My first trip to Xia

My first trip to Xiamen! I visited Zhongshan Road, the Botanical Garden, Gulangyu Island (one day wasn't enough to see everything), Putuo Temple, and the Xiamen Museum. I tried ginger duck, Huang Zehe peanut soup, satay noodles, taro balls, Zhang Sanfeng milk tea, handmade five-spice rolls, seafood rice (a favorite of celebrities like Wu Bai and Nicholas Tse), oysters, and satay seafood... Only beautiful scenery and delicious food can truly soothe the soul. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a reservation at Xiamen University, but I know I'll have to be quick to book next time at 8 am 😂. Even though I walk 25,000 steps every day, it's a bittersweet experience because of the stunning sunsets at Sunlight Rock on Gulangyu Island. The beauty I saw when I climbed up was indescribable; all the hard work was worth it. I really wish time could stand still at that moment, so the sun could slowly drift home. In Haoyue Garden, there's a tall statue of Zheng Chenggong and a memorial to Master Hongyi (who, it turns out, was Li Shutong; I was researching him on the way back, and I really liked one of his quotes: "Whatever you try to control, actually controls you. When you want nothing, heaven and earth are yours.") Time flies, all things in the world change, and all the splendor of life is fleeting. Life is only about 30,000 days. Since we arrive with nothing, we leave with nothing. I feel a connection to Buddhism, like last year when I saw the blank stele of the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, in Lhasa, and thought of his line, "Neither betraying the Buddha nor the beloved," and also of Tang Xianzu's "Love arises without knowing its origin, and deepens with each passing moment." May those who journey together have a happy ending. The roads we've traveled, the scenes we've seen, have left their mark on our hearts; what we haven't reached is both regret and longing. ☺️ Xiamen, see you next time!