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BEIJING 北京
No other city in China is so filled with grandeur and dignity. Cloaked in mystery and wonder, this huge and flourishing metropolis offers a brilliant cultural and historical perspective of the country. It boasts over cultural relics and many scenic spots of national importance, as well as precious artifacts and world-famous architectural wonders the names of which are on everyone's lips: the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Tian An Men square and many others. This huge and spread out city is a magnificent gateway to China and Chinese history, so a minimum of three nights should be spent there. The recent years have seen the emergence of many international chain hotels as well as the opening of old residences turned into hotels. The choice of type of accommodation is wider than before and can match any type of guests. Beijing has become an international city where shops, hotels and way of life become more and more similar to the ones in a lot of the Asian metropolis. This trend will intensify as the city as been chosen last year to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Yet, despite and in parallel to the demolitions of huge parts of the old town to make way to modernization, the old Beijing style is still there, intact or recreated, also a new trend, blending old and new China. |
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CHENGDE 承德
A famous historical and cultural city of China, was the second political and cultural center of the Qing Dynasty. It is 163 km to Beijing, and 210 km to Tianjin. The Summer Resort is the largest ancient imperial garden in the world. The Eight Outer Temples-the largest imperial temple group in China, the magnificent Great Wall at Jinshanling, Mulanweichang-the famous imperial hunting ground, a vast expanse of the Weichang Forest Garden, and the Jingbei No.l Grassland in Fengning are all ideal tourist attractions for the ecological tour. |
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CHENGDU 成都
The capital of Sichuan province has been known by two names: the "Hibiscus City" and the "Brocade City". Currently travelers use Chengdu as a gateway to Tibet, and to a lesser extent for those heading towards Chongqing and a cruise on the Yangtze River. Yet this vast city is also famous for four P's - pandas, peppers, poetry and people. |
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DALI 大理
Capital of The Nanzhao Kingdom and the Bai minority. Dali lies just three kilometers from the shore of Erhai Lake, under the highest peak of the Cangshan Mountains, at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea level, at the intersection of the Yunnan-Myanmar Highway (Myanmar Road) and the Yunnan-Tibetan Highway. It was the capital city of the fierce Nanzhao Kingdom which stood up to the Tang Dynasty's armies and enlarged its territory from the high plains of today's Myanmar to Southern Tibet, to the east to the actual Guizhou province and Guangxi region and to the north of was is now Vietnam as its southern boundaries. The kingdom was only defeated by the Mongols on their way to destroy Pagan in old Myanmar. Dali is the main center of Bai minority culture, one of Yunnan's most numerous and prosperous ethnic groups with the cities of Zhoucheng and Xizhou. |
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DATONG 大同
Located only 4 hours away by drive or 6 hours away by express train from Beijing. It has a history of over 2000 years and listed among the first 24 historical cities in China. The Northern Beiwei Dynasty made Datong its capital from 398-494 AD, Datong has served as the political, economic and cultural center of the Northern China and was then the one of the largest cities in the world. It was also the alternate capital of Liao & Jin Dynasties known as the West Capital. In Ming & Qing Dynasties, it became a prefecture, one of the nine important strongholds along the Great Wall, that has given Datong a rich historical and cultural heritage: including the Yungang Grottoes, a world cultural heritage, the Upper & Lower Huayan Temple, the Shanhua Temple and the Nine Dragon Screen. |
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DUNHUANG 敦煌
It was an important town on the Silk Road in ancient times. The Mogao Grottoes or Caves of One - Thousand Buddha is a world - famous art treasury, with invaluable murals and sculptures made between the 4th and the 14th centuries. The limpid Crescent Moon Spring lies to the south of the city. Other spots of interest are the remains of the ancient city of Dunhuang, the White Horse Pagoda, the old Yangguan City, Yumen Pass, and beacon lights from the Han Dynasty. A 300 - li (150 kilometers) section of the Great Wall interspersed with 70 beacon towers runs across Dunhuang County. |
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GUANGZHOU 廣州
Guangzhou (Canton - the old spelling) is the capital of Guangdong Province. With a history of over 2800 years, Guangzhou has always been a port for foreign exchanges and trade, and is still one of the largest ports in China. Here the China Export Commodities Fair is held every spring and autumn, which attracts business people from the world over. The tourist attractions include the Zhenhai Tower, the Wuxian Taoist Temple, Tomb of the Nanyue King, the Chen Family Temple, the Six-Banyan Monastery, Sun Yat-sen's Memorial Hall, Mt. Baiyun, and Yuexiu Park. |
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GUILIN 桂林
Guilin is one of China's best known cities, famed for its beautiful landscape of limestone mountains, clear waters, caves and rocks. Standing lofty and firm, the hills in Guilin have risen up from ground, straight and high. It is enchanting to take a boat cruise on the river passing picturesque scenery punctuated with bizarrely - shaped pinnacles, sprays of bamboo lining up the riverbanks, fishers with their cormorants and buffaloes bathing in the sun. At the end of the cruise on Li River, the small city of Yangshuo is bustling of commercial activity, just to fall back to its sleepy pace after the ships have gone. One can then stay behind en appreciate the beauty of the landscape all around. |
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GUIYANG 貴陽
As the capital city, Guiyang is the political, economical, cultural and traffic center of Guizhou province. It has a total area of 8032 sqm with a population of 3.1143 million and 5 prefectures, 3 counties and a municipality under its administration. Guiyang, rich in scenic attractions and historic relics, enjoys graceful beauty and enchanting landscape. The famous beauty spots in its urban district are Jiaxiu Tower, Fongfu Temple, Qianling Mountain, Qianling Lake, Wenchang Pavilion, etc., while in the suburb are the South Suburban Park, Flower Brook, Milky Way Pond, Red Maple Lake, Kaiyang Nanjiang Canyon Park. All Flowers Lake, old site of Xifeng Concentration camp, etc. in city embraced by many mountains. |
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GYANTSE 江孜
Presided over by the spectacular Gyantse Dzong, and once the third largest town in Tibet, Gyantse is the only substantial settlement in the Tibet to retain its vernacular architecture of sturdy two- and three-story farmhouses. Offering a rare and beautiful glimpse of Tibetan rural life, Gyantse should not be missed by any visitor to the Tibet. Historically, it was a trading town for goods from Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan, and the closure of the border at Dromo has saved Gyantse from the ravages of development and Han colonization. Most members of Tibet's current generation of political leaders hail from Gyantse. |
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HANGZHOU 杭州
Located on the northern bank of the Qiantang River on its lower reaches and the southern end of the Grand Canal, it is the capital and the political, economic, and cultural, and communications center of Zhejiang Province. It is also a well-known tourist, historical and cultural city and one of the six ancient capitals in China as well. The enchanting West Lake, a time-honored culture, the Grand Canal, and the colorful folk customs and habits south of the Yangtze River make Hangzhou a unique tourist center. |
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HARBIN 哈爾濱
Heilongjiang Province, the most northwesterly part of China, when viewed on a map has the shape of a swan. Its capital city is Harbin, which is located south of Heilongjiang. Not only for its special position, but also as the center of Heilongjiang's political, economic, educational and cultural life, Harbin is described as the pearl beneath the swan's neck. Lying on the east of the Songnen Plain, what is more, Harbin plays a vital role in communications between South and North Asia as well the regions of Europe and the Pacific Ocean. |
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HOHHOT 呼和浩特
The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, rich and beautiful, which was founded on May 1,1947, is the first region in our country where the regional autonomy of the minority nationalities was realized. Inhabited by 49 nationalities, Inner Mongolia has a population of 22,840,000, including 3,700,000 Mongolian people and more than 800,000 people of other minorities. It has an area of 1,183,000 square kilometers. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has eight leagues and four municipalities under its jurisdiction. Huhhot is the capital of the autonomous region. From east to west Inner Mongolia borders on eight province and autonomous regions, that is , Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shangxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Gansu. Mongolia and Russia lie to the north of Inner Mongolia, the boundary with the two countries extending 4221 kilometers.
Inner Mongolia is rich in natural resources. It has long enjoyed the reputation of being endowed with "forest in the east, iron in the west, farming in the south, animal husbandry in the north, and as for coal, everywhere". The Inner Mongolia Prairie, with the total grassland area of 880,000 square kilometers which accounting for 74.4% of the whole area of Inner Mongolia, ranks first among the five great prairies of our country. The land of 176,000 square kilometers is covered with forest. The total storage of timber is 946,000,000 cubic meters, which accounts for about 10% of the national total storage. Inner Mongolia contains nearly 1000 rivers and ten lakes. There are more than 1000 species of plants, 93 species of fish, 362 species of birds and 114 species of animals in Inner Mongolia. Now 49 species of animals are designated as the major animals protested by the state and the autonomous region. |
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HONG KONG 香港
Hong Kong, described as a 'barren rock' over 150 years ago, has become a world-class financial, trading and business centre and, indeed, a great world city.
Hong Kong has no natural resources, except one of the finest deep-water ports in the world. A hardworking, adaptable and well-educated workforce of about 3.58 million, coupled with entrepreneurial flair, is the bedrock of Hong Kong's productivity and creativity.
Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on July 1, 1997, after a century and a half of British administration. Under Hong Kong's constitutional document, the Basic Law, the existing economic, legal and social systems will be maintained for 50 years. The SAR enjoys a high degree of autonomy except in defence and foreign affairs. |
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HUANG SHAN 黃山
It has three districts and four counties. Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, is 194 kilometers from the city of Huangshan. The Huangshan Airport has opened a dozen flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Huangshan also has convenient land transportation. Taking the train, tourists from Shanghai can get off at Wuhu Railway Station, while those from Nanjing and Nanchang can get off at Tunxi Railway Station before taking the bus to Mt. Huangshan. |
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HUANGLONG 黃龍
Not far from Jiuzhai Gully, in Songpan County, the Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Scenic Resort is 340 kilometers from Chengdu. Along a milky-yellow slope at 3,000 to 3,558 meters above sea level, thousands of small lakes have formed on the mountainside. The myriad colors, shapes, and sizes create a mysterious and fantastic impression. Included in the resort are the scenic districts of Huanglong, Mouni (Buddhism) Gully, Danyun (Red Cloud) Gorge and Xuebao Pond. The UNESCO listed it as a World Natural Heritage in 1992. |
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JIANSHUI 建水
The ancient flourishing city, located 220 km South of Kunming, Jianshui is a national historical town displaying a collection of historical sites and enjoying a history of 1200 years. It has played an important role of political and cultural center of South Yunnan since the Yuan Dynasty. The area is rich of 100 architectural buildings, 50-odd ancient bridges and many residential houses of the Qing style. In the Old Town of Jianshui, one can still discover the splendor of China's classical architecture with the Northern gate Wall, Zhilin Temple, Confucius Temple, one of the largest in China, its private gardens and sacrifice houses such as the Zhu and Zhang residences. In addition, Jianshui purple pottery is one of the 4 famous Chinese potteries. |
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JIUZHAIGOU 九寨溝
Jiuzhai Gully, situated some 450 kms from Chengdu, is named for the 9 Tibetan villages in the gully. The lake, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, and virgin forests provide colorful views all year-round. Six scenic resorts have been opened in the gully. These are Baojingyan, Shuzheng, Rize, Jianyan, Changhai, and Zharu. In 1992, Jiuzhai Gully was listed by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage. |
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KAIFENG 開封
Kaifeng is located in the middle part of province of Henan and leant towards the east, the whole area is 6444 sq. km., the total population is 4,800,000, cultivated area is 362,000 hectares among them, the area of urban area is 359 sq. km., the population in the urban area is 770,000. Have urban area, Gulou district, Longting district, Shunhe district, Shuohe district, suburb, Qi county, Tongxu county, Weishi county, Kaifeng county, Lankao county. There are 94 villages and towns in all in the whole city. Kaifeng is located in east plain in Henan Province, the terrain is smooth. Belong to the continental monsoon type climate warmly, make a clear distinction between the four seasons, the rainfall is moderate, the illumination is sufficient, between 14.24-14.50 degrees of average temperature of the whole year, 213-215 days of frost-free period, annual rainfall is average 670 millimetres, afforestation coverage rate is higher than the average national level. Kaifeng lie on the east plain of Henan Province, there is no mountain but many water, there are LongTing lake, BaoGong lake, iron tower, sunshine lake,etc. in the city, there are lakes such as black pools, willow pool,etc. in the outskirts, is the famous " northern waterside town ". Kaifeng has another name called " the chrysanthemum city ", annual chrysanthemum show, has already revealed the beauty of Kaifeng, have shown the love chrysanthemum complex of the people of Kaifeng too. Kaifeng is one of the 24 historical cultural cities which the State Council announces in the first batch, is one of the seven ancient capitals of our country too, already had a history of more than 2700 years so far. Kaifeng build city history initially, start on spring and autumn, Mr Zheng build the " breaking seal " city in present Kaifeng city city the south Zheng bright red celestial town village of ancient city. When getting to the Warring States, The king of Hui of Wei state fit from Shanxi city move the capital to another place to Kaifeng city site for today, call Daliang, it was 364 B.C. at that time. It is from then on to A.D. 1233,the Warring States Wei state, The the Later Liang, later Jin Dynasty, the Later Han, later country, Northern Song Dynasty of five generation and Jin Dynasty, seven dynasties in all found a capital in Kaifeng, the title used has Liang, Bian, Bian liang, Dongjing,etc..
Do it as seven dynasty ancient capitals, retain the abundant historical relic and historical human cultural sight in Kaifeng, have city wall, iron tower, great numbers floor, Yanqing temple, Tokyo city site of Song dynasty, Shanxi, Shanxi, Gansu national-level to protect the historical relic sweet association, etc., rebuild and newly build it like BaoZheng shrine, royal street, big prime minister temple market, go to forest of Steles, day wave office Yang, summer beam door, new Lao Jing, garden of rosefinch and gold and bright square, etc. garden of river and garden of writing brush Pure Brightness Song. |
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KAILI 凱裏
Along Xiang-Qian Railway to the southeast of Guizhou province. Kaili city is the capital of Miao and Doug minority autonomous region and the central tourist city in westeast part. There are seven different ethnic stockades in the southeast part of Ian which center on ethnic custom, the neighbor being Wuyang River scenic resort district, Fanjiang(Pure)Mountain natural reserve district, the Dragon Cavern in famous Zhenyuan city, the Nine-Dragon Cavern in Tongren, etc. |
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KASHGAR 喀什
One of the China's Cultural and Historic Cities and the first great city in southern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is the center for the distribution of farm and animal products. An important town leading to the Silk Road, it was under the jurisdiction of the central government from the Han to the Qing Dynasty. Places of historical interest include the Aitinier Mosque and the tomb of Abakehezhuo. Kashi is mainly inhabited by the Uygurs. Its streets, houses, music, dance, and handicrafts are distinctively West Asian. |
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KUNMING 昆明
Kunming is the capital city and the largest city of Yunnan province. The city, owing to its altitude of 1,890 meters and its tropical situation, is also blessed with perennially pleasant climate and intriguing highland scenes and sights. With an average annual temperature ranging from 15° to 18° C, Kunming has earned the nickname "City of Eternal Spring". Major tourist attractions include the Stone Forest, Western Hills and Dragon Gate, Yuantong Temple, and the Bamboo and Golden Temples. Although greatly modernized for the hosting of World Horticultural Exhibition in 1999, the city has kept its slow pace and local flavor which makes it unique in China. |
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LANZHOU 兰州
The capital of Gansu, is a large modern city as the political, economical and cultural centre of the province. The city covers about 13086 sq. km. with a population of around 2.8 million, half of which live in the urban area. Lanzhou was an important strategic town on the ancient Silk Road, and is now a key link on the present Eurasia Bridge. It is the standard Yellow River crossing point and owns its historical significance due to its geographical position. The spectacular scenery and relics around Lanzhou include the statue of Yellow River Mother, Water Wheel Park, Zhongshan Iron Bridge and White Pagoda Park dotted along the Yellow River. Gansu Provincial Museum, Five Spring Park, Mt. Xinglong and Mt. Tulugou, etc. |
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LESHAI 樂山
One of the most splendid sights Sichuan has to offer is the great statue of the Buddha carved on a river cliff. The eighth century seated statue is 71 meters high, overlooking the confluence of the Dadu and Min rivers. It qualifies as the largest Buddha in the world and is best seen from a boat. |
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LHASA 拉薩
Lhasa is rightly one of the most featured and dreamt-about cities in the world. This is not only because of its remoteness, its high altitude at 3,650 meters (11,975 feet) means limited accessibility, but also because of its impressive heritage of over a thousand years of cultural and spiritual history that has helped to create the romantic and mysterious Tibetan religion.
Differing from the inland cities and other places in Tibet, Lhasa is unique with an allure all of its own. In the Tibetan language, Lhasa means the Holy Land or the Buddha Land. It is the center of Tibet's politics, economy and culture. The city has also been appointed as one of the 24 historical and cultural cities of China. The splendor and grandeur of the Potala Palace in Lhasa remains a world-famous symbol of the enigmatic power of politics and religion in this region. |
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LIJIANG 麗江
Lijiang, located on a plateau at an elevation of 2,400 meters in the northwest part of Yunnan, has been enlisted as a World Monument by the UNESCO in 1997. It is the center of the Naxi minority, a relatively small minority group with a richly textured culture. The Naxi people migrated to Lijiang long ago from northeastern part of Tibet. The surroundings offer many fascinating scenic places, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Grand canyon Tiger Leaping Gorge, Baoshan Stone Village where people live in houses made of stones, Yufeng temple with its ten-thousand-flower-Camellia, the frescoes of Baisha or just the little Naxi villages of the surroundings make of Lijiang a highlight destination not to be missed in Yunnan. |
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LONGMEN CAVES 龍門石窟
Guyang Cave is the earliest cave in Longmen Grottoes. There are three tiers of niches on the northern and southern wall of the cave, in which are hundreds of statues, and most of the statues are engraved with the names of the artists, the dates and the reasons for carving them. The sculptures are of diverse shapes and patterns that are representations of the Gandhara Art style after the grotto art transmitted to Luoyang. A statue of Sakyamuni is situated in the middle with a whole height of 7.82 meters (about 25.66 feet). Nineteen of the most famous Twenty Calligraphies are found in Guyang Cave. Twenty Calligraphies represent the steles of the Wei's style, which are the essentials of stele calligraphies in Longmen Grottoes. |
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MOUNTAIN EMEI 峨眉山
Mount Emei is within the boundaries of Emeishan City, some 140 kilometers to the southwest of Chengdu and 33 kilometers to the east of Leshan. One of four famous Buddhist mountains in China, Emei includes several attractions, such as Baoguo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Leiyin Temple, Chunyang Palace, Da'e Temple, the Qingyin Pavilion, Hongchun Plain, Xian's Temple, Xixiang Pool, Golden Roof, Ten-Thousand-Year Temple, and White Dragon Cavern. In 1997, Mount Emei and the Leshan Grand Buddha were added to UNESCO's list of World Natural and Cultural Heritage. |
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NANJING 南京
The city of Nanjing is the capital and the political, economic, and cultural center of Jiangsu Province. It is one of the ancient capitals and an outstanding tourist city. Nanjing was made the capital of ten feudal dynasties in China. Its tourist areas include the Purple Hill Scenic Area, the Qinhuai Scenic Belt, the Shicheng (Rock City) Scenic Area, scenic spots in the city proper, the scenic belt along the Yangtze River, the Yuhua (Raining Flower) Terrace Scenic Area, and the Qixia Hill Scenic Area. |
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PINGYAO 平遙
A trip to Pingyao is a jump into China's past. The city, enlisted as a World Monument by the UNESCO, seems like a "sleeping beauty" amongst a changing world. The narrow streets, the courtyard houses, the cobble stones, the wooden shops front with their curved roofs edges, the city walls, all give one the impression to wander in a 19th century old town where history and time would have stopped. Accommodation in courtyard hotels with their "kang" of brick beds will add authenticity to your stay there. The surroundings, and generally throughout Shanxi province, are filled with historical relics, temples, old mansions. A fairly recent destination on tourism maps in China worth a discovery. |
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QINGDAO 青島
Qingdao is located on the Jiaodong Peninsula on Jiaozhou Bay in the Yellow Sea. The city is admired for its clear fresh air, blue sea, red-tile-roof houses and the abundance of trees and flowers. It is a famous summer resort, a coastal city, and an ancient cultural city. The perfect reception facilities and the convenient transportation system make Qingdao an ideal destination for holidaymakers. |
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QINGHAI XINING 青海西甯
Located in the eastern part, is the capital of Qinghai Province as well as the center of politics, economy, culture, and communications. In 121 B.C., the Han stationed troops in the Huangshui River valley, and General Huo Qubing (140117 B.C.) established the military base named Xipingting. In 1104, the third year of Emperor Chongning of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Xipingting was renamed Xining, which was first recorded. The year 1929 witnessed the founding of Qinghai Province, and Xining was made the capital seat. With the continental highland semi-dry climate, Xining has neither cold winter nor hot summer, and the annual mean temperature is 6.5°C, making the city an ideal summer resort. |
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QUFU 曲阜
Qufu is located in the southwest of Shandong Province,It covers an area of 896 sq km.And it has a population of 630,000.Qufu is the hometown of the great thinker,statesman and educator. It is listed in the first group of 24 national famous cities of historical and cultural relics designated by the State Council.
Qufu is also the hometown of Shen Nong(God of agriculture).Huang Di,Shao Hao and Mencius,and has been the site for ancient states and capitals like the Shang dynasty,the Yin state,the Lu state,etc.In the city,there are now over 300 historic relics under protection, among which six sites are of national level, eleven are of provincial level.The Confucian Temple,the Confucian Mansion and the Confucian Cemetery were ranked as one of the world cultural heritages. |
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SHANGHAI 上海
This city of 12 million people combines the legacy of the past with the creative energy of the 21st century. Emerging from the sea thousands of years ago, Shanghai literally means "up from the sea". The city, China''s largest urban center, is not only the country''s main port but also the nation''s major industrial center, producing a wide variety of consumer goods for both the international and domestic markets. A new part of town has been emerging since a few years on the opposite bank of the Huang Pu River and is therefore named Pudong (east of the Huang Pu). This new area concentrates trading and financial activities. Its growing skyline of futuristic buildings makes one think of the most modern capitals of Asia. This heritage along with the imaginative force of creation of its people makes Shanghai a unique place in China. |
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SHANGRI LA 香格裏拉
Zhongdian is the center of the mythical Shangri La, le promised land of everlasting bliss. It is the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and lies at an elevation of 3,300 meters in the northwestern part of Yunnan. This land of snow-capped peaks, virgin forests of immense spruce and pine, meadow ablaze with fragrant wild flowers and pristine lakes inhabited by Tibetans, offers an introduction to Tibetan culture and numerous activities for trekking and trailing. The annual event of the Horse Festival held in June or July is highly rated for those who want to discover more of the Tibetan culture. Driving further North on the Tibetan Highway, passing the important Buddhist Dongzhulin temple, lies the little border city of Deqin, at the foot of the Sacred Meili Snow Mountain (7,640 meters above sea level), an important pilgrimage mountain for Tibetans. The unique landscapes of small and colorful Tibetan villages, the kindness of the people and the approach of the Glacier offer to the visitors a true feeling of Tibet. |
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SHAOLIN TEMPLE 少林寺
Founded in AD 496 during the Northern Wei dynasty, the Shaolin Temple was built in honor of an Indian monk called Bodhidharma (known to the Chinese as Da Mo), founder of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism or more popularly known as Chinese Chan (or Zen) Buddhism. This temple is therefore regarded as the birthplace of Chinese Buddhism.
The temple, which bore witness to the rise and fall of several dynasties, is also famous for its Martial Arts (Kung Fu). Shaolin Kung Fu is the product of the synthesis of other martial arts principles into a distinctive martial art style. An ancient Shaolin Master once said: "Study Shaolin style in great depth, then study for wisdom and train the body." This quote embodies the physical and mental strength and discipline required in the study of martial arts. In recent years, renewed interest in Kung Fu has led visitors, western & otherwise, to the steps of the temple where schooled martial arts started. |
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SHIGATSE 日喀則
Situated in central - southern Tibet, Shigatse is the second largest city of Tibet and a political, economic and cultural center of the region. Known as "Nianqumai" in ancient times, it is more than 500 years old and served as the capital of Tibet in the first half of the 17th century. South of the city lies the Tashilhumpo (Zhaxi Lhunpo) Lamasery, one of the four lamaseries of the Galu sect of Lamaism and the residence of the Panchan Lama for long. Southeast of the city is situated the Xialu Lamasery, a cross between Han and Tibetan architecture, built during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. |
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SILK ROAD 絲綢之路
Originally a caravan route served to convey goods between China and the East of the Mediterranean Basin as far as 100 BC, the Silk Road soon became one of the most important means of cultural exchanges the world has ever seen. Within China, it is common to make it start from Xian and go through the Gansu province corridor to Xinjiang either towards Central Asia's oasis of Samarkand and Boukhara or beyond the high ranges of Pamir through Kashgar to Pakistan and the Hunza Valley. Cultural influences were brought in trough its paths. The most striking one is the introduction of Buddhism. The Silk Road is dotted with tremendous sites like the ones of Maijishan, Mati, Yulin or Mogao were images of Buddha were sculpted in grottoes or on cliffs, developing the constitution of open air museums of Buddhist art, desert oasis like Turpan or Kashgar filled with Muslim faith. It became also the meeting point several different ethnic groups as Han Chinese, Central Asians, Tibetans, with their own habits and religions. Trips on this itinerary are rich in encounters and visits, highly rewarding, though at times difficult and unpredictable as to travel conditions. |
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SUZHOU 蘇州
Located on the shore of Taihu Lake in southeast Jiangsu Province, Suzhou, a" paradise on earth," is a renowned historical and cultural city with a history of more than 2,500 years. The gardens of Suzhou are famous in and outside of China. Canglang (Surging Wave) Pavilion, Shizi (Lion) Grove, Wangshi Garden, Zhuozheng (Humble Administrator's) Garden, Liuyuan Garden, and the Huanxiu Mountain Villa are treasures of garden architecture from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties in southern China. In recent years, new scenic spots, such as Zhouzhuang, Luzhi, and Tongli, have appeared in the vicinities. In short, the city of Suzhou features enchanting landscapes, and it has since ancient times been known as a place with a gathering of the talents and plenty of products. It is a wellknown tourist city. |
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THE GANZI TIBETAN AUTONOMOUS PERFECTURE 甘孜藏族自治州
Situated in the west of Sichuan province, near the border with the Tibet Autonomous Region. The unusual geography and weather conditions along the transition zone between the Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau have given rise to a variety of landforms and conditions, such as mountains, glaciers, alpine lakes, and unique botany. Long an area dominated by Tibetan culture, the local customs are clearly reflected in the more than 500 Lamaism temples in the prefecture. Tourism resources are centered on Mount Gongga and include Mount Erlang, the Luding Bridge, Hailuo Gully, Mount Paoma, Muge Lake and the Tagong Grasslands. Combined, these attractions create a new hot spot for tourists interested in the customs and practices of the Tibetan people. With its highest peak touching the heavens at 7,556 meters above sea level, Mount Gongga straddles the three counties of Kangding, Luding and Jiulong. The surrounding land includes a wide range of topography, including virgin forests, snow-capped mountains, pastures, alpine lakes, hot springs, and waterfalls. The last frontier for humanity can be found at Yading, Daocheng. The primitive and mysterious surroundings, snow-capped peaks, wide valleys, and Tibetan villages and brilliance and beauty to every image. |
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TUAIYUAN 太原
Located in the central area of Shanxi and northern tip of Jinzhong Basin, the city of Taiyuan faces mountains to the east, north and west. Served as the capital of the province, Taiyuan occupies 141 square kilometers and is home to 2.48 million people. From May to October is the peak season for tourism. Established during the periods of 770-221 B.C and served as an important military position of northern China in history, Taiyuan has a long history of splendid culture. |
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TURPAN 吐魯番
Located in the basis of the mountains in eastern Xinjiang. It is known as an Oven because in summer, it is as hot as 40°c, and the surface ground 80°c. There are many tourist attractions, such as the ruins of the ancient cities of Gaochang and Yarkhoto, Sugong Pagoda, the Grape Gully, and the underground irrigation system. |
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URUMQI 烏魯木齊
The City of Urumqi (Urumchi) is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It has a population of over one million. It is a border city where multiple ethnic groups live. Yanerwo in southern suburb is a noted scenic area where there are the tombs of Chen Tanqiu and Mao Zemin, two revolutionary martyrs. Chrysanphemum Platform is a noted place for folk entertainment in Xinjiang. In the city there are also the Red Hill, Jianhu Lake (Remin Park), the old Wulapo City, Shuimogou, Yuergou Wooden - Outer - Coffin Tomb, the Great Hall of Shaanxi Mosque, Nanshan "Earth Forest", ect. |
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WUTAI SHAN 五臺山
Mount Wutaishan is one of the four mountains which are holy to Buddhists, the other three being Putuoshan in Zhejiang province, Jiuhuashan in Anhui province and Emeishan in Sichuan province. The word ''wutai'' means ''five terraces''; the mountain was so called because of its five terrace-shaped peaks. The north peak (Dou Feng), at 3058m/10,036ft, is the highest in the chain. Mount Wutaishan lies some 200km/77mi from Taiyuan, from where there is an overland bus service which passes through some impressive mountain scenery en route to Wutaishan.
As long ago as the Eastern Han period (24-220) there was a monastery on the mountain dedicated to Wenshu Pusa, God of Wisdom; over the centuries the number of monasteries has increased to several hundred. From the beginning of the Tang era (618-907) the monks living on Mount Wutaishan maintained close contact with their fellow believers in Japan, Indonesia and Nepal. Mount Wutaishan enjoyed a further halcyon period during the Ming period (1368-1644).
Today there are 58 monasteries in all on the mountain, most of them containing Buddhist sculptures. Attempts are at present being made to restore those buildings which remain. |
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WUYI SHAN 武夷山
The Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area is located in Wuyishan City and stretches along Fujian's northernmost border with Jiangxi Province. Wuyi's 36 graceful peaks, most under 600 metres high, are skirted by a zigzagging river called Nine Bend Creek. This naturally endowed landscape of water and hills has given the area the reputation of being the most scenic wonder in Southeast China. Since ancient times, Wuyi Mountain has attracted an endless flow of scholars, Taoist masters, Buddhist monks and travellers.
The name of the mountain comes from a story about a legendary person called Qian Keng who lived during the shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century B.C.), believed to be the eighth generation descendant of Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor. Because of Qian Keng's outstanding achievements, King Yao gave him the title of lord of Pengcheng (present-day Xuzhou in Jiangsu) and thus he became known by the surname Peng. His descendants referred to him as Peng Zu (Ancestor Peng). To escape from wars occurring at that time, Peng Zu took his two sons, Peng Wu and Peng Yi, to a scenic mountain area in northern Fujian. They settled down there, worked the land and lived as farmers. Later, in memory of these first settlers to the region, people name the mountain range after the two sons, Wu and Yi, and thereafter also used the name Wuyi to refer to Peng Zu. Later Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty (r.140-87 B.C.) sent out envoys who travelled long distances in order to confer on Wuyi the honorific title of Master. |
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XI'AN 西安
This extremely famous city, the capital of 11 dynasties, is filled with historical significance. Two-thousand years ago, Chinese and foreign merchants transported silk to Persia and Rome via Xian, Persia and Rome via Xian, thereby opening a long route, called the Silk Road, linking the East to the West. Today, it is one of the most important cradles of ancient Chinese civilization. Widely acclaimed as the eighth wonder of the world, the Army of Terracotta Warriors is a guard that comprises 6,000 life-size pottery soldiers and horses buried with the dead emperor Qin Shihuang. Standing row after row in battle formation, some of the terra cotta warriors all vividly sculpted, are standing, while some are on horseback and others are carrying bows and arrows. Continuous archeological discoveries testify almost everyday the historical and cultural importance of Xian area. |
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XISHUANGBANNA 西雙版納
Lies in the southernmost region of Yunnan, bordering Myanmar and Laos, just below the Tropic of Cancer. The majestic Mekong River runs across it. Xishuangbanna is a marvelously rich and fecund area, holding one quarter of China's faunal and one-sixth of its plant species. Its capital, Jinghong, is located 740 kilometers south of Kunming. The medley of different ethnic groups some of them living only in this area and the lush nature make Xishuangbanna an area to discover in Yunnan. It is the right place to depart from Yunnan towards other areas of the Greater Mekong sub region. Very soon, passenger ships will be cruising down the Mekong River from Jinghong or Guanlei to Chiang Saen in North Thailand, in the Golden Triangle, and further downstream to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. |
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YANGSHUO 陽朔
South of Guilin, a little more than an hour by bus and a century in lifestyle away, is the village of Yangshuo. Yangshuo is famous as a place to relax in a relatively hassle free, peaceful, beautiful environment. The village itself is not much to rave about, it's very small, you can walk to anywhere in ten minutes, and two of the roads are almost nothing but guesthouses, souvenir shops, and western style restaurants. And in Yangshuo there is no shortage of western food, English menus, English speaking staff, western music, and western movies. Just ride five minutes out of town on a bicycle and verdant rice paddies, limestone pinnacles, and tiny rural hamlets await and all of the western oriented businesses are quickly forgotten. |
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YUNGANG CAVES 云崗石窟
Yungang Grottoes, one of the three major cave clusters in China, punctuate the north cliff of Wuzhou Mountain, Datong. The area was excavated along the mountain, extending 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west, revealing 53 caves and over 51,000 stone statues.
The Caves are divided into east, middle, and west parts. Pagodas dominate the eastern parts; west caves are small and mid-sized with niches. Caves in the middle are made up of front and back chambers with Buddha statues in the center. Embossing covers walls and ceilings.
Started in 450, Yungang is a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Absorbing Indian Gandhara Buddhist art, Yungang sculptures developed traditional Chinese art melded with social features of the time.
During the reign of Emperor Xiao Wen a monk named Tanyao took charge of the construction of Yungang Grottoes. The largest cave is No.6. In the 20-meter (65.6-foot)-high cave stands a 15-meter (49.2-foot)-high pagoda-like column decorated with Buddha statues and designs. On the four sides of the tower pillar, and on the east, south and west walls of the cave, 33 embossed panels depict the story of Saykamuni.
Caves worth special attention are No.16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Upon Tan Yao's suggestion, five statues of Emperors Taizu, Taizong, Shizu, Gaozong, and Gaozu as Buddha express the religious theme that the Emperor is Buddha. Caves housing these statues are known as the Five Tan Yao Caves, similar in style but not identical. The statue in Cave 20 is martial and stately, No.19 handsome and elegant, while No.18 is dignified but lively. Their similarity lies in their thick lips, big noses, slanted eyes and broad shoulders depicting the ethnic culture of the time.
Yungang Grottoes graphically tell the story of past glory. |
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YUNNAN 雲南
Located in the southwest part of China, covering an are of 394,00 square kms, Yunnan Province is averagely 2000 meters above sea level and has a population of 40million. Three countries are its close neighbors: Myanmar to its west, Laos and Vietnam to its southwest. There are 17 prefectures and cities. Kunming is its capital city. For Westerners, Yunnan and Kunming are possibly better associated with the Flying Tigers daring pilots who flew "over the hump" from Bengal to help China during the Second World War. Yunnan actually has plenty of other claims to fame. As well as an important province sharing a large part in exporting to the ASEAN countries, Yunnan has been known for its well-developed tourism industry and infrastructure apart from its rich tourist resources. |
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