SATURDAY – April 8, 2017. As our partner students of Xi’an Gaoxin Tangnan High School prepare for exams on Monday, we travelled about an hour by bus to the Lintong District of Xi’an to see the Terracotta Warriors. In 1974 a farmer made the chance discovery of the clay warriors one day in late March while he was digging a well. Little did he know he would eventually uncover the great necropolis of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of China who ruled from his thirteen birthday until his death in 210 BC . Qin is credited with unifying six warring kingdoms of China. He is the emperor who began the construction of the Great Wall, and it appears he had grand plans for his time in the afterlife! There are over 7,000 warriors, charioteers, and cavalry soldiers guarding the tomb of Qin. Even though much work has been done to restore these marvels, the site is an active archeological restoration site. We could see many of the broken clay pieces scattered about tagged with numbers to assist the scientists in rebuilding each statue. This is a painstaking process. The discovery site, which is now a popular international tourist attraction, has become a bustling small town with many shops and restaurants. However, surrounding the exhibits family owned restaurants in ancient homes serve the traditional and spicy food of this region. We enjoyed a delicious lunch in one of these home-style restaurants, the perfect place for Lili to have her first dumpling in China! Our English speaking tour guide Lily with Lili. Mrs. B. is always making us pose for pictures! Embroidery Lessons Smoothie Shop Post it Notes from Keegan and Lili Mrs. B. teaching English
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APRIL 6
Students continue to hone their Chinese language skills and some of the students gave speeches about the festival in English class. Even Mrs. Belcher got into the act and taught two English classes today! Yesterday, the students had a music lesson and then outside for a KongFu, where they moved with grace and agility. Today, everyone continued to express themselves through art - panda painting! Back to School
April 5 and 6 Back to school after the holiday, and everyone has a story to share from trying hot pot to going to an amusement park. Each of the students enjoyed some family time with each host family. I was treated to quality time with some of the exchange students who travelled to NYC with me in November. Dave and Sam took a break from preparing to take the SAT’s to host a delicious introduction to Hot Pot with Jack, Eric, and Lee. Who knew beef tongue was so delicious! After lunch Lee showed me around the city and taught me how to use the city bus and the subway. On Tuesday, I rested and waited for the blog update to load onto the website, relaxing and enjoying the view of the city neighborhood, including the school. Around 5:30, Eric and his family, his mother, father and cousin, came to pick me up for dinner. What a treat. Eric’s dad introduced me to all of the scrumptious snacks of Xi’an. Then Eric’s mom drove us around the city to take in the city lights and witness the kite flying and fountain show. Qing Ming Festival The school week is extended due to the Qing Ming Festival, a special time to honor ancestors and elders by making a special effort to visit their graves. This mourning festival also serves as an opportunity for the younger generation to learn of the lives and contributions of their ancestors. Throughout the city people sweep the grave sites with willow branches and decorate the tombstones with fresh flowers. Often families leave offerings of food. Walking along the city streets in the evening, the small light from a sacrificial fire can be seen. Relatives burn money to send to relatives in the after life. Over one billion dollars will be burned by the end of this festival - not to worry it is fake money. This is also a time to relish family time, as the schools and most businesses will be closed. Everything is in bloom – the tree blossoms drift down and litter the sidewalks with soft petals to welcome Spring. Colorful kites dot the afternoon sky and illuminate the night sky like lanterns filling the horizon with twinkling stars. After a time, the strings are cut and the kites appear to rise toward heaven signifying good luck and the release of illness.
Saturday School on Sunday - April 2, 2017 Field Trip to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda Xi'an, as the ancient city Chang'an, was the capital city of the Tang Dynasty and the beginning point of the Silk Road. At one time this great city featured more than one hundred Buddhist temples; however, today there are only two that remain - the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Large numbers of distinguished monks studied and translated scriptures at the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. Built in 707AD, it was fifteen stories high but stands only between twelve and thirteen stories today due to several earthquakes in the region. First ride on a city bus Kelly thought the climb to the top was too dangerous and difficult. We conquered the climb! Posing on the steps - Quite Popular Celebrity Status City of Xi'an Museum and Garden Park THE obligatory JUMP PIC then LUNCH!!! The sights at the museum - Wait a minute - is that a new exhibit feature?!? LUNCH!
UNIFORMS, CHINESE CLASS, and CALLIGRAPHY Uniform Day - We received our uniforms at the Welcoming Ceremony, so today is our first day wearing them to school. During our Chinese Class yesterday, we took an exam to measure our Chinese proficiency. Today we got the results...We all need to work on our writing and our tones - We are ready! Xi'an in APRIL
Our days are long and filled with activities, including meeting so many new friends. Our first day in the classroom was productive with the SHS students diligently working on their homework studies. After lunch and a rest, which just means these studious young people continue to complete school work, we prepare for our first Chinese Culture lesson - The Chinese Opera Masks! The Forbidden City is across from the square with five entrances, three of them with arched marble bridges. The center entrance is the sacred way for the Emperor to enter and his family may enter through the entrance to the left and his wife to the right. From gate to gate, traveling in one direction only, the city extends over 8 kilometers. Over 50,000 people visit the Forbidden City during this time of year, while almost two times that number travel to the "heart" of Beijing in July and August. We definitely felt the awesomeness of the number of travelers we encountered as we walked the over 8 kilometers through gate after gate after gate. Gate of Heavenly Purity Palace of Heavenly Purity Inner court with three inner palaces Palace of Earthly Tranquility Palace of Eternal Harmony Palace of Peaceful Longevity Hall of Mental Cultivation Dragon Lady courtyard and quarters Imperial Garden – three elements stone, water and plant? Gate of Devine Prowess Moat Onto the Gardens and Courtyard where size really does matter as a measure of wealth and power.
BEIJING. March 29 Tian’an Men Guangchang – The square of the Gate of Heavenly Peace represents the heart of Beijing - Mao’s Mausoleum is prominent and flanked by revolutionary statues. Even though the students didn't believe me - Mao's embalmed body resides in a crystal casket raised from a refrigerated chamber for viewing– surrounded by ancient gates without the walls gone long ago. According to Kelly, our guide, Tiananmen Square is the largest public gathering place in the world. Taking group pictures almost always provided an opportunity for another tourist to join us. It was not unusual to have more than one camera pointing at us as we posed and posed again. Entrance to the Forbidden City |
AuthorFortunate veteran teacher in Sharon, Massachusetts, who is traveling with the Chinese Exchange students from Sharon High to Xi'an, China. Archives
May 2017
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