Story of the Rabbit

After my first street food experience

Which surpassed my expectations- especially after getting the bill, which was just 8 Yuan, I was feeling pretty darn proud of myself! Then I bumbled around a bit more, trying indiscreetly to take some snaps and to look at my map; maybe to find the coveted gardens.

Instead, in front of a large conglomerate of brightly lit stores, amidst the pagoda- temple style architecture and narrow passageways, a young student from an Art School found me. She must have read that “sucker” sign imprinted upon my forehead. She gave me her song and dance, and then led me into the “exhibition” her school had going on there – just to look at what the students and professors at her school had on display.

Naturally, she explained every single one to me. And naturally I was interested in this personal art history clarification. Naturally too, the paintings were all for sale. What else in China!

So when she started explaining the paintings of double happiness and love (friendship and heart in the same boat pictograph) I was enchanted.

As I was also especially taken by the story of the Rabbit 🐇 (which is my Chinese birth year).

There is a girl, who is clever and lucky, and who wanted to go to the moon 🌝. Once she got to the moon however, she was so lonely. She started to play such beautiful music, but no-one was there to hear her music. Then the rabbit comes and hears it, and likes it so much. And she is happy.

(There were also paintings about the ever appearing four beauties of China; but it was too predictable.)

Yes, you guessed it. First they told me that the three paintings I liked cost 260, 260, and 280; so total of 800 Yuan. There was no way I would pay so much and per their request, I offered what I felt I would pay at 110 Yuan each, so 330 Yuan total. Well, they asked me to go up to 350, and as easy as that, they were mine. Of course, it took a little bit longer than that.

Afterwards, she kept telling me, “You get very special price.” Meanwhile, as I was in there, some other English speakers left, as the prices were too high. So I felt pretty successful in my newly acquired bargaining skills!

These are the three paintings I bought. Of course I had to get them framed, and did so in China too, as it was so cheap to do so there.

Then I had to look for something less expensive (to buy), so I strolled among countless sales traps and I bumbled aimlessly into the garden area.

 

Saturday 18, September 1999