Living in China 1995 January - April

Dongxi rode a mini-train at the Beijing Botanical Garden

[Note from 2021: In the 80s and 90s in China...days of innocence, purity of motive, enthusiasm to learn, innovation in arts, and rapid growth of entrepreneurial initiatives all encountered spiritual challenges.]

January 1

Sunday at Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia).

Supper with Bing Thom, Barry Hong (Spectra) Vancouver developer, Liu Dong Yang, and__________son of 2nd richest man in HK. They want to build an exclusive tennis club. I am totally uninterested, but say nothing.

January 2

Breakfast with Bing Thom. He asked me, “Why haven’t some of the big (foreign) offices snapped you up? All the Chinese architects and planners know you.” I replied, “It’s probably because I’m too low to the ground. Foreign design firms want people who know their company culture, who will be an extension of their base.”

Gao Xiao Hui came for a visit with his wife, Zhang Ping, and their son.

Dongxi and their son are happy to see each other. Gao Xiao Hui is setting up a Joint Venture with an American architectural firm called NBBJ. He will hire a design institute from Hebei and rent rooms in a kindergarten in Beijing.

[Note from 2021: Gao Xiao Hui became NBBJ's Director of Asia Business Development.]

GXH said underlying jealousy of Hongyu meant complaints to Liu Qi. These added to Liu Qi pushing her out.

Hongyu and I are depressed about our work situation.

I ask Prof. Cao Yun Xiang (Head of Qinghua University from 1921-22), Sutherland Maxwell, and Louis Bourgeois for help.

Hongyu feels, of the 10 or so irons in the fire, 80% have a chance of realization. Hope is alive.

Hongyu may be pregnant; go to the Yan Sha Department Store to buy a pregnancy test.

January 3

Hongyu is not pregnant.

We send out more brochures, an outreach program.

I saw Liu Qi and asked him, “May I put my “guanxi” in Jian Feng?”

One of our ideas for a new livelihood was to get into building materials. Liu Qi introduced us to friends of his, a Hong Kong building materials company with whom we could form a Joint Venture. Our Hong Kong partner had an odd name that I teasingly referred to as ‘The Plywood Memorial Society’. A JV could also be my host work unit. With that in place, I could get a Resident’s Permit and would be able to live and work in China. We founded the JV and called it ‘Jian Feng’. ‘Jian’ means ‘Build’ and ‘Feng’ means ‘Maple’, the latter a reference to Canada. I asked Liu Qi if he could help arrange it so that I got my Resident’s Permit through Jian Geng. Yes”, he said. “We will get this done!” (Wo men ba she ge shi luoshi ha) (我们吧这个事情落实好。)

Then I said I was interested in doing some of the He Ping Men planning area individual building design. He said, ”It depends on the situation. It’s not clear right now. At that time, we will decide.” (看清泉，现在不清楚，到时候再说。) （“Kan qing kuang. Xianzai bu qingqu. Dao shi hou zai shuo.”）He said an investor may indicate who they want to do design. He gave me an indirect “No”.

Fainula Rodriguez said UNDP wants me to go in the spring to Anhui and Jiangsu. I should contact them again in mid-February. Good news! Some work!

January 4

At a good stationary store on Nan Li Shi Lu, I bought some binding materials and covers for more URDC promotional brochures.

Liu Qi and URDC are being investigated by the Beijing Jian Cha Yuan (检察院 Prosecutor’s Office, the municipal judicial prosecuting agency).

Jan.5

Meet with Li Dao Zeng. He invited Hongyu and I to help form a new architectural office.

Mrs. Chen Yi Yun didn’t hear from Lee Lee about the conference idea. Had long talk with Mrs. Chen.

January 6

Wrote fax to Adam Robarts.

Wrote fax to Hossein Danesh.

Picked up forms for changing employers at Gong An Ju 公安局 Public Security Bureau “Aliens” Department.

Visit with Shi Guo Liang. He agrees to help organize Don Rogers visit.

Letter to my brother, Mark. Ask help to get some more blank bank checks; I’ve run out. Occasionally we need them.

Two members of Xin Xing Development Company have been held for 10 continuous days of questioning by the Prosecutor’s Office.

Supper with Dongxi at Macdonald’s. Comfort food.

Hongyu came home late. The Liu Qi circle is in crisis mode.

We received a notice that we should go to the telephone office and picked up a roll of telephone cable.

January 7

Days feel dark, direction not clear. I feel pain. Should Hongyu and I work together for Li Dao Zeng? Hongyu teach at Qinghua? My Resident Permit has almost expired. Should I place my “guanxi” in Jian Feng”? It’s associated with Liu Qi. It seems he is in deep trouble. Should we give it all up and go to Macau, maybe teach at the School of the Nations? I’d like to do a course called “City-building”.

Went to Mi Yun. Climbed a “mountain” with Dongxi. He fell asleep in the car on the way home. Last night he laughed so much when Hongyu taught him to do a somersault.

January 8

Take Dongxi to Bei Hai Park to play.

Fear flushing out last-resort scenarios. Move to Macau?

Our neigbourhood

January 9

Long Obligatory Prayer with tears.

Zhao Cheng and Yang Li were released today by the Prosecutor’s Office. Great pressure relief.

Hongyu tidying up URDC; will let it go.

Work on Mi Yun (Resort Village) Du Jia Cun, 1:1000 planning.

Hongyu fetched the roll of cable

from the telephone office.

January 10

Work on Mi Yun Residential District planning.

Revise long fax to Adam.

I am going to get my Resident’s Permit through Jian Feng and let the Li Dao Zeng design office option simmer. Hongyu feels she may be a target in the Prosecutor’s Office campaign.

It’s possible a case against her could be constructed just by association. Stress level very high. Hongyu wants to get pregnant; pregnant women are not sent to jail.

Jan.11

So worried, very difficult to sleep last night.

See dentist on Chrysanthemum Lane (Ju Er Hu Tong) near our home.

Mrs. Chen Yi Yun received a fax from Lee Lee. August not possible; Nov. better. Hossein Danesh coming in March.

Hongyu and I update and print out our resumes.

Dongxi’s last day at kindergarten before Spring Festival.

January 12

Mi Yun Planning 1:1000.

Dongxi at home for Spring Festival.

Attack on Liu Qi has subsided. Out thoughts of escaping to Macau also subside.

Xu Ping Bo and Liu ___ ____ came to see me at home, ask me to do a design for the He Ping Men office building site at the southeast corner. They ask me to join the Tian Zhong Design Office.

Hongyu more relaxed, getting URDC in order.

I have worked for Liu Qi for over a year. Have I been in China too long to start somewhere else. Should I join the Tian Zhong Design Office?

Supper with Marc Choco. Talk about Canadian investment in China. He has friends with money; we have friends with projects looking for investors.

January 13

Telephone Day!

Today is the appointed day. Around the telephone pole near our home, Hongyu stood with several neighbours, each holding a big roll of black cable. A technician on a ladder connected one end of our cables to a box up on the pole. Getting the other end of the cable into our home was left up to us. Hongyu passed the cable over the wall of the yard in front of our home and Chu Shifu caught it on the other side. I used a borrowed ladder to get up into the date tree outside our third storey open window. Chu Shifu tossed the roll up to me, and I threw what was left into our apartment. Inside we plugged the cable into our desk-top phone, and there we were - connected! By the end of the day it looked like an octopus had climbed the nearby pole and sent skinny tentacles into all the surrounding homes.

Dongxi at home.

Mi Yun Planning. Draw three ideas at 1:1000, about 20,000m2 of buildings in each.

Hongyu came home and said Liu Qi was under direct attack. Should I still plan to put my guanxi in the Plywood Memorial Society (Jian Feng)? What to do? I feel powerless.

Jian Ning said “0” (ling) magazine will come out near Spring Festival. It includes the Seven valleys by Baha’u’llah, and Jian Ning’s poem about Baha’u’llah.

January 14

Hongyu and I go to Miyun, bring Dongxi. He was very good, playing with Ao Tuo Man action figures while we met Peng Zhu Ren. He was very kind to Dongxi.

Hongyu bought a fax/phone machine for our home.

EVE

Supper with Gare LeCompte and Pauline at Macdonalds…reward for Dongxi good behavior.

Hatem Elhady appeared in the China Daily

January 15

Sunday. Visit Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia), very quiet. Gao Xiao Hui came to visit us at our home later that evening. He said, “What if Liu Qi…..?” He suggested we run.

January 16

I was a member of a “jury” at Qinghua second year design studio. Present were Tim Geissler, Andy Wen, Dan Abramson, Qi Xin.

Andy Wen and Qi Xin

Pick up “Goals for Spiritual Education”, in Chinese from Zhang Long. She said, “Do you really think Chinese people are that good?” She urges me to send a copy to Jiang Zi Min.

Supper with Ted Margrette and Li Hong.

Liu Qi called to say things were getting better, and “When is Joe coming to join Jian Feng?”

January 17

Go to Canadian Embassy to get application forms for a new passport.

Get passport photos done at the CITIC building.

At the Beijing hotel, I get a “Goodbye” letter from ETON Properties so I can transfer my ‘guanxi’ to a new danwei (work unit). They have an office at the hotel.

Hongyu got a contract with Hyundai for a project on “Financial Street” (Jing Rong Jie), the designated financial district running north from Fuxingmen.

Tanya called. A Shi Jia Zhuang TV friend is willing to dub the video about Rural University.

Find an idea for He Ping Men Office Building. Located in south east corner of the site.

He Ping Men Office Building

Letter from Hossain Danesh. He’s inviting Mrs. Chen and her husband to Landegg University in April. Mrs. Chen Yi Yun will go as a guest professor.

Dongxi asked why countries in Africa and the US had bad guys. I said maybe it’s because they need more pure, kind, and radiant hearts. He said in China we have enough of those .

January 18

Mi Yun site plan, revise.

Submit documents to Canadian Embassy for new passport.

Lunch with Jian Ning and Dongxi at McDonalds. Gave Jian NIng the Chinese version of essays by Canadian artist, Otto Rogers. He will put them in the next issue of “0”.

Draw a conceptual design for Hyundai; 1:1000 site plan.

January 19

Hyundai: Make rough idea for site. Hongyu found out it is near the old Yuan Dynasty wall and the allowable building height is limited.

Revise a fax to Adam saying things are looking better; I thought I should join Liu Qi’s network of companies. Later Hongyu said Liu Qi has not been seen for a few days. We are very nervous!

Someone must have complained about the undisciplined telephone wires wandering everywhere in our compound. Telephone workers came and fixed the cables to the walls unl they were almost invisible.

Finish revise Mi Yu Planning.

January 20

Take Dongxi to dentist; well-behaved, brave!

Photocopy latest version of LETDXP for Hongyu’s father (He Yan Ling), and Mrs. Chen Yi Yun.

Mi Yun plan almost complete. Hongyu add Chinese words in her beautiful handwriting.

January 21

With Gare LeCompte. He wants to do a five-star job with a one-star budget; disappointing.

EVE

Supper with Korean friend (Di Di) Jin Ping De and other Korean business friends. Didi gave Dongxi a big Lego pirate ship model. He was very excited.

January 22

Work on He Ping Men southeast corner office building, 1:500 conceptual design.

Hongyu at Driving School.

Dongxi and I go to pick up Hongyu at the driving school in Da Xing.

Nan Mo Fang Residential District is now under construction.

Supper at Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia).

January 23

He Ping Men Office Building, finish one idea.

Liu Qi is being held by the Prosecutor’s Office.

Darkness has fallen.

January 23

Lunch with Jian Ning. Give him English version of Don Rogers essays about art for “0” magazine.

Looking for steady work, Some possibilities:

UNESCO/UNDP
Qinghua University, Professor and architect Li Dao Zeng
Jian Feng Dev. Co./Tian Zhong design office
Badi Foundation, Bijan Farid.

1 and 2 are uncertain, 3 is easy to arrange, I have a history with them, we know each other well; they want me. Liu Qi? 4. No news.

[Note from 2021:

The Badi Foundation (Chinese: 巴迪基金会) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Its mission is to develop the capacity of individuals and institutions, through education and training programs, to contribute to the social and economic development of their communities.

Major programmatic areas of the foundation include formal education, early childhood education, institutional capacity building, and the moral empowerment of junior youth and youth.

The Badi Foundation is the parent body of the School of the Nations, a kindergarten through secondary school in Macao that takes an integrated approach to the moral and intellectual development of its students. Presently, the school serves over 600 students.

The foundation was established and registered as a non-profit charitable organization in Macao in 1990. From 1997 through 2018 it operated a representative office in Beijing that was registered under the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. During that time, through its Institutional Capacity Building Program, the foundation assisted individuals to establish community-based organizations in China’s rural and semi-rural regions and provided training and support to build the capacity of these organizations to serve the needs of their communities. From 2005-2017, over 40 organizations were established and reached over 56,000 rural women and youth with capacity building programs in mainland China.]

January 25

Qiu Jiang and Richard Bernstein phoned about setting up an Erikson/AWA office in China. Could I represent them in Shanghai? If I work for AWA, how do I represent other architects, or myself?

Phone Chris and Vicky, and then Mark from our new telephone.

January 26

Hongyu says Representative Offices are not supposed to engage directly in local business. They cannot sign contracts. They do the work for the foreign office.

Meet with Xu Ping Bo and Liu Wen Jie at Tian Zhong Design Office re He Ping Men Office Building.

Liu Qi is still in custody.

January 27

Meet Xin Xing Dvelopment Comoany, client for the He Ping Men project. Present initial ideas for Office Building conceptual design.

January 28

Nan Mo Fang Kindergarten; review working drawings.

Play with Dongxi. Take him for a haircut. When we left, the barber was surprised that Dongxi was putting on his own sweater and coat; I wasn’t doing it for him, waiting on him, hand and foot. Dongxi will be five this coming August.

Mrs. Chen Yi Yun called to say the Badi Foundation offered US$6,000.00 to support Women and Spiritual Civilization Conference. Thanks to Bijan Farid.

January 29

Sunday, Work on Hyundai Feasibility Study.

January 30

Monday holiday. Housecleaning, go to Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia). Dongxi had stayed overnight with Mao Mao. “I know I’m right! Wo gao su ni!” Dongxi said. I physically restrained him from interfering in a card game of adults. He was very angry. I told him he had other cards he could play with.

“I’m not angry about that!”

“What then?”

“I’m angry because you held me.”

Later, I asked him….

“Are you finished being angry?”

Almost.”

Some old friends of Lao Lao and Lao Ye came to visit them.

I asked Dongxi to talk with them. I thought I would have to go with him. He went by himself into the room where they were all gathered. He talked with them, and he did something funny to make them all laugh. Then he left. I was very pleased; he’s normally too shy.

January 31

Spring Festival at Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia). Group photo; grandparents with three grandchildren. Dongxi very cooperative.

February 1

Hyundai Feasibility Study (another doughnut, atrium plan).

Housecleaning

Peter Newman, a lawyer, came for supper, long good talk. I told him the Liu Qi Story.

February 2

Hongyu works on her feasibility study project with Hyundai.

Xiao Gu, Xiao Zhou, Li Chi Yin came to our place for Hot Pot.

They talk of a renewed URDC with Hongyu.

February 3

Last night Dongxi woke up in the middle of the night. We were asleep. He was in the top part of his bunk bed at the foot of our bed.

He said, “Baba, are you there?”

I woke up and said, “Yes.”

“Is Mama there?”

“Yes?”

“I’m here.”

And then he went back to sleep.

Hyundai, check English in Hongyu’s report.

February 4

Review Nan Mo Fang kindergarten working drawings.

Should we join with Li Dao Zeng or not? It would be a big commitment. We phoned Li Dao Zeng. He said the Fan Ya Design Office application has stopped because The Ministry of Construction (Jian Shi Bu) wants their own person to be the Legal Person (Fa Ren) of the work unit. Li Dao Zeng wants Chen__ __ , an architect from their side to be the Fa Ren. The process is deadlocked.

UNDP told me it’s very difficult to get permanent employment. The easiest way is “to get on the merry-go-round” is in New York City.

Canadian Embassy, Mrs. Ritz, said “Give me your CV. I’ll circulate it.” She gave me a list of Can., Australian, New Z., British companies in China; they all employ Canadians. Very nice of her!

Dongxi’s Spring Festival holiday continues until February 24.

I drew a location map for the Hyundai report.

Xiao Gu said Hongyu was lucky to have me for a husband. “他对你那么好” (He toward you so good.). He encourages you to do what you want to do; not like a traditional Chinese husband who doesn’t want the woman to be too strong

Adam’s boxes came from Fang Gai Ban to here.

Feast of Dominion

We are at Mao Mao Jia visiting Mr. Xuen and Mr. Lin, Buddhists, devotees of___________ , the No. 2 Buddhist leader in China. The meeting was arranged by Mao Mao. Very good talk, in English. Unfortunately, Mao Mao could not understand. Thoughts 99% parallel. They talk of inviting me to visit______________. I gave them some information about the Baha’i Faith. Open mind. Mr. Lin said Buddhism needs refreshing, Baha’i ideas are very fresh.

As we go down the stairs and the light was not on. In the darkness Dongxi asked me, “Are you afraid? Don’t be afraid.” The other day Dongxi said, “I’m finished being angry, are you?” I had restrained him a few days ago and he got angry.

Hongyu said she heard Liu Qi’s sentence will be light and will not go public. It will be dealt with internally (Nei bu chu li) and not through the courts. He’s taking all the responsibility and all the punishment.

Dreamed about Bob Nation.

February 6

Go to our local dentist.

Have lunch with Gunar Segar, a Baha’i from Tianjin. He is also at dentist, he gave me his contact information.

Start to make models for southeast corner of He Ping Men planning site. The building has been named Zhong Tian Da Sha (Zhong Tian Plaza).

February 7

Liu Qi’s situation casts a dark shadow on Hongyu and I. Heart feels like lead, stomach like tightened rag, head numb. Flee? Teach in Macau?

Make models for Zhong Tian Plaza.

February 8

Make models for Zhong Tian Plaza.

Sun Li Bo arranging Don Rogers visit. I gave him Gunar Segar’s contact info.

“0” [Zero] magazine should be out today.

The Housing Reform Office (Fang Gai Ban) was told by the the Prosecutor’s Office that the investigation will continue.

February 9

Hongyu takes driver’s test today.

Decide to go to language school near China Daily.

Take Dongxi to Mao Mao Jia.

Letter to Robert Mellin.

On our attic-floor, narrow outdoor balcony I photographed my Zhong Tian Plaza study models. The stucco wall is in the background. The ideas express skin and bones construction. I tried both slot and hole atria. Slot better than hole.

PM meeting. Present models to Wan Bang. The “slot” atrium was liked better than the “well” atrium. All of them have two floors of commercial space with office above and parking underground.

Both the design on the left and on the right have large square plans with a “well” atrium in the middle to let in light. The design in the middle also has square plan but is separated into two parts by a tall enclosed “slot” atrium.

Design with “slot” atrium

February 10

Receive faxes from Adam Robarts and Victor Lam.

Phone Alan Fryback about possible work at Badi Foundation. Possibilities: Education Project Coordinator needed in Beijing. Social and Economic Development Project person needed in Hai Nan Island, 300 to 400 USD/mo. He asked about the Rural University tape; now he could use it.

Spend day with Dongxi.

Phone Canadian embassy and make appointment re work with Canadian companies.

Clean up model-making mess.

February 11

Go to Nan Mo Fang to review kindergarten construction on site.

Letter/fax to Adam Robarts and Alex Rahimi.

Hongyu visited the Prosecutor’s Office for first time.

We went to a restaurant for supper. On his own, Dongxi said a friendly goodbye to the waitress.

February 12

At 3:00 am Hongyu is looking at a map of Hainan Island. Should we move there?

Don’t know what to do; feel very tired. Play with Dongxi all day.

Go alone to Xuan Wu Men to Tu Pian She (photography center) to bring my B&W film for processing. These are photos of my Zhong Tian Da Sha models. It felt good to be back in my old Xuan Wu Men neighborhood. I went to the spot where the mother who jumped off the roof had died and asked her for help. I saw Tanya Nelson walking along. I had a chance to convey Han’s request and otherwise consult about adding a Chinese sound track to the Rural University video tape.

February 13

Awake all night worried, two hours sleep, what to do? How about establishing a Rep. Office at China Building Technology and Research Center (Zhang Long’s work unit)? Wang Tian Hui would like the idea. Long talk with Zhang Long about the idea.

Lunch with Bijan and Sheedvash.

With Bijan, Sheedvash, Dongxi and their children.

The Prosecutor’s Office asked Hongyu questions.

February 14

Meet Mrs. Ritz, Personnel Officer at Canadian Embassy, and Richard King, cultural counselor. He said his assistant will leave soon and he needs a replacement. My CV looks interesting; please keep in touch. Only problem is funding for salary for this position may not be renewed. Have to wait and see.

In the taxi, on my way to the embassy, Dongxi said he was the leader of our home because he is the most clever. At the Embassy he noticed Northwest coast indigenous art on the wall. He told me it was the same as the art on a box we have at home. Qiu Jiang had given us a gift box of smoked salmon from British Columbia with Haida art on the lid.

Lunch with Jian Ning. He said if I was doing cultural work, he could help a lot. He knows many people in the literary, film, TV, etc. world. “Dealing with people who want to build buildings is too dispiriting” he said. He gave me, for the first time, a copy of “O” magazine. Looks nice. I took it to Bijan Farid.

Mrs. Ritz gave me a list of Canadian companies in China, including Bregman + Hamann Architects (B+H) in Shanghai. I phoned them. They sounded interested in me. They want to get established in Beijing…they need people. Mr. Thienpont often comes to Beijing. He said, “Let’s get together soon!”. I sent him a 20-page fax with a resume and examples of my work.

Can’t get through to Husayn Amanat.

Hongyu said the Prosecutor’s Office asked questions about me. They think I can belong to (put my ‘guanxi’ in) Jian Feng for now…no problem.

Zhang Long said Ye Xiao Xian may be a little too tough, business-wise. Getting space for an office at the China Building Technology Research Center was not easy and could be expensive. Wang Tian Hui not so willing to help.

EVE

Sun Li Bo said joining Jian Feng is a good temporary solution.

February 15

Day with Saman and May Farid. Lunch with Sheedvash. Bijan happy with “O”.

On the way, in the taxi, Dongxi said I can’t be the leader of our family; my face is too smiling. Leaders face look angry. He is more angry than me so he should be the leader.

Supper with Sun Hua Sheng and his wife, Zhang Long and Li Rui Hua.

February 16

Fax from Mr. Amanat with questions about Rep. Office. He referred to Bijan’s “request”.

Lunch with Brian Crowley and his fiancé, Hadie MacLeod, and Tanya Nelson (Sargent).

Take our Beijing Real Estate Guide to the Post Office. They want a Certificate (Zheng Ming) before I can mail it.

Tian Zhong Local Design Institute will finish the Nan Mo Fang kindergarten working drawings according to my design. Good!!

At home watch Aladdin movie with Dongxi.

February 17

Send six boxes of Real Estate Guide to Don Johnston. I spent three hours in the Post Office writing the Canadian address 72 times on various forms.

Dongxi picked up a coin from the street, then gave it to a blind musician.

Hongyu more relaxed now. Hongyu says she has matured from this experience. More detached; people are more important than money or power.

February 18

Housecleaning. Wall-to-wall Dongxi toys. Go to Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia). Lao Ye finished corrections to Chinese version of my article, “Goals of Spiritual Education”. He says it is too optimistic about the formation of a New World Order. Impossible to realize soon. Also, he feels every country must become fully independent and equal before unity can happen.

Preparing response to Mr. Amanat.

Fax to Lori Noguchi re Don Rogers visit.

Take Dongxi to Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia); he stays overnight with Mao Mao.

February 19

Sunday, rest. Exhausted after all the recent stress. Revise my Letter to Deng Xiao Ping. Consider He Yan Ling’s (Hongyu's father) comments. He agrees with the changes I made, and suggested a few more that I also agree with. He will adjust the Chinese next week.

February 20

Ms. Rodriguez at UNDP says they want me to go to Anhui/Jiangsu again, April 9 to May 1. Good!!!

Don Johnston sent me a long fax re CMHC search for consultants to do a China Housing Market Survey. URDC is an ideal partner for a Canadian Consultant!

Hyundai indicated they were very pleased with URDC feasibility study.

February 21

Hyundai asked Hongyu to assist them with negotiations and further definition of project.

Public Meeting yesterday to announce/criticize Liu Qi’s “crimes”.

I phone my brother Mark to get Maury Miloff’s number. Talk with Maury re CMHC survey.

Faxes to BADI Foundation do not get through….intercepted?

Take Dongxi to Beihai Park.

Prepare some illustrations to go with my application for Cultural Project Officer at Canadian Embassy.

February 22

This is Dongxi’s last day of Spring Festival Holiday.

Lunch with Sun Li Bo at McDonald’s at northeast corner of Fuxingmen. Get Don Rogers resume typed at a printing shop just to the east on the same side in the basement of a tall apartment building.

Sun Li Bo also said his faxes to BADI don’t get through.

I picked up my conceptual design reductions at a printing shop on Nan Li Shi Lu near Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD) to make an A4 book.

Pick up photos of models at Tu Pian She at Xuan Wu Men.

Bumped into old Tianjin student on street and the former office manager at Zhong Jing.

Hongyu says they will now investigate Xin Xing and URDC (Zong Heng). Heavy feeling returns. They will make an example of Liu Qi. He’s high enough but not too high. Too low is not worth the effort. Hongyu wants to get pregnant.

February 23

Thursday

Send Dongxi to kindergarten. He cried out at the last minute, “Baba, I’ll miss you!” I have no job, no security, my visa expires in three weeks, heavy atmosphere surrounding Liu Qi. But, I am in China; I think it’s an honour. Chen Yi Yun Laoshi is enthusiastic about Don Roger’s visit, “O” will come out soon, Hongyu’s father helping me translate “Goals of Education”.

Arrange supper with Mrs. Chen,Lori Noguchi and the Farid’s re Women’s Conference.

Hongyu did not want to attend. She said she would rather go to the the Prosecutor’s Office.

[Note from Present:

Lori (McLaughlin) Noguchi was president of the Badi Foundation from 1992 to 2018. “I have been responsible for overall institutional development, collaboration with government and financial development, as well as for the development of programs and projects. Our focus has been the development of institutional capacity in community-based organizations in China, with special focus on rural women and youth.”

In late 2018 she became Director at the Bahá’í International Development Organization in Haifa, Israel.]

February 24

Letter to Tianjin re Don Roger’s visit.

Lunch with Hongyu.

Organize an A4 set of my conceptual designs.

February 25

Dreamed Hongyu was pregnant.

Prepare package for Tianjin re Don Rogers visit.

Take Lao Lao , Lao Ye, Mao Mao, Hongyu, and Dongxi to the Botanical Garden (Zhi Wu Yuan),

Dongxi’s Train Ticket

Ying Tao Gou for beautiful walk, rest at tea house.

Supper with Mrs. Chen, Lori Noguchi, and the Farids.

February 27

Let DXP (Goals for Education) editing Chinese version.

Fax from Doug McCallum re Shenyang.

No news yet re CMHC Market Survey of Housing in China.

February 28

Meet with Lori Noguchi.

Got my Resident’s Permit, with Jian Feng! Thanks to Liu Qi! It’s good for two years!

Celebrate by going to the new Pizza Hut restaurant near the Australian Embassy: Dongxi’s first time.

March 1

He Ping Men, Zhong Tian Da Sha design. Client wants a 55 meter high design and 50,000m2 building area, although the height limit is 25m.

UNDP Renovation of Shower and Telephone Room. We helped them find a contractor.

Letter to Doug McCallum.

March 2

Zhong Tian Da Sha revised, higher design. I tried it for them.

Too bulky. Different approach required.

Study Model for 55 meter high Zhong Tian Da Sha at He Ping Men planning site

[Note from 2021: This build above successfully deals with a large square (ish) floor plate. It has a long atrium that splits the volume in two, but it does this diagonally, not horizontally. It houses the National Film Board of Canada and is located in downtown Montreal. Completed in 2020.]

First day of fast. Bring latest Chinese version of Let DXP, Victor Lam’s housing paper, and Rural University introduction to printing shop at Bei Xin Qiao, a family business near southwest corner (before street-widening). Pick up Five copies of “Consultation”, little books.

March 3

Early morning. Visit Lori Noguchi. Give her Rural University package. Pick up Tianjin, Don Rogers info.

Work on He Ping Men Zhong Tian Da Sha design.

At Korean Didi’s office in Olymic Village (Ya Yun Cun) with Hongyu to discuss a site at Fu Cheng Men. Hongyu drove our car half way home.

Canadian Embassy: Mr. King, now says very unlikely there will be an opening for a Project Officer.

March 4

Days of Light and Dark.

Hongyu couldn’t sleep. Worried about our future. Her mood overwhelmed me and I felt depressed all morning. I have a work unit (Jian Feng) but no work.

We decided to try to promote the He Ping Men development; try to find an investor. First must discuss this with the Xin Xing Development Company.

Drop Dongxi off at party at Farid’s. Dongxi melts in. I feel restrained…paying attention to Hongyu’s reactions. Her eyes explore; we go. She drove all the way around the Third Ring Road! Very good! Some nervous moments at roundabouts. Return to party at Farid’s at 11:45am. Party is over. Some people are talking informally, children playing. El Hadis invite us for dinner on March 12. We meet Heather, an older woman, bright eyes, kind, a teacher from England, in China 2 years. Her kindergarten is looking for a new location.

“I have been working on a kindergarten at Nan Mo Fang that will be built soon. Are you interested?” She said, “Yes!”

Bijan wants 1000 copies of “O” magazine. Jian Ning is in Shanghai. Hongyu now relaxed, seems more accepting. Everyone was praising Dongxi’s behavior and saying how clever he was. We felt proud.

Go to Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia). Hongyu is sure she’s pregnant; her breasts are swelling. Dongxi stayed overnight with Da Yi Ma, Shan Ying and Liang Liang. Dongxi made a joke, to tease Bate about being messy. Instead of “luan qi ba zao” (chaotic), he said, “luan qi ba te”.

March 5

Still no response re CMHC China Housing Market Survey. Hongyu and I feel we have disappeared.

Hongyu drives around 3rd Ring Road again.

Work on He Ping Men 1:500 conceptual design. Draw floor plans.

EVE

I took Dongxi to Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia). Dongxi happy. Mao Mao took him on the back of her bicycle to play at Tuan Jie Hu (Unity Lake) Park. Mao Mao would like to start a magazine. Hongyu stayed at home to have a meal with Li Chi Yin and Xiao Gu who were invited as guests, but they never showed up.

March 6

Work on He Ping Men, Zhong Tian Da Sha (Zhong Tian Plaza).

When I sent Dongxi to the kindergarten in the morning, he said, “Baba, I will miss you.”

March 7

This year Hongyu is ignoring my fasting. Improvement over knife-in-table response a few years ago.

Met contractor at UNDP office. We are helping the UNDP with some construction management of renovations in their office.

Met with Bijan Farid (Discuss “O” Magazine, Mrs. Chen, Don Rogers)

He Ping Men Conceptual Design

March 8

International Women’s Day.

Accompanied Hongyu as she drove around the 3rd Ring Road again.

Lunch with Kang from Macau.

He Ping Men Zhong Tian Plaza Conceptual Design

Evening with Mr. Zeng, successor to Buckminster Fuller.

March 9

Lunch with Sun Li Bo.

Make arrangements for Don Rogers visit.

Picked up typed drafts of:

Let DXP (Goals of Spiritual Education)
Rural Development (Alan Fryback)
Housing in China (Victor Lam)

Meeting at Nan Mo Fang to discuss the Elementary School colour scheme and aluminum decorative screens.

Letter to Sohail Mottahedeh. He lived in many countries in Africa and Asia working on appropriate technology. See http://www.smartinnova.com/index.php?p=smi-soheyl

Sohail Mottahedeh

Fax to Ann Wilson and Lori Noguchi re 1995 Women’s Conference.

Copy letter to Sohail Mottahedeh to Ann Wilson and ask her to forward it to him.

March 10

He Ping Men: Start 1:500 models.

Colour scheme for Nan Mo Fang elementary school.

March 11

Received call from Rocky Mottahedeh. He’s staying in hotel near Mei Shu Guan, the Hua Qiao Hotel. Met him, his father, Nora and Bart Lambrecht, and Samin. They are living in Liaoning. Brought Dongxi; he played with Samin.

EVE:

Noodle supper at Kuan Jie.

Hongyu moved into her new office near our home.

Susan (from US News and World Report) came to visit us to update her article on real estate in Beijing. We met Susan through Dan Abramson and Hao Xin. Susan said Hao Xin can get us connected to email!

March 12

Sunday

Prof. Wu Liang Yong, Zhou Gan Chi (Vice-Head of MOC), and Ke______, dropped in to our home as part of a tour of Ju Er Hu Tong.

Zhou Gan Chi was very warm. He invited us to meet with him to talk about design.

EVE

Korea Didi, Xiao Zhou and Li Chi Yin came for supper. Happy time.

March 13

With Sun Li Bo and Wei Wei. We meet Don and Barbara Rodgers at the airport. Get them settled at Yong An Hotel.

Consult with Hongyu re future of URDC.

Talk to Massi re Tianjin visit.

Label from the end of a cylindrical package of hawthorn paste (Shan Zha Pian).

Dongxi’s frequent after-school snack.

March 14

He Ping Men Conceptual Design 1:500 models.

Call from Yantai. The developer of Cai Yun Cheng (Coloured Cloud Plaza) wants us to go and discuss some detailed design questions. Also, they have another project they want me to look at.

Look at Alvin Hamilton Room at Canadian Embassy in preparation for Don Rogers presentation.

March 15

Zhong Tian Plaza models half done. Xu Ping Bo called to say client does not want models. They want drawings so they can make their own models.

Hao Xin coming next week to install internet in our home.

Consult with Hongyu re future of URDC.

Don Rogers wants to book time with us to see the Great Wall.

Send Dongxi to Mao Mao Jia.

March 16

Hongyu and I fly to Yantai.

PM Meet with Cai Yun Cheng developer, with Economic Zone Real Estate Development Co., and with Shi Jai Zhuang Atomic Design Office. Client wanted architects to hear my original concept of the design.

At supper I mentioned the Baha’i Faith; Hongyu not embarrassed. Stayed in presidential suite in New Era Hotel. Honeymoon luxury.

March 17

Return to Beijing.

See Dongxi at Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia).

March 18

AM Prepare for Don Roger’s talk at Canadian Embassy.

Don Rogers

Don Roger’s talk. Good meeting, 70 people attended, talk went well. He mentioned the relationship of the Baha’i Faith to his art work. Chinese security people were there to observe. Jian Ning was there. He gave me an invoice for 1000 copies of “O” magazine.

March 19

Hongyu, Dongxi, and I take Don and Barbara to the Mu Tian Yu section of the Great Wall.

Dongxi was very well-behaved and a great climber. Chance for a close talk with Don. He referred to bottleneck and sacrifice. Hongyu took Dongxi aside for a while and played with him so Don and I could talk.

Rubee Fuller said she wants to talk with Hongyu and I about education projects.

Bijan invited us to have supper with his family. He invited Don and Barbara, Sona and Robert.

March 20

Monday. Dongxi not willing to go to school; the past few days were very stimulating, but a bit scattered. Evening supper with Hossain Danesh and Mrs. Chen Yi Yun.

March 21

Naw Ruz.

Hongyu bought flowers for me!

Western buffet breakfast with Hossain Danesh at his hotel. I indulge. He said Don Roger’s said the Universal House of Justice said there can be no Baha’i administration in China, because the Baha’i Faith is not officially recognized.

Meet with Hongyu re kindergarten in Nan Mo Fang.

Meet with Rubee, Hongyu and Zhong Hua re collaborative education projects.

EVE:

McDonald’s supper with Hongyu and Dongxi.

March 22

Letters to:

Don Johnston, and Ms. Luciano re CMHC China Housing Market Report.

Pat Ralph

Zhou Gan Chi

European Commission Mr. Eckle in Beijing and Mr. South in Shanghai. Met with Bijan Farid and Zhou Hai re Don Rogers’ visit. Lunch with Min Jai Yin, Tian Xiao Qi, and Hossain Danesh. I gave Hossain a copy of my Let DXP. March 23

Housecleaning. Make package for Tanya Nelson, H. Danesh and Mrs. Chen. Fax to Ann Wilson re “Women and Spiritual Civilization”. Supper with Zhang Chi Nan (Head of the Architectural Association of China), Xu___ ___, Huang Hui (BIAD) and Stephen Poon (from Hong Kong). Work on Chinese version of Let DXP. March 24 Another breakfast with Hossain Danesh. He was very encouraging and made some helpful suggestions re Let DXP. Met at Na Mo Fang with Jiu Zhu Management Company and Xin Xing Development Company re kindergarten management idea. Everyone very interested.

EVE:

Met with Hossain Danesh. He encouraged us to develop URDC. March 25 Sat. Nan Mo Fang Elementary School. Went to site, the metal frames were not flat, the construction manager had been drinking. Colour samples were promised but were not ready. March 26 Letter to Mom and Dad. Haven’t written for four months. Go shopping for air-conditioners with Lao Lao and Lao Ye. Give latest version of Let DXP to Lao Ye for another review. March 27 AM

Breakfast with Hossain Danesh. Spent morning with him, Mrs. Chen Yi Yun and her husband, and Prof. Min Jia Yin (CASS). PM Odds and ends I’m 47 going on 48. No job; no security. I’m not supporting my family very well. My work unit is obscure. Who am I? Where am I? March 28 Happy Birthday to Tom. Hongyu dreamed I was in a park with a lot of people and she was running to warn me about something. Help Hongyu mount City Planning Map in her new office near our home. Help get letter sent from Chen Yi Yun to Lori Noguchi. Letter to John and Barbara Raegers re kindergarten. March 29 Met Zhang Hua. Hongyu will make some modifications to her feasibility study. Prepare some pictures to be framed for Hongyu office.

Parent Teachers Meeting (Jia Zhang Hui) at Dongxi’s Kindergarten. March 30 AM

Antoine King at UNDP wants a URDC brochure. He might need help with the Beijing Western Academy gym.

Talk with Dan Abramson. Not much hope of collaboration. Sun Li Bo called. We will meet at the National Gallery (Mei Shu Guan), Miro Exhibit, to talk about the Don Rogers visit. March 31 AM

at Nan Mo Fang. Review working drawings for kindergarten.

With Sun Li Bo at Miro exhibit. He and his wife will probably move to Shanghai. Take Dongxi to Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia). Lao Ye made wonderful revisions/clarifications to LetDXP (in EN and CH).

April 1 Sat AM

Work on colour scheme for kindergarten. Revise EN Let DXP according to Lao Ye’s advice. EVE at Grandma's House (Lao Lao Jia) April 2 Sunday Hongyu, Dongxi and I go with Susan_______(reporter), Jim______(Ford Foundation), Dan Abramson, Hao Xin and Rachel to the Ming Tombs for a picnic. Dongxi loved being with Rachel. April 3 Pick up missing half of Let DXP at Mu Xi Di Printing shop. Copy URDC brochure; includes me as “employee”.

Go to Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) to meet Michael Crook and Ian Rysdale, WAB’s first Director. WAB opened in September 1994. The school is in a converted industrial building north of the Fourth Ring Road. Mr. Rysdale told me if the school population is over 500, he will not be able to remember every student’s name; under 500 he can. Hongyu will help WAB’s landlord find investors and with obtaining planning approval for new gymnasium.

Michael Crook, Legal Person for WAB

EVE. An idea for Yantai, a round site. April 3 Nan Mo Fang kindergarten, meeting to review working drawings.

Produce a new A4 set of all my designs. Shanghai EU Business School said because of the Canada/Spain dispute over fisheries, he cannot consider me for this project. Hongyu had lunch at Qinghua to introduce a potential Korean Embassy project to them. Professor Hu Shao Xue, the Head of the School of Architecture, welcomed me to work there. April 4-5 Work on new collection of my designs. Lunch with Shen, Bijan Farid. Hao Xin installed email at our home using a telephone modem. April 6 Delta Consultants from Ottawa wants us to join them to bid for the CMHC job. The firm was founded in 1989 by Alcide DeGagné. Did they hear about us through Don Johnston?

Alcide DeGagné

Visit site of Nan Mo Fang Elementary School. Still not right. Ask them to fill in the lower part of the legs of the frames. Xu Ping Bo agrees. Original working drawings done poorly. Tell Rubee Fuller, unfortunately, we can’t do her education proposal.

April 7 Email still not working. Receive payment from UNDP. I gave Wang Yu Kun’s book and address to Gave Fainula at UNDP. Bring movie video tapes we had borrowed back to Rubee Fuller. Unasked, Dongxi put them away for her. April 8 Hongyu came back from her office and said one of the Vice-Mayors had killed himself - fall out from corruption. Lunch with Jian Ning. Yantai: Finish three rough ideas at 1:1000. Letter to Raegers re kindergarten Dongxi apologized for punching a small hole in the paper lamp I made.

EVE:

Take Mrs. Chen to meet Bijan Farid and Mr. Shen. Hongyu dreamed last night that a leader had poisoned himself and turned to stone. She also dreamed that she, Liu Qi, and other friends were climbing a tree to taste its fruit. April 9 Rumours flying around the city; everyone nervous that chaos is coming. Hongyu said it felt like the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Fly to Hefei for UNDP Project. This is my second tour of flood-damaged schools and hospitals as a consultant for UNDP.

In the first trip (1994) I saw sites for future construction in several places in Anhui Province. On this trip I will visiting completed or near completed buildings in Anhui Province first and then in Jiangsu Province. Some of the Anhui visits are to the same places I visited last year. Anhui Province: Contact with Mr. Shen.

Itinerary: Leave Hefei

Feng Tai County, Mao Ji Town (Zhen) Shou County, Shou Chun Town Lu An County, Xin An Town Jin Zhai County Mei Shan Town Jing Dian Town Qian Shan County, Yuan Yan Town Huai Ning County Shu Cheng County (Xian), Chen Guan Town (Zhen)

Return to Hefei

Route for visits in Anhui Province 1995

April 10 Drive north to Feng Tai County, Mao Ji Town, Maoji Elementary School. During the flood the water was up to the windowsills. Students divided the work to look after the grounds. One brave student asked me for my phone number. The school had no telephone. April 10-11 Shou County, Shou Chun Town, Public Health Training School. School has 6 classrooms and 4 offices, 320 students (about 53 per class). There was plaque on the wall expressing thanks to Germany (in Chinese and English). Supper with the County leader (Xian Zhang). Mr. Shen joined us. He introduced the Baha’i Faith at dinner. He had met a Baha’i doctor from Shanghai. He met Mr. Zia_____ on a flight from Huangshan to Hefei. Mr. Zia saw Mr. Shen reading a Baha’i book given to him by summer teachers. He said he almost saw the Baha’i Temple in Delhi. He said two counties want English teachers. After supper, in the moonlight, we went for a walk to the East Gate of the Old City wall. Some people were making a war movie. A kind old watchman let us go up on top of the gate to look around. We were accompanied by local Health Department officials. Stay overnight.

Shou Xian (County) Officials

April 12 Drive to Lu An County (east of Hefei), Xi An Town, Middle School. As we left Shou County, the County Leader said Dong Hua Shi Fan (Teacher’s) College did the planning. A police motorcade met us at the Lu An County boundary and escorted us to our hotel. Mr. Wu, assistant County Head, said the county is rich in raw materials such as stone, but lacks equipment and technology to develop it. Mr. Shen proposed they organize a summer English class for county English teachers. He would like to fund four teachers. We visit the Middle School. Brief meeting with staff.

List of people at meeting

I gave short talk to the students in the language lab. After the visit in Lu An, a motorcade took us to the border of Jin Zhai County. Side roads were blocked, and people waited, so we could pass. Policemen at these intersections saluted as we went by. I saw one policeman push a cyclist out of our way. April 12-13 Jin Zhai County (east of Lu An) 2:00 - 3:00 PM Meeting at No. 1 Middle School 3:00 - 5:00 PM Opening Ceremony of No. 1 Middle School. I was invited a few minutes beforehand to say a few words (in Chinese).

Notes for my ‘talk’

5:00 - 6:00 PM Meeting at County Hospital 6:00 - 7:00 PM Supper with local officials. 7:30 - 9:30 PM Short meeting with teachers at No. 1 Middle School.

List of teachers

Questions asked by some teachers

Translation of the question in the blue text above: The Chinese education system is still lagging behind. What do you think are the successful components of China's education policies? And what are its failures? Also, Jin Zhai County is a district with long-term poverty. Where should we start in order to boost our economy and education? I made an attempt to answer but the time was so short, the topic so complex, and my Chinese so limited I was not able to say very much. I echoed some of the things I said at the opening ceremony. After the meeting I visited four classrooms. The students were there doing extra classes for the university entrance exams. This was the first time they had met a foreigner. I spoke to them in English so they could hear a native speaker, and did my own translation.

April 12 Mei Shan Town (near Mei Shan Reservoir?) 3:00 to 5:00 PM Opening Ceremony of No. 1 Middle School. 5:00 to 6:00 PM meeting at County Hospital. Mr. Cao, Party Secretary. Mr. Wang, Director of Hospital. Mr. Zhen, Deputy Manager. 6:00-7:30 PM Supper with officials. 7:30 to 9:30 PM Short meeting with Middle School teachers. I gave a short talk in 4 different classes at No. 1 Middle School. It was the first time they had seen a foreigner. They are at school late preparing for high school entrance examinations. April 13 Jing Dian Town (between Jin Zhai and Huai Ning), Vocational School. They teach cooking, silk processing, mulberry farming, agricultural technology, and rural administration. There are short-term courses, 1 year and 2 year courses. April 14 Qian Shan County, Yuan Yan Town, Hospital This is Jian NIng’s home.

List of people attending meeting

April 14 Huai Ning County, Gao He Town, Hospital

Hospital letterhead with name of director

April 14-15 Shu Cheng County (Xian), Chen Guan Town (Zhen), Clinic The town is about 40km southwest of Hefei. Have dinner with Vice-County Leader, Party Secretary, Director and Vice-Director of Clinic. New clinic site is 4 meters higher than the old one that was destroyed by floods. The County Leader (who I did not meet) was a 37-year-old woman who was the former Trade Officer in Liu An County. She has been in Shu Cheng for 6 months, the beginning of a 5-year term. A centrally-organized system of rotating civil servants; similar to Canada’s organization and allocation of diplomatic staff.

List of people I met

The Health Department Head says the Party chooses county leaders. Leaders can not be local. A local leader will close communication for corruption. (guan bi jiao yan, fan fu bai). Walk in the evening with the Vice-Leader and the Party Secretary. The Vice-Leader said the ordinary citizen is now aware of environmental issues and will complain if he feels his life is threatened by pollution hear his home or place of work. A lot of their education is through what they see on TV. The small hotel where we stayed had a guest questionnaire in English. It included the question, “Are you satisfied with our service of the entrance guards? Very Good, Good, Average, Poor”. I filled one out (everything was very good) and kept one as a souvenir.

Hotel Questionnaire

April 15 Drive to Hefei. Stop on the way in a very small community so the driver can wash the car. I was waiting in a little one-room shop with a radiant old man. We sat on his bed and chatted. A small child came in with his pants down asking for toilet paper. His mother came soon after and smacked his bum with a bamboo switch (not too hard). The child cried and his mother gave him a candy. She took him outside, cleaned his rear end with paper, hit him on the bum again and herded him a way. A reservoir nearby is 40 meters higher than the town. In 1991, in the midst of heavy rain and flooding the government had to let the water go otherwise the dam would break. Stay overnight in Hefei.

Contact with Jiang Wen Ming in Nanjing for the Jiangsu Province part of my trip. Call Hongyu. She said our plan to meet in Huang Shan after my tour had to be canceled; she was pregnant! No. 2 is coming!

As I was coming down in the elevator going for breakfast, the elevator stopped and a crowd of foreigners got on. They all spoke in Quebec French. When the elevator doors opened the large lobby was full of couples holding Chinese babies. It was a mass adoption. April 16 I was driven to Nanjing. Check into Hua Yu Hotel (Jiu Dian). Met by Jiang Wen Ming (MOFERT) and a driver. There are no private firms. All the design was done by municipal or university design Institutes. Itinerary: Yi Xin, Wu Xi City Rugao, Nantong City Gao You, Yangzhou City Xing Hua, Yangzhou City Jian Hu, Yan Cheng City Xu Yi, Huai An City Hong Ze, Huai An City

Route for visits in Jiangsu Province 1995

April 17 Meeting with Ma Rui Jun, Deputy Director of the Mothers and Children Health Care Division of the Jiangsu Health Department Zhou Ling, Section Chief of same Division. Evening dinner with Jiangsu Head of MOFERT and Jiangsu Head of Foreign Relations. Soon after have strong stomach pains. Eat a medicine called 999. April 18 Yi Xin City, County level city under Wu Xi City Mothers and Children Hospital The MCH includes a high-standard operating room. The MCH is also a center for a municipal network of Bao Jian preventative medicine/public health centers around the city. In outlying villages a few women are trained. In hospitals, one section is for Public Health including Mothers and Children. New location 3 meters higher that the one damaged by the floods. Huge dinner including turtle back and ox bone marrow. The quality of materials and workmanship is the best I have seen so far. 3:00 pm Leave for Rugao. Start to feel very ill: stomach pain, sore eyes, chills. 7:30 pm I asked for rest, no banquet, just bowl of noodles in my room. Soak in hot tub, then sleep. April 19 Rugao City County level city under Nantong City Mothers and Children Hospital Quality quite good. Better than I expected. Jiangsu is more advanced technically and in management than Anhui. Most men in China smoke, including the health officials. I feel very week; my legs are going to collapse under me. They took me to the Chinese Medicine Hospital. They had a special clinic upstairs. I was ushered into a meeting room. Dr. Ding came in. He wore dark glasses. He felt my pulse. Very soon he said my heart-beat was a little irregular (but it was not heart disease), I am not so adaptable to changes in environment, my cholesterol level and blood pressure are normal, I’m a bit anaemic and need to do more exercise (such as Tai Ji Chuan). He said the strain of travelling and eating too much and so irregularly has upset my system. He thought I was 30 years old; he was surprised to learn I was 48. He prescribed and gave me several medicines that worked very well.

Rugao officials at our meeting

April 20 Gao You City County level city under Yangzhou City Hospital I’m feeling better. My traveling companions held back the wave of banquets and told everyone to serve me soup. Fine by me. Dr. Huang (Director of Hospital?) very kind. At our meeting they gave me more medicine. Dr.______ also very kind. He was in charge of the project. He insisted on carrying my bag when we arrived. Workmanship quality high. Walk beside the Grand Canal.

Partial view of Gao You. The waterway at center left is the Grand Canal.

April 20 Xing Hua City County level city under Yangzhou City Vocational School with 1700 students, 108 teachers, and 8 departments: Mechanics, Construction, Chemistry, Marketing, Computers, Preschool Education, Law, and Secretarial. Construction of new school is nearly finished. I gave a short talk in an existing teaching building. Two young English teachers translated for me. April 20 Jian Hu City under Yan Cheng City, No. 2 Middle School Arrive in time for dinner with local officials and school leaders.

April 21 Today is the Baha’i festival of Ridvan. The new school in Jian Hu is 0.8 meters higher than the old one and has 6.0 degree earthquake resistance. In general, stronger foundations was the strategy used in all the new construction. The weak point in the original building was the lack of strength of their foundations. Flooding softened the soil, and the foundations did not retain their rigidity. They subsided slightly and cracked making them unsafe. Often the cracks spread up through the rest of the structure. They were proud of the speed and quality of their work. They asked whether there were any prizes being offered. We toured the site. Visited a classroom building that had not been damaged. I gave a short talk to some students in a mix of English and Chinese. Stop for visit to Zhou En Lai Museum in Huai An on way to Xu Yi.

Huai’an, home town of Zhou En Lai

On this trip we passed several very interesting brick structures. I wish we had time to look at them more closely.

Images of brick structures

April 21 Xu Yi County, Middle School and People’s Hospital (Ren Min Yi Yuan). Late afternoon arrive in Xu Yi. Supper with Xu Yi (Xian Zhang) county leader, Head of the hospital, and a man from Huai An who is interested in education programs. Go for walk after supper. The county leader said his son has moved to Shanghai and will probably not come back. Stay at Du Liang Hotel. Many of the county leaders and officials have been to Thailand. Finish reading a story called “Death on the Ice” by Cassie Brown. April 22 The new school was built in higher location with a pile foundation. Dinner with two County leaders, one a woman, and the director of the local hospital who will get a ride with us to Nanjing tomorrow. Long meeting to discuss rural education. Attendees include County Leader Zhuang, and Lu Wei Ping, Cai Wei Bing, Wu Lu Jun, all from Huai An City Vocational Training Center. Difficult for me to follow. Some people said the farmers need a wide range of knowledge; formal structures can’t be built everywhere. There is a human resource flow of the best local people to Nanjing and Shanghai. Jiang Wen Ming told me the story of his brother who failed the University Entrance Exams (Gao Kao). He was ‘cursed’, ‘doomed’ to spend the rest of his life in the ‘backward prison’ of the countryside. I wondered how I might introduce the Rural University concepts and experience to them. It seems so relevant. April 23 Drive to Nanjing. Late evening fly to Beijing.

April 25 Email. Take care of pregnant Hongyu….go to hospital for Check up. Take Dongxi to school.

EVE:

Meet with Alan Fryback. April 26 Start work on UNDP report. Report Name: Post-Disaster Rehabilitation Project in Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces: Architectural Review of Reconstruction Projects Submitted to: UNDP (Beijing), and The China International Center for Economic Exchanges, MOFERT. April 27, 28, 29 work on UNDP report. Hongyu throwing up, not as bad as time with He Li. Email circle starting to grow. Chu Shi Fu says I should open my own business in China. Thursday lunch with John Liu and Arlyle Waring of Consult Asia. April 30 AM Go to Qinghua opening ceremony of new space for Dept. of Architecture. Most people I know were not there. Met a young woman who had worked at Zhong Jing. Exhibition space full of French design. China, where are you? Dropped off revised Let DXP to Zhang Long. Added about one page influenced by and quoting from “Prosperity of Humankind”. Will it ever be finished? Beijing has a sense of apprehension.

Living in China 1995 January - April

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