Yichun Curling: it's the capital city

by Molly Bonner

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BEIJING – The Chinese people hold so much pride in their culture, people, and nation. We've had the opportunity to spend wonderful time with our two tour guides, Linda and David, over the past 24 hours and I wanted to take some time to highlight what we have been able to see and learn about Beijing and their people.

Here are some quick facts about Beijing:

• There are over 20 million people

• Those 20 million people own 8 million bicycles...

• And 5.3 million cars!

• You can find 20 million McDonalds restaurants – honestly – in Beijing. But there are only 160 KFCs...

• Get this: it takes between three and four hours by automobile to drive from the city center to the city limits.

Upon arrival it became quite clear that Beijing is one of the cleanest cities we have ever seen. In speaking with our tour guides about a variety of noticeably spotless items, they are quick to reply: “Beijing is the capital city.”

As you travel along roadways, we see that they are lined with workers dressed head-to-toe in orange uniforms, picking up any trash or debris that may taint the appearance of the city. It's very rare to see any amount of litter or debris accumulated on their amazing, complicated (remember the 5.3 million cars) roadway system.

Along our drive to the Great Wall, we passed a military base where there were a sea of men training on the roadside. Every male in China is required to serve a minimum of two years of military service.

Another interesting aspect of the Chinese lifestyle is that families typically have three generations living together under one roof. For example, after a couple gives birth to their first son, the mother’s parents then come and live in their home (typically an apartment). This way, the mother and father can continue to work and the grandmother’s responsibility is childcare, cleaning, and cooking.

The expectations of a parent upon the birth of a son are considerably higher than the expectations when graced with the birth of a daughter. This is in line with the belief that the men do take care of the women in many ways; as a result, the boys must be raised and poised to support a future wife.

The Chinese have a list called “The Big Three” that parents must be able to supply their son with, and these have certainly changed over time. Thirty years ago the Big Three were a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a watch. Ten years ago: gold earrings, a gold necklace, and a gold ring. Today? 1) car 2) apartment and 3) diamond ring.

Linda told us that parents who have a son “must work very hard” to ensure that he succeeds and has “The Big Three,” if not, it is unlikely he will be able to find a wife and reproduce.

Linda and David have asked us quite a bit about sport and athletes in the United States, and you may be surprised to hear what they've told us about athletes in China.

As you may know, Chinese athletes are working for the government. And because China is extremely selective about which athletes they choose (they select a small number to fund heavily for success) there is an immense amount of pressure for these athletes to perform.

The performances of Chinese athletes in Olympic and World competition is telling of what their retirement package will look like. For example, if a Chinese athlete never earns an international medal he or she is likely to have a tough living, and his or her family may rank lower on the Chinese caste system.

While many of us play a sport for enjoyment, Chinese athletes that are essentially government employees do not have the leisure of playing solely for enjoyment; rather, they have the future of their family and their own livelihood on the line.

We awoke this morning, well-rested, to a wonderful breakfast buffet. Our hotel in Beijing is very much international, so there are a variety of western, European, and traditional Chinese options on the menu. My personal favorites: the omelette bar and make-your-own latte machine. Caffeinated and nourished, we met Linda and David in the lobby promptly at 8:00 AM to begin our 2-hour drive to the Great Wall of China.

Two hours of Chinese driving is surely enough to send anyone’s stomach for a whirl; the near-accidents and quick turns would likely not fly with police officers in the U.S. But traffic is not regulated here as it is in other parts of the world.

We reached the Great Wall and had a couple of options on how to get to the top: chair lift, gondola, or a hike. It was an easy decision as taking the chair lift gave you the option of a toboggan ride back down the mountain!

Hiking the Great Wall is as challenging as it is scenic. The uneven stairs, high altitude, and steep inclines are enough to put many workouts to shame. The views are truly stunning – too stunning to ever be accurately portrayed unless you have been here yourself.

The Great Wall spans just over 3,000 miles. All of the areas that tourists are allowed on have been refurbished over the years, and aside from that area, the Great Wall remains as it was originally built. Our visit comes at the very low season for tourists, so it was quite pleasant to take our time enjoying the sights and stopping for photos. In the summertime, the Great Wall can be very difficult to navigate through the seas of foreign tourists.

We had certainly worked up an appetite, so it was on to lunch at a local roadside stop for some traditional Chinese eating. We were served jasmine tea and Yanjing Beer (a local brew) along with our six-course meal.

Post-lunch we went on to a tailor shop, a silk shop, and the market. All very typical tourist stops in Beijing. Unfortunately for me, the traditional Chinese cuisine (although they swear we didn’t eat donkey meat) left me a bit under the weather. Good thing we packed quite a few snacks and protein bars!

Until tomorrow... “sshi-sshi” – which is “thank you” in Chinese – for reading.