TheBanyanTree: Return to China - Part 13

[Pat M]

 December 10



There are several small villages nearby and Jessica, Alex and I have
explored three of them. It's nice to leave the orphanage grounds for a
little while. I enjoy the serene vistas, the twitter of bird song and the
silence.

The roads to the villages are no more than narrow elevated lanes and when a
vehicle comes along, we walk single file along the edge. A misstep and we'd
break a leg as the drop is several feet.  They're built like this so they
are still driveable when the rains come and the paddies are flooded.

Peter is a newcomer to the area (this orphanage has been open less than a
year) and he witnessed the floods earlier this year. He said they were
terrible, the water was very deep and went into people's homes and
businesses.  Floods can be dangerous and I must talk more to him to find out
what to expect and what can be done to ensure that everyone stays safe.  I
am glad the orphanage isn't near the barren orange clay cliffs visible a
half mile away where the mountainside collapsed and could do so again.

On our walks, we pass cotton fields with a few remaining white puffs
clinging to the branches and numerous plots of leafy green vegetables, most
of them varieties unfamiliar to me. We see clusters of small bananas forming
on the banana trees. The bulk of the land, though, is used to grow rice.  At
this time of year, the paddies are bone-dry and in many fields the rice
stocks are gathered into sheaves to be collected and used as fuel or to make
brooms. The rice fields are a dull yellow brown that will come to life again
when the rain comes. Before long, the water buffalo will be put to work
tilling the land in preparation for planting.

Many villagers raise chicken, ducks and pigs. Some village homes are no more
than ramshackle hovels with dirt floors while others are made of bricks
and/or wood. Some have a pig pen annexed onto their living quarters so there
is only a wall between themselves and the swine. In some areas, the reek of
manure is so overpowering that I feel as if I could pick up a disease just
by breathing the air.

The villagers live in extreme poverty, yet surprisingly I've seen a few
satellite dishes and televisions. Mostly, they drive modified tractor pickup
trucks that are even more rustic than the tractor trucks I see in town,
which are at least painted. A few of the younger villagers--those with jobs
in town—own motorcycles or motor scooters.

The pace of life is slow but the villagers, especially the women, work hard.
Although the village streets are quiet, we always run into one or more women
carrying water. There are no hoses or sprinklers to water their gardens.  They
carry a pole balanced over their shoulders with buckets on each end that
they fill at the irrigation ditch. They walk back and forth between the
water supply and their gardens and use large ladles to spoon water onto the
thirsty crops. Watering the gardens is a long, tedious job.

Peter told me that in this area young men marry when they are around 20
years old and girls marry when they are about 16. He said lots of men drink
a lot and also beat their wives. As far as religion, many of the villagers
are superstitious and worship their ancestors.

I feel out-of-place walking through the villages but my curiosity compels me
to go. Luckily I have Chinese friends to go with or I wouldn't visit them.
There are so many wonderful things I'd like to photograph but I try to be
respectful of people's wishes.  Most villagers are friendly and some ask for
me to take their photo. Others, especially the older folks, (the best
subjects) don't want me to take pictures of them. I've walked away from the
most amazing shots, telling myself there will be another opportunity, as I'm
going to be here for a long time.

*****

Pingguo China 2008 photos can be viewed at
http://picasaweb.google.com/Ms.Pat.Martin/Pingguo#