Sydney and Melbourne Australia LDS Temples

LDS Temple: Sydney, Australia 

LDS Temple: Sydney, Australia

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LDS Temple: Melbourne, Australia

LDS Temple: Melbourne Australia

Tang Dynasty

The Tang Dynasty is a cultural theme park in the heart of Xi’an. It had a variety of musical, dance, and cultural performances, as well as a zoo and Tang style architecture to view.

The princess parade was a recreation of an imperial wedding ceremony. The women showcased their dresses and then the bride and groom each drank out of a cup and held hands while a man talked.

We watched a Chinese lion dance (video here). The performers had to be in perfect harmony to jump from pedestal to pedestal. It was amazing. We then watched a variety show that had Chinese opera, a man walking on glass (video here), another man climbing a pole (video here) with sharp knives on it, a cock fight and a fire dance.  It was incredibly entertaining. I had to keep reminding my kids to not try the stunts at home!

We rode a camel at the park. The kids were surprised that the ride was bumpy, how hairy the camel was and how stinky it was.

We finished the night with a laser show. 

Overall, we had a wonderful time at the Tang Dynasty learning about the Chinese culture during the Tang dynasty.

Muslim Market

The Muslim Market in Xi'an, China is home to some of the best food and funnest shopping in the city. My friend Meghan and I went to the market and had a blast exploring for several hours and only got half way through the market.
I bought a beautiful quilt called a "wu du bai" quilt. It means five poisons. Five animals or insects, a scorpion, spider, lizard, centipede and snake are sown onto the quilt. They are believed to protect the child owner from evil spirits.
Men make peanut candy at many shops. They have to pound the candy with heavy mallets. I have always wanted to try it, so some nice men let me. The mallet was so heavy. I only did it for a few minutes but my arms were sore for much of the day.
The market sells everything from mugs, key chains, scarves, chop sticks, art, to candy, squid, fried bananas, herbal medicine and so much more.
Muslim street is a fun way to experience the hustle and bustle of Xi'an.

Making peanut candy

                                                      People live in apartments above the
                                                      market.

Hard tack candy shaped like animals.

You put the dried stuff in the boxes in water

and it hydrates into the plant below. It is 

supposed to bloom for three weeks. 

There are many halal butchers. This man had

goat head for sale.

For $1.50 USD this man would craft caramel

into an animal. I made a video you can

watch. 

Potatoes (like french fries) and fried squid.

Spicy tofu and fried bananas. 

Back alley

My wu du bai quilt.

Art Museum: Propaganda Display

Someone posted in a Xi'an group chat that the art museum was hosting a free impressionist painting display. I am not sure if my driver drove me to the wrong place or if the person has a different definition of impressionist paintings than I do,  but we ended up at a small but interesting art show that displayed communist propaganda.
Below are some posters and pictures that we displayed. I couldn't read the signs explaining the pictures, but I think these posters clearly communicate their messages no matter what language a person speaks.

Change in the one child policy

A week ago, the Chinese government released a new "Five Year Plan". This is an economic and social plan for the entire country. Part of the plan announced stated that people could choose to have two children if desired.
I have had many people ask what the Chinese people think of this change. As I have talked to several of my friends, they have all said that they and their friends are excited because now they have a choice. They and their spouse get to choose what is best for their family. They said this is the first time in a generation they have had freedom to choose.
Wow, that is something so basic that as an American I really take for granted.
However, all of my friends said that most Chinese will still have only one child unless the oldest is a girl because it is culturally ingrained to have only once child and because having children in China is so expensive. They think this will widen the Chinese rich-poor gap. The rich will have two children, the poor will have one.
In China, there is free public education, but it is sub par and most opt to pay for a better education. This runs families $350 USD per month. The median income in China is $8,315 so education is almost half of a yearly salary. Coupled with how spoiled the children are; they are literally called "little emperors and empresses,"  I can see how raising a child in China is expensive and why only the well to do would opt for two children.
We have overheard many Chinese talking about the policy and they remark that people better have their second child quickly, before the government changes their mind.
The 2015 Five Year Plan is meant to lessen the gender gap, but time will tell if this goes as planned.

National Cultural Industry Demonstration Area

The National Cultural Industry Demonstration Area is a quaint little street in Xi'an lined with statues of emperors and famous Chinese citizens. 

Xiao nu er and I spent the morning walking around the area then visited a large shopping mall next to the street. 

Xi'an Beilin Museum

The Xi'an Beilin Museum, also known as the Xi'an forest of stone tablets collects ancient stone steles from the Qin, Han, Ming and Qing dynasties. It has six display rooms, eight stele pavilions,  and four display rooms. In total, the museum houses over 4,000 different stone inscriptions, epitaphs, tombs and statues. It is also considered the art center of Chinese calligraphy.
The museum houses the Nestorian Stele which is an inscription about the first Christian missionaries and Christianity in China. It also has the Stele of Filial piety which talks about a child's responsibility to his or her parents.

                                                              The Nestorian Stele (far left)

Canon of Filial Piety

Halloween

We love Halloween! It is one of our favorite holidays. We love dressing up, hosting parties and trick or treating. We were able to celebrate Halloween in China, although it was different than usual.
We carved pumpkins at a restaurant called Caprice. Chinese pumpkins are a lot smaller than American pumpkins. The insides were also less stringy, very thick inside, and had a lot of seeds inside.
We were invited to go trick or treating at a university with some Chinese and Iranian families. My kids got a kick out of the Chinese kids chanting "trick or treat" at the beginning of the evening. The kids got tons of candy and had fun.
We spent Friday night at the Cortez familys' for a Halloween party. The kids ate pizza and played some games.
Saturday we co-hosted a Halloween party with our good friends the Kavrans. We had BBQ, pizza, tons of food and went trick or treating. A lot of Chinese families came to the party and seemed to really like their first Halloween party,

Chinese pumpkins

I love Chinese Captain America.