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Earlier this week, I went to a reunion dinner with friends I've known in China since my first year. It was wonderful to see so many of them in the same place again, and throughout the evening we reminisced about times spent together. It still seems amazing when I stop and think of all the things that have changed in Nanjing since only a year and a half ago, from the new subway terminals and the completed skyscraper across the street to the renovations in my own room. Changes like these are widely seen as progress; in many cases I would concede that they are. But in a city as densely populated as Nanjing, this progress inevitably sweeps away other just as valuable places like old alleyways and small shops. As I sat there eating my spicy fish soup that night, I found myself reminiscing like a crusty old man about the smaller treasures I have found during my stay.
Traveling
Going back to the states gave me the perspective to realize what I like about China and better appreciate it upon my return. Likewise, spending so much time out of the States helped me value the time I had while I was there. I enjoyed spending time with my family when I was there and am grateful I was able to go back. Aside from eating lots of Mexican food (there was a stretch of time when I literally lived on it for four days straight), I also played in the snow, went sledding, saw a few Irish arts performances, and celebrated two of my sisters' birthdays. As usually seems to happen, though, by the time I had finally readjusted to living in the States, it was time to leave for China again.
Returning to Nanjing this most recent time was the easiest it has ever been for me. Although it was only a few days before Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) when I arrived, I was still able to get a train ticket from Shanghai with relative ease, even if it was a standing ticket for the next morning. Once I was finally aboard, however, I felt right at home again and found myself smiling at the familiar murmurs of "laowai…laowai" in the background. I no longer cringe when people ask how much money I earn or where I am from, and now play a game of making people guess before I tell them. Along with all the correct guesses and close approximations I've heard, I've also been surprised by a variety of unexpected answers. Apparently, I resemble someone who might come from Italy, Germany, Russia or India, and am even occasionally taken for an Arab as well. While I would have been exasperated by such questions before this past break, I now look forward to the opportunity to learn how people perceive me and to wi
den their perspectives on nationality and citizenship, too. The guessing game has helped me not to feel so closely under observation as an American and has lessened the urge to pretend that I am from a different country even though I sometimes DO pretend, just for fun. The real test will be if I can convince someone I'm actually from China; it might be possible if I claim Xinjiang as my home province but I haven't gotten the guts to try it yet.
Spring Festival
I arrived in Nanjing at a train station that was vastly different after a month's worth of construction from the one I knew to find the city's shops, street vendors and restaurants all closed for the holiday. I was lucky to have arrived in time to stock up on food before the grocery stores closed, too, and would warn future fellows to beware; whether you're in Nanjing or another major city, be sure you aren't caught unawares with nothing to eat for the holiday!
Any strangeness I felt upon such a return, however, was quickly offset by joining a student at her family's house for dinner on the day of Spring Festival. Although I was severely jet-lagged from my trans-Pacific flight and had to excuse myself early, it was a great opportunity to really get to know a student and her family. The celebratory fireworks that night were not as ubiquitous in Nanjing as they were in Yunnan, but at least this time I was able to enjoy them from the comfort and safety of Xi Yuan's 17th floor rather than the launching areas I had to wade through last year. Partly because there was not much to do in Nanjing at the time and partly because I envied Vicki her travels in China while I was gone, we set out together with a mutual friend to go
Traveling Again
I had wanted to go to Sichuan province for a long time and was not disappointed when I finally had the opportunity this past winter break. There were lots of things to see, many of which were easily accessible from Chengdu. One day we went to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Center, which was much nicer than I had expected based on the depressing experience I had with a Chinese zoo last year. Although I did take issue with the area set aside for rich tourists to photograph themselves holding a baby panda, overall conditions seemed pretty good; well-fed pandas played happily and enjoyed an adequate amount of space while still having contact with others of their age group.
Chengdu itself was quite festive while we were there; apparently the city was trying to promote Chinese culture and traditional forms of celebration to stem the rising flood of pop culture. We stayed in the Tibetan quarter and by day wandered through parks that held well-tended gardens, teahouses full of patrons and lakes brimming with boats. At night we headed straight for the temple areas and saw very colorful lanterns, festive snack foods, countless souvenirs and of course, crowds of people. The way the entire country shuts down all at once during the Spring Festival was a big inconvenience in Nanjing, but I enjoyed being a part of the associated down-time in Chengdu. As usual, I made an effort to sample the local foods and by the time I left, was able to consume an entire meal of the spiciest Sichuan hotpot without too much trouble… So maybe my lips DID turn purple and tingled for a good twelve hours after I finished, but thanks to the hua jiao (numbspice) that is always included, my mouth was suffic
iently galvanized to survive the ordeal and even appreciate the flavor.
I could have spent far longer in Chengdu than I did, but since I didn't want to miss other exciting places in the vicinity, we left after a few days of city life to head out into the country. Our first trip was to see the largest (sitting) Buddah in the world at nearby Leshan. The Buddah itself was quite impressive at 71 m high and the nearby grounds were also stunning, making the day trip very worthwhile. Eager to get farther off the beaten track, we then traveled as far towards Tibet as we could before having to teach in Nanjing at the end of February. Along the way, we spent the night in Ya'an which was initially an unwelcome "delay" but ultimately provided one of the biggest surprises I have yet had in China. In a small transit town, in the middle of nowhere, we discovered a desert-oasis-like day spa. This was the first time I had ever been to such a place; even without others to compare it to, though, this one still seemed quite luxurious. It had everything someone might need to live happily for d
ays at a time: food, drink, games, movies, places to sleep, internet connections and an entire floor of baths, saunas, showers, pools and massages. The third floor felt like a Chinese pajama party with everyone lounging around in hospital-style aprons and chatting happily. Although puzzled by its location in such close proximity to one of the oldest and largest Buddahs in the world, I was happy to wash away the past few days of travel when I had expected to wait several more before doing so.
The next morning we caught a bus further west to Kangding and enjoyed a drive through gorgeous alpine scenery as well as an afternoon of talking with Buddhist monks at a Tibetan monastery. Everyone in residence was quite friendly; I suspect they were eager for our company, however brief, in the middle of the long winter. In any case, one of them invited us into what I dubbed the "party room," which boasted one of the biggest personal stereo and speaker systems I have seen in China, a TV / VCD player, a table overflowing with food and drink, a powerful space-heater and two spartan sleeping pads. We talked about the Dalai Lama for a little while, but before long our conversation digressed towards the usual questions people ask each other when they first meet: Where are you from? How old are you? Do you have diarrhea? I admit to being more than a little surprised by the last question, since nobody in China had ever asked me this. After gathering my wits I responded "no" and asked "do you want a girlfriend?"
in return. He said he didn't know and gave me the same puzzled look that must have been on my face only moments before. If nothing else, I'm sure the exchange provided the both of us with many hours of reflection on cultural nuances. Questions about diarrhea and girlfriends aside, I would count it among the most authentic experiences I have had in China and am sure I'll remember it for a long time to come.
We decided to take a tour and return to Nanjing by way of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze river) to see China's famous Three Gorges before the infamous dam is complete and the last stage of flooding raises the water level another 25-30 meters. Over the two days of travel towards the dam, ghost towns of abandoned buildings hinted at its presence along with the last remaining riverside residents who sold souvenirs to tourists. The gorges, especially the "little three gorges," were beautiful, although I imagine not nearly as dramatic as they must have been only a few years ago. On the last night, we passed through all six of the dam's locks, which was a much more impressive experience to me than seeing the actual construction site itself the following morning after the end of our tour.
Although I didn't realize it until we bought tickets for the sleeper bus back to Nanjing, this was the first big trip I have taken in China that I didn't ride a single train. Instead, I took planes, boats and lots of busses (vehicles I had previously avoided for a variety of reasons) and was pleasantly surprised by their quality. The bus from Yichang to Wuhan was one of the nicest I have ever ridden here and came equipped with a bathroom, plenty of leg room and a flat screen TV playing popular Chinese music videos. Even on the ride from Kangding to Chengdu, in the most rural areas we reached during our trip, I was able to watch a high-quality copy of "House of Flying Daggers," a welcome distraction from the woman getting sick across the aisle from Vicki and myself. Witnessing the improvements in public transportation first-hand made me optimistic about all the development in China to the point that I thought, "maybe the dam really is a positive thing." After all, it will provide power for millions and it
sounds like the people forced to move were well compensated for doing so. Ironically, it was my return to Nanjing that faced me with the harsh reality of the other side of the development coin.
"Who Stole All My Favorite Restaurants!?!"
…I wondered when I got back to Xi Yuan. It is not unusual to see familiar shops and office buildings become shrouded by construction scaffolding overnight only to be unveiled again in a month or two, sparkling and new. The first time I came back-during the Spring Festival-it was difficult to tell the difference between restaurants that were actually gone, those that were only under renovation and others that had merely closed for the week. I would guess fully half of the eateries I frequented were under some kind of construction or demolition then. Consequently, it wasn't until I returned from my travels within China that I discovered just how many of my favorite restaurants had been claimed in the name of "development" while I was gone.
First and foremost among them was The Gold and Silver-the dirtier of the two restaurants bearing the same name-which was arguably my favorite restaurant in all of China. It was in a sad state of repair when I came back from the States with the front wall completely torn out. I optimistically told myself that it was merely being renovated at the time and would welcome me back to Nanjing with all my favorite dishes once I returned from traveling. Vicki even claimed to have been there a day or two before I arrived, and this helped to maintain my optimism while I was in Sichuan. When I did return, the building's roof was gone (maybe they had decided to re-roof?) and most of the insides had been gutted out (to renovate the interior as well?) It wasn't until nearly the end of February, when the place had been a pile of rubble for almost a month straight that I finally came to terms with the fact that it wasn't coming back.
Another of my favorite restaurants, Family "After the Third Beer, Mind the Stucco" Bar (as the hanging sign proudly proclaims) has been closed since at least February. The building itself is still there so I haven't entirely given up hope that it will one day open its doors just as suddenly as it closed them. But with each successive week that I don't hear its cat-calling toy gorilla or the elevator-style background music playing Ace of Base, I lose a little bit of that hope. My favorite Moslem restaurant appears to be under renovation just as its competitor across the street was the year before. And like its competitor, I expect things just won't taste the same after they clean out the kitchen and the flavor with it. My primary internet café has closed for remodeling and even the alleyway between Xi Yuan and NDFZ #11 has lost most of its charm since many of the shops and street vendors have been driven to greener pastures by road-widening construction.
Despite these new renovations, however, the pace of construction hasn't slowed down at all; if anything, it has only picked up. From Nanjing to the Three Gorges, China seems to be just as much in the midst of sweeping changes as it was last year. I get the impression from Chinese people that this development is seen as a necessary step in making the cities and the lives of its residents better. But as a foreigner I can't help think of all the vibrant, existing culture that is changing at the same time. It seems like such a shame that these vanishing ways of life-riverside lifestyles along the Chang Jiang and narrow alleyways in Nanjing alike-are being so quickly lost.
I AM grateful that I was able to enjoy them throughout last year and half of this year, however. There's also still (knock on wood) Han Kou Xi Lu and the "gray market alleyway." Both are streets close to Xi Yuan that have remained relatively unchanged since I've been here. Although taxis and busses barrel down Han Kou Xi Lu during the day, this offers the area some protection from further development. The bustling market that appears in the evening also makes the street feel small, cozy, and more pedestrian. I hope the alleyway on the way to NDFZ #11 will ultimately turn into a similar street without losing the characteristic flavor that I remember so well.
The loss of many of my favorite places and the certain knowledge that Nanjing will be very different after I leave has made me appreciate, now more than ever, the rest of the time I have here. Especially since I found several of my favorite restaurants reduced to piles of rubble, I have tried to take every opportunity to experience and enjoy the Nanjing that I know and love. I have returned to Chinese classes at Nan Da with more motivation than I ever had before, and out of a growing necessity have begun to try new dishes, eat at different restaurants and explore new alleyways and streets in areas with which I am not so familiar.
Now that I think about it, enjoying favorite places and people is a big part of what living in China means to me since you never know when they will be gone for good. Just as important, if not more so, is savoring the new things that emerge to replace the old and being able to find joy in change itself. China can certainly be trying at times. But one of the greatest things about living here really IS all the activity and excitement; I treasure these things even more now because I already know I will miss them when I go back to the States. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning and see what surprises await; until then, I'll continue benefiting from my accumulated experience and enjoying these surprises when they do pop up :-)
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