This short post does not focus on a single park, rather some intriguing activities and encounters one might find at the typical Chinese park. In one quiet spot at a park in Chengdu, I heard a kind of constant, low, droning noise. At first, I thought it was coming from a musical instrument – musical performances of all sorts are common at parks, of course. But as I approached the whirring sound, I noticed several men playing with a spinning…
Many are familiar with the “mountain city” moniker of Chongqing (重庆). Just about anywhere you go in this enormous city, you will encounter endless stairs and an erratic terrain. Frequent rain and a dense fog are also defining characteristics of Chongqing, along with its highly concentrated urbanization. The landscape, environment are critical in the city’s identity. While much of Chongqing is unsurprisingly bustling throughout the year, some places in and around the city can be especially calm. More than an…
In northern Maoxian (茂县), there is a town and a lake in the mountains, both named Diexi (叠溪). If you peer deeply into the turquoise surface of Diexi Lake, you won’t see much. It’s too colorful and opaque. But be aware, there is an old town beneath that surface. This “lake” was actually formed less than a hundred years ago. In 1933, a horrible sequence of events precipitated by a major earthquake in Sichuan (四川), with its epicenter being Diexi,…
This post serves as an archive on my Qiang research. I collect all of my writing related to Qiang topics here. So, this page may be updated with more pieces in the future. Qiāngzú (Qiang People) Introduction Diexi: the Town under the Lake Tumen and No. 3 Bridge Hei Hu Village Fengyi: Urban Heart of Maoxian Rocks over the road The Maoxian Riverside A drive through Nanxin Fushun and Tumen More to be added
Liáng Xiāo (梁萧), my uncle, passed away in 2023. He was the oldest of three siblings, with two little sisters: my aunt and my mom. He had one son, who also is a father, making him a grandfather. It was not until after my uncle passed away that I learned more about him, and about how he looked out for me when I was a baby. The story is he located a local traditional Chinese medicine expert to help treat…