The last time I was in China was as a kid in 2004. I remember Dongguan being extremely dirty and dusty. To be fair, China was classified as a developing country back then.
After 20 years, I came back. China is a new country—the streets are clean and safe, and all public transport (besides big buses) uses EVs. The metro is fast and smooth, and unlike the London tube, you can use your data underground. Bear in mind that Nanchang is just a Tier 2 city.
I went on mountain excursions with my mum in Jiangxi province. The scenery was breathtaking—you felt like a deity living among the mist. That place is Gexian Mountain (葛仙山).
The other famous mountain we went to is Longhu Mountain (龙虎山). This place is sacred, as Taoism originated there. It is also designated a historical burial site since Guyue people placed their deceased in a hanging coffin and lifted it onto the mountain’s cliff. I felt a bit spooked by it. The night performance “Searching for Longhu Mountain” also occurs here, and the show was worth it. I had never seen anything like this before.
We went to an ancient village named Hongcun Village (宏村). In ancient times, this village produced many high-ranking doctors, business people, officers, etc., due to its design, which was in accordance with Fengshui. However, in the modern days, the village stopped producing great people because modern people do not look into Fengshui, and many structures have been changed, reducing the town into a tourist spot.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in China. I met many great people and had a good time there. I learnt a lot about the Chinese there and enjoyed talking to them and sharing our cultures. In November, Malaysia announced that we can stay in China for one month instead of two weeks, thanks to the improved bilateral relations.
