Highlights
Shangri-la
Highlights
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Bitahai Lake
Meili Snow Mountain
Songzanlin Monastery
Baishui Tableland
Baimang Snow Mountain
Qianhu Mountain
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Bitahai Lake
Meili Snow Mountain
Songzanlin Monastery
Baishui Tableland
Baimang Snow Mountain
Qianhu Mountain
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Guiyang
Highlights
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Huaxi Scenic Area
Located at 17 kilometers south of Guiyang, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation, crystal-clear waters and mountains. It's a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad.
There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake. The islands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park
Called "the flower of Guizhou plateau", Huaxi Park belongs to the Huaxi scenic spot area, which is 350.5 square kilometers in total. The most beautiful feature is the clear streams winding through hills and the flowers providing beautiful displays throughout the four seasons of the year. The water of Huaxi River is clear and clean. Huaxi is home to over 1,000 varieties of cultivated flowers which bloom year round.
Scenic attractions of the park are centered on the four small and exquisite hills: Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle and Snake. The Unicorn Hill is the major one of the four. It resembles the shape of a prancing unicorn. On the top of the hill, stones of various shapes stand upright like the horn of the unicorn. Yitianting pavilion is built up there, pointing up to the sky and provides a panoramic view of the park.
The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which are abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small poods and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty. A river tour from Dajiang Hill to Biyunwo offers views of beautiful landscapes along the entire river. Jitian Pavilion atop Unicorn Hill provides a panoramic view of the park.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. It's covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.
All of these make the scenery elaborately and naturally designed. Meanwhile, there are many villages sitting outside the park where you can enjoy the local customs. After climbing to the top of the Kylin Mountain, you can enjoy the entire wonderful scenery of the park and the surrounding countryside. Summer is the best time to visit this park owing to the fresh air and comfortable climate.
The park is really an ideal tourist destination all year round. Crystal-clear streams run like a mirror, bouquets of flowers and peaceful rurality will feast the visitor’s eyes. Therefore, it is considered as a "pearl of the Central Guizhou".
Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong)
Lying in Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong) covers an area of some 10 square kilometers. The scenic area belongs to the Karst topography with peculiar landforms, magnificent peaks and is crisscross with crystal-clear springs and streams. A small seven-arched bridge spans the river, hence the name of the scenic area. It's fantastic primeval scenery formed by virgin forests, limestone caves, twin lakes etc.
The Twin Lakes embraced by lush forests measure about 13 hectares. The rippling blue lakes are as deep as 37 meters, with the water temperature of approximate 15℃. Mandarin ducks are merrily swimming in pairs upon the lakes. The one kilometer long Gurgling River is endowed with 68 water drops or waterfalls with a total drop in elevation of 40 meters. The fishermen fishing in the River always reap bumper hauls. Among the numerous stalactite caves, Tianzhong Cave stands out prominently with its particular exotic scenery.
Jiaxiu Tower
Jiaxiu Tower is located on the Aoji Rock (the rock which looks like a huge turtle according to legend) on the Nanming River, in the southern part of Guiyang City. This magnificent building has long been the landmark of Guiyang.
First built in the mid-16th century, it has been rebuilt several times, yet has still managed to retain its original features. During the Ming dynasty (1573-1620), the local majesty, Jiang Dongzhi, ordered to build a causeway at where the tower locates today, linking to the southern bank of the Nanming River. Later a pavilion was built to honor the first scholar of the time and hoped that would encourage more scholars to follow the example. Thusthe tower was named "Jiaxiu towe", which means "First Sholar’s Tower". In 1621, the original pavilion was burnt in a fire and the stadholder of the time made it rebuilt. In 1689, it was destroyed again, and then, Majesty Tianwen rebuilt it again. So far, the tower has been reconstructed 6 times. For 400 years, it has become the symbol of the city, witnessing the history as well as the future of the development of the Guiyang city.
It is renowned for its layout such as the three-story tower 20 meters high with three carved eaves supported by a stone pillar and atop which is formed by diminishing size as four directions mount up. Located in water, right of the Guanyin temple and the Cuiwei tower; left of the Haibi pavilion, the Jiaxiu Tower is connected with two banks by the Fuyu Bridge (Floating Jade Bridge). All of these make Jiaxiu Tower spectacular.
Inside Jiaxiu Tower, there is a good collection of authentic works and paintings from ancient calligraphers. Of them, the most famous one is the couplet written by Liu Yushang in the Qing Dynasty. This couplet consists of 206 words as a whole, with 87 words in the first and the second line respectively, which is 26 words more than the "Longest couplet" preserved in the Big Guan Tower in Kunming. This couplet is notable not only for its length, but also for its literatural value. Its choice of words is so delicate and magnificent that it looks into not only the history of the tower but also the universal life of human being.
Ascending the tower, visitors can get a good view of the surrounding scenery. The night scene of the tower is the most impressive. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, reflected in water, the tower looks so beautiful that people may feel as if they had been back to the ancient times.
Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.
Huangguoshu Scenic Zone
Made up of 23 falls of which four come out of underground caves, the Huangguoshu Scenic Zone is located in Zhenning Buyi-Miao Autonomous County 150 km. from Guiyang City and 54 km. from Anshun City. The area surrounding this scenic spot is a typical karst terrain. Additionally, the Baishuihe River flows to form the nine-step cluster of 18 waterfalls among which Huangguoshu Waterfall is the grandest. This large cluster of waterfalls features the Huangguoshu Waterfall in the middle and is a marvelous spectacle of nature.
World famous Huangguoshu Fall reaches a width of 81m with a drop of 74 m. Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long Shuiliang-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle.
In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River, Spotting in the Zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. There are the Doupotang Fall, the broadest with a width of 105m and a height of 21m; the Luosi Fall with a height of 31m and the river flowing over it, it zigzags along for 350 m, the most elegant Yinlianzuitan Fall displaying scenery resembling many silver chains falling down, the Dishuitan Fall which breaks into 7 cascades with special attractiveness and the Guangjiaoxia Fall with the biggest flow. After visiting the Zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world.
Qianling Park
Qianling Park is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang, It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of "the First Mountain in South China". Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner pro-vides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and this add to the features of the park.
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Huaxi Scenic Area
Located at 17 kilometers south of Guiyang, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation, crystal-clear waters and mountains. It's a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad.
There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake. The islands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park
Called "the flower of Guizhou plateau", Huaxi Park belongs to the Huaxi scenic spot area, which is 350.5 square kilometers in total. The most beautiful feature is the clear streams winding through hills and the flowers providing beautiful displays throughout the four seasons of the year. The water of Huaxi River is clear and clean. Huaxi is home to over 1,000 varieties of cultivated flowers which bloom year round.
Scenic attractions of the park are centered on the four small and exquisite hills: Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle and Snake. The Unicorn Hill is the major one of the four. It resembles the shape of a prancing unicorn. On the top of the hill, stones of various shapes stand upright like the horn of the unicorn. Yitianting pavilion is built up there, pointing up to the sky and provides a panoramic view of the park.
The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which are abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small poods and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty. A river tour from Dajiang Hill to Biyunwo offers views of beautiful landscapes along the entire river. Jitian Pavilion atop Unicorn Hill provides a panoramic view of the park.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. It's covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.
All of these make the scenery elaborately and naturally designed. Meanwhile, there are many villages sitting outside the park where you can enjoy the local customs. After climbing to the top of the Kylin Mountain, you can enjoy the entire wonderful scenery of the park and the surrounding countryside. Summer is the best time to visit this park owing to the fresh air and comfortable climate.
The park is really an ideal tourist destination all year round. Crystal-clear streams run like a mirror, bouquets of flowers and peaceful rurality will feast the visitor’s eyes. Therefore, it is considered as a "pearl of the Central Guizhou".
Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong)
Lying in Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong) covers an area of some 10 square kilometers. The scenic area belongs to the Karst topography with peculiar landforms, magnificent peaks and is crisscross with crystal-clear springs and streams. A small seven-arched bridge spans the river, hence the name of the scenic area. It's fantastic primeval scenery formed by virgin forests, limestone caves, twin lakes etc.
The Twin Lakes embraced by lush forests measure about 13 hectares. The rippling blue lakes are as deep as 37 meters, with the water temperature of approximate 15℃. Mandarin ducks are merrily swimming in pairs upon the lakes. The one kilometer long Gurgling River is endowed with 68 water drops or waterfalls with a total drop in elevation of 40 meters. The fishermen fishing in the River always reap bumper hauls. Among the numerous stalactite caves, Tianzhong Cave stands out prominently with its particular exotic scenery.
Jiaxiu Tower
Jiaxiu Tower is located on the Aoji Rock (the rock which looks like a huge turtle according to legend) on the Nanming River, in the southern part of Guiyang City. This magnificent building has long been the landmark of Guiyang.
First built in the mid-16th century, it has been rebuilt several times, yet has still managed to retain its original features. During the Ming dynasty (1573-1620), the local majesty, Jiang Dongzhi, ordered to build a causeway at where the tower locates today, linking to the southern bank of the Nanming River. Later a pavilion was built to honor the first scholar of the time and hoped that would encourage more scholars to follow the example. Thusthe tower was named "Jiaxiu towe", which means "First Sholar’s Tower". In 1621, the original pavilion was burnt in a fire and the stadholder of the time made it rebuilt. In 1689, it was destroyed again, and then, Majesty Tianwen rebuilt it again. So far, the tower has been reconstructed 6 times. For 400 years, it has become the symbol of the city, witnessing the history as well as the future of the development of the Guiyang city.
It is renowned for its layout such as the three-story tower 20 meters high with three carved eaves supported by a stone pillar and atop which is formed by diminishing size as four directions mount up. Located in water, right of the Guanyin temple and the Cuiwei tower; left of the Haibi pavilion, the Jiaxiu Tower is connected with two banks by the Fuyu Bridge (Floating Jade Bridge). All of these make Jiaxiu Tower spectacular.
Inside Jiaxiu Tower, there is a good collection of authentic works and paintings from ancient calligraphers. Of them, the most famous one is the couplet written by Liu Yushang in the Qing Dynasty. This couplet consists of 206 words as a whole, with 87 words in the first and the second line respectively, which is 26 words more than the "Longest couplet" preserved in the Big Guan Tower in Kunming. This couplet is notable not only for its length, but also for its literatural value. Its choice of words is so delicate and magnificent that it looks into not only the history of the tower but also the universal life of human being.
Ascending the tower, visitors can get a good view of the surrounding scenery. The night scene of the tower is the most impressive. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, reflected in water, the tower looks so beautiful that people may feel as if they had been back to the ancient times.
Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.
Huangguoshu Scenic Zone
Made up of 23 falls of which four come out of underground caves, the Huangguoshu Scenic Zone is located in Zhenning Buyi-Miao Autonomous County 150 km. from Guiyang City and 54 km. from Anshun City. The area surrounding this scenic spot is a typical karst terrain. Additionally, the Baishuihe River flows to form the nine-step cluster of 18 waterfalls among which Huangguoshu Waterfall is the grandest. This large cluster of waterfalls features the Huangguoshu Waterfall in the middle and is a marvelous spectacle of nature.
World famous Huangguoshu Fall reaches a width of 81m with a drop of 74 m. Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long Shuiliang-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle.
In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River, Spotting in the Zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. There are the Doupotang Fall, the broadest with a width of 105m and a height of 21m; the Luosi Fall with a height of 31m and the river flowing over it, it zigzags along for 350 m, the most elegant Yinlianzuitan Fall displaying scenery resembling many silver chains falling down, the Dishuitan Fall which breaks into 7 cascades with special attractiveness and the Guangjiaoxia Fall with the biggest flow. After visiting the Zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world.
Qianling Park
Qianling Park is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang, It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of "the First Mountain in South China". Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner pro-vides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and this add to the features of the park.
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Guilin
Highlights
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument. 
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics. 
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Li River
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave Subduing Hill
Reed Flute Cave
Seven Star Park
Yangshuo
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Li River
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave Subduing Hill
Reed Flute Cave
Seven Star Park
Yangshuo
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Hong Kong
Highlights
Beijing
Highlights
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery is a well-known lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, which is located at the northeast part of Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as the residence of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing (1644-1911 A.D.) before his ascent of the throne. And after his death, it was renamed Yonghegong. His successor Emperor Qianlong then rebuilt Yonghegong into an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty). In 1744, it became a lamasery. From then on, large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet and national center of lama administration live in there.
As an imperial palace, the layout of the temple differentiated from other temples. The main gate faces to the south. There are five main halls and annex connected by courtyards on its 480-meter-long north-south axis, including a glaze-tiled arch, Gate of Peace (Zhaotaimen), Buddha's Warrior Hall (Tianwangdian), which was formerly the entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace, Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) and Pavilion of Eternal Happiness (Wanfuge).
When you are walking through the grand glaze-tile arch patterned with decorative dragons and flowers in the first court, you will reach a three-arch gate - the Gate of Peace. In ancient times, the central passageway was for emperors. On each side of the second court next to the Gate of Peace stand the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Two pavilions stand symmetrically on opposite to the north. If you want to know more about the temple's history, you can have a look at the inscriptions of Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan engraved on steles.
The Buddha's Warrior Hall, also known as the Hall of Heavenly Kings, is the former entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace. The hall Maitreya (Happy Buddha) was always used to greet visitors, which has a smiling face with a sandalwood pagoda on each side. Many small Buddhist images, symbolizing longevity, stand on the pagoda. Therefore, the pagoda is the Longevity Pagoda. There are four fearsome-looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians on both sides of Maitreya's shrine.
On the way to the Hall of Harmony and Peace stands a marble-based bronze incense-burner. With decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl on its six opens, it is 4.2 meters in height. Afterwards there is the Mount Sumeru, a bronze sculpture of Ming (1368-1644A.D.), representing the center of the world. On the top of it there lies a legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death; in the middle the dwellings of humans and below devils abide in hell.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is formerly a place for the emperor Yongzheng to hold meetings. It was also called Mahavira Hall or Daxiongbaodian in Buddhism. Mahavira here is an honorable title of Sakyamuni in Chinese. Sakyamuni is on the altar, with Buddha of the Present in the middle with Buddha of the Past Yeja and the Buddha of the Future Maitreya on each side. On each side of the hall stand Statues of 18 Arhats. It is said that 18 Arhats were the disciples of Samkyamuni to diffuse Buddhism. The painting that you can find on the western wall is a Bodhisattva.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian) and the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) are right behind the Hall of the Harmony and Peace, where enshrines a bronze image of Tsong Kapa -- founder of the Yellow Hat Sect. With 5 gold-plating pagodas, the golden-roofed Falundian was the place where lamas assemble to have religious activities. There is a 6-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Tsong Kapa on a lotus seat in the center of the hall.
Now there are nearly 70 lamas living in this temple. If you go there, you will find that regular religious activities are still practiced. More lamas can be seen coming here in the festival for lamas or Lamaism.
Old Beijing Hutongs
The numerous old hutongs are the distinguished features of Beijing. They symbolize the traditional community with small lanes, alleys and Siheyuan (quadrangle). The life of local people in these old hutongs makes this ancient capital look more charming. Wandering along these small lanes, you can see many quadrangles, called Siheyuan in Chinese, which are the residential quarters of natives. No one knows the exact number of these hutongs there are in Beijing.
Great Wall
It is without doubt that the Great Wall is the greatest of civil engineering project of defense in ancient China. With its gigantic scale and difficulties in its construction, it is regarded as one of the great wonders in the history of mankind. The Great Wall is really the glory of the Chinese nation, which symbolizes the ancient culture and the long-standing history of China. Stretching over the mountain ranges, it proudly shows its magnificence to us. So to speak, the Great Wall has witnessed the rises and falls of innumerable dynasties and changes on the earth. At present, though the Great Wall is no longer served as a work of military defense against harassment and invasion. It still plays an important role in linking the Chinese people with the people of the rest of the world. It is one of the great bridges that build up friendship between different peoples.
The Great Wall is starting from the Old Dragon Head of the Shanhai Pass at the seaside in the east to a distance of 10,000 li (1 kilometer= 2 lis) in the west. Snaking along the north of China, it crosses three provinces, two municipalities and two autonomous regions. It is about 6,300 kilometers long, an equivalent of about 3,915 miles.
The present-day Great Wall originated from the early ancient Chinese history. During the time of Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), in the purpose of defending themselves and against the infringement from the neighboring states, all the principal states had the walls built in the bordering areas of the territories. For example, the three states of Qin, Zhao and Yan had high walls and fortresses built along their northern frontiers to ward off the harassment by the Huns (an ancient nomadic tribe in China) from the north. In 221 B.C., the whole China was unified by the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty to defeat the six other ducal states. The emperor gave order to link up all the walls built by the former ducal states along the northern frontiers to prevent disturbing and attacking by the Huns. And these walls form the world famous “10,000-li Great Wall”. From generation to generation, the succeeding dynasties kept on the work of maintenance and repairs or having parts reconstructed time and again. Among them, the greatest project on scale in the old days of China was carried out in the Han and Ming dynasties.
Throughout history, the Great Wall is served as the traditional defensive project. It is mainly composed by passes, walls, watchtowers and beacon towers. Builders were forced to rely upon local materials for the wall inched across the Chinese wilderness. For example, some wall was built with tamped-earth, some with stone, some with tamped mixture of reed, red willow, and sands, and some with bricks outside and stuffed earth and sands inside. The walls we see today are mainly Ming walls, primary made of stone and bricks. The key parts of the military construction are Watchtowers. They are very close to each other, among which brick towers could be two or three storeys. There is a small room on the top of the tower, surrounded by battlements. The watchtower was also used to station soldiers or store food and weapons. Thousands of passes stretch along the Great Wall. Some are between the mountains, some between the mountains and rivers, and some between the mountains and sea. During the wars, passes are the strongholds by acting as the gateways of transportation. Beacon towers are used for communicating, which can deliver the emergent military messages in a very short time.
Just like the symbol of China—dragon, the Great Wall snakes from east to west on the Oriental. Nowadays, five sections of the Great Wall are opened to public in Beijing, including Badaling section, Juyong Pass section, Mutianyu section, Jinshanling section and Simatai section.
Badaling Section
Badaling section is the outstanding part of the Great Wall. Lying in the Yanqing District, sixty kilometers northwest of Beijing, it gives vital protection for the Juyong Pass, which is one of the key passes of the Great Wall. According to its strategic importance of commanding, Badaling section is known as "giving access to every direction", which gains it the name Badaling.
Badaling was built in an early time in the ancient Chinese history. During Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, defensive wall was constructed along the Yanshan Range to resist the marauding of the nomadic tribes. Since then the following dynasties continued to fortify the Badaling section. The wall we see today was constructed in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) along the ridges of mountains. The construction lasted about a hundred years long from 1505, the 18th year of Emperor Hongzhi, to the reign of Emperor Wanli.
The huge Badaling wall was strongly and firmly built. It was based on the foundation of granite slabs, surrounded by a facing of kiln-fired bricks, and covered with bricks on the top. All stuffed with pulverized lime, the slots could enable the wall to be smooth. The height of the wall is 8.5 meters. It is 6.5 meters wide at the bottom and 5.7 meters wide on the top, making it possible for 5 horses or 10 people march abreast on the top. Watchtowers are 0.5 or 1 kilometer apart from each other, which were full of vigor and grandeur, and orderly spotted the wall. The battlements and embrasures of the watchtower were in good condition in wartime. The wall winds its way along the ridge of the Jundu Mountain, rising abruptly to the peaks of each side of the Badaling. You will be amazed by its seemingly endlessness. It stretches far away into the remoteness. The wall of Badaling is 3, 741 meters long.
Among all the parts of the whole Great Wall, Badaling was the earliest section to be open to the tourists. Badaling has received 130 million tourists home and abroad. Among them, there are 370 foreign leaders and very important persons who have come to climb Badaling successively.
Mutianyu Section
Mutianyu section is 75 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Lies in Huairou District, it links Juyong Pass in the west with Gubeikou Pass in the east. Mutianyu section is called as the Majestic Pass on Precipitous Mountains, commanding its strategic importance.
Because of its relatively gentle terrain, watchtowers of Mutianyu section were built in large numbers to strengthen its defensive functions. The closest watchtowers are less than 50 meters apart from each other. Both arms of the Mutianyu section stretch upwards along the ridges of continuous mountains. On the foundation of the Ming Dynasty wall The Mutianyu section was mainly built on precipitous mountains and 5-7 meters high. It is featured with a thick cluster of watchtowers atop, strategic passed, majestic vigor and unique structure. In this section, the gate tower is the most unique building.
Simatai Section
Simatai Section lies in the Miyun County, 120 kilometers away from Beijing. It started from Wangjing Tower in the east and connected with Jinshanling section in the west. Without hordes of other tourists, it is a largely unrestored and more authentic section of the Great Wall.
Simatai section was constructed during the early years of Ming Emperor Hongwu. It is said that there was a renovation applying from 1569 to 1573. It was mainly built along the ridge of the mountains because of its location in the mountainous area. Featuring in uniqueness, ruggedness and trimness, it perfectly coordinates with the undulating terrain, which makes it more majestic and magnificent. Simatai reservoir is situated at the foot of the central part of the Simatai section, which is 600-700 meters long with the storage capacity of 50,000 cubic meters.
Simatai section is considered to be the most wonderful part of the Great Wall. Taking good advantage of the fluctuating terrain, the walls and watchtowers constitute the most essential part of the wall. It is famous for its precipitous cliffs, magnificent towers, suspension walls and rugged stairways. If you are looking from distance, you may find that the Great Wall is just like a flying dragon in the cloud. However, when you stand nearby, the wall stretches its arms along the ridges of mountains. All these make it the most amazing part of the Great Wall.
Jinshanling Section
The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and in 1567 and 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588). Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time when Qi Jiguang directed the rebuilding of this section of the Great Wall. Continue to read more on the Great Wall history. Jinshanling is connected to the Simatai Great Wall in the east and the Panlongshan Great Wall in the west. Jinshanling has probably the highest frequency of towers per kilometer of any place along the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It also has one of the greatest varieties of architectural and defensive styles of both wall and towers.
The total length of this section is about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). The Wall is about 7 meters high and 5 meters wide, and is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. There are more than 100 watch towers along the Jinshanling Great Wall. ‘Watching Beijing Tower’ is on the highest point, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.
Tian’anmen Square
Tian’anmen(Gate of Heavenly Peace), situated at the center of Beijing meaning in English, symbolizes the People's Republic of China. Built in 1417, it was formally called Chengtianmen (Gate of Heavenly Succession). At that time, it was the front gate of the Imperial City. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the uprising farmers led by Li Zicheng entered the city, but later when the Qing army marched upon Beijing, the Chengtianmen was destroyed under the crossfire. In 1651, it was rebuilt and named "Tian'anmen".
The Tian'anmen Rostrum, as a place to hold ceremonies of great importance, such as promulgating an imperial edict conferring the title of a queen, or announcing a newly enthroned emperor, was made known to the public all over the country. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was popular to hold the Imperial Exam system for choosing high-ranking officials by way of a palace examination, which supervised by the emperor himself. If the examinees ranked the first three, they would be entitled. What’s more, they would have the honor to be granted an audience by the emperor two days after the examination. On that day they would be called in to see the emperor in turn in the Tian'anmen Rostrum.
There is a square running 880 meters from south to north and 500 meters from east to west in front of the Tian'anmen Rostrum. It is the Tian'anmen Square – the very center of Beijing. Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world with an area of 44 hectares.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Tian'anmen Square was a piece of land in front of the Imperial Palace, an open space jetting out towards the south from the Tian'anmen Gate. It had a meaning of embodying the outstanding importance of the Tian'anmen Gate and the Imperial City. In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, a gate of brick and stone was built, which is right on the site of the present Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong, called Damingmen (Gate of the Great Ming). In the Qing Dynasty it was renamed as Daqingmen (Gate of Great Qing) and after 1911 Zhonghuamen (Gate of China). Later on, another two gates of brick and stone structure were built on each site of the avenue in front the gate. Surrounded by a newly built red wall, the area within the three gates formed a small square of only 11 hectares-- Tian'anmen Square.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, common people were forbidden to enter the Tian'anmen Square. And for the officials, when they entered the gate, they had to get off horses and proceed on foot into the palace. The government offices were lined outside the wall on the east and west. According to the traditional system, the civil service organizations were set in the eastern part of the square, and the military organizations in the west.
Old buildings in the Tian'anmen Square were put down after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. In 1957, the square expanded with an area of 44 hectares, which may hold 1 million people at a time. With Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall right behind, the Monument to the People's Heroes towered in the center of the square. To the east of the Square, there is the National Museum of China and to the west the Great Hall of People (National People's Congress building).
The Monument to the People's Heroes is the largest monument in China's history which was built in 1952. On this monument, you can see the words--"The People's Heroes are Immortal", which were written by Chairman Mao. The development of Chinese modern history and those who contributed their lives to the democratic progress are shown by the eight unusually large relief sculptures. The monument is enclosed by two rows of white marble railings. It seems very simple and beautiful.
At the south side of the Square is the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong. This Hall is consisted by three halls, among which our dear Chairman Mao's body lies in a crystal coffin in the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
The Great Hall of the People is in the west of the Square. Constructed in 1959, this building is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings, which also provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities. With twelve marble posts, the Hall includes three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The ceiling of the Central Hall is decorated with crystal lamps and the floor paved with marble. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall can hold 10,000 people, while the huge Banqueting Hall can seat 5,000.
At the east side of the Square stands the China National Museum, which is another important place for you to visit. Built in 2003, it is a mergence of China History Museum and China Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum is on the opposite of the Great Hall of the People. In the China Revolutionary Museum, there are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models, presenting the development of modern China. A large number of cultural relics are exhibited in the China History Museum, illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1925 when the last emperor left the throne.
Forbidden City
The Palace Museum, the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is the largest and best-preserved palace complex in the world today. It is also called the Purple Forbidden City in Chinese. Its name, on one side, derives from ancient Chinese astronomers' belief that God's abode or the Purple Palace. The pivot of the celestial world, is situated in the Pole Star (the middle of the Ziwei Star), at the center of the heaven. Therefore, the son of God of Heaven--the emperor, should live in the Purple City. On the other side, without special orders of the emperor eunuchs and guards, ordinary citizens were not allowed entering the Forbidden City, except for palace maids. For this reason, palaces in the Ming and Qing dynasties are called both the Forbidden City and the Purple City.
The Construction of the magnificent palace started in 1406, and ended in 1420. It took 14 years to complete the project. One year after completion, Emperor Yongle moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Since then, 24 emperors have lived at the Forbidden City, 14 during the Ming Dynasty and 10 during the Qing Dynasty.
The Forbidden City covers an area of over 720,000 square meters, 750 meters wide and 960 meters long. And it has four great gates. The fabulous city, which is surrounded by a 52-meter-wide moat, has four delicate and lovely turrets overlooking both the inside and outside.
The Forbidden City has more than 8,700 wooden rooms, most of which have yellow-glazed tiles. It is a color that only emperors were allowed to use on their roof. From the northern Drum Tower and the Bell Tower to the Southern Gate of Everlasting Stability (Yongdingmen), these colorfully painted and embellished rooms are divided symmetrically into northern and southern halves. If you walk into the city, you will see the layers of halls and palaces spreading out on either side of a central axis. As the designations of the wise architectures, the splendid buildings represent the unique features of the traditional Chinese architecture and embody the incredible creativity of the ancient Chinese people. Reconstructed after being destroyed by several fires, this pearl of Chinese cultural heritage still retains its original arrangements of the Ming dynasty. Nowadays, most of the existing buildings open to visitors were reconstructed during the early Qing Dynasty.
In many ways the Forbidden City reveals ancient Confucian ideas, as it is generally designed to the principles of the Front court, Rear Market, Ancestral Sacrifice on the left and Altar on the right. Hence, the court was located in the southern or front section of the Forbidden City, where officials discussed political affairs. A large trading market was situated in the rear part of the city, providing daily necessities for the court. On the left side was the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where the emperor offered sacrifices to his ancestors. Nowadays, it is the Working People's Cultural Palace. On the right side was the Altar to the god of Land and Grain, where the emperor displayed his reverence to the god. This is now Zhongshan Park.
There are two courts in the Forbidden City: the Inner Court and the Outer Court. They are separated across the middle between the south and north ends. The Outer court is mainly composed by the Meridian Gate and the Three Front Halls, flanked by the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhuadian) and the Hall of Martial Spirit (Wuyingdian), which witnessed various ceremonies and political activities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. While the inner court is mainly consisted by the Three Back Halls, Imperial Garden, Hall of Mental Cultivation and Palace of Abstinence, which are flanked by the Six East Halls and the Six West Halls. This was the place where the emperor was confronted with political affairs and was the residential area for the emperor and his empresses and concubines.
Compared with other contemporary palaces, the Forbidden City stressed more on balance and independence, and embodied more cultural perspectives of the specific ethnic group. Just as what was written in the book of History of Chinese Science by Joseph Needham, each part of the Forbidden City is in well balance and independence, which is just on the contrary to other palaces in the Renaissance Age. For the city, the Palace of Versailles is just acting as an object. The palace is an organic part of the whole city, combining deep deference to nature with lofty significance. As a tin far-reaching and complicated Chinese architecture, Great overall arrangements have reached the highest level, far above any other culture.
After the subversion of the Qing Dynasty by the Revolution of 1911, the last emperor Pu Yi was exiled to palaces at the rear of the Forbidden City. In 1914, the Three Great Halls in the Imperial Palace was opened as exhibition hall of antiquities. Ten years later, Feng Yuxiang staged a coup in Beijing and expelled the last emperor from the palace. Oct. 10, 1925 established The Palace Museum. And in 1961, the Forbidden City was listed as a place to be given special protection by the State Council. UNESCO listed it as World Cultural Heritage site in 1987.
The Forbidden City, as one of the world-famous royal palaces, has played an important role in the world architectural history. Many tourists both from home and abroad have been attracted by the almost 1 million rare treasures and cultural relics on exhibition there.
Summer Palace
Covering an area of 290 hectares in total, the Summer Palace spreads out some 15 kilometers away from the city center in the north western suburbs of Beijing. Three fourths of the palace is covered by a pool of water and the rest the land and hills.
The Summer Palace is the summer resort of the Qing royal family. Now it is the most intact, the best-preserved and the largest of its kind of the classical gardens in the country. Since the garden began to be built in 1153, it had undergone many a time reconstruction and renovation in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the period of Emperor Qianlong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was still reconstructed in a large-scale. And this time was renamed the "Garden of Crystal Ripples". When it was completed in 1860, it suffered a severe destruction, led by the Anglo-French Allied Army, which brought it down to ashes. In 1886, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled the funds allocated for the building of the navy to rebuild it and renamed it the "Summer Palace". However, in 1900, it underwent destruction again by the Eight Powers Allied Forces. Later, the1903 saw its second-time rebuild.
On the 12th of October 1911, Empress Dowager Longyu was finally forced to promulgate the abdication of the royal power. However, according to the agreement between the Qing royal family and the republic government, the Summer Palace would still be kept in the hands of the Qing royal family, while yet to be opened to outside as private property by selling admission tickets. 1924 when Puyi was ousted, the Summer Palace was taken over by the republic government and changed to be a public park.
The Qing royal family stayed in the Forbidden City in spring, autumn and winter. And when it came to summer, they went to their summer resort –Summer Palace. Hence, the Summer Palace shares the same functional quarters as that in the Forbidden City. Among these quarters, the office quarter, the living quarter and the entertainment quarter formed the magnificent scenery in Summer Palace.
Through the East Palace Gate, there is the Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity. The emperor used to handle state affairs and listen to reports by ministers and receive foreign envoys in there. It was called the Hallo of Diligent Administration by Emperor Qianlong during his reign. In 1860, it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army. Reconstructed In 1890, it was then renamed the "Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity". During the reigns of Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi got the real power to rule the country, and she started to handle state affairs behind the screen.
The Hall of Jade Ripples and the Hall of Happiness and Longevity are the three parts of the living quarter. Guangxu used to live in the Hall of Jade Ripples Emperor in the Summer Palace. After his failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu was put into house arrest here. Thus, it is also regarded as an exquisitely decorated jail.
Consisting of four rooms, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity used to be the residence for Empress Dowager Cixi. The Empress moves to the Summer Palace and stays there in the hall every year on the first day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar. And she won't return until the tenth of the tenth lunar month when she had celebrated her birthday there. In the Summer Palace, there are over 1,000 people dancing attendance on the Dowager. Among them, there are 48 in the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, of whom 20 are maids-in-waiting, 20 eunuchs of importance and another 8 are the "ladies-in-waiting" by her side, normally waiting in the room behind the precious throne to attend on her.
The Long Corridor, the starting point of entertainment quarter, is at the end of the courtyard of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. It is 728 meters long with more than 14,000 traditional Chinese paintings on the beams and rafters. The four pavilions along the corridor represent the four seasons a year. The Marble Boat can be found at the end of the Long Corridor. The original Chinese style of it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army in 1860. In 1893, it was rebuilt into one of a western style, imitating a steam ship with two water-wheelers. In 1903 Empress Dowager Cixi built another storey of wooden structure with the decoration of colored pieces of glass. The construction of this immovable boat was to symbolize the stable and consolidated rule of the Qing regime just like a large piece of rock. It would stand still forever in the vast ocean and would, under no circumstances whatsoever be wavered or toppled.
Occupying three fourths of the total area of the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake plays important role in the adjustment of the temperature in the garden. Taking a walk in the Long Corridor and a dragon boat on the lake, you will have a wonderful feeling that you were the emperor and empress in ancient China.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven stands in the southern part of Beijing. It was used to be the house ceremonies of emperors of worshipping heaven and praying for harvest in the Ming and Qing dynasties. This altar temple remains to be the largest existing ancient sacrificial structures across the world, more important than other three major temples, i.e. Altar to the Earth, Altar to the Sun and Altar to the Moon.
The Temple of Heaven was built in 1407 and the construction of the project took 14 years. Covering an area of 273 hectares, with two surrounding rings walls, it is four times bigger than the Forbidden City. The wall, stretching from north to south, is as long as 1,657 meters and that from east to west 1,703 meters. The outer wall is 6,553 meters in circumference while the inner wall measures 4,152 meters in perimeter.
To pray for good harvests and fine rain, emperors did regular worshipping and offered sacrifices to heaven. And the Temple of Heaven was used to the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties went and worshipped the heaven twice (and sometimes three times) a year. In the past, the tradition went that sacrifices were offered to heaven and earth in one place only. But in 1530 when the Temple of Earth was built in the north of the city, the Temple of Heaven was ever since used specially for offering sacrifices to heaven alone.
The Temple of Heaven is consisted by three sections, named the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, attached with some affiliated buildings like Dressing Platform, Long Corridor and Echo Wall.
The Circular Mound Altar was first constructed in 1530. In ancient China, to some extend, the altar was a place that even more important than the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The emperor would come to offer sacrifices to heaven on the altar every year on the day of the Winter Solstice. For this reason, the altar was rebuilt into a circular one in 1749. Built in the open air without shelter, the sacrificial ceremony was being held right under heaven. Therefore, it was called "Luji", or the "open air offering of sacrifices".
The Imperial Vault of Heaven was first built in 1530 as a main building in the south of the Temple of Heaven. At first, it was called "Taishendian" or the Hall for Pacifying Gods, but later changed into the present name. In 1752, the building was rebuilt into one of a single eave, which used to have double eaves. Standing 19.5 meters high and of 15.6 meters in diameter, the circular hall used to be an octagonal one in the past. The tablet of the Jade Emperor, the four stone platforms on both sides used to be for the tablets of the emperor’s ancestors of eight generations in succession, is consecrated on the central stone-platform in the Hall of Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Being of 32.72 meters in diameter, built on a three-tired platform, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests towers 38 meters' high with its eaves fanning out on three tiers, of which the upper one has a gold-plated knob on it. You will be amazed to see that such a heavy building was supported only by 28 wooden pillars with no single piece of reinforced concrete at all. The whole building was built by mortise and tenon joints without using a single nail. With each pillar in height of 19.2 meters, the four pillars in the center of the hall are called "Longjingzhu"--the Dragon Well Pillar. Only by joining hands together by two and half persons, can it be embraced. These four pillars indicate the four seasons of a year. You may find it more interesting that all pillars have their special meanings: the outside 12 pillars suggest 12 months in a year and another 12 pillars in the round wall symbolize the 12 two-hour periods of a day. And when you put the two 12 pillars together, the number you get is 24, which represents the 24 solar terms of a year. And when you add the four in the center of the hall to 24, you will get 28, which represents the 28 lunar mansions in the heaven above.
Since its first construction in 1420, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has gone through several times of changes. At that moment, the hall was called "Dasidian"--the Hall of Grand Sacrifices, which was rectangular in shape. But in 1529, it was reconstructed into a round one with a roof of three tiers. And this time it was named "Daxiangdian"--the Hall of Grand Treatment to Heaven. Three different colors were painted in these roofs of three tiers. From the upper tier to the lower one, the colors are respectively blue, yellow and green. In 1752, these three colors were all changed into glazed tiles of dark blue. However, they were destroyed by lightning in 1889. And later in 1890, it was restored according to the original. In 2006, the whole building was renovated with all its paintings according to the same style as they done last time. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has become the symbol of Beijing.
At present, the Temple of Heaven is very popular with tourist home and abroad. It is also an entertainment center for local people. If you go to the temple early in the morning, you will find many local people practicing Taiji, playing cards and Chinese chess and singing folk songs there.
Ming Tombs
Covering an area of 40 square kilometers with 13 Ming emperors buried, the Ming Tombs is situated at the southern foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District in the north western suburban areas of Beijing. The construction of the imperial tombs had been going on ceaselessly from the year 1409 when Emperor Zhu Di started building his tomb to the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, lasting a period over 200 years.
As many people know, there are 16 emperors in the Ming Dynasty. Among the 16 Ming emperors, 13 of them were buried in this tomb area, except for Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty who was buried in the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing, Zhu Yunwen, who disappeared and Zhu Qiyu, who was buried at Jinshan Hill in the western suburbs of Beijing, all other. Therefore, this area was called the 13 Ming Tombs.
It was originally built only for Emperor Zhu Di and his empress, named Changling, which is the most magnificent tomb. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling. At present, the two tombs opened to the public are Changling and Dingling.
Changling is the first Ming tomb built in this area. Hence, the axle line of Changling naturally became the axle line of the whole Ming Tombs. Along with the various tombs, the Stone Tablet House come together overall as a structurally and visually unified architectural accomplishment. Though these tombs were built in different periods, they were strategically planed and built in different stages. Each tomb has its own distinct adornments. However, the entire tomb area has a unified layout and style.
Zhu Di was the third emperor in the Ming Dynasty, who was buried together with his empress in Changling. During his 22-year of reign, he was, relatively speaking, an emperor who had made quite some achievements. For example, he determined to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing in 1421. To some extend, the move itself was an expression of far-sightedness, for it was very important to strengthen the national defense and guard frontier areas. During the period from 1405 to 1424, Zheng He, also called Eunuch Sanbao, was sent by the emperor to fulfill a diplomatic mission which was on an ever larger and broader scale in Chinese history. He went six times on board across the sea to over 30 countries in Asia and Africa.
Completed in 1416, as the place for worshipping tablets of the emperor and empress and offering sacrifices to ancestors, the Hall of Eminent Favor is situated within the second compound of Changling. The Hall of Eminent Favor in Changling is the best-preserved among the ones of the 13 tombs, which duplicated the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. It is a very precious relic of ancient China's wooden structures.
Dingling is the tomb for Emperor Zhu Yijun, named the tomb of Stability. It is said that he was buried together with his two empresses—Xiaoduan and Xiaojing. Ascending the throne at the age of 10, Zhu Yijun was died at 58 with a reign span of 48 years. Therefore he became the emperor with the longest time in power for in the Ming Dynasty. The construction of the Dingling tomb started in 1584. It took 6 years to bring the project to finish in 1590, covering an area of 180,000 square meters and costing 8 million taels of silver.
The Dingling began to be excavated in May 1956, which brought to light the mystery of the underground palaces of the Ming Tombs. Constructed with hard stone-slabs, with a total floor space of 1,195 square meters, the underground palace is composed by five beamless vaults, called the front, the middle, the rear and the two annexes on the right and the left. Carved out of white marble and the rear hall with the bier holding three coffins for the emperor and his two queens, three thrones were laid out in the middle vault. There are over 3,000 pieces of archeological findings unearthed from the tomb.
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery is a well-known lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, which is located at the northeast part of Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as the residence of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing (1644-1911 A.D.) before his ascent of the throne. And after his death, it was renamed Yonghegong. His successor Emperor Qianlong then rebuilt Yonghegong into an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty). In 1744, it became a lamasery. From then on, large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet and national center of lama administration live in there.
As an imperial palace, the layout of the temple differentiated from other temples. The main gate faces to the south. There are five main halls and annex connected by courtyards on its 480-meter-long north-south axis, including a glaze-tiled arch, Gate of Peace (Zhaotaimen), Buddha's Warrior Hall (Tianwangdian), which was formerly the entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace, Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) and Pavilion of Eternal Happiness (Wanfuge).
When you are walking through the grand glaze-tile arch patterned with decorative dragons and flowers in the first court, you will reach a three-arch gate - the Gate of Peace. In ancient times, the central passageway was for emperors. On each side of the second court next to the Gate of Peace stand the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Two pavilions stand symmetrically on opposite to the north. If you want to know more about the temple's history, you can have a look at the inscriptions of Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan engraved on steles.
The Buddha's Warrior Hall, also known as the Hall of Heavenly Kings, is the former entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace. The hall Maitreya (Happy Buddha) was always used to greet visitors, which has a smiling face with a sandalwood pagoda on each side. Many small Buddhist images, symbolizing longevity, stand on the pagoda. Therefore, the pagoda is the Longevity Pagoda. There are four fearsome-looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians on both sides of Maitreya's shrine.
On the way to the Hall of Harmony and Peace stands a marble-based bronze incense-burner. With decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl on its six opens, it is 4.2 meters in height. Afterwards there is the Mount Sumeru, a bronze sculpture of Ming (1368-1644A.D.), representing the center of the world. On the top of it there lies a legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death; in the middle the dwellings of humans and below devils abide in hell.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is formerly a place for the emperor Yongzheng to hold meetings. It was also called Mahavira Hall or Daxiongbaodian in Buddhism. Mahavira here is an honorable title of Sakyamuni in Chinese. Sakyamuni is on the altar, with Buddha of the Present in the middle with Buddha of the Past Yeja and the Buddha of the Future Maitreya on each side. On each side of the hall stand Statues of 18 Arhats. It is said that 18 Arhats were the disciples of Samkyamuni to diffuse Buddhism. The painting that you can find on the western wall is a Bodhisattva.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian) and the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) are right behind the Hall of the Harmony and Peace, where enshrines a bronze image of Tsong Kapa -- founder of the Yellow Hat Sect. With 5 gold-plating pagodas, the golden-roofed Falundian was the place where lamas assemble to have religious activities. There is a 6-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Tsong Kapa on a lotus seat in the center of the hall.
Now there are nearly 70 lamas living in this temple. If you go there, you will find that regular religious activities are still practiced. More lamas can be seen coming here in the festival for lamas or Lamaism.
Old Beijing Hutongs
The numerous old hutongs are the distinguished features of Beijing. They symbolize the traditional community with small lanes, alleys and Siheyuan (quadrangle). The life of local people in these old hutongs makes this ancient capital look more charming. Wandering along these small lanes, you can see many quadrangles, called Siheyuan in Chinese, which are the residential quarters of natives. No one knows the exact number of these hutongs there are in Beijing.
Great Wall
It is without doubt that the Great Wall is the greatest of civil engineering project of defense in ancient China. With its gigantic scale and difficulties in its construction, it is regarded as one of the great wonders in the history of mankind. The Great Wall is really the glory of the Chinese nation, which symbolizes the ancient culture and the long-standing history of China. Stretching over the mountain ranges, it proudly shows its magnificence to us. So to speak, the Great Wall has witnessed the rises and falls of innumerable dynasties and changes on the earth. At present, though the Great Wall is no longer served as a work of military defense against harassment and invasion. It still plays an important role in linking the Chinese people with the people of the rest of the world. It is one of the great bridges that build up friendship between different peoples.
The Great Wall is starting from the Old Dragon Head of the Shanhai Pass at the seaside in the east to a distance of 10,000 li (1 kilometer= 2 lis) in the west. Snaking along the north of China, it crosses three provinces, two municipalities and two autonomous regions. It is about 6,300 kilometers long, an equivalent of about 3,915 miles.
The present-day Great Wall originated from the early ancient Chinese history. During the time of Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), in the purpose of defending themselves and against the infringement from the neighboring states, all the principal states had the walls built in the bordering areas of the territories. For example, the three states of Qin, Zhao and Yan had high walls and fortresses built along their northern frontiers to ward off the harassment by the Huns (an ancient nomadic tribe in China) from the north. In 221 B.C., the whole China was unified by the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty to defeat the six other ducal states. The emperor gave order to link up all the walls built by the former ducal states along the northern frontiers to prevent disturbing and attacking by the Huns. And these walls form the world famous “10,000-li Great Wall”. From generation to generation, the succeeding dynasties kept on the work of maintenance and repairs or having parts reconstructed time and again. Among them, the greatest project on scale in the old days of China was carried out in the Han and Ming dynasties.
Throughout history, the Great Wall is served as the traditional defensive project. It is mainly composed by passes, walls, watchtowers and beacon towers. Builders were forced to rely upon local materials for the wall inched across the Chinese wilderness. For example, some wall was built with tamped-earth, some with stone, some with tamped mixture of reed, red willow, and sands, and some with bricks outside and stuffed earth and sands inside. The walls we see today are mainly Ming walls, primary made of stone and bricks. The key parts of the military construction are Watchtowers. They are very close to each other, among which brick towers could be two or three storeys. There is a small room on the top of the tower, surrounded by battlements. The watchtower was also used to station soldiers or store food and weapons. Thousands of passes stretch along the Great Wall. Some are between the mountains, some between the mountains and rivers, and some between the mountains and sea. During the wars, passes are the strongholds by acting as the gateways of transportation. Beacon towers are used for communicating, which can deliver the emergent military messages in a very short time.
Just like the symbol of China—dragon, the Great Wall snakes from east to west on the Oriental. Nowadays, five sections of the Great Wall are opened to public in Beijing, including Badaling section, Juyong Pass section, Mutianyu section, Jinshanling section and Simatai section.
Badaling Section
Badaling section is the outstanding part of the Great Wall. Lying in the Yanqing District, sixty kilometers northwest of Beijing, it gives vital protection for the Juyong Pass, which is one of the key passes of the Great Wall. According to its strategic importance of commanding, Badaling section is known as "giving access to every direction", which gains it the name Badaling.
Badaling was built in an early time in the ancient Chinese history. During Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, defensive wall was constructed along the Yanshan Range to resist the marauding of the nomadic tribes. Since then the following dynasties continued to fortify the Badaling section. The wall we see today was constructed in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) along the ridges of mountains. The construction lasted about a hundred years long from 1505, the 18th year of Emperor Hongzhi, to the reign of Emperor Wanli.
The huge Badaling wall was strongly and firmly built. It was based on the foundation of granite slabs, surrounded by a facing of kiln-fired bricks, and covered with bricks on the top. All stuffed with pulverized lime, the slots could enable the wall to be smooth. The height of the wall is 8.5 meters. It is 6.5 meters wide at the bottom and 5.7 meters wide on the top, making it possible for 5 horses or 10 people march abreast on the top. Watchtowers are 0.5 or 1 kilometer apart from each other, which were full of vigor and grandeur, and orderly spotted the wall. The battlements and embrasures of the watchtower were in good condition in wartime. The wall winds its way along the ridge of the Jundu Mountain, rising abruptly to the peaks of each side of the Badaling. You will be amazed by its seemingly endlessness. It stretches far away into the remoteness. The wall of Badaling is 3, 741 meters long.
Among all the parts of the whole Great Wall, Badaling was the earliest section to be open to the tourists. Badaling has received 130 million tourists home and abroad. Among them, there are 370 foreign leaders and very important persons who have come to climb Badaling successively.
Mutianyu Section
Mutianyu section is 75 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Lies in Huairou District, it links Juyong Pass in the west with Gubeikou Pass in the east. Mutianyu section is called as the Majestic Pass on Precipitous Mountains, commanding its strategic importance.
Because of its relatively gentle terrain, watchtowers of Mutianyu section were built in large numbers to strengthen its defensive functions. The closest watchtowers are less than 50 meters apart from each other. Both arms of the Mutianyu section stretch upwards along the ridges of continuous mountains. On the foundation of the Ming Dynasty wall The Mutianyu section was mainly built on precipitous mountains and 5-7 meters high. It is featured with a thick cluster of watchtowers atop, strategic passed, majestic vigor and unique structure. In this section, the gate tower is the most unique building.
Simatai Section
Simatai Section lies in the Miyun County, 120 kilometers away from Beijing. It started from Wangjing Tower in the east and connected with Jinshanling section in the west. Without hordes of other tourists, it is a largely unrestored and more authentic section of the Great Wall.
Simatai section was constructed during the early years of Ming Emperor Hongwu. It is said that there was a renovation applying from 1569 to 1573. It was mainly built along the ridge of the mountains because of its location in the mountainous area. Featuring in uniqueness, ruggedness and trimness, it perfectly coordinates with the undulating terrain, which makes it more majestic and magnificent. Simatai reservoir is situated at the foot of the central part of the Simatai section, which is 600-700 meters long with the storage capacity of 50,000 cubic meters.
Simatai section is considered to be the most wonderful part of the Great Wall. Taking good advantage of the fluctuating terrain, the walls and watchtowers constitute the most essential part of the wall. It is famous for its precipitous cliffs, magnificent towers, suspension walls and rugged stairways. If you are looking from distance, you may find that the Great Wall is just like a flying dragon in the cloud. However, when you stand nearby, the wall stretches its arms along the ridges of mountains. All these make it the most amazing part of the Great Wall.
Jinshanling Section
The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and in 1567 and 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588). Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time when Qi Jiguang directed the rebuilding of this section of the Great Wall. Continue to read more on the Great Wall history. Jinshanling is connected to the Simatai Great Wall in the east and the Panlongshan Great Wall in the west. Jinshanling has probably the highest frequency of towers per kilometer of any place along the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It also has one of the greatest varieties of architectural and defensive styles of both wall and towers.
The total length of this section is about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). The Wall is about 7 meters high and 5 meters wide, and is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. There are more than 100 watch towers along the Jinshanling Great Wall. ‘Watching Beijing Tower’ is on the highest point, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.
Tian’anmen Square
Tian’anmen(Gate of Heavenly Peace), situated at the center of Beijing meaning in English, symbolizes the People's Republic of China. Built in 1417, it was formally called Chengtianmen (Gate of Heavenly Succession). At that time, it was the front gate of the Imperial City. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the uprising farmers led by Li Zicheng entered the city, but later when the Qing army marched upon Beijing, the Chengtianmen was destroyed under the crossfire. In 1651, it was rebuilt and named "Tian'anmen".
The Tian'anmen Rostrum, as a place to hold ceremonies of great importance, such as promulgating an imperial edict conferring the title of a queen, or announcing a newly enthroned emperor, was made known to the public all over the country. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was popular to hold the Imperial Exam system for choosing high-ranking officials by way of a palace examination, which supervised by the emperor himself. If the examinees ranked the first three, they would be entitled. What’s more, they would have the honor to be granted an audience by the emperor two days after the examination. On that day they would be called in to see the emperor in turn in the Tian'anmen Rostrum.
There is a square running 880 meters from south to north and 500 meters from east to west in front of the Tian'anmen Rostrum. It is the Tian'anmen Square – the very center of Beijing. Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world with an area of 44 hectares.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Tian'anmen Square was a piece of land in front of the Imperial Palace, an open space jetting out towards the south from the Tian'anmen Gate. It had a meaning of embodying the outstanding importance of the Tian'anmen Gate and the Imperial City. In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, a gate of brick and stone was built, which is right on the site of the present Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong, called Damingmen (Gate of the Great Ming). In the Qing Dynasty it was renamed as Daqingmen (Gate of Great Qing) and after 1911 Zhonghuamen (Gate of China). Later on, another two gates of brick and stone structure were built on each site of the avenue in front the gate. Surrounded by a newly built red wall, the area within the three gates formed a small square of only 11 hectares-- Tian'anmen Square.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, common people were forbidden to enter the Tian'anmen Square. And for the officials, when they entered the gate, they had to get off horses and proceed on foot into the palace. The government offices were lined outside the wall on the east and west. According to the traditional system, the civil service organizations were set in the eastern part of the square, and the military organizations in the west.
Old buildings in the Tian'anmen Square were put down after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. In 1957, the square expanded with an area of 44 hectares, which may hold 1 million people at a time. With Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall right behind, the Monument to the People's Heroes towered in the center of the square. To the east of the Square, there is the National Museum of China and to the west the Great Hall of People (National People's Congress building).
The Monument to the People's Heroes is the largest monument in China's history which was built in 1952. On this monument, you can see the words--"The People's Heroes are Immortal", which were written by Chairman Mao. The development of Chinese modern history and those who contributed their lives to the democratic progress are shown by the eight unusually large relief sculptures. The monument is enclosed by two rows of white marble railings. It seems very simple and beautiful.
At the south side of the Square is the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong. This Hall is consisted by three halls, among which our dear Chairman Mao's body lies in a crystal coffin in the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
The Great Hall of the People is in the west of the Square. Constructed in 1959, this building is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings, which also provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities. With twelve marble posts, the Hall includes three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The ceiling of the Central Hall is decorated with crystal lamps and the floor paved with marble. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall can hold 10,000 people, while the huge Banqueting Hall can seat 5,000.
At the east side of the Square stands the China National Museum, which is another important place for you to visit. Built in 2003, it is a mergence of China History Museum and China Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum is on the opposite of the Great Hall of the People. In the China Revolutionary Museum, there are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models, presenting the development of modern China. A large number of cultural relics are exhibited in the China History Museum, illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1925 when the last emperor left the throne.
Forbidden City
The Palace Museum, the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is the largest and best-preserved palace complex in the world today. It is also called the Purple Forbidden City in Chinese. Its name, on one side, derives from ancient Chinese astronomers' belief that God's abode or the Purple Palace. The pivot of the celestial world, is situated in the Pole Star (the middle of the Ziwei Star), at the center of the heaven. Therefore, the son of God of Heaven--the emperor, should live in the Purple City. On the other side, without special orders of the emperor eunuchs and guards, ordinary citizens were not allowed entering the Forbidden City, except for palace maids. For this reason, palaces in the Ming and Qing dynasties are called both the Forbidden City and the Purple City. The Construction of the magnificent palace started in 1406, and ended in 1420. It took 14 years to complete the project. One year after completion, Emperor Yongle moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Since then, 24 emperors have lived at the Forbidden City, 14 during the Ming Dynasty and 10 during the Qing Dynasty.
The Forbidden City covers an area of over 720,000 square meters, 750 meters wide and 960 meters long. And it has four great gates. The fabulous city, which is surrounded by a 52-meter-wide moat, has four delicate and lovely turrets overlooking both the inside and outside.
The Forbidden City has more than 8,700 wooden rooms, most of which have yellow-glazed tiles. It is a color that only emperors were allowed to use on their roof. From the northern Drum Tower and the Bell Tower to the Southern Gate of Everlasting Stability (Yongdingmen), these colorfully painted and embellished rooms are divided symmetrically into northern and southern halves. If you walk into the city, you will see the layers of halls and palaces spreading out on either side of a central axis. As the designations of the wise architectures, the splendid buildings represent the unique features of the traditional Chinese architecture and embody the incredible creativity of the ancient Chinese people. Reconstructed after being destroyed by several fires, this pearl of Chinese cultural heritage still retains its original arrangements of the Ming dynasty. Nowadays, most of the existing buildings open to visitors were reconstructed during the early Qing Dynasty.
In many ways the Forbidden City reveals ancient Confucian ideas, as it is generally designed to the principles of the Front court, Rear Market, Ancestral Sacrifice on the left and Altar on the right. Hence, the court was located in the southern or front section of the Forbidden City, where officials discussed political affairs. A large trading market was situated in the rear part of the city, providing daily necessities for the court. On the left side was the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where the emperor offered sacrifices to his ancestors. Nowadays, it is the Working People's Cultural Palace. On the right side was the Altar to the god of Land and Grain, where the emperor displayed his reverence to the god. This is now Zhongshan Park.
There are two courts in the Forbidden City: the Inner Court and the Outer Court. They are separated across the middle between the south and north ends. The Outer court is mainly composed by the Meridian Gate and the Three Front Halls, flanked by the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhuadian) and the Hall of Martial Spirit (Wuyingdian), which witnessed various ceremonies and political activities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. While the inner court is mainly consisted by the Three Back Halls, Imperial Garden, Hall of Mental Cultivation and Palace of Abstinence, which are flanked by the Six East Halls and the Six West Halls. This was the place where the emperor was confronted with political affairs and was the residential area for the emperor and his empresses and concubines.
Compared with other contemporary palaces, the Forbidden City stressed more on balance and independence, and embodied more cultural perspectives of the specific ethnic group. Just as what was written in the book of History of Chinese Science by Joseph Needham, each part of the Forbidden City is in well balance and independence, which is just on the contrary to other palaces in the Renaissance Age. For the city, the Palace of Versailles is just acting as an object. The palace is an organic part of the whole city, combining deep deference to nature with lofty significance. As a tin far-reaching and complicated Chinese architecture, Great overall arrangements have reached the highest level, far above any other culture.
After the subversion of the Qing Dynasty by the Revolution of 1911, the last emperor Pu Yi was exiled to palaces at the rear of the Forbidden City. In 1914, the Three Great Halls in the Imperial Palace was opened as exhibition hall of antiquities. Ten years later, Feng Yuxiang staged a coup in Beijing and expelled the last emperor from the palace. Oct. 10, 1925 established The Palace Museum. And in 1961, the Forbidden City was listed as a place to be given special protection by the State Council. UNESCO listed it as World Cultural Heritage site in 1987.
The Forbidden City, as one of the world-famous royal palaces, has played an important role in the world architectural history. Many tourists both from home and abroad have been attracted by the almost 1 million rare treasures and cultural relics on exhibition there.
Summer Palace
Covering an area of 290 hectares in total, the Summer Palace spreads out some 15 kilometers away from the city center in the north western suburbs of Beijing. Three fourths of the palace is covered by a pool of water and the rest the land and hills.
The Summer Palace is the summer resort of the Qing royal family. Now it is the most intact, the best-preserved and the largest of its kind of the classical gardens in the country. Since the garden began to be built in 1153, it had undergone many a time reconstruction and renovation in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the period of Emperor Qianlong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was still reconstructed in a large-scale. And this time was renamed the "Garden of Crystal Ripples". When it was completed in 1860, it suffered a severe destruction, led by the Anglo-French Allied Army, which brought it down to ashes. In 1886, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled the funds allocated for the building of the navy to rebuild it and renamed it the "Summer Palace". However, in 1900, it underwent destruction again by the Eight Powers Allied Forces. Later, the1903 saw its second-time rebuild.
On the 12th of October 1911, Empress Dowager Longyu was finally forced to promulgate the abdication of the royal power. However, according to the agreement between the Qing royal family and the republic government, the Summer Palace would still be kept in the hands of the Qing royal family, while yet to be opened to outside as private property by selling admission tickets. 1924 when Puyi was ousted, the Summer Palace was taken over by the republic government and changed to be a public park.
The Qing royal family stayed in the Forbidden City in spring, autumn and winter. And when it came to summer, they went to their summer resort –Summer Palace. Hence, the Summer Palace shares the same functional quarters as that in the Forbidden City. Among these quarters, the office quarter, the living quarter and the entertainment quarter formed the magnificent scenery in Summer Palace.
Through the East Palace Gate, there is the Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity. The emperor used to handle state affairs and listen to reports by ministers and receive foreign envoys in there. It was called the Hallo of Diligent Administration by Emperor Qianlong during his reign. In 1860, it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army. Reconstructed In 1890, it was then renamed the "Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity". During the reigns of Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi got the real power to rule the country, and she started to handle state affairs behind the screen.
The Hall of Jade Ripples and the Hall of Happiness and Longevity are the three parts of the living quarter. Guangxu used to live in the Hall of Jade Ripples Emperor in the Summer Palace. After his failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu was put into house arrest here. Thus, it is also regarded as an exquisitely decorated jail.
Consisting of four rooms, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity used to be the residence for Empress Dowager Cixi. The Empress moves to the Summer Palace and stays there in the hall every year on the first day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar. And she won't return until the tenth of the tenth lunar month when she had celebrated her birthday there. In the Summer Palace, there are over 1,000 people dancing attendance on the Dowager. Among them, there are 48 in the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, of whom 20 are maids-in-waiting, 20 eunuchs of importance and another 8 are the "ladies-in-waiting" by her side, normally waiting in the room behind the precious throne to attend on her.
The Long Corridor, the starting point of entertainment quarter, is at the end of the courtyard of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. It is 728 meters long with more than 14,000 traditional Chinese paintings on the beams and rafters. The four pavilions along the corridor represent the four seasons a year. The Marble Boat can be found at the end of the Long Corridor. The original Chinese style of it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army in 1860. In 1893, it was rebuilt into one of a western style, imitating a steam ship with two water-wheelers. In 1903 Empress Dowager Cixi built another storey of wooden structure with the decoration of colored pieces of glass. The construction of this immovable boat was to symbolize the stable and consolidated rule of the Qing regime just like a large piece of rock. It would stand still forever in the vast ocean and would, under no circumstances whatsoever be wavered or toppled.
Occupying three fourths of the total area of the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake plays important role in the adjustment of the temperature in the garden. Taking a walk in the Long Corridor and a dragon boat on the lake, you will have a wonderful feeling that you were the emperor and empress in ancient China.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven stands in the southern part of Beijing. It was used to be the house ceremonies of emperors of worshipping heaven and praying for harvest in the Ming and Qing dynasties. This altar temple remains to be the largest existing ancient sacrificial structures across the world, more important than other three major temples, i.e. Altar to the Earth, Altar to the Sun and Altar to the Moon.
The Temple of Heaven was built in 1407 and the construction of the project took 14 years. Covering an area of 273 hectares, with two surrounding rings walls, it is four times bigger than the Forbidden City. The wall, stretching from north to south, is as long as 1,657 meters and that from east to west 1,703 meters. The outer wall is 6,553 meters in circumference while the inner wall measures 4,152 meters in perimeter.
To pray for good harvests and fine rain, emperors did regular worshipping and offered sacrifices to heaven. And the Temple of Heaven was used to the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties went and worshipped the heaven twice (and sometimes three times) a year. In the past, the tradition went that sacrifices were offered to heaven and earth in one place only. But in 1530 when the Temple of Earth was built in the north of the city, the Temple of Heaven was ever since used specially for offering sacrifices to heaven alone.
The Temple of Heaven is consisted by three sections, named the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, attached with some affiliated buildings like Dressing Platform, Long Corridor and Echo Wall.
The Circular Mound Altar was first constructed in 1530. In ancient China, to some extend, the altar was a place that even more important than the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The emperor would come to offer sacrifices to heaven on the altar every year on the day of the Winter Solstice. For this reason, the altar was rebuilt into a circular one in 1749. Built in the open air without shelter, the sacrificial ceremony was being held right under heaven. Therefore, it was called "Luji", or the "open air offering of sacrifices".
The Imperial Vault of Heaven was first built in 1530 as a main building in the south of the Temple of Heaven. At first, it was called "Taishendian" or the Hall for Pacifying Gods, but later changed into the present name. In 1752, the building was rebuilt into one of a single eave, which used to have double eaves. Standing 19.5 meters high and of 15.6 meters in diameter, the circular hall used to be an octagonal one in the past. The tablet of the Jade Emperor, the four stone platforms on both sides used to be for the tablets of the emperor’s ancestors of eight generations in succession, is consecrated on the central stone-platform in the Hall of Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Being of 32.72 meters in diameter, built on a three-tired platform, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests towers 38 meters' high with its eaves fanning out on three tiers, of which the upper one has a gold-plated knob on it. You will be amazed to see that such a heavy building was supported only by 28 wooden pillars with no single piece of reinforced concrete at all. The whole building was built by mortise and tenon joints without using a single nail. With each pillar in height of 19.2 meters, the four pillars in the center of the hall are called "Longjingzhu"--the Dragon Well Pillar. Only by joining hands together by two and half persons, can it be embraced. These four pillars indicate the four seasons of a year. You may find it more interesting that all pillars have their special meanings: the outside 12 pillars suggest 12 months in a year and another 12 pillars in the round wall symbolize the 12 two-hour periods of a day. And when you put the two 12 pillars together, the number you get is 24, which represents the 24 solar terms of a year. And when you add the four in the center of the hall to 24, you will get 28, which represents the 28 lunar mansions in the heaven above.
Since its first construction in 1420, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has gone through several times of changes. At that moment, the hall was called "Dasidian"--the Hall of Grand Sacrifices, which was rectangular in shape. But in 1529, it was reconstructed into a round one with a roof of three tiers. And this time it was named "Daxiangdian"--the Hall of Grand Treatment to Heaven. Three different colors were painted in these roofs of three tiers. From the upper tier to the lower one, the colors are respectively blue, yellow and green. In 1752, these three colors were all changed into glazed tiles of dark blue. However, they were destroyed by lightning in 1889. And later in 1890, it was restored according to the original. In 2006, the whole building was renovated with all its paintings according to the same style as they done last time. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has become the symbol of Beijing.
At present, the Temple of Heaven is very popular with tourist home and abroad. It is also an entertainment center for local people. If you go to the temple early in the morning, you will find many local people practicing Taiji, playing cards and Chinese chess and singing folk songs there.
Ming Tombs
Covering an area of 40 square kilometers with 13 Ming emperors buried, the Ming Tombs is situated at the southern foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District in the north western suburban areas of Beijing. The construction of the imperial tombs had been going on ceaselessly from the year 1409 when Emperor Zhu Di started building his tomb to the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, lasting a period over 200 years.
As many people know, there are 16 emperors in the Ming Dynasty. Among the 16 Ming emperors, 13 of them were buried in this tomb area, except for Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty who was buried in the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing, Zhu Yunwen, who disappeared and Zhu Qiyu, who was buried at Jinshan Hill in the western suburbs of Beijing, all other. Therefore, this area was called the 13 Ming Tombs.
It was originally built only for Emperor Zhu Di and his empress, named Changling, which is the most magnificent tomb. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling. At present, the two tombs opened to the public are Changling and Dingling.
Changling is the first Ming tomb built in this area. Hence, the axle line of Changling naturally became the axle line of the whole Ming Tombs. Along with the various tombs, the Stone Tablet House come together overall as a structurally and visually unified architectural accomplishment. Though these tombs were built in different periods, they were strategically planed and built in different stages. Each tomb has its own distinct adornments. However, the entire tomb area has a unified layout and style.
Zhu Di was the third emperor in the Ming Dynasty, who was buried together with his empress in Changling. During his 22-year of reign, he was, relatively speaking, an emperor who had made quite some achievements. For example, he determined to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing in 1421. To some extend, the move itself was an expression of far-sightedness, for it was very important to strengthen the national defense and guard frontier areas. During the period from 1405 to 1424, Zheng He, also called Eunuch Sanbao, was sent by the emperor to fulfill a diplomatic mission which was on an ever larger and broader scale in Chinese history. He went six times on board across the sea to over 30 countries in Asia and Africa.
Completed in 1416, as the place for worshipping tablets of the emperor and empress and offering sacrifices to ancestors, the Hall of Eminent Favor is situated within the second compound of Changling. The Hall of Eminent Favor in Changling is the best-preserved among the ones of the 13 tombs, which duplicated the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. It is a very precious relic of ancient China's wooden structures.
Dingling is the tomb for Emperor Zhu Yijun, named the tomb of Stability. It is said that he was buried together with his two empresses—Xiaoduan and Xiaojing. Ascending the throne at the age of 10, Zhu Yijun was died at 58 with a reign span of 48 years. Therefore he became the emperor with the longest time in power for in the Ming Dynasty. The construction of the Dingling tomb started in 1584. It took 6 years to bring the project to finish in 1590, covering an area of 180,000 square meters and costing 8 million taels of silver.
The Dingling began to be excavated in May 1956, which brought to light the mystery of the underground palaces of the Ming Tombs. Constructed with hard stone-slabs, with a total floor space of 1,195 square meters, the underground palace is composed by five beamless vaults, called the front, the middle, the rear and the two annexes on the right and the left. Carved out of white marble and the rear hall with the bier holding three coffins for the emperor and his two queens, three thrones were laid out in the middle vault. There are over 3,000 pieces of archeological findings unearthed from the tomb.
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery is a well-known lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, which is located at the northeast part of Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as the residence of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing (1644-1911 A.D.) before his ascent of the throne. And after his death, it was renamed Yonghegong. His successor Emperor Qianlong then rebuilt Yonghegong into an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty). In 1744, it became a lamasery. From then on, large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet and national center of lama administration live in there.
As an imperial palace, the layout of the temple differentiated from other temples. The main gate faces to the south. There are five main halls and annex connected by courtyards on its 480-meter-long north-south axis, including a glaze-tiled arch, Gate of Peace (Zhaotaimen), Buddha's Warrior Hall (Tianwangdian), which was formerly the entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace, Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) and Pavilion of Eternal Happiness (Wanfuge).
When you are walking through the grand glaze-tile arch patterned with decorative dragons and flowers in the first court, you will reach a three-arch gate - the Gate of Peace. In ancient times, the central passageway was for emperors. On each side of the second court next to the Gate of Peace stand the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Two pavilions stand symmetrically on opposite to the north. If you want to know more about the temple's history, you can have a look at the inscriptions of Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan engraved on steles.
The Buddha's Warrior Hall, also known as the Hall of Heavenly Kings, is the former entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace. The hall Maitreya (Happy Buddha) was always used to greet visitors, which has a smiling face with a sandalwood pagoda on each side. Many small Buddhist images, symbolizing longevity, stand on the pagoda. Therefore, the pagoda is the Longevity Pagoda. There are four fearsome-looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians on both sides of Maitreya's shrine.
On the way to the Hall of Harmony and Peace stands a marble-based bronze incense-burner. With decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl on its six opens, it is 4.2 meters in height. Afterwards there is the Mount Sumeru, a bronze sculpture of Ming (1368-1644A.D.), representing the center of the world. On the top of it there lies a legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death; in the middle the dwellings of humans and below devils abide in hell.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is formerly a place for the emperor Yongzheng to hold meetings. It was also called Mahavira Hall or Daxiongbaodian in Buddhism. Mahavira here is an honorable title of Sakyamuni in Chinese. Sakyamuni is on the altar, with Buddha of the Present in the middle with Buddha of the Past Yeja and the Buddha of the Future Maitreya on each side. On each side of the hall stand Statues of 18 Arhats. It is said that 18 Arhats were the disciples of Samkyamuni to diffuse Buddhism. The painting that you can find on the western wall is a Bodhisattva.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian) and the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) are right behind the Hall of the Harmony and Peace, where enshrines a bronze image of Tsong Kapa -- founder of the Yellow Hat Sect. With 5 gold-plating pagodas, the golden-roofed Falundian was the place where lamas assemble to have religious activities. There is a 6-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Tsong Kapa on a lotus seat in the center of the hall.
Now there are nearly 70 lamas living in this temple. If you go there, you will find that regular religious activities are still practiced. More lamas can be seen coming here in the festival for lamas or Lamaism.
Old Beijing Hutongs
The numerous old hutongs are the distinguished features of Beijing. They symbolize the traditional community with small lanes, alleys and Siheyuan (quadrangle). The life of local people in these old hutongs makes this ancient capital look more charming. Wandering along these small lanes, you can see many quadrangles, called Siheyuan in Chinese, which are the residential quarters of natives. No one knows the exact number of these hutongs there are in Beijing.
Xi'an
Highlights
Museum of Stone Steles Forest
Here is the largest museum with the most exhibitions of the stone tablets passed down from the ancient China. Since the completion of the construction in North Song Dynasty the year of 1087, this greatest treasure store has appealed to a great number of visitors for having a close look at the marvelous forest of stone tablets.
With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
It is a good place to admire all the authentic work of calligraphy of the celebrities who were well known in the Chinese history, to read the Chinese grand classics inscribed on the stone, and to learning about the world’s history from the most convinced proofs of the history.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
22 CNY for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 15, Sanxue Street, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 14, 402, 512, 223, 208 and 704 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque is a typical architecture of the Islamism, which was designed with the antique style of Ming Dynasty (1364-1644). As one of the four famous Islamic Mosques in China, it covers a large area of 12,000 m2, half of which is with architectures standing on. In this magnificent mosque, architectures of various designs will be a feast of your eyes. 
Towers, pavilions, platforms and halls are well distributed around the mosque, all of which together with the exquisite stone carvings, the precious inscriptions and other rarely seen decorations in which are the essence part of the mosque. It is the reason why a great number of visitors have been attracted here and reluctant to leave.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A “Phoenix" placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 12 CNY
Location: Huajue Lane, Lianhu Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Taxi and chartered bus will bring you here.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
Be discovered as the World’s Eighth Wonder, the Terra-cotta Warriors built in the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) is known for its large and splendid scale and the sophisticated art technology. It is the Terra-cotta Warriors that make the Xian City a popular resort where has appealed to an amazingly great number of visitors from home and overseas which is up to 40 millions in total.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery figures fragments while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xi'an in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty.
The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries.
No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front; followed by war chariots at the back. It is 230 meters from east to west, 62 meters from south to north, and five meters deep. The pit houses 6,000 life-size painted terracotta warriors and horses. The warriors, arranged in battle formation, wear helmets and armor and carry weapons. They are dignified, and each has a different manner and facial expression.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.
Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and 4 horses.
All together over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
It is one of the most marvelous feats and the most valuable historic relics of China. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price:
110 CNY from March 1 to November 30
70 CNY in January, February and December
35 CNY for the disabled, the kids below 1.2 m, the aged over 70 years, the students and the soldiers
Location: Qinling Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Together with the pyramids in Egypt, the Mausoleum of First Emperor of Qin shares the reputation of the world’s largest imperial tomb. The differences between them are the former is built above ground, while the latter under ground. It is a more splendid but luxurious mausoleum than any other mausoleum before, which takes a time as long as 38 years to complete. On entering in it, you will be shocked by the amazingly magnificent vision and the unprecedented huge scale. 
Lies peacefully in the cuddle of the steaming mountains and roaring Weishui River, this giant imperial tomb embraces a great number of valuable art works. To be exact, the mausoleum, with a double-wall as defense, covers 56.25 square kilometers, which is 78 times large as the Imperial Palace in Beijing. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
While the Terracotta Warriors forms only part of the tomb. Greater things are yet to come.
Thanks to Ssu-ma Ch'ien, a great historian in early Han dynasty, archeologists can learn from his works about the great insight on the mausoleum’s construction, such as the coffin was cast in bronze and the underground Palace was gem-studded replica of imperial housing above ground. Moreover, booby traps with automatic-shooting arrows were installed to deter would-be tomb robbers. Heaven and earth were represented in the central chamber of the tomb. Ceiling shaped into sun, moon and stars by inlaying pearls and gems symbolizes the sky and the ground was an accumulation point of rivers, lakes and seas, like Yellow River and Yangtze River, which stands for the earth.
The discovery of the marvelous terracotta warriors has indeed thrown the whole world into shock, but what is worth to be studied is the materials unexcavated. Qin bricks and tiles, engraved with decorative patterns, are strew everywhere around the tomb. There are many satellite tombs built as accompanying decorations of Qin Shihuang. Ministers, princesses and princes, the famous and the not were inhumed there. The burial pits for horses, rare birds and pottery figures were regarded as the sacrificial objects to the Emperor. Hence, the remains from these tombs and pits are beneficial for archaeologists to make further research.
Finally, let see who is living inside this splendid mausoleum. Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BC), the first emperor of China, ascended the throne at the age of 13, when the construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests, he ordered 720,000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 16 to November 14
20 CNY from November 15 to March 15
Location: Lintong County, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Huaqing Hot Springs
For centuries, the Huaqing Hot Spring (huaqingchi) has been enjoying the reputation as the most wonderful spring for it has appealed to the emperors of the ancient China with its amazing pureness and miraculous healing promotion effect on the rheumatism and arthritis. The Huaqing Hot Spring is known as the Orient Sacred Spring, which means it is as famous as the Thermae of Caracalla in Ancient Rome and the Bath Spring in Britian.
During the Western Zhou, Li Palace was originally established a resort here. Later the First Emperor Qin built a stone pool and gave the name "Lishan Hot Springs," and it was extended by the Han Wudi, Martial Emperor. However, the strongest associations are with the Tang Dynasty, and most of the present buildings have a Tang style.
Later in the ancient China, Emperor Taizong built the Hot Springs Palace and Emperor Xuanzong added a walled palace in 747 A.D. Unfortunately it was damaged during the An Lushan Rebellion in the middle Tang period. The present site was rebuilt on the site of the Qing Dynasty structure
There are picturesque sceneries around the spring. Behind the west gate, Nine-Dragon Pool, the Lotus Flower Pool and the Frost Drifting Hall of the Tang architectural style are waiting for you. Emperor Xuanzong used to spend winter in the company of Yang Guifei (Lady Yang) - his favorite concubine in the Hall of Fluttering Frost. The hall gains its name due to the slightly milky mist and vapor over the pool year around. In winter, the snowflakes soon thaw immediately in front of the Hall because of the lukewarm vapor rising out of the hot spring.
Here is a combination of a miraculous hot spring, the beautiful landscapes and the marvelous historic relics, where will feast your eyes in your leisure time.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 1 to November 31
70 CNY from December 1 to February 28
Half fare for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 38 Huaqing Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City, Shanxi Province
Transportation: Bus No. 306, 914 and 915 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Dayan Pagoda was built in the year of 652 with a purpose of storing the precious Buddhist scriptures, figures of Buddha and Buddhist relics brought from India by a celebrated monk Xuan Zhang, which later became the symbolic architecture of Xian, the ancient capital of China. For centuries, the 64.5-meter-tall pagoda has appealed to a great number of visitors, among which a large part is the celebrities who left behind their inscriptions that make the pagoda more charming and holy.
During the early days, the pagoda boasted a brick structure of 5 storeys and about 60 meters (197 feet) high. Between AD 701 and AD 704, at the end of the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, 2 more storeys were added to the original pagoda. Damage by the war reduced it to seven storeys, to what it is today. With a height of 64 meters (210 miles), the pagoda occupies a base 25 meters by 25 meters (82 feet) square. The Big Goose Pagoda is brick-tower architecture, simple but sturdy. Walls and doors are carved with vivid and exquisite figures of Buddha, reflecting the profundity in the paintings f the Tang Dynasty.
Why people name it Dayan Pagoda? In the ancient time, monks in China were permitted to have the meat of the wild geese, deer and calf. One day, when a monk in the Da Ci'en Temple saw a flock of geese flew in the sky, he was so eager for the geese that he talked to the other monk: “We have not had geese today, why does not the Buddha grant us some?” Then suddenly a goose dropped on the ground front of them died. The monks were all surprised and thought that was a holy hint given by the Buddha, which required them to stop eating the geese. A pagoda was built here and wins its present name.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 17:00
Ticket Price:
50 CNY for the entrance of the Da Ci'en Temple
30 CNY for the students to enter into the Temple
30 CNY for ascending to the top of Dayan Pagoda
Free for the disabled, the soldiers and the aged over 70 years
Location: South Yanta Road, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 21, 23, 27, 30, 41, 224, 320, 401, 500, 501, 527, 601, 606, 609 and 715 will bring you here.
City Wall of Xi’an
This is a huge impregnable wall, which has experienced 600 years of history, now lying peacefully like a giant in the city center of Xian. With a tallness of 12 meters and thickness of 15 meters, this giant looks as strong as iron. You may come into the ancient town surrounded by a 11.9-kilometer-long wall from the distinct gates.
When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), occupied the city of Huizhou, he took advice to fortify the city and unify the other states by turning the wall built initially during the old Tang dynasty (618 -907) into the present Xi'an City Wall.
Surprisingly, every 120 meters, there is a rampart extending out from the main wall, therefore totally 98 ramparts are set on the wall, which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up the wall. Besides, the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side, so that they could shoot the enemy, who wanted to attack the city, from the side. On the outer side of the city wall, there are 5948 crenellations, namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side, parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
In the ancient China, the side who was able to occupy the city of the other won the battle. However, there was no efficient way to enter into the city that protected by the impregnable wall. Therefore, from the defensive side the feasible way is to keep the gate. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian, there are four gates set along the giant wall, which respectively named as Changle (meaning eternal joy) in the east, Anding (harmony peace) in the west, Yongning (eternal peace) in the south and Anyuan (forever harmony) in the north. The south gate, Yongning, is the most beautifully decorated one.
Among all the greatest ancient city walls in China, it was the most well-preserved and intact one, from which you can learn a lot about how the wars were going in the ancient China and how and for what the cities were built.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY
20 CNY for the kids between 1.1m and 1.4 m and the students
Location: in the city center of Xian
Transportation: 5, 18, 215, 603 and 611 will bring you here directly.
Shaanxi Provincial History Museum
Having been as the capital of 13 dynasties for centuries, Xian is full of the breath of history. Therefore, there are numerous precious historic relics spreading around this mysterious historic site, which accounts for the reason why the Shaanxi History Museum is thought highly as the Treasure House of China.
The museum was designed as the magnificent and elegant as the architectures in Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is also a combination of the ancient style and the modern flavor, where there are more than 3,700,000 historic items displayed, among which there are 3900 rarely seen Bronze Ware from Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), 400 precious Mural from Tang Dynasty, 5000 invaluable potteries from prehistory period and many other amazingly marvelous historic relics. 
The main complex is a mixture of ancient palaces and courtyard buildings, harmonious and graceful in hue, in simple and elegant style. The exhibits on the ground and first floors are arranged in roughly three parts: Basic Exhibition Hall, the Theme Exhibition Hall and East Exhibition Hall. As well as the chronological dynastic exhibits including the Han, Wei, Jin, North and South, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the pre-historical and bronze period exhibits, together with terra cotta figures and murals from tombs of the Tang Dynasty, are highly recommended.
Here you can have a close look at the amazingly cultural relics and remains from the dynasties of the Zhou, the Qin, the Han and the Tang, which is divided into the Preface Hall, the Shaanxi local history exhibition hall, and the central hall, where is the home to the temporary exhibitions from home and abroad. Can you image how great it is when surrounded by thousands of amazing items from such a far age?
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 18:00 (except Monday)
Ticket Price: free
Location: East Xiaozhai Road, Yanta Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 19, 24, 26, 27, 30, 34, 401, 521, 527 and 610 and tour bus No. 701 and 710 will bring you here
Museum of Stone Steles Forest
Here is the largest museum with the most exhibitions of the stone tablets passed down from the ancient China. Since the completion of the construction in North Song Dynasty the year of 1087, this greatest treasure store has appealed to a great number of visitors for having a close look at the marvelous forest of stone tablets.
With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
It is a good place to admire all the authentic work of calligraphy of the celebrities who were well known in the Chinese history, to read the Chinese grand classics inscribed on the stone, and to learning about the world’s history from the most convinced proofs of the history.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
22 CNY for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 15, Sanxue Street, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 14, 402, 512, 223, 208 and 704 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque is a typical architecture of the Islamism, which was designed with the antique style of Ming Dynasty (1364-1644). As one of the four famous Islamic Mosques in China, it covers a large area of 12,000 m2, half of which is with architectures standing on. In this magnificent mosque, architectures of various designs will be a feast of your eyes.
Towers, pavilions, platforms and halls are well distributed around the mosque, all of which together with the exquisite stone carvings, the precious inscriptions and other rarely seen decorations in which are the essence part of the mosque. It is the reason why a great number of visitors have been attracted here and reluctant to leave.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A “Phoenix" placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 12 CNY
Location: Huajue Lane, Lianhu Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Taxi and chartered bus will bring you here.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
Be discovered as the World’s Eighth Wonder, the Terra-cotta Warriors built in the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) is known for its large and splendid scale and the sophisticated art technology. It is the Terra-cotta Warriors that make the Xian City a popular resort where has appealed to an amazingly great number of visitors from home and overseas which is up to 40 millions in total.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery figures fragments while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xi'an in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty.
The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries.
No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front; followed by war chariots at the back. It is 230 meters from east to west, 62 meters from south to north, and five meters deep. The pit houses 6,000 life-size painted terracotta warriors and horses. The warriors, arranged in battle formation, wear helmets and armor and carry weapons. They are dignified, and each has a different manner and facial expression.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.
Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and 4 horses.
All together over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
It is one of the most marvelous feats and the most valuable historic relics of China. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price:
110 CNY from March 1 to November 30
70 CNY in January, February and December
35 CNY for the disabled, the kids below 1.2 m, the aged over 70 years, the students and the soldiers
Location: Qinling Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Together with the pyramids in Egypt, the Mausoleum of First Emperor of Qin shares the reputation of the world’s largest imperial tomb. The differences between them are the former is built above ground, while the latter under ground. It is a more splendid but luxurious mausoleum than any other mausoleum before, which takes a time as long as 38 years to complete. On entering in it, you will be shocked by the amazingly magnificent vision and the unprecedented huge scale.
Lies peacefully in the cuddle of the steaming mountains and roaring Weishui River, this giant imperial tomb embraces a great number of valuable art works. To be exact, the mausoleum, with a double-wall as defense, covers 56.25 square kilometers, which is 78 times large as the Imperial Palace in Beijing. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
While the Terracotta Warriors forms only part of the tomb. Greater things are yet to come.
Thanks to Ssu-ma Ch'ien, a great historian in early Han dynasty, archeologists can learn from his works about the great insight on the mausoleum’s construction, such as the coffin was cast in bronze and the underground Palace was gem-studded replica of imperial housing above ground. Moreover, booby traps with automatic-shooting arrows were installed to deter would-be tomb robbers. Heaven and earth were represented in the central chamber of the tomb. Ceiling shaped into sun, moon and stars by inlaying pearls and gems symbolizes the sky and the ground was an accumulation point of rivers, lakes and seas, like Yellow River and Yangtze River, which stands for the earth.
The discovery of the marvelous terracotta warriors has indeed thrown the whole world into shock, but what is worth to be studied is the materials unexcavated. Qin bricks and tiles, engraved with decorative patterns, are strew everywhere around the tomb. There are many satellite tombs built as accompanying decorations of Qin Shihuang. Ministers, princesses and princes, the famous and the not were inhumed there. The burial pits for horses, rare birds and pottery figures were regarded as the sacrificial objects to the Emperor. Hence, the remains from these tombs and pits are beneficial for archaeologists to make further research.
Finally, let see who is living inside this splendid mausoleum. Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BC), the first emperor of China, ascended the throne at the age of 13, when the construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests, he ordered 720,000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 16 to November 14
20 CNY from November 15 to March 15
Location: Lintong County, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Huaqing Hot Springs
For centuries, the Huaqing Hot Spring (huaqingchi) has been enjoying the reputation as the most wonderful spring for it has appealed to the emperors of the ancient China with its amazing pureness and miraculous healing promotion effect on the rheumatism and arthritis. The Huaqing Hot Spring is known as the Orient Sacred Spring, which means it is as famous as the Thermae of Caracalla in Ancient Rome and the Bath Spring in Britian.
During the Western Zhou, Li Palace was originally established a resort here. Later the First Emperor Qin built a stone pool and gave the name "Lishan Hot Springs," and it was extended by the Han Wudi, Martial Emperor. However, the strongest associations are with the Tang Dynasty, and most of the present buildings have a Tang style.
Later in the ancient China, Emperor Taizong built the Hot Springs Palace and Emperor Xuanzong added a walled palace in 747 A.D. Unfortunately it was damaged during the An Lushan Rebellion in the middle Tang period. The present site was rebuilt on the site of the Qing Dynasty structure
There are picturesque sceneries around the spring. Behind the west gate, Nine-Dragon Pool, the Lotus Flower Pool and the Frost Drifting Hall of the Tang architectural style are waiting for you. Emperor Xuanzong used to spend winter in the company of Yang Guifei (Lady Yang) - his favorite concubine in the Hall of Fluttering Frost. The hall gains its name due to the slightly milky mist and vapor over the pool year around. In winter, the snowflakes soon thaw immediately in front of the Hall because of the lukewarm vapor rising out of the hot spring.
Here is a combination of a miraculous hot spring, the beautiful landscapes and the marvelous historic relics, where will feast your eyes in your leisure time.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 1 to November 31
70 CNY from December 1 to February 28
Half fare for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 38 Huaqing Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City, Shanxi Province
Transportation: Bus No. 306, 914 and 915 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Dayan Pagoda was built in the year of 652 with a purpose of storing the precious Buddhist scriptures, figures of Buddha and Buddhist relics brought from India by a celebrated monk Xuan Zhang, which later became the symbolic architecture of Xian, the ancient capital of China. For centuries, the 64.5-meter-tall pagoda has appealed to a great number of visitors, among which a large part is the celebrities who left behind their inscriptions that make the pagoda more charming and holy.
During the early days, the pagoda boasted a brick structure of 5 storeys and about 60 meters (197 feet) high. Between AD 701 and AD 704, at the end of the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, 2 more storeys were added to the original pagoda. Damage by the war reduced it to seven storeys, to what it is today. With a height of 64 meters (210 miles), the pagoda occupies a base 25 meters by 25 meters (82 feet) square. The Big Goose Pagoda is brick-tower architecture, simple but sturdy. Walls and doors are carved with vivid and exquisite figures of Buddha, reflecting the profundity in the paintings f the Tang Dynasty.
Why people name it Dayan Pagoda? In the ancient time, monks in China were permitted to have the meat of the wild geese, deer and calf. One day, when a monk in the Da Ci'en Temple saw a flock of geese flew in the sky, he was so eager for the geese that he talked to the other monk: “We have not had geese today, why does not the Buddha grant us some?” Then suddenly a goose dropped on the ground front of them died. The monks were all surprised and thought that was a holy hint given by the Buddha, which required them to stop eating the geese. A pagoda was built here and wins its present name.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 17:00
Ticket Price:
50 CNY for the entrance of the Da Ci'en Temple
30 CNY for the students to enter into the Temple
30 CNY for ascending to the top of Dayan Pagoda
Free for the disabled, the soldiers and the aged over 70 years
Location: South Yanta Road, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 21, 23, 27, 30, 41, 224, 320, 401, 500, 501, 527, 601, 606, 609 and 715 will bring you here.
City Wall of Xi’an
This is a huge impregnable wall, which has experienced 600 years of history, now lying peacefully like a giant in the city center of Xian. With a tallness of 12 meters and thickness of 15 meters, this giant looks as strong as iron. You may come into the ancient town surrounded by a 11.9-kilometer-long wall from the distinct gates.
When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), occupied the city of Huizhou, he took advice to fortify the city and unify the other states by turning the wall built initially during the old Tang dynasty (618 -907) into the present Xi'an City Wall.
Surprisingly, every 120 meters, there is a rampart extending out from the main wall, therefore totally 98 ramparts are set on the wall, which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up the wall. Besides, the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side, so that they could shoot the enemy, who wanted to attack the city, from the side. On the outer side of the city wall, there are 5948 crenellations, namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side, parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
In the ancient China, the side who was able to occupy the city of the other won the battle. However, there was no efficient way to enter into the city that protected by the impregnable wall. Therefore, from the defensive side the feasible way is to keep the gate. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian, there are four gates set along the giant wall, which respectively named as Changle (meaning eternal joy) in the east, Anding (harmony peace) in the west, Yongning (eternal peace) in the south and Anyuan (forever harmony) in the north. The south gate, Yongning, is the most beautifully decorated one.
Among all the greatest ancient city walls in China, it was the most well-preserved and intact one, from which you can learn a lot about how the wars were going in the ancient China and how and for what the cities were built.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY
20 CNY for the kids between 1.1m and 1.4 m and the students
Location: in the city center of Xian
Transportation: 5, 18, 215, 603 and 611 will bring you here directly.
Shaanxi Provincial History Museum
Having been as the capital of 13 dynasties for centuries, Xian is full of the breath of history. Therefore, there are numerous precious historic relics spreading around this mysterious historic site, which accounts for the reason why the Shaanxi History Museum is thought highly as the Treasure House of China.
The museum was designed as the magnificent and elegant as the architectures in Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is also a combination of the ancient style and the modern flavor, where there are more than 3,700,000 historic items displayed, among which there are 3900 rarely seen Bronze Ware from Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), 400 precious Mural from Tang Dynasty, 5000 invaluable potteries from prehistory period and many other amazingly marvelous historic relics.
The main complex is a mixture of ancient palaces and courtyard buildings, harmonious and graceful in hue, in simple and elegant style. The exhibits on the ground and first floors are arranged in roughly three parts: Basic Exhibition Hall, the Theme Exhibition Hall and East Exhibition Hall. As well as the chronological dynastic exhibits including the Han, Wei, Jin, North and South, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the pre-historical and bronze period exhibits, together with terra cotta figures and murals from tombs of the Tang Dynasty, are highly recommended.
Here you can have a close look at the amazingly cultural relics and remains from the dynasties of the Zhou, the Qin, the Han and the Tang, which is divided into the Preface Hall, the Shaanxi local history exhibition hall, and the central hall, where is the home to the temporary exhibitions from home and abroad. Can you image how great it is when surrounded by thousands of amazing items from such a far age?
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 18:00 (except Monday)
Ticket Price: free
Location: East Xiaozhai Road, Yanta Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 19, 24, 26, 27, 30, 34, 401, 521, 527 and 610 and tour bus No. 701 and 710 will bring you here
Museum of Stone Steles Forest
Here is the largest museum with the most exhibitions of the stone tablets passed down from the ancient China. Since the completion of the construction in North Song Dynasty the year of 1087, this greatest treasure store has appealed to a great number of visitors for having a close look at the marvelous forest of stone tablets.
With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
It is a good place to admire all the authentic work of calligraphy of the celebrities who were well known in the Chinese history, to read the Chinese grand classics inscribed on the stone, and to learning about the world’s history from the most convinced proofs of the history.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
22 CNY for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 15, Sanxue Street, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 14, 402, 512, 223, 208 and 704 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque is a typical architecture of the Islamism, which was designed with the antique style of Ming Dynasty (1364-1644). As one of the four famous Islamic Mosques in China, it covers a large area of 12,000 m2, half of which is with architectures standing on. In this magnificent mosque, architectures of various designs will be a feast of your eyes.
Towers, pavilions, platforms and halls are well distributed around the mosque, all of which together with the exquisite stone carvings, the precious inscriptions and other rarely seen decorations in which are the essence part of the mosque. It is the reason why a great number of visitors have been attracted here and reluctant to leave.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A “Phoenix" placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 12 CNY
Location: Huajue Lane, Lianhu Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Taxi and chartered bus will bring you here.
Kunming
Highlights
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Covering a vast area of 9,000,000 m2, the Yunnan Ethnic Village consists of 26 minorities of various amazing characteristics. Surrounded by the West Hills, Grand View Park and many other picturesque landscapes, Ethnic Village provides a good resort for your expedition.
Along each part of this big village, the well-arranged small villages are of different flavors, among which the cottages are designed lovely true to the real. Traveling along the villages, you will fall in love with the colorful and amazing culture, customs and religious principles in daily life. In addition, rushing streams and winding pathway linking the villages and the gorgeous corridors and pavilions decorating the peaceful villages are the hiding sceneries. By comparison, the trees along the steams and the flowers over the villages are adorably charming no matter when you travel here.
If your tour schedule falls on the folk festivals, it will be pretty funny and exciting. March Street Festival celebrated by Bai minority on 15th of lunar March, Water-sprinkling Festival celebrated by Dai minority on 13th of lunar April, Torch Festival celebrated by Yi minority on 24th of lunar June, Sword-ladder Climbing Festival celebrated by Lisu minority on 8th of the lunar February and many other local festivals in memory of various great people or events will bring you into a different experience of local customs.
Of course, the characteristic entertainments, such as the elephant performance, the cableways, the entertainments on water, the self-help pottery making and the flavorful local dishes and snacks from different minorities, which will make your tour among the harmonious villages more interesting and amazing.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Dai Nationality Village
With waters embracing and green trees relaying, the miniature of Dai village covers an area of 18,000 m2. The typical architecture style, stilt-style buildings (Diaojiaolou), is the most outstanding part, the A-letter-like roof of which is a reflection of the local rainy climate. The winding cobble pathways will show you around the splendid white pagoda, the gorgeous wind-rain bridge, the ancient well and the clock tower, all of which are of rice and colorful customs of Dai minority.
Meanwhile, the Dai people have their own rich cultural heritages. The myths, ancient songs, the heroic epic and the narrative poems are indeed their cherished cultural heritages they can be proud of. One of the well-known characteristics is the pavane (peacock dance), that has been enjoying a long reputation at home and abroad. The Dai people treat the peacock as a symbol of the luck, happiness and kind-heart, so they can perform the pavane vividly.
When we talk about the Dai, people always think of the water-sprinkling festival, which is held in the middle of lunar April. It is said that the one who is sprinkled more water will be more lucky and happier. On that day, people will worship the Buddha as well. In addition, the firm religious belief in Buddhism of all the people and the special wedding are the attractive elements as well.
All the fascinating sceneries and customs above can be got here in the miniature village of Dai.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Stone Forest
As one of the National Scenic Resorts in China, the best of the world famous Stone Forests (Shilin) of Kunming is a 350-square-km topographical turmoil wrought by a jungle of 100 or so groups of monoliths in shapes ranging from overhanging cliffs to grotesque boulders. "Number One Bizarre Spectacle Uner Heaven, "as the Stone Forest is nicknamed.
Yuantong Temple
Having witness 1200 years of changes since the completion in Tang Dynasty (618-907), Yuantong Temple, the oldest and largest temple in Yunnan, enjoys the popularity among the Southeast Aisan area. It is also a Buddhism temple in Kunming where the Yunnan Provincial and the city’s Buddhism Commission are based.
West Hill & Dragon Gate
On the side of Dianchi Lake in the western suburbs of Kunming, locates the marvelous West Hills that is up to 2500 meters above sea level. Seen from a distance, West Hill looks like a lying beauty by the lake with the hair dipping into the lake, so the Western Hills wins the nickname of the "A Sleeping Beauty Hills". With vast area of forests, West Hill is a lovely forest park where you can have a pleasant walk.
Huating Temple
A peaceful winding pathway among the flourishing forests will lead you to the mysterious Huating Temple that is one of the grander Buddhist Temples in the region with a history of over 900 years. The repairs and reconstruction make the Huating Temple more attractive and shinning.
An ancient bell tower towers in to the sky with most part hiding among the bamboo groves, which is the most outstanding symbol of the Huating Temple and the sound of which at every evening makes the temple more peaceful. In addition, the Great Hall, Heavenly Hall and Guanyin Tower, Yuhua Terrace and some other ancient buildings of characteristic antique styles bring more charms and attractiveness for your expedition.
Around the Huating Temple, picturesque landscapes are common scenes. Towering old trees are flourishing, running streams are clear, steep cliffs are mysterious and even the clouds over the skies are amazingly wonderful. Inside the temple, ancient architectures are magnificent, statuses of Buddha are shinning and invaluable historic relics are marvelous. All of the scenes out and inside the temple make a peaceful and charming place for tourists and pilgrims.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: in the western suburban of Kunming City
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Kunming city center will bring you here.
The Grand View Park
Around the magnificent Grand View Pavilion (Daguanlou), one of the top ten pavilions in China, picturesque sceneries will make you have no idea about with which part I should take photos. The flourishing trees provides a good resort to kill the heat in summer, next to which the well-designed fantastic rockeries, the gorgeous pavilions, the mini bridge over the rushing clear stream and the antique style corridors are so awesome that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
For the entire view of the beautiful Tien Lake, Grand View Pavilion is a good choice. Built in the year of 1828, the wooden Grand View Pavilion shows a strong antique flavor of Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). For the people who have passion for the Chinese couplets, the longest couplet in the history of China with 180 Chinese characters must be a feast of eyes. Besides, there are three stone pavilions in the lake in front of the tower, which were built following the sight Three Pool Reflecting the Moon in the West Lake.
On the night of The Mid-Autumn Festival, it is customary for people in the town to flock here to enjoy the beauty of the moon and flowers. On that night one can see the lake shimmering like silver, the pavilion's flying cornices silhouetted against the star-lit sky, the trees and arbours looming in the shadows while the flowers are shedding their aroma in the moonlight. The pavilion itself is decorated with colorful illuminations. The whole place is indeed a most enchanting sight.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 19:30
Ticket Price:
10 CNY for the park
2 CNY for the Grand View Pavilion
Location: No. 72, Daguan Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. 4, 22, 52, 95 and 100 and taxi (15 CNY) will bring you here.
Dianchi Lake
Hailed as the pearl on the Highland of Yunnan, Tien Lake, together with mountains around makes a picture of landscapes, is the very center of the scenic spots in Kunming. The sceneries around Tien Lake are so amazingly fantastic that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Covering a vast area of 9,000,000 m2, the Yunnan Ethnic Village consists of 26 minorities of various amazing characteristics. Surrounded by the West Hills, Grand View Park and many other picturesque landscapes, Ethnic Village provides a good resort for your expedition.
Along each part of this big village, the well-arranged small villages are of different flavors, among which the cottages are designed lovely true to the real. Traveling along the villages, you will fall in love with the colorful and amazing culture, customs and religious principles in daily life. In addition, rushing streams and winding pathway linking the villages and the gorgeous corridors and pavilions decorating the peaceful villages are the hiding sceneries. By comparison, the trees along the steams and the flowers over the villages are adorably charming no matter when you travel here.
If your tour schedule falls on the folk festivals, it will be pretty funny and exciting. March Street Festival celebrated by Bai minority on 15th of lunar March, Water-sprinkling Festival celebrated by Dai minority on 13th of lunar April, Torch Festival celebrated by Yi minority on 24th of lunar June, Sword-ladder Climbing Festival celebrated by Lisu minority on 8th of the lunar February and many other local festivals in memory of various great people or events will bring you into a different experience of local customs.
Of course, the characteristic entertainments, such as the elephant performance, the cableways, the entertainments on water, the self-help pottery making and the flavorful local dishes and snacks from different minorities, which will make your tour among the harmonious villages more interesting and amazing.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Dai Nationality Village
With waters embracing and green trees relaying, the miniature of Dai village covers an area of 18,000 m2. The typical architecture style, stilt-style buildings (Diaojiaolou), is the most outstanding part, the A-letter-like roof of which is a reflection of the local rainy climate. The winding cobble pathways will show you around the splendid white pagoda, the gorgeous wind-rain bridge, the ancient well and the clock tower, all of which are of rice and colorful customs of Dai minority.
Meanwhile, the Dai people have their own rich cultural heritages. The myths, ancient songs, the heroic epic and the narrative poems are indeed their cherished cultural heritages they can be proud of. One of the well-known characteristics is the pavane (peacock dance), that has been enjoying a long reputation at home and abroad. The Dai people treat the peacock as a symbol of the luck, happiness and kind-heart, so they can perform the pavane vividly.
When we talk about the Dai, people always think of the water-sprinkling festival, which is held in the middle of lunar April. It is said that the one who is sprinkled more water will be more lucky and happier. On that day, people will worship the Buddha as well. In addition, the firm religious belief in Buddhism of all the people and the special wedding are the attractive elements as well.
All the fascinating sceneries and customs above can be got here in the miniature village of Dai.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Stone Forest
As one of the National Scenic Resorts in China, the best of the world famous Stone Forests (Shilin) of Kunming is a 350-square-km topographical turmoil wrought by a jungle of 100 or so groups of monoliths in shapes ranging from overhanging cliffs to grotesque boulders. "Number One Bizarre Spectacle Uner Heaven, "as the Stone Forest is nicknamed.
Yuantong Temple
Having witness 1200 years of changes since the completion in Tang Dynasty (618-907), Yuantong Temple, the oldest and largest temple in Yunnan, enjoys the popularity among the Southeast Aisan area. It is also a Buddhism temple in Kunming where the Yunnan Provincial and the city’s Buddhism Commission are based.
West Hill & Dragon Gate
On the side of Dianchi Lake in the western suburbs of Kunming, locates the marvelous West Hills that is up to 2500 meters above sea level. Seen from a distance, West Hill looks like a lying beauty by the lake with the hair dipping into the lake, so the Western Hills wins the nickname of the "A Sleeping Beauty Hills". With vast area of forests, West Hill is a lovely forest park where you can have a pleasant walk.
Huating Temple
A peaceful winding pathway among the flourishing forests will lead you to the mysterious Huating Temple that is one of the grander Buddhist Temples in the region with a history of over 900 years. The repairs and reconstruction make the Huating Temple more attractive and shinning.
An ancient bell tower towers in to the sky with most part hiding among the bamboo groves, which is the most outstanding symbol of the Huating Temple and the sound of which at every evening makes the temple more peaceful. In addition, the Great Hall, Heavenly Hall and Guanyin Tower, Yuhua Terrace and some other ancient buildings of characteristic antique styles bring more charms and attractiveness for your expedition.
Around the Huating Temple, picturesque landscapes are common scenes. Towering old trees are flourishing, running streams are clear, steep cliffs are mysterious and even the clouds over the skies are amazingly wonderful. Inside the temple, ancient architectures are magnificent, statuses of Buddha are shinning and invaluable historic relics are marvelous. All of the scenes out and inside the temple make a peaceful and charming place for tourists and pilgrims.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: in the western suburban of Kunming City
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Kunming city center will bring you here.
The Grand View Park
Around the magnificent Grand View Pavilion (Daguanlou), one of the top ten pavilions in China, picturesque sceneries will make you have no idea about with which part I should take photos. The flourishing trees provides a good resort to kill the heat in summer, next to which the well-designed fantastic rockeries, the gorgeous pavilions, the mini bridge over the rushing clear stream and the antique style corridors are so awesome that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
For the entire view of the beautiful Tien Lake, Grand View Pavilion is a good choice. Built in the year of 1828, the wooden Grand View Pavilion shows a strong antique flavor of Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). For the people who have passion for the Chinese couplets, the longest couplet in the history of China with 180 Chinese characters must be a feast of eyes. Besides, there are three stone pavilions in the lake in front of the tower, which were built following the sight Three Pool Reflecting the Moon in the West Lake.
On the night of The Mid-Autumn Festival, it is customary for people in the town to flock here to enjoy the beauty of the moon and flowers. On that night one can see the lake shimmering like silver, the pavilion's flying cornices silhouetted against the star-lit sky, the trees and arbours looming in the shadows while the flowers are shedding their aroma in the moonlight. The pavilion itself is decorated with colorful illuminations. The whole place is indeed a most enchanting sight.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 19:30
Ticket Price:
10 CNY for the park
2 CNY for the Grand View Pavilion
Location: No. 72, Daguan Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. 4, 22, 52, 95 and 100 and taxi (15 CNY) will bring you here.
Dianchi Lake
Hailed as the pearl on the Highland of Yunnan, Tien Lake, together with mountains around makes a picture of landscapes, is the very center of the scenic spots in Kunming. The sceneries around Tien Lake are so amazingly fantastic that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Covering a vast area of 9,000,000 m2, the Yunnan Ethnic Village consists of 26 minorities of various amazing characteristics. Surrounded by the West Hills, Grand View Park and many other picturesque landscapes, Ethnic Village provides a good resort for your expedition.
Along each part of this big village, the well-arranged small villages are of different flavors, among which the cottages are designed lovely true to the real. Traveling along the villages, you will fall in love with the colorful and amazing culture, customs and religious principles in daily life. In addition, rushing streams and winding pathway linking the villages and the gorgeous corridors and pavilions decorating the peaceful villages are the hiding sceneries. By comparison, the trees along the steams and the flowers over the villages are adorably charming no matter when you travel here.
If your tour schedule falls on the folk festivals, it will be pretty funny and exciting. March Street Festival celebrated by Bai minority on 15th of lunar March, Water-sprinkling Festival celebrated by Dai minority on 13th of lunar April, Torch Festival celebrated by Yi minority on 24th of lunar June, Sword-ladder Climbing Festival celebrated by Lisu minority on 8th of the lunar February and many other local festivals in memory of various great people or events will bring you into a different experience of local customs.
Of course, the characteristic entertainments, such as the elephant performance, the cableways, the entertainments on water, the self-help pottery making and the flavorful local dishes and snacks from different minorities, which will make your tour among the harmonious villages more interesting and amazing.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Dai Nationality Village
With waters embracing and green trees relaying, the miniature of Dai village covers an area of 18,000 m2. The typical architecture style, stilt-style buildings (Diaojiaolou), is the most outstanding part, the A-letter-like roof of which is a reflection of the local rainy climate. The winding cobble pathways will show you around the splendid white pagoda, the gorgeous wind-rain bridge, the ancient well and the clock tower, all of which are of rice and colorful customs of Dai minority.
Meanwhile, the Dai people have their own rich cultural heritages. The myths, ancient songs, the heroic epic and the narrative poems are indeed their cherished cultural heritages they can be proud of. One of the well-known characteristics is the pavane (peacock dance), that has been enjoying a long reputation at home and abroad. The Dai people treat the peacock as a symbol of the luck, happiness and kind-heart, so they can perform the pavane vividly.
When we talk about the Dai, people always think of the water-sprinkling festival, which is held in the middle of lunar April. It is said that the one who is sprinkled more water will be more lucky and happier. On that day, people will worship the Buddha as well. In addition, the firm religious belief in Buddhism of all the people and the special wedding are the attractive elements as well.
All the fascinating sceneries and customs above can be got here in the miniature village of Dai.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
Dali
Highlights
Shibao Mountain
Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.
Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.
In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.
Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
The Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).
The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.
On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 10 CNY
Location: Midu County, Dali City
Butterfly Spring
Butterfly Spring derived its present name from a romantic legend. A beauty and an honest but poor boy (they were in deep love of each other) jumped together into the spring to escape the persecution of a rich man, and the next day, a couple of butterflies was flying around the spring.
Butterfly Spring seems like a miracle. On the arrival of the lunar April, thousands of butterflies assemble around the spring on time to have a fixed butterfly meeting. Colorful butterflies of various sizes and shapes are flying in the skies over the spring, which seems only can be seen in the movie. Some naughty butterflies fly hand in hand to make a string of butterflies and then hang themselves up on the trees. The clear spring bleeding out from the stone crevices will assemble to form peaceful pools. The pools assembling the fresh and sweet spring are as large as 6,500 m2, which are the outstanding sceneries in the park.
In addition to the butterflies and the springs, the flourishing trees act as the indispensable decorations. Towering old pines, green palms, gorgeous bamboos and other kinds of trees cover the entire park. In the early summer, graceful butterflies fly over the blooming flowers, making people hard to tell apart the flowers from the butterflies.
This spectacular sight has given rise to a local festival ---"Butterfly Meet" on April 15th. On that day, the young Bai dress up and come to the Butterfly Spring to attend it. The young men play instruments and sing for the girls they loved. The romantic spectacle of the butterflies as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of true love in the heart of the Bai people.
Notes:
Butterflies are not flying around the spring all the year round, but only a few days, so the best time to make a tour in Butterfly Spring is the 15th in lunar April
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
Location: North side of the Zhou Town, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the ancient town in Dali can bring you here (40 minutes / 4 CNY).
Erhai Lake
As the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province, Erhai Lake, covering 260 square kilometer and spanning 9 kilometer, is praised as the Mother Lake of the Bai Minority. With an average depth of 10 and the high visibility, the peaceful and clear Erhai Lake looks like a pure jade inlaying among the mountains.
The Three Pagodas
The Three Pagodas, which have experienced for 1,800 years’ history, were once parts of an old temple. In the years of 1925, almost the entire temple was ruined in a destructive earthquake, while these three pagodas stood there surprisingly intact. They are the symbols of the history of Dali City and historical witnesses of the development of Buddhism in the area. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. They are one of the most significant and majestic wonders in Dali and look magnificent.
Standing by the peaceful Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas look more mysterious in the reflections on the lake. Locate at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, the white pagodas look more outstanding and gorgeous. The 70-meter-tall main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, is one of the tallest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Inside the Qianxun Pagoda, there was a wood ladder for climbing to the top, which now is broken. Three Pagodas, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an are three curiosities of Chinese ancient architecture.
In the Qianxun Pagoda, there are many sculptures of Buddha made of silver, wood or crystal, Buddhist classics, and more than 600 various medicinal ingredients. These cultural relics play an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City. When the night falls, the pagodas are lighted up, shinning the whole sky. Reflections on the lake make the night more gorgeous.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 121 CNY
Location: 13 kilometers away from Xiaguan City, Dali
Transportation:
From Xiaguan city, tour bus will bring you here (3 CNY)
From the Ancient Town in Dali you can come here on foot (30 minutes)
Cangshan Mountain
Facing the Erhai Lake in the east and close to the Heihui River in the west, the Cangshan Mountain embraces many marvelous landscapes, among which the sceneries of clouds, springs, snow and marble are the top four charming.
Standing at the peak of the mountain, you can enjoy the beautiful varied clouds over the Cangshan Mountain, which will be as thin as a veil and then as dark as ink. The most magical and beautiful clouds are called Yudai Cloud that looks like a fairy dancing with a ribbon made of jade and the Wangfu Cloud that looks like a lady waiting for her husband with great eagerness.
Springs bleeding out from the rocks form many gorgeous landscapes. Apart from the eighteen streams, there are still many lakes over the altitude of over 3,800 meters, along the shores of which valuable medicine materials, trees of rare species and various flowers can be seen.
Amazingly, the 4100-meter-high Cangshan Mountain is covered with snow all the year. When the sun rises, it is very dazzling and splendid, especially in March. On the moonlight night, the snow reflects off the mountain, which will form a picture of a crystal world.
The last thing worth us to pay special attention to is a smooth marble named Cangshan Stone. Cangshan Mountain is a famous manufacture center of such a stone. The Caihua Stone distinguish itself by its unique patterns. Natural scenes of mountains, flowers, birds or people appear once it is polished.
Come to experience the roaring stream rushing down from the peak along the valley of the Cangshan Mountain, come to experience the special customs of the Bai Minority and come to experience the scenic spot group around the Cangshan Mountain and come for the discovery of more distinctive sceneries.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 90 CNY
Location: Cable car and horse can bring you here.
Dali Ancient Town
Delaying on the Cangshan Mountain, Dali Ancient Town, laying in the hug of the Erhai Lake, has experienced 1200 years’ history. Along the Ancient Town, the customs and ancient architectures with the original designs are well reserved. Potted plants can be commonly seen in the old houses, ancient wells are still shared among neighbors and clear streams are flowing through the town.
Jizu Mountain
Jizu Mountain is a member of the five mountains famous for the Buddhism in China and the others are Emei Mt., Wutai Mt., Jiuhua Mt. and Putuo Mt. With 13 splendid peaks, 34 steep cliffs, 40 hills of various sceneries, 45 mysterious caves, more than 100 marvelous spring pools, Jizu Mountain is a good place for adventure for extraordinary sights.
Standing at the peak of the 3240-meter-high Jizu Mountain, you will be amazed by the wonderful landscapes. At the east, the fantastic sunrise is waiting for you. At the south, the various caprice clouds will make you busy to tell what they are like. At the north, the snow mountain covered with white shinning coat is a feast of eyes. At the west, you can have a bird’s eye view of the peaceful and beautiful Erhai Lake.
In the mid of the Ming Dynasty, Jizu Mountain enjoyed the same fame as Ermei Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Putuo Mountain, with old trees touching the sky, smoke raising upwards, lots of old temples around the mountain, masters of monk coming out generations after generations, and visitors and scholars coming and going frequently. This mountain has been prosperous over thousand years, known as "A Mountain with Spirit, Capital of Buddhism".
Jizu Mountain has a long history and a bright culture. It is said that Kasyapa once performed Buddhist rites there. The existing structures on the mountain include the Zhusheng, Jingding, and Fota temples, the Kasyapa Hall, Huashou Gate and the Huideng and Muni convents. Jizu Mountain features a magnificent landscape and various animals and plants. It is a nature reserve in Yunnan Province.
Note:
March and April are the months when traditional festivals are celebrated, which is the best time for experiencing the pure local customs and culture.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price: 60 CNY
Location: Binchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the county center will bring you to the foot of the mountain. To the peak, you can take the cable car or ride the horse.
Shibao Mountain
Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.
Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.
In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.
Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
The Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).
The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.
On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 10 CNY
Location: Midu County, Dali City
Butterfly Spring
Butterfly Spring derived its present name from a romantic legend. A beauty and an honest but poor boy (they were in deep love of each other) jumped together into the spring to escape the persecution of a rich man, and the next day, a couple of butterflies was flying around the spring.
Butterfly Spring seems like a miracle. On the arrival of the lunar April, thousands of butterflies assemble around the spring on time to have a fixed butterfly meeting. Colorful butterflies of various sizes and shapes are flying in the skies over the spring, which seems only can be seen in the movie. Some naughty butterflies fly hand in hand to make a string of butterflies and then hang themselves up on the trees. The clear spring bleeding out from the stone crevices will assemble to form peaceful pools. The pools assembling the fresh and sweet spring are as large as 6,500 m2, which are the outstanding sceneries in the park.
In addition to the butterflies and the springs, the flourishing trees act as the indispensable decorations. Towering old pines, green palms, gorgeous bamboos and other kinds of trees cover the entire park. In the early summer, graceful butterflies fly over the blooming flowers, making people hard to tell apart the flowers from the butterflies.
This spectacular sight has given rise to a local festival ---"Butterfly Meet" on April 15th. On that day, the young Bai dress up and come to the Butterfly Spring to attend it. The young men play instruments and sing for the girls they loved. The romantic spectacle of the butterflies as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of true love in the heart of the Bai people.
Notes:
Butterflies are not flying around the spring all the year round, but only a few days, so the best time to make a tour in Butterfly Spring is the 15th in lunar April
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
Location: North side of the Zhou Town, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the ancient town in Dali can bring you here (40 minutes / 4 CNY).
Erhai Lake
As the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province, Erhai Lake, covering 260 square kilometer and spanning 9 kilometer, is praised as the Mother Lake of the Bai Minority. With an average depth of 10 and the high visibility, the peaceful and clear Erhai Lake looks like a pure jade inlaying among the mountains.
The Three Pagodas
The Three Pagodas, which have experienced for 1,800 years’ history, were once parts of an old temple. In the years of 1925, almost the entire temple was ruined in a destructive earthquake, while these three pagodas stood there surprisingly intact. They are the symbols of the history of Dali City and historical witnesses of the development of Buddhism in the area. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. They are one of the most significant and majestic wonders in Dali and look magnificent.
Standing by the peaceful Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas look more mysterious in the reflections on the lake. Locate at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, the white pagodas look more outstanding and gorgeous. The 70-meter-tall main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, is one of the tallest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Inside the Qianxun Pagoda, there was a wood ladder for climbing to the top, which now is broken. Three Pagodas, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an are three curiosities of Chinese ancient architecture.
In the Qianxun Pagoda, there are many sculptures of Buddha made of silver, wood or crystal, Buddhist classics, and more than 600 various medicinal ingredients. These cultural relics play an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City. When the night falls, the pagodas are lighted up, shinning the whole sky. Reflections on the lake make the night more gorgeous.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 121 CNY
Location: 13 kilometers away from Xiaguan City, Dali
Transportation:
From Xiaguan city, tour bus will bring you here (3 CNY)
From the Ancient Town in Dali you can come here on foot (30 minutes)
Cangshan Mountain
Facing the Erhai Lake in the east and close to the Heihui River in the west, the Cangshan Mountain embraces many marvelous landscapes, among which the sceneries of clouds, springs, snow and marble are the top four charming.
Standing at the peak of the mountain, you can enjoy the beautiful varied clouds over the Cangshan Mountain, which will be as thin as a veil and then as dark as ink. The most magical and beautiful clouds are called Yudai Cloud that looks like a fairy dancing with a ribbon made of jade and the Wangfu Cloud that looks like a lady waiting for her husband with great eagerness.
Springs bleeding out from the rocks form many gorgeous landscapes. Apart from the eighteen streams, there are still many lakes over the altitude of over 3,800 meters, along the shores of which valuable medicine materials, trees of rare species and various flowers can be seen.
Amazingly, the 4100-meter-high Cangshan Mountain is covered with snow all the year. When the sun rises, it is very dazzling and splendid, especially in March. On the moonlight night, the snow reflects off the mountain, which will form a picture of a crystal world.
The last thing worth us to pay special attention to is a smooth marble named Cangshan Stone. Cangshan Mountain is a famous manufacture center of such a stone. The Caihua Stone distinguish itself by its unique patterns. Natural scenes of mountains, flowers, birds or people appear once it is polished.
Come to experience the roaring stream rushing down from the peak along the valley of the Cangshan Mountain, come to experience the special customs of the Bai Minority and come to experience the scenic spot group around the Cangshan Mountain and come for the discovery of more distinctive sceneries.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 90 CNY
Location: Cable car and horse can bring you here.
Dali Ancient Town
Delaying on the Cangshan Mountain, Dali Ancient Town, laying in the hug of the Erhai Lake, has experienced 1200 years’ history. Along the Ancient Town, the customs and ancient architectures with the original designs are well reserved. Potted plants can be commonly seen in the old houses, ancient wells are still shared among neighbors and clear streams are flowing through the town.
Jizu Mountain
Jizu Mountain is a member of the five mountains famous for the Buddhism in China and the others are Emei Mt., Wutai Mt., Jiuhua Mt. and Putuo Mt. With 13 splendid peaks, 34 steep cliffs, 40 hills of various sceneries, 45 mysterious caves, more than 100 marvelous spring pools, Jizu Mountain is a good place for adventure for extraordinary sights.
Standing at the peak of the 3240-meter-high Jizu Mountain, you will be amazed by the wonderful landscapes. At the east, the fantastic sunrise is waiting for you. At the south, the various caprice clouds will make you busy to tell what they are like. At the north, the snow mountain covered with white shinning coat is a feast of eyes. At the west, you can have a bird’s eye view of the peaceful and beautiful Erhai Lake.
In the mid of the Ming Dynasty, Jizu Mountain enjoyed the same fame as Ermei Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Putuo Mountain, with old trees touching the sky, smoke raising upwards, lots of old temples around the mountain, masters of monk coming out generations after generations, and visitors and scholars coming and going frequently. This mountain has been prosperous over thousand years, known as "A Mountain with Spirit, Capital of Buddhism".
Jizu Mountain has a long history and a bright culture. It is said that Kasyapa once performed Buddhist rites there. The existing structures on the mountain include the Zhusheng, Jingding, and Fota temples, the Kasyapa Hall, Huashou Gate and the Huideng and Muni convents. Jizu Mountain features a magnificent landscape and various animals and plants. It is a nature reserve in Yunnan Province.
Note:
March and April are the months when traditional festivals are celebrated, which is the best time for experiencing the pure local customs and culture.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price: 60 CNY
Location: Binchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the county center will bring you to the foot of the mountain. To the peak, you can take the cable car or ride the horse.
Shibao Mountain
Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.
Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.
In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.
Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
The Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).
The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.
On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 10 CNY
Location: Midu County, Dali City
Lijiang
Highlights
First Bend of the Yangtze
The Yangtze River Bend, as its name indicates, is the spot where the southwards running Yangtze River turns northeastward due to the block of the mountain, which, seen from a distance, looks like the letter V. Seeing the spectacular Yangtze River roaring down from the roof of the world and then making a sharp turn will be a wonderful experience.
From the sightseeing hill, in addition to the splendid view of the entire First Bend, you can have a good angle for the sunset. Under the shining of the sunset, the river shows off the most wonderful part by turning the green mountains around into shining golden mountains. In this paradise, flowers may fully bloom in spring and corps may grow into red and yellow in autumn, making a harmonious living environment on the bank of Yangtze River for the hospitable folks.
With the gradual deposit of fertile soil at this spot, a village slowly came into being, now called Shigu Town, meaning "stone drum" in Chinese. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality hide and herbal medicine to exchange with the local tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. If your tour schedule falls on the market day, you can join into the amazingly crowded and noisy town by yourself.
Opening Hours: the whole day
Ticket Price: free
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang
Transportation: Take the shuttle bus or the tour bus from the bus stations in Lijiang to the Shigu Town and then change the bus to here.
Baoshan Stone Village
Stone village is in fact an ancient village with about 100 families living on the peak of the mountain with a mushroom shape. This mysterious village, facing the Chin-sha River, is embraced by steeps in the other sides. Therefore, there are only the North and South Gates as the access to the village. While, inside the gorgeous village the wide natural rock roads will show you around the amazingly splendid but simple stone-made architectures.
About 100km north of Lijiang, Baoshan Stone Village (baoshan shicheng) is located on a Herculean rock in the Jinsha River Valley. Virtually everything in the village is made of stone: stone ovens, stone water vats, stone beds, stone chairs and so on. The village is surrounded by cliffs on four sides with the Jinsha River flowing below and a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeps along the edge of the village.
The marvelous terraced fields created on the rocks with the clear mountain spring flowing down are a magic place where various sceneries can be seen. On the arrival of the spring, the newly transplanted corps is adorably green, while when the autumn falls, you will lose yourself at the scene that the golden rice, wheat and corns waving with the breeze. In addition, the huge stone carvings on the steep cliffs, created by the ancestors of the Naxi people, are the most spectacular scene that makes the tourists astonished.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: 100 km away from Lijiang City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from Lijiang will bring you here.
The Ancient Town of Lijiang
In the vast China, there are four intact-preserved ancient towns, and the ancient town of Lijiang is a shinning member of it. Unlike the other ancient towns, the Lijiang ancient town is open without any town walls that will make the town more mysterious, while the blue marble stone pathways winding along the town would bring you back to the history.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Hailed as the Oriental Grand Canyon, the Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia) is, to some extent, more attractive than the Grand Canyon. It is the most precipitous gorge in the vast China with an altitude difference of 3000 meters that is 600 meters more than that of the Grand Canyon. Therefore, the waterfalls here are amazingly marvelous, the stones here are surprisingly bizarre and landscapes on the cliffs here are spectacularly wonderful, all of which make Tiger Leaping Gorge a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
Tiger Leaping Gorge with a splendid view of the swift turbulent current of the Golden River is formed through constant cutting by the waters between Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Mountain. Spanning 17 kilometers long, the gorge, consists of the Upper Gorge, the Middle Gorge and the Lower Gorge, drops about 300 meters in a series of 18 rapids. The Lower Gorge is the most awe - inspiring part of all. The gorge, where the Golden Sand River pounds furiously at its rocky shores in an awesome fashion, sending up skilful of white froth, is a dream place for adventurers.
Seen from the bridge, the marvelous geological wonder, two huge mountains leaning close to each other and a large volume of fast moving water between them cutting deeper and deeper into the bottom of the gorge, will be more splendid. In addition, there is a drop of 3000 meters to the water, a beautiful and surprising place to go for photography.
Embraced by the arms of the picturesque Cangshan Mountain and guarded by an 8-meter-tall and 3.5-kilometer-long wall, the 600-year-old city of Dali was first built in 1683 and is characterized by the ancient stonewalls, grey tiled roofs, doors and windows carved with dragon and phoenix partners and gardens of varying sizes. The entire city is covered by a maze of streams, fed by runoffs from the Cangshan Mountain. Hence, the saying the gurgling of water can be heard in every house and flowers are planted in every family.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang City
Transportation: Bus from Lijiang Bus Station and taxi will bring you here.
Lugu Lake
Lying in the flourishing forests far away from the pollution, Lugu Lake, covers 50 square kilometers with thousands square kilometers of lawns, is like a pearl inlayed in the plateau. With seven islands on the lake, the largest freshwater lake in Sichuan, seen from a bird’s eye of view, looks like a flying eagle with wings spreading.
Yufeng Monastery (Yufeng Si )
Built at the foot of the Yufeng Mountain in Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Yufeng Monastery has experienced more than 400 years of history. What may amaze you most is the huge old camellia that planted in Ming Dynasty (1364-1644), 100 years earlier than the construction of the monastery. This camellia is praised as the King of the Camellia for the marvelous size of it.
From the beginning of the spring to the beginning of summer, the camellia will be fully blooming for 20 times without breaking off just like a peacock showing off her tail, and the amount of the flowers blooming at each time is more than 1000, therefore there are surprisingly 20,000 flowers blooming every year. This magic camellia is said to be improved through grafting, so the flowers blooming on this 2-meter-tall camellia are as large as a plate.
On the arrival of the spring, people will come all the way from near and far to have a close look at this huge camellia blooming under the reflecting of the gorgeous Yulong Mountain with the snow as the coat.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: Yulong Mt., Lijiang City
Transportation: Taxi from Lijiang will bring you here.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xue Shan )
With an average altitude of 4000, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (yu long xue shan) is the wonderful place with marvelous spectacles in the challenging environment. Ganhaizi is a piece of vast grassland in the east with beautiful sceneries that provides a good angle for people to enjoy the entire sight of the Jade Dragon Snow Mt. White River, originates from the Jade Dragon Snow Mt., is a crystal-like river flowing along the Mt.. Yunshanping, a virgin forest with abundant rare natural resources, is the holy land of the Naxi people. All of them make Jade Dragon Snow Mountain a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
The mountains western flanks drop steeply to the Upper Yangtze River (Jinsha Jiang), helping to form magnificent, deep gorges, and the highest peak is Shanzidou. The summit, Shanzidou, is 5596 meters above sea level. Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources thrive on the mountain and a giant tram cart up here is one of the highest of its kind in China.
She is a botanist's paradise and a "kingdom of medicinal materials". Of the 13,000 kinds of plants in Yunnan, more than half of them can be found on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as well as 400 types of trees in 20 primeval forest communities. From April to June the azaleas turn the mountain into a riot of brilliant color. In autumn, blue rough gentian flowers cover her marshlands. She is decorated with blooming flowers 10 months of the year.
The mountain is also a sanctuary for animals, many of them rare animals that live at different temperature levels. She is home to 30 kinds of animals protected by the state, such as the wild ass, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, the lesser panda, the forest musk deer, the clouded leopard, the blood pheasant, the silver pheasant, and the spotted, yellowish civet cat.
She has attracted the attention of many scholars and travelers. Early in 1837, the French writer Bacier introduced Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in his acclaimed book "Universe". And seven years ago the chairman of the international Mountainous Region led a team to the mountain for field work.
In Lijiang City, you can have a magnificent view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with the main peak thrust into the clouds, the Old Man Peak standing out on the right and Black Snow Peak on its left.
Opening Hours: 7:30 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
190 CNY
80 CNY for the kids below 1.1 m
Location: 15 km away from the Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 7 (15 CNY) and taxi (100 CNY) will bring you here.
Baisha Mural
The Baisha Mural is a group of murals scattered around Lijiang City, which took 300 years to complete, therefore it is a reflection of the true life in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Having been undergone over 500 years of history, part of the Baisha mural group somewhat becomes indistinct, but a large part of which still can tell you about the culture of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
The mural group consists of more than 10 small groups, the amount of mural in all of which is up to 550. Those gorgeous murals with various styles, which are telling the stories of the religious belief and social life of the local, are a blooming intelligent show that you must visit.
Located in Baisha Township, 8km north of the seat of the Lijiang Naxi Nationality Autonomous County, the mural is a rich fusion that had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black, silver, dark green, gold and red colors, the murals in the back hall, overlaid with centuries of brown soot, are bizarre, the scenes and figures, some still vivid in detail, are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life, judges of the underworld, the damned, titans and gods, Buddha and bodhisattvas. There are trigrams, lotus flowers and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling. The deliberate damage done to the paintings is apparent and terrible, but the loss of the irreplaceable wooden statuary that filled the temple, of which there is no trace, is even more tragic.
These mural paintings, with their fine and smooth lines, bright colors, vivid pattern and balanced and harmonious composition are a wonderful sight that is not only crucial to the history of Chinese painting, but also important to cultural heritage relics.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: 12 km away from Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Lijiang will bring you here.
First Bend of the Yangtze
The Yangtze River Bend, as its name indicates, is the spot where the southwards running Yangtze River turns northeastward due to the block of the mountain, which, seen from a distance, looks like the letter V. Seeing the spectacular Yangtze River roaring down from the roof of the world and then making a sharp turn will be a wonderful experience.
From the sightseeing hill, in addition to the splendid view of the entire First Bend, you can have a good angle for the sunset. Under the shining of the sunset, the river shows off the most wonderful part by turning the green mountains around into shining golden mountains. In this paradise, flowers may fully bloom in spring and corps may grow into red and yellow in autumn, making a harmonious living environment on the bank of Yangtze River for the hospitable folks.
With the gradual deposit of fertile soil at this spot, a village slowly came into being, now called Shigu Town, meaning "stone drum" in Chinese. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality hide and herbal medicine to exchange with the local tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. If your tour schedule falls on the market day, you can join into the amazingly crowded and noisy town by yourself.
Opening Hours: the whole day
Ticket Price: free
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang
Transportation: Take the shuttle bus or the tour bus from the bus stations in Lijiang to the Shigu Town and then change the bus to here.
Baoshan Stone Village
Stone village is in fact an ancient village with about 100 families living on the peak of the mountain with a mushroom shape. This mysterious village, facing the Chin-sha River, is embraced by steeps in the other sides. Therefore, there are only the North and South Gates as the access to the village. While, inside the gorgeous village the wide natural rock roads will show you around the amazingly splendid but simple stone-made architectures.
About 100km north of Lijiang, Baoshan Stone Village (baoshan shicheng) is located on a Herculean rock in the Jinsha River Valley. Virtually everything in the village is made of stone: stone ovens, stone water vats, stone beds, stone chairs and so on. The village is surrounded by cliffs on four sides with the Jinsha River flowing below and a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeps along the edge of the village.
The marvelous terraced fields created on the rocks with the clear mountain spring flowing down are a magic place where various sceneries can be seen. On the arrival of the spring, the newly transplanted corps is adorably green, while when the autumn falls, you will lose yourself at the scene that the golden rice, wheat and corns waving with the breeze. In addition, the huge stone carvings on the steep cliffs, created by the ancestors of the Naxi people, are the most spectacular scene that makes the tourists astonished.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: 100 km away from Lijiang City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from Lijiang will bring you here.
The Ancient Town of Lijiang
In the vast China, there are four intact-preserved ancient towns, and the ancient town of Lijiang is a shinning member of it. Unlike the other ancient towns, the Lijiang ancient town is open without any town walls that will make the town more mysterious, while the blue marble stone pathways winding along the town would bring you back to the history.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Hailed as the Oriental Grand Canyon, the Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia) is, to some extent, more attractive than the Grand Canyon. It is the most precipitous gorge in the vast China with an altitude difference of 3000 meters that is 600 meters more than that of the Grand Canyon. Therefore, the waterfalls here are amazingly marvelous, the stones here are surprisingly bizarre and landscapes on the cliffs here are spectacularly wonderful, all of which make Tiger Leaping Gorge a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
Tiger Leaping Gorge with a splendid view of the swift turbulent current of the Golden River is formed through constant cutting by the waters between Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Mountain. Spanning 17 kilometers long, the gorge, consists of the Upper Gorge, the Middle Gorge and the Lower Gorge, drops about 300 meters in a series of 18 rapids. The Lower Gorge is the most awe - inspiring part of all. The gorge, where the Golden Sand River pounds furiously at its rocky shores in an awesome fashion, sending up skilful of white froth, is a dream place for adventurers.
Seen from the bridge, the marvelous geological wonder, two huge mountains leaning close to each other and a large volume of fast moving water between them cutting deeper and deeper into the bottom of the gorge, will be more splendid. In addition, there is a drop of 3000 meters to the water, a beautiful and surprising place to go for photography.
Embraced by the arms of the picturesque Cangshan Mountain and guarded by an 8-meter-tall and 3.5-kilometer-long wall, the 600-year-old city of Dali was first built in 1683 and is characterized by the ancient stonewalls, grey tiled roofs, doors and windows carved with dragon and phoenix partners and gardens of varying sizes. The entire city is covered by a maze of streams, fed by runoffs from the Cangshan Mountain. Hence, the saying the gurgling of water can be heard in every house and flowers are planted in every family.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang City
Transportation: Bus from Lijiang Bus Station and taxi will bring you here.
Lugu Lake
Lying in the flourishing forests far away from the pollution, Lugu Lake, covers 50 square kilometers with thousands square kilometers of lawns, is like a pearl inlayed in the plateau. With seven islands on the lake, the largest freshwater lake in Sichuan, seen from a bird’s eye of view, looks like a flying eagle with wings spreading.
Yufeng Monastery (Yufeng Si )
Built at the foot of the Yufeng Mountain in Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Yufeng Monastery has experienced more than 400 years of history. What may amaze you most is the huge old camellia that planted in Ming Dynasty (1364-1644), 100 years earlier than the construction of the monastery. This camellia is praised as the King of the Camellia for the marvelous size of it.
From the beginning of the spring to the beginning of summer, the camellia will be fully blooming for 20 times without breaking off just like a peacock showing off her tail, and the amount of the flowers blooming at each time is more than 1000, therefore there are surprisingly 20,000 flowers blooming every year. This magic camellia is said to be improved through grafting, so the flowers blooming on this 2-meter-tall camellia are as large as a plate.
On the arrival of the spring, people will come all the way from near and far to have a close look at this huge camellia blooming under the reflecting of the gorgeous Yulong Mountain with the snow as the coat.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: Yulong Mt., Lijiang City
Transportation: Taxi from Lijiang will bring you here.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xue Shan )
With an average altitude of 4000, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (yu long xue shan) is the wonderful place with marvelous spectacles in the challenging environment. Ganhaizi is a piece of vast grassland in the east with beautiful sceneries that provides a good angle for people to enjoy the entire sight of the Jade Dragon Snow Mt. White River, originates from the Jade Dragon Snow Mt., is a crystal-like river flowing along the Mt.. Yunshanping, a virgin forest with abundant rare natural resources, is the holy land of the Naxi people. All of them make Jade Dragon Snow Mountain a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
The mountains western flanks drop steeply to the Upper Yangtze River (Jinsha Jiang), helping to form magnificent, deep gorges, and the highest peak is Shanzidou. The summit, Shanzidou, is 5596 meters above sea level. Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources thrive on the mountain and a giant tram cart up here is one of the highest of its kind in China.
She is a botanist's paradise and a "kingdom of medicinal materials". Of the 13,000 kinds of plants in Yunnan, more than half of them can be found on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as well as 400 types of trees in 20 primeval forest communities. From April to June the azaleas turn the mountain into a riot of brilliant color. In autumn, blue rough gentian flowers cover her marshlands. She is decorated with blooming flowers 10 months of the year.
The mountain is also a sanctuary for animals, many of them rare animals that live at different temperature levels. She is home to 30 kinds of animals protected by the state, such as the wild ass, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, the lesser panda, the forest musk deer, the clouded leopard, the blood pheasant, the silver pheasant, and the spotted, yellowish civet cat.
She has attracted the attention of many scholars and travelers. Early in 1837, the French writer Bacier introduced Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in his acclaimed book "Universe". And seven years ago the chairman of the international Mountainous Region led a team to the mountain for field work.
In Lijiang City, you can have a magnificent view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with the main peak thrust into the clouds, the Old Man Peak standing out on the right and Black Snow Peak on its left.
Opening Hours: 7:30 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
190 CNY
80 CNY for the kids below 1.1 m
Location: 15 km away from the Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 7 (15 CNY) and taxi (100 CNY) will bring you here.
Baisha Mural
The Baisha Mural is a group of murals scattered around Lijiang City, which took 300 years to complete, therefore it is a reflection of the true life in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Having been undergone over 500 years of history, part of the Baisha mural group somewhat becomes indistinct, but a large part of which still can tell you about the culture of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
The mural group consists of more than 10 small groups, the amount of mural in all of which is up to 550. Those gorgeous murals with various styles, which are telling the stories of the religious belief and social life of the local, are a blooming intelligent show that you must visit.
Located in Baisha Township, 8km north of the seat of the Lijiang Naxi Nationality Autonomous County, the mural is a rich fusion that had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black, silver, dark green, gold and red colors, the murals in the back hall, overlaid with centuries of brown soot, are bizarre, the scenes and figures, some still vivid in detail, are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life, judges of the underworld, the damned, titans and gods, Buddha and bodhisattvas. There are trigrams, lotus flowers and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling. The deliberate damage done to the paintings is apparent and terrible, but the loss of the irreplaceable wooden statuary that filled the temple, of which there is no trace, is even more tragic.
These mural paintings, with their fine and smooth lines, bright colors, vivid pattern and balanced and harmonious composition are a wonderful sight that is not only crucial to the history of Chinese painting, but also important to cultural heritage relics.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: 12 km away from Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Lijiang will bring you here.
First Bend of the Yangtze
The Yangtze River Bend, as its name indicates, is the spot where the southwards running Yangtze River turns northeastward due to the block of the mountain, which, seen from a distance, looks like the letter V. Seeing the spectacular Yangtze River roaring down from the roof of the world and then making a sharp turn will be a wonderful experience.
From the sightseeing hill, in addition to the splendid view of the entire First Bend, you can have a good angle for the sunset. Under the shining of the sunset, the river shows off the most wonderful part by turning the green mountains around into shining golden mountains. In this paradise, flowers may fully bloom in spring and corps may grow into red and yellow in autumn, making a harmonious living environment on the bank of Yangtze River for the hospitable folks.
With the gradual deposit of fertile soil at this spot, a village slowly came into being, now called Shigu Town, meaning "stone drum" in Chinese. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality hide and herbal medicine to exchange with the local tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. If your tour schedule falls on the market day, you can join into the amazingly crowded and noisy town by yourself.
Opening Hours: the whole day
Ticket Price: free
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang
Transportation: Take the shuttle bus or the tour bus from the bus stations in Lijiang to the Shigu Town and then change the bus to here.
Baoshan Stone Village
Stone village is in fact an ancient village with about 100 families living on the peak of the mountain with a mushroom shape. This mysterious village, facing the Chin-sha River, is embraced by steeps in the other sides. Therefore, there are only the North and South Gates as the access to the village. While, inside the gorgeous village the wide natural rock roads will show you around the amazingly splendid but simple stone-made architectures.
About 100km north of Lijiang, Baoshan Stone Village (baoshan shicheng) is located on a Herculean rock in the Jinsha River Valley. Virtually everything in the village is made of stone: stone ovens, stone water vats, stone beds, stone chairs and so on. The village is surrounded by cliffs on four sides with the Jinsha River flowing below and a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeps along the edge of the village.
The marvelous terraced fields created on the rocks with the clear mountain spring flowing down are a magic place where various sceneries can be seen. On the arrival of the spring, the newly transplanted corps is adorably green, while when the autumn falls, you will lose yourself at the scene that the golden rice, wheat and corns waving with the breeze. In addition, the huge stone carvings on the steep cliffs, created by the ancestors of the Naxi people, are the most spectacular scene that makes the tourists astonished.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: 100 km away from Lijiang City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from Lijiang will bring you here.
Shangri-la
Highlights
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Bitahai Lake
Meili Snow Mountain
Songzanlin Monastery
Baishui Tableland
Baimang Snow Mountain
Qianhu Mountain
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Bitahai Lake
Meili Snow Mountain
Songzanlin Monastery
Baishui Tableland
Baimang Snow Mountain
Qianhu Mountain
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Guiyang
Highlights
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Huaxi Scenic Area
Located at 17 kilometers south of Guiyang, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation, crystal-clear waters and mountains. It's a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad.
There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake. The islands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park
Called "the flower of Guizhou plateau", Huaxi Park belongs to the Huaxi scenic spot area, which is 350.5 square kilometers in total. The most beautiful feature is the clear streams winding through hills and the flowers providing beautiful displays throughout the four seasons of the year. The water of Huaxi River is clear and clean. Huaxi is home to over 1,000 varieties of cultivated flowers which bloom year round.
Scenic attractions of the park are centered on the four small and exquisite hills: Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle and Snake. The Unicorn Hill is the major one of the four. It resembles the shape of a prancing unicorn. On the top of the hill, stones of various shapes stand upright like the horn of the unicorn. Yitianting pavilion is built up there, pointing up to the sky and provides a panoramic view of the park.
The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which are abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small poods and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty. A river tour from Dajiang Hill to Biyunwo offers views of beautiful landscapes along the entire river. Jitian Pavilion atop Unicorn Hill provides a panoramic view of the park.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. It's covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.
All of these make the scenery elaborately and naturally designed. Meanwhile, there are many villages sitting outside the park where you can enjoy the local customs. After climbing to the top of the Kylin Mountain, you can enjoy the entire wonderful scenery of the park and the surrounding countryside. Summer is the best time to visit this park owing to the fresh air and comfortable climate.
The park is really an ideal tourist destination all year round. Crystal-clear streams run like a mirror, bouquets of flowers and peaceful rurality will feast the visitor’s eyes. Therefore, it is considered as a "pearl of the Central Guizhou".
Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong)
Lying in Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong) covers an area of some 10 square kilometers. The scenic area belongs to the Karst topography with peculiar landforms, magnificent peaks and is crisscross with crystal-clear springs and streams. A small seven-arched bridge spans the river, hence the name of the scenic area. It's fantastic primeval scenery formed by virgin forests, limestone caves, twin lakes etc.
The Twin Lakes embraced by lush forests measure about 13 hectares. The rippling blue lakes are as deep as 37 meters, with the water temperature of approximate 15℃. Mandarin ducks are merrily swimming in pairs upon the lakes. The one kilometer long Gurgling River is endowed with 68 water drops or waterfalls with a total drop in elevation of 40 meters. The fishermen fishing in the River always reap bumper hauls. Among the numerous stalactite caves, Tianzhong Cave stands out prominently with its particular exotic scenery.
Jiaxiu Tower
Jiaxiu Tower is located on the Aoji Rock (the rock which looks like a huge turtle according to legend) on the Nanming River, in the southern part of Guiyang City. This magnificent building has long been the landmark of Guiyang.
First built in the mid-16th century, it has been rebuilt several times, yet has still managed to retain its original features. During the Ming dynasty (1573-1620), the local majesty, Jiang Dongzhi, ordered to build a causeway at where the tower locates today, linking to the southern bank of the Nanming River. Later a pavilion was built to honor the first scholar of the time and hoped that would encourage more scholars to follow the example. Thusthe tower was named "Jiaxiu towe", which means "First Sholar’s Tower". In 1621, the original pavilion was burnt in a fire and the stadholder of the time made it rebuilt. In 1689, it was destroyed again, and then, Majesty Tianwen rebuilt it again. So far, the tower has been reconstructed 6 times. For 400 years, it has become the symbol of the city, witnessing the history as well as the future of the development of the Guiyang city.
It is renowned for its layout such as the three-story tower 20 meters high with three carved eaves supported by a stone pillar and atop which is formed by diminishing size as four directions mount up. Located in water, right of the Guanyin temple and the Cuiwei tower; left of the Haibi pavilion, the Jiaxiu Tower is connected with two banks by the Fuyu Bridge (Floating Jade Bridge). All of these make Jiaxiu Tower spectacular.
Inside Jiaxiu Tower, there is a good collection of authentic works and paintings from ancient calligraphers. Of them, the most famous one is the couplet written by Liu Yushang in the Qing Dynasty. This couplet consists of 206 words as a whole, with 87 words in the first and the second line respectively, which is 26 words more than the "Longest couplet" preserved in the Big Guan Tower in Kunming. This couplet is notable not only for its length, but also for its literatural value. Its choice of words is so delicate and magnificent that it looks into not only the history of the tower but also the universal life of human being.
Ascending the tower, visitors can get a good view of the surrounding scenery. The night scene of the tower is the most impressive. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, reflected in water, the tower looks so beautiful that people may feel as if they had been back to the ancient times.
Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.
Huangguoshu Scenic Zone
Made up of 23 falls of which four come out of underground caves, the Huangguoshu Scenic Zone is located in Zhenning Buyi-Miao Autonomous County 150 km. from Guiyang City and 54 km. from Anshun City. The area surrounding this scenic spot is a typical karst terrain. Additionally, the Baishuihe River flows to form the nine-step cluster of 18 waterfalls among which Huangguoshu Waterfall is the grandest. This large cluster of waterfalls features the Huangguoshu Waterfall in the middle and is a marvelous spectacle of nature.
World famous Huangguoshu Fall reaches a width of 81m with a drop of 74 m. Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long Shuiliang-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle.
In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River, Spotting in the Zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. There are the Doupotang Fall, the broadest with a width of 105m and a height of 21m; the Luosi Fall with a height of 31m and the river flowing over it, it zigzags along for 350 m, the most elegant Yinlianzuitan Fall displaying scenery resembling many silver chains falling down, the Dishuitan Fall which breaks into 7 cascades with special attractiveness and the Guangjiaoxia Fall with the biggest flow. After visiting the Zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world.
Qianling Park
Qianling Park is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang, It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of "the First Mountain in South China". Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner pro-vides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and this add to the features of the park.
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Huaxi Scenic Area
Located at 17 kilometers south of Guiyang, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation, crystal-clear waters and mountains. It's a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad.
There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake. The islands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park
Called "the flower of Guizhou plateau", Huaxi Park belongs to the Huaxi scenic spot area, which is 350.5 square kilometers in total. The most beautiful feature is the clear streams winding through hills and the flowers providing beautiful displays throughout the four seasons of the year. The water of Huaxi River is clear and clean. Huaxi is home to over 1,000 varieties of cultivated flowers which bloom year round.
Scenic attractions of the park are centered on the four small and exquisite hills: Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle and Snake. The Unicorn Hill is the major one of the four. It resembles the shape of a prancing unicorn. On the top of the hill, stones of various shapes stand upright like the horn of the unicorn. Yitianting pavilion is built up there, pointing up to the sky and provides a panoramic view of the park.
The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which are abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small poods and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty. A river tour from Dajiang Hill to Biyunwo offers views of beautiful landscapes along the entire river. Jitian Pavilion atop Unicorn Hill provides a panoramic view of the park.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. It's covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.
All of these make the scenery elaborately and naturally designed. Meanwhile, there are many villages sitting outside the park where you can enjoy the local customs. After climbing to the top of the Kylin Mountain, you can enjoy the entire wonderful scenery of the park and the surrounding countryside. Summer is the best time to visit this park owing to the fresh air and comfortable climate.
The park is really an ideal tourist destination all year round. Crystal-clear streams run like a mirror, bouquets of flowers and peaceful rurality will feast the visitor’s eyes. Therefore, it is considered as a "pearl of the Central Guizhou".
Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong)
Lying in Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong) covers an area of some 10 square kilometers. The scenic area belongs to the Karst topography with peculiar landforms, magnificent peaks and is crisscross with crystal-clear springs and streams. A small seven-arched bridge spans the river, hence the name of the scenic area. It's fantastic primeval scenery formed by virgin forests, limestone caves, twin lakes etc.
The Twin Lakes embraced by lush forests measure about 13 hectares. The rippling blue lakes are as deep as 37 meters, with the water temperature of approximate 15℃. Mandarin ducks are merrily swimming in pairs upon the lakes. The one kilometer long Gurgling River is endowed with 68 water drops or waterfalls with a total drop in elevation of 40 meters. The fishermen fishing in the River always reap bumper hauls. Among the numerous stalactite caves, Tianzhong Cave stands out prominently with its particular exotic scenery.
Jiaxiu Tower
Jiaxiu Tower is located on the Aoji Rock (the rock which looks like a huge turtle according to legend) on the Nanming River, in the southern part of Guiyang City. This magnificent building has long been the landmark of Guiyang.
First built in the mid-16th century, it has been rebuilt several times, yet has still managed to retain its original features. During the Ming dynasty (1573-1620), the local majesty, Jiang Dongzhi, ordered to build a causeway at where the tower locates today, linking to the southern bank of the Nanming River. Later a pavilion was built to honor the first scholar of the time and hoped that would encourage more scholars to follow the example. Thusthe tower was named "Jiaxiu towe", which means "First Sholar’s Tower". In 1621, the original pavilion was burnt in a fire and the stadholder of the time made it rebuilt. In 1689, it was destroyed again, and then, Majesty Tianwen rebuilt it again. So far, the tower has been reconstructed 6 times. For 400 years, it has become the symbol of the city, witnessing the history as well as the future of the development of the Guiyang city.
It is renowned for its layout such as the three-story tower 20 meters high with three carved eaves supported by a stone pillar and atop which is formed by diminishing size as four directions mount up. Located in water, right of the Guanyin temple and the Cuiwei tower; left of the Haibi pavilion, the Jiaxiu Tower is connected with two banks by the Fuyu Bridge (Floating Jade Bridge). All of these make Jiaxiu Tower spectacular.
Inside Jiaxiu Tower, there is a good collection of authentic works and paintings from ancient calligraphers. Of them, the most famous one is the couplet written by Liu Yushang in the Qing Dynasty. This couplet consists of 206 words as a whole, with 87 words in the first and the second line respectively, which is 26 words more than the "Longest couplet" preserved in the Big Guan Tower in Kunming. This couplet is notable not only for its length, but also for its literatural value. Its choice of words is so delicate and magnificent that it looks into not only the history of the tower but also the universal life of human being.
Ascending the tower, visitors can get a good view of the surrounding scenery. The night scene of the tower is the most impressive. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, reflected in water, the tower looks so beautiful that people may feel as if they had been back to the ancient times.
Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.
Huangguoshu Scenic Zone
Made up of 23 falls of which four come out of underground caves, the Huangguoshu Scenic Zone is located in Zhenning Buyi-Miao Autonomous County 150 km. from Guiyang City and 54 km. from Anshun City. The area surrounding this scenic spot is a typical karst terrain. Additionally, the Baishuihe River flows to form the nine-step cluster of 18 waterfalls among which Huangguoshu Waterfall is the grandest. This large cluster of waterfalls features the Huangguoshu Waterfall in the middle and is a marvelous spectacle of nature.
World famous Huangguoshu Fall reaches a width of 81m with a drop of 74 m. Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long Shuiliang-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle.
In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River, Spotting in the Zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. There are the Doupotang Fall, the broadest with a width of 105m and a height of 21m; the Luosi Fall with a height of 31m and the river flowing over it, it zigzags along for 350 m, the most elegant Yinlianzuitan Fall displaying scenery resembling many silver chains falling down, the Dishuitan Fall which breaks into 7 cascades with special attractiveness and the Guangjiaoxia Fall with the biggest flow. After visiting the Zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world.
Qianling Park
Qianling Park is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang, It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of "the First Mountain in South China". Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner pro-vides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and this add to the features of the park.
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Guilin
Highlights
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Li River
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave Subduing Hill
Reed Flute Cave
Seven Star Park
Yangshuo
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Li River
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave Subduing Hill
Reed Flute Cave
Seven Star Park
Yangshuo
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Hong Kong
Highlights
Beijing
Highlights
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery is a well-known lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, which is located at the northeast part of Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as the residence of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing (1644-1911 A.D.) before his ascent of the throne. And after his death, it was renamed Yonghegong. His successor Emperor Qianlong then rebuilt Yonghegong into an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty). In 1744, it became a lamasery. From then on, large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet and national center of lama administration live in there.
As an imperial palace, the layout of the temple differentiated from other temples. The main gate faces to the south. There are five main halls and annex connected by courtyards on its 480-meter-long north-south axis, including a glaze-tiled arch, Gate of Peace (Zhaotaimen), Buddha's Warrior Hall (Tianwangdian), which was formerly the entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace, Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) and Pavilion of Eternal Happiness (Wanfuge).
When you are walking through the grand glaze-tile arch patterned with decorative dragons and flowers in the first court, you will reach a three-arch gate - the Gate of Peace. In ancient times, the central passageway was for emperors. On each side of the second court next to the Gate of Peace stand the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Two pavilions stand symmetrically on opposite to the north. If you want to know more about the temple's history, you can have a look at the inscriptions of Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan engraved on steles.
The Buddha's Warrior Hall, also known as the Hall of Heavenly Kings, is the former entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace. The hall Maitreya (Happy Buddha) was always used to greet visitors, which has a smiling face with a sandalwood pagoda on each side. Many small Buddhist images, symbolizing longevity, stand on the pagoda. Therefore, the pagoda is the Longevity Pagoda. There are four fearsome-looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians on both sides of Maitreya's shrine.
On the way to the Hall of Harmony and Peace stands a marble-based bronze incense-burner. With decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl on its six opens, it is 4.2 meters in height. Afterwards there is the Mount Sumeru, a bronze sculpture of Ming (1368-1644A.D.), representing the center of the world. On the top of it there lies a legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death; in the middle the dwellings of humans and below devils abide in hell.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is formerly a place for the emperor Yongzheng to hold meetings. It was also called Mahavira Hall or Daxiongbaodian in Buddhism. Mahavira here is an honorable title of Sakyamuni in Chinese. Sakyamuni is on the altar, with Buddha of the Present in the middle with Buddha of the Past Yeja and the Buddha of the Future Maitreya on each side. On each side of the hall stand Statues of 18 Arhats. It is said that 18 Arhats were the disciples of Samkyamuni to diffuse Buddhism. The painting that you can find on the western wall is a Bodhisattva.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian) and the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) are right behind the Hall of the Harmony and Peace, where enshrines a bronze image of Tsong Kapa -- founder of the Yellow Hat Sect. With 5 gold-plating pagodas, the golden-roofed Falundian was the place where lamas assemble to have religious activities. There is a 6-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Tsong Kapa on a lotus seat in the center of the hall.
Now there are nearly 70 lamas living in this temple. If you go there, you will find that regular religious activities are still practiced. More lamas can be seen coming here in the festival for lamas or Lamaism.
Old Beijing Hutongs
The numerous old hutongs are the distinguished features of Beijing. They symbolize the traditional community with small lanes, alleys and Siheyuan (quadrangle). The life of local people in these old hutongs makes this ancient capital look more charming. Wandering along these small lanes, you can see many quadrangles, called Siheyuan in Chinese, which are the residential quarters of natives. No one knows the exact number of these hutongs there are in Beijing.
Great Wall
It is without doubt that the Great Wall is the greatest of civil engineering project of defense in ancient China. With its gigantic scale and difficulties in its construction, it is regarded as one of the great wonders in the history of mankind. The Great Wall is really the glory of the Chinese nation, which symbolizes the ancient culture and the long-standing history of China. Stretching over the mountain ranges, it proudly shows its magnificence to us. So to speak, the Great Wall has witnessed the rises and falls of innumerable dynasties and changes on the earth. At present, though the Great Wall is no longer served as a work of military defense against harassment and invasion. It still plays an important role in linking the Chinese people with the people of the rest of the world. It is one of the great bridges that build up friendship between different peoples.
The Great Wall is starting from the Old Dragon Head of the Shanhai Pass at the seaside in the east to a distance of 10,000 li (1 kilometer= 2 lis) in the west. Snaking along the north of China, it crosses three provinces, two municipalities and two autonomous regions. It is about 6,300 kilometers long, an equivalent of about 3,915 miles.
The present-day Great Wall originated from the early ancient Chinese history. During the time of Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), in the purpose of defending themselves and against the infringement from the neighboring states, all the principal states had the walls built in the bordering areas of the territories. For example, the three states of Qin, Zhao and Yan had high walls and fortresses built along their northern frontiers to ward off the harassment by the Huns (an ancient nomadic tribe in China) from the north. In 221 B.C., the whole China was unified by the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty to defeat the six other ducal states. The emperor gave order to link up all the walls built by the former ducal states along the northern frontiers to prevent disturbing and attacking by the Huns. And these walls form the world famous “10,000-li Great Wall”. From generation to generation, the succeeding dynasties kept on the work of maintenance and repairs or having parts reconstructed time and again. Among them, the greatest project on scale in the old days of China was carried out in the Han and Ming dynasties.
Throughout history, the Great Wall is served as the traditional defensive project. It is mainly composed by passes, walls, watchtowers and beacon towers. Builders were forced to rely upon local materials for the wall inched across the Chinese wilderness. For example, some wall was built with tamped-earth, some with stone, some with tamped mixture of reed, red willow, and sands, and some with bricks outside and stuffed earth and sands inside. The walls we see today are mainly Ming walls, primary made of stone and bricks. The key parts of the military construction are Watchtowers. They are very close to each other, among which brick towers could be two or three storeys. There is a small room on the top of the tower, surrounded by battlements. The watchtower was also used to station soldiers or store food and weapons. Thousands of passes stretch along the Great Wall. Some are between the mountains, some between the mountains and rivers, and some between the mountains and sea. During the wars, passes are the strongholds by acting as the gateways of transportation. Beacon towers are used for communicating, which can deliver the emergent military messages in a very short time.
Just like the symbol of China—dragon, the Great Wall snakes from east to west on the Oriental. Nowadays, five sections of the Great Wall are opened to public in Beijing, including Badaling section, Juyong Pass section, Mutianyu section, Jinshanling section and Simatai section.
Badaling Section
Badaling section is the outstanding part of the Great Wall. Lying in the Yanqing District, sixty kilometers northwest of Beijing, it gives vital protection for the Juyong Pass, which is one of the key passes of the Great Wall. According to its strategic importance of commanding, Badaling section is known as "giving access to every direction", which gains it the name Badaling.
Badaling was built in an early time in the ancient Chinese history. During Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, defensive wall was constructed along the Yanshan Range to resist the marauding of the nomadic tribes. Since then the following dynasties continued to fortify the Badaling section. The wall we see today was constructed in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) along the ridges of mountains. The construction lasted about a hundred years long from 1505, the 18th year of Emperor Hongzhi, to the reign of Emperor Wanli.
The huge Badaling wall was strongly and firmly built. It was based on the foundation of granite slabs, surrounded by a facing of kiln-fired bricks, and covered with bricks on the top. All stuffed with pulverized lime, the slots could enable the wall to be smooth. The height of the wall is 8.5 meters. It is 6.5 meters wide at the bottom and 5.7 meters wide on the top, making it possible for 5 horses or 10 people march abreast on the top. Watchtowers are 0.5 or 1 kilometer apart from each other, which were full of vigor and grandeur, and orderly spotted the wall. The battlements and embrasures of the watchtower were in good condition in wartime. The wall winds its way along the ridge of the Jundu Mountain, rising abruptly to the peaks of each side of the Badaling. You will be amazed by its seemingly endlessness. It stretches far away into the remoteness. The wall of Badaling is 3, 741 meters long.
Among all the parts of the whole Great Wall, Badaling was the earliest section to be open to the tourists. Badaling has received 130 million tourists home and abroad. Among them, there are 370 foreign leaders and very important persons who have come to climb Badaling successively.
Mutianyu Section
Mutianyu section is 75 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Lies in Huairou District, it links Juyong Pass in the west with Gubeikou Pass in the east. Mutianyu section is called as the Majestic Pass on Precipitous Mountains, commanding its strategic importance.
Because of its relatively gentle terrain, watchtowers of Mutianyu section were built in large numbers to strengthen its defensive functions. The closest watchtowers are less than 50 meters apart from each other. Both arms of the Mutianyu section stretch upwards along the ridges of continuous mountains. On the foundation of the Ming Dynasty wall The Mutianyu section was mainly built on precipitous mountains and 5-7 meters high. It is featured with a thick cluster of watchtowers atop, strategic passed, majestic vigor and unique structure. In this section, the gate tower is the most unique building.
Simatai Section
Simatai Section lies in the Miyun County, 120 kilometers away from Beijing. It started from Wangjing Tower in the east and connected with Jinshanling section in the west. Without hordes of other tourists, it is a largely unrestored and more authentic section of the Great Wall.
Simatai section was constructed during the early years of Ming Emperor Hongwu. It is said that there was a renovation applying from 1569 to 1573. It was mainly built along the ridge of the mountains because of its location in the mountainous area. Featuring in uniqueness, ruggedness and trimness, it perfectly coordinates with the undulating terrain, which makes it more majestic and magnificent. Simatai reservoir is situated at the foot of the central part of the Simatai section, which is 600-700 meters long with the storage capacity of 50,000 cubic meters.
Simatai section is considered to be the most wonderful part of the Great Wall. Taking good advantage of the fluctuating terrain, the walls and watchtowers constitute the most essential part of the wall. It is famous for its precipitous cliffs, magnificent towers, suspension walls and rugged stairways. If you are looking from distance, you may find that the Great Wall is just like a flying dragon in the cloud. However, when you stand nearby, the wall stretches its arms along the ridges of mountains. All these make it the most amazing part of the Great Wall.
Jinshanling Section
The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and in 1567 and 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588). Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time when Qi Jiguang directed the rebuilding of this section of the Great Wall. Continue to read more on the Great Wall history. Jinshanling is connected to the Simatai Great Wall in the east and the Panlongshan Great Wall in the west. Jinshanling has probably the highest frequency of towers per kilometer of any place along the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It also has one of the greatest varieties of architectural and defensive styles of both wall and towers.
The total length of this section is about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). The Wall is about 7 meters high and 5 meters wide, and is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. There are more than 100 watch towers along the Jinshanling Great Wall. ‘Watching Beijing Tower’ is on the highest point, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.
Tian’anmen Square
Tian’anmen(Gate of Heavenly Peace), situated at the center of Beijing meaning in English, symbolizes the People's Republic of China. Built in 1417, it was formally called Chengtianmen (Gate of Heavenly Succession). At that time, it was the front gate of the Imperial City. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the uprising farmers led by Li Zicheng entered the city, but later when the Qing army marched upon Beijing, the Chengtianmen was destroyed under the crossfire. In 1651, it was rebuilt and named "Tian'anmen".
The Tian'anmen Rostrum, as a place to hold ceremonies of great importance, such as promulgating an imperial edict conferring the title of a queen, or announcing a newly enthroned emperor, was made known to the public all over the country. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was popular to hold the Imperial Exam system for choosing high-ranking officials by way of a palace examination, which supervised by the emperor himself. If the examinees ranked the first three, they would be entitled. What’s more, they would have the honor to be granted an audience by the emperor two days after the examination. On that day they would be called in to see the emperor in turn in the Tian'anmen Rostrum.
There is a square running 880 meters from south to north and 500 meters from east to west in front of the Tian'anmen Rostrum. It is the Tian'anmen Square – the very center of Beijing. Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world with an area of 44 hectares.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Tian'anmen Square was a piece of land in front of the Imperial Palace, an open space jetting out towards the south from the Tian'anmen Gate. It had a meaning of embodying the outstanding importance of the Tian'anmen Gate and the Imperial City. In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, a gate of brick and stone was built, which is right on the site of the present Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong, called Damingmen (Gate of the Great Ming). In the Qing Dynasty it was renamed as Daqingmen (Gate of Great Qing) and after 1911 Zhonghuamen (Gate of China). Later on, another two gates of brick and stone structure were built on each site of the avenue in front the gate. Surrounded by a newly built red wall, the area within the three gates formed a small square of only 11 hectares-- Tian'anmen Square.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, common people were forbidden to enter the Tian'anmen Square. And for the officials, when they entered the gate, they had to get off horses and proceed on foot into the palace. The government offices were lined outside the wall on the east and west. According to the traditional system, the civil service organizations were set in the eastern part of the square, and the military organizations in the west.
Old buildings in the Tian'anmen Square were put down after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. In 1957, the square expanded with an area of 44 hectares, which may hold 1 million people at a time. With Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall right behind, the Monument to the People's Heroes towered in the center of the square. To the east of the Square, there is the National Museum of China and to the west the Great Hall of People (National People's Congress building).
The Monument to the People's Heroes is the largest monument in China's history which was built in 1952. On this monument, you can see the words--"The People's Heroes are Immortal", which were written by Chairman Mao. The development of Chinese modern history and those who contributed their lives to the democratic progress are shown by the eight unusually large relief sculptures. The monument is enclosed by two rows of white marble railings. It seems very simple and beautiful.
At the south side of the Square is the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong. This Hall is consisted by three halls, among which our dear Chairman Mao's body lies in a crystal coffin in the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
The Great Hall of the People is in the west of the Square. Constructed in 1959, this building is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings, which also provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities. With twelve marble posts, the Hall includes three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The ceiling of the Central Hall is decorated with crystal lamps and the floor paved with marble. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall can hold 10,000 people, while the huge Banqueting Hall can seat 5,000.
At the east side of the Square stands the China National Museum, which is another important place for you to visit. Built in 2003, it is a mergence of China History Museum and China Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum is on the opposite of the Great Hall of the People. In the China Revolutionary Museum, there are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models, presenting the development of modern China. A large number of cultural relics are exhibited in the China History Museum, illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1925 when the last emperor left the throne.
Forbidden City
The Palace Museum, the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is the largest and best-preserved palace complex in the world today. It is also called the Purple Forbidden City in Chinese. Its name, on one side, derives from ancient Chinese astronomers' belief that God's abode or the Purple Palace. The pivot of the celestial world, is situated in the Pole Star (the middle of the Ziwei Star), at the center of the heaven. Therefore, the son of God of Heaven--the emperor, should live in the Purple City. On the other side, without special orders of the emperor eunuchs and guards, ordinary citizens were not allowed entering the Forbidden City, except for palace maids. For this reason, palaces in the Ming and Qing dynasties are called both the Forbidden City and the Purple City. The Construction of the magnificent palace started in 1406, and ended in 1420. It took 14 years to complete the project. One year after completion, Emperor Yongle moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Since then, 24 emperors have lived at the Forbidden City, 14 during the Ming Dynasty and 10 during the Qing Dynasty.
The Forbidden City covers an area of over 720,000 square meters, 750 meters wide and 960 meters long. And it has four great gates. The fabulous city, which is surrounded by a 52-meter-wide moat, has four delicate and lovely turrets overlooking both the inside and outside.
The Forbidden City has more than 8,700 wooden rooms, most of which have yellow-glazed tiles. It is a color that only emperors were allowed to use on their roof. From the northern Drum Tower and the Bell Tower to the Southern Gate of Everlasting Stability (Yongdingmen), these colorfully painted and embellished rooms are divided symmetrically into northern and southern halves. If you walk into the city, you will see the layers of halls and palaces spreading out on either side of a central axis. As the designations of the wise architectures, the splendid buildings represent the unique features of the traditional Chinese architecture and embody the incredible creativity of the ancient Chinese people. Reconstructed after being destroyed by several fires, this pearl of Chinese cultural heritage still retains its original arrangements of the Ming dynasty. Nowadays, most of the existing buildings open to visitors were reconstructed during the early Qing Dynasty.
In many ways the Forbidden City reveals ancient Confucian ideas, as it is generally designed to the principles of the Front court, Rear Market, Ancestral Sacrifice on the left and Altar on the right. Hence, the court was located in the southern or front section of the Forbidden City, where officials discussed political affairs. A large trading market was situated in the rear part of the city, providing daily necessities for the court. On the left side was the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where the emperor offered sacrifices to his ancestors. Nowadays, it is the Working People's Cultural Palace. On the right side was the Altar to the god of Land and Grain, where the emperor displayed his reverence to the god. This is now Zhongshan Park.
There are two courts in the Forbidden City: the Inner Court and the Outer Court. They are separated across the middle between the south and north ends. The Outer court is mainly composed by the Meridian Gate and the Three Front Halls, flanked by the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhuadian) and the Hall of Martial Spirit (Wuyingdian), which witnessed various ceremonies and political activities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. While the inner court is mainly consisted by the Three Back Halls, Imperial Garden, Hall of Mental Cultivation and Palace of Abstinence, which are flanked by the Six East Halls and the Six West Halls. This was the place where the emperor was confronted with political affairs and was the residential area for the emperor and his empresses and concubines.
Compared with other contemporary palaces, the Forbidden City stressed more on balance and independence, and embodied more cultural perspectives of the specific ethnic group. Just as what was written in the book of History of Chinese Science by Joseph Needham, each part of the Forbidden City is in well balance and independence, which is just on the contrary to other palaces in the Renaissance Age. For the city, the Palace of Versailles is just acting as an object. The palace is an organic part of the whole city, combining deep deference to nature with lofty significance. As a tin far-reaching and complicated Chinese architecture, Great overall arrangements have reached the highest level, far above any other culture.
After the subversion of the Qing Dynasty by the Revolution of 1911, the last emperor Pu Yi was exiled to palaces at the rear of the Forbidden City. In 1914, the Three Great Halls in the Imperial Palace was opened as exhibition hall of antiquities. Ten years later, Feng Yuxiang staged a coup in Beijing and expelled the last emperor from the palace. Oct. 10, 1925 established The Palace Museum. And in 1961, the Forbidden City was listed as a place to be given special protection by the State Council. UNESCO listed it as World Cultural Heritage site in 1987.
The Forbidden City, as one of the world-famous royal palaces, has played an important role in the world architectural history. Many tourists both from home and abroad have been attracted by the almost 1 million rare treasures and cultural relics on exhibition there.
Summer Palace
Covering an area of 290 hectares in total, the Summer Palace spreads out some 15 kilometers away from the city center in the north western suburbs of Beijing. Three fourths of the palace is covered by a pool of water and the rest the land and hills.
The Summer Palace is the summer resort of the Qing royal family. Now it is the most intact, the best-preserved and the largest of its kind of the classical gardens in the country. Since the garden began to be built in 1153, it had undergone many a time reconstruction and renovation in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the period of Emperor Qianlong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was still reconstructed in a large-scale. And this time was renamed the "Garden of Crystal Ripples". When it was completed in 1860, it suffered a severe destruction, led by the Anglo-French Allied Army, which brought it down to ashes. In 1886, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled the funds allocated for the building of the navy to rebuild it and renamed it the "Summer Palace". However, in 1900, it underwent destruction again by the Eight Powers Allied Forces. Later, the1903 saw its second-time rebuild.
On the 12th of October 1911, Empress Dowager Longyu was finally forced to promulgate the abdication of the royal power. However, according to the agreement between the Qing royal family and the republic government, the Summer Palace would still be kept in the hands of the Qing royal family, while yet to be opened to outside as private property by selling admission tickets. 1924 when Puyi was ousted, the Summer Palace was taken over by the republic government and changed to be a public park.
The Qing royal family stayed in the Forbidden City in spring, autumn and winter. And when it came to summer, they went to their summer resort –Summer Palace. Hence, the Summer Palace shares the same functional quarters as that in the Forbidden City. Among these quarters, the office quarter, the living quarter and the entertainment quarter formed the magnificent scenery in Summer Palace.
Through the East Palace Gate, there is the Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity. The emperor used to handle state affairs and listen to reports by ministers and receive foreign envoys in there. It was called the Hallo of Diligent Administration by Emperor Qianlong during his reign. In 1860, it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army. Reconstructed In 1890, it was then renamed the "Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity". During the reigns of Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi got the real power to rule the country, and she started to handle state affairs behind the screen.
The Hall of Jade Ripples and the Hall of Happiness and Longevity are the three parts of the living quarter. Guangxu used to live in the Hall of Jade Ripples Emperor in the Summer Palace. After his failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu was put into house arrest here. Thus, it is also regarded as an exquisitely decorated jail.
Consisting of four rooms, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity used to be the residence for Empress Dowager Cixi. The Empress moves to the Summer Palace and stays there in the hall every year on the first day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar. And she won't return until the tenth of the tenth lunar month when she had celebrated her birthday there. In the Summer Palace, there are over 1,000 people dancing attendance on the Dowager. Among them, there are 48 in the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, of whom 20 are maids-in-waiting, 20 eunuchs of importance and another 8 are the "ladies-in-waiting" by her side, normally waiting in the room behind the precious throne to attend on her.
The Long Corridor, the starting point of entertainment quarter, is at the end of the courtyard of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. It is 728 meters long with more than 14,000 traditional Chinese paintings on the beams and rafters. The four pavilions along the corridor represent the four seasons a year. The Marble Boat can be found at the end of the Long Corridor. The original Chinese style of it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army in 1860. In 1893, it was rebuilt into one of a western style, imitating a steam ship with two water-wheelers. In 1903 Empress Dowager Cixi built another storey of wooden structure with the decoration of colored pieces of glass. The construction of this immovable boat was to symbolize the stable and consolidated rule of the Qing regime just like a large piece of rock. It would stand still forever in the vast ocean and would, under no circumstances whatsoever be wavered or toppled.
Occupying three fourths of the total area of the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake plays important role in the adjustment of the temperature in the garden. Taking a walk in the Long Corridor and a dragon boat on the lake, you will have a wonderful feeling that you were the emperor and empress in ancient China.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven stands in the southern part of Beijing. It was used to be the house ceremonies of emperors of worshipping heaven and praying for harvest in the Ming and Qing dynasties. This altar temple remains to be the largest existing ancient sacrificial structures across the world, more important than other three major temples, i.e. Altar to the Earth, Altar to the Sun and Altar to the Moon.
The Temple of Heaven was built in 1407 and the construction of the project took 14 years. Covering an area of 273 hectares, with two surrounding rings walls, it is four times bigger than the Forbidden City. The wall, stretching from north to south, is as long as 1,657 meters and that from east to west 1,703 meters. The outer wall is 6,553 meters in circumference while the inner wall measures 4,152 meters in perimeter.
To pray for good harvests and fine rain, emperors did regular worshipping and offered sacrifices to heaven. And the Temple of Heaven was used to the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties went and worshipped the heaven twice (and sometimes three times) a year. In the past, the tradition went that sacrifices were offered to heaven and earth in one place only. But in 1530 when the Temple of Earth was built in the north of the city, the Temple of Heaven was ever since used specially for offering sacrifices to heaven alone.
The Temple of Heaven is consisted by three sections, named the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, attached with some affiliated buildings like Dressing Platform, Long Corridor and Echo Wall.
The Circular Mound Altar was first constructed in 1530. In ancient China, to some extend, the altar was a place that even more important than the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The emperor would come to offer sacrifices to heaven on the altar every year on the day of the Winter Solstice. For this reason, the altar was rebuilt into a circular one in 1749. Built in the open air without shelter, the sacrificial ceremony was being held right under heaven. Therefore, it was called "Luji", or the "open air offering of sacrifices".
The Imperial Vault of Heaven was first built in 1530 as a main building in the south of the Temple of Heaven. At first, it was called "Taishendian" or the Hall for Pacifying Gods, but later changed into the present name. In 1752, the building was rebuilt into one of a single eave, which used to have double eaves. Standing 19.5 meters high and of 15.6 meters in diameter, the circular hall used to be an octagonal one in the past. The tablet of the Jade Emperor, the four stone platforms on both sides used to be for the tablets of the emperor’s ancestors of eight generations in succession, is consecrated on the central stone-platform in the Hall of Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Being of 32.72 meters in diameter, built on a three-tired platform, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests towers 38 meters' high with its eaves fanning out on three tiers, of which the upper one has a gold-plated knob on it. You will be amazed to see that such a heavy building was supported only by 28 wooden pillars with no single piece of reinforced concrete at all. The whole building was built by mortise and tenon joints without using a single nail. With each pillar in height of 19.2 meters, the four pillars in the center of the hall are called "Longjingzhu"--the Dragon Well Pillar. Only by joining hands together by two and half persons, can it be embraced. These four pillars indicate the four seasons of a year. You may find it more interesting that all pillars have their special meanings: the outside 12 pillars suggest 12 months in a year and another 12 pillars in the round wall symbolize the 12 two-hour periods of a day. And when you put the two 12 pillars together, the number you get is 24, which represents the 24 solar terms of a year. And when you add the four in the center of the hall to 24, you will get 28, which represents the 28 lunar mansions in the heaven above.
Since its first construction in 1420, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has gone through several times of changes. At that moment, the hall was called "Dasidian"--the Hall of Grand Sacrifices, which was rectangular in shape. But in 1529, it was reconstructed into a round one with a roof of three tiers. And this time it was named "Daxiangdian"--the Hall of Grand Treatment to Heaven. Three different colors were painted in these roofs of three tiers. From the upper tier to the lower one, the colors are respectively blue, yellow and green. In 1752, these three colors were all changed into glazed tiles of dark blue. However, they were destroyed by lightning in 1889. And later in 1890, it was restored according to the original. In 2006, the whole building was renovated with all its paintings according to the same style as they done last time. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has become the symbol of Beijing.
At present, the Temple of Heaven is very popular with tourist home and abroad. It is also an entertainment center for local people. If you go to the temple early in the morning, you will find many local people practicing Taiji, playing cards and Chinese chess and singing folk songs there.
Ming Tombs
Covering an area of 40 square kilometers with 13 Ming emperors buried, the Ming Tombs is situated at the southern foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District in the north western suburban areas of Beijing. The construction of the imperial tombs had been going on ceaselessly from the year 1409 when Emperor Zhu Di started building his tomb to the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, lasting a period over 200 years.
As many people know, there are 16 emperors in the Ming Dynasty. Among the 16 Ming emperors, 13 of them were buried in this tomb area, except for Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty who was buried in the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing, Zhu Yunwen, who disappeared and Zhu Qiyu, who was buried at Jinshan Hill in the western suburbs of Beijing, all other. Therefore, this area was called the 13 Ming Tombs.
It was originally built only for Emperor Zhu Di and his empress, named Changling, which is the most magnificent tomb. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling. At present, the two tombs opened to the public are Changling and Dingling.
Changling is the first Ming tomb built in this area. Hence, the axle line of Changling naturally became the axle line of the whole Ming Tombs. Along with the various tombs, the Stone Tablet House come together overall as a structurally and visually unified architectural accomplishment. Though these tombs were built in different periods, they were strategically planed and built in different stages. Each tomb has its own distinct adornments. However, the entire tomb area has a unified layout and style.
Zhu Di was the third emperor in the Ming Dynasty, who was buried together with his empress in Changling. During his 22-year of reign, he was, relatively speaking, an emperor who had made quite some achievements. For example, he determined to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing in 1421. To some extend, the move itself was an expression of far-sightedness, for it was very important to strengthen the national defense and guard frontier areas. During the period from 1405 to 1424, Zheng He, also called Eunuch Sanbao, was sent by the emperor to fulfill a diplomatic mission which was on an ever larger and broader scale in Chinese history. He went six times on board across the sea to over 30 countries in Asia and Africa.
Completed in 1416, as the place for worshipping tablets of the emperor and empress and offering sacrifices to ancestors, the Hall of Eminent Favor is situated within the second compound of Changling. The Hall of Eminent Favor in Changling is the best-preserved among the ones of the 13 tombs, which duplicated the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. It is a very precious relic of ancient China's wooden structures.
Dingling is the tomb for Emperor Zhu Yijun, named the tomb of Stability. It is said that he was buried together with his two empresses—Xiaoduan and Xiaojing. Ascending the throne at the age of 10, Zhu Yijun was died at 58 with a reign span of 48 years. Therefore he became the emperor with the longest time in power for in the Ming Dynasty. The construction of the Dingling tomb started in 1584. It took 6 years to bring the project to finish in 1590, covering an area of 180,000 square meters and costing 8 million taels of silver.
The Dingling began to be excavated in May 1956, which brought to light the mystery of the underground palaces of the Ming Tombs. Constructed with hard stone-slabs, with a total floor space of 1,195 square meters, the underground palace is composed by five beamless vaults, called the front, the middle, the rear and the two annexes on the right and the left. Carved out of white marble and the rear hall with the bier holding three coffins for the emperor and his two queens, three thrones were laid out in the middle vault. There are over 3,000 pieces of archeological findings unearthed from the tomb.
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery is a well-known lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, which is located at the northeast part of Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as the residence of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing (1644-1911 A.D.) before his ascent of the throne. And after his death, it was renamed Yonghegong. His successor Emperor Qianlong then rebuilt Yonghegong into an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty). In 1744, it became a lamasery. From then on, large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet and national center of lama administration live in there.
As an imperial palace, the layout of the temple differentiated from other temples. The main gate faces to the south. There are five main halls and annex connected by courtyards on its 480-meter-long north-south axis, including a glaze-tiled arch, Gate of Peace (Zhaotaimen), Buddha's Warrior Hall (Tianwangdian), which was formerly the entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace, Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) and Pavilion of Eternal Happiness (Wanfuge).
When you are walking through the grand glaze-tile arch patterned with decorative dragons and flowers in the first court, you will reach a three-arch gate - the Gate of Peace. In ancient times, the central passageway was for emperors. On each side of the second court next to the Gate of Peace stand the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Two pavilions stand symmetrically on opposite to the north. If you want to know more about the temple's history, you can have a look at the inscriptions of Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan engraved on steles.
The Buddha's Warrior Hall, also known as the Hall of Heavenly Kings, is the former entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace. The hall Maitreya (Happy Buddha) was always used to greet visitors, which has a smiling face with a sandalwood pagoda on each side. Many small Buddhist images, symbolizing longevity, stand on the pagoda. Therefore, the pagoda is the Longevity Pagoda. There are four fearsome-looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians on both sides of Maitreya's shrine.
On the way to the Hall of Harmony and Peace stands a marble-based bronze incense-burner. With decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl on its six opens, it is 4.2 meters in height. Afterwards there is the Mount Sumeru, a bronze sculpture of Ming (1368-1644A.D.), representing the center of the world. On the top of it there lies a legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death; in the middle the dwellings of humans and below devils abide in hell.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is formerly a place for the emperor Yongzheng to hold meetings. It was also called Mahavira Hall or Daxiongbaodian in Buddhism. Mahavira here is an honorable title of Sakyamuni in Chinese. Sakyamuni is on the altar, with Buddha of the Present in the middle with Buddha of the Past Yeja and the Buddha of the Future Maitreya on each side. On each side of the hall stand Statues of 18 Arhats. It is said that 18 Arhats were the disciples of Samkyamuni to diffuse Buddhism. The painting that you can find on the western wall is a Bodhisattva.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian) and the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) are right behind the Hall of the Harmony and Peace, where enshrines a bronze image of Tsong Kapa -- founder of the Yellow Hat Sect. With 5 gold-plating pagodas, the golden-roofed Falundian was the place where lamas assemble to have religious activities. There is a 6-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Tsong Kapa on a lotus seat in the center of the hall.
Now there are nearly 70 lamas living in this temple. If you go there, you will find that regular religious activities are still practiced. More lamas can be seen coming here in the festival for lamas or Lamaism.
Old Beijing Hutongs
The numerous old hutongs are the distinguished features of Beijing. They symbolize the traditional community with small lanes, alleys and Siheyuan (quadrangle). The life of local people in these old hutongs makes this ancient capital look more charming. Wandering along these small lanes, you can see many quadrangles, called Siheyuan in Chinese, which are the residential quarters of natives. No one knows the exact number of these hutongs there are in Beijing.
Great Wall
It is without doubt that the Great Wall is the greatest of civil engineering project of defense in ancient China. With its gigantic scale and difficulties in its construction, it is regarded as one of the great wonders in the history of mankind. The Great Wall is really the glory of the Chinese nation, which symbolizes the ancient culture and the long-standing history of China. Stretching over the mountain ranges, it proudly shows its magnificence to us. So to speak, the Great Wall has witnessed the rises and falls of innumerable dynasties and changes on the earth. At present, though the Great Wall is no longer served as a work of military defense against harassment and invasion. It still plays an important role in linking the Chinese people with the people of the rest of the world. It is one of the great bridges that build up friendship between different peoples.
The Great Wall is starting from the Old Dragon Head of the Shanhai Pass at the seaside in the east to a distance of 10,000 li (1 kilometer= 2 lis) in the west. Snaking along the north of China, it crosses three provinces, two municipalities and two autonomous regions. It is about 6,300 kilometers long, an equivalent of about 3,915 miles.
The present-day Great Wall originated from the early ancient Chinese history. During the time of Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), in the purpose of defending themselves and against the infringement from the neighboring states, all the principal states had the walls built in the bordering areas of the territories. For example, the three states of Qin, Zhao and Yan had high walls and fortresses built along their northern frontiers to ward off the harassment by the Huns (an ancient nomadic tribe in China) from the north. In 221 B.C., the whole China was unified by the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty to defeat the six other ducal states. The emperor gave order to link up all the walls built by the former ducal states along the northern frontiers to prevent disturbing and attacking by the Huns. And these walls form the world famous “10,000-li Great Wall”. From generation to generation, the succeeding dynasties kept on the work of maintenance and repairs or having parts reconstructed time and again. Among them, the greatest project on scale in the old days of China was carried out in the Han and Ming dynasties.
Throughout history, the Great Wall is served as the traditional defensive project. It is mainly composed by passes, walls, watchtowers and beacon towers. Builders were forced to rely upon local materials for the wall inched across the Chinese wilderness. For example, some wall was built with tamped-earth, some with stone, some with tamped mixture of reed, red willow, and sands, and some with bricks outside and stuffed earth and sands inside. The walls we see today are mainly Ming walls, primary made of stone and bricks. The key parts of the military construction are Watchtowers. They are very close to each other, among which brick towers could be two or three storeys. There is a small room on the top of the tower, surrounded by battlements. The watchtower was also used to station soldiers or store food and weapons. Thousands of passes stretch along the Great Wall. Some are between the mountains, some between the mountains and rivers, and some between the mountains and sea. During the wars, passes are the strongholds by acting as the gateways of transportation. Beacon towers are used for communicating, which can deliver the emergent military messages in a very short time.
Just like the symbol of China—dragon, the Great Wall snakes from east to west on the Oriental. Nowadays, five sections of the Great Wall are opened to public in Beijing, including Badaling section, Juyong Pass section, Mutianyu section, Jinshanling section and Simatai section.
Badaling Section
Badaling section is the outstanding part of the Great Wall. Lying in the Yanqing District, sixty kilometers northwest of Beijing, it gives vital protection for the Juyong Pass, which is one of the key passes of the Great Wall. According to its strategic importance of commanding, Badaling section is known as "giving access to every direction", which gains it the name Badaling.
Badaling was built in an early time in the ancient Chinese history. During Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, defensive wall was constructed along the Yanshan Range to resist the marauding of the nomadic tribes. Since then the following dynasties continued to fortify the Badaling section. The wall we see today was constructed in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) along the ridges of mountains. The construction lasted about a hundred years long from 1505, the 18th year of Emperor Hongzhi, to the reign of Emperor Wanli.
The huge Badaling wall was strongly and firmly built. It was based on the foundation of granite slabs, surrounded by a facing of kiln-fired bricks, and covered with bricks on the top. All stuffed with pulverized lime, the slots could enable the wall to be smooth. The height of the wall is 8.5 meters. It is 6.5 meters wide at the bottom and 5.7 meters wide on the top, making it possible for 5 horses or 10 people march abreast on the top. Watchtowers are 0.5 or 1 kilometer apart from each other, which were full of vigor and grandeur, and orderly spotted the wall. The battlements and embrasures of the watchtower were in good condition in wartime. The wall winds its way along the ridge of the Jundu Mountain, rising abruptly to the peaks of each side of the Badaling. You will be amazed by its seemingly endlessness. It stretches far away into the remoteness. The wall of Badaling is 3, 741 meters long.
Among all the parts of the whole Great Wall, Badaling was the earliest section to be open to the tourists. Badaling has received 130 million tourists home and abroad. Among them, there are 370 foreign leaders and very important persons who have come to climb Badaling successively.
Mutianyu Section
Mutianyu section is 75 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Lies in Huairou District, it links Juyong Pass in the west with Gubeikou Pass in the east. Mutianyu section is called as the Majestic Pass on Precipitous Mountains, commanding its strategic importance.
Because of its relatively gentle terrain, watchtowers of Mutianyu section were built in large numbers to strengthen its defensive functions. The closest watchtowers are less than 50 meters apart from each other. Both arms of the Mutianyu section stretch upwards along the ridges of continuous mountains. On the foundation of the Ming Dynasty wall The Mutianyu section was mainly built on precipitous mountains and 5-7 meters high. It is featured with a thick cluster of watchtowers atop, strategic passed, majestic vigor and unique structure. In this section, the gate tower is the most unique building.
Simatai Section
Simatai Section lies in the Miyun County, 120 kilometers away from Beijing. It started from Wangjing Tower in the east and connected with Jinshanling section in the west. Without hordes of other tourists, it is a largely unrestored and more authentic section of the Great Wall.
Simatai section was constructed during the early years of Ming Emperor Hongwu. It is said that there was a renovation applying from 1569 to 1573. It was mainly built along the ridge of the mountains because of its location in the mountainous area. Featuring in uniqueness, ruggedness and trimness, it perfectly coordinates with the undulating terrain, which makes it more majestic and magnificent. Simatai reservoir is situated at the foot of the central part of the Simatai section, which is 600-700 meters long with the storage capacity of 50,000 cubic meters.
Simatai section is considered to be the most wonderful part of the Great Wall. Taking good advantage of the fluctuating terrain, the walls and watchtowers constitute the most essential part of the wall. It is famous for its precipitous cliffs, magnificent towers, suspension walls and rugged stairways. If you are looking from distance, you may find that the Great Wall is just like a flying dragon in the cloud. However, when you stand nearby, the wall stretches its arms along the ridges of mountains. All these make it the most amazing part of the Great Wall.
Jinshanling Section
The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and in 1567 and 1570 rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588). Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time when Qi Jiguang directed the rebuilding of this section of the Great Wall. Continue to read more on the Great Wall history. Jinshanling is connected to the Simatai Great Wall in the east and the Panlongshan Great Wall in the west. Jinshanling has probably the highest frequency of towers per kilometer of any place along the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It also has one of the greatest varieties of architectural and defensive styles of both wall and towers.
The total length of this section is about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles). The Wall is about 7 meters high and 5 meters wide, and is made of brick and stone. The Jinshanling Great Wall has an elevation of 700 meters. There are more than 100 watch towers along the Jinshanling Great Wall. ‘Watching Beijing Tower’ is on the highest point, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.
Tian’anmen Square
Tian’anmen(Gate of Heavenly Peace), situated at the center of Beijing meaning in English, symbolizes the People's Republic of China. Built in 1417, it was formally called Chengtianmen (Gate of Heavenly Succession). At that time, it was the front gate of the Imperial City. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the uprising farmers led by Li Zicheng entered the city, but later when the Qing army marched upon Beijing, the Chengtianmen was destroyed under the crossfire. In 1651, it was rebuilt and named "Tian'anmen".
The Tian'anmen Rostrum, as a place to hold ceremonies of great importance, such as promulgating an imperial edict conferring the title of a queen, or announcing a newly enthroned emperor, was made known to the public all over the country. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was popular to hold the Imperial Exam system for choosing high-ranking officials by way of a palace examination, which supervised by the emperor himself. If the examinees ranked the first three, they would be entitled. What’s more, they would have the honor to be granted an audience by the emperor two days after the examination. On that day they would be called in to see the emperor in turn in the Tian'anmen Rostrum.
There is a square running 880 meters from south to north and 500 meters from east to west in front of the Tian'anmen Rostrum. It is the Tian'anmen Square – the very center of Beijing. Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world with an area of 44 hectares.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Tian'anmen Square was a piece of land in front of the Imperial Palace, an open space jetting out towards the south from the Tian'anmen Gate. It had a meaning of embodying the outstanding importance of the Tian'anmen Gate and the Imperial City. In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, a gate of brick and stone was built, which is right on the site of the present Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong, called Damingmen (Gate of the Great Ming). In the Qing Dynasty it was renamed as Daqingmen (Gate of Great Qing) and after 1911 Zhonghuamen (Gate of China). Later on, another two gates of brick and stone structure were built on each site of the avenue in front the gate. Surrounded by a newly built red wall, the area within the three gates formed a small square of only 11 hectares-- Tian'anmen Square.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, common people were forbidden to enter the Tian'anmen Square. And for the officials, when they entered the gate, they had to get off horses and proceed on foot into the palace. The government offices were lined outside the wall on the east and west. According to the traditional system, the civil service organizations were set in the eastern part of the square, and the military organizations in the west.
Old buildings in the Tian'anmen Square were put down after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. In 1957, the square expanded with an area of 44 hectares, which may hold 1 million people at a time. With Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall right behind, the Monument to the People's Heroes towered in the center of the square. To the east of the Square, there is the National Museum of China and to the west the Great Hall of People (National People's Congress building).
The Monument to the People's Heroes is the largest monument in China's history which was built in 1952. On this monument, you can see the words--"The People's Heroes are Immortal", which were written by Chairman Mao. The development of Chinese modern history and those who contributed their lives to the democratic progress are shown by the eight unusually large relief sculptures. The monument is enclosed by two rows of white marble railings. It seems very simple and beautiful.
At the south side of the Square is the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong. This Hall is consisted by three halls, among which our dear Chairman Mao's body lies in a crystal coffin in the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.
The Great Hall of the People is in the west of the Square. Constructed in 1959, this building is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings, which also provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities. With twelve marble posts, the Hall includes three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The ceiling of the Central Hall is decorated with crystal lamps and the floor paved with marble. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall can hold 10,000 people, while the huge Banqueting Hall can seat 5,000.
At the east side of the Square stands the China National Museum, which is another important place for you to visit. Built in 2003, it is a mergence of China History Museum and China Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum is on the opposite of the Great Hall of the People. In the China Revolutionary Museum, there are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models, presenting the development of modern China. A large number of cultural relics are exhibited in the China History Museum, illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1925 when the last emperor left the throne.
Forbidden City
The Palace Museum, the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is the largest and best-preserved palace complex in the world today. It is also called the Purple Forbidden City in Chinese. Its name, on one side, derives from ancient Chinese astronomers' belief that God's abode or the Purple Palace. The pivot of the celestial world, is situated in the Pole Star (the middle of the Ziwei Star), at the center of the heaven. Therefore, the son of God of Heaven--the emperor, should live in the Purple City. On the other side, without special orders of the emperor eunuchs and guards, ordinary citizens were not allowed entering the Forbidden City, except for palace maids. For this reason, palaces in the Ming and Qing dynasties are called both the Forbidden City and the Purple City. The Construction of the magnificent palace started in 1406, and ended in 1420. It took 14 years to complete the project. One year after completion, Emperor Yongle moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Since then, 24 emperors have lived at the Forbidden City, 14 during the Ming Dynasty and 10 during the Qing Dynasty.
The Forbidden City covers an area of over 720,000 square meters, 750 meters wide and 960 meters long. And it has four great gates. The fabulous city, which is surrounded by a 52-meter-wide moat, has four delicate and lovely turrets overlooking both the inside and outside.
The Forbidden City has more than 8,700 wooden rooms, most of which have yellow-glazed tiles. It is a color that only emperors were allowed to use on their roof. From the northern Drum Tower and the Bell Tower to the Southern Gate of Everlasting Stability (Yongdingmen), these colorfully painted and embellished rooms are divided symmetrically into northern and southern halves. If you walk into the city, you will see the layers of halls and palaces spreading out on either side of a central axis. As the designations of the wise architectures, the splendid buildings represent the unique features of the traditional Chinese architecture and embody the incredible creativity of the ancient Chinese people. Reconstructed after being destroyed by several fires, this pearl of Chinese cultural heritage still retains its original arrangements of the Ming dynasty. Nowadays, most of the existing buildings open to visitors were reconstructed during the early Qing Dynasty.
In many ways the Forbidden City reveals ancient Confucian ideas, as it is generally designed to the principles of the Front court, Rear Market, Ancestral Sacrifice on the left and Altar on the right. Hence, the court was located in the southern or front section of the Forbidden City, where officials discussed political affairs. A large trading market was situated in the rear part of the city, providing daily necessities for the court. On the left side was the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where the emperor offered sacrifices to his ancestors. Nowadays, it is the Working People's Cultural Palace. On the right side was the Altar to the god of Land and Grain, where the emperor displayed his reverence to the god. This is now Zhongshan Park.
There are two courts in the Forbidden City: the Inner Court and the Outer Court. They are separated across the middle between the south and north ends. The Outer court is mainly composed by the Meridian Gate and the Three Front Halls, flanked by the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhuadian) and the Hall of Martial Spirit (Wuyingdian), which witnessed various ceremonies and political activities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. While the inner court is mainly consisted by the Three Back Halls, Imperial Garden, Hall of Mental Cultivation and Palace of Abstinence, which are flanked by the Six East Halls and the Six West Halls. This was the place where the emperor was confronted with political affairs and was the residential area for the emperor and his empresses and concubines.
Compared with other contemporary palaces, the Forbidden City stressed more on balance and independence, and embodied more cultural perspectives of the specific ethnic group. Just as what was written in the book of History of Chinese Science by Joseph Needham, each part of the Forbidden City is in well balance and independence, which is just on the contrary to other palaces in the Renaissance Age. For the city, the Palace of Versailles is just acting as an object. The palace is an organic part of the whole city, combining deep deference to nature with lofty significance. As a tin far-reaching and complicated Chinese architecture, Great overall arrangements have reached the highest level, far above any other culture.
After the subversion of the Qing Dynasty by the Revolution of 1911, the last emperor Pu Yi was exiled to palaces at the rear of the Forbidden City. In 1914, the Three Great Halls in the Imperial Palace was opened as exhibition hall of antiquities. Ten years later, Feng Yuxiang staged a coup in Beijing and expelled the last emperor from the palace. Oct. 10, 1925 established The Palace Museum. And in 1961, the Forbidden City was listed as a place to be given special protection by the State Council. UNESCO listed it as World Cultural Heritage site in 1987.
The Forbidden City, as one of the world-famous royal palaces, has played an important role in the world architectural history. Many tourists both from home and abroad have been attracted by the almost 1 million rare treasures and cultural relics on exhibition there.
Summer Palace
Covering an area of 290 hectares in total, the Summer Palace spreads out some 15 kilometers away from the city center in the north western suburbs of Beijing. Three fourths of the palace is covered by a pool of water and the rest the land and hills.
The Summer Palace is the summer resort of the Qing royal family. Now it is the most intact, the best-preserved and the largest of its kind of the classical gardens in the country. Since the garden began to be built in 1153, it had undergone many a time reconstruction and renovation in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the period of Emperor Qianlong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was still reconstructed in a large-scale. And this time was renamed the "Garden of Crystal Ripples". When it was completed in 1860, it suffered a severe destruction, led by the Anglo-French Allied Army, which brought it down to ashes. In 1886, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled the funds allocated for the building of the navy to rebuild it and renamed it the "Summer Palace". However, in 1900, it underwent destruction again by the Eight Powers Allied Forces. Later, the1903 saw its second-time rebuild.
On the 12th of October 1911, Empress Dowager Longyu was finally forced to promulgate the abdication of the royal power. However, according to the agreement between the Qing royal family and the republic government, the Summer Palace would still be kept in the hands of the Qing royal family, while yet to be opened to outside as private property by selling admission tickets. 1924 when Puyi was ousted, the Summer Palace was taken over by the republic government and changed to be a public park.
The Qing royal family stayed in the Forbidden City in spring, autumn and winter. And when it came to summer, they went to their summer resort –Summer Palace. Hence, the Summer Palace shares the same functional quarters as that in the Forbidden City. Among these quarters, the office quarter, the living quarter and the entertainment quarter formed the magnificent scenery in Summer Palace.
Through the East Palace Gate, there is the Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity. The emperor used to handle state affairs and listen to reports by ministers and receive foreign envoys in there. It was called the Hallo of Diligent Administration by Emperor Qianlong during his reign. In 1860, it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army. Reconstructed In 1890, it was then renamed the "Hall of the Benevolence and Longevity". During the reigns of Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi got the real power to rule the country, and she started to handle state affairs behind the screen.
The Hall of Jade Ripples and the Hall of Happiness and Longevity are the three parts of the living quarter. Guangxu used to live in the Hall of Jade Ripples Emperor in the Summer Palace. After his failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu was put into house arrest here. Thus, it is also regarded as an exquisitely decorated jail.
Consisting of four rooms, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity used to be the residence for Empress Dowager Cixi. The Empress moves to the Summer Palace and stays there in the hall every year on the first day of the fourth month in the lunar calendar. And she won't return until the tenth of the tenth lunar month when she had celebrated her birthday there. In the Summer Palace, there are over 1,000 people dancing attendance on the Dowager. Among them, there are 48 in the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, of whom 20 are maids-in-waiting, 20 eunuchs of importance and another 8 are the "ladies-in-waiting" by her side, normally waiting in the room behind the precious throne to attend on her.
The Long Corridor, the starting point of entertainment quarter, is at the end of the courtyard of the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. It is 728 meters long with more than 14,000 traditional Chinese paintings on the beams and rafters. The four pavilions along the corridor represent the four seasons a year. The Marble Boat can be found at the end of the Long Corridor. The original Chinese style of it was burnt down by the Anglo-French Army in 1860. In 1893, it was rebuilt into one of a western style, imitating a steam ship with two water-wheelers. In 1903 Empress Dowager Cixi built another storey of wooden structure with the decoration of colored pieces of glass. The construction of this immovable boat was to symbolize the stable and consolidated rule of the Qing regime just like a large piece of rock. It would stand still forever in the vast ocean and would, under no circumstances whatsoever be wavered or toppled.
Occupying three fourths of the total area of the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake plays important role in the adjustment of the temperature in the garden. Taking a walk in the Long Corridor and a dragon boat on the lake, you will have a wonderful feeling that you were the emperor and empress in ancient China.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven stands in the southern part of Beijing. It was used to be the house ceremonies of emperors of worshipping heaven and praying for harvest in the Ming and Qing dynasties. This altar temple remains to be the largest existing ancient sacrificial structures across the world, more important than other three major temples, i.e. Altar to the Earth, Altar to the Sun and Altar to the Moon.
The Temple of Heaven was built in 1407 and the construction of the project took 14 years. Covering an area of 273 hectares, with two surrounding rings walls, it is four times bigger than the Forbidden City. The wall, stretching from north to south, is as long as 1,657 meters and that from east to west 1,703 meters. The outer wall is 6,553 meters in circumference while the inner wall measures 4,152 meters in perimeter.
To pray for good harvests and fine rain, emperors did regular worshipping and offered sacrifices to heaven. And the Temple of Heaven was used to the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties went and worshipped the heaven twice (and sometimes three times) a year. In the past, the tradition went that sacrifices were offered to heaven and earth in one place only. But in 1530 when the Temple of Earth was built in the north of the city, the Temple of Heaven was ever since used specially for offering sacrifices to heaven alone.
The Temple of Heaven is consisted by three sections, named the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, attached with some affiliated buildings like Dressing Platform, Long Corridor and Echo Wall.
The Circular Mound Altar was first constructed in 1530. In ancient China, to some extend, the altar was a place that even more important than the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The emperor would come to offer sacrifices to heaven on the altar every year on the day of the Winter Solstice. For this reason, the altar was rebuilt into a circular one in 1749. Built in the open air without shelter, the sacrificial ceremony was being held right under heaven. Therefore, it was called "Luji", or the "open air offering of sacrifices".
The Imperial Vault of Heaven was first built in 1530 as a main building in the south of the Temple of Heaven. At first, it was called "Taishendian" or the Hall for Pacifying Gods, but later changed into the present name. In 1752, the building was rebuilt into one of a single eave, which used to have double eaves. Standing 19.5 meters high and of 15.6 meters in diameter, the circular hall used to be an octagonal one in the past. The tablet of the Jade Emperor, the four stone platforms on both sides used to be for the tablets of the emperor’s ancestors of eight generations in succession, is consecrated on the central stone-platform in the Hall of Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Being of 32.72 meters in diameter, built on a three-tired platform, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests towers 38 meters' high with its eaves fanning out on three tiers, of which the upper one has a gold-plated knob on it. You will be amazed to see that such a heavy building was supported only by 28 wooden pillars with no single piece of reinforced concrete at all. The whole building was built by mortise and tenon joints without using a single nail. With each pillar in height of 19.2 meters, the four pillars in the center of the hall are called "Longjingzhu"--the Dragon Well Pillar. Only by joining hands together by two and half persons, can it be embraced. These four pillars indicate the four seasons of a year. You may find it more interesting that all pillars have their special meanings: the outside 12 pillars suggest 12 months in a year and another 12 pillars in the round wall symbolize the 12 two-hour periods of a day. And when you put the two 12 pillars together, the number you get is 24, which represents the 24 solar terms of a year. And when you add the four in the center of the hall to 24, you will get 28, which represents the 28 lunar mansions in the heaven above.
Since its first construction in 1420, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has gone through several times of changes. At that moment, the hall was called "Dasidian"--the Hall of Grand Sacrifices, which was rectangular in shape. But in 1529, it was reconstructed into a round one with a roof of three tiers. And this time it was named "Daxiangdian"--the Hall of Grand Treatment to Heaven. Three different colors were painted in these roofs of three tiers. From the upper tier to the lower one, the colors are respectively blue, yellow and green. In 1752, these three colors were all changed into glazed tiles of dark blue. However, they were destroyed by lightning in 1889. And later in 1890, it was restored according to the original. In 2006, the whole building was renovated with all its paintings according to the same style as they done last time. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has become the symbol of Beijing.
At present, the Temple of Heaven is very popular with tourist home and abroad. It is also an entertainment center for local people. If you go to the temple early in the morning, you will find many local people practicing Taiji, playing cards and Chinese chess and singing folk songs there.
Ming Tombs
Covering an area of 40 square kilometers with 13 Ming emperors buried, the Ming Tombs is situated at the southern foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District in the north western suburban areas of Beijing. The construction of the imperial tombs had been going on ceaselessly from the year 1409 when Emperor Zhu Di started building his tomb to the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, lasting a period over 200 years.
As many people know, there are 16 emperors in the Ming Dynasty. Among the 16 Ming emperors, 13 of them were buried in this tomb area, except for Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty who was buried in the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing, Zhu Yunwen, who disappeared and Zhu Qiyu, who was buried at Jinshan Hill in the western suburbs of Beijing, all other. Therefore, this area was called the 13 Ming Tombs.
It was originally built only for Emperor Zhu Di and his empress, named Changling, which is the most magnificent tomb. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling. At present, the two tombs opened to the public are Changling and Dingling.
Changling is the first Ming tomb built in this area. Hence, the axle line of Changling naturally became the axle line of the whole Ming Tombs. Along with the various tombs, the Stone Tablet House come together overall as a structurally and visually unified architectural accomplishment. Though these tombs were built in different periods, they were strategically planed and built in different stages. Each tomb has its own distinct adornments. However, the entire tomb area has a unified layout and style.
Zhu Di was the third emperor in the Ming Dynasty, who was buried together with his empress in Changling. During his 22-year of reign, he was, relatively speaking, an emperor who had made quite some achievements. For example, he determined to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing in 1421. To some extend, the move itself was an expression of far-sightedness, for it was very important to strengthen the national defense and guard frontier areas. During the period from 1405 to 1424, Zheng He, also called Eunuch Sanbao, was sent by the emperor to fulfill a diplomatic mission which was on an ever larger and broader scale in Chinese history. He went six times on board across the sea to over 30 countries in Asia and Africa.
Completed in 1416, as the place for worshipping tablets of the emperor and empress and offering sacrifices to ancestors, the Hall of Eminent Favor is situated within the second compound of Changling. The Hall of Eminent Favor in Changling is the best-preserved among the ones of the 13 tombs, which duplicated the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. It is a very precious relic of ancient China's wooden structures.
Dingling is the tomb for Emperor Zhu Yijun, named the tomb of Stability. It is said that he was buried together with his two empresses—Xiaoduan and Xiaojing. Ascending the throne at the age of 10, Zhu Yijun was died at 58 with a reign span of 48 years. Therefore he became the emperor with the longest time in power for in the Ming Dynasty. The construction of the Dingling tomb started in 1584. It took 6 years to bring the project to finish in 1590, covering an area of 180,000 square meters and costing 8 million taels of silver.
The Dingling began to be excavated in May 1956, which brought to light the mystery of the underground palaces of the Ming Tombs. Constructed with hard stone-slabs, with a total floor space of 1,195 square meters, the underground palace is composed by five beamless vaults, called the front, the middle, the rear and the two annexes on the right and the left. Carved out of white marble and the rear hall with the bier holding three coffins for the emperor and his two queens, three thrones were laid out in the middle vault. There are over 3,000 pieces of archeological findings unearthed from the tomb.
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery is a well-known lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, which is located at the northeast part of Beijing. It was originally built in 1694 as the residence of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing (1644-1911 A.D.) before his ascent of the throne. And after his death, it was renamed Yonghegong. His successor Emperor Qianlong then rebuilt Yonghegong into an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty). In 1744, it became a lamasery. From then on, large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet and national center of lama administration live in there.
As an imperial palace, the layout of the temple differentiated from other temples. The main gate faces to the south. There are five main halls and annex connected by courtyards on its 480-meter-long north-south axis, including a glaze-tiled arch, Gate of Peace (Zhaotaimen), Buddha's Warrior Hall (Tianwangdian), which was formerly the entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace, Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) and Pavilion of Eternal Happiness (Wanfuge).
When you are walking through the grand glaze-tile arch patterned with decorative dragons and flowers in the first court, you will reach a three-arch gate - the Gate of Peace. In ancient times, the central passageway was for emperors. On each side of the second court next to the Gate of Peace stand the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Two pavilions stand symmetrically on opposite to the north. If you want to know more about the temple's history, you can have a look at the inscriptions of Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan engraved on steles.
The Buddha's Warrior Hall, also known as the Hall of Heavenly Kings, is the former entrance to Yongzheng's imperial palace. The hall Maitreya (Happy Buddha) was always used to greet visitors, which has a smiling face with a sandalwood pagoda on each side. Many small Buddhist images, symbolizing longevity, stand on the pagoda. Therefore, the pagoda is the Longevity Pagoda. There are four fearsome-looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians on both sides of Maitreya's shrine.
On the way to the Hall of Harmony and Peace stands a marble-based bronze incense-burner. With decorations of two dragons playing with a pearl on its six opens, it is 4.2 meters in height. Afterwards there is the Mount Sumeru, a bronze sculpture of Ming (1368-1644A.D.), representing the center of the world. On the top of it there lies a legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death; in the middle the dwellings of humans and below devils abide in hell.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace is formerly a place for the emperor Yongzheng to hold meetings. It was also called Mahavira Hall or Daxiongbaodian in Buddhism. Mahavira here is an honorable title of Sakyamuni in Chinese. Sakyamuni is on the altar, with Buddha of the Present in the middle with Buddha of the Past Yeja and the Buddha of the Future Maitreya on each side. On each side of the hall stand Statues of 18 Arhats. It is said that 18 Arhats were the disciples of Samkyamuni to diffuse Buddhism. The painting that you can find on the western wall is a Bodhisattva.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian) and the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian) are right behind the Hall of the Harmony and Peace, where enshrines a bronze image of Tsong Kapa -- founder of the Yellow Hat Sect. With 5 gold-plating pagodas, the golden-roofed Falundian was the place where lamas assemble to have religious activities. There is a 6-meter-high gilded bronze statue of Tsong Kapa on a lotus seat in the center of the hall.
Now there are nearly 70 lamas living in this temple. If you go there, you will find that regular religious activities are still practiced. More lamas can be seen coming here in the festival for lamas or Lamaism.
Old Beijing Hutongs
The numerous old hutongs are the distinguished features of Beijing. They symbolize the traditional community with small lanes, alleys and Siheyuan (quadrangle). The life of local people in these old hutongs makes this ancient capital look more charming. Wandering along these small lanes, you can see many quadrangles, called Siheyuan in Chinese, which are the residential quarters of natives. No one knows the exact number of these hutongs there are in Beijing.
Xi'an
Highlights
Museum of Stone Steles Forest
Here is the largest museum with the most exhibitions of the stone tablets passed down from the ancient China. Since the completion of the construction in North Song Dynasty the year of 1087, this greatest treasure store has appealed to a great number of visitors for having a close look at the marvelous forest of stone tablets.
With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
It is a good place to admire all the authentic work of calligraphy of the celebrities who were well known in the Chinese history, to read the Chinese grand classics inscribed on the stone, and to learning about the world’s history from the most convinced proofs of the history.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
22 CNY for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 15, Sanxue Street, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 14, 402, 512, 223, 208 and 704 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque is a typical architecture of the Islamism, which was designed with the antique style of Ming Dynasty (1364-1644). As one of the four famous Islamic Mosques in China, it covers a large area of 12,000 m2, half of which is with architectures standing on. In this magnificent mosque, architectures of various designs will be a feast of your eyes.
Towers, pavilions, platforms and halls are well distributed around the mosque, all of which together with the exquisite stone carvings, the precious inscriptions and other rarely seen decorations in which are the essence part of the mosque. It is the reason why a great number of visitors have been attracted here and reluctant to leave.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A “Phoenix" placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 12 CNY
Location: Huajue Lane, Lianhu Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Taxi and chartered bus will bring you here.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
Be discovered as the World’s Eighth Wonder, the Terra-cotta Warriors built in the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) is known for its large and splendid scale and the sophisticated art technology. It is the Terra-cotta Warriors that make the Xian City a popular resort where has appealed to an amazingly great number of visitors from home and overseas which is up to 40 millions in total.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery figures fragments while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xi'an in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty.
The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries.
No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front; followed by war chariots at the back. It is 230 meters from east to west, 62 meters from south to north, and five meters deep. The pit houses 6,000 life-size painted terracotta warriors and horses. The warriors, arranged in battle formation, wear helmets and armor and carry weapons. They are dignified, and each has a different manner and facial expression.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.
Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and 4 horses.
All together over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
It is one of the most marvelous feats and the most valuable historic relics of China. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price:
110 CNY from March 1 to November 30
70 CNY in January, February and December
35 CNY for the disabled, the kids below 1.2 m, the aged over 70 years, the students and the soldiers
Location: Qinling Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Together with the pyramids in Egypt, the Mausoleum of First Emperor of Qin shares the reputation of the world’s largest imperial tomb. The differences between them are the former is built above ground, while the latter under ground. It is a more splendid but luxurious mausoleum than any other mausoleum before, which takes a time as long as 38 years to complete. On entering in it, you will be shocked by the amazingly magnificent vision and the unprecedented huge scale.
Lies peacefully in the cuddle of the steaming mountains and roaring Weishui River, this giant imperial tomb embraces a great number of valuable art works. To be exact, the mausoleum, with a double-wall as defense, covers 56.25 square kilometers, which is 78 times large as the Imperial Palace in Beijing. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
While the Terracotta Warriors forms only part of the tomb. Greater things are yet to come.
Thanks to Ssu-ma Ch'ien, a great historian in early Han dynasty, archeologists can learn from his works about the great insight on the mausoleum’s construction, such as the coffin was cast in bronze and the underground Palace was gem-studded replica of imperial housing above ground. Moreover, booby traps with automatic-shooting arrows were installed to deter would-be tomb robbers. Heaven and earth were represented in the central chamber of the tomb. Ceiling shaped into sun, moon and stars by inlaying pearls and gems symbolizes the sky and the ground was an accumulation point of rivers, lakes and seas, like Yellow River and Yangtze River, which stands for the earth.
The discovery of the marvelous terracotta warriors has indeed thrown the whole world into shock, but what is worth to be studied is the materials unexcavated. Qin bricks and tiles, engraved with decorative patterns, are strew everywhere around the tomb. There are many satellite tombs built as accompanying decorations of Qin Shihuang. Ministers, princesses and princes, the famous and the not were inhumed there. The burial pits for horses, rare birds and pottery figures were regarded as the sacrificial objects to the Emperor. Hence, the remains from these tombs and pits are beneficial for archaeologists to make further research.
Finally, let see who is living inside this splendid mausoleum. Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BC), the first emperor of China, ascended the throne at the age of 13, when the construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests, he ordered 720,000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 16 to November 14
20 CNY from November 15 to March 15
Location: Lintong County, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Huaqing Hot Springs
For centuries, the Huaqing Hot Spring (huaqingchi) has been enjoying the reputation as the most wonderful spring for it has appealed to the emperors of the ancient China with its amazing pureness and miraculous healing promotion effect on the rheumatism and arthritis. The Huaqing Hot Spring is known as the Orient Sacred Spring, which means it is as famous as the Thermae of Caracalla in Ancient Rome and the Bath Spring in Britian.
During the Western Zhou, Li Palace was originally established a resort here. Later the First Emperor Qin built a stone pool and gave the name "Lishan Hot Springs," and it was extended by the Han Wudi, Martial Emperor. However, the strongest associations are with the Tang Dynasty, and most of the present buildings have a Tang style.
Later in the ancient China, Emperor Taizong built the Hot Springs Palace and Emperor Xuanzong added a walled palace in 747 A.D. Unfortunately it was damaged during the An Lushan Rebellion in the middle Tang period. The present site was rebuilt on the site of the Qing Dynasty structure
There are picturesque sceneries around the spring. Behind the west gate, Nine-Dragon Pool, the Lotus Flower Pool and the Frost Drifting Hall of the Tang architectural style are waiting for you. Emperor Xuanzong used to spend winter in the company of Yang Guifei (Lady Yang) - his favorite concubine in the Hall of Fluttering Frost. The hall gains its name due to the slightly milky mist and vapor over the pool year around. In winter, the snowflakes soon thaw immediately in front of the Hall because of the lukewarm vapor rising out of the hot spring.
Here is a combination of a miraculous hot spring, the beautiful landscapes and the marvelous historic relics, where will feast your eyes in your leisure time.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 1 to November 31
70 CNY from December 1 to February 28
Half fare for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 38 Huaqing Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City, Shanxi Province
Transportation: Bus No. 306, 914 and 915 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Dayan Pagoda was built in the year of 652 with a purpose of storing the precious Buddhist scriptures, figures of Buddha and Buddhist relics brought from India by a celebrated monk Xuan Zhang, which later became the symbolic architecture of Xian, the ancient capital of China. For centuries, the 64.5-meter-tall pagoda has appealed to a great number of visitors, among which a large part is the celebrities who left behind their inscriptions that make the pagoda more charming and holy.
During the early days, the pagoda boasted a brick structure of 5 storeys and about 60 meters (197 feet) high. Between AD 701 and AD 704, at the end of the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, 2 more storeys were added to the original pagoda. Damage by the war reduced it to seven storeys, to what it is today. With a height of 64 meters (210 miles), the pagoda occupies a base 25 meters by 25 meters (82 feet) square. The Big Goose Pagoda is brick-tower architecture, simple but sturdy. Walls and doors are carved with vivid and exquisite figures of Buddha, reflecting the profundity in the paintings f the Tang Dynasty.
Why people name it Dayan Pagoda? In the ancient time, monks in China were permitted to have the meat of the wild geese, deer and calf. One day, when a monk in the Da Ci'en Temple saw a flock of geese flew in the sky, he was so eager for the geese that he talked to the other monk: “We have not had geese today, why does not the Buddha grant us some?” Then suddenly a goose dropped on the ground front of them died. The monks were all surprised and thought that was a holy hint given by the Buddha, which required them to stop eating the geese. A pagoda was built here and wins its present name.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 17:00
Ticket Price:
50 CNY for the entrance of the Da Ci'en Temple
30 CNY for the students to enter into the Temple
30 CNY for ascending to the top of Dayan Pagoda
Free for the disabled, the soldiers and the aged over 70 years
Location: South Yanta Road, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 21, 23, 27, 30, 41, 224, 320, 401, 500, 501, 527, 601, 606, 609 and 715 will bring you here.
City Wall of Xi’an
This is a huge impregnable wall, which has experienced 600 years of history, now lying peacefully like a giant in the city center of Xian. With a tallness of 12 meters and thickness of 15 meters, this giant looks as strong as iron. You may come into the ancient town surrounded by a 11.9-kilometer-long wall from the distinct gates.
When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), occupied the city of Huizhou, he took advice to fortify the city and unify the other states by turning the wall built initially during the old Tang dynasty (618 -907) into the present Xi'an City Wall.
Surprisingly, every 120 meters, there is a rampart extending out from the main wall, therefore totally 98 ramparts are set on the wall, which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up the wall. Besides, the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side, so that they could shoot the enemy, who wanted to attack the city, from the side. On the outer side of the city wall, there are 5948 crenellations, namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side, parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
In the ancient China, the side who was able to occupy the city of the other won the battle. However, there was no efficient way to enter into the city that protected by the impregnable wall. Therefore, from the defensive side the feasible way is to keep the gate. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian, there are four gates set along the giant wall, which respectively named as Changle (meaning eternal joy) in the east, Anding (harmony peace) in the west, Yongning (eternal peace) in the south and Anyuan (forever harmony) in the north. The south gate, Yongning, is the most beautifully decorated one.
Among all the greatest ancient city walls in China, it was the most well-preserved and intact one, from which you can learn a lot about how the wars were going in the ancient China and how and for what the cities were built.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY
20 CNY for the kids between 1.1m and 1.4 m and the students
Location: in the city center of Xian
Transportation: 5, 18, 215, 603 and 611 will bring you here directly.
Shaanxi Provincial History Museum
Having been as the capital of 13 dynasties for centuries, Xian is full of the breath of history. Therefore, there are numerous precious historic relics spreading around this mysterious historic site, which accounts for the reason why the Shaanxi History Museum is thought highly as the Treasure House of China.
The museum was designed as the magnificent and elegant as the architectures in Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is also a combination of the ancient style and the modern flavor, where there are more than 3,700,000 historic items displayed, among which there are 3900 rarely seen Bronze Ware from Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), 400 precious Mural from Tang Dynasty, 5000 invaluable potteries from prehistory period and many other amazingly marvelous historic relics.
The main complex is a mixture of ancient palaces and courtyard buildings, harmonious and graceful in hue, in simple and elegant style. The exhibits on the ground and first floors are arranged in roughly three parts: Basic Exhibition Hall, the Theme Exhibition Hall and East Exhibition Hall. As well as the chronological dynastic exhibits including the Han, Wei, Jin, North and South, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the pre-historical and bronze period exhibits, together with terra cotta figures and murals from tombs of the Tang Dynasty, are highly recommended.
Here you can have a close look at the amazingly cultural relics and remains from the dynasties of the Zhou, the Qin, the Han and the Tang, which is divided into the Preface Hall, the Shaanxi local history exhibition hall, and the central hall, where is the home to the temporary exhibitions from home and abroad. Can you image how great it is when surrounded by thousands of amazing items from such a far age?
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 18:00 (except Monday)
Ticket Price: free
Location: East Xiaozhai Road, Yanta Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 19, 24, 26, 27, 30, 34, 401, 521, 527 and 610 and tour bus No. 701 and 710 will bring you here
Museum of Stone Steles Forest
Here is the largest museum with the most exhibitions of the stone tablets passed down from the ancient China. Since the completion of the construction in North Song Dynasty the year of 1087, this greatest treasure store has appealed to a great number of visitors for having a close look at the marvelous forest of stone tablets.
With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
It is a good place to admire all the authentic work of calligraphy of the celebrities who were well known in the Chinese history, to read the Chinese grand classics inscribed on the stone, and to learning about the world’s history from the most convinced proofs of the history.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
22 CNY for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 15, Sanxue Street, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 14, 402, 512, 223, 208 and 704 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque is a typical architecture of the Islamism, which was designed with the antique style of Ming Dynasty (1364-1644). As one of the four famous Islamic Mosques in China, it covers a large area of 12,000 m2, half of which is with architectures standing on. In this magnificent mosque, architectures of various designs will be a feast of your eyes.
Towers, pavilions, platforms and halls are well distributed around the mosque, all of which together with the exquisite stone carvings, the precious inscriptions and other rarely seen decorations in which are the essence part of the mosque. It is the reason why a great number of visitors have been attracted here and reluctant to leave.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A “Phoenix" placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 12 CNY
Location: Huajue Lane, Lianhu Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Taxi and chartered bus will bring you here.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
Be discovered as the World’s Eighth Wonder, the Terra-cotta Warriors built in the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) is known for its large and splendid scale and the sophisticated art technology. It is the Terra-cotta Warriors that make the Xian City a popular resort where has appealed to an amazingly great number of visitors from home and overseas which is up to 40 millions in total.
Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery figures fragments while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xi'an in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty.
The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries.
No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front; followed by war chariots at the back. It is 230 meters from east to west, 62 meters from south to north, and five meters deep. The pit houses 6,000 life-size painted terracotta warriors and horses. The warriors, arranged in battle formation, wear helmets and armor and carry weapons. They are dignified, and each has a different manner and facial expression.
No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.
Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and 4 horses.
All together over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a sensational archeological find of all times. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.
It is one of the most marvelous feats and the most valuable historic relics of China. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price:
110 CNY from March 1 to November 30
70 CNY in January, February and December
35 CNY for the disabled, the kids below 1.2 m, the aged over 70 years, the students and the soldiers
Location: Qinling Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
Together with the pyramids in Egypt, the Mausoleum of First Emperor of Qin shares the reputation of the world’s largest imperial tomb. The differences between them are the former is built above ground, while the latter under ground. It is a more splendid but luxurious mausoleum than any other mausoleum before, which takes a time as long as 38 years to complete. On entering in it, you will be shocked by the amazingly magnificent vision and the unprecedented huge scale.
Lies peacefully in the cuddle of the steaming mountains and roaring Weishui River, this giant imperial tomb embraces a great number of valuable art works. To be exact, the mausoleum, with a double-wall as defense, covers 56.25 square kilometers, which is 78 times large as the Imperial Palace in Beijing. When take a closer view of the Terra-cotta Warriors, you will be surprised by the lifelike expressions and customs they are in as well as the life-size-big warriors. Let alone the various gestures and different looks, the hairstyles of them will make you amazed. Owing to the exquisite handicrafts, all the warriors can be told apart from one position to another, officer or soldier, infantry or cavalry.
While the Terracotta Warriors forms only part of the tomb. Greater things are yet to come.
Thanks to Ssu-ma Ch'ien, a great historian in early Han dynasty, archeologists can learn from his works about the great insight on the mausoleum’s construction, such as the coffin was cast in bronze and the underground Palace was gem-studded replica of imperial housing above ground. Moreover, booby traps with automatic-shooting arrows were installed to deter would-be tomb robbers. Heaven and earth were represented in the central chamber of the tomb. Ceiling shaped into sun, moon and stars by inlaying pearls and gems symbolizes the sky and the ground was an accumulation point of rivers, lakes and seas, like Yellow River and Yangtze River, which stands for the earth.
The discovery of the marvelous terracotta warriors has indeed thrown the whole world into shock, but what is worth to be studied is the materials unexcavated. Qin bricks and tiles, engraved with decorative patterns, are strew everywhere around the tomb. There are many satellite tombs built as accompanying decorations of Qin Shihuang. Ministers, princesses and princes, the famous and the not were inhumed there. The burial pits for horses, rare birds and pottery figures were regarded as the sacrificial objects to the Emperor. Hence, the remains from these tombs and pits are beneficial for archaeologists to make further research.
Finally, let see who is living inside this splendid mausoleum. Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BC), the first emperor of China, ascended the throne at the age of 13, when the construction of his tomb began. On completion of his many conquests, he ordered 720,000 conscript laborers to hurry up on building his royal tomb. It was finished just-in-time in 210 BC for his use.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 16 to November 14
20 CNY from November 15 to March 15
Location: Lintong County, Xian City
Transportation: Tour bus and public bus 306 and 307 will bring you here.
Huaqing Hot Springs
For centuries, the Huaqing Hot Spring (huaqingchi) has been enjoying the reputation as the most wonderful spring for it has appealed to the emperors of the ancient China with its amazing pureness and miraculous healing promotion effect on the rheumatism and arthritis. The Huaqing Hot Spring is known as the Orient Sacred Spring, which means it is as famous as the Thermae of Caracalla in Ancient Rome and the Bath Spring in Britian.
During the Western Zhou, Li Palace was originally established a resort here. Later the First Emperor Qin built a stone pool and gave the name "Lishan Hot Springs," and it was extended by the Han Wudi, Martial Emperor. However, the strongest associations are with the Tang Dynasty, and most of the present buildings have a Tang style.
Later in the ancient China, Emperor Taizong built the Hot Springs Palace and Emperor Xuanzong added a walled palace in 747 A.D. Unfortunately it was damaged during the An Lushan Rebellion in the middle Tang period. The present site was rebuilt on the site of the Qing Dynasty structure
There are picturesque sceneries around the spring. Behind the west gate, Nine-Dragon Pool, the Lotus Flower Pool and the Frost Drifting Hall of the Tang architectural style are waiting for you. Emperor Xuanzong used to spend winter in the company of Yang Guifei (Lady Yang) - his favorite concubine in the Hall of Fluttering Frost. The hall gains its name due to the slightly milky mist and vapor over the pool year around. In winter, the snowflakes soon thaw immediately in front of the Hall because of the lukewarm vapor rising out of the hot spring.
Here is a combination of a miraculous hot spring, the beautiful landscapes and the marvelous historic relics, where will feast your eyes in your leisure time.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY from March 1 to November 31
70 CNY from December 1 to February 28
Half fare for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 38 Huaqing Road, Lintong Zone, Xian City, Shanxi Province
Transportation: Bus No. 306, 914 and 915 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Dayan Pagoda was built in the year of 652 with a purpose of storing the precious Buddhist scriptures, figures of Buddha and Buddhist relics brought from India by a celebrated monk Xuan Zhang, which later became the symbolic architecture of Xian, the ancient capital of China. For centuries, the 64.5-meter-tall pagoda has appealed to a great number of visitors, among which a large part is the celebrities who left behind their inscriptions that make the pagoda more charming and holy.
During the early days, the pagoda boasted a brick structure of 5 storeys and about 60 meters (197 feet) high. Between AD 701 and AD 704, at the end of the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, 2 more storeys were added to the original pagoda. Damage by the war reduced it to seven storeys, to what it is today. With a height of 64 meters (210 miles), the pagoda occupies a base 25 meters by 25 meters (82 feet) square. The Big Goose Pagoda is brick-tower architecture, simple but sturdy. Walls and doors are carved with vivid and exquisite figures of Buddha, reflecting the profundity in the paintings f the Tang Dynasty.
Why people name it Dayan Pagoda? In the ancient time, monks in China were permitted to have the meat of the wild geese, deer and calf. One day, when a monk in the Da Ci'en Temple saw a flock of geese flew in the sky, he was so eager for the geese that he talked to the other monk: “We have not had geese today, why does not the Buddha grant us some?” Then suddenly a goose dropped on the ground front of them died. The monks were all surprised and thought that was a holy hint given by the Buddha, which required them to stop eating the geese. A pagoda was built here and wins its present name.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 17:00
Ticket Price:
50 CNY for the entrance of the Da Ci'en Temple
30 CNY for the students to enter into the Temple
30 CNY for ascending to the top of Dayan Pagoda
Free for the disabled, the soldiers and the aged over 70 years
Location: South Yanta Road, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 21, 23, 27, 30, 41, 224, 320, 401, 500, 501, 527, 601, 606, 609 and 715 will bring you here.
City Wall of Xi’an
This is a huge impregnable wall, which has experienced 600 years of history, now lying peacefully like a giant in the city center of Xian. With a tallness of 12 meters and thickness of 15 meters, this giant looks as strong as iron. You may come into the ancient town surrounded by a 11.9-kilometer-long wall from the distinct gates.
When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), occupied the city of Huizhou, he took advice to fortify the city and unify the other states by turning the wall built initially during the old Tang dynasty (618 -907) into the present Xi'an City Wall.
Surprisingly, every 120 meters, there is a rampart extending out from the main wall, therefore totally 98 ramparts are set on the wall, which were built to defend against the enemy climbing up the wall. Besides, the distance between every two ramparts is just within the range of an arrow shot from either side, so that they could shoot the enemy, who wanted to attack the city, from the side. On the outer side of the city wall, there are 5948 crenellations, namely battlements. The soldiers can outlook and shoot at the enemy. On the inner side, parapets were built to protect the soldiers from falling off.
In the ancient China, the side who was able to occupy the city of the other won the battle. However, there was no efficient way to enter into the city that protected by the impregnable wall. Therefore, from the defensive side the feasible way is to keep the gate. This is why complicated gate structures were built within the wall. In Xian, there are four gates set along the giant wall, which respectively named as Changle (meaning eternal joy) in the east, Anding (harmony peace) in the west, Yongning (eternal peace) in the south and Anyuan (forever harmony) in the north. The south gate, Yongning, is the most beautifully decorated one.
Among all the greatest ancient city walls in China, it was the most well-preserved and intact one, from which you can learn a lot about how the wars were going in the ancient China and how and for what the cities were built.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price:
40 CNY
20 CNY for the kids between 1.1m and 1.4 m and the students
Location: in the city center of Xian
Transportation: 5, 18, 215, 603 and 611 will bring you here directly.
Shaanxi Provincial History Museum
Having been as the capital of 13 dynasties for centuries, Xian is full of the breath of history. Therefore, there are numerous precious historic relics spreading around this mysterious historic site, which accounts for the reason why the Shaanxi History Museum is thought highly as the Treasure House of China.
The museum was designed as the magnificent and elegant as the architectures in Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is also a combination of the ancient style and the modern flavor, where there are more than 3,700,000 historic items displayed, among which there are 3900 rarely seen Bronze Ware from Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), 400 precious Mural from Tang Dynasty, 5000 invaluable potteries from prehistory period and many other amazingly marvelous historic relics.
The main complex is a mixture of ancient palaces and courtyard buildings, harmonious and graceful in hue, in simple and elegant style. The exhibits on the ground and first floors are arranged in roughly three parts: Basic Exhibition Hall, the Theme Exhibition Hall and East Exhibition Hall. As well as the chronological dynastic exhibits including the Han, Wei, Jin, North and South, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the pre-historical and bronze period exhibits, together with terra cotta figures and murals from tombs of the Tang Dynasty, are highly recommended.
Here you can have a close look at the amazingly cultural relics and remains from the dynasties of the Zhou, the Qin, the Han and the Tang, which is divided into the Preface Hall, the Shaanxi local history exhibition hall, and the central hall, where is the home to the temporary exhibitions from home and abroad. Can you image how great it is when surrounded by thousands of amazing items from such a far age?
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 18:00 (except Monday)
Ticket Price: free
Location: East Xiaozhai Road, Yanta Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 5, 19, 24, 26, 27, 30, 34, 401, 521, 527 and 610 and tour bus No. 701 and 710 will bring you here
Museum of Stone Steles Forest
Here is the largest museum with the most exhibitions of the stone tablets passed down from the ancient China. Since the completion of the construction in North Song Dynasty the year of 1087, this greatest treasure store has appealed to a great number of visitors for having a close look at the marvelous forest of stone tablets.
With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.
It is a good place to admire all the authentic work of calligraphy of the celebrities who were well known in the Chinese history, to read the Chinese grand classics inscribed on the stone, and to learning about the world’s history from the most convinced proofs of the history.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
22 CNY for the student, the soldier, the disabled and the aged over 70
Location: No. 15, Sanxue Street, Xian City
Transportation: Bus No. 14, 402, 512, 223, 208 and 704 and tour bus No. 5 will bring you here.
Great Mosque
The Great Mosque is a typical architecture of the Islamism, which was designed with the antique style of Ming Dynasty (1364-1644). As one of the four famous Islamic Mosques in China, it covers a large area of 12,000 m2, half of which is with architectures standing on. In this magnificent mosque, architectures of various designs will be a feast of your eyes.
Towers, pavilions, platforms and halls are well distributed around the mosque, all of which together with the exquisite stone carvings, the precious inscriptions and other rarely seen decorations in which are the essence part of the mosque. It is the reason why a great number of visitors have been attracted here and reluctant to leave.
The first courtyard contains an elaborate wooden arch nine meters high covered with glazed tiles that dates back to the 17th century. In the center of the second courtyard, a stone arch stands with two steles on both sides. On one stele is the script of a famous calligrapher named Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty; the other is from Dong Qichang, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. Their calligraphy because of such elegant yet powerful characters is considered to be a great treasure in the art of handwriting.
At the entrance to the third courtyard is a hall that contains many steles from ancient times. As visitors enter this courtyard, they will see the Xingxin Tower, a place where Muslims come to attend prayer services. A “Phoenix" placed in the fourth courtyard, the principal pavilion of this great mosque complex, contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding walls of which are covered with colored designs. This Hall can easily hold 1,000 people at a time and according to traditional custom, prayer services are held five times everyday respectively at dawn, noon, afternoon, dusk and night.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 12 CNY
Location: Huajue Lane, Lianhu Zone, Xian City
Transportation: Taxi and chartered bus will bring you here.
Kunming
Highlights
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Covering a vast area of 9,000,000 m2, the Yunnan Ethnic Village consists of 26 minorities of various amazing characteristics. Surrounded by the West Hills, Grand View Park and many other picturesque landscapes, Ethnic Village provides a good resort for your expedition.
Along each part of this big village, the well-arranged small villages are of different flavors, among which the cottages are designed lovely true to the real. Traveling along the villages, you will fall in love with the colorful and amazing culture, customs and religious principles in daily life. In addition, rushing streams and winding pathway linking the villages and the gorgeous corridors and pavilions decorating the peaceful villages are the hiding sceneries. By comparison, the trees along the steams and the flowers over the villages are adorably charming no matter when you travel here.
If your tour schedule falls on the folk festivals, it will be pretty funny and exciting. March Street Festival celebrated by Bai minority on 15th of lunar March, Water-sprinkling Festival celebrated by Dai minority on 13th of lunar April, Torch Festival celebrated by Yi minority on 24th of lunar June, Sword-ladder Climbing Festival celebrated by Lisu minority on 8th of the lunar February and many other local festivals in memory of various great people or events will bring you into a different experience of local customs.
Of course, the characteristic entertainments, such as the elephant performance, the cableways, the entertainments on water, the self-help pottery making and the flavorful local dishes and snacks from different minorities, which will make your tour among the harmonious villages more interesting and amazing.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Dai Nationality Village
With waters embracing and green trees relaying, the miniature of Dai village covers an area of 18,000 m2. The typical architecture style, stilt-style buildings (Diaojiaolou), is the most outstanding part, the A-letter-like roof of which is a reflection of the local rainy climate. The winding cobble pathways will show you around the splendid white pagoda, the gorgeous wind-rain bridge, the ancient well and the clock tower, all of which are of rice and colorful customs of Dai minority.
Meanwhile, the Dai people have their own rich cultural heritages. The myths, ancient songs, the heroic epic and the narrative poems are indeed their cherished cultural heritages they can be proud of. One of the well-known characteristics is the pavane (peacock dance), that has been enjoying a long reputation at home and abroad. The Dai people treat the peacock as a symbol of the luck, happiness and kind-heart, so they can perform the pavane vividly.
When we talk about the Dai, people always think of the water-sprinkling festival, which is held in the middle of lunar April. It is said that the one who is sprinkled more water will be more lucky and happier. On that day, people will worship the Buddha as well. In addition, the firm religious belief in Buddhism of all the people and the special wedding are the attractive elements as well.
All the fascinating sceneries and customs above can be got here in the miniature village of Dai.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Stone Forest
As one of the National Scenic Resorts in China, the best of the world famous Stone Forests (Shilin) of Kunming is a 350-square-km topographical turmoil wrought by a jungle of 100 or so groups of monoliths in shapes ranging from overhanging cliffs to grotesque boulders. "Number One Bizarre Spectacle Uner Heaven, "as the Stone Forest is nicknamed.
Yuantong Temple
Having witness 1200 years of changes since the completion in Tang Dynasty (618-907), Yuantong Temple, the oldest and largest temple in Yunnan, enjoys the popularity among the Southeast Aisan area. It is also a Buddhism temple in Kunming where the Yunnan Provincial and the city’s Buddhism Commission are based.
West Hill & Dragon Gate
On the side of Dianchi Lake in the western suburbs of Kunming, locates the marvelous West Hills that is up to 2500 meters above sea level. Seen from a distance, West Hill looks like a lying beauty by the lake with the hair dipping into the lake, so the Western Hills wins the nickname of the "A Sleeping Beauty Hills". With vast area of forests, West Hill is a lovely forest park where you can have a pleasant walk.
Huating Temple
A peaceful winding pathway among the flourishing forests will lead you to the mysterious Huating Temple that is one of the grander Buddhist Temples in the region with a history of over 900 years. The repairs and reconstruction make the Huating Temple more attractive and shinning.
An ancient bell tower towers in to the sky with most part hiding among the bamboo groves, which is the most outstanding symbol of the Huating Temple and the sound of which at every evening makes the temple more peaceful. In addition, the Great Hall, Heavenly Hall and Guanyin Tower, Yuhua Terrace and some other ancient buildings of characteristic antique styles bring more charms and attractiveness for your expedition.
Around the Huating Temple, picturesque landscapes are common scenes. Towering old trees are flourishing, running streams are clear, steep cliffs are mysterious and even the clouds over the skies are amazingly wonderful. Inside the temple, ancient architectures are magnificent, statuses of Buddha are shinning and invaluable historic relics are marvelous. All of the scenes out and inside the temple make a peaceful and charming place for tourists and pilgrims.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: in the western suburban of Kunming City
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Kunming city center will bring you here.
The Grand View Park
Around the magnificent Grand View Pavilion (Daguanlou), one of the top ten pavilions in China, picturesque sceneries will make you have no idea about with which part I should take photos. The flourishing trees provides a good resort to kill the heat in summer, next to which the well-designed fantastic rockeries, the gorgeous pavilions, the mini bridge over the rushing clear stream and the antique style corridors are so awesome that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
For the entire view of the beautiful Tien Lake, Grand View Pavilion is a good choice. Built in the year of 1828, the wooden Grand View Pavilion shows a strong antique flavor of Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). For the people who have passion for the Chinese couplets, the longest couplet in the history of China with 180 Chinese characters must be a feast of eyes. Besides, there are three stone pavilions in the lake in front of the tower, which were built following the sight Three Pool Reflecting the Moon in the West Lake.
On the night of The Mid-Autumn Festival, it is customary for people in the town to flock here to enjoy the beauty of the moon and flowers. On that night one can see the lake shimmering like silver, the pavilion's flying cornices silhouetted against the star-lit sky, the trees and arbours looming in the shadows while the flowers are shedding their aroma in the moonlight. The pavilion itself is decorated with colorful illuminations. The whole place is indeed a most enchanting sight.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 19:30
Ticket Price:
10 CNY for the park
2 CNY for the Grand View Pavilion
Location: No. 72, Daguan Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. 4, 22, 52, 95 and 100 and taxi (15 CNY) will bring you here.
Dianchi Lake
Hailed as the pearl on the Highland of Yunnan, Tien Lake, together with mountains around makes a picture of landscapes, is the very center of the scenic spots in Kunming. The sceneries around Tien Lake are so amazingly fantastic that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Covering a vast area of 9,000,000 m2, the Yunnan Ethnic Village consists of 26 minorities of various amazing characteristics. Surrounded by the West Hills, Grand View Park and many other picturesque landscapes, Ethnic Village provides a good resort for your expedition.
Along each part of this big village, the well-arranged small villages are of different flavors, among which the cottages are designed lovely true to the real. Traveling along the villages, you will fall in love with the colorful and amazing culture, customs and religious principles in daily life. In addition, rushing streams and winding pathway linking the villages and the gorgeous corridors and pavilions decorating the peaceful villages are the hiding sceneries. By comparison, the trees along the steams and the flowers over the villages are adorably charming no matter when you travel here.
If your tour schedule falls on the folk festivals, it will be pretty funny and exciting. March Street Festival celebrated by Bai minority on 15th of lunar March, Water-sprinkling Festival celebrated by Dai minority on 13th of lunar April, Torch Festival celebrated by Yi minority on 24th of lunar June, Sword-ladder Climbing Festival celebrated by Lisu minority on 8th of the lunar February and many other local festivals in memory of various great people or events will bring you into a different experience of local customs.
Of course, the characteristic entertainments, such as the elephant performance, the cableways, the entertainments on water, the self-help pottery making and the flavorful local dishes and snacks from different minorities, which will make your tour among the harmonious villages more interesting and amazing.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Dai Nationality Village
With waters embracing and green trees relaying, the miniature of Dai village covers an area of 18,000 m2. The typical architecture style, stilt-style buildings (Diaojiaolou), is the most outstanding part, the A-letter-like roof of which is a reflection of the local rainy climate. The winding cobble pathways will show you around the splendid white pagoda, the gorgeous wind-rain bridge, the ancient well and the clock tower, all of which are of rice and colorful customs of Dai minority.
Meanwhile, the Dai people have their own rich cultural heritages. The myths, ancient songs, the heroic epic and the narrative poems are indeed their cherished cultural heritages they can be proud of. One of the well-known characteristics is the pavane (peacock dance), that has been enjoying a long reputation at home and abroad. The Dai people treat the peacock as a symbol of the luck, happiness and kind-heart, so they can perform the pavane vividly.
When we talk about the Dai, people always think of the water-sprinkling festival, which is held in the middle of lunar April. It is said that the one who is sprinkled more water will be more lucky and happier. On that day, people will worship the Buddha as well. In addition, the firm religious belief in Buddhism of all the people and the special wedding are the attractive elements as well.
All the fascinating sceneries and customs above can be got here in the miniature village of Dai.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Stone Forest
As one of the National Scenic Resorts in China, the best of the world famous Stone Forests (Shilin) of Kunming is a 350-square-km topographical turmoil wrought by a jungle of 100 or so groups of monoliths in shapes ranging from overhanging cliffs to grotesque boulders. "Number One Bizarre Spectacle Uner Heaven, "as the Stone Forest is nicknamed.
Yuantong Temple
Having witness 1200 years of changes since the completion in Tang Dynasty (618-907), Yuantong Temple, the oldest and largest temple in Yunnan, enjoys the popularity among the Southeast Aisan area. It is also a Buddhism temple in Kunming where the Yunnan Provincial and the city’s Buddhism Commission are based.
West Hill & Dragon Gate
On the side of Dianchi Lake in the western suburbs of Kunming, locates the marvelous West Hills that is up to 2500 meters above sea level. Seen from a distance, West Hill looks like a lying beauty by the lake with the hair dipping into the lake, so the Western Hills wins the nickname of the "A Sleeping Beauty Hills". With vast area of forests, West Hill is a lovely forest park where you can have a pleasant walk.
Huating Temple
A peaceful winding pathway among the flourishing forests will lead you to the mysterious Huating Temple that is one of the grander Buddhist Temples in the region with a history of over 900 years. The repairs and reconstruction make the Huating Temple more attractive and shinning.
An ancient bell tower towers in to the sky with most part hiding among the bamboo groves, which is the most outstanding symbol of the Huating Temple and the sound of which at every evening makes the temple more peaceful. In addition, the Great Hall, Heavenly Hall and Guanyin Tower, Yuhua Terrace and some other ancient buildings of characteristic antique styles bring more charms and attractiveness for your expedition.
Around the Huating Temple, picturesque landscapes are common scenes. Towering old trees are flourishing, running streams are clear, steep cliffs are mysterious and even the clouds over the skies are amazingly wonderful. Inside the temple, ancient architectures are magnificent, statuses of Buddha are shinning and invaluable historic relics are marvelous. All of the scenes out and inside the temple make a peaceful and charming place for tourists and pilgrims.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: in the western suburban of Kunming City
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Kunming city center will bring you here.
The Grand View Park
Around the magnificent Grand View Pavilion (Daguanlou), one of the top ten pavilions in China, picturesque sceneries will make you have no idea about with which part I should take photos. The flourishing trees provides a good resort to kill the heat in summer, next to which the well-designed fantastic rockeries, the gorgeous pavilions, the mini bridge over the rushing clear stream and the antique style corridors are so awesome that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
For the entire view of the beautiful Tien Lake, Grand View Pavilion is a good choice. Built in the year of 1828, the wooden Grand View Pavilion shows a strong antique flavor of Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). For the people who have passion for the Chinese couplets, the longest couplet in the history of China with 180 Chinese characters must be a feast of eyes. Besides, there are three stone pavilions in the lake in front of the tower, which were built following the sight Three Pool Reflecting the Moon in the West Lake.
On the night of The Mid-Autumn Festival, it is customary for people in the town to flock here to enjoy the beauty of the moon and flowers. On that night one can see the lake shimmering like silver, the pavilion's flying cornices silhouetted against the star-lit sky, the trees and arbours looming in the shadows while the flowers are shedding their aroma in the moonlight. The pavilion itself is decorated with colorful illuminations. The whole place is indeed a most enchanting sight.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 19:30
Ticket Price:
10 CNY for the park
2 CNY for the Grand View Pavilion
Location: No. 72, Daguan Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. 4, 22, 52, 95 and 100 and taxi (15 CNY) will bring you here.
Dianchi Lake
Hailed as the pearl on the Highland of Yunnan, Tien Lake, together with mountains around makes a picture of landscapes, is the very center of the scenic spots in Kunming. The sceneries around Tien Lake are so amazingly fantastic that tourists may feel reluctant to leave.
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Covering a vast area of 9,000,000 m2, the Yunnan Ethnic Village consists of 26 minorities of various amazing characteristics. Surrounded by the West Hills, Grand View Park and many other picturesque landscapes, Ethnic Village provides a good resort for your expedition.
Along each part of this big village, the well-arranged small villages are of different flavors, among which the cottages are designed lovely true to the real. Traveling along the villages, you will fall in love with the colorful and amazing culture, customs and religious principles in daily life. In addition, rushing streams and winding pathway linking the villages and the gorgeous corridors and pavilions decorating the peaceful villages are the hiding sceneries. By comparison, the trees along the steams and the flowers over the villages are adorably charming no matter when you travel here.
If your tour schedule falls on the folk festivals, it will be pretty funny and exciting. March Street Festival celebrated by Bai minority on 15th of lunar March, Water-sprinkling Festival celebrated by Dai minority on 13th of lunar April, Torch Festival celebrated by Yi minority on 24th of lunar June, Sword-ladder Climbing Festival celebrated by Lisu minority on 8th of the lunar February and many other local festivals in memory of various great people or events will bring you into a different experience of local customs.
Of course, the characteristic entertainments, such as the elephant performance, the cableways, the entertainments on water, the self-help pottery making and the flavorful local dishes and snacks from different minorities, which will make your tour among the harmonious villages more interesting and amazing.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
The Dai Nationality Village
With waters embracing and green trees relaying, the miniature of Dai village covers an area of 18,000 m2. The typical architecture style, stilt-style buildings (Diaojiaolou), is the most outstanding part, the A-letter-like roof of which is a reflection of the local rainy climate. The winding cobble pathways will show you around the splendid white pagoda, the gorgeous wind-rain bridge, the ancient well and the clock tower, all of which are of rice and colorful customs of Dai minority.
Meanwhile, the Dai people have their own rich cultural heritages. The myths, ancient songs, the heroic epic and the narrative poems are indeed their cherished cultural heritages they can be proud of. One of the well-known characteristics is the pavane (peacock dance), that has been enjoying a long reputation at home and abroad. The Dai people treat the peacock as a symbol of the luck, happiness and kind-heart, so they can perform the pavane vividly.
When we talk about the Dai, people always think of the water-sprinkling festival, which is held in the middle of lunar April. It is said that the one who is sprinkled more water will be more lucky and happier. On that day, people will worship the Buddha as well. In addition, the firm religious belief in Buddhism of all the people and the special wedding are the attractive elements as well.
All the fascinating sceneries and customs above can be got here in the miniature village of Dai.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price:
70 CNY from 8:00 -- 18:00
50 CNY after 19:00 at evening
Half fare for the individual student
Free for the kids below 1.1 m, the disable, the people older than 65 years
Location: No. 1310, Dianchi Road, Kunming
Transportation: Bus No. A1, 24 and 44 and taxi (15 CNY from the city center) will bring you here.
Dali
Highlights
Shibao Mountain
Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.
Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.
In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.
Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
The Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).
The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.
On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 10 CNY
Location: Midu County, Dali City
Butterfly Spring
Butterfly Spring derived its present name from a romantic legend. A beauty and an honest but poor boy (they were in deep love of each other) jumped together into the spring to escape the persecution of a rich man, and the next day, a couple of butterflies was flying around the spring.
Butterfly Spring seems like a miracle. On the arrival of the lunar April, thousands of butterflies assemble around the spring on time to have a fixed butterfly meeting. Colorful butterflies of various sizes and shapes are flying in the skies over the spring, which seems only can be seen in the movie. Some naughty butterflies fly hand in hand to make a string of butterflies and then hang themselves up on the trees. The clear spring bleeding out from the stone crevices will assemble to form peaceful pools. The pools assembling the fresh and sweet spring are as large as 6,500 m2, which are the outstanding sceneries in the park.
In addition to the butterflies and the springs, the flourishing trees act as the indispensable decorations. Towering old pines, green palms, gorgeous bamboos and other kinds of trees cover the entire park. In the early summer, graceful butterflies fly over the blooming flowers, making people hard to tell apart the flowers from the butterflies.
This spectacular sight has given rise to a local festival ---"Butterfly Meet" on April 15th. On that day, the young Bai dress up and come to the Butterfly Spring to attend it. The young men play instruments and sing for the girls they loved. The romantic spectacle of the butterflies as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of true love in the heart of the Bai people.
Notes:
Butterflies are not flying around the spring all the year round, but only a few days, so the best time to make a tour in Butterfly Spring is the 15th in lunar April
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
Location: North side of the Zhou Town, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the ancient town in Dali can bring you here (40 minutes / 4 CNY).
Erhai Lake
As the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province, Erhai Lake, covering 260 square kilometer and spanning 9 kilometer, is praised as the Mother Lake of the Bai Minority. With an average depth of 10 and the high visibility, the peaceful and clear Erhai Lake looks like a pure jade inlaying among the mountains.
The Three Pagodas
The Three Pagodas, which have experienced for 1,800 years’ history, were once parts of an old temple. In the years of 1925, almost the entire temple was ruined in a destructive earthquake, while these three pagodas stood there surprisingly intact. They are the symbols of the history of Dali City and historical witnesses of the development of Buddhism in the area. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. They are one of the most significant and majestic wonders in Dali and look magnificent.
Standing by the peaceful Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas look more mysterious in the reflections on the lake. Locate at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, the white pagodas look more outstanding and gorgeous. The 70-meter-tall main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, is one of the tallest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Inside the Qianxun Pagoda, there was a wood ladder for climbing to the top, which now is broken. Three Pagodas, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an are three curiosities of Chinese ancient architecture.
In the Qianxun Pagoda, there are many sculptures of Buddha made of silver, wood or crystal, Buddhist classics, and more than 600 various medicinal ingredients. These cultural relics play an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City. When the night falls, the pagodas are lighted up, shinning the whole sky. Reflections on the lake make the night more gorgeous.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 121 CNY
Location: 13 kilometers away from Xiaguan City, Dali
Transportation:
From Xiaguan city, tour bus will bring you here (3 CNY)
From the Ancient Town in Dali you can come here on foot (30 minutes)
Cangshan Mountain
Facing the Erhai Lake in the east and close to the Heihui River in the west, the Cangshan Mountain embraces many marvelous landscapes, among which the sceneries of clouds, springs, snow and marble are the top four charming.
Standing at the peak of the mountain, you can enjoy the beautiful varied clouds over the Cangshan Mountain, which will be as thin as a veil and then as dark as ink. The most magical and beautiful clouds are called Yudai Cloud that looks like a fairy dancing with a ribbon made of jade and the Wangfu Cloud that looks like a lady waiting for her husband with great eagerness.
Springs bleeding out from the rocks form many gorgeous landscapes. Apart from the eighteen streams, there are still many lakes over the altitude of over 3,800 meters, along the shores of which valuable medicine materials, trees of rare species and various flowers can be seen.
Amazingly, the 4100-meter-high Cangshan Mountain is covered with snow all the year. When the sun rises, it is very dazzling and splendid, especially in March. On the moonlight night, the snow reflects off the mountain, which will form a picture of a crystal world.
The last thing worth us to pay special attention to is a smooth marble named Cangshan Stone. Cangshan Mountain is a famous manufacture center of such a stone. The Caihua Stone distinguish itself by its unique patterns. Natural scenes of mountains, flowers, birds or people appear once it is polished.
Come to experience the roaring stream rushing down from the peak along the valley of the Cangshan Mountain, come to experience the special customs of the Bai Minority and come to experience the scenic spot group around the Cangshan Mountain and come for the discovery of more distinctive sceneries.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 90 CNY
Location: Cable car and horse can bring you here.
Dali Ancient Town
Delaying on the Cangshan Mountain, Dali Ancient Town, laying in the hug of the Erhai Lake, has experienced 1200 years’ history. Along the Ancient Town, the customs and ancient architectures with the original designs are well reserved. Potted plants can be commonly seen in the old houses, ancient wells are still shared among neighbors and clear streams are flowing through the town.
Jizu Mountain
Jizu Mountain is a member of the five mountains famous for the Buddhism in China and the others are Emei Mt., Wutai Mt., Jiuhua Mt. and Putuo Mt. With 13 splendid peaks, 34 steep cliffs, 40 hills of various sceneries, 45 mysterious caves, more than 100 marvelous spring pools, Jizu Mountain is a good place for adventure for extraordinary sights.
Standing at the peak of the 3240-meter-high Jizu Mountain, you will be amazed by the wonderful landscapes. At the east, the fantastic sunrise is waiting for you. At the south, the various caprice clouds will make you busy to tell what they are like. At the north, the snow mountain covered with white shinning coat is a feast of eyes. At the west, you can have a bird’s eye view of the peaceful and beautiful Erhai Lake.
In the mid of the Ming Dynasty, Jizu Mountain enjoyed the same fame as Ermei Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Putuo Mountain, with old trees touching the sky, smoke raising upwards, lots of old temples around the mountain, masters of monk coming out generations after generations, and visitors and scholars coming and going frequently. This mountain has been prosperous over thousand years, known as "A Mountain with Spirit, Capital of Buddhism".
Jizu Mountain has a long history and a bright culture. It is said that Kasyapa once performed Buddhist rites there. The existing structures on the mountain include the Zhusheng, Jingding, and Fota temples, the Kasyapa Hall, Huashou Gate and the Huideng and Muni convents. Jizu Mountain features a magnificent landscape and various animals and plants. It is a nature reserve in Yunnan Province.
Note:
March and April are the months when traditional festivals are celebrated, which is the best time for experiencing the pure local customs and culture.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price: 60 CNY
Location: Binchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the county center will bring you to the foot of the mountain. To the peak, you can take the cable car or ride the horse.
Shibao Mountain
Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.
Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.
In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.
Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
The Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).
The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.
On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 10 CNY
Location: Midu County, Dali City
Butterfly Spring
Butterfly Spring derived its present name from a romantic legend. A beauty and an honest but poor boy (they were in deep love of each other) jumped together into the spring to escape the persecution of a rich man, and the next day, a couple of butterflies was flying around the spring.
Butterfly Spring seems like a miracle. On the arrival of the lunar April, thousands of butterflies assemble around the spring on time to have a fixed butterfly meeting. Colorful butterflies of various sizes and shapes are flying in the skies over the spring, which seems only can be seen in the movie. Some naughty butterflies fly hand in hand to make a string of butterflies and then hang themselves up on the trees. The clear spring bleeding out from the stone crevices will assemble to form peaceful pools. The pools assembling the fresh and sweet spring are as large as 6,500 m2, which are the outstanding sceneries in the park.
In addition to the butterflies and the springs, the flourishing trees act as the indispensable decorations. Towering old pines, green palms, gorgeous bamboos and other kinds of trees cover the entire park. In the early summer, graceful butterflies fly over the blooming flowers, making people hard to tell apart the flowers from the butterflies.
This spectacular sight has given rise to a local festival ---"Butterfly Meet" on April 15th. On that day, the young Bai dress up and come to the Butterfly Spring to attend it. The young men play instruments and sing for the girls they loved. The romantic spectacle of the butterflies as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of true love in the heart of the Bai people.
Notes:
Butterflies are not flying around the spring all the year round, but only a few days, so the best time to make a tour in Butterfly Spring is the 15th in lunar April
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 45 CNY
Location: North side of the Zhou Town, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the ancient town in Dali can bring you here (40 minutes / 4 CNY).
Erhai Lake
As the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province, Erhai Lake, covering 260 square kilometer and spanning 9 kilometer, is praised as the Mother Lake of the Bai Minority. With an average depth of 10 and the high visibility, the peaceful and clear Erhai Lake looks like a pure jade inlaying among the mountains.
The Three Pagodas
The Three Pagodas, which have experienced for 1,800 years’ history, were once parts of an old temple. In the years of 1925, almost the entire temple was ruined in a destructive earthquake, while these three pagodas stood there surprisingly intact. They are the symbols of the history of Dali City and historical witnesses of the development of Buddhism in the area. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. They are one of the most significant and majestic wonders in Dali and look magnificent.
Standing by the peaceful Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas look more mysterious in the reflections on the lake. Locate at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, the white pagodas look more outstanding and gorgeous. The 70-meter-tall main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, is one of the tallest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Inside the Qianxun Pagoda, there was a wood ladder for climbing to the top, which now is broken. Three Pagodas, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an are three curiosities of Chinese ancient architecture.
In the Qianxun Pagoda, there are many sculptures of Buddha made of silver, wood or crystal, Buddhist classics, and more than 600 various medicinal ingredients. These cultural relics play an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City. When the night falls, the pagodas are lighted up, shinning the whole sky. Reflections on the lake make the night more gorgeous.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00
Ticket Price: 121 CNY
Location: 13 kilometers away from Xiaguan City, Dali
Transportation:
From Xiaguan city, tour bus will bring you here (3 CNY)
From the Ancient Town in Dali you can come here on foot (30 minutes)
Cangshan Mountain
Facing the Erhai Lake in the east and close to the Heihui River in the west, the Cangshan Mountain embraces many marvelous landscapes, among which the sceneries of clouds, springs, snow and marble are the top four charming.
Standing at the peak of the mountain, you can enjoy the beautiful varied clouds over the Cangshan Mountain, which will be as thin as a veil and then as dark as ink. The most magical and beautiful clouds are called Yudai Cloud that looks like a fairy dancing with a ribbon made of jade and the Wangfu Cloud that looks like a lady waiting for her husband with great eagerness.
Springs bleeding out from the rocks form many gorgeous landscapes. Apart from the eighteen streams, there are still many lakes over the altitude of over 3,800 meters, along the shores of which valuable medicine materials, trees of rare species and various flowers can be seen.
Amazingly, the 4100-meter-high Cangshan Mountain is covered with snow all the year. When the sun rises, it is very dazzling and splendid, especially in March. On the moonlight night, the snow reflects off the mountain, which will form a picture of a crystal world.
The last thing worth us to pay special attention to is a smooth marble named Cangshan Stone. Cangshan Mountain is a famous manufacture center of such a stone. The Caihua Stone distinguish itself by its unique patterns. Natural scenes of mountains, flowers, birds or people appear once it is polished.
Come to experience the roaring stream rushing down from the peak along the valley of the Cangshan Mountain, come to experience the special customs of the Bai Minority and come to experience the scenic spot group around the Cangshan Mountain and come for the discovery of more distinctive sceneries.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 90 CNY
Location: Cable car and horse can bring you here.
Dali Ancient Town
Delaying on the Cangshan Mountain, Dali Ancient Town, laying in the hug of the Erhai Lake, has experienced 1200 years’ history. Along the Ancient Town, the customs and ancient architectures with the original designs are well reserved. Potted plants can be commonly seen in the old houses, ancient wells are still shared among neighbors and clear streams are flowing through the town.
Jizu Mountain
Jizu Mountain is a member of the five mountains famous for the Buddhism in China and the others are Emei Mt., Wutai Mt., Jiuhua Mt. and Putuo Mt. With 13 splendid peaks, 34 steep cliffs, 40 hills of various sceneries, 45 mysterious caves, more than 100 marvelous spring pools, Jizu Mountain is a good place for adventure for extraordinary sights.
Standing at the peak of the 3240-meter-high Jizu Mountain, you will be amazed by the wonderful landscapes. At the east, the fantastic sunrise is waiting for you. At the south, the various caprice clouds will make you busy to tell what they are like. At the north, the snow mountain covered with white shinning coat is a feast of eyes. At the west, you can have a bird’s eye view of the peaceful and beautiful Erhai Lake.
In the mid of the Ming Dynasty, Jizu Mountain enjoyed the same fame as Ermei Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Putuo Mountain, with old trees touching the sky, smoke raising upwards, lots of old temples around the mountain, masters of monk coming out generations after generations, and visitors and scholars coming and going frequently. This mountain has been prosperous over thousand years, known as "A Mountain with Spirit, Capital of Buddhism".
Jizu Mountain has a long history and a bright culture. It is said that Kasyapa once performed Buddhist rites there. The existing structures on the mountain include the Zhusheng, Jingding, and Fota temples, the Kasyapa Hall, Huashou Gate and the Huideng and Muni convents. Jizu Mountain features a magnificent landscape and various animals and plants. It is a nature reserve in Yunnan Province.
Note:
March and April are the months when traditional festivals are celebrated, which is the best time for experiencing the pure local customs and culture.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30
Ticket Price: 60 CNY
Location: Binchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from the county center will bring you to the foot of the mountain. To the peak, you can take the cable car or ride the horse.
Shibao Mountain
Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.
Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.
In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.
Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City
Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
The Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).
The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.
On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00
Ticket Price: 10 CNY
Location: Midu County, Dali City
Lijiang
Highlights
First Bend of the Yangtze
The Yangtze River Bend, as its name indicates, is the spot where the southwards running Yangtze River turns northeastward due to the block of the mountain, which, seen from a distance, looks like the letter V. Seeing the spectacular Yangtze River roaring down from the roof of the world and then making a sharp turn will be a wonderful experience.
From the sightseeing hill, in addition to the splendid view of the entire First Bend, you can have a good angle for the sunset. Under the shining of the sunset, the river shows off the most wonderful part by turning the green mountains around into shining golden mountains. In this paradise, flowers may fully bloom in spring and corps may grow into red and yellow in autumn, making a harmonious living environment on the bank of Yangtze River for the hospitable folks.
With the gradual deposit of fertile soil at this spot, a village slowly came into being, now called Shigu Town, meaning "stone drum" in Chinese. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality hide and herbal medicine to exchange with the local tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. If your tour schedule falls on the market day, you can join into the amazingly crowded and noisy town by yourself.
Opening Hours: the whole day
Ticket Price: free
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang
Transportation: Take the shuttle bus or the tour bus from the bus stations in Lijiang to the Shigu Town and then change the bus to here.
Baoshan Stone Village
Stone village is in fact an ancient village with about 100 families living on the peak of the mountain with a mushroom shape. This mysterious village, facing the Chin-sha River, is embraced by steeps in the other sides. Therefore, there are only the North and South Gates as the access to the village. While, inside the gorgeous village the wide natural rock roads will show you around the amazingly splendid but simple stone-made architectures.
About 100km north of Lijiang, Baoshan Stone Village (baoshan shicheng) is located on a Herculean rock in the Jinsha River Valley. Virtually everything in the village is made of stone: stone ovens, stone water vats, stone beds, stone chairs and so on. The village is surrounded by cliffs on four sides with the Jinsha River flowing below and a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeps along the edge of the village.
The marvelous terraced fields created on the rocks with the clear mountain spring flowing down are a magic place where various sceneries can be seen. On the arrival of the spring, the newly transplanted corps is adorably green, while when the autumn falls, you will lose yourself at the scene that the golden rice, wheat and corns waving with the breeze. In addition, the huge stone carvings on the steep cliffs, created by the ancestors of the Naxi people, are the most spectacular scene that makes the tourists astonished.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: 100 km away from Lijiang City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from Lijiang will bring you here.
The Ancient Town of Lijiang
In the vast China, there are four intact-preserved ancient towns, and the ancient town of Lijiang is a shinning member of it. Unlike the other ancient towns, the Lijiang ancient town is open without any town walls that will make the town more mysterious, while the blue marble stone pathways winding along the town would bring you back to the history.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Hailed as the Oriental Grand Canyon, the Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia) is, to some extent, more attractive than the Grand Canyon. It is the most precipitous gorge in the vast China with an altitude difference of 3000 meters that is 600 meters more than that of the Grand Canyon. Therefore, the waterfalls here are amazingly marvelous, the stones here are surprisingly bizarre and landscapes on the cliffs here are spectacularly wonderful, all of which make Tiger Leaping Gorge a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
Tiger Leaping Gorge with a splendid view of the swift turbulent current of the Golden River is formed through constant cutting by the waters between Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Mountain. Spanning 17 kilometers long, the gorge, consists of the Upper Gorge, the Middle Gorge and the Lower Gorge, drops about 300 meters in a series of 18 rapids. The Lower Gorge is the most awe - inspiring part of all. The gorge, where the Golden Sand River pounds furiously at its rocky shores in an awesome fashion, sending up skilful of white froth, is a dream place for adventurers.
Seen from the bridge, the marvelous geological wonder, two huge mountains leaning close to each other and a large volume of fast moving water between them cutting deeper and deeper into the bottom of the gorge, will be more splendid. In addition, there is a drop of 3000 meters to the water, a beautiful and surprising place to go for photography.
Embraced by the arms of the picturesque Cangshan Mountain and guarded by an 8-meter-tall and 3.5-kilometer-long wall, the 600-year-old city of Dali was first built in 1683 and is characterized by the ancient stonewalls, grey tiled roofs, doors and windows carved with dragon and phoenix partners and gardens of varying sizes. The entire city is covered by a maze of streams, fed by runoffs from the Cangshan Mountain. Hence, the saying the gurgling of water can be heard in every house and flowers are planted in every family.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang City
Transportation: Bus from Lijiang Bus Station and taxi will bring you here.
Lugu Lake
Lying in the flourishing forests far away from the pollution, Lugu Lake, covers 50 square kilometers with thousands square kilometers of lawns, is like a pearl inlayed in the plateau. With seven islands on the lake, the largest freshwater lake in Sichuan, seen from a bird’s eye of view, looks like a flying eagle with wings spreading.
Yufeng Monastery (Yufeng Si )
Built at the foot of the Yufeng Mountain in Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Yufeng Monastery has experienced more than 400 years of history. What may amaze you most is the huge old camellia that planted in Ming Dynasty (1364-1644), 100 years earlier than the construction of the monastery. This camellia is praised as the King of the Camellia for the marvelous size of it.
From the beginning of the spring to the beginning of summer, the camellia will be fully blooming for 20 times without breaking off just like a peacock showing off her tail, and the amount of the flowers blooming at each time is more than 1000, therefore there are surprisingly 20,000 flowers blooming every year. This magic camellia is said to be improved through grafting, so the flowers blooming on this 2-meter-tall camellia are as large as a plate.
On the arrival of the spring, people will come all the way from near and far to have a close look at this huge camellia blooming under the reflecting of the gorgeous Yulong Mountain with the snow as the coat.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: Yulong Mt., Lijiang City
Transportation: Taxi from Lijiang will bring you here.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xue Shan )
With an average altitude of 4000, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (yu long xue shan) is the wonderful place with marvelous spectacles in the challenging environment. Ganhaizi is a piece of vast grassland in the east with beautiful sceneries that provides a good angle for people to enjoy the entire sight of the Jade Dragon Snow Mt. White River, originates from the Jade Dragon Snow Mt., is a crystal-like river flowing along the Mt.. Yunshanping, a virgin forest with abundant rare natural resources, is the holy land of the Naxi people. All of them make Jade Dragon Snow Mountain a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
The mountains western flanks drop steeply to the Upper Yangtze River (Jinsha Jiang), helping to form magnificent, deep gorges, and the highest peak is Shanzidou. The summit, Shanzidou, is 5596 meters above sea level. Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources thrive on the mountain and a giant tram cart up here is one of the highest of its kind in China.
She is a botanist's paradise and a "kingdom of medicinal materials". Of the 13,000 kinds of plants in Yunnan, more than half of them can be found on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as well as 400 types of trees in 20 primeval forest communities. From April to June the azaleas turn the mountain into a riot of brilliant color. In autumn, blue rough gentian flowers cover her marshlands. She is decorated with blooming flowers 10 months of the year.
The mountain is also a sanctuary for animals, many of them rare animals that live at different temperature levels. She is home to 30 kinds of animals protected by the state, such as the wild ass, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, the lesser panda, the forest musk deer, the clouded leopard, the blood pheasant, the silver pheasant, and the spotted, yellowish civet cat.
She has attracted the attention of many scholars and travelers. Early in 1837, the French writer Bacier introduced Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in his acclaimed book "Universe". And seven years ago the chairman of the international Mountainous Region led a team to the mountain for field work.
In Lijiang City, you can have a magnificent view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with the main peak thrust into the clouds, the Old Man Peak standing out on the right and Black Snow Peak on its left.
Opening Hours: 7:30 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
190 CNY
80 CNY for the kids below 1.1 m
Location: 15 km away from the Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 7 (15 CNY) and taxi (100 CNY) will bring you here.
Baisha Mural
The Baisha Mural is a group of murals scattered around Lijiang City, which took 300 years to complete, therefore it is a reflection of the true life in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Having been undergone over 500 years of history, part of the Baisha mural group somewhat becomes indistinct, but a large part of which still can tell you about the culture of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
The mural group consists of more than 10 small groups, the amount of mural in all of which is up to 550. Those gorgeous murals with various styles, which are telling the stories of the religious belief and social life of the local, are a blooming intelligent show that you must visit.
Located in Baisha Township, 8km north of the seat of the Lijiang Naxi Nationality Autonomous County, the mural is a rich fusion that had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black, silver, dark green, gold and red colors, the murals in the back hall, overlaid with centuries of brown soot, are bizarre, the scenes and figures, some still vivid in detail, are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life, judges of the underworld, the damned, titans and gods, Buddha and bodhisattvas. There are trigrams, lotus flowers and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling. The deliberate damage done to the paintings is apparent and terrible, but the loss of the irreplaceable wooden statuary that filled the temple, of which there is no trace, is even more tragic.
These mural paintings, with their fine and smooth lines, bright colors, vivid pattern and balanced and harmonious composition are a wonderful sight that is not only crucial to the history of Chinese painting, but also important to cultural heritage relics.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: 12 km away from Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Lijiang will bring you here.
First Bend of the Yangtze
The Yangtze River Bend, as its name indicates, is the spot where the southwards running Yangtze River turns northeastward due to the block of the mountain, which, seen from a distance, looks like the letter V. Seeing the spectacular Yangtze River roaring down from the roof of the world and then making a sharp turn will be a wonderful experience.
From the sightseeing hill, in addition to the splendid view of the entire First Bend, you can have a good angle for the sunset. Under the shining of the sunset, the river shows off the most wonderful part by turning the green mountains around into shining golden mountains. In this paradise, flowers may fully bloom in spring and corps may grow into red and yellow in autumn, making a harmonious living environment on the bank of Yangtze River for the hospitable folks.
With the gradual deposit of fertile soil at this spot, a village slowly came into being, now called Shigu Town, meaning "stone drum" in Chinese. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality hide and herbal medicine to exchange with the local tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. If your tour schedule falls on the market day, you can join into the amazingly crowded and noisy town by yourself.
Opening Hours: the whole day
Ticket Price: free
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang
Transportation: Take the shuttle bus or the tour bus from the bus stations in Lijiang to the Shigu Town and then change the bus to here.
Baoshan Stone Village
Stone village is in fact an ancient village with about 100 families living on the peak of the mountain with a mushroom shape. This mysterious village, facing the Chin-sha River, is embraced by steeps in the other sides. Therefore, there are only the North and South Gates as the access to the village. While, inside the gorgeous village the wide natural rock roads will show you around the amazingly splendid but simple stone-made architectures.
About 100km north of Lijiang, Baoshan Stone Village (baoshan shicheng) is located on a Herculean rock in the Jinsha River Valley. Virtually everything in the village is made of stone: stone ovens, stone water vats, stone beds, stone chairs and so on. The village is surrounded by cliffs on four sides with the Jinsha River flowing below and a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeps along the edge of the village.
The marvelous terraced fields created on the rocks with the clear mountain spring flowing down are a magic place where various sceneries can be seen. On the arrival of the spring, the newly transplanted corps is adorably green, while when the autumn falls, you will lose yourself at the scene that the golden rice, wheat and corns waving with the breeze. In addition, the huge stone carvings on the steep cliffs, created by the ancestors of the Naxi people, are the most spectacular scene that makes the tourists astonished.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: 100 km away from Lijiang City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from Lijiang will bring you here.
The Ancient Town of Lijiang
In the vast China, there are four intact-preserved ancient towns, and the ancient town of Lijiang is a shinning member of it. Unlike the other ancient towns, the Lijiang ancient town is open without any town walls that will make the town more mysterious, while the blue marble stone pathways winding along the town would bring you back to the history.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Hailed as the Oriental Grand Canyon, the Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia) is, to some extent, more attractive than the Grand Canyon. It is the most precipitous gorge in the vast China with an altitude difference of 3000 meters that is 600 meters more than that of the Grand Canyon. Therefore, the waterfalls here are amazingly marvelous, the stones here are surprisingly bizarre and landscapes on the cliffs here are spectacularly wonderful, all of which make Tiger Leaping Gorge a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
Tiger Leaping Gorge with a splendid view of the swift turbulent current of the Golden River is formed through constant cutting by the waters between Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Mountain. Spanning 17 kilometers long, the gorge, consists of the Upper Gorge, the Middle Gorge and the Lower Gorge, drops about 300 meters in a series of 18 rapids. The Lower Gorge is the most awe - inspiring part of all. The gorge, where the Golden Sand River pounds furiously at its rocky shores in an awesome fashion, sending up skilful of white froth, is a dream place for adventurers.
Seen from the bridge, the marvelous geological wonder, two huge mountains leaning close to each other and a large volume of fast moving water between them cutting deeper and deeper into the bottom of the gorge, will be more splendid. In addition, there is a drop of 3000 meters to the water, a beautiful and surprising place to go for photography.
Embraced by the arms of the picturesque Cangshan Mountain and guarded by an 8-meter-tall and 3.5-kilometer-long wall, the 600-year-old city of Dali was first built in 1683 and is characterized by the ancient stonewalls, grey tiled roofs, doors and windows carved with dragon and phoenix partners and gardens of varying sizes. The entire city is covered by a maze of streams, fed by runoffs from the Cangshan Mountain. Hence, the saying the gurgling of water can be heard in every house and flowers are planted in every family.
Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 50 CNY
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang City
Transportation: Bus from Lijiang Bus Station and taxi will bring you here.
Lugu Lake
Lying in the flourishing forests far away from the pollution, Lugu Lake, covers 50 square kilometers with thousands square kilometers of lawns, is like a pearl inlayed in the plateau. With seven islands on the lake, the largest freshwater lake in Sichuan, seen from a bird’s eye of view, looks like a flying eagle with wings spreading.
Yufeng Monastery (Yufeng Si )
Built at the foot of the Yufeng Mountain in Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Yufeng Monastery has experienced more than 400 years of history. What may amaze you most is the huge old camellia that planted in Ming Dynasty (1364-1644), 100 years earlier than the construction of the monastery. This camellia is praised as the King of the Camellia for the marvelous size of it.
From the beginning of the spring to the beginning of summer, the camellia will be fully blooming for 20 times without breaking off just like a peacock showing off her tail, and the amount of the flowers blooming at each time is more than 1000, therefore there are surprisingly 20,000 flowers blooming every year. This magic camellia is said to be improved through grafting, so the flowers blooming on this 2-meter-tall camellia are as large as a plate.
On the arrival of the spring, people will come all the way from near and far to have a close look at this huge camellia blooming under the reflecting of the gorgeous Yulong Mountain with the snow as the coat.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: Yulong Mt., Lijiang City
Transportation: Taxi from Lijiang will bring you here.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xue Shan )
With an average altitude of 4000, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (yu long xue shan) is the wonderful place with marvelous spectacles in the challenging environment. Ganhaizi is a piece of vast grassland in the east with beautiful sceneries that provides a good angle for people to enjoy the entire sight of the Jade Dragon Snow Mt. White River, originates from the Jade Dragon Snow Mt., is a crystal-like river flowing along the Mt.. Yunshanping, a virgin forest with abundant rare natural resources, is the holy land of the Naxi people. All of them make Jade Dragon Snow Mountain a good place for adventure, photography and expedition.
The mountains western flanks drop steeply to the Upper Yangtze River (Jinsha Jiang), helping to form magnificent, deep gorges, and the highest peak is Shanzidou. The summit, Shanzidou, is 5596 meters above sea level. Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources thrive on the mountain and a giant tram cart up here is one of the highest of its kind in China.
She is a botanist's paradise and a "kingdom of medicinal materials". Of the 13,000 kinds of plants in Yunnan, more than half of them can be found on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as well as 400 types of trees in 20 primeval forest communities. From April to June the azaleas turn the mountain into a riot of brilliant color. In autumn, blue rough gentian flowers cover her marshlands. She is decorated with blooming flowers 10 months of the year.
The mountain is also a sanctuary for animals, many of them rare animals that live at different temperature levels. She is home to 30 kinds of animals protected by the state, such as the wild ass, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, the lesser panda, the forest musk deer, the clouded leopard, the blood pheasant, the silver pheasant, and the spotted, yellowish civet cat.
She has attracted the attention of many scholars and travelers. Early in 1837, the French writer Bacier introduced Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in his acclaimed book "Universe". And seven years ago the chairman of the international Mountainous Region led a team to the mountain for field work.
In Lijiang City, you can have a magnificent view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with the main peak thrust into the clouds, the Old Man Peak standing out on the right and Black Snow Peak on its left.
Opening Hours: 7:30 -- 16:00
Ticket Price:
190 CNY
80 CNY for the kids below 1.1 m
Location: 15 km away from the Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 7 (15 CNY) and taxi (100 CNY) will bring you here.
Baisha Mural
The Baisha Mural is a group of murals scattered around Lijiang City, which took 300 years to complete, therefore it is a reflection of the true life in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Having been undergone over 500 years of history, part of the Baisha mural group somewhat becomes indistinct, but a large part of which still can tell you about the culture of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
The mural group consists of more than 10 small groups, the amount of mural in all of which is up to 550. Those gorgeous murals with various styles, which are telling the stories of the religious belief and social life of the local, are a blooming intelligent show that you must visit.
Located in Baisha Township, 8km north of the seat of the Lijiang Naxi Nationality Autonomous County, the mural is a rich fusion that had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black, silver, dark green, gold and red colors, the murals in the back hall, overlaid with centuries of brown soot, are bizarre, the scenes and figures, some still vivid in detail, are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life, judges of the underworld, the damned, titans and gods, Buddha and bodhisattvas. There are trigrams, lotus flowers and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling. The deliberate damage done to the paintings is apparent and terrible, but the loss of the irreplaceable wooden statuary that filled the temple, of which there is no trace, is even more tragic.
These mural paintings, with their fine and smooth lines, bright colors, vivid pattern and balanced and harmonious composition are a wonderful sight that is not only crucial to the history of Chinese painting, but also important to cultural heritage relics.
Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00
Ticket Price: 40 CNY
Location: 12 km away from Lijiang city center
Transportation: Bus No. 6 from Lijiang will bring you here.
First Bend of the Yangtze
The Yangtze River Bend, as its name indicates, is the spot where the southwards running Yangtze River turns northeastward due to the block of the mountain, which, seen from a distance, looks like the letter V. Seeing the spectacular Yangtze River roaring down from the roof of the world and then making a sharp turn will be a wonderful experience.
From the sightseeing hill, in addition to the splendid view of the entire First Bend, you can have a good angle for the sunset. Under the shining of the sunset, the river shows off the most wonderful part by turning the green mountains around into shining golden mountains. In this paradise, flowers may fully bloom in spring and corps may grow into red and yellow in autumn, making a harmonious living environment on the bank of Yangtze River for the hospitable folks.
With the gradual deposit of fertile soil at this spot, a village slowly came into being, now called Shigu Town, meaning "stone drum" in Chinese. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality hide and herbal medicine to exchange with the local tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. If your tour schedule falls on the market day, you can join into the amazingly crowded and noisy town by yourself.
Opening Hours: the whole day
Ticket Price: free
Location: Naxi County, Lijiang
Transportation: Take the shuttle bus or the tour bus from the bus stations in Lijiang to the Shigu Town and then change the bus to here.
Baoshan Stone Village
Stone village is in fact an ancient village with about 100 families living on the peak of the mountain with a mushroom shape. This mysterious village, facing the Chin-sha River, is embraced by steeps in the other sides. Therefore, there are only the North and South Gates as the access to the village. While, inside the gorgeous village the wide natural rock roads will show you around the amazingly splendid but simple stone-made architectures.
About 100km north of Lijiang, Baoshan Stone Village (baoshan shicheng) is located on a Herculean rock in the Jinsha River Valley. Virtually everything in the village is made of stone: stone ovens, stone water vats, stone beds, stone chairs and so on. The village is surrounded by cliffs on four sides with the Jinsha River flowing below and a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeps along the edge of the village.
The marvelous terraced fields created on the rocks with the clear mountain spring flowing down are a magic place where various sceneries can be seen. On the arrival of the spring, the newly transplanted corps is adorably green, while when the autumn falls, you will lose yourself at the scene that the golden rice, wheat and corns waving with the breeze. In addition, the huge stone carvings on the steep cliffs, created by the ancestors of the Naxi people, are the most spectacular scene that makes the tourists astonished.
Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 18:00
Ticket Price: 20 CNY
Location: 100 km away from Lijiang City
Transportation: Shuttle bus from Lijiang will bring you here.
Shangri-la
Highlights
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Bitahai Lake
Meili Snow Mountain
Songzanlin Monastery
Baishui Tableland
Baimang Snow Mountain
Qianhu Mountain
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Bitahai Lake
Meili Snow Mountain
Songzanlin Monastery
Baishui Tableland
Baimang Snow Mountain
Qianhu Mountain
Shudugang Lake
Napa Sea
Guiyang
Highlights
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Huaxi Scenic Area
Located at 17 kilometers south of Guiyang, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation, crystal-clear waters and mountains. It's a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad.
There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake. The islands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park
Called "the flower of Guizhou plateau", Huaxi Park belongs to the Huaxi scenic spot area, which is 350.5 square kilometers in total. The most beautiful feature is the clear streams winding through hills and the flowers providing beautiful displays throughout the four seasons of the year. The water of Huaxi River is clear and clean. Huaxi is home to over 1,000 varieties of cultivated flowers which bloom year round.
Scenic attractions of the park are centered on the four small and exquisite hills: Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle and Snake. The Unicorn Hill is the major one of the four. It resembles the shape of a prancing unicorn. On the top of the hill, stones of various shapes stand upright like the horn of the unicorn. Yitianting pavilion is built up there, pointing up to the sky and provides a panoramic view of the park.
The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which are abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small poods and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty. A river tour from Dajiang Hill to Biyunwo offers views of beautiful landscapes along the entire river. Jitian Pavilion atop Unicorn Hill provides a panoramic view of the park.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. It's covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.
All of these make the scenery elaborately and naturally designed. Meanwhile, there are many villages sitting outside the park where you can enjoy the local customs. After climbing to the top of the Kylin Mountain, you can enjoy the entire wonderful scenery of the park and the surrounding countryside. Summer is the best time to visit this park owing to the fresh air and comfortable climate.
The park is really an ideal tourist destination all year round. Crystal-clear streams run like a mirror, bouquets of flowers and peaceful rurality will feast the visitor’s eyes. Therefore, it is considered as a "pearl of the Central Guizhou".
Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong)
Lying in Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong) covers an area of some 10 square kilometers. The scenic area belongs to the Karst topography with peculiar landforms, magnificent peaks and is crisscross with crystal-clear springs and streams. A small seven-arched bridge spans the river, hence the name of the scenic area. It's fantastic primeval scenery formed by virgin forests, limestone caves, twin lakes etc.
The Twin Lakes embraced by lush forests measure about 13 hectares. The rippling blue lakes are as deep as 37 meters, with the water temperature of approximate 15℃. Mandarin ducks are merrily swimming in pairs upon the lakes. The one kilometer long Gurgling River is endowed with 68 water drops or waterfalls with a total drop in elevation of 40 meters. The fishermen fishing in the River always reap bumper hauls. Among the numerous stalactite caves, Tianzhong Cave stands out prominently with its particular exotic scenery.
Jiaxiu Tower
Jiaxiu Tower is located on the Aoji Rock (the rock which looks like a huge turtle according to legend) on the Nanming River, in the southern part of Guiyang City. This magnificent building has long been the landmark of Guiyang.
First built in the mid-16th century, it has been rebuilt several times, yet has still managed to retain its original features. During the Ming dynasty (1573-1620), the local majesty, Jiang Dongzhi, ordered to build a causeway at where the tower locates today, linking to the southern bank of the Nanming River. Later a pavilion was built to honor the first scholar of the time and hoped that would encourage more scholars to follow the example. Thusthe tower was named "Jiaxiu towe", which means "First Sholar’s Tower". In 1621, the original pavilion was burnt in a fire and the stadholder of the time made it rebuilt. In 1689, it was destroyed again, and then, Majesty Tianwen rebuilt it again. So far, the tower has been reconstructed 6 times. For 400 years, it has become the symbol of the city, witnessing the history as well as the future of the development of the Guiyang city.
It is renowned for its layout such as the three-story tower 20 meters high with three carved eaves supported by a stone pillar and atop which is formed by diminishing size as four directions mount up. Located in water, right of the Guanyin temple and the Cuiwei tower; left of the Haibi pavilion, the Jiaxiu Tower is connected with two banks by the Fuyu Bridge (Floating Jade Bridge). All of these make Jiaxiu Tower spectacular.
Inside Jiaxiu Tower, there is a good collection of authentic works and paintings from ancient calligraphers. Of them, the most famous one is the couplet written by Liu Yushang in the Qing Dynasty. This couplet consists of 206 words as a whole, with 87 words in the first and the second line respectively, which is 26 words more than the "Longest couplet" preserved in the Big Guan Tower in Kunming. This couplet is notable not only for its length, but also for its literatural value. Its choice of words is so delicate and magnificent that it looks into not only the history of the tower but also the universal life of human being.
Ascending the tower, visitors can get a good view of the surrounding scenery. The night scene of the tower is the most impressive. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, reflected in water, the tower looks so beautiful that people may feel as if they had been back to the ancient times.
Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.
Huangguoshu Scenic Zone
Made up of 23 falls of which four come out of underground caves, the Huangguoshu Scenic Zone is located in Zhenning Buyi-Miao Autonomous County 150 km. from Guiyang City and 54 km. from Anshun City. The area surrounding this scenic spot is a typical karst terrain. Additionally, the Baishuihe River flows to form the nine-step cluster of 18 waterfalls among which Huangguoshu Waterfall is the grandest. This large cluster of waterfalls features the Huangguoshu Waterfall in the middle and is a marvelous spectacle of nature.
World famous Huangguoshu Fall reaches a width of 81m with a drop of 74 m. Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long Shuiliang-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle.
In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River, Spotting in the Zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. There are the Doupotang Fall, the broadest with a width of 105m and a height of 21m; the Luosi Fall with a height of 31m and the river flowing over it, it zigzags along for 350 m, the most elegant Yinlianzuitan Fall displaying scenery resembling many silver chains falling down, the Dishuitan Fall which breaks into 7 cascades with special attractiveness and the Guangjiaoxia Fall with the biggest flow. After visiting the Zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world.
Qianling Park
Qianling Park is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang, It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of "the First Mountain in South China". Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner pro-vides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and this add to the features of the park.
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Huaxi Scenic Area
Located at 17 kilometers south of Guiyang, Huaxi scenic area is endowed with dense vegetation, crystal-clear waters and mountains. It's a famous tourist scenic spot for being exquisite, meandering, quiet and secluded yet at the same time, rough, open and broad.
There are 108 islands of various size and shape on the lake. The islands resemble numerous brilliant stars embellished upon the transparent sky. Layer upon layer of reflections of the surrounding mountains on the lake are so vivid and clear. The lush mountains rising one upon another and the luxuriantly green forests around the lake enhance its beauty and grace.
Huaxi Park
Called "the flower of Guizhou plateau", Huaxi Park belongs to the Huaxi scenic spot area, which is 350.5 square kilometers in total. The most beautiful feature is the clear streams winding through hills and the flowers providing beautiful displays throughout the four seasons of the year. The water of Huaxi River is clear and clean. Huaxi is home to over 1,000 varieties of cultivated flowers which bloom year round.
Scenic attractions of the park are centered on the four small and exquisite hills: Unicorn, Phoenix, Turtle and Snake. The Unicorn Hill is the major one of the four. It resembles the shape of a prancing unicorn. On the top of the hill, stones of various shapes stand upright like the horn of the unicorn. Yitianting pavilion is built up there, pointing up to the sky and provides a panoramic view of the park.
The Huaxi River serpentines along exquisite small hills which are abound in limestone caves with gurgling underground streams. The clear and graceful waters of the winding Huaxi River flow through hills, over cliffs, under bridges and dash against rock walls, giving rise to myriad little torrents, mini-waterfalls, small poods and tiny shoals. Along its two banks orderly arrayed are houses, terraces, pavilions, towers, villas, hotels, stairways etc. built with superb workmanship. All these add up to its fascinating beauty. A river tour from Dajiang Hill to Biyunwo offers views of beautiful landscapes along the entire river. Jitian Pavilion atop Unicorn Hill provides a panoramic view of the park.
Viewed from afar, the nearby Linshan Hill, less than a hundred meters in height, looks like a natural miniature potted scenery. It's covered with tiers of green rocks, circumscribed by zigzag trails, and penetrated by limestone grottoes. The Tower of Drifting Clouds nestles adroitly within the Hill. Ascending to the Hill top, one has a panoramic view of Huaxi: on the mountain sides, small bridges span the churning streams, waterfalls crash down upon the blue waters, and the rolling river slows down to merge with the belt-shaped small lake. Tourists can enjoy the beautiful sights along the riverbanks in a boat.
All of these make the scenery elaborately and naturally designed. Meanwhile, there are many villages sitting outside the park where you can enjoy the local customs. After climbing to the top of the Kylin Mountain, you can enjoy the entire wonderful scenery of the park and the surrounding countryside. Summer is the best time to visit this park owing to the fresh air and comfortable climate.
The park is really an ideal tourist destination all year round. Crystal-clear streams run like a mirror, bouquets of flowers and peaceful rurality will feast the visitor’s eyes. Therefore, it is considered as a "pearl of the Central Guizhou".
Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong)
Lying in Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, Seven Small Arches (Xiaoqikong) covers an area of some 10 square kilometers. The scenic area belongs to the Karst topography with peculiar landforms, magnificent peaks and is crisscross with crystal-clear springs and streams. A small seven-arched bridge spans the river, hence the name of the scenic area. It's fantastic primeval scenery formed by virgin forests, limestone caves, twin lakes etc.
The Twin Lakes embraced by lush forests measure about 13 hectares. The rippling blue lakes are as deep as 37 meters, with the water temperature of approximate 15℃. Mandarin ducks are merrily swimming in pairs upon the lakes. The one kilometer long Gurgling River is endowed with 68 water drops or waterfalls with a total drop in elevation of 40 meters. The fishermen fishing in the River always reap bumper hauls. Among the numerous stalactite caves, Tianzhong Cave stands out prominently with its particular exotic scenery.
Jiaxiu Tower
Jiaxiu Tower is located on the Aoji Rock (the rock which looks like a huge turtle according to legend) on the Nanming River, in the southern part of Guiyang City. This magnificent building has long been the landmark of Guiyang.
First built in the mid-16th century, it has been rebuilt several times, yet has still managed to retain its original features. During the Ming dynasty (1573-1620), the local majesty, Jiang Dongzhi, ordered to build a causeway at where the tower locates today, linking to the southern bank of the Nanming River. Later a pavilion was built to honor the first scholar of the time and hoped that would encourage more scholars to follow the example. Thusthe tower was named "Jiaxiu towe", which means "First Sholar’s Tower". In 1621, the original pavilion was burnt in a fire and the stadholder of the time made it rebuilt. In 1689, it was destroyed again, and then, Majesty Tianwen rebuilt it again. So far, the tower has been reconstructed 6 times. For 400 years, it has become the symbol of the city, witnessing the history as well as the future of the development of the Guiyang city.
It is renowned for its layout such as the three-story tower 20 meters high with three carved eaves supported by a stone pillar and atop which is formed by diminishing size as four directions mount up. Located in water, right of the Guanyin temple and the Cuiwei tower; left of the Haibi pavilion, the Jiaxiu Tower is connected with two banks by the Fuyu Bridge (Floating Jade Bridge). All of these make Jiaxiu Tower spectacular.
Inside Jiaxiu Tower, there is a good collection of authentic works and paintings from ancient calligraphers. Of them, the most famous one is the couplet written by Liu Yushang in the Qing Dynasty. This couplet consists of 206 words as a whole, with 87 words in the first and the second line respectively, which is 26 words more than the "Longest couplet" preserved in the Big Guan Tower in Kunming. This couplet is notable not only for its length, but also for its literatural value. Its choice of words is so delicate and magnificent that it looks into not only the history of the tower but also the universal life of human being.
Ascending the tower, visitors can get a good view of the surrounding scenery. The night scene of the tower is the most impressive. Colorfully decorated with lanterns, reflected in water, the tower looks so beautiful that people may feel as if they had been back to the ancient times.
Tianhe (Heavenly River) Pond
The Tianhe Pond, formerly called the Tiansheng (Heavenly Born) Bridge, is situated on the upper reaches of Huaxi River in Shiban Town, 12 km. from Huaxi district and 25 km. from Guiyang. The scenic resort area covers 15 square kilometers. It centers on a clear pood surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs covered with green trees. Precipices tower into the clouds with green trees spotting the mountain and surrounding the pond like a skylight. The crystal clear blue water in the pond reflects a plank path built along the face of cliff. Tianhe Pood is a typical naturally sunken pit of calcified rocks. The scenic area has four major sections, including a clacified stalactite waterfall, the Xiangba Trench, a water cavern and a dry one, each with its own characteristic features. Around the pond there are three karst caves, the Upper Cave, Right Cave and Lower Cave.
Tourists can boat into the Upper Cave on the underground river and enjoy wonderful scenery like the Conch Palace and the Tides Pond. The Right Cave is a dry one, along which one can get pleasure from natural scenery while climbing up the mountain along the cave. The Lower Cave is under a natural bridge where water flows out of the pond and forms a series of waterfalls with rural scenery of a bridge and waterwheel. The scenery of skylight and deep pond, river on and under the ground, dry and watery cave, rural scenery displays distinctive, mysterious and wonderful colors.
There are two natural limestone caves in the cliffs. One of them is a treasure house of stalactites of different images. The 210-meter wide stalactite waterfall is the widest of the kind in China. Roaring waters from the hill create caves of different sizes and shapes. When the waters are abundant, they are like jumping tigers and running horses; when the waters are not so powerful, mists from the river fly at the gust of wind. The 100-step stone bridge over the Wolong Lake cast its reflections in the mirror-like water. All constitutes beautiful scenery in the Chinese painting.
Huangguoshu Scenic Zone
Made up of 23 falls of which four come out of underground caves, the Huangguoshu Scenic Zone is located in Zhenning Buyi-Miao Autonomous County 150 km. from Guiyang City and 54 km. from Anshun City. The area surrounding this scenic spot is a typical karst terrain. Additionally, the Baishuihe River flows to form the nine-step cluster of 18 waterfalls among which Huangguoshu Waterfall is the grandest. This large cluster of waterfalls features the Huangguoshu Waterfall in the middle and is a marvelous spectacle of nature.
World famous Huangguoshu Fall reaches a width of 81m with a drop of 74 m. Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long Shuiliang-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle.
In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River, Spotting in the Zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. There are the Doupotang Fall, the broadest with a width of 105m and a height of 21m; the Luosi Fall with a height of 31m and the river flowing over it, it zigzags along for 350 m, the most elegant Yinlianzuitan Fall displaying scenery resembling many silver chains falling down, the Dishuitan Fall which breaks into 7 cascades with special attractiveness and the Guangjiaoxia Fall with the biggest flow. After visiting the Zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world.
Qianling Park
Qianling Park is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang, It is named after Mt. Qianlingshan which was awarded the title of "the First Mountain in South China". Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner pro-vides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and this add to the features of the park.
Qilin Cave
Qilin(unicorn), refers to a kind of animal recorded in ancient Chinese books, which are considered as one of holy animals together with, phoenix, tortoise and dragon. All of them are mounts for immortals. Giraffe is often deemed as the incarnation of Qilin in reality. People always use this word to praise someone with outstanding performance.
Qilin Cave is located in Qianling park. It was originally called Baiyi Nunnery, where nuns cultivate themselves according to a religious doctrine. The cave is natural cave chamber and the cave is named after the unicorn-shaped stalactite inside the cave. It is also famous as the location where two patriotic Chinese generals Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng were imprisoned during the Chinese Civil War. The two generals initiated the Xi’an Incident, a significant historic event in Chinese History. In 1985,a exhibition room is set up to commemorate them. The items include furniture used by the generals and his closed girlfriend, the materials and documents as well. The documents are divided into 12 sections with 171 pictures in total. The rooms they used to live are restored as well.
The nunnery has been destroyed long time ago. New and fine building surrounded with water and hills take its place. Vines straggling over the cave look like a natural curtain. Osmanthus, pomegranate evergreen, Chinese redbud, chrysanthemum are planted around the save. what a beautiful scene in the autumn!
In 1982, Qilin Cave is listed as cultural relics under provincial protection. In 1997, it is listed as patriotic Education Base in Guiyang.
Location: Inside Qianling Park, Yunyan District
Entrance fee: free
Transportation: Bus No.1, 2, 10,12,13,16,23,25,30
Hongfu Temple
Visitors may go up the winding path to the Hongfu Temple up the hill. It was built in the early Qing Dynasty, a 300-year-old famous Buddhist spot, where pilgrims come from home and abroad to worship Buddha, the Goddess of mercy, Manjusri and other Bodhisattvas. It is one of the most famous temples located in Guizhou province. On the way to the temple, up in the sharp cliffs, stone inscriptions can be seen here and there. Among them, the most notable one is the 6.2-meter-high and 3.7-meter-wide Chinese character of "Tiger", which was written by a man called Zhao Dechang in the year 1860. Its calligraphy is skillful and unique and is of high history value.
Hongfu Temple features majesty and sobriety. Hongfu means to develop Buddha's spirits and to benefit mankind. Today it is rated as one of the 142 national key temple scenic areas as well as the key cultural relic preservation in Guizhou Province.
On entering the gate of the temple, you will see the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower on both sides. The bronze bell weighs more than 3,000 Jin in Chinese measurement (equal to about 3,300 pounds), and was cast in 1469 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is the largest of its kind in Guizhou province.
In the first hall named Heavenly King Hall, you can see the statues of Maitreya Buddha and the four Heavenly Kings. On the walls there are also steles of sutra and colorful paintings. The second main hall is the Bodhisattva Hall dedicated to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with 32 arms. In the third hall named Mahavira Hall there are gilded statues of Sakyamuni and the 18 Arhats. There's also a jade Buddha statue from Rangoon, the capital of Burma. It is 1.5 meters high and weighs 900 kilograms. The statue looks beneficent but solemn, and it stands among more than 10 other jade statues of Bodhisattva and Maitreya.
From the "Kanzhu Pavilion" and " Wangcheng Tower" on the top of the mountain, one can get a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Guilin
Highlights
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Li River
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave Subduing Hill
Reed Flute Cave
Seven Star Park
Yangshuo
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Li River
Elephant Trunk Hill
Wave Subduing Hill
Reed Flute Cave
Seven Star Park
Yangshuo
Solitary Beauty Peak and Jingjiang Princes City
Solitary Beauty Peak, also known as Purple Hill, is located in the Jingjiang Princes City with reputation of “Southern Heaven Pillar”. At the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak, there is a Longevity Palace first built in Tang Dynasty, while a Solitary Beauty Pavilion is standing at the top. You can have a bird’s view of beautiful Guilin when you climb up 396 stone steps to the top. Dushu Rock, Taiping Rock and Crescent-shape Pond are at the foot of Solitary Beauty Peak while many ancient inscriptions are on the eastern side of the peak, for example “East or west, Guilin scenery is the best”. Other famous attractions include Snow Cave and Zhongshan Monument.
Jingjiang Prices City, praised as a “city in a city”, was built in Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 630 years. During the 257 years from its completion to the collapse of Ming Dynasty, 14 seigniors had lived here. Jingjiang Princes City became the Examination Compound in the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 19.78 hectares, Jingjiang Princes City composes of Chengyun Gate, Chengyun Palace, Palace Harem and Imperial Garden with other 40 rooms, pavilions and chambers. Listed as “the key cultural relics of national level”, Jingjiang Princes City is an irreplaceable scenic spot in Guilin.
If you want to enjoy picturesque mountains and crystal clear waters, Solitary Beauty Peak, famous royal treasure hill is your best choice. If you want to read the history of Guilin, Jingjiang Princes City will meet your need.
Tips:
1. Opening Hours: 9:30am—5:30pm
2. How to Get Here: No.1, 10, 11, 14, 100 Buses.
Folded Brocade Hill
Folded Brocade Hill, with an elevation of 73m, locates to the northeast of Guilin, facing beautiful Li River. As a beautiful and well-known hill, Folded Brocade Hill consists of Mingyue Peak, Crane Peak, Siwang Hill and Yuyue Hill, covering an area of 2km². Many amazing attractions such as Folded Brocade Pavilion, Yuyue Pavilion, Wind Cave and Wangjiang Pavilion etc. are on the hill. Besides, inscriptions on precipices carved by celebrities of all the precious dynasties are the essence of all relics.
Folded Brocade Pavilion, with a height of 5m, length of 7.5m and width of 8.5m, is architecture with single story, 4 angles, flat rooftop, red pillars and green tiles. With Yuyue Hill to the east, Siwang Hill to the west and Bright Moon Peak to the north, Folded Brocade Pavilion is harmonious with the surroundings. Stone benches standing from east to west, the northern side is the best place to appreciate the fantastic “folded brocade” and is an ideal place for rest. To the west of the pavilion, an inscription by Yu Qing of Ming Dynasty is also worth of visiting.
Wangjiang Pavilion is halfway up the hill and built during the reign of Emperor Zhengde (1506-1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in the years of 1954 and 1990, Wangjiang Pavilion is a pavilion with ancient style, 6m in height and dihedral angles. On the wall, a cliff inscription was carved as “a place for seeking adventures”.
Hong Kong
Highlights
This tour shows you the most beautiful sceneries in splendid China. It starts from Beijing, to witness and climb the magnificent ancient construction of the Great Wall and get a brief impression on this world-famous capital. The ancient capital city Xi’an is really a Chinese history book. Here you can visit the splendid Terracotta Warriors and Horses. The two-day long trekking in the Tiger Leaping Gorge will be a little bit adventures, but the sense of achievements you have eventually will make you forget your sore legs. Then we come to Guiyang, where you will be amazed at the grand Huangguoshu Waterfall. What’s more, you experience a cruise on the world-wide famous Li River through stunning karst landscapes in Guilin. Enjoy a leisurely walk at the West Street and be intoxicated in the warm and romantic atmosphere.
Itinerary
Arrive in Beijing, our guide (CET representative) will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. The capital city of the People’s Republic of China Beijing (Peking) is a fast-growing, dynamic metropolis with high-rise buildings, shopping malls and vast international hotels connected by an intricate freeway system crisscrossing the city.
Stay overnight in Beijing.
Meals included:
After breakfast, let’s go to have a visit to the [Temple of Heaven], which is a complex of buildings, gardens, and pathways. Its organization indicates relationship between Earth and heaven. Next stop will take a walk on the [Tian'anmen Square]. It is one of the largest city squares in the world, located on the central axis of old Beijing. In the center of Tian'anmen Square stands the [Monument to the People's Heroes]. Then we will go to the [Forbidden City]. They are imperial palaces for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. And the Forbidden City also named the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of the five world-famous palaces with the Versailles Palace in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in the U.S. and the Moscow Kremlin in Russia. Later the day will be on your own to explore more about this city.
Stay overnight in Beijing.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
China’s Great Wall is the world’s longest architectural structure and is widely renowned as one of the seven great wonders of the world. There is a famous saying in China that "You are not a hero unless you climb on the Great Wall." This morning we will drive to the [Jinshanling Great Wall], the less developed and commercial section of the Great Wall. This historic construction is somewhat dangerous to climb because it winds up and down the precipitous ranges, but as a reward, splendid views are available.
People say that a visit to Beijing isn't complete without trying the crispy and tasty Peking duck dinner, so we highly recommend a featured dinner for you at one famous restaurant.
Stay overnight in Beijing.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
This morning we will go to visit the [Summer Palace]--one of China's architectural masterpieces. a masterpieces of traditional Chinese gardening art, the Summer Palace combined artificial and natural attractions into a picturesque landscape. Of all the attractions inside the garden, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Long Corridor, the Marble Boat, Suzhou Street and the Garden of Harmonious Delights are the most famed.
After lunch we will drive to the airport for a pm flight to Xi'an. Upon arrival, you will be met by the guide and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day will be on your own to relax.
Stay overnight in Xi'an.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
With a history of more than 3,000 years, Xi'an has abundant collection of archaeological relies to express its rich history. This morning we will go to visit [Banpo Museum], where you can see lots of precious unearthed cultural relics and artworks, indicating the prehistoric civilization and showing you the productive activities in ancient time. Followed will be a renowned spot. Situated east of Xi'an city, the [Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum] is famous throughout the world for life-sized terra-cotta warriors and horses. The three pits of the terra-cotta warriors and horses excavated shows you how magnificent the structure of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum was.
Later this evening you may choose local special Dumpling Dinner and the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show to experience some typical custom.
Stay overnight in Xi'an.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
This morning we will go to visit the ancient [City Wall]. The wall now stands 12 meters (40 feet) tall, 12-14 meters (40-46 feet) wide at the top and 15-18 meters (50-60 feet) thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers (8.5 miles) in length with a deep moat surrounding it. And the [Provincial Museum], it is a striking Tang-Dynasty style pavilion, houses a large collection of 113,000 historic and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi. Also included is a visit to the [Big Wild Goose Pagoda]. It is one of the city's most distinctive and outstanding landmarks, possibly the most beautiful building left in Xi'an today. And then we will drive to airport for a pm flight to Kunming.
Upon your arrival at Kunming airport, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel.
Stay overnight in Kunming.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
In the morning, we will go to the [Green Lake Park] (Cuihu Gongyuan), which is one of the most picturesque parks in downtown Kunming. All year round the park is venue of one sort of exhibition or another, and with its snug seclusion it is frequented by local residents who come here for few hours of leisure. In November and December every winter, a huge flock of red-beaked gulls migrate here from Siberia. In winter and spring, Kunming residents flock to the Cuihu Park to feed red-beaked gulls. There are tens of thousands of them which have descended upon the lake. This lovable scene, man, birds and nature mingle in such harmony, has kept occurring over the last ten years. The rest of the day will be on your own to explore the city.
Stay overnight in Kunming.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Today we will enjoy a whole day tour in wandering in the [Stone Forest]. Those magnificent stone masterpieces, various strange and steep intricate formations, and countless labyrinthine vistas in Stone Forest (Shi Lin in Chinese) will definitely make you be marvel at. It is worthy of the fame as the 'First Wonder of the World'. And there goes a local saying: “It is a waste of time without being in the Stone Forest while visiting Kunming”.
Later this afternoon we will drive to Kunming Train Station to catch an overnight train to Dali after dinner.
Stay overnight on train.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
You are picked up by your guide at Dali Train Station in the morning, transferred to your hotel in the Old Town. The rest time in the morning will be your own.
After lunch, we will set out to visit the most outstanding landmarks in Dali, [Three Pagoda Temple]. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. They are used as a symbol of the town and appear on just about every calendar decorated of Chinese scenery. Then we will continue to visit a [local Bai Minority Family] for the first hand experience of the local daily life. The Bai, a branch of the Yi people, first settled this area some 4,000 years ago. Their hospitable and their traditional way of life and finished handicrafts will surely impress you.
Stay overnight in Dali Old Town.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Today we will depart Dali for Lijiang by private van/bus after lunch. It is roughly a 3.5 hour drive. The beautiful scenery along the way will surely impress you with some unique feeling. We may stop on the way for you to relax and take some photos. We will arrive in Lijiang before dinner time.
Stay overnight in Lijiang.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Lijiang is the old capital of the Naxi people, kin of the Tibetans, who are traditionally matriarchal and whose music and Dongba script are unique to them. Badly damaged by an earthquake in early 1996, the delightful town sits on a plain dominated by the snowcapped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. This morning we will go to the [Jade Dragon Snow-capped Mountain]. With skyscraping snow-capped peaks and its imposing body, it reflects in the interlaced rivers flowing under the old town, composing a fabulous picture. Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources thrive on the mountain and a giant tram cart up here is one of the highest of its kind in China. We will take cables to climb the mountain and be intoxicated in the picturesque scenery. And we also will organize a [Naxi Minority family visit] for you in the afternoon.
Stay overnight in Lijiang.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Depart for Tiger Leaping Gorge by private car, van or bus after breakfast. Before trekking, you'll have lunch at Qiaotou Town on the way and we will head on to Tiger Leaping Gorge and go straight to our first guest house.
Stay overnight at Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Relax in the morning and enjoy the view before we take the high trail to our second guest house. Wedged tightly between steep cliffs, the [Tiger Leaping Gorge] is one of the great, and mostly unspoiled, scenic spots in not only Yunnan province, but surely in China as well. It is a well-known gorge of Yangtze River，where the river is so narrow here. As described in legend, a hunted tiger made his escape to the other side in a single bound. The whole day will be a over three hours walk.
Stay overnight in Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
We will walk out from the Tiger Leaping Gorge before lunch time. After lunch in Qiaotou Town, we will head to Zhongdian, the town now officially recognized as "Shangri-La". This is actually the old Tibetan Province of Kham and was used as a winter grazing area for the livestock. The surrounding countryside is much as it always has been, preserving mysterious and ancient atmosphere. Eventually we will arrive at Shangri-la before dinner time.
Stay overnight in Shangri-la.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Let’s go to visit [Songzanlin Monastery] today. It is a spiritual hub for people to discover the mystery and traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, a famous Tibetan style Buddhist temple in China. This scenic spot attracts the tourists for where they can enjoy the view and be lucky to take photos of girls wearing exquisite Tibetan costumes holding perfectly white fluffy lambs against the imposing mountains and blue sky. Also we will arrange to visit the [old part of the town] and have a [Tibetan family visiting]. The Tibetan built their houses in distinctive religious styles influenced by Buddhism. You can taste Tibetan specialties of yak butter tea, local yogurt and Tibetan barley. Later this afternoon will be on your own to walk around. We suggest you get a feeling of local people's daily life by visit the local market to get a feeling of local people's daily life.
Stay overnight in Shangri-la.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Take a morning flight back to Kunming. Then catch another flight to Guiyang in the afternoon or in the evening. Guiyang situates in the southwest China with a population of about 3.5 million, of which 65% is Han and the rest a mixture of minorities such as Miao, Bouyei, Dong, Yi, Shui, Hui, Gelao, Zhuang, Yao, Bai, Tujia, etc. The most populous minority ethnic group is the Miao, and less populous are the Buyi, the Dong, and the Tujia. It becomes a developing tourist resort of China due to its beautiful scenery, pleasant climate and abundant tourist resources. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day will be leisure at relax.
Stay overnight in Guiyang.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
After breakfast, we will drive to the [Huangguoshu Waterfall]. World famous Huangguoshu Waterfall reaches a width of 81m (about 266feet) with a drop of 74m (about 243feet). Behind the Fall, lies the 134 meter-long (about 0.1miles long) Shuilian-dong (the Water Curtain Cave) where one can watch the grand fall inside which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. The view from this amazing spot is particularly stirring at sunset. Xiniu Tan, the pond into which the waterfall pours, is accessible. Standing by the pond, tourists can be closer to the natural spectacle. In addition to the Huangguoshu, there are over ten waterfalls and water-eroded caves along the Baishuihe River. Spotting in the scenic zone, are other falls with distinct features and charm respectively. After visiting the scenic zone, one would feel as if he has visited all the falls in the world. Later the day we will drive back to Guiyang.
Stay overnight in Guiyang.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Today let’s go for a visit to the [Qianling Park]. It is located on Qianling Mountain, northwest of Guiyang. Qianling Mountain situated in Guiyang's northwestern corner provides a vast comprehensive garden for the city. As one of the noted attractions on the Guizhou plateau, it boasts clear water, green mountains, tranquil forests and old temples. About 1500 kinds of trees and flowers as well as 1000 kinds of herbs have been found there in the Qianling Mountain. And there are gregarious macaques and flocks of birds too. More than 500 energetic and enchanting macaques live in the mountain in the park and add to the features of the park. There is a "holy fountain" up the mountain whose water is so clean that local people consider it coming from the heaven. The flowing steams from the fountain and the mist surrounding the forest make it one of the greatest eight scenic spots in Guiyang. After visit the park, the rest of the day will be on your own.
Stay overnight in Guiyang.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
After breakfast, we will go for a flight from Guiyang to Guilin. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day will be leisure at relax.
Stay overnight in Guilin.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Today we will go to Longji, a minority area with magnificent terraced rice paddies. During the tour to the [Longji Terraces], you may have a chance to take some wonderful pictures of minority people wearing exquisite costumes along the way. Located southeast of Longsheng, the rice terraces are built into the hillsides which look like great chains or ribbons as they wind from the foot to the top of the hill. This ingenious construction makes best use of the scare arable land and water resources in the mountainous area. Later this afternoon we will drive to visit [Huangluo Red Yao minority village]. Women there all keep their hair to a length of more than one meter. You will be marvel at their characteristic red costumes and beauty.
Stay overnight in Longsheng.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Early this morning we will drive to the Longsheng town. By visiting the local market, you can explore more interesting things in daily life of local people. Then we will drive to Guilin city. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel, enjoy a leisure afternoon.
Stay overnight in Guilin.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
This morning we will begin one of your highlights in China tour. That is having [Li River cruise]. Cruising downstream with a pleasant breeze greeting, you can sit on cushion comfortably or enjoy the open-air viewing platform. Bring lots of film because this is a photographer's dream, where you are able to capture the dramatic landscapes that Chinese artists have been painting for centuries. Lunch will be served onboard. Enjoy the Li River picturesque scenery to Yangshuo. Disembark and walk to the West Street, which has received countless foreigners from all over the world and reputed as "Earth Village in China". Today, the 600 meters (about 0.37miles) long street has more than 300 cafes, restaurants, hotels art crafts and tourist stores, foreign language clubs, internet centers and Kungfu schools. This afternoon you will be free at leisure, you can enjoy a coffee time at the West Street, or walk around the small Yangshuo town.
Stay overnight in Yangshuo.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
After breakfast, we will drive back to Guilin city. It will take the rest of the day in Guilin to discover its shinning scenic spots that make the city unique and especially beautiful. The symbol of Guilin, [Elephant Trunk Hill] is standing in the Li River and looks like an elephant drinking water from the river. The [Reed Flute Cave] is one of the most spectacular caves displaying karst geographical formation in various shapes. After the visit, we will continue to the nearby [South China Sea Pearl Museum], where we can learn some knowledge of pearls and have the chance to purchase real sea pearl at competitive prices. After dinner, we recommend a cruise in the city's central area on a water system, which will absolutely give you a deep impression of Guilin.
Stay overnight in Guilin.
Meals included: Breakfast , Lunch
Today will be on your own to relax or explore more about the city and until you are ready to be transferred to the airport for a flight to Hong Kong to continue your tour or for departure. Our service will end at the airport of Guilin.
Meals included: Breakfast
Pricing & Accommodation
-
US Dollar -
Euro -
GB Pound -
CA Dollar -
AU Dollar -
HK Dollars -
Renminbi
| 1 person | 2-5 persons | 6-9 persons | ≥10 persons | Single Room Supplement | |
| First Class Tour | $7696 | $4817 | $4100 | $3464 | $1690 |
| Comfortable Tour | $6140 | $3855 | $3236 | $3040 | $960 |
| Standard Tour | $5056 | $3468 | $2854 | $2536 | $610 |
* Price in every box above is for each person.
* The default currency is in US dollar. Please use the Currency Converter to see the equivalent quote in your currency. Price is for references only, it may vary according to your actual travel itinerary, travel time, hotel price rise or fall, US dollar exchange rate fluctuation, car fuel price change and government tax adjustment, etc..
* The price is only for your reference and it is subject to seasons, high or low.Please send us your inquiry if you are interested.
* The differences between First Class Tour, Comfortable Tour and Standard Tour are mainly reflected in the hotels we use. For First Class Tour, we use mostly 5 star hotels (or hotels corresponded to 5 star ones), 4 star hotels for Comfortable Tour and 3 star hotels for Standard Tour. But there’re exceptions when there come home stay experience, remote destinations and other specified circumstances in the itinerary.
Hotel list
| First Class Tour | Comfortable Tour | Standard Tour | |
| Beijing | Prime Hotel Beijing | Qianmen Jianguo | King Park View |
| Capital Hotel | Plaza Hotel Beijing | Holiday Inn Express Beijing Minzuyuan | |
| Xi’an | Jianguo Hotel Xi’an | Grand New World Hotel | City Hotel Xi’an |
| Tianyu Gloria Plaza Hotel | Aurum International Hotel | Melody Hotel Xi’an | |
| Kunming | Grand Park Hotel | Green Land Hotel | Jinjiang Hotel |
| Bank Hotel | New Era Hotel | Golden Dragon Hotel | |
| Dali | Gurong Hotel | Asia Star Hotel | |
| Regent Hotel | Landscape Hotel | ||
| Lijiang | Guanfang Hotel Lijiang | Wangfu Hotel | Grand Lijiang Hotel |
| Zen Garden Hotel | Sightseeing Hotel Lijiang | Sanhe Hotel | |
| Tiger Leaping Gorge | Guest house | Guest house | Guest house |
| Shangri-la | Paradise Hotel | Sightseeing Hotel Diqing | Pacific Ram Hotel |
| Poly Palace Hotel | |||
| Guiyang | Howard Gohnson Plaza Hotel Guizhou | Guizhou Trade-Point Hotel | Nanxiang Hotel Guiyang |
| Guilin | Sheraton Guilin | Bravo Hotel Guilin | Osmanthus Hotel Guilin |
| Shangri-la Hotel Guilin | Park Hotel Guilin | Hotel Universal Guilin | |
| Longsheng | Guesthouse | Guesthouse | Guesthouse |
| Yangshuo | Green Lotus Hotel Yangshuo | Yangshuo New Century Hotel | Yangshuo Aiyuan Hotel |
| Yangshuo Resort | Yangshuo Tangrenjie Hotel | Yangshuo Regency Holiday Hotel |
Inclusions / Exclusions
Inclusions:
- Attraction Entrance Fees
- Centrally Located Hotels
- Authentic Chinese Food
- Private Experienced Guides
- Private Cars/Van with Drivers
- Internal Flights/Train(s) in China
- Luggage Transfers
- Airport Taxes and Fuel Fees
- Service Charge & Government Taxes
- Travel Insurance
Exclusions:
- International Airfare to Enter/Leave China
- China Entry Visa Fees
- Excess Baggage Charges
- Personal Expenses
- Single Room Supplement
- Tips or Gifts to Guides/Drivers/Bellmen
Important Information
How to Pack up
We suggest that each person packs up one rollable suitcase with the weight under 20 kg/44lb. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like iPods and mobile phones.
Checklist
It's only for reference and you may not need all of them. Choose from below according to the tour you pick up:
Passport (with photocopies)
Travel insurance (with photocopies)
Airline tickets (with photocopies)
USD cash and travelers checks
Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
ChinaExpeditionTours vouchers and trip dossier
Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
Day pack for daily personal items
Wet wipes / Moist towelettes
Alarm clock
Flashlight
Sun hat, Sun block, Sunglasses
Insect Repellent
Water bottle and Plastic mug for train journeys
Ear plugs for train journeys or light sleepers
Small towel and swim wear
Toiletries (biodegradable)
Sturdy walking shoes/Sport sandals
Money belt
Shorts for summer months (June – September)
Long pants
Shirts/T-shirts
Warm clothes for Nov-April. Fleece, Jacket, hat and gloves
Umbrella or waterproof jacket.
Cover for backpack or plastic bags to keep clothes dry.
Camera, film and memory chip
Reading/writing material
Binoculars
Pocketknife
First-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking).
Local Dress
Generally speaking, the dress standard is more conservative in China than it is in western countries. Things also changes quickly, nowadays the young Chinese share the same hobbies with their western counterparts. When packing try to pick loose, lightweight, long clothing that will keep you cool in the usually hot and humid climate of summers. In predominately Buddhist and Muslim regions we ask that you dress respectfully and avoid very short shorts/skirts and singlets/tanktops when visiting temples or mosques or other holy sites.
Spending Money
Every traveler is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travelers may drink more than others while other travelers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.
Money Exchange
As currency exchange rates in Asia fluctuate often we ask that you refer to internet for the recent exchange rates. There are many ATM machines that accept both Visa and MasterCard and other credit cards in most Chinese cities. We also recommend the use of cash and travelers checks in USD currency. Major credit cards are accepted in big shops but they may charge a 2-4% transaction fee. For the small shops and the street venders, they take cash (either Chinese Yuan or US dollar) only.
Meals
Eating is a big part of your traveling in China. Travelling with ChinaExpeditionTours you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally breakfasts and lunches are included except dinners to give you the flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. Your group leader or local guide will be able to suggest favorite restaurants during your trip.
Emergency Fund
Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD200 (or equivalent) as an "emergency" fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control, necessitate a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!
Tipping
It is customary to tip service providers in travel industry in Asia, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is expected - though not compulsory - and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. Recommendations for tipping local guides would range from $6-$10 USD per person per day depending on the quality and length of the service, for driver, it could be half. If necessary, ask your tour leader or call your ChinaExpeditionTours tour advisor for specific recommendations based on the circumstances. If you have a tour leader for the whole tour, at the end of the trip if you felt he/she did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference. However as a guideline $6-10 USD per person, per day can be used.
Local Flights
All local flights are included in the cost of your tour unless otherwise noted. It is important that we have your passport information at the time of booking in order to process these tickets. Internal flight tickets are all e-tickets. They are issued locally and You will be given the information of them prior to the flight departure.
Laundry
Generally laundry facilities are offered by our hotels for a charge. You also can go to a laundry service center near your hotel to have your clothing washed at a lower cost. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry so we suggest you bring non-polluting/biodegradable soap.
Safety and Security
We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe keeping of your passport, air tickets, travelers' checks, cash and other valuable items. Many of the hotels we cooperate with have safety deposit boxes which are the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage.
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure. When travelling on a trip, please note that your group leader or local guides has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Your leader or local guides will accompany you on all included activities. During your trip you will have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your group leader or local guides will assist you with options available in a given location please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we offer no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgment when selecting an activity in your free time.
A Couple of Rules
Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on any trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of China but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Smoking marijuana and opium is not acceptable for ChinaExpeditionTours travelers. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter, and in particular the local people who make the world the special place it is. Use of illegal drugs is completely contrary to this philosophy and local law. Our group leader or local guides has the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or used.
Health
If you want to fully enjoy your trip abroad, a good health and confidence in physical strength are important. This trip may contain a fair amount of walking up and down steps in towns or climbing mountains. You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that sometimes we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders or local guides are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. In China pharmacies tend to stock the same western drugs as you get at home but they are usually produced locally so please bring the full drug name with you when trying to purchase a prescription drug. When selecting a tour please carefully read the itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please refer to the Physical and Culture Shock ratings in this dossier for trip specific information. For travelers over 70 years a completed Medical Form is highly suggested to bring forth. ChinaExpeditionTours reserves the right to exclude any traveler from all or part of a trip without refund if in the reasonable opinion of our group leader or local guides they are unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group.
Medical Form
It is very important you are aware that, as a minimum, an "average level of fitness and mobility" is required to undertake our easiest programs. Travelers must be able to walk without the aid of another person, climb 3-4 flights of stairs, step on and off small boats, and carry their own bags at a minimum. Travelers over the age of 70, or travelers with a pre-existing medical condition, are required to complete a short medical questionnaire, which must be signed by their physician. This is to ensure that senior travelers have the necessary fitness and mobility to comfortably complete their chosen trip. While our leaders or local guides work hard to ensure that all our travelers are catered for equally, it is not their responsibility to help individuals who cannot complete the day's activities unaided.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. You must have comprehensive travel insurance that covers you for medical costs associated with hospitalization, emergency travel and repatriation back to your home country. Please take your insurance policy with you when you travel. You may take other cover, of course, but we require you to be adequately insured before we can allow you to participate in our programs. Your ChinaExpeditionTours leader or local guides will need to see and record your policy details at the pre-tour briefing at the starting city, so please bring a copy along to the meeting. If you arrive without travel insurance your tour leader or local guide will require you to purchase a policy before you continue your journey with us.
If you are covered by a policy arranged through your credit card company you will be asked to provide evidence of this cover, as well as a 24-hour emergency contact number. Many credit card companies do not provide an insurance policy number. In this instance, the tour leader or local guides will need to record your credit card number, as this is required to activate any request for emergency assistance. You should also bring along the travel insurance information booklet provided by your credit card company. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet the requirements set out by your credit card company in order to be effectively covered and that the cover offered is of a suitable standard.
Passport & Visas
Well before travelling, please ensure that you have a current passport, with an accurate photo, that is valid for at least six months after your scheduled return home. Also check that your airline tickets are in exactly the same name as your passport.
Please note that visas for China and Hong Kong are the responsibility of the individual traveler. The visa requirements for your trip vary depending on where you are from and where you are going. Americans, British, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders do currently require a visa for China. For all other nationalities please reconfirm your visa requirements with your government. For the most up to date information please check your governments' foreign ministry website. It is important that you check for yourself. For most travelers there will probably have an embassy and consulate in the country that you live in. Please note if you are travelling from China, into Hong Kong then back into China, you will need a double entry Chinese visa. Note that on some occasions people transiting through China on way to Hong Kong have been made to go through immigration and had their single entry visa stamped making this invalid. Do not allow your visa to be stamped if you are only going through transit.
Keeping in Touch
If you need to be contacted while travelling we recommend that you set up an email address that can be accessed on the road, rather than relying on postal mail. Email cafes are becoming increasingly commonplace and cheap throughout the country, and have quickly become the preferred way for our leaders and travelers to stay in touch. If someone wishes to contact you in an emergency while you are on one of our trips we recommend that they contact us so we can get into touch with your tour leader or local guide quickly by their cell phone and they can pass their cell phone to you! We recommend that family and friends don't try to contact you through phoning hotels en route, as our hotels are subject to change.
Feedback
After your travels, we want to hear from you! Your feedback information is so important to us and we'll record you and give you ChinaExpeditionTours travel points so you can use the points to get discount for your next ChinaExpeditionTours trip or your friends' ChinaExpeditionTours tours.
Per Person
