Embrace The Moon Taijiquan and Qigong

Legacy

Gone now over ten years, my grandfather, Dean Sack remains the biggest inspiration to me for my entrepreneurial spirit.  He was borne in 1908 in a small Nebraska town, with polio in his foot.  He was carried around on a pillow until he could limp around on his feet.  As a youth, amazingly he walked 5 miles to school and then further to sell “real silk stockings” and Fuller Brushes to earn money for his family. During the Great Depression, he saved enough, “if you don’t have to spend a penny then do not,” to start the first lending institution in York, then a small Heartland village. He became a pioneer of irrigation and gravel mining and V-8 juice! By the time I came around he was already a wealthy man with several banks. He had helped by then so many people that this small town of York, originally about 2,000 people, was now a thriving community of 8,000 people with farms and businesses and schools.  I remember him as a hugely generous man; he provided for my and my cousins education and bought us all our first cars. Yet I also remember Papa Dean as a very simple man, he wore the same suit every day, complete with pipe burns in his tie. He ate canned tomato soup for lunch and took a 30-minute nap at 1pm every day of his life.  By the time he died, his financial portfolio was substantial but the overall livlihood he inspired for generations of families was his true legacy.

I always wanted to grow up to be wealthy and give money away like he did.  As fate and design have it however, I became a Taijiquan teacher and for everything fabulous it is, one cannot say it is really a financially prosperous livelihood. I spent years wondering how to reconcile my wish with my day to day life until I created my first fundraiser for 9/11 and my community raised a thousand dollars to help. Since then, the Moon continues to host fundraisers; just last month we raised $2000 for Japan. This makes me extremely happy and I realize that whereas I personally do not have my Grandfather’s resources, I do have a way of furthering both his economic and spiritual legacy.

Last year, when a group of Moon’s stayed with Chen Bing for two weeks met an Italian couple who sponsor 2 children to live and train here. These are poor children, girls, who come from families that have very, very little. It is hard, really, to understand this from the luxury of “what next electronic gadget upgrade can I buy” culture that we Americans live in, in the US. For these kids what ends up being the cost of an Iphone upgrade with contract renewal, around USD$200, means they can ease the burden on their poor families for a year, receive an academic education during that time and their martial arts training. Most importantly, however, it means they can develop a valuable skill set for their future. Later, they will be sent out around the country to earn a livelihood as a Taijiquan teacher, in this country, a very good way to make a prosperous living.  Many of Master Chen’s students come from these poor families of the region. The Wen Xian government (think Olympia) provides some money and Master Chen provides the rest.

After learning this story, the resident Moon’s ponyed up and gave Master Chen Bing the equivalent of around $50; since it was at the end of our trip that was what we had.  When he came to Seattle a few months later, several more Moon students added to the pot and we were able to give Master Chen enough to help one student for one year.  This year, when I asked him who that student was he introduced us to Wu Zi Wen, a lovely 14-year-old young lady from An Hui province.  Master Chen Bing was her father’s Taijiquan teacher and when the family fell on hard times he sent his daughter here.  When we arrived, she presented us with a paper cone full of Origami Cranes and said, “Thank You.”

Last night Master Chen invited his good friend from school to come over and serve as a translator for him and I.  We met in his office and along with Kevin, Doug, our friend Gill from Ireland, the translator’s daughter, were two of Master Chen’s academic teachers from school.  I thought we were going to talk more with Miss Wu, and though she stopped in to say hi, the conversation to be had was about the money we donated and how to use it.  Master Chen speaks very good English, but this was turning into a business conversation and he wanted it to be very clear. Master Chen said with the exception of some giving for Miss Wu, that he had reserved the bulk of it since last year because he wanted to make sure we all agreed on how to use it (remember this is only $200 we are talking about here). 

Master Chen & I discussed two options. One, to sponsor a poor child for one year as we originally intended, but a second option was to provide incentive for the children to do well in school and academia.  We laughed at the fact that students here, like students everywhere, can be mischievous and slacking. So, then, for those who do well, they can receive some extra money for them and their family.   I told Master Chen it was really up to him, he lives here and knows what is the most helpful, and we completely trust his judgment.  It was then he said, “perhaps we can use this money to start a foundation.” He continued,  “We can name it ‘Kim Ivy’ foundation.” I thought, great idea, but wrong name. I said, “No, please name it ‘Embrace The Moon’ Foundation.”  Eyes sparkled and hands clapped around the room of common man dignitaries. And in that moment, Embrace The Moon Foundation for the Children of Chenjiagou at Chen Bing Academy was borne.

Yesterday we had a chance to wander around the Taijiquan Temple, the Taijiquan Park and the Museum of Taijiquan History and Development. Out the top window of the Museum, we took pictures of the future huge Taijiquan Theme Park across the street. In the graves below, we participated in a bowing ceremony to the ancestors.  There were more fireworks, more kowtows, and more deep feeling of the lineage of which we are all apart. We are training, yes, but this week in Chenjiagou is not really about the form training. It is about the experience and this feeling of generational continuance. In the midst of the unfolding future and our commitment to it, we recognize its past, and celebrate the honor of being a part of this present moment in history. For me, to be able to also fulfill a personal wish, honoring my own blood family lineage by merging with the family of my heart is deeply comforting. I think my Grandfather would chuckle and be proud. In fact, with its expansive farmland, wheat fields and cattle, Chenjiagou looks very much like Nebraska.

Time for a quick bowl of oatmeal, thanks to Doug who is sharing his after hearing we ran through our stash of powerbars, and then off to the 5^th day of training. We have moved into Xinjia now, the new frame. How fitting to train old & new frame this week, with the Grandmaster of Taijiquan and with all of our ancestors looking on.

May Peace Prevail on Earth

Kim

PS If you wish to donate the Embrace The Moon Foundation, I will set up a link when I get back.  My goal is simple, about $1000 a year. I would love for you to be a part of it.

 

A Grand Site

Everyone is late this morning. The town was unnervingly silent at 4:10am, and it was 6:45 before we heard “ee er san su” from our window.  The cook’s clanking is just now in full gear.  Kevin and I slept in a bit and are just now having our coffee (thank you Starbucks instant!) accompanied by the sheep’s tardy baying.  That we all slept in, foreigners, animals and locals alike is completely understandable though, after the Grand Site in the streets of Chenjiagou last night!

And what a site it was! When we came out from afternoon lessons, the street in front of Chen Xiao Xing’s school was blocked off with a huge stage. The roadies were checking the sound system, the musicians (think steel drums that sound like firecrackers & high pitched stringed instruments) were practicing.  We quickly had our dinner and arrived back about 6:45 to see 100 people already sitting on small stools. Around 7 pm more people gathered. And they continued to gather.  By 7:30 stooped grandmas, smoking grandpas, jumping toddlers, dancing children and 150 foreign students were all sitting on the stools,  crammed in doorways, and coveting every open cranny of viewing space possible. By 8:00 pm it seemed that every resident of this town of 2000 people filled the street in anticipation for the upcoming event: The Grand Site Of Taijiquan.

Chen Xiao Xing’s son, Chen Zi Quan was the MC for this stunning event of recognition for the people who have contributed the most to Taijiquan.  One by one he announced their names. Local people first from the school and then from the immediate region took their place at the long tables set up on the stage. Then, Chen Yu, famous in Beijing, was called in. Next, David Gaffney from England and Jan Silberstorff from Germany joined the Chinese dignitaries. Lastly Chen Xiao Xing and Chen Xiao Wang took their place, seated firmly at the center of it all.

The whole ceremony was in Chinese but one certainly did not have to understand the language to understand the feeling.  Each person was recognized for and given certificates to acknowledge their tireless contribution to the furthering of Taijiquan. Firecrackers exploded. Techno-pop blared, this time infused with some thick, rich Chinese vocals.  At the conclusion of this pomp & circumstance our hands were red from clapping, but we didn’t think about it, knowing what was next.  Instantly the tables were disassembled and removed. The flood-lights were adjusted.  Everyone crammed in closer to the stage and checked their video camera’s batteries.  The Techno-pop faded and the traditional Taijiquan music poured out from the loudspeakers and into the streets of Taiji Town.  The demonstrations began.

For the next 45 minutes we were treated to the Grand Site of Taijiquan.  Each of the awarded gave a demonstration of their skill. The exhibitions included forms that we are familiar with, Laojia, Xinjia, Pushing Hands, but also ones that are more obscure. (One of my favorites was a young man performing Taiji ball, a heavy yin/yang medicine type ball).  As always, the children and youth were huge hits. A three year old in a sharp yellow silk uniform with red piping punched and kicked and spun his was through one of the advanced forms, two teen girls beautifully harmonized an interactive sword form and a teen boy back flipped his way across the stage. The foreigners did a great job! They demoed traditional forms and some from related but alternate systems as well.  I cannot imagine the nerves of demo-ing up on a high stage, looking out over the town & the family that founded Taijiquan. Chen Yu was an utter force of nature. The expression of grace and power was not just impressive but deeply impressive.

And, at the end, our teacher, Chen Xiao Xing and our Shifu, Chen Xiao Wang demonstrated.  I do not think there will ever be a time when even one glimpse of these two men performing their Taijiquan will fail to stun and awe me.  It is not just the skill, but the love of their art and what it does to develop the character that they express.  When I think of what they and this Village have done for China, for the world, for my friends, my school and for me personally, tears of gratitude flow from my heart.  No matter how much time it takes to get here, to the Chen Village, it is always worth it, just to feel this.

Horns are honking and big trucks are pulling up into Chen Bing’s academy. It’s late now and time to get ready for practice. I can’t believe how fast the time is going. It is hard to stay involved in the outer world here, I am getting the NY Times but click it off immediately. I don’t want to think about Lybia, Syria or Japan or even Facebook right now. There will be too much time for that later.  Even though the bed is hard and my routine is completely disrupted, this world that is The Village is so utterly compelling I want to sink in and soak it into every cell in my body.

May Peace Prevail on Earth.

Kim

 

PS Thank you all so much for reading. I get the statistics – I don’t know who is reading but I know you are. I really appreciate it!

 

Early to Rise

One of the entertaining aspects of Jet Lag is to be able to be wide-awake at 3 am and take in sounds we normally sleep through. Kevin rolled over on our first night and said, “what time is it? I said, 3:10 am. He continued, “what is going on!” We both started laughing and peeked out the window to see the big trucks rambling down the road next to our digs. I knew from last year that this place never sleeps.  I think there is perhaps an hour or two of silence in any given day – night cycle but that is soon broken by a big truck carrying gravel. China is one big construction zone and out here in rural Henan province, even more so. 

By the time 5 am rolls around the sun pushes its rays over to our window, the roosters crow and the spring birds chirp. It is time to officially get up, boil water and have tea. The cook of course has been up for an hour or so already and we hear his preparatory clanking in the kitchen below us.  Out the window the emerging light reveals silhouettes of dirt and sand mounds on the training field, deposited overnight from one of those big trucks.  By the time I have written this paragraph, the buzz saws have started whirling.

The real treat however is to hear the sounds of the children & teens start their training day. Precisely at 6:00 am – right about now, the sounds of “ee, ar, san su….” (one, two, three, four….) pour enthusiastically out the mouths of several dozen kids all over Chenjiagou as they line up, account for themselves to their teacher and start their morning training of calisthenics and strength exercises. Chen Bing’s Academy where we are is about ½ mile from the main school and every morning the kids run from there to here, rhythmically chanting their count.  It’s a great sound, very inspiring and an absolutely wonderful way to shake off the last bit of jet lag fuzz. Its apparently quite an inspiration to Doug as well! He has been getting up every morning and jogging around the Village himself.

The two family schools (Chen Xiao Xing’s & Chen Bing’s) are much bigger than in years past. The first year I was here (2006) there were a couple dozen kids and last year, maybe 50-75. Now there are probably a couple hundred kids (boys and girls) ages 3-18 that train here. Some are orphans, some have been picked, some are sent.  It’s a completely lively and loving environment with many teachers and a huge amount of laughter.  The kids just love to train. They learn and practice forms, applications (think judo), they pull mattress out, put them on the dusty ground and then fly through the air spinning and jumping and landing upon them.  They also line up and run through drills, kicking and punching, and they do a whole lotta standing.  Last week the youth of Chenjiagou swept a big competition in Beijing. The school honor is strong! Many Chinese adults train here too. They come from all over the country. There are less foreigners here than last year because it is after Spring Break.

The training is primarily outside, though there are some indoor areas. We train in the inside hall because the outside spaces are all full up with the other groups.  Part of the reason there are so many more people here is that the physical land to train on is developing and getting more organized. It’s very interesting to see training pads (dirt & sand) along side of pea-patches along side of well - organized recycling areas.  One can really appreciate the positive effect from all of the money the Chen Family raises through their seminars and student contributions throughout the year. 

It’s about time for breakfast. It sounds as though huge staple guns are pummeling stair railings together. Kevin, Doug and I have taken to eating powerbars and oatmeal in our rooms for the morning but I will say overall the food is better this year; as with the weather this slightly later time makes a difference. Its warmer and for this rural farming area, there is a bit more bounty and ease to the food resources. Lunches & dinners are generally some meat, tofu, buns & rice. It’s bit salty & wheat-y but its just fine and made with great love & intent.  Just in the time it has taken me to write this, the town is entering full swing, and its only 6:30 am!  Shop doors are flinging open, more trucks are barreling down the road, pounding and buzzing sounds are intermingling with sheep flocks baying. And the sounds of “ee ar san su" echo down the road.

May Peace Prevail on Earth.

Kim

 

 

 

 

Techno-pop & Tradition

The pig’s head, fruit and wine lay out in the open air at the feet of Chen Wang Ting. Spiraling coils of pungent incense swirl and rise skyward.  The dignitaries from the community, the government and the Chen Family ceremoniously take their places on chairs to the right of the altar and 150 international students fan out around the stage with anticipation. We are scolded to not stand behind the statue of the founder of Taijiquan but many set up there anyway for the best viewing angles. Cameras click and video cams whirl as 12 new disciples walk on the red carpet towards the altar and line up in front of Chen Xiao Wang. The Gate Keeper is seated on a high backed ebony chair, his tiger eyes steady and present.  The moderator’s voice booms through the loud speaker announcing with solemnity and import the various aspects of this time-honored and special tradition: the taking of disciples into the family. Davidine expertly translates this archaic text. Students kowtow to Grandmaster pledging to adhere to him as their master and also to the WuDe, the Martial code of etiquette and honor.  They receive their booklets in the spirit of ritual & custom. Firecrackers explode; everyone claps and cheers. Techno-pop blares out from the loudspeakers.

Techno-pop? Those of who took our discipleship in 2006 looked at each other, did a little boogie dance to the music, laughed, but then subtly shook our heads.  We didn’t have to say it, though later we did, how odd it was to have techno-pop music accompanying this sacred ceremony.  “Wow, I’m so glad it was more traditional when we went through it.” I guess we didn’t really have the place to judge this odd juxtaposition since we were the ones, who with Chen Xiao Wang, broke the container 5 years ago. With the exception of Jan Silberstorff and perhaps one or two other non-Chinese, our group of 27 was the first major induction of foreigners to become disciples of Chen Xiao Wang and the Chen Family, the originating family of Taijiquan. As I think about it, likely our Chinese elder disciples and other family members attending that ceremony also shook their heads as they scanned all the international faces being invited into their centuries old, closed tradition.  They probably went home to their families and around the dinner table said, “wow, it is all different now.”

As I awaken to day two in the Village I am beginning to settle in not just to the fact that everything is so rapidly evolving here but that I and my Taiji brothers and sisters are a fundamental part of it.  When Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang left China 22 years ago he caused a tremendous ripple in convention. He was the gatekeeper of Taijiquan, one of the strongest national identifiers of China. He left, became an Australian citizen and proceeded, without European language skills, to open up his family’s art, the original Taijiquan, to the world. He suffered greatly because of his decision and spent years ostracized by his home country. But, through steady work, a calm mind and a flowing heart, he is back in the good graces of China along with a global entourage of students and disciples.

Perhaps then we are speaking of a new tradition.  I am training next to one of the new disciples, Lela, who has done much to spread Taijiquan in Brazil over the past 7 years.  I asked her how she did it so quickly. She said, “through cooperation.” She told me that Brazil has many different schools and styles, fragmented throughout the country.  No one really talked with each other. When she, with the help of Jan, began to open Chen Taijiquan centers, she called these other schools and organizations and asked them to work together so that they could help not just each other but all the students too.  It worked. Brazil has such a high collective regard for Taiji that one can see huge billboards along the highway promoting it.  All in seven years.  

Taijiquan is a powerful martial art, a tremendous strength and fitness practice but mainly Taijiquan is an art of an enlightened mind.  Chen Wang Ting, its founder, recognized the world was changing. The Ming Dynasty had fallen. His services as a general were no longer required. And so he retired to the Village for reflection and study, formulating Taijiquan, effectively immortalizing his family's tradition. Shortly thereafter his successor Chen Chang Xing broke the container and taught the first non-family member, Yang Lu Chan who then created Yang Style Taijiquan.  The tradition of Taijiquan was not meant to be relegated soley to the Village or even exclusively in China, locked into the past, it is meant to be spread all over the world. And along with teaching us its beautiful forms and strong fighting skill, it is meant to nourish our heart of cooperation and openness.

After the ceremony, we all, old and new disciples, Chen Xiao Wang and the rest of the Chen Family, bow to our ancestors. Back at the training hall we take our well-organized places in front of the huge calligraphy: WuDe, the code of etiquette & respect. Chen Xiao Wang stands on the makeshift stage directly in front of it and says, “open feet, check posture, relax your spine, weight balance, relax your dantien, calm down.”  The hall is utterly silent except for the synced breath & quite mind of the students. We raise & lower our arms and begin the form. This is the old tradition: everyone practicing together, learning from his or her teacher and from each other. This is the new tradition: everyone practicing together, learning from his or her teacher and from each other.

May Peace Prevail on Earth.

Kim

PS Doug & Kevin are having a great time!

 

 

 

Taiji Road

Last night Orion arched across the coal black night of Chenjiagou, filleted upon the curved atmosphere, lying completely still as other star companions twinkled and danced around his hands, feet and belt.  The expansive pitch dark evening encapsulated a smattering of the town’s residents who were still outside enjoying the early spring night: line dancing to techno-pop, savoring an after dinner smoke, or playing Taijiquan.  I walked by them all back to Chen Bing’s Academy and breathed in the relative silence and the fresh, cooling air. It had been a day that passed at breakneck speed from one landscape to another, one historical time zone to another, one culture to another, and I was grateful for the time alone.

The transition from Beijing to Zheng Zhou was straight-forward. We took the 60 minute flight southwest, met up with Allison & Bill’s group at the second transit hotel and had a nice dinner at a local place, hosted by our guide from last year, Gavin. It was great to see Gavin again, and he sure knew how to feed us.  Kevin said, “I don’t know how one could be a vegetarian here,” as we all devoured local dishes of savory garlic pork, pungent beef and tomato soup and a first for me, goat. We all got a good night’s sleep, jet lag style, waking every hour or so, but somehow the next morning woke rested enough to enthusiastically climb on the bus and head down the road to Taiji Town.

The day was gorgeous! Temperatures hovered right around 60. “This is our favorite time of the year,” Gavin said as we pulled out of the hotel in Zheng Zhou, past the annual marathon route, the bustling of the town (even on a Sunday a town of 6 million is busy) and onto the highway. And indeed it was a beautiful day.  On my recent trips to China it had been 2 pair of long underwear down jacket cold but this trip is one week later than usual and on the heels of a very mild winter. It feels surprisingly warm and I was glad I threw in a couple of cotton short sleeve t-shirts while the cab’s meter was running back in Seattle.

The two-hour drive west confirmed Spring was here. Small cherry trees were bursting, the forsythias dotted the landscape with bright yellow.  The wide road was new and we sped comfortably by various three-wheeled bikes, mini scooters and BMW’s.  A half hour or so outside of city, its tall modern communistic architecture surrendered to the country, farm fields of winter wheat stretched out over the landscape. The ancient land seems more dusty than fertile and the fields are spotted with gravestones. “We all have old people in our families,” Gavin told us. “We are not supposed to bury them in the fields anymore, but we all do. We sneak out at night.” There are still a few of the old tall carved stone types but we could see more modern ones designed to simultaneously pay respects & usurp the law. These new mounds are about 3’ wide & high with some unspecified sparkly wreaths laid on top.

Shortly the cave houses appeared, many of which are still in use. The caves are carved a few meters into terraced levels of dirt and sand. Residents of this region, and Xi'an to the north, live this way to stay warm in the bitter winters and cool during the summer's sweltering temperatures that exceed 110 degrees.  Gavin told us about a cave dweller he met, who after a bit of conversation about his life, realized looked illogically young. The Cave Dweller told Gavin he was in his 70’s. Gavin told us he looked about 50. “It must suit their nature here, to live this way,” he commented.

Soon we were crossing the Yellow River.  Kevin, being a river ecologist by training, was taken with the old land and the erosion.  This area has developed in a way like New Orleans. Because the trees have all been cut and the overall land devastated by millennium of farming and poor land use practices there are no buffers anymore to the winds of nature and time. Huge amounts of sand (enough for everyone in China to have 2 kilos a year) are deposited annually here, on the flats from the high Mongolian Plateau. It looks like the river is low, but it is very deep, just full of sand. In fact no one knows how deep it really is. And, sadly like New Orleans, when the floods come, all manner of devastation arrives too.

We spotted the sign “Taiji Road” 20 minutes or so later and the energy of our bus full of American Taiji players shifted from contemplative to excited. We turned left and headed in to the Chen Village.  As we entered the Village I noticed the mural along the wall was completed. Last year there were only a few moves painted along its expanse but now each of the 75 movement of the Laojia is perfectly illustrated, atop a layer of yin/yang & bagua symbols, stretching along a quarter mile or so.  The rural Village of 2000 was buzzing with spring, everyone working and shopping surrounded by the warming air.   I was so happy to see the wide open faces and full-tooth smiles of the residents, this now my third visit to the Village.  There is something deeply comforting here, the home of my teacher and his family, the home of Taijiquan.

Yet, like all of China the change even here is happening at whiplash speed. Across the road from the Mural one can now see a huge construction project, the future Government's (in contrast to the Chen Family's) Taijiquan Center. The scaffolding, steel and concrete take up what we might think of as several city blocks. Plans include a training hall, lodging and a theme park complete with a white water rafting course since “Taijiquan and water have the same nature.” There is also talk of many of the old buildings in town being torn down to replace them with something more modern and "attractive" to tourists. There is even talk about tearing down part of the Chen school. Apparently Chen Xiao Xing is fighting hard to keep his family's school in tact as it is now. The money that Taiji tourism at this scale will bring in will surely make the lives of the residents materialistically better, it is a very poor area, even our digs at Chen Bing academy had some problem yesterday and we have no water at all. However, even with all this future prosperity I would be lying to deny that this particular road through Taiji town does to some degree break my heart.

Though I’m not sure about the water situation, we are snugged into our lodging for the week at Chen Bing’s. Kevin and I have the same room Joyce had last year so we have pretty good wifi.  Doug has my room from last year. We are here with Sergio & Gianna from Italy, Jill from Ireland and lots of Chinese teenagers from all over the region. The new building is almost complete and the trees we planted last year are all alive, not budding quite yet but soon. Chen Bing is, as always, very busy. The main school down the road is completely full with Germans, Brazilians, Russians, Brits, Poles & Americans. The smaller hotel up the street is also completely full. We are having a great time reconnecting with old and making new friends.  This amazing international spirit and openness is at the heart of what Chen Xiao Wang and the Chen family have sacrificed for and worked over the past twenty years; the Village this week is infused with it. It is also clear to us that we are on the precipice of an unknown future for the birthplace of Taijiquan, a future none of us can know except the knowing that everything changes. What will endure though, and it is evidenced very clearly through those of us that practice, is the heart of Taijiquan.

Its 4:30 am now in the Chen Village. I can hear the sheep. In just a few hours the seminar week will formally begin. We start with a Baishi (disciple ceremony) at 9:00 am and go from there. We don’t know the schedule this week but it doesn’t matter. We are here, at this moment not to train form or to know a schedule or to know the future. We are here only to know that the Taijiquan Road is the Water Road, sometimes calm and sometimes full of spiraling rapids.  If our training teaches us anything it is not to look for its familiar form but simply to ride well along the Way.

May Peace Prevail on Earth.

Kim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Wall

Greetings & salute!

Last night about 8:30 pm our Boeing 767 landed smoothly along the tarmac at Beijing international airport.  The 11 hour direct flight was the easiest I have experienced in my Asian travels.  The flight was full but also fully occupied with people watching movies, playing on their Ipads or sleeping. I was among the latter, surprisingly sleeping most of the way, sprawled out on my husband's lap while he was writing on his Ipad on the traytable above me. Doug, in the seat next to us, was occupied with movies, music & games, enjoying little snippets of sleep along the way. All in all a simple journey East and I am happy to be here with such wonderful travelling companions.  Its really great to see my dear friends so wide eyed at this adventure, this their first time to Asia.  And, though this is my 5th time to China and as yet another among a long line of travel all around Asia, I could not help but be thrilled at the night lights of Beijing coming up quickly as the plane touchdowned in Beijing.

I first came to China in 1991 for a month of training soley in Beijing. It was during a time when China was making its first Olympic bid. People still were wearing Mao jackets and it was the rare women with even lipstick.  The "international airport" was tiny, that of a country crawling out of third world status, not yet but in just two decades to become one of the largest economies in the world. Then, I had to bat cockroaches away from my pillow and stay close to the hotel except for highly structured tours. Today I am writing this blog from our transit hotel, a swanky airport Hilton hotel where I can plug into the Internet for a few bucks a day. And I can post to Facebook. 

After firing up my computer last night I decided to, just for fun, click the Facebook tab on my bookmarks.  I thought I was hallucinating when there popped up my homepage with all manner of status updates from my friends across the great water.  I began to wonder if this was some sort of "cookie" that was still embedded in my history until I refreshed several times.  I then wondered if I was actually simply dreaming as the Bering Sea past fast 35,000 feet below me. I got up, drank some water and noticed a bit of anxiety as I wondered what would happen if I actually posted. Would I smoke my hard drive by actually posting a status update on my profile page? I decided to risk it.

"Stunning, I am actually posting from Beijing" was my update. I waited, no smoke, no ominous knock on the swanky hotel room door, no abrupt awakening from flight turbulance.  Instead, in about 2 seconds the "like" notices began popping up. Comments to "have fun" flew onto the page. And, one of my students from years past who now lives in Taiwan posted that he was here in Beijing and could I get together? It was dizzying! From the time I slept in the cushy hotel bed to the time I woke up for tea 6 hours later there were 25 likes and  a dozen comments.  I spent an hour updating myself on my friends status, still wondering if what I was experiencing was real.

At that moment I almost posted this:  The Great Wall has fallen: I have access to Facebook in China. I did think better of it though; one of my commentators schooled me that FB is not open fully here at all, but subject to location & changing ideologies. But more over, I respect that this is fragile moment in a country's evolution and I am not a resident but merely a visitor sleeping on a nice bed in a fine hotel. When I travel to Asia I am reminded of how much freedom & abundance I live with in the US. We in America have had it for so long that we can forget that in other locations these freedoms are just emerging. Yet, the reality is that change is quickly a foot. And though we may have been at the top of the political, economic or information food chain in decades past, we should not assume it is our future, nor should that be our goal.  We are all climbing the high and jagged wall of global changes and it is not just on the ground where the earth is shifting. The Great Wall of limited access to each other, in our neighborhoods or across the Great Water, is falling hard & fast.  It is a time of Great Awakening on Earth.  The age of isolation is over. The age of equality is rising. How shall we proceed accordingly?

Its time for breakfast! I'm starved and look forward to eggs & bacon.

May Peace Prevail on Earth.

Kim

Has it been a year?

Greetings & Salute!

It is hard to believe that one year ago at this time 10 Moon Students were in China!  This Thursday, a smaller but equality robust group of us embark once more to the Middle Kingdom.  Please check back here for tales that I will tell, that is if we have internet service!  

In the meantime, please enjoy some of the backstories of yesteryear by scrolling as you will.

May the spirit continue,

Kim