Day of Sightseeing... Fuzi Temple

Today was a day that we'd all been anticipating...sightseeing and shopping! We hopped on our bus and headed toward the Nanjing City Wall and to Fuzi Temple. This was the China we couldn't wait to see. The colors and lines are simply breathtaking.

Fuzi Temple
(Confucius and twelve of his disciples)

Maddie posing with Confucius

The temple itself is several thousand years old, but had been rebuilt over a hundred years ago following a fire. Nanjing has served as the capital city during six dynasties over a period of 2,500 years. It has a great deal of cultural heritage; and inside the temple were examples of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage... the lantern show by Qinhuai River, Nanjing Brocade, Nanjing Gold Foil, and Jingling Scripture Painting. These four items represent the ingenious creativity and excellent cultural tradition of the people of Nanjing.

As we walked further into Fuzi Temple, we found many small shops showcasing their talents. Everywhere we went, we drew a crowd...especially Lyvie. I'm not exactly sure what it is that draws so many people to her. As we watched a magic show, nearly a dozen people were taking pictures of this little brown-eyed beauty with their cell phones. Adam and I posed for at least three photos ourselves. It seemed that each time I turned around, someone was standing next to me and pointing to the camera. I actually don't mind it at all. It's like being a Good Will Ambassador for the United States. As a matter of fact, it follows the ideas of Ran Yong (one of Confucius' twelve disciples) that "when you go abroad, behave to everyone as if you were receiving a great guest" and "to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice."

We left with several items for Adam... including a paper kite, an intricate paper cutting of the boar (the sign under which he was born), Chairman Mao's little red book, and a beautiful embroidery of the temple gardens. (Troy is really starting to enjoy this whole bargaining thing!) And, again...in true Lyvie fashion... as we were purchasing Adam's paper cutting, the owner gifted Lyvie with a horse (the sign under which she was born), a butterfly, and wrote a poem for her on the back of it. When Kelly translated it for us, she said it is filled with beautiful words for her and includes "the face of an angel." What a special gift to have!

Craftsman autographing Lyvie's gift with a poem

We ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant. We feasted on many different dishes. (I want one of those lazy susans on my dining room table!) We had the most delicious fried green beans and pork, pork balls (just for you Beffie!), fried pumpkin cakes, bok choy, and fried noodles.) I continue to fall in love with the culture of my son's homeland. It truly is a special place; much different than my homeland and steeped in such great tradition. Our next cultural tour will take us the Mausoleum of Sun Yat Sen. (I'm so glad that our guide majored in Chinese History in college!)

Adam had a fabulous day today! He loves being in his little Snuggli...although he gets very hot in Nanjing's humid weather. We were able to successfully sneak some prunes in his bottle this afternoon. (Thank heavens for prunes!) This afternoon, it was like a light switch turned on...his personality began to shine! He smiled and giggled for hours, just lying on the bed watching his "JieJie" and "BaBa." He rolled all over the place, happily kicking his feet and grabbing JieJie's hair. As we ate dinner in the room, Adam was content playing with his stacking cupts on the floor next to us...not ON us. I think he's decided that he'll keep us.



For my darling fifth graders...

"Where in the world is Mrs. Church?" Question of the Day

One of China's favorite pasttimes is kite flying. The skies come alive with bright colors each day as these kites soar above the parks. They can come in all shapes and sizes. Using a piece of construction paper, I would like you to design a kite to soar above the classroom. Make sure that this kite represents YOU! Be as creative as you like! Ms. Adams can display them around the room to remind you that the sky is the limit!