OF TEMPLES, TEA AND THE SEA :: Discovering Fujian

In May 2018, I was invited to join a group of artists and business partners on a trip to Fujian organised by the China Cultural Centre of Malta. This is an annual trip that the CCC co-ordinates as part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness about China of today, its history and culture, its rural and urban settings and all that country has to offer as a travel destination. Since China is a huge and diverse territory, the CCC focuses on one province at a time and this year it was the turn of Fujian, a maritime province located on the southeast coast of mainland China.

Following the short flight from Malta to Rome and an 8-hour layover (during which my travel companions and I managed to fit in a delicious lunch at a beachfront restaurant in Fiumicino) we boarded the Air China B777 for the 10-hour flight to Beijing. Three hours following our arrival in the Chinese capital, we boarded another plane for the final sector of our outbound journey which took us to Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport. Waiting for us at the arrivals hall we found a trio of ladies who would babysit us with poise, patience and professionalism for the next nine days: Ms Tu from the Department of Culture, Zhen - our competent and sympathetic translator, and Alan, our young and spritely coordinator.

As expected, the programme prepared by our Chinese hosts was full to the brim with activities and sightseeing opportunities. It was designed to maximise on the limited time available so we could get a taste of the province, even though, with an area equal to about half that of the United Kingdom, we would have needed a much longer stay to cover it properly. The artists in our group (lucky them) would eventually stay on for an additional five days, during which they had the opportunity to explore the mountainous regions of the province which are incredibly rich in scenic beauty.

Notwithstanding the fact that we missed the mountains (blast !) our experience of Fujian was thoroughly enjoyable, culturally rewarding, and most definitely memorable.

It would take too long to fit everything we did, saw and learned in one blog post. So instead I will focus on three elements that are quite typical of China in general and of this province in particular: temples, tea and the sea.

Temples

During our trip, we visited a number of temples, most of which were Buddhist, as well as a few Confucian and Taoist shrines. We also visited an Islamic site (yes, China has a ‘small’ Moslem community too – less than 0.5% of the total Chinese population, which still amounts to a hell of a lot of people!!

Although to the untrained eye Buddhist temples may look the same (and indeed they do share some similarities, in the same way that churches, mosques and synagogues have common features) but each one is distinct and has something different, peculiar or special to offer. The architectural style, the size and location, the landscaping and setting, the deity to which the temple is dedicated. This and so much more can be different. And each one is worth a visit.

The major temples and religious sites we visited during our Fujian trip were Nanputuo temple (or South Temple), and Quinjing Temple in Xiamen, Confucius' Temple, Qingjing Temple and Kaiyuan Temple, the Islamic Holy Sepulchre, Qingyuan Mountain and Laojun Rock in Quanzhou. The intricate carvings and gigantic gilded statues, the lofty pagodas, the dragons on the slanting roofs and the lion-dogs guarding the entrances; the smell of burning incense, candles and flower petals mixed with the hypnotic chants of monks, the padded footsteps of worshipers and the echoing sound of bronze bells, as prayer ribbons hanging on tree branches flutter in the wind…

A visit to any Buddhist temple is a rich and immersive experience, and although it was not a first time for me (having visited various temples in Thailand, Malaysia and Japan) it always has the same effect. Strongly recommended.

Tea

Fujian is one of the most important tea-producing regions in the world, both in terms of total output, the production of high-quality artisanal teas, and the development of different styles of tea and methods of tea production. The region is particularly important for the famous (and expensive) Oolong teas, since various styles of oolong originated there. It is also important for black tea (known as red tea in Chinese), and white tea. In fact, most of the world's supply of white tea is still produced there.

It is not surprising, therefore, that during our trip to Fujian, tea took centre stage in the hot beverage department (especially since it was nearly impossible to find a decent espresso anywhere, even at the trendiest of hotels, restaurants and bars). Having said that, it is important to note that, for the Chinese, tea is anything but a mere thirst quencher or something to drink on a cold, drizzly day. It is not a drink in the same way as it is understood to be in a Western context, especially not the English ‘cuppa’ with milk and sugar (one lump or two, Madam?) or any such interpretation of this aromatic infusion. In China, especially in the south, drinking tea becomes a ceremony, a ritual, a sensory process that goes beyond the mere smell and taste, but involves all the other senses. It is not a hurried affair either… you have to give it the necessary time to really appreciate the aroma, savour the flavour and partake in the social exchange that is at the very basis of tea drinking.​​

During our stay, we experienced the complete process, from growing tea on vast hillside plantations, to picking the tender leaves, to drying them in hot metal drums, to kneading and chopping by hand, to sifting through a series of sieves with progressively finer mesh, to mixing with jasmine florets (to produce jasmine tea) right down to the tea serving ceremony and the drinking of the final product. We drank lots of different teas, some aged 6 years or more and as expensive as a good bottle of single malt. We cannot say that we became tea-making experts or connoisseurs, but the Fujian tea experiences certainly increased our appreciation of a commodity that we often take for granted.

The Sea

Fujian is a maritime province whose fortunes throughout its long and chequered history were closely tied to the sea. As an oceanside frontier territory to the south, located directly across from the island of Taiwan, Fujian played a role of protagonist both in times of war and peace, offering a safe haven for freighters engaging in trade and commerce with the outside world, and a strategic harbour for naval forces going into battle.

Fujian was also part of the famous Maritime Silk Road or Maritime Silk Route, a term which (according to Wikipedia) “refers to the maritime section of the historic Silk Road that connected China to Southeast Asia, the Indonesian Archipelago, the Indian Subcontinent, the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia and all the way to Egypt, and finally Europe that flourished between 2nd-century BCE and 15th-century CE.”

During our stay, we visited various museums and sites that display a vast collection of artifacts, tools, maps, and models explaining the maritime history and the daily lives of the seafaring nations that inhabited the area and who made a living in, on or around the sea. From sailors to pirates, from fishermen, merchants and bookkeepers, to opium smugglers, craftsmen and artisans...

Perhaps the close connection with the sea is one of the main reasons why we felt so much at home in Fujian. Like ancient mariners from a tiny island, half way across the world, we traveled to the orient on a journey of discovery, and came back wiser and laden with rich experiences. So much of what we found in Fujian was exotic and new. But just as much was curiously and pleasantly familiar.

I for one will surely be back.

#fareast #Asia