Blue sky, sun...and lots of dragons: that’s the China Festival in Düsseldorf, Germany. Every year the city celebrates the strong connection between Düsseldorf and China and it’s always an amazing spectacle.
Follow me through the Chinese gate to meet dragons and fighting Shaolin monks – and enjoy fresh Chinese food and a very special tea ceremony ☺
On a sunny day like this thousands of people join me for the China Festival. I mean, what’s not to love here? Besides the big red gate, two blue lions are greeting me. These famous Chinese guardian lions (shí shī) originally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, temples and houses of wealthy people. In Buddhism they were believed to have mythic power and were seen as protector of the spiritual teaching.
Once I step through the gate China is greeting me. Colorful flying dragons are hovering above me.
Women in traditional dresses look unbelievably graceful as they walk by me.
And the food…Ok, I have to admit that I’m not objective as I LOOOOOVE Asian food – that’s one of the reasons why I spend a lot of time living and working in Thailand & Co. And the fresh Chinese kitchen is so very different from what we get in the restaurants named Chinese Wall or Peking Duck.
What I really love are the hand pulled noodles and it is really an art – unfortunately it’s becoming a lost art. It always amazes me watching the Chinese noodle master creating his masterpiece. It seems so easy but like most things it requires a lot of hard work and years of studying to make the perfect noodles.
So if you ever have the chance to eat hand pulled Chinese noodles – order them immediately!
Of course no Chinese festival without a traditional Shaolin show. Master Yang lived as Shaolin monk before moving to Düsseldorf. He now has his own Kung Fu school where he’s teaching these amazing techniques.
His moves are powerful, yet gentle. He is moving which such speed and control that all is one fluid motion. I’m more than impressed and like the years before I really would love to learn this special art. But somehow I’m also a bit discouraged when I compare myself to Master Yang. I know, I know, that’s the wrong thought and so not helpful, but I can’t help it: I think I’ll look like a pretzel after my first try!
But never say never so maybe within the next weeks I can show you some photos of me training with Master Yang ☺
Did I tell you about the hand pulled noodles? Oh yes, I did…I can’t say it often enough…
I’m wandering to my tea ceremony. The Chinese lady is smiling warmly at me and as I sit down we are talking about which tea I would like to taste. She is strongly recommending a very famous green tea that smells like fresh hay – yes, that’s the one.
I learn that the Japanese Matcha originates China. Thousands of years ago tea was only for the royal family and members of the government. Normal people had to use herbs for making tea which resulted in TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine. The preparation of powdered tea was formed into a ritual by Zen monks and was brought to Japan hundreds of years later.
Jian Zou is warming the little tea pot made of glass with hot water to warm the glass. After pouring it away she carefully throws in some green leaves and gives it to me. It smells even more amazing than before! Fresh and intense.
She adds hot water (not boiling!) and after 3 minutes I’m in a whole new world: I feel like sitting in a freshly mowed green meadow and I close my eyes. The tea tastes intense, sweet, fresh.
The second and third infusions are more subtle and even better.
In China, Jian Zou tells me, drinking tea is more a kind of meditation and ritual than just a thirst quencher. Therefore you only have very small tea cups and you sip 3 times instead of gulping it down.
I get the feeling that in China, everything is an art. It reminds me that in the Western world we sometimes tend to rush through our days and thus through our lives. Let’s pause for a moment, pay attention to our thoughts and actions and enjoy our lives. It’s worth it ;)
I hope you enjoyed your little trip with me :)
Always stay true to yourself
Love, FlipFlopRebel!