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CLASS III
INTERNATIONAL STUDY SEMINAR
MARCH 12-27, 1997
The People's Republic of China
(click on thumbnail images to see a larger version)
March 12, 1997
Scribe: Louise Ehmke
The KARL study tour to China started with Karlpools on March 11, Tuesday night to the
Kansas City Fairfield Inn and to the Denver Fairfield Inn. The KC group of 18 flew the
6:45 a.m. American West flight #2017 to Los Angeles (LAX) while the Denver groups of 16
flew the 7:30 a.m. United Airlines to LAX. Both groups had wake-up calls of about 4:30
a.m. Chair for the KC group was Kevin Dwyer. Fred and Nancy Kerr, tour co-managers, guided
the Denver group to correct gates. Our bags were checked through to Hong Kong.
Upon arrival at LAX, both groups found their way to the Korean Airline check-in for
flight #17 leaving at 11:10 for Seoul. Our carry-on check-in bags, as well as our
passports, were checked twice. Boarding started at 10:30 with take-off about 11:45 a.m. We
had our first taste of Korean food with two meals during the flight.
Steve Riffel was questioned more than once about the box which he carried. It was a
cooler given to us by the Kansas Commerce department to be used as gifts on our trip.
Our plane was a Boeing B-747-400. We cruised at 29,000 feet with a speed of 597 mph.
During the flight, we received our China visa numbers which were attached to our
passports.
To pass time, KARL III members talked, slept, read, played pitch, watched the movie
"Fly Away Home" as well as seeing some news in Korean and English and the choice
of several music styles on radio.
It was fantastic to chase the sunset not ever exactly knowing what day you were in
until crossing the dateline somewhere over the Pacific. At that point, Brad Fuller took
over as chair with Gregg Gartrell as scribe.
March 13, 1997
Scribe: Gregg Gartrell
International Date Line: March 13, 1997
Location: Just southwest of the tip of the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, heading southwest
toward Japan.
Time: 8:30 p.m. CST back in Kansas. It's been a little over 12 hours since we left the
Denver and Kansas City airports.
"Are we there yet?" The KARL natives are restless. For the first time on this
tour, we pale-faced Kansans are in the minority. We landed in Seoul, Korea at 5:08 p.m.
(Seoul time) after a 12 hour and 45 minute flight from Los Angeles. As the sun was going
down for the first time in this long day, we boarded our last flight - for Hong Kong. We
arrived at 10:00 p.m. (Hong Kong time), to see the beautiful lights of the city along the
harbor. It was a post card in itself. We transferred by bus to the City Garden Hotel.
After over 24 hours of traveling, our weary band of travelers headed for some restless
shut-eye, thinking about what adventures were before us in China.
San Pan ride in Aberdeen Bay fishing village, Hong Kong
March 14, 1997
Scribe: Deb Hix
The journey began around 8:10 a.m. Everyone enjoyed a 15-20 minute tour bus ride from
the very beautiful City Garden Hotel to the Aberdeen Fishing Village. Enroute, we learned
from Mr. Atman, our tour guide, that the Hong Kong populace of 6.2 million is crowded into
1073 square kilometers. There appeared to be people and small apartment buildings
everywhere. Outside of each apartment, hung the family's laundry, drying. Hong Kong is
composed of three entities: 1) Kowloon, the vicinity of the airport; 2) Hong Kong Island
(1 of 240 islands), a man-made tunnel was built under the harbor from Hong Kong island to
Kowloon; 3) surrounding territories
The major industry is the tourist trade. In 1996, Hong Kong received over 9 billion
tourists. Competition between travel agencies to entertain tour groups such as ours is
tremendous. Shopping is concentrated between 4 Japanese-owned department stores and sushi
shops. We learned that the meaning of the Chinese appetizers named dim sums translates to
"touch your heart". Hong Kong also sports 2 horse race tracks. The largest is
the Hong Kong Jockey Club. In a single day, as much as 1-2 billion Hong Kong dollars might
be generated, as the Chinese love to gamble. Macaw Island is a miniature "Las
Vegas", filled with casinos and gaming tables. Mr. Atman highly recommended we visit
the island in the future, time-permitting. Hong Kong experiences typhoons annually from
May through September.
Mr. Atman told us that many families in the Aberdeen fishing village live on the water
year-round. Children are born aboard the boat, and boats are passed from one generation to
the next. The average boat is 200-300 square feet in size. Fishing is an all-day, every
day job in order to supply the restaurant trade. Due to the extensive ocean pollution,
fishermen choose to travel to the South China Sea, some 2 1/2 hours from Hong Kong for
fishing. Fishing is a very hot, humid, difficult job. Over 40% of the fish utilized in
Hong Kong are imported from China because many children of fishing parents don't follow
their parents' trade. During that time period, the "floating people" use
shelters such as Hong Kong Park and Victoria Park for safety. Schools, shops, and
businesses close so that residents may seek shelter.
At 8:36 a.m. we divided into three groups for a rather odoriferous boat tour
aboard small Chinese boats (10-12 people per sam pan). The tour lasted 20-25
minutes and cost $50 Hong Kon (about $7 USA). We passed three world-famous floating
restaurants belonging to fishing families: the Tai Pak, Jumbo, and Sea Palace. It was a
very busy time of day for the floating village. We observed several families sorting the
previous evening's catch for market. The usual varieties included starfish, crab, lobster,
grouper, and scallops.
Our sam pan boat guide had a small Buddha statue aboard "for luck" (that
really gave our group confidence in his abilities). Clothing was hanging to air-dry even
from the boats. The water was also quite polluted. We observed building construction along
the shoreline (scaffolding was made of bamboo). One family had a German Shepherd dog (for
protection or a future meal?). Another boat displayed starfish fillets drying on the top.
We saw one family purchasing water from the "land people" for their daily
requirements. According to Mr. Atman, boat people are not poor. They are not required to
pay taxes...one reason people stay from generation to generation. Floating families
believe the best way to store their money is to purchase gold teeth. The gold teeth are
thought to symbolize wealth and beauty and most Chinese women do not trust or appreciate
banks. It is thought to be a good way to save money as long as they remember not to smile.
The second stop was at Repulse Bay. The name was given by the Royal Navy (1951) to
repulse (discourage) tourists. Before that time, it was only a fishing bay, no swimming.
It used to be the most popular swimming bay in Hong Kong. Due to the crowded conditions,
it is often referred to as "Excuse Me Bay". While there, most of the class took
time to rub the tummy of the Happy Buddha (for luck and happiness). There was some
surprise expressed when it was noticed that the beverage vending machines contained beer.
Obviously, a person doesn't need to be 21 to drink in Hong Kong.
As we were riding to the third stop, the Stanley Market, we passed a water park.
Affiliated with the Bay, it is the largest amusement water park in Hong Kong. It was built
by the Jockey Club in 1977 and contains roller coasters, an exhibition hall and sea
animals. The park is open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily and cost about $20 (USA). We drove
past the Hong Kong Golf Club. Approximately $3 million (Hong Kong) was allotted for the
club. Due to the limited land, golf is not as popular as soccer and swimming. The soccer
stadium was said to have a maximum seating capacity of 40,000. Mr. Atman pointed out a
building on a hill in the distance that had a square opening cut out in the middle. He
asked us to guess the reason. None of us knew the answer. Before beginning construction,
the owner consulted a fortune teller who told him that the mountain behind the building
had a dragon which would bring luck to the people if it was kept happy. To keep the dragon
happy, it should be permitted to see through the building.
Mr. Atman told us that the average apartment size is 500-600 sq. ft. The apartments
around the Garden City hotel without a view cost $5-7 million (Hong Kong). Those with a
view cost $20 million (Hong Kong).
The Stanley Market is one of the largest in Hong Kong. The vendors sell many imitation
silk clothes (Dior, Armani, etc.). We were advised to bargain with the vendors 20-30%, but
not too much. After being advised to watch for pick-pockets, we were let off the bus to
shop for 45 min. Many KARL classmates took advantage of the time to pick up souvenirs.
While on the bus traveling to the fourth stop of the day, Victoria's Peak, we learned
that the primary language of Hong Kong is Cantonese. Mandarin is the primary dialect of
Taiwan and Beijing. Mr. Atman taught us to say thank-you (do jay) and good morning (jo
sun). We learned that the number 4 is considered to be very unlucky while the number 8 is
considered to be very lucky. We paused before a home where the owner's Rolls Royce license
plate number was "8888". The numbers stood for rich, richer, richest, most rich,
and cost the owner $5 million (Hong Kong).
The tallest building in Hong Kong is 78 stories (420 meters) and is named Central Plaza
(built in 1993). In 1999, a 108 story building is predicted to be completed. Much new
building and expansion is predicted for the future.
Victoria's Peak was breathtakingly beautiful. There were many very nice indoor shops
and restaurants. We were given 45 min. to tour. Most of that time was spent outdoors,
admiring the scenery and spectacular view of the city and harbor.
Cargill of Greater China hosted our delegation to a traditional Hong Kong/Chinese
dinner complete with a noodle making demonstration and the ceremonial activities
associated with clay baked chicken. The evening program was provided by host and CEO of
Cargill, Greater China, Jim Bassett, a native of Kansas. Several Cargill personnel joined
us for the dinner and conversation, helping us understand the important role Cargill was
playing in US trade with China.
Our dinner consisted of 10 courses. Most class members enjoyed themselves thoroughly as
their wine glasses were refilled before they were half emptied. All seemed to agree, this
was a wonderful day.
Qinping Market, Guangzhou
Bags, bags, and more bags...unloading imported wheat at Guangzhou Flour Mill
March 15, 1997
Chair: Duane Hund
Scribe: Kevin L. Journagan
Today started with breakfast at the City Garden Hotel in Hong Kong. The breakfast was a
mixture of American and Chinese Cuisine.
This day was to begin our trek into mainland China. Mr. Atman, our guide for the Hong
Kong part of the trip, gave us some parting comments on the bus ride to the KowLoon train
station. Mr. Atman stated we were an easy group to handle and were funny. He wished us
happy life like the happy Buddha. Once we reached the train station, our guide gave us our
train ticket, and we boarded the express train to Guangzhou. The trains in China are
certainly not modern compared to our standards, but car #6 was comfortable and got us to
our destination. During the trip, we began to see the real China. We were able to see a
glimpse of how agricultural production is accomplished. Farming is done by water buffalo
and plows and manual labor. As Kansas farmers we think of large parcels growing certain
crops, but it was evident that small plot farming is a way of life and demands a labor
intensive concept. During the train ride we passed several trains loaded with hogs
apparently going to be processed.
As we passed other cities before we reached Guangzhou, it was evident that the struggle
between progress and the old culture are trying to merge. The new construction shows that
the country is trying to update, but it is evident of how the ordinary citizen lives.
On arrival at the train station, the military police directed us to the checkpoint for
passport and visas. The stark reality of a different culture was about to hit our group
when we went to use the W.C. (water closet). This was the first insight of things to come
during our visit to China. Lin Rong (Lee), our China escort, joined us at the station.
We were then introduced to our local guide Mr. Sheh, his American name is Simon. Simon
gave us some interesting facts about Guangzhou (Canton). The local dialect is cantonese,
however Mandarin is the official Chinese language. Guangzhou is the 8th largest city and
is an open city for commerce. This is the capital of Guangdong province and is situated in
the Pearl River delta. Farming in the area includes winter wheat and rice as well fruits
and vegetables. The rice crops are harvested 3 times per ye ar with seeding beginning in
the spring.
Simon then took us to Qinping Market, a Chinese meat and vegetable market. All types of
meats are displayed in the open market as well as vegetables and dried herbs. Dried
chrysanthemum tea was rated as best medicine to bring down fever. The market was quite
large and from a westerner's viewpoint, quite amazing. The lunch was held at Lianxianglou
Restaurant which I think most of us enjoyed.
During our bus ride to Guangzhou Nan Fang Flower Co., Simon pointed out the American
Embassy which actually was a McDonalds restaurant. At the flour mill the building manager,
Mr. Juan, introduced us to their flour mill process. The flour mill has 1,000 workers and
processes 1,000 tons per day. The wheat milled comes primarily from the U.S. and Canada.
This flour mill is a China/Hong Kong LLC Joint Venture and is the largest flour mill in
China. The wheat is transported up the Pearl River where it is placed in sacks and further
transported to the mill. Due to lack of transportation and storage facilities, this is the
option they have taken which is very labor intensive. Processing equipment is from
Switzerland and seems very modern compared to the rest of the facilities. They utilize a 5
day work week 24 hours/day, 3 shifts. The expansion of the facility will come by increased
production with the existing facility.
The final step was the Orchard Gardens which lent some beauty for KARLpool pictures.
The KARL class had dinner at Ban Xi then to the overnight lodging at the beautiful White
Swan Hotel in Guangzhou.
water buffalo grazing along the Li River
March 16, 1997
Scribe: Linda Martin
LIJIANG RIVER CRUISE
After a 5:00 a.m. breakfast, we transferred to the airport for a 7:00 a.m. flight to
Guilin (population 400,000). Upon arrival, we met our tour guide for our stay in Guilin,
Miss Susan Lee. We boarded a bus to the Lijian River where we would begin our 85 km
cruise.
On our way, we learned about the history of the area and gained some insight into the
amount of growth that had taken place over the past 25 years. Three hundred million years
ago Guilin was an ocean floor sea bed. Today it hosts thousands of tourists each year and
is home to many minorities. In 1973, there was one hotel and approximately 977 tourists
visited that year. Today the number of tourists has risen to 470,000 per year and Guilin
has 30 hotels. The weather is generally mild; green trees and green grass can be seen
year-round. Every five to six years this area may get some snow in the months of January
and February. Guilin is an agricultural city; rice is the predominant crop (2 crops/year).
The first rice crop is planted in March; after one month's growth (5-6 inches), the rice
plants are transplanted to the growing fields.
Upon our arrival at the Zhujiang Wharf (22 kilometers from Guilin), we boarded our boat
and began our journey down the Li River. We traveled 85 km down the river from Zhujiang
Wharf to Yangshuo; ate an interesting lunch; and observed the beautiful scenery. Later
that afternoon we arrived at Yangshuo and took a 1 1/2 hour bus ride back to Guilin.
March 17, 1997
Scribe: John Neumann
On the way to the airport for our trip from Guilin to Guangzhou, our guide, Miss Lee
told us about her culture. We passed many children on their way to school and also farmers
bringing their produce in to market. Many fields were being prepared for the spring seeded
crops. We also saw some grave sites along the way and Miss Lee told us the graves were at
least 50 years old. Because of the high population, people are cremated today to keep from
taking up usable land for farming.
We had a good flight from Guilin to Guangzhou and we had a two hour delay of our flight
from Guangzhou to Zhengzhou. We missed a noon luncheon due to a plane delay. Upon our
arrival at Zhengzhou we were met by our guide, Philip, & Professor Zhou (Joe) (a
retired professor of agriculture). We then went to the government office, The Foreign
Affairs Director, Vice Governor and Grain Bureau Director's offices where they visited
with us about the Henan Province which is a sister state to Kansas. It is very similar to
Kansas because it has two rivers and wheat is its major crop. There are 91 million people
in the Province which includes 77 million farmers. Kansas only has 2.5 million people in
the entire state. The land area of the Province is 167,000 square kilometers with 156
counties, 143 townships and 40,000 administrative villages. The main grain crops include
wheat, corn, rice, sweet potatoes, soybeans and millet. The Grain Bureau Director
indicated that the wheat crop looked very good and should do well assuming they have no
disasters. The production of vegetable and rice seedlings, in plastic film covered hot
houses, has been vigorously developed. So far the area has been developed up to 60,000
hectares with an annual production of 4.6 million tons of various vegetables. There have
been 6,000 hot houses set up in the Giangang Township, Fugau County, making the goal of
becoming better off through setting up a hot house by each household realistic.
The silkworm cocoon production has a long history in the Henan Province. An industrial
system of silk reeling, silk weaving, printing and dyeing and clothing procession is
taking shape. Since the reform and opening to the outside world, new and great progress
has been made in animal husbandry. The province has been introducing fine quality breeding
animals and poultry from abroad. There are 14 million cattle, 30 million pigs and 30
million sheep in the Province today.
The living conditions of the farmers have been greatly improved since the reform and
opening to the outside world. Henan's Department of Agriculture has actively enlarged
foreign exchanges.
After a few questions through our chair for the day, Jaret Moyer, Jaret gave a flag of
our state to the Vice Governor. The class was then transferred by bus to a special banquet
with our sister province. The Vice Agricultural Minister stated that we must become
friends first. We all had a toast to friendship with a high octane beverage. The meal was
very good and everyone learned a new word "Gonebay" which means
"cheers." The beverage that was used in the toasting was clear so Kevin Dwyer
had some fun going around to the tables proposing a toast but all he was drinking was
water. It wasn't long before he got caught but we all had a good time.
China board of trade in Zhengzhou, Henan
March 18, 1997
Scribe: Doug Palen
The morning started out with a 7:00 a.m. breakfast in the restaurant at the Dukang
Hotel as Jack gave us some "Headline News" from the United States.
Our first stop was at the China Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (CZCE) where we heard from
Cheng Xiao Bin, Vice President and Senior Economist. This exchange is similar in function
to our Chicago and Kansas City Board of Trades. Since the beginning, October 20, 1990, the
exchange has progressed very rapidly into executing not only Cash Trades but also Forward
Contracts and Futures Contracts. Currently 38 provinces are represented by 316 members
that trade on the floor. Fifty percent of these members are brokerage firms while the
other fifty percent represent individual and corporate interests. Unlike our
"open-outcry" price discovery system in the United States, buy and sell orders
on the floor of the CZCE are matched electronically by computers.
A textile factory was the next stop on the agenda. Since this was a quick stop, they
only showed us the newest and best the plant had to offer. The areas of the plant we
toured housed the machines that produce the denim used to make an assortment of cloths.
With a work force of 500 people and 4 shifts which allow 24 hour operations, this factory
is capable of producing a great deal of clothing.
After another large meal we were off and running. With a little extra time in our
schedule, we stopped by a Jade factory to have a look at some of their works. Since the
workers were still gone for lunch, we could not tour the actual working areas, but we did
have time to shop for a bit in their display room before we had to go to our next stop.
Next was a stop at the free market. While it was similar to the markets in Hong Kong
and Guangzhou, this market seemed to be not quite as crowded and probably a little
cleaner. Much like everywhere else we stopped, we really turned some heads and drew quite
a crowd as we moved through the market.
While enroute to our last stop to visit the New Industries Development Zone, Dr. Joe
pointed out his University and Experiment Station. As we arrived at the Development Zone,
we were greeted by Vice Director and Senior Engineer Tian Yong Mao. Through our
discussions with him and with a short film he showed us, we were able to see that they
have developed quite an island of technologies and advancement surrounded by the old
primitive cultures. Our one visit of a factory in the New Industries Development Zone was
one of an Herbal Medicine factory that is owned by the farmers and employs 400 workers. As
our meeting with Tian Yong Mao was nearing an end, he presented us with a beautiful
symbolic statue of cooperation.
With a full day of activities behind us, we proceeded back to the hotel for an ending
day supper and a good night's rest so that we would be ready for another full day
tomorrow.
"Diplomatic" visit with vice mayor of Kaifeng.
March 19, 1997
Scribe: Cameron Peirce
On the 8th day of the KARL World Tour of China, we were bound for Kaifeng. This was a
city that could once boast of more than 4.5 million people, but is now down to a mere
730,000.
Our day started with breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and we loaded the bus at 8:31 enroute to
Kaifeng. Philip, our tour guide, included a brief history lesson on some of the dynasties
in the Henan Province. Some of the ones he talked about were the Sung Dynasty, Shang
dynasty, Zhou Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty. Once we arrived in Kaifeng, we
met with the City Mayor, Mr. Haung Fu at the Daung Ching Hotel. There he told us that nine
different emperors had used Kaifeng as their capital city. He then gave us a brief rundown
on the weather conditions there and their primary crops - wheat, cotton, and peanut oil.
Water for irrigation comes from the Yellow River. Bob Daniels, Kevin Journagan, and Roy
Crenshaw were the "appointed" delegation from Wichita which is the sister city
to Kiafeng. Gifts were exchanged. Kiafeng was the capital of the province until 1954 when
it was moved to Zhengzhou.
After another 10-12 course meal we were off to the Song Dynasty Street re-creation
which was built in 1983 on the existing buried site of the original. After a brief tour we
were off to the Iron Pagoda named such because it has a rusty metal appearance, but is
made of stone and tile. Built in 1049 AD it was pretty awesome. Nearly half of the group
hiked up the 169 steps to the top for our workout of the day.
On our way back to Zhengzhou we saw wide expanses of winter wheat in the fields.
Professor Zhou (Joe) told us the average yield is about 70 bu/ac. We had supper at the
Shangra-la restaurant and were back at the hotel at 8:00.
celebrity welcome for class visiting village near Shaolin
March 20, 1997
Scribe: Ken Rahjes
The day started with everyone choosing a bike from the hotel to ride during the day.
Most chose to bike through parts of the City of Zhengzhou. Next the group was off to tour
the Yellow River. We first took the bus over the bridge (the longest bridge in China),
then the group spent several hours riding their bicycles around the river. Some took time
to inspect the wheat that is being grown next to the river. It should be noted we were
accompanied by a television crew during the day. Several members of the group were
interviewed, discussing agriculture and their opinion of China. The tour bus went back to
the hotel to retrieve the group's luggage. With the large volume of traffic, it was
delayed in returning, so the group experienced "Chinese fast food" in our bus.
Next, we were off to the village to visit with the people. We arrived late, but when
the group unloaded at Shidaoxiang the people of the village received the group as though
we were a bus load of celebrities (or dignitaries). It was the first time Americans (or
caucasians for that matter) had ever expressed a desire to visit Shidao. 21,000 people
lined the street that the KARL group would pass through. Cheering school children and a
school band provided a cadence. The group was ushered into the school yard, we toured
classrooms, then the yard filled with people.
Greetings were exchanged from the Village Authority and the Chair of the Day, Liz
Perkins. We were entertained by the school children. From several traditional
dances to a young girl singing and playing the electric piano, all the students received a
standing ovation. Tammy Gigstad was called upon to sing with the little
girl and both belted "Jingle Bells" proudly. The group then split up into 1's
& 2's to have the evening meal, with individual families of the village, and present
gifts. The school students served as translators. Even though we may not know each other's
language great, eating and sharing acts of kindness need no language. Many class members
commented it was the best meal of the trip. Several unique gifts were received by the
class members.
After saying goodbye to our new friends we toured the village noodle factory, and we
were given samples. We should note that our motor coach was escorted to and from the
village by local law enforcement. It was learned, after the group left the village, that
this was done to insure safety of the group and to protect the village as it was a
"wise" village and outside influences could pose problems. The day ended at the
Shaolin International Hotel.
school visit in rural Chinese village
March 21, 1997
Scribe: Steve Riffel
Day 10 of KARL Class 3 expedition to China began with a bus ride to Songsham Mountain.
One of the local officials gave us an overview of the province. It is rich with natural
resources and their main agricultural crops are wheat, corn, soybeans, and potatoes. He
also talked about the six levels of government: 1) Central; 2) Provincial; 3) Municipal -
Metro areas; 4) County - Larger Cities; 5) Township; 6) Village.
Philip talked about Buddhism and how popular it was at times. Buddhism had a large
influence on their lives, and they built temples, pagodas, and grottos.
Our first stop of the day was the Pagoda Forest. It is called this because there are so
many Pagodas it looks like a forest. A Pagoda was built when a monk died. Large ones for
important monks, smaller ones for the less important. There are only 21 Pagodas left of
the once 243.
The birth place of the martial art, Kung fu, the Shaolin Temple, was our next stop. It
was built in 496 AD under the Northern Wei. Buddhism was very popular at that time and it
became the center of Chinese Buddhism. In 1927 some of the Temple was burned by War Lords.
The Shaolin Training Center opened in 1989. There are almost 5,000 students from all
over the world studying there. Even a student from Kansas studied there for three years
and then returned to Kansas. The Kung fu masters range in age from 7 to 25. They
demonstrated their warm-up exercises, the weapon exercises, and breathing exercises.
Next, we deviated from our schedule a bit and made a stop at Liv Chuen Village. Here we
got a first hand look at their egg production, some pigs and several fields of wheat. The
population of this small village was around 2,000 and they were all farmers. We toured
their doctor's office and medical clinic. The town had three full-time doctors. We
continued on to the school and looked in on a kindergarten class and several other classes
in the grade school. We even got involved in a ping-pong game. One of the big highlights
of the day was when one of the villagers opened his home, which was under construction,
and gave us a tour.
We continued our bus ride to Luoyang, a city of 900,000 that is over 1,000 years old,
and at one time was the capital. Louyang is known for its peonies. They grow more than 300
varieties. It also has the largest tractor factory in China.
March 22, 1997
Scribe: Gary Stoecker
The chair for the day was Mark Stadtlander, who did an outstanding job. The day began
with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the Peony Hotel in Luoyang China, including omelets, french
toast, and an assortment of fancy breads.
The Longman Grottos were the morning tour. Construction of the grottos began about the
time of the reign of Emperor Xiawan (493 AD) of the Northern Wei Dynasty, when the capital
was moved to Luoyang. The grottos were under construction for over 400 years. The caves
are comprised of more than 100,000 stone Buddhist statues, 2345 carved stone niches, 40
Buddhist pagodas, and 2,800 pieces of inscription. If an emperor believed in Buddha,
people would build on the structures. If an emperor didn't believe in Buddha, they would
destroy the structures. Some stones have been destroyed over time by nature, wind and
rain, and others were destroyed during the cultural revolution. Below are descriptions of
six of the many caves we saw:
- Cave #20 QUIANXISI, built during Tang Dynasty. People were happy at this time and a fat
face on the buddha meant they were happy.
- Cave #140 Northern WEI, Emperor's Palace. It took 800,000 people 24 years to construct.
It had a buddha 8.4 meters tall with lotus flowers on the ceiling.
- Moyasanfocan Cave showed three successions of Tang Dynasty, but the Wuzhou lost their
power, so it wasn't finished.
- Ten Thousand Buddha Cave, built during the Tang Dynasty, 10,000 buddhas on the wall in
small squares (3" x 3").
- Lotus Flower Cave. During Zhengshi period, flowers on the ceiling.
- Huo Shao Cave, or the burn cave. Destroyed by lightning and burned by fire.
After a Chinese lunch, our next stop was the Dongfanghong Tractor Factory. The first
stop was the showroom area where the items were on display. The company was started in
1954, with the production plant starting in 1959. 45,000 workers man the 28 factories to
produce small trucks, tractors, and machinery. The small trucks for farmers are a 30 HP,
two or four door pickups from 23,000 to 25,000 Yuan. They also make 100 HP and 180 HP
Military trucks, and three sizes of the blue work trucks we saw everywhere in 5, 8, and 11
ton models. Bulldozers are made in 70 and 80 HP models. Three sizes of the small orange
Kubota type tractors are made in 15, 17, and 18 HP models. They sell 120,000 of these
units per year. A joint operation with FIAT builds the Hesston tractors in 80 and 100 HP
models. They produce 1,000 per year, and most are exported to S.E. Asia and Africa.
Industrial equipment made included excavators, front end loaders, vibrating rollers,
fork lifts, and stationary engines.
We then toured the track tractor assembly plant. The assembly line was 150 meters long.
Production is five days per week with Sunday and Monday off. Their goal is to produce
80,000 units per year. In 1996 they produced their 1,000,000th tractor. 70, 80, and 100 HP
models were all made on the same production line, with the 100 HP model having a British
engine. The cost of the 80 HP model was between 70,000 and 80,000 Yuan. Our class was able
to view the assembly line from start to finish on a raised catwalk.
The Second Flour Factory in Luoyang was our next stop. A brief walking tour was given
by a security guard, as the planned tour was not available. It was the second largest
flour mill on an area of 53,000 square meters, with a storage capacity of 37,500 tons of
grain. The storage was provided by 18 30,000 to 50,000 bushel COOP grain bins produced by
a company in Waterville, Kansas. The facility was updated in 1984 to a 4,000 ton output.
Several types of flour and noodles were produced here.
Our Chinese dinner was followed by free time to relax or enjoy live music at the hotel.
We left the hotel at 9 p.m. and arrived at the train station at 9:30 p.m. Our American
group started to gather a crowd outside the station, so we were taken inside to a private
waiting area. We said our goodbyes to Philip and Professor Joe as we boarded the train at
11:10 p.m. We were on our way toward Xian. Our class was divided into two sleeper cars.
They were cold and had a unique odor. Most of us went to bed in our clothes, afraid of the
sheets and blankets, wondering many things about this train.
another great flight behind us
March 23, 1997
Scribe: Mark Winger
KARL III arrived in Xian via the sleeper train. Most in the group agreed that the
overnight train ride was definitely a "once in a lifetime" experience. That
means most will never do that again.
KARL III was met at the station by the local guide, John, and his trusty bus driver,
Mr. U. On the way to the hotel for breakfast, John began giving the group a brief history
of Xian.
Xian is one of the ancient capitals of China. It served as a capital longer than any
other city. Xian was a capital due to its defensive location in an area surrounded by
mountains with only one way in. During World War II, the Japanese were never able to reach
Xian. Near the train station there are remnants of the ancient city wall. Some other
sections of the wall and the mote have been restored, not for defense, but for tourism.
The breakfast at the Jian guo Hotel was American style which was readily consumed by KARL
III. At the hotel the first large number of Americans were seen since leaving Hong Kong.
There were some tour groups there to see the ancient wonders of Xian.
After breakfast the KARL group continued on to the Terra-cotta museum by bus. Along the
way our guide John gave some more history on Xian and some pointers on the importance of
proper pronunciation of Chinese words. The group learned the critical differences between
the words "nee how" and "neow" and the difference between
"gomer" and "gummer." Along the way the bus went by a new Belgian
joint-venture pharmaceutical plant that was across the street from the traditional
medicine market. This was a good picture of modern China with the latest of Western
technology with modern drugs on one side and the ancient Eastern tradition with leaves,
roots and animal organs on the other side.
Xian is located in Shaanxi Province. The latitude is 36 degrees north, and the average
rainfall is around 600 millimeters or 24 inches per year. The major crops grown there are
wheat, corn, cotton and food grapes. There are also many apple and pomegranate orchards.
Pomegranates were introduced from trade along the Silk Road about two thousand years ago.
The area is now famous for the fruit and holds a pomegante festival every year.
Emperor Qin Shihuang was the first emperor to unite all of China under one rule in 221
BC. He is credited with standardizing measurement in China, building imperial roads and
constructing the Great Wall. His tomb is located east of Xian in a large mound.
Construction of his tomb employed up to 720,000 and took 37 years to complete. The tomb
has not been excavated yet since the Chinese are waiting until they have the money and
technology to do it right.
East of the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang is the Terra-cotta Army. There is no
historical record of this army being made, and it was discovered by accident in 1974 by
some farmers digging a well. Three pits have been discovered that contain 7,300 life size
terr-cotta soldiers and horses. This army faces east protecting the tomb of Emperor Qin
Shihuang. This Terra-cotta Army is referred to by many as the "Eighth Wonder of the
Ancient World." It was truly a spectacular sight.
Also at the site is two half-scale bronze chariots that were discovered west of the
Emperor's tomb. The ancient Chinese believed that paradise was located to the west while
the Emperor's enemies were to the east. These models are very detailed and offer a glimpse
of the technology employed by the Chinese 2,200 years ago.
As with all good tourist sites, the group exited through the gift shop, filled with
pushy sales people in blue suits, to board the bus for the trip back through Xian to the
new airport. Along the highway to the airport are several more mounds were tombs are
located. Another terra-cotta army site has been discovered west of Xian that is believed
to contain another 80,000 soldiers.
At the airport KARL III boarded Flight 1202 for Beijing. This flight was on a Boeing
767-300 ER which was by far the most roomy and comfortable plane flown on so far. Upon
arrival in Beijing the group was pleased to see the first blue sky since entering China.
The motor coach transfer to the hotel revealed a stark contrast between Beijing and what
had been seen in other parts of China. Beijing is a very cosmopolitan city with many of
the same businesses that are located in the USA. For example, there are thirty McDonalds
and fifteen KFC restaurants in the city. Other familiar establishments were Pizza Hut,
Baskin Robbins, and the traffic was much lighter and involved less honking.
The hotel for the three nights in Beijing was the Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong. By far
the longest named hotel for KARL, and it was very nice after spending the prior night on
the train. After checking-in, many headed to the McDonalds next door for a burger
quick-fix followed by Baskin Robbins ice cream.
Program Coordinator Jack Lindquist in Tiananmaen Square
March 24, 1997
Scribe: Fred Armstrong
We left the hotel at 8:45 a.m., and finally the sun is shining. This paper will include
general information about each location and a few interesting facts given by the tour
guide. The rest will be left to your individual desires. Bob Daniels has done extensive
research on most topics, additional information may be gathered from his sources.
Interesting facts given by our tour guide about the city of Beijing include a
population of 13 million. All of the migration of Chinese people is controlled by the
government. For a citizen from another area to move to Beijing, it would cost 10,000
American dollars. There are about 2,000 Americans living in the city teaching and
consulting as business experts. There are about 200,000 Chinese people unemployed (1.5%
unemployment). In Beijing, there are about one million vehicles: blue tags are regular
citizens, white tags are government vehicles, and black tags are joint venture vehicles,
so the white and black tags are given some priority.
Our local guide, John, thinks there are five catholic churches and a few
nondenominational churches in the city. Animals and their extinction are very important to
the Chinese. A few years ago a young man was caught killing a panda bear; he was later
executed. The Chinese belief is that "one life out of 1.2 billion people is nothing
compared to the extinction of less than 200 pandas."
Family is another important issue in China. There is a great deal of peer pressure from
friends and family if not married by the age of 28, most are married between 20 and 24.
The one child rule is easily accepted by most because of housing and education problems.
Generally speaking, one out of every six is accepted to the university, so it is very
competitive, although in today's economy there are other ways to gain success. In days of
old when courting, success could be measured if one would carry a red book of chairman
mao. Today it can be measured by a credit card and cellular telephone.
The divorce rate in Beijing is between 2 to 3 percent. Old style influence would
dictate marrying at a young age of 20-24. Western influence is raising the average age of
marriage. If a couple does not have any children by the age of 35, and they can provide
medical reason why they cannot have children, they will be allowed to adopt. In the cast
of divorce the children will probably be given to the mother with the father paying some
type of support.
China's past is still a major part of history. Initially built in the 18th year of the
Emperor Yongle's reign in the Ming Dynasty, Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) was the
south gate to the Imperial City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. On October 1, 1949,
the founding of the People's Republic of China was solemnly proclaimed here, and Tiananmen
has since become the symbol of China in its capital, Beijing. The largest city square in
the world, Tiananmen will hold 500,000 people. In the center stands the monument to the
people's hero, behind it is Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. Around 8,000 people visit his body
each day. The wait in line is about 40 minutes for a 3 minute view. On the west side of
Tianamen, is the Great Hall of the People, and on the east side is the museum of history
and museum of the Chinese Revolution.
There was very little information exchanged about the uprising in 1989. Some bits and
pieces were put together from visiting with each guide. Some were sent to the country,
some were sent to boot camps and allowed to return, and of course many died. It is my
personal opinion that the young Philip, shou Lee, and John will experience many western
privileges in their time. The middle age group like Susan Lee will want these but will not
see or experience nearly as much. The elder group like Professor Joe would be satisfied
with the way things were.
The city was built from 1406-1420 by 3 million people. It covers 140 acres and has
9,999 1/2 rooms. This is significant because it is believed the emperor is the son of God,
and heaven has 10,000 rooms. The number 9 is significant to the people as the number of
longevity.
In 1912 the emperor's power was gone, but he was allowed to live in the city until 1924
when he was driven out by the Republic of China. Eventually he was made a puppet emperor
by Dapomese and then later captured by the Russians where he stayed in prison until 1950
when he received permission from Moa to return to China. He worked in a botanic garden and
married a common woman who worked in a factory. He died of cancer at age 67. His brother
still lives in Beijing selling calligraphy and signing the Imperial name to make the
drawings more valuable.
There are lions guarding each gate of the city to keep the evil spirit out. There are
many turtles and cranes throughout the palace that represent long life. There are 5 marble
bridges leading from the political part of the city to the living quarters. Each bridge
stands for a Chinese virtue: intelligence, courtesy, benevolence, fidelity (by the women
only), Rite or Rituals. It is believed that an EA Emperor had 3,000 concubines. Once a
woman came to the city they must stay for life.
All men (Unicks) inhabiting the city were emasculated to prevent any child bearing from
anyone other than the emperor. Each concubine was only allowed 15 minutes with the emperor
to prevent her from influencing him in anyway. There was only one woman to rule the
country, and she spent a great deal of money on herself and her work. The empress ruling
early in this century was given a Rolles Royce from Germany but would not ride in it
because she believed the man should ride behind her instead of in front. She ruled by
giving "Audence" behind a screen in the temple to her 6 year old son. She ruled
for 48 years. There is a stone carving that is all one piece and weighs over 200 tons. It
measures 165 meters long and 3.07 meters wide and is 1.07 meters thick. It took 3 years to
get the giant stone there by digging 1/2 mile wells and filling with water and sliding
across when it was frozen. The stone has 9 dragons carved during the Ming Dynasty. Heating
and cooling is done underneath the city by burning charcoal or placing ice there and
facing part of the city for two reasons: to eliminate the danger of attack and to take
away from the beauty of the buildings. Some of the existing trees at the rear of the city
are over 300 years old.
Known in China as the "Ten Thousand Li Wall," the Great Wall stretches from
YaLu River Pass in the east to Siayuquan Pass in the west, its length totals over 6,000
kilometers. It is one of the seven wonders of the world. From the moon one can recognize
two of the most giant wonders on the earth in China, one of them being the Great Wall.
Construction on the wall began in the 7th century B.C. Then separatist states in the
north built walls around their territories to ward off invasions from neighboring states.
In 221 B.C. Qin Shi Huang unified China and linked these walls, laying the foundation for
the present Great Wall which was built by the Ming Dynasty over 600 years ago. The wall is
strategically placed to be difficult to climb in order to easily ward off intruders. In
most places it is 7.8 meters high and 5 meters wide. The wall is a great symbol of the
Chinese nation.
meeting with Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Office
Fred & Nancy Kerr as Emperor and Empress during Chinese Theatrical Production
March 25, 1997
Chair: Bob Daniels
Scribe: Roy Crenshaw
DuPont presented a generous contribution for today's activities and Kansas Wheat
Commission donated for tonight's dinner.
The class met with Mr. Ou, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. This
department specializes in US and China trade working closely with US Department of
Commerce, Agriculture, and State.
Following are a series of one-line statements from the context of the meeting:
- The US investment in China is second only to Japan
- Trade gaps are a major concern between US and China
- The value-added product through Hong Kong creates the real problem. China feels this
creates the gap and believes some of that value should be contributed and acceptable to
Hong Kong. US does not agree.
- Also, foreign manufacturing in China imports raw materials, then exports. This skews
value 8.5% higher than real value. Then exporting back to US like Mattels, adds to
surplus.
- Trade with the U.S. has created jobs for both countries. Don't use restructions like
nuclear energy as trade tools. Trade is too important for both.
- Ag trade is top priority and China imports about 9,000 tons of grain per year. TCK a
major problem, with 1.3 billion population China has no margin of error.
- China needs more choice of quality goods to provide stability and improve living
standards. However, issues are science not trade politics.
Bob D asked a series of quality questions concerning TCK, Ag Trade and WTO.
- Mr. Ou: "we all benefit from open trade" MFN important to China and US because
higher tariffs could revert to the 1970s. MFN needs to be permanent.
- China is focusing on agriculture development to improve living standards. (65 million
live in poverty)
- Family planning and food production always merging issues. China has a 13 million net
person growth per year, this equals the population of Australia.
- General Mills (Philip Morris) key player in food/fiber industry.
- China is very concerned with TCK, consider this very significant, very dangerous, and
very political.
Message to Kansas?
- Gore here is very positive
- Lobby for MFN
- "Go back and tell the truth"
Misc.
- Urban population demanding higher quality food (i.e. best)
- Currently focusing more on beef genetics than beef production
- China's population so scattered that marketplace not really 1.3 because most of
countryside not subject to imported foods.
Ministry of Agriculture of China
- Li Weike - Division Chief of Information Center of Ministry of Agriculture
- 7% of world's farmland is feeding 22% of world's population
- how to do this?
- China Agriculture: 58% Grain; 30% Livestock; 8% Aquaculture; 4% Forestry (orchids,
logging)
- As income increases, demand for increases, and demand on grains to feed meats increases
(especially corn). China's demand for meats increased at a 10% rate each year since 1979.
Pork still meat staple.
- China a major importer of grain, especially wheat. 5-9 tons (millions) from US in 1995.
Potential for corn increasing.
- Income gaps between farmers and urban widening and this is a concern.
Why China Agriculture has improved
- Land reform has allowed farm sizes to grow
- Farmers have access (partial) to a free market
- Government abolished quota system so farmers can respond to demand
- Agriculture Cooperative Movement helped organize marketing
Challenges?
- Population demands on food and land use
- Limitation of natural resources (land/water)
- Input limits (fertilizers)
- Agriculture budget
- Natural disasters
Phillip Laney - ASA
- try to improve animal husbandry to expand meat market. Soybean check-off money critical
to continued global marketing (bean future)
- Livestock is basically non-commercial, mostly backyard. In future will impact more corn
and barley.
- Technical barriers to imports:
- Milling
- Storage
- Infrastructure
- (Bags, bags, bags!) - a problem for trade
- Kansas State University help in swine, feed and market information has/is critical
Misc. - Questions from Bob D
- Value-Added?
- China will remain bulk for years, more demand for bulk now (excess labor)
- demand for meal increasing (cooking oil)
- export 130,000 slaughter hogs to Hong Kong
- trade between China/US is not friendly enough
- US ignores Hong Kong factor, China doesn't
- if incomes improve, demand for beef will increase
- China will avoid value-added as long as possible
- people do not want to farm, especially not farm livestock.
Quality, well-thought questions by Chair Daniels, and group contributed quality
questions.
March 26, 1997
Scribe: Jeff Deeds
As we boarded the bus for the trip to Beijing airport nobody noted that it was the last
time that we would get on a bus as KARL Class III.
The entire class then boarded the plane and flew to Souel, South Korea. Upon landing,
half of the class then had to make a mad dash to connect with their next flight that was
taking them to Chicago and then into Kansas City. After saying our goodbyes, they boarded
and left. The rest of us sat in the airport for three hours and waited for our plane that
would take us to L. A. and then on to Denver.
The flight across the ocean gave us time to reflect upon the trip to China and on the
KARL Program...a chance for us to think about what direction that the training we received
would take us, and what was in store for the country and the people we had just spent two
weeks with. It gave us time to think about how much money Mr. Atman made off of us, if
Philip will ever get a chance to visit the U.S.A., if China will build its middle class or
if they are going to start a revolution...and did Tammy really sing Jingle Bells to the
village or was that just a collective bad dream. It gave us time to think about leadership
and if we have that good old KARL:"We know how"
The flight gave us time to take stock of our own lives and how many differences we have
with the Chinese and more importantly how much we have in common, the opportunities that
we saw and the huge challenges that they saw, the complexities, the contrast and the
confusion that make up China today and the possibilities that China presents for the
tomorrow. But then again, some of us just slept...(and dreamt strange dreams of planting
corn in the snow).
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