Teach China Summer Study Tour 2010 Blog
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Today we finally visited the Shangri-la Institute with many of the people we had met on the previous day. The Institute was in some ways indescribable. I have never been in a place where the purity of the mission and warmth of the people was so palpable and real. The Institute’s purpose is to work with minority cultures in part by facilitating educational resources, but also by learning from the native peoples about the environment and transmitting this knowledge back into their curriculum. The institute currently works with 42 schools across China – all in the Yangtze River Valley to educate students about the river and water stewardship. In addition they operate community centers like the one we visited in Shangri-la which give people an opportunity to come together to share their culture and teach traditional ways to their children. We took part in a Tibetan dance class and workshops on Tibetan art and embroidery. The people we met there, all minority Tibetans were absolutely beautiful. Their kindness and openness especially among the children I believe touched everyone that day. Even Kevin. I’ve never seen him look more relaxed.
Later that evening we went back into the Old Town part of Shangri-la which has clearly seen the most tourist-oriented development. It was reminiscent of the Ancient City section of Lijiang though not nearly as sprawling. Again we saw row after row of shops hocking identical knickknacks. In the evening there was a Tibetan dancing in the town square, and while this seemed like fun, it also seemed to be a little too staged for the tourists. A number of the locals seemed to have a “here we go again” look on their faces. Still, perhaps turning Shangri-la into the kind of minority Disneyland that Lijiang is may have some residual benefits for the local population. I certainly hope so.
That night we had dinner with folks from the Institute and it was truly a treat, especially the sing-a-long portion of the evening. A memorable evening to be sure.
Marsha Stewart
We left Lijiang to head up to Shangri-La. After 2 hours, we stopped at the Tiger Leaping Gorge for a 5K trek to the point where the legendary tiger leaped across the river to escape hunters. It was a beautiful manmade cliffside walk along the river and through tunnels dug through the marble/granite? stone mountain. It was lined with bamboo plants part of the way and concrete railing which they carved into bamboo shape so visitors will not fall off the cliffside. We walked down the steps that put us right at the river side. The rushing rapids were fierce. It struck the rocks in the middle of the river. The sprays were high. The water was angry and strong. The river was the Jinsha River which leads into the Yangtse River. Kevin and our tour guide Laura told us the legends of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. The first legend is that once there were hunters pursuing a tiger. The tiger escaped by leaping across the river with 2 huge leaps, stopping on a rock in the middle. That was the way the tremendous strength of the tiger saved him. The second legend was of the mountains being two brothers. One day, a beautiful girl river wanted to pass them to fulfill her dream of reaching the sea. The two brothers did not want her to leave because she was so beautiful. They wanted her to stay with them. She came up with a plan to sing them to sleep and that was when she escaped between them. That is how the gorge was created. The one brother was so mad that he decapitated the other brother mountain. Thus there was the huge triangular rock in the middle of the rushing river.
Helen Biffen
Pingry School
I woke up at 4 am to go to Martyrs Park. It was a fascinating experience to see how people started their day exercising. The park came to life as people warmed up by stretching their legs, running, and even clapping their hands as they walked. Collectively men and women would practice Tia Chi. As I admired the beautiful green gardens and trees, I heard someone in the nearby distance screaming; they were releasing whatever sounds naturally came out from their body. Some people sat on a bench shaking their heads, slapping their legs and even singing opera as they looked onto a reflective pond. I felt very safe walking around here at such an early time of the day despite not seeing daylight ––the sun had yet to rise! As time progressed, people began to dance tango, cha-cha, fly kites, and practice martial arts movements with their swords. It was truly fascinating to see how people can be one with nature and with their bodies.
We then took a flight to Kunming. Afterwards, a very long bus ride awaited us because the main road was closed due to flooding. This led us to a scenic road trip where mountains unwounded into swirling rice fields. Different shades of green arose as the journey evolved. As we drove up the mountain, the view got better ––the field became bigger and richer in green hues. Flowers grew wildly giving specs of colors among all the green shades.
I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to travel through China with other educators for three weeks. Reflecting on many levels, I don’t think I would have been able to have this experience otherwise. The China Institute was fundamental in organizing things and facilitating communications throughout. I felt the language barrier when I was on my own and tried to ask for the most basic things in the hotel or at a market. I also value discussing things with such a smart group of educators. The ideas exchanged at our pedagogical sessions continued to develop over lunch and dinner. Great connections and bonds were made.
Jennifer Merdjan
Bard High School Early College
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