Photos from China

This was taken as we were preparing to leave Shenzhen on Jan 31st.
Li River Tour. Some of the most beautiful scenery in China.
Again Li River
Xian City wall. They were preparing for Chinese New Year.

Shelby, one of our girls, and Pam.

Craig and the girls in Beijing.

Pam and Xiaomin, Mr. Jin's wife and now my good friend.
We spent the month of January 2011 in China with 10 students and I have wanted to share more photos. It is now March 22 and I am just getting time to share.

Life in China

I thought that I should send out an email to report on China as well as having Pam do all the reporting. After all I don't want you to think that she is here all alone. I am working very hard not to look too stupid as an artist. People keep telling me that I am famous but I wish that I felt even a little of that fame. It would give me some confidence. It is also very difficult to work on art 8-10 hours a day day after day. I am just not that creative. I have also had some problems with some of the stones that I have done. I don't know what the problem is. They should print fine but for some reason they don't want to print. I am trying to figure out the problem without insulting the printer. I have some ideas but I may have to sneak in late to test the theories. We will see. I think the very hard beds take a lot to get used to. I wold describe them as memory foam with Alzheimer. Either that or to save money they are only purchasing the box springs in extra firm. We are coping. The people are the most amazing. they are so hard working and friendly. They love to speak English but often don't know any more than I know Chinese. I am trying to work on 4 prints all at the same time. and that it quite the challenge. They all have to do with beggars and I am hoping that It is not about begging a pardon.

We have developed a friend in an artist from Yorkshire England and had a gospel discussion today on part of the plan of salvation. She is very nice and it is nice to have someone who speaks a bit more English. Even if it is the queens English.

The infrastructure is the most amazing thing. They are having to move so fast that they lose control of some of the factors. Last week there was a 24 story building that was under construction that just fell over. Still investigating why but whoever is to blame will be punished.

There are no "P" traps on the drains that I can see and a lot of what they install is plastic. Still it is an amazing country with amazing growth. They are attempting to keep their growth under 10% in this time of ressession. With growth that great it is hard to keep up. Well it is Sunday and I am missing Church, What I wouldn't give for a good 3 hour church meeting.

More to come.
Love
Craig, Dad, Kong Kui

Guanlan Print Base

The Guanlan Print Base in an old Hakka Village, the Hakka are a very ancient tribe from Northern China who migrated to the south and also to Taiwan and several other Southeast Asian countries. The people who lived here were wealthy. The family name was Ling. I haven’t been able to find out when the village was deserted but it appears there was a factory close by. The government decided to start this print base during the Print Base during the 1990’s to honor a famous Chinese Printmaker who lived near here. China is well known for its printmaking. They rebuilt the factory into this huge up-to-date print center. It is very clean with good equipment. Many people come to visit every day. The area is about 1.4 million square meters in size. The Governor of Gongdong Province came to visit the other day. Many important government officials are here daily. I guess they want to see how their money is being used. We try to look intelligent and artistic.
The Hakka houses were kept the same on the outside, but the interiors have been updated. Lucky for me there is an American toilet or I might have to get a hotel. Because Craig and I are here together we have a large cottage. There is an entry hall (ceilings throughout are 15 feet tall) , our bedroom is to the right of the entry hall (it has a very hard bed and an air conditioner). While in the entry hall you go forward and step over a raised concrete entry way into the living room. The living room has a wood slated couch and 2 chairs (no cushions), a water cooler, coffee table and side table. There are two more bedrooms behind the living room and to the right. In one bedroom built into the floor is a grain pulverizer that is quite large. (Luckily I don’t have to cook) To the left of the living room is a dining area and a stair way going to the 2 upstairs bedrooms. In the front of the house next to the dining room is a study with a desk and bookcase. Behind the dining are is a utility room and the bathroom, the sink shower and toilet are altogether so everything gets wet when you shower. Easy clean up with a drain in the floor. It is quite the set up. I am still acclimatizing to the humidity and my stomach hasn’t gotten used to the food. I find myself quickly walking the ¼ mile to the cottage several times a day since I am not that good with squat pots and don’t want to embarrass myself.
The walls of the houses are 10-12 inches thick, I can’t speculate how many of the Hakka cottages there are. Many are used for visiting artists, many are artist studios (we think they rent them, but who knows), many are galleries showing the works of Chinese artist. There are two cottages dedicated to the history of printmaking in China. I would tell you all about it but it is all in Chinese.
There are ponds everywhere and they are building a canal and planting flowers inside and all around the canal. Craig has a large studio that is air conditioned. It looks out over a huge field. Everyday of the week there are at least 25 men and women in the field working. It is all manual labor.
We have formulated an hypothesis while watching the people work . Why don’t they use modern conveniences? Before we left the US we listened to the history of China on CD. Mao’s philosophy was more people more of a labor force. Everybody works when you don’t use modern time saving devices. It is amazing to watch. I am grateful for the modern conveniences I have at home.
Love to you all,
Pam

Restrictions

Due to government restrictions, Pam and Craig cannot post to their blog about their travels in china. You can email them at pam@notsopc.com and they will any emails they receive. I will also try to post on her blog any big updates she emails me.

Thanks,

Adam Cornwall

Here is the last email update Mom gave us:

July 5, 2009

Today we are so excited to be returning to YangShuo, we plan to take many pictures with our shiny, new camera.

Memories have already formed from our days in YangShuo; waking in the morning, sitting on our balcony watching the town wake up. 7:30 come and we go to our favorite restaurant for breakfast, I order a delicious fresh fruit bowl covered with plain yogurt. What fruit will it be today? I hope it will be crisp, sweet watermelon, ripe bananas, crunchy, Asian pears. Ah –it is. I ordered French toast – perfect!

A woman approaches, I look away. No, I don’t need a fan, postcards, an umbrella or a hat. Craig has to be stern and no – they won’t listen to me.

We now turn our attention to the vendors opening for business. It reminds us of a Chinese version of the opening of “My Fair Lady”; one by one they come. The bicycle rental across the street starts first. The boy comes out, takes the tarp off a long string of bikes, then he unlocks the chain and pulls it through each of the ancient bikes’ spokes, clattering at each stop. Are these bikes as ancient as they seem? Surely those for tourists look better. Everyone rides a bike that looks about 50 years old.

Next I hear the clanking sound of metal doors being raised upward to reveal a small store selling what? Fake Rolex watches, silk scarves, small, colorful toys, mah jong sets, Nike shoes, shirts, skirts and hats.

Now come the small stores opening to sell food. As the school children stroll through town arm in arm they are armed with sticky buns filled with some interesting combination of meat and vegetables.

Ladies with brooms made from sticks sweep the streets. Motor bikes, Vespas piled high with anything you can imagine; newspapers, fruit, a side of pork, people at least 2 sometimes 3. Small children stand in front of their parent while riding along the street on the Vespa. Obviously there are no helmet laws.

Lastly, the tourists fill the gaps, the sounds of halloo, you buy, how much you pay, fill the air. The day is in full swing and we are ready to join them.

Here is the map with places I might get to visit.

Suitcases are packed?????

Handy and necessary Charmin to go!!!

1 week to lift off

We are one week away from leaving and we have started to pack. Both Craig and I are nervous and excited. It has been a crazy two weeks. The swine flu is making the Chinese Government nervous. First we should travel for 3 weeks before going to the print center. So we looked at tours for 21 days. Then we heard we should just be quaranteened for a week in Hong Kong...Hooray we said we will tour for a week... Not so fast... Today our host has invited us to visit a city away from Hong Kong and have his friend as our interpreter and tour guide for a week. What an adventure???