CLASSICAL CHINA, June/July 2005

Anne had been living in China for almost two years now and it was high time I went to visit her. After last year's visit to Greece where we discovered

that we travelled together very well, we were both looking forward to another adventure. I had almost three weeks free so we would be able to sample

just a tiny part of this vast land. We decided to stick to some of the classical highlights of China with our base in Shanghai where Anne was living.

From there we would fly to Beijing, spending about four days,

seeing things like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, then

fly to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors and the History

Museum and return to Shanghai. Later we would spend several

days in the Huang Shan (Yellow Mountains), one of the most

famous landscapes in the country just to the south-west of

Shanghai in Anhui Province and as well visit several well-

preserved rural villages nearby, before a final few days in

Shanghai and home to Australia.

When I arrived in Shanghai, there had been some difficulties

with Anne's students' final exams and she hadn't been able to

finish her marking. She would need a few more mornings work

sightseeing would be restricted to afternoons and evenings! I

thought I could cope with that without too much trouble a bit

of a rest before we started travelling in earnest would suit me

very well.

First we explored the area around Anne's apartment. This was Jiading, once a separate village but now one of Shanghai's outer suburbs. As well as a

bustling modern shopping area and a more traditional market area the village boasted its original pagoda and a lovely Confucian garden. We spent

several very pleasant hours exploring and I returned later to fossick in the many little stores. Straight away I felt at home sure I couldn't talk to

anyone but I didn't feel at all alien and I very much enjoyed the strong sense of life and vitality on the streets. First though I had to learn to cross those

streets. As well as looking for cars it was essential to look for bicycles, which, confusingly, came in the opposite direction in a special lane adjacent to

the footpath. On several occasions as I stepped off the kerb in readiness to cross, I nearly got cleaned up by a phalanx of cyclists! There were several

excellent restaurants and tea-houses which we would walk to at night and, after dinner and a pleasant stroll, Anne introduced me to her favourite

masseurs who stayed open until quite late at night. First we had Anne's usual treatment a so-called foot massage but in reality much more. We sat

back in big, comfortable chairs with our feet soaking in herb scented hot water while receiving a very thorough neck and shoulder massage. Then the

feet were dried and an amazing foot and calf massage followed. What bliss and so cheap. I returned later to try the full body massage (this one lying

down) I couldn't decide which I liked better so I continued to alternate and managed to fit in several more of each variety before I had to return to

Australia.

We took the local bus into downtown Shanghai what a great opportunity for people watching and getting fleeting glimpses of the diversity of this

extraordinary city! The traffic was wild lines on the road are at best a hint and road rules a suggestion but it flowed remarkably well on the complex

network of eight and ten lane highways (in some places double-deckered) as the drivers performed remarkable feats of concentration and flexibility,

keeping track of what everyone else was doing and adjusting their own positions accordingly. I thought Australian drivers wouldn't last one minute

here. Once in the city, we did the usual tourist things, walked down the Bund, Nanjing Lu and other streets in the central city, looked in the big

department stores, went shopping among the vast collection of small traders at Yuyuan Gardens (very touristy but a great place for all sorts of useful

gifts silk pyjamas and dressing gowns, pashminas, artists brushes and all kinds of little knick-knacks), went to a gymnastics performance (fantastic!),

ate great food, including the wonderful dumplings and generally revelled in this amazingly busy, vibrant city.

Soon though, it was time to fly to Beijing. Anne had finished marking but still had to collate results. Her laptop had to come with us!

JIADING, Pagoda and Confucian Garden

Roof detail

YU YUAN GARDENS, Shanghai

BEIJING

We arrived at the airport late morning. How sparkling and efficient it was lots of signs in English, very easy to navigate. Outside the taxi line was

also organised efficiently and we were soon on the way to our hotel. What a charming place! Anne had asked the travel agent to find us one of the old

courtyard hotels and while this was not what we ended up with, it was almost as interesting. The hotel itself was decorated in the traditional style and

was quite luxurious. Given the price we were paying the travel agent had clearly done an excellent deal for us. What made the place so special though

was the surroundings. Here were beautiful gardens dotted with all kinds of pavilions where receptions from vast weddings to small private dinners

could be held in sumptuous and magnificent surrounds. I knew where I would be spending the next morning while Anne finalised the exam results and

was finally free!

We thought we would spend the afternoon exploring some of the old city. So many of the old neighbourhoods, with their narrow alleys and courtyard

houses, have been completely obliterated by the great push for road widening and modernisation and there is now concern that the city will lose its

heritage. The hutongs date from the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) when Kublai Khan made Beijing his capital. This was the first time in Chinese history

that this northern city had been so honoured and it seems that it took the role to its bosom. Since then, except for brief periods, it has remained the

centre of the country's power. Beijing is so synonymous with China that we tend to forget that it began life as a Mongol city and that the hutong

structure is essentially Mongolian. However the Chinese soon put their stamp on the neighbourhoods, creating the walled courtyards around which

communal life revolved. The amenities of the new high-rise towers are welcomed by most, but it is this loss of community that is mourned. We took a

taxi to one of the hutongs on the northern edge north of Beihei Park, an area that includes the splendid courtyard that was once the dwelling of Prince

Gong. Beihai Park extends right down to the Forbidden City and our idea was that we would take one of the pedicab tours around the hutong, then

walk towards the central city, exploring the gardens immediately to the north of the Forbidden City from which magnificent views over the whole

complex can be obtained. Things started well, though I discovered that I felt distinctly uncomfortable being transported solely by the physical labour of

a fellow human. I resolved that I would never do so again.

Before heading into the depths of the hutong, our driver took us to the nearby Drum and Bell Towers. These structures were built in the Yuan Dynasty

(though replaced in the 15th and 18th C respectively) and marked the centre of the Mongol capital; the drums were beaten to mark the hours of the day.

We got ourselves oriented and began heading south but the trouble continued. This is when we discovered how deceptive maps of Beijing are; the

distances are huge, blocks are enormous and all our ideas of getting around were in tatters. When in doubt eat and we were indeed hungry, so first we

had a late lunch and reassessed our plans. We decided to get a cab to Wanfujing, the pedestrian shopping area with lots of little market streets running

off it, spend several hours there, then try out our idea of the best way home a combination of metro and cab. Lovely as the hotel was, its position was

very awkward and that night we discovered just how much so. Our taxi driver had no idea where it was and it was fortunate that eventually he ended

up on the main road we had come along from the airport; we recognised the turn-off and could direct him. This happened several more times but now

we were prepared; Anne dialled the hotel with her mobile and gave it to the driver to get directions worked like a charm!

By now I was used to the air pollution and wasn't surprised that the sky was always grey and that the sun never appeared. However from the heights of

the Bell Tower the extent of the pollution was starkly obvious; details of nearby objects which should have been clearly visible were blurred and hazy.

Our next stop was Prince Gong's Mansion and our

driver took us on a wonderful route first through

some hutongs and then through the park where all

the locals were out sitting around the beautiful lake

enjoying the view and the warm day. After the

exquisitely beautiful mansion and its gardens we

plunged into the hutongs proper, and this is where

things began to go wrong. We had said we wanted

an hour's tour but clearly we were going to get the

longer (and of course more expensive) version and

there was nothing we could do about it. We made a scheduled stop at a showpiece simple courtyard house

(interesting but despite the claims, it didn't seem as if anyone really lived there) and tried to indicate to the

driver that we needed to finish the tour suddenly he couldn't understand us at all! Finally it was over and I was glad. Next time round I would forgo

the pedicab and walk! Unfortunately, interesting as the hutongs were, they were not so photogenic particularly from the back of a bicycle!

Inside the Bell Tower

The Drum Tower viewed from the Bell Tower note the air pollution

BEIHAI PARK, PRINCE GONG MANSION, Beijing

JUN WANG FU HOTEL Beijing Gardens and Function Area

JUN WANG FAN HOTEL cont

Finally Anne was free she had collated the results and emailed them off while I had explored the beautiful gardens of the hotel and the nearby

shopping centre. While there I spotted a wonderful sign, typical of the bizarre translations which appeared everywhere then but with the great clean-up

of the Olympics, are now becoming rare such a pity! We were

ready to explore, though there was still one final task to complete.

Anne had organised a consignment of spectacle frames from

Australia for donation to a charity based in Beijing. I had carried

them from Australia and we were off to deliver them it would be

good to get rid of the surprisingly heavy parcel. We travelled there

by taxi and afterwards found we were very close to Chang'an

Avenue, though several blocks east of Tiananmen Square. On the

map, not very far, but we knew not to walk and instead took the

metro to the square. There is not a lot to recommend this vast,

barren, empty spot. We didn't stay long though we marvelled at the

soldiers standing ramrod straight on guard for hours at a time and

we admired Tiananmen Gate and the Forbidden City peeping out

behind it. These, however, could wait for another day. Now we

were heading to the museum, then we were off to explore the

streets to the south of the square looking for a particular Beijing Duck Restaurant which had a very good reputation. I'm not sure if it was us or Lonely

Planet's maps (which are usually very good), but several times we ran into terrible trouble south of Tiananmen Square; streets were not as we expected

them to be and we never found our destination. That night we didn't find the duck restaurant we sought though there were no shortages of alternatives

and we certainly had a very good Beijing duck meal. As well we stumbled on a little local market, and so close to the central city, little side streets

where people sat out on their doorsteps talking and watching the world go by in a way that seemed entirely unchanged in hundreds of years.

I knew the National Museum of Chinese History had been closed for a long time and we had not been able to find out when it was expected to open.

Well not yet there was just a collection of highlights on show in a very dingy building very interesting, but of course nothing like what one would

hope for in the capital city of the world's longest surviving culture. The opening of this museum would be reason enough to return to Beijing. We

quickly exhausted the antiquities but not the museum. On the top floor there was an extraordinary display of life-sized wax figures depicting important

people and events since the revolution. It was an eerie feeling walking among these figure they were so lifelike, particularly when you happened

upon them suddenly or saw them out of the corner of the eye. I did a double take as I came upon a young Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong in conversation.

We got home at a reasonable hour that night so we would be well rested for tomorrow's excursion out of town. A friend of a friend had lined up a taxi

driver for us at a very good price. Anne had talked to him and yes he would pick us up at 8 am.

The Great Wall and the Summer Palace I was keen to avoid the wall at Badaling, the closest point to Beijing and crawling with tourists and hawkers. Apart from Anne's brief conversation

yesterday, we had not talked to the driver so the first thing we had to do was get our destination sorted out. No, he did not plan to go to Badaling, we

would go to Mutianyu, a little further (about 90 km) and not quite so popular, but still with a cable-car to take you to the top of the wall. Sounded

perfect so we settled back to enjoy our trip through Beijing's northern suburbs and out into the countryside. The Qin Emperor (who was also

responsible for the terracotta warriors) created the great wall in the 3rd C BC by linking up a series of separate existing walls in a massive building

project which took more than 10 years of hard labour by hundreds of thousands of workers. It never really did serve its purpose of keeping out

marauding nomadic hordes from the north but it worked very well as an elevated highway and from its series of guard towers, news of enemy

movements could be quickly transmitted to the capital. From the 14th C AD under the Ming, the wall was substantially refurbished and faced with

bricks and stone. Eventually the wall was all but forgotten and large sections of it have crumbled away it is the tourist industry that has rescued it and

several important sections have now been rebuilt.

As we discovered when we arrived, the section of the wall at Mutianyu is noted for its fine views and elegant guard towers. What a spectacle and what

a perfect day to enjoy it fine and clear (well clear for China) except for the time when a fine mist descended shrouding parts of the wall and the

surrounding mountains in mystery. It was simply magnificent! The hours disappeared as we wandered along enjoying the views, marvelling at the

intricacy and extraordinary difficulty of the construction and once again paying tribute to Chinese determination to overcome any obstacle.

THE GREAT WALL at Mutianyu

THE GREAT WALL cont

Inside a guard tower

The very shallow steps are designed for horses

We ran the gauntlet of the hawkers, making our way back to the car, eager to move on. First though we needed lunch. There was not much around said

the driver but we spotted an interesting restaurant near the Summer Palace gates. They served food from the Xinjiang region in the north-west whose

Uighur population are of Turkic origin with more in common with the peoples of Central Asia than the Han Chinese. The cuisine is likewise very

different and at this restaurant they were promoting a variety of different grains. We were sorry we were in such a rush we would have liked to try

several different dishes in a leisurely meal, instead we settled for a delicious noodle dish with subtle and very different spicing. Then we were off to

explore the Summer Palace.

This domain of palaces, temples, gardens, pavilions and enormous lake was once a playground for the imperial court an escape from the heat and

humidity of summer in Beijing. It started life as a royal garden in the 12th C and was gradually enlarged in subsequent centuries, particularly by the

Qing in the 18th C. The rampaging Anglo-French forces (the Second Opium War) destroyed it in the mid 19th C and it was rebuilt by the Dowager

Empress Cixi (when it became known as the Summer Palace) with funds embezzled from the Navy, only to be ransacked again by the Eight Allied

Powers during the Boxer Rebellion. After the Nationalist revolution in 1911, it was opened to the public. It is a vast complex dominated by an

enormous man-made lake on the southern side. The earth dug from the lake created Longevity Hill which we walked up after entering on the north side

via a lovely marble bridge across a little canal-side market village created to resemble the southern town of Suzhou. Here the ladies of the court used to

play and shop. We walked up past Buddhist temples and pavilions, enjoying the views from the top of the hill, but we completely underestimated how

much time it would take to explore the huge area. We spent so much time on the top of the hill that we ran out of time to explore the lakeside and we

missed far too much. Our driver wanted to get away by 4 pm to avoid the worst of the traffic and two hours was simply far too short. Really we should

have allowed the best part of a day just for the Summer Palace the guide books were very misleading.

Still as we were discover about everything we visited in Beijing, there was so much restoration going on that a further visit in about 5 years time would

be a very good idea. By then all the splendour should have emerged from its shroud of scaffolding and that museum must surely finally be opened.

After being dropped off at our hotel, we eventually decided to head back to Wanfujing. I was very keen to go back to the silk store we had looked at

briefly on our previous visit. Lengths of silk and some cashmere for a coat were on my agenda, plus we could look around at the nearby night markets

and find dinner. It was a good plan, we had a fantastic night and I made some very exciting purchases.

THE SUMMER PALACE, Beijing

Suzhou Market Street North Gate over Suzhou St

Tibetan Temple Sea of Wisdom Temple

THE SUMMER PALACE cont

The Forbidden City Next morning we took a cab to the Forbidden City. Originally we had planned to make the classical entrance through Tiananmen Gate and then into the

Forbidden City proper through the Meridian Gate on the southern side but of course cabs can't get to that area and we were dropped at the east gate.

We thought that some time later we would look more closely at the southern entrance but of course we ran out of time another thing we will have to

do on the return visit. Actually the whole Forbidden City needs to be on the return list because more than half of it was shrouded in scaffolding an

enormous reconstruction program was in progress!

While this area of the city was part of the Mongul capital, the Forbidden City was built by the Yongle Emperor in the Ming Dynasty. He started in

1406 and took almost twenty years, using up to a million labourers and the finest products sourced from throughout the empire to create this

astonishing masterpiece. It is a walled, moated city into which the imperial family and the enormous court retreated and rarely left. Entry without

permission from the Emperor resulted in instant death (hence Forbidden). It consists of an outer or public court, at the southern end, and a smaller,

private, residential court at the northern end. The grand public buildings where the Emperor held court or performed religious ceremonies are roped off

and we had to fight our way through the crowds to stand in the front row and peer inside through the open doors, marvelling at the splendour of the

interiors. Some of the smaller buildings in the residential area are opened as museums and it is possible to get some idea of what this life of luxury

might have been like for some of the inhabitants.

The palace complex has been the victim of fire several times, most notably when the Manchus deposed the Han and set up the Qing Dynasty in 1644.

They burnt the palaces to the ground. Many of the original treasures have also disappeared with a major looting by the Japanese and another by the

Kuomintang, who on the eve of the Communist takeover, removed thousands of crates of relics (along with the entire Chinese gold reserve) to Taiwan

where they are now on display in Taipei. Still there seemed to be no shortage of treasures on display and despite spending several hours here, we felt

we had barely scratched the surface. The whole place was overwhelming and very difficult to take in on the first visit. Furthermore, any thought we

might have had of climbing the hill to look back over the palace complex when we exited via the northern gate was abandoned after our few hours

fighting the crowds and the heat. We were exhausted and instead retired for a late lunch and a cold beer! After a little shopping we headed off for a

performance of Chinese Opera in a traditional hall. We were early so there was plenty of time to browse in the small museum and shop. Then we went

through into the utterly delightful hall where we were seated at little tables and plied with tea and tasty snacks while we watched the performance.

Anne had been before but this was my first experience. I loved it particularly the robust athleticism of the performance and was fascinated by the

traditional orchestra. What a great evening!

THE FORBIDDEN CITY, Beijing Outer or Ceremonial Court

The Gate of Supreme Harmony the Inner Gate leading to the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square, the focus of the complex, shown in part below

Roof guardians

Exiting the outer court

THE FORBIDDEN CITY cont Outer Court cont

Male lion with the world under his foot

Female lion with baby under her foot

THE FORBIDDEN CITY cont Inner or Residential Court

BEIJING OPERA At Hugang Guild Hall

The Temple of Heaven Said to be the most perfect example of Ming architecture, the Temple of Heaven was the most inspiring of all the places we visited, despite its main

building being under reconstruction and off limits another place to add to the return list and despite it being the hottest and sunniest day of our time

in Beijing. I had gotten tired of carrying a hat and not using it so didn't have one with me. Now I was worried that I would get sunburnt but the ever

entrepreneurial Chinese were there before us the hawkers were out with parasols and hats. Gratefully I bought a pretty paper parasol and brought it

home as a contribution to the dress-up box of my great nieces.

The complex set in vast gardens was another of the massive building projects of the Yongle Emperor. It is a vast stage for rituals performed by the Son

of Heaven (ie the Emperor), seeking good harvests, divine blessings for himself and atonement for the sins of the people and twice a year, the Emperor

and all his retinue would leave the Forbidden City and come here to perform these solemn rites. The complex is full of symbolism, most notably the

square (earth) and circle (heaven), eg the temples and altar are circular on a square base, and the imperial number nine. Its main constituents are the

Round Altar an open circle of white marble atop a series of marble terraces, The Imperial Vault of Heaven, a smaller temple containing tablets of the

Emperor's ancestors and the crowning glory, The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, where the Emperor prayed for just that. This amazing building,

also mounted on a three-tiered marble terrace was built without nails or cement but alas it was completely off bounds during our visit.

The complex is regarded as a Taoist shrine, but the practice of heaven worship, particularly by the Emperor, is pre-Taoist and very ancient. This

feeling of being part of something very old was reinforced in some of the side buildings where we saw where animals were prepared for sacrifice and

the elaborate rituals that were involved. In the nearby excellent museum we learned more about the history embodied in this place and came to

understand more about the reasons for its UNESCO listing.

There were many more temples we would like to have seen but instead we set off on another fruitless search for a market area south of Tiananmen

Square. I wish we had just gone to another temple but next time round we will be much better prepared!

The TEMPLE of HEAVEN, Beijing

The Northern Heavenly Gate only the Emperor could use the middle path The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest undergoing restoration in distanceMuseum model of The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest

The Imperial Vault of Heaven

Inside The Imperial Vault of Heaven

Looking through to the Circular Altar

XI'AN

Next morning we flew into Xi'an, a city with more than 3000 year's history that once rivalled Rome and Constantinople for the title of greatest city in

the world. It was the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and the capital of 13 Chinese dynasties, while the surrounding region in the Yellow River basin

is one of the oldest settled parts of China. This was also the homeland of the Qin who formed the first dynasty to rule over all of eastern China (221-

207 BC) and it is the extraordinary monuments left by the first Qin Emperor that drew us here and that have indeed put Xi'an back on the map. The

terracotta warriors are the second most visited site in the country after Beijing.

We dumped our bags at our hotel and went downtown to meet our young Chinese guide. This was the niece of one of Anne's teaching colleague's who

had very kindly arranged for us to have some help in getting around efficiently on what was to be a flying visit. We soon found Scary (it is very

common for the Chinese to take English names and sometimes they are a little odd, but we were never able to discover what was behind this rather

unfortunate choice of name) who quickly admitted that she was very nervous. Apart from one English teacher, she had never met a foreigner. Her

English was excellent and we tried to put her at ease, explaining what we would like to do for the rest of the day. The terracotta warriors, which were

some distance out of town, were top of the list, but also we wanted to visit the Banpo Neolithic Village. Our idea was to get a cab to both. Scary was

horrified " but you can go by bus, it is so much cheaper!" Well, yes, we realised that, but time as well as price was important to us. This was a new

concept to her but we talked it over and came up with a compromise that satisfied the thrifty-minded Chinese. We would take the bus to Banpo it was

nearby and quick but from there we would get a taxi to the warriors. Coming home, when there was no longer any rush, we would take a local

minibus (very cheap) which would enable us to see something of people's everyday life.

We were in for a big disappointment at the village. The archaeological site was closed and we had access only to the museum and the shop. The village

itself dates from around 4500 BC and was uncovered in such good condition that is has been possible to reconstruct the life of the entire village. The

museum was fascinating, with many very large models and plans of the village which made it very easy to imagine something of what life was like in

those ancient times. Not as good as the real thing, but we were still very happy. Outside on the street, Scary started negotiating with a taxi driver to take

us to the warriors. She seemed to be beating him down ok so Anne and I got into the cab. She started to follow but something the driver said made her

recoil. "Get out" she said, "we won't go with him!" We did, but eventually the driver remonstrated with her and she relented. She told us that what had

upset her was that driver had suggested a higher price than she was offering and said he would split the difference with her. In other words, "let's make

a bit of money out of the foreigners". In horror she had replied "but they are my friends". Eventually he had agreed to something near her price and we

urged her to accept it, but she soon had another lesson to learn about the ugly side of tourism. As we arrived at the site, we were plagued by hordes of

hawkers with a lot of very tacky stuff that we weren't interested in. When we didn't stop to buy, the hawkers started shouting at her to the effect

"What's the matter with you why won't you help us fleece these foreigners aren't you Chinese?" She was mortified. "These people have black

hearts" she cried. We tried to explain to her that this was nothing peculiar to China it happened all over the world. For her though it was a real eye-

opener and she remained very thoughtful.

Soon though, all such trivialities were swept from our minds as we entered the largest of the pits in which row upon row of life-sized terracotta soldiers

stand ready to protect their emperor for eternity. The first emperor was fearful of death and obsessed with the after-life. Very soon after his unification

of the country, he began construction of his mausoleum. The tomb itself has still not been excavated and who knows what wonders lie in store when

this finally happens (the historical record indicates that the tomb included palaces filled with precious stones, statues of gold and silver and rivers of

mercury) - definitely a reason to return to Xi'an. The army of warriors was laid out in front of the tomb, lined up in battle formation and buried in one

large and two smaller pits, so the vigil would remain undisturbed forever. Unfortunately, robbers and even more importantly, nature in the form of

earthquakes, have caused considerable damage and what we see now has been painstakingly reconstructed. Huge pavilions like aircraft hangars have

been built over the excavated pits as protection and these add considerable to the aura of grandeur. It is clear that a certain degree of mass production

was used in creating the vast number of statues (more than 6000 warriors have been reconstituted but many more still lie buried) but each was finished

individually, each is distinct from its fellows, and archaeologists now believe that the characters were based on the Emperor's real army.

This is truly one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. I was stunned by the impact of the row upon row of life-like figures stretching into the

distance, I marvelled at the superb craftsmanship that had created this spectacle and most of all, my mind boggled at the megalomaniacal thought

processes that had conceived the project.

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS at Xi'an

A partially excavated pit

Some of the warriors in the main pit The buried warriors before excavation

Partial reconstruction of a chariot Museum model of a chariot

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS cont

Reconstruction area

More of the warriors in the main pit

We had a great ride back to the city with all the locals in a mini-bus. No toll-way for this lot we took the long way round (cheaper of course) with

many stops as people got on and off. There was plenty of time for people watching and getting glimpses of the local village life. Scary had a treat for

us when we eventually arrived back in the city we were going to try out local food. She took us to a huge self-service restaurant with many individual

stalls from which every imaginable type of food could be obtained. Anne and I were a bit overwhelmed with the choice and came back with what

Scary obviously considered to be a completely inadequate selection. Soon she was darting off bringing back this and that for us to try. The food was

delicious but we ended up with far too much. Still we were delighted. There were indeed many things we had never encountered before and we would

never have found them in this vast emporium. We were replete and enormously excited about the day and as we said farewell, we arranged to meet up

in the morning for a trip to the Provincial Museum.

Scary came to meet us at our hotel.

It was a very comfortable place

with beautiful gardens and she had

never been inside such a fancy

tourist hotel. We spent a little time

exploring before heading off. Our

plane left in the afternoon and we

thought a half day would be

sufficient for a Provincial museum,

even one which we knew had a

good collection. How wrong we

were! This would have to be one of

the very best museums in China a whole day would not be too long to spend here. There is an extensive

and comprehensive collection of artefacts from Neolithic times, through all the Dynasties in China's long

history, along with considerable explanation of that history. We tried to move through reasonably quickly but even so managed to see only about half

the museum. We would definitely have to come back to Xi'an.

The gardens around our hotel

Our delightful guide, Scary

RETURN to SHANGHAI Anne was much more relaxed this time around and there was plenty of time to explore Shanghai. One of our first trips was to the Shanghai Museum

where we planned to spend the best part of a day. This museum is a masterpiece. It is purpose built, a joy of a building which recalls the shape of an

ancient Chinese drinking vessel, and it houses an extraordinary collection of traditional art, sculpture, calligraphy, jade, furniture, ceramics, coins, seals

and of course bronze and pottery artefacts showing the development of Chinese civilisation. The ancient collection was superb but that at Xi'ian was far

more comprehensive. Once again I realised just how magnificent that museum was and it reinforced my desire to return. The general thrust of the

collection at Shanghai is different from that at Xi'an though, and while it certainly encompasses China's long history, really it is all about her art.

Examples of all its facets were displayed superbly and I marvelled at how so many of these delicate beauties had survived the Cultural Revolution.

Also off People's Square is the fascinating Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. Here was a scale model of the sprawling city, many huge photos

of its past and floors of presentations showing the extraordinary plans for its future development. Shanghai seems determined to put Hong Kong

completely in the shade and presumably by becoming so strong, to effectively put itself outside the control of the power centre Beijing. We also saw

urban change on a smaller scale with the showpiece development of XinTianDi, which has preserved some of the extraordinary life of Shanghai during

the early part of the 20th C. It has incorporated a collection of unique Shikumen mansions, one of which is open as a museum, into a high-tech,

expensive and trendy new precinct.

Shanghai has a vibrant art scene and we were able to sample a little of it. First we met up with some of Anne's Chinese colleagues for drinks at The

Creek Art Centre, a new venture which has converted an old flour mill on Suzhou Creek (a once run-down part of town) into a restaurant, bar and

gallery promoting the work of up and coming artists very exciting then on another day we met up with Anne's Chinese friend Mai and her father for

a cultural afternoon, something which the three of them often enjoyed together. This time we went to the Shanghai Art Gallery, in an extraordinary

building in the former Shanghai Race Club. There was a touring exhibition of European avant-garde art along with a superb collection of local

material. After several very pleasant hours, we headed off to the terrace of the Peace Hotel for a drink. This hotel is one of the venerable institutions on

The Bund whose beautifully preserved, sumptuous, Art Deco style reflects the splendour of the city's cosmopolitan past. Here a famous old jazz band

still plays and from the high terrace, the glittering city is arrayed all around. Finally we had a splendid dinner with the locals ordering all the little

delicious specialities that we would otherwise miss. A perfect end to a perfect day!

ANCIENT BRONZES and CERAMICS from the SHANGHAI MUSEUM

A pillow

A musical instrument

SHANGHAI From the Peace Hotel Terrace

ANHUI PROVINCE

Huang Shan We were flying into Tunxi at night, in preparation for a morning drive to the cable car station which would take us to the top of the Yellow Mountain.

When we arrived at the airport, Anne discovered to her horror that, in changing handbags, she had forgotten to include her passport. After various

enquiries, she ascertained that despite all her other identification, she would not be allowed on the flight. Her problem was that because she was living

at Jiading which is a very long way from the airport, there was not enough time to get home and return before the last flight of the night. She rang the

travel agent. Fortunately he answered his mobile and was very helpful. All she could do was get the night train to Tunxi there should just be time for

her to go home and then get to the train station. Get a taxi he said then ring me and I will explain the problem to him. In the meantime I'll ring the

station and reserve a sleeper for you. So she left me and set off into the night. I flew to Tunxi, hoping she would make the train.

Next morning our guide came to the hotel he had heard from the travel agent and Anne had made the train. I had tried to ring her mobile

unsuccessfully so was very relieved. Soon she arrived. It had been a wretched trip (and an extraordinarily expensive taxi ride), but after a shower and

breakfast she felt much better and we were on our way. It was a long and complicated drive to the cable-car station and we were glad we had

prearranged a guide and driver. We would have wasted a lot of time if we had followed our original idea of making our own way around. After a very

long wait (there were an enormous number of people waiting, clearly it was a very popular place) we eventually we were at the top of the queue and on

our way up the mountain. When we reached the top we were even more relieved that we had a guide with us there was a maze of little roads on the

top of the mountain and all the signs were in Chinese. We would have become completely lost! We walked to our hotel no vehicles of any kind are

allowed on the mountain and everything that is used by the many hotels and restaurants there is brought in by porter on the ends of a pole carried

across the shoulders. This is a very demanding feat, but for young fit men, perhaps not an unacceptable way of earning a living. However we were

horrified to learn that the situation is much worse and these unfortunate men are truly treated as beasts of burden. They also transport all supplies up

the mountain on foot a journey of many hours - taking laundry and rubbish on the return journey. The cable car is used only for people. Yes this does

provide employment for local men but their backs and legs would be wrecked before they were thirty when they would simply be discarded. Every

time we saw these poor men walking along the little tracks around the mountain with their enormous loads we cringed.

The mountain was spectacular. All the traditional Chinese paintings of

pinnacles, ravines, clouds, mists and pine trees were all here, in endless

variations. We climbed up and down, up and down, sometimes along

narrow precipitous paths, but the surfaces were all well paved with

well-made steps, so at least that part of the journey was easy. However

as our legs found that night and the next day, the extraordinary amount

of climbing involved took its toll. At the time though, we were

completely lost in the wonder of the landscape and could well

understand why the mountain is so revered.

As the sun set, dozens of photographers were out with tripods hoping to

catch the perfect shot but it wasn't a particularly brilliant display. Next

morning we got up very early to be in position to witness the sunrise,

also apparently sometimes a wonderful spectacle. Well this morning

there was so much cloud cover that we didn't see the sun rise at all just a gradual lightening of the sky. Still the icy blues of the very early morning

panorama were spectacular enough and we were well pleased with our expedition. Pleasure quickly turned to dismay as we learned after breakfast that

the cable car was closed because of high winds. "What happens now?" we asked the guide. In all seriousness he said "We will have to walk down the

mountain". We knew that was impossible and told him so flatly. The woman at hotel reception said that the cable car would probably open later in the

morning and we reckoned that we should go to the cable car now so we would be ready when that happened. The guide was all for taking us on more

walks around the mountain, according to our program. "Bugger the program" we said "let's get to the cable car". Sure enough, after a couple of hours

the winds dropped and we were finally on our way down the mountain. We would have more time to explore the extraordinarily well preserved rural

villages around the base of the mountain. But first to lunch and here, for the only time in all our trips in China, the guide pulled a swifty. He took us to

a small restaurant that looked a bit too plain and simple for the amount we were paying for the tour, but we were happy enough to give it the benefit of

the doubt; perhaps the food was particularly good despite its appearance. The food was execrable, we could barely eat it. The guide was clearly

nervous when he came back we knew he would have been given far more money than this had cost him and we told him he had made a bad choice.

Later he realised how bad when we didn't give him a tip.

HUANG SHAN (Yellow Mountains)

HUANG SHAN cont

Sunset

HUANG SHAN cont

Day break

Early morning

Hongcun and Tangyue Now we were on our way to Hongcun village and as we drove through the countryside we could see that as well as the dazzling and romantic

landscapes of the mountains, this area was also blessed with fertile soil. Productive farms abounded with solid, prosperous-looking residential

buildings. In the past, the region also produced many wealthy merchants who returned to their home villages to build luxurious houses during the Ming

and Qing era. Hongcun was one such village, centred on a large pond whose waterways flowed through the town, with a particularly fine courtyard

house with exquisite wood carvings that had been preserved as a museum. The village is so picturesque that it is regularly visited by art students and a

group of young men and women was there when we arrived, busily trying to capture the essence of the picture-postcard village. We spent quite some

time walking through this still very much lived-in village, delighting in the little houses with their restrained white and black colour schemes, each

perfectly placed in its own small garden and courtyard creating a series of perfect pictures of glimpses through doorways and gates, of alleyways and

rooflines and reflections in the lake. The mansion/museum was unlike anything I had seen before, with extensive use of heavily gilded, pink-toned,

carved woodwork which provided a restful backdrop to fine furniture, elaborate lighting and delicate works of art. Life here would have been very fine.

Some of the villages were also endowed with elaborate arches honouring ancestors and after Hongcun, we drove to the village of Tangyue, famous for

its series of seven memorial arches. These were erected by one family to honour the merits and virtues of various ancestors and are laid out on an L-

shaped path leading to two temples for worship of male and female ancestors. These have been of considerable interest to Chinese historians because in

China's feudal society, it was very rare for females to be accorded the privilege of being honoured in an ancestral temple. The temples were utterly

exquisite, but it was difficult to come to terms with the notion of ancestor worship, something so important to the Chinese and so alien to us. At

Tangyue too we saw extensive lotus ponds in full bloom. They are mainly cultivated for food (the seed pod) but in the meantime, the gorgeous

blossoms were there for all to enjoy.

We returned to Tunxi for dinner (a more successful meal, the guide now being on best behaviour, but the damage was done) and a stroll around the

very ancient old town which dates from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), though like everything else we saw in China, it has been rebuilt and restored

many times since. One of its famous products is the soft black stone that is used to make traditional ink stones. Elaborately carved, enormous versions

were available, but I was delighted to take home just a small one that I would happily use for producing ink drawings and paintings. Finally to the

airport for our late flight back to Shanghai and a very disappointed guide. Normally we tip well but he had made his money from our lunch.

HONGCUN VILLAGE

HONGCUN VILLAGE cont

CHENZHI HALL, Hongcun

MEMORIAL ARCHES of TANGYUE

ANCESTRAL TEMPLES at Tangyue

LOTUS VARIATIONS at Tangyue

TUNXI OLD TOWN

RETURN TO SHANGHAI and HOME Our time was almost over, but we still had a few items on our shopping lists. We each had a friend in Australia who wanted a knock-off Louis Vuitton

handbag. There used to be a street market with a whole variety of knock-off goods on open display, but now that China had joined the WTO, it had

started (or at least gave the appearance of having started) cracking down on the trade. Anne asked Mai where to go now. "Oh to the same market" said

Mai, "but now the traders with the illegal goods wander around the streets with pictures of what they have available. You must follow them back to

their hidden shops to purchase the goods. It is quite safe though of course illegal". Off we went and sure enough we were soon besieged with "hello

watch", "hello bag", "hello DVD" etc. We saw one sheet of photos that looked to have the kinds of bags we wanted so we followed the young man off

the main street, past the huge signs that were distributed throughout the market warning shoppers not to follow traders to illegal sheds, along dingy

alleyways and up narrow staircases to the illegal lair filled with fake goods at ridiculously cheap prices. We soon found what we wanted and the young

saleswomen asked us if we'd like to see the real thing. We would, so up yet another narrow stairway we went, to a room full of bags that didn't look so

very different. Our fakes seemed to be pretty good. Back we went to the legal market so I could find the last few items on the souvenir list. What a

great place to find inexpensive but attractive gifts. Then, suddenly it was all over. It was time to go home but I would definitely be back. There was so

much to see in this fascinating country and I began to appreciate Anne's attraction to its dynamism and energy and the indomitable spirit of its people.

It was a country undergoing great change. How fascinating to be able to watch the process and learn more about yet another aspect of humankind's

journey.