User Comments - aron123

Posted on: A Tour of Xi'an

Lived in Xi'an for two-and-a-half years.  I very much miss it (now back in the states).  Speaking Chinese with locals is a little tougher because they often mix in 陕西话。 I would always wonder why, while taking short trips to Beijing I would actually feel more confident in my Chinese. 

On special weekend nights I would try to get all my friends out to 回民街 to skip around to all of the shops eating only a little in each place.  If you can find them, look for the little purple cakes, they're awesome.  Also suan mei tang/plum juice, liang pianr with zhi ma jiang/rice noodles with sesame seed paste, jiao zi/dumplings. 

The wall is fantastic even on a cool grey day, but also try if you can, the park around the wall.  Also the park across the moat on the south side on a sunday afternoon will have people practicing taiji, singing opera and playing the er hu. 

The da yan ta/ big wild goose pagoda complex, including the fountain plaza in front, is my favorite place in China.  The monastery is pristine architecturally.  In the evening the pagoda is a wonderful beacon of a landmark even as seen from the opposite end of yan ta lu.  The fountain show in the evening is wonderful with children running through the fountains on summer evenings.

Ahhhh... getting sad...

Posted on: Love Tangle 8: The Good Husband

yeah, those are useful too, thanks for posting

Posted on: Tai Chi

Mmmm, I think this is great, but just like many other, now obscure pieces of Chinese philosophy and history - Tai Ji - may be translated and interpreted in several ways... The interpretation that subscribe to is that TaiJi means "The Greatest Limit," meaning the highest point of efficiency with the relatively least amount of work done to acheive relative maximum result/productivity - using little to acheive much.  I think this is a critical concept within the eastern mindset.  This understanding may then lead to a very broad application of Tai Ji dynamics concepts to all other aspects of life... analogically.  However, this is the interpretation I subscribe to.  I was excited to see this lesson I may finally have some words when talking with Chinese friends on the subject.