玲珑姑娘, you are a Li Jiang girl, the best she (Li Jiang) can ask for, to bring people (+money) to visit her (Li Jiang). Can we keep it a secret, at some point??? (many questions, than answers in this posting...)
What hapenned in Li Jiang, is best kept in Li Jiang, sometimes, hahaha...(just like what happened in Los Vegas, years ago?...)
Li Jiang, a few key, jolting memories, in the eyes of a N.American Chinese, seen her, for the 1st time:
* Yes, Li Jiang is as commercial, more capitalism than you thought. Money speaks. Yet, your dollars goes a long way, unlike the big cities in China (Now you feel better, I am not bad-mouthing the place, or anyone).
* "Chineseness, Chinese Culture": Folks, you will have greater exposure to the Chinese minorties (the Tibetens, the Laotians, the 40+ Chinese minorities in the region ...). Yes, in the pictures, you see a glorifying, warm Chinsese red laterns in every street, but most of the people on the street--non-visitors, are non-Han Chinese minorities. Why does it take such a setting to bring out the warmth, attractiveness of the classic Chinsese culture, warmth??? (Is it the ying-yang thing? What do the Chinese minority think all of this? Are they part of it, or for the money, or is it something jammed into their throats?...What is the notion of classic Chineseness, meant to them?)...
* The Chinese Minorities: Very warm people, I like them! From the very simple and limited contacts I have with them, they are just like you and me. I don't sense bitterness, from them toward me, as a Han Chinese. They care about making a living, having a good meals on the diner table. Two times, they brushed me aside, when I approached the subject (Chinese minority directly): 1) I was too intrusive in photo taking, they do not appreciate that I was so nosy in taking the picture of their authentic/private/tender moments (can you forgive them?.. and appreciate what we had to offer in the exisiting photos?) 2) What do you think of the Chinese policies toward them (Chinese minorities in Yunan)? Well, the guy came back with an adjusted answer, he said politely that he just had to follow with the straight answer, coached onto him by the authority, rather than his personal reflection. Ahhh..., I take it warmly. To me, this means to me a lot. It is moments like that, making Li Jiang so attrative to me (plus tons of other mental goodies...). Friends, if you ever have the notion of Chinese Minorities, and seek your identity with them, with Chineseness in the background, Li Jiang is it. It is a very forgiving place... (Last word, you don't have too many years to do so, the place is rapidly becoming Westernized, in my tastes/judgement. Let's hope, their culture, customs, traditions stay intact, void of Chinese, or Western influences years ahead...I may be pleading...)
* Mountains and the Beautiful Women: Simply put, either one of the two is plenty sufficent to draw me/we back to the place, before death. Unfortunately, no time and space to elaborate on either of the two subjects now. So, just leave ample room in your dreamland, that there is a place called Li Jiang...
玲珑姑娘, whatever happen in Li Jiang, stays in Li Jiang...Shhhhh...
［此帖子已被 ra03680 在 2007-5-13 7:17:07 编辑过］
