Silver Lining In A Dark Cloud

Last night when we arrived back at the hotel from the long journey to and from the orphanage, I wasn't feeling very well. My stomach was very unsettled. Our lunch yesterday was hosted by the orphanage at a local restaurant. It was much less 'tidy' than the other Chinese restaurants at which we had dined. At first feeling, I thought my upset tummy was a result of the long bumpy ride. Soon I learned otherwise. I'll spare my readers the full set of details, but the short description is that I got really sick. No, make that Really Sick. I had a horrible night, and have been down for the count all day. Although I did make it down to the hotel lobby for a few minutes of sitting very quietly, I haven't been outside at all. And I've had not much more to eat than a little bran, a few sunflower seeds, and a couple of bites of cheese pizza tonight. Just now I'm finally getting some strength back.
It's been a rough way to facilitate some Mommy/Ming time, but I think it has worked. Linda has had some nice 24 hour exposure to Ming, and the baby is responding well. Linda appears to have taken a more playful approach with Ming rather than a huggy/kissy strategy. It is working...and it seems to be leading to some hugs and kisses along the way too.
Ming is getting more chipper and playful each day. She is quite active and vocal too. We enjoy her cooing, gurgling, and the frequent "war whoops" that she enjoys doing since Linda taught her. Guide Sally said that she can tell that Ming is getting happier each day...it's nice to get that affirmation from an outsider.

One thing that has pleased us very much has been Ming's motor skills and muscle strength. Because we had read a lot about the possibility of our baby being behind in her development skills, it has been nice to see how well she does in this area. She easily feeds herself Cheerios (and anything else we give her to eat); she holds things without problems; and she rolls around with ease. I'm sure she'll be fully crawling and then walking in no time.

A Little More About The Orphanage

The Yongfeng Orphanage is by far the nicest building in the community. The plot of land it sits on is fully fenced, with a nice brick courtyard that includes a large, plastic play structure for the kids. Interestingly, there is a large silver statue in the middle of the courtyard with an American-looking man holding a baby. Upon entering the orphanage we had to take off our shoes and slip on some flip-flops for walking around inside the orphanage. My toes and heels hung off the front and back of my flip-flips because there are not a lot of people with size 10.5 feet in China. The floors of the orphanage were polished tile - all very clean and impressive looking. As adoptive parents, we were obligated to give a gift of $3000 to the orphanage. That is 24,000 yuan, which would be a respectable annual salary for a worker in China. Guide Sally told us that this is the cleanest orphanage that she's ever seen. This made us all feel a little better, not just because it gave us some comfort knowing that Ming was initially raised in a nice environment, but also to know that the Chinese government was using the gift money to keep the standards high at the orphanage.

In spite of those observations, you couldn't help but feel sad about these little children. There were a couple that were 3-4 years old. One had hapatitus B, another had a slight mental handicap. The orphanage tends to keep the healthy babies as a general rule, and works to find foster parents for the higher maintenance special needs kids.

I sat down on the floor at one point to play with a little baby girl, and a couple of others scooted over to see what was going on. I wish I could have scooped up a couple more to bring home. As nice as the orphanage is, it is no substitute for a Mommy and a Daddy. Linda said it well: "Even though it is clean and the nannies do a good job caring for the kids, it's like being in day care 24 hours a day."

The good news in the midst of all these orphaned Chinese girls is that China is proactive with the situation. It is a very complex situation and there are no easy answers, but is a credit to the Chinese government that they opened the doors to international adoption in 1992. The process, although time consuming, is relatively smooth and safe. Much credit in our experience so far goes to Small World Adoptions and Kathy Storro. We are grateful for their commitment to serve families like ours, and their passionate labors "For His Children."

The Yongfeng Orphanage

Yesterday was our visit to the place where Ming has spent the entire 11 months of her life - Yongfeng Orphanage. What we thought was going to be a 2 hour drive to the orphanage ended up being 4.5 hours because of the poor condition of the roads and the construction projects we encountered. It was a tough trip for all of us, but especially the babies who had to be held the entire trip. I have not had the opportunity to really study a map to understand exactly where we went, but it is safe to say that Ming is a country girl. In fact, does anyone know how to say 'hick' in Chinese?

The photo here is a pic of Ming with the Orphanage Director. All the workers at the orphanage were very nice and caring. There are currently 13 babies there. They can accomodate as many as 18. We can tell that the workers are delighted to see Ming head off to a better life. They all call her "Guo Guo" (pronounced like the "gwaw" in guava) since her orphaned name was Yong Feng Guo.

At the Orphanage we were shown the official docs that were created to admit Ming into the Orphanage. This included a photo where she looks fairly swollen in her face because she was abandoned and found on her day of birth. It also included a foot print, and the little ripped slip of paper that was included in her apple box that said she was born at 4:07am on 9/10/2005. Amazing.

This photo with Levi shows her crib in the orphanage. She didn't seem to like being in her crib, but otherwise she didn't show too many emotions at the orphanage, either coming or going. She was very comfortable being held by her nannies during the time there. They loved on her and made lots of faces and shared plenty of Chinese baby-talk with her. I wish I knew some of that.

When the orphanage visit was over we were taken to Ming's abandonment spot - the gate of the Civil Affairs building in the community of the orphanage. While we don't know the exact spot, it appears that it was likely where Linda and Levi are standing in the photo.

Abandonment in China is both common and complicated. Babies are usually not abandoned in the community were they are born because there are levied fines and put in jail for 7 years for abandoning children. So, we are told, that people often travel a significant distance to abandon a baby so that they do not get caught or recognized. If a family is rich enough, they can just pay the government fine for having another child, but most people in the rural areas cannot afford to do that. They cannot afford to pay the fine for having a second child, or the cost to raise a second child.

Keep your eye on my Webshots page for plenty of additional photos at the Yongfeng Orphanage that I will be uploading there soon.

Oh The Sweet Pain Of Rejection!

From a new adoptive mother in China: I could post a dozen photos of my precious little Ming with the look of anxiety on her face while in her mother’s arms. Who would have guessed that she would have bonded quicker with her BaBa?!! (Chinese for Daddy). Actually, Tim has such a gentle way with her, it’s no wonder she feels so safe with him. Nevertheless, it has been a bit emotionally challenging for someone who was born to nurture.

Ming has been a very perceptive little girl. When I hold her close to me, she will push away to get a good look at which stranger is loving on her. I am convinced that when she sees all that blonde bushy hair she suspects me to be an alien from another planet. I’m very different from her Chinese nannies. I’m now playing the role Tim has played over the last 19 years with all three sons and even our dog…the role of being second fiddle (actually third in this case because Ming likes Levi so much). I am making progress though. She has no problem letting me feed her. She has a BIG problem with me changing her diaper (but she has no choice in the matter). And today we actually had fun playing “war whoop” noises with our hands on our mouths while on a seven and a half hour bus ride to and from the orphanage - 4.5 hours going and 3 coming home. This role reversal ain’t easy!

Tim has reminded me that soon she will be crying when I leave the room and in just months she’ll be imitating all those “girl” things that I do. My prayer is that she will be drawn to the same Lord that I love. What a wonderful Lord we serve to bring us a daughter from thousands of miles away. Only He has the heart and compassion to do such amazing things as this! I am also reminded that even though we rejected Him, Christ died for us. What a great lesson I am again learning of God’s unconditional love!

The Second Day Sun Has Set

We're settling down here in China for another night's sleep. This was our second full day with Ming, yet it seems like we've had her for much longer than that. She's getting familiar with us, and we have fallen completely in love with her. I can't help but sit and stare at her and think about how precious she is. What a gift. What a blessing.

She's turning into just a little too much of a Daddy's Girl for Mommy's liking sometimes. They say that the baby will often bond with one parent more than the other in the early days. As much as I wanted that to be Linda, it's turned out to be me. And I like it. It's not that she totally ignores Linda, but she always wants me to hold her. Linda is the one who feeds her, and takes care of most of the necessities, but she tends to whimper for me if I'm in sight while Linda is holding her. This afternoon she was fussing while Linda was holding her, so she handed Ming off to me. Ming grabbed me, hung on tightly, then turned to give Linda one of those smug little Chinese baby looks. They also say that it is very common as early as the second week to have the baby suddenly find a bond with the other parent and leave the first one behind. I told Linda that this will probably happen just before we get on the plane for the l o n g ride home. ;-)

Baby Ming does well with Levi. I think he's probably number two in the pecking order right now. He is so good with her, and has been such a helpful blessing to have on this trip with us. He has been very mature as he has interacted with the adults too. And he's learned to enjoy Chinese food!

I know that Linda's day is coming. It might take a week or two, but she'll win Ming's whole heart and we will all have a hard time getting attention from Ming when that happens. Because let's face it...to know Linda is to love Linda. I don't know a kid on planet Earth who doesn't find joy in being around Mrs. Szym.

Speaking of Linda, make sure that you tune in tomorrow to get a perspective from Linda on the blog. She's going to write and share her thoughts and emotions about this exciting journey and the gift of a daughter.

Also, I've added some new photos on my Webshots page. Click the link on the right to see some of our second day pictures.

The Sun Is Up And the Cicadas Are Singing

We had another good night here in China. Ming was a little more fussy last night than she was the night before, but not bad at all. She had such a busy day yesterday that I'm sure her mind and system were more wound up than it had been in her life. She woke up a little groggy this morning (probably an American-Family-Hangover), but has done fine so far. It is extra hot and humid here today, so when we're outside it makes it uncomfortable for all of us...especially when you do the body-to-body thing while holding a baby.

We toured a Prince Teng's Pavillion of the Tang Dynasty this morning. Our guide, Sally, told the history of the pavillion and shared a lot of Chinese culture with us. It was a fun experience to see and learn more about the location and culture from Ming's birthplace.

Honestly, Ming seemed a little bored with the whole Chinese history thing. Maybe it's just that she's heard it all before.

But she really seems to enjoy reading about the Five Little Ladybugs.

What A Difference A Day Makes

Last night it was tears and stressed looks. Tonight it was smiles and playfulness. We're not sure if this is just beginners luck, or if Baby Ming really likes us and is destined to be a great baby. We had a full day, and a fun filled day. It was probably the most active day that Ming has had in her entire 11 months of life. After our paperwork excursion today, she napped. Then for the afternoon we took a long walk in the stroller through the local shopping district. People are still fascinated with our family, and now they seem even more intrigued as we stroll with a Chinese baby. They have no reservation about staring, walking up closely and looking at us, and even saying "hello."
Tonight the three familes in our group walked about 5 minutes away from the hotel for a traditional Chinese dinner at a local restaurant. Ten of us (not counting babies who nibbled on rice) ate to our tummy's content for about $27. Pretty amazing.
Everybody is sleeping soundly here in China, and I'm heading there soon...it's almost 6am in Spokane, so many of you who are checking in on our blog are just starting to stir for your new week. Enjoy!

Monday: Paperwork Day

Photo by Big Brother Levi

At 9:00am today we went back to the Civil Affairs Building in Nanchang....there were 10-15 familes who received babies yesterday, including a large group from Spain. All of us were there at the Civil Affairs Building going through the same process. When we received Ming yesterday the experience was a quick hand off. The babies normally cry, so the protocol is to let the parents go back to the hotel with the baby and get aquainted. This morning we completed our paperwork, including a family photo for the adoption certificate, a passport photo for Ming, and an interview with a government official. The experience was quick and easy. It concluded as the government official gave us a gift (a porcelain vase made in Nanchang), and we gave her the gift we brought for her (a nice pen).

This paperwork is a tiring experience!
Next we traveled to the notary building to finalize the certificate of adoption. Like many things in China, it often takes several steps to get something done when it seems like they could just be combined. At the notary building we bumped into the European group again. More passport checks, data validation, and another interview about why we are adopting from China, concluding with our commitment to give Ming a good education. We offered another small gift to the notary official, and voila! - Ming was ours. It will take a few more days to finalize the passport, but we are "official!"

Things Are Lookin' Up

Our first night with Ming went amazingly well. We're a little reluctant to tell our new found adoptive friends because it is hard to believe that they had such good nights. After Ming fell asleep in her stroller last night, I placed her in the crib around 7:30pm. She slumbered peacefully there the entire night. She let out a couple of whimpers, but nothing close to crying. By six this morning we were all wide awake -- except for Ming. I made coffee and we sat in bed chatting softly while Ming slept. Finally she stirred, kicked off her covers, and opened her eyes. Linda picked her up and we spent some time just sitting with her. After a bottle, she sat up in the middle of the bed and played with a comb, our AT&T calling card, and a plastic soda container.
Levi is entertaining Ming right now as Mommy gets ready so we can go to breakfast here at the hotel. A little later we are going to go for a stroll out on the boulevard. It has the makings of being a lovely day.

What an Exhausting Night!

Fed, bathed, tucked into new jammies, and feeling better.

Isn't it bedtime yet?

Goodnight, Baby Ming.

Back At The Hotel After Receiving Ming

Sitting on Mommy's lap in the hotel room...signs of a few tears shed in the midst of getting a family to spend life with.

A new dress, and she's feeling a little bit better already.

Very first bottle from Mommy.

The Arrival of Ming Mei

The moment finally came, and it was wonderful. I won't spend too many words on it tonight. I'll share a number of pictures with you, and take the time tomorrow to tell more about the event.


First hug from Mommy at the Jiangxi Civil Affairs Building where we picked up Ming.



First hug from Daddy at the Civil Affairs Bldg.












First hug from big brother Levi...and a VERY curious look.









There were a few tears from Ming and all the other three babies when they were given to their new parents. At one point they were all wailing quite loudly. It seemed that one would start and get the other couple going. We were all crammed into an elevator when departing the Civil Affairs Building, and all the babies were crying at the top of their lungs. It was quite comical.

Here's a location where I have posted a bunch of other photos of Ming, and a few of the other babies with their families: http://community.webshots.com/user/timszy You should be able to click on the link to the right and also access these additional photos. You'll notice that Ming is hanging onto a little blue identification card in most of the photos. She would not let go of it...my sense is that it was her one piece of security in the midst of this crazy evening. As you'll see, she even fell asleep holding it. For some odd reason, I really liked that bit of tenacity she showed us.

M Day

M is for Ming. M is for Massage.

We celebrated the day we meet our daughter by getting massages this morning.

25 yuan bought each person 60 minutes of back, shoulders, neck, lower legs, and feet massage. That, my friends, is a darn good time for $3.02USD. There were six of us lined up in chairs - the thee Szyms, and Keith and Stacy Nelson (also adopting, and also from Spokane), along with Stacy's Mom, Stevie. We had six young Chinese gals working us over. There was a moment when my masseuse was working on my feet and I wondered if it was punishment rather than pleasure. All in all, however, it was very relaxing.

If you've ever seen the movie, Shanghai Noon (in our family the question is not 'have you seen it?' but 'how many times have you seen it?'), then you are familiar with Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) and Chong Wang (Jackie Chan) bantering humorously with each other. There's a great line in the move toward the end that Roy delivers to Chong...After spending most of the movie focusing only on himself and the gold, while Chong was striving selflessly to save Princess Pei Pei, Roy finally meets Pei Pei. In his high pitched, sing-song voice he delivers the line: "Is that the Princess? She's pretty!"

I used that line on Levi about halfway through our feel-good session. He loved it. Both the massage and the line. And he did have the pretty one :-)

Counting down here in China, we are. We're just about 4 hours away from meeting Ming. Yes, finally, it really is M Day.

It Has Come To This

Instant coffee.

Desperation conquers pride in all situations eventually.

Linda and I were wide awake again at 3am. We shared whispering words for a while until I finally got up and melted coffee crystals in hot water. I think it is the best java we’ve had in China.

I read this verse this morning: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” At face value it seems a bit obvious…maybe even silly sounding. Yet the Apostle Paul’s statement packs a powerful punch for the person willing to get introspective and honest with himself. Whatever words we choose to use (bondage, slavery, etc.), there are many forms of non-freedom in the world. Looking around the streets of Nanchang it is certainly visible here.

As Linda visited with our guide yesterday, Sally asked about the name we have chosen for our daughter – Ming Mei Ruth. Linda told her that we wanted to do two things: 1) preserve her Chinese heritage; and 2) give her a Bible name. Linda explained that it was Ruth in the Bible who said, “Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” Though Linda didn’t go so far as to say it to Sally, we recognize that Ming is coming from a land that is overwhelmingly void of worship of the One True God, and she is coming to our home where God Almighty is served.

Yet Linda didn’t leave it out there at a distance with Sally either. When Sally explained that in China they have many gods, Linda inquired about which one she served. “None of them, really,” replied Sally, “unless I need help then I might cry out to one that I think can help me.” Linda explained that we are Christians, to which Sally responded: “I have met Christians, and they have really good hearts.”

As you think of us this week, say a prayer for Sally…that she will see the Living God in our lives as we endeavor to be salt and light to her.

One Last Leisurely Liberty

This evening Linda said to me, "I'm a little nervous about becoming a Mommy tomorrow." And who wouldn't be...

Linda has been amazing as she has prepared us for the day we meet Ming. The organization and administration that goes into this kind of an event is astounding. The pile of paperwork is gigantic. Her close companions for months have been a blue notebook and an expando-folder that contain several inches of information, applications, instructions, directions, to-dos, not-to-dos, when-to-dos, how-to-dos, and why-to-dos. Linda has faithfully organized it all, not to mention being both the brains and the brawn behind our travel to China. I simply had to show up...kind of like being a rock star :-) Those of you who know Linda Kay are aware that she is a fabulous, caring, nurturing, loving Mommy to her boys. Baby Ming has no idea the blessing that is in store for her.

Nanchang is a interesting mix of old and new. On one hand Colonel Sanders has completely invaded and conqured the city...there are KFCs in every shopping area. We dined at one of them tonight. We had to point at pictures to order, and even then we didn't get what we thought we were requesting. And then on the other hand, there are some examples of beautiful Chinese architecture interspersed with the glitzy clothing stores and the tattoo parlors. China hosts the fastest growing economy in the world and the earmarks of both pronounced wealth and abject poverty are evident. It seems that the younger generation has a hungry appetite for the western lifestyle. I've read where the Chinese government is struggling to manage growth, preserve historic/cultural values, and establish the line between liberty and control. The presence of money and internet-speed information is surely rocking the foundations of the largest nation on earth.

Out About Town

I shaved my head on my first day in China - took what little was left all the way off. Linda and Levi were really surprised when I walked out of the bathroom after a shower. I had told them I was going to do it, but I don't think they believed me. People stare without shame when we're walking around the town. I don't know for sure, but I have a crazy feeling that it is because A) they think I am a American rock star; or B) they have mistaken me for Michael Jordan; or C) the lovely blond lady hanging out with me is a more stunning woman than they've seen in Nanchang in a while.

Today I went out looking for a microphone for my computer. I decided that using Skype (www.skype.com) computer-to-phone is the most economical way to make phone calls. As I stood at the electronics counter on the 4th floor of a huge Macys-like department store, I had three little Chinese gals trying to communicate with me. Our hand motions were a true game of charades as they tried to sell me just about everything from a tape recorder to headphones. Finally one of the girls-in a stroke of brilliance-grabbed an electronic translator out of the display case and put batteries in it. I typed 'microphone' and when the girl pushed the translate button, in unison they all went "ahhhh."

We've seen numerous adoptive parents at the hotel in our short time here. This morning while we ate breakfast we saw a bittersweet sight. It was a young Chinese girl, probably 5 or 6 years, who had obviously been adopted by an older couple...50-ish. From their dress and features, they looked like they were probably from Europe. The little Chinese girl was not cooperating with them. She wasn't interested in going into the restaurant and she was resisting vocally and by running away. Finally the new father picked her up as she went into that go-limp-then-thrash-around routine. We could tell that the people were frustrated. Better days are coming, I'm sure. But they are facing the hard realities of adoption - especially with older kids. Even with 1 year olds there can be a fair amount of separation anxiety and grieving. A lot of folks, with all their exictment and romanticism, think that their new family member will immediately return the affection that the parents are so willing to give to the child. It's not always a fairy tale situation at first, but we're told that it just takes a little time.

The Great WAL of China

Also known as The Sam Dynasty

Strange, but true. We took a taxi to Wal-Mart this morning to buy a few baby items: Linda wanted a blanket, a pacifier (just in case Ming needs it, not Linda), and a few personal items. I picked up a pair of very stylish Feng Zhu flip-flops for a whopping 10 yuan ($1.21USD), and Levi bought a couple of soccer shirts for 15 yuan each. Wally World was heaving with people on Saturday morning in Nanchang. In fact, all of Nanchang was out and about this morning. Crazy drivers, jay-walking pedestrians, and amazingly brave old ladies on bikes riding with, across, and against the traffic.

We are very glad that we came a day early. Many, if not most, adoptive parents come on the day before they receive their baby. We think it was a terrific idea to come a day early just to get our feet under us. We slept fast and hard last night, but we were wide awake by 3am. Our bodies are still adjusting. By 7am we were all hungry and ready for breakfast. Like in Europe, breakfast is included with the price of the hotel. They put on quite a spread here. Some of it is a little on the weird side, but we enjoyed the options. While at breakfast we bumped into our guide Sally, who was getting rooms squared away for the two couples who are arriving today who will be part of our adopting group: another couple from Spokane, and a couple from ??

Sally is really cute. She giggles a lot (a humble, self-effacing sort of mannerism) when she talks and is easy to be around. She seems to have her way at the Gloria Plaza hotel. She brought her nephew with her this morning and they enjoyed breakfast. This afternoon she also had her neice who was enjoying the children's play center at the hotel. I suppose the fact that she cares for "reech Americans" (as she calls them) every week, entitles her to have a little pull with the hotel staff. After we pick up Ming tomorrow--we're going to the orphanage rather than having the baby delivered--we'll spend the rest of the week seeing sights with Sally.

0 for 2

0 for 2...I'm talking coffee here. Our first try was on the airplane between Los Angeles and Guangzhou. At about 13.5 hours into the 15 hour flight, we were served breakfast. Linda and I both ordered a cup of coffee and it was poured directly out of the thermous with both cream and sugar in it. I have a technical term for this..."yuk!" Once we arrived in Guangzhou, we had another layover prior to our final leg to Nanchang. As we were walking to our gate I looked up and saw those beautiful green block letters on a store that said "coffee." I immediately said, "Starbucks." No such luck. It was 'SRS Coffee' complete with a Starbucks look. The iced lattes we ordered (in photo) left a whole lot to be desired. The coffee was poured from a pitcher (who knows when it was brewed?) into some really rich milk-like-substance. The good news is, it was better than the first cup on the plane. The bad news...well, we're 0 for 2. Tea anyone?

Yes, we made it! Nearly 20 actual hours of flying, about 7 hours of layovers, and 15 hours of time change got us to our destination without delay and with no travel glitches. Not only were our bags were timely and in tact, but our guide, Sally, was there at the Nanchang airport to fetch us and deliver us to our hotel. Sally is a very sweet 26 year old who serves as a guide for adoptive families full-time. In the last year-and-a-half she says that she has seen 200 families come and go with babies. Wow. She'll be with us for our week in Nanchang.

Because we left LA at midnight (and because we took sleeping pills), we were able to get some shut-eye on the plane. We flew tourista class, as I call it, so it was croweded and snug, but we did fine. A couple and their three boys from Utah sat in front of us on the trip -- they were heading to China to pick up two 3 year old twin girls.

After getting settled in our room, taking showers, having our baby crib delivered, along with a spare bed for Levi, we took a stroll in the nearby shopping district. Nanchang--at least the part we've seen--is typical to my experiences in China: a lot of people, a lot of poverty, and a lot of filth.

Destination: Nanchang, Jiangxi, China

This evening Linda, Levi, and I leave for China. Our destination is Nanchang, China - this will be our home for the next 7 days. It is also where the Yong Feng Orphanage will deliver Ming to us on Sunday. China's economy is booming these days, and according to Newsweek Magazine, Nanchang is included in their list of the world's "Ten Most Dynamic Cities." I hope that means there is a Starbucks there. Here's the scoop from Newsweek:
A star marks the unlikely epicenter of china's second-city explosion. The Star of Nanchang is, unofficially, the world's highest Ferris wheel at almost 162 meters. At night the wheel lights up blue and red with giant neon characters that read, "Nanchang WELCOMES YOU!" It welcomes a lot of people. Nanchang is one of the hottest cities in China, which boasts more fast-growing cities than any other nation by far. Thus the gawdy star marks the epicenter of the global rise of second cities, none more surprising than Nanchang. Though rich in history—a towering seventh-century imperial pavilion rises not far from the Ferris wheel—Nanchang had all but fallen off the economic map before China's investment boom began to move inland from the coast a decade ago. Today it is still the gritty capital of Jiangxi, China's poorest central province, but that's changing as foreign dollars and migrant workers pour in. Cows graze near five-star hotels on the Gan River, and there are almost as many construction sites as buildings.
The turning point dates to 1995, when Ford bought a stake in local Jiangling Motors, which recently posted a 173 percent rise in quarterly profit. Soon after Ford announced plans to add 2,000 new workers in China this year. Its success in Nanchang has rippled across the city, to suppliers like the Nanchang Gear Co. The maker of steering columns and transmissions is growing at double-digit rates, says company regional manager Gui Qunhua Gui. "It's not just the automotive industry," adds Gui, gesturing to a jet plane and a pyramid of beer bottles at a recent local trade show. "Every industry in Nanchang is prospering."
He predicts that because small Chinese cities like Nanchang can grow faster than large rivals, they will begin attracting more speculators and investment. Albert Hawk, founder and chairman of Corstone Capital, couldn't agree more. The U.S. firm has been buying distressed loans and real estate in Nanchang for two years, and Hawk sees huge potential in "these second-tier cities that are only now beginning to take off."
Too fast, at times. With growth overtaxing the electric grid, local leaders prohibited the sale of air conditioners last summer (in a city where the heat breaks 40 degrees Celsius). Still, the mood is bright. Known as the birthplace of Chinese communism because the revolutionaries staged one of their first major uprisings here in 1927, Nanchang today sees itself as the future of Chinese capitalism.
—Quindlen Krovatin http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13528949/site/newsweek/page/6/

Famous Plum

Ming Mei is also the name of a famous plum tea produced in the Jiangxi Province in China. According to the website of Stash Tea which markets Ming Mei tea, it is recognized as "one of the 30 most famous teas in China. Production of Ming Mei is very limited, as only tender tips and buds are picked by hand and then processed." Additionally, "Ming Mei is produced from Shangmeizhou, a fine tea strain whose fat buds emerge quite late. Great skill is used in the wok firing to achieve the right shape. Temperature, length of time, and hand movements must be well-coordinated. The fine, slim pointed leaf with white tips is likened to a work of art. The infused leaves are light green and tender and very consistent. The clear, golden-green beverage has a fresh mellow and sweet flavor."