#pingjianglu

short trip to Suzhou

short trip to Suzhou

My second week here in Suzhou was fun, engaging, interesting, challenging, and tiring. I did a lot and went to many places so I was glad to get some rest this weekend (though my weekend was even busier than my week!) I won't go too much into detail because I simply don't have the time to write that much. 

In school classes are definitely picking up. We are now really getting into things I have never learned/learned but never retained. This week's test was a struggle for me and some of my classmates as we had to learn 250 some characters over that week. With our busy schedules and heavy homework, I mistakenly didn't study the characters extra during the week, but I won't make that mistake again. We really have a range of levels which can be difficult but it is also reassuring because even though I feel frustrated at times, I also know that there are others who feel exactly the same as I do.

After school we either have culture classes/lectures (both are in Chinese, the difference is that classes are more hands-on, lectures are just people lecturing us in Chinese on a topic), cultural excursions, or nothing. Over the course of the week on various days we had classes on traditional Chinese tea ceremonies, costume and makeup, the Chinese zodiac, and painting. We were able to participate in a mock tea ceremony, try on traditional clothing (whose importance was explained to us in Chinese) and begin painting on fans. It is really amazing that the government is giving us so many opportunities beyond just Chinese language classes to learn about the culture of China and do hands on things. Usually the culture lectures can be boring simply because they are a lecture. However, most of our classes are hands on and really interesting! Even the lectures are interesting too! 

We also took a trip to the Suzhou Museum. The Suzhou Museum is very popular as it is free and air conditioned. We saw a lot of people just sitting down and enjoying the cool air on the very hot day which we went. It was actually so hot that we cancelled our trip to Guangqianjie (a popular shopping area) on that day. The museum is really interesting. The architecture of the actual building itself is beautiful; it is very modern but it combines very traditional Chinese elements. In the center is a beautiful open-air pond with boardwalks over the water. If it weren't so hot out I would have sat there for awhile because unlike the touristy gardens, this had many visitors but still felt very peaceful. Inside the museum was a lot of interesting artifacts that gave us a look into Chinese culture during different dynasties as well as during the early 20th century. One thing we saw in both the Suzhou Museum and the Shanghai Bowuguan (Shanghai Musuem) was a piece of pottery that if I remember correctly was used in burial processes. The top has a round part and the bottom is rectangular because in the past the Chinese believed that the sky is round and the ground is square so if you put circle and square together you can become closer to the heavens. 

The other cultural excursion we had was to Pingjiang Lu. I LOVE PINGJIANG LU! It is my favorite part of Suzhou!!! Pingjiang Lu or Pingjiang Road is not too far from our school so on the day we went we walked. On the way we stopped and visited the twin towers. I don't know the Chinese name. They are very pretty and interesting though I didn't catch why they were there. I will try to post some pictures but they were too tall and my pictures kept coming out dark. Basically these towers are towers as in offices people work in, these are ancient towers that have traditional Chinese architecture and are in a garden-type courtyard. But anyways, PINGJIANG LU!! Pingjiang Lu is a historic street next to a canal . Apparently it was the main street of Suzhou during the Song dynasty. Today, it is an adorable street filled with cute coffee and tea shops (many of which sell milk drinks in glass baby bottles -I bough a mint drink and it was so good!), street food and desserts, some restaurants, and a various other stores. On that day we were pretty rushed but I have actually gone back two times now so I am more familiar with the street. I will write more about that in this weekend's post. I will say, Pingjiang Lu is very famous, one of the most famous spot's in Suzhou actually, but it is very peaceful. Pingjiang Lu is open to cars and other vehicles (meaning there is usually someone on their e-bike beeping through the crowd), but while you are walking along the street you barely notice it. You tread on ancient cobblestone, well-worn by the generations who came before you. Meanwhile, the breeze of the beautiful canal keeps you comfortable and happy in the otherwise brutal Suzhou heat. Every so often a bridge crosses the canal and you feel as if you could sit on the steps and watch the scene for hours. And as you walk down the road you are greeted with hand-drawn chalk signs advertising milk tea and yogurt, or maybe some ice cream and coffee. Historic houses line the street while modern cafes and stores exist in buildings hundreds, even thousands of years old. Despite all the people, you feel as if you are alone and utterly at peace. The street is right next to a main road, and yet there is a quiet in the air as if someone turned the volume knob just a bit down. 

As you can see, I love pingjiang lu...