Posts Tagged History

History of Hong Kong

Jul 5

Posted by inc365 in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has known human habitation since the Paleolithic era. The Qin Dynasty (221 BC -206 BC) brought it under its rule when it first unified China, and by the time of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Hong Kong had become a significant trading and military outpost, benefiting from its strategic position near the Pearl River Delta and proximity to Guangzhou (Canton), where the British and European traders established a presence in the late seventeenth century. In 1841, the growing port of Hong Kong and its valuable deep-water harbor were handed over to the British as a result of concessions wrested from the Qing Dynasty after the First Opium War. After the Second Opium War in 1860, Kowloon Peninsula was ceded to Britain and in 1898 the New Territories were leased to the United Kingdom for 99 years.

By the time of the Second World War, Hong Kong had grown wealthy, though the European colonists and Chinese residents lived in very different worlds. The colonists, known as tai pan (”big shots”) to the locals, had built railroads, schools and clubs, effectively isolating themselves from the native culture around them. Many Chinese lived near the harbor, while the tai pan largely lived further up Victoria Peak, away from the heat and bustle of the waterfront. Kowloon’s famous Walled City, which had remained under nominal Chinese control under the treaty, became an infamous ghetto and one of the most densely populated spots on earth (the city was razed in 1993 and replaced by today’s Kowloon Walled City Park).

All of this radically changed on December 8, 1941, when just eight hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese bombs rained on Hong Kong. Commonwealth troops and Chinese volunteers held off the Japanese for 17 days until Christmas Day when Japan took the city. They would hold it until the end of the war, though Chinese guerrillas conducted raids and sabotage throughout. After the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Britain resumed control with 52 years remaining on its lease and a big question mark hanging over Hong Kong’s future.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty, the economy boomed in the 1950s, fueled in large part by a flood of mainland Chinese who sought refuge from China’s civil war. Many were wealthy Shanghainese who brought their businesses with them. With the matter of Hong Kong’s return to China looming ever larger, uncertainty grew until 1984, when the Chinese and British Governments signed the Joint Declaration that would return the territory to China effective July 1, 1997. Under the Chinese slogan “One Country, Two Systems,” Hong Kong largely retains its own economic and social systems, as well as a good deal of its colonial British character. It hasn’t always been easy—Hong Kong has recently weathered the SARS epidemic and the Asian Financial Crisis—but despite rocky times the city is thriving, resilient as ever.

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Introduction of Xi’an

Jun 10

Posted by inc365 in Shaanxi

Back when Beijing was still a small-time barbarian-plagued northern outpost, the area around Xi’an was the site of successive dynastic capitals, including the first to unite China, the Qin, whose legendary founder, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the creation and burial of the astonishing Terracotta Army, now one of China’s top historical attractions.

 

Today Xi’an is a modern Chinese city, though the impressive Ming-era Xi’an City Walls, the Tang-era Wild Goose Pagodas and numerous other ancient relics constantly remind one of China’s vast history. When you’ve had your fill of the past, the city offers excellent modern dining, arts & entertainment and shopping. Xi’an hotels make a great base for further exploration of historical Wei River valley sites like the Terracotta Army, Imperial Tombs, pagodas, temples, museums, and the sacred mountain Hua Shan.

 
 
History
Some of China’s earliest inhabitants lived in the Xi’an area over a million years ago, migrating along the Yellow River, which today forms the eastern border of Shaanxi. At least 500,000 years ago, proto-human Lantian Man was living in the vicinity of modern Xi’an; you can see the fossil evidence at the Shaanxi History Museum. The Banpo Museum presents finding from a Stone Age village dating back to 4500 BC.

The Zhou (1055-771 BC) was the first dynasty to establish its capital in the area, ruling over northern China from Fenghao, just west of modern Xi’an. Among the relics recovered from this seminal period—the time of Confucious and Loazi—are chariots and bronzes. China’s longest-lasting dynasty, the Zhou were followed in 221 BC by the short-lived but powerful Qin, which forged a united empire from a confusion of warring states. The ancient Qin capital, Xianyang, slightly west of Xi’an, the home of the Terracotta Warriors, is where China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, ruled with legendary ruthlessness. He infamously attempted to destroy all remnants of the past by burying scholars alive and burning books; thankfully, copies of classic Confucian and Toaist texts survived his efforts. The Qin did not last long, falling to the Han shortly after Qin Shi Huang’s death, but China’s first emperor initiated many enduring elements of Chinese society: canals and roads; standardized writing, money and measures; and the Great Wall.

The Han expanded the empire, with Chang’an (today’s Xi’an) as their capital. Trade flourished, and the city became the eastern terminus of the Silk Road, which reached all the way to the borders of the Roman Empire. Taoism flourished and, under the Emperor Wudi, Confucian principles were made the foundation of Chinese society. Chang’an was the center of the Chinese world at a time when only the Rome rivaled it in power, sophistication and glory. Today’s dominant Chinese ethnicity, the Han, take their name from this dynasty.

Han triumph was followed by several centuries of decline, descending into a civil war that saw the capital move from Chang’an to Luoyang in 25 AD. It was not until 582 AD that the Sui Dynasty reunited the empire and restored the old capital. The Sui soon gave way to the Tang, and Chang’an reached new heights of glory. The Tang (618-907) laid out the city grid that exists to this day and Chang’an’s population grew to over one million, making it the world’s largest city. Buddhism spread throughout China and the arts thrived. Xi’an still boasts many reminders of Tang times, including Wild Goose Pagoda, built to hold translations of Buddhist texts brought from India. It was also during the Tang that Islam took root in China, as evidenced by Xi’an’s Great Mosque.

After the Tang, Chang’an never regained its power and status, as the Song and Yuan Dynasties (960-1368 AD) moved their capitals east. Emperor Hong Wu of the Ming Dynasty rebuilt the city, renamed Xi’an, as a gift for his son in the late 12th century, but this did little for the city’s overall fortunes. In 1899, Empress Dowager Cixi, de facto ruler of the Qing Dynasty, fled Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion, ruling from China’s old imperial capital for two years until the anti-Western revolt ended in 1901. When the Manchu Qing finally fell in 1911, Xi’an Han Chinese massacred Manchu unfortunate enough to find themselves in the old Han and Tang capital.

The passing of empire lapsed into the chaos of the Sino-Japanese War and civil war between the Kuomintang under Chiang Kaishek and the Mao Zedong-led Communists. Xi’an was insulated from the worst fighting, suffering only a few light bombing raids by the Japanese. The city was, however, site of a curious episode known as the Xi’an Incident. In 1936, while staying at Huaqing Pool, Chiang Kaishek was arrested by his own troops and forced into a short-lived anti-Japanese alliance with the Communists. By 1949, Chiang had fled, the Communists were victorious, and the PRC was founded.

Xi’an became a key city in the effort to development western China, and continues to play the role of economic gateway to China’s west. A discovery made in the last years of the Cultural Revolution would lay the ground for Xi’an’s ascent to the top tier of China’s tourist cities: In 1974, farmers digging in a field discovered the Qin Terracotta Army. Two years later, Mao, who found much to admire in Qin Shi Huang’s ability to unite China centuries before, died, and during the 1980s Xi’an was opened to tourism. It hasn’t looked back since.
 
Climate
Xi’an is situated in the Guanzhong Plain, bordered by the Qinling Mountains to the south and the Weihe River to the north. The geographic location helps define the city’s four distinct seasons. Summers are usually warm and humid with occasional heavy rains, though the average temperature rarely rises above 85 ˚F (30 ˚C). Winters tend to be dry and windy with average temperatures around 35 ˚F (2 ˚C). Spring (May) and Fall (September) have the most pleasant weather.

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Introduction of Huang Shan

Jun 8

Posted by inc365 in Anhui

Huang Shan

Huang Shan

Huang Shan

Huang Shan

The craggy rock faces, hanging mists and clustered pines of Huang Shan (the Yellow Mountains) create a lovely and distinctly Chinese landscape, one instantly recognizable from countless images on silk, paper and porcelain. The mountain range, consisting of some 70 peaks over 1,000 m (3,300 ft), spills across the southern province of Anhui in an exquisite jumble of scenic highlights—twisted lone pines clinging to stony spires, seas of clouds filling rugged valleys, and crystalline mountain spring-fed pools.

Depending on your stamina and tolerance for crowds, there are several ways to tackle Huang Shan. Three cable car lines connect peaks also linked by well maintained trails. It can take a lot of walking to escape the throngs of tourists, but it can be done. Regardless, Huang Shan’s natural scenery, punctuated by classical temples and pavilions, is virtually guaranteed to be a major high point of any tour of China.

Although strenuous, hiking is not a backwoods experience by any stretch: Foot paths along are generally paved with stone steps, all hand-laid over the centuries. In the more trafficked areas, the trails are often lined with vendors selling water, ice cream and souvenirs; you’ll also find plenty of shaded areas to stop and rest. Take the hike slowly (the humidity combined with altitude can sneak up on the hardiest hiker) and remember to drink lots of water.

Hikers have two basic choices of paths: Eastern and Western Steps. The former is the easier of the two; the latter the more scenic and rugged. The area in the north of the mountain range is connected to the two paths by a Peak Circuit trail (often the area is referred to as the “Summit,” though it is comprised of a number of peaks) which affords glorious views of the “cloud seas” and even offers a measure of privacy as one gets further from the cable car terminals.

Regardless of which path you find yourself on, you’ll come across scores of whimsically named rocks, trees, and scenic outlooks. They’re usually named after some creature or figure they resemble (”Magpie in a Plum Tree”, “Embroidering Goddess,” “Immortal Drying His Boot,” “Monkey Transfixed by the Sea” and the like). One notable example is Welcoming Pine (Yingke Song), a lone tree near the Jade Screen Pavilion reputed to be some 800 years old. The pine stands by the Western Steps with branches outspread like arms, greeting all comers. Perhaps the most famous tree in China, its likeness has graced everything from cigarette packages to the five yuan note.

You’ll also notice a lot of stone inscriptions. These carved characters, often dating back many centuries, hold special meaning for the Chinese, often having to do with famous literary figures, poems and legends. One inscription, for example, is found on the “intoxicated rock.” The two characters refer to a story about Li Bai (701-762), the great Tang poet. Apparently, Li Bai was so enraptured by the Huang Shan scenery (not to mention full of his beloved wine) that he seranaded the lucky stone and, naturally enough, it joined in and got drunk as well.

Though we do not recommend you either drink to excess on the trail or carve your inspiration into the mountainside no matter how overcome by Huang Shan’s beauty you may be (you’re not Li Bai and grafitti is punishable by law), we do recommend you join the masses in viewing the sunrise from one of the peaks (the area overlooking Beihai, or the “Northern Sea,” is especially lovely). It’s well worth braving the morning chill.

Note that admission to Huang Shan is RMB 130 and that one-way cable car tickets are RMB 65 (RMB 55 in the off season). For more information on specific Huang Shan sights, visit our Huang Shan Attractions page.

History
Known as Yishan in ancient texts, the mountain range took on its present name during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), most likely in honor of Huang Di, the “Yellow Emperor” and purported father of the Han Chinese people. The first reference to Huang Shan comes, unsurprisingly, in a poem (by China’s beloved poet, Li Bai). The mountains have long provided inspiration to China’s poets and painters, as well as legions of pilgrims who come to visit a site sacred to both Taoists and Buddhists.

Over time, Huang Shan’s trails have come to be furnished with stone stairways, temples have been built and the area has been made increasingly accessible. Since the late 1980s, tourism—both domestic and international—has increased greatly. In 1999, Huang Shan was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 
Climate
The area around Huang Shan enjoys a mild climate with four distinct seasons: cool falls, snowy winters, pleasant springs and humid summers. It rains a lot, mostly from May to September. As you ascend, the temperature may drop significantly. Winter brings very cold winds to the region and average temperatures around -3 ºC (26 ºF). The best time to visit is spring or fall when the weather is moderate and the humidity and heat drop off.

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History of Beihai Park

Jun 7

Posted by inc365 in Beijing

Beihai Park

Beihai Park

Beihai Park in Beijing is the oldest and best-preserved imperial garden in China.It was first built during thje Liao Dynasty(916-1125),then rebuilt an renovated continually during the Jin(1115-1234), Yuan(1279-1368),Ming(1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties that followed,eventually becoming the beautifully landscaped garden we see today.As a pleasure ground for the imperial family within the Imperial City,Beihai Park was built to be more magnificent than any imperial complex outside the capital,including the Summer Resort at Chengde in Hebei Province and the Diaoyutai Imperial Lodge on the outskirts of Beijing.

Beihai Park is located in the center of Beijing and covers 71.4 hectares(176.5 acres),half of which are taken up by water.It borders on Zhongnanhai (Central and South Seas Lake) in the south,shichahai(Ten Temples Lake)in the north and the wooded Jingshan (Coal Hill) in the east.The majestic former Imperial Palace lies to the southeast.

The design of Beihai Park was inspired by a legendary story.Rising above the East Sea,the story goes,were the three fairyland mountains of Penlai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang. There the immortals lived and a miraculous potion for longevity could be found.Both the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (reigned 211-210 B.c.) and Emperor Wu Di or the Han Dynasty (reigned 140-87 B.C.) sent people over the sea to the mountains in quest of the potion, but all of them failed to find it. Longing for immortality, Emperor Wu Di ordered a large lake,which he named Taiye Lake,dug behind Jianzhang Palace in the capital city of Chang’an (now Xi’an in Shaanxi Province). Three islets modeled after the fairyland mountains were created in the lake from the earth that was dug out.

Later Chinese emperors also built lakes with islets near their palaces in hopes of living forever like the immortals.Emperor Yang Di of the Sui Dynasty (reigned 605-617) had a lake with a circumference of more than a dozen li (1 li equals 547 yards)built near his palace in Luoyang,Henan Provice.The three islets in the lake towered more than 30 meters(about 100 feet) high.Emperors of the Tang(618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties all did the same.Beihai,built as an inperrial garden behind the Forbidden City,also followed this pattern.Qiongdao(Jade Islet),Tuancheng (Round City) and Xishan (Rhinoceros Hill) Terrace in Beihaiwere shaped to resemble the three fairyland mountains;and all the towers,pavilions,odd-shaped rocks and caves, as well as the dew collector held by a bronze immortal located on Qiongdao, were created out of imaginations fired by the legendary story.

When the Liao Dynasty,founded by the Qidans from the North,made Yanjing(now Beijing) its secondary capital in 938, there was a vast lake on the northeastern outskirts of the city called the “Golden Sea.”It was the lake that was to become Beihai Lake.In the middle of the lake was a small island called Yaoxu(Precious Islet),and the structure built on it was referred to as the Yaoxu Imperial Lodge. The Daning (Immense Tranquility)Palace complex was built around the lake by Wmperor Shi Zong between 1163 and 1179, after the Jin Dynasty drove out the Liao and took over Beijing.Before construction of his palsce began, the emperor hung a picture of Gengyue Garden,the Song Dynasty imperial garden in Bianliang (onw Kaifeng in Henan province),on a screen and ordered that his garden be landscaped exactly the same way.He change the name of Yaoxu to Qiongdao and decorated it with Taihu rocks removed fuom complex were Guanghan Palace, or the Palace in the Moon,and Yaoguang (Divine Light) Tower.

Beihai remained an imperial pleasure ground for more than 800 years.In Jim times, it was noted for two of its scenic spots–Qiongdao Chunyin(Spring shade on Jade Islet)and Taiye Qiufeng(Autumn Wind over Taiye Lake).These were two of eight wellknown scenic places in old Beijing.
It was after the Jin Dynasty that Beihai became the nucleus of Beijing.

During the reign of Kublai Khan,the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty,qiongdao was expanded three times,renamed Wanshou(Longevity)Hill and made the center of Dadu(Great Capital,a name given to Beijing by the Mongols ). The khan visited the garden often,and he held ceremonies on festive occasions, received foreigh diplomats and issued decrees fuom there. He also renovated Guanghan Palace and mande it the scenc of grand receptions
and banquets.

During the last years of the Yuan Dynasty,pleasure-seeking Emperor Shun Di,looking for a way to amuse himself,had a 40-meter-long(about 130 feet) dragon boat comstructed and made 16 palace maids dressed like legendary fairies sing and dance for him while the boat sailed around the lake.

During the Ming and Qing dynasty,Beihan was further expanded and renovated .New additions made by the Ming Dynasty included the Daxitian(Great Western skies) Workshop for printing Buddhist sutras,Taishou (Longevty) Hall,Five-Dragon Pavilion and the Nine-Dragon Screen on the northern shore of the lake;Yingcui(Viewing Foliage) Hall on the western shore; and Yinhe (Concentrated Harmony) Hall and Cangzhou (Lakeside) Dock on the garden very often.Xuan Zong also wrote prose extolling the magnificence of Guanghan Palace.

In 1965,during the reign of Shun Zhi, the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty,a while tower in Tibetan style was erected on the site of Guanghan Palace,whilt had collapsed sone 80 years earlier. The tower was the Baita (Whilt Dagoba).Large-scale construction at beihai took place from 1741 to 1771 during the reign of Emperor Qian Long in the Qing period.The structures added included Canfang(Altar for Worshipping the Lady of Silk worms),Chanfu (Happinese conferring) Temple, Xiaoxitian (Little Western Skies) Temple and Jingxin (Quiet Heart)Studio on the northern shore of the lake; and Haopujian (Haopu Creek) and Huafangzhai (Studio of the Painted Boat)gardens on the eastern shore,Beihai today looks much the same as it did under the rule of Emperor Qian Long.

In the last years of the Qing Dynasty,Empress Dowager Ci Xi appropriated money intended for the building of a Chinese navy to renovate the imperial pleasure grounds at railway to connect the areas,beginning at Baoguang(Precious Light) Gate outside Huairen(Benevolence) Hall in Nanhai,passing through Zhonghai,turning east at Xiaoxiatin on the western bank of the lake in Beihai,and finally stopping at Jingxin Studio. When she lived in Yiluan(Ceremonial Phoenix) Hall at zhonghai in 1888,the empress dowager often took the train to Jingxin Studio to have her dinner, accompanied by Emperor Guang Xu and his empress and concubines.

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Introduction of Beijing

Jun 7

Posted by inc365 in Beijing

The Forbidden City’s red walls and golden roof tiles, labyrinthine lanes running through low-slung grey brick hutong neighborhoods, futuristic skyscrapers punctuating the horizon in all directions, broad avenues and the expanse of Tian’anmen Square, traffic jams and dust storms, ancient imperial gardens, bustling markets…. Beijing holds astonishing sights and countless adventures for the curious.

Steeped in the past even as it focuses with all its might on the future, today’s Beijing steps confidently onto the global stage, marking China’s emergence as a world power as host of the 2008 Olympic Games. It’s a fascinating time to visit. Vast areas of the city are being transformed overnight as new high-rise complexes displace old hutong warrens, yet Old Beijing holds fast in surprising ways and places.

Our guide to Beijing gives you the latest information on what to do and see in this amazing city. Help us improve the guide by sharing your thoughts in our comments section, sharing your Beijing tips and stories in the China Travel Forum or adding reviews of Beijing attractions, hotels and restaurants.

 
History
Though it lies north of the traditional Han Chinese heartland, Beijing has been at the center of China’s cultural and political life for the better part of seven centuries. The city gained its prominence in the 13th century AD when it was established by Mongol ruler Kublai Khan as capital of the Yuan Dynasty under the names Khanbaliq (Mongolian for “grand home of the Khan”) and Dadu (”great capital”). It was this metropolis that impressed Marco Polo, whose tales of his time in the court of the Khan inspired generations of European explorers to seek better trade routes to the East.
The archeological record shows human settlement in the Beijing area long before Kublai Khan—as early as the 11th century BC. By the 8th century AD, the Yan Kingdom established its capital of Yanjing in the area, giving way after the Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty, which united China in 221 BC. The Qin, whose capital was Xiangyang near today’s Xian, demoted the Yan capital to a regional seat of government. For centuries after, the city, then known as Jicheng, remained a center of trade and governance and a military outpost defending China from aggressive northern tribes. In 938 AD the northern Liao Dynasty established a second capital in Beijing, which they called Nanjing (Southern Capital). The Liao built the first city walls, which were expanded by the Jurchen Jin Dynasty, who made it their capital in 1153, calling it Zhongdu (Middle Capital).
After Genghis Khan’s Mongols destroyed the Jin, razing their capital, his son, Kublai, established Dadu, whose basic layout remains in present-day Beijing. From his capital Kublai ruled the largest empire the world has ever seen. However, it wasn’t until Ming Dynasty ruler Yongle (1403-1425) showed up that the prominent landmarks of today’s Beijing made the scene. Yongle, an ethnic Han Chinese, leveled all Yuan Dynasty buildings, determined to erase all traces of Mongol rule over China, and initiated construction of the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Yongle also gave the city a new name: Beijing (Northern Capital).
As the capital of imperial China for the next 586 years, Beijing witnessed wars, corrupt Emperors and Empresses, foreign attacks (the British and French in 1860) and rebellions (the Boxers in 1900, for one). It also presided over prosperous times and the cultivation of arts, scholarship, philosophy and religion. As the Qing (1644-1911) decayed at the end of the nineteenth century and early twentieth, ceding territory to Western colonial powers and Japan, Beijing became a center of political agitation as nationalist students demonstrated against Qing corruption and in favor of modernizing China. The city fell into turmoil after the fall of the Qing, changing hands repeatedly during 1911 and 1912.
From 1912 to 1927, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Hankou alternated as centers of government. Students and other reform-minded nationalist Chinese continued to work for a modernized China, with the May Fourth Movement emerging from 1919 protests against the transference of Germany’s Chinese concessions to the Japanese in the wake of World War I. This dissent would continue, feeding into the Communist movement and, eventually, the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.
The end of World War II brought the abolition of all foreign concessions in the city and the the end of the Japanese occupation that began in 1937, and Beijing was restored to Chinese sovereignty. After four more years of civil war the Communists emerged victorious, and on October 1, 1949 in Tian’anmen Square Mao Zedong proclaimed Beijing the capital of the People’s Republic of China. As previous rulers had often done, Mao made a symbolic break with the previous order by reinventing the capital. Between 1965 and 1969, the old city wall was torn down. Hundreds of temples and monuments were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), and old neighborhoods were leveled to broaden boulevards and enlarge Tian’anmen Square.
The upheaval of the Cultural Revolution ended with Mao’s death in 1976, and in the transitional years that followed, China began opening its economy under Deng Xiaoping. Along with economic changes, many Chinese began to look for increased freedom of expression and broader political reform. Beijing students took the lead, challenging the status quo with the Democracy Wall in 1978-1979 and a decade later with the protests that culminated in the tragic 1989 Tian’anmen Square face-off between the People’s Liberation Army and demonstrators. Deng’s economic reforms have continued under subsequent leadership, fueling China’s epic economic boom.
Climate
The best times to visit Beijing are spring (April and May are nicest) and fall (September and October can be beautiful). Beijing experiences cold, dry and windy winters, with average low January temperatures falling to -8ºC (17ºF). By July, the city’s average highs reach a steamy 30ºC (86ºF) as Southeast Asia’s monsoon system pushes hot and humid air northward, bringing with it regular rains. Spring and summer also see occasional sandstorms as sand and dust from the Gobi Desert blow into the city. Air pollution often combines with humidity and dust to create a thick smog that blankets the city. However, the city’s cleanup efforts in advance of the Olympics will, hopefully, lead to cleaner air in the future.

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Introduction of Guangzhou

Jun 6

Posted by inc365 in Uncategorized

guangdong

Guangzhou, the South Gate of China, is a prosperous metropolis full of vigor.

Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong, and the center of its political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural life. Sui (Ears of Rice) is short for Guangzhou and the City of Ram (Yang Cheng) is also an alias of Guangzhou. The kapok is the city flower and the kapok tree is the city tree of Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is located in the middle south of Guangdong Province, north of the Pearl River Delta. It lies close to the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Macau. Zhujiang (The Pearl River), the third largest river of China, runs through Guangzhou and is navigable to the South China Sea. Situated in such an excellent geographical region, Guangzhou is called China’s South Gate.

Covering an area of 7434.4 square kilometers (2870 square miles), Guangzhou is home to more than 11 million people, including a 3.7 million transitory population. With the opening of China to the outside world, a large number of people from other regions of China swarmed into Guangzhou, one of the first ‘open’ cities in China. This has accelerated its economic development.

Guangzhou is a famous historical city. In ancient days, Guangzhou was the capital city for three Chinese dynasties: the Nan Yue (South Yue), the Nan Han (South Han) and the Nanming (South Ming). Thus it was put in the list of the 24 most famous historical cultural cities and became a tourist destination. You can not understand most Chinese cities deeply until you know their history. This is true of Guangzhou. Many historic sights: the Western Han Nanyue King’s Tomb Museum, the Zhenhai Tower and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall tell us the 2,000-year history of Guangzhou.

Today, Guangzhou retains its ancient customs, but is also a large city full of vigor and current fashions. You can find something worth taking home in Shangxia Jiu Lu, Beijing Lu and Di Shi Fu Lu.

Trying Yue Cai (Cantonese Cuisine), one of eight Chinese famous cuisines, is definitely a must in Guangzhou! Eat delicious food with ingredients you have never heard of.

Hotel facilities and service in Guangzhou are fine. A word of warning: Do make a reservation beforehand if you decide to visit Guangzhou during the Canton Fair. For visitors, especially those plan to attend the Canton Fair, transportation in Guangzhou is more and more convenient. You can choose plane, train, ship or bus.

Guangzhou is famous as a hometown for overseas Chinese. It boasts the largest population of overseas Chinese people. These overseas Chinese do a great deal of good for Guangzhou: opening international markets, bridging Guangzhou and the rest of the world, and establishing many schools, hospitals, nurseries, kindergartens and rest homes in Guangzhou.

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Introduction of Shanghai

Jun 6

Posted by inc365 in Shanghai

China’s economic showpiece never fails to surprise and rarely fails to delight. Walking Shanghai’s streets can give you glimpses into a unique and layered past that includes foreign settlements, jazz-age decadence, political intrigue and, more recently, an entrepreneurial spirit that’s returning this legendary port to the ranks of the world’s great metropolises.

Discover the Art Deco architecture of the Bund and former French Concession, take in Pudong’s futuristic skyline from a sophisticated Bund restaurant with a cool drink in hand, sample tasty local specialties, dance till dawn, shop till you drop and mingle with the intrepid and forward-thinking Shanghainese. The city’s energy is contagious and there’s something in Shanghai for everyone.
 
 
History
Established as a tiny fishing community in the Warring States Period (453-221 BC), Shanghai slowly grew into a regional trade center, taking advantage of its access to the Yangzi River and nearby canals. The city stepped onto the global stage in 1842 when the British established a settlement just outside the walled Old City after defeating the Qing in the First Opium War. Concessions to the French, American, and Japanese soon followed, and Shanghai’s economy began to boom as foreign investment poured in.

As the city grew in importance and wealth during the 1920s and ’30s, it gave rise to an often disreputable mix of gangs, corrupt concession cops, fat-cat factory owners, sailors and rich expatriate families. It was during this period that most of the Bund’s signature buildings were constructed and when Nanjing Lu, Huaihai Lu and the French Concession took the shapes that they largely retain today.

Political intrigue ran high, as the ruling Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) struggled to maintain control in a city full of Japanese spies, Western agents and Communist organizers. In 1922, the Chinese Communist Party held its first meeting in a French Concession lane house. It continued to organize in the city thereafter, briefly allying itself with the Nationalists against Japan, but the alliance was short lived. The Nationalists, working with Shanghai gangster Du Yuesheng and his Green Gang, massacred Communists and striking workers in 1927, driving opposition underground. Despite such turmoil, Shanghai continued to thrive economically, solidifying its reputation as one of the world’s most exciting, prosperous and decadent cities.

That all ended in 1937, when Japan seized the city, taking control of the foreign concessions in 1941 on the same day as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Following the end of World War II in 1945, Nationalist rule returned to Shanghai. It wasn’t long, however, before the Communists ousted the Kuomintang in 1949.

During the Mao years, Shanghai’s role as a center of global finance and trade was displaced by the need to serve as a source of industrial production and revenue in support of national revolutionary development schemes. Despite the sometimes violent tumult of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution (the latter saw many urban Shanghainese subjected to various reeducation and self-criticism programs), Shanghai remained a vital economic center, though the glamor was gone—for a while, at least.

Since the economic reforms initiated in the 1990s under Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping, the city has reappeared on the world stage—in a big way. The government’s decision to open and develop Shanghai has helped fuel China’s recent breakneck growth and has brought streams of foreigners back—for both business and pleasure—to a city that once again commands global attention.
 
 
Climate
Shanghai’s most comfortable weather occurs from March to early June and September to November. Frequent rain interrupts the days from mid-June to early July. July and August bring hot and humid weather, with daily temperatures regularly soaring well above 30 ºC (86 ºF). The warm days continue through September as the nights begin to cool. Winter is damp and chill, with average temperatures lingering around 0 ºC (32 ºF), though it rarely snows or freezes. Spring and fall see a number of blue-sky days, but air pollution in Shanghai can be a problem. It’s not as bad as some other cities in China, but those with sensitive lungs should take appropriate precautions, especially in the summer when the smog gets its thickest.

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Hangzhou

Jun 3

Posted by inc365 in Zhejiang

    Hangzhou casts an enchanting spell. Marco Polo marveled that it was “the most beautiful and elegant place in the world” and a popular Chinese saying boasts “above there is heaven, below there is Hangzhou.” The serene loveliness of Hangzhou’s West Lake (Xi Hu) and the surrounding hills remain spellbinding, even if realities of modern life—such as massive crowds of camera-happy tourists—occasionally intrude. Millions of tourists visit every year to admire Hangzhou’s graceful willows, tranquil waters and expansive gardens. If you can, shoot for a weekday visit to avoid the inevitable weekend crowds.
History

    Hangzhou has known centuries of wealth and high culture, profiting from the region’s famous silks and teas. Hangzhou grew in political importance during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD) after Jurchen invaders from present-day Mongolia ransacked the Song capital Kaifeng. Emperor Gaozong (1107-1187 AD) fled to Hangzhou, where he set up his new capital. The imperial court’s patronage boosted Hangzhou’s importance as a commercial hub and brought China’s best scholars, artists and poets to the city.

    The healthy silk and tea trade expanded during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). The 1,000 km Grand Canal linked the city to distant Beijing and to ocean trade routes to Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The city’s population grew in number and wealth. Merchants and officials led lives of leisure, building extravagant homes and pleasure boats for West Lake. The city’s fame brought curious visitors throughout the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and Emperors Kangxi (1662-1722) and Qianlong (1711-1799) held court in Hangzhou, the latter building a palace on Solitary Island (Gu Shan) and an imperial library.

    Hangzhou suffered greatly during the Taiping Rebellion and was largely reduced to rubble after being taken by the rebels in 1861 and retaken imperial armies two years later. A little over a century later, many remaining monuments were lost during the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, requiring major reconstruction to return the city to something like its former glory. Today, much of the city has been restored and it’s easily one of the most popular tourist spots in the country.
Climate

    Hangzhou experiences four distinct seasons with cold winters (average temperature of 3º C (37º F)) and hot summers (average of 29º C (84º F)). Summers are rainy through May-July and can grow exceedingly humid. Whatever the weather, Hangzhou paints a pretty picture. In the winter, light snow blankets stone brides and walkways and spring and summer bring blooms of flowers. The best time to visit Hangzhou is in the fall, when the weather cools and the rains decrease.

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