China: Nanjing: Stone Poet

"The Stone Poet"I have to be honest, I just made that name up. One might think that the animals should be included in the name, as I don't *think* that animals being included with people so closely is a common theme in China (at least not deer, etc), but the guy looked really, um, not exactly "at one" w/ the animals around him? I don't know. I could be totally wrong. Anyway, this statue is so cool, it just made me think of this poet posing for a quick snapshot with the animals he was about to write a poem about. I think I took it at Zijinshan (Purple Mountain).Yeah, so referring to the picture in the last post, I think that I like Nanjing the best. Not because people don't notice me at all, like in Shanghai (I have to admit I like doing the "look at me I'm sort of exotic" thing a little bit, maybe because I grew up the only plain Jane in a family of complete SUPERmodels :P). Nor is it because I get all the attention, like in Suzhou (commercial attention, though it may be). I guess it's just because Nanjing is a happy medium. When I go to the touristy spots, I get the pitch. When I stick to the places only locals frequent, people just mildly look at me, and that's it. So I guess it's just a choice. I've heard (HEARD, mind you--I'm not vouching for it at all) from other Chinese people that Nanjing-ers are just proud even though they have nothing to be proud of (anymore--they've had a few heyday's, and more than their share of 15min segments of fame). Well, even though I think that their pride is justified, historically, culturally, etc, they DO seem to have an, I don't know, "air" about them. Most Nanjing-ers (not counting the people who come in from the country-side--they're equally interesting, but are strongly from their own place, not Nanjing) (pretend to?) seem totally uninterested in me, and don't make too many special concessions for my yangguizi-ness. And I like that. I mean, when people ask me what it's like to be from the "hippest city on the West Coast" (according to something like Time Magazine or some junk), I laugh at them. I don't play up the "look at our hippies" crap, and I don't let them drink Starf**cks when they come visit me in Olympia. Similarly, the jianbing lady doesn't act strange around me, and the people that live in my in-laws' apartment building don't listen at the door (or at least I don't think.....:).Also, I think Nanjing is big enough (4 mil now? or 5, I don't know), that there's some diversity, and a lot of good resources (NJ Johns Hopkins center, good museums, etc). Yet it's small enough that I don't feel SO overwhelmed by the sheer mass of it (I'm a small-town girl).Also (again), Nanjing has tons of recent history to its name, and that really interests me. As for the ancient artifacts, well those are cool, and honestly I am the worst museum companion, because I won't leave w/o looking at EVERY piece and reading ALL the captions, but I am really more interested in recent history and recent artifacts. The old tree-lined streets have seen SO much since they were planted at the turn of the 20th century. The walled house-compound thingies have housed the last hundred years of history. The Anglican (Episcopal in the USA) church that my husband, his family, and I attend was part of the international zone that protected so many thousands upon thousands of refugees during the Nanjing Massacre. It's all history that is so alive (and in many ways so political, and I love that too ;), and yet recent enough for me to really feel, and grasp.So, the people, the history, blah-de-blah. THE FOOD. That's good too :). I'm definitely a fan of Nanjing area food. I personally think it tends to be more healthy than, oh, say the stuff you get at Panda Express!:P And probably a bit healthier than other provincial cuisines. It's a little bland, to be sure, and I actually can't stand Nanjing salt duck, which is supposed to be the specialty of the region, but it's good fare for daily living. And that definitely makes me hungry, every day :).Yay for Nanjing! :)More later, including "So...do you play Thumb War w/ That Guy??"