Saturday 24 November

Ticket to Lanke Shan park

The weather is starting to get cooler now, the students are wearing padded jackets in class (the rooms are not heated), although I can still get by with just a long-sleeved polo top. 

The weather today was fine for an excursion though, cool and overcast. If the weather was OK, Marzena (the Polish English teacher from the adjacent university) and I had agreed to go to Lanke Mountain (Lanke Shan). It was supposed to be only 10km from Quzhou. Well that’s probably true, but only if you count from the outskirts of Quzhou! Finding the bus departure point was also a mini adventure (it was in a small depot in north Quzhou) but not as interesting as the bus ride itself.

The village where we commenced
our walk to Lanke Shan

The brakes on the bus sounded like they were completely worn, and whenever the driver applied them there was a horrendous scraping and squealing noise, and the bus slowed only marginally, then they would lock and stop suddenly.  Conversations in the bus were conducted between screeches, and everyone was noticeably concerned at the way the bus was unlikely to stop suddenly if required. To the driver’s credit, he drove slowly and applied the brakes judiciously.

The trip itself took about and hour, most of which was spent tortuously travelling through the outer suburbs of Quzhou, although it improved after we left the outskirts. So, an hour later, we arrived at Shishi Village and were advised to get off…thankfully.

Gateway to Lanke Shan with a
Chinese chess motif

Roadside mural featuring Chinese chess

The direction to Lanke Shan was reasonably well signposted so we headed off on foot, to arrive about half an hour later at the entrance to the park.

The setting was very peaceful, and with the leaves on many trees starting to change colour it was quite beautiful. It reminded me a bit of Audley in the Royal National Park near Sydney – on a wintry weekday when it’s deserted.

The natural rock arch

The huge Chinese chess pieces below
 the arch

After paying the small entry, 20RMB ($3AUS) we headed along the winding paths and up the stone steps to the large natural arch – the main feature of the park. One of the attractions here is a giant board for Chinese chess (Xiangqi), one of the motifs of the area. Along the road on our way here, we saw roadside murals featuring people playing the game. A house even had a board with pieces integrated into its front fence.

An Australian tourist
at the Ri Chi pavilion

We just sat for a while and took in the scene, eating the fruit we’d bought on the way – mandarins of course, Chinese pears that look like apples, and the first strawberries I’d seen. Huge AND delicious, not like the watery tasteless ones in Australia.

View from the top of the rock arch with
the temple roof below

There was almost no-one around, until a Chinese tour group arrived. All the tourists that I’ve seen since I’ve been in the area have been Chinese, mainly from the region or from places like Hangzhou. No foreigners. We climbed the short walk to the top and just took in the view – hampered a little by the hazy atmosphere, but it looked bit like a Chinese painting with hills slowly fading into the distance. This doesn’t really show in the photographs I took.

On the way down we stopped at the Bao Yan temple which, like many I’ve seen around Quzhou, are a mixture of Doaism and Buddhism. It was nestled into the mountain and surrounded by the forest. An absolutely beautiful place to contempate the important things in life.

The smaller first temple

The main Bao Yan temple

Temple buildings in the forest

The Buddha in the
small temple

The Buddha in the
large temple

Winter is on its way

Lanke Shan tourist map designed as a Chinese chess game

Tuesday 02 October - C

Entrance to the Confucius Temple

One of the bronze lions

After leaving the Xin Qao Jie shopping centre, it should have been only a few steps to the Confucius Temple.

And true, there was a huge building, set back from the road, with enormous bronze lions on either side of the entrance. Must be it, but didn’t look like a temple. Well it wasn’t. It was of course the Quzhou Museum.

Some of the interior displays

I had no choice but to go inside. I walked up to the entrance, free entry and cloaking, and  then through a doorway into the most amazing atrium. Designed to impress, and it certainly does. A Brontosaurus skeleton dominates the space, but even that is dominated by a floor-to-ceiling panel evocative of Chinese culture and heritage, particularly the Yue people of this region.

The museum atrium

The Museum itself consists of two levels that circle the central atrium. The museum contains information about the history and pre-history of the region. It’s well presented, and many of the panels are in both Chinese and English – very helpful for foreigners like myself.

Detail of a rock on a timber mount

The main patrons seemed to be family groups with (noisy) children, much the same as in Australian museums.

A room displaying rock 'sculptures'

There was also an entire room dedicated to displays of  rocks similar to those I saw earlier at Xin Qao Jie shopping centre. Apparently there are fakes around,  so buyer beware.

It was interesting that there was no printed material available – brochures or maps. What was also interesting was that there was no museum shop that people were herded through on exit to relieve visitors of their money. It was enough to just enjoy the experience and gain some knowledge.

Model of the temple layout

Entrance to the Confucius Temple

Well. next door to the museum was the Confucius Temple, finally. By now I had been walking and sightseeing for a couple of hours so was ready for some quiet contemplation.

At the entrance were two fruit stalls, selling the two things endemic to this region – Chinese gooseberries (now renamed as Kiwi Fruit) and green mandarins. This time I had to pay to enter (about $1.50), and within the ticket was a very small bound copy of  Confucius’ writing in traditional style (starting at the back and reading up & down).

The pond and pergola at the rear

A beautiful ceramic urn -
not for sale

The temple (in name only as it did not have any areas for praying) was huge and comprised many rooms and courtyards flowing from one to the next. It is mainly a dedication to Confucius and his teachings, but an excellent example of this type of traditional architecture.

At the very rear was a large pond surrounded by small pagodas, originally designed for study and contemplation, but now used for refreshments. The temple structure and grounds stand in stark contract to the massive, modern museum next door.

Self serve and pay ice creams freezers

 There was a couple of self-serve freezers with ice-creams that visitors could buy, with a dual purpose a donation box and rubbish bin next to them. Can’t see that working in Australia. Littering in China is a big problem, but there seemed to be surprisingly little within the temple.

The entry ticket and miniature booklet
of Confucius' sayings

Two things I found interesting about both complexes: the first was the complete lack of security staff in either complex and the second was the complete absence of parking areas. People use public transport or taxis to get here,

After being here for just over a month and visiting places like these, I have no doubt that Chinese people are very proud of their history and heritage, and I can understand why they may want to argue with Japan over some inconsequential islands between the two countries. Probably no different to Britain and Argentina fighting over some windswept rocks near Antarctica.

No city is perfect ( look at Sydney) but Quzhou and Zhejiang province has a lot going for it and I’m quite glad to have ended up here.

Tuesday 02 October - A

A jar of 'canned' pears

As I sit here eating my dessert of  ‘canned pears’ (which come in a jar) and green tea ice-cream, I’m contemplating some of the differences between China and Australia.

The concept of tourism here is a little different. I’m living in a city of 2.46 million people which has a history of human habitation stretching back many centuries. In Europe or Australia there’d be a tourist information centre (even if it’s part of a general store in a small town) with maps, local attraction information and postcards. 

In Quzhou, although there’s the Quzhou Tourism Bureau who produce maps and booklets, these are not distributed throughout the city. I’ve found that the map they gave me, although it  has street names (in Chinese), is grossly inaccurate and marginally useful as a tool for finding one’s way around. I mainly use a print-out from Google Maps (thanks Google – iPhone Maps users weep).

Even the hotels I have visited inquiring about accommodation costs have nothing in the foyers for visitors. it’s as though that if you come here, you know why, know someone or have a local contact that takes care of everything. Maybe the whole postcard thing is dead as everyone’s busy taking photos with their cameras and it’s only those memories that matter – I don’t know.

So, on to yesterday’s escapade. I decided to visit the Confucius Temple which is close to the Kecheng (north Quzhou) CBD. On the way, I was distracted by a family who spoke some English and wanted to chat, so I missed my stop.

Billboard for a real estate agency

No worries I though, I’ll use my maps to walk there (about 1km) and check out some of the local features – always eye-opening. The first was a real estate agency.

Ours have this beautiful glossy photos of the property with the ‘creative’ text to attract you attention. Not here.

They use yellow pro-forma cards with blank spaces to write the basic details – see photo.

Chinglish signs in the park

Fushan (Blue Mountain)
Park west gate

 Next I happened upon a park, indicated in green on the map. It was beautiful.

It appears to be on the only hill in town called Fushan (Blue Mountain) Park. It was just like any large park in Australia on a weekend, filled with  people and families of all ages (there because of the holiday) enjoying the autumn sunshine.

I was casually walking when some of the signs took my eye. Even the locals here joke about Chinglish, and these signs were great examples. I can’t be critical as with a population the size of China’s, having anything in English is welcome. I have still only seen one other local westerner since arriving.

Toddlers playing in the stone garden

Typical park scene?
Kids climbing statues,
church steeples in background

One thing that was hugely different though was that where in Australia a children’s play area would have ‘soft fall’ material underfoot, the toddlers here were jumping on rocks!

There are ‘soft fall’ areas under play equipment here though. The next thing I encountered was what looked like church steeples. What!!

On my way there I came across more children playing on stone sculptures of Confucius and other scholars. Again I was reminded that it’s difficult to pass through anywhere discreetly and take unobtrusive photos – I just look so different.

Quzhou Catholic Church

What I found was indeed a Catholic Church, quite plainly decorated. I was a bit bemused by what seemed to be blue balloons on the columns until I realised that they were sewn fan covers.

While inside I was greeted by Father Paul, the resident priest who spoke some English and told me a little about the church, that it had been build about 5 years ago, on what I believe was a former church site - and when mass was held (8am Sundays).

He said that they have about 300 parishioners. The actual functioning part of the church was on the first floor – I don’t know what was on the ground floor. What was really amazing was that they had a list of parish priests dating back to 1662 – probably missionaries.

Interior of the church

The church altar

The church foyer and Father Paul

Lutheran church in Quzhou

Father Paul was very kind and helpful and I asked him about the small church I’d seen in town. He said that they were Lutherans who had only recently set it up.

I couldn’t help thinking that here was the Catholic church, on the highest point of the highest hill in town, while the Lutherans were down among the ‘sinners’ or ‘lost souls’ in the town.

I was reminded also of a recent Religion Report on ABC Radio National about the changes to the Catholic parish of St Vincent’s Redfern, in the Aboriginal heartland of inner Sydney. There, over more than 20 years, former Parish Priest, Father Ted Kennedy, created an extraordinary, freewheeling community. In 2002, Father Ted retired, owing to serious ill health, and Cardinal Pell appointed two priests from the conservative, neo-Catechumenal way to take over the parish. They felt that Catholicism had been sacrificed for community participation and there’s been an uneasy relationship since – it appears that the new podiums have made good firewood to keep locals warm on cold nights in the Block.

This is a world away however, and so I continued my walk, unfortunately (or fortunately) exiting on the wrong side of the park and then walking around to find the Confucius Temple – to be continued in part 2.

Monday 03 September

Aussie apron

Big day today, first teaching day, two double periods of 3rd year students. It all went well fortunately, despite some technical hitches – so what’s new?

The Australiana, especially the Aussie apron, went well and helped to lightened the mood. It was funny when I was describing my background and said that I was born in 1950 – I could see them all counting and having surprised looks on their faces.

I can see that the oral component will be difficult as the were all inclined to speak very softly individually, although they were fine when speaking as a group.

Tianning Temple

Tianning Temple roof detail

In the afternoon I caught the bus into town to have a look around. I’m very aware of being in a foreign country. It’s very mono-cultural, and even the college has students predominantly from the region. Virtually no-one speaks English so buying anything is always an adventure.

They recognise me now at the local supermarket and the dictionary app in the phone has been really useful when trying to explain what I want.

I again visited Tianning Temple and it was good having a bit more time. A  new temple building is being constructed and it was good seeing the construction techniques.

 Meanwhile, I was looking to buy some new sandals but found the largest size carried in any store is size 44, and my feet are 45! I can see that this will be a problem – I’m taller and larger than the locals by a reasonable margin.

Student acommodation

View of the college dorms and local
food stalls from the main road.

Back at the college everything is in full swing – the dormitories are full and there are large queues at the canteen at meal times. Fortunately there is a teachers’ service section. Speaking of accommodation, I now appreciate the luxury that I have – a two room unit, double bed, TV, bathroom, balcony kitchen and laundry, refrigerator and air conditioning. The photos show the student accommodation – 6 to a room, wooden bunks, almost no storage and a small shower/toilet (hole in floor style).

OK, now a little bit about food. Today at lunchtime and dinner I used the cafeteria. My smart card now has credit, so purchasing food is just a matter of passing my card over the detector at the cashier – no more hassling for change. Again the food is incredibly cheap, around $1 for a meal and very good. I’ve had to revise my attitude towards Chinese food, especially the vegetarian dishes. Some can be a bit oily, and there are some things I haven’t dared to try, but there has always been a big range on offer.

Chinese mandarins (less the two I ate)

 This evening I  took a risk and bought some green fruit that looked like mandarins from a local stall near the college. 6 of them cost 30C! anyway I had a couple with some grapes and rock-melon that I already had at home and they were great.

They tasted like sweet  mandarins, but with a slightly tart lime flavour.

Ahhhh it’s all an adventure!

Thursday 30 August

The main street (Up and Down St)
in Quzhou

Tai Chi and then buns for breakfast again.

Food stall in side street

Today Ben took me into Quzhou for a look around the town and to visit Walmart.

There are 3 buses that pass by that go to town so it’s quite convenient. with a flat travel fee of 2RMB (30c) we took the short trip over the river and into town.

The ingredients

We strolled along the main street which was a lot less busy than I expected, although Ben said that it was busier on the weekends.

There were many food stalls in the side streets, where you could chose your ingredients and have it cooked in front of you – looked great.

Preparing the dumplings

Dumplings cooking in the oven

The finished product

Ben was an excellent guide, and showed me some of the interesting aspects of the city. Of course food did play a part, for example we stopped at a small dumpling cafe where they made the dumplings which were then cooked on the wall of an oven in tandoori style. of course I had to try some – pork, shallots, pickled vegetables, garlic and chili (or not) – delicious.

Doorway of the main building of
Tianning Temple

Wall of 1000 Buddhas

Temple exterior detail

The 4 way golden Buddha

Next we visited the Buddhist Tianning temple which although partly under construction, was amazing. The main temple had 4 golden Buddhas facing different directions and a wall of ’1000 Buddhas’.

I’ll definitely come back again to have a better look when I have more time.

We then headed into Walmart, and much to my surprise, it was not full of American goods, but a fully integrated department store selling everything from foodstuffs to TVs and electronics. thing Coles + Kmart or Wollies + Target. At last I found butter, cheese and margarine, which I’d been missing. At this point I must say that I’m glad that I brought 2 small packs of Lavazza with me, however I think I’ll have to ration it out to last as long as possible.

EARSON music player

 Apart from a few essentials, I did buy a small portable sound system there (an EARSON for $20) that I can use with the iPhone or USB drives, and the sound is passable.
We didn’t get back till after 2pm, so the afternoon was a bit of a write-off (did I mention it was hot and humid?). Using a dictionary app in my phone, I was able to buy some things like flour at the local supermarket, so I cooked up some shallot pancakes with bacon for dinner – try doing that in a wok!