Beijing

Beijing is well known for its flatness and regular construction. There is only one hill to be found in the city limits (in Jingshan Park to the north of the famous Forbidden City). Like the configuration of the Forbidden City, Beijing has concentric “ring roads”, which are actually rectangular, that go around the metropolis. 

The most attracting spot is the Forbidden City (Chinese 故宫 Gù Gōng) lying at the center of Beijing.It is also known as  the Palace Museum. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Until 1924 when the last emperor of China was driven from the Inner Court, fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. Having been the imperial palace for some five centuries, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Palace Museum is now one of the most popular tourist attractions world-wide.

How to get there? By subway, No.1 get off in the station of Tian An Men West or Tian An Men East.

By bus: the bus station in the same name for line 1,4,52 and 728 is also convenient for catch in the Chang An Street. Alternatively, the bus station of “Gugong” for line 101,109 and 810 is sitting in the north gate of Forbidden City. Night Bus: No. 202 and 211. 

Tips: 1. You can rent an audio guided tour which explains certain temples and their uses for ¥40 with a ¥100 deposit (Available in several languages including Chinese, Cantonese, English, French, Japanese, German, Korean, Russian, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic and Italian).

2. Chinese, English and Japanese-speaking tour guides are available.

3. Tourist souvenirs, books, food and drink as well as a post office are all available.

4. Bags can be deposited free of charge at the Meridian Gate (Wumen) and Gate of Divine Might (Shenwu Men) from 8:30 to 18:00. If desired, bags can be carried between the two gates after going through a security check.

5. Wheelchairs & Strollers are available from the tour guide service at the Meridian Gate (Wumen) and Gate of Divine Might (Shenwu Men), free of charge. 

6. Tourist Service Center located at the Arrow Pavilion (Jianting).

Temple of Heaven(Chinese 天坛 Tiāntán), it is another worthwhile visiting place in Beijing. It is much bigger than the Forbidden City and smaller than the Summer Palace with an area of about 2,700,000 square meters. The Temple was built in 1420 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven. As Chinese emperors called themselves ‘The Son of Heaven’ ,they dared not to build their own dwelling,’Forbidden City’ bigger than a dwelling for Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth. The northern part is higher than the southern part. This design shows that the heaven is high and the earth is low and the design reflected an ancient Chinese thought of ‘The heaven is round and the earth is square’. The most magnificent buildings are The Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian) from south to north.

How to get there? By buses 2, 7, 17, 20, 110, 120, 803, 814, 826 to the West Gate (天坛西门 Tiāntán Xīmén); or buses 35 and 106 to the North Gate (天坛北门 Tiāntán Běimén). 

Summer Palace (Chinese 颐和园 Yíhé yuán) situated in the western outskirts of Haidian District, the Summer Palace is  15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from central Beijing. Having the largest royal park and being well preserved, it was designated, in 1960 by the State Council, as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China. The Summer Palace is the archetypal Chinese garden, and is ranked amongst the most noted and classical gardens of the world. In 1998, it was listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Composed mainly of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, The Summer Palace occupies an area of 294 hectares (726.5 acres), three quarters of which is water. Guided by nature, artists designed the gardens exquisitely so that visitors would see marvelous views and be amazed by perfect examples of refined craftwork using the finest materials.

How to get there: Take bus No. 907, 375, 801, 808, 732, 394, 718 could get there.

Lodge: Beijing is a travel city and millions of travellers from all over the world come there whole year. Then book a hotel in advance is a wise choice. Especially during the golden season autumn. Make your reservation by Hotels Combined and click the city Beijing. You could make your hotel choice which is most convenience for you.

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People’s Square Area

Shanghai Museum (Chinese:上海博物館) is a museum of ancient Chinese art, situated on the People’s Square in the Huangpu District of Shanghai. The new museum building is designed in the shape of an ancient, bronze, tripod cooking vessel called a Ding( Chinese: 鼎 ). It is said that the inspiration for the design was specifically provided by the Da Ke Ding, now on exhibit in the museum. The building has round top and a square base, symbolising the ancient Chinese perception of the world as “round sky, square earth”. It is one of the landmark building in Shanghai. It owns a treasurable collection of 120,000 precious art works, including ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting, calligraphy and so on.

Opposite this Chinese tranditional Building, there is a very modern dazzling building — Shanghai Grand Theatre. It is designed by a French architect who came up with a complete design scheme including materials and lighting. The building seems to be made almost entirely from glass and the reflections of artificial and natural light are simply stunning. People’s Square covers 140,000 square meters Surrounded on all sides by mammoth and overpowering constructions, new buildings attack you from all sides, include Shanghai Concer Hall and Shopping area.

How to get there? There are No.1, No.2 subway could get to the People’s Square. Station name is just the People’s Square.

Yuyuan Garden Shopping and Food Area

Another spot which could show the tranditional Shanghai is Yuyuan Garden. Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. It has more than 400 years history. ( Not far from the People’s Square ). Yuyuan Garden occupies an area of 20,000 square meters (about five acres). However, the small size is not a representative of the attractions of the garden. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters all have unique characteristics. There are six main scenic areas in the garden: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner Garden. Each area features several scenic spots within its borders.

  Around the Garden, it’s a shopping area. There are many chinese tranditional feature shops and very very delicious shanghai-style snacks restaurants. The most famous populor snack is Nan xiang xiao long( Chinese: 南翔小笼 ). Although you need be more patient and wait for long time since it’s always long queue there, it deserves. The most famous restaurant is Lubolang ( Chinese: 绿波廊 ). It has hosted heads of state from more than 40 foreign countries, such as President  Clinton. You could taste most of the Shainghai – style snacks and top-class tea at there. If you travel in autumn, you will have the chance to taste another shanghai wonderful food the crab ( Chinese 蟹 ) there.

Yuyuan Garden open time: 08:30 to 17:00

How to get there? Bus: 11, 26, 64, 730, 926, 980, 932

Lodge: Since shanghai is a travel city and millions of travellers from all over the world come there whole year. Then book a hotel in advance is a wise choice. Make your reservation by Hotels Combined and click the city Shanghai. Choose the hotel which the most convenience for you.

See you next time. To be Continue….

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Huangshan City is a region with a long history and splendid cultures. Shexian and Yixian Counties were established more than 2,000 years ago. In the Jin Dynasty (265-420) Huangshan City was called Xin’ an Shire. Until the Song Dynasty (960-1279) when the name was changed to Huizhou, the city was famed for Hui businessmen, Hui carvings, Xin’an school of painting, Xin’an medicine, Hui architecture, Hui cuisine, and Hui opera (one of the tonalities of Beijing Opera). Also notable are the scenic spots of Mt.Huangshan – a key point of interest in ancient China, the Tangyue Memorial Archway, the Tunxi Ancient Street and the ancient villages of Yixian County . Historians at home and abroad regard Huangshan City as a natural history and culture museum of China.

The Huangshan mountain range comprises many peaks, 77 of which exceed 1,000 m in altitude. The three tallest peaks are Lotus Peak (Lian Hua Feng, 1,864 m, 30°07′N, 118°10′E), nearby Bright Summit Peak (Guang Ming Ding, 1,840 m) and Celestial Peak (Tian Du Feng, literally Capital of Heaven Peak, 1,829 m). The World Heritage Site covers a core area of 154 square kilometres and a buffer zone of 142 square kilometres.

Each of the four seasons on Mt. Huangshan has their respective beauty but even this can vary from day to day thanks to variations in the weather, light and shade as clouds pass overhead and even around you at the higher reaches. This endless changing adds an emphasis to the wonder of the landscape and to know the mountain thoroughly, you would need to visit Mt. Huangshan in all the different seasons. But for me the most beautiful season is winter, although it will be more difficult to climb the mountain.

Snowy Mt. Huangshan is like a crystal palace. Though winter lasts a long time in Huangshan, it is not as cold as you might expect. A poem has it that Mt. Huangshan is beautiful all year round but with the winter scenery being the best. The Sea of Clouds, one of the four wonders of Mt. Huangshan, appears more often in winter than in any other season. The spectacle of rimed trees sparkling in the sun is the privilege of winter alone for it is then that you may find yourself in a silver world with icy peaks, clusters of frosty corals suffused with a plentiful supply of the freshest of oxygen rich fresh air.

Season Travel tips:

1. July and August are among the peak seasons therefore reservation is a must.

2. It is wise to bring a rainproof jacket with you as the strong wind on the mountain renders an umbrella all but useless and even dangerous.

3. Do not climb the mountain during thunderstorm.

4.Besides the Golden Week of the National Day (Oct 1st to 7th), September and October are also peak seasons of Mt. Huangshan.

5. Bring with you warm clothes so as not to catch a chill as the temperature variation is significant.

6. Winter is the most economical time for visiting Mt. Huangshan as the prices for hotels and the entry fee are lowered by 15% to 40% compared to those of the peak season. However, Spring Festival is an exception, during which the price is the same as normal seasons.

7. The hotels are centrally heated so you don’t have to worry about the cold.

8. Anti-skid shoes are provided as well as heavy coats in most hotels.

Four wonders of Mt. Huangshan*

The strange pines, absurd stones, sea of clouds and hot springs are the four wonders of Mt. Huangshan.

Huangshan pines are seen in every corner of Mt. Huangshan. You will be amazed by their vitality and strength.  The seeds fall into the crevices where they take root and grow with great vigor. The uneven terrain prevents the pines from growing upright. Instead they become crooked and even downward. Another feature of Huangshan pines is that many trees grow branches on one side only. The pines grow very slowly due to the poor soil and climatic conditions. A tree less than 3 meters (9.84feet) high may have grown for over one hundred years or even several hundred years. The root of a pine is several times or several dozens times longer than the trunk, therefore Huangshan pines stand firmly with dignity, withstanding wind and rain. Every pine is unique though: Guest-Greeting Pine (in front of the stone lion of the Jade Screen Pavilion in the Jade Screen Scenic Area), Guest-Goodbye Pine (to the right of the Jade Screen Pavilion), Cushion Pine at Lotus Valley, Phoenix Pine at the Sky Sea, Chessboard Pine at Pingtian Stone Bridge, Kylin Pine between Bei Hai Hotel and the Refreshing Terrace, Black Tiger Pine and Sea Exploring Pine are among the most famous ones.

Sea of clouds

Mt. Huangshan is home to clouds and mists. The Sea of Clouds has a fairy tale beauty. Winter is the best season for this spectacle. According to their locations, the seas of clouds are divided into East Sea, South Sea, West Sea, North Sea and Sky Sea. If you climb up the Lotus Peak, the Heaven Capital Peak and the Bright Peak, you will find yourself above the level of the clouds and they appear as a sea beneath you. It is true that a sea of clouds can be seen in many high mountains but that of Mt. Huangshan is unique with its oddly shaped rocks and ancient pines. Peaks, large and small, hide and reappear in the boundless waves of clouds. The Heavenly Capital Peak and the Bright Peak appear as isolated islands within this white sea.

All the colors seem more vivid in the sunshine. The clouds are forever changing, from being like a mirror when all is calm to rolling waves when the wind is strong. At sunrise or sunset, the glistening clouds assume every hue from red to purple. You cannot help marveling at this gift from the Creator! You will be struck by the beauty when all the red leaves are floating on the white clouds in autumn, when the clouds gush between the peaks like a raging river while the red leaves flutter delicately in the breeze.

Go to the Jade Screen Pavilion to view the South Sea, the Refreshing Terrace for the North Sea, the Paiyun Tower for the West Sea, the White Goose Ridge for the East Sea and the Legendary Turtle Peak for the Sky Sea.

Hot springs

To be able to refresh yourself in the hot springs on Mt. Huangshan must be one of the best ways of enjoyment and relaxation. Running out of the Purple Peak of 850 meters (2, 789 feet), the hot spring in Mt. Huangshan is the first stop following the entrance. Legend has it that Huang Di, the ancestor of the Chinese nation, bathed here 49 days before he ascended to heaven and became immortal.

Tips:
1. Hot spring is not suitable for everyone. If you suffer from high blood pressure or heart diseases, it would be wise to consult your doctor first.
2. Do not bathe in the hot spring if you do not feel very well or when you are hungry.
3. Leave the hot spring whenever you feel uncomfortable.

In addition to the spectacles we have mentioned there are three large waterfalls that are well worth a visit. These are Renzi (like the Chinese character for human being) Waterfall, the Baizhang (100 zhang, over 1,093feet) Spring and the Nine-dragon Waterfall.

Absurd Stones

Spectacular rocky peaks will inspire your imagination. Some look like human beings, birds or animals or many other objects. Something that makes the stones even more fascinating is that they assume varied shapes when seen from different angles. Every stone has its own fantastic legend.

The rocks known as the ‘Celestial Basking Shoe’ and the ‘Celestial Basking Boot’ share a most romantic story. Once upon a time, in the Celestial Heaven Taoist Temple on Zuoshu Peak lived an old Taoist priest Dao Xuan and his disciple Tai Qing while in the Purple Cloud Temple on Pine Forest Peak lived a Taoist nun Lian Yu and her disciple Miao Zhen. The West Sea Valley separated the two temples as well as a strict commandment, therefore they had no dealings with each other. However, one winter, there was no kindling in Celestial Heaven Taoist Temple. Seeking help, Dao Xuan asked Tai Qing if he could borrow some from the nun at the Purple Cloud Temple. It so happened that the two young disciples fell in love at first sight. From then on, they spent time together when they fetched water or collected firewood. Unfortunately, they were discovered by both masters and the two disciples were punished severely. They were forbidden to go beyond the boundaries set by their masters and threaten with a beating should they disobey. One day when both the masters went down the mountain, they stealthily dated again and agreed upon a good idea: Tai Qing would place a boot in front of the mountain gate if his master was not at home; likewise Miao Zhen would place a shoe. One day, when they were together, their masters unexpectedly returned. Knowing they would be punished, the lovers pondered over their plight. Eventually, they decided that since they could not live together, they would rather choose to die together. Thus, they jumped into a cloud sea. They even did not have time to take back the boot and the shoe. As the days passed, the boot and the shoe turned into two rocks – ‘Celestial basking shoe’ and ‘Celestial basking boot’.

Tips:

1. You could reach the summit by walking up long stairs by yourself, but also can choose the cable car.

2. If you have large luggage, it is tooooo hard for you to walk up to the summit. You’d better hire a porter to help you to carry your bag. The porter will walk along with you.

3. It is a good idea to book your hotel on the mountain summit. But you’d better make the reservation in advance.

4. Please wear comfortable shoes.

Huangshan Jadeite Valley(Feicui Gu)

If you have more times, when you go down from Huangshan, you will have the interesting to travel around the area. Huangshan Jadeite Valley is a good choice. Have enjoyed the Huangshan’ stone the next let’s enjoy the water.

The Jadeite Valley scenic area is in Yellow Mountains’ eastern part and known as “the sweetheart valley”. The water source in the valley flows from the Liandan peak and the Shixin peak. The scenic area is 6,000 meter long for tourists viewing. There are hundreds of colorful pools in the canyon. 40 colorful pools area surpasses 100 square meters, with the biggest colorful pool area nearly 1,000 square meters. The colorful pools in Jadeite Valley vary in size, shape and clear water. It is multi-colored because of the colorful rocks at the bottom of the pond and the different depth of water. Ponds here include Dragon and Phoenix Pond, Colored Mirror Pond, Green Bead Pond, Jade Ring Pond, White Deer Pond, Thunderstorm Pond, Heaven Pond and Swan Pond. “Crouching tiger, hidden dragon” was filmed here. The Colored Mirror Pond is the place where Li Mubai and Yu Jiaolong fought. You get a cool feeling viewing the bamboo swinging from far.

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This Web will introduce the China traditional customs, the ancient architecture, mistery travle line, of course include the thousands of the food type. Help you to more understand the land of China, the people who living in this land.

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