Memories are like fragments of images and voices interwoven by your feeling. Without the feeling, you remember nothing.
It was that feeling I sought one early morning during a trip to Shanxi province with a group of foreigners.
There is an old saying in Chinese that dawn is the most important moment of a day. It was 5:30 am, and I found myself standing in the center of the Old Town of Pingyao with my cameras.
I thought I would be alone.
As the early mellow morning sunlight warmed the earth, I witnessed how the community here starts the day. The corners of the street were filled with the refreshing scents of fresh vegetables, voices of haggling trade and the sound of bicycles maneuvering over the uneven stone pavement.
I saw long shadows cast by elderly people taking their morning walks, and the silhouettes of cyclists passing by the archway where I lingered.
Surprisingly, I felt very much at ease photographing the streets of Pinyao. No one seemed be put off by my presence or interrupted in their routine. Nor did I feel impeded by the constant flux of people. It was as though I was part of the community.
This is paradise for street photography.
When I travel, I like to bring home the feeling that I distilled from the atmosphere of a place. It is essence - much more than just buying some local souvenirs or taking photos of obvious landmarks. It is about making a connection with the people, experiencing a moment that seals an impression about the surrounding.
I think the people in Pingyao are some of the most friendly in China. They are always smiling - often curious about you in the same way that you are curious about them. A first impression is that these people are not camera-shy. Often, a simple gesture - raising a hand to wave, or just saying nihao in greeting - is enough to break the ice.
In Chinese, pengyou means friend - someone who makes you feel at home when you are far away from home. It's a word whose sound, appropriately, nearly matches the name of the community: Pingyao.
At every moment in the early morning, people are engaged in conversation on the street. No, it's more than that - they are making connections. Even at nightfall, I often see old folks chatting and laughing together, young gentlemen playing cards by the street and teens flirting.
It's a clear break from the big city, where too often people can be seen with their heads down, looking at smartphones in subways, restaurants and pretty much everywhere. In a big city like Beijing, I see individuals trying hard to just get through the day, starting with a sardine-like subway ride.
Here in Pinyao, there are no isolated individuals, just lots of friends.
I noticed other things in the morning. For example, Pingyao's people seem to enjoy their dogs more than most. And yet, the street is surprisingly clean. There is a saying that a dog is a man's best friend, and that fits the character of this town. It's not only the dogs but the people, too, that are friends. It's a garden of blossoming relationships cultivated by conversation, laughter and interwoven threads of feeling.
I have been to many old towns in China. What differentiates Pingyao from the others is the people and their way of life. Through my camera lens, I find many moments that warm my heart - brief, unassuming and pure.
Places change, people change. But the feelings are eternal. Remembering Pinyao is like remembering a first love.
elvischung@yahoo.com
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Local performers depict the arrival of the Emperor Kangxi at the Residence of the Prime Minister in Jincheng. Luis Gomez / for China Daily |
