My brief encounters with China, both the mainland and Hong Kong, leave me with more questions than answers. When I try to think of images or metaphors for my experiences, what emerges is a sense of polarities--opposites that somehow co-exist, ancient and modern (sometimes embracing the aspects of modernity that I am most uncomfortable with, as an American); a place of great hospitality and also challengingly inaccessible (both literally-as in getting around in Guangzhou and also getting a sense of what it means to be Chinese- carrying the long and complex history of this land); where pockets of unbelievably green, quiet and idyllic spaces are hidden inside the immense buildings and noisy masses of people that are the public faces of both of these cities. It is a place of rich complexity, inviting further exploration and open minded curiosity.
Guangzou, what was called Canton in the west, is the third largest city in China. That means it is unbelievably large, over 12 million people. Like a kaleidescope, our walks would take us through ever-change small neighborhoods. In one direction we would arrive at the Pearl River, towered over by the Canton Tower (complexly laticed in the day time and brightly colored at night). Near by are tall pricey high-rises, sitting next to older, smaller and more worn apartment buildings.
In another direction, there's a busy side street, with small single family restaurants, each serving a different type of food, a store selling ancient Chinese instruments, a drug store, multiple clothing stores and several car repair garages-all side by side. As people of all ages walk on non-existant sidewalks they are passed by large public busses, swerving taxis, bicycles and motorbikes often lugging large loads. Somehow no one gets hit, not even the animals that scrounge for food.
There are open-air markets, with sections for vegetables, fruits and another aisle where you can get meat or fish cut, scaled and wrapped up for you to take home for dinner. Everywhere bustles, and because it is summer and hot and humid, large fans blow air around from every direction. I am surprised that, despite being at a similar latitude to northern Thailand and Laos, the range of green vegetable don't seem to include the aromatic greens that flavor foods a bit further south west.
Fruits, on the other hand are amazing in their variety and non-westernness. We are in this region during the peak of longan season. In Hong Kong I learn that there are at least two different kinds of longans... one a beautiful prickly red-green skinned fruit, the size of a ping pong ball..that is peeled to reveal a translucent white fruit with a large black seed. (see lower left corner of the photo below).
It is incredibly beautiful and tastes a bit like a custardy pear-apple. The harsh, spiney outer layer filled with something sweet and softly sensual is yet another paradox. The other type of longan is yellow green and slightly less bitter. I am told by one of the students in Hong Kong that the red longan is a hot fruit and that if we eat more than 4, we will get too energized and excited. The other type of longan is apparently fine to eat by the cart load. Also, I note that tomatoes seem to be considered a fruit..or perhaps this particular vendor organized her wares by shape and color.
Each corner of the city has a different feel, the city center (or CBD- commercial business district as they call it) is crowded, noisy, filled with tall architecturally impossible buildings. The western side of the city is older, more walkable and has an entire street dedicated to opulent but afordable dim sum tea houses.
When one of my students takes us to a particulary lovely one (the best dim sum I have ever had-ever!!!) I am relieved to see people hanging out and enjoying themselves. Prior to this, I had been struck by the absense of places to sit and talk with friends, or just to think. No tea houses (even Starbuck, which is everywhere, didn't have many people hanging out), and most people seem to eat quickly, bowls close to their mouths and chop sticks moving at lightning speed.
It is a delight to see families, friends, grandmothers with grandchildren or young couples taking their time to enjoy tea and dim sum.
My students in Guangzhou are wonderful. On one hand they are open and willing to learn and experience new approaches and concepts, and on the other hand proud of their own culture. As I teach them American approaches to psychology, therapy and dance/movement therapy, I wrestle with what is relevant for their world and culture, and what is just a western or American lens on the world. I am also inspired by the instinctive grasp of the metaphors implicit in all that I am teaching, and also at their hunger for unstructured creative expression. I often feel that I have as much (or more) to learn from them as they want to learn from me. I am struck by the importance of marriage and children for all of my students (many older students are already mothers, some with several children because they fall into a category such as coming from a "non-elite" background that allows them to have more than one child). Their curiosity and excitement in class is also balanced by the constant horrific news of the tour boat that had recently capsized in the Yangtze river, at the loss of over 450 older Chinese people. (While this was often the main focus of the news when we were in Guangzhou, we barely heard any updates once we entered Hong Kong).
Next entry- Hong Kong!
Guangzou, what was called Canton in the west, is the third largest city in China. That means it is unbelievably large, over 12 million people. Like a kaleidescope, our walks would take us through ever-change small neighborhoods. In one direction we would arrive at the Pearl River, towered over by the Canton Tower (complexly laticed in the day time and brightly colored at night). Near by are tall pricey high-rises, sitting next to older, smaller and more worn apartment buildings. 
In another direction, there's a busy side street, with small single family restaurants, each serving a different type of food, a store selling ancient Chinese instruments, a drug store, multiple clothing stores and several car repair garages-all side by side. As people of all ages walk on non-existant sidewalks they are passed by large public busses, swerving taxis, bicycles and motorbikes often lugging large loads. Somehow no one gets hit, not even the animals that scrounge for food.
There are open-air markets, with sections for vegetables, fruits and another aisle where you can get meat or fish cut, scaled and wrapped up for you to take home for dinner. Everywhere bustles, and because it is summer and hot and humid, large fans blow air around from every direction. I am surprised that, despite being at a similar latitude to northern Thailand and Laos, the range of green vegetable don't seem to include the aromatic greens that flavor foods a bit further south west.
Fruits, on the other hand are amazing in their variety and non-westernness. We are in this region during the peak of longan season. In Hong Kong I learn that there are at least two different kinds of longans... one a beautiful prickly red-green skinned fruit, the size of a ping pong ball..that is peeled to reveal a translucent white fruit with a large black seed. (see lower left corner of the photo below).
Each corner of the city has a different feel, the city center (or CBD- commercial business district as they call it) is crowded, noisy, filled with tall architecturally impossible buildings. The western side of the city is older, more walkable and has an entire street dedicated to opulent but afordable dim sum tea houses.
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| Street scene in Western section of Guangzhou |
It is a delight to see families, friends, grandmothers with grandchildren or young couples taking their time to enjoy tea and dim sum.
My students in Guangzhou are wonderful. On one hand they are open and willing to learn and experience new approaches and concepts, and on the other hand proud of their own culture. As I teach them American approaches to psychology, therapy and dance/movement therapy, I wrestle with what is relevant for their world and culture, and what is just a western or American lens on the world. I am also inspired by the instinctive grasp of the metaphors implicit in all that I am teaching, and also at their hunger for unstructured creative expression. I often feel that I have as much (or more) to learn from them as they want to learn from me. I am struck by the importance of marriage and children for all of my students (many older students are already mothers, some with several children because they fall into a category such as coming from a "non-elite" background that allows them to have more than one child). Their curiosity and excitement in class is also balanced by the constant horrific news of the tour boat that had recently capsized in the Yangtze river, at the loss of over 450 older Chinese people. (While this was often the main focus of the news when we were in Guangzhou, we barely heard any updates once we entered Hong Kong).
Next entry- Hong Kong!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Barbara's blog and viewing her photos. The introductory statement about describing your experiences in China is that it is a nation of "polarities" was really informative and beautifully stated. Thanks for this entry!
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