Pingyao Ancient City
Pingyao Ancient City gives you a taste of the old city life. Pingyao was recognized as the financial center of China of old. This ancient city is now known for its preserved city wall duly declared as heritage site by UNESCO.
As China’s old financial center, the city has more than 20 financial establishments carrying as much as half of the whole country’s wealth. Pingyao is famous for its agriculture and beef products up to this day. The city also produces cotton, lacquerware, and grains.
During the Ming Dynasty, the walls and architecture of this city enjoyed symmetrical design complemented by a well-planned layout of the city, streets, rooftops, and courtyards. Because of its symmetry, the site seemingly looks like a square city.
Until now, the city walls stand as it had when it was first erected in 1370 AD. The walls are complete with the equal intervals of watchtowers that are beneficial during war to avoid intruder attacks. In 2004, through the efforts of UNESCO, the walls were reconstructed and preservation methods were instituted.
Pingyao Ancient City walls have six barbican gates with 2 main entrance gates at the back and front seemingly following a turtle pattern (head and tail plus 4 legs). The walls are 12 meters high running a perimeter of 6000 m. A 4 m wide moat is found outside the city’s wall structures. It boasts of 72 watchtowers and approximately 3000 battlements.
Interesting tourist stops within the city include Rishengchang Bank (the primary bank in the 19th century), the Tian Ji Xiang Museum showing historical artifacts, and the Bell Tower exemplifying classic Northern Chinese Han architecture.
A visit to the Pingyao Ancient City will make you feel like you were living in the ancient early 19th century where battles are done through swords, arrows, and cannon balls.
The Stone Forest
Have you ever heard of a stone forest? Imagine entering a typical forest with gigantic trees stationed a meter away from each other. This time, picture the forest with high, irregularly shaped rocks with sharp pointed tips – that’s what a stone forest looks like.
The Chinese Stone Forest, located in Lunan Yu Autonomous County, is considered as the world’s most amazing calcareous relief for its vast array of karst formation. Karst is a terrain that forms through the disintegration of soft rocks like limestone. The formation of Karst in the area is responsible for the arrangement of several limestone rocks in a three hundred-square kilometer stretch of land. This area is crowded with huge and gigantic rocks that are about 30-40 meters or 100-133 feet tall. It was known to exist since 1368-1644 A.D. when the Ming Dynasty ruled China.
In 2005, the Chinese Stone Forest or Shilin in Chinese, was visited by over 2.2 million tourists from around the world. Its large-scale rock formation of different shapes and sizes continuously attracts both local and international visitors who enjoy natural beauty, and have a flair for rare destinations.
Visitors will have a great time exploring some of the rocks that were given names according to their appearance:
· The Great Mogul
· Mother and Son
· Teeth of the Dragon
· The Phoenix Bird
· Monkey on the Elephant Back
· Rhinoceroses Watching the Moon
Other stones look like mushrooms, towers, pyramids, columns, and other figures that resemble the things around us. Most of the rocks are surrounded by water, the reflections of these behemoths exude an eerie serenity. Some rocks have crumbled from its original state due to the earthquakes that devastated the area.
Shilin is divided into different sections according to their features. There is the Major, Minor, and Naigu Stone Forest that offers tourists the various rock formation that the place is known for. Then there’s subterranean section located in Zhiyun Cave. Zhiyun Cave shows the formation of cave in a Karst terrain. There’s also the Strange Wind Cave, the Penfeng Cave, Hongxi Spring, and an underground river. There is also a Karst lake named the Long Lake, which is three kilometers long and 300 meters wide.
The Stone Forest is just 85 kilometers from the Chinese city Kunming. The recommended time for visiting this place is 2-3 hours. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Huangshan Mountain Range
Visiting China is not complete without hiking the Huangshan Mountain Range. The magnificent and breathtaking views while trekking the mountain or riding a cable car will send your weary mind rest. You will also notice that the views you will be seeing are comparable to illustrations found on Chinese scrolls.
There are many ways to get to the mountain range. Two of the most popular ways are hiking and riding the cable cars. Although hiking the mountains may be strenuous, compared to riding a cable car, most visitors who are up for an adventure choose to hike along the footpaths.
When hiking, there are two trails: the eastern steps and the western steps. The eastern step is a much easier route with footpaths that guide you on your way up. The western steps, on the other hand, have a more rugged path yet it has the more scenic route. The peak circuit is where the two steps meet and it is shrouded in the clouds, which makes it more rewarding when reached.
During your upward trek, you will encounter different rock formations with different names based on what creature they resemble. Inscriptions on stones are common on the Huangshan Mountain Range most of these inscriptions date back centuries.
Though you might see many inscriptions and carvings, you are not allowed to write on the mountain range. Expect rainfall during spring and summer. Temperature changes rapidly in the mountain range, which is why it is advised to bring extra clothes. Use apparel according to the season and also bring extra money for souvenirs.
Labrang Monastery
The Labrang Monastery is known as one of six big monasteries of Gelugpa. Made of wood and stone, the Labrang monastery holds a great and admirable architectural influence that awes the visitor.
A structure at the foot of the Mt. Phoenix, the Labrang Monastery sits at the north western portion of Xiahe County in the Gannan Tibetan Nationality Autonomous Prefecture. The Labrang Monastery also provides a good view of the Dragon Mountain and stands by the Daxia River. The Phoenix and Dragon Mountains have been part of a well known legend including the Labrang Monastery.
The Labrang Monastery has a Tibetan influence. The two white towers of the Labrang Monastery located both in the northeast and northwestern parts of the monastery are symbols related to the whole structure.
The halls of the monastery are in a crescent shape. The Buddha halls and the Grand Sutra in the Labrang Monastery are located on the northwestern part which is centered on the grand Sutra Hall. The Grand Sutra Hall of the Labrang Monastery is the primary location for worship. Built in shrines and portraits of Buddha are placed on the walls and the walls are decorated elegantly.
There are more than a thousand Buddha statues made from different types of materials like gold and silver are present in the Labrang Monastery. There are also statues made from other materials like ivory and jade. All statues in the monastery have kind faces.
The Labrang Monastery possesses a lot of Buddhist treasures and Buddhist hats. Treasures decorated with emerald, jade, and other precious stones hold great value and are well treasured by the Buddhist monks.
Large summon ceremonies are also being held in the Labrang Monastery. Some of the grand ceremonies done annually are the Buddhist Doctrine Explaining Ritual done in the seventh month of the lunar calendar and the Summons Ceremony which is done during the first month of the lunar calendar.
Bund Riverfront
The Bund Riverfront is an attraction best viewed and visited in nice weather, daytime or nighttime. With over fifty tall buildings lit from 7:00pm to 11:00pm, nightlife in the Bund is something that you should experience while in Shanghai. Visiting the Bund riverfront during the daytime also holds a certain charm.
Walking along the Bund during the daytime, you will learn about China’s history and the development of the magnificent architecture in the past.
Most of the buildings in the Bund are for commercial purposes. National organizations, clubs, and restaurants call this home. Overall, there are ten different bank buildings along the Bund.
Two popular buildings found along the Bund are the peace hotel and the HSBC building, which is one of the most popular banks nowadays. The Bund stretches 1500 meters along the Huangpu River.
During the early mornings, tai chi enthusiasts gather around the Promenade to do their early morning exercises. Tourists are welcomed to learn and do tai chi themselves. Early to mid morning strolls along the Bund is suitable to those who don’t enjoy crowds.
Other attractions are also present along the Bund riverfront and most of them are part of Shanghai’s rich history. Some of these attractions include the Waibaidu Bridge, which is made of iron and was built in 1906. The bridge was recently repaired and reconstructed to accommodate an underground tunnel.
Most restaurants and commercial buildings are designed to overlook the river that holds a beauty during daytime and nighttime. Because the Bund riverfront is well known and is a primary commercial and business district, transportation is easy and accommodations are readily available.
Chengde Mountain Resort
Found in the Heibei, the Chengde Mountain Resort is a popular place
to escape to during the grueling heat of summer. The area covered by the
mountain resort is the entire half of the urban area of Chengde; the
entire mountain resort took more than 80 years to complete under two
emperors, Qian and Long.
The Chengde Mountain Resort is composed of beautiful palaces and gardens enclosed in a wall of rock 10 kilometers long and 13 meters wide. Seventy-two scenic spots found inside the mountain resorts were named by the emperors themselves and the designs were copied in other parts of Northern and Southern China.
The garden area of the mountain resort is made up of more than a hundred clustered buildings and seventy-two scenic trails composed of lakes, plains, and mountains. The garden area spans from the northwest to the southeast areas of the mountain resort.
The palaces are in a building complex. Overall, there are three different building complexes. The main palaces, the chambers, and the towers are all situated inside the building. The main hall called the Danpochinjeng Hall span 583 square meters. The Hall is also known as the ‘Namnu Hall’ since it was rebuilt during the Qianlong rule.
There are eight outer temples inside the mountain resort in the northeastern part of the walls. Mongolian, Tibetan, and Ugyur architectural influences can be seen.
Food is great in the Chengde Mountain Resort. Local delicacies are available in the resort and all of them are delicious. Rou Jia Mo, pork and cilantro stuffed inside a bread pocket, is one of the foods you will enjoy.
If you are a fan of sculpting and Chinese art, this is the place for you. The Longmen strip is a heritage site with sacred sculptures of Buddhas, and other Chinese gods made just from pure limestone.
The Longmen caves is a collaboration of various dynasties including Northern Wei dynasty and Tang Dynasty. It consists of 1350 caves, 40 pagodas, and 750 niches. All of these caves contain sculptures counting up to 111,000 statues of holy men. You will notice the progression of art style throughout the tour, seeing the different interpretations of the consecutive dynasties.
The Datong art style is seen in the three Binyang caves. These caves have the earliest sculptures made by Northern Wei dynasty. The sculptures are generally observed to show Greek influences including longer faces, thin bodies, and fishtail wardrobe.
The Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas (Wan Fo Dong) was built by Gao Zong in 680 AD with almost 15,000 Buddhas. The Lotus Flower cave (Lianhua) is attractive with a big lotus carved in its roof.
The Ancestor Worshipping Cave (Feng Xian Si) contains the most beautiful sculptures. The center sculpture of a Vairocana Buddha with a Bodhisativa on its left features intricately designed cave walls and Tang dynasty-inspired art.
There are other caves showcasing art like the oldest Guyang cave that holds sculptures with traces of the original paint, Medical Prescription Cave with the carvings of 575 cures of every illness, and the Tomb of Bai Juyi, a famous Tang dynasty poet.
The Longmen caves will leave you breathless.
The Chengde Mountain Resort is composed of beautiful palaces and gardens enclosed in a wall of rock 10 kilometers long and 13 meters wide. Seventy-two scenic spots found inside the mountain resorts were named by the emperors themselves and the designs were copied in other parts of Northern and Southern China.
The garden area of the mountain resort is made up of more than a hundred clustered buildings and seventy-two scenic trails composed of lakes, plains, and mountains. The garden area spans from the northwest to the southeast areas of the mountain resort.
The palaces are in a building complex. Overall, there are three different building complexes. The main palaces, the chambers, and the towers are all situated inside the building. The main hall called the Danpochinjeng Hall span 583 square meters. The Hall is also known as the ‘Namnu Hall’ since it was rebuilt during the Qianlong rule.
There are eight outer temples inside the mountain resort in the northeastern part of the walls. Mongolian, Tibetan, and Ugyur architectural influences can be seen.
Food is great in the Chengde Mountain Resort. Local delicacies are available in the resort and all of them are delicious. Rou Jia Mo, pork and cilantro stuffed inside a bread pocket, is one of the foods you will enjoy.
The Longmen Caves
The Longmen Caves or Longmen Grottoes depict Buddhist beliefs in a nature backdrop. One trip to this site will make you appreciate Chinese art of the Tang Dynasty.
If you are a fan of sculpting and Chinese art, this is the place for you. The Longmen strip is a heritage site with sacred sculptures of Buddhas, and other Chinese gods made just from pure limestone.
The Longmen caves is a collaboration of various dynasties including Northern Wei dynasty and Tang Dynasty. It consists of 1350 caves, 40 pagodas, and 750 niches. All of these caves contain sculptures counting up to 111,000 statues of holy men. You will notice the progression of art style throughout the tour, seeing the different interpretations of the consecutive dynasties.
The Datong art style is seen in the three Binyang caves. These caves have the earliest sculptures made by Northern Wei dynasty. The sculptures are generally observed to show Greek influences including longer faces, thin bodies, and fishtail wardrobe.
The Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas (Wan Fo Dong) was built by Gao Zong in 680 AD with almost 15,000 Buddhas. The Lotus Flower cave (Lianhua) is attractive with a big lotus carved in its roof.
The Ancestor Worshipping Cave (Feng Xian Si) contains the most beautiful sculptures. The center sculpture of a Vairocana Buddha with a Bodhisativa on its left features intricately designed cave walls and Tang dynasty-inspired art.
There are other caves showcasing art like the oldest Guyang cave that holds sculptures with traces of the original paint, Medical Prescription Cave with the carvings of 575 cures of every illness, and the Tomb of Bai Juyi, a famous Tang dynasty poet.
The Longmen caves will leave you breathless.
Mount Everest, Highest Mountain in the World
Mount Everest is said to be the tallest mountain on Earth. It
literally means the top or the head of the sky. Mount Everest touches
the borders of China, Tibet, and Nepal and is a part of the Himalayan
Range… Its total height above sea level is 29,029 ft. During 1856, the
name of Mount Everest was Peak XV. Its official name was given by the
Geographical Society.
Despite the fact it is the highest peak in the world, hikers from all over the world come and climb this mountain despite all difficulties. A whole team of climbers can help both armature and novice climbers climb the peak. If one follows the standard route to climb, it is quite safe to climb the mountains. However, the problem in the Himalayas are faced with bad weather, fast wind and low breathing that can happen due to high altitude.
Climbers must pay heavy amount of money to climb the mountain, which acts as a continuous source of income to Nepal. However, an equal amount has to be raised to get license and permit of $25,000 to climb the Mount Everest. Till 2007, 210 people have lost their lives while climbing Mount Everest due to high storm.
There are two main routes for climbing Mt. Everest. One is from the Southeast of Nepal and the other is from the North of Tibet. The most preferred route out of the two is the Southeast that starts from Nepal. The best time to start climbing is during May, before the summer monsoon, as the direction of the wind is quite favorable during that time.
West lake is located in Hangzhou, the most famous tourist venture
spot in china and it is defined as China’s most elegant nature lake.
West Lake is also defined as “Paradise on Earth”. It takes three and
half hour’s drive from Shanghai to Hangzhou City. Hangzhou is the
biggest tourism venture spot in the Yangtze Dynasty because of West
Lake. It is the best place on earth to spend leisure time. West Lake
also represents the beautiful legendary track of Chinese history,
artistic work, culture and literature. It has a vast landscape of 5.6
square kilometers in an elliptical shape with attractive scenery shots.
West lake is divided into different spectacular spots by Su Causeway,
Bai Causeway and Yanggong Causeway.
Best Scenery Spots Of West Lake:
West Lake Spring Dawn at Su Causeway: Spring Dawn at Su Causeway is the spot visited the most at West Lake. The name Su Causeway was given in fond memory of Su Dong Po , the governor of Hangzhou. Su Causeway landscape is around three kilometers with all six arch bridges named as Ying Po, Wang Shan,Yia Ti, Dong Pu and Qua Hong. Each bridge has its own uniqueness in defining the nature beauty and also reveals the poetic feel of the nature to every visitor.
West Lake Lingering Snow on Broken Bridge: The broken bridge is located in the east of the Su Causeway. This is the most famous bridge among all the bridges in West Lake. This bridge was constructed during the Tang Dynasty and later reconstructed in 1921 by the Hangzhou city. This bridge is the most attractive spot to the tourists during snowing season, that’s why it is named as Lingering snow on Broken Bridge. These snowy days were very precious and most memorable days because snowing season in southern part of China doesn’t lasts for longer period.
The West Lake Breeze – ruffled Lotus at Quyuan Garden: Tourists will enjoy the joyful lotus blooming theme of summer vacation at Quyaun Garden. This West Lake breeze stands in the second position of the top ten scenes of the West Lake. Visitors enjoy the blossom summer breeze of lotus in the pools while relaxing. The bridges in the West Lake are surrounded by the lotus which reveals the beauty of the West Lake.
West Lake Leifing Pagodain Evening glow: Tourist will enjoy this beautiful scenic spot during sunset time as the pagoda looks in a spectacular elegant view with yellow shining glow. This Leifing pagoda was constructed with seven stories supported by pavilions and ladders. This pagoda resembles the Chinese architecture the scene is the most attractive spot in the West Lake for all the tourists.
Three Pools mirroring the moon in the West Lake: In West Lake, there are three small islands in which the biggest one is named as “Lesser Yingzhou”, this one is the famous and finest of the remaining two. The scenic view of these three islands and the lake brings the rhythm and beauty of the nature with “lake within the islands and islands within the lake”.
Fishing at Flower Harbor : Flower harbor is located close to the Su causeway. This harbor is comprised of Flower Garden, Red fish Pool,Peony Garden ,Widespread Woods and Lawns. Flower Harbor is the best place for refreshment of one’s mind. This Harbor is becoming famous for day-by-day because of its tourist attractions to the splendid decoration of numerous flowers, goldfish and trees.
Despite the fact it is the highest peak in the world, hikers from all over the world come and climb this mountain despite all difficulties. A whole team of climbers can help both armature and novice climbers climb the peak. If one follows the standard route to climb, it is quite safe to climb the mountains. However, the problem in the Himalayas are faced with bad weather, fast wind and low breathing that can happen due to high altitude.
Climbers must pay heavy amount of money to climb the mountain, which acts as a continuous source of income to Nepal. However, an equal amount has to be raised to get license and permit of $25,000 to climb the Mount Everest. Till 2007, 210 people have lost their lives while climbing Mount Everest due to high storm.
There are two main routes for climbing Mt. Everest. One is from the Southeast of Nepal and the other is from the North of Tibet. The most preferred route out of the two is the Southeast that starts from Nepal. The best time to start climbing is during May, before the summer monsoon, as the direction of the wind is quite favorable during that time.
West Lake in Hangzhou
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Best Scenery Spots Of West Lake:
West Lake Spring Dawn at Su Causeway: Spring Dawn at Su Causeway is the spot visited the most at West Lake. The name Su Causeway was given in fond memory of Su Dong Po , the governor of Hangzhou. Su Causeway landscape is around three kilometers with all six arch bridges named as Ying Po, Wang Shan,Yia Ti, Dong Pu and Qua Hong. Each bridge has its own uniqueness in defining the nature beauty and also reveals the poetic feel of the nature to every visitor.
West Lake Lingering Snow on Broken Bridge: The broken bridge is located in the east of the Su Causeway. This is the most famous bridge among all the bridges in West Lake. This bridge was constructed during the Tang Dynasty and later reconstructed in 1921 by the Hangzhou city. This bridge is the most attractive spot to the tourists during snowing season, that’s why it is named as Lingering snow on Broken Bridge. These snowy days were very precious and most memorable days because snowing season in southern part of China doesn’t lasts for longer period.
The West Lake Breeze – ruffled Lotus at Quyuan Garden: Tourists will enjoy the joyful lotus blooming theme of summer vacation at Quyaun Garden. This West Lake breeze stands in the second position of the top ten scenes of the West Lake. Visitors enjoy the blossom summer breeze of lotus in the pools while relaxing. The bridges in the West Lake are surrounded by the lotus which reveals the beauty of the West Lake.
West Lake Leifing Pagodain Evening glow: Tourist will enjoy this beautiful scenic spot during sunset time as the pagoda looks in a spectacular elegant view with yellow shining glow. This Leifing pagoda was constructed with seven stories supported by pavilions and ladders. This pagoda resembles the Chinese architecture the scene is the most attractive spot in the West Lake for all the tourists.
Three Pools mirroring the moon in the West Lake: In West Lake, there are three small islands in which the biggest one is named as “Lesser Yingzhou”, this one is the famous and finest of the remaining two. The scenic view of these three islands and the lake brings the rhythm and beauty of the nature with “lake within the islands and islands within the lake”.
Fishing at Flower Harbor : Flower harbor is located close to the Su causeway. This harbor is comprised of Flower Garden, Red fish Pool,Peony Garden ,Widespread Woods and Lawns. Flower Harbor is the best place for refreshment of one’s mind. This Harbor is becoming famous for day-by-day because of its tourist attractions to the splendid decoration of numerous flowers, goldfish and trees.
