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SeeChina Travelogue from F.: Water from Heaven

Emma Xu — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:14:26 +0000

Tianshui (天水) is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China.

The legend goes that one night at a time between late Qin dynasty and early Han dynasty, a storm broke with thundering and lightening and struck a huge slit on the ground. Water poured down from the sky into the slit and formed a clear lake. Thanks to the lake, local residents’ life became nurtured. This is how the name of Tianshui (天水) (water from Heaven) came into being. In my eyes, the four seasons in Tianshui (天水) are quite distinct and the climate is comfortable and pleasant. It is also a great place in that it is located in the rural hinterland surrounded by great mountains and beautiful waters. I was told by the locals that there is a saying that Tianshui (天水) has a history of eight thousand years, which refers to Fu Xi (伏羲), the first ancestor of the Yanhuang nation. Every June, grand ceremony will be held as a memorial to Fu Xi, who is the origin of Chinese civilization. The ceremony will attracted Chinese all around the world to come to pay homage to their ancestors.

Fifty kilometers southeast Tianshui (天水) is a rock-shaped hill where there are hundreds of grottoes and Buhhda statues on the top. This is Maiji Mountains Gtottoes (麦积山石窟), one of the four major grottoes in China. The famous sculpture, “Smile of the East” (东方微笑) stands here. It is a statue of a young monk with a child’s face and an infectious smile. It was made by craftsmen more than 1500 years ago.

Walking through the streets in Tianshui (天水), hundreds-of-year-old sky-high pagoda trees can be seen everywhere. Some old and cozy courtyards still exists where elders kills their time and kids play around. I have met some of Tianshui (天水) locals who live in other cities. They said they always missed the jiangshui noodle (浆水面), guokwei bread (锅盔馍) and buckwheat snack (荞麦呱呱) of their hometown. These are all traditional local cooked wheaten food. The jiangshui noodle (浆水面) is made from fermented soup and hand-made noodles, which has a unique sour flavor. Eating the jiangshui noodle (浆水面) in summer can keep the summer heat away. I stayed in Tianshui (天水) for two months which happened to be in summer. What impressed me most were the savory and juicy peaches. Tianshui (天水) has rich resources of high quality. In addition to peaches in Qin’an (秦安), there are vegetables and fruits such as apricot, pear, apple, ma zi, pepper, walnut, leek etc., which are all beloved by local residents and those from surrounding areas.

Rich natural resources, leisurely small-town life, mild and humid climate and strong cultural heritage—this is Tianshui (天水), an unforgettable “small Jiangnan city” in the northwest.

Buhhda statues on Maiji Mountains, some of which suffer damages due to natural or man-made reasons. The leg part of one of the Buhhdas in above picture is under repair.

A statue with vivid expression. The bright colors all come from natural minerals and thus are well preserved till today.

Well-preserved old house, the "southern residence" (南宅子), in the city of Tianshui; an ancient boudoir in the picture.

The paper-cut on the window has faded due to exposure to sunlight. There is no one living here any more and the house has become an old residence museum.

The Temple of Fu Xi (伏羲庙) is frequently visited. The sky-high old trees stand like guardians of the temple and bear blessings from visitors from everywhere.

Exquisite carvings inside the hall of Temple of Fu Xi (伏羲庙).

The Temple of Pure Land (净土寺) not far away from the Maji Mountains (麦积山) is surrounded by mountains and has heaven-like scenery. The beams and tiles in the temple are all exquisite and beautiful.

Peach peddlers in the morning market. Tianshui (天水) people are proud of their savory and juicy peaches which are mainly produced in the Qin'an County (秦安县).

Breakfast stand selling traditional lard pie (猪油盒). The lard is a key ingredient and the pie is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It tastes delicious without being too much and is loved mostly by Han people.

100 questions from students of Chinese countryside

Jessica — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:01:37 +0000

Do city people eat artificial rice?

How can you find your home in a city where all houses look alike?

If a student acts naughty in class in the city, will the teacher see it from the computer?

How do you ride a plane? Do you sit on its wings or in its belly?

These are some of the 100 questions written by primary pupils from remote Chinese countryside in Yunnan province (e.g.,Yongren, Yuanyang, Xiangyun, Shangrila Counties). The questions were transferred through 50 rural teachers who have never left their hometown in their entire life, to primary pupils in Shanghai. And these teachers also got a chance to tour Shanghai Expo under the funding of Shanghai Overseas Compatriots Fund, East China Normal University, Phoenix Meida, Juneyao Airlines and Xinmin Evening, etc.

Cui Yongyuan (崔永元), a famous TV anchor who used to host the most popular social talkshow of China named Tell it straight (实话实说), is one of the masterminds behind this serial event to support countryside teachers’ visit to cities. According to Cui, who had trekked the Long March route from 2006 to 2007 and besaddened by the lack of information in those remote rural areas, there are altogether 5 million countryside teachers in China who are teaching over 100 million students in over 330,000 countryside schools. Their own vision and experience will influence the next generation of Chinese citizens in the countryside.

The Phoenix Media and Xinmin Media published many works of these students from the countryside:

http://gongyi.ifeng.com/special/xcjs/

The interesting life of rural families, by Hai Jinhua, Grade Six, Liangshan Central School

little dancers in a village school.

China’s Areas of Exploration

Daisy Wheeler — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:50:49 +0000

China is a big country with a long history, but the land and its full heritage are only gradually coming to life. While we all know famous Chinese archaeological and historical sites such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City/Palace Museum and the Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an. However, there are numerous other sites worth exploring, some easily accessible, some requiring a bit more effort.

1. The Yizhou Fossil and Geology Park may be the best little museum you’ve never heard of. Located in southwestern Liaoning province, a longish bus ride or drive from Beijing, this park is a Sino-European joint venture, and was established in an area of significant dinosaur and other fossil finds. The park’s designers have painstakingly recreated the plant and lake life as it would have been millions of years ago. The museum’s manmade lake started out with five species that were imported to it; it is now home to at least 14 types of plants and animals have that gradually found its environment to be very attractive. Here’s what you didn’t know: the Yizhou Park is home to the world’s oldest flower fossil, and the world’s oldest mammal fossil. Not too bad for a place only a half-day’s drive from big cities like Shenyang and Beijing.

2. China’s rivers. Need some fresh air and sunshine? China’s got lots of both. Take a trip down south and experience real adventure rafting some of the country’s most famous rivers. Although hydroelectric projects have tamed many of the nation’s biggest waterways, others still remain wild, or have raftable rapids depending on dam and weather conditions. Rivers such as the Nu, the Jinsha, and even the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) provide opportunities for serious river running for both the experienced rafter and for those heading out for the very first time.

Last Descents Expeditions provides seasonal trips to these areas, and also organizes special expeditions for scientists and specialists wishing to visit certain areas that are accessible only from the water. The company is also affiliated with the China Rivers Project, a non-governmental organization dedicated to educating people about the value of wild rivers and the issues surrounding dam-generated hydroelectric power.

3. Above and under water. China is one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations, although not for scuba divers and other watersports recreation enthusiasts. That may be set to change. For example, cave divers are increasing interested in unexplored areas of China. The beautiful limestone hills that surround Guilin tell seasoned spelunkers (people who explore caves) that large cave systems are probably waiting underneath.

Other areas are emerging, including diving on a section of the Great Wall about four hours northeast of Beijing. SinoScuba leads trips there during the summer. Hainan Island, especially around Sanya, remains the number one dive destination in China, although it faces tough competition from Thailand and the Philippines.

Hainan has also emerged as China’s surfing capital. Each year, China’s top surfing competition takes place in November in Hainan, attracting surfers from all over the region, alogn with people who just like to party on the beach. For surfing lessons without having to go all the way to Hawaii, try Surfing Hainan, now the country’s leading surf instruction outfit.

A couple of China blogs worth reading

Daisy Wheeler — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:45:30 +0000

Where once we turned to guidebooks to inform ourselves before embarking on an overseas trip, now more likely we are switching on our computers and using the Internet for trip planning.

These sites are not the only ones out there, but do a good job of informing the reader about what’s happening in China, at least socially and in some cases, technologically. Regardless, they’re a good read and worth bookmarking both before — and after — a visit here. Of course, that’s after you’ve exhausted all the content here on SeeChina!

Managing The Dragon: Written by entrepreneur and long-time China veteran Jack Perkowski, the blog was originally an extension of Perkowski’s book by the same name. Formerly an auto parts company founder and executive, the author now looks at larger issues affecting China and specifically the Sino-American relationship.

Beijing Boyce: With a martini in one hand and a laptop in the other, Canadian expatriate Jim Boyce strives to provide “a consumer’s view of the bar scene in Beijing” with his semi-eponymous blog. With a reputation for strict objectivity, Boyce offers a ground-level view of developments in Beijing’s nightlife and entertainment, complete with reviews of drinks, food, service and atmosphere. Its sibling site, Grape Wall of China, gives oenophiles in China and abroad insight into the development of the industry in one of the world’s most sought-after markets.

Imagethief: Mixing acerbic wit with the lessons learned in the PR game, Will Moss provides readers with both a good chuckle and good advice. Moss particularly excels in describing the PR successes and failures of multinationals doing business in China, although he also covers media and government absurdities.

Silicon Hutong: Named for the traditional and increasingly rare Beijing alleyways, marketing and communications consultant David Wolf (Imagethief’s and Silicon Hutong’s authors are former colleagues) uses the Hutong as an observation post to make some of the keenest comments on China’s technological development. Wolf will keep the big technological picture in focus.

Beijingology: Infrastructure aficionado David Feng tracks the opening and service of Beijing’s mass transit system. “I like to get from point A to point B quickly. The only way to do that in Beijing from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. is underground,” he said. Note: it seems this site may have been on the wrong end of some kind of electronic attack recently, as it produces access warnings on some browsers. Visit with caution until the situation is rectified.

Three locally focused sites are also worth accessing. Perhaps the strongest entrant to the local online English-language media, Shanghaiist does a nice job of updating on local events and happenings, all with a measure of humor and satire. In Beijing, two city magazines have adapted their content online: The Beijinger, a monthly publication, keeps things updated on a daily if not hourly basis via its Web site, and has a very lively online discussion forum. City Weekend, which publishes in both Beijing and Shanghai, has the best calendar listings for music and other live events, although its addresses are not always current. You can also download its online app from the iTunes app store, CityFu.

Great Things to Do in Beijing When It Snows

Daisy Wheeler — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:11:33 +0000

The Temple of Heaven during a snowfall.

Snow in Beijing is no longer the rarity it once was, but compared to many cities at a similar latitude, it’s still uncommon. With possibly the last snowfall of the winter on the ground, now may be the best time to take advantage of this meteorological opportunity.

1. See the sights. Snow may be the best occasion to visit Beijing’s most famous tourist sights. Aside from winter crowds already being generally smaller than those in fairer weather, snowfall keeps away even more visitors, leaving you with large sections of top sights to yourself. Snow also makes for more unique photo opps, although snow is not as scarce as it once was. Still, a fresh, unbroken layer of white gives pictures of palaces, temples and other artifices a serene and pristine feeling that’s hard to match otherwise.

Although the Great Wall may be a bit more difficult to reach and climb when there’s snow on the ground, it’s worth any delays endured along the way. be sure to wear good snow boots or shoes, as steeper sections of the Wall can become slippery and even icy.

Named for the opposite season, the Summer Palace may be the best Beijing monument to visit in inclement winter weather. The combination of imperial architecture along with significant tree cover near its upper sections make for a nice contrast between the manmade and the natural. Also, Kunming Lake — the artificial lake that spreads in front of the palace — freezes in the winter, and walking on the ice (carefully) is a Beijing tradition. It also offers photographers new vistas, perhaps the best views of the palace in the entire complex.

The Temple of Heaven also assumes a different personality when wearing a white blanket. The snow covers its brilliant blue tiles, muting the overall effect of its main prayer hall. However, the part of the temple complex that receives less attention — the expansive, forested grounds to the south of the main halls — provides a silent oasis even more quiet as footfalls and voices are muted by the snow.

2. Eat. There’s no better time than a snowy evening for hot food. The many variations of hotpot are widely available in Beijing, namely the local favorite shuan yang rou, literally flash-boiled lamb, and Chongqing hotpot, the spicy kind that maybe too hot even in the winter.

Shuan yang rou is served in a round kettle with a cone shaped spout, to allow smoke from the coals that heat the kettle to rise up and out, away from diners. Ginger, baby shrimp and green onions (this recipe varies from restaurant to restaurant) are added to the water to create a very light broth. Ingredients such as lamb, beef, tofu, and leafy green vegetables are cooked in the boiling water. Normally, meat is only cooked for 30-40 seconds for maximum flavor. It is then dipped in a sesame paste before eating, which cools it along with adding a unique flavor. Ding Ding Xiang is one of the most famous spots for shuan yang rou at the moment.

For the more adventurous, Chongqing hotpot, which comes from the former Sichuan province city in southwest China, is a cauldron of chili oil to which more chili peppers are added. This is often accompanied by a chicken broth-based soup next to it for to offset some of the intensity of the spice. The ordering is similar, although lamb is less of a focal point, more in favor of beef, fish balls and even luncheon meat. On a cold night, it’s tough to beat hotpot. Try Hai Di Lao (literally, Raised from the Bottom of the Sea) for the pot that’s hot. Good luck getting a table.

Sunken China, Part 1

Daisy Wheeler — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:16:42 +0000

When we think of Chinese history, most often we think of the great monuments that we see in cities like Beijing and Xi’an: palaces, statues, temples and other relics. These are spectacular, but China is now discovering its maritime history, much of which lies underwater.

Just last week, China announced it would work with the Kenya government to explore and excavate shipwrecks that may have visited the Africa coast during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.). This is just one example of an unexplored side of Chinese history that only now is coming to light.

The Lion City — built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) but which enjoyed a heyday in the Ming Dynasty — disappeared beneath the Thousand Islands Lake in 1959, as the valley it occupied filled behind a newly-constructed hydroelectric dam, one of many built during China’s reconstruction that decade. The location was then promptly forgotten, and it slipped into memory and history.

In 2001, a search began for the site. Local recollections proved surprisingly inaccurate, until finally a bounce-dive strategy hit a pile of bricks, and the city was relocated.

Today, this rarely-dived site is a time capsule, protected from the ravages of the Cultural Revolution and changing economic times. Although still largely unexplored, the city has revealed some exceptional finds. A 10-20 foot city wall circles the site, with its north gate opening to welcome visitors, the wooden door that would have closed the city off still intact. Some intact homes lay nearby, single-story structures with some window and door frames still in place.

A short swim from the main gate is the area’s showpiece, a 25-foot tall imperial tablet, erected by the Qianlong emperor (1736-1795) to commemorate the fidelity of a young widow who never remarried. It is intricately carved and features numerous scenes of daily life — even for people who have lived in Beijing for years, it is difficult to find anything that resembles it, despite Beijing having the largest collection of such imperial structures anywhere in China.

There are also seen one and two-storey houses, with wooden staircases and banisters intact, and several homes with roof beams and tiles still in place. It is unparalleled as an underwater diving destination, and is almost completely unknown.

Diving depths start at the 75-80 foot level and go down to at least 150, depending on location and lake levels. There’s a thermocline at about 35 feet, after which light levels drop and temperatures go down into the 40s. The lake itself is about a two-hour drive southwest of the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, or about a five-hour drive southwest of Shanghai.

The Lion City is just one of three towns submerged by the construction of the dam near Chun’an. Another site in the lake left a temple on top of an island. What the regular visitors to that temple — who arrive by boat — don’t see is the staircase that pilgrims once took to the holy place, still winding down around the hill/island, with small pavilions still visible along the way. Join us all this week for more tales from China’s sea history.

Evan Osnos from New Yorker: China Under Glass

Jessica — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:23:58 +0000

Evan Osnos from New Yorker, who’s running a regular “Letter from China” with quite a good sense of humor, has recommended three other China buffs who have went far enough into China’s most hide-away museums and produced the book Odyssey China: Museums. They are Miriam Clifford, Cathy Giangrande and Antony White.

With a vision of exploring such museums on-spot and producing more content on such less- crowd-pleasing topics, the SeeChina editors thus take the liberty of recommending this essay of Evan Osnos to our readers with full respect to the copyright of Mr. Evan Osnos if he could one day be able to see it here:

LETTER FROM CHINA, February 4, 2010

Q. & A.: China Under Glass

Posted by Evan Osnos

China’s marquee tourist-experiences—the Wall, the Square, the Duck; a circuit known to some as “Walling and Ducking”—are so iconic that visitors often miss the country’s minor brushstrokes. The country is in the midst of a museum-building boom, so I was pleased to see “China: Museums,” a new English-language paperback that burrows into places you would almost certainly miss—unless you’re the type of traveller who never leaves a country without setting foot in its Eunuch Museum or its Tap Water Museum. Authors Miriam Clifford, Cathy Giangrande, and Antony White have trooped through hundreds of museums and plucked out the best bits. Clifford answered some questions:

Of the two hundred and fifteen sites that you and your co-authors visited, which did you find the most surprisingly satisfying?

Many of the museums were surprising—sometimes for their subject matter—such as the Tap Water Museum or the Tank Museum, but more often because our first impression of a museum was sometimes that it was run down and of little interest—but by the time we walked out the door, we were highly enthused and felt we had learned so much more about whatever that museum was about and also about what makes China tick. Many of these small museums have funding problems and still have Chinese signage only so that is a stumbling block for tourists. We usually had curators guiding us through and that made all the difference to the experience. We are trying to duplicate that with our book—by giving the reader the background knowledge they need to understand why a particular museum is important and then to guide them through the museum itself. The most successful museum experience is one where you come out having learned something you didn’t know before—and so many of China’s smaller museums are a real glimpse into China’s preoccupations.

And of course, as authors we really enjoyed finding the most out-of-the-way, off-the-beaten-track museums, which brings us to your second question.

There are some odd ones in here. Which was the strangest?

Of course, this is culturally sensitive—what might seem strange to us may not be to a Chinese. In fact, we thought at first we might have the word “quirky” in our title—when we told this to a Chinese friend, he seemed insulted. “Strange” is only in the eye of the beholder! But, from our point of view, I guess two of our favorite “strange” ones would be the Eunuch Museum in Beijing and the Linzi Funerary Horse Pit Museum of the Eastern Zhou in Shandong. The Eunuch Museum is connected to a eunuch cemetery in western Beijing. It was built for a Ming dynasty eunuch, Tian Yi, who was a favorite of the Wanli Emperor. The cemetery itself is a quiet, soulful place—it’s really got atmosphere. At the gate is a small museum explaining “eunuch culture” with posters, photos of eunuchs at court, and an explanation of the surgery itself. The graveyard is located in a small village within Beijng—the sort that hardly exists nowadays, so you also have the benefit of stepping into the past of this now totally modernized city, and it is fascinating to stroll around the town and its narrow, meandering, and ramshackle streets. By the way, in this village there are also other buildings built by eunuchs during the Ming, including an unusual fortified temple, and the Fahai Temple, with its magnificent Buddhist wall paintings, which are viewed by flashlight.

The Linzi Funerary Horse Pit (at right) was a shock. In our taxi, we bumped across a famer’s field outside of a small village in Shandong and ended up at this archaeological site dating to the Spring and Autumn Period. Six hundred horses, all laid out in the same position, were sacrificed in the grave of a Qi dynasty king. He is in the center, they are lined up around him on three sides of a rectangle. Only two hundred and twenty-eight of the six hundred horse skeletons have been excavated due to lack of resources, but the sight of a lineup of horse skeletons almost as far as the eye can see is incredible.

All cultures create a myth of themselves. After seeing so many of China’s efforts to present itself and its history, did you get a sense of the spirit in which China regards itself? In other words, what kinds of things does it address head-on, and what does it efface?

China’s museums are different from those you find in the States or Europe because they almost all exclusively deal with Chinese objects, history, and culture. The big state museums are all about history and objects Chinese. Additionally and understandably, their target audience is Chinese people—hence the preponderance of signage in Chinese only. Many museums, as you might expect, have an underlying political message sometimes presented more obviously than others. One extreme example would be the Tibet Museum in Lhasa, where the signage in Chinese and English is clearly designed to assert China’s right to hegemony in Tibet.

It is also true that the Cultural Revolution and certainly the events in Tiananmen are almost always skipped over in exhibitions. Surprisingly, though, China does have two fascinating private museums that deal quite openly with the Cultural Revolution. One is more or less a memorial park in Guangdong—built on a hillside in which many victims of the Red Guards are said to be buried. The other is the extraordinary museum complex, owned by an extremely wealthy property developer, Fan Jianchuan, near Chengdu—twenty-five full size museums that deal with the anti-Japanese War and the Cultural Revolution, containing his personal collection of over eight million objects! Both of these museums are a sort of “holocaust museum” with the message “never forget.”

Patriotism is a major factor in every Chinese citizen’s education, and Chinese museums often reflect this point of view—it is inescapable here.

What is a piece of advice for China travellers that they won’t get from other books?

Don’t be put off by the thought of “visiting a museum.” It is not a bore—you can learn a lot about the place you are in and the people you meet. The trick is to not make negative assumptions and to ask to speak to a guide or curator when you go to a small museum. They are almost always enthusiastic, highly informed, and willing to come out and show you around. You’ll come away with a whole new take on Chinese culture and a much greater appreciation.

Photos by Miriam Clifford. The first picture is from the Jianchuan Museum Complex outside Chengdu, where a memorial wall to Sichuan veterans of the anti-Japanese War presents handprints and signatures of visitors.

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Pictures from Bama County, Guangxi Province

Jessica — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:49:34 +0000

Bama Yao Autonomous County is famous for its longevity rate and uncontaminated landscape.
The following pictures were taken by photographer Fan Xiaoqiang in December 2009.

Over-a-hundred-year-old woman.

Liu Lei’s photos of the Chinese countryside (0)

A Chinese Home…in Salem

Daisy Wheeler — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:27:07 +0000

Salem, Massachusetts is a pilgrimage site for witches, wiccans, and Sinophiles.

Hold it. Salem is for Sinophiles?

The city has come down in the world quite a bit since then. Salem’s harbor silted up and its southern neighbor, Boston, with its deeper anchorage, became the new trading port.

In the middle of the city is the Peabody Essex Museum, repository for many works of art and craftsmanship that arrived aboard the eponymous China clippers. Opened in 1799 by Salem sea captains, it is the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States. It remains New England’s finest collection of traditional Chinese art.

In 1997, PEM added a major piece to its China collection: a complete multi-family home from the Anhui province village of Huang Cun, in the foothills of Huangshan. Known as Yin Yu Tang, seeing this architectural artifact would make the long-term Beijing resident wish the museum also had room for a Beijing hutong. It is the only complete Qing Dynasty home outside of China.

Yin Yu Tang formerly belonged to the Huang family, pawnshop owners and merchants of dry goods and salt. The Huangs built the house in between 1800 and 1820. It was mostly home to the family’s women and children, as the men spent most of their time away conducting business.

During the Cultural Revolution, the Huangs were labeled landlords and removed from the compound. Other families moved into the house, and it was used for meetings and activities, evidence of which remains on Yin Yu Tang’s walls in the forms of signs and graffiti (women’s restroom, men’s restroom). It also suffered damage due to neglect.

The house was returned to the family in the 1970s, and the Huangs remained resident until the mid-1980s, after which the remaining members mostly moved to Shanghai.

In the 1990s the Huang family patriarch, Huang Zhenxin, returned to Yin Yu Tang to live. However, he eventually decided that you can’t go home again, that village life had changed too much, and chose to sell the home permanently in 1996.

As fate would have it, Nancy Berliner, who is now the museum’s curator of Chinese art and culture, was in the village on the day that the Huang family met to decide the fate of their ancestral home. PEM made a bid and the Huangs accepted.

Starting in the second half of 1997, the house was dismantled piece by piece and shipped from Anhui to Boston first, where the pieces were inventoried and prepared for re-assembly. In 1998, the three-year process of rebuilding the house began, with the site finally opening to the public in an area adjacent to the Museum’s main atrium in 2003.

The two-story house is constructed primarily of wood, with a ground-floor inner courtyard. Although the fish ponds look ornamental, anyone who has visited such a house in the Chinese countryside knows that fish kept there are ultimately bound for the dinner table. The enclosed nature of the house provided maximum security for the family members within. As most of the male members of the Huang family were usually away on business, they wanted to protect the women and children that were Yin Yu Tang’s primary residents.

The home accurately reflects the Huangs’ status through the furniture and effects. As merchants, they had made a good living, but were by no means wealthy. The house’s appointments show an eye for craftsmanship, but also a thrifty tendency to use less flashy materials, more durable materials for furnishings and linens.

Visitors who have spent time in China will find some of the Cultural Revolution touches added to the house to be a bit much, although a Lei Feng poster rarely fails to amuse.

Beijing residents familiar with the Forbidden City’s audio tour narrated by Roger Moore will chuckle at Yin Yu Tang’s featured aural guide—author Amy Tan.

For those with interests that extend beyond things Chinese, PEM also features some of the best collections of New England and maritime art anywhere in the world.

PEM also maintains historic homes in Salem, including the Gardner-Pingree House, the Crowninshield-Bentley House, and the John Ward House, the latter of which dates back to 1684. All three homes were owned by ship captains who helped to found PEM, and whose families left them in the Museum’s care when they moved on. In the late 1700s until about 1820, Salem was the richest community in the new nation of the United States, the main port for trade with China.

However, Salem’s supremacy in the China trade was not to last. By 1820, the city’s harbor had silted up to a point where the larger “China clippers”—three-masted schooners designed for speed and capacity—could not enter to load and unload. A nearby harbor offered greater opportunities for the big ships, and Boston overtook Salem once and for all.

Liu Lei’s photos of the Chinese countryside

Jessica — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:16:21 +0000

Mr. Liu Lei, president of the China Artistic Photographic Association, will soon start contributing his own column in the photo section of SeeChina.org.cn.

Below are some of his recent photos taken in the countryside of China.

A countryside Spring Festival parade, with farmers doing dragon dancing.

A countryside opera performance, with local performers acting as ancient kings and generals.

A brick factory in the countryside.

A craftsman who paints on bamboo bowls and trays.

Children in the countryside.

See China » Travel

SeeChina Travelogue from F.: Water from Heaven

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LETTER FROM CHINA, February 4, 2010

Keywords

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Pictures from Bama County, Guangxi Province

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