Wuhu Tiehua 芜湖铁画 Wuhu Iron Painting

Arrival

Getting to Beijing was more complicated than we originally anticipated. We ended up having a serious delay in Dulles, as the plane we were supposed to be flying on had problems with the electrical system. We ended up having to deboard and switch planes, but that was better than having no TV’s on a 14 hour flight. Anyways, once we arrived in Beijing after what felt like an eternity in the air, our main concern was getting to the hotel and getting some sleep. Once we arrived and checked in, most of us found that our jet lag and the adrenaline rush of being in a new country was keeping us awake, so we explored the surrounding few blocks of Beijing for an hour or so, before getting a snack at a local noodle restaurant and calling it a night. The room was a little cramped, and the Wifi wasn’t working correctly, but I was happy to have arrived safely and to be finally laying my head down. From what I’d seen, Beijing was a nice, surprisingly quiet city. I was looking forward to finding out more in the coming days.

Meeting with local students:

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting with some of the local university students. We ended up visiting several different colleges in the various cities we visited, each time giving a presentation about our school and listening to a presentation by the Chinese students about theirs. It was often the case that we were all shocked at how proficient they were in English. They were all incredibly hospitable and so excited to just be meeting Americans…we all felt like celebrities. I really enjoyed helping them practice their English, and being able to practice the little knowledge I have of Mandarin with them. Many Americans today are under the impression that the Chinese hate us…nothing could be further from the truth. While at the political level our nations may have some differences, the average Chinese person is extremely interested in everything American. I found that they were all extremely friendly and happy people.

Trip to the Great Wall:

The day we spent on the Great Wall was probably my favorite part of the trip. We woke up early on the third day in Beijing, and took a 2 hour bus ride to the first part of the Great Wall we were to visit. My initial impression was that the Chinese countryside is incredible, with rolling hills and dense, largely untouched forests. Most of the Wall cuts through this countryside, making for some amazing views. Our first stop was at a fairly crowded part of the Wall, but for good reason. It had some of the best viewpoints, and I loved going up and down the stretch of Wall we were visiting, stopping here and there to enjoy the view. I was surprised at how well kept up the Wall was, considering how long ago it was built and how many people visit it every day.

Our next stop on the Great Wall was at a less crowded section, which I actually preferred. As we pulled up, I could see that the part of the Wall stretching to the right went up and up and up, almost out of sight into the mountains. Originally, I had no plans to climb all the way up there, but after one of my fellow McDaniel students convinced me, I decided to at least go maybe halfway up. After the 20 minutes or so it took to get to that point, I figured I might as well go all the way up, and I’m very happy I did. Even though it was a grueling climb, the view from the top and the satisfaction at having made it that far was worth it. I was able to see so much more of the Wall twisting off into the distance among the mountains, something I’ll never forget. Thinking about the effort it must have took to build the Great Wall, and how well it was built to have lasted so long, was incredible. It was easy to see why it is considered one of the wonders of the world.

Interviewings at Tiehua Factories:

The middle part of our time in China was almost exclusively spent going from firm to firm questioning owners and workers at Tiehua factories. Our first stop was at Chishi Tiehua, one of the prominent producers who provides the bulk of the higher end pieces of Tiehua. I was completely blown away by the complexity of the pieces in their studio, and at the skill it must take to create such art. I wish I had enough money to buy some of those iron paintings, because I would love to have some of them in my house right now.

The actual interview portion of our trip was very enlightening, and it was great to hear first hand how the privatization of the Tiehua market had impacted everything from workers pay and lifestyle, to production techniques and technologies, to the quality of the pieces being produced. It was also very interesting to see how some of the producers disagreed on how positive the shift to a private market had been…Some were unhappy because they didn’t like having to compete for profits and hated the lack of job security that they had. Those who felt that way were definitely in the minority, however. Most of the people we interviewed agreed that they themselves and the whole Tiehua market were better off in the years since the State stopped its control of the market. As an economics major, it was really validating to see some of the theories I’ve learned about in school actually carry out in the real world.