China Study-Service Term » Fall 2011

Leaving China: The Great Wall

joeas — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:21:33 +0000

Our final day as a group in China was crisp and relatively clear. We headed out by bus to the Jinshanling section of the fabled Great Wall. This section is located in Hebei Province, about 130 km outside of Beijing. Although a wall existed here at least as early as the 14^th century, most of the stretch we visited dates to around 1570. Contrary to the original intent of the wall (to keep the barbarians out), we found an immediate welcome by local residents—hoping to sell us souvenirs, but willing to help us find the easiest walking routes even if we weren’t good customers. The ascent we chose was a recently designed gradual, paved slope. This enabled us to reach the wall easily and with plenty of stamina to clamber up and down the many steps that awaited us as we progressed along the ridge. The local people who accompanied us, were the only people besides us we saw during our several-hour walk. Each of us took our own pace. Readers of this blog will soon, perhaps have already had, opportunity to begin asking us directly what thoughts we had from this impressive vantage point, looking towards and away from our months in China.

After sharing a delicious, but (sadly) not Sichuanese, final meal together, our group settled down for a final night’s rest. Early Tuesday morning, Nov. 29, about half our group left for the airport to return home. The other half remained behind for a few more days of individual travel in China and/or northeast Asia. We hope you will find us all returned home safely before long. Which ones of us will return to China? How soon?

Postscript: We have heard that the group of students who traveled directly back to Goshen has arrived safely. This represents the final entry in our 2011 China SST blog series. Joe & Jo-Ann want to thank student photographers who willingly shared many photos for use on the blog during this semester. Emily & Chelsea were particularly generous (and had better cameras than did we). If you remember a particularly nice shot, chances are one of them was responsible for it. Other students shared shared photographs here and there and we thank them as well.

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Leaving China: Beijing, Second Day

joeas — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:58:58 +0000

To start off Sunday, we all went to the Chongwenmen Christian Church. Originally a Methodist mission congregation, the congregation today has about 10,000 worshipers each Sunday, spread across 5 services. We attended the third service. Green-jacketed volunteers gave us an introduction to congregational life, and had reserved several pews for our group. They gave us headsets to listen to simultaneous English-language translation of the service. During this service, the congregation used a hymnal that consisted primarily of translated North American/British Gospel songs. In the pre-service singing, the song leader used the “lining out” method (singing one line in advance of the congregation) to teach them to sing the “Sweet By and By.” A group of more than 20 adults was received into membership by baptism during the service we attended. (We weren’t sure if it was doctrine or frosty temperatures that determined sprinkling as the mode of baptism.)

The rest of the day we spent mostly at the symbolic centers of current and former Chinese power. We began with the familiar sights of Tiananmen Square. Our morning worship visit meant we arrived too late to consider filing past the preserved remains of Mao, entombed in a giant mausoleum adjacent to the Qianmen (Front Gate). We walked past the National Museum and Great Hall of the People, where China’s National People’s Congress meets and other important events of state are held. Then through the Tiananmen gate itself and into the so-called “Forbidden City”—the massive complex that was long the seat of Chinese imperial power. We spent several hours exploring the many buildings, gardens and displays housed within the complex. To end the day, we went to the Wangjufing market, nestled in one of the corridors of current Chinese consumer power. Where else would you go to find a pair of $1350 gold-tipped chopsticks?

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Leaving China: Beijing, First Day

joeas — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:13:29 +0000

After locating the bus that would shuttle us about Beijing for the next few days, we stopped for a nice Chinese breakfast (porridge for some, dumplings for others) along our route. Despite cold temperatures, our first destination in Beijing was the Summer Palace. The visit here was the first of a series of encounters today with Chinese aesthetics. The site as we see it today was mostly conceived in the 18^th-century, with the 60-meter high “Longevity Hill” and the “perfect” artificial Kunming Lake. Following several rounds of destruction by European invaders, remaining structures were mostly rebuilt in the early 20^th-century by Empress Dowager Cixi. The grounds represent an ideal of Chinese landscape design.

The Temple of Heaven was our next destination. First built in the 15^th century, this temple complex was extended or renovated in the 16^th and 18^th centuries. It was the site of imperial rites related to national harvests. Various components of its architecture incorporate circular design (reflecting the Chinese cosmogony of heaven) . The layout also emphasizes the symbolic importance of the number nine. In 1914, several years after the fall of the last imperial dynasty, the temple factored into one of the efforts to declare a new emperor. We had supper just outside the temple complex at the Hong Qiao Pearl Market. (Mothers, check your Christmas stockings to see if your children remembered just what kinds of pearls you have been wanting.) Finally, to cap off our long day, we split into two groups: one heading to a performance of scenes from traditional Beijing opera, the other to an acrobat show. Although we only have pictures here from the opera, everyone was enthused with their choice of event and pleased with the quality of what they saw.

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Leaving China: Overnight Trains

joeas — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:26:31 +0000

After our visit to Xi’an, on Friday evening, Nov. 25, we again boarded an overnight train, this time headed for China’s capital Beijing. Although the distance we had to cover was greater, the train was faster so we were looking at just a 12-hour ride. A delay enroute, got us into Beijing about 7:30 rather than 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. On both overnight trips we took the “hard sleeper” option: open compartments of six sleeping ledges stacked three-high. We have yet to see an empty train in China, and these trains were no exception—every bunk seemed to be taken. Some of us slept better than others, but overall the night trains seems to have been the best option for our purposes. We missed some landscapes along the way , but were delivered reliably from city center to city center.

Most of us found our suitcases to be bigger and heavier than ideal for moving up the ever-present steps. (Ramps and escalators were welcome surprises when available.) The Chinese rail stations we have used all have strictly controlled access to boarding. Passengers cannot enter waiting areas until an hour or two before their scheduled departure, and usually cannot proceed to the tracks more than 20-30 minutes prior to departure. We wonder if rail officials would have opened boarding just a little earlier if they had known we were planning to board. A group of North Americans packing a semester’s worth of clothing and gifts moves more glacially than does a comparable size group of Chinese passengers. Certainly, the masses of new military recruits who rode some of the same trains we did managed to move on and off trains with a great deal more order and speed than did we! Once aboard, we also struggled to remember to move luggage out of the single passageway first/stow later. We did get better by our final boarding.

Here are a few tips for the next group who may take the train: The lighter your luggage, the better. If you can’t carry your loaded luggage up and down a flight of stairs in your own home, you have to reduce what you are bringing. If you struggle to carry your loaded luggage up and down a flight of stairs in your own home, you will still want to reduce what you are bringing. Four-wheel suitcases seem to have a mobility advantage over two-wheel options in Chinese railway stations. Strapping a smaller piece onto a larger piece will probably make you happier than trying to carry multiple items on your shoulders. When boarding, organize yourselves so the person going furthest into the car enters first. And again, the lighter your luggage, the better.

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Leaving China: Visit to Xi’an

joeas — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:15:42 +0000

On Nov. 23, we met at the Nanchong train station, bid farewell to our generous host families, and boarded a fast train to Chengdu. There we met a friend who kindly offered to babysit our luggage while we headed out to find our evening meal. Our May Term language teacher, Betty Z. joined us to board an overnight train, heading 15 hours northeast to our next destination: Xi’an. Betty accompanied us through the rest of our time in China. As we woke the next morning, we enjoyed the remainder of the mountainous landscape we had traversed in the dark. We had found our unheated classrooms in Nanchong prefecture increasingly chilly throughout November. Now we could see signs of even colder weather: frost, heavier jackets, the breath of workers along the tracks.

Arriving in Xi’an shortly after noon on the 24th, we lugged our suitcases to a nearby hotel, and then sat down for a noon meal—just after midnight on what back in Goshen would be Thanksgiving Day. No turkey for us, but reminiscent of the legendary first Pilgrim celebration, we are thankful that when we arrived in China, others were here to greet us. Those whom we met, showed us how to survive and thrive in this different landscape. We hope we have recognized and expressed our gratitude to them in ways more appropriate than those early European settlers often chose as they interacted with the people whom they encountered upon arrival on new shores.

Xi’an, with a history that extends back more than 3000 years, intermittently served as China’s capital for long periods. Today, it serves as capital of Shaanxi Province. Xi’an’s center is surrounded by a 40-ft. high wall, dating back to 1370. A century ago, one would have found such walls surrounding many Chinese cities, but Xi’an is one of a relatively few larger Chinese cities that still has an intact wall today. Many of us rode along the top of the wall’s 11.9 km circuit—a few more leisurely riders turned back before the halfway point and saw part of the wall twice. Numerous Chinese cities retain their drum and bell towers. Xi’an also has both, but the bell tower was closed for renovation. We spent the remainder of the afternoon at the drum tower—once a communication hub for public signals related to time or to mark auspicious days for accomplishing various tasks. As dusk fell, we entered the Great Mosque of Xi’an. Founded in 742, it is China’s oldest mosque. Following the visit there, we found supper in the surrounding market area. Many of us sampled a local Muslim specialty, mutton and bread stew.

The next morning we caught a bus out to the burial site of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of unified China. Before his death (210 B.C.E.), he arranged for the production of a huge army of life-sized terracotta figures with (smaller) horses to accompany him in the afterlife. Rediscovered in 1974, this buried army provides clear evidence of the technical and artistic skill achieved by Qin-era artisans. Archaeological excavations continue, but visitors, including us, are able to visit three major “pits,” estimated to contain a total of about 8,000 human figures. Smaller scale excavations are also progressing in the nearby region. We visited one of those and walked around the large, as yet unexcavated, hill that is presumed to be the place the emperor himself may be buried.

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Final days in Nanchong

joeas — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:28:40 +0000

Sunday found our students returning on two different buses from four service sites to Nanchong. On Monday we gathered to talk about some of our service experiences and to hear about each other’s projects. The variety of projects reflects the variety of students in our group. Some chose topics related to local history, current developments, religious practices, or tourism in their service locations. One student had local cooks demonstrate favorite regional recipes, another observed the operation and activities of his host mother’s teahouse. Others looked at reading habits—fiction and news—or television viewing habits of local residents. The history of the musical instrument erhu was the topic of one project, while a study of Chinese pedagogy for several musical instruments was the focus for another. One investigated Chinese popular youth culture, another the role of physical fitness in the schools, and another wrote about ping pong. How does use of space in a Chinese educational institution differ from that found in the U.S.? What are the objectives and teaching habits of Chinese middle school teachers? Several creative writing projects—short stories and poems—completed the mix.

We spent much of the time rehearsing habits of recollection, reflection and articulation that will help cross the bridge from experience to learning. Although we still have a week of learning through travel ahead of us, we began to think about what we may experience once we leave China and return to our homes. What parts of our story can we narrate (and in what ways) so that we can build on what we have experienced here in China? What things surprised us after arrival here? What do we want to carry back with us? What might we find awkward or surprising upon our return home?

We also found time for more light-hearted interaction: On Monday afternoon the Foreign Affairs Office of the China West Normal University hosted a delightful farewell gathering. We again got to see our language teachers and other people whose background efforts contributed so much to our experiences here. Hosts and guests alike shared performances and played games together. Before we parted on Tuesday, we each received playful calligraphic awards crafted by Jo-Ann and based on some characteristic we demonstrated during our time in China.

On Wednesday afternoon we depart Nanchong to see some important sites elsewhere in China: Xi’an and Beijing are our destinations. We may or may not have time to post entries while we travel and learn in the week ahead. If our next entry is delayed until the end of those travels, you may see us personally before you the next entry appears here.

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Xichong site visit

joeas — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:41:54 +0000

Monday Jo-Ann and Joe caught a bus for Xichong—half the hour-long ride was spent getting out of Nanchong, the rest brought us to the edge of this small, prosperous-looking town. Our trio of students here seems to be enjoying the experience in the smallest of our four service schools. Among other opportunities, one of the teachers/hosts arranged for the three to spend a day in a nearby rural township school—a good experience for all involved. Mondays lesson plans included “body parts” and telling time. Between morning and afternoon classes, our school contacts and the three sets of host parents (or host siblings as some of the younger hosts preferred to be known!) hosted us at a wonderful meal. (We were too busy enjoying the numerous tasty dishes to take pictures.) After checking in with each of the SSTers about progress on their final projects, Jo-Ann and Joe returned to Nanchong.

There are now less than two weeks of service left. On Nov. 20, students plan to return to Nanchong, for a few days of sharing with each other and the beginnings of “disorientation” (getting ready to move back from this culture to North America). Then, on Nov. 23, we’ll board the train to begin our final observations of China—visiting several important cultural sites at Xi’an and Beijing.

(We’ll try to post another blog entry while students are back in Nanchong.)

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Yilong site visit

joeas — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:07:43 +0000

Our third site visit of the week was to Yilong. Located northeast of Nanchong, the region’s terrain has higher hills and deeper valleys than elsewhere in Nanchong Prefecture. As noted several weeks ago, the government has begun constructing a “new” Yilong at a lower elevation some distance south of the existing population center where the school is located. Any population growth in “old” Yilong would create additional problems with water and other supply issues the town already faces. Principal J. and Teacher Z. have been very gracious to all our students and have been pleased to be first-time hosts to SSTers. Our students are usually paired with English-language teachers and are finding ways to participate more directly in classroom instruction. The junior middle school students with whom they work seem quite enthused with their foreign friends. Joe and Jo-Ann arrived in town in time to catch some glimpses of two of our students teaching.

Repeating the sad story of previous blogs this week, a malfunctioning camera and poor weather conspired against our visual representation of our Yilong visit. Almost all the images posted here are from student-supplied photos of their activities in the preceding weeks.

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Langzhong site visit

joeas — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:28:29 +0000

Upon leaving Nanbu on Monday evening, Jo-Ann and Joe went on to Langzhong, about a 30-minute ride to the north and checked into the same hotel we all had stayed at during our National Holiday excursion to this beautiful city. In Langzhong, our students are teaching in two teams at “Duowei” one of four campuses of the middle school here. (Goshen students also taught here in 2008.) They are working with the junior middle school students (grades 6-8). Several days before our arrival, we learned that there would be school-wide exams on the day of our visits, so we located our students in the office the school provided them. Rain plagued us today again, so it was convenient to be able to speak with each of the students in a dry and (comparatively) warm place. At noon we headed to the nearby “ancient city” area for lunch. The fried dumpling place we had enjoyed during National Holiday was not open for lunch, but nearby we discovered some of the tastiest noodles any of us had yet had. After lunch we headed to Emily’s host family’s nearby home: a reconstructed residence honoring Langzhong notable Luxiao Hong, an astronomer. The dreary chill of this autumn day eventually drove us to partake of the local special hot vinegar foot bath and foot massage. We ended the day with a delicious hot pot meal hosted by officials and teachers of the school.

(Again, our apologies for the feeble visual representation of our visit–the combination of a malfunctioning camera and unfavorable weather.)

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Nanbu site visit

joeas — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:04:09 +0000

A rainy week of site visits began on Monday in Nanbu. Teaching schedules for our students here are concentrated in the mornings, and by the time Jo-Ann and Joe arrived from Nanchong two of the five students had already completed their teaching days. Each of our students teaches alone, 12 different classes a week. Since all live with families of teachers, they are in close proximity to the school campus.
With a student population of more than 10,000, the Nanbu middle school seems to be the largest of the four service sites. Located near the top of a large hill, the school is building a second campus on the other side of the hill. Once that is completed they will be able to provide separate facilities for the junior middle school (grades 7-9) and the senior middle school (grades 10-12). Our SSTers learned quickly that the Jialing River plays a bigger role in the identity of Nanbu than the same river seems to play in Nanchong. Flowing along one side of the city, Nanbu residents flock to the Jialing’s banks to stroll, fish and swim.
Between the rain and the SST leaders’ poorly-functioning camera, our photos from the actual visit are limited. We are glad to add student-supplied images from some earlier activities in Nanbu.

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