Nanyang is a “smaller” city in the rural heart of China in the province of Henan.
It was time to celebrate Chinese new year with Kai’s family, who live in a rural farming village outside of Nanyang.
When we arrived at the train station, it was already dark, and there were fireworks going off absolutely everywhere. And I mean everywhere. It was like a warzone.
After getting to the house, we set off fireworks of our own.
I was in to learn a few new traditions from this part of the world.
One of the more interesting ones is how they bury their relatives.
They make large mounds in the middle of the farm fields. There are mounds everywhere you look.
Mounds
The size of the mound has something to do with the status of a person. Kings from this area would basically have small mountains erected for their burials.
Also, the smoke in this photo is from the fireworks.
In the morning we visited Kai’s grampa’s grave mound, where we set off fireworks and burned money as an offering to him.
Later we went into a small neighboring city called Shitu, to visit an ancient temple there.
 |  |
|---|
We then went into Nanyang to get dinner and visit a shrine for a well respected ancient doctor from this city.
 |  |
|---|
The next day was spent dropping off gifts to family members. The gifts were useful things like boxes of eggs and milk.
We then spent most of the day at Kai’s aunts house with some of their family.
It was nice, and her aunt made some amazing food.
Farm Cat
The final day was spent driving around giving more gifts.
Lunch was funny, Kai’s dad was trying to just drop off a gift to his brother and leave, but his wife stopped us and we had to got to lunch with her.
The lunch was at a terrible.
Family Dog
After a nice visit, next was a high speed train to Beijing.