Chinese New Year

For many families, sons and daughters are scattered throughout China, each chasing their dreams of a better life. The Lunar New Year is one of the few times a year the whole family has the chance to gather together. For the most important holiday of the year, workers are usually granted around ten days off from the daily grind. Hundreds of millions journey across the land to reunite with their loved ones, making it the largest annual mass migration in human history.

I had arrived in the People's Republic in the middle of the Chinese New Year festivities of 2009. It was only fitting that two years later my parents would visit me during this time of joyous celebration. We went to several temple fairs around Beijing. Most of the temple fairs take place in parks and not temples. In Ditan Park there were performances of traditional folk dances and stalls selling snacks and tacky items. The crowds were thick. There was even a marriage market, where parents could post ads proclaiming how wonderful their children were for potential suitors and browse through the current offerings.

Another good temple fair was held at Grand View Garden, which is a replica of the imperial garden Daguanyuan. Originally created as the set for the TV series "A Dream of Red Mansions", it was later converted into a permanent tourist attraction at the behest of the local government. As many scenic spots in China have been reconstructed from the ground up in the past twenty years, this fact did not lessen the beauty of the magnificent gardens. The lake in the middle was frozen solid, with cherry blossoms blooming on its fringes.

The walking street of Qianmen near Tiananmen Square had been decorated from one end to another with red lanterns. The fireworks exploded in the air all around us as we strolled along the street, dropping in for dinner at Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. The original outlet of this Beijing instituition opened its doors to the public in 1864, becoming the first to offer Peking Duck to the non-imperial masses. Chairman Mao declared the restaurant was so good that it must remain open for all eternity. Pele, Yasser Arafat, and Fidel Castro are among the other international celebrities who have since visited the grandiosely decorated establishment.

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Each age has deemed the new born year,

The fittest time for festal cheer.

- Sir Walter Scott -

Fire In The Sky

The Chinese New Year is celebrated with full fervour by young and old alike. Their favourite pastime during lunar new year is launching rockets into the sky. Everyone can participate - whether it is on the streets, within the courtyard of apartment complexes, or on the rooftops of multi-billion dollar buildings that have recently finished construction. As soon as it gets dark, pyrotechnics shoot out from every nook and cranny. Beijing feels like a war zone, as explosions reverberate throughout the night sky. To usher in the Year of the Rabbit, I stepped outside from my apartment in Jin Gang Guoji to watch the fireworks and was thoroughly entertained.

Pursed Lips

When a Chinese lady goes out in public and is accompanied by a male companion, the man has one duty apart from being a walking wallet. He must also carry her purse. I am not a fan of this requirement.

Me: You are not wearing high heels.
Pretty Chinese Girl: Why should I wear high heels for you? You don't even carry my purse. Bastard!

Beijing's Best View

Beijing is a massive city. The scale of the metropolis can be experienced on the ground while stuck in traffic for miles on end or underneath via its lengthy subway system, but it is best appreciated from above. Both the Atmosphere bar in China World Trade Center and China Bar in Yintai Center provide solid rooftop views of the downtown core. Excluding mirrors and other reflective surfaces, Beijing's best view can be found in the west side of the city.

For a more detailed perspective of the urban sprawl, a journey up to the top of the CCTV Tower is needed on a blue sky day. Springing up beside the cherry blossoms in nearby Yuyuantan Park, the CCTV Tower rises to a height of 405 meters. Visitors can get a panoramic view of the city from its observation deck. Informative plaques provide hints to what famous sites are located in which direction.

CCTV is China's national broadcaster. Every Chinese New Year it hosts a ludicrously popular variety show that is watched by hundreds of millions of viewers. The whole family traditionally watches the show together. Singing, dancing, and stand up comedy performances usher in the new lunar year. The observatory has an exhibit on this annual gala, chronicling its progression through the years.

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"A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view halfway up is better than the view from the base, and it steadily becomes finer as the horizon expands." - William Lyon Phelps

Canal Towns: Qibao

I have a certain affinity for canal towns. The region around Shanghai is dotted with them, bringing me back time and again to enjoy the echoes of the past. The White washed buildings, narrow alleys, and soothing waterways of Qibao are just one example of these wonderful ancient villages. I dropped by for a visit while in town to see the Shanghai Formula One Grand Prix.

Within easy walking distance of a subway station, the township of Qibao falls within Shanghai's city limits. It is easy to get lost amidst the throngs of visitors milling about. Qibao means "Seven Treasures". Folk tales abound about these treasured items, but only the whereabouts of a bronze bell from the Ming era and some Buddhist scriptures are presently known.

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"Like water, we are truest to our nature in repose." - Cyril Connolly