Pascal in China (9/4)

The French philosopher Blaise Pascal once said something to the effect that the misery of mankind stems from not being able to sit in a room alone. From a Buddhist perspective, he was acknowledging that our “monkey mind” is a restless creature and thus, we continually crave distraction. How much more so today, as we’re addicted to instant entertainment and a constant stream of manufactured sensation.

 

But here’s another point of view. The misery of mankind comes from sitting alone in a room. As Whitman reminded us, we are meant to be out in the open air, in company with sky and stars and sea and leaves of grass. We are meant to both observe and participate in nature’s grand creation and re-creation, in company with our fellow creatures. The news we’re meant to read is last night’s animal tracks or this morning’s weather patterns. 

 

I’ve complained mildly about these too-long, too-much-food banquets each night after my workshop is done, with everyone except me speaking in Mandarin. But amongst those problems— two hours is a long time to sit at a meal, it’s disheartening to greet incoming food with a groan and frustrating when everyone’s laughing at a joke I can’t understand—was something else I hadn’t named until now.  

 

These banquet rooms are windowless rooms, cut off from the other restaurant diners and the outside world. Tonight at dinner, I sat outside, in company with tables of other diners, watching the cooks, observing the stream of night life, watching the twinkling lights in the distance, feeling the cool breeze of the indoor fan pointed at my seat. What a difference that made! I didn’t mind at all the lack of conversation or too many dishes still being delivered. I was entranced by this one-of-a-kind place — Xijiang Quianhu Miao Village, to be exact— home to the ethnic minority known as Miao. My first impression is that it’s a cross between Disneyland— so many tourists!— and an authentic city (not village, by any means) nestled on two hills with a valley below. Hard to tell if the many people in their traditional clothing are wearing it for show or just the way the culture has for centuries. 

 

My room has a balcony looking out to the sparkling lights of the buildings across the way and the bed is also facing the windows unto it all. So Pascal might be pleased to hear that I am alone in my room. And thoroughly enjoying it!