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"the movers and shakers"
(from left to right) Mr. Cao ChunLin, former President of TTC; the buddha, a little slimmer; Mr. Feng YuQi, School Director, and my friend Arthur, who honored me by meeting his friends. Taizhou's economy is almost totally dependent on agriculture, and rain is an important part of the next successful harvest. Over the last 2 weeks, down-pours have been very heavy in the district, and much of the farming region is now underwater, threatening the crops and lifelyhood of its farmers. I see them standing, their pants rolled up, as have peasants over the centuries, in their water-soaked parcels of land, looking in dismay and helpless.
Driving through the very fertile but flat country-side, I was left speachless by the waters across the fields, and the amounts deposited by the rainstorms, which I experienced in the safety of the city and in the comfort of an apartment.
These rains are causing, and will continue to cause, true hardships for these farmers. In areas, it is not possible to distinguish the fields from the rivers and canals. For many, living on boats has become a better refuge.
Though they are resillient, life has again become harder, and the daily struggle to manage has brought them additional suffering. The battles to save their life-sustaining field and humble home is fought year to year, decade to decade, century to century.
The wonderous
the artist in marble
Revered for is skills as a Chinese classical painter, Mr. Zheng Banquio is only one of the many historically important artists and intellectuals, who called Xing-Hua their home. progress of China's larger cities is foreign and un-important to their immediate and more primitive struggles to survive. What difference do the successes and the woes of the world make to this pained and simple man, when he only hopes and prays to survive the moment.
In the older sections of the city of Xing-Hua, not far from Taizhou, the narrow streets, lined with characteristically-Chinese-single-story-houses are underwater, passable only in knee-deep water. Sad but determined faces of simple people and children are wading through the murky liquid, to survey the flooded, humble home and their meager belongings.
The misery of these gentle and hard-working people makes for a difficult narrative. Having endured Hurricane Andrew and other South Florida tropical episodes, I have a more unique understanding, how the survival instinct becomes more prominent in times of hard-ships; but here and all around me, the sheer simplicity of life makes poverty more poor and struggles become battles, when one must also fight and survive the elements. Please remember these people in your thoughts and prayers.
One of the great joys of knowing Arthur, Katherine, and Emma as a family, is meeting the special and highly educated friends
director of large private school
Mr. Feng Yu Qi was a great and fun host for the day. He permitted me to visit his elegant home, to meet his pretty wife and smart and "only" son.
Enlarge the photo and note the bamboo mural on the wall. of Arthur. We were witness to the flooding of the country-side on the way to meet his best college buddy, Mr. Feng YuQi, and a wonderful gentleman my age, Mr. Cao ChuaLin, former President of Taizhou Teachers College.
We were received in the best of Chinese traditions. Mr. Feng spoke wonderful English, and we had perceptive discussions, commentary on life, and on the two best ways of keeping slim. :-) ???
Mr. Feng is the Director of a very large private school of over 4,000 students. All are housed in dormitories on an expansive campus. He is highly dedicated to his school's success and I look forward to my next visit.
We were his guests for the day. The home and museum of the famous classical Chinese painter, Mr. Zheng Banquiao was a highlight while touring his city of Xing-Hua.
The artist Zheng Banquiao is well known throughout China for his classical bamboo paintings and caligraphy. This ancient Chinese art-form is at its best, when done with the clean, graceful strokes of hand, holding a long-stem brush, while delivering smooth, clear, simple, and poetic compositions of lines. The sparsest of strokes bring awareness of the artists
bamboo watercolors by the artist Mr. Zhen Banquio
Simple, elegant, and graceful show the classical style of bamboo painting in China. The greatest appreciation is in the simplicity of presentation. conception of beauty. The art-form has been highly appreciated throughout China's ancient culture.
Three copies of his works now grace the walls of my "crib", and the bargaining skills of my three friends made owning them less painful to the wallet. We will make another attempt to acquire four original water paintings next time, after we have impressed the owner with our "lack of interest" in the pieces, and our indignation of their cost.
It's the advantage of having friends who know the "system". :-))
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Ashley Santiz
non-member comment
Well Mr. Schneider, you are looking a mite slim! Maybe you need to come visit us and eat some good Cuban food and fill up! PS. the waterpaintings are gorgous!