I have been increasingly fascinated these past months with the different faces I’ve observed and encountered in China. In fact, it seems to me that these countless faces, young and old, innocent and world-weary, each one unique, form a kind of microcosmic composite of the immeasurably vast family portrait that is China today.

But first I want to tell you about a totally different face, namely mine!   All of you would chuckle if you could see me right now. For the past number of weeks I have had an ongoing battle in the bedroom. No, not with Howard, but with a MOSQUITO! I’m convinced there is only one, and all day it lurks behind the curtains, waiting patiently (hungrily!) for me to fall asleep, Then suddenly, in the middle of the night, I am attacked by this tiny invisible monster, savage, menacing, relentless! And oh, does it bite! We do need the open windows for fresh air (no screens), but really, do these critters have to come all the way up to the 5th floor? I should say that it is the rainy season now, so there is a little more humidity in the air, which seems to bring out the insects. Every night I carefully wrap myself like an Egyptian mummy, and am modestly covered from head to toe while Howard lies peacefully in an embarrassing state of undress!. But do they attack him? No, It’s me they want. Howard attributes this to my “inherently sweet nature”. So, with sheets covering every part of me except my eyes, nose and mouth (Howard suggests using straws for my mouth and nostrils!!), I try to sleep. But last night was too much. I was bitten repeatedly on my lips, eyes, ears, forehead. All  night I was flailing my arms wildly, but to no avail; this single, solitary pesky mosquito eluded me! This morning my lips were so swollen, I was actually drooling out of the corner of my mouth! I felt as though I had been at the dentist, and my face was  hardly recognizable! Howard suggests boxing as a new career…says I remind him of Sly Stallone after a few rounds in the ring! So, I consulted Google for home remedies. I tried them all –  lemon juice all over my face (which had an interesting side benefit – my sagging jowls felt a little tighter), I swabbed my face with Listerine – mosquitoes obviously love fresh breath as well, so that too didn’t work at all. Finally, in one last desperate attempt, I wrapped fabric softener sheets around my head. Mosquitoes apparently love the smell of clean laundry just as much as I do, Result? Back to square one! I just hope you will recognize me when I get home. By the way, my face is not among the following much more interesting ones!

Watching people (and there are so many people to watch!) has been a favorite pastime for me these past few months. I’m especially intrigued by the very old faces, and of course the very young babies and children.

Older People here generally do not like to have their pictures taken. Of course we always ask for their consent before we take any pictures. These wonderfully wizened, weathered, wrinkled, sun-baked faces have many stories to tell, stories I would dearly love to hear. From my completely unscientific observations, I am struck by the serenity and contentment on these faces, at least for the most part. Yet I would think these folks have experienced many hardships we can’t even begin to imagine. The women are easier to photograph, for the simple reason they seem to be about more, whether working on the streets, sweeping up garbage, cleaning food, peeling potatoes on the street, or looking after grandchildren. Respect for the elderly is fundamental to Chinese society. Seniors enjoy a high status – with age comes respect. This is largely due to Confucianism which teaches respect for the wisdom and experience that comes with advanced years. Old people may well be the happiest people in China; they can often be found singing and dancing or playinggames with their friends in the parks. We see this every time we go for a stroll in the Green Lake park close to our apartment.

Old Man in Dali

 

Neighbours gossiping

Erhu player on the street

At the market

Women of the Miao village

Babies and Young Children are extremely well looked after, most likely because of the one child policy. Babies are doted on, especially by their grandparents, but also by their parents. Rarely do I hear a baby cry, most likely because they are almost always carried, usually on the mother’s or grandmother’s back in a kind of papoose. This way the mother or grandmother can go about her duties. Strollers are a rarity. The sidewalks here, with their uneven surfaces and frequent stairs, don’t lend themselves well to strollers. There are no car seats for babies, cyclists and their baby passengers don’t wear helmets; even the motorscooters, often with babies on them as well, offer no protection. The children are almost without exception clean and well dressed. Parents are thrilled if you pay attention to their babies and children, and are happy to have their pictures taken. Diapers are not a big thing here – all baby clothes have big slits in the crotch, so it’s very easy to let the toddler squat and “go” when it wants! We are told by some of Chinese acquaintances that they believe Chinese children to be rather spoiled, mostly by their grandparents. As a result there is a generation of older students who lack motivation and feel a sense of entitlement. If there is a difference in parents’ treatment of male or female children, I am unaware of it; girls seem to be cherished as much as boys.

Baby and toddler with matching mohawks.

Small son of the security guard in our complexx

Sweet kids!

Not so sure about this!

Grandmother with child

Everyone likes babies!

Cute kid!

Baby on Mother’s back as she works as a guide

For us the countdown continues; we have 32 more sleeps until we’re home! But first, Howard has 2 performances of Verdi’s La Traviata on the 22nd and 26th of June. The singers are very, very good, so Howard is having a great time working with them.

Have a good week!

Till next time,

Maggie