During the summer of 2008, I spent two weeks in China studying Daoism, Qigong, and sightseeing. We spent most of our time with Master Wan Su-Jian at his training center in Beijing, and enjoyed five days on the road visiting amazing places just west and south of Beijing.
SIGHTSEEING
Summer Palace (Beijing): Originally constructed during the second Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and extended in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), this imperial garden spans 726 acres—three quarters of which is water. Featuring over 3,000 pavilions, towers, bridges, and corridors, it was used by imperial rulers as a retreat from regular palace life at the Forbidden City. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi reconstructed the site for her own use and named it the Summer Palace.
Tanzhe Temple and Pagodas (Beijing): Originally built during the first Jin Dynasty (265-420), this Buddhist temple, set in the western hills of Beijing, covers over 41,000 square meters. It consists of various pavilions, prayer halls, courtyards and a group of pagodas dating from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. At one time, it was one of the most important temples in the nation. The complex is extensive and is said to have provided a model for the layout of the Forbidden City.
Temple of Heaven (Beijing): This complex of Daoist buildings was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City. Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties visited the site for annual ceremonies of prayer for good harvest.
Xiushui (Silk) Market (Beijing): Originally an outdoor market, this shopping mecca was reopened in 2005 as a 5-story indoor shopping mall popular among tourists. The market features a crowded maze of stalls with a wide range of black market and knock-off clothing, shoes, and typical Chinese merchandise. It is a bargain-hunter’s paradise. Upon entering, a myriad of shop attendants shout, “Hey, beautiful lady! Come look. I have your style!” Some drag you into their stall and shove items under your nose. If you deign to look at something or pick it up, the bargaining begins. You negotiate a price on a calculator so those around you won’t know what you’re paying. When you punch in a lower price on the calculator, they say, “Oh, you killing me, lady!” But if you give your final price and walk away, they’ll follow you down a few stalls and eventually give in. An exhilarating and exhausting adventure! We ran into a guy from Moscow who struck up a conversation. When he asked where we were from and we told him America, he said, “I hate America.” He said that America invades many countries, and he thinks Russia is next. We tried to express that not all Americans are for war and that the political tide was about to turn, but he didn’t buy it.
Chinese Acrobatics (Beijing): A spectacular indoor show featuring contortionists, balancing acts, jumping through hoops, bicycles, and a splendid array of colorful costumes and laser lights.
Baiyun Guan (White Cloud Temple) (Beijing): Once the most influential Daoist temple in China, Baiyun Guan was first constructed in 739 AD. In 1202, the main halls burned down, but an original statue of Laozi was saved. In 1224, Genghis Khan ordered the reconstruction of the temple, which became known as the White Cloud Temple. Today, it houses the office of the Daoist Association of China and is an active place of Daoist ritual, with 30 resident monks wearing the traditional blue frocks and long hair tied in a bun on the top of the head.
Datong City (Shanxi Province): Founded during the Han Dynasty in 200 BC, Datong (originally Pingcheng) is located near the border of Inner Mongolia. It was the capital of Northern Wei (386-534), a time when Buddhism developed rapidly in China. With a current population of approximately 3 million, this industrial city is known as the “City of Coal.” We stayed at the lovely Hotel Continental.
Yungang Grottoes (Datong, Shanxi Province): Between 460 and 525 AD, some 40,000 people contributed to the creation of these ancient Buddhist temple grottoes. Approximately 252 caves and 51,000 Buddha and Bodhisattva statues are carved into a rocky cliffside spanning 1 kilometer (.62 miles).
Mianshan Mountain (Shanxi Province): The history of this spectacular mountain rising out of the valley far below dates back 2,500 years. During World War II, Japanese troops destroyed most of the original temples. Reconstruction began in 1996, including the addition of a road for vehicles, previously accessible only by an arduous hike up the craggy hillside. Today, Mianshan features a cluster of Buddhist and Daoist temples. Daluo Temple houses a great number of Daoist texts, including wooden engravings of the Daodejing. At night, the mountainside lights up with Daoist designs such as the Bagua and other symbols and constellations for blessings and good luck. We stayed at the Yunfeng hotel, featuring a glass elevator rising up the outside of the main building. We had the delightful opportunity to meditate in small individual caves in which many Daoist monks had meditated over the years. The tiny cave enveloped me in powerful qi, and I dropped deeply very quickly into a blissful state.
Pingyao City (Shanxi Province): This ancient city is enclosed within a wall originally built in 256 BC during the Zhou Dynasty and expanded in 1370. Pingyao became an important financial center during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The streets are lined with beautiful storefronts for shops, restaurants, and hotels.
Yingxian County (Shanxi Province): Yingxian features the world’s oldest and tallest wooden pagoda first built in 1056 in the Liao Dynasty. The 220-foot tall octagonal structure, put together without a single nail, has survived numerous earthquakes over a thousand years. We stayed at Guo Li Holiday Hotel.
Hengshan Mountain (Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province): One of China’s five sacred mountains for Daoists, Hengshan features a hanging cable car system that takes you to the top of the mountain over lush valleys far below. This mountain is sometimes referred to as Northern Hengshan, as there is a Southern Hengshan Mountain in Hunan Province that is also one of the five sacred mountains. It is said that Zhang Guolao, one of the Daoist Eight Immortals, practiced on Northern Hengshan and reached immortality. Here we visited and practiced qigong with Master Xin, a Daoist master in his nineties who maintains his ability to sit in full lotus pose and stretch his leg up to his head by practicing qigong for one hour, 4 times a day. He says fear causes illness. Get rid of fear, and there is no illness. Master Xin greeted us with watermelon and tea. And he gave us each a gift of a prayer bead bracelet which he blessed in a Daoist ritual. Precariously placed on the side of Hengshan Mountain is the Hanging Temple, built in 491 AD. We stopped briefly to take pictures and then checked in to the Hua Tai Hotel.
Juyongguan Great Wall (Changping County): The Juyongguan section of the Great Wall, a 1-hour drive from Beijing, is a pass that was first used in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). It was connected to the Great Wall during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589 AD). The present pass was initially built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and has since undergone much renovation.
Tiananmen Square (Beijing): Covering 100 acres, Tiananmen Square is named after the Gate of Heavenly Peace which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. The Tiananmen Gate was first built in the 1420s during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) for use as a massive gathering place. The Square has been the site of numerous notable events, including the 1949 declaration of the People’s Republic of China by Mao Zedong and the 1989 non-violent demonstrations for political reform that resulted in bloodshed and worldwide attention.
Forbidden City (Beijing): The Forbidden City (aka Palace Museum) was constructed from 1407 through 1420 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). For almost five centuries, it served as home for emperors, as well as the center of political and ceremonial activity. The complex includes 980 surviving buildings.
Wanfujing Shopping Street (Beijing): Wanfujing Street is like many around the world, each side lined with high dollar stores. We stepped into a large shopping mall and headed straight to Starbucks. I enjoyed my first coffee (an $8 latte) in two weeks. We encountered a wonderful tea shop where several sales girls ushered us in for tea tasting. Bought some very old pu-erh tea and strainer mug.
CHINESE TAOIST MEDICAL BAGUA XUNDAO QIGONG CENTER (Beijing)
Master Wan: Wan Su-Jian grew up in the small town of Jin Ci, in Shanxi Province, China. The area was impoverished after World War II, and many children died for lack of food. Determined not to let his three younger sisters die, Wan often stole food from the altar at the local temple. He was seven when he was finally caught by the temple master, who was surprised the family was starving since Wan’s father was a hospital administrator and his mother was an acupuncturist. He offered to take Wan in for training in qigong, medicine, and feng shui. Master Wan furthered his studies at age nine, when he went to live among Daoist masters and priests at Hengshan Mountain. A few years later, during the Cultural Revolution, Wan’s parents were forced to leave their medical positions. Determined never to let their children work in the health field, they burned all their medical texts. Wan, age 14, ran to the fire and saved two rare texts which provided the basis for his Bagua Xundao Qigong system.
At age 15, Wan returned to Hengshan Mountain to live for one year, deepening his knowledge of Daoist practice and healing. One time while the master was away, he treated a patient who had come to the mountain from the town below. When it came time for payment, Wan had an unusual request. Because the monks on the mountain were vegetarians, Wan really missed eating meat. So when the patient asked what he owed for services, Wan replied, “I’d really just like a chicken!” Soon, people were hiking up the mountain one by one carrying chickens in exchange for treatments.
At 17, Wan was chosen for service when the army came through his town. He eventually became a four-star general and is grateful for the time served because he was able to learn medicine. He is now one of the top 10 doctors in all of China. Master Wan was named captain of the medical team for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He and his team of students will provide medical care at the events.
Master Wan's Students: The students at the center study Traditional Chinese Medicine, qigong, gongfu, Daoism, and music. On a typical day, they wear many hats. You’ll see them teach qigong, practice and perform Daoist healing music on a variety of unique instruments, sing mantras, serve meals with unceasing attention, and clean guest rooms. Then they’ll throw on their white coats and morph into accomplished qi healers. Soon after, they may be wearing camouflage gear and heading out for Red Cross missions. Later that day, they might be dressed in elaborate, brightly colored costumes for a ceremonial demonstration of their qigong, gongfu, and musical skills. They regularly volunteer at an orphanage and have driven many hours to help earthquake victims in far away Chengdu. Master Wan’s main focus is to use universal qi and, most importantly, love for healing. These kids exude love and compassion in everything they do. They literally take you by the arm to lead you to wherever you’re supposed to be, help you up and down stairs, and are quick to jump at every request—always with a smile on their faces. However, you are occasionally reminded that they’re just regular kids—they giggle, gossip, bicker, share romances, and text message their friends. They sometimes talk or whisper while giving treatments and have difficulty being still. They’re lively and delightful. Every time our group returns to the center, the students are lined up in the courtyard, playing their instruments to greet us. “Auld Lang Syne” and “Jingle Bells” are favorite tunes. The students come to the center from varying backgrounds. Dongyuen, a bubbly 24-year-old who speaks beautiful English, has lived at the center for seven years. Master Wan discovered her at an orphanage and took her in. Stone, Dongyuen’s 24-year old boyfriend, has also been at the center seven years. He only finished middle school and went to work to help support his older brother and sister through school. After working in manual labor for a year, he heard about the center through a friend and inquired about joining. Master Wan instructed him to study gongfu first and then took him in. Some students join the center after rigorous training at the famous Shaolin Temple. After many years at the center, some move on to careers in language translation, nursing, medicine, etc.
Treatments: We received blissful qi healing treatments every day. A thorough session at the center includes: 1) sitting in meditation while an advanced qi healer directs qi into your head and body, 2) lying on a table where 4 to 5 students lay their healing hands on you then give you a vigorous qi massage, 3) a foot soak and massage, and 4) acupuncture performed by Master Wan. We even received mini-treatments on the road—in our hotel rooms, on the bus, and on long hikes.
Qigong: We practiced qigong and meditation daily at the center and at sacred outdoor sites imbued great natural qi and feng shui. Master Wan’s qigong forms are linked with the Bagua, the octagonal symbol that includes the Taiji circle (yin-yang symbol) and the eight trigrams of the Yijing (Book of Changes). The Bagua is used in Daoist cosmology to track cyclical changes and is used as a template in feng shui. We experienced Bagua Zhang, circle walking, and explored a variety of qigong forms based on Bagua symbolism.
Schedules: Organization and efficiency are paramount to the operations of our hosts and our daily activities. Although we often don’t know what we’re doing next until about 20 minutes beforehand, they like us to “hop to it” when the time comes. And when an event is over, even a soothing qigong session or a relaxing healing treatment, an abrupt “Finish!” urges you to get up and leave.
TIDBITS and OBSERVATIONS
S-M-O-G! My most lasting impression of Beijing is the horrendous air quality. I am sad to think that these people never get a clear view of the sun, of their city, and of the mountains and the Great Wall so near by.
Meals: The food was fantastic! Each dish is served separately, rather than mixed together as in American Chinese, and placed on a lazy susan in the center of the table. With your chopsticks, you simply pick and choose bits of what you want as you go, placing them in your small bowl or saucer-sized plate. For each of our daily three meals, we were showered with at least 15 plates of delectable treats. I found vegetarian eating quite easy. Hot tea was served at nearly every meal and refreshing beer at dinner. Breakfast consisted of a variety of veggies, soup, fried eggs, juice, and a drinkable sweet yogurt. Fruit is served at the end of every meal as dessert. Sweet desserts are non-existent.
Crazy driving: Wow, I wasn’t quite prepared for the speed and chaos that is driving in China! The white lines are merely a suggestion in this country. Horns are used incessantly as a communication tool. It’s a massive web of weaving buses, trucks, pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, bikes and scooters with loaded carts, and donkeys with carts—all within inches of each other. And, of course, there are no seat belts or seat belt laws. I learned to truly go with the flow and put great trust in our drivers. I especially applaud Dr. Li (known by the students as “Mario,” as in Andretti). He drove the bus on our 5-day excursion at speeds that must have reached at least 90mph. He didn’t hesitate to use the siren on our Red Cross bus when we were in a pinch. At one point in Datong, we took a wrong turn down a dusty road with deep potholes. Mario had the cell phone in one hand to get directions to our hotel and turned the bus around with a 3-point u-turn with the other hand. Impressive! After I put the teeth back in my head, that is.
Bathrooms: Toilet is a word used loosely. Someone in our group said the word “toilet” in Chinese translates as “room with hole.” An apt description. All public “toilets” we encountered were simply rooms with holes. Flushable holes. You squat to do your business, and toilet paper is generally not offered. We quickly learned to bring our own. You may find a sink to wash your hands, but no soap or towels for drying. At Hengshan Mountain, there was a super deluxe room with hole. It was simply a wooden box with a rectangular hole cut in the floor, and everything fell about 10 feet down to the open ground beneath you.
Hard beds: Every bed we had felt like the box springs with no mattress. I had an achy back for a few days, but eventually acclimated.
Tourism: Sacred sites such as temples, the Great Wall, and holy mountains are now tourist parks, complete with souvenir shops everywhere. All of the temples began to look alike after awhile. They have the same ornate paint job, most of them recently renovated for the upcoming Olympic Games. Many places we went, especially outside of Beijing in the smaller towns, we caused quite a stir. Heads would turn and stare at the unusual sight of Westerners. Some ask to take our pictures. In one small town, my roommate Tracy and I took a walk down the street after dinner. Every single person turned to look at us. Many smiled and some said, “Hello.” When we stopped to sit on a park bench, several children and some adults swarmed around us. One woman, busy eating from her dinner bowl, squatted in front of us and asked us a couple of questions in broken English. It was a short conversation, but she was quite friendly.
Poverty: One morning, we drove past an impoverished town, and I noticed people squatting in the dirt in front of their shacks brushing their teeth. We gassed up the van one day at a gas station with a “car wash”—a girl with a dirty rag and a hose.
Olympics: Signs heralding the upcoming Olympic games are everywhere. Many beautification projects are underway. Millions of trees have been planted and we witnessed massive gardens built from the ground up in the two weeks we were there. They’re even busy tiling the inside of tunnels. It looks like there’s much still left to be done in the four short weeks remaining.
Lost in translation: So many signs have English words as well as Chinese. But it’s like a typical Chinese restaurant menu—words are misspelled and misused. Some are quite funny. I failed to get a picture of a funny pair of trash cans. One was marked “recycle” and the other “organisms.” Huh? Other funny road signs include “Do not drive tiredly,” “Don’t try fatigue driving.” An ad for a golf resort boasted, “Flauless life beyond comparison.” But then again, we did a good job of butchering any attempt to speak Chinese. For days, we were calling Master Wan's student Dongyuen ‘Tong,’ only to find out later that Tong means ‘soup.’
Final thoughts: For me, China is a rich blend of its ancient, mystical, spiritual roots and its modern, communist, capitalist struggle. On this trip, I learned, in a deeper way, how to be in the moment, allowing everything to be just as it is. I am immensely grateful and blessed to have had this opportunity to journey halfway across the world.
Goodbye, China. I will take with me this complex tapestry of memories wherever I go...into each moment. |
