The Adventures of Tai'an

Today Barbara, Rebecca, Cathy, Alice and I are going to see the Peach Blossoms. We actually have no idea where we are going or what we are going to see.

We get into a Taxi and drive to the outskirts of town. We arrive at Peach Blossom Park. It cost us Y29 for the taxi. Peach Blossom Park is a scenic area behind Tai'Shan. The westerners think we are getting into a Taxi, getting out to look at some Peach Blossoms, taking a couple of photos and then getting back into a Taxi to come home.

Oh no, we arrive and then walk along a road for 6 miles, viewing the Peach Blossoms, houses, waterfalls and general scenery. This was quite a beautiful walk, however we were unprepared. I had one bottle of water with me which I had drunk by the time we got out of the taxi. There were no stalls to buy water from. I had no food with me. I had only eaten a banana. And it was a warm 22 degrees.

On the walk back we decided to take the adventurous route climbing over rocks across water etc. This was fine until I slipped on a rock, took some bark off my hand and knee and severely bruised my knee landing in the water. I was happy though thast it was today and not yesterday. Today was 22 degrees, yesterday was 7 degrees.

After this little adventure I decided that I would take the road. I was lucky that I slipped where I did and not further down otherwise I may have gone down the rapid and who knows what the damage would be.

So we walked our 12 miles and now it was time to get a taxi. Because there was 5 of us we had to get two taxis. It cost a total of Y55 to get there. A driver told us he would take us back in a minibus for Y40. The Chinese cracked up about this because were being ripped off. I could not get them to understand that we weren't because the total cost of the trip was Y55. So we started to walk. I did not feel like walking any further. I was thirsty and it was a long way to the end of the street.

A bus came along. We tried to hail it down. But the driver drove straight pass. We have another offer by a private car to drive us for Y40. I said no because there wouldn't be enough room for 5 of us to get into a little roomy Corolla. We would have been better off going in the minibus.

Another Taxi is coming up the road, we think we might be able to get it on the return trip down the street. The original driver sees this and starts to come down the street. The Chinese barter with him and get the fare down to Y35. The five of us pile into the taxi for the uncomfortable trip home for a saving of less than $1AUD ie the original fare was $6.66 we paid $5.83! They tell me its the principal. I'm sorry but dehydration is not worth the argument for $1.

We get back to the School and head straight out for dinner. Food has never tasted so good!

Good Friday 21 March 2008

Today after class Maria, John (Chinese Teacher) and I went to Qufu. The driver from the school took us there. And yes, he still likes to travel at 150Km/h.

Qufu is a small town by Chinese standards with a population of 88K. It is the birth and death place of Confucius (551 - 479 BC), whose impact was not felt during his own lifetime. He lived in abject poverty and hardly put pen to paper, but his teachings were recorded by dedicated followers. His descendants, the Kong Family, fared considerably better.

As the original Confucian temple at Qufu , dating from 478 BC, was enlarged, remodelled, added to, taken away from and rebuilt, the majority of the present buildings date from the Ming Dynasty. in 1513 armed bands sacked the temple and the Kong residence, resulting in walls being erected around the town from 1522 to 1567 to fortify it. These walls were recently removed, but vestiges of Ming Town Planning, such as the extant Drum and bell Towers remain.

Less a religion than a code that defined hierarchial relationships, Confucianism has had a profound impact on Chinese culture. It teaches that son must respect father, wife must respect husband, commoner must respect official, official must respect ruler and so on. The essence of its teachings are obedience, respect, selflessness and working for the common good.

Confucius was seen as a kind of misguided feudal educator, and clan ties and ancestor worship were viewed as a threat. In 1948 Confucius' direct heir, the first-born son of the 77th generation of the Kong family, fled to Taiwan, breaking a 2500 year tradition of Kong residence in Qufu.

While the current popularity is undeniable, it is debatable as to what extent his teachings are taking in China. The majority of devotees around Qufu are middle aged or elderly. Chinese scholars are making careful statements reaffirming the significance of confucius' historical role.

After Visiting the principle sights - The Confucius Temple, the Confucius Mansions and the Confucius Forest we headed back to Tai'an. At great speed I might add.

We stopped for dinner with the driver at a Hotpot restuarant. They ordered lashings of beer and you sweat it out fishing out strips of meat , fish balls, mushrooms, "blood" tofu, potato slices, chinese cabbage from a boiling broth. Not exactly my idea of a meal. I became very full, very quickly. I hope I don't have to go their again!