22 June 2006 * Chengdu

Tseten Dorje

We met Tseten Dorje in the Tibetan restaurant where he prepared "pofato" and yak meat momos, sweet tea, and tsampa for us. He's 24 years old, from Lhasa. A friendly open-faced man with lots of freckles, intelligent and bright.

Tseten Dorje warned of the Ganze thieves who operate in gangs after dark in Chengdu's Tibetan quarter. He told of one theft of his new cell phone by a motorcycle-riding thief: grabbed his phone and sped away, leaving Tseten stunned and speechless.

Ku-Ku

Ku-Ku says she is over 80 years old. She also presents herself as a fortune teller. Short, round, smiling, smoking, short-haired Tibetan woman. She said she had lived on the street since she was a girl Tessa's age.

We had met her before in Tseten's restaurant, when she came through asking for money. We have her 5 yuan and some mo-mos. This time, when she saw us wandering the Aba district, she grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into her tiny home -- a singe, windowless room with two beds. Her clothes and stuff piled haphazardly everywhere. Cigarettes on the bed.

Ku-Ku wanted to tell my fortune. She said would life to the age of 89. She said my mouth was harsh by my heart is good. She said I had a lot of obstacles and financial problems in my late 30s.

Then she warned us not to wander carelessly in the Aba district. Thieves were lurking and would take notice of us. We bid Ku-Ku good-bye and left that strange scattered street, suddenly suspicious of everyone.

Master Ye

Into a tea garden along Jing Li, sailed Master Ye, dressed in pure white silk and black cotton shoes. He displayed his fan, calligraphed with the words Zhang Shi Chu (Elder Teacher Emerges), flapping it along his face. His thin white hair and wispy beard serve to enhance his already magnetic charisma.

Master Ye wanted to chat. He was interested in all people and activities around him. He told me he had many students from many countries around the world. He then proceeded to show me his photos. He said he's famous because he appears in TV ads.

Then, suddenly, he flipped out his fan to cover his face. People were trying to neak-shoot photos of Master Ye from the street. We saw them lurking behind the bamboo screen, holding their cameras at the ready. Master Ye did not want to be photographed without consent.

Me

Where is your home town?

M.Y.

Azure Fortress Mountain, where I freely roam from temple to temple, teaching Kung-Fu and Tai-Ji.

Me

How big are the spiders at Azure Fortress Mountain?

M.Y.

So large that their webs extend throughout the whole world.

Me

What kind of dreams do pandas dream?

M.Y.

Beautiful dreams.

Me

Is pollution natural?

M.Y.

The basic nature of pollution is natural. However, we should do our best to reduce pollution because of its damaging effects to health. We should heed the ancient Taoist maxim: 'Ching Jing Wu Wei' (Pure, Still, Without Artifice)