doc 8/2003

She was fairly cute, for a Chinese girl. I really didn't see her cruise on by, but somehow, she just ended up next to me in the crowd.

"What is your name?" she asked me, in not so bad English. I could tell that her vocabulary was limited, but she knew enough to hold a basic conversation. I briefly told her, and went back to what I was doing. I was more interested in what was going on around me.

Which reminds me. What was going on. It was August 15th, my mom's birthday, and, this year, for some strange reason that is completely beyond me, I didn't forget. Oh, and it was also the grand reopening of the Shaolin Temple Wushu Guan. Yes, after a year of reconstruction, they've finally reopened it.

Hasn't changed much.

I kind of miss the old dusty and moldy torn red rug that graced the demonstration pavillion of the old wushu guan. How the dust would leap up into the air with each performer's perfect landing. How some parts of the floor actually weren't really there. It took true skill to jump around in the old wushu guan, and not land in some hole somewhere hidden under the rug.

She just wouldn't leave me alone. Asked me where I was staying, what hotel, why I didn't live at the hotel that she worked at, how many times I've been to China ("Fourteen". "That's long." "You got that right babe..."), if I had a translator, if I needed a translator, on and on, all throughout the opening ceremony. Oh, the opening ceremony.

Yes, Shi YongXin was there. Didn't throw the usual and customary "That's him" dirty look at me. All the big wigs of the local Henan government was there. Mr. Guo was there, smoking a cigarette (I yelled at him, he smiled as usual). Lots of wushu guan people, and some old monk friends were there. A bunch of Chinese people that I had never met were there. Imagine that. And, most important, Neil Genge was there. With one of his students, whose name I can't remember.

Now, that was a bit of a surprise, as I had corresponded with Neil a few times through the site, about helping him with something or other concerning his return visit this year. I was just walking around taking pictures, when some guy I had never met said, well, he said "Doc".

I said, "Oh oh...." I hate when people recognize me.

Yes, I do get recognized, but few people actually come up to me. I notice it in Shaolin a lot; I could be walking down the street, or hanging out in the temple, and a small group of non-Chinese looking people might walk nearby, with someone or another pointing at me. It's a bit bizarre. But for one of these people to actually come up and talk to me, well, that's special.

Had a great time with Neil and his student (and yes, Neil, thanks again for saving me from the personal hell of the typical outdoor Chinese bathroom by letting me use yours; as I've said, I shall be forever indebted to you, in this life and the next). He's truly a great guy, and one hell of a Shaolin afficionado. Has quite a great school in England too. No doubt I'll be crossing paths with him again in the future.

"Do you have girlfriend?" Oh, back to my wonton little honey next to me at the ceremony. That one kind of threw me, as I was totally ignoring the procedings, and concentrating on this little girl with pigtails who had been sitting on her father's shoulders. Couldn't get the kid to turn my way so I could get a picture of her.

"Ummm, in this town, no.". She seemed to smile upon hearing the negative response. And with that, the little wheels started turning in my head. Take off her eyeglasses, dim the lights, and she could become a semi-babe. But, our conversations were limited, to say the least. I started thinking about all the damn Chinese language lessons that I had taken over the previous six years or so. Started taking personal tutor lessons, got through a few chapters, dropped out. Hell, I've dropped out five times now. But, I'm proud of my last performance in Chinese class. Actually got up to learning 175 characters. Really. 175 of those ****ing things.

Problem was, when I had learned the hundred and seventy-fifth character, I soon discovered that I had forgotten the first one hundred and seventy.

So, I dropped out again.

And I regretted it. Truly. For, had I known a few Chinese words, I might have impressed this "rapidly becoming a babe" Chinese girl.

All the various Henan local officials gave some sort of speech. Interestingly enough, Yongxin said nothing. The ceremony was to commemorate the Wushu Guan's becoming a "China Scenic Spot". Yes, now the wushu guan has some sort of Chinese government status. Kind of like the two stars that they give to hotels that don't have running water or heat. But, it's a step towards the much desired UNESCO status that they want for the Shaolin temple. And speaking of such, a few things about the village....

The village is gone. All gone. With the exception of part of the Tagou school. It will be another year before they finish the absolutely huge new Tagou, which lies on the new road to Dengfeng. Even the performance stadium across from the wushu guan is gone. Even the government run "magic motion" theater, that I, unfortunately, was never brave enough to enter. The only buildings that are currently standing, except for some wrecks near the Tagou school, are these new tourist agent centers near the entrance gate to the wushu guan / temple complex. Now, there's just tons of young and old women, waiting to sell tickets, and provide tours. And yes, now you need a ticket to enter the area. Fighting with the guards, as we did, can be successful though.

After the commemoration ceremony, during which I might add, the wushu guan performance team gave one hell of a demonstration on the steps, all went into the newly renovated wushu guan, into the main performance all. As I've mentioned before, they've taken this austere room and converted into a Las Vegas style showroom, complete with a fake Shaolin temple backdrop. I think the current plan now is, to provide regular shows that kind of mimic the "Wheel of Life" tours. For a fee. The new seats are nice, and they certainly did a nice job of renovating the place. But, they didn't renovate everything. New floors and rugs in the work out rooms, but, no new paint on the walls, and no new mirrors. A bit of a half ass job if you ask me. Also, there's a new Damo statue in the courtyard, which Yongxin commemorated himself. All very nice. The performance that was done for that grand opening was the typical one, but, well done. I've got it all on videotape for you.

The initial grand opening ceremony was slated for August 8th, (8/8, which is an auspicious date), but it kept getting pushed back because they were working on little repairs here and there.

What's next for the wushu guan team? Well, some members, and Yongxin, from what I've been told by one of Yongxin's higher ups, are leaving for Los Angeles. Apparently, they are doing a small performance for a martial arts group in southern California, along with an afternoon of "training". They've got some sort of one day responsibility, and that's that.

But, they're going for ten days.

Wonder what they're gonna do for the rest of the week....