The China of my childhood consisted of going for chips and a drink to Sam, the smiling Chinese owner of the Gimli Cafe. Our school had an old Encyclopedia showing Chinese in pigtails and pill box hats. The write-ups consisted of various Emperors and Dynasties. The WWII newsreels of China showed poor housing and not much else. We were fortunate to have an uncle, Pete Peterson who subscribed to Life Magazine. Not only did he pass them on to us, but he had the back-issues as well. I memorized every picture in those long-forgotten magazines, trying to get a glimpse of the world those pictures created. An unquenchable thirst for knowledge and to travel was born.

Welcome to modern China. WOW! Landing at Beijing Airport gives one a glimpse of the immense number of people that call China home. The airport was upgraded for the 2008 Olympics. It gives the impression of a giant dragon. Beijing itself is a city of 22 million, it is 100 miles square. Our guide pointed out that growing up in Beijing was living with five other families in a very small house, one family had a bicycle. This was in the 1950's, there were no cars in the city at that time. Now there are 4-million cars in Beijing. To accommodate the automobile, the government built a modern network of roads. In Beijing there are 6 ring-roads to move traffic. The highway systems are equally as impressive.

Our guide points out, as we travel in luxury aboard our Mercedes bus, that there are 1.3 billion people in China. We met a goodly number of them. Once they see our Canadian flag they immediately say “Dr. Norman Bethune”, the Canadian Doctor who came to look after Chairman Mao’s troops during the civil war. Our guide goes on to state as we tour “The Forbidden City”, that Old China was the realm of the Emperor. The Chinese people served the Emperor in any way he directed. Whether it was digging a private lake for his Summer Palace, building The Great Wall or fighting his various wars. Not anymore, as modern China has embraced capitalism with enthusiasm. They have the second largest economy in the world. They are very proud of their country. They point out The Birds Nest Stadium and other Olympic venues. They know their history, to a Canadian their knowledge of their own country can put us to shame. They are well dressed in Western clothing, with the women in particular all sporting Gucci bags. Education and business are the path they are following to gain the goods they desire.

A visit and a climb on the Great Wall show the immensity of the structure, and the centuries it took to build. The hardships the Chinese people endured moving the huge blocks of stone. Many thousands perished. They were simply buried in the wall making it the largest cemetery in the world. The view is definitely worth the climb. As we travel, we are constantly reminded of the past. A visit to a Jade factory shows the infinite patience of the carvers, coupled with the Chinese love of the green stone. The old symbols of dragons and other mythical figures are shown off and come to life anew. Subsequently, a visit to the pearl factory was for some the highlight of the trip. The cultured pearl market is huge, to see the millions of different coloured pearls was beautifully overwhelming.

We pass rows and rows of modern apartment buildings on our way to the Ming Tombs. This is a site we are to see over and over again. Modern China is moving to the Cities. Our guide points out that there are still half a billion people still on the farms wanting the good life. One of our passengers’ comments: “Oh if only I could get the Climbing Cranes franchise for China”. The immense Buddha that represents the Ming Dynasty brings large crowds of worshippers and visitors alike. Buddhism is the religion of 66% of the Chinese people. Our guide tactfully states that the true religion is “money”.  A visit to Tiananmen Square brings Modern China in focus again. Walking on its pavement is to relive history.

The Emperors of China took their roles seriously in looking after their subjects. They realized they needed highways for commerce. Thus, the Grand Canal and others were dug. This not only created work but a useful, functioning highway as well. At Suzhou, we travelled in a canal boat to view the city. We visited the old town where time seems to have stopped. The traditional marketplace still has the narrow streets and small stalls. The locals can buy frogs, turtles, eels, fish or live ducks for the evening meal. The saying goes that the Chinese eat anything on four legs except the table. We are regarded with indifference by the locals.

The Suzhou Silk Factory from an educational point of view is worth the trip. The years of development of the silk industry is revealed before your very eyes. The patience to produce silk is time honoured. It is labor intensive, and the end result is incredible. Many of our group went home with pure silk items. We enjoyed a delightful lunch at the factory. I should point out that there were many groups from different Chambers of Commerce from around the world. It was not unusual to have 10 buses and 200 plus people eating at the same time. Lunch consisted of a large bowl of rice followed by many dishes of vegetables and meats. All placed, industrial catering style, on a giant lazy Susan in front of us. You could chose whatever you wished for lunch and it was washed down with the local beer, Coke or green tea. Then we were on the road again.

The Chinese believe that green tea has magical powers, so a visit to a tea plantation was in order. Again, in time honoured tradition the tea leaves are grown in secluded valleys. The end result is tea that will cure all your ills and taste good too. The time devoted to this product is staggering. Then it was on to a magnificent stay in Hangzhou. All the hotels were 5-star, simply incredible, and the service was outstanding. The morning breakfasts were to die for, somehow cereal and toast in the morning back in Canada simply does not cut it. A stop at an embroidery factory once again demonstrates the patience of the local people. We admired a completed masterpiece that took nine months to create.

Shanghai is the Wall Street of the Orient. The modern buildings facing the Bund attest to this. Again, a city of 22 million, but smaller in size than Beijing. It is here that the Western powers extracted concessions from the Emperor. Commerce has not stopped. It’s a busy port to this day, traffic is something else. It looks like a Chinese fire drill... cars, people, buses, bicycles, motorcycles all crossing the street at the same time. It looks like mass confusion, but there is an inner calm. Amazing for an outsider to witness.

A trip on the fastest train in the world rounds out our journey. The train travel at 431 kilometers an hour from Shanghai to the airport. A genuine goodbye to our guide brought tears to some. The Chinese people do not like to accept gratuities. I pulled our wonderful guide aside and presented him with a John Deere hat that I had brought with me. Noting his reluctance, I said “It’s okay. It’s made in China”

Ken Kristjanson
May 2011