18 Terrace Review — Wednesday, October 23, 1991

Mark and. McLean

In China

‘Shannon Mark, a professor of
anthropology and sociology at
Northwest Community College,
and her friend Heather McLean,
had a very special experience this
summer.

They went to Beijing University
to study anthropology and archeol-
ogy and to take part in “digs” in
remote parts of China.

_ “We were constantly surprised,”
said Mark.

“We went to China with all the
usual expectations of what we
would see and found the reality
totally different. So many myths
were exploded.

“The people were colourful and
‘cheerful, not drab grey and plod-
ding as we expected. Except in the
city of Shanghai where there had
been floods recently, we did not
see beggars. The people were open
and friendly and talked about
everything we wanted to know.
‘We saw no guns! The women
wore as great a variety of dress as
we do and it was stylish and in
fashion, from high heels to shorts.
“The stores were well -stocked,
modern. In cities such as Xian,
shops were in the American style,
with sliding glass walls opening
onto the streets. We saw lots of
entrepeneurs — small businesses
set up everywhere, individual

stalls and shops selling their own

wares.”

Mark said they were expecting
things to be different in the rural
areas, but when they went out to
the archeology sites, they travelled

into the country far off the normal
routes, down country lanes and
into the very remote areas. And
although people did not speak
English, they were exceedingly
helpful and friendly and “we could
communicate in a warm-hearted
way with lots of gestures and lots
of laughter.”

Despite China’s huge population,
pollution was not evident. “No
cars, no smog,” she said. “There
were bicycles everywhere and
occasional trucks, but almost
everyone walked or rode a bicycle
— no wonder they were so
healthy!”

“It was very hot,” said Mark.
“Most of the time, it was about 40
degrees. Because of the heat, it
was the custom for people to come
out in the evening and sit or stroll
along the streets, It was so relaxed
— no worry or fear of molesting.
We joined people strolling along,
looking in windows.

“In one window, people watched
as a barber cut hair. And in anoth-
er place a group had gathered to
watch a doctor examining a young
man. Business was so open.”

The two friends had applied for
the tour through an advertisement
in an archeological magazine.
While there they attended top lec-
tures at the University of Beijing
and seminars, followed by a few
weeks at an archeological site.

They went to digs where finds
were being made which had not
yet been announced in the
English-speaking world.

“In Jinniushan, we saw findings
that were 280,000 years old,” said

Mark. “Our European-American

history paled.in that world.

_ “There was a sense’ of timeless-
ness. When our professor talked of
Tiannemen Square, he spoke of it
as ‘just an incident, a drop, a
moment, in history’. The culture is
so ancient.”

Mark and McLean were very
impressed with the simplicity of
life, the sense of timelessness, the

' Confucius philosophy.

They found the people healthy
and happy, busy and contented.
With their labour-intensive soci-
ety, their habitual walking and
cycling, simple abundant food and
lack of stress, they were ‘a colour-
ful, cheerful people, friendly and
open.

Homes are smaller in size,
kitchens had adequate facilities,
not the glamour of our houses, but
a charm of their own.

In Beijing the two visitors lived
in dormitories, and usually ate in
the dining room, but occasionally
they went to restaurants and were
overwhelmed with the abundance
of dishes prepared for each table.

While at university, they were
invited to their professor’s home
where his wife, a doctor, prepared
the delightful meal with a profu-
sion of dishes for the family after
her own busy professional day.

Once, while on a walk in the
country, they were invited casual-
ly off the street into a country
home. It was warm and cosy,
Mark said, although smal! for our
standards, dominated by a large
bed against one wall which backed
the kitchen. The kitchen stove was
against this wall, heating the bed
from underneath and providing
warmth for the whole house.

Symbol of remembrance,
friendship and love
Rosemary —
Rosmarinus Officinalls

Rosemary is a perennial shrub
- two to four feet in height with
leathery leaves, dark green above,
silvery below; they are narrow and
needle-like and have a resinous,
spicy smell.

Rosemary flowers from May til
July with pale blue, or sometimes
pink or white blossoms. History

tells us that students in ancient
Greece stuck sprigs of rosemary
into their hair while studying.
They believed that this practice
would improve memory. Thus,
rosemary became a symbol of
remembrance. Brides wore it to
show their loyalty to their families
as a sign of remembrance, Also,
the dead were honoured as family
members dropped rosemary sprigs
into the graves of their loved ones
to indicate that they would not be
forgotten.

Folklore says that the woman
heads the household if a rosemary
shrub grows vigorously in the
family garden. Many thriving
plants have been trimmed down
by insecure husbands, but the
strong-willed wives nurtured
many ailing plants back to health.

‘During the Middle Ages people

were convinced ‘that rosemary pOs-"

sessed powers of protection

against evil spirits. They placed
sprigs of it under their pillows to
prevent nightmares and as a pro-
tection against demons. The prac-
tice of warding off evil spirits and

demons was taken very seriously _

in those times. Rosemary also had
many practical applications during
the Middle Ages and following
centuries.

People believed that robbers
could be incapacitated by washing
their feet with a lotion made from
the roots of this plant, depriving
them of their ability to steal.

They burned the branches as a
disinfectant when the plague ran
rampant or when other diseases

struck,

Different preparations have been
suggested by apothecaries of the

16th and 17th centuries, who pre-
scribed rosemary for the relief of
intestinal gas and as a digestive
aid,

‘The first book devoted to herbs
was written in England in 1525 by
the herbalist Bancke. It said about
rosemary: ‘Take the flower there
of and boyle them in fayre water
and drinke that water for it is
much worthe against all manners
of evil in the body.”

Rosemary kept homes smelling
sweet because of its strong fra-
grance. Professional perfumers
made a good living by scenting
the homes of the very rich people
with an incense made from rose-

mary.

Medicinal uses

Herbalists prescribed infusions of
the leaves in the form of tonics to
work as astringent, diaphretic,
stomachic and expectorant, It was
recommended as a treatment for
depression, headaches and muscle
spasms, Externally it was used to
combat rheumatism, sores, exze-
mas, bruises and wounds. None of
these claims have been verified by
science.

But why is it that many countries
continued to use these remedies
for hundreds of years? Grandma’s
chicken soup was ridiculed, and
yet itis in good standing nowa-
days to combat flues and colds.

Culinary uses’

Rosemary's flavour is a combina-
tion of both strong and subtle
qualities, It is pungent, piny and
mint-like, with a slight gingery
aftertaste, Its flavour mixes well
with fish, lamb, beef, veal, pork
and game. It also enhances all
vegetables and dairy products, and
is good in stews, marinades, salad

* dressing and cream sauces.

Rosemary is available commer-
cially both whole and ground.
Bancke, the English herbalist,
wrote the following: “Also if thou
be feeble boyle the leaves in clene
water and washe thysclf and thou
shalt wax shiny.”

Shannon Mark and Heather McLean came home from China
with a deep appreciation for the depth of history and culture in

the country.

. This type of bed, used for sitting

during the day and sleeping at
night, is called a “kang” and has
been in use for thousands of years.
In another part of the country,

there were more primitive types of.

cooking, using a huge wok stand-
ing ona block, heated by charcoal.

Wherever they went they found
the food plentiful, fresh and very
tasty, with many dishes for each
course.

At the end of their journey, they
came home with a deep apprecia-
tion for the depth of history and
culture in China and for the peo-
ple’s contentment with their life.

~

As one old gentleman told them,
his wish was “to be able to walk
past 90, without a stick”.

McLean and Mark have been
friends for years and spend many
vacations together. They have also
chronicled their walking into a
guide book, “Hiking the Rainfor-
est: Prince Rupert to Terrace”, a
favourite of hikers in the North-
west.

“Our test of an experience,” says
Mark, “is whether we would like
to return — and yes, we would
definitely like to see and learn
more of China.”

“WITH RICHARD. INGLIS_ ;
. ‘Who lived in British Columbia Learn about tha
10,000 years ago? earliest ts of B.C
« Where did these people iN nhabitants of B.C.
come from? pee a ( “= “yard the 15,000
+ What was life like ogg \ years of changes
< ; ‘ that have shaped
the landscape and
environment
around us.

son Head of Anthropology
Richard Inglis for an intriguing
slide talk, followed by a question
and answer session. Examina
replicas of 10,000-year-old
hunting tools and handle real
mammoth and mastodon teeth
that have rested in the sarth for
thousands of years.

es

GREENVILLE
Monday, 28 October, 1991, 7:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m.
Greenville Recreation Centre
Sponsor: Greenville P.T.A.
Ph: 621-3212 ,

TERRACE
Tuesday, 29 October, 1891, 7:30 p.m. — 9:30 p.m.
Happy Gang Centre
Sponsors: Terrace Regional Museum Scclety
Ph: 635-2508

KITAMAAT VILLAGE
_ Wednesday, 30 October, 1991, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Halsta Recreation Centre
Sponsor: Kitimat Centennial Museum and
Kitamaat Village Council
Ph: 632-7022

ROYAL BRITISH COLUMBIA MUSEUM
SCAG,

FUNDED BT THE MUSEUMS ALLITTANCE PROGRAMME OF roman Tom CANADA

me of Mantcipal Affairs, Ree reation ated Catture

1 ADMISSION FREE

1S Tour