Prologue
“Seek knowledge, although you have to go to China.”
(A saying of Prophet Muhammad)
Inspired, I went to China for ten days, accompanied by my family: mom, a cousin, and three aunties. We were then joined by two other people from Medan. So there were eight of us.
These notes were taken during the plane and bus rides throughout the tour, aided by a China travel guide book, explanations form the tour guides, brochures from each site, and some information from the internet. They are talking about my experience and some historical background of the places I’ve visited.
AL
Beijing
I finally arrived in Beijing after more than 24 hours flight from Jakarta. The temperature was around minus four degrees Celsius and it was quite windy.
We were picked up by Tree, our Beijing guide. She then led us to the bus which would be our ride in the city, conducted by a soft-spoken plump driver called Mr. Wang.
The Temple of Heaven
From the airport, we went to the Temple of Heaven, which is located to the southeast of the Southern Gate of Beijing. Covering an area of 273 hectares, this temple is one of the best examples of religious architecture in China, with the history of 580 years. Its construction began in 1408 during the reign of Emperor Yongle and took fourteen years to complete. This is where the emperor or China, who considered himself as the 'son of heaven', went during the winter solstice to offer sacrifices and prayers for good harvest.
The temple is a large complex containing several buildings. First, there is the Hall of Abstinence, where the emperor spent a night preceding the ceremony. Then there is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest stands 39 meters tall, supported by 28 wooden pillars, and topped by three conical roofs covered with blue jade tiles. The Hall of the Imperial Vault of Heaven, located in the center, stored ceremonial tables used in rituals. Echo Wall, the circular brick wall surrounding the Imperial Vault, has the acoustical ability that enables two people standing on the opposite side to hear each other in whisper. The circular mound of the Altar of Heaven to the south is where the emperor offered sacrifice and prayers. There are still other buildings, but I didn’t go to all of them.
While walking to the temple, I saw a lot of people at the front yard, most of whom were elderly. They were doing various things; some were practicing dancing movements using ribbons, some were playing music and singing, and others were playing ‘mahjong’ or Chinese chess. Tree said they have all retired and came to the temple to do activities to fill their time. So the temple also serves as an activity center. I think it’s a great idea.
Watching Chinese Acrobatic Show
After 1.5 hours at the Temple of Heaven, I went for dinner, then watched an acrobatic show. Chinese acrobatics can be called a national art. It’s one of the oldest performing arts, dating back between 475-221 BC. The ancient acrobatics stemmed from the people’s life and had a close link with their life and productive labor. Articles of daily use such as tables, chairs, jars, plates, and bowls, were used in their performance.
At present, there are over 120 acrobatics troupes above the country level. More than 12.000 people are involved in the performing. Chinese acrobatics has won acclaim and praise from audiences both home and abroad and Chinese acrobats won many gold medals in World Acrobatic Festivals in recent years. Cycling with Bowl Piling, Lion Dance, and Vocal Imitation are the most famous programs. New acrobatics items have been added to the high-altitude stunts, such as tuck dives, flying leaps, and throwing-and-catching.
The Tian’anmen Square
It took us about half an hour from the hotel to Tiananmen Square. This is one of the largest public squares in the world, covering 1000 hectares. It was a gathering place during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are two buildings standing in between a central path that leads to the Forbidden City.
The square is the political heart of modern China. It was here that some major events in Chinese history took place. Beijing University students protested Japan’s demand on China in 1919 in this square. Chairman Mao Zedong announced the establishment of People’s Republic of China from the Gate of Heavenly Peace on the north of the square in 1949. Red Guards held huge rallies here during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). A million of people gathered here to mourn the passing of the communist leader Zhou Enlai. A massive anti-government student demonstration happened here in 1989.
Behind the square is the Mao Mausoleum. There laid the body of Chairman Mao in a crystal coffin draped with the red flag of the communist party. The coffin is placed in the Hall of Mourning. There were a huge number of people lined up to enter the mausoleum. I heard that it’s like that every day. A visit there takes just a few minutes as visitors are not allowed to stop inside.
The Forbidden City
From the Tian'anmen Square, I followed the central path and walked for three hours to reach the Forbidden City. Along the way, I was wondering why the place is called that way. Appearently, during the imperial era, common people were not allowed to enter this complex, which also served as the home of Chinese emperors.
The Forbidden City is the biggest palace complex in the world with 9.999 rooms. The number of room was chosen according to Feng Shui, because nine is considered a good number. It’s surrounded by walls which protected the palace from enemies.
Its outer courtyard was designed to accommodate 90.000 people during ceremonies. There are three main buildings here. In the center stands the Hall of Supreme Harmony where important ceremonies were held, including the emperor’s birthday. Behind this stand the Hall of Complete Harmony where the emperor dressed for functions. The last building is the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The Qing dynasty the emperor gave banquet in honor of Uygur and Mongol nobles here. From 1789 onwards the Civil Service Examination was held in this hall, with the supervision of the emperor.
Behind the three great halls of the outer court is an open ground running from the east to the west which serves as a demarcation line leading to the inner court. This is where the emperor lived with his empress and concubines, served by thousands of palace maids and eunuchs.
The main entrance to the inner court is the Gate of Heavenly Purity, which is built like a mansion. The most important building is the Palace of Heavenly Purity which served as the living quarter of the emperor during the Ming dynasty and during the reign of Sun Zhi and Kang Xi of the Qing dynasty.
Another important building is the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, which was the residence of the empress during the Ming and Qing times. The bridal chamber is where the emperor and empress would spend two nights after the wedding. It has preserved the same decoration as used at the wedding of Emperor Guang Xu, the 12th Qing emperor.
Included in the inner court are the bedrooms of the emperor and empress, also a special room where the emperor kept the collection of things made of jade, such as jade glasses and plates. Chinese emperors were really fond of jade. It was an interesting discovery, however I finally had to come to the end.
The last stop was the Imperial Garden. This garden was built in 1417 and is the oldest garden in Beijing. It occupies an area of 1.3 hectares at the northern end of the central axis of the former Imperial Palace. During the Qing dynasty, emperor, empress, and imperial concubines came here to worship the Cowherd Star and the Girl Weaver Star on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, they came here to offer sacrifice to the moon and on the Double-Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month) they came here to ascend the Hill of Collecting Excellence and to enjoy the scenic beauty within and outside the palace. On the hill stands the Pavilion of Imperial Landscape. The main scenic spot in the northwestern part is the Pavilion of Lasting Splendor. In front of it there are some ancient cypress trees which are over 400 years old.
Time seemed to pass very quickly, as I walked through the palace and admired its beauty. Before knowing it, I was already at the way out.
Hutongs
After the Forbidden City, I was taken to see the face of old Beijing, the hutongs.
To do that, I had to take a pedicab. Hutongs are narrow streets or alleys, which only existed in Beijing. They are formed by siheyuan or traditional courtyard residences. Many neighborhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, the joining one hutong to another.
Hutongs have a long history. During China’s dynastic period, emperors planned the city of Beijing and arranged the residential areas according to the etiquette system of the Zhou dynasty (1027-256 BC). At the center was the Forbidden City surrounded in concentric circles by the Inner City and the Outer City. Citizens of higher social status were permitted to live closer to the center of the circles. Aristocrats such as high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants lived to the east and west to the imperial palace. Their siheyuan often featured beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars and carefully landscaped gardens. The hutongs they formed were orderly, lined by spacious homes and walled gardens. Farther from the palace, and to its north and were the commoners; merchants, artisans, and laborers. Their siheyuan were far smaller in scale and simpler in design and decoration, and the hutongs were narrower.
There are more than twenty hutongs in Beijing. The narrowest is Qian Shi Hutong (Money Market Hutong), measuring about 30 to 40 meters (32 to 44 yards), located in Zhubao Shi Street outside the Front Gate. The narrowest part is merely 40 centimeters (16 inches) wide, so when two people meet, they must turn sideways to pass each other. The longest one is Dong Jiaomin Hutong, with a total length of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles), lying between Chang'an Avenue and East Street and West Street of the Front Gate. The shortest one is Guantong Hutong measuring about 30 meters (33 yards).
The hutongs I visited was the one farther from the palace. As the pedicab went along the narrow alleys, I couldn’t help wondering how people could live there. The houses were small, maybe only 2 x 3 meters, only fit for one person. There was one which only consisted of only one bedroom. There was no electricity; the lighting came from oil lamps.
Hutong's residence must live a simple life. Despite the changes happening around the city, time seems to stand still here. Vendors sell baozi or steamed meat buns on the street, next to horse carts piled high with watermelons. Peddlers push carts down the street, shouting to announce their presence. Some chant rhymes to advertise their wares, the others make a particular sound that residence immediately associate with a certain product. Small children crowd around a hawker with dozens of small woven basket no larger than a plum, inside which are crickets.
However since the mid of the 20th century, the number of Beijing’s hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history.
The Summer Palace
This was my next stop after the hutongs. This palace is a complex of buildings and gardens dates back 800 years when the first emperor of the Jin dynasty built the Gold Mountain Palace on the site now known as Longevity Hill. It was damaged by the Anglo-French troops during the second Opium War and burned down by Western soldiers in retaliation of the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 but was restored in 1903. The corridor is covered with wood and it is 700 meters long, a walkway that runs to the south shore of the lake with auspicious symbols and landscape paintings on the beams.
This palace was where Chinese emperors retreated during the summer to escape Beijing's heat. Starting its life as the Garden of Clear Ripples (Qingyi Yuan) in 1750, in the fifteenth year of Emperor Qianlong, it then served as a summer resort of Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing dynasty. It is said that the empress dowager took thirty millions tael of silver, which was originally designated for the Chinese navy (Beiyang fleet), to reconstruct and enlarge the palace.
The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill (60 meters high) and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water. The central Kunming Lake covering 2.2 square kilometers was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill. In its compact 70,000 square meters of building space, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other classical-style architectural structures.
Entering from the east gate, I arrived at the administrative area of the emperor and the first building I saw was the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. Painted in red, this hall was where the empress dowager and his nephew, Emperor Guangxu ( 1875-1908) recieved guests. I saw some statues on its courtyard. The one that caught my attention was a bronze creature called the Qilin. This creature takes a dragon's head, lion's tail, dear' horn, and cattle's hoof. According to Chinese legend, it guards the palace against fire. Other creatures including the dragon, symbol of the emperor and the phoenix, symbol of the empress. Interestingly, the phoenix statue is at the center of the courtyard, while the dragon statue , contrary to tradition, lie on the side. This is because it was Empress Dowager Cixi, rather than the emperor, was the one who managed the state affairs. Therefore she was more centered. Those are just a few interesting facts about the Summer Palace.
The Freesky Pearl Factory
As early as 4000 years ago, Chinese people discovered a kind of delicate gem with soft brilliance when searching ocean for food. This is pearl. Since then, countless pearl jewelry and artwork have been created by talented Chinese people. Hence, pearl has been one of the important parts of Chinese culture. Therefore, visiting a pearl factory was listed on my tour's itinarary and Freesky Pearl Factory was the place.
Nowadays, with production volume of 96% of pearls sold worldwide, the industry would come to a standstill without pearls from China. China is, in fact, the main pearls exporting country to Japan. A large quantity of China’s pearls is used for Japanese pearl jewelry.
As an introduction, the factory workers showed me how to take pearls from an oyster. First, she cut the oyster using a big sharp knife. This killed the oyster and made me feel rather sad. Then she opened the shell and took pearls. There were about twelve pink pearls hidden within the oyster's meat. Finding them was quite a challenge.
We proceed to the gallery where pearl jewelries are displayed; rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and pendants. It was just like any other jewelry store, the difference is, customers could bargain. My aunties wasted no time; they bargain so hard that they could get the lowest price at the sore. We left the factory with new beautiful pearl jeweleries.
The Tongrentang Hospital
Bargaining at the pearl factory was quite exhausting. That was why we were taken to a traditional Chinese medicine store called Tongrentang. Not just to have a look at it, but also to have some massage. Nice!
This hospital has a high reputation for as long as 300 years. It was first established by Yue Xianyang, who was an expert in distinguishing Chinese medical herbs and devoted all his lives to traditional Chinese medicine. In 1669 he made a decision to establish his own pharmacy to better serve his patients. That was when Tongrentang was born.
It is said that doctors from this hospital used to care for the emperors when they were ill. The hospital representative told us that if the doctors couldn’t cure the emperor, they would be killed. I can imagine how difficult and stressful being a doctor at that time.
Quanjude Restaurant
It was time for dinner so we went to the famous Quanjude restaurant. This restaurant was first established at 1864 during the Qing dynasty and serves the world-famous Peking Roast Duck.
The dish is prized for the thin, crispy skin with the authentic version serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks are bred specially for the dish, which after 65 days are slaughtered and seasoned before it is roasted in a closed oven or hung oven. The meat is eaten with pancakes, spring onions, and hoisin sauce. I think it was very delicious.
Other food included stir-fried vegetables, sweet and sour chicken, and soup. I like soup and I expected to have rich-flavored soup. Unfortunately what I got was less than I expected, as the soup was plain and tasteless. However, I still enjoyed my dinner.
The Great Wall
On my last day in Beijing, I visited one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China. I arrived there after an hour drive. Looking at it, I couldn’t help wondering how the Chinese could build such huge wall stretching 5900 kilometers from the Bohai Gulf in the Yellow Sea to Jiayuguan in the mountains of Giansu province without using heavy equipments and advanced technology.
This wall was originally built to keep the barbarian invaders from the north. The Ming rulers paid great attention to this wall. Despite the dedication, the Manchu tribes who overthrew them poured through an opening of the wall at its eastern terminus in 1644 when the Ming general Wu Sangui defected to the Manchu’s side, leaving Shanhai pass unguarded. Now this wall is one of the major tourist attractions in China.
I was very happy to have climbed the wall. It was easy at first, the higher I climbed, the steeper the steps. Although I didn't make it to the top because we didn't have that much time and was running out of breath, I felt 'mighty' afterwards. There is a saying, 'he who hasn't ascended the Great Wall is not a true man'.
The Ming Tombs
From climbing the Great Wall, I visited the Ming Dynasty Tombs which is located at a distance of 50 km northwest of Beijing. It's an arc-shaped cluster of hills fronted by a small plain.
Here is where thirteen of sixteen Ming emperors are buried, along with their wives and concubines.However, only three sites are open to public. Changling, the burial site of the third Ming emperor Yongle is the most popular. It is said that sixteen concubines were buried alive with the emperor, a practice that was later banned in the Ming dynasty. A stone statue of the emperor stood in the middle of the hall. He was dressed in his imperial robe, looking mighty.
Another tomb is Dingling, the tomb of emperor Wanli, which took six years to complete. Rumor has it that the emperor gave a party in his own funeral chamber to mark its completion. His coffin and his two empresses' also more than 3000 artifacts are displayed in the tomb and two small museums. When I saw the artifacts, I was really amazed. They are made of the finest materials. Most of them, such as eating utensils are made of gold. The emperor and empress' robes are made of silk, embroidered with gold thread. Their crowns are made of gold I think, not really sure, all I remember is they were yellow. However, I can imagine how rich the emperors were and what kind of lifestyle they had.
The tombs are approached by the Sacred Way, an avenue which is lined with honor guards consisting of twelve pairs of statues, each carved from a single stone. And that was the last stop in Beijing.
Nanjing
I arrived in Nanjing at noon and continued the trip after picking up our Nanjing guide, a young man in his mid 30s named Fred.
As the trip began, Fred gave us an introduction about his hometown. He said that Nanjing is located on the southern bank of the Yangtzi River and it was once the capital during the Three Kingdoms period, the Song, Liang, and Tang dynasties. It served briefly as the capital during the Ming dynasty, but the capital was later moved to Beijing. Chiang Kaishek, the chairman of the Nationalist government, moved the capital here in 1928.In 1937, Japanese troops invaded the city, committing one of the worst slaughters in history known as the ‘Rape of Nanjing’, which left an estimated of 300.000 Chinese people killed. When the Communist party came to power in 1949, the capital once again moved to Beijing. As Fred ended his story, we arrived at the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat Sen.
Sun Yat Sen’s Mausoleum
Dr. Sun Yat Sen (1866-1925) was considered the father of the People’s Republic of China. He was a great forerunner of the Chinese revolution, and under his leadership, the Chinese brought down the rule of the corrupt Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and ended the 2000 years feudal monarchy system, which led the Chinese to a new age. He passed away on the 12th of March 1925 and was burried in Nanjing, as he requested.
His mausoleum is located in the Zhong Mountain scenic area in the east suburb of the city.
Seventy six steps leading to the mausoleum, which are getting steeper and steeper on the way up. At the very top is a chamber where the coffin of Dr. Sun is placed, surrounded by a hemispherical tomb. His white marble statue rests atop the rectangle coffin, under which this historical giant forever sleeps. Visitors are not allowed to stay there for along time or take pictures, since the hero is important for the Chinese. I managed to climb up, as I was determined to see the coffin. Then I circled the tomb in silence, like other visitors, to pay tribute to the man who is considered as the 'father of the People's Republic of China'.
Zhonghua Gate (The City Gate of Nanjing)
Besides Sun Yat Sen's mausoleum, another historical site I visited was the Zhonghua Gate, or known as the City Gate. This gate used to serve as a guard tower, to prevent enemies from coming in. It consisted of four layers of towers and there are steps to go to the top. From the top we can see two different sides of Nanjing. The gate represents the ancient city, while it is surrounded by modern buildings. Along the stairs are statues of soldiers in armed suit holding tridents.
The gate is 14-21 m high; 14.5m thick at its base, and 4.9m thick at the top. The castle consists of thirteen gates altogether, making it the largest city gate on China. There is an interesting story behind the construction of this magnificent gate. Legend has it that when Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Ming dynasty emperor had the gate built, the ground kept sinking. This made the construction collapsed again and again. Only until a treasure bowl was buried beneath its ground that the gate was able to stand still. However, I think it is more because of the materials used to build it; massive bricks mortared together with special cement made of lime, sticky rice juice, and tung oil. Every brick underwent a strict quality check, ti ensure their quality. It is said that the brick makers were told to carve their names on their masterpieces and those names can be seen until today. I don't know for sure because I didn't pay attention to it and was unaware of the interesting fact. The gate was then renamed the Zhonghua Gate in 1931, in a ceremony to commemorate the 1911 revolution that gave birth to the Republic of China.
Walking inside the ancient city wall, I saw some tunnels. There are actually twenty seven of them, built to store food and weapons, as well as to hold up to 3000 soldiers. It was dim and damp inside; the only source of light came from torches set on each side of the wall. Wide and steep ramps were built to enable people to carry materials upwards. Climbing these ramps, I arrived at the top of the castle. The view from there was magnificent; the ancient city gate combined with modern buildings, representing the ancient and modern Nanjing.
The grandest of all the thirteen gates was built on the site of the previous gate, which was constructed during the Later Tang dynasty (932-936). It's an architecturally complexed structure composed of three closed courtyards and four arched doors. Double-paneled wooden doors with additional stone doors are set behind. This is one of the Chinese defense system. If enemies broke through the wooden doors, they could be trapped and separated in the courtyards upon dropping the stone doors. I could only see the wooden doors, and went through them on the way out, to continue my trip to the next destination: somewhere to go shopping!
The Confucius Night Market
Almost everybody is familiar with Confucius; the Chinese philosopher whose teachings still have a big impact on the Chinese until today. He put great emphasis on personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. Nobody would associate his name with shopping, neither did I. However, my view changed after I went to this place called the Confucius Temple Market.
This is an all-round whole sale center in which you can find everything Shops lined up selling socks, clothes, electronics, jewelries, you name it! Red lanterns were seen along the street. The price is also varied,but you can get very cheap ones if you bargain hard. A few tips: bargain up to 70% of the price, don't feel sorry for the seller, and use the 'walk away strategy' when you can't get the price you want; the seller usually comes after you and finally agree on your price.
As I walked around the market, I wondered where the actual 'temple' was. Although I never found it, as I were not taken there, I discovered that the place is actually used to worship Confucius. It was also where the imperial examination to select court officials were held. On its heyday, there were 20,644 examination cells, each only one square meter big. It is said that candidates spent nine days in the cell and used wooden desks as their bed at night. Only 20 of 20.000 of them passed the exam. However, now it is the quietest place in the neighborhood, seems to be 'forgotten'. It's too bad, because the place contains such interesting history.
The Yangtzi River Bridge
The next agenda was to visit the Yangtzi River Bridge which is 4.980 meters long, making it the longest bridge with the dual functions of highway and railway listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. It's also the first bridge in China solely designed and built by the Chinese. Constructed between 1960-1968, 280 million yuan was spent on this project. Its completion has reduced the river crossing time from about two hours by ferry to the course of only several minutes, which is much more convenient for communication between the two river banks.
I observed that the traffic was very busy, as my bus went along the bridge. Some boats were seen floating along the river. The bus then arrived on the south of the bridge where the entrance is located. I then took an elevator that brought me to the deck. From up there, I could view the 6,380 kilometers river, the third longest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon.
Located on one of the decks is a gallery which sells crystal balls; large and small, painted from the inside with astonishing color combination. They are for sale but you really have to dig your pocket for them. The money is used to finance the maintenance of the bridge. The person behind all this is Guo Luan; a native Nanjing ex-school teacher who then learned to paint and dedicated himself so that the bridge can stand still until today. With a pretty crystal ball with my name carved on it, I left Nanjing and continued to Wuxi.
Wuxi
This next stop is one of the oldest cities in Yangtzi River delta. When the Grand Canal was dug, it pierced the city, which became the distribution center of grain from the rich Yangtzi River valley to the north. The Grand Canal was later declined; however Wuxi remained a trading center, thanks to the building of the railroad in the 20th century. It prospered as the silk industry took off. The popular site in this town is Lake Tai, just seven kilometers away. This lake is a part of one of the major attractions, where Chinese movies are made.
CCTV Movie Studio
This place can be compared to Hollywood, as this is where most of Chinese historical movies are made. I was very excited to be there as I'm a fan of Chinese kung fu movies which are set in ancient China.
CCTV Wuxi Movie/TV Base is the first large scaled base for movie and TV shooting and for tourism built in China. Constructed in 1987, it has been attracting nearly 100 TV/movie production units every year to shoot over 1000 movies and TV plays. At the same time over two million people have come here as tourists to explore the secrets of movie productions.
The studio has been the shooting location of some movies and TV plays such as Stories of Three Kingdoms, Water Margins, Emperor Ming Huang of Tang Dynasty, Yang, the Royal Concubine, Stories of the Da Ming Palace, A Haughty Smile at the Land of Heroes, etc. All the year round the scene zones have production units stationed and movie stars from Hong Kong. Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Mainland China keep coming and going.
Occupying a total area of over 100 acres and water area of 3000 mu of Lake Taihu, its scene zones includes King of Wu Palace, Ganlu Temple, Han Tripod, Cao Cao’s Army Camp on Land and Waterside, all of which are in the Han Dynasty styles. Then there are the Royal Palace, Da Xian Guo Si Temple, and Purple Stone (Zishi) Street, Riverside Street On Qingming Day, camps and barracks of Water Margin etc, which show a distinct Song Dynasty Style. The Great Tang Dynasty style shows itself in the large scale ancient architecture group of the Royal Garden, Chenxian Pavilion, Hua Qing Pool, and the Tang Palaces. For Ming and Qing dynasties there are the 'Old Beijing's' siheyuan (a rectangular shaped residence house with courtyard in the middle)” and the 'Old Shanghai Street'. I found the sets were really amazing!
Besides movie sets, the studio also puts up over 20 eye-catching performances of cavalry combat, songs and dances, movie stunt etc. I was able to see one of them, 'Three Heroes Fighting Lu Bu'. It was really an eye-catching show and the combat scene was excellent; the heroes on horses, using swords, wearing armed suits and carrying flags. Great sound effects too, with the voices of cannons and galloping horses. Although I couldn’t understand what the narrator said, it was truly enjoyable.
Later on, I found out that the costumes worn by the actors on the show are rented and visitors can take pictures wearing them, by paying 30 yuan for three shots. Pay extra 20 yuan and you can take pictures with some studio employees as your 'supporting background'. Tempted, I went on and had my pictures taken wearing a beautiful pink robe and a heavy flowery crown. When I asked the tour guide what costume it was, she said that such costume used to be worn by imperial concubines. Oh man!
The Teapot Museum
This was where I went after taking off my concubine costume. The first thing I saw as I entered was a giant teapot of more than two meters high, making it the biggest teapot in the world It is believed that touching its middle will bring good fortune, touching the handle bring gambling luck, and touching the stout will bring fertility. It was taller than the famous Chinese basketball player Yao Ming. I don't know whether it was true. Then my group was given a warm welcome with a cup of tea and an introduction to the museum.
This place isn't actually a 'museum' generally. The teapots displayed here are for sale. That is if you are willing to spend your whole travel allowance. Prices are from 100 yuan for the 'normal' teapots to 500 yuan for those with better quality. If you want to buy the masterpieces, get ready to spend 1000 yuan or more.
Lake Tai
This lake is a popular scenic spots in Wuxi, known for its unique limestone formation. These 'Chinese scholar rock', named so because these rocks were appreciated by scholars from the Song dynasty (960-1279) onwards, are often used to decorate traditional Chinese gardens, especially those which can be found in Suzhou. To get the best view of the lake, I was taken to Xihui Park, which is located in the western end of the town. Covering an area of 45 square kilometers, this park comprises of tea houses, gardens, temples, and pagodas. This park is also known to be the 'outdoor museum of Wuxi', as it has lots of historical and cultural sites such as the Ta Bo memorial Hall which is built to honor the founder of Wuxi, the Imperial Steele Pavilion which has decorative ceilings and inscriptions written by the Qing emperor Qianlong (1736-1795).
As I walked around the park, I saw some beautiful plants, which I think only exist in China. I spotted pink seaweed-like flowers and others which are yellow-pink and shaped like a cauliflower. Very unusual yet they are beautiful. Then I headed off for Suzhou.
Suzhou
The bus stopped at the Tiger Hill Park. At the entrance, I met the tour guide, Helen. She then led us to the park. She was excited to find out that we were from Indonesia and told me that she had been to Bali once. As we entered the park, she started to give an introduction about her hometown.
Suzhou is also called the ‘Venice of the East’ or the ‘Water City’ because there are a lot of canals and bridges. It has a history of 2500 years but it didn’t prosper until the construction of the Grand Canal during the Sui Dynasty (581-618).
By the 12th century, Suzhou became a noted producer of silk. The silk is made into products such as pillows, blankets, sheets, clothes, etc. Suzhou’s ladies are really good at sewing and they can make complicated embroidery patterns. Helen said that girls starts learning how to sew since they were young. It is now wonder that the city is well-known for its textile products.
Besides silk, this town has also long been known as a nice place of retirement for merchants, scholars, and high ranking officials. Because they have a lot of money, they can afford to by villas here. Along the street I saw some beautiful villas with large gardens.
The Tiger Hill
This park is the number one sightseeing location in Suzhou. It’s located on the west of the ancient city, and has the history of 2500 years.
The first thing I saw was a leaning pagoda. At first, I felt like looking at the twin of the Italian Pisa tower, and in fact, it is. It's the Yunyan Temple Pagoda, or known as the 'leaning tower of Suzhou' which has the history of over a thousand years, and therefore is the oldest pagoda in town. It's made of bricks with artificial wooden structures. This 47.5 meters tall tower also serves as Suzhou's national emblem. You can feel that it's leaning when you go inside by measuring the ceiling with your hand.
I was curious why this place is named the 'tiger' hill. Appearently it's named so because it looks like a crouching tiger. A legend says that a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard the tomb of King Helu, a ruler of the state of Wu (514-496 BC) in ancient China.
Because it's so unique, a Song dynasty poet named Su Dongpo said, 'It would be a pitty if you had been to Suzhou, but you didn't get to visit the Tiger Hill. '
Zhouzhuang (Water City)
This place shows why Suzhou is called ‘Venice of the East’. Upon entering, I saw a canal with some beautiful bridges. Tourists were riding gondolas rowed by some local people. The rowers were singing songs which lyrics praise the beauty of Suzhou.
Walking further, I arrived at an old house. In the past, it belonged to a millionaire. Now it's opened as a part of the tourist attractions. It's 1,800 square meters big and has over 70 rooms. The Ruojing River which flows through makes it a graceful residence. Inside is a peaceful courtyard and a pond, and also some noisy geese which scared me off.
The house was built by the Xu family which lived during the era of Emperor Zhengtong (1436-1449) of the Ming dynasty. Later it was bought by the Zhang family in the early Qing dynasty (1644-1911). I could tell that the owner was very rich. There's a wooden sedan chair which shows that the owner came from the higher class, as only the emperor could ride a sedan chair at that time. It has two meeting rooms; one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. The kitchen is equipped with a rice grinder and some cooking utensils. At one side of the house, some dummies were sitting in the living room, playing some music and having fun. It displays how past Chinese millionares had a good time. How interesting to find out aboutb their lifestyle.
The Changlang Pavilion
Helen mentioned that lots of rich people choose to live in Suzhou. Therefore fancy houses can be seen around the city, including the Changlang Pavillion, which was constructed by the prominent northern Song poet Su Sunquin. The oldest among all the existing classical gardens in Suzhou, it was repaired several times during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, It features a range of man-made mountains covered with trees and bamboos and was reconstructed during the reign of Kangxi (1661-1722) of the Qing dynasty, Inside, there's a famous Chinese parallel couplet on the stone pillars which says ‘The freshening breeze and the bright moon are priceless. The near water and distant hills strike a sentimental note’. On November 2000, it was inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List.
This pavilion is decorated by stones taken from Lake Tai. With a fish pond and bridges, the atmosphere was peaceful, perfect for a retreat.
Choyers – Suzhou’s no. 1 Silk Mill
As Suzhou is famous for silk, one of the agenda was visiting a silk factory. And that was Choyers, the number one silk mill in town. Built in 1926, its ‘WuAi’ mulberry silk clothes and quilts are the famous home and abroad. They have been exported to Southeast Asia, America, and Europe.
Upon entering, we were shown around the factory watched the process of making silk products. First, the cocoons are heated in very hot water and hanged to dry until the threads can be taken. Next the thread is taken as raw silk material and enlarged using semi-circle equipment according to the size wanted. Then they are made into various silk products such as quilts, blankets, clothes, etc. To make a bed sheet the silk has to be pulled and it takes four people to do it. It was a tough job!
As the others started to shop and bargain, I looked around 'inspecting' the products. Anything silk can be fund here: blankets, pillows, sheets, bed cover, clothes. I was interested in a pillow which was filled with cocoon's drops. A shop assistant told me that this pillow was good for those with insomnia. Because I didn't have such problem, I wasn't interested in buying. However, I believe that silk pillows does give better sleep, because the pillows in my hotel were made of silk and it was so comfortable that I was almost late the next morning. With more luggage than when we first arrive, the trip continued to Hangzhou.
Hangzhou
Hangzhou is a sub provincial city in the Yangtzi River delta, 180 kilometers southwest of Shanghai. It’s well known for its beautiful natural scenery with the West Lake as the most popular location. Marco Polo, who visited here in the 13th century and called it 'the most prosperous city in the world'. A popular saying said, ‘In Heaven there is Paradise, on Earth there are Hangzhou and Suzhou.”
The West Lake
We stopped at the entrance to the West Lake. On this freezing autumn day, we were going to cross the lake by boat. While freezing and shivering, I tried to focus on what the guide said about this lake. Didn't really work though! So I can only give little information.
There are several lakes in China called the 'West Lake', but this one in Hangzhou is the most famous. It's a fresh water lake located in the central of the city. Originally a shallow sea inlet, it's the laying down of silt at 5.68 square kilometers (about 1,404 acres) of water. The lake and its surroundings have all the elements of a traditional Chinese garden; water, stones, trees, plants, but on a grand scale. Its magnificent view made this lake a favorite place for imperial retreat in the past.
The Leifeng Pagoda
The boat stopped in the middle of the lake, to give visitors a chance to view a pagoda seen from the distance called the Leifeng Pagoda.
Constructed in 975 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period at the order of King Qian Chu of the Wuyue Kingdom, this pagoda was built to celebrate the birth of the king's son who was born to Huang Fei, his favorite concubine. Also known as the Thunder Peak Pagoda, it was originally an octagonal five-storied tower made of bricks and wood. Its wooden elements was burned during the late Ming dynasty when the Japanese pirates attatcked Hangzhou. Later, due to superstitions that bricks from the tower could prevent illness and bring luck, people stole them and grinded them into powder. They probably drank it too. This caused the pagoda collapsed on the afternoon of September 25th, 1924. It was then rebuilt by the provincial and municipal government in October 1999. The original base is kept in good condition as well as the treasures discovered in an underrground chamber.
The Leifeng pagoda became one of the top ten sights of the West Lake, maybe because of The White Snake Legend, a Chinese story that began as oral traditions the written as compilations, also performed in the TV series, films, and Chinese operas. It's one of my favorite stories. Set in the Southern Song dynasty, the story basically tells about a young scholar named Xu Xian who falls in love with a woman named Bai Su Zhen, unaware that she is a white snake demon in human form. A monk called Fa Hai intervenes to safe the scholar's soul and arrests the white snake in a deep well at the Leifeng Pagoda. She is captivated for a few years. Meanwhile, her sister the green snake named Xiao Qing practices her magic, and when strong enough, she defeats Fa Hai, destroys the pagoda, and frees Bai. The White Snake then rejoins with her husband and they live happily ever after.
On the shore of the lake I saw a bridge. The guide said that it is called the Broken Bridge and still linked to the legend. It is said that Xu Xian first met Bai Su Zhen here. It was raining, and the scholar offered his umbrella to the white snake lady. This was also the place where they met again after going through a series of ups and downs; and the place where they said goodbye for the last time. The farewell made them very sad, like a saying 'the Broken Bridge is not broken but the heart is'. As the story ended, I arrived across the lake and continued on foot to the mausoleum of General Yue Fei.
Yue Fei Mausoleum
After a five-minutes walk, I entered the mausoleum which is located at the foot of Qixia Hill. At the Shrine of Remembrance, I saw a statue of the ancient Chinese hero, dressed in colorful armed suit, a long sword in his hand. His expression showed a great charisma, and I got the feeling that he was a great leader. Above him was a tablet with some Chinese characters that says 'huan wo he shan' which means 'give back my rivers and mountains' This slogan seemed to show that the brave general would do anything to defend his country. Looking to the left, I saw a painting on the wall depicting a woman painting some Chinese character to a young man's back. The woman was Yue Fei's mother and the young man was of course, the general. This scene was taken before Yue Fei went to war. The characters said ' jin zhong bao guo' meaning 'serve the country with utmost loyalty'. He did, and therefore, Yue Fei is considered a symbol of loyalty and bravery until today. The tombs are located on an open courtyard at the back. They are side by side; on the center is Yue Fei's, and on its right is his son's Yue Yun who had been a sidekick to his father on battles.
The general lived during the Song dynasty (960-1279) and was famous for his war against the Jurchen army of the Jin dynasty (1115-1234). Born from a humble farmer family, he had always wanted to join the army since young age. Later, he became a general, a battle commander who was respected by his men and feared by his enemies. A commander of the Jin army said 'It's easier to shake Mount Tain than defeating Yue Fei's troops.'
However, he didn't die on a battle, but on a conspiracy plotted by the Song prime minister Qin Gui. This is known as the 'eastern window plot'. One day after having Yue Fei, his son Yue Yun, and thier subordinate Zhang Xiang arrested, the prime minister and his wife Lady Wang was sitting by the 'eastern window' of their home, warming themselves by the fire. The prime minister had received calls from the people, to set Yue Fei free. He was worried because after two months of imprisonment, Yue Fei still didn't want to admit the false treason, and he would eventually have to release the prisoners.
As they were sitting, a servant girl came in with some fresh oranges. Lady Wang then came up with an idea to slip an execution note inside the skin of an orange and send it to the examining judge. This way, Yue Fei would be executed, even before the emperor himself gave an order to do so. Aided by his two men, Mo Qixie and Zhang Jun, Qin Gui carried on the plot and had the general executed on January 27th, 1142.
The traitors are represented by four kneeling bronze statues before the tombs. On the right are the prime minister and his wife, while those on the left are their subordinates. It is said that they used to be cursed and spat. But now they are preserved as historical relics. I was really excited to take pictures of them, but my camera stopped working. Probably because it was too cold, and the battery froze. So I could only took the pictures of the tombs in my mind, hoping someday I will be back.
The Lingyin Temple
Touring around China means visiting lots of temples. One of them was this temple called Lingyin in Hangzhou. In Chinese, the word 'ling' means retreat and 'yin' means soul. So 'lingyin' means soul retreat. It's one of the most famous Buddhist temple in China and considered as the leading institution for research related to the Chinese Buddhist culture. During its heyday, the temple had 1300 dormitory inhabited by more than 3000 monks.
I wondered where the actual temple was, as I didn't see any as. Instead, I was taken to a cave. According to the tour guide, this is a man-made cave. It's obvious, because nature wouldn't be able to make stone Buddha carvings found inside. The work was beautifully done, it really took my breath away. Underneath I saw some Chinese characters, which unfortunately I couldn't understand.
As I was walking to the Feilai Feng (Peak Flying from Afar), I saw a small leaning tower which turned out to be a pagoda. This pagoda doesn't serve just as a decoration as I suspected. It contained the ashes Huili, an Indian monk who found the temple in 328 AD. The Feilai Feng itself is named so because it's made of limestone and looks as if it was 'flying'. According to legend, this peak was originally from India, but it flew overnight to Hangzhou to demonstrate the power of the Buddhist law. Stone carvings on the lower left tells the story of the Monkey King, Journey to the West. Again, I was very impressed with how the carvings were done, as they are so beautiful!
I finally arrived at the 'actual' temple, the one with Buddha statues. There are so many halls, but only few I remembered. One of them was painted in red with two huge burners at its front. The smell from those burners struck my nose as I went up the steps to enter this building, which is called the Mahavira Hall or the Great Hall of the Great Sage. It stands 33.6 meters tall and inside is the statue of Sakyamuni. Sakyamuni actually was Siddharta Gautama, the spiritual leader from northern India who founded Buddhism. The statue is made of camphor wood and coated with gold. It's the largest wooden Buddhist statue in China. At the back is the statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess associated with compassion, backed by a screen that features some 150 Buddhist personalities, including the pilgrims from the Journey to the West.
Another hall called the Hall of Medicine Buddha. This hall hosts the statue of Bhaisajya Guru or also known as the Healing Buddha. He was named so because he made and fulfill the 12 vows, two of which related to healing. He is attended by two Buddha statues on his left and right: surya prabha representing the sun and chandra praba representing the moon. The guide said that the sun and the moon symbolize yin and yang in Chinese medicine.
Those are the two halls I found most interesting. As I was walking out of the temple, I saw a complicated stone carving on the wall. It shaped like two animals together. The guide later told me that they were the dragon and the phoenix; symbols of Chinese emperor and empress. That was the end of my discovery about the Chinese Buddhist culture at the Lingyin Temple. I felt that I needed a cup of tea as a refreshment.
The Dragon Well
The next morning, I was taken to the southwest of the West Lake, to visit the world-famous Longjing Tea Plantation or the Dragon Well. Located on the mountainous area, this place reminded me of the similar plantations at Puncak, West Java. There, I often see tea farmers picking tea leaves, and I saw the same sight in Hangzhou. It reminded me of home somehow.
This place isn't only a plantation but also a museum where you can learn all about the Chinese tea culture. Upon arrival, my group and I were welcomed and given a cup of Longjing tea. It tasted stronger than the tea I normally drink in Indonesia. While sipping the tea, we were given some introductions about the famous well and its tea.
Day 8 Shanghai
Our Hangzhou guide, Eva, told me that Shanghai is the most modern and commercial city in China. When I arrived there, I believed in what she said. Modern buildings and apartments are lined up along the street. There are lots of banks and department stores which I hardly saw in other cities visited. These developments though, didn’t happen overnight.
Modern apartments in Shanghai
In the past, Shanghai was a walled fishing village near the mouth of the Yangtzi River. British, French, and American settlers teamed up with enterprising Chinese merchants to turn the city into a cosmopolitan center of commerce.
Shanghainese pride themselves as the most savvy and enterprising people in China. When the country opened its door to the outside world in the late 1970s, they lost no time in seeking to revive the city’s past glory. Shanghai underwent massive transformation, seemingly building overnight a lot of skyscrapers and highways. China’s first stock exchange opened here in 1990. A modern economic zone and a commercial center were built in Pudong, a land across the Huangpu River from The Bund that was once farm fields a little over a decade ago.
Busy traffic in Shanghai’s street
25. Nanshi (Old Shanghai)
We met our guide, Charlie, and he took us directly to Nanshi, or the old town of Shanghai. Before 1842, Shanghai was a walled town concentrated in this area. Unfortunately, the wall was put down in 1911. The center of the town was dominated then by Huxingting Teahouse, Yu Garden, and City God Temple. The mazes and alleyways are ideal places to experience old Shanghai. People are selling souvenirs along the alleyways. Because it’s a market, bargaining is possible. Shopping for souvenirs here is cheaper compared to the other cities.
Charlie said that only here we could find houses with traditional Chinese architecture. This is also the only place in Shanghai to buy souvenirs.
Nanshi (old Shanghai) the only reminder of the city’s past glory
Day 9 Shanghai
We left the hotel at 9.00. It was drizzling and the temperature was about seven degrees. We were going to The Bund and Huangpu River .
26. The Bund and The Huangpu River
We walked along The Bund to get to the port where a boat would take us on a cruise along the Huangpu River. This river is 110 meters long, runs from Lake Tai and empties into the Yangtzi River, some 28 kilometers downstream.
The Bund on a rainy day
From the boat I saw clearly the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, standing 468 meters tall. The Commercial Center building is really interesting because it’s shaped like the globe. Big companies such as LG, Nikon, and Nestle have their offices in this area.
The Oriental TV Tower and the Commercial Center building
Big enterprise offices
After the cruise, some people still wanted to go shopping, so Charlie took us to Nanjing Lu or Nanjing Road. Nanjing Lu is the most famous street in Shanghai. This street is popular among shoppers. Nanjingdong Lu (Nanjing Road East) is the liveliest section, begins at the Peace Hotel and passes many shops, modern boutiques, and large department stores. A large section of the street, from Chengdu Road down almost to The Bund has been turned into a bustling pedestrian mall lined up by interesting shops, department stores, and small restaurants. All kinds of stores can be found here; clothes shops, toy store, pearl stores, anything. It’s possible to bargain, but we had to argue hard with the shopkeepers.
Nanjing Road with all the shops
The last dinner in Shanghai was the best of all. The food was really tasty. The restaurant was unique I think. The guests are welcomed with music from drums and cymbals. The waiters and waitresses are wearing cheongsam, Chinese traditional costumes. There’s a stage where dancers and musicians give performance. Outside, there’s a little stall selling souvenirs.
That was the end of our days in Shanghai, and China. The next morning we would fly back to Singapore then Jakarta.
Epilogue
Travel experience can change a person; the way he/she look at life and the surroundings. This trip was truly enjoyable for me, as I am very interested in Chinese history and culture, therefore it was wonderful to discover interesting aspects of it. The experience of dressing up as an imperial concubine, climbing the Great Wall, watching an acrobatic show, saw the Temple of Heaven, met the Chinese, and seeing how China has developed, is unforgettable. I have discovered something that is interesting and worth exploring further. With its long history, China is really worth exploring. It is my wish that someday, I will go back there.
Bibliography
1. Travel Pack China by Paul Mooney. Periplus Editions, 2004
2. Guide to the Temple of Heaven
3. Guide to the Palace Museum second edition edited by Shi Yongnan, translated by Liu Zongren. Beijing: China Esperanto Press, 2000
4. Travel brochure: The Tiger Hill
5. Travel brochure: The Canglang Pavilion
6. Guide to Lingyin Temple
7. Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia (www.wikipedia.com)
8. Travel China Guide (www.travelchinaguide.com)
9. Peking Roast Duck picture www.chinaodyssey.com
10. Chinese teapots pictures www.indigo-tea.com, www.worlfolkart.com, www.magicketchup.com
Thank You Notes
It would be impossible for me to write this travel log if my cousin, Kak Anne, didn’t ask me to come along. Thank you so much, you were a wonderful room mate. I’m looking forward to travel with you again. Mom and Dad, thanks for helping me pack and prepare myself to face the cold weather. Tante Hok, Tante Yanita, and Tante Ninik, it was great to travel with you. Special thanks to Tante Yanita, for being my photographing friend and for sending me the beautiful pictures.
I would also like to thank Ester and Tante Minati. It was great meeting you and I’m glad that you were in our group. We wouldn’t have survived if you weren’t there to be our translators.
We had some wonderful tour guides: Tree in Beijing, Fred in Nanjing, Sharon in Wuxi, Helen in Suzhou, Eva in Hangzhou, and Charlie in Shanghai. Thank you all for guiding and being patient with us, especially when it comes to shopping time.
The packing began a month before departure and I must thank Ratimah for helping me pack and choose the clothes. Kak Prita, thank you for lending me your suitcase, it was big enough to fit all the clothes and souvenirs.
I had cold allergy before going, but thanks to doctor Setiyawan Jasadireja, I was able to survive Chinese weather without being sick. He was also the one who told me not to buy tea and I followed the advice.
When I said I was going to China, everybody in my office, EF Kebayoran has been very supportive. Thanks to Michael Walker and Cynthia for giving me the permission to go. Thanks to Judee, Dan, and Sobirin for being such great friends. David and Billy told me how to write a travel log, thanks so much. Nuni, your sweater helped me face the cold at The Great Wall.
I couldn’t have done it without you all.
AL
