House proud
I happen to be married to a woman that is what I call "house proud". She spends countless hours tidying the garden, planting flowers and trees, mowing, snipping,raking, painting, tidying up etc, etc,. Our house although humble looks like a million bucks. I have yet to see a house here in China that looks loved and well maintained. There is litter and garbage everywhere. If people think that Japan and China are similiar think again. The floor of a Chinese house is just an extension of the outside and is generally very dirty. Tonight in front of my dinner plate was a piece of sticky paper to catch flies. You could sit and eat your dinner and watch flies die- very appetizing!
I thought I'd show you the view out our side window, a beautiful tile wall in disrepair and where the merchants of food alley put their garbage. This pile is right smack dab at the entrance way to food alley. It is cleared away sometime late in the day.
Comments
BTW I am extremely envious of your trip to China. I have several pottery world tours in mind for my future.
I was thinking of going to China with Mohawk College in Sept. but I don't think they need more garbage!
Glad to hear you're having a great time.
Beryl
You got it right about Chinese and Japanese culture being so different. It is as different as Italian is to Irish. Maybe even more. When I studied martial arts, I always gravitated away from the Japanese styles of my roots toward Chinese and Filipino, because the Japanese styles were too ridged for me.
Viva La Difference!
I am certain these cultural exchanges are going to help ceramic creativity blossom. Japan is too inwardly inspired these days and their creativity suffers for it.
Just got back from New London. Making stuff there to fire in Craig Edward's Svend Bayer built cantenary Anagama first week of next month. That kiln is a beauty!