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Published: August 19th 2008
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Day 3 in Chengdu and at last, for a short time, it rains and boy, does it rain. Up until now It’s been a very hot 40 degree but very humid.
We arrived at Sims Cosy Guest house 3 days ago and spoke with him yesterday. He personally sends thanks to all of you who donated money when we sent it for the earthquake disaster fund, from Sheffield, way back in May. He tells me that the last NGO left yesterday and that the work is still carrying on in the disaster area. Temporary accommodation has been set up but that it is still hard for the people in the worst hit areas. He also told me that there are still very small after shocks and that there have been some in the recent days.
If you would like to see the work that Sim and Maki are still helping with - go to: http://www.gogosc.com/ where you will see updates on the earthquake areas which have certainly taken a back seat to the Olympics.
Here in Chengdu, the hostel building has many cracks and although it has been passed by the government, they will not issue a
Dinner
Eight delicacies under pumpkin and Crystal 8 delicacy rice certificate to say so. It’s a great hostel within this crazy city. It has a quiet oasis garden with a cat and three baby pigs that aren’t quite so ‘baby’ now. Course, I’m in my elements with the animals running around or rather me running around after the animals. Sim also tells me that in May and June he lost 90% of his custom and in July and August he has lost 70% of his customers post earthquake. It has been a very difficult time for everyone. It is true there are not many people staying here and the building and staff can cater for so many more. Whilst we have been walking around this city there are very few westerners. We can count how many we see on one hand each day.
In Chengdu, we have visited my favourite place so far - WenShu Monastery. It is still a working Buddhist monastery and was founded in the Sui dynasty 605 - 617. The original monastery was destroyed in a fire but rebuilt in 36th year of the Qing dynasty and during the period of the cultural revolution, it was well hidden. Today, it remains very active where both
Jasmin Tea
WenShu Buddhist monastery tea house tourists and followers of Buddhism walk together. It was 5 yuan to get in - 40p. The best 40p I ever spent and in the tea house, the tea was gao shui - tall water which means it was constantly refilled by helpers walking around with kettles. The tea was self service, you chose from one of four different kinds, you sit down with your cup and it’s constantly refilled. The tea house was large and open sided. Inside were small old wooden lacquered tables and endless bamboo chairs. All you need to do is pull up a chair and find a space. Families and couples gathered alongside groups of older people chatting, fanning themselves and playing mahjong. I sit with Chris in the tea house. He wants to find the camera shop to buy another camera. I want to sit here and feel the life within the temples and watch. We talk about the here and now / want and need / what comes to those who wait. Being here in this oasis is a gift. I want to see the 5 temples within the complex. So many things happen to those that wait within. The tea is Jasmin
tea, served in a beautiful porcelain cup with lid and saucer and it also cost 5yuan. It has an endless top up and no one bothers if you sit all afternoon with the same cup. The atmosphere is wonderful, heavy with chatter and history. I see Chris’s frustration at wanting to go but then he reads the characters over the door - Happiness. But this feeling within this place is deeper than happiness. ‘Can you feel it coming?’ I ask. And he can. This deep calmness and peace from being here covers all. The body relaxes, becomes more open and the mind becomes more alert. There is no need to rush to the next thing because THIS is the next thing. In this tea house we travel further than the 12,000 miles that we have travelled so far.
We visit the vegetarian restaurant for dinner. We order: Eight delicacies under pumpkin, Crystal 8 delicacy rice and superlative braised bean curd in clay pot as well as Chinese gooseberry juice and orange juice. The food comes. It is as big as mountains on trays and we know that, in our ignorance, we have ordered too much. The rice dishes are
amazing - all full of exotic fruits and sticky things with a cherry on the top. It’s delicious.
In Chengdu, everyone jostles at the junctions to cross the roads, bikes, mopeds and people fight for space on the pavements and everything fights for space on the roads. At junctions, there seems to be little order so there are crossing patrollers who basically save lives because everyone just goes for it. It is funny though, occasionally, when a bike is in the human walking lane, the junction attendant rushes over to them and drags them to the bike section, which by now has cleared and all of the cars have right of way and there is a scrummage in the middle of the road.
In the parks, life takes off with life at a lively pace. There are groups, mainly of women, who gather to either dance, fan dance or sing. We watched as a vast crowd gathered around a brass band. We watched as the lady ‘conductor’ instructed everyone through voice exercises up and down scales. Eventually everyone was allowed to begin and they all sang with such gusto. Everyone stands and they all have the words printed
out and wave flags, fan themselves and sing. I catch myself bobbing along to the rhythm at the back and grinning like an Cheshire cat. Then a man in an ‘I love China’ t shirt takes over the crowd with such pomp and gusto that everyone is taken along with the high spirits. I look around. The group consists mainly of women - I suppose of over the 55 years age bracket upwards. They all chat, laugh, sing and bob along to the music. It sounds a bit like a turkey farm. But, wouldn’t this be a better idea for our older generation in the UK rather than staying at home on their own with the TV on constantly? Here, there is a real sense of fun and being part of something uplifting during the day time - everyone and anyone can join in, no one is left out. Around the park, other groups do their thing - dance, play mah-jong, drink tea, fly kites until they are tiny dots in the sky. There is no one alone. We were asked on a couple of occasions to join in. These people remain flexible and with alert minds. Surely we could
learn from this in the UK?
Today is our last day in Chengdu. We went to see the Qingyanggong Taoist temple in the very old part of town. The temples did not disappoint me but there seemed a lack of a soul within it. WenShu is so alive and has great atmosphere, whereas Quingyanggong seemed void of personality. And, if anyone has seen ‘Little Red Flowers’ a film about a Chinese school - then you will remember the toilets in the school - the Taoist temple has the very same kind.
Our tickets have arrived for the 22 hour sleeper coach to Lijiang tomorrow. The bus travels over the mountains and through deep valleys and the road is susceptible to landslides in the rainy season. We will see.
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MirJ
non-member comment
your mum and dad
Hi Tracey and Chris Just to let you know that I'm really enjoying the blog and that today, which was rather hectic, it actually made me stop and smile and breathe properly. I'm printing and posting them to your mum and dad Tracey - so they can keep up to date with your wanderings. I'm covered in midgy bites from a long walk last Sunday through the purple hills of Upper Derwent Valley and look like a plague victim but other than that, all is honkey dorey down here. Enjoy Lijiang. Can't wait for the next instalment. love you xxx Mir