Art; shopping

Last night, Chinese student took six American students out for Karaoke. Americans did not participate in the singing.

A bus and three subway lines took five of us to Qing Hua University, one of China’s most prestigious and founded by Americans. One of our guides has a roommate whose father is a nationally known artist and has his studio there. Dai Daquan showed us his work, mostly woodcuts and etchings. His work is in a variety of styles, from realism to abstraction. His topics cover rural elections, homosexuality, the Hui (ethnic Chinese Muslims of the western provinces (he’s originally from Xi’an where the terra cotta warriors are found), common people. He has a striking one of Shi Lu, a poet, painter, and playwright who went mad during 1960s-70s. Dai has good relations with the authorities because he has done a prize-winning portrait of Deng Xiaoping (the leader after Mao responsible for the reforms and opening of China). Dai gave us a photo of the Deng piece and another of his works, which we’ll give to the ETSU Art Department. Dai has several nice pieces I would like to own. Many are only $200. He has one of the Daoist philosopher Laozi with a realistic traditional Chinese robe but with an abstract head filled with paradoxes. Dai himself says, “when he becomes his most conservative, he will be contemporary.” We took this to mean a return to the traditional belief of China, like Daoism, will return him to the true character necessary for modern China. Dai “admires Laozi very much.”

Dai drove us on a brief tour of the huge campus. I recognized some of the buildings from two years ago. Dai pointed out some of the original American buildings. We had a large dinner at a Qing Hua student eatery and most of us will probably skip supper. The main Chinese meal is dinner (lunch to some), and suppers are smaller.

Coming back to our campus we always pass a Sam’s Club sign, and we are told there is a Walmart nearby. We do most of our shopping at a campus general convenience store called the Wu Mart.

The other Americans went to the biggest shopping street. It’s near the Forbidden City. I think they’ll have boosted the Chinese economy a little.

The reports are coming in. They went out in four groups and got a camera repaired and bought (Western) clothes, chinoiserie, jade, books, presents. And they ate American young adult soul food: McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut. Everyone is smiling.

It’s taking me a long time to access my ETSU account. Have to keep trying over and over. A variety of strange things have been happening on the internet. Emails to Myra and Barbara in ATS and Donna in Honors did not register in my sent box. Emails to Susan do appear in the sent messages box.