Why, oh why, did I bring my back pack again today? Though my back is a little better, it still hurts after walking or climbing for great periods of time, and that was exactly what happened when we reached Fragrant Hill after another ride on the bus. It was another very long hike up to the top of Fragrant Hill, though there were fewer stair and more weaving ramps. I took frequent breaks and drank a lot of water, and took my time to look out over the area as I climbed higher and higher. My back started to hurt more and more and I took some Advil to dull the pain. I reached the top last and enjoyed a nice view as I sat and drank water.
It’s important to remind myself that there was still smog everywhere; I could even see a few coal power plants on the other side of the mountain that we had just climbed. They were spewing out smoke into the air contributing to the smog. Even though these coal plants are present in the United States, it was a harsh reminder of the reason behind the smog, a reminder that this very same smog could occur in the United States if we aren’t careful. All it would take would be a higher energy demand from a higher population. Even though environmental regulations keep this problem in check, we should use China as an example and a warning of what would have been without environmental regulations.
At the peak I tied two ribbons on a tree that were supposed to bring good luck and peace to the person whose name was written on the ribbon. I bought two, one for my girlfriend and one for my sister and tied them up on the tree. I also bought some prayer beads at the top and I am still wearing them around my wrist even now.
I took the cable car back down and saw the rest of the park, which was breathtaking. We then boarded the bus and headed back over to the hotel. Later that day, we took cabs to Tsinghua campus to meet with students there. Our cab driver did not know where he was going and we had to stop several times to ask for directions. Thank goodness Ruby, one of our hosts, was there, otherwise we would have been in a very bad situation. When we arrive I sat down with a student and we introduced ourselves and chatted lightly for a while before he turned the conversation to a much more serious topic. He was writing a paper on the recent Dalai Lama visit to the United States and wanted to know an American students opinion on the matter. I, personally, did not know very much about the matter, but I said that the Dalai Lama is a respected world leader and was treated as such by the U.S. government. The student retorted with the fact that the Dalai Lama had abandoned his people in Tibet and did not deserve to be any sort of leader. We continued this debate for some time, ranging from topics on Islam, Tibet, Chinese government, and world politics. It was a heavy conversation and there were points at which I could tell that he had been severely influenced by propaganda, that or I had, especially on the subject of Tibet. I noted that there were massive punishments doled out on Tibetan citizens under Chinese rule, many of which were considered humanitarian crises by the outside world. He shrugged off the allegation, asserting that the government needed to keep a strong hold on the western provinces, lest they fall into chaos and terrorism.
It was interesting to interact on such a personal level with someone with a very different background and very different views. I liked this part of the trip a lot, and it’s probably one I gained the most insight from.