China Blog — Isaac Hatfield

November 14th

My first ten days in China have been a fantastic introduction to the country. Thanks to Chen and his family, I have been fully immersed in Chinese culture—from daily family meals to visiting historical sites to being the only foreigner everywhere we go, I’m truly getting a feel for the country.

We arrived in Beijing on the morning of November 4th and immediately grabbed a big lunch at a mall (malls are very popular here and actually have great food) before heading for a much-needed Chinese massage after the long flight. Then we took a high-speed train to Taiyuan, Shanxi—Chen’s hometown—where his parents warmly welcomed us. They don’t speak any English but have been the most amazing and hospitable hosts. They quickly gave me the nickname 二豆 (èr dòu), meaning “Bean Number 2”—Chen’s nickname is Bean (dòu), so they affectionately call me their second son. Their home is a gorgeous three-story townhouse in a small community in the southern part of the city. There are tea rooms and sitting rooms on each floor as well as a bar on the top floor. In anticipation of our visit, Chen’s parents cleared the whole top floor for us, making it essentially our own apartment.

Shanxi Province, in northern China, is known for its rich history, well-preserved historical sites, noodles, and vinegar, just to name a few. I’ve already been lucky enough to experience all of these, and Chen’s friends and family are constantly adding more amazing suggestions to our itinerary. Taiyuan is the capital of the province, and with a population of 5 million, it’s only considered a medium-sized city. Driving around, seeing cars parked in endless rows (sometimes even in the middle of the street), you can really feel just how large the country’s population is.

We’ve had a lot of fun exploring Taiyuan and its surroundings. We visited Chen’s maternal grandmother in a small village called Wenshui about 50 kilometers outside the city—a part of China few visitors get to experience. Chen’s mother and her siblings grew up in this village, and Chen spent a lot of his childhood here as well. Sometime in the next couple of weeks, we plan to stay with his grandmother in the village for a couple of nights. We’ve also visited Chen’s uncle’s sign factory, spent a lot of time at his parents’ wine shop (drinking both wine and plenty of tea), harvested cabbages from their plot on a community farm, visited the Taiyuan ancient city (太原古县城), and hiked to a Taoist temple in the hills.

TOAIST TEMPLE, LONGSHAN MOUNTAIN [17/18]

One of the highlights for me was our trip to Pingyao, an ancient city south of Taiyuan that dates back over 2,800 years. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was a financial hub, with one main street even being known as “China’s Wall Street.” Walking through the city gate, you’re instantly transported to ancient China. Today, there are many tourist shops and restaurants, but the buildings and streets have been very well preserved, making it easy to imagine what the city was like hundreds of years ago. In Pingyao, we also watched a Chinese opera about a family living there during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It was an immersive show, where the audience was led through different rooms, each depicting a different part of the story. Although it was in Mandarin and I was a bit lost, Chen translated the general storyline. The production ended with a dance highlighting the importance of noodles in Shanxi.

This evening, we arrived in Jinan in Shandong Province (about a six-hour drive away), where we’ll stay for two nights before heading back to Taiyuan. In Shandong, we’ll be visiting the winery where Chen’s parents source the wine for their shop. It’s the only winery in China that both grows its own grapes and produces the wine on-site. Located near a volcano, the volcanic soil here is rich in minerals that help with drainage and add unique flavours to the wine.

I’m feeling more settled here every day, and there’s still so much I can’t wait to see and experience. Thank you for reading—much more to come!