As every year, old year ends and begins a new one. Usually it does every year. But the measure is a beautiful country it just twice a year. First comes the new year, this our, Gregorian, 1 January. Not getting this because of some great feta here, two days off, a reduction in the shops, the end. That's really the most important premise is that for a few weeks will come true - ie Chinese New Year. On his coming of everyone waiting and strongly in August preparing for it. Shopping spree (I and big reductions in the stores), companies gala dinners, any bonuses, crazy train stations - with the president on the country appeals to railroad, to flexible solving the issues of purchasing tickets. May railwaymen quite a nut to crack, because in a few weeks must prewiezc hundreds of millions of passengers. Once the matter zalatwialo season ticket prices to increase by 15%, now already the "inhuman" approach does not apply. Even China's atrocious start to worry about the body and its problems.
Photo - Champion has a style and likes to walk in the Hat (fashion is still from the time the old Shanghai) - This brought him to the Polish
Photo - Champion has a style and likes to walk in the Hat (fashion is still from the time the old Shanghai) - This brought him to the Polish
Shops are decorated with red - not because the country is communist, but with the color red is happy here. Blood flowing in the veins is red, is the symbol of the vibrant. A corpse is cold and white - stocks in China white is the color of death and adversity. Hence, Chinese people in various joyous occasions - weddings, birth of a child - they say "red file" 红 事.
Some argue that the red banner of Mao's communist endeared broad masses of superstitious peasants during the Great March 长征.
We prepare for the New Year ida normally. It is known that the night does not wyspimy, because the window will explode like the carpet bombing, and the stench of gunpowder fills the apartment, despite closed windows. Traditionally, water supply pipe broke, so there is no water and no bath with August probably in the next few days. Because who has to fix me, like all anglers went to their home village, to spend holidays with their families. There is no harm, for we are not dirty again, because the man in the freezing temperatures in August virtually no sweat. In Shanghai apartments there is no central heating, winter so we can only rely on oil heaters and air conditioners. The latter are at freezing temperatures almost no heat (pogrzeja for a moment, then blow cold air rozmrazajac August), in addition to the fatal seal housing, and so the heating destroys entire effort. By the way - heaven forbid! - Almost did not get sick, while family and friends in the country every moment some flu grabs. Cold chow has its advantages ...
From this cold and lack of water have little choice but to go somewhere and hide in a hotel with water and heating, and somehow wait a difficult Christmas period. Tomorrow I go the bus station, what if August will arrange tickets - you must return, because otherwise the "spring summits" do not come back on time.
Photo - Pic must umic - drinking in China is always accompanied by food, at least at the beginning of libations:
On Sunday 18 January we went for Christmas lunch. Have invited my kungfu master, his wife and several of my "brothers" (ie, buddies, with whom together we learn from him in August) to the pub. Master and my buddies are the Chinese Hui Muslims 回族 nationalities. Differs little in appearance from those of native Chinese people, although some people have some other features. Apparently Hui are descendants of Arab and Persian traders who arrived in China, spice and silk route, got pozwolnie from the emperor to settle in the country and marriage with chinkami. It was the first wave, about 8 / 9 century, another was in 12/13, when the friendly armies of the West helped the Mongolian conquerors of the world in their conquests. Since that time hundreds of years have passed already, so the appearance is difficult to distinguish between them, Some people just have a more square jaws, larger noses, but the language they speak Chinese, it really cemented their Islam, a faith traditions - mainly food - and shared no reluctance to the Chinese people.
Photo - Champion, uses the story of China's twentieth century ...
Pub suggested the Master, said that it is swietna lamb, it turned out that it belongs to his disciple, moreover, descended from the same village as the master, or Shenqiu 沉 丘 in the province of Henan 河南.
Master is an interesting figure, is 91 years old, holding on to great, jokes, has a volatile, quick-witted mind, and rarely in people in such an advanced age. In early childhood was orphaned, then went to a famous Shaolin Temple, in which he taught for several years of martial arts, but would leave him when the monks insisted that shaved his head and changed their faith. Then went to Wuhanu 武汉, where he learned the secret of Chinese Muslims fighting style, which was their tool of self-defense to the dominant Chinese. Already in Wuhan often took part in fights with the Chinese, and his teacher, Mai Jinkui 买 金奎, was very famous of the numerous skirmishes. Mai Jinkui Wuhanu also came to the Henanu, applied for a job unloading ships at the docks of the city, but the local mafia did not want to admit him. It came to fighting, in the end it was decided to resolve the matter peacefully duel. Mise iron boiled oil, thrown into the coin, and ordered that stretch who I am, this will be the supervisor laborers on the docks. Mai Jinkui not had much to lose and much to gain instant traffic and pulled out coin from the bottom of the bowl with boiling liquid. Apparently his forearm remained black for life. So the Master worked at the docks in Wuhan, but after a few years he decided to go to the then Chinese Eldorado, a town that attracted adventurers from home and abroad.
In the beginning was not easy, but hard fist Master helped establish the position of man, which you better not catch. Quickly became famous for skills in fights, often by local Muslims asked him to help resolve cases. One of them was the release of his wife of one of them - she was kidnapped by the Axe Gang 斧头 帮 (so called because his favorite weapon were members of an ax), and sells spirited women to brothels, master arranged affair Without going into a brawl with "soldiers" gang, he's one - with a giant flail made of two long chain of connected Kiev - against several dozens. Champion to this day regret his actions, I regret that many a person deprived of health. Sure, and life, but it is never mentioned.
for those acts performed by the Master spent a year in prison, where we put him communists, when Shanghai was occupied in 1949. They put on two years for huliganstwo, and probably deservedly. Released for good behavior after one year.
Before liberation in 1949 champion took part in events organized by the Du Yueshenga 杜月笙, Shanghai mafia head. Breaking bricks, stocks of buffalo, a meat cleaver cutting watermelons situated on the naked torso - that were typical "Tricks", which raczono mob in various charity events arranged by mafias. Du Yuesheng began his career on the sale of sweet potatoes to finally stand at the head of the largest organizations controlling the opium trade - and that is "hidden" hand of government when they had to discuss a the striking workers in Shanghai. As everyone mafiozo, besides the informal power and money also wanted to raise their status and gain acceptance and respect for higher layers - hence the charities and donations, which had for a local community generously.
When Shanghai ruled "traitor" Wang Jingwei 汪精卫, champion, he went with a delegation of local specialists melee to Japan to give a demonstration before Emperor Hirohito. Show turned into a series of fights, because the Japanese gymnastic demonstrations efficiency impressions did. Master stood in a duel with a local expert swordsmanship, previously agreed with the manager of the group that in the event that what his body is to be transported from powotem to China and buried there. At night ostrugal a stick, and stood against the same stick Japonczykowi. How to Master says, the whole fight lasted moments - The Japanese first attacked with a vertical incision from top to bottom, the Master did a small step to the side, Break a sword on the side of one end of the stick, and the second a little which is not crushed Japonczykowi occiput. But stick stopped at the last moment - and for that, inter alia, received a special badge on Hirohito. Plaque master's wife burned during the Cultural Revolution when the Reds Revolution Guards ransacked apartment searching for the hidden right-wingers in the house will hold the humiliating evidence of connection with the rest of the world and the old culture.
Photo - The Master with his wife - are together for 67 years:
champion after liberation gradually gained favor with the local union of martial arts, going repeatedly to tournaments all over China. To this day is considered a living legend of Chinese martial arts, not those acrobatics and gymnastics, but the ones where you had to lie down frequently lives on the line of fate, not being sure whether to come back home to be alive. Master
we strive respect, we like him, he is, moreover, very open and social person, likes to party. Once I liked to drink (and nothing not bother him that he was a Muslim), and that large amounts of liquor and 50% more, but a stroke gave him a lesson. Being 78 years old threw alcohol completely, and again returned to a pretty good form.
So on Sunday we went to the eastern side of the river and at the master zjawilismy little after 11 o'clock before noon. Already waiting for us with his wife and some student - as it turned out the owner of the pub, where we had lunch. Moments of sort of talking about the good old days, obalilismy glass of green tea, and we went to a bar. Took us to his dray (Chinese roadster) pupil master. We arrived fifteen minutes later, before the pub was already waiting group of my old buddies - the Henanu Xinjian, Lao Jiang (with Bozhou 亳州 old bully, but a regular guy), Lao Liu (my good friend, with whom, moreover, cwiczymy on the side of yet another style), to the two friends from Shenqiu in Henanie - mentioned a pub landlord and a merchant kosher meat for the Muslim restaurant.
Muslims - but to have less alcohol or more orthodox approach - combines the habit of eating only kosher meat. Such meat is beef or mutton - pork, dog, etc., are taboo. Meat is kosher if it comes from a kosher slaughter. Most importantly, to bring the whole blood was drained from the animal. This is certainly health reasons, I once heard that in the Middle Ages were made from blood poison swine, pigs szczujac dogs to death. There is no doubt that the animal feeling the approaching zmierc in the slaughterhouse proportions of different kind of toxins into the blood. I'm not a biologist, I do not know this, but some sense in it. Muslim restaurants in China, always have a green signboard with some words in Arabic, and this in Chinese Qingzhen 清真 - kosher.
At the table sat another friend - Lao Tang. Lao Tang met a few months ago at the wedding son Lao Liu. Lao Liu had then it firmly in czubie, today I do not remember that I had earlier met a Lao Tang. Lao Tang was - except me and the two M - Muslim, not only at the table.
Photo - Lao Liu (left), not only good in kungfu, but also educated 文武双全, and Xinjian:
lunch we started from cold snacks, peanuts, cucumbers, garlic, Beef cut in the stomach spicy noodles. In the meantime brought pot - made of brass pot with a chimney, in which burned a warming alcohol in it soup. The soup was seasoned properly in advance. Each of us got - besides the traditional set of tableware - a special paste.
Kettle - Huoguo 火锅 - is very popular throughout China, especially northern, is widely believed that stems from Mongolia, but historians believe that is how most Chinese roots, and a famous ritual utensils - Ding tripods were 鼎Originally used as kettles of boiling food. Kettle is quite a convenient way to prepare food - the soup is cooked in it, and meat (usually lamb), vegetables, etc. - is served raw on plates. everyone assumes he sticks to what he wants, thrown into boiling soup in the pot, after a moment longer draws the kettle boiled, dipped in a paste and consumed. On cold days to sit at a round table, talking, cooking, yeah, of course, drinking alcohol at the same time, a great way to break the barriers of social, strengthening ties of friendship, contact with people.
Photo - Xinjian - thanks to him Chinese smierdziuchy not move it anymore:
Chinese white, I do not drink vodka for a long time already. Exactly from the moment his time as a similar event, I drank a lot of beer first, then with each table on the glass (and was the company of 12 people), then sat to the table and pulled out from behind the Xinjian moonshine under his arm from back home and invited me to drink. We started the pic, I am completely unaware of its power drink, at some point (remember how the fog) instead Xinji (who had evidently quite) a pic with me he started his 17-year-old son. There was nothing on zapitke, so I drank moonshine red wine. I do not know how long it lasted, I broke off a movie, and then remember only myself inclined over the sink and toilet in the restaurant trying to cleanse itself of poisons. Xiao Jin, my other dear friend and also a student teacher, patted me on the back and calmed. Two hours hung over the sink, and Xiao Jin drove me home. The big M gave me water with salt, but recovering from each other by a few good days, and probably smelled like 2 weeks. Smelled - because Chinese wodak 高粱 done on sorghum (a type of millet), has an intense smell, something between a Brzozówka denatured alcohol. At one time managed by the Polish tour, and a participant noted that smells like brandy, but no she did not have my experiences.
Anyway, I, M and Large owner kanjpy drank rice wine, and the rest of the company is stinking filth. After an hour we reached the Big J of the dorm - a little dimmed, he poured an exam, but he nalali smierdziuchy my buddies and I think the world has gained for him warm colors.
we ate primarily sheep. It must be cut into very thin slices, and is commonly done by freezing me and then it cut. However, in the orthodox pubs - and in doing so we were just - I use it Fresh raw lamb and cut fresh meat. This requires a real skill and sharp tools, but also gives a completely different taste. Cut into thin lamb cooks very quickly - I usually just dip two or three times in a cauldron of boiling soup, and already I can consume. In this connection, I called the "rinsed Mutton" 涮羊肉 - because cooking it looks like the clothes in the rinse water for dipping and drawing.
Mutton was really excellent. However, soon appeared on the table some rough parts ram difficult to identify. He pulled me closer to the Master plate, encouraging the consumption. I looked at the contents of the plate with suspicion, bearing the worst suspicions. I was not mistaken:
"This is the kernel of sheep, try, very tasty! 羊 蛋, 吃吧, 很 不错" - The Master said encouragingly
"Thank you, already he ate and the more I can not! 吃饱 撑 了, 吃不下 去" - I said
Fortunately, in the general bustle and noise of the matter is not attracted attention of other revelers, who certainly were to enter into the Master by enforcement to me to try the delicacy. In 1992, when a large M for the first time she came to me Beijing, one day we visited my then-teacher Taijiquan 太极拳. On the table was not much known to us treats and hospitable hosts believing that Corrects August with food, what better thrust us to the plate. At one point I put a teacher, something strange, as it turned out, cut into strips swine teaches. Then it acted like the owner of the consumed - hath large portions of the Big M wspolbiesiadnikom translating that "it is behind the lost ...".
cats must surely go baptism of fire.
Returning to Shanghai dinner - after a while appeared skewers various machines, which the owner of the pub hell for us in something resembling a gutter, outside a pub. Some of them were with meat, But a part is not the end. My brothers encouraged me to eat something white, like glass noodles. "It's tendons. We kungfu practitioner should we eat a lot of that, from the growing strength." Tendons are shown to be practically tasteless, but required hard teeth and jaw forces in. Surprisingly, Mala M much liked, but she is the best in our family to.
photos - with the owner of the pub has to drink every guy and a big M:
I am the owner of M and A large pub we drank rice wine, ie. "Yellow wine" 黄酒, a very respectable drink on cold winter days, which - in contrast to the Chinese "white" vodkas - no blinds - and outright Apparently promotes health. The rest of the company drunk kid. Excelled in the Lao Jiang. As already mentioned Jiang Lao has among students master fighter reviews. It is not the best in the exercises, neither the strongest nor najsprawnieszy, but he has an innate flair for the fights, which at critical moments, gives more than a year exercises. Lao Jiang likes to fight, and sometimes the master had to pull my contacts from the quagmire. China is such an interesting country where personal systems are often stronger than law. I remember that once students master one of the fatally beat someone, but the Master said then it is clear that nothing can not help - the crime was too serious, I use his knowledge and the circuitry may have something to help. Lao Jiang has a daughter, is very proud of her, she apparently is working, and after graduation found a good job in the office of health inspection (such our Sanepid). It's really quite a good job, taking into account how many can make it to the paw from the owners of pubs and food producers. On the other hand, after the recent scandals with poisoned milk powder, Sanlu's melanin 三鹿 (it came to a few thousand very heavy cases and many deaths of the children fed with milk), none of the controller does not take upon himself such a risk ...
Photo - Lao Jiang always in a cheerful mood, which do not depart even during the fights ...
lunch we started around noon, and we wound up somewhere after the fourth. I paid the account, I got paredziesiat yuan discount and it's good. The Master and his wife were already tired, they wanted to go back to yourself and take a nap (as it may here in the habit of not only the elderly, after-dinner nap is popular throughout the country), we said goodbye, drove the head of the pub, we have also started to say goodbye. Lao Liu took me to the page, the Lao Tang. Tang Lao
it supposedly too nice scamp. It looks a bit like a bank employee, in any case, intelligent. In fact, he does some strange businesses, has the nationality of Hong Kong, to which you left in the 80s. During the conversation at the table, we discussed the studies of our children, Xinjian wants to send his son to study in Australia, but failed to pass language tests. Big J is studying at Jiaotong University 交大, it is considered uczelna here for the estate, very lucky, because he managed to get a scholarship from the Chinese Government on the entire study (for which I am very grateful to keep such rzadowi - because our government refused, of course.) Financially, this means a big relief - a semester costs about 25tys. yuan, and the Big J still got the dorm and spending. Lao Tang nodded, saying that his daughter studying in the United States costs too 30tys semester., But the U.S. $. Later Tang Lao started to talk about their fights, said to them, and frequently some drunk when you do not completely controlled, once broke Apparently two policemen, causing a concussion. I was somehow hard to believe the story, because for such "stunts" is here (and probably anywhere in the world) I have to pay hard. Lao Liu then telephoned to me, the conversation turned to the Lao Tang, said to Lao Tang really is nieobliczany vodka, and it has never been punished, that he went to HK and that has so much money due to the extra work for the secret services of some specific ...
Photo - Lao Tang, who would have thought that in the skin of a sheep sitting real wolf ...
we agreed to meet after the New Year, Lao Tang is said to be very fast, and more great moves, and from one of the masters of Cha Quan 查 拳 learned the specific steps that allow him to walk back to the enemy , as he spoke Lao Tang, against a high ideal person ... Lao Tang is lower than the 2ocm me, so I know to whom pil. Anyway, I myself, I was receiving the second kick (rice wine is to himself, as first introduced in a good mood, then suddenly it hits to the head), and even a little, and a big M with a big J would have to tow me home. Time was the highest bid farewell to the company, go to the subway and go back.
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