China Day 7, I think

We had a busy Friday in Xi’an, which here is called the birthplace of China. In the morning, we went to the Hongdao Art Museum where we viewed the history of China through artwork. We viewed each dynasty through the artwork of each period, and then had an opportunity to purchase some artwork from local artists. We all remembered to step over the thresholds (some as high as a foot) that cross every door – men go left foot over first, women right foot over first. This tradition is said to keep away evil spirits (who do not have knees, you see…) from entering any doorway. We learned that water colors are a reflection of Taoism, that is, nature is great, and people should be humble. After, we went to the Xi’an Qujiang New District Conference and Exhibit Center. This entire center was built to house trade shows, conferences, etc. and is only a few years old. We saw a floor model of the entire development area of Xi’an (which by the way directly translates to mean “western peace”), which was very impressive as it took up a large part of the floor. It showed the parks, cultural centers, and many tourist areas that focus on the Tang dynasty. We then went to the Xi’an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone where we saw another floor model, this one gigantic, with lights, movement, etc. It is clear that this city is one that China has invested heavily in. As you drive through and around the city, cranes are everywhere. Building is going on everywhere. This city of 7 million people is growing quickly. It is considered a tier two city, but I believe it has a chance to rival Beijing in attracting tourists and business because it is a very livable city. Also, there is much talk about indigenous innovation – that is innovation by Chinese, for Chinese and the world. China wants to stop making things, and start innovating things. According to The Economist, more companies are turning to “frugal innovation” which our Johnson and Johnson host referred to. This is the “de-featuring” of products in order to make them more affordable to more people. Tata motors did this with the car that now can cost less than $3000 U. S. D. This tech center was a demonstration of how serious China is about shifting their economy to a more innovative one. Italian dinner, then cool Jazz with Clifford at the instruments and Trebecca at the microphone.