“[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you failed.”

In the wake of my nine hundredth birthday, I take this opportunity to remind the world that time passes for everyone. And sometimes the most unlikely people arrive to remember yourself the same thing. In my case, this duty has fallen upon one person from my past. After 10 years I've met again with my friend Terry, a Chinese woman known during my Erasmus course in Patras, Greece. And with her I've seen again her daughter Athene... or so to speak, because ten years ago she was still in her mother's womb.

Unfortunately we could not see each other in Beijing, and so she came to visit me here at the school. We spent two wonderful days together and, among other things, we went to see the city of Cinema which is located in Jiaozuo, a 30 minute drive from the school.
The visit was very funny and interesting... especially because about two months ago I was in New Zealand and I visited the movie set of Lord of the Rings...two different worlds. In New Zealand they have made a multi-millionaire colossal and left almost no trace of the production (they are regretting it now, but never mind). In China, for playing their television series, they've rebuilt entire "imperial" cities scattered around the country and I visited one of them.

Of course, the impact is impressive. At the entrance you are welcomed by the Three mythological Emperors, whose names of course I cannot remember, dominated by the Chinese Sages - I only remember Confucius - and surrounded by the four Gods representing the cardinal points. These have the form of a tiger / lion, a phoenix, a dragon and a turtle with snake.

There are certain points where you look at the landscape and you seem to be really into the history...then you get closer and you realize that it's all fake, cement and fiberglass. The true is that little remains of the original imperial cities, like the temples of which we have already spoken.

Wise Mandarins, to make you feel more the atmosphere, have organized a "historical" clothing rental service, with which you can go around the city. The fanatics of historical reconstructions might find a thousand reasons to complain, especially for the fabric used, but the final effect is compelling. Especially if you pay a guide to tell you the story and if you have a Chinese friend who translate it in English for you :-P 

This China is incredible, but it exists. 
May the Force be with us!