Sojourner January/February 2013 - Expatriate Association of Suzhou

Sojourner January/February 2013
www.suzhoueas.org
EXPA T MEET &
GREET
TUESDA Y,
F E B RU ARY 5 TH
1 0:00 A . M. -NOON
Want to meet other expats with similar interests while sharing
a cup of coffee/tea and snacks? Come join us at this month’s
Meet & Greet on February 5th from 1 0:00 to 1 2:00 at the
Renaissance Hotel, 229 Suhua Lu. This event will give you the
chance to talk to other members and non-members about the
community and shared experiences concerning adjusting to
life in Suzhou...
50 RMB for members with EAS card and 70 RMB for
non-members for tea, coffee and snacks.
Your RSVP is very important to us. Please reserve
your spot at EasMembership@gmail.com no later
than noon on Monday, February 4th!
I n th i s I s s u e :
G e t i n vol ve d wi th E AS
N e w N i fty Th ri fty Ch a ri ty S tore
Ta xi Ca rd s U p d a te
E AS Acti vi ti e s 2 0 1 3
Ta i Ta i F a m i l y We e ke n d i n B e i j i n g
Ta i Ta i O u ti n g H a n sh a n Te m p l e
La n g u a g e Com p a n i on s & Am b a ssa d ors
E AS Ch a ri ty Corn e r
Cra ft G rou p O u ti n g to S h a n g ta n g S tre e t
Co-H i stori a n s n e e d you r p h otos
We l com e N e w M e m b e rs
G ol d e n -We e k i n Xi n j i a n g (I I )
H a p p y Ch i n e se N e w Ye a r!
DATES FOR
YOUR DIARY
Th u rs d ay, J an u ary 3 1
E AS Ren ewal C offee,
1 0 : 0 0 -1 2 : 0 0 , M ari n a C ove
eas M em bers h i p@g m ai l . com
Th u rs d ay, J an u ary 3 1
E AS M em bers h i p S i n g u p & Ren ewal ,
1 9 : 0 0 -2 1 : 0 0 , B l u e M arl i n
eas M em bers h i p@g m ai l . com
S atu rd ay, F ebru ary 2
E AS M em bers h i p S i n g u p & Ren ewal
1 4: 0 0 -1 6: 0 0 , S tarbu cks S i n g a P l aza
eas M em bers h i p@g m ai l . com
Tu es d ay, F ebru ary 5
M eet & G reet, 1 0 : 0 0 -1 2 : 0 0
Re n a i s s a n c e H o t e l , S I P
eas M em bers h i p@g m ai l . com
Wed n es d ay, F ebru ary 6
Tai Tai Ou ti n g H an s h an Tem pl e,
1 0 : 0 0 -1 5/1 6: 0 0
m e e ti n g p o i n t to b e a n n o u n c e d
eas Tai Tai D i rector@g m ai l . com
Th u rs d ay, F ebru ary 2 1
E AS L u n c h , n o o n ,
Lam borg h i n i H otel , S u zh ou
e a s A c t i v i t i e s @g m a i l . c o m
F ri d ay, F ebru ary 2 2
M i x & M i n g l e , 1 8 : 3 0 -2 0 : 3 0
Re n a i s s a n c e H o t e l , S I P
e a s A c t i v i t i e s @g m a i l . c o m
Wed n es d ay, F ebru ary 2 7
E AS O u t i n g P l u m B l o s s o m ,
Tai h u Lake, d etai l s to be an n ou n ced
e a s A c t i v i t i e s @g m a i l . c o m
Th u rs d ay, F ebru ary 2 8
E AS Vol u n teer' s Lu n ch ,
C a s a Z o e , d e ta i l s to b e a n n o u n c e d
e a s A c t i v i t i e s @g m a i l . c o m
Regular Events
2
3
4
6
7
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
17
NEW! Play Group
Monday mornings at Marina Cove
indoor/outdoor play area
Monday Casual Coffee
Monday mornings from 1 0-1 2
(No SND-Morning Coffee February 11 )
Mahjong (any level)
Tuesday afternoons
Not Mommies
Wednesday mornings
Bumps and Babes
Thursday mornings
Crafting & Library
Friday mornings
S ee E AS webs i te for d etai l s on th es e
a n d o th e r a c ti vi ti e s
Pag e 2
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Pag e 3
New Membership and Membership Renewal
You want to join the EAS? You want to renew your EAS membership?
But you can‛t attend our usual venues because you are busy during the day, working on
weekdays? We‛ll offer two possibilities to meet someone from the EAS membership team during the
next week (more to follow):
Thursday, January 31 7 – 9 pm Blue Marlin (SIP) 168 Xing Hai Jie
Saturday, February 2 2 – 4 pm Starbucks Singa Plaza, Zhong Xin Avenue West
(former Jin Ji Hu Lu) Please sign up in advance with Regina : EasMembership@gmail.com
Check the calendar on the EAS Website for more upcoming events!
Coming Soon! Nifty Thrifty Charity Store
PLEASE DONATE NOW!
The Charity Thrift Store will be opening after Chinese New Year.
We are currently taking donations for gently used clothing, shoes,
furniture, appliances, and any other items. If you have a donation
please contact the EAS Charity at eascharity@gmail.com. We will
come pick up the donation or tell you the drop off location. The store
can use your donation of shelving, clothes racks, and clothes hangers.
All proceeds will go to help fund charitable projects for the coming year.
So, Clean out your closets and help support The Nifty Thrifty.
TH E E AS VE N DOR D I SCOU N T P ROG RAM
The Lamborghini Hotel, WowShopping, and Hu's
Tavern (formerly Black Mirage) have joined the EAS
Vendor Discount Program.
Please refer to the EAS Website for the full details
on the discounts offered by these Suzhou
businesses. Please remember to present your EAS
membership card to receive the discount.
If you know a business interested in joining the
Vendor Discount program please
contact us at ve n d ore a sre l a ti on s@g m a i l . com
Pag e 4
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
S TREET N AME CHANGES I N SIP / TAXI CARDS U PDATE
Important information to all EAS members: As many of you may already be aware that the SIP
government have changed some of the street names in the SIP since December 201 2 and the
new signs have already been put in place. However, for the time being most taxi drivers will
continue to use and recognise the older street names.
As a service to our members myself (Marie Hartnett) and Coral Law have started
updating the online taxi cards with both the old and the new street names in pinyin and
Chinese characters.
These updated cards will start to appear on the EAS website over the coming weeks. The
taxi cards will be reprinted in due course. The below map details the name changes both
east and west of Jin Ji Lake.
We have also set up a new mailing address for Taxi Cards; please continue to send
details (name, address, phone number, business cards) of new & interesting places
you
find to the following email address:
eastaxicards@gmail.com
A full listing of all of the street name changes is listed on the following page.
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Pag e 5
Pag e 6
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
EAS ACTIVITIES 201 3
It's a new year and there are plenty of fun and interesting EAS activities to look
forward to. So have a look and mark your calendars!
TRIPS (Max of 40 participants)
Plum Blossom Taihu Lake
Wuxi Flea Market
Chongyuan Temple Suzhou
Hong Qiau Shanghai
Xumen Gate Wannian Bridge
Hong Qiau Flowe market
Hanshan Temple West Garden
February 27
March 27
April 24
May 22
September 25
October 23
November 20-
SPECIAL EVENTS
Easter Egg Hunt
Welcome Summer Picnic
Children’s Santa Party
Adult Christmas Party
March 30
June1 or 2
Dec. 1
Dec 7
Kempinski Hotel
Fairmont Hotel
Location to be decided
Renaissance Hotel
OTHER EAS EVENTS
Mahjong Tables
Volunteer lunch
AGM
Casino
Charity Bazaar
Spring Bazaar
Nov 26
Feb 28
March 28
Oct 1 9
Nov 30
April
Casa Zoe
Renaissance Hotel
Kempinski Hotel
Kempinski Hotel
Location to be decided
LUNCHES 201 3 (Max of 40 participants)
Piccola Italia (Max. 30 people) January 24
Lamborghini (½ price. Max. 40 p) February 21
Per Bacco
March 21
Casa Zoe
April 1 8
La casa Vostra (Good-byes)
May 1 6
Yang Yang’s Dumplings
September 1 9
Riva (½ price, Max. 30 people) October 1 7
SND (Location to be decided) November 21
Fraser (End of Year/Good-byes) December 1 2
COOKING CLASSES
Jan 1 4, March 1 2, April 1 6, May 1 4, Sept. 1 7, Oct 1 5, Nov. 1 2
MIX & MINGLE
Jan. 11 , Feb. 22, March 1 5, April 1 2, May 1 0, June 7, Sept. 6, Oct. 11 , Nov. 8
POSSIBLE FAMILY SAT./OR SUN. OUTINGS
Mudu Adventure Park
Bowling Suzhou
Children’s market near People's Square Shanghai
Suzhou Amusement Park
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Pag e 7
TaiTai Family Weekend in Beijing,
March 7-10, 2013
Experience Beijing – in the early spring… Explore the most possible in the shortest time possible!
Th u rsd a y: Bus from Singa Plaza in SIP Thursday night 8:45 pm to Suzhou North Train Station,
take the night train D31 4 (22:03-08:56+1 ) soft sleeper.
F ri d a y: Arrive morning in Beijing and after breakfast start the tour by bus:
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Lunch at the local family, Rickshaw tour in the Hutongs (old
Beijing living quarters), Peking Duck dinner, Night Snack Market –WangFuJing
S a tu rd a y: Tour to Mutianyu / Great Wall (up with the cable car - down with the toboggan)
Lunch in a local style, Summer Palace, Dinner and KungFu Performance
S u n d a y: Flag Raising Ceremony at Tiananmen (at sunrise), Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple
Lunch, Silk Market shopping, Fast train to Suzhou North Station G1 59 (1 7:25-22:22)
Bus back to Singa Plaza before midnight!
Our famous International Guide Eugenia will join us all the way –
in Beijing we have both Eugenia and a local guide.
Hotel: The Presidential Beijing http://www.thepresidentialhotel.com/en/index.html
Cost for all above and some more: 3770 rmb (double), 41 70 rmb (single), 3570 rmb (with
extra bed). Children older than 7 years are welcome to join us
More info, Sign up and Payments with Raija latest Friday 22 Feb (your name as written in
passport, passport number, mobile number):
E a sTa i Ta i D i re ctor@g m a i l . com
The Forbidde n City
is a rectangle 961 metres (3,1 53 ft) from north to south and 753 metres (2,470 ft) from east to
west. It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,886 bays of rooms, however this figure does not
include antechambers. Another common figure points to 9,999 rooms including various
antechambers. The Forbidden City was designed to be the centre of the ancient, walled city of
Beijing. It is enclosed in a larger, walled area called the Imperial City. The Imperial City is, in turn,
enclosed by the Inner City; to its south lays the Outer City. The Forbidden City remains important
in the civic scheme of Beijing. The central north-south axis remains the central axis of Beijing.
This axis extends to the south through Tiananmen gate to Tiananmen Square, the ceremonial
centre of the People's Republic of China, and on to Yongdingmen. To the north, it extends through
Jingshan Hill to the Bell and Drum Towers. This axis is not exactly aligned north-south, but is tilted
by slightly more than two degrees. Researchers now believe that the axis was designed in the
Yuan Dynasty to be aligned with Xanadu, the other capital of their empire.
Pag e 8
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Huton gs
are a type of narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing, China. In Beijing,
hutongs are alleys formed by lines of siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences. Many
neighbourhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, and then
joining one hutong to another. The word hutong is also used to refer to such neighbourhoods.
Since the mid-20th century, the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are
demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been
designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history.
Mutian yu
is a section of the Great Wall of China located in Huairou County 70 km
northeast of Beijing. As one of the best-preserved parts of the Great
Wall, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall used to serve as the
northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs. First built
in the mid-6th century during the Northern Qi, Mutianyu Great Wall is
older than the Badaling section of the Great Wall. In the Ming dynasty,
under the supervision of General Xu Da, construction of the present
wall began on the foundation of the wall of Northern Qi. In 1 404, a pass
was built in the wall. In 1 569, the Mutianyu Great Wall was rebuilt and
till today most parts of it are well preserved. The Mutianyu Great Wall
has the largest construction scale and best quality among all sections of
Great Wall.
The Sum m e r Palace
Yíhé Yuán; literally "Gardens of Nurtured Harmony" is a palace in Beijing. The Summer Palace is
mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square
kilometers, three quarters of which is water. Longevity Hill is about 60 meters (200 feet) high and
houses many buildings positioned in sequence. The front hill is rich in the splendid halls and
pavilions, while the back hill, in sharp contrast, is quiet with natural beauty. The central Kunming
Lake covering 2.2 square kilometers was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to
build Longevity Hill. In the Summer Palace, one finds a variety of palaces, gardens, and other
classical-style architectural structures. In 1 998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its
World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace "a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden
design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as
pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding
aesthetic value." It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park.
The Te m ple of He ave n
literally the Altar of Heaven (Tiāntán) is a complex of religious buildings situated in the
southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and
Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It has been regarded
as a Taoist temple although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the
day, pre-dates Taoism.
Lam a Te m ple
was built as a mansion for Emperor Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty when he was a prince. In
1 744, the temple was converted into a lamasery and the home of larger numbers of monks from
Mongolia and Tibet. The lamasery has five halls. The prayer halls contain many superb statues
including the 23-meter-high Maitreya, caved from a white sandalwood tree brought from Tibet, as
well as Tibetan sculptures and a great copper cauldron.
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
DON’T MISS AN ISSUE!
SUBSCRIBE TO THE
EAS NEWSLETTER
send your request to:
e a sn e wsl e tte r@g m a i l . com
If you have items you would
like to see in this newsletter or
would
like to send us your write up or
photos please contact:
easnewsletter@gmail.com
Pag e 9
D i d you kn ow th at you can S AVE M O N E Y
wi th you r E AS M em bers h i p C ard ?
S i m pl y pres en t you r card at
P arti ci pati n g B u s i n es s es i n S u zh ou
for d i s cou n ts an d d eal s !
See the complete and up-to-date list of
Participating Businesses
on the EA S website at
www. s u zh ou e as . org
Click on EA S Member Discounts
Pag e 1 0
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Want to know who is the right Language Companion or Ambassador
for you? Find out with this updated list:
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
P a g e 11
The past month was a busy time for the EAS Charity committee. We started
the
month off with the EAS Charity Christmas Bazaar at the Kempinski Hotel. Thanks to
everyone for supporting, and helping out at the Christmas Bazaar. We were able to raise
around 82,000rmb! That money will help support our many Suzhou charities for the fiscal
year 201 3-201 4.
The Charity committee also helped out the Ming Xing Migrant School. We donated
5000rmb to help build a library and purchase books. There will be an article on the Ming Xing
migrant school and Storm Elworth in the February Issue of Open Magazine.
December marked the start of our sponsorship for the Wuzhong Foster Care program.
The Charity committee will help sponsor a foster family with 500rmb toward costs of caring
for a child.
We purchased supplies for three orphanages this month. Tiger Hill needed bottles,
nipples, and tidy wipes. Wuzhong orphanage needed milk and diaper supplies. Xiang Cheng
orphanage needed milk powder and books this month. We also donated money to Tiger Hill
and Wuzhong for their annual Christmas parties.
Coming soonX. The EAS Charity Thrift Store. We are currently collecting gently used
clothing, toys, furniture and appliances. If you are moving back to your home country or just
need to clean out your closet please contact us at eascharity@gmail.com. We can pick up or
you can drop off to us. Look for our Grand opening after Chinese New Year.
We are always looking for new charities to support. If you have a charity or know of
someone in need please contact us. Also, if you are interested in joining the EAS Charity
committee send us an email. We meet once a month to discuss projects and how we can
continue to give back to the Suzhou community. EAS Charity eascharity@gmail.com
Tracy Greene
EAS Charity Chairperson
Pag e 1 2
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
EAS Craft group Outing to Shangtang Street
Submitted by Michele Socia
Photos courtesy of Gini Warring
Some of the members of the craft group wanted to explore
Suzhou on January 1 8, 201 3. The group of 1 0 ladies;
represented 6 different countries, including Germany, Holland,
France, Finland, United Kingdom, and the United States. Raija
Aflatuni is an expat lady from Finland and our Tai-Tai director.
She has been living in Suzhou for over 1 4 years and is a
wealth of information and knowledge. She suggested we go to
Shangtang street.
***Shantang Street (Qili Shantang), located in Jin Chang District, Suzhou, is a walking
street with 1 200 years history. The road was constructed along the Shan Tang River in 825
during the Tang Dynasty. “Qili” means the length of the road. It used to be the downtown area in
the past and a tourist resort. It has a style typical of Northern China with a river in front of the
house and a street behind. Along the river, many old bridges cross, such as Qinshan Bridge,
Baimu Bridge (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/
jiangsu/suzhou/shantang-street.htm). ***
We walked along the street for a bit and then decided to
have a Chinese lunch at one of the local restaurants. After
lunch, we continued our exploration of the Chinese lifestyle
down this very historic street. It was a bit chilly, but that didn’t
stop some of us from indulging in an American iconic ice
cream treat! (Dairy Queen).
We continued our exploration of the area and saw some
interesting things along the way. We enjoyed our nice long,
leisurely walk along this street. W e walked to Tiger Hill. Some of
the ladies took the canal boat back to where we started. Others
went back to the SIP by way of the bus and/or personal drivers. It
was a very nice, fun-filled day.
Everyone is welcome to come to craft day (on Fridays) and participate in crafting in the
morning and join in on our afternoon adventures. You won’t be disappointed!
Hope to see you there!
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Tasty and
easy recipes
every month!
Pag e 1 3
EAS-Y RECIPES!!!!
No idea, what to cook for dinner today? Why not try these delicious
TAGLIATELLE WITH TUNA
tagliatelle
1 can of tuna
1 can of corn
2 onions
200 ml sour cream
2 cloves of garlic
salt, pepper
200 g gouda cheese
oil
Heat the oil in a pan. Sautee minced onion and garlic. Add tuna and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the corn. Cook tagliatelle. Put 1 /2 of the cooked pasta in the baking dish, cover with the tuna sauce and
grated cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 1 80°C for 1 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Foto & Recipe: Martina Stepien
Co-Historians need your photos for
the digital yearbook!
We're looking for:
* Tai Tai Day Trip Photos
* Tai Tai/Family Weekend Trip Photos (Harbin,
Huangshan, Xiamen, Hangzhou, etc.)
* Weekly activities (Coffee Morning, Lunches,
Mahjong, Not Mommies, Babies & Bumps, Crafts)
* Sunset Social, Cocktail Mixer
* Children's Christmas Party, Adult Christmas Party,
* Casino Night, Welcome Back BBQ
Please email photos to eascohistorians@gmail.com.
Pag e 1 4
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
M ON D A Y M OR N I N G C OFFE E
J A N U A R : M ON D A Y COFFE E ( E X P A T G E T ­ T OG E T H E R )
J A N U A R Y 2 8 T H FR OM 1 0 A M T O N OON . E A S CA S U A L G E T ­ T OG E T H E R FOR COFFE E A N D A CH A T . E M A I L
E A S M E M B E R S H I P @ G M A I L . COM FOR M OR E D E T A I L S . A T S T A R B U CK S , X I N G H A I G U A N G CH A N G M E T R O S T A T I ON ,
S U Z H OU S I P
F E B R U A R : M ON D A Y COFFE E ( E X P A T G E T ­ T OG E T H E R )
F E B R U A R Y 4 T H , 1 8 T H A N D 2 5 T H FR OM 1 0 A M T O N OON . E A S CA S U A L G E T ­ T OG E T H E R FOR COFFE E A N D A CH A T .
E M A I L E A S M E M B E R S H I P @ G M A I L . COM FOR M OR E D E T A I L S . A T S T A R B U CK S , X I N G H A I G U A N G CH A N G M E T R O
S T A T I ON , S U Z H OU S I P
N O 5 ­ S T A R S N D M ON D A Y COFFE E I N F E B R U A R Y !
WELCOME N EW M EMBERS!
Bai Ling Mansions
Yukiko Yanaka-Miller and Eric Miller (Canada)
Bayside Garden
Jean and Bob Gilchrist (U.S.A.)
Casa de Esplanade
Veronika Santrock (Czech Republic) and Ivo Lavens (Belgium)
with Ellie and Lukas Lavens
Frasier Suites
Nicole and Jason Feist (U.S.A.)
Barb and Mike Kessler (U.S.A.)
Helena and Morten Muschak (Germany)
Izara Mosby (Ireland) and Stuart Mosby (U.S.A.) with Saskia and Kai
Golden Lough
Kim and Mitch Tobias with Andrew, William and Emma Kate (U.S.A.)
Horizon
Carolyn and Joe Glaspie with Benjamin and Madeline (U.S.A.)
Kismet and Mazin Sabra with Alya and Amir (U.S.A.)
Clarita and Dewey Szemenye (U.S.A.)
Join In The Grand
Annie-May Hugo (UK) and Peter Hutchinson with Noah (New Zealand)
Lakeview
Marina Duzevic (Kyrgyzstan) and Marko Stephan Duzevic (Germany) with
Sophia Rosa
Lakeshore Garden
Lisa Liu-Zhang and Delong Zhang with Kevin (U.S.A.)
Marina Cove Garden
Yolanda and Dave Fontes (U.S.A.)
Regent on the Park (SND)
Hannelore de Weijer and Andries Kamp with Mara and Anniek (Netherlands)
Pia and Niels Noergaard with Sebastian, Clara and Emma (Denmark)
Royal Peninsula
Esther and Joachim Trell with Natalie (Germany)
Virgil and Ariel Adams (U.S.A.)
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Pag e 1 5
Golden Week im beeindruckenden Xinjiang (Teil 2)
Text und Fotos: Beate Bosse
In der Nähe von Korla besuchten wir das Eiserne Tor, eine malerische Schlucht, durch die die
Karawanen auf der Nordroute ziehen und hier sicherlich Abgaben leisten mussten.
Auf dem Weg zum größten Frischwassersee Chinas sahen wir viel vom ländlichen Leben, z. B.
wie die üblichen Strohmatten gefertigt werden. Der See selbst war für mich deshalb
enttäuschend, weil er nicht still da lag, sondern eine Art kleiner Vergnügungspark an seinem
Ufer entstanden ist mit viel Belustigung für die zahlreichen chinesischen Besucher, die immer
“Action“ benötigen. Fisch-Kebab mit Fladenbrot brachte etwas Abwechslung in unsere
uigurische Speisekarte.
Am selben Tag hatten wir noch fünf Stunden durch eine abwechslungsreiche Gebirgslandschaft
in die Turpansenke zurückzulegen. Die Oasenstadt Turpan ist lange eine Durchgangsstation auf
der nördlichen Route der Seidenstraße gewesen. Mit 1 54 m unter dem Meeresspiegel ist
Turpan die dritttiefste Stelle der Welt und der heißeste Ort Chinas - die höchste hier gemessene
Temperatur beträgt 49,6 °C.
Im Oktober sind die Temperaturen angenehm. Es ist
jedoch ratsam, die Erkundung der Ruinenstadt von
Jiaohe schon am frühen Morgen zu beginnen, da es
dort keinen Schatten gibt und gegen Mittag die Sonne
erbarmungslos brennt. Außerdem stören dann die
vielen Gruppen die vorher himmlische Ruhe auf dem
großen, auf einem Hochplateau in einer Flussschleife
gelegenen Areal. Hier findet man endlich einmal, wenn
auch nur rudimentär, Reste der buddhistischen
Vergangenheit dieses Landes, das heute so
vollkommen vom Islam geprägt ist. Es ist eine der
größten (6500 Einwohner lebten hier), ältesten und am
besten erhaltenen antiken Städte (Foto rechts) in
diesem Land. Chinesische und japanische
Wissenschaftler führen auch weiterhin Ausgrabungen durch und bestimmen damit die
Geschichtsschreibung. Zu lesen war von der Gründung der Stadt als chinesische
Garnisonsstadt im 2. Jh. vor Chr. Unser Guide meinte jedoch, dass die Siedlung als Sitz einer
uigurischen Dynastie viel älter sei. Die Zerstörung erfolgte im 1 4. Jh. durch Dschingis Khan.
Ebenfalls stolz sind die Uiguren auf das von ihnen in der Antike entwickelte
Bewässerungssystem,„Kares“. In einem Museum mit Musterstollen wird den Touristen das
Prinzip anschaulich erklärt. Es besteht darin, dass auf höher gelegenem Gelände ein
Kopfbrunnen gebaut wurde, um die das Schmelzwasser aus den Bergen führende Schicht zu
erreichen. Von dort aus wurde das Wasser dann durch lange unterirdische Stollen zu den
Dörfern geleitet. Senkrechte Schächte entlang der Strecke im Abstand von etwa 20 Metern
ermöglichten den Zugang von oben. Das Wasser fließt allein durch die Schwerkraft, und die
unterirdische Wasserführung verringert die Verdunstung enorm. Es soll über tausend dieser
Systeme geben mit einer Gesamtlänge von unvorstellbaren 5000 km. Dank des Wassers kann
die Ebene landwirtschaftlich gut genutzt werden. Vor allem die süßen Turpantrauben sind
bekannt. Überall sahen wir die zum Trocknen ausgelegten Trauben und probierten die
verschiedenen Sorten der leckeren Rosinen.
Pag e 1 6
J a n u a ry/F a b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
Auch der Platz vor dem Emin-Minarett (Foto links) wurde zu
diesem Zweck genutzt. Dieses beeindruckende, aus verzierten
Lehmziegeln erbaute Minarett gehört zu der 1 777 vom
turpanischen Herrscher Emin Hoja gestifteten, im
afghanischen Stil erbauten Moschee .
Ein weiteres „Must see“ in der Umgebung von Turpan sind die
Grotten von Bezelik, die
sogenannten Tausend-Buddha-Höhlen. Dies sind mit
unzähligen Buddhas ausgeschmückte Einsiedlerhöhlen
buddhistischer Mönche, malerisch an der Flanke einer
Schlucht gelegen. Leider sind viele der Malereien nicht mehr
gut erkennbar, und einige der großflächigen Wandbilder sollen
von deutschen Archäologen 1 905 aus dem Fels geschnitten
und nach Berlin gebracht worden sein.
Auf dem Weg dorthin kommt man an den Flammenbergen vorbei, deren mittägliches
Erscheinungsbild mit vielfarbigen Feuerzungen verglichen wird. Wir erreichten diese erst am
Spätnachmittag, waren aber auch von dem rötlichen, zerfurchten Massiv beeindruckt, zumal ab
und zu ein Ultraleichtflugzeug davor entlang schwebte.
Am letzten Tag unserer Reise fuhren wir nach Norden durch das Tian-Shan-Gebirge, nach
Ürümqi, der Hauptstadt dieser autonomen Region. In dieser Millionenstadt ist der Anteil der
Hochhäuser im Vergleich zu anderen östlichen Megacities zwar noch bescheiden, aber die
Wirtschaft läuft auf Hochtouren, und der Verkehr ist immens. So tat unser Guide gut daran,
einen, mit unserem in Städten sehr unsicher fahrenden Fahrer plaudernden Polizisten zu bitten,
in unserem Auto Platz zu nehmen und uns zum Flughafen zu leiten.
Vom Flugzeug aus hatten wir noch einmal den Blick auf die Gebirgsketten des Tian Shan und
freuten uns darüber, dass wir als letztes Ziel auf unserer Rundreise zum Himmelssee (Foto
unten) hochgefahren waren, der in 2000 m Höhe, umgeben von schneebedeckten Bergen,
überragt vom 5445 m hohen göttlichen Gipfel, im Neuschnee vor uns lag.
So hatten wir sowohl temperaturmäßig als auch inhaltlich, von Antike bis quirliger Gegenwart,
von Kultur bis zu großartiger Natur, fast alles erlebt, was diese Gegend der Welt zu bieten hat
und können jedem empfehlen, sich auf das Abenteuer Xinjiang einzulassen, wenn er gewillt ist,
Abstriche zu machen, sofern es Restaurants und sanitäre Einrichtungen betrifft.
J a n u a ry/F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 3
E xp a tri a te Associ a ti on of S u zh ou (E . A. S )
E . A. S i s a n org a n i za ti on for th e e xp a tri a te com m u n i ty
i n S u zh ou . Th e ob j e cti ve i s to p rovi d e op p ortu n i ti e s
for m e m b e rs to p a rti ci p a te i n soci a l , cu l tu ra l , sp orti n g ,
ch a ri ty a n d e d u ca ti on a l a cti vi ti e s.
Pag e 1 7
E A S L IB R A R Y
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a b ou t S u zh ou , th e su rrou n d i n g a re a , Ch i n a a n d
Ch i n e se cu l tu re .
I f you a re i n te re ste d i n j oi n i n g u s p l e a se con ta ct
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Wishing you all a Happy Chinese New Year of
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