China 2008
Beijing
The capital of the People’s Republic of China is one of the world’s largest cities with a population of over 14 million. Beijing first became an imperial capital during the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), and both the Ming and Qing emperors ruled from the Forbidden City at its heart. Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympic Games. The Games made a dramatic impact on the capital, with ambitiously scheduled infrastructure improvements and massive construction projects.
If you watched any of the Summer Games, you will certainly recognize the ubiquitous Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube.
Tiananmen Square
The largest public plaza in the world, it was erected in 1417 at the height of the Ming Dynasty. The square was
renovated and renamed two centuries later at the onset of the Great Qing Dynasty. View several impressive monuments outlining the
Square's perimeter, including the Great Hall of the People, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the Square's famed ceremonial gateway.
Forbidden City
Just north a couple hundred yards, and forming the very heart of Beijing is the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace),a construction
comparable to the Pyramids in Egypt. Officially known today as the Palace Museum, it is China’s most magnificent architectural complex and
was completed in 1420. The huge palace is a compendium of imperial architecture and a lasting monument of dynastic China from which 24
emperors ruled for nearly 500 years. The symbolic center of the Chinese universe, the palace was the exclusive domain of the imperial
court and dignitaries until the 1920s. It was fully opened to the public in 1949.
Summer Palace
The Sprawling grounds of the Summer Palace served the Qing Dynasty as an imperial retreat from the stifling
summer confines of the Forbidden City. Despite existing as an imperial park in earlier dynasties, it was not until the time of Emperor
Qianlong, who reigned from 1736 to 1795, that the Summer Palace assumed its current layout. The Summer Palace is most associated,
however, with The Empress Dowager Cixi who had it rebuilt twice: once following its destruction by French and English troops in 1860,
and again in 1902 after it was plundered during the Boxer Rebellion.
Empress Dowager Cixi
Together with Tang dynasty Empress Wu Zetian, Cixi is remembered as one of China’s most powerful women. Having borne the Xianfeng emperor’s
son as an imperial concubine, Cixi later seized power as a regent to both the Tongzhi and Guangxu emperors (her son and nephew respectively).
Cixi prevented Guangxu from implementing state reforms and, in her alliance with the Boxer Rebellion, paved the way for the fall of the Qing
Dynasty in 1911.
Interestingly, astonishingly, and horrifyingly, Cixi never let her son or nephew assume any level of power, and wrested control from
Guangxu’s mother (Cixi’s own sister), by having Guangxu’s mother’s arms and legs amputated, and keeping her alive in a glass encasement
until she conceded her power and alliances to Cixi.
Great Wall
A symbol of China’s historic detachment and sense of vulnerability, the Great Wall snakes through the countryside over
deserts, hills, and plains for several thousand miles. Originally a series of disparate earthen ramparts built by individual states, the
Great Wall was created only after the unification of China under Qin Shi Huangdi (221-210 BC). Despite impressive battlements, the wall
ultimately proved ineffective; it was breached in the 13th century by the Mongols and then, in the 17th century, by the Manchu. Today,
only select sections of its crumbling remains have been fully restored.
The myth that the Wall is visible with the naked eye from the moon was finally buried in 2003, when China’s first astronaut failed to spot the barrier from space. The mass can be seen from a low earth orbit, but so can many other objects of human construction, such as highways and railways. Looked at from above, the relative width and uniform color of large roads renders them more distinct than the Great Wall, a structure even less visible from the moon, where even individual continents are barely perceptible.
Ming Tombs
The resting place for 13 of the 16 Ming emperors, the Ming Tombs are China’s finest example of imperial tomb
architecture. The site was originally selected because of its auspicious fengshui alignment; a ridge of mountains to the north cradles
the tombs on three sides, opening to the south and protecting the dead from the evil spirits carried on the north wind. The resting place
of the Yongle emperor (1360-1424), the Chang Ling is the most impressive tomb and the first to be built. It has been beautifully
restored, although the burial chamber, where Yongle, his wife, and 16 concubines are thought to be buried, has never been excavated.
Temple of Heaven
Completed during the Ming dynasty, the Temple of Heaven is one of the largest temple complexes in China and a paradigm of Chinese
architectural balance and symbolism. It was here that the emperor would make sacrifices and pray to heaven and his ancestors at the
winter solstice. As the Son of Heaven, the emperor could intercede with the gods, represented by their spirit tablets, on behalf of
his people and pray for good harvest. Off-limits to the common people during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Temple of Heaven is
situated in a large and pleasant park the now attracts early morning practitioners of tai chi, hacky sack, badminton, and rhythmic
gymnastics.
Beijing’s Courtyard Houses
At first glance, Beijing seems a thoroughly modern city, but a stroll through the city’s alleyways (hutong) reveals the charm of old
Beijing. These hutong – weaving across much of central Beijing – are where many Beijing residents still live. Typically running east
to west, hutong are created by the walls of courtyard houses. Formerly the homes of officials and the well-to-do, most are now state-
owned. With extended family all living together, and several families living together around one courtyard, a strong community spirit
is fostered. Today, houses are very expensive, though mostly still primitive, with the rich and well-to-do moving back in hopes of
recapturing lost tradition.
A great way to see the hutong – on a rickshaw, and as an added bonus, we visited the mansion of Prince Gong.
Mansion of Prince Gong
Beijing’s most complete example of a historic mansion is situated in the charming hutong we visited. Originally built for the emperor’s
favorite Manchu official, the residence was appropriated by the imperial household after the official was found guilty of using regal motifs
in his mansion design. It was later bequeathed to Prince Gong in the mid 1800s.
Xi'an
From Beijing, we took an overnight train to Xi’an. China has an extensive rail network, with tracks running over 32,000 miles. For many travelers, train journeys are an excellent way to see the beautiful countryside and get to know the people. Trains in China are punctual, fast, and relatively safe, though I had all my camera equipment and electrical equipment stolen from my bags in the train’s secured baggage compartment.
A "Soft Sleeper" compartment is the most luxurious way to travel by train. There are 4 berths per cabin, and
we had all four booked for the two of us. Alternatively, the berths can be booked individually, possibly putting four strangers together
in the same compartment. That’s one way of really getting to know one another.
Xi’an is the capital of modern Shaanxi, and has served as capital to 11 dynasties over a period of 4,000 years. Xi’an peaked during the Tang dynasty, when its position at the eastern end of the Silk Road transformed it into a bustling metropolis.
Terracotta Army
The army of the terracotta warriors was discovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well. The awesome ranks of life-size patter figures,
modeled from yellow clay, were made to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, despotic ruler who unified China over 2,200 years ago.
Excavations yielded three pits and over 7,000 soldiers, archers, and horses. Each warrior, originally colored with pigment and holding
a weapon and donning armor, has an individually crafted expression.
Emperor Qin’s Tomb. The terracotta army is just one part, the defending army, of a complex necropolis. A mile west of the pits, a large hill, yet to be fully excavated, is believed to be the burial mound of emperor Qin, a tyrant preoccupied with death and the legacy he would leave behind. He spared no expense, enlisting 700,000 people over 36 years in the tomb’s construction. Historical sources portray a miniature plan of his empire: a floor cut by rivers of mercury beneath a ceiling studded with pearls to represent the night sky. The complex is also said to contain 48 tombs for concubines who were buried alive with the emperor, a fate also reserved for workers, to prevent the location and design of the tomb from becoming known. Two marvelous bronze chariots, originally housed in wooden coffins, were unearthed near the burial mound, and laboriously reassembled. Half actual size, one is made up of over 3,600 metal pieces.
Read their story
Chengdu
The capital of Sichuan, Chengdu is a modern city with a relaxed culture, typified by its pleasant gardens and teahouses.
Panda Breeding Center
This research base set up in 1987 has bred and raised over 27 giant panda cubs, scoring well over the usual captive survival rate.
While so far this has been for the benefit of zoos, the center’s main aim is to start returning pandas to the wild. One of the best
places to see pandas in China, the center currently displays over 20 red and 25 giant pandas. This year, 18 panda cubs were born and
are being raised by the handlers.
Unfortunately, we got to the Panda Breeding Center just after the poachers.
The Giant Panda is one of the most recognizable large mammals in the world, and in China you will see its moniker on everything
from cigarette packs to souvenir tie pins. Endemic to China, it is now restricted to just five mountain ranges, and are thought
to number just 1200 or so individuals in the wild.
With world attention focused on the panda’s survival, the Chinese government has set up 11 panda reserves and thrown itself behind
a captive breeding program. Chinese laws now strictly forbid hunting or tree-felling in Giant Panda habitat. Peasants are offered
rewards equivalent to double their annual salary if they save a starving panda, and life sentences or public executions are imposed
on convicted poachers.
Lhasa, Tibet
Bordered on three sides by some of the world’s highest mountain ranges, Tibet has remained in relative isolation. Sheltered first by its inaccessibility and then, in the age of air travel, by Chinese occupation, the "Roof of the World" has only recently opened to foreign visitors. Its one major city, Lhasa, retains its spiritual core: the Jokhang; the venerable palaces of the Dalai Lamas, The Potala; and great monasteries such as Drepung and Sera. Wherever you go, Tibet offers panoramic vistas of high-altitude desert fringed by peaks, both the turquoise depths of lakesNamtso and YamdrokYumtso, and the sky-scraping peaks of Mount Everest are particularly worth visiting.
For more information on Tibet, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibet.
Potala Palace
Built on Lhasa’s highest point, Marpo Hill, the Potala Palace is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet.
Thirteen stories high, with over a thousand rooms, it was once the residence of Tibet’s chief monk and leader, The Dalai Lama, and
therefore the center for both spiritual and temporal power. Since the present Dalai Lama’s escape to India in 1959, the palace has
been converted to a museum, serving as a reminder of Tibet’s rich and devoutly religious culture, although major political events
and religious ceremonies are still held here.
During the Cultural Revolution, Tibet’s cultural heritage was razed, and over 6,000 monasteries destroyed. Conditions have improved today, and there are signs of religious revival. Many monasteries that were ravaged during the Cultural Revolution are now being repaired and returned to their former roles, but creating or owning an image of the Dalai Lama is still illegal.
The Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple illustrate the determination with which Tibetans have held onto their cultural traditions. A common sight here are the pious and cheerful pilgrims, swinging prayer wheels and performing energetic prostrations as they make kora – holy circuits – around the temple. Religious tradition calls for all Tibetans to complete this 2.2 mile circuit at least one time per day. Most people make the circuit 3 times (it must be an odd number), as only one circuit is frowned upon as not being pious enough.
Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s holiest temple
The constant bustle, gaudy paraphernalia of worship, flickering butter lamps, and wreaths of heady incense make the Jokhang Temple
on of Tibet’s most memorable experiences. The Jokhang was founded in 639AD to house an image of the Buddha brought as dowry by
the Nepali Princess Bhrikuti on her marriage to King SongtsenGampo.
Sera Monastery
Founded in 1419, Sera Monastery is situated in the foothills of Tatipu, and was famous for it’s warrior monks. One of the "great
three" Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, the Sera was built by the Dharma King of Great Mercy to house and preserve the
treasures bestowed upon him by Emperor Chengzu.
YamdrokYumtso lake
The sacred YamdrokYumtso Lake, one of the three largest holy lakes in Tibet.
Nomadic life
The Chang Tang, a high plateau covering almost 70 percent of Tibet, is home to about a quarter of Tibetans, many of whom are nomads,
as the harsh, arid climate precludes farming. Their existence has barely been touched by modern life, and they still herd sheep,
goats, and dzo (a cross between a yak and a domestic cow), as they have for centuries. The animals are adapted to high altitude,
having larger lungs and more hemoglobin than lowland animals.
Chongqing
Believed to have been founded as the capital of the shadowy State of Ba in 1000 BC, this port is situated on the peninsula at the junction of the Yangze and Jialing rivers. Also known as the Mountain City, or "The San Francisco of China", due to the hills covering the peninsula, it is one of the Yangtze valley’s "three furnaces" owing to its stifling summer humidity, made even worse by pollution. This beautiful port city is the base for the popular Three Gorges river cruises.
Great Hall of the People
Built in 1954 as a conference hall to commemorate Chongqing’s important wartime role. It is now part of the Renmin Hotel and is
occasionally used for concerts.
Stilwell Museum
This is the former home of General Stilwell (1883-1946), who was based in Chongqing between 1942-44 as Commander of the US forces
and Chiang Kai Shek’s Chief of Staff. The US was instrumental in helping China overthrow the Japanese, and Stilwell led the
effort. Exhibits include displays of the legendary Flying Tigers, a volunteer group of US fighter pilots who held off the Japanese
along the China-Burma border between 1941-42.
Yangtze River Cruise
The Yangtze River, at 3,964 miles, is the longest river in China and Asia, and the third longest in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America.
Before the 20th century, rugged mountains would have virtually isolated Sichuan from eastern China if it hadn’t been for the 400 mile stretch of the Yangtze linking Chongqing with Yichang. The journey was a perilous one, the river tearing through the sheer-sided Three Gorges. Today, with shoals cleared, the journey makes a popular cruise through spectacular scenery, with regular stops at famous sights. The landscape has been irrevocably changed by the filling of the Three Gorges Dam, which began upstream filling in 2006 and has raised the level of the river 575 feet. Due to the raising water level, millions of people have been relocated, several sprawling cities have been rebuilt above the new waterline, and some archeological sites have been drowned. Some buildings have been relocated; where this isn’t feasible, protective dikes have been built.
Fengdu (City of Ghosts)
This mountain is dedicated to the afterworld and its ruler, Tianzi, and is scattered with temples,
shrines, and waxworks depicting the gorier side of hell, including various tortures awaiting sinners.
Shennong Xi: A spectacular side trip off the Yangtze, up ever-narrowing, ever-more shallow waters of the Shennong Stream. The cliffs are pocked with post holes marking the route of a Han dynasty plank road, built for military access. There are also several hanging coffins along the route, which the now-vanished Bai people mortised into the gorge walls over a thousand years ago.
Our departure sight.Each boat is generally operated by a family from the valley. They function as the paddlers and guides, serving as the
means for making a living.
Three Gorges Dam
This dam is China’s biggest engineering project since the construction of the Great Wall. Completed ahead of
schedule in 2006, it will eventually back the Yangtze up for 342 miles, flood an area the size of Singapore, and wash away the
homes of up to two million people. It ranks as the world’s largest dam – six times the size of Hoover dam. The dam is the cornerstone
of government efforts to channel economic growth from the dynamic coastal provinces into the more backward western regions, somehow
transforming hinterland into heartland. Once fully functioning, the dam will have a hydroelectric production capacity equivalent to
18 nuclear power plants. The dam will also improve navigation on the Yangtze, which already transports 70% of the entire country’s
shipping, and will be instrumental in flood control, a problem that has claimed more than one million lives in the past 100 years.
The construction of the dam has caused disquiet among environmentalists, economists, and human-rights activists, arousing some of
the most outspoken criticism of government policy since the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.
Shanghai
Lying on the banks of the Huangpu river, close to the mouth of the mighty Yangtze on China’s eastern seaboard, Shanghai is the nation’s largest and most dynamic city, with a population of more than 13 million people. It is an autonomous municipality, and the recent explosion of economic and industrial development has made it one of the fastest growing cities in the world.
By Chinese standards, the development of Shanghai, which means "above the sea", is a recent phenomenon. In the 13th century it became a minor county seat and so it remained until the mid-19th century when British commercial ambitions led to war with China. The ensuing Treaty of Nanking allowed the British to trade freely from certain ports, including Shanghai. The city soon became an outpost of glamour, high living, and ultimately decadence. It was divided into "concessions", where foreign nationals lived in miniature versions of first Britain, then France, the US, and Japan.
Yuyuan Garden and Bazaar
The classical Yuyuan Garden was built during the Ming Dynasty by the high-ranking government official
Pan Yunduan. The Gardens' total area occupies approximately five acres, and features pavilions, ponds, rockeries, cloisters, and
streams all within six scenic zones, including the Sansui Hall and Wanhua Chamber. In existence for 400 years, the Gardens were
specifically constructed for Pan's aging parents as a sanctuary in which to live out their lives.
The Bazaar contains Chinese old-style buildings, which aren’t really old, but the fanciful roofs are nevertheless very appealing. The shops here peddle everything from tourist souvenirs to traditional medicines. At first glance, it appears to be a tourist trap, but that is dispelled by the fact that there are many locals eating and shopping here. There was even a McDonald’s here, a welcome find despite all the sumptuous and delicious Chinese food we had eaten for the past two weeks.
The Bund, or quay, along the Huangpu is still lined with colonial buildings, evidence of a time when Shanghai was the third largest financial center in the world. In 1949, the communists took over and the city was stripped of its grandeur. However, in 1990, the Pudong area across the river from the Bund was declared a Special Economic Zone, and a revival started for the city. Investments poured in at a frenetic pace; flyovers, malls, and hotels sprang up, and clusters of shinning metal and glass skyscrapers towered above the Huangpu. Today, Shanghai is once more at the forefront of business and fashion trends, and has a pulsating nightlife, with many clubs and bars.
Pudong
In the mid-20th century, Pudong, facing the Bund on the other side of the Huangpu river, was the city’s poorest quarter, a squalid
huddle of slums and brothels, and miles upon miles of fields. The development you are viewing below has all been constructed just
within the last 18 years!
