|
Our 2009 Ning Yeh's China Tour will take place in late spring.
There will be two main parts of this journey: an in-depth visit to the birthplace of Chinese culture in the north, and a revisit with the poetic dreamy south.
 Great Wall in the Spring Signature Sights in Springtime Beijing
We will enjoy springtime Beijing. The Imperial grandeur - the Great Wall and the Forbidden City comes to life with the blooming flowers. Of course, in what has become one of the signature activities of the Dream Journey, we will setup our own makeshift art studio on the Great Wall and take full advantage of the spring time inspiration provided by this wonder of the world.
Shandong, Birthplace of Chinese Culture
After taking in the signature sites popularized in all of the wonderful footage of Beijing during the 2008 Summer Olympics, we begin to dig deeper into the spirit of China by taking an in-depth visit to the birthplace of Chinese culture in the Shandong Province.
In Chinese schoolbook, children were taught to see China as a begonia leaf. Shandong is the stem that holds the leaf in the middle. It is believed that once upon a time, Shandong was an island. The Yellow River eventually brought enough earth to connect the island to mainland. Now it is a peninsula reaching out to the Pacific Ocean.
Shandong has been a hub in the heart of Chinese civilization. Among all Chinese, Shantong folks are most admired for their solid characters. Strong, honest, and hard working, they are definitely my favorite people.
 A man dressed in an ancient Chinese costume stands at the gate of the Confucian Temple in Qufu Qufu, Home of Confucius
Our first stop in the Shandong Province is Qufu which is considered the home of China's most influential teacher, Confucius. The number one shrine in China honors the greatest teacher Confucius. It was built in 478 B.C. Only the Forbidden City can equal the grandeur of this magnificent structure. In addition, it has the largest forest garden in China.
 Classic Tang Dynasty Painting of Confucius by Wu which hangs inside the temple in Qufu Confucius (551-479 B.C.) taught Chinese the art of living-how to behave. He opened his teaching to all and was diligently followed by his disciples when he traveled through different states offering his advice to rulers. His daily remarks were compiled by his students and became the foundation of the main school of thought that dominated China for 2500 years. No other book has exerted a greater influence on a larger number of people over a longer period of time in Asia than this slim volume of words.
Confucius was a simple man. He taught up to 3000 pupils in his lifetime (72 were among the most outstanding). A charismatic man, he would sing and play music (there is a collection of more than 3000 ancient music instruments in the shrine) while pupils were studying. He interacted with his students- practiced archery, planted trees (there are trees planted by him on the grounds of the shrine), taking fieldtrips by the river in spring. He traveled with three carriages of books (At his time, paper was not invented yet, words were carved on bamboo pieces. One Reader's Digest might take up three carriages).
China and Teachers
Few cultures compare to China when it comes to honoring teachers. Few cultures have shown such sustained relationship between teachers and students. I am a student of Chinese painting. Teaching is one of the best ways to learn. Students sense how much fun I have. They respond with passion and excitement.
When one is learning, one is in the state of perpetual spring. One sees splashing happy brooks dancing through the freshest green and lakes shimmering. One feels soft touches of showering petals breeze down from apples and peaches. It is the dawn of the day. Fisherman throws out his first net, the little frog awakens from his long sleep. Seekers begin searching, and students raise questions. And, in brush painting, spring is that first stroke dashing out our hands. I love to share the joy with beginners-innocent eyes wide open; cheerful faces holding new brushes, and Wah-la, a masterpiece. I love my students and I want to make their day. When I go to class each morning. I hear the Beatles shouting "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
I have taught for nearly 40 years. One goes through circles. One begins from and returns to the source, more experienced. Each semester is a new beginning, or a better beginning. Students are the happy dots on my mountain, glowing with vitality. I feel greener than ever. There is a connection that transcends time and space. It ties us all together, and it makes us part of a whole. There is constant joy and engaging enthusiasm in our joint pursuit of learning.
Where was I? Yes, we are talking about our dream journey to the birthplace of China's great teacher. We are talking about the relationships between teacher and students.
We are going to visit two shrines honoring the students of the great teacher: Yen Hui (521-490 B.C.) and Mencius (371-289 B.C.). Yen Hui was the poorest but the brightest student. Mencius was the most accomplished one.
Yan Hui
There is a story about Yan Hui-from the Analects of Confucius:
The Master said to one of his student Tsze-kung, "Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hui?"
Tsze-kung replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and know a second."
The Master said, "You are not equal to him, indeed, you are not equal to him."
(My sympathy to Tsze-kung for getting the brutal honesty from Confucius. Few things were as damaging to one's ego than that trying to be humble only to find others agreeing with you,)
The Master said, "Such was Hui that for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue. The others may attain to this on some days or in some months, but nothing more." (How about trying to attain perfect virtue for an hour? I ask myself.)
The Master said, "Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui! With a single bamboo dish of rice, a single gourd dish of drink, and living in his mean narrow lane, while others could not have endured the distress, he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!"
We will visit the mean narrow lane and sip a gourd dish of drink from his well.
 Inside the Temple of Mencius in Qufu Mencius' Mother
When people speak of Confucius' other famous disciple, Mencius, they always tell a story about his mother. Mencius was an unruly child raised by his mother. The family was poor, his mother weaved to make ends meet. First, they lived by a graveyard. Men's mother noticed Men playacted as an undertaker with his friend. She decided to move. They moved by a market. Men began to talk like a merchant and bargaining. Mother then moved again to be close by a school. But, Men frequently skipped classes. One day, Men came home and found his mother sitting in front of her weaving machine. Upon learning he skipped class again, she quietly cut all the strings on her machine in front of him. Mencius straightened his act and eventually became a learned scholar.
As we spend two days in Qufu imagining what it was like to walk with China's greatest teacher, we will make sure to see all the wonderful highlights of the Temple of Confuscius such as:
- 300 feet Blue Marble Entrance Bridge
- Juniper planted by Confucius-right side of main gate (Da-chen Gate)
- Almond platform: Confucius taught daily there
- 1000 years old plum trees on both side of the garden
- Main Shrine: 10 White Jade Drangon Poles
- Confucius teaching painting by Tang Dynasty artist Wu Tao-tse
- Musical Instrument collections
- Lu Wall: When the First Emperor decided to burn all the books, descendents of Confucius kept books hidden in this wall.
 Heze and her Peonies Heze Peony Festival
Next, we will enjoy a scenic drive threading through the vast plain of northern China. It will take us from Beijing to Heze where the Peony Festival is taking place. The tree peony symbolizes good fortune. It is the king among flowers. Heze is the home of hundreds varieties of this magnificent flower today. We will visit Caozhou Painting Institute there too.
Tai Mountain
The East Holy Mountain of China is Tai Mountain. We will visit its foothill town of Taian. This was where all the emperors held ceremony to worship the spirit of the mountain. Places like these made our dream journey unique. We visit these sites for their aura of tradition (ancient structures and countless cultural relics) and for their scenic values: spirited old trees and flower gardens. All these tranquil places are not frequented by outside visitors and they are what real China has to offer. In early morning light and twilight hours, in the heartland of China, we will enjoyed these impeccably well-preserved gardens in this land of enchantment.
We will fly to Shanghai and visit the fabulous Shanghai museum, bund, and old Shanghai's alleyways. We then will go to Yellow Mountain.
 Breathtaking view of the mist on Yellow Mountain Yellow Mountain
There is one mountain in China that embodied the whole essence of Chinese culture. Each moment, every corner, the mountain touches your soul. It inspires you to the core. It caresses you in such gentle warmth; it moves you with such natural elegance. This is our beloved Yellow Mountain.
 Yellow Mountain Sunset What an uplifting experience for an artist. It was as if by a grand design, the mighty creator wants to show us how it is done. Every pine has its unique style. Every rock has enchanting legend. The poetic mood is everywhere. This is the Good Earth. This is what China meant for me. Each of the spiritual spot on this magic mountain has one unforgettable sight. An all stars cast created by the all mighty. There is the Magic Brush Tip; "the Prime Minister Viewing the Chess Players," "the Child Praying to the Goddess of Mercy," and the Monkey King, to name a few. It is the exclamation of all visitors. No one believed such mountain existed. But once here, one cannot help but come out shouting "Now I Believe!"
At times, the mist rise gently, one could see through. Tremendous drama took place when the mist propelled like a jet stream, like a white dragon ascending. Occasionally, there was the grand symphony when all at once a giant white screen elevates and envelopes the whole mountain.
The ever-changing mist is playful, like a mischievous maiden. Mountains extended their welcoming arms. They were enjoying the gentle caress and soothing message with contentment. Millions of years, countless joyful unions and reunions, the millions of pines dotted the hills are witnessing a love endearing. A calm ocean, a rising curtain, a swift dispense, a rolling wave… the mist shared a thousand and one tales.
These moments are eternal. When I think back to more than two dozens trips here, there is always that defining moment on the mountain. All my senses purified. All my worries washed away. All my cells opened and set free. I will carry that particular glow the rest of the year. It is an ultimate magical mystery tour. It is nature's grand opera house for continuous well-staged drama.
 A patch of Lotus and a "Ting" at Hangzhou On our way down the mountain, we will visit villages in the foothills. This type of visit was always special. We got to make contact to real people face to face. I do appreciate these folks open their homes and fields for us. One should never under estimate the cultural heritage of the plain folks in this part of the world. Every hole, every ditch, every crevice…there were crouching tigers and hidden dragons. There is no shortcut to culture. It takes time. It takes the collective wisdom of generations upon generations.
Hangzhou - West Lake
Both Lingchi and I came from south China. We again enjoyed the homecoming by going to Shangri-La by the incomparable Westlake. We will enjoy a morning walk by the lake uncrowded and unhurried and take a leisurely boat ride on the lake.
Our Dream Journey will come to a close at the inviting shores of Westlake. After a year where China pulled out all the stops for the world stage that is the Summer Olympics, we are proud to explore a China behind the slickly prepared tourist stops - a more essential China, the one reserved especially for those with the soul of an artist.
Spots are limited, join Ning for Dream Journey 2009!
For more info call 800-969-4471.
|
