How Do You Describe China in One Word?

WE had heard so much about China, but with such a vast territory, so many people and such a long history, how do you describe china without covering every single aspect of it? How can you sum up the whole of China in one word?

From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, our trip to China was one we enjoy recounting to friends and family. From stunning places like the Hanging Temple in Datong, to the Forbidden City, to the giant Buddhas in the grottoes of Yungang, to the simplicity of a walk in a park where hundreds are singing, dancing, fishing, walking, exercising or playing, China truly amazes!

Yet amazement isn’t a big enough word to describe China either.

A Perfect Balance

between Architecture

and Nature

Whether it’s the Hanging Temple of Datong or the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China’s architectural wonders left us stunned. Whether one looks at the old or the new, one is awed. Take the giant Buddhas of the Yungang Grottoes. They are giants indeed, carved into a mountain, not with modern machinery but with the primitive tools of 1,500 years past! As well as being impressively large, there are many hundreds of them. And it is not just the sheer size or number which leave one awe-struck, it is the details with which they are carved, making each one unique and seemingly alive.

Similarly, one can look at the Hanging Temple of Datong in Shanxi Province, built more than 1,000 years ago on a cliff, literally hanging suspended in midair. Here elements of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism stand in union. Despite our fear of heights, we walked on the wooden floor of the temple as if walking through history, and could imagine the pride of the people who built this temple.

Then there is the Great Wall of China, one of the seven wonders of the world. It stands there colossal, yet undulates over the mountains and through the valleys like an extension of the landscape itself. The view from the bottom reveals the imposing grandeur of the structure, while the view from the top is broad and vast, giving you mountainous panoramas for miles around.

Then there are all the various palaces in Beijing, including the Forbidden City. While the richness of some of these palaces is incredible, it is their spaciousness, grandeur and attention to detail and perfection which held our attention. Walking through these palaces, you get a glimpse at how people once lived in this complex of buildings. It strikes you as a life lived in accordance with the basic rules of nature. The palaces fit with their surroundings seamlessly as if nature itself had put them there. That was the main impression left with us.

The Unity of the People

Needless to say we met with several Chinese and what struck us most was their friendliness. They seemed genuinely happy to see us. From infants to the elderly, they smiled or greeted us with “Hello” or “Ni hao” or “Welcome to Beijing.” We really felt welcome. I remember taking a photo of a man doing calligraphy with water on a sidewalk. He smiled and invited me to do some. After a little practice, we shared our names via calligraphy. Despite the language barrier, we related to each otherthrough this art.

We also had the opportunity to meet with a very talented painter and calligrapher. We always assumed that the characters in calligraphy are done in seconds, just as we execute Western writing. But they are actually done slowly and precisely. Without doubt it is an art in itself. We were grateful for the chance to see firsthand how it is actually done. We were asked what we wanted the calligraphy to communicate. Once completed it was no longer just a piece of calligraphy but also a piece of poetry.It is this combination of poetry and painting that makes Chinese calligraphy so unique. Every other calligraphy we saw was just as poetic as the first. The combination of painting and poetry left us admiring both art and artist, and grateful to have crossed paths.

When we observed Chinese people from a distance, we were left in no doubt they are industrious, active and cohesive. Though each is first and foremost an individual, they showed a solidarity that you find nowhere else. I think this is an incredible quality and an asset for a nation, as seen in the numerous activities in the parks where hundreds sing, dance, fish, walk, do exercises or play, or in the workers in restaurants, cafés, and shops who are actively bringing in business (something you do not see in the Western world). No wonder China is a fast changing country. Everywhere you look, people are part of a whirlwind. You see hundreds of them working and acting together to create, what seems to us, a better future.

It is this solidarity that has created the China we have discovered. So we asked ourselves, if we had to describe China in one word, what would that be? And that word would be: HARMONY.