It’s been a little over a month since I got home from China, and I miss it! Yes, it’s nice not to be living out of my carry-on suitcase, and it’s good to be home with my husband and our adorable puppy.
But, I miss the fun people I had the privilege of getting to know on my trip. I miss getting to see something new and exciting every day – the staggeringly beautiful Southern Chinese countryside. I also miss the food. I spent a non-trivial amount of time last night, lying awake craving the fried noodles I had in Yangshuo. (First World Problems.)
Some of the best food we had on the trip was in the Muslim Bazaar of Xi’an. In part because of my background studying the Middle East – but also because I am a Tang Dynasty fangirl – Xi’an (the Muslim Quarter in particular) was the city I most anticipated visiting. My excitement was enhanced by how much fun I had creating my pre-trip report on the site. If you have any interest on the Muslim Quarter and Xi’an – especially lesson plans – please check it out:
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/xianmuslimquarter/home
Prior to visiting Xi’an, I knew that the Muslim population dated back centuries, from the Tang Dynasty at least, although the Great Mosque in its current form was constructed later during the Ming Dynasty. The Mosque is a great example of cultural syncretism because of the ways that it blends typical mosque features (such as the minaret) with Chinese architecture. (I go into a lot more detail on my pre-trip website about the blending of Chinese and Islamic cultures in the Mosque.)
When I actually got to the Mosque, I have to admit I was surprised by how small it was. Having seen a number of cathedrals, I expected the mosque to be gigantic. It probably also didn’t help that all of our experiences in China up to this point were large scale: the GREAT wall of China. The Gargantuan Forbidden City, the giant metropolises of Beijing and Shanghai. Xi’an, in comparison felt small. Rather than being disappointing, it made for a nice change in pace.
Although Xi’an may have felt geographically smaller than the rest of China, it was just as crowded, especially in the Muslim Bazaar at dinner time, when everyone in the city (it seemed) was on the prowl for delicious street food. Some highlights: the plum and pomegranate juice, the fried spicy potatoes, quail eggs on a stick with chili oil, noodles, and persimmon doughnuts. My meat-eating companions also enjoyed some lamb on a stick and the Chinese hamburger, and I can attest that they smelled delicious, although I did not taste them. The persimmon doughnuts are still somewhat of a mystery, but my friend Karen and I would like to figure out how to make them. So far, this is the most useful recipe I’ve been able to find: https://www.travelchinaguide.com/tour/food/chinese-cooking/persimmon-cak...
Since Xi’an (formerly Chang’an) spent a significant amount of its history as China’s imperial capital, there’s myriad ways a visit to the city is relevant to teaching Chinese history, but here are a few ideas.
• Architecture of the Ming Dynasty: The Great Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, and could be used in conjunction with a number of other sites we visited (such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall of China) to discuss how the Ming Dynasty used architecture to enhance state power.
• Regional Cuisines of China: The delicious food of the Muslim Bazaar of Xi’an is a great way to discuss the connections between geography and culture, as well as cultural syncretism. For example, the North of China is historically known for growing wheat rather than rice, which is why the traditional foods of Northern China include noodles and breads, more than rice. Some of the foods in the bazaar – such as dates – are not native to China and show the important role of trade in Xi’an’s history as well as another example of cultural syncretism. I also think that comparing the regional cuisines in China and the cuisines of Chinese diaspora communities, could be and interesting way to talk about the relationship between geography and culture, as well as the relationship between migration and culture. (Let’s be real: I love to eat, and I take advantage of any opportunity to make a history lesson revolve around food.) I’m thinking about using this as a starting point for my implementation plan, so be on the lookout for a more detailed lesson plan!
Study Tour
