Among the Chinese

Stone Lions

2011-02-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

Everywhere in China you can see stone lions. This fierce looking example was at the Bamboo Temple at the first stairway up into the central courtyard. Lions like this one are protectors. Usually they come in pairs. Often they guard the doors of bank buildings and other traditional buildings. In Buddhism the lion is regarded as a divine animal of dignity, who is able to keep off evils and protect the truth. The Chinese also do a lion dance which has remained popular since the Han Dynasty. In Buddhist writings it is said, "Buddha is a lion among men," but Jesus Christ is referred to in the Bible as the Lion of Judah. Lions are awesome!

The Bamboo Temple, Kunming

2011-02-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

Temple Truths

2011-02-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, Chinese people still love to visit the temples, especially during the Chinese New Year's holiday. In a recent trip to a nearby temple, The Bamboo Temple, this was clear to me. In Chinese this temple is the Qiongzhu Gong, a temple of the Chan school of Mahayana Buddhism, and is located in the hills west of Kunming. Founded on a site where legend has it that a strange rhino was spotted by two ruling brothers. When they gave pursuit, the rhino disappeared and they found a group of strange monks, but as they approached the monks vanished and in their place was some Qiong Bamboo. Since it was special 'arhat bamboo,' the brothers deemed it a place of enlightenment and built a temple there. This temple was established during the Yuan Dynasty and ,despite the Red Guards destruction during the Cultural Revolution, it has been rebuilt and is an active temple to this day. The Chinese buy vast amounts of incense which is for sale in the temple. They burn the incense in large cauldrons in the temple as an act of devotion. I saw Chinese families relaxing and partaking of the many foods being sold by various vendors on the temple site. I also saw many Chinese people bowing to pray to the many statues in the temple. They often leave offerings of fruit or flowers at the feet of the statues. There are small, colorful 'bowing cushions' at the altar areas. I realized after 60 years of communism, religion is alive and well in the Chinese people. A young college age man felt the need to approach our party of westerners and tell us we were being disrespectful by taking photos in the temple central courtyard, even though many Chinese were also shooting photos there as well. For a young man raised only during communism, he seemed mighty ardent to 'protect' Buddhism from the foreigners. I explained to him we were not being disrespectful, as I myself taught world religions for many years and like to read about Buddhism. I find the temples endlessly fascinating to visit and read about. I believe the eternal God of the universe created all men with what Pascal referred to as ' a god-shaped vacuum' inside of each of us. I admire the quest to discover truth in all its forms and long for seekers to find out about the one true God. That is why I like to visit temples of different religions. It proves to me time and time again that all men are searchers for the truth and all men seek to find God. I only hope they find the creator God of the universe and his only son, Jesus Christ.

Bound Feet Lady

2009-02-14T18:03:00.001-08:00

Here are two more pictures of the same lady with bound feet.

Are There Still Bound Feet in China?

2009-02-14T17:37:00.000-08:00

Yes, occasionally you can still see women with bound feet here. They are quite old and it is rare to see someone with bound feet. They have a very distinctive type of walk and very tiny feet, so it strikes you as quite strange if you happen to spot someone. I was up north in the Bei Chen neighborhood one day sitting on a bench and a little old lady goes shuffling by me with her bound feet. It was so unique. They have to wear special shoes made for them. I have seen bound feet only three times in the five years I have been in China. The women appear to be in their 80's to 90's. A 90-year-old woman would have been born in 1919. That sounds about right historically, because in the 1920's, and even earlier, the government was sponsoring programs to put a stop to foot binding. It is a very painful process started at a young age. The young girl's feet cannot develop properly because they are broken and tightly wound up, so they cannot grow big. The result is a deformed little pointed foot that takes years of pain to achieve. These tiny deformed feet were considered beautiful, but they rendered the girl a virtual cripple her whole life! What a strange cultural practice.

My 'Year of the Ox' Door Decorations

2009-02-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

I put up my door couplet for Chinese New Year. If you remember my post last year, my friend John Mark's father made them. They are beautiful Chinese calligraphy wishing good things for the new year. (scroll back to last year for a story about him making this door couplet) I also have a decorative ox head hanging on the door for the Year of the OX, my fifth Chinese New Year which I have been priveleged to ring in!!! Many Chinese decorate their doors for the new year. It is mostly red colors and very bright.

2009-01-26T15:36:00.001-08:00

Here is some of the stunning Chinese architecture at the temple.

2009-01-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

I have this thing for visiting temples here. They fascinate me. I've always been a student of world religions. Here is a Tibetan Buddhist temple up near Zhong Dian. They practice a form of Buddhism called Tantric Buddhism. I've studied it before, but it is so complex I don't understand it much. These monks are blowing on huge horns as part of their religious ritual. They sound really strange, loud, and almost haunting and mournful. When we visited here in Dec. 2008 we had to walk up many steps to the temple. We stood and listened to these monks perform.

Learning a Famous Chinese Game!!

2009-01-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

Here is living proof that I do play Mahjong!!! These are two of my Chinese co-workers and one gal had just excused herself for a minute (remember it takes four!). Well, I got my butt whomped good. Remember, I am just learning. You do have to learn several Chinese characters to play it, since that is what is on the tiles. I have a little cheat sheet to help and I still get beaten. Oh well, play on!!

What's a Comtuter Bar??

2008-11-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

O.K., I told you more on the fun translations. This is a shop sign on my way to KIA. The 'New Continent Comtuter Bar.' I wonder if it is a place you can come to when you have gas? Come-toot-er??? I think it is actually a place to use a COM-PU-TER!! I saw a clothing store with the sign name: 'Odd and Peculiar', which doesn't exactly make me want to run in and buy their clothes!!

What Can You Carry on a Bicycle?

2008-11-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

Well, you would be surprised at all the cool things that you could transport on the back of a bike. Yes, that is a full size sofa!!! The Chinese are experts at balancing anything on a bicycle. Here in Kunming I have seen so many things carried on the back of bikes: people of all sorts (babies strapped on their mother's backs), chairs, washing machines, TV's, glass vendor cases, stacks of mops, piles of baskets, etc., etc. It's amazing to see the heavy loads. But, the best thing to see is the meat on bikes. You'll see two whole sides of pork with the legs dangling and flopping off the back. It takes two long spikes on the bike to hold the pig halves in place securely. Meat on wheels going to market is a gas to see!! ( I'll get a photo soon on this!!) The Chinese have had a long time marriage with the bicycle and it has been a big part of transportation here for many years. It almost seems too sad to see the change to cars happening so quickly now.

Favorite Chinese Game

2008-04-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

Mahjong is a favorite pass time for Chinese people. You can walk by many a game being played right out in the streets. It takes four people and many times it is played for money. They will take time to relax and play a game during any given day. You can see many an impromptu game started all around Kunming. Or you pass many Mahjong game parlors. I am actually learning to play Mahjong too, thanks to my Chinese co-worker, Ben. He has the patience to teach the foreign staff how to play, bless his heart. While my sister Robby lived here, she bought her own Mahjong game set of tiles. It is really heavy and I'm crazy enough to carry it back home for her this summer! It is not too hard to learn the game of Mahjong, although I would get creamed if I ever played for money like the Chinese. It's fun! Play on!!

Meat on a Stick

2008-04-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

This site brought you 'Pineapple on a Stick', now its 'Meat on A Stick.' In downtown Kunming these Muslim vendors will sell you mutton grilled very spicy and hot. It really tastes good, but watch it, it has a bite! They are less than 2 kuai each, so 10 kuai can get you a feast of six of these yummy treats. They are perfectly safe to eat due to the hot temperatures they are grilled over. The vendors hawk them and it is difficult to get by the 'gauntlet' they create with several vendors lining both sides of a section of the street. What can an ex-pat do, but oblige them and eat this tasty Kunming meat on a stick!!

Powered by Pooh and Piflet????

2008-04-19T21:37:00.001-07:00

Bad translations into English here in China keep ex-pats with a smile on their faces! This one, "Powered by Pooh and Piflet" is written across the hood of the cutest little yellow compact car parked in my courtyard. Every time I pass it on my way out in the morning to hail a cab, I have to grin. There are cutsey pictures of Pooh and Piglet painted on the car around the sides too. Chinese definitely go in for 'cute.' One of my favorite bad translations is on a billboard on my way to school. It is advertising a clothing manufacturer. A handsome western man in a suit looks down from the sign. He is GQ all the way and it says, "Cohesion of charm and crosscurrent of material apetency providing you with a sense of cleamness." That's it letter for letter....say what???!!! And who the heck is 'Piflet???' So, more on bad translations to come later. I get a kick out of them.

City Gates Found in Many Chinese Cities

2008-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Many Chinese cities have city gates, Whether these are recently rebuilt or they are ancient, city gates are a definite feature of Chinese cities. Kunming has the beautiful 'Golden Horse Memorial Archway.' These are located right at the main downtown city square. Any visitor to Kunming needs to go down and see the city gates. The traditional Chinese architecture of the archways is beautiful. I like to go down there just to walk around and people watch. It is definitely a hub of city life here in Kunming. It is especially fun to go at night, because Kunming comes alive at night. All the neon lights come on and turn the city into a real showcase. Plus, at night the city grime fades away and you see the bright lights and the city pulses with activity.

Exotic Peoples Mix in Yunnan

2008-04-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

Yunnan Province is home to 25 ethnic minority people groups. China has 55 ethnic minority peoples throughout this huge country. The fact that almost half of the minority groups can be found in Yunnan Province tells you that this area is a real mixture of many peoples. Walking down the street in Kunming is often a feast for the eyes if you are a 'people watcher' like me. Many of these minority groups have an 'exotic' look. They are truly beautiful people and much more interesting to look at than the everyday Han Chinese, which make up the majority of the population in China. In fact, the Han Chinese make up 92% of the population of China and 19% of the entire global population. Living here I often feel 'like a minority' being white-skinned. It's a different feeling, but I am getting used to it. So, I love looking around and seeing the Chinese minority peoples, especially if they happen to be wearing their ethnic dress. They add such variety to the sea of people around me. They, along with all the ex-pats, make a refreshing, ethnic mix of people living in Kunming.

Poetry to Decorate Your Door

2008-03-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

This is a great Chinese cultural tradition: decorating your door at Chinese New Year with poetic couplets. This year we really got into it when we asked our Chinese teacher, John Mark, who was returning to his home village, to bring us back a custom made door couplet. His father does Chinese calligraphy, so this is as authentic as it gets. Take a look at the door to our apartment all done up in New Year's splendor. Also, that is John Mark's father actually painting the couplet. To paste these couplets on bright red paper by your door is an ancient tradition that brings luck and good wishes. Our couplet says: On top-Spring light spread around here; the left side says-Mountain green, water clean, place beautiful; the right says-People live long, this year blessed harvest, more happy things! That sounds good to me!

Shoe Shine Gals

2008-02-23T15:43:00.001-08:00

All over the city you can come across these women who have their shoe shine kits and want to polish up your shoes. It only costs two kuai. This is my leg getting its shoe shined in the downtown square. The shoe shine ladies often have their babies on their backs and carry their own stools and chairs to set up 'shop.' I like to get my shoes shined. I usually give them 5 kuai, just because they do a good job and at least they're working for it. There are so many beggars who just want a handout. Jeff was with me, we'd just eaten at McDonald's when this gal approached me. So, if you live in my city, there is no reason to have scruffy shoes.

Pinapple on a Stick

2008-02-17T01:59:00.000-08:00

Today I just went by a 'pineapple on a stick' street vendor. (In February, no less!!) One nice thing about living in Yunnan is the fruit, and I don't mean my students! I mean lots of beautiful, fresh fruit of all types year around, especially tropical fruits. Because the southern areas of Yunnan Province are very warm and tropical, in Kunming, the provincial capital, there is a steady stream of gorgeous fruit from the south. I've never been a big fruit eater, but living here is changing that. The pineapples are scrumptious and juicy. The street vendors sell all types of fruit loaded up in their carts. Yummy.

Water on Wheels

2008-02-15T10:10:00.001-08:00

In most places in China the tap water is not drinkable. So, these water guys on bicycles are a common sight on the streets. How they can ride their bikes in crowded traffic with six big water bottles balanced on the back is more than I can figure out. But, they do this with ease. Sometimes you forget to order your water and then it's a real bummer in the morning when you can't make coffee. It's a real language breakthrough when you can finally order your water in Chinese with confidence. We just ordered water today. Two big bottles. They usually arrive within a half hour of your call and deliver right into your apt. and install one bottle in the dispenser. Water on wheels took some getting used to, but it really is pretty convenient.

'House Plants' Gone Wild??

2008-02-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

I am standing in front of what we call in the states a 'Norfolk Island Pine.' But, we have them in pots in our houses in the Midwest of the U.S.!! I have a friend in Rockford, Ben, who has a pretty big one in his family room, BUT not this big!! These gorgeous TREES grow right outside the gate to my school. Yunnan Province is the home to over 15,000 plant species. It is one of the most biologically diverse places on the earth. The tropical plants growing around Kunming make it a place of constant wonder to an old Midwesterner like me. Oh, for those of you suffering under the harsh winter back home, there is a blooming geranium right outside my window on the ledge.