Last night we met Jeanee and Brian Linden, an American couple and proprietors of the Linden Centre ([ http://www.linden-centre.com/index.php ]http://www.linden-centre.com/index.php) in Xizhou. The Lindens, after extensive travel and other careers, realized their dream to develop a venue through which others could learn and explore about the culture and history of China. In 2004, they found a manor in Xi Lin Yuan, in the village of Xizhou in the Southwest Province of Yunnan, which they believed to be the perfect location. They convinced the Chinese government to grant them two 20-year leases to pursue their aims, which was no small feat. They are the only non-Chinese in the country to have received such access.
After four years of renovation, the Lindens opened the manor to visitors, both to house and provide them with unique views into their community and neighboring villages. We are fortunate to have these two as our guides. Today, after a homemade Western-style breakfast, we climbed into their green bus to visit a kindergarten in Zhoucheng. On our approach, we heard the screaming and singing of young voices enjoying a sunny day in the courtyard. As soon as we entered, the students ran towards us to welcome us in. They wanted to play tag, ball, be picked up and receive any kind of attention. After several minutes of romping, the children gathered to perform numerous dances with great enthusiasm. We then joined in and taught them to sing the Hokey-Pokey and a few other animated songs. Both our students and theirs delighted in this exchange (the girls' favorite part of the trip thus far), and we were reluctant to leave but lunch at Mrs. Shen’s restaurant beckoned. We dined on mung beans, tofu-potato-noodle soup, mushrooms (a specialty of this area) and sweet, fried Chinese dough – delicious! Later she brought us upstairs where her antique jewelry was on display. All of these items were for sale and again we acquiesced, becoming more adept at negotiating deals with each purchase.
We slid through narrow passages to find our next stop, batik dyers. Brian led us through each step, showing us how the intricate designs are formed from sewing tight plastic (previously cotton thread) formations into each piece. We saw the indigo leaves, which grow wild in nearby fields, and the vats where the fabrics soak. We were amazed to learn that each piece demands two weeks of the artisan’s attention.
Continuing on our journey through the village, we happened upon a temple where throngs of people were receiving blessings and making offerings for an upcoming wedding. We visited the only woman in the area who still hand weaves fabric. Amazingly, she spends two days making just one scarf. Threading through vibrant strands of cotton, we watched as she advanced just a few centimeters on her current project. Working in 4ft x 7ft room, she is completely dependent on sunlight to provide light and warmth to execute her day’s work. Now we are spending free time reading, sitting in the sun (almost 60 degrees!), exercising and relaxing. We feel as if we are living pages of National Geographic. Wow!
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