Chinese open hearts to whimsical play

On May 1, I joined Patch Adams and 50 other clowns from 13 different countries on a trip across southern China and into Lhasa, Tibet. Unlike northern China, very few non-Chinese tourists visit southern China, and we were unsure how we would be received by the residents.

Many of us had been warned by family and friends that the Chinese would not react positively to a bunch of smiling, hugging clowns. We were also unsure what institutions the government would allow us to visit.

The first concern was quickly dispelled. Throughout China and Tibet, people quickly passed from surprise and curiosity into laughter and a willingness to "play." Music is quite important in the Chinese culture, and we traveled with drums, accordions, maracas and other instruments that served to break the ice. The adults were our most willing playmates, but soon the children joined in as well. Our guide, India, told us there is no Chinese word for "clown," so she had difficulty explaining us to people. Not only were we the first Euro-Americans many of the residents had seen, we were also the first clowns!

Our second guide, Tony, was a representative of the Chinese government. At first the rowdiness and extroverted nature of the clowns and the attention we received was stressful for him. Wherever we went, crowds of people who wanted to see and interact with us quickly gathered. Tony's primary concern regarded the laws against congregating in public places. Not only could our group and staff be arrested, but so could the people who came to see us. Sometimes police would pass through or by us, and the crowd would dispel for a few minutes and then come back again. As the days passed, Tony and the bus drivers relaxed because they realized no one was in danger of being arrested -- we posed no threat and our interactions with the people were always positive and not political or religious in nature. Some officials even walked away wearing red noses!

The institutions we could visit were limited by the government. In two weeks of travel, we visited several senior residential communities and schools, but only three hospitals and two orphanages. As we parted at the end of our trip, Tony said he was confident we would be allowed greater access in future visits. We had proven that we were not there as a reporting agency and had no affiliation to any one government or religious organization -- we just wanted to supply some comic relief for the people.

The senior communities we visited varied in appearance, size and financial support, but the physical health and mental well-being of the residents impressed us. We wondered if the practice of Tai Chi far into the later years is connected to this well-being. The residents danced, played the drums, and participated in balloon play with us. They were as active as many of the school children we met!

The conditions and size of the schools and orphanages we visited varied, also. We went to urban public schools that had hundreds of children, some of whom spoke English. The rural and special schools (for the deaf and blind) were much smaller. In the rural schools, especially in Tibet, we found the facilities to be small and bare, but the teachers were engaged and pleased to have us there. The curriculum is standardized throughout the country, and the primary teaching method is lecture and memorization. We met a woman working for Save the Children who is going into the mountain schools in Tibet and teaching teachers about interactive learning. This is quite radical, but the teachers are thankful for the freedom that this approach brings to their teaching.

The hospitals we visited were housed in descent facilities, but supplies, staff and equipment were obviously limited. Four of our clowns were in the hospital in Lhasa due to complications of altitude sickness, and they found conditions to be less than desirable, specifically problems with cleanliness and access to technology. We were very fortunate to have doctors and nurses in our group.

I look at this as our pioneering trip to the southern China and Tibet. We have set the stage for the next group of clowns to have broader access to the hospitals and orphanages. We have also reached out hands of love and friendship to people who need to know there are fellow human beings in the world who care for them -- and they have reached back to us.

Ellen Dillon is a Cape Girardeau resident who has made three clowning trips, two of them with Patch Adams. She's planning to return to Siberia in August 2005.