Archive March 9, 2020

Sera Monastery, One of Three Famous Monasteries in Lhasa

Located at the foot of Tatipu Hill in the northern suburb of Lhasa City, Sera Monastery  is one of three famous monasteries in the city along with the Drepung Monastery and the Ganden Monastery. There are tens of thousands of Vajra and Buddha statues in sera temple, mostly made in Tibet. There are also many bronze Buddhas brought from the mainland or India. A large number of original color murals are preserved on the four walls of the main hall and the zacang scripture hall. The most famous statue is the “horse headed King Ming” in the hall. The monastery is magnificent and covers an area of 114,946 square meters. Its main buildings are the Coqen Hall, Zhacang and Kamcun. Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth and unparalleled murals can be found in these halls. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here and these employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa’s other famous monasteries.

The Coqen Hall, which was built in 1710, is a four-storey building in the northeast area of the monastery. This main assembly hall where various rituals are held is supported by 125 pillars of varying heights and covers about 2,000 square meters (0.5 acre). It consists of five chapels which give honor to the Maitreya, Sakyamuni, Arhats, Tsong Khapa, and Kwan-yin with one thousand hands and eleven faces. The delicate Gangyur of Tripitaka in Tibetan is the proudest possession of the monastery which now holds 105 out of the original 108 volumes. These priceless volumes, the earliest sutras printed by engraving in China, were presented as a gift to Jamchen Chojey by Chengzhu, a Ming Dynasty Emperor.

Zhacang, which means Buddhist College in Tibetan, acts as the arena for the monks to study the Buddhist Classics. There are three Zhacangs in the monastery: Me Zhacang, Je Zhacang and Ngaba Zhacang. The oldest of these, the Me Zhacang, was built in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty and features a well-preserved fresco. In the Je Zhacang the Hayagriva displayed is extremely famous throughout Tibet. The Ngaba Zhacang is the smallest and newest arena where one of its founders, Jamchen Chojey, is worshipped.

The early buildings are centered on mazacang and abazacang, and then have the scale of today after the renovation and expansion of previous dynasties, so there is no overall plan in the plane layout. However, the buildings of sera temple are dense but not crowded, miscellaneous but not disordered. They are adapted to local conditions and the main body is prominent, which reflects the unique style of the Gelug temple. It is a religious city.

Mount Everest, the Highest Peak in the World

Everest is the main peak of the Himalayas and the highest mountain in the world. It is located on the border between China and Nepal and is the highest peak in the world.

Mt. Everest is a giant pyramid, majestic and towering, with extremely steep terrain and complex environment. The Himalayan area where Everest is located was originally an ocean. In the long geological time, a large amount of gravel and sediment were washed from the land and accumulated in the Himalayan area, forming a marine sedimentary rock layer with a thickness of more than 30000 meters. Later, because of the strong orogeny, the Himalayas region was squeezed and uplifted violently. It is estimated that the average increase is about 20-30 meters every 10000 years. Up to now, the Himalayas is still in the process of rising, rising by 7 cm every 100 years.

Its Tibetan meaning of ‘Goddess the Third’ adds more mysterious color and magic power to the subject. As a result, it has intrigued all kinds of people since it was first discovered. Pilgrims trek long distances to present a pious worship, climbing enthusiasts run great risks to challenge its high altitude and the common visitors also yearn for a reverent look at this holy peak.

As the supreme point of the world, Mt. Qomolangma is also blessed with many extreme wonders. The top part of the mountain is covered with snow all the year round. When the glaring sun shines on the mountain, the peak is just like a white pyramid miraculously transformed by the Goddess, leading us to imagine her semblance further. More often than not, the thick freely moving clouds and fogs, seeming as if a flag with the mast of the peak was swinging, will shroud the peak. This peculiar phenomenon is known as ‘Flag Cloud’. An additional wonder generated here are the bright glaciers, where ices are formed into various shapes like bridges, pagodas and others. You can also find miles of efflorescent rock physiognomy there, such as stalagmites, stelae, stone sword, and stone pagodas. The climbing pathfinders call this splendor at such high attitude ‘the Largest Park on the High Mountain’.

Tientsin Eye, the No. 1 Ferris Wheel in Asia

Tientsin Eye, also known as the Tianjin Eye, is a Ferris wheel as tall as 120 meters. Tianjin Eye is also the No. 1 Ferris wheel in Asia, the only Ferris wheel built above a bridge and the tenth tallest Ferris wheel in the world. You can ride Tianjin Eye to enjoy the scenery of Tianjin or appreciate Tianjin Eye from afar on Jingang Bridge which is also enjoyable.

Tianjin eye is a national 4A level scenic spot in Hebei District of Tianjin (funded by the government of Hebei District of Tianjin). It is the first Ferris wheel in Asia. It is a Ferris wheel with river crossing construction and bridge wheel integration. It has both sightseeing and transportation functions.

Except for riding Ferris wheel, looking at Tianjin Eye from afar and taking photos are also good choices. This Ferris wheel is like an eye when looking from afar and this is how Tianjin Eye is named. The best place for that is Jingang Bridge, about 800 meters (900 yards) south of Tientsin Eye. When standing on the bridge, Tianjin Eye surrounded by beautiful buildings on the bank of Hai River appears before your eyes. It’s best to come at night when Tianjin Eye and Hai River interact with each other under the illumination of lights and you can see a totally different Tianjin here.

The ferris wheel is equipped with 48 transparent cockpits, each of which can hold 8 people. There are air conditioners and fans in the cabin to adjust the temperature, which can be used for 384 people to visit at the same time. The time when the ferris wheel rotates for one circle will be affected by the number of passengers and the weather change, and it will be kept between 20 and 40 minutes. Each cabin of the ferris wheel of Yongle bridge in Tianjin covers an area of about 12 square meters, which can be used by 8 people at the same time. It is understood that 48 cockpits will rotate at a constant speed driven by electric power, and it will take about 30 minutes to rotate a circle. It can be used for 300-400 people to visit at the same time. The diameter of the ferris wheel is 110 meters, so the technical content of its rotating shaft is very high. The rotating shaft of Tianjin eye is made in Germany. The ferris wheel has passed the strength tests of compression resistance, seepage resistance, bending resistance and frost resistance.

Haihe River, the Largest Water System in North China

Haihe River is the largest water system in North China and one of the seven major rivers in China.The Haihe River is regarded as the ‘mother river’ of Tianjin. Covering a catchment area of 122,700 sq miles, it is a great contributor to the improvement of Tianjin, and ties closely to the lives of people living there for generations. People visiting it today to appreciate its scenic beauty as well as its historical and cultural atmosphere. The Haihe River is a crucial river in Northern China formed by the convergence of five rivers in Tianjin. Historically, it was open to navigation 1,800 years ago and gradually became a junction for navigation in the Sui Dynasty. Through centuries of development, it became a trading center gathering a great influx of businessmen from around the nation. Today the former shipping center is a place for relaxation.

Regions along the river present beautiful views starting from Sanchakou to Daguangming Bridge. Countless attractions along the banks make the river a popular holiday destination.

Of all the sights, the Haihe Park is the most attractive. Like a jade belt attached to the banks, it is an ideal place for pleasure and rest. Two groups of bronze sculptures are particularly noticeable. Verdant trees, beautiful blossoms, green lawns, long corridors under ivy-laced frames, fountains, and sculptures decorate the park. Residents prefer to spend their leisure time ambling there. Visitors can get a general knowledge of Tianjin from the locals. Haihe Cultural Square is a key project in the comprehensive renovation of resorts along the river. It gained this name from the adjoining ancient culture street.

Focusing on cultural traditions and folk customs of Tianjin, the designer endowed the square with a style of solemnity and simplicity. Meanwhile, a modern element enters the design. The high-tech lighting, the causeway pavement and the wooden floor make the square a shining pearl of the bank.

Five Great Avenues, Wudadao in Tianjin

Five Great Avenue is the most complete European building complex in Tianjin and even in China. The Five Great Avenue area has more than 2000 garden type buildings with different national architectural styles built in two and 30s of last century, with a floor area of about 1000000 square meters. Among the most typical 300 buildings, 89 are British buildings, 41 are Italian buildings, 6 are French buildings, 4 are German buildings, 3 are Spanish buildings, there are many Renaissance buildings, classical buildings, eclectic buildings, Baroque buildings, courtyard buildings and Chinese and western buildings, which are called the World Architecture expo garden.

Spanning 3,216 meters (3,517 yards), it is the earliest-built, widest and longest avenue in Five Great Avenues. When visiting, pay special attention to No. 121 villa, a typical Spanish villa. Musée Hoangho Paiho on this avenue is one of the earliest museums in China. Founded in 1922, it is of Roman style architecture. Tianjin Institute of Business and Technology, now Tianjin Foreign Language University, built in 1921 with a large Gour wall and a Mansell tile roof, and is of French Romanesque architecture.

It is the earliest small western style house in Tianjin, mostly for foreigners who have opened up concessions. At that time, Wudao area was still a puddle of reed. Their houses are next to the office area, near the Jiefang Road, and around Marco Polo square, the former Italian Concession in Hebei Province. After entering the 20th century, on the one hand, with the change of society and government, the concession became a political haven; on the other hand, Tianjin gained the benefits of geography, transportation and customs, which was full of business opportunities.

Munan Avenue is 2,080 meters (2275 yards) long with 74  villas on both sides. No. 20 villa, built in 1930, is a classic western style mansion. No. 24 is in classic European style. No. 28 of an Italian style architecture. No. 50 is a courtyard of British style with red brick wall and red roof.

Binhai Aircraft Carrier Theme Park in Tianjin

Binhai Aircraft Carrier Theme Park is a large-scale military theme park with a Kiev aircraft carrier from Soviet Russia as the main attraction. There are also performances reappearing the battles on the aircraft carrier. Around the aircraft carrier, a street with Russian-style architecture has been built. Here Russian food, drink, handicrafts and street shows are offered.   Kiev aircraft carrier, built in 1970, commissioned in 1975 and retired in 1994, is a 17-floor aircraft carrier built by the former Soviet Union, 8 floors above the deck and 9 under. Kiev Aircraft carrier was once the national card of the former Soviet Union as well as the world’s most eye-catching “Big Mac on the Sea”. Now, this theme park is a great place for common people to gain some knowledge about war and weapons. Kiev aircraft carrier has a total length of 273.1 meters (298.7 yards), a width of 52.8 meters (57.7 yards), a height of 61 meters (67 yards), a standard displacement of 32,000 tons, a full load displacement of 40,500 tons, an endurance of 13,000 nautical miles and a top speed of 32 knots. Kiev Aircraft carrier can carry 1,400 officers and soldiers and 33 aircrafts. It is numbered 075.

Russian cultural and creative style street is a kind of street built by Tianjin Binhai aircraft carrier. The comprehensive theme block with Russian culture as the core, whether it is elaborately Russian architecture, authentic Russian goods, or carefully created Russian customs, has condensed the original essence of Russian culture. The shops here have their own characteristics, covering the fields of Russian food, leisure and entertainment, culture and art. At that time, tourists will have the opportunity to taste the charming and colorful Russia in an all-round way.

Using the intangible assets and social effects of Kiev aircraft carrier, relying on the sea area advantages of Bohai Bay, the economic advantages of Binhai New Area and the huge tourism population advantages of Beijing Tianjin area, a super large leisure and entertainment scenic spot with aircraft carrier as the core and military culture and marine ecology as the skeleton will be built, and Tianjin tourism products with international standards will be built.

Using the intangible assets and social effects of Kiev aircraft carrier, relying on the sea area advantages of Bohai Bay, the economic advantages of Binhai New Area and the huge tourism population advantages of Beijing Tianjin area, a super large leisure and entertainment scenic spot with aircraft carrier as the core and military culture and marine ecology as the skeleton will be built, and Tianjin tourism products with international standards will be built.

Mt. Panshan Scenic Area, the First Mountain East of Beijing

Panshan scenic spot, located in Tianjin, covers an area of 106 square kilometers and is also known as the “The First Mountain East of Beijing”. It is a tourist and leisure resort that combines natural landscape with scenic spots, Buddhism culture and royal culture. It is listed as one of the top fifteen mountains in China.

The mountain acquired its present name, early in the Eastern Han (25-220). Taizong, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), was prodigal of his praise of its scenery on his chance visit when he led the army in a campaign. Seventy-two temples, thirteen pagodas and numerous Xanadus and towers were built on the mountain in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Qianlong, a brilliant and wise Qing Dynasty emperor was so impressed that he made thirty or so visits and wrote 1366 poems to express his admiration of the area. In the first half of the twentieth century, the whole resort all fell to ruin due to hostilities and neglect. It has undergone a process of restoration since the 1990s and is now regaining its fame.

It is famous for jade pine trees, strange and astonishing peaks, clear waters, grotesquely shaped rocks and clusters of ancient temples. On its top, numerous pines hide the sky from view and block out the sunshine. Rugged rocks in a variety of shapes, some of which resemble a toad, a general or a boa, will greet you in the middle of the mountain. At its foot, clear water splashes on the rocks. The mountain consists of five peaks, with the main one, Guayue (Moon Hanging) Peak. Although Guayue Peak is only 2,835 feet(864 meters ) above sea level, to the north it is possible to see a section of the Great Wall while to the west Mt Taihang can be seen.

From the Wei State during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) onwards, emperors enthusiastically commissioned the building of temples, towers and Xanadus resulting in over 160 such sites. There are four main temples: Tiancheng Temple (God Proposing Temple), Yunzhao Temple (Cloud-Hiding Temple), Wanfo Temple (Ten Thousand-Buddha Temple) and Wansong Temple (Ten Thousand-Pine Temple). Tiancheng Temple built in the Tang Dynasty, was enlarged and repaired in the Ming and the Qing dynasties. To the east of this temple stands the Ancient Dagoba. As the biggest tower in this mountain, it has thirteen floors. The roof of the Yunzhao Temple was golden yellow, a color that normally was only allowed to be used on imperial buildings. By granting permission for this, Emperor Qianlong demonstrated his approval and admiration of the mountain. Wanfo Temple (Ten Thousand-Buddha Temple) has 10,960 small Buddha statues.

Porcelain House, a French-style Building Embellished by Porcelain

The porcelain house is located at No.72, Chifeng Road, Heping District, Tianjin. It is an unparalleled building. Its predecessor is an old French style building that has gone through hundreds of years. The building is known as a Priceless Chinese Ancient porcelain Museum.

The porcelain house used more than 4000 pieces of ancient porcelain, and decorated a French style building into a valuable porcelain house.

The porcelain pieces inlaid on the porcelain house cover all historical periods, including Celadon of Jin Dynasty, Sancai of Tang Dynasty, Jun porcelain and Longquan porcelain of Song Dynasty. Almost all kinds of porcelain can be found on the wall, and they are poured inside with cement and fixed with marble glue as a part of the building.

Inside the building, the ceilings and handrails are decorated with chinaware, too. The house preserves hundreds of precious furniture from Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, and more than 200 calligraphies and paintings both from home and abroad, including the masterpieces of Chinese great masters Zhang Xuan, Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong, and foreign masters Van Gogh and Picasso. All of precious treasures and china make the house inestimable and splendid.

Furthermore, the house dexterously combines traditional elements with Chinese culture. The outside of the wall is decorated by vases, and they are called “Walls of Peace”. Because “vase” sounds like “peace” in Chinese, the designers used vases to wish for peace and safety. Similarly, white marble sculptures and rock images are used frequently to symbolize good luck and chance. At last, the vivid dragons and phoenixes on the eaves symbolize auspice and prosperity.

First built in the 1920s, the Porcelain House covers a total area of 5,000 square yards (4,200 square meters). Adopting the architectural principle of eclecticism, the building is in French style as a whole but with an Italian-style corridor. It was inhabited by contemporary Chinese diplomat Huang Rongliang. In September 2002, Zhang Lianzhi, a businessman, artist and collector, bought the time-honored building at the price of CNY 30 million. He decided to transform it into a porcelain building to spread chinaware culture. On September 3rd, 2007, the house was open to the public. Since then, it has become a landmark in Tianjin. On September 23rd, 2010, it was listed by the US Huffington Post as one of the fifteen museums with unique designs, together with the Louvre Museum in Paris, French, and the Denver Art Museum in Colorado, America.

Dabei Buddhist Temple, the Oldest Temple in Tianjin

Dabei temple is located in Tianjin, China. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Tianjin, covering an area of 42000 square meters. Dabei temple was built in Shunzhi period of Qing Dynasty. At present, Dabei temple is a cultural relic protection unit and special protection level historical style building in Tianjin, and also one of the national key Buddhist temples in Han area.

The present temple, covering an area of 10.38 acres (about 42,000 square meters), is composed of two parts: the West Temple and the East Temple. The west one was built in 1669 in the Qing Dynasty, while the east called New Temple was built in 1942 by the Master Monk Tan Xu.

The West Temple is the site of Tianjin Buddhist Institute, including the Buddhism Scripture Chanting Hall and Buddhist Abbot Hall. And the main part of the Dabei Buddhist Temple is a series of Buddhist architecture in the East Temple – the Dabei Hall, Grand Hall, Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwang Hall) and Hall of Earth Treasure Bodhisattva (Dizang Hall).

Among those, the Grand Hall lies in the center, featuring hundreds of statues made in Chinese ancient times with bronze, iron, wood and stone. Demonstrating the care and the precision of the sculptors, the statues are exquisite and artistic. Included are statues of Sakyamuni, Kwan-yin of One Thousand Hands, Maitreya and the Eighteen Arhats of the Buddha.

Dabei Hall enshrines the statue of Kwan-yin. This statue of Kwan-yin is very special with 24 arms and a pair of eyes which can perceive the front as well as both the left and the right. The wall inside Dabei Hall is painted with colorful murals, describing the life experiences of Sakyamuni.

The Hall of Heavenly Kings houses the statue of Buddha Maitreya, namely Future Buddha in the center. The statues of the four Heavenly Kings stand on the two sides, symbolizing favorable weather for the crops. The Hall of Earth Treasure Bodhisattva honors Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and many hierarchs.

Tianjin Dabei Buddhist Temple once housed an invaluable Buddhist treasure – a piece of head bone relics of Xuanzang, an eminent monk in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In 1956, the Buddhist relic was sent to India as a gift to embody the friendship between India and China. Now, without the top treasure, the temple is still very popular among disciples and visitors, especially on Buddhist festivals. In addition, various tasty vegetarian foods are available there.

Yungang Grottoes, One of the Three Major Cave Clusters in China

Yungang Grottoes punctuate the north cliff of Wuzhou Mountain, Datong.  Yungang Grottoes graphically tell the story of past glory. Yungang Grottoes are magnificent and colorful, which can be regarded as the top of Chinese stone carving art in the 5th century AD and the treasure house of ancient Chinese carving art. Yungang Grottoes of Datong is deemed as the Three Largest and Most Famous Grottoes Clusters together with Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, and Longmen Grottoes of Henan. Located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, the grotto area was excavated along the mountain, imposingly stretching 1 kilometer with rich contents. Covering over 18,000 square meters engraving area, there are existing 45 main caves, 209 subsidiary caves, more than 1,100 niches, and more than 51,000 stone statues, among which the largest statue measures 17 meters and the smallest only 2 centimeters. One of the largest stone caving art treasury famous both home and abroad, the Yungang Grottoes was inscribed as a key cultural relic under the state protection in 1961, a world heritage site in 2001, and a 5A national Scenic Area in 2007.

Yungang Grottoes is hailed as a Miracle in Chinese Art with its time-honored history, large scale, rich contents and superb carvings. The whole Yungang Grottoes is grand and dignified with prominent themes, and can be divided into three parts, the eastern, central and western, and the niches are densely distributed like a honeycomb. The eastern part takes pagodas as the principal thing; hence its name pagoda caves. Each of all grottoes in central part can be parted with a front room and back room; each grotto houses a Buddha, and basso-relievo covers cave walls and roofs. In western part, small grottoes and niches are in the majority and were built in later Northern Wei Dynasty.

Started in 450, the grottoes is a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Absorbing Indian Gandhara Buddhist art, the sculptures here 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, which is 20 meters (65.6 foot) high, standing 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.

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