Every once in awhile a rare opportunity comes your way and you simply have to jump on board. Well, one of these opportunities came my way in early October that allowed me to go to Yanji China with a small tour group from my school. I have been to China numerous times to the 'hot spots' such as Shanghai and Hong Kong, but this is an area of China that most people never get to see.I had to look at a map to see exactly where this place is located. As I learned, Yanji is in the far northeastern corner of China, close to the heavily guarded Russian and North Korean borders deep in the heart of communism. I must admit I was expecting this area to be barren and unattractive -- but how wrong I was. Contrary to my expectations, this area of Asia has some incredible mountain and natural beauty.
It is recorded that the northeastern part of China was so remote that it remained almost completely undeveloped until the late 19th century when the Koreans started to migrate to this area in great numbers. No wonder Koreans make up almost half of its current population of 300,000 for the Koreans started to migrate to this area even before the Chinese! For the visitor it is easy to detect the existence of both cultures since most signs are written in both Chinese and Korean, enforced by law.
It is difficult to tell that Yanji was ever undeveloped when observing our hotel. The Grand Dynasty Daewoo Hotel was about the most opulent hotel I've stayed in my travels so far -- not only are common areas intriguing to the eye but our rooms were newly decorated and very comfortable. Entering the lobby was like taking a walk through an 18th century palace with its gilded ceilings, life-size portraits, Chinese pottery, chandeliers and ornate furniture to match. When you're expecting Motel 6, a place like this is a definite surprise! Not exactly the decor I would choose to decorate my home but it was sure nice to look at for the five days during our visit.
Most days our group traveled around northeastern China to visit sites such as Paekdu Mountain and the point where China, Russia and North Korea meet. During the days when we stayed closer to Yanji, we included a visit to Yanbian University of Science and Technology (YUST) where we met James Kim the president of the university -- the one who built and operates this Yanji university from non-government funds (except for donated land) and has somehow convinced Kim Jong Il to allow the building of a similar university in North Korea! It is nothing short of a miracle that the North Korean university is soon to open, offering science, technology and even business curriculum in the most restricted communist country in the world. For a more detailed account of James Kim and his story, go to CNN's report.
The government of China actually donated land for the development of Yanbian University in the early 1990s. When walking the grounds we were told it used to be a massive grave site that is still evident after a long rain -- most of the graves were found with remains cremated, but occasionally you can still find bones sticking out of the ground when the ground is soft. But tripping over bones does not seem to detract from the incredible surrounding views of mountains, agricultural lands and downtown Yanji.
Almost all of our meals were in the Yanji area, frequenting primarily Chinese and Korean restaurants. One highlight for me was eating at a North Korean restaurant, owned by North Koreans in Yanji on an exchange program. I didn't think there would be much difference between South Korean and North Korean cuisine but I definitely noticed... I guess this means I am growing accustomed to the tastes of South Korea! For instance, North Korean Kimchee is typically less salty and uses different spices which makes the Kimchee Bokumbap (as seen in picture) incredibly good! So much so, that I still catch myself thinking about it =)
In between day trips and meals, our group ventured onto the streets of Yanji. It was a wonderful way to observe daily life of the locals. The sights and smells were at times unbelievable, especially coming from the outdoor markets. You would think after three years of living in Asia I would be used to food exposed to the outdoor elements but it still surprises me. I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw a row of naked birds hanging at a tented stall and a man pounding dried fish with a hammer. I'm really not sure why he was pounding these poor fish but I guess it was some form of tenderizing.
Visiting Yanji in many ways strengthened my existing impressions of China. Even though this remote part of the country is far from the hustle of the major cities, there is a subtle paradox you detect here as in other parts of China. In the public eye there is evidence of increasing freedoms (such as churches, open markets, western restaurants, luxurious hotels, etc) yet an invisible hand of control over it as well.
There are definite, often unspoken, boundaries in place that you simply do not challenge. For instance, our group was able to worship in a foreigner's church service on Sunday morning but were told that no Chinese local can join us for they must go to a state-run church. I'm told there are usually enough 'visitors' in attendance to enforce such a condition. At other times I noticed guards maintaining order out in public; funny how they all seem to be camera-shy.Perhaps the most amazing example of crowd control I witnessed was with the 60th anniversary celebrations of communism when Mao Zedong invoked communist rule in 1949. What a coincidence to be in China during these festivities on October 4th.
Watching the Beijing celebrations live on TV is an experience I doubt I will forget. I literally sat in front of the tube for two hours commenting to a fellow-watcher, "I don't believe it. How much time, money and effort does it take to put on a performance like this?" Not only were the fireworks displays mesmerizing but the over 200,000 participants they orchestrated in Tiananmen Square... and I thought Christmas Sunday School productions were an undertaking =) If you haven't seen reports of this, then take a look at this link of the 60th anniversary.An amazing country and a privileged opportunity I had to experience another part of it.
