A Favorite Moment

 

I experienced a favorite moment in China:  Visiting a Chinese home in rural China.  I just cherish walking through that door.  I have studied history books, read multiple novels, watched documentaries, been to Chinese history class, but I learned and felt so much as I walked through the front door of the Feng family.  

Our University dean, Dr. Feng, took us to his hometown and introduced us to his parents and extended family members.  This was the house where Dr. Feng grew up.  His family lived in a cave until he was 8 years old and then they built this house in a small village west of Xi'an.    

What an experience to walk into a Chinese home and see a picture of Mao on the wall.   Dr. Feng's mom is 81 and his dad is 85.  His mom is this tiny little woman.  She grabbed me and pulled me down to sit with her, held my hand, and just wanted to be close to me.   

After a while, through Dr. Feng, she asked how many children I had.  We showed her a picture.  I asked how many she had.  I then told her my name and asked her what her name was.  Her children were gathered around, and grandchildren and a great-grandchild. They didn’t know her name.  They asked her and she told them, and they told me.  I later asked Dr. Feng about it, and he said they don’t ever use her name and really don’t even know it. I felt like I stepped back into time in China.  

Cindy from Arizona and Tsou (this is what it sounded like) from China sitting on a bed in rural China holding hands.