Bringing Hannah Home

Last Wednesday, (13 May), we were free for the afternoon as we waited for the local notary official to complete their paperwork for Hannah. Our local host, Chandler, suggested we go see a local historical site – a bell tower. Chandler explained that in the past (but how far in the past I forget) the Chinese would sound out the hour of the day via a large bell in a tower about 4 (?) stories tall. And besides, he said, there were plenty of small shops around the tower – so of course the ladies were all for checking out the area. Our driver Wu took us there, and once we got to the area the shopping for just that special deal commenced. We did eventually make it to the bell tower, and found that it also had a museum inside. We walked through the museum, which focused on Chinese buildings of the past and how small some of the houses were and how much better things have become. We wound our way through and up to the top where the bell was, and the boys and I rang the bell for luck. You have to use a large log like striker that’s suspended from a rope. You get three strikes for 5 RMB. The boys were shy about striking the bell first, so I went first, and they saw how easy it was and that it wasn’t going to make them deaf. (LOL). So we all got our strikes in, and were given some coupons to receive a commemorative "lucky" calligraphy (in Chinese, of course!). I didn’t think this would mean very much – but I was soon to find out how wrong I was. So we head down the stairs to just below the bell level, and there we find there are a group of people doing calligraphy, with a lot of their work all over the room – some laying on the floor, some suspended from cords stretched across the room, and some hung within glass cases.

I’m quite intrigued – I’ve always been impressed by calligraphy, regardless of the language. Chandler started to chat with them, and I could tell from his expression during his conversation that something very unusual was taking place here. He explained to me that the three men doing calligraphy at the table were actually calligraphy instructors at the university in Tianjin, and were quite well known for their work. They had been requested by the local government to come to the bell tower and do calligraphy pieces as part of a cultural awareness week. The cost to acquire a piece of their work? Simply the cost of the paper (30 RMB each, or about $4.25). What would I like them to write for me? Hmmmmmm…..after some deliberation, I ask Chandler to have them write "swordsman" (of course, alluding to my love of Iaido). Chandler discusses this with the calligraphers, and he comes back with a variation, and suggests they write the characters which translate to "the spirit of the sword". MOST excellent, I think, and agree. The calligrapher sets about his work, and is done in few minutes. A masterpiece.

Chandler chats with them all during this time, and learns just how valuable this piece of work is. Seems that if commissioned to make similar pieces under normal circumstances, this same piece would fetch 6,000 RMB (approx $850) or more. Wow. I thanked them many times, and told them (through Chandler) how much I appreciated their work. They were all very pleasant and seemed very pleased that a traveling American would appreciate their work so much. In the end, Chandler and I would come back on Friday and get a few more pieces, and then took them to a local shop (recommended by one of the calligraphers) to have them mounted on traditional silk scrolls. Cost for mounting on the silk scrolls? 20 RMB (just under $3) each. Totally unbelievable. What an incredible find. (posted by James)