China Chronicles

CEBU, Philippines - There was a time in my life when I vowed not to step on a foreign land until I’ve already seen the whole of the Philippines. But I got a message from the office of the Provincial government offering me the chance to go to China.

Truly forgetting my personal vow, I accepted the invitation.

To be honest, I was filled with excitement. This was my first overseas trip and it was quite a long journey since we were booked on connecting flights to Manila and Hong Kong, before we landed in China’s capital city. When we got to the Hong Kong International Airport, my eyes ogled with open mouth — the sights of the massive airport, with all its shops strategically located in the intricate but spacious modern architecture.

Beijing

We arrived in Beijing, the capital city, at nightfall. As we got out of the airport terminal, I could feel the sudden chill in my face even with two layers of clothing. The unfamiliar cold reminded me that I was really far, far away from home. What I saw in the movies and read in books became real as bicycles emerged from all directions. I was enthralled by the different designs of bicycles: the classic and vintage ones; there were bikes with baby carriers and cargo baskets, modern small folding bikes and electric-driven ones.

Massive buildings in beautiful-classic to odd looking modern architecture are concrete proofs of the city’s rapid development. What I appreciated is the city’s balance of industrial growth and nature preservation. Most of the city’s lights are energy-savers and a whole lot of solar-harnessing devices are spread all over the city. In line with these, trees are still abundant in this highly advanced metropolis.

We had our first rest at China World Hotel, situated in the very heart of the busy city. For once in my life I knew how kings and princes must feel, living luxuriously in their kingdoms.

On our first day, we made a quick courtesy visit to the Beijing Municipal Government building and then, a hearty lunch at the Beijing Roast Duck Restaurant. There, we feasted on a dizzying array of dimsum delights and of course we munched on that fabled Peking duck. We were faced with one major problem: chopsticks! But with our grumbling stomachs, we instinctively learned the “gripping” technique or otherwise starve! The Dongsi Olympic Community Museum came next where Beijing Olympics 2008 memorabilia were displayed. We then visited the Doncheng District Administrative Management Center, a compact site where citizens could find any information and the services of the different government assistance program.

Next on our itinerary was Tian’anmen Square, one of the most visited landmarks in Beijing. Considered to be one of the largest plazas in the world, the square is literally known as Gate of Heavenly Peace.

Beyond Tiananmen sits the Chinese Imperial Palace, most commonly known as the Forbidden City. For almost five centuries, the palace served as home to the emperor and his household, as well as a common meeting place for ceremonial and political happenings of the Chinese government. It was so named as no commoners were allowed to enter the palace for centuries.

The highlight of our last day at the capital was the tour of the Beijing National Stadium, internationally known as the Bird’s Nest. It got its name for the obvious reason that the stadium’s design was inspired by a nest. It is in fact the world’s largest steel structure. The stadium was built to house the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

Nanjing

After Beijing, we flew to Nanjing. We got out of the airport late in the afternoon and I hurriedly went up the bus to find the best seat. In long travels, you can never ask for a better friend than a bus window.

Our bus ride ended at the foot of the Jinlin Hotel where we were met by the members of Jiangsu Provincial Friendship Association who hosted another heavy dinner for us.

The following day was another tour day. We went way up to the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum and Tomb of the First Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen is the Chinese own version of Jose Rizal. He was considered to be the father of modern China and founded the People’s Republic of China by battling the Imperial Qing government and ended the monarchy in the 1911 Revolution. The mausoleum sits high up at the foot of the second peak of Mount Zijin(Purple Mountain). To reach the top, one must take the grueling 392-step stairs. The climb proved to be a good exercise. When we reached the top, all our efforts were worth it as the marvelous Nanjing landscape revealed itself to us

Afternoon saw us at the Yunjin Research Center/Handicrafts Museum. There we got to witness the traditional weaving of Chinese silk. Huge old-looking wood contraptions have been preserved; in fact, they are still operational as we saw several talented men and women manually transform threads of silk into splendid cloths. I noted how industrious the workers were for it was really a painstaking process. The museum also showcased different handcrafted gift items that reflect the people’s artistry and ingenuity. Then the center prepared something wonderful for us, especially for us men. They staged a mini-fashion show with beautiful Chinese models, much to our delight.

Nanjing wasn’t through with us. After another scrumptious dinner at the Temple of Confucius, we were brought to a channel of the Qinghuai River which happens to windingly hide itself among the city’s charming recesses. At a bright lantern-lit bank, we boarded two colorful wooden boats. Everything beyond that moment was magical. We navigated the whole of Qinghai River, passing well-lit century-old houses, temples and pagodas on the riverbanks. As we passed under several stone bridges and saw other touring boats, I felt like time had stopped for a moment. I was really spellbound in Nanjing.

Shanghai

We had our longest bus travel the next day. It was roughly a four-hour trip towards China’s largest city— Shanghai.

Our whole delegation was then taken to the much touted Shanghai Grand Central Hotel where our accommodations exceeded far beyond our wildest dreams. It was really the grandest hotel experience I have had, to date.

After lunch, we went to Shanghai’s most prominent landmark: The Oriental Pearl Tower. This astounding piece of architecture is strategically erected by the side of the Huangpu River. The tower’s design was inspired from a verse of a poem entitled Pipa Song which was about the wonderful tinkling sound of a pipa instrument, like pearls, big and small, falling on a jade plate.

Going up to its viewing deck 1,535 feet above sea level wasn’t much of a hassle since the tower is packed with hi-speed elevators ready to take you up in a flash. The viewing deck offers you 360 degrees vista of the whole Shanghai cityscape. And just down one level, from the Observation deck, awaits a thrilling treat. Much like our Skywalk experience at Crown Regency, the tower offers a similar experience; the only difference is that it isn’t open air. But since the tower is much higher than Crown Regency, the fear factor can be that nerve-wracking.

Underground of the tower is a museum. I got so enthralled as one could see China’s history there even without the help of a tour guide. I also got a little taste of what it is like to be in Hollywood’s Wax Museum as the museum features a lot of wax figures depicting the lifestyle and culture of early China. The dioramas were so detailed and so lifelike that I could not help but recall that Ben Stiller movie, A Night in the Museum.

After dinner at the hotel and after the Governor finished her meeting with top Shanghai tycoons, we were all delighted to finally have some free time. All the rest opted to go shopping for pasalubongs since it was our last night in China. I wanted to explore and collect more pictures since time was really running out. I broke away from the group and wandered through the bright and lively streets of Shanghai.

In the five-day span, my perception of China made a big turnaround. 

As I sat in my plane seat on our way home, I watched a Chinese television show on the tiny screen. Not minding the audio, I just watched the moving images of Chinese people and places we weren’t lucky enough to visit. Something dawned on me. I came to realize and understand the message for this whole trip. I’ve learned a Chinese secret. I’ve learned the very key to their much renowned success: RESPECT. Respect for citizens, elders, nature, for law and discipline, for culture, for the Arts, and most importantly, respect for history and heritage. We have a lot to learn from our rich yet humble neighbor. They have worked hard to carve the word “respect” to the world and they have succeeded. They certainly have earned mine!