AROUNDTHEWORLD.COM/MAGAZINE
MAY 2015 ISSUE
AROUND THE WORLD
A Glimpse Of China Looking Into The Lives Of Ethnic Minorities
Table Of Contents CONTRIBUTORS’ PAGE 2 __________________________________________________ EDITOR’S NOTE BY CHIH-NING TEOH 3 __________________________________________________ 4 MAP OF CHINA __________________________________________________ ALERT! THINGS TO BEWARE TIPS FOR FIRST TIME TRAVELERS TO CHINA
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__________________________________________________ 6 - 10 LIFE IN TIBET FOR 24 HOURS BY HELENA HUANG __________________________________________________ A CLOSE UP LOOK AT TIBET 11 __________________________________________________ MUSHROOMS ON GRASSLANDS BY SUNMIN YEOU 12 - 18 __________________________________________________ 19 CLIMATE OF MONGOLIA __________________________________________________ 21 - 26 A TRIP TO BAI BY CHIH-NING TEOH __________________________________________________ 27 CLIMATE OF DALI __________________________________________________ 28
SOURCES 1
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CONTRIBUTORS’ PAGE CHIH-NING At just thirty-two years old, Chih-Ning is described as an experienced world traveler. She was born and lived her childhood years in Taiwan. She has traveled to many countries in her life so far, including Turkey, South Korea, various places in Canada, Australia, and finally China. She savors new experiences and memories, and enjoys sharing them with other people, resulting in her present career.
SUNMIN Sunmin is currently living in Seoul, Korea. She has just turned 33 this year, and has worked as a travel writer for five years. Previously, she has worked as a business woman. However, after realizing her passion for traveling around the world, she has moved her career to travel writing. She loves to experience and learn new things. She also likes to meet new people while traveling around for her writing.
HELENA Helena is currently 45 years old. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. After completing her masters degree in photography at Switzerland, with the highest GPA in the nation, she moved to San Francisco. She has worked for a variety of travel magazines. Her hobbies includes taking photos while she travels and writing short travel essays.
Editor’s Note By Chih-Ning In this month’s issue of “Around The World”, the readers will experience the life of three distinctively different ethnic minorities of China, and let it be known, that not one of them live a modern life full of technology. From endless stretches of grassland, to snowy peaks of mountains, to fields of rice paddies, there are many wonders in China. People often think of China as a polluted, factory-filled place, but what most don’t know is that these unique ethnic minority cultures still exist. Each of our travel writers have individually spent 24 hours with an ethnic minority of their choice. Sunmin visited the Mongols in Inner Mongolia up north. Meanwhile, leaning towards the west side of China, Helena decided to scale the mountains to stop by the Tibetans. Lastly, as one of the contributor’s for this month’s issue, I decided that I would head for a warmer place down south where the Bai ethnic minority people live. All three of us have learned many new things to share, and we all realized that, surprisingly, each ethnic minority’s lifestyle is based around where they live.
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Alert! Things To Be Aware
Break The Language Barrier
It's always important to try to learn a few words before you visit far-away lands, but in China it's almost essential. Try to learn some basic Chinese before you go. Also remember to bring a pocket Chinese dictionary or a translator app to your travel.
Tips For First Time Travelers To China
Watch Your Belongings And Situations
Bring Pollution Masks (Or At Least Any Kind of Masks)
You should put your wallets in their front pocket. Women should hold their bags by the bag and not just by the strap. If you're carrying a backpack, when you get onto any transportation, wear it on the front. Also if you're visiting a tourist trap, do not follow anyone who says they want to take you somewhere, or that they'll help you with your belongings.
Sadly, as grand and amazing as China is, its air quality is terrible. The Forbidden City is in Beijing where the air is terrible. The Shaolin Temple is outside of Zhengzhou in Henan, where the air is also terrible. Pretty much everywhere you'd want to go, you'll end up encountering ridiculous amounts of smog. To enjoy the outdoors, a good face mask is necessary.
Be prepared To Be Gawked At
Learn to haggle and be prepared to walk away
This doesn't really apply to cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing or Shanghai, but it applies to most other cities, villages or towns in China. If you're a foreigner with a blond hair or blue eyes, you will stick out and there will be lots of people looking at you wherever you go—even more so if you're able to speak Chinese. It will also happen with Asians that look Chinese but aren't Chinese, except the shock wears off faster.
In China’s “department stores” haggling is a very natural act. The best way to start off haggling is to be able to walk away. First off, make up your mind that you can live without whatever it is you're haggling for. Ask for the price and then ask for it to be cheaper. The seller will then give you a "discount" price. Take that price and stick to it.
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THE TIBETAN MINORITY
H.H
Life in Tibet
The village itself looks colourful
For 24 Hours
tied the flags up is because they
from afar. The reason why they
believed the flags would bring
By: Helena
good fortune to their family and
A cold breeze punches me
themselves; this is another
through the gut, as a thousand
Buddha custom that many Tibetans believe.
snow fall suddenly like a rainfall of snow. After an hour of walking
I came at April so the snow from
and suffering, I finally reached
the mountains had started to
the Peak of Dukezong Mountain where the Dukezong Village is located. Sweat pours from every pore of my body and pools uncomfortably in my many
melt. As the
“Up in the mountain, the heat of physical movement quickly trifle away by the chilling winds, leaving only cold dampness that clings to the body.”
layers of shirts and
weather warms up, the snow would melt w h i c h cause the snow
to
open up the blocked
coats. Up in the mountain, the
remote roads allowing travellers
heat of physical movement
to excess more place including
quickly trifle away by the chilling
travellers like me. As I recount my
winds, leaving only cold damp-
journey, I remembered how hard
ness that clings to the body. As I
it is to breathe at the village since
take my final steps
the village is 3,200m above sea
towards the
village, I recount my journey.
level. As soon as I figured out that I have difficulty with breathing, I
During the hike, I noticed several
remembered I opened my oxy-
trees with colourful hanging flags
gen can and ate some pills that I
wrapped around the branches.
brought from the airport.
the ancient city would reflect the sliver sheen. This had cause to another epithet: Moonlight City. The city got multiple names since this town is quite famous. And the names I mentioned are the most famous names for this town. As I recount my journey, I remembered how long I stood staring at blank space while I still
Putting the names besides,
have work to do. As I began my
I noticed that
walk towards the house I’m going
there were a
to stay, I noticed that the house
pile of corns
from the Dukezong village is
tied together
painted white and soon found
making a tri-
out that there were a reason for
angle shaped.
the house to be painted white
I then found out that it is called
from a villager on my way from
Corn Crib. Farmers tie the corn
hiking. I remembered what the
together and put it in front of the
old men told me by memory, he
sun to get rid of the dampness of
said that after the town was es-
the corn. I find it fascinating how
tablished, craftsmen found white
they hang the corn crib up from a
clay in the region that could be
single string. Back in reality, I final-
used as paint. This is why
ly stood in front of the house I’m
Dukezong is named as the White
going to stay. Exited, I ran inside
Stone City. The White Stone City
the house to check in but I found
had another name and it is
nobody so I decided to to take a
called the Moonlight City. There’s
walk around the small village. As I
another reason why the city is
begin my walk, I noticed a huge
also called The Moonlight City;
crowd of people gathered
legend said that on a clear night
around a grassy hill. Curious, I de-
cided to check what’s going on.
can’t wait to meet the family and
To be my surprise, it was the
see what kind of life they have.
Chawalong Horse Racing Festival. Luck had found me since the Chawalong Horse Racing is only
And speaking of the family, I was
10 days long and today is the 4th
finally in front of the snow white
day. According to my research
building. Suddenly I smell this
before coming to Tibet: Chawa-
delicious aroma of food, while
long horse racing is a horse riding
following the smell I reached
competition in northern Tibet.
towards the kitchen of the house.
Thousands of herdmen gather
The kitchen itself is plain and
around the grassland outside of
simple but the huge black stove
Dukezong city.
stood out. The stove is made out of grey stones but turned black
After deciding that I stayed long
overtime by the ashes. I then
enough, I begin to walk towards
reached towards the ruby red
the house again to see if they re-
table with sheep patterns on it.
turned. After another tiring jour-
The table itself only reach towards
ney towards the house, I found
my knees with plates of
out the village has very limited re-
dumplings known as “Momo”
sources, with no access to phone
and traditional wines in red cups.
signals, and electricity. I begin to wonder what the Tibetans do for their entertainment without any electricity. For me, I can’t live without electricity and I just wonder how they can do it. Speaking of electricity, I wonder how they see during the night without any light. Could they use candles instead of a lamp? Thousand of questions rush into my mind. I
After deciding to eat or not, the bells of the doors started to ring and I was greeted by the family.
The male of the family wore a
saddest part is not saying good-
long yellow skirt with a pair of
bye to the family but because we
white dressy pants ; and heads
can’t contact each other again
wrapped with red and black
since the village don’t have elec-
scarf,and finally each wore a
tricity which means they don’t
long red cowboy boots; they look
have phone signals.
like they are ready for a fashion shoot. The females however, wore
After saying goodbye to the fami-
a longer skirt with rainbow strips
ly, I wrote down some notes and
around the sides of their skirts and
eventually turn out to be the
rainbow coloured beads on their
article you are reading right now.
hair and unlike the men, they
And this is my journey to Tebet for
wore a pink scarf. The family then
24 hours.
welcomed me by drinking their delicious wines and eating the Momos with them.
We talk until the sky turns dark. And the most intersting topic we talk about are the traditions of the Tibetan marriage. They say that the parents have the rights to force an engagement to their daughter or son when their child didn’t get married while they are still young. While talking, we didn’t notice that it was morning until a rooster started crowing. It was sad saying goodbye to the family even though we only met for 24 hours. We hug and says goodbye to each other. The
A Close U p Look A t Tibetan
Himalayas is the place where most travelers go Plateaus, known variously as tablelands or flat-topped mountains, are regions elevated thousands of feet above their surroundings. Tibet is located on the world’s biggest and highest plateau, Qingzang Plateau. At the average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, it borders on India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, and other countries on the south. With it, the mountain Himalaya stands as well. The Himalayas have the third largest deposit of ice and snow in the world, after Antarctica and the Arctic. The Himalayan range encompasses about 15,000 glaciers, which store about 12,000 km3 of fresh water. 11
The Mongol Minority
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Mushrooms On Grasslands
Before long, the cab rattled to a stop. I struggled to pull my bag out of the car as I looked around. The rustling wind stung my cheeks,
By Sunmin
It was like I was in a fairytale. The mix of the beautiful shade of green and the shade of the blue sky,
messing with my hair. I thanked the driver and handed him the money. Taking a deep breath, I put my bag firmly on the ground. I pulled out a note of my
with the gold of the morning sunshine almost seemed unreal. I was sure, if this was a painting, I would have paid anything to buy it. Although the
pocket that
“The mix of the beautiful shade of green and the shade of the blue sky, with the gold of the morning sunshine almost seemed unreal.”
scene was quite
had the name of my host (Altan) and the place that we
were
supposed to meet, which was here. I
simple; since there was only green
had seen his advertisement on the
and blue; the unaffected beauty of
internet and contacted him. He was
the landscape was breathtaking.
more than welcome to invite me to
“Visiting for a nice time off here in Inner Mongolia?” The taxi driver suddenly blurted out, looking back. “Oh, no,” I said, flustered. “I’m just a travel writer.”
his house, which was very fortunate. I waited, until I noticed a man coming up, whose face lit up when he noticed me. He gestured towards me delightfully, telling me something
“Hmm.” He replied, staying
excitedly in English in a clumsy
quiet again. I stayed quiet too, feeling
accent, which, unfortunately, was
the awkward silence.
impossible to understand. I smiled
awkwardly, nodding, not wanting to
to the high buildings in the city that
disappoint my host when we’ve only
always looked like they were trying to
just met.
stare me down. Children that seemed
As we walked together to his house, he told me I should unpack
to be Altan’s ran about like a group of baby chicks, eyeing me curiously.
quickly, because the Aobao festival
There was a heard of lambs
was about to start. He explained it
and goats were gathered around
was a festival where people rode their
Altan’s house like white clouds, eating
horses to gather at an appointed
the grass lazily, their eyes half closed.
place to hold a sacrificing ceremony.
There was also a few horses, their
But before the ceremony, people
mane glowing in gold under the
held horse races, which, quoted by
sunshine.
him, is “the main reason we go to that
My room was in the women’s
festival”. He also told me Mongolians
yurt. Putting my bag on a spare bed, I
used horses a lot, because it was the
looked around. It was really simple;
main transportation of the region
with a few beds in a circle and a bit
since they had no cars and buses.
of belongings. There also seemed to
Also the horses could be fed by grass,
be no sign of technology; no
which was spread around
computers, phones, or TVs.
all over the place.
In
After talking for
the
unpacking,
middle
of
Altan’s wife
awhile, we arrived at his
came in, who introduced
house, which were two
herself as “Borte”.
white tents (Altan
“It’s very simple, isn’t it?”
explained they were called “Yurts”)
She said, gesturing around the yurt.
sitting next to each other. They were
She explained that it was
blossomed in the middle of the
because they moved, at least twice a
widespread grassland like mushrooms.
year, to another location. Since the
They looked very friendly, in contrast
landscape that surrounded them
14
were all flat grasslands and they relied
around. Borte explained to me they
on the natural resources for food, if
were getting ready for the horse race,
they stayed in one place gathering
so I watched them cautiously, curious.
food, sooner or later the area would
After the wild race, which was
run out of things to gather.
filled with enthusiasm, the monks led
I fished out a light jacket of my
us to the sacrifice to God. Altan and
bag and hurried out, as Altan waved
Borte handed them two lambs for the
towards a table. There was a a bowl
sacrifice, which the monks took
of milk tea served on it, and
willingly. Then, the dancing and
remembering the information I had
singing started. The women and men
gathered, I took it with my both
gathered together, their voices
hands. And then Borte gave me a
spreading across the grasslands, while
bowl of lamb meat stew, which Altan
the children dressed up in colorful
explained that it was called a
clothing twirled around, looking like
Khorkhog, a special meal for guests.
flowers blooming.
It luckily fit my taste well,
After the festival, we returned
although I had never eaten lamb
back to the yurts, and while Borte
meat before. I emptied my dish in a
went into the kitchen to prepare for
few minutes, which fortunately made
dinner, Altan offered to introduce his
Altan and Borte very pleased.
children to me. In a small area in front
Not long after the meal, Altan
of the house, where Borte could see
hurried us to get ready for the Aobao
them, the children were gathered
festival. Since I had absolutely no
around. Altan called for them, and
experience on riding a horse, I rode
they all came running to us, shouting
with Borte, who assured me that it was
something excitedly in Mongolian,
quite fun. I doubted it at first, but after
waving some small stones. But then as
awhile, I actually started to enjoy it.
they came closer I realized it wasn’t
When we arrived, there were already many people gathered
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stones; it was bones.
Altan explained that they were
rectangular shape. There were also
playing the game Shagai (which, I
only two strings, and Altan played it
later found out, meant anklebones),
putting on his lap instead of laying it
where they play using the cleaned
on the ground. Borte explained that it
and polished anklebones of sheep.
was a Morin Khuur (horse head
He added they used sheep because
fiddle).
they had lots of sheep around, they
It seemed like the Mongolians
used the leftover bones like a toy.
had a lot to do with animals,
They played lots of games with these
especially lambs, goats, and horses. I
bones, but their children’s favorite
had seen them near Altan’s house,
one was Mongolian Chess, which, I
and also their meals were mostly
found out characteristically depict
meats and dairy products, along with
nobles, horses, camels, oxcarts and
the sheep bones they used for their
other identifiable elements of
games. But since they all the
Mongolian life. I sat with them in a
landscape around them were flat
circle, while Altan explained the rules
grasslands, I could see why. I couldn’t
to me. It was more similar to European
imagine a better place to grow these
Chess than the Chinese Chess, but
kind of animals. Lambs and goats
there were still some different rules.
were animals that lived in a place
It was a really meaningful
with little water, and this place had
experience; the faces of the children,
little water and were full full of food
concentrating hard not to lose,
for the animals, it was a perfect
added enjoyment to the game.
place.
Borte served lamb meat and
And they also seemed to use all
goat milk for dinner, and luckily it fit
of the things they had, and didn’t
my taste quite well. After eating and
waste any of it. After eating all the
resting for awhile, Altan took out an
meat of the animals, they used the
instrument that looked very similar to
bones for toys or instruments. It
a cello, except its body was a
seemed to be their lifestyles. Since
16
they relied on natural resources, they
and heaved myself up on the bed. I
used up all of things they have as
lied there, staring at my plane tickets,
much as they can. I thought it would
to check when I had to leave. Time
be a good lifestyle to learn, especially
has passed so quickly, I couldn’t
us living in modern cities. We are so used to throwing things away and getting a new one, we forget to thank for all the things we have. Altan began to
“We are so used to throwing things away and getting a new one, we forget to be thankful for all the things we have.”
believe it was almost time for me to go home, back to Korea. I put my tickets into my bag and pulled up the covers.
play a song which one of the children
The excited murmurs being
explained was Mongolian Waltz. The
whispered into my ears forced me to
children gathered in pairs, dancing
open my eyes. I heaved myself up,
faster and faster along with the music.
frowning as at the bright sunshine
In the latter part of the song, the
coming into the yurt. Shading my eyes
children danced so fast their clothes
with my hand, I looked down and
looked like a blurry circle. The fire lit by
noticed Altan’s children crowded
Altan danced with them, swayed by
around me. Although I couldn’t
the wind. Borte helped me up, and
understand, I nodded and smiled as
even though the dance was quite
they kept on shouting something in
hard, we followed along with them,
Mongolian.
like a bunch of tops.
Altan greeted me, as he
After dancing, I felt completely
gestured me to sit down. We sat
exhausted I couldn’t even dare to
down and ate, with the children
move a muscle. So I hurriedly went
chattering on excitedly about the
back to the women’s yurt, after
chocolate bar and eventually getting
saying good night to Altan and Borte,
scolded by Borte. After breakfast, I
17
went back into my room and packed
I took a look at the vast
my stuff. There wasn’t nothing much
grasslands, mushroom-like yurts, bright
to pack, since I only stayed here for a
sky, feeling the fresh air. I also took
night, but I felt like I had spent at least
another look at the rolling grass and
a week with them.
the flocks and herds moving like white
I came out of the yurt, with all
clouds on the remote grassland.
my things, and the children all
The beautiful shade of gold
gathered around me, all saying
shone on the blue and the green;
something in Mongolian.
making me remember the scene I first
Altan told me they were upset
saw in the taxi. It was still like a scene
that I was going. He said they weren’t
in a fairytale; but unfortunately, it was
really used to new people, so they
time for me to close the book.
were a bit afraid but they had great
I knew I wouldn’t be able to see
fun. I nodded and kneeled down, to
them again here. They would move
look at them eye to eye. I held their
again in a few months to another
hands, all of them, and kissed all of
place, because of their sheep, goats,
them on their cheeks. The youngest
and horses. They would soon run out
one came up to me and kissed my
of grass for their animals to eat and
cheek too, but the others were too
move. But I also knew I would find
embarrassed to do so and just shook
them and visit them again. It was part
my hand or hugged me.
of the beauty of Mongolian culture.
Then I said goodbye to Altan
I kept staring at the landscape,
and Borte, who said farewell not with
smiling. Then I tightened my grip on
words but warm, snug hugs. I kept
my bag as I kept walking, feeling the
waving at them until I couldn’t see
warm wind tickling my cheeks and
them anymore. Taking a deep breath,
ears. It was time to say goodbye.
I closed my eyes and slowly opened
Farewell, Mongolia.
them, to capture the natural beauty of the landscape one last time.
18
CLIMATE OF MONGOLIA The weather in Mongolia is generally cold because not only is it up north, it also has quite a lot of trees and mountain blocking the sun. In January, the coldest month of the year, the temperature sometimes falls to -50ËšC. For the warmest month, July, the air temperature should go up to 40ËšC.
17.4% of the land area has a semi-arid climate, 56.3% has a desert climate. 17% has a continental climate with dry winters, and 9.3% has a highland climate
Mongolia lies far inside the continental interior of Asia. Surrounded by high mountains, it has a dry climate. It is very sunny place; having sunshine for about 250 days a year.
March is the harshest month out of all the others, because the average wind speed is 10 km/h.
19
N O N A C A R E M CA
l l a C 6 6 6 2 2 2 6 0 ! 40 w o N t h g i R
3000
RMB
Delig
hting You Alwa ys SM
The Bai Minority
C.T
A TRIP TO BAI
travel magazine. I noted how there was a sense of respect in the air, not just towards me, but to everyone.
By Chih-Ning
Liuxi, a farmer, was my unofficial tour guide. He brought me to
The
moment I set foot into the
my temporary home, where I will be able to get a glimpse of a Bai fami-
courtyard, I knew that the three-hour plane ride plus seven hours on the train was worth it. The plane landed in Kunming almost around midnight,
ly’s life. His wife was waiting for my arrival, -and after I entered their house, I knew I was in for an adventure.
and even though I slept on the train, I felt as if my energy was just about spent. However, as I arrived, my weariness was washed away. The
It was a U-
“The distinct aroma of tea and freshly smoked meat was already strong and inviting…”
distinct aroma of tea and freshly smoked meat was already strong and inviting, and the Bai family hadn’t even finished introducing themselves yet. Even though it was around 7 o’clock in the morning, the village seemed to be buzzing with life. I saw people already tending the fields and going on with their daily lives as I was walked through the village. Everyone greeted me warmly, and let me snap some pictures for my
shaped, two-story house built with mud bricks and a tiled roof. The c o u r t y a r d s u rrounding it made the whole place
seem spacious. I’m amazed at how it much contrasted from modern apartments and villas. After spending a few moments admiring the uniqueness of their house, I sat down in front of a dining table. “This is usually called the Sandao Tea Ceremony,” Liuxi explained while he set the tea to brew in a small pottery jar. Pretty soon, the tealeaves were yellow and they gave off a
charred smell. He poured me a cup
mouthful had the same result, and I
and motioned me to try it. I sipped,
was left with an empty bowl in three
and almost involuntarily choked. The
seconds flat.
amber colored tea gave off a rich
How do they fit the vibrant
fragrance, but I had not expected it
variations of tastefulness all in one
to be bitter! I realized how I must
drink? As if reading my mind, Liuxi
have looked, so I tried to ignore the
said, “There was honey and Sichuan
taste and continued drinking. Liuxi
peppers in the last one.” He paused
just laughed at my reaction, and us-
and then told me that this three-
ing the same jar, he added more
coursed tea ceremony was often
water, but with brown sugar and
referred to, “Yi ku, er tian, san hui
walnuts this time. I took a sip of the
wei,” which meant: “first is bitter,
new tea, and again was surprised.
second is sweet, third brings reflec-
The brown sugar and walnuts
tion.”
have almost completely wiped out the bitter taste, replacing it with a pleasant sweetness. “I see you like this one,” Liuxi smiled. He
We talked
“Instantaneously, the strong flavors of bitter, sweet, and spiciness exploded in my mouth all at once, leaving lingering aftertastes on the tip of my tongue.”
some more, and I also found out that this tea ceremony was
for
treating
then poured the boiled tea into a
guests or friends. Anyhow, the tea
bowl with some other ingredients. He
seemed to have woken me up, and
offered me the bowl to drink. Again,
soon I was ready for more exploring.
not knowing what to expect, I took a
The Bai family wasted no time either.
sip at the tea. Instantaneously, the
Liuxi asked me if I would like to try
strong flavors of bitter, sweet, and
going out to the fields, or staying
spiciness exploded in my mouth all
with his wife in the house (heavy
at once, leaving lingering aftertastes
work was done by men). I decided
on the tip of my tongue. Each
to try some work today. Liuxi ex-
23
plained that Yunnan’s weather is
found out that women usually do a
mostly rainy, resulting to a good
lot of selling in markets, however Li-
condition for the crops. His family
uxi’s wife did not go today.
grew mostly rice, but they also had
When I asked them why,
other crops such as tea
“You’ll see,” was the
and sugar cane. Before
only answer I got.
I knew it, I was outside,
After lunch and
tending the field with
some “relaxing tea”,
Liuxi.
Liuxi and his wife was Knee deep in
busy preparing vary-
mud with my back bent
ing items in these big
over the rice paddies, I
baskets, and soon
felt like my energy has
enough, we were
just depleted out of me. It didn’t
heading our way to a mountain up
help that the sun was glaring down
ahead. “We’re going to trade all
at us, causing beads of sweat to
these things today,” Liuxi said, point-
trickle down my head. When
ing at the big basket on his back.
lunchtime rolled around, I was
“Do you know what time of the year
thankful when Liuxi called for me to
have you decided to visit us in?”
stop. I cannot imagine living like this
I nod my head. “I heard
every day. Liuxi chuckled and said
there’s some kind of fair?”
that it was just my luck; it was more
“It’s not some kind of fair,” Liuxi
of a sunny day than a rainy one.
said, laughing. “It’s the biggest
We walked back to the house
event of the year. The March Fair!”
to find that his wife already pre-
I looked at him puzzled. “But
pared lunch for us. I found out that
it’s May right now?”
the Bai people eat pork, which
Liuxi and his wife laughed
looked and tasted really good, al-
even harder. “The fair takes place at
though I wasn’t too keen on the
March 15th to the 21st, on the lunar
smoked pig liver and intestines. We
calendar.” I looked at them sheep-
chatted around the table and I
24
ishly and couldn’t help but join in
I left Liuxi and his wife concen-
laughing.
trate at their task at hand. Mean-
It didn’t seem like we hiked a
while, I wandered around to see
long way, but as soon as we neared
what other goods were sold. There
the foot of Mount Zhonghe and
were a variety of different types of
Mount Diancang, we were greeted
good, but food was definitely the
by a sea of people. Businessmen
biggest thing to trade. From rice, to
and common people from far and
wheat, to oranges and tangerines,
near flock here to participate in the
there were many foods traded at
festival, and were all milling about.
the place. To my right, some pears
The place was so full of people,
were being traded for some Chinese
sometimes I felt like I was being
chestnuts. To my left, a guy had a
dragged and pushed along every-
huge basket of buckwheat and was
one. Many of them were carrying
attempting to sell it to someone else.
large baskets of goods, and others
It was interesting and fun, and
were there to buy. I watched as Liuxi
anyone would be okay with staying
and his wife got to work on trading.
here for a whole time, as it is impos-
Liuxi offered if I wanted to try,
sible to become bored. Before I
and I did, although I wasn’t very
knew it, the sun was dipping below
good at it, and lost many people just
the horizon.
trying to communicate with them, as
Liuxi led me to a place where
they seemly have indecipherable
there seemed to be a huge gather-
dialects, because other minorities
ing. The next hour was a blur of
have also travelled here to attend
singing, dancing, and music. I didn’t
as well. In the end I decided to let
know any tunes of the songs they
Liuxi take over. He skillfully and suc-
sang, nor the moves to their tradi-
cessfully traded various amounts of
tional dances, so I mostly just
different goods. He sold sugar cane,
watched along, but it was still an en-
colza, and walnuts, and in return, he
joyable experience. The three of us
gained furniture, some more edible
ate at the festival with other people
goods, and even a live pig or two!
chatting with us.
25
Soon, it was getting dark and
had “wakening tea” and breakfast
Liuxi suggested that we head home.
with Liuxi and his wife. It felt like I was
The walk back felt much more
here for less than 24 hours, but we
longer than when we went there,
exchanged goodbyes with each
but I didn’t complain. Even though
other. “It was great to be here,” I tell
I’ve only seen it once, it felt good to
them as I looked at the house for the
be back at the house.
last time.
However, I was surprised to
“It was good to have you here
find two kids at the door to greet us.
with us, too,” Liuxi said, while waving
The boy, like Liuxi, had a white outer
goodbye. Again, even at this time of
upper garment and white trousers.
the day, the whole village was al-
On the other hand, the girl was
ready up. I walked through it one
wearing an apron of some sort, with
last time, enjoying the sense of peo-
beautiful embroideries on top, just
ple and nature interacting. I started
like her mother.
the long ride back to the Kunming
After a brief introduction and
airport after that, my mind filled with
a few pictures, I washed
thoughts about the
up quickly and headed
trip. I learned many
for the room they pre-
new things I didn’t
pared for me. It wasn’t
know before, like how
particularly big, but it
much a farmer’s life
was decent-sized. There
differs from life in the
were four posts on each
city and being sur-
corner of the single-
rounded by technolo-
sized bed, along with colorful flower
gy all day. Instead of supermarkets,
bed sheets. There was also a wood-
there are fields. Instead of the sound
en “roof” over the top of the bed
of busy traffic, there’s the voice of
(which the posts supported).
nature. Instead of machines and
I collapsed onto the bed, and
technology, there’s life. I would defi-
almost immediately fell asleep. I
nitely want to come back here, as a
woke up early next morning and
vacation from the modern world.
26
CLIMATE OF DALI
As you can tell, the weather in Dali is generally warm, because it is located in the south.
When it comes to winter, the Dali’s air get polluted. That is because people don’t have electricity, so they burn coal to keep warm.
27
CHINA RAILWAY
From: Kunming(
HARD SLEEPER
100 RMB
To: Dali( Departure Times: Every Mon- Sun First train: 8:35 Last train: 23:40 Travel Time: 6 h 53 mins Distance: 358 KM Call 138-7502-0686
CT
Sources “Map Of China - Blank” dreamstime.com, n.p. n.d. Web. 8. May. 2015
“China Map With Cities Blank Outline” jobspapa.com, n.p. n.d. Web. 8. May. 2015
“18 Ways To Be Positive At Work” pinterest.com, Erika Baum. n.d. Web. 8. May 2015
“Plateau Of Tibet” artofanderson.com, n.p. n.d. Web. 9. May. 2015
“Mountain Icon” psd100.com, n.p 5. Nov. 2013. Web. 9. May. 2015
“Current Weather Condition Of Mongolia” southtravels.com, n.p. n.d. Web. 10. May. 2015
“Nikon D600 VS Canon 6D - Entry Level Full Frame.” photokaz.com, n.p. 20 Sep. 2012. Web. 12. May. 2015
“Dali Weather” travelchinaguide.com, n.p. n.d. 12. May. 2015
“Yunnan Train Tour” tour-yunnan.com, Charlie Lee. n.d. 12. May. 2015
“Gregory Mountain Bag” alliexpress.com, n.p. n.d. 12. May. 2015
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O Y R N O G L GRE G Y A B N I A 2 T N U 00 MO our Trip For
Y f O y t e f a S e h T
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Credits Helena “Life In Tibet For 24 Hours” Map of China Climate of Dali Climate of Mongolia Sunmin “Mushrooms On Grasslands” Magazine Cover Table Of Contents Map On Editor’s Note Alert! Things To Beware Infographic Canon Camera Advertisement Gregory Mountain bag Advertisement A Close Up Look At Tibet Sources Page Chih Ning “A Trip To Bai” Magazine Cover Contributor’s Page Editor’s Note Table Of Contents China Railway Advertisement Credits Page