On December 25th, we visited the Seven Star Crags National Park, located in the city of Zhaoqing.

Historical Background/Legend: The Seven Star Crags (qixingyan 七星岩）National Park consists of crags, rivers, lakes, and caves. The landmark is called “Seven Star Crags,” because the crags are geologically arranged in the same formation as the seven stars of the Big Dipper constellation (Crag: a steep or rugged cliff or rock face). The names of the “Seven Star Crags” are:

Out of all of the crags, 1 of them (“Heavenly Columns Crag,” 天竺岩) is the only one that can be climbed (See below)

The main Chinese legend is that the pillars of limestone (which the crags are made of) were created from stars that fell from the skies. The remaining pieces then formed caves and other precipices.

Recap: We took a “sub” high-speed train from Foshan to Zhaoqin. From there, we hopped on the first taxi that we saw, which took us to the West entrance of the Seven Star Crags National Park. After we purchased our tickets, we were paired with a very sanguine tour guide. The tour guide took us on a river boat “cruise” from the West entrance of the island to the Eastern part. Looking out the window, the view was spectacular. The majority of crags were visible, and most were connected by tiny bridges. These crags overlooked a dark green lake, fittingly known as “Star Lake.” While there was no sun outside (for the entire day actually), the foggy mist added an extra air of mystery to the setting.

During the river tour, we also witnessed many sculptures of famous Buddhist and Taoist figures. While there were many, the most famous by far was the sculpture of the “Rice Flower Fairy Lady” (禾花仙奴). The tour guide explained that the purpose of the “Rice Flower Fairy Lady” was to provide enough food during a period when rice (the staple food) in the region was scarce.

When we reached the Eastern part, we visited a reserve for migratory birds. At first glance, this reserve didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary, but more time revealed that it was definitely NOT a petting zoo. We saw two species of birds: The graceful Red Crown Crane, which were in the middle of their mating season, and the ravenous _______, which could quickly bite off your hand if you tried to feed/pet it.

After visiting the migratory bird reserve, we took a well-needed break to eat Dim Sum (dian xin 点心), before climbing the “Heavenly Columns” Crag (天竺岩).

Surprisingly, the climb to the top was not too difficult. There were steep stairs that projected from the sides of the mountain, which made the climb easier. Periodically, there were even scenic outlooks were visitors could take pictures of the vast scenery below. Once I reached the bottom however, I really started feeling my legs give way! 😛

As the Chinese saying (buxucixin 不须刺心) goes: it was a long day, but it was definitely worth it.

Sorry for being absent for a few days! My schedule has been pretty jam-packed recently, but today, I finally have some down-time to write. On December 24th and December 25th (23rd and 24th in the U.S.), I visited some two famous landmarks: Mount Xiqiao and the “Seven Star Crags” in Zhaoqin (featured in next Blog Post). 

December 24th: Mount Xiqiao (Foshan, Guangdong Province)

• Historical Background: Mount Xiqiao is a 40- 50 million year old mountain that lies atop a dormant volcano in Foshan, China. It is one of the four famous mountains of Guangdong province, and it has also been established as a national forest and a national park. At the peak of the mountain (“Daxian Peak”), lies the powerful statue of the Guanyin（观音) or “Goddess of Mercy.”
• Recap: When we reached the entrance of the park, we witnessed many people burning incense, giving food offerings, and praying upwards at the Guanyin statue. At first I assumed that these people must be Buddhists, but I learned later that while this is a Buddhist tradition, many people who embraced this were in fact, not Buddhists (burning incense and praying is a religious act in China, but many people merely pray for good luck and better health). From there on, we climbed to the top of Mount Xiqiao. When we reached the top of the mountain, we arrived at the base of the wondrous statue of the Guanyin (“Goddess of Mercy”)Inside the base of the statue, was an elaborate room full of hundreds of miniature statues of the Guanyin. [*Legend has it, that if a family is struggling to bear a child, is impoverished, or is experiencing ill health, the Guanyin can heal and provide solutions to these problems]. There was even a special part of the room that was just reserved for intense praying. It was completely dark, except for the bioiluminescence of about 10 LED-powered lotus flowers. A combination of the ancient with technology, it was both sacred and mystical- at the same time.

While it’s 7:30 AM in NC, it’s about 8:30 PM here in Guangzhou. I’m going to keep this post short, because we’re waking up at 7:30 AM tomorrow to go hike up a mountain in a nearby park. Anyways, here’s the general rundown of what happened today:

1. 7:30 AM: Woke up to a foggy mist outside.
2. 9:30-10:30 AM: My uncle drove my dad and I to a traditional “Dim Sum” restaurant in the nearby city of Foshan. Dim Sum is an assortment of small dishes, baked goods, and desserts, and it is ABSOLUTELY delicious. Can’t upload a pic, but it is definitely something you have to try sometime!
3. 11AM-2 PM (My favorite part): We visited a TCM Hospital. TCM stands for “Traditional Chinese Medicine,” which includes treatment such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal remedies. I’ve been fascinated with learning more about TCM ever since I took ANTH 147 last spring (Global Healing Systems) at UNC, and I finally scored the chance. I’m even luckier, because my uncle hooked me up with a colleague of his who is a TCM doctor. I spent part of my afternoon observing acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, which were intriguing but also painful to watch. I ended the visit by also touring the massage therapy treatment clinic, which remotely resembled the manual therapy used in physical therapy in the U.S.
4. Sometime between 3-8 PM: Ate lunch, napped, walked outside, ate dinner, showered, & finished reading HP #1 (and this blog post).

Alright heading to bed…I could definitely use the extra sleep! Talk again tomorrow 🙂

After plane-hopping 4 different times, enduring a 7-hour flight delay, and staying overnight at a (dope AF) 5-star hotel in Beijing, I finally landed in Guangzhou (Canton) at 7:40 PM last night!! I was so jet-lagged and exhausted that I slept like a baby (~10 hours to be exact).

It’s 11 AM right now in Guangzhou, China & I am currently staying at my Aunt and Uncle’s apartment (on my dad’s side of the family). Although the city is very industrialized, the scenery surrounding the building is beautiful. There are rows of lush palm trees lining the entrance, and there is a small indoor garden inside too (picture above).

For the most part, we are treated very warmly by our relatives. Because we are the only family in the U.S., my aunt, uncle, and (maternal) grandmother take special care to make sure our needs are met. Some people may consider this to be invasive, but to Chinese people, it’s how they show that they care. Still, it feels a little strange to be so spoiled!

Other interesting notes:

1. Temp/Weather: Because Guangzhou is semi-tropical, the temperature changes a LOT (Within the same region, and from one day to the next). For instance, in Beijing it was around 40 degrees F, while in Guangzhou the temp is currently around 65 degrees F. It’s also really windy here, so it will suddenly feel really cold at times. Weather-wise, it’s really humid outside and the air quality is not that great. However, this largely has to do with the pollution from the nearby industries.
2. The Language/Cultural Barrier: Alright, I’ve been outed by two people already (my aunt’s sister and cousin) that I now speak Chinese like a 100% American. [“你讲的话就像外国人!” Ni jiang de hua jiu xiang wai guo ren] It’s kind of a “no brainer” that my Chinese has gotten worse, but still it makes me feel a little guilty! (lol)
3. Food: The food is pretty good, and everything is remarkably healthy. There is a mix of meat and vegetables, and the portion sizes are very small. Rice or porridge is a staple, and either one is served at every meal.

After two and a half days of packing, I think I am almost ready (90%) for this trip!

Deciding what to bring on such a big trip can be overwhelming. Luckily, I started early (during Finals week) and spaced things out pretty evenly. Thank goodness for that.

Besides packing the essentials needed for every trip (clothes, food, hygiene items), I realized I couldn’t overlook 3 important things:

1. Mindfulness “Stress- Free” Coloring Book: I assume I’ll be doing lots of relaxing in China, but who can say no to coloring?
2. The First Harry Potter Novel: Because HARRY POTTER. Also it’s such a quick read on the airplane!
3. Stuffed dog. It’s cute & cuddly, and symbolizes home.

That’s it for tonight. I’ll be up at 4 am tomorrow. Fun stuff!

#travelaesthetic #nervousbutexcited