Islands and Opera
(An island building at the Panmen Gate Scenic Area: downtown Suzhou)
I took this photograph because at the time, it was irresistible; I try my best to give a real impression of life here, but sometimes the tourist in me wins over. This building especially interested me as it has its own island with perfect wooden walkways, just as I would have imagined. I wondered at first if this was a temple or living quarters, it looks far too magical to be anything mundane. It actually turned out to be a meeting or delegation room (from what I could ascertain from the brief translations provided) and has played host to various ambassadors or ministers from other parts of China, but also important visitors from abroad. There were many glossy framed images of said personages but I recognised none of them, as is to be expected. By watching CCTV 9, the international Chinese channel run by the Chinese government, I have learned to recognise some prominent Chinese government members but my knowledge of politics here is pretty limited.
I have also been watching the CCTV (Chinese Central Television) Opera channel which is just fascinating. It is one of the strangest and most surprising forms of entertainment I have ever seen. I was watching it yesterday and the action seemed to be lulling, but all of a sudden, one man began doing the most incredible acrobatics. He was spinning in the air, doing multiple backflips, catching swords after swinging them above his head, balancing on one leg whilst fighting a monstrous green creature, surely a demon. This was real gymnastic skill, not just Western opera’s singing and acting. At first, Chinese opera with its painted faces, feline wailing and jangling percussion is nothing short of bizarre to the newcomer, but Ying explains the meanings of some moves and I can piece together a story of my own invention.
