Monday, June 22, 2009

The Hangzhou Cultural Scene

Our stay in Hangzhou is our longest time in one place on this trip, time enough to sample a variety of cultural experiences.

WEST LAKE

For a mere 2 yuan, (about 30 cents) the city bus will take you to West Lake for a stroll on the scenic walkway which winds its twelve miles of shoreline. Benches and cafes tempt you to just hang out. The second floor of a coffee shop overlooking the lake became a favorite hangout for our group, particularly on one of the several rainy days in Hangzhou. Once folks discovered the secret to renting bicycles, sunny days were given to bike rides around the lake.

TAI CHI

Her name is May and she is about 4 inches shorter than my towering 5’3”. She looks like a China doll and intimidated every person in our group. May is a Tai Chi Master.

May gave us a two hour introductory Tai Chi lecture and demonstration. We learned of its roots in the warrior culture, its transformation to a spiritual discipline by Buddhist monks and its popularization in the west by Bruce Lee and the epic Kung Fu movies. (May is clearly a Bruce Lee fan. . . she even showed us footage of him as a young martial arts competitor before he became a film star, along with some favorite films clips). We practiced basic moves which were surprisingly more difficult than they looked, giving us even greater respect for Bruce Lee. . . and for May.

At the end of our lesson, May graciously invites any of us who wish to join her for Tai Chi practice at 6:30 each morning. Five of us: Dane, Ben, Candis, Van and I took on the challenge, some of us for a sample, some of us every day. Dane and I hung in for the duration. For five days May coached us through the same basic moves. For two days we talked about how difficult and humbling it was. My mind and body felt disconnected as I struggled with the elusive task of moving with the discipline and artistry May embodied. Gradually, with repetition, at the end it finally happened. . . the ability to coordinate the alignment of all parts of the body , each part in its given way, while gliding across the courtyard, peacefully. We had only managed one basic move but the words of ‘good job’ coming from our Tai Chi Master for a week in China were a sweet reward.

KARAOKE

You may think you know Karaoke. . . but anything in the US that passes as Karaoke doesn’t count. You have to do it in China. Far more than a bar room pastime, Karaoke is its own destination. KTB is a large Karaoke franchise and the one where we spent an evening in Hangzhou. It was one of several outings we shared with the other NC State group and a collection of Chinese students from Zhejiang University.

KTB consumes a space equal in size to the main floor of one of those anchor stores at the mall. In the glitzy lobby you purchase rental for one of the many private rooms in this complex. Our crowd of 50 or so folks rents 5 rooms. Each seats 10 to 12 folks on one grand couch that rings three quarters of the room. The fourth wall is reserved for the large screen television monitor that plays your selection from the consol of seemingly infinite choices from traditional Chinese opera to the more favored popular music of both Chinese and American genre. Subtitles give translations in whatever language you select (Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean being your choices). Changing colored lights in 1970s style pop design add further inspiration to those with performer fantasies. And yes, there is a microphone.

The couch encircles a coffee table which provides ample space for the trays of food or beverage you can bring to your room from KTB’s expansive cafeteria or bar. We have come at 5 pm for the early bird special price which gives us dinner tickets and three hours of room rentals, far below rental prices from 8 pm until 2 or 3 in the morning when the Karaoke joint is packed out.

Many of the American tunes are noted as ‘popularized’ by a certain artist, with a different voice rendering the song. Sometimes a look alike of the artist is the performer. (John Lennon’s double convinced one of our group that he was the real deal; I attribute this affront to the Beatles to the misfortune of her youth.) Some songs do feature the original artists, but are accompanied by random video footage, most often of an attractive western woman posing in some variation of sumptuous or love-lorn, in a scenic location. My favorite random match is a stylish blond in an ostentatious European palace matched to John Denver’s "Thank God I’m a Country Boy.”

In the room where our faculty group has cloistered a discussion carries on about these techniques as a skirting of copyright and piracy issues. Not that you think us total dolts, we do pitch in together for belting out our favorite classic rock tunes.

WEST LAKE IMPRESSIONS

Our last night In Hangzhou we set out with for an evening at “West Lake Impressions.” The show is outdoors, literally on the lake, so the threat of rain throughout the day has me distracted by the idea that the performance would be canceled and we would miss THE acclaimed experience of Hangzhou. The show is the by the artist who created the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With memories still powerful of viewing the ceremonies from a perch on the edge of my couch, I would willingly eat a platter of chicken feet, in the rain, to see more. . . and in person.

I am not disappointed. Holy Smokes. I cannot do justice to the imagination, color, artistry, and wonder of it all. The cast of hundreds, together with staging and lights and music transformed the lake’s expanse into a multi-dimensional panorama. A stage set just under the water’s surface, gave the performers seemingly magical powers to walk on water. There was a story being conveyed about two star crossed lovers (a universal theme). The program book contains the story line, with the awkward English translation to which we have become accustomed; but we get the gist of it.

Suffice it to say I’ve never witnessed anything quite like it.

As for the rain? It did sprinkle on us a bit but for a water experience it somehow seemed appropriate. Anyway, thanks to the packaged ponchos given us upon arrival we were dry in our sea of green, pink, blue and purple plastic. Of great amusement (and yet another juxtaposition of cultures at this very Chinese event) were the smiling faces of models wearing ponchos on the packages: photo shopped faces of none other than Tom Cruise and Britney Spears.

Lauren, Katrina, Riley, Quint, Brian, Kristin, Victor, Vansana and Kris
stop for a picture while on a bike trip around West Lake.


Some of the students in a music class the China Fellows
helped to teach on a trip to a rural Hangzhou school.

The China Fellows pose for a picture with a organization in Hangzhou that
specializes in helping professionals get involved in the community.

Celebrating Amy's Birthday at Grandma's Kitchen in Hangzhou.

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