Divine Tai Shan
We awoke at 6am as the train pulled into the Tai’an train station. Possibly because of the fog there were no mountains in sight. Somewhat worried that we were going to end up in the middle of nowhere, we alighted the train with all of our bags. Still wet behind the ears, I can only imagine how strange we must have looked to the locals - a bit like an alien landing.
The first order of business was to buy tickets to Beijing the following day from the train ticketing counter. After fighting for position among the throng of locals (queuing is nonexistent) I was able to buy our tickets. The tickets were for standing room only, but I was still pumped up on adrenaline from traveling and wasn't bothered by such a prospect.
We hopped in a taxi and told the driver we were going to Tai Shan mountain. Relieved there actually was a mountain(!), we weren't out of the woods just yet. The driver dropped us off near a group of buses, and pointed to one that we hoped would take us to the hotel we booked for the night (supposedly near the summit).
The bus driver must have thought himself quite the dare-devil because he whipped us around the tight curves with a perilous drop to our left.
The bus ended its run roughly half way up the mountain at a small village. We could tell that we still had a way to go (the summit disappeared into the clouds), and the locals directed us to a gondola that would carry us farther. I have never ridden on a gondola before, which was fortunate because this was the perfect way to begin. It was a 20 minute rise over mountainous peaks and disappearing into wispy clouds.
Upon reaching the summit all of us were amazed at the secluded beauty of the mountain. The surrounding landscape was tucked behind layers of clouds, but the greenery and far-off feel were better than anything I had expected.
Making our way from the gondola station we passed through a Confucian temple that set the mood with thick incense and worshipping Chinese. Passing through the smoke, we came upon a quaint town that survives purely on tourist dollars. We were too tired to look at the knick-knacks for sale, and so we continued climbing in search of our hotel.
Eventually we found hotel ShenQi at the very peak of the mountain. It reminded me of Mount Olympus because of its imposing position. After settling into our room, which was more than acceptable considering the hardships of the location, we headed back to explore the town.
We replenished our bodies at a small restaurant and were served some of the best food yet (eggplant, Sichuan chicken, beef noodles, and vegetables drenched in oil). After packing our stomachs for the coming day, we began working our way down the mountain.
As I have mentioned, Tai Shan is probably the most famous of China’s 5 divine mountains. Confucius climbed here for the rewarding views and sense of calm, although I don't imagine he had the benefit of a bus or a gondola to help him along the way.
Mao Zedong delivered much of his propaganda from the peaks declaring, "To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather." Oddly enough, I can remember the lyrics to a song by Rage Against the Machine where they sang, "So I'm going out heavier sorta like Mount Tai."
The steps down the side of the mountain are exactly how one would imagine steps down the side of a mountain look like – treacherous, at best. It took close to four hours to descend and then ascend the stone steps, but Alison and I eventually completed the climb. Our calves were throbbing, we were covered head to toe in sweat, and our body was screaming to lie down, but the important thing was we made it.
We must have climbed over 10,000 steps in each direction, but this is nothing compared to what we saw the Chinese doing.
Firstly, there were a group of men carrying a storage container using bamboo poles for support. Presumably, that is how the entire town was built since there are no roads. Additionally, I saw an elderly man being carried by two younger men (presumably, his sons or even his grandchildren). It is regarded as good fortune for a Chinese person to ascend this mountain some time in their life, and many Chinese come in their dying years.
After a three hour nap we decided to savor the evening by exploring the rest of the summit. Unfortunately, everything was engulfed in a heavy fog, which made it impossible to see 15 feet in any direction. However, the fog did add to the mystical experience because the day-trippers had all cleared out, and I could hear the soft drumming of a Buddhist gong in the distance.
After winding our way up and down steps, we came across a building that could have been straight out of the movie Star Wars. It was inhabited by a group of Japanese meteorologists who were doing research on weather patterns and global warming. They offered to show us around their facilities, which we gladly accepted. Their English was not the greatest, but before continuing on I shared a few laughs over the upcoming World Cup match between Argentina and Germany.
Eventually we found a rocky peninsula that featured shear drops for comfort. My hair was wet from the thick fog and the howling wind made me feel lost in another world. I laid down on the edge of one of the rocks to look over the side, and it was the closest I have ever come to looking into an abyss. There was a constant upward rush of clouds as they climbed the rock face and brushed past my face.
You can see video, but open it in a new window as it may take several minutes to download.
That night we ate dinner with the Japanese meteorologists at our hotel. The food was awful, but the meteorologists were good entertainment. They were exactly how I would imagine Japanese scientists would be if they lived in solitude measuring weather patterns at the summit of a desolate mountain. While this is not exactly a great compliment, it was true nonetheless.
I woke up at 3am to watch the Germany-Argentina World Cup game, and saw Germany pull out an amazing win. Klose tied the game with a smashing header in the 80th minute, and Germany went on to win 4-3 in penalty kicks, which puts them in the quarterfinals.
This evening I left Jiaotong Faculty Club (my hotel/dormitory) and began a week long journey with two friends, Shishir Gubta and Alison Skala. Our goal was to visit one of China’s divine mountains, Tai Shan, Beijing, and the capital of Inner-Mongolia during our July 4th holiday break. It was an audacious plan, especially considering none of us speak fluently, and because we were heading off the beaten path in a third world country for the first time.
The past two weeks have been a blur. Whenever I think of how to put into words everything I am seeing and experiencing in Shanghai the best I can come up with is that the city has been everything I ever dared to hope for while still offering so much more. I am always hearing different statistics on growth and population density - statistics from the government in China are notoriously inconsistent - but one thing is clear: Shanghai is on the movie. In the mornings there is an onslaught of traffic as hordes of bicyclists and motorcyclists fight for the gaps left by public buses and taxis – not to mention the way in which the disciplined traffic guards fearlessly direct traffic from the middle of intersections.
Many of my social and political perceptions have turned out to be true, but they are still taken out of context (or come from a Western point of view, if you prefer.) For example, I expected the extremes between the “haves” and “have-nots” to be absurd and unsustainable. While this may still prove to be the case in the long run, economic disparity is a way of life in China. Everyone has a job to do (or a role to play), and the Chinese accept this. A big difference in America is that the populace is able to complain about the injustice of “the system,” whine how they have been wronged, and generally entertain a mindset of “it’s not fair." Since there are NO outlets that listen and encourage this kind of behavior in China, the populace gets on with their lives in an orderly fashion.
I remember hearing endless warnings to be careful in China because of crime. However, as poor as people are in China crime is virtually non-existent. I feel safer here than I would in any American city, but perhaps it is only because no one would dare harm a Westerner. The dirtiest, most poverty stricken areas still abide by the disciplined set of rules imposed by the government. This does not mean the Chinese are polite and honest because that can often be far from the truth. They look to make money every chance they get (and they do not care about you unless you have something to offer them), but it is more related to flexible ethics than outright breaking the law.
Another thing I have noticed is that government policies are less disruptive than the people who bring them up. Hot topics are taboo in China, and best left untouched. The greatest strength of Americans is our passion for debate in that it is the means by which we rise to new challenges and maintain our edge. However, the Chinese are far less independent and free-thinking. If something does not affect their lives in a direct and tangible sense, it is not worth thinking about. It is a much more realistic way of getting on with life, but it also comes at a cost…
As intelligent as many Chinese people are, they are somewhat lacking in the communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills found in western countries. Free-thinking is discouraged from day one, and since many decisions come from one’s parents, the development of independence comes at a much later age. Further, the lack of debating controversial topics and exposure to a variety of ideas leaves the Chinese at a severe disadvantage in problem solving. They simply do not have the background or skill set to solve new problems as quickly as those raised in western countries. Every time I want to get something done, I find that I must go through endless people because very few Chinese people know how to figure out something new. Lastly, the leaders in China acquire power through “guanxi”, or relationships, not necessarily through ability. Everything is about who you know. While this is obviously true in other parts of the world, there is FAR less emphasis on being capable and competent, and far more emphasis on pulling strings and getting around red tape.
As far as food is concerned, I have not gotten sick and I have quickly grown to enjoy using chopsticks. I've still been eating a lot of Gong Bao Ji Ding (Kung Pao Chicken) at an on-campus tea house for only $1/meal. It is the best Chinese food I have ever had, and I used to hate ordering Chinese food.
One major concern with China is pollution – it is awful. Many other students on the trip have gotten sick, and the sun can never be seen directly. It is one of the first things I noticed when I arrived, but there are many measures being taken to improve this (a field GE is aggressively pursuing). Regardless, it will be difficult with all the industry in the surrounding regions, and as more and more people buy cars matters will only exacerbate.
There are two people specifically in charge of organizing events for us, as well as at least 20 Jiaotong students who are always more than willing to be of assistance. So far, we have had everything from visits to museums, the city planning center, famous city attractions, cultural orientations, language orientations, dinners, and a banquet. The Chinese love to eat, and most events are focused around food.