An elderly Chinese man pounded his chest and yelled, breaking the silence in Sha Tin Park. (Click here for a photo slide show of my walk.)
Surprised, I kept on walking, unsure about what was going on. Several Chinese men and women were doing some sort of stretching off the path hidden behind some trees.
I walked on quietly, not wanting to disturb them.
On a jungle gym down the path, some people were using the equipment for their exercises. One man was brandishing a long sword. I quickly walked on.
Later, I found out that these Chinese were practicing Tai Chi, a common practice in parks especially in China.
Tai Chi combines deep breathing with relaxation and body movements that flow through slow movements, according to an article on the BBC World News Web site.
Surrounded by high rise buildings and the sounds of construction, these Chinese were able to find peace amidst all the noise even the water falls in Sha Tin Park could not drown out.
Sitting on a bench nearby, I finally found the courage to mimic one of the moves. Almost immediately I felt a sense of peace.
I closed my eyes. The sounds of construction and traffic that were so glaring to me before seemed muffled by the water fall and song birds nearby.
"Hui," one of the men yelled. I opened my eyes.
I got up and walked down by the Shing Mun River. One of the local CUHK students informed me later on that the Shing Mun River is one of the most polluted Rivers around Hong Kong. Apparently, it is also the most smelly. (Read more about work to clean the Shing Mun River here.)
As I walked away from the river, several Chinese ladies said hello to me in English. They did not seem to mind that this foreigner with a notebook was invading their park.
6 comments:
Very cool! I once did a story about a Tai Chi instructor who taught her classes in a park - but that was in Oregon. She taught a lot of elderly people and they claimed to experience many health benefits (strength, balance, stamina) from the exercises, as well as the calming, meditative benefits. I'm looking forward to reading more about your cultural experiences. Good for you for going out and looking for them (and bringing your camera and notepad. You are SUCH a journalism nerd. But I mean that as a compliment.)
jess, thanks for the link i have been trying to find your blob for a couple of days. well it was a very well written and engaging story, two thumbs up! love grace
Isn't interesting: something so foreign, and maybe even threatening, to us, is routine and everyday to them.
In the same way that Tai Chi was so exotic to you, what in the U.S. would strike them as strange?
A flip to the story, a shift of paradigm that causes me to ponder on your adventures even more...
My favorite part is your attempt to imitate their moves. That is the Jessica Davis I know: adventuresome, audacious, curious, and uninhibited.
Love you,
Aleida
Papa said: Jekka it's a big world out there, I'm excited you can experience some of it. Yes, we do hope you stay clear of all jails! I'm sure you'll see a lot more polutted rivers. Don't eat the local crustaceans. One question, has the work (funding) increased decreased or stayed the same after the transition in 1997? How many sewer plants are there in Hong Kong? in the New Territories? Oh, by the way, Will won one, lost one and tied one on Saturday so they move on in the Commissioner's Cup. Grace, (I mean annonymous) it is a blog not a blob, at least we hope! J BYOTP! or at least a Kleenex pack!
Love, Papa
Your immersion into the culture begins! The whole scene seems very serene and peaceful. (except the part about the smelly river!) I love the fact that you jumped right in with your camera. Journalism at its best! Great job, as always, Jess. I'm really getting a good feel for some of the things you're experiencing, thanks to your wonderful descriptions.
for his east asia politics class, Van Inewegen led Tai Chi by the totem pole twice a week for half the semester. James and Katie could walk you through the whole routine.
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