October 14, 2010
In our school many of the rooms are set up, but they are never used. I see Chemistry labs, woodworking labs, art labs, taxidermy rooms, and so on. Jonathan, my British colleague says it for ‘show.’ I found a couple of really lovely art rooms with sculpted busts, easels, spot lights and an array of still life items. No one is allowed in them as they are locked and even double padlocked. I asked if I could use the rooms, and I get answers like the IB program is taking over and this is for the government public school program. Yet they sit unused. Last week on my way to class I noticed this art room was unlocked. I walked in, and low and behold there was a young man painting a 24x 60 landscape in oils. His palette had an array of colored dollops of paint nicely organized in a rainbow of hues. I was so excited to see a real painter and began to chat yet he spoke no English. Come to find out, after I snagged my art student Joy to translate, he is the government public art teacher. His name is John Ching Wong and a most handsome man at that. He invited me to his second floor office, which had a sign printed Art Department Office in English and Chinese. Finally I have found real art teachers. Inside he and two colleagues had their desks. The other art teacher Mr. Drew a short older man with a scruff of a beard shook my hand and pointed to a beautiful watercolor seascape with sculpted gray rocks in the foreground. It was magnificent. He painted it. (Pat Wolf, my watercolor teacher from Taos and Ann Sauve, my Colorado watercolor buddy would be amazed at his expertise.) I need to take lessons from him, now! The third man was the music teacher and translated our conversations. They found out I throw pots and were quite interested in having IB buy a wheel and kiln so I could teach them. There may be some art trading going on in the future if I can do some negotiating. When I see John now, he makes a point to say hi or wave. I have art painting teacher friends!
The art museums in town are small but unique. The contemporary museum houses many oil paintings of Chinese representational peasantry life, scrolls of traditional ink landscapes and calligraphy plus a variety of modern art. They had two of the worst Picassos’ I have ever seen. I hope they are on loan! The old provincial museum across the street had a magnificent collection of serigraphs by a local artist. They were a combination of decorative almost Aboriginal in design compositions of everyday Chinese life, some very humorous in bright colored opaque inks. I would have bought a dozen of these, if they were for sale. Anna my art student had accompanied me on my quest for museums. We were fortunate to see a sign to the Pi Lu Buddhist Temple, and off we went many blocks through some dank alleys. Walking by a beggar man with no legs leaning on a dirty sofa cushion on the edge of the street, I realized how fortunate I am. Anna is Buddhist and this temple was a find for her. She and I heard chanting and proceeded to the center of the temple. As we walked in many people were kneeling on sloping pillows chanting and praying. We watched and walked around the building then climbed all the stairs to the top to view the golden Buddha in the main room. This was a site to see, the ceiling was lavishly painted in a bright colored design to enhance the Buddha’s presence. 10,000 Buddha’s restaurant was housed on this level. The smell wafting from the door way was that of old fried grease and soapy dirty water. We weren’t hungry nor would we be for hours after smelling this odor. As we walked the bald Buddhist men in saffron robes made their way to the courtyard, I couldn’t stop staring at them. They were intense at staring back at me as well. Guess neither of us had seen anything so amazing. Then many local women removed their long robes to unveil their street clothes and walked out and on their way home. Was this women’s prayer day at the temple? Anna had taken me aside and she showed me how to pray Buddhist style. On your knees, hands together in prayer, bow placing your hands down on the pillow next to your knees, then flip your hands over and back up into prayer mode. Do this three times and each time pray for something, like security, prosperity, happiness whatever you want. It was a lovely way to pray. She was excited to tell her mom about the temple and would bring her.
Taking photographs is an obsession. Iris, another art student invited me to Purple Mountain for a photo shoot. We met in front of the school last Saturday morning and to my surprise, her mom couldn’t come so her dad’s driver took us. She presented me with a gift of green tea from a nearby tea grower, in beautiful golden tins. What a treat. We photographed Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s mausoleum having walked some 350 steps to the top. Dr. Sun Yat-sen is a revolutionary hero of the people. He was instrumental in removing the emperors from the Chinese government. Next we rode a charming little open air tram to the Ling Gu Temple and Pagoda. A Buddhist temple yet no longer used as such, more like a museum with dioramas of the revolution. Iris is a quick walker and hurriedly climbed the circular stairway to the top of Ling Gu Pagoda. The sun was shining and many of our photos have wonderful cast shadows through arch ways and decorative windows. Iris captured children sliding and climbing up sculpted walls. I liked photographing the old people in their traditional clothing. Lunch time, more Chinese family style food served at the food court near the temple. Iris’ mom and dad met us there and we had the best eggplant, potato and green pepper dish along with seven or eight other dishes. Another feast! Iris’s dad wanted to know how long I had been using chops. Six weeks, I replied. He thought longer. For me if you’re hungry and eat with sticks, you must learn how quickly so you can cram it down and not starve! I am nimble with the chop sticks!
