One Time I was Famous Journalist


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Asia » China » Hangzhou
November 1st 2011
Published: November 1st 2011
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Here are the articles I have written so far for my internship:
Song Dynasty Park--experience an ancient world
Not many people can say that they have traveled back in time, but that is the feeling invoked as you enter Song Dynasty Park, or would be if not for the incessant hammering and hum of drills. At the moment, part of the park is under construction, but don’t let that discourage you from visiting. Quaint buildings and costumed residents mill around making it look like a painting right out of ancient China. The design of the park is actually based on a painting by Zhang Zeduan from the Song Dynasty. With a slogan of “one day in Song Dynasty Town for a history of one thousand years” visitors witness the daily lives and ceremonies of the Song Dynasty. Horsemen and soldiers pass by periodically with an announcing gong. Don’t be surprised if you pass a man walking with a goat and a monkey or a boy using a whip to propel a spinning top on the ground. Take care you don’t get stopped by the guards as they search for anyone resembling the criminal who is stapled up on a wanted poster, or they might try to lop off your head, all in fun making for a great picture opportunity. There are a variety of different artisans like the painter, blacksmith, distillery, and clay shops, also puppets and storytelling, among other who display their specialized craft. In addition, there are food stands that fill the air with exotic aromas. There are numerous street performances including musicians, acrobats, and other carnival like stunts. Check out the ghost house if you are up for a true fright. If you would like to participate in an ancient day try your hand at pounding some dough or burn incense at a Buddhist altar.
Our group visited the park with an international club for foreigners in Hangzhou, so we were given a bit of the special treatment. Dinner was an extravagant affair with numerous dishes. Each time a new dish was brought out, the server would announce it with a shout, which was customary in the Song Dynasty. After dinner we were led to an outdoor stage. This year for the Mid Autumn festival the park staged an ancient imperial ritual sacrifice to the moon. We were fortunate VIPs seated at the front of the crowd and were given sticks of burning incense. Everyone else was gathered around the outdoor stage, awaiting the show. The Chinese there were already enjoying photos of the “laowai”. The music started and women danced in worship of the moon, followed by guards and officials, and then, the emperor came forth. A meat offering was brought to the altar and the herald spoke on behalf of all. Even if you don’t know Chinese, you can understand the purpose of the ceremony—the moon and harvest, praying for prosperity and good fortune. Some tour guides motioned us to come forward and we took to the stage. They showed us how to hold the incense in our hands and bow to Buddha, and then place the incense sticks on the altar. The Chinese guests enjoyed the foreigners’ participation as they furiously took pictures.
With another announcement, cannons fired confetti into the air, and we were escorted off the stage so the main event could commence. The theater is huge and has a large stage with movie screen. The performance is enhanced by the technology used: a 120 square meter LED high definition screen and four 50 square meter screens expand beyond the space of the stage to bring the performance to life with a three dimensional quality. Laser technology is used to create lifelike animations and dreamlike settings. The most interesting part of the set for me was the front section of seats, which splits and pulls apart at certain points during the show to allow performers through.
The show began with a scene set in prehistoric civilization, portraying the very beginning of the Wu and Yue cultures through planting and hunting dances. There were acrobatics on a trampoline surface, with the performers leaping up and holding themselves suspended on bamboo poles, jumping and bouncing over and under each other to climb back up the poles. Next, they showed Buddhism coming to China.
Then, out came the emperor’s palace for the Banquet Dance. The stage was transformed into a brightly lit palace covered in gold. Belly dancers, drummers, and other dancers performed in beautiful costumes. Then a battle was portrayed with Yue Fei defending his people and becoming a national hero. The battle choreography here was phenomenal. Computer images of a burning fortress and fighting warriors on the back screen added depth to the battle. And to add even more to the realistic effect, real horses periodically ran across the stage with sword wielding men on their backs.
After the victory of Yue Fei, water thundered from the fortress and the set was transitioned into the peaceful West Lake, for the telling of a love story reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. They actually had water for this part, pouring from the ceiling and creating a “lake” on the stage. Mist even poured down on the audience, some audience members actually put up their umbrellas. The couple was separated and in order to be together again became butterflies. The star-crossed couple, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, danced as they transformed into butterflies in the midst of a green whirl of light and lasers; the effect was ethereal.
Everything about this show was top notch, from the dancers to the lighting effects (the best I have ever seen). The costumes are colorful and bright, displaying both the traditional clothing and the addition of Indian, Japanese, and Arabic styles that were no doubt an influence in the palace. This production is a must see for anyone living in or visiting Hangzhou. It is rated as one of the best in the world, and I would agree. The mix of Chinese history with the technology of today has created a spectacular performance. Watching the history play out in music and dance speaks to you much more than reading about it in a book.
The park is located in the Qiantang River Scenic Area, and for 80 RMB, you can gain entrance to the park, tickets for the night performance cost anywhere from 200 RMB up to 1000 RMB. The best way to visit the park would be to make a day trip out of it, so you don’t miss a thing the park has to offer. It also helps to have someone who speaks Chinese with you to help explain all that is happening and the history being presented. If you do choose to visit, you will leave the theater and the park feeling like you have indeed witnessed a “history of one thousand years.”

The Chinese breakfast: a voyage of discovery
When I came to China, I was prepared to eat some unusual things. But for some reason I wasn’t thinking about breakfast. I guess I assumed, it’s breakfast, that food should be universal. Nope. When we went down to the cafeteria of our dorm, the only food I recognized was fried eggs. No bacon, no cereal, no toast, no waffles. We went to the food but were promptly yelled at by a grumpy looking lady sitting at a table to the side. She was leaning protectively over strips of paper that were apparently our tickets to eat. I asked her “Duo shao qian?” but I didn’t understand her answer. I took a wild guess and handed her a 10 kuai note. She gave me 5 back. So breakfast costs 5 kuai! My first breakthrough.
On to the food, I grabbed a bowl with what I assumed was a kind of oatmeal or porridge. Next were the hot dishes. I saw eggs so I pointed to that, then some round doughy balls that looked like doughnuts—two of those. Some green vegetables, good some healthy food! And, what do you know, dumplings for breakfast! Since I didn’t know what anything was called, I had to resort to pointing. The food ladies must be used to foreigners eating here because they were pretty adept at knowing which one I wanted.
We found a table and stared at our food. I wasn’t too worried about the dumplings; those couldn’t possibly be bad. But the other stuff…I spooned up a mouthful of the white porridge and cautiously tasted it. Nothing too crazy, just rice soaked in water, but very plain. On to the vegetables. I’m not sure what they were, but they were not good. I guess I wasn’t going to be eating anything particularly healthy this morning. The doughnut things were covered in sesame seeds and had some mysterious brown sauce in the middle which was a little sweet. I’m not sure what it was, but it tasted pretty good! There are a few more items to try next time, like the noodles, what looks like a kind of thick tortilla, and white bread rolls reminiscent of the dumplings Po and Master Xifu fight over with their chopsticks. I still miss pancakes and omelets, but I think I could get used to this kind of breakfast.

Now technically I didn't write this, but it was my first experience of editing a piece by a nonnative English speaker, so everything that allows this to make sense in English is my work:
Chinese girls: Grabbing the Bull by the Horn
One of my friends who is in charge of several student exchange programs between China and other countries described to me how astonished she was by teenagers today. Apparently, she was taking a student to his new school when up walks a high school girl—a complete stranger—who says “Wow, you are handsome, may I hug you?” After this, she simply says goodbye and walks away. The surprised student turned to my friend, “I used to think Chinese girls were very shy, but they turn out to be so expressive!”
Chinese girls do seem to be more dominant in relationships now. If you love watching the blind date shows on TV, you won’t be surprised at all to see how directly a Chinese girl expresses her love to a boy. I heard an even more astonishing fact recently; there is a special ring available for girls that want to ask their boyfriends to marry them. One wouldn’t think this is very common, but the rings seem to be becoming increasingly popular.
It is true that Chinese girls were known for being very shy. If you watch old Chinese movies, you’ll learn that it was so rare for a girl to take any kind of initiative in a relationship and the girls who did so were described as black sheep, or even a bit slutty.
However, things are changing today. One change is that, instead of being looked down upon as before, a girl who takes the lead in a relationship is considered to be self-confident. In addition, considering the falling rate of marriage, parents educate their children about relationships very differently, especially girls.
When I was a teenager, my mother used to say, focus on your studies, don’t fall in love too early! But nowadays, I hear a lot of mothers tell their young daughters to pay attention to outstanding boys in school; try to catch one now, otherwise they’ll all be taken after graduation. If one wants to marry, the earlier the better; age is still important for girls in marriage. The reason is not because there are not enough men. In reality, men greatly outnumber women here in China. But as there are more and more independent women focused on their careers, it seems easier for them to ignore the institution of marriage.
However outgoing and self-confident Chinese girls seem to be recently, it is still more common for them to simply let their interest be known and wait for the man to make his move. So, men, do remember that sometimes Chinese girls can be still very restrained even when they are giving information. So, get to learn some pick-up lines; they may come in handy!


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1st November 2011

Famous Writer!
Good job, hunny! I think you can make a career out of this!
1st November 2011

Articles
Love the articles, very interesting. Great job!!!! Sue

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