I am an avid listener of NPR and "All Things Considered" so I was delighted to hear of your trip to Chengdu. My wife, daughter and myself we also be in Chengu next month with the the intent of seeing the Wolong Panda preserve.

I look forward to reading Melissa Block's blog postings to get additional travel information and sights to see in Chengdu. As for "ma" my wife and I discovered it last October in Xi'an when we ate at a local hot pot restaurant and my wife stood up in shock after the first bite as her mouth, tounge and throat went numb. For me it was an increadible pleasure. Hope to cross paths with your crew in May.

Sent by Vince Kumagai - Denver, Co | 9:47 PM ET | 04-04-2008

I have listened to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED for many years, but this is my first attempt to interact with you.

I am sure we will all benefit from your analysis of ALL THINGS "CHINA".

Please inform us of the cultural and economic impact of the American Ginseng trade with China. I have followed your stories of many topics to find you are on the mark and often entertaining. I have been snookered into the speculative real estate market as a realtor and have land that has prime production possibilities for the rare "seng".

With the growing affluence of China, will the need for additional man-root production bring me relief in the down real estate market? While I await your research results I will scratch chigger bites and pick ticks from my efforts "a-woods".

Sent by David O "Doc" Carlson | 5:33 PM ET | 04-16-2008

I was in Chengdu about three weeks ago and had the spiciest hot pot in my life. By the end of the meal, my lips were vibrating from the heat of the chili peppers in the soup base. Please check it out if you have not already done so.

Sent by Wen Chao | 10:23 PM ET | 04-24-2008

As the adoptive parent of a daughter from China, I await your program with great anticipation. About 60,000 children, mostly girls, have been adopted from China since adoptions were opened in about 1991. While our daughter is from Hunan, I believe there are many adoptees from Chengdu & hope you'll do a story on the adoption of Chinese girls by Americans. Our families are blessed by these children & we long to know more about the country of their birth.

Sent by Pat | 9:58 PM ET | 04-25-2008

I'm an opera and ethnic music fan, and when I was in Chengdu, I fell in love with Chinese Opera performances there. The whole experience was delightful for me. But I was told that the opera may die out because there are no new young performers or audience.

In Chengdu, we had the opportunity to see the performers put on their makeup and costumes. The orchestra was small and under the direction of a woman who not only kept things together, but also sang many of parts from her backstage location.

A group of men kept our tea cups filled from a huge tank at the front of the stage.

The pageantry, and what I grasped of the symbolism, were fascinating. Some of the opera seemed to be ad-libbed, and when the male lead would come up with an especially good line, the people in the audience would laugh and repeat it to each other.

There were big bouquets of plastic flowers which the patrons could buy and have presented to the performer who they felt deserved a "bravo." These bouquets were presented by the impressario at the end of the performance.
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I was told that if an opera runs long, the performers quit at the assigned time then continue where they left off the next day.

I hope to go back to Chengdu soon and spend a few weeks there going to the opera every day. (I'll be reading up on it first, because so many of the movements and even roles have symbolic meanings that I couldn't catch. And I need to get acquainted with the stories!)

Sent by Ruth Danielle | 5:27 PM ET | 04-27-2008

Given the terrible fate that has befallen the people of Chengdu, I take no joy at being able to use this series as a source for a paper on the state of Chinese peasants. That said, your reporters in Chengdu must be praised for bringing the story to us with the greatest humanity and real emotion. Thank you all.

- from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Sent by Jason Haas | 6:47 PM ET | 05-13-2008