'Friends of China' by Low Jinrui

There was so many activities planned for us in the 5th Sino-Singapore Exchange that every single day was packed! There is simply too much of China for us to experience - the people, the history and culture... the entire country as a whole. I recall the fatigue of rushing from place to place and experiencing new things every moment. Despite that, it was a truly enriching experience.

In our short stay in China, we visited three renowned cities of China namely Beijing, Jinan and Shanghai. The three cities each have their own flavour. Beijing is infused with a long political history, Shanghai on the other hand is the major economic centre of China while Jinan is the cultural hometown of Confucious. As we visited the cities and explored its beauty, we also explored the Universities which hosted us for the cultural exchange.

We were warmly welcomed by the students of the various universities in every visit. For me, these University visits painted many happy and beautiful memories together. I can still vividly remember how some of them took time off their studies to meet us in the evening to bring us around in Beijing or how we tried kite flying in Ren Min University or how we learnt about Confucianism in Shandong University. Often, leaving a city meant leaving friends who have had made special connections wtih all of us. As we moved from city to city, I cannot help but wish for more time with these new friends.

A particularly memorable experience for me during the trip included picking cherries at Shandong (Jinan). For me, it was a truly enlightening experience to be on the fields picking cherries, thus experiencing what it was like to be a cherry farmer. Moreover, the journey to the cherry fields were punctuated with scenery that was truly breathtaking. The mountain ridges and the cool breeze made me wish I could live there forever. In that moment, I could almost feel one with nature and it was then which I could fully appreciate the significance of mountains in China and how they were considered sacred sites.

Apart from visiting our friends from the various Universities, we also visited local tourist attractions. For me, this part of the trip enabled me to understand and experience the rich historical treasures of China. Or at least (if you would permit a cynic) what is officially preserved. The critical side of me made it an interesting experience to see how China presented and portrayed its history.

One of the thoughts that struck me was how the imperial sacredness of The Forbidden City has been lost. The Forbidden City, which used to be the sacred place reserved only for the emperor and his royal subjects, is now open to hounds of visitors all year round. Previous coats of paint has been replaced by new coats of colour, alluring to the photo-snapping tourists. Rooms along the side of the palace are now replaced by gift shops, refreshment shops selling all forms of merchandise. The imperial silence of the Forbidden City of the past has been replaced by the endless commotion of tourists and peddlers.

The same can be seen for the Imperial Garden (御园) and the Summer Garden (颐和园). From its former majestic and revered sanctuary, it now appears more like a public part than its historical intentions.

Even religious places such as the huge temple Cheng Huang Miao (城隍庙) in Shanghai have rooms that were occupied by hundreds of stalls. "Chinese” goods such as fans, ink seals, paintings were abundant at these tourist attractions. There is even a Starbucks outlet located right smack in the centre of the temple.

As I reflected upon China as a place of great tradition, history and culture, it scares me to think that perhaps the exposure of tourist attractions might negate the significance and grandeur of Chinese culture.