Archive December 28, 2020

Fengjing Ancient Town

Ancient Town of Fengjing is located in the southwestern corner of Shanghai. It has long been known as a typical ancient water town in the southern Yangtze with profound significance of history and culture, as well as one of the four most famous towns in the south China. The green water, low houses and the boats moving slowly on the river make up a tranquil and picturesque water town. Others which enjoy similar reputations are Nanxun Ancient Town, Wangjiangjing in Zhejiang Province, and Shengze in Jiangsu Province.

Fengjing Ancient Town has a history of over 1,500 years. Demarcated by the boundary river in its center, it was governed separately by Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces from 1430 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

In the town, many buildings are mainly two-story structures of brick and timber with white washed walls and black-tile-covered roofs. Each has wing-rooms, dooryard and walkway. The total area of old residences in the four main streets reaches 12 acres, and nine locations among these are included in the Shanghai Unmovable Cultural Relics.

Another specialty in the town is local food delicacies, such as the yellow wine, pork trotter, Zhuang Yuan Cake and Tian Xiang Dry Bean Curd are all known as the “Four Treasures of Fengjing”.

China Snow Town

China’s Snow Town, a beautiful village, aptly named “the home of snow”. Located in the Shuangfeng Wood Farm in Hailin City (under the jurisdiction of Mudanjiang City), the village is about 280 kilometers away from Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province. White snow, red lanterns and blue skies make here a very charming place in winter.

The village is at an elevation of 1,500 meters and covers an area of 500 hectares. It consists of around twenty wooden houses decorated with strings of golden corn and red chili hung to dry. In winter the snow here can reach up to two meters which creating a winter wonderland. With its fascinating snowy scenery, this is a must-visit place for photography enthusiasts.

Though endowed with the pure and beautiful snowscape in the world, the Snow Town was not known to the outside world until it was discovered by some shutterbugs and their photos won the international reputation in several years ago. Since then, a lot of TV shows and films were shot in here. After that, China’s Snow Town is regarded as a dreamlike paradise in winter. Its high mountains, local traditional wooden houses, animals, trees and the sunrise are all greatly different from those in the other world’s snowy areas.

Dunhuang Mingsha Shan (Echoing Sand Mountain) and Crescent Moon Spring

The crescent moon lake is a magnificent lake in Dunhuang city. It is quite literally an oasis in the desert. The spring’s name derives from the crescent moon shape the small pool of spring water has taken between two large sand dunes. Although the area is very dry, the pool doesn’t dry up as one might expect. The width between north and south is only 54 meters. It is really a mini lake surrounded by sand.

The Singing Sand Mountains are famous for the sounds the wind makes when blowing over the dunes. Through the ages, by “mountain spring coexistence, sand water paragenesis” (a sign of the scenic spot) the marvelous landscape is celebrated worldwide, with the reputation “a pearl north of the Great Wall”.The length between east and west is 40 km while the south and north is 20km. The Mingsha mountain’s peak is like a knife’s edge. From far away, it looks like a dragon but also resembles mighty waves in the sea .It is really a magnificent sight to behold. In 1994 it is listed as the national key scenic spot. Mt. Mingsha, the crescent moon spring and the Mogao Caves art landscape merges into a whole which has become a popular tourist attraction all around the world.

Chaka Salt Lake

Chaka means “salt lake” in Tibetan. located in Wulan county in the east of the Qaidam Basin of Qinghai province, Silhouetted by the azure sky and floating clouds as well as mountains in the distance, is regarded as “the mirror of the sky” in China for its splendid beauty.

It is included in “the 55 places you must go in your lifetime” list by China’s National Geographic magazine. Tourists are often enthralled by the various salt sculptures within the Chaka Salt Lake scenic spot.

Bingling Temple, One of the Noted Four Caves in China

Bingling temple is located in Yongjing County, Lanzhou city. Bingling thousand Buddha cave in the temple is one of the four famous Grottoes in China, second only to Mogao Grottoes in terms of artistic value, and was listed in the world heritage list on June 22, 2014. Bingling temple, founded in the Western Qin Dynasty, has a history of more than 1600 years since it was expanded in the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Ice cream means “Ten Thousand Buddhas” in Tibetan. Bingling thousand Buddha cave was built in the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316). These caves were excavated many times in subsequent dynasties. There are 183 niches, 694 stone carvings, 82 clay sculptures, and 900 square meters (1076 square yards) of murals in good condition. Bingling qianmiao Grottoes is famous for its stone carvings. It is located on the West Cliff of Dashigou, about 200 meters (about 600 feet) long. The main characters are Sakyamuni, Guanyin, wuliangshou Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, etc. With elegant posture, elegant robes and ribbons, statues are the same as life. Among these caves, cave 169 is worth mentioning. Produced in the Northern Dynasty (386-581), it is the most magnificent and exquisite clay sculpture to preserve Guanyin, Dali Buddha (Dali means powerful power in Chinese). Dali Buddha has a round face and sits cross legged. When we see this sculpture, we will feel its expression is very solemn. On both sides stood Bodhisattva, dressed in hair and waving with bare arms. Color shows us the Buddha and Buddha. No. 125 cave, where Sakyamuni stone sculptures are preserved, should not be missed.

At the end of Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of Ming Dynasty, the yellow school (Gelu school) of Tibetan Buddhism was introduced into Bingling temple. On the basis of inheriting the folk art of the previous generation, Bingling Temple Grottoes absorbed and integrated the foreign Buddhist art, and created a vivid sculpture image and painting art with a new posture and simple technique.

Tianzhu Mountain, One of the Three Most Famous Mountains in Anhui

Tianzhu Mountain presents natural landscapes such as strange peaks, strange rocks, secluded caves, canyons, etc. it is famous for its masculinity, strangeness, spirituality and beauty. Geologists call it “the most beautiful granite landscape in the East”; writers call it “mountain jungle” and “stone Palace”.

Located in Qianshan, Anqing, Anhui Province, the mountain is a branch of Dabie Mountains and well known for its great number of peaks, caves and rare rocks, as well as the beautiful environment with fresh air and numerous green plants. It also features rich cultural relics such as steles carved with the calligraphies of famous people in ancient times, such as Libai, an outstanding poet of the Tang Dynasty (618~907). It is the perfect place for outdoor activities such as climbing mountains, admiring peculiar peaks and a sea of clouds, exploring mysterious caves, and splashing about in the water.

Tianzhu peak, 4887.7 feet (1989.8 meters) above sea level, is the highest peak in the scenic area. It is named “Tianzhu”, which literally means Tianzhu, because it looks like a huge pillar penetrating the sky. The mountain is famous for its steepness because it is extremely difficult to climb. So far, only two tourists have reached the top of the mountain.

Tianzhu Mountain is one of the three famous mountains in Anhui Province because of its unique natural landscape. As early as Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, it was named “Nanyue”. There were cultural activities in all dynasties. After the founding of the people’s Republic of China, it has been developed into a scenic spot. In 2011, the scenic spot won the title of AAAAA tourist attraction. In September 2011, it was officially approved as a World Geopark by UNESCO.

Mount Jiuhua, the First Mountain in the Southeast

Jiuhua Mountain, one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China, is located in Qingyang County, Chizhou City, Anhui Province, known as the first mountain in the Southeast. From the foot of Jiuhua Mountain to Tiantai peak, there are many famous temples, many cultural relics and historic sites. There are still 78 ancient temples such as Huacheng temple, Yueshen temple, Huiju temple, Centenary palace, and more than 1500 Buddha statues. There are more than 1300 cultural relics such as imperial edicts, scriptures and other jade seals and artifacts issued by Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty.

According to historical records, Buddhism was first introduced to Mount Jiuhua in the year 401. In 719, a Korean monk named Jin Qiaojue arrived and practiced Buddhism here for 75 years. Upon his Nirvana in 794, Jin Qiaojue was respected as the Earth Buddha by the locals, hence it has become the place where religious rituals were held to worship the God of Earth.

It has always been a place of attraction to the literary world. It is said that Li Bai (701-762), a famous poet of Tang Dynasty, visited Jiuhua Mountain. When he was intoxicated with the scene of lotus like the peak of Jiuhua Mountain, the poem slipped out, “from the blue sky, a jade stream, nine charming lotus flowers rose from the bottom of the mountain.”. Later, Liu Yuxi (772-784), a poet of the Tang Dynasty, Wang Anshi (1021-1086), a writer of the Northern Song Dynasty, and many other scholars, politicians and monks also went to Jiuhua Mountain for tourism, which made them famous. As a Chinese saying goes, “mountains are famous for their holiness, not for their height.”.

Visitors to Jiuhua Mountain Temple are always impressed by its exquisite architecture and magnificent structure. There are no more than 90 existing temples, most of which were restored in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Among them, the most famous ones are the reincarnation hall, Huacheng temple, Zhiyuan temple, Changshou temple, zhantanlin temple, Ganlu temple and Tiantai town top temple.

Shexian County, A Famous Historical and Cultural City

Shexian is located in the northeast of Huangshan City, at the foot of Huangshan Mountain. It is a famous historical and cultural city. Surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, there are many cultural relics, folk houses, ancestral halls and memorial archways. This is a museum of classical architectural art.

Walking across the county, you can see the architectural styles of towers, bridges, alleys and wells in Ming and Qing Dynasties everywhere. The beautiful scenery and exquisite architecture make it win the reputation of water town, mountain town and bridge town. This rich county has attracted many historical scholars to praise its beauty. There are three wonders here – ancestral temple, ancient houses and arched city. Therefore, architectural experts in China and around the world call it “the Museum of classical architectural art formed naturally”.

Shexian ancient city is the ancient city of Huizhou, which is composed of Fucheng and Xi’an city. Fucheng was built in the late Sui Dynasty (581-618), and expanded in the late Tang Dynasty (618-907). The existing walls are built along the ridge, which is about 1640 yards long. Some places of interest before the Song Dynasty (960-1279), such as HAMA well, Yinggong well, Dagu well, etc. Doushan street, Zhongshan lane, Dabei street and other old streets have basically maintained the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are 16 memorial archways of Ming and Qing Dynasties in Fucheng and Xi’an city.

Historically, Shexian county was called Huizhou. It is the birthplace of Hui culture (one of the three regional cultures in China). Beautiful places carry talent. In this picturesque place, there are many celebrities who have expertise in different research fields. For example, Zhu Xi was a famous thinker in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). He was the inventor of movable type all his life. Tao Xingzhi is a great educator. Huang Binhong is a famous modern painter. Xin’an School of painting, Hui School of architecture, Hui School of drama, Xin’an medicine, Hui School of cuisine and so on all enjoy a certain reputation more or less.

Shexian also has local specialties such as jujube, Huangshan Maofeng Tea, dinggu Dafang tea, Huangshan Green Peony tea, etc., which are regarded as priceless by the local people.

Yellow Emperor Hometown, Huangdi Hometown, Yellow Emperor Birthplace

Yellow Emperor Hometown is the place where the Yellow Emperor was born, grew up and established his capital. It is located in Xinzheng, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Zhengzhou. In the Han Dynasty (202-220 BC), Xuanyuan temple was built here to commemorate the Yellow Emperor. After more than 2000 years of metamorphism and restoration, the present Huangdi hometown scenic spot came into being. Now it is the most important place for Chinese at home and abroad to worship their ancestors.

Yellow Emperor Hometown in Xinzheng City is the birthplace, entrepreneurship and capital of Xuanyuan Huangdi, the first ancestor of Chinese culture. There are records of Bamboo Annals in the Warring States period and historical records in the Han Dynasty. Xuanyuan temple was built in the Han Dynasty, which was built successively. In the fourth year of Longqing in Ming Dynasty, Xuanyuan bridge was built in front of the temple. In the fifty fourth year of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty, Xu Chaozhu, the county magistrate of Xinzheng, set up a monument of “Xuanyuan hometown” in front of the temple.

Since the 1990s, the scenic area of the Yellow Emperor’s hometown of Xinzheng City has been expanded many times, with an area of 70000 square meters. The overall layout highlights the theme of “the root of China”. From north to south, it is xuanyuanqiu Baizu District, Temple District and Zhonghua surname Square District, which constitute the three plates of “heaven, earth and man”. It is magnificent and solemn.

The Yellow Emperor, the first of the five emperors in the historical records, is a mythical figure in ancient China. Most of the Chinese emperors set up temples and mausoleums for the Yellow Emperor to obtain the legitimacy of symbolic rule. It is an important symbol of Chinese culture, known as the ancestor of the Chinese nation. Some scholars believe that it started with the promotion of intellectuals in the late Qing Dynasty, from the three emperors and the five emperors in the age of Chinese legends Stand out from the crowd and become the ancestor of the Han nation and even the Chinese nation.

Bailong Elevator, the Highest Outdoor Double-decker Sightseeing Elevator in the World

Bailong elevator, located in Yuanjia street, Wulingyuan scenic spot, Zhangjiajie, is the world’s largest passenger capacity, fastest running, fully exposed outdoor double-layer sightseeing elevator. The Bailong elevator runs up and down at a high speed of 3 meters (10 feet / second) per second, and can reach a height of 326 meters (1070 feet) in 1 minute and 58 seconds. It connects the main scenic spots such as yuanjiajie, Tianzi mountain and Jinbian River, leaving more time for tourists to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Zhangjiajie.

Normally, it takes the elevator only 1 minute and 58 seconds to run from the foot to top of the mountain, and the running speed of the elevator gets to 3 meters per second. The fastest running speed can reach 5.5 meters per second (18 feet/s) and the whole riding lasts only 66 seconds. In the previous days when there was no elevator, it took tourists about 2 hours to climb up to the mountain top. Bailong elevator has three double-layer fully exposed sightseeing elevators, which is the largest one in the world. Three elevators run side by side to serve tourists. One elevator can carry up to 50 people. When the three elevators are used at the same time, Bailong elevator can provide services for 4000 tourists every hour.

The elevator connects the main scenic spots such as Yuanjia street and Tianzi mountain, which saves a lot of time for tourists to visit the scenic spot. The elevator is made of glass, transparent. During the ride, visitors can enjoy one of the magical grand events of Zhangjiajie, including the sky garden and the local residents’ cottage scattered on the opposite mountain top, so as to gain novel sightseeing experience.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Mail
Enquiry
Share
More