begins with a quest to visit the grave of his favorite Chinese poet, Li Bai
He meets Jianming, who follows him everywhere; when Thubron tries to tell him to leave: pg 114: "I told him that I needed to be alone, that I was of a sad and solitary disposition. I stared at the ceiling like an anchorite. He said: 'I'll cheer you up!'
pg 115: tries to see himself through the gawker's eyes
pg 177: 'I felt the traveller's guilt at collecting incompatible friends, companions of circumstance. Remorsefully I sought for ways of giving him money...'
pg 121: Thubron talks to a young monk; he uses much detail, dialogue and even facial expressions and clothing - which I am sure he noted within a few hours of the event for the purpose of writing this book - PVCs must rely on memory to fill the wide gaps in their journals (as all memoirs must)
witnesses mass for the dead
pg 130: he talks to a man on a boat; the man does not have any children: "With us the greatest crime is to leave no children behind you." - just like in Africa
pg 131: (before the break) Thubron likes to speculate - that's the best we can do, isn't it?
compares history of places to now
Thubron hates that the once serene gardens are now tourist spots - he whines
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