Tianjin lies about 130 km southeast of Beijing(two hours by train). It is the largest trading and industrial center of the North. It is one of the three centrally administered municipalities,

the others being Shanghai and Beijing. The province-level municipality covers an area of 11,300 km. It has a total population of 7.8 million; 4.8 million live in the inner city. Tianjin is the third largest city in China. Approximately 1.4 million of the inhabitants belong to minority groups, such as the Hui, manchus, Mongols and Koreans.

Despite its proximity to the sea, Tianjin has a continental climate with dry, severe winters and hot summers, yielding 70% of the annual precipitation. The port of Tianjin is frozen over for about 80 day during the winter months.

Tianjin is an important railway and shipping center, for the city is the junction of addition, five navigable tributaries of the Haihe river meet here. The Haihe, along the banks of which the city stretches for more than 16 km, has frequently caused heavy flooding in the past. This danger has been overcome thanks to various dike construction projects. In 1952, a new port was completed north of the mouth of the Haihe. It is navigable for ships up to 10,000 gross registered tons. The port was further expanded in 1976. Today the city has two well-known universities, Nankai and Beiyang.

The terrible earthquake of 1976 also hit Tianjin, though not as heavily as Tangshan. The city still carries some scars of this catastrophe.

History

Archeological finds indicate that first settlements in the Tianjin area must already have existed during the Warring States Period. Since the Jin and Yuan eras, Tianjin has been a garrison town. At that time it was called Zhigu. It rapidly developed into a

commercial center and a port, a market for grain and other foodstuffs from Central and South Chiha. The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty soon recognized the value of this port, established more ware- houses and improved the harbor facilities. During the Ming Dynasty it was called Tianjin Wei.

In 1425, a mighty city wall was constructed. During the Qing Dynasty, Tianjin, favored by its location on the Grand Canal, achieved its North China. During the mid-19th century, trade declined slowly, because the European nations declined slowly, because the European nationas unremittingly pressed their demands for privileges. After two years of negotiations with the French and British governments, the Chinese government had no choice but to accept the Treaty of Tianjin in 1858, authorizing the establishment of British and French concessions. But the city rejected the conditions of the treaty. For this reason, in 1860, foreign governments saw themselves justified in shelling Tianjin and landing troops there. The Chinese government then declared Tianjin an open trading port: The city was now divided into concessions. This forced opening of trade relations by the foreign powers created much hatred. Ten years after the establishment of the first concession, hearvy conflicts erupted. In 1900 in connection with the Boxer Rebellion the French and the British occupied the city. Nevertheless, Tianjin became China's second commercial center. The profitable export trade established firms and banks as a new force which influenced the country's policy. Many houses in the Western architectural style were built and gave the Chinese city an atypical appearance. This has remained so until today; sometimes the visitor will even forget that he is still in China. During the Sino-Japanese War(1937--45), Tianjin was occupied by the Japanese. After 1949, it grew into an industrial town, the most important one, next to Shanghai. Heavy industry dominates, but the light, textile, and chemical industries are also of importance.

Hotels and Guest Houses
Kaiyue hotel(Hyatt Tianjin)

Hyatt Tianjin, Tianjin, China is a four star hotel on the bank of Hai River. Hyatt Tianjin is a magnificent 4 Star deluxe hotel in a central location, featuring 440 luxurious rooms, 5 restaurants, 2 lounges and a bar. There is a 24-hour business center, as well as an in-house doctor on call 24-hours a day. Dragonair and CAAC ticketing offices, a beauty salon, gift shop and delicatessen are all added features.

Area: 6.185 km, the city itself covers 145 km/Population:11.8 million Shanghai is a special city in every respect. Only 50 years ago, it was still considered one of the most important metropolises of the world, as the trading and banking center of Asia, as a city of extremes, an EI Dorado for adventurers.

Foreigners lent Shanghai its appearance, making it more Western than Chinese. Twenty-story-high building reach skyward; there are vast hotel complexes, villas and palaces that a visitor from the West can more easily identify than a temple, for they were built according to Western architectural style by former business and military men.

The colonialists have gone, but their buildings remain, and the bustling life and activities of a large Chinese city prevail around them. A special kind of people lives here. The people of Shanghai are feared by some and loved by others, for they are especially brisk, smart, flexible and ingenious and make more of their appearance than other Chinese. In Shanghai, one is always ahead of the times--trends are set here. It was in Shanghai that make-up was first used and permanents worn, that the people risked wearing fashionable Western clothes. Things that leave people in speechless amazement elsewhere in China are often already old hat in Shanghai.

The people of Shaanghai are talented merchants and clever politicians, many of them are invested with high positions in the government, economy and administration. government, economy and administration. Shanghai also has its own special political tradition. In 1925, students and workers jointed together in protest demonstrations against feudalism, capitalism and poor government. In March 1927, the city experienced an uprising of 800,000 workers.

The city has made great social and economic progress since 1949. The Shanghai of the past had unsolvable economic problems, a dreaded underworld, masses of unemployed, beggars and homeless, thousaands of prostitutes and pimps. Today, it presents itself as an orderly large city where everyone has enough to live on and no ragged coolies and beggars loiter about. Shanghai is the largest city in China and a trade and manufacturing center. Almost one-half of all national and international trade is transacted in shanghai, which has trade telations with 115 countries. Shanghai is also China's most important port. There are 275 different shipping connections with foreign port. Inland shipping is conducted on the Changjiaang to the interior as far as Sichuan. The four airports have inland and foreign connections.

History

The area around Shanghai was settled fairly early; however, the settlement remained little more than a fishing village for centuries. By the 13th century , Shanghai had become known under its present name as a trading town. Shanghai's natural advantages, its location on the Huangpu and Wusong Rivers, its proximity to the sea and a deep natural harbor led to flourishing coastal and inland shipping. During the Ming era, the first industrial manufacturing plants were built. About 70% of the agricultural production around Shanghai was used to supply thhe city's cotton and silk spinning mills. The development of its political and commercial importance began in the 19th century with the arrival of the foreigners. They, too, recognized the advantages of its location and forced Shanghai to open up to foreign trade. At the end of the Opium War, the Treaty of Nanking was signed by the victorious foreigners and the imperial government on August 29, 1842. This was the first of the Unequal treaties extorted from China by force of arms. It bound China to open five ports, including Shanghai, to overseas trade. Furthermore, the foreigners were granted special rights and privileges. The international colony and the French concession arose next to the Chinese city, thus dividing the town in three districts. The international colony developed out of the integration of the British and American settlements. Modern buildings in the European style were built, soon giving the city a Western appearance.

Increasing numbers of foreigners were drawn to Shanghai. Banks, import and export companies, factories, shops, parks and a racetrack were built. After the Qing government was overthrown in 1911, the foreigners took over the entire administration. They even controlled the Chinese customs office. In 1935, the city had more than 3.7 million inhabitants in its three districts, including over 57,000 foreigners. Even today, many Chinese are very unwilling to think back on this time, when the foreigers erected signs forbidding the Chinese and dogs from walking on lawns or armed Indian Sikh police guarded the entrances to banks and other buildings. The Chinese people's resistance to foreign rule in China thus found many suporters in Shanghai. This can be seen in various political events: the growth of the revolutionary movement, the boycott of foreign goods and the protest demonstrations of students and workers against feudalism, capitalism and the official silence towards imperialist foreign enterprises.

The alliance of students and workers suported the Nationalists under Chiang Kaishek at that time, and yet, the Nationalists were the ones who violently and bloodily suppressed this alliancee in 1927. the Communist Party was founded in Shanghai in 1921. After war broke out between Japan andthe United States, the Japanese occupied the foreign concessions and took over the administration. The food situation became increasingly difficult and inflation, corruption and smuggling flourished.Even after japn's capitulation, the living conditions did not improve very much. The economic problems seemed insolvable until Communist troops reached the city in May 1949 and put an end to the chaos.

Shanghai has changed radically sinc that time. Various cultural institutions have come into being: museums and parks have been built. The population has increased drastically. the constuction of entire housing settlements is an attempt to master the general housing shortage. The heart of the city is already hopelessly overcrowded, yet it still exerts a powerful magnetism. Many people would prefer to give up better living conditions in the country and move to bustling Shanghia.

Today, Shanghai is the most important cultural and scientific sectors.Opera, ballet and circus companies known in China as well as abroad are based in Shanghai. One hundred and ninety research institutes, universities and technical schools hav made Shanghai into a center for thhe sciences.

Shanghai lies on the west bank of the Huangpu Jiang river, which flows into the ChangJiang(Yangtze) 28 km farthe upstream. The northern part of Shanghai is separated from the rest of the city by the Wusong Jiang river. Zhongshanlu street begins at the confluence of the Wusong Jiang and the Huangpu Jiang. Its famous riverside avenue (formerly called the Bund), with its park-like green areas and tall buildings, is Shanghai's landmark. Here, the visitor stands in front of magnificent buildings in the art nouveau style that once housed the clubs, banks, companies and hotels of the foreign rulers. Today, the Sailors' Club and the managements of several state institutions have been installed there. The eastern side of Zhongshanlu installed there. The eastern side of Zgongshanlu borders directly onthe Huanpu Jiang river. A broad view of the river can be had from there. The people of Shanghai like to go to the parks to relax for an hour in the evening or for morning exercises. Very many people gather in the moring for shadow--boxing, Taijiquan, across from the Friendship Store. Everyone can join in, even the guest form abroad.

Nanjianglu street leads westward from Zhongshanlu past the Peace Hotel to the People's Park. Nanjinglu is Shanghai's main business steet,whre tthere are shops of all sorts as well as cinemas and restaurants.

Yan'anlu street iss paralleel to Nanjianglul. The Shanghai Industrial Exhibition Hall and the Children's Palace are located on its eastern side. Yan'anlu used to mark the border between the international and French concessions. Further south, Huaihailu street runs parallel to Yan'anlu. It is also an important shopping street and was formerly the main business street of the French concession.

Chenghuang Miao Temple ³ÇÚòÃí

The Temple of the Town Deity is located south of Yuyuan Gardan. There used to be a temple to the local deity, whick the inhabitants believed would protect them, in every city. The city deities were frequently real persons to whom the town owed something. Today, an arts aand crafts store is in the temple.

Yuyuan Garden Ô¥Ô°

Yuyuan Garden is northeast of the Old Town. A high official had it designed in the Suzhou style as a private garden and built from 1559-- 1577. Later, it was restored several times. In spite of its relatively small area of two hectares it seems considerably larger due to the skillful arrangement of 30 different landscape scenes.

The garden consists of an inner and an outer section. The inner garden, neiyuan, is in the southern part and substantially smaller than the outer one, but then, it is more impressive and romantic, if it is possible to visit it in the early moring hours in order to enjoy it alone. An excellent calligrapher displays his work in one of the halls.

the outer part is in the north and contains numberous halls, pavilions and lakes. In 1853, the Pavilion of Spring in the northeast was the seat of the Xiaodao Hui, the Society of Little Swords, tho led an uprishing against Qing rule and occupied Shanghai for 17 months. Today, weapons and coins made by the Xiaodao Hui society, among other objects, are exhibited in this hall.

A man-made, 11-m-high hill bounds the garden in the northwest. Huxin Ting teahouse is a favorite with the citizens of Shanghai. It is in the southwest, outside of the garden grounds, a two-story building resting on posts in the middle of a pond and connected to the shore by a 'Zigzag Bridge'.

Longhua Si Ta Pagoda and Longhua Si Temple Áú»ªËÂÁú»ªËþ

Longhua Si is on the west bank of the Huangpu Jiang river in Longhua district in southern Shanghai. Its 40-m-high pagoda makes it an important sight.

Historic documents indicate that a pagoda was built here as early as the 3rd century. the present pagoda dates from 977. It was restored several times in later centuries and is built of wood and bricks.
Longhua Si temple dates from the same period.

A bronze bell from 1382 said t weigh 1,500 kg is a feature of interest. In 1954, the entire complex was restoredand a park added. It is especially pretty here in the springtime when the peach trees are in bloom.

Universities, Daxue ¸´µ©´óѧ

Jiangwan, Haandanlu 22
Patriotic professors, instructors and students left the French Catholic University, Zhedan Xueyuan, in 1905 and founded Fudan Gongxue, which was chaanged to Fudan Daaaxue university in 1917. During the Sino-Jaapanese War, the University first moved to Lushan, Guiyang, and then to Chongqing. After the end of the war, it returned to Shanghai. It has been a general university where the humanities and natural sciences are taught in addition to technical subjects since 1952.

Tongji Daxue ͬ¼Ã´óѧ

Tongji University specializes in architecture, construction and technical science. It was founded in 1907 as a German-language medical school to which a school of engineering was later added.

It has been a technical college since 1949.

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Zhejiang Õã½­Ê¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area:101,800 km /Population: 38.88 million/Capital: Hangzhou

The coastal province of Zhejiang is one of the most densely populated areas in China. For a number of centuries it was the cultural center of the emprie. From ancient times, Zhejiang has been considered the home of rice,tea and silk.

Hangzhou º¼ÖÝÊÐ

Hangzhou, the captial of Zhejiang, is one of the old imperial Cities in China; the others are Xi'an, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Nanjing and Beijing.

Marco Polo called Hangzhou the most distinguished and beautiful city in the world. The widely--traveled Venetian was fascinated with the spleendor of the huge edifices, the wide paved streets and the magnificient grounds along the shores of the Xihu, West Lake.He admired the people's friendiness, hospitality and peaceableness, their silken clothing and the women's valuable jewelry. In those days, Hangzhou had an estimated population of 1.6 million, and the city was a flourishing trade center.

In fact, Hangzhou is still one of the most beautiful destinations of a trip through China; and, like marco Polo, the visitor will be pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the people of Hangzhou. It can be easily reached by train from Shanghai, but it is also possible to get there by plane from Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Hongkong.

Hangzhou lies in northern Zhejiang at the southern end of the Grand Ganal. The city is linked to Central China by an extensive network of canals. Population: 5.28 million.

Xihu, West lake Î÷ºþ

Xihu is in the western section of the city.

The lake covers an area of 566 km, its circumference is 15 km, its average depth 1.5m. Two dikes, Baidi and Sudi, divide the lake and make it possible to cross it. There are four small islands in West Lake: Gushan, Xiao Yingzhou, Hushan Tang and Ruangong Dun. There are 40 sights of interest in the Xihu vicinity. Three sides of the lake are surrounded by hills up to 400 m high, the fourth is bordered by the city.

The famous poet Su Dongpo, who was prefect of Hangzhou during the Northern Song Dynasty, described the charming scenery of the Xihu in many of his poems.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, the West Lake area was part of the imperial residence. The emperors of the Qing Dynasty took pleasure in the Xihu and its grounds. Replicas of buildings and garden complexes can be found in Yihe Yuan, the Summer Place, in Beijing and the part of the imperial Residence in Chengde.

Xiao Yingzhou Сå­ÖÞ

Xiao Yingzhou island was laid out in 1607. It actually consists of just one embankment separating a small lake from the large West Lake and of paved walks, which divide it in quarters and meet at the center in a small island. The four small lakes are overgrown with lotus flowers. A visit during July and August when the flowers are in bloom is especially attractive. Walking along the embankment past pavilions, terraces, rocks and many old trees gives an impression of the magic of the renowned West Lake. To the south is the Nine Arches Bridge, the island's major attraction.

Baochu Ta Pagoda (Baoshu Ta)

Baochu Ta is situated on top of 200-m-high Baoshi Shan, the Treasure mountain, north of Xihu lake. In earlier times, jade was reportedly found here and the mountain was named accordingly.

Baochu Ta was erected from 969---976 and was damaged and destroyed several times, but always rebuilt. The present structure is 45.3 m high and made of bricks. It was restored in 1933. The narrow pagoda belongs to the typical panorama of West Lake. It can be seen from afar and is a landmark of Hangzhou.

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Shaoxing ÉÜÐËÊÐ

Enchanting and peaceful,Shaoxing is about 60 km southeast of Hangzhou on the Ningbo railway line. It is one of the oldest cities in Zhejiang and,to the Western visitor,one of China's friendiest. Shaoxing was mentioned as the capital of the state of Yue as early as the 7th century BC.Today,Shaoxing is associated with the names of prominent people. Lu Xun (1881-1936),the most important modern Chinese writer,is a native of Shaoxing.Qiu Jin (1875-1907),the unforgotten poetess,revolutionary and at the same time a pioneer of the Chinese women's movement,was also born in Shaoxing.The famous calligrapher Wang Xizhi (321-379)spent a long time in this city.Lu You (1125-1210), a poet of the Southern Song era,was also born in Shaoxing.

Shaoxing is situated amidst picturesque scenery between Mirror Lake and Kuaiji Shan mountain.A network of small canals runs through the city;small boats with black roofs, arched bridges,white washed houses with black tiled roofs, narrow paved streets leave their mark on the city's atmosphere.Thanks to extensive irrigation.

Shaoxing had already become the center of flourishing rice and silk trade long ago.The surrounding rice fields yield two crops a year.Tea plantations have been located in the hills south of the city since ancient times.The city's wine,Shaoxing Jiu,is one of China's mosst famous wines.

Lu Xun's Birthplace ³Ѹ¹Ê¾Ó¡¢¼ÍÄî¹Ý

In Dongchangfang street 208,today called Luxunlu,stands the house in which the writer Lu Xun was born in 1881.He spent his childhood here.He left Shaoxing at the age of 12 to take up his studies in Nanjing and,from 1902 onwards, in Japan.In 1910,he returned to Shaoxing and taught at the middle school,Shaoxingfu Zhongxuetang,and at the teachers' college,Shanhui Shifan.Some of his earlier works were written during this period.Two years later,he left Shaoxing. In1919,he returned for th last time for just 20 days.

Lu Xun Jiniangguan,Lu Xun Exhibition Hall

Lu Xun Exhibition Hall is just east of the house where he was born.Among other items,letters,calligrphies,photos and his works are on display here.Barely 100m west of Lu Xun's birthplace,the famous wine tavern Xianheng Jiudian is located, where the well-known Shaoxing wine is served.Lu Xun drank wine here and described the tavern in his work.Since then,however, it has been renovated and no longer corresponds to the one of his time.

Donghu,East Lake ¶«ºþ

Donghu lake is 3 km east of the city.Narrow dikes and stone bridges lead across the lake.

Some pavilions that fit harmoniously into the landscape were erected at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

It takes about half an hour to walk around the lake.It is also possible to take a short boat ride or to climb the cliffs.

Yuling Tomb ÓíÁê

Four km souteast of Shaoxing is a grave,allegedly that of Yu,the ruler of the Xia Dynasty.It is surrounded by the Kuaiji Shan and Tingshan mountains.

Lanting,Orchid Pavillion À¼Í¤

Fourteen km southwest of the city is the famous Lanting Pavilion,the construction of which is documented by the calligrapher Wang Xizhi(321-379)in his work Lanting Jixu. The present complex was built in 1548.

Liuchang Ting pavilion makes up part of the complex, where inscriptions andcalligraphies of the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors,among others,can be seen.

Hotels

Huaqiao Fandian, »ªÇÈ·¹µê Shangdalu, tel.23 23
Chaoyang Luguan, ³¯ÑôÂÃ¹Ý Jiefangbeilu, tel.29 30
Shaoxing Fandian, ÉÜÐË·¹µê Longshanlu, tel.32 54

Travel agency

Guoji Luxingshe,CITS,Zhongguo Luxingshe,Huojie 57,tel.32 52

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NingboÄþ²¨ÊÐ

Ningbo ,an old port city with 400,000 inhabitants,is in the eastern part of Zhejiang where the Yongjiang and the Yaojiang meet,about 25 km from the mouth of the river at the East China Sea.The city can be reached by bus or train from Hangzhou or by boat from Shanghai.

Travel agency

Guoji Luxingshe,CITS,Liudingjie 106,tel.31 75 Zhongguo Luxingshe,Liudingjie 100,tel.21 81

Hotels

Ningbo Fandian,Liaodingjie 100,tel 31 75,31 88

Putuo Shan Mountains and Island ÆÕÍÓɽ

The Putuo Shan mountain range forms a 12.5-km island,which is part of the Zhoushanqundao islands and may be reached by boat from Ningbo.The trip takes five hours.

The Putuo Shan is one of the four sacred mountains of Buddhism(the others are Jiuhua Shan,Wutai Shan,Emei Shan). It is dedicated to the bodhisattva Guanyin.He is said to meditated and held sermons here for years.Finally he reached the preliminary stage in becoming a Buddha.More than 300 temples and monasteries of all sizes were built here during the course of the years and at one time accommodated 3,000 monks.Puji Si,Fayu Si and Huiji Si are among the biggest ones today.

Putuo Shan has much to offer:interesting,beautifully-situated monasteries;magnificent beaches for sunbathers and clear,warm water for swimmers;the hustle and bustle in the small willage lanes.A walk from the harbor to the village takes about 20 minutes.Lodging in one of the guest houses can be arranged in advance by CITS.

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Jinhua ½ð»ªÊÐ

Jinhua lies in the center of Zhejiang Province.It is accessible by bus and train from all directions.

Since ancient times,Jinhua has been a flourishing trade center in the middle of a wealthy rice-growing area and a trading post for wood and agricultural products.

The city's best known sights are the three Jinhua caves, Shuanglong Dong,Binghu Dong and Chaozhen Dong.

Yandang Shan Mountains Ñ㵴ɽ

The Yandang Shan mountains,a breathtaking area with high peaks,bold rock formations,roaring waterfalls and rocky cliffs,lie northeast of Leqing district in the southern part of Zhejiang Province.

The Yandang Shan mountains can be reached by taking the boat from Shanghai to Haimen and then proceeding by bus and train,which is also possible from Ningbo and Wenzhou. The area offers innumerable sights:temples,pavilions, caves,waterfalls,peaks,etc.,can be visited,not to mention the many gorges,rock formations and passes.The highest mountain of the Yandang Shan range is 1,150 m high.The entire massif covers an area of 400 km.

Not far from Lingyan Si there are two peaks:Tianzhu Feng and Zhanqi Feng.The Southern Heavenly Gate,Nantian Men,is between them.

Tianzhou Feng peak seems to reach up to the sky,so it is called Pillar of Heaven.Dalongqiu Pubu waterfall is 4 km west of Ma'an Ling peak.It is one of the largest waterfalls in China.

In its vicinity,numerous gorges,caves and Buddha sculptures can be seen.One can climb up to the Dragon's Back,Longqiu Bei.From there, one has a view of all the peaks in the Yandang Shan range.

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Wenzhou ÎÂÖÝÊÐ

Wenzhou is siuated on the south bank of the Oujiang, about 30 km from its mouth at the East China Sea.Wenzhou's history can be traced back to the 2nd century BC,when this area was the kingdom of Dong'ou.Since 1949,Wenzhou has become an important port and the most important trade center of southeast Zhejiang.Export items include primarily tea,jute,timber,paper,alum,bricks and tiles.The city' two main industries are food processingand paper manufacturing. Machine-building factories and the traditional handicraft workshops are also of importance.

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Jiaxing ¼ÎÐËÊÐ

Jiaxing lies by the side of the Grand Canal,northeast of Hangzhou in the middle of a fertile rice growing area. For centuries,the city has been an important market for rice and silk.Textile production and food processing as well as papermaking constitute the main industries.

Nanhu,South Lake ÄϺþ

The lake is divided into an eastern and a western section. Its area totals 35 hectares.Two small islands,Huxin Dao and Xiaozhou,rise up in the middle of the lake.A Memorial Hall to the Revolution and Yanyu Lou hall,Mist and Rain pavilion dated 1549,are located on Huxin Dao.

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Shanxi Province ɽÎ÷Ê¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: ca. 157,000 km / Population:25 million / Capital: Taiyuan Shangxi, in the east part of the North Chinese Loes Plateau, bords on Shaanxi in the west and Henan in the south. The west and southwest borders are drawn by the curve of the Huanghe (Yellow River). The Taihang Shan mountains mark the borders in the southeast and east. In the north, the border runs along the Great Wall.

History

During the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100 - 711 BC), the fief of Qin was founded in the southwest along the Fenhe river. It quickly developed politically, economically and culturally into a regional center. During the Han Dynasty, Shanxi was a buffer state between the nomadic peoples of the north and west and the peasants who had settled in the fertile plains of what are today the Hebei and Henan provinces. The political status of the province varied according to the strength or weakness of the central government. From the end of the Han Dynasty until the reunion of the empire under the Sui Dynasty in 581, Shanxi was the seat of short-lived dynasties. Buddhism flourished in this province during the Northern Wei Dynasty, Datong, originated at this time. Shanxi Province was founded in the 14th century.

Taiyuan Ì«Ô­ÊÐ

Taiyuan , the capital of SHanxi, lies on the Fenhe river in the heart of the province and in the northern part of the fruitful Taiyuan Basin. The city,with a population of more than 2.2 million, is one of the important industrial centers in China.

History

Taiyuan has always been a center of interest due to its mineral wealth, agricultural conditions and strategic poition. It was the entry-way to the Shanxi plateaus, a favorite target of the northern tribes and an advantageous starting point for an occupation of the empire. Thus, Taiyuan was the scene of political and martial conflicts again and again.

Jinci, the Jin Ancestral Temple ½úìô

The Jinci temple complex is located about 25 km southwest of Taiyuan at the source of the Jinhe river and at the foot of Xuanweng Shan mountain.In the 11th century BC, Prince Shuyu ruled the fief of Tang. After his death, his son assumed power and renamed the fief Jin after the Jinhe river. In the 5th century AD, an ancestral temple, Jinci, was built in memory of Prince Shuyu. During the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577)other halls, pavilions and gardens were added. The temple complex flourished during the rise of the city Jinyang. Li Yuan, who had not followed the Suiemperor's command to suppress a revolt in what today is called Shanxi, but rather made himself the leader of the rebels, supposedly made a sacrifice in the ancestral temple of Prince Shuyu of Tang and appealed for assistance.

Shuangta Si, Two Pagodas Temple Ë«ËþËÂ

This temple is located in the southeastern part of Taiyuan. It was built in the Ming Dynasty during the reign of Wanli (1573 - 1620). Its two 54-m-tall brick pagodas became the city's landmark.

Tianlongshan Shiku Grottos ÌìÁúɽʯ¿ß

About 40 km southwest of Taiyuan, Tianlong Shan mountain rises, containing eight grottos on the east summit and 13 grottos on the west summit. The oldest one was built between 535-549; most of the others originated in the Tang Dynasty. The greater part of their sculptures are damaged. An impressive Buddha statue in Grotto 9 is the best-preserved one.

Longshan Shiku Caves Áúɽʯ¿ß

Some Daoist cave dwellings are located on Longshan mountain about 20 km southwest of Taiyuan. They were constructed by the Daoist monk Song Defang at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty and contain more than 40 wellpreserved sculptures. There are inscriptions from the Yuan era on the walls.

Hotels

Yingze Binguan, Ó­Ôó±ö¹Ý Yingze Dajie, tel.2 32 11
Bingzhou Fandian, Yingze Dajie, tel. 4 59 24
Sanjing Dasha, Yingze Dajie, tel. 2 78 53
Jinci Binguan, ½úìô±ö¹Ý Nanjiao, in the Jinci temple complex,
tel. 2 99 41

Travel agencies

Guoji Luxingshe, CITS, Yingze Dajie, in Yingze Binguan
Guest House
Zhongguo Luxingshe, Yingze Dajie, tel.2 91 55

Shopping

Friendship Store, Wuyilu Nantou, tel. 2 81 80

Datong ´óͬÊÐ

Datong , with a population of more than 900,000, the largest city in the northern part of Shanxi Province, is about eight hours away from Beijing by train. It is situated south of the traditional fortifications of the Great Wall on a loess plateau more than 1,000 m above sea level and draws its water from the Sanggan He river.

History

During the Western Han Dyansty, this area was the main seat of the eastern frontier garrison for the Han armies, which were supposed to protect the land from the attacks of the nomadic Xiongnu. In the 4th century AD, the Toba, a central Asian tribe, invaded China. They founed the Northern Wei Dynasty and built their capital here in 398. Even after they had united the entire North under their rul, Datong remained the capital until the sixth emperor of the Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang in 494.

Datong was fortified in 421. The outer city wall measured 16 km in circumference.

After being connected up to the railway network,Datong developed into a modern city. Today, it is an important railway junction between Hebei and Shanxi Provinces and Mongolia and an important industrial center,known mainly for its coal mining and agricultural machine manufacturing.

Vistors wishing to take something special with them from Datong should perhaps buy something in bronze, because Datong is known for its production of bronze objects, especially its richly decorated fire pots.

Jiulong Bi, the Nine Dragon Screen ¾ÅÁú±Ú

The Nine Dragon Screen in the middle of Datong originates from the early Ming Dynasty.At one time, the residence of Zhu Gui was located here, the 13th son of the first Ming emperor. The entire complex burned down with the exception of the Nine Dragon Screen in 1644. Today, Jiulong Bi is one of the largest tiles, nine dragons rise from the sea and fly towards the sun, the symbol of immortality. A small pool was laid out in front of the screen and the dragons are reflected in its water. When the surface of the water iss disturbed by the wind, the dragons' reflections seem to dance.

Yungang Rock Temples ÔƸÚʯ¿ß

The Yungang rock temples lie 16 km west of Datong in a valley on the south side of the Wuzhou sandstone mountains. They are an historical sight and extend westward along the mountain slopes for a distance of over 1 km. Most of them were built 1,500 years ago, from 460 -494, at the time of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 - 534), which had been founded by the central Asian Toba tribe. Chinese culture and art flourished at that time.

Man and nature have greatly damaged the Yungang rock temples since their creation. At least 1,400 statues were stolen, especially at the beginning of the 20th century, or sold by irresponsible officials. Many of these statues are now on display in the museums of the western world.

The rock temples are divided into three groups according to their location: the eastern caves 1-4, the middle 5 - 13 and the western 14 - 53. The most important ones are 5 - 6, 9 - 13 and 16 - 20.

A sort of several-storied pagoda has been preserved in cave 2.Cave 3 is the largest of the Yungang rock temples; it contains three statues: a sitting Buddha in the middle and a standing bodhisattva on each side. They are unique among the Yungang sculpture, for the expression and form of their clothing are characterized by special elegance and grace.

Most visitors begin sightseeing at cave 5. It is well protected, thanks to the wooken monastery buildings.Caves 6 and 7 are the climax of the Yungang rock temples.Cave 8 is an example of the combination of various styles, namely, Chinese, Indian and Hellenistic (the representation of a guard with a trident is attributed to the Hellenistic influence). Caves 9-13 are also called the colorful caves. Caves 14 and 15 are severly weathered. There is a Sakyamuni statue in cave 16 and a Maitreya statue in cave 17.

In the millde of cave 18, there is a Sakyamuni statue portraying him as vital and strong. Its stone robe is decorated with carvings showing innumerable small bodhisattvas. In cave 19, one can see a 16.7-m-tall sculpture of the seated Sakyamuni, the secondlargest statue of Yungang. The 13.7-m-tall Buddha statue in cave 20 is probably the bestknown, because it is easily photographed. Temple 21 was not created until near the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Caves 22 - 53, as well as the other, unnumbered ones, originated mainly after 495.

Guest House

Datong Binguan, Geweihui'erlu, tel.2 33 33

Travel agency

Guoji Luxingshe, CITS, tel. 27 04 and Zhongguo Luxingshe Xinjianlu

Hengshan Mountains ºãɽ

Hengshan is one of the five holy mountains in China. It rises in northern Shanxi and is famous for its Hanging Monastery located about 75 km from Datong. The monastery was originally built in the 6th century and reconstructed in the Jin, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Its forty small halls and pavilions were built along the contours of the cliff, a masterpiece of Chinese architectural art.

Wutai Shan Mountains Îą̊ɽ

There are four sacred Buddhist mountains in China: Emei Shan in Sichuan, Jiuhua Shan in Anhui, Putuo Shan in Zhejiang and Wutai Shan in Shaxi. Wutai Shan, the Five Terraces Mountain, rises in eastern Shanxi on the border to Hebei. As the name implies, it consists of five terrace-like peaks, the highest of which is in the north and has an elevation of 3,058 m. The best time to see them is in June and July. In April, the smow falls. Wutai Shan can be easily reached by the overland bus from Taiyuan. The drive takes about nine hours and takes the vistor through breathtaking mountain scenery.

Wutai Shan is dedicated to Wenshu Pusa, the bodhisattva Manjusri, the god of wisdom.A large, white dagoba is located in the middle of Wutai Shan. The temple surrounding it was added in the 15th century. Xiantong Si, the oldest Eastern Han Dynasty temple, is behind this temple.

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Neimenggu Autonomous Region (Inner Mongolia) ÄÚÃɹÅ×ÔÖÎÇø(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: ca.1,200,000 km /Population: 19.2 million, including 16.5 million Han Chinese, 2.5 million Mongols, 145,000 Huis and 87,000 Manchus/Capital: Hohhot

Neimenggu is the third largest of China's provinces and autonomous regions.It stretches across the northern part of China and has an average elevation of 1,000 m above sea level. Geographically, it is a part of North Chinese steppe plateau. A large part of it is desert and about half of its area can be used as grazing land. Only the area along both sides of the Huanghe, the Yellow River, which flows for hundreds of kilometers through Mongolia, is very fertile.

History

Tribes of the Xiongnu people lived in the area of what is now Mongolia as early as the 10th century BC. They started banding together around the 5th century BC and became a threat to the neighboring peoples, especially to the Chinese farmers settled in the adjacent southern areas. The latter protected themselves by buliding fortifications, finally creating the monumental Great Wall. Under the rule of Emperor Wudi during the Han Dynasty, the areas of present-day Gansu and Inner Mongolia were occupied to safeguard the trade routes to the west. In the 5th century AD, Turkic peoples invaded Mongolia and subordinated the country to their rule.

Mongolia was divided among several tribes during the 12th century. Finally, the Manghol tribe under the leadership of Genghis Khan succeeded in uniting the entire area under its rule. They conquered the Jin Empire in the 13th century and founded the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty with its capital in Beijing (Dadu). However, the last Yuan emperor had to flee to the Mongols heartland in 1368. Struggles between the western, eastern and southern Mongolian followed the fall of the dynasty until Dayan Khan managed to reunite the Mongolian tribes. In the 17th century, the Mongolian recognized the danger the Manchus posed; however, the tribal leaders could not agree upon a common plan of action, as they were used to individual tribal autonomy. The Great Khan, Ligdan from the Tsachar tribe, was striving for a leading position, making him appear more dangerous to the individual tribal chiefs than the Manchus. Thus, the Manchus were able to force Ligdan to flee. The Inner Mongolian regions were annexed to the empire when the Manchurian Qing Dynasty was founded. In spite of a policy aimed at establishing a balance of power, the Manchus could not prevent numerous uprisings and independence movements. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong were the only ones who were able to maintain their sovereignity over the Mongols. Even at the beginning of the second half of the 19th century, disturbances arose that were directed against Manchurian sovereignity and the masses of Chinese settlers on the other. Mongolian freedom fighters succeeded in separating Outer Mongolia from the empire in 1911 and declaring its independence with Russian support. In secret treaties, the Russians had promised Inner Mongolia to the Japanese, who invaded this area in increasing numbers during the thirties. The Mongols formed revolutionary secret societies which mostly joined the Communist movement. The leading figure in their struggle was Ulanfu(Wu Lanfu) who had joined the revolution at an early age and later became Chairman of Inner Mongolia. Even before the founding of the People's Republic of China, Inner Mongolia was declared an autonomous region on May 1, 1947. The region consisted of various former provinces to which others were added in 1954-55. Thus, Inner Mongolia soon comprised seven confederations (meng) covering an area of about 1.2 million km . The confederations were divided into cities, districts and banners (qi).

The majority of Neimenggu's population is Han Chinese; only about 11% are Mongols. In addition, there are small minorities such as the Huis, Manchus and Koreans.

The typical dwelling of the nomadic Mongols is the yurt. It has a domed roof with a height of about 2.5 m and a circular with a diameter of 3-4m. Wicker covered on the outside with a type of felt or leather is used as the building material. The yurt is held together with leather straps. It is set up on a foundation of earth and stones. Its interior is not partitioned: the stove is in the center, the stove-pipe runs outside through a hole in the ceiling, and the beds are placed around the stove. Other pieces of furniture are placed against the wall. Large families have two or more yurts.

Agricultural expansion and irrgation have caused many Mongols to settle. Some yurts have given way to houses, and more modern building materials are frequently used for the remaining yurts today.

Hohhot ºôºÍºÆÌØÊÐ

Hohhot , which means 'blue city' in Mongolian, is the capital of the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia with a population of 1.21 million. It is located south of Daqing Shan mountain on the edge of the traditional settled areas of China. In comparison to many other Chinese cities, it has a relatively short history; it was not founded until the Ming Dynasty by the famous tribal leader of the Tumed, Altan Khan.

He had been leader of the eastern Mongols since 1543 and led his forces close to Beijing inn 1550, but was forced to retreat. Altan Khan tried to provide his country with an administration modeled on the Han Chinese system. The new city, Kuku-Khoto (blue city) today called Hohhot, became the seat of government.

There is a good view of the city and it surroundings from the drum tower in the New City: the mountains to the north, the fields to the south, the Old City to the west with the old drum tower and the mosque.

Many visitors to Hohhot consider the highlight of their stay to be the cultural entertainment, the demonstrations of Mongolian horsemanship and traditional boxing.

Wuta Si, the Temple of Five Pagodas ÎåËþËÂ

All that remains of the temple complex Wuta Si is the Diamond Pagoda. The rectangular, solid stone building dates from the reign of Yongzheng (1723-1735) in the Qing era. The lower part of the pagoda consist of seven narrow tiers decorated with reliefs. Texts taken from the Jingang Jing are inscribed in Mongolian, Tibetan and Sanskrit. Five pagodas and a pavilion are located on the terrace of the lower part. The middle pagoda is the highest. The first floors of each of these pagodas are richly decorated with Buddha and bodhisattva figures.

Wang Zhaojun's Burial-place ÕѾýĹ

Ninee kilometers south of Hohhot, the tomb of Wang Zhaojun, the concubine of an emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, is located. She was married to Prince Han Xie Shanyu of the Xiongnu in 33 BC to establish peace between thee two peoples. Supposedly, the Prince died after two years, upon which she became the wife of his successor, according to tribal custom. There are a great many stories and plays about the fate of Wang Zhaojun.

According to Mongolian tradition, Wang Zhaojun is respected for having been the wife of Han Xie Shanyu. After her death, she gradually became a part of myth as a goddess of fertility.

For the Han Chinese, she was a victim of war because she was given to the Prince of the Xiongnu. However, both sides consider her to be a symbol of peace, and therefore her tomb has always been considered to be of great significance. There is a pavilion in front of as well as on the hill. In a nearby exhibition hall, the story of Wang Zhaojun's life is told.

Hotels

Hohhot Binguan, ºôºÍºÆÌرö¹Ý Yingbinlu

Travel agency

Zhongguo Luxingshe, Xiuhuajie Yingbinlu

Baotou °üÍ·ÊÐ

Baotou , a city of 1.5 million, is the most important manufacturing center in Inner Mongolia. It is located at an elevation of 1,700 m above sea level on the Huanghe river. The young city has only a few cultural and historical attractions with the exception of the Buddhist monastic palace Wudang Zhao from the Qing Dynasty. The area around Baotou was inhabited as early as the Tang Dynasty, however, the village did not develop into a trading center until the Qing Dynasty. It was fortified in 1871. Baotou grew more quickly after completion of the railroad to Beijing in 1922 and became the most important commercial center of Mongolia and Northwest China. Wool, furs, grain, tea and clothing were the articles of trade. The city had over 300,000 inhabitants by 1932. The government built a railroad to Lanzhou in the fifties, thereby connecting Baotou to Sichuan in Central China and Xinjiang in Northwest China. An iron and steel integrated plant which relies on rich iron ore deposits in Bayan Obo to the north was a result of the first fiveyear plan (1953-57).

Genghis Khan Mausoleum ³É¼ªË¼º¹Ä¹

The mausoleum is beautifully situated about 15 km southeast of the town of Atengxilian in Yijin Horo Qi banner. Genghis Khan himself supposedly chose this as his last resting-place. He died a natural death during a campaign against the Western Xia in 1227. This region has been called Yijin Horo, Grave of the Leader, since his burial. Genghis Khan lies in the back park of the main hall with his three wives; his fourth son and his son's wife lie in the east hall. The prince's weapons are on display in the west hall.

Hotels

Baoto Binguan °üÍ·Êбö¹Ý Gangtie Dajie, tel. 2 66 12

Travel agency

Zhongguo Luxingshe, Baotou Hotel, tel. 2 46 15

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Liaoning Province ÁÉÄþÊ¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: ca. 145,000 sqkm/Population: 35.7 million/Capital: Shenyang Liaoning Province is the southernmost of the three province of Northeast China, formerly called Manchuria. Owing to its industry, it is among the most important provinces in the country. Forty percent of China's steel is produced in Liaoning and one quarter of the entire output of heavy industry is manufactured here. The reasons for this are the government's heavy investments in industry since 1949 and the build-up of industry starting as early as the end of the last century. In addition, the province is also rich in natural resources, especially iron ore, hard coal, bituminous slate, bauxite, lead and salt.

Liaoning extends around the Gulf of Bohai. The capital, Shenyang, is located on the Liaohe river lowlands, which cover about a third of Liaoning's entire area. Mountains border them to the east and west. The climate is substantially milder than in the other northern provinces owing to its proximity to the sea.

The average temperature near the coast is -5¡æ in January and 25¡æ in July; in Shenyang, it is -13¡æ in January and, in July, also 25¡æ. Three-quarters of the annual precipitation falls between June and September.

The population is comprised of 95% Han Chinese; the 5% minority of 70% Manchus and 30% Mongols, Huis and Koreans. Over 40% of the population lives in urban areas, which is reflected by the high degree of Liaoning's industrialization.

History

Northeast China was settled early, though only sparsely. Chinese peasants settled early in the Liaohe river lowlands and it was chiefly Manchus and Mongols who carried on woodworking, grazing, mining and fishing in the outlying areas. In the course of its long history, Liaoning became increasingly important as an immigration area for the Han Chinese. The Manchurian rulers tried to stop this development during the Qing Dynasty. In the 19th century, Northeast China became increasing interesting for foreign powers and Liaoning, rich in mineral resources, was especially affected. The Russians built the Northeast China Railroad between 1896-1903, which linked up the port city Dalian to Changchun, Jilin and Harbin, Heilongjiang before continuing on to Vladivostock. In this way, they secured their access to the ice-free port Lushun (present-day Luda). In 1907, the Russians lost their influence in South Manchuria after the Russian-Japanese War. Japan considered Liaoning's mineral resources a welcome addition to its own industry. Thus, they tried to gain control over the economy and, by way of investments, to use the industrial sector, especially heavy industry and mining, to further their own interests, Liaoning was a part of the 'independent' Japanese-run state 'Manzhouguo' from 1932 - 1945, headed by the former Qing emperor Puyi. Some of the province's manufacturing plants suffered heavy damages during the Russian-Japanese and Civil Wars; a large part was dismantled by the Russians and thus lost. Therefore, industrial reconstruction and expansion was one of the declared goals of the new goverment after 1949.

Shenyang ÉòÑôÊÐ

Shenyang , the capital of Liaoning, is called Mukden in Manchurian. It is 841 km from Beijing and one of the largest cities in China with a population of five million. It is located on the Hunhe, a tributary of the Liaohe, on a fertile plain. The center of Shenyang is the Chinese Old City, where the Manchurian Imperial Palace is also located. The imperial tombs, Beiling, are north of the Old City. The wide boulevards are typical of Japanese construction in the western part of this city after 1905 and 1932.

History

The Shenyang area has been a settlement area for Chinese immigrants from Shandong and Hebei since the Han Dynasty.

The rulers of Khitan tribe in North China set up the Liao Dynasty and made Shenyang into an important military base in the 10th century. The Liao rulers were followed by the Jin, who were in turn successded by the rulers of the Monglian Yuan Dynasty. In the 13th century, the settlement was named Shenyang. In the 17th century, the groups of Tungusic Sushis, later called Manchus, living in eastern and southeastern Manchus united under the leadership of Nurhachi (1559-1626) and brought the region of Manchuria under their control. In 1625, they made Shenyang their capital and renamed it Mukden. Using the city as a starting point, they conquered the rest of China during the following years. In 1636, Abukai, one of Nurhachi's sons, founded the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang. The Manchus successded in gaining control of the Chinese empire in 1644. Beijing became the new capital, but Shenyang was still honored as the old capital and as the seat of ancestral temples.

During the past 100 years, the fate of the city has largely been determined by foreign powers. In the spring of 1946, the city was occupied by Chinese Nationalist troops. On October 30, 1948, the Communist troops succeeded in taking the city. Shenyang was the capital of Dongbei, the northeast region, from 1949-1954, Dongbei being one of the six large administrative regions into which China was divided at that time. The development of Northeast China took a dramatic turn in the direction of an autonomous region under the rule of Gao Gang, who was, however, removed from power in 1954.

The best time to travel is in August and September.

Beiling, Northern Imperial Tomb ±±Áê(ÕÑÁê)

The Beiling tomb, also called Zhaoling, is located in the northern part of the city and is the largest of the three Manchurian imperial tombs. Beiling was constructed on an area of 450 hectares between 1643-1651. The entire complex is surrounded by a gigantic wall. The entrance gate, Zhenghong Men, is on the southern end of the north-south axis; it is a red building with a yellow ceramic tile roof. In the outermost courtyard of the complex, stone columns and animal sculptures line both sides of the path. Among the animal sculptures are two white horses called Great White, Dabai, and Little White, Xiaobai, portrayals of the emperor's two favorite horses. The path leads northward to the so-called Sacred Virture Stele and to the 'Rectangular City', which is surrounded by a high wall. A tower rises above the southern entrance gate, Long'en Men. A large hall, Long'en Dian, is in the middle of the inner courtyard. Minglou tower is located north of it with a stele bearing the inscription 'Tomb of Emperor Taizong'. From the tower terrace, one can see the grave-mound surrounded by a half-moon-shaped lawn.

It was strictly forbidden for the common people to set foot on imperial burial grounds during the imperial era. During the last 30 years, the entire grounds have been restored, enlarged and made into a park. Beijing is a favorite place for an outing for the inhabitants of Shenyang and a welcome diversion for a good many foreign guests.

Gugong, Imperial Palace ÉòÑô¹Ê¹¬

Gugong's ground plan resembles that of the Imperial Palace in Beijing. However, because it is smaller on the whole, it is also called 'Xiao Gugong', the Small Imperial Palace. It is situated in the heart of the Chinese Old City. The palace grounds are divided into three districts: the east, middle and west ones.

After entering through the main gate, one should first look at the east district. Dazheng Dian, an octagonal hall with a double roof of yellow ceramic tiles, is located here.

There is a row of five smaller, square kings' pavilions. On each side of Dazheng Dian. Formerly, they were presented to the imperial generals for sucessful battles; today, weapons and garments of war are on exhibt in these pavilions. If one proceeds to the center district of the palace, one first sees the main hall, Congzheng Dian.

The next building to the north is Fenghuang Lou, the Phoenix Tower, which was built in 1627. Qingning Gong, erected in 1625, rests on an approximately 4-m-high terrace. The western district of Gugong was completed in 1782 and was used for cultural activities.

Anshan °°É½ÊÐ

The steel center of China is situated about 90 km southwest of Shenyang at the foot of the Qianshan mountains in Anshan, a city of over one million inhabitants.

History

Anshan was officially established in 1387 and fortified as a part of the expansion of defences against the Manchus during the Ming Dynasty. The city burned down to the ground during the Boxer Rebellion and suffered heavy damages for the second time during the Russian-Japanese War (1904-1905). A new Anshan arose 10 km north of the old city. In 1909, rich iron ore deposits were found in and around Anshan and the first iron-works opened in 1918, the first steelworks in 1935.

After the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, the build-up of heavy industry was one of the declared goals of the new government. The reconstruction and expansion of the iron and steel industries in Anshan was begun right away under the first five-year plan.

Today, Anshan is one of the most important manufacturing cities besides Shanghai, Tianjin and Wuhan.

Tanggangzi Springs ÌÀ¸Ú×ÓÎÂȪ

Tanggangzi springs are located about 10 km southeast of Anshan in the middle of a lovely park. They are hot springs and their water is crystal-clear and rich in minerals. Especially people who suffer from rheumatism expect a great healing effect from the water.

All visitors, also foreign ones, can bathe here in private rooms provided for this purpose.

Luda (Lushun-Dalian) ÂôóÊÐ

Luda , the consolidation of the cities of Lushun and Dalian, is on the south end of Liaodong peninsula. Luda has 4.7 million inhabitants and is an important port and industry town. In addition, the pretty surroundings, mild climate and many sand beaches make this area a favorite vacation spot.

Lushun, better known to westerners as Port Arthur, lies in a strategically important place, for the entrance to the Gulf of Bohai, the seaway to Northeast China and Tianjin, is controlled from here. The city's harbor is very deep and, therefore, suited for large ships. Moreover, it remains open during the entire winter.

A new oil port accessible for tankers with a capacity up to 100,000 gross registered tons was erected in 1976. It was also possible to improve agriculture in Luda. Today, the area is called the home of the apple. Apples, daily fare in Europe, are in great demand in China and preferrd to other fruits. Of course, there is also seafood here. The port of Luda is one of the most important fishing ports in China.

Yingchengzi Tomb Óª³Ç×Ó±Ú»­Ä¹

Yingchengzi lies south of the village Shagang in Ganjingzi district. The special feature of this tomb are the murals, which afford interesting insights into the life of the Chinese upper class and the high level of artistry of the Eastern Han era.

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Heilongjiang Province ºÚÁú½­Ê¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: 469,000 sqkm / Population: 32.6 million, including 1.4 million Manchus, Mongols, Koreans and Huis / Capital: Harbin

Heilongjiang is the northernmost of China's northeast provinces. The border to the Soviet Union runs along the Heilongjiang (Amur) and Wusuli Jiang (Ussuri) rivers in the north and east; the provinces is bounded in the northwest and southeast by sub-alpine mountains. Wide plains extend over the central and extreme northeastern regions. The province's longest river is the Heilong Jiang, which is frozen over about 180 days of the year. Hard winters lasting five to eight months and short, very warm summers are characteristic of Heilongjiang's climate. The average temperature in January is -20¡æ on the plains and -30¡æ in the mountains; the average temperature in July is 23¡æ.

History

The Heilongjiang area was a steppe and forest area where horse and pig raising and, along the coast and rivers, fishing was carried out right up into the 19th century. Urbanization did not begin until the construction of the railway form 1896-1903 and industialization increased. Russian troops occupied Heilongjiang from 1900-1905, after which time the area was more or less under Chinese control until the Japanese occupation in 1931. After that, it experienced the same fate as Jilin. Since 1949, the population has increased greatly. Heilongjiang is one of China's most important development areas. The wide plains have been cultivated, soy beans, corn, summer wheat and sugar beets planted and the forests exploited. Heilongjiang has become one of China's most important timber suppliers (birch, fir and larch). The mineral resources are also immensely important, especially oil and coke.

Harbin ¹þ¶û±õÊÐ

Harbin , the capital of Heilongjiang Province, lies on the Songhua River in the middle of a fertile plain. A hundred years ago, Harbin was still only a small market-town. Today, it is a manufacturing city with 2.5 million inhabitants and an important railway junction,

History

This area was settled by the ancestors of the Manchus a thousand years ago. They founded the village of Arjin, from which the name Harbin derives. The town did not start expanding until the contruction of the railroad in 1896. The Russians chose Harbin as the starting-point for the line after having been awarded the concession for building a railroad inside Manchuria. They named the Harbin train station Songhuajiang. The new line was linked up to the Trans-Siberian Railroad. During the Russian-Japanese War (1904-1905), Harbin was Russia's most important base.

Ten years after Japan's victory and the withdrawal of the Russian troops, many Russians again came to Harbin as refugees from the Russian Revolution of 1917. Harbin was the largest Russian city outside of Russia for a time. After 1946, most of teh Russian refugees accepted Stalin's offer of amnesty and returned to the Soviet Union.

During the last three and a half decades, Harbin has developed into an important manufacturing center, Furthermore, the city is the province's cultural center. It has several noteworthy universities and institutes; the Polytechnic School of Harbin is known throughout China. During the cold season, Harbin becomes the most important winter sports resort in the northeast. The favorite sports are skating, ice-yachting and hockey.

The winter is long in Harbin; it lasts about six months with an average temperature of -19¡æ.

Specialties of the Harbinese cuisine are bear's paws, moose, hazel-hens and a special type of fungus called 'monkey-head mushroom.'

Wenmiao, Confucius Temple ÎÄÃí

Wenmiao is situated on Dongdazhijie Street, Nangang. It was built in 1926 and is divided into three parts. The main hall of the middle section contains statues of Confucius and his four companions as well as 12 other wise men. Remembrances of his pupils are stored in adjoining halls on both sides of the main hall.

Ice Lanterns ±ùµÆ

The temperature in Harbin drops to an average -25¡æ from December to February. The entire city is wrapped in ice and snow and seems to be paralyzed by the cold. That is the season of the ice lanterns. In some cases, these works are real ice sculptures that attest to a high artistic level.

Blocks of ice are brought to the park from the Songhua Jiang river and then worked with saws, hammers and chisels by the ice-lantern artists. The blocks are carved into lanterns, pagodas, animals flowers, temples and palaces. Finally, the completed sculptures are decorated with colored light bulbs or neon tubes so that they shine enchantingly at night in the reflection of the many colored lights and are admired by many thousands of visitors.

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Jiangsu Province ½­ËÕÊ¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: 107,000 sqkm / Population 60.5 million / Capital: Nanjing Jiangsu Province is situated on the east coast of China. It was established in 1667 during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. The name derives from the two important prefectures, Jiangning and Suzhou, which were situated within this area.

Two big rivers run through the province: the Huaihe in the north and the Changjiang in the south. They have carried so much mud with them, that throughout the course of millennia the coast has moved several kilometers seaward; thus, large lakes were formed. Some of the largest are the famous Taihu in the south, the Gaoyou Hu in teh central region and the Hongze Hu in the north. Throughout its long history, Jiangsu has continually been plagued by tidal waves and floods. As early as the 7th century, people began protecting themselves by building dikes. The danger of high tides and flooding has meanwhile been kept in check due to numerous projects to redirect the course of river that were carried out in the 1950's. So today, the Huaihe river does not flow straight into the East China Sea anymore, but first into Hongzhe Hu lake, from there southward into the Gaoyou Hu lake and then into the Changjiang. It flows northward from Hongze Hu lake through two canals into the East China Sea.

The delta of the Changjiang river divides the province into a nothern and a southern part. The south is densely poplated and industrialized. Its skilled craft products and silks are well known in China as well as abroad. Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi and the municipal city of Shanghai are situated in this area. The north is located in the area of floodplains of the Huanghe river; its delta was here until 1853.

The climate in this province varies considerably. The central and the southern parts of Jiangsu have a humid, temperate climate. The northern region is part of North China, as far as climate goes. Therefore it is cooler and subject to many temperature changes. The annual precipitation decreases from south to north. Only after extensive irrigation works had been built did the cultivation of rice become possible in the north, while rice has always been intensively cultivated in the south. Silkworm-raising is also of great importance in this region. The coast of Jiangsu is frequently stricken by typhoons in late summer and fall.

History

With the exception of its northern part, the area of the present-day Jiangsu Province beloned to the state of Wu until the 6th century BC. In the centuries to follow, various parts of the province were allotted to different administrative units. During the Song Dynasty, the Mongols conquered North China. In the 12th century, the rulers of the Song Dynasty fled south, so that southern Jiangsu developed into an economical, cultural and political center. Not until 1667 did the present-day borders of Jiangsu Province evolve. From 1839-1842, the English attacked the Changjiang delta region. During the Sino-Japanese war, the Japanese occupied Jiannsu. In those years the province suffered severe damage.

Nanjing (Nanking) ÄϾ©ÊÐ

Nanjing , the capital of Jiangsu, is the political, economical and cultural center of the province. It is an important port on the river Changjiang. The administrative district of the city covers an area of 4,500 sqkm and the population numbers 3.74 million. The Zijing Shan mountains rise to the east - the people from Nanjing say they look like a coiled dragon; to the west cowers a tiger, the ancient Stone City. Nanjing is one of the oldest cities in China. Between the 3rd and 15th centuries, it was the capital of eight different dynaties. The name Nanjing was not used until 1421, when the city was made the 'Southern Capital' during the Ming Dynasty.

History

The history of the city dates back to the Eastern Zhou period (8th - 3rd centuries BC) and it subsequently was part of the states of Wu, Yue and Chu. The place was first mentioned in the annals of the Spring and Autumn Periods. From 317 to 420 Nanjing, at that time called Jiankang, was the capital of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Until 589 Jiankang remained the capital of four other dynasties: the Song from 420-479, the Qi from 479-502, the Liang from 502-589. From 581 (begining of the Sui Dynasty) until 1368, Nanjing was a prefectural city. For that reason, it indeed lost some of its political importance, but it still remained one of the most important economical and political centers of the country. From 937-975 it was the seat of the Southern Tang Dynasty. From 1126-1279, Yue Fei used it as the center of resistance against the foreign peoples moving in from the north.

In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang made the city the capital of his new empire, the Ming Dynasty. He named it Yingtian. In 1421, his son moved the capital to Beijing. Yingtian, renamed Nanjing 'Southern Capital', remained the secondary captial. Trade and industry made the city wealthy during the following years.

After the Opium War, the first of a series of unequal treaties was signed in 1842. This opened the doors to foreign powers (mainly England, France and the USA) for unrestricted trade in various Chinese cities and accelerated China's development into a semi-colony. The troops of the Taiping Rebellion occupied Nanjing in 1853 and made it the residence of the Taiping Tianguo, the 'Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace', for 11 years. After the failure of the Taiping Rebellion in 1864, Nanjing was also destroyed; it took many years to rebuild it.

After the 1911 revolution, its leaders made Nanjing the seat of the provinsional government of the Republic of China. Yuan Shikai moved the captial back to Beijing. In 1928, the Kuomintang again declared Nanjing the capital of the country and had modern boulevards and new government buildings erected. In 1937, the city fell to the Japanese who took the lives of 40,000 in a massacre. It remained under Japanese supremacy until 1945. From 1946-1949, Nanjing was again the captial of the Kuomintang government, until Communist troops crossed the Changjiang river on April 23, 1949 and took possession of the city which became the capital of Jiangsu Province in 1952.

Throughout the centuries, Nanjing has been renowned mainly for the production of brocade, velvet and silk, ceramic goods, paper and ink stones. Since 1949, it has developed into the industrial center of the province for other areas of industry, too.

Important agricultural products of the city's environs are rice, wheat, vegetables, fruit, tea and peanuts. Today, Nanjing is also an important university town. Nanjing Daxue, Nanjing University, is not only well-known within China, but also outside of it. In addition, the city has 14 institutions of higher education.

Changjiang Daqiao, Bridge over the Changjiang ³¤½­´óÇÅ

The bridge was built between 1960 and 1968. It is the pride of Nanjing and the whole country because it was constructed during difficult times without any foreign help. Economically, too, it is extremely important because it connects the regions north and south of the Changjiang.

The Changjiang Daqiao Bridge is a socalled double-decker bridge. Its upper part is used by pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, while the lower part carries train traffic in both directions. The bridge spans the river for 1,557 m; its traffic lanes total 4,589 m and its railroad tracks, 6,720 m. Nine supports, each 80 m high, were rammed into the riverbed, 160 m apart. Stairs lead up to the bridge administration building. From here, one has a wonderful view of the bridge and Nanjing.

Shitou Cheng, Stone City ʯͷ³Ç

In the 3rd century, Sun Quan, King of Wu, had the so-called Stome City, Shitou Cheng, built in western Nanjing. A mighty stone wall arose, parts of which still exist today.

Tianwang Fu, Palace of the Heavenly King ̫ƽÌì¹úÌìÍõ¸®¾ÉÖ·(Changjianglu 292)

In the days when Nanjing was the capital of the Taiping Tianguo, the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace, the residence of the former goveror of Nanjing was enlarged and given the name Tianwang Fu, Palace of the Heavenly King. In those days, the complex was enormous. Today only the main hall, a few covered walkways and adjoining buildings can be seen. In the West Garden a pond was put in which contains a stone boat.

Zhongshan Ling Mausoleum ÖÐɽÁê

This is the mausoleum of the first president of the provisional government of the Republic, Dr. Sun Yatsen, also called Sun Zhongshan. Sun Yatsen, born on November 12, 1866, in Xiangshan (today Zhongshan) district, Guangdong Province, totally devoted 40 years of activity to the revolution. He died in Beijing on March 12, 1925.

Mochou Hu Lake Ī³îºþ

In southwestern Nanjing, outside the Shuixi Men gate, the charming complex of the Mochou Hu is situated.

According to legend, a young girl named Mo Chou from Luoyang was made to marry someone from this area during the Southern Qi era (around 480). It is said that she often came here, sad and homesick.

An interesting feature of the park is Shengqi Lou building, dating from the early Ming era. Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is said to have played chess here with the powerful general Xu Da. Supposedly he let the general win and gave him the entire Mochou Lake grounds as a sign of his appreciation to ensure his loyalty.

In 1929, the park area was made accessible to the public. Large-scale expansions were made in 1953.

Yuhua Tai Terrace Ó껨̨

Yuhua terrace is in the southern part of the city outside the Zhonghua Men gate on a 100-m-high hill. A legend tells the story of a Buddhist monk who, in the 4th century, held such a moving sermon that it rained flowers from the sky. Many colorful pebbles, called Yuhua Shi, can still be found in this area. Their colors are showed off to their best advantage if the stones are put into a glass of water.

During the years 1927-1949, Yuhua Tai was an execution ground for revolutionaries. Altogether, more than 100,000 people are said to have been executed here on the orders of Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang party. A stele was erected in memory of these 100,000 people after the revolution. The inscription reads:'Eternal life to the martyrs of the revolution.'

The Grand Canal ´óÔ˺Ó

The Grand Canal is the longest and oldest man-made waterway in the world. The first part of it was dug 2400 years ago, from the Changjiang river via the city of Yangzhou to Huai'an. It enabled the Wu Kingdom (present-day Jiangsu province) to transport its soldiers to fight against Qi Kingdom in the north (present-day Shandong province). At the end of the 6th century the Sui dynasty Emperor Yangdi ordered the connection of many small canals and rivers to form one waterway. Thereby all the rivers flowing west-east such as Haihe, Huanghe, Huaihe, Changjiang and Qiantangjiang were linked by the Great Canal which flowed north-south.

Zhenjiang Õò½­ÊÐ

Zhenjiang is about a four-hour train ride from Shanghai in the direction of Nanjing. It is located in a beautiful area.

Its favorable location on the south bank of the Changjiang, which is intersected by the Grand Canal at this point, helped Zhenjiang to become an important port and trade center in the course of its long history. Today, Zhenjiang is an industrial town with an inland port and a population of 300,000.

The places of interest in Zhenjiang center around the three mountains, Beigu Shan, Jiaoshan and Jinshan. But the Zhenjiang Museum (collection of calssical books, paintings, bronzes and porcelain) and the Shaozong Library (Boxian Park) are also of interest. The library has a collection of 80,000 volumes, which includes books from the former library of the Jinshan monastery and the old Shaozong library. Of importance is the 100-volume work Baikongliutie (written from the 7th - 11th centuries), a dictionary of old sayings and proverbs.

Suzhou ËÕÖÝÊÐ

Suzhou , with a population of 670,000, is in the southwestern region of Jiangsu Province, south of the Changjiang Delta, on the southern part of the Grand Canal in one of China's most fertile regions. The city is called the Venice of the East, becauce it is surrounded and divided by many small canals. Suzhou is well known because of its landscaped gardens, in which nature and architecture blend harmoniously. So Suzhou today is a main tourist attraction. Several million people, from China and abroad, visit the city annually.

History

The history of Suzhou can be traced back to the year 484 BC, when the city was the capital of the State of Wu for a short period of time. With the construction of the Grand Canal, Suzhou developed into an important administration and trade center. The city flourished during the Ming and early Qing dynasties. Innumerable families of wealthy landowners, high-ranking officials and merchants settled here. During this period, most of the gardens were laid out. Suzhou was a center of finance and banking, of arts and scholarship; the silk industry and the art of embroidery made the city wealthy. From 1860 - 1863 it was occupied by the troops of the Taiping Rebellion and badly damaged. After the failure of the Taiping movement, attempts were made to obliterate the traces of this period and to rebuild the economy, but in the meantime, the city had already relinquished its leading position as a trade center to Shanghai. Today Suzhou is a center of the silk and cotton industries.

Suzhou's Gardens

The Suzhou's gardens were built during the course of the last centuries by rich officials, merchants and landowners. Many grounds were neglected during times of war. Since 1949, all efforts have been made to restore them. In the following passages, the most beautiful gardens are described.

Zhuozheng Yuan Garden ×¾ÕþÔ°

Zhuozheng Yuan covers 4 hectares in northeast Suzhou. It is the largest garden of the city adn a typical example of the art of horticulture south of the Changjiang river.

It was laid out in 1513 by the censor Wang Xiancheng after his retirement from political life. After his death, his son gambled away the gardens. Three-fifths of its area is covered by magnificent ponds. All of the buildings are right next to the ponds, so that the garden seems to be floating on the water.

Yiyuan Garden âùÔ°

Yiyuan is on Renminlu street. This is where the villa of Minister Wu Kuan (1435-1504) originally stood. In 1876, a high-ranking official purchased the area and had it made into an impressive garden within seven years. It is divided into two parts by a covered way. The eastern half contains mainly pavilions, halls and covered ways housing countless valuable paintings and calligraphies. In Shitingqinshi hall, Stones which Listen to the Sound of the Lute, lies a lute which is said to have belonged to the great Song poet Su Dongpo. The western part consists of lakes and artificial hills on which small pavilions stand.

Xiyuan Garden Î÷Ô°

Xiyuan is on Liuyuanlu street in the western part of the city, opposite Liuyuan garden. Originally, they formed one garden, which was privately owned by Xu Shitai, a high official of the Ming Dynasty. His son had a temple built on the site of the present Xiyuan. Today, the halls Tianwang Dian, Daxiong Baodian, Guanyin Dian and Cangjing Lou still can be visited. West of Daxiong Baodian stands Luohan Tang, where 500 gilded clay Luohan statues can be seen. Among several other statues, one of a monk, Jidian, holding a fan in his right hand, is of special interest. Its face seems to change expressions as the viewer changes positions. A pond was created behind Luohan Tang hall in teh middle of the garden section. In its center is a double-roofed pavilion.

Hanshan Si Temple º®É½ËÂ

The Buddhist temple Hanshan Si is in the village of Fengqiao Zhen, approximately 5 km west of Suzhou.

Hanshan Si was founded in 503-508 during the Liang era and later named after the famous Buddhist monk Hanshan, who lived here for some time during the 7th century. The present buildings date from the Qing Dynasty. The poet Zhang Ji (8th century) mentioned not only a temple but also a bell in one of his poems. Since it was no longer in existence as early as the Ming era, a new one was cast which, however, later was taken away by the Japanese. When the temple was restored in 1905, Japanese monks made a present of a bronze bell, made according to a model from the Tang Dynasty. Today it can be seen in Hanshan Si. Inside the temple's different buildings, inscriptions and poems by Zhang Ji, Yue Fei, Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin, Kang Youwei and others can be seen.

Huqiu, Tiger Hill »¢Çð

Tiger Hill is on Shantangjie street, 3 km northwest of Suzhou. In 480 BC, Fu Cha, King of Wu, buried his fater He at this site. The legend has it that three days after the burial, a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard the grave.

Huqiu is only 30 m high and covers an area of about 13 hectares. Throughout its history, it has been a very popular place to visit, because of its temples and pagodas, waterfalls, rocks and trees. A famous poet, Bai Juyi (772-846), wrote about it: 'To visit the place 12 times a years is not little, but it is not too much either.'

Taihu Lake and Surroundings Ì«ºþ

Taihu Lake, the third largest lake in China, lies between the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu. Its average depth is two meters and it covers an area of 2,420 sqm, including 48 islands which vary in size. There are numerous places of interest in its vicinity.

Wuxi ÎÞÎýÊÐ

Wuxi , three hours away from Shanghai by train, is in southern Jiangsu Province on the northern shore of Taihu lake in the middle of a fertile region.,

Wuxi is one of the oldest cities in the Changjiang delta. During the Zhou and Qin eras, tin was found here, and it is said that the city was then called Youxi, which in Chinese means 'has tin'. But as early as the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the tin deposits were exhausted, and it was thereafter called Wuxi, 'without tin'.

After the completion of the Grand Canal in the 13th century, Wuxi developed into a shipping center for grain destined for the capital. Wuxi grew into one of the largest grain markets in China and became the seat of wealthy merchants. Due to the construction of railroad lines at the beginning of the 20th century, Wuxi maintained its position, in spite of the decay of the Grand Canal.

Wuxi can look back on a long tradition of silk and cotton mills. After 1949, the textile industry was modernized and expanded; so were other branchs of light industry. Today, Wuxi is a city with a population of more than 800,000. It is a well-known holiday resort. Several sanitariums dot the area around beautiful Taihu lake. Most of the city's sights are situated on the lake shore.

The culinary specialities of Wuxi are known throughout China, for example, spiced fried ribs, Xiaopaigu, as well as fish, mainly fried eel, shanyu, and crabs from Taihu lake.

Liyuan Garden ó»Ô°

Liyuan is southwest of the city at Wuli Hu lake. Originally it consisted of two gardens which were laid out in 1927 and 1930, respectively. In the fifties they were connected by a covered way. Especially in the spring, during peach blossom time, Liyuan is well worth a visit.

Yangzhou ÑïÖÝÊÐ

Yangzhou , with a population of 300,000, is situated on the northern bank of the Changjiang river.

History

The history of the city can be traced back to the 4th century BC when it was part of the state of Wu. In 605, Yangzhou became the Southern Capital of the Sui Dynasty. With the completion of the Grand Canal, which flows through the center of the city into the Changjiang, Yangzhou became a hub of transportation between South and North China and an important port for foreign trade.

During the Ming and Qing eras, Yangzhou was the center of the salt trade. The salt merchants accumulated incredible wealth and, between the 16th and 18th centuries, acted as patrons, so that Yangzhou developed into a cultural center. In 1853, Taiping troops invaded the city. During heavy fighting, many historically significant buildings were destroyed. The Grand Canal floods in 1855 were a large-scale catastrophe which resulted in the shipping of all Beijing-bound grain by sea from Shanghai to Tianjin.

After 1949, Yangzhou became an important land and water traffic junction in the northern part of the province. Arts and crafts are of special significance in Yangzhou. Among these are the traditional lacquerware, jade carvings, silhouttes, embroidery and printing. The lacquered works of Yangzhou have a tradition of more than 2,000 years. The golden age of this trade was as early as the Han Dynasty. The art of jade carving does not go back that far; in Yangzhou it did not reach its peak until the Tang era. The people of Yangzhou are known in China as the 'masters of three knives', mainly for their skills as cooksm, barbers and pedicurists.

Shou Xihu Lake ÊÝÎ÷ºþ

Shou Xihu lake, Yangzhou's most important place of interest, is in a western suburb. The people of Yangzhou are very proud of the beauty of this lake and love to compare it to the famous Xihu lake in Hangzhou.

It actually is a widening of the Baozhang river and various buildings are situated along about 5 km of its banks. It was the poet Wang Hang who called the Shou Xihu river Narrow Western Lake in a poem written during the Qing era. The following places are worth a visit:

Xiyuan Garden was laid out in 1751 in the traditional style.

Dahong Qiao Bridge, Great Rainbow Bridge, was built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and was originally made only of wood. Because of its red coat of paint, it was called Dahong Qiao, Great Red Bridge. It is well known all over the country and has been praised by many poets.

Xiao Jinshan is a small, interesting hill in the middle of the lake on which several buildings stand.

Diaoyu Tai pavilion, west of Xiao Jinshan island, is square-shaped and has a 'flying' double roof. This was said to have been the Qianlong Emperor's fishing spot.

Wuting Qiao bridge was built in 1757 by salt merchants to welcome the emperor. It is 55 m long, has 15 arches and stands next to the dagoba. There are five pavilions on the bridge.

Fuzhuang Island lies southeast of Wuting Qiao bridge and noth of the dagoba. A zigzag bridge connects it to the mainland. On the island, there are some beautiful pavilions and covered ways surrounded by trees.

Xuzhou ÐìÖÝÊÐ

Xuzhou , in northwest Jiangsu, has earned the reputation of a transportation center in the course of its history. It has remained so to this day.

The city has always been of utmost strategic importance. During the Sino-Japanese war, the area around Xuzhou was the scene of a desperate battle. From 1945-1949 Communist and Nationalist troops opposed each other.

Today, Xuzhou has developed into a thriving industrial city.

Huaxiang Shimu Stone Tomb ºº»­ÏñʯĹ

Huaxiang Shimu is at the western foot of Fenghuan Shan mountain, about 13 km north of the city. It dates from teh Eastern Han era and was not discovered until February 1952.

The inside of the tomb is decorated with 21 stone tablets in which circus and acrobatic scenes, as well as those of banquets, parades, pavilions and animals, are engraved.

Lianyungang Á¬ÔƸÛ

The city of Lianyungang is in northern Jiangsu Province. Since the 7th century, it has been a center of salt production.

In 1905 it was opened to the western powers as a trading post. As a result, it developed into a market for agricultural products, which were shipped from there to Qingdao and Shanghai. After 1949, the port facilities were expanded.

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Anhui Province °²»ÕÊ¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: 139,000 sqkm/ Population: 49.66 million/ Capital: Hefei The eastern Chinese province of Anhui has experienced an enormous increase in prosperity since the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Until 1049, it was considered the most underdeveloped province in eastern China. In teh meantime, it has become an important center of heavy (iron and steel) industry. The biggest cities are Hefei, Bengbu, Huainan and Wuhu.

Two big rivers, the Huaihe and the Changjiang, flow through the province from west to east. The Huaihe forms the natural border to North China. The northern part of Anhui is part of the North China Plain. Mostly wheat, barley, corn and sorghum are cultivated there. More than ten tributaries of the Huaihe cross this part of the country, and in past centuries, they were the cause of catastrophic flooding time and time again. After 1949, vast irrigation schemes succeeded in averting this danger. Between the Huaihe and Changjiang rivers, the Dabie Shan mountian range extends into the province from the West. Part of the Changjiang Plain is the traditional area of glutinous rice cultivation. Accordingly, this part of Anhui is densely populated. Southern Anhui is mountainous. Here lies the province's main attraction, the granite massif Huangshan. For many generations, it has been an inexhaustible theme for Chinese poets and painters.

The summers in Anhui are hot and wet, the winters are cold and dry. The precipitation in the southern part of the province is evenly distributed. Towards the north, its variability rises, whereas the amount of precipitation decreases, so that the northernmost part of the province often suffers from droughts.

History

During the Warring States Period, Anhui was part of the state of Chu. After the unification of the empire under the Qin, a great southward migration began. Thus, Anhui became the first part of South China to be settled by Han Chinese. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, the migration from the north to the south increased. Anhui became the connecting link between North and Central China, and as such held great importance in the geographic and military respect. Anhui experienced difficulties whenever the empire was divided and power struggles were taking place. Unrest and rebellions shook the area when the Huanghe changed its course in the early 1850's and the amount of water entering teh Huaihe Basin decreased, causing great distress to the farmers of North Anhui.

In 1938, the Huanghe was diverted south of Shandong by the Nationalist Government led by Chiang Kai-shek, so that the dikes in Henan broke, the land was flooded, and the advance of the Japanese troops was stopped. This operation led to heavy flooding that reached as far as Anhui and cost more than 1,000,000 lives. During World War II, most of Anhui was occupied by Japanese forces. From 1946-1949, Anhui was controlled by Nationalist troops. After the establishment of teh People's Republic of China, intensive attempts were made to exploit the mineral resources. Anhui has rich coal and iron-ore deposite. The main center of coal mining is Datong, the center of iron and steel production is Ma'anshan. Throughout the province, new industrial plants and workshops were built.

Hefei ºÏ·ÊÊÐ

Hefei , the capital since 1949, is the natural center of Anhui. The city is a junction for land and water traffic.

Ancient Hefei was located further north than the modern city. At the time of the Three Kingdoms (220-265 AD), Hefie was a military mainstay of the Wei empire. The greatly outnumbered troops of the legendary Cao Cao beat the troops of Sun Quan thanks to an ingenious strategy. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Hefei became part of the Lu prefecture and was called Luzhou. During teh Southern Song era, it became the center of defence against the Jin invaders. From an economic point of view, Hefei always was a trade town, a market place for agricultural products and a center of the handicraft industries.

Today, Hefei is an aspiring industrial city with various plants in both light and heavy industry; light industry holds the leading plsiton. It amounts to about two-thirds of the gross production value.

Wuhu ÎߺþÊÐ

Wuhu is situated where the Qingyi Jiang river flows into the Changjiang, the city's history dates back more than 2,000 years. During the Zhou Dynasty it was known by the name of Jiujiang; its present name was given the city during the Han Dynasty.

In earlier times, Wuhu was a city of trade. Today, it is a center of light industry.

Wuhu is located amidst beautiful scenery. Rivers, lakes, hills and mountains, within as well outside the city limits, give it a charming appearance.

Above all else, Wuhu is known abroad for its arts and crafts products. Wrought-iron silhouettes, carved lacquer Ware and feather pictures are among the typical products.

Jiuhua Shan Mountains ¾Å»ªÉ½

The Jiuhua Shan mountains rise in the southern part of Anhui Province about 20 km from the district capital Qingyang Xian. If traveing by bus to the foot of the Jiuhua Shan, one can either leave from here or from Anqing Xian district. The mountain range, one of the most famous in China, is an ideal holiday resort during the hot summers. Its scenic charm, its peaks, creeks, stone caves, waterfalls and trees will fascinate any visitor. Of all the 99 summits of Jiuhau Shan, Shiwang Feng, at an elevation of 1,431 m, is the highest. The highest mountain accessible to tourists is the Tiantai Shan, 1,323 m above sea level. Nine of Jiuhua Shan's peaks are especially attractive. Li Bai, the famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, compared them to lotus blossoms in one of his poems. Since then, the mountains have been called Nine Blossom Mountains, Jiuhua Shan. It is of special significance in Buddhism. Along with Wutai Shan, Emei Shan and Putuo Shan, it is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains and dedicated to the bodhisattva Dizang. During its golden age, the area of Jiuhua Shan was the location of more than 200 temples where more than 5,000 monks lived. About 50 temples are still well preserved. Jiuhuajie street, 1 km long, is the usual route to the mountains. Along this road there are stores, hotels, restaurants and the famous temples Huacheng Si, Zhiyuan Si, Zhantanlin and Roushen Baodian. Huacheng Si was established in the 8th century. With the exception of Cangjing Lou, built from 1426-1434, other remaining buildings are from the Qing era. Several historically valuable documents and sutras remain in the temple's possession.

Anqing °²ÇìÊÐ

Anqing , also referred to as Huaining, is situated on the north bank of the Changjiang in southwest Anhui. The city is an important commercial and cultural center for the plains north of the Changjiang. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, is became the capital of Anhui Province and retained that status until 1949. During teh Taiping Rebellion, Anqing played an extremely important role as one of the major bases of the rebel forces.

Huangshan Mountains »Æɽ

The Huangshan Mountains in southern Anhui have some of teh most fascinating scenery in China. It is often called China's most magnificent mountain range. Huangshan offers everything that pleases a Chinese heart: steep peaks and bizarrely-shaped rock formations, drifting clouds which often only let the very tops of the summits peek through, gnarled pines which grow from cracks in the rocks and steep gaps - sometimes vertically, sometimes horizontally - and hot springs. Many poets and painters devoted their attention to these mountains in their works. The region, barely touched by man, is the home of many rare birds and plants.

There is a cable car system running from Yungu monastery, the eastern reception center, up to Bai'e Feng on the Beihai, a distance of 2.7 km in eight minutes.

The Huangshan mountain massif covers an area of 154 sqkm. It can be reached by bus and car:
- from Hangzhou by car or bus straight to Wenquan, the Hot Springs (about eight hours),
- from the south by train to Jingdezhen (Jiangxi), by bus or by car to Tunxi,
- from Nanjing by car via Wuhu and Nanling or by train via Tongling, from there by car via Jingyang to Taiping,
- from Hefei by train to Yusikou, after crossing the Changjiang,
- from Wuhu by train or car, or by plane to Tunxi and then on by car.

Huangshan's highest mountains reach elevations of over 1,800 m. For that reason, suitable clothing should be brought along. It is cool in the mornings and evenings. The average temperatures at 1,800m are as follows:

January: -3.2°C July: 17.7°C
February: -1.8°C August: 17.3°C
March: 4.7°C September: 13.7°C
April: 7.9°C October: 8.9°C
May: 11.7°C November: 3.9°C
June: 14.8°C December: -0.7°C

One or two days are not sufficient to visit all the sights that the Huangshan has to offer. There are various possibilities for overnight lodging, such as:

south: Wenquan Binguan guest house
Taoyuan Binguan guest house
center: Beihai Binguan, Yuping Lou
east: Yungu Si temple
north: Songgu Yan monastery

The Wenquan Binguan guest house is in an enchanting location, close to Ziyun Feng, Purple Cloud Peak. Visitors who are not pressed for time, are urged to enjoy the hot springs. They are renowned all over the country. Water temperature remains a constant 42°C throughout the year. 48,000 l of water flow from the springs per hour. The water contains various minerals, such as silicon, magnesium, potassium and sodium oxide. It is extremely well-suited to the treatment of rheumatism, diseases of the skin and nerves, as well as diseases of the skin and nerves, as well as diseases of the digestive tract. One can drink the water - small drinking fountains are provided for that purpose - or take a mineral bath in the bathing house or the swimming pool. Taohua Feng, Peach Blossom Peak, rises southwest of the guest house.

Guanpu Lou waterfall can be seen from an observation pavilion at the foot of the mountain.

Heading northward, one passes Renzi Pu waterfall. As the water tumbles down, it is diverted along two paths by projections in the rock, so that the Chinese character for ren, person, is formed.

Tiandu Feng, 1,810 m high, is one of the three main peaks of the Huangshan and also the steepest.

The Yingke Song pine, Welcomin Pine, stands southeast of the Yuping Lou guest house. This pine, reportedly 1,000 years old, grows from a crevice in the rock. It is one of the ten famous pines of the Huangshan and bends down one of its big branches as if welcoming the visitor. A painting of this pine hangs in one of the reception halls for foreign guests in the People's Congress Hall in Beijing. It is a symbol of friendship between China and other countries.

Yuping Lou guest house stands between the two highest peaks of the Huangshan, Tiandu Feng and Lianhua Feng, at an elevation of 1,680 m.

Walking towards Yuping Feng peak, one reaches a spot at which the path winds its way between two rocks standing very close to each other. This stretch is called Yixian Tian, a Strip of Heaven.

With an elevation of 1,860 m, Lianhua Feng is the highest of three main peaks. It is surrounded by a few small summits and together they from the shape of a lotus blossom.

Aoyu Feng peak is 1,780 m high. The locals like to compare its shape to a tortoise snapping for food.

Guangming Ding peak, 1,840 m high, is Huangshan's second highest peak. The Huangshan weather station is located on its top.

Paiyun Ting pavilion, in the western part of the Huangshan range, is surrounded by a group of sharp peaks, called Xihai Qunfeng. This is one of the most beautiful sections of the mountains.

Shizi Feng, Lion Peak, 1,690 m high, is already a part of the northern Huangshan.

Shixin Feng, Seeing Is Believing Peak, 1,668 m high is located in the eastern part of the Huangshan.

This is also where Duxian Qiao bridge can be found. It is said that this bridge leads to heaven. Next to the bridge grows an old pinem, Duxian Song, that bows to those crossing the bridge as if in greeting. In the old days, many writers came to the summit to write poetry and to play music. That is the reason why it is also called Terrace of Musical Instruments.

Songgu Yan monastery is in the northern section of the Huangshan range at the foot of Diezhang Feng peak. The Daoist monk Zhang Yipu once lived here. From this monastery, one has a view of a beautiful bamboo grove. Jiulong Pu waterfall, the Nine Dragon Waterfall, is close to Xianglu Feng peak. It is the most beautiful waterfall in the Huangshan and drops down via nine cascades. A pond has formed at each level. This waterfall is all the more impressive after heavy rainfalls.

Between the Qingtan Feng and Ziyun Feng peaks, the water of the Baizhang Pu, Thousand Foot Waterfall, tumbles down from a height of 1,000 m. It appears as if a thousand small silk figures were dancing through the air. A terrace on which Guangpu Ting pavilion was erected, is nearby. It offers the best view of the waterfall.

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Fujian Province ¸£½¨Ê¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: ca. 120,000 sqkm / Population: 25.9 million, including about 200,000 She, Huis, Gaoshan and Manchus / Capital: Fuzhou

Fujian lies opposite the island of Taiwan on the southeast coast of China. Due to this location, the province remained under-developed economically for a great many years; hardly any investments were made due to unsolved political conflicts and the potential threat of war. The political situation has since calmed down, and the city of Xiamen has been declared a special economic area. Thus, in many places one hears that Fujian has just come alive and will now grow economically. Along with this development, it is hoped that tourism will also flourish. Up to the present, only a few Western visitors have discovered the charm of this area or made excursions through old Quanzhou, to the wonderful Wuyi Shan mountains or to the unique nature preserve.

There is a good ship connection from Hong Kong to Xiamen. The trip lasts about 13-14 hours; departure is from Tai Kok Tsui port in Kowloon on the MV Jimei or the MV Gulang Yu on Tuesdays and Fridays.

About 95% of the province is covered by mountains up to 2,300 m high. The Wuyi Shan mountains form Fujian's border to Jiangxi Province in the northwest and constitute one of the most beautiful regions in the province.

Fujian's many rivers have always been of great importance; for, in the past, they were the only transportation routes. The coast is rocky and fissured, with a large number of islands, peninsulas, bays and natural harbors.

The climate is subtropical - very hot in the summer and cool in the winter. The year is divided into three periods according to temperature: the warm period from March to May, the hot period from June to October and the cool period from November to February. Fujian is often designated one of the most beautiful area of Asia with its wooded mountians, streams, fruit orchards, tea plantations and rice fields.

History

During the Chunqiu period (770-475 BC), the region belonged to the Kingdom of Yue. After Yue had been conquered by the Kingdom of Chu during the Period of Warring States (475-221 BC), a son of one of the king's Yue fled to the area near Fuzhou and founded the Kingdom of Min Yue. The region was annexed to the empire under Qin Shihuang, but did not regain its status as a kingdom until the first period of the subsequent Han Dynasty. It did not lose its autonomy again until the period of Han Wudi (140 - 87 BC). A second Kingdom of Min was established at the beginning of the 10th century AD, although it noly lasted from 909 - 944.

Foreign trade has always been of special significance for Fujian. As early as the 11th century, foreign trade prospered, making the city of Quanzhou, above all, incredibly rich. As foreign trade increased, many people left Fujian for Southern Asia - about 3/8 of all overseas Chinese originally come form this area. The settlement of Taiwan by immigrants from Fujian began with the expulsion of Dutch troops by a general loyal to the Ming, Zheng Chenggong, in 1662. The Taiwan dialect is based on one from southern Fujian.

In 1842, Fuzhou and Xiamen were opened to foreign trade as treaty ports. Export trade from Fujian became less important after 1949, because coastal traffic and to be limited due to the Taiwan issue and the presence of American marines on Taiwan. Jinmen Dao and Mazu Dao, two islands off the coast near Xiamen and Fuzhou, are still under Taiwanese control.

Fujian's economy is now chiefly based on agriculture, fishing and industry. The most important crop is rice, which yields two crops annually.

An important foundation for industrial development was first created with the building of the railroads. Thanks to the large forest stands, wood and paper products are among the most important manufactured goods. Arts and crafts also have a long traditon. Blanc de Chine ceramics from Dehua and lacquerware from Fuzhou are known all over the world.

The most important mineral resources in Fujian are coal, iron, copper, gold and Kaolin.

Fuzhou ¸£ÖÝÊÐ

Anqing Fuzhou lies on the north bank of the Minjiang river. An exceptional feature of the city are its hot springs. Some of their water is directed right into the hotels and their rooms and has a special curative effect on skin diseases, but is not potable.

History

The Fuzhou area was settled as the 2nd century BC. At that time, Dongye, the capital of the Kingdom of Yue, was located here.

Fuzhou was already the capital of the Kingdom of Min from 909-944 and since then has remained the center of Fujian.

Fujian increasingly developed its foreign trade during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and between the 16th and 19th centuries, the city flourish economically. In 1842, the port was forced to open up to English-Chinese trade. The most important export item was tea.

The city was occupied by the Japanese from 1940-1945.

Fuzhou has grown since 1949, and its population now numbers about 1.66 million. Much has changed economically. It was possible to expand the Minjiang to Nanping to accommodate medium-sized ships, and the city was connected to the main lies of the railway network in 1956. Emphasis was placed on industrial development, especially of the paper, textile and food-product industries and machine manufacturing.

The most important sights of the city are: Gushan, Drum Mountain; Xihu, West Lake; and Xichan Si temple, which was being restored in 1984. A trip by train and bus or by ship from Fuzhou to Wuyi Shan mountains is recommended.

Pingshan Hill ÆÁɽ

Pingshan Hill is in northern Fuzhou. An old temple dating from 965, Hualin Si, is located at the foot of the hill to the south. The mian hall, Daxiong Baodian, is the only one of the Song-era, South-Chinese style buildings remaining; the other buildings preserved up to the present, date from the Qing ear. Mostly public administration offices are now located in the Pingshan area.

Lin Zexu Memorial ÁÖÔòÐì¼ÍÄî¹Ý

The complex was built in 1905.

The imperial government sent Lin Zexu as Chief Commissioner to Canton in 1839 to cut off the opium trade. Lin was an able, incorruptible offical who carried out his task systematically. He managed to confiscate and burn 20,000 cases of opium that had been loaded onto English ships outside the harbor area of Canton and were intended to be smuggled in and sold. The success of this action, which was also sanctioned by the imperial government, resulted in English warships being sent to China. Lin had assumed that his activities were also in the interests of the British court, as it had officially forbidden the opium trade. However, opium was actually the most important article of trade, which enabled the British merchants to balance the import of Chinese goods, such as tea, silk and porcelain. Thus, the English employed their warships in an attempt to force China to buy opium. Lin Zexu's energetic measures almost brought the trade between the two countries to a standstill. In the summer of 1840, British troops occupied parts of the Chinese coastal areas and forced further ports to open to trade. The Qing government felt its authority threatened by the English and therefore made concessions. Lin Zexu was held. Opium trade could continue. Lin was banned to Xinjiang, yet rehabilitated a few years later and made governor of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces.

Quanzhou and Surroundings ȪÖÝÊÐ

Quanzhou has not yet been connected up to the railroad network and therefore can only be reached by car, bus or ship.

By Chinese standards, Quanzhou is only a small town with its 140,000 inhabitants, but despite this, it has the atmosphere of a lively big city. The shops have a good selection of goods and the open-air markets are an experience. Hundreds of farmers stream into the city daily to sell their produce.

The city has not yet lost its old structure. Many narrow streets, lanes and a total of 127 bridges invite the visitor to go exploring. One is constantly made aware of the age and former importance of the city. Many a traveler will come to love Quanzhou and its hospitable inhabitants.

History

Quanzhou is a city with a great past. It used to be one of the most important port and trade cities of the world. Long before its foundation in 700, the people of this area had conducted foreign trade. Towards the end of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Quanzhou was already one of China's four major seaports and competed especially with Canton. Quanzhou was a center of foreign trade and shipbuilding. Its inhabitants numbered 500,000 during the Song Dynasty(960-1279). At that time, coral trees were planted all over the city, but only a few sill remain. When Marco Polo came to Quanzhou in the 13th century, he was of the opinion that the city had the secondlargest trading port in the world after Alexandria. Quanzhou had trade relations with over 100 foreign and Chinese cities, mostly in Asia and Africa. The most important export items were porcelain, silk and tea, as well as bronze and iron articles; the major import items were spices, perfumes and precious gems.

Quanzhou started declining economically at the beginning of the 15th century. The economic decline let to large parts of the population being deprived of their means of livelihood. Many people went abroad, especially to the countries of Southeast Asia. According to statistics, 2.2 million overseas Chinese come from this region.

Since 1949, efforts have been made to revive Quanzhou's economy. The city now has over 250 new factories. The porcelain and textile factories are especially important, as are wood-carving workshops. The harbor was expanded so that large commercial ships can now put into it.

Kaiyuan Si Temple ¿ªÔªËÂ

Kaiyuan Si, on Xijie street, dates from 686. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, it was expanded. More than 1,000 monks are said to have lived here, but today there are only about 30. Despite having been repeatedly destroyed, it was rebuilt over and over again. Even today, its area of about 70,000 sqm makes it one of the largest temples in China. The main buildings are all located on the middle axis. In Tianwang Dian hall, only two celestial kings can still be seen. The small stone pagodas on the left and right of the following courtyard date from the Ming era, the two larger ones in front of Daxiong Baodian, from the Song period.

The Twin Pagodas, Shuangta, are a special feature of the temple. The eastern one is called Zhenguo Ta and dates from the end of teh Tang Dynasty. It is 48m high. The western pagoda is 44m high and called Renshou Ta. Haiwai Jiaotongshi Bowuguan, The Museum of the History of Foreign Trade

The museum was opened in 1959 and documents the history of Fujian's foreign relations. In the first section, a sailing ship is displayed that was excavated from a depth of 2m under the sea-bottom of the Bay of Quanzhou in 1974. It was intended for overseas voyages and is assumed to date from the 11th century. The upper part of the ship has not been preserved.

Anhai °²º£ÊÐ

Anqing The small city of Anhai is the homelando many overseas Chinese. Local chronicles from as far bacl as the Song and Yuan periods tell of the large numbers of people who went abroad as a result of the soaring overseas trade. Because Auhai was located 30 km from the Quanzhou harbor and could be easily reched by large ships, the city used to be a prosperous center of trade.

The Tomb of Zheng Chenggong Ö£³É¹¦Ä¹

This tomb lies on Fuchuanshan mountain in Kangdian village in the district of Nan'an. General Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662) led his troops to Taiwan in February of 1662 to drive the Dutch away from the island. He died later that same year on Taiwan. His tomb was moved from Taiwan to Fuchuanshan mountain on May 22, 1699. His son, wife and parents are also buried here.

Xiamen(Amoy) ÏÃÃÅÊÐ

The port city of Xiamen, called Amoy in the Fujian dialect, is situated on an island off teh southeast coast of China, 2,800 miles from Beijing.

The city is one of the economic special zones of China where the economy is guided with the aid of capitalistic principles. Xiamen is easily reached from Hongkong (from Tai Kok Tsui port, Kowloon, on the MV 'Jimei' or the MV'Gulang Yu' on Tuesdays and Fridays; the crossing takes 13 to 14 hours) or by train from Fuzhou and Nanping, by bus from Quanzhou or by plane from Shanghai and Beijing, among other cities. The island is frequently referred to as 'Egret Island' by its inhabitants, because so many egrets used to live here. Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, General Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662) set up his marine base in Xiamen.

As a result of the Opium War, Xianmen and four other cities were opened up as treaty ports to oversea trade. Xiamen has a favorably located natural harbor where ships up to 10,000 registered tons can dock. After 1949,2 dams were built to connect the island to the mainland. The first was a 2,212-m-long dam built from Gaoqi to Jimei in 1953; in 1956, a 2,820 m long dam was built to connect Jimei to Xinglin, Xiamen. Railway lines, a street and foot-paths cross over the dams.

After 1949, Xiamen slowly developed into an industrial city. Most of the factories were set up in the outlying suburbs and consist mainly of textile, agricultural and chemical industries, as well as machine manufacturing.

Gulang Yu Island ¹ÄÀËÓì

The enchanting island of Gulang Yu is located west of Xiamen. After Xiamen's harbor was opened to overseas trade, Gulang Yu became a residential area for foreigners

The island, which is only 1.64 sqkm, seems substantially larger because of its mountains. Longtou Shan, Dragon Head Mountain, is the highest elevation on the island. Hutou Shan, Tiger Head Mountain, rises up loftily across from Longtou Shan in Xiamen. For this reason, the native Chinese say that a dragon and a tiger guard over Xiamen.

Ascending Longtou Shan, one passes the socalled Dragon Caves, huge rocks and many inscriptions. Riguang Yan cliff forms the tip of Longtou Shan and offers a fantastic view. The Zheng Chenggong memorial stands to the north of Riguang Yan cliff. It was built in 1962 for the 300th anniversary of the recapture of Taiwan. Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662) maintained his military headquarters on the islands of Xiamen and Gulang Yu and trained marine troops there.

A 300-m-long sandy beach stretches out south of Riguang Yan cliff (dressing rooms are available). This is the location of Shuzhuang Park. The founder of the park grounds was a wealthy Taiwanese businessman. After the Japanese occupied Taiwan, he fled with his family to Gulang Yu island in 1895. In 1913, he arranged to have the lovely park laid out. A bridge with with 44 twists and turns is particularly striking - it was built by the former owner when he was 44. After 1949, the park was opened to the public.

Xiamen Daxue University ÏÃÃÅ´óѧ

In 1921, this university was donated by patriotic Chen Jiageng. At that time, it consisted of five departments. Today, it includes 10 departments with 30 different disciplines of study. A memorial to the famous writer Lu Xun is located within the university. He taught here from September 4, 1926, to January 16, 1927.

Wuyi Shan Mountains ÎäÒÄɽ

The fascinating Wuyi Shan mountains are in the northern part of Fujian Province, on the Jiangxi Province border, south of Chong'an district. They are in one of the most beautiful areas in China and are famous for the wide variety of flora and fauna, delicious tea - a particular type of Wulong tea - and the many medicinal herbs which are found there.

An easy way to reach the area is by train from Fuzhou along the Minjiang river to Nanping and then by bus straight to Wuyi Shanzhuang Guesthouse (such excursions are arranged by the Fuzhou branch of the Luxingshe travel agency). It is also possible to make the trip by boat. Wuyi Shanzhuang Guesthouse is so centrally located that one can set out on excursions in all directions from there. It takes about two days to visit the major sights, but one can easily spend a week or more there. Its extremely enchanting scenery and the pleasant and interestingly furnished Wuyi Shanzhuang hotel will tempt many travelers to spend an entire holiday there. One part of the Wuyi Shan mountains has been designated as a nature preserve by the government because of the natural wealth and rarities located in its pine and deciduous forests, including 700-year-old gingko trees, nut and beech trees and more than 140 types of birds as well as reptiles and amphibians. Native and foreign researchers alike refer to Wuyi Shan as an amphibian and reptile paradise. There are more than 50 species of snakes of here, including many poisonous ones.

One of the great advantages that the Wuyi Mountains offer is the possibility of traveling confortably by boat down a small river that winds its way through a 7-km-long gorge in the mountains. A three hours' journey lets the tourist become familliar with the scenery along this water route. The river goes around a total of nine bends within the gorge; for this reason, the area is called Jiuqu Xi, Nine Bend Gorge. Behind every bend, a completely different landscape is revealed. Most boat trips are undertaken downstream from bend 9 to 2, taking about 90 minutes. The same trip upstream takes approximately three hours, but is not as exciting. One can rent a boat for a full day and stop along the way to take short inland trips.

First bend: The 400-m-high Dawang Feng, Peak of the Great King, stretches towardteh sky here. The mountain slopes steeply on all sides and looks as if it would be impossible to climb.

Second bend: Yunu Feng, Peak of the Fairy, the most famous mountain of Wuyishan and its symbol. It is located directly across from Dawang Feng peak.

Third bend: A wall of rock which looks as though it had been cut by a knife, Xiaocang Feng, towers above the gorge on the west bank.

Fourth bend: Here a large cliff and huge caves that are too high up to be reached can be seen. The water between the fourth and fifth bends is quite calm and is suitable for swimming.

Fifth bend: After the fifth bend, a bamboo grove and a deciduous forest come into view. Zhu Xi's house used to stand on this spot, and he gave lectures about philosophy here well into his old age. Zhu Xi (1130-1200) was a famous philosopher and writer from the Southern Song Dynasty.

Sixth bend: This is the shortest bends but it also reveals the most beautiful peak, Tianyou Feng. The poet Qian Bingdeng wrote about this peak during the Ming period:' Once one has seen the peak of Tianyou Feng, there is no need to search any longer; a more beautiful sight cannot be found.' This peak is the highlight of the nine bends.

Seventh bend: The three peaks of Sanyang Feng mountain can be seen. This mountain is the highest within the Wuyi Mountains.

Eighth bend: The current at this bend is extremely strong, which is rather exciting when going downstream.

Ninth bend: After passing a tea factory, one reaches the end of the gorge and Xingcun village. Interesting excursions into the mountains can be made from Wuyi Gong. Sturdy footwear is a must! A ride through the nature preserve is fascinating. A great variety of wildlife still exists in its woods, mountains and valleys - a landscape which is still largely undisturbed by human beings. Traveling in the direction of Shaowu, one passes Tangtou Cun village where a nationally known poisonous snake research institute is located. The restaurant which is part of the institute offers various snake dishes - snake soup can be recommended.

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Jiangxi Province ½­Î÷Ê¡(Centrally administered municipality)

Area: 166,600 sqkm. Population: 33.18 million, approximately 10,000 members of minorities such as Miao, Yao, Hui and She. Capital: Nanchang. Jiangxi is surrounded by Anhui and Hubei in the north, Hunan in the west, Guangdong in the south and Fujian and zhejiang in the east.

History

The present area of Jiangxi was part of the Kingdom of Chu during the Zhou Dynasty. It was inhabited predominately by people other than Han Chinese. The colonization of the area by the Han Chinese occurred in the 3rd through the 6th centuries as multitudes of people fled to the south from the invading tribes from the north. Many settled down in Jiangxi. The present provincial boundaries were established during the Ming Dynasty. Many famous philosophers and poets came from Jiangxi, including Tao Yuanming, a poet from the Jin era, and Zhu Xi, a philosopher from the Song era, and Wang Yangming, a philosopher from the Ming era. During the 20th century, the province moved into the center of interest. In 1927, China's most important soviet area was set up in the Jinggangshan mountains, headed by Mao Zedong and Zhu De. The revolutionaries' first large power base developed here.

The Ganjiang crosses the province from south to north. For ages, it has been one of the main transportation routes for trade, the military and emigration. In the north, it flows into the Poyang Hu, the largest fresh water lake in China, and empties into the Changjiang near Jiujiang. The valleys along the Ganjiang and Shushui rivers as well as the plains around the Poyang Hu are among the most important areas for growing rice in China. Like the Dongting Hu region, the wet growing area around Poyang Hu produces one of the country's largest rice surpluses. The growing season in Jiangxi ranges from 10 to 11 months, which makes it possible to harvest two rice crops a year.

Jiangxi is one of China most important fruit growing areas. Besides watermelons, pears, persimmous and apples, oranges - grown in central and southern Jiangxi - are also an important crop.

Up to 1949, industry played no significant role. Since the founding of the present government, great strides have been made in both light and heavy industry. Large deposits of coal are located in Pingxiang and Fengcheng. The huge deposits of tungsten in the Dayu Ling Mountains, supposedly the largest in the world, are of extreme importance. The supplies of aoling and petuntse on the east bank of the Poyang Hu Lake and in the Changjiang valley gave rise to Jingdezhen's important porcelain factories. These workshops, established during the Song period, have produced excellent porcelain for centuries.

Nanchang ÄϲýÊÐ

The capital city of Nanchang lies on the east bank of the Ganjiang. It is a junction for land and river traffic.

Nanchang was founded as early as the 2nd century BC. It was always a center of administration and a market for agricultural goods. Up to 1949, industry existed only on a very limited basis. During the past 30 years, Nanchang has developed into a rising industrial city with a population of almost 2.5 million. Nanchang has a revolutionary past. On August 1, 1927, a rebellion led by Zhou

Enlai, among others, took place here. Chiang Kaishek's troops were defeated, and the city was held for three days. August 1, 1927, is considered to be the the official date for the founding of the Red Army, whose name was changed to the People's Liberation Army in July 1946.

Many of the places of interest in Nanchang celebrate the city's revolutionary past.

Memorial Pagoda of the Nanchang Uprising °ËÒ»ÆðÒå¼ÍÄî¹Ý

This pagoda, in the south part of Bayi Guangchang square, was erected on the 50th anniversary of the Nanchang Uprising of August 1, 1927. It is 45.5 m high and is made of concrete covered with marble and granite. There are nine golden characters on the front side of the pagoda: Bayi Nanchang Qiyi Jinianta. Below the nine characters, a brief account of the events surrounding the Uprising is given. The events of the Uprising itself are depicted on the remaining three sides of the pagoda.

Jingdezhen ¾°µÂÕò

Jingdezhen is located in the northeast section of Jiangxi. For centuries, the city has been considered to be China's most important center for porcelain production. Ceramics were produced here as far back as the Han Dynasty, at which time the area was called Xinping. During the Tang Dynasty, the city's white porcelain was known throughout the empire as 'false jade'. During the Northern Song Dynasty under the reign of Jingde (1004-1007), an edict from the emperor made Jingdezhen the production center for imperial porcelain, and the mark 'made in the Jingde period' was printed on the bottom of each item. Later, the city was named 'Jingdezhen' after this period of reign. In the Yuan, Ming and Qing periods the city continued to be the hub of porcelain manufacturing. Jingdezhen's porcelain was described as being as white as jade, as clear as a mirror and as thin as paper, with a sound as clear as a bell.

¡ Today, Jingdezhen has 250,000 inhabitants. The most important ingredient for porcelain, kaolin, comes form Gaoling, a village 50 km away that has produced the world's best porcelain clay since ancient tiems. They clay was named after the village. High quality glazes come from the neighboring areas. There are more than 14 large state porcelain factories in Jingdezhen. The most famous types of porcelain from Jingdezhen are the blue and white porcelain, which has been produced since the Yuan Dynasty, and the rice-patterned porcelain that was introduced during the Song era.

Items on display in the city museum illustrate the development of porcelain manufacturing in full.

Lushan Mountains ®ɽ

The Lushan mountains, one of the most beloved recreation areas in China, are near the city of Jiujiang on Poyang Hu lake. During the summer, the average temperature is a pleasant 22.6°C.

The mountains can be reached by bus from Jiujiang in about an hour and a half. Finding lodging in the height of the tourist season (July) can be a problem. It is a good idea to make reservations in advance through CITS in Jiujiang or to seek the help of CITS in Lushan in finding a room. Even in ancient times, Lushan's peaks, veiled in clouds and mist, were well-known and lovely.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, a Buddhist center arose here. Famous poets and political figures, such as Tao yuanming, Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Su She, Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang and Li Shizhen left their writings behind here. Lushan's highest peak is 1,474 m. Guling, a summer health resort, is located in the central Lushan at an elevation of 1,167 m. There are also hotels, guest houses, department stores, restaurants, a movie theater and a library here.

There are more than 200 interesting sights in the Lushan mountains, including numerous peaks and rock formations, ponds, springs waterfalls, pavilions and temples. Only a few are mentioned in the following paragraphs.

Xianren Dong, Cave of the Immortals, is located northwest of Guling.

Yubei Ting, Imperial Stele Pavilion, stands northwest of Xianren Dong on Jinxiu Feng peak. It houses a tall stele, the inscription of which was composed by the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang.

Datian Chi pond can be found on Tianchi Shan mountain, west of Yubei Ting pavilion. Supposedly, the pond has never dried up, even in times of draught. Longshou Ya, Dragon's Head Cliff, is several hundred meters away from the above-mentioned pond.

The Lulin Daqiao dam provides a link between Guling Peak and Hanpo Kou mountains It was built in 1955, and one of its results was the Lulin Hu reservoir that can hold more than two million cubic meters of water.

The Botanical Garden in the southern part of the Lushan is, at an elevation of 1,200 m, one of the highest-lying gardens in China.

The Wulao Feng peaks are located 1 km away from Wansongping village in the southeastern Lushan. From far away, the peaks resemble five old men who are sitting close together. Bailudong Shuyuan, White Stag Caves School, is located in the valley below the Wulao Feng Peaks, 7 km from the district capital, Xingzi Xian.

Many writers sought refuge here at the end of the Tang period; a school developed which later was considered to be one of the most famous in imperial China. At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, this school was said to be the world's fourth largest.

In 1179, the famous official Zhu Xi who taught here, made way for the construction of additional halls. Most of the buildings, which can be visited today, were built during the Qing Dynasty in the Daoguang period of reign (1821-1850). The main hall was restored in 1982. Those who can read Chinese script will be interested in viewing the valuable stone inscriptions in the western and eastern parts f the complex.

Sandie Quan waterfall, Spring with Three Folds, flows in Lushan's eastern valley. The water cascades over three levels down into the valley.

Guanshan hill, directly across from the waterfall, is a good observation point.

Dongling Si temple stands at Lushan's northwest foot. It is believed that the Buddhist school of thought Jingtu Zong (Lianzong) was started here.

Xiaotian Chi pond lies 1 km northeast of Guling on top of a pine-covered mountain. Wangjiang Ting pavilion stands to the west of the pond. From there, one can look out over a deep ravine and see the faraway village of Guling.

Hanyang Feng peak rises up in Lushan's southeast. At 1474 m, it is the highest elevation in these mountains. The peak is shrouded in clouds almost the entire year.

Lushan Wenquan hot springs have their source at the foot of the Lushan across from Hanyang Feng peak and 41 km from Guling Peak. The water's average temperature is 62.6°C. After 1949, a sanatorium with 300 beds was set up here. Cases of skin disease, rheumatism and gynic illnesses are handled.

Haihu SI temple is located at the southern foot of the Lushan.

Xiufeng peak is in the southern Lushan.

A stone stele, more than 1,200 years old, stands next to Shanmen, Mountain Gate. It contains an engraved representation of the bodhisattva - Guanyin.

Qingyu Xu waterfall is located in Xingzi Xian district at the southern foot of Lushan. The waterfall rushes down between Shuangjian and Wenshu Peaks. A second waterfall makes its way down between Heming and Xingbao Peaks. The two falls then meet in the canyon to form a single stream which is one of the most beautiful spots in the Lushan mountains.

Ganjiang River ¸Ó½­

The 760-km-long Ganjiang offers many places worth seeing. Those who make the trip to Ganzhou by boat have an opportunity not only to enjoy beautiful scenery, but also to study a bit of revolutionary history. During the second civil war, many important bases were established here.

Ganzhou ¸ÓÖÝ

Ganzhou is the largest city on the upper course of the Ganjiang and an important junction for traffic between Guangdong and Fujian. A number of older interesting sights are located in the city, for example, the three-level terrace, Yugu Tai, from the Tang era. It is in the northwest section of the city on the peak of Huolan Shan mountain. The entire city of Ganzhou can be seen from there.

The Jinggang Shan mountains are part of the Luoxiao Shan mountain range along Hunan's border. Most of Jinggang Shan's major peaks are over 1,000 m high. The mountains resemble a great fortress, and from a military standpoint, they were quite secure. In order to reach Ciping village, one must first cross over various small and large passes. The crossing of five large passes by the Red Army has not been forgotten even today. When Mao Zedong led his forces into this region in 1927, Ciping became the Red Army's headquarters. The founding of the first peasants' and workers' government took place here. In 1934, the Red Army left the Jinggang Shan mountains and began its legendary Long March.

Poyang Hu Lake Û¶Ñôºþ

Poyang Hu is the largest fresh water lake in China. It has an area of 5,000 sqkm.

The region surrouding Poyang Hu is among the wealthiest in Jiangxi. The famous mountains Lushan and Shizhong Shan rise up from its shores. Several scenic islands are located in the lake. One of these is Xieshan, Shoe Mountain. as the story goes, a heavenly goddess once washed her feet in Poyang Hu, but as she did so, one of her shoes fell into the water. The shoe reached the middle of the lake and finally formed this island.

Shizhong Shan is on the southern bank of the Changjiang, on Poyang Hu. This mountain was considered to be worth seeing as far back as the Han era. From a military viewpoint, it played an important role in the wars of ancient China. Many famous poets, calligraphers and political figures left their works behind here. Several pavilions decorate the landscape, including Yilan Ting, which is located on the cliffs by the Changjiang and serves as a good observation point.

Jiujiang and Surroudings ¾Å½­ÊÐ

Jiujiang lies on the shores of the Changjiang, north of the Lushan mountains. It can be reached by train from Nanchang.

Jiujiang is an important port. Throughout the course of centuries, it has played a significant role, both strategically and commercially. The city was among the most important centers of tea trade, and the trading of porcelain from Jingdezhen was also considerable. Jiujiang was opened to foreign trade in 1862. After the building of the railway which connected Nanchang to the coast (1936-1937), Jiujiang lost its influence in interregional trade and remained significant only as a center for local trade. Since 1949, various branches of industry have developed here, including the textile and food industries as well as brickworks and machine factories. From Jiujiang, one can go by car or bus for an outing to Jingdezhen, the city famous for its porcelain, or to Lushan Mountains.