Peace on Tiananmen Square

When you look at Tiananmen Square today, it's hard to believe it was the site of a brutal massacre. Like the mall in Washington D.C., it is a place where children play and people gather-- as long as they don't talk politics. Above: Children flying kites, with Mao's larger than life picture in the background.

Below: woman selling small Chinese flags.

Red and Yellow

Cultures assign different meanings to specific colors. In ours, red is associated with anger, yellow with cowardice. In China, red is associated with happiness, while yellow, traditionally associated with emperors, represents power.

Pictured are scenes from the emperor's garden which adjoin the Forbidden City, across from Tianananmen Square. These traditional gardens are the work of countless people whose existence was almost slave-like. The Communists have transformed this bastion of privilege into a public park. Occasionally, they get things right.

Silk

The Chinese have been making silk since ancient times.

It comes from the silk worm, a relative of the caterpillar which makes cocoons. The worms produce cocoons. When these are

complete, they are placed in an oven, to kill the worm. The cocoons are then harvested and the dead worms removed. The cocoon material is spun into the silk fabric and dyed.

Above: worms and cocoons.

Below: silk being spun and finished

silk.

Climbing the Wall















The Great Wall of China was built 2500 years ago to keep out intruders. It was a military installation, never intended for climbing by middle aged people like me and Joe. But climb it, we did.
We didn't even use the tram that takes you part way up.

Hand rails have been installed, and the brick work has been refurbished periodically. But the thing is half a mile high; the steps are uneven; and you have to crawl in places. Definitely not recommended for anyone who dislikes heights or has bad knees.

Chinese folk wisdom says that to live a heroic life, you must climb the great wall. Well we're not trying to be heroes, but how could anyone come to China and not climb the great wall?