Greetings from the Temple of Heaven in Beijing!

Entry Two: Good Fortune

In China, we’ve learned a lot about feng shui. It’s the Chinese belief in human order and luck. For example, our tour guide Julia told us that scientists say Beijing will never be hit by an earthquake, although it is located on the center of the earthquake line.

 

“Beijing is built on a rock like a turtle’s back,” she said. “That’s good feng shui.”

 

The Concert Choir has been in China for several days now. We’ve toured the Temple of Heaven and visited Tianmen square in Beijing. The choir has performed for all who ask – in restaurants, on the steps of the Temple of Heaven and for workers in a jade factory, China’s most precious stone.

 

In China there is meaning to everything. Wearing jade will protect you from evil. Fish tanks are everywhere because the water and the fish represent good fortune. Place a sculpture of Chinese cabbage in your house with the roots facing outside and good fortune will come into the home. However, if you point it the wrong way then the fortune will flow out of the home. The list goes on.

 

The choir is truly filled up with song. On our way to a venue, they will often begin singing on the bus. Sitting there watching scenes and sights of Beijing pass by through the tour bus window and listening to them sing is remarkable. Their ability to relate to people through song is as strong on the other side of the world as it is at home.

 

Julia says if you believe in feng shui, it really works and is good for you. If you don’t believe in feng shui, she says, it’s still true. Somehow, I believe the people who are on this trip representing Claflin are supposed to be here; each and every one of us. We have had nothing but good fortune on this trip since leaving Claflin. There have been no flight problems, no serious illness, and the choir members have been true ambassadors for the university.

 

Is this because of good feng shui? I won’t say that it’s not.

 

- Charlene Slaughter

 

More photos from the 1st two days…

 

Greetings from the Terra-Cotta Warrior Museum in Xi’an!

Entry One: The Journey of a Lifetime

As Air Canada flight 31 landed in Beijing, China, the Claflin University Concert Choir was filling it up with music.

 

 

Having been on the flight for over 12 hours and answering questions about who we were, where we were going and why, the stewardess, who had asked the choir members repeatedly to sing, announced in three languages that the plane would be landing soon, told passengers to fasten seat belts and that the Claflin University Concert Choir was in Beijing to participate in a choral salute, and would treat the passengers to a song.

 

So, with all seatbelts buckled, members of the choir began to sing as the plane descended, touched down and taxied down the runway. It was a fitting welcome to China.

 

Over the next two weeks, it will be my pleasure to allow you to peak into the experiences of the Concert Choir while we visit Xi’an, Beijing and Shanghai, China. We are heading into out second day here now having traveled for nearly 24 hours. The experience the students are having is hard to put into words. I’ve watched amateur flyers turn into old pros, heard students be true ambassadors of the University as they answer questions from the Chinese about what Claflin University is. They are taking this trip as a learning experience, often asking our tour guides Julia and Leo questions about Chinese culture.

 

As I am writing this, the students are rehearsing with Dr. Isaiah McGee. We just finished an exciting day of touring Xi’an, one of China’s oldest cities. We visited the Terra-cotta Soldiers exhibit, one of the “eight wonders of the world.” We are leaving in the morning to head back to Beijing, where the choir will begin to perform. It’s been a long few days. We’ve traveled from Atlanta to Canada to Beijing to Xi’an and now back to Beijing.

 

We will continue to blog throughout this journey, so please join us for the highlights.

 

- Charlene Slaughter

 

P.S. – More pictures from our first day…

 

 

 

 

Claflin University Concert Choir departs for China

The Claflin University Choir departed for China today to participate in a choral tribute to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

To pay for the trip, choir members had to raise $200,000 through a series of fundraising efforts. Those efforts included concerts, car washes, bake sales and sales of the concert choir CD.

The choir travels on a 10-day tour from the Orangeburg campus this afternoon, flying from Atlanta with a layover in Toronto before arriving in Beijing. For some, it will be their first time flying; for many others, it will be the first time traveling outside the United States.

 

The Claflin University Concert Choir is headed to China!