An Ancient Temple, Tea House and Shopping - All in a day's work!!
Generals guard the doors! They never take a rest, as their job is too important. These are not your ordinary Generals; they are permanently painted on the extremely large entrance doors. It is said that the size of your doorknobs is an indicator of how powerful you are. Trust me folks, these doorknobs were outrageously huge! I have not seen anything like them at Home Depot!
After making it past the generals, you are surrounded by wood, stone and brick carvings in this predominately square shaped complex. There are 19 separate rooms, verandas, courtyards and gardens rich with sculptures and statues. The Chen Clan Temple was built during the 14th - 20th years of the Guangxu Reign of the Qing Dynasty (1888-1894). It served as a place for ancestor worship and temporary residence for those in the Chen clan during meetings and ceremonies. Apparently, at one time it was used as a place to obtain a private education if you were amongst the wealth. Today it is a museum, as well as the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum.
While at the museum, we had an opportunity to see one of the famous Chinese artist. He was able to draw some beautiful scenes by using ink on his hands and fingernails. Noah, our own artist, was so impressed that he was willing to pay $20 US of his own money to have one of these pieces of artwork. We decided to let him save his money and we bought one for all of us to enjoy.
Traditional Chinese teahouses offer a unique and wonderful experience. As we entered the teahouse, we were herded towards the shop where the clay teapots are sold. A Chinese gentleman gave us a demonstration about the differences in teapots. He showed us how great the clay pot was and we were impressed. After the demonstration, we actually got to sit down and taste test several varieties of Chinese tea: Uh-long, Jasmine, Rose, Green Tea, Ginseng, etc. We were able to see how the tea is prepared. Several of us sat around a low table on little wooden stools as a Chinese women served us tea in these mini-size bowl shaped teacups. Check out the pictures, as I cannot adequately describe this experience.
Imelda Marcos and Faith have one thing in common - lots of shoes! Mommy went crazy when we went shopping on Shaiman Island today! Faith now has red, black, pink and white squeaky shoes in a variety of sizes! Oh yeah, if you have not heard, China is known for their squeaky shoes. They are designed to squeak with every step, which is to encourage the kids to walk, as well as help the parents keep track of their children. I know some of you are thinking about how annoying these little shoes will become! Please do not worry, as the squeakers are easily removed. In addition to the shoes, Faith and Samantha got matching dresses and a few other trinkets. Noah was not so lucky with the souvenirs, as most shops are geared towards young girls. Maybe, we will have better luck next time. So far, he has a Chinese Yo-Yo, which was given to him as a gift from one of the shop keepers! She thought she could throw something in for free, after all those shoes!!!
God Bless!
Guangzhou
