DAY 4: THE PILGRIMAGE

April 16, Easter Sunday, Day 4 of my vacation. The weather was great that beautiful Sunday morning. The temperature is in the high teens, not too cold nor was it was hot either. The wind was also calm (level 1 – 2 according to the weather report), a perfect day to climb the Wall. Like the day before, I was again late because nobody told me that we would be leaving by 0830 instead 0900 (Dang!). Despite that, I was in a good mood and really didn’t mind about it. Can’t help it but feel great for there is something about past relics that brings out the sentiment in me as a historian and a romanticist even though it is just “a mere stonewall”. Maybe, it is the fact that as a historian, I always wanted to “verify” about what I read and with what I actually see and try to appreciate the whole thing from the perspective of men from a bygone era. Anyway, before we even reached the Great Wall, Kitty, our tour guide brought us to shopping (of jades) at a Jade Factory. Oh, how I hate shopping (More on that later)! I was getting impatient with the dilly dallying of our guide but still I manage to keep my cool after all it was a great day. After something like an hour of shopping, we proceeded to Pa Tat Ling, the mountain range where the Great Wall lies. As our bus approaches the mountain range, I noticed that one of the slopes looked surprisingly like a dragon claw. In fact, the entire mountain looked like a sleeping dragon. According to Feng Shui, burying ones’ ancestors near the “mouth” of the dragon ensures that their descendants would remain on the dragon throne for all eternity. This is probably why the Ming Ling or the Burial Complex of the Ming Emperors is located nearby presumably near the “mouth”. As we approach the Shan Hai Kuan (Pass or Gate), I can’t help myself but recall the stories and legends surrounding the Great Wall. I don’t know why but I recalled one particular legend, the legend of the lady Meng whose husband was forcibly recruited by the Chin Emperor to build the wall. In her desperation to reunite with her husband, lady Meng embarks a journey to the Great Wall (which was under construction then) but she couldn’t find her husband and so she wailed and cried for 3 days and 3 nights (?). Her sorrow so touched heaven that it brought the Wall down and reveal the corpse of her husband underneath and so she was able to finally reunite with her husband. I doubt it if I could see the spot where that happen if it did happen at all but that is the point, so much history has passed in this place, so many people, so many stories, so many legends and yet only the stone wall remains up to this day. This is truly a monument that withstood the test of time. As we arrived at the Gate and alighted from the bus, I make a sweep of my surrounding and took in the incredible view. Indeed! This is a strategic place. The Shan Hai Kuan was nestled between two mountains in a valley beside a river. The mountains are steep thus making an attack on its wall a near impossible uphill battle. The road in front of the Gate is so narrow that no matter how huge the attacking army was, only a few columns could approach it. A handful of defenders would suffice to hold off the siege. No wonder, Shan Hai Kuan is called the “most strongest gate in the (Chinese) world” for it could withstand the most determined sieges and only a miracle could make that Gate crumble against an attacking army, which it happened during the end of the Ming era when the defending Ming general, Wu San Kuei opened the gates and “invited” the Manchu army in to “restore” order to the universe. The Manchu eventually establishes the Ching dynasty, the last Chinese dynasty and the rest is as they say is history. We lined up for our ticket (cost 35RMB but the guide paid for it since it is part of the package) and entered the Pass. Inside the Pass is a temple dedicated to Kuan Yee, China’s Warrior god, the god of honor, loyalty, and martial prowess as well as the patron saint of the common soldiers. Kuan Yee is actually a historical person. I planned to pay my respect for the noble hero (not to worship) but had to skip it due to the sheer number of people paying their “respect”. At any rate, I was up with the entire tour group as well as several hundreds of tourist on the lower section of the wall through the Gate. Again like in the Yu Garden, I had this sense of surrealism with me when I was at the walls. But then and there, I “discovered” a marble inscription containing the famous words of Chairman Mao, “Pu Tao Chang Cheng Fei Hao Han”. It means, “If you haven’t been to the Great Wall, you’re not a man (or a hero depending on the translation)”. Well, getting to the Great Wall was easy; you just need to get in a plane and ride a bus and presto, you’re here! Climbing the Great Wall is altogether different (due to its distance and steepness). Now, if one were able to climb the Great Wall, what would he be? Probably, it’s the challenge offered by Mao and the fact that, I rarely back down from a good challenge for suddenly, the “sentimental old fool” in me was gone and in it’s place was an adventurous egoist eager to take up the challenge. And so, with that, I began my arduous climb to conquer the Great Wall of China. Not all of the group members climbed, most of the “senior” citizens stayed put. Megan (entrusted to the Doc’s and my care during the climb by her grandma), the Doc, and I teamed up. I went ahead and they “catch up”. I was so full of energy. My adrenaline was probably pumped up for I practically “sprint” my way up. The climb was a challenge indeed! It was too steep with the angle is somewhere near 90 degrees! The steps though wide are unevenly separated. Some steps are just a few inches apart while in the steepest section of the climb, the distance between the steps could reached as much as 2 – 2 ½ feet! If not for the rails (a modern addition), I doubt that most people could climb the walls. In fact, some people literally climb using both hands as well. Somewhere in the middle of the slope, I was already panting from the arduous climb (dang! I’m in a terrible shape!). I felt like I had 10 workouts already! Funny, back at the lower end of the wall, people were laughing and joking around but by the time they reached the middle of the slope, everybody is silent except for their heavy breathings! At that section of the wall, I found a lot of the tourist resting on the steps even though the path is narrow (good for 2 ½ people to move around). Mindful of my companions, I proposed that we rest on that steps and catch our breath like what others did (I actually need to catch my breathe as well but I was just too proud to admit to it then). As we were resting, we took sight of the view “downstairs”. The first thing I see were the tourists, hundreds of them “charging” towards me. Each of them seemed hell bent as I am in reaching the top for there is nowhere else to go but up. The view “down there” is quite magnificent for from our vantage point, it would seem that the wall has become the “stair” for the “pilgrims” to reach Mount Olympus (the legendary home of the Greek gods). After resting for sometime, we continued our ascent to the top. I don’t if Megan did it intentionally or she just really meant it, for she started to repeat a popular question in the movie, Shrek. She repeatedly asked, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” She was so cute. The Doc and I played along and replied, “No, No, No, No, Yes! We’re here!” and laughed. It was fun and we were actually the only ones laughing all the way. It is things like that that makes the climb easier and merrier and memorable. Finally, we reached our first watchtower (the second according to Megan). We stayed at the small portico and survey the surroundings. I peered out of the wall and “discovered” a narrow dirt road. Actually, it looked more like a clearing, a trodden path one might say. Somewhere in the middle of that path, it split into two with one running parallel to the wall and up the mountain and the other running towards the wall that I’m in. could this be the path whence the barbarians took centuries ago? Maybe. At any rate, I would never know. We went inside the tower to find out how it looks like. The inside of the tower looked cramped and dark probably could hold 10 people or 20 at most if you want to have a “sardine”. We then went up the tower to it open top. The staircase going up is likewise steep and narrow, too narrow that it could accommodate one person at a time. And oh by the way, it doesn’t have a handrail. At the open top, we were treated with the beautiful view of the mountain slope with its yellow green grass and scenic mountain afar. We also “discovered” some “modern” art – graffiti to be exact etched on the wall forever proclaiming to posterity the visits of those authors. After lingering for a while, we went down the watchtower and continued our climb. The ascent to the second watchtower (the third according to Megan) was shorter and was relatively easier to climb but was nonetheless challenging and fun. By the time, we reached the second watchtower; there are far fewer tourists than the first tower about only a third of the number. We rest a little, looked around and then continued our climb. Somewhere between the second tower and the third tower (the third and the fourth by Megan’s insistence and I’m not about to dispute that), we came across a “plateau”, more like an open parade ground and by then we looked up at our watches and discovered that it is quarter before 12 noon, our supposed assembly time down at the Gate in order for the group to head out for lunch. Megan by this time is also beginning to feel tired and wanted to head back as well. Hahhhhhhh….. I’m almost at the top. If it were left for me alone, I would have forgone lunch and told Kitty to leave me behind and come back for me latter in the afternoon after I’ve made my climb. I could have also left my companions and proceeded alone (leaving Megan to the Doc’s care). But then and there, I realized that there are things more important than reaching the top. Things like responsibility, of being responsible to the one entrusted to your care, of being responsible to the one you care, to the one I cared and of course, lunch! I could only sigh. It was so close yet so far away. I had no choice but to get back to earth again but not until I did two things aside from getting some pictures. First, I went to the corner of the wall, looked out in the open, put both hands in my mouth and shout at the top of my voice against the wind, “I AM THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!!” (That was about the second time I did it, the first time I did it was when I’m at the Yang Ming mountain in Taiwan en route to the airport. We stopped for fresh air and for no apparent reason, I crossed over a fence and walked up to the edge of the cliff, looked down the ravine, take a step back and put my hands on my mouth and shout, “I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD” after which, I raised my arm in victory, beat that). Megan and the Doc looked at me bewildered (more like shocked) at my antics and tried to dissociate from me by moving to the side (I was actually planning to do the Tarzan’s call of the wild but that would be too “inappropriate” to the scene as we are in the Great Wall and not in the jungle). I did attract attention from the few people there but they just shrugged it off and continue their own enjoyment. Next, I pulled out a pen and with Megan, we “lightly etched” our names along with the Doc on the stone wall including the date for posterity (what’s the point of not writing? Everybody writes. Dang! I should have bought a marker or a knife instead). I took a last look of the top, hoping that it would forever etch into my conscience and turn my back and head towards the stair. And so with a heavy heart and an empty stomach, Megan, the Doc, and me make our way back to earth. Funny how the return trip seemed faster than the trip the other way around. Probably, it is gravity but then again it must be the lure of the lunch on a growling stomach but it could also be due to the sprint of joy for we all manage to achieve something that day even though it wasn’t earth shattering but momentous nonetheless in our lives. As we reached the base of the Wall, we visited the display of ancient Chinese weapons there and we took some pictures. The ladies decided to take the picture together and asked me to take it for them. They made that Charlie’s Angel kick – ass pose in front of the display, which is really cute (I wish that I had that picture). It is journey (or any other journey) like this with partners and friends that makes the journey easy and worth every moment of it. As we went our way to meet up with the group, we passed by a store selling “hero” certificates (in reference to the inscription). Megan wanted to buy one but I asked her, “what’s the point?” I told her that people who didn’t climb could buy that certificate to “prove” their feat but we don’t need it because our proof is inside us and that is our memory and no certificate could replace that (aside from that, we had pictures and our “etched” names preserved for posterity). “Pu Tao Chang Cheng, Fei Hao Han”, right on Chairman Mao, right on. Someday, I’ll be back and finish the climb and nothing is going to hold me back. I would definitely reach the top but then again, why stopped at the top when I could go even further?

POSTSCRIPT
When I was writing this piece, I realize how difficult was it for the ancient soldiers manning the Great Wall. The importance of the Great Wall cannot be undermined. For the Great Wall was the demarcation line between civilization and barbarity, dividing the agricultural farmlands from the desert, and serve as a bulwark of order against chaos. The ancient soldier was given this great burden and the task was by no means easy. Imagine soldiers wearing full armor, carrying spears, arrows, and swords as well as provisions running up and down the steep slopes of the wall without the aid of a handrail. It is bad enough to climb the wall, what more carrying all those things? There are times when winters are harsh and the snowfall heavy, soldiers are forced to “stay” at their post at the towers without relief for days perhaps. Imagine them shivering in coldness and hunger. The scenery although magnificent and awesome are all too familiar to them for they have watched the slopes turned from green to brown to white and to green again. Their routine task everyday may not be much since they’re just simply watching, waiting, wondering when would the barbarians come and perhaps at times, they would their gaze towards the north, inside the Great Wall, also wondering……….. wondering when they would go home…….. if at all.