china

CHINA
'88-'89

In the school year of 1988/1989 I had the life changing experience of teaching English at a small teachers college in Tianshui, Gansu, Peoples Republic of China. The time spent inside communist China only reinforced my distrust and dislike for the communist form of government, but I did discover a group of hard-working and (for the most part) intelligent people who see Americans as models of what real political freedom can be.
I taught four classes of soon-to-be English teachers and they were the best group of students any teacher could wish for. Their hunger to learn drew more from me than I ever dreamed myself capable of. Not one time did I have to call the class to attention, reprimand a student for talking in class, for being late, or for failing to complete an assignment.

Bound feet have become a very rare sight in China today but not originally because of Communism or Mao. Before Mao decreed that womens feet should be freed of the ancient and cruel practice of binding, Chaing Kai Shek, at the counsel of missionaries, began to free the feet of China's women. Mao wanted them freed so that they could be more useful as workers. I must admit that life in China has improved but that is due to the heart of the people to make their own life better and not to a character of benevolence on the part of Mao.
By the way......I checked on Mao when I was in Bejing and he's still dead.

This is what it is all about; the children, American or Chinese. They have a hope for the future of their children to live in a better place and so do Americans.

I can't think of any man-made structure on earth that is better named than The Great Wall. To see it is amazing but to walk upon it and sense the effort that was needed and the minds that conceived of such a ribbon of stones to span over 1400 miles has to be mind expanding!!!!
If I had experienced nothing else in China except the Great Wall, it would have been worth the trip.

Many of the living conveniences that we enjoy in America do exist in China but for many (if not most) of the rural population of China the old ways are all they have. Even if washing machines were available few could afford them.

Maji Shan (the name literally means Haystack Mountain because of its shape) is a place of renewed religious enthusiasm for Buddhism. This mountain is honeycombed with man-made caves that are filled with literally thousands of carvings of Buddah. Most of the carvings are reliefs in the walls but there are many 3-dimensional statues and six figures on the exterior of the mountain that are about 30' tall!!

This view of Maji Shan will give you a better impression of the extensive amout of work that has transformed the face of this mountain over the past 1500 years.
The three figures on the face of Maji Shan are about 30' tall. There is another trio to the left of this view that are not quite as tall. You can walk on very narrow and shaky scafolding along the face of the mountain and even enter a few of the excavated caves.
At the base of this monolith are many faithful "pilgrims" who will gladly offer prayers for you with incense and chanting......for a price.

Rural life in America is very desirable because we have the luxury of electricity and reliable personal transportation. That does not exist for most of the small villages that dot the mountains of China.
As you will see in the next picture, life is very difficult for the farmer but they have the benefit of not being under the watchful eyes of the government.

There aren't too many American children who still have to gather wood to cook dinner with.

If you couldn't guess, that's me on the left.
These are the students that I bragged on earlier.
Not all of them excelled in academics but all of them were of the finest character. They will be a source of strength and practical help for each other for the rest of their lives. That's how their culture works. If you attend school with someone, they are a life-long friend.