Last week, anticipating the need to actually start my research in earnest, I chose instead to flee for a few days to the ancient (Ming/Qing) walled city of Pingyao, located an overnight train (or superfast 3-hour hi-speed train) away from Beijing in the province of Shanxi. It was excellent: restful and cheering. Here are some pictures and notes.
I stayed in a charming courtyard hotel (my room was on the upper right)...
...and enjoyed the coziest of platform beds and the prettiest of wooden screens scattering the sunlight.
Around Town/在城市里
I liked the mural of Snow White and a few of the seven dwarves at this kindergarten.
Fresh 红枣 (red dates), tasting like their darker cousins but with an apple-like crunch. My favorite Autumn fruit.
The Old City Wall/古城
I made a friend at the Northeast tower. Something about him reminded me of someone I know though I can't imagine what.
Shuanglin Temple/双林寺, just outside the city
The Qiao Family Compound/乔家大圆 (where Zhang Yimou's Raise the Red Lantern was filmed)
More new friends. We spent some time 在吹牛 (blowing-cow, or "shooting the bull") and then I took their picture in the garden.
3 comments:
'red dates and blowing cow' is my favorite zhang yimou film!
so so beautiful. we will have to go there together someday!
So much better than Curse of the Golden Shower
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