All in all I found Beijing much as I left it, as chaotic and familiarly novel as it was on my departure. My friends still wild and broke and school still tedious. I found it very easy to jump back into my life here, which gave me a sense that I’ve grown a lot since I first came, linguistically and psychologically. One of the results of my return has been a recent obsession with the Chinese phrase 北京欢迎你 (Beijing huanying ni). This was used as the theme for the 2008 Olympics and translates into, “Beijing welcomes you.” Perhaps it’s the “hometown” feeling I have associated with Beijing or just the fact that this slogan is plastered on the walls of any building under construction (which is many). But I truly feel that Beijing is a very welcoming place, which, as a result of the Olympics, has been readied to show the world the incredible things China has to offer. This obsession even drove me to consider getting a tattoo of the slogan. Which was quickly shot down by Marta, e’er the mother figure, who convinced me how tacky tattoos are, particularly ones in Chinese.
On returning to China there were many plans that had to be made. I might have told some of you that over the break for Chinese New Year I was planning on going to Hainan, the supposed Hawaii of China. Well, upon arriving my friends changed there plans and we are now going to Harbin. This city is a highly Russian influenced locale in Manchuria; famous for being the home to Qing dynasty rulers, traditional Russian architecture and cuisine, as well as home to world famous Snow and Ice Festival. The festival is one of the birthplaces of “snow culture” boasting some of the most magnificent snow and ice sculptures in the world (Google it or some shit). And to accommodate these snow sculptures the climate graciously provides us with average sub-zero temperatures. Yes, instead of going to the Hawaii of China, I’m heading to Alaska. But it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and there’s no Sarah Palin there so I’m looking forward to the trip.
Before I make my journey to the great north however, I will be spending the holiday out in the countryside for a traditional celebration with the Wu’s. Chinese New Year is an extremely important holiday to the Chinese, of equal importance to our Christmas. The correct term for the holiday is 春节 (Chunjie) or Spring Festival (I know it’s not spring but bare with me). The holiday celebrates the beginning of the new lunar year and everyone in the country catches trains back to their hometown to be with their family. One of the great traditions of Chunjie is scaring away the monster of the New Year with fireworks. All over China there the ban on fireworks is lifted for one week for the purpose of the holiday. In the countryside though, there is no time restrictions to setting off fireworks, so I plan to spend the holiday sipping on Baijiu and setting off the greatest, loudest fireworks this side of the Yangtze. There is an expression in Chinese called 热闹 (renao); it has no literal English translation but basically means an excessively loud and chaotic event. This is the word what the Chinese use to describe Chunjie. Loud and wild, this oughta be fun.
Well in this New Year I have created three resolutions for the duration of my stay here. First, to update this blog with relative frequency. I know several people when I was home who chastised my lack of updating but I want to do it not only to keep all you readers out there updated but also for me. I want to be able to look back on these updates and re-live my emotions and memories through my own words. Secondly, to take as many pictures as possible. When I came back I found I had forgotten the little quirky things that I love about China. The way the people look on the subway, how they dress their dogs in cloths, the way my friends look between classes. I was talking to Marta about how it’s going to be when we all leave and the thought physically frightened me. At this point I can’t possibly imagine leaving these places and these people for an indefinite amount of time. So I want to be able to have hundreds of moments captured in time and save them for the day when I can return here. Thirdly and finally to try as many new and foreign things as possible. I will scarcely have the chance again to see the Harbin ice festival or sleep in a Mongolian Hut. My friends and I already have tentative plans to travel to Sichuan and Lhasa on our other breaks. China has so much subtle wonder that I have yet to discover and I want to juice this journey for all its worth.
...And I’ve already got a head start on the trying new things front. A couple of days ago I got a traditional Chinese medicinal procedure which I only know as “ba huo guar”. The technician puts a lighter underneath a glass bulb and quickly puts it on your back. As the air cools it sucks your skin into the bulb. It was trendy with celebrities at some point. According to the Chinese it is suppose to suck all the negative energy out of your body and is said to alleviate stress and assorted aches and pains. It does however leave wicked bruises (picture below). It’s honestly not as bad as it looks, and I did feel better afterwards. And at 30元, why not?
The picture sufficiently shocked my mother, which was reason enough to get it and it’s always good to try new things.
Enjoy the brand new bright Obama day!
邓雍煌
