256. WINTER IN SHANXI

 

Another number by a Taiwanese singer - I hope the communist party don't take it personal and block me. My repertoire for Chinese numbers is very limited, I post what sounds good...lol !

It's end Winter early Spring. Very pleasant weather, a little chilly at times. Flowers and trees and bees can't wait to start a new life cycle and it's beautiful out...

Everywhere, they're replicating the allure of Japan's cherry blossoms which have drawn many millions of tourists. It's an important contributor to their economy and China is going all out to make it an important revenue source. Everywhere I go on these last 3 trips, I see the work they're putting in to beautify their surroundings with landscaped gardens and fairy lights and lanterns - most attractions are ticketed event venues. Which explains too why China removed visa requirements from many countries. 

Another source they're focusing on - pilgrimage tourism, chiefly Buddhism with some Taoism thrown in for good measure. Loads of Buddha and Kuan Yin images and some warrior images and good fortune dieties - as long as it draws the 'pilgrims' and they spend loads of moolah in the form of donations, hotel stays, tours and all the rest of it. 

Their President Xi (the Emperor) has warned of the dangers associated with organised religions but that's confined to within the country and its people - the 'pilgrims' are foreign tourists not fulltime residents, so lure them in with more temples and statues...and let the money flow...

Mao Zedong had declared that 'religion is poison' so one can expect a Communist run country to stick to their own idealogy...but then, Communism and organised religions are cut from the same cloth...their 'God' is their Chairman, their 'holy book' is the quotations from him, memorised and quoted verbatim...