I remember when I was still in high school and was starting to develop an interest in international relations, I was curious why China was often referred to as “The Sleeping Giant.” A little research revealed that the tag came from Napoleon who said, “The giant sleeps, and let it, for should it wake, the world will shake.”
When Napoleon said that, he knew that the size, the population and the wealth of China could easily rank the country as a world power but, at that time, its government did not do much to grow bigger. China did not exert effort to expand, nor engage in foreign trade, nor in anything else that would establish its clout as a super power… at the time.
Fast forward to today, we now see the opposite, and much has been said about how China is asserting its presence in the West Philippine Sea. Looking back at what Napoleon earlier said, are we beginning to feel some shaking now that China has “awakened?” I’m not going to elaborate on that because foreign policy is not tackled in this column. Instead, I prefer to talk about the many attractive tourist destinations that that country has to offer, focusing on the most popular three.
First on the list is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the Great Wall of China. It is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, wood, and other materials, built east-to-west across the country’s northern borders to protect it from nomadic groups from Mongolia. It stretches 21,196 kilometers, making it the longest man-made structure in the world. In fact, it is the only man-made structure than can be seen from the moon.
Another tourist magnet in China is The Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace constructed during the Ming dynasty, located in the center of Beijing. It was the home of emperors, as well as the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for almost 500 years. The complex consists of 980 buildings, spread over an area of 72 hectares. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. It now houses the Palace Museum. But why is it called The Forbidden City? Well, nothing much to it. When it was still the residence of the emperor, no one could enter or leave the palace without his permission.
Completing the top three attractions in the country is the Terracotta Army, a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Buried with him were more than 8,000 figures of soldiers with varying heights, the tallest being the generals, together with 130 chariots attached to 520 horses. This impressive collection was discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Shaanxi province.
There are many other things fascinating about China. Aside from its beautiful tourist attractions, we have also become very familiar with its customs and traditions, because a good chunk of our society can easily trace its roots to this “big neighbor.” And, more than anything else, we love Chinese food. It is always a part of whatever celebration we have through the years.
Not too long ago, the Events Management class of Section H-327 of Lyceum of the Philippines University’s (LPU) College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management under Prof. Rovena Dellova staged a Chinese Exhibit in the school premises to coincide with the celebration of Chinese New Year.
The event started with a thunderous Lion Dance, which always opens any grand Chinese festivity, followed by the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, officiated by Prof. Dellova and Sandra Recto, director of the university’s Communication and Public Affairs Department (CPAD).
It was a very colorful affair, with exhibits showcasing the pomp and pageantry of Chinese civilization. It also showed how Chinese culture has practically merged with Filipino culture, including the nuances of the traditions of each in relation to the other. Of course, what would a Chinese exhibit be without food? So there was a wide array of delicious specialties, the most common of which was the sweet tticky rice cake, known in Chinese as nian gao, and in Filipino as tikoy.
Everybody enjoyed going through the entire length of the exhibit hall, which was fully decorated with shimmering Chinese charms and various attractive costumes indigenous to the different provinces of the country. It was interesting to see guests going over the many interesting facts about China while chomping on delicious Chinese treats of the “calorific” kind.
So, what will China be to us in the future? Friend or foe? It all depends on what other activities it will embark on in the West Philippine Sea. Personally, I don’t think it will bully us any more than what it already is doing, so there’s no need for us to lose sleep over the “what ifs,” the “whys” and the “wherefores.” For as long as lauriats and Peking duck continue to be offered in our restaurants, why worry about China and beyond?
For feedback, I’m at [email protected].
YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:
Q: How do you save a dying woman?
A: Tell her about a 90 percent sale going on somewhere.
