China Tourism

Qingdao Eastern Switzerland

2009-04-18T00:57:00.000-07:00

Perhaps better known as "Tsingtao," thanks to the use of the old spelling that appears on millions of bottles of China's most famous beer, this city on the Yellow Sea is a fabulous destination for its clean ocean air, beaches, mountainous landscape and German colonial-era architecture, not to mention the aforementioned brew and the Shandong seafood dishes that go so well with it.

The city also has its inevitable fast-paced modern side, and since it was chosen to host the 2008 Olympics sailing events, it is enjoying an across-the-board upgrading of facilities in anticipation of waves of new visitors. Qingdao isn't new to the tourist game, however, as it's long been favored as a summer-time escape from Beijing's hot and dusty dog days.

Qingdao's deep water harbor and proximity to Korea and Japan have long made it a strategic port (hence the interest of the Germans), and immigrants and visitors have given the city an additional international twist: Why not try a little kimchi on your bratwurst instead of saurkraut? It all goes down well with a cool Tsingtao beer, brewed with spring water from the holy Taoist mountain Lao Shan, which makes for a beautiful day of hiking and taking the spectacular views.

History
Qingdao was little more than a fishing village in a scenic bay before the end of the 19th century. By 1891, the Manchu Qing Dynasty had decided to exploit the bay's strategic position and turn it into a naval base, but the tragic farce of the Boxer Rebellion unleashed a series of events that would deliver Qingdao to the Germans, eager for a stake in East Asia.

The Boxers consisted of Chinese who'd had enough of seeing their country pushed around by European colonial powers while the Qing leadership seemed to stand by helplessly. The Empress Dowager Cixi, who held power in Beijing while her young imperial ward stood in as figurehead, cynically attempted to redirect the Boxer's anger at the Qing toward foreigners.

It worked for a short while, and the Boxers attacked and killed a number of foreigners, as well as foreign-influenced Chinese (for example, Christian converts) before the vastly superior militaries of England, France, Germany and the United States came into play. After besieging the foreighn legation in Beijing in 1900, the Boxers were crushed by an international force and Cixi had to flee Beijing in disguise.

By that time, Qingdao had already fallen under German domination, thanks to Kaiser Wilhelm II's exploitation of the murder of two German missionaries in 1897. Germany easily forced the hapless Qing Dynasty to grant a 99-year lease to Qingdao, and they immediately moved in and started building (and brewing beer).

Germany had big plans in East Asia, but the onset of World War I sank those hopes. The ambitious Japanese took advantage of the outbreak of war in Europe to seize Qingdao in 1914, getting an assist from Great Britain, which was only too happy to damage the Kaiser in any way possible. After the war ended, China suffered yet another humiliation at the hands of the Great Powers of the time, as the Treaty of Versailles granted Japan continued rule of the former German colonial outpost.

This lead to another popular outcry from the Chinese, with the "May Fourth Movement" protests in Beijing stirring nationalist pride and anti-foreign feeling. Many see this period as setting the stage for the eventual triumph of the Chinese communists who, at that time, were beginning to organize. Qingdao did, return to China in 1922, only to be invaded by the Japanese in 1938 and held for the duration of the Sino-Japanese War.

The city has since weathered the turbulent times surrounding the establishment of the PRC and the Cultural Revolution and emerged as China's fourth largest port and the center of the Shandong Pinensula's booming economy while retaining the charm of a seaside resort with a unique architectural heritage. Spend a few days in Qingdao, and it's easy to see why it was chosen as one of China's Olympic cities.

Climate
Qingdao enjoys coastal weather—mild and moist—with summer months in the mid- to upper 20sº C (upper 70s to mid-80sº F). January is the coldest month with the temperature hovering around freezing. June and July are the rainy months and August brings warm water temperatures perfect for swimming at the beach. The transitional seasons of spring and fall are very pleasant.

The charm city of china ---Xi'an

2009-04-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

Xi'an

　　Xi'an was once a major crossroads on the trading routes from eastern China to central Asia, and vied with Rome and later Constantinople for the title of greatest city in the world. Today Xi'an is one of China's major drawcards, largely because of the Army of Terracotta Warriors on the city's eastern outskirts.

Uncovered in 1974, over 10,000 figures have been sorted to date. Soldiers, archers (armed with real weapons) and chariots stand in battle formation in underground vaults looking as fierce and war-like as pottery can. Xi'an's other attractions include the old city walls, the Muslim quarter and the Banpo Neolithic Village - a tacky re-creation of the Stone Age. By train, Xi'an is a 16 hour journey from Beijing. If you've got a bit of cash to spare, you can get a flight.

The charm city of china ---Shanghai

2009-04-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

Shanghai

　　Although the lights have been out for quite some time, Shanghai once beguiled foreigners with its seductive mix of tradition and sophistication. Now Shanghai is reawakening and dusting off its party shoes for another silken tango with the wider world.

　　In many ways, Shanghai is a Western invention. The Bund, its riverside area, and Frenchtown are the best places to see the remnants of its decadent colonial past. Move on to temples, gardens, bazaars and the striking architecture of the new Shanghai.

The charm city of china ---Macau

2009-04-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

Macau The charm city of china

　　Macau may be firmly back in China's orbit, but the Portuguese patina on this Sino-Lusitanian Las Vegas makes it a most unusual Asian destination. It has always been overshadowed by its glitzy near-neighbour Hong Kong - which is precisely why it's so attractive.

　　Macau's dual cultural heritage is a boon for travellers, who can take their pick from traditional Chinese temples, a spectacular ruined cathedral, pastel villas, old forts and islands that once harboured pirates. A slew of musuems will tell you how it all came about.

The charm city of china ---Hong Kong

2009-04-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

　　Hong Kong has the big city specials like smog, odour, 14 million elbows and an insane love of clatter. But it's also efficient, hushed and peaceful: the transport network is excellent, the shopping centres are sublime, and the temples and quiet corners of parks are contemplative oases.

　　Hong Kong has enough towering urbanity, electric streetscapes, enigmatic temples, commercial fervour and cultural idiosyncrasies to utterly swamp the senses of a visitor, and enough spontaneous, unexpected possibilities to make a complete mockery of any attempt at a strictly organised itinerary.

The charm city of china ---Beijing

2009-04-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

Beijing

　　If your visions of Beijing are centred around pods of Maoist revolutionaries in buttoned-down tunics performing t'ai chi in the Square, put them to rest: this city has embarked on a new-millennium roller-coaster and it's taking the rest of China with it.

　　The spinsterish Beijing of old is having a facelift and the cityscape is changing daily. Within the city, however, you'll still find some of China's most stunning sights: the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven Park, the Lama Temple and the Great Wall, to name just a few.

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

2009-04-16T03:24:00.000-07:00

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Emperor Qin Shihuang (259-210B.C.) had Ying as his surname and Zheng as his given name. He name to the throne of the Qin at age 13, and took the helm of the state at age of 22. By 221 B.C., he had annexed the six rival principalities of Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao and Wei, and established the first feudal empire in China's history.

In the year 221 B.C., when he unified the whole country, Ying Zheng styled himself emperor. He named himself Shihuang Di, the first emperor in the hope that his later generations be the second, the third even the one hundredth and thousandth emperors in proper order to carry on the hereditary system. Since then, the supreme feudal rulers of China's dynasties had continued to call themselves Huang Di, the emperor.

After he had annexed the other six states, Emperor Qin Shihuang abolished the enfeoffment system and adopted the prefecture and county system. He standardized legal codes, written language, track, currencies, weights and measures. To protect against harassment by the Hun aristocrats. Emperor Qin Shihuang ordered the Great Wall be built. All these measures played an active role in eliminating the cause of the state of separation and division and strengthening the unification of the whole country as well as promotion the development of economy and culture. They had a great and deep influence upon China's 2,000 year old feudal society.

Emperor Qin Shihuang ordered the books of various schools burned except those of the Qin dynasty's history and culture, divination and medicines in an attempt to push his feudal autocracy in the ideological field. As a result, China's ancient classics had been devastated and destroy. Moreover, he once ordered 460 scholars be buried alive. Those events were later called in history “the burning of books and the burying of Confucian scholars.”

Emperor Qin Shihuang, for his own pleasure, conscribed several hundred thousand convicts and went in for large-scale construction and had over seven hundred palaces built in the Guanzhong Plain. These palaces stretched several hundred li and he sought pleasure from one palace to the other. Often nobody knew where he ranging treasures inside the tomb, were enclosed alive.

Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum has not yet been excavated. What looks like inside could only be known when it is opened. However, the three pits of the terra-cotta warrior excavated outside the east gate of the outer enclosure of the necropolis can make one imagine how magnificent and luxurious the structure of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum was.

No.1 Pit was stumbled upon in March 1974 when villagers of Xiyang Village of Yanzhai township, Lintong County, sank a well 1.5km east of the mausoleum. In 1976, No.2 and 3 Pits were found 20m north of No.1 Pit respectively after the drilling survey. The terra-cotta warriors and horses are arrayed according to the Qin dynasty battle formation, symbolizing the troops keeping vigil beside the mausoleum. This discovery aroused much interest both at home and abroad. In 1975, a museum, housing the site of No.1 and covering an area of 16,300 square meters was built with the permission of the State Council. The museum was formally opened to public on Oct.1, the National Day, 1979.

No.1 Pit is 230 meters long from east to west, 62m wide from north to south and 5m deep, covering a total area of 14,260 square meters. It is an earth-and-wood structure in the shape of a tunnel. There are five sloping entrances on the eastern and western sides of the pit respectively. The pit is divided into eleven corridors by ten earthen partition walls, and the floors are paved with bricks. Thick rafters were placed onto the walls (but now one can only see their remains), which were covered with mats and then fine soil and earth. The battle formation of the Qin dynasty, facing east. In the east end are arrayed three lines of terra-cotta warriors, 70 pieces in each, totaling 210 pieces. They are supposed to be the van of the formation. Immediately behind them are 38 columns of infantrymen alternating with war chariots in the corridors, each being 180m long. They are probably the main body of the formation. There is one line of warriors in the left, right and west ends respectively, facing outwards. They are probably the flanks and the rear. There are altogether 27 trial trench, it is assumed that more than 6,000 clay warriors and horses could be unearthed from No.1 Pit.

No.2 Pit sis about half the size of No.1 Pit, covering about 6,000 square meters Trail diggings show this is a composite formation of infantry, cavalry and chariot soldiers, from which roughly over 1,000 clay warriors, and 500 chariots and saddled horses could be unearthed. The 2,000-year-old wooden chariots are already rotten. But their shafts, cross yokes, and wheels, etc. left clear impressions on the earth bed. The copper parts of the chariots still remain. Each chariot is pulled by four horses which are one and half meters high and two metres long. According to textual research, these clay horses were sculptures after the breed in the area of Hexi Corridor. The horses for the cavalrymen were already saddled, but with no stirrups.

No.3 Pit covers an area of 520m2 with only four horses, one chariot and 68 warriors, supposed to be the command post of the battle formation. Now, No.2 and 3 Pits have been refilled, but visitors can see some clay figures and weapons displayed in the exhibition halls in the museum that had been unearthed from these two pits. The floors of both No.1 and 2 Pits were covered with a layer of silt of 15 to 20cm thick. In these pits, one can see traces of burnt beams everywhere, some relics which were mostly broken. Analysis shows that the pits were burned down by Xiang Yu, leader of a peasant army. All of the clay warriors in the three pits held real weapons in their hands and face east, showing Emperor Qin Shihuang's strong determination of wiping out the six states and unifying the whole country.

The height of the terra-cotta warriors varies from 1.78m, the shortest, to 1.97m, the tallest. They look healthy and strong and have different facial expressions. Probably they were sculpted by craftsmen according to real soldiers of the Qin dynasty. They organically combined the skills of round engraving, bas-relief and linear engraving, and utilized the six traditional folk crafts of sculpturing, such as hand-moulding, sticking, cutting, painting and so on. The clay models were then put in kilns, baked and colour-painted. As the terra-cotta figures have been burnt and have gone through the natural process of decay, we can't see their original gorgeous colours. However, most of the terra-cotta figures bear the trace of the original colours, and few of them are still as bright as new. They are found to be painted by mineral dyestuffs of vermilion, bright red, pink dark green, powder green, purple, blue, orange, black and white colours.

Thousands of real weapons were unearthed from these terra-cotta army pits, including broad knives, swords, spears, dagger-axes, halberds, bows, crossbows and arrowheads. These weapons were exquisitely made. Some of themes are still very sharp; analyses show that they are made of alloys of copper and tin, containing more than ten kinds of other metals. Since their surfaces were treated with chromium, they are as bright as new, though buried underground for more than 2,000 years. This indicates that Qin dynasty's metallurgical technology and weapon-manufacturing technique already reached quite a high level.

In December 1980, two teams of large painted bronze chariots and horses were unearthed 20 metres west of the mound of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum. These single shaft four-horse chariots each comprises 3,462 spare parts, and has a body with two compartments, one behind the other, and an elliptical umbrella like canopy. The four horses harnessed to the chariot are 65-67 centimeters tall. The restored bronze chariots and horses are exact imitations of true chariot, horse and driver in half life-size.

The chariots and horses are decorated with coloured drawings against white background. They have been fitted with more than 1,500 pieces of gold and silvers and decorations, looking luxurious, splendid and graceful. Probably they were meant for the use of Emperor Qin Shihuang's soul to go on inspection. The bronze chariots and horses were made by lost wax casting, which shows a high level of technology. For instance, the tortoise-shell-like canopy is about 4mm thick, and the window is only 1mm thick on which are many small holes for ventilation. According to a preliminary study, the technology of manufacturing the bronze chariots and horses has involved casting, welding, reveting, inlaying embedding and chiseling. The excavation of the bronze chariots and horses provides extremely valuable material and data for the textual research of the metallurgical technique, the mechanism of the chariot and technological modeling of the Qin dynasty.

No.2 bronze chariot and horses now on display were found broken into 1,555 pieces when excavated. After two-and-half years' careful and painstaking restoration by archaeologists and various specialists, they were formally exhibited in the museum on October 1, 1983. No.1 bronze chariot hand horses are on display from 1988.

Spring mysterious Huaqing Pool in Shanxi，Xian

2009-04-16T03:16:00.000-07:00

Huaqing Pool is situated about 35 kilometres east of the city of Xi'an. Historically, the Western Zhou dynasty saw the construction of the Li Palace on the spot. In the Qin dynasty a pool was built with stones, and was given the name Lishan Tang (the Lishan Hot Spring).
The site was extended into a palace in the Han dynasty, and renamed the Li Palace (the Resort Palace). In the Tang dynasty, Li Shimin (Emperor Tai Zong) ordered to construct the Hot Spring Palace, and Emperor Xuan Zong had a walled palace built around Lishan Mountain in the year of 747. It was known as the Huaqing Palace. It also had the name Huaqing Pool on account of its location on the hot springs.

　　Huaqing Pool is located at the foot of the Lishan Mountain, a branch range of the Qinling Ranges, and stands 1,256 metres high. It is covered with pines and cypresses, looking very much like a like a dark green galloping horse from a long distance. So it has the name of the Lishan Mountain (Li means a black horse).

　　The Tang dynasty Emperor Xuan Zong and his favourite lady, Yang Gui Fei used to make their home at Frost Drifting Hall in winter days. When winter came, snowflakes were floating in the air, and everything in sight was white. However, they came into thaw immediately in front of the hall. It owed a great deal to the luke warm vapour rising out of the hot spring. This is the Frost Drifting Hall that greets us today.

　　Close by the Frost Drifting Hall lies the Nine Dragon Pool. According to legend, the Central Shaanxi Plain was once stricken by a severe drought in the very remote past. Thus, by the order of the Jade Emperor (the Supreme Deity of Heaven), an old dragon came at the head of eight young ones, and made rain here. Yet when the disaster was just abating, they lowered their guard so much that it became serious again. In a fit of anger, the Jade Emperor kept the young dragons under the Jade Cause Way (玉堤), with the Morning Glow Pavilion and the Sunset Pavilion built at both ends of it respectively, to make the young dragons spout cleat water all day long to meet the needs of local irrigation. Besides, he had the old dragon confined to the bottom of the Roaring Dragon Waterside Pavilion situated at the upper end of the Jade Causeway, and obliged him to exercise control over the young.

　　The Nine-Bend Corridor west of the Nine Dragon Pool leads directly to the Marble Boat, which resembles a dragon boat on the water surface. In the Marble Boat lies the Nine Dragon Tang (the Nine Dragon Hot Spring where Emperor Xuan Zong used to take baths). At the head of his court ladies and hundreds of his officials, he would come to the Huanqing Palace to spend his winter days in October of the Lunar calendar and return to Chang'an City as the year drew to its close. The Nine Dragon Hot Spring was originally built with crystal jade, whose surface was decorated with the carvings of fish, dragons, birds and flowers. In it twin lotus flowers also carved with white jade could be seen as well. The spring water welled from the break of an earthen jar, and spouted up to the lotus flowers. Hence the name Lotus Flower Tang (the Lotus Flower Hot Spring).

　　The Gui Fei Bathing Pool was where Yang Gui Fei, Emperor Xuan Zong's favorite lady, used to take bath. It was originally built with white jade, and in its center a blooming flower spouted water like a spring. The pool looked very much like a Chinese flowering crabapple; Hence its name the Chinese Flowering Crabapple Hot Spring or the Lotus Hot Spring……

　　Lady Yang used to make a stay in this pavilion to see sights or to air her hair after a bath. Therefore, it was named the Hair Airing Pavilion. Whether the sun was rising or setting, the pavilion was aglow with sunshine; hence the name the Flying Roseate Pavilion.

　　Southwest of the Gui Fei Bathing Pool stands a brick-built pavilion. On its head three big Chinese characters “Xi Jia Lou” (Fine Sunset-Bathed Pavilion)are inscribed according to the model of the most celebrated according to the model of the most celebrated Chinese calligrapher, Yu You Ren, here is the source of the spring water.

　　At this spa there are four hot springs. They have an hourly flow of 112 tons, and a constant temperature of 43°C. The spring water contains lime, sodium carbonate, sodium sulphate and other minerals, which makes it suitable for bathing and considerable treatment of quite a few diseases such as dermatosis, rheumatism, arthritis and muscular pain. The Fine Sunset-Bathed Pavilion marks the first source of the spring water, which was discovered some 3,000 years ago, roughly in the Western Zhou Dynasty. Its water flow averages 25 tons per hour. Take up the steps east of the source of hot springs, you will gradually see the Five-Room Pavilion where Chiang Kaishek made a temporary stay during the Xi'an Incident.

　　The Xi'an Incident took place on December 12, 1936, and it is also known as the Double Twelfth Incident. After the Incident of September 18, 1936, the Japanese imperialists seized the three provinces northeast of China, and intensified their invasion of North China. This was the very moment vital to the Chinese nation. Yet Chiang Kaichek persisted doggedly in carrying out his reactionary policy “domestic tranquility is a must for the resistance against Japanese invades,” and commanded the Northeast Army and Northwest Army, respectively headed by Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng, to attack the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region. Inspired by our Party‘s policy “let us stop the internal war and unit to resist the Japanese aggressors,” those two generals made to Chiang Kaishek the proposal of forming a united front with the Communist Party for the resistance. Not only did he reject the proposal, but flew to Xi'an to scheme the “suppression of the Communist Party.” And the slaughter of the patriotic youth. Out of patriotism, Zhang and Yang started the famous Xi’an Incident.

　　Very early on the morning of December 12, 1936 the Incident was impending. Zhang Xueliang, together with Yang Hucheng ordered a squad of bodyguards to surround the Huaqing Pool. They fought a fierce battle there, and wiped out Chiang's bodyguards in one vigorous effort. The sound of firing came to Chiang Kaishek, and he was so terrified that he crept out of the window with his nightgown and slippers only. What‘s more, he hurt his spinal bone, and lost one of his slippers while crossing over the back wall. He staggered up Lishan Mountain, and hid himself behind a stone in the crevice halfway on it. Those brave soldiers began to search the mountain immediately when they rushed into the Five-Room Pavilion to find that Chiang's hat and clothes were still there and that his quilt remained warm. In the end they found Chiang Kaishek, and thus escorted him to Xi’an.

　　In order to avoid a civil war and try t establish a national united front for the resistance against Japan, Mao Zedong on behalf of the C.C.P.C. insisted on a peaceful settlement of the Incident. Therefore, a delegation headed by Zhou Enlai was sent to Xi'an. Zhou Enlai and his suite did a large amount of work there, took everything possible into consideration, and ultimately forced Chiang Kaishek to accept the proposal by his two generals. On December 25, Chiang was freed, and flew back to Nanjing. The Xi‘an Incident was so peacefully settled.

　　The peaceful settlement of the Incident put an end to the internal war which had lasted for ten years, and accelerated the formation and development of the national united front for the anti-Japanese drive. Moreover, it showed that the co-operative relationships between the Communist and Nationalists arrived at a new stage. It marked a great turning point in modern Chinese history.

　　In the year of 1946 the KMT government had a “National Rejuvenation Pavilion” built near the crevice where Chiang Kaishek had hidden himself in the Incident. It was also called “Vital Energy Pavilion”. After the national liberation it was renamed “Catching Chiang Pavilion”. Close by the pavilion stands a wooden board which carries a brief introduction to the Xi'an Incident. Iron chains and rings in the crevices east of the pavilion, by which visitors can climb up to take a look at Chiang Kaishek‘s shelter.

　　Up the winding path east of the Five-Room-Pavilion you will catch sight of a bridge-like construction. It shines regularly with a myriad of evening sun rays both in summer and autumn, and looks very much like rainbow. So it has the name of the Hovering Rainbow Bridge.

　　Located on the Xixiu Ridge (the West Embroidery Ridge) of the Lishan Mountain, the remains of the beacon tower of the Western Zhou Dynasty seem easy to identify.

　　The beacon tower was mostly built at the top of the mountain to give border alarm in ancient times. It was constantly under special control. Once the enemies were pressing on towards the border, the beacon tower began to take effect: it was made to smoke in the daytime while set on fire at night.

　　The story goes that Bao Si, Queen of the Western Zhou dynasty was highly honored, yet she never cracked a smile. King You tried many ways to put a smile on her face, but he failed over and over again. He “called his court band to toll bells and beat gongs”, and she pulled a long face. Then the band were asked to “play the bamboo flute and strings” and she remained displeased. Afterwards, “maids of honour served wine, festively singing and dancing,” and she did not let out a smile at all.

　　“You don't like music! What on earth are you fond of?” the King asked.

　　“I nearly have a liking for nothing. But I can still well remember I liked to give ear to the sound of tearing a piece of coloured silk when I was a child. It was clear anf melodious,” she replied. King You said in excitement, “That is very simple. How come you didn't let me know it earlier?”

　　Thus he ordered the officially appointed property manager to offer coloured silk, and made fresh and energetic maids of honour to tear it into pieces. Hundreds of bolts of coloured silk were utterly torn, but Bao Si remained unmoved.

　　“Why didn't you let out a single smile then?” he asked.

　　“I have never smiled so far, ” the Queen replied.

　　The King tried over and over again, but failed repeatedly, and in the end he gave orders, “Anyone both in and out of court who can amuse Bao Si will be awarded one thousand pieces of gold.”

　　Afterwards Guo Shifu, a treacherous court official came and offered advice: “Set the beacon tower on fire and fool your sovereign rulers.” That night the King and Queen reached the Lishan Mountain by carriage, and gave the order. In the split second the flames of the fire lit up the sky ad the sovereign rulers moved their troops immediately to the Lishan Mountain. There they found nothing but that the King and Queen enjoyed drinking festively. The King then dispatched his bodyguard to inform them that “Everything should have been all right. I have just been joking with you.” When they got this, they looked at each other in blank dismay, and left disappointed. Sure enough, Bao Si burst into laughter, stroking her hands when she noticed all the troops come in vain and go noisily. Accordingly, Guo Shifu got a prize of one thousand pieces of gold. Later on King You did so more often than not. In 771 B.C. Quan Rong (a then minority tribe) staged an armed rebellion against the Western Zhou Dynasty. King You ordered urgently to set the beacon tower on fire, but all the sovereign rulers remained unmoved. Consequently King Yu was killed, and Bao Si was taken away. The Western Zhou dynasty vanished. Herein come the Chinese idiom “A single smile costs one thousand pieces of gold” and “The sovereign rulers are fooled by the beacon fire.”

　　u ordered urgently to set the beacon tower on fire, but all the sovereign rulers remained unmoved. Consequently King Yu was killed, and Bao Si was taken away. The Western Zhou dynasty vanished. Herein come the Chinese idiom “A single smile costs one thousand pieces of gold” and “The sovereign rulers are fooled by the beacon fire.”

Beautiful Mt.Emei

2009-04-16T03:07:00.000-07:00

Mt.Emei is one of the "four famous mountains"in China. It lies about 168km from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. Before the tour of the holy mountain, it is important to obtain some inforation about the spread of Buddhism in China, Buddhism in Mt. Emei and its hiking routes.

　　The Spread of the Buddhism

　　Buddhism was founded in India around the 16th century BC. It is said that the founder was Sakyamuni. Sskyua was the name of the clan to which his family belonged. Sakyamuni was a prince and was brought up in luxury. In his 20s, he became discontented with the world. Every day he had to face with sights of sickness, death and old age since the body was inescapably involved with disease, decrepitude and death. Around the age of 30 he made his break from the material world and plunged off in search of enlightenment.

　　Sakyamuni began by studying Hindu philosophy and Yoga. Then he joined a band of ascetics and tried to break the power of his body by inflicting severe austerities on himself. However, no matter how he held his breath until his head burst and starved his body until his ribs jutted out, he failed to enlighten himself. Finally Sakyamuni followed the principle of the middle way in which he would live between the extremities of asceticism on one hand and indulgence on the other. As the story goes, he devoted the final phase of his search for enlightenment to meditation and mystic concentration. One evening he sat beneath a fig tree, slipped into a deep meditation and achieved enlightenment from his mystic concentration.

　　Sakyamuni founded an order of monks and for the next 45 years or so peached his ideas around 480 BC. Sakyamuni teaches that all life is suffering. Everyone is subjected to the trauma of birth, to sickness, decrepitude and death. Real happiness can't be achieved until suffering is overcome. The cause of unhappiness is 'desires',specifically the desire of the body and the desire personal fulfillment. In order to overcome the desirs and achieve happiness, it requires the following eight-fold path.

Desirable Du Fu Cottage in Sichuan China

2009-04-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

Du Fu(712~770)Thatched Cottage used to be the former hone of Du Fu, one of the greatest poets in the Tang Dynasty. Located in the western suburbs of Chengdu, the spot is marked by a stream, ancient style architecture, pavilion pagodas and age -old trees.

　　The cottage consists of six important parts, They are the Front Gate, the Lobby, the Hall of poem History, the Water Pavilion, the Gongbu Shrine and the Thatched Cottage.

　　At the time of the Tang Dynasty, Du Fu's poetry first came to be recognized. Readers of many different periods have considered Du Fu to be the greatest poet of the Chinese tradition. Such general agreement can partially be explained by the immense variety of his work, which holds up quite well to different tastes and historical changes in fashion. Like Shakespeare in English tradition, Du Fu's poetry came to be so deeply bound up with the constitution of literary value that generation after generation of poets and critics rediscovered themselves and their interests in some aspect of the poet'

　　Chinese critics from the Song Dynasty referred to Du Fu as the"poet-historian". Both before and after the An Lushan Revolt, Du Fu witnessed a typical political and social situation; the common people still lived in poverty while the emperor and his top officials enjoyed a foolishly luxurious life. He composed many poems such as "Song of the War Chariots", "Three Officials"，and "Three Departures"。His poems expressed his dissatisfaction with the government and his great pity for the common people. Du Fu used his poems to comment on current events and historical images. Du Fu became the historian by creating his responses to particular situations.

　　Du Fu was talented. When he was young, he wanted to get a good job in the government. Unfortunately Du Fu was refused several times. He was in his fifties when he began to serve as a minor official in Changan (Xi'an). Gongbu was his official title and probably he was in charge of the lical industry.

　　Du Fu was not a skilled survivor in government politics. He was dismissed in the form of a transfer to the post of personnel administrator in Huazhou and so left Changan. Du Fu soon gave up this minor post in disgust and set off with his family to Qinzhou in the Northwest. After a short stay he moved on again and in 759 he arrived in Chengdu. He set up a modest cottage with some money he borrowed from his friend who served as a local governor. In the cottage he had a simple and peaceful life for three years, writing about 240porms. Mostly inspired by the cottage, the stream nearby and the scenery in Chengdu. These poems give the impression that he was happier in Chengdu than any other time in his life. The poems of this period sound relaxed and happy. Here are some of them.

The beautiful Hulunbeier grassland in Inner Mongolia of China

2009-04-16T02:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to HunLunbeier Grassland! First of all, I'd like to tell you why People call this bdautiful grassland Hulunbeier grassland. There is a moving legend behind it. A long, long time ago there lived a couple of lovers on the grassland. The girl was a Hu lun. The boy was Bei Er. One day a demon chief called Mang Gusi abducted HuLun and dried up the grassland. The grass withered and yellowed and domestic animals died one after another.In order to save the grassland and Hu Lun, BeiEr traved a great distance on foot, chasing after Mang Gasi day and night. Finally, he fainted from exhaustion. In his weakened state, he dreamt that the demon chief had magically turned Hu Lu,Bei Er traveled a great distance on foot, chasing after Mang Gasi day and night. Finally, he fainted from exhaustion.In his weakened state, he dreamt that the demon chief had magically turned Hu Lun into a flower which was and suffering from the windy dream in front of him. He immediately watered the flower and broke the spell. Hu Lun changed back into her former self. But the demon chief would not give up. He immediately watered the flower and broke the spell. Hu Lun changed back in to her former self. But the demon chief would not give up. He seized Hu Lun and took her away again. Hu Lun racked her brain for a way to escape. She succeeded in getting hold of the magic pearl on the demon chief`s head. On swallowing the pearl Hu Lun turned into a lake. In the meantime BeiEr had killed all of the other demons, but failed to find Hu Lun. Heartbroken, Bei Er jumped in to a lake to kill
himself.All of a sudden the earth split open and formed two lakes, Hu Lun lake and Bei Er Lake, with the Wilson River closely connecting them. Later,people living on the grassland named the land hulunbeier Grassland in momory of them.

　　HuLunbeier covers an area of 250.557 square kilometers,with a totel population of 2.66 million. The Mongolian natiality is the dominant ethic group, and 35 other nationlities,such as Dawoer, Ewenke, Elunchun, Han, Manchu, Russian, etc. live in harmony with them on the grassland. Hunlunbeier is called “green and clean land” because it is relatively free of pollution.

China Sichuan Jiuzhaigou Tourism

2009-04-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

Jiuzhaigou's entrance gate was built shortly after Jiuzhaigou was listed into the World Natural Heritage Catalog in 1992. The gate reflects the features of Tibetan remote areas. The bark of logs wraps round the whole gate that appears primitive, but also displays the flavor of thew modern arts. It seems to tell us that you will find yourselves in the world's most exciting and unspoiled nature. As you know, Jiuxhaigou has been crowned with several titles: The World Natural Heritage, The World Bio-sphere Reserve, the Green Globe 21 and The State 4A-Level Scenery. Besides,each site and each image shows something more-the true essence, the spirit, and the magic of Jiuxhaigou, Jiuxhaigou's wonders inspire the country's top photographers and artists because the best of their work is here. Others express their feelings through words, and there are numerous quotes from writers or visitors. However, many others articulate this land that seems indescribable. As the saying goes, it is better to see once than hear a hundred times. I think Jiuzhaigou's reputation attracts all of you to come here for a vidit. I believe, whether you are a frequent visitr or someone who simply enjoys beautiful places, the visit to Jiuzhaigou will be a perfect way to remember the unique sites and beauty of jiuzhaigou in days to come.

　　Jiuzhaigou scenery is licated in jiuzhaigou County, the ASbe Tibetan and Qiang Nationality Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province. Jiuzhaigou literally means nine Tibetan village gullies, which are all scattered in the scenic area. The names of the villages are Heye, Shuzheng, Zech awa, Heijiao, Panya, Yala, Jianpan, Rexi and Guodu.

　　Jiuzhaigou scenery has taden shape due to the geographic movement in glaciations, earthquakes and calcification. However, there is some folklore that vividly describes the formation of Jiuzhaigou. Here is a story. A long tome ago, a male and female hilly deities fell in love with each other. The man is called Dage and woman Wonuosemo, who decided to reside in Jiuzhaigou because they deeply loved Jiuzhaigou's birds and animals, and forests and mountains. Unexpectedly a devil called Shemozha found out that the female deity was so beautiful that ho fool in love with her, too. Two devil didn't like the male deity to live here in Jiuzhaigou. Therefore the devil waged a war in orser to drive the male deity out and marry the female deity. A fiere battle occurred between the deity and the devil. During the battle, the female deity was snatched away by the devil. Bewildered, the female deity dropped down to the ground her precious mirror given by the male deity. The mirror was broken into over a hundred pieces, which immediately turned into over hundred high mountains and beautiful lakes. The battle continued, and the male deity and the devil fought all the way from inner Jiuzhaigou to the entrance. Despite that, there was no sign indicating who would win the battle. At this critical moment, Zhayizhaga, the king of multi-mountains arrived to join the fight on the side of the male deity. The king first put a huge screen-shaped cliff behind the devil and then crashed the devil beneath the cliff. The devil was buried there, eith his head off the cliff. Afterwards lical people called the cliff the Devil Cliff. Now ot os called the Precious Mirror Cliff. Since then Jiuzhaigou returned to peace and looked more beautiful due to the newly added over a hundred colorful lakes and mountains. The man and womand lived together in Jiuzhaigou forever as the important deities to safeguard jiuzhaigou.

　　Jiuzhaigou is 47 km long from the south to the north, 29 km wide from the east to the west, covering an area of 720sq. km. In 1990 Jiuzhaigou became one of 40 best scenic spots in the country; in 2000 Jiuzhaigou was evaluated as one of the first atate 4A-level sceneries in China; in 1992 Jiuzhaigou was listed on the World Bio-sphere Reserve.

　　In Jiuzhaigou scenic area there are three gullies that seem to be in the shape of y. There distributed 108 lakes, 47 splashed waterfalls, 12 tirbi;emt screa,s. 5 shoals and 3 Tibetan villages. All these scenic sites create a unique landscape of jiuzhaigou, to China and the rest of the world.

　　If you get closer to view the cliff that is over a thousand-ren cliff, you may see a bizarre figure image on the cliff. What does it look alike? It is a devil's face, and it is now called the Precilous Mirror Cliff. Down the cliff is a gully called Zharugou, where stands Zharu Monastery. In Sichuan Tibetan areas local Tibetan people believe in what can be properlyu described as "Lamaism", an ancient strain of Tantric Indian Buddhism, coupled with Tibetan Shamanism. It flourishes in regions inhabited by the Tibetan and Mongolian people. During the reign of Songzan Gapu in the 7th to 9th century, monks from India crossed the Himalayas through Nepal and arrived at Tibet to spread Tantrism. Tantrism, Mahayana and Bon, the indigenous religion of Tibet, intermingled and developed into Lamaism that strongly believes in reincarnation. Lama means "teacher" or "superiorbeing". A lama must be a monk, but not all monks can become lamas. Lamaism has several sects: the Yellow, the Red, the Black and others. The YellowSect, founded by Tsong kha pa in the early 15th century, and rapidly grew into the dominant sect thanks to the support of the Qing government. The Yellow Sect perfected the Tibetan Buddhism and greatly promoted the evolution of the mergence of govetnment administration with religion the Tihetan a Buddha in your present lifetime. The monks in Zharu monastery believe in the Black Sect Buddhismthat is also called Bon. The religious activity of the Black Sect, much more influenced by the indigenous religilon, has centered on the primciplkes that everything has spirit; the Black Sect followers pray to gain happiness and drive out disasters.

　　Yoy may be aware of the dense forest growing along the sides of the road. it mirrors together thescenic sites of main plants in Jiuzhaigou. The evergreen plants consists of Chinese pine, hemlock, fir and dragon spruce; the red-leaf plants are maple, little tiller, smoke tree and others; the yellow-leaf plants are birchm, golden-rain tree, elm, larch, poplar mix together in harmony, offering a rainbow of natural pictures that easily please to our eyes, It is commonly believe that the colerful plant scenery is one of the main features manifested in Jiuzhaigou. As autumn arrives, the plants keep changing their colors. As colorful leaves and forests are mirrored on the lakes around, the stunning color images seem to allure viewers into a dreamlike world because it is too beautiful to absorb all of them during a time-limited tour.

　　As you enter into Shuzheng scenic site, and start walking through it, the garden-patterned landscape might inspire your passion to write poems or paint pictures. Here is the Reed Sea. If you close your eyes, you may feel as if you were in the region of rivers and lakes in southern China. Actually the sea is a kind of moisture land that suits the growth of varied water plants. Some fiah swims in the shallow sea, and they have a strange name, called"naked carp"or they has no scales, but belong to the family of the carp.

　　The water in Jiuzhaigou is a big attraction, and is commonly considered the soul of Jiuzhaigou because ot remaons much less touched by human beings. Ginerally the water is so clean that youy can see to the bottim even at 30m in depth. Now we wrrive at the first lake in Jiuzhaigou called Shuanglonghai. You can dimly see two calcified lower banks in the shape of tibbon. Once waves in the lake surges, the two banks seem to wriggle. The local dlegend says that they are two swimming dragons. It is said that there are four dragons in Jiuzhaigou. The dragons in the laks here are two of the four, who take charge of raining and hail. Maybe because they have no strong sense of their duty responsibility, they often make mistakes, and therefore there is no rain when it should rain; there is no hail when ot should hail. Therefore Geshaer, the Tibetan hero has subdued the two evil dragons and imprisoned them at the bottom of the lake.

　　The water here is closely related with calcification. The water from the Rizegou Gully has rich content in the ion of calcium and magnesiu,. Due to the suitable temperature in the water hee, the flowing ion easily turns into particulate matters, which stick to plankton or tiny sediments, and depisit on the lower earth bank. narrow mounds, trunks and tree branches in the bottom. Gradually calcified segments have fully covered the objects, forming unique natural phenomenon.

　　Shuzheng Waterfall, one of the main scenic sites, is 11m in height and 62m in width. It is an unseen stream from the high terrace meandering among the forests down to the edge of the cliff. As it approaches the edge, trees, bushes and rocks there devert the unseen stream into may sub-ones. The sub-streams fall downwards, presenting a splendid huge waterfall and hanging off the cliff. Down below the cliff grow rich trees and bushes and protruding rocks, and the water keep splashing off these objects in varied shape.

　　Beyond the waterfall is a smooth terrain. Near the road is the Xiniu Lake that is 2km long and 18m deep, the largest one in Jiuzhaigou. Toward the southern end of the lake is a forest where there is a simple bridge spanning across the lake. Nearby is a stream, and the water from the streamoffersw sweet and refreshing tastes. The local Tibetan residents think that it is a stpernatural stream, for it is said that the water from the stream can stop diarrhea and quench a thirst. The legend had it that a long time ago, ja lama from Tibet arrived here on a rhinoceros. He was so sick that he couldn't walk further. So he drank the water from the stream. Unexpectedly he was fully recovered and felt rejuvenated. Afterwards the lama drove the rhinoceros down into the lake, and he himself resided nearby.

　　Nuorilang Waterfall, located between the Rizegou and Shuzheng Gullies, is 30m in height and 270m in width. Nuorilang literally means magnificence. the water comes from Rizgou Gully. During the high-water season, the cascading waterfall lproduces a tremendous noise that revetberates in the gully. As the water hits the ground, the splashed liquik immediately moves high up into the air in the form of fine drops, which have been thrown, blown or projected, forming a splendid water curtain. Visitors often view a rainbow that appears in the curtain while the sun shines upon it. In autumn, the water gets much less. However, the waterfall presents another wonder. it seems as if the cliff hangs a colorful silk cloth matched wuth multi-colored bushed around.

　　As you enter the Nuorilang scenic site, Jinghai Lake appears at ypur sight. The lake, 925m in linght and 262m in width, is encircled by precipitous hills at three sides, and the olther side is open rather like an entrance gate. The hills by the lake look green and verdant, In the early morning when there is no wide, the lake is as smooth as a mirror. At this time the blue skyu, white clouds, hills and trees are all reflected in the water. The scenery in and outside the water is closely joined, and it is hard to tell which is teal one or which is a reflection. The scenery has inspired the passion of many artists and poets. A figure of speech is used here just right to describe the situation. It says, "Inside the water birds fly, and up in the sky fish swims."The depth of the lake is between 10 and 20m, bit tje water so clean that you can see sof green algae move and fish swim at the bottom, and trunks in the water fully have been covered by calcified sediments that look rather like huge corals in pretty shape.

　　After you leave Jinghai Parkm you continue to walk for a while before arriving at another scenic site by the name of Zhenzhutan. The slope-shaped shoal is calcified, 160m in width and 200m in length. The water flows freely downwards on the strface of the shoal that appears quite uneven due to the calcification. As the water unrolls, it splashes numerous tiny drops tather like rolls and strings of snow-white pearls spraying over the whole shoal. Moreover, poplars, williws and azalea groe all over the upper part of the shoal. In May it is amazing to view the scenic beauty as you walk underfoot the rolling water spray, passing through the patches of azalea in blossom and listening to the ceadeless gentle sound from swaying willows.

　　Wuhuaihai Lake is ine of the main scenic sites, where it is an ideal place for photographs. The algae and bryophyte grows very well in the lake. Sediments act on the sense of these plants and give rise to the clusters of multi-colorful ribbons in the strface of the lake. When maple and smoke trees around turn red in autumn, their reflection on the water resembles raging flames. encircling the ribbons in multi-colors.

　　The road near Wuhuaihai Lake spirals up the steep mountain. As it turns to a curve of the mountain, two lakes emerge in sight. One is called Xiongmaohai and the other Jianzhuhai. The panda and bamboo lakes join together, which indicates that pandas used to eat arrow bamboo plants and drind water here.As you know, the plant is the pandas'chief food source, In winter the Panda Lake is frozen, but the Arrow Lake remains what it is like before. At the lower end of the lake is a Waterfall, the highest one in Jiuzhaigou. It is called the Panda's Waterfall that resembles a flight of three stages. The first stahge is 19m in height and 5m in width; the second one is 24m in height and 4m in width; the third one is 19m in height and 14m in width. Water falls down rebounding stages one after another before cascading into the deep valley. In midwinter the three stages hang ice-formed dripping water, which forms varied-patterns nd looks magnificent as if you found yourselves in the ice-carving world.

　　Not far from Rizegou Guesthouse is the Swan Lake. It is said that swans used to reside here. At the present time, the lake remains semi-marsh land eith waterweeds fully covered on the surface. In spring the lake resembles a carpet of green grass; in summer the lake is splendidly decorated with blossomed flowers; in autumn the yelliwness in the lake meets the eye in every side; in winter the lake remains a world of ice and snow. Near the upper end of the lake is an another lake called Fangchaohai. The lake leads to hills where the hill peaks raise one higher than another. However, among the hills there is a pealk that obviously towers. It is named the Sword Rock because it looks sharp on the top and wide at lower part. Passing the foot of the towering peak, you start to walk into a dense primeval forwst, where you find yourselves deep in the boundless expanse of trdds and plants, feeling as light as if you had left the world of men and became immortal beings. There are an abundance of trees that looking up you hardly see the sunshine. Some of the trees curves down like awnings; some loom up like obelisks; some stand erect like men; some recline like dragons. Beneath your feet are soft mosses that grow in a thick furry mass on wet soil. When you walk through the forest, cool greenery rests your eyes, gentle breeze sooths your ears and the utter quietness refreshes your heart.

　　Wucaichi, 100.8m in length and 56m in width, is the smallest lake in Jiuzhaigou. However, it is commonly believed that it is richest in color. Someone says that it looks like an emerald inlaid inside the hills. Many visitors usually stop to sit by the lake and seem to feel ease at heart. The water is ruffled, and its azure translucence below the water stretches to the bottom before your eyes. you may look in amaziment at multi-colored clusters displayed at the bottow like inexhaustible treasures supplied by the Greator. Some visitors even doubt whether it is painted by the local peoplw. The water from Wucaichi neither increases nor diminishes. It soaks into the lake from Changhai Lake. As the sun xasts lights on the water, sekiments at the bottom act on the sense of algae and bryophyte plants and give rise to the multi-colorful clusters as it occurs in Wuhuaihai Lake.

　　After passing a col from Wucaichi Lake, you arrive at Changhai Lake which is licated at the top of Zechawa gully at 3, 100m above sea level. There are several questeins related to the lake. Hoe did the lake take shape? Why soes the lake have no exit? Is any fish in the lake? How long is the lake? Hoe deep is it?

　　The first question still remains a mystery. It is uncertain if it took shape due to esrthquakes, landslides or mud-rock flow. The source of the water comes from springs from the forests and snow on the mountains around. The way of draining off water in the lake is to evaporate and permeate into the ground. In the lake the water never overflows in summer, and it never dried up in winter. The lake has no fish probably because it is too cold in the lake. a legend says that a monster had eaten yp all the fish a long time ago. The lake is 7.5km in aength, and in some parts it is 103m i9n depth.

　　The lake,tyhe largest one in Jiuzhaigou, glimmers like jade, nibbling at the distant hills covered with snow. Green forests around grow verdant, casting shadows on the lake ,From here you have a view of the unruffled lake, floating clouds, water birds frolic below across the lake, displaying them merrily. as you sit here, such natural beauty strikes you as vast and imagination. Whether or not a creator exists, this sight will make you feel that there must surely be one. It seems strange that such wondwrs are set in the remote areas like this, where hundreds of years may have passed before you come along to appreciate them.

　　The daily tour to jiuzhaigou is steadily and serenely approaching to the end. Anticipation, curiosity, delight are all held in delicate balance. Reluctantly you are prepared to return to the reality of our own everyday world after you have enjoyed the brief glimpses of Jiuxhaigou where cool greenery rests your eyes, running water soothes your ears, the great void revives your spirit and the utter quietness refreshes your hearts.

Harbin, China Central Avenue

2009-04-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to visit Zhongyang Street. This is the downtown area. In order to better know the street, we are going to walk through it, which takes about 40 minutes. Those who do not like walking may keep seated, our coach will go along another street and stop at the Flood Control Monument. Those who cannot walk that far may take a taxi to the Flood Control Monument. Now let6‘s get off the coach, and take a walk on Zhongyang Street.

　　Zhongyang Street measures 1450 meters from Jingwei Street in the south to the Flood Control Monument on the riverbank in the north. This is China‘s longest walkway. The street was built at the end of the last century. It was connected to a wharf at the Songhua River. Because of the constant transport of the goods needed for building the China Eastern Railway, a shopping center began to take shape along this street at the turn of the century. Harbin at that time was a semi-colonial city with a foreign population of many thousands. Politics and economy were actually controlled by foreign powers. Owing to the concentration of Chinese shops along this street, foreigners took it as a China town and called it China Street.

　　Have you noticed the cobbled road surface? This is the only cobbled street left in Harbin. This cobbled street was paved in 1925. Thanks to the good quality, the street has kept in good shape with a few repairs in the past. This street began to take shape as an international street in the 1920s. There were over a hundred shops and many were owned by forergners, such as Russians, Greeks, Czechs, Swedes, Swiss, Frenchmen, Germans and Englishmen. They built their shops in their individual styles. Therefore, the street not only looked like a foreign street, but also was controlled by foreigners. Now this smooth cobbled street may remind us of the past when foreigners were sitting in chariots along the street, as if we could still hear the horse-hoofs clicking on cobbles.

　　Over half a century is past, Zhongyang Street is weather-beaten. With the implementation of reform and opening-up, it is ready to welcome visitors with a new outlook.

　　The building in front of us is very attractive. Its some and arched windows are typical of the Byzantine Style popular in Europe during the Middle Ages. It was built in 1934 and it was a shoe shop owned by a Czech. After liberation, it became a specialty shop-Women and Children‘s Department Store. It is the biggest specialty shop along Zhongyang Street. There are a good variety of commodities. Now some world famous specialty chains have also set up branches down here, such as Crocodile, Bossini and so on. You can see some gentlemen also wandering in the Women and Children’s Department Store. At such a good shopping place, they will not walk out empty-handed.

　　Opposite the Women and Children‘s Department Store is the Central Shopping City opened in November 1994. On its original site there were five small stores run by Russians, which were built in 1932. After liberation, they were turned into one department store. In 1994, the old building was torn down, and this comprehensive department store was built. The architecture is a combination of a European castle with modern architecture. It has become a new scenic spot on Zhongyang Street.

　　At we go along the road, we are able to see the Central Pharmacy. It was a bungalow before. In 1912, German Sidemen‘s opened a shop here to sell electrical equipment and materials. After liberation, it was reconstructed. Now you can find not only medicine here, but also the Gold lion shop, a super-market and a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.

　　This shopping Center was opened in 1995. Its original site was a shop managed by a Swede. It dealt in china, porcelain and enamelware. After liberation, it became a food-store. The building you see now was designed by a famous architect in Heilongjiang. It is a masterpiece of adopting relief sculptures in modern construction. This building is an attractive site in Zhongyang Street.

　　The nost interesting building along Zhongyang Street is the Modern Hotel. It was constructed in 1913. It is of an attractive outlook and magnificently decorated. It has a typical Baroque style of the Neo-artistic period. At first, it was invested and managed by a Jewish Frenchman. The origin of its Chinese name once aroused the interest of many people. There was a column in newspaper for debating its origin. Some held its Chinese name came from the word “mother”, some said it came from “modern”. However, modern seemed to overwhelm mother as you can see the hotel now used the Modern Hotel as its English name.

　　Modern Hotel has all the facilities of a modern hotel including well-decorated suites, dining rooms and medium and small-sized meeting rooms in European palatial styles. There is a legendary oil painting hanging on a wall on the landing of the first floor. It was painted a famous Russian painter. He was inspired by “Divine Comedy”composed by Dante. It shows a pretty girl saved by angels from confinement by insects and demons;the girl who endured tortures in hell was about to rise to heaven. This picture was painted red during the Cultural Revolution. After the Cultural Revolution, the original painting was restored. Now we are able to appreciate its artistic charm.

　　In the past few decades, modern Hotel has catered to many famous people, such as well known Chinese writers Guo Moruo and Ding Ling, and a renowned painter, Xu Berhong. Those who have stayed here also include distinguished American celebrities such as Anna Louise Strong, Edgar Snow Yue-Sai Kan. Movie studios have shot movies here. “Harbin in the Dark Night”, “London Inspiration”, “The Orient Express to Moscow”have left people lasting memories.

　　Opposite the Modern Hotel, there is Huamei Restaurant. It was Malse Restaurant serving western food. After liberation, it was rebuilt several times and two more stories have been added. However, its original European Style had been kept. It was reported in 1973 that there were 260 Western restaurants in Harbin, with over 100 concentrated along Zhongyang Street. Huamei Restaurant was one of the best known. Now it serves many specialties, such as Russian dishes, potted cattle tail, French egg and fried prawns. It is said a Russian celebrity who used to serve in the army once visited Huamei. After dinner, he could not help praising food served in Huamei. He declared the Russian dishes here surpassed those in Russia. He would send chefs from Russia to Huamei to learn to cook when he got back home. Now that you know Huamei, your knowledge of Zhongyang Street will not be complete if you have not tried the food here.

　　Further in the front, we can see the Education Bookstore. It was constructed in 1909. It is a Baroque construction, extravagant and novel, with bold lines and strong contrast. Over the entrance, there are two staturs. They are Titans in Greek fairy tales. The male is Atlas and the female is Galliached. It is said they hold up the sky with heads and shoulders. Education relates to the future of a country. May these Titans hold up the building of education, and accompany us to a prosperous tomorrow.

　　Opposite to the Education Bookstore, the building in the Neo-artistic style is Qiulin Department Store. It is characterized by simple structure, flexible lay out, free style, and curved decoration. Qiulin was constructed in 1903. In the past few decades, it has transformed from a colonial company. It has witnessed great changes in Zhongyang Street.

　　Many people say Zhongyang Street is a street of architecture as over 70 buildings appear in different styles. Some state it is a small Paris in the Orient; some assert it is a Moscow in the Orient; some declare it is a symphony. When you step on this cobbled street, it is as if you could hear a prelude. As you go further along the street, you can see the Women and Children‘s Department Store, and the Flood Control Monument at the riverside, as if their varied structures were different chapters constituting a harmonious tune. This symphony accompanies the people in Harbin as they suffered before liberation, wandered through the Cultural Revolution, and ushered in the reform and opening up, and encourages them to face up to the magnificent 21st century.

　　I would like to call this street an international shopping mall. There are state owned stores and outlets of foreign products. There are banks and post-offices. There are hotels and restaurants. There are Jewelers‘and photographers’. People are able to stroll, shop and enjoy delicacies along the street. At night over 200 shops will be radiating with colorful neon lights. This century-old street will radiate its vigor and become more attractive.

　　Ladies and Gentlemen, if we go further forward, we are able to reach the Flood Control Monument. Now I will give you some free time for shopping and photography. We will meet at the Flood Control Monument in twenty minutes.

Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan China

2009-04-15T23:31:00.000-07:00

The city of Leshan is less than one hour's ride from the Baoguosi Monastery at the foot of Mt. Emei.Leshan is the home of the Giant Buddha at the conflueence of the Min,Dadu and Qingyi rivers.It qualifies as the largest Buddha in a sitting posture in the world .You must board a riverboat for the best view of the Giant Buddha.The massive Buddha was carved out of a cliff face more than a thousand years ago, but now it is still well preserved in good shape, with his full and serene face.

　　The Buddha is the largest Buddha in China,towering to 71m,with his 14.7m head,and 24m shoulders.The Buddha's ears are 6.72m long, insteps 8.5m broad, and a picnic could be conducted on the nail of his big toe, which is 1.5m long.

　　This carving project was begun in 713.Each summer at that time the Min,Dadu and Qingyi rivers flowed down.As the ghree rivers met,turbu-lent waves strucd each other hard,boats capsized and boatmen vanished.There was a Buddhist monkby the name of Haitong in Lingyun Hill,who saw the situation and was determined to carve a giant Buddha out of the cliff face, hoping that the Buddha's presence would subdue the swift currents and protect the boatmen .Haitong started travelling along the Changjiang river and other areas in China to collect funds for the gigantic carving. Once an evil official attempted to obtain by force the money collected by Haitong.The monk refused him in strong terms.He said,"I'd rather gouge out my eyes than give a penny to you,"The official shouted in anger,"gouge your eye out now!"Haitong resolutely dug out one of his eyes.

　　The monk's behavior in protecting the funding so greatly encouraged sculptors and other construction workers that the carving work went on smoothly. Unfortunately Haitong died before the completion of his life's work .However, this work continued due to the support of the local people as well as Weigao and Zhangchou Jianqing,the local top military commanders. The word took up 90 years until 803 when it was completed.Since then the Buddha has watched over the river traffic for more than a thousand years to offset the large number of serious accidents in the river. Modern Chinese question whether safer boat gravel is due to his presence or to sime later-day dredging.

　　As you get close to the Buddha,we can find out some scattered holes im rows around the Buddha.They are remains of so Called the Giant Buddha Pavilion . It was a nine-storied building set up during the Tang Dynasty to shelter the Buddha.It was renamed as the Lingyun Pavilion with 13 stories during the Song Dynasty. Unfortunately it was destroyed by a war during the Ming Dynasty. Since then the Buddha remains outside in the open space.

　　The Giant Buddha has lasted over a thousand years, and still survives in good shape.Why? First of all, according to the studies on the ancient construction of the Buddha,the cliff face the Buddha occupies enjoys topographical advantages. It is on the southern side of the hill,where verdant trees grow so well as to protect rocks and slope from erosion.Secondly although the Buddha seats bordering on the confluence of the three rivers, the immense statue is carved into the cliff face inside the hill,which alleviate the severe damage by wind and water erosion.Finally there is a water-drainage system,hidden from view.The system starts with 1021 fastened hairs, which conect one another at the bace of the bead .The end of the hairs inter-links the shoulders,joining the simple-patterned robe pleats carved on the body.The hairs,shoulders and pleats naturally reveal a complete system that carries away the entire surface water on the body, where the water disappears underground.

　　It is worth making several passes at the Buddha.From the ferry pier on the island,you climba steep road and through Lingyun Temple to a vantage point for viewing the buddha.You can go to the top,opposite the head, and then descend a short zigzag stairway carved into the cliff to the feet for the top,oppoosite the head,and then descend a short zigzag stairway carved into the cliff to the feet for the different perspective viwepoints.A local boat passes by for a frontal view, which reveals two guardians in the cliff side, not visible from land,Wuyou Buddhist Monastery can be reached in 15 minutes by footpath from the Buddha,which is also from the Tang Dynasty with Ming and Qing renovations,Its layout is very similar to the other monasteries as we mentioned before.Walking along up Wuyou Hill,you can enjoy the quiet and beartiful scenery, The top of Wuyou Hill affords you a vision of an emerald-green tree forest, glazed golden tiles of the monastery roofs and the distant rivers.

　　It would be a mistake to thind of Leshan as ome big Buddha, but it is wouth making a trip to Leshan,which will provide you with a pleasant picture made by the ancient Chinese sites and the beautiful nature being combined into a whole.

View of the sea and the sky PutuoMountain

2009-04-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

Putuo Mountain, one of the Four Holy Buddhist Mountains, covers an area of 12.5 square kilometers. The highest peak, the Fudingshan Mountain is 300 meters high above the sea level. Temples, monasteries, nunneries are spread all over the mountain. According to the annals of Putuo Mountain, after the construction of "Unwilling-to-go" Guanyin Temple, people began to build up temples in large scales. The remained ten ancient architecture complex and historical sights were built in Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing. Putuo Mountain once had 82 temples, 128 huts, accommodating 4,000 monk and nuns at its heyday. When you walk on the paths, you probably can come across monks in kasaya. The glorious sceneries as well as the glamour concerned with Buddhism make it a sacred mountain.

　　Puji Temple, Fayu Temple, and Huiji Temple are the three largest in the twenty temples in Putuo. Puji Temple, covering 11,000 square meters, was first built in Song Dynasty, and is the main temple devoted to the Goddess of Guanxin. Fayu Temple was first built in Ming. It sits along the mountain with different layers on it. Numerous large trees stand in the mountain, qualify the temple for a quiet and deep place. Huiji Temple is on the Foding Peak, so gets a name after that, Foding Peak Temple.

　　Bizarre rocks and queer cliffs can be seen everywhere. The most famous twenty are Qingtuo Rock, Rock of Two Tortoises Listening to Preaching, Rock of Buddhist Heaven on Sea, etc. Along the line where the mountain connects with the sea, many spectacular caves are very attractive. Chaoyin Cave and Fanyin Cave are the two top ones.

　　Notes:

　　1. Putuo Mountain 普陀山

Greetings from Northern Tuscany

2009-04-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

After the non-stop flight from SFO into Frankfurt Airport, we've made the drive down to the Lunigiana region of Italy, visiting Worms, Germany and Lucerne, Switzerland along the way. Now that we've had a chance to settle in, I'll tell you a bit about what we're doing.

We'll be touring around Italy in the next week, stopping for a night in Pistoia, one of my favorite, little-known Tuscan cities, and then checking out some special tours of Florence that might interest you. After that we plan to take a trip to Puglia, then France. Stay tuned.

As usual, we've taken advantage of a lease-buyback plan that the French offer. It's the best thing to do for long trips. You get a new car with great insurance. We're here for three months, so it pays off.

What's new this year is Citroën's participation in the buy-back program. We leased the diesel car from a company in Canada, and while the procedure wasn't as fluid as with more established Renault and Peugeot programs, everything turned out fine and the car is great. It's easy on fuel, which costs around €1 a liter here in northern Italy. (Get current prices of fuel in Europe.)

Find out more about lease buy-back programs (you'll have to have the car for at least three weeks to make it worthwhile, although many people like the new car and the peace of mind they get from the full coverage insurance so much that they pay extra to lease a car short-term.)

Xishuangbanna, China Wu Yi Town

2009-04-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

Wu Yi Town, Xishuangbanna Mengla County in the northwest, away from the Mengla County town about 110 kilometers from 30 kilometers up Mengla in the top of the hill, and the climate than Mengla Mengla坝子cool bar.

The past, the town used to be easy to force the county seat of Vietnam, but it withered abnormal shelter, only a few dozen small towns and villages households. Wu Yi today has a newly built store, supply and marketing cooperatives, food halls, hotels, finance, tax, post and telecommunications, hospitals, brand new building, tile-roofed house is nestled in the small trees, and has become a new frontier town. According to historical records, in the beginning of the Qing Dynasty when Wu Yi "quasi granted to Han Yi-fu warrior伍善gross." "Land to the total" is the toast. Fu伍善is to defend the border against foreign aggression merits of Hill, so when the toast here,相沿hereditary until set in 1927 after the county town of the more easy-wu for the Fifth District. In 1930, it will be the town government more easily moved from Mengla to Wu. Wu Yi again in 1933 toast-owned land designated as the first area, the town of Wu Yi jurisdiction. Wu Yi has been a long time is an important border district town.

Yi Wu is a well-known history of one of the six Chashan to produce seven tea cakes, Tuo, famous Pu'er brick tea and so on, annual output of more than million piculs tea, exported to Tibet, Southeast Asia. Ming and Qing period, merchants gathered here, and it buzzes. Produced as a result of good quality tea every year tribute of the imperial court. Year 1845, the Qing government to strengthen the management and Gong Chashan the delivery of tea from Simao to rely upon the state, the Wu Yi mountains in the construction of a paved shipped with tea青石板Avenue, two meters wide, stretching hundreds of kilometers . With the decline of the Qing government, are also affected tea trade, man-made natural disasters so that the gradual decline of the town of Wu Yi, the trail has also been gradually乱草annihilation. Today, the town of Wu Yi is a quiet Southern town, and only trail on the recorded smooth青石板former glory.

Wu Yi Hui from the town, there is a mountain is not high, but beautiful green, lush trees, there are two ancient hillside cave, one tunnel, one dry hole. Deep tunnel, winding, it was said for several years, people may enter, but easy to get lost after. Wu Yi from the town about 5 kilometers to the hillside grass, grinding De River, cross-strait summit, steep cliff, stone chain, a "One-Line-Sky" canyon. May wish to step across, which is called Tianshengqiao. The following fast-flowing, if the wind Rising, sound like thunder. Tianshengqiao top-down from, the depth of a few十丈, Wu Gorge of Yangtze great momentum, a rare landscape.

China Village Furong Town

2009-04-15T06:45:00.000-07:00

Wangcun town is the former site of the Qin and Han Dynasties Youyang City. There is a Tujia ethnic characteristics, and more than two thousand years of history and culture of ancient town is the gateway to tourism猛洞河waterways, scenic areas of the southern gate of猛洞河, where railways, highways, waterways transport convenience. Scenery of the town in a unique style. Wuli青石板长街, Shop两傍Panmunjom, Tujia吊角楼顺坡built, simple home soil is very fascinating ethnic customs. Warring States Period, Chu Wang Peng马希范unhappy with toast war established by the Covenant "Sijhou Copper Cylinder" as before, the national key protected cultural relics, "Sijhou Copper Cylinder", above the words inscribed over 2300, recorded in 940 AD and Wang Chu Covenant罢兵toast words, is to examine the relationship between China's ancient peoples precious materials.

In addition, there are about 60 meters, 70 meters wide of Wangcun Falls, Falls帘后can walk in, such as exposure to Crystal Palace.

Wangcun deep lanes,长街the青石板, Tujia and simplicity of the folk customs Diaojiaolou attracted visitors, but also attracted the attention of a number of film director, well-known film director in 1986 election here made the film "Hibiscus Town" in location shooting, the Village was a name and Hibiscus Town. Good location and you will be full of "Journey", enjoy a bowl of "rice bean" will fill your "delicious food."

However, for most people Wangcun, in spite of the film "Hibiscus Town" and the rise of tourism in recent years, how many changed their hot idea, but they live lives of leisure, as the old dream, still sleeping with. To Wangcun,土家人can not see the tapestry. Workshop in the street, the oldest town looms the sound is unique Teana.

It is these tapestry Tujia,希兰卡普the locals call it, that is, the meaning of perianth surface, we can see, its great green color red color very beautiful, now it not only as surface used, it can be done mattresses, sofa cushion, but also what the wall, up from the sub-process, it is divided into two categories, that is above that of traditional arts and craft, and it is a production of cotton yarn, another that it is below that of the modernists.

Goose hair dance, scenery猛洞河are the main contents of brocade,土家人home and living on their own preference, in order to describe their own way, and not too many ornaments dwarf. Wangcun unknowingly coming of the evening. At that time, sunset, mountains long, a silent Homebound Fishermen.

Early morning wake up, look out the window Zhu Ying whirling, they would understand that in a strange land. The foreign well-known very large, called Hibiscus Town, who have seen the film "Hibiscus Town" were more or less on the screen had a taste of its style. In fact, the original name of Wangcun Hibiscus Town, named after the toast Tujia Wang Lung in the虎踞plate.

猛洞河train station yesterday to stop when it is felt the night, boarded a boat to Wangcun dashed hopes of an official, had hired a car went straight to 15 km outside the Village. Dark window,迷迷糊糊to listen to the driver shouting "to", it was found out there shaking the scattered light扑进eye. Winter is the off-season tourism, almost all the closed-door high-end hotel visitors, finally open the door to find a hostel, but not the left call the right call response service, and finally there are enthusiastic people指点迷津, in the guest house while the house will requested service from麻将桌out Fortunately she did not get mad, clearly we have arranged for it to return "to the battlefield."

Early morning fog, the ferry terminal from the Wangcun not look the other side tens of meters long, the pier before a five-Zhang木桌, a Tujia woman selling rice in bean curd. It is difficult to imagine such a small deserted the Millennium Pier downtown there are as many as the history of the ritual ceremony toast Wang has held here, Shen Cong-wen's passenger had been parked in here ... ....绵亘facing terminal and on the stone steps, that is a long Wuli青石板Road runs through the town, on both sides of Chlamys青瓦times than木房Lin, Shun错落有致mountains appear. Mainly Tujia Village residents, accounting for 90 percent more than the original local girl to the family and the situation only go-between brother and now has to produce colorful Tujia brocade to sell to strangers, from the Department of emotion "for sale" skills that only the performance of commodities, such way of life and emotional leap forward as if it is done overnight. I walk up along the Old Streets, there are a few shops have already opened the door tapestry that is the shops, it is better to ask some more specific workshops as the main area of the shop for textile machine by occupation, colorful satchel, wall, bedding are hanging on the wall, visitors can not only enjoyed the hands of girls and the shuttle crew to fly in the tapestry of the natural and unrestrained action, you can slowly watch the art of display characteristics. If you are a sentimental person, may wish to look for a beautiful girl as you are weaving a future or to add some "睹物思人" fun. A total of ancient streets dozens tapestry workshop, when the tourist season in this way the sound of looms, the colorful beautiful way to show how attractive the Tujia customs.

Step in the Old Streets青石板on smooth, just like walking on the debris on the history of time. Unknowingly hung up "观瀑Tujia Diaojiaolou" plaque of the Folk Museum, from the hand-foot cotton machine, returned to its port after the Yanggakdo hog carved into gum from generation to generation, nearly a hundred pieces of the local dissemination of the civil air appliances, to show the rich history of ancient Tujia. When we are informed of all of these exhibits before the name of the young people climbing杨崇振collected when wading can not help but cast his eyes to admire. Private collection of a museum to do so rich and elegant atmosphere of culture, in addition to this ancestral Diaojiaolou fronting Old Streets, after the water hole near falls off outside the geographical advantage of possession,杨崇振For a strong collection, as well as the aesthetic sense of historical responsibility is play a key role. He not only collection of Tujia relic collection at the same time the history of reform and opening up Wangcun, if you look Chinese and foreign tourists, he set up for the inscription of the countless tourists and business cards, you must and I have the same experience. Unless the floor, the casual one Looking back, he saw a door couplet: "促膝building could talk,观瀑wish to look outside the field." Implicit under青石板顿觉at the foot of each story are hidden in the beautiful, on the past, present and future.

Hibiscus Town Tickets: 100 yuan

Accommodation:
More than the price of the options for different consumer groups
Surface water of live "猛洞河Hotel" for the best prices at 200 yuan. Wang more than any other home village inn, facilities relatively simple, price is not more than 80 yuan.

Transport:
Set you an Adventure Tour
Jishou City Wangcun be to take the train to猛洞河station after the train station I have to ship green Furong Village.

Food:
Characteristics, plus features, bold
Tofu rice bowl every 2 yuan, swelling on the skin surface looks like, but is made of rice flour with curd like get a share. Main meal, the specialty here is fresh water猛洞河, there are day fishing carp, mandarin fish, mussel, cement and so on, very delicious.

Luodai Town China

2009-04-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

Luodai town is located in Longquan Town, 10 km, is located in the middle of the Longquan Mountain foothills three Mindanao. When the three countries to build the town of Shu, Liu Chan后主Shuhan legend from falling into the hands of the town of Yudai octagonal wells next to the name. 91% of the town Hakkas, it is the first town in western China known as the Hakka. Luodai town of one square kilometers area of built-up area, most of their buildings and in the late Qing Dynasty style. Existing attractions in the town there are beautiful and unique construction of several General Assembly Hall (Canton Center,湖广会馆, Jiangxi Hall, Kawakita Hall), Luodai Park, as well as Fung Museum, museums, ancient buildings, such as Christian churches.

  Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it became the main naturalized immigrants from other provinces, especially the early Qing Dynasty, "Hu-Guang fill in Sichuan," one after another move that is in Guangdong, Hubei, Jiangxi, Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces of immigrants. This north-south migration making pot here in Southern cavity coexistence north.

  Luodai existing town streets in the "Hall of Guangdong" (formerly known as "the South China Palace"), Hakka, Sichuan is a masterpiece of architecture and "the first town in Sichuan Hakka" primary signs. Qianlong built the Hall a decade before (1746), with a total area of 3044.75 square meters. It is best to preserve the current borders of Sichuan and the largest center of a Hakka. Published in April 1981 for the Chengdu-class units to be protected. The main building from before, during and after the Third Temple pose. Among them, the后殿for重檐at the end of the second floor of a wooden structure歇山construction, top of the glass cover to yellow筒瓦, Gao Gong music from both sides have a wall of wind, give momentum, and simple-Fei Ling-feng a sense of solemnity. In addition, the museum also retain nine couplets. These couplets, there is a difficult business to cherish the memory of their predecessors, and also on the home landscape思恋long.

  1, Hakka folk songs to sing-hi, content rich, comprehensive response to Hakkas production, life and emotional world, singing a beautiful mellowed, rich flavor of life lyrics, and in the annual Dragon Boat Festival are traditional folk songs fighting men and women in particular对歌for the attraction, including works of improvisation, such as "love-mei cattle," "Love took her clothing collection," "Yesterday赶场酒吃drunk" and so on, the products are rare.

  2, Hakka dishes and more into a series, the most famous fighting for nine bowl, stuffed bean curd, salt, such as baked chicken. Supply and marketing cooperatives are Luodai hotels in the hot oil geese, Xinmin Hotel and Hakka restaurant野山菌全席crisp water, surface characteristics, such as tablets soup Luodai Hakka cuisine has become a specialty food and beverage, known. Especially in summer, can not be cultivated artificially野山菌(local call "comatus") out of the mountains when the customers are attracted to the taste of delicacy is not absolutely station network.

  3, a year usually in July, held 26,27 Shuilong section (similar to Songkran), and the scene was lively, most Hakka characteristics.

Accommodation:
Local accommodation is very convenience. Town hostels, cheap prices, usually between 10-30 million.

Transport:
Luodai from Chengdu town about 20 kilometers, traffic is very convenient. Can be in by 81 in Chengdu Road, 58 Road五桂桥cars to the bus station, where there is direct Luodai the car, there is a group of a few minutes. Self-driving from Chengdu to Luodai only half an hour. Luodai五桂桥to be from the same day.

Wuzhen water town tourist area in China

2009-04-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

Wuzhen, Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province is located in the north west of Huzhou City, north of Jiangsu Wujiang County, for the Second Province House at the junction of the seven counties. County-level land-based traffic lane highway runs through the township Zhen Yao, Yao Zhen, as with the provincial highway Salt Lake Highway, 320 National Highway, 318 Highway, Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway convergence. Wuzhen, Tongxiang city 13 kilometers away from the surrounding, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Wujiang City, three were 27 kilometers, 45 kilometers and 60 kilometers away from Hangzhou and Suzhou are 80 kilometers, 140 kilometers from Shanghai.

Wuzhen is a long history and rich cultural atmosphere of the town water. Spring and Autumn Period, Wu border is Wuzhen, Wu troops in this country to prepare for more, which is a small town in the Tang Dynasty, 1,300 years have elapsed since the construction of the history of the town.

Wuzhen tourism, mainly from the traditional workshop area, the traditional people of the district, the traditional culture of the district, the traditional dining area, traditional style shops in the district and to the composition of water. Town south of Yangtze River as one of the six, still weathering the east, west, south, North Street 4 was "10" cross-word, which constitute two-grid Ho parallel to the pattern of land adjacent to the town. The residential housing estates built along the riverside, to preserve a large number of streets on both sides of the Ming and Qing architecture, with river stone, reflecting the small bridge, flowing water, south of the Yangtze River Old Town charm. College Town is the determined young man, reading Mao Dun, the Mao Dun is turned into a memorial hall, as a state-level key units to be protected. Street西栅the town of China's best preserved buildings of Ming and Qing Dynasties. In addition, there are修真concept stage, Shuangqiaoshan style, Liang Court sites, ginkgo and many other attractions in the Tang Dynasty.

Wuzhen Tourism, is full of culture. In this small town has a history of over 64 Jinshi, tree 161. Great masters in literature in modern China - Mao Dun, also born in this small town.

In 2001, Wuzhen scenic received successful ninth APEC informal leadership meeting (APEC meeting) the distinguished guests, scenic areas are declared world cultural heritage and national AAAA level scenic spots, at present, has been officially approved by UNESCO Wuzhen included the preparation of the United Nations list of world cultural heritage.

1, transportation: to Wuzhen via Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, 320 National Road, Highway 318 to Tongxiang, from the Tongxiang Wuzhen, Tongxiang from 7:00-17:00 am every 15 minutes to the bus Wuzhen, tourists may also be obtained from Hangzhou, Shanghai, Huzhou, Jiaxing and other medium-sized cities around the car to direct traffic is very convenient, mainly in the town Wuzhen human tricycles, taxis, the main scenic spots in the main hand traffic cruise.

Wuzhen西栅East Gate Scenic Area and a free bus pickup service. Operating time :9:00-16: 30.

2, Climate: Wuzhen is a typical subtropical monsoon climate. The average annual temperature is 15.8 ℃, little inter-annual variation. The hottest average temperature in July is 28.2 ℃, the coldest average January temperature of 3.3 ℃, poor in 24.9 ℃. There are three wet year period, 4-May for the spring period of 6-July to early for the rainy period in September for the autumn period.

3, accommodation: hotel Wuzhen, ordinary hotels to provide accommodation and residential areas. Recommendation: good luck to the inn, this site [51 tourist card] members can enjoy preferential accommodation.

4, Food: mainly fish, lake mainly sheep. Visitors can choose to have more characteristics of the local store.

5, tickets:

East Gate Area:
Tickets for the implementation of the East Gate scenic, one-vote system, fare 100 yuan / person, the day of the first effective, can be visited more than 20 attractions for all.
East gate ticket window of time 8:00-14:00 sale, East and West Gate 150 yuan ticket / person.
East Gate guided tours of 80 Yuan / times.
East Gate cruise price: 80 yuan / vessel (run-length of about 15-20 minutes), limiting each boat to sit 8 people (including children and babies).

西栅Area:
120 scenic spots西栅tickets / person.
Ticket prices西栅night 40 / person (ticket price is no longer enjoy the night policies).
西栅window of time 8:00-12:00 ticket sale, East and West Gate 150 yuan ticket / person.
西栅guided tours for 200 Yuan / times.

Cruise西栅Price:
* Package during the day and 120-way boat / ship / one-way, limiting each boat to sit 6 people (including infants); night 180 yuan / boat / one way.
* 200 per package cruise / ship / hour limit for each boat to sit 6 people (including infants), can be driven in the designated waters, more than 1 hours for each additional 90 yuan for half an hour, more than half an hour before the time a half-hour .
* Bus Station 5 yuan for each ship.
* Tour 5 yuan / views.

Admission policy:
Discount: evidence of the holder of the elderly (without a license and ID card with over 70 years of age), thirty years seniority card (without a work permit card and retired), military service certificates, permits primary and secondary school students and children's enjoyment of 1.1-1.4 m East Gate 60,西栅discount tickets for 80 yuan.

Area opening hours:
1 East Gate Area:
Golden Week to May 11 Opening hours :7:20 - 18: 00
(Former residence of Mao Dun and determined which College 8:00 - 17: 30)
Gold 11 weeks after the April opening hours to :7:20 - 17: 30
(Former residence of Mao Dun and determined which College 8:00 - 17: 00)

西栅Area 2:
The opening hours of 8:00-22:30 scenic西栅(after the Golden Week from 11 April to enter the scenic spot after the free 8:00-22:00,22:30 Ferry closed before, but shuttle bus)
西栅scenic venues in the opening hours :8:00-17: 30 (11 after the Golden Week to open in April to 17:00)
西栅night opening hours of 17:30-22:30 (after the Golden Week to 11 April for the 17:00-22:00)
西栅scenic spots in the tourists can stay with the tickets, ID cards and the Housing Service Center in front of tourists for temporary pass, to move into and out of西栅scenic spots during the西栅no longer need to purchase.

Folk Show Time:
1 East Gate Area:
Shadow 8:30-11:20 13:00 - 16: 30 a total of 21 games every 10 minutes a
Flower Drum 9:00-16:30 every half-hour show a
Ship boxing 8:30 9:30 10:30 11:10 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:10 (no performance on rainy days)
高竿performance 10:30-10:4 14:30-14:45 (subject to weather sometimes suspend performance)

西栅Area 2:
Book market Pingtan Theater 13:00-15:00
Water stage opera Huagu 19:00-20:00
西栅open-air film over the weekend from time to time by showing the weather conditions

Phoenix ancient city of China

2009-04-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

Phoenix for the Spring and Autumn Period "五溪苗蛮place," the boundaries of a state of Chu. During the long era of evolution, the Phoenix has a different County County, the name changes several times, until finally in 1957 as the date Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Phoenix is rich in natural resources, mountains, water, bright hole. South Huashan National Forest Park, covering an area of 3 million acres, a beautiful ecological environment, forest cover more than 98%. Rare animals and plants more than 100 kinds of varieties, lush everywhere, flowers.奇梁洞as the second Chinese奇洞, set Youtong, extraordinary and show the characteristics of Jun 12 kilometers long in the cave,奇诡unpredictable, fascinating. Beautiful scenery and food of the Tuen Mountain, Yamagata mix, down流瀑lofty yarn. Phoenix Decorating scenic land of endless fantasy, Phoenix added to the charm of the infinite. Phoenix beautiful, it is outstanding, according to incomplete statistics, from the Qing dynasty two decades (in 1840) to the first year of Emperor Guangxu (1875) a short span of 36 years, emerged here Viceroy 20总兵21 ,副将43, the Senate will be 31 people, the guerrilla for more than 73 officers, such as the third grade. Republic of China, the Phoenix will be the 7, 27, Major-General. Contemporary since Phoenix is full of talents, the emergence of a group of generals, a high-ranking cadre, writers, art, arts and crafts home. In particular, as the first elected prime minister, politicians, philanthropists, educators Xiong Xiling, a famous writer, historian Shen Cong-wen, Huang Yongyu the emergence of well-known painter, Phoenix is not only known but also the world renowned. Phoenix leaned forward Tuojiang mountain, mountains, magnificent pass. Here the mountains are not high and beautiful, water is not deep and clarification of Mount峰岭, rivers linger, the dark green of the river from the ancient city walls and under the wind, the green river reflected the foothills of the South. Jiang cruise a few points in the fishing boat, the mountains actually nevertheless timely wakeup calls and alarms, the Diaojiaolou Smoke-on-wave can be described as harmony between man and nature. Chu Wu authentic culture, the unique charm of the Phoenix vernacular, Miao unique clothing, acid salt苦辣eating habits, as well as living fossils Nuo Drama original drama together, full of local flavor Yang drama, distributed the text of the scent of soil tea lights, and blown glass painting, batik, paper, Miao Silver fresh high, such as the ancient style of folk art, constitutes a unique feature of the Phoenix national customs. Phoenix ancient city of ancient architecture existing heritage 68,

116 ancient sites, the Ming and Qing dynasties features more than 120 residential building construction. There are ancient stone streets of the Ming and Qing dynasties more than 20. Well-preserved of the Tang Dynasty of China黄丝桥古城Jiuxian governance to preserve one of the most complete Stone City. Was built in the Ming Dynasty Great Wall of China Southern万历年间- "Xiangxi wall" has become the focus of attention of international and domestic. Accommodation: Phoenix侃价their own accommodation Into a favorite summer long tour of the ancient city of Phoenix. To go before the Phoenix is not very understanding, direct bus ride from Zhangjiajie there is the evening, stay worried不好找shop was, the Trustee set out the room. But I arrived in Phoenix, found that the shop is extremely good looking, can be seen soliciting in the hotel. With the boss and talk about their own price, but also save some money or free up human. Members ALICE, to Phoenix to live in the edge of the Tujia Tuojiang Diaojiaolou only fun, price them, a double-labeled (independent bathroom) can be air-conditioned talking about 60 a day. It seems there is no need to travel out of the way too nervous to live infants, Phoenix city inn more frightening you. Tuojiang a next to a cross-strait are all Diaojiaolou home soil. Oh, lucky to live with the price to Linjiang room, every day will be listening to folk songs morning. Transport: Phoenix may be the first or Huaihua Jishou, and then transfer there. Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai have Jishou and Huaihua directly to the car. Huaihua city to Phoenix about 4 hours, long-distance tickets 20-25 yuan; to Phoenix from the CMB Jishou 8 yuan / person, 10 minutes, 1, 4,5 chartered personal best, with an average of about 10 yuan per person , 1 hour's drive. In Fenghuang County town have a lot of the CMB, such as surface, so do not worry here, such as what cars, and started a short time. Of course it is best to sit CMB, cheap and fast. Street also rent bicycles, 15 yuan / day. However, in the county seat, the foot is the best choice走一圈个把小时enough. July 1, 2003 the "rickshaw" (motor tricycle, the kind of city 1 yuan) has been banned by the government instead of the taxi, two yuan 1.5 km starts. There is also a bus (tourist cars) lines. (Information from Phoenix to provide the local pass Korean workers). Back to Phoenix when the county seat tickets at all ticket here at a lot of tickets in the left side of Phoenix there is a bus stop in front of train tickets, the where sold Jishou, Huaihua tickets and other places. However, the recommendations do not come here to Phoenix, but Allah --- Tongren buy tickets camp, about 12 yuan, about 60 minutes by car to see黄丝桥古城, the Great Wall and then south again to Phoenix to avoid taking back, to save time. Great Wall from the south to the Phoenix fare is 3 yuan / person, 30 minutes away. April 28, 2003, the World Natural Heritage of Zhangjiajie and national historical and cultural city of Phoenix to open a tourist bus. Since then, Zhangjiajie, Phoenix visits between the two tourist areas can source a car through. Food: Well-known specialty of the house there are many, such as duck blood cake,酸汤鱼, Boletus炒肉, tofu sour cabbage soup,笋子炒肉, bracken fried bacon, spicy鳝丝, burglary bacon, spicy chicken, vegetables taste good food to acid, the main hot, it appetites.