Switching Tao for Mao

After two days of heavy brainwashing I needed some change and thus I decided to visit one of the five holy peaks of Taoism - Heng shan or Nanyue. Waking up at 6.00am and walking through the campus at 7.00am you would hardly believe that from the public speaking system blasts lesson in English instead of comrades songs. At least for me this was an absolutely surreal experience. Why would you play anything at 7.00am in the morning and why would you choose lessons in English rather than some song? Whoever comes up with the satisfactory answer will receive 30 kuai credit for fake market from me :)

Village of Nanyue (three hours bus ride south from Changsha) is located at the bottom of the mountain and includes one of the biggest Taoism temples in China (I think so). Architecturally it is pleasure for your eyes. Although slim and tall shapes of European cathedrals cannot be found, vaulted roofs and colored reliefs have their beauty as well. Surroundings of the temple are focused on selling of religious objects to Taoist's pilgrims.

Ascent to the mountain should take four hours according to the Lonely Planet (c. 12 km). It took me only two and a half but I was in great hurry to catch the last bus leaving at 4.00pm. Of course against my great effort (sweating through two T-shirts, loosing another kilo of weight, not paying for cable car on my way back - I was waived Taoistically by the conductor - and paying 25 kuai for minibus ride of last 4 km) I arrived at the bottom of the mountain at 3.54pm. Running through the city like crazy I might have caught the bus, but my better judgment lead me to ask for a ride to bus station of group of people returning with me from the mountain in the minibus.

They not only offered their help, but as they were heading to Changsha as well they offered me a ride with them. Therefore through this channel I would like to again express my gratitude to Sarah and Julio who were today (Nov. 19) on a trip at Heng shan. I wish you safe travel home and Merry Christmas :)

The whole day was pleasantly finished in the traditional Hunanese restaurant with pictures of Mao all over the place and me eating Mao's favorite dish (I just do not get it how he could survive for so long if his favorite dish is swimming in fat - I guess that the saying about bad plants dying hard is right :).

Tomorrow I will leave Changsha and head to Yueyang (city of sublime tea) and afterward to Guilin (Guanxi province) with its karst peaks. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to post news on this blog along the way and even more I hope I will have more time to think them through :)

Note on Chinese culture / soul
In Nanyue I saw Taoist temples next to the Budhist one in the same single temple complex. Considering that Hunan is stronghold of communism I admire the ability to coexist as well as tolerance of Chinese people. I wish this was the case all around the world and hope that I will live through the day that similar peaceful atmosphere would be felt in Jerusalem.