Just a typical Sunday…
I rolled out of bed with a text message from Bryan Tian. He wanted to see if I would like to go up and visit a Buddhist temple (Yun Feng) Sunday afternoon. I looked outside and saw a bright sunny morning and thought with pleasure all the sights before us! Bryan is my supervisor (Mr. Tian’s) son. He is very eager to practice his almost flawless English every opportunity that comes to him. On this day Bryan made it his goal to help answer any of my questions regarding the Buddhist temple. In general, it has been really nice to travel with Cory and Bryan since they have a lot of China travel experience! For instance, catching a bus in Rongchang to take us the ten miles to the rural mountain would have been a very arduous task for me to do on my own at this point! However, with Bryan along, we easily were able to catch the right bus and start our afternoon voyage off the right way! On the bus ride I tried my best to listen to Bryan’s attempts of translating the local people’s questions of me in English! I have found that in Chongqing the dialect (Chongqing wa) is very difficult to pick up and in some cases very different from Mandarin Chinese! Therefore, I was very glad when Bryan was able to help translate for me!
I started snapping photos as soon as I arrived at Yun Feng. I was really interested to see all of the town people who came out to have a relaxing Sunday or fly kites. It really was a nice day to do both of these pursuits (mid sixties and sunny). Once we got moving around the temple village I really got excited about the beauty of the place. The traditional Buddhist ceremonies, fables, tapestries, artwork, villagers, etc all made the visit extra amazing. I really appreciated the ability to feel relaxed in my surroundings. The entire village was very tranquil in its location at the top of the mountain peak. I was saddened a little though to see that marketing has even reached the realm of Buddhism. To enter the Buddhist temple it is customary to leave a gift. However, there were shops to buy “gifts” that did not seem Chinese in conception. Either way, it was another glimpse at how global the world truly is becoming!
At the far end of the village I encountered a curious Chinese Buddhist tradition. I was told by Bryan that I was to close my eyes, circle completely three times, and walk toward the Chinese inscription; “happiness”. As tale goes the person who is able to do this will find true happiness in their life. After a slow start, I was able to finally achieve success with a little coaching from Bryan!
After we left the peaceful temple we sent off on a ride back to see Bryan’s family. I was not however aware that we would also be having a fabulous meal as well! For once we arrived, I saw in front of me a feast set for kings! Cory joined us at the feast. We all devoured graciously the wondurous food in front of us! I have come to really enjoy Chinese style dinning. I find having a lot of options very liberating since you can chose to take as much or as little as any plate in front of you. I always try everything even if I do not think I will like it since sometimes I have been wrong and loved things I would not have considered before! After a couple rounds of Ghan Bei’s (Cheers) Bryan, Cory, and I left for a bike ride to Lu Kong village.
I was very happy to have a bike big enough for me (Bryan borrowed it from his taller Chinese friend). This awesome 8 mile bike ride took us to the heart of the Chinese countryside. Upon our voyage we were able to witness the peaceful beauty that remains in the untouched fields of rural China. Having the ability to bike for a couple miles without hearing a sound an awesome feeling! As a group we soaked in the quite, enjoyed the exercise, and enjoyed the view of the beauty of the fields.
When we reached Lu Kong village I was at first not sure what made it special. On the entrance of the village the “new” city seemed like a really small Rongchang. However, as we passed the outer wall of the “old” village I was struck by the beautiful artwork that encompassed the town. The 13th century design architecture remained intact and beautiful. Traditional Chinese medicine stores, food preparation, and culture all permeated the walls of this town. However, modernity and consumerism both permeated in their forms of the merchandise that street vendors were offering. All of these marks leave me feeling uncertain regarding the relationship of consumer and producer. Is it sometimes best to leave things to their own machinations or are some changes best in the long run? After I finished reading the history of the old and fascinating town’s past we left on our way back to Rongchang.
Our voyage took on a new form of haste when Cory relayed to me that we were going to be meeting some of his friends at the bar after dinner. Our plans changed a bit when Bryan informed us that we were invited for another meal with his family… Who would not accept this offer of generous hospitality?!?! The dinner was unbelievable. Every part of it was amply available at every corner of the table. In the traditional Chinese dinning style they continued to pile fresh trays on the table until Cory and I cried uncle! At this occasion, it took longer than usual since we all were very hungry from our day’s exploration!
After bidding Bryan and his wonderful family adieu Cory and I went home to prepare for a night of good cheer with friends! We meet up with Judy (English name), Dong Lijuan, Ann (English name), and Keyan He. We all enjoyed great conversation with our generous hosts (they bought the round for the table). I am always impressed at how well my Chinese acquaintances can speak English. There unique skills are only shadowed by their continued struggle to confidently speak in front of others. It was another opportunity for me to see that my major goal for teaching should be to help my students improve their confidence foremost.
This ended a great day of discovery, exploration, travel, marry-making, hospitality, friendship, introspection, growth, and FUN! I look forward to my next great adventure as I anxiously await each day’s unforeseen wonders!
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