When you travel to Xi’an, the ancient capital of China, the Great Mosque situated in the center of the city is a place you should visit in any case. This Islamic mosque is located in the Moslem quarter but it’s almost hidden and not so easy to find. It is surrounded by walls and for that reason not visible from the distance. If you have a tour guide on your Xi’an Tours you don’t need to worry about it but if you want to look for it yourself you should either get a detailed map or ask locals in the Moslem quarter for directions; they certainly know how to get there. As for many other things it might be advisable to have the place you want to go to written in Chinese, even if you don’t understand the answer exactly you can understand a little from the gestures and you’ll at least be sent in the right direction.
It is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved mosques in China and for that reason definitely worth a trip even if you are not in general interested in the religious aspect of it. With 25 RMB the entrance fee is not at all overpriced and you really get to see an old and original part of Xi’an and a great insight into another religion which played an important role in Chinese history. Compared to all the mainly Buddhist and Taoist temples there are only few well preserved mosques which are open to the public. But just looking at the architectural style and the artfully constructed elements is already worth the visit.
The mosque’s history dates back to the Tang Dynasty; carved stone tablets which are still preserved indicate that is was set up in 742 AD. It was restored and widened in the following dynasties which made it such a large and interesting historical architectural complex. Luckily, it escaped damage during the Cultural Revolution and is today protected and supported by the government and the Communist Party with special funds for renovations. The grounds of the mosque have a rectangular shape from the east to the west and the place is divided into four courtyards which are separated by beautiful archways, pavilions and gateways, constructed in different time periods. The Worship Hall is not open to the public; it can only be entered by worshippers. For about 30,000 Muslims living in Xi’an it is a crucial part of their religious life and many attend the daily prayers.
This mosque is probably different from what you have in mind when you think about mosques in other countries. The Chinese influence in its architecture from different dynasties is clearly visible which makes the place even more interesting. If you visit the Drum Tower in Xi’an you almost automatically get to the Moslem quarter. So why would you want to miss out on the centerpiece? As a result of its location it’s not too crowded with tourists, so you can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and relax in this historical setting. On your China Tours you will probably get the chance to see different religious sites. The aspect that most of them have in common is that they build a contrast to the area surrounding them. No matter if it’s a Buddhist temple, an Islamic mosque or Christian church; they all offer a place to escape the busy daily life for a moment.
Mentioned in countless China travel guides and sometimes referred to as the ‘eighth wonder of the World’, the Terracotta Army (The Army) is a must-see attraction. If you have ever watched the 2008 Hollywood movie, ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’, then this is in line with what you can expect to see at The Army and all the more reason to travel to Xi’an. The exquisite representation of these periodic sculptures will captivate your imagination over China’s ancient past.
Discovered by locals in 1974 and covering over 16,000 meters squared, The Army holds great significance not only as a find, but also as an important part of China’s history. The manufacturing of the (potentially 8,000) ceramic warriors is a magnificent achievement to personify the first Emperor of unified China in the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC). Along with the warriors, the Emperor Qin Shi Huang is supposedly protected in the afterlife by over 100 horse and 500 chariots. At first glance, warriors appear as refined pieces of art in pristine condition. Yet it is amazing the think that on discovery The Army was a cluster of piece and that it took years to reconfigure the statutes currently on view. Admittedly, to this day, not all the statutes have been found and the excavations are a work in progress. For this reason, tourists are prohibited from taking photos in the excavation areas.
Indeed, with three pits, and exhibition area and the Emperor’s Mausoleum to observe, there is little reason to be disappointed with what the museum has to offer. Take note, however, that there is a fair distance from the entrance of the museum grounds to the actual exhibition area. This stretch can be referred to as a ‘tourist trap’ considering the amount of shops selling the same items and tour guides encouraging you to sign up with their tour. Interestingly, as we figured out, the further you walk into the museum grounds, the price of the tour guides generally reduces. Also, actually in the area around the pits, be prepared to have people persistently trying to sell, typically a box of terracotta warriors, to you. Still, due to the quantity of these identical items, you will be guaranteed to get a cheap deal through haggling.
As a consequence of The Army’s monumental impact, the site was accordingly given World Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO in 1987. The museum itself is rather expensive at 150RMB, but as this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience perhaps it is worth stretching the purse strings and provides a good excuse to book China flights sooner rather than later.
We all know it, there is a lot more to see in and around Xi’an than the Terracotta Warriors. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go, it’s worth a trip but hopefully not the only place you want to see when you travel to Xi’an. As an ancient capital the city has played an important role in Chinese history and when you walk around you can still see relics from early times in many parts. One interesting place to see on your Xi’an Tours are the two towers in the center, called Bell and Drum Tower which were built over 700 years ago.
Especially the Bell Tower is hard to miss because it is located right in the middle and it marks the geographical center of the ancient capital. From the tower the four main roads towards the north, east, south and west extend, leading directly to the main gates of the City Wall. For that reason you can hardly miss it when you are in Xi’an because you can see it from all four directions coming from the main roads. The Drum Tower is situated west of the other tower, only a few minutes walking distance and easily accessible by underpass.
The entrance fee for both towers is 40 RMB including the performances which are held every hour, always at half past in the Bell Tower and at every full hour at the Drum Tower. Only around noon and in the evening there are no performances, so mornings and afternoons are best if you’d like to see them. The performances take about 10 to 15 minutes and you can use the time while you’re waiting to have a look at the exhibitions, including information on drums and their history and Chinese porcelain. You can also go up to the top on both towers for a great view, especially on the Bell Tower for its central position and from the Drum Tower you have a good view of the Muslim quarter which is located right next to it.
While the bell performance includes several traditional Chinese instruments, very detailed costumes and some dancing the drum tower performance has only the drums as instruments and less artfully decorated costumes. But the drums are somewhat more impressive because the performance is louder and more action loaded. These performances imitate the “Morning Bell and Dusk Drum” dating back to the Ming Dynasty when these where used to tell the time. Thanks to advanced technologies in drum and bell production the sound could travel several miles. To see and especially here it for yourself, don’t miss it on your China Tours!
In spite of the ‘urban jungle’ feel, travel to Beijing and there are plenty pockets of peace in which to relax with the city being home to numerous parks of all shapes and sizes. By Beijing’s very nature, I have found it to have a strong sense of community with can be observed in the city’s parks. It is unlikely that Beijing tours will operate in these recreational areas, but hopefully this article will create a convincing argument for this purpose.
Beijingers are like any city-folk who live in high-rise apartments, enjoy escaping to green open spaces. In some respects, park-life in Beijing appears very similar to life in any western park such as London’s Hyde Park or Central Park in New York with a comparable layout. Even the petite type of dogs found throughout the city seemingly reflects the style of the urban dwelling accommodation. Yuyuantan Park, (over the river from Beijing’s Millennium Monument) exemplifies the universal character of a park the world over. The park is full of neat pathways cutting through the enormity of the place, people can be found fishing (and even swimming!) along the river, youth group singing ‘Light Up’ by Snow Patrol, kids skating and risking their safety with ever more daring tricks and families are just doing what they do. So are there any significant cultural differences with park-life in Beijing to, for example, western cities – what makes them special? Of course, I would hope so; this is China, filled with a rich customs and tradition…
As mentioned before, there is a strong sense of community, and this is evident with the amount of activity in the parks. Group dancing and singing, for instance, are some activities which simply marvellous to watch. Furthermore, the best thing is, many of these activities are open for all. When I visited Jingshan Park one Sunday afternoon, the place was beaming with life. Meander down from the top of the hill here, and you expect to find of choir groups singing joyfully even to the point where they could be competing with one another. Moving right to ground level at Jingshan, I was absolutely amazed at the large mass of people dancing to traditional songs. Paradoxically, I was unsure whether the dance was spontaneous or organized as the synchronicity was superb (well, bar one foreign chap; who, give him his due, was trying his best). Moreover, it seems as if anybody can join in on the dance and just follow the leader. Apart from song and dance, there was also a peculiar performance occurring in Jingshan in which a large crowd was gathering around. I later discovered this was a comic show with part of the act comprising of man and woman pretending to play out a bull fight!
Each park I have visited has demonstrated a cross-section of society having fun. One of the most fascinating and enthralling games which I have seen in the parks is Jianzi (or Chinese hacky sack), which is akin to volleying a shuttle amongst players. What’s great is that I often see the young (and seniors) play the game with the utmost skill – after trying this game myself, I can assure you that it is not an easy! While other characteristic aspects to be found in the parks include flying quintessential Chinese kites, Tai Chi, Cherry Gardens and pavilions (in Yuyuantan) and people practising on their personal karaoke set. All in all, wherever your Beijing hotels are located, you will not be far from a park teeming with local culture.
Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi Province and with a history of over 3,000 years one of the oldest cities in China. Apart from the world famous Terracotta Army which is a must see for many visitors going on China Tours the city has many other places of interest to offer. One site most people who travel to Xi’an are interested in is the well known City Wall. Although the existing wall has a history of about 800 years it is the best preserved fortification from ancient times in China.
The first city wall in Xi’an, formerly called Chang’an, was built as early as 194 B. C. but the existing walls are from the Ming Dynasty. They served as a military defense system and Xi’an’s City Wall remains one of the greatest examples of fortifications of that time. The Wall is 40 feet (12 meters) tall and up to 46 feet (14 meters) wide at the top; it has four gates, one in each direction. With a length of nearly nine miles (14 kilometers) surrounding the old part of the city in a continual rectangle including numerous towers and ramparts it still marks the ancient borders of Xi’an (Chang’an).
The regular entrance fee for the City wall is 40 RMB which is a very reasonable price if you consider the historical importance of this place and you can take the opportunity to go on a bike ride around the city on top of the wall. From there you have a wonderful view on the ancient center of Xi’an inside the wall and the more modern parts on the outside of the wall. It creates a special atmosphere including both, the old and the new Xi’an. The two main roads going from north to south and from west to east meet in the center of the old part. Right in the middle the Bell Tower is located which you can see from the main gates of the wall.
A bike ride round tour takes between one and one and a half hours if you don’t take too many breaks to take pictures or to rest. Given that the wall is quite old it’s a little bumpy in some parts but that adds to the feeling of this historical place. Best times are, as with so many other activities, the early mornings and evenings to avoid the hottest part of the day during summer and those are usually the times when not too many people come for a visit. You can rent regular bikes and tandems; the cost for a regular bike is 40 RMB for about one and a half hours and the deposit is 200 RMB per bike.
You can’t just access the wall anywhere; the easiest and most popular entrance is at the south gate. Many bus lines go there so you can ask the friendly staff at your Xi’an Hotels which bus number you can take and where the closest bus stop is. Or you can take a taxi where it’s always a good advice to have someone write the place you want to go to in Chinese which you can simply show to the driver. If you ask for the approximate price before you get into the taxi you can avoid unpleasant surprises when you get off. Some taxi drivers assume that you have no idea about the regular price and charge you more than locals but in general taxis are a lot cheaper than in Western countries and it can safe time as long as you don’t get caught in traffic during rush hour.
In my previous post entitled ‘Jingshan: The Park on the Hill’, I mentioned the fantastic views which can be encountered. If you haven’t already, it is time to experience on of these views at ground level; namely, The Forbidden City (The City). One of, (if not), the most famous tourist attracts, The City’s central location makes it readily accessible. Either taking Line 1 and getting off at Tiananmen West or East stations or taking Line 2 on the subway to Qianmen Station are both viable option in reaching The City. Whether signing-up for Beijing tours or deciding to travel to Beijing independently, then I insist that The City should be at the top of your ‘things to see & do’ list.
I personally went with a group on a cold March day to The City, whereby it was necessary to wrap-up warm especially with the wide-open, wind-swept spaces in The City. Naturally, entrance to one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country will be busy. Hence, if you get the chance, best to visit on a week day. Due to the enormity of the place, we found it a bit of a mission to actually find the main section of The City. However, once there, this is where, at your discretion, to get a tour guide. Outside, people may pretend to act as guides even if they can speak English, but be warned, only choose a tour guide well inside The City as they will be wearing a professional badge – we learnt this from experience!
In Chinese, The City is known as ‘Gugong’ with its presence embodying the splendour of the country’s past. The City took fourteen years to construct and was completed in 1420 under the Ming Dynasty. I am sure you will be asking yourself ‘What does the “forbidden” part of the name mean?’ Well basically, the general populace were ‘forbidden’ from entering The City with exception from having permission from
the emperor. Serving the reign of twenty-four emperors, having the largest collection of wooden structure in the world, covering 24 hectares and surrounded by a ten meter wall; it is thus understandable why, in 1987, the palace became listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
As a final point, there needs to be emphasis placed on the importance of preserving historic value of The City and questioning commercialisation. At the end of our tour, for instance, our guide showed us a man in a store who is claimed to be a nephew of the last emperor and now is a professional calligrapher. Buying a personalised work from this man would be pricy, but its bespoke production does increase its value. Commercialising The City with modern brands on the other hand, may not necessarily help with preservation efforts. I do enjoy my Starbucks coffee, yet I am pleased with the closure of The City’s very own in 2007, for instance. If anything, The City is a ‘must-see’ simply for its generous architectural grandeur and its rich cultural depictions such as The Palace of Heavenly Purity, which seated the Emperor’s throne and also The Palace of Earthly Tranquillity which housed the Empress. Even the smaller architectural pieces, like profound symbolic figures of the imperial dragon and phoenix and lions to name a few, will leave you in awe on your China travel to The City.
Many people want to see one of the cute looking white and black panda bears on their China travel experience. But what makes them so special? Sure, with the distinctive color of their fur with the black spots around the eyes, the black ears and nose they are very friendly looking and the way they hold their bamboo in their front paws in adorable. But apart from what they look like some people might not know many other facts about them. In southern China there is the well-known Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province where visitors can learn a lot about this interesting mammal. You can check out the Chengdu flights so see how you can include this in your trip to China.
Although the giant panda is classified as a carnivore 99 percent of their diet consists of bamboo shoots and leaves, the most nutritious part of bamboo plants; occasionally they eat other vegetation, fish and other small animals. Bamboo is in general not very nutritious and for that reason pandas eat up to 15 percent of their body weight spending about 12 hours a day chewing on bamboo. For a body weight of 160 lb (about 73 kilogramms) that would make over 24 lb (nearly 11 kilogramms) of food!
Pandas live in the mountains in high altitudes and they avoid areas where people live. As a result their habitat is shrinking with people using more and more areas in higher altitudes for farming. They sometimes starve to death because they are unable to move through valleys to find new areas in the mountains offering enough food. Pandas are solitary animals and only meet for a short time to mate. Female pandas don’t give birth to cubs until the age of around six. They give birth to one or two babies at a time which stay with their mother for about one and a half years. When the little babies are born they weigh as little as 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 113 grams) which is only 1/900th of their mother’s weight. It is the largest proportion difference between a mother and a child’s weight in all animals.
Research and breeding centers as well as programs are making big efforts to protect this rare mammal but reproduction is a long and complicated process. An estimated 1,600 giant pandas remain in the wild in the southwestern areas of China and just over 100 are living in captivity. With a panda in its logo WWF (the World Wide Fund for Nature) is still one of the primary organizations protecting these special animals in the world. WWF even offers the opportunity to symbolically adopt pandas among many other endangered species. Do you really want to see pandas now? Start planning your China Tours, there are enough opportunities to do that.
You’ve been busy all day and now it’s time to kick-back and let your hair down. Hitting the KTV clubs (Karaoke) in China is one of the funniest and most sociable ways in which to do this. KTV is quite estranged from the arch-typical trip to China, but sure enough, there may well be one of these nearby to your China hotels for you and your friends to spend an exhilarating evening. Without doubt, the sparkly-clean veneer of some of the KTV clubs with their attentive service makes it an excellent venue to unwind, especially after your China flights.
Twice I have been to KTV and both times were a barrel-of-laughs. I found that to really enjoy the experiences, you need to stay for a good few hours (after which you have loosened up from a few drinks). Even if singing is not your talent (and I’m certainly no Pavarotti); then grab a maraca and shake away! Or, for the more rhythmical individual, especially if you’re placed in a large room, there is the option of taking to the dance floor and showing off some moves.
Compared to the western world, karaoke in China is big business comprising of large venues. The KTV club I went to with friends is typical of what to expect with Chinese karaoke. It is a large building with numerous private function rooms to allow you and your friends to enjoy a good-old sing-song to your heart’s content. Indeed, the layout of the clubs is a stark contrast to the usual western karaoke open bar setting. Due to KTV clubs having lots of private function rooms and often staying open for twenty-four hours, criticism has come in the form of liking the clubs to sleaze. Nevertheless, by booking a private room at KTV you will be guaranteed to be safe in the knowledge that you will be singing in front of familiar faces.
Listening to a Chinese friend’s advice before booking a KTV room is recommended to ensure that the venue is fit for your purpose. Amongst other things, pre-booking is advisable as KTV clubs are very popular and may be fully booked upon arrival. In addition, it’s worth confirming your playlist beforehand, unless you would like to sing Chinese songs. With all said (or sung) and done, KTV is a cultural part of modern China which should not go amiss on any China travel schedule.
If you travel to Beijing you will certainly pass more than one university on your way and sometimes you might not even realize it. Not all universities are as big and famous as Beijing Daxue or Tsinghua University but there are lots of bigger and smaller universities in the city that are worth stopping by for a short visit on your Beijing Tours. Even if you’re not that interested in seeing the inside of the buildings you can walk around on the campus and take the opportunity to sit down in a quiet spot and enjoy a little snack and a drink or have a look at what’s going on around you. On the weekends universities are places where not only students spend their free time but also visitors because during the day they are in general open to the public.
When you look at the main building you wouldn’t think that its history goes back over a hundred years. It was founded in 1902 as one of the earliest established institutions of higher education in the country. After several changes it was named Beijing Normal University in 1923 and it is today one of the nation’s first ten key universities, situated northwest of Beijing’s center. In contrast to its past the architecture of the university is modern rather than traditional. Especially the entrance of the main building with its particular design the fountain in front of it offers a great opportunity to take some nice pictures. When you enter the main hall you’ll find a model of Normal University which gives you an impression on how big the grounds really are. At present, BNU has 22 schools, 6 departments, 14 research institutes and a number of research centers. Currently over 16,000 full time students are enrolled including 8,000 undergraduate students and over 7,000 master’s degree and doctoral candidates.
The university’s main subjects include Chinese Language and Culture, Historical Studies, Psychology, Pedagogy, Pre-school Education and Studies of Educational Techniques. With a growing number of foreign students coming to Chinese universities BNU also offers different Chinese language programs and cooperates with numerous foreign universities. One reason why over 2,000 students from other countries are currently enrolled at BNU is China’s fast growing economy and with that the demand for Chinese speaking employees in foreign countries.
In 2011 BNU had the honor of welcoming Premier Wen Jiabao to the graduation ceremony at the university. The reason for this important visit was the first year of tuition free normal graduates. Nearly everywhere in the world education is an important element of a country’s culture and therefore it’s interesting to see some differences and common points between different universities. Many big and well-known universities are not far from the city center. For that reason you can easily stop by on your China Tours for a short visit.
Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best activities to undertake on a travel to Beijing is shopping at the cities markets. This article will only provide a taster of what is to be expected, because, in the end, it is something which must be witnessed in order to experience their extravagance. The low prices of the items at the market do make me wonder whether people will (or do) take a China travel trip just to stock up on goodies. A few markets in which to explore include the Silk market, Yaxiu (Yashow) Market and the Pearl Market.
You may have heard of the phrase, ‘Buyer Beware’; well, in the case of these markets it is probably useful to adopt this approach. Most of the marketers are highly experienced and will seek out deals with foreigners. It is somewhat amusing to see how far the venders will go to secure a deal. For example, I bought a jacket at the Yaxiu market in which the seller would pour water over the product to prove the quality. I even have friends who have bought handbags, for example, and the salesperson has swiftly used a lighter on the product to demonstrate its authenticity.
Whatever the genuineness of the brands, the markets are still great places to buy low-cost items if you need to boost your wardrobe upon arrival to Beijing. If the stuff looks and feels okay, then I guess there is no major issue in purchasing. Compared to the other two markets, the Pearl Market felt slightly more civil in the sense that there was less beckoning from sellers to buy. Due to the character of the markets, it is necessary to haggle as these do not have fixed retail prices (so it is generally advisable not to compare prices to shops in your home country). Conversely, if you try to drive the price down too low then you may offend the seller and they will walk away.
As their names suggest, the Silk Market is known for selling silk and the Pearl market for pearls and these professions standout in both markets. It is enjoyable to observe the expertise of the tailors in the silk market preparing material and the dexterity of the pearl sellers stringing together a necklace. I can vouch that the silk section of the Silk Market does have a lot of choice, especially as I was able to buy a green tie (for Saint Patrick’s Day) for under 10RMB. Electronics and gadgets can be found at all the markets, but again, the durability may be best bought on the high-street.
If you are the type of person who is a self-admitted shopaholic, then perhaps this article has encouraged you on the internet to search Beijing flights. In that case, then to reach the Silk market, Yong’anli subway station, Exit A, is the best bet. Yaxiu Market is centred in Sanlitan, so is in a prime location if you also want to shop in the area. While the Pearl Market is straight oppose the Temple of Heaven so is acts as a complement to a full day out. As a hint, to get some of the best deals, it is worth shopping close to the shops’ closing time as this is when prices are slashed.
