Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Danxiashan/Guangdong---Nov 19-25, 2011

8th Visit to China




广东省---华侨之乡




 Guangzhou (广州)




Guangzhou (广州)



珠江---广东的母亲河




Pearl River (珠江) at night, in Guangzhou



The three major rivers of the Pearl River system are the Xijiang ( 西江), Beijiang (北 江) and Dongjiang (东江) Rivers.

The three rivers converge in Pearl River Delta and flow into South China Sea. The lower course of the Xijiang beyond the confluence is called Pearl River, famed as the river that flows through Guangzhou.




Cruise Ship


The Pearl River is the third largest river in China. It drains majority of South Central Guangdong and Guangxi as well as parts of Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in China.

The Pearl River Delta is one of the economic hubs of China.




on board a cruise ride on Pearl River at night




Shenzhen (深圳)---the Window of China's Reform and Opening Up to the World







Shenzhen lies along the coast of the South China Sea
and immediately north of Hong Kong.

Its rapid development could be traced back to 1978, when Deng Xiaoping (邓小平) selected this small fishing port as China's first Special Economic Zone (经济特区)

As China's first SEZ, Shenzhen has always been regarded as the window of China's Reform and Opening Up (改革开放) to the world.

The city itself is a concrete jungle. If you are looking for traditional China, you will certainly not find it here.




Overseas Chinese Town East (东部华侨城)

OCTE is a resort that integrates the cultures of both East and West.


 

Zhuhai (珠海)




Statue of Fishing Lady (珠海渔女)


Zhuhai is one of the Special Economic Zones (经济特区) established in the 1980s. Before that it was a group of fishing villages.

Zhuhai serves as the gateway to Macau just like Shenzhen to Hong Kong.

Zhuhai has over 100 of islands. The city is known for its beautiful coastline.









Kaiping (开平---碉楼之乡)

Kaiping City is famous for its diaolou built by overseas Chinese in a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles.

Diaolou are multi-storey, defensive village houses built against the attacks of bandits.

Today there are still over a thousand of diaolou standing in Kaiping. Most of them were built between 1920s to 1930s.

Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (开平碉楼与村落) was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 



Majianglong Diaolou Cluster (马降龙雕楼群)


Due to poverty and social unrest in Kaiping during the late 19th century---the same period as California gold rush. Many people emigrated to the US. They worked as labourers particularly in the California gold fields. Some also worked on the transcontinental railroads construction.

However, they had to live under unfair regulations in the US.

Some of them returned to their hometown after accumulating some savings. They used their hard-earned savings to build a house, buy fields and get married.


'金山伯' '金山伯', 没有一千也有八百

一个华侨的脚印就有三个土匪追踪

Meanwhile, it had become known in Kaiping that some of the returning overseas Chinese were wealthy. They had since become the targets of bandits in Kaiping. To defend themselves against the attacks of bandits, they built diaolou used as  house-cum-watchtower and also for flood protection. 



Li Garden (立园)

The statue of its master, Xie Weili (谢维立)---a Chinese emigrant to the US, in front of Li Garden
 

老华侨的传统思想--- 落叶归根, 衣锦还乡, 光宗耀祖


Old overseas Chinese were sentimentally attached to their motherland even though they had lived overseas for many years. They had the tradition of returning to their hometown with position and wealth. Some of them built mansions in their hometown to show off their wealth.



         

Li Garden (立园)


Li Garden is a private garden constructed in the early 20th century. The construction of Li Garden blended the Chinese and Western architectural style at the time, and traditional Chinese landscaping with the features of canals, fine bridges, pavillions and watchtowers.




Shaoguan (韶关)


Shaoguan City is located in the northern part of Guangdong province. Formerly, the city was an important trade route from Central China to Guangzhou.




Mt Danxia


Mount Danxia is a famous scenic area near Shaoguan city. The region is formed from reddish sandstone which has been eroded over time into spectacular steep cliffs and unusuall rock formations.








丹霞山阳元石




Nan Hua Temple (南化寺---南宗禅法发源地)



Nan Hua Temple (南华寺) is a Buddhist Monastry of the Zen, where Hui Neng (慧能) once lived and taught. The temple is located near Shaoguan City

Hui Neng (638-713), the sixth Patriarch of the Zen (禅宗六祖), is considered as the founder of the Southern Sect of Zen (禅宗南宗).

After Huineng had passed away, his body was mummified. His mummified body has since remained seated and open to public in Nan Hua Temple.






The temple has a history of more than 1500 years. It was founded in 502 by an Indian Monk named Zhiyao Sanzang (智药三藏) who originally named the site Baolin Temple (宝林寺).




南华寺菩提树



菩提本无树 明镜亦非台
本来无一物 何处惹尘埃
                                                                         ------摘自六祖坛经





Macau (澳门)---the Gambling Capital of Asia

Ruins of St. Paul's (大三巴牌坊)

The Ruins of St. Paul's is the most famous landmark of Macau. All that is left of the imposing 16th century cathedral is its front facade. The Ruins of St. Paul's is not the ruins of a St. Paul's church, but rather the Church of Mater Dei.




In the background, Grand Lisboa (新葡京酒店) dominates the skyline of Macau,



Macau is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two Special Administrative Regions (特别行政区) of the People's Republic of China.

It lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province to the north.

The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism.




议事亭前地喷水池

Macau was settled by fishing people long before the arrival of foreign traders.

It was a Portuguese colony and both the first and last European colony in China.

Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 Dec 1999.

It is now administered under the policy of "one country, two systems".




Historic Centre of Macau (澳门历史城区)

Historic Centre of Macau was designated as a World Heritage Site.

It is a collection of over twenty locations that witnessed the unique assimilation and coexistence of Chinese and Portugeuse culture in Macau.




Matsu Temple

  Built in the 15th century, the temple was dedicated to Matsu---the goddess of seafarers and fishermen.




Guia Fort (松山炮台) on Guia Hill




Church of Our Lady of Guia and Lighthouse on Guia Hill

It was the oldest lighthouse in South China Sea.





天行健君子自强不息







Monday, 7 November 2011

Chongqing, Chengdu, Shunan Zhuhai and Chishui, Guizhou---March 27-April 5, 2009



7th Visit to China





Jialing River (嘉陵江)





The history of Sichuan can be traced back to Zhou (周) Dynasty (1122-221 BC).

Then, the Kingdom of Shu (蜀) and Ba (巴) were established in the present Chengdu (成都) and Chongqing (重庆) respectively during the Chunqiu Warring States (春秋战国) periods.

Shu and Ba were destroyed by Qin (秦) and later incorporated into the Qin Empire.

It was at this time that the Dujiangyan (都江堰) Irrigation System was built along Min River (岷江) in Chengdu Plain. Li Bing (李冰), a governor of Shu, was in charge of the project.

Dujianyan effectively controls the floods and provides a method of irrigation in Chengdu Plain. It was a historical wonder of science and technology.

A few independent regimes had since been founded in Sichuan region. The most famous one was Shu Han (蜀汉) of the Three Kingdoms (三国). Shu Han, with Chengdu as its capital, was founded by Liu Bei (刘备).





仙寓洞栈道
 

蜀道难,难于上青天


丽娥终于完成走完川南地区一段栈道的壮举。今生无再悔矣!




Located in the Upper Yangtze Valley in south-western China, Sichuan is one of the most inaccessible and populous provinces in China. The provincial capital, Chengdu (成都), is located in the centre of Chengdu Plain (成都平原).






The eastern region of Sichuan is known as Sichuan Basin (四川盆地).

Sichuan's mild and humid climate, fertile soil and abundant minerals and forest resources make it one of the most agriculturally-advanced and economically self-sufficient regions of China. The Chinese call the basin Tian Fu Zhi Guo (天府之国), means 'Land of Abundance'.

Chengdu Plain is the only tract of relatively flat land in Sichuan Basin.

The western region is part of the edge of Plateau of Tibet (青藏高原). It is scarcely inhabited. Mt Gongga (贡嘎山) in the Daxue Range (大雪山) is the highest peak in the province, rising to a height of 7556 m.







The lofty mountains that border Sichuan province on all sides acted as a natural fortress against intruders.

Moreover, Yangtze River runs swiftly along the Three Gorges. The perilous entrance of the Qutang Gorge (瞿塘峡), located in Chongqing, is only over 100 m wide.

The foggy climate also hindered the accuracy of Japanese bombings of Sichuan Basin. Hence, the Japanese were never able to penetrate Sichuan.






During the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), the Nationalist government moved to Chongqing.







Sichuan has one of the most diversified ranges of ethnic groups in China. These include the Han (汉), Yi (彝), Tibetan (藏), Tujia(土家), Miao(苗), Hui (回) and Qiang (羌).

Some of the ethnic minorities still maintain their traditional ways of life on the highland. They make their livings by raising cattle, farming and hunting.





Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城)




Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城) 




In 1259, Mengge Khan (蒙哥汗) led his troops to invade Diaoyucheng (钓鱼城)---a Southern Song (南宋) fortress on Mt Diaoyu (钓鱼山) in Hezhou (合州), the present Hechuan (合川).


As Mt Diaoyu was located in a peninsula, surrounded by Jialing (嘉陵江) and Qu River (渠江), it would be very difficult for the Mongol's cavalry to capture the fortress.

The terrain is precipitous yet beautiful.

Wang Jian (王坚), a general of Diaoyucheng, stubbornly held out against the Mongols for six months.

Mengge Khan died while besieging Diaoyucheng.

The death of Mengge Khan ended the Battle of Hezhou (合州之战) and also forced the immediate withdrawal of Mongol troops from Syria and East Asia. This prevented the Mongol Empire from expanding towards Africa.

This event began a new chapter of history for the Mongols.

The ruins of the battlefield are still well-preserved in Diaoyucheng.





Chongqing (重庆---山城,雾都,火炉)




Chongqing (重庆解放碑商业街)


Chongqing, is variously known as the hilly city, foggy city and furnace of the Yangtze.

Located at the confluence of Yangtze and Jialing River,
Chongqing, was the largest city in Sichuan before it was carved out as a municipality in 1997.





 
                重庆南山植物园


                                     重庆南山植物园




重庆若瑟堂




重庆飞阁


飞阁是抗战期间蒋介石的重庆别墅。当时许多国共合作会议都在此举行。



老舍旧居


老舍是中国现代著名作家。他的代表作品是小说《骆驼祥子》和话剧《茶馆》。

1929年,老舍在新加坡华侨中学任教半年,写了以新加坡为背景的小说《小坡的生日》







                                                         狮子峰





重庆偏岩古镇





重庆洪崖洞大酒店





Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻)
 

Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻)

  

Dazu Rock Carvings is a piece of great work of China's grotto art in Dazu (大足), dating back to Tang (唐) Dynasty.







They are series of over 50 000 religious sculptures. Most of them are Buddhist sculptures, depicting Buddhist teachings and daily activities of people's life at the time.

They also include Taoist and Confucian sculptures.

Their works show that Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are not only practised but also harmoniously coexist in Chinese society.






The sculptures found in Baoding Hill (宝顶山) and Bei Hill (北山) are the most magnificent.






During Song (宋) Dynasty, a Buddhist monk, named Zhao Zhifeng (赵智风) began his work on elaborate sculptures and carvings in Baoding Hill, dedicating 70 years of his life to the work.




Chengdu (成都 ---芙蓉城)



The city was named Chengdu when it was founded more than 2000 years ago and the name has remained the same till the present day.




市民在公园打麻将

导游说成都有八成人在打麻将,一成人在跳舞,只剩下一成人在干活。









成都宽巷子

                                     成都窄巷子




Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂)


Du Fu's Thatched Cottage is an idyllic park and museum, in honour of the Tang dynasty poet Du Fu (杜甫), at the western outskirt of Chengdu.




Du Fu's Thatched Cottage (杜甫草堂)




                                        
                                                                     








a sculpture of Du Fu(杜甫雕像)




  Lin Ze Xu Statue (林则徐雕像)


Lin Ze Xu (林则徐) was a Chinese scholar and official of the Qing (清) dynasty, known for his role in the events leading up to the first Opium War (1839-42) between Britain and China. 






     savouring Chengdu Hotpot


来到北京不上长城非好汉
来到成都不尝火锅是遗憾





Shunan Zhuhai (蜀南竹海)






  
竹子都长的一样高, 随风飘摇如波浪。从上面看下去,
一大片竹林就像一望无际的大海,所以叫竹海。








 海中海


Located in Yibing, southern Sichuan, Shunan Zhuhai is a huge bamboo forest, the size of which is 120 square kilometres. Visitors come to admire the natural beauty of the bamboo forest.




翡翠长廊

无肉使人瘦
无竹使人俗




仙女湖




龙水湖






Chishui, Guizhou (贵州赤水---红军四渡赤水)





千瀑之乡
 






                                               桫椤王国



  



丹霞之








千竹之乡