The Ciyuin Buddist Temple

Here's something off of Google Earth Pro. Compare it to this: Photography: The Ciyuin Buddhist Temple (jimslf.blogspot.com)
 

All Routes

Here are more routes! 

 Here is the Sweepers version.

A Different View of the Hikes

 Here is the basic walk: out Fantian, back Sonchenge Road.

Women who service the King

 Why should a woman want to "service" a gentleman?

     

Why should women want to "service" the King? Already, there is a disparity of equality. It was said that the King's many women, brought from around Hangzhou, from the city and the farms, "wanted to please." The emphasis is on this "willingness," in the telling of the story. But in reality, they were probably given little choice in the matter. And the average man, at this time, has one wife and is relatively poor. He works from sunup to sunset. King Fanfur, however, had ample time for the “erotic”!

From Marco Polo’s Description of the World, “…and he made the said [damsels] run with dogs and he gave chase these kinds of animals; and "played with his courtesans in the woods," which faced one another above the said lakes.  Leaving their clothes there, they "came out of [the woods] naked, and entered into the water and set themselves to swim, some on one side and some on the other, and he (the King) stayed to watch them with the greatest delight; and then (they) went back home.”[i]

Where was all this on the map?

Where was this? If you go to the 2005 Beijing report Number 9 or the posting here, you will see “4a.” In general, these are the “hills which face one another,” that Marco Polo described.  Within those hills is area "4," which is speculated to have had porticoes on a covered walkway. The actual quarters of the "1,000 women," would have been on two sides of the covered walkway. (Choose the first slide. Make sure that it is larger by clicking on it.)

If we allow an India connection, in mythology the Indian god, Krishna, as an adolescent, was interested in pranks. He called upon the “Cowgirls” to go swimming with him. They disrobed. He sat in a tree and watched them. Not so unlike King Fanfur's diversions!

The Grumpy Sweeper

 

The Grumpy Sweeper's Special Route

The Grumpy Sweeper

I met the aforementioned sweeper on one of my hikes to the 18 Lohans. He was, well, a sweeper of roads, but he was incredibly knowledgeable about local hiking, too! I’d also met a Chinese band of hiking fellows, about 45-50 of them, and they were a great group. This sweeper seemed rather put out - grouchy, even - for what reasons I dared not guess, nor ask. But to my surprise, he made a proposal. He would lead some of us on a hike to the 18 Lohans area. So that we did.

 

His grumpy disposition continued over the first half of the hike: “We didn't know how our country's hikes would come out," he grumbled. "We didn’t know what we were doing, etc., etc.” But he successfully delivered us to the 18 Lohans. Hoping to buck up our crusty leader, but not sure what would, I told him, “Good job!”

 

What he did then was strange and not intuitively obvious. He headed into the forest, on a path I hadn’t seen, in the opposite direction! Off he went, and not wanting to lose sight of him, I headed into the forest after him. A few other Chinese came with us.

 

The path was a bit narrow. And unmarked. But we followed it. It was uphill quite a bit, then  downhill... where was he taking us? The trail undulated, going over ridges, until, somewhat to our surprise, the band of us arrived safely at the village. A great finale, filled with suspense! And a change had come over the sweeper - his mood had lifted! Was it because he had been able to share that "secret leg" of the hike with us?  Was it hearing, "good job" ? Only the forest knows the answer.

Check the Google Earth for location.

The Beijing Archaeological Survey

 The Beijing Archaeological Survey

 

In 2004 Krista and I interviewed a woman, very animated, who talked about Beijing's archaeological survey against the backdrop of the survey itself! As she spoke, couple of men were working on a piece of road, just a short distance behind her. They were the Beijing archaeological team! I intersected with them several times - I, with my Moule map, and they with their Sung wall excavation! 

Now we are due back along Songcheng Road. On my last visit, I photographed many houses alongside this section of road  but I can’t find them now. As I ponder this, my stomach growling, I realize it's time to get back for the dinner at Beijing!

 

Click here to go to the Beijing Archaeological Survey. 

West Lake "Fishback"

 

I love Chinese food!  On the way back to dinner, I began to remember my first China trip in 1991. I was in Hangzhou with Professor Ho. He was giving me background on every place, and dish, that were tops for tasty eats. He reserved highest marks for "Westlake Fish." This led to a delicious flashback - my first experience eating Westlake Fish.

West Lake fish is like poetry. You take one bite. First you taste one element, “reeds in water,” next you feel, “vinegar,” still in a watery landscape (all this requires some moments), and then comes the flavor of “the fish”! 

Such poetry!

 

Ok, enough about my "fishback!"