--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I visited China in the past, the…" description: "\"Whenever I visited China in the past, the relationships always felt superficial; there was no time where I felt those moments of conflict and delight t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/abigail-washburn-16106_always_whenever-i-visited-china-in-the-past-the_2793937.png" --- # Whenever I visited China in the past, the relationships… ![“Whenever I visited China in the past, the relationships always felt superficial; there was no time where I felt those moments of conflict and delight that make you feel close to another person. But since I started touring there in 2004, I would always collaborate with local musicians, and that…” quote by Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/abigail-washburn-16106_always_whenever-i-visited-china-in-the-past-the_2793937.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/abigail-washburn-16106_always_whenever-i-visited-china-in-the-past-the_2793937.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b71/abigail-washburn-16106_always_whenever-i-visited-china-in-the-past-the_2793937.png) > “Whenever I visited China in the past, the relationships always felt superficial; there was no time where I felt those moments of conflict and delight that make you feel close to another person. But since I started touring there in 2004, I would always collaborate with local musicians, and that opened up a new level of intimacy.” [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial visits felt shallow, but collaborating with local musicians created deep, authentic connections. **In simple terms:** Collaboration deepens cultural intimacy. Key Takeaway Engage locally to build genuine relationships. Themes culture collaboration intimacy travel Mood reflective inspirational Type cultural personal When to use this quote - tourism - music projects - community events Key Concepts social bonding cross‑cultural exchange Questions to Reflect On - How can you find authentic local partners? - What barriers exist to deeper cultural exchange? A Different Perspective Collaboration can be time‑consuming and may not always be welcomed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Intimacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimacy/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Touring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touring/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There is a level of intimacy in sharing the foods that have shaped me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoni-porowski/there-is-a-level-of-intimacy-in-sharing-the-foods-that-have-shaped-me/) [Antoni Porowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoni-porowski/) > [I've always written - about music, art, things going on around the world. The danger is that it becomes too personal. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/i-ve-always-written-about-music-art-things-going-on-around-the-world/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [In this play we're dealing with relative truths - who's lying, who's telling the truth. But underneath that, Ed and I have hit this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ward/in-this-play-we-re-dealing-with-relative-truths-who-s-lying-who-s/) [Fred Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ward/) > [“One of my earliest memories is from around age three or four—sitting in a dress by myself playing with a doll. I was fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/one-of-my-earliest-memories-is-from-around-age-three-or-four-sitting/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [“jeong refers to “feelings of fondness, caring, bonding, and attachment that develop within interpersonal relationships.” It is not felt purely within the heart or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tudor/jeong-refers-to-feelings-of-fondness-caring-bonding-and-attachment/) [Daniel Tudor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tudor/) > [“I sensed he may have occasionally strayed in some of his past relationships. It was something I felt but ignored, a rent in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/i-sensed-he-may-have-occasionally-strayed-in-some-of-his-past/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [I have been in relationships, and I felt that I was in love, but I don't know if love lasts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/i-have-been-in-relationships-and-i-felt-that-i-was-in-love-but-i-don/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [“I could sense the slightest abridgment of my freedom like a princess who can feel the impression of a pea under forty featherbeds. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ilgunas/i-could-sense-the-slightest-abridgment-of-my-freedom-like-a-princess/) [Ken Ilgunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ilgunas/) > [How wonderful it is to play with someone you feel very close to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-ax/how-wonderful-it-is-to-play-with-someone-you-feel-very-close-to/) [Emanuel Ax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-ax/) > [If we have anything to offer, as filmmakers and as TV makers now, it's this ability to feel as close to a documentary as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-duplass/if-we-have-anything-to-offer-as-filmmakers-and-as-tv-makers-now-it-s/) [Mark Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-duplass/) > [I still feel very close to the people I wrote shows with and some of the people I toured with. I feel very close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adsit/i-still-feel-very-close-to-the-people-i-wrote-shows-with-and-some-of/) [Scott Adsit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adsit/) > [But once in a while . . . I don't know. I feel so close, Rose. So close to the edge. Like if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/but-once-in-a-while-i-don-t-know-i-feel-so-close-rose-so-close-to-the/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [In the last 20, 22 years I have sung here very often and I have always felt the affection and warmth of the Italians,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-carreras/in-the-last-20-22-years-i-have-sung-here-very-often-and-i-have-always/) [Jose Carreras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-carreras/) > [Our plans for the future made us laugh and feel close, but those same plans somehow made anything more than temporary between us seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-dybek/our-plans-for-the-future-made-us-laugh-and-feel-close-but-those-same/) [Stuart Dybek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-dybek/) > [I feel close to people like Jimi Hendrix because I connect with his music. Not the man but what he did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-feel-close-to-people-like-jimi-hendrix-because-i-connect-with-his/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) ## More by Abigail Washburn > [I feel like my kind of music is a big pot of different spices. It's a soup with all kinds of ingredients in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-feel-like-my-kind-of-music-is-a-big-pot-of-different-spices-it-s-a/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [I was born in Evanston, Illinois. I spent my elementary and part of my junior high school years in a D.C. suburb. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-was-born-in-evanston-illinois-i-spent-my-elementary-and-part-of-my/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [I've noticed that the more I open up, the more I learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-ve-noticed-that-the-more-i-open-up-the-more-i-learn/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [Is it an original idea? Or is it something where you're literally a creative collagist? You're taking pieces of the world that you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/is-it-an-original-idea-or-is-it-something-where-you-re-literally-a/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [In some ways, in the U.S. we don't know how to be. 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There is a connection between the five-note scale used both in traditional Chinese music and the blues, but I don't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-m-no-ethnomusicologist-there-is-a-connection-between-the-five-note/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [As a child, I went to peace and ERA marches on the back of my mom and grandmother. Through them I learned that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/as-a-child-i-went-to-peace-and-era-marches-on-the-back-of-my-mom-and/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [Outside your door, the world is waiting. Inside your heart, a voice is calling. The four corners of the world are watching. So travel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/outside-your-door-the-world-is-waiting-inside-your-heart-a-voice-is/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [I sang in a reggae band. And then there was a soul band where I sang back-up vocals and some lead. And I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-sang-in-a-reggae-band-and-then-there-was-a-soul-band-where-i-sang/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [I spent all of my twenties feeling very angsty about trying to make a difference. I wanted to establish a touring circuit that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-spent-all-of-my-twenties-feeling-very-angsty-about-trying-to-make-a/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [I would still describe China as a vast, invigorating puzzle that will never make sense to my western upbringing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-washburn/i-would-still-describe-china-as-a-vast-invigorating-puzzle-that-will/) [Abigail Washburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-washburn/) > [China was the first time I truly felt like an outsider. 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But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever I visited China in the past, the relationships always felt superficial; there was no time where I felt those moments of conflict and delight that make you feel close to another person. 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