Xi’an to Zhengzhou

Today before leaving for Zhangzhou, we quickly visited two more important sites in Xi’an – the Shaanxi History Museum and the Wild Goose Pagoda. We also had time to visit a nearby Starbucks, which was a bit of a treat for those of us who have been craving American coffee. And we had to say goodbye to our wonderful Xi’an guide, Siao Mae.

Then we took a two hour train ride to Zhengzhou where we met the government officials who are hosting us while we are here. This included our friend Kan Jie, who is a Deputy Director of the Ministry of Culture in Zhengzhou and Nan Nan, a staffer at the Ministry and Kan Jie’s Assistant.

“Four years ago I had the opportunity to visit Zhengzhou with the Chamber Choir. Zhengzhou was the first city we visited on that trip and I remember two things: the mass amounts of unique food and the welcoming atmosphere. We made many friends during our stay and connected again when they came to visit OSU the next year. When I found out that we were coming back to Zhengzhou, I was incredibly excited and asked Dr. Zielke if we would be seeing our friends there. The first person I saw when we got off the train was Nan Nan. What was great about seeing Nan Nan was the embrace between her and Melissa Simpson when they saw each other again. You can tell that the friendship and connection remained from the last time they saw each other. Just like the last time the Chamber Choir stayed in Zhengzhou, we were welcomed with open arms, taken care of, and fed extremely well. The choir learned that the relationship between OSU Music and the Department of Culture in Zhengzhou has been going strong for 15 years. The relationship still feels as if it is in the honeymoon phase. Here’s to 15 more years!” — Cole Haole-Valenzuela

Seeing old friends from the Ministry of Culture and meeting new friends in Zhengzhou.

We also met Mr. Wong, also a Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and we met Mrs. Yng, the Director of the Department of Culture. And we met our new tour guide, Doris, who has worked with OSU representatives on past trips. Finally, we checked into an Aloft Hotel for our stay in Zhengzhou.

Shaanxi History Museum and Wild Goose Pagoda

“As an art major and someone who is extremely interested in art history, it has been amazing for me to visit a country with such a rich and untouched history, and to see the historical influence throughout modern chinese architecture and culture. Some of the highlights for me on this trip were visiting the museums and art historical sights throughout China. It was incredible to see artifacts up close and to explore the Chinese bronze age, seeing how advanced such an ancient civilization was artistically. Something really special about China is its calligraphy, and it was a privilege to see and study such a specialized and beautiful art form. My favorite experience was visiting the site of the Terra Cotta Warriors. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness something I’ve only read about it art history text books. This trip has not only been a great experience for me musically, but also a once in an educational lifetime opportunity to see what I have been studying up close.”  — Shae Williams

“As we walked up the steps of the Pagoda to view the giant bronze Buddha, I noticed people stopping at a stand in front where very large sticks of incense were supported in a box of sand. They would take out one to three sticks and hold them and appear to pray and then bow three times and put the incense back. An older Chinese man saw me watching and handed me a stick of incense and showed me to put my hands together and bow three times. So I said a little prayer to myself for the safety and health of the choir as they traveled, and did the three bows, and when I did this, ashes fell off the large incense stick and got all over me. In a kind way, the man brushed off my shoulders and took the incense from me and stood it back up with the others. Then he gave me a nice a smile and a little nod and walked away.” — Erin Sneller

In the evening  we were fed a lovely banquet at the hotel and were joined by our new hosts. We exchanged some gifts, as is custom, and finished the evening early. Some of the singers took advantage of the nice hotel pool, some gathered in rooms to socialize, others took advantage of the early night to catch up on sleep.