Unconditional Love

There are countless ways to expression love, you have encountered many on many occasion in your life. This is my story:

It was a non-eventful beautiful sunny Sunday threes weeks shine of Christmas. I went to church as I normally would, I took my seat, preparing myself for the worship, before the choir started their roaring roof-breaking music. A family of three, a woman and her two young men came in sat down on the role before me. The boys were both teenagers (roughly 14 & 16). Although there was nothing extraordinary about them besides the absentee of an adult male, they looks like a normal family but there was an air surround them caught my attention, I knew something extraordinary is going to happen. Perhaps a miracle is about to begin?

First, they were a family more casually dressed than anyone else, more like going to the grocery store than church for Sunday service. That does not really matter, after all church is not a fashion show, and it is a place to worship, although some people like to use the opportunities to parade their fineries. Agree?

Not long after they settled in I saw the younger boy sitting between the woman and the older young man, starting to loose his patience. He leaned over to the older boy, touching his face his mouth, running his finger thru his hair, rubbing his head on his shoulder, reach over kissing him on his cheek and restlessly pursing attention. Any one else even with the best of patience would found that annoying, if that ever happened to you. I did not saw their face, from behind, I thought; OK they may be an alternative family, just showing affection, paid no attention to them.

Interestingly, the older boys did not seem to be bothered by the disturbances and the constant interruption of his worship. In multiple occasions he reached over gently caressing back the back of the younger man with tenderness and loving gestures. Next I saw the younger man put his hand around the older boy’s waist fully embraced his companion in full view. I found it a little uncomfortable this couple showing affection to each other so openly at church, still I try to concentrate on my worship, but there was no escape. Everyone else surrounding them also notice the action of these young men.

More amazingly the woman they came with seems to pay no attention on what was going on next to her. At some point the restless young man turn around, when our eyes met, I realized immediately that I was mistaken of the situation. He was a mentally challenged young man. His non-stop action of attention getting and annoying behavior were subconscious, beyond his control.

The young men were in fact brothers. Instantly my feeling toward the older brother turn to admiration of his courage, ignoring all judgments, ignorance disapproval, and opinion of everyone surrounded him. Can you imagine what he had to endure in his daily life with the superficial attitudes of schoolmates and his friends.

Nothing seems possible to deter this young man from his unselfish love and devotions to his younger brother. Helping him, caring for him in every demand he made. Along the way also clam him down from his behavior. He seems to be taking on a role as his younger brother’s keeper, a caretaker, while he, himself is at a very tender age. Upon the realization of the relationship, the scene touches my emotion beyond words. It’s been playing repeatedly in my head. I can’t imagine even an adult with the most patience, when confronted with such annoyance would not reaches a braking point. Especially there will be no end ever.

At the end of the service, I made a point to reach out to the young man thank and complimented him on the beautiful lesson I learn from him, instead, he refocus my attention to his little brother introducing him to me. At the same time I told their mother that the credit was on her to raise such incredible young men. She assures me that the brothers love each other. I cannot say I had ever witlessness such demonstration of love ever.

I like to take this holiday season share this miracle of a story with you. Wishing you also have a chance to encounter such selfish love in your life.

Chance Encounter Philadelphia.

A brush with the law in Yunnan.

Lijiang 2

Really in China, True encounter. Lucky me I survived.

Now I get your attention I am going to tell you a hair-raising encounter, while I was traveling in Yunnan China.

For start, I am traveling in such a hectic pace for weeks in Yunnan province because I wanted to spend the remainder of my time exploring part of China before I am going back home to the US at the end of my work contract. By the time I get to Old Town Lijiang up in the mountain of Yunnan, I already been traveling for more than one and a half week. My problem started on the first day I arrived on Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, while checking in at the hostel, I discovered that my residence visa and my work visa were both expired. What is that means is that I am not suppose to be staying in China.

Before I go on. Lets explain some rules here first. In order to work in China, I must have a:

1.     Legal bonding contract from the company

2.     I must have a Residence Visa issued by the Chinese Govt.

3.     I must have a stamp on my US Passport to indicate my entry.

4.     I must have police record of my residence.

Usually the corporate lawyers handled these documents, if my visa expired; unless my contract indicated that I am still an employee then I can apply for extension inside China. Otherwise I must leave the mainland in order to apply for an extension.

I was not aware I was traveling with an expired visa, because I never look at the expiration date, and that is no one but my own fault. However when my employer reserved my return flight home months ago, they did not sound the alarm either, another mistake was that my visa expires before the end of my contract. Meaning everything was a huge oversight on everyone. I was also caught up on the excitement on my pending trips; everything was planned and went on accordingly. I was suppose to go on the holidays, return to then oversee the move of my stuff, then say farewell to friends, before heading home.

I had no problem passing security at the airport with expired document, when I got to Kunming, I was informed by the hostel my visa was expired, after they made some phone calls, everything seems alright they did not give me any trouble, so I went on holiday as planned.

Again, I got on the train thru security to Dali, same thing happen at the hostel there, but no warning, no problem arises. My luck was about to change when I check in the Hostel at Shuhe, Lijiang. The hostel owner told me that I must go to the police to get my visa taking care of, and it should be no problem, they had guest got expired visa before. Yes right, what happen to those guests? They disappeared.

The owner was very nice, they were just doing their job according to the law, she told me the police were at lunch break, she would escort me there at 3 PM when the office reopen. Really 3PM. How long a lunch break is that? It was only 11 AM. I suppose that was local custom.

At 3 PM, I met the owner at the hostel, she told me she talk to the police already, and then hand me a helmet to wear. Turn out it was Cambodia all over again, this little lady wanted to take me on her motorbike speeding thru the street of Lijiang to the city police office 2 miles away. That was another ride to hell. I hate motorbikes

Never the less, at the police station after about an hour and many phone calls later, and I swear to them that I am not aware that my visa expired before my trip. They were sympathetic to my situation, but told me the matter was out of their hand and I need to go to the foreigner affairs office. So off we go, I was escorted in the official police car to the foreign affairs office minus the siren of course.

On my arrival at the counter, the official there seems to know what my case was about. They pull out a stack of paper in Chinese and started to fill in the blanks. There is no expression on the official’s face, he spoke with monotone, accented English, some time is hard to understand, so I never answered just “YES” to any question.

Then I was ask to follow the officer to the basement, I was mistaken the official as the same police officer escorted me from the station. I was trying to be friendly on the way down to the basement of the office building trying to make small talks, he never response, until the door swung open I saw the classic setting of an interrogation room with white walls, absents of picture, a single chair where I supposed to be seated in front of the desk. Got it, just like the movies, minus the overhead lamp, it was replaced by the video camera now. That shut me up good. Stunned. Are they going to put me in jail now? When I talk to my office an hour ago, HR told me just pay the fine. This does not seem to be the case now…

I must have been there more than 2 hours, answering redundant questions over and over again. Finally it was all over, turn off the light, now I follow the official up to the main office again. He told me that he was sympathetic to my situation and believed that I unknowingly broke the law of China, however the facts remain. I was guilty. He repeatedly emphasis the “broken the law part” over and again, until I finally do as he wished admitted that I was sorry “I broke the law”, he then left me in a room in silence by myself to pledge my case with his Boss. That was what I was told.

The official return after the longest 30 minutes; while I was second guesting what would happen next, he told me that it was too late of the day to review my case that evening. I had to remain in the city they will contact me tomorrow, and I am not suppose to leave town either, that does not sit well with me, even though I really had no choice, I told them I was there to visit their beautiful Yunnan and had plans to visit sites outside the city of Lijiang the next day. Perhaps I can come back the day after, he was a little startled by my response, must be thinking this American must be crazy, trying to bargain while I am not in the position to do so. Never mind that, I did it, and he agrees to let me come back the day after. But he reminded me that I am still guilty.

I return to the office the day after, he told me that the office had made a decision, I am guilty as charged, so I need to pay the fine. I was over stay for 14 days, and 500 Yuan a day are the fine. I was shocked. He also inform me that the max extension the office can gave me was 8 days, that is barely cover the time I was going to spend in Yunnan, all my plans had to be rearrange. My heart sunk to the lowest point. He let me hang there for a while to absorb the news, then he turn around and told me that the boss took pity on me, and because I had a HK passport, they would reduce the fine to five days. I almost did not believe my good fortune. He then told me get out of there, go to the bank to pay my fine. It was a brief moment of relief, but don’t get out the cash yet.

It turned out I had to track across town to get to a branch of the bank, which is located in the Old Town of Lijian 2 miles away. By the time I finally find the bank in the middle of the massive town. The teller told me the person handle the fine is at lunch would be about in 2 hours before he came back, so this is classic lunchtime run around again. Never the less, I finally paid the fine, got the receipt headed back crosstown to the foreigner affairs office. The official told me I had to get my photo taken and fingerprint recorded. Well, I suppose I am a real criminal with a record now. They can track me online. The funny thing is that the staff that took my head shot keep wanted to take it over again and then retouch the photo to make it beautiful, in the end they asked me if I like my shot. For god sake, let it go, it is a mug shot, not headshot to enter beauty contest.

Another miracle happens again, my guardian angle must be watching over me that day. When I return to the official counter, the officer told me that his boss took pity on me, besides reduced my fine, he also agree to extend my visa until the end of my stay in China, plus one day, just incase I mess up my date again. It was such a relief, that means I do not have to go out of the country spend a lot of money and time just to get an extra extension. I thank him and his boss, but he would not shock my hand, do not know why, not the custom, I suppose hugging him is out of the question also. Never the less, I dash out of there faster than a speeding rocket. What a relief that was.

At the hostel, I told the owner I would like to get the address and name of the official, and send the official a thank you card when I got back to the states. She was alarmed and told me do not do that, if I do I may get the official in trouble; they may think he took a bribe from me. How stupid was that.

With this episode ending in Lijiang this encounter show me that even in a country like China, official does have human emotion, they can be sympathetic. Not necessary every case go by the books, if it is within their power of reason to make a change to help someone out I believe they always will, Do you think I may be correct here?

Amazing isn’t it. Well, I would not wish any one had to go thru what I did, so check the date on your passport to make sure nothing expire.

Chance Encounter Lijiang, Yunnan.

The beauty and the beast of Lijiang Yunnan, China

Continue on travel encounter at Lijiang, Yunnan

This afternoon, I arrived at this famous Baisha Old Town (Lijiang). In ancient time it was the political and commercial center for the local Naxi people, as it was described in the “Forgotten Kingdom” a book by Peter Goullart, seems like everyone here is busy running shops and trading in markets. Nowadays this picture perfect town with very little changes from the past. Shops still lie on both side of the maze like cobblestone streets, the three rivers still running thru the town with more shops and residences on its banks. There are many beautiful temples and the all imposing Palace of the Mu Family once rule this region site in the center of town. In the distance horizon, the landscape is dominates by the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain completed the stage like backdrop for the entire area to perfection.

The most unique features of the towns around the region were the “three-eyes well” as it is called. It is a water appropriation system created century ago that is still in use today. The elements consists of a single well on the ground with three openings, fed by a single clear water steam underneath, and yet the water never mixed, each well had it own purpose, one used for drinking, washing and waste removal. All villagers observe the straight rule of usage to ensure the clean water supply for the entire village, which is vital in the highlands provinces. I was puzzled by the mechanic of the system just short of lifting the thousand pound stone to find out how exactly can they accomplish that with ancient time engineering, just smaller in scale to the Roman aqueducts. I am glad I did not destroy the century old systems.

I decided to make my stay in a more remote little old village Shuhe, 2 miles out side of the old town Lijiang, to avoid the modern exploitation of historic towns by American commercialism. Their fast food restaurants destroyed the tranquility of the landscape.

This compact little village Shuhe hidden in the forest is a well-preserved example of a town along the ancient tea horse route and one of the earliest settlements of the ancestors of Naxi people. The smooth flagstones remind me of their flourishing past. At the center of town along the steam was the not so over developed entertainment district, with many weeping willow planted on both side of the banks, and many wooden cross bridges along the waterways. They also used a lot of traditional long red lanterns to lights up the front of the restaurant, and the waterways, give it an ancient feel like you were transform back centuries while visiting the district at night.

The evening chills were chased away by the warmth of cider pin wood fire in metal bowl place along the river. Tourist and local gather around the fire to keep warm. Further at the back of the town I found farmland that is full of seasonal vegetables ready to be harvested for the morning or the night market all around town. This is a real local town where family still live and many open their home as B&B Inns with much local charms.

I learn that in ancient times, this area is the important stop for (The Southern Silk Road town) otherwise also known as the Tea and Horse Road. It had its start from Burma, crossed Lijiang, Shangri-La County, Tibet, and journeyed through Iran, ultimately to the Mediterranean Sea. There is a museum in town showcase it glorious past. I did not know anything of the southern Silk Road and it’s contribution to the development of the Southwestern part of the remote Chinese territories. Now I do.

I was excited that I was able to go visit a Tibetan temple near by the next morning, I was looking forward to be greeted by a grand entrance to the main court, white washed walls with gold roof, high up in the mountain top, with colorful pray flags dancing in the wind. Instead the car drops us off by an almost invisible footpath leading up the hillside thicken with pine tress. I thought the driver was joking especially it is 7AM and I did not have any breakfast yet.

Well, I thought it may not be too high a hill to hike, but I see no monastery anywhere, besides I just arrive a day before at this high elevation city, not sure if hiking without oxygen before my body adjust to the environment is a smart thing to do, in fact it could be a deadly challenge. After all this is real life not your “Amazing Race or the Survivor serious”.

On the other hand how often I got to visit a monastery so inaccessible. Curiosity took the better part of me, I made no complains just follow the program. I think the nature guide knew what was on my mind. He made many short stops knowing I need to catch my breath with out making a fuss about I am not in the top of my form. That was appreciated.

The first stop that morning was on one of the vista point overlook the city. It is actually no more than a little opening among the thick pine forest I can stand on the edge of the cliff on a hanging rock and look forward. To my surprise, I saw the most glorious sunrise over the old town it is surreal like a movie set. The tile roofs the towers were all painted by the morning light with a faint touch of gold. The pale blue morning sky, the crisp clean air hit my face, I was lost for a moment to the beauty of the surrounding was only awoke by the guide gave me a wild apple he pick from the tree by the side of the cliff. I accepted the apple rather reluctantly, am I really supposed to eat this wild things just pluck from the tree? It did not look clean with little brown spot all over it; on the other hand I did not know when would I see civilization like the most admired 7/11 store again, what is in my hand is the only source of food up to that point. So I accepted the challenge, and took a bite with my eyes closed. Wow it was amazingly delicious, sweet and juicy… May I have the other one too….

Next, it was lesson of conservatism. The guide point out the bald spot on the hillside was because the villagers were systematically destroying the forest, using it’s natural resources for housing materials, furniture’s and firewood’s. It was sustainable in the centuries past with slow growth in populations in the area. However with the huge demand on export in recent years on raw materials, the supply from the surrounding forest were severely depleted, more old growth came down everyday in an alarming rate, I saw large track of land were being clear-cut. The locals are destroying their own paradise on earth?

On happier notes, I was shown the botanical specimens’ being used by locals for centuries as herbal remedies for very specific diseases along the trail, it was and still is collected at different seasons. It is like a giant open air Walgreens, except this pharmacy is free. You can pick this weed mix with that flower or leaves ground it down and make tea, and it will help relief symptoms or cure diseases. If you make a mistake picking the wrong leave you will end up express to heaven faster than calling 911.

As we walk along I almost forgotten the pain of hiking up hill, when I finally saw a charming old monastery appear behind the thick forest of pine trees. I rush forward to get a glimpse, to my surprise this was not an imposing monastery, I felt cheated. It was just a tiny humble monastery in the tranquility setting among this pine forest, while the beams of morning light mixed with a little fog streaming through the colorful pray flags and between the pine trees. There was no sound, no prayers, the monks pray in silence, lack of the pageantry of larger monasteries, but the birds were singing and wind touches my face gently. I was totally absorbed by the beauty of this little piece of paradise. I wish you were there, there is no spoken word can expressively and accurately describe the feeling of inner peace I achieve that morning up in that mountain monastery.

The trip continued after a country lunch.

Next I visited the house of an Austrian American Explorer, geographer, linguist and botanist Joseph Francis Charles Rock, a colorful character with larger than life persona and his contributions to botanical knowledge were significant, he is also the first one preceding all others that Yunnan is one of the most interesting botanical hot spot in the world, and indeed he was right. The house he rented is now a local museum located in an undeveloped village of Nguluko (Yuhu), outside of the city of Lijiang.


   

I am glad I had the opportunities to visit the rugged shack of a house he called home. Saw his work and photos of his expedition in its original form, as if he is still living there. The house is furnished with his original bed and writing desk, and the infamous campus bathtub he insisted on taking with him on all his expeditions. I wonder how he can survive the harsh winter condition in this mountain region, without any western comfort he use to. I was humbled after my visit.

While I was still thinking about Dr. Rocks, I enter another tiny Baisha mountain village to meet Dr. Ho. Before our meeting, I never dream of someone living in such a remote village running his Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Chinese herbal Medicine Clinic, can achieve a legendary status of international fame.

Dr. Ho is an energetic 90 years old, spoke 5 different languages, when he found out I was from the USA, he grab my hand proceed to show me all the old newspaper articles written about him. His clinic is free to anyone interested in a consultation, and he had patients arriving everyday from all over the world. No appointment was needed. His wife a stately beauty of 85 with little words was busy sorting and drying herbs in the garden. I wonder how can Dr. Ho do it without the access of Internet, or the all powerful media machine to make him famous all over the world. I have no answer for it, may be he had high speed Internet hidden from pain sight? It was an eye opening experience.

All these encounters helps me to understand if I have a clear vision and focus on what I want to do with my life, and do it out of love and not greed or fame, we will all have a happier and rewarding life. May be we can live in our own paradise on earth, wherever it may 

be, and doing works that is of substances to out societies instead of wasting away in the corporate world.

Live simple, especially around the holidays, think again, do we really need that new coat we cannot afford or the expensive electronic device we wanted to have. Do we? All the people I encountered in this remote village they had none, some time even the most essential like heat in the winter, and yet they are at peace with themselves, doing great work, my salute to them.

Chance Encounter Lijiang Yunnan China.

Our Cultural differences

Shanghai in NY

I had a friend visiting here in New York City from Shanghai this week, spend a day with him exploring the city is an eye opening experience, especially during the holiday season in the big apple.

On the first day of his arrival to NYC, I took him on a walking tour around Union Square and the Chelsea neighborhood. When he saw the Christmas village in the square, he was amazed that American was really into shopping for gifts during the holidays, which is a different type of shopping than in Shanghai it is all about self-indulgence.

If you recall a post 2 years ago on my first Christmas in Shanghai, I wrote that there is no Christmas spirit there. In the materialistic world of Shanghai Christmas means nothing more than open season for bargain hunters. Time to get a new outfit for less for the well to do Chinese. For most foreigners in that city is either time to go visit their family or party on all the Christmas specials offered by the bars and restaurants.

When my friend saw children waiting in long lines to visit Santa, he was shocked. He knew a little about Santa, which he recalls as “Father Christmas”, but it is not a common sight in Shanghai, and virtually unknown in the rest of the rural areas of china. I found it interesting that an English speaking young professional knew very little about the Santa tradition. Come to think about it, I did not recall seeing Santa images anywhere in shanghai either. Isn’t that interesting?

As we walk along the streets on Chelsea, he saw vendors everywhere selling Christmas trees on the sidewalk, I explain to him that Christmas trees is a very important part of the Christmas tradition, the center piece of Home décor in the west, no different than the peach tree blossom during the Chinese New Year adorn the Chinese homes, except in Mainland China, that tradition is dying. I did not see any live Peach blossoms for sale at all, there are some broken off branches in some of the florists. No wonder he did not really understand why we have a tree at home.

When my friend finally saw the tree at the Rockefeller Center, and the crowded scene just to get a glimpse of the tree, he said he never experience so many people in one place even on the most crowded street in Shanghai, he definitely think we are over the top.

Our Christmas and thanksgiving is almost equivalent to the Chinese New year in scale. However, we hold on to our traditions more dearly than the Chinese to theirs. I am not sure how it is like in the rural areas. I can only speak of my own experience in Shanghai.

Chance Encounter NYC