CRR09 Day 9, Thursday, Han Shan Si

I was able to sleep in a little bit today as I did not have to be at LiDa to meet my group until 9:00. Yu jia went by bicycle and Isadora was dropped off at the train station at 7:00 by Mrs. Zhou. I had a breakfast of warm sweet milk, fried bread (like a churro without the sugar), and scrambled eggs. The Zhou’s have an automatic espresso machine in the den which I automatically go to each morning.

I met my group at 9:00 for our orientation and to collect our funds for the day. Since our home-stays began the mornings are abuzz with conversation about host families, food, and of course SHOPPING. Both the boys and girls seem to be great bargainers, but the girls have definitely had more opportunities to put their skills to work. One girl was put on shopping and sugar probation by her chaperone until further notice.

Han Shan Si (Cold Mountain Temple) is a Buddhist temple about three miles west from Old Town Suzhou. The Temple was originally built during the Liang Dynasty (502-557), and was repaired in the following dynasties. It covers about three acres, representing the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).We travelled by public bus with one transfer and a long walk over the Grand Canal. We knew we had reached our destination by the numerous tour busses and guides with wearable audio equipment. Immediately upon entering the temple we were hit by the scent of burning incense. Trees and bushes were filled with red ribbons written with prayers that would be carried by the wind. They were very beautiful swaying in the constant breeze of the day.

The students lost no time getting straight to the task at hand; finding a monk to interview. We were warned by previous groups that the monks disappear during lunch and that we should find them before 12:00. The men were dressed in orange robes while the women were in faded blue/grey. We learned that monks shave their heads to lessen their physical cares of the world so that they can devote all of their time to prayers. They are strict vegetarians and will not eat eggs as they were once living creatures. Garlic and onions are also prohibited because of the bad breath they leave behind. With all of the chanting, it is best to leave this worldly scent as well.

I climbed up one structure with very steep stairs and was rewarded with a view of the Temple grounds and surrounding city. It never ceases to amaze me to see the modern and ancient in such close proximity.
Like any tourist destination or local attraction, Han Shan Si is surrounded by hundreds of little stalls selling trinkets, paintings, silk, and anything else you might want. The air is filled with the constant chirping of “looky, looky.”

We got a little turned around on our way back to LiDa and asked dozens of people how to get to the Scholar’s Inn as our previous hotel was just a short walk from the school. Luckily, we had heeded Kojo’s rule to keep the hotel card “with you at all times!” As we were hitting the pavement we ran into a group of excited wai guo ren. Fortunately, they were not foreigners to us! Amy turned us in the right direction and we all relieved. It was time to reward ourselves with ice cream as we had managed another day.

A driver pick us up after school returning us to the Zhou family. It has been customary for us to sit down to dinner right when we get home. I do not know the names of the dishes we ate but suffice it to say that it was delicious!

After dinner Isadora shopped for a camera and then we went to a grocery store which was located inside a HUGE mall. We filled the shopping cart with many drinks, fruit, and meat for the following evening. Isadora got to experience durian, the fragrant spiked fruit. I wish I was able to snap a photo!