try them all, and the incredibly diverse vegetables and fruit they produce. We would always go to the same sales ladies, and they gifted us with wide smiles and often a small tribute to encourage our return. The wet-market of our neighbourhood suffered from the opening of a modern supermarket, with the excess packaging and products modern people love. Before our departure from Shanghai there was a brick wall in front of the entrance, ending the business.

I found Chinese people are a lot like durians, which are large fruits that grow in Asia. Dry and spiky on the surface, but fleshy, rich and waxy inside. Somewhat like a jackfruit, but different. It takes time to get used to the foul smell, but as other acquired tastes you cannot stop loving it. The Chinese people I met were rough on the outside, but once you are allowed in their homes they are generous and open, and even willing to share their deep historical roots with illiterate foreigners like me. I am humbled and grateful with them. Thank you Bing Bing, Vera and Li.

Bing Bing

Groceries

Building a terrace

Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Ceramic female figure

Ceramic container

Art shop

Street at night