China Exchange 1999 - International Programs @ TCC

On my previous trip to China, one of my favorite experiences was visiting the Bird Market in Beijing. On this trip I had set out for the market about a week ago but neglected to have someone write down the name of the place in Chinese. I took the subway to the general vicinity of the market but asking directions was a problem. I would say nar, the Chinese word for where and them imitate a bird by whistling and flapping my "wings". This was very entertaining for the local population but did not get me to my destination. On this day I had someone from BBI write down the name in Chinese characters on one of the 3 X5 note cards that I carry around.

After exiting the subway I spotted a street vendor selling a dish that I had been wanting to try. In a small cart there is a griddle about three feet across, a thin batter is poured on the grill and formed into a large circle, egg is poured on top, and then the whole thing is turned over so that the egg is cooked, then comes a layer of hot sauce, and finally a piece of fried dough is placed in the center and the whole thing is folded up and put in a paper towel. A meal in itself for less than twenty-five cents. As I was waiting my turn to get my food, several young men started a conversation with me. Their English and my Chinese were not very good but I managed to find out the they were students and to tell them that I was a teacher. I showed them another one of my 3 X 5 cards that has BBI written on it in Chinese. They beamed, it turned out that they were BBI students. They helped me get directions to the Bird Market and we made arrangements to meet for dinner that night.

A street vendor selling Jian Bing Guozi, a combination crepe, omelet, fried dough, and hot sauce. A filling and tasty lunch for less than a quarter.

After making my way to the bird market, which was a walk of a couple of miles, I began shopping for my birds. I decided that the wise thing to do would be to buy a cage first. There were a number of vendors selling cages, everything from small bamboo models to huge metal cages. I decided on a small rattan cage, with a scrolled brass top and painted china food and water dishes. I then went in search of birds for my new cage. There is every variety of bird at the market. Probably the most popular are Lovebirds which come in a great variety of colors. I settled on a beautiful pair that were peach and green. I bargained a bit but paid much too much for my new birds, 250 kuai, or about thirty dollars. After the man put the birds in my cage and I paid him, he pointed out a metal cage and indicated that my birds needed to be in such a cage. Birds with hooked beaks can chew through cages made of wood or other non metal materials. So now I had two birds that were going to escape from the nice new cage. I was really set on this cage and indicated that I did not want the birds. There seemed to be no chance of a refund at this point. I tried to communicate that I would just take the loss and he could have his birds back but was not understood. After a few minutes of miscommunication it was kind of suggested to me that I move along.

Some come to the bird market to do business, others just to show off or "walk" their birds.

I began roaming through the market trying to figure out how I was going to get the appropriate birds for the cage. The market is a rambling affair, part of it is on the street, other parts wind back though narrow alleys off the street. As I walked though the market a number of people helpfully pointed out that my birds needed to be in a metal cage. I knew that. I thought about buying a different cage but they were all very ugly.

A view of the market.

Back in one of the alleys I came upon a man who had several large cages with beautiful, brightly colored finches. I indicated to him by pointing that he could take my birds and I would buy two of his birds. I picked out two orange colored finches. He wrote the figure of 120 in a notebook, I shook my head and wrote down 80, he shook his head and wrote down 100. I said OK, gave him the money and he put the birds in the cage. I now had four birds. I indicated that he could now take the other birds out. He declined. He thought that I wanted to sell him these birds, he pointed to a cage that had a number of similar birds, indicating that he didn't need any more. I was starting to get a little frustrated.

I did my most serious bargaining with this man, getting 10 kuai for two birds that I paid 250 for about fifteen minutes earlier.

I pulled out my English/Chinese dictionary and looked up the word gift. I showed this to the man's wife and she explained my idea to her husband. He shook his head no and made a gesture to his heart indicating that he did not have the heart to take my birds for nothing. He handed me his book for me to write down a price. Just wanting to get the birds the hell out of my cage I wrote down a nominal price of twenty kuai, he looked at the book, shook his head, and wrote down ten. I quickly agreed and handed him the cage to take his newly purchased birds. I was somewhat poorer but greatly contented to leave with two birds and one cage.

Our new friends back home.

At dinner a couple of nights later I asked a group of students if the keeping of birds was common across China. They said that it was not, it was mainly the past-time of old men in Beijing. You often see them walking their birds around parks in the city. I figured that I fit the demographic perfectly and will join my geriatric counterparts in the city during the remainder of my visit. The whole experience also made me thankful that I have a career in education. I don't believe that I am really cut out for business.

Deborah's Here! I made the trip to the Bird Market last week but didn't want to post it because the birds were a surprise for her. At home we have two cats that are very strict about not having birds in the house. Deborah is getting along well with her new friends.

NEXT: 4/16 Trip to Tianjin

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ED GIBBS
egibbs@tcc.edu
 
 

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