Fuddland

Time seems to have slipped away recently and I’ve gotten behind on writing about a couple of things, so here they are in abridged form.

Doctored

Completely slipping my mind until a copy of my certificate arrived in the post the other day, on the 13th of July 2006 my name was read out in a big hall with lots of smartly-dressed people — it’s possible some people clapped at this moment — and I was, finally, officially, anti-climatically, a PhD. Why are degree certificates always so dull-looking?

Tóng Lǐ (同里)

A few weeks ago I went with some friends to a satellite town of Sūzhōu (苏州) named Tóng Lǐ. It’s a very traditionally-built water town [that is, based on a network of canals, much like Sūzhōu but much smaller], and enjoys protection from modern developments in an effort to preserve its heritage. The simply-constructed buildings are no more than two stories tall; the shopping streets offer the usual array of silks, paintings, fans, teas and tea-pots, and small family-owned restaurants, at which we enjoyed a varied meal including my first sampling of fried eel [very salty, but I think this was the soy sauce].

The newest addition to Tóng Lǐ is the Museum of Ancient Sex Culture, detailing China’s long history of [sometimes devious, some might say] sexual practises, including scary-looking foot-binding tools — the shoes were just impossibly small. Some interesting statues, old and new, were dotted around the grounds, but the most interesting objects were inside, where unfortunately photography was banned. So-called “trunk bottoms” look like innocent ceramic ornaments in the shape of a fruit, but open them up and you find a tiny sculpture of a young couple in flagrante delicto: this was passed from mother to daughter on her wedding night [placed at the bottom of her suitcase, hence the name], and was the single piece of sex education imparted to the new couple — the groom has been told nothing by his parents.

[Photos in the Tóng Lǐ Flickr photoset.]

The following is an entry which follows on from the above:

1. Ding Shan [Fuddland]. Excerpt: Allow me to quote from The Rough Guide to China: This obscure town has been producing pottery since the beginning of recorded history. Primitive unglazed pots have been found here which date back ... some three thousand years. Ceramic lampposts...

#1

Jann | 2006 / 08 / 20 – 06:27

I’ve not seen your new assistant yet but I maintain that you’re much more interesting than Christopher Eccleston ever was (even with your suspect meteorological dalliances)

#2

Daisy | 2006 / 08 / 21 – 03:19

Congratulations Doctor!

The Museum of Ancient Sex Culture sounds fascinating, shame that photography is not allowed indoors - although I enjoyed the outdoor statue, one in particular… ;-)

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