Living in China: Stories and Photographs: Beijing: Great Wall: Tokyo: Forbidden City: Ming Tombs: Summer Palace
Summer Vacation - Beijing 2003
Previously I have written of my trip to Chibi, and said that I planned to revisit it. Unfortunately I have not yet had the time. I did however have occasion to travel through Beijing on my way back to Hubei Province during the Summer vacation (2003), and I am pleased to report that I did take a guided tour.
When I arrived at the airport, I was immediately greeted by a myriad of hawkers trying to con the unwary 'Wai guo' (foreigner). “You want Taxi Sir?” inquires one gentleman. “Yes I do in fact”, I replied, “but I think I will catch one at the taxi rank outside”.
“Sir, they will overcharge you out there. You come with me and I give you good deal. Where do you want to go?”
I informed him of my intention to stay at the 'Zhong Yu Jiudian' (a hotel opposite the west Beijing railway station). “Oh Sir, for you, it is just 200 yuan”. His sincerity was amazing.
“Really?” I retorted as if well pleased. “It's only 75 yuan to Tiananmen Square and that is only Five kilometers from the Hotel.”
“You name price Sir” he said eagerly and completely unfazed by my response, “I give you good deal”. So I offered him 100 yuan, and he immediately turned his back on me and left. It in fact cost me 101 yuan on the Taxi meter (plus an extra 9 yuan tip).
I stayed only 2 nights in Beijing, simply so that I could take a tour of the Forbidden City. I had previously visited the Great Wall (in the snow yet!).
The staff of the Hotel organised the tour for me, and it took in three locations; the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven. The tour lasted the best part of a day. I was the first pick up that morning, and admit that at first I thought it was an individual tour. After several more stops, the group totaled about 15 persons, including some Chinese people from Hong Kong.
Our first port of call was the Forbidden City. Now while I took some interesting photos (which I would love to eventually add to this site), I had unfortunately run down the battery on my new digital camera, and had not thought to buy a recharger or extra batteries. The day was spent in frustration, waiting for my camera to recharge itself sufficiently to take the odd photo or two.
Nevertheless, the photos I took turned out wonderfully, but could never do justice to the firsthand experience. Despite the splendour of the palace complex (and it is huge), given our modern luxuries, one cannot help but think that it would have been a very uncomfortable place in which to live.
Before leaving the complex, we were taken to a 'commercial' area of the compound, where one might purchase a variety of items of interest to the foreigner. I personally fell in love with a jade and zircon gold ring, but unfortunately, neither my Australian nor my Chinese ATM card would work, and I was forced to leave without it. This I hope to rectify when I return in January.
Now while the tour itself was interesting, the real experience commenced upon leaving the compound. One cannot imagine what it is like to be literally surrounded by hawkers, who will not take no for an answer. They jostle you, prod you, beg, and harass you. They know that if they keep it up you will buy something. Fortunately my meager knowledge of Chinese permitted me to tell them to 'rack off'; that I wasn't interested, and that they charge too much. Not even the Chinese contingent escaped with all their finances intact, for like the westerners, they simply gave in and bought unwanted items.
Now at this point, I don't want to leave you with the impression that I actually speak Chinese. There are some things I can say perfectly, and am easily understood. There are even many things which I understand when locals speak to me. But to actually repeat them is another thing altogether. For instance: I decided to impress some teachers one day with my ability to say “I come from Australia”. I said it three times, and each time their laughter increased. One man was in hysterics and made a rather loud remark. When I persisted in my inquiry as to what he had said, the reply was, “He thinks that maybe you want a drink of milk!”
After numerous encounters of this kind, I was eventually informed that my inflection was wrong. Chinese words have four inflections, and each gives the word a different meaning. To add to that, some words when run together with other words, create brand new words. So what was I saying instead of “I come from Australia?”. The nearest translation is, “I – tits – Australia”. Excuse the vulgarity, but the fact is, that if you are not careful with the inflections, you can end up telling a lady that her breath smells like a camel's, instead of “You have a beautiful smile”. In fact, I did on two different occasions, in speaking someone's name, give it such a wrong inflection, that had I been Chinese, they would have knocked my lights out. I can't even give you the English translation, it was so crude.
Anyway, back to my tour. After we finished at the Forbidden City, we were taken to lunch. The foreigners did not particularly like the food, but compared to what I am used to in my region, it was a very nice change. It was more akin to the Chinese food we eat in Australia.
After lunch we headed off to the Temple of Heaven. This is a place where once a year the Emperor came to perform a ritual on what might be described as 'the temple mount'. There is a particular spot where he could stand, and not only heaven but everyone assembled could hear him clearly when he spoke. The acoustics are apparently quite good. This complex of buildings is built in a straight line along what might be described as an avenue, and are surrounded by vast gardens. The colours are predominantly blue, and most of the buildings are circular, although there are a couple of small rectangular buildings housing museums as well.
After leaving we went to a 'fresh water pearl factory', where everything was being sold at 50% discount. After the SARS epidemic had abated, prices plummeted in an effort to drum up business. Even my hotel room was half price. Speaking of which, if you intend staying in China for any amount of time, you can log onto www.ctrip.com, and get discounts and special gifts depending upon how much you have spent on accommodation.
While my ATM cards were able to be used at the pearl factory, I was not personally interested in purchasing any pearls, although when I re-do the tour in January, I might buy some for my daughters.
Leaving the factory we headed for the Summer Palace, but ran into an extremely heavy traffic jam. Our tour guide gave us an option of continuing on to the main entrance, or walking to the back entrance from which we could take a boat ride across the lake to the Palace area. Of course we had to pay our own fares. Having decided upon this course of action, we found ourselves in a long line of people waiting to take a ferry across the lake, but as each new ferry arrived and unloaded, it immediately left empty. They had all accepted 'private' hiring, and for a while we wondered if we would ever get to cross.
The boats themselves are decorated like dragons, and richly coloured. They are completely utilitarian, as are most things in China. The view crossing the lake was spectacular. On the other side there were varieties of food shops, and right beside one street of them, parked right there in the water, was, if you can believe it, a huge 'marble' boat. Sad to say I missed the commentary on that, I was too busy trying to get my camera to work. (Oh well, maybe next time).
We did not actually go up to the Palace on the hill, but followed a long avenue with a wooden covered walkway, richly and ornately decorated in various motifs. It was easy to imagine the imperial household strolling around this magnificent park during the heat of Beijing's Summer.
At the far end or entrance of the complex lay a variety of buildings, museums and artwork attesting to the wonder of Ancient China. We left tired but satisfied. And then the Hawkers hit us again. They simply wouldn't take no for an answer, and I found myself arguing in Chinese with them on behalf of the Wai Guo's, while the Chinese in the party laughed themselves silly at my antics. Of course what was funnier, was that fact that the locals could understand my Putonghua dialect, but not that of the Chinese tourists in our party. Such are the marvels of China.
I experienced some other events after the tour ended, as I walked alone in the centre of Beijing, but I think I'll save those for another time.
I had had a very long day. I had enjoyed myself tremendously; got sunburned and dehydrated, and eventually succumbed to a migraine. But it was worth it.
Talk to you next time!
A shot of one of the Throne Rooms in the Forbidden City
The Great Wall of China at Ba Da Ling - & - Tian An'men Square
Comparing the Old and the New in Wuhan
West Beijing Railway Station. Around the corner is the Zhong Yu hotel at which I stayed.
Around Town in Hong Hu
That is a boy hugging me. We had never met before.
Wuhan at Night. Taken from the 15th floor of the Wuhan Qin Chuan Jiari Jiudian (riverside holiday inn)
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
QUOTE: "While my ATM cards were able to be used at the pearl factory, I was not personally interested in purchasing any pearls, although when I re-do the tour in January, I might buy some for my daughters."
Yes, pearls for daughters!! Such a great idea! Maybe a nice pearl necklace for your middle daughter! She would appreciate that very much!!
The shopping complex at Shenzen has many levels and the lowest and cheapest level has the most horrofic hawkers and sellers who will practically kidnap you and no is not in their vocab, it can be frightening to us who aren't used to it. My daughter used their angry haiya(?) to get rid of them. Sounds like a wonderful place to revisit when you have time and a battery!
Gee what an interesting comment. Yes I'm sure that she would appreciate some. What a kind and sensitive person you are, but I notice you did not mention my other daughters. Gee I wonder who you are??????
Hello Sweetheart!
To Jude: Thanks for your info. I guess it is strange that an academic site has this type of section. But interesting enough, this morning at the Qing Chuan Jiudian I met some German people on a tour, who were very interested to know more about the Chinese people. So if this site can give insight to westerners, then I guess it serves a useful purpose.
Best wishes to my middle daughter and to you Jude.I did eventually buy them the pearls.
