"Unnaturally Natural"

First of all, I can't believe I've already been here a month! Time goes by quickly when you're busy with research and trying to explore a new place. I feel like there's not enough time for everything! I guess it just means I'll have to come back to do the rest later.

This time I thought I'd update everyone on my recent trips out of Shanghai. I try to balance my time in the weeks with the project and getting to know Shanghai and on weekends I try to experience a bit more of what the rest of China has to offer. There is so much to do it's impossible to get to it all, so I've started with the recommendations from Lonely Planet and the ex-pat magazines that are doable in weekends.

Two weekends ago, I ventured out to a nearby town called Hangzhou which contains one of China's largest and most well-known lakes: West Lake. This massive area can almost be considered the largest garden in China. Originally part of the river, the Lake has fluctuated in size as dykes, dams, and seasonal floods and droughts have alternately expanded and contracted its size. With the establishment in the Tang and Song dynasties of dams and the Bai and Su Causeways (long road crossings of the lake made from dredging the bottom), the lake stabilized in size. The lake was created both to provide water to surrounding farms but also for the pleasure of statesmen and emperors in Hanghzou, the capital of the Song Dynasty.

Now, because of its history and beauty, West Lake is a popular destination for Chinese tourists. The lake, in my opinion, is almost the centerpiece of a large Chinese garden. The surrounding hills, the lake's alcoves and shores, and even the islands in the center are so decorated and manicured that it is as if the lake is meant to be a garden in itself. In Suzhou, the city I visited the following weekend known for its gardens, I came across a plaque describing Chinese garden philosophy as creating spaces that were "unnaturally natural." They are meant to combine all of the elements of nature--earth (stones), water, plants, and humans--in a harmonious balance. No element dominates, and the scene is meant to inspire serenity and tranquility. In this sense, West Lake is a perfect example of a garden. Its shorelines have been sculpted into gentle curves with occasional peninsulas jutting out into the open water. Stone bridges connect these protrusions in a graceful arch, a natural shape. Lotuses patches are carefully constrained in how far they stretch across the lake, and willows line the shores with gaps that allow a peek through a frame of draping branches at the serene waters and rolling hills beyond. The element of man, always present but never the center, is visible from everywhere through boats cruising slowly along the water and temples and pagodas dotting the pinnacles of the hillsides.

As you walk along the lake, no detail seems trivial. Every tree seems to have been placed, and every mooring (like the one below) is carved with great detail. This lake was not meant to be natural, but was meant to look natural and balance all of the elements. It makes for a great place to sit and relax, watch the sunset, and think. Aside from the occasional loud tourist group (you just can't escape them here in China!), the shores are tranquil. In some spots, the sights are merely the trees, water, and classical style buildings while the sounds are merely the lap of the waves on the rocks at your feet, the cicadas buzzing in the trees around, and the occasional bird chirping or fish jumping. It is a relaxing break from the bustle of Shanghai.

I enjoy these weekend trips in part because I get to experience a different side of China and in part because I get to meet new people. Often they are tourists simply asking to take a photo with me. I must be quite the attraction at 6'1" with red hair, much more facial hair than I've seen on anyone else here, and blue eyes. However on this trip to Hangzhou I met two people, Caesar and Joy, who were tourists from elsewhere in China. They both spoke English and the three of us made a little travel party for the trip around the lake. It was nice to meet some new friends and chat for a day. The pictures below show these new friends and the obligatory picture of me in front of the lake.

There is another side to Hangzhou that I discovered on my second day there. It has numerous temples and pagodas of religious significance. The largest of these is Linping Temple and grounds which is one of the largest Buddhist temples in Asia. It is also impressive for its collection of rock carvings and effigies of Buddha and other central figures of the religion. Walking around, you can see why they chose this location. The hills, rock caves, and heavily forested peaks surrounding the temple create a naturally holy space worthy of Muir or Thoreau. Even though it is now overrun with tourists and crowded by street vendors, it is not hard to imagine a time when sitting in this location was a deeply religious experience as the trees swayed around you, water trickled in the stream, and the birds and bugs buzzed overhead while you sat and meditated. Pictures can't capture the essence of this place, so instead I've included snapshots of the most famous monuments there--the laughing Buddha (the Matreya) and the giant Buddha in one of the temples.

Last weekend featured a trip to more gardens, this time in the nearby town of Suzhou. Here is a relatively modern city with pockets of antiquity in its ancient gardens, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites and all of which are held up by the government as stunning examples of the classical Chinese garden. Here again I saw this theme of carefully sculpted nature, resulting in lakes, rivers, and walks that were almost too picturesque. The idea of balance is visible everywhere--no single element dominates, and rather than create a manicured landscape as in continental Europe where it is clear that nature is man's dominion, the Chinese choose to accentuate the landscape with walls, temples, and structures. To them, man has his place in the garden but he neither controls it nor dominates it. Perhaps it is the concept of feng shui at work as well, but the pathways here are beautiful winding walks that never give you the same view twice. They lead up to a reveal--suddenly you come from behind a wall or trees and see the garden through a portal either made by a door, rocks, or trees. The entrance feels processional and as if you are entering a hidden domain. I really like the feel of these gardens.

I also was impressed with the open style of the houses that surround them. The buildings are open to views, natural lighting, and natural ventilation with covered walks connecting them together. It was a nice pavilion or plaza created in the middle with a beautiful garden as the centerpiece. These ancient houses seem like they must have been nice places to live and frankly, I think that modern buildings could learn a lot from their openness to nature and passive design principles.

Well, that is the end of my weekend travels for now. I do want to share one more fun experience before I sign off though. When I returned from Suzhou exhausted, I was ready to crawl into bed and lie down and work until I read online that last Sunday was American Culture Week at an outdoor shopping area called Xintiandi. Sponsored by the USA Pavilion at Expo, this was supposed to be a small window into what you can see at Expo and what American culture is. Curious and excited that here was a slice of home, I dragged myself out of bed, threw on clothes not drenched in sweat, and headed out. So how, you might ask, do we represent American Culture? Check out the pictures below for the answer.

That's right: hip-hop dance and Sesame Street. Okay, so these performances were more about entertainment for families and streetgoers than really exposing Shanghai to American culture--I don't mean to oversimplify or be critical. They were just for fun and to attract more people to the USA Pavilion at Expo. And it was fun to see Elmo and Cookie Monster up on stage. But it left me wondering where was Big Bird--did he get quarantined for avian flu?