One of the best parts of the trip was having my entire family meet up in Beijing. My older brother David came as part of his fellowship, my Dad came for business, and my Mom and younger brother Daniel came to travel. They came in the middle of my sixth week; at that point in the trip it was especially great to see them.
On Wangfujing with my Mom- I LOVE them
My long lost half sisters!
Daniel hounded by the paparazzi in 798, Beijing's art district
Queen Angela in her Summer Palace
'Terrifying' - Mom
Usually people mistake me for 16. Here, I look like I'm about to have my Bat Mitzvah
One night we went out to dinner with my dad’s client, Mr. Zhang, and his daughter Tina. We begin, as customary, by exchanging names. At the end, Mr. Zhang says to my dad, “You are so lucky. I only have one child; you have four children.” My dad corrects him, “I have three children.” Mr. Zhang points at David, me, Daniel, and Mom and holds up four fingers. Dad explains, “That is my wife, not my child.” It was SO funny.
In China, you often mix business with food and drinks. In the middle of appetizers, we broke out a bottle of Moutai, the drink of choice for Chinese business people, and David, my Dad, and Mr. Zhang began doing shots. Each time my Dad or Mr. Zhang would give the other a compliment or express pleasure doing business together, they would ganbei. (Gan is to dry or clean, bei is a cup, and together it’s cheers.) After seven shots each, David and Dad were gone. But of course it would be rude and embarrassing to not drink whenever someone suggested a toast.
After my Dad said something sentimental to Mr. Zhang, I raised my shot glass, to which to which Mr. Zhang enthusiastically also raised his. Five minutes passed before I did it again. This time Mr. Zhang gave me the thumbs up. David went, “Anna. No. Please, don’t.” Too late. By the time David, Dad, and Mr. Zhang each had done nine or ten shots, and I six, the bottle of Moutai was gan and we moved on to beer. Probably for the best. Mr. Zhang told my Dad to bring two bottles next time; my Dad responded he would bring three. I’d love to see that.
In China, you often mix business with food and drinks. In the middle of appetizers, we broke out a bottle of Moutai, the drink of choice for Chinese business people, and David, my Dad, and Mr. Zhang began doing shots. Each time my Dad or Mr. Zhang would give the other a compliment or express pleasure doing business together, they would ganbei. (Gan is to dry or clean, bei is a cup, and together it’s cheers.) After seven shots each, David and Dad were gone. But of course it would be rude and embarrassing to not drink whenever someone suggested a toast.
After my Dad said something sentimental to Mr. Zhang, I raised my shot glass, to which to which Mr. Zhang enthusiastically also raised his. Five minutes passed before I did it again. This time Mr. Zhang gave me the thumbs up. David went, “Anna. No. Please, don’t.” Too late. By the time David, Dad, and Mr. Zhang each had done nine or ten shots, and I six, the bottle of Moutai was gan and we moved on to beer. Probably for the best. Mr. Zhang told my Dad to bring two bottles next time; my Dad responded he would bring three. I’d love to see that.
Dad, his four children, Mr. Zhang, Tina and the translator
Dad and Mr. Zhang, Moutai behind them. By the end of the night Dad was calling Mr. Zhang his brother
Here are Daniel's pictures from his trip. Dad, Mom and Daniel started out in Hong Kong, flew to Xi'an and met up with David there, and then came to Beijing, where we were all reunited.
Hong Kong
Daniel and the Tian Tan Buddha
In Xi'an:
The first Emperor of China, the founder of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE), created an entire army made of terracotta to accompany him in the afterworld. How do we know this? Around 100 BCE the Chinese historian Sima Qian, who lived during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), wrote about it in his book Records of the Grand Historian. He described the tomb on Mt. Li in detail: the half-size chariots with horses of gold and bronze. The warriors whose bodies were mass produced but who each had a different face. The mercury river that flowed in the tomb, as mercury was considered a supernatural substance. How the workers were locked in the tomb after the construction to prevent them from telling the location.
Although the information about the tomb has existed for over two thousand years, the actual tomb was only discovered in 1974 by farmers. Sima Qian's description, even though he wrote over 100 years after the First Emperor of Qin, is incredibly accurate. The paint has faded, but the Terracotta Army is just as he described. The actual rivers no longer exist, but in some areas the soil has high levels of mercury. The bodies are the only thing that haven't preserved, as the climate is too dry.
The tomb is a testament to the wealth of the Qin dynasty and the belief in a literal connection between the present and after life.
The first Emperor of China, the founder of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE), created an entire army made of terracotta to accompany him in the afterworld. How do we know this? Around 100 BCE the Chinese historian Sima Qian, who lived during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), wrote about it in his book Records of the Grand Historian. He described the tomb on Mt. Li in detail: the half-size chariots with horses of gold and bronze. The warriors whose bodies were mass produced but who each had a different face. The mercury river that flowed in the tomb, as mercury was considered a supernatural substance. How the workers were locked in the tomb after the construction to prevent them from telling the location.
Although the information about the tomb has existed for over two thousand years, the actual tomb was only discovered in 1974 by farmers. Sima Qian's description, even though he wrote over 100 years after the First Emperor of Qin, is incredibly accurate. The paint has faded, but the Terracotta Army is just as he described. The actual rivers no longer exist, but in some areas the soil has high levels of mercury. The bodies are the only thing that haven't preserved, as the climate is too dry.
The tomb is a testament to the wealth of the Qin dynasty and the belief in a literal connection between the present and after life.
Terracotta Army in Xi'an
Some more terracotta soldiers
This picture always makes me laugh
hahahaha
In Beijing:
David golfing outside of Beijing
Daniel, Dad and Mom on Badaling
Mom, Daniel and David at the Temple of Heaven
Mom standing on the spot that was thought to be the center of the universe
David, so happy to be in his rightful place
In Jinshan Park overlooking the Forbidden City
My family went to Jinshan Park on one of the most clear days of the summer. Look how far the eye can see and how the rooftops of the Forbidden City gleam
This is from the day I went
Dad, David, Daniel and Mom in Tiananmen Square
The sole complete family photo, and you can't even tell we're in china. womp womp
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