faces and the birth of man

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This post is about a 21km walk from Cheng’anpu to Xinle. I hang out with villagers and visit a mythical place called Fuxitai.

Today was all about people.

pikachu hat on my walk from Cheng'anpu to Xinle

I wandered around fairly relaxed, except for my feet that had still not quite healed up.

And because I was hurting and because I like resting more than walking, I took some time to sit down every once in a while.

To have a chat with some of the old folks, sometimes take a portrait picture or two.

old man on my walk from Cheng'anpu to Xinle

They were a particularly friendly bunch, and there was a nice atmosphere around that place.

villager with cigarette

A couple of kids, some old folks, the occasional lady riding her bike to go get some food from the market.

Not everyone was just hanging out and enjoying the sun though, some people were busy working.

I ran into two tough old men.

brick factory workers

They were outside next to this gigantic oven, toiling and sweating, making the bricks that other people could use to build their houses with.

“Hey there!” they said when they saw me.

I looked at their gloves, and I asked them if I could take a picture.

And I thought:

glove

Maybe my foot isn’t so bad after all?

Maybe I should just stop complaining?

Damn, look at that glove!

Look at that glove!

Then there was this sign on the street indicating a place called Fuxitai 伏羲台 about 2km off the way.

I had read about Fuxi 伏羲 before.

And because I had the time and because I was going to stop complaining about my feet I took that detour.

I found something very interesting.

There was a statue of Fuxi there.

Fu Xi

And this place was supposed to be his home.

Clear so far?

Now here’s what you didn’t know:

Some people consider this to be a sort of birthplace of mankind.

The Fuxitai on my walk from Cheng'anpu to Xinle

According to Chinese tradition, Fuxi is the most ancient of all emperor-deities and once gave humans the skills of hunting and fishing, and the Yijing 易经 (the book of changes).

Although he was born elsewhere, this is believed to be the place where he used to live (thousands of years ago).

So, according to tradition, that makes this the topographical spot where mankind stems from. And I just so happened to walk past it, on my way from Cheng’anpu to Xinle.

You are not convinced?

Well, a lot of Chinese, Japanese and Koreans apparently are.

They are said to swarm this place by the tens of thousands on holiday occasions.

Today I was the only visitor though.

And I whiled away some time taking artsy-fartsy pics.

ornament at Fuxitai, seen on my walk from Cheng'anpu to Xinle

Then I sat down for crackers and walnut-milk.

I closed my eyes and rested.

Then there was a sound.

And when I looked up, a new friend was there.



  • Rindy

    伏曦有好多地方,你如果到甘肃那里也有,特别是天水那里,说是发源地
    我昨天还等你呢,一直没看到新的

    Reply

  • Ananda_Gua

    Good night!

    Reply

  • Gudrun aus Island

    Hallo ! Dich habe Ich als sehr kleiner Junge gesehen. Es war in Deutschland. Jetzt bist du aber gross geworden und in China ! Viel Spass. Vielleicht komst Du nachtstenmal nach Island ? Liebe Grusse an deine Groseltern in Itzehoe.

    Reply

  • Christoph

    Rindy: 人家都这么说!我很期待去看看!
    joerg: Du hast es erfasst.
    Ananda_Gua: Good morning!
    Gudrun aus Island: Das ist aber nett, dass du mir schreibst! Ich kann mich leider gar nicht erinnern, war wohl noch zu klein… Aber ich komme bestimmt mal nach Island! 🙂

    Reply

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