Village Life

Newspaper accounts of China are quick to print stories about the fast development of cities, rags to riches stories, and the plight of the urban poor. Little is said about village life, so I was anxious to see it for myself. A friend of mine, who also happens to be one of the official minorities that total 8% of the population, invited me to his home in the Southwestern province of Yunnan.

While there, I was truly humbled by the attention and hospitality showered me by everyone with whom I came into contact. I believe that I was the first Westerner to visit my friend's village--a party of Japanese researchers had visited it early in the year to observe farming techniques--and I was definitely an object of curiosity. The people gave and gave-sometimes far in excess of their means, and certainly more than I needed or deserved. At one point, a chicken was prepared for me, and the liver was reserved for me (and I despise chicken livers). This offering was made even worse because the gallbladder was still attached. But that was not the only culinary delight offered me--guinea pig is apparently highly valued in Chinese medicine, and the meat is extremely expensive. My host family raises guinea pigs for sale, and took the excuse of my visit to try it for the first time. It wasn't too bad--but it was difficult to know which part of the creature I was eating. To be fair, I think my fellow diners were also a little surprised that wealthy Chinese would pay so much for the opportunity to eat a rodent.

All in all, I think the people of that village gave me plenty of insight into hospitality and generosity of spirit, even if my friend later informed me that they believed they had not done enough. The trip definitely was perspective altering in regard to those materials and items we classify as necessary to modern life. Some people do seem to cope without morning coffee or a flush toilet--things that I am certainly loathe to give up.

I will write a little bit in a day or two about some of the pictures and areas we visited after we left the village.

In the meantime, click on the photo below to see a slideshow of more pictures: