Kaifeng, Henan

Kaifeng was filled with fantastic food and easy on the eyes. We spent a significant amount of time at the River Park, which aims to replicate village life during the Song Dynasty--a bit of a Chinese Colonial Williamsburg. We talked with a lot of the artisans.

We mostly spoke with a flour-clay artisan. He learned the skill from his father, a skill only passed down through the men in his family. He continues to teach his children. He's really something, only charged 10 RMB for each model since we were in Kaifeng. But in Shanghai, which he periodically makes a short-term visit to, he can charge beyond 200 RMB. While the River Park can come off as a bit gaudy, it's places like these that allow artisans to continue the traditions of rare artisan skills while still earning enough money.

Guess whose torso-less, topless body that is!

He matched everything on me, from the shoes to the color of the strap to a red hairband on my wrist.

As a result, we can finally put together a claymation tv show. Styled after Korean Dramas (think dramatic cityscape backgrounds, distanced but tense lovers, long stares of longing).

We called it,"戏剧在河南" or "Drama...in Henan."

Kaifeng also has a fantastic night market with desserts and meats of all kinds. 

xoxo, love Henan (all drama, all in claymation)