Follow me to a trip to China

[lightm]

June 9th. I have a friend visiting me in Shaoxing. So some touristy part of Shaoxing is coming up.

It is so hot here that I sweat instantly anytime I step outside. Temperature is 38c with about 70% humidity.

In the afternoon, we went to Lanting, translated as orchid pavilion. It is about 15km southwest of the city.

Lanting is famous because the biggest calligrapher of China, Xizhi Wang (303 AD–361 AD), was working in Shaoxing for some time. One of those days he and his friends had a big party in Lanting where he made the most legendary piece of calligraphy work, of course while he was drunk.

A section of the masterpiece (actual work is allegedly burried with an emperor)

Geese pond uopn entry

Lotus is in its prime

Supposedly he had party here where people were sitting along the stream.

a place built to honor him

Many many emperors admired his work. During the Qing dynasty (last dynasty of China), two emperors came here and wrote stuff, which were inscribed on each side of this giant stone, protected by the pavilion.

The front

Top

The back

Later that day we did other random walk in the city.

 

[Ponypoor]

June 9th. I have a friend visiting me in Shaoxing. So some touristy part of Shaoxing is coming up.

It is so hot here that I sweat instantly anytime I step outside. Temperature is 38c with about 70% humidity.

In the afternoon, we went to Lanting, translated as orchid pavilion. It is about 15km southwest of the city.

Lanting is famous because the biggest calligrapher of China, Xizhi Wang (303 AD–361 AD), was working in Shaoxing for some time. One of those days he and his friends had a big party in Lanting where he made the most legendary piece of calligraphy work, of course while he was drunk.

A section of the masterpiece (actual work is allegedly burried with an emperor)
View attachment 3572339

Geese pond uopn entry
View attachment 3572324

Lotus is in its primeView attachment 3572323

Supposedly he had party here where people were sitting along the stream.
View attachment 3572314

a place built to honor him
View attachment 3572322

Many many emperors admired his work. During the Qing dynasty (last dynasty of China), two emperors came here and wrote stuff, which were inscribed on each side of this giant stone, protected by the pavilion.View attachment 3572321

The frontView attachment 3572320

TopView attachment 3572319

The backView attachment 3572316

Later that day we did other random walk in the city.
View attachment 3572312View attachment 3572311

Amazing! Such a rich history

 

[lightm]

My hometown Shaoxing is famous for its wine, a certain kind of occupation that no longer exists, and producing lots of famous people.

The most famous person is the great writer Lu Xun (1881-1936). Every Chinese knows him because our literature class is full of his essays/novels throughout elementary school and high school.

Many many things are named after him here. For example, my elementary school is LuXun elementary school. Shaoxing has made lots of money because people want to visit the home of Luxun.

As a person from Shaoxing, I did not care for him mostly due to rebellion behavior. I was tired of hearing him again and again. I was also too young to really understand his work. I think I only came to appreciate him in college and was really in awe of his writings. It is very bold, blunt, and artsy.

He was a great writer, a political writer in a sense. I'm glad he passed away when he did. He wouldn't survive the CCP. Someone once asked Mao Zedong on how he feels about Luxun. Mao said:" he would be in prison. "

So on July 10th I took my friend to where Luxun grew up.

 

[lightm]

Maybe we can call this a reception room?

you can see the house style here is much more moderate. Not exquisite.

Traditional houses are usually buildings making up a square with a courtyard in the middle. You can stack the squares onto each other making a huge house. For example, A house with 3 depth means two courtyard, like a "B" shaped house.

courtyard

Other courtyard

Rooms

Bedroom

Kitchen

Storage room for dealing with grains

A grinder

Backyard

I really want this bamboo fence for myself. So maybe I will try to do that when opportunities rise.

Into the performance stage

It is common to have the stage in the back or middle of a pond.

This is where he went to school. It is in a house 100 meters away.

 

[Perris]

fantastic photos @lightm , and your descriptions are really informative of what we're looking at and how they fit together. Thank you for sharing your trip with us

 

[lightm]

After visiting Luxun's home, we went to Shen's garden. I didn't take too many pictures because it was ungodly hot.

We had lunch at a famous local restaurant. I have never been here to be honest. But I like it. The table is very traditional square tables that we used to use. It seats 8 people.

Shaoxing wine, pork belly with soy sauced dried bok choy, fennel spiced fava bean, fried stinky(fermented) tofu.

Pork belly was really really good!

 

[Perris]

I have a cookery book called Hog (all about pigs and pork) and it says the Chinese have a way with pork; loads of the recipes in it are from China or based on Chinese recipes, and those we have tried to date have not disappointed, so I imagine it was very good indeed!

 

[Ponypoor]

Maybe we can call this a reception room? View attachment 3573441

you can see the house style here is much more moderate. Not exquisite.
View attachment 3573442View attachment 3573443

View attachment 3573444
View attachment 3573445

Traditional houses are usually buildings making up a square with a courtyard in the middle. You can stack the squares onto each other making a huge house. For example, A house with 3 depth means two courtyard, like a "B" shaped house.

courtyard
View attachment 3573446


Other courtyard View attachment 3573447
View attachment 3573450
RoomsView attachment 3573448

Bedroom View attachment 3573449

Kitchen View attachment 3573451

Storage room for dealing with grainsView attachment 3573452

A grinderView attachment 3573453

Backyard View attachment 3573454View attachment 3573455View attachment 3573456

I really want this bamboo fence for myself. So maybe I will try to do that when opportunities rise.View attachment 3573458View attachment 3573457

Into the performance stageView attachment 3573460

It is common to have the stage in the back or middle of a pond.
View attachment 3573459

This is where he went to school. It is in a house 100 meters away.
View attachment 3573461

WOW!

What a place - amazing

 

[Ponypoor]

After visiting Luxun's home, we went to Shen's garden. I didn't take too many pictures because it was ungodly hot.
View attachment 3574382View attachment 3574388View attachment 3574389View attachment 3574391View attachment 3574392

We had lunch at a famous local restaurant. I have never been here to be honest. But I like it. The table is very traditional square tables that we used to use. It seats 8 people.View attachment 3574398

Shaoxing wine, pork belly with soy sauced dried bok choy, fennel spiced fava bean, fried stinky(fermented) tofu.
View attachment 3574393
Pork belly was really really good!

Sounds really really good

I worked with a few guys at Sears, we all used to go for lunch and they would ask ‘do you trust us to order?’ (Menus were in Chinese).

I said order away - I would eat everything they ordered! Yum!

 

[Ponypoor]

After visiting Luxun's home, we went to Shen's garden. I didn't take too many pictures because it was ungodly hot.
View attachment 3574382View attachment 3574388View attachment 3574389View attachment 3574391View attachment 3574392

We had lunch at a famous local restaurant. I have never been here to be honest. But I like it. The table is very traditional square tables that we used to use. It seats 8 people.View attachment 3574398

Shaoxing wine, pork belly with soy sauced dried bok choy, fennel spiced fava bean, fried stinky(fermented) tofu.
View attachment 3574393
Pork belly was really really good!

What lovely gardens - too bad too hot. So lovely