I had Aunty P and Aunty M that helped to inspire me and shape who I am today. The Cat had several people who helped to inspire her. I took this picture at a tea house in Shanghai (more on the tea house on a separate post).
The woman on the left, Teacher Cheng, is a published poet. The man on left (her husband), Director Li, is an accomplished film director. Both of their children are also TV and film directors. The woman on the right, Aunty Tang, is a published author, university professor, actress, and singer (the whole package). The man on the right (her husband), Uncle Wang is a film editor. The Cat is in the middle. Apparently they like me because they said they would adopt me too (they think I’m funny). 🙂
The Cat’s father also taught her lessons about life. He was a high school physical science teacher. He didn’t talk much but his lessons included both how he lived his life and the choices he made. This is the gate of one of the schools he taught at. It has been turned into a community college. We didn’t know it at the time we booked the location, but the gate is right across the street of the apartments where we stayed.
One of the main reasons for this trip was to perform the Chinese ritual of burning paper money and offering food at a family member’s gravesite so the soul will have money and something to eat. In this case, it was for The Cat’s father.
Teacher Cheng wrote a poem about The Cat’s father that was engraved on the back of his headstone.
The Cat said the poem described her father and celebrated his soul.
The Mouse is Verklempt.