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

Journey to Dali Yunnanhttp://studioemptywall.blogspot.com/

Dali old town Erhai

In this blog, my journey continued from Kunming to Dali, Instead of 8 hours bus ride taking up time on my trip, it would be better to take the overnight train to go up to Dali. A few years ago, I had great experience travel from Beijing to Xian on the over night high-speed train. I am expecting it would be similar this time around.

The train on my previous trip had private compartments and clean and comfortable beds plus all the modern amenities like TV, radio, internet all surround the bed, so I did not hesitate to book the over night train to Dali on this recent trip, plus it will save me a night of hotel expenses, since I am a frugal traveler.

I thought it was strange when the hostel director told me all tickets were the same, there is no first or premium class. I booked on the midnight express so I could arrive at Dali early in the morning. Plus I was hoping that no one wanted to travel on a mid night midnight departure, when there was another slow travel schedule for 8PM departure, there may be less people on the train. That was my plan.

Little did I know when I arrived at the train station the terminals was full of young people. I was not worry then because I have assigned tickets with compartment and bed number. I was shock when I finally got on the train, it was like in a movies. The hallways were impassable. There were people everywhere. Pushing luggage to the overhead rack, or just seat on the floor. When I finally found me compartment, I was horrified that it was so small and narrow. The width of the compartments is about 7 foot wide, and 6 foot long with bunk beds 3 stacks up on both sides, these open compartments sleep 6 in each space, plus there were no doors or privacy.

There was no place to put luggage everyone was putting their belongings on the floor between the two bunk beds. There were fold out chairs line the hallway at the end of the bed. Everyone is sitting there because the space between bunks was so low no one can possibly sitting up. Some people seem very much at home they just took of their shoes and lay in bed, worst yet there is no gender separations, we all just hurtle into these space. I have never seen anything like this before I was horrified by the sight of the place, never the less if I wanted to travel and sample local culture. This is it.

There were more surprises as I reached my bed on the top bunker three stacks up. I found the bed is only 2 and half feet wide. If I made a sudden turn I would fell to the ground. No wonder there were no foreigners on this train, all Chinese locals most of then are just like me trying to travel the most economical ways. I don’t think you will ever imagine the scene here, and I was not in the mood to take any picture. Passengers were everywhere, there were lines outside the toilets, everyone was talking, moving around, it was noisy and stuffy, I lie down thinking it is going to be a long and sleepless night, then the train started to move right on time, people started settling down, they must have known what came next, needless to say I had no clue, 10 minutes after the train left the terminals all lights were turn off without any warnings. What this a prison? It felt like one

I was awoke by the loud announcement we were arriving our destination in 10 minutes, then the light came on and the entire compartment were on the move again, everyone was rushing to get off their bunkers gathering their stuff to get the hell out of the so call train.

Outside the Dali terminals, the first thing that greets me was the fresh, cold, crisp mountain air clean streets and a beautiful morning sun. I decided that I must treat myself a taxi ride to my destination outside of the old town instead of riding the local bus. Luck was on my side that morning; I met someone to share a ride with. It was a 45 minutes ride thru the modern downtown of Dali on to the countryside. The streets were empty, after a night in hell, I was relaxed, and soon traditional dwellings and the sight of an imposing city wall of the old city greeted me. I knew I had arrived my destination.

The main reason bought me to Dali was the beauty of the Erhai Lake, which is the headwater of the Mekong River; water from the surrounding mountains irrigated the fields surrounding the lake from the well-developed ancient irrigated canals. Though out history she had been an important agriculture center and a part of an important outpost of the southern trading route, call Tea horse old trail. Therefore there are many important culture sites I wanted to visits.

I encountered many old traditions still in use today like the local backpack, which is made from Bamboo, used by women carrying everything on their back, carrying one of these on their back, they do not look out of place because in this part of the country, most people still wore their very colorful traditional customs on their daily life, even just planting garlic in the fields, they dress in these very colorful clothing unchanged for thousands of years as if they were going to a dinner party, especially their beautiful head dress.

My most notable encounter in Dali and Erhai Lake was how happy these villagers were, with very simple means in their traditional way of life. Even with the modern world is just a stone throw away. Inside the rampart of the old city gates there were numerous western style bars and restaurants, modern hotel is just 2 hours walk and yet they seems to be most at ease at their traditional ways of life.

I was captivated by a group of very beautiful older ladies, in a temple complex, some of them were cooking in a very large open air community kitchens, with nothing more than just a woks on many wood burning stove, line the far end of the wall, the others were sitting in a small circle all singing along or clapping their hand to the folk music broadcast from a small transistor radio. When I ask for taking photos of them, they were all so please and excited. I felt in love with these little communities, I would never forget the afternoon we shared in Dali.

This encounter made me reflect on our western way of life with so much baggage on our back, is that really necessary? Do we need all that in order to achieve simple happiness?

Chance Encounter Dali Yunnan, China

The Amazing Kunming, Yunann China

It’s been a while since I wrote the last blog. I had been traveling for the last two months hardly had a moment to myself, but had many interesting encounters. Now I am finally settled in a little it is time to do a little catching up

In Mid Oct 2013. I took a trip to the Yunnan province in China. The first city I visited was the capital of Kunming. If you ever visited this city you know the number one attraction there the Stone Forest (Shilin), known since the Ming Dynasty as the 'First Wonder of the World.

The forest is located in the Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kunming and requires a three-hour drive or you can easily get there using the local bus which will cost you almost nothing, instead of spending some heavy green backs.

However the long distance bus station is not easy to get to, it is located 45 minutes way from the city, it will take first a local bus ride just to get there. There is no metro, so the other option will be Taxi, for a budget travelers like myself. That is out of the question. I rather suffer or you can look at it as experience the local ways. I do not understand why the government officials in Kunming decided to build an enormous long distance bus terminal at a place that is so inconvenience to get to. It is never logical and no need to question the decision either.

Visitors to the Stone Forest marvel at the natural stone masterpieces and are captivated by the intricate vista of the stone formation. The magnificent, strange and steep landscape creates countless labyrinthine and narrow passages; some of them are steep and so narrow that is barely passable. Therefore make sure you slim down before you go. (At least loose the spare tire.)  It would be funny to see a tourist stuck between two rocks. I never see a Park ranger around, so good luck if that happens.

However I am not here to write a travel journal, instead I wanted to share with you my frustration with tour groups. I know it is universal that all tour guides use loud speakers to manage their groups, however if the site is located in the crowded market place, or something big as the Forbidden City I can understand that, because their voices became background noise. However in this quiet natural park environment found it is unnecessary to use the device. These huge groups usually from Asia, or local Chinese group were huge and they are not interested in the history, the formation and the natural wonders, they are just interested in taking their pictures on some of the hot spots and then move on. That left individual traveler like myself trying to avoid them with all cost. In consequences it allow me to discover many remote part of the park that tour group will never take anyone there.

I climb to the highest point in the park and took in a vista more amazing than anything I ever I saw. While struggling up these steeps to get to the top, I was surprise to encounter an old woman sitting in the shadow of the rocks selling water and sodas. This little old lady must be at least 70 years old short and small. How can she carrying all those heavy loads of water up hundred of steps is beyond me. Especially at this part of the stone forest hardly had any visitors every get there. She asks me to buy a bottle from her, although I had my own water I can’t hardly refuse her request. It is a hard way to make a living, and winter is approaching fast I wonder what kind of livelihood she is going to have when the park close.

Another amazing encounter while I was I still in Kunming was meeting a young man from France. I notice him on the first day I arrived at the hostel, in the dinning room, I saw him finished his plate of rice, the plate look like just been washed it. He is minding his own business, and was reading a book in the middle of the day. I found it odd, because everyone will be visiting the sites in the city. On my return to the same restaurant that evening, again in same the dinning room I saw at this young man sat at the same place reading his book again. I sat down and strike up a friendly traveler’s conversation, it turn out that he is on a world tour on his bike. How can he do that, he got my full attention, wont you? He told me he decided 4 months to the day that he was very tire of his well paid software development job back in Paris, decided that life experience worth more than wealth, he took all his savings and one year off to travel the world on Bike.

In most of his journey he told me he camp on the countryside after dark, eat local food, get water from the streams, never took the main road, instead he ride on the country paths. He told me some locals may invite him for a meal and offer a bed for the evening, but that does not happen too often, therefore when he check into a hostel, he is resting for a couple of days, sleep, do his laundries, and some time wait for visa or permit to enter another country.

What a fantastic ways to really see the world, he won me over, what a brave 25 years old. He inspired me to travel on a totally new level on that Oct evening while we share a beer at this strange town. You will hear some other amazing stories and people I met along my two months journey in the later blogs

This young man’s trip according to him, he started from Paris, rode to Turkey, by way of Bulgaria. From there he went thru Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, then go north to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to avoid the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He turned south at Kazakhstan to enter China. He basically stays on the western park of China to avoid big cities, when I met him in Yunnan, he was waiting for visa to cross over to Laos, then go down to Thailand and Malaysia before flying to Sydney, then Melbourne, then turn west to Argentina south America. Work his way up north and finally in NYC before heading home to France. He told me he does not have a plan which he visit next, his plan changes according to weather and political climatic. He had no computer only a mobile with him at all time. I admire this young man; it took a lot of disciplines to undertake such a trip. Everything he had is on the four boxes that mounted on his bike. I only wish I can do that.

Chance Encounter Kunming, Yunnan China