We were invited by a friend to spend the night at his countryside home with his grandmother. It was a beautiful time and such a relief from city life. It is still hard to believe that only about an hour’s drive outside of the city, life can be so rustic.
This is a typical countryside home.
Here is the courtyard of the home where we stayed. The building there is the “barn” where the ducks and chickens stay at night.
This is the butcher block in the courtyard, complete with feathers from the freshly killed chicken.
All over the village we saw bundles of beans drying.
They’re called furry/fuzzy beans. We’ve eaten them often as appetizers in restaurants, but we’d never seen the plant.
In the dining room was this large, cloth covered shape. I suspected it was a coffin, but my husband thought it was a boat. Our friend confirmed my guess, telling us that keeping a coffin on hand for the next family death is a custom in this area. (No, they didn’t consider storing it in the barn or somewhere less obvious.) It’s a custom, and all families have a spare coffin somewhere in their homes. It’s one of those times when you just say, “Oh. Well. That’s your custom. Okay. Glad you’ve got your coffin on hand.”
As night approached, we had a bit of a controversy. The grandmother started asking us about sleeping arrangements. Since the room where we had stored our things had two large beds, I assumed all three of us would be together. But the grandmother insisted that Sprite and I sleep together while her grandson and my husband slept in another room.
I was a bit flabbergasted and reassured her that we’ve been married for 17 years. It’s okay for us to sleep together. But we learned that it’s the custom in their area that guests of the opposite gender must not sleep together. It matters not if they are married. When you are a guest, you do not get to sleep with your own spouse. So we followed their customs.
Here is where Sprite and I hit the hay. Literally.
The mattress area was stuffed with hay and covered with a straw mat.
This was breakfast — boiled eggs, pork and peppers, green vegetable, chicken stewed with mushrooms. Oh, and rice, of course.
Meals were cooked over a wood stove.
Here are the cook’s wood bundles.
There was no running water. Well water was pumped into a cistern in the kitchen. Instead, our hostess boiled water on her stove and then poured it into a basin for washing up. We stood in the courtyard as we splashed or spit water. It was a bit awkward to have to ask the hostess to prepare water for me to wash my hands or face, but they seemed to be happy to oblige our desires to clean up.
The well in the courtyard.
We had a fantastic time and got to explore the countryside on foot. More about that later.
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Very interesting. I found some similarities with the countryside in the Phils I visited as a child – not the coffin though. =) What an amazing experience you just had.
Maria´s last blog ..Downpour in Maadi
Fascinating! I love when you share about your life in China! And thanks for the great pics!
Wit and Whimsy´s last blog ..Boo!
I felt like I was watching scenes from the Gladys Aylward book!
Um… it definitely looks rustic and all but, eh, is that a satellite dish??? In pic #4 with the drying beans?
Just curious
Lainie@ Mishmash Maggie´s last blog ..Snap? Hook? No, a Button!
Hit the hay, lol. Wow, what a neat experience. I am fascinated with living off-grid, so I loved reading how rustic (and simple) life must be for that family. We just built an off-grid cabin, and while I dream of living up there, I know it will be hard to get used to (no running water, waterless toilet, etc). Loved the awesome photos too!
Michelle´s last blog ..Instant Challenge #1: Bridge Builder
@Lainie,
Yep! It’s a satellite dish! How else do you expect them to get their TV programs? LOL! Such a contradiction, isn’t it?
Thanks for the wonderful post. It looks like you had an amazing time.
And yes, that satellite dish was so funny. Such a contradiction. You see the same thing in South Africa. They will have the tiniest little shack, but money will go to facy things (like the TV) and clothes.
Hey mom you forgot the part ware the water buffalo chased us half way across the world! You know three meters.
Wow. I have heard so many different customs through your blog and some other friends in China. I think the coffin takes the cake though!! I think it would freak me out!
Thanks for always sharing this interesting things…
Amazing juxtaposition! I guess the idea is if “it ain’t broke…” Straw beds – ok, drying beans, sustainable animal husbandry/slaughter – ok, electricity to power the satellite TV instead of running water – hmmmmmm, I’d much rather have running water. Probably much easier to put in wires than create plumbing. How great to be able to experience real “country life” in China!
that looks like so much fun! I can’t wait to hear about the water buffalo incident and other country adventures.
DebD´s last blog ..Currently Watching
Wow! What an interesting visit. I learn new things about China almost every time I visit your blog.
Rhonda@LivingWater´s last blog ..Weekly Report: Week 10
Oh, I want to hear more about the water buffalo Sprite mentioned!
Nikki´s last blog ..abcteach Membership ~ TOS Review
Ha, that’s funny about the coffin – this last week, Walmart here in the States started selling coffins online, and a lot of people have been joking about buying them and storing them in the basement for the future! LOL
Melanie´s last blog ..Looking for St. Patrick’s Day pages?
Thank you for this post! My husband grew up in the country in China. These pictures put to life the things he’s described. (except the coffin may have actually held a corpse for a while…ewww!) It’s like looking into his past!
It is always so interesting to me to read your posts about life in China. It is just so different. Brianna and I got a chuckle over the coffin in the dining room and you not be allowed to sleep with your husband.
Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers´s last blog ..Homeschool Showcase #34
That was very interesting. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Blessings
diane
Diane´s last blog ..Preparation
My kids are convinced that those beans are soybeans. Are they wrong? They look just like the soybeans that my farmer-father-in-law grows here in the States.
What a neat trip! Makes me want to travel more.
Rhonda´s last blog ..Soldiers at the Neighbor’s House
How very interesting! Thank you for sharing!
Fascinating post! My eleven year old son really enjoyed seeing all the pictures.
Hi Jimmie I put a link to your site on my blog! I really enjoy your stories about living in China.
missy @ missysthrifty´s last blog ..Link Love
Wow, amazing!
It makes you really appreciate the effort in any meal that is presented. I want to run over there and take care of everyone so they never have to use that spare casket.
So, what’s the scoop on the water buffalo? (Which totally gets a Veggie Tales song stuck in my head!)
Marsha´s last blog ..In a strait between here and there
@Rhonda, Yes, they ARE soybeans. Technically, they are edamame, young soybeans. I didn’t understand that until I asked someone specifically (after reading your question). In Chinese, there is a word for edamame “hairy beans” and another word for soybeans (dry). I didn’t realize they are one and the SAME vegetable! With two names and different appearances (dried soy beans are round and tan/yellow), I didn’t put two and two together. Oh, I love learning!
Fascinating! We just spent a weekend in Manchu village in Northeastern China. Totally different geography and architecture! We slept on a kang, heated by the wood stove in the kitchen. My husband and I were able to sleep together…along with a single gal from our language school! A little awkward but we managed!
I just started following your blog recently (first blog I’ve followed). You are such an inspiration to hs moms everywhere. I just want to say, thanks for sharing your hs knowledge and experiences in China. I look forward to learning more.
Blessings to you and your family. <
Kris10 in TX
Wow! What another amazing adventure. The coffin… well, I guess we all have our own customs! The sleeping arrangements are another surprise. Thanks for sharing!
Dana´s last blog ..Stop Motion Animation
Wow! that was a fabulous experience.
I was chuckling at the sattelite dish. My hubby came home from Iraq with lots of pictures of people’s living homes (tents) and sattelite dishes.
Stefanie´s last blog ..Tot School
Very interesting adventure! Loved the nature walk as well. We too have trouble getting a regular nature study time. But, it all works out in the end. Thank you for keeping up this blog.
Jenn
Jenn´s last blog ..(Almost) Wordless Wednesday
Wow. Fascinating. I’m astonished.
Keeley´s last blog ..Spoke too soon
I don’t know which thing I found more interesting, the coffin or the satellite dish. China seems so fascintating
Tracy´s last blog ..Learning About Jazz Music
So interesting! Even though i am from China! The customs are quite different in my hometown. Most of them are quite fresh to me, but the coffin really freak me out……
Anyway, welcome you to Jiangsu Province, i can be your good guide:)
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