The Egg

Sometimes, a journey is as interesting as the destination, and that's what French architect Paul Andreu has designed for the China National Grand Theatre: An artistic ambience on the way to a show. Walk across the greenery at the west of Tiananmen Square step down 7 meters and enter an 80-m-long underground gallery with a bright glass roof where water ripples overhead. At the end of the gallery is a huge lobby, probably the largest in a theatre anywhere in the world. From the window, you can see the clouds in the sky and the traffic on Chang'an Avenue to the north. It leads to the magnificent Opera House with 2,398 seats. The concert hall which can seat 2,019 is on the east and the theater with a capacity of 1,035 is on the west.

Nicknamed “the egg”, this recent addition to Beijing’s cityscape has not come to fruition without controversy. The location of this avant-garde bubbly structure lays adjacent to the monolithic Stanlist-style Great Hall of the People. Additionally, the surrounding hutongs clash with the egg’s sleek exterior – a perfect juxtaposition demonstrating China’s growing pains as it tries to conserve the old while making way for the new.

Recently I went to China’s newly constructed national theater to see Swan Lake performed by the Swedish Royal Ballet Company. I was heavy-eyed walking in, but due to the sheer excitement of visiting one of Beijing’s most extravagant buildings compounded by the fact that I had never seen an authentic ballet before, I am proud to say that I didn’t even sleep a wink. The experience was unique, the venue was breathtaking, and the ballet was interesting – a cultured young man I am becoming, indeed.

But here comes my two cents…

Firstly, the seats were too small, even smaller than the seats on China Eastern’s planes, the ugly duckling of all Chinese airlines. It’s simply criminal to construct a state-of-the-art national theater but fail to make the seats big enough - another example of how the “big picture” trumps individual satisfaction in this frustrating holistic society. On the bright side, the agony in my knees and angles kept me from getting too comfortable during the slow scenes.

Secondly, the concession counter was a mess. Nothing was refrigerated, there was only one menu and one cash register, and most of the items were unavailable. Perhaps this will all change in time considering that this performance hall is still working out the kinks, but I would hope that they spend a little more money and effort on trying to enhance the services within the facility.

Lastly, I always enjoyed going to the theater, ballet or opera chiefly because it felt like a special occasion, but also because it was an excuse to wear formal attire and mingle with the intelligentsia of society. Go to Carnegie Hall or the Kennedy Center and you will see people in tuxedos and gowns treating the event in an almost ceremonial way. In China, the people in the audience at these performances (although upper class) often wear flip-flops, shorts, and sometimes wife beaters. Naturally, Westerners that attend would be well dressed. This striking difference demonstrates the culture clashes that still exist between China and the West. Not so long ago, Communist leaders held meetings in their underwear while most women had only seen dresses from Eastern European films. The accepted standards and tenets of proper etiquette, contemporary civility, and even chivalry are all concepts that have been discussed and debated in every American college classroom for as long as I know – and how they are perceived in a Chinese context is too complex for today’s post. But, to get to the point, I find the way the Chinese treat the ballet detracts from its overall charm – perhaps, they may be more suited for Lion King on Ice.

Hangzhou - Part 2

SUNDAY

After catching up on some much needed sleep, we left the hotel in late morning and had the taxi driver drop us off on the south-east corner of the lake. As expected, tourists were out and about in full numbers and although people had warned me off their overwhelming presence in Hangzhou, it seemed very natural to me – after living in China long enough, the masses become unexceptional.

Starting at 10:30 am we began our extensive stroll around the massive West Lake. The haze had made the opposite side of the lake disappear, thus adding a mystical appeal as you looked across into an infinite vaporous void. Along the lake, there were walkways, lush parks, sporadic pagodas, small food vendors, and many places where one could set sail in boats of all sizes – ranging from large tour boats to those you paddle with your feet. I can not express how divine it was to meander around these dewy parks, go stone hopping down uncharted brooks, and imagine that you were in fact surrounded by endless wilderness. The Chinese tourists are not known explorers, mainly sticking to the beaten paths, following guides with loudspeakers, or taking full advantage of shuttle golf carts that almost ran me into the lake more than a few times that day. I also found these tourists exceptionally interested in the most mundane of wildlife – I can not count how many times I saw people photographing a frog or a squirrel.

As we headed north we found that a few commercial establishments had somehow acquired waterfront property, including a cluster of modern and trendy eateries and coffee shops, an Indian restaurant, and a high-end hotel that forced the lakeside pathway to become a boardwalk around the property. This boardwalk had no rails and would not have seemed that treacherous if not for the hundreds of people marching on it in both directions – I am certain that a least one pour soul falls into the water every day.

Eventually, we made it to where the lake and Nanshan Road practically intersect and where a large commercial area begins. A development facing the lake, called One West, houses a few patio bars and number of luxury-brand outlets such as Armani, Zara, and Gucci. In terms of high-end retail, Hangzhou is on par with Beijing and given the socio-economic contrast, I am fairly surprised. The retail industry in Hangzhou has experienced a major transformation in the last few years and according to the billboards that surround empty lots, many more retail properties will be entering the market in the coming years. The most logical rationale explaining this phenomenon is that the tourism industry has considerably accelerated its prime retail markets in West Hangzhou.

At this point, we had reached the north-east tip of the lake, and were determined to continue the trek. We walked over a long causeway that was connected to an island with teahouses, over-priced restaurants, and a museum. After making it back to shore, we finally decided to grab some lunch. At a small but raucous xiaochi (eatery) we let our legs rest for a while as he consumed local dishes and Xihu Pijiu (West Lake beer).

With satisfied stomachs we left the lake and took a bus into the woods until arriving at the bottom of a valley where the Lingyun Temple (The Temple of Soul’s Retreat) had been built1,600 years ago by an Indian monk. The Lingyin Temple is without a doubt a premier showpiece in the West Lake environs and is notable also as one of the ten most famous Buddhist temples in China. The Lingyin Temple received it name from its tranquil surroundings provided by forested hills on three sides. Walking up the narrow valley to the temple, we were also treated with dozens of Buddhist rock carving along the cliffs and in the caves. The trails that lead to many of these impressive ancient works of art were slick and high up – a precarious future for anyone who dared to have a gander. The temple itself is probably the most extraordinary Buddhist temple I have seen in China, and believe me folks, I have seen more than I can count. I suppose the grand halls, the caldrons of fire (to light prayer sticks) and the massive golden statutes are to be expected. I, however, loved how this temple ascended the mountain with each massive hall looking over the last and the striking coexistence of nature and the temple as they seemed as one up in the trees. After living in a sometimes drab Beijing, this natural beauty reminiscent of home (minus the bamboo) combined with the spiritual overtones was just what the doctor had ordered.

On the bus ride back to the hotel, we passed through some amazingly beautiful country, especially in the valleys that grow Longjing Tea (a very famous brand of tea in China). Much of this area was rather secluded despite a few tourist traps (like the Longjing tea village) and given the opportunity to return to Hangzhou, I would definitely like to go hiking through the hills and valleys of this region. Before reaching the hotel, we stopped to take a quiet walk in a park full of cottages, broad slopping lawns and a pond that perfectly reflected the regal rolling hills from above – if my memory serves me correctly, this land once belonged to a British lord. Finally, after 8 hours of exploring the beauties of Hangzhou, we went back to our resort for a little rest and relaxation.

At the appropriate hour we returned to the city to see what Hangzhou had to offer in terms of nightlife. After checking out dozens of options, including a few interesting waterfront restaurants in a complex called Xihu Tiandi (West Lake Heaven on Earth) and after walking nearly the length of the lake (again) we found the perfect venue to satiate our appetites and the perfect food including fish, an array of well-prepared local dishes, and Qiandao Pijiu (One Thousand Island Beer) – a local beer slightly more alcoholic than water. We sat on the third floor of this lavish restaurant taking in the accomplishments of the day. To reward ourselves further, we stopped by a few bars on the way home: an up-scale patio bar next to the Armani store, a salsa bar, and a live-music/sports bar that ended up being the most fun. It was nice to hang out at a Chinese bar for once, listen to Chinese rock songs, and feel like a part of the community (not a subset). Certainly venues like this exist in Beijing, however, they are few and far between. And while the majority of social events still happen around the dinner table, the younger generation is transforming rapidly, and as shown here in a Hangzhou dive bar, drinking games, rock shows, and large screens showing football (soccer) games is the future of Chinese nightlife. My girlfriend and I found this bar most enjoyable, but when we both realized we don't care much for the teams in the European Cup, we made for the door.

Hangzhou exceeded my expectations and is truly worthy of the label “Heaven on Earth” or as the ancient Chinese saying goes:

“Above is heaven, below is Hangzhou”

Hangzhou - Part 1

Last Sunday, the Chinese celebrated a traditional festival called Duanwu Jie – or Dragon Boat Festival. The most widely accepted version of the origin of this holiday is that it commemorates the death of poet Qu Yuan, who rose to fame during in the Warring States Period of the Zhou Dynasty. A descendant of Chu royalty, when the king allied with the rival state of Qin, Qu Yuan was banished for his vocal opposition of the alliance. Throughout his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry, and when the Qin eventually conquered his beloved Chu capital, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month of the traditional lunar calendar, which falls on June 8 this year. When villagers took their boats out into the river to collect his body, they would throw zongzi (a Chinese food made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves) into the river to ward of the hungry fish from eating Qu’s body.

The three most widespread activities for the Duanwu Festival are preparing and eating zongzi, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats. Some also adorn their house with images of guardian Zhong Kui, hang up mugwort, take long walks, and wear perfumed medicine bags, leading some modern researchers to conclude that the holiday was superimposed upon an ancient traditional holiday designed to ward off summer disease and evil.

Because this year marks the commencement of a new holiday schedule, which saw the shortening of the Golden Week period in early May, and the addition of several shorter holidays throughout the year, although Dragon Boat Festival fell on a Sunday this year, Monday became a public holiday. The festival has certainly been popular for a very long time, and is celebrated in various forms throughout many Asian countries. Now that it is an official holiday in China, it may rise in significance, though not perhaps for the reasons intended.

Taking advantage of every public holiday they throw at us, my girlfriend and I decided to spend the three day weekend in the city of Hangzhou – a city a few hours west of Shanghai, known as the starting point for China’s Grand Canal (one of the eight ancient wonders of the world), and a place unanimously described in state-run TV commercials as “the most beautiful city in China.”

SATURDAY

After a two hour flight, we arrived in Hangzhou on a misty Saturday morning. I hate early flights, especially after a long rigorous week, even if they are cheaper. From the Hangzhou airport which had just started constructing an adjacent terminal, we jumped into a pink taxi (a horse of a different color) and headed north into the center city. On the way in, I noticed run-down neighborhoods half resembling the less modern parts of Shanghai that are covered by 3-4 story traditional linong buildings (analogous to Beijing’s hutongs) and half resembling the ghetto along the tracks in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Once we approached the river, however, large office buildings and brand-new apartment complexes appeared – undoubtedly a section of the city that was nothing but grass fields only a few years ago. After crossing the surging Qiantang River and navigating through a few valleys and tunnels, we finally made it to our picturesque hotel resort.

The location of our hotel was just south of Hangzhou’s famed West Lake where the urban landscape to the east gives way to lush rolling hills and tea farms in the west. We had received ominous weather forecasts for the weekend but were nevertheless determined to make the best of it. While eating lunch at a small rural restaurant on the road, a short thunderstorm passed over. Luckily these flashes of rain did very little to hamper our plans since they never lasted for more than 30 minutes – of course, the darkness and wetness that characterized the weekend restricted us from fully capturing Hangzhou’s beauty in a photographic sense at least.

After mapping out the day, we walked to the end of the road to catch a bus into town. I was surprised to find myself using the buses frequently throughout the weekend. In Beijing, I try to avoid buses in every possible way since most are packed like clown cars without sufficient air supply and with passengers who have never used deodorant. Hangzhou buses, on the other hand, were properly ventilated, often had open seats, and the drivers were more often than not gregarious and informative. The biggest problem we had with the buses was producing the exact change for the 2 kuai rides. Because many tier two and tier three cities like Hangzhou are still in the habit of using 1 kuai coins, I would learn to collect them in my pocket just for future bus fares – but more than once we had no choice but to put a larger bill in the slot.

Heading north along the eastside of the lake, we were able to capture the splendor of the most pleasant road in Hangzhou, Nanshan Road. This curvy tree-lined road is like nothing found in Beijing, radiating charm with its many quaint coffee shops, restaurants and European-style buildings while the shade from its trees gives this area along the West Lake the allure of a tranquil summer sanctuary.

As we veered off Nanshan Road into more hectic commercial neighborhoods, I was finding Hangzhou’s streets more vibrant that Beijing’s. Because Beijing is a “suburban city” of sorts, a vast metropolitan divided by wide avenues and walls and where walking to most places in the city is considered inconceivable, the street life lacks the pulsating and fast-paced culture characteristic of mega-cities. In cities like Shanghai, New York and even Hangzhou where there are many layers of society that are crammed together to make for a more dynamic urban sprawl, sidewalks are flooded with people from all walks of life, office buildings are accessible from the street (not inside a compound with a driveway), and your apartment building has a doorman (not a gate keeper). Even though I love Beijing for its other qualities I am not a fan of its daqi (grandiose atmosphere) and personally prefer any city that resembles the electricity produced in the Big Apple – but that’s just me.

Eventually we made our way to the ferry (or river bus if translated into English) on one of Hangzhou’s many canals. This commuter vessel only stops at a handful of stations, but for out-of-towners like ourselves, we found much pleasure in just taking it for a ride through this remarkable city. We saw teahouses galore, waterside parks, traditional Chinese arching bridges, and of course developments being erected everywhere. Traffic on the canal is mainly attributed to long flat freight boats that transport coal and other minerals from one side of the city to the other. The men on these long slabs of iron were entertaining, often perched in front with nothing but tighty whiteys on while washing the remainder of their clothes in a bucket.

After hitting the last stop on the circuit, we walked through some of parks and over some of the bridges we had seen on the way upstream. Although the rain had seemed to be letting up, we were starving and immediately took a bus back to the main commercial drag closer to the lake. After perusing the block and discussing our options, we decided upon a restaurant that didn't need a menu – you could literally walk up to the few dozen buckets and baskets downstairs and point at random sea creatures, vegetables, and parts of chickens (like the feet). We eventually ordered green beans, asparagus, and a big lake fish (that came with Hangzhou’s special sauce). Although the fish was delicious, it was extremely hard to eat considering how tiny the bones are to avoid in fresh water fish.

Eating my fish on a makeshift rooftop patio while soaking in Hangzhou was definitely how I had envisioned the weekend, but halfway through thee meal, Hangzhou starting soaking us. Actually, due to a large table umbrella we were protected for the most part, but when this torrential monsoon-like shower started pounding the ground, it felt like it was raining from below us. Since living in China, I have never seen it rain so heavily and so violently. Living in a dry city like Beijing, we would be lucky to see that much rainfall in a whole month or two or three.

After eating a large bowl of noodles while waiting for the rain to stop, we made a quick exit, got on a bus and headed back to the warmth and comfort of our huge hotel room. It was a long day and even a longer day was to follow – after watching a few music videos of Channel V (China's MTV) I dozed off.

To be continued…..

2008

Five months ago I would have overtly broadcasted the positive effects of China hosting the Summer Olympics and would have assured others that 2008 would be a transformative year for this rising Asian power as it dazzled the world with its rapid economic success and astonishing hospitality – a coming out party if you will. Although my convictions have not publicly wavered since, I must admit that in these turbulent months I have developed reservations and a sense of skepticism and uncertainly that is uncharacteristic to my time in Beijing. In 2008, in the run up to the Olympics, China has experienced a crippling snow storm followed by a virtual collapse in infrastructure and telecommunications, violent riots in Tibet, protests along almost every leg of the international torch relay, a hand-mouth-foot virus hospitalizing thousands of rural children, and a massive earthquake in Sichuan Province killing at least 70,000 Chinese and potentially reeking devastating economic and social consequences. In addition, soaring inflation, a major stock market correction, and a slowdown in exports caused by a US recession are all threatening the financial and economic stability of this country. I initially thought 2008, a year ending in eight (a number associated with “prosperity” according to Chinese superstition), the 30th year anniversary of Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms, the Olympic year, was intended to be absolutely glorious for the Chinese civilization…. what happened?

Unfortunately, Scott McClellan is too busy signing books so we may have to wait until after it's too late (again) to get the answers. Perhaps 2008 has already thrown everything it could at the Chinese, and from today the Dalai Lama and the Communist Party begin a series of “meaningful” dialogues, the Olympics is a huge success and the world economy gets back on track - and this post will capture a moment of superfluous anxiety during my stay in Beijing. However, the Chinese may direct their newly energized nationalism to strike down foreign dissidents in Beijing (captured by CNN), a Xinjiang terrorist may seek vengeance at an Olympic event, Chinese journalists may turn against the government if they are not permitted to the same amount of openness as they have been granted during the aftermath of the quake, or more likely than not, the economy stumbles and social unrest escalates to the brink of revolution. Either way, it is an exciting time to live here and I would be deeply depressed if I was anywhere else.

Lucky for me, I have a one year working visa and will be able to observe the whole show without worrying about getting the boot from the authorities like everybody else. Because of new visa restrictions, many expats living in Beijing will have to go home for at least three months. If you don’t have a working visa (only given by multi-national companies and those well organized and connected small and medium sized enterprises) you are out of luck. Chinese embassies all over the world have shortened the visiting period for tourists to 30 days, have cancelled all multi-entry visas, and have made it difficult (and in some places impossible) to renew visas in embassies outside your mother country – basically, no more visa trips to Hong Kong and Macau. Scores of teachers, musicians, artists, free-lance writers, bar and restaurant owners, and many of my friends are being forced to leave the country (and many won’t come back). Businessmen in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia are furious that they now have to apply and reapply every time they want to visit their factories – sometimes twice a week. My brother, when applying for a tourist visa to visit me, will have to show the consulate in New York an invitation letter from me, a copy of his plane ticket, and a copy of my residency permit (since he will be staying in my apartment and not a hotel) – the good old days of walking in with 60 buck and 2 passport sized photos are over.

When asked about these newest restrictions, the Chinese public relations minister played dumb and simply said “we welcome all visitors”. The government may be trying to flush out all the foreign free-thinkers (with loud English-speaking mouths) who haven't gone corporate yet and are not afraid of communicating their opinions and experiences to the visitors. Migrant workers are being expelled because they look poor and dirty. We are being expelled because we know too many of China's secrets and lies and with the use of our tongue, we could tarnish China's image in the eyes of first-time visitors.

In my opinion, the government is shooting themselves in the foot. Besides the masses of angry business investors, the hundreds of peeved cultural organizations and publishing groups, and the millions of saddened students that have to say goodbye to their English teachers, the more indirect repercussions are much more harmful. What this overly-confident simple-minded authoritarian government doesn't realize is how badly they need us - expats. If you have been reading the newspapers lately, you would notice that the international community and China are not on particularly great terms. It seems that the only people defending China and trying to help others understand China and the Chinese people are those who live or have lived in this incredible country. We know China the best, can speak Chinese and are always happy acting as the liaison – we want to show people why we love China so much. We are a vital and intricate part in this country's diplomatic relationships with the rest of the world and unless they are preparing for a war, there is no logical reason for deporting those that can help you.

Why is there so much hostility to foreigners who have invested their lives and money in Beijing? When I asked Judy, the owner of a Mexican restaurant that has been in Beijing for 20 years and who recently found out that she has couldn’t get a visa to stay for the Olympics, see simply said “politics sweetie.” She's just glad that her restaurant will not be shut down like other newer foreign joints for not fulfilling ambiguous health standards – 20 years of guanxi (relationships) means the local police don't pick on you anymore.

2008 will certainly continue to be a rollercoaster ride with fanfare and protest, passion and confrontation and has been and will continue to be an overwhelming experience with an unpredictable outcome – brimming with a sense of anxiety and excitement – like a book you can never put down. And for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm in the right place at the right time and despite my newly found reservations in China's future I would be lying if I said I wasn't content.

“I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.” – William Allen White