Insider In China by School of Art, George Mason University

Insider In China Ameer Ansari

Insider In China

Flying Over I’ve annually traveled to China

My grandmother would use a

to see my relatives. In addition,

broomstick and hit the dragonflies

my visiting began since I was an

to the ground. Once they were

infant. My early memories of China

pinned she would then tie string

come from my grandparents. I

around their bodies. She would

could speak some Chinese when I

give us the string and we’d watch

was younger, but I lost the ability

them fly around.

due to my visits not being long

Back then my grandparents

enough. So considering this, my

lived in a small apartment in

grandparents and I had could not

Qingdao. They moved since but

properly communicate. So my

it was probably 5 to 6 floors high

brother had to translate between

up. As a kid I had walking up those

for the both of us.

stairs since my legs would get

My grandfather often went out

sore going all the way up there.

to catch fish early in the morning.

The height was also taxing on

So by the time it was breakfast he’d

my grandparents. In order to get

have fish back for us to eat. During

groceries up my grandparents had

my childhood my grandmother

a pulley system where they would

would take both me and my

drop a rope with a basket attached

brother out to catch dragonflies.

where the food would be pulled up.

Insider In China

My visits in China always

However, after a couple of

happened in the summer. It was

years they quickly lost that and

the only time me and my brother

had some strange Chinese game

would have time off of school.

that you’d find in a dollar store

But we’ve always lived in northern

bin. As we got older we killed

Virginia. Meaning the flight to

time through Gamboy’s, DS’, and

Beijing takes a minimum of 12

eventually laptops. Of course

hours. How we kill time during the

there was always the movies that

flight depends on when we leave.

the flight offered but they haven’t

If its during the day we sleep during the flight and at night we stay awake. We do this because

changed their lineup in years except for a small few. For instance Sherlock Holmes

there’s a 12 hour time-zone

2 has been in their lineup for

difference between Virginia and

12 years. Also obviously a

China. But even with that, 12 hours

12 hour flight is plainly just

is still a long time. As kids the

uncomfortable. Economy class

airliner used to have Street Fighter

seats are constrictive so even if

II you could play on in the screen in

we sleep we’d wake up due to the

front of your seat.

discomfort. We typically bring our own pillows to mitigate the issue.

Insider In China

Flying from Beijing to Qingdao only take us an hour and 30 minutes. Qingdao is a eastern province that’s known for its beer, beaches, and for bordering the Yellow Sea. Qingdao is also known for the May 4th Square. The May 4th Square is a public attraction that acquired its name from China’s historical May 4th Movement. The May Fourth Movement was a cultural and political movement that came from student protests. The event started a nation-wide protests and sparked an upsurge in Chinese nationalism, a change The beginning check in point

After arriving in Beijing we then have to go through customs. But before that we have to get our thumb scanned. After getting our

for political mobilization and away from cultural activities. It also created a motion towards a populist base and away from traditional and political elites. The center of the square holds

thumbed scanned we then have to

a spiral sculpture titled the “Wind

get our hand scanned. In addition,

of May”. We always stop by at

they also scan your other hand. After all that you get then get to customs where they take a picture of your face. After the menagerie of personal information we take our next flight to Qingdao.

Insider In China

Qingdao because its where my grandparents live area. Nearby their home is the beach and they have a window with a direct view.

The Beach The view was rather nice.

When the rafts are cleaned off in

However, the sight of it is always

the spring, along comes the algae.

ruined every morning. This is due

These rafts had seaweed attached

to the long stretches of green

to them which the algae thrives

spreading across the ocean. It’s

off of. Not to mention, the warm

a phenomenon that has been

conditions in the Yellow Sea also

occurring for the past 15 years. The

boost this growth.

green is actually algae. The algae

This gave the algae the chance

can spread as far as 13,500 square

to spread out and make its way

miles. After the green shows up a

to the shore up near the city. It’s

horde of ships arrive afterward to

definitely creates a bizarre sight to

clean up the beach.

look at in person. The algae that’s

The algae blooms every year

cleaned up is then used as fertilizer.

on the beaches in Qingdao, on

Despite how odd it seems there’s

China’s northeast coast between

still people at the beach with the

Beijing and Shanghai. It began

algae present.

blooming around 2007 after seaweed farmers working south of Qingdao switched up how they clean off their rafts.

Insider In China

The Clean up

The sea by the Qingdao beach

Up Close

Coast by the Qingdao Aquarium

Insider In China

I don’t personally visit the beach before cleanup because the algae gives off a rank smell after drying on the shore. After decomposing, the smell of the algae is close to that of rotten eggs. Even though this issue has been happening for year there are no plans to prevent this issue from continuing further. The algae has a use but the amount of money that’s used for its beach year after year isn’t making up for the labor cost of the ships and man power it takes to remove the algae. Clean up costs them around $100 million just in 2008. The algae collected in 2013 weighed around 19,800 tons. Due to how far the algae goes you’ll see it anywhere near the coast. You could see the waves crashing against the coast with the algae climbing on over.

Insider In China

Qingdao A bit more into understanding Qingdao is that it is a major city in eastern Shandong Province. A fun fact to note is that the name in Chinese characters literally means “greenish-blue island”. Homed to China’s Yellow Sea coast, it is a major nodal city of the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) Initiative which crosses Asia and Europe. Not only that, but it has the highest GDP of any city in the province. Administered at the subprovincial level, Qingdao has jurisdiction over 7 districts and three county-level cities (Jiaozhou, Pingdu, Laixi). As of the 2020 census, Qingdao’s area is made of the 7 urban Districts (Shinan, Shibei, Huangdao, Laoshan, Licang, Chengyang and Jimo) was home to 7,172,451 inhabitants. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula and looking out to the Yellow Sea, it borders the prefecture-level cities of Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest.

Shopping district 10

Insider In China

Tsingtao beer

In recent years, an important

Worldwide, Qingdao is renown

region in Eastern China, Shandong

for its Tsingtao Brewery, created by

Province has changed substantially

a German British joint venture in

in its economy. For instance, this

1903 that produces Tsingtao beer.

development has been focused in

It’s also home to Haier, a large

Qingdao. Qingdao has observed

white goods manufacturer, and

for its rapid development. In fact, it

Hisense, a company that’s known

has an annual growth rate of 18.9

for its electronics.

percent in 2006 and the city’s GDP reached 42.3 billion. The GDP has grown steadily

Not only that, but the entire city had gone through an extraordinary growth of secondary

pacing on an average of 16%

and tertiary industries. Qingdao

annually. From 2006, Qingdao

flourishes with foreign investment

was ranked 1 of 6 “golden cities”

and international trade. This makes

by the World Bank, out of 120

it an important trading port for

Chinese cities judged on elements

the province. South Korea and

including investment climate and

Japan in particular have made

government ability. From 2018,

a large investment in the city.

Qingdao’s GDP reached 200.15

Approximately 80,000 South

billion yuan, but it decreased

Korean citizens reside there.

marginally in 2019.

Insider In China

The Aquarium

Qingdao Aquarium’s underwater tunnel

The Qingdao Aquarium has

There is a tunnel that’s under

been around since 1932. As a child

the seal enclosure. The tunnel was

I used to love going there to see

also very crowded but it was nice

the animals. But in the recent years

to see the animals swim from an

they had a renovation.

underneath perspective.

This renovation also added

But the smaller enclosures

some arctic foxes. Which are in

include the arctic foxes the

a small enclosed space. In fact

penguins and many others. The

most of the holdings for animals

penguins probably had around

became smaller. The only thing

5 feet of space around them. In

that got bigger in the renovation

addition, the arctic foxes probably

is the space for the tourists. They

only had 10 feet of space around

added a tunnel that’s under the

them. There used to be a polar

enclosure for the seals. Despite the

bear in the aquarium but it appears

renovation, the aquarium crowded.

to be gone along with its enclosure.

Insider In China

Fox enclosure

The penguins in their enclosure Insider In China

Cars parked on the crosswalk and blocking the fire hydrant

Insider In China

Parking Qingdao’s always been a

So people needed places to

crowded place and due to that the

park but had no lots to park at.

traffic was beyond awful. Many

This lead to people just parking

people had cars and the people

on every edge of the sidewalk.

who don’t can call upon taxi’s. My

Some cars even parked on top of

aunt used to drive on the sidewalk

crosswalks. It was an absurd sight

to pass by traffic.

to see. This also caused space for

However, after the focus construction of the subway system

cars moving on the road to be a bit of a squeeze.

the roads finally had some room to breathe. The subway’s atmosphere is nice too. Its very similar to an airport vibe. They even have a check in to scan your luggage. Unfortunately, this lead to another troubling issue. Since many people could take the subway instead of driving through traffic there cars not being driven. The lead to many people having to park their car. Parking lots were filled as were the underground ones. Qingdao does not have houses with garages in order to save space. There’s usually massive underground parking lots. But even then the space is filled.

Cars parked on the sidewalk Insider In China

Stray Dogs For Qingdao it isn’t a rare sight to see strays. They’re not abundant but you’ll see them every now and then. In addition, they’re also normally in packs. The dogs don’t normally cause trouble and they’re typically very docile. However, it is something to be aware of if you are ever in the area. For instance, near the parking lot of my grandparents home is where a pack of strays live. They typically lay down under the cars. They come out whenever people around and try to get food. Some of the strays already know how to do tricks like giving

2 of the other strays

handshakes or sitting when told. The strays are pretty well fed since they’re by a residential area with kind people around. However, I’m always worried that they’ll be in an accident since they sleep under the cars. Their personalities are pretty different from each other. The mother is very stoic. The two blond strays are energetic and playful and there’s also a black dog that keeps Mother Stray

Insider In China

to itself.

A baby panda at the Panda Center

Panda Center In one of our trips outside of

The red pandas were difficult

Qingdao we went to the Chengdu

to take photos of. While their

Panda Center. Beforehand after

enclosure was in an open location

paying considerable fee, you

but they were far off which made

could hold the baby pandas. You

taking photos difficult.

would wear a protective cloth over

The red pandas typically

yourself as to not get any germs on

were in high branches. The leaves

the panda.

obscured any decent photos. They

We unfortunately did not

were also mostly lazing about so

get to hold any pandas because

you did not see them move around.

they stopped allowing that after

They also had peacocks. The

a panda got sick even with the

peacocks were in their own open

protective cloth in place.

enclosure. They would occasionally

The center was not as crowded

make a loud squawk.

due to how big the place was. Though we could not hold any pandas we did get to see some. The was the normal black and white panda and the red panda. We saw both baby and adults.

Peacock at the Panda Center Insider In China

A panda in it’s enclosure

A red panda in it’s enclosure 18

Insider In China

Motel Before we went to the panda center we arrived at our temporary stay. There was a motel that was booked before our flight to Chengdu and it was possible the most bizarre place I have stayed at. To begin with, every door had a frame, but this frame was not built into the wall. The frame of the door was built to fit in the hole of where the door would be. This meant the door height was short and that the width of the door was squeezed in. If your at all at average or slightly above average height you will be hitting the top of the frame. They used stone tile flooring to get to the rooms, meaning as your luggage is rolling through it’ll be bumping the entire way. If you ever plan on going to China make sure you plan your lodgings ahead of time. Not every place you’ll find in China to be stay worthy. For instance, I have once stayed at an inn that had fake windows and fake drawers.

Small door frame 20

Insider In China

False window The bathroom also had issues where the water would not drain properly. This meant after every shower session since the water did not drain all of the way the water would then flood the bathroom. The shower also had 4 different nobs for its system. They were also not labeled making it difficult to tell what you were turning on. In addition, room itself was rather small. The lock on the bathroom was not the traditional lock that would be on the nob of the door. The lock for the bathroom door was far more primitive. The lock was essentially a wooden stick going through a wooden ring.

False drawer

Insider In China

Another thing to note is that these inn will most likely have an Internet connection but it is not something you should expect to be reliable. For instance the connection will be slow most of the time and it will not be secure. During one my trips back from China I would get an email that informed me that someone was trying to access my account. Luckily nothing happened to my account because I have 2 step verification. This is something everyone should do before going to China. Not only that, but you should probably get a VPN. Due to China’s censorship many sites like Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and so on are prohibited by the government. A VPN can assist in bypassing. This is something a traveler should be aware of if they plan on visiting.

Nighttime stalls

Insider In China

Stone shore near the beach

Insider In China

Stone shore near the beach

Stone Shore By the coast of Qingdao there’s

The red pandas were difficult

a stone shore. Along the shore

to take photos of. While their

are wooden boats that are docked

enclosure was not closed inside the

from low tide. There was possibly

place where people could see them

hundreds of wooden boat.

were far off.

To begin with, every door had a

The red pandas typically

frame, but this frame was not built

were in high branches. The leaves

into the wall. The frame of the door

obscured any decent photo. They

was built to fit in the hole of where

were also mostly lazing about so

the door would be.

you did not see them move around.

This meant the door height was short and that the width of the door was squeezed in. If your at all at average or slightly above average height you will be hitting the top of the frame.

Boats docked away from shore

Insider In China

The expansive stone shore

One of the wooden boats in low tide 26

Insider In China

Metro in Qingdao

Subway Qingdao has a metro system.

I would typically go to the mall

From where my grandparents

after reaching my stop. One of the

live going to the metro is within

stops for the metro is actually right

walking distance. The metro goes

under the mall. So after arriving

all throughout Qingdao.

from the train you can just take

The metro itself has a vibe

some stairs that reach to the mall.

similar to an airport. It even has a

If you buy a ticket for the

baggage check in station. If you

metro that ticket is also used after

buy a ticket for the metro that

the arrival. Before leaving the

ticket is also used after the arrival.

metro area you have to turn in the

Before leaving the metro area you

ticket that was purchased which is

have to turn in the ticket that was

then recycled.

purchased which is then recycled.

Insider In China

Stairs that lead to mall Insider In China

Dazu Rock Carving Entrance

Sichuan In one of our trips outside

It is bordered by the provinces

of Qingdao we went to Sichuan

of Gansu and Shaanxi to the north,

to visit the Dazu Rock Carving’s.

and east Chongqing municipality.

Sichuan is a southwestern Chinese

It is also bordered by the provinces

province that contains a stretch of

of Guizhou and Yunnan to the

Asia’s longest river, the Yangtze.

south. In the northwest the

The region is the home of giant pandas, which visitors can observe

province of Qinghai borders. Sichuan was the most populous

at Bifengxia Panda Base and other

province in China until Chongqing

panda reserves.

and adjacent areas were separated

It is located in the upper

from it in order to create the

Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) valley

independent province-level

in the southwestern part of the

municipality in 1997. The capital,

country. Sichuan is the second

Chengdu, is located near the centre

largest of the Chinese provinces.

of the province.

Insider In China

Close up of the main gate

The building across the bridge Insider In China

Dazu Rock Carvings In one of visits to locations

In addition to these stone

outside of Qingdao, was visiting

figures, there are also some

Chongqing. In Chongqing we got

inscriptions and remarks beside the

see the Dazu Rock Carvings. The

figures. Representation of some

Dazu Rock Carvings are a series

gods’ figures are lifelike and vivid.

of Chinese religious sculptures

For example, outside the niche of

and carvings and UNESCO World

the Great Jade Emperor stands

Heritage Site in Dazu District.

the statuary of Shun Feng Er, a

The carvings date back as far as the 7th century AD, depicting

favorable god having clairvoyance. It looks as if he is looking into

and influenced by Buddhist,

the distance. Besides, there is a

Confucian and Taoist beliefs. One

figure of Qian Li Yan, a god that

of the many carvings we saw was

can see things happening in a

the Shimenshan Rock Carving. The

thousand miles’ distance. It looks

statues are carvings that combine

as if he is listening attentively.

Buddhist and Taoist statues, but the later one predominates all.

Shimenshan Rock Carving 32

Insider In China

Shimenshan Rock Carving Insider In China

Shimenshan Rock Carving 34

Insider In China

Route used for the carts 36

Insider In China

The area is rather large and the carvings are quite spread apart. So to continue on forward the tourists have to use a cart that’s driven by the tour guides. Dazu Rock Carvings are made up of 75 protected sites containing some 50,000 statues, with over 100,000 Chinese characters forming inscriptions and epigraphs. The sites are located in Chongqing Municipality within the steep hillsides throughout Dazu District, located about 165 kilometers west of the urban area of Chongqing. The highlights of the rock grotto are found on Mount Baoding and Mount Beishan. The technique for rock carvings

The pagoda on the lake

The site was off limits to visitors for many years, the carvings were opened to Chinese travelers

may have originated in ancient

in 1961 and foreign visitors in 1980.

India. The earliest carvings were

Until 1975, there was only a muddy

begun in 650 AD during the early

path between the town of Dazu

Tang dynasty, but the main period

and the main cluster of carvings.

of their creation began in the late

The carvings were listed as a

9th century, when Wei Junjing,

World Heritage Site in 1999. The

Prefect of Changzhou, pioneered

reasoning was stated as, “their

the carvings on Mount Beishan,

aesthetic quality, their rich diversity

and his example was followed after

of subject matter, both secular

the collapse of the Tang dynasty by

and religious, and the light that

local and gentry, monks and nuns,

they shed on everyday life in China

and ordinary people during the

during this period. They provide

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

outstanding evidence of the harmonious synthesis of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.”

Insider In China

The site continues through a bridge

The buildings on the mountaintops 38

Insider In China

The stone village

Fuzhou In another of our trips outside

Unlike Qingdao Fuzhou has is

of Qingdao we went to Fuzhou to

riddled with mosquitoes. My time

see a village made mostly of the

there was not a long one but the

rocks from the mountains and to

amount of bites I got there were

see my aunt and uncle.

more than I ever got in my entire

Fuzhou is the capital of southeastern China’s Fujian

stay in Qingdao. The place is hot and humid as

province, a sprawling industrial and

another other place in China, but it

transportation hub. Its downtown

lacks any dragon flies. Which could

includes the “3 Lanes and 7 Alleys”

be the reason why I was bitten so

quarter of preserved Ming and

often during my time there.

Qing dynasty buildings. The mountaintop Yushan Scenic Area features the restored 10th-century White Pagoda. West Lake Park, dating 282 A.D. Its an urban area of bridges and pavilions.

Insider In China

The market entrance

The Market We went to shop around in Sichuan and this location basically an outlets where the stores were in the open facing each other. The atmosphere did not feel at all constrictive. However, the entrance had a terrible odor. The smell was coming from the sewer drain nearby and it covered a big area. Unlike Qingdao Fuzhou has is riddled with mosquitoes. My time there was not a long one but the amount of bites I got there were more than I ever got in my entire stay in Qingdao. The place is hot and humid as another other place in China, but it lacks any dragon flies.

A sitting area Insider In China

The various storefronts 42

Insider In China

Items at one of the stalls Insider In China

Chongqing In another of our trips outside

In 1745, Jiangbei district got

of Qingdao we went to Jiangbei

its name since it was located at

district in Chongqing. The Jiangbei

the north of the Jialing River.

district is located in the bank

Jiangbei district has developed

of the Yangtze River and the

into a modern city from a city with

Jialing River. Taking advantage

a profound history. Following the

of proximity to water and the

steps nearby Jiangbeizui central

convenience of shipping, Jiangbei

business district, you can see a

has been a thriving and prosperous

section of the old city wall near the

commercial district in Chongqing.

riverbank, and the Baoding gate in the middle of the wall. It stands at the foot of Chongqing Grand Theater and is located in Jiangbeizui central business area’s bustling financial center. In Jiangbei we also went to see the Theresa Catholic Church. The church had an impressive stature with a cool atmosphere. We didn’t enter the building but we took a look around it. When I finished looking around I went to see the plaque. The plaque was large but it appeared to have some spelling errors on its English half.

The church from afar

Insider In China

The church up close Insider In China

A plaque of the church’s history 46

Insider In China

Jiaozi/Dumplings being made by my grandmother 48

Insider In China

A restaurant at the Qingdao mall

Food Eating in China always gives

For instance, during one of my

of a feeling of abundance. This is

visits to China there was a family

normally because Chinese people

dinner at a restaurant. On that day

order more food than actually

I had 20 glasses of watermelon

needed for the people eating.

juice. The establishment didn’t

Chinese people do this so there is always more than enough food. There is a culture gap here because

have any soda but they did serve watermelon juice. So as I order for it and then

in other countries, if you finish the

finish my drink the waiter doesn’t

food in your plate, respect is then

even ask and refills my drink

show to the host.

without question. They had only

However in China, if your

stopped when asked to stop.

plate is empty, the host will order

Something else to note is to be

more because they think you are

careful getting food from the open

not full enough. Meaning they

stalls. My brother has a track record

will stop ordering until they find

of getting food poison from them.

you couldn’t eat any more. I have

This is due to the fact that the open

experienced that this also happens

stalls are not very sanitary.

with drinks.

Insider In China

Fried Baozi/Meat bun Not only that, but the quality

The weather would always be

of food is dodgy at times. During

hot and humid, usually in the high

my trip at Fuzhou we ate at a place

80’s. As a kid when visiting the

near the sea. I ordered fried rice

stone soldiers I passed out from

and possibly ate the worst fried

the heat. Making sure you have

rice ever made by a cook.

water on you is important and it’s

The meal was practically just plastic in texture and taste. So for me I usually only eat

also important to take breaks when your outing in the area. Mosquito repellent is also

at the restaurants and at my

important. While in Qingdao

grandparents home.

you’ll mostly be fine thanks to the

My grandmother typically

dragonflies in the area that prey on

makes dumplings and meat

small insects, other areas may not

buns. In addition, my grandfather

be as fortunate. Also keep in mind

sometimes cooks up his coke

the wattage is different so bring

chicken. Coke chicken does actually

an adapter with you especially

use the soda Coke and is kind of

because some of their outlets 3 flat

like General Tso’s chicken. Since

pins paralleled in a triangle. China

I’ve only visited in the summer I

has many more sights to see and I

experienced only 1 kind of weather.

hope you’ll enjoy seeing them.

Insider In China

Insider In China China’s a place where my mother’s side of the family live in. Besides seeing loved ones it’s a place with many sights to see. Throughout my time visiting I’ve taken many photos of time and experienced peculiars things that a first time tourist should be aware of. I’ve visited annually over the years so there’s quite a bit to talk about. For instance, the sea or how airports are like. There’s even how the subways are and what happens when there’s abundant of cars with no parking space.

Insider In China