Beijing Opera
Virtual China - Oct 98
Group Leader: Peter Dratz, Todd Frimoth, Gladys So
Date: Oct 27, 1998
Authors: Hanson
Location: Beijing Opera
Type of Writing: Reflection
During our workshop with Ghaffar Pouraza on Beijing Opera, he asked for volunteers to get their faces painted like a character in one of the plays. Our volunteer reflects on this experience.
How do you think being a monkey king feels like?
With make up on your face it feels very itchy and the paint tastes very bitter. I wanted to sneeze but I didn't because if I sneezed I knew the make up would be ruined. When I wanted to wash it off I had to use oil and cream. I got cream all over my face and my neck, and I was very inpatient.
After one day I still have some makeup in my nostrils and under my lips. Now when I see a Chinese opera mask I get goosebumps because of the experience of the makeup. Now I know how the people feel who perform Chinese opera every night.
Tian An Men Square & The Forbidden City
Virtual China - Oct 98
Group Leader: Peter Dratz
Date: Oct 27, 1998
Authors: Stephanie
Location: Tianamen Square & The Forbidden City, Beijing
Type of Writing: A journal entry
Dear Journal,
Well, it’s already the second day of our Beijing trip!!!! We went to Mao’s Mausoleum first. After glancing at his body, we headed to Tian An Men Square. The Forbidden City was next, and we walked through the Palace Museum. (The Forbidden City and the Palace Museum is the same place.) We visited the Temple of Heaven, then a Beijing Opera workshop called Zheng Yici. We went to another Beijing Opera (this one in a hotel) and saw an opera about the Monkey King and another about a war. That ended the day!
It was my turn to do my presentation on Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City today! AHHHH!!!! (Don’t worry though, I did okay.) My research for the presentation helped me understand what I saw better, but no too much. Parts of Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City weren’t what I expected it too be, espeicially Tian An Men Square….
Tianjin, China
Virtual China - Oct 98
Group Leader: Peter Dratz
Date: Oct 28, 1998 Our group spoke with Mr. Harry Liu, a 75 -year old resident of Tianjin who enamored us with his rich historical perspective on life in Tianjin, and with his personal history. As a western physician trained at Beijing University, he was interned during the Japanese occupation of Tianjin, forced into hard labor for 22 years in the countryside and in a Tianjin steel factory. In the late 40’s, he was able to use his English skills as an interpreter for UNRA, and as a driver for the US Marines where he was known as "Harry Jeep", because of his love for driving the military jeeps.
Each of us would like to reflect on our wonderful day with Harry!
Harry told us a lot about Tianjin, it’s history and about the people and places we passed by. He showed us around the Ancient Culture Street, which was a great place for shopping and bargaining.
-Stephen
Harry told us about the history of his life, a life full of suffering and exuberance. -Nile
One thing I remember about Harry Liu is that he really has a sense of humor and a great personality, which is quite amazing especially with his past tragedies. One funny thing he said was a story about the name of the restaurant we went to for lunch; Guo Bu Li means - Dogs don’t care about you. - Natasha
Before having met Mr. Liu, I have always believed that people in China weren’t well educated (excluding Hong Kong). Mr.Liu proved me wrong because of his knowledge in languages and cultures.
Mr. Liu’s English is very fluent, and also his Cantonese. I am impressed that he knows many languages in his old age.
-Tania
I found that Mr. Liu is a benevolent man after talking to him during
lunch. He was so skillful in speaking different languages such as Mandarin, English,
Cantonese, Japanese and German. - Karina
Harry was amazing!!!! He spoke so many languages - Mandarin, English, Cantonese, Japanese, German, and a lot more. He majored in western medicine, from the Peking University, and he gave up his chance to be a doctor. Mr. Liu had a great personality - he was amazing!!!!
~ Stephanie J
I think that Mr Liu is a man with a very special talent in different languages. He could speak other languages, such as Cantonese, without having anyone to teach him. And he is also able to tell us information not just about Tin Jian, but also the information about ancient China.
Our "tour guide" Harry Liu, was unbelievable. He knew at least 5 different languages!! He also studied to become a doctor. He informed us about Tian Jin and China in general. He made a funny comment about the restaurant we ate lunch at today (10-28-98). He said that name meant "the dogs ignore you."
-Chris
Mr. Liu was one of the most talented and coolest guys I had ever met before because he knows 5 languages and he is already 75 years old. I had a little talk with him today when we were at the "Gou Bu Li" restaurant, he said that he learned Cantonese by himself. He learned by himself because when he was little in Shanghai he wanted to be friends with the Guang Dong people. But they wouldn’t play with him because he didn’t know how to speak Cantonese. Then they were shocked when he learned Cantonese by himself. -Hanson
Bilingual is the word for someone who knows two languages, trilingual is when it is three, but Mr. Liu knows 5 languages fluently. I talked to him in the "Gou Bu Li" and he had some of the same opinions as me with historical of figures. He sort of reminds me of my grandfather because both know a lot and I like them both.
-Eric
It was a great pleasure talking to Mr. Liu. It was quite fascinating because he could speak 5 languages fluently. The second thing is that he could speak English, which really helped a lot. I could actually know what was happening and learned some history of places we visited.
I think Mr. Liu was a great and wonderful man to talk to. I couldn’t believe that he could speak 5 languages even though he was 75 more or less. I listened to him speak about his life and background. Some parts of his story were sad. I knew he was a great man when I heard that he learned Cantonese by himself when his friends were teasing him.
I think Mr. Liu is the most clever person in Tian Jin. He knows so many languages and about different kinds of food. When he talked about his history, it was sad to hear about his suffering during World War II.
- Jeffrey
Moderator:
Jim Zahn
Technology Coordinator
Hong Kong International School (M.S. Div.)
Hong Kong, China
Fax: 852-2899-0809
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