chengde, in a rush

Me and my friend Nina planned a 2-day trip to Chengde. It's a prefecture-level town Northeast of Beijing that houses several of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. For fear that we may not be able to buy a ticket going back to Tianjin, our trip to Chengde was shortened for a day. Yes, it was quite a rush, but nevertheless it was amazing.

Let me just explain about the "fear" thing and to why we shortened the trip. You see, we would not want to experience what we had going to Chengde. Apparently, on holidays lots of Chinese would either go back to their hometowns or visit some other places and Chengde is among the list of go-to places especially that summer is just around the corner.

So on our way there, we took the train. But here's the problem: no more seats available so we were left to buy the standing tickets. We took it anyway and bought our own folding chairs, not knowing that even our folding chairs would have no place inside a crowded train full of human bodies. I'm telling you, it was the worst train ride ever! I'm not kidding. On the train's stop to Beijing, some people could no longer get in through the train door because there's no more space to move inside, and do you know what others did? They opened the window of the train and passed through it. And to make it worst, a train attendant came and helped them get through. You don't wanna know what I had on my mind at that very time, do you?

My companion, Nina, kept saying "no way, this is terrible." And it sure is. Although we were able to sit down later on, it still was uncomfortable. Until now, I'm still thanking God that we made it through that experience, and even though it was totally unpretty, I'm glad to have experienced something like that. Going back by train, we had beds and slept well through the ride, and I guess we appreciated having a bed so much because of what we experienced.

Chengde houses some of the famous sites in China - temples, mountains resorts, and parks. During the Qing dynasty, Chengde was the summer destination of the emperor (to escape the heat in Beijing) so it has the Mountain Resort which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. It is the largest imperial palace garden existing in China with over 5.64 million square metres. Construction of the entire mountain resort lasted for 89 years from 1703 to 1792.

The Puning Temple, another UNESCO Heritage site, is famous for its large wooden Buddha statue which is the largest in the world. Inside the temple, you would see some lamas and is the only temple resided by them in Northen China.

The Putuo Zongcheng Temple (built after the model of Potala temple in Tibet) is another UNESCO World Heritage site and is remarkable for the magnificent pattern of Han-Tibetan Buddhism architecture. This is also the largest temple among the outlying temples in Chengde (built from 1767-1771) with an area of 220,000 square meters. Our guide said that the roof of the temple is made of gold, we missed it though. We have to head back to catch the bus.

Thing is, it would have been nice to spend 2 or 3 days in Chengde (though I don't mind being there for a day). I would tell my friends who would like to go there one day to allot a day at the Mountain Resort which is divided into three main parts - the hills, mountains and lakes. There are buses to get you around the area for 40RMB (which is what we took cos we don't have much of the time) but in my opinion exploring the whole place, befriending the deers that are all around the resort, enjoying the scenery of the lakes and mountains, or looking at the beauty and hugeness of the earth by passing through the walls of the resort...those things seem fantastic to do, but maybe not for now.

And the last, and maybe the most important thing that I would like to mention in this entry about Chengde is that I appreciated being a Christian even more after my visit there. The Puning Temple has the largest wooden Buddha in the world, it is so big it makes you feel so little. Yet, that Buddha is made of hands, human hands. As our tour guide convinced the others to pray there because it is a special place and that when you pray there you do not need to pray to any other place, I'm glad that my eyes are open to the truth, that I am not living to the standards of this world. I am glad that my God came to this earth...and I'm glad that He is my redeemer, for there is none that is ever worthy than Jesus.

As the Chinese people who were with us lighted candles and bowed and uttered prayers, I prayed for them, that one day they would see what I'm seeing. That one day the scales would be taken off their eyes and the truth would set them to freedom.

And while I was at it, I was also singing my latest favorite song from Superchic[k]..."we live, we love, we forgive and never give up, cos the days we are given are gifts from above and today we remember to live and to love.."

captions:

pic 1 - a plant in Putuo Temple, the model of Tibet's Potala Palace as a background

pic 2 - taking the bus to tour around the huge Mountain Resort.

pic 3 - Nina and I at the Puning Temple

pic 4 - a scene from one of the lakes at the Mountain Resort

pic 5 - inside the Putuo Zongcheng Temple