Embracing the Simplicity of Country Life in China

I just returned from three weeks in China where I have been several times. I am a tour director and take people there to see the way of life not only in the cities but also the country. Yes, the cities look much like our big cities but the country is developing. Still in the country life is very simple.

Several years ago I stayed in a small town in south China for six weeks named Yangshuo, which is near the city of Guilin. I did not have a car and the way many people travel is on a bike. I rented a bike for a month and every afternoon I would ride out to explore the villages.

Life in the Villages of Yangshuo

One of my friends that I met in the town was from England and was staying in the country with a farm family. He suggested that I ride with him to meet his host Wendy. She was such a dynamic person I wanted to learn more about her. Now when I take people to this area I invite her to come to lunch and share her story. We then go to her home where she shows our guests what life is like for a farmer’s wife who has now learned English from the tourists.

The first time that I met Wendy she was carrying a load of sweet potatoes. I asked her to let me lift the load. I tried and could not get either of the baskets off the ground. I estimated that she was carrying around 120 pounds on her shoulders.

Wendy’s Story: Strength Amidst Hardship

Wendy was born in the early 60’s when Chairman Mao started the Cultural Revolution. This was a very challenging time in China. Many people did not have enough food and the schools were closed for about 10 years. Wendy did not go to a day of school. When she was born there was very little food and she was not expected to live. There were only two babies in her village that survived the year that she was born. She went on to marry a farmer. It was at that time that the government decided that Chinese families could only have one child if they lived in the city and two if they lived in the country.

The first two children were girls. In the Chinese tradition, on the farm a family always wants a boy.   It is the custom that the girl will marry and go with their husbands, but the boy will stay and take care of the parents when they become old. Wendy and her husband are the farmers of less than and acre of land, to make a living for their family. If they tried for a third baby they would have to pay a sizable tax to the government. Even though they did not have much money they decided to have a third child. It was the boy they had hoped for.

From Farmer to Tour Guide

Since Wendy needed more money one of her friends who spoke English convinced her that she could take people on a tour around the beautiful mountains where she lives. Her friend made a sign and she began going out and showing it. To her great amazement people asked her to give them a tour and she began to learn English.

Now one of the highlights of our trips is the time that we spend with Wendy seeing her home. When I saw Wendy a few weeks ago she was so proud of her family. She now has one grand child and each of her children have graduated from college. I am always inspired by her simple life and what she has done with it through all the obstacles that she has faced. She is a true inspiration and is always so happy.

This is the cooking area that has a two burner stove. All of the meals are cooked in a wok and if they have a bread it is steamed bread as they do not have ovens.

This is the cooking area that has a two burner stove. All of the meals are cooked in a wok and if they have a bread it is steamed bread as they do not have ovens.

This is the back side of her Kitchen where the chicken live the the cage until they are prepared for dinner.

This is there simple bed that is just a piece of plywood covered with a little pad.

This is there toilet that is flushed by taking water with the pan that sits on top of the bucked and pouring water down the hole. The toilet is not in the house. It is about 50 feet away from the house.