We spent the longest time in Nanchang (pronounce Naun-chong). Notorious as one of China's "Furnace" cities, because it is so hot in the summer, Nanchang is more like the traditional China than are the other cities we had visited. This city is distinctly different in many ways. In the photo above, one of the men at this luncheon is preparing to eat chicken feet. Duck feet were also on the table, along with many delicacies we had never seen. It was a sumptuous feast without a doubt, graciously prepared by friends of the University. I was humbled by their generosity.It was at this luncheon that I had a revelation about American-Chinese food.
This is a shot from the local market. These eels were among the many unique foods offered on the back-street market. Other delectables included live fish of various kinds, live snails, bags of living black frogs, buckets of crayfish, buckets of turtles, and an assortment of creatures I had never considered as food. Our culinary learning curve was great.
This vendor is counting his morning earnings (RMB - Yuan), over his chopping block. The top of which possessed a remarkable crimson color and a gnarly texture I don't think I'd ever witness, and "I" use to work for a butcher. It was all very artsy . . . as a uniquely viscous medium.
These fast-food chefs were making something like pancakes, but I was not sure their pancakes would taste like the ones at home, so I watched rather than partook. In China, fast-food makes Wendy's look slow. This food is alive and swimming one moment, then WHAM, CHOP, SIZZLE, it's on your plate the next.
This little guy, and his younger brother, were a delight! They practiced their English on us. "HELLO - HELLO - HELLO!!!," they said, with huge smiles. We said,"HELLO. HOW ARE YOU?" "FINE, THANK YOU. AND YOU," they asked? "FINE. THANK YOU," we replied. They giggled with delight, and resumed chewing on their chocolate bars.
Everywhere, Chinese parents and children are engaged in everyday life. Family is very important to the people.
There is an entirely different relationship between children and parents in China than in the States, because of the One-Child policy. Every family is allowed just one child, and that is all. If parents have more than one pregnancy they are either forced to have an abortion, or they might be able to pay a very large penalty fee for the second child.
This policy is beginning to relax a bit these days, and there is some talk of allowing one child for city dwellers, two children for suburb dwellers, and maybe three children to folks in the country, but that does not seem to be something that will happen real soon.
Population control is serious business in China. When I asked a government official if China would permit foreigners to immigrate, he said he didn't think that would be a good idea. "We have enough people here," he said. "We don't need more."
Everywhere we went we saw happy folks who were desirous to share their lives and their hospitality with us. They continually invited us into their homes, to their tables and into their hearts. We were very warmly received all over China.
Here, this little guy is taking his sister for a ride in his new car. We saw numerous parents with remote control transports for their kids. It was funny to watch, but everyone loves technology, especially the more playful aspects of it.
On Sunday, we visited one of the city's official "Three-Self" churches. These are government approved congregations, and they are comprised of entirely Chinese leadership. The "Three-Self" refers basically to the idea that these churches are sovreignly Chinese, without foreign influence - such as the Catholic Church and Rome.
The speaker that morning was a woman who encouraged the people to trust in God despite the trying times of the recent earthquake in Sichuan Provance. She spoke from Psalm 46 and was an excellent communicator. At the end of the service, the congregation sang hymns from the book, prayed together, then in unison, said the Lord's prayer - which I thought was particularly profound.
This church sits on a hill, overlooking the city of Nanchang. It reminded both Connie and me of the words of Jesus, "A city set on a hill cannot be hid." My mind went back to the history of Nanchang and I thought of all the Church in China has been forced to endure, especially in this city, and yet it survives and thrives. This is a notable testament to the resilience of this strong people and to the power of that Life which keeps them going.
After that service, we high-tailed it over to the Buddhist temple across town. That too was quite an experience, and a witness to the tenacity of faith. This particular temple is the product of a unique branch of Buddhism, brought into existence by a Chinese man, here in Nanchang. So, it is uniquely a Nanchangian form of Buddhism. It is actually a kind of hybrid religion, part Buddhism and parts of other eastern religions mixed in . . . if I understand it correctly.
In the courtyard entrance, incense burners await those who enter the compound. There are four stages to this temple, as one passes from one building, up the hill, to the next . . . like a progression into the heart of the shrine.
One can purchase incense in different forms, to burn in various burners on the premises. This woman is stirring the ashes and preparing a place for her bundled stalks of incense.
Numerous people were worshipping at the temple that day. Some wore traditional dress, as did this woman, and some wore regular street clothes. People bowed and prayed. As we passed by I could hear the chants and a variety of personal devotional-incantations. It appeared that some were deeply sincere and others were going through a ritual that may not have been quite as meaningful. Human nature, I thought, is the same, regardless of the religion.
I took this shot to show the contrast between the ancient and the modern. Everywhere, this was a theme on our travels. All the years of change in China, Mao's Cultural Revolution, and the on-going crush of the modern world, all seem to have found a way to coexist in an uneasy truce.
Of course, we are not experts in any of this. These are just passing observations from an outsider. But, perhaps, as outsiders, we can see contrasts that appear invisible to those who live within this milieu, I don't know. One thing is for sure, everything we saw, and everything we experienced was fascinating and "spoke" to us on many levels. We asked many, many questions, and learned much.
(To see the art of Daniel Rice, visit http://www.danielriceart.net)
