I repeat myself, though you might not know – this blog has become so huge. You’d need to scroll and scroll back, I know you won’t. Gosh, I write too much.
Clear, once again, who reads it and who does not.
So, I’ve decided to adapt the content. I guess you could like it. I know who reads it. And who doesn’t.
“Les absents ont tort”.
Family
8 April – Easter Sunday, time for a funeral
“The Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival is one of the 24 seasonal division points in China, falling on April 4-6 each year. After the festival, the temperature will rise up and rainfall increases. It is the high time for spring plowing and sowing. But the Qingming Festival is not only a seasonal point to guide farm work, it is more a festival of commemoration.
The Qingming Festival sees a combination of sadness and happiness.
This is the most important day of sacrifice. Both the Han and minority ethnic groups at this time offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the deceased.”
So far for the official description of the Festival.
For our Chinese family it was an emotional day, to bury the ashes of Prof. Cai Zhong De (professor in music history). He passed away some 3 years ago.
The ceremony was held in a cemetery close to Fragrant Hills (“Beijing Wan An Gongyu”). The tomb of Prof. Cai is a big rock, next to the hall of Li Da Zhao, one of the founders of the Chinese Communist Party.
Cai was the late husband of Mrs. Feng Zhongpu who herself was the daughter of the famous philosopher Feng Youlan. For Sun Bin and me, Feng Youlan was same as a grandfather and Feng Zhongpu is our auntie. The family relation between Sun and Feng is through Feng Youlan’s sister in law – Sun’s grandmother.
part of the family; the tomb waiting for the urn; Feng Jue bring the urn
Zhongpu is a famous writer (see earlier blog entry). Their daughter is Ms. Feng Jue, well known in Beijing (Tom Online). She is a very close family friend. Jue brought the ashes and with her mother they deposited the urn inside the tomb. Then the tomb was sealed and we all threw a flower in the open pit. Close relatives and former students attended the ceremony.
the tomb is sealed; widow and daughter throwing the first flowers
tomb of Feng Youlan; tomb of Ren Rui with the commemorative plaque
Later we all went to pay respect to the tomb of Feng Youlan, as well as to the tomb of Mrs. Ren Rui, all in the same cemetery. Mrs. Ren, Sun’s grandmother, was called “Mama Tongzhi” (I think by Chairman Mao and others). The inscription on her tomb is from Premier Zhou Enlai who later adopted Ren Rui’s daughter, Sun Weishi (Sun’s auntie, sister of her father Sun Yang – both were killed by the Gang of Four).
All a bit complicated but many Chinese know those stories very well.
view of the main entrance and inside view; the hall for Li Da Zhao
The cemetery is very nice and quiet, the weather that day was gorgeous.
Peter Danford tests his camera – on us
Some days ago Valerie went to help Peter at one of the balls in Beijing. I passed there to say hello and watch people work (I love that). As far as I could see, the ball was pretty messed up with their dubious and chaotic handling of the photography. Some months ago the Italian Ball was another example, quality of pictures taken by the “selected photographers” was simply poor.
Anyway, the good part was Peter wanted to test the set and took Valerie and me as “samples”. I was really not prepared and feeling not that great. We had a lot of fun with the pics, Peter had lots of patience as I was fooling around. Some of the pics came out real cute (I mean, Valerie, not me). Others are definitely NOT for publication here.
see for yourself; these are strongly downsized, the limits of this blog
Thanks Peter!
Valerie’s birthday – 21 February
A quiet celebration, just the three of us. Valerie has plans to celebrate in style on another day…
Valerie’s choice for her day was straightforward as usual: lunch in a Japanese restaurant (Capital Group Mansion), her favorite. Sun gave up at the end – too much food for the set lunch for “3 to 4 people”. Guess it was enough for five. Good thing those “da bao” (doggie bag), nothing is wasted!
Celebrating The Year of the Pig – the traditional way
On Saturday afternoon I tried to have a last visit to the gym but had the wrong closing time – when I arrived at 4 pm they were closing for the holidays. So I walked a bit around in the area up to Full Link Plaza where I had a coffee at Starbucks. There was an eerie silence in our neighborhood, like during SARS. What were they all doing?
Simple. Making JIAOZI – Chinese dumplings. When I arrived home soon the family came over and started the sacred ritual: making them all together (the modern version to buy them at the supermarket is not the right stuff). And then the whole family sat down to eat, simply in the kitchen (our kitchen is more than big enough).
See the family busy in the kitchen – preparing jiaozi and eating
This year, again, fireworks are permitted. We got two boxes from friends (the stuff we get from Chinese has no limits, from fruit to vegetables, a whole lamb, cognac, cigars, etc.). So, Sun had to put up a sign of “no smoking”. We wouldn’t want to blow up the office, or? (Hmmm… sometimes I feel like). All around in the neighborhood stalls went up to sell the vast array of ear piercing fireworks. Biggest outlet was at the north gate of Workers’ Stadium (comes in handy, buy one before entering Mix or Vics).
I am not fond of those dangerous rockets. One of our friends once got one straight hitting her neck – a dog had jumped on the stick and it misfired. She ended up in the hospital. In Belgium.
Well, no escaping for me, life in Beijing is dangerous (= hardship post!!!). So, there we all went in front of Babyface near the building under-permanent-construction-but-now-being finished. I stayed far enough (excuse: I have to make the pics). Valerie had her protective gear. Nobody got hurt and the workers of the building had their fun too. A fire truck came to check us out but left disappointed – nobody on fire.
Valerie protected – our best shot – being checked by the firemen
Of course in China pictures are mandatory so we had a long photo shoot.
the entire family – Valerie & Beibei
The good thing about most Chinese dinners: start early, finish early. So after 9 pm we retreated to our top floor to watch the famous (?) CCTV New year program on TV, with the curtains open to watch Gongti Xilu and Julong under fire.
As I wrote earlier, NO PIGS under whatever form in the program. This Chinese Year is “muslim friendly” and animal-less. A bit boring for me to watch, too much blabla but Sun and Valerie were laughing with all the jokes. Yeah, yeah, one day (2027) I’ll understand it too.
The fireworks were never-ending and gave the impression we were under attack and the Guancai Building (where the Alliance Française is located) on fire. I hope those people closed the windows… they were literally being hit.
fireworks in Gonti Xilu, near Guancai & Coco Banana and right above Bar Destination (those were GAY fireworks?) – Julong compound being surrounded by artillery
So, with a bottle of Muscadet, some cigars and Belgian chocolates we entered the New Year. Now we can all eat like a pig.