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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The beautiful Hulunbeier grassland in Inner Mongolia of China
发帖者 China Tourism 标签： beautiful, China, grassland, Hulunbeier, Mongolia
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.
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.
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.