Compared to other historical relics,such as the Forbidden City of Beijing Tour,the Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses of QinShihuang of Xi’an tour,Chen’s Ancestral Temple is not known so well.But if you want to understand the Lingnan culture more deeply,there is a need that you should come and visit Chen’s Ancestral Temple. Although there are not many […]
Compared to other historical relics,such as the Forbidden City of Beijing Tour,the Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses of QinShihuang of Xi’an tour,Chen’s Ancestral Temple is not known so well.But if you want to understand the Lingnan culture more deeply,there is a need that you should come and visit Chen’s Ancestral Temple.
Although there are not many places for tourists in Guangzhou, Chen’s Ancestral Temple is the ‘must-see’ spot that the city can proudly boast about. Despite being relatively new in Chinese history (it was built in 1890), the temple is known for its superb art that epitomizes Guangdong folk art. This is the kind of building you can imagine ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ filming in.The temple has long been looked upon as the ultimate in Cantonese construction of the past glory.
In the late of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a man named Chen got the third place in the highest imperial examination and had conferred upon him a distinguished office title which made the Family Chen well-known. Later someone suggested that all the Chen’s families raise money to build a temple to sacrifice to the ancestors and encourage their offspring likewise to study hard. Therefore, the temple was finished in 1894 with the money donated by Chen’s families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province as well as some overseas members of Family Chen.
The construction was intended as a family memorial temple for all the Chens in the 27 counties in Guangdong Province. Later it functioned as an academy as well, where students of the Chen clan gathered to study before their going to the capital to take the imperial examination in Beijing. And in the early 20th century, the buildings were used to house various institutions. First, there was the Chen Industrial College and then several other schools were also founded there, including Guangdong Public School and Juxian Middle School. It was also used as a family shrine for the Chens to pay tribute to their ancestors every spring and autumn.
Visitors marveled at the exquisite house decorations and the workmanship of the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family. All the buildings are done with a variety of sculptures of wood, stone and brick relieves modeled in pottery and lime, and frescos and copper-iron castings in various styles. The carving techniques express simplicity and ruggedness, precision and exquisiteness, each setting off the other.
The Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family deserves the name of “A bright pearl of the architecture in Lingnan Region”. Visitors are astonished at the perfect skills of the folk artisans. It’s hard to believe such delicate crafts being made with simple and unsophisticated tools. Besides, these carvings are delicate and tasteful reflecting the practice of pursuing elaborate and rich decoration. In addition, some of the contents and forms of expression seem to have been influenced by the foreign cultures, for example, “the image of the little angel”. It is one of the examples of the intermingling of the traditional Chinese culture and Western culture. The local artisans absorbed extensively the traditional techniques as well as the Western skills, not confined to the traditional materials and art tradition. They have enriched the Chinese folk arts and handicrafts, placing them further on the international stage of arts.
There is no need for you to worry about language barrier as most of the people in Guangzhou are very nice and hospitable ,if at that time you don’t understand what each other talk about ,you can just use body language.So go ahead ,and plan a Guangzhou tour.
Recent years,with more and more China films introduced into all over the world or foreign films shoot in China,there are an increasing number of foreign felt the fantastic view in China and want to book a China Flight and have a exciting China tour. Huangyao is an ancient water town that has been relatively unknown until Hollywood […]
Recent years,with more and more China films introduced into all over the world or foreign films shoot in China,there are an increasing number of foreign felt the fantastic view in China and want to book a China Flight and have a exciting China tour.
Huangyao is an ancient water town that has been relatively unknown until Hollywood filmed The Painted Veil a few years ago.While watching this film, the wonderful scene supervised me. It has been such describe the Huangyao: “Huangyao town as a millennium collection, have been forgotten in the library quiet on the shelves when people come inadvertently turned this beautiful chapter, Simple and elegant style to conquer the hearts of the people.”
Huangyao Ancient Town, with a history of thousand years, is situated in the northest of zhaoping, Guangxi, China, by the lower reaches of LiRiver and 200km from Guilin. It has long been known as a mini-Guilin for its typical development of karst topography, covering an area of 3.6 square km.
The town is most famous for its mountains with caves, pavilions, temples, ancestor hills, old trees and tablets. Every corner of the town presents a typically Chinese scene and presents a marvelous photo opportunity. Huang Yao was built in 927 B.C. and was a flourishing and wealthy town then.
Crisscrossed by three small rivers and canals the beautiful green water creates reflections of Huangyao’s arched roofs, lofty gables and ancient stone bridges and a poetic atmosphere that feels surreal. Often there are many art students alongside the streets and beside the ponds, drawing and painting, capturing some of the historic scenes there. The exquisite features of Huangyao are centuries old and the residents live as they always have making the town an open-air museum. Surrounded by mountains on all four sides, Huangyao is fairly difficult to reach and relatively inaccessible with inconvenient transportation conditions- factors which have helped to preserve the ancient houses and architecture.
With only eight streets in the town, not a lot happens here. The elderly town people, who sit on their doorsteps all day watching people go by, are content to smile and wave but want no part of getting photographed, either because of spiritual reasons or missing teeth. But it is the town‘s primitively simple architecture with it grey tiles and stones that capture the attention of both artists and photographers who visit Huangyao. The mountains surrounding the town are all of stone, which have provided rich raw materials for the construction of its houses, doors, bridges, temples and slab-covered streets. With its ancient trees and surrounding environment, Huangyao’s architectural features blend beautifully and compose a landscape in complete harmony between man and nature.
If you have watched the film The Painted Veil and felt inspired by the typcal scene ,you can go to Huangyao when you have a Guilin tour.
When we’re choosing a place for traveling , its sightseeings ,history and culture always being accounted, usually, its local food palys an important role . As all we have knowned, Guangzhou tour is famous for its various kinds of distinctive food. ,zhouzhuang is famous for its traditional culture , but the food in zhouzhuang […]
When we’re choosing a place for traveling , its sightseeings ,history and culture always being accounted, usually, its local food palys an important role . As all we have knowned, Guangzhou tour is famous for its various kinds of distinctive food. ,zhouzhuang is famous for its traditional culture , but the food in zhouzhuang can not be ignored. Around the world , China tour is famed for its food. Zhouzhuang has been boasting fertile land, abundant resources, and delicious food since ancient times. It would be a pity not to have tasted the local food while visiting there. Now , some of the most famous food in Zhouzhuang will be introduced.
Fisrtly, I will introduced the most special food , “Pig’s Hoofs of Wansan” .This kind of food originated in Shen’s family in the Ming Dynasty which was used to entertain guests. Shen Wansan, a renowned rich man south of the Yangtze River, had used a pig’s hoof as an indispensable dish to treat distinguished guests at his banquets, thus earning the dish its current name. The well-chosen pig’s hoof with specially-made flavourings is cooked or steamed with water in a terrine for 24 hours. Thigh of Wansan Pig is soft and easy to chew, saline and sweet, catering to all tastes, delicious but not greasy.
Secondly, Pottage of Water Shields and Perch.will be introduced. The local perch there has always been praised for its tender meat, freshness and absence of small bones. Water shields are aquatic vegetables that grow in the riverways of this water town. It is a perfect match to cook perch with the fresh leaves and stems of the water shields. In addition, this local dish enjoys the reputation as one of the three most famous dishes south of the Yangtze River. And there is a story that Zhanghan , a bel-esprit in Jin Dynasty, quit his job and come home just because he miss this food.
Finally, it is turn for Granny’s Tea.When visitors come to Zhouzhuang, they may notice some elderly women gathering together to drink tea. However, few people know the true story behind tea-drinking and tea-making in this town. All the people in the town are fond of tea, but they are fastidious about their tea-making methods. For instance, tea sets must be old, water is required to be boiled in a pottery jar and the fuel should be either bamboo or tea tree branches. The correct way of making tea is like this: put some tea leaves in a teapot or cup, pour a little hot water, wait a few minutes, and then infuse boiling water to make the tea. When people sample tea, they often as drink and eat melon seeds, tender boiled beans, candied fruits and pastries among other delicacies. Tea made in this fashion is called “Granny’s tea”.
There are also many other kinds of food. Such us Wansan cake, Tongzi cucumber, Shrimp, Sanweiyuan and so on .
The long history of the folkways and folk customs makes Zhouzhuang a famous scenic spot worthy of its reputation. Millions of visitors from home and abroad visit the town each year. Zhouzhuang is shining brightly south of the Yangtze River with its surrounding water, calmness and tranquillity, and its profound cultural heritage.
If you cannot stand such a quick-fixed life, just jump out of it and book a fight of China Southern Airlines to Gu Lang Yu Island – a wonderful destination for your China tours. Gu Lang Yu Island is located just southwest of Xiamen City. Visitors can reach it by steamship from Xiamen City in […]
If you cannot stand such a quick-fixed life, just jump out of it and book a fight of China Southern Airlines to Gu Lang Yu Island – a wonderful destination for your China tours.
Gu Lang Yu Island is located just southwest of Xiamen City. Visitors can reach it by steamship from Xiamen City in about 5 minutes. Gu Lang Yu Island is renowned for its delicate natural beauty, its ancient relics, and its varied architecture. The island is on China’s list of National Scenic Spots, one of the 35 key National Scenic Spots and also ranks at the top of the 10 most scenic areas in Fujian Province.
During the Ming Dynasty, the island was called “Yuan Shan Zhou Island”. It got its present name from the huge reef surrounding it. When the tide comes in, the waves pound the reef and it sounds like the beating of a drum. Thus the island came to be named “Gu Lang Yu”. Gu in Chinese means “drum”, and “Lang” means “waves”.
During the later Ming Dynasty, the troops of national hero Zheng Chenggong were stationed here. After the Opium war in 1842, 13 countries including Great Britain, France, America, Germany and Japan established consulates, churches, hospitals, banks and schools here, turning the island into a common concession. In 1942, Japan occupied the island until the end of the war of Resistance against Japan.
Gu Lang Yu Island has about 20000 permanent residents, all of whom enjoy a comfortable, relaxing life. Only electric-powered vehicles are permitted on the island, so the environment is free from the noise and pollution of combustion engines.
Breathing the clean air, appreciating the ever-present green trees and lovely flowers, anyone here can feel like they are in heaven. With classical and romantic European-style architecture, the island truly deserves to be called the “Architecture Museum”. It is also known as the “Cradle of Musicians” and “Island of Music” because of its reputation for music appreciation.
The Island Ring Road, which circles the island, allows you to fully enjoy all the sights of this small but charming island.
At the foot of Sunlight Rock stands the Memorial Hall of Zheng Chenggong, built in honor of the hero’s feats which include expelling the Dutch colonists and reoccupying Taiwan. Wandering up the steep rock path, visitors will see many profound inscriptions left by poets, the oldest of which dates back to over 400 years. This is the main cultural sight on the hill. Continuing on, you will see the preserved training grounds of Zheng Chenggong’s troops. Near the field is a huge rock bridging two cliffs, forming a natural entrance to a cave. This is called “Old Summer Cave” (Gu Bi Shu Dong) where you can feel a pleasant cool breeze. It’s the perfect viewing spot to qppreciate the scenery of Gu Lang Yu Island. A fantastic panorama of Xiamen City, including Nanputuo Temple, Xiamen University, Hulishan Battery, etc. is within view.
If you are also interested in travelling to Gu Lang Yu Island, you can just visit chinatraveldepot.com for more information about China Tours, China Flights, and China Hotels, etc.
When planning your China Tours, probably you will consider to Travel to Beijing. Then nearby the Chengde Mountain Resort will also be a brilliant destination. The Mountain Resort in Chengde is one of the four most famous Chinese gardens and one of the largest and best-preserved imperial palaces outside Beijing. It used to be a […]
When planning your China Tours, probably you will consider to Travel to Beijing. Then nearby the Chengde Mountain Resort will also be a brilliant destination.
The Mountain Resort in Chengde is one of the four most famous Chinese gardens and one of the largest and best-preserved imperial palaces outside Beijing. It used to be a summer resort and hunting ground for emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). They also used the palace to organize martial art competitions and receive the elite of ethnic minority groups from around China.
The Mountain Resort is located in Chengde City, Hebei Province, covering an area of 564 square meters, almost half of Chengde’s urban area. It is enclosed by a wall 10400 meters long. Construction began in 1703 under the rule of Emperor Kang Xi and was completed in 1790 under the rule of Emperor Qian Long. It was a second political center apart from Beijing, for the emperor would stay here for about half a year to attend to political, military, ethnic, and foreign affairs. There are more than 100 buildings within the resort, which is divided into two sections: palace zone and garden zone. The Rehe (Jehol), the shortest river in the world, only 14.7 kilometers long, runs through the resort. The gardens are superbly designed to take in the very best of various styled gardens, integrating the features of both the northern meadows and the southern waterscapes, in a layout of lake in the southeast, mountain in the northwest, and plain in the northeast.
The resort consists roughly of the palace and the scenic area, and the latter could be subdivided into three: the lake, the meadow, and the mountain. The palace is traditional and majestic, the lake is shining with silver water, the meadow is green with grass and flowers, and the mountain is grand with surprising peaks, all enclosed in the palace wall as long as 10km or more. Altogether there are over 120 buildings of halls, courtyards, or temples, with 72 recognized scenic spots, 36 by each of the two highly admired emperors Kang Xi and Qian Long. The dominant mood of the buildings is plainness and elegance, and inspiration from the nature of the landscape.
In the outlying area, 11 magnificent temples stand on the hills in a semi-circle. As they were divided into eight sections under the administration of the Beijing-based Harmony and Peace Lamasery (a monastery for lamas), they were usually referred to as the “Eight Outer Temples”. Only seven temples, including Puren Temple (Universal Humanity), Temple of Sumeru (Happiness and Longevity) and Puning Temple (Universal Tranquility) remain intact.
They comprise the largest temple building complex existing in China. They were used by nobles of various ethnic minority groups who came to have an audience with the Qing emperors, and to reside and conduct religious activities. These temples, built on the elevating hill slopes, look grand and splendid. The wood engraved Buddha in the Puning Temple, 22.28 meters tall, is the largest of its kind in the world. Its waist measures 15 meters and it has 42 arms. Some 120 cubic meters of wood, weighing some 110 tons, were used to make the Buddha.
The buildings of the resort were all built in blue bricks and gray tiles that are traditional and plain, whereas its outlying temples are all roofed with glazed color tiles that looks grand, golden luxury, and glorious.
The summer resort and the surrounding temples were placed on the world cultural heritage list in 1994.
If you are interested in such historical heritage and natural beauty, please book your China Flights and come to the Chengde Mountain Resort.
Ancient town is always a good choice when choosing a China Tour. As we have known , there are many beautiful ancient towns in China ,among whicn Zhouzhuang has been considered as one of the most beautiful towns.And it is the cradle of the Wudi culture. Not only the wonderful views can you enjoy, you […]
Ancient town is always a good choice when choosing a China Tour. As we have known , there are many beautiful ancient towns in China ,among whicn Zhouzhuang has been considered as one of the most beautiful towns.And it is the cradle of the Wudi culture. Not only the wonderful views can you enjoy, you can also experience the eastern culture.Besides, China Airline is developed ,so it is convenient to get there.
Zhouzhuang is located in Kunshan city, Jiangsu Province. Its long history can be dated back to 1086. The town was only a small village at that time. As the commercial trading became increasingly important, Zhouzhuang was growing more and more prosperous. In Ming Dynasty, the town expanded to the west; in Qing Dynasty, there were more residents, and came out a lot of shops and stores. Although Zhouzhuang has gone through vicissitudes of more than 900 years, the original buildings are well-preserved. About 60 percent of the buildings are those of Ming and Qing Dynasty, with more than one hundred classical messuages and over 60 gate towers. Moreover, there are 14 ancient bridges with different features. All these elegant and exquisite buildings form into picturesque scenery. zhouzhuang is well known for its beautiful environment and simple architecture. although more than 900 years have past, its architectural style is still well preserved. more than 60 percent of the residential houses were built during the ming (1368-1644) and qing (1644-1911) dynasties, consisting of nearly 100 classic courtyards and 60 carved brick archways.
With its profound historical inheritance and unique cultural heritage, Zhouzhuang is renowned for its typical Southern Chinese riverside scenery, elegantly-crafted bridges, murmuring streams and classical dwellings, as well as its distinctive local traditions. It has been shortlisted as a possible UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and has already won many awards, including the Dubai International Award for Best Practices in Improving the Living Environment and an American Government Award.
With its unique tourism resources, the town is promoting its potential as a visitor destination, whilst maintaining the concept of “Simultaneous Protection and Development”. Its 10 years of development has recently been honored with the title of “No. 1 Water Town of China”, and it has also been established as one of “The Top 50 Places Favored by Overseas Tourists”.
In recent years, Zhouzhuang has been dedicated to successfully preserving its traditional culture and exploring it potential as a cultural sightseeing destination. It is now an important showcase for Chinese culture for visitors from across the world. It attracts more than 2.5 million visitors every year, resulting in an annual income from tourism of 800 million yuan ($117 million).
After a decade of restoration and a subsequent decade of development, Zhouzhuang is no looking at a decade of progress. As part of a bid to establish Zhouzhuang as a global tourism destination, the town is promoting itself through increased investment, improvements to its visitor facilities and by building its international profile.
The above we mentionen is just a simple introduction of Zhouzhuang, if you want to experience more , the better choice is that you make a plan and book a China Flight.