17 August 6:45AM Beijing.

Woke up early and rested. Streets appear damp. My biggest worry right now, is locating a power adapter, so I'll be able to recharge the camera batteries.

Great wall visit today, and Peking duck dinner tonight. So far, I'm enjoying this visit, and my interactions with many people.

On the way to the great wall, our guide entertained us with some history.

1980 marks the 'opening' of China. From 1966 to 1976, the Mao regime instituted the Cultural Revolution, to squash the growing seeds of Capitalism. During this time, all the universities were closed, and all the intellectuals were sent to the rural countryside to work on the farms, and learn the values of the real people. In 1980, in addition to the opening to foreign tourists, several free markets were formed, and the people were encouraged to do what they could to improve their own standard of living, rather than rely on the government to do it. Mao would roll over in his coffin!

The Han people constitute the majority of the Chinese - 93% of the population. These are the only people subject to the one-child population control policy. In the cities, this is enforced by the threat of losing your job, and your housing assignment. In the countryside, it's enforced by peer pressure of the neighbors. Still, there are some 'birth guerrillas' who hide out in the countryside, continuing to have children until they have a son, then they may return to the village or city, and attempt to re-build a life. As a result of this policy, there is growing up a whole generation of only children. Our guide referred to them as 'little emperors' and said that they are beginning to wonder what the society and the politics of China are going to look like, when all those kids come into power in business and government. I also learned that this policy is intended to be a one-generation stopgap. If two only children marry, they are permitted to have two children.

In the cities, they are seeing about 10% unemployment. The government provides these people a subsidy if they remain unemployed for three months, but only for three months, then nothing. 80% of the population is still engaged in farming. They are still a net importer of food.

The Great wall - 6,600km long, built during the Ming dynasty. Soldiers used smoke signals to communicate warnings along the wall, and into the cities. 2,246 steps (someone counted!) to the top of the wall.

We got a police car escort to the wall. It was strange, but in this country that we are told is a totalitarian police state, we found the truck drivers virtually ignore the flashing lights and sirens, and cut off the buses anyway! The taxis were making much better time than we.

The wall as we saw it was obviously a modern reconstruction. Two years ago, when we visited the Badaling section, I saw a wall constructed of stone, and at the end of the restored section, the wall continued on in a very deteriorated state, someplaces just a mound of rubble with a treacherous path at the top. The wall we visited today, had parapet walls made of dark grey clay bricks, rather than stone. at the end of the reconstructed section, there was nothing. No rubble, no scarred landscape where the rubble had been cleared. Near the top of the mountain, there was a neat rest room building , built with the wall, with access from the top of the wall. It had separate Men's and Women's sides. Clearly not something that would be built for Ming dynasty soldiers! Also, the lookout towers down near the road, had roofs constructed in the same ornate, elaborate style as the temples we saw in the city. They didn't look exactly 'defensive' to me.

It was kinda pretty up there. Looking out over the buildings, towards the mountains to the North. You can just barely see another section of the wall coming down the mountain on the other side of the road. It appeared that this reconstructed section was circular. It rose from the main entrance at the parking lot, to a nearby peak on each side of the road, and then down again to another road crossing about a mile north. We didn't have time (or energy!) to walk it all, so I just climbed to the peak on the west side and returned. Note the difference in color - the main wall is faced with a yellow stone, while the parapet walls are of the grey brick. Looking back from part way up the wall, you can see the elaborate structures and parking lots near the road, as well as a trace of the wall, and a few of the towers, on the far side of the road. At one of the first lookout (rest stop!) towers, I could see into the next valley, where the Chinese are tunnelling through three mountains to build an extension to the expressway. Near the top, I met Patte, who had stopped to rest, and she looks much better than I felt! I looked down, and could see why I was so winded. And this climb was done in 90 degree heat. Another few steps, and I met Linda, who was already on her way down. When I finally got to the top, what did I find, but graffiti! I wonder what this means? Mebbe 'kilroy was here? When I finally got back to the beginning, I noticed some inscriptions on an old cannon mounted on the top of the wall. I think it interesting to note, that this cannon (and all the others, for that matter) was pointed South, towards China, not North, from where the Mongol Hordes were expected to arrive. This wall is a monument to old conflicts, no longer deemed necessary. Did I mention that our local tour guide is a Mongol?

As we leave the Great Wall, we passed a too-familiar sight. Does this look like Disneyland? It's called Wonderland, and it's one of many amusement parks being built to entertain the 'little Emperors' I was a bit slow in grabbing my camera. This is the end of the wall. The main entrance is MUCH more gaudy, with animal characters, etc. prancing about. The parking lots are empty, because it hasn't opened yet. They are just finishing construction.

4:30PM This afternoon we walked the 'Heavenly Way', the path of the funeral processions for the Ming emperors. Guarded by a series of statues of mythical and real beasts, followed by a series of human forms, representing the ministers, priests, and high-ranking officers of the time. It was said to touch the head of each statue to bring long life and prosperity. The first of these gave a feeling of great, fierce power. I felt it necessary to respond with my own energy of strength, peace, and respect. As I continued down the walk,the energy gradually became more peaceful, honoring, and even playful.

A groundskeeper spraying the grass just beyond the trees. Some of our group, trailing along. At the beginnig of the way, in the middle of the gate, you can just barely see a large stele, mounted on the back of a large tortoise (take my word for it). When the Emperor dies, it was the responsibility of the son, to document the life and great deeds performed by the Emperor. This history is engraved on a large stone tablet, called a stele, and serves as an enduring history of the emperor's reign.

Linda couldn't resist the temptation to ride the horse. I remember a sign two years ago, warning not to climb on the statues, but it was nowhere in sight this time. She's an imp, isn' t she? Notice the lighter color on the horse's ears. I saw quite a bit of evidence of meticulous repair/restoration work. Speaking of imps, Michael and Sheilagh look like they've been enjoying themselves, as they catch up to the rest of the group.

Next stop was a cloisonne factory. This art form is one of China's great gifts to the world. The process begins by making a base form of copper. this is usually a vase, but may be in any form. To this form, is hand applied an intricate network of copper fretwork, about 3mm high. The adhesive used is a secret formulation using plant material as a base. By the way, I used flash for these pictures. The workers are doing this detail work in what we would consider quite dim light. After the fretwork has dried, other workers fill the spaces between the frets with brightly colored sand, using an eye dropper and water to pick it up as a slurry, and deposit it into the right space. Kinda like 'paint-by-number', but without the numbers, or even a crib sheet at the side. At this point, the piece is fired in a kiln to melt the sand, and fuse it into glass. This is what puzzles me - how can some vegetable-based glue (used on the fretwork) hold up to the heat of the kiln? That's probably why they keep the formula a secret. After the firing, the piece is inspected, and any voids or bubbles in the glass are again filled with sand, and then re-fired. Most pieces take three rounds through the fill and fire. Finally, the piece is polished by chucking it in a lathe, and workers hold grinding stones to the spinning piece, under a constant flow of water. Notice the tape to protect the workers fingers from the abrasion, as well.