Visit Home Of Chinese Farmer In Huang Jinao, Where Mountain Cleared To Plant Chestnut Trees And Grape Vines

Huang Jinao, Thursday, 9th September, 1993

Wake up at 6 am, still on train travelling from Changsha to Huai Hua. Have breakfast of bananas and bread, whilst sitting up in open bunk, eyes rather bleary but otherwise rested. Arrive Huai Hua after a fourteen hours journey overnight. Unload bags through window to Zhong on the platform to save some hassle, then we join the crowds walking to the station exit.

There were long queues at the booking office, waiting to buy tickets. Guang's brother was at the station to meet his father and mother, to take them home, but we walked for about 5 minutes to get to our hotel, named Li Du. I was informed by the receptionist that my Mastercard would not be acceptable.

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We take a taxi to the town of Huang Jinao where Yin orders a meal at a restaurant to be prepared for later in the day. Zhong meets a girl-friend who tells him that he has two letters waiting for him from Danny! On the square outside the cafe, meat and vegetables are being sold on open stalls. A taxi takes us to Yin's college and we travel along a track that is very rutted. Outside the college rooms some students were playing pool. We go to look at Yin's photographic dark room and he gives me some scrolls painted by himself. Whilst we at the college, some teachers and students come to say hello. The taxi then takes us back to the restaurant for breakfast at 10am. Some of the villagers gather by the restaurant door to have a look at the 'foreigner'. I say, 'Hello!', to a young child looking through the restaurant window; she cries and runs to her mother who is busy washing clothes in the yard.

When we arrive at Yin's home there was nobody there, but his father returns from the fields later. Rice grain and chillies are spread out on the yards in front of the farmhouse, to dry in the sun. A fierce looking dog chained nearby, growls at me but appears quite gentle to Yin's young nephew. When we were seated in the living room of the farmhouse Yin said that the swallow's nest on the ceiling was considered lucky. The swallows nest there every year, and during their season, they fly out in the morning and return in the evening.

On the wall of the living room were many family portraits, and photos of Chaiman Mao. An extension speaker attached to one of the walls was from a public service broadcast station. These were used before the houses had their own radios. Going to the outside toilet I passed a pen in which was a large grunting sow pig and her piglets.

We left our driver to rest in the house then Yin took us on a walk to his mountain orchard. On the way we met his mother and brother working on a nearby yard, raking and turning rice laid out to dry in the sun. We continued our walk through the paddyfields with the sun blazing down at us; it was very hot and my shirt was getting wet. We finally arrived at the mountain orchard and climbed to the top. Yin's grandma was already there and she opened a small wooden building so that we could rest on a bamboo bed. A short while later grandma leaves to walk back home, smoking a cigarette and moving very fast. Yin said that his grandma visits the top of the mountain everyday. The chestnuts growing on the mountain had all been planted by Yin's family. The trees were only small, but the chestnuts were quite large, and even the unripe ones tasted sweet. Yin said that grafts on wild stock produced a first crop in less than two years. When we looked at the grape vines, we noticed some very large caterpillars on some of the leaves. There were very good views from the top of the mountain, and a second mountain had already been partly cleared in preparation for planting. All the work had been done manually, including the terracing, helped by other families.

We walked back down the mountain and along the pathways that were between the paddy fields. As we passed a neighbour's house, we were called in for a rest and drinks. A pail of water was brought to us for drinks, about which I was not sure, so I resolved the problem by saying I was not thirsty ! The neighbour's son showed some interest in the camera I was holding, so I took a photograph of him. It is likely that all his life would be spent working on the farm.

When we got back to Yin's home we were told that the taxi driver had already gone back to the car. Grandma brought us a bowl of warm water for us to wash and refresh ourselves, then we walked down the track to the car, closely watched by a group of young children nearby; our first call was at the restaurant where Yin ordered lunch to be prepared.

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Before our lunch we visited friends of Yin's to deliver a taped message from their son Wu, that he had recorded in Changsha. While we were there we were offered ice-cream cones. Four young men in the shop wanted their photo taken together; they were very chatty, although I could not understand a word they said! They were a very happy gang. At the restaurant we had a dish of black chicken, which was a local speciality. The skin was black and the bones were stained black. Yin's teacher joins us at lunch then goes to fetch a bowl of dumplings from his wife's stall. He said that, as far as he was aware, I was the first westerner to visit Huang Jinao.

On the way back to Huai Hua, we stopped once for Yin to collect some sprigs of flowering osmanthus, which were heavily scented. At the hotel there was no lift, so must walk up the stairs to the 4th floor. Zhong goes to visit his older brother, and Guang goes to buy some sugar for my coffee. During my 'nap' that followed, Guang and Yin go to take some films to be developed, and they come back with some bananas and apples. Guang goes to borrow an extra table-lamp for the sitting room, but it does not work, so the floor attendant is called to sort out the problem. All the staff in the hotel were very friendly.

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Yin goes to collect the developed films, and the results are quite good. Two pedi-cabs are hired to take us to the covered market, taken over for the night by snack sellers and restaurants. The food on offer was far to hot with chilli for my taste buds, so we all go to the main street. Zhong goes to several restaurants to check the menus, before finding a suitable one. One dish we had was of frogs legs and chilli.... not for RD. Yin said the meal was far too expensive at 116 yuan. We have scooter-cabs to take us back to the hotel, but soon after, the cab used by Guang and myself broke down with petrol problems.

Guang and I walked a little way down the street then hired a pedi-cab, taking us past clothes shops still open at 10 pm. Zhong, riding pillion on a motorbike taxi comes to find us; he thought we had been kidnapped! I took some photos outside the hotel much to the amusement of the Doorman. In the lobby of the hotel there was a modern photo-processing shop. Zhong collects a processed film of photos, taken at Changsha, of his sister and his school-mates. I go to bed about 11pm, then some construction workers arrive to sleep outside the bedroom window; there is much loud talking between them until about 2 am!