Travel Hangzhou Guide

Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province and its political, economic and cultural center. With its famous natural beauty and cultural heritages, Hangzhou is one of China's most important tourist venues.

The City, the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, is located on the lower reaches of the Qiantang River in southeast China, a superior position in the Yangtze Delta and only 180 kilometers from Shanghai. Hangzhou has a subtropical monsoon type climate with four quite distinct seasons. However, it is neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter making it a year round destination.

The West Lake is undoubtedly the most renowned feature of Hangzhou, noted for the scenic beauty that blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites. In this scenic area, Solitary Hill, the Mausoleum of General Yue Fei, the Six Harmonies Pagoda and the Ling Yin Temple are probably the most frequently visited attractions. The "Ten West Lake Prospects" have been specially selected to give the visitor outstanding views of the lake, mountains and monuments.

A number of national museums can be found in Hangzhou and are representative of Chinese culture. Fine examples are theNational Silk Museum and National Tea Museum. Along with the other museums in Hangzhou, they provide a fascinating insight into the history of Chinese traditional products.

One of the most important parts of traveling is tasting the local delicacies. Hangzhou dishes are noted for their elaborate preparation, sophisticated cooking and refreshing taste. Many local specialties will be sure to make your trip a cultural experience. We recommend that you try Beggar's Chicken (a chicken baked in clay), West Lake Fish in Sweet Sour Source (vinegar coated fish fresh caught from the lake), Dongpo Pork (braised pork) and Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea, etc.

The shopping environment in Hangzhou is exciting and convenient. Travelers and tourists like to go to Qing He Fang Street. It is one of the most famous and historic streets in the city and reflects many of the features of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). Shoppers will admire the antique buildings while purchasing items from a wide range of local goods such as silks, tea or maybe a silk parasol, brocade or a beautiful Hangzhou fan. These are just some of the items to be found but there are many more.

At night Hangzhou has much to offer and teahouses and various kinds of pubs are both plentiful and popular. Choosing one overlooking the West Lake for a pleasant chat over a cup of tea is sure to make you feel totally relaxed and refreshed.

While much of the ancient city that had been the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion in the mid-nineteenth century, today's Hangzhou is a modern and vibrant economical center. As such it provides a base for many talented and skilled people. Never the less, thanks to its unique setting by the West Lake it continues to enjoy the many benefits of the natural surroundings that have delighted visitors for centuries. Not only was it much vaunted in his writings by the 13 century explorer, Marco Polo but the Lake and its environs have inspired poets of great renown such as Bai Juyi and Su Dongpo down the ages. There can be no doubt that visit here is certain to be a memorable one.

Dianchi Lake Scenic Area

The Dianchi Lake Scenic Area is located in the southwest part of Kunming City. Dianchi Lake is, beyond question, the center of the resort. There are numerous attractions along the lake captivating tourists. Among these are the Yunnan Ethnic Villages, Daguan Park, Baiyukou Park, Haigeng Bank, Kwan-yin Hill, Xishan Forest Park, temples and pagodas. Towns, big or small near the lake provide visitors with an opportunity to experience customs of the local people.

Dianchi Lake

Dianchi Lake is about 300 square kilometers (74,132 acres). It is the largest freshwater lake in Yunnan Province and the sixth largest one in China. With picturesque scenery and its location on the Yungui Plateau, the lake has a reputation as 'A Pearl on the Plateau'. Unfortunately, the lake has been badly polluted. Although efforts have been made to save the lake, they have been largely unsuccessful.

The lake is crescent-shaped, about 39 kilometers (24 miles) in length and 13 kilometers (8 miles) in width at its widest. Its natural banks are formed by mountains on all four sides. More than twenty rivers nurture the lake which has a shoreline of 163.2 kilometers (101 miles). Four surrounding hills contribute to the picturesque landscape, making visitors intoxicated and linger around. You may appreciate the beauty of the lake and hills from a boat, and explore this cradle of Yunnan culture.

Yunnan Ethnic Villages

The village acts as a good shortcut to understand the social customs of the ethnic groups in Yunnan. It has a natural sun-bathing area where you can escape from the heat of summer. Twenty-five ethnic nationalities have their respective villages and conduct many activities to present their unique folkways and beautiful clothes. Also you can enjoy the water screen movie and an elephant performance, have a taste of the local dishes and buy pretty handicrafts.

Daguan Park

Daguan Park is vibrant with rock gardens, pavilions, bridges and murmuring water. It is famous for the longest couplets in China on the Daguan Pavilion. The Daguan Pavilion was built in the year 1828. It commands a lovely view. The couplet written in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), contains 180 characters brimming with literary grace. During festival evenings, gatherings take place here.

Baiyukou Park

Baiyukou Park is on the west bank of Dianchi Lake. Here a small hill looks like a white fish opening its mouth to Dianchi Lake. Near the Irregular shore line, beautiful gardens are hidden among green trees. In spring, the cherry trees are in blossom, adding luster to this serene place. Overlooking Dianchi Lake, you can see white sails of boats on the glistening lake and gulls skimming over the waves.

Haigeng Bank

Haigeng Bank is about four kilometers (2.5 miles) long while ranging in width from forty meters (131 feet) to three hundred meters (984 feet). The bank, like a floating jade belt, is in fact a watershed of the Dianchi Lake. Slender willow twigs sweep the lake in the gentle breeze. In the south is a wonderful natural swimming pool which is always crammed with people in midsummer.

Kwan-yin Hill

Kwan-yin Hill is bordered by the vast lake and has an altitude of 2,040 meters (6,693 feet). Lofty peaks on this hill seem to thrust themselves straight towards the sky. A Kwan-yin Temple built here in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was once a popular resort of Buddhism. Remaining are a seven-tier brick pagoda, houses, and a gate to the Kwan-yin Temple.

 

Daguan Park

Daguan, which means 'the grand view', is the most befitting name for the park and the pavilion which are on the terminus of Daguan Road in the southwest of Kunming city, Daguan Park and Daguan Pavilion.

Daguan Park locates on the shore of Dianchi Lake and faces the Western Hills which are on the other side of Dianchi Lake. In 1682, a monk named Qianyin built a small temple here to give Buddhist lessons; eight years later, in 1690, the satrap of Yunnan Province Wang Jiwen was attracted by the beautiful natural views here and began to construct a whole park including many halls, pavilions, bonsais, rockeries, trees and porches. Daguan Park became an attraction from then on and the most famous spot among them is the Daguan Pavilion.

Like many other Chinese ancient buildings, Daguan Pavilion also had been in disarray, destroyed and restored several times because of the dynastic changes and the civil wars. The present-day square, three-storied pavilion was established in 1883. At the entrance there is the longest antithetical couplet which was written by a famous Qing Dynasty scholar named Sun Ranweng (also called Sun Ran); this couplet of 180 characters is one of the most valued cultural treasures in Yunnan Province. The first part of the couplet describes the beautiful and magnificent natural views before your sight, tell people to enjoy and treasure. The second part reviews the 2000 years' history of Yunnan,awakens to that no matter how successful or frustrated you are, all will be in nothingness in the end.

Other sceneries like Santan Yingyue, Louwailou and Lu Garden, also beautiful places, deserve a visit. Santan Yingyue is a pool with three stone towers which divides the pool into three parts. Therefore when there is a moon in the sky there are three moons in the water; Louwailou is a stone pavilion built like a ship. Standing on it you can see Santan Yingyue on the right and the ocean of grass on the left, Dianchi Lake in front and levee behind; in the south of Daguan Park is the Lu Garden which was a private villa in 1937, with water lilies, roses, weeping willows and oleanders everywhere. Lu Garden looks like a little peaceful fairyland which is hiding in the corner of Daguan Park.

True to its name, Daguan Park and the attractions in it provide spectacular and grand views in different styles. From the sparkling Dianchi Lake to the superb Western Hills, the natural beauties create a perfect place to spend your holiday.

Leshan Travel Guide

In ancient times Leshan was known as Jiazhou and was reputed as the place 'Where there is the most beautiful landscape in all Sichuan, there is Jiazhou'. It was famous for its abundance of the Chinese flowering crab-apple and long ago was given the title of 'Haitang (crab-apple) Xiangguo (fragrant city)'. Nowadays Leshan is particularly well known as a city of National Key Tourist Attractions due to its natural landscape and wealth of cultural relics.

The city's governance covers four districts (Shizhong District, Wutongqiao District, Shawan District, Jinkouhe District), four counties (Jiajiang County, Jingyan County, Jianwei County, Muchuan County), two Autonomous Counties (namely the Yi Minority Autonomous Counties of Mabian, the Yi Minority Autonomous Counties of Ebian) and one county-level city (Emeishan City). As there is a large cultural heritage to be found in Leshan City, it is referred to as the 'Scholar-bureaucrat Shire'.

Leshan City is a renowned tourist resort as it boasts the 'No.1 Buddha under Heaven' -Leshan Giant Buddha scenic area (including the Giant Sleeping Buddha) and Mt. Emeishanscenic area which is renowned for four spectacles - Sunrise, Cloud Sea, Buddha Rays and Saint Lamps. There are many Buddhist temples in these scenic areas including Wuyou Temple, Lingyun Temple, Baoguo Temple, Hufu Temple, Wannian Temple to name but a few. Notable scenic resorts in the surrounding area are: Wutongqiao (nicknamed 'Small West Lake') which is an ancient waterside town located 24 kilometers (about 15 miles) south of Leshan City; Luocheng Ancient Town which is well-known for its ship like appearance located 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) northeast of Jianwei County in Leshan City. Moreover, Leshan is the hometown of Guo Moruo (1892-1978) a famous Chinese literary figure. The Former Residence of Guo Moruo located in Shawan District is also an attractive scenic spot.

Because of its advantageous location in the southwest of the Sichuan Basin, the climate here is fairly good and the two mountains Wuyou Mountain and Lingyun Mountain around Leshan City are luxuriantly green. As well as a mountainous area, aspects of the terrain take the form of a plain and an area of hills. The southwest mountain area of the Sichuan Basin has three dimensions to its climate featuring a mild winter and a relatively cool summer, with rain in both early spring and the fall. This means that the mountain area of Leshan is highly suitable for the propagation of vegetation.

Tourists coming to Leshan & Emeishan Scenic Areas will have no worries about transportation. There is Chengdu-Kunming Railway Line running through Leshan City. The sea route Leshan-Yibing-Luzhou-Chongqing is very convenient for traveling by water. Moreover, the highway network ensures convenient ways of getting to Leshan and reaching each of the scenic spots within Leshan and its environs. Whether tourists travel by road, sea or train, they will have a pleasant journey.

Leshan Attractions

In Leshan there are two main scenic areas which were included in the China World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1996. These two scenic areas are the pride of Leshan residents.

Cultural Relics

Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area
The world-famous Leshan Giant Buddha is carved into the western river cliff face of Lingyun Mountain overlooking the confluence of the Min, Qingyi and Dadu rivers. This classic statue is of great religious significance and was created in the belief that it would influence the turbulent waters of the rivers and protect shipping. It stands as a great tribute to the skills of the stone carvers who created it and is part of a long tradition of religious stone-carving works. The so called 'Giant Sleeping Buddha' lies across Wuyou Mountain, Lingyun Mountain and Guicheng Mountain and it is a marvelous natural spectacle. When viewed from Leshan dock, the outline of the Giant Sleeping Buddha can be clearly seen. The man-made Leshan Maitreya Buddha can be seen seated at the heart of the Giant Sleeping Buddha.

When you are in Leshan Scenic area, many other scenic spots await your patronage: the Oriental Buddha Park located among Leshan mountain ranges is a themed park featuring joss stone inscriptions; Lingyun Temple on Lingyun Mountain; Mahao Cave-Tomb Museum in Leshan contains China's earliest joss stone inscription; Wuyou Mountain is where the head of the Giant Sleeping Buddha is located and many pavilions have been built here.

Giant Sleeping Buddha: It  is a natural wonder formed by Wurou Mountain, Lingyun Mountain and Guicheng Mountain. This Buddha lies on his back at the junction of the Min River, Qingyi River and Dadu River with his head towards the south and feet towards the north.

Wurou Mountain forms the Buddha's head; the base of the hill forms his hair worn in a bun; Jingyun Pavilion forms his eyelashes; and the crown of trees on the peak constitutes his forehead, nose, lips and jaw. The Buddha’s body is made up of nine peaks along Lingyun Mountain as his massive chest, waist and strong legs. His turned-up feet are formed by the southern slope of the Guicheng Mountain. The most stunning view is from across the Minjiang River showing the Leshan Giant Buddha seated at the heart of the Giant Sleeping Buddha. It is a marvelous spectacle and imparts the idea of ‘the Buddha existing within Buddha’.

Seen from the Leshan dock in the east of the ancient city of Leshan, the outline of the giant Buddha is very clear. It seems like a dignified Buddha peacefully sleeping on his back. The lifelike shape surrounded by beautiful mountain and waters offers a feast to the eyes. 

Natural Landscape

Mount Emeishan Scenic Area
Mt. Emei is located to the southwest of Leshan City and is one of China's four mountains sacred to Buddhism. It is regarded as the 'wonderland of celestial being' and many scenic spots here are worthy of a visit.

Four Scenic Regions: These are the Baoguo Temple, Wannian Temple, Qingyin Pavilion, and Golden Summit. From the Golden Summit, tourists can experience the magic of the 'Buddha Rays' which can be viewed between 14:00 to 18:00 during fine weather in autumn and winter. When you climb Emeishan Mountain, you will find dangerous paths, steep rocks, surprising springs and waterfalls. These all may give you the feeling that your journey is as difficult as reaching for the sky. However, you are sure to be delighted by the flocks of monkeys on Mt. Emeishan as they are very lovely and well-mannered. When the tourists give food to them, they pick it up turn and turn about and never squabble to be first.

The snow scenery on Mt. Emeishan is very attractive as winter arrives. Unlike on other mountains, in winter the trees on Mt. Emeishan remain green. That's the highlight! Another highlight must be Mt. Emei Ski Resort (Leidongping Ice -skating Recreation Site) which is located at the ropeway area under the golden summit. The surrounding environment is fairly good and the Italian ski equipment provided caters for the needs of those who enjoy winter sports. For those who like skiing, this is really an excellent resort. It is normally open from October until March, and each January the grand 'South Ice-Snow Festival' takes place here.

Leshan Travel Tips

When to Go
Leshan City has distinct seasons, abundant rainfall due to its location in the mid-subtropical zone. Moreover, influenced by the southeast monsoon and southwest monsoon, Leshan has a mild climate with an annual average temperature between 16.5C (61.7F) - 18C (64.4F). And because its rainy season and hot season are in the same period, remember to bring appropriate clothing to avoid the rain and sunburn.

Generally speaking, the best time to visit Leshan City is spring and summer. But in the Mt. Emei Scenic Area, tourists can visit in all seasons, especially in summer when one can prevent sunstroke in the mountain as well as in winter when it is possible to ice-skate at Mt. Emei Ski Resort. Also, other places of interest around Leshan City can be visited in all seasons.

Fast Facts
Area: 12,826 square kilometers (about 4952 square miles)
Position: in the southwest of Sichuan Province, bordering Meishan City in the north, adjacent to Zigong City in the east, connecting with Yibin City in the southeast and with Liangshan Yi Minority Autonomous County in the southwest
Residents: about 3,476,700 (as of 2004)
Zip Code: 614000

Useful Numbers:
Leshan City Tourism Bureau: 0833-2427368
Tour Enquiries: 0833-2105337
Tourist Complaints: 96927
Consumer Complaints: 12315
Airport Enquiries (Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport): 028-85205333
Airport Ticket Information Leshan Enquiries: 0833-2134634
Train Ticket Enquiries: 0833-2133423
Medical Treatment Complaints: 0833-2495302 2495305

Banks
Bank of China can offer foreign exchange when you are travelling in Leshan, below are some local branches:
Beizheng Street Local Branch
Address: No.89 Baoguo Road

Jinding Road (North) Local Branch
Address: No.2 Jinding Road (North)

Mingshan Road (Middle) Local Branch
Address: No.225 Jinding Road (North)Post Offices
Leshan City Post Office
Address: No.114 Renmin Road (South)

Leshan Chengbei Sales Department
Address: No.8 Nan'an Road, Shizhong District, Leshan City

Hospitals
Herbal Medical Hospital of Leshan
Address: No.131, Baiyang Road (Middle), Shizhong District, Leshan City
Bus route: Bus No.9, 12, 3, 6

People's Hospital of Leshan
Address: No.76, Baita Street, Shizhong District, Leshan City

The Second Herbal Medical Hospital of Leshan
Address: No.9 Longhong Road, Shizhong District, Leshan City

Chengdu cuisine

Chengdu cuisine has three categories, Sichuan Cuisine, Hotpot, and Snack.

Sichuan CuisineSichuan cuisine has developed over the centuries. Its distinctive flavors entice people throughout China and recently in foreign countries.

Sichuan cuisine is famous for piquancy, but its flavoring is complex as well as hot. Typical dishes include the following:

Ma Po's Bean Curd (Bean curd with mince and chili oil): one of the most influential flavors of Sichuan cuisine, served in every Sichuan restaurant. Chen Ma Po's Bean Curd Restaurant at No. 197, West Yulong Street serves the most delicious and local one. For hundreds of years, Ma Po's Bean Curd has been popular among people all over China, even throughout the world.

Gong Bao Ji Ding (Spicy diced chicken with peanuts): a specialty of Sichuan cuisine, diced chicken, hot pepper and peanuts.

Yu Xiang Rou Si (Fish Flavored Shredded Pork): fish-flavored dish in the unique style of Sichuan cuisine. Ingredients include shredded pork, agarics, bamboo shoot and carrot. The delicious dish has no fish but has the flavor of fish.

Hui Guo Rou Pian (Twice Cooked Spicy Pork Slices): A traditional Sichuan dish. The tasty pork slices are fried crisp without greasiness.

Famous Sichuan Restaurants:
Piaoxue Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant: No. 10, Qintai Road
Shizilou Restaurant: No. 55, Shuanglin Road
Baguo Biyi: No. 20, Fourth Section, Renmin South Road

Hotpot
When people think of Chengdu, they immediately think of hotpot. Introduced from Chongqing, Chengdu hotpot has its own style ranging from simple spicy to moderate, three or four kinds of spices, as well as fish head hotpot, medical herbs hotpot, etc.

Huangcheng Laoma Restaurant: an old-fashioned hot pot restaurant, regarded as No. 1 among Chengdu hotpot restaurants. It is situated at No. 20, Qintai Road, Qingyang District, Chengu. A worthy representative of Sichuan culture and diet, Huangcheng Laoma offers hotpot, plus stunning entertainment -- a Changing Face opera performance/shadow play.

Shizilou Restaurant: another old-fashioned hotpot restaurant, offers hotpots with half spicy and half light soup. It has several branches in Chengdu, one located at No. 2, Wannianchang Road, Chenghua District.

Tanyutou Restaurant: near Qingyang Palace at No. 227, Qingyang Zhengjie, Qingyang District, branches all over the country. Its delicious specialty, fish head, differs from that of other restaurants.

Snacks
Hidden in the streets and lanes of Chengdu, snack bars still send out savory flavors.

The most renowned snacks include:
Fu Qi Fei Pian (Braised Cow Lungs): Actually beef, heart and tongue take the place of lungs. This tasty dish is made with particular condiments using a delicate process.
Specializing in this dish, Jingcheng Yuan Restaurant is located at No. 23, Zongfu Road, center of Chengdu.

Chuan Chuan Xiang: also called Ma La Tang, vegetables, sausages, shrimps and anything edible can be threaded onto a bamboo stick and cooked in the hot pot.

Lai Tang Yuan (Lai's Glutinous Rice Ball): the nutritious glutinous rice ball made by Lai (Surname of the maker) is soft and sweet.
With more branches than McDonald's, Lai Tang Yuan is easy to find in Chengdu.

Long Chao Shou (Long Wonton): with thin skin and tender stuffing, the savory snack is popular among locals and tourists. There are several branches in Chengdu:
Chunxi Road Branch: No. 8, South Section of Chunxi Road, Jinjiang District
Huanhua Branch: No. 9-3, Huahua North Road, Qingyang District
Zhixin Branch: No. 1-14, Zhixin North Street, Wuhou District

Western Food Restaurants:
There are dozens of KFC restaurants in Chengdu, including:
Zongfu Restaurant: Floor 2, No 21-27, Zongfu Road
Renmin Road Restaurant: Renmin Shopping Mall, Chengdu
Chunxi Restaurant: Chunxi Mension, No.1-21, Da Kejia Lane

Tens of McDonald's Restaurants, including Chunxi Restaurant: Wangfujing Shopping Mall, Chengdu

Several Pizza Hut Restaurants:
Yanshikou Restaurant: No. 9, Lihua Street, Chengdu (floor 1, Hualian Shopping Mall)
Zufu Restaurant: No. 6, Zongfu Road (Ziwei Hotel)
Kehua Restaurant: No. 9, Kehua Middle Road

 

Sanxingdui (Three-Star Piles) Museum

Sanxingdui Museum is located in Northeast of Sanxingdu archeological site, west of the famous cultural city of Guanghan, on the bank of Jian River (commonly called Yazi River), 40 kilometers (about 24.9 miles) north of Chengdu City. Covering an exhibition area of 4,000 square meters (about 1544.4 square miles), and opened in October 1997 this is an archeological museum with excellent modern facilities. The cultural relics in the museum were mostly unearthed from the Sanxingdui site. In order to know about the museum we should know more about the Sanxingdui site.

Sanxingdui is a cultural relic of the ancient Shu (Sichuan). It is an important archeological discovery which changed the people's understanding of ancient history and culture. If you want to visit a place to know more about Chinese Shu (Sichuan) culture, make it this one, for the civilization shown by the cultural relics can be called a true wonder.

Sanxingdui refers to three earth mounds at the site. Hence the site found here is called Sanxingdui Relic. The Relic area stretches for about 12 square kilometers (about 4.6 square miles), which is the largest, oldest, and most connotational Shu cultural relic in Sichuan. It is said that the Heavenly Emperor cast down three handfuls of earth which fell near the Jian River and became three earth mounds on Chengdu Plain. The three earth piles, described as three golden stars in a line, hence became known as Sanxingdui (three-star piles). Now affirmed by modern archaeology, the three earth mounds of the Sanxingdui Relic are in reality the southern wall of an ancient city that was built of earth. There are two breaches in the city wall, after the collapse and subsequent erosion; it became the three mounds we see today.

The discovery of the Sanxingdui Relic was a lucky chance. In the spring of 1929, a peasant found a piece of bright-colored jade whilst he was digging ditch. That was the catalyst to the discovery of a mysterious ancient kingdom; subsequently, more than 400 jade items were excavated. Later, from 1933, systematic excavations and archeological work of Sanxingdui Relic continued for half a century. The evidence of the excavation shows the development from late Neolithic Age (7000 BC-5000 BC) through to the late Shang (16th - 11th century BC) and early Zhou Period (11th century BC - 711 BC).Sanxingdui Relic, with more than 3,000-year history might even be the capital of ancient Shu. And this discovery uncovered the veiling of Shu and padded the blankness of bronze culture in Chinese archaeological history. In the following decades, several generations of archaeologists worked in succession on the Sanxingdui site and achieved a lot, especially the two sacrificial pits found in 1986. With more than 1000 cultural relics unearthed, including a 142-centimeter (about 55.9 inches) long and 500-gram (about 31 drams) golden staff, a golden veiled head portrait, a 260-centimeter (about 102.4 inches) tall and 180-kilogram (about 396.8 pounds) bronze figure, also a big bronze mask with more than 10 centimeters (about 3.9 inches) bulging pupils and two ears spaced at 168 centimeters (about 66.1 inches) and a big Yuzhang (a kind of jade adornment of the leader of a tribe, the symbol of power). Some cultural relics are apotheosized and mysterious, some are realistic, and some primitive simplicity but all of them are very impressive, which aroused worldwide attention.

The discovery of Sanxingdui Relic is heart-stirring but some cultural relics remain enigmatic. According to experts, Sanxingdui Relic is the centuries-old center of the ancient Shu on Chengdu Plain. Traditionally, archaeology considered Shu as a closed area and without communications to the Central Plain (the most developed region in ancient China), but the cultural relics unearthed here have affirmed ancient Shu is no less developed than the Central Plain and it is even the most representative cradle of Chinese civilization in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. So Sanxingdui Relic is a significant means to comprehend the development of history and culture in Sichuan, and even the southwest area of China as a whole, but Sanxingdui is still enigmatic. The ancient Shu characters are one of the two or three unbroken characters. Some cultural relics can not be named as the archaeologists have never seen their ilk before, which also add some mysterious color to Sanxingdui.

In order to well preserve and display the cultural relics, the Sanxingdui Museum laid the foundation in 1992 and opened in October, 1997. The museum is divided into four sections, displayed more than 1000 pieces of cultural relics from Sanxingdui Relic and the two sacrificial pits of Shang Period, including gold plate, bronze ware, jade articles, pottery and ivory. Each of the four sections has its own theme.

Section 1 Splendor of Ancient Shu Culture.
The section is divided into five units. The first unit outlines the history of the ancient Shu and introduced the background of the ancient Shu. The next four units reflected skill, imagination and technical achievements of the Shu people through their handicraft techniques.

Section 2 Mystery of the Primitive Faith
The exhibition in this section focuses on one topic, human and divinity. It adopted the imitative real scene to show the mental world of Shu people.

Section 3 Exquisite Cultural Artifacts
More than 10 groups of cultural relics exhibited here are the soul treasures that symbolize the Shu people's ever lasting spirit.

 

Section 4 Sanxingdui: Excavation and Study
This section is a scientific display that introduced the impact of the Sanxingdui Relic overseas, the discovery and excavation of the site, the vital position of Sanxingdui Relic in academic study, to reflect all facets of Sanxingdui Relic.

For the swarms of tourists all year around, a new Exhibition Hall was opened on May Day in 2004, covering an exhibition area of 7,000 square meters. The exhibition in this hall is mainly a complex display of jade articles, gold plate and pottery, with the old Exhibition Hall specializing in bronze wares.

Sanxingdui Relic is the spiritual homeland of the ancient Shu people and the Sanxingdui Museum is the place for modern people to meet the ancient Shu.

 

Lanzhou Attractions

In Lanzhou
A hot spot on the ancient Silk Road, Lanzhou is the only provincial capital city with the Yellow River flowing through. Lanzhou is abundant with tourist attractions. On the bank of the Yellow River extends the longest riverside road in China, where you can admire the grand River, the First Bridge over the Yellow River, the Watermill Park and the sculpture of the Yellow River Mother, the White Pagoda Park, and the Five-Spring Mountain park. At dusk, standing on the top of Lanshan Mountain, you can have a magnificent view of the Yellow River surrounding the city. The Liujiaxia Hydropower Station and the Bingling Temple in Yongjing County are further away, but the distance will certainly be compensated by the attractions.

Zhongshan Bridge, The First Bridge over the Yellow River, was built in 1907 and completed in 1909. In 1928, to commemorate Dr. Sun Yet-sen, the bridge was renamed Zhongshan Bridge as Zhongshan is another name of Dr. Sun. The bridge is 250 meters (820 feet) long and 8 meters (26 feet) wide. The 10-ton iron column of 5.8 meters high originated in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), and was used to pull the float bridge over the Yellow River. As the First Bridge over the Yellow River, Zhongshan Bridge is valued highly.

Along theYellow River, there are two scenes you should not miss. The first is the sculpture of The Mother Yellow River. This is the best sculpture of its kind in China. A baby lies on the bosom of his mother with a naive smile while the mother (unlike most of the mothers in Chinese arts who are old, weather-beaten, kindly but with a touch of sorrow) looks happy and affectionate. The second one is the Waterwheel Garden, where you can get an idea of the old irrigation tool. The waterwheel was introduced from southern Yunnan Province to Lanzhou by a local who had been an official in Yunnan. The first waterwheel was made successfully in 1556 on the north bank of the Yellow River. Up to 1952 there were altogether 252 waterwheels lining both banks of the River. Today this replica has become an attraction with a park founded around it.

For a cruise on the Yellow River, you can go by motor boat or float on an ancient-style sheepskin raft made up of a dozen inflated sheepskins. The history of sheepskin rafts can be traced back more than 2000 years. The ride on a raft is adventurous and fascinating. You can have a magnificent view, experience the River closely and listen to hua'er (a kind of folk song popular in Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai) by the boatman.

A few steps' further, you will come to the cable car, which connects the south bank to the White Pagoda Hill on the north bank of the Yellow River. The White Pagoda Hill got its name from a white pagoda set up in 1405. Besides the halls and pavilions, there are two museums: the Strange Stone Museum and the Minor Guard Carving Museum. Do not miss a cup of eight-auspicious tea (san pao tai) in either summer or winter! Facing water and lying against the mountain, White Pagoda Hill is cool in summer and sunny in winter. Here you can visit the White Pagoda Park, which is a picturesque place for you to enjoy the wonderful view of White Pagoda Hill and the Zhongshan Bridge at its foot. It will leave you an unforgettable memory!

Five Springs Mountain Park is located in Gaolan Hill in the south of Lanzhou City. It is a tourist attraction with a history of more than 2,000 years. The five springs are Ganlu, Juyue, Mozi, Hui and Meng. The park also boasts ancient Buddhist architecture. With a long history and elegant surroundings, the park holds an important place in Lanzhou, especially on the 8th of the fourth Moon, when the Temple Fair is held.

If you have an interest in local history, Gansu Provincial Museum opens a marvelous world for you. Colored pottery depicting flowers, powerful and simple wood carvings from the Han Dynasty, exquisite Buddhist sculptures, relics left by the Great Wall and the Silk Road, all of which have vivid ethnic features, are displayed. Particularly, the colorful pottery is worth seeing as Gansu is the hometown of colorful pottery, where the oldest colored pottery in China was found. In Jan. 2006, the redecoration of the museum was ultimately finished. The new exhibition hall is about 10,000 square kilometers (about 3861 square miles) larger than the old one. It is predicted that the new hall will open in mid-2006. With modern protective facilities, the museum provides an electronic guide. When visitors start up the machine, it presents detailed explanations of the cultural relics.

For nature-lovers, Yan Tan Park in the east of Lanzhou would be an optimum choice. Yan Tan, literally, goose beach, was made up of 18 sand islands in the Yellow River. Now a road of 10 km (6.2 miles) connects Yan Tan to the city. The lush trees and the pavilions and the Yellow River bring out the best of each and make a splendid view.

The Shifogou National Forest Park cannot be missed. Sixteen kilometers (9.94miles) from downtown, the park covers an area of 6, 376 hectares (16, 645 acres). Besides the beautiful natural surroundings, the highlight of this park lies in its folk art shows. On the 8th of the fourth Moon the Temple Fair is held. The 6th of the sixth Moon sees Hua'er Show, a folk art loved by both Han and Hui people.


Around Lanzhou

Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves is on the cliff of Xiaojishi Hill. Located on a branch of Gansu part of the Silk Road, the Bingling Caves were started by some Buddhist monks from as early as the West Jin Dynasty (265-316) though the official carving began in 420. After many years' work, there are 183 caves existing with 694 stone statues, 82 earth statues and murals of 900 square meters (9, 688 square feet). Another pleasant surprise on your way to Bingling Caves is the beautiful Liujiaxia Reservoir. The crystal water lying among the yellow earth mountains is quite a sight. At the end of the Reservoir, the green water connects to the yellow water while the blue sky connects to the yellow earth. Perhaps this can only be experienced in Liujiaxia.

Located in Xiahe County 280 km (174 miles) from Lanzhou, Labrang Monastery is one of the six largest monasteries of the Yellow Sect of the Lamaism. It is not only a religious center but also an institution of higher education and museum of ancient books.

Ten kilometers (6.2miles) from the Labrang Monastery lies Sangke Prairie. Surrounded by mountains with the Daxia River flowing from south to north, Sangke Prairie is an ideal natural rangeland. Every summer the whole prairie turns green, dotted with colorful flowers, providing a most ideal place to experience a nomadic life.

Reputed as Mythic Green Valley, Tulugou National Forest Park is in Yongdeng County, 160 km (99.4 miles) from Lanzhou. This park features strong stones, exuberant forest and vivid vegetation cover: pasture on the top, forest in the middle and farmland at the foot. Rare animals, birds and plants add more mystery and beauty to this fairy land.

Situated about 45 kilometers (about 28 miles) southeast of Tianshui City, there is Mt. Maiji. The renowned Maiji Caves, featuring the art of clay sculpture, is excavated on the cliffs of the mountain. Excavated in the late Qin Dynasty (221BC - 206BC), the existing 200 caves are respectively kept in Wei, Zhou, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing styles. Maiji Caves are renowned as one of the most beautiful of their kind in China and are definitely worth a visit.

Dujiangyan Irrigation Project of China

In China, Chengdu is always praised as the Tian Fu Zhi Guo, which means 'Nature's Storehouse'. Over 2,200 years ago, the city was threatened by the frequent floods caused by flooding of the Minjiang River (a tributary of theYangtze River ). Li Bing, a local official of Sichuan Province at that time, together with his son, decided to construct an irrigation system on the Minjiang River to prevent flooding. After a lengthy study and a lot of hard work by the local people, the great Dujiangyan Irrigation Project was completed. Since then, the Chengdu Plain has been free of flooding and the people have been living peacefully and affluently. Now, the project is honored as the 'Treasure of Sichuan', which still plays a crucial role in draining off floodwater, irrigating farms and providing water resources for more than 50 cities in the province.

Dujiangyan is the oldest and only surviving no-dam irrigation system in the world; and a wonder in the development of Chinese science. The project consists of three important parts, namely Yuzui, Feishayan and Baopingkou scientifically designed to automatically control the water flow of the rivers from the mountains to the plains throughout the year.

Yuzui, like a big fish lying in the Minjiang River, is a watershed dividing the river into two parts: inner river and outside river. Feisha Yan is a spillway that diverts the sand and stones of the inner river into the outer river. Baoping Kou, like a neck of a bottle, is used to bring water into the inner river from Minjiang. At the same time, Baoping Kou controls the amount of the intake water due to its reasonable location. These three parts interact with each other perfectly to form an effective water conservancy project. During the low-water season, 60% of the Minjiang water is brought into the inner river for irrigation while 40% of the water is drawn into the outside river. The situation is reversed in the flood season ensuring the water supply for irrigation and protection from flooding on the Chengdu Plain.

There is a magnificent bridge called the Anlan Cable Bridge crossing the Minjiang River above Yuzui, which is the most scenic place in Dujiangyan. The construction of the bridge originally commenced before the Song Dynasty(960-1279). At that time, the body of the bridge was constructed with wooden blocks and the handrails were made of bamboo. Recently the wood and bamboo were replaced with steel and reinforced concrete to ensure the security of the visitors. Seen from afar, the bridge looks like a rainbow hanging over the river. From the bridge, you can clearly see the entire layout of the Dujiangyan system.

The Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival (also called Yuanxiao Festival) is on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month. According to the custom, people start to prepare for the celebration of Lantern Festival to be held on the 14 th day of the first Chinese lunar month. Two of the most important things are lanterns and sweet dumplings (called Yuanxiao in Chinese).
"Yuan" literally means first, while "Xiao" refers to night. The Lantern Festival is the first time when we see the full moon in the lunar year. It is traditional festival for family reunion. And the lanterns in various sizes are hung in the trees or somewhere. Besides, the lanterns owners write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns in ancient time. If someone knows the solution to riddles, they can pull the paper out and go to the owners to check the answer. If they are right, they can get some small gifts.
In a word, the Lantern Festival is very important for Chinese people.

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Ningxia Travel Guide

'Ning' is the colloquial term for the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Find it on the map in northwest China and into the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. It is bordered by Gansu to the south, Shaanxi to the east, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north, and is one of the five ethnic minority autonomous regions in China. Ningxia covers a total area of 66,000 square kilometers (about 25,484 square miles) and has a population of 5.62 million; one third of who are Hui minority people. It has a temperate continental climate of long, cold winters and short, hot summers with the temperature being lowest in January, averaging from -10C to -7C and highest in July, averaging from 17C to 24C. Annual rainfall averages from 190 - 700 millimeters.

History

Ningxia, a region as culturally rich as the entire area south of the Yangtze River, continues to be admired for its resplendent cultural heritage garnered from the long river of history. During the time of the Tang and Han Dynasties (206 BC - 907 AD) Ningxia was the main place for trade and transportation between the eastern and western regions of ancient China. Ruins of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty can be found in east Ningxia.

What to See

A unique landscape, unique local customs and habits, and ancient history, all add up to make Ningxia an interesting tourist area for those wishing to discover a rich and diverse region.

Yinchuan City (also called 'Phoenix City') is the capital of the region situated in the remote northwest of China. The 1000-year-old city is a famous cultural city beyond the Great Wall. The old sector of Yinchuan City to the west is green and peaceful, and contains all the places of interest. It includes the 1500-year-old Haibao Pagoda; the famous Buddhist architecture from the West Xia Kingdom Chengtiansi Pagoda; and the West Xia Imperial Tombs known as the 'Pyramids of China'. One can also find there the mystic Helan Mountain Cliff Painting, created by the ancient nomads who dwelled in the regions of the Helan Mountains in northwest Ningxia. They used a bold and descriptive chiseling and drawing technique, to which they added dazzling colors, to depict the history of a splendid Chinese civilization.

Liupan Mountain is located in south Ningxia. This is an area famous for its picturesque scenery and it certainly lives up to its reputation as the 'green islet'.

Sand Lake Scenic Resort is the national tourist trump card for those looking for a place with a lake, sand dunes, reeds, birds and fish. During the May-September period, the lake becomes a veritable paradise for a dozen or so varieties of precious bird species, such as swans, white and grey cranes, black storks, and wild geese.

Shapotou on the southern rim of the Tengger Desert: There one will find the Desert Research Centre, established in 1956 to find ways of preventing the sands from encroaching onto the railways, and one of China's four singing sand dunes. Sliding down the sand dune gives one the ethereal feeling of descending from the sky. The peculiar geological structure of the place causes the sand to emit a resonance that reverberates like the tolling of a huge bell or the beating of a big drum. Limpid water flows gently in a knee-deep stream at the foot of the dune.

Ningxia is the home of Chinese Muslems. When you go, please be respectful of the unique local customs and habits of the Hui people.