City of Heaven 天堂城市

By David Searle

Natural beauty, fascinating culture and thousands of years of history; this is Hangzhou, China. Every year, millions of Chinese tourists visit the city that thirteenth century Italian explorer Marco Polo described as the ‘City of Heaven’. And like every big city in modern China, life is changing extremely quickly for the people of this famous city. As life changes so do attitudes on love, work, family, money and friendship. Enjoy this thought-provoking insight into everyday life for everyday people living throughout one of the most exciting and rapid changes human history has ever witnessed. Welcome to the City of Heaven!

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Searle
• Release date: Jul 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311030177

David Searle

I am a former journalist from England who has always had a passion for writing. Not long ago I returned to England after living in China for nearly two-and-a-half years working as both an English teacher and expat magazine editor. During my time there I wrote a collection of short stories about contemporary life in the city of Hangzhou, where I was based. This is my first e-book; I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to get back to me with any comments/questions.

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City of Heaven

天堂城市

By David Searle

Copyright 2014 David Searle

Cover design by Devin Draudt

(Smashwords edition)

"When you have…travelled for three days through a splendid country, passing a number of towns and villages, you arrive at the most noble city of Kinsay [Hangzhou], a name which is as much as to say in our tongue ‘The City of Heaven’"

Marco Polo (Yuan Dynasty; 1271-1368)

"Enjoy Hangzhou with your heart! Belonging to the first group of the Best Tourism City in China, Hangzhou is a famous ancient capital and the political, economic and cultural centre of Zhejiang Province.

Go to Hangzhou in March, when the willows are flourishing along the lake and flowers are blooming here and there in the intoxicating spring rain, you cannot help but getting yourself caught up in such glamorous scenery.

In this earthly paradise, you’d better do nothing but take a walk in the scenic village path, breathe fresh tea aroma in green woods and listen to the moving love stories beside the West Lake."

Hangzhou Travel Guide, Hangzhou Tourism Commission (June, 2011)

Contents

Escapism 空想

Foreign Devils 洋鬼子

A Thousand Soldiers Marching across a Single Bridge 万马千军齐过独木桥

Where does is hurt? 哪 里 不 舒 服？

Frappuccino 星冰乐

Human Flesh Search Engine 人肉搜索引擎

Showtime! 好戏上演!

The Beautiful Game 美丽的运动

Women are from Venus 女人来自金星

Death and Taxes 死和税

The Return of the Four Dragons 四小龙回归

Rise and Shine 又是崭新的一天

Power Struggle 权力斗争

A Bad Day to Bury Good News 今天我们来说点让人高兴的事吧

End of an Era 一个时代的终结

Escapism

空想

The finest tea must be made with the finest water, which allows the flavour to be totally infused. Mrs Gao’s wrinkled yet learned hands sprinkled the last of a small bag of tea leaves into three small, glass cups lying on the old oak table in front of her. She picked up a small copper kettle as her husband and son, both of whom were sitting cross legged on the floor opposite her, watched in silence. In this way Dragon Well tea and Hupao Spring water are the perfect match. It was a cool and refreshing spring evening in March and the last drops of the afternoon’s storm could be heard falling to the ground outside. Two neighbours standing nearby started complaining about the weather and a passing car radio blared out a song Mrs Gao didn’t appreciate at all. She ushered her son to close the window and draw the curtains, and he dutifully obliged. Ah, peace at last! The sound of boiling water was the only one that could be heard within what was the Gao’s immaculately decorated living room. It’s important that the temperature of the water is just right, explained Mrs Gao. Too high and the taste, along with the nutritional benefits, is lost. Water boiled at 80°C is perfect. The kettle’s piercing whistle informed the family it was ready and Mrs Gao slowly poured out the steaming water into the cups. You don’t have to be an expert to know that the best type of cup, if you want to enjoy the full profile of Dragon Well tea, is a traditional gaiwan, but by using a glass, well, glass allows us to witness the beauty of the leaves’ dance. Rising and falling, exposed yet protected, vulnerable yet strong. In the old times, the use of a clear glass was a status symbol, a statement, that all of your friends and neighbours would look upon in awe.

Now this place, spluttered Peng, I’m tellin’ ya right now mate. THIS place is where you wanna be seen! And I got VIP status here, baby! Very…Important…Person! Bohai peered at Peng, the neon lights of the gloomy nightclub proving to be of little use.

This place is huge. I’ve never seen a bar with this many people inside, Peng.

Peng? Jeez, my 85-year-old grandma calls me Peng! You can call me Viper! Bohai stared blankly at his new friend; a young, slightly chubby man wearing neon yellow trousers, red-rimmed glasses, a polka dot t-shirt that was two sizes too small for him and a big, toothy grin. And what’s more, this ain’t no bar, it’s a club. The hottest club in Hangzhou! The voices of the pair were barely audible over the heavy trance music that was booming through the Polo Club’s speakers. Man it’s heaving in here tonight! continued Peng, Luckily I’m good mates with the manager and he told me I could slip into a reserved room whenever I fancied. Let’s ditch these losers and get some privacy, yeah? The two walked up a flight of thin metal stairs to the first floor, Bohai tripping over the top step as he became distracted by a young woman with the longest legs, and shortest skirt, he had ever seen in his life.

Tea leaves are one of nature’s most valuable treasures if picked early enough. Wait too long and they become as useless as grass. Mrs Gao looked at the three cups, lined up like soldiers in a meticulously regimented formation. When it comes to choosing only the finest leaves, the selection process is extremely strict. Only the most delicate and most complete leaves should be picked. All three members of the family watched on as the leaves slowly bobbed up and down, gently opening and closing underneath the water. The true masters will bake the tea by hand using specially made iron pans. They know exactly how to manipulate the leaves according to the temperature, colour and moisture they hold inside.

Man, I’ve been in the business for years, bragged Peng. I’ve directed all the greats; Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Lucy Liu. I tell ya, it was like we had known each other all our lives! All of them are absolutely golden. I’d take you guys over singers any day. Talk about dumb! Sure it takes a good voice to sing, but it don’t take much more. I reckon they use up the few brain cells they got remembering the lyrics. I would refuse to work with them but these music videos really bring in the dough. Peng took a swig of his Long Island Iced Tea while Bohai listened politely. Actors though, you guys know what’s going on. You’re the future. You stick with me kid. I’ll make sure you speak to the right people, get seen at the right places, get friendly with the right women…if you catch my drift? Bohai nodded nervously. Say goodbye to your old life, I’m taking you to the top, fast! Bohai smiled but the truth was he couldn’t hear much of Peng’s drunken monologue over the deafening volume of the music. Fortunately it didn’t matter as the conversation was very much a one way thing, and as such any kind of meaningful response was unnecessary. Peng was only interrupted when the pair were approached by a tall, slim and very attractive young woman wearing a skimpy dark blue dress and with a streak of red flowing through her jet black hair.

Peng, long time no see, she said, I heard you got fired from NingBo Digital. Peng looked at her with disdain.

How many times have I gotta tell you? I’m called Viper! The girl laughed and looked in Bohai’s direction. So who’s your new friend?

This is Bohai. I’ve been shooting an advert with him. It’s his first ever gig.

It’s a coffee commercial, stuttered Bohai, I have to drink coffee in it. Bohai, overwhelmed by what was arguably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life, was desperately trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t make him appear like a total idiot. I’ve been drinking coffee all day with Peng. Peng shot a deathly stare at his friend. I mean Viper!

The girl laughed again. Does he like to party? she asked Peng.

I was just getting to that until you interrupted. Peng turned to Bohai. This is Li Mei, but everyone calls her Candy. Just avoid eye-contact and if you’re lucky you won’t turn into stone. Now, you fancy something a bit stronger than the coffee you been drinking all day, Bohai?

Dragon Well tea leaves are roasted quickly after they are picked to stop the natural oxidization process, explained Mrs Gao. In the world of tea, the term ‘fermentation’ refers to the actions of natural enzymes present in the leaves, on the juices and tissues of the leaf. This is not fermentation in the true sense of the term, like that of yeast in the production of beer. The actions of these enzymes are stopped by steaming the leaves before they completely dry out. The elderly woman’s son was sat in complete silence. He had lost count of the number of times he had heard this speech, but was listening to his mother’s words as intently as he had done the first time he had heard them. Dressed in a pristinely pressed, clean white shirt, black trousers and polished black shoes, he was spotless. Even his hair, which was in the same side-parted style it had been ever since his mother had started to cut it when he was a little boy, looked flawless.

Parents don’t understand what their kids are thinking, said Peng, increasingly inebriated on exotic sounding drinks Bohai had never heard of. God, the China that they grew up in is a completely different country to the one we live in. They got no clue! I know this guy who, as well as living with his wife, lives in the same house as his daughter, his mom and his grandma. If living with four women ain’t bad enough, how about the fact that every single one of ‘em grew up in a completely different era with completely different values!?

Enough philosophizing Peng. Get to the point, barked Candy a she pulled out a cigarette from her Gucci bag.

OK, OK, keep your hair extensions on! Peng’s tone softened as he leaned in to Bohai. What I’m trying to say, is that it’s impossible for us not to feel, y’know, disconnected; disconnected from our parents, our jobs, our whole goddam lives. There are so many different forces telling us what we should be. Our families don’t know us, our friends don’t know us, our colleagues definitely don’t know us. How can they be upset if we choose to go down a path that they don’t understand? Peng pulled out several small pieces of square paper and laid them out in the palm of his hand. Now this is how a guy gets connected! he said, his grin stretching from ear to ear.

It’s important to understand that there is a huge difference in quality amongst different tea crops within the region, and even different parts of the same crop, said Mrs Gao. There are literally hundreds of Dragon Well producers within the West Lake area alone. This particular type of tea flourishes in the mountainous area where the mild climate and rainfall are plentiful all year-round. The area around the West Lake, the jewel in Hangzhou’s crown, offers just such prime conditions. Besides consideration of horticultural quality, tea-making skill and the right harvesting season, there is also the issue of proper labelling. Mrs Gao’s tone suddenly became a lot more serious. There are those who would sully the good name of this splendid tea, but their attempts to get rich quick are pitiful. Anyone with any learning will find it a simple task to tell if what is being served to them is authentic by taste and smell. The aroma and flavours of the imitation Dragon Well teas are nowhere near as complex, or long lasting, as the authentic ones. These teas, although similar in appearance, are mild in flavour and aroma, and do not have the long lasting aftertaste of the original.

Nah, nah mate, there’s nothing to worry about. I got this from one of my most trusted friends. I can tell ya now, he’s the best in the business! Peng had one arm around Bohai’s shoulders as he waved his little papers around excitedly. They would like to tell you that this stuff is dangerous, that it rots your brain, but they don’t understand what it’s like! Bohai lowered his eyelids to shield from the spit that was now flying from Peng’s mouth as he spoke. Peng looked around the room to check if they were being watched and reached into his pocket. He slowly took out a small, thin box and opened it up, revealing a syringe sitting snugly inside. He laid out the small squares of paper on his thigh and slowly started to squirt the liquid from the syringe onto each of them. This is called infusing. Once I’m done we’re good to go. I tell ya, you’re one lucky boy! This is the good shit. Top of the range. Real expensive.

I’m proud to tell you that this tea is the most expensive in Hangzhou. Mrs Gao had a gleeful smile etched on her lips, a smile that was rarely seen if those lips were not covered in Dragon Well tea. Dragon Well is graded using a scale of six levels, from low to superior quality, and the different levels of tea have different methods of baking. I would not let anything but the very best enter this house. Mrs Gao’s husband sat, like his son, quietly absorbing the information that was being given to him as the water in the glasses in front of him absorbed the tea leaves’ unique flavours. Dressed in the same white shirt, black trousers and polished black shoes as his son, if it wasn’t for a little less hair on his head, and a few more pounds around his midriff, he would have been the same man. He had heard his wife’s speech even more times than his son but had reached the point where even he didn’t know if he was listening anymore. When steeped, the tea produces a yellow-green colour. The tea contains Vitamin C, amino acids, and, like most fine Chinese green teas, has one of the highest concentrations of catechins. It truly is a remarkable variety, gushed Mrs Gao.

This doesn’t get you high. This gives perspective. It makes you look at everything… differently, said Candy, who was now perched on a seat next to Bohai. Peng had walked off towards the bar after having enough of Candy’s vicious verbal attack on his new lime green sneakers. Bohai was feeling nervous anyway, but by this point he was almost shaking now that Candy was sitting next to him, especially as she had her hand on his thigh. He had briefly dated a girl once, when he was at university, but it hadn’t gone very well. His parents wouldn’t allow him to have a girlfriend while he was still at school either. He had no clue as to what he should say to her. Some prefer ecstasy or MDMA to LSD, but they’re missing the point, she explained, looking at the small pieces of paper that were fully injected and now lined up along her thigh. Sure they can enjoy a little ignorant bliss for a few hours, but this is more than that. This provides insight into ourselves, into the nature of the universe. This helps us acquire greater awareness of spirituality. This is the intellectual’s drug. Candy handed Bohai a square of paper and smiled a smile so perfect that in an instant, any capacity that the young man would have once had to argue against taking the drug had now been lost. He didn’t have a clue how to actually take it, and was too embarrassed to ask, so he just looked at Candy, like a baby bird about to leap out of its nest for the very first time.

Ha! You’re so sweet! she purred. She gently took Bohai’s hand and moved it towards his mouth. Now just put it under your tongue and relax. Bohai did as he was told and awkwardly sat back into his chair. There you go. So, Bohai, tell me about yourself.

High quality Dragon Well tea crops produce tender, whole leaves that are uniform in appearance. Before infusion, these teas have a very tight, flat shape and light green colour. The tea leaves had been left for long enough and Mrs Gao picked up her glass, prompting the two men to do the same. It’s a little known fact that amino acids and what are known as theanine concentrations contribute positively to the tea’s good taste, she said with a twinkle in her eye.

This was my dream, y’know. It was something that I just had to do. It was in my heart, a fire in my heart that I couldn’t put out, said Bohai, suddenly a lot more talkative than before. To be an actor, to be adored by millions! It was all I ever wanted. My dream! It was something that I just had to do, in my heart, like a fire I couldn’t put out. Y’know?

Yes, I know, replied Candy calmly with a nod of her impeccable head.

This place is goddamn amazing! I just love it. Man this music is good.

The aroma of the genuine product is warm, fresh and complex, with a hint of chestnut. Properly infused, a fine Dragon Well tea has a dense, sharp, savoury full body without being tannic, but giving an accent of slight astringency. It’s sweet to the throat and offers a long, malty aftertaste, with all but the smallest hints of salt.

Oh my God! I love this city! I tell you, I’ve seen things here tonight that you wouldn’t believe! Things that they wouldn’t understand back home. But I can understand them. I knew I would. I’ve always seen things differently to everyone around me. You think that I tell them everything that I think? Ha! No chance! You think that they would know what I’m talking about? You think they would try to understand me? No, they try to step on me. They try to change me. They’re angry with me, they’re scared of me. Bohai was taking deep breaths in between sentences in an effort to acquire enough oxygen to keep his words flowing.

Mrs Gao slowly brought her glass to her lips and sipped the warm tea. Oh, that is divine! The first taste is always the best. Oh, I can feel the warm glow inside of me. Can’t you feel it too? Mrs Gao’s husband and son did not answer, but they knew they weren’t supposed to. The senses are heightened; taste, smell, just heavenly. She ushered the men to join her and they too took gentle sips. As they savoured that first taste, Mrs Gao held her glass in front of her. Look at the tea leaves move. Like a flower opening for the first time in spring, the leaves extend their waists gently and unhurriedly, greeting the world with grace and poise. Such a gentle and sweet taste. Come, let us enjoy this moment as a family, together, as one. And without those who think they are too important to be a part of these hallowed traditions.

Look! Candy! The floor’s moving! What the hell’s going on? I’ve never seen anything like it! Hey! Candy! Look at the floor! It’s moving. Candy! The floor!

Yes, replied Candy while tapping away on her phone.

Oh man, I can’t believe that it’s taken so long. I can’t believe that I waited so long for this. All those wasted years, all that unhappiness. It’s because I was held back. It was because of my mother."

The problem with your brother, said Mrs Gao to her youngest son sternly, is that he doesn’t appreciate all the things that I did for him, the sacrifices that I made. I gave up every happiness that I had in my life to provide for him; food, holidays, clothes, all for him. And this is how he repays me? By abandoning me? By doing whatever he wants and to hell