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| Claire Gothard ('19) |
Here in China we have the opportunity to see a variety of
architectural wonders from different eras. Shanghai was the exemplar of a
modern international city, full of glass and steel structures holding shopping
malls and office buildings. Xi’an, the second city in our trip, is full of
mid-level buildings in a multitude of styles, colors, and polish. As a friend
of mine studying here claimed, Xi’an is an exemplar for integrating traditional
with modern features. One of my favorite experiences here was the day we had
exploring the City Wall and Muslim Market. I remembered my time in Meknes, Morocco
when observing the bustling, bargaining booths along the streets of the market,
but the City Wall was the piece that got me thinking.
I strolled along the nine-mile protective wall in relative
silence that morning. As the only scholar to opt out of biking around, I had an
opportunity to observe, reflect, and connect with the space and place. As I
looked to my left over the wall, I saw a sprawling modern Xi’an with golden
skyscrapers. On the right, I saw the traditional style temples and buildings we
would later visit. Developmentally, Xi’an is much like Meknes. The inner city,
within the historical walls, is a proud representative of the traditional
style. The outer city shows the influence of foreign powers through French
bakeries and Valentino stores. Both were once imperial cities who now strive to
charter a category of relevant, though not flashy or economically outstanding,
destinations.
The wall was the connector. Every country has walls, just as
each person creates their own. China and Morocco are not special for this
construction, but are representative of the larger human experience. People
across the world have built and destroyed these monumental barriers to showcase
power and hide within. We build walls to protect those inside from the
elements, foreigners, and outside influence. Walls are a physical and symbolic barrier
that serve a dual purpose of blocking exchange and representing self-perceived
power. Cities and countries use this tool to defend themselves from foreign
diseases, invaders, and cultural norms. The pure existence of a wall is
a reassurance of safety and isolation. Control over inflow is now clearly
within the hands of whomever can open the gates. Meknes and Xi’an both had a
wall with the purpose of expressing the might of an imperial city while also
protecting the contemporary national capital. A larger wall can convince
the rulers of their own power and prowess.
Wonders like the Great Wall protected the country physically
and through reputation – no one heard of the thousand mile long barrier and
thought China was weak or easily conquered. It served as a symbol of power.
Sometimes the symbol is more effective than the actual wall. An entity with the
determination, persistence, and resources to construct a grand divider is a formidable
force. On occasion, invading forces can easily overcome the wall through
greater might, strategy, or shoddy construction. The existence of those who
break into a wall are the reason to have one in the first place.
And as our favorite philosopher Plato said, the city is man
writ large. Humans build metaphorical walls around their thoughts and desires.
The meaning is largely the same. Border walls enable rulers to control the
exchange of ideas, contact, and goods. The gates and doors within these walls
allow entrance to a select few. We can give keys to those we love; I do this
through sharing my Myers Briggs type or having explicit conversations.
On our trip, some of us communicated our wants, needs, and
quirks through the language of the Myers Briggs personality system. The four
letter codes explain how individuals see and process their worlds. Our class
has a healthy mix of introverts and extroverts, thinking and feeling types, and
perceiving and judging. We are largely intuitive types rather than sensing.
These labels provide insights into the workings of our respective minds. In
times of stress, like traveling for a month in China without speaking the
language, understanding the communal tone and individual emotions is paramount.
Some of us tend to shut down or bolster our walls when feeling intense
emotions. ENFPs, types that excel in “extroverted intuition,” can sense weaknesses
in the walls we build. They naturally understand the construction and integrity
of the emotional barriers we build. My
friends and peers of this type were able to effectively navigate the
gate-slamming introverts, including myself, tend to do under duress.
Reflecting on the walls we build together and those we build
ourselves, I was able to learn a lesson from my time in China about the greater
human experience. Another example is the Forbidden City. This palace was a
monumental achievement providing governance and intrigue to those excluded for
centuries. After opening, people are just as interested in the contents, but
they have a deeper understanding. It is more internal upkeep to maintain the
prestige under the duress of constant foot traffic; however, the valuable
knowledge gained by all who enter is worth opening the gates. The wall
protected the cultural heritage, but it is only by opening them to share that
it matters and truly persists.
Claire Gothard, of Louisville, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville, where she studies economics, political science, international business and Middle East and Islamic studies.