China DK Eyewitness

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
CHINA
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
CHINA
Project Editors Hugh Thompson, Kathryn Lane
Project Art Editor Gadi Farfour
Editor Vandana Mohindra
Designers Mathew Kurien, Maite Lantaron,
Pallavi Narain, Rebecca Milner
Picture Researcher Ellen Root
Research Assistant Monica Yue Hua Ma
Map Co-ordinators Uma Bhattacharya, Casper Morris
DTP Designer Jason Little
Confucius (551–479 BC)
Main Contributors
Donald Bedford, Deh-Ta Hsiung, Christopher Knowles,
David Leffman, Simon Lewis, Peter Neville-Hadley, Andrew Stone
Contents
Consultants
Christopher Knowles, Peter Neville-Hadley
Introducing China
Photographers Discovering China 10
Demetrio Carrasco, Ian Cumming, Eddie Gerald, Nigel Hicks,
Colin Sinclair, Chris Stowers, Linda Whitwham
Putting China
Illustrators
on the Map 18
Richard Bonson, Stephen Conlin, Gary Cross, Richard Draper,
Kevin Goold, Paul Guest, Claire Littlejohn,
John Mullany, Chris Orr, Arun Pottirayil A Portrait of China 20
Printed in Malaysia
China Through the Year 50
First published in the UK in 2005
by Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL The History of China 56
A Penguin Random House Company
16 17 18 19 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Beijing &
Reprinted with revisions 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 the North
Copyright 2005, 2016 © Dorling Kindersley Limited, London
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in Introducing Beijing
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior & the North 76
written permission of the copyright owner.
A CIP catalogue record is available from the British Library.
Beijing 84
ISBN 978-0-2412-0846-5
Floors are referred to in accordance with American usage, Hebei, Tianjin & Shanxi
ie the “first floor” is at ground floor level.
126
Shandong & Henan 146
Shaanxi 166
Central China
The information in this
Introducing
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly Central China 180
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at
the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers,
opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are Shanghai 188
liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences
arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third party websites, and
cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source of Jiangsu & Anhui 208
travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly.
Please write to: The Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley,
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, UK, or email: travelguides@dk.com. Zhejiang & Jiangxi 244
The external boundaries of China as shown
in this book are neither correct nor authentic.
Hunan & Hubei 264
Front cover main image: Red Pagoda in the Shibaozhai area of Chongqing,
The Great Wall meandering along the ridges of northern China’s mountainous terrain
The South
Introducing
The South 282
Fujian 290
Guangdong & Hainan 300
Hong Kong & Macau 312
The Southwest
Introducing
The Southwest 346
Sichuan & Chongqing 354 The picturesque Tian Chi – Heaven’s Lake – in Changbai Shan
Yunnan 378
Gansu & Qinghai 482 Entertainment 590
Guizhou & Guangxi 402
Xinjiang 506 Sports & Specialist
Holidays 592
Tibet
Survival Guide
Introducing Tibet 522
Practical Information 598
Tibet 530
Travel Information 612
Travelers’ Needs
General Index 622
Where to Stay 554
Acknowledgments 650
Pailou, a decorative gate, leading to Gao Where to Eat
Miao in Zhongwei, Ningxia and Drink 564 Glossary 654
The Northeast Shops & Markets 586 Phrase Book 656
Introducing Fengxian Si, the largest of the Buddhist

the Northeast 434 Longmen Caves, Henan
Liaoning, Jilin,
& Heilongjiang 442
Inner Mongolia
& the Silk Road
Introducing
Inner Mongolia &
The Silk Road 464
Inner Mongolia
& Ningxia 472
6 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This Eyewitness Travel Guide helps you to chapters that cover from one to three
get the most from your visit to China, provinces each. Here you will find
providing expert recommendations as well descriptions of the most important sights
as detailed practical information. The with maps, pictures, and illustrations. Hotel
opening chapter, Introducing China, maps and restaurant recommendations can be
the country and and sets it in its historical found in Travelers’ Needs. The Survival Guide
and cultural context. Each of the seven contains practical information on everything
regional sections is divided into area from transportation to personal safety.
282 THE SOUTH INTRODUCING THE SOUTH 283
1 At a Glance
A map-based feature introduces
each of the seven regional
The South at a Glance
Encompassing the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong,
and Hainan, as well as Macau and Hong Kong, the
South is China’s most familiar region, mainly because
millions of immigrants from the area have moved
overseas, taking their cooking and traditions with
them. Yet, with the exception of Hong Kong and
Guangzhou, the area rarely features on travelers’
Nanchang
Shaowu
Wuyishan
Jianyang
Pucheng
Songxi
Wenzhou
Zherong
Jiuf
Fu’an
Fu
itineraries. There is much to enjoy, however, from Jian ’ou
eng
sections, giving an illustrated
tu
Taining
n
the ancient Ming city of Chaozhou and Wuyi Shan’s
Xi
Ningde
Sha
Nanping
Mi
superb scenery, to the historic ports of Quanzhou, Jiangle
a
nJ Luoyuan
n
ian
g
S h
Xiamen, and Shantou along the coasts of Guangdong FUJIAN Lianjiang
overview of the area. The map and Fujian, and the tropical beaches of Hainan. Fishermen laboring on the beach at Sanming
an
Meizhou Island Fuzhou
Sh
Liancheng Yong ’an
n
Fuqing
y i
yu
indicates major cities and sights. n i
ha Da Putian
oS
ma
W u
Changsha
Dai Zhangping
Longyan Hui’an Women of the Hui’an minority,
Nan ’an Chongwu
Ganzhou Shanghang Quanzhou
Lianzhou Shaoguan Tong ’an
Jinjiang
Qujiang Zhangzhou
Yangshan Xiamen
ng
Lianping Meizhou Dabu

Jia
Bei
Yingde Xingning Zhangpu

Huaiji GUANGDONG Longchuan Yunxiao
Dongnan Heyuan Fengshun Chaozhou
Qiuling Xinfengjiang Jieyang Chenghai
Shuiku
The active Buddhist temple Nan Putuo Si, Xiamen
iJ Shantou
X
ia n Puning
g Zhaoqing Guangzhou Huizhou Chaoyang
Wuzhou Haifeng
Foshan Dongguan
Luoding Lufeng FUJIAN
Jiangmen Shenzhen
Getting Around gives a brief Da

sh
an Yangchun
Zhongshan
Zhuhai
Kowloon
(Jiulong)
GUANGDONG
& HAINAN
Hong Kong
description of long-distance Nanning

Gaozhou
Maoming Yangjiang
Macau
(Aomen)
(Xianggang) HONG KONG
& MACAU
Wuchuan
transportation in the region. Suixi
Zhanjiang
Dianbai
Leizhou 0 km 150
0 miles 150
Xuwen Getting Around

Qiongz ia
hou H aix The main airport hubs are at Hong Kong
Lingao Haikou and Guangzhou. Hong Kong offers
Key
ng Chengmai connections to destinations all over the
Ga Danzhou Expressway world, while Guangzhou has direct flights
g pu Wenchang
Ya n Main road to cities throughout China and Asia.
Dongfang
HAINAN Minor road Xiamen, Fuzhou, Sanya, and Haikou also
Changjiang
have airports with several domestic flights.
80 BEIJING & THE NORTH I N T R O D U C I N G B E I J I N Gi n&g T H E N O R T H
Qionghai
81 Main railway
u L Trains, some air-conditioned, link much
Lim Wanning Other railway
of the region although routes can be
Provincial border circuitous. The extensive bus network offers
Jiusuo Lingshui
varying degrees of comfort depending
Beijing Opera Musical Instruments Sanya
Traffic moving slowly along the bustling Gloucester Road in
on the destination. There are frequent
ferry services, particularly between Hong
One among many hundreds of local operas across China, Despite the dramatic visual elements of Beijing Opera, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Kong, Macau, and various mainland ports.
Beijing Opera began in the qing dynasty. It is said that the Chinese say that they go to “listen” to opera, not to
see it. The importance of the musical elements should Night-time view of the Hong Kong skyline For additional map symbols see back flap
Emperor qianlong (r.1736–96), on a tour of the south, was not therefore be underestimated. Typically six or seven
rather taken by the operas of Anhui and Hebei and brought instrumentalists accompany the opera. The stringed
these troupes back to Beijing, where a new form of opera instruments usually include the erhu or Chinese two-
was established. The Guangxu emperor and Dowager stringed violin, sanxian or three-stringed lute, and moon Gong
guitar, or possibly pipa (traditional lute). The main function
Empress Cixi were also keen devotees and helped develop of the instruments is to accompany the singing. Percussion
the art form. Beijing Opera has proved remarkably resilient,
surviving the persecution of actors and the banning of most
of the plays during the Cultural Revolution. Emperor Qianlong, credited with
instruments include clappers, gongs, and drums. These are
used largely to punctuate the action; movement and sound
are intimately linked. Wind instruments also sometimes
Locator maps show the color-
starting Beijing Opera feature, such as the Chinese horn, flute, and suona. Suona Pipa Erhu
Beijing Opera
coded chapter divisions within
Visually stunning and with a distinct
musical style, the plays are based on
Chinese history and literature. Beijing
the section.
Opera is a form of “total theater” with
singing, speech, mime, acrobatics, and
symbolic visual effects.
Monkey is one
Mei Lanfang was the foremost
interpreter of the female role type or
dan during the opera’s heyday in the
1920s and 1930s. Traditionally all female
roles were played by male actors,
although that has now changed.
2 Regional Feature
Each regional introduction highlights
aspects of the area’s culture, history,
of the favorite
characters – clever, The Four Main Roles
resourceful, and
brave. He appears
in Chinese classic
There are four main role types in Beijing
Opera: the sheng (male) and dan
(female) roles have naturalistic make-
geography, and cuisine. Fascinating
literature (see p34–5).
Chou: with a
up. The jing or “painted faces,” in
contrast, have stylized
patterned, colored faces,
while the chou are comic
features are sprinkled throughout the
The colors of the painted faces Sheng: these may be white patch on his
symbolize the individual
character’s qualities. Red, for
example, represents loyalty and
young or old, with
beard or without.
Dan: there are six
face, the chou is
usually dim but
amusing.
characters.
area chapters as well.
courage; purple, solemnity and a parts within this
sense of justice; green, bravery role from virtuous
and irascibility. girl to old woman.
Riding a horse is The acrobatics of Beijing Opera combine

represented by raising a graceful gymnastics and movements from
tasseled horsewhip. Other the martial arts. Training is notoriously hard.
actions and movement on The costumes are designed to make the
the stage are similarly jumps seem more spectacular by billowing Jing: the most striking

stylized rather than realistic. out as they spin. looking, they also have the
most forceful personality.
BEIJING & THE NORTH 127
HEBEI, TIANJIN & SHANXI

With its northern borders adjoining Inner Mongolia and the western
tip of erstwhile Manchuria, Hebei divides into a long southern plateau
and a mountainous north, dotted with fragments of the Great TIANJIN
Wall. Despite these barriers, the Manchu army flowed through SHANXI HEBEI
the Shanhaiguan Pass in 1644 to impose 250 years of foreign

rule on the Chinese. Hebei borders Shanxi to the west
3
and envelops the wealthy conurbations of Beijing and
Chapter Introduction Tianjin – Hebei’s former capital and a repository
of foreign concession-era architecture.
Shanxi (West of the Mountains), its northern edge protected by the Great Wall, was once
Each chapter is coded a different a buffer zone against the hostile Mongol and Turkic tribes. It is largely a mountainous plateau,
heavily industrialized, with the Yellow River (Huang He) flowing the length of its western
border. Leaving Beijing, most visitors first explore Chengde, with its imperial park and temple
color. For easy reference, all sights architecture, or the celebrated Buddhist carvings at Yungang, outside Datong. Other key
sights include the magnificent Hanging Temple clinging to the cliff face, the peaceful hills
around Wutai Shan, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains and the charming Ming
in the area are numbered and and Qing architecture in the ancient walled town of Pingyao.
plotted on a map. The black bullet Sights at a Glance

Towns & Cities
2 Beidaihe
Areas of Natural Beauty
7 Yungang Caves pp138–9
3 Shanhaiguan 9 Wutai Shan pp140–42
numbers also indicate the order in 4 Tianjin

5 Shijiazhuang
6 Datong
Historic Sites
e Qiao Jia Dayuan
0 Taiyuan
which the sights are covered q Pingyao pp144–5

Weichang
Lu
an
Temples & Monasteries

207
Fengning
He
1 Chengde pp128–31
2
in the chapter.
11
G6
8 Hanging Temple Zhangjiakou Luanping
w Shuanglin Si G45 Qinglong
Xuanhua
Beijing Qinhuangdao
109 Yuxian
He G1
an
Shanyin Tangshan
ngg
8
10
Sa
G4
Laiyuan G25
Daixian
e)
gH
G55
Bo Hai
Hu a n
Baoding G45
Jinghai
G3
Xinzhou Dingzhou
r(
ve
Ri Cangzhou
Yellow
Botou
G5
0 Hengshui
Lishi G2 Yangquan
Yuci
Fenyang
G4
Nangong
A map shows cities, Xingtai

G55
Jiexiu Key
Qinxian Weixian
Handan Expressway
G5
G45
passenger rail routes, and all

National Highway
e
Linfen Changzhi Minor road

Q in H
Anyang
G5 Railroad
major roads.
Jincheng Provincial border
Yuncheng Great Wall of China
0 km 100
0 miles 100
A traditional Chinese building illuminated at night For map symbols see back flap
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE 7
444 THE NORTHEAST LIAONING, JILIN & HEILONGJIANG 445
1 Shenyang with sinuous dragons. It was here VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
4
that Shunzhi (Aisin Gioro Fulin)
Capital of Liaoning province and the largest city in the

Northeast, Shenyang may lack the panache of Dalian, but it
was crowned as the first Qing
emperor, before he conquered
China in 1644. In front of the
Practical Information
440 miles (700 km) NE of Beijing.
* 5,000,000. . n Bldg 4, 290 Shi
Town Map
Fu Lu (024) 2295 8888.
serves as an important transport and industrial hub at the
heart of the province. Of strategic importance in the state of
Yan during the Warring States period (475–221 BC), the town
hall stand the Ten King Pavilions,
once used as offices by the
chieftains of the “Eight Banners”
– the Manchu system of land
Transport
k Shenyang Airport. £ South
Train Station or North Train
Within each chapter, important
was first called Shenyang during the Mongol Yuan dynasty,
before rising to prominence as the first Manchu capital in
1625, when it was known as Mukden and was chosen as the
and hereditary divisions. The
palace has undergone extensive
restoration, and the halls are
Station. @ South Bus Station,
Express Bus Station, CAAC (buses
to airport)
towns and cities are described in
setting for the Imperial Palace, a splendid rival to Beijing’s all open to visitors. It achieved
Forbidden City. UNESCO World Heritage Site
status in 2004.
North Tomb’s ornate west wall and gateway
The impressive East Tomb (Dong
Ling), the final resting place of
detail, and numerous sights
P Mao Statue Nurhachi and his wife Yehenala,
Zhongshan Square.
The statue of Mao Zedong
situated in Zhongshan Square
North Tomb
12 Taishan Lu, Beiling Gongyuan, North
Shenyang. Open summer: 7am–5pm;
room for visiting emperors,
while the westernmost
was the site for sacrificing
was completed in 1651.
Arranged attractively on the
slopes of Mount Tianzhu near
recommended. A Visitors’ Checklist
winter: 8am–4pm. & ^ interiors.
in downtown Shenyang stands
as a reminder of a vanished era.
Mao statues tower over public
squares across China, including
The huge Beiling Park houses the
tomb of Abahai (1592–1643),
the son of Nurhachi, and his
animals. A spirit way
(shendao), lined with
animal statues, leads
to the Hall of Eminent
the Hun River, the three-
storied tomb has a flight
of 108 steps leading to
its main gate. The
gives practical information and a
such far-flung outposts as
Lijiang (see pp396–7) in Yunnan
and Kashgar (see pp514–15) in
Xinjiang, but this example is
wife, Empress Borjijit. One of the
largest and best-preserved of
China’s imperial mausoleums,
the North Tomb (Bei Ling) was
Favor (Ling’en Dian).
Right behind the hall
lie the tree-covered
imperial burial
number 108 is sacred
to the Chinese; in
the Daoist celestial
order, 108 represents
handy map locates the main sights
perhaps the most histrionic,
depicting Mao’s giant
monolithic figure as a superman
built in 1643, the year of the
emperor’s death. The layout of
the complex is typical of imperial
mounds, formally
called Zhao Ling (the
Luminous Tomb), and an
Mythical animal,
North Tomb
the 36 stars of
heaven and the 72 stars
of hell. The number is
and transportation hubs.
in an overcoat. Chinese tombs (see pp110–11), exquisite dragon screen. also sacred to Buddhists,
and is accessed through reflected in the 108 beads on
A throng of visitors outside the Dazheng Hall, Imperial Palace  North Pagoda Zhenghong Gate to the south. East Tomb Buddhist rosaries and the
27 Beita Jie. Tel (024) 8661 4081. Of the pavilions lying on either 3 miles (5 km) E of Shenyang. 210 number of luohan in certain
P Imperial Palace sections. The dominating feature Open 8am–3pm. & side of the gate, the easternmost Dong Ling Lu. Open summer: 7:30am– Buddhist sects. Photography is
171 Shenyang Lu. Tel (024) 2484 4192. of the central section is the Built between 1643 and 1645, pavilion was used as a dressing 5:30pm; winter: 8am–4:30pm. & allowed outside only.
Open summer: 8:30am–5:30pm, Chongzheng Hall, from where Bei Ta is the only one of four
winter: 9am–4:30pm. & ^ interiors. Abahai oversaw political affairs temples and pagodas situated
Second only in scale to the and received envoys from vassal on the city boundaries in a Beiling Park
Forbidden City in Beijing, the
Imperial Palace, also called
Shenyang Gugong, is Shen-
lands and border territories.
In the courtyard behind
the hall, the Qingning
decent state of repair. The
surviving features of
the original pagoda
Shenyang City Center
1 Imperial Palace
Xinleyizhi North
Tomb Visitors’ Checklist provides the
BEILING JIE
2 Mao Statue
yang’s premier historical sight,
situated in what was the center
of the old city. Its construction
Palace is where the
emperor and his
concubines resided. The
are the Great Hall and
Falun Temple. 3 North Pagoda
4 18 September Museum Pagoda of
Buddhist Ashes
Beiling Park
18 September
Museum
address, opening times, transport
began in 1625, during the reign Phoenix Tower, the tallest E 18 September 5 North Tomb CHONGSHAN DONG
LU
information, and more.

Zhongyiyaodaxue
LU North
CHONGSHAN ZHONG
E
of Nurhachi (1559–1626), leader structure in the imperial Museum
JI
Pagoda
HUANGHE JIE
A
U
of the Manchus. In 1644, grounds can be found 46 Wanghua Nanjie. Tel N
G
H
Qishanlu A
Manchu troops breached the here too. (024) 8832 0918. Open 9am–
W
Great Wall at Shanhaiguan (see In the western section, 4pm Tue–Sun. & ^ North
Station Shenyang Beizhan
LU Express
p134) and swarmed into China the Wensu Pavilion The Jiuyiba Lishi AN Bus Station
IZH
to establish the Qing dynasty. formerly housed one Bowuguan com- BE
Serving as the imperial of seven copies of the memorates the Jinrongzhongxin
residence of both Nurhachi and 36,078-volume Siku Wei Tuo Buddha, North occupation of Shifuguangchang
East Tomb

SHIFU DA LU SHIFU DA LU
his son and heir Abahai, the Quanshu (Complete Pagoda Shenyang on I JIE
92 B E I JX I N G & ZHONG
T H EJIE N O R T H BEIJING 93
0 km Mao
palace is composed of 300 Library of the Four September 18, 1931, 1 South I A OXI LU SHOPPING ST
GL
Station Statue N LU Huaiyuanmen Zhongjie
QINGNIA
EN
GSHA
rooms. While its features reflect Treasures), an encyclopedic by Japanese troops. Its exhibits 0 miles 1 ZHON
SH
LU Imperial
a pronounced Manchu and collection of Chinese literature make up the most comprehen-
CHAOYANG JIE
Liaoning XI Palace
DA
ve r . Marble Carriageway
N
Shenyang Zhan
Mongol influence, the palace compiled in the Qing era, of sive chronicle of the Japanese
Provincial
8
Museum
Forbidden City Qingnian Dajie Ri
The central ramp carved
VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
n
CAAC
DAJI
Nan-
Na
was obviously an attempt to which only four sets survive. The aggression in Manchuria. Like NA
NW Taiyuanjie Shichang
with dragons chasing
E
U
LU
emulate its Ming counterpart, Dazheng Hall is the central other museums with a similar LU Practical Information
EI LU
G
Qingniangongyuan
Forming the veryAirport
heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City, pearls among clouds was
PIN
the Forbidden City, Beijing. The feature of the eastern section, theme, some of the displays can South Bus SHIS
ANW North of Tian’an Men Square.
Station
reserved for the emperor.
HE
Key to Symbols see back flap 10 km (6 miles), Map 1 C5. Tel (010) 8500 7421.
palace divides into three fronted by pillars emblazoned be rather gruesome. officially known as the
JINZHOU
Palace Museum (Gugong), is
Open Apr–Oct: 8:30am–5pm
China’s most magnificent architectural complex and was
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp558–63 and pp572–85 daily; Nov–Mar: 8:30am–4:30pm
completed in 1420. The huge palace is a compendium of daily. & = 8 9 -
imperial architecture and a lasting monument of dynastic
Transport
China from which 24 emperors ruled for nearly 500 years. ∑ dpm.org.cn
The symbolic center of the Chinese universe, the palace
was the exclusive domain of the imperial court and Chinese Lions
dignitaries until the abdication in 1912. It was opened Pairs of lions guard the entrances
A sight list corresponds to the to the public in 1949. of halls. The male is portrayed
with a ball under his paw, while
the female has a lion cub.
bullets on the map. . Golden Water

Five marble bridges,
symbolizing the five cardinal
virtues of Confucianism, cross
the Golden Water, which flows
from west to east in a course
designed to resemble the jade
belt worn by officials.
5 Major Sights
Historic buildings are intricately
illustrated; museums have color-coded Outer Court
At the center of the
Forbidden City, the
Outer Court is easily
floor plans to help locate the best its most impressive

part. Most of the
other buildings in the
complex were there
exhibits; and natural parks have maps to service this city

within a city.
Roof Guardians
. Hall of Supreme Harmony
The largest hall in the palace, this was used for
An odd number of these figures, all major occasions such as the enthronement of
with walking routes. associated with water, are supposed

to protect the building from fire.
an emperor. Inside the hall, the ornate throne
sits beneath a fabulously colored ceiling.
KEY
1 Offices of the imperial Design by Numbers

secretariat
The harmonious principle of yin and
2 Storehouses yang is the key to Chinese design.
3 Imperial sundial As odd numbers represent yang
Stars indicate the features that no 4The Hall of Middle Harmony

received the emperor before official
ceremonies.
(the preferred masculine element
associated with the emperor), the
numbers three, five, seven, and the
ultimate odd number – nine, recur in
visitor should miss. Meridian Gate (Wu Men)

From the balcony the emperor would Gate of Supreme Harmony
5 Bronze cauldrons were filled
with water in case of fire.
6 Hall of Preserving Harmony
architectural details. It is said that the
Forbidden City has 9,999 rooms and,
as nine times nine is especially
review his armies and perform Originally used for receiving visitors, the 78-ft (24-m) high, fortunate, the doors for imperial use Palace door with a lucky
ceremonies marking the start of a double-eaved hall was later used for banquets during the 7 Gate of Heavenly Purity usually contain 81 brass studs. number of studs
new calendar. Qing dynasty (1644–1912).
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp558–63 and pp572–85
86 BEIJING & THE NORTH BEIJING 87
N LU
X U E Y UA N NA
Exploring Beijing
D XI Z H I M E N B E I DA J I E
DALIUSH
E P I N G L I X I J IE
Beijing’s most significant sights and districts are DI TAN

U LU
W E NH U I YU A N LU
XINJIEKOU BEI DAJIE
SI DAOK
DA H UIS I L U PARK
Anding
marked on this map. At the core is the Forbidden Jishuitan Men Yonghe Gong
H
OU
LU GA DONG
City, with Tian’an Men Square and Qian Men N NAN DESH E N G ME N ANDING MEN
Z H O NG GU ANCUN
OL
UA I AN J IE DONG D AJIE XI DAJIE BE
XI DA
DONG ZHI MEN
LU
ANDING MEN NEI
B E I X I AO J I E
EY G QIA
ZHI MIEEN
Gulou
NAN D A JIE
Y O N G H E G O N G DAJ I E
to the south, and the sprawling shopping district MEN

DE S H ENG M E N N E I D A J I E
BEI LUOGU
ID
XU O X Dajie
MINZU
X I AN G
IE
H E NG
AJ
6
JIE
DAJIE
G U OZI
J I U G U LO U
of Wangfujing to its east. North of the Forbidden ES Hou

DAJIE
Major City Map

Beijing North J I AN
Train Station Hai Beixinqiao Dong Zhi
Z I ZH
City stand the Drum and Bell Towers and farther
XI SA NH U AN BEI LU
BEIJING Xizhi XIZH I MEN N EI D AJIE Men

UY ZOO Dong Zhi Men
UAN L
N A N D AJ IE
Men
X I N J IE KO U
GU LO U D O NG DAJIE
XIZHI MEN WA Xing
LIUYIN
U DONG ZHI MEN NEI DAJIE

N A N X I AO JIE
northeast is the Buddhist Lama Temple. North I DAJIE Xizhi Men Bus Terminal
NAN LUOGU
DI'A N M E N W A I
X I Z H I M EN
N AN D AJIE
Jie Kou
DONG ZHI MEN
X IZHI M EN
Bus Terminal
XIANG
Beijing
of Beihai Park, Prince Kung's Mansion stands in N WAI
DAJIE
X I ZHI ME JIE Qian

NAN DAJIE
Beijing, Hong Kong, and

Zoo
BEILISHI LU
NAN
JIE
Hai DONG SI SHI SAN T I AO

a historic hutong quarter, the old alleyways that Ping’Anli Dong Si
TI YU CH A NG DON G LU
Zhangzi Zhong Lu Shi Tiao

E
CHEGONG ZH UANG XI D AJIE CHEG O N G ZHUANG D I ' A N M E N X I D AJ IE

ZHANLA N GU A N LU
DAJIE
XI H UAN G CHEN GG EN
PIN G 'AN DAJIE DI 'A N M E N

O DAJI
riddle the city. To the south, Tian Tan, known as ZHANGZI DO N G S I S HI TI AO

X I SI BE I D A J I E
DONG DAJIE
X IS H I KU D AJ IE
ZHONG LU
G O NG R E N
Chegong
the Temple of Heaven, is a majestic example of
BEI DAJIE
DONG SI
B EI JIE
IA
Zhuang
G Q
Shanghai each have their own

B AIWA N Z H UA N G DAJIE D O NG S I
Ming dynasty architectural design. Beijing’s Bei Hai L I U T I AO
PIN
Chaoyang
TAI
environs are also dotted with impressive sites FU C H E N G L U

Xi Si
Dong Si
Men
F U C H E N G M E N WAI DAJIE FUCHENG MEN NEI
including the magnificent Great Wall and the D A J IE JING SHA N G W U SI DO N G S I CH AO YAN G M E N N E
XI' A N M E N W EN QIAN JIE I
SANLIHE LU
JIN J I E D AJ IE X I D AJIE
R I TA N LU C HAO W A I S H I-
XIDAN BEI DAJIE
DAJIE
CHAOYANG MEN
Fucheng Men
chapters with introductory

N A N D A JI E
DAJIE
scenic Ming Tombs.
WAN GFU J I N G
CHA N G JI E
D A J IE
DONG SI
FUC HE N G M E N
YUYUAN TAN PARK

BEI CHANG JIE
NAN DAJIE
FUYOU JIE
C H AO YA N G M E N
N AN X I AO J I E
DAJI E
NA N D A JI E
YU E TAN B E I JI E WUDIN G FENG S H E NG

Yuyuan Tan HUTONG
Y UETA N
DONGLU
ISHI LU
HUT O N G
B E I CHIZ I
X I J IE
IE
Zhong
DAJ
(SONG
QINGLING
Hai
Y U E TA N Dengshikou
Greater Beijing
NANL
NAN JIE
maps – sights are plotted with

CHILDREN'S PICAI HUTONG LINGJ I NG
DONGDAN
BEI DAJIE
HUTONG RI TAN
SCIENCE PARK) JIN BAO JIE
TA I P I N G Q I AO
JINRONE JIE
PARK
LIHE
Lingjing
Hutong Nan Hai Tian'an
G UA N G HU A LU
SA N
Junshi Bowuguan Nanlishi D ONG ZO N G BU

Muxidi Men Dong HUTONG
F U XI N G LU Lu Buses
Miyun to Airport
Tian'an Jianguo Men
Hu F UXI N G M E N F U X I N G M E N N EI Men Xi
numbered bullets. Hong Kong

WAI D A J IE Xidan X I C H A NG ' A N DONG CHANG'AN JIE Wangfujing Dongdan J I A N GU O ME N N E I
Fuxing D A J IE JIE DA J IE
XUANWU MEN NAI D A J IE
Men
X IBI A N M E N
WA I D A J I E
XUA
X IN WE NH U A JI E X I R ON G X I AN
Miyun Changchun Jie H UT O N G Qian Men Beijing Zhan B E I J I N G Z HA N
Tour D O N G JIE
Heping Bus Terminal Bus Station
Huairou W
N
Men Qian Men

U M QIAN MEN Beijing
and Beijing have detailed Street

EN XI DAJIE X I D A J IE Q IA N M E N D O N G
Changping
BEIJING SHI LIANHUACHI D A JIE Chongwen
Train Station
XI B I A N ME N N E I
DONG LU GX I E J I E Xuanwu QI A N M E N XIHEYA N JIE

S H OU PAK OU BEI JIE
AN Men
SH Men
UKOU JIE DONG XING-
XIANY
C H ON G W E N M E N W A I D
Beijing
D AJ IE
LO N G J I E
International Airport LA
OQ JIE
QIAN MEN
IANG Ciqikou
AN
J I E G EN AL
DON G
Finder maps as well.

ZH
Mentougou HIKOU
DAJIE
Caishi DA D AJ I E
GUANG'AN Kou ZHUS
Tongxian HEBEI MEN NEI DAJIE L U OM A S H I OU
Z H U S H I KJIE
HU F A N G L U
DAJIE XI DA
NIU JIE
T I A N TA N L
U 0 km 1
Liangxiang 0 km
YONG'AN LU
20
YON G D IN G M E N N E I
TIAN TAN 0 miles 1

A
PARK
Daxing
JIE
N A N HEN G NANHENG DO N
0 miles 20 G B E I W EI L U
ZIXIN LU
X I JI E JIE
Tianqiao
TIA N TA N D O N G L U
Tianjin Taoranting Bus Terminal

YO U' A N MEN N E I DAJIE
D A J IE
TAI P I N G JIE
B AIZ H I FA N G TAO RA N T I N
G LU
DONG JIE
Sights at a Glance
k White Tower Temple Taoranting
Historic Buildings, Sites, & Museums & Galleries Hu Tian Tan
Dong Men
Neighborhoods c Great Bell Temple
2 National Museum of China Y ONG DI NG M EN DO NG BIN H E L U
. Tanzhe Temple Y OU ' AN MEN DONG BINHE LU
1 Tian’an Men Square pp88–9 5 Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
3 Qian Men u National Art Museum of China
4 Underground City
6 Dazhalan and Liulichang
p Southeast Corner Watchtower
a Beijing Natural History Museum
Shops & Markets
i Wangfujing Street Bulleted sights are listed in
8 Forbidden City pp92–5 d Capital Museum Parks & Zoos
q Prince Kung's Mansion
w Drum and Bell Towers
o Ancient Observatory
j Military Museum of the
Chinese People’s Revolution
9 Jing Shan Park
0 Bei Hai Park Getting Around
alphabetical order.
Temples, Churches, & Mosques t Di Tan Park
z Summer Palace pp106–8 A system of ring roads encircles the city
l Beijing Zoo
x Yuanming Yuan 7 South Cathedral center, and the best way to explore this
v Xiang Shan Park Key area is by taxi, by subway, or by bicycle
b Ming Tombs pp110–11 e Lama Temple
n Great Wall of China pp112–15 r Confucius Temple National expressway (see pp620–21). The bus service, though
m Eastern Qing Tombs y Dong Yue Miao Main road extensive, is generally slow and
s Temple of Heaven pp102–3
overcrowded. Organized tours are another
, Marco Polo Bridge Provincial border
option for a quick overview of the sights.
/ Peking Man Site f Cow Street Mosque Great Wall of China Most hotels and agencies operate tour
! National Olympic Stadium g Fayuan Temple
buses for visiting sights outside Beijing,
@ Chuandixia h White Clouds Temple
although hiring a taxi for the day allows
for greater flexibility.
194 CENTRAL CHINA SHANGHAI 195
For additional map symbols see back flap
2 Nanjing Road roof. It is worth a visit, for a meal

The Old Racecourse
with a view or just to look around,
and tours are also available. The Old Racecourse was the center of Shanghai’s social life in the
q Nanjing Road East, Nanjing early 20th century, and its Race Club was one of the most profitable
Road West. 5 Mu’en Tang corporations in China. It also had a swimming pool and a cricket
328 Xizang Middle Rd. Open daily. 5 pitch. After the communists came to power in 1949, it became a
daily services, see entrance for times. symbol of Western decadence, and was turned into a park and a
Running west from the Bund,
Each chapter has color-coded Nanjing Road has historically

been considered Shanghai’s
foremost shopping street,
E MOCA Shanghai
Open 10am–6pm Sat–Tue & Thu,
1–11pm Wed. &
square that was used for political rallies and finally landscaped to
accommodate the Shanghai Museum. All that remains is its old
grandstand clocktower on the park’s west side, now part of the
Shanghai Art Museum.
thumb tabs. See the inside front despite competition from areas
such as chic Huaihai Road.
The street is divided in two –
E Shanghai Art Museum
Open Tue–Sun (last adm 4pm). &
E Shanghai Urban Planning
Nanjing Road East runs from
cover for a map showing all the Bund to People’s Square,
after which it becomes Nanjing
Road West, a total length of 6
Exhibition Hall
F Shanghai Grand Theater
chapters. miles (10 km). The traditional

“shopper’s paradise” is along
pedestrianized Nanjing Road The impressive Shanghai Grand Theater
Open 9–11am & 1–4pm daily. &8
4 Shanghai
East, which is filled with upscale
brand malls, stores, and People’s Square in front of the ringed by gleaming glass and Museum A view of Shanghai’s Old Racecourse before 1949
boutiques. Theaters, cinemas, Pacific Hotel, with its impressive metal skyscrapers. Facing it See pp196–7.
restaurants, beauty salons, and exterior and fine plasterwork on its eastern side is Mu’en
crowds of shoppers complete interior, and the dark and Tang, the Merciful Baptism the status of Special Economic observation deck has views down
7
the picture. Before 1949, all the brooding Park Hotel, once one Church that was built in 1929 Zone, and became one of the on the Pearl. Both are surpassed
Pudong
Detailed Information major stores were located here.
One of them, the Sun
Department Store, is now the
of the city’s most fashionable
hotels, as well as China’s tallest
building when it was built in
as the American Baptist Church.
An inter-denominational
survivor of China’s many
5
East bank of Huangpu. q from

largest building sites in the
world, supposedly festooned
with a third of the world’s large
by the 1,614-ft (492-m) Shanghai
World Financial Center, and
the 124-floor, 2,073-ft (632-m)
Shanghai No.1 Department 1934. Farther west, the area revolutions, it is open to all cranes. The transformation has Shanghai Tower Pudong, the
A description is given for each Store, which attracts 100,000

customers every day with its
exotic window displays. As
between Nanjing Road West
and Jing’An Temple metro
station was formerly known as
and foreign nationals are
welcome, but the services
are only in Chinese.
People’s Square to Lujiazui. @ People’s
Square. g Cross-River Ferry Terminal.
In the mid-20th century, Pudong,

been remarkable – a forest of
skyscrapers has grown as invest-
ment poured in. The 1,500-ft
second tallest building in the
world upon completion in 2014.
main sight, along with practical window shopping is such a

popular pastime, the
pedestrianized section of
Nanjing Road East between
Bubbling Well Road after the
well near Jing’an Temple. It is
more upscale and less crowded,
with exclusive shopping and
Within the park itself is the
elegant glass box of MOCA
Shanghai, the Museum of
Contemporary Art. Its two floors
facing the Bund on the other
side of Huangpu, was the city’s
poorest quarter, a squalid huddle
of slums and brothels and also
(457-m) Oriental Pearl TV
Tower offers views across the
city from halfway up, and houses
the interesting Shanghai History
P Oriental Pearl TV Tower
1 Century Blvd. Tel (021) 5879 1888.
Open 8am–9:30pm daily. &
information and it’s name in People’s Park and the Bund, with
its numerous 1930s European-
style buildings, is perpetually
residential developments such
as Plaza 66, Westgate Mall, and
the Shanghai Center (see p206).
house regularly changing
exhibitions of cutting-edge art
and design. At the northwest
the home of the notorious
gangster Du Yuesheng or Big-
Eared Du. In 1990, it acquired
Museum. Pudong is also the site
of the 1,379-ft (421-m) Jinmao
Tower, whose 88th-floor
E Shanghai History Museum
Tel (021) 5879 1888.
Open 8am–9:30pm.
busy. The road culminates on There is a clutch of designer corner of the park, the Shanghai
Chinese characters. The entries shops, restaurants, and apart-

ments around the Portman Ritz-
Carlton Hotel, opposite the
Art Museum occupies the lower
floors of an elegant old
racecourse clubhouse. The
Shanghai Exhibition Center. collection is composed of a great
appear in the same order as the 3 People’s Park &

many traditional Chinese
paintings, along with some
experimental works.
Square
numbering on the map at Nanjing Road West. q People’s
Square. Open 6am–6pm daily.
Opposite the Shanghai
Museum is the Shanghai
Urban Planning Exhibition
Hall, which traces the huge
the beginning of the chapter. Opposite The Park Hotel is the

oval-shaped former Racecourse,
now occupied by People’s
urban development projects
which have taken place in
recent years. The highlight is a
whole floor dedicated to a
Square and incorporating the scale model of Shanghai,
pleasantly landscaped People’s showing all existing and
Park (Renmin Gong Yuan), the approved buildings.
Shanghai Museum and At the northwest corner of
Shanghai Grand Theater. Most People’s Square is the Shanghai
people visit the park to walk, Grand Theater (see p206), made
The Park Hotel, formerly one of the most gossip, exercise, or simply watch almost entirely of glass and
fashionable addresses in town the world go by. The park is topped by a spectacular convex The futuristic and ever-evolving skyline of Pudong
INTRODUCING
CHINA
Discovering China 10–17

Putting China on the Map 18–19
A Portrait of China 20–49
China Through the Year 50–55
The History of China 56–73
10 INTRODUCING CHINA
DISCOVERING CHINA
The following itineraries have been designed their stay to ten days. Next come two seven-
to take in as many of China’s highlights as day tours, covering two beautiful areas of
possible, while minimizing long-distance southwest China. These can be combined
travel. First are three two-day tours of the to make a fascinating two-week journey
country’s most iconic cities: Beijing, Shanghai, across the region. Finally, there is a two-
and Hong Kong. The itineraries can be week itinerary that traces the ancient Silk
followed individually or combined to form Road from Xi’an to Kashgar. Pick, combine,
a week-long tour. Extra suggestions are and follow your favorite itineraries, or simply
provided for those who wish to extend dip in and out and be inspired.
Ürümqi Tian Chi
Turpan
Kuqa
Tarim
Kashgar XINJIANG
0 kilometers 300
0 miles 300
Key A Week in Guangxi
and Yunnan
Two Weeks on the Silk Road
A Week in Guangxi •
Float down Guilin’s Li River
and Yunnan through scenery that has
A Week in Sichuan inspired poets and painters
and Chongqing for centuries.
•
Stroll among limestone karst
peaks outside Yangshuo
Two Weeks on the Silk Road and browse the town’s
bustling night market.
•
Discover China’s ancient •
Relax under shady grape
•
Sip locally grown tea by
imperial capital, Xi’an, vines in Turpan, and the side of Kunming’s
see the Terracotta explore the atmospheric Green Lake, and explore
Army, and explore the ruins of Jiaohe and the city’s colonial past.
Muslim Quarter. Gaochang nearby. •
Marvel at the weird and
•
Visit the Buddhist caves •
Fill up on lamb kebabs, wonderful rock formations
hand-pulled noodles in Yunnan’s Stone Forest.
at Dunhuang and Maiji
Shan, their centuries- and fruit at Ürümqi’s •
Travel along the old Burma
old art preserved by street markets. Road to historic Dali, home
their inaccessibility. •
Explore the Grand of the Bai people.
•
Gaze west across the Mosque in Kuqa. •
Lose yourself in the cobbled
desert from Jiayuguan •
Wander through fabled streets of Lijiang Old Town, a
Fort, the last outpost Kashgar’s old town, UNESCO World Heritage Site.
along the Great Wall; and rub shoulders with •
Explore the villages in the
do not miss Xuanbi shoppers from across Lijiang valley and take a
Changcheng, a restored Central Asia at the cable car to the snow-capped
section of wall nearby. huge Sunday market. summit of Yulong Xue Shan.
Detail of a History of the Emperors of China, a series of 17th-century silk paintings

DISCOVERING CHINA 11
A Week in Sichuan
and Chongqing
•
Get close to giant pandas at
Chengdu’s Panda Breeding
Center, and discover the
mysterious remains of a
3,000-year-old civilization at
the Sanxingdui Museum.
•
Visit the beautiful old village
of Huanglong Xi, and marvel
at the 230-ft (71-m) high
Buddha statue at Le Shan.
•
Relax at a historic teahouse
in Zigong, a salt-mining
town for over two millennia,
and discover the fascinating
Dazu grottoes.
Dafo, Le Shan
•
Watch the frenetic activity
This giant Tang-dynasty Buddha statue at Chongqing’s Chaotian
was sculpted out of the rock face over a Men docks and try the spicy
90-year period, completed in 803 AD, local cuisine.
making it one of the oldest and largest •
Cruise slowly down the
Buddha statues in China. mighty Yangzi River through
Dunhuang
the stunning scenery of the
Jiayuguan Three Gorges, stopping at
fascinating sights en route.
G A NS U
QIN G H A I
NI NGX I A
Lanzhou
ng
Hua
Xiahe Terracotta
Army
Maiji Shan
Xi’an HENAN
S HAANX I
Jiuzhai Gou
Huanglong
HUBEI
S ICH U AN CHONGQING
Yangzi
Three Gorges Dam

Chengdu Yangzi
Huanglong Xi Yichang
Me
Dazu
Le Shan
kon
Emei Shan
Chongqing
g
Zigong
zi
Zhongdian
ng
Changsha
Ya
Tiger Leaping Gorge

Yulong Xue Shan GUI Z HO U
Baisha HU N A N
Lijiang Guiyang
Longsheng
Dali Kunming Guilin
Ho
Stone Yangshuo
ng
YUNNAN Forest
shui
Li
GUANGX I
Yua Guangzhou
n
Me
Xi
kon
g
Two Days in Shanghai
Catch glimpses of China’s

past and future in this
exciting, cosmopolitan city.
•
Arriving Shanghai has two
airports: Pudong, 28 miles
(45 km) from the Bund, and
Hongqiao, 9 miles (15 km)
away. Both are served by the
metro,Pudong is also linked
to the city by Maglev train.
•
Moving on The flight from
Shanghai to Hong Kong
takes 2 hours 30 minutes.
The Imperial Vault at Tian Tan, or the Temple of Heaven
Day 2 Day 1
Two Days in Beijing Morning Head out to the Morning Begin on Jinmao
Summer Palace (pp106–8) on Tower’s 88th-floor observation
China’s capital, Beijing is the city’s northwest outskirts. deck (p195), with its fantastic
home to many fascinating This former imperial retreat is views. Walk south along the
sights, from the Forbidden beautifully landscaped; palaces Huangpu River (p201), then
City to the vibrant street and pavilions dot a wooded take a ferry across to the
life of the city’s hutongs. hillside that overlooks a series of Jinlingdong Lu Pier. A short
pretty lakes. Climb up Longevity walk through the old city
•
Arriving Beijing Capital,
Hill, soak up the scenery from leads to the Yu Gardens and
18 miles (30 km) northeast
the Long Corridor, and – if you Bazaar (pp198–9) and its
of central Beijing, is the main
visit in the summer – take a classical Chinese garden.
airport. Trains run frequently
boat out onto Kunming Lake.
to the city, 6am–10pm daily.
Afternoon Browse the shops of
•
Moving on Shanghai takes Afternoon Back in the city, Nanjing Road (p194) and explore
2 hours 30 minutes by plane, head to the Temple of Heaven the Bund (pp192–3), its gran-
or 5 hours by express train. (pp102–3), one of China’s largest diose buildings a reminder of
temple complexes, then go Shanghai’s fascinating past. End
shopping at Hong Qiao Market the day at a bar or restaurant on
Day 1 (p118). For eating out, pick a the Bund, overlooking Pudong’s
Morning Start in the heart of restaurant in Taikoo Li (p118). dramatic skyline.
the city at Qian Men (p90), on
the southern edge of Tian’an To extend your trip… Day 2
Men Square (pp88–9). Stroll Visit the Great Wall (p114). Morning Wander through
around the square, stopping at Head to Badaling, the most People’s Park (p194), a green
Mao’s Mausoleum (p88) to file popular section, 44 miles (70 space where locals gather each
past his glass casket. Continue km) away, or to less touristy day to exercise, gossip, or relax.
north and enter the confines Mutianyu, 56 miles (90 km) Spend the rest of the morning at
of the Forbidden City (pp92–5). northeast of the city center. the excellent Shanghai Museum
Allow at least 2 hours to explore (pp196–7). Allow at least 2 hours
this, the former imperial palace
and China’s most impressive
architectural complex.
Afternoon Climb Coal Hill in

Jing Shan Park (p96) for magnifi-
cent views, then walk north
to the traditional Beijing court-
yard houses around Qian Hai
and Hou Hai (see map, p87) and
explore this fascinating area. In
the evening, relax in a lakeside
bar or restaurant, or catch the
Beijing Opera performance at
Prince Gong’s Mansion (p96). The zigzag bridge leading to the delightful Huxinting Teahouse at Yu Gardens, Shanghai
to see the main exhibits, which beyond. Take the tram back to
include ceramics and classical its lower terminus, and walk
Chinese furniture through the Zoological and
Botanical Gardens (p317) to
Afternoon Stroll east from Central (p316), the financial
Shaanxi Road South metro heart of Hong Kong, for a dim
station through the French sum lunch in one of the area’s
Concession (p200), either along numerous restaurants.
Huaihai Dong Road, with its
shops, or negotiating the villa- Afternoon Walk through
lined streets to the south. Stop Sheung Wan’s Markets (p321)
at the leafy French-style Fuxing and along Hollywood Road
Park (p200) and the nearby Sun (p320) to the incense-filled
Yat-Sen Memorial Residence Man Mo Temple (p320), before
(p200). End the day with dinner taking the tram back to Central
in fashionable Xintiandi (p207). and catching the iconic Star Spectators at a show Macau’s ever-popular
Ferry (p321) to Tsim Sha Tsui hotel-casino The Venetian
To extend your trip… (p322) to watch the sunset from
Take the high-speed train to the waterfront. In the evening, heading south to the Cotai
Hangzhou (pp246–9) and head to Temple Street Market Strip to visit The Venetian
spend two days exploring (p323) to haggle over souvenirs. (p333), one of Macau’s most
West Lake and the tea- extravagant casino complexes,
growing area beyond. Day 2 complete with artificial canals
Morning Take the ferry to and Macanese gondoliers.
Macau, and explore the center Stay around for the evening
of this former Portuguese colony, to sample the local cuisine
starting from the Largo do and watch a show, explore
Senado (p333). Wander through the casinos, or visit Asia’s only
the cobbled streets to the greyhound racing venue, the
Ruinas de São Paulo (p332), a Canidrome (p338).
ruined cathedral originally built
by Jesuits. Then, climb up to the To extend your trip…
Macau Museum (p332) and the If you need a change of
battlements of the Fortaleza do pace, head to one of Hong
Monte (p332), refueling with Kong’s outlying islands.
delicious Portuguese egg tarts See Lantau’s Big Buddha
and coffee as you go. (pp330–31), dine on seafood
Trellised seating area in French-style in laidback Lamma (p330),
Fuxing Park, Shanghai Afternoon Explore the Barra or wander Cheung Chau’s
(p334) to see evidence of atmospheric lanes (p330).
Macau’s colonial past, before
Two Days in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a city of

contrasts, with crowded,
bustling streets and quiet,
traditional fishing villages.
•
Arriving Chek Lap Kok is
Hong Kong’s main airport,
located 22 miles (35 km)
from Central. The Airport
Express train runs frequently
between the airport and
Central, 6am–1am daily.
Day 1
Morning Beat the crowds
and take the Peak Tram up to
the Peak (pp318–19) early in
the day, walking around the flat
Peak Circuit for breathtaking
views of Victoria Harbour and Tourists on Sky Terrace 428 at The Peak, the highest viewing platform in Hong Kong
A Week in Guangxi
and Yunnan
•
Airports Arrive at Guilin
Liangjiang airport, and
depart from Lijiang Sanyi.
•
Transportion Take a ferry
from Guilin to Yangshuo,
and a bus to return to Guilin
airport to catch a flight to
Kunming. Once in Yunnan,
it is possible to travel to
Dali and Lijiang by train
or bus, hiring a car and
driver for local excursions.
Alternatively, for greater
flexibility, you can hire View over the unusual landscape of the Stone Forest in Yunnan province
a car from Kunming.
Day 3: Kunming Day 5: Dali
•
Booking ahead Guilin:
Fly to Kunming (pp380–83), Once the capital of an ancient
Li River cruise.
one of China’s most relaxed independent kingdom, today
provincial capitals. Historically, Dali (pp392–3) is a picturesque
This itinerary focuses on two the city centered on Cui Hu small town with cobbled lanes
provinces in China’s exotic Gongyuan (p380), and today and stone houses. Wander the
southwest and combines many of the old buildings streets, take a boat trip on Er
the region’s most beautiful around the lake have been Hai (p394), or visit the San Ta
scenery with opportunities converted to quaint teahouses pagodas (p392) just outside Dali
to see fascinating ethnic and restaurants, making this a – the oldest tower dates to
minority cultures en route. great place to relax and sample around AD 800, when Dali was
one of Yunnan’s most famous still an independent kingdom.
Day 1: Guilin products, pu’er tea.
Renowned for its limestone Day 6: Lijiang
karst peaks, the landscape Day 4: Stone Forest Set against a stunning
around Guilin (pp420–21) The bizarre limestone pillars mountain backdrop, the
has inspired poets since the of the Stone Forest (pp384–5) labyrinthine Lijiang Old
6th century AD. While the best are the remains of a prehistoric Town (pp396–7) is one of the
scenery is south of the city, seabed that was eroded by most charming historic towns
Guilin itself is a pleasant place to the wind and rain into the in China. Climb to the highest
explore. Stroll along tree-lined peculiar shapes visible today. A point in Lijiang, Wan Gu Lou
Binjiang Lu, and see the remains visit to the Stone Forest can be (p398), for superb views across
of the city’s Ming-era moats at undertaken as a day trip from the roofs of the old town. Lijiang
Rong Hu and Shan Hu (p420). Kunming, but it is also possible is home to the Naxi minority,
to stay overnight at the site. and you will see plenty of
Day 2: Li River and Yangshuo evidence of their unique
The Li River Cruise (pp422–3) culture around the town.
is one of the highlights of a trip
to China – and for good reason. Day 7: Around Lijiang
Spend the day meandering Explore the beautiful valley
down the river through scenery around Lijiang. Drive out to the
that seems lifted straight out village of Baisha (p398) and on
of a Chinese scroll painting, to Yulong Xue Shan (p398),
with sheer-sided limestone cliffs the snow-capped peak that
emerging from the lush, rural dominates the valley. From here,
countryside. Finish the day in it is possible to take a cable car
the small but bustling town of to the glacier-covered summit.
Yangshuo (pp424–5).
To extend your trip…
To extend your trip… Continue north from Lijiang,
Drive to Longsheng (p426), hiking through the dramatic
56 miles (90 km) north of Tiger Leaping Gorge
Guilin, and stay overnight (pp400–1) and visiting the
at Ping An village, nestled ethnically Tibetan hill town
among terraced rice paddies. Maoniuping (Yak Meadow) cable car at of Zhongdian (p401).
Yulong Xue Shan mountain, Lijiang
For practical information on traveling around China, see pp614–19
A Week in Sichuan
and Chongqing
•
Airports Arrive at Chengdu
Shuangliu airport, and
depart from Yichang Sanxia.
•
Transportion The first part
of this tour is most easily
done by car, though there
are bus services along the
same route. The stretch from
Chongqing to Yichang is
covered by boat. Red panda relaxing at the Panda Breeding Center just outside of Chengdu
•
Booking ahead Chongqing:
Day 2: Huanglong Xi and longtime salt-mining town
Three Gorges Cruise.
Le Shan dotted with Qing-dynasty
The tiny historic village of guildhalls and temples.
This week-long itinerary Huanglong Xi (p374) is a Continue on to Dazu (pp362–3)
covers an area that is home popular film location and an and the Baoding Shan grottoes,
to giant pandas, dense interesting place to break the which house a collection of
bamboo forests, and mouth- journey from Chengdu to Le lively, realistic carvings dating
numbingly spicy food, as Shan. Carved in the 8th century, from the Tang dynasty.
well as many important the 230-ft (71-m) high Le Shan
historic sights. Buddha (pp370–71) watches Day 4: Chongqing
serenely over the treacherous Return to city life in Chongqing
Day 1: Chengdu confluence of three rivers. (pp356–7), a rapidly expanding
Sichuan’s provincial capital, Descend from his ears to his port on the banks of the Yangzi.
Chengdu (pp364–5) is large but toes on a steep staircase, or take Explore the historic sights in
pleasant, with an abundance of a boat ride along the river to the center, then try one of
excellent, if spicy, food. Work up view the statue from the water. Chongqing’s most famous
an appetite with a visit to the dishes, hotpot. Head to the
Panda Breeding Center (p366) To extend your trip… Chaotian Men docks (p356) to
in the city’s northeast, which Travel to the holy mountain board the Three Gorges cruise.
breeds both red and giant of Emei Shan (pp368–9),
pandas. Next, take a trip to the and spend two days hiking Days 5–7: Three Gorges
Sanxingdui Museum (p366), through the forests on the Cruise
full of exquisite archaeological mountain’s flanks, staying in During the three-day cruise from
finds unearthed nearby. monasteries en route. Chongqing through the Three
Gorges (pp358–60) to Yichang
To extend your trip… (p274), you can take in beautiful
Take a short flight north Day 3: Zigong and Dazu scenery and see the Three
to see the stunning scenery Drive through verdant Gorges Dam (pp274–5). Stops
of Huanglong (p375) and Sichuanese farmland – this depend on the type of cruise,
UNESCO World Heritage region is known as “China’s rice but a visit to the Mini Three
Site Jiuzhai Gou (p376). bowl” due to the four rice crops Gorges (p359) or Shennong Xi
each year – to Zigong (p361), a (p360) is highly recommended.
Tourist boats navigating the Mini Three Gorges along the Yangzi River
Two Weeks on the

Silk Road
•
Airports Arrive at Xi’an’s
Xianyang airport, and depart
from Kashgar airport.
•
Transportion The distances
covered are huge, so train
travel in a sleeper berth is
the most interesting and
comfortable option – the
scenery is wonderful. There
are domestic airports in
every overnight stop on
this route. Local excursions
are best made by hired car
and driver, or by bus.
•
Booking ahead Book all
train tickets in advance,
since services throughout
the northwest get booked
up well ahead of time.
This trip will take you along

the Chinese section of the Jiayuguan fort on the Great Wall – once the last outpost of the Chinese Empire
Silk Road, from the ancient
imperial capital of Xi’an to the Pagoda (p170), originally built Chinese heartlands and the
remote desert city of Kashgar. to house Buddhist scriptures, to arid northwest. The city was an
the Great Mosque (p169) and important stop on the Silk Road.
Days 1 and 2: Xi’an the fascinating Muslim Quarter. Now home to the excellent
China’s capital for 11 dynasties, Gansu Provincial Museum
Xi’an (pp168–76) has a wealth Day 3: Maiji Shan (p489), it’s worth taking time
of important historical sights. Spectacular Maiji Shan (pp484– to stroll along the banks of
Start at the wonderful Shaanxi 5) is home to one of China’s the silt-laden Yellow River,
History Museum (pp172–3) most important collections of which flows through the city.
for an overview of the region’s Buddhist sculptures and
history, before moving on to see paintings. Precipitous stairways To extend your trip…
the world-famous Terracotta and balconies link the caves that Head south to the Tibetan
Army (pp174–5), where honeycomb the sandstone cliff town of Xiahe (p486) and
hundreds of life-size terracotta face, with the largest sculptures watch Gelugpa monks
figures still stand to attention visible from afar. praying at the beautiful
more than two millennia after Labrang Monastery (p487).
their burial in the tomb of Day 4: Lanzhou
China’s first emperor. Take the Gansu’s industrial provincial
time to explore Xi’an’s religious capital, Lanzhou (pp488–9) is a Days 5 and 6: Jiayuguan
sights, from the Great Goose key transport link between the At the western end of the Great
Wall, Jiayuguan (p494) was
historically the last outpost of
the Chinese Empire. Climb the
ramparts of Jiayuguan Fort
(pp496–7), which dominates
the narrow plain between
two mountain ranges. Built in
1372, the fort controlled the
only viable route between
China and the oases of Central
Asia and was of vital strategic
importance. In the desert
around Jiayuguan are a
number of interesting Great
Wall-related sites, including
the Great Wall Museum and
The Terracotta Army standing to attention in Xi’an Xuanbi Changcheng (p494).
For practical information on traveling around China, see pp614–19
Silk fabrics on sale at the Sunday market in Kashgar, Xinjiang province
Days 7 and 8: Dunhuang is low on tourist attractions, but Days 13 and 14: Kashgar
A small oasis town, Dunhuang the parks, streets, and bazaars At the foot of the Pamirs,
(p498) has two major draws still provide plenty of interest. Kashgar (pp514–15) only
for visitors. Most famously, the became part of the Chinese
town is close to the Mogao To extend your trip… Empire in the 18th century, and
Caves (p501), a fabulous Surrounded by forested the different influences are very
collection of centuries-old cave mountains, Tian Chi (p510) clear. Try to arrive in time for the
paintings and statues that have offers a respite from north- Sunday market, when everything
survived thanks to Dunhuang’s west China’s arid landscape. from camels to Iranian saffron is
arid climate. Less well known is on sale and as many as 20,000
the stunning desert scenery just people descend on the city.
south of the town, at Mingsha Day 12: Kuqa While Kashgar Old Town has
Shan (p498), where sand dunes Until the 8th century, Kuqa been redeveloped, it still retains
several hundred feet high loom (p513) was a thriving center of plenty of charm, with the call to
over the edge of the oasis. Buddhist scholarship. The town prayer booming out from the
today is small and busy, and the Id Kah Mosque (p514) and the
Days 9 and 10: Turpan strongly Uighur western end of scent of roasting lamb filling
While modern-day Turpan town is a fascinating place to the air. Of the nearby sights,
(pp508–9) is a sleepy agricultural wander. It’s also worth making the Aba Khoja Mausoleum
town that produces the sweetest the effort to visit the ruins of (pp516–17) is the most
grapes in China, echoes of a more Subashi or the Thousand interesting and a beautiful
vibrant past can be found in the Buddha Caves (both p513), example of Islamic architecture
nearby ruins of Jiaohe (p508) both located outside the city. on the edge of China.
and Gaochang (p509), both of
which were abandoned to the
desert sands over 500 years ago.
Turpan is the hottest place in
China, so if you visit during the
summer, you may want to do
nothing more than sip cooling
drinks beneath the grape vines.
Day 11: Ürümqi

Capital of Xinjiang, Ürümqi
(p510) is an interesting modern
city, where Han, Uighur, and
other ethnic minority cultures
mingle; Xinjiang Provincial
Museum (p510) has an
excellent exhibit on the region’s
minorities, as well as a collection
of preserved corpses found in
Xinjiang’s desert sands. The city Beautiful wall paintings in the Mogao Caves near the small town of Dunhuang
Putting China on the Map

Stretching over 30 degrees of latitude and covering
3.7 million sq miles (9.6 million sq km) of land, the People’s
Republic of China is one of the largest countries in the
world with almost 20 per cent of the planet’s population.
Ulaangom
It is bordered by 14 countries and has a 12,400-
mile (20,000-km) long Pacific coastline. The Burqin
two largest cities – Beijing and
Shanghai – have over 40 million Hoboksar Khovd
inhabitants between them.
Bayankhongor
Altai
Ürümqi
Kuqa Turpan
R ESSWAY
Korla
Kashgar
XINJIANG
XP
E
Kargilik RT
Dunhuang
SE
DE
Charkhlik
RIM
Jiayuguan
Hotan GANSU
TA
Niya
Da Qaidam
Leh
QINGHAI
Golmud Xining
llow Ri ve r
Ngari
Gerze
C H I N A Ye
Amdo
Nagqu
TIBET Qamdo
NEP AL Tsangp Lhasa SICHUAN

o Nyingchi
Shigatse
Yangzi
Lucknow
Markam
Kathmandu
Kanpur
Thimphu
Gangtok
INDIA BHUTAN
Dibrugarh
Central and Eastern Asia RUSSIAN

FEDERATION Panzhihua
KAZAKHSTAN
UZBEK.
KYRGYZSTAN
Harbin
MONGOLIA
TURKMEN.
Ürümqi Xilinhot Kunming
NORTH
TAJIK. KOREA JA P A N
Baoshan
AFGHANISTAN Beijing
Jinan
SOUTH
KOREA
YUNNAN
PAKISTAN Xi’an
Shanghai
Lhasa
NEPAL Chengdu Nanchang
BHUTAN Pa c i fi c Xishuangbanna
TAIWAN Ocean
INDIA
Nanning Hong
BANGLADESH
MYANMAR Kong
MYANMAR
LAOS
South China
Sea
Bay of
Bengal THAILAND
VIETNAM
PHILIPPINES LAOS
SRI LANKA CAMBODIA
THAILAND
PUTTING CHINA ON THE MAP 19
Key R US S I A N
International airport F E DE R A T I ON
Expressway
n
A r gu
National Highway
Amur (Hei
lo n
Railroad g
Ji
an
International border Manzhouli g)
Provincial border
HEILONGJIANG
Disputed border
Qiqiha'er
Xingkai
Harbin Hu
JILIN
M O N G O L I A
Changchun Jilin
Xilinhot
Sainshand
INNER MONGOLIA Shenyang
LIAONING
Anshan NORTH
KOREA
Hohhot BEIJING
Baotou Datong BEIJING Bo
Tianjin Ha i Dalian
er
HEBEI TIANJIN
w Ri v
SO UT H
Shijiazhuang KOREA
o
Yinchuan
Yell
Taiyuan r
ve
Ri
SHANXI
llow
Jinan Qingdao
NINGXIA
Ye
SHANDONG Yel l ow
Lanzhou Sea
Xuzhou
Xi'an Luoyang Zhengzhou JIANGSU
HENAN
SHAANXI Huainan
Hefei Nanjing Shanghai

SHANGHAI
HUBEI ANHUI
Hangzhou
Y a ngzi Wuhan Ningbo
Chengdu
ZHEJIANG
CHONGQING
Chongqing
g
Jia n Shui
Nanchang East
Zi
n
i China Sea
Yua
gz Changsha
HUNAN
Yan
FUJIAN
JIANGXI
Fuzhou
Guiyang
GUIZHOU Guilin
Xiamen
T AIW AN
G U AN G XI GUANGDONG
Guangzhou
Nanning Hong Kong

Macau
VIETNAM
South
Hanoi China Sea 0 km 200
Haikou
0 miles 200
HAINAN
Sanya
INTRODUCING CHINA 21
A PORTRAIT OF CHINA
Almost 40 years after the late Deng Xiaoping’s “reform and opening” policy
allowed foreign travelers back into China, the country remains largely as
mysterious to outsiders as it was in the 19th century, when gunboat diplomacy
by foreign superpowers forced the last tottering dynasty to open up the
country to foreign trade and exploration.
Drawn by this air of mystery, the number continues almost unchanged in whole
of visitors to China has been rising rapidly. swathes of the country beyond. Not far
Not one visitor will fail to be impressed by from the excitement and wealth of the
the splendor of China’s greatest sights. shiny, high-rise cities, water buffalo pull
The Great Wall has been completely the plow, and donkey carts are still a
rebuilt in parts in modern times, but its common form of transportation.
dizzying loops across the horizon still leave The success of the 2008 Beijing Olympics
most visitors lost for words. The Forbidden was a defining moment for China in terms
City, at the heart of Beijing, draws crowds of presenting the results of its economic
that make its original majesty hard to development to the world and proving
imagine, but the labyrinth of side passages its ability to host a huge global event. The
still leaves the more inquisitive visitor legacy of the Games was given added
spellbound. Although images of Xi’an’s poignancy by the global economy
Terracotta Warriors are familiar, nothing crashing just weeks after. In the years
prepares visitors for coming face to face since, China has emerged as a bona fide
with an army of thousands. While China’s commercial pillar, not just for Asia but for
incredible economic growth is clearly the world, and a geo-strategic player that
visible in the urban areas, rural life is on the brink of superpower status.
The high-rise skyline of Pudong, Shanghai – a symbol of China’s booming prosperity

Princess Iron Fan, a popular character in Chinese opera
The dizzying, hill-hugging loops of the Great Wall of China
Modern China metro lines were built. Shanghai’s boom

China’s vast population, despite famines has spread well beyond the city limits,
and civil wars, has grown from 400 with manufacturing hubs and
million to approximately 1.39 billion in international trade zones sprawling
less than a century. This increase has out into the surrounding countryside.
driven a boom in consumerism, most There has been obvious, rapid
evident in the cities where advertising economic development – luxury hotels,
hoardings for luxury brands and the latest convenient public transportation, and
fashions line streets of shops selling fast excellent restaurants. However, these
food, smartphones, and face-lifts. welcome refinements have been
Shanghai is said to represent the tempered by the destruction of
new entrepreneurial China, and visitors traditional housing for the construction
will immediately notice the billboards, of highways that are choked with
the office towers, and the scores of glossy traffic. And yet for some people this
shopping malls found across the city. commercialism has provided the
Urban Shanghai received a massive disposable income to fund a return to
facelift in preparation for the 2010 World traditional hobbies and pastimes.
Expo, and new office blocks, roads, and Today, former occupants of crumbling
courtyard houses may find
themselves exiled to unfinished
apartments in the suburbs,
but in the spaces between
the blocks, they’ve revived the
tradition of walking their
snuffling Pekinese. Songbirds
flutter and call from delicate
bamboo cages while their
owners sit and chat. On bridges
over ring roads, old men gather
to fly colorful kites – now
made from supermarket
Traditional courtyard housing in Lijiang, southwest China shopping bags.
A PORTRAIT OF CHINA 23
Growing Too Fast?

As incomes and living
standards have risen, so
too have China’s energy
requirements. Almost 80 per
cent of China’s electricity
generation is from coal-fired
stations, and this – along with
a boom in car ownership –
has led to serious air pollution
in many of the country’s
major cities.
With few opportunities for
work in the countryside, tens
of millions are moving to the
cities in search of a better life.
Living in poor conditions
and often left unpaid by
unscrupulous employers, they
send whatever they can to International architecture on the Bund, Shanghai
families back home. Others
staff the restaurants and run a million Politics
small businesses from shoe-shining to The end of the 20th century saw communist
knife-sharpening. If your taxi driver regimes toppled across Europe, but the
doesn’t know where he’s going, it’s often present government has made it clear
because he hasn’t been in town long. that there will be no such change in China
More established city-dwellers often in the near future, though a thorough
blame the migrants for the rise in urban anti-corruption drive is under way. Politics,
crime (although most countries would while almost invisible to visitors, still enters
envy China’s low crime figures), but every aspect of life, including the training
complain when the services they provide of tour guides to provide cultural and
vanish at Chinese New Year due to the historical information that supports the
workers returning home for the holiday. view of China the Party wishes to promote.
The Hong Kong rush hour – much the same as in any international metropolis
Vehicles at a busy intersection in Shanghai
Despite the country’s undemocratic rule, changing. Long breached by anyone

many Chinese people follow politics avidly. with connections or ready cash, the one-
Dissatisfaction is widespread, particularly child policy is slowly being phased out.
with regards to corruption, pollution, And there are signs that many members
environmental degradation, and the of the urban middle class, although still
expensive, rising cost of living. The a tiny percentage of the total
global recession has hit certain population, wish to enjoy the
sectors, such as manufacturing, very treats they can now afford rather
hard and unemployment is rising. than have children. While 30
years ago it was considered
Family Life fortunate to own a bicycle,
Eight out of ten of the parents of the now aspiring young urbanites can
current generation of 20-year-olds work towards owning a car and an
had their spouses chosen and apartment.
approved by their work unit, but
today’s urban youth experiment Unified by Language
early, live together outside marriage The whole nation may have felt
(illegal until recently), and try a proud when Yang Liwei became
few partners before settling down. Minority mother the country’s first astronaut in
Divorce, unheard of until the and child 2003, heralding China’s entry to
end of the last century, is now the exclusive club of space
common, and is attributed to an increase nations. The government likes to use such
in work demands and extra-marital occasions to promote Han unity – “Han” is
affairs. Attitudes to children, too, are the name the Chinese majority use for
themselves, as opposed to the
50 or so officially recognized
minorities within China’s borders
(see pp30–31). There’s been a
tendency to treat these minorities
as unpredictable pets, and their
mostly colorful costumes and
traditional festivals have been
put at the forefront of tourism
promotion in recent years. It may
not be ideal but it is a great
improvement on the forced
Popstars performing an outdoor concert in Beijing assimilation of past times.
Almost everyone is educated in Mandarin

(Putonghua), the official language of
China, but there are five completely
different regional versions of Chinese,
and a strong sense of local culture and
tradition goes with them.
The Chinese people’s common love of
food also helps differentiate them, with
preferences for spicy, vinegary, sweet,
and other flavors being distributed
geographically. Visitors to Sichuan and
Yunnan will find the locals rightly proud
of their uniquely fiery cuisine, while those
visiting Guangdong and Guangxi will be
astonished at the subtlety and delicacy A space nation – China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei
of Cantonese food.
everything, and for some the structure of
Culture and Religion organized religion provides a substitute.
While traditional opera is now There may be many more opportunities to
largely confined to shows for foreign start businesses and make money, and all
tourists, modern art, films, and popular kinds of employment that simply didn’t
music have all flourished. Quality varies, exist before Deng Xiaoping’s reform policy
but art galleries now feature on tourist kick-started the economy, but jobs no
itineraries, resident students crowd bars longer come with housing, healthcare, or
to hear Chinese punk bands, and millions any guarantees they’ll last.
around the world flock to see big-budget But the Chinese are used to turbulence,
martial arts epics. and are incredibly stoic about it. Their
Religion and traditional beliefs are making attitude to visitors varies from the
a small comeback which the government studied indifference of the smart
regards warily – it fears organizations of metropolitans, to the close interest in
any kind not directly under its control. foreign wallets of the tourist touts, via
Many people are still struggling to cope frank curiosity, and the casual warmth
with the end of government-organized and generosity of everyday folk.
China’s modern consumer society – a smart shopping mall in Xi Dan, Beijing

Landscape and Wildlife – West

The west of China is made up of a high, arid mountain
plateau and, further north, a harsh, dry desert. These
areas are not suited to agriculture and therefore sparsely
populated by humans – only animals that have adapted
to the conditions survive here. At the eastern edge of the
Tibetan plateau lie the mountains and wooded hills of central
and west China, home to pockets of bamboo forest – the
habitat of one of China’s most famous and unique animals,
the giant panda. Watered by rivers of melted snow from Key
Tibet, the forests are also home to a great number of other 1 Tibetan High Plateau
animals, trees, and especially beautiful flowers 2 Mountains of Central & West
(see pp350–51). 3 Deserts of North & Northwest
4 Bamboo Forest
Tibetan High Plateau Mountains of Central & West China

The vast, rocky Qinghai-Tibet Plateau lies between The central ranges have large areas of natural
the Kunlun Mountains in the north, the Karakoram forest habitats, and are major wildlife refuges.
in the west and the Himalayas to the south. The Covering over 20,000 sq miles (52,000 sq km),
altitude averages 15,994 ft (4,875 m), they are home to many species, including the
making it the world’s highest plateau. endangered golden monkey (Rhinopithecus).
The blue poppy is one of the most Rhesus macaques

famous Himalayan flowers. About 15 (Macaca mulatta) are
species of this genus (Meconopsis) common in Chinese
grow in Yunnan and Tibet, and are forests. Though able to fend
used in traditional medicine. for themselves, they are used
to people, and can be a
nuisance begging for food.
Chinese fir (Cunninghamia

lanceolata) is a common
The Himalayan blue conifer, found typically in
sheep (Pseudois nayaur) is mixed needle-leaved-
well adapted to the high broadleaved forests in high
crags of western China, where sub-tropical sites.
it is found mainly in Tibet,
Sichuan, and Yunnan.
The silver pheasant (Lophura

Snow leopards nycthemera) is one of China’s
(Panthera (Uncia) uncia) most beautiful birds. It is
have thick fur to protect common in evergreen
them. Though protected, forests and bamboo
they are still poached for thickets in southern
their valuable pelts. and eastern areas.
8,000 The Steppes of China

meters
Running west to east, China’s landscape is said to form a series of
three steppes. The first is the Tibetan Plateau, most of it over
13,000 ft (4,000 m). This spans a third of the width of China’s
4,000 territory. Next, at between 5,000 ft (1,500 m) and 10,000 ft
3,000 (3,000 m), come the mountains of Sichuan and central
2,000 China. These ranges show great changes in vegetation
1,000 over relatively short distances, in some places
changing from high-altitude frozen desert to near-
tropical forest. Lastly come the fertile lowlands,
Tibet running from 5,000 ft (1,500 m) down to the
(West China) coast. It is easy to see how China’s rivers
starting on the Tibetan Plateau become so
Coast powerful on their course east to the coast.
(East China)
Deserts of North & Northwest Bamboo Forest

Deserts cover about 20 percent of China – China has some 500 species of bamboo covering
mainly in the northwest. This is a challenging about 3 percent of the total forest area. They are
environment and few plants and animals are found in 18 provinces and are a vital habitat for
adapted to the deserts: reptiles and small wildlife. Their almost indestructible culms (stems)
rodents such as jerboas predominate. are also a valuable resource.
Only about 600 of the

two-humped Bactrian Tall forests of muso bamboo
camel (Camelus (Phyllostachys pubescens) are
bactrianus) survive in managed to provide a sustainable
the deserts of China. crop of culms, which local people
use in many ways (see p417).
Wormwoods (Artemisia spp.) Golden pheasants (Chrysolophus

are typical low shrubs of dry pictus) are native to scrubby
steppe communities and can hillsides and forests in
tolerate periodic droughts and central southern China,
even salty soils. from 2,625–8,200 ft
(800–2,500 m).
The deserts of The giant panda

northern China, close (Ailuropoda
to Mongolia, are the melanoleuca), symbol
habitat of the rare of conservation,
goitered gazelle (Gazella is slowly increasing
subgutturosa); despite its in forest reserves in
rarity it is still targeted by central and
trophy hunters. western China.
Landscape and Wildlife – East

China has the most diverse flora and fauna of any country in
the temperate zone, with around 30,000 plant species, 500
mammal species, and 1,200 bird species. Although much of
lowland China has been intensively cultivated for centuries,
there still remain vast areas of important wild habitat,
including 29 million acres (12 million hectares) of lakes, and
31 million acres (13 million hectares) of marsh, bog, and Key
coastal salt marsh. The rugged nature of northeast China’s 5 Steppe Grasslands
borderlands has prevented the loss of its forest to 6 Forests of Northeast China
agriculture, and, despite heavy logging, it is the largest area 7 Fertile Lowlands
of forest in China. The accessibility of the steppe, however, 8 Wetlands and Coasts
has seen much of it lost to agriculture. 9 Jungle
Steppe Grasslands Forests of Northeast China

The specialized grasses and drought-resistant Forests here consist mainly of coniferous trees.
herbs of the steppe are an important source of Along with the evergreen fir, spruce, and pine,
food for the nomadic herders. In addition, their the deciduous larch is also common. To the
roots hold together the topsoil, helping prevent south of these forest regions are mixed
erosion and desertification. Heavy cultivation in temperate broadleaf forests, with oaks and
recent years has led to sandstorms in Beijing. birch prominent.
Asiatic black bears
The steppe cat (Felis libyca) is (Ursus thibetanus)
common in the shrubby steppe are found in many
habitats of the Heavenly Moun- regions – once even
tains (Tian Shan) of the north- as far south as Hainan.
west. It feeds on small In colder areas they
mammals, birds, hibernate in winter.
and reptiles.
The false acacia (Robinia

pseudoacacia), though
The great bustard (Otis native to eastern North
tarda) is, at up to 33 lb America, has been
(15 kg), the heaviest flying extensively
bird. It nests in the open, planted in
on hummocks of dry grass. China.
The saiga antelope

(Saiga tatarica) is one The beautiful azurewinged
of the strangest steppe magpie (Cyanopica cyana) is
creatures. Its large nose a sociable species, moving in
filters dust and heats noisy flocks through the trees
the air it breathes. of forests and parks.
Under Threat
Pollution of the air, soil, and waterways
is threatening many of China’s delicate
environments, special animals, and plants,
especially when faced with large building
projects like the Three Gorges Dam. In addition,
the use of rare animals in medicinal “remedies”
means that many species face extinction from
poaching. However, the Chinese government is
now paying some attention to conservation Jungle
and reports that the giant panda, great crested Tropical forests occur in the deep south of
ibis, and Chinese alligator are all increasing in
China – mainly on the island of Hainan, and
numbers thanks to the protection of their
also the basins of southern Yunnan. Many forests
habitat and improved ecosystems. Nevertheless
there is still a long way to go. are secondary, or have been replaced through
felling and grazing by a kind of savanna or by
plantations, especially of rubber.
Fertile Lowlands Wetlands and Coasts

Intensively cultivated and denuded of natural Wetlands are some of the country’s most diverse
vegetation, the huge lowland floodplains of ecosystems, being prime habitats for rare or
major rivers, notably the Yellow and Yangzi, are endemic plants and animals. The lakes and
a seemingly endless patchwork of fields. Grain flooded river valleys are also vital staging posts
crops, dominated by rice, are broken up by for migrating birds, such as waterfowl and
ponds with fish, ducks, and frogs. species of endangered crane.
Rice fields or paddies The water arum

occupy much of the (Calla palustris) grows
fertile lowlands and around marshes and
hillsides in central bogs in the northeast
and southern China. at altitudes of up to
3,600 ft (1,100m).
The mandarin duck

The long-tailed shrike (Aix galericulata)
(Lanius schach), often seen looks exotic and is a
watching from a roadside tree-hole nester, found
wire or pole, is common in eastern mainly along wooded
and southern China. streams in the northeast.
Hawksbill turtles
water buffalo (Eretmochelys
(Bubalus arnee) are imbricata) still
beasts of burden and breed on a few
used for plowing. They beaches along the
are at home in the southern tropical
muddy wet paddy coast, but are at risk
fields of the south. from humans.
China’s Peoples
There are about 55 different ethnic minorities in China, each
with their own distinctive customs, costumes and, in many
cases, languages. Though rich in culture, and varied,
together they make up only about eight percent of the
population, with the main group, known as Han Chinese,
accounting for the rest. Modernization of society and
intermarriage are inevitably leading to a dilution of these
differences, but many groups remain proud of their heritage
and retain their traditional beliefs and customs. Many have
Almost 1.5 million Kazakh
beautiful styles of dress (especially the women), and these
Muslims live in the north of
costumes and cultures have become a major attraction to Xinjiang province. Renowned
visitors, who bring trade to communities. for their horsemanship, the
Kazakhs center their lives
There are around around their precious horses
10 million Uighur, a and farming.
Muslim people with a
language close to KAZAKHSTAN
Turkish. They inhabit
Xinjiang province in
China’s far northwest.
Kazakh
M O N G
KYRGYZSTAN
Uighur
Kyrgyz
Northwest
A variety of mostly Islamic people
inhabit this area dominated by desert,
semi-desert, and mountains. The Uighur
are the dominant minority and have
their own Autonomous Region. Other
groups include the Hui, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz,
Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Tatars. Tibetan
Naxi of Lijiang have C H I

strong traditions and
are guardians of an
ancient script. NE P AL
BHUTAN
Bai people live mainly in Sichuan,
Naxi
Yunnan, Guizhou, and Hunan, and Lisu
number some 1.9 million. Bai
Their capital is Dali (Yunnan). Yi
Although traditionally farmers
and fishermen, their colorful MYANMAR Hani
Dai
costumes attract a lot of tourism.
L AO S
The Dai and

Southwest Hani of
The Tibetan plateau is home to more Xishuangbanna in
than 6.3 million Tibetans. With around southern Yunnan,
in the tropical
20 different minorities, the southwest
south, are mainly
of China has the most ethnic diversity. Buddhist farmers,
The Yi, the largest group in this region and have a deep
(8.7 million), live in Sichuan, Yunnan, respect for the
and Guizhou. natural world.
Northeast
As well as the Mongolians, there are a few
small groups of minorities in the northeast.
These include about 130,000 Daur as well as
the Oroqen, Hezhen, and Ewenki. There are
also around 2 million Koreans (Chaoxian),
while the largest group are the Manchu, with
about with about 9.8 million.
The Muslim Hui have

their own so-called
Autonomous Region of
Ningxia but have estab- The Oroqen are one of China’s smallest minorities,
lished communities in with a population of about 8,500. They live mainly
cities across China. in Inner Mongolia and in Heilongjiang province.
They live in conical houses with birch bark or skin
roofs, supported by poles (see p461).
Oroqen Central and East

The 700,000 She live
Hezhe mainly in Fujian and
Zhejiang provinces. They
are farmers, with a strong
artistic tradition using
O L I A Manchu
bamboo. Another small
Korean group, the Gaoshan
(about 4,000) are from
Taiwan, but many have
settled on the eastern
Mongolian mainland, notably in
Fujian province.
Hui The Tujia of Hunan,

YELLOW
SEA
Hubei and Sichuan
have a history stretching
back over 2,000 years.
There are about 8.4
N A million Tujia.
South
Qiang Tujia
She The largest minority in China is the Zhuang
EAST CHINA (16.9 million), who live mainly in their Autonomous
SEA
Region of Guangxi, famous for the dramatic
Miao
dragon-back rice terraces of Longsheng. They have
Dong
Bouyi linguistic and cultural links with the Dai who are
ethnically related to Thai peoples. Renowned for
Yao their crafts and colorful festivals (see pp412–15),
Zhuang the Miao (9.4 million) inhabit many areas in the
southern provinces.
VIETNAM SOUTH CHINA
SEA
0km 400
Li
0 miles 400
There are 2.8 The 1.5 million Li who

million Yao inhabit the tropical island of
people. Hainan are best known for
their traditional weaving
skills, producing colorful
woven articles.
Language and Script

The Chinese script can be traced back to the oracle bones
of the Shang dynasty (16th–11th centuries BC) that were
inscribed with symbols representing words and used for
divination. Despite changes brought about by different
writing materials, Chinese characters have remained
remarkably consistent. It is said that to read a newspaper
takes knowledge of at least 3,000 characters but an educated
person would be expected to know over 5,000. Since 1913 Cang Jie, minister of the
the official spoken language has been Putonghua (Mandarin) legendary Yellow Emperor, was
supposedly inspired to invent
but there are many regional dialects. Although people from
the Chinese script one morning
different parts of China may not be able to understand each after seeing bird and animal
other, they can use a shared written script. tracks in the snow.
A Beautiful Script
Writing was elevated to an art form considered
on a par with painting as a visual aesthetic
(see pp44–5). As the process changed from
inscribing bone, brass, or stone to using a
brush on silk and paper, a more fluid writing
style became possible.
Seal, in red cinnabar –

this may be a name
seal, or inscribed with
other characters.
Oracle bones display

China’s first examples of
seal script. Questions were
inscribed on the bones
which were then burnt –
the way cracks divided
the inscriptions was
deemed significant.
Bamboo slats were

used from around the
5th century BC. These Writing materials Cursive script (cao
were tied together to were silk, stone, or shu) has strokes that
make the earliest type paper, which was first run into each other.
invented around the Fluid and dynamic,
of books. Used for
2nd century BC. it allows for great
administrative and expressiveness.
philosophical texts,
the script runs from
top to bottom.
The Diamond Sutra (AD 868) is the world’s

first block-printed book to bear a date.
Printing was probably invented about a
century earlier. Movable block printing was
developed in the 11th century but had less
social impact than in Europe because of the
thousands of symbols required.
Chinese Characters “Woman” The Chinese character for

May be composed of “Good”
pictographic, ideographic, and
“Child”
phonetic elements. The radical
(or root), an element that
appears on the left or at the
top of a character, usually gives a The combining element
clue as to sense. Here, in the “child,” is here an
character for “good,” pronounced ideographic (meaning)
“hao,” the radical combines with element. The combining
element may alternatively
another meaning element “child.” be phonetic, giving a
The concept, therefore, is that The radical for “woman” clue for pronunciation
“woman” plus “child” equals “good.” appears in characters with of the character.
“female” associations, such as
“milk,” “wife,” and “sister.”
Pinyin is a Romanization system that was

introduced in 1956. While Pinyin will never
replace the character forms, it is an easier
method for children to start learning the
language and useful for input to computers.
Styles of Calligraphy
Zhuanshu, or seal script,
was developed during the
Zhou era and used for
engraved inscriptions.
Lishu, or clerical script, probably

evolved during
the Han era and was used
for stone inscriptions.
Kaishu, or regular script,

developed from Lishu after
the Han era, is the basis of
modern type.
Cao shu, or cursive script,

(literally grass script) has strokes
that are reduced to abstract
curves or dots.
Xingshu, or running script,

has strokes that run together,
and is a semicursive script.
Chinese typewriters were very difficult to Simplified script was
use. The typist had to find each character in a introduced in 1956 to
tray of thousands. Computers have made make it easier to learn
typing Simplified script much easier – the to read.
user types in the Pinyin and gets a sub-menu
of several possible characters.
Chinese Literature
Dating back to the 6th century BC, the earliest Chinese texts
were primarily philosophical, such as the Confucian Analects
and Daoist Daode Jing. History as a literary genre was not
established until the Han period (206 BC–AD 220) with Sima
Qian’s Historical Records: thereafter each dynasty wrote a
history of the preceding one. As for the novel, a fully fledged
Chinese example did not appear until the Ming period
(1368–1644). The form and was developed during the Qing
dynasty until it was eventually stifled by Communism. Since
the 1980s, Chinese authors have been allowed greater
Confucius, author of the Analects,
freedom of expression, and in 2012 writer Mo Yan was and his disciples
awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his work.
Classics
Post-Qin dynasty, once Confucianism had
become the state orthodoxy, five early works
were canonized as the Five Classics: the Book
of Changes, Book of Documents, Book of Songs,
Spring and Autumn Annals, and Book of Ritual.
These books were established as the basis
for Chinese education.
The scholar class or literati achieved the

status of government official through success
in the civil service examinations, based on
detailed knowledge of the Classics and
accomplishment in writing.
Tang Poets Jia Baoyu prefers to flirt with

With early beginnings in the Book of Songs and Elegies of the women rather than obey
his father and study hard to
Chu, Chinese poetry reached its height more than 1,200 advance his career.
years later in the Tang period (618–907). The two greatest
Tang poets are considered to be Du Fu and Li Bai. Others
include the Buddhist Wang Wei, also 8th-century, and
slightly later Bai Juyi (772–846).
Du Fu (c. 712–770) wrote of suffering in
war, as well as of family life. His
keynote is compassion, considered a
Confucian virtue. His poems display
enormous erudition.
Li Bai (c. 701–761) was a more
ebullient figure. A prolific poet,
his favorite subjects were
moon-gazing and carousing.
The theme of freedom from
constraint is a Daoist one.
Epic Novels Guandi, God of War, derives

In the Ming era, the novel developed from from Guan Yu, a general of
the state of Shu, portrayed in
folk tales and myths into classics such as
Romance of the Three
Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. This novel was
Kingdoms and The Water Margin – a tale of based on historical figures
the heroic fight against corruption. Later, the from the Three Kingdoms
Qing novels used a more elevated language Era (AD 220–80). A symbol
and subtle characterization, culminating in for justice, honesty, and
the romantic novel Dream of the Red integrity, his image is
Chamber. These novels contain many found in temples
characters that reoccur in other cultural throughout China.
contexts, from Beijing Opera to popular
television serials and films.
Journey to the West is a comic fantasy

based on the pilgrimage to India of the
Buddhist monk Xuanzang. The late Ming
novel centers on Monkey, one of the monk’s
companions, who represents carefree genius,
bravery, and loyalty.
Dream of the Red Chamber

Perhaps the greatest Chinese novel, this
portrays the decline of an aristocratic Qing
household. Infused with a Daoist sense of
transcendence, it focuses on the life and
loves of the idle Jia Baoyu and 12
perceptively drawn female characters.
20th Century Mo Yan is a post-

Cultural Revolution
In the early 20th century, fiction-writers and fiction-writer and
playwrights addressed social issues in a recent Nobel laureate.
new realist style. However Communism Best known for his
demanded revolutionary themes. After novel Red Sorghum
the persecution of writers during (1986), made into a
the Cultural Revolution (see pp70– film, he writes in a rich
71), experimental forms and styles style, often graphic,
gradually emerged. However, fantastic, and violent.
the books of Chinese
authors may still be banned
if they are openly critical Lu Xun, early 20th-century writer of short
of the government or are stories and novellas, is known as the father
“spiritual pollutants;” of modern Chinese literature. His realist,
though pirated versions satirical style is indebted to such writers as
are often widely available. Dickens. He is renowned for his humorous
depiction of Ah Q, an illiterate but
enthusiastic peasant, done down by the
forces of convention.
Religion and Philosophy

Traditionally, the three strands in Chinese religion and
philosophy are Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. An
eclectic approach to religion allows the three to coexist, often
within a single temple. Confucianism, the first to gain real
influence, can be seen as a manifestation of the public,
socially responsible self. Daoism represents a personal and
wilder side; its emphasis on the relativity of things contrasts
with Confucian concern for approved roles. Buddhism, a
foreign import, is spiritual and otherworldly, offering an
alternative to Chinese pragmatism. During the Cultural
Revolution, religion was outlawed as contrary to Communist
ideas. Today, people are largely able to express their beliefs.
Laozi, Buddha, and Confucius
Confucianism
Originated by Confucius (551–479 BC) and developed by later thinkers,
Confucianism advocates a structured society in which people are bound to
each other by the moral ties of the five principal relationships: parent-child,
ruler-subject, brother-brother, husband-wife, and friend-friend. In Imperial
China, Confucianism was the philosophy of the elite scholar-gentleman
class. For much of the Communist era, it was reviled as a reactionary
philosophy linked to the former ruling aristocracy.
Confucius was a thinker

and teacher whose
philosophy of family
obligations and good
government is based on
the principles of ren
(benevolence) and yi
(righteousness). He died
unknown: his disciples
spreading his teachings.
Filial piety, or xiao, another
Confucian precept, consists of
obedience to and reverence for
one’s parents, and by extension
respect for other family members
and one’s ruler.
The birth of Confucius

is celebrated in the philo-
sopher’s home town of Qufu
(see pp148–9) in late September.
Many thousands of his
descendants, all surnamed
Kong, still live in the city.
Scholars collated the

Confucian Classics,
The paying of respects to one’s including the Lunyu
ancestors is based on filial piety and (Analects), a series of
runs throughout Chinese culture. Confucius’s sayings,
During the Qing Ming festival in well after his death. The
April, Chinese traditionally clean and Classics were the basis
maintain their ancestors’ tombs. of education until 1912.
Daoism
Strongly linked with early folk beliefs, Daoism incorporates the
traditional concepts of an ordered universe, yin and yang, and
directed energy, qi (see pp38–9). Over time, Daoism
developed into a complex religion with an extensive
pantheon. Daoist philosophy encourages follow-
ing one’s intuition and following the grain of the
universe by living in accordance with the Dao.
Laozi, the founder of Daoism, is a

shadowy figure, who may have lived in
the 6th century BC. The Daode Jing,
which introduces the idea of Dao, or
the Way that permeates reality, is
attributed to him.
Daoist alchemists
Han Xiangzi, one of the aimed to find an elixir
Eight Immortals, a popular for eternal life, winning
group of Daoist adepts, is influence with
believed to have fallen emperors. Daoism
from a sacred peach tree, influenced scientific
which bestowed eternal development, and
life to him. He is usually contributed to the
shown playing a flute. discovery of gunpowder
in the 9th century.
In “Peach Blossom Spring” by

Daoist poet Tao Qian, a fisherman
chances upon a lost idyllic world
and encounters Immortals. Daoist
reverence for nature led to the
creation of numerous paradises.
Buddhism
In China, the Mahayana school of Buddhism, which promises
salvation to anyone who seeks it, is followed. Enlightened
ones, bodhisattvas, remain in this world to help enlighten
others. Through deeds and devotion believers gain merit and
maintain their connections with the bodhisattvas, bringing
them closer to nirvana.
The Laughing Buddha, or Milefo, is The Guardian King of the South (left)
an adaptation of the Maitreya, the is coiled by a snake; the King of the
Future Buddha. His large belly North holds a parasol. Kings of the
and laughing face are signs four directions guard the entrance to
of abundance and he is many temples, protecting the main
worshiped in the hope deity from evil influences.
of a happy, affluent life.
Luohan or arhats are the Buddha’s

disciples and often appear in temples A Buddhist supplicant burns sticks
in groups of 18. Their holiness is of incense in aid of prayer. Buddhist
thought to enable them to achieve temples throb with spiritual energy,
extinction (nirvana) on death. as worshipers pray and make
offerings to gain merit.
The Power of Qi
The Chinese philosophical notion of a cosmic qi, or breath
that permeates the universe, dates from the Shang and
Zhou periods. Qi is regarded as having created the cosmos
and the Earth, and given rise to the complementary
opposing negative and positive forces of yin and yang.
Every physical change that occurs in the world is seen as a
Chinese character for qi, resembling a
product of the working of qi. In the Daoist Daode Jing, qi is steaming bowl of rice
synonymous with Dao (“the Way”). The qi character (right)
represents a bowl of rice with steam, where the rice’s power
or qi is manifested, rising above. The concept of qi runs
through all areas of Chinese thought: it is a guiding
principle in both traditional science and the arts.
Harnessing Qi
Qi informs multiple practical and applied fields. When
Chinese medicine became formalized during the 2nd
century BC, for example, qi was established as its
central concept. It was seen as the vital substance of
living things, circulating in the body through a
network of channels or meridians (see p238).
Acupressure and
acupuncture rely on the
idea of qi circulating in
the body. A person may
suffer from inadequate
or excessive qi, and the
aim is to release or
dampen the qi as
appropriate.
The cun trigram is

very yin. Its attributes
are devotion and
reception and it is
connected to the
element of earth.
Qigong, a practice entailing deep-

breathing exercises, is based on the
concept of qi. Daoists traditionally
associated lengthening the breath
with lengthening life. Today, qigong
is used to enhance wellbeing.
Martial arts emphasize the cultivation

of qi. Through concentration, practi-
tioners, such as monks of the Shaolin
Monastery, perform extraordinary feats
of fitness and endurance.
Feng Shui
Chinese geomancy, or feng shui (“wind and
water”), is based on ideas of qi. Feng shui posits
that the appropriate layout of a building or
room, for example the position of doorways,
affects the flow of qi and hence the inhabitants’
general wellbeing.
A feng shui practitioner sets up a bagua chart and
other instruments to trace the flow of qi within an
office building. Feng shui is popular in Hong
Kong, where it is less frowned on
as a superstitious practice.
The Ming Tombs (see pp110–11),

constructed for the Ming
emperors, were sited and built in
accordance with feng shui. Evil
influences from the north were
supposedly warded off by the
Jundu Shan mountain range.
The HSBC building

on Hong Kong’s Statue
Square (see p316) is
thought to enjoy
outstanding feng shui,
with harbor views and
a large atrium allowing
the free flow of qi.
Yijing
The Chinese classic, the Yijing (I Ching),
or Book of Changes, has been consulted
as a divination guide book for thousands
of years. In it, the bagua are combined
The qian trigram, the into 64 hexagrams of six yin or yang
trigram in which yang qi is lines each. The hexagrams represent
strongest, consists of three even more complex states of qi than
unbroken lines. the bagua.
The yin-yang symbol repre-
sents the interdependency of yin
(negative) and yang (positive).
Confucius, in his later

years, became very inter-
Bagua Chart ested in the Yijing, and
Eight bagua, or trigrams, wrote numerous annota-
ranged around a yin-yang tions to the text. Here he
symbol make up the basic randomly divides yarrow
bagua chart, an attempt sticks to create
to codify the working of qi. hexagrams and consults
Each trigram consists of three the Yijing to determine
lines – yin (broken) or yang their meaning.
(unbroken). Together they make
up all possible permutations of Divination sticks are often consulted
such sets of lines and describe nowadays to divine the future. Outside
potential movement temples in Hong Kong, worshipers can
be seen scattering the sticks on the
between different qi states.
ground. A practiced diviner reads the
pattern by picking out bagua shapes.
Architecture
For over 2,000 years, the Chinese have used the same
architectural model for both imperial and religious
buildings. This has three elements: a platform, post-
and-beam timber frames, and non-loadbearing walls.
Standard features of building complexes include a
front gate, four-sided enclosures or courtyards, and a
series of halls in a linear formation running north.
Most Chinese buildings were built of wood, but
because wooden buildings tend to catch fire, only a
few structures remain; the earliest date from the Tang
Aerial view of the Forbidden City, showing the
period (AD 618–907). traditional linear layout
Hall
In every context, the Chinese hall, or tang, follows the same pattern: a platform of rammed earth or
stone, and timber columns arranged in a grid. The front of the hall always has an odd number of
bays. Between the columns and beams are brackets
(dougong), cantilevers that support the structure,
allowing the eaves to overhang. The timber is brightly
painted, the roof aesthetically curved, and tiled
or thatched.
Bay, or space between

Base gives monumentality columns
Gate of Heavenly Purity (see p94)
An archetypal Chinese hall, the central
doorway and uneven number of bays
emphasize the processional element.
Standard Hall
Buildings in China conformed to a set of
rules about proportions. This uniform
architecture created a sense of identity –
useful in a large and disparate country.
Storied Building (Lou) and Storied Pavilion (Ge)

Multi-story buildings in China predate pagodas and varied from two-storied private homes to huge
seven- or more storied towers built to enjoy the scenery. Storied pavilions were used for storage and
had doors and windows only at the front. Both types of building kept the standard elements of
base, columns, and hanging walls.
Storied Pavilion
These were used for storing
important items, such as
libraries of Buddhist
sutras or colossal
Characteristic statues.
“flying eave” Symmetrical
facade
Storied Building
The construction of tall
buildings relied heavily
on the dougong bracket.
Pagoda Ornamental Archway

Based on the Indian stupa, the Chinese pagoda, The pailou, or paifang, is a memorial or
or ta, was developed in the first century AD decorative archway. Made of wood, brick, or
along with the arrival of stone, and sometimes with glazed tiles, it often
Buddhism. Multi-storied Top resembles bears an edifying inscription. Pailou were
pagodas appeared in Indian stupa erected at crossroads, temples, bridges,
Buddhist temple government offices, parks, and tombs.
complexes (although
later they often stood on
their own) and were
Ornamental,
often intended to house
multi-sectioned
a religious statue. They
roof
were built of brick,
stone, or wood
(see p171).
Inscription, typically
Base, usually with an four characters
underground
chamber
City Walls
Early defensive walls, like other early architectural forms, were made of earth – either pounded hard
by pestles or moistened to make a clay and pressed around
reed frames. Later walls were often built using brick. City
walls were traditionally square, with the main gate to the
south. The Chinese for “city” (cheng) also means “wall.”
Easy to defend
with a bow Gate tower,
often a
two-story lou
Pingyao City Walls

Made of rammed earth and brick,
rising 33 ft (10 m) high, the ramparts
and watchtowers were an effective
City Wall and Gate defense. The current structure (see
The towers on top of walls can vary from small buildings to p144), collapsed in parts, is from the
palatial multi-story structures. Ming dynasty.
Architectural Details
It is interesting to interpret the architectural detail on Chinese buildings. The use of yellow tiles, for
example, was reserved for the emperor. The Nine-Dragon Screen, which occurs in the Forbidden
City and elsewhere, is also imperial since the dragon symbolizes the yang, or male principle, and by
extension the emperor.
Chiwen
Able to douse flames with Dougong
water, the Chiwen often A bracket (dougong) transmits the
appears at the end of a roof load from roof to column. It’s a
ridge (see p93) as a protection traditionally complex, nail-free, and
against fire. ornamental construction method.
Chinese Inventions
Printed books, porcelain, silk, umbrellas, and kites are just a
few of the everyday objects that originated in China and
are used today throughout the world. Remarkably, the
Chinese developed the technology to produce fine
porcelain over 1,000 years before Europe. Philosophy
played a part in two of the most famous Chinese
discoveries. Seeking the elixir of life, Daoist Wheelbarrow: used in
alchemists stumbled upon gunpowder, while the agriculture, industry, and by the
magnetic compass was developed from an instrument military. Like the plow, it vastly
increased the efficiency of
used for geomancy and feng shui.
manual workers.
Cast iron: made by lowering

The first paper
the ore’s melting point with was made from
phosphorus before heating it in very mulberry bark,
hot blast furnaces that had been bamboo, hemp,
developed over hundreds of years linen, and silk.
of firing pottery.
The crossbow
The decimal system had better range,
developed alongside the penetration, and
writing system and led to accuracy than the
mathematical advances. standard bow.
2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200
BC BC
2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200
High-fired stoneware: Kuan or moldboard plow:

first produced in the Shang increased the efficiency of
dynasty, at the same time farmers. A cast-iron blade could
as the early glazes that cut through and plow
added strength, color, and previously unplowable land.
waterproofing.
Great Leaps Forward

Early advances in technology spawned an agricultural
revolution in China. Iron-bladed plows increased the amount
of land that could be farmed and multiplied its productivity,
enabling a larger population to be sustained. Paper, paper
money, and printing were key to the efficient administration
of a vast, populous, centrally controlled state. Increased Magnetic compass: used for
manpower, organization, and technology advanced industrial geomancy, the first compasses
production in mining and porcelain factories, for example, as consisted of a loadstone spoon
well as boosting China’s military might. and bronze plate. Later examples
would help Chinese sailors make
huge voyages on trading trips.
Printing
Porcelain: ceramic technology reached
a new peak in the 6th century with the The discovery of
discovery of “true” porcelain; hard, movable type did not
white, and translucent, it rings to the really have any impact
touch. Production methods would upon Chinese society,
stay a closely guarded secret, keeping and most printers
its value for export (see p260). continued to carve the
individual characters into
a block. In Europe 400
years later, however, the
discovery of movable
Printing: woodblock type revolutionized
printing was used to society. This is because it
spread Buddhist is much easier to handle
teachings, and was the 26 or so different
well-developed by blocks in a Roman
the time of the alphabet than it is to
Diamond Sutra (see handle the approximately
p32). In 1041–8, Bi 3,000 or more characters
Stirrup: this Sheng carved that are needed for a
increased the individual characters Chinese newspaper –
efficiency of on pieces of clay, without even allowing for
horses as tools for inventing movable duplicates. Woodblock
communication, block type. carving, therefore, required
transportation, far fewer resources.
and warfare.
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
AD AD
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Paper money:
developed by
merchants as
certificates of
exchange. Lighter
than coins, bills
were soon
adopted by the
government.
Gunpowder: first
discovered by
necromancers. It was
originally used for
fireworks and mining
and not used for
warfare until the 8th
century.
Cargo ship: designed with
Seismometer: invented by Chang compartments, and equipped with
Heng. It identified the direction of an fore-and-aft lugsails and stern-post
earthquake when a ball fell rudders, these multi-masted ships
from one of the dragons into were larger and technically superior
a frog’s mouth. to their European counterparts.
The abacus: invented during the

Yuan dynasty. Because it is able
to perform complex calculations,
it is often referred to as the first
computer and is still used in
China today.
Traditional Arts
The earliest Chinese artifacts were found in royal tombs. These
include bronzes, ceramics, and jades from the Shang and Zhou
period, as well as terracotta warriors from the Qin period. Of
the many rich art forms that subsequently developed in China,
painting and pottery are perhaps the most important, and
have reached the highest aesthetic level. Other significant art
forms include sculpture, notably the Buddhist sculpture of
western China. There are also many distinctive and popular
forms of Chinese decorative art.
Buddhist sculpture in the
Gandharan style
Ritual bronze
tripod from an
early royal tomb,
decorated with a
mythical animal
design known as
a taotie.
Wet and dry ink

used to give the
detail of the trees.
Pottery
After inventing porcelain, China developed
a huge range of potting, decorating, and
glazing techniques that were imitated from
Europe to Japan. Chinese ceramics led the
world in aesthetic taste and technique up
until the demise of the Qing dynasty.
Tang earthenware tomb figure

representing a fierce warrior,
with typical rough sancai
(three-color) drip glaze.
This was a lead-based
glaze, fired at a low Textured strokes give
temperature. the rocks depth.
Song celadon bowl, with

incised floral design. Celadon
was the European name
given to the refined gray-
green glaze of this type of
stoneware and porcelain.
Ming vase in the

blue-and-white style
known and imitated
internationally. The Qing famille-rose vase,
technique involves a delicate porcelain in a
underglaze painting in distinctive palette. The
cobalt blue before the name comes from the use
pot is fired. of bright pink enamel.
Bird-and-flower painting (including

the depiction of fruit and insects) reveals
the Chinese Daoist interest in observing
the natural world. Despite the lightness
of subject, the paintings have an intense,
quasi-scientific depth.
Chinese Painting
Considered the highest traditional art form,
Chinese painting is executed on silk or paper
using a brush and inks or watercolors.
Religious painting
Landscape painting, associated with the scholar first appeared
class, reached a highpoint in the Northern Song along the Silk Road
and Yuan periods. Huang Gongwang (see below), with the arrival of
a master of the Yuan, was admired for his simple Buddhism from
calligraphic style. India. The Chinese
soon developed an
individual style.
Ink wash is used

for the hills in the
distance.
Bamboo painting was a

genre of the scholar class.
Bamboo symbolized the
scholar-gentleman who
would bend but not break in
the face of adversity.
Traditional Crafts
As well as the traditional high art forms of
painting and pottery, China has a wealth
of beautiful decorative arts. Delicate
carvings in lacquer, ivory, and jade are
Snuff bottles were produced in large popular, as are colorful cloisonné items,
numbers during the Qing period. decorated inksticks (or cakes), snuff bottles,
Made of glass, jade, mother-of- and fans.
pearl, or semiprecious stones,
they were delicately carved
or painted on
the inside in
exquisite detail.
Cloisonné is a style of
enameling. Individual metal
Lacquer carving is cloisons, usually made of
distinctive for its deep copper, are soldered together
red color and floral and inlaid with different
designs, and is often colored enamels. The object is
used on boxes. then fired and polished.
Modern Arts
The birth of modern art in China at the start of the 20th
century coincided with greater contact with the West.
Experiments with new materials and styles in the visual arts,
Western-style music, “spoken drama” (huaju), cinema, and
modern literary forms such as free verse all took root at this
time. However, after 1949, this creativity was stifled by
Soviet-influenced Socialist Realism. During the Cultural
Revolution many artists were even persecuted on the
grounds that their works were “reactionary.” Since the 1980s
and 1990s, however, there has been some liberalization in
The Canton TV Tower in
the arts and new, exciting forms have developed. Guangzhou (inaugurated in
2010) exemplifies the evolution
Shaven-headed of high-rise Chinese architecture
man since the late 1990s.
This example of performance art is by Cang

Xin, a Beijing-based conceptual artist, active since
the mid-1990s. The title of this piece, Unification of
Heaven and Man, alludes to classical Chinese
philosophical concepts.
Modern Art
This painting, Series 2
No. 2, is by Fang Lijun,
leader of the Cynical
Realism school, which
came about as a
reaction to the demise
of the pro-democracy
movement in 1989.
Rejecting idealism,
these artists comment
on problems in China.
Sculpture entitled
Torso, by Zhan Wang,
a Shanghai-based
conceptual artist. Zhan
uses reflective steel
sheets to give the
illusion of solidity.
Orchestral and chamber music

has been popular in China since
the early 20th century. Today,
there are many schools
specializing in Western-style
music, and several high-quality
ensembles and artists on the
world scene.
Chinese Cinema
From early classics such as Street Angel (1937),
made in the (then) foreign enclave of Shanghai,
Chinese cinema has scaled new heights of
international success, with the work of such
acclaimed directors as Zhang Yimou.
Farewell My Concubine
(1993), directed by Chen
Kaige, a post-Cultural
Revolution filmmaker, who
gave expression to new
moral uncertainties, is
set in the world of
traditional
Chinese
Opera. The Hong Kong film industry followed its own
path and became primarily famous for its action
movies. Renowned martial arts star Jackie Chan,
seen above in an early acting and directorial
debut, Fearless Hyena, made many films and
successfully crossed over from Hong Kong
to Hollywood.
Background is a hazy
blue, making it appear
dream-like
Wei Wei is one of the best-

selling pop stars in China
today. Rock music only took
off in the 1980s, with the
likes of Cui Jian, the
“grandad” of Chinese
rock. The industry is
closely following that of the
West, with many stars
emerging from TV talent
shows such as Chinese Idol.
Anonymous figures
seem threatening
Main figure is yelling or

yawning – is he angry or
just bored?
Ballet in contem-
porary China mixes
traditional Chinese
and Western
influences. Here, the
ballet version of Modern theater provides an expression of
Zhang Yimou’s film Chinese life in the 21st century. Here, a scene
Raise the Red Lantern from Toilet, a black comedy, is performed by the
is performed by National Theater company in Beijing. The play
members of the broke taboos with its frank portrayal of urban life
National Ballet. and treatment of homosexuality.
Festivals
An important part of Chinese culture and tradition, festivals
are generally happy and colorful affairs that reaffirm ancient
beliefs and customs. The biggest and most important festival is
Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year. This brings families
together for several days: the home is cleaned and everyone
dresses up in new clothes; decorations are put up and gifts
exchanged; and finally there is always time for a lively and noisy
carnival climaxing in a brilliant display of pyrotechnics. Nearly Hongbao
all the festival elements and rituals are geared towards bringing These decorative red envelopes
symbolize luck and wealth and
good luck and prosperity. In business, all debts should be
bring about both, as they
settled by Chinese New Year. Overall, the festivities last about contain money – they are
15 days but the whole country closes down for only three. typically given to children on
New Year’s Eve.
Lion Dance
Performed at New Year and other
festivals. Usually two people are
required to play the lion. The dance
demands more martial arts skills than
the Dragon Dance, also performed
on these occasions.
Fireworks exploding
over Hong Kong’s
Victoria Harbour
Drummers
At the Spring Festival,
processions of dancers
Firecrackers and drummers march
Strings of firecrackers are set off at over the New Year period
New Year, making the streets noisy up until the Lantern
and, potentially, dangerous places. Festival. Like the
Beijing tried to ban these in the center firecrackers, the noise
of the city supposedly driving people of the drumming
out to the suburbs for noisy fun. is supposed to keep
the evil spirits away.
Festival Food
Each festival has its special food:
jiaozi (boiled dumplings) are
usually eaten for New Year,
especially in the north of China;
yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls)
feature during the Lantern A type of mooncake
Festival and can be made with a
sweet or savory filling; and zongzi
(sticky rice pyramids wrapped in
bamboo leaves) are served at the Traditional papercut of
Dragon Boat Festival. The Mid- an astrological chart
Autumn Festival, which falls on
a full moon, brings mooncakes.
Chinese Astrology
Each year is associated with one
Made to a thousand recipes with
of 12 animal signs, which
savory or sweet fillings, the cake
repeat in a cycle. At New Year
symbolizes the moon. Rice pyramids or zongzi
people talk of welcoming, for
example, the “Year of the Dog.”
In Chinese astrology, people
Spectacular Fireworks born under a specific animal
New Year would not be complete sign are supposed to have
without fireworks. Some major cities some of the characteristics
put on impressive all-night displays. attributed to the animal.
Fireworks were originally intended to
ward off evil spirits, or perhaps wake Monkey 2016 – associated
up the dragon who would create rain with fun and genius, as in the
story of the Monkey King.
in the coming year and guarantee a
good harvest. Rooster 2017 – has 5 virtues:
refinement, courage,
assertiveness, benevolence,
and reliability.
Dog 2018 – considered lucky
in Chinese mythology.
Pig 2019 – associated with
fertility and virility.
Rat 2020 – welcomed as a
clever protector and bringer
of wealth.
Colorful lanterns
Coinciding with the full moon, the Ox 2021 – Laozi, the Daoist
Lantern Festival marks the end of the philosopher, is often shown
two-week New Year period. Lanterns may sitting on an ox.
bear auspicious characters or be in Tiger 2022 – in China he is
animal shapes. deemed the king of the
animals.
Rabbit 2023 – associated with
longevity and believed to live
in the moon.
Dragon 2024 – symbol of
China, the emperor, and the
positive yang element (see
pp38–9).
Snake 2025 – an ancient
Tangerines ancestor, Fuxi, was thought to
A New Year symbol of luck, be half-human and half-snake.
tangerines are put on display at Duilian Horse 2026 – symbol
home – along with fresh flowers. These red scrolls at either side of of freedom.
The word for “tangerine” sounds the doorway bear Spring
like “luck” in Chinese while Couplets in classical Chinese Sheep 2027 – signifying
flowers signify a new beginning. expressing good wishes for the peace and creativity.
family in the coming year.
CHINA THROUGH THE YEAR

The traditional Chinese festivals are tied to (PRC), and outlying areas such as Inner
the lunar calendar, which has 29.5 days a Mongolia have their own distinctive festivals.
month, and this means the solar dates Some celebrations of foreign origin, such as
change every year. Festivals associated with Christmas, are also observed. Before the
Communism – National Day and Labor Day, important New Year Festival, there are weeks
for example – are usually fixed to the Western of preparation. Most offices and many shops
calendar. Religious festivals, kept alive in are closed for three days, but some tend to
Hong Kong, Tibet, and other areas of the take a week-long break at this time. As most
Chinese-speaking world, are gradually making Chinese return to their family homes, travel
a comeback in the People’s Republic of China is very difficult.
festival later in the month, and

the Butter Lamp Festival, also
known as the Lantern Festival.
Hong Kong Arts Festival (Feb–
Mar) A major international arts
festival as well as the premier
arts event in Hong Kong.
A mix of overseas and local
artists provide music, theater,
dance, popular entertainment,
film, and exhibition programs
over three or four weeks.
International Women’s
Day (Mar 8) Women have a
half or even a whole day’s
holiday, while men continue
to work.
Colorful parade celebrating Chinese New Year
3rd Lunar Month
Tree-Planting Day (Apr 1)
2nd Lunar Month Promoted since the late
Spring (Feb–Apr) Tibetan New Year The Tibetan 1970s by the reformist
This is the time of year New Year is marked by the government, but not an
when Chinese people try eating of “barley crumb” food official holiday, this is part
to settle old debts and make and an exchange of Tashi of a greening campaign.
time to meet with friends and Delek blessings. It is followed Qing Ming Festival (Apr)
family members. The arrival of by Monlam, the great prayer Festival for sweeping the graves
peach blossom is a signal of and honoring the dead. Food is
rejuvenation and the Spring left on the grave and families
Festival celebrates the start of often take a picnic with them.
the ancient cycle of plowing Weifang International Kite
and sowing. Festival (mid-Apr) Flying kites is
part of Qing Ming celebrations.
1st Lunar Month Over 1,000 contestants compete
Spring Festival (Chun Jie) at this festival in Shandong.
The main festival – Chinese New Water Sprinkling Festival
Year (see pp48–9). Gifts and red (mid-Apr) Exclusive to the
envelopes filled with money are Dai people (Xishuangbanna,
exchanged and new shoes and Yunnan, see p389). Marks the
clothes worn. Dai lunar New Year, and involves
Lantern Festival (Feb–Mar) blessing others by sprinkling or
Coinciding with a full moon, this splashing them with water,
festival marks the end of the which represents the quelling
15-day New Year period. of the flames of a mythical
A great many lanterns bearing tyrant demon.
auspicious characters or in animal Hainan Coconut Festival (Apr)
shapes can be seen. Yuanxiao A highly elaborate Tibetan Set up in 1992, and a showcase
(sticky rice balls) are eaten. butter sculpture for the local coconut harvest.
CHINA THROUGH THE YEAR 51
known as the Festival of the

Ten Thousand Buddhas.
Buddhists pray for the washing
away of sin and the attainment
of wisdom and peace.
“Meet in Beijing” Festival
(May) Music and arts festival,
including opera, dance, instru-
mental and vocal concerts.
5th Lunar Month

Children’s Day (Jun 1)
Cinemas and other places of
entertainment are free to
children, who are also
Qing Ming Festival, sweeping or tending the ancestors’ graves showered with presents.
Dragon Boat Festival (or
Third Moon Fair (Apr) Dali area. many people go on trips Fifth Moon Festival) (Jun)
This festival is exclusive to the around the country to see commemorates the patriotic
Buddhist Bai minority in Yunnan. family and friends. poet Qu Yuan who drowned
Events include fairs, horse- himself. Originally religious but
racing, singing, and dancing. 4th Lunar Month now just fun. Teams of rowers
Tin Hau Festival (Apr–May) International Labor Day (May 1) compete in long, decorated
Celebrated in Hong Kong and A week-long holiday around boats. Rice cakes (zongzi) are
coastal areas such as Fujian, May Day during which travel eaten. Hong Kong has several
the birthday of the Heavenly can be difficult. very colorful events, one with
Queen or Mazu (see p155), Youth Day (May 4) international teams.
who looks after those at sea, Commemorates the student Shanghai International
is important for fishermen movements of 1919, which Film Festival (Jun) First held
and sailors. sparked the evolution of in October 1993, this is the
modern China. only accredited international
Buddha’s Birthday (May) An film festival in mainland China,
Summer (May–Jul) important religious festival in and it shows a range of new
Once the summer arrives, Tibet but not officially observed films from around the world.
bringing warmer weather, in the PRC, though Buddhists The main film prize is the
festivals are often held may now do so privately. The Golden Goblet, and a prize is
outdoors. May sees the start festival has a higher profile in also awarded for young Asian
of the traveling season, as Hong Kong, where it is also movie talent.
Dragon Boat Festival – colorful, lively, and exciting to watch

Qingdao International
Beer Festival (Aug) Held in the
eastern port city of Qingdao,
Shandong, home of Tsingtao
beer, brewed from the spring
waters of nearby Lao Shan
(see p152).
8th Lunar Month

Teachers’ Day (Sep 1) Not
an established holiday, but it
began in the 1980s in response
to the anti-intellectualism of
the Cultural Revolution.
Mid-Fall Festival or Zhong Qiu
(Sep) Harvest or moon festival
when moon cakes are eaten
throughout the country and
Nadaam Fair, Mongolian sports festival and fair family reunions take place
(see p49).
6th Lunar Month the yogurt served by pilgrims Shaolin International
Founding of Chinese to the monks. Martial Arts
Communist Party (Jul 1) A day Nagqu Horse Race Festival (Sep)
to mark the event that took Festival (Aug) Annual event since
place in 1921 in Shanghai. The most 1991 in the city of
Nadaam Fair (late Jul) Held in important folk Zhengzhou.
Hohhot, Bayanbulak, and festival in Tibet. This Confucius’s
elsewhere, in Inner Mongolia, takes place in Nagqu. Birthday (Sep 28)
and featuring horse-racing, Over a thousand Gradually regaining
wrestling, and archery. Women herdsmen compete in popularity in the
wear their traditional dress. the traditional Tibetan PRC, after
It’s also a trading fair. sports of archery, horse- Mid-Fall festival vilification of the
racing, and general dragon sage (born in 551 BC)
horsemanship. under the Communist
Zhongyuan regime. The day is celebrated at
Fall (Aug–Oct) (Hungry Ghost Festival) (Jul or the Confucian temples in Qufu,
The weather may still be warm Aug) Similar to Halloween, a Beijing, and elsewhere.
in the subtropical south, but in traditional festival combining International Fashion
the high uplands and central elements of ancestor worship Festival (mid-Sep) Dalian. The
areas it is cooling down. As the and Buddhism, suppressed festival features two weeks
leaves turn golden, this is a under Communism. Considered of fashion shows by Asian
popular time of the year to an inauspicious time to move designers, with a spectacular
travel to festivals. house or marry. opening parade.
7th Lunar Month

Army Day (Aug 1) Marks the first
Communist uprising against
the Nationalists in 1927. The
theme is unity between the
army and the people.
Lovers’ Festival (Aug) A
romantic day, this celebrates
the story of the earthly
cowherd and celestial weaving
girl who were separated by the
gods but who are annually
reunited in the heavens by a
bridge of magpies on the
seventh day of the seventh
moon. It is also known as
Seven Sisters Festival.
Shoton (Yogurt Festival)
(Aug–Sep) Tibetan festival of
opera. It takes its name from Qingdao International Beer Festival dancers
National day, well-drilled troops on the march
Corban Festival (Sep) Celebrated Father Christmas, seen as a

in Xinjiang, Ningxia, and among Winter (Nov–Jan) popular image. It’s a public
Hui people across China, this is This season brings a drop holiday in Hong Kong.
a Muslim festival remembering in temperatures and relief
Abraham’s last-minute reprieve from the humidity in the 12th Lunar Month
to sacrifice a goat instead of south, while central and New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
his son. Animals are slaughtered northern regions usually Overshadowed by the massive
for a feast, accompanied with experience bitter winters. Chinese New Year celebrations
singing and dancing. The main traveling season is that take place later in January
over but everyone enjoys the or February, but still a
9th Lunar Month lengthy preparations for the recognized public holiday.
National Day (Oct 1) A great Chinese New Year at home.
rush of holiday-making takes
place during this week-long 10th Lunar Month
Public Holidays
break – one of China’s two Zhuang Song Festival (Nov) New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
so-called Golden Week holidays, The Zhuang minority in Guangxi Chinese New Year or Spring
along with Chinese New Year. have their own folk-song and Festival (Jan–Feb)
Parades – including a high- dance tradition. An International Qing Ming Festival (Apr)
profile military show of strength Folk Song and Arts Festival is
International Labor
in Tian’an Men Square – held in Nanning.
Day (May 1–3)
celebrate the founding of the
PRC by Mao Zedong in 1949. 11th Lunar Month Dragon Boat Festival (May)
Double-Ninth (Chongyang) Winter Solstice (Dec 22) National Day (Oct)
Festival (Oct) Double nine Chinese astronomers identified
signifies double yang (in the yin- this day as early as the Han Weekend Shifting
yang duality), connected with period. Historically, it has been The weekends before and
male assertiveness and strength. an important festival, though after the Spring Festival and
Traditionally, people do symbolic less so now. In the north, October holidays are often
things like climb to high places, people often eat dumpling shifted from year to year
carry a sprig of dogwood, and soup or dumplings on this day toward the three-day block to
drink chrysanthemum wine to to keep them warm. In the allow for a continuous run of
ward off evil spirits at this festival, south, people may eat red- seven days’ holiday. To add to
but it’s not observed everywhere. bean and sticky rice to drive the confusion, the exact days
Hairy Crab Season (Oct–early away evil spirits. of the holiday are usually not
Dec) Not strictly a festival, this Christmas Day (Dec 25) finalized until shortly before-
hand. You may wish to avoid
is a two-month celebration of Although only a tiny number of
traveling during this period
China’s favorite winter delicacy, the population is Christian, the
because many facilities are
served in packed restaurants commercial side of this closed. Try to confirm the
across the country but celebration has taken off with exact dates with a travel agent
especially popular in Shanghai Christmas trees and Shengdan prior to making any plans.
and eastern China. Laoren, a Chinese version of
The Climate of China

With many different climate zones across its vast landmass,
China experiences all extremes of weather ranging from
the hot, wet summers and warm winters of the sub-
tropical southwestern coast and high temperatures of
the Turpan Depression to the cool summers and long,
dry winters of its mountainous regions. Rainfall is sparse
in the arid northern uplands and the near-Siberian
northeast but plentiful in the humid south and east.
URUMQI The top of Hua Shan, Shaanxi
28/82
°C
16/61
14/57
10/50
2/36
0 -22/-8
-1/30 -11/12
7 9 7 6 Ürümqi
hrs hrs hrs hrs
38 18 43 15
mm mm mm mm
month Apr Jul Oct Jan
Key
Hot wet summer,
warm dry winter
Lanzhou
Warm summer, cool winter
Hot wet summer,
cool dry winter
Hot wet summer,
cool misty winter
Cool dry summer, cold

windy winter Lhasa Chengdu
Hot wet summer,

cold dry winter
Warm summer, cold dry winter
Hot dry summer, long cold
dry and windy winter
Kunming
CHENGDU
LHASA 30/86
°C
22/72 20/72 21/69 KUNMING
°C 23/73 15/58
13/56
16/61 17/63 7/45 °C 24/75 24/86
14/57 0 20/68
7/45 17/63 15/59
1/34 1/34 -10/14 12/54
0 6 2 10 6 9/48
-10/14 2/36
hrs hrs hrs hrs 0
6 2 10 6
5 122 13 0
hrs hrs hrs hrs
mm mm mm mm 9 5 5 7
5 122 13 0 hrs hrs hrs hrs
mm mm mm mm
27 205 89 12
month Apr Jul Oct Jan mm mm mm mm
Average monthly
XI’AN
maximum
temperature 32/90 HARBIN
°C 22/72 20/68
20/68
Average monthly 28/82
°C
minimum 9/48
10/50 18/64
temperature 5/41 13/55
11/52
0
Freezing point -4/25
0 -1/30 -1/30 -12/10

6 7 4 4
Average daily hours of hrs hrs hrs hrs -25/-13
sunshine 8 9 7 6
50 93 66 7 hrs hrs hrs hrs
Average monthly mm mm mm mm
rainfall 15 137 19 2
month Apr Jul Oct Jan mm mm mm mm
Harbin
BEIJING
32/90
°C 23/73 23/73
19/66 14/57
10/50 8/46
Beijing 1/34
0
Dalian
Datong
Tianjin
8 7 8 7
hrs hrs hrs hrs
17 243 16 4
Yellow mm mm mm mm
Sea
Xi’an
Nanjing
Shanghai
Wuhan Hangzhou
Ningbo
SHANGHAI
32/90
Chongqing Nanchang
°C 23/73 23/73
Changsha East China 19/66 14/57
Sea 10/50 8/46
Guiyang
1/34
0
ce r
of Can
Tr o p i c 4 8 7 5
Guangzhou hrs hrs hrs hrs
Hong 137 381 114 33

Nanning Kong mm mm mm mm
HONG KONG month Apr Jul Oct Jan
South China 31/88
Sea 27/81
°C 24/75 26/79 23/73
18/64
19/66
13/55 0 km 250
0 miles 250
0
4 8 7 5
hrs hrs hrs hrs
137 381 114 33

mm mm mm mm
INTRODUCING CHINA 57
THE HISTORY
OF CHINA
China boasts one of the longest single unified civilizations in the world.
Its history is characterized by dramatic shifts in power between rival factions,
periods of peace and prosperity when foreign ideas were assimilated and
absorbed, the disintegration of empire through corruption and political
subterfuge, and the cyclical rise of ambitious leaders to found each new empire.
First Settlers
From around 8000 BC, settlements offerings. Inscriptions on oracle bones
of populations based on a primitive provide the first evidence of writing,
agricultural economy began to emerge dating from around 1300 BC.
in the eastern coastal regions and along In 1066 BC, the Zhou seized power,
the rich river deltas of the Huang He establishing their western capital at
(Yellow River), the Yangzi, and the Wei. present-day Xi’an. The Western Zhou
These civilizations focused on hunting, initially sustained many of the
gathering, and fishing, and the cultivation traditions of the Shang, but later
of millet in the north and rice in the south. reorganized the political system, and
Each civilization is notable for its own replaced the use of oracle bones with
distinct style of pottery, such as the bold inscriptions on bronze and, later, writing
earthenware of the Yangshao (5000– on silk and strips of bamboo.
3000 BC) and the black ceramics of the The Eastern Zhou period (770–221 BC) is
Longshan (3000–1700 BC). divided into the Spring and Autumn period
(named for the annals written by Confucius,
Bronze Age China and the First 770–475 BC) and the Warring States period
Kingdoms (475–221 BC). The Eastern Zhou period saw
The first dynasty in China was founded the capital moved to Luoyi (now Luoyang,
by the Shang around 1600 BC. The Shang Henan province) and was dominated by
lived in large, complex societies and political conflict and social unrest as rival
were the first to mass-produce cast factions jockeyed for power. Some 25
bronze. Power centered on the ruling emperors reigned during its duration. It also
elite who acted as shamans of a sort, saw economic expansion and development
communicating with their ancestors and as the use of iron revolutionized agriculture.
gods through diviners. Elaborate bronze It was in this climate of unrest that the
food and wine vessels were used both for philosophical ideologies of Confucianism,
banqueting and for making ancestral Daoism, and Legalism (see p60) emerged.
5000–3000 BC Yangshao 2200–1600 BC 1300 BC First writing

culture based around Existence of semi- on oracle bones
8000– 6500 BC the Wei River mythical first 475–221 BC
Neolithic period c. 551–479 BC Eastern Zhou:
dynasty, the Xia
Life of Confucius Warring States
8000 BC 6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 1000 BC 500 BC
6500–5000 BC 513 BC First

1600–1050 BC 770–476 BC
Earliest settlements mention of iron
Shang dynasty Eastern Zhou:
in northern China casting
Spring and
1066 –771 BC Power Autumn period
Bronze food vessel, Shang seized by Zhou
Detail from The First Emperor of the Han Dynasty Entering Kuan Tung by Song painter Chao Po Chu
Shang Dynasty
Dynasty Timeline 1600–1050 BC
China was ruled by a succession The Shang dynasty marked
the emergence of Bronze
of dynasties, broken by periods of Age China and palace culture.
fragmentation and civil war. The emperor’s A semi-divine king acted as
authority was divinely granted through a shaman and communicated
with the gods.
a mandate of heaven and was thus
unlimited. Leaders of succeeding dynasties
claimed that the previous leadership had
displeased the gods and had therefore Bronze tripod food
vessel, Shang
had its heavenly mandate withdrawn.
Western Han Eastern Han

206 BC–AD 9 AD 25–220
Gaozu 206–195 BC Guang Wudi 25–57 Shundi 125–144
Huidi 195–188 BC Mingdi 57–75 Chongdi 144–145
Shaodi 188–180 BC Zhangdi 75–88 Zhidi 145–146
Wendi 180–157 BC Hedi 88–105 Huandi 146–168
Jingdi 157–141 BC Shangdi 106 Lingdi 168–189
Wudi 141–87 BC Andi 106–125 Xiandi 189–220
Zhaodi 87–74 BC
Xuandi 74–49 BC
Yuandi 49–33 BC
Chengdi 33–7 BC
Aidi 7–1 BC
Pingdi 1 BC–AD 6
Ruzi AD 7–9 Broken terracotta heads
found at Jingdi’s tomb
Tang Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

618–907 907–960
Gaozu 618–626 Wenzong 827–840 Based north of the Yangzi, five successive
Taizong 626–649 Wuzong 840–846 dynasties swiftly usurped one another, with
Gaozong 649–683 Xuanzong 846–859 no dynasty lasting for more than three reigns.
Zhongzong 684 & 705–710 Yizong 859–873 The Ten Kingdoms to the south went through
Ruizong 684–690 & 710–712 Xizong 873–888 a similarly turbulent period.
Wu Zetian 690–705 Zhaozong 888–904 Throughout this period and most of the
Xuanzong 712–756 Aidi 904–907 Song dynasty, the northern frontiers were
Suzong 756–762 dominated by the semi-nomadic Liao dynasty
Daizong 762–779 (907–1125) in the east, and by the Western Xia
Dezong 779–805 (990–1227) in the west. In 1115, the Liao were
Shunzong 805 overthrown by the Jin (1115–1234), who forced
Xianzong 805–820 Sancai-glazed the Song southwards in 1127.
Muzong 820–824 dancing tomb
Jingzong 824–827 figures
Yuan Ming
1279–1368 1368–1644
Genghis Khan (1162–1227) Yesun Temur 1323–1328 Hongwu 1368–1398 Zhengde 1506–1521
united numerous Mongol- Tugh Temur 1328–1329, Jianwen 1399–1402 Jiajing 1522–1567
speaking tribes and 1329–1333 Yongle 1403–1424 Longqing 1567–1572
captured Beijing in 1215. Khoshila 1329 Hongxi 1425 Wanli 1573–1620
His grandson, Kublai, Toghon Temur 1333–1368 Xuande 1426–1435 Taichang 1620
completed the conquest Zhengtong 1436–1449 Tianqi 1621–1627
of China by finally defeating Jingtai 1450–1457 Chongzhen 1628–1644
the Southern Song in 1279. Tianshun 1457–1464
(Zhengtong restored)
Kublai Khan 1279–1294 Chenghua 1465–1487
Temur Oljeitu 1294–1307 Hongzhi 1488–1505
Khaishan 1308–1311
Ayurbarwada 1311–1320
Shidebala 1321–1323
THE HISTORY OF CHINA 59
Western Zhou Dynasty Eastern Zhou Dynasty Qin Dynasty

1066–771 BC 770–221 BC 221–206 BC
The Zhou founded their capital at Spring and Autumn 770–475 BC Qin Shi Huang 221–210 BC
Chang’an (Xi’an). They continued Er Shi 210–207 BC
some Shang traditions, but Warring States 475–221 BC
reorganized the political system,
dividing the nobility into grades.
The Zhou dynasty ruled at its
The feudal system of the Western
eastern capital of Luoyang
Zhou broke down after the capital
alongside numerous rival states.
was sacked and the king slain.
This long period of almost constant
warfare was brought to an end
when the Qin emerged victorious. Statue of attendant
from the tomb of
Qin Shi Huangdi
Period of Disunity Sui

220–589 581–618
China was divided into the warring Wei, Wu, China was once more
and Shu kingdoms. The Wei briefly re-united united by the short and
China under the Western Jin (280–316), the decisive rule of the Sui.
first of the six Southern Dynasties (280–589),
with their capital at Jiankang (Nanjing). Wendi 581–604
The north was ruled by a succession of Yangdi 604–617
ruling houses – the 16 Kingdoms (304–439). Gongdi 617–618
The nomadic Toba Wei set up the Northern
Wei dynasty, the first of five Northern
Dynasties (386–581) with a capital first
at Datong, then at Luoyang.
Emperor Wendi’s flotilla

on the Grand Canal
Northern Song Southern Song

960–1126 1127–1279
Taizu 960–976 Shenzong 1068–1085 Gaozong 1127–1162
Taizong 976–997 Zhezong 1086–1101 Xiaozong 1163–1190
Zhenzong 998–1022 Huizong 1101–1125 Guangzong 1190–1194
Renzong 1022–1063 Qinzong 1126–1127 Ningzong 1195–1224
Yingzong 1064–1067 Lizong 1225–1264
Duzong 1265–1274
Gongdi 1275
Duanzong 1276–1278
Di Bing 1279
Painting by
Emperor Huizong
Qing
1644–1911
Shunzhi 1644–1661
Kangxi 1661–1722
Yongzheng 1723–1735
Qianlong 1736–1795
Jiaqing 1796–1820
Daoguang 1821–1850
Xianfeng 1851–1861
Tongzhi 1862–1874
Guangxu 1875–1908
Xuantong (Pu Yi) 1909–1912
Emperor Zhengde’s love of leisure Imperial dragon detail on the back

led to a relaxation of imperial control of a eunuch’s official court robe
Foundation of Imperial China The Han empire expanded with regions

The Warring States period was finally of Central Asia, Vietnam, and Korea
brought to an end as the Qin emerged being brought under Chinese control.
victorious. In 221 BC, Qin Shi pronounced In 138 BC, General Zhang Qian was sent
himself the first emperor (huangdi) of China to establish diplomatic links with Central
and ruled over a short yet decisive period Asia and returned with tales of rich
of history. The Qin state was based on pastures and “heavenly horses.” The fine
the political theories of Legalism, which thoroughbreds of Ferghana (in modern
established the role of the ruler as Uzbekistan) were traded in exchange
paramount and espoused a for Chinese silk, starting the flow of
system of collective responsibility. goods along the fabled Silk Road
Following unification, Qin Shi (see pp470–71).
conscripted thousands of workers Han rule was briefly interrupted
to join together the defensive as Wang Mang seized power in
walls to the north, creating the AD 9, only to be restored by
Great Wall. He standardized the Guang Wudi (r. AD 25–57),
system of money, and weights who established the Eastern
and measures, and laid the Archer from Qin Han capital in Luoyang. Once
foundations for a legal system. terracotta army more, the Han expanded
A ruthless ruler, Qin Shi died in the Chinese territory. Paper was
belief that his famous terracotta army by now in use for much official
would protect him in the afterlife from documentation and the first Chinese
his numerous enemies. dictionary was produced. Buddhism
The founding of the Han dynasty (206 BC– began its spread to China with the first
AD 220) heralded a “golden age” in Chinese Buddhist communities being established
history. Emperor Gaodi (r. 206–195 BC) in Jiangsu province.
established the capital of the Western Han
(206 BC–AD 9) at Chang’an (Xi’an), and
retained much of the centralized
administration established by the Qin.
Subsequent emperors developed the civil
service examination to select able men for
state office. Han society was founded on
the principles propounded by Confucius,
and the Confucian classics formed the basis
of the civil service examination. Daoism
and yin-yang theory coexisted with
ancestor worship and would form the basis
of indigenous Chinese belief (see pp36–9). Chariot and footmen, impressed into a tomb’s brick, Han
213 BC Burning of 206 BC–AD 9 c. 139–126 BC Official envoy Zhang Qian establishes c. 100 First
books as part of Western Han capital first diplomatic and trading links of Silk Road dictionary, Shuo Wen,
process of established at Bronze produced with more
“unification” Chang’an (Xi’an) AD 2 First known census: horse and than 9,000 characters
57,671,400 individuals rider, Han
200 BC 100 BC 1 AD 100
165 BC First official 65 First mention of

221–206 BC Qin 25–220 Eastern
dynasty under first examinations for the Han dynasty Buddhist community
emperor, Qin Shi selection of civil servants capital at Luoyang established at court of
Prince Ying of Chu
Tomb figure, Qin
Sui emperors Yangdi and Wendi in a detail from Portraits of the 13 Emperors by Tang painter Yen Li Pen
Period of Division climate of relative stability, the south

From the rule of Hedi (r. AD 88–105), the became the economic and cultural center
Eastern Han declined. Civil war finally split as the population shifted to the Yangzi
the country in 220. The next 350 years were delta. Philosophy and the arts flourished
characterized by almost constant warfare alongside a renewed interest in Daoism
as China was ruled by over 14 short-lived and a growing interest in Buddhism.
dynasties and 16 “kingdoms.”
China was divided into the Northern and Unification and Stability
Southern dynasties (265–581), each region Following military successes against the
taking on its own distinct character. Foreign Liang and the Chen, the Northern Zhou
peoples took control of the north, such as the general Yang Jian (541–604) pronounced
Toba branch of the Xianbei, who founded himself emperor, taking the
the Northern Wei in 386. These name Wendi, and founded the
rulers were receptive to foreign Sui dynasty in 581. This brief but
ideas and religions, creating significant dynastic rule
some of the finest Buddhist established political and social
cave complexes first at Yungang, stability. Yang Jian undertook an
near their capital in Datong, and extensive program of works
from 494, at Longmen, when they including extending the Great Wall
moved their capital to Luoyang. Apsara from Buddhist cave, and the beginnings of the Grand
As foreign invaders took Northern Wei Canal. The second emperor,
control of the north, the Han Yangdi (569–617), restored
Chinese retreated south to establish their diplomatic relations with Japan and Taiwan
new capital at Jiankang (Nanjing). In a and extended trade to Central Asia.
Colossal Buddha at
190 Communications with 310 Massive 581–618 Sui dynasty,
Yungang Caves,
Central Asia are cut exodus of initiated by Wendi’s
Northern Wei
Chinese upper reunification of China
late 3rd c. Renewed interest classes to south
in Daoism
200 300 400 500 600
c. 7th C
220 Civil war 265–581 China divided 386–535 Northern Wei first c. 6th C
Woodblock
breaks out into Northern and of the ruling houses to First true
printing first
between the Southern dynasties adopt Buddhism porcelain
used in China
kingdoms of Wei, produced
Shu, and Wu
Tang Dynasty (618–907)

The Tang dynasty is widely regarded as one of China’s golden
ages, characterized by economic prosperity, territorial
expansion, and political stability. During this period China
reached its largest size to date: from Korea to Vietnam and
across Central Asia to southern Siberia. Trade flourished by
land and sea, stimulating the flow of luxury goods between
East and West. Foreign religions were tolerated and Buddhism Locator Map
gained popular and imperial patronage. The arts and Tang rule AD 750
literature of the Tang are still considered to be
among China’s finest, notably the famous
poets Li Bai and Du Fu.
This pottery figure,

decorated in three-
color or sancai glaze,
depicts life along the
Silk Road. Merchants
and pilgrims traveled
the legendary route The similar
bringing with them figures carry
objects crafted in typical attributes
of Avalokitesvara:
gold and silver, this one holds a
textiles, exotic foods, flower; the other a
and fine horses. vase and a sprig
of willow.
Foreign envoys,
including Koreans (the
figure on the right) and
Westerners (standing next
to the Korean), traveled to
the Tang court for
delegations and giving
tribute, as seen in this
tomb mural.
Ample draped robes,

typical of Tang style
This silver cup, part of

a hoard of buried
treasure dug up in
1970, shows distinct
Western influence,
although the relief decoration
is lavishly Tang.
Chang’an’s (Xi’an’s) elaborate city walls

enclosed a population of one million by the
7th century, making Chang’an the largest
city in the world. The cosmopolitan capital
was populated by Sogdians, Turks,
Uighur, Arabs, and Persians.
Emperor Taizong (r. 626–49)

was a great military strategist,
strengthening border protection
and establishing diplomatic and
trade links with foreign nations.
An overhaul of the civil service
examination system lead to
greater social mobility and
contributed to stable
government.
Inscriptions were written

for wealthy donors who
commissioned paintings
on behalf of themselves or
loved ones in order to Wu Zetian (r. 690–705), the only
accrue religious merit. empress in Chinese history,
manipulated her weak husband,
Avalokitesvara, one of Emperor Gaozong, and ruthlessly
the most popular eradicated her opposition. Despite
bodhisattvas, is identified her scandalous nature, she became
by the Amitabha Buddha a strong ruler and brought peace
in his crown.
and prosperity.
Emperor Xuanzong
(r. 712–56) or Minghuang,
the Brilliant Emperor, ruled
over a glorious period. A
great scholar and patron
of the arts, he poured
his wealth into temple
construction and founded
the Academy of Letters
(Hanlinyuan) in 754.
An Emperor’s Love and Demise

In his later years, the Xuanzong emperor
increasingly neglected his official duties
as he became infatuated with his
concubine, Yang Guifei. Intrigue and
factions at court bred instability and
in 750, General An Lushan, half-
Sogdian half-Turkish by descent,
seized control of the northeastern
frontier. In 755, An Lushan stormed
the capital forcing the court to flee for
Dunhuang Silks Sichuan. As they reached Mawai,
During the Tang dynasty, Buddhism Xuanzong’s troops mutinied and
gained popular and imperial demanded the emperor hand over Yang
support, particularly under the rule Guifei. She was strangled before his eyes,
of the devout Wu Zetian. Buddhist and the tragic story of their love affair has
communities became important been immortalized by poets. Although An
centers for the translation of sutras Lushan was eventually defeated, the Tang
dynasty fell into decline.
and the production of Buddhist
arts, such as the fine silk paintings
of Dunhuang. Yang Guifei’s plump figure became
a classic sancai form
Glory of the Tang of the Northern Song, the Ruzhen took

The Tang dynasty (AD 618–907) marks a control of the north and founded the Jin
high point in Chinese history (see dynasty. The Liao were forced westwards
pp62–3). During this golden to the region of the Tian mountain
age, China enjoyed an range in present-day Xinjiang,
extended period of peace where they established the
and prosperity. The arts Western Liao (1125–1211).
flourished and were enriched The rest of northwest China
by foreign styles, motifs, and was dominated by the
techniques such as Western Xia, a Tibetan-related
silverworking. Foreign people who recognized the
religions, such as Nestorian Sancai glazed horse, Tang Liao as their overlords.
Christianity, were tolerated
and coexisted alongside native Daoism and Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
Confucianism. Woodblock printing was (907–60)
invented by the Chinese some time during While the north of China was dominated
the 7th century and hastened the spread by the insurgence of semi-nomadic
of Buddhism. peoples from the steppe regions, the south
Following the An Lushan rebellion of 755, was ruled by a series of short military
the Tang became increasingly inward- dictatorships. The Song dynasty was
looking. The great Buddhist persecution of founded in 960 by Zhao Kuangyin, a
841–6 was symptomatic of a dynasty in military commander of the later Zhou
decline, it finally fell in 907. (951–960), whose imperial name became
Shizong. In the Yangzi delta and regions to
The Liao Dynasty (907–1125) the south, the Ten Kingdoms existed in
The Liao dynasty, which at its largest relative peace and stability and were
covered much of Mongolia, Manchuria, reunited by the Song in 979.
and northern China, was ruled by
semi-nomadic and pastoral people,
the Qidan. The Liao maintained a
dual administration, Qidan and
Chinese, and even a prime-
ministership, to ensure the survival
of their own customs and traditions
whilst utilizing the efficiency of Tang
structures of government. In 1115,
the Qidan were overthrown by
another semi-nomadic people, the
Ruzhen (Jurchen). With the support Painting of an official celebrating, Five Dynasties (923–38)
755–63 An Lushan
618–907 690–705 Empress rebellion drives 907–60 Period of 10th C
Tang Dynasty Wu Zetian rules emperor and court 806 Earliest dated division known as Gunpowder
heralds new as first empress from Chang’an printed manuscript, Five Dynasties and and firearms
golden age of China to Sichuan the Diamond Sutra Ten Kingdoms first used
700 750 800 850 900
661 Chinese 705 806–20 First 907–1125 Qidan people rule

administration in Famous banker’s bill northeastern China as the
Kashmir, Bokhara, poet Li Bai Liao dynasty, making Beijing
and the borders of born 770 Death of great their southern capital
eastern Iran poet Du Fu
Tang silver
The Song Dynasty (960–1279)

The Song presided over a period of cultural
brilliance and unprecedented growth in
urban life, during which the social makeup
of China fundamentally changed. Less
territorially ambitious than the Tang, the
Song stimulated economic development
through improved communications and
transportation. New industries based on
mass production began to emerge, notably
the porcelain industry based in Jiangxi
province. During the Southern Song, China
underwent an industrial revolution
producing raw materials such as salt and Illustration of Song Emperor Huizong, r. 1101–25
iron on a scale that would not be seen in
Europe until the 18th century. with the Song against the Liao, the Jin
In this buoyant economic climate a new invaded the Northern Song capital at
middle class emerged, stimulating demand Bianliang (Kaifeng), capturing Emperor
for the new range of consumer goods. Power Qinzong and forcing the court to flee
shifted from the aristocratic elite to govern- southwards. The capital of the Southern
ment bureaucrats, who spent their spare Song (1127–1279) was established at Lin’an
time practicing poetry, calligraphy, and (Hangzhou), south of the Yangzi.
painting. Collecting and connoisseurship led
to an artistic renaissance and the founding Jin Dynasty (1115–1234)
of the first imperial collections. Emperor The Jin were a semi-nomadic Tungusic
Huizong was a great patron of the arts who people originating from Manchuria. War
used ancient precedents and values to with the Song and persistent attacks from
buttress his own position. the Mongols resulted in a
Neo-Confucianism and a weakening of the Jin state,
renewed interest in Daoism which by the early 13th
marked a return to century formed a buffer state
indigenous beliefs and between the Song in the
traditional structures south and the Mongols in
of power. the north. In 1227, Mongol
The Northern Song and Chinese allied forces
repeatedly came under Early movable type, Song defeated the Jin and in 1234
attack from the Western Xia the Jin emperor committed
in the northwest and the Jin in the suicide. The Jin state was integrated into
northeast. Only 12 years after joining forces the rapidly expanding Mongol Empire.
1127–1279 Southern
960–1126 Northern Detail of Song dynasty with 1206–08
Song reunites China painting by capital at Hangzhou, 1154 First issue of Song and
and bases capital at Emperor after being forced paper money (Jin) Jin at war
Bianliang (Kaifeng) Huizong south by the Jin
950 1000 1050 1100 1150 1200
990–1227 Western Xia 1041–8 First attempts

1115–1234 Jin dynasty
people establish at printing with
founded in northeast 1214 Jin move capital
kingdom dominating movable type
China forcing Liao from Beijing to Kaifeng
northwest China westwards in Henan province
1090 First attested use of
compass on Chinese ships
Mongol Rule (1279–1368) merchant spent 21 years in the service

The Mongol leader Genghis Khan (see p477) of Kublai and his court.
united the various Mongol-speaking tribes The Mongols ruled through a form of
of the steppes and in 1215 conquered military government, in contrast to the
northern China. He divided his empire into bureaucratic civil service established by
four kingdoms, each ruled by one of his the Chinese. Although Chinese and
sons. His grandson Kublai Khan (r. 1260– Mongol languages were both used for
94), ruler of the eastern Great Khanate, official business, the Chinese were not
finally defeated the Southern Song in encouraged to take up official posts.
1279 and proclaimed himself Muslims from Central and
emperor of the Yuan dynasty. Western Asia took their place,
China now became part of a vast and the Chinese increasingly
empire which stretched from the retreated from official life.
East China Sea across Asia as far As there were no clear rules
as Poland, Hungary, and Bohemia. Buddhist deity, Yuan for succession, civil war broke out
Two capitals were maintained at in 1328 between Mongol nobles.
Dadu or Khanbalik (present-day Beijing) The secret societies of the Red Turbans and
and Yuanshangdu (Xanadu). The Silk the White Lotus led peasant rebellions and
Road opened once more, connecting in 1368 General Zhu Yuanzhang forced the
China to the Middle East and Medieval Mongols out of China, becoming the first
Europe. Direct contact was now made for emperor of the Ming dynasty.
the first time between the Mongol court
and European diplomats, Franciscan Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
missionaries, and merchants. According to The Ming (literally “brilliant”) dynasty was
the writings of Marco Polo, the Italian one of the longest and most stable periods
in China’s history. The founder of the Ming,
Zhu Yuanzhang, rose from humble
beginnings to become a general, ruling as
the Hongwu emperor (“Vast Military
Accomplishment”). During his reign,
Hongwu introduced radical changes to
both central and local government, which
he made binding on his successors. The
emperor’s role became more autocratic as
Hongwu dispensed with the position of
prime minister, taking direct responsibility
for overseeing all six ministries himself.
Hongwu appointed his grandson to be his
Genghis Khan (c.1162–1227), Persian miniature successor. Upon his death his son, the Prince
1215 1234 Jin emperor 1368–1644 Ming dynasty, 1403

Mongols commits suicide and founded by rebel leader Construction of
capture Jin integrated into General Zhu Yuanzhang Great Walls in
Beijing Mongol empire Mongol on North China
horseback
1250 1300 1350 1400
1227 Genghis Khan dies, 1328 Civil war

having united various 1279–1368 Kublai Khan
breaks out between
Mongol-speaking tribes defeats Southern Song and Mongol nobles
of the steppe rules China as emperor of Jade elephant,
the Yuan dynasty Ming
The existing battlements of the Great Wall, reinforced and joined together during the Ming dynasty
of Yan, who controlled the region around reached as far as the east coast of Africa. In
Beijing, led an army against his nephew, 1514 Portuguese traders first landed in China,
taking Nanjing and proclaiming himself purchasing tea, which then became a
Emperor Yongle (“Eternal Joy”). Yongle fashionable drink in European society.
(r. 1403–24) moved the capital to his power Porcelain provided ballast for the ships, and
base in Beijing, where he created a new city other luxury items were brought back along
based on traditional principles of Chinese with the cargo. Trade was dominated by the
city planning. At its core lay the Forbidden Dutch in the 17th century, only to be
City (see pp92–5), the imperial palace and surpassed by the British a hundred years
offices of government, surrounded by later. Jesuit missionaries, who arrived in the
a grid system of streets, with four 16th century, claimed few converts
imperial altars at the cardinal but gained access to the emperor
points. The entire city was walled and the inner court.
to provide both protection and The arts thrived under the
enclosure. In 1421, Beijing became Xuande emperor (r. 1425–35), an
the official capital and would artist and poet, who patronized the
remain so until the present day. The arts, notably the porcelain industry
Great Wall was reinforced, extended and at Jingdezhen. In literature, the late Ming
faced with brick during the Ming dynasty. is noted for its great dramas and classical
By the 15th century, China had become novels, such as Journey to the West (see
a significant maritime power, its ships p35). Philosophy of the time reinforced
dwarfing those of contemporary Europe. the Neo-Confucianism of the Song.
Blue and white porcelain, silk, and The late Ming was dominated
other luxury items were in high Wedding jewelry, Ming by peasant uprisings, incursions by
demand in the foreign markets of Japanese pirates and Mongolian
Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. tribes, and excessive eunuch power.
Yongle sent six maritime expeditions under Rebellions within China eventually joined
the Muslim eunuch admiral Zheng He, which with external forces to end Ming rule.
1425–35 Xuande
emperor becomes 1514 Portuguese land in 1573–1620 Wanli reign 1620 The
first Ming emperor China, becoming the first begins well but dynasty Taichang emperor
to patronize the Europeans to trade in tea Gilt bronze declines as emperor takes poisoned by
arts extensively and porcelain bowl, Ming little interest in duties eunuchs
1450 1500 1550 1600
1538 Jesuit father 1570 Popular 1601 Jesuit missionary

1420 Construction of Early 16th century Later Matteo Ricci enters novel Xi You Ji 1600s Dutch
Matteo Ricci allowed to
the Forbidden City in Ming monarchs neglect southern China (Journey to dominate
enter Beijing
Beijing completed duties of government and and begins the West) European trade
eunuch power increases missionary duties published with China
Qing Rule (1644–1911) determined to extend China’s borders

The Manchu leader Nurhachi established beyond those of the Tang, personally
the Later Jin in 1616, organizing the leading campaigns to Burma, Vietnam,
scattered tribes of the north into eight and Central Asia.
banner units (see pp438–9). In 1636, the During the 18th century, contact with
Manchu ruler Abahai changed the the West increased through Jesuit
name to Qing, literally “pure,” and missionaries and trade. By the mid-
prepared the way for the 18th century, the Chinese
capture of Beijing in 1644. sought to control trade by
Under Manchu control, China refusing all official contact
was once more ruled by a with Westerners and opening
foreign people. The Manchus only Canton to foreign mer-
were keen to adopt the chants. Pressure from European
Chinese method of rule, embassies increased as the
encouraging Chinese scholars British sent Lord Macartney
into the service of the new in 1792–4 to establish
empire. Dual administration Emperor Kangxi, r. 1661–1722 diplomatic relations and open
at national and provincial China to trade. China refused
levels meant Manchu and Chinese to grant a single concession to the British.
bureaucrats worked side by side using first
Manchu and later Chinese as the official The Decline of the Empire
languages of government. However, The 19th century is one of the most
despite the close interaction of Manchu turbulent periods of Chinese history, as
and Chinese, the ruling Manchus were internal uprisings, natural disasters, and the
careful to maintain a distinct separation in relentless encroachment of the West
order to protect their own privileges and culminated in the end of the empire.
cultural traditions. A succession of weak rulers were
The first emperors of the Qing were manipulated and controlled by the
enlightened rulers who presided over one
of the largest and most populous countries
in the world. The territorial aspirations of
the Kangxi emperor brought the regions
of Central Asia and southern Siberia once
more under Chinese control. Kangxi (see
p128) was succeeded by the Yongzheng
emperor. It was his fourth son, the
Qianlong emperor, “Lasting Eminence,”
(r. 1735–96) who heralded another golden
age. An ambitious ruler, Qianlong was Lord Macartney’s massive entourage arriving at Qianlong’s tent
1644–1800 Military expansion 1723–35 Kangxi’s son Yin The Shunzhi emperor, r. 1644–61
into Central Asia and Siberia; Zhen seizes power, 1747 Qianlong builds Yuanming
colonization of new territories ruling under name of Yuan (see p109) in Western style
Yunnan and Xinjiang Emperor Yongzheng
1650 1675 1700 1725 1750
1644–1911 1650 First 1661–1722 Rule of Kangxi 1735–96 Qianlong, a great

Manchus Catholic emperor. Appoints Jesuits to patron of the arts, rules over 1757 Chinese
establish Qing church in run Board of Astronomy another golden age restrict all foreign
dynasty Beijing trade to Canton
borders with Vietnam. In 1900 the Boxers

allied with imperial troops and attacked the
foreign legations in Beijing (see p439). An
eight-nation army defeated the onslaught,
and Cixi fled to Xi’an, blaming everything
on the emperor. The Chinese government
paid once more for the loss of life and
Cixi returned to Beijing until her death in
1908. The child emperor Pu Yi lived in the
Forbidden City as the last emperor until
his abdication. On 1 January 1912 the
A merchant testing tea quality in a Cantonese warehouse Republican leader Sun Yat-sen inaugurated
the Chinese Republic.
Dowager Empress Cixi, who ruled for much
of the late Qing from “behind the curtain.” From Empire to Republic
The Taiping Rebellion of 1850–64 devastated In the final years of the empire, many
south and central China (see p428). Chinese intellectuals recognized the need
Western powers, frustrated by the to modernize. Supporters of the Reform
reluctance of the Chinese to open to Movement of 1898 propounded the
foreign trade, brought the Chinese under adoption of Western technology and
increasing pressure. Keen to protect the education, and, following the Boxer
trade of opium from their colonies in India, Rebellion, a number of reforms were
the British engaged in the First adopted. Elected regional assemblies
Opium War (1840–42), which were set up, further undermining
culminated in the Treaty of the power of the Qing. In 1911
Nanjing, resulting in the the empire collapsed
opening of four new ports to completely. Sun Yat-sen (see
trade (known as “Treaty p303) was elected provisional
Ports”), the payment of huge President of China, but was
indemnities, and the ceding soon forced to resign in favor
of Hong Kong to Britain. of General Yuan Shikai, who
Following the Arrow War sought to become emperor.
(Second Opium War) with Britain Yuan was forced to back down
and France (1856), the European when governors revolted and he
forces divided China into “spheres Sun Yat-sen, 1866–1925 died soon after in 1916. China
of influence” – the British then came under the control of
strongest along the Yangzi and in Shanghai, a series of regional warlords until it was
the Germans controlling Shandong united once more with the founding of the
province, and the French controlling the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
1898 The
1796–1805 White 1816 Lord Amherst 1856–8 Arrow Guangxu emperor
1850–64
Lotus Rebellion leads British envoy War (Second imprisoned by
damages prestige and seeking to open Taiping Opium War) with 1900 Boxer
Empress Cixi
wealth of dynasty China to trade Rebellion Britain and France uprising
1775 1800 1825 1850 1875 1900

1792–4 Lord Macartney leads 1861 Empress 1908 Death
embassy to Beijing and Dowager Cixi begins of Empress
unsuccessfully attempts to establish “rule from behind Dowager Cixi
trade relations with England the screen”
Cixi’s nail 1894 Sino-
1840–42 First Opium
Jade pendant, Qing covers Japanese war
War with Britain
The Cultural Revolution

In 1965, Mao Zedong set in motion a chain of events that
were to unleash the turmoil now known as the Cultural
Revolution. Having socialized industry and agriculture,
Mao called on the masses to transform society itself – all
distinctions between manual and intellectual work were to
be abolished and class distinction disappear. The revolution
Children were encouraged to take
reached its violent peak in 1967, with the Red Guard part in the revolution. Their
spreading social unrest. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) enthusiasm led to the destruction
finally restored order, but the subsequent years were of family photographs and
characterized by fear, violence, and mistrust. possessions. In some cases, children
denounced their own parents.
The Red Guard

Mao appealed to students to form the Red Guard,
in whom he entrusted the fate of the revolution.
The movement rapidly gathered momentum and
the Red Guard, who raised Mao to godly status,
traveled China spreading Mao Zedong
“Thoughts,” smashing remnants of the past,
vandalizing temples, and wreaking havoc.
Mass public meetings were held as part of the

Socialist Education Movement, a precursor of the
Cultural Revolution intended to reverse “capitalist”
and “revisionist” tendencies perceived in social and
economic life. Everyone was required to attend.
An injured cadre is carried away after

being denounced. Shamings became The Little Red Book
the bench mark of public meetings. was essential to the Red
Many politicians and teachers were Guard and issued to
paraded and accused, leading to job every soldier under Lin
Biao’s command.
loss and, in some cases, suicide.
Demonstrating their opposition to

Soviet-style communism and their
support for Maoism, Red Guards
change a Beijing street sign in front of
the Soviet Embassy from East Yangwei
to Fanxiu Lu (Anti-Revisionism Road).
Model operas were the

pet project of Mao’s third
wife, Jiang Qing. She set
about creating a politically
correct revolutionary
culture. Many artists and
intellectuals were sent to
Lin Biao spread the study of the the countryside for
“Thoughts of Mao” and compiled the Little re-education.
Red Book, which became obligatory reading
for his army recruits. As head of the PLA, Lin
Biao provided essential military backing and
was Mao’s named successor. He died in a
plane crash over Siberia in 1971 amid
rumors of an imminent usurpation.
May 7 Cadre Schools were set up by the central

government in 1968. 100,000 officials plus 30,000
family members were sent to perform manual labor
and undergo ideological re-education. An
unknown number of lower-ranking cadres were
sent to thousands of other cadre schools.
Liu Shaoqi (right),

president from 1959–66,
was one of a number
of high officials to
be denounced,
imprisoned, and
paraded in “struggle
rallies.” He died from
his experiences.
Gang of Four
The Gang of Four, as they became known, orchestrated
attacks on intellectuals and writers, high officials, the
party, and the state and were responsible for some of the
worst excesses of the Cultural Revolution. Zhang
Chunqiao, critic and propagandist; Yao Wenyuan, editor-
in-chief of Shanghai Liberation Army Daily; Wang
Hongwen, a young worker; and Mao’s third wife Jiang
Qing, an ex-film star, dominated the political center
unchallenged until Mao’s death in 1976. Millions of
Chinese citizens watched their televized trial in 1980–81.
Jiang Qing, who was singled out by propagandists and
became one of the most hated figures in China, was
defiant until the end, railing against her prosecutors
throughout the trial. She took her own life in 1991, while
serving her life sentence. Lynched effigies of members of the Gang of
Four hanging from a tree
Yan’an, where the march ended, became

the new Communist Party headquarters
and would remain so until 1945.
Japanese Attack
Domestic turmoil laid China open to attack,
and in 1931 the Japanese occupied
Manchuria, founding the puppet state of
Manchukuo and placing the last Qing
Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975), leader of the KMT emperor, Pu Yi, at its head (see p452). By
1937 the Japanese had occupied much of
Communists and Nationalists northern China, Shanghai, and the Yangzi
After the fall of the empire, the political valley, ruthlessly taking cities, wreaking
landscape changed dramatically and became death and devastation. The Japanese were
dominated by two forces, the Nationalist finally driven from Chinese soil in 1945, and
Party or Kuomintang (KMT) and the Commu- China was plunged into civil war.
nist Party, founded in 1921. The Nationalists
were led first by Sun Yat-sen from his power The East Is Red
base in Guangzhou, then by General By 1947, the Communist policy of land
Chiang Kai-shek who seized power in 1926. reform was reaping rewards and gaining
In 1923 the two Parties formed a “united the support of people in the countryside. In
front” against the warlords, but in 1926 the 1948–9, the Communists gained decisive
Communists were expelled from the KMT. victories over the KMT. On 1 October 1949
Chiang Kai-shek led his army to Nanjing Chairman Mao pronounced the founding
where he tried to establish a Nationalist of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing.
capital, and betrayed the Communist-led Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan, establishing
workers of Shanghai who were massacred a Nationalist government and taking with
by underworld gangsters. The Communists him many imperial treasures.
were driven underground and Mao Zedong
retreated to the countryside.
High in the mountains of Jiangxi
province, Mao and Zhu De founded
the Jiangxi Soviet in 1930. From this
inaccessible base, the Communists began
to redistribute land to the peasants and
institute new marriage laws. In 1934,
Chiang Kai-shek drove the Communists
from the area, forcing Mao to embark on
the legendary Long March (see pp262–3). Communist poster depicting Mao surrounded by the masses
1912 Abdication 1921 Founding of the 1945 End of 1958 Radical reform of the 1965 Mao
of Emperor Pu Yi Chinese Communist Party World War II; Great Leap Forward launches
marks the end of Japan defeated Cultural
Imperial China 1937 Japanese take much 1947 Civil war breaks Revolution
of northern China out in China
1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960
1926 Chiang 1934 Mao leads the Red 1951–2 Rural co-ops
Kai-shek seizes Army on Long March established
leadership of 1949 Mao proclaims
National Party 1931 Japanese invasion
founding of People’s
of Manchuria
Last Emperor Pu Yi Republic of China
In the early years of the democracy movement

People’s Republic, the called for political reform
Chinese worked hard to and an end to corruption,
re-build a country but was brutally suppressed
devastated by 100 years of in Beijing’s Tian’an Men
turmoil. New laws sought Square and in other large
to redress inequities of the cities. Whilst many
past, redistributing land students and intellectuals
and outlawing arranged Zhou Enlai with President Nixon fled abroad, others remain
marriages. In 1957 the incarcerated in China’s
Party launched the Hundred Flowers move- jails. Deng Xiaoping pressed on with
ment, which initially encouraged freedom economic reform, and the 1990s saw the
of expression. Unprepared for the storm of opening of Special Economic Zones and
criticism which resulted, the Party promptly stock exchanges in Shenzhen and
branded intellectuals as “rightists” and sent Shanghai. By 1992, the economy had
them to the countryside for re-education. become one of the largest in the world.
Frustrated with the slow rate of change, Mao The unprecedented rate of economic
launched the Great Leap Forward in 1958. growth in the 1990s was matched by the
Large communes providing food and transformation of the landscape as traditional
childcare replaced the family, releasing buildings made way for modern highrises.
manual labor and improving productivity. The former colonies of Hong Kong and
But unrealistic productivity targets and the Macau were
falsification of statistics concealed the returned to China
disastrous effect of Mao’s experiment. and foreign
Agricultural failure coupled with natural investment
disasters resulted in the starvation of millions. flooded in, with
Having reformed agriculture and industry, entrepreneurs
Mao sought to transform society and prospering.
launched the Cultural Revolution in 1965 Disbanding the
(see pp70–71). The greatest excesses of the state economy
period were over by 1971, but the country has also spawned
was tightly controlled and directed until inequity, and the
Mao’s death in 1976. Deng Xiaoping emerged gap between rich Chinese traders on the Stock Exchange
as leader, implementing economic reforms and poor grows
which returned land to the peasants and increasingly wider. How the most populous
encouraged greater economic freedom. nation on earth resolves the many issues it
The economic liberalization of the 1980s faces is of compelling interest to the rest of a
stimulated the economy but was unmatched world on whose future a re-awakened China
by political freedom. On June 4,1989 a is going to have a massive impact.
Little Red Book 1993 Jiang Zemin 2003 Chinese launch first manned spacecraft;
1976 Mao dies becomes president; Hu Jintao becomes president
construction of Three
1978 Deng Xiaoping 2008 Beijing hosts
Gorges Dam begins
emerges as leader the Olympics
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
1989 Democracy movement 2001 China 2013 Xi Jinping takes

1997 Hong
suppressed in Tian’an Men Square admitted as over as president
Kong handed
member of World 2010 Shanghai hosts the 2010
back to China;
Trade Organization World Expo. Guangzhou also hosts
1972 President Nixon is first American Macau, two
president to visit China years later the Asian Games.
BEIJING & THE
NORTH
Introducing Beijing &

the North 76–83
Beijing 84–125
Hebei, Tianjin & Shanxi 126–145
Shandong & Henan 146–165
Shaanxi 166–177
76 BEIJING & THE NORTH
Beijing & the North

at a Glance
Threaded by the Yellow River and the Great Wall, China’s
north encompasses the six provinces of Hebei, Tianjin,
Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, and Shaanxi, as well as Beijing,
the nation’s capital. From this vast domain, six ancient
capitals governed China, leaving behind a wealth of
dynastic sites, such as Beijing’s magnificent Forbidden Jining
City, the Terracotta Army near Xi’an, and the Buddhist
carvings at Longmen and Yungang. The region’s religious
Practicing tai ji quan, Temple of
sites include the Daoist peaks of Hua Shan and Tai Shan, the Heaven, Beijing
Buddhist Wutai Shan, and the Shaolin Temple. Along the Yanggao
coast are the ports of Tianjin and Qingdao, preserves of Datong

European architecture, and Shanhaiguan, where the
Great Wall meets the sea. Baotou Shuozhou
Wutai Shan
3058m
Shenmu
River
Yuanping
o w
Yulin ell
Y
Yinchuan Guandi Shan

Hengshan 2831m
Linxian Yangquan
Taiyuan
Dingbian Lüliang Jinzhong
Jingbian Suide
S H A N X I
Wuqi Jiexiu Pingyao
Yanchuan
Yan’an Huozhou
Vividly painted cave interior at the
Yungang Caves, Datong, Shanxi Changzhi
Fuxian Jixian
Linfen
Yichuan
Luochuan Hejin
Li Shan
2322m Xinxiang
Tongchuan Jiaozuo
Yuncheng
Lanzhou S H A A N X I Sanmenxia
Weinan Zhengzhou
Luoyang
Baoji Lingbao
Xianyang Xi’an Songxian
Fengxian
Taibai Shan
3767m Shangzhou
HENAN
Shouyang
Shan Laojun Shan
Lüeyang 2720m 2192m Pingdingshan
Hanzhong Zhen’an
Shiquan Xixia
Ningqiang
Nanyang
Guangyuan
Zhenba Ziyang Ankang
Pingli
Key Xiangfan
Getting Around
Expressway
Beijing has good air, rail, and bus links to the surrounding
Main road
region. There are daily flights to Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu,
Chongqing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Hangzhou, and Minor road
Hong Kong. Express trains link Beijing directly with all the Main railroad
region’s large cities, while many smaller towns are served by Other railroad
slower trains. Tianjin is a major north–south rail junction. Provincial border
There is also a comprehensive long-distance bus service,
Summit
while faster private buses ply the popular tourist routes.
Colorful pavilions in Bei Hai Park, Beijing
INTRODUCING BEIJING & THE NORTH 77
Chifeng
Weichang
Guyuan
Fengning
Zhangbei
Chengde
Pingquan
Zhangjiakou BEIJING
Xuanhua Qinglong
Xinglong HEBEI, TIANJIN
Huailai BEIJING & SHANXI
SHI
Xiaowutai Shan Qinhuangdao
2882m SHANDONG
Beijing
Yuxian & HENAN
Tangshan
Zhuozhou
TIANJIN SHAANXI
Laiyuan SHI
Jinghai Tianjin
Baoding
Bohai
Wan Bo Hai
HEBEI Cangzhou
Shijiazhuang Botou Penglai
Yantai Weihai
Laizhou
Dongying Wan Rongcheng
Dezhou Binzhou
Laiyang
Shidao
Xingtai
Zibo Weifang Haiyang
Linqing Jinan
Handan Boshan
Liaocheng S H A N D O N G Qingdao
Anyang Tai’an
Zhucheng Jiaonan
r Suncun
ve Yishui
Ri Qufu
w Rizhao
llo
Ye
Jining Linyi Andongwei
Heze
Kaifeng Zaozhuang
Lianyungang
0 km 150
Shangqiu
Xuzhou
0 miles 150
Yongcheng
Zhoukou
Luohe
Bengbu
Queshan
Xixian
Huangchuan
Xinyang
Shangcheng Hefei
Wuhan
The imposing Great White Dagoba at Tayuan Si, Wutai Shan, Shanxi
A PORTRAIT OF BEIJING
& THE NORTH
The Yellow River, the wellspring of Chinese culture and civilization, carves a
course through the country’s parched northern terrain, the historic homeland
of the Han Chinese and location of the most significant monuments. Thus most
visitors to the Middle Kingdom usually concentrate on these historic sites,
beginning with the nation’s capital, Beijing.
For millennia, the Yellow River (Huang He) Manchuria. Although the Great Wall
has nurtured the communities strung was built as a defensive fortification, it
along its banks while sporadically washing could not prevent the hordes of nomadic
away their settlements. The great river tribes, the so-called “barbarians,” from
flows through the provinces of Shaanxi, entering China.
Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong, often Neolithic finds and archeological sites
forming a natural boundary between wrote the province of Henan into the
provinces. It also features in the names earliest pages of Chinese history. Here,
of Henan (South of the River) and Hebei South of the Yellow River, Luoyang and
(North of the River). In its long and looping Kaifeng are two of the country’s most
journey it traverses a land rich in historic important dynastic capitals; another
sights and cities, before spilling into Bo Hai ancient city, Anyang, was capital of the
(Bo Sea), north of the sacred mountain, Tai Shang dynasty. However, it is Xi’an in
Shan. Occasionally, it comes across the Shaanxi province that is more eclipsed
vestiges of that other barrier, the Great by its past than any other ancient capital.
Wall. Now a largely disintegrating bastion, Xi’an’s most magnificent treasure is the
the wall crawls across the face of north Terracotta Army (see pp174–5), created to
China, a reminder of the region’s guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the
vulnerable position so close to the border Qin emperor who unified China. However
with Inner Mongolia and erstwhile Xi’an reached its zenith during the Tang
The Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha overlooking Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace, Beijing
The modern skyline of Qingdao, Shandong province on China’s east coast
dynasty (see pp62–3), prospering because industrialized but there are still many
of its position at the eastern end of the Silk sights that demand attention, such as
Road. The Grand Mosque and sizable the Buddhist monastery of Chongshan
Muslim population testify to Si (see p143), the holy mountain
Xi’an’s cosmopolitan grandeur Tai Shan, and the port of Tianjin,
during that time. Hebei’s former capital. Despite
Toward the end of the 13th modernization, Tianjin has
century, the Mongol Kublai preserved its European
Khan established Beijing as his architecture, a legacy of its
capital. But it was only in 1407, past as a foreign trading post.
when the Ming Emperor The Buddhist sculptures at the
Yongle moved his seat of UNESCO World Heritage Site of
power here, that Beijing the Longmen Caves in Luoyang
achieved imperial status. (see pp160–61) are remarkable,
Still organized along its grand Lighting incense sticks at while Shandong is best known
Ming and Qing dynasty lines, Beijing’s Lama Temple for Qufu, the birthplace of
it is a city of straight, wide Confucius (see p149), the eminent
boulevards and narrow, winding alleys philosopher-sage, whose teachings –
around an ancient palatial core, the which greatly influenced Chinese culture
Forbidden City. The temples and palaces – are acceptable once more.
are today complemented by slick
shopping streets and the commercial
buzz of a people coming into their
own in the 21st century.
The two adjoining provinces of
Hebei and Shanxi are griddles in
summer and iceboxes in winter,
although Hebei’s eastern seaboard
towns benefit from cooling sea
breezes. Shanxi, on the other hand,
is sometimes affected by seasonal
sand storms blowing in from the
Gobi Desert. Hebei’s fertile soil and
productive agrarian economy contrast
with landlocked Shanxi’s mineral-rich The kind of scenery that has inspired Chinese poets and artists for
terrain. Both provinces are heavily thousands of years, Hua Shan, Shaanxi
Beijing Opera
One among many hundreds of local operas across China,
Beijing Opera began in the Qing dynasty. It is said that
Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736–96), on a tour of the south, was
rather taken by the operas of Anhui and Hebei and brought
these troupes back to Beijing, where a new form of opera
was established. The Guangxu emperor and Dowager
Empress Cixi were also keen devotees and helped develop
the art form. Beijing Opera has proved remarkably resilient,
surviving the persecution of actors and the banning of most
of the plays during the Cultural Revolution. Emperor Qianlong, credited with
starting Beijing Opera
Beijing Opera
Visually stunning and with a distinct
musical style, the plays are based on
Chinese history and literature. Beijing
Opera is a form of “total theater” with
singing, speech, mime, acrobatics, and
symbolic visual effects.
Monkey is one
of the favorite
characters – clever,
resourceful, and
brave. He appears
in Chinese classic
literature (see p35).
The colors of the painted faces

symbolize the individual
character’s qualities. Red, for
example, represents loyalty and
courage; purple, solemnity and a
sense of justice; green, bravery
and irascibility.
Riding a horse is The acrobatics of Beijing Opera combine

represented by raising a graceful gymnastics and movements from
tasseled horsewhip. Other the martial arts. Training is notoriously hard.
actions and movement on The costumes are designed to make the
the stage are similarly jumps seem more spectacular by billowing
stylized rather than realistic. out as they spin.
Musical Instruments
Despite the dramatic visual elements of Beijing Opera,
the Chinese say that they go to “listen” to opera, not to
see it. The importance of the musical elements should
not therefore be underestimated. Typically six or seven
instrumentalists accompany the opera. The stringed
instruments usually include the erhu or Chinese two-
stringed violin, sanxian or three-stringed lute, and moon Gong
guitar, or possibly pipa (traditional lute). The main function
of the instruments is to accompany the singing. Percussion
instruments include clappers, gongs, and drums. These are
used largely to punctuate the action; movement and sound
are intimately linked. Wind instruments also sometimes
feature, such as the Chinese horn, flute, and suona. Suona Pipa Erhu
Mei Lanfang was the foremost

interpreter of the female role type or
dan during the opera’s heyday in the
1920s and 1930s. Traditionally all female
roles were played by male actors,
although that has now changed.
The Four Main Roles

There are four main role types in Beijing
Opera: the sheng (male) and dan
(female) roles have naturalistic make-
up. The jing or “painted faces,” in
contrast, have stylized
Chou: with a patterned, colored faces,
Sheng: these may be white patch on his while the chou are comic
young or old, with face, the chou is characters.
beard or without. usually dim but
amusing.
Dan: there are six
parts within this
role, from virtuous
girl to old woman.
Jing: the most striking

looking, they also have the
most forceful personality.
Regional Food: Beijing & the North

Communities developed beside the Yellow River before 6000 BC,
but it is not until about 1500 BC, when written records started,
that a picture of the dietary habits of the ancient Chinese
becomes clear. They kept pigs and grew millet, wheat, barley, and
rice and even fermented their grain to make alcoholic beverages.
Later (around 1100 BC), soybeans were added to the Chinese
diet, soon followed by by-products such as soy sauce and
beancurd (tofu). Beijing never had a distinctive cuisine of its own,
Chinese cabbage
but as the center of the empire it imported elements and
influences from a variety of sources.
abalone, all imported from Shandong

the south – feature, as well as As the birthplace and home of
artistic presentation and poetic Confucius, the cuisine of Shan-
names. Imperial cuisine can be dong is generally regarded as
summed up as the distillation the oldest and best in China.
of the creations of generations Shandong has produced the
of Imperial Palace chefs over largest number of famous
almost a millennium. master chefs, and it is even said
Marinated, Steamed
roast duck pancakes
Candied apples on the street, a feature of

northern cuisine
The Palace Kitchen
Kublai Khan made Beijing the
capital in 1271 and brought
simple Mongolian influences
to the northern Chinese cuisine
– lamb, roasting, and the hot
Scallions
pot. Prior to that, the national
capitals had been centered
around the Yellow River valley
in Xi’an, Luoyang, or Kaifeng. Sliced
Hoisin sauce
Elaborate preparation and cucumber
expensive ingredients – shark’s
fin, bird’s nest soup, and A whole Peking duck with traditional accompaniments
Regional Dishes and Specialties

Peking duck – an imperial meal – must be the
best known dish in north Chinese cuisine. The
duck, a local Beijing variety, is carefully dried, and
then brushed with a sweet marinade before
being roasted over fragrant woodchips.
Finally it is carved by the chef and eaten
wrapped in pancakes with a special duck
sauce, slivered scallions, and cucumbers.
To accompany the duck, diners might also be
Duck pears – like served duck-liver pâté, and duck soup to finish.
a duck’s head Another specialty of the region is Mongolian
Hotpot; a simple one-pot dish which suited the
nomadic way of life. Other regional specialties are made with local Mu Shu Pork: stir-fried tiger lily
resources – carp from the Yellow River, king prawns and yellow buds, scrambled egg, black
croakers from the coast of Shandong, and not forgetting the fungus, and shredded pork –
aromatics – garlic, leeks, and scallions. eaten with pancakes.
that the iron wok originated

here as well. Shandong cuisine
is popular in Beijing. As one of
the most important agricultural
areas of China, Shandong
supplies Beijing with most of its
food; its main crops are wheat,
barley, sorghum, millet, and
corn as well as soybeans and
peanuts. Additionally, fisheries
are widely developed along
the Yellow River and the north
China coast, particularly around
the rocky Shandong peninsula
where the specialties are fish,
prawns, shellfish, abalones, Some of the wide variety of foods on display at a night food market
sea slugs, and sea urchins.
Fruits are also a Shandong Russian and Japanese On the Menu
specialty, and wines and beers influences. Hence you will find
– especially the famous a large number of beef and Drunken Empress Chicken
Tsingtao beer (see p152) – lamb dishes here, and the city Supposedly named after Yang
are exported worldwide. is famous for its dumplings. Guifei, an imperial concubine
overly fond of her alcohol.
Stir-Fried Kidney-Flowers
Mongolian and These are actually pork kidneys
Muslim Cuisine criss-cross cut into “flowers”
The Chinese Muslim school of and stir-fried with bamboo
shoots, water chestnuts,
cooking derives mainly from
and black fungus.
the Hui, the Uighur, and the
Mongolian minorities. The Hui Fish Slices with Wine Sauce
are distributed throughout Deep-fried fish fillet braised in a
China, but their traditional area wine sauce.
The art of pouring tea, shown of settlement is in the north. Phoenix-Tail Prawns King
in a Beijing restaurant The Uighur are mainly in the prawn tails coated in batter and
northwest, while the Mongols bread crumbs, then deep-fried.
Tianjin are traditionally nomadic and Lamb in Sweet Bean Sauce
One of the largest cities in spread throughout the north. Tender fillet of lamb sliced and
China, Tianjin occupies a rather As Muslims they do not eat cooked in sweet bean paste with
unique position in Chinese pork, so beef, lamb, and vinegar to give it that classic
cuisine. As a treaty port, Tianjin mutton cooked on skewers are sweet and sour taste.
has acquired a cosmopolitan important foods in their daily Hot Candied Apples A popular
nature in many aspects of its diet. Handmade noodles and Chinese dessert.
daily life, particularly showing flatbreads also feature.
Lamb and Scallions: sliced Mongolian Hotpot: thinly Sweet and Sour Carp: the
lamb rapidly stir-fried with sliced lamb, vegetables, and quintessential Shandong dish
garlic, leeks or scallions, and noodles dipped in boiling water traditionally made with Yellow
sweet bean paste. and an array of sauces. River carp.
BEIJING
The capital of the People’s Republic of China is one
of the world’s largest cities, with a population of
around 20 million. Beijing first became an imperial
capital during the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1279–
1368), and both the Ming and Qing emperors ruled
from the Forbidden City at its heart. Today, an all-pervading
spirit of change has added an exciting new dimension to the city.
Expanding in concentric rings from bustling mix of affluent shoppers, trendy

the Forbidden City at its core, the grid-like youths, beggars, and plain-clothes police.
layout of modern-day Beijing still echoes Shopping is a popular pastime for middle-
its Ming dynasty blueprint. Old Beijing class Beijingers, and the capital offers some
survives in its temples, palaces, and old of the glitziest malls and most fashionable
alleyways (hutong) that crisscross the city brand stores in Asia. Bars and cafés
outside the second ring road, which itself proliferate, and entertainment options
charts the loop of the demolished City range from traditional Beijing Opera and
Wall. Within this ancient outline are huge spectacular acrobatics to modern jazz and
avenues, vaulting flyovers, towering even raucous punk clubs. In the capital’s
modern skyscrapers, shopping malls, and many restaurants, China’s diverse cuisine
the vast expanse of Tian’an Men Square. can be sampled across its range – from
The city that the 13th-century Mongol the fierce spices of Sichuan to the dainty
warlord Genghis Khan once put to the morsels of Cantonese dim sum.
torch is undergoing a new, dramatic face On the roads, the city’s army of bicycles
lift, as a result of the culmination of a is under pressure from the huge influx of
quarter-century of reform, the pressures of new cars and, indeed, are banned on the
a growing population, and the 2008 main roads, but for the time being pedal
Olympics. Beijing is a microcosm of power is still one of the best ways to
modern China and all its contradictions, a get around.
Pleasure cruise on Kunming Lake, Summer Palace

The Long Corridor, in Beijing’s Beihai Park
AN LU
X U E Y UA N N
Exploring Beijing
DALIUSH
Beijing’s most significant sights and districts are
U LU
SI D A
DA HUIS I L U
marked on this map. At the core is the Forbidden
OKO
AN LU GA
City, with Tian’an Men Square and Qian Men N N
Z H O NG GU ANC UN
U LU
OL
UA IA
EY NG
NAN D A JIE
QI
to the south, and the sprawling shopping district XU AO
M IN ZU
XIE
JIE
of Wangfujing to its east. North of the Forbidden Beijing North
ZIZ Train Station
City stand the Drum and Bell Towers and farther
X I S A NH U A N B E I L U
HU BEIJING
YUA ZOO
N LU XIZHI MEN WA
northeast is the Buddhist Lama Temple. North I DAJIE Xizhi Men
Bus Terminal
N WAI Beijing
of Beihai Park, Prince Kung's Mansion stands in X I ZH I ME JIE Zoo
BEILISHI LU
NAN
a historic hutong quarter, the old alleyways that

CHEGONG ZH U A NG XI D AJIE C HEG O N G ZHUANG DAJIE
Z HAN L A N G U A N LU
riddle the city. To the south, Tian Tan, known as
the Temple of Heaven, is a majestic example of B A I WA N Z H UA N G DAJIE
Ming dynasty architectural design. Beijing’s
environs are also dotted with impressive sites FUCHENG LU
F U C H E N G M E N WAI DAJIE
including the magnificent Great Wall and the
SA N L I H E L U
scenic Ming Tombs. YUYUAN TAN PARK
Y U E TA N B E I JI E
Yuyuan Tan
Y UETA N
DONGLU
ISHI LU
X I J IE
(SONG
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NANL
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Greater Beijing CHILDREN'S
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F U XI N G LU Lu
Miyun F UXI N G M E N
Hu
W A I D A J IE
X IB I A N M E N
WA I D A J I E
Miyun
Huairou
Changping LIANHUACHI
BEIJING SHI
XIBIAN MEN NEI

DONG LU
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Beijing
D AJ I E
International Airport
Mentougou
GUANG'AN
Tongxian HEBEI
Liangxiang 0 km 20
Daxing 0 miles 20
Tianjin
Sights at a Glance
Historic Buildings, Sites, & Museums & Galleries k White Tower Temple
Neighborhoods c Great Bell Temple
2 National Museum of China
1 Tian’an Men Square pp88–9 . Tanzhe Temple
5 Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
3 Qian Men u National Art Museum of China Shops & Markets
4 Underground City p Southeast Corner Watchtower
i Wangfujing Street
6 Dazhalan and Liulichang a Beijing Natural History Museum
8 Forbidden City pp92–5 d Capital Museum Parks & Zoos
q Prince Kung's Mansion j Military Museum of the
9 Jing Shan Park
w Drum and Bell Towers Chinese People’s Revolution 0 Bei Hai Park
o Ancient Observatory
Temples, Churches, & Mosques t Di Tan Park
z Summer Palace pp106–8
l Beijing Zoo
x Yuanming Yuan 7 South Cathedral
v Xiang Shan Park
b Ming Tombs pp110–11 e Lama Temple
n Great Wall of China pp112–15 r Confucius Temple
m Eastern Qing Tombs y Dong Yue Miao
, Marco Polo Bridge s Temple of Heaven pp102–3
/ Peking Man Site f Cow Street Mosque
! National Olympic Stadium g Fayuan Temple
@ Chuandixia h White Clouds Temple
BEIJING 87
D X I Z H I ME N B E I D A J I E
E P I N GLI XI JIE
W E NH U I YU A N LU XINJIEKOU BEI DAJIE DI TAN
PARK
Anding H
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D E S H ENG M E N N E I D A J I E
BEI LUOGU
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DAJIE
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Xizhi XIZ H I M E N N E I D AJIE Men
Dong Zhi Men
NAN DAJIE
Men
X I N J IE K O U
GU LO U D O NG DA J I E
LIUYIN
Xing DONG ZHI MEN NEI DAJIE

N A N X I AO JIE
Bus Terminal
NAN LUOGU
DI' A N M E N W A I
X I Z H I M EN
N A N D AJIE
Jie Kou
DONG ZHI MEN

XIZHI M EN
XIANG
DAJIE
Qian
NAN DAJIE
JIE
Hai DONG SI SHI SAN T I AO

Ping’Anli Dong Si
TI Y U CH A N G D O N G L U
Zhangzi Zhong Lu Shi Tiao
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D I ' A N M E N X I D AJ IE
XI H UAN G C H E N G G E N
PIN G 'AN D AJIE DI'AN MEN

O DAJI
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FUCHENG MEN NEI Dong Si
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PICAI HUTON G LINGJ I NG
DONGDAN
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JINRONE JIE
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Hutong Nan Hai Tian'an D ONG ZO N G BU
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Buses Men Dong HUTON G

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to Airport Men Xi
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Tour D O N G JIE
Heping Bus Terminal Bus Station
W
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Men Qian Men

U M QIAN MEN Beijing
EN XI DAJIE XI DAJIE Q I A N M E N D ON G
Train Station
GX I E J I E Xuanwu QI A N M E N X I HEYA N JI DAJIE Chongwen
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Taoranting Bus Terminal

Y O U ' A N MEN N E I DAJIE
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T AI P I N G JI E
B AI Z H I F A N G TAO R A N T I N
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Taoranting
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Dong Men
DO N G BINHE L U Y O NG DI NG M EN DONG B I N H E L U
YOU'A N MEN
Getting Around
A system of ring roads encircles the city
center, and the best way to explore this
Key area is by taxi, by subway, or by bicycle
National expressway (see pp620–21). The bus service, though
Main road extensive, is generally slow and
overcrowded. Organized tours are another
Provincial border
option for a quick overview of the sights.
Great Wall of China Most hotels and agencies operate tour
buses for visiting sights outside Beijing,
although hiring a taxi for the day allows
for greater flexibility.
1 Street-by-Street: Tian’an Men Square

Tian’an Men Guangchang – the Square of the Gate of Heavenly
Peace – is a vast open concrete expanse at the heart of
modern Beijing. With Mao’s Mausoleum at its focal point, and
bordered by 1950s Communist-style buildings and ancient
gates from Beijing’s now leveled city walls, the square is
usually filled with visitors strolling about as kites flit overhead.
The square has also traditionally served as a stage for popular
demonstrations and is most indelibly associated with the
student protests of 1989 and their gory climax. The busy Chang’an Jie, Beijing
Great Hall of the People

Seat of the Chinese legislature, the vast
auditorium and banqueting halls are open for
part of the day, except when the National
People’s Congress is in session.
Q
IA
N
M
EN
D
A
JI
E
. Zhengyang Men
Along with the Arrow Tower this tower
formed a double gate known as the Qian
Men. It now houses a museum on the
history of Beijing.
The Arrow Tower or Jian Lou,

like Zhengyang Men, was first
built in the Ming dynasty.
. Mao’s Mausoleum
Flanked by revolutionary statues, the building
contains the embalmed body of Chairman
Mao. His casket, raised from its refrigerated
chamber, is on view mornings and afternoons..
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p558 and pp572–3
BEIJING 89
. Tian’an Men
Mao proclaimed the
founding of the People’s
Republic of China on BEIJING
October 1, 1949 from this
Ming dynasty gate,
Tian’an Men
where his huge portrait Square
still remains.
Locator Map
See Beijing Street Finder Map 3
0 meters 20
0 yards 20
The national flag is

raised at dawn and
C
lowered at dusk
H
A
every day.
N
G
Á
N
J
IE
China National Museum

Built in 1959, this building was originally
home to the Museum of Chinese History
and the Museum of the Revolution, now
merged. It reopened to great fanfare in
2011 after three years of renovation. The
halls also host exhibitions from other
world-class museums.
Bags, coats, and cameras
must be left here before
visiting Mao’s Mausoleum.
Monument to the People’s Heroes

Erected in 1958, the granite monument
is decorated with bas-reliefs of episodes
from China’s revolutionary history and
calligraphy by Communist veterans
Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai.
Its museum has dioramas of the

old city walls, and photographs
of Beijing’s old streets.
P Zhengyang Men
Tel (010) 6522 9386. Open daily. &
4 Underground City
62 Xi Damo Hutong. Map 4 D2. q

Qian Men. Tel (010) 6702 2657.
Closed to the public.
At the height of the Sino-Soviet

Zhengyang Men, Qian Men – part of Beijing’s central fortifications rift in the 1960s, Mao Zedong
gave orders to carve out a vast
2 National Museum 3 Qian Men network of bombproof tunnels
of China beneath Beijing. The resulting
maze of tunnels was equipped
Qian Men Dajie. Map 3 C2. q Qian with weapons, hospitals, and
Tian’an Men Square. Map 4 D. q Men. Open 8:30am–3:30pm daily. & large stocks of water and food.
Tian’an Men Dong. Tel (010) 6511 The Underground City has been
6440. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. = Qian Men, or the Front Gate, open to visitors in the past,
- ∑ chnmuseum.cn consists of two but it is now closed
towers, the due to damaged and
The National Museum of Zhengyang Men, blocked tunnels.
China reopened in 2011 after on the southern
a three-year program of edge of Tian’an War Hospital sign,
renovation. Reported to be the Men Square, and Underground City 5 Beijing
largest museum in the world, the Jiao Lou (Arrow Planning
it now stands at more than Tower) just to the south.
2 million sq ft (191,900 sq m), Zhengyang Men (Facing the Exhibition Hall
with 49 rooms holding around a Sun Gate) was the most
million cultural relics, including imposing of the nine gates of 20 Qian Men Dong Dajie. Map 3 C2.
the cowboy hat worn by Deng the inner city wall that divided q Qian Men. Tel (010) 6701 7074.
Xiaoping on a trip to the United Beijing’s imperial quarters in Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun, last entry
States and other noteworthy the Forbidden City from the 4pm. & - ∑ bjghzl.com.cn
artifacts. Two permanent “Chinese City,” where, during
exhibitions cover China’s the Manchu Qing dynasty, the This impressive museum, just
ancient history and from 1840 Chinese inhabitants lived. east of the historic Qian Men
to the present day, although the Rising 131 ft (40 m), the gate area, offers a glimpse into what
chaos of the Cultural Revolution stands on the north–south axis Beijing’s future has in store. The
is glossed over with just a that runs through Tian’an Men highlight is a huge scale model
single photograph. Square and the Forbidden City. of what the city should look
Beijing’s City Walls

The earliest defensive walls around Beijing (then called
Yanjing, later Zhongdu) were erected in the Jin dynasty
(1115–1234) and modeled on the wall around Kaifeng (see
p156). The Mongol Kublai Khan rebuilt Zhongdu, naming it
Dadu, and encompassed it with a 19-mile (30-km) wall. It was
only during the Ming era (1368–1644) that the walls took on
their final shape of an outer wall with seven gates, and an
inner wall with nine gates. The magnificent inner wall was
38 ft (11.5 m) high and 64 ft (19.5 m) wide. The walls and
most of their gates were unfortunately demolished in the
1950s and 60s to make way for roads. Of the inner wall, only
Qian Men and Desheng Men survive, while the outer wall
retains only Dongbianmen (see p101). The old gates live on as
place names on the second ring road, and as the names of
stations on the Beijing Underground Loop line. Arrow Tower of Qian Men
BEIJING 91
Xuanwu Men underground

station, on the site of Jesuit
Matteo Ricci’s former residence.
Ricci was the first Jesuit
missionary to reach Beijing.
Arriving in 1601, he sent gifts
of European curiosities such
as clocks, mathematical
instruments, and a world map
to the Wanli emperor, thus
gaining his goodwill, and was
eventually given permission
to establish a church.
Like many of China’s churches,
this restored building has
suffered much devastation.
Construction first began in
1605, and it subsequently
Shop selling Communist memorabilia, Dazhalan Jie burned down in 1775. It was
rebuilt a century later, only to be
like in 2020, complete with browsing, and has several destroyed once again during
a regular sound and light show. quaint Qing-era specialty shops. the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. The
In contrast, the museum also Located down the first alley on cathedral was rebuilt in 1904.
has models and historical the left from Dazhalan Jie is the Also known as St. Mary’s Church,
photographs of old Beijing. century-old pickle shop Liubiju, it is the city’s largest functioning
while Ruifuxiang, on the right- Catholic cathedral, and has
hand side of Dazhalan, is regular services in a variety of
6 Dazhalan and renowned for its silks and languages including Chinese,
Liulichang traditional Chinese garments. English, and Latin. Service
On the south side of Dazhalan timings are posted on the
Jie is the Chinese medicine noticeboard. A small gift shop is
Map 3 C2. q Qian Men. shop Tongrentang Pharmacy, located near the south gate.
which has been in business
South of Qian Men are since 1669 and enjoyed
the narrow and imperial patronage. On the
lively hutong (see same side of the road, the
p97) of the old Zhangyiyuan
Chinese quarter. Chazhuang, or
The inner city wall Zhangyiyuan
and its gates Teashop, has been
separated the supplying fine teas
“Inner City” since the early
containing the 20th century. West
imperial quarters of Dazhalan Jie is
of the Manchu Liulichang Jie, a
emperors from Cyclists on restored Liulichang Jie fascinating place
the “Chinese City,” to wander – it
where the Chinese lived apart has everything from ceramics to
from their Qing overlords. The antique Chinese books. Beware
district has been renovated to of so-called “antiques,” which
create a Qing dynasty appear- should be judiciously examined
ance, complete with a tourist before buying.
tram. Running west off the
northern end of Qian Men Dajie
is Dazhalan Jie, whose name
“Big Barrier Street” refers to the 7 South Cathedral
now-demolished gates that
were closed every night to
fence off the residents from 141 Qian Men Xi Dajie. Map 3 A2. q
Qian Men and the Inner City. Xuanwu Men. Open 6am–9pm daily.
There are hutong tours by
rickshaw – drivers just wait The first Catholic church to be
in the street in Dazhalan. built in Beijing, South Cathedral Stained glass at the South Cathedral
The area is a great place for (Nan Tang) stands close to the (Nan Tang)
8 Forbidden City
Forming the very heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City, officially
known as the Palace Museum (Gugong), is China’s most
magnificent architectural complex. Completed in 1420, the
huge palace is a compendium of imperial architecture and
a lasting monument of dynastic China from which 24
emperors ruled for nearly 500 years. The symbolic center of the
Chinese universe, the palace was the exclusive domain of the
imperial court and dignitaries until the abdication in 1912. Chinese Lions
It was opened to the public in 1949. The complex has a one- Pairs of lions guard the entrances
way south–north entry system and is now entered only via of halls. The male is portrayed
with a ball under his paw, while
the Meridian Gate and exited via the Gate of Divine Prowess.
the female has a lion cub.
. Golden Water
Five marble bridges,
symbolizing the five cardinal
virtues of Confucianism, cross
the Golden Water, which flows
from west to east in a course
designed to resemble the jade
belt worn by officials.
Outer Court
At the center of the
Forbidden City, the
Outer Court is easily
its most impressive
part. Most of the
other buildings in the
complex were there
to service this city
within a city.
Meridian Gate (Wu Men)

From the balcony the emperor would Gate of Supreme Harmony
review his armies and perform Originally used for receiving visitors, the 78-ft (24-m) high,
ceremonies marking the start of a double-eaved hall was later used for banquets during the
new calendar. Qing dynasty (1644–1912).
BEIJING 93
. Marble Carriageway VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

The central ramp carved
with dragons chasing Practical Information
pearls among clouds was N of Tian’an Men Square. Map 1
reserved for the emperor. C5. Tel (010) 8500 7421. Open
Apr–Oct: 8:30am–5pm daily; Nov–
Mar: 8:30am–4:30pm daily. & =
8 9 - ∑ dpm.org.cn
Transportation
q Tian’an Men Dong.
. Hall of Supreme Harmony

Roof Guardians The largest hall in the palace, this was used for
An odd number of these figures, all major occasions such as the enthronement of
associated with water, are supposed an emperor. Inside the hall, the ornate throne
to protect the building from fire. sits beneath a fabulously colored ceiling.
KEY
1 Offices of the imperial Design by Numbers

secretariat
The harmonious principle of yin and
2 Storehouses yang is the key to Chinese design.
3 Imperial sundial As odd numbers represent yang
(the preferred masculine element
4 The Hall of Middle Harmony associated with the emperor), the
received the emperor before official numbers three, five, seven, and the
ceremonies. ultimate odd number – nine – recur
5 Bronze cauldrons were filled in architectural details. It is said that
with water in case of fire. the Forbidden City has 9,999 rooms
6 Hall of Preserving Harmony
and, as nine times nine is especially
fortunate, the doors for imperial use Palace door with a lucky
7 Gate of Heavenly Purity usually contain 81 brass studs. number of studs
Exploring the Forbidden City halls as well as a rock garden

and ancient trees. On the west
A short distance north through the Gate of Heavenly Purity and east sides of the garden
lies the Inner Court with three impressive inner palaces. are the charming Thousand
Further on through the Imperial Flower Garden stands the Autumns Pavilion and Ten
Shenwu Gate, the north gate of the Forbidden City, an exit Thousand Springs Pavilion,
each topped with a circular
from the palace that leads to a walk across to Jing Shan Park
roof. Positioned centrally in the
(see p96). On the western and eastern flanks of the Inner north of the garden, the Hall of
Court, it is also possible to explore numerous halls, some Imperial Peace formerly served
of which house museum collections (entry fee payable). as a temple, and, on top of the
lofty rockery in the northeast of
the garden, the Imperial View
Pavilion rises with long views
over the gardens and beyond.
During the Qing dynasty,
sacrifices were performed in
the gardens on the seventh
day of the seventh lunar
month (China’s equivalent
of Valentine’s Day) by the
emperor, empress, and imperial
concubines to a pair of stars
that represent lovers.
P Eastern Palaces
On the east side of the Inner
Court lies a much closer-knit
The Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns in the Imperial Gardens series of smaller palaces and
courtyards formerly used as
P The Inner Court P The Imperial Gardens the residences of imperial
Beyond the Hall of Preserving The Imperial Flower Garden, concubines. Nowadays, some
Harmony (Outer Court) lies a north of the three inner palaces of these areas serve as museums
large but narrow courtyard with and the Gate of Earthly of jade, paintings, enamels, and
gates leading to the open areas Tranquillity, dates from the antique collectibles, including
east and west of the Outer reign of the Ming Yongle the impressive Clock Exhibition
Court and a main gate, the Gate emperor. It is symmetrically laid Hall (housed in the Palace of
of Heavenly Purity, leading to out with pavilions, temples, and Eternal Harmony) with its
the Inner Court. Here lie three
splendid palaces, mirroring
those of the Outer Court but
on a smaller scale. The double-
eaved Palace of Heavenly
Purity was used as the imperial
sleeping quarters and for the
reception of officials. It was here
that the last Ming emperor,
Chongzhen, wrote his final
missive in red ink, before
getting drunk, killing his
15-year-old daughter and his
concubines, and then hanging Imperial five-clawed dragons on a glazed Nine Dragon Screen
himself on Jing Shan (see p96),
just north of the palace, as Chinese Dragons
peasant rebels swarmed The Chinese dragon is a curious hybrid of sometimes many animal
through the capital. Beyond lie parts – snake’s body, deer horns, bull’s ears, hawk’s claws, and fish
the Hall of Union, used as a scales. Endowed with magical characteristics, it can fly, swim, change
throne room by the empress, into other animals, bring rainfall, and ward off evil spirits. The five-
and the Palace of Earthly clawed dragon represented the power of the emperor, and therefore
Tranquillity, the living quarters could only adorn his imperial buildings. The Chinese dragon is a
of the Ming empresses. During beneficent beast offering protection and good luck, hence its
the Qing dynasty, the hall was depiction on screens and marble carriageways, and its significance,
used for Manchurian shaman even today, in festivals such as Chinese New Year.
rites, including animal sacrifice.
BEIJING 95
The Forbidden City

1 Gate of Heavenly Purity
2 Palace of Heavenly Purity
3 Hall of Union
4 Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
5 Imperial Flower Garden
6 Hall of Imperial Peace
7 Palace of Eternal Harmony
8 Palace of Abstinence
9 Nine Dragon Screen
0 Imperial Zenith Hall
q Palace of Peaceful Longevity
w Hall of Mental Cultivation
e Arrow Tower
r Gate of Divine Prowess
0 meters 300
0 yards 300
Key
Imperial buildings
Area illustrated (see pp92–3)
sizeable and fascinating display. P Western Palaces P The Palace Walls

Note that these are occasionally Much of the western flank of The wall around the Forbidden
moved to other halls and at the Forbidden City is closed to City is marked at each corner by
some an entry fee is payable. visitors, but the halls west of an elaborate Arrow Tower,
Among the collection are the three inner palaces notable for their many eaves. The
elaborate Chinese, are accessible. The northern gate of the palace is
British, and French Hall of Mental called the Gate of Divine Prowess
timepieces, Cultivation or Shenwu Men, and served as a
donated or was used by combined bell and drum tower.
collected by Qing Yongzheng The palace wall was enclosed
emperors. In the (see p115) for his within a moat and another wall
southeast of the inner residence, rather ran around the grounds of the
court is the Palace than the Hall of Imperial City. Beyond this lay the
of Abstinence, Tile relief by the Hall of Heavenly Purity inner and outer city walls of
where the emperor Mental Cultivation where his father, Beijing. Damaged in the 1950s
fasted before Kangxi, had lived and 1960s, only a few parts of
sacrificial ceremonies. for 60 years. The East Warm the Imperial City wall survive,
Farther southeast stands a Chamber of the Hall of Mental while the city walls have all but
beautiful Nine Dragon Screen, Cultivation was the site of the vanished. However, the wall of
a 100-ft (31-m) long spirit wall formal abdication by Pu Yi, the the Forbidden City and its four
made from richly glazed tiles last emperor, on February 12, gates have survived intact and
and similar to the screen in 1912 (see p452). can still be admired.
Beihai Park (see p96). Screens
were used to shield areas from
sight and allow visitors to make
themselves presentable. The
screen leads on to the jewelry
displays housed in a series of
halls in the northeast of the
complex, including the
Imperial Zenith Hall and the
Palace of Peaceful Longevity.
These halls contain an array of
decorative objects and tools
used by the emperor.
Northwest of the Palace of
Peaceful Longevity is its flower
garden, a tranquil strip of
rockeries and pavilions. One of four arrow towers at each corner of the palace wall
Depicting nine intertwining

dragons, it was designed to
obstruct evil spirits. The Xiao-
xitian Temple lies to the west.
q Prince Kung’s
Mansion
17 Qianhai Xi Jie, Xicheng. Map 1 B3.

q Behai North. Tel (010) 8328 8149.
Open mid-Mar–mid-Nov:
7:30am–4:30pm daily; mid-Nov–mid-
Bei Hai with Jing Shan’s summit in the background Mar: 9am–4pm Tue–Sun. &
∑ pgm.org.cn
with several pavilions and halls,
9 Jing Shan Park but the highlight of any visit is Beijing’s most complete example
the superb view of the of a historic mansion is situated
44 Jingshan Xi Jie, Xicheng. Map 1 C4. Forbidden City from the hill’s in a charming hutong district
q Dong Si. Tel (010) 6404 4071. Wanchun Ting (Wanchun Pavilion). west of Qian Hai. It was suppos-
Open 6:30am–7:30pm daily. & edly the inspiration behind the
residence portrayed by Cao
Situated on Beijing’s north– 0 Bei Hai Park Xueqin in his classic 18th-century
south axis, Jing Shan Park has novel Dream of the Red Chamber
its origins in the Yuan dynasty (see pp34–5). Built during the
(1279–1368). Its hill was created 1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng. Map 1 C4. reign of the Qianlong emperor,
from earth that was excavated q Xisi. Tel (010) 6403 1102. the house is extensive and its
while building the palace moat Open 6am–8pm daily. & - charming garden is a pattern
during the reign of the Ming of open corridors and pavilions,
Yongle emperor. In the early An imperial garden for more dotted with pools and gateways.
years of the Ming dynasty it than 1,000 years, Bei Hai Park Originally built for Heshun, a
was known as Wansui Shan was opened to the public in Manchu official and the emperor’s
(Long Life Hill), but was 1925. Filled with artificial hills, favorite, the residence was
renamed Jing Shan (View or pavilions, and temples, it is appropriated by the imperial
Prospect Hill) in the Qing associated with Kublai household after he was found
era. Foreign residents also Khan, who redesigned it guilty of using regal motifs in
referred to it as Coal Hill during the Mongol Yuan his mansion design. It was later
(Mei Shan), supposedly dynasty. The Tuancheng bequeathed to Prince Kung
because coal was (Round City), near the in the Xianfeng emperor’s
stored at the foot of south entrance, has a reign (r. 1851–61). The house is
the hill, although other huge, decorated jade popular with tour groups, so
theories exist. urn belonging to him. early morning is the best time
Until the fall of White Dagoba, The park is named to visit and afterwards, the local
the Qing, Jing Shan Bei Hai Park after its extensive lake, hutong can be explored. Beijing
was linked to the Bei Hai, whose southern Opera is performed in its Grand
Forbidden City and was end is bordered by the Opera House.
restricted to imperial use. The inaccessible Zhong Nan Hai, the
hill’s purpose was to protect Communist Party Headquarters.
the imperial palaces within the In the middle of Bei Hai, Jade
Forbidden City from malign Island was supposedly made
northern influences, which from the earth excavated while
brought death and destruction creating the lake. It is topped by
according to classical feng shui. the 118-ft (36-m) high White
However, it failed to save the Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa
last Ming emperor Chongzhen, built to honor the visit of the fifth
who hanged himself from a Dalai Lama in 1651. Beneath the
locust tree (huaishu) in the huge dagoba, Yongan Si
park in 1644 when rebel troops comprises a series of ascending
forced their way into Beijing. halls. The lake’s northern shore
Another tree, planted after the has several sights, including the
original tree was cut down, massive Nine Dragon Screen,
marks the spot in the park’s an 89-ft (27-m) long spirit wall Elaborate arched gateway, Prince
southeast. The park is dotted made of colorful glazed tiles. Kung’s Mansion
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp558-63 and pp572–3
BEIJING 97
Beijing’s Courtyard Houses

At first glance, Beijing seems a thoroughly modern city, but a stroll through the its
alleyways (hutong) reveals the charm of old Beijing. These hutong – weaving across much
of central Beijing – are where many Beijing residents (Beijingren) still live. Typically
running east to west, hutong are created by the walls of courtyard houses (siheyuan).
Formerly the homes of officials and the well-to-do, many were taken over by the state
but they are now increasingly privately owned. The hutong are very easy to find: try the
alleyways between the main streets south of Qian Men, or around Hou Hai and Qian Hai.
The modernization of Beijing has destroyed many traditional siheyuan, but a few have
been converted into hotels, allowing the visitor a closer look at this disappearing world.
Crowded courtyards As space

became an issue in Beijing, additional
buildings filled in the large courtyards.
The main hall was the Several families may be living together
most northerly and usually in one siheyuan.
reserved for the eldest of
the family, such as the
grandparents.
Wall adds privacy and

keeps out spirits as
they are unable to
turn corners.
The open
courtyard lets
in both the
sunlight and the
wind and cold.
The number of halls and

courtyards determines the
grandeur of the residence.
Entrance is at the
southeastern corner as
prescribed by feng shui.
Walls were important to the
Chinese psyche – even in the
secure capital, they felt the need
to retreat behind them.
Social housing With
several families living
together, a strong
community spirit is
fostered, while the hutong
outside becomes an
extension of the home.
Typical Beijing hutong

You can take organized rickshaw tours of the
hutong, sometimes with a visit to Prince Kung’s
Mansion (see p96), but it can be more fun to explore
them by yourself.
e Lama Temple
12 Yonghe Gong Dajie, Dongcheng.

Map 2 E2. q Yonghe Gong. Tel (010)
6404 3769 or (010) 8402 3882.
Open 9am–4pm daily. &
Beijing’s most spectacular

temple complex, the Lama
Temple (Yonghegong) was
constructed during the 17th
century and converted into
a Tibetan lamasery in 1744. Its
five main halls are a stylistic
blend of Han, Mongol, and
The Bell Tower as seen from Beijing’s Drum Tower Tibetan motifs. The first hall
has a traditional display – the
w Drum and Bell the 25 drums there. The one plump laughing Buddha, Milefo,
Towers large and 24 smaller drums is back-to-back with Wei Tuo,
were beaten to mark the hours the Protector of Buddhist
of the day. According to the Doctrine, and flanked by the
Northern end of Di’an Men Wai Dajie, official Chinese accounts, the Four Heavenly Kings. Yonghe
Dongcheng. Map 1 C2. q Gulou. original drums were destroyed Hall beyond has three
Tel (010) 8402 7869. Open 9am–5pm by the foreign soldiers of the manifestations of Buddha,
daily. & international army that relieved flanked by 18 luohan – those
Beijing during the Boxer freed from the cycle of rebirth.
Located on the north–south Rebellion (see p439). Even farther back, the Tibetan-
meridian that bisects the A short walk north of the styled Falun Hall, or Hall of the
Forbidden City and Tian’an Men Drum Tower, the Bell Tower Wheel of Law, has a statue of
Square, the Drum Tower (Gu (Zhong Lou) is an edifice from Tsongkhapa, the founder of
Lou) rises up from a historic 1745, which replaced an the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan
Beijing hutong district (see p97). earlier tower that had burnt Buddhism (see pp526–7).
The squat structure seen today down. Suspended within the The highlight, however,
was originally built in 1420 tower is a 15-ft (4.5-m) high is encapsulated within the
during the reign of the Ming and 42-ton (42,674-kg) bell, towering Wanfu Pavilion
Yongle emperor. Visitors can that was cast in 1420. Visitors (Wanfu Ge) – a vast 55-ft (17-m)
climb the steep stairs to look can pay to ring the bell for high statue of Maitreya (the
out over the city and inspect good luck. Future Buddha), carved from a
The striking main gateway of the colorful Lama Temple

BEIJING 99
Additional stelae are propped y Dong Yue Miao

up on the backs of bixi (mythical
cross between a tortoise and
a dragon), within pavilions 141 Chaoyang Men Wai Dajie,
surrounded by cypress trees. On Chaoyang. Map 2 F4. q Chaoyang
a marble terrace in the main hall Men. Tel (010) 6551 3883.
are statues of Confucius and Open 8:30am–5pm daily. &
some of his disciples.
On Beijing’s eastern side near
Chaoyang’s Workers’ Stadium,
t Di Tan Park the mesmerizing Dong Yue
Miao takes its name from
the Daoist Eastern Peak, Dong
N of the Lama Temple, Dongcheng. Yue, also known as Tai Shan
Map 2 E1. q Yonghe Gong. Tel (010) (see pp150–51). It is fronted by a
6421 4657. Open 6am–9pm daily. & fabulous glazed Ming dynasty
paifang inscribed with the
An ideal place to stroll amid characters “Zhisi Daizong,”
trees, Di Tan Park was named meaning “offer sacrifices to
Statue of Confucius at the main entrance, after the Temple of Earth (Di Tan), Mount Tai (Tai Shan) in
Confucius Temple which was the venue for good order.”
imperial sacrifices. The This colorful and active
single block of sandalwood. The park’s altar (Fangze temple, dating to the early 14th
splendid exhibition of Tibetan Tan) dates to the century, was restored at
Buddhist objects at the temple’s Ming dynasty and its considerable cost in 1999,
rear includes statues of the square shape and is tended by Daoist
deities Padmasambhava (Guru represents the earth. monks. The main
Rinpoche), and the Tibetan Under the Ming, five courtyard leads into
equivalent of Guanyin, Chenresig, main altars were the Hall of Tai Shan,
alongside ritual objects such as established at the where there are
the scepter-like dorje (thunder- city’s cardinal points – statues of the God
bolt) and dril bu (bell), symbols Tian Tan (Temple of of Tai Shan and his
of the male and female energies. Heaven) in attendants. The
Few captions are in English. the south (see greatest attractions
pp102–3), Di Tan in Guardian at entrance, Dong here are over 70
the north, Ri Tan Yue Miao “Departments,” filled
r Confucius Temple (Temple of the Sun) with vivid Daoist
in the east, Yue Tan (Temple of gods and demons, whose
the Moon) in the west, and Sheji functions are explained in
13 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng. Map 2 Tan (Temple of Land and Grain) English captions. In Daoist lore,
E2. q Yonghe Gong. Tel (010) 6405 in the center. Mirroring ancient the spirits of the dead go to Tai
7214. Open 9am–5pm daily. & ceremonies, a lively temple fair Shan, and many Departments
(miaohui) is held during the dwell on the afterlife. The
Adjacent to the Lama Temple, Chinese New Year (see pp48–9), Department for Increasing
the Confucius Temple is the to welcome the spring planting Wealth and Longevity, for
largest in China outside Qufu, season and appease the gods. example, offers cheerful advice.
the philosopher’s birthplace in
Shandong province (see p148).
The alley leading to the temple
has a fine pailou (decorative
archway), few of which survive
in Beijing. First built in 1302
during the Mongol Yuan
dynasty, the temple was
expanded in 1906 in the reign
of Emperor Guangxu. It is a
tranquil place that offers respite
from the city’s bustle. Around
200 ancient stelae stand in the
silent courtyard in front of the
main hall (Dacheng Dian),
inscribed with the names of
those who successfully passed
the imperial civil service exams. Corn laid out to form Chinese characters, temple festival, Di Tan Park
u National Art the East Cathedral, is at 74

Wangfujing Dajie. One of the
Museum of China city’s most important churches,
it has been restored at a cost of
1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng. Map 2 D4.
US$2 million. It was built on the
q Dong Si. Tel (010) 6401 1816. site of the former residence of
Open 9am–5pm daily, last entry 4pm. Jesuit Adam Schall von Bell
9 = - 0 ∑ namoc.org (1591–1669) in 1655, and has
been rebuilt a number of times
Hosting exhibitions of Chinese after being successively
and international art, as well as destroyed by earthquake, fire,
occasional photographic displays, and then during the Boxer
the National Art Museum of Rebellion (see p439). It is
China (Zhongguo Meishuguan) fronted by an open courtyard
has 14 halls over three levels. This and an arched gateway.
quite ordinary building holds an
exciting range of Chinese modern The imposing facade of St. Joseph’s Church,
art, which suffers less censorship Wangfujing Street o Ancient
than other media, such as film Observatory
or literature. Magazines such as Bookstore is a good place to
Time Out Beijing and The Beijinger buy a more detailed map of
carry details of current and Beijing. The street has a lively Map 4 F1. q Jianguo Men. Tel (010)
forthcoming exhibitions, or mixture of pharmacies, laundry 6512 8923. Open 9am–5pm daily. &
check the website. and dyeing shops, and stores
selling silk, tea, and shoes. Beijing’s ancient obser vatory
i Wangfujing Street However, the street’s (Gu Guanxiangtai) stands
highlight is the on a platform alongside
Night Market, with a flyover off Jianguo
Map 4 D1. q Wangfujing. Foreign its endless variety Men Nei Dajie.
Language Bookstore: 235 Wangfujing of traditional Dating to 1442, it is
Dajie. Tel (010) 6512 6911. Open Chinese snacks, one of the oldest in
9:30am–9pm daily. ∑ bpiec.com.cn including skewers the world. A Yuan
Night Market: Open 5:30pm–10pm of beef, and more dynasty (1279–
daily. St. Joseph’s Church: 74 Wangfujing exotic morsels such 1368) observatory
Dajie. Open early morning as scorpions. Other was also located
during services. offerings include here, but the
pancakes, fruit, structure that
Bustling Wangfujing Street shrimps, squid, flat survives today was
(Wangfujing Dajie), Beijing’s bread, and more. built after the Ming
original shopping street, is filled The Wangfujing Ecliptic armillary sphere, emperors relocated
with department stores and giant Snack Street, south Ancient Observatory their capital from
malls such as the Sun Dong’an of the Night Market, Nanjing to Beijing.
Plaza. Everything from curios, also has a range of colorful In the early 17th century, the
objets d’art, antiques, clothes, restaurants serving tasty dishes. Jesuits, led by Matteo Ricci
and books are available here. The impressive triple-domed (1552–1610) and followed by
The huge Foreign Language St. Joseph’s Church, known as Adam Schall von Bell, impressed
the emperor and the imperial
astronomers with their scientific
knowledge, particularly the
accuracy of their predictions
of eclipses.
The Belgian Jesuit Father
Verbiest (1623–88) was
appointed to the Imperial
Astronomical Bureau, where he
designed a set of astronomical
instruments in 1674. Several of
these were appropriated by
German soldiers during the
Boxer Rebellion of 1900, and
were only returned after
World War I. A collection of
reproduction astronomical
Delicious street food at the Night Market, just off Wangfujing Street devices lies in the courtyard
BEIJING 101
a Beijing Natural
History Museum
126 Tianqiao Nan Dajie, Chongwen.

Map 3 C3. q Qian Men, then taxi.
@ 2, 120. Tel (010) 6702 7702.
Open 8:30am–5pm Tue–Sat. 7 1st
floor. ∑ bmnh.org.cn
This museum is the largest of its

type in China, with about 5,000
specimens arranged into three
The atmospheric Red Gate Gallery, Southeast Corner Watchtower collections. The Paleontology
Hall displays a selection of
on the ground floor, some climbing onto the Ming dynasty the prehistoric animals that
decorated with fantastic battlements, visitors can walk populated China millions of
Chinese designs including along the short but impressive years ago. The zoology section
dragons. Steps lead to the roof, stretch of attached wall to explains and illustrates the
where there are impressive admire the towering bastion, course of evolution, and a
bronze instruments, including pitted with archers’ windows, basement houses a macabre
an azimuth theodolite, used to and look down on the city display of human cadavers,
measure the altitude of celestial below. The walls of the tower pickled corpses, limbs, and
bodies, and an armillary sphere, are engraved with graffiti left organs. The botany collection
for measuring the coordinates by soldiers of the international is less impressive.
of planets and stars. army that marched into the
city to liberate the Foreign
Legations during the Boxer s Temple of
Rebellion in 1900. Heaven
Within its splendid, cavernous See pp102–3
interior, accessed from the
battlements, the rooms reveal
enormous red wooden columns d Capital Museum
and pillars, crossed with beams. 北京首都博物
The Red Gate Gallery, one of
Beijing’s most appealing art 16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie. q Muxidi.
galleries, is situated within this Tel (010) 6337 0491. Open 9am–5pm
superb setting. Originally Tue–Sun. - 0 7
founded in 1991 by Brian
Wallace, an Australian who This museum has an astounding
came to Beijing to learn collection of some 200,000
Chinese, the gallery exhibits pieces of the best Chinese art
works in a wide variety of and antiquities. An interesting
Southeast Corner Watchtower media by up-and-coming film telling the story of Beijing is
(Dongbianmen Jiao Lou) contemporary Chinese and screened every 30 minutes.
foreign artists. Forthcoming English captions on the exhibits
p Southeast Corner exhibitions are listed on the are limited, so it is worth hiring
Watchtower gallery’s website. an audio guide.
Off Jianguo Men Nan Dajie,

Chongwen. Map 4 F2. q Beijing
Railway Station. Red Gate Gallery:
Tel (010) 6525 1005. Open 9am–5pm
daily. & For exhibition details visit
∑ redgategallery.com
About 2 km (1 mile) south of

the Ancient Observatory, an
imposing chunk of the Beijing
City Walls (see p90) survives in
the form of the 15th-century
Southeast Corner Watchtower
(Dongbianmen Jiao Lou). After Dinosaur skeletons in the Paleontology Hall, Natural History Museum
s Temple of Heaven
Completed during the Ming dynasty, the Temple of
Heaven, more correctly known as Tian Tan, is one of the
largest temple complexes in China and a paradigm of
Chinese architectural balance and symbolism. Now a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was here that the emperor
would make sacrifices and pray to heaven and his
ancestors at the winter solstice. As the Son of Heaven, the
emperor could intercede with the gods, represented by
their spirit tablets, on behalf of his people and pray for a
good harvest. Off-limits to the common people during the
Ming and Qing dynasties, the Temple of Heaven is situated Qinian Dian, where the emperor prayed
in a large and pleasant park that now attracts early for a good harvest
morning practitioners of tai ji quan (see p279).
The Tian Tan Complex

The main parts of the temple complex are all connected on the
favored north–south axis by the Red Step Bridge (an elevated
pathway) to form the focal point of the park. The Round Altar is made
up of concentric rings of stone slabs in multiples of nine, the most
auspicious number. The circular Echo Wall is famed for its supposed
ability to carry a whisper from one side of the wall to the other.
1 Hall of Prayer for Good

Harvests
2 Red Step Bridge
3 Echo Wall
4 Imperial Vault of Heaven
5 Round Altar
Triple gates for emperor (east), officials

(west) and gods (center)
Imperial Vault of Heaven, store for the spirit

tablets of the gods
Qinian Dian
Originally built in 1420, the
Qinian Dian, or Hall of Prayer
for Good Harvests, is often
incorrectly called the Temple of
Heaven. There is in fact no single
temple building as such at Tian
Tan, a more literal translation
Key The Round Altar, site of the emperor’s of which is Altar of Heaven –
Area illustrated sacrifice referring to the whole complex.
BEIJING 103
Tian Tan Dong Lu (East Gate),
Chongwen. Map 4 E4. Tel (010)
6702 5289. Open 6am–8pm, last
entry 5:30. Temple Buildings: Open
8:30am–8pm. & 9 = -
∑ tiantanpark.com
Transportation
q Tian Tan Dong Men. @ 34, 6, 35
. Caisson Ceiling
The splendid circular caisson ceiling
has a gilded dragon and phoenix at
its center. The hall is built entirely of
wood without using a single nail.
. Dragon Well Pillars

The roofs of the hall are supported on 28
richly decorated pillars. At the center, the
four huge columns known as Dragon Well
pillars represent the seasons, while the
other 24 smaller pillars symbolize the
months in a year plus the 2-hour time
periods in a day.
KEY
1 Dragon and phoenix motifs

inside and out represent the
emperor and empress.
2 Red is an imperial color.
3 Circular roof symbolizing
the sky
4 Name plaques are often written
in the calligraphy of an emperor.
5 The golden finial is 125 ft (38 m)
Marble Platform high and prone to lightning strikes.
Three tiers of marble form a 6 Blue represents the color
circle 300 ft (90 m) in of heaven.
diameter and 20 ft (6 m)
7 Tablets in memory of his
high. The balusters on the
ancestors were worshipped by
upper tier are decorated
the emperor.
with dragon carvings to
signify the imperial nature 8 Symbolic offerings
of the structure.
f Cow Street
Mosque
18 Niu Jie, Xuanwu. Map 3 A3. q

Caishikou, then taxi. Tel (010) 6353
2564. Open 5am–8pm daily. Avoid Fri
(holy day). &
Beijing’s oldest and largest

mosque dates back to the 10th
century. It is located in the city’s
Hui district, near numerous
Muslim restaurants and shops.
The Hui, a Chinese Muslim Buddhist statuary in the main hall, Fayuan Temple
minority group mainly from
Ningxia province, are now Kings (Tianwang Dian) is
scattered throughout China and
g Fayuan Temple guarded by a pair of bronze
number around 200,000 in lions, and has statues of Milefo
Beijing. The men are easily 7 Fayuan Si Qian Jie, Xuanwu. Map 3 (the Laughing Buddha) and
identified by their beards and A3. q Caishikou. Tel (010) 6353 4171. his attendant Heavenly Kings.
characteristic white hats. Open 8:30am–3:30pm daily. & Ancient stelae stand in front of
The Cow Street Mosque is an the main hall, where a gilded
attractive edifice, with Islamic A short walk east from Cow statue of Sakyamuni (the
motifs and Arabic verses Street Mosque, the Fayuan Historical Buddha) is flanked
decorating its halls and stelae. Temple dates to AD 696 and is by bodhisattvas and luohan –
Its most prized possession is a probably the oldest temple in those freed from the cycle
300-year-old, handwritten copy Beijing. It was consecrated by of rebirth.
of the Koran (Gulanjing). the Tang Taizong emperor At the temple’s rear, the
Astronomical observations (r.626–49), to commemorate the Scripture Hall stores sutras, while
and lunar calculations were soldiers who perished in an another hall contains a 16-ft
made from the tower-like expedition against the northern (5-m) Buddha statue. The
Wangyue Lou. The graves of two tribes. The original Tang-era grounds are busy with monks
Yuan dynasty Arab missionaries buildings were destroyed by a who attend the temple’s
engraved with Arabic inscriptions succession of natural disasters, Buddhist College.
can be seen here. The courtyard and the current structures date
is lush with greenery, making it from the Qing era. h White Clouds
an idyllic escape from Beijing’s The temple’s layout is typical
busy streets. Visitors are advised of Buddhist temples. Near the Temple
to dress conservatively gate, the incense burner (lu) is
(covering arms, legs, and head). flanked by the Drum and Bell
9 Baiyuanguan Jie, Xuanwu. q
Non-Muslims are not allowed to Towers to the east and west. Changchujie, then taxi or bus 9.
enter the prayer hall. Beyond, the Hall of the Heavenly Tel (010) 6344 3666. Open 8:30am–
4pm daily. &
Home to the China Daoist

Association, the White Clouds
Temple (Baiyun Guan) was
founded in AD 739 and is Beijing’s
largest Daoist shrine. Known as
the Temple of Heavenly Eternity,
it was one of the three ancestral
halls of the Quanzhen School of
Daoism, which focused on right
action and the benefits of good
karma. Built largely of wood, the
temple burned to the ground in
1166, and since then has been
repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
The structures that survive date
largely from the Ming and Qing
dynasties. A triple-gated Ming
pailou (decorative archway)
Resplendent interior of the Cow Street Mosque stands at the entrance. It is
BEIJING 105
believed that rubbing the

carved monkey on the main
gate brings good luck. The
major halls are arranged along
the central axis, with more halls
on either side. The Hall of the
Tutelary God has images of four
marshals who act as temple
guardians, while the Hall of
Ancient Disciplines is dedicated
to the Seven Perfect Ones,
disciples of Wang Chongyang,
the founder of the Quanzhen
School. The Hall of Wealth is
popular with pilgrims who seek
blessings from the three spirits
of wealth, while the infirm
patronize the Hall of the King
of Medicine.
The temple grounds are full
of Daoist monks with their
distinctive topknots. It is most
lively during the Chinese New
Year (see pp48–9), when a
temple fair (miaohui) is held.
j Military Museum
of the Chinese Buddhist monks, White Tower Temple
People’s Revolution
tanks, and surface-to-air when Beijing was under Mongol
missiles. The top gallery rule. In addition to its conven-
9 Fuxing Lu, Haidian. q Military chronicles with pride many tional Drum and Bell Towers,
Museum. Tel (010) 6686 6244. of China’s military campaigns. Hall of Heavenly Kings, and
Open 8am–5pm daily. ∑ jb.mil.cn Main Halls, this Buddhist temple
has a remarkable collection of
k White Tower
Topped by a gilded emblem of small Tibetan Buddhist statues
the People’s Liberation Army, Temple in one of its halls. Another hall
the Military Museum of the has a collection of 18 bronze
Chinese People’s Revolution is luohan (disciples).
Fucheng Men Nei Dajie, Xicheng. Map
devoted to weaponry and
1 A4. q Fucheng Men. Tel (010) 6616
revolutionary heroism. It is close 0211. Open 9:30am–4pm daily. &
to Muxidi, where the People’s l Beijing Zoo
Liberation Army killed scores of Celebrated for its distinctive
civilians in 1989. Visitors are Tibetan-styled, 167-ft (51-m) 137 Xizhi Men Wai Dajie, Haidian. q
greeted by paintings of Mao, white dagoba (stupa or funerary Xizhi Men, then taxi. Tel (010) 6831
Marx, Lenin, and Stalin. The mound) designed by a Nepalese 4411. Open 7:30am–5pm (to 6pm
ground floor exhibits defunct architect, the White Tower spring & summer). & extra to see
F-5 and F-7 jet fighter planes, Temple (Bai Ta Si) dates to 1271, pandas.
West of the Beijing Exhibition

Hall, Beijing Zoo has improved
somewhat but still has some
outdated concrete and glass
cages. The Panda Hall is one of
its better enclosures, and the
bears are at their liveliest in the
mornings. The real reason for
visiting is the huge Aquarium,
with coral reefs, an Amazon rain
forest, and an impressive shark
pool. There is also an array of
aquatic mammals, including
F-5 fighter planes, Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution whales and dolphins.
z Summer Palace
The sprawling grounds of the Summer Palace (Yihe Yuan)
served the Qing dynasty as an imperial retreat from the
stifling summer confines of the Forbidden City. Despite
existing as an imperial park in earlier dynasties, it was not
until the time of Emperor Qianlong, who reigned from 1736
to 1795, that the Summer Palace assumed its current layout.
The palace is most associated, however, with Cixi, who had it
rebuilt twice: once following its destruction by French and
English troops in 1860, and again in 1902 after it was . Longevity Hill
plundered during the Boxer Rebellion. The Tower of the Fragrance of
the Buddha dominates this
slope covered with impressive
religious buildings.
Marble Boat
Cixi paid for this extravagant
folly with funds meant for the
modernization of the Imperial Navy.
The superstructure of the boat is
made of wood painted white to
look like marble.
Plan of Grounds
The grounds of the Summer
Palace cover 716 acres (290
hectares), with Kunming KEY
Lake lying to the south of
Kunming Lake Longevity Hill. South Lake 1 The Bronze Pavilion, weighing
Island is just off the east 207 tons (188 tonnes), is a detailed
shore and a stroll around the replica of a timber-framed building.
West Lake entire shoreline takes about 2 Boat pier
2 hours.
South
3 Temple of the Sea of Wisdom
Lake
1 Jade Belt Bridge 4 Suzhou Street

2 West Causeway 5 Back Lake
3 South Lake Island 6 The Garden of Harmonious
4 Bronze Ox Pleasures was Cixi’s favorite
fishing spot.
Key 0 meters 800
7 Hall of Jade Ripples
Area illustrated 0 yards 800
8 Hall of Happiness and Longevity
BEIJING 107
Empress Dowager Cixi
Together with Tang-dynasty Empress Wu Practical Information
Zetian (see p63), Cixi is remembered as one 6 miles (10 km) NW of Beijing.
of China’s most powerful women. Having Tel (010) 6288 1144. Open Apr–
borne the Xianfeng emperor’s son as an Oct: 6:30am–6pm, Nov–Mar:
imperial concubine, Cixi later seized power 7am–5pm. & = -
as regent to both the Tongzhi and and ∑ summerpalace-china.com
Guangxu emperors (her son and nephew
Transportation
respectively). Cixi prevented Guangxu q Beigongmen. 4 from Yuyuan
from implementing state reforms and, in
Tan Park, and Exhibition Center near
her alliance with the Boxer Rebellion,
zoo (not in winter or bad weather).
paved the way for the fall of the Qing
Empress Cixi, 1835–1908 Dynasty in 1911.
. Garden of Virtue and Harmony

This three-story building served as a
theater, where the court’s 348-member
opera troupe entertained Cixi, who
watched from the surrounding gallery.
East Palace Gate

(main entrance)
Hall of Benevolence
. Long Corridor and Longevity
The beams along the length The principal ceremonial
of this 2,388-ft (728-m) hall, this single-eaved
walkway are decorated with building houses the throne
over 14,000 scenic paintings. upon which Cixi sat.
Exploring the Summer Palace glazed Buddhist effigies, many

of which have been vandalized.
Like the imperial resort at Chengde (see pp128–31), the palace From here you can look down
grounds are arranged as a microcosm of nature, its hills to the Back Lake (Hou Hu).
(shan) and water (shui) creating a natural composition further West of the Tower of the
complemented by bridges, temples, walkways, and Fragrance of the Buddha is the
Precious Clouds Pavilion
ceremonial halls. Even after repeated restoration, the Summer
(Baoyun Ge), also called the
Palace tastefully harmonizes the functional and fanciful, with Bronze Pavilion. Dating from
administrative and residential quarters leading to the the 18th century, the building is
pastoral vistas of the grounds, as well as numerous peaceful one of a handful that survived
temples and shrines. the destruction wrought by
foreign troops.
The buildings at the north
end of the lake are more than
enough to fill a single day;
however the southern end of
the grounds can be blissfully
free of crowds. Boat trips to
South Lake Island depart from
the jetty near the Marble Boat
(north of which are the imperial
boathouses). Alternatively, if
time will allow, hire a boat for a
leisurely row around Kunming
Seventeen-Arch Bridge linking South Lake Island to the mainland Lake. Dragon King Temple
(Longwang Miao) on South
The grounds of the Summer the west of the Garden of Lake Island is dedicated to the
Palace are extensive, but the Virtue and Harmony (Dehe god of rivers, seas, and rain. The
main buildings can all be visited Yuan) and north of the jetty island is connected to the
by those with a bit of energy from where Cixi would eastern shore by the elegant
and time. The main entrance set sail across the lake. Seventeen-Arch Bridge (Shiqi
at the East Palace Gate (Gong From here, the Long Kong Qiao). A marble lion
Dong Men) leads to the Corridor (Chang crowns each of the 544
official and Lang) follows the balusters along the bridge’s
residential lakeside, interrupted length, and a large bronze ox,
halls of the along its length by four dating back to 1755, reposes on
palace pavilions. At the corridor’s the eastern shore. On the
complex. halfway point, a opposite shore, steep-sloped
Just inside series of religious Jade Belt Bridge links the main-
the main buildings ascends the land to the West Causeway
gate slopes of Longevity which slices through the lake
Bronze ox, believed to pacify the
stands the Hill (Wanshou Shan), to its southern point.
waters and prevent floods
Hall of a sequence
Benevolence and Longevity marked at the lakeside by a
(Renshou Dian). Note the fabulous decorative gate
bronze statues in front of this (pailou), beyond which
ceremonial hall, including the stands Cloud Dispelling
symbol of Confucian virtue, the Gate, with two bronze
mythical qilin, a hybrid, cloven- lions sitting alongside it.
hoofed animal with horns and The first main hall, the
scales. You will see signs here Cloud Dispelling Hall
for Suzhou Street, which (Paiyun Dian) is a double-
houses over-priced snack and eaved structure, above
souvenir stalls, and is not worth which rises the prominent,
the extra entry fee. octagonal Tower of the
By the lakeside to the west, Fragrance of the Buddha
the Hall of Jade Ripples (Yulan (Foxiang Ge). Behind the
Tang) is where Cixi incarcerated tower sits the rectangular
the Guangxu emperor after brick and tile 18th-century
the abortive 1898 Reform Temple of the Sea of
Movement. Cixi’s residence, Wisdom (Huihai Si), its
the Hall of Happiness and exterior decorated with The unusual Bronze Pavilion, fashioned entirely
Longevity (Leshou Tang) is to green and yellow tiles and from metal
BEIJING 109
casting, and visitors can toss

a coin into the bell for luck.
Hundreds of bells from the
Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing
eras can be seen in a separate
hall on the west side.
v Xiang Shan Park
Wofosi Lu, Xiang Shan, Haidian

district. q Bagou, then taxi. @ 331
from Summer Palace, 360 from Zoo.
Tel (010) 6259 9886. Open 6am–
6:30pm daily. & Botanical Gardens:
Remnants of the Yuanming Yuan, once said to resemble Versailles Open 9am–4pm daily. &
x Yuanming Yuan c Great Bell Temple This wooded parkland area,

also known as Fragrant Hills
Park, is at its scenic best in the
28 Qinghua Xi Lu, Haidian. 31a Beisanhuan Xi Lu, Haidian. fall, when the maples turn a
q Yuanmingyuan Park. Tel (010) q Dazhong Si. @ 300, 367. Tel (010) flaming red. Its main attractions
6262 8501. Open 7am–7pm daily. & 6255 0819. Open 8:30am–4:30pm are the fine views from Incense
daily. &
Burner Peak, accessible by a
The Yuanming Yuan (Garden of chairlift, and the splendid Biyun
Perfect Brightness, sometimes Home to a fascinating collec- Temple, or Azure Cloud Temple,
called the Old Summer Palace), tion of bells, the 18th-century close to the main gate. The
now sits isolated from the main Dazhong Si follows a typical temple is guarded by the
Summer Palace, but was a Buddhist plan, with the menacing deities Heng and Ha
collection of princely gardens Heavenly Kings Hall, Main in the Mountain Gate
fused into the main mass by Hall, and the Guanyin Hall. A series of halls
the Qing Qianlong emperor in Bodhisattva Hall. Its leads to the Sun Yat-
the mid-18th century. He highlight is the 46.5 sen Memorial Hall,
commissioned Jesuits at his ton (47, 246 kg) bell where his coffin was
court to design and construct a – one of the world’s stored in 1925 before
set of European-style buildings largest – that is housed being taken to Nanjing.
in one corner, which they likened in the rear tower. The At the temple’s rear is
to Versailles. Unfortunately, all bell was cast between the distinctive 112-ft
the traditional Chinese halls were 1403 and 1424, and (34-m) high Diamond
burned down by British and brought here from Throne Pagoda. About a
French troops during the Second Wanshou Temple in the Heng, Biyun mile (2 km) east of Xiang
Opium War in 1860. Later the reign of the Qianlong Temple deity Shan Park are the Beijing
European-style buildings were emperor. Buddhist sutras Botanical Gardens, with
pulled down, and much of the in Chinese and Sanskrit embel- some 3,000 plant species. The
remains carted away by the lish its surface. During the Ming gardens’ Sleeping Buddha
locals for building purposes. and Qing dynasties, the bell was Temple is renowned for its
Chinese narrations of the struck 108 times to bring in the magnificent bronze statue of a
devastation criticize both the New Year, and could be heard reclining Buddha. China’s last
marauding European troops for 25 miles (40 km). The gallery emperor, Pu Yi (see p452), ended
and the ineffectual Qing rulers. above has a display on bell his days here as a gardener.
Today, Yuanming Yuan is a
jumble of sad, yet graceful
fragments of stone and
marble strewn in the Eternal
Spring Garden in the park’s
northeastern corner. A small
museum displays images and
models of the palace, depicting
its scale and magnificence. The
Palace Maze has been recreated
in concrete to the west of the
ruins. The rest of the park is a
pleasant expanse of lakes,
pavilions, gardens, and walks. The Great Bell Temple or Dazhong Si
b Ming Tombs: Chang Ling

The resting place for 13 of the 16 Ming emperors, the
Ming Tombs (Shisan Ling) are China’s finest example
of imperial tomb architecture. The site was originally
selected because of its auspicious feng shui
alignment; a ridge of mountains to the north cradles
the tombs on three sides, opening to the south and
protecting the dead from the evil spirits carried on
the north wind. The resting place of the Yongle
emperor (1360–1424), the Chang Ling is the most . Sacred Way
impressive tomb and the first to be built. It has been Part of the 4-mile (7-km) approach to
beautifully restored, although the burial chamber, the tombs, the Sacred Way is lined with
36 stone statues of officials, soldiers,
where Yongle, his wife, and 16 concubines are animals, and mythical beasts.
thought to be buried, has never been excavated.
. Hall of Eminent Favor

One of China’s most impressive
surviving Ming buildings, this
double-eaved sacrificial hall
is erected on a three-tiered
terrace.
Reconstruction of Chang Ling

This shows the Chang Ling tomb at the
time of the burial of the Yongle emperor in
the 15th century.
The Ming Tombs

The 13 tombs are spread over 15 square miles (40 sq km), so
are best visited by taxi. Chang Ling, Ding Ling, and Zhao Ling
have been restored and are very busy. Unrestored, the rest are
open yet quiet.
1 Chang Ling (1424) 8 Mao Ling (1487)

2 Yong Ling (1566) 9 Tai Ling (1505)
3 De Ling (1627) 0 Kang Ling (1521)
4 Jing Ling (1435) q Ding Ling (1620)
5 Xian Ling (1425) w Zhao Ling (1572)
6 Qing Ling (1620) e Concubine cemeteries
SACRED WAY
7 Yu Ling (1449) r Si Ling (1644)
0 kilometers 4
PAILOU
(ARCHWAY) 0 miles 4
BEIJING 111
. Ding Ling Treasures VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Artifacts from the Wanli emperor’s tomb,
such as this threaded-gold crown decorated Practical Information
with two dragons, are on display in the main 32 miles (50 km) NW of Beijing.
hall at Chang Ling. Tel (010) 6076 3104. Open Apr-Oct:
8:30am– 5.30pm, Nov-Mar:
8:30am-5pm & ^ interiors.
Transportation
@ Check website for details.
Many tours to the Great Wall (see
pp112–14) stop here.
Cedar Columns
Supporting the huge weight
of the roof, the colossal 43-ft (13-
m) nanmu (fragrant cedar)
columns are topped with elaborate
dougong bracket sets.
Ding Ling Burial Chamber

Ding Ling, the tomb of the longest-reigning Ming emperor, Wanli
(r. 1573–1620), is the only burial chamber of the 16 tombs to have
been excavated and opened to the public. During the 1950s,
archeologists were stunned to find the inner doors of the
chamber still intact. Inside they found the treasures of an emperor
whose profligate rule began the downfall of the Ming dynasty.
Statue of the Yongle Emperor
Yongle, the third Ming emperor,
moved the capital from Nanjing to Entrance
Side chambers were
Beijing, where he then oversaw the intended for others of
construction of the Forbidden City. Wanli’s court, but were
never used.
KEY
The central chamber
1 The Stele Pavilion bears contains three marble
inscriptions dating from the Qing thrones, one for each
dynasty which revered the Ming of the dead.
emperors.
2 Gate of Eminent Favor
3 The Spirit Tower marks the
entrance to the burial chamber. The coffin
chamber held Outer Chamber
4 An earthen mound, surrounded the red lacquer
by a circular rampart, covers the coffins of Wanli and his
stone burial chamber. two wives. Exit (via Spirit Tower)
n Great Wall of China

A symbol of China’s historic detachment and sense of
vulnerability, the Great Wall snakes over deserts, hills, and
plains for several thousand miles. Originally a series of
disparate earthen ramparts built by individual states, the
Great Wall was created only after the unification of China
under Qin Shi Huangdi (221–210 BC). Despite impressive
battlements, the wall ultimately proved ineffective; it was
breached in the 13th century by the Mongols and then,
in the 17th century, by the Manchu. Today a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, only select sections of its crumbling remains Crumbling Ruin
Most of the wall is still unrestored
have been fully restored.
and has crumbled away leaving
only the core remaining.
. Panoramic Views
Because the wall took
advantage of the natural terrain
for defensive purposes,
following the highest points
and clinging to ridges, it now
offers superb panoramic views.
Reconstruction of
the Great Wall
This shows a section
of the wall as built by
the most prolific wall
builders, the Ming
dynasty (1368–1644).
The section at
Badaling, built around
1505, is similar to this
and was restored in
the 1950s and 1980s.
KEY
1 Large, locally quarried rocks defending soldiers to fire down
on their attackers with impunity.
2 Kiln-fired bricks, cemented
with a mortar of lime and 7 Signal beacons were used to
glutinous rice warn of attack by burning dried
wolf dung.
3 Bigger rocks and stones
8 Towers were spaced two
4 Tamped layer of earth and
arrow shots apart to leave no part
rubble
unprotected. . Watchtowers
5 Surface of stone slabs and A Ming addition, these
9 The carriageway is on
bricks served as signal towers,
average (26 ft) 8 m high and
6 Ramparts enabled the (21ft) 7m wide.
forts, living quarters, and
storerooms for provisions.
BEIJING 113
TIPS FOR VISITORS

• The wall is exposed to the
elements so be prepared for all
outcomes: wear layers of clothing
and a waterproof top, but also
bring some sunscreen.
• Bring plenty of water.
• The wall can be very steep in
places, so make sure you have
strong footwear with a good grip
Cannons such as hiking boots or tough
Another Ming addition, cannons waterproof running shoes.
were used to defend the wall
and summon help.
Multi-Function Wall
The wall enabled speedy communications
via smoke, flares, drums, and bells, as well as
allowing for the rapid transportation of
troops across the country.
The Great Wall of China (Ming Dynasty)

INNER
Ye l MONGOLIA
lo w Rive
r
DATONG BEIJING
TAIYUAN TIANJIN
Bo Hai
Qinghai
Lake
Yellow Sea
LANZHOU
0 kilometers 400
0 miles 400 Places to visit 3 Mutianyu &

1 Jiayu Guan Huanghua Chen
Most visitors travel to the wall from Beijing (see p114),
(see p494) 4 Simatai
but it is worth seeing the wall anywhere along its
length. Also impressive are the restored forts at 2 Badaling & 5 Shanhaiguan
Juyong Guan, Jiayuguan, and Shanhaiguan. Juyong Guan (see p134)
Exploring the Great Wall of China

A trip to the wall is a must for any visitor to Beijing. Most
hotels will be able to organize this for you, usually combined
with a visit to the Ming Tombs (see pp110–11). However, be
sure to find out whether there are any unwanted diversions
planned to cloisonné workshops, jade factories, or Chinese
medicine clinics. Small groups can have a more personalized
visit, and see the more remote parts of the wall, by hiring a
taxi for the day from Beijing and sharing the cost.
P Mutianyu
56 miles (90 km) North of Beijing, Ruins at Huanghua Cheng clinging to the
Mutianyu town, Huairou county. steep hillside
@ 6 from Xuanwu Men. 916 or
936 from Dongzhimen then taxi or left-hand section is more difficult
minibus. Open summer: 7am–6:30pm to reach. Devoid of guardrails, the
daily; winter: 7:30am–5:30pm. &  crumbling masonry at Huanghua
plus chair lifts and slideway.
Cheng can be uneven and fairly
The appeal of Mutianyu lies in treacherous in parts, so be careful.
its dramatic hilly setting and This is the best option for
slightly less intrusive tourist accommodation if you want to
industry. With a series of watch- stay near the Great Wall.
towers along its restored length,
the wall you can see here dates P Simatai
from 1368 and was built upon 68 miles (110 km) NE of Beijing, Miyun
the foundations of the wall built county. @ 980 from Beijing to Miyun
Stall selling tourist paraphernalia at the during the Northern Qi dynasty Gulou, then 51 to Simatai/Wtown. Tel
Great Wall, Badaling (AD 550–77). (010) 8100 9999. Open 9am–5pm
daily. &  (closed if windy).
∑ wtown.com
P Badaling P Huanghua Cheng
44 miles (70 km) NW of Beijing. Tel 37 miles (60 km) North of Beijing, The wall at Simatai has been
(010) 6912 1737. @ 1 from Qian Men. Huairou county. @ 916 from Dong- renovated, offering a more
Open 6:30am–6:30pm daily. &  zhimen then taxi or minibus. genuine impression of the
=- Open 8am–5pm daily. &  original wall, though only the ten
Equipped with guardrails, cable Situated on the same stretch of towers to the east of the town
car, pristine watchtowers, and wall as Mutianyu, Huanghua is an are currently open to the public
tourist facilities, the restored exhilarating section of Ming wall and only with prior reservation
Ming fortification at Badaling is that is far less developed than via the website unless visitors
the most popular section of the other parts of the wall, although buy a combination ticket for the
Great Wall. The reward for it has still been renovated. The town as well. The town has also
coming to Badaling is the great barrier is split into two here been redeveloped as Beijing
breathtaking view of the wall by a large reservoir; most travelers Wtown with historical exhibitions,
winding its way over the hills. To take the right-hand route on the hotels, shops, and restaurants in
fully appreciate this, get away other side of the reservoir, as the its restored streets and courtyards.
from the crowds by walking as
far as you can along the wall
either east or west of the
entrance. The ticket includes
admission to the Great Wall
Museum. The pass at Juyong
Guan is on the way to Badaling
and although restored, it is often
quieter than Badaling. With
unscalable mountains on either
side it is easy to see why this spot
was chosen for defense. There
are also some authentic Buddhist
carvings on a stone platform, or
“cloud terrace,” in the middle of
the pass that date back to the
Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). The restored section of the wall at Badaling, northwest of Beijing
BEIJING 115
m Eastern Qing
Tombs
77 miles (125 km) East of Beijing,

Zunhua county, Hebei province.
Tel (0315) 694 5475. @ from Sihui
coach station to Zunhua, then taxi.
Open 8am–5pm daily. & 8
∑ qingdongling.com/idx
The remoteness of the Eastern

Qing Tombs east of Beijing
and over the border in Hebei
province makes them far less
popular than the Ming ones
(see pp110–11), despite the fact Spirit Way to Emperor Shunzhi’s tomb at the Eastern Qing Tombs
that the setting is even more
splendid. In fact, the Eastern the many tombs scattered Confucian tombs). The devious
Qing tombs make up the largest throughout the area, only five Empress Cixi (see p107) is buried
and most complete imperial are the burial places of Qing at Ding Dong Ling to the west,
cemetery in China, built on as emperors: the tombs of the in the right-hand tomb of a
grand a scale as the Forbidden Shunzhi emperor (r. 1644–61), complex of twin tombs, the
City itself (see pp92–5). Of Kangxi (r. 1661–1722), Qianlong other being the resting place of
(r. 1736–95), and Xianfeng Ci’an, eldest wife of the Xianfeng
(r. 1851–61) are open, while that emperor. Although both tombs
of the Tongzhi emperor (r.1862– were built in 1879, Cixi had her
74), at a distance from the main magnificent tomb lavishly
tomb grouping, is not. A 3-mile restored in 1895. The marble
(5-km) Spirit Way, an approach carriageway up to the Hall of
lined with guardian figures, Eminent Favor notably locates
leads to Shunzhi’s tomb, Xiao the carving of the phoenix (feng),
Ling, at the heart of the main symbol of the empress, above
tomb cluster, while several of the carving of the dragon (long),
the other tombs have their own symbol of the emperor. West of
smaller Spirit Ways. Southwest Ding Dong Ling, Ding Ling is
of here lies Yuling, Qianlong’s partially open and approached
tomb, with its incredible chamber via a set of stone animal statues.
adorned with Buddhist carvings Look for the smaller tombs of
and Tibetan and Sanskrit imperial concubines, their roofs
Incense burners in front of a spirit tower at scriptures (rare features at tiled in green (not the yellow of
the Eastern Qing Tombs imperial and principally emperors and empresses).
Emperor Yongzheng
The son of the Kangxi emperor and a maidservant, Yongzheng
(r. 1723–35) chose not to be buried at the Eastern Qing Tombs,
but perversely started a necropolis as far away as possible in
the Western Qing Tombs (Yixian county, Hebei province).
Perhaps, racked with guilt, he could not face burial alongside
his father, whose will he had thwarted. For after Kangxi’s death,
Yongzheng seized the throne from his brother (his father’s
chosen successor), and declared himself the legitimate heir,
ruthlessly eliminating any other brothers and uncles who may
have been a threat to his rule. Despite this shaky start,
Yongzheng was an able ruler and a devout Buddhist,
punishing dishonesty among his officials and seeking to
improve the morals and education of his people. Another
possible reason for the switch was that he just wasn’t satisfied
with the Eastern Tombs and chose an area with a better
natural setting. Whatever the reason, those keen on Chinese
tomb architecture will enjoy the peace of the Western Qing
Tombs. Nearby, moved in 1995 to a commercial cemetery, Yongzheng in robes embroidered with symbols
are the remains of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China. of his power
of Beijing and a full-scale

war. For those with a keen
interest in this period of
history, the incident is marked
by some rather gruesome
displays in Wanping’s
Memorial Hall.
. Tanzhe Temple
Mentougou district. 28 miles (45 km)

W of Beijing. q to Pingguo Yuan
(1 hr), then bus 931, or taxi. Tel (010)
6086 2505. Open 8am–4:30pm
daily. &
This enormous temple dates

back to the 3rd century AD,
when it was known as Jiafu Si.
It was later renamed Tanzhe
Temple, after the adjacent
mountain Tanzhe Shan, which
in turn got its name from the
Brick stupas at Talin Si or Stupa Forest Temple nearby Dragon Pool (Long Tan)
and the surrounding cudrania
, Marco Polo length of the bridge are (zhe) trees. It has a splendid
Bridge decorated with more than 400 mountainside setting, its halls
carved stone lions, each one rising up the steep incline. The
slightly different in appearance. temple is especially famous for
Wanping town, Fengtai district. 10 Local legend has it that these its ancient trees, among which
miles (16 km) SW of city center. q fierce-looking statues come is a huge ginkgo known as the
Wukesong, then bus 624. @ 339 alive during the night. Despite Emperor’s Tree. A slightly smaller
from Beijing’s Lianhuachi bus the widening and extensive tree close by is called the
station. Tel (010) 8389 2521. restoration work done over Emperor’s Wife.
Open 7am–7pm daily. & the centuries, a surprising The most fascinating sight,
Memorial Hall: 101 Wanping- amount of the bridge however, is the Stupa Forest
cheng Nei Jie. Open is original. In addition Temple (Talin Si) near the
8am–5pm Tue–Sun. & to its antiquity, it is parking lot, with its marvellous
significant as the collection of brick stupas
Straddling the site of the disastrous hidden among the foliage.
Yongding River in Marco Polo Bridge Each stupa was constructed in
Wanping town, the Incident. This is memory of a renowned monk.
876-ft (267-m) long where, on July 7, The towering edifices were built
marble bridge was 1937, the Japanese in a variety of designs, including
first built during the Stone lion, Marco Polo Imperial Army and the graceful miyan ta or dense-
Jin dynasty in 1189 Bridge Nationalist Chinese eave stupa, characterized by
but destroyed by a soldiers exchanged ascending layers of eaves. The
flood. The current structure fire – an event that led to earliest among them dates from
dates to 1698. Known as Lugou the Japanese occupation the Jin dynasty (1115–1234).
Qiao in Chinese, the bridge
acquired its English name after
Marco Polo described it in his
famous treatise The Travels (see
p249). At the bridge’s eastern
and western ends are stelae
inscribed by the Qing emperors
Kangxi and Qianlong. The
poetic observation by Qianlong
on a stele at the eastern end
reads “lugou xiaoyue,” meaning
“Moon at daybreak at Lugou.”
The balustrades along the The 11-arched Marco Polo Bridge known locally as Lugou Qiao
BEIJING 117
/ Peking Man Site
Zhoukoudian village. 30 miles (48 km)

SW of Beijing. @ 917 from Beijing’s
Tianqiao bus station to Fangshan,
then bus 38 or taxi to site. Open Apr–
Oct: 9am–4pm daily; Nov–Mar:
8:30am–4:30pm daily. &
Unearthed from a cave at
Zhoukoudian in the 1920s, the
40-odd fossilized human bones
and primitive implements were
identified as the prehistoric
remains of Peking Man (Homo The futuristic structure of the National Olympic Stadium
erectus Pekinensis), who lived
here over 500,000 years ago. It development, which includes a Situated on a steep mountainside,
was thought that this exciting large landscaped park, an Olympic it is a picturesque outpost of
discovery provided the much Village, and many other stadia courtyard houses (siheyuan) and
sought-after missing link including the National Indoor rural Chinese buildings. Because
between Neanderthals and Stadium and Swimming Center. of the close-knit nature of the
modern humans. Designated Swiss architects Herzog and original village all the courtyards
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, de Meuron won the competi- were inter-connected by small
the area is geared toward tion for the stadium with a bird’s lanes. The entry ticket allows
specialists, although the small nest-like structure of apparently access to the entire village, all
museum has an interesting random, intertwined ribbons of of which can be explored in a
display of tools, ornaments, and steel and concrete that simul- few hours. Look out for the
bone fragments. Sadly, Peking taneously form both facade Maoist graffiti and slogans that
Man himself is not actually here and structure. The gaps in the survive on the boundary walls;
and the site has suffered neglect. concrete lattice of the roof are similar graffiti from the Cultural
filled with translucent inflated Revolution has been white-
bags, making the building washed in most other towns.
waterproof while allowing light Chuandixia’s population
to filter down to the spectators. consists of about 70 people
The National Stadium is one spread over a handful of
of the most striking buildings families. Accommodations can
to be found anywhere in the be arranged for those wanting
world, and visitors are able to to explore the surrounding
take tours around it. During the hills or simply experience the
winter it is turned into a ski rural hospitality. Alive to the
center. Plans to turn the area opportunities brought by
around the stadium into a shop- tourism, quite a few of the
ping and entertainment complex old homesteads provide basic
are ongoing, and the Xin’ao facilities at a reasonable price.
Plaza mall has already opened
next to the subway station.
The prehistoric Peking Man Site

at Zhoukoudian @ Chuandixia
! National Olympic Near Zhaitang town. 56 miles (90 km)

Stadium NW of Beijing. q to Pingguo Yuan
(1 hr), then bus 929 to Zhaitang (2 hrs)
ϔਦோय़฿ჩᇖྖ or taxi. Tel (010) 6981 8988.
Olympic Green. q Olympic Open daily. & ∑ cuandixia.com
Green. @ Tel (010) 8437 5700.
Despite the rather laborious
expedition required to get
Beijing’s National Olympic here, a trip to the tiny village
Stadium was designed to be the of Chuandixia (Under the River)
stunning centerpiece of China’s is well worth the effort as the
massive building program for crumbling hamlet survives as
the 2008 Olympics. It is part of a living museum of Ming and Traditional Ming and Qing dynasty houses,
the city’s “Olympic Green” Qing dynasty village architecture. Chuandixia village
Shopping and Entertainment clothing. Try Taikoo Li in Sanlitun

Lu, which is great for named
in Beijing brands, Shin Kong Place, near
Dawang Lu subway, for designer
Beijing’s shopping scene has undergone a dramatic change stores, or Parkway Green
and slick department stores coexist with older retail outlets. Fangcaodi, near Dongdaqiao
Its vast array of retail options range from shopping malls and metro, for brands and dining.
department stores to specialist stores, boutiques, antique and
silk markets, and street vendors. The main shopping street Carpets and Textiles
Wangfujing Dajie (see p100) is very popular with Beijingers Beijing’s markets sell a variety
and visitors from out of town, but a raft of malls offer up stiff of carpets (ditan) from Tibet,
competiton. Regrettably, many of the traditional shops no Gansu, and Xinjiang, but visitors
longer exist with the exception of those on Dazhalan Jie should bargain hard on all
purchases. The Qian Men
(see p91). Beijing also has a lively entertainment scene, with Carpet Company on Xingfu
a growing number of pubs, bars, and clubs, and numerous Dajie has fine handmade
venues for traditional Beijing Opera, theater, and music. carpets from Xinjiang, Mongolia,
and Tibet. Other shops
worth visiting are Antique
Shopping (see p91) for its lacquerware, Carpets, the carpet stores
Visitors can buy anything from ceramics, paintings, and crafts. on Liulichang, the Liangma
traditional handicrafts, collec- Huayi Classical Furniture sells Antique Market, and the
tibles, carpets, and silks to classical antique, restored, and stalls at Panjiayuan Market.
electronic goods, furniture, reproduction furniture. The cramped confines of Silk
antiques, and designer clothing Street Alley Market have been
in Beijing. Many stores listed transformed into the multi-story
here arrange packaging and Books New Silk Street Alley Market;
shipping as part of their service. It is advisable to take your own experienced shoppers say it
reading material when traveling lacks the character of the old
to China, as the choice of place and visitors should haggle
Antiques, Crafts, and imported and English-language for good prices. The Yuanlong
Curios fiction in Beijing is quite limited. Silk Corporation sells silk fabric
Genuine antiques (gudong) are But a fine selection of photo- and a large selection of ready-
hard to find. Objects dating graphic, cultural, and travel made silk garments, and the
between 1795 and 1939 cannot books on China can be found. Beijing Silk Store south of Qian
officially be taken out of the Page One, which has three Men has good value silk. For
country without a certificate; separate mall locations, has upscale clothes try Na-Li, where
anything older may not be an excellent selection of inter- it is still fine to haggle. The
exported at all (see p587). national and Chinese books upmarket Yashow Clothing
The most interesting market across many of the most Market has four floors of
for antiques and curios is popular subjects. It also hosts clothes, fabric, and curios.
Panjiayuan Market in the regular literature, culture, and
southeast of town. Open all art events, as well as author
week, for the best deals, visitors talks and book-signings. Entertainment
should get there at sunrise The Bookworm should be The arts scene in Beijing
during weekends to rummage your first choice for books; it received a huge boost with
through the Bodhisattva statues, has a great selection to either the opening of the futuristic
ceramics, screens, calligraphy, buy or borrow. National Center for Performing
and variety of ornaments. The Arts, better known as The Egg.
Beijing Curio City, just to the Entertainment is largely based
south, also has a vast collection Department Stores and on the performance arts, such
of ceramics, furniture, jewelry, Shopping Malls as Beijing Opera and traditional
and Tibetan art on several floors. Despite fierce competition from theater. English-language
The large Hong Qiao Market new specialized outlets, huge theater is increasingly popular,
near the Temple of Heaven (see department stores are still as are art exhibitions and music
pp102–3) is good for collectibles, popular with the Chinese. Xidan concerts. The rock, punk, and
souvenirs, and pearls, especially Dajie is known for its concen- jazz live music scene is
the section on the third and tration of stores. In a frenzy of rapidly expanding.
fourth floors. Be aware, however, consumerism, giant new malls Cinemas show a limited range
that many of the goods on sale have sprung up everywhere of English-language films, as
here are not original items. (there are a lot around Xi Dan there are only a small number
Visitors could spend a few hours subway station), stocked with a of foreign films admitted each
browsing through Liulichang wide range of branded items and year. Many embassies and bars
BEIJING 119
show movies (either in English months, there are evening featuring opera and acrobatics
or with subtitles). There is a shows in the marvellous take place at the Laoshe
good cinema at Taikoo Li in Prince Kung’s Mansion (see Teahouse throughout the
Sanlitun. All European and p96) at 7:30pm. Visitors who afternoon and evenings. For
Hollywood films are pirated on are part of tour groups are something more exciting, the
release, and appear in the usually taken to the Liyuan Red Theatre holds a Vegas-
markets as DVDs and VCDs of Theater in the Jianguo Hotel. style Kung Fu show at 7:30pm.
variable quality. Check out the
listings in the English-language
entertainment magazines Traditional Theater Pubs, Bars and Clubs
found in the expat pubs on The city’s numerous teahouses The capital’s bar scene is lively
Sanlitun Lu, as well as in hotels. are excellent venues for the and varied, with a strong focus
The Beijinger has good listings. enjoyment of a variety of on the Nali Patio area of Taikoo
performances such as Li (North Sanlitun Lu), where the
traditional Chinese music, rooftop terrace at Fez is very
Beijing Opera storytelling, Chinese opera, popular with local hipsters on
Traditional performances acrobatics, and martial arts. weekends; and South Sanlitun
of Beijing Opera (jingju) The extraordinary body- Lu, which sits on the opposite
are staged in the splendid bending feats of Chinese side of Gongti Bei Lu to Nali
Zheng Yici Theater, the sole acrobats (zaji) can be seen at Patio, where uber-chic modern
surviving wooden theater in several places in the capital. speakeasy Janes and Hooch
China which was formerly a Popular performances are held serves cool cocktails with jazzy
temple. Shows begin on nightly at the Chaoyang lounge music. The lakes of
most nights at 7:30pm. The Theatre at 5:15 and 7:15pm, Houhai are also home to several
Huguang Guildhall has a and the China Acrobatics bars. One of the first, and still
similarly distinguished setting, Troupe stages performances at considered to be one of the
with daily performances at the Universal Theater every best, the No Name Bar near
6:30pm. During the warmer night at 7:15pm. Shows Hou Hai is well worth a visit.
DIRECTORY
Antiques, Crafts, Department Stores Dajie. Map 4 F3. Open Laoshe Teahouse
and Curios and Shopping Malls 9:30am–5:30pm daily. 3 Qian Men Xi Dajie,
Xuanwu. Map 3 C2.
Beijing Curio City Parkview Green Yashow Clothing
Tel (010) 6303 6830.
21 Dongsanhuan Nan Lu, Fangcaodi Market
Open 9:30am–10:30pm daily.
W of Huawei Bridge, 9 Dongdaqiao Rd, 58 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang
Chaoyang district. Chaoyang district. district. National Center for
Open 10am–10pm daily. Performing Arts
Hong Qiao Market Yuanlong Silk
∑ parkviewgreen.com Xi Chang’an Jie.
9 Tiantan Jie, Hong Qiao Lu, Corporation
Tel (010) 6655 0000.
Chaoyang District. Taikoo Li 15 Yongding Men Dong Jie.
∑ chncpa.org
Map 4 E3. Open 9:30am– Sanlitun North Rd, at jnct Map 4 D4.
7pm daily. with Gongti Bei Lu. Red Theatre
Beijing Opera 44 Xingfu Jie, Dongcheng.
Huayi Classical
Carpets and Textiles Map 4 F3.
Furniture Huguang Guildhall
Tel (010) 6714 2473.
89 Xiaodian Dongwei 3 Hufangqiao Lu. Map 3 B3.
Antique Carpets
Lu, Chaoyang district. ∑ huguaangguild Universal Theater
4A6 Gongti Donglu,
Tel (010) 8433 3226. hallopera.com 10 Dong Zhi Men
Chaoyang district.
Nan Dajie. Map 2 F3.
Panjiayuan Market Prince Kung’s Mansion
Beijing Silk Store Tel (010) 6416 9893.
Panjiayuan Lu, Chaoyang 17 Qianhai Xi Jie. Map 1 B3.
5 Zhubaoshi, Qian Men
district. Open 8:30am– ∑ pgm.org.cn
Dajie. Map 3 C2. Pubs, Bars and
6:30pm Mon–Fri, 4:30am–
Open 9am–7:30pm daily. Zheng Yici Theater Clubs
6:30pm Sat & Sun.
220 Qian Men Xiheyan
Liangma Antique Fez
Dajie. Map 3 C2.
Books Market 6/F Nali Patio, Taikoo Li, 81
Tel (010) 8315 1650.
27 Liangmaqiao Lu, Sanlitun North Rd.
Page One ∑ zhengyici.com.cn
Chaoyang district. Tel (010) 5208 6138.
Taikoo Li Sanlitun,
Chaoyang district. Na-Li Traditional Theater Janes and Hooch
∑ pageonegroup.com Sanlitun Beilu, Courtyard 4, Gongti Bei Lu.
Chaoyang Theatre
Chaoyang district. Tel (010) 6503 2757.
The Bookworm 36 Dongsanhuan Bei Lu.
Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Lu. Qian Men Carpet Tel 135 5252 7373. No Name Bar
∑ beijingbook Company ∑ chaoyang 3 Qianhai Dongyan.
worm.com F1, Building 3, 59 Xingfu theatre.com Tel (010) 6401 8541.
120 BEIJING STREET FINDER
BEIJING STREET FINDER

The map references given for all sights, what other features are marked
hotels, restaurants, shopping, and on them, including subway, train, and
entertainment venues described in this bus terminals, hospitals, and tourist
chapter refer to the following two maps. information centers. Beijing has extended
The page grid superimposed on the a long way beyond the main city center
schematic map below shows which parts and the Greater Beijing map on page 86
of Beijing’s city center are covered in this gives an idea of the areas to the north,
Street Finder. An index of the street names west, and south of central Beijing. Getting
marked on the maps follows on the used to the directional system of road
opposite page. The key, set out below, naming (see opposite) is vital to getting
indicates the scales of the maps and shows around easily in cities.
Haidian
Dong Cheng
Dian
Xi Men
Cheng
Chongwen
Xuanwu
Key to Street Finder

Major sight Temple
Place of interest Church
Other important building Mosque Scale of Map Above
Train station 0 kilometers 2
Bus station 0 miles 2
Subway station
Tourist information
Scale of Maps 1–4
Hospital
0 meters 500
0 yards 500
BEIJING STREET FINDER 121
Street Finder Index

In street names, the suffix “jie” meaning street, or Jiaochangkou Hutong 3A2 X
Jiaodaokou Dong Dajie 2D3
“lu” meaning road are often interchangeable. Xi’an Men Dajie 1A4
continues 2E3
Therefore, when asking for directions or an continues 1B4
Jiaodaokou Nan Dajie 2D3 Xianyukou Jie 3C2
address, note that Tian Tan Jie may also be known Jin Bao Jie 2E5 Xiaxie Jie 3A2
as Tian Tan Lu. Many streets are also called “dajie” or continues 2F5 Xibahe Nan Lu 2F1
Jing Shan Qian Jie 1C4 Xicaochang Jie 3A2
avenue. Directionals such as “zhong” (middle), and continues 2D4 continues 3B2
the four cardinal points – “dong” (east), “xi” (west), Jingtu Hutong 2D2 Xi Chang’an Jie 3B1
“bei” (north), and “nan” (south) – are often added to Jinyuchi Zhong Jie 4D3 continues 3C1
street names. The other key word mentioned here Xidan Bei Dajie 1A5
is “hutong” (alleyway). L Xi Damochang Jie 3C2

continues 4D2
Laoqianggen Jie 3A2 Xi Huashi Dajie 4E2
Liuyin Jie 1B3 Xijiaomin Xiang 3B1
A Dong Si Bei Dajie
Dong Si Nan Dajie
2E4
2E5 Longtan Lu 4F4 continues 3C1
Andeli Bei Jie 1C1 Dong Si Shi Tiao 2E3 Luomashi Dajie 3B3 Ximi Hutong 4D2
Anding Men Dong Dajie 2E2 continues 2F3 Xinde Jie 1B1
Anding Men Xi Dajie 1C2 Dong Si Shi San Tiao 2E3 M Xingfu Dajie
Xinjiekou Bei Dajie
4F3
1A2
continues 2D2 Dong Si Shi Si Tiao 2E3
Maweimao Hutong 4E3 Xinjiekou Nan Dajie 1A3
Anding Men Nei Dajie 2D2 Dong Si Xi Dajie 2E4
Meishuguan Houjie 2D4 Xinjiekouwai Dajie 1A1
Anding M en Wai Dajie 2D1 Dong Xinglong Jie 4D2
Xinkang Jie 1A1
continues 4E2
B Dong Zhi Men Bei Dajie 2F2 NP continues
Xinwenhua Jie
1B1
3A1
Dong Zhi Men Bei Xiao Jie 2F2 Nacaochang Jie 1A3 Xi Rongxian Hutong 3A1
Baizhifang Dong Jie 3A4 Dong Zhi Men Nan Dajie 2F3 Nanchang Jie 3C1 continues 3B1
Baochan Hutong 1A3 Dong Zhi Men Nan Xiao Jie 2F3 Nan Chizi Dajie 4D1 Xishiku Dajie 1B4
Bei Chang Jie 1C5 Dong Zhi Men Nei Dajie 2E3 Xisi Bei Dajie 1A4
Nan Gangzi Jie 4F3
Bei Chizi Dajie 2D5 continues 2F3 Xizhi Men Nei Dajie 1A3
Nanheng Dong Jie 3A3
Bei Gangzi Jie 4E3 Dong Zongbu Hutong 4F1 continues 3B3 Xizongbu Hutong 4E1
Bei Heyan Dajie 2D4 Dongdan Bei Dajie 4E1 Nanheng Xi Jie 3A3 Xuanwu Men Dong Dajie 3B2
Beijing Zhan Dong Jie 4F1 Douban Hutong 2F4 Nan Heyan Dajie 4D1 Xuanwu Men Dong Heyan Jie 3B2
Beijing Zhan Jie 4F1 Nan Qiaowan Jie 4D3 continues
Beijing Zhan Xi Jie 4E1 Nan Xiaoshikou Jie 4F2 Xuanwu Men Nai Dajie 3A1
Xuanwu Men Xi Dajie 3A2
continues 4E2 F Nan Xinhua Jie 3B2
Xueyuan Nan Lu 1A1
Bei Wei Lu 3C3 Puhuangyu Lu 4E5
Bei Xinhua Jie 3B1 Fahua Si Jie 4E3
Bei Yangshikou Jie 4E2 Fayuan Si Qian Jie 3A3
Q Y
Bingjiaoxie Jie 3C2 Fenfangliuli Jie 3B3
Fucheng Men Nei Dajie 1A4 Yong’an Lu 3C3
continues 3C3 Qianmachang Hutong 1C2
Fu Xue Hutong 2D3 Yongding Men Dong Binhe Lu
Qian Men Dajie 3C2
continues 2E3 4D5
Qian Men Dong Dajie 4D2
C Fuxing Men Nei Dajie 3A1 Qian Men Xi Dajie 3C2
Yongding Men Dong Jie 4D4
Yongding Men Nei Dajie 3C4
Caishikou Dajie 3A3 Fuyou Jie 3B1 Qian Men Xiheyan Jie 3C2
Yongding Men Wai Dajie 3C5
continues 5A3 Qingyun Hutong 4D2
Yongding Men Xi Binhe Lu 3C5
Chaoyang Men Bei Dajie 2F4 G continues 3B5
Chaoyang Men Bei Xiao Jie 2F4
Guang’an Men Nei Dajie 3A3
RS Yongding Men Xi Jie 3C4
Chaoyang Men Nan Dajie 2F5 continues 3B4
Chaoyang Men Nan Xiao Jie 2F5 Guangming Lu 4F3 Rufuli 3A4
Yonghe Gong Dajie 2E3
Chaoyang Men Nei Dajie 2E4 Guangqu Men Nei Dajie 4E2 Shangxie Jie 3A2 continues 2E2
continues 2F4 continues 4F2 Shengou Hutong 4D2 You’an Men Dong Binhe Lu 3A5
Chongwen Men Dong Dajie 4E2 Gulou Dong Dajie 1C3 continues 3B5
continues 4F2
continues 2D3 T
Gulouwai Dajie 1C1
Chongwen Men Xi Dajie 4E2
Guowang Hutong 1C2 Taijichang Dajie 4D1 Z
Chongwen Men Xi Heyan 4D2
Guoxing Hutong 1C2 Taiping Jie 3B4 Zhangzi Zhong Lu 2D3
Chongwen Men Nei Dajie 4E1
Guozi Jian 2E2 Taiping Qiao Dajie 1A5 continues 2E3
Chongwen Men Wai Dajie 4E2
continues 1A4 Zhaodengyu Lu 1A3
continues 4E3
Taoranting Lu 3B4
H Tianqiao Nan Dajie 3C3
Zhengyi Lu
Zhushikou Dong Dajie
4D1
4D2
D Haiyuncang Hutong 2F3 continues 3C4 continues 4E2
Heiyaochang Jie 3B3 Tian Tan Dong Lu 4E4 Zhushikou Xi Dajie 3B3
Dajiao Hutong 1A3
continues 3B4 Tian Tan Lu 4D3 continues 3C3
Daxi Hutong 4D2
Hepingli Dong Jie 2F1 Tieshuxie Jie 3B2 Zhuying Hutong 4E2
Dazhalan Jie 3C2 Zuo’an Men Dong Jie 3A5
Hepingli Xi Jie 2E1 continues 3B3
Desheng Men Dong Dajie 1B2 continues 3B5
continues 2E2 Tiyuguan Lu 4E3
Desheng Men Xi Dajie 1A2 Tonglingge Lu 3A1 Zuo’an Men Nei Dajie 4F4
Hepingli Zhong Jie 2E1
Desheng Men Nei Dajie 1B2 Zuo’an Men Xi Binhe Lu 4E5
Hongxian Hutong 3B3
Di’an Men Dong Dajie 2D3 continues 4F5
Di’an Men Xi Dajie 1B3
Hufang Lu 3B3 W
continues 1C3 Wangfujing Dajie 2D5
Dong Chang’an Jie 4D1
J Wenhuiyuan Lu 1A1
continues 4E1 Jianguo Men Bei Dajie 4F1 Wenjin Jie 1B4
Dong Huashi Dajie 4F2 Jianguo Men Nei Dajie 4E1 Wulutong Jie 1B1
Dong Rongxian Hutong 3B1 continues 4F1 Wusi Dajie 2D4
XINJIEKOU WAI
W ULUTONG JIE
DAJIE
XUEYUAN NAN LU XINKAN G J I E E
HU T O N G
JI
TYUAN
Rending
E Hu
D ANDELI BEI JIE
IN
D E S H EN G L I
X
XIJIE
GULOUWAI
RENDING HU
G
DEW
H O NGCI XI N
JIE
A
GONG YUAN
AI X I H O U
DON G
ANDELI ZHON G JIE
D A J I N G H U TO N G
JIE
D A JI E
J IAO C H A N G K O U
ANDELI
ANDELI
NAN JIE QIN GNI A N H U
LIBA I S I J I E
HU TO NG
N AN JI E
L INJ I A
JIE
WENHUIYUAN LU
JIU GU L O U W A I
DAJIE
ANDE LU
ANDE LU
B I N GJ IAO K O U HU T ONG U
L
E
H
IN
N XI B
D E S H EN G ME Arrow
Jishuitan
Tower
AJIE DE SHEN G M E N DO N G D A JIE ANDI N G ME N
XI D X IH A JIE
X I N J I E K O U N A N D A J I E X I N J I E K O U B E I DA JI E
I BE
N XI TA O HU TO N G
ME
I YAN
BABUKOU
EN NEI DA
Former Gulou Z H ONG TA O HUT O NG
HUTO N G
Huifeng
ENG
X I HA I DO N G Y A N
Temple Residence Dajie

O XI NJIEKOU Xi Hai
H XIA of Song
DE S
D A J IE
ANG 7 T IA O D A S H I QIA O H U TO N G
O CH O Qingling
ZH A O F U J I E
X IJ IA 7 T IA
XI J I A O C
B AN Q I A O T OU XI
HA XI A O S HI QI A O
TIA O
JI UG U L OU
IN HUTONG
NG M
A G GUOWANG G U OXI N G
H A N G HU
U
LO HUTONG HUTONG
N
U 4 T I AO U
YA
SHUICHE
X IN JIE K O
HUTONG
DONG XI N K A I
W AN GZ UO
N
D ESHE
IAN M A C H A H U TO NG
HUTO N G
H EI T A G
B E I C A OCHANG
H
TO NG
HU T O N G N G
Q
HU TO N D OU F U C H I H U T O N G
X
I
Hou Hai
O
H U T ONG
U
H
D
X IZHAN G H OU D O N G JIE
A
A
I EK Bell Tower
UT O N G
YA
I
JI
NJ NG
L U O 'ER H U T ON G
E
XI FA
B
NG
E
I
HU Guanghua
Xing Jie TO
NG
Y
A
Kou N Temple
XIZHI MEN NEI DAJIE Drum Tower
B OQ ICAN G D AS H IH U
DAHOUCANG HU T ONG
ZH E N G J UE H U TONG HUT ONG HO
UL O U
NACAOCHANG JIE
HU T O NG UH
AI G
LIUYIN
H ON G S H AN
U
S A N B U LA O NA
SONGSHU
HA N GKO N G HU T ON G HU T O N G N Y
NGYU L
H U TONG AN
M I A N HU A
DI'AN MEN WAI DAJIE

LIU X I A N G Q
QI A NGO N GY O NG DAXI N K A I HU T O N G IA
H U T ON G L I U H AI N
HA
BE I WE I H U T O NG H UT O N G Prince Kung's
ID
JIE
Z H AO D E
Mansion FANGZ HUANCHANG

ON G
DONG G UANYING
JIE
HU TONG
N
HU T ON G YA N NI A N A
Museum of I Y
HU TONG
BE
YAN
H UTO N G
Mei Lanfang AI
H Qian Hai M AO
LON
D ACH EN G XI A N G N 'ER
IA
N
DON
Q
DI N GF U J IE
A
Y
GT
J IN GY ONG L I
D AJ IAO H U T ONG BA OCHAN HUGUOSI JIE N

NA
OU
HUTONG X I N GH U A HUTONG
G B U YA G
I HU TON
HUTON G
HA
JIN
J I N G U O HU
Y U Y OU
Ping’Anli
TO N
Q IAN
G
Y UD E HU T O N G
JI
G
QL
E
DI'AN M EN
A
XI DAJIE
O
PING'AN DAJIE
HU
TON
E
G
C U I H U A H E N G J IE
QI A N C
H
MEN NAI
F U GU O JIE X I S I B EI B A T I A O T A I P I NGCA N G
J I ' A N SU OYO U X I A N G HUTON G
IE
LIANZI K U
HU TON G
BEI HAI
DAJIE
JIE
DAJ
X I S I B EI D A J I E
X I SI B EI Q I T I A O
AIMIN 4
PARK
D ONGLANGXIA
XI SI BE I LI U T I A O Z H O NG MAOJ IA W A N
B E I H A I B EI JIA D AO
XIANG
A IM IN
H U T O NG
AO
C U I H UA X I SI BE I WU T IA O HU A NGHUAME N
BEI J I E
JIE JIE
DI'AN
QI
D A C H AY E X I S I BE I SI T I A O
HUTONG AIMIN 7 Bei Hai
G
XI SI BEI SAN T IA O XIANG

D A H O N G L U O C H A N G JI E
XISH IKU DAJIE
IN
J I N G S HA N H O U J I E
DAGUAIBANG H U T O NG
X IH UAN G C H E N GG EN
IP
A N P ING
TA
X IA NG X ISI B EI E R T I A O
J ING S H A N XI J I E
J I NG S H AN DON G JI E
XI SI BE I TO U T IA O Children’s
Guangji White Dagoba
White Tower Temple Palace
Temple Xi Si Xishiku Jade
Temple
Church Island JING SHAN PARK
DASHIZOU
FUCHENG MEN NEI DAJIE

HU T O NG
(COAL HILL)
YAN G R OU H U TON G Tuancheng
(Round City)
Z H U A N TA H U TO N G
X I ' A N M E N DA J I E WENJIN JING SHAN QIAN
NEN G R E N H UTONG
D AJ I E
UTONG H
JIE
X I XI N HU T O N G
HUTO NG
G UA N GMI NG HUTO N G
BANS A N G
G
JINGSHE N
S AND D AY UAN H U TON G
A O ZHA L AN
H U TON G Western Inner Eastern
QI AO
NAN JIE
Palaces Court Palaces

BEI
X I D A N B E I D A J IE
BINGM A SI HUTONG
XIHU A N G CHENG G E N
TAIP ING
F E NGS H E N G HU T O
NG
CHANG
H U ZH U X I AN G
FUYOU
HOUNI WA H U T O NG FENZI HU TONG Forbidden City

YU Q IA N H UT O N G
IE
NG
EJ
B A N B I H U TO
XI
S H I FA
NGXI
NG
JIE
JIE
AO
DO
IE Zhong Hai Outer

J
HON G M IAO HUT O

NG Court
L I NG J I N G
H UT ON
PICAI H UTONG G
XI CHENG
Lingjing Hutong
BE I Y I N HUT O NG
Meridian
D AMUCANG TA I P U S I J I E
HUTONG Gate
HU
A
NG
B E I JIE
H EP IN G L I X I J I E
SI
ANDING MEN WAI DAJIE

D
AJ
QING N IAN HU
IE
LIUYIN HEPINGLI BEI JIE

GONG YUAN
XIBAHE NAN LU
HEPINGLI DONG JIE
IE
ZHONG J
DONGTUCHENG
JIA O LI NJI A DAO
QINGNIAN HU HEPINGLI Hepinglibeijie
GONG YUAN
Qingnian Hu
Temple of Earth
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Temple
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Confucius
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JING TU
JINGGUAN
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LUOGU
GUOZI JIAN
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MI N' A N H U T O N G
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Beijing Capital
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T I AO BE IX I QI AO TO U T IA O Bus Terminal
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Bus Terminal
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X I B I AO B E I HU T ONG
T A I J IC HANG DA J IE
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DON G BIAO BEI HUT
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N E I DA J I E
Ministry of ONG
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National Buildings TAIJICHANGTO U
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Beijing B E I J I N G ZH A N D O N G JI E
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XI DAJIE C H O N G W E N MEN D O N G D A JIE
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CH O NG W E N M E N X I HE YAN
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West
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TI AN TA N DO N G L U
Temple
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HEBEI, TIANJIN, & SHANXI

With its northern borders adjoining Inner Mongolia and the western
tip of erstwhile Manchuria, Hebei divides into a long southern plateau
and a mountainous north, dotted with fragments of the Great TIANJIN
Wall. Despite these barriers, the Manchu army flowed through SHANXI HEBEI
the Shanhaiguan Pass in 1644 to impose 250 years of foreign

rule on the Chinese. Hebei borders Shanxi to the west
and envelops the wealthy conurbations of Beijing and
Tianjin – Hebei’s former capital and a repository
of foreign concession-era architecture.
Shanxi (West of the Mountains), its northern edge protected by the Great Wall, was once
a buffer zone against the hostile Mongol and Turkic tribes. It is largely a mountainous plateau,
heavily industrialized, with the Yellow River (Huang He) flowing the length of its western
border. Leaving Beijing, most visitors first explore Chengde, with its imperial park and temple
architecture, or the celebrated Buddhist carvings at Yungang, outside Datong. Other key
sights include the magnificent Hanging Temple clinging to a cliff face, the peaceful hills
around Wutai Shan, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains, and the charming Ming
and Qing architecture in the ancient walled town of Pingyao.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Historic Sites
2 Beidaihe 7 Yungang Caves pp138–9
3 Shanhaiguan e Qiao Jia Dayuan
4 Tianjin
5 Shijiazhuang
6 Datong
0 Taiyuan Weichang
q Pingyao pp144–5
Lu
an

207
Fengning
He
1 Chengde pp128–31
2
11
G6
8 Hanging Temple Zhangjiakou Luanping
5
9 Wutai Shan pp140–42 G4 Qinglong
Xuanhua
w Shuanglin Si
Beijing Qinhuangdao
109 Yuxian
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an
Shanyin Tangshan
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Xinzhou Dingzhou
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G5
0 Hengshui
G2 Yangquan
Lishi
Yuci
Fenyang
G4
Xingtai Nangong
G55
Jiexiu Key
Qinxian Weixian
Handan Expressway
G5
G45
Main road
e
Linfen Changzhi Minor road

Q in H
Anyang
G5 Railroad
Jincheng Provincial border
Yuncheng Great Wall of China
0 km 100
0 miles 100
A traditional Chinese building illuminated at night For map symbols see back flap
1 Chengde
The mountain resort at Chengde (Bishu Shanzhuang)
was chosen by the Kangxi emperor in 1703 as a means
of eluding the hot summers in the Forbidden City. Set
in a river valley surrounded by mountains, the park was
strategically secure and allowed the hardy Manchu to
engage in hunting and martial sports. The rural setting
Tibetan Buddhist designs to make the
beyond the Great Wall reminded the Manchu rulers of their
Mongol allies feel at home
homelands to the northeast. The eclectic temple design
of the surrounding Eight Outer Temples put visiting
Putuozongcheng Miao
Mongol and tribal chieftains at ease, so the emperor Shuxiang Si
could exploit their allegiances.
Northwest Gate
. Putuozongcheng Miao
Built to resemble the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the
temple is the largest of the Eight Outer Temples BISHU
and has displays of thangkas (Tibetan religious SHANZHUANG
scrolls), Tibetan religious ornaments, and two
scaled-down sandalwood pagodas.
The wall is over 6 miles

(10 km) long.
The Kangxi Emperor

Kangxi (1654–1722) was the second Qing emperor to reign from West Gate
Beijing, and held on to power for 61 years, the longest reign in China’s
history. His rule was, in comparison with other emperors, frugal,
practical, and conscientious. During
his reign the empire increased CHENGDE
in size and wealth, and generally CITY
enjoyed peace and prosperity.
He taxed the farmers moderately
and protected the peasantry,
building up a healthy rural economy.
An outstanding militarist, he was also Getting Around
a patron of the arts and sciences It is possible to see the
inviting Jesuit scholars to the Chinese temples and resort in a one-
court. He was followed by his fourth
day minibus tour. However,
son, Yongzheng (r.1723–35), and then
it is quite a tough day. If time
his grandson Qianlong (r.1736–95),
who idolized him so much that he allows, try a more leisurely
The Kangxi emperor pictured resigned as emperor after 60 walk around the resort one
in his library years so as not to outdo him. day and hire a taxi for the
temples the next.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp558–9 and pp573–4
HEBEI, TIANJIN, & SHANXI 129
Xumifushou Zhi Miao

This temple was built to
impress the visiting Panchen Practical Information
Lama who came to Chengde. 150 miles (250 km) NE of
Chengde on the occasion Beijing. Tel (0314) 216 1132. Bishu
of the Qianlong emperor’s Shanzhuang: Open Apr–Oct: 7am–
birthday in 1780. 6pm; Nov–Mar: 8am–5:30pm. &
= - Outer Temples: Open daily
(not all open at the same time). &
Transportation
£ @ 5, 7, 11, 15 from
Chengde station.
Puning Si
PUYOU SI
Xumiufshou
Zhi Miao
. Puning Si
This temple combines Han Chinese designs
at the front with typical Tibetan structures
at the back. The highlight is the majestic
wooden statue of Guanyin in the main hall
East Gate Anyuan Miao (see pp130–31).
Yongyousi
•
Pagoda
Pule Si
Puren Si
Pule Si
0 meters 800 The most impressive hall in Pule Si, the Temple of
0 yards 800 Universal Joy, is the yellow-tiled twin conical-
roofed hall which has strong echoes of the Temple
of Heaven in Beijing.
Imperial
Palaces
Main Gate
Key
Town area
. Bishu Shanzhuang
The southern section of the resort contains an array of simple
Road but elegant palaces, cool shaded lakes, and waterside pavilions,
best viewed from a rowing boat.
Puning Si, Chengde

One of the most impressive outer temples at the Imperial
Summer Retreat at Chengde, Puning Si (Puning Temple)
was built in 1755 by the Qianlong emperor to
commemorate the defeat of Mongol rebels. The whole
temple complex is a harmonious synthesis of Chinese and
Tibetan styles of architecture. As part of a series of halls
ascending the slope of a mountain, the temple’s pinnacle
is the Mahayana Hall, in which towers one of the world’s
largest wooden statues, a vast 72-ft (22-m) high represen-
tation of the Buddhist goddess of compassion, Guanyin.
Buddhist Symbols
Guanyin’s hands hold an array of
Buddhist symbolic instruments –
the pure sound of the bell is said
to drive away evil spirits.
. Guanyin
The huge effigy of Guanyin, also known to
Buddhists as Avalokitesvara, is fashioned from
five different types of wood. Viewing galleries
can be climbed for views above ground level.
KEY
1 Diyu houses a macabre teacher, is shown perched

display of Buddhist punishments. on the top of her head.
2 The terrace buildings form a 6 Tibetan elements of the
three-dimensional mandala (see buildings are the bricks, the red-
p540), a physical representation and-white coloring, and the
of Buddhist cosmology. shape of the windows.
3 One of two attendant 7 Miaoyan Shi was where the
statues emperor rested when visiting.
4 Viewing gallery 8 Defensive wall
5 Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin’s 9 Gatehouse
Prayer Wheels VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

In Tibetan
Buddhism, sacred Practical Information
mantras and prayers 5 miles (8 km) NE of Chengde,
are inserted into the Hebei province. Open 8:30am–
decorated cylinders and 4:30pm daily. =0n Chengde
activated by spinning International Travel Service,
the wheel clockwise. (0314) 205 8209.
Transportation
@ 6 from Chengde station
. Mayahana Hall
Called Dacheng Ge in Chinese,
the 122-ft (37-m) high hall
symbolizes the palace of
Buddha on Mount Sumeru, the
center of the Buddhist world.
Puning Si
This illustration shows the Tibetan-
styled rear section of the temple
complex. This part uses several
terraces to emphasize differences
of height and scale, whereas
the traditional Chinese part of the
complex consists of a symmetrical
series of buildings on a single axis.
Stupa (Chorten)
These monuments represent
Buddhas’s physical presence
and traditionally held sacred
relics or even the remains
of revered lamas.
is steeped in history and is

fortified by a Ming-era wall.
The charming area within the
walls is segmented by hutong
(historic alleys), and serviced by
a few hotels.
Shanhaiguan promotes its
Great Wall links. The First Pass
Under Heaven in the east of
town is a formidable section
of wall attached to a huge
gatehouse. The Manchus
overcame half-hearted
resistance here and headed for
Beijing to establish the Qing
dynasty. Visitors can climb up
Beidaihe, one of northern China’s premier resorts on the ramparts, or access its
tower, which displays Qing
2 Beidaihe restored Guanyin Temple, weapons and costumes. To
dedicated to the Goddess of the south is the Great Wall
Compassion, is also located Museum, worth visiting for its
186 miles (300 km) E of Beijing. ~ to
here. Beidaihe’s three beaches photographs and models of the
Qinhuangdao, 9 miles (15 km) NE of
are dotted with statues of wall. Also on display are tools
Beidaihe, then express bus. £ @
revolutionary workers. Middle that were used to build it, as
Despite its immense coastline, Beach is the most popular, while well as the various weapons
China has very few good-quality West Beach is quieter. Nearby, that were used in its defense.
beaches, except perhaps in Tiger Rocks is a popular spot to There are some English
Hainan Island in the south. watch the sunrise. East Beach, captions, and the exhibits are
Nevertheless, the coastal town 4 miles (6 km) northeast of well displayed.
of Beidaihe, north China’s Beidaihe, gets covered in A more stirring section of the
breezy seaside retreat, is a seaweed and shells at low tide. wall lies 2 miles (3 km) north
pleasant enough escape from of town at Jiao Shan, where
Beijing’s intolerable summer Y Lianfengshan Park bracing climbs can be made up
heat. Discovered in the 19th Open 8am–6pm daily. @ 5, 10. & its steep incline – or take a cable
century by British railway car. Lao Long Tou (Old Dragon
engineers, it soon became Head) marks the end of the
popular with foreign nationals 3 Shanhaiguan Great Wall at the sea, 3 miles
from Tianjin, and villas, summer (4 km) south of town. This part
holiday homes, and golf courses of the wall has been completely
soon sprang up. These were 218 miles (350 km) E of Beijing. reconstructed and, despite the
later taken over by Chinese £@ tour buses, is worth visiting.
Communist Party cadres, and Visitors can head west along
party leaders still gather in A short hop up along the coast the beach to explore Haishen
Beidaihe for their annual from Beidaihe, Shanhaiguan (The Miao (Temple of the Sea God).
conference in August. Pass Between the Mountain and
Sadly, many of the elegant the Sea) is where the Great Wall E Great Wall Museum
European-style villas are now meets the sea. Although less Open 8am–5pm daily. &
obscured by garish modern affluent than Beidaihe, the town ∑ scb-museum.com/english
seafront properties. During
summer (April–October),
Beidaihe’s beaches are packed
with hawkers and domestic
holidaymakers. The best way to
spend one’s time is to sample
the array of seafood, or hire a
bike or tandem from one of the
outlets on Zhonghaitan Lu for
panoramic rides along the coast.
The hilly Lianfengshan Park in
the west of town is covered in
cypresses and pines, and its
hilltop Sea-Viewing Pavilion
provides a good vantage point
for views of the coast. The The aptly named Lao Long Tou, where the Great Wall reaches the sea
Xumifushou Zhi Miao, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Chengde
HEBEI, TIANJI, & SHANXI 135
4 Tianjin street’s west side. To the

southwest, close to the Old
Chinese Town, the Confucius
50 miles (80 km) SE of Beijing. * Temple was damaged during
10,000,000. k £ Main train station
the Cultural Revolution, and
(central), Tianjin south station (30-min
restored in 1993. About a mile
drive from center). High speed train
from Beijing’s south station takes 30
(1.6 km) northeast across the
mins. @ West bus station, Northeast Hai River is the gaunt Wang Hai
bus station, bus station No. 1, CAAC Lou Cathedral (Wang Hail Lou
(buses to airport), South bus station. Jiao Tang). Outside, a plaque in
Tanggu Harbor. n 22 Youyi Lu, Chinese relates the church’s
(022) 5855 9988. turbulent history. It was Beautiful tiled wall at the Tianhou
destroyed by a mob in Temple, Tianjin
Hebei’s former capital, 1870, and again during
the municipality of the 1900 Boxer including the Astor Hotel, whose
Tianjin is China’s fourth Rebellion. The 1976 guests included China’s last
largest city and a major Tang Shan earthquake emperor, Pu Yi. The highly origi-
seaport. The city’s damaged it for the third nal and hugely popular China
appeal lies in its time, and it was repaired House Museum is a beautiful
Western concession in 1983. North of the old French house that has been
architecture, a legacy cathedral, the Qing-era redecorated by Zhang Lianzhi, a
of its past as a foreign Dabei Monastery is collector of Chinese porcelain.
trading post since Deity, street reached via a colorful To the south, at the end of
1858. The former market market selling incense Binjiang Dao, Tianjin’s biggest
powers, led by Britain sticks and Buddhist thoroughfare and shopping
and France, and followed by talismans. People pay their area, are the three green domes
Japan, Germany, Austro- respects to Milefo (the of the French-built Xi Kai
Hungary, Italy, and Russia, built Laughing Buddha) at the Cathedral (Xi Kai Jiao Tang),
schools, banks, and churches. entrance and to Guanyin in her open on Sundays (8am–6pm).
In the north of town, the own hall. A popular attraction is
Ancient Culture Street is a the Tianjin Eye, one of the  Dabei Monastery
re-creation of an ancient tallest Ferris wheels in the 40 Tianwei Lu. Open 8:30am–5pm. &
Chinese street. The Tianhou world, standing at 394 ft (120
Temple, dedicated to the m). On Jiefang Bei Lu are many  China House Museum
Goddess of the Sea, is on the of Tianjin’s colonial buildings, 72 Chifeng Dao Open 10am-5pm.
Tianjin City Center

1 Ancient Culture Street North Train Station
5 km (3 miles)
2 Tianhou Temple West Train
LU
Dabei
3 Confucius Temple Station
AN
HEB
Xizhan Monastery
GSH
4 Wang Hai Lou Cathedral

EI D
ON
5 Dabei Monastery Tianjin Eye Jinshiqiao

ZH
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Wang Hai Lou

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6 Jiefang Bei Lu Cathedral

A JIE
7 China House Museum N D
XI
Northeast S H IZILI
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8 Xi Kai Cathedral BEI MA L U Bus Station LU

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Xibeijiao LI
Ancient Culture
LU
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Street
EN
XI MA LU
Confucius
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Temple Tianhou
DO N G MA LU
XI MEN DONG MEN Temple International Airport

N E I D A JI E NEI DAJIE 20 km (12 miles)
Xinanjiao Tianjin Train

N AN MA LU Gulou Station
HAIH E
DAJIE
Dongnanjiao
O
D
ZH
Jinwanguang-
NA
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G chang
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Dawang-
NK
LU
NAN MEN WAI
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AI
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Erweilu H HO China House

EP N G L U Museum
SAN
LIU
IN Jiefang
0 km 1 G
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LU Bei Lu
CAAC
EI
AG D
Bus Station
TA J I E F
LU
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0 miles 1 No.1 U
BE
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Haiguangsi KO
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NANJING G Astor Tianjin Eye

South Bus Station N 500m
LU YI
LU
3 km (2 miles) Hotel
Anshandao Xi Kai Yingoudao FU
U
Q AO
Cathedral D
CAAC
Key to Symbols see back flap For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp558–9 and pp573–4
5 Shijiazhuang renowned is Dafo Si (Great

Buddha Temple), also known as
Longxing Si. Its highlight is the
155 miles (250 km) SW of Beijing. gargantuan 69-ft (21-m) high
* 9,300,000. ~ £ @ n 26
bronze statue of Guanyin (the
Donggang Lu, (0311) 8588 5777.
Goddess of Compassion) that
stands in the Dabei Ge (Pavilion
The capital of Hebei often suffers of Great Mercy). Fashioned over
from unfair comparisons to both 1,000 years ago during the Song
Beijing and the former provincial dynasty, the multi-armed statue
capital, Tianjin. An industrial town is a riveting sight. Visitors can
dating from the modern railway climb the gallery surrounding
age, Shijiazhuang has just a few the statue for a closer look.
sights, including the Hebei West of Dafo Si, the 135 ft (41 m)
Provincial Museum in the east Lingxiao Ta (Lingxing Pagoda)
of town, which displays musical in Tianning Si is a restored Tang
instruments that are over 2,300 dynasty structure built from
years old, historical relics such as wood and brick, while Kaiyuan
a jade burial suit, and an entire Si’s Tang-dynasty pagoda rises Qiao Lou at Cangyan Shan Si (Hanging
miniature terracotta army. To up just off Yanzhao Dajie, Palace), Cangyang Shan
the west along Zhongshan Lu Zhengding’s main street.
is the Martyrs’ Memorial, Also situated here is China’s bow had to be level enough to
a park which honors two sole surviving Tang convey imperial soldiers, yet high
doctors as Heroes of the dynasty Bell Tower enough to evade flood waters,
Revolution. Both men, (Zhong Lou). Dotted while relying on the soft riverbanks
a Canadian named around Zhengding for support. The main arch
Norman Bethune are several temples (forming an arc rather than a
and an Indian named and pagodas, includ- semicircle) is an effortless span
Dwarkanath Kotnis, ing the Confucian of 28 stone blocks. Supported
served the Temple, Chengling Ta on each end of the arch are two
Communist Party in (Chengling Pagoda) smaller ones that are designed
the early 20th century. at Linji Si, and the Hua to lighten the structure of the
Ta (Hua Pagoda) at bridge and allow the passage
E Hebei Provincial Guanghui Si, with of flood waters.
Museum its many intriguing About 50 miles (80 km)
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. Kaiyuan Si’s Tang motifs that represent southwest of Shijiazhuang is a
pagoda, Zhengding the Buddhas, surprising group of monasteries
Environs: Most of the elephants, and whales. and pagodas tucked away among
area’s main sights lie outside About 25 miles (40 km) the cypresses and sheer drops
Shijiazhuang, and are easily southeast of Shijiazhuang, near of Cangyan Shan (Cangyan
accessed by train, bus, or minibus. Zhaoxian town, the 1,400-year- Mountains). The Cangyan Shan
Lying a short train or bus journey old Zhaozhou Bridge (Zhaozhou Si also known as the Hanging
9 miles (15 km) north of town, Qiao) is a graceful feat of Palace, situated hundreds of
the ancient walled town of engineering. Built over ten steps up the mountainside,
Zhengding is known for its years by the mason Li Chun and dates from the Sui dynasty. One
temples and pagodas. The most completed in AD 605, the 167-ft hall, the Qiao Lou, is spectacularly
(51-m) long bridge satisfied slung between two cliffs,
several requirements. The gentle suspended on a bridge over
the void. In the valleys and
on the slopes beyond, the trail
continues to explore the
dramatic landscape, passing
several shrines.
 Dafo Si
 Lingxiao Ta
P Zhaozhou Bridge
Open 8:30am–6:30pm daily. &
 Cangyan Shan
@ from Shijiazhuang. Open 9am–
The graceful stone Zhaozhou Bridge (Zhaozhou Qiao) 5pm daily. &
6 Datong 8 Hanging Temple
165 miles (265 km) SW of Beijing. * 40 miles (65 km) SE of Datong. @

3,000,000. £ @ n CITS Datong, from Datong to Hunyuan, then taxi.
(0352) 510 1326. Tel (0352) 832 2142. Open 8am–6pm
daily. & 8
Situated near the southern flank
of Inner Mongolia, Datong has One of China’s five sacred Daoist
some splendid sights that are mountains, Heng Shan is also
worth exploring despite the known as Beiyue (Northern Peak).
abundance of coal mines and The mountain range is a huge
power stations that blight the draw, its highest peak daring
surrounding landscape. climbers to scale its 6,600 ft
The city was twice a dynastic (2,000 m) slopes – a tradition
capital, under the Northern Wei started by the first emperor,
(AD 386–534), and the Liao (AD Qin Shi Huangdi, and kept alive
907–1125), both non-Chinese. Gilded Buddhist statuary, Mahavira Hall, by later rulers. Its main attraction,
The Northern Wei were fervent Huayan Si, Datong however, is the spectacular
Buddhists who carved and Xuankong Si. Supported by
decorated the Yungang Caves built to front the palace of the 13th slender wooden pillars, the
nearby, while a significant relic son of Hongwu, the first Ming temple seemingly clings
of the Liao era survives in the emperor. Less than a mile south precariously to the canyon’s
Huayan Si (Huayan Temple), of the crossroads on Da Nan Jie walls. The Northern Wei were
located in an alley off Da Xi Jie, is the Shanhua Si. Erected during the first to build here, but flood
west of the crossroads in the old the Tang era, it was subsequently waters from the Heng River
town. Completed by the Jin, the destroyed by fire and rebuilt in below regularly washed the
temple was much restored by the 12th century. The main hall buildings away. The current
later dynasties. Raised up on a has five Buddhist statues, edifice dates from the Qing
13-ft (4-m) terrace, Huayan Si’s flanked by 24 divine generals. dynasty. The temple’s 40-odd
Great Treasure Hall (Daxiong Bao halls are hewn from natural caves
Dian) is one of China’s largest  Huayan Si and hollows in the rock, and are
Buddhist halls. Within the hall sit Open 8am–5:30pm daily. & covered with wooden facades.
five gilded and enthroned Ming- They are connected by walkways
 Shanhua Si
era statues with attendants. The and bridges, and contain
Tel (0352) 205 2898. Open 8:30am–
ceiling panels are decorated statues of Confucian, Buddhist,
5pm daily. @ 27. &
with Sanskrit letters, flowers, and and Daoist gods in stone, iron,
dragons. A short walk east of the and bronze. The Sanjiao Dian
crossroads on Da Dong Jie is (Three Religions Hall) has
Jiulong Bi (Nine Dragon Screen),
7 Yungang Caves statues of Confucius, Buddha,
a 148-ft (45-m) tiled spirit wall See pp138–9. and Laozi all seated together.
The spectacular Hanging Temple (Xuankong Si), Heng Shan

7 Yungang Caves
Carved into sandstone cliffs, the caves at Yungang are one
of China’s most celebrated accomplishments of Buddhist
art. The assembly of over 51,000 statues was started by
the Northern Wei dynasty in AD 453 to atone for their
persecution of Buddhism. Hellenistic, Persian, Central Asian,
and Indian influences are evident in the carvings, testifying
to the many influences entering China via the Silk Road.
When the capital moved from Datong to Luoyang, in 494,
work at Yungang all but stopped. The statues are . Exterior of Cave 6
accompanied by English explanations. One third of the The wooden temple facade has
caves are currently closed for renovations. protected the beautifully carved
50-ft (16-m) stone pagoda and
the rest of the sculptures within.
Cave 13 Look for the
Cave 16 Has small figure supporting
finely featured the Buddha’s arm.
carving especially
Buddha’s head.
0 meters 100 Caves 5 & 6

0 yards 100 Protected by
Caves 16–20 These are wooden frontage.
the oldest caves, built
between 453 and 462 by
the monk Tan Hao.
Detail of Cave 10
Built as a pair along
with Cave 9, this cave
is also divided into two
chambers. The interior is
densely decorated with
colorful bas-reliefs and
statues in niches.
. Seated Buddha, Cave 5

Marking a move from the
more stylized earlier Buddhas,
this one has a more corpulent
. Main Buddha, Cave 20 and naturalistic air. Protected
The simplicity and balance by the wooden facade, the
of the tableau shows great cave is in good condition.
artistic merit. This cave
would have been shielded
by a wooden screen.
Musicians, Cave 12
This cave is decorated with devotees of music
and dance. The colorful walls provide excellent
evidence for the development and use of
musical instruments in China at the time.
10 miles (16 km) W of Datong.
Tel (0352) 510 2265, CITS Datong.
Open 8:30am–6pm daily. & 8
9 = - ∑ tour.yungang.org
Transportation
@ 3 from Datong bus station,
26 from the long-distance bus
station, 4 from train station.
View of the central section of the Yungang Caves, Datong
Interior, Cave 3 Pagoda in Cave 2
The Buddhas here have Nearly square in
rounded fleshy faces construction, this cave
and full lips, indicating has a carved square
that they are later pagoda linking ceiling
creations, perhaps Sui and floor. The statues in
dynasty (581–618). the cave have suffered a
little due to exposure to
the weather.
Artistic Influences, Cave 18

The colossal Buddha recalls the style of Gandhara
The bared shoulder The realistic faces
(see p471). This Buddhist stronghold and meeting of these arhats show
was replaced by the more
point for many of the Silk Roads sought to recreate the Chinese robe and girdle the personal input by
solemnity, dignity, and aweinspiring nature of Buddha. (see Cave 5). the artists.
A more realistic style can be seen in the five smaller arhats
on each side and the crown worn by the bodhisattva.
Statue has webbed

fingers, one of the
marks of Buddha.
Exterior of Cave 18 showing the

colossal Buddha
9 Wutai Shan
The monastic village of Taihuai, nestling in the valley
ringed by Wutai Shan’s five mountain peaks (or terraces),
has the largest concentration of temples, as well as most
of Wutai Shan’s hotels and restaurants. Wutai Shan was
the site of over 300 temples during the Qing dynasty,
but many were destroyed. Tsongkhapa, the founder of
the Buddhist Yellow Hat Sect (which has the Dalai Lama
as its head), lived here and the mountains and its shrines
are revered by Lamaist Buddhists. In winter, the roads
are often closed due to snow. Late spring and summer is Luohou Si
the best time to visit, but also the most crowded. Inside this temple is a wooden lotus
flower decorated with eight wooden
petals that, when rotated, open to
reveal carved Buddhist figures.
. Tayuan Si
This temple is dominated by its
distinctive Ming dynasty and
Tibetan-styled Great White Dagoba
(Da Bai Ta), which rises to a height of
164 ft (50 m). The dagoba is topped
with a bronze cap with bells.
KEY
1 Ming Qing Jie

2 Pu Hua Si
3 Shu Xiang Si
4 Wan Fo Dong
5 San Ta Si
6 Shou Ning Si is a little bit off
the beaten track in the hills.
7 Guang Hua Si
8 Jin Jie Si
9 Shang Cai Dong sits at the foot
of the hills in view of the cable car
to the north.
Taihuai
West of the Qingshui River, the village is
thronged by pilgrims, monks, and lamas. Visitors
come for its Buddhist temples and to shop for
religious talismans.
. Xian Tong Si VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

The highlight of this,
the largest temple on Practical Information
Wutai Shan, is the 149 miles (240 km) N of Taiyuan.
Bronze Hall. Made n CITS (0350) 654 2378. Open
entirely from metal, daily. & 8 by minibuses, taxis,
it is decorated with or through tourist office. = -
thousands of small Transportation
Buddhist figures. ~ to Taiyuan, then bus to Taihuai.
@ from Datong or Taihuai. £
from Beijing to Shahe, then bus.
. Pusa Ding
To reach Pusa Ding (Bodhisattva Summit), a
temple complex dating from the Ming and
Qing dynasties, there is a climb of 108 steps.
A significant number – it is the number of
beads on a Buddhist rosary.
Qi Fo Si
This temple is not visited as much as the
other more famous temples and as such will
be a quieter spot to take in the scenery. It also
has a white stone pagoda.
The Cult of Manjusri

Known as Wenshu in China, Manjusri is the Buddhist
bodhisattva of Wisdom and the patron deity of Wutai
Shan. A disciple of Sakyamuni (Buddha), Manjusri is
often portrayed riding a lion or holding a sword –
for cleaving both ignorance and suffering. Many
of Wutai Shan’s temples and halls are dedicated
0 meters 100 to Wenshu and the deity’s association with the
0 yards 100 mountain dates as far back as the 1st century
AD, when a visiting Indian monk had a vision
of the bodhisattva. Many more sightings have
been recorded since.
Key
Built-up area Manjusri or Wenshu, patron deity of Wutai Shan
Road
Exploring Wutai Shan decorated and designed Puji

Pagoda, and the Guanyin Hall,
Wutai Shan was originally worshiped by followers of the Dao among other structures.
(Daoists) pursuing the secrets of immortality, before attracting Two more temples within
devotees of Buddha who built many temples in his name. If easy reach of Taihuai include the
visitors explore around Taihuai they will find many temples Ming dynasty Bishan Si, which
contains some intriguing
scattered among the peaks and in more distant parts of the Buddhist sculptures, and
region. Most can be reached without much difficulty, with a Zhenhai Si.
chairlift to some parts, and the effort rewards the adventurous Considerably farther away is
with the chance to admire some of China’s oldest buildings. the remote Nanchan Si, about
44 miles (70 km) south of Taihuai
on the road to Taiyuan, which
contains one of China’s oldest
surviving wooden halls (AD 782).
The main hall has somehow
avoided destruction – a miracle
considering the many anti-
Buddhist purges during China’s
history. Despite much restoration
work, the hall’s original Tang-
dynasty design, a rarity in
Chinese temple hall architecture,
is preserved. Foguang Si
(Buddha’s Light Temple), about
The thickly wooded slopes of Wutai Shan 25 miles (40 km) south of Taihuai,
also features a Tang dynasty hall
 Wutai Shan’s Temples 2 miles (3 km) south of Taihuai, dating to the 9th century. The
The first temples appeared on is one of the largest temples on hall is especially notable for its
Wutai Shan during the Eastern Wutai Shan, most notable for its fine dougong (see p41) bracket-
Han dynasty. The five peaks of 18 superbly crafted arhat effigies. work, Tang and Song dynasty
Wutai Shan are each topped Three miles (5 km) southwest of wall paintings, and collection of
with a temple, but they are hard Taihuai, immediately above Ming dynasty arhats.
to reach and tend to attract only Nanshan Si and part of the same
devout pilgrims. Several temples temple complex, is Youguo Si.
can be visited either by hiking, Longquan Si (Dragon Spring
by bus, or by minibus tour from Temple), at the top of 108 steps
Taihuai (including those through through a marvelous marble
CITS), although other trips, archway, features the Hall of
such as to Nanchan Si, involve Heavenly Kings (with an effigy
longer expeditions. of Milefo – the future Buddha,
With lovely views over the also known in this chubby
valley, Nanshan Si (South incarnation as the Laughing The elaborately carved archway
Mountain Temple), around Buddha), the attractively at Longquan Si
Wutai Shan Temples

Northern Peak
Central Peak
Western Peak
Eastern
Peak
Longquan Si 0 km 4
Pailuo Ping
0 miles 2
Jinge Si
Zhenhai Si Key
Nanshan Si
Built-up area
Temple
Peak
Southern Peak
Path
HEBEI, TIANJIN & SHANXI 143
 Chongshan Si
E Shanxi Provincial Museum
13 Bin He Xilu. Tel (0351) 878 9015.
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
∑ old.shanximuseum.com
Environs: The bustling Jinci Si,

15 miles (25 km) southwest of
town at the base of Xuanwang
Shan (Xuanwang Mountain),
dates to the Northern Wei,
although much of its architecture
is from the Song period. The main
The Buddhist Chongshan Si, Taiyuan entrance leads straight to
the Ming-era Mirror Terrace,
0 Taiyuan statues. The multi-armed and originally used as a theatrical
multi-eyed goddess stands over stage. To the west, a canal runs
26 ft (8 m), her arms fanned out through the temple complex,
254 miles (408 km) SW of Beijing. behind her. Also displayed in crossed by a bridge that leads to
* 2,600,000. ~ £ @ n CITS 38
the temple are sutras (Buddhist a terrace supporting four fierce
Pingyang Lu, (0351) 821 1111.
scriptures) and scrolls from the iron statues. Lying beyond is the
Song, Yuan, and Ming eras. In impressively carved Hall of the
A heavily industrialized city, the east of town, the Twin Sacred Mother (Shengmu Dian),
Taiyuan lies on the banks of the Pagoda Temple (Shuangta Si) one of China’s oldest surviving
Fen River at the heart of Shanxi was built on imperial instruction wooden buildings. Inside the
and makes a convenient base during the late Ming era. Also hall, a group of ceramic Song-
for trips to Pingyao (see p144) known as Yongzuo Temple, its era figures waits on a central
and Wutai Shan (see pp140–42). 13-story, 164-ft (50-m) high figure of the Sacred Mother.
Between the years 471–221 pagodas have come to About 25 miles (40 km)
BC Taiyuan was the symbolize Taiyuan. Formerly southwest of Taiyuan, the
capital of the Zhao housed in Chunyang Tianlong Shan Grottoes in the
Kingdom, and Temple, the Shanxi Tianlong Mountains constitute a
became a flourishing Provincial Museum small, but significant, collection
center of Buddhism is now located in a of Buddhist cave art. A total
by the 6th century modern, purpose- of 21 caves dot the eastern and
AD. Because of its built facility on the western sides of the mountain,
strategic position, banks of the Fen with worn and damaged statues
bordering the River. Its collections dating from the Eastern Wei to
hostile nomadic are arranged over the Tang dynasties. The best-
tribes to the north, Guardian deity, four floors and preserved specimen to behold
the city underwent Jinci Temple are beautifully is the large seated Buddha in
heavy fortification presented, although Cave No. 9.
during the Tang dynasty. there are few explanations of
However, fearing its ambitions, the items in English. Displays  Jinci Si
the Song ruler had it torched include relics, bronzes, Chinese Open 8am–5pm daily. &
to the ground. The city was currency, statuary, and a T Tianlong Shan Grottoes
rebuilt a few years later. collection of Buddhist sutras. Open 9am–5pm daily. &
The Buddhist monastery
Chongshan Si is hidden down
an alleyway northeast of Wuyi
(May 1) Square. A temple has
existed here since the 7th
century, although the current
building dates from the 14th
century. A fire reduced much of
the temple to ashes in 1864,
but considerable rebuilding has
taken place. The Hall of Great
Compassion (Dabei Dian)
houses the striking Qianshou
Guanyin (Thousand-Armed
Goddess of Compassion), the
central figure in the trinity of The temple spring at Jinci Si, Taiyuan
q Pingyao
Surrounded by one of China’s few intact Ming city walls,
Pingyao’s streets are lined with a wealth of traditional
Chinese buildings, including courtyard houses, temples,
and more than 3,000 historic shops. Pingyao’s treasure . Rishenchang
trove of Ming and Qing architecture is a legacy of the This extensive museum of early
town’s affluent days as a banking center, which ceased banking is the site of China’s first
draft bank, founded in 1824.
when the Qing dynasty defaulted on loans and abdicated,
leaving the banks empty. The transferral of the country’s
West Gate,
finances to Shanghai and Hong Kong turned the city into
train station
a backwater, saving it from development and, ultimately, XI
DA
preserving its character. JIE
ZH
EN
GF
UJ
IE
County Magistrate’s Residence

Pingyao’s justice department during the Ming
and Qing dynasties, these offices represented the
E
JI
secular world while the Daoist temples, mirroring

DA
the County Yamen on the other side of Nan Dajie,

N
NA
represented the spiritual realm.
Southeast Pingyao
The most notable part of the car-free town,
the southeast corner and center of Pingyao
has the largest concentration of sights, South Gate
museums, and heritage architecture. (Ying Xun Men)
Furniture Museum
As well as this rickshaw,
there are rooms in this
typical Qing dynasty
compound that are
furnished as bedrooms,
kitchens, and opium dens.
. City Walls
The 39-ft (12-m) high, crenellated
enclosure dating from 1370 is said
to resemble the outline of a tortoise.
Its head lies at the South Gate, its 0 meters 30
four feet at the East and West Gates, 0 yards 30
and its tail at the North Gate.
VISITORS’ CHECKLIST w Shuanglin Si
62 miles (100 km) S of Taiyuan. * 4 miles (6 km) SW of Pingyao. @
40,000. n Zhao Pi Nan Jie 58. Open Open 8:30am–6:30pm daily (to 5pm
daily. & (joint ticket for all sights). in winter). &
Transportation
£ @ City Walls: access at This temple has a long history,
West Gate. dating back 1,500 years to
the Northern Wei, which had its
capital at Datong (see p137). The
. Bell Tower current temple was built during
Rising above Nan Dajie, the Bell the Ming and Qing dynasties
Tower is a charming structure and contains over 2,000
decorated with ornamented eaves. Buddhist statues, some from the
North Gate Song dynasty. The effigies are
(Gonji Men) The Tianjixiang arranged in ten halls around
Museum has a three courtyards. The expertly
small collection of These three adjoining fashioned figures’ expressions
local artifacts. Daoist temples were vary from the sublime through
last rebuilt in 1859, after the comic to the sinister. The
burning down during a
lifelike luohans in the second
DO temple fair.
NG hall each reveal an individual
DA persona and the bodhisattvas in
JIE
the third hall are well worth
seeking out.
CH
EN
GH
UA
NG
MI
AO
JIE
Classic courtyard at the extensive Qiao

Upper East Jia Dayuan
Gate
e Qiao Jia Dayuan
12 miles (20 km) N of Pingyao. @

between Taiyuan and Pingyao can
drop you off. Tel (0354) 532 1045.
Open 8am–6pm daily. & 7 ∑
qjdywhyq.com
This magnificent courtyard

house was the setting for
director Zhang Yimou’s classic
1991 film Raise the Red Lantern,
starring Gong Li. Dating from
the 18th century, the vast
complex, comprising 313 rooms,
is an exquisite exercise in
architectural balance, its linked
Kuixing Tower courtyards pervaded by a sense
This extravagant and unusually of equilibrium. Enclosed by a
Watchtowers 33-ft (10-m) high fortified wall,
punctuate the length designed eight-sided pavilion rises
above the battlements. It is named the house was built by Qiao
of the wall every
after a star in the 28 constellations of Guifa, a merchant who made
164 ft (50 m).
the Chinese zodiac. his fortune in tofu and tea.
SHANDONG & HENAN

The swathe of territory comprising Shandong and Henan, irrigated by
the final sweep of the Yellow River (Huang He), sustained some
of China’s earliest settled societies. The Shandong Chinese are
proud of their many treasures, which include sages Confucius
SHANDONG
and Mencius, as well as the Yellow River, and Tai Shan, China’s
holiest Daoist peak, and the former German colony of HENAN
Qingdao, with its Bavarian cobbled streets and Teutonic
architecture. (Qingdao may be testament to humiliating
19th-century foreign ambitions, but it was German expertise that
helped brew China’s famous Tsingtao beer.) The Yellow River enters Shandong (East of the
Mountains) from the west, after slicing Henan (South of the River) into two uneven chunks.
Henan’s historic sights cluster around the river in the province’s north, in an area that was the
cradle of Chinese civilization as early as 6000 BC. The ancient capitals of Anyang, Kaifeng, and
Luoyang are located here. The impressive Longmen Caves, with their Buddhist carvings,
lie outside Luoyang. Other sights include the sacred Daoist mountain of Song Shan, home
to the Shaolin Temple and its band of warrior monks, and the Northern Song capital of
Kaifeng, with its fine Buddhist architecture and historic Judaic links.
Sights at a Glance Temples & Monastaries

Towns & Cities Historic Sites 2 Tai Shan pp150–51
1 Jinan 7 Penglai e Song Shan & Shaolin Temple
3 Qufu w Longmen Caves pp160–61
4 Qingdao r Gongyi
5 Yantai
6 Weihai
8 Kaifeng Bo Hai
Bohai Haixia
9 Anyang
0 Zhengzhou
q Luoyang Longkou
Dongying
Dezhou
He
5
ai
G18
G1
h Binzhou
Tu Laiyang
Zibo Rushan
Linqing Weifang
Boshan
G18
Liaocheng G22
Hebi e
G45
Riv
r
G2
G1
w Juxian
ll o Jining
Ye
G4
Jiaozuo Pingyi Rizhao

Xinxiang Heze
Sanmenxia G30
G3
G35
Zaozhuang
He
Luo
Songxian Shangqiu
Xuchang G30
G55
G40 Zhoukou
Pingdingshan
Luohe G36
Xixia Nanyang
G4 Fuyang
0 0 km 100
Xincai
Tanghe
G4
0 miles 100
Huangchuan
Xinyang
G45
G40
G55
G7
Key
0
Expressway
Yichang Main road
Wuhan
Minor road
Railroad
Provincial border
Longmen Caves – an important and busy tourist attraction For additional map symbols see back flap
A view of the skyline of Jinan, the capital of Shandong from across Daming Lake
1 Jinan pottery fragments (some from 2 Tai Shan

Long Shan nearby), and dino-
saur fossils. Also on display is See pp150–51.
216 miles (350 km) S of Beijing. China’s oldest existing book
* 5,900,000. ~ £ @ n (0531) made from strips of bamboo.
8267 6211.
3 Qufu
Environs: Near Liubu village, 21
South of the Yellow River as it miles (33 km) southeast of Jinan, 112 miles (180 km) S of Jinan. *
makes its final thrust for the sea, the Si Men Pagoda (Four Gate 160,000. £ @ from Jinan. n CITS
Shandong’s capital is visited Pagoda) is known for its 1 Donguamendajie, (0537) 449 1491.
primarily by travelers en route to antiquity and unusual design.
the popular sights of Tai Shan, This squat, one-story stone As the birthplace of China’s
Qingdao, and Qufu. It was structure with four doors is most revered sage, Qufu
known for its natural springs, topped by a steeple, and would occupies a hallowed place in
many of which have now dried have housed the remains of an the minds of not only the
up. The most famous of these, important monk. The pagoda, Chinese, but also the legions of
the Black Tiger Spring, still flows erected in AD 611, is the oldest Japanese and Koreans who
somewhat erratically out of of its kind in China. come here on pilgrimage. In
tiger-headed spouts. September the town comes
In the north of town, the park } Thousand Buddha Mountain alive during the annual festival
surrounding Daming Hu (Big 18 Jing Shiyi Lu, off Qianfoshan Lu. that celebrates Confucius’s
Brilliant Lake) is filled with ponds, Open 6:30am–6:30pm daily. @ 51. & birthday. Although the sage
gardens, and temples, and is a E Shandong Provincial Museum lived in relative obscurity, his
good place for a stroll. To the 14 Jingshiyi Lu. Open 9am–5pm Tue– descendents dwelt in the
southwest is the Li Qingzhao Sun. ∑ sdmuseum.com/english grand Confucius Mansion
Memorial Hall which commem- 79=- (Kong Fu) in the heart of town.
orates one of China’s most
famous female poets who lived
in the 12th century. There is a
statue of her as well as portraits
and extracts from her writings.
In the southeast of the city,
the slopes of Thousand Buddha
Mountain (Qianfo Shan) are
dotted with Buddhist statues.
Several temples are situated on
the summit, which is over an
hour’s climb up the steps.
A cable car service is available.
The earliest statuary dates from
the 6th century, with many
additions compensating for
those broken by Red Guards.
A short walk north of the moun-
tain is the Shandong Provincial
Museum. Its exhibits include
Buddhist carvings, Neolithic Covered corridor to the Confucius Temple at Qufu
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p559 and pp574–5
SHANDONG & HENAN 149
Wielding immense political

authority and wealth, the Kong
family – referred to by the
Chinese as the First Family
Under Heaven – built a palatial
mansion occupying over 40
acres (16 ha). Arranged on a
traditional north–south axis,
the mansion is divided into
residential and administrative
quarters, with a temple in the
east and a garden at the rear.
Most of the halls date from the
Ming era. The Gate of Double
Glory in the north was used for
the emperor’s visits, while to Mencius Temple at Zoucheng, south of Qufu
the east stands the Tower of
Refuge, where the family on the backs of mighty bixi, to burn them. The books
assembled in times of strife. primitive, turtle-like dragons. were rediscovered during
Next to the mansion, the A long succession of gateways the Han era.
Confucius Temple (Kong Miao) leads to the 11th-century In the north of town, the
is a lengthy complex of Kuiwen Pavilion, a triple-roofed walled Confucius Forest (Kong
memorial gateways, courtyards, building. Confucius instructed Lin) contains the grave of
halls, stele pavilions, auxiliary his disciples from the Apricot Confucius and other members
temples, gnarled Pavilion, accessed of the Kong clan. The forest is
cypresses, and through the Great mostly pines and cypresses
ancestral shrines. Achievements Gate. interspersed with shrines and
Originally a simple On top of a marble tombstones.
shrine in 478 BC, terrace with columns Not far south of Qufu,
the year after that are elaborately Zoucheng (now a city), is
Confucius’s death, carved with dragons, the home town of Mencius
the temple grew the Great (372–289 BC), the Confucian
gradually over the Achievements Hall philosopher, second in
centuries before (Dacheng Dian) forms importance only to Confucius
suddenly expan- the temple’s splendid himself. The tranquil Mencius
ding during the Carved column, nucleus. Beyond, the Temple consists of 64 halls set
Ming and Qing eras. Confucius Temple Hall of the Sage’s Relics around five large courtyards.
Beyond the entrance houses carved stone As in Qufu, the philosopher has
stand 198 stone stelae, listing plates with scenes from the a Mansion and Graveyard.
the names of as many as 50,000 sage’s life. The Lu Wall in the
successful candidates in the eastern section is where one of P Confucius Mansion
imperial examinations, during his descendents hid his books Open 8am–5 pm daily. @ 5, K01. &
the Yuan, Ming, and Qing to save them from Emperor Qin  Confucius Temple
dynasties. Some are supported Shi (259–210 BC), who wished Open 8am–5pm daily. @ 5, K01. &
Confucius
The teachings of Confucius (551–479 BC), China’s most renowned
philosopher, profoundly influenced the culture of China as well as
other nations, including Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Born in the state
of Lu during an age of uninterrupted war, Confucius (whose name
was derived from his Chinese name, Kong Fuzi or Master Kong) was
prompted by the suffering around him to develop a practical
philosophy built upon the principle of virtue (ren), in the hope that
rulers would govern in a just manner. Finding no audience among
his native rulers, he communicated his beliefs to a body of disciples
and embarked on a journey in search of a ruler who would apply his
rules of governance. He died unrecognized and never recorded his
philosophy in writing, but his thoughts were compiled by his
followers into a volume called the Analects (Lunyu), and promulgated.
Championed by successive thinkers including Mencius, Confucius’s
philosophy later achieved predominance and formed the basis for
the civil service examination system, a major hurdle to a career in
officialdom right until the 20th century. The philosopher-sage, Confucius
2 Tai Shan
Having played a part in China’s earliest creation myths, Tai Shan
(Peaceful Mountain) has held sway over the Chinese imagination Hou Sui Wu
for millennia. It is ascended year-round by legions of pilgrims and
travelers, making it China’s most sacred and most climbed
mountain. Despite the crowds, a supernatural presence permeates
Tai Shan, best experienced via a slow ascent with plenty of pit stops
at wayside shrines and monuments. Many tourists stay overnight
at hotels on the mountain and watch the sunrise from the cloud- Taohua Yuan
wreathed peak, which is where Tai Shan’s most significant temples
can be found, attracting droves of devout worshipers.
. Yuhuang Miao
Dedicated to the supreme
deity of Daoism, the Jade
Emperor Temple marks the
conclusion of the ascent at
5,070 ft (1,545 m) and
houses a statue of the Jade
Emperor and wall paintings.
Huima Ling
. Shiba Pan
The last and most punishing part of the climb, the steep Path
of Eighteen Bends is visible from Zhong Tian Men (the halfway Longtan
point), and brings weary travelers to Nan Tian Men, the last Shuiku
gate on Tai Shan, but not the summit.
Dazhong Qiao
KEY
1 Heilong Tan (Black

Dragon Pool)
2 Bixia Ci, dedicated to the
Princess of the Azure Clouds, attracts Puzhao Si
would-be mothers to the summit. Tai Shan’s shrines are not exclusively
Daoist and this temple – with a typically
3 Yi Tian Men (First Gate under
Heaven)
Buddhist name (the Temple of Universal
Light) – is easily visited if taking the
Western Route up the mountain.
Mountain of Emperors
The most exalted of China’s five Daoist mountains, Tai Shan has Practical Information
been an essential imperial climb since the time of Qin Shi Huangdi. Tai’an, 45 miles (70 km) S of Jinan.
Emperors ascended Tai Shan to gain assurance that their heavenly n near train station, (0538) 806
mandate would be maintained; an abortive 6077. & _ Tai Shan Race (Sep).
ascent could signal Heaven’s favor was in Open daily; cable car: 8am–5pm.
question. Several sights have imperial &-
associations: Huima Ling (Horse Turns Transportation
Back Ridge) marks the spot where ~ at Jinan. £ @ 3 from Jinan.
Emperor Zhenzong’s horse refused
to go any farther and the ruler had
to continue by sedan chair. Tai Shan’s Key
importance is further evinced by two Minor road
other notables who clambered up its
Path
slopes: Confucius and Mao Zedong.
Built-up area
Qin Shi Huangdi, first emperor of China
Climbing Tai Shan Stone Sutra Valley

Two routes lead to the summit. The North of Doumu Gong
Central Route is more popular, following is a further Buddhist
the traditional imperial way and taking contribution to this
travelers past the most notable Daoist peak, a large flat
rock carved with the
monuments. Despite having fewer
text of the Diamond
historical sights and not being Sutra, the first block-
particularly wellmarked, the Western printed book to bear
Route boasts lovely natural scenery, a date.
including Heilong Tan. Many travelers
ascend by the Central Route and
descend by the Western Route.
Hong Men Gong

Jin s h i y u ( S ton e
S u t r a V a l l ey) This Ming dynasty temple,
Red Gate Palace, is the first
of numerous shrines dedi-
cated to the Princess of the
Doumu Gong
Azure Clouds (Bixia).
0 meters 800
0 yards 800
. Dai Miao
This temple is the town’s
main attraction and a
natural departure point for
Tai’an climbing the mountain.
The main building, the
Tiankuang Dian, is an
immense yellow-eaved
hall that contains a massive
dimly lit Song dynasty
fresco depicting the
Zhenzong emperor as
the God of Tai Shan.
4 Qingdao white clock face. Built in 1910, its

exterior has sandy yellow walls
and red clay tiles, while the frugal
A world away from China’s drab industrial towns, the breezy interior is open to visitors. The
seaside city of Qingdao is a colorful port on the Shandong 128-ft (39-m) clock tower is also
Peninsula. Known to foreign nationals as Tsingtao, where its open, and visitors can climb up
namesake beer is brewed, pretty Qingdao’s charms derive its steep stairway to enjoy the
view of the coast. Farther east in
from its German textures, namely cobbled streets, red roof Xinhao Shan Park is the former
tiles, distinctive stonework, and tree-lined avenues. The city Governor’s Residence. This grand
came under German jurisdiction in 1897, it was returned to mansion once played host to
China in 1922. Modern-day Qingdao is an entrepreneurial, Yuan Shikai and Mao Zedong.
forward-thinking city, with high ambitions, as shown by the A short walk to the south, the
Qingdao Museum is worth
world’s largest 26-mile long- (42- km)-long Haiwan Bridge to
exploring for its collection of
Huangdao. The city holds the Qingdao International Sailing relics, including several huge
Week in August, attracting many visitors. stone Buddha statues dating to
Qingdao City Center

1 Zhanqiao Pier
2 St. Michael’s Church
3 Governor’s Residence
4 LutheranChurch
5 Qingdao Museum
6 Huashi Lou
7 Badaguan
U
L
N
IA
Jiaozhou X
EN
Bay SH
LU
N
The former Governor’s Residence UA
CH
TA I ' A N L U
LU
SI
N
A
N
Exploring Qingdao The busy Zhongshan

N
U
Local Ferry Y
In 1897, Kaiser Wilhelm took Lu running north is Terminal
Railway Station
over Qingdao after two German Qingdao’s premier Coach Station
Train
missionaries were killed by the shopping street. To the Station
FE
XI
LU
I
Boxers (see p439). The Qing east is St. Michael’s U

AN
LU IP I
NG
G
IZ TA Number
court was forced to cede the Church, whose twin HO
U L 6 Beach
U
city to Germany for 99 years, but spires preside over an Tuandao
it was returned to China in 1922, atmospheric part of town Bay
after eight years under Japanese filled with steep cobbled Qingdao Bay
occupation. The Japanese took streets and iron balconies.
over the port again between Southeast of the Catholic Huangdao
1938 and 1945. church is the charming
Wandering about at leisure is Lutheran Church, with its
the best way to see Qingdao’s distinctive clock tower and Key to Symbols see back flap
main sights, most of which lie in
the German Concession in the
southwest of town that roughly Chinese Beer
stretches between Tai’an Lu and Tsingtao, which swears by its magic ingredient
Xiaoyu Shan Park. The Germans of mineral water from Lao Shan, is China’s most
built the imposing train station, famous beer (pijiu). Built by homesick Germans in
equipped with a belfry, to mark 1903, the Tsingtao brewery is China’s largest, with
the end of the line they laid to exports to over 40 countries. Once the best (and
the provincial capital of Ji’nan. most expensive) in China, Tsingtao faces stiff local
Reproduced on the label of competition as international breweries invest
Tsingtao beer, the octagonal heavily in joint ventures in what is the fastest
Huilai Pavilion, which hosts craft growing beer market in the world. Vast amounts
of beer are drunk during the town’s Beer Festival
exhibitions, lies at the tip of
in the last two weeks of August. You can visit the
Zhanqiao Pier. The 1,444 ft
brewery (which also has a museum and bar) and
(440 m) pier juts into Qingdao Tsingtao beer can receive free samples.
Bay off the frenetic No. 6 beach.
more attractive. Its clean stretch VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

of sand leads to Huashi Lou, a
stone mansion with a turret Practical Information
that was once the residence of 236 miles (380 km) E of Jinan.
a Russian aristocrat. The genteel * 8,170,000. ∑ qdta.cn
Badaguan area to the north is Transportation
known for its villas and sanator- k £ Qingdao North railway
iums set amid tree-lined streets. station. @ Long distance bus
station, CAAC (buses to airport).
5 St. Michael’s Church g Passenger ferry terminal,
15 Zhejiang Lu. Tel (0532) 8286 5960. local ferry terminal. n 9 Nanhai
An expanse of sand on one of Open 8am–5pm Mon–Fri (from Lu, (0532) 389 3062.
Qingdao’s many beaches noon Sun) 5 7am, 6pm Sun. _ Beer Festival (Aug).
5 Lutheran Church
AD 500, and paintings from the 15 Jiangsu Lu. Tel (0532) 8286 5970.
Yuan and Ming eras. Visitors can Open 8:30am–5pm daily 5 Sun. Environs: A 25-mile (40-km) bus
stroll down Qingdao’s waterfront ride from Qingdao, the vast
past its many beaches. No. 1 E Qingdao Museum mountainous region of Lao Shan
beach is the longest and busiest, 27 Meiling Lu. Tel (0532) 8889 3336. is a famous retreat with temples,
while farther east, No. 2 beach is Open 9am–5:30pm (to 4:30pm in waterfalls, and hiking trails. The
winter) Tue–Sun. &
area is steeped in Daoist lore and
Passenger Ferry throughout the ages envoys were
Terminal
LU
dispatched here in search of the

LU
NG
XI
N JI
ANG
0 meters 800 elixir of life. The Song-era Great
YA
UA
Purity Palace is located a third of

H
0 yards 800
L I AO N
ING the way up Mount Lao Shan. The
LU
Zhushuishan palace was built by the first Song
Gongyuan
LU
emperor as a place to perform

REHE
YA N'AN YI LU
Daoist rituals for the dead. From
the palace, paths lead to the sum-
LU
ZHON GSHAN LU
mit. Visitors can climb the stairs

XU E
Qingdaoshan
DA
St. Michael’s Gongyuan located half-way up, or take the

Church cable car for dramatic views. The
U LU
Zhongshan
area was once dotted with Daoist
E LU
Gongyuan
JIANGS
CAAC Governor’s Zhanshan Si temples, but only a few survive

XU
HUBEI LU Lutheran Residence

DA
Church
XIAN Lao Shan today. The most famous is the
Xiaoyu LU
GERMAN ENG Song-dynasty Taiqing Temple
G
Shan END LU
G
CONCESSION Gongyuan W XI
AN
G near the coast, not far from where

G
Qingdao NA XI AN
U
LU
LU
NH G
the Shandong writer Pu Songling
IL
Museum NG
G
IX
A
XI
AI
N
BADAGUAN
HA
A
(1640–1715) lived. Many more

LU
IY
G
LA
DO N
Z H E N G YA N G G U A N L U
Zhanqiao Pier
Luxun
Number temples survive on Lao Shan’s
Huilai Pavilion 1 Beach Number
Gongyuan slopes along with caves, the
N G H A I GU A N L U 3 Beach
S HA
Huiquan Bay
highest and deepest of which is
Number 2
Beach Huashi Lou the Mingxia cave in front of
Taiping Bay Xuanwu Peak. Lao Shan is also
Huiquanjiao
Horn Taipingjiao known for its mineral water, a
Horn
vital ingredient of Tsingtao beer.
Qingdao’s skyline, similar to the modern architecture of Pudong, Shanghai

and mythology, including the

Eight Immortals who Crossed
the Sea, battle scenes, figures,
fabulous creatures, and several
scenes from the Romance of
the Three Kingdoms (see p35).
Arab figures playing musical
instruments lie beneath the
eaves, while the beams take the
shape of a woman with her
infant child. The temple has a
garden and is equipped with
a stage, employed for perform-
ances and events celebrating
the Goddess Tianhou.
Gateway to the Yantai Museum, housed in a fine Qing-era guildhall Yantai also has several parks,
including the small and central
5 Yantai guildhall built for sailors and Yuhuangding Park, and Yantai
merchants, the museum’s Shan Park, a hillside haven
exhibits pale by comparison above the sea. East of here
149 miles (240 km) NE of Qingdao. * to the building’s elaborate are Yantai’s two rather forlorn
6,500,000. ~ £ @ g from architectural detail and wood beaches. Both are a bit of
Shanghai, Dalian and Tianjin. n 180 and stone carvings. a disappointment, and are
Jiefang Lu, (0535) 623 4144.
The impressive main hall, surrounded by buildings
known as the Palace of the and construction. The town’s
Formerly known as Chefoo and Empress of Heaven, was waterfront, however, is a pleasant
overshadowed by the dynamic dedicated to Tianhou, the place for a leisurely stroll. Toward
port of Qingdao to Empress of Heaven the eastern headland, fishermen
the south, Yantai is a and Protector of can be seen repairing their nets
deepwater harbor Seafarers, by sailors or simply relaxing.
town situated on from Fujian, who
the north coast of had taken shelter E Yantai Museum
the Shandong in Yantai during a 257 Nan Dajie. Open 8am–5pm
peninsula, famous fierce storm. All the Tue–Sun. &
for its clocks, fruit, component parts
and locally of the hall were
produced wine. designed by 6 Weihai
The name Yantai, craftsmen from the
meaning “Smoke southern provinces
37 miles (60 km) E of Yantai. *
Terrace,” refers to of Fujian and
Ornate Qing dynasty doors, 2,500,000. ~ £ @ from Yantai,
the wolf-dung- Guangdong, and Qingdao, Beijing & Shanghai. g daily
burning beacons Yantai Museum shipped to Yantai from Dalian, every afternoon to
erected along the coast in where it was assembled in Inch’on (South Korea). n CITS 602
the Ming dynasty to warn of 1864. It is a fine example Beiyang Dasha, (0631) 581 8616.
sudden raids by pirates or the of the southern style, with
Japanese. In 1863, the city a double roof decorated in The port city of Weihai was the
became a British treaty port mythical ceramic, stone, and site of the mauling of China’s
and a substantial number of wood figures. The entrance hall European-built North Sea
foreign merchants moved here, to the guildhall is elaborately (Beiyang) Fleet by a Japanese
although its rise was eclipsed by carved with parables and flotilla during the 1894–5
the development of Qingdao at episodes from Chinese literature Sino-Japanese War. Afterwards,
the end of the 1900s. The British
were followed by the Germans,
the Americans, and finally the
Japanese. Despite its history
as a treaty port, very little
foreign architecture survives
here, as the town never had
a foreign concession.
Most travelers pass through
en route to Penglai to the west,
but the Yantai Museum is
definitely worth a visit. Housed
in a splendid Qing dynasty Museum of the 1895 Sino-Japanese War, Weihai
Many of the buildings are

thickly covered in ivy and
vines. Among its six main halls,
which have been extensively
renovated, the Tianhou Palace
is dedicated to Tianhou, the
Empress of Heaven, and
enshrines a golden statue
of the goddess. The statue is
backed by a fine mural of
dragons frolicking in the sea
and amongst the clouds. The
castle is at its liveliest on the
occasion of the goddess’s
birthday, on the 23rd day of
The Penglai pavilion, mythical abode of the Eight Immortals the third month of the Chinese
lunar calendar (see p51), when
between 1898 and 1930, the 7 Penglai a lively temple fair is held.
city was a rather unproductive The goddess is invoked with
British Concession and was incense sticks and prayer. The
43 miles (70 km) NW of Yantai.
known as Port Edward, but little @ from Yantai every hour.
complex now has a cable car
remains of the town’s British and a theater.
heritage. Today, Weihai’s chief Associated with the Eight Penglai Ge is also known for
diversion is Liugong Island Immortals of Daoism, who the mirage that is supposed to
(Liugong Dao), 3 miles (5 km) drank wine here before making occur here every few decades.
off the coast, reached by ferry. their mythical crossing of the Witnesses have described
Providing shelter for Weihai sea without the aid of boats, seeing an island, complete with
harbor, the island forms a the castle-like pavilion complex buildings, inhabitants, and trees
natural stronghold and served of Penglai Ge affords dramatic arising from the mist. Visitors
as the base for the doomed views out to sea from its breezy can watch a video recording
Chinese North Sea Fleet. clifftop perch. Accessible by of the mirage in the Tianhou
The island’s main sight is the bus, the pavilion dates back to Palace for a small fee. Penglai
Museum of the 1895 Sino- 1061, though Penglai entered is usually busy on weekends
Japanese War (or Jiawu War folklore when China’s first when large tour groups visit
Museum). The conflict between emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, the pavilion. It is quieter on
the two nations resulted in the foraged in the area for herbs weekdays, and can be easily
ceding of Taiwan and the that bestow immortality. visited as a daytrip from Yantai.
Liaodong Peninsula (including The imposing complex has
Dalian) to Japan. Not far from a large network of buildings, P Penglai Ge
the jetty, the museum functions pavilions, halls, temples, @ from Penglai. Open 8:30am–5pm
for the “patriotic education” of gardens, and crenellated walls. daily. &
Chinese visitors, with displays
of photographs and artifacts
salvaged from ships, as well as The Empress of Heaven
reminders of the island’s days as a The Empress of Heaven, Tianhou, is also known by the Chinese as
station for the British Royal Navy. Mazu, Niangniang, and Tianshang Shengmu. She is the Daoist
The rest of the island is a equivalent of Guanyin, the
pleasant place to explore, with Buddhist Goddess of Compassion.
several hiking trails heading In the coastal provinces of
off into the forested hills. Its Guangdong and Fujian, she is
International Beach is popular worshiped as the Goddess of the
for its long stretches of sand and Sea, and is the guardian deity of
calm waters. Ferries connect seafarers. She was supposedly
originally a woman named Lin Mo,
Weihai with Dalian and Incheon
born in AD 960 on Meizhou Island
in South Korea. Accommodation
in Fujian (see p297). From a tender
is not available on the island. age, Lin Mo was famous for helping
sailors in distress, and after her
E Museum of the 1895 death at age 27, her red-clothed
Sino-Japanese War apparition was seen by fishermen
Liugong Island. g from Weihai and sailors in danger. Confusingly,
(20 minutes). Ferry back to Weihai: in Cantonese, her name is pro-
summer 7am–6pm; winter Goddess Tianhou depicted nounced as Tinhau, and she is also
8:30am–4:30pm, every 30 mins. on a Chinese pirate flag known as A-Ma in Macau.
Open 7:30am–5pm daily. &
8 Kaifeng away by flood waters in 1642 at

the end of the Ming dynasty, it
was rebuilt around 1766. The
South of the Yellow River as it snakes into Shandong Province octagonal pavilion at the back
is the ancient walled city of Kaifeng, the capital of seven of the temple houses
dynasties, which reached its zenith as the capital of the a remarkable statue of Guanyin,
Northern Song (960–1126). Its glory days as a burgeoning known as Qianshou Guanyin or
the Thousand-Armed Goddess
Song city are pictorially recorded in the 16-ft (5-m) long scroll of Compassion. Carved from a
“Going Upriver During the Qingming Festival,” now kept in single tree and covered in gold
Beijing’s Forbidden City. However, its prosperity could not leaf, it is the temple’s finest
prevent the Yellow River from repeatedly flooding the city, statue, and its four-sided
with a heavy loss of life. Significant buildings were also arrangement is a rare feature. The
washed away, including the synagogue. Today, Kaifeng is an main hall has a frieze of luohan
(see p37). A sprawling open-air
attractive city with fine examples of temple and pagoda market lies near the temple.
architecture and some lively markets. To the west is the Yanqing
Guan (Yanqing Temple), a small
Daoist shrine known for the
unusual design of its Pavilion of
the Jade Emperor. This ornate,
octagonal building, covered
in turquoise tiles and carved
brickwork, has a bronze image
of the Jade Emperor inside.
 Iron Pagoda
Iron Pagoda Park, Beimen Dajie.
The 13-story Iron Pagoda (Tie
Ta) rises up just within the Song
dynasty ramparts in the northeast
of the city. This brick pagoda
was built in 1049 and is covered
The ornately decorated Shanshaan Gan Guildhall with brown glazed tiles, which
give the tower its metallic luster
Exploring Kaifeng P Shanshan Gan Guildhall as well as its name. Visitors can
Much of modern Kaifeng lies Xufu Jie, off Shudian Jie. Open no longer climb the pagoda,
within the old city walls. In the 8am–6:30pm daily. & although you can still explore
west of the city is the large and The exuberant Qing-dynasty the beautiful grounds. The
peaceful Baogong Hu (Baogong hall was built by merchants of pagoda is Kaifeng’s best-
Lake). Within walking distance Gansu, Shanxi, and Shaanxi known landmark.
to the south of the lake, the provinces as housing. It sports a
Kaifeng Museum on Yingbin Lu drum and bell tower, as well as
houses three stelae that a spirit wall. The building’s
originally stood outside the old eaves have vivid scenes from
Jewish synagogue. They record merchant life, while the eaves
the history of the city’s Jewish in the main hall are carved with
community. The No. 4 People’s animals, birds, and gold bats
Hospital on Beitu Jie sits on the (symbols of luck).
remains of the synagogue in
the Jewish quarter. All that can  Da Xiangguo Si
be seen today is the iron cover 36 Ziyou Lu. @ 5, 9. Tel (0371) 2597
over an old well. Nearby is the 8502. Open 8am–6:30pm daily. &
Kaifeng Jewish History Memorial Yanqing Guan Baogong Hu Dongbei
Center. Outside the city walls, 6 Shengli Jie. Open daily. & ^
miles (10 km) to the north, is the Kaifeng’s most celebrated
Yellow River Viewing Point. From temple is Da Xiangguo Si
the pavilion, there are expansive (Prime Minister’s Temple).
views across the vast silt plain of Originally built in 555, it
the winding river. Adjacent to the was China’s principal temple
pavilion stands an iron statue of an during the Song era, when it
ox, that was originally a charm accommodated 64 halls and a The magnificent Qianshou Guanyin,
to protect the city from floods. huge legion of monks. Swept Da Xiangguo Si
lie to its northwest and VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

south respectively. The
park is marked by Practical Information
several amusement 44 miles (70 km) E of Zhengzhou.
rides for children, as * 4,800,000.
well as the Qing- Transportation
dynasty Dragon ~ Zhengzhou. £ @ Southern
Pavilion, and is an bus station, West bus station.
excellent place to watch n CITS 88 Yingbin Lu, (0371)
the locals relaxing in 2398 8883.
Prayer flags in front of Da Xiangguo Si their leisure time.
Y Longting Park  Fan Pagoda Pagoda (Po Ta) is Kaifeng’s oldest

N of Zhongshan Lu. Open daily. & 1 mile (1.5 km) SE of Kaifeng. @ 8. Buddhist structure, built in 997.
Millennium City Open 9am–10pm Open 8am–5:30pm daily. & joint Known for its carved brickwork,
daily. & entrance fee for pagoda & parks. the three-story pagoda once
Songdu Yu Jie, built on the Hidden away (albeit reachable by stood nine stories and 263 ft
Imperial Way – Kaifeng’s main bus) south of the city walls and (80 m) high. Visitors can climb
thoroughfare during the Song just west of the Yuwangtai Park right to the top for views of
dynasty – leads north up to (Yuwangtai Gongyuan), the the surrounding factories
Longting Park. It features Northern Song-dynasty Fan and houses.
reproduction Song-dynasty
restaurants and shops selling China’s Jews
antiques, calligraphy, and knick-
knacks. The street gets more It is not known when Jews (youtairen) first came to Kaifeng, but
touristy as it heads northward evidence suggests that Jewish merchants arrived in China in the
8th century, along the Silk Roads. Chinese Jews were given seven
to Yangjia Hu (Yangjia Lake),
surnames (Ai, Jin, Lao, Li, Shi, Zhang, and Zhao) by imperial decree in
originally part of the imperial
the Ming era. According to one story, in 1605 Jesuit Matteo Ricci
park, and now surrounded by traveled to Kaifeng because he was told there was a community here
tourist attractions and amuse- who believed in one god. Expecting to meet Catholics he was
ment parks such as the popular surprised to find they were in fact Jewish. The community struggled
Millennium City. Longting Park in isolation over the years, and all but disappeared after the synagogue,
itself stands on the site of the damaged by flooding, was torn down in 1845. There are still a few
Song-dynasty Imperial Palace Jewish families here but they are not recognized by the Chinese govern-
and its surrounding park. The ment, nor rabbis as they trace their origin through their paternal lineage.
Xibei Hu and Yangjia Hu lakes
Yellow River B E I
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Station Yuwangtai
Park
9 Anyang
124 miles (200 km) N of Zhengzhou.

* 5,250,000. ~ £ @
Archeological excavations have

identified that Anyang, in north-
ern Henan, was the site of Yin,
the capital of the Shang dynasty.
In the late 19th century, peasants
unearthed bones etched with Traditional three door gateway, Baima Si (White Horse Temple), Luoyang
ancient Chinese symbols,
identified as “oracle bones” or 0 Zhengzhou q Luoyang
bones used for divination (see
p32). Further discoveries of
bronzes, jade, and royal tombs, 440 miles (700 km) SW of Beijing. * 75 miles (121 km) W of Zhengzhou.
helped form a picture of the 8,600,000. ~ £ @ n Nongye Lu * 6,400,000. ~ £ @ n Jiudu Xi
long forgotten city of Yin. The (Crn Huayuan Lu), (0371) 585 2339. Lu, (0379) 432 3212.
Museum of Yin Ruins (Yinxu
Bowuguan), in the north of town, Henan’s capital is a fast-developing Luoyang’s industrial face conveys
exhibits fragments of oracle megacity that is often used as a little of its impressive history. The
bones, pottery, and bronze stopover en route to Kaifeng, city was the site of the ancient
vessels, as well as six chariots, Luoyang, and the Shaolin Temple. Zhao court, where the sage
drawn by skeletal horses. To the The Shang City Walls to the east Laozi was keeper of the archives.
east is the ostentatious Tomb of of town are all that remain of the It was also the site of China’s
Yuan Shikai, a general who city that existed here 3,000 first university in 29 BC, and
helped force the Qing years ago. To the west is was capital to 13 dynasties from
abdication in return for Chenghuang Miao Neolithic times till AD 937.
the presidency, but later (Temple of the City East of Wangcheng Park is the
tried to have himself God), with its roof Luoyang City Museum, which
enthroned as emperor. sculptures of dragons exhibits Shang bronzes, jade
The bustling Old City, and phoenixes. The carvings, and Tang era sancai
centered around the Bell pyramidal Henan (three-color) porcelain. Visitors
Tower south of Jiefang Provincial Museum, in flock here each spring to
Lu, is also worth exploring. the north of town, has attend the Peony Festival, when
To the southwest, stands a superb collection of hundreds of peonies – brought
the octagonal Wenfeng more than 130,000 relics here on the orders of the Tang
Pagoda, originally built in with English captions, Empress Wu Zetian – bloom
the 10th century and Wenfeng Pagoda, while the fourth floor in Wangcheng Park.
restored during the Anyang houses a porcelain and Most of Luoyang’s sights
Ming era. pottery exhibition. For lie outside the city. Guanlin,
fine views of the Yellow River, visit 4 miles (7 km) south, is dedi-
E Museum of Yin Ruins the Yellow River Scenic Area, 17 cated to Guan Yu (see p35), a
@ 18. Open 8am–6pm daily. & miles (28 km) northwest of town. heroic general of the Three
P Tomb of Yuan Shikai Kingdoms period. The buildings
@ 8, 23 or 35 to Yuan Lin. Open E Henan Provincial Museum are ornately decorated, and
8am–6pm daily. & 8 Nongye Lu. Open Tue–Sun. stone lionesses line the path
to the main hall housing an
impressive statue of Guan Yu.
About 8 miles (12 km) east of
town is Baima Si (White Horse
Temple). Claiming to be China’s
oldest Buddhist monastery (AD
68), Baima Si remains active, with
a constant stream of worshipers.
The monks’ tombs lie in the first
courtyard, while the main hall
has a statue of the Buddha.
E Luoyang City Museum

E Guanlin Si
A Shang-era war chariot and charioteer from an imperial tomb, Anyang @ 81. Open 8am–6pm daily. &
The Yellow River

China’s second-longest river, at 3,400 miles (5,464 km), the Huang He or Yellow River gets
its name from its vast silt load, picked up as it carves its way through the soft clay of the
Loess plateau. As the river slows, it deposits much of this silt, elevating the river bed
above the surrounding plains – outside Kaifeng it is up to 35 ft (10 m) higher than the
city – making flooding likely. It has also changed its path completely many times,
sometimes running south of the Shandong peninsula, each time with widespread
devastation. In 1642 an estimated 300,000 people died when the river broke through the
dykes and took the southern route. These disasters have earned the river the nickname
“China’s Sorrow.” Rapid economic growth has led to vastly increased water usage in north
China and the Yellow River now regularly runs dry in its lower reaches.
5 Pumping into the sea,

the Yellow River’s silt is
clearly visible. Over the
years the millions of tonnes
of sediment have increased
the land mass of China.
Key
Early settlement
Flood plain
1 The source of the Yellow River Southern route of river 0 km 1
is high in the Qinghai mountains.
0 miles 1
The descent from the plateau’s
height of 13,000 ft (4,000 m) gives
the river its incredible power. Loess Plateau
Beijing
Bo Hai
Xining
e r
Lanzhou Riv
w
llo
Ye
Yellow
Luoyang Sea
Mother of China Xi’an
Evidence of some of the earliest Huai He
Chinese settlements, dating
back as far as 6000 BC, have Yangzi Nanjing
been discovered beside the
Yellow River, earning it another Shanghai
title – “Mother of China.”
2 The river fills with

sediment as it cuts through
the soft Loess plateau in the
north. Seemingly boiling with
energy, each cubic yard
(meter) of water carries over
82 lb (37 kg) of sediment.
3 As the river slows it

deposits its silt and 4 As the silt raises the river
enriches the soil, making bed those living close to the river
the local farmland one have to work together to rebuild
of the most productive the dykes and keep the river
areas of China. banks in good condition.
w Longmen Caves
This outstanding collection of religious statuary
was started by the Buddhist Northern Wei rulers
(AD 386–534) – creators of the Yungang Caves
(see pp138–9) – after they moved their capital
from Datong to Luoyang. The ensuing Sui and
Tang dynasties further added to the grottoes,
especially during the rule of Tang dynasty
Empress Wu Zetian, before anti-Buddhist
purges abruptly halted its development. The
tragic number of headless statues as a result View across the Yi River looking onto Fengxian Si
of vandalism and theft creates a solemn mood, and the west bank caves
although today the caves are obviously
well cared for.
. Vairocana Buddha
Over 56 ft (17 m) tall, this colossal
statue’s face was reputedly
modeled after Empress Wu Zetian.
The statue’s enigmatic smile has
earned it the nickname the
“Eastern Mona Lisa.”
Fengxian Si 1
This cave, on the west bank, is
largest of all the caves and dates
back to AD 675.
Ananda
This statue is of Ananda, a
disciple of Sakyamuni, the
founder of Buddhism. A
master of memory, he
compiled the Buddhist sutras.
Smashed Ananda
Some statues were damaged in the
late-Tang dynasty, as Buddhism fell
out of favor. Other figures were
stolen by souvenir-hunters or
attacked by Red Guards during
the Cultural Revolution.
Exploring the VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Longmen Caves Practical Information
There are around 1,400 caves or 9 miles (14 km) S of Luoyang. Tel
niches and over 100,000 statues (0379) 598 1342. Open Mar–Oct:
(with English captions) in total 7:30am–7:50pm daily; Nov–Feb:
clustered inside a few caves, 7:30am–6:50pm daily. &89
-∑ lmsk.cn/en
largely within a half-mile (1-km)
section on the west bank Transportation
of the Yi River. @ 53, 81 from the Luoyang train
The well-preserved Lotus station or taxi.
Flower Cave 2 was built c. 527
and is important as it was built
as a complete entity, and not conditions carved on the walls
. Heavenly King added to over the years. It on either side of the entrance.
Holding a votive pagoda in one derives its name from the large The list has been added to over
hand and crushing a demon lotus flower in the center of its a period of 150 years and so
under his feet, this sculpture of a domed roof, surrounded by provides a unique record of
Heavenly King is remarkable for musical water spirits – apsaras. typological changes over time.
its sense of movement and The Ten Thousand Buddha Cave The three Binyang San Dong 5
realistic posture.
3 is a typical Tang dynasty cave caves took 24 years to build and
built in 680. The many figures of were completed in 523. On the
Buddha create an overwhelming main wall there are five very
sense of the presence of the large Buddhist images: the
great teacher. The Prescription central one, of Sakyamuni, is
Cave 4 is so called because it flanked by four bodhisattvas all
has 140 inscriptions recording in the ascetic and rather formal
many treatments for a wide Northern Wei style. Together with
variety of diseases and the statues on the side walls, the
three groups of figures symbolize
the Buddhas of the past, present,
and future. There were two large
reliefs of the emperor and
empress worshiping Buddha
that were stolen in the 1930s
and they now reside in museums
in the USA. The southern Binyang
cave has some beautiful
sculptures that were completed
in 641. These figures have serene
features and can clearly be seen
as a transition between the
artistic styles of the solemn,
austere Northern Wei and the
Seated Buddha, Sakyamuni, in the Binyang lively naturalism of the Tang
San Dang caves artists as displayed at Fengxian Si.
Longmen Caves 0 meters 250
The east bank of the river provides a great vantage point to 0 yards 250
appreciate the grandeur of the carvings of Fengxian Si. It

also has a temple and a few minor caves.
Yi River
Key
Area illustrated
Pilu Pavilion’s floor is marked with

pits where monks practiced their
footwork. Within the Chuipu
Hall, terracotta figures depict
various styles of Shaolin Boxing.
The Forest of Stupas, a short
walk from the temple, is a large
assembly of brick pagodas
commemorating renowned
Shaolin monks. Each September,
the famous wushu (martial arts)
festival is held here. The cave
where Bodhidarma reputedly
sat in meditation for nine years
is up the mountainside.
The monumental Forest of Stupas, Shaolin Temple
 Zhongyue Miao
e Song Shan and name of the fighting order of Tel (0371) 6558 2651.
monks who reside in the Open 8am–6pm daily. &
Shaolin Temple Buddhist Shaolin Temple, 8 miles  Shaolin Temple
(13 km) northwest of Dengfeng. @ Open 8:10am–5:30pm daily. &
50 miles (80 km) W of Zhengzhou. @ Founded in the 5th century AD, ∑ shaolin.org.cn/en
1 from Dengfeng or 33 from Luoyang it acquired its martial spirit under
and Zhengzhou to Dengfeng and Bodhidarma, an Indian monk
Shaolin Temple.  & Dengfeng: n who arrived here in 527. He r Gongyi
146 Zhongyue Jie, (0371) 6287 1139. devised a system of exercises
that evolved into shaolin quan,
The Central Peak of China’s five or Shaolin Boxing, the origin of 50 miles (80 km) W of Zhengzhou. @
sacred Daoist peaks, Song all the great Chinese martial from Luoyang or Zhengzhou.
Shan soars 4,895 ft (1,492 m) arts. The temple has burned
high. Its sights can be best down repeatedly and today Just outside the sleepy town of
explored by staying at its mystique has been Gongyi, a historic collection of
Dengfeng, at the foot dulled by commercial- Song-era imperial tombs and a
of Taishi Shan, where ization. It remains a group of Buddhist grotto art can
numerous trails lead past place of pilgrimage be found. The seven surviving
temples and pagodas, and for martial arts devotees, tombs of Song emperors are
offer splendid views. Just 3 who flock here to develop marked by burial mounds and
miles (5 km) east is the gong fu (skill), popularly statuary. Scattered over a vast
vast Zhongyue Miao known as kung fu, area southeast of town, the
(Central Peak Temple). although many tombs can be seen from buses
Possibly China’s oldest schools have moved shuttling between Luoyang and
Daoist shrine, it was Bodhidarma statue, to Dengfeng. The large Zhengzhou. About 5 miles (8 km)
consecrated more Shaolin Temple temple has several north of Gongyi, the Buddhist
than 2,200 years ago, halls. Toward the back, Grottoes (shiku) have carvings
although what exists today the Standing in the Snow from the Northern Wei period.
is more recent. Pavilion marks the spot where
About 2 miles (3 km) north the monk Huihe chopped off his P Buddhist Grottoes
of Dengfeng is the Songyang arm to commune more closely Tel (0371) 6415 7150.
Academy. A Confucian college with Zen Buddhism. Behind, the @ Open 8am–6pm daily. &
that was one of China’s four
great centers of learning, its
courtyard has two tall cypresses,
said to have been planted 2,000
years ago by the Han Emperor
Wudi. Farther uphill, the 12-sided
Songyue Si Pagoda, dating from
the 6th century AD, is China’s
oldest brick pagoda. Just 6 miles
(10 km) southeast of Dengfeng,
the Gaocheng Observatory
dates from the Yuan era. Its
pyramidal tower is China’s oldest
intact observatory. Shaolin,
literally “Young Forest,” is the Buddhist carvings in the grottoes outside Gongyi
Striking Buddhist sculptures at the Longmen Caves
Kung Fu
Chinese martial arts are loosely referred to as gong fu or kung fu in the West. Gong fu
means “skill” and can describe the accomplishments of a calligrapher or pianist, as much
as a martial artist. No one is certain when the fighting arts came to the country, but it is
clear that China has the largest number and most colorful of fighting styles, including
Drunken Boxing and Praying Mantis Fist. Although there is considerable blurring
between them, kung fu divides into internal (neijia) and external (waijia) schools. The
internal schools tend to stress internal power or qi (see pp38–9), using evasion and
softness to lead an attacker off balance, while waijia forms seek to overwhelm an
opponent with physical strength and power. Kung fu employs many weapons, including
the spear, broadsword, pole, and whip and even encompasses training in the use of
everyday objects, such as the fan, umbrella, or stool, as weapons.
Bodhidarma, the founder of

Chan (Zen) Buddhism, was
an Indian monk who
visited the Shaolin
Temple. He invented a
system of exercises for
the monks who were
often seated in medita-
tion. It was from these
exercises that Shaolin
Boxing developed.
Shaolin monks endure a rigorous training

regimen. Here, they perform an acrobatic
version of the horse stance (mabu), a painful
exercise that is essential for developing a
powerful stance and a deep “root” for stability
while fighting.
Xingyi Quan
(Shape Mind Fist) Bagua Zhang (Eight
is, of the neijia practices, Trigram Palm),
probably the closest to a hard an internal art,
school. Although its strikes incorporates circular
and blocks are linear and movements into all
powerful, relaxation is footwork and strikes.
paramount. The basics Bagua practitioners
of this explosive were traditionally
fighting style are seen by other stylists
simple to learn, but as unpredictable,
tricky to master. elusive, and
ferocious adversaries.
Kung Fu Film Industry

The Chinese and Hong Kong film industry entertains its audience with
stylized versions of kung fu in movie plots that typically hinge on
themes of vengeance and retribution. Famous actors have included
Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li and a host of lesser known B-movie
actors and actresses. Hallmark films include Drunken Master 2 (Jackie
Chan), Enter the Dragon (Bruce Lee), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
(Zhang Ziyi and Yun-Fat Chow), and the Once Upon a Time in China
series (Jet Li). The martial arts employed in cinema are very different
from the real thing. Movements are choreographed and stunts are
practiced repeatedly to give the impression of a real fight, without
Bruce Lee (right) in The Chinese the dangers inherent in real combat.
Connection
SHAANXI
At the heart of China, bordered by the Yellow River to the east, the
dusty province of Shaanxi has had its lion’s share of splendor. In
1066 BC, the Western Zhou dynasty established its capital at Hao,
near modern-day Xi’an (see pp168–73). It was from here, about 850
years later, that China was unified by its first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi (see p60). This set the
stage for Xi’an to serve as the seat of political power to successive dynasties including the
Western Han, the Sui, and the Tang, for over a millennium. By the 9th century, Xi’an, known
then as Chang’an, was the largest and wealthiest city in the world, immersed in the riches that
spilled along the Silk Road. At the peak of the Tang era, Xi’an’s population of over a million
people worshiped at as many as 1,000 temples within the confines of a vast city wall.
The city’s treasures are abundant, from the silent army of Terracotta Warriors just northeast
of Xi’an, fashioned to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, to the impressive Shaanxi
History Museum, with thousands of exhibits ranging from Shang and Zhou bronze vessels to
Tang-era ornaments and funerary items.
Xi’an’s other key sights include the extensive Eight Immortals Temple associated with Daoist
legends, and the two Goose Pagodas with their strong connections to Tang-era Buddhism.
Many visitors also make a trip to the holy mountain of Hua Shan, to the east of Xi’an, for its
stimulating combination of energetic hiking opportunities and quiet sanctity.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities
1 Xi’an
Historic Sites
5
G6
2 Terracotta Army pp174–5

4 Yan’an
)
n g He
Area of Natural Beauty Shenmu

(Hua
3 Hua Shan
Yulin iv
er
Yellow R
Hengshan
Dingbian G20 Suide

0 km 100
Zichang G20
0 miles 100
Wuqi Yanchuan
G6
5
Linfen
Fuxian
Yichuan
Huangling
Key Hancheng
Tongchuan
Heyang
Expressway G5
Sanyuan
National Highway Weinan
Baoji Xianyang G30
Minor road
Railroad G30 Shangzhou
G65
Fengxian
Provincial border G4
G5 0
Great Wall of China Lueyang Shanyang
Shiquan
Hanzhong G70
Zhenba Ankang
Shiyan
Pingli
The granite-peaked Hua Shan, with prayer flags adorning the route For additional map symbols see back flap
1 Xi’an
Capital of modern Shaanxi, Xi’an has served as capital to 11
dynasties over a period of 4,000 years, including the Western
Zhou, Western Han, Qin, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, and
Tang. The Chinese trace its lineage back even further to the
mythical Yellow Emperor, who made Xianyang his capital
Detail from the Nestorian tablet at
(2200–1700 BC). Xi’an peaked during the Tang dynasty, when the Forest of Stelae Museum
its position at the eastern end of the Silk Road (see pp470–71)
transformed it into a bustling metropolis, luring foreign at the Imperial Academy in
merchants and faiths, including Nestorian Christians, Muslims, Xi’an. The Daqin Nestorian
Zoroastrians, Manicheans, and Buddhists. The city declined later Tablet in the second hall may
be of more interest to visitors.
but has some splendid sights and a thriving tourist economy. The stele is topped with a cross
and was carved in 781 to
commemorate the arrival of
Nestorian Christianity in Xi’an.
The characters at the top of the
stele refer to Rome (or Daqin),
and Nestorian Christianity, the
“Revered Religion.” Branded
heretical for believing in the
separation of Christ’s human
and divine attributes, the first
Nestorians arrived in Xi’an in
AD 635. They thrived in the
city for two centuries before
suddenly vanishing altogether.
Inside the third hall, an
engraved map of Chang’an
A view of the South Gate, Xi’an City Walls reveals the scale of the city at
the height of its glory. The fourth
P Xi’an City Walls E Forest of Stelae (Beilin) hall houses calligraphic rendi-
Open South Gate: 8am–10pm daily, Museum tions of poems by Su Dongpo
other gates: 8am–6pm daily. & - 18 Wenyi Bei Lu. Tel (029) 721 0764. (1037–1101) and other Chinese
Unlike many city walls in China, Open 8am–6pm daily. & poets, and illustrations including
including Beijing’s mighty A short distance east of the etchings of Bodhidarma, the
ramparts – now mostly flattened South Gate, this museum’s Indian founder of Chan (Zen)
– Xi’an’s walls are still intact, seven halls house about 3,000 Buddhism (see pp164–5). Useful
forming a 9-mile (14-km) long stelae – stone pillars carved for reference material for the study
rectangle around the city center. commemorative purposes – the of local history and society
In 1370, during the reign of earliest dating from the Han during the Song, Yuan, Ming,
Hongwu, the first Ming emperor, dynasty. The tablets bearing and Qing eras can be found
these walls were built on the dense reams of classical Chinese preserved in the fifth hall. The
foundations of the Tang imperial may only interest scholars, but museum’s side halls display more
palace, using rammed earth, others are engraved with maps historical and religious artifacts.
quicklime, and glutinous rice and illustrations. The stelae in
extract. The 39-ft (12-m) high the first hall comprise a record
bastions have bases up to 59 ft of the 12 Confucian classics,
(18 m) thick. Visitors can climb including the Book of
the walls at several locations, Songs (Shijing), the
particularly at the steps east of Book of Changes
the South Gate or at the West (Yijing or I Ching), and
Gate, for walks along the busy the Analects (Lunyu).
ramparts. Though striking in These were carved
themselves, the walls are modest on 114 stone tablets
compared to the mighty bastion in 837, upon the
that once encompassed 30 sq orders of the Tang
miles (78 sq km) of Chang’an, Wenzong emperor,
Xi’an’s name during the Tang era. as the standard texts
Bikes can be rented to cycle to eliminate copyist’s The facade of the Forest of Stelae Museum,
around the walls. errors, and were kept once the Temple of Confucius
X I ’A N 169
P Drum and Bell Towers U The Great Mosque VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Open Apr–Oct: 8:30am–9:30pm daily; Open 8am–6:30pm daily. &
Nov–Mar: 8:30am–6pm daily. & First built during the Tang Practical Information
The enormous Bell Tower, with dynasty, and located in the heart 744 miles (1,200 km) SW of
its distinctive green three- of the Muslim Quarter west Beijing. * 8,000,000. n159
tiered roof, is situated in of the Bell Tower, Xi’an’s Beiyuanmen, (029) 8763 0166.
∑ en1.xian-tourism.com
the center of Xi’an, where Chinese-styled Great
the city’s four main Mosque (Da Qingzhen Si) Transportation
streets converge. is one of the largest in k Xiguan airport, Xianyang 25
Standing on a brick China. Constructed in 742, miles (40 km). £ Xi’an train
platform, this wooden when Islam was still a station. @ Shaanxi province long-
structure was first built young religion, the distance bus station, CAAC (buses
in 1384, two blocks mosque’s surviving to airport), to Xi’an train station
west of here, before and 5 more routes.
Iron bell in the Bell Tower buildings date to the
being relocated to its Qing dynasty and
current site in 1582. It was later have been restored. A serene
restored in 1739. The tower, oasis of tranquillity, the mosque houses the Introspection Minaret,
which formerly housed a large has four courtyards, the first of an octagonal pagoda with a
bronze bell that was struck each which contains a 30-ft (9-m) high triple-eaved roof. Housed within
morning, now stores a decorated wooden arch, built in the hall to the south of the
collection of bells, chimes, and the 17th century, while the third minaret is a Ming-dynasty
musical instruments. A balcony handwritten copy of the holy
running all along the outside Koran. Located beyond two
offers splendid views of the fountains is the main prayer hall,
town’s main roads and heavy capped in turquoise tiles, its
traffic. The Drum Tower, built in ceiling carved with inscriptions
1380, is situated to the west of from the Koran. The prayer hall is
the Bell Tower on the edge of usually closed to non-Muslims.
the old Muslim Quarter, for Avoid visiting the mosque on
centuries the home of Xi’an’s Fridays, the Muslim holy day.
Hui minority, which currently Also worth exploring is the
numbers around 30,000. Muslim Quarter, with its winding
Within its restored interior streets, low houses, narrow
drumming performances take Arabic script on a stone arch in the Great lanes, excellent ethnic cuisine,
place daily. Mosque’s courtyard and resident Hui community.
Xi’an City Center Anyuanmen

H UA N CH E N G
Z I Q I ANG XI L U ZI QI AN G D O NG LU
Xi'an Train
XI LU
1 Xi’an City Walls HUANCHENG BEI LU Station

2 Forest of Stelae (Beilin) North Shaanxi
HUANCHENG DONG LU
Xi’an City Province

Gate Long-distance
Museum Xiguan Airport
Walls
Bus Station
S H A N G D E LU
J IEFAN G L U
40 km (25 miles) Beidajie

3 Drum and Bell Towers LIANHU LU XI WU LU
Xianyang Lianhu
BEI DAJIE
4 The Great Mosque & Famen Gongyuan

Temple
5 Eight Immortals Temple
MUSLIM
QUARTER
HUANCHE N G XI LU
X I XI N J I E
6 Small Wild Goose Pagoda The Great Zhonglou Eight
Mosque Immortals
7 Shaanxi History Museum West XI DAJIE DONG DAJIE East
Temple
BAI SHULIN
Gate Drum and Gate

H E P ING LU
8 Great Wild Goose Pagoda Bell Towers

Forest of Stelae Yingqing
(Beilin) Museum Gongyuan
HUANCHENG NAN LU South
West Bus HUANCHENG NAN LU
Gate
WENYI BEI LU
Station
Yongningmen
TAIYI LU
YOUYI XI LU YOUYI DONG LU

Small Wild Nanshaomen
YANTA LU
Goose Pagoda
AN LU
0 km 1
Tiyuchang
1 NAN ERHUAN LU
0 miles
CHANG’
Daxingshan
Si Shaanxi History
Museum
X I AO Z H A I D O N G L U
Xiaozhai
Great Wild
Goose Pagoda
Key to Symbols see back flap

 Eight Immortals Temple  Great Wild Goose Pagoda

Open 8am–6pm daily. & Yanta Lu. @ 41, 610 from train station.
East of Xi’an’s walls, this is its Open 8am–5pm daily. & (separate
largest Daoist shrine, built on fee to climb the pagoda). ∑
the site of a temple originally xiandayanta.cn
consecrated to the Thunder This Tang-dynasty pagoda, built
God, whose presence had been in AD 652, is attached to the
indicated by subterranean extant Ci’en Si (Ci’en Temple).
rumblings. It was later named Known as Dayan Ta, the pagoda
Baxian Gong, after the Eight was built in memory of the
Immortals of Daoist mythology, Gaozong emperor’s mother,
who were glimpsed here during Empress Wende. The monk
the Song dynasty. The halls and Xuanzang, who traveled to India
courtyards of this active temple via Central Asia and returned
teem with monks and nuns. Of The Small Wild Goose Pagoda, with bundles of sutras (see p491),
particular interest are a series of originally 15 stories high officiated at the temple, trans-
slabs attached to the wall in the lating the hundreds of scriptures
main courtyard, inscribed with  Small Wild Goose Pagoda from Sanskrit into Chinese. The
Daoist literature and illustra- Youyi Xi Lu. @ 7, 8. Open 8am–5pm 210-ft (64-m) high pagoda, built
tions, including extracts from daily. & Xi’an Museum: on his orders for their storage, is a
the Neijing, the bible of Daoist ∑ xabwy.com square, sturdy structure with a
yogis and alchemists. Other Southwest of the South Gate, brick exterior and wood interior.
plaques are etched with the 43-m (141-ft) high At the height of the Tang
curious Daoist designs, Small Wild Goose dynasty, Xi’an’s extent was almost
including a tablet Pagoda, Xiaoyan Ta, is seven times larger than it is
illustrated with the five attached to the remains today, enclosing within its walls
mystic symbols of a temple, Jianfu Si. One both the temple and pagoda.
denoting the five Daoist of the city’s Tang relics, it The Dayan Ta can be climbed,
sacred mountains. On was built to store sutras and visitors throw money from
the left and right of the (scriptures) brought back the windows for good luck. The
Lingguan Hall are from India. Its brick tower, large temple complex, smaller
statues of the guardian completed in AD 709, now than during its Tang heyday,
beings, the White Tiger was meant to protect can also be explored. Its main
and Green Dragon, and Stele Pavilion Eight the sutras from fire, hall contains three statues of
an effigy of Wang Immor tals Temple which often destroyed the Buddha flanked by 18
Lingguan, the protector wooden temples. At the back luohan or arhats (see p37).
of Daoism. Statues of the of the complex is the Xi’an At the back of the pagoda is
Eight Immortals line either Museum, storing 130,000 a huge relief depicting scenes
side of their hall. cultural relics. from Xi’an’s history. North of
At the rear of the complex, the pagoda is a giant fountain
the Doumu Hall is dedicated E Shaanxi History Museum which has nightly shows timed
to the important Daoist See pp172–3. to music.
Goddess Doumu, also called
Doulao, the Queen of the Big
Dipper. Also at the rear is the
Hall of Master Qiu, where the
Dowager Empress Cixi and the
Guangxu emperor sought
refuge when they fled Beijing’s
Forbidden City at the end of the
Boxer Rebellion in 1900 (see
p439). Above the door of the
hall is a tablet inscribed with the
characters yuqing zhidao,
meaning the Dao of Jade Purity,
Cixi’s dedication to the abbot.
The temple hosts a popular
religious festival on the first
and fifteenth day of every lunar
month. An excellent street
market of curios, fakes, and
memorabilia is held on
Wednesdays and Sundays in
the road outside the temple. A visitor lighting a candle in the courtyard, Great Wild Goose Pagoda
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p559 and p575
X I ’A N 171
History of the Pagoda

Considered an archetypal element of Chinese architecture, the pagoda originates
from India in concept and form as a development from the Buddhist stupa.
However, Chinese architectural forms and styles were soon used in the design of
pagodas, as can be seen by the pillar pagodas in the Yungang caves that clearly show
multi-storied buildings. Over 1,500 years pagodas developed a variety of forms
from pillars to squat tombs to soaring multi-story towers. Made of stone, brick, or
wood, they could also be square or multi-sided. As they became uniquely Chinese
they were also used slightly differently. Originally the focal point of the temple, they
were superseded in this by the more functional hall. Feng shui led to pagodas being
built without a temple on hills outside towns or overlooking rivers, to bring good
luck or prevent floods.
The Indian stupa was a This Dali pagoda is a

symbolic tomb and beatiful example of a stone
receptacle for Buddhist close-eaved pagoda. From
relics that inspired the a square base it is 260-ft
pagoda. However the (69-m) high, tapering to a
stupa form was largely lotus bud spike that recalls
dropped until the 13th the Indian stupas.
century when the Yuan
imported Tibetan
Buddhist stupas (also
known as dagobas),
popularizing the form
for later dynasties.
Lotus bud finial
Access to upper
Buddhas gained via Fifth level
narrow staircase.
Galleries were an Fourth level

innovation started by
wooden pagodas.
Two rings of Third level

columns gave
extra stability to
the structure.
Octagonal pagodas
Sakyamuni (33 Second level
may have come about
ft/11 m), stored
as a result of Tantric sutras and relics.
Buddhism, which used
a cosmology with eight First level
cardinal points. Base
Yingxian Pagoda
The wooden pagoda at the
Fogong Si, Yingxian, is one of
the finest surviving pagodas.
Built in 1056, the octagonal
building is called the
Sakyamuni Pagoda.
Shaanxi History Museum

One of Xi’an’s premier attractions, this roomy, modern
museum contains over 370,000 relics chronicling Shaanxi
civilization and culture from as far back as prehistoric
times. The collection is strong in ceramics, bronzes, jade
pieces, gold and silver items, ancient coins, and calligraphy
mainly from the pre-Ming periods, reflecting Xi’an’s later
decline. Look out also for some interesting Tang-dynasty
frescoes and the chance to examine some of the
renowned terracotta soldiers (see pp174–5) up close.
Exhibits are well displayed and accompanied by both Tang-dynasty style architecture of the
modern Shaanxi History Museum
Chinese and English captions.
. Shang Cooking Pot

The ogre-mask motif of this vessel is
indicative of the Shang society’s
absorption in the world of nature
spirits and supernatural beings. The
bronzes of the Shang era are regarded
as the dynasty’s most significant
creative achievement.
Zhou Wine Decanter

Capped with a lid in the shape of a tiger
and incorporating a tail-shaped handle,
this ox-shaped zun (a type of wine
vessel) was excavated in 1967. The
elaborate surface pattern is typical of
Zhou-dynasty animistic design.
Entrance
Key to Floorplan
Pre-history
Shang and Zhou dynasties
Qin dynasty
Han dynasty
Northern and Southern dynasties
Tang dynasty
Song to Qing dynasties
Tiger-Shaped Tally
Special exhibitions Inscribed with the archaic script used for Qin official
Non-exhibition space texts, this remarkable bronze artifact was issued to
generals to authorize the mobilization of troops.
X I ’A N 173
. Tang Sancai Horse
This three-color (sancai) Practical Information
piece is a fine example of the 91 Xiaozhai Donglu. Tel (029)
polychrome earthenware 8521 7140. Open mid-Mar–mid-
pottery that has remained Oct: 8:30am–6pm Tue–Sun; mid-
unsurpassed since Tang times. Nov–mid-Mar: 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
- 7 9 ∑ e.sxhm.com
Transportation
@ 5, 6, 8, 19, 521 from train station.
Second floor
Tang Dynasty Agate Cup

This beautifully colored ox-head cup
displays Middle Eastern influences,
probably derived via the Silk
Road. The gold snout is a
removable stopper.
Ming Kettle
Among the small number of
Ming artifacts at the museum
is this kettle with gold tracing
in a peacock and peony (a
flower symbolizing wealth
and rank) pattern.
Song Celadon Pot

This round-bodied pot is decorated
with a lion-styled spout and floral
motifs. The light-green glazed piece
was fired in the Yaozhou kilns, one of
ancient China’s largest and most
famous kilns.
Gallery Guide
The exhibits are arranged in
chronological order, with Shang
First floor and Western Zhou exhibits in
Gallery 1. On the second floor,
Gallery 2 covers the Han, Western
Wei, and Northern Zhou periods,
Golden Monster while Gallery 3 concentrates on
Standing as though poised to the Sui, Tang, Ming, and Qing
charge, this magnificent Han- dynasties. The two wings of the
dynasty ornament has a patterned museum house temporary
body and stylized horns that arch high exhibits that can vary in quality
over the beast’s back and end in a face. and explanation.
2 Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army (Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Site Plan
Museum) was discovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well.
Exhibition
The awesome ranks of life-size pottery figures, modeled from Hall
yellow clay, were made to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, Pit 2
the despotic ruler who unified China over 2,200 years ago (see Pit 3
p60). Excavations yielded three pits and over 7,000 soldiers,
archers, and horses. Pit 1 contains the infantry; Pit 2 (still
Pit 1
being excavated) is filled with cavalry and soldiers; and Pit 3
(partially unexcavated) seems to be the command center,
with 70 high-ranking officers. Each warrior, originally colored
with pigment and holding a weapon, has an
individually crafted expression.
. Army in Pit 1
The most impressive pit contains over 6,000
warriors, arrayed in battle formation. The rear
of the vault is strewn with smashed heads and
fragments yet to be assembled.
High-Ranking Officer
Dressed commandingly in a long,
two-layered knee-length tunic, this
imposing figure is distinguished
both by his regalia and by
being taller than the pottery
infantry figures he appears
to oversee.
The pottery horses have

been assembled from broken
fragments, like the warriors
around them.
Original Decoration
All of the figures were originally
painted in vivid colors similar to Infantry
this replica. Some retain traces of The pottery warriors were originally equipped
paint, but most of them faded with weapons, including swords, spears, and
after exposure to air. bows and arrows, many of which have rotted.
X I ’A N 175
. Kneeling Archer VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Cloaked in upper-body armor and kneeling
in a state of preparation, this archer is alert Practical Information
although his wooden bow has 19 miles (30 km) E of Xi’an.
disintegrated. His square-toed shoes Tel (029) 8139 9001. Open
are studded for extra grip. 8:30am–5:30pm daily (to 5pm
in winter). & 8 ^ = -
Transportation
@ 306, 914, 915 from Xi’an
The earth-walled train station.
corridors that house
the warriors were
originally roofed with
wooden rafters.
Individual Details
The intricacy is astonishing,
especially in the careful
execution of individual
hairstyles on the hand-
sculpted heads. Further
artistry is evident in the
detailed belts, clothing,
and footwear.
Restoring the Army

The work to excavate and restore the terracotta
figures continues to this day. Each warrior is unique
and must be painstakingly reassembled by a team.
Qin Shi Huangdi’s Tomb

The Terracotta Army is just one part, the defending army, of a complex necropolis.
A mile west of the pits, a large hill, yet to be fully excavated, is believed to be
the burial mound of Emperor Qin Shi, a tyrant preoccupied with death and
the legacy he would leave behind. He spared no expense, enlisting 700,000
people over 36 years in the tomb’s construction. Historical sources portray a
miniature plan of his empire: a floor cut by rivers of
mercury beneath a ceiling studded with
pearls to represent the night sky. The
complex is also said to contain 48
tombs for concubines who were buried
alive with the emperor, a fate also
reserved for workers, to prevent the location
and design of the tomb from becoming known.
Two marvelous bronze chariots, originally housed
in wooden coffins, were unearthed near the
burial mound, and laboriously reassembled. Half actual
size, one is made up of over 3,600 metal pieces. One of the bronze chariots, on display in the Exhibition Hall
temple crypt and paraded

through the streets of Xi’an
during the height of the Tang
era. After the dynasty’s fall, the
crypt was lost in obscurity,
possibly as a result of anti-
Buddhist purges. It is surprising
that the crypt remained hidden
for so long, as pagodas often
have vaults for storing relics and
Buddhist ornaments. In the
Colorful fresco in the tomb of Yi De, Qian Ling 1980s, an exploration following a
partial collapse of the pagoda
Xi’an: Farther Afield p63). The Imperial Way is lined exposed the crypt, along with its
The several worthwhile sights with stone figures, while the relics and Tang-dynasty riches.
around Xi’an are best visited by southeast section of the Today, the finger bone is once
the Western Tour buses that area contains 17 lesser tombs, again preserved in a crypt, while
depart from Xi’an train station in including the vividly frescoed the temple museum displays
the morning. Located 15 miles tombs of Prince Zhang Huai, the many Tang-era artifacts. The
(25 km) northeast, the modern emperor’s second son, and sacred bone is occasionally taken
city of Xianyang, China’s first crown prince Yi De, the abroad, as it was in 2003, when it
dynastic capital, is emperor’s grandson. went to Taipei in Taiwan.
mainly visited for its The mountainside
museum and the mausoleum of the
E Xianyang City Museum
surrounding imperial Tang Taizong emperor
53 Zhongshan Lu. @ 59 or K630
tombs. Housed in a lies at Zhao Ling (Zhao from Xi’an to Xianyang, then bus 7, 9,
former Confucian Tomb), 43 miles (70 km) or 24. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
Temple, the Xianyang northwest of Xi’an.
City Museum displays Situated 74 miles  Mao, Qian & Zhao Ling
relics from Qin and Han (120 km) northwest @ 59 or K630 from Xi’an to Xianyang,
times, and its highlight of Xi’an, the remote then taxi. Open 7:30am–7pm daily
(Dec & Jan: 8am–6pm). &
is an army of 3,000 Famen Temple is well
miniature terracotta Stele in Yi De’s Tomb, worth the long journey.  Famen Temple
soldiers excavated from a Qian Ling This shrine is one of Tel (0917) 525 4002. @ from Xi’an
nearby tomb. Mao Ling China’s first Buddhist station, bus 2. Open 8am– 5:30pm
(Mao Tomb), 25 miles (40 km) temples, and a venerated place daily (winter: 8:30am–5pm). &
west of Xi’an, is the tomb of the for Buddhist pilgrims the world
Han emperor Wudi (141–87 BC). over. It was built in the 2nd
The largest of the Han tombs in century AD to house a finger
the surrounding region, it has a bone of Sakyamuni (the
museum that houses stone Historical Buddha) donated
sculptures and further relics from by the Indian king Ashoka, who
the tomb complex. The impres- was dispensing Buddhist relics
sive Qian Ling (Qian Tomb), 50 (sarira) among Buddhist lands.
miles (80 km) northwest of Xi’an, The sacred bone enjoyed
is the burial site of the Tang extensive veneration, and was
Gaozong emperor and his wife, periodically removed from the
the indomitable Wu Zetian (see
The 12-storied pagoda at the Famen Temple, now restored to its former glory
SHAANXI 177
4 Yan’an
155 miles (250 km) N of Xi’an.

* 200,000. ~ £ from Xi’an
and Beijing. @
The quiet town of Yan’an, set

within the ribbed Loess hills of
northern Shaanxi, is best
explored by train from Xi’an.
Yan’an lures Mao fans, since the
town was the Communist Party’s
headquarters for a decade after
the culmination of the Long
March (see p262) in October
1935. In the north of town, the
Yan’an Revolutionary Museum
houses a display of Communist
relics, including Mao’s stuffed
Pilgrims and hikers winding their way up North Peak, Hua Shan horse, weapons, photographs,
and uniforms (few captions are
3 Hua Shan follow the trail along the ridge in English). Not far from the
to the other four peaks lying to museum lies the Wangjiaping
the south. Spring and autumn are Revolution Headquarters Site,
75 miles (120 km) E of Xi’an. £ from
the best seasons to climb Hua where Mao and other front-rank
X’ian to Menyuan, then bus. @ bus 1
(suspended Jan–Mar) at 8am, from X’ian Shan, since summers and winters party leaders worked and lived.
train station to Huayin, then shuttle to are extreme. Night-time ascents The Fenghuang Shan Lu
entrance. Tel 400 0913 777. Open 7am– can also be made. It is best to Revolution Headquarters Site,
7pm daily (Dec–Feb: 9am–5pm daily). carry food with you, though the early residence of the
& Cable car available. refreshments are available from Communists, houses
vendors and at hotels along memorabilia of prominent
The westernmost and loftiest of the trail. Wear shoes or boots officers. Perched on a hill
China’s five Daoist peaks, the with a rugged grip as certain southeast of town, and with
8,563-ft (2,610-m) high Hua Shan sections are treacherous. Near impressive views, is the Ming-
is characterized by steep ascents, the summits, bunches of pad- dynasty Yan’an Bao Pagoda,
precipitous gullies, and peerless locks hang on chains. According which sometimes features on
views. Crowned by five peaks to the custom, couples have Communist memorabilia.
(North, South, East, West, and their names engraved on them
E Yan’an Revolutionary Museum
Central), and towering southwest and then lock them here forever.
Zaoyuan Lu. @ 1, 3, 7, 8 & 13.
of the Yellow River as it loops Accommodation is available in
east along the Henan–Shanxi Huayin and on the mountain
border, Hua Shan (Flower itself for overnight stays and P Wangjiaping Revolution
Mountain) was traditionally watching the sunrise from Headquarters Site
likened to a lotus bloom. Also East Peak. Zaoyuan Lu. Open 6am–6pm daily. &
known by its other name, Xiyue
(Western Peak), the mountain is
believed to be presided over by
the Daoist God of Hua Shan. For
centuries, it was a magnet for
hermits and ascetics in pursuit
of immor tality, and its crags and
crannies still teem with Daoist
myths. Its numerous temples
have dwindled over the years,
although several survive
perched on the mountain.
Hikers can either drift to North
Peak by cable car from the
station at the eastern base, or
make the strenuous 3-5-hour
trek along with hordes of pilgrims
from Huayin. From North Peak,
you can either descend or Padlocks engraved with couples’ names, Hua Shan
CENTRAL
CHINA
Introducing Central China 180–187

Shanghai 188–207
Jiangsu & Anhui 208–243
Zhejiang & Jiangxi 244–263
Hunan & Hubei 264–279
180 CENTRAL CHINA
Central China at a Glance

Dominated by the mighty Yangzi River, China’s central
region encompasses the east coast port city of Shanghai
and the six provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi,
Hunan, and Hubei, that fan out from it to the north,
south, and west. The region is rich in historic sights as
well as natural beauty, including the attractive city of
Nanjing, with its largely intact city wall, and the splendid
scenery around Zhejiang’s West Lake and Anhui’s Huang
Shan mountain. The cultured cities of Hangzhou and
Suzhou lie on the banks of the Grand Canal,
one of the greatest engineering feats in Xi’an View from Jiuhuashan, a sacred Buddhist
mountain.
China’s early history. A more up-to-date Danjiangkou
colossal feat of construction, the Three Shiyan Shuiku
Gorges Dam, on the Yangzi River in

Laohekou
Hubei, is the world’s largest. J i Xiangfan
ng
Xinyang
Sh
Suizhou
an
Shennong Ding
3105m H UB E I
an
Jingmen
Sh
Han
Wu Yichang Yunmeng
Shu
i Xishui
Enshi
Yidu
Wuhan
Wufeng
Jingzhou
Huangshi
Chongqing
Xianfeng Hong Hu
Jinshi
Wulingyuan Cili
Longshan
Yueyang an
Sh
Yongshun Zhangjiajie Changde fu
Mu
n
a
n
Sh Pingjiang a
Sh
g Yiyang g
l in lin
Wu
Jishou Zhexi
Anhua Jiu
Shuiku Changsha Shanggao
an
Xiangtan Zhuzhou Wanzai

Loudi
Sh
Huaihua
ng
Pingxiang
H U N A N
fe
e Liling
Tranquil scene in Shizi Lin (Lion Grove Xu Shaoyang Hengshan ha n
Guiyang
n g S
Garden), Suzhou go Ji ’an
Hengyang u
W
Shan
Jingzhou
Xining
Jinggangshan
Lingxian
iao
Tongdao Leiyang
Linglin
ox
Lu
Guilin Ganzhou
Chenzhou
Nankang
ng
g
Getting Around Daoxian Lin
u Li
Yizhang
Nan
gzh
The region’s main airport hub is Shanghai, although ng

D ay u L i
other international airports include Nanjing, Hangzhou,
en
M
Wuhan, Ningbo, and Changsha. Many towns and cities Wuzhou

Key
in the region have domestic airports, but unless time is Expressway
Guangzhou
really an issue, it can be more pleasurable to travel by
Main road
train. The rail network has been upgraded and high-
speed CRH “bullet” trains operate on selected inter-city Minor road
routes. Both the Grand Canal and the Yangzi River Main railroad
operate tourist ferry or canal-boat services, but in the Other railroad
remote mountainous regions such as Wudang Shan in Provincial border
northern Hubei, and Jinggang Shan in southern Jiangxi,
Summit
bus travel is the quickest means of transportation.
The Shanghai skyline by night
INTRODUCING CENTRAL CHINA 181
Qingdao
Lianyungang
Zhengzhou JIANGSU
Xuzhou
& ANHUI
Binhai
Suqian SHANGHAI
Huaibei
Bozhou
Suzhou Huai’an
Yancheng
Hongze ZHEJIANG
HUNAN
Taihe Wuhe Hu JIANGSU & HUBEI
& JIANGXI
Dongtai
Fuyang Bengbu Gaoyou Xinghua
Hu
Huainan
Yangzhou Rugao
Taizhou
ANHUI Zhenjiang
Nantong
Hefei Nanjing Changzhou
Lu ’an Ma ’anshan Wuxi

D Chao Hu Shanghai
ab ng Wuhu Yixing Suzhou
ie Tongcheng Jia
a
Sh Tai Hu SHANGHAI SHI
Jinsh
an Zhouzhuang
Tongling Huzhou Jiaxing
an
Anqing uW
Taihu Ningguo zho
Hangzhou Hang
Huang Shan
Po Hu 2650m
Yixian Shaoxing Ningbo
Shexian
Jiujiang Huangshan
Lushan Xin ’anjiang Z HE JI ANG
Shuiku Lanxi
Yongxiu Tiantai
Jingdezhen Jinhua
Poyang Hu
Quzhou Huangyan
ng
Nanchang Taizhou
an
Lishui
Li
Shangrao Sh
g
a
an
i n
nx o ca
Sh
a Ku
Xi
Fuzhou Wenzhou
ng
da
Nanping
n
Ya
Rui’an
JIANGXI
n
Fuzhou
a
Sh
Nanfeng 0 km 150
u
Y
0 miles 150
Ningdu
Ruijin Xiamen
Xunwu
Temple buildings on the island of Putuo Shan, off the east coast of Zhejiang
182 CENTRAL CHINA
A PORTRAIT OF
CENTRAL CHINA
From the modern city of Shanghai to the historic and picturesque canal
towns, Central China encapsulates the essence of the country and its culture.
The region can also be considered the crucible of modern China, as many
of the stirring historical events that shaped the nation took place here in
the early 20th century.
The Yangzi (Chang Jiang), which flows into Shanghai, which actually sits on the
the East China Sea just below Shanghai, is Huangpu River, a small tributary of the
the thread that binds all of Central China Yangzi, is something of an upstart, despite
together. The combination of water and its reputation. A small provincial town
silt has fertilized vast areas, especially until the mid-19th century, it evolved to
around Wuhan, referred to as “China’s become China’s greatest city. Even after
Grain Basket”, or the “Land of Fish and Rice.” the Cultural Revolution it remained the
Despite its tendency to flood, the river has country’s fashion and shopping capital as
for centuries been a vital conduit for well as a great industrial powerhouse. It
China’s trade, crowded with sampans and is, today, one of the most visible symbols
junks, as observed by Marco Polo in the of “new” China’s vitality and dynamism.
13th century, as well as tea clippers in the A comprehensive urban makeover took
19th century and ferries and cruise ships place ahead of Shanghai hosting the 2010
today. The river has also accelerated the World Expo, and the city has positioned
country’s development: without the itself as a world financial center.
Yangzi there would have been no Grand Politically too, Shanghai’s impact has been
Canal and no Shanghai. Now, with the enormous; it was the site of the first meeting
controversial construction of the Three of the Chinese Communist Party and the
Gorges Dam, the river has been used spawning ground for the Cultural Revolution
again to supply the requirements of and the Gang of Four, all of whom had
China’s vast, clamorous population. strong connections with the city.
Panorama of the skyline of Pudong district in Shanghai

Peking, the Ming left their mark on

Nanjing, as evidenced by the huge Ming
tomb and formidable city wall, while
Hangzhou, a former Song capital, is the
location of the West Lake, one of China’s
most scenic places. Just as remarkable
are the region’s gardens and workshops
producing silk embroidery and porcelain.
Suzhou, in Jiangsu, has to some extent
retained some of its ancient charm and
is renowned for its private gardens,
which have survived the upheavals of
recent history largely intact. Porcelain
production continues alongside the
historic imperial kilns of Jingdezhen,
while silk, produced throughout parts
of the region, is still a major export, as
Tour boats on one of Tongli’s many canals it was a thousand years ago.
Considering that Central China is a
In fact, nearly all of the major political heavily populated region largely shaped
events of 20th-century China took place by man’s manipulation of nature, it is
in its central provinces. Nanjing, the first surprising that there are still large areas
Ming capital, was also Chiang of wilderness to enjoy. This is best
Kai-shek’s Republican center. illustrated in the legend of the
Chairman Mao was born and Wild Man, China’s equivalent
educated, and began his of the Yeti, who is said to haunt
revolutionary activities in Shennongjia in Hubei. For those
Hunan. In Jiangxi, the 1927 wishing to escape urban or
Nanchang Uprising was the Detail from the Ming pastoral China, there are many
rallying point for the creation of Palace Ruins, Nanjing opportunities, from the scenic
the Red Army, while the same beauty around Taihu Lake in
province was the starting point of the Jiangsu to the mountain vistas at
Long March. That revolution should Hunan’s Wulingyuan and Zhejiang’s
ignite so easily was not surprising, since Yandang Shan.
Anhui, Hunan, and Jiangxi,
large parts of which are
mountainous and remote
from the Yangzi and seats
of power, have always
been associated with
appalling poverty.
However, long before the
fall of the last emperor, this
was where many of the
greatest features of pre-
Revolutionary Chinese
culture flowered during
the brilliance of the Song
and Ming dynasties. Before
establishing their capital in Suspension bridge at the Divine Cliffs, Yandang Shan
184 CENTRAL CHINA
Traditional Chinese Gardens

The Chinese garden developed as a synthesis of
two concepts linked in Daoist philosophy (see p37) –
scenery and serenity: the contemplation of nature
in isolated meditation led to enlightenment. Therefore,
the educated and wealthy built natural-looking retreats
for themselves within an urban environment. The garden
creates poetic and painterly concepts, and aims to
improve on nature by creating a picture that looks natural
Classical Chinese garden
but is in fact entirely artificial. For this the Chinese garden
design was considered a type
designer used four main elements: rocks, water, plants, of three-dimensional landscape
and architecture. painting or solid poetry.
Rocks: There were two main kinds of rock – the Water: An essential element of life, water could be
eroded limestones from lakes, often used as used in the garden as a mirror and so appear to
sculptures, or the yellow rock piled up to recall increase the size of the garden. Water also serves as
mountains and caves to the mind of the viewer. a contrasting partner and therefore a balance to
The beauty and realism of the rockery usually the hard stone. Finally it is a home for goldfish,
determined the success or failure of the garden. symbols of good fortune.
Interiors of pavilions
were important as the
venues for creativity. A
lot of care was taken to
select an appropriate
and poetic name for
each building.
Patterns and mosaics brighten

Corridors, paths, and bridges up the garden and are also
link the different areas and symbolic. Cranes represent
give the artist control over longevity, while the yin and yang
how the views are presented symbol often appears where a
to the visitor. path forks in two.
Garden Views A moon gate is a round

Using these four elements the garden door that neatly frames a
is like a series of tableaux painted onto view as though it were a
a roll of silk. One by one they come picture. Gates can be
before your eyes just as the artist square-, jar-, or even
intended them to. As you follow the book-shaped.
paths, you see just what he wanted you
to see. These may be borrowed views,
where the scenery from somewhere
else is made to look part of the picture;
hidden views, where you round a Patterned screens allow in a certain
corner to come upon an unexpected amount of light and may be used to
scene; or contrasting views where leafy cast patterned shadows on white
bamboo softens the view of rock, or walls. They are also sometimes used to
opposite views as the yin element give tempting partial views through to
water balances the yang element rock. other areas of the garden.
Plants: Plants were used sparingly and usually for Buildings: An intrinsic part of the garden, these
their symbolic qualities. Thus the lotus is purity, as it pavilions and waterside halls provide a place for
flowers from the mud; bamboo is resolve, it is contemplation and, more importantly, a specific
difficult to break; plum is vigor, as it blooms in viewpoint, as well as shelter from the sun and rain.
winter; the pine is longevity, for it is an evergreen; They could range from open kiosks to multi-story
the imperial peony is wealth. halls and meeting rooms.
Penjing
Dating as far back as the Tang dynasty (618–907), penjing is the
art of creating a miniature landscape in a container. Not
limited to small trees, the artist may use rocks and specially
cultivated plants to portray a scene of natural beauty, as
though it were a landscape painting. As well as being
beautiful, the harmony in these creations is seen
as the spiritual expression of man’s relationship
with nature, the meeting of the temporal with
the omnipresent. Often part of a Chinese
garden will be devoted to the display or
cultivation of this delicate art. The Chinese art of penjing, the forerunner
to Japanese bonsai
186 CENTRAL CHINA
Regional Food: Central China

Traditionally referred to as the “Lands of Fish and Rice,” central
China is one of the country’s leading agricultural regions
along with with some of the most fertile land. Both wheat
and rice are grown here as well as barley, corn, sweet
potatoes, peanuts, and soybeans. Freshwater fisheries
abound in the network of lakes and rivers, while deep-sea
fishing has long been established in the coastal provinces. In
the holy mountains of Huang Shan and Jiuhua Shan, Buddhist
vegetarianism has also influenced the region’s cuisine. Hunan’s Garlic chives and bok choi
cuisine is like Sichuanese food but even spicier (see pp352–3).
filled dumplings called xiao a racy reputation. Maybe the

long bao. Instead the city’s main sinners want to redeem
influences are older schools of themselves by abstaining from
cuisine – Huaiyang and Suzhe. meat occasionally. Dishes tend
Another culinary influence is to have have similar names to
the Buddhist school of cuisine. meat dishes and, thanks to the
Strangely, the best Buddhist skillful use of soy sauce, tofu,
vegetarian restaurants are to be gluten, and agar, they can look
found in Shanghai – a city with and even taste like meat.
Lotus root Dried bean Fine bean

curd skin noodles
Market stall displaying the wide variety of
dried goods available
White
Shanghai fungus
The characteristics of Shanghai
cuisine are summarized as
“exquisite in appearance, rich
in flavor, and sweet in taste.”
A favorite winter delicacy is
the hairy crab from the Yangzi
estuary (although overfishing
means they tend to come from
elsewhere). A relatively new
city, Shanghai has not really Black fungus Hair moss Dried Tiger
developed its own cuisine, mushrooms lily buds
although it has its own famous Eight-Treasure Buddha’s Special

Two of the area’s great cities, Nanjing and Hangzhou, were
at different times capitals in central China. Whenever
there was a change of capital, the vast imperial kitchens
changed location, bringing the staff with them, which
resulted in a cross-fertilization of recipes and methods
from one region to another. One favorite imperial dish
despite its lowly name is Beggar’s Chicken – a whole
chicken is stuffed with vegetables and herbs, wrapped
Fermented in lotus leaves, and encased in clay before being baked.
bean curd The clay container is then broken at the table releasing
the beautiful aromas. A central China specialty (but
actually enjoyed all over) is red fermented bean curd. This has a
pungent, cheese-like flavor that is also very savory and appears in Lions’ Heads Pork meatballs
vegetarian and meat dishes alike. Freshwater crabs are best during braised with Chinese leaf –
October and November, simply steamed with spring onions, ginger, meant to look like lions’ heads
soy, sugar, and vinegar. and manes.
Huaiyang and Suzhe

Based specifically around the
deltas of the Huai and Yangzi
Rivers, Huaiyang cuisine is most
famous for its excellent fish
and shellfish – the freshwater
crabs from Tai Hu are superb.
Suzhe cuisine, however, covers
a wider area – the provinces of
Jiangsu and Zhejiang – and
includes culinary centers such
as Nanjing and Hangzhou that
both served as capital cities.
Along with stews flavored with
a light stock, the region is Park cafés – popular places to snack on some filled dumplings
famous for its “red cooking” –
food braised in soy sauce, sugar, Anhui ON THE MENU
ginger, and rice wine. “Chinkiang Further inland is the little-
Vinegar” is black rice vinegar known Anhui cuisine, which Beggar’s Chicken A whole
from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, and is has a long history, but is often chicken stuffed with flavorings
acknowledged to be the best overlooked by visitors. and cooked in a clay pot.
rice vinegar in China. Despite being landlocked, Fried Prawns in Shells Prawns
Anhui still enjoys a lot of fish still in their shells are rapidly fried
thanks to its network of lakes and then braised in a soy and
and rivers. The province is also tomato sauce.
one of the leading agricultural Three-Layer Shreds Steamed
regions in China, producing a shredded ham, chicken, and pork
great number and variety of with bamboo shoots and black
crops and vegetables. One of mushroom – should be called
Anhui’s famed ingredients five-layer shreds.
are its tender white bamboo Freshwater Crabs Simply
shoots. These crisp shoots steamed with scallions, ginger,
Eels, a popular ingredient from the rivers feature prominently in the soy, sugar, and vinegar.
of central China vegetarian cuisine prepared in Steamed Belly Pork with
the lofty Buddhist mountain Ground Rice Also known as
The province of Zhejiang retreats and are often double-braised pork, this long-
produces China’s best rice combined with a variety of cooked dish melts in your mouth.
wines from Shaoxing and exotic woodland mushrooms. Eight-Treasure Buddha’s
top-quality hams from Jinhua. Finally the world-famous Special A generic name for a
It is also worth trying the Keemun red tea – it is actually delicious vegetarian dish which
Long Jing (Dragon Well) green black – comes from the can actually contain any number
tea grown around West Lake humid hills of Qimen in of different ingredients.
in Hangzhou. south Anhui.
Tofu Casserole Tofu with sea Squirrel Fish A bream is filleted, Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
cucumbers, ham, prawns, coated with batter, deep-fried, Deep-fried bite-size pork
mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and served with a sweet-and- spare ribs braised in soy, sugar,
and bok choi in a stew pot. sour sauce. and vinegar.
CENTRAL CHINA 189
SHANGHAI
Straddling both banks of the Huangpu River, close to the
mouth of the mighty Yangzi on China’s eastern seaboard,
Shanghai is the nation’s largest and most dynamic city,
with a population of more than 23 million people. It is an
autonomous municipality, and an explosion of economic
and industrial development has made it one of the fastest
growing cities in the world.
By Chinese standards, the development In 1949, the Communists took over and
of Shanghai, which means “above the the city was stripped of its grandeur.
sea,” is a recent phenomenon. In the However, in 1990, the Pudong area across
13th century it became a minor county the river from the Bund was declared a
seat and so it remained until the mid- Special Economic Zone, and a revival
19th century when British commercial started. Investments poured in; flyovers,
ambitions led to war with China. The malls, and hotels sprang up, and shining
ensuing Treaty of Nanking allowed the metal and glass skyscrapers towered
British to trade freely from certain above the Huangpu. This infrastructure
ports, including Shanghai. The city soon boom has skyrocketed into the new
became an outpost of glamor, high living, millennium. Both airports have been
and ultimately decadence. It was divided upgraded, an international cruise port
into “concessions,” where foreign nationals has opened, and new roads, subway
lived in miniature versions of first Britain, lines, hotels, and offices were built for
then France, the US, and Japan. The Bund, the 2010 World Expo. Today, from the
or quay along the Huangpu, is still lined Shanghai Tower, China’s tallest building,
with concession-era buildings, evidence to the latest street fashions, Shanghai is
of a time when Shanghai was the third the best place in the country to get a
largest financial center in the world. feel for the China of the future.
Exterior of the renowned Shanghai Museum

Oriental Pearl Tower – a prime example of modern architecture in China
190 CENTRAL CHINA
Exploring Shanghai
Of Shanghai’s three main areas, the Old City to the south is typically
Chinese, with alleys, markets, and temples. It is also the site of the Yu Gardens
(Yu Yuan), Shanghai’s finest traditional garden. The former concession areas
comprise the French Concession to the Old City’s west and the British and
American Concessions – collectively known as the International Settlement
– to its north. Here are the Bund – the riverside promenade lined with grand
colonial buildings, including the Fairmont Peace Hotel and the Waldorf Astoria
Hotel – and the city’s two main shopping streets, Nanjing Road and Huaihai
Road. Pudong, Shanghai’s newest district, on the Huangpu’s east bank, has
some of the world’s highest commercial buildings.
Sights at a Glance
Historic Buildings, Sites Town
& Neighborhoods o Song Jiang
1 The Bund pp192–3
Shops & Markets
5 Pudong
2 Nanjing Road
7 Site of the First National
Congress of the Chinese Area of Natural Beauty Shanghai
Communist Party i She Shan
Train Station
9 French Concession ROAD

WEST
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pp198–9 HU D
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SHAAN X I NA N D
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Getting Around
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UO M
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new lines completed before the 2010 World Expo, and WE ST RO
JIA NG UO
several more under construction (see p620). Taxis are Zhaojiabang Road
convenient, cheap, and plentiful. There are plenty of JI ABANG
ROAD
Z H AO
buses, but these tend to be crowded and slow due to
the traffic congestion, especially during the morning
and evening rush hours. Each bus has its own schedule,
which can be complicated to follow.
SHANGHAI 191
Greater Shanghai
Key
Street-by-Street area: see pp198–9 G2
Expressway Huangdu Hongqiao Pudong
Main road Airport
Pudong
Railroad International
Airport
S20
Qingpu G50
G15
Huang
Zhou
Xinzhuang
Wujing
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G60
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NGSHAN E
PUDONG
ROAD RD
EAST
SICH U A N
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Nanpu
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192 CENTRAL CHINA
1 The Bund
Some places are forever associated with a single landmark,
and in the case of Shanghai it is surely the Bund. Also known
as Zhongshan East 1 Road, the Bund was at the heart of
the post-1842 concession era, flanked on one side by the
Huangpu River and on the other by the hotels, banks, offices,
and clubs that were the grandiose symbols of Western
commercial power. Most of the old buildings are still in place
and a walk along here can easily absorb a couple of pleasant
hours. The area was redeveloped for the 2010 World Expo.
The Bund, at its peak the third biggest
financial center in the world
. Shanghai Pudong
Development Bank
Built in 1921, it was said
to be the most beautiful
building in Asia. Inside there
are delightful murals.
. Customs House
The entrance hall is
decorated with some
handsome marine mosaics.
KEY
1 The bronze lions’ paws and

head are rubbed for good luck.
2 Former Bank of
Communications
3 Russo-Asiatic Bank Building
4 Former Bank of Taiwan
5 North China Daily News
Building
. River Promenade 6 Chartered Bank Building of
The riverside of the Bund is a wonderful place for taking a stroll, India, Australia, and China.
watching the river traffic, and viewing the varied Pudong skyline.
SHANGHAI 193
. Views of Pudong
In the evening the Bund throngs with people enjoying the river breeze
and the spectacular lights of Pudong’s modern skyline (see p195).
Former Palace Hotel

The Palace Hotel was built Bank of China
in 1906 and was one of the Blending 1920s American and
best hotels in Shanghai. traditional Chinese styles, this
It is now called the impressive block was built by
Swatch Art Peace Hotel. a rival of Sassoon, H. H. Kung.
Chen Yi’s statue

The bronze
statue looking
down the Bund
is not Chairman
Mao but Chen
Yi, revolutionary
commander and first
mayor of Shanghai
Fairmont Peace Hotel after 1949.
The most distinctive building on the Bund was
built in 1930 by the millionaire Sir Victor Sassoon.
Famous visitors include actor Charlie Chaplin and
playwright Noel Coward.
194 CENTRAL CHINA
2 Nanjing Road
q Nanjing Road East, Nanjing

Road West.
Running west from the Bund,

Nanjing Road has historically
been considered Shanghai’s
foremost shopping street,
despite competition from areas
such as chic Huaihai Road.
The street is divided in two –
Nanjing Road East runs from
the Bund to People’s Square,
after which it becomes Nanjing
Road West, a total length of
6 miles (10 km). The traditional
“shopper’s paradise” is along
pedestrianized Nanjing Road The impressive Shanghai Grand Theater
East, which is filled with upscale
brand malls, stores, and in front of the Pacific Hotel, ringed by gleaming glass-and-
boutiques. Theaters, cinemas, with its impressive exterior and metal skyscrapers. Facing it
restaurants, beauty salons, and fine plasterwork interior, and the on its eastern side is Mu’en Tang,
crowds of shoppers complete dark and brooding Park Hotel, the Merciful Baptism Church that
the picture. Before 1949, all the once one of the city’s most was built in 1929 as the American
major stores were located here. fashionable hotels, as well as Baptist Church. An inter-
One of them, the Sun China’s tallest building when it denominational survivor of
Department Store, is now the was built in 1934. Farther west, China’s many revolutions, it is
Shanghai No.1 Department the area between Nanjing Road open to all and foreign nationals
Store, which attracts 100,000 West and Jing’An Temple metro are welcome, but the services
customers every day with its station was formerly known as are only in Chinese.
exotic window displays. As Bubbling Well Road after the Within the park itself is the
window-shopping is such a well near Jing’an Temple. It is elegant glass box of MOCA
popular pastime, the pedest- more upscale and less crowded, Shanghai, the Museum of
rianized section of Nanjing Road with exclusive shopping and Contemporary Art. Its two floors
East between People’s Park and residential developments such house regularly changing
the Bund, with its numerous as Plaza 66, Westgate Mall, and exhibitions of cutting-edge art
1930s European-style buildings, the Shanghai Center (see p206). and design. At the northwest
is perpetually busy. The road There is a clutch of designer corner of the park, the Shanghai
culminates on People’s Square shops, restaurants, and apart- Art Museum occupies the lower
ments around the Portman Ritz- floors of the elegant old
Carlton Hotel, opposite the racecourse clubhouse. The
Shanghai Exhibition Center. collection is composed of a great
many traditional Chinese
paintings, along with some
3 People’s Park and experimental works.
Opposite the Shanghai
Square Museum is the Shanghai
Urban Planning Exhibition
Nanjing Road West. q People’s Hall, which traces the huge
Square. Open 6am–6pm daily. urban development projects
that have taken place in
Opposite The Park Hotel is the recent years. The highlight is a
oval-shaped former Racecourse, whole floor dedicated to a
now occupied by People’s scale model of Shanghai,
Square and incorporating the showing all existing and
pleasantly landscaped People’s approved buildings.
Park (Renmin Gong Yuan), the At the northwest corner of
Shanghai Museum and People’s Square is the Shanghai
Shanghai Grand Theater. Most Grand Theater (see p206), made
people visit the park to walk, almost entirely of glass and
The Park Hotel, formerly one of the most gossip, exercise, or simply watch topped by a spectacular convex
fashionable addresses in town the world go by. The park is roof. It is worth a visit, for a meal
SHANGHAI 195
with a view, or just to look

around, and tours are also
The Old Racecourse
available. The Old Racecourse was the center of Shanghai’s social life in the
early 20th century, and its Race Club was one of the most profitable
5 Mu’en Tang corporations in China. It also had a swimming pool and a cricket
316 Xizang Middle Rd. Open 7am–8pm pitch. After the Communists came to power in 1949, it became a
daily. 5 7:30 & 10am, 2 & 7pm Sun. symbol of Western decadence, and was turned into a park and a
E MOCA Shanghai square that was used for political rallies and finally landscaped to
Open 10am–6pm Sun–Thu, 9am– accommodate the Shanghai Museum. All that remains is its old
7pm Fri & Sat. & grandstand clock tower on the park’s west side, now part of the
Shanghai Art Museum.
E Shanghai Art Museum
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun (last adm
4pm). &
E Shanghai Urban Planning
Exhibition Hall
F Shanghai Grand Theater
Open 9am–5pm daily. &8
4 Shanghai
A view of Shanghai’s Old Racecourse before 1949
Museum
See pp196–7.
Eared Du. In 1990, it acquired the observation deck has views down
status of Special Economic Zone, on the Pearl. Both are surpassed
and became one of the largest by the 1,614-ft (492-m) Shanghai
5 Pudong building sites in the world, sup- World Financial Center, and
posedly festooned with a third the 124-floor, 2,073-ft (632-m)
East bank of Huangpu. q from of the world’s large cranes. The Shanghai Tower Pudong, the
People’s Square to Lujiazui. @ People’s transformation has been remark- second tallest building in the
Square. g Cross-River ferry terminal. able – a forest of skyscrapers has world upon completion in 2014.
grown as investment poured in.
In the mid-20th century, Pudong, The 1,500-ft (457-m) Oriental P Oriental Pearl TV Tower
facing the Bund on the other Pearl TV Tower offers views 1 Century Blvd. Tel (021) 5879 1888.
side of Huangpu, was the city’s across the city from halfway Open 8am–9:30pm daily. &
poorest quarter, a squalid huddle up, and houses the Shanghai
of slums and brothels and also History Museum. Pudong is also E Shanghai History Museum
the home of the notorious the site of the 1,379-ft (421-m) Tel (021) 5879 1888. Open 8am–
gangster Du Yuesheng, or Big- Jinmao Tower, whose 88th-floor 9:30pm. ∑ shmuseum.org
The futuristic and ever-evolving skyline of Pudong

196 CENTRAL CHINA
4 Shanghai Museum
With a collection of over 120,000 pieces, the Shanghai
Museum displays some of the best cultural relics from China’s
Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty, a span of over 5,000
years. While the highlights are the bronze ware, ceramics,
calligraphy, and painting, it also has excellent displays of jade,
furniture, coins, and Chinese seals or “chops.” The museum
was established in 1952, and the current building opened in
1995 with a design that recalls some of the exhibits and
symbolizes “a round heaven and a square earth.” Shanghai Museum, reminiscent of a
Shang-dynasty bronze ding pot
Calligraphy
To the Chinese, calligraphy is more than mere Third floor
communication, it is one of the highest art forms.
This cursive script (see p33) was painted by Huai Su
(AD 737) in typically wild movements that
combine delicate and forceful strokes.
. Sancai Pottery Figures

The major technical advance of the
Tang dynasty (618–907) in ceramics
was the development of sancai (three-
color) pottery. This grave figure is a
superb piece of polychrome pottery.
Celadon Ware
Celadon’s simple beauty and strength
made it highly desirable. This example
of Longquan ware from the Southern Song
dynasty (1127–1279) elegantly captures
the movement of the coiled dragon.
Second
Key to Floorplan
floor
Bronzes Jade
Sculpture Furniture
Ceramics Coins
Zande Lou ceramics Ethnic minorities gallery
Zande Lou Ceramics is a
privately donated collection
Paintings Temporary exhibitions of 130 pieces and includes
Calligraphy Non-exhibition space some outstanding Qing
Seals imperial items.
SHANGHAI 197
Fourth
floor
201 Renmin Avenue, People’s
Square. Tel (021) 6372 3500.
Open 9am–5pm daily (last entry
one hour before closing). 7 8
9=-0
∑ shanghaimuseum.net
Transportation
q People’s Square.
Jade Gallery
Sculpture in jade, the quintessential
Chinese stone, reached its peak in
the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), as
exemplified by this exquisite jade
gu (wine vessel).
Ming & Qing
furniture gallery
. Landscape Paintings
Liangtuxuan is a Chinese painting owes a great
privately donated deal to Daoist philosophy.
collection of paintings Accordingly, Wang Meng’s
and calligraphy. (1308–85) picture Retreat in
the Qingbian Mountain tries to
capture the powerful, almost
animate essence of nature.
. Shang Bronzes
The Seal Gallery displays This jia (wine vessel), a
examples of virtuoso burial gift from the mid-
carving and calligraphy. 15th–13th century BC,
shows great skill and
craftsmanship in its
Back sophisticated animal mask
entrance design or taotie.
Gallery Guide
The calligraphy and
painting exhibits are
changed frequently for their
own protection. As well as
the permanent collections,
the museum often shows
exhibits from other major
museums around the world.
The Sculpture Gallery

holds a collection of
ancient and mainly
religious pieces.
Main entrance
198 CENTRAL CHINA
6 Yu Gardens and Bazaar

The old-style buildings of the Yu Gardens Bazaar are not really
old, but the fanciful roofs are nevertheless very appealing.
The shops here peddle everything from tourist souvenirs to
traditional medicines and, despite inflated prices, the area is
incredibly popular. It is best to arrive early and go straight
to the beautiful and relatively peaceful Ming-dynasty Yu
Gardens (Yu Yuan). A dumpling lunch, before the restaurants
get too busy, will set you up for a hectic afternoon of
shopping and haggling, followed by a cup of tea in the
quaint Huxinting teahouse.
Yu Gardens Bazaar – modern shops in
old-fashioned buildings
Yu Gardens Bazaar
Despite being a bit of a tourist
trap, there is plenty of fun to be
had wandering among the stalls
and haggling over prices.
Street Performers
Every now and then
a colorful troupe of
performers appears
bearing young children on
top of poles to entertain
the thronging crowds.
KEY
1 Shanghai Old Street (Fangbang

. City God Temple
Road) and an entrance to the Bazaar.
Dating back to the Ming era,
2 Restaurants surround the lake – the temple once housed the
you can see the dumplings being patron god of Shanghai and
made in the morning. encompassed an area as large
as the bazaar. Now this small
restored temple is very popular
with tourists.
SHANGHAI 199
. Huxinting Teahouse VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

This charming building, built
in 1784 by cotton merchants, Practical Information
only became a teahouse 269 Fangbang Middle Road
in the late 19th century. (Shanghai Old St), Old City. Tel
The zigzag bridge protects the (021) 6326 0830. City God Temple:
structure, as evil spirits can’t Open 8:30am–4pm daily. & ^
turn corners. Yu Gardens: Open 9am–5pm daily.
& - = Huxinting Teahouse:
Open 9:30am–9pm daily. - 0
Transportation
q Yuyuan Garden. @ 11, 26
and 64.
.Huge Rockery
Reputed to be one of the
best Ming rockeries, it is
surely one of the largest.
The rockery recalls
the peaks, caves, and
gorges of
southern
China.
Garden
entrance Dragon Wall
The white walls in the garden are topped
by an undulating dragon. Note how it
only has four claws and not five like an
imperial dragon, so as not to incur the
emperor’s wrath.
Yu Gardens Scenic Areas

The walls divide the garden into six scenic
areas, which makes it feel like a maze and
seem larger than it really is. The garden
gets very busy in the afternoon and on
weekends so try to come early if possible.
200 CENTRAL CHINA
Parisian jardin, with meandering and cafés. It’s residents were

paths flanked by cherry trees. It mainly White Russians and
was renamed Fuxing, meaning Chinese and it had its own
“revival,” in 1949. electrical system, judiciary, and
Close by on Xiangshan Road police force, whose highest
is the Sun Yat-sen Memorial ranking officer, “Pockmarked
Residence, a typical Shanghai Huang,” was the leader of the
villa where the leader and his infamous Green Gang that
wife, Soong Qingling, lived controlled the opium trade.
between 1918 and 1924. The Today, the Concession is
interior is just as it was in Sun’s centered around Huaihai Road
time, with many of his personal and Yan’an Road – vibrant
items such as his gramophone streets lined with megamalls,
and books. South of the park, boutiques, restaurants, and
73 Rue Massenet (now Sinan bars – and the area
Road) was the Former around the stylish Art
Entrance, First National Congress of the Residence of Zhou Deco facades of the
Chinese Community Party Enlai, who lived here Jinjiang Hotel
when he was head of complex. The hotel’s
7 Site of the First the city’s Communist compound includes the
National Congress Party in the 1940s. It is Grosvenor Residence,
furnished in a spartan pre-War Shanghai’s
of the Chinese style and is another most exclusive
Communist Party excellent example of Statue of Sun Yat-sen, property. The VIP
a European-style Sun Yat-sen Memorial Club, in the hotel’s
Shanghai villa. Residence old wing, retains its
374 Huangpi Road South. q Huangpi
1920s architecture. The
Road South. Tel (021) 538 3217. Open
surrounding streets come alive
9am–4pm Tue, Wed & Fri–Sun. 9 French
at night with lively bars and
This house in the French Concession clubs (see p207). Another
Concession was the venue for a interesting building is the
historic meeting, where repre- Ruijin Guesthouse at the
q Shaanxi Road South.
sentatives of China’s communist corner of Fuxing Middle Road
cells met to form a national and Shaanxi South Road.
party on July 23, 1921. Officially, The former French Concession, This Tudor-style manor is now
there were 12 participants stretching from the western a hotel. The Children’s Palace
including Mao Zedong, but it is edge of the Old City to Avenue at the western end of Yan’an
believed that many others also Haig (Huashan Road), comprises Road was part of an early-1920s
attended. The police discovered European-style villas and estate, and is now a children’s
the meeting and the delegates tree-lined boulevards, shops, arts center.
were forced to escape to a boat
on Nan Lake, in Zhejiang. The
house has a reconstruction of
the meeting, with the original
chairs and teacups used by the
delegates. The exhibition hall
tells the history of the Chinese
Communist Party.
8 Fuxing Park
Fuxing Middle Rd. q Huangpi Road

South. Sun Yat-sen Memorial
Residence: 7 Xingshan Rd. Tel (021)
6437 2954. Open 9am–4:30pm daily.
& Zhou Enlai’s Former Residence: 73
Sinan Rd. Open 9am–4pm daily. &
The French bought this private

garden, located in the French
Concession, in 1908. It was
known then as the “French Park,”
and has elements of a formal The European-style villa that was Zhou Enlai’s former residence
SHANGHAI 201
The Huangpu River

The Huangpu River is a mere 68 miles (110 km) in length from its source, Dianshan Lake,
to its junction with the Yangzi River, 17 miles (28 km) downstream from Shanghai. As a
spectacle, however, it is fascinating and there is much for the eye to take in, from the
redeveloped waterfront at the Bund, and burgeoning modern metropolis of Pudong,
to the bustling docks that line the Huangpu all the way to the wide, windblown mouth
of the Yangzi. The boat departs from the wharves on the Bund south of Yan’an Road
(see pp190–91). The one-hour trip takes visitors as far as the Yangpu Bridge, but there is also
the longer 3 ½ -hour trip, all the way to the Yangzi River.
7 The Yangzi River

The color of the water changes
markedly here, as the oily
Huangpu meets the muddy and
turbulent Yangzi. A lighthouse
marks the confluence of the two.
4 Shanghai Docks
The Shanghainese proudly claim that
nearly a third of all China’s international
trade enters via the perennially busy
Huangpu River.
6 Wusong Fort
The site of a decisive battle
3 Yangpu Bridge against the British in 1842,
Built in 1993, this is one of it consisted of a crescent-
the world’s longest cable- shaped fort with ten
stay bridges – cables are imported cannons.
anchored to each tower.
5 Gongqing Forest Park

2 Huangpu Park This large and pleasantly
r
At the northern tip of the

ive
landscaped park was

uR
Bund, this park is the reclaimed from marshland

gp
home of the Monument

an
and is popular with the

Hu
to the People’s Heroes. Shanghainese on weekends.
0 km 1
• Pudong 0 miles 1
Tips for Visitors

Length: 37 miles (60 km).
One-hour trip: 10 miles (16 km).
Boat trips: The boats vary in
size and facilities, so make sure
you know what you are getting.
The more expensive ones do
provide food and sometimes
entertainment.
Times: Boats leave from
1 The Bund
Zhongshan Lu on the Bund
The central road area of the Bund was redeveloped for
(where you can buy tickets), to
the 2010 World Expo. Most traffic has been diverted
the Huangpu Bridge and back.
underground and the roads turned into parks and walkways.
202 CENTRAL CHINA
Changle Road, nearby, has a w Jade Buddha

number of interesting Art Deco
and early 20th-century villas
Temple
and mansions constructed by
Shanghai’s wealthy residents. 170 Anyuan Rd. q Changshou Road
then taxi. Tel (021) 6266 3668.
q Jing’an Temple Open 8am–8:30pm daily. &
The most famous of Shanghai’s

1686 Nanjing West Rd (near Huashan temples, Yufo Si lies in the
Rd). q Jing’an Temple. Tel (021) 6256 northwest part of the city. It
6366. Open 7:30am–5pm daily. &
was built in 1882 to enshrine
two beautiful jade Buddha
Located opposite the attractive statues that were brought from
Jing’an Park, which contains Burma by the abbot Wei Ken.
the old Bubbling Well The temple was originally
Cemetery, Jing’an Temple located elsewhere, but shifted
(Temple of Tranquillity) is one here in 1918, after a fire
of the city’s most revered damaged the earlier structure.
places for ancestor worship. After being closed for almost
Facade of the Soviet-style Shanghai Founded in the Three 30 years, it reopened in 1980,
Exhibition Center Kingdoms Period (AD 220-80), and today has some 100 monks.
it reopened in 2006 after being Built in the Southern Song-
0 Shanghai completely rebuilt. In the dynasty style, it has sharply
Exhibition Center 1930s, it was Shanghai’s curved eaves and figurines on
wealthiest Buddhist the roof. Its three main halls
temple, headed by the are connected by two
1000 Yan’an Middle Rd. q Jing’an influencial abbot courts. The first hall is
Temple. Tel (021) 2216 2216. Open Khi Vehdu, who the Heavenly King
9am–4pm daily. was also a gangster Hall, where the four
with a harem of Heavenly Kings line
The enormous Shanghai concubines and the walls. The Grand
Exhibition Center is one of the White Russian Hall of Magnificence
few reminders of the influence bodyguards. It is said Wall detail, Jade houses three
the Soviet Union once had in his bodyguards went Buddha Temple incarnations of the
Shanghai. Built in 1954, it was with him everywhere, Buddha, while the
known as the Palace of Sino- carrying bulletproof briefcases Jade Buddha Chamber
Soviet Friendship, and was as shields in the event of an contains the first jade statue –
designed as a place for attack. The temple was closed that of a large reclining Buddha.
exhibiting China’s techno- during the Cultural Revolution, The finer of the two statues,
logical and agricultural but has reopened to become however, lies upstairs. Carved
advances following the one of the best examples of an from a single piece of jade, this
founding of the People’s active Buddhist shrine in the jewel-encrusted seated
Republic in 1949. Ironically, city. It is a popular place to Buddha is exquisite. Visitors
the building stands on the site offer coins and pray for should note that photography
of the estate of millionaire Silas financial success. is forbidden here.
Hardoon – Shanghai’s biggest
capitalist in the 1920s. The
Center is worth seeing for its
grimly florid Soviet-style
architecture. It has an
impressively ornate entrance,
with columns decorated with
red stars, and a gilded spire.
Today, it is an exhibition and
convention center.
Nearby on Xinle Road, in the
former French Concession, is
the old Russian Orthodox
Church with its distinctive
onion-shaped domes. It served
thousands of refugees from the
Russian Revolution in 1917. The
area around Julu Road and Golden Buddhas in the Jade Buddha Temple
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp559-60 and pp575–7
SHANGHAI 203
Old Shanghai
Until 1842, Shanghai was a minor Chinese river port, worthy of a protective rampart but
otherwise undistinguished. In that year the Chinese government capitulated to Western
demands for trade concessions, resulting in a number of ports along China’s eastern
seaboard, including Shanghai, becoming essentially European outposts. Their key feature
was that of extra-territoriality – foreign residents were answerable only to the laws of their
own country. Thus the Americans, British, and French had their own “concessions” –
exclusive areas within the city with their own police forces and judiciary – a situation that
attracted not only entrepreneurs, but refugees, criminals, and revolutionaries. This mix was
a potent one and Shanghai’s reputation for glamor and excess derives from the politically
combustible period between the two world wars. It all came to an end in the 1940s with
the Japanese invasion and wartime occupation of Shanghai.
The Bund, also known as

Zhongshan East No. 1 Road
or, more colloquially, “Waitan,”
was the wide thoroughfare
running along the Huangpu
River. This was where all the
major financial players in
Shanghai commerce built
their offices and created
the distinctively
grandiose skyline.
The Racecourse,
located in the area of
today’s People’s
The Great World was a Square, was a part of
quintessential Shanghai expatriate life, where,
creation, a mixture of just as in the
freakishness, fashion, sex, numerous clubs and
and theater under one roof, institutions for non-
owned by the gangster Chinese, wealthy
Pockmarked Huang. expats could socialize
as if they were home.
Opium, trafficked commercially with claims for

free-trade by British companies like Jardine Nanking Road was, and still is, Shanghai’s retail
Matheson, was the foundation of Shanghai’s hub. Divided in two parts (the western end is
prosperity and dens dotted the city. When the Bubbling Well Road), it was home to China’s first
mercantile veneer was jettisoned, opium became department stores, where Chinese and expatriates
the currency of Shanghai’s gangster underworld. mixed on an equal footing.
204 CENTRAL CHINA
Brightly colored boats alongside the lake pier at Hongkou Park (Lu Xun Park)
e Jewish Refugee
Museum script and the use of spoken At the southwestern edge of
Chinese in literature. Lu Xun’s the city is the fine villa that
Tomb, where his ashes were was the residence of Soong
62 Changyang Rd. q Dalian Road. interred in 1956 on the 20th Qingling, wife of the
Tel (021) 6512 6669. Open 9am– anniversary of his death, is also in revolutionary leader Dr. Sun
5pm daily (last adm 4:30pm). the park. To the right of the Yat-sen. All the Soong siblings –
main park entrance is a three sisters and a brother –
From 1933 to 1941, Memorial Hall dedicated came to wield a lot of influence
Shanghai absorbed to the novelist, where in China. Of the three sisters,
30,000 Jewish visitors can view early Soong Meiling married Chiang
refugees fleeing editions of his work and Kai-shek, the head of the
persecution in Europe. his correspondence with Nationalist Republic of China
This museum is housed various intellectuals from 1928 to 1949; Ailing
in a former synagogue. including George Bernard married H. H. Kung, the director
The focus is on Shaw. Just to the south is of the Bank of China and Soong
photographs and Lu Xun’s Former Resi- Qingling married Sun Yat-sen.
refugees’ stories. Statue, Lu Xun’s Tomb dence, where he spent Her brother, known as T. V.
the final three years of Soong, became Chiang Kai-
his life at a house on shek’s finance minister. Soong
r Lu Xun Park Shanyin Road. Qingling stayed in China once
the Communists took over
P Lu Xun’s Former Residence and became an honorary
2288 Sichuan Bei Rd. q Hongkou. Tel 9 Dalu Xincun, Shanyin Rd. Tel (021) Communist heroine. She lived
(021) 6540 0009. Open 6am–6pm. 5666 2608. Open 9am–4pm Tue– in Shanghai after her husband’s
Sun. & death, initially in the house they
To the north of Suzhou Creek and had shared in the former French
Waibaidu Bridge lies the Japanese Concession (see p200), before
t Soong Qingling’s
section of the former moving to this villa. She died in
International Settlement, which Former Residence Beijing in 1981.
once had a Zen temple, a The house is a charming
Japanese school, and specialist example of a mid-20th-century
Japanese shops. The area’s most 1843 Huaihai Middle Rd. q Hengshan Shanghai villa. It has some
Rd. Tel (021) 6437 6266. Open
interesting spot is Lu Xun Park – wonderful wood paneling and
9am–5:30pm daily. &
a pleasant place to watch the lacquerwork. Her limousines
Chinese taking boat rides, playing
chess, practicing tai ji quan, or
simply relaxing. Originally known
as Hongkou Park, it now has
a name that reflects its strong
associations with the great
Chinese novelist Lu Xun (1881–
1936), who lived nearby. His most
famous work is The True Story of
Ah Q, which lampooned the
Chinese national character. Lu
Xun was also an early proponent
of the baihua or plain speech
movement, which championed
the simplification of the Chinese Soong Qingling’s Former Residence – a charming early 20th-century villa
SHANGHAI 205
are still parked in the garage, and

some of her personal items are
also displayed.
y Xujiahui Catholic
Cathedral
158 Puxi Rd. q Xujiahui. Tel (021)

6438 2595. Open 9–11am daily.
&8^
Commemorative statue at the Longhua Cemetery of Martyrs
The red-brick Gothic Cathedral
of St. Ignatius that stands at a since AD 687, and a pagoda church. The basilica, built between
southwestern corner of Shanghai since AD 238–251. The found- 1925–35, is the biggest in south-
has long been associated with ations of the current pagoda, east Asia. Services, often in Latin,
foreign nationals. The land orig- with its upturned eaves, date to take place on Christian holidays
inally belonged to a member of 977, while the temple buildings and particularly in May, when
the Xu clan, Xu Guangqi (1562– were built during the late Qing pilgrims stream here. The
1633), who was converted to era. The temple has several halls impressive cathedral is worth a
Catholicism by Matteo Ricci. and is very active. The surround- closer look. The route to the top
Upon his death, Xu left land to ing area is pretty in spring. represents the Via Dolorosa (the
the Jesuits for the building of a Way of Suffering), the road that
church, seminary, and observa- Christ took to his crucifixion. It
tory. The cathedral, with its 164-ft
i She Shan is a pleasant walk past bamboo
(50-m) twin towers, was built in groves, but there is a cable car
1906. It was partly destroyed 22 miles (35 km) SW of Shanghai. that goes to the summit. The hill
during the Cultural Revolution, Cathedral: q Sheshan. Tel (021) 5765 also has an ancient observatory
but was rebuilt, and now holds 1521. = @ from Wenhua that houses an ingenious
Sunday services attended by Guangchang bus stop or Xi Qu bus earthquake-monitoring device of
over 2,000 worshipers. The station in Shanghai. a jar with dragon heads around
interior is a mix of traditional the outside and a pendulum
Catholic decoration and Chinese She Hill or She Shan is a mere inside. Each dragon has a steel
embellishment. Xu Guangqi is 328-ft (100-m) high, and is ball in its mouth. When an earth-
buried nearby in Nandan Park. surmounted by the grand, quake occurred, the pendulum
red-brick Catholic She Shan would swing and knock a
Cathedral. In the 1850s, European dragon, causing its mouth to
u Longhua missionaries built a small chapel open and a ball to drop out,
Cemetery of here. Later, a bishop took refuge thereby pointing out the
in the area and vowed to build a earthquake’s direction.
Martyrs
o Song Jiang
180 Longhua West Rd. q Longhua
Road. Tel (021) 6468 5995. @ No. 41.
Open 9am–5pm daily. & Longhua 25 miles (40 km) SW of Shanghai.
Si: 2853 Longhua West Rd. q Song Jiang Xincheng. @ from Xi
Open 7am–4:30pm daily. & Qu bus station in Shanghai, then
No. 14 to town.
This site honors those who died
for the communist cause before Situated on the Shanghai–
the People’s Republic was estab- Hangzhou railway line, Song
lished in 1949. At the center is a Jiang is a small county town with
Memorial Hall, while many a handful of sights. These include
commemorative sculptures dot a Song-dynasty square pagoda
the park. The cemetery is situated and close by, a 13-ft (4-m) high
on the site of the Nationalist and 20-ft (6-m) long Ming screen
Party’s execution ground, where wall, decorated with carvings of
many Communists were put to legendary beasts. West of Song
death in 1927 by gangs working Jiang is an old mosque, part of
for Chiang Kai-shek. which dates to the Yuan dynasty
Nearby is Longhua Temple and is said to be one of the
and an octagonal pagoda. A Exterior of the grand She Shan church, Our oldest Islamic buildings in China.
temple has existed on this site Lady of China It is still a place of worship.
206 CENTRAL CHINA
Shopping and Entertainment For Chinese art, there are

galleries around Moganshan
in Shanghai Road near Suzhou Creek.
Shanghai has always been China’s premier shopping

Entertainment Guides
destination. Before World War II, the city’s glamorous foreign and Tickets
community demanded the finest goods, and Shanghai’s
There are a number of English-
reputation for novelty and quality continues today, with language publications, such as
stores that cater to all tastes and budgets. This is also a the bi-weekly City Weekend
culturally vibrant city, with regular performances of opera, and monthly that’s Shanghai
theater, acrobatics, Western classical music, and jazz. The and Time Out Shanghai, which
city’s nightlife is buzzing with plenty of fashionable bars carry details of current events,
and restaurants, as well as cinemas and nightclubs. as well as restaurant reviews.
Mainstream events are listed
in local Chinese newspapers.
Shops and Markets might mistake for the real thing, Culture.sh.cn/english is the
Shanghai’s best-known shop- and second, it is illegal to export city’s primary ticket agency for
ping street is Nanjing Road, antiques that do not bear a theater, concerts, and sports
which is lined with stores (see government-approved seal. events. Tickets can also be
p194). Plaza 353, in the historic Bargains are hard to come by arranged through the tourist
Dong Hai Plaza, is a hip mall and the best-quality items are office, directly at the venue, or
with stores and dining options. not likely to be much cheaper even through your hotel.
The most interesting local than at home. The main markets
market is just off Nanjing Road, are near the Old City on
on Jiangyin Road. Huaihai Road Dongtai Road, Fuyou Road Performing Arts and
in the former French Concession (open Sunday only), and Music
is also well known, and packed Fangbang Road. Fangbang Shanghai is home to several
with upscale fashion boutiques Road’s (see p198) Hubao international-standard venues
and stores. Building Basement Market is such as the Shanghai Grand
the largest indoor antique Theater (see p194) and
market in Shanghai, while Shanghai Oriental Art
Clothes and Textiles Hongkou district’s Duolun Road Center that stage national
All the major brand names has a row of restored shops and international opera
from around the world are selling antiques, books, and art. performances, music, dance,
represented here, along with and theater. Another very
some Hong Kong chain stores, popular cultural venue is the
though the latter often don’t Arts and Crafts Shanghai Center (see p194),
have sizes that fit foreign All traditional Chinese arts and which also puts on classical
visitors. The main streets are crafts are widely available across Western music and opera. Era,
Nanjing Road, Shaanxi South Shanghai. The Yu Yuan Bazaar a lavishly staged acrobatics
Road, Huaihai Road, and is great for items such as tea, show, is performed nightly at
Maoming Road, as well as the teapots, teaware, and other Shanghai Circus World. A hot
malls of Pudong. For reasonably souvenirs, but remember to venue is the Mercedes-Benz
priced silk, try the No. 1 always bargain hard. For Arena, which was built for the
Department Store (see p194), porcelain, the best buys are the World Expo and now hosts
but the best quality is sold at fine reproductions of classical international concerts, theater,
stores such as Isetan. For fashion porcelain, available at the music and dance shows, and
boutiques, there are a number of Shanghai Museum, which sports events. Traditional Beijing
independent stores clustered at although expensive, are far Opera can be seen at the Yifu
Taikang Road and at Xinle Road better than anything else in Theater and occasionally at the
for youth fashion. The city has the market. Handicrafts made old Lyceum Theater (Lan Xin).
also revived its tradition of fine by China’s ethnic minorities The Majestic Theater also has a
tailoring, and W. W. Chan & such as Tibetans, as well as programme of ballet and local
Sons Tailor Ltd provides quality by people of neighboring opera, while modern Chinese
at good prices. countries such as Nepal, are theater is performed at the
available at specialist shops on Shanghai Dramatic Arts
Nanjing Road. Jewelry shops Center. There are also concerts
Antiques are abound all over the city, but on Sunday evenings at the
Although Shanghai offers a jade, although available, is Shanghai Music Conservatory
range of antiques, there are difficult to classify. Cultured Auditorium. Jazz, is most
two potential hazards in buying pearls are a safer bet for buyers, famously available at the House
them. First, the market is and are available in stores of Blues & Jazz and at the JZ
flooded with fakes that visitors such as Shanghai Pearl City. Club on Fuxing Road.
SHANGHAI 207
Cinemas close down the next. Bars include Constellation and

Apart from Chinese and tend toward the avant-garde, X Bistro, located at the
Hong Kong films, films and are heavily influenced by trendy Sinan Mansions (a
from Europe and the US are what is fashionable in Tokyo, redevelopment of a clutch of
also screened in cinemas and New York, and London. Prices heritage villas), plus El Coctel,
bars. Halls such as UME Inter- for drinks can be high, and a classy upscale lounge. Lola
national Cineplex (Baoshan), many bars have dancing, is a hip club and lounge with
Shanghai Film Art Center, live music, film nights, and DJs and dancing. The Geisha
and Studio City show foreign comedy spots. The best areas combines Japanese dining
films (often censored), either are the Bund, Xintiandi, Fuxing with a frenetic club and a
in their original language West Road, Yongfu Road, large roof terrace. The opulent
with Chinese subtitles or and Sinan Road. Boxing Cat Glamour Bar at the corner of
dubbed into Chinese with Brewery on Fuxing Road is Guangdong Lu is decorated
English subtitles. popular for happy hour beers like a 1930s Hollywood film
and Southern US bar food. set. Current reviews, including
Malone’s is an American-style details of which clubs have
Bars and Nightclubs bar, and close by is the Big DJs from London and New
Shanghai’s nightlife is China’s Bamboo, a Canadian sports York, are to be found in that’s
most brash, diverse, and bar and one of the city’s most Shanghai and Time Out
pulsing. Bars come and go, popular late-night hangouts. Shanghai, as well as online at
and what’s “in” one month may Popular cocktail lounges www. smartshanghai.com.
DIRECTORY
Shops and Markets Performing Arts Shanghai Dramatic Bars and
and Music Arts Center Nightclubs
Plaza 353 284 Anfu Rd.
Nanjing East Rd. House of Blues Tel (021) 6473 4567.
Big Bamboo
Tel (021) 6353 5353. & Jazz 132 Nanyang Rd.
∑ china-drama.com
60 Fuzhou Rd. Tel (021) 6256 2265.
Clothes and Tel (021) 6323 2779. Shanghai Grand
Boxing Cat Brewery
Textiles ∑ houseofblues Theater
82 & 519–521 Fuxing Rd.
andjazz.com 300 Renimin Avenue.
Isetan Tel (021) 6431 2091.
Tel (021) 6372 8701.
1038 Nanjing West Rd. JZ Club Constellation
Shanghai Music
Tel (021) 6218 7878. 46 West Fuxing Rd 86 Xinle Rd.
Conservatory
(near Yongfu Rd). Tel (021) 5404 0970.
No. 1 Department Auditorium
Tel (021) 6431 0269.
Store 20 Fenyang Rd. El Coctel
∑ jzclub.cn/en
830 Nanjing Rd Pedestrian Tel (021) 6431 3701. 2/F, 47 Yongfu Rd.
St. Tel (021) 6322 3344. Lyceum Theater ∑ shcnmw.com Tel (021) 6433 6511.
57 Maoming South Rd. Shanghai Oriental The Geisha
W. W. Chan & Sons
Tailor Ltd. Tel (021) 6217 8530. Art Center 390 Shaanxi South Rd.
129-A02 Maoming South Majestic Theater 425 Dingxiang Rd, Pudong. Tel (021) 6403 0244.
Rd. Tel (021) 5404 1469. 66 Jiangning Rd. Tel (021) 6854 1234.
Glamour Bar
Tel (021) 6217 4409. ∑ en.shoac.com.cn
at M on the Bund, 6/F,
Arts and Crafts Yifu Theater 20 Guangdong Rd.
Mercedes-Benz
Duo Yun Gallery Arena 701 Fuzhou Rd. Tel (021) 6329 3751.
422 Nanjing Rd Pedestrian 1200 Expo Avenue. Tel (021) 6351 4668.
Lola
St. Tel (021) 3313 4800. Tel 400 181 6688. Building 4, 570 Yongjia Rd.
∑ mercedes-
Cinemas
Room With a View Tel 138 1692 7970.
479 Nanjing East Rd. benzarena.com Shanghai Film Art Long Bar
Tel (021) 6352 0256. Center Waldorf Astoria Hotel,
Shanghai Center 160 Xinhua Rd. 2 The Bund (Zhongshan
Shanghai Museum 1376 Nanjing West Rd. Tel (021) 6280 6088. Yi Lu).
201 Renmin Dadao. Tel (021) 6279 8600 /
Studio City Tel (021) 6322 9988.
Tel (021) 6372 3500. (021) 6279 8663 (theater).
∑ shanghaicentre.com 10/F, 1038 Nanjing Malone’s
Shanghai Pearl City West Rd. 255 Tongren Rd.
558 Nanjing East Rd. Tel (021) 8537 9075.
Shanghai Circus Tel (021) 6247 2400.
Tel (021) 6322 3911.
World UME International X Bistro
Yu Yuan Bazaar 2266 Gonghe New Rd. Cineplex (Baoshan) Block 33, Sinan Mansions,
269 Fangbang Middle Rd Tel (021) 6652 5468. Nuoya Xintiandi Square, 45 Sinan Rd.
(Shanghai Old Street). ∑ era-shanghai.com/ 318 Mudanjiang Rd.
Tel (021) 6655 9999. era/en Tel (021) 3655 5580.
CENTRAL CHINA 209
JIANGSU & ANHUI JIANGSU
The provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui lie to the north and west ANHUI
of Shanghai respectively. Jiangsu, one of China’s most fertile

and populated areas, is largely rural. Its southern region is
dominated by the Yangzi River, along which lie the major cities,
including Nanjing, the provincial capital, with a profusion of
historic sights, and the cities of Suzhou and Yangzhou, known for
their gardens, canals, and silk production. The province is developing at a fast rate
but still retains its charm, especially in the small towns where traditional architecture
can be seen. Anhui’s main sights lie in the south, where vast spreads of paddy fields
are watered by the Huai River. The area south of the Yangzi River is dominated by
mountain ranges offering spectacular scenery. Huang Shan, the Yellow Mountain, is
Anhui’s most popular scenic area, while the Buddhist mountain, Jiuhua Shan, is more
serene. The towns of Shexian and Yixian in the southeast are renowned for their
traditional old houses with fine wooden carvings.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities t Tunxi Key
1 Suzhou y Shexian
u Yixian
Expressway
2 Tongli
3 Zhouzhuang Lakes, Reserves & Areas of National Highway
4 Wuxi Natural Beauty Minor road
7 Changzhou
5 Tai Hu Railroad
8 Zhenjiang
6 Yixing County Provincial border
9 Yangzhou
r Jiuhua Shan
0 Nanjing
i Huang Shan pp242–3
q Bozhou
w Hefei
e Wuhu
Ganyu
Lianyungang
G30 Xinyi G30
Guanyun
G2
Xuzhou
G1
G35
Suqian 5
5
G2
Sheyang
Suzhou
Guoyang Huaiyin
Sixian Yancheng
Taihe
Ying Hongze
5
Wuhe Hu
Ye l l o w
G2
H
G15
G36
e
G2
Fuyang Bengbu Gaoyou Dongtai Sea

Mingguang Hu
Taizhou
G3
Huainan Rugao
6
Chuzhou
G35
G42 Nantong
G40 G4
G40 0
Jinzhai G5
Lu’an Feixi 01
1 Ma’anshan
G4
2
Chao Hu ) Tai
Tongcheng Jian g G25
Hu
ng Shanghai
ha
(C
zi G50
ng Xuancheng
0 Ya 60
G
G5 Jiaxing
G3 Ningguo
Anqing
Po Hu G56 Hangzhou
G35
25
0 km 100
G
0 miles 100
Jiujiang
Walkway along a rock face in Anhui province For additional map symbols see back flap
210 CENTRAL CHINA
1 Suzhou Y Humble Administrator’s

Garden
See pp212–13.
A network of canals, bridges, and canalside housing
characterizes the city of Suzhou. Its history dates back to the Y Shizi Lin
6th century BC, when the first canals were built to control 23 Yuanlin Lu. Tel (0512) 6727 2428.
the area’s low water table. The construction of the Grand
The Shizi Lin (Lion Grove Garden)
Canal (see p223) 1,000 years later brought prosperity as silk,
is considered by many the finest
the city’s prized commodity, could be exported northwards. in Suzhou. However, visitors
During the Ming dynasty, Suzhou flourished as a place of unfamiliar with the subtleties of
refinement, drawing an influx of scholars and merchants, Chinese garden design may find
who built themselves numerous elegant gardens. The city it rather bleak, as rocks are its
has plenty of sights, and is dissected by broad, busy roads main feature. Ornamental rocks
were a crucial element of classical
laid out in a grid. gardens, and symbolized either
the earth or China’s sacred
 Beisi Ta E Suzhou Museum mountains. Dating to 1342, the
1918 Renmin Lu. Tel (0512) 6753 204 Dongbei Jie. Tel (0512) 6757 garden was originally built as part
1197. Open 8am–6pm daily. & 5666. Open 9am–4pm Tue–Sun. of a temple. The large pool is
The northern end of Renmin Rd & spanned by a zigzag bridge and
is dominated by the Beisi Ta The municipal museum buildings with unusually fine
(Northern Pagoda), a was formerly housed in latticework, while part of the
remnant of an earlier the villa which was part rockery forms a labyrinth.
temple complex, that of the adjoining Humble
has been rebuilt. The Administrator’s Garden. Y Ou Yuan
pagoda’s main structure The villa was occupied 7 Xiaoxinqiao Lane.Tel (0512) 6727
dates from the Song by Li Xiu-cheng, one 2717. Open 7:30am–5pm daily. &
dynasty, but its foun- of the leaders of the The Ou Yuan (Couple’s Garden) is
dations supposedly Taiping Heavenly not as busy as many of the city’s
date to the Three Kingdom Rebellion other classical gardens, and is
Kingdoms era (AD (see p428) in 1860. The a pleasure to visit. It takes its
220–65). Towering 249 The octagonal Beisi Ta museum was rebuilt name from its two garden areas,
ft (76 m) high, it is in a contemporary- separated by buildings and
octagonal in shape, meets-traditional style corridors. A relaxing place, Ou
and has sharply upturned eaves. by the architect I. M. Pei in 2006. Yuan has rockeries, a pool, and
Visitors can climb right to the It houses more than 30,000 a fine, open pavilion at its center
top, from where there are good cultural relics, including that is surrounded by several
views of the city, including Xuan- excavated artifacts, Ming and teahouses. It is situated in a
miao Guan and the Ruiguang Qing dynasty paintings and charming locality filled with some
Pagoda (see pp218–19). calligraphy, and ancient arts of the most attractive houses,
and crafts. canals, and bridges in the city.
E Suzhou Silk Museum

2001 Renmin Lu. Tel (0512) 8211
2636. Open 9am–5pm daily. &
The Suzhou Silk Museum is
a pleasure to visit, mainly
because its exhibits are well-
documented with English
captions. It traces the history of
silk production (see pp214–15)
and its use from its beginnings
in about 4000 BC to the present
day. Exhibits include old looms
with demonstrations of
their workings, samples of
ancient silk patterns, and a
section explaining the art of
sericulture. The museum’s
most interesting exhibit is its
room full of live silk worms,
eating mulberry leaves and
spinning cocoons. The charming garden of Ou Yuan
SUZHOU 211
32 miles (50 km) NW of Shanghai.
* 6,000,000. n 345 Shiquan
Jie, (0512) 6530 5887.
∑ envisitsz.com
Transportation
£ Suzhou train station.
@ North bus station, Nanmen
Station, Wu Xian station.
4 tours of Grand Canal.
 Xuanmiao Guan
94 Guanqian Jie. Tel (0512) 6777 5479.
Mural in the Hall of Literary Gods, Xuanmiao Guan The Daoist Temple of Mystery was
founded during the Jin dynasty
E Museum of Opera and lyrics, masks, and costumes. but, like many Chinese temples,
and Theater Other exhibits include a has been rebuilt many times. The
14 Zhongzhangjia Xiang. Tel (0512) life-size orchestra and vivid Hall of the Three Pure Worshipers
6727 3334. Open 8:30am–4:30pm photographs of dramatists dates to the Song dynasty, and
daily. &∑ kunopera.com.cn and actors. Traditional Suzhou is the largest ancient Daoist hall
Housed in a beautiful Ming Opera, known as kun qu or kun in China. The intricate structure
dynasty theater of latticed ju, is renowned as the oldest of the roof in particular is worth
wood, the Museum of Opera form of Chinese opera, with a scrutiny. Located in Suzhou’s
and Theater (Kunqu Bowuguan) history of about 5,000 years. commercial center, the temple
is a fascinating and highly visual The museum is the venue for was associated with popular
museum. Its display halls are occasional performances, while street entertainment, and
filled with examples of old the adjacent teahouse stages although the musicians and
musical instruments, delicate daily shows of kun-style opera jugglers have gone, it retains
hand-copied books of scores and music. a casual atmosphere.
North
Suzhou City Center Train
Station Bus Station
I LU
Tiger Hill XI HU
1 Beisi Ta
Tourist Boat PIN GQ I LU Humble
2 Suzhou Silk Museum Pier Administrator’s
Garden
3 Suzhou Museum Suzhou E
Suzhou Silk Beisi Ta BEI JI
Museum DONG
4 Humble Administrator’s Museum
PIN GJI AN G
YU A N
JIE
Garden XIBEI
LU
Shizi Lin
RENMIN
LI N LU
Ou Yuan
5 Shizi Lin
LU
6 Ou Yuan DONG
CANG
B A I TA
HI BAI TA XI LU
7 Museum of Opera and DON G ZHO NGS
LIND
LU
PING
ZH ON GJ
JI E
Theater Xuanmiao
UN L
Xi Yuan,
JIAN
Liu Yuan, Guan Museum

8 Xuanmiao Guan Hanshan Si of Opera
G LU
U
IE LU
N JIE & Theater

9 Shuang Ta JING DE LU
GU AN QIA
Xiangmen
Silk Embroidery
0 Yi Yuan Research Institute Yi Yuan Lindun Lu
YA NG YU
LU
DONG
q Silk Embroidery Research GA N JIANG
CH
Yangyuxiang Shuang Ta
FENGHUANG
AN
Institute GANJIANG XI LU Leqiao

XI AN G
WUZH
GX
w Wangshi Yuan
U
LU
OU LU
e Canglang Ting SHI ZI JIE

RENM
JIE
JIE
D AO Q I A N
r Pan Men Scenic Area
SI Q IA
t Confucian Temple SHI QU AN JIE

JI E
PA N M
IN LU
N
Wangshi
Canglang Yuan
EN L
DONG
Ting
Confucian
U
Temple
LU
DA
0 km 1 ZHUHUI
NAN YUA N LU
LU
XINSHI
0 miles 1 Nan Men
JIE
Bus Station
Pan Men
Scenic Area
LU
NA N ME N
Wu Xian
Bus Station
212 CENTRAL CHINA
Humble Administrator’s Garden

Suzhou’s largest garden, Zhuozheng Yuan, the Humble
Administrator’s Garden is also considered the city’s finest.
It was established in the 16th century by a retired
magistrate, Wang Xianchen, and developed over the years
as subsequent owners made changes according to the
fashion of the day. A 16th-century painting shows that
originally the garden was less decorative than it is now. The
garden is separated into three principal parts, east, central,
Covered walkway – a way to enjoy the garden
and west. The eastern section has colorful flowers but is of even in the hot sun
less interest than the other two. There is also a museum that
explains the history and philosophy of Chinese gardens.
. Mandarin Duck Hall

Split into two equal rooms, this
arrangement allowed visitors
to enjoy the cooler north-
facing chamber in summer,
and the warmer south-facing
one in winter.
KEY
1 The Wavy Corridor rises up

and down over the water as if going
over waves.
2 Western section of the garden
3 The central part of the garden
imitates the scenery of China south
. Fragrant Isle
of the lower Yangzi.
This pavilion and terrace is supposed to
resemble the deck and cabin of a boat.
4 Little Flying Rainbow Bridge As it projects out over the water, it gives
excellent views of the garden from all sides.
SUZHOU 213
The Humble Administrator’s Garden VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
178 Dongbei Jie, Suzhou.
Tel (0512) 6751 0286.
Open 7:30am–5pm daily
& includes the Garden Museum.
- = ∑ en.szzzy.cn
Area illustrated below
1 Entrance
2 Eastern Garden
3 Garden Museum 0 meters 100
4 Penjing Nursery (see p185) 0 feet 300
Orange Pavilion
Artificial mountains were
an important element in
Chinese gardens and were
ideal for contemplation.
Entrance to the
central section
Secluded Pavilion of Firmiana
Simplex and Bamboo
The most famous view of the
garden, the “borrowed view”
(see p185) of Beisi Ta, the
Northern Pagoda reflected in
the water, is visible from here.
. Hall of Distant Fragrance

The main hall of the garden, is named
after the perfume of the large lotus
pond nearby that delicately wafts in.
214 CENTRAL CHINA
The History of Chinese Silk

According to legend it was the Empress Xi Ling who, in 2640 BC,
encouraged silkworm breeding on a large scale. Trading vast
quantities of the material around the world, China profited massively
from the industry. It remained a Chinese monopoly for the next 3,000
years or so until refugees smuggled the secret to Korea and Japan.
Another story tells that a Chinese princess who married the Prince of
Khotan secretly brought silkworms with her as a gift for her husband.
The Western world, which knew China as Seres, or Land of Silk, learnt
the secret of silk production via two monks who hid silkworms in
Silk burial offering dating
their bamboo staffs.
from c.200 BC
Imperial Gift
Silk was originally reserved for use by
the imperial household, an example of which
is this gorgeous robe embroidered with the
imperial symbol of the five-clawed dragon.
The imperial yellow symbolizes the earth.
Silk was traded extensively (see pp470–71) as

an important source of income and indeed
was often used as a form of payment of taxes
or for payment of salaries.
This traditional
pattern suggests
waves and mountains
and therefore the
boundless nature of
the Chinese Empire.
Justinian was the Women produced silk in their own

Byzantine emperor who home – and it took up a large part
stole the secret of silk in of the day for six months of the year.
AD 600. Silk had for long The state also had many workshops
been fashionable in the producing and weaving silk. By the
Roman Empire but they Tang dynasty, all classes of society in
had no idea how it was China were allowed to wear silk.
made, even thinking that
it grew on trees.
JIANGSU & ANHUI 215
The Production of Silk

Thousands of years of intensive breeding have rendered the silk moth,
Bombyx mori, a blind, flightless, egg-laying machine whose larvae hold
the secret of silk. The genius of the Chinese lay in the discovery of the
potential of its ancestor, a wild, mulberry-eating moth unique to China.
Silk embroidery became an

important art and the women
of distinguished families
could make a considerable
fortune by skillful embroidery.
Farming silkworms: the eggs are first kept at 65° F (18° C) rising
to 77° F (25° C), at which point they hatch. The silkworms (actually
caterpillars) are now kept at a constant temperature and fed
mulberry leaves at 30-minute intervals day and night until
fattened, they are ready to enter the cocoon stage.
Meaning of Symbols
Ax is one of
the 12 symbols
of sovereignty
that were reserved for the
emperor. The ax stands for
the power to punish.
Silken saliva: the silkworms’
Goblets are saliva glands secrete a clear Cocoons: when they are ready
a symbol of liquid, that solidifies into silk to pupate, with a figure-of-eight
imperial loyalty. threads as it dries, and a gum motion, they spin their sticky
These sacrificial goblets that sticks these together. secretion into cocoons.
are also symbolic of
ancestor worship.
Making silk: the
Double qi is cocoons are steamed
another of the 12 to kill the pupae and
imperial symbols soaked to soften the
that represents sticky gum and allow
the emperor’s power to judge the silk strands to be
his subjects. separated. Several
strands are woven to
make one silk thread.
Chinoiserie was popular in

Europe and America at
various times from the 17th
century onwards.
Chinese factories
created a range of
Chinese-style designs
solely for export.
Silk has special

qualities in that it China’s silk industry is
retains warmth and yet is still strong today although
lightweight and cool and can a lot of the “silk” that is on
therefore be worn in comfort display in cheap markets
both in winter and summer. is actually rayon.
216 CENTRAL CHINA
completely remodeled in 1770

and for many people, is the
finest of all Suzhou’s gardens.
Although small, it succeeds,
with great subtlety, in intro-
ducing every element consid-
ered crucial to the classical
garden (see pp184–5). It includes
a central lake, discreet
connecting corridors, pavilions
with miniature courtyards,
screens, delicate latticework, and
above all, points which “frame a
view,” as if looking at a perfectly
balanced photograph. The best-
known building is the Pavilion for
Watching the Moon, from where
the moon can be viewed in a
mirror, in the water, and in the
sky. Regular performances of
Chinese opera, including local
kun ju, take place here.
Y Canglang Ting
3 Canglang Ting Jie, Renmin Lu. Tel
(0512) 6519 4375. Open 7:30am–5pm
daily (to 4pm mid-Apr–Oct). &
The octagonal Song dynasty twin pagodas, Shuang Ta The Canglang Ting (Dark Blue
Wave Pavilion Garden) – whose
 Shuang Ta another pavilion that juts into name is suggestive of a relaxed
22 Dinghui Si Xiang. Open 8am– the pool is known for catching and pragmatic approach to life –
5:30pm daily. & cooling breezes. Look out for is perhaps Suzhou’s oldest
Once part of a temple, these the calligraphy by famous garden, first laid out in 1044 by a
98-ft (30-m) high twin pagodas scholars and poets. scholar, Su Zimei, on the site of
date to the early Song era. an earlier villa. His successor, a
According to an inscription, E Silk Embroidery Research general in the imperial army,
they were first built in AD 982 Institute enlarged it in the 12th century,
by the students Wang Wenhan 272 Jinde Lu. Tel (0512) 6522 2415. and it was rebuilt in the 17th
and his brother in honor of their Open daily. & century. It is known for its
teacher, who helped them pass Housed in the Huan Xiu technique of “borrowing a view,”
the imperial civil service exams. (Surrounded by Beauty) allowing the scenery beyond the
Twin pagodas are commonly Mountain Villa, this institute garden’s confines to play a role in
found in India but are a rarer creates exquisitely fine silk its design. Here, it is achieved by
feature of Chinese temples, embroidery, work that is mainly lowering walls on the north side
where pagodas were largely done by women. In order to of some of the pavilions, allowing
built as single edifices. produce the painting-like effect
of their designs, the women
Y Yi Yuan sometimes work with silk
1265 Renmin Lu. Tel (0512) 6524 9317. strands that are so fine, they are
Open 7:30am–4:30pm daily. & almost invisible. They specialize
The Garden of Happiness is in double-sided embroidery –
one of Suzhou’s newer gardens, for example, a cat with green
dating from the late Qing eyes on one side and blue on
dynasty. It was built by a the other.
government official who utilized
rocks and landscape designs Y Wangshi Yuan
from other abandoned gardens. 11 Kuojia Tou Xiang. Tel (0512) 6529
The garden appears to have 3190. Open 7:30am–5:30pm daily. &
originally covered a larger area; It is said that the Master of the
today its central feature is a Nets Garden was named after
pool encircled by rockeries and one of its owners – a retired
spanned by a zigzag bridge. official who wished to become
The best viewpoint is from the an accomplished fisherman. The Pavilion for Watching the Moon,
Fragrant Lotus Pavilion, while Dating to 1140, it was Wangshi Yuan
SUZHOU 217
(959–61) were discovered

during one of the attempts to
prevent it from falling. The park
is quite large, with pools and
flowerbeds filled with blooms
in spring and early summer.
One of the many boulders is
split in two, allegedly the result
of He Lu’s swordsmanship. He is
supposedly buried nearby along
with 3,000 swords.
 Hanshan Si
24 Hanshansi Long. Tel (0512) 6723
6213. Open 7am–5:30pm daily. &
Gateway to the Confucian Temple First constructed in the Liang
dynasty, the Cold Mountain
views across water; elsewhere Pingjiang as it was known in Temple was named after a
the southwest hills can be seen. 1229. A star chart dating from Tang-dynasty poet-monk. A
The central feature is a mound 1247 maps the positions of stone rendition of him and his
that is meant to resemble a stars and celestial bodies in the fellow monk, Shi De, is to be
wooded hill. Gardens were ideal heavens. It is one of the earliest seen here. The temple was
places for contemplation and surviving maps of its kind. rebuilt in the 19th century, after
writing poetry, clearly visible in it was destroyed during the
the engravings of verses and Y Tiger Hill Taiping Rebellion. Located close
poems dotting Canglang Ting. 8 Sanmen Nei Lu. Tel (0512) 6723 to the Grand Canal, it was
2305. Open 7:30am–6:30pm daily. & immortalized by the Tang-
Y Liu Yuan and Xi Yuan In the city’s northwest dynasty poet Zhang
Liu Yuan 338 Liuyuan Lu. Tel (0512) is the popular Tiger Ji, who arrived here
6533 7903. Open Apr–Oct: 7:30am– Hill (Huqiu Shan), the by boat and
5:30pm; Nov–Mar: 1:30–4:30pm. & burial place of He Lu, anchored nearby. His
∑ gardenly.com. Xi Yuan Xiyuan Lu. the King of Wu and poem “Anchored at
Tel (0512) 6534 9545. Open 7:30am– founder of Suzhou. Night by the Maple
5:30pm daily. & His spirit is said to Bridge” is inscribed on
Originally a pair, these two be guarded by a a stone stele, and
gardens lie near each other to white tiger who contains the lines that
the west of the old moated area. appeared three days made Hanshan Si
The Liu Yuan (Garden for after his death and Ceremonial urn, famous: “Beyond
Lingering in), was restored in refused to leave. Tiger Hill Suzhou lies Hanshan
1953, and its four scenic areas The main attraction is Temple; at midnight the
are connected by a long corridor. the Song-dynasty leaning clang of the bell reaches the
The Xi Yuan (West Garden) once pagoda (Yunyan Ta or Cloud traveler’s boat.” The bell alluded to
belonged to a devout Buddhist, Rock Pagoda), built in brick, here was subsequently lost, and
and is more temple than garden. which leans more than 7ft (2m) the temple’s current bell was
The Jiechuang Temple, with its from the perpendicular at its presented by Japan in 1905.
tiled roof and red beams, is a fine highest point. Some 10th-century Nearby, a beautiful arched
example of southern-style Buddhist sutras and a record of bridge offers views along the
architecture. Adjoining it is the the year that it was constructed Grand Canal.
Hall of Five Hundred Luohan.
P Pan Men Scenic Area

See pp218–19.
 Confucian Temple
613 Renmin Lu. Tel (0512) 6519 4343.
The original Song dynasty temple
was rebuilt in 1864 after it was
destroyed in the Taiping Rebellion
(see p428). Its main hall, dating
from the Ming dynasty, has
several stone carvings including
China’s oldest surviving city
map, depicting Suzhou, or Incense burners in the grounds of Hanshan Si
218 CENTRAL CHINA
Pan Men Scenic Area

Set in the southwest corner of the old city of Suzhou, this
once-overlooked area has been extensively restored – gone
are the pretty canalside shacks – but it still contains some
of the city’s most interesting historical sights. Pan Men is a
unique fortified gate that once controlled access to the city by
both land and water. It is said to date back to 1351, although
most of the present construction is more recent. Other
highlights include the charming Wu Men Bridge and the
views of the city and canals from the Ruiguang Pagoda.
Hall of Attractive Scenery
This three-story pavilion houses
a tranquil tea room with views
to the platform of the Western
Stage in front.
. Pan Men
This gate and attached section of
wall (dating back to 1351) are all
that remains of the city’s ancient
fortifications. It is the only land
and water gate in China.
KEY
1 Double-doored water gate

2 Wu Zixu’s Memorial Temple
3 Entrance Gate This is the main
entrance to the park. Pay here for
access to the park and also a
separate fee to climb the pagoda.
. Wu Men Bridge
4 Ornamental pailou or gate This graceful bridge spanning the Grand Canal is the
5 300-ft (90-m) section of tallest in Suzhou and its design dates back to the Song
city wall dynasty, although it has since been rebuilt a few times.
It has steps built into it and a lovely view from the top.
SUZHOU 219
1 Dong Da Lu, SW corner of the
city. Tel (0512) 6526 0004. Open
8am–5pm daily. & for scenic
area (including Pan Men and Wu
Men Bridge), separate fee for
Ruiguang Pagoda. 9-(
Transportation
@ from the train station, tourist
bus 2 and 5.
View from Ruiguang Pagoda

After a climb up narrow stairs, looking down into the
heart of Suzhou itself reveals a city dotted with large
pockets of green – the beautiful gardens that have
made the city so famous.
. Ruiguang Pagoda
This seven-story, 140-ft (43-m) high
pagoda dates back to the Song
dynasty. It is constructed of brick
with wooden platforms, and has
simple Buddhist carvings at its base.
Hall of Four Auspicious Merits

The name of this hall is inspired by
Buddhist teachings. At each side of the
hall at the end of covered walkways are
smaller pavilions, one containing a drum
and the other a bell.
222 CENTRAL CHINA
the capital moved west, but Wuxi

remained significant due to its
location on the Grand Canal. Xihui
Park was established in 1958,
and houses the Jichang Yuan
garden. At the park’s entrance,
a path leads to the Dragon Light
Pagoda on top of Xi Shan. A cable
car connects Xi Shan to nearby
Hui Shan. The Wuxi Museum has
exhibits dating back 6,000 years.
Y Xihui Park
2 Huihe Lu. Open 5:30am–10pm daily.
Houses fronting canals in Zhouzhuang’s old town &
E Wuxi Museum
2 Tongli 3 Zhouzhuang 71 Huihe Lu. Tel (0510) 8572 7500.
Open 9am–4pm daily.
∑ wxmuseum.com
16 miles (25 km) SE of Suzhou. 50 miles (80 km) W of Shanghai.
* 55,000. @ Suzhou train station. * 32,000. @ from Shanghai,
Tel (0512) 6331 1140. &∑ tongli.net Suzhou. 4 to Tongli. Old Town:
tickets from Quangong Lu. ∑
zhouzhuang.chinadaily.com.cn
A pretty little water town typical
of the region, sometimes called
“Venice of the East,” Tongli gives A small town on the Grand
visitors a good idea of what Canal, which links Suzhou and
Suzhou must have been like in Hangzhou, Zhouzhuang was
its heyday. All its houses open once a flourishing port,
out on to a network of canals specializing in silk, pottery, and
that are spanned by dozens of grain. It attracted scholars and
stone bridges and are busy with officials who built fine bridges
transportation and trading and houses between the Yuan The scenic cable car ride, Xihui Park, Wuxi
boats. Some of its buildings are and Qing eras. The charming Old
open to the public, such as Town can be explored on foot or
Jiayin Hall, the former home of via a boat tour on the canals.
5 Tai Hu
Liu Yazi, an early 20th-century Among the sights are the Ming-
actor renowned for his rather era Hall of Zhang Residence with 3 miles (5 km) SW of Wuxi. q Meiyuan
bizarre collection of gauze 70 rooms, and the Hall of Shen’s Kaiyuan Temple. @ 2, 88, 91, 206.
caps. The other interesting Residence, with 100 rooms
sight is Tuisi Yuan, a classical connected to the main hall. The One of China’s largest lakes, Tai
garden dating from the late Chengxu Temple, located near Hu is famous for its rocks, an
Qing period. the museum, is a Song-dynasty indispensable feature of a
Daoist shrine. traditional garden (see pp184–5).
Y Tuisi Yuan The lake’s northern shores are
Open 7:30am–5:30pm daily. & fringed with scenic spots,
4 Wuxi including Mei Yuan (Plum
Garden), spectacular in spring
25 miles (40 km) NW of Suzhou. when its 4,000 fruit trees blossom.
* 6,400,000. £ @ 4 services Yuantou Zhu (Turtle Head
from Hangzhou & Suzhou. n 13 Promontory) is a favorite with
Jeifang Beilu. Tel (0510) 12301. ∑ the Chinese, with teahouses
en.wuxi.gov.cn and pretty lake views. Nearby,
Sanshan Island is a former
The highlights of a trip to Wuxi bandit’s haunt with temples
are the scenic Tai Hu (Lake Tai), and tall Buddha statues. However,
the Grand Canal, and the lakeside none is as tall as the 289-ft (88-m)
cherry blossoms in spring. Lingshan Buddha on Ma Shan
According to legend, the town peninsula, a short bus ride from
was established 3,500 years ago the other sights. The area also has
as the capital of the Wu Kingdom a handful of lakeside theme parks.
and was a center for the prod-
Sightseeing boats on one of Tongli’s uction of tin. When the mines Y Mei Yuan and Yuantou Zhu
numerous canals ran dry (Wuxi means “without tin”), Open 6am–10pm daily. &
Tourists exploring Zhouzhuang by boat on the historic Grand Canal

JIANGSU & ANHUI 223
The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal (or Jinghang Canal), started in 486 BC, was built in sections over the
next 1,000 years, with the aim of linking the Yangzi with the Yellow River, and one capital
with another. It remains the world’s largest man-made waterway. The earliest northern
section was built for military reasons but large-scale construction began in the 7th
century AD under the Sui Wen Di emperor, involving over 5 million conscripted males
aged between 15 and 55, supervised by a vast and brutal police force. Linking the
comparatively populous north with the southern rice-producing region, it reached
Beijing only in the 13th century. In the early 20th century, a combination of the altered
course of the fickle Yellow River and the rise of the railways saw its gradual demise.
Beijing Tianjin
This map shows the route
of the 1,112-mile (1,900-
Bo Hai km) canal from Beijing to
Hangzhou. Crossing the
Ji’nan iver traditional battlefields
R
w
llo between north and south,
Ye
Gr the canal supplied food

Yellow throughout the empire.
an
d
Sea
Ca
al The hilly terrain led to the

n
first recorded use of

He
Hu ai double locks in AD 984.
Yangzhou
Nanjing Suzhou
i
gz Shanghai
an Key
Y
Hangzhou Grand Canal
The Sui Yang Di emperor is said to

have celebrated the completion of
his work by touring the canal with a
flotilla of dragon boats hauled by the
empire’s most beautiful women.
Tourist boats are now the only way to enjoy a journey on

the canal as road and rail transportation is favored by the
locals. Regular overnight tourist boats services run between
Hangzhou and Suzhou or Wuxi, whilst boats can also be
chartered for daytrips between the major tourist stops.
Barges splutter their way along the

canal laden with agricultural produce
and factory supplies. The busiest
sections are in the south, and north of
the Yangzi to the border with Shandong.
The canal banks are lively with people

performing domestic tasks. Families, even
if they have houses, may live on board the
boats when they are working.
224 CENTRAL CHINA
8 Zhenjiang
90 miles (150 km) NW of Suzhou.

* 3,100,000. £ @ n 92
Zhongshan Xi Lu, (0511) 8521 7773.
∑ visitzhenjiang.com
Set on the banks of the Yangzi

River, Zhenjiang’s prosperity was
linked to the construction of the
Grand Canal (see p223). In the
19th century, the city was ceded
to foreign powers. The former
Royal Hotel is a fine example of
Pottery shop selling typical ceramic items, Ding Shan European pastiche, while the
old British Consulate now
6 Yixing County Zhanggong’s 72 caves is the houses the Zhenjiang Museum.
Hall of the Sea Dragon King, Its exhibits include a photograph
which can hold several of the Amethyst, the British ship
70 miles (118 km) W of Suzhou. thousand people, while Linggu that sailed upriver in 1949 to
@ bus service between Wuxi and
has an underground waterfall. bring aid to the British in Nanjing.
Yixing. ∑ yixing.gov.cn
After coming under heavy fire, it
E Pottery Exhibition Hall ran aground and was stranded for
The county’s main town, Yixing, 150 Ding Shan Beilu. Open daily. & months. The ship finally managed
is a busy transportation hub T Karst Caves to rejoin its fleet.
that provides connections to Open daily. & To the museum’s west, Jin
the entire region. This fertile Shan Park is the site of the Jin
area of canals and farmland is Shan Temple, founded in the
known for its pottery, produced 7 Changzhou Eastern Jin dynasty, and the
at Ding Shan for 3,000 years. Its Cishou Pagoda, one of a pair
name yixing or “purple sand” is 25 miles (40 km) NW of Wuxi. *
built in the Tang era. The climb to
derived from its distinctive deep 4,600,000. £ @ n (0519) 8163333. the top reveals splendid views of
maroon color. The town’s streets the Yangzi. To the city’s northeast
are lined with factories and Often overlooked, this city lies Beigu Shan hill with its
pottery shops, the latter full of on the Grand Canal is worth beautiful Lingyun Ting pagoda.
items such as traditional little visiting for its old center, Farther east is Jiao Shan, an
pots in all shapes and sizes. crisscrossed by streets of island famed for its scenery,
Ding Shan’s tourist office also traditional houses and canals. accessible by cable car or boat.
organizes factory visits. The two main streets, Bei and Above the island’s fortifications,
A short journey from town, Nan Dajie, are lined with shops Xijiang Lou tower offers fine
the Pottery Exhibition Hall selling silks and the locally made views of the river.
displays a range of objects, from painted combs. The 7th-century
fine, early Yixing-ware to the Tianning Si has 83 Buddha E Zhenjiang Museum
prized miniature teapots. statues decorating its roof, while 85 Boxian Lu. Tel (0511) 8527 7143.
Nearby are the Karst Caves, the Song-era Yizhou Pavilion is Open Tue–Sun.
comprising three groups – associated with the poet Su Y Jin Shan Park
Zhanggong, Linggu, and Dongpo, who stayed here when 62 Jinshan Xilu. Tel (0511) 8551 2992.
Shanjuan. The highlight of he visited the city. @ 2, 104. Open 6am–6pm daily. &
The southern-style Tianning Si (Temple of Heavenly Peace), Changzhou

JIANGSU & ANHUI 225
Calligraphy
Calligraphy raises ordinary Chinese script into a high art form and is traditionally
regarded as highly as painting or poetry as a method of self-expression. The beauty of
calligraphy may seem hard to appreciate for most visitors who do not read Chinese.
Freestyle calligraphy, however, which transforms ordinary characters almost into
figurative and abstract paintings, can easily be appreciated for its artistry. The Chinese
viewer, taught from a young age the basic sequence of strokes, can mentally trace the
characters as they were created by the artists and so experience their spiritual world.
As they are limited to the same eight strokes, the artists’ individual styles – the
variations in stroke weight, angle, and vigor – are easily appreciated. Experts consider
the balance and proportional weight of the strokes, the structure of the character, and
its unity and harmony.
The Four Treasures Ink sticks are made from

soot – pine wood or tung
The main tools of the calligrapher are oil – mixed with glue and
known as “The Four Treasures of the even spices. Inks are
Study” – ink sticks, ink stone, brushes, and usually black although
paper. Anhui is especially famed for the colors are available.
quality of its ink and brushes.
Each character is made Thicker dashes
up of eight types of look less crowded
stroke performed in
a set order.
The ink stone is used to

The seal is carefully grind the ink stick with the
positioned on the page. right amount of water. A
The cinnabar ink stamp thick ink is glossy and
may be the name of the strong, while thin ink can
artist or some poetry. be lively or subtle.
Finely tapered hook
Graceful downstroke stroke
to the left
Paper, invented around
AD 100, was made from
mulberry or bamboo fibers.
Much cheaper than the silk it
replaced, paper is classed by
its weight, as this affects how
fast it absorbs the ink.
Brush rests were used to hold
other brushes or so the artist
could put down his brush and
contemplate.
Brushes permitted greater

freedom for expression than Practice is crucial. The hand
engraving bone or stone and must always know what it is
led to more fluid scripts. about to do; there is no
Supposedly made from many room for indecision. There
varieties of fur, the tip should are three levels of practice –
be round yet pointed, even tracing, copying, and
and strong. working from memory. Each
step up allows the artist to
add more individuality.
226 CENTRAL CHINA
9 Yangzhou bridges. The handsome Wuting

Qiao (Five Pavilion Bridge) is its
most famous structure, built by
a salt merchant in 1757 to
One of the Yangzi River delta’s great cities, Yangzhou has honor the Qianlong emperor’s
always been known for its prosperity, culture, and cuisine. visit to Yangzhou. To the west
Its location on the Grand Canal dictated the rise and fall of its is Ershisi Qiao (Twenty-Four
fortunes. The city declined with the fall of the Song dynasty Bridge), so called because it
and the diminished use of the canal, but revived again has 24 steps and 24 posts and
is 24 m (78 ft) long. Bai Ta
in the Ming era, when the canal was restored and used to
(White Dagoba) is a Tibetan-
transport silk, rice, and salt. The salt merchants in particular style stupa, modeled on the one
built elegant villas and gardens, especially in the 18th in Beijing’s Bei Hai Park (see p96).
century when Yangzhou was part of the imperial inspection In the Xu Garden, the Listening
tours. Despite development, the city has much to offer, to Orioles Pavilion has fine
including its several gardens. woodwork, while the Pinyuan
Lou offers views that suppo-
sedly demonstrate the rules of
perspective as compiled by the
Song artist Guo Xi. East of the
lake, the Imperial Jetty is where
Qianlong’s barge was moored.
E Yangzhou Museum
Wenchang Xi Lu. Tel (0514) 8522 8018.
Housed in a newly built
complex on the western side
of Mingyue Lake, Yangzhou
Museum contains some
splendid items, including an
A colorful fruit stall on Dong Guan Jie ancient boat salvaged from
the Grand Canal, and a large
 Daming Si collection of unusual
8 Pingshan Tang Lu. Open 8am– king’s living quarters, and the woodblock prints.
5:30pm daily. & fifth level, a coffin on wheels.
Sitting atop a hill, the Temple of The tomb was equipped with Y Ge Yuan
Abundant Light dates to the 5th every imaginable luxury, 10 Yanfu Dong Lu. Open 7:15am–
century AD, but was rebuilt after including a bathroom. 5:45pm daily. &
being destroyed in the Taiping Yangzhou’s most famous
Rebellion (see p428). The central Y Shou Xi Hu garden, Ge Yuan was once
Jian Zhen Hall was erected in 28 Da Hongqiao Lu. Open 7:30am– owned by the painter Shi Tao,
1973 in honor of the monk Jian 6pm daily. & ∑ shouxihu.com and later by a salt merchant.
Zhen, who traveled to Japan in Yangzhou’s most popular sight, Its name derives from the
753. Credited with introducing the Thin West Lake is a slim leaves of its bamboo plants,
many aspects of Chinese culture version of Hangzhou’s famous that resemble the character
to Japan, he is revered by the West Lake (see pp248–9). It “ge” meaning “self.” Its central
Japanese, who funded the winds through a park filled feature is its rockeries, but it
main hall’s construction and with willow trees, pavilions, and also has some fine pavilions.
modeled it on the Tosho-dai
Temple in Nara, Japan. Nearby
is a natural spring with an
adjoining teahouse.
E Hanlingyuan Museum
Xiangbie Lu. Open 8am–5pm. &
The magnificent Western Han
tomb of Liu Xu, ruler of the
Guangling Kingdom, is five
levels deep. Its second air-tight
layer comprises 840 nanmu
(cedar) bricks joined by hooks.
The third level housed the
warehouse, the fourth level the Wuting Qiao (Five Pavilion Bridge), Shou Xi Hu
JIANGSU & ANHUI 227
E Wang Shi Xiao Yuan VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

14 Dongquan Men Lishi Jiequ.
Open 8am–5pm daily. & Practical Information
Located on a street of historic 37 miles (60 km) NE of Nanjing.
homes including that of former * 4,500,000. n 1 Fengle
president Jiang Zemin, the Shang Jie, (0514) 8582 7888.
grand Wang Shi Xiao Yuan was Transportation
the residence of a wealthy salt @ East bus station, West bus
merchant. Dating to the Qing station.
era, it has nearly 100 rooms. The
interior is lavishly furnished, and
its main Spring Hall contains a northern influences prevail in its
German chandelier and marble overall layout and style. A few
wall panels. teahouses also dot the garden.
UGarden Tomb of Puhaddin P Wenchang Ge

17 Jiefang Nan Lu. The round Wenchang Ge
Open 8am–5pm daily. (Promoting Literature Pavilion) is
Said to be the 16th descendant all that remains of the old
of the Prophet Mohammed, Confucian Academy. Founded by
Puhaddin was a teacher who The Tang-dynasty Shi Ta or Stone Pagoda the first Ming emperor, Hongwu,
lived in Yangzhou until his death who believed in education for
in 1275. His grave is enclosed in Y He Yuan all, the academy originally had
a building filled with inscrip- 66 Xuning Men Jie. two pavilions. To the north, the
tions from the holy Koran. Open 7:30am–5pm daily. & Si Wang Ting (Pavilion of the
Other noted Muslim figures This small garden creates an Four Views) was a part of the
from the Song and Ming eras illusion of space and depth by Ming-era Provincial College,
are buried nearby. Puhaddin the clever arrangement of its and was used as an observa-
also built the tiny Xianhe features, including shrubs, trees, tory. Lying west of Wenchang
Mosque, located southwest on and a walkway. Named after Ge, the Tang-dynasty Shi Ta
Ganquan Road. Its wall is one of its 19th-century owners, (Stone Pagoda) was once part
covered in arabesques, a legacy it is divided in two, with some of a temple located outside the
of the Persian traders who once pavilions decorated in southern- city walls. It was moved here in
frequented the city. style latticework, although the Song era.
Yangzhou City Center Hanlinyuan

Museum
Daming Si
1 Daming Si
HANGOU LU
2 Hanlingyuan Museum
PI N G S H A N TA N G L U
3 Shou Xi Hu
S H IKE FA L U
4 Yangzhou Museum
U
IL
LAO HU SHA N LU
5 Ge Yuan
UY
YO
6 Wang Shi Xiao Yuan C H A N G CHU

Ershisi
N
7 Garden Tomb of Puhaddin

LU
Qiao Wuting ME I LIN G LU

Qiao
8 Xianhe Mosque
O l d G r a n d Ca
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9 He Yuan
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B
5 km (3 miles)
Wenchang Wang Shi
W E N C H A N G D O N G LU
Ge Xiao Yuan
WENCHANG XI LU WENCHANG ZHONG LU
Shi Ta Garden Tomb
HUAIHAI LU
of Puhaddin
WE N HE NA N L U
Xianhe
Mosque
GA N QU A N LU GUA NGL IN G LU
DUJIAN G LU
SUNONG LU
He Yuan
0 km 1 NANTONG XI L U
W EN
N AN T O N G D ON G L U
HU A LU
0 miles 1
LU
NG
YA
West Bus Station

G
N
2 km (1 mile) TO
T O NG YA NG LU
Nanjing East Bus
Station
228 CENTRAL CHINA
0 Nanjing in 1864. On display are weapons

and uniforms, samples of Taiping
currency, and documents
explaining the Heavenly ideology,
Of all China’s great cities, Nanjing, or Nanking as it was once which aimed to change China’s
known, is the most attractive. The capital of Jiangsu province, feudalistic society into one
it is picturesquely set on the banks of the Yangzi, close to the based on equality. Their aims
magnificent Purple Mountain. This city of lakes is still enclosed included the modernization of
the education system which
within its grand city wall, and its streets are shaded by plane
was still based on Confucian
trees. Meaning “southern capital,” it was the capital of several classics, the redistribution of
regional kingdoms up to AD 220. Later, it was China’s capital land, and equality of the sexes.
under the early Ming. It was also the capital of the
19th-century Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the first Chinese Y Bailuzhou Park
Tel (025) 8662 7126. Open 6am–10pm
Republic under Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Today, Nanjing is a fast-
daily. @ 14, 23, 43, 87, 88, 301. &
developing city, with good restaurants and a lively nightlife. The White Egret Park was once
the property of the Ming General
Xu Da, and subsequently
became the Chinese quarter
during the centuries of Manchu
rule. The pavilions were all
destroyed during the Taiping
Rebellion but the park was
restored in 1951, and the area still
abounds in traditional houses.
 Fuzi Miao
Gongyuan Rd. Tel (025) 5237 7008.
∑ njfzm.net
The origins of Fuzi Miao (Temple
of Confucius) go back to 1034,
while the current buildings date
Garden and pavilions at the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Museum to the late 19th century, with later
additions. The temple was the
Exploring Nanjing Ming emperor, Hongwu. Today, seat of Confucian study for more
Although the medieval city walls the renovated halls are filled with than 1,500 years. Its halls feature a
give the impression that Nanjing memorabilia and photographs small exhibition of folk arts. The
is a small city, it is in fact fairly relating to the rebellion, which surrounding streets are flanked
spread out. A lot of ground can overran large parts of China. by houses with long upturned
be covered on foot, but visitors After the rebels claimed Nanjing eaves and whitewashed walls –
will also need to use the city’s as their base, they came very many of which are being restored
local transportation, either the close to toppling the Qing in typical southern style. Nearby,
metro system, the compre- dynasty in Beijing, but were the attractive canal bank has
hensive bus service, or one of the eventually defeated by the Qing plenty of boats that ply the short
reasonably priced taxis. army under Western leadership distance to Zhonghua Gate.
P Zhonghua Gate
See pp230–31.
E Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

History Museum
128 Zhanyuan Rd. Tel (025) 5220 1849.
This museum commemorates
the anti-dynastic Taiping
Heavenly Kingdom Rebellion
of 1851–64 (see p428). The
building was used by one of the
rebellion’s leaders, or Heavenly
Princes, while one section – the
Zhan Yuan or Viewing Garden –
originally belonged to the first The distinctive double-eaved main hall of the Fuzi Miao
NANJING 229
P Chaotian Gong VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Mochou Rd. Tel (025) 8446 6460.
Open 8am–5pm daily. & Practical Information
∑ en.nanjingmuseum.com 125 miles (200 km) NW of
The substantial Chaotian Gong Shanghai. * 8,100,000. n 202/1
(Heaven-Facing Palace) was once Zhongshan Bei Rd, (025) 8342 8999
a place of ancestor worship, a Transportation
seat of learning, and a Confucian ~ £ Nanjing (North) train
temple. Its mid-19th-century Station, South train station,
buildings such as halls, towers, Zhonguamen train station.
and walkways, stand on an @ Zhongyang Men station,
ancient temple site dating to AD Hanfu Jie station, CAAC (buses
390. It now houses the Municipal to airport), Nanjing (South). g to
Museum, displaying Shang Detail from the Sun Yat-sen Hall, Shanghai, Wuhan & Chongqing.
bronzes and fragments of the Tianchao Gong
legendary porcelain pagoda
destroyed in the Taiping animals and birds – are more became the seat of provincial
Rebellion. The pagoda was built interesting for their historical government until 1853, when
in the 15th century by the Ming associations than for their deft it was seized by the leader of
Yongle emperor to honor his execution. the Taiping Rebellion, Hong
mother, and was covered in Xiuquan, as his headquarters.
glazed white bricks. The attractive P Tianchao Gong & Xu Yuan Finally, after the overthrow of
museum is a quiet place to 292 Changjiang Rd. Tel (025) 8457 the Qing empire, the palace
learn more about Nanjing’s 8700. Open Apr–Oct: 7:30am–5pm housed the Republican
fascinating history. daily; Nov–Mar: 8am–4pm daily. & Government, from where both
Nearby along Tangzi Jie, house ∑ njztf.cn Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-
No. 74 has colorful paintings The Tianchao Gong (Presidential shek ruled China. Inside, there
dating to the Taiping occupation Palace), together with the is an exhibition devoted to the
that were discovered in 1952. The surrounding classical Xu Yuan Taiping Rebellion and to Dr. Sun
house was occupied by a follower Garden (Balmy Garden), were Yat-sen. The surrounding Xu
of the Taiping Eastern Prince, Yang originally built by a Ming prince. Yuan Garden is a popular
Xiuqing. The paintings – of Under the Qing dynasty, it weekend spot with the locals.
Nanjing City Center Nanjing Yangzi

River Bridge
1 Zhonghua Gate Great
Bridge
2 Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Park
West
History Museum Train Station
NGHE RO A D
3 Bailuzhou Park ROAD HE
C
JIANNIN
IAN
4 Fuzi Miao G R
OA
GB
Jinghai Si D
JIAN
North
5 Chaotian Gong Zhongyang Men Train Station
Bus Station
6 Tianchao Gong & Xu Yuan Dujiang
HUJU BEI R O A
Memorial
7 Meiyuan Xincun
Z
Qixia Si
H
N
O
Z H O N G YA N G L U
G
SH
8 Ming Palace Ruins A
MO FA N M
A ROAD
LO
N
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IN
BE
9 Nanjing Museum X
IR
Purple
PA
O
Mountain
AD
N R
0 Xuanwu Lake
D
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Xuanwu
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IN H UNAN ROAD
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AN
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B E I J I NG X I R Drum & Bell Taiping

e Mochou Lake OAD Towers Gate
BEI’AN BEI JIE
BEIJING
DONG ROAD
r Memorial Hall of the Victims
SH A N G
ROAD
National
AD
Defence
BEI RO
in Nanjing Massacre by
HE
Park Qian
JINXIANG
HA
D
TAIPING
OA
Japanese Invaders (p237) Hu

I RD
GUANGZH U R ZHUJ
J IA N G D
O I ANG Ming Palace

Tianchao Gong R O AD Ruins Nanjing
IE HANZHONG RO & Xu Yuan Meiyuan
XI J AD Museum
ON G R O A D
G
F E N G CHUAN Xincun
D Hanfu ZHONGSHA
ROAD
HU J U
OA
RD
HANZHONG Jie Bus N DONG RO

XI R AD
ZH O NGS HA N
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ROA
HONGWU
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NAN ROAD
1
R OA D
MUX UYUA N DAJIE

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Memorial Hall
AN
of the Victims in Mochou Chaotian RUIJ IN ROA D

G N
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NAN
Lake
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Nanjing Massacre Gong CAAC

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ROA
PA N
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TA I
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DA G
LO N G
UAN
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Taiping Heavenly
Kingdom History Museum Fuzi Miao
CHA Bailuzhou
LU AI
NG
LE R Park
GT
OA
D
FEN
Zhonghua
King of Gate South Train
Key to Symbols see back flap Borneo’s Tomb Station 6 km (4 miles)
Yuhuatal
230 CENTRAL CHINA
Zhonghua Gate
Built under the orders of the first Ming emperor, Hongwu,
from 1368 to 1386, the walls surrounding the capital were the
most extensive in the world at the time. The 40-ft (12-m) high
walls snaked 20 miles (33 km) around the city’s natural
contours. Given that the city was elsewhere protected by river
and mountain, Zhonghua Gate was a key element in Nanjing’s
southern defences. Its walls were cemented by a super-strong
mortar made with glutinous rice. Certainly the emperor’s
show of defense was effective – no enemy attempted to
breach the walls via Zhonghua Gate. Today the gate’s
impressive remains are open to visitors and an interesting
museum has been built into the battlements.
The city wall adjacent to Zhonghua
Gate, Nanjing
. Inner Citadels
Behind the main gate are three courtyards or
citadels. During an attack, enemy forces that
breached the main gate could be trapped in these
courtyards. The cavities in the walls concealed
soldiers waiting in ambush.
Reconstruction of
Zhonghua Gate
The main gate tower sat adjacent
to the top of the wall, with the
citadels protruding into the city.
Today, only the brick walls remain –
none of the gatehouses has
survived.
KEY
1 Portcullises blocked passage

through the gateways. The
grooves are still visible.
2 Four gatehouses, sitting above
each arched gateway, contained
armaments and supplies.
3 Decorative wen
4 The main gate tower acted as
the first line of defense, providing . Arched Gateways
protection from enemy fire and a Four arched tunnels, each as long as 174 ft (53 m), run
lookout point. through the battlements. Each gate had massive double
doors and a portcullis.
NANJING 231
. Signed Bricks Zhonghua Rd. Tel (025) 8662
Numerous bricks are stamped 5752. Open 8:30am–9pm daily.
with the name of the kiln &=
where they were fired
Transportation
and even the name of the
@ 16 from city center.
brick-maker himself, together
with the date of manufacture.
Statue of Soldier
Statues wearing replica Ming-
era uniforms are scattered
strategically about the
battlements.
Ramp
The wide ramps, which run
up each side of the gate to
the top of the city wall,
allowed soldiers and horses
quick access to the ramparts.
Nanjing’s City Walls

Xuanwu Hu Park Originally 20 miles (33 km) long, much of the wall,
about 75 per cent, remains. The most impressive
sections are near the refurbished Xuanwu Gate in
the north and the long strip in the east. Parts, but
not all, of the existing wall can be walked along.
1 Xuanwu Gate
2 Taiping Gate
3 Zhongshan Gate
4 Zhonghua Gate 0 km 1
0 miles 1
Key
Existing wall
Path of destroyed wall
232 CENTRAL CHINA
E Meiyuan Xincun
18–1 Hanfu Rd. Tel (025) 8454 2362.
The former Chinese Communist
Party office was headed in 1946–
7 by Zhou Enlai (see p256), who
lived here during negotiations
with the Kuomintang after the
Japanese surrender. The restored
building houses a museum
commemorating these events.
P Ming Palace Ruins

311 Zhongshan Donglu.
q Mingugong. Tel (025) 8480
3110. Open 8am–6pm daily. Xuanwu Lake, with the city’s skyscrapers in the background
The old Ming Palace (Ming
Gugong) was built in the 14th E Nanjing Museum Y Xuanwu Lake
century for the first Ming 321 Zhongshan Donglu. Tel (025) Xuanwu Park. Tel (025) 5771 7414.
emperor, Hongwu, who made 8480 7923. Open 8am–4:30pm daily. Open 7am–9pm daily.
Nanjing his capital. Within a ∑ njmuseum.com/en In the northeast corner of the
century of its construction, this Nanjing Museum, founded in city an especially fine stretch
splendid palace was severely 1933, is one of China’s better of the Ming city walls skirts the
damaged by two fires. Later, the museums and worth a visit. Its western shore of the enormous
Manchus and then the Taiping highlights include wonderful Xuanwu Lake, situated in
soldiers completed its destruc- ornate sedan chairs, bronzes from Xuanwu Park. At well over 1 mile
tion. All that remains are ten the Zhou dynasty, and model (1.6 km) long, the lake was an
marble bridges, the old Wu trading ships. The collection important water source for the
Men or Meridian Gate, of jade and lacquerware city, as well as a popular imperial
and a large number of includes a jade burial suit resort for many centuries.
pillar bases with finely consisting of rectangles During the Song dynasty, it was
sculpted details. The of jade sewn together also used for naval exercises.
pillars also give an with silver thread, The park was opened to the
idea of the layout of dating from the public after the fall of the
the palace buildings. Sculptural detail, Eastern Han dynasty. Qing dynasty in 1911.
Along its main axis, Ming Palace Ruins Also on display are Xuanwu Lake has five small
the palace would bricks from the city islands named after the five
have had three major courtyards wall, pictures of the old city, and continents, which are linked by
enclosed by enormous halls relics from the Taiping Heavenly bridges and causeways. They
raised on platforms. These were Kingdom Rebellion. Many of offer a variety of entertainment
flanked on either side by altars the exhibits are captioned in options with teahouses,
and temples. Beijing’s Forbidden English, which makes the restaurants, pavilions, boats of
City (see pp92–5) is a larger ver- museum even more interesting. various types, an open-air
sion of this palace complex. The theater, and even a small zoo.
grounds have plenty of trees, } Purple Mountain The most scenic is Yingzhou
which offer shade in summer. See pp234–5. Island, delightfully laid out with
lily pads, trees, and flowers.
Although the park can get
crowded, especially on
weekends, it is a charming place
to relax. The most convenient
entrance is through the triple-
arched Xuanwu Gate in the old
city wall on Zhongyang Road.
P Drum and Bell Towers

q Gulou. Open 8am–5pm daily.
The much-restored Drum Tower
dates back over 600 years to
1382, and is fronted by a
traditional gateway. It was built
to house several drums that
were beaten through the night
Marble pillar bases marking the layout of the palace, Ming Palace Ruins to mark the change of the
NANJING 233
watch, and occasionally to

sound alarms. Today, only one
Nanjing Massacre
large drum remains. The tower The Nanjing Massacre, or the Rape of
also houses a collection of Nanking as it is also known, is still an
amateur paintings, and a part of object of friction between the
it has been converted into a Chinese and the Japanese. In 1937,
teahouse. A short distance to when the invading Japanese army
the northeast is the Bell Tower succeeded in capturing Nanjing, a
(Dazhong Ting), constructed large number of civilians stayed
during the Ming dynasty and behind instead of fleeing, following
an appeal made by the Chinese
rebuilt in 1889. The huge bronze
government. While the government
bell, cast in 1388, is one of the
fled, the occupying army proceeded
largest in China. to carry out a brutal campaign of Monument to the Nanjing Massacre
The area surrounding the murder, pillage, and rape on the
towers was the administrative civilian population. It is thought that up to 400,000 people were killed
center of the old city. It is now a in the incident. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, the government
busy place, full of offices and returned to Nanjing and the city regained its status as the capital of
heavy traffic. China until the Communists shifted the capital back to Beijing in 1949.
Russians marched out in 1960. Y Mochou Lake

According to the official Tel (025) 8665 1047. Open 5:30am–
Chinese version, the bridge was 9:30pm daily. &
built from scratch, as the Just outside the city wall in
Russians took the original plans western Nanjing, Mochou Lake
with them when they left. The (Mochou Hu) is named after the
double-decker bridge, designed legendary heroine Mochou.
for road traffic as well as trains, is Her name, meaning “Without
almost a mile (1.5 km) long, and Sorrow,” was bestowed because
is one of the longest in China. her singing was so sweet that it
Daqiao Gongyuan (Bridge Park) with Before it was built, ferries used banished all sorrow. Surrounding
Nanjing Yangzi River Bridge behind to carry entire trains across the the lake, Mochou Lake Park is
river, one carriage at a time. An especially pretty when the lotus
P Nanjing Yangzi River elevator takes visitors to the top flowers on the water are in full
Bridge of one of the towers, from bloom. An open-air stage and a
Daqiao Nanlu. Tel (025) 5878 5703. where there are excellent views teahouse lie along the water’s
Elevator: Open 8am–5pm daily. & across the river. Also worth edge. The Square Pavilion
This piece of engineering, noting are the Soviet-style contains a statue of Mochou in a
completed in 1968, is one of the sculptures that decorate the pond, while the Winning Chess
great achievements of the bridge. The best approach to Pavilion next door was where
Chinese Communists, who took the bridge is through the the first Ming emperor, Hongwu,
over the project after the Daqiao Gongyuan (Bridge Park). played chess with his general.
Square Pavilion with a statue of the legendary maiden Mochou, Mochou Lake Park
234 CENTRAL CHINA
Purple Mountain
Overlooking the city, Zijin Shan, or the Purple Mountain,
is said to take its name from the color of the rocks. It is a
picturesque area of gentle hills shaded by woodland and
bamboo groves, dotted with villas. It also contains several of
the most important points of interest in Nanjing, such as the
Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Ming Xiao Ling, and the Linggu
Temple complex. Seeing everything will take a whole day and,
although there are food stalls around, visitors are advised to
take along a picnic. The energetic can make the long climb to
the summit for splendid views over the city; alternatively you
can take a cable car from outside the eastern wall. Statue of Sun Yat-sen, “Father of Modern
China,” in his mausoleum
Cable Car
Summit
Zixia
Lake
Tomb of Liao
Zhongkai
Purple Mountain Observatory
Alongside more modern equipment, the
observatory houses a display of bronze
instruments that date back to the 15th
century. However, similar pieces were used Botanical
by the Chinese as long as 3,000 years ago. Gardens
Nanjing Plum
City Wall Blossom Hill
Qian
Lake
Key
Road
KEY
1 The cable car goes to the 0 meters 500

summit in two stages and is
0 yards 500
recommended for the views.
2 The Music Stage was built in
1933 as part of Sun Yat-sen’s
mausoleum.
. Ming Xiao Ling

This tomb was completed in 1405 for
the first Ming emperor, Hongwu, and
his wife. Although much of it was
destroyed in the Taiping Rebellion (see
p428), enough remains to give a sense
of the grandeur of the original.
NANJING 235
Museum of
Dr. Sun Yat-sen
Set in a pretty
building, this museum
Jiangsu province, 2 miles (3 km) E of
is often overlooked by
Nanjing. Purple Mountain: Tel (025)
visitors. Four floors of
8444 6111. Open Apr–Nov: 6:30am–
exhibits chronicle Sun
6:30pm daily; Dec–Mar: 7am–6pm
Yat-sen’s life with
daily. & = - Ming Xiao Ling:
paintings,
photographs, and
Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen: Open
personal effects.
9am–4:30pm daily.
Transportation
@ from the train station. There
is a shuttle service in the park.
Linggu Pagoda
Built in 1929, this 199-ft (61-m)
high pagoda was designed by Henry
Murphy, at the behest of Chiang
Kai-shek, in memory of the
soldiers killed in the
1911 revolution
(see pp68–9).
Guanghua
Pavilion
. Linggu Temple and Beamless Hall

Originally founded in AD 514, the temple
was moved here by Ming Emperor
Hongwu to make room for his tomb.
It is most notable for the beamless hall,
built in 1381 without using any wood
in the construction.
. Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen

Despite the use of blue tiles, instead of
the emperor’s yellow ones, this grand
mausoleum has imperial resonances.
Completed in 1929, the blue and white
colors represent the Nationalist Party.
236 CENTRAL CHINA
Exploring the Purple Mountain with a life-size marble statue of

the man leading to a round,
Also known as Zhongshan Mountain, after Sun Yat-sen’s domed building that contains
Mandarin name, the Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan) is best his sarcophagus inset in the
explored by starting from the easternmost site at the Linggu floor. There are other memorials
Temple and slowly working your way west back to the city. To in the area such as the Music
fully explore the area requires a long day, but if time is scarce, Stage, an auditorium popular
with picnicking visitors and the
half a day will do for visiting Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum, the
Guanghua Pavilion.
most popular site on the mountain, and one other. However,
it is also pleasant just to get away from everybody else and Xiao Ling Tomb
wander the network of shady woodland paths Although much of it is derelict,
that crisscross the hillside, and to visit the the site is mainly of interest
many smaller visitor attractions. as the first of the Ming tombs.
The sacred way, an
From the top, avenue of stone
there is a great statues of pairs
view of the thick of animals and
green leafy carpet officials, some
that cloaks the sitting, some
mountain. Stone sculpture from the Xiao standing on duty,
Ling sacred way is also impressive.
Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Unusually it does
Slightly off the tourist trail, this not run south to north but
museum is inside a beautiful winds its way up the hillside.
building that once held a South of the tomb lies the
Buddhist library. The collection scenic area of Plum Blossom
of paintings, black-and-white Hill, especially pretty in spring
photos, and artifacts chronicles when the trees bloom pink.
in detail the life of the “father of To the west lie the Botanical
the people.” The top two floors Gardens, a huge area with
Lake beside the Linggu Temple at the foot have captions in English. The colourful planting, lawns, hills,
of the Purple Mountain Buddhist library of sutras is now and lakes. Nearby lies the Tomb
housed in a separate building of Liao Zhongkai (assassinated
Linggu Temple, Beamless Hall, out the back. in Guangzhou in 1925) and his
and Pagoda wife He Xiangning, prominent
The Linggu Temple was Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum Nationalists who followed
originally sited where the Ming (Zhongshan Ling) Sun Yat-sen.
Emperor Hongwu wanted to The revolutionary leader died in
build his tomb (Ming Xiao Ling), 1925 and a competition was Observatory
and so he had it moved to this held to design his tomb. The Built in the 1930s, the
site. The only original building winner was Y. C. Lu, a graduate observatory is slightly run down
that remains is the Beamless of Cornell University School of these days. The main point of
Hall. Built in 1381, it is a brick Architecture. The tomb is interest for the casual visitor is
vaulted edifice constructed approached up a typically long the small collection of copies of
without any wooden beams. marble stairway of 392 steps bronze Ming and Qing
This was supposed to be the and comprises a square hall astronomical instruments.
solution to a timber shortage,
but, with few exceptions, it
failed to be adopted. The
nearby Linggu Pagoda was
erected in memory of those
soldiers who lost their lives
in the 1911 revolution. It is
inscribed in the handwriting
of Chiang Kai-shek saying
“repaying the country
with extreme loyalty.” The
building is meant to combine
the future and the past in
that it is an old style of
building – a pagoda – but
constructed using modern
materials: reinforced concrete. Approach to the tomb of the first Ming emperor, Hongwu
NANJING 237
extensively covered with flying

apsaras (celestial maidens), while
the other houses a statue
of an upright Vairocana Buddha,
known as the Cosmic Buddha
who is the embodiment of Truth
and Knowledge. To the east
stands an octagonal stone
pagoda built in AD 601, which
bears carvings of scenes from
the life of the Buddha.
Behind the halls are the
Memorial to the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre Thousand Buddha Cliffs. These
are in fact just over 500 Buddha
E Memorial Hall of the P King of Borneo’s Tomb statues carved into the cliff face,
Victims in Nanjing Massacre 9 Weijiu Lu. Over 1 mile (2 km) NW of but “thousand” is often used in
by Japanese Invaders Yuhuatai. Tel (025) 5235 5833. q China to denote “many.” The
418 Shuiximen St. Tel (025) 8661 2230. Shengtai Lu. Open 8:30am–5pm daily. earliest statues date to the
q Yun Jin Lu. Open 8:30am–4:30pm Situated close to Yuhuatai, the 5th century Qi dynasty, while
Tue–Sun. ∑ nj1937.org King of Borneo’s Tomb was most were carved during the
Just west of Mochou Park, this discovered as recently as 1958. Song and Tang dynasties. Some
site recalls the Japanese atrocities, The rulers of Borneo had been statues were badly defaced
known as the Nanjing Massacre sending tribute to China since during the bloody Taiping
(see p233), that took place during AD 977. In the mid-14th century, Rebellion (see p428) and again
the city’s occupation in World the first Ming emperor, Hongwu, during the Cultural Revolution
War II. In the garden, shards of greatly expanded the existing (see pp70–71), but enough remain
bone and piles of skulls are tribute system, whereby foreign to make the visit worthwhile.
grim mementoes. Amid a nations paid “tribute” to China in Visitors can spend a few enjoyable
photographic chronicle of the form of gifts hours walking in the woods
the events, one room and precious behind the cliffs.
focuses on the post- goods. He sent
War reconciliation envoys to all of
between the China’s tributary
two nations. states including
Borneo, to
Around Nanjing Martyrs’ Memorial, ensure that
There are plenty of Yuhuatai this economic
interesting sites exchange continued.
around Nanjing that are worth The King of Borneo arrived in
seeing along with the Purple Nanjing in 1408, but died during
Mountain. All can easily be his stay. His tomb is marked with
reached by taxi, or in the case of a tortoise stele, and, similar to
Qixia Si, by bus. other tombs of the period, a
sacred pathway with statues
Y Yuhuatai on either side. The site is not
215 Yuhua Rd. Tel (025) 5241 1523. clearly signposted, so it is
Open 8am–5pm daily. & advisable to have the tomb’s
According to legend, Yuhuatai, name written in Chinese in order
south of Zhonghua Gate, is where to ask for directions.
a 5th-century monk gave a
sermon that was so moving that  Qixia Si and Thousand
flowers rained down from the sky. Buddha Cliffs
Chinese visitors still collect the Qixia Shan. 9 miles (15 km) NE of
colored pebbles that are found Nanjing. @ bus 6 from opposite the
here. Sadly, the park became an train station, 1 hr. Tel (025) 8576 1831.
execution ground during the Open 7am–5pm daily. &
Chinese Revolution (1927–49), One of the largest Buddhist
and thousands lost their lives seminaries in the country, Qixia
here. The Martyrs’ Memorial Si was originally founded in AD
consists of nine gigantic, 98-ft 483, but the current building
(30-m) high figures in typical dates from 1908, at the end of
Soviet realist style. Behind it is a the Qing dynasty. It consists
pagoda, from where there are of two principal temple halls; Octagonal stone pagoda with carvings of
good views across the city. one has walls that are the Buddha’s life, Qixia Si
238 CENTRAL CHINA
Traditional Medicine
Medicine in China dates back some 4,000 years and evolved as a result of the search
for the elixir of life, research in which many emperors took a keen interest. Over the
centuries an approach was adopted that would today be called holistic – the importance
of diet, emotional health, and environment was emphasized. Today, treatment is still
founded on the use of herbs, diet, and acupuncture. Daoist philosophy is an integral
ingredient, the most notable aspect being qi (see pp38–9), the vital force of living things.
Qi gives rise to the opposite and interdependent forces of yin and yang, signified in the
universe and body by wet and dry, cold and heat, etc. Unlike Western medicine, where
an outside force, such as bacteria or a virus, is assumed to cause disease, in Chinese
medicine a medical problem is caused by a yin-yang imbalance within the patient. When
yin and yang are out of balance, the flow of qi has been depleted or blocked; Chinese
medical practitioners seek to return the balance.
10th-Century
Channel Chart
Qi flows through channels that Needles from Qing
radiate throughout the body from Dynasty
the vital organs to the extremitites.
This chart clearly illustrates a channel
Channel
that runs from the intestines through
the arm to the finger tips. Applying
pressure to the specified points Modern
will moderate the flow of qi. needles
Acupuncture needles
are inserted just below
the skin at pressure
points, also called men or
gates, along the
channels. Acupuncture
has even proved an
effective anesthetic.
The Bencao Gangmu, Pressure point

a pharmacopeia of
medicine listing all
known diseases and their
treatments, was compiled
by the naturalist Li
Shizhen during the
12th century.
A mixture of herbs, Moxibustion, used in

fungus, roots, bark, and chronic cases, involves
sometimes dried animal burning artemisia leaves
products, such as ground to heat up the pressure
antler, are carefully points. The heat is
combined and dispensed conveyed by needles, but
to the patient, who boils the moxa is sometimes
the ingredients to make a held so close to the skin
powerful decoction. that it singes.
JIANGSU & ANHUI 239
e Wuhu
78 miles (125 km) SE of Hefei. £ @
The province’s main ferry port

has little to offer, and its few
sights include the Guangji Si on
Zhe Shan, founded in AD 894,
and the nearby Zhe Ta (Ocher
Pagoda), from where there
are views over the town. Some
streets in the town’s center are
Plaque over the beautifully decorated entrance to the Guangji Si, Wuhu lined with old houses with
thatched roofs and mud walls,
q Bozhou Provincial Museum has some and make for a pleasant stroll.
interesting exhibits including Wuhu is also a good base for
bricks from Han-dynasty tombs, visiting Li Bai’s Tomb at Caishiji,
155 miles (250 km) NW of Hefei. a cranium belonging to Homo 4 miles (7 km) from Ma’an Shan,
* 5,350,000. £ @ erectus discovered in Anhui, the first stop south of Wuhu on
and an exhibition on the “Four the railway line. Li Bai (AD 701–
Bozhou’s medicinal market – the Treasures of the Study” (see p225), 62), a Tang-dynasty poet, was
largest of its kind in the world – mainly ink sticks, ink stones, a famous drunk and is said to
attracts over 50,000 traders from brushes, and paper, for which have died drowning in the
China and Southeast Asia. Every the province is known. Baohe moon’s reflection. His tomb
conceivable plant, insect, and Park, set around a pretty tree stands at the top of a long
animal limb, in whole and flanked by a lake, has a series of steps behind a Qing-
powdered form, can be found Memorial Hall devoted dynasty temple, and overlooks
in its halls. to the great Song the Yangzi. It may only contain
The 17th-century Flower dynasty admin- Li Bai’s clothes, as his final
Theater has wood and brick istrator, Lord Bao. resting place is still the
carvings and painted friezes The 16th-century subject of debate.
around the stage. The town’s Mingjiao Si temple
museum exhibits a Han-dynasty stands 16 ft (5 m) P Li Bai’s Tomb
jade burial suit of the father of above the ground, while Caishiji. @12. Open
Cao Cao, the Three Kingdoms nearby Xiaoyaojin Park 8am–5:30pm daily.
warlord, who built the Under- has a 3rd-century well
ground Tunnel to conceal the and is good for walks. Li Bai’s Tomb, Environs: Located
army, if attacked. Caishiji 37 miles (60 km)
E Provincial Museum southeast of Wuhu,
( Medicinal Market 268 Anqing Lu. Open 9am–5pm Xuancheng is the site of the
Zhongyao Shiyang. Open Mon–Fri. Tue–Sun. Alligator Breeding Center, which
P Underground Tunnel P Lord Bao Memorial Hall has successfully increased the
49 Renmin Lu. Open 6am–6pm 72 Anhui Wuhu.Tel (0551) 6288 5950. population of this endangered
daily. & Open 9am–5pm (6pm in species. Found only in Anhui, the
summer). & wild population remains small,
but the captive population now
Mingjiao Si
w Hefei 44 Huaihe Lu. Tel (0551) 6264 8982.
runs into thousands, and it may
Open 6:30am–6pm daily. &^
soon be possible to reintroduce
these reptiles back into the wild.
93 miles (150 km) W of Nanjing.
* 7,600,000. ~ £ @ n 153
Meishan Lu. Tel (0551) 6284 3825.
Anhui’s provincial capital grew

into a flourishing industrial
center after 1949, when the
new Communist government
supported the growth of industry
in areas that had been previously
impoverished. Although not of
very great interest, visitors are
likely to pass through this town
while exploring the province. The Alligators sunning themselves in Xuancheng’s breeding center
240 CENTRAL CHINA
r Jiuhua Shan y Shexian
100 miles (160 km) SE of Hefei. 16 miles (25 km) NE of Tunxi.

~ Chizhou Jiuhuashan. @ from @ minibus from Tunxi. &
Nanjing, Hefei, or Chizhou. n 135
Formerly known as Huizhou,
Baima Xincun, Jiuhua Jie. &
Shexian is renowned for its
wealth of well-preserved Ming-
One of the four mountains holy dynasty houses, once owned by
to Chinese Buddhists, Jiuhua wealthy salt merchants. Many of
Shan has been sacred since the these houses lie along the lanes
Korean monk Jin Qiaojue – off Jiefang Jie and along
thought to be a reincarnation of Doushan Jie, still occupied
Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha – died exactly as they were as far back
here in AD 794. It is also an as the 14th century.
important place of pilgrimage The wealthy Huizhou
for the recently bereaved, who tradesmen also erected many
come to hold services for those memorial archways (paifang)
who have passed on. A restored Ming-dynasty shop, Lao Jie in Shexian county, but the
Over 60 temples, linked by (Old Street), Tunxi most famous is the complex
paths from Jiuhua village, dot of seven Ming and Qing arches
the mountain. The first is the t Tunxi at Tangyue, a village about
Qing-dynasty Zhiyuan Si, with a 4 miles (7 km) west of Shexian.
honeycomb of halls. Farther up is The arches acknowledge the
44 miles (70 km) SE of Huang
the oldest temple, Huacheng Si, political career, filial piety,
Shan. ~ £ @ n CITS 5 Tiandu
a part of which possibly dates to Lu, (0559) 251 2771.
chastity, and charity of a
the Tang era. Beyond, an successful local family.
ornamental gate marks the path An important transportation
up the mountain. From here, one hub for visiting the popular
option is an hour-long walk that Huang Shan (see pp242–3), u Yixian
passes Yingke Song (Welcoming Tunxi has numerous fine
Pine), and bears left past a series examples of traditional
22 miles (35 km) NW of Tunxi. @
of temples until Baisui Gong, classical architecture. In
minibus from Tunxi. Hongcun and Xidi
where the preserved body of the certain areas, such as along
Open daily. Tel (0559) 555 3333. &
priest Wu Xia sits at prayer. Lao Jie (Old Street), restored
Visitors can either walk back or houses dating to the Ming The UNESCO World Heritage
take the funicular railway. The dynasty have been converted Sites of Hongcun and Xidi,
other option is the path going to into shops selling souvenirs known for their Ming and Qing
the right at Yingke Song and and antiques, while others houses, lie in the vicinity of
leads to Feng Huang Song serve as tourist restaurants. Yixian. About 7 miles (11 km) to
(Phoenix Pine) to the summit at The high standard of restora- the northeast, Hongcun dates to
Tiantai Zhengding (Heavenly tion gives visitors a clear 1131. Ringed by mountains, it is
Terrace), where a huge Buddha picture of a typical Ming-era known as “a village in a Chinese
statue is due to be built. The town. Many of the houses bear painting.” The village is laid out in
four-hour walk to the summit the decorative “horsehead the shape of a waterbuffalo and
can be shortened by taking the gables” (see opposite), which is watered by a network of
cable car from Feng Huang originally had a practical use canals that feed the Moon Pond
Song, and returning by taxi. as fire baffles. and South Lake, representing
the buffalo’s stomach, while the
canals represent its intestines.
Xidi, 5 miles (8 km) north of
Yixian, has a maze of lanes
flanked by over 100 houses,
dating mainly from the late
Ming and early Qing eras.
Some have charming court-
yards, while their interiors are
often decorated with carved
wooden screens and panels.
Some houses feature perfor-
mances of local arts. Nanping,
3 miles (5 km) west of Yixian,
also has fine examples of
The serene Jiuhua Shan or Nine Glorious Mountains classical architecture.
JIANGSU & ANHUI 241
Huizhou Architecture
Shexian county is home to the descendants of a group of people who played a key
role in the Chinese economy 400 years ago. Today, the people of southern Anhui
province are mostly farmers, but from the 14th to 17th centuries, their forefathers
were the wealthy merchants of Huizhou, famous the length and breadth of China for
their commercial acumen and integrity. They used their money to build large family
houses, with whitewashed exteriors and beautiful wood interiors. The distinctive
features of these houses are a result of social and environmental factors, and are
attempts to deal with the weather, earthquakes and the risk of attack by bandits.
Many of these houses still remain, sometimes a little run down, but still a testament to
the enterprise of the Huizhou traders.
Carved wood panels The delicate

tracery of the wood panels was Wooden columns could
both decorative and functional – withstand an earthquake
allowing light in while keeping the better than brick walls.
heat out.
Sloping roofs collected
rain – good qi (see pp38–9)
– into the pond.
The walls were not load

bearing at all – they
were known as curtain
walls.
High windows
made the houses
secure from attack
by bandits.
Fishponds in the
courtyard keep the
house cool and are
decorative.
Horsehead gables These were Pailou doorway These

intended to prevent fire (and elaborate constructions known
burglars) jumping from one building as pailou or paifang were built
to another but also developed into a of stone rather than wood as
means of decorating the buildings. this made them all the more
difficult to break through.
242 CENTRAL CHINA
i Huangshan
Reputed to be the most beautiful mountain range in the country, the
startling, cloud-cloaked peaks of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) have Taiping
for centuries been celebrated by poets and painters. Although the
main peak is under 6,200 ft (1,900 m), the 70 sheer rock cliffs are
spectacular to hike, and the winding concrete steps are usually very
crowded. Even when shrouded in mist as is the norm, the scenery
of precipitous peaks, bamboo groves, and ancient, twisted pines is
unusually beautiful. Accommodation is available in pretty Wenquan
or nearby Tangkou. Consider spending a night at the top for
spectacular, but not solitary, sunsets and sunrises.
Guangming Ding
(Bright Summit
Peak) 6035 ft
Lianhua Feng
(Lotus Flower
. Feilai Shi Peak) 6145 ft
The “Rock Flown From Afar,” a massive, rectangular boulder
poised at an unlikely angle, overlooks the “Western Sea,” an
endless vista of mountain peaks and cascading clouds.
Western Trail
This path, more physically
demanding than the eastern
route, cuts through splendid
rock formations, along narrow,
and very steep, flights of steps.
Shen Quan
Feng Banshan Si
5340 ft
Key
Path
Ciquan
Road Ge
Wenquan
KEY
1 Qingliang Tai (Refreshing

Terrace) is a popular spot for
watching the sunrise. Welcoming Guest Pine
Ying Ke Song, featured on endless
postage stamps, appears to beckon
the visitor up the mountain and is
said to be over a thousand years old.
JIANGSU & ANHUI 243
Open daily. Cable car:
8:40am–4pm daily. &
∑ huangshanguide.com
Transportation
125 miles (200 km) S of Hefei.
~ at Tunxi. £ to Tunxi. @ from
Nanjing or Hefei to Tangkou (5 hr);
from Tunxi to Tangkou (1.5 hr); bus
from Hangzhou (4 hr).
View from the Top
The summit with its stunning views takes about 3 hours to explore. Head
to Paiyun Ting, “Cloud Dispelling Pavilion,” at the top of the Taiping cable
car, for the best views of the sunset.
. Shixin Feng
The shard-like “Beginning to Believe” peaks, rising above
woodland and glistening streams, offer one of the most
Tiandu Feng spectacular views at Huangshan. Access is via the Immortals’
(Celestial Capital Peak) Bridge at the eastern end of the summit.
6005 ft
Exploring Huang Shan

The eastern route (5 miles/8 km) takes about 3 hours;
the western route (9 miles/15 km) up to twice that.
Some hikers choose to take the eastern route up and
the western route down. Two cable cars allow you to
bypass much of the walking, but the line-ups are
usually very long.
. Aoyu Bei
On the approach to Tiandu Feng, Aoyu Bei (the Carp’s
0 km 0.5
Backbone), is a disconcertingly exposed and narrow 30-ft
Tangkou 0 miles ½ (9-m) arch with sheer drops down both sides.
CENTRAL CHINA 245
ZHEJIANG & JIANGXI

Lying immediately to the south of Shanghai, Zhejiang is bordered
by Jiangxi to its southwest. Northern Zhejiang is a vast region of JIANGXI
ZHEJIANG
fertile farmland, with canal towns such as the provincial capital of

Hangzhou, and lovely Shaoxing. Hangzhou and the great port of
Ningbo are the region’s chief industrial and commercial centers. Just
off Zhejiang’s coastline are some 18,000 islands, among them the holy shrine of Putuo Shan.
The south of the province is rugged and mountainous, with superb scenery at Yandang Shan.
Landlocked Jiangxi is sparsely populated compared to the rest of central China. Its northern
reaches are a fertile plain watered by Poyang Hu, the largest freshwater lake in China, and the
rivers that feed it. Nanchang, the provincial capital, prospered in the 7th century, following the
construction of the Grand Canal. With the growth of coastal treaty ports in the mid-19th
century, Jiangxi’s economy declined. Later, in the early 20th century, civil strife forced millions
into exile. The rugged Jinggang Shan mountains in southern Jiangxi, where most of the
fighting took place, are rich in revolutionary associations. In the province’s northeast lie the
porcelain town of Jingdezhen and the charming mountain resort of Lu Shan.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Areas of Natural Beauty,
1 Hangzhou Islands & Mountains
2 Shaoxing 4 Putuo Shan pp254–5
3 Ningbo 5 Tiantai Shan
7 Wenzhou 6 Yandang Shan
8 Nanchang 0 Lu Shan pp258–9
9 Jiujiang w Jinggang Shan
q Jingdezhen Shanghai
G25
G50
Huzhou Jiaxing
Wangpan
G3
Yang
G92
G56
G35
5
G2
G60
Ruichang Shangyu
6 Tonglu
G5 Huangshan Shengzhou
5
G1
De’an
Poyang Lanxi Ninghai
Yongxiu Hu g
Jian Jinhua
Qu Tiantai
G3
G70
Leping
G45
Dexing
Xinjian Quzhou
Huangyan
Shangrao Jiangshan Taizhou
Shanggao 15
0 G
g G6
Jin Jian Lishui
Xinyu Yingtan
Yichun
Fuzhou
G3
Pingxiang Nancheng Wencheng Rui’an

0
G6
Pingyang
Nanfeng
Ji’an
5
G3
Taihe
G7
2
Ningdu
Suichuan
G4
Yudu Key
5
Ganzhou Ruijin
Expressway
Nankang
Xinfeng National Highway
Railroad
0 km 100
G45
Xunwu
Provincial border
0 mile 100
Boats on West Lake, Hangzhou, with Leifeng Pagoda in the background For additional map symbols see back flap
246 CENTRAL CHINA
1 Hangzhou E Hu Qingyu Tang Museum

of Chinese Medicine
95 Dajing Xiang. Tel (0571) 8783 9108.
Renowned in medieval China as an earthly paradise, Open 8:30am–5pm daily. &
Hangzhou became the splendid capital of the Southern Song This interesting museum is
dynasty between 1138 and 1279. Later, when the conquering housed in a beautiful old apothe-
Mongols chose what is now Beijing as their new capital, cary’s shop. It was established by
the merchant Hu Xueyan during
Hangzhou continued to be a thriving commercial city. Its the Qing dynasty and traces the
glories were extolled by Marco Polo, who allegedly visited history of traditional Chinese
Hangzhou at the height of its prosperity and described it as medicine, which goes back
“the City of Heaven, the most magnificent in all the world.” thousands of years. It is still an
Although most of the old buildings were destroyed in the active dispensary and pharmacy.
Taiping Rebellion, the attractive West Lake and its
Y West Lake
surrounding area are still worth visiting. See pp248–9.
show. It was created by the E Tea Museum

famous Chinese director Zhang 88 Longjing Rd. Tel (0571) 8796 4221.
Yimou, who produced the Open 8:30am–4:30pm Tue–Sun.
2008 Olympics opening ∑ teamuseum.cn
ceremony, and has music Tracing the history of tea
by Zhang Liangying. production (see p299), the Tea
Museum has lots of interesting
Y Huanglong Dong Park information regarding the
& Qixia Shan different varieties of tea,
North of West Lake (Xi Hu). its cultivation, and the
Huanglong Dong Park, development of tea-making
Entrance archway to Yue Fei Mu nestling in the hills, is and tea-drinking vessels.
(Tomb of Yue Fei) very attractive with Fortunately, many of the
its teahouses, ponds, captions are in English.
Yue Fei Mu and flowers, and
80 Bei Shan Rd. Tel (0571) 8798 6653. a pavilion where P Longjing Village
Open 6am–6pm daily. & musicians perform SW of Tea Museum. &
Just north of the West Lake lies traditional music The village of Longjing
the tomb of the Song in summer. To the (Dragon Well)
GeneralYue Fei, a Chinese hero east is Baoshu Ta, produces one of
revered for his patriotism. His a 20th-century China’s most famous
campaigns against the invading rebuild of a Song-era Wood panel carving at varieties of green tea.
Jin were so successful that his pagoda. Looming Baopu Daoist Temple Visitors can wander
overlords began to worry that close by is Qixia Shan around the tea terraces,
he might turn against them. (Lingering Clouds catching glimpses
He was falsely charged with Mountain), with the Baopu of the different stages of
sedition and executed, only to Daoist Compound located production – cutting, sorting,
become a martyr. halfway up its slopes. This and drying – and also buy the
The Yue Fei Temple is a late active temple has services tea, which varies in price
19th-century construction, on most days. according to its grade.
and the tomb lies beside it. The
central tumulus belongs to Yue
Fei, while the smaller one is his
son’s, who was also executed. The
kneeling figures in iron represent
his tormentors – the prime
minister, his wife, a jealous
general, and the prison governor.
It was customary to spit on them,
but this is no longer encouraged.
E Impression West Lake

Bei Shan Rd. Tel (0571) 8796 2222.
Light Show: 7:30–8:30pm daily.
Every evening, on the lake in
front of Yue Fei Mu Temple, is
a water, light, and animation Inside the main hall of the Hu Qingyu Tang Museum of Chinese Medicine
HANGZHOU 247
 Lingyin Si survival to Zhou Enlai (see p256), VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

1 Fayun Nong, Lingyin Rd. Tel (0571) who prevented its destruction
8796 8665. Open 7:30am–5pm daily. & during the Cultural Revolution. Practical Information
The hill area known as Feilai Still, some parts of the temple 108 miles (180 km) SW of
Feng (The Peak that Flew Here) are ancient, such as the stone Shanghai. * 8,700,000. n 398
is home to some of the city’s pagodas on either side of the Wenshan Lu. (0571) 8505 9039.
main sights, including Lingyin entrance hall that date from AD Transportation
Si. Founded in AD 326, this 969. Behind this hall is the Great ~£ Train station, East train
temple once housed 3,000 Buddha Hall, with an impressive station. @ East bus station, North
monks who worshiped in more 66-ft (20-m) statue of the bus station, West bus station, CAAC
than 70 halls. Though now Buddha carved in 1956 from (buses to airport).
much reduced in size, it is still camphor wood.
one of China’s largest temples. The Ligong Pagoda at the
It was damaged in the 19th entrance was built in honor of spitting image of a hill in India
century Taiping Rebellion, the Indian monk Hui Li, who and asked whether it had flown
and then again by fire in the gave the mountain its eccentric here. Feilai Feng is known for the
20th century. It is said to owe its name. Hui Li thought it was the dozens of Buddhist sculptures
carved into the rock, many
dating from the 10th century.
 Six Harmonies Pagoda

16 Zhijiang Rd. Tel (0571) 8659 1364.
Standing beside the railway
bridge on the northern shore of
the Qiantang River, Liuhe Ta is all
that is left of an octagonal temple
first built in AD 970 to placate
the tidal bore, a massive wall
of water that rushes upstream
during high tide. Over 197-ft
(60-m) high, it served as a light-
Buddha sculptures at Feilai Feng house up until the Ming dynasty.
Hangzhou City Center

Airport
North Bus Station 15km (9 miles)
1 Yue Fei Mu 8km (5 miles)
Wulin Square CAAC
2 Impression West Lake T I A N MU S HA
N RO A D TIYUCHANG ROAD
B AO
West Bus
HUA
3 Huanglong Dong Park and AD

Z H O LU
Station RO
CH U
NCH
NG
N GSHA
Qixia Shan UA RO
UG
ENG
SH A
4 Hu Qingyu Tang Museum Huanglong Dong Park
D
XI RD
Fengqi Lu
N BEI ZHON GSHA
& Qixia Shan

of Chinese Medicine Baoshu Ta
HU AD
QINGCHUN
Baopu Daoist Compound
RO
ROAD
BIN
5 West Lake
AD Longxiangqiao
Yue Fei Mu RO
6 Tea Museum BEI SH AN
Bai
Causeway
AD
RO
X I SH A N R OA
JIEFANG
7 Longjing Village Lake Tours
N ZHON G
IN
ROAD
Jetty
GY
8 Lingyin Si LI N
Impression
Dingan Lu
West Lake
9 Six Harmonies Pagoda Xi Li XINCHENGZHA
N ROAD
Hu Art
D
West Lake
ROAD
Lingyin Si Su Institute
Causeway HEF ANG JIE
Museum of
Xiaoying Chinese Medicine Train Station
Island 800m (900 yards)
AD
ZHO N G HE
NAN ROAD
Tea Museum
RO
W
AN
Huagang
G
Gongyuan OA D
AN R
IN
J ON
S
N
G Lin Biao’s SH GLIN
LO N GR
Former Residence NA OAD
OAD
R
AO
HUP
ELONG RO
MANJU
Longjing
AD
Village
Zoo
0 km 1
Hupaomeng
0 miles 1 Quan Gongyuan D
AR
EV
UL
BO er
Riv
A
GD
Six Harmonies
FUX
IN ng
Pagoda nta
Qia
248 CENTRAL CHINA
West Lake
Long considered one of the scenic wonders of China,
covering over 3 square miles (8 sq km), West Lake (Xi
Hu) is situated at the heart of Hangzhou. Surrounded
by gentle green hills, the lake’s willow-shaded
causeways and fragrant cover of lotus blossoms have
long been an inspiration for artists. Originally the lake
was an inlet off the estuary of the Qiantang River,
becoming a lake when the river began to silt up in . Three Pools Reflecting the Moon
the 4th century. The lake had a tendency to flood, so Three small stone pagodas rise from the
several dykes were built, including the Bai and Su waters near Xiaoying Island. At full moon
Causeways. Hiring a private boat from the eastern candles are placed within and their openings
are covered in paper to create reflections
shore for an afternoon on the water is highly resembling the moon.
recommended, as is a leisurely stroll along the
shady causeways.
XI LI HU
Huagang Garden
This garden is intended as a place for
viewing fish. Designed by a Song-
dynasty eunuch, its pools are filled
with shimmering goldfish in a restful
setting of grasses and trees.
KEY
. Xiaoying Island
1 The Seal Engravers Society is Often called San Tan Yin Yue Island, referring to the three moon-
open in the summer months. reflecting pagodas off its shores, Xiaoying Island consists of four
2 Zhejiang Provincial Museum enclosed pools fringed by pavilions first built in 1611. The zig-
zagging Nine Bend Bridge was built in 1727.
HANGZHOU 249
Hangzhou.
Zhejiang Provincial Museum:
25 Gushan Rd. Tel (0571) 8797
1177. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
∑ zhejiangmuseum.com
Transportation
4 regularly from eastern shore
near Hubin Rd. Boats for hire on
Gu Shan Island.
. Su Causeway
The longer of the two causeways takes its name from the Song-
dynasty poet Su Dongpo, who also served as governor. Linked by
six stone bridges, the causeway is a peaceful thoroughfare running
along the lake’s western edge.
Bridge to Quyuan Garden

This bridge leads to a stunning
garden surrounded by lotus flowers.
It is considered one of the ten
prospects from where the lake
can be seen to best advantage.
GU SHAN
XI HU BEI LI HU
Marco Polo
Whether Marco Polo ever visited China is much
disputed. However, according to the book he
dictated to a ghostwriter who embroidered it
substantially, Polo became governor of nearby
Yangzhou for three years during the Yuan dynasty.
He describes Hangzhou as paradise and the finest
city in the world, with fascinating
markets, pleasure boats, and
prostitutes. Hangzhou was
indeed a cosmopolitan city,
ever since the Southern Song
dynasty made it their
capital. The Travels of
Marco Polo, however, may
be based on earlier
journeys by his father and Bai Causeway
uncle, and stories from Named after the 9th-century poet-governor Bai Juyi,
Engraving of Marco Polo, this dyke leads to Gu Shan, an island first landscaped
other merchants.
1254–1324 during the Tang dynasty, and now containing a
teahouse and the provincial museum.
252 CENTRAL CHINA
3 Ningbo
90 miles (145 km) SE of Hangzhou.

* 7,600,000. k £ @ g n 719
Zhongxing Rd, (0574) 8911 5389
∑ english.ningbo.gov.cn.
China’s greatest port between

the Song and Ming eras,
Ningbo is located upstream
from the coast on the Yong
River. It was later eclipsed by
Shanghai, but has regained
some importance due to its
deep natural harbor. The town
has had a long association with
Lu Xun’s Former Residence, Shaoxing commerce. When Shanghai and
Guangzhou prospered in the
2 Shaoxing Shaoxing’s most famous bridge, 19th and early 20th centuries,
the 13th-century Bazi Qiao, Ningbo’s residents were
resembles the Chinese character employed as “compradors,”
47 miles (67 km) SE of Hangzhou. for number 8, and lies in an area agents or mediators by the
* 4,900,000. £ @ n 288 of old streets off Baziqiao Zhi Jie, foreign companies.
Zhongxing Zhong Rd, (0575) 8520 north of Lu Xun Lu. Ningbo’s main sight is the
0067. ∑ sx.gov.cn
The town makes a good Tianye Ge, a 16th-century
base for several excur- private library, the oldest
Despite the proliferation of new sions. The scenic in China. It resembles a
buildings, this canal town has Dong Hu (East Lake) traditional garden with
retained its charm, with its is nearby. Visitors can bamboo groves,
narrow streets, arched bridges, also take a boat to rockeries, and pavilions,
and whitewashed houses. Yu Ling, allegedly the one of which exhibits
Ancient Shaoxing was the capital tomb of Yu the Great, ancient books and
of the Yue kingdom during 770– founder of the Xia scrolls. To the southeast
221 BC. It remained important kingdom (2200 BC). off Kaiming Jie, is the
over the years, even when Farther out is Lan 14th-century Tianfeng
Hangzhou became the Song Ting (Orchid Pavilion), Stone lion, Tianye Ge Pagoda. The former
capital. Today, it is a scenic place where China’s greatest foreign concession lies at
to explore for its waterways. calligrapher, Wang Xizhi the northern end of Xinjiang
The Qing Teng Shu Wu (AD 321–79), threw a party Bridge, with a 17th-century
(Green Vine Study), former where, so one story goes, guests Portuguese church and a
home of the 16th-century had to drink cups of wine as riverside Bund. Outside the city,
writer and artist Xu Wei, lies they floated past and compose Baoguo Si temple’s Mahavira
off Dacheng Long, an alley a poem, recorded by the host. Hall is the oldest surviving
not far from Jiefang Nan Road. wooden building in the Yangzi
P Qing Teng Shu Wu
Regarded as the best example delta region.
10 Qian Guan Xiang.
of traditional domestic
architecture in China, the P Tianyi Ge
house has a simple ornamental P Lu Xun’s Former Residence 5 Tianyi Jie. Open 8am–5:30pm daily
garden, while one of its rooms 235 Lu Xun Zhong Rd. (to 5pm in winter). &
displays Xu’s expressive art. Open 8:30am–5pm daily. & ∑ tianyige.com.cn
There are also several houses
associated with Lu Xun, perhaps
the best-known modern
Chinese writer, born here
in 1881. Most of them are
clustered together on Lu Xun
Road. The Lu Xun Memorial Hall
has no English captions, but
Lu Xun’s Former Residence is
a fine example of domestic
architecture, with photographs,
furniture, and personal items.
Opposite is Sanwei Shuwu, the
school where he studied. Charming narrow streets around Tianye Ge, Ningbo
Pavilion on bridge over West Lake, Hangzhou
ZHEJIANG & JHANGXI 253
4 Putuo Shan the famous Song artist, Mi Fu. 7 Wenzhou

The Zhenjue Si (Monastery of
See pp254–5.
True Enlightenment) houses
160 miles (257 km) S of Ningbo.
Zhiyi’s mummified body in a
* 9,100,000. ~ £ @ n Area 1,
pagoda in its main hall.
Wenzhou Sports Center, (0577) 8815
7168.
} Huading Peak
Open daily. & Located on the southeast coast
of Zhejiang province, Wenzhou
has always been a seafaring city.
6 Yandang Shan It is still a busy port and its
booming economy is mainly due
50 miles (80 km) NE of Wenzhou. to heavy investment in manufac-
@ from Wenzhou to terminus at turing and textiles by overseas
Yandang Zhen or Ningbo. Chinese. A good base for visiting
nearby Yandang Shan, the city
This is a beautiful area of sheer also offers a few sights of its own.
hills, luxuriant slopes, and The most popular, Jiangxin Park,
monasteries. Its highest peak, is on an island in the Ou River,
The Guoqing Si monastery, at the foot of Baigang Shan, reaches 3,773 ft easily be reached by the regular
Tiantai Shan (1,150 m). The Big Dragon Pool ferry service from Wangjiang
Falls (Dalongqiu Pubu) cascade Dong Road. Completely devoid
5 Tiantai Shan 623 ft (190 m), making them of traffic, the park’s pretty
one of China’s highest. The path gardens, pavilions, pagodas,
leading to them weaves among and footbridges make it a
118 miles (190 km) SE of Hangzhou.
towering columns of rock, pleasant place to spend a few
Tel (0576) 8388 1002. Open 7am–
where, on the hour, a cyclist hours. It also has a working
9pm daily. @
performs a high-wire act. The lighthouse. Stretching between
largest area is Divine Peaks Jiefang Road and Xinhe Road to
The Heavenly Terrace Mountain (Ling Feng), excellent for hiking the south of the Ou River is
– Tiantai Shan – is the seat of among caves and strangely what is left of the old town.
the Tiantai Buddhist sect, which shaped peaks. The Divine Cliffs Here and there are a few
also has strong links with area (Ling Yan), reached by particular buildings of interest
Daoism (see pp36–7). A cable car, has walkways and a such as the 18th-century British-
pilgrimage site since the Eastern suspension bridge. From the built Protestant church, the
Jin, today it is especially popular bus terminus at Yandang Zhen, 19th-century Catholic church,
with Japanese Buddhists, who there are several walking trails. and the Miaoguo Temple, whose
regard China as the Buddhist origins are Tang-dynasty.
motherland. The sect’s founder, } Big Dragon Pool Falls
the monk Zhiyi, spent most of } Jiangxin Park
Open daily. &
his life on the mountain, where Jiangxin Dao. 4 from Jiangxin
} Divine Peaks Matou, Wenzhou. Open 7am–9pm
the imperial court helped him
Open daily. & daily. &
to construct a temple. This
wonderfully scenic spot, with its
paths, streams, and woodlands,
is ideal for walking. Several
famous plants such as Hua Ding
cloud and mist tea, and the
Tiantai mandarin orange, as well
as a variety of medicinal plants,
were discovered here.
The first of Tiantai Shan’s
monasteries, Guoqing Si, lies at
its foot, 2 miles (3 km) from
Tiantai village. From here, a road
leads to the 3,609 ft (1,100 m)
Huading Peak. Visitors can then
walk to Baijingtai Si (Prayer
Terrace Temple) on the summit
or to Shiliang (Stone Beam)
Waterfall, near the Upper
Fangguang Monastery, where
there are a number of
inscriptions, including one by Walkway with panoramic views, Yandang Shan
254 CENTRAL CHINA
4 Putuo Shan
Nestled amongst numerous islands in the Zhou Shan

archipelago, Putuo Shan is one of the four sacred Buddhist
mountains, having strong associations with the goddess
of compassion and mercy, Guanyin. It has been considered
holy since the 10th century, and although the temples
suffered greatly at the hands of the Red Guards during
the Cultural Revolution, they are still impressive and full of To the summit
fascination. A small, attractive island, fringed with bright A cable car links a minibus stop
blue waters and sandy beaches, Putuo Shan has become with the summit of Foding Shan
from where there are wonderful
a very popular place of pilgrimage. Minibuses ply the roads views across the island and
between the major temples and sights, but the island’s hills, out to sea.
caves, and beaches are best explored on foot.
. Puji Si
Surrounded by beautiful camphor
trees, this extensive temple is located
at the island’s tourist center. The first
temple was built here in the
11th century, although the
current temple is far newer.
. Guanyin Colossus
At the southern tip of the island
a massive 108-ft (33-m) statue of
Guanyin stands near the shore.
A pavilion at its base exhibits a
collection of some 400 statues
representing the goddess in
her numerous incarnations.
Chaoyang
Dong
Bai Bu
Jin sha
Chaoyin
KEY Dong
1 Duobao Pagoda
ZHEJIANG & JIANGXI 255
Huiji Si
Close to the top of
Foding Shan, Huiji
Temple, dating back to
50 miles (80 km) east of Ningbo,
1793, stands resplendent
off coast of Zhejiang. n Puji
amid tea bushes and
Temple, (0580) 637 7110. & for
bamboo groves.
island access, plus minimal fees for
separate sights. _ Guanyin Festival
(early Apr, mid-Aug & early Nov).
Transportation
~ at Zhou Shan. g from
Shanghai (fast ferry: 4 hrs; slow
ferry: 14 hrs), Ningbo (fast ferry:
Huo’AI sha 2 ½ hrs; slow ferry: 5 hrs), and
Zhou Shan (30 mins).
Key
Path
Road
0 meters 500
0 yards 500
Gufo
Foding
Dong
S ha n
Qian Bu Sha
Shancai The loveliest of Putuo Shan’s beaches, Qian Bu
Dong Fanyin
Dong Sha (Thousand Step Beach) stretches along the
eastern coast and is separated from Bai Bu Sha
(Hundred Step Beach) by a headland and cave,
Chaoyang Dong, concealing a teahouse.
The Legend of Hui’e

Hui’e, a Japanese monk who had purloined a Guanyin
figure from the holy Buddhist mountain Wutai Shan,
was sailing home when his ship
was caught in a violent storm.
Fearing for his life, he vowed to
build a temple to Guanyin if he
were saved. The seas suddenly
calmed, and the ship floated
gently towards the nearby
shores of Putuo Shan. Believing
. Fayu Si that Guanyin was choosing the
The 200 halls of this charming temple pile up island, Hui’e built the promised
against the flank of a hill overlooking the sea. temple and became a devoted
The Dayuan Hall, unusual for its domed roof hermit, spending the rest of his Frieze of Hui’e sailing near
and beamless arched ceiling, was brought life on Putuo Shan. Putuo Shan
here from Nanjing in the late 17th century.
256 CENTRAL CHINA
8 Nanchang  Youmin Si
181 Ming De Lu. Tel (0791) 8622 2301.
Open 8am–6pm daily. & Bayi Park:
Founded during the Han era, this provincial capital flourished Open 8am–6pm daily. &
under the Ming dynasty as a center of trade. However, it is This Buddhist temple, founded in
the Liang era in the 6th century,
best remembered as the scene of a significant uprising led by
is one of Jiangxi’s principal shrines.
the Communist leader Zhou Enlai, who took control of the It was damaged during the
city for a few days in 1927. Although Nanchang was soon Cultural Revolution, and has now
recaptured by the Nationalists, the incident started a chain of been restored. One of its three
events that ultimately led to the formation of the People’s halls has a 33-ft (10-m) high
Republic of China. Despite being largely an industrial city, Buddha standing on a lotus. The
temple also houses a Ming-
Nanchang has numerous sights, including a good museum dynasty bronze bell and a cast
and several sites with revolutionary associations. during the Tang era in AD 967.
Just south of the temple is
Bayi Park (August 1st Park),
formerly the site of the imperial
examination halls. It is a pleasant
expanse of water and greenery,
with an enclosed garden known
as Old Man Su’s Vegetable Plot,
after its Song-dynasty owner.
E Revolutionary Museum
380 Zhongshan Lu. @ 2, 7, 18.
Housed in a striking building that
was once a hotel, the August 1
Uprising Museum was the
headquarters of the Communist
forces led by Zhou Enlai, that
captured the city in 1927. Its
Offering incense sticks in front of the Youmin Si three floors are filled with period
furniture and weaponry.
E Bayi Square Zhu De and Zhou Enlai, who led
Memorial Hall to the Martyrs of the the uprising that briefly captured P Teng Wang Pavilion
Revolution: 399 Bayi Dadao. Tel (0791) the city on August 1 of that year. 7 Yanjiang Lu. Tel (0791) 8670 4772.
8626 2566. Open 9am–4pm Tue–Sun. Their army, consisting of about Open summer: 7:30am–6pm daily;
The huge, open space of Bayi 30,000 rebels, held the city winter: 8am–5:30pm daily. &
(August 1) Square is surrounded until the Kuomintang forces The impressive Teng Wang
by some impressive, if slightly drove them out. Although the Pavilion was first built in 653,
chilling, examples of Soviet- operation was a failure, it is during the early Tang era and
inspired revolutionary considered a defining moment immortalized by the poet Tang
architecture. At the southern in 20th-century Chinese history, Bo. There have been about 26
end is the Monument to the and celebrated as the day of versions of the pavilion since then
Martyrs, a theatrical sculpture of the birth of the Red Army. – the latest was erected in 1989
revolutionary fervor topped by
a rifle, while the vast Exhibition
Hall is decorated with a glit- Zhou Enlai (1898–1976)
tering red star. Just north of the
square is the Memorial Hall to Zhou Enlai, one of the early members of the
the Martyrs of the Revolution, Chinese Communist Party, became the nation’s
which exhibits archival prime minister in 1949. His pragmatism and
diplomacy helped him survive the constant
photographs of events in China
upheavals of Mao Zedong’s chairmanship. To
between the 1920s and 1940s.
the West, he represented the reasonable and
affable side of the Chinese people, while to his
P Zhu De’s Former
countrymen, he was the only member of the
Residence government to understand their problems.
2 Dong Ming De Lu. Open 8am– He is credited with curbing some of the
5:30pm daily. excesses of the Cultural Revolution. When
This attractive wooden house he died, the outpouring of grief in China was
dates from 1927, when it housed Premier Zhou Enlai in 1973 spontaneous and heartfelt.
the fledgling revolutionaries,
312 miles (500 km) SW of Hang-
zhou. * 5,100,000. n 8
Hongcheng Lu, (0791) 8620 0289.
Transport
£ Nanchang West Train Station
(high-speed trains). @ Long
Distance Bus Station, CAAC (buses
to airport). g Ferry Terminal.
said to avert disaster, while its

The stately Teng Wang Pavilion, on the banks of the Gan Jiang destruction heralded the fall of
the city. The pagoda is located
to replace the one destroyed by Jingdezhen, dating from the 4th in a quaint neighborhood with
fire in 1926. The 197-ft (60-m) century to the Qing era. There a handful of teahouses, barber
high structure is in the Southern are also funeral items from the shops, and grocery stores.
Song style. Visitors can take a lift Spring & Autumn period and
to the top for views of the city. the Ming era, including statuary, E Eight Hermits Hall
Occasional performances of jade belts, and jewelry, some of Dingshan Qiao. Tel (0791) 8527 3565.
dance and music or local opera which were discovered in the @ 20. Open 8am–6pm daily. &
are also held in the tiny theater. tomb of the son of Hongwu, The Eight Hermits (Ba Da
founder of the Ming dynasty. Shanren) Memorial Hall was the
E Provincial Museum retreat of one of China’s great
2 Xinzhou Jiangxi Lu. Tel (0791) 8659  Shengjin Ta painters, Zhu Da, who flourished
5424. Open 8:30am–4:30pm Tue–Sun. Zhishi Jie. @ 5. Open 7am–6pm at the end of the Ming era and
Located near the river in the daily. & the early Qing dynasty. He was a
west of the city, this museum’s Formerly part of a temple, this descendant of the Ming imperial
building outshines its collection. 194-ft (59-m) high brick pagoda family who went into hiding here
However, the existing exhibits was first built in the late Tang after their fall, in what was origi-
are interesting, and include fossils dynasty, but was entirely rebuilt nally designed as a Taoist retreat.
found in Jiangxi, and a range of in the 18th century. Like many His paintings, strikingly spare and
porcelain from the kilns at pagodas, its construction was direct, are reproduced here.
Airport
Nanchang City 27 km (16 miles)
Bayi
Center Bridge YA N G M I N G L U
1 Bayi Square
ang
BA
2 Zhu De’s Former

YI
AN LU
Gan Ji
DIESH
D A DAO
Residence Youmin
XIANG
3 Youmin Si
SHEN
Si
Teng Wang
SHAN
4 Revolutionary Museum LU
Zhu De’s
GLI
Pavillion DE Former
NG
5 Teng Wang Pavilion MI Residence
LU
BEI LU
FU HE B
SUPU
6 Provincial Museum
Bayi
LU
7 Shengjin Ta MING
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BAYI
SQUARE
U
Provincial ZHO
HA N LU NG LU
Museum ZH O N G S S H AN
Exhibition BEIJING
Revolutionary Hall XI LU
Museum
Z I LU
U RU
ZI L
RU
Long Distance
XIA
Bus Station
NG
BA
SHA
YI
N N
FU
D
A
0 km 1 HE
Train Station
AN
ZH
1 km (0.6 miles)
AO
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LU
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SHAN
IAN XI LU
A NQ
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Shengjin
Ta
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Eight Hermits Hall

258 CENTRAL CHINA
0 Lu Shan
During the 19th century, this beautiful area of highland

scenery was developed by Edward Little, a Methodist minister
and property speculator, as a resort area for Europeans. Later
it became a favorite retreat among Chinese politicians;
Chiang Kai-shek had a summer residence here and from
1949 Lu Shan was popular with Mao and his ministers. Today,
despite the summer crowds, Lu Shan remains a refreshing
place for walks among lakes, hills, and waterfalls.
Xunyang Lou, an impressive re-creation of

a Tang-era tavern
9 Jiujiang
80 miles (130 km) N of Nanchang.

* 4,700,000. £ @ n 6 Lufeng Lu,
(0792) 898 2268 . ∑ jiujiang.gov.cn/
English
The gateway to Lu Shan, the

ancient port of Jiujiang, was
used for shipping rice and tea . Floral Path
and, during the Ming dynasty, This walk skirts the edge of the western cliffs, giving
porcelain from Jingdezhen. Badly marvelous views over the Jinxiu Valley. The path
damaged during the Taiping leads to the Immortal’s Cave, once inhabited by a
insurrection, it was later opened Daoist monk.
to foreign trade in 1861 and
became noted for its tea bricks.
The older and livelier part
of town lies close to the river,
separated from the industrial
section by two lakes. Yanshui
Ting, the Misty Water Pavilion,
is located on a small island
on Gantang Hu. It was most
recently rebuilt in the Qing
dynasty and contains a
museum showing old photos
of Jiujiang. Nengren Si was
founded in AD 502. Closed
during the Cultural Revolution,
it now houses a flourishing
community of monks.
The Xunyang Lou is a
modern reincarnation of a . Dragon’s Head Cliff
Tang-dynasty wooden tavern Magnificent views combine with the
that was the setting for a sound of the wind in the pine forest and
raucous scene in the Chinese the roaring of waterfalls in the Stone
classic The Water Margin Gate Ravine.
(see pp34–5).
 Nengren Si He
KEY jun
ng
Jia
168 Yuliang Nan Lu. Open daily.
& 1 Suspension Bridge
P Xunyang Lou 2 Lu Shan Museum, housed in
908 Binjiang Lu. Open 7am–6pm Mao’s former villa.
daily. &
Key
0 meters 500 VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Tourist information
0 yards 500 Practical Information
Path
Road Guling, 22 miles (35 km) S of Jiujiang.
Open 6am–6pm daily. & entry
to scenic area and for each site.
8-=0
Transportation
@ from Jiujiang long distance bus
station or train station; minibus
from Jiujiang ferry car park
N LU
D A JI
Ruqin
U
Hu
. Meilu Villa
NL
HEDONG LU
NA
Named after his wife Soong Meiling, this is

HE
L
N
the former villa of Chiang Kai-shek and one of
A
SH
the few places in China that commemorates

G
N
IA
X
his period of rule.
People’s Hall
The site of the 1959 Central Committee
Congress, during which Peng Dehui
Lulin criticized Mao’s Great Leap Forward, is
Hu
now a museum.
Yuping
Feng
BOTANICAL
GARDENS
Black Dragon Pool

Five streams plunge over a huge
stone into a pool that is said to be
inhabited by a dark dragon, although
the water is limpid and clean.

260 CENTRAL CHINA
Porcelain
Despite Chinese pottery’s long history, it was not until the
Bronze Age (between about 1500 and 400 BC) that special
clays and hotter kilns resulted in a harder, sometimes
glazed stoneware. True porcelain, however, did not appear
until the Sui dynasty (AD 581–618). A far finer type of
ceramic, true porcelain is smooth and polished, and Blue and White Ming porcelain
produces an almost crystalline ring when struck; at its most is seen by some as the epitome
delicate, it is even translucent. Porcelain became popular in of Chinese style. The elegance
of the designs and the depth
Europe during the 16th century, and the Portuguese, and of color are astounding.
later the Dutch and English, set up a lucrative trade
between China and the rest of the world.
Jingdezhen clay is the key to the quality of the As on a production line, each artisan performs a
porcelain and is a mixture of fine white kaolin single task in the porcelain-making process. The clay
and “petuntse” (a crushed feldspar rock). The is centered on a wheel and thrown into a rough
resulting fine powder is washed, strained shape, sculpted into a finer piece with scrapers, and
through silk, and dried. brushed with water to create a smooth surface.
A cobalt blue underglaze may be added before Firing is a crucial stage in making porcelain –
coating with a clear glaze of limestone ash, the fluctuations in temperature can ruin thousands of
finest petuntse, and water. The glaze absorbs pieces in one go. The best porcelain is fired inside
the blue dye and fuses into the original clay to clay “saggars” – cases that protect them from dust
form a hard glassy porcelain. and sudden variations in heat.
Reign mark starts here and reads top

to bottom, right to left
Rose medallion porcelain was
made specially for export. Often Reign marks show
these pieces were made to Western the reign name of
designs in terms of shape and the emperor when
decoration. Sometimes dinner the piece was made.
sets displaying a family or even However, the ease
a royal crest were produced, with which they can be
and designs were sent from faked renders accurate
Europe to be reproduced by Characters for Emperor dating the task of experts.
the Chinese. Hongzhi
Porcelain Timeline
Han
A key development
during this
period was the
art of glazing.
Simple pots
began changing
from everyday
items to works of art. One of Jingdezhen’s many pottery shops
Tang
q Jingdezhen Pottery Factory (Guyao
Technical advances during Cichang) gives demonstrations
the Tang dynasty saw the of the ancient techniques used
production of new types of 108 miles (174 km) NE of Nanchang. in the making of porcelain.
porcelain, most famously * 1,550,000. k £ @ n CITS, 1 The Porcelain Museum (Taoci
the sancai (tri-colored) Zhushan Xi Lu, (0798) 850 5566.
pieces illustrating figures Guan) houses a collection of
from the Silk Road. beautiful porcelain from the
For centuries the ceramic capital Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties,
Song of China, Jingdezhen is still one as well as some of the finer
Beautiful Song porcelain is
of the country’s major porcelain creations produced since the
characterized by simple producers. Although pottery establishment of the PRC in
shapes glazed kilns were operating here as far 1949. The main porcelain
in a single, back as the Han dynasty, it was market is on Jiefang Road.
rich color. the discovery of real porcelain, Porcelain in all shapes and sizes
New shapes during the Five Dynasties era is sold here, from classical-
were devel- (907–79), which period reproductions to
oped, as well as depended on locally garden ornaments and
the cracked glazing found clay rich in sentimental reproduc-
technique. feldspar, that brought tions of dogs and cats.
Yuan Jingdezhen its pre- For a view across the
eminence. During the roofs of town, visitors
Porcelain from the Ming dynasty, its can climb the wooden
Mongol dynasty location near the four-story Longzhu Ge
absorbed foreign
imperial capital of Detail from (Dragon Pearl Pavilion).
influences. Cobalt
blue underglaze was Nanjing increased its museum entrance
importance and it E Ceramic History
introduced, and later
per fected during the became famous for fine porce- Exposition
Ming period. lain with a blue underglaze. Zhonghua Bei Lu. Tel (0798) 822 1390.
Although the quality of the Open 2–5:30pm daily. &
Ming porcelain is lower than in the E Porcelain Museum
past, the main reason for visiting 21 Lianshe Beilu Lu. Tel (0798) 822
The Ming dynasty was the Jingdezhen is still ceramic 8005. Open 8am–5pm daily. &
era of imperial patronage of
production. Visiting a factory or
Jingdezhen and large-scale
exportation to the West. The one of the ancient kiln sites will
kilns flourished and the need to be arranged though
artisans returned to a richer CITS but there are also several
palette of colors and places of interest that can be
pictorial design. visited independently.
The Ceramic History
Qing Exposition (Taoci Lishi Bolanqu)
The latter part of this dynasty is located in a rural setting on
was often characterized by the western edge of town.
overly elaborate design and Displays of items taken from
poor quality, but the early ancient kiln sites around
part of the Jingdezhen and of potters at
Qing saw the work effectively make this
production of museum interactive. It is housed
delicate famille
in an elegant Ming house, a rare
rose porcelain.
survivor among the many that
would once have graced the The wooden Longzhu Ge, with views
town. The adjacent Ancient across Jingdezhen
262 CENTRAL CHINA
The Long March

During the 1920s the outlawed Communist leaders sought
refuge from the Kuomintang (KMT) at remote rural bases,
or “soviets,’’ in Sichuan, Hunan, and in Jiangxi province, at
Jinggang Shan, the headquarters run by Mao Zedong and
Zhu De. In October 1934, with the KMT closing in, the Jiangxi
Soviet was forced to break out and join thousands of revolu-
tionaries on a tactical retreat. Covering, largely at night, an
average of 20 miles (32 km) a day, the Communists marched
5,900 miles (9,500 km) in a year. The march, however, was
The Red Army – outlawed, harried
not a strategic success and many did not survive it. and hungry – had to fight battles,
outwit their better-equipped
7 Crossing the remote, enemy, and cross inhospitable
boggy and freezing Aba terrain in all seasons.
Grasslands brought enor-
mous losses. A subsequent
meeting with rival Zhang
Guotao firmly established
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some of the highest in the country. Crossing the ( 6 " / ( 9*
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passes was the most challenging episode of the Long
March, and led to the death, through altitude sickness, 4 At Lu Shan Pass,
exhaustion, and exposure, of many Red Army soldiers. the Red Army reached the
pass just ahead of the KMT,
deceived their pursuers, and
gained an unexpected victory.
5 The Luding Chain Bridge (see p377) was the

only means of crossing the Dadu River. Blocked 3 Zunyi was taken despite heavy losses in January
by KMT troops who had removed most of the 1935. Mao emerged from the ensuing conference
bridge’s planks, 22 Red Army soldiers took the as leader of the Communist Party and commander
bridge by crawling along the remaining chains, of the Red Army; the Soviet-supported general
with the loss of seven men. was expelled.
Many prominent Long Marchers

became China’s future leaders,
including (from left) Bo Gu (Com- The thickly wooded slopes of Jinggang Shan
munist leader until 1935), Zhou
Enlai, Zhu De, and Mao Zedong. w Jinggang Shan 1928. Located at about 3,300 ft
(1,000 m), Ciping was the center
of the Jinggang Shan revolut-
#FJKJOH Ciping, 220 miles (350 km) SW of ionary base during the 1920s
Nanchang. @ n 2 Tianjie Lu, (0796) and 1930s and is now the site
655 0550. & for most revolutionary
of local government. Its location
and scenic sights.
at the center of the mountain
range and growing collection
There are two reasons for of hotels make it a good base
visiting Jinggang Shan: its for exploring the area. The
) &/" / scenery, which has been beauty of the area is a
featured on Chinese startling contrast with
4IBOHIBJ banknotes, and its image as a gritty,
its revolutionary revolutionary strong-
associations. The hold. There are the 33-ft
mountain range, of (100-m) Shuikou water-
which the main peak falls, located in a
is Jinggang Shan, luxuriant valley
+* " / ( 9 * sometimes known surrounded by
$IBOHTIB as Wuzhi Feng (Five rocks amid bamboo,
Fingers Peak), azaleas, and pine
) 6/ "/ reaches to 5,200 ft forest. Wulong Tan,
(1,586 m). There are Monument outside a few miles north of
magnificent views, Wulong Tan Ciping, is composed
especially at sunrise, of several limpid
( 6 " / ( % 0 /( as well as a great variety pools into which stream a
of plants, birds, butterflies, number of rapids and water falls.
(VBOH[IPV
and other insects. A cable car can take you to the
The village of Ciping was top and give you magnificent
destroyed during the civil war views over the whole area,
of the 1930s but was rebuilt whilst for those with enough
after 1949 as a sort of shrine to energy, much of the area can be
the Communist struggle and enjoyed on foot.
to the Long March in particular.
There are a number of buildings
commemorating the way of life
1 Jinggang Shan was the of the early revolutionaries,
base of the Jiangxi Soviet forced here in the late 1920s by
whose position was steadily Chiang Kai-shek’s persecution,
being eroded by advancing which culminated in a massacre
KMT troops. Led by Mao of striking workers in Shanghai
Zedong, the Long March started in 1927. It is possible here to
from here on October 16 ,1934. gain some idea of what life was
like for the revolutionaries, as
2 The crossing of the they developed their strategy
Xiang River was the marchers’ before the epic walk to Shaanxi.
first major battle. Accounted a A short distance away is the
disaster, huge amounts of equip- watching post at Huangyang
ment were lost in the waters. Jie, where the Red Army Pearl Pool, one of the five waterfalls
repulsed Kuomintang troops in at Wulong Tan
CENTRAL CHINA 265
HUNAN & HUBEI

Hunan and Hubei are central China’s westernmost provinces. Hubei HUBEI
is dominated by the mighty Yangzi River, and its capital Wuhan is a
great industrial city on the river. The mountainous Three Gorges in HUNAN
western Hubei near Yichang is the site of the world’s largest dam,
completed in 2007. The scenic Shennongjia Forest Reserve, home of
the legendary Wild Man, and Wudang Shan, known for its martial arts
school, are spectacular sights worth visiting, although remote and difficult to access.
Hunan’s fertile farmlands lured millions of migrants during the political upheavals in
north China between the 8th and 11th centuries. An important grain producer during
the Ming and Qing dynasties, by the 19th century the population had outgrown the
land, and the ensuing unrest was exploited by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Rebellion
(see p428). The region’s poverty also had a great impact on China’s history in the 20th
century. As the birthplace of Mao Zedong, Hunan’s revolutionary credentials are still one
of its principal attractions, both in Changsha, the capital, and in Mao’s birthplace at Shao
Shan. Other popular sights include Dongting Hu, China’s second-largest lake, in the
northeast, the temples at scenic Heng Shan in the south, and the wonderful mountain
scenery of Wulingyuan in the northwest.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Historic Sites Nature Reserves & Areas of
1 Changsha 2 Shao Shan Natural Beauty
4 Furongzhen Temples & Holy Mountains 5 Wulingyuan pp270–71
6 Yueyang 0 Shennongjia
3 Heng Shan
7 Wuhan
q Wudang Shan
8 Jingzhou Dam
9 Yichang
Danjiangkou
Shuiku
Shiyan
Laohekou
Zaoyang
Xiangfan
G45
G
Suizhou
70
G55
G4
Anlu Macheng
Jingmen Xiaogan
Jianshi G50 Han
Shu Xishui
i
Zhicheng Huangshi
Enshi Xiantao Liangzi
zi Hu
Xianfeng ng
Ya
G56
Jinshi
Cili Chongyang
Dongting
Hu
G4
Yongshun Changde
Jiang
an Yiyang
Yu G56 Pingjiang
ui
Zi Sh
G45
Jishou Anhua
Xiangtan
Zhuzhou
Huaihua Lianyuan
0 Liling 0 km 100
Shaoyang G6
0 miles 100
Hongjiang Hengyang
G60 2
G7 Leiyang Key
Tongdao Yongzhou
Chenzhou Zixing Expressway
G4
National Highway
Daoxian
Yizhang
Railroad
Guilin
Provincial border
Shaoguan
The hanging restaurant near Three Travelers’ Cave, Yichang For additional map symbols see back flap
266 CENTRAL CHINA
amount of elasticity. Amazingly 2 Shao Shan

scientists were able to deter-
mine that she died at 50, and
48 miles (80 km) SW of Changsha.
was suffering from tuberculosis
£ daily from Changsha. @
and arthritis. According to the
customs at the time, the tombs
were filled with foods and The birthplace of Mao Zedong,
furnishings to comfort that part China’s leader from 1949 until
of the soul that remains on his death in 1976, Shao Shan is
earth, and a silk banner that really two towns. The newer
mapped the Han belief system. one is near the train station,
Close by is the pleasantly while the village of Shao Shan
landscaped Martyrs’ Park. Dong, where the “Great
No. 1 Teachers’ Training College, Changsha Among the numerous sites Helmsman” spent his early
related to Mao Zedong, the years, is 4 miles (6 km) away.
1 Changsha most interesting is the No. 1 At the height of the Mao
Teacher’s Training College, phenomenon during the
where he studied from 1913 Cultural Revolution, special
207 miles (333 km) S of Wuhan.
until 1918. Although he pilgrimage trains, crowded
* 7,000,000. ~ £ @ n 88, 1 Duan,
famously failed his art with Red Guards, brought
Furong Zhong Rd. Tel (0731) 853 3991.
exam, by drawing a almost 8,000 worshipers
An important ancient city, circle and calling it an a day. Shao Shan is still
Changsha was the capital of the egg, he was declared popular and any
Chu kingdom until the unifica- student of the year in buildings connected with
tion of China under the Qin in 1917. At college, he Mao are now preserved
280 BC. Much later, the city’s devoted much of his as museums. Mao’s
profile was raised once more time to organizing Family House, where he
when in 1903 it became a treaty student societies, a useful was born in 1893, is
port, open to foreign trade. practice for his future role typically rural, except
During the Sino-Japanese war as leader. Mao returned as for its displays of
in 1938 it was damaged by a teacher between 1920 memorabilia. Nearby
the Kuomintang. and 1922. Visitors can lie the sizable Mao
The Hunan Provincial follow a self-guided Mao statue, Zedong Memorial
Museum houses many items of route through the rebuilt No. 1 Teachers’ Museum and the Mao
interest, including Neolithic college, which is still Training College Ancestral Temple.
pottery and bronzes from the active, visiting the Overlooking the
Shang and Zhou eras. While dormitories, the well where Mao village is Shao Peak, accessed
it is being renovated, there bathed, and the halls where he by cable car. About 2 miles
will be temporary exhibits at held political meetings. (3 km) from the village is
the Changsha City Museum Dripping Water Cave, where,
(538 Bayi Rd), though the E Hunan Provincial Museum legend has it, Mao pondered
permanent collection is of and Martyrs’ Park over the Cultural Revolution
greater interest, containing 50 Dongfeng Rd. Tel (0731) 8451 in 1966.
items excavated from three 4630. Closed for renovation until
2015. & ∑ hnmuseum.com P Mao’s Family House and Mao
Han-dynasty tombs at
Mawangdui, to the east of the P Hunan First Normal College Zedong Memorial Museum
city. The first tomb belonged to 356 Shuyuan Rd. Tel (0731) 515 0619. Shao Shan Chong. Tel (0731) 5568
the wife of the Marquis of Dai, Open daily. ∑ hnfnu.edu.cn 5157. Open 9am–4pm daily. &
the second was that of the
Marquis himself, while the third
contained their son. The
Marquis, Li Cang, became prime
minister in 193 BC, and died in
186. The tombs contained a
wooden outer coffin, surround-
ed by a protective layer of clay
and charcoal, within which were
four other coffins, lacquered
and handsomely painted. The
bodies had been dressed in
several layers of silk. His wife’s
body (on display in a liquid-filled
tank) was so well preserved that
her skin retained a certain Stone tablets engraved with Mao’s poems, Shao Peak, Shao Shan
HUNAN & HUBEI 267
5 Wulingyuan
See pp270–71.
6 Yueyang
90 miles (145 km) N of Changsha.

* 5,400,000. £ g at Chenglingji.
n 121 Yunmeng Rd, (0730) 828 2222.
Situated on the banks of the

Yangzi and the shores of
Dongting Hu, China’s second
Grand gateway of the Zhusheng Si Monastery, Nanyue largest freshwater lake, Yueyang
is an important stopping point
3 Heng Shan 4 Furongzhen for river ferries and trains on the
Beijing to Guangzhou line. Its
main sight, Yueyang Tower, was
85 miles (135 km) S of Changsha. 249 miles (400 km) NW of Changsha.
once part of a Tang-era temple.
Tel (0734) 567 3377. @ from £ to Mengdonghe, then bus or boat.
@ g from Mengdonghe.
The current structure, dating
Changsha to Nanyue. Open daily. &
from the Qing era, is an
One of the five holy Daoist Mengdonghe is the jumping- impressive sight, with its glazed
mountains, Heng Shan, at 4,232 off point to Furongzhen (Wang yellow-tiled roofs overlooking
ft (1,290 m), is a cluster of Cun), the location of the epony- the lake. Nearby are two
wooded peaks, dotted with mous 1986 film A Small Town pavilions, Xianmei Ting and
temples dating back some 1,300 Called Hibiscus. Furongzhen Sanzui Ting; the latter was
years ago. The gateway to Heng means Hibiscus Town and the where Lu Dongbin, one of the
Shan is Nanyue, a 2-hour bus film was an adaptation of the Taoist Eight Immortals (see
journey from Changsha. It is a novel A Town Called Hibiscus by pp36–7), came to drink wine. To
pleasant little town with two Gu Hua. It was one of the first the south is Cishi Ta, a pagoda
main streets, and a couple of books to show how the political built in 1242 to propitiate flood-
significant temples. Nanyue upheavals of the 1950s and causing demons.
Damiao has been a place of 1960s affected people in rural A 30-minute boat ride from
worship for both Buddhist and China. Furongzhen is an Yueyang is the small island of
Daoists since the early 8th attractive town with stone Junshan Dao, a former Daoist
century AD, although the streets and old wooden build- retreat that is now famous for its
current buildings, modeled on ings. Its Tujia Museum on silver needle tea.
Beijing’s Forbidden City, date Hepan Jie is devoted to the
from the 19th century. The other, culture of the indigenous Tujia P Yueyang Tower
Zhusheng Si, is an 8th-century people (see p31). Visitors can Dongting Beilu. @ 12 or 15.
Buddhist monastery, rebuilt in also go rafting near Furongzhen, Tel (0730) 831 5588. Open
the 18th century. on the Yuan Jiang River. 7am–6:30pm daily. &
The mountain can be
explored on foot or by minibus,
but it is a 9-mile (15-km) walk to
the top. There is a cable car to
the summit from about halfway.
A number of monasteries and
temples lie along the path that
meanders through lush
countryside before reaching the
Martyrs’ Memorial Hall,
honoring those who died in the
1911 revolution. Next is the
7th-century Xuandu Si, Hunan’s
main Daoist temple. The route
finally leads to Shangfeng Si,
also the minibus terminus. Just
beyond is the summit marked
by Zhurong Gong, a tiny stone
temple. Visitors can stay at a
hotel near the top for views
from the Terrace for Watching
the Sunrise. A river boat at the scenic Junshan Dao (Junshan Island)
268 CENTRAL CHINA
Cult of Mao
When he became Chairman in 1949, Mao Zedong was
already a figure of almost mystical stature, having led the
Red Army since 1934. He was an ideologue and whilst his
impatience at the pace of reform led to decisions that often
brought disaster, skillful maneuvering by the party meant
that he remained a heroic figurehead. The Cultural
Revolution (see pp70–71) of 1966–76, was, at the expense of
millions of lives, a calculated attempt to make Mao a deity.
The years after his death saw a diminution of his status, but Mao’s portrayal, not only as a
deity but as a man of the people,
since the 1990s his popularity has revived. Once again Mao
was part of the ambiguity of the
is considered by millions to be weida – Great. cult. Nonetheless, Mao remains at
the center of the image
surrounded by adoring women.
Poster Art
In the 1960s the Chinese
propaganda machine turned
out posters featuring Mao
by the million. He was often
portrayed as a benevolent
avatar, a god come among
the people to transform
their lives.
A Mao study group discusses

Mao’s philosophy in the late
1960s. His thought briefly
became a modern substitute
for the Confucian philosophy
that had dominated Chinese
intellectual life for millennia.
“Celebrate the birth and life of Chairman Mao’s face was always a ruddy red, as
Mao for 10,000 years.” artists were told to avoid grey and to
imbue him with cherub-like youth.
The thoughts of Chairman
Mao were collected in 1961
in a volume, known as the
Little Red Book, which was
distributed to all Red Guards.
Pilgrims at Shao Shan, Mao’s

birthplace (see p266), pay their
respects. At the height of the Cultural
Revolution, several trains a day pulled into
Shao Shan to disgorge thousands of fervent
pilgrims. In the 1980s this traffic all but
ceased but was revived again in the 1990s.
HUNAN & HUBEI 269
“Chairman Mao is the red sun in our hearts,” this poster

asserts. The uppermost characters say “the East is Red,” the
name of a piece of music that became an anthem of the
Cultural Revolution.
Light always radiates Early poster art was slightly different

from behind Mao, just as in character from later propaganda.
a halo might appear
behind a god in a temple.
Although this poster asks people to
march forward under the banner of
Mao Zedong, revolutionary Soviet-
endorsed communism, rather than
Maoism, is celebrated on the flags.
Mao memorabilia is widely avail-

able in China, although many of the
pieces on sale at markets today
have been produced specifically for
the tourist market.
Since Mao’s
death the
Party has had to
tread a delicate line between
condemnation of his excesses and
praise for his achievements. His
portrait still hangs at the north end of
Tian’an Men Square and his image is
on all Chinese banknotes; perhaps his
posthumous function is as a symbol
of a united China.
Mao Attacked
In 1994 Mao’s private physician, Li Zhisui, wrote The Private
Life of Chairman Mao, in which Mao is portrayed as vain,
cold, and contemptuous of his colleagues and of the
suffering of the Chinese people.
The book was instantly banned by
the Chinese government. At the time
of publication, Li was living in the
United States and so escaped
persecution. The book provides
some surprising insights into Mao’s
Domestic shrines with a figure of Mao to habits and opinions. However, many
whom family members would address critics, even those unsympathetic to
their revolutionary prayers started Mao’s politics, claim that the book is The jacket of Li’s
replacing Daoist and Buddhist shrines simply opportunistic. biography
during the 1960s. Mao shrines are still
seen, although the Party disapproves.
270 CENTRAL CHINA
5 Wulingyuan
Often called Zhangjiajie, this 243-square-mile (391-sq-km)
scenic preserve is a karst landscape (see pp418–19) of
enormous beauty, with rocky pinnacles rising from a coverlet
of dense subtropical vegetation. Wulingyuan covers three
natural reserves – Zhangjiajie, Tianzi Shan, and Suoxi Yu –
and contains well over 500 species of tree, including the
dawn redwood, which was believed to be extinct until it was
re-identified in 1948. It is also a haven for fauna, including
giant salamanders, rhesus monkeys, and a wide variety of
birds. The park is often cloaked in fog, adding atmosphere . Xianren Qiao
but obscuring most views. Summers are excessively humid. The Bridge of the Immortals is a
spectacular, narrow, and unfenced span
of rock over a deep chasm.
TIANZI SHAN
ZHEN
. Huang Shi Zhai

At 3,450 ft (1,050 m), Huang Shi Zhai is the
highest area in Wulingyuan. The climb up
the 3,878 steps requires a good 2 hours;
there is also a cable car if the stairway
sounds too daunting.
ZHANGJIAJIE
NATURE PRESERVE
XI
n
bia
Jin
ZHANGJIAJIE
CUN
ZHANGJIAJIE SHI
Kongzhong
Tianyuan
The Heavenly Garden
is an isolated outcrop KEY
covered in a mantle of
green and surrounded 1 Jin Bian Yan, a sandstone peak
by clusters of slender which stands at 1,312 ft (400 m).
pinnacles and 2 Boat trips on Baofeng Hu’s
towering peaks. pristine waters are included in the
price of admission.
HUNAN & HUBEI 271
190 miles (305 km) NW of Chang-
sha. Open daily. n 89 Ziwu
Zhong Rd, Zhangjiajie Shi, (0744)
829 8777. & valid for 3 days.
∑ zhangjiajietourism.us
Transportation
~ at Zhangjiajie Shi (Zhangjiajie
City). £ to Zhangjiajie Shi. @
to Zhangjiajie Shi; 1 hour tourist
bus to Zhangjiajie Cun
(Zhangjiajie Village).
8pt
Tianzi Ge
Key
In the northern part of the preserve, the pinnacle of this hill allows
views of a valley forested with dozens of fine, splinter-like tors. Cable car
Numerous underground caverns are found throughout the Path
surrounding area.
Road
Yubi Feng
The limestone
columns of the
Emperor’s Brushes are
featured on Chinese
TIANZI SHAN
NATURE PRESERVE
stamps and resemble
traditional Chinese
calligraphy brushes.
Ga
n
Xi
SUOXI YU NATURE
PRESERVE SUOXIYU CUN
Su
oX
i
Baofeng Hu 0 meters 1000
0 yards 1000
Exploring Wulingyuan
The main entrance is just past Zhangjiajie Cun.
Follow the left path for a 4-hour walk that includes
Huang Shi Zhai. The right path presents several
options, taking you, eventually, away from the
crowds. Accommodations are available in
Zhangjiajie Cun, as well as Suoxiyu Cun, which . Huanglong Dong
is a good base for exploring the east and north Although garishly illuminated, 7-mile (11-km) Yellow
of the park. Simple inns are scattered throughout Dragon Cave loses none of its impact. Boat tours drift
the reserve. down its subterranean river.
272 CENTRAL CHINA
7 Wuhan Changchun Guan, a Daoist

temple with a pharmacy, where
a doctor dispenses locally
An important port on the Yangzi, Hubei’s capital is an collected herbs. To the south is
amalgamation of three older cities. Wuchang, capital of the Hong Ge, a red-brick building
State of Wu (770–221 BC), and Hanyang, founded in the Sui that housed the Former
era (AD 581–618), are ancient settlements, while Hankou was Headquarters of the Hubei
Military Government (Hong
founded in 1861 when it became a treaty port for foreign
Lou) during the 1911 uprising
trade. As a result, the city was a center for early Chinese provoked by Sun Yat-sen (see
industrialization, when iron and steel works were built here p303). Sun Yat-sen’s statue stands
in the 19th century. It was also the site of the first uprising of in front of the building. Behind
the 1911 Revolution that led to the fall of the Qing dynasty the pavilion itself is an enormous
and the formation of Republican China. bronze temple bell which, for a
small fee, visitors may strike.
P Yangzi Bridge
This impressive 361-ft (110-m)
long bridge was built in 1957 by
the Communists. Before its
construction, all road and rail
traffic crossed the river by ferry.
A second bridge was built a
O
short way downriver in 1995.
DA
DA
HE
NS
JIA
Ancestral musical instruments at the Hubei Provincial Museum Hankou Train Station Dazhi Road
2 km (1.2 miles)
Wangjiadun East
E Hubei Provincial Museum and visitors can see his living Hankou Bus
156 Donghu Rd. Tel (027) 8679 4127. quarters, conference room, bomb Qingnian Rd Station Xunlimen
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. 9 shelter, and swimming pool. HA

NG
KO Zhongshan JIA
NG
Located on the shore of Dong NG
RD
Park HA
N
Hu, this is one of China’s best P Yellow Crane Pavilion RD
Chongren Youyi Road Jianghan
museums. Among its highlights Wuluo Rd. Tel (027) 8887 1394. Road
Liji Beilu
Road
are items excavated in 1978 Open 8am–6pm daily. & 7 CAAC DA

O
NG RO A D
DA
from the tomb of the Marquis of ∑ cnhhl.com/en Qiaokou Road
SH
AN
NG
ZHO
Yi, an eminent figure from the The Yellow Crane Pavilion on She HANKOU
WUSHE
Warring States period. He died Shan, south of the Yangzi in O

DA
in 433 BC and was buried in a Wuchang district, is a Jianghan

A
YA N H E D
Bridge Han Sh
lacquered coffin, accompanied reconstruction of a 3rd-century ui
by his concubines, his dog, and edifice that burned down in Guishan
Gui Shan Gongyuan
thousands of bronze, stone, and 1884. According to legend, it was Guqin Tai
N ROAD
HA Yangzi
wooden items. Many of these built to honor one of the Daoist Hanyang
Bus Station GU
IS
Bridge
CUIW
A D AO
are on display, but the most Eight Immortals, who paid his H A N YA N G D
EIH
Zhonghua
impressive is the panoply of tavern bills by drawing cranes on HANYANG
ENG
Guiyuan Road Terminal

bronze bells, which produce the walls. The 164-ft (50-m) high Si ROAD
YINGWU
D A D AO
two notes each when struck. pavilion is a handsome Qing-

Ferry rides are available to style building. It can be climbed
gzi
explore the scenic area around for fine views across the city. On
Ya n
Dong Hu, with its many the eastern part of the hill is
pavilions and gardens.
P Mao’s Villa
142 Donghu Rd. Tel (027) 6888 1888.
Open 9–11am & 2:30–5:30pm Wuhan City Center
daily. &
This pleasant villa (Mao Zedong 1 Hubei Provincial Museum
Bieshu) was Mao’s hideaway 2 Mao’s Villa
from 1960 to 1974, where he 3 Yellow Crane Pavilion
stayed for long periods during 4 Yangzi Bridge
the first years of the Cultural 5 Gui Shan
Revolution. It is set in the Enormous bronze bell behind the Yellow 6 Guiyuan Si
grounds of the Donghu Hotel, Crane Pavilion 7 Hankou
HUNAN & HUBEI 273
P Gui Shan VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Wuhan’s industrial quarter of
Hanyang has a few sights of Practical Information
interest, most of which lie on or 500 miles (800 km) W of
around Gui Shan, or Turtle Hill. Shanghai. * 10,100,000. n
This was named after a magic 6 Baofeng Rd, (027) 8366 9955.
turtle that defeated a Transportation
threatening water demon and k £ Hankou train station,
prevented the Han and Yangzi Wuchang train station. @ CAAC
rivers from flooding. The Guqin (buses to airport), Hankou Bus
Tai (Lute Terrace) was where the Station, Hanyang bus station,
legendary musician Bo Ya would Wuchang Bus Station. g Yangzi
come to play his lute. After the ferry terminal.
death of his friend, the
woodcutter who could
understand his music, Bo Ya  Guiyuan Si
destroyed his lute and vowed 20 Cuiweiheng Rd. Tel (027) 8484
Daoist priests depicted in a wall painting at never to play again. A couple of 4756. Open 7:30am–6pm daily. &
Changchun Guan tombs survive on the eastern This Buddhist temple in
part of the mountain. Near western Hanyang was
HU
AN the tomb of Xiang Jing Yu founded in the early Qing
G
DA
JIE International Airport
(1895–1928), one of the era (1644–62), although the
RO 5 km (3 miles)
AD first women leaders in current buildings are late
Jiefang
Gongyuan Sanyang Road Communist China, lies that Qing and early Republican.
DA NG
Changjiang
of a semi-mythical hero It has a few ancient relics
O
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D A I E FA
Bridge
GL
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GO J I E F from a much earlier era – including a Northern Wei

EN
NG A N
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UH Lu Su, a Wu general from Buddha statue, but is most
DA
A AN
D
Wuchang Bei CH the Three Kingdoms period. famous for its hall of 500
G
A
Train Station N
arhat statues sculpted in
IAN
G
CH
JI
A
NJ
the 1820s, including a

EZ
N
O
G
YA
HA
DA
N
RO Buddha statue, statue of Buddha

DA
AD
DA
NG
Guiyuan Si carved from a single

DA
Changjiang
JIA
NG
Tunnel
LIN
O piece of jade.
PI
DA
HE
DA
YI
Yangzi Ferry
Terminal Y OU P Hankou
Customs House WUCHANG From 1861, the district of Hankou
SH was the site of the former foreign
A
AD
H
U concession. This area has several
RO
zi
BR Dong Hu
ng
ID fine examples of European-style

AD
HU
G Gongyuan
Ya
NG
E
Jiyuqiao Sha Hu
IR
colonial architecture. The best are

DO
BE
located between the river and

G
ON
Hubei Provincial
ZH
Museum
Zhongshan Dadao, particularly
Z HONGSHAN RD along Yanjiang Dadao and
Mao’s Villa
Pangxiejia
Jianghan Road. The old Customs
Xiaoguishan
Dong Hu House looking over the river is a
Yellow Crane Hongshan
Pavilion H O N G S H A N ROA D vast Renaissance-style building
Square
AD
M INZHU RO with a striking gray-stone
D
NR
She Shan Changchum

Gongyuan Guan portico and Corinthian capitals.
NA
G ROAD
NG
ZHO
J I E FA N
Wuchang
Bus Station
Wuchang Nan Hu
Train Station
JINGZHOU
0 kilometers 1
0 miles 1
Colorful kites on sale on the Yangzi riverfront

274 CENTRAL CHINA
The Three Gorges Dam

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam, at over 600 ft
(180 m) high and more than a mile (2 km) across, was
intended to provide a significant amount of China’s energy,
curb the Yangzi’s tendency to flood, and channel some of the
country’s wealth, for long concentrated along the coastal
regions, into China’s heartland. However, creating a 400-mile
(645-km) long reservoir has also meant the relocation of many
thousands of people, the obliteration of important cultural
sites, and long-term environmental damage.
Jingzhou Museum, part of the Taoist
Kaiyuan Temple
8 Jingzhou
Jingzhou municipality. 130 miles (210

km) W of Wuhan. * 6,600,000. @
4 ~ n 52 Jingdong Rd, (0716)
846 6429.
A worthwhile stop if cruising

the river, the ancient town of Three Gorges Dam seen from the low-water side
Jingzhou is about 5 miles (8 km)
to the west of its modern
counterpart Shashi. The old town
is ringed by walls 22 ft (7 m) in
height, which were constructed
by General Guan Yu of the State
of Shu (AD 221–63). Within the
walls stands the Jingzhou
Museum. This has a large collec-
tion of ancient silk and fabrics
and finds from a Western Han
tomb of a court official called
Sui, including his gory but well-
preserved corpse, with organs.
E Jingzhou Museum
134 Jingzhong Lu. Tel (0716) 849
4187. Open 9am–5:30pm Tue–Sun.
9 Yichang Environmental Issues

Hundreds of miles downstream, the rapidly growing municipality of
Yichang District. 190 miles (305 km) Chongqing has been pumping untreated waste and chemicals into
W of Wuhan. @ ~ £ n 52 the Yangzi. With the river no
Jiefang Rd, (0717) 676 0392. longer able to flush this
away, the fear is that it could
Yichang, which was once a
all collect in a 400-mile
treaty port for foreign traders,
(645-km) long cesspool.
is now associated with the Additionally, the reduced
Gezhou Dam, completed in 1986 flow of the water could
and the controversial Three substantially increase the
Gorges Dam, completed in silting up of subsidiary
2008. You can visit the site of waterways, further harming
the Three Gorges Dam at the fragile ecosystem and
Sandouping, which lies 24 miles closing the migration routes
(38 km) upstream. The town is of many fish species and rare Part of the Three Gorges before the water levels
also a starting point for a visit to freshwater dolphins. rose 575 ft (175 m)
scenic Shennongjia (see p278).
HUNAN & HUBEI 275
. Jar Hill VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Observation
Platform Practical Information
This high point Sandouping, 32 miles (51 km) W of
provides an excellent Yichang. n CITS, 2718 B Building,
bird’s-eye view of the Wanda Sq, (0717) 622 0848. Visitor
dam as well as a Center: Open daily. &
museum showing the
history of the Transportation
construction. @ 4 from Yichang train station
to Yemingzhu and then bus 8 to
the dam, or hire a minibus or taxi.
KEY
1 The Ship Lifting Tower is simply

a large and very powerful elevator for
ships less than 80-ft (25-m) long –
faster than using the 5-level lock.
2 The Yangzi Sculpture is a large
lump of eroded rock that is said to be
from the Yangzi River. . 5-Level Double Ship Lock
At over a mile long (1,600 m) this lock can raise or lower ships a total
vertical distance of 370 ft (113 m) and is, not surprisingly, the largest
lock system in the world. It takes nearly 3 hours to pass through the
lock gates.
278 CENTRAL CHINA
museum of Tai Shan Miao and

the ruins of Yuxu Gong temple.
Wudang Shan lies to the south
of town, and there are several
ways of reaching it. A path near
the railway station takes eight
hours to reach the summit at
Tianzhu Peak. Minibuses go
about three-quarters of the way
up, from where it is another 2
hours on foot to the top. Other
options are sedan chairs and a
cable car that runs between a
point called Qiongtai and the
summit. Going up by minibus,
visitors first pass the Martial Arts
School and then the Zixiao
Gong (Purple Cloud Palace), an
Dense virgin forests lining a gorge at Shennongjia impressive Ming temple that has
become the busiest in the area.
0 Shennongjia q Wudang Shan Inside the main hall is a beautiful
spiral cupola. From the minibus
terminus, a short diversion leads
144 miles (230 km) NW of Yichang. 250 miles (400 km) NW of Wuhan. to the Nanyan Gong temple at
~ at Hongping, 25 miles (40 km) £ from Wuhan or Xiangfan to
the very edge of the cliff. Nearby
from Songbai. @ from Yichang to Wudang Shan town. @ from Shiyan,
is Dragon Head Rock, which
entrance at Muyu, then hire a car. Xiangfan or Liuliping station to
projects horizontally from the
n 100 Yiling Da Dao, (0717) 690 Wudang Shan town. &
8026. 8 from Yichang tourist office
edge and is covered in sculpted
& Forestry Office Travel Service, Muyu. The many peaks of Wudang designs. The main path goes
Shan – the highest reaching past Lang Mei Xian Ci, a shrine
This remote and little-visited 5,289 ft (1,612 m) at Tianzhu dedicated to the monk Zhang
forest reserve has some (Heavenly Pillar) Peak – have Sanfeng. The path eventually
remarkable scenery. It is covered been associated with Daoism divides into two at Huanglong
with rare trees and several since the Tang era. Wudang Dong. Of the two paths, it is easier
hundred species of plants used Shan has also been known for to take the one leading straight
in traditional medicine, samples its martial arts since the Song- on to the group of temples at
of which were introduced to the dynasty monk Zhang Sanfeng Tianzhu Peak. At the summit,
West by the botanist Ernest created a style called Wudang the peak is surmounted by
Wilson in the early 20th century. boxing, from which tai ji quan Jindian Gong (Golden Hall),
It is also home to many of China’s later developed. After years of built of gilded copper and
rarest animals, including the neglect, the many temples here bronze in 1416. It has a statue
splendid golden monkey. have been refurbished and are of the Ming emperor Zhen Wu,
Inside the reserve, at Xiaolong now flourishing. The entry point who retreated to Wudang Shan
Tan, is a museum dedicated to is the town of Wudang Shan, in the 15th century. The views
the legendary Chinese Wild Man which many Chinese tourists from Tianzhu, of razor-edge cliffs
(ye ren), who is like the Himalayan now visit for the temple covered in mist, are magnificent.
Yeti and just as hard to find. The
first reported sighting was in 1924.
Walking trails around Xiaolong
Tan lead into the heart of the
reserve, providing an excellent
opportunity to see the rare
golden monkeys, giant salaman-
ders, and golden pheasants.
Some trails follow forest roads,
others meander gently across
meadows, while the crudest
lead to mountain tops. Foreign
visitors can explore the Muyu
area, where peaks reach 10,187
ft (3,105 m). It may be possible
to visit the main town of Song-
bai, but only if accompanied by
a tour guide. The Ming-era Zixiao Gong (Purple Cloud Palace), Wudang Shan
The Yangzi River, winding its way through the Three Gorges
HUNAN & HUBEI 279
Tai Ji Quan (Tai Chi)

Practiced daily by millions of Chinese, tai ji quan, or “Supreme Ultimate Fist,” is a slow-
moving, graceful form of kung fu (see p165). Developed over a thousand years ago by
Daoist recluses and monks, tai ji quan is based on the movements of birds and animals
and the Daoist concept of yin and yang, or equal opposites. All of the movements, each
with their own names and prescribed patterns, have elements of yin and yang;
movements contract and expand, sink and rise, move inwards and outwards.
The movements follow one another fluidly and sets can involve anywhere from 12 to
108 moves, and take up to an hour to complete. Tai ji quan does have martial aspects, but
is utilized chiefly to improve the flow of qi (see pp38–9), or vital energy, through the body.
The exercises leave the practitioner feeling revitalized and relaxed.
The Sword set involves

the use of a weapon
to aid balance and
concentration. The
simple sword form,
with some 50 move-
ments, is related to
the water element,
Zhang Sanfeng, an official, retired from the court in
whilst the sabre is
disgust to Wudang Shan. Inspired by a battle between a
related to fire.
crane and a snake, he came up with the basis for tai ji quan,
combining kung fu and Daoist health principles.
Movements of the Tai Ji Quan Set

Tai ji quan’s numerous schools have different sets and movements.
“Whip to one side” is a common move often repeated in a set.
The front leg slides forward,
One arm pushes forward; the the body sinking (yin) close to
other whips sideways. the ground in a powerful
position ready to sweep
upward (yang).
Legs are in a classic

sturdy tai ji quan
pose, as the weight The trunk sinks,
shifts forward. while the back
remains upright.
As the body turns to Arms are poised
a 45 degree angle, as if to ward
the feet turn and off attack.
the weight shifts
to the back leg.
Exercising in public squares is a

feature of daily life in China. Early in
the morning, crowds of mostly
elderly people perform tai ji quan in
large groups, executing the
movements in graceful unison.
THE SOUTH
Introducing the South 282–289

Fujian 290–299
Guangdong & Hainan 300–311
Hong Kong & Macau 312–343
282 THE SOUTH
The South at a Glance

Encompassing the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong,
and Hainan, as well as Macau and Hong Kong, the
south is China’s most familiar region, mainly because
millions of immigrants from the area have moved
overseas, taking their cooking and traditions with
them. Yet, with the exception of Hong Kong and
Guangzhou, the area rarely features on travelers’
itineraries. There is much to enjoy here from
the ancient Ming city of Chaozhou and Wuyi Shan’s
superb scenery, to the historic ports of Quanzhou,
Xiamen, and Shantou along the coasts of Guangdong
and Fujian, and the tropical beaches of Hainan. Fishermen laboring on the beach at
Meizhou Island
Changsha
Ganzhou
Lianzhou Shaoguan
Qujiang
Yangshan
Lianping
g
Jian
Bei
Yingde
Huaiji G UA N G D O N G
Dongnan Heyuan
Qiuling Xinfengjiang
Shuiku
The active Buddhist temple Nan Putuo Si, Xiamen
Xi
Jia
ng Zhaoqing Guangzhou Huizhou
Wuzhou
Foshan Dongguan
Luoding
Jiangmen Shenzhen
h an Yangchun
Zhongshan Kowloon
(Jiulong)
s Zhuhai
Da Hong Kong
Gaozhou
(Xianggang)
Nanning Maoming Macau
Yangjiang (Aomen)
Wuchuan
Suixi Dianbai
Zhanjiang
Leizhou 0 km 150
0 miles 150
Xuwen
Qiongz
hou Haixia
Lingao Haikou
Key
Chengmai
ng Expressway
u Ga Danzhou
gp Wenchang Main road
Ya n
Dongfang
HAINAN Minor road
Changjiang
Qionghai
g Main railroad
u Lin
Other railroad
Lim Wanning
Provincial border
Jiusuo Lingshui
Sanya
Night-time view of the Hong Kong skyline

INTRODUCING THE SOUTH 283
Pucheng
Wuyishan
Wenzhou
Songxi
Nanchang Zherong
Jianyang
Shaowu
Jiuf
Fu’an
Fu
eng
Jian ’ou
tu
Taining
n
Xi
Ningde
Sha
Nanping
n
Jiangle Min
Luoyuan
n
Jian
a
g
FUJIAN
S h
Lianjiang
Sanming
an
Fuzhou
Sh
Liancheng Yong ’an

Fuqing
un
y i
iy
Sha
n Da Putian
ao
W u
Daim Zhangping
Longyan Hui’an Women of the Hui’an minority,
Nan ’an Chongwu
Shanghang Quanzhou
Tong ’an
Jinjiang
Zhangzhou
Xiamen
Meizhou Dabu
Xingning Zhangpu
Longchuan Yunxiao
Fengshun Chaozhou
Jieyang Chenghai
Puning Shantou
Chaoyang
Haifeng
Lufeng FUJIAN
GUANGDONG
& HAINAN
HONG KONG
& MACAU
Getting Around
The main airport hubs are at Hong Kong
and Guangzhou. Hong Kong offers
connections to destinations all over the
world, while Guangzhou has direct flights
to cities throughout China and Asia.
Xiamen, Fuzhou, Sanya, and Haikou also
have airports with several domestic flights.
Trains, some air-conditioned, link much
of the region although routes can be
circuitous. The extensive bus network offers
varying degrees of comfort depending
on the destination. There are frequent
Traffic moving slowly along the bustling Gloucester Road in ferry services, particularly between Hong
Wan Chai, Hong Kong Kong, Macau, and various mainland ports.
284 THE SOUTH
A PORTRAIT OF THE
SOUTH
An enduring maritime tradition has influenced life and culture in the south.
The long coastline along the South China Sea gave the ports of Fujian and
Guangdong easy access to trade routes leading East and West. Trade also
brought the British and Portuguese to the south, ultimately leading to the
colonization of Hong Kong and Macau. Only Hainan Island remained isolated
from the developments that took place across the sea on mainland China.
Guangdong and Fujian are particularly 1400s. Almost a century later, Portuguese
mountainous, and although the mountains vessels ventured up the Pearl River to
are not especially high, they have Guangzhou, an expedition that eventually
isolated the provinces from the political led to the colonization of Macau in 1557.
mainstream of the center and north of The British soon followed, but their
the country. Consequently, the south has nefarious policy of flooding the Chinese
tended to look outwards, across the sea, market with opium led to the two Opium
and over the centuries has been far more Wars (1839–42 and 1856–60), after which
inclined than much of China to deal with China ceded Hong Kong and the tip
foreigners – either by design or default. of the Kowloon Peninsula to Britain.
From the 7th century onwards, Arab Over the centuries, waves of southern
traders introduced Islam to China through Chinese migrated overseas, first to
ports such as Guangzhou (Canton) and Southeast Asia, and later westward as
Quanzhou, and took silk, porcelain, and tea far as North America, as indentured
away with them. It was from these ports labor. Their global presence is one of
that China launched its overseas naval the reasons why visitors consider this
expeditons. The Ming emperors sponsored the most familiar region in China.
the great voyages of Admiral Zheng He, The Cantonese culinary tradition is
a Muslim eunuch, who crossed the Indian distinct and known the world over. The
Ocean from Fuzhou to Africa in the early local cuisine, however, may encompass
Hong Kong Island’s glittering skyline, seen from Kowloon across Victoria Harbour
Strong overseas connections

have meant that in the last
30 years, money has poured
back into the south. China’s more
flexible modern economy, as
well as large investments
from Hong Kong, have also
enhanced the region’s affluence.
Development has been rapid,
propelling the growth of new
cities, such as Shenzhen, helped
by their status as Special
Tiled roofs above the harbor at Meizhou Island Economic Zones. Inspired
by Hong Kong’s sleek,
outlandish ingredients not used in overseas contemporary architecture, construction
restaurants; it is said, with some justification, has been frantic and the proliferation
that the Cantonese will eat anything. of high-rise buildings has transformed
Teas from the south are exported the skyline of historic cities.
throughout the world and Fujian There are still many hidden gems to
produces some of China’s finest, including explore among the region’s skyscrapers
oolong. The area has cultivated the arts and new developments. Chief among
of tea-brewing and -tasting, and these are Guangzhou’s Nan Yue
so-called “tea art halls,” Tomb, the rarely visited
where resident brew- Chaozhou with its still-
masters demonstrate intact Ming city wall,
techniques associated and one of China’s oldest
with particular varieties A traditional Hakka dwelling mosques in Quanzhou.
of tea, are still found in Some of the finest
Fuzhou, the province’s capital. examples of colonial architecture can be
The south’s largely subtropical climate seen in Macau and on the islet of Gulang
has encouraged a gregarious lifestyle, Yu in Xiamen. Tropical Hainan’s main
which tends to manifest itself in an active, appeal lies in its beaches, but the moun-
open-air streetlife. The local language tainous center is worth exploring as well.
of Cantonese is quite different from Finally, there is Hong Kong, a frenetic,
Mandarin, the national language. The cosmopolitan city that vibrates day and
sound is distinctive, even to the untrained night with an energy that is in keeping
ear. The region’s other major dialect is with its status as a global financial center.
Fujianese (Minnan hua).
The south is home to several ethnic
communities, including the Hakka and
the Li. The Hakka migrated to south
and central China from the north. The
impressive round mansions of the
Fujianese Hakka are a highlight of a trip
to the interior. The Li are Hainan’s original
people, who settled here almost 2,000
years ago and lived a primeval existence
until the 1930s. The Central Highlands
around Tongshi offer glimpses into their
unique culture. Women of the Hui’an minority, Chongwu
286 THE SOUTH
Rice
Rice has long been vital to the Chinese as both a food staple
and a cash crop. So intrinsic to life is the grain that “Chi fan
le ma?” (Have you eaten rice today?) is one of the most
common greetings in China. Rice-growing is thought to
have its origins in southern China around 10,000 BC,
although the flooded-field method that allowed larger
yields and required massive irrigation projects was not
perfected until thousands of years later. Today, rice is grown
throughout much of China and accounts for 30 percent of Rice plants, like most other
cereals, produce dense flower-
the world’s total.
heads, with the grains tightly
packed inside protective husks.
An endless chain of wooden pallets pulls water

from a lower source to the fields by the pedaling
power of laborers. Although much irrigation is now
mechanized, numerous ingenious devices, many
of them ancient technology once fashioned from
bamboo, are still used to water the fields.
Japonica, a sub-species
of Oryza sativa, is the
most common rice in
China, and is generally
Japonica rice short grained and
slightly sticky. Glutinous
rice, grown in the south-
east, becomes a sticky
mass when cooked. It is
often served wrapped in
bamboo leaves.
Glutinous rice
Rice Products
The Chinese have found many uses for their pervasive staple.
During the Ming dynasty, builders used water in which
glutinous rice had been cooked as mortar mix to strengthen
defensive walls. Rice straw, the leaves of the plant left after
harvest, is pulped to produce a fine white paper, perfect for
paintings and kites. Husks are used as fertilizer, packing
material, or simply fed to animals. Rice is ground to
produce rice flour that can be rolled and pulled to create
a huge range of noodles. Numerous rice wines are sold
in China, some of them quite palatable, including sweet
Shaoxing, made from glutinous rice. Extracting juice from rice to ferment and make
into jiu (wine or spirits)
Cultivating Rice
In much of rural China, rice-growing is very
much a hands-on activity, and traditional
methods are still used, especially in hilly country.
The work is labor-intensive, but the two or three
harvests a year that are possible in the south
make the efforts worthwhile.
Rice seedlings
are grown in
special protected
Water buffalo pull plows, harrows, and other beds. After about
agricultural implements. These sturdy animals 40 days they are
thrive in the waterlogged conditions, produce transplanted by
valuable manure, and require less maintenance hand to the
than tractors. paddies.
Planting is tiring, back-breaking work, and in

some areas is now mechanized. Teams of
workers wade through the paddy fields
planting the seedlings one by one.
At harvest time,
the fields are
drained before
the rice plants are
cut either by
hand-held sickle
or by machine.
To dry the rice,

mounds of
freshly harvested
grain are raked
out in a thin layer
and left to warm
in the sun.
Terraced Hillsides
Vast areas of China are dominated by rice
cultivation, and paddy fields have transformed
the landscape, especially in the subtropical Winnowing,
regions of the south, where cascades of tossing or pouring
terraces clothe many hillsides. Low mud banks the rice from a
trap the water as it trickles down the slopes, basket, separates
creating an attractive sequence of narrow, the dried rice grains
contour-hugging fields which are worked from their husks –
mainly by hand. Farmers are not completely the wind carries
reliant on rainfall because the water flow is away the chaff.
carefully controlled, as is the depth, which is
typically 6 in (15 cm). Ever resourceful, some
farmers raise edible fish such as grass carp in
the paddy waters.
288 THE SOUTH
Regional Food: the South

The southern school of Chinese cooking, called by the
generic name Cantonese, is centered around Guangzhou,
where the Pearl River delta runs into the South China Sea.
Situated at the mouth of this estuary lies Hong Kong, another
culinary center of China. Fish, of course, plays a major role in this
coastal economy and rice is the dominant food grain. Other
food crops include tea, peanuts, sugar cane, and subtropical
fruits such as bananas, pineapples, oranges, and lychees. Large-
Bitter melon and
scale emigration from the south has meant that Chinese food
water spinach
served outside China is likely to be southern Chinese cooking.
supplement the abundance of popular in other provinces

fish. Despite this fecundity, the such as frog’s legs, turtles,
size of the population the land dogs, snakes, and nearly every
has to support means that it kind of animal there is. Food is
has always struggled to almost a religion to the
provide enough food. There- Cantonese and the locals claim
fore the Cantonese also eat that in Guangzhou “there is a
less-expensive “delicacies” not restaurant every five steps.”
Turnip BBQ pork buns

Pork cake Prawns in
Lush and colorful vegetables on display in dumplings beancurd skin
the market
Guangzhou (Canton)
The epicenter of Chinese
cuisine, Guangzhou owes its
culinary primacy to its geogra-
phy. As a port it had a well-off,
cosmopolitan merchant class
who could afford expensive
foods. It also has a subtropical
climate and a summer that
lasts for almost six months, with Spring rolls
the rest of the year divided into Chicken feet
autumn and spring: there is no
winter. As a result, crops grow Prawn
luxuriantly all year round and A selection of dim sum dishes dumplings

Most people probably associate Cantonese cuisine
with dim sum (meaning “dot on the heart” or
“snack”), delectable, dainty bites of steamed or
fried food: dumplings with prawn or pork fillings,
miniature spareribs, deep-fried spring rolls, paper-
wrapped prawns, chicken feet, or glossy custard-
filled tarts. These snacks are to be eaten during the
Soy-cured bacon and day for breakfast or lunch with pots of tea, never
as dinner. Other famous specialties are the fish
sausages
and shellfish dishes, and roast meats – duck, cha
siu (roast pork), and suckling pig. Key to the southern school of
cuisine are its various sauces. Although such fresh food is often
quickly steamed with a few simple aromatics, sauces such as oyster, Steamed Seabass: steamed
hoi sin (sweet soy bean and garlic), mushroom, lemon, black bean with scallions and ginger, and
and chu hou (soy bean, garlic, and ginger) are also used to add flavor. seasoned with light soy sauce,
rice wine, and sesame oil.
Chaozhou and
Dongjiang
Chaozhou (also known as
Teochew) is a richer cuisine
than Cantonese. This cuisine
specializes in fresh shellfish and
seafood, so the emphasis is on
buying live animals or fish, be it
at a market or restaurant.
Stocks are flavoured with fish
sauce, hot sauce, or red rice
vinegar. Dongjiang is a more
rustic and salty cooking – soy-
cured bacon and air-dried
sausages are a specialty – and it Fish drying in a shop in Hong Kong
also uses more poultry. This
cooking is also sometimes Hong Kong On the Menu
known as Hakka, meaning Although mainly Chinese,
Seafood with Vegetables A
“guest people,” which refers to Hong Kong is a unique city in
popular dish of prawns, squid,
the immigrants from northern China: as an international port, and scallops stir-fried with
China who settled in the it has been open to outside whatever vegetables are
influences. So, while most of available and noodles.
the restaurants are Cantonese,
“White-Cut” Chicken A whole
you will also find all the
chicken blanched in boiling
regional Chinese cuisines here water or stock, then left to cool
alongside those from other in the liquid under cover for 6–8
Asian countries and Europe. hours. Tender and moist.
A gastromomic supermarket,
Stir-Fried Squid with Black
Hong Kong doesn’t really have Bean Sauce In fact any seafood
a specialty dish although some such as crab, lobster, or prawns
claim that “smelly beancurd” (a may be substituted for the squid.
pungent type of fermented This can also be made with
tofu) fulfils that role. Hong chilies for a more spicy alternative.
Dried vegetable and spices stall Kong is a 24-hour city and, all Eight-Treasure Stuffed
day every day, all the food Beancurd The stuffing is pork
south some time after the places, from the humble street and prawn – vegetarians should
invasion by Mongols in the stands to the luxury stick with the Eight-Treasure
13th century. Later there were banqueting halls, are filled Buddha’s Special (see p186–7).
other large-scale migrations with people eating. The story Steamed Chicken with Dried
overseas, one of the reasons goes that you could visit a Mushrooms Chicken pieces
why most Chinese restaurants different restaurant each day steamed with Chinese
in the West serve only southern for a year and never eat the mushrooms – simple but great.
Chinese (Cantonese) food. same dish twice.
Lobster with Ginger and Oyster Sauce Beef: stir-fried Roast Meats: choice cuts of
Scallions: lobster braised with beef with mushrooms and suckling pig, duck, pork, and
aromatics and served on a bed vegetables, all cut to the same chicken served cold with tasty
of soft noodles. size, in oyster sauce. dipping sauces.
THE SOUTH 291
FUJIAN
The sea and mountains form the essential features of the province
of Fujian. Its major cities thrive as coastal ports, while inland
there is the spectacular, rugged beauty of Wuyi Shan.
Fujian’s historical importance dates back almost as far as the
Warring States period (475–221 BC), when the Yue people,
defeated by the State of Chu (today’s Hubei and Hunan),
migrated southwards to settle in this part of China and
Vietnam. Those who came to what is now Fujian were called Min Yue, later known as the
Min people. Even today the Fujianese are sometimes referred to as Min and the southern
Fujian language as Minnan Hua. The native people who preceded them are thus called the
Ancient Min. Very little survives from this period, apart from the mysterious 3,000-year-old
boat-shaped coffins found lodged high above the river in the Wuyi Mountains. The main
attractions are strung along the busy coastline and include the historic ports of Xiamen
and Quanzhou, as well as Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian, which was a major maritime center
for more than 1,000 years. Other attractions are the historic stone town of Chongwu and
the small island of Meizhou, birthplace of the important Goddess of the Sea. Inland,
Fujian’s hinterland was until recently, wild and unspoiled enough to protect the last South
China tigers, now thought to be extinct. It is also the home of the Hakka people, whose
traditional dwellings can be seen at the rural settlements around Yongding (see p296).
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities
Yanshan
1 Xiamen
2 Quanzhou
Pucheng
3 Chongwu
5 Fuzhou
G3
Area of Natural Beauty Songxi

Fuding
6 Wuyi Shan Zherong
Jianyang 30
2
Island Shaowu
Jian’ou Fu’an
4 Meizhou Island Taining
G3
Ningde 5
G1
202
Jiangle Nanping
G7
Mi Luoyuan
0
n
Ji a
ng Lianjiang
Sanming
G72 Matsu Tao
5
G3
G2
Liancheng Yong’an
5
G2 G72 Fuqing
G7
5
G1
6
Putian Haitan Dao
Zhangping Nanri Dao

Hui’an
Jiulong
Shanghang Longyan
Nan’an
5
G7
G2
Ji a n
6 Tong’an
Yongding
g
Jinjiang
Key
Zhangzhou
Chinmen Expressway
324
Tao
National Highway
5
Zhangpu
G1
Railroad
0 km 75 Yunxiao South
0 miles 75 China Sea Disputed border
Dongshan Provincial border
Chenghai Dao
Traditional Fujian tulou (earthen dwellings) in a Hakka village For additional map symbols see back flap
292 THE SOUTH
1 Xiamen
An attractive city with a bustling nautical atmosphere,
Xiamen was known as Amoy in the 19th century. It was first
settled in the Song dynasty (AD 960–1279) but did not
become a significant port until the Ming dynasty. It also
served as an important stronghold against the Manchus
when they invaded in the 17th century. The resistance was led
by the legendary pirate and Ming loyalist Zheng Chenggong, Cannons guard the ramparts
also known as Koxinga, who is commemorated in the city. at Huli Shan Fort
Xiamen became an early treaty port in the 19th century, when
the foreign community established itself on Gulangyu Island. by a German manufacturer in
1891. Almost 46-ft (14-m) long
The city was also declared one of China’s first Special
and weighing 49 tons (50,000 kg),
Economic Zones in the 1980s. it had a firing range of 6 miles
(10 km). Taiwan’s islands are visible
President Richard Nixon. A bullet- from the ramparts – a fascination
scarred rock marks the spot for locals, who were forbidden
where Koxinga killed his cousin. entry to the site until 1984.
E Overseas Chinese Museum P Jimei School Village

493 Siming Nan Lu. Tel (0592) 208 5345. Open 9am–4:30pm Tue–Sun. &
Open 9:30am–4:30pm Tue–Sun. Located 9 miles (15 km) north of
In this museum, the first section the city, Jimei School Village was
focuses on the story of Fujianese founded by the philanthropist
emigration, using photographs, Tan Kah Kee (Chen Jiageng) in
paintings, and mementos. The 1913. A successful Singapore
second houses bronzes, pottery, businessman, he returned to
Colorful rooftop dragon, Nan Putuo Si and artworks once owned by China in 1950 and held various
non-resident Chinese. The bronze government posts. Built in
 Nan Putuo Si collection spans the period from Chinese-Gothic style, the college
515 Siming Nan Lu. Tel (0592) 208 the Shang (16th century BC) to is set in a beautiful park filled with
6586. Open 4am–6:30pm daily. the Republican era. The final pagodas and close to the sea. Tan
This busy temple was founded section covers the environment Kah Kee’s former residence and
in the Tang era in the extravagant and natural world. The center- a small museum are also here.
southern style (see p306). Its piece is the 50-ft (15-m) long
three halls hold a wealth of skeleton of a sei whale. P Gulangyu Island
Buddhist statuary. The Heavenly Xiamen Seaworld: Tel (0592) 206 9350.
King Hall has an image of Wei P Huli Shan Paotai Open 8am–6pm daily. & Shuzhuang
Tuo, Protector of Buddhist Huandao Nan Lu. Tel (0592) 209 9603. Garden: Open 8am–6pm daily. &
Doctrine, who holds a stick point- Open 7:30am–5:30pm daily. & Sunlight Rock: Open daily. & Koxinga
ing down to signify that the Situated in the Huli Shan Fort Memorial Hall: Open 8am–5:30pm.
temple offers lodging to pilgrims. along the coast, this cannon was The tranquil island of Gulangyu
made for the Qing government lies only a 10-minute boat ride
 Huxiyan
A quaint temple lies high on a
rocky outcrop at Huxiyan (Tiger
Stream Rock). Another temple,
Bailu Dong (White Deer Cave), is
even higher up the hill. Built in
the Ming era, its main draw is
the fine view across the city.
Y Wanshi Botanical Garden

25 Huyuan Lu. Tel (0592) 202 4785.
This large scenic area houses over
6,300 species of plants, especially
from south China and Southeast
Asia. These include eucalyptus,
bamboo, and a redwood tree
planted by the former US Gulangyu Island’s tiny streets and elegant colonial houses
FUJIAN 293
from Xiamen, with attractive VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

buildings and no traffic
apart from battery-powered Practical Information
buggies. The island first became 155 miles (250 km) SW of Fuzhou.
important in 1842 after the * 3,500,000. n 78 Huajian
signing of the Treaty of Building, Xinhua Lu, (0592) 204
Nanking, when the resident 6847. ∑ english.visitxm.com
representatives of the foreign Transportation
powers established themselves k £ @ Hubin Nan Lu
here. It soon grew into a bus station, Xiahe Lu bus
European-style town with station, Songbo bus station.
churches, consulates, and g to Gulangyu Island
spacious villas. In 1903, it was from Dongdu International
designated an International Cruise Terminal.
Settlement for Europeans and
Japanese, complete with a
municipal council and Sikh Adjacent to the gardens is the
police force, and it retained this attractive, but usually crowded
status until the end of World Gangzaihou Beach. Close by
War II. The island still retains an Statue of the legendary rebel commander to its north is Sunlight Rock,
atmosphere reminiscent of Koxinga, Gulangyu the island’s highest point which
southern Europe. can easily be reached by cable
Spread over nearly 1 square Xiamen’s famous rebel. Koxinga car. At the foot of the rock is
mile (2.5 sq km), Gulangyu and his fleet held out against the Koxinga Memorial Hall,
Island is very pleasant to explore the encroaching Manchus for which houses a handful of
on foot, with its tiny streets and years. He is also credited with Koxinga’s personal possessions,
elegant houses fronted by ousting the Dutch from Taiwan. such as his jade belt and parts
pretty flower gardens. Between Farther south along the coast is of his robe, as well as other
the two ferry terminals is Shuzhuang Garden. Built in historical items.
Xiamen Seaworld, which 1931 as a private villa, the Farther toward the south-
houses an interesting collection garden opened to the public in western coast is Yingxiong
of sharks, seals, dolphins, 1955. Today visitors are enticed Shan, with an unusual open-air
penguins, and tropical fish. To by its numerous tropical plants aviary at the top of the building.
the southeast is the Statue of and flowers, as well as its complex It is filled with colorful parrots,
Koxinga, which commemorates of traditional Chinese gardens. egrets, and tropical pigeons.
Xiamen City Center and 0 meters 800

Gulangyu Island
0 yards 800
1 Nan Putuo Si
Jimei School
2 Huxiyan Songbo
Bus Station
Village
2 km (1.2 mile)
3 Wanshi Botanical Garden Airport
10 km (6 miles)
Hubin Nan Lu
4 Overseas Chinese Museum Bus Station
2 km (1.2 mile)
Train Station
3 km (2 miles)
A D
5 Xiamen Seaworld Dongdu Int'l E RO Xiahe Lu Bus Station
Cruise Terminal XIAH 3 km (2 miles)
5km (3 miles)
6 Statue of Koxinga Zhongshan
H U BI N XI L U
Park
7 Shuzhuang Garden AD
RO
8 Gangzaihou Beach
N
N A
ROA D G YUA N A N RO YU
NG O NG
9 Sunlight Rock AD
EN
LU TO
DA
W
0 Koxinga Memorial Hall

JIA N
Revolutionary
AD
HAN ROAD
Lu
ZHONGS Martyrs' Memorial

O
G
q Yingxiong Shan
IR
AV
Jia
Seaside
HA
E.
ng
Wanshi
EN
Building
HUYUAN ROA
ZH
Botanical
Sanqiutian Gardens
SIM
ING
R
O O AD
A
NAN R
O'
ICU
D
NE
B I S HAN ROA D
Huxiyan
A
Xiamen
AD
AN RO
TU NN EL
Neicuo'ao Sea World

Gangqin
GULANGY’U Ganlu Si
JI S H
ISLAND Bishan Si
Koxinga
Memorial Hall
G
U S H ENG R
OA
Statue of Overseas
YA
D
Sunlight Rock Koxinga Chinese

NW
Villa
DA
Gangzaihou Museum Nan Putuo Si

XU
U
ER
Yingxiong Beach
OA
BR
Shan Xiamen
D
Shuzhuang
ID
Garden Huli Shan University

GE
Paotai
296 THE SOUTH
Earthen Dwellings of Yongding

The Hakka people were driven south from the Yellow River plains by war in the late Tang
and early Song dynasties. It is perhaps due to their past experiences of persecution, and
to their presence in a new land (their official minority name is Kejia, which means “guest
people”), that they adopted a fortress-like style of rammed-earth buildings called tulou.
Capable of housing several hundred people, these round or square buildings are
constructed around a courtyard containing a maze of storage sheds and public meeting
rooms. Hukeng is one of the more accessible towns in the Yongding area with several
Hakka dwellings. The train from Xiamen to Longyan takes 75 minutes (the bus takes
4 hours) after which it is a 2-hour bus ride to Hukeng.
Numerous tulou are located in the countryside

surrounding Yongding. Although the round houses are
the most celebrated, other styles are found in the vicinity:
massive square dwellings similar in scale to the round
houses and smaller rammed-earth residences facing
onto a central courtyard.
Thick fire walls divide
Grain storage the building into eight
segments, echoing the
Daoist octagonal symbol,
the bagua (see pp38–9).
Living quarters
Outward-facing
windows are small
and trapezoidal
and only located in
An ancestral hall at the center of
the upper stories
the inner buildings may be used for
for security.
ceremonies such as weddings.
Outer walls are thick

for defense, often as The lower level is dedicated to
wide as 5 ft (1.5 m) at
the base, tapering
communal Hakka life. Outdoor
towards the top. sculleries for washing and food
preparation are located in front of
the kitchens and dining rooms.
An enchanting view of Nine Bend Creek, with Wuyi Shan in the background
FUJIAN 297
Guardian of the Domain of Death. bastion against pirates. As part

On each side of the halls are two of its defense, the granite
ancient pagodas with carvings. houses had flat roofs, making
North of Kaiyuan Si is the them almost invisible from
Qingyuan Shan scenic area beyond the forbidding 22-ft
with the enormous Laojun Yan, (6½-m) high boundary wall.
a Song-dynasty sculpture of the The main inhabitants are the
Daoist Laozi (see p37). Hui’an people, whose women
Northeast of the city center wear distinctive cropped blue
lies the Quanzhou Maritime tops and wide black trousers.
Museum. One of its highlights is Fishing and stone-carving are
a Song trading vessel dating to the main industries today, but
1274. Found in 1973, it was made the walls and old streets of
of cedar wood and would have Chongwu’s fortress days still
Entrance to Qingjing Mosque, one of China’s had sails of bamboo and hemp. make a striking impression.
oldest extant mosques At that time, such ships traveled
to Arabia, Africa, and Asia,
2 Quanzhou exporting porcelain and silks and
4 Meizhou Island
importing spices, ivory, and glass.
The museum also has stone 35 miles (56 km) NE of Quanzhou.
62 miles (100 km) N of Xiamen. carvings relating to Nestorian @ from Putian to Wenjia, then
* 1,400,000. ~ £ @ n 401
Christianity and to the ferry. Open 7am-7pm daily &
Fengze Jie, (0595) 2217 7719.
Arab presence in the city.
For the Fujianese, this island
Located on the Jin River, U Qingjing Mosque near Putian is associated
Quanzhou was China’s principal 108–112 Tumen Jie. Tel (0595) with Mazu, Goddess of the
port during the Song and Yuan 2219 3553. Open 8am–5:30pm Sea and Protector of Sailors
dynasties. The city’s trade with daily. & (see p155). Mazu is the
India and elsewhere resulted in E Kaiyuan Si deification of a
a permanent community of 176 Xi Jie. Tel (0595) 2238 10th-century girl,
foreign residents. It was known 3285. Open 8am–6pm whose powers
to Arab geographers as Zaitun, daily. & Statue of Mazu, enabled her to make
from which the word “satin” is E Maritime Museum
Meizhou Island maritime predictions,
derived. Although Quanzhou’s 425 Donghu Jie. Tel (0595) 2210 0561.
and her birthday is the
importance declined during the Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily. island’s main festival, celebrated
Ming dynasty, the town still offers on the 23rd day of the third
insights into its maritime past. lunar month. Numerous
Left partially roofless by a 3 Chongwu temples to the goddess dot the
17th-century earthquake, the island, all the way up the hillside
Qingjing Mosque was first built where her statue proudly stands
in 1009, with extensive repairs in 20 miles (32 km) E of Quanzhou. on the summit. The main temple,
1309, 1350, and 1609. Unlike @ from Quanzhou to Hui’an, then Mazu Miao, is a short walk
other mosques in southern China minibus to Chongwu. uphill from the pier. Rebuilt
that follow the traditional many times, it now resembles
Chinese architectural style, this The Chongwu Peninsula’s Beijing’s Forbidden City. Due to
one is an elegant stone structure importance as a defensive the effort involved in getting
with an obvious Arabian stronghold was bolstered by the here, it may be worthwhile
influence. The surviving gate is construction of the stone town staying overnight in one of the
supposedly modeled on a of Chongwu in 1387, as a island’s numerous hotels.
mosque in medieval Damascus.
Its museum details the port’s
significance as a trade center.
In the north, the Kaiyuan Si
was built in AD 686 and called
Lianhua Si (Lotus Temple), after a
lotus miraculously grew on a
mulberry bush that still exists to
the west of the Great Hall. In the
Song period, 1,000 monks
worshiped here. Among the
temple’s three halls, the Sweet
Dew Vinaya Hall has a splendid
ceiling and a throne on which
sits Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, Flat-roofed houses below the level of the wall, Chongwu
298 THE SOUTH
6 Wuyi Shan
218 miles (350 km) NW of Fuzhou. ~

£ to Wuyi Shan city (Wuyi Shan Shi),
then bus 6 to park. n 35 Guanjing
Lu, Wuyi Shan Holiday Resort, (0599)
525 0376.
Magical Wuyi Shan, a hilly

area renowned for its oolong
tea, offers some of the most
stunning scenery in southern
China. Its sheer, mist-shrouded
sandstone mountains, known
as the Thirty-Six Peaks, are
threaded by the Jiuqu River
and covered in lush
vegetation. First visited by the
Han Emperor Wudi (r. 141–87
BC), Wuyi Shan came to be
regarded as a sacred place by
subsequent emperors.
The best way to enjoy the
landscape is to take a raft along
European-style architecture on Zhongzhou Island, Fuzhou the river as it meanders through
gorges known collectively as Jiu
5 Fuzhou (West Lake Park), where the Qu Xi (Nine Bend Creek). Above
Fujian Museum contains a the fourth bend, mysterious
3,500-year-old boat coffin. 3,000-year-old coffins are
155 miles (250 km) N of Xiamen. Cang Shan, south of the river, lodged high in the cliffs. Made
* 7,200,000. k £ @ n 121 was once the site of the foreign of nanmu (cedar), they are
Dong Jie, (0591) 8711 9928. concession area. Zhongzhou about 16 ft (5 m) long; each
Island (in the middle of the river) contains a single individual
With its scenic location on the is a development with foreign wrapped in silk and hemp.
Min River, Fujian’s capital was restaurants. About 6 miles (10 km) How they got here, however,
a major maritime port for over east of the city is Gu Shan, with remains a mystery.
1,000 years. It was the center of wooded walks and the restored Several trails lead to the
a lucrative trade, first in tea and Yongquan Si, built in AD 908. summits. The table-top shaped
sugar and later in cotton, lacquer, Da Wang Feng is the most
and ceramics. When the explorer E Lin Zexu Memorial Hall difficult, while an easier climb
Marco Polo visited Fuzhou in 16 Aomen Lu. Tel (0591) 8762 is Tianyou Shan, the traditional
the 13th century, he recorded 2782. Open 8:30am–5:30pm spot from where to watch the
that the city was garrisoned by Tue–Sun. sunrise. The highest peak is
imperial troops. The city still has E Fujian Museum Sanyang Feng at 2,356 ft
large numbers of troops due to 96 Hutou Jie. Tel (0591) 8375 7627. (718 m). A path also leads to
its proximity to Taiwan. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. the Shuilian Dong, with a
Wuyi Square, with its statue ∑ fjbwy.com teahouse next to a waterfall.
of Mao Zedong, marks the city
center. Just north is the 10th-
century Bai Ta (White Pagoda), Lacquerware – a Chinese Craft
while to the west is Wu Ta, a Made from the sap of the “lac” tree (Rhus
black granite pagoda from the verniciflua), lacquer was used long before
same era. Northwest of Wu Ta, the Han dynasty as a timber preservative – it
the Lin Zexu Memorial Hall hardens easily, even in damp conditions. It
commemorates Lin Zexu, a was later used in making plates and cups by
Qing-dynasty official who applying layers of sap on wood or cloth, and
destroyed an opium shipment painting the final layer. The modern craft, which
appeared in the Yuan dynasty, uses the same
in protest at the British trade, an
basic method of applying layers on a wooden
act that led to the First Opium
base, but before the lacquer completely
War (see p69). Farther north is hardens, it is deeply and intricately carved.
the Three Lanes and Seven The surface is then inlaid with gold, silver, or
Alleys area of well-preserved tortoiseshell, and usually painted red.
traditional buildings. To its A lacquered screen
northwest lies Xi Hu Gongyuan
FUJIAN 299
The Story of Tea

Tea (cha) has long been an integral part of Chinese traditional culture. Its legendary
origins in China date back over 5,000 years, although some believe that it was introduced
from India about 1,800 years ago. At first it was drunk as a tonic; now it is simply an
indispensable part of daily life for almost all Chinese. It is widely grown throughout the
warmer and wetter southern areas of China, particularly in Fujian, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.
Although tea comes in many forms, all tea comes from the same species, Camellia
sinensis. The most common Chinese teas – green, black, and oolong – have differing
appearance and taste due to the process of fermentation, although the flavor of the
tea does vary depending on where it is grown, and whether other ingredients have
been added such as chrysanthemums in huacha. Tea is always drunk clear, never with
milk or lemon. Sugar is added only in the northwestern Muslim areas, while the
Tibetans drink theirs with butter.
Shen Nong was the mythological

emperor who discovered tea,
according to Chinese lore. A wise
ruler, he pronounced that all
drinking water should be
boiled. One day, tea leaves
fell from a tree into a pot
of boiling water and the
resulting brew delighted him.
By the Tang dynasty, tea was drunk

throughout the empire. Before the
8th century, tea merchants commissioned
Lu Yu to explain the advantages of the
drink. He produced the Cha Jing, a
compendium of tea, which systemized
its production and traditions.
The tea trade was a key element in Britain’s interest in

China. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to enjoy
tea, and the Dutch the first Europeans to deal in tea
commercially, but it was the British who became the
greatest tea traders as the fashion for tea spread from
Holland to England in the late 17th century.
Upscale tea shops Tea plantations, many of them

abound in the larger terraced, cover the hillsides of the
city centers. Highly southern interior. Up to five harvests
prized specialty teas, can take place in a year. Picking
such as the Fujianese is still done mostly by hand – an
oolong tie guanyin, can experienced picker can harvest 70 lb
be purchased and (32 kg) in a day – but mechanical
sometimes sampled. methods are becoming common.
THE SOUTH 301
GUANGDONG & HAINAN

Located at the southernmost tip of continental China are the
province of Guangdong and the island of Hainan, just off its coast
in the South China Sea. Guangdong’s capital, the great city and
port of Guangzhou (Canton), stands on one of China’s longest
rivers, the Pearl (Zhu Jiang), while Haikou, the capital of Hainan, GUANGDONG
is located on the island’s north coast, about 30 miles (50 km)
to the south of the mainland.
Guangdong is perhaps the most familiar part of China,
since a large proportion of the Chinese diaspora is of HAINAN
Cantonese origin. The province also lies very close to Hong
Kong, whose inhabitants are mostly Cantonese. Given its long-
standing contacts with the outside world, it is not surprising that Guangdong was only
fully integrated into China in the 12th century, when large numbers of Han settlers migrated
here from the north. Today, it is a key area of China’s economic development, most evident
in cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Despite the recent development, there are several
places of historical interest, as well as some beautiful areas of natural beauty, which are well
worth visiting.
Formerly administered as part of Guangdong, the tropical island of Hainan is now a
separate province. A place of exile for centuries, its superb beaches on the southern coast
have been developed as thriving tourist resorts. There are still vestiges of the indigenous
Li culture to seek out, and some wild mountains to explore at the island’s center.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities
1 Shantou
2 Chaozhou
3 Shenzhen
4 Guangzhou
6 Foshan
Lianzhou
ng
Historic Site Yangshan Lianping

Meizhou
Jia
Hezhou
5 Cuiheng
Bei
Yingde Xingning
5 G7
Temple Huaiji G3 8
Heyuan
G4
G5
8 Feilai and Feixia Jieyang

5
Fengkai
Areas of Natural Beauty Wuzhou
Huizhou
7 Zhaoqing G80 G1
5
9 Shaoguan
Haifeng Lufeng
Luoding Jiangmen
Island
207
0 Hainan Island Hong Kong

5 Macau
Maoming G1
G75
Yangjiang
Wuchuan
Zhanjiang
Leizhou
Gulf of S out h
G15
Xuwen
Tonkin China S e a
Haikou
Lin'gao
8 Key
G9
Danzhou Wenchang Expressway
National Highway
Qionghai
Wuzhi Minor road
Shan City 8 0 km Railroad
G9 100
Lingshui 0 miles 100 Provincial border
Jiusuo
Sanya
Night view of Guangzhou, dominated by the Guangzhou Tower For additional map symbols see back flap
302 THE SOUTH
downstream is the renovated

Ming-dynasty pagoda
Fenghuang Tai.
 Kaiyuan Si
32 Kaiyuan Lu. Tel (0768) 222 5571.
3 Shenzhen
The dramatic Shipaotai Gongyuan fortress and moat, Shantou
85 miles (135 km) SE of Guangzhou.
* 10,500,000. k £ @ g from
1 Shantou 100,000 people were massacred
Hong Kong and Macau. n Chuanbu
for opposing the Manchu Lu, Luohu, (0755) 8247 7050.
regime. Later, during the 19th
260 miles (420 km) E of Guangzhou. century, terrible famines and Shenzhen was the first town
* 5,300,000. ~ £ @
poverty led to mass emigration. to become a Special Economic
n Jincheng Lu, (0754) 8897 2455.
Today, the remains of the Zone as part of Deng Xiaoping’s
23-ft (7-m) high Ming City economic reforms of the 1980s.
This city was originally a fishing Walls run along the banks of SEZ status transformed this
village, whose strategic location the Han River, defining the tiny village bordering Hong
on the Han Jiang estuary was eastern boundary of the old Kong into a booming metropolis
exploited by foreign traders from city center. Extending up to in a few years. Today, it is an
1858. Known then as Swatow, Huancheng Lu in the west, the important, although rather
it soon became a major center old city is Chaozhou’s most soulless, business center and
for trade. In 1980, it was fascinating quarter, where transportation hub. On its
declared a Special its historic past is visible western outskirts are a host of
Economic Zone and on streets such as theme parks. Splendid China
today it is essentially a Zhongshan Lu and and Window on the World have
modern city. The old Jiadi Xiang, with its scale models of famous monu-
quarter still has a few well-preserved Qing- ments such as the Eiffel Tower
sights of interest such dynasty architecture. and the Great Wall, as well as
as the restored 1879 To the north of Jiadi souvenir shops. The Folk Culture
Tianhou Gong, a Xiang is Kaiyuan Si, Village, a part of Splendid China,
temple with vibrant an active Buddhist displays China’s folk traditions,
carvings. Nearby temple founded in and has paintings, pavilions, and
along Anping Lu are Guangji Men, Chaozhou AD 738, with pretty shows of traditional dances. East
the remains of old courtyards and at Shatoujiao, Citic Minsk World
colonial houses and warehouses. several colorful halls, one of displays a rusting Soviet aircraft
About 2 miles (3.2 km) to the which has a gorgeous vaulted carrier, complete with aircraft.
east of Anping Lu at the water- ceiling. The grand Guangji Men,
front is Shipaotai Gongyuan, a overlooking the Han, has steps  Shenzhen Theme Parks
fortified gun emplacement that leading up to a trail along the Splendid China: Shennan Dadao.
was built in the 1870s. top of the wall. Across the river q Hua Qiao Cheng. Open 10am–
is the 10th-century temple 9:30pm daily. & Citic Minsk World:
 Tianhou Gong Hanwen Gong Ci, and Open 9:30am–6pm daily. &
Shengping Lu. Tel (0754) 8845 4097.
Open 7am–5:30pm daily.
P Shipaotai Gongyuan
Haibin Lu. Tel (0754) 8854 3120.
Open 7:30am–6pm daily.
2 Chaozhou
275 miles (440 km) E of Guangzhou.

* 2,600,000. £ @
This ancient city was the seat of

a highly cultured civilization
during the Ming dynasty. Its
fortunes declined rapidly in the
17th century, when almost Aircraft on the Russian carrier at Minsk World, Shenzhen
GUANGDONG & HAINAN 303
Sun Yat-sen
For many, Sun Yat-sen, who planned the overthrow of the last Chinese dynasty and the
establishment of a republic, is the father of modern China. Born in Guangdong in 1866,
he studied medicine and was greatly influenced by the leader of the Taiping Rebellion,
and fellow Cantonese, Hong Xiuquan (see p428). A failed uprising in Canton (Guangzhan)
in 1895 forced him abroad, where he spent 15 years raising money in support of his
cause (in London he was abducted and held in the Chinese legation). Abroad when the
Qing dynasty fell in 1911, he was made president of the new republic in 1912. Power
struggles soon forced him from office. He died in 1925 before he was able to establish an
independent government, with the aim of uniting the country.
Sun Yat-sen
working in the office
of his Guangzhou
headquarters, from
where he strove to
“The World Belongs to All” is a slogan create the circum-
reflecting Sun’s democratic notions: the stances that would
right to vote, the right to recall, and the lead to a democratic
powers of legislation and amendment. and united China.
Chiang Kai-shek
(standing), who, like
Sun, married a Soong
sister (see p204), used
Sun’s theories of Discussing the organization of a new govern-
political tutelage to ment in 1911, before Sun Yat-sen (second from left) Seen here as
justify military became president. He resigned when general Yuan Generalissimo in
dictatorship. Shikai sought to become emperor in 1913, 1922, Sun Yat-sen
plunging China back into civil war. established a military
government in
Guangzhou, the
base of the Nation-
alist Revolution.
On National Day portraits of Sun Yat-sen

are brandished together with those of
Marx and Engels in Tian’an Men Square.
Sun Yat-sen, despite his Kuomintang
connections and his antipathy to class
war, is seen as a revolutionary who paved
the way for communism.
304 THE SOUTH
4 Guangzhou 5 Sacred Heart Church

56 Yide Lu. q Haizhu Square. Tel
(020) 8333 6761. Open 3:30pm
Guangdong’s capital, known as Canton to its 19th-century Sun for English services.
foreign residents, is an ancient and significant port. During the A Gothic-style Roman Catholic
Tang dynasty, the city’s trade links across Asia gave it a sizable church, the Sacred Heart
Muslim community. Later, Western merchants made their first Church (Shi Shi Jiaotang) was
contact with China through this port. Today, Guangzhou is built by the French between
1863 and 1888. The land
an affluent, bustling city, with a handful of interesting sights, was granted to France as
including the 2,000-year-old tomb and excavated palace compensation for its losses
gardens of the Nan Yue kings. While the city’s modern during the Second Opium
infrastructure is comprehensive, Guangzhou’s architectural War. The church’s twin spires
heritage has also been carefully preserved in places. South of rise to a height of 190 ft
(58 m), and its bell tower
the city, Shamian Island was the site of the foreign concession
contains four bronze bells
and is filled with charming colonial-style buildings. cast in France.
E Peasant Movement
Institute
42 Zhongshan Si Lu. q Peasant
Movement Institute. Tel (020) 8333
3936. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun.
The city’s revolutionary
past is on display in this
former Ming Confucian
temple. In 1924, the building
became a training school for
peasant revolutionaries, who
were taught by leaders such
as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai
(see p256). The school closed
in 1926 as the relationship
between the Communists and
the KMT soured (see p72).
A variety of foodstuffs, grains, and spices on sale, Qingping Market
Y Nan Yue Palace Gardens
( Qingping Market Chan Buddhism (see p165). Zhongshan Lu. q Gongyuanqian.
Qingping Lu. q Huangsha. Hualin Si has a main hall with Open 11am–2:30pm & 5–10pm daily.
Open daily. 500 images of luohan or arhats This extraordinary site
Just across the road from (those freed from the cycle of contains the excavated
Shamian Island (see pp306–7) is rebirth); one of them, sporting a gardens that surrounded
one of China’s largest and most broad-brimmed hat, is thought the palace of Zhao Tuo, the
famous markets, devoted to all to be the merchant Marco Polo. founder of the ancient Nan
types of produce. On sale are Yue kingdom (see p306). A
medicines, spices, vegetables, Qin general from Hebei
dried seafood, grains, fish, meat, province, he founded an
and live animals, including cats, independent kingdom after
dogs, and endangered species. the fall of the Qin dynasty.
Fortunately, the numbers of The site is covered by a
endangered animals on sale have corrugated roof, and a raised
drastically reduced in recent pathway leads past the main
years. For some visitors, the sights. To the northeast, a
atmosphere is too gory, while for paved lake and an ornamental
others it is exhilaratingly Chinese. stream are clearly visible,
while in the southwestern
 Hualin Si corner are the remains of an
Near Changshou Xi Lu. q even older Qin dynasty
Changshou Lu. Tel (020) 8139 6228. shipyard. The site’s small
Open daily. museum exhibits stone slabs,
The city’s liveliest Buddhist pillars, and rooftiles, many of
temple, founded in 526, was which bear the inscription
one of the shrines visited by “Panyu,” which is Guangzhou’s
Bodhidarma, the founder of Devotees lighting incense sticks, Hualin Si original name.
GUANGZHOU 305
U Huaisheng Mosque survive, and most of the current VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

56 Guangta Lu. q Ximenkou. halls date to the 19th century.
Open to Muslims only. The pillared main hall has several Practical Information
Founded during the Tang Buddha images, while the three 94 miles (150 km) NW of Hong
dynasty by Abu Waqas (see p307), pagodas behind it are of great Kong. * 12,900,000.
this is one of China’s oldest antiquity. Of these, one was built n Huaxia Hotel, 2 Qiaoguang
mosques. Much of the mosque over a hair of Hui Neng, the Lu, (020) 8333 6888.
has been reconstructed, Sixth Chan Buddist Patriarch Transportation
though it contains an (AD 638–713) who came k Bayiun airport £ Guangzhou
unusual minaret, thought from Guangzhou, while station and East train station. @
to have been used as a the other two are 10th- Provincial bus station, Liuhua and
beacon for boats, and century structures. Tianhe bus station g to Hong
numerous stone stelae. Kong from Lianhuashan Port.
 Liu Rong Si
 Guangxiao Si Liurong Lu. q Gongyuanqian.
109 Guangxiao Lu. q Tel (020) 8339 2843. Open are covered in intricate carvings
Ximenkou. Tel (020) 8108 8am–5pm daily. & of birds, insects, and lions. At the
8867. Open daily. & Liu Rong Si, the Six top is an enormous bronze pillar
Banyan Temple, was with reliefs of meditating figures.
Supposedly founded established in AD 537 Little remains of the original
during the Western Han to house a portion of temple, which was associated
dynasty, the Guangxiao the Buddha’s ashes, with Hui Neng. The Hall of the
Si (Temple of Glorious Ancient pagoda, which were brought Sixth Patriarch contains a bronze
Filial Piety) is one of the Guangxiao Si from India and figure of him, cast in AD 989. The
city’s most attractive enshrined in the temple was named by the exiled
sights. Built over the palace of Flower Pagoda (Hua Ta). Rebuilt Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo
the last Nan Yue king, it became in 1097, the 187-ft (57-m) (see p310) in appreciation of the
a temple in the 5th century and octagonal pagoda appears to trees in the temple. His callig-
was later visited by Bodhidarma, have nine stories from the raphic characters that read “Liu
the founder of Chan Buddhism. outside, but in fact has a total of Rong” are engraved into stone
None of the original buildings 17. The pagoda’s wooden eaves over the gateway.
Guangzhou City Center Train

Provincial Station
1 Qingping Market Bus Station
X I LU
SHI Bayiun Airport
2 Hualin Si HU
AN Guangzhou 28 km (17 miles)
Railway
3 Sacred Heart Church Liuhua Station
Station Orchid Garden and
4 Peasant Movement Institute Trade Islamic Cemetery
LU HU
5 Nan Yue Palace Gardens N
Fair Hall
A N
A
I
SH
Q
6 Huaisheng Mosque Yuexiu

N
I Z
A
LU
Yuexiu H
ZH
Gongyuan ON
G L
7 Guangxiao Si LU
Park U
RENMIN
A Art Museum
LIUH U Nan Yue
8 Liu Rong Si Tomb East Train Station
5 km (3 miles)
Five Rams
9 Chen Jia Ci Liuhua
Beixim Statue
J I E FA N G
Park Lake
0 Nan Yue Tomb DO
NG
XI FEN
q Orchid Garden and Islamic HU
A
G XI LU Sun Yat-Sen
Memorial Hall
SHENZHEN &
LU HONG KONG,
BEI
Cemetery DONGFE
NG ZHO NG
Lianhuashan Port
LU
w Yuexi Gongyuan Peasant Lianhuashan
LIURONG LU
LU
Guangxiao Port
Chen Jia Ci Movement Institute
Si
e Shamian Island
Liu Rong Si
YUEXIU L U
Gongyuanqian
Chen Clan
Academy Z H O N G SH AN LU Nan Yue Peasant
LO N Ximenkou
Palace Movement
Institute
GJ Gardens
J I E FA N G
IN
ZHO Huaisheng
NG W EN M I N G L U
LU Mosque
HUI
FU XI LU
NAN
Changshou
Lu
HOU LU
RENM
CHANGS
LU
Hualin Si
WENC
N LU
DAXI
IN L U
LU Haizhu Square
IU Sacred
AJ
XI Heart
H
A
N E LU
Church YID L U Haizhu
G LU
G
0 meters 800 IAN Bridge
NJ
YA
Qingping Cultural
0 yards 800 Market Park er
Riv U
Huangsha LIUERSAN LU arl L
Pe N G
JIA
BIN
FOSHAN Xidi
Shamian Island
Renmin
Wharf Key to Symbols see back flap
Bridge
306 THE SOUTH
 Chen Jia Ci Less severely classical, their halls of Zhao Tuo. Zhao Tuo, a Qin
Zhongshan Qi Lu. q Chen Clan are generally lower and broader. general from Hebei province,
Academy. Tel (020) 8181 4371. Open Roofs and, as in the case of the was sent here in 214 BC to
8:30am–5:30pm daily. & first hall here, facades, are often control southern China. After
This temple, in the gloriously smothered in fantastic designs the fall of the Qin, Zhao Tuo
colorful southern style, was built and sculpted figures from operas. established the Nan Yue
in 1890 with funds donated by kingdom. Shortly after his
members of the Chen clan. It was P Nan Yue Tomb grandson’s death, the kingdom
to act as a temple of ancestor 867 Jiefang Bei Lu. q Yuexiu Park Tel was reclaimed by the Han kings.
worship and as a school. Though (020) 3618 2920. Open 9am–5:30pm, The tomb contains magnificent
obviously Chinese, these south- last entry 5pm daily. & burial items made of gold and
ern temples are quite different This is the site of the 2,000-year- precious stones, including a jade
from their northern counterparts. old tomb of Zhao Mo, grandson burial suit. Many of the captions
are in English, and a video
recounts the story of the excava-
tion that took place in 1983.
Y Orchid Garden and

Islamic Cemetery
901 Jiefang Bei Lu. q Yuexiu Park.
This charming garden has
bamboo groves and ponds
overhung with palms. The
orchids are in greenhouses, and
the best time to see them is late
winter to early spring. Along the
garden’s western edge, the
Brick relief of a traditional opera on the facade of Chen Jia Ci cemetery contains what is said
Shamian Island
Christ Church served the
Protestants among the
Leased to the French and British after the Chinese were British community at the
defeated during the Second Opium War (1856–60), this west end of the island.
island is really little more than a sandbank about half a
mile (800 m) long. Before being allowed to settle on
Shamian Island, foreigners had previously been
compelled to remain in their warehouses on
the mainland. Soon after the French settled
SHAMIAN WU JIE
at the east end and the British at the west,

the streets filled with European-style villas, SHAMIAN
SHAMIAN SI JIE
banks, and churches. Chinese people were

long forbidden to enter the island, so an
exclusively European way of life prevailed
on this strange outpost.
SHAMIAN
American
Consulate
White Swan
Hotel
Cannon in Shamian Gongyuan

The two cannons in Shamian Gomgyuan were
manufactured in the neighboring city of Foshan for
use during the mid-19th century Opium Wars.
GUANGZHOU 307
to be the tomb of Abu Waqas,

the uncle of the Prophet,
credited with bringing Islam to
China. Though closed to non-
Muslims, it can be viewed
through a screen.
Y Yuexiu Gongyuan
Jiefang Bei Lu. q Yuexiu Park. Tel (020)
8666 1950. Open 6am–9pm daily.
Spread over 222 acres (90 ha),
Yuexiu Park is one of the largest
municipal parks in China. It is
split into several parts by
Huanshi Zhong Lu and Yingyuan
Lu. The most striking building, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yuexiu Gongyuan
the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall,
is in the southernmost section founded by Five Immortals E Art Museum
off Dongfeng Zhong Lu. Built in riding five rams, who planted 13 Luhu Lu. Tel (020) 8365 9337.
1931 in traditional style with a sheaves of corn to ensure that Open 9am–5:30pm Tue–Sun.
blue tiled roof, it marks the spot famine would never strike. ∑ gzam.com.cn
where Dr. Sun Yat-sen (see p303) Nearby, the Municipal This contemporary museum
was proclaimed head of the Museum is housed in the exhibits shows by major
Nationalist government in 1923. Zhenhai Lou, a Ming watch- Chinese artists. On permanent
Most of the other sights lie in tower. It has 1,200 exhibits display is an exhibition of the
the middle of the park, including dating from 4000 BC to the works of political cartoonist Liao
the Five Rams Statue – the city present, and includes a Christian Bingxiong, who was criticized in
symbol that commemorates the tract that inspired the Taiping 1958 for his Rightist leanings.
myth that Guangzhou was Rebellion (see p428). No flip-flops allowed.
Facade on Shamian Dajie

This bank’s facade is in typical
European colonial style. A number
of restored buildings along Shamian
Dajie have plaques describing their
former occupants.
SHAMIAN BEI JIE

JIE
JIE
JIE
DA JIE
YI
SAN
ER
SHAMIAN
SHAMIAN
DA JIE
SHAMIAN
SHAMIAN
NAN JIE SHAMIAN NAN JIE
SHAMIAN CUIZHOU
GONGYUAN GONGYUAN
E L E VAT
ED ROADW
AY
Zhu Jiang
Our Lady of Lourdes

0 meters 150 Key This Catholic church was primarily
where the French community,
0 yards 150 Suggested route which occupied the island’s eastern
end, would attend services.
308 THE SOUTH
7 Zhaoqing
60 miles (95 km) W of Guangzhou.

* 3,900,000. £ from Guangzhou
and Foshan. @ g to Hong Kong.
n 90 Tianming Bei Lu, (0758)
222 9908.
This attractive city was the
home of the Italian Jesuit priest
Matteo Ricci in the late 16th
century, until he was expelled
by a local official in 1589. Today,
it is famous for the limestone
The bedroom at Sun Yat-sen’s residence, Cuiheng scenery at Qixing Yan (Seven
Star Crag), 1 mile (1.5 km) north
5 Cuiheng the Zu Miao was founded in AD of the Xi River. Located beside
1080 as a metallurgists’ guild a lake, the mist-covered peaks
temple. It is lavishly decorated lie in the shape of the Big Bear
15 miles (25 km) E of Zhongshan with ceramic figures, made in constellation, and some believe
town. @ bus 12 from Zhongshan nearby Shiwan, representing them to be fallen stars. They
East bus station. scenes from traditional opera and can be explored via a network
folk stories. At the rear of the of bridges and causeways.
Zhongshan county, located 56 complex is a museum dedi- The city’s sights include
miles (90 km) south of cated to local kung fu the Chongxi Ta, a pagoda
Guangzhou, is the master and Bruce overlooking the Xi River. Built
birthplace of Sun Lee’s instructor, in the Ming period, it is the
Yat-sen (see p303), Yip Man, and tallest pagoda in Guangdong.
whose name is Wong Feihung, The old City Walls still stand
Sun Zhongshan whose exploits on Jianshe Lu, while in the
in Mandarin. have inspired western suburbs, the Plum
This revolution- Elaborate stone roof of countless martial Monastery is associated with
ary leader was Zu Miao, Foshan arts movies. Free Hui Neng, the Sixth Chan
born in Cuiheng martial arts shows Buddhist Patriarch.
village on the outskirts of are held twice daily. Near the A short bus ride northeast
Zhongshan town in 1866. The entrance is a garden displaying of the city is the forested
Portuguese-style house in cannons that were used against reserve of Dinghu Shan,
which he lived with his parents the British in the 19th century which offers numerous scenic
between 1892 and 1895 is now Opium Wars. walking trails.
part of a memorial garden
devoted to his life. Nearby, other  Zu Miao } Qixing Yan
houses belonging to the same 21 Zumiao Lu. q Zumiao. Tel (0758) 223 4728.
period have been restored and Open 8:30am–6pm daily. & Open 8am–6pm daily. &
are also open to the public.
E Sun Yat-sen’s Residence

Cuiheng Dadao. Tel (0760) 8550 1691.
6 Foshan
21 miles (35 km) SW of Guangzhou.

* 7,200,000. £ @ minibuses from
Guangzhou. n 71 Nanhai Dadao
Zhong, (0757) 8380 8888.
Foshan has been known since

the Song dynasty for its fine
ceramics, particularly figurines
with a pale blue glaze. Visits
to factories can be arranged
through the tourist office. Nearby, The Piyun Tower perched atop Zhaoqing’s ancient city walls
The grand gateway of Feilai Gusi along the banks of the Bei River
8 Feilai and Feixia located up the hillside, is often was founded in AD 502 and
being refurbished as a result of became renowned for its
regular flooding. There are, connection with Bodhidarma,
52 miles (85 km) NW of Guangzhou. @ however, some impressive the founder of Chan (Zen)
to Qingyuan. Feilai and Feixia Temples: frescoes and hiking paths. Buddhism who meditated here
4 depart daily from Qingyuan’s Wuyi
for 36 years. One of the halls
Dock. Open 8am–5:30pm daily. &
contains a statue of him, said to
9 Shaoguan have been cast from his corpse;
The busy industrial town of another has a statue of a monk
Qingyuan is the access point for 144 miles (230 km) N of Guangzhou.
walking on stilts. The bell tower
two picturesque temples located £@ has a large, 700-year-old bronze
at Feilai and Feixia on the Bei bell cast in the Song dynasty.
River, that can only be reached Shaoguan town has only a About 31 miles (50 km)
by boat. The boats, which handful of sights, such as the northeast of town, Danxia Shan
depart early in the morning and Fengcai Lou, a reconstruction is a 112-sq-mile (290 sq-km) park
return in the afternoon (it’s best of an ancient city gate, and the on the banks of the Jin. It has
to charter them with a group), Dajian Chan Monastery founded rocky outcrops in fascinating
pass fishermen whose in AD 660, but there are three shapes, with trails leading to
cormorants – trained to fish for worthwhile places of interest their summits. A boat or bus
them – sit patiently on the in the vicinity. The Nanhua Si takes visitors farther along the
prows of sampans. The first (Southern China Temple), 16 river to Danxia Shan itself.
temple, Feilai Gusi, was miles (25 km) to the southeast, Meaning “Cinnabar Cloud,” it has
founded about 1,400 years ago red sandstone cliffs, with paths
and is situated on the steep leading past hillside monasteries.
riverbank of a gorge. Steps lead About 11 miles (18 km) south
up from the river to its ornate of Shaoguan is Shizi Yan, a cave
gateway. Its current buildings where the prehistoric remains of
are mainly from the Ming Homo erectus were found. The
dynasty. A short walk through museum displays arrowheads,
the various buildings leads to a pottery, and artifacts from local
modern pavilion, from where there prehistoric sites.
are superb views along the river.
Located a short distance  Nanhua Si
farther along the gorge is Feixia Tel (0751) 650 1223.
Gusi comprising two late 19th- Open 7am–6pm daily. &
century Daoist temples, Feixia } Danxia Shan
and Cangxia. Feixia is much Open daily. &
larger than Feilai, and its stone
halls and temples are surrounded Statue of a monk walking on “improbable T Shizi Yan
Open daily. &
by a fine set of walls. Cangxia, stilts,” Nanhua Si
310 THE SOUTH
0 Hainan Island The East Coast

Wenchang: 60 miles (100 km) SE of
Haikou. @ Xinglong Tropical
Although China’s largest island became a part of the Chinese Botanical Garden: Tel (0898) 6255
4410. Open 7:30am–5:30pm daily. &
empire during the Han dynasty, it remained a backwater and
place of exile until the mid-20th century. It was so remote that The town of Wenchang is the
ancestral home of the Soong
its ethnic Li people still lived a primitive hunter-gatherer sisters (see p204), two of whom,
existence until as late as the 1930s. In 1988, the island became Qingling and Meiling, married
a Special Economic Zone, but the local economy only took off the revolutionary leaders Sun
when tour operators realised the potential of the south coast Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek.
beaches. Hainan is today an independent province with much Its main attractions are the
to offer. Beyond the tropical beaches around the southern city beaches and coconut groves
at Dongjiao Yelin and Gusong,
of Sanya, attractions include impressive mountain scenery in a fishing village 25 miles
the southwest, and coffee plantations on its east coast. (40 km) east of Wenchang. A
further 36 miles (60 km) south
of Bo’ao, on the outskirts of
Wanning town, Dongshan Ling
has curiously shaped natural
rock formations. Farther south,
Xinglong is known throughout
China for its coffee, and the
Xinglong Tropical Botanical
Gardens, 2 miles (3 km) south
of town offer coffee and tea
tastings. South of Xinglong is
Lingshui, the principal town of
the Lingshui Li Autonomous
County, that is home to a large
number of Li people who have
lived on Hainan since 200 BC.
Fish being laid out to dry in Xincun on the east coast The Communist Museum
commemorates China’s first
Haikou Wuzhi Shan City and the Communist government which
175 miles (285 km) N of Sanya. Central Highlands that was formed in Hainan in
* 2,100,000. k @ g mainland Wuzhi Shan City: 130 miles (220 km) 1928. Many of Lingshui’s
ferries from Xingang pier. SW of Haikou. @ from Sanya and narrow streets remain
The island’s capital is a busy port Haikou. Nationality Museum: Open unchanged since the early
and transportation hub, with 9am–5:30pm daily. 1900s and are lined with quaint
the ambience of a tropical Asian The central mountainous region shops and houses. Just 6 miles
city. To its southeast, Wugong is worth a visit for its spectacular (10 km) south of Lingshui is
Ci (Five Officials Memorial landscape and to explore the Xincun and with a large Hakka
Temple) was built in 1889 to island’s ethnic culture. The main
honor a group of scholars who town is the pleasant Wuzhi Shan
were banished here during the City (also known as Tongshi), the
Tang and Song dynasties for capital of the autonomous Li and
criticizing their government. Miao governments. The Nation-
One of its halls commemorates ality Museum offers an excellent
the Song-era poet Su Dongpo, insight into all aspects of Hainan’s
who was also exiled here history and culture. The city’s
between 1097 and 1100. surrounding countryside has
To the west of the city center remnants of traditional Li houses
is a massive fortification at and barns. About 31 miles
Xiuying, constructed by the (50 km) northeast of town is the
Chinese in the 19th century to 6,125-ft (1,867-m) high Wuzhi
resist the French. Thick stone Shan, which is sacred to the Li
walls conceal six large cannons, people. It is a pleasant hike to the
that are connected by subter- mountain’s summit. Also north-
ranean passages. Farther east of Wuzhi Shan City, the town
southwest is the tomb of Hai of Qiongzhong is surrounded by
Rui, an upright Ming dynasty some beautiful scenery, including
official who was exiled to the 984-ft (300-m) high waterfall
Hainan for criticism. at Baihua Shan. Calligraphy at Dongshan Ling ridge
15 miles (25 km) S of Guangdong.
* 8,450,000. n Datong Lu,
(0898) 6675 4379. _ Li People
San Yue San Festival (the 3rd day
of the 3rd lunar month).
Transportation
k £ train–ferry shuttle
from mainland destinations.
g from Beihai, Guangzhou
and Hai’an.
The pristine, palm-fringed beach at Yalong Bay the coast. It is popular for
snorkeling and hiking.
population (see p296). Close of town, with hotels,
by and accessible only by restaurants, and shops. The O Jianfeng Ling Nature
boat, Monkey Island has a area’s best beach is to the east Reserve
sizable colony of Guangxi of town at Yalong Bay, with a 65 miles (115 km) NW of Sanya.
macaques and is a popular 4-mile (7-km) stretch of pristine @ to Dongfang (Basuo) from Sanya,
day trip from Xincun. sand lined with upmarket then local bus and auto-rickshaw.
hotels. The beach at Tianya Open 8:30am–6:30pm daily. &
Sanya and the South Coast Haijiao, 16 miles (25 km) Pleasantly situated in the
175 miles (285 km) S of Haikou. northwest, is known for its mountains, this highland rain
* 680,000. k @ famous rock that appears on forest, with its huge trees, ferns,
Hainan’s main attractions are the old 2-yuan note. The other and vines as well as species of
the tropical beaches near the attraction is Ximao Zhou birds and butterflies, offers great
town of Sanya. The busiest Island, a 2-hour boat ride off walks and hikes.
beach is Dadonghai, just south
Haikou
Xinying
Gusong
Wenchang
Danzhou
Dongjiao
Yelin
Baisha Qionghai
Bawan g Li n g Bo’ao
Dongfang
(Basuo) Qiongzhong
W uzhi Shan
J IA NF E NG L ING
N A T U R E R E S ERV E Wanning
Wuzhi Shan City
Xinglong
J ia n f en g Key
Qizhi
L in g Shan Expressway
Lingshui National Highway

Minor road
Tianya Xincun
Railroad
Ya Zhou Wan Haijiao
Nanw an Houdao Mountain peak
Ximao Zhou (Monk e y Island)
Sanya Yalong
Dongmao Zhou Bay 0 km 25
0 miles 25

THE SOUTH 313
HONG KONG & MACAU

Although tiny and relatively recently developed, Hong Kong and
Macau are rich and fascinating oddities. They owe their unique
identities as administrative regions separate from China to the
trade that flourished between East and West from the 16th
century onwards, and to the British and Portuguese powers
that annexed and held them until 1997 and 1999 respectively.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans Kong’s manufacturing industry boomed.
to settle at “A-Ma Gau” or the Bay of A-Ma – It soon grew into a densely packed, high-
the region’s patron goddess – in 1557. rise city built by ambitious colonial
Today, Macau, as it came to be known, is a administrators and millions of Chinese
charming haven of pastel-colored colonial migrants escaping the turmoil
mansions and glitzy casinos, the proceeds convulsing their Communist homeland.
of which, along with tourism, keep this In its final years as a British territory, Hong
tiny region financially afloat. Kong’s status as a major financial center
In the 1800s, China’s attempt to destroy was established. Despite the 1997 Asian
Britain’s lucrative opium trade drove the financial crisis, it retains its sleek
British to blockade Chinese ports and international gloss, its enterprise,
eventually secure Hong Kong as their and its breathtaking visual impact.
own trading enclave in 1841. The area, Standing in Kowloon and gazing at the
hitherto inhabited by farmers and skyscrapers scaling Hong Kong Island’s
fisherfolk, quickly flourished. After World hills, writer Pico Iyer’s description sums it
War II and the four-year Japanese up succinctly: “a dream of Manhattan,
occupation, trade resumed and Hong arising from the South China Sea.”
Spirals of fragrant incense hanging in Daoist Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong

Night-time view of Central’s modern skyscrapers, Hong Kong
314 THE SOUTH
Exploring Hong Kong & Macau

The bustling heart of Hong Kong is broken in two and
divided by Victoria Harbour. Its key sights, cultural Guangzhou
attractions, shopping, and eating spots are found along Zhaoqing

GUANGDONG
the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, and at, or close to,
Shenzhen
Kowloon’s southern tip. Between Kowloon and the border Zhongshan
with the rest of China lie the New Territories, with their Kowloon
Hong Kong
rugged mountains and most of Hong Kong’s modern, high- Macau Island
rise dormitory towns. The other major islands – Lamma,

So u t h Ch i n a Sea
Cheung Chau, and Lantau – are west of Hong Kong Island,
and beyond these is Macau. A passport is necessary to leave Locator Map
See also Map pp282–3
or arrive in both Macau and Hong Kong, as they are still
administered as autonomous regions of China.
Sights at a Glance
Historic Sites, Neighborhoods Other Attractions
& Towns
4 Happy Valley Racecourse
1 Central w Star Ferry
2 Wan Chai l Ocean Park
3 Causeway Bay
7 Lan Kwai Fong Shops & Markets
8 The Central-Mid-levels Escalator q Sheung Wan’s Markets
9 Hollywood Road i Temple Street & Jade Markets
e Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront o Bird & Flower Markets Shenzhen Mai
t Nathan Road Bay Po
Islands
f Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail Fairview
k Aberdeen v Lamma Island Park
c Stanley b Cheung Chau Island Lam
Wang Sha Country
m Macau pp332–5 n Lantau Island Po Tsuen
Chau
10
Museums Yuen
9 Long
r Hong Kong Museum of Art
3
y Hong Kong Science Museum Tai Shui

u Hong Kong Museum of History Hang Tai Lam
Country Park
a Heritage Museum San Hui Village
Lung Kwu Tan Tuen Mun
Parks, Gardens & Areas
Tai Lam Chung
of Natural Beauty Reservoir
5 Hong Kong Zoological & Siu Lang Shui
Pillar Point 9
3
Ma
Botanical Gardens Wan
6 The Peak pp318–19
d Sai Kung Town & Peninsula Yam O
Macau 8
Beaches
Chek Lap Kok
g Kadoorie Farm & Botanic International Airport Airport
Garden Discovery
Chek Lap Kok Bay
h Mai Po Marshes 8 Peng Chau
Island
j Maclehose Trail
Tung Chung Lantau North
z Deep Water & Country Park
Lantau
Repulse Bays Island Mui Wo
Temples & Tai O Ngong Pui O

Monasteries Ping
0 Man Mo Temple Lantau South Cheung
Country Park Chimawan
p Wong Tai Sin Temple Sha Peninsula
s 10,000 Buddhas
Monastery Fan Lau 0 km 5
Cheung
x Hong Kong Life Saving 0 miles 5 Chau
Society
HONG KONG & MACAU 315
Getting Around
Hong Kong Island & Kowloon
For Street Finder Maps see pp340–43 The best way to get around Hong Kong’s
central areas is on foot. The efficient MTR
TH
K O W LO O N
SOU
Hung (Mass Transit Railway), which is the city’s
NAT HAN RD
Hom
RD
G
TSIM SHA subway system, serves the central

SIN
TSIM SHA
CHATHAM
OS
TSUI TSUI EAST

CR
districts, has a fast airport line, and links
CAN TA D
R
RO
OU
AD the center with the New Territories and

RB
CR OS S HA
RO
ON
HA
RN
SALISBURY East Tsim China (see p620). Buses, trams, and taxis
TE
Sha Tsui
ES
operate from all major nodes and are

W
RB OU
cheap by international standards. The
R TU NN EL
Victoria Harbour
SHEUNG Hong
Star Ferry (see p321), shuttles between
WAN RCONN Kong Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, while
D
C
AU NT
Q U EEN ' S regular inter-island ferries link Hong

E
H
GHRA
O LLYW
T L
CHUNG WAN CAUSEWAY

OO
Kong with the main islands. The fast,

RD
RD (CENTRAL) BAY
D
CE
ROB
I sleek Macau-bound ferries leave from
NT
NS R AL
ADMIRALTY G LO U C E S T E R
ON
RD
R RD QU
WAN CHAI their own terminal just west of the
WONG N
D
EE Y RD
N N S W AY
R D E HONG KONG JO H E N N E S S
0 meters 800 GA PAR K
H
N S T ON R
D inter-island ferry terminal.
AI
C H UN
0 yards 800 HONG KONG

ISLAND
G
RD
Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Lo Wu
Sheung Shui
Kwan Tei
9 Sheung Pat Sin Leng Plover Cove
Shui Fanling Country Park Country Park
Fanling Pat Sin
Range Hoi Ha Wan
Plover Marine
Chuen Cove Park
Park Shuen Wan Reservoir Tap Mun Chau
Chek Mun (Grass Island)
Tai Wo San Mun (Tolo-Channel)
Tai Po Tsai Tai Tan
Hoi
Tai Po Tolo Harbour Sai Kung West
Country Park Tai Wan
Market
Tai Mo Shan 9
Country Park Ko Tong Sharp
Peak
University Jacob's Pak Tam
Ladder Au Tai Long Wan
NEW TERRITORIES Pak Tam
Tai Lam Shing Mun Sai Kung East Tai Long
Ma On Shan Chung
Country Country Park Fo Tan
Country Park
Country Park Sai Wan
Park Sha Tin
Sha Tin Tai Mong
Tsuen Wan Tai Wei Tsai High Island
2
Golden 1
Hill
Wu Lei Tau Reservoir
Lion Rock
Country Sharp
5
Country Park
Park Ho Chung Island Kai Sai
Tsing Yi Wo Mei Chau
Kowloon
Tsing Yi Tong
3 Tiu Chung
8 K O W LO O N Tseng Lan Shue Chau
3
Mong
Kok Tseung
Hung 7
Kowloon Hom
Kwan O
Key
East Tsim
Sha Tsui
North Point Tseung Train station
Hong Kong Kwan O Clearwater Bay
Central (Junk Bay) Expressway
Po Toi O
4
Pok Fu Lam Hong Kong National Highway

Country Island Joss House Tei Tong
Park
Shek O Bay Tsui Minor road
Tai Tam Country Tung Lung
Yung Shue Country Park Chau Railroad
Wan Park
East Lamma Shek O Walking trail
Channel Repulse
Bay
So u t h C h in a Ferry route
Cape Sea Special Administrative
D'Aguilar Region
Sok Kwu Wan
Lamma
Island Lo Chau
(Beaufont Island)
Po Toi Island
316 THE SOUTH
The modernistic, but feng shui- Landmark. The International

friendly girders of the HSBC Commerce Centre across
(Hong Kong & Shanghai the water in Kowloon is even
Banking Corporation) Head- taller than the IFC, at 1,587 ft
quarters loom over the square. (484 m), and marks a shift
Designed by British architect away from Hong Kong Island’s
Sir Norman Foster and north shore for competitive
completed in 1985, it was at hi-tech architecture.
that time one of the most Hong Kong’s dramatic skyline
expensive buildings, costing is showcased in a nightly sound
more than HK$5 billion. Be sure and light show, with the crowds
to rub the paws of the regal- gathering on the Tsimshatsui
looking lions outside for luck. waterfront to see the city at
The Two IFC Tower near the Star The stark spike of the Bank of its best.
Ferry Terminal China headquarters rises
behind the HSBC building.
1 Central Designed by the renowned
Chinese-born architect I. M.
Pei, its harsh, angular lines
Hong Kong Island. Map 2 C3. go against all feng shui guide-
q Central. 4 Star Ferry from
lines, and it is seen as an
Kowloon.
aggressive statement that
offsets the benign energies of
The sleek, corporate cathedrals the HSBC Headquarters.
of local banks and businesses Northwest of Statue Square,
tower over the ever-teeming near the Star Ferry Terminal, is
streets of Hong Kong’s financial Hong Kong’s second-tallest
epicenter. Apart from Statue building, the 88-story, 1,362-ft
Square, which is at the heart of (415-m) Two International
the area, there are few cultural Finance Centre (IFC), built in The roof of the Convention &
sights in Central, as many 2003. A hotel and a residential Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
colonial buildings have long tower have also been erected
since disappeared, making way here. The IFC Mall at the tower’s 2 Wan Chai
for high-rise development. base is one of Hong Kong’s
The desire for real estate has largest, adding to Central’s
always been strong, and land collection of upmarket Hong Kong Island. Map 3 F3. q Wan
reclamation started almost as shopping malls, such as The Chai. 4 Star Ferry from Kowloon.
v@
soon as the British took over in
1841. This continous reclamation
has made Hong Kong Island Made famous in Richard
and Kowloon creep even closer. Mason’s 1957 novel The World of
Central is easily explored on Suzy Wong, Wan Chai’s colorful
foot, allowing visitors a close red light district has now largely
view of some of the most given way to new development,
interesting buildings, especially fancy bars, restaurants, and
those around Statue Square. hotels. The Wan Chai MTR is a
The elegant Neo-Classical good starting point for a
Former Supreme Court walking tour. A trip down
Building, surmounted by the Lockhart Road, just around the
blindfolded figure of Themis, corner from the MTR, reveals the
the Greek goddess of justice, area’s few remaining ties with its
is the sole surviving colonial past in the form of a handful of
structure in the square. go-go bars.
Completed in 1911, it originally A 5-minute walk north of the
served as Hong Kong’s Supreme MTR across Gloucester Road is
Court and latterly served as the Central Plaza, at one time the
seat of the region’s government. tallest, and still one of Hong
It will house the Court of Final Kong’s grandest skyscrapers.
Appeal from 2016 onwards. There are splendid views from
Beyond this, the municipal- the 46th floor. Facing Central
style architecture of the Plaza across Harbour Road is the
square’s center is rather HK$4.8 billion Convention &
disappointing. However, not all HSBC building (right) on Statue Square and Exhibition Centre. The sweep-
the structures lack imagination. Bank of China (left) ing lines of the extension at its
HONG KONG 317
northern end are intended to

create the impression of a bird
taking flight. This was the venue
for the 1997 ceremony during
which Britain handed Hong
Kong back to China. The glass
walls offer fine harbor views,
and outside are a large
promenade and a pleasant
sitting area.
3 Causeway Bay
The historic Noonday Gun, fired daily at noon, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong Island. q Causeway Bay.
v Eastbound (to Shau Kei Wan) explains the origins of the way through the evening.
trams. tradition, celebrated in Noel Horse-racing is a passion in
Coward’s song “Mad Dogs Hong Kong; it’s the only
A neon-lit crush of giant and Englishmen.” legal gambling opportunity
department stores, such Most of the land that available to local people. The
as Sogo, and malls like Hysan Causeway Bay stands on is industry is carefully controlled,
Place and Times Square, reclaimed, and the reclamation with only the Hong Kong
and the ever-present crowds work continues today along Jockey Club allowed to run
of shoppers is the first view of the harborside between the betting.
Causeway Bay when emerging Central and Causeway Bay. Formerly a malaria-ridden
from the MTR. East of the marsh, Happy Valley was used
MTR sprawls Victoria Park, for the racecourse as it was the
4 Happy Valley
Hong Kong’s largest public widest stretch of flat land on
park and a serene place to Racecourse Hong Kong Island. The first race
swim, play tennis, or practice was held here in 1845. Today, the
tai ji quan. Close to the harbor, huge stand holds up to 54,000
Hong Kong Island. v Happy Valley.
also known as the typhoon & For race night details, call 1817.
spectators. Racing is open all
shelter, is the Noonday Gun, ∑ hkjc.com/english year except between July and
which has been fired daily September. Happy Valley’s small
since the 1840s and retained The racecourse at Happy Valley Racing Museum details Hong
as a charity fundraising event. crackles with ner vous energy Kong’s racing history.
The enclosure housing the gun during the Wednesday race
opens for half an hour after nights, as tens of thousands of
5 Hong Kong Zoo-
noon, where a small plaque eager gamblers shout their
logical and
Happy Valley Races Botanical Gardens
Hong Kong’s punters are crazy about horse-racing. A single race at
Happy Valley or at Sha Tin in the New Territories, often attracts more Albany Road. Map 2 B4. q Central.
bets than an entire week of racing in Britain, and in 2014, the turnover @ 3B, 12, 12A, 12M. Tel (0852) 2530
reached a record HK$104 billion. The government collects significant 0154. Zoo: Open 6am–7pm daily.
tax revenues from the races, and although revenue has always been Gardens: Open 6am–10pm daily.
lost to illegal betting syndicates, the Hong Kong government still ∑ lcsd.gov.hk
took HK$20 billion in gambling tax revenue in 2014.
Opposite Hong Kong Park, just
across Cotton Tree Drive, lie
the Zoological and Botanical
Gardens, established in 1864. The
gardens house dozens of exotic
animals such as lemurs, orang-
utans,and the world’s largest
collection of buff-cheeked
gibbons, while its aviaries have a
colorful collection of birds.
Hundreds of plants, including
some ancient trees, provide
welcome shade in this oasis of
A thrilling finish at Happy Valley Racecourse quiet. There is also a playground,
some sculptures and fountains.
318 THE SOUTH
6 The Peak
Cooling sea breezes, shaded woodland walks and spectacular
views of the city, harbor, and outlying islands make the Peak
an unmissable Hong Kong experience. Ever since colonial
days, the Peak has been the place to live in the city. Governors
and rich merchants built houses here in the mid-1800s to
escape the worst of the summer heat and humidity. The
Peak’s inhabitants were hauled up the sheer slopes in sedan
chairs and coolies were employed to carry supplies to the
. Peak Circuit
hilltop mansions. When the Peak Tram (actually a funicular This flat 2½-mile (4-km) circuit
railway) was built in 1888, the trip was slashed from an hour’s offers breathtaking views over
slog to a pleasant, if alarmingly steep, 10-minute ride. Despite Victoria Harbour to the north, and
the new accessibility, Chinese were excluded from buying Aberdeen and Lamma Island to
the south.
real estate on the Peak well into modern times. Today,
anyone with the means can acquire these properties –
among the world’s most expensive. LUGARD ROAD
G O V E RN O
R ’ S WA L K
VICTORIA PEAK
GARDEN
HARL
EC
H
RO
AD
Victoria Peak Garden
A steep trudge towards the summit leads to these
well-manicured gardens, which were once part of
the Governor’s Lodge (destroyed after World War II).
Sadly, the summit is fenced off and houses
telephone masts.
POK FU LAM
COUNTRY PARK
POK FU LAM
RESERVOIR
KEY
1 Governor’s Walk winds from

the garden to Harlech Road. It tends
to be overgrown and slippery.
2 This old route to Central is
pleasantly shaded but unrelentingly
steep. To avoid the busy traffic
Pok Fu Lam Reservoir near the bottom, detour onto
A 3-mile (5-km) path descends through the peaceful woods of Tregunter Path.
the Country Park and past the reservoir. It emerges on Pok Fu Lam 3 Peak Galleria houses pleasant
Road, where frequent buses head back to the city center. shops and cafés.
HONG KONG 319
The Peak Tower, 128 Peak Road.
Map 2 A5. Tel (0852) 2849 0668.
∑ thepeak.com.hk
Transportation
v Lower Peak tram terminal,
Garden Road. @ 15c at Central
bus terminal (Pier 7); minibus 1
at Central (Two IFC).
. The View
Equally stunning by day or night, the panorama of harbor activity
and highrises is endlessly fascinating. Clouds and smoggy haze,
however, often obscure the views; early mornings tend to be clearer.
THE PEAK
1,811 ft
(552 m)
D
A
RO
K
A
PE
OLD
AD
Peak Tower
RO
This imposing mall at the tram terminus

IN
ST
contains over 30 shops, Madame Tussauds,

AU
M O UNT
many cafés offering good views, and a 360°

viewing terrace.
VICTORIA
GAP
AM RESER
UL VO
KF IR R
PO OAD
0 meters 300
0 yards 300
Key
To Victoria Peak Garden
Peak Circuit
.Peak Tram
To Pok Fu Lam Resevoir With one of the best safety records
Old Peak Road to Central in the world, the Peak Tram has been
Peak Tram trundling up the hair-raisingly steep 27°
incline between St. John’s Cathedral and
Victoria Gap for over a century.

320 THE SOUTH
7 Lan Kwai Fong 9 Hollywood Road
Central. Map 2 B3. q Central. Central. Map 2 B3. q Central, then

Escalator.
It is only at night that Lan Kwai
Fong (“Orchid Square”) really The many antique shops here
starts to buzz, attracting office no longer offer the bargains
workers, including plenty of city they once did, but Hollywood
suits, to its many bars, clubs, and Road still has shops selling
restaurants. It houses some of ancient ceramics, mammoth
the trendiest pubs and ivory carvings, and delicate
entertainment hangouts in snuff bottles. The stalls on
Hong Kong, and the street is Upper Lascar Row are a good
especially packed with revelers hunting ground for antiques,
on Fridays and Saturdays, old coins, and kitsch. Haggling
although most places remain is acceptable here. Some home
open until late throughout the furnishings shops, located at the
week. The partying spills across Entrance to the Central–Mid-Levels eastern end, sell traditional
D’Aguilar Street to tiny Wing Escalator items such as teardrop-shaped
Wah Lane’s bars and good- silk lampshades.
value Thai, Malay, and Indian stalls cluster round the Escalator.
restaurants, most of which have Good Spring Company, on
outdoor dining spaces. Cochrane Street, sells bitter 0 Man Mo Temple
health tonics from a brass urn.
Inside, its herbalist consultants,
some of whom speak English, 128 Hollywood Rd. Map 2 A3.
q Central, then Escalator. Tel (0852)
can tailor-make a brew for
2540 0350. Open 8am–6pm daily.
those who are curious.
Partly as a result of the
completion of the Central–Mid- Atmospheric Man Mo Temple
levels Escalator, SoHo has been stands at the corner of Ladder
transformed from a sleepy Street. Inside its red and gold
district into a thriving interior, smoke curls from
entertainment area. Elgin, giant incense spirals
Shelley, and Staunton hanging from the ceiling,
Streets are excellent places and flames in large brass
to find food and drink. A urns devour paper offerings
plaque on Staunton Street to the dead, such as the
marks the site of the ubiquitous Hell bank-
The bustling Lan Kwai Fong, dotted with house in which Dr. Sun notes. Built in 1847, the
trendy bars and restaurants Yat-sen (see p303), seen temple was dedicated
by many as China’s Lion, Man Mo to two deities, Man and
revolutionary forefather, Temple Mo (the Gods of
8 The Central–Mid- met with fellow members Literature and War),
Levels Escalator of his society in the late 1890s. believed to be real men – the
It also marks a historical trail of 3rd-century administrator
13 sites connected with him. Cheung Ah Tse and the
Central. Map 2 B3. q Central.
Open 6am–midnight.
All the roads between Queen’s

Road Central and Conduit Road
are linked by a 2,598-ft (792-m)
long string of escalators. This is
the longest covered outdoor
escalator system in the world,
and took two-and-a-half years
and more than HK$205 million
to build. On a hot day, it is the
best way to get between Central,
the Mid-Levels, and SoHo (South
of Hollywood Road). Many bars,
cafés, restaurants, and market Lighting a joss stick at Man Mo Temple
HONG KONG 321
The city’s Star Ferry service – an unmistakable sight in Hong Kong
3rd-century soldier Kwan the wet markets, while the w Star Ferry
Yu – who were deified by the fruit and vegetable markets
emperors. Their statues can sell a wonderful selection of
be seen at the back of the fruit and typical Chinese fare, Star Ferry Terminals: Central, Wan Chai
main chamber. The temple including fresh, still-steaming and Kowloon. Map 3 D2, 3 F3, 3 E1.
Tel (0852) 2367 7065. &
served as a courthouse and beancurd and rubbery “1,000
∑ starferry.com.hk
community center for the year eggs,” which are not, in
Chinese in the 19th century, fact, that old, but given an
as it sits in the historic heart aged look by the mineral Few activities in Hong Kong
of the Chinese city. earth they are stored in. These can compete with the sheer
places are not to be missed, excitement and romance of
q Sheung Wan’s
although the squeamish may jumping on these old 1960s
want to avoid the meat and ferries that chug ponderously
Markets fish sections. between Kowloon and Hong
Kong Island. They are
by far the best and
Hong Kong Island. Map 2 A2.
q Sheung Wan. cheapest way to view
the city skyline by day
The short stroll from Central’s or night. The main
slick modernity into the western route links the Kowloon
district of Sheung Wan feels like peninsula (just near
entering a different city. the Clock Tower) with
Beneath the scruffy 1950s the Star Ferry Terminal
tenement blocks, the area at Central, but it is also
between Queen’s Road West possible to reach the
and Wing Lok Street teems Convention Centre
with Chinese medicine and and Wan Chai from
dried seafood wholesalers. This Kowloon aboard these
is the world’s largest center jolly green boats.
for the shark’s fin trade, an Touted as Hong Kong
exorbitantly priced delicacy, Island’s most
usually used in soups. The piles dependable sight,
of fins on view explain why the Star Ferry service
the world shark population is was started by Mr.
fast declining. Dorabjee Nowrojee, a
Apart from dried goods, Parsi gentleman, way
fresh produce is available in back in 1898. At that
the many fruit, vegetable, and time, the only people
“wet” markets clustered around allowed on first-class
Gage Street. Live produce, of decks were Europeans,
the feathered, finned or and a collar and tie
webbed kind, is usually sold in Fresh fruit piled high at a market in Sheung Wan were obligatory.
322 THE SOUTH
y Hong Kong
Science Museum
2 Science Museum Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui

East. Map 1 C3. Tel (0852) 2732 3232.
q Tsim Sha Tsui. Open 10am–7pm
Mon–Wed & Fri, 10am–9pm Sat, Sun &
public hols. & free Wed.
∑ hk.science.museum
A great destination for children,

the Science Museum is packed
with fun interactive displays on
its four floors that detail basic
Forecourt of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre scientific principles, including
electricity and gravity, and a
e Tsim Sha Tsui Southern China and Asia. Also fun “World of Mirrors” on the
Waterfront on display are more than 3,000 ground floor. There are also
objects in ceramics, jade, good displays on technology,
bronze, lacquer, enamel, glass, which demonstrate the
Kowloon. Map 1 B5. q Tsim Sha Tsui. and ivory, as well as furniture workings of various types of
g Star Ferry. n Star Ferry and fine porcelain. machinery ranging from the
Concourse. Hong Kong Space combustion engine to
Museum: 10 Salisbury Rd. Tel (0852) computer chips, as well as
2721 0226. Open 1–9pm Mon-Fri, t Nathan Road robotics and virtual reality.
10am–9pm Sat, Sun and public hols.
The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is a Kowloon. Map 1 B4. q Tsim Sha Tsui.
popular tourist destination with
some of the ritziest arcades, Also known as the Golden Mile
museums, and hotels in the city. on its lower reaches, Nathan
The Star Ferry (see p321) pier is Road is Kowloon’s main
also located here. East of the transportation artery. Running
pier is the Hong Kong Cultural north through the center of the
Centre, which houses a concert peninsula, it is bright, busy, and
hall and theater. Adjacent to the packed with hotels
Centre is the Space and shops. The term
Museum, ideal for Golden Mile,
children with its however, flatters the
interactive exhibits area – far more
and space theater. glitzier enclaves can
Other attractions be found in Central.
include the Avenue Neon sign, Nonetheless a stroll
of Stars honoring the Nathan Road along Nathan Road is Model of a DNA molecule at the Hong Kong
city’s film greats and an definitely an essential Science Museum
elevated walkway for views of Hong Kong experience. You’ll
the city skyline. find crowds of shoppers and
workers, tangled neon signage, u Hong Kong
r Hong Kong bustling tailoring shops, and the Museum of History
stark contrast between smart
Museum of Art hotels, Cantonese canteens,
and grim tenement blocks, such 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha
10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Map 1 as the once-notorious Tsui East.q Tsim Sha Tsui. Map 1 C3.
B5. q Tsim Sha Tsui. g Star Ferry. Tel Chungking Mansions, making Tel (0852) 2724 9042. Open 10am–
(0852) 2721 0116. Open 10am–6pm for a chaotic and insightful 6pm Mon, Wed–Fri, 10am–7pm Sat,
Fri–Wed (10am–7pm Sat, Sun and journey. The road’s far northern Sun & public hols. & free Wed.
∑ hk.history.museum
public hols). & free Wed. ∑ hk.art. end offers glimpses of the past.
museum Here, the ramrod-straight
Boundary Street still marks the The pursuit of profit and the
The Museum of Art is renowned line of the 1860 border, the year resulting change of pace in
for its exhibitions of traditional Britain forced China to cede much of Hong Kong has
Chinese watercolors, calligraphy. Kowloon to expand the eroded most of its historical
and exquisite craftware from burgeoning island colony. and cultural heritage. The
HONG KONG 323
excellent Museum of History elegant bamboo cages, food,

shows what the region looked and songbirds. Some bird-lovers
like before the skyscrapers can be seen feeding their birds
arrived. Walk around replicas grasshoppers through the cages
of traditional villages, street with chopsticks.
blocks, and shops, or linger
over fascinating displays of old p Wong Tai Sin
photographs. There is also a
display of Bronze Age daggers, Temple
pottery, and arrowheads found
on Lamma and Lantau Islands Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon. q Wong Tai
(see pp330–31). Sin. Tel (0852) 2327 8141. Open
7am–5:30pm daily.
i Temple Street The temple at Wong Tai Sin is

and Jade Markets one of Hong Kong’s largest,
busiest, and most interesting
places of worship. The complex
Yau Ma Tei. Map 1 B2. q Jordan or contains altars and shrines to
Yau Ma Tei. Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist
deities. It is primarily dedicated
Haggling is an essential skill Caged songbirds for sale at the Bird Market to the god Wong Tai Sin, a
at the Temple Street night in Mong Kok shepherd reputed to have
market, which only livens performed healing miracles.
up after 8pm. Although o Bird and Flower Beside the main temple are
cheaper bargains are available Markets fortune-tellers, some of whom
elsewhere, the atmosphere can reveal your fortune in
and range of items, including English for a hefty fee, mostly
fake designer labels, shoes, Flower Market Road, Mong Kok, through palm and face reading.
Mao memorabilia, and pirated Kowloon. q Prince Edward. Some worshipers try to divine
DVDs, are unbeatable. what lies in store for them by
Adding to the experience The Bird and Flower Markets shaking small canisters of
are fortune tellers, street are less frenetic and more bamboo sticks until one emerges
performers, and food vendors. convenient than Temple Street, from the stack. Each is marked
The market snakes north from and are well worth a visit. with a numeral and a corres-
Ning Po Street to Man Ming Colorful blooms and clever ponding meaning. Also used
Lane. The daytime Jade Market bamboo creations line Flower are bui, or “Buddha’s lips,” two
is a good place to pick up Market Road, just north of pieces of wood shaped like
inexpensive trinkets, although Prince Edward Road West. orange-segments. A question is
cheaper jade can be found Located at the end of Flower asked, the bui are thrown, and the
in Guangzhou (see pp304–5), Market Road is the small Bird “lips” answer yes or no, depending
and elsewhere in China. Market, with a few stalls selling on which way they land.
Wong Tai Sin Temple, one of Hong Kong’s busiest places of worship
326 THE SOUTH
d Sai Kung Town

and Peninsula
Beaches
New Territories. q Choi Hung MTR
then taxi or minibus 1A or 1S to Sai
Kung Town.
It may seem incredible, but just

a few miles from Kowloon’s
bustling streets, it is possible to
find empty beaches, clear surf,
and seclusion on the shores of
the rugged Sai Kung Peninsula.
Life-size arhats line the path up to 10,000 Buddhas Monastery The area is best accessed via
Sai Kung Town, a pleasant place
a Heritage Sha Tin MTR station. Cross the to wander among the stalls
road and follow the clear selling fish near the sea-front,
Museum signposts to the temple, which and to eat at the profusion of
is at the top of the wooded seafood restaurants.
1 Man Lam Rd, Sha Tin, New Territories. hill. The main temple houses Some of the most pristine
q Che Kung MTR. Tel (0852) 2180 hundreds of tiny golden beaches on the peninsula
8188. Open 10am–6pm Mon, Wed–Fri Buddhas that line shelves can be found at Tai Long
(10am–7pm Sat, Sun & public hols). reaching up to the ceiling. Wan, where there is a small
& ∑ heritagemuseum.gov.hk There are more images village with a couple of
outside, including two basic cafés and shops. The
This excellent modern museum statues depicting best way to reach this spot
tells the story of Hong Kong’s languid boddhisattvas is to take bus 94 from Sai
6,000-year-old human history. astride different Kung Town to Pak Tam
The largest of the city’s animals. Still more Au, on the MacLehose
museums, it has five permanent statues peep from the Trail (see p327), and then
exhibitions and plenty of space monastery’s bright- hike to Tai Long Wan. A
for temporary shows. The New red, nine-story reasonable level of
Territories Heritage Hall pagoda. The small Pagoda, fitness is required for the
illustrates prehistoric human life, annex above the main 10,000 Buddhas 4-mile (6-km) hike and
the rise of village society, temple contains the Monastery remember to bring with
colonial rule, and the large-scale embalmed body of the you a good map and
development of the New temple’s founding monk, plenty of fluids for the journey.
Territories towns. There is also a covered in gold leaf and Much shorter and flatter
display on Cantonese opera, placed in a glass case. woodland walks start at Pak
which explains the elaborate
ritual and color symbolism
involved and contains
exquisitely crafted costumes.
Beautiful calligraphy scrolls
hang from the second floor. The
Children’s Discovery Gallery on
the ground floor is a fun look at
Hong Kong’s natural habitat.
s 10,000 Buddhas
Monastery
221 Pai Tau Village, Sha Tin, New

Territories. q Sha Tin MTR. Tel (0852)
2691 1067. Open 9am–5:30pm daily.
Ruby-lipped, life-size golden

arhats line the steep path up
to the 10,000 Buddhas
Monastery, a 15-minute walk
from the northern exit of the The beaches and emerald waters of the Sai Kung Peninsula
Hong Kong Harbor at dusk
HONG KONG 327
Tam Chung Visitor Centre. Maps g Kadoorie Farm (380-ha) park the last refuge
are available here for numerous and Botanic for many species. Apart from
walks, including a worthwhile herons and egrets, otters and
nature trail. Take a taxi or bus 94. Garden the very rare black-faced spoon-
Alternatively, hire a kaido, a bill can be seen. There are
small ferry, from Sai Kung Town Lam Kam Rd, New Territories. £ Tai numerous bird hides for keen
for a tour of the many small Po Market MTR then 64K bus. Tel bird-watchers. Contact HKTB
islands off the peninsula. It is easy (0852) 2483 7200. Open 9:30am–5pm (see p339) for details of guided
to find eager operators near the daily, but check in advance for weekend tours. Nearby, the
jetty, although without speaking irregular closed days. ∑ kfbg.org.hk government-run Hong Kong
Cantonese, travelers will need a Wetland Park explores the area’s
map to point out where they This working organic farm and diverse ecosystems and occupies
would like to go, as most of the wildlife refuge is nestled in the a 150-acre (61-ha) area.
operators don’t speak English. wooded foothills of Hong
Kong’s tallest mountain, 3,140-ft
(957-m) high Tai Mo Shan. It j MacLehose Trail
is a great place to escape the
crowds and modernity of New Territories. Tai Mo Shan: taxi from
downtown, with an easy hike Tsuen Wan MTR. ∑ hiking.gov.hk
to the top. There are terraced
vegetable plots and groves of Strung east–west across the
fruit trees, a small enclosure middle of the New Territories,
of orphaned animals, including this 62-mile (100-km) route
wildcats, deer, and birds of prey, takes in huge, wild, and high
and a walking trail. You will areas from Tuen Mun in the
need a good half-day to see west to the lovely Sai Kung
everything the farm has to offer. Peninsula in the east. The trail
is divided into 10 manageable
stages, and it is possible to
h Mai Po Marshes walk for long stretches without
seeing a soul. One of the most
One of the buildings along the Lung Yeuk New Territories. q Sheung Shui MTR scenic sections takes in Tai Mo
Tau Heritage Trail then 76K bus or taxi. Tel (0852) 2471 Shan, Hong Kong’s highest
6306. 8 on weekends. & Permits: peak with views, on a clear
f Lung Yeuk Tau day, down to the distant city.
deposit and advanced booking
Heritage Trail required. ∑ wwf.org.hk; The far eastern stage is also
∑ wetlandpark.com very beautiful, concluding
at Tai Long Wan’s lovely
Fanling, New Territories. q Fanling Wedged between Hong beaches (see p326). Sturdy
MTR, then 54K minibus. Kong and the urban sprawl shoes, fluids, and maps (from
of Shenzhen, this globally the Government Publications
For a glimpse of pre-colonial important wetland is home Centre) are essential. The
times in rural Hong Kong, to a range of wildife species. record for completing the
spend a couple of hours Pollution has taken its toll entire trail is just under 11
exploring the mile-long Lung elsewhere along the Pearl River hours as part of the annual
Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail near delta, making this 940-acre Oxfam Trailwalker race.
Fanling. This passes five wais
(walled villages) and six tsuens
(villages), mostly built by the
Tangs, one of the five great New
Territory clans. The buildings are
in various states of repair, from
dilapidated ruins to pristine
walled compounds and some
modern houses. Most of these
are still lived in. Among the
best-preserved buildings is
the large Tang Chung Ling
Ancestral Hall, founded in
1525 and still used today by
the Tangs to pay respects to
their ancestors and to hold
celebrations. Tong Kok, a wai,
also has dozens of old houses. A scenic waterway in Mai Po Marshes
328 THE SOUTH
A traditional fishing sampan moored in Aberdeen’s bustling harbor
k Aberdeen bustle and atmosphere. The The first and most famous of the
boat-filled harbor is the big floating restaurants, it is a massive,
attraction in Aberdeen as it is palatial hulk that is part Las
Hong Kong Island. @ 70 from the center of all activity. Many of Vegas-style casino and part
Central’s Exchange Square bus station. the boats found here are actually Chinese temple, with the
part-time residences for Hong kitchen producing upmarket
Once a quiet fishing village, Kong’s fishermen and their Cantonese classics.
Aberdeen is today the largest families; so much so that the
separate town on Hong Kong district still has the characteristics
Island, with a population of of a traditional fishing village. l Ocean Park
more than 60,000. Named in Tiny sampans dodge among
1845 after the British Colonial the wooden fishing fleet and
Secretary, the Earl of Aberdeen, the large, palatial floating 180 Wong Chuk Hang Road,
the harbor housed Hong Kong’s restaurants. Pushy operators Aberdeen. @ Ocean Park City Bus
629 from Central Star Ferry and
first dockyard, which was built on the waterfront offer tours
Admiralty MTR. Tel (0852) 3923 2323.
in the 1860s. by sampan that take visitors
Open 10am–7pm daily.&
A short bus ride from Central past the fishing boats, the ∑ oceanpark.com.hk
(see p316), the Aberdeen district houseboats, and small harbor-
has a rather unattractive town side shipyards.
center, edged by massive high- Alternatively, for a quicker With the arrival of a mega-
rise apartment blocks, commer- (and free) tour, jump aboard the competitor in the shape of
cial towers, and factories. What shuttles to the floating restaurants Lantau Island’s Disneyland (see
it lacks in aesthetic appeal, moored here, such as the p331), Ocean Park, Hong Kong’s
however, it makes up for in Jumbo Floating Restaurant. first amusement park, has
fought back with several new
attractions. It is much better
than it ever was, gives Disney
a run for its money, and attracts
great crowds of people every
day. There is plenty to do for
adults and children alike, and it’s
easy to spend a day exploring
the eight themed areas of this
pleasant complex. The Waterfront
area is one of the most enjoy-
able sections, with a collection
of Asian animals, including the
theme park’s pride, four giant
pandas. A scenic cable car skirts
The garish Jumbo Floating Restaurant lights up Aberdeen Harbour the edge of Deep Water Bay,
HONG KONG 329
dropping passengers in Marine

World. Here, a large and
impressive aquarium captivates
visitors with close-up views of
schools of fish and an under-
water tunnel through a tank
of sharks. Numerous thrilling
rides are found throughout
the grounds, including the
Hair Raiser, a roller coaster that
juts out over the sea, the
dizzying Mine Train, and The
Rapids, which guarantees a
good soaking.
The popular beach at the seaside town of Stanley

z Deep Water and
Repulse Bays Kong’s business elite, surround c Stanley
the long, well-tended beach
at Repulse Bay. The beach is a
Hong Kong Island. @ 6, 6X, 260 from
Hong Kong Island. @ 6 and 260 from popular summer destination
and gets very crowded in high Central’s Exchange Square bus station.
Central’s Exchange Square bus station.
( 9am–6pm daily.
season and on weekends. The
Several good beaches line pricey Verandah Restaurant –
these two scenic bays located the only surviving section of the This pre-colonial fishing village
along the road from Aberdeen stately Repulse Bay Hotel, which today resembles a British seaside
to Stanley. Deep Water Bay is was torn down in the 1980s – town, complete with English-
a pretty spot favored by the is a good stopping point for a style pubs. The extensive sprawl
wealthy, with many luxurious drink or to indulge in afternoon of market stalls selling clothes,
houses. The long stretch of tea. Just behind the Verandah beachwear, silk, jade, trinkets,
beach lined by cypress-like trees there is a supermarket for picnic and furniture draws weekend
is reminiscent of the French supplies and a few cafés. crowds. The area also has a
Riviera. Upmarket apartment good selection of Thai, Italian,
blocks, inhabited by Hong Spanish, Vietnamese, and
x Hong Kong Life Chinese restaurants.
Saving Society Beside the square is Murray
House, a large Neo-Classical
building housing some fine
Repulse Bay, Hong Kong Island. restaurants with bay views.
Open 7am–7pm daily. Dismantled and rebuilt here
in 1998, it originally stood on
At the far southern end of the site now occupied by the
Repulse Bay is the Hong Bank of China tower in Central.
Kong Life Saving Society. Next to it Tin Hau Temple, built
The building also serves as in 1767, is one of the island’s
a temple, and is a great place oldest and most evocative
for children to explore. Garish shrines. The festival of Tin Hau
statues – a menagerie of gods, (see p51) is celebrated in late
animals, and mythical beasts – April or early May with dances
are scattered across the and boat races.
grounds in amongst the life- On the other side of town is
saving equipment. Among the beautifully kept Stanley
the gods is a large statue of Cemetery, dating to the earliest
Guanyin, the bodhisattva of colonial days. It contains the
Mercy, to whom the temple is gravestones of early residents
dedicated. Several other gods and soldiers killed in World Wars
are represented, including a I and II, including those who
number of smiling bronze died in the Japanese internment
Buddhas. Rubbing their bald camp built nearby. Stanley
heads is said to bring good Beach, on the other side of the
luck. Some believe that peninsula, is a long stretch of
crossing the Bridge of sand and the venue for the local
Statue of Bodhisattva of Mercy Longevity also adds three dragon boat races, held each
Guanyin, Hong Kong Life Saving Society days to a person’s life. year in June.
330 THE SOUTH
n Lantau Island
g from Central (pier 6) to Mui Wo

(Silvermine Bay).
Twice the size of Hong Kong

Island, Lantau was ceded to
the British in 1898 along with
the other islands and the New
Territories. Despite the addition
of a bridge and the huge airport
at Chek Lap Kok, large tracts of
Lamma Island, with hilltop views of the sea and Hong Kong Island the island still remain virtually
uninhabited, including two
v Lamma Island to exploring the traditional country parks in which are the
shops and shrines along its peaks that form the island’s
narrow lanes and eating at backbone and numerous
g from Central (pier 4) and from hiking trails.
the many seafood places at the
Aberdeen (via Mo Tat). harbor’s edge on Pak She Praya Lantau’s seclusion has made
Road. The squid with shrimp it a popular place for religious
Good seafood restaurants paste is a local speciality. The retreats. The most striking of
and pubs, a relaxed atmosphere, southern coast offers the best these is Po Lin Monastery,
pleasant hilltop walks, and the walks, with sea views and wood- located on a hilltop on the
absence of cars make leafy, land pathways threading past Ngong Ping plateau. The mon-
low-key Lamma the perfect striking rock formations. astery grounds are grand and
escape from the city bustle. Its The island’s earliest settlers colorful, and the over-the-top,
two main villages, Yung Shue arrived here some 2,500 years
Wan on the west coast and ago; their only surviving relics
restaurant-packed Sok Kwu are the geometric etchings on
Wan on the east coast, are a a rock below Warwick Hotel.
half-hour ferry ride from Central. In the 19th century, the island
Yung Shue Wan is an expat was a haven for pirates, and
stronghold with two or three the notorious Cheung Po-Tsai
English-style pubs and some supposedly hid plunder here.
good restaurants. A steep climb The fishing community is now
leads to the hills above Yung depleted due to excessive
Shue Wan, where there are fine fishing over the past 50 years. Tai O Fishing Village
views of the sea and Hong Close to the harbor, the 1783 Traditional stilt houses cluster on
Kong Island. Visitors can hike Pak Tai Temple is dedicated to the muddy banks of the small
between the two villages, but the island’s patron deity, who estuary at this rural fishing
should plan their walk around is credited with saving islanders settlement.
the infrequent return ferry from the plague in 1777. The
from Sok Kwu Wan. The harbor annual Bun Festival (see p339) is
at Sok Kwu Wan is home to the celebrated here in May, when
Lamma Fisherfolk’s Village, young men scale 40-ft (12-m) Tai O
a fascinating floating exhibition high bamboo towers covered
that looks at the life of a in buns.
fisherman and the skills and
traditional techniques of
the trade.
b Cheung Chau
Island
g from Central (pier 5). _ Bun

Festival (May).
This charming island, just 0 kilometers 2

45 minutes by ferry from Hong 2
0 miles
Kong Island, has plenty to offer, Colorful sampans and fishing boats in
from lounging on its beaches Cheung Chau harbor
HONG KONG 331
gaudy main temple is well point for a gentle walk to a

worth a visit. The Big Buddha, Trappist Monastery. Its chapel
an 85-ft (26-m) statue perched is open to visitors willing to
at the top of a 268-step flight observe the vow of silence
of stairs, is the monastery’s taken by the monks.
biggest draw. Since the Buddha’s Lantau’s popular attraction,
consecration in 1993, the the multi-billion dollar Hong
monastery has been overrun Kong Disneyland, is modeled
with tourists. There are also after the original Disneyland in
bauhinia and orchid gardens and California, and the 311-acre
basic vegetarian food is served (126-ha) area includes a park
in the monastery canteen. featuring Mickey Mouse and
The area around Ngong Ping his friends, as well as original
is also a great place for walks attractions designed especially
and picnics. Keen hikers stay at for Hong Kong, themed hotels,
the SG Davis Youth Hostel an arboretum, and a retail and
before making a pre-dawn hike The Big Buddha at Po Lin Monastery dining center.
up Lantau Peak to watch the
spectacular sunrise. saltpans are being used as fish-  Ngong Ping and the Big
At the island’s western end, breeding ponds. Tai O has a Buddha
the sleepy fishing village of few temples and many shops @ Bus 2 from Mui Wo. Also taxi or
Tai O has narrow streets and selling live seafood and dried cable car from Tung Chung MTR.
tiny residences reminiscent of fish, the local speciality.  Disneyland
rural China. Once a major salt In the east of the island, q MTR to Disneyland Resort via
trading center, today the old Discovery Bay is the starting Sunny Bay station.
Tung Chung is Hong Kong Disneyland is built

connected to Po Lin on reclaimed land, which was Yam O
Monastery by a 4-mile once Penny’s Bay.
(6-km) cable car.
Hong Kong
International
Airport
Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay is a
slightly surreal dormitory
community, where
residents get about in
Tung golf buggies. A jet ferry
Chung connects to Central.
Ngong Ping Mui Wo
Li n Fa Sh an
Po Lin Mui Wo, location of
Monastery the island’s main pier,
Lantau T ai T un g Shan
P ea k
has several restaurants,
Pui O bars, and a beach.
Chi Ma Wan Cheung Sha’s clean, sandy,

S hek Pi k Cheung Peninsula and often deserted beach is
Re s e rv oi r Sha
Tong Fuk one of Hong Kong’s best.
Key
National Highway
Major road
Minor road
Lantau Peak
The only way up this 3,065-ft Railroad
(934-m) high peak is via a
steep path through tea
gardens. It is an ideal spot for
watching the sunrise.
332 THE SOUTH
m Macau barracks until it was destroyed

by a fire in 1835. Only extensive
structural work in the 1990s
stopped the facade from
An hour by ferry from Hong Kong, Macau was once seen as crumbling. The attached museum
principally a sleepy side-trip offering a break from the buzz and houses paintings, sculptures, and
bustle of the British enclave. Economically backward, it traded relics from Macau’s churches.
on the preservation of colonial-era buildings and as a gambling
P Old Protestant Cemetery
weekend resort. But even before the Portuguese colony’s return
Praca Luis de Camões.
to China in 1999, two years after Hong Kong, a complete Open 9am–5:30pm daily.
restructuring of the tiny territory was underway, with vast public The gravestones at this cemetery
works projects including harbor reclamation, an airport, new at the corner of the Camões
bridges, and the fusing of the islands Taipa and Coloane into Gardens are crammed with
one. The connecting land, known as the Cotai Strip, is filling up fascinating historical details that
with luxurious hotel-casinos, anchored by a copy of Las Vegas’s give some wonderful insights
into the lives led by early
The Venetian, with sampans floating amongst the gondolas. In colonists. Many of them were
some aspects, Macau now out-glitzes neighboring Hong Kong. Britons, who traded, married,
or fought in and around
Macau before Hong Kong was
P Ruinas de São Paulo established as a British territory.
Rua de São Paulo. Among the notable
Open daily. people buried here
All that is left of this are Robert Morrison,
once grand cathedral, the first Protestant
built by the Jesuits missionary to venture
and perched precar- to China, and the
iously atop a steep artist George
flight of steps, is Chinnery. The
its magnificent, gravestones speak
crumbling facade. of short but heroic
Historic cannon on the ramparts of Its most outstanding lives, such as that of
Fortaleza do Monte features are the the brave Lieutenant
ornate figures on Fitzgerald killed after
P Fortaleza do Monte the facade, com- Gravestone, Old “gallantly storming”
Rua de Monte. Open 7am–7pm daily. prising a “sermon in Protestant Cemetery a gun battery at
Macau Museum: Praceta do Museu de stone” that records Canton (now
Macao, No. 112. Tel (0853) 2835 7911. some of the main events from Guangzhou). The inscription
Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. & (free the Christian scriptures. on Robert Morrison’s tomb
on 15th of each month). The cathedral was built by states that he produced the first
∑ macaumuseum.gov.mo
Japanese Christian converts who Chinese version of the Old and
Built between 1617 and 1626, fled to Macau in the 16th century New Testaments. The adjoining
this fortress housed the original following religious repression. Camões Gardens are named
Portuguese settlement at Macau. In the 18th century, Macau also after the renowned Portuguese
Its thick ramparts, surmounted expelled the Jesuits and the poet Luis Vaz de Camões, the
by ancient cannons, still occupy building was converted into author of the 16th-century epic
a commanding position and The Lusiads.
appear as invincible as they did
in 1622, when the invading
Dutch forces were defeated. P Guia Fort and Lighthouse
Dug into the hill beneath Estrada de Cacilhas. Tel (0853) 2859
the fort is the informative Macau 5481. Open 9am–5:30pm daily.
Museum. Its escalators and The Guia Fort was built between
stairs are an air-conditioned route 1622 and 1638, and offers great
to the hilltop fortress, passing views over the town. Initially it
through re-creations of Portu- served as a fort to defend the
guese and Chinese life. Beginning border with China, but in 1865
with the arrival of Portuguese a lighthouse was added. A
traders and Jesuit missionaries, pleasant way to get here is to
the exhibitions compare the two take the cable car to the hilltop.
cultures at the time of contact A small chapel stands next door
and cover the development of The magnificent façade of the Ruinas and there are several gentle
Macau and its unique traditions. de São Paulo walking trails around the hill.
MACAU 333
baccarat, roulette, and VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

keno (bingo), as well as
some Chinese games, Practical Information
including the dice * 560,000. n 9 Largo de
game dai sui and the Senado, (0853) 2833 3000. _
mahjong-style pai kao. Macau Arts Festival (May).
Gambling is Macau’s ∑ macautourism.gov.mo
lifeblood, contributing Transportation
more than half the k Taipa Island. g From
government’s revenue. terminal on Avenida Amizade
Macau also hosts horse- and Cotal Strip to Hong Kong,
racing, held twice a Hong Kong Airport, and Shenzhen
week, and greyhound- Airport. @
racing, four times a
week (see p338).
P Praia Grande
P Largo do Senado Perhaps the best way to get
The symbolic heart a flavor of Macau’s colonial
of Macau, the Largo architecture is to take a stroll
do Senado or Senate on the Avenida de Praia Grande.
Colonial facade on Largo do Senado Square has numerous Although land reclamation has
stately colonial encroached on the waterfront
P The Venetian buildings set around it, and robbed the Praia Grande
Cotai Strip. Tel (0853) 2882 8888. including the Leal Senado, of some of its elegance, it is still
∑ venetianmacao.com or Loyal Senate, which now a charming place with many
Inspired by The Venetian in houses the municipal grand houses in excellent
Las Vegas, Macau’s most government, the General Post condition. The monument to
spectacular hotel-casino Office, and the Santa Casa de Jorge Alvares, the first Portu-
recreates a miniature Venice, Misericordia, an old refuge for guese explorer to reach China,
complete with campanile, Rialto orphans and prostitutes. There stands near the corner of
Bridge, and gondolas with are also numerous restaurants Avenida do Dr. Mario Soares.
singing gondoliers. The mega- and the tourist office. The One of the most handsome
resort is suites-only and offers striking, wavy black and white buildings is the old Governor’s
themed shopping as well as a tile patterns snaking across the Residence. Although it is not
theater seating up to 1,800 square make it a great place open to the public as it is a
people. There is the usual array to take photographs by day private residence, a good view
of slot machines, blackjack, or floodlit by night. can be had from the road.
A.
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Coloane Village
0 meters 800
0 yards 800

334 THE SOUTH
P Rua da Felicidade
A variety of sweet scents waft
from the Rua da Felicidade, or
“Street of Happiness,” where
tasty and colorful Macanese
biscuits and cakes are baked
and sold. The area once teemed
with brothels, hence its
somewhat ironically bestowed
name. Today, it is a charming,
cobbled street lined with small
eateries, which makes it a good
place for a quick lunch stop.
A scale model of a Chinese junk, Maritime Museum
E Maritime Museum
Largo do Pagode da Barra 1. on which it stood in the Hong Kong’s surrounding
Tel (0853) 2859 5481. 17th century. The chapel to islands on a clear day. However,
Open 10am–6pm Wed–Mon. São Tiago, Portugal’s patron it is not the ideal place for those
& ∑ museumaritimo.gov.mo saint of soldiers, remains to who don’t like heights. Glass-
Small-scale but interesting this day. The structure is more sided elevators rocket visitors
exhibits make this museum a rocky grotto than a smart skywards, and the restaurants
worth a visit for insights into hotel, which only adds to its and viewing galleries at the
the maritime past upon which charm. A natural spring runs top are also partially glass-
Macau’s wealth was built. through the lobby and the bottomed. For the truly
Displays include models of corridors are paved with adventurous, it is possible
Chinese junks, Portuguese flagstones. Its rooms are to don overalls and a harness,
ships and fishing boats, a mock traditionally decorated in and explore parts of the
Hakka village (see p296), a Portuguese style. The hotel tower’s exterior with the
dragon boat, and a small also runs a good restaurant, adventure sports company A.
aquarium. There is also a nice La Paloma. J. Hackett, which runs a
bar on the esplanade outside, number of activities,
open during museum hours. P Macau Tower including bungy trampo-
Largo da Torre de Macau. lining and a dizzying skywalk
P Pousada de São Tiago Tel (0853) 2893 3339. around the tower’s
Avenida da Republica, Fortaleza de Open 10am–9pm Mon– The modern Macau outer rim at a height
São Tiago da Barra. Tel (0853) 2837 Fri, 9am–9pm Sat & Sun. Tower of over 764 ft (233 m).
8111. ∑ saotiago.com.mo ∑ macautower.com.mo
Well worth a visit for a drink on The Macau Tower, the P The Barra
the terrace, a night’s stay, or a peninsula’s most visible Located south of Largo de
meal at its restaurant, this tiny attraction, is 1,107 ft (338 m) Senado, Rua Central and Rua P.
but enchanting hotel was once high. The tower provides a great Antonio cut through the Barra
a fortress hewn from the rock view; in fact, visitors can see district, where Macau’s first
European residents settled.
A 40-minute walk through
narrow streets sided with old
colonial buildings will bring
you to the Neo-Classical olive
green front of Teatro Dom
Pedro V dating back to 1873.
Farther down, São Laurenço
is a plain but beautifully
proportioned church set high
off the street. Eventually you
reach tiny Largo do Lilau, a
pretty cobbled square with
a fountain and the restored
Mandarin’s House dating
from 1881. Another 545 yds
(500 m) along, the finely
collonaded Quartel dos
Mouros, once a Muslim
barracks, is now a post office.
Beyond lies the A-Ma Temple,
Avenida da Republica, near the Pousada de São Tiago Macau’s oldest.
MACAU 335
Regional Food: Macau

When the Portuguese arrived in Macau 450 years ago, the peninsula was virtually
uninhabited. The settlers cooked using Portuguese methods, but with local Chinese
ingredients and Southeast Asian herbs and spices picked up from their other outposts
in Africa, Goa, Malacca, Indonesia, and Japan. As the years went by, and links home were
established, some of the grander families continued using Portuguese recipes made
with the traditionally correct ingredients, while the less well-off incorporated more
Cantonese-style dishes and ingredients, and over time the two cuisines fused together
to form a separate Macanese cuisine.
almonds, chorizo (paprika Other Influences

sausage), rabbit, and saffron. The other obvious change
Other non-Chinese foods that to Cantonese cuisine is the
are available are bread, cakes, more generous use of herbs
cheese, olives, and coffee. and spices: coriander and
Macau is also home to a well- chilies in peri-peri dishes
developed wine culture, and from Africa; fish sauce from
naturally almost all the wines Southeast Asia; hot and
on offer are Portuguese. These spicy curries from Goa;
are generally better quality feijoada and sweet
than on the mainland and potatoes from Brazil;
even better value. tamarind from Malacca.
King prawns Coconut milk

Fish sauce
A selection of Cantonese sweetmeats in

a Macau shop
Portuguese
Bacalhau is the most
famous Portuguese
ingredient. This dried and
salted cod is integral to Iberian
cookery and in Macau is
cooked in every way possible.
Distinguishing other Portug- Bacalhau Fresh chilies
uese influences is difficult
but good signs include the A selection of typical Macanese ingredients
liberal use of olive oil,

There are very few totally Cantonese-inspired
dishes in the Macanese cuisine. Tacho – a
winter casserole of beef, pork, chicken,
and Chinese sausage is perhaps the
most Cantonese of all Macanese
dishes. As expected, bacalhau dishes
feature prominently. There are Bacalhau
Saffron strands Guisado (salted cod stew), Bacalhau a Gomes
de Sa (salted cod in Gomes de Sa Style), and
Pasteis de Bacalhau (salted cod cake) to name just a few. Other
popular dishes include Caril de Camarao (shrimp curry). There Galinha Africana (African
are traditional Portuguese dishes like Caldo Verde (cabbage and chicken) derives from a West
potato stew) and Carne de Porco a Algarvia (braised pork with African recipe in which char-
clams). At first sight, Pasteis de Nata (egg tartlets) look similar to grilled chicken is coated in a
the Cantonese ones in Hong Kong, but they taste quite different spicy peanut and coconut
and have a flakier pastry shell. sauce, then roasted.
336 THE SOUTH
Shopping in Hong Kong Macau (see pp332–5), immedi-

ately to the south of the Ruinas
and Macau de São Paulo.
Label-mad Hong Kong is a paradise for shoppers, and is

Electronics, Cameras and
jammed with opportunities to buy, from swanky designer
Computers
boutiques in modern shopping malls to inexpensive street
Tsim Sha Tsui and the rest of
markets. It is a competitive destination for some electronic
Kowloon are generally the
and computing items as well as good-quality, custom-made places to head to for electronics
suits, shirts, and cheongsams – the tight-fitting, traditional and gadgetry. Once the bargain
Chinese silk dresses. Visitors are unlikely to find good basement of international
bargains, however, especially if comparing prices with those electronics retail, Nathan Road
in China. Hong Kong’s main advantage is the sheer, unrivaled is still packed with camera and
electronics outlets, but prices
profusion of items on sale. Don’t be afraid to haggle in aren’t as competitive as they
markets and smaller stores, though prices are usually fixed in once were. Be wary, as there
smarter shops and department stores. are numerous tales of less-than-
honest vendors. If you plan
to shop here anyway, do your
Markets with its massive extended homework, make sure you
Street markets are one of malls containing hundreds of compare like for like, ask
the best bargain-hunting individual shops, even dwarfs questions (ensuring that your
grounds in Hong Kong, as long the big liners that dock near purchase is compatible with
as you’re prepared to sift the mall in Kowloon’s Tsim your home country’s voltage),
through the ever-present fake Sha Tsui district. Across Victoria and you may find a bargain.
designer goods. The Temple Harbour on Hong Kong Island, Star House, opposite the
Street Night Market (see p323) The Landmark in Central and bus terminal and the Star Ferry
in Yau Ma Tei is perhaps the Pacific Place in Admiralty at Tsim Sha Tsui, is convenient
most celebrated for its are the places to head to for and contains about 20
atmosphere, its prices, and designer clothing labels such computer boutiques on its
the range of accessories, as Chanel, Prada, and Versace, second floor. Farther north, the
clothes, trinkets, and other and super-chic consumables Mongkok Computer Centre
memorabilia. The Jade Market, from Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, and houses more retailers. Its prices
just south of the night market, Tiffany. Sogo in Causeway Bay are generally lower than
sells exactly what it advertises. (see p317) is another mammoth elsewhere, and visitors can try
A visit to the market at Stanley department store, while Island bargaining. However, if you
(see p329), on Hong Kong Beverley, nearby, crams would like to keep your
Island’s southern coast, is as hundreds of small outlets shopping more straight-
much fun for the trip out on into its dozen or so floors, forward, the Fortress chain
the dramatic winding roads and sells modish street fashion stores are reasonably priced
across the island as it is for the at affordable prices. and a safe bet for cameras and
shopping. It is a good place to handhelds. They will provide
shop for touristy arts, crafts, warranties and guidance on
clothes, and accessories. Antiques and Jewelry foreign voltages.
Western Market is a Hollywood Road (see p320) in
more sedate place, located Central is best for antiques, and
in the western district of is full of emporia selling every- Chinese Arts and Crafts
Sheung Wan. The handsome thing from huge terra-cotta There’s little doubt that the
colonial-era building outshines tomb guards to delicate little wares on offer in Yue Hwa can
the nondescript restaurants on snuff bottles. Established names be found at a much cheaper
the ground floor, while the include Honeychurch Antiques, price over the border, but it is a
middle floor spills over with a specializing in antique Asian convenient place to go to when
huge variety of Chinese silks porcelain and paintings, buying last-minute presents. The
and brocades. Gorgeous Arts & Crafts, which store in Jordan is packed with silk
stocks, among other things, goods, carvings, ceramics, jade,
antique hats and hairpins, and and teapots. The Lok Cha Tea
Shopping Centers, Malls, Dragon Culture, offering a Shop, on Queen’s Road Central
and Department Stores good selection of pottery, in Sheung Wan, is a cosy, friendly
Even seasoned department- bamboo carvings, and snuff place, where visitors can sample
store junkies can overdose bottles. Gallery EXIT is a good delicate green and jasmine teas
on the huge variety available place to find works by new and buy some exquisite
in Hong Kong’s sprawling Asian artists. There are also traditional teapots. Bargain
shopping malls. Harbour City, some good antique shops in teapots can also be found at
Macau’s Culture Club. For a clothes and home decor with as David’s Shirts or the
modern take on Chinese style, a luxurious, contemporary twist. renowned Sam’s Tailor, who
the upmarket G.O.D. (Goods of For Europeans who despair of has made elegant outfits for
Desire) chain offers smart inte- finding essentials in their size, an illustrious clientele. For end-
rior goods at reasonable prices. there is always the well-known of-line designer bargains, it’s
British Marks & Spencer chain best to head to the Citygate
of stores. Outlets mall in Tung Chung,
Clothes Party-goers may want home to a collection of brand-
Needless to say, the malls and to sift through the stylish, name outlets.
department stores are the best modern and retro street fashion Hong Kong’s markets
places for clothes. However, offerings at the independent are awash with fake designer
Joyce is also a good destination boutiques around Granville wear, whose quality and cut
for shoppers seeking a large Road and Kimberley Street in are often far inferior to the
range of smart labels under one Kowloon. Legendary for its real thing. If looking for
roof. Great value Gap-style tailors and shirt-makers, Hong authentic labels, it is best to
clothing can be found at one of Kong is still the place to come. avoid the street markets
the many Giordano stores in Take a chance with the stores altogether, and shop only at
town. Shanghai Tang in Central in Tsim Sha Tsui or go for the larger department stores
offers traditional Chinese established names such and boutiques.
DIRECTORY
Markets Pacific Place Mongkok David’s Shirts
88 Queensway. Map 3 D4. Computer Centre Shop 109B, The Galleria, 9
Jade Market Tel (0852) 2844 8988. 8a Nelson St, Mongkok. Queen’s Rd Central.
Kansu and Battery Sts,
Sogo q Mongkok. Map 2 C3.
Yau Ma Tei.
555 Hennessy Rd, Tel (0852) 2384 6823.
Map 1 B1. Tel (0852) 2524 2979.
Causeway Bay.
Open 10am – 3:30pm Star House
daily.
Tel (0852) 2833 8338. Giordano
3 Salisbury Rd. Map 1 A5.
q Causeway Bay. 27 Des Voeux Rd, Central.
Stanley Market
Stanley, Antiques and Chinese Arts and Map 2 C3.
Hong Kong Island. Jewelry Crafts Tel (0852) 2921 2028.

Open 9am– 6pm daily. Culture Club Joyce
Dragon Culture
Temple Street 231 Hollywood Rd, Central. 390 & 398 Avenida 232 Pacific Pl, Admiralty.
Night Market Map 2 A2. Almeida Ribeiro, Macau. Map 3 D4. Tel (0852)
Temple St, Yau Ma Tei. Tel (0852) 2545 8098. Tel (0853) 921 811. 2523 5944.
Map 1 B2. Gallery EXIT G.O.D. Marks & Spencer
Open 6pm – midnight 3/F, 25 Hing Wo St, 48 Hollywood Rd, Central.
daily. Tin Wan, Aberdeen. Times Square,
Map 2 B3.
Western Market Tel (0852) 2541 1299. 1 Matheson St.
Tel (0852) 2805 1876.
Des Voeux Rd Central, Gorgeous Arts Shop 105, Stanley Plaza, Map 1 A4.
Sheung Wan. Map 2 A2. & Crafts Stanley. q Causeway Bay.
Open 10am –7pm daily. Shop J, Goodview Court, Tel (0852) 2673 0071. Tel (0852) 2923 7972.
49–59 Square St, Sheung Central Tower, 28 Queen’s
Shopping Wan. Map 2 A3. Lok Cha Tea Shop
Centers, Malls, 290a Queen’s Rd Central, Rd Central.
Tel (0852) 2973 0034.
and Department Sheung Wan. Map 2 B3.
Honeychurch
Stores Map 2 A2. Tel (0852) 2921 8323.
Antiques
29 Hollywood Rd, Central. Tel (0852) 2805 1360.
Harbour City Sam’s Tailor
3 Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Map 2 B3. Yue Hwa Shops K & L, Burlington
Tsui. Map 1 A4. Tel (0852) 2543 2433. 301–309 Nathan Rd, Arcade, 94 Nathan Rd,
Tel (0852) 2118 8666. Jordan. Tsim Sha Tsui.
Electronics,
Map 1 B2.
Island Beverley Cameras and Map 1 B4.
1 Great George St, Computers Tel (0852) 3511 2222.
Tel (0852) 2367 9423.
Causeway Bay.
q Causeway Bay. Fortress Clothes Shanghai Tang
Shop 3320, The Gateway, Shanghai Tang Mansion,
The Landmark Harbour City, Citygate Outlets
12–16 Des Voeux Rd 20 Tat Tung Rd, Tung 1 Duddell St, Central.
Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Central. Map 2 C3. Map 1 A4. Chung. q Tung Chung. Map 2 C3.
Tel (0852) 2526 4416. Tel (0852) 2116 1022. Tel (0852) 2109 2933. Tel (0852) 2525 7333.
338 THE SOUTH
Entertainment in Hong Kong history, and architecture

exhibitions and runs a busy
and Macau calendar of music, theater,
opera, and dance, particularly in
Hong Kong’s entertainment options are incredible. There May during Macau’s arts festival.
are several good venues attracting local and international
musicians, Chinese opera groups, and theater and comedy Sports
shows, particularly during the arts festival in February and Spring heralds the start of
March. The city’s nightlife is booming, and bars, dance venues, the dragon-boating season;
pubs, and music clubs are plentiful. The younger crowd have check with the HKTB for race
discovered an appetite for house and techno music, although details. The Rugby Sevens
they retain their liking for Cantopop, the homegrown pop tournament in March is a huge,
genre. Karaoke bars are also a favorite with locals. boisterous event for Hong
Kong’s expats, many of whom
Macau also has its fair share of diversions, from vast casino see its main purpose as an
gaming floors and glittering shows to excellent restaurants. opportunity to drink large
quantities of beer. For those
interested in the actual game,
Entertainment Guides Nightclubs 50 matches are played by the
Visitors will be spoilt for Nightclubs vary hugely from assembled internationals in 72
choice in terms of good down-at-heel, free-to-enter hours. Hong Kong is also host
listings in Hong Kong. Perhaps clubs with occasional live music to a number of professional
the best is the free, weekly to slick, cutting-edge venues for tennis tournaments from
HK Magazine, available in the rich and famous. Cover October to December.
cafés and bars across the prices vary but a typical mid-
city, which offers a thorough range fee would be around
guide to eating, drinking, HK$100. Looking out over Gambling
shopping, and entertainment. Wyndham Street, Dragon-i is a Horse-racing at the tracks
The Friday edition of the smart club with an exclusive in Sha Tin and Happy
South China Morning Post is reputation, playing dance music Valley (see p317) is the only
useful as it contains a guide and often hosting international spectator sport where you
to weekend events. The Hong disc jockeys. Volar in D’Aguilar can gamble legally in Hong
Kong edition of Time Out Street is great for house music. Kong. It is the biggest such
is another great source Drop (see left) and Beijing Club spectator event in the region
of local information. are also popular clubs near Lan and race days or nights are
Kwai Fong. well worth attending for the
atmosphere alone. Macau also
Bars and Pubs has its own, less fevered horse-
Hong Kong’s best clubs, Music and Arts Venues racing nights as well as an
bars, and pubs cluster around There’s no shortage of venues excellent greyhound-racing
Lan Kwai Fong (see p320) for large musical, operatic, and track, the rather grandly titled
in Central, along Wyndham dramatic productions. These Canidrome. Macau, of course,
Street, and SoHo. For delicious include the Cultural Centre, is best known for its glitzy
cocktails in a sumptuous which sometimes offers free casinos, running all day and
setting, head to subterranean concerts, the Hong Kong night. The most spectacular of
bar Le Boudoir, located on Convention & Exhibition them is The Venetian, complete
Wyndham Street. Centre in Wan Chai, and the with miniature campanile,
If you want to drink with Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Rialto Bridge, gondolas, and
the jet-set, there are a number Hom. Close to the Coliseum, the themed shopping.
of super-smart bars including Ko Shan Theatre is the place to
Felix above the Peninsula go for Chinese opera and
Hotel, with sensational harbor orchestral music performances. Children’s Entertainment
views. Alternatively, try SEVVA The Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong’s favorite
on the roof of Central’s Prince’s The Fringe Club, and The Hong attractions are two state-
Building, or the fashionable Kong Academy of the of-the-art amusement parks:
Drop in SoHo, which turns Performing Arts all offer more Ocean Park (see p328), the
into a lively club later on into intimate venues for an excellent region’s oldest amusement park,
the evening. and diverse range of arts from and Disneyland (see p331),
If you are in the mood dance to stand-up comedy. The offering a massive range of
for a more laid-back drink in Wanch is a tiny place that hosts rides, attractions, and entertain-
a British-style pub atmosphere, local folk and indie acts. ment. Up in the New Territories,
you’ll find it at The Globe The Macau Cultural Centre is Kadoorie Farm & Botanic
in SoHo. also worth a visit. It hosts art, Garden (see p327) has a small
zoo of orphaned native huge open-air market and there huge piles of buns offered,
animals, including muntjac are spectacular harbor fireworks some say, to the unhappy
deer and wild cats. In a similar that rival any display in the spirits of victims of the island’s
vein, but much more central world. The Birthday of Tin Hau, pirate past, and a procession
is the enchanting Edward the Goddess of the Sea, is more of “floating” children, carried
Youde Aviary in Hong Kong low key. Parades and lion aloft on themed floats. The
Park, which is built to resemble dances take place at the larger Dragon Boat Festival in June
a tropical rain forest and has temples, including the one at is marked with a great flourish,
elevated walkways. Joss House Bay in the New making it one of the region’s
Territories, and temples and most exciting events. Other
fishing boats are decorated all traditional festivals celebrated
Traditional Festivals over Hong Kong. The Cheung in Hong Kong include the
One of Hong Kong’s Chau Bun Festival in May is a Hungry Ghost Festival in
grandest annual celebrations fun week-long celebration on mid/late August and the Mid-
is the Chinese New Year (see Cheung Chau Island (see p330). Autumn Festival in late
pp48–9). Victoria Park becomes a It culminates in the eating of September/early October.
DIRECTORY
Hong Kong Nightclubs Hong Kong Sha Tin Racecourse
Tourism Board Convention & Tel (0852) 1817.
Beijing Club Exhibition Centre
(HKTB) 2–8 Wellington St, Central
∑ hkjc.com
1 Expo Drive, Wan
Hong Kong International Map 2 B3
Chai. Map 3 F3. The Venetian
Airport Arrivals Hall. Tel (0852) 2526 8298.
Tel (0852) 2582 8888. Estrada de Baia de N.
Kowloon: Star Ferry ∑ beijingclub.com.hk
∑ hkcec.com Senhora de Esperanca,
Concourse. Map 1 A5.
Dragon-i S/N. Taipa, Macau. Tel
Tel (0852) 2508 1234. Hong Kong Cultural
The Centrium, 60
∑ discoverhongkong. Centre (0853) 2882 8877.
Wyndham St. Map 2 B3.
com 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha ∑ ventianmacao.com
Tel (0852) 3110 1222.
Tsui. Map 1 B5.
∑ dragon-i.com.hk
Bars and Pubs Tel (0852) 2734 2009. Children’s
Volar
∑ lcsd.gov.hk/hkcc Entertainment
Le Boudoir B/F 44 D’Aguilar St,
Basement, 65 Central. Map 2 B3. Ko Shan Theatre Disneyland
Wyndham St, Central. Tel (0852) 2810 1510. 77 Ko Shan Road,
∑ volar.com.hk Penny’s Bay,
Tel (0852) 2530 3870. Hung Hom.
Tel (0852) 2740 9222. Lantau Island.
Drop Music and Arts ∑ lcsd.gov.hk/kst q Disneyland Resort.
Basement, On Lok Venues Tel (0852) 2203 2000.
Mansion, 39–43 Hollywood Macau Cultural
The Fringe Club ∑ hongkong
Rd, Central (entrance
Centre
2 Lower Albert Rd, Central. Av. Xian Xing Hai S/N disneyland.com
on Cochrane St). Map 2 C3.
Nape, Macau. Edward Youde Aviary
Map 3 B3. Tel (0852) 2521 7251.
Tel (0853) 2870 0699.
Tel (0852) 2543 8856. ∑ hkfringeclub.com Hong Kong Park, Cotton
∑ ccm.gov.mo
∑ drophk.com Hong Kong Academy Tree Drive, Central.
of the Performing The Wanch Map 2 C4.
Felix
Arts 54 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai. Tel (0852) 2521 5041.
Peninsula Hotel, Salisbury
1 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai. Map 3 F4.
Rd, Kowloon. Map 1 B4. ∑ lcsd.gov.hk/parks
Map 3 E3. Tel (0852) 2861 1621.
Tel (0852) 2696 6778. ∑ thewanch.hk Kadoorie Farm &
Tel (0852) 2584 8500.
The Globe ∑ hkapa.edu Botanic Garden
Garley Building, 45-53 Gambling Lam Kam Rd, New
Hong Kong Arts
Graham Street, Central. Centre The Canidrome Territories.
Map B3. Tel (0852) 2543 2 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai. Avenida General Castelo Tel (0852) 2483 7200.
1941. ∑ theglobe.com. Map 3 E3.Tel (0852) 2582 Branco, Macau. ∑ kfbg.org.hk
hk 0200.∑ hkac.org.hk Tel (0853) 2833 3399.
Ocean Park
SEVVA Hong Kong Coliseum Happy Valley 180 Wong Chuk
25/F, Prince’s Building, 9 Cheong Wan Rd, Hung Racecourse Hang Rd, Aberdeen.
Chater St, Central. Hom, Kowloon. Happy Valley,
Map 2 C3. £ Hung Hom MTR. Tel (0852) 3923 2323.
Hong Kong Island.
Tel (0852) 2537 1388. Tel (0852) 2355 7234. Tel (0852) 1817. ∑ oceanpark.com.hk
∑ sevva.hk ∑ lcsd.gov.hk/hkc ∑ hkjc.com
340 HONG KONG STREET FINDER
HONG KONG STREET FINDER

Key to Street Finder
TH
Place of interest
NOR
RD
GAS
Other important building
C
M
O IG HA
NE AT Train station
RD CH
SW ON
AY
ES LO
MTR station
RD
PR W
H
NATHAN
T
EX T KO
M
OU
Bus station
HO
RD S
ES
G
W
N
G
HU
SIN
Ferry terminal
CR N
CHATHAM
OS
ROAD
R ER
OU ST
Tram station
CROSS HARB
RB WE
Tourist information
HA
RD
SALISB URY
Police station
OUR TU
CON
N AUGH Hospital
CENTR T RD
NNEL
AL
Victoria Harbour Temple
Railroad
HA
RC
OU
RT R
OA
D Tramline
OAD
GLOUCESTER R
U NG R D
H
W ONG AI C
N
Scale of Maps 1–3

0 meters 250
0 yards 250
Street Finder Index

A D I Middle Rd 1 B4 S
Aberdeen St 2 A3 D’Aguilar St 2 B3 Ice House St 2 C3 Mody Rd 1 B4
continues 1 C4 Saigon St 1 A2
continues 2 B3 Des Voeux Rd Salisbury Rd 1 B5
Morrison St 2 A2
Albany Rd 2 B4 Central 2 B2 J continues 1 C4
Arbuthnot Rd 2 B3 continues 2 C3 Jade St 1 A2 Severn Rd 2 B5
Arsenal St 3 E4 Drake St 3 D3 Jaffe Rd 3 F4 N Seymour Rd 2 A3
Ashley Rd 1 B4 continues 3 D4 Jervois St 2 A2 Nanking St 1 A2 Shanghai St 1 B1
Austin Ave 1 C3 Johnston Rd 3 E4 continues 1 B2 continues 1 B2
Austin Rd 1 B3 continues 3 F4 Nathan Rd (The Golden Shelley St 2 A3
continues 1 C3
E Jordan Path 1 C2 Mile) 1 B1 continues 2 B3
Edinburgh Place 3 D3 Jordan Rd 1 A2 continues 1 B2, 1 B3 Ship St 3 E4
Elgin St 2 B3 continues 1 B2 Spring Garden Lane 3 F4
Ning Po St 1 B2
B Jubilee St 2 B2 Stanley St 2 B3
Barker Rd 2 B5
continues 2 C5
F O Star St 3 E4
Fenwick St 3 E3 K Staunton St 2 B3
Battery St 1 A2 Observatory Rd 1 C3
continues 3 E4 Kansu St 1 B1 Old Peak Rd 2 B4
Stone Nullah Lane 3 F4
Bonham Strand Swatow St 3 F4
Ferry St 1 A2 Kennedy Rd 2 C4 continues 2 A5
East 2 A2
Findlay Rd 2 A5 continues 3 D4, 3 E4
continues 2 B2
continues 2 B5 Kimberley Rd 1 B3 T
Bonham Strand
Fleming Rd 3 F3 continues 1 C3 P Tai Pang Shan St 2 A2
West 2 A2 Pak Hoi St 1 A2
continues 3 F4 Kimberley St 1 C3 Tak Hing St 1 B2
Borrett Rd 3 D5 Knutsford Terrace 1 B3 continues 1 B2
Tak Shing St 1 B2
Bowen Rd 2 C4 continues 1 C3 Parkes St 1 B2 Tamar St 3 D3
Bowring St 1 A2 G Kowloon Park Drive 1 B4 continues 1 B3 Temple St 1B1
continues 1 B2 Gage St 2 B3 Peak Rd 2 A5 continues 1B2, 1 B3
Bridges St 2 A3 Garden Rd 2 C3 Pedder St 2 C3
continues 2 C4
L Peel St 2 B3
Thomson Rd 3 F4
Ladder St 2 A2 Tai Yuen St 3 F4
Gascoigne Rd 1 C2 Peking Rd 1 B4
C continues 2 A3 Tregunter Path Rd 2 B5
Gloucester Rd 3 E3 Pier Rd 2 B2
Caine Rd 2 A3 Lan Kwai Fong 2 B3
continues 3 F3 Pilkem St 1 B3
continues 2 B3 Lee Tung St 3 F4
Plantation Rd 2 B5 U
Graham St 2 B3 Lock Rd 1 B4
Cameron Rd 1 B4 Pottinger St 2 B3 Upper Albert Rd 2 B4
Granville Rd 1 B3 Lockhart Rd 3 F4 continues
continues 1 C4 Prat Ave 1 C4 2 C4
continues 1 C3 Lok Ku Rd 2 A2 Upper Lascar Row 2 A2
Canton Rd 1 A3 Promenade 1 C4
Gresson St 3 E4 Lower Albert Rd 2 C3
continues 1 A4 continues 1 C5
continues 2 C4
Carnarvon Rd 1 B3 Luard Rd 3 F4 Public Square St 1 A1 W
continues 1 C4 H Lugard Rd 2 A4 continues 1 B1 Wai Ching St 1 A2
Castle Rd 2 A3 Haiphong Rd 1 B4 Lung Wo Rd 3 D3 Wan Chai Rd 3 F4
Chater Rd 2 C3 Hankow Rd 1 B4 Lyndhurst Terrace 2 B3 Q Waterloo Rd 1 A1
Chatham Rd South 1 C3 Hanoi Rd 1 C4 Queen Victoria St 2 B2 Wellington St 2 B2
continues 1 C4 Harbour Rd 3 F3 Queen’s Rd Central 2 A2 continues 2 B3
Chi Wo St 1 B2 Harbour View St 2 C2 M continues 2 B2 Wing Fung St 3 E4
Macdonnell Rd 2 C4 Queen’s Rd East 3 E4 Wing Lok St 2 A2
Cochrane St 2 B3 Harcourt Rd 3 D3
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Conduit Rd 2 A4 Hennessy Rd 3 E4 continues 2 C4, 3 D5
Connaught Rd continues 3 F4 Queensway 3 D4 Woosung St 1 B2,1 B3
Man Cheong St 1 A2 Wylie Rd 1 C1
Central 2 B2 Hoi Wang Rd 1 A1 Man Ming Lane 1 B1 Wyndham St 2 B3
continues 2 C2 Hollywood Rd 2 A2 Man Wai St 1 A2 R
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THE
SOUTHWEST
Introducing the Southwest 346–353

Sichuan & Chongqing 354–377
Yunnan 378–401
Guizhou & Guangxi 402–431
346 THE SOUTHWEST
The Southwest at a Glance

Some of China’s most evocative landscapes are
found in the southwest: the fertile Red Basin of eastern
Sichuan, deep gorges along the Yangzi River, the
mountainous fringes of the Tibetan Plateau,
Xishuangbanna’s tropical forests, and the karst hills
of Guizhou and Guangxi. Cultural highlights include
the sites of Buddhist art at Le Shan and Dazu, and the
remains of Ming city walls at Dali and Songpan.
Ethnic minority communities include Tibetans in
the west, Miao and Dong in Guizhou and Guangxi, The stepped and calcified Mirror Pools
Dali’s Bai, Lijiang’s Naxi, and the Dai of Xishuangbanna. in Huanglong, Sichuan
There are wildlife preserves for giant pandas in
Sichuan, waterfowl at Cao Hai, and elephants in Ya
lo
ng
Xishuangbanna; and trekking opportunities at Tiger Jia Waqên
Sêrxü ng
Leaping Gorge, Emei Shan, and along the Lao border
in southern Yunnan. Longriba
C Sêrtar
h
Maniganggo Barkam
o
la
Da
S h Garzê Qu
Qion
an
Luhuo
glai
Danba
Dawu
Sha
SICHUAN
n
Kangding
Batang Litang
Gongga Shan
7556m
Lhasa
Hanyuan
Jiulong
Xiangcheng Yuexi
Mianning
Zhongdian
Mekong
Xichang
ng
g Jia
Yulong Xueshan
5596m
lon
Ya
Lijiang
Panzhihua
Jianchuan
The Miao village of Xijiang nestled into a terraced valley near Shaxi Yongren
Kaili, Guizhou Eryuan g
Lin
Dali o
ica
Ba
Baoshan Weishan
Chuxiong Kunming
Tengchong
YUNNAN
Getting Around Fengqing
W
Yuxi
ul
The major cities and destinations, such as Ruili

ia
Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Guiyang, Guilin, Lincang

Ho
ng
Lijiang, and Jinghong, are all served by air. Train lines,

ng
Sh
e(
M
though more restricted, offer fairly direct services Shuangjiang

ek
Re
an
dR
o n g ( La
connecting the provincial capitals with most of the larger ive

r)
Pu ’er
cities. A comprehensive network of buses covers much of
nc
the region, with comfortable express coaches and surfaced Simao

an
g
roads linking key sites, though travel through remoter areas

Jia
on local buses can be rough and slow-going, particularly

ng)
in Guizhou and Guangxi. It is also possible to spend a few

Jinghong
days taking a ferry down the Yangzi from Chongqing, or
Mengla
to take a scenic day trip along the Li River between Guilin
and Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
The ancient Miao village of Xijiang in Guizhou

INTRODUCING THE SOUTHWEST 347
Key
Expressway
Main road
Minor road
Main railroad
Other railroad
International border
Provincial border
Summit
Lanzhou
Zoigê
Dai women selling their produce at a market in Jinghong, Xishuangbanna
Songpan
Pingwu Guangyuan Xi’an
Wanyuan
Jiangyou Bazhong
Maoxian
Mianyang
Nanbu Dazhou Fengjie
Guanxian Deyang
Nanchong Wanzhou Yangzi
Chengdu
Liangping
Suining
Ya ’an Hechuan Wuhan
CHONGQING
Leshan Neijiang SHI Qianjiang SICHUAN &
Emei Shan Chongqing CHONGQING
3099m Zigong
Luzhou Qijiang Youyang
Yibin an
Sh Xiushan
Meigu Chishui ou
Xuyong al
D GUIZHOU
Junlian Fenggang & GUANGXI
Tongren
YUNNAN
Zunyi n
Daguan
ua
Zhaotong Bijie a oy Changsha
G Zhenyuan
ui
Weining ng G UIZHOU
Jinping
Yu
Guiyang Kaili
Liping
Dongchuan Duyun
Anshun Longsheng Quanzhou
Qinglong Sanjiang
Dushan ashan
Qujing an D
Luodian
J iuw Guilin
Zhenfeng
Xingyi Ho Nandan Rongshui
n
Anlong
He
gsh
Hechi
liu
Hezhou
ui H
Lipu
Shizong
Bu
Tuon
iang J Liuzhou
e
iang Tianlin
Guangnan Huangyao
Bose GUANGXI Guangzhou

Wuxuan
Tiandong Mashan
Kaiyuan Funing
Wuzhou
Yanshan Guiping
Litang
Gejiu Pingguo
Cenxi
Pingbian Jingxi
Nanning
Jinping Yulin
Hekou Chongzuo
Bobai
Pingxiang Qinzhou 0 km 150
Hanoi 0 miles 150
Hepu
Beihai

348 THE SOUTHWEST
A PORTRAIT OF THE
SOUTHWEST
The southwest’s stunning landscapes, from the impossibly steep limestone
hillocks along the Li River, to the deep gorges cut by the upper reaches of
the Yangzi, make it one of China’s most picturesque regions. The area’s
ethnic diversity, evident in the traditional culture and lifestyles of its
numerous minority communities, also adds to its attraction as an exotic
tourist destination.
The southwest’s isolation has meant that of the Ming and Qing eras, the area that
for much of its past it has forged its own is now Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi was
path. The area roughly covered by today’s ruled as a colonized outpost, dominated
Yunnan has always had closer ties with its by tribal chieftains.
neighbors to the south and east than with During the 1800s, the dispossessed,
China’s traditional dynastic centers. During ground down by merciless warlords and
the period of the Warring States (475–221 extra imperial taxes, revolted in two major
BC), Zhuang Qiao, a Chu general, was uprisings: the Muslim Uprising of 1856
sent here to subdue the tribes, but after (also known as the Du Wenxiu Rebellion),
a long campaign he was impelled to stay, which lasted until 1873 and centered
establishing the Kingdom of Dian at what on Kunming, and the Taiping Rebellion
is now Kunming in around 300 BC. For (which lasted from 1850–64), begun
the next 500 years, the kingdom existed in Guangxi (see p428). Both uprisings
as a loose conglomerate of tribute-paying were brutally suppressed by the Qing
tribal chiefs. and colonizing forces, sending the region
In the 8th century, the Kingdom of into a downward spiral of provincial
Nanzhao emerged in Dali, extending obscurity and abject poverty. The Miao
its territory into Vietnam and Myanmar. minority revolted again in 1870. When
The dynasty grew wealthy on trade along the Communists marched through during
the southern Silk Route, until it was the Long March in 1934, they encountered
conquered by the Yuan Emperor Kublai a population ready for revolution and
Khan in the 13th century. Through much took on many recruits.
Fishing boats on the banks of peaceful Er Hai (Ear Lake) near Dali
Chengdu is surprisingly laid-back,

a characteristic that is best seen in the
many teahouses found in parks, temples,
and old courtyards.
Yunnan stretches from the Tibetan
foothills in the north, where the head-
waters of the Yangzi gather strength, to
Xishuangbanna and the Laotian border
in the south, through which the Mekong
flows. Today, Yunnan is quickly becoming
one of the country’s foremost tourist
destinations. Northwest of Kunming lie
the pretty towns of Dali and Lijiang,
surrounded by villages inhabited by
Worshipers wreathed in incense smoke at Chengdu’s main Daoist the indigenous Bai and Naxi peoples.
temple, Qingyang Gong Xishuangbanna’s landscape and culture,
on the other hand, are reminiscent of
Sichuan, the region’s largest province, has Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. The regular
long been a part of China – an enigmatic markets, where minority people gather,
bronze-working culture flourished here are very colorful.
around 1000 BC, with its capital Most tourists head to
at Sanxingdui, north of Guangxi for the stunning karst
modern Chengdu. After the fall landscapes surrounding Guilin
of the Han dynasty in AD 220, and Yangshuo. The charms
the province’s fertile eastern part of Guizhou and Guangxi lie,
became the agriculturally self- however, in the less-visited
sufficient Kingdom of Shu during areas of hilly rural landscape,
the Three Kingdoms period (AD peppered with wooden
221–63), whose wealth sponsored villages and inhabited by
great religious works under the Bai women in minority peoples – the Miao
Tang and Song dynasties such as traditional dress, Shaping in par ticular are renowned
the huge Buddha at Le Shan. for their ultra-sociable festi-
Sichuan remained a crucial outpost during vals. The region’s poverty, due to its
the ensuing eras. Chongqing, its major city, poor farmland, has allowed natural sights
was targeted for heavy industry under such as the magnificent Detian Falls,
the Communists and is today the world’s and the lush Maling Canyon to remain
largest municipality, after separating from relatively untouched.
Sichuan in 1997. It’s from Chongqing
that the Three Gorges Cruise down
the Yangzi begins (see pp358–60),
still the main reason to visit the city.
Sichuan’s heavily populated
eastern plains give way to sparsely
populated foothills and the Aba
grasslands plateau, inhabited
mainly by ethnic Tibetans. On the
fringes of this frontier, the last few
remaining pandas live in what is left
of Sichuan’s bamboo groves. For a
fashionable metropolis, the capital Limestone peaks coated in vegetation, Li River area
350 THE SOUTHWEST
The Flora of Southwest China

Southwest China has the greatest variety of flora in the whole
country, and Yunnan province in particular can claim the
diversity prize, having some 15,000 species of plant, or about
half the country’s total. Many garden plants originate from
this part of China, including the ubiquitous rhododendron
and magnolia. The reason for this richness lies in its unique
geography: in a very short distance the environment changes
from high altitude mountain plateau to moist subtropical
jungle on the Tropic of Cancer in the south, with isolated A major tourist site, the
Tropical Botanical Gardens at
valleys that restrict access and cross-pollination in between.
Xishuangbanna are also where
research into tropical forest
ecosystems takes place.
Mountains and Valleys

The landscapes of this region are dominated by seemingly
endless vistas of mountain ranges and deep valleys. In
northern Yunnan, western Sichuan, and southwest Tibet
lie the headwaters of three of the world’s great rivers: from
west to east, the Nu Jiang (Salween), the Lancang Jiang
(Mekong), and the Jiansha Jiang (Yangzi). All originate
high in the mountains of Tibet and Qinghai.
Magnolia (Magnolia
campbellii), with its showy
pink flowers, is native to the
Himalayas and China. It was
discovered by George Forrest,
a Scottish plant hunter, in 1904
but was not brought into
cultivation until 1924.
Mountain slopes, lush with beautiful plants such as

rhododendrons and magnolias.
Poppy (Meconopsis
integrifolia) grows high in
the mountains of
southwest China at 8,850–
16,7306 ft (2,700–5,100 m),
its foliage protected by soft
silky hairs. First collected by
Wild rhododendrons grow in this region, a renowned botanist E. H.
center of diversity for many plants. Most of the Wilson, the poppy is used
modern hybrid garden forms originate from wild in traditonal medicine.
species introduced from southwest China.
Camellias, of which
Many slipper orchid there are many
species thrive in beautiful garden
the alpine meadows of species, are grown
the Sichuan mountains mainly for their lovely
above 7,800 ft (2,400 m) flowers. Also, more
and Cypripedium than 200 kinds of tea in
tibeticum is one China are based on
of the most Camellia sinensis.
attractive.
Tropical Forest or Jungle

A rare habitat in China, jungle covers only about 0.5 per-
cent of the country, but it contains 25 percent of China’s
species. One of the largest remaining areas lies in the
southwest, in Xishuangbanna prefecture, Yunnan
province. Here, the rainy season is between April and
October, the annual rainfall is about 60 in (1,500 mm), and
humidity and temperatures are high. Jungle is also found
on Hainan Island, and in southern Guangxi Province.
Pomelo or Chinese grapefruit

(Citrus maxima) has been
cultivated in southern China for
thousands of years. The flowers
are followed by very large
fruits with green rind and
sweet, juicy flesh.
Typically dense patch of natural tropical forest in

Dragon’s blood (Dracaena Xishuangbanna, southern Yunnan
cochinchinensis) plays an
important role in traditional
Chinese medicine. Its red, Musella (Musella lasiocarpa),
blood-like sap is collected and closely related to the banana,
used in a variety of is a beautiful but rare plant
preparations to improve the in Yunnan and Guizhou
circulation of the blood. provinces. It is low-
Endangered in the wild, it is growing and has a
now being planted to ensure dense yellow
supplies continue. flowerhead,
reminiscent of a
globe artichoke.
The red dwarf banana

(Musa coccinea) is one of
the prettiest banana plants
and is popular in gardens.
About 6½ ft (2m) tall, it
has bright red flowers that
The jungle floor is carpeted with ferns last up to two months. It
and shrubs while above, lianas and figs is now scarce because
drape and strangle tree branches. Mists and of over-collection and
monsoon rains constantly dampen the air, so habitat destruction.
epiphytes (plants growing on trees) flourish.
Famous Plant-Hunters
The beginning of the 20th century saw a number of intrepid botanists and
explorers set out to discover and bring back new and exotic plants from
around the world. Among the most famous were George Forrest (1873–
1932), E. H. Wilson (1876–1930), Joseph Rock (1884–1962), and Frank
Kingdon Ward (1885–1958). Although only one of the early pioneers,
Kingdon Ward achieved renown exploring and collecting botanical
specimens in Yunnan province just before and after World War I, and
also later in Tibet. Among his most celebrated discoveries are several
rhododendron species. In the 1920s he brought back seeds of the beautiful
blue poppy Meconopsis betonicifolia, which inspired the title of the most Frank Kingdon Ward, explorer
famous of his many books: The Land of the Blue Poppy. and collector
352 THE SOUTHWEST
Regional Food: the Southwest

Subject to hot summers and mild winters with plenty of
rain, the southwest enjoys year-round crop growth, making
it one of China’s “rice bowls.” The Sichuan basin also yields a
wealth of subtropical products such as fruits, tea, and
herbal medicines and its spicy cooking has become the
region’s dominant cuisine. By contrast, the cooking of
Yunnan is underrated despite some wonderful produce;
while the cuisines of Guizhou and Guangxi lie somewhere
between Sichuanese spiciness and the subtle, delicate
flavors of the Cantonese kitchen. Eggplants and yard-long beans
stimulate the palate. Each dish regional spice is the Sichuan

should be a balance of flavors peppercorn (hua jiao). This dried
such as sweet, sour, bitter, hot, berry has an aromatic, lemony
salty, aromatic, and fragrant. heat that makes the mouth
When the palate is stimulated tingle, even numbing it against
by the heat of the chili, it the chilies’ heat. The final secret
becomes sensitized and can of Sichuan food is the purity of
appreciate even more flavors at the salt collected from the
the same time. The most famous wells of Zigong (see p361).
Fresh green and red Large dried chilies Chili bean paste (rich
chilies (sharp, hot) (smoky, warm) deep heat)
Fruits and deep-fried snacks on sticks,
typical of the southwest “Red oil”
(mild heat)
Sichuan
The cuisine of Sichuan has the
reputation of being richly fla-
vored and peppery hot but, in
fact, a lot of Sichuanese dishes
are not hot at all. After all, the
chili is a relatively recent import
from the Americas that was
not widely cultivated here until
“Towards the sky” Small dried
the 19th century. According to Sichuan peppercorns
chilies (very hot) chilies (hot)
Sichuanese chefs, chilies do (aromatic spicy)
not paralyze the tastebuds, but A selection of Sichuan spices

Most visitors to China will at some time come
across versions of Kung-Po Chicken and Ma
Po Doufu. However, outside Sichuan these
dishes are likely to lack the depth of flavors
and balance of textures of the original. Each
region of China has its own “preserved
vegetables” but Sichuan’s pickles are among the
best – mustard root pickled in a spicy sauce.
Fresh water chestnuts Yunnan’s “Crossing the Bridge Noodles” is said to
have been created by the wife of a Qing-dynasty
scholar to prevent the noodles cooling on the way to her husband
studying in an island pavilion. The dish consists of a chicken broth
with a hot, insulating layer of oil on top served with noodles, slices of Kung-Po Chicken: the best-
ham, vegetables, and egg to be added to it at the table. Another known Sichuan dish; Kung-Po
specialty is Steam Pot Chicken cooked with vegetables and often was an official from Guizhou, but
medicinal herbs; as it steams, a flavorful broth is created in the pot. his chef was Sichuanese.
Yunnan
Yunnan’s tropical climate
means the province is a haven
for vegetable-lovers, with an
excellent variety of fresh
produce on offer. Several
products distinguish Yunnan
on the map of gastronomy –
firstly the highly prized pu’er
tea. Dried into bricks, this is
strong and black and often
taken as a medicine. Just as
famous is Yunnan ham, which
rivals the ham from Jinhua in
Zhejiang. Unusually for China, Stall selling zongzi, parcels of sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves
Yunnan is also known for its
milk products, with cheese eaten Guizhou and Guangxi On the Menu
in the area around Dali. Relatively poor provinces,
When the long rainy season Guizhou and Guangxi are Aromatic and Crispy Duck
ends, a profusion of mushrooms Quite different to Peking Duck,
known for their famine cuisine
this is marinated, steamed, and
fills the hills and forests of the especially among the
then deep-fried. A special version
minorities, but despite the – Tea Smoked Duck – is smoked
stories the average visitor will using tea, cypress, and camphor
be hard pressed to find bee wood chips.
grub stir-fries and the like. Twice-Cooked Pork Another
Fiery hotpots are a specialty traditional Sichuan dish that is
of Guizhou, including those extremely popular. The secret is
made with dog, but these that the pork is first boiled, then
can easily be avoided (see stir-fried till tender.
p405). The predominant flavors Steamed Beef in a Basket
are spicy and sour. The Spicy beef coated with ground
province’s most distinguished rice and steamed – served in the
product is Maotai. A strong bamboo steamer basket.
spirit distilled from sorghum Toban Fish A whole fish deep-
Vegetables on sale in a street market and other grains, it is drunk fried then braised with chili,
in Guizhou at formal occasions. garlic, ginger, scallions, soy, sugar,
Guangxi cuisine includes wine, chili bean paste (toban
region, sending the locals out Cantonese-style sweet and jiang), and vinegar.
to collect these delicacies. sour dishes along with more Ants Climbing Trees Minced
Finally, the tropical climate rustic Zhuang minority food. pork with rice vermicelli – the
means that all sorts of exotic Zongzi are also a favorite and minced pork forms the “ants” and
fruits grow here and many the pyramids of sticky rice can the vermicelli the “trees”.
turn up in the area’s dishes. be savory or sweet.
Ma Po Doufu: “pockmarked” Hot and Sour Soup: this dish, Fish-Fragrant Aubergine: “fish-
tofu – a classic dish that when made properly, derives its fragrant” sauces use the same
combines ground meat, tofu, pungency solely from the use of seasonings as traditional
and chilies in a spicy gravy. ground white pepper. fish cookery.
THE SOUTHWEST 355
SICHUAN &
CHONGQING SICHUAN
CHONGQING
The province of Sichuan and the neighboring municipality of

Chongqing cover 220,078 sq miles (570,000 sq km) and are home to
almost 120 million people. This vast region can be divided into three
distinct geographical zones. In the east is Chongqing, a municipality
based around the heavily industrialized Chongqing city, with a rural strip running east along
the Yangzi River and its famous Three Gorges (see pp358–60). In the center lies the hugely
fertile Red Basin, whose laid-back capital Chengdu sits surrounded by chequerboard fields
and well-irrigated plains. The wealth generated by this fertile land helped sponsor the
temples on Emei Shan’s forested slopes and the startling Buddhist sculptures at Dazu and
Le Shan. In contrast, northern and western Sichuan are covered by the snow-capped
foothills of the Himalayan range, with peaks rising to well over 16,400 ft (5,000 m), a thinly
settled region whose culture is predominantly Tibetan. Northwest of Chengdu is the
Wanglang Nature Reserve, home to the critically endangered giant panda, while to the far
north is the beautiful alpine scenery around Songpan and Jiuzhai Gou.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Historic Sites Mountains, Grottoes & Caves
1 Chongqing 7 Sanxingdui Museum 3 Baoding Shan pp362–3
2 Zigong 9 Dafo, Le Shan pp370–71 8 Emei Shan pp368–9
4 Chengdu w Dujiangyan q Qingcheng Shan
0 Huanglong Xi u Luding National Parks & Zoos
r Songpan Temples 5 Panda Breeding Center
o Kangding
6 Baoguang Si e Wanglang Nature Reserve
t Huanglong
y Jiuzhai Gou Tour p376
Zoige i Moxi Xiang and Hailuogou
Ya
Glacier
lo Jiuzhaigou
ng
Jia
Serxu ng
Aba
Pingwu Guangyuan
Sertar
Maniganggo Heishui Wanyuan
G5
31 D
7 a Qu Mianyang Fengjie
Luhuo Lixian Dazhou
Deyang 2
Nanchong G4
Dazhu Wanzhou
Qianning
Batang 318 Ya’an Jianyang G 50
Hechuan
Yajiang Neijiang Qianjiang
Hanyuan 5
G6
G9
Jiulong Youyang
3
8
Qijiang
10
Luzhou
Mianning Yibin
Xiushan
Zhaojue
Xichang
G85
i
gz
n
Ya
Dechang Key
Zhaotong
G5
Expressway
Panzhihua Huili
National Highway
Dali Minor road
Railroad
Provincial border
Chuxiong 0 km 200
0 miles 200
The colorful mineral pools of Huanglong, Sichuan For additional map symbols see back flap
356 THE SOUTHWEST
1 Chongqing
Believed to have been founded as the capital of the shadowy
State of Ba in 1000 BC, this port is situated on a peninsula at
the junction of the Yangzi and Jialing Rivers. Also known as
Shan Cheng (Mountain City), due to the hills covering the
peninsula, it is one of the Yangzi valley’s “three furnaces”
owing to its stifling summer humidity, made even worse by
pollution. The main reason to visit Chongqing, a lively, rapidly
modernizing city with few historic sights, is to catch a Yangzi
ferry downstream through the Three Gorges (see pp358–60). The Liberation Monument (Jiefangbei) in
downtown Chongqing
In 1997, Chongqing became the administrative center of the
new city-province of Chongqing Shi, which stretches 311 E Three Gorges Museum
miles (500 km) east to Hubei. 236 Renmin Lu. q Zengjiayan.
Open 9am–5pm daily. 8 9
 Luohan Si This museum, also known as
7 Luohansi Jie. q Xiaoshenzi Chongqing Museum, houses a
Open 8am–6pm daily. & superb collection of Eastern
This Qing-style temple is famed Han tomb relics (AD 25–220)
for its hall crowded with luohan from sites around Sichuan.
(those freed from the cycle of Peculiar to the region are 20-in
rebirth). The Indian Buddhist (50-cm) long mausoleum bricks,
pantheon has just 18 luohan, illustrated with figures depicting
but the Chinese have added religious and secular themes. A
hundreds of their own, including recurrent image is that of the
View of the interior of the Three Buddhist figures, folk heroes, and dragon-bodied sun god, Rishen,
Gorges Museum even Daoists. The hall has 524 associated with Fuxi, legendary
life-size statues; some sit ancestor of the Chinese. The
P Chaotian Men serenely, while others have highlight is a frieze of soldiers
q Xiaoshenzi and a 10-min walk. grotesque faces. The most easily and chariots passing a nobleman
Chaotian Men (Gate Facing identifiable figure is Ji Gong, a being entertained. Upstairs is a
Heaven) is Chongqing’s wharf comic peasant hero near the exit. display of Ba-era boat coffins.
district right at the tip of the
peninsula, where cruise boats P Liberation Monument P Great Hall of the People
line the muddy banks, readying q Linjiangmen. 173 Renmin Lu. q Zengjiayan.
themselves for their journey Situated in the heart of down- Open 8:30am–5pm daily.
into eastern China. A viewing town Chongqing, the Liberation This 213-ft (65-m) high rotunda,
platform overlooking the river Monument is a plain-looking seating 4,200 people, was built in
junction was constructed in clock tower commemorating 1954 as a conference hall to
2000, and offers splendid views the Communists’ defeat of commemorate Chongqing’s
on a windy day, though often Kuomintang forces in 1949. important war-time role. Inspired
visibility is impaired by the heavy It is surrounded by a busy by Beijing’s Temple of Heaven
fogs caused by intense pollution. shopping district. (see pp102–3), it is now a part of
The extravagant Great Hall of the People, now part of the Renmin Hotel
CHONGQING 357
the Renmin Hotel and is used for Communist leader Zhou Enlai VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
concerts. Its striking exterior, with and his wife, Deng Yingchao.
three tiers of red-pillared eaves Chairman Mao briefly visited Practical Information
beneath a blue canopied roof, Hongyan Cun (Red Crag Village) 200 miles (330 km) SE of
stands out from the modern after Japan surrendered in 1945, Chengdu. * 9,700,000.
highrises that are encircling it. to attend the US-sponsored n 19/F, 177 Bayi Lu, near
talks with the Kuomintang Liberation Monument, (023)
E Stilwell Museum forces led by Chiang Kai-shek. 6382 1162.
63 Jialing Xin Lu, Liziba. q Fotugyan. The buildings now house a Transportation
Open 9am–5pm daily. & ^ collection of sparsely captioned k Jiangbei airport. £
This is the former home of wartime photographs. More @ Caiyuanba bus station,
General Stilwell (1883–1946), appealing is the hilly parkland CAAC (to airport). g Chaotian
who was based here between surrounding the site. Men docks.
1942 and 1944 as Commander
of the US forces and Chiang Kai- P Ciqi Kou
shek’s Chief of Staff. The 1930s 9 miles (14 km) W of Chongqing. Porcelain is no longer made
building has period furnishings, q Ciqikou here, but Ciqi Kou is now
with informative displays on Founded 1,700 years ago on the popular with modern and
“Vinegar Joe’s” (the General’s banks of Jialing Jiang, Ciqi Kou traditional painters.
nickname) career. Opposite this (Porcelain Port) was a famous
museum is the small Flying porcelain production center
Tigers museum, with maps and during the Ming era, and is
photographs of the Tomahawk something of a museum piece.
fighter planes of the American Its riverfront lanes, preserved in
volunteer pilots. their original flagstoned state,
are flanked by old timber,
P Hongyan Cun adobe, and split-stone buildings
52 Hongyan Cun. 6 miles (10 km) with carved stonework, latticed
W of Chongqing. q Xietaizi. windows, and gray-tiled roofs.
Open 8:30am–5pm daily. Teahouses are everywhere, and
This group of whitewashed there are about 100 to choose
buildings was the base of the from. A couple of traditional
Nationalist-Communist “United ones overlook the river and
Front” government during World occasionally host opera
War II. Among the prominent shows. Busy markets sell food Visitors at a colorful and bustling market
people based here were the and local arts and crafts. in Ciqi Kou
Chongqing City Center

1 Chaotian Men 4 Three GorgesMuseum
0 meters 800
2 Luohan Si 5 Great Hall of the People
0 yards 800
3 Liberation Monument 6 Stilwell Museum
Jiangbei Airport
Chaotian
21 km (13 miles) Men
Zengjiayan Daxigou
BIN JIAN G LU
Jialing
NXI LU
N G SH A N S I L U
HO
Z
LU
IN L U B E IQ U
S HA A
M
UA
EN LU
R Great Hall Huanghuayuan
XINH
Three Gorges LU
of the People NG
ANG
JIA LU
Niujiaotuo Museum LIN
NZ U
Linjiangmen Luohan Si
N GJI
I
M
ZH
CAAC
ON
Liberation
C HA
G
Monument
SH
LU Xiaoshizi
AN
I
LU
Y
Z H O N G SH A N
SAN LU
AN
Liziba AN E R L U Pipa
QU
Lianglukou SH Qixingkou
LU
MIN
NG
Shan Park
U
L
A
EI
Stilwell HU
O
B
ZH XI N
Museum Jiaochangkou NG
FA
LU
LU JIE
Hongyan Cun N ANQU
G
Train Station N
g
and Ciqi Kou CH A IA N G BINJ I A IA

N GJ NJ
an
NG
BI
Ji
LU
J I E FA N G L U G
Changjiang GJ I
AN i
Caiyuanba Bridge CH A N
n gz
Ya
Bus Station

358 THE SOUTHWEST
The Yangzi and Three Gorges

Before the 20th century, rugged mountains would have Beijing
virtually isolated Sichuan from eastern China if it hadn’t Shanghai
been for the 400-mile (650-km) stretch of the Yangzi Chongqing
Wuhan
linking Chongqing with Yichang in Hubei province. The Hong Kong
journey was a perilous one, the river tearing through the
sheer-sided Three Gorges. Today, with the shoals cleared,
Area illustrated below
the journey makes a popular cruise through spectacular
scenery, with regular stops at famous sights. The
landscape has been irrevocably changed by the Three
Gorges Dam, which filled to its maximum capacity in 2009,
making the cruise even more leisurely and extending the
cruising season.
. Shibao Zhai
This outstanding monastery (see
p360) sits on an island, with Lanruo
Dian (Orchid Palace) built into the
cliff above.
Landscape near Chongqing

The gentle farmland around Chongqing, fascinating for its Wanzhou
depiction of day-to-day life, does little to prepare you for the
wild, spectacular gorge scenery downstream.
Wulingzhen
Key
CHONGQING
Provincial border
Zhongxian ZI
G
N
YA
Chongqing
Fengdu
Fuling
KEY
1 Fengdu was moved here from

the opposite shore.
2 Wulong is a scenic reserve of
limestone karst formations.
3 Ancient Ba Kingdom Tombs
have been inundated by the rising
The City of Ghosts
waters.
Ming Shan, a mountain dedicated to
4 Baidicheng, an ancient temple the afterworld and its ruler,
complex, sits on an island linked to Tianzi, is scattered with
the north bank by a bridge. temples, shrines, and
5 Shennong Xi (see p360) makes a waxworks depicting the
pleasant side trip. gorier sides of hell, including
various tortures awaiting sinners.
CHONGQING 359
Chongqing to Yichang or Wuhan.
n 19/F, 177 Bayi Lu, Chongqing,
(023) 6382 1162 (Chongqing
CITS). & excursions extra.
∑ yzcruises.com
The Three Gorges

Though the river is no longer the vicious torrent described by earlier
travelers, the steep walls and tight channels of Qutang Xia, Wu Xia,
and Xiling Xia still present an awesome spectacle.
0 km 30
0 miles 30
. Mini Three Gorges

The Mini Three Gorges feature the
i
Shenno ng X
Dan
cliffs of Longmen Xia and troupes
ing
of wild monkeys.
He
New QUT New

Yunyang Fengjie AN
XIA G Wushan
WU
XIA
Guandukou
XIL
ING
XIA
HUBEI
Yichang
. Qutang Xia
The first and shortest of the stunning
Three Gorges, the once violent waters
of Qutang Gorge were described by
the Tang poet Li Bai as “a thousand Wuhan
seas poured into a single cup.”
Three Gorges Dam

Before reaching Yichang,
there’s a chance to see the
world’s largest hydroelectric
project in operation (see
pp274–5). Most cruises
now end above the dam.
360 THE SOUTHWEST
Cruising the Yangzi Choosing a Cruise

Planned for more than a century, the Three Gorges Dam was Which itinerary: Some
cruises sail to Shanghai, but the
completed in 2009. Its 32 hydroelectric generators produce scenery is bleak east of Wuhan.
around 2 percent of China’s total power requirements. Book Chongqing to Yichang or
Construction required the relocation of millions of people, the Wuhan (extra day). Cruises
rebuilding of several towns above the new waterline, and the upstream (west) are cheaper, but
may sail through the night.
loss of some priceless archeological sites. A few key historic Cruises: Some English spoken,
buildings were relocated; where this was not possible, accommodation varies (dorm to
protective dikes were built instead. The drama of the 4-star), check excursions on
landscape has undoubtedly diminished, but the reservoir itinerary, book privately
(cheaper than CITS).
is so long that the impression of being a river remains. Public ferries: No English,
very basic conditions, food is
bad (bring some), no excursions,
tickets from Chaotian Men
Dock, Chongqing.
When: Sep and Oct are best; May
and Nov riskier; rainy season
in summer.
Stone Fortress) is the beautiful

12-story Lanruo Dian, whose
curly eaves are said to resem-
Tour sailing up the narrows of Shennong Xi in a sampan ble an orchid, built in 1750
and rising 184 ft (56 m) up the
} Shennong Xi collapsed, leaving a complex of rock wall above the small
One of the highlights of the vast sinkholes and soaring stone temple. The “Precious Stone” of
whole Yangzi cruise is detouring archways, all overgrown with the name relates to a legend
up the ever-narrowing waters of luxuriant vegetation. Tianlong about a rock in the monastery
Shennong Stream. The cliffs are Tiankeng, the largest sinkhole, with a hole, through which
pocked with post-holes marking is 1,804 ft (550 m) wide and every day trickled just enough
the route of a Han-dynasty plank 890 ft (270 m) deep. Around 2 rice to feed all the monks. But
road, built for military access. miles (3 km) of well-formed when one of them greedily
Farther upstream in Baidi Cheng, paths and an outdoor elevator enlarged the hole, hoping to
Shennong Xi’s hanging coffins provide access for visitors to sell the surplus, the rice
have been carved into the navigate around the site. stopped flowing. Shibao Zhai
gorge’s walls by the long- has been protected from rising
vanished Bai people. Burial  Shibao Zhai waters by a large dike, but sadly,
goods and cliffside paintings The most striking aspect of the medieval village at its base
link the Bai with both Sichuan’s Shibao Zhai (meaning Precious has been drowned.
earliest-known civilization, the
Ba, and also the local Tujia
ethnic group (see pp30–31). Trackers
If the waters are too low to Before the rapids were cleared in the 1950s, boats could only make it
navigate this stream, most upstream with the help of trackers, teams of barely paid men who
cruises include a trip up the Mini were harnessed together to literally pull the boat, inch by inch,
Three Gorges instead (see p359). through the Three Gorges’ torrents. Paths cut into the bank to make
their work easier and slightly less hazardous – or copies of them
} Wulong above the new maximum waterline – can be seen in several places
@ from Wulong town. Open through the gorges.
9am–6:30pm daily (last ticket sold
4pm). &
About 62 miles (100 km) south
of the Yangzi port of Fengdu,
Wulong is a scenic reserve of
limestone karst formations (see
pp418–19) scattered in the
countryside around Wulong
town. The key area is Tiansheng
Sanqiao, the “Natural Three
Bridges,” where a former Towing a barge on Shennong Xi, a tributary of the Yangzi River
underground river system has
SICHUAN & CHONGQING 361
drill-bits and cutaways terranean wealth is its fossils,

showing the drilling found at a major Jurassic site in
process. Other con- the northeastern suburb of
temporary buildings Dashanpu that has now been
of interest are two roofed over as a Dinosaur
teahouses with Museum. In 1985, extensive
charming antique excavations were carried out with
interiors, where locals British assistance, unearthing
sit and chat. The most hundreds of skeletons, including
attractive of these is the stegosaur-like Gigant-
the 19th-century spinosaurus sichuanensis, and the
Wangye Miao, a 30-ft (9-m) long, carnivorous
smaller version of Yangchuanosaurus hepingensis.
the Xiqin Guildhall, Assembled skeletons are
which perches castle- displayed in the main hall, along
like on a rocky outcrop with partially excavated remains
overlooking the Fuxi in the original diggings.
Jiang on Binjiang Lu.
The other, Huanhou E Zigong Salt Museum
Gong, is a former 107 Jiefang Lu. Tel (0813) 220 8581.
butchers’ guildhall on Open 8:30am–5pm daily. &
Gateway to the Wangye Miao teahouse Zhonghua Road, P Shenhai Well
whose carved entrance-way 289 Da’an Jie. Tel (0813) 510 9095.
2 Zigong opens into a sloping courtyard Open 8:30am–6pm daily. &
surrounded by private wood-
E Dinosaur Museum
paneled booths.
135 miles (215 km) W of Chongqing. Shenhai Jing Lu, Dashanpu. Tel (0813)
* 3,200,000. £ @ n 3 Binjiang The Shenhai Well, just north-
580 1234. Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily.
Lu, (0813) 230 3175. east of the center, was easily &∑ zdm.cn
the deepest in the world when
Salt has been mined in Sichuan drilling reached a depth of
for at least 2,500 years, and for 3,285 ft (1,001 m) in 1835,
much of that time Zigong has producing a daily output of
been at the center of its 494 cubic ft (14 cubic m) of
production, luring traders from brine and 300,175 cubic ft
all over China. Brine is drawn (8,500 cubic m) of natural gas.
from artesian wells beneath the The 59-ft (18-m) high timber
city, along with natural gas used derrick, bamboo pipes, cables,
to fuel the evaporation process. and buffalo-powered winches
Chinese well-drilling techniques, used in the drilling and retrieving
mainly the use of bamboo processes are on show, along
cables and heavy iron drill-bits, with gas-powered evaporation
were borrowed by the West pans used to refine salt, which is
during the 1850s, and later still produced and packed on The main entrance of the Zigong Salt
adapted for mining oil reserves. site. Zigong’s other form of sub- Museum
Until the 1960s, Zigong was full
of bamboo pipelines and 328-ft
(100-m) high wooden derricks. Mining Salt in Sichuan
Even today one can visit some An essential part of imperial tax since the Western Han era, salt was
of these older mines and vintage extracted from saltwater pools on the coasts. In Sichuan, however,
architecture built to display the mining from briny grounds was cheaper
salt-merchants’ wealth. than importing heavily taxed salt from the
The Zigong Salt Museum coast. With deep drilling and the installation
was built in 1736 as the Xiqin of bamboo pipes in the 11th century, salt
Guildhall, a meeting place for production in Sichuan relied on ingenious
artesian wells for centuries before European
salt merchants from Shaanxi
technology was able to catch up. During this
province. This lavish building
time entrepreneurs opened up mines
features elaborate flying eaves, and workers flocked to the area, leading a
and a gilded, wood-carved bureaucracy alarmed at the tax losses to
interior based around a large ban deep drilling – although the mines were
galleried atrium, where plays soon opened again. By the 17th century,
were once performed. Exhibits the Sichuanese had devised a method of
cover the entire history of salt Salt mine model, Xiqin capturing the natural gas that escapes from
mining, from Han dynasty Guildhall briny deposits to fuel their evaporating stoves.
illustrations, to huge metal
362 THE SOUTHWEST
Carvings of Dazu
Combining elements from Confucianism, Daoism, and
Indian Tantric Buddhism, the carvings at Baoding Shan,
Dazu are a unique example of the harmonious synthesis
of these philosophies and religions. Though most are
religious in theme, the carvings vary greatly in style.
A few are naturalistic depictions of daily life, but most of
them are monumental and even surreal, with fanged
guardian gods and serene Buddhas at the point of
enlightenment surrounded by cartoon-like details of
3 Wheel of Transmigration
Buddhist parables. The main colors used are reds, A giant, toothy demon holds a
blues, and greens. segmented disc depicting the
possible states of reincarnation, from
Buddha-hood down to animals
and ghosts.
81,000-armed Guanyin In fact it

has 1,007 gilded arms that seem
to flicker like flames from the
central figure of Guanyin, each
palm holding a different symbol of
the bodhisattva.
q Reclining Buddha This 50-ft (15-m) long Buddha lies on his
side, his stylized face making the lifelike busts of officials and
donors arranged in front appear even more striking. The adjacent
Nine-Dragon Spring refers to the legend of Buddha being
washed at birth by dragons.
p Buddhist Hell
Buddha and
u Filial Duty A Confucian theme of bodhisattvas gaze
honoring parents for the sacrifices down at drunken
they make for their children sinners, while
illustrates the flexible nature of animal-headed
Chinese belief at this predominantly demons mutilate
Buddhist site. others on Knife
Mountain and in
Knee-Chopping Hall.
k Stone Lion The lion is

assigned to Wenshu, the
incarnation of Wisdom in
f Dao Sages These ancient Buddhist teaching. Here, this
figures of wise old men twice life-size statue guards
appear to be representatives the entrance to the Cave of
of Daoist philosophy. Full Enlightenment.
Baoding Shan 0 meters 30

There are 31 caves in total so be 0 yards 30
sure to allow enough time to
explore the site fully.
4 The Three Sages Three

serene figures sit in eternal
contemplation of life, the
infinite, and everything. The
Chinese characters declare The bullet numbers refer to the most significant caves
the site as Baoding Shan.
3 Baoding Shan, abstract Buddhist doctrines

Dazu through the lives of ordinary
people. The realistic carvings
include not only the statues
9 miles (15 km) NE of Dazu. @ from of Buddha and bodhisattvas, but
Caiyuanba station, Chongqing (2hrs) also monarchs, ministers,
to Dazu; minibus to caves (30 mins). military officers, officials, monks,
Open 8:30am–5pm. & includes Bei the rich, and even the poor.
Shan. Fee required for video. 9
The site has been listed as a
World Cultural Heritage Site by
The hills around Dazu are UNESCO since 1999.
riddled with caves and grottoes
t Parental Care This decorated with more than Environs: Bei Shan, just over a
expression of the Confucian 50,000 carvings dating as far mile (2 km) north of Dazu, was
theme of the duty of parental back as the Tang dynasty in the originally a military camp whose
love at a Buddhist site is an 7th century. The best collection carvings were commissioned by
illustration of how religious of statuary with the finest the general Wei Junjing in 892.
philosophies could co-exist craftsmanship and richest The caves are somewhat dark
during the Tang dynasty. content can be found at and few sculptures stand out.
Baoding Shan; the monk Zhao The most outstanding sculpture
Zhifeng oversaw the work is in Cave 136, which houses a
between 1179 and 1245. The Wheel of Life carving, Puxian
bulk of these carvings decorate the patron saint of Emei
over thirty separate niches Shan (see pp368-9), and the
carved into the soft limestone androgynous Sun and
walls of a 28-ft (8-m) high, Moon Guanyin.
horseshoe-shaped gully known
as Dafo Wan (Big Buddha Bend)
after the large sculpture of the
reclining Sakyamuni Buddha.
Other carvings worth
noting at Baoding Shan are
the pastoral scenes of buffalo-
herding in Cave 5, a whole
tableau of activity that stands as
a beautiful allegory of the search
for enlightenment. The Cat and
Mouse between Caves 3 and 4
l Enlightenment Buddha is a light-hearted carving with
The centerpiece of Baoding a wonderfully naturalistic cat
Shan’s only true cave, this looking up at a mouse climbing
represents the reward of a bamboo stalk. The Dazu
perfecting the self through grottoes are more secular and
cycles of reincarnation. real to life than other grottoes – One of the sculptures in the Bei Shan
that is to say, they relate the grottoes, Dazu
364 THE SOUTHWEST
4 Chengdu turmoil of contemporary life.

Admirers first founded gardens
here in the 10th century,
The capital of Sichuan, Chengdu is a modern city with a although the traditional
arrangement of pools, bridges,
relaxed culture, typified by its pleasant gardens and
trees, and pavilions dates from
teahouses. A distinct part of city life, teahouses are found in 1811. Simple whitewashed halls
parks and other spaces, and are often no more than a display antique collections of
collection of rickety chairs and tables. The city’s roots go as far Du Fu’s poems, and a museum
back as the enigmatic Ba-Shu era (see p366), though it first gives an outline of his life in
became a capital during the Three Kingdoms (AD 221), later models and paintings.
gaining a reputation for its silk brocade and for being the first  Qingyang Gong
place in the world to print paper money. While Chengdu 9 Xi Er Duan. @ 58 from Renmin Pk.
sprawls for miles, most sights are concentrated around the Open 8am–5pm daily. &
city centre, with one or two notable exceptions. The name of this sprawling
Daoist temple, meaning Green
Goat Palace, refers to the obscure
final words of Daoism’s mythical
founder, Laozi, that those who
understood his teachings could
find him at the green goat mar-
ket. The story is commemorated
at the Bagua Pavilion, where a
life-sized statue of Laozi riding
his buffalo is surrounded by
coiled dragons and also at the
Three Purities Hall, where there
are two bronze statues of what
are supposedly goats, although
the right-hand animal has tiger
Business as usual at the bustling teahouse in Wenshu Yuan paws, a unicorn’s horn, a snake’s
tail, and other attributes of
 Wenshu Yuan Emperor of Sichuan, who fought animals in the Chinese zodiac.
66 Wenshu Yuan Jie. q Wenshu his way to power in AD 907 and
Monastery. Open 8am–4:30pm died in 918. The relics include a Y Renmin Park
daily. & 20-ft (6-m) long stone platform 9 Citang Jie. Open 6:30am–10pm
This busy Chan Buddhist temple that formed the base for a daily. q People’s Park.
is dedicated to Wenshu, the multi-layered wooden sarcopha- This is the best of Chengdu’s
incarnation of Wisdom, whose gus, carved with a 22-figure parks, with year-round floral
lion is depicted in sculptures and female orchestra. Life-size busts displays, ponds, terraces draped
paintings in the monastery’s of warriors, sunk up to their waists in wisteria, and a hall hosting
elegantly austere halls. The small in the floor, support the platform. weekend shows of shadow-
gilded pagoda to one side is said The statue of Wang Jian enforces puppetry. The Martyrs’
to contain the skull of Xuanzang, the impression of a modest Monument, commemorates the
a famous Tang dynasty pilgrim man, though his self-indulgent 1911 rail dispute that mobilized
and hero of Journey to the West son lost the empire to the opposition to the Qing and
(see p35). After a visit, Late Tang in AD 925. eventually led to their demise.
relax at the teahouse
or restaurant. P Du Fu’s Thatched
Adjacent to the temple, Cottage
Wenshu Fang is an area 28 Caotang Lu.
of antique alleys and Incense for sale at Open 8am–6pm daily. &
restored period Wenshu Yuan The Tang dynasty’s
buildings, thick with most celebrated poet,
snack stalls and shops. Du Fu, arrived in Chengdu
during a nationwide uprising in
E Yong Ling Museum AD 759. He spent the next four
10 Yongling Lu. @ 48 from Xinanmen. years living in poverty in a
Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily. & tumbledown thatched cottage
A large mound in the northwest on the outskirts of the city,
of town was excavated in 1942 where he wrote around 240
to uncover Yong Ling, the Tomb soulful poems contrasting the Worshipers outside the Daoist
of Wang Jian, self-appointed forces of nature with the Qingyang Gong
 Wuhou Ci figures, acrobats, and warriors; VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

231 Wuhou Ci Dajie. @ 58 from while the upper two stories focus
Renmin Pk. Open Jul–Oct: 8am– on bronze sculptures and Tibetan Practical Information
9:30pm (Nov–Jun: till 6:30pm) daily. Buddhist artifacts. A wing at the 200 miles (330 km) NW of
& ∑ wuhouci.net.cn rear features silk brocade. Chongqing. * 7,400,000.
Meaning “Shrine to the Minister Across the road, Songxian Qiao n Renmin Nan Lu 4 Duan.
of War,” Wuhou Ci commem- Curio Market is a wonderful Transport
orates Zhuge Liang (AD 181–234), place to browse among k Shuangliu Airport. £ North
a brilliant military strategist from porcelain, wooden screens, and Train Station, South train station.
the Three Kingdoms period. In Cultural Revolution momentos. @ Chandianzi bus station, CAAC
1672, the complex was expanded (buses to airport), Xinnanmen Bus
to include temple-like halls, filled E Jinsha Museum Station, Zhaojuesi bus station.
with statuary of Three Kingdoms’ 227 Qingyang Dadao. @ 901
characters, guarding Liu Bei’s tourist bus. Open daily. & 9
Tomb. The Three Kingdoms Hall ∑ jinshasitemuseum.com and house foundations indicate
has statues of Liu Bei, robed in This museum occupies the site that Jinsha was a major center
gold along with his grandson, of a previously undocumented for the later Ba-Shu culture. The
while another room has statues Shang dynasty settlement, which glass-sided Exhibit Hall is built
of Zhuge Liang. The last hall is was discovered during building over the excavations, exposing
used for Sichuan theater. work in 2000. Thousands of sacrificial pits where valuables
East of Wuhou Ci, Jin Li alley artifacts, animal bones, graves, were ceremonially buried.
has colorful Song-style houses,
shops and stalls, and is a good
place to sample Chengdu’s
famous street food.
E Sichuan Museum
251 Hanhua Nan Lu. @ 58 from
Renmin Pk. Tel (028) 6552 1555. Open
9am–5pm Tue–Sun. ∑ scmuseum.cn
A trove of ethnographic and
cultural artifacts on three levels,
this museum’s lower floor is full
of animated Han dynasty pottery
models of musicians, court A striking moon gate at Wuhou Ci
Chengdu City Center

1 Wenshu Yuan A N LU
YIHUAN LU
North Train Station
Chadianzi Y IH U Renmin Bei Lu
1 km (1.6 miles)
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Shuangliu Airport
16 km (10 miles)

366 THE SOUTHWEST
7 Sanxingdui
Museum
30 miles (50 km) N of Chengdu in

Guanghan. @ 6 from Guanghan. Tel
(0838) 565 1526. Open 8:30am–6pm
daily (last adm 5pm). & ∑ sxd.cn
In the 1980s, archeologists

began excavating at Sanxingdui,
where farmers had been finding
ancient pieces since 1929. They
unexpectedly uncovered traces
of an ancient city, over 3,000
A bizarre yet exquisitely crafted Sanxingdui mask years old, tentatively believed to
have been the capital of the
5 Panda Breeding The temple has well-tended Ba-Shu culture. Numerous
Center gardens planted with ginkgos, sacrificial pits were found
besides a dozen or more halls containing an extraordinary
filled with holy relics, including trove of bronze, gold, and jade
9 miles (15 km) NE of Chengdu. @ a room dedicated to the artifacts. Key pieces in the
Tourist Bus 902. Open 7:30am–6pm Gelugpa sect of Tibetan museum include a 7-ft (2-m)
daily. & ∑ panda.org.cn lamaism, and a stone stele high bronze figure with huge,
carved with Buddha images coiled hands, a giant “spirit tree”
This research base set up in from AD 540. Baoguang Si’s hung with mystical animals, and
1987 has bred and raised over biggest draw is its Qing-era several leering, 3-ft (1-m) wide
100 giant panda cubs, with well Luohan Hall, where 518 masks whose eyes protrude on
over the usual captive survival brightly painted, life-size stalks. Also on display are smaller,
rate. While so far this sculptures of Buddhist saints finely detailed pieces, along with
has been for the benefit of zoos, are joined by 59 Buddhas and accounts of the excavations.
the center’s main aim is to start Bodhidarma – the Indian Highly individual in style, though
returning pandas to the wild. founder of Zen Buddhism – evoking the contemporary
One of the best places to see along with a huge phoenix Shang bronzes of eastern China,
pandas in China, it currently statue. Among the statues the Sanxingdui artifacts reveal
displays around 30 red and over are the Emperors Kangxi and a very high degree of crafts-
50 giant pandas. Mostly inactive, Qianlong, with their distinctive manship. The finds perhaps
they can be seen chewing piles beards, boots, and capes. Also challenge the popular theory
of arrow bamboo or sleeping. within the compound is a little that China evolved from a single
vegetarian restaurant. culture living by the Yellow River.
6 Baoguang Si
Sichuan Opera
14 miles (24 km) NE of Chengdu. @ Sung in the Sichuanese dialect,
or taxi. Open 8am–5pm daily. & this 300-year-old tradition lacks
the formality of Beijing Opera,
A place of worship since the but instead is filled with wit
Han dynasty, Baoguang Si and dynamism, its high-pitched
owes its current name and singing accompanied by
reputation to the Tang Emperor percussion and wind
Xizong, who took refuge here instruments. Acrobatics are a
major part of the performance.
in AD 881 during a rebellion.
Bianlian, the Sichuanese trick
He called the temple
of face-changing, allows each
Baoguang, or Shining Treasure, actor to portray many
after he saw a light underneath Elaborately costumed actors at an characters; with a swift move of
a wooden pagoda in the opera performance the hand, makeup is added, or
temple, which was supposedly a layer of mask removed. Once
emanating from buried holy widely performed in small, casual theaters and teahouses, Sichuan
relics. The pagoda, which he Opera is sadly in decline as a form of popular entertainment. In
ordered to be rebuilt in stone, Chengdu, it is still possible to enjoy tourist-oriented shows. Tickets
still stands as the 13-story, 98-ft are available at Jinjiang Theater on Huaxing Zheng Jie and Jin Li, near
(30-m) high Sheli Ta, just inside Wuhou Ci. Many tour operators run excursions to theaters, giving an
the entrance. Its top, however, explanation of the plot and a fascinating glimpse backstage.
broke off during an earthquake.
Giant Pandas
The famously rare giant panda occurs only in China, and, due to its lack of close
genetic relatives, is considered a “living fossil.” The wild panda population of around
1,600 is increasing, though with perhaps only another 340 in zoos worldwide, they
remain seriously endangered. There is added concern following the 2008 Sichuan
earthquake, which seriously affected the panda population and habitat. Pandas feed
primarily on bamboo. They have developed large molars for grinding up the stalks,
but are not well adapted to digesting them and so spend almost all their waking hours
eating. Bamboo flowers and dies off simultaneously over huge areas, periodically
depriving giant pandas of their food source. In the past, they could travel to other
regions to find more bamboo to eat, but now their habitat has been carved up by
development. Some 49 reserves are dedicated to panda preservation in China,
including the Wanglang reserve in north Sichuan (see p375).
Pandas eat between 35

and 65 lbs (15 and 30 kg)
of bamboo a day,
despite having a
carnivore’s digestive
tract. They only
digest 20 percent of
the nutrients, so
spend the rest of the
day asleep,
conserving energy.
The panda’s paw is adapted to its special
diet. The wrist is modified into a sort of
opposable “thumb” that helps it to grasp
delicate bamboo stems.
Pandas in the wild are

occasionally seen in
family groups, but
mostly they live a
solitary existence for
much of their 25 years
in a clearly defined
territory marked out by
scent. One theory for
Pandas are not prolific breeders, even
their striking coloration
in the best-equipped zoos, as they only
is that it helps them
have a brief breeding window (for only a
recognize each other
few days in spring) and they are extremely
in the forests.
choosy about whom they mate with.
A panda baby weighs

just 3½ oz (100 g) at
birth – compared to
the adult’s 440 lb
(200 kg). The cub
is carried by
the mother for
90 days and
Breeding programs in Sichuan saw 9 births in stays on with
2014, with a 100 percent survival rate. Artificial her for up to
insemination is usually used. Incubators reduce three years.
the high infant mortality found in the wild.
368 THE SOUTHWEST
8 Emei Shan
Rising to 10,167 ft (3,099 m), Emei Shan has been
considered holy by both Daoists and Buddhists since
the Eastern Han dynasty. Many of the temples nestled
on the mountain’s lush slopes are dedicated to the
Bodhisattva of Universal Benevolence, Puxian, who is
said to have ascended the mountain during the 6th
century atop a six-tusked elephant. Emei Shan is also
a storehouse of botanic diversity, with over 3,200
plant species found on the mountain – 10 percent of
China’s total. Many can be seen in monastery gardens,
including the white-petaled handkerchief tree; the
ginkgo, long thought to be extinct in the wild; and the
straight-trunked nanmu, a favored wood for temple . The Summit
pillars. The most visible of Emei’s animals are the Emei’s three main peaks are the
crests of an undulating ridge, with
aggressive monkeys, who pester hikers for handouts – a sheer drop of over 3,000 ft (1,000
keep food packed away. m) on the front face.
Hikers
Hawkers hoist sedan chairs for those
who have had enough of walking.
To cut down some of the trekking,
take a bus from Baoguo to the cable
car leading to Wannian Si, or, easiest
of all, to the cable car going all the
way to the summit at Jieyin Dian.
Hong Chun
Ping
Baoguo Si
One of the most important temples
on Emei, Baoguo Si contains a
massive bronze bell. Cast during the
Ming dynasty, it is rung with a large Chunyang
swinging tree trunk and is said to be Dian
audible for 10 miles (16 km).
Leiyin Si
Fuhu Si
He
ei
Em
Baoguo
KEY
Emei Town
1 Xixiang Chi (Elephant Bathing
Pool) is at the spot where Puxian
is said to have stopped to wash
his elephant.
Wanfo Ding
10,167 ft Practical Information
96 miles (160 km) SW of Cheng-
du. n near Baoguo Si, (0833) 552
Qianfo Ding 0444. Open daily. &
9,990 ft
Transportation
£ to Emei town. @ from Cheng-
Jin Ding
10,095 ft du Xin Nan Men bus station or Le
Shan to Emei town or Baoguo;
Emei town to Baoguo (20 min).
Jin Ding Si
The terrace in front of this temple is a favorite
spot for watching the sunrise, cloud seas, Key
and other atmospheric phenomena.
Path
Road
Jieyin Dian
. Wannian Si
The oldest surviving building
on Emei dates to 1611 and
houses a famed golden
Xianfeng Si statue of Puxian.
Exploring Emei Shan

It takes about three days to climb and
descend Emei Shan; basic accommodations
and food are available at numerous temples.
Pack rain gear and wear stout footwear
as the flagstone paths can be slippery,
particularly from October to April when
hawkers sell straw soles and metal crampons
to attach to boots. Warm clothing is
essential at the summit year round.
0 km 3
0 miles 3
. Qingyin Ge
Reached over a pair of arched bridges,
the Pure Music Pavilion is set in lowland
forest at the junction of two streams. The
nearby temple is the most romantic
place to spend a night on Emei Shan.
370 THE SOUTHWEST
9 Dafo, Le Shan
The enormous 230-ft (71-m) high Dafo (Great Buddha)
is carved into the red sandstone face of Lingyun Hill
overlooking the treacherous confluence of the Min, Dadu,
and Qingyi Rivers below. In AD 713 a monk, Haitong, decided
to safeguard passing boats by creating a protective icon in
the cliffs – though he was also practical enough to realize Jiazhou Huayuan
that the resultant rubble would fill in the shoals. By the time This museum, located in a pretty
temple, gives a full account of
Dafo was completed, other temples had been built around Dafo’s history and construction,
it and on the adjacent Wuyou Hill. In 1996 the Buddha was with interesting models.
included by UNESCO on the list of World Heritage Sites.
. Dafo (Great Buddha)

Up close, the remains of a drainage
system can be seen. The statue must
be restored every decade to survive
plant invasion and pollution.
KEY
1 Nine Turns Staircase is a steep,

narrow set of steps down to the toes.
2 Ancient shrines and temples
close by
3 Wuyou Hill was cut off from
Lingyun Hill around 250 BC to reduce
the river’s currents. Wuyou’s Buddhist
temple was founded in AD 742.
4 Guardian figures flank the
Buddha
. Buddha’s Feet
At his huge 26-ft (8-m) feet you can really
appreciate one of the world’s biggest Buddhas.
His other statistics are equally impressive: each
ear droops 23 ft (7 m), his shoulders span 92 ft
(28 m), while his nose measures 18 ft (5.6m).
Haitong, Sculptor and Monk VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
When Haitong’s idea was accepted, funds were raised Practical Information
by public subscription and regional government Le Shan, 96 miles (154 km) SW of
contributions from the salt revenue (see p361). The Chengdu. Tel (0833) 230 2296.
monk lived in a cave behind Dafo’s head and Open May–Sep: 7:30am–7:30pm;
when a local official threatened to blind Haitong Oct–Apr: 8am–6pm. & 8
unless he could take a cut of the funds, the
monk gouged his own eyes out to prove his Transportation
@ from Chengdu Xinnanmen
sincerity. However, the project was only
completed in AD 803 after his death, and after bus station to Le Shan, then bus 3
Wei Gao, the regional governor, donated his to Dafo. 4 from Le Shan to
own salary to finish off the legs and feet. Wuyou Si, then walk to Dafo.
Haitong, a pious monk devoted to his project
Mahao Cave Tombs

Dating from the Eastern Han
dynasty (AD 25–220), these
grottoes were built to house
the remains of local nobles,
with carved scenes of
cavalry and some
early Buddha
figures.
. Haoshang Bridge
This elegant, part-
covered structure is
built in an “antique”
style and links the
Great Buddha with
outlying temples on Dafo or Great Buddha, best seen from a river boat,
the adjacent hills. hired from Le Shan
374 THE SOUTHWEST
mountain’s front face lies halfway

up at Tianshi Dong. Ming-
dynasty panels decorate its main
hall, the complex surrounding a
cave where the Han dynasty
Daoist master Zhang Ling once
taught. Situated on the 4,134-ft
(1,260-m) summit, 2 hours on
foot and accessible by cable car,
Shangqing Gong was first built in
the 4th century AD and houses a
tearoom. From here, it is a short
climb to the Laojun Ge. On the
lower slopes of the peak’s rear
face is the huge Tai’an Temple.
Qingcheng Shan’s ornate front gateway, with sharply upturned eaves w Dujiangyan
0 Huanglong Xi Zhenjiang Si is mostly
closed to the public, but 37 miles (60 km) NW of Chengdu.
£ from Chengdu. @ from Chadianzi
does have a pleasant, relaxed
31 miles (50 km) SW of Chengdu. @ bus station, Chengdu. Tel (028) 8728
riverfront teahouse.
from Chengdu Xinnanmen bus station. 3890. Open 8am–6pm daily. & for
Irrigation Scheme Area.
q Qingcheng Shan
Consisting of just seven narrow
lanes on a quiet riverbank sur- The sprawling town of
rounded by fields, the delight- 43 miles (70 km) NW of Chengdu. £ Dujiangyan is primarily known
fully dated village of Huanglong from Chengdu. @ to Dujiangyan for the Dujiangyan Irrigation
Xi served as one of the sets in then taxi. Tel (028) 8728 8159. Open Scheme, built in 256 BC by the
8am–6pm daily. &
the martial-arts romance Sichuanese governor Li Bing. He
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. organized the building of an
Most of its timber-framed, stone As its name “Green Wall Mountain” artificial island to tame and
buildings date from the Qing suggests, this renowned Daoist divide the flood-prone Min
dynasty. Of its three temples, retreat is beautifully forested. Its Jiang into two channels that
Gulong Si is the largest, with a two separate sections are dotted could be regulated and tapped
few slightly shabby halls and a with Daoist temples linked by to provide a steady flow for crop
low entrance guarded by two stone paths, ideal for rambling. irrigation. Li Bing’s project is still
stone lions, above which is a The front face is reached from fully functional and was made a
theater stage used during the main entrance in town, while UNESCO World Heritage Site in
temple fairs. At the other end of the wilder rear face, with steeper 2000, but it was affected by the
the village, Nanwu Chaoxi Si is a gradients and narrower paths, construction of Zipingpu Dam,
tiny nunnery with a painted lies 9 miles (15 km) farther west. 5 miles (9 km) north. During the
stone carving of the dragon Jianfu Gong, outside the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the
spirit Nanwu in human form, entrance, is the best-preserved dam cracked causing extensive
with red hair and a mustache. shrine. The main temple on the damage to the town. Some
A ferry on the scenic Yuecheng Hu (Moon Wall Lake) at Qingcheng Shan

Crowds viewing Le Shan’s Dafo (Great Buddha) from various vantage points
along the river outside the

north gate, resemble standard
Chinese temples except in their
use of green and yellow paint
and the Arabic script over their
doors. Shops sell beaten
copper pots, turquoise jewelry,
sheepskin coats, yak butter,
and wind-dried yak meat. Just
outside the north gate, two tour
companies organize overnight
guided horse treks to nearby
villages. Sleeping arrangements
Songpan’s east gate and impressive stone wall are out in the open air or in
tents and food is basic. Trekkers
scientists have suggested that r Songpan should have the itinerary and
building work at the dam may fees agreed, in writing, before
have triggered the earthquake. setting off to avoid argument.
After collapsing, Erwang Miao 190 miles (305 km) N of Chengdu. @
(Two Kings Temple) was rebuilt from Chadianzi bus station, Chengdu.
according to the original plans. t Huanglong
Founded as a Ming-dynasty
garrison post to guard a 8,200-ft
e Wanglang Nature (2,500-m) mountain pass, 40 miles (65 km) NE of Songpan. @
Songpan is an administrative from Chengdu or Songpan. & _
Reserve center and busy marketplace Huanglong Temple Fair (Jul/Aug).
for nearby Tibetan, Qiang, and
210 miles (350 km) N of Chengdu. Hui communities. It derives Huanglong is a 2½-mile
Access via hired minibus from Pingwu. its ancient character from (4-km) long valley, 9,845 ft
Tel (0816) 882 5312. Open daily. ∑ the surviving original (3,000 m) above sea
slack.net/~rd/wanglang/home.htm cross-shaped street level in the foothills
&8 plan with high stone of the snow-capped
walls and its north, Min Shan range.
In the heart of the Min Shan south, and east gates. Deposited minerals
Mountains, this high-altitude Walled-in courtyards in from the river
nature reserve is remote and front of the south gate descending the valley
difficult to access, but there is were once the “customs have created 12
a good chance of seeing rare area” for searching Lantern at the east gate, terraced pools and
animals, including takin, musk caravans coming into Songpan calcified cascades,
deer, and serow, along with town. The Min Jiang, bisecting whose yellow rocks give
abundant birdlife. A few pandas Songpan’s center, is crossed by Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) its
inhabit the reserve, but you are the covered Gusong Qiao, the name. Of the four nearly ruined
highly unlikely to encounter Ancient Pine Bridge whose two- temples, the Huanglong Temple,
these elusive animals since they tiered roof is decorated with at the valley’s upper end, has a
generally stay hidden deep carved animals. Songpan’s two statue of Huanglong’s patron
inside Wanglang’s impenetrable large mosques, one in the saint, and hosts an annual tem-
bamboo thickets. center of town and the other ple fair featuring a horse race.
From the research base and
accommodation center (where
rooms must be booked in
advance), the 7-mile (12-km) long
Baisha Gou road passes
through old-growth pine forest
and boggy moorlands to a
scree-strewn alpine gully dotted
with rhododendron thickets
and splashes of hardy flowers.
Alternatively, Baixiong Gou is
6 miles (9 km) from camp via high
ridges where goat-like serow and
takin are sometimes seen. At the
end of the road, there are board-
walks through dense stands of
bamboo and juniper. Calcified terraces in Huanglong
376 THE SOUTHWEST
y Jiuzhai Gou Tour Tips for Walkers

Getting around: Buses are
included in admission. Hiking
One of China’s most scenic reserves and a UNESCO World follows roads and boardwalks.
Heritage Site, Jiuzhai Gou (Nine Stockades Gully) covers Nuorilang is a convenient base.
280 sq miles (720 sq km) of mountain valleys dotted with When to go: Avoid summer
weekends. Sep–Oct has fall
Tibetan villages. Beneath the snow-capped mountains,
colors and fewer crowds. Winters
the valley floors are strung with extraordinarily blue lakes, are well below freezing with
said to be the broken slivers of the Tibetan goddess deep snow.
Semo’s mirror. Broad waterfalls, heavily encrusted with
lime deposits, connect many of the lakes. Aside from herds
of yaks, birds are the most evident wildlife, including
rare mandarin ducks. A panda sighting is unlikely.
1 Zharu Temple
This small temple, its Saigon
interior adorned with Jiuzhai Gou
bright murals, is home
to a growing population
of Tibetan lamas.
3 Nuorilang Falls
Jiuzhai Gou’s most renowned
cataract is best seen in full flood in
late spring, when the water foams
wildly in multiple ribbons over its
stony outcrops.
4 Pearl-Beach Falls
Water tumbles down a calci-
2 Shuzheng Zhai fied slope, spraying pearl-like
A Tibetan stockaded village, drops on its rocky ridges.
replete with Buddhist shrines
and water-powered mills, sits 5 Primeval Forest
halfway along a string of deep An atmospheric coniferous
blue pools and reed beds. forest at the far end of the
reserve is far from crowds.
0 kilometers 4
0 miles 4
Key
Tour route
Other road
7 Long Lake 6 Five-Colored Pool

This pool is not only Surrounded by a fringe of ferns and
the largest, but also dark woods, this pool’s kingfisher-blue
the highest in the depths are enhanced by green algae
park, sitting at in the shallows, and milky-white swirls
10,170 ft (3,100 m). that seep in after rain.
The debris-laden Hailuo Gou Glacier descending the southeastern slopes of Gongga Shan
u Luding bridge is flanked on either side o Kangding

by gateways, while a museum
on the river’s far side exhibits
168 miles (270 km) W of Chengdu. contemporary photos. 31 miles (50 km) W of Luding. @ from
@ from Chandianzi bus station, Chandianzi bus station, Chengdu.
Chengdu
i Moxi Xiang and Lying between China and Tibet,
The small market town of Luding Hailuogou Glacier Kangding is a bustling trading
is surrounded by mountains depot situated in a valley on the
above the banks of Dadu Jiang. Zheduo River. During the Qing
The 328-ft (100-m) Luding Chain 33 miles (53 km) S of Luding. @ from era, the town developed on the
Bridge over the Dadu, compri- Chandianzi bus station, Chengdu. Treks tea trade between Tibet and
organized by hotels.
sing 13 iron chains spanned by China and was the place
wooden planks, was built in 1705 where porters would
to improve transportation across The tiny village of Moxi exchange bricks of tea for
the region. The Luding Chain Xiang, with its large Tibetan goods such as
Bridge became a national icon Qiang population, is a wool and copperware.
in May 1935 due to an incident staging post for trips up Ethnically, the region is
during the Long March (see the adjacent inhabited largely by
p262). The Nationalist forces had Hailougou (Conch the Khampa, a Tibetan
removed the bridge’s planks to Valley) to the people whose heavy
trap the Red Army on the south Hailougou Glacier, turquoise jewelry, for-
side of the river, but “22 Heroes” whose tongue, at ward manners, and
clambered along the chains and 12,205 ft (3,720 m), habit of carrying
managed to capture a Nationalist makes it the lowest Moxi’s early knives match their
camp on the opposite side. The and most accessible 20th-century church reputation for tough-
glacier in Asia. Moxi’s ness. The central Anjue
wooden church sheltered the Lamasery is a focus for the
Red Army in 1935, before they Khampa community. The town
attempted crossing the passes is also home to Qiang, Hui, and
over Daxue Shan – Great Snow Han Chinese people. To the
Mountain (see p262). The glacier southeast, Paoma Shan (Horse
descends the southeastern side Race Mountain) is the venue
of Sichuan’s highest peak, the for the annual horse-racing,
24,790-ft (7,556-m) Gongga which takes place in the 4th
Shan. A road runs through the month of the Chinese lunar
pine forests from Moxi to the calendar, and is where the
trailhead, from where it is a Khampa demonstrate their
2-mile (3½-km) walk or a cable equestrian skills. Heading west
car ride. Look beyond its debris- from Kangding, it is 311 miles
blackened snout to the (500 km) to the fringes of Tibet,
crevassed slopes above, to with a long but worthwhile
The historic 18th-century Luding catch a glimpse of Gongga detour taking in Dege and its
Chain Bridge Shan beyond. Scripture Printing Lamasery.
THE SOUTHWEST 379
YUNNAN
Located along China’s southwest frontier, Yunnan offers an unmatched
diversity of landscapes, climate, and people. The Tibetan highland
frames its northwestern fringes; tropical rainforests and volcanic
plains lie to its south. In the center are plains and hills, crisscrossed
by some of Asia’s great rivers – the Yangzi, Salween, and Mekong.
The seat of the pastoral Dian Kingdom founded in the 3rd
century BC, Yunnan was for centuries an isolated frontier region that
resisted Han influences and upheld local identities. Even today, the province is
home to a third of China’s ethnic minorities and has much in common with neighboring
Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. The province’s capital, Kunming, is one of the more relaxed cities
in China; nearby are the astonishing rock formations of the Stone Forest (Shi Lin). Several
minority villages dot the tropical forests of Xishuangbanna, while in the north, Dali is home to
the indigenous Bai people. Farther north is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lijiang, capital
of the Naxi Kingdom, with cobbled streets and distinctive architecture. Tiger Leaping Gorge,
an impressive, steep-sided ravine, offers superb, accessible two-day hikes.
Kunming is well connected to the rest of China, but the bulk of the province has only
limited train services. Bus travel is necessary to access most of Yunnan.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Areas of Natural Beauty, 0 km 100
1 Kunming Islands & Mountains 0 miles 100

3 Jinghong 2 The Stone Forest pp384–5
5 Dali and Er Hai 4 Xishuangbanna
6 Shaxi 7 Tengchong
8 Ruili 0 Tiger Leaping Gorge pp400–401
9 Lijiang pp396–7
q Zhongdian
M ek
g zi
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Daguan
an
Y
G8
21
Zhenxiong
4
Zhaotong
30
8
Jianchuan Panzhihua
Huize Anshun
Yongren Dongchuan
Eryuan Er Hai
G60
G85
Dayao Wuding
G5
Qujing
Baoshan Nanhua
326
Weishan G56
Chuxiong Shizong
0
32
Luxi Fengqing
Mile
4
Yuxi Guangnan
Yu
21
G80
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Wanding 1
51
ian
Lincang 8 G80
G Kaiyuan
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323 Shiping Yanshan Funing

Shuangjiang
Key Gejiu Wenshan
Ning'er
Expressway Pingbian
Me
Pu'er Jinping
ko
National Highway
ng
214
Minor road
Railroad
21
VIETNAM
3
International border Menghai

Mengla
Provincial border
MYANMAR LAOS
The striking limestone pillars of the Stone Forest For additional map symbols see back flap
380 THE SOUTHWEST
1 Kunming Jie sell an eclectic variety of

goods. In both covered and
outdoor sections of the
market exotic houseplants
The capital of Yunnan province, Kunming rests at 6,500 ft and colorful songbirds are on
(2,000 m) above sea level. Its clement weather and floral sale alongside tai ji quan
wealth have earned it the nickname “City of Eternal Spring.” swords, jewelry, old coins,
An ancient city that first came to prominence as part of the bamboo pipes, and Cultural
Nanzhao Kingdom (see p394), Kunming had grown into a Revolution mementos.
thriving city with a cosmopolitan character by the 13th E Provincial Museum
century. Kunming is fast becoming indistinguishable from Corner of Dongfeng Xi Lu andWuyi
the redeveloped metropolises found throughout the country, Lu. Tel (0871) 6728 7185. Open
but it is still considered one of China’s more laid-back cities, 9:30am–4:30pm Tue–Sun.
with lakeside vistas just to the south. The second floor of this
museum houses splendid
bronze drums (see p429)
excavated from tombs on the
shore of Lake Dian and dating
back more than 2,000 years to
the Warring States and Western
Han periods. The drums are
embellished with relief
dioramas, largely showing
typical scenes of rural life,
although there are also wrestling
scenes, a dramatic image of an
ox battling a tiger, and a strange
picture of a bamboo house
transformed into a coffin. The
most ornate of the drums were
High-rise architecture dominating Kunming’s city center used to store cowry shells, then
a form of currency. The others
Y Cui Hu Gongyuan dragon living in the pond. A Thai- served as musical instruments
Cui Hu Nan Lu. Tel (0871) 6531 8808. style hall behind holds a gilded or elements in sacrificial rites.
Open dawn–10pm daily. bronze statue of Sakyamuni, Even today, bronze drums play
Close to the city’s historic heart, donated by the King of Thailand. an important role at weddings,
this park has pavilions and At the back of the temple is a festivals, and funerals for some
bridges, and its lotus-filled ponds cliff cut with steps allowing a of Yunnan’s minority groups.
are visited by migrant red-beaked view of religious poems and Another hall holds bronze and
gulls in winter. Just west of the sayings carved into the rock. wooden Buddhist statues from
park, the old French Legation various periods. Upstairs, an
now holds temporary exhibitions. ( Bird and Flower Market exhibition on prehistory displays
To the northwest is the university The many stalls lining the human remains and dinosaur
district, with its student cafés. crammed alleyways off Jingxing skeletons found locally.
 Yuantong Si
30 Yuantong Jie. Tel (0871) 6519 3762.
At the foot of Yuantong Hill lies
Yunnan’s largest Buddhist com-
plex, a popular pilgrimage spot.
Renovated and rebuilt many
times, it has an imposing Ming
gateway, while a bridge over the
central pond crosses through a
Qing-era pavilion. Enshrined here
is a 6-ft (3-m) golden statue of
Maitreya Buddha. Behind the
pavilion, the Ming-dynasty Great
Hall of the Buddha has two
wooden dragons on its main pil-
lars, referring to a legend that the
temple was built to pacify a Pavilions on the fish-filled waters of Cui Hu Gongyuan
YUNNAN 381
 Zhenqing Guan  Xi Si Ta VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Cnr of Tuodong Lu and Chuncheng Dong Si Jie. Open 7am–8pm. &
Lu. Open 8:30am–5pm. The 13-storied Tang-era Xi Si Ta Practical Information
Located near the City Museum, (Western Pagoda) has statues 208 miles (335 km) SE of Dali.
this restored complex of stone in the niches of each story. * 6,500,000. n 328 Beijing Lu,
courtyards and smartly painted Close by, Dong Si Ta (Eastern (0871) 6315 7499.
halls was founded in 1419 to Pagoda) is a more attractive Transportation
honor the Daoist warrior deity replica standing in a garden. k Kunming Changshui airport.
Zhen Wu. Today it is full of Although visitors cannot enter £ Kunming train station, North
friendly monks in brocade the temples associated with train station. @ Western bus
robes, their hair pinned up in both pagodas, a small fee station, South bus station, East
buns. The largest Daoist temple permits entry into Xi Si Ta’s bus station.
in Kunming, Zhenqing Guan courtyard, where people
has five entrances and three come to relax on sunny
courtyards. The gateway afternoons. Both pagodas Douguang in honor of
is guarded by a fierce golden are surrounded by small General Gao Ming. Seven tiers
statue of three-eyed Wan Ling parks, with the Eastern park swarm with lively images of
Guan, the protector spirit, offering more greenery. guardian gods and captive
wearing a severed demon’s demons, and at the top is a
head as a belt buckle and E City Museum ring of Buddhas holding up
brandishing an iron pagoda to 93 Tuodong Lu. Tel (0871) 6315 the universe. On the upper
scare off evil. Inside, the main 3256. Open 9:30am–5pm daily. floors are fascinating
hall features an intricately Though less interesting displays on the “Flying
bracketed domed ceiling and than the Provincial Tigers” – a group of
murals of the Taoist pantheon, Museum, this museum American volunteers
while the adjacent Dulei houses a few relevant who flew for the Chinese
mansion is dominated by a artifacts. The most striking Air Force during World
statue of the Thunder God and is the Song-dynasty War II – and the Tea Horse
a model of the globe wrapped Dali Sutra Pillar, a Road, a trade route that
in animals of the zodiac. The 20-ft (7-m) sculpture for centuries transported
complex sometimes hosts in pink sandstone, fragrant Yunnanese
musicians, including a full commissioned by the The pink sandstone tea from the subtropics
traditional Chinese orchestra. Dali King Yuan Dali Sutra Pillar to Tibet.
Kunming City Center Qiongzhu Si

LU Jin Dian
1 Cui Hu Gongyuan I
BE
2 Yuantong Si EN
G
CH North Train
3 Bird and Flower Market AN
HU Station
Yuantong
4 Provincial Museum Yunnan Park and Zoo HU
AN
University J IE CH
5 Xi Si Ta WEN
LIN
Yuantong Si
EN
G
U
6 Zhenqing Guan
BEI L
Cui Hu D
YUANTO O
Gongyuan NG JIE N
G
CUIHU
7 City Museum
QINGNIAN L
LU
BEIJING LU
LU
N
Western A
Bus Station U N
CUIH
10 km (6 miles) East Bus Station
WUCHENG LU 10 km (6 miles)
ZHENGY I L U
LU
D
RENMIN DONG
O
CHAN GCHUN
N
G
LU
FE
Kunming
N
Lake Dian & Changshui Airport

G
Western Hills 33 km (20 miles)

XI
Bird and Flower

LU
Provincial Market G LU DONGFENG DONG LU

IL
U PIN
Museum
UY SH NAN
W UN
C H EN G J I E
JINBI LU Zhenqing T UO D
Guan ON
G L
iver
U
S H U L I N J IE
CHUNCHENG LU
gR
City
DONGSI JIE
lon
Museum LU
Pan
Xi Si Ta N
NA
Dong NG
BEIJING
Si Ta E
CH
AN
0 meters HU
800
LU
0 yards 800
South Bus Station

Kunming 15 km (9 miles)
Train Station
382 THE SOUTHWEST
issioned to produce clay figures

of the 500 arhat or luohan
(those freed from the cycle of
birth and death) for the main
building. Today, these sculptures
are the highlight of the temple,
though at that time they were
regarded as so distressing and
absurd that Li Guangxiu never
worked again. Along one wall a
set of snarling, outlandish
figures – one with arms longer
than his body, another with
eyebrows to his knees – ride
foaming waves swarming with
sea creatures. Elsewhere, three
shelves of figures depict
The double-eaved Jin Dian, made entirely of bronze Buddhist virtues and faults.
Many aspects of human life
 Jin Dian  Qiongzhu Si and folly are depicted in these
7 miles (12 km) NE of Kunming. 7 miles (12 km) NW of Kunming. beautiful characters: reaching
@ 71 from Kunming’s North train @ C61 from Kunming’s Western bus for the moon, playing with
station. Open 7:30am–6pm daily. & station. Open 8:30am–6pm daily. & a pet monster, yawning,
Well-kept flower gardens and With its origins in the Tang-era, debating, and eating a peach.
leafy pine woods are reason Qiongzhu Si (Bamboo Temple) While Li Guangxiu’s skill at
enough to visit this secluded has burned down and been rendering facial expressions
spot in the city’s northeastern rebuilt several times. Today, this and gestures makes these
suburbs. However, the park’s elegant Buddhist structure, with figures unique, many are
ostensible focus is the Jin Dian fine black-and-red woodwork, thought to be caricatures of
(Golden Temple) located on top stands on Yuan-dynasty his contemporaries, probably
of its central hill. Originally built foundations. Besides housing the reason they were so
in 1602 during the Ming dynasty, three impressive Buddha disliked at the time.
and rebuilt in 1671 as the statues, the temple is famous Also worth a glance is a
summer residence of the Ming for its dazzling array of life-size 14th-century stone tablet,
rebel general Wu Sangui, this clay sculptures, created over housed in the main hall. It
unusual two-tiered shrine is made ten years toward the end of the records imperial China’s
entirely of bronze. Its overall 19th century by a supremely dealings with Yunnan in
construction imitates the more talented Sichuan sculptor, Li Chinese and Mongolian scripts.
conventional wooden temples, Guangxiu. The sculptor and A pleasant teahouse lies within
with screens, columns, and flying his five assistants were comm- the temple grounds.
eaves. Just over 20-ft (6-m) high
and weighing nearly 300 tons
(272,155 kg), the temple sits
atop a base of Dali marble and
is almost completely black with
the patina of age. In the court-
yard stand ancient camellia trees,
one of which is 600 years old. The
main hall, with bronze lattices,
beams, and statues, houses two
magical swords used by Daoist
warriors. Fragrant with camellias,
the gardens here serve as popular
picnic spots. Visitors can either
take a bus or hire a bike to reach
the base of the hill, from where it’s
an easy hike up to the temple.
Situated on the hill behind Jin
Dian is another Daoist shrine
with a tower that houses a
14-ton (12,700-kg) bronze bell.
Dating to 1423, it was retrieved
from Kunming’s demolished
southern gates. An aerial view of the extensive Qiongzhu Si (Bamboo Temple)
YUNNAN 383
Haigeng Park viewed against the expanse of Lake Dian
} Lake Dian and the Goddess of Compassion. It is well temples, halls, and pavilions,
Western Hills known for its garden of camellias which formerly served as
@ from Kunming. Tel (0871) 6842 and magnolias, and excellent a summer palace for a
7475. Open 8:30am–5pm daily. views. A cable car runs directly 14th-century Mongolian prince.
Haigeng Park: & from here to the Dragon Gate Just half a mile away is the
The 25-mile (40-km) long Lake ticket office, but it is also possible Dragon Gate Grotto, a set of
Dian (Dian Chi), just south of to walk up. The path leads past chambers, steps, and tunnels
Kunming, is surrounded by fertile Sanqing Si, a complex of excavated from the mountain.
farmland. Plying the waters of The mammoth construction
the elongated lake are fanchuan, task, which involved swinging
traditional junks with bamboo from ropes and hacking at the
masts and square canvas sails, rock with chisels, was begun by
once used for fishing. Daguan the late 18th-century monk Wu
Pavilion on the north shore Laiqing, and took 70 years to
makes a pleasant spot for a complete. Worth exploring along
stroll, while a few miles south is the way are niches with several
Haigeng Park, with green fantastic statues, including those
willows and eucalyptuses, of Guanyin and the Gods of
offering good views of the lake. Study and Virtue. A cable car
The most rewarding way to runs from near Sanqing Si to the
see the lake is from the Western summit at Grand Dragon Gate,
Hills (Xi Shan), about 10 miles a balcony perched at 8,200 ft
(16 km) southwest of Kunming. A picturesque pavilion with a pond (2,500 m), from where there are
The undulating contours of the and garden, Taihua Si fine views over Lake Dian.
“Sleeping Beauty Hills” are said
to resemble a reclining woman
with tresses flowing into the lake. The Burma Road
The path leading to the summit For 1,500 years, the southern Silk Route ran through Yunnan, across
holds a treasury of temples. Burma, and into India, traversing thick jungle and bandit-ridden
Visitors can either climb up or mountains. In the 1930s, the Chinese government, driven west by
take a minibus. The first temple, a the invading Japanese, reopened
mile (2 km) from the entrance, is the route to use as a supply line
Huating Si. Designed originally as into China from Burma. The 684-
a country retreat for Gao Zhishen, mile (1,100-km) road was built by
who ruled Kunming in the 11th 300,000 laborers, with primitive
century, it has been rebuilt several tools, and connected Kunming
times. The attractive gardens, with the railhead at Lashio in
dotted with stupas and ponds, British Burma. After the beginning
of World War II, it became a
contain interesting figures,
strategic lifeline for the Allied
including the four fierce-looking
troops, bringing in food, arms,
Guardians of the Directions, the and medical supplies. Provisions
gilded, blue-haired Buddhas, and arrived by rail from Rangoon, and
a set of 500 arhat. were then trucked to China on
From Huating Si, a steep, this route. After the Japanese
winding road leads deep into occupied Lashio in 1942, another
the forest for 1 mile (2 km) to road, built under the command of
Taihua Si, established by Xuan US General Stilwell (see p357),
Jian, a wandering Chan (Zen) linked Ledo in India to the Burma The Burma Road in the 1930s, snaking
Buddhist monk in 1306, and Road at Bhamo. through the hills
dedicated to Guanyin, the
384 THE SOUTHWEST
2 The Stone Forest

Celebrated as a natural wonder, the limestone pillars of the
Stone Forest (Shi Lin) are Yunnan’s most visited sight. The
bizarre, tightly packed formations, some as tall as 100 ft
(30 m), have been given imaginative names such as
“Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon” and “Everlasting Fungus.”
Resembling a petrified forest, the area is shot through with
winding pathways, ponds, and look-out points. So popular
is this place that the central paths can get clogged with tour 3 . Wangfeng Ting
Many of the paths lead to the
groups. Head to the edges of the forest to find a quiet corner, central Peak Viewing Pavilion, a
but keep in mind that it is easy to get lost in this otherworldly good meeting point, with views
landscape. Alternatively, spend the night nearby and explore over the forest to help you gain
first thing in the morning. your bearings.
1 Xiao Shi Lin

The Minor Stone Forest, a smaller
rock cluster to the north of the main Fluted shape created by
forest, is a little quieter. Each evening, retreating water
Sani minority dances are performed
at an amphitheater here.
Shi Lin’s Formation
Fossils found in the area reveal that Shi Lin was underwater
during the Permian period, 270 million years ago. The
retreating sea left a limestone seabed that has been eroded
since by wind and rain into today’s weird, twisted shapes.
The Sani
The area around Shi Lin is home to
the Sani, one of the many subgroups
of the Yi minority. Spread throughout
the southwest, the Yi have their own
written language, with six dialects,
and numerous tracts on medicine,
2 Ode to Plum Blossom history, and the genealogy of ruling
Many of the rocks are cut with families. Much of Yi society was
calligraphy, including one of feudal well into the 20th century,
Mao Zedong’s most loved and some groups still practice
poems, executed in his elegant shamanism. The Sani are known
flowing script. for their embroidery, widely
available at Shi Lin, and many
local Sani work at the forest as A Sani tour guide, posing
tour guides and dancers. at Shi Lin
YUNNAN 385
60 miles (100 km) E of Kunming.
Tel (0871) 771 9006.
Open 8am–6pm daily. & =
8 _ Torch Festival (end of the
6th lunar month).
Transportation
£ from Kunming. @ from
Kunming’s East bus station.
4 . Jianfeng Chi
This ornamental pool is ringed by Sharp edge
jagged ridges. A narrow walkway runs or karren
from here across the top of the forest.
5 Wife Waiting for Husband

This formation, reminiscent of a
woman waiting patiently, sits in
the quiet area right at the back of
the forest, on the route of the
overhead walkway.
The wavy shapes

and thin edges were
created by chemicals in
standing water dissolving
the limestone.
Plan of Shi Lin

1 Xiao Shi Lin
2 Ode to Plum Blossom
3 Wangfeng Ting
Lotus
4 Jianfeng Chi Pond
5 Wife Waiting for
Husband Shi Lin Hu
Lion
Pond
Entrance
Key
Path
Road
Shop 0 meters 500
Restrooms 0 yards 500

388 THE SOUTHWEST
Environs: Located 20 miles

(30 km) southeast of Jinghong,
Ganlanba makes a good base for
exploring the surrounding area.
To the southeast of the small
town, the Dai Minority Park is
a collection of refurbished Dai
villages, with traditional
bamboo and wood houses
raised on stilts. Near the park’s
center stands the 700-year-old,
gilded Wat Ben Pagoda. The
town’s main attraction, however,
is its picturesque setting in lush
jungle beside the Mekong River.
Several cafés here offer advice on
daywalks and bike rental.
Popular with domestic
Pagoda at Manting Park visitors, the Wild Elephant
Valley, 30 miles (50 km) north
3 Jinghong Splashing Festival (see p389). of Jinghong, is home to a herd
Located in the west of town is of wild elephants. Visitors are not
the lovely Tropical Flower and allowed to wander off the paths
323 miles (520 km) SW of Kunming.
Plant Garden, a must-see for without a guide. Raised treetop
* 371,000. k @ n 14 Mengla Lu,
those interested in the incredibly walkways allow for observing
(0691) 898 1866.
diverse flora of the region. It is the wild elephants, while a chair-
The tropical region of bursting with tropical plants – lift provides a bird’s-eye view.
Xishuangbanna, in the over 1,000 species – quite a Near the southern entrance is
far south of Yunnan, few with labels in English. a bird and butterfly zoo. The
resembles its neigh- In the early afternoon, tour reserve’s frequent elephant
bors, Myanmar and groups are entertained displays are best avoided, since
Laos, more than by displays of tradi- the animals are coaxed into
dynamic modern tional Dai dancing. A performing with spears.
China. Jinghong, prominent monument A visit to Banla Village,
its fast-growing commemorates a 24 miles (38 km) west of
capital, was founded summit Zhou Enlai Jinghong, is the most accessible
in the 12th century (see p256) held here way to experience Aini culture
by the Dai warlord Budding plant, Tropical with the Burmese (a subgroup of the officially
Bazhen. It is today Flower & Plant Garden leader U Nu in 1961 recognized Hani minority). The
an incongruous mix of concrete to defuse border tensions. village is attractive, with stilted
architecture and palm-lined houses overlooking rice terraces
 Wat Manting
streets. With an attractively and tea plantations. Besides
torpid pace of life, it is an ideal Manting Lu. Open 7:30am–5:30pm dance recitals held at the village
and 7:40–9:40pm daily. &
introduction to the region hall, visitors can also see the
and its indigenous Dai culture Y Tropical Flower & Plant Garden distinct Aini dress, with embroi-
(see opposite). Xuanwei Dadao. Open 7:30am– dered tunics, silver breastplates,
Wat Manting, situated 6:30pm daily. & and ornate headdresses.
southeast of the city center,
is Xishuangbanna’s largest
Buddhist temple. Built entirely of
wood and raised off the ground
on stilts, it has a simple interior,
with vivid frescoes illustrating
Buddhist themes. Next door is
a school where Dai boys learn
Buddhist lore. Behind the
temple, Manting Park, once the
quarters for royal slaves, is a lush
place with numerous resident
peacocks. There are several
paths leading across the tiny
river to replicas of temples and
pagodas. There are nightly
enactments of the Dai Water The lush Tropical Flower and Plant Garden, Jinghong
The stunning beauty of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
YUNNAN 389
The Dai
In China, the Dai people live in the lush lands of Xishuangbanna. Once spread as far
north as the Yangzi Valley, the Dai were driven south during the 13th century by Mongol
expansion, and are now found throughout Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
The Dai in all of these countries share a similar culture, following Theravada Buddhism
rather than Mahayana, the Buddhist school practiced in much of the rest of China, and
speaking their own language with its own script. Known as skillful farmers, the Dai
have always flourished in fertile river basins, growing rice, sugar cane, rubber trees, and
bananas. Dai cuisine is well worth trying, with sweet flavors and unusual ingredients not
found elsewhere in China. Rice is steamed inside bamboo or pineapple, and exotic
specialties include ant eggs and fried moss.
Dai women
traditionally wear a
sarong or long skirt, a
bodice, and a jacket.
Hair is tied up, fixed
with a comb, and
often ornamented
with flowers. Gold-
Traditional Dai homes are made of bamboo capped teeth are
and raised on stilts, with the livestock penned considered attractive
underneath and generations of the same and married women
family living above. The well outside will likely wear silver bands on
have a shrine over it, water being sacred to their wrists.
Dai culture.
Many Dai men have

impressive tattoos of animals,
flowers, geometric patterns,
or Dai script. Traditionally,
when a boy reaches 12
years, he has his torso
and limbs decorated.
This rite of passage
has largely died out Markets in rural Dai homelands offer the only
in mainstream Dai opportunity for some to buy products they can
culture, but it is still not produce themselves. Huge social occasions
undertaken in some usually held on a Monday, they attract villagers for
very rural areas. miles around. A lot of hard bargaining – as well as
gossip and flirting – goes on.
Water Splashing Festival

Originally a solemn Buddhist rite celebrating
the defeat of a demon, Poshui Jie, the Water
Splashing Festival is today a joyous and
hedonistic carnival. Water is liberally hurled at
friend and stranger alike, and becoming
thoroughly drenched is seen as fortuitous. The
festival also features a massive market on the
first day; dragon-boat racing, fireworks, and
elephant and peacock displays on the second;
and the biggest drenching of all, along with Yunnan’s Water Splashing Festival a celebration in mid-April,
much singing and dancing on the third. usually the 13th to the 16th
390 THE SOUTHWEST
4 Xishuangbanna Y Botanic Gardens

Menglun. Tel (0691) 871 5406.
Open 7:30am–6:30pm daily. & 8
In climate and culture, the subtropical far south of Yunnan, ∑ english.xtbg.cas.cn
Xishuangbanna, feels a part of Southeast Asia. The region Y Wangtianshu Aerial Walkway
is home to China’s last snippets of primeval rain forest, as 19 miles (30 km) N of Mengla. Tel (0691)
817 5911. Open 8:30am–6pm daily. &
well as a huge diversity of flora and fauna, including a third ∑ ynskytree.com
of China’s bird species. A third of the population is Dai
(see p389); another third is made up of the numerous other
minorities. Most of the population lives in small villages
and the area’s appeal lies in the opportunity to hop West to Myanmar
between towns, explore the countryside by bike, and Western Xishuangbanna is less
trek through the jungle. developed than the east, with
rougher roads and sketchier
transportation. The many
as bamboo and ancient cycad fascinating villages inhabited
groves. If stopping over, there is entirely by minorities, however,
an excellent resort nearby. make the rigors of travel
Leaving the gardens behind, worthwhile.
the road to Mengla travels Sprawling Menghai is
through a tract of thick tropical unremarkable, but useful as a
jungle, the largest of base for exploring villages and
Xishuangbanna’s five wildlife the countryside by bike. It’s
reserves, which gives way to renowned for its pu’er tea and
rubber plantations. Mengla hosts a lively daily market.
itself is a rather drab and The monastery at Jingzhen is
unattractive town. known for its busu, an octagonal
A short taxi ride north of pavilion for delivering sermons.
Mengla, the Wangtianshu The main temple has beautiful
Aerial Walkway, a chain of decorative wall paintings. A bit
slender bridges 130 feet (40 m) farther on at Mengzhe, the
Pillar-like palm trees at Menglun’s up in the tree canopy, allows for hilltop Manlei Si is a bizarre-
Botanic Gardens unrivaled views of the jungle looking, frilly octagon built in
below. It’s another 9 miles (15 the 18th century, which holds
km) to the Yao minority village an important collection of sutras
East to Laos of Yaoqu. There’s a hostel, and written on palm fiber. Xiding, an
This route travels through culti- from here it is possible to trek attractive Aini village, holds a
vated flat lands and highland into remote regions – you are large Thursday market.
forest to the Laotian border, advised to hire a guide. Gelanghe is dominated by
which you can cross, provided Shangyong is the last village the Aini, whose women wear
you have the required visa. before the Laos border elaborate silver headdresses. A
The small settlement of crossing at Mohan and though sub-group, the Ake, who wear
Manting, a few miles east not really worthy of a trip in their long hair in braids, live in a
of Ganlanba (see p388) is full of itself, it’s interesting as a center settlement just north of town
traditional wooden Dai houses. for Xishuangbanna’s Miao on the way to the lake.
The town’s Fo Si and Dadu Ta population (see pp412–13). Heading south towards the
are excellent reconstructions of
12th-century temples destroyed
in the Cultural Revolution.
About 25 miles (40 km) to
the east lies Menglun, a dusty
couple of streets beside the
Luosuo Jiang. The superb
Botanic Gardens, across a
suspension bridge on the
opposite bank, were set up to
research medicinal uses of local
plants. With over 3,000 different
species, there’s plenty to see,
even for the not-so-botanically
minded, including the celebrated
Dragons’ Blood Trees whose sap
is used to heal wounds, as well Life of the Buddha wall paintings, Jingzhen monastic complex
YUNNAN 391
Myanmar. From Damenglong

Damenglong to Bulang it’s 6 miles (10 km) to the Dai
Shan village of Manguanghan, then
Damenglong, 44 miles (70 km) a further 8 miles (13 km) to the
south of Jinghong, comes alive Bulang village of Manpo,
on market days and is a which makes a good place to
popular spot for trekking and spend the night. The next day
temple-hopping. On the way, is a 14-mile (22-km) tramp
it’s worth stopping at Gasa to through heavy jungle on
explore Manguanglong Si, a winding paths to Weidong,
monastery with a lovely and the following day is an
dragon-shaped stairway. easy hike of 6 miles (10 km)
Manfeilong Ta is a half-hour along the road to Bulang Shan,
walk north of Damenglong which offers rudimentary
and its nine graceful spires accommodations and a daily
make it the most impressive of bus to Menghai.
Manfeilong Ta, supposed to resemble the local temples. Built in 1204
emerging bamboo shoots to enshrine what is purported
to be Buddha’s footprint, it Tips for Explorers
border, Menghun is a sleepy is popular with Buddhist Getting around: Cars with
town with a huge, bustling pilgrims and is the center of drivers are available in Jinghong.
Sunday market, beginning at festivities during the Tan Ta Local buses are frequent along
dawn and finished by noon. Most Festival in late October or early main roads. Bikes can be hired
participants are Dai, but you will November. Another Buddhist from cafés in the tourist areas.
also see Aini and Bulang. There’s monument, Hei Ta, is rather Trekking: Numerous trekking
also a rather run-down 19th- rundown, but set in a very organizations are based in
century monastery in town. pleasant location. Jinghong. A guide is
The border town of Daluo is The walk to Bulang Shan is recommended for jungle treks.
This is a sensitive border region –
the end of the line for a simple, well-established
do not walk unguided near the
westerners who are not allowed three-day walk along the Nana
Myanmar border. Take plenty
to travel to Myanmar unless Jiang and its tributaries, of food and water, sunscreen, a
being met at the border as part passing through dense jungle raincoat, a hat, and a first aid kit.
of an official tour. The cross-border and villages of the Dai, Aini, Accommodation: Basic accom-
market, which attracts hill tribes Bulang, and Lahu minorities. modation is available in most vil-
and Burmese traders, makes the Hire a guide and be careful lages, sometimes in locals’ homes.
trip to this outpost worth it. not to stray off the path into
0 km 30
0 miles 30
Sanchahe
N a tu re
M
R e se rv e
ek
o ng
Jinghong os
Lu
Mengzhe Jingzhen uo Jia

ng LAOS
(La
Xiding Banla Menglun

nc
Menghai Gasa
ang
Manting
Ji a
Menghun Gelanghe ng Ganlanba

)
Yaoqu
Daluo
Na
na J Wangtianshu
ia
Aerial Walkway
ng
Bulang Shan Weidong Damenglong
Manguanghan
Mengla
Manpo
M YA N M A R
Key
East to Laos
West to Myanmar LAOS
Shangyong
Damenglong to Bulang Shan
392 THE SOUTHWEST
5 Dali and Er Hai E Dali Museum

111 Fuxing Lu. Tel (0872) 267 0196.
Sandwiched between Er Hai to the east and the Cang Shan Just inside Nancheng Men, the
range to the west, the picturesque little town of Dali draws Dali Museum was originally the
innumerable visitors. The old town, surrounded by the mansion of the Qing governor,
remains of the Ming city walls, is characterized by cobbled and later served as the
headquarters of Du Wen Xiu,
lanes and stone houses. In the nearby countryside, numerous
leader of the 1856–73 Muslim
Bai villages offer a glimpse into traditional culture, and are Uprising. It is worth visiting for
particularly interesting on market days. Other activities its tranquil courtyards, filled
include hiking in the mountains and watching traditional with bougainvillea and lantana.
cormorant fishing on Er Hai. The best time to visit is during The huge bronze bell hanging
the Spring Fair, when hundreds of Bai come for five days outside in a pavilion came from
the old Bell Tower. Inside, the
of bareback horse-racing, wrestling, dancing, and singing. most interesting relics are a
collection of Buddhist figurines
from the Nanzhao Kingdom
(see p394), and statues of serving
girls and an orchestra excavated
from a Ming-dynasty tomb.
A hall at the back houses copies
of scroll paintings, including
one depicting the founding
of the Nanzhao Kingdom.
 San Ta
1 mile (2 km) NW of Dali. Tel (0872) 266
6346. Open 7am–6:30pm daily. &
The distinctive San Ta (Three
Pagodas) that symbolize Dali
stand within the monastery
of Chongwen Si, which was
destroyed during the Qing
Looking north over the city’s rooftops from Nancheng Men dynasty and rebuilt in 2005.
A 20-minute walk or short bus
Exploring Dali Dali Museum, once signaled the ride north of town, the pagodas
Dali’s old town center, just 1½ close of the city gates each are best visited early. The
miles (4 km) across, can be evening. Farther north along 16-tiered, square-based
explored in a single morning. It Fuxing Lu, the square outside Qianxun Ta is the tallest of the
takes about half an hour to walk the library is a popular venue for three at 230 ft (70 m), and is also
from the South Gate to the a game of cards or dominoes. the oldest, dating to around
North Gate across town. There is Still farther is the quiet Yu’er AD 800. Each tier is embellished
plenty to interest visitors, from Park, full of fruit trees and with fine marble figures.
small souvenir shops to tea- ponds, while tucked away in Buddhist relics including sutras
houses and traditional masseurs. the streets to its north is (scriptures), copper mirrors, and
Crowds of shoppers and farmers Dali’s Catholic church, with gold ornaments were found
also arrive here for the daily extravagant flying eaves. during a renovation in 1979,
vegetable market on Renmin Lu.
The best vantage point is at the
top of Nancheng Men (South
Gate), from where there are
views to Er Hai and Cang Shan.
Huguo Lu and Fuxing Lu

Running east–west through
the center of town, Huguo Lu,
nicknamed Foreigners’ Street,
is full of guesthouses and cafés
that serve pizzas and cappuc-
cinos. Most of the old town’s
sights lie along the main north–
south artery, Fuxing Lu. The
Drum Tower, lying close to the The Dali Museum, set in picturesque grounds
YUNNAN 393
210 miles (350 km) W of
Kunming. * 500,000. n 49
Cangshan Lu, (0872) 219 5635.
_ Spring Fair (15th day of the
3rd lunar month – April or May).
Transportation
~ Xiaguan airport, 18 miles
(30 km) from Dali. £ to Xiaguan,
then 30 mins by bus to Dali. @
temple has been reconstructed

The splendid San Ta just north of town and serves both Daoists and
Buddhists. The views from here
and are displayed in a museum The characters inscribed in front over the lake and town are
behind the pagodas. The two of the Qianxun Ta read “subdue superb. From here you can hike
smaller octagonal pagodas forever mountains and rivers.” the spectacular 7-mile (11-km)
were built in the 11th century, Jade Belt trail to Gantong Si, or
and are 138 ft (42 m) high. As  Zhonghe Si the 6-mile (9-km) hike along a
well as serving as reliquaries, W of Dali. & stone path to Wuwei Si, where
they were built to appease the A steep walk or a short cable- monks study tai ji quan. Visitors
gods and thus gain protection car ride from Dali’s western can stay the night at a small
against natural disasters. edge, Zhonghe Si sits among hostel near Zhonghe Si.
cedar and eucalyptus woods on
Lijiang the foothills of Zhonghe Feng.  Guanyin Tang and
The cable car and trailhead are Gantong Si
both a short taxi ride from Approx 3 miles (5 km) S of Dali.
Shaping
Dali near the Spring Fair Dedicated to the Buddhist
ground. Originally built Goddess of Compassion,
in the Ming era, the Guanyin Tang sits at the foot of
Zhoucheng Foding Shan. From the back of
the temple, a 20-minute cable-
car journey or a 2-hour hike will
take you to Gantong Si, once the
largest shrine in the area. Despite
Xizhou
0 km 5 only two partially restored halls
Wase 0 miles 5 surviving, the temple remains
impressive. Between Gantong Si
Xiao Putuo and Zhonghe Si is the midway
G5
station for the Xi Ma Tan cable

611
Er Hai car, which runs from Dali Old

Town to Xi Ma Tan (Horse-
Washing Pool), high up in the
Cang Shan.
Wuwei
Si
Caicun Haidong
San Ta
C
a
Zhonghe Dali Old Town Jinsuo

n
Si Dao
Xiadui
g
Yinsuo
Zhonghe Dao
Guanyin Tang
Feng
S
h
Xi Ma Tan
a
Gantong Xiaguan
Airport
n
Si
Foding Er Hai Park
Key Feng
Xiaguan
(Dali New City) Kunming
Hiking trail
Cable car A bustling market at one of the many towns
Baoshan
Temple around Dali
Lincang
394 THE SOUTHWEST
variety of local produce and

livestock, as well as delicious
wild honey, condiments, and
traditional Bai clothing. The
scale, bustle, and color make
this one of the great highlights
of the area.
On the eastern side of the
lake, Wase village is a maze of
narrow back lanes. It has a
simple government guesthouse
and its own Monday market,
which is less touristy than the
one at Shaping. Boats return to
Dali from Haidong, 6 miles
(10 km) south of Shaping.
A fisherman and his cormorants on Er Hai’s jade waters, Dali
6 Shaxi
} Er Hai of the numerous minibuses,
Open 8.30am-6pm daily. that congregate just outside
Located 2 miles (3 km) east of Dali’s North Gate can easily be 60 miles (100 km) N of Dali. @ from
&
Dali, Er Hai (Ear Lake), a symbol flagged down as they hop from Dali or Lijiang via Jianchuan.
of natural fecundity to the Bai, village to village. Lying Tiny mud-brick Shaxi, a
is named after its shape. The 12 miles (20 km) north traditional Bai village set in the
25-mile (40-km) long lake has of Dali, Xizhou was an bowl of a river valley, is a relic of
numerous ferry services important military outpost Yunan’s old tea-horse road. This
and is home to 50-odd during the Nanzhao is the trade route along which
species of fish. Any period. Today, it has tea and other goods such as
café in Dali can about 90 significant Bai salt were once ferried between
arrange a tour on the mansions, their rooms China and Tibet. The Chinese
lake; most trips usually arranged around a sought sturdy Tibetan ponies for
involve visits to small courtyard. Most lie military uses while the Tibetans
temples, or excursions northwest of the central wanted coarse pu’er tea from
to scenic spots on the square, and one of them southern Yunnan, which was
eastern shore. Visitors has been converted into steamed into compressed
can also accompany a the pleasant Linden “bricks” for the journey.
cormorant fisherman Centre hotel. A few miles Shaxi’s handful of lanes all
(see p424) and watch the northeast of Xizhou is lead to Sideng, the old town
trained birds catch fish. Zhoucheng, a larger Bai square, where Xingjiao Temple
A variety of tour boats, village that is home to dates from 1451. Its famous
from big, virtual workshops producing Buddhist frescoes are protected
A Bai woman from
floating pagodas for the area’s distinctive tie- by two fierce gate guardians.
Shaping
large groups to smaller dye cloth. Just north The village hosts a market each
craft, leave from Caicun on of here, Shaping is a sleepy Friday, when the usually sedate
Er Hai’s western shore. village that transforms every village fills with the noise and
Tours usually take in Jinsuo Monday, when it hosts bustle of farmers from the hills.
Dao, across the lake near its a huge market. On sale are a About 9 miles (15 km) from
eastern shore. Once a summer
retreat for Nanzhao royalty,
it is now home to a fishing The Nanzhao Kingdom
village. Farther north lies Xiao In the 8th century, the Bai unified under a ruthless
Putuo, a tiny rocky crag topped prince, Pileguo, who vanquished his rivals by
with a Buddhist temple. inviting them to a banquet and setting fire to
At the southern tip of the the tent. He then founded the Nanzhao Kingdom,
lake, Er Hai Park was once a with Dali as its capital. The city’s strategic location,
royal deer ranch during the in a valley shielded by mountains, helped protect
Nanzhao Kingdom. A lush path it against two attacks by invading Tang armies,
leads up to a peak that offers and established its control over the southern Silk
splendid views. Road trade. At its zenith, the kingdom stretched
across southwest China and into Burma and parts
P Surrounding Villages
of Vietnam. It survived until the 13th century,
when the great Mongol Kublai Khan founded
Dotting the shores of Er Hai are
the Yuan dynasty. Nanzhao figurine
several villages worth exploring,
especially on market days. One
YUNNAN 395
of Tengchong, Rehai or “Hot

Sea” is an area of geo-thermal
springs, popular among the
Chinese who throng here for a
bath in the mineral-rich water.
P Heshun
Tel (0875) 515 8998. Open 24 hr
daily. &
} Dakong and Heikong Shan
Open daily. &
} Rehai
Tel (0875) 586 8899. Open
A historic bridge in the Shaxi Valley
8:30am–6:30pm daily. &
Shaxi, Shibao Shan is a wooded Y Laifeng Shan Park
hillside that offers pleasant walks. 8 Ruili
Tucked among the pine trees is
a series of caves with carvings Environs: The sights out of
dating from the Nanzhao town are best visited on a tour, 115 miles (185 km) SW of
Kingdom (see opposite). which can be arranged by any Tengchong. ~ from Kunming. @
large hotel in Tengchong.
Heshun, 2 miles (4 km) west of Ruili, on the Myanmar border, is
7 Tengchong town, was founded in the Ming in every way a frontier town –
dynasty and is still as pretty as slightly exotic, with a touch of
a postcard despite its growing the illicit. Although much
150 miles (250 km) W of Dali.
popularity with visitors. Funds Burmese heroin passes through
~@
from thousands of former here, and gambling and
A thriving settlement during residents now living abroad prostitution are rife, the town
the Han era, Tengchong have kept the traditional should not necessarily be
prospered from the southern courtyard houses, ornate avoided as the presence of
Silk Road trade. Today a remote pavilions, and gardens in an Burmese traders and Dai and
backwater, it has preserved excellent state of repair. One Jingpo minorities makes it one
more of its traditional wooden of the finest buildings is the of the most intriguing places in
architecture than nearby wooden library, which was southwest China. An interesting
Baoshan. Set amid jungle, built in 1928. jade and gem market lies in the
volcanoes, and hot springs, As a result of its fragile fault- north of town, parallel to
Tengchong is also a major seis- lines, the entire region is dotted Nanmao Jie. The town really
mic zone, and has experienced with volcanoes, dry lava beds, comes to life at night, when
70 earthquakes since records geysers, and hot springs. The gambling and food stalls are set
began in the 16th century. most impressive of the 100-odd up in the back streets.
Tengchong’s destructive small volcanoes lie 12 miles Numerous hotels advertise
earthquakes have left the town (20 km) north of town. Dakong tours into Myanmar, often to
bereft of historic buildings, Shan is 820-ft (250-m) high, and watch transvestite shows, but
although a lone gate tower beside it is the smaller Heikong the frontier is closed to all
survives at the eastern end of Shan, only 262 ft (80 m) high, foreign visitors except those
Fengshan Lu. Along western but over 328 ft (100 m) deep. being met by Burmese officials
Guanghua Lu is the main Just 7 miles (12 km) southwest for a pre-arranged tour.
market, held every morning.
Tengchong’s most renowned
product – Burmese jade – is
traded in a large market at the
northern edge of town.
Burmese traders, distinctive in
their sarongs and sandals, can
be seen around town. Be
cautious of their goods unless
you are an expert. Just west of
town, Laifeng Shan Park is a
pine forest criss-crossed with
paths. Near the top of the hill,
Laifeng Monastery is now a
museum and holds exhibits
on local history. Lush Tengchong countryside, with hills in the background
396 THE SOUTHWEST
9 Street-by-Street: Lijiang
Set in a picturesque valley with a stunning mountain
backdrop, Lijiang’s Old Town, Dayan, is a labyrinth of cobbled
alleys lined with wooden houses, cafés, and the workshops of
traditional craftsmen. Home to the Naxi people, Dayan is one
of the most pleasant urban scenes in China. Lijiang came to
international attention in 1996 when an earthquake killed
over 300 people and devastated the city. Money poured into
Dayan’s relatively sensitive reconstruction, and numerous A typical narrow street in the center of
hotels as well as an airport were built. Lijiang has been a the Old Town
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.
Heilong Tan
Gongyuan
D
O
N
G
D
A
JI
E
YU
Water Wheels
H
E
Heralding the entrance to the Old Town, these

water wheels are ornamental. Lijiang once had
numerous mills.
Nightly
XI
performances of
NH
Naxi music are held

at the Naxi Music
UA
Academy.
JI
E
Kegong Fang
This distinctive tower is the center
of celebrations during the Sanduo
Festival, which honors the Naxi’s
protector deity, Sanduo.
Joseph Rock
An eccentric Austrian botanist, Joseph Rock lived in Lijiang between
1922 and 1949. He gathered over 80,000 plant specimens, pioneered
the use of photography in the field,
and wrote reports for National
Geographic. He was a defender of
Naxi culture and compiled the first
dictionary of the language. His
expedition entourage was huge, Key
and included cooks, hundreds of
mercenaries, and servants to carry Suggested route
such dubious necessities as his
gramophone, gold dinner service,
and collapsible bathtub.
0 meters 100
Joseph Rock (right) with the
0 yards 100
Prince of Choni, 1925
LIJIANG 397
315 miles (525 km) NW of
Kunming. * 1,210,000. _
Bangbang Festival (15th day of
1st lunar month); Sanduo Festival
(8th day of 2nd lunar month. n
Lijiang Tourism, Xianggelila
Dadao, Lifang Plaza, (0888) 512
3432. & to Dayan.
Transportation
~ Lijiang Sanyi airport. @ £
View of the rooftops of Dayan from Wangu Lou
The canals are

helpful if you get
lost. Walk against
the current to
head towards the
NYI water wheels.
XI
JI
E
. Mishi Xiang
With a canal bubbling beside it, this is one of
Dayan’s most charming streets. Locals stop for
a drink from the well here, outside the Blue
Page Vegetarian restaurant.
Old Town Center

The old town is a cobweb of
narrow cobbled alleyways,
criss-crossed with canals and
free of traffic. It’s extremely
E
pretty and very popular. If you

JI
want to escape the crowds

YI
head off into the alleys away

U
W
from the major tourist routes,

where local people still live, or
visit early in the morning.
GU
AN
GY
I J
IE
. Sifang Jie
Though it’s always busy with tourists, Market
Yu He runs south Square is still the heart of Lijiang. Naxi
from Heilong Tan gather here to play cards and chat. Local
(Black Dragon Pool), men who enjoy falconry often display their
Mu Fu north of Dayan. hawks. Morning is the best time to visit.
Wangu Lou
398 THE SOUTHWEST
Exploring Lijiang and Beyond Chinese physician. Made

famous by travel writer Bruce
Shizi Shan (Lion Hill) divides the Old Town (Dayan) from the Chatwin, the elderly doctor
New Town, where most hotels and other amenities can be speaks good English and will
found. There are a few sights just south of Dayan, on Shizi Shan, doubtlessly track you down
and clustered around Heilong Tan (Black Dragon Pool), north of and offer his tonic herb tea in
exchange for a small donation.
Dayan. The countryside surrounding Lijiang is dotted with Naxi Beiyue Si in the village of
hamlets, many of which have interesting temples. Some of Yulong, a couple of miles
these can be reached by bicycle; otherwise by a short bus trip. north of Baisha, is dedicated
to the protector deity Sanduo,
and backdropped by the peak depicted with a white hat and
of Yulong Xue Shan (Jade spear. The temple has been
Dragon Snow Mountain). The managed by the same family
Dongba Cultural Research for almost 1,000 years.
Institute, in the southwest Built in 1756, the small
corner of the park, is an lamasery Yufeng Si is just outside
academic institution for the Yulong at the foot of the
preservation of Naxi culture – mountain. A huge ancient
there are about 30 dongba camellia tree produces thousands
shamans here, studying and of flowers each spring and is
translating Naxi religious texts. cared for with impressive ded-
In the north of the park stands ication by the monks. A Naxi
a set of halls transported during orchestra often practices here in
the 1970s from what was the afternoon.
Wan Gu Lou, a perfect vantage point for once Lijiang’s biggest The magnificent
viewing Dayan monastery, Fuguo Si. The mountain Yulong Xue
grandest is the 66-ft (20- Shan dominates the
 Wang Gu Lou m), triple-roofed Wufeng countryside surrounding
Shizi Shan. Tel (0888) 517 5060. Lou (Five Phoenix Hall), Lijiang. To access this
Open 7am–8pm daily. & built in 1601. The mountain that was first
Standing at the highest point Museum of Naxi Culture, scaled in the 1960s, you’ll
in Lijiang, this 108-ft (33-m) by the park’s north gate, need to either join an
pavilion is accessible from holds exhibitions on Naxi organized tour or hire a
either the Old Town or from dress and customs. Red chilies taxi. Once inside the
Minzhu Lu on the west side of drying mountain park you’ll find a
the hill. A four-story edifice with Environs: Baisha, a sleepy plethora of scenic spots
huge wooden pillars, it offers village 6 miles (10 km) north of and activities to do. Ride Asia’s
superb views overlooking the Lijiang, was, until Kublai Khan’s highest chairlift up to the snow-
Old Town. invasion, the capital of the Naxi line at 14,780ft (4,506m) or watch
Kingdom. Today there’s little the spectacular “Impressions
P Mu Fu evidence of its past importance, Lijiang,” a show staged daily in an
49 Guanyuang Xiang, SW of the with most visitors drawn by the outdoor amp-hitheater at the foot
Old Town. Tel (0888) 512 2572. 15th-century temple murals at of the mountain. Be prepared for
Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily. & Dabaoji Gong, or by the chance changeable conditions and take
The Mu were Lijiang’s ruling to consult Dr. Ho, a traditional care in the thinner air.
family up to 1723 and the
mansion they built for
themselves at the south end
of the Old Town contained over
100 buildings. What was left of
the mansion was destroyed in
the 1996 earthquake, after which
it was rebuilt in Han, Naxi, Bai,
and Tibetan architectural styles.
Y Heilong Tan Gongyuan

1 Minzhu Lu. Open 7am–7pm daily. &
included in adm to Lijiang Old Town.
On the northern edge of
town, Black Dragon Pool Park
is stunningly picturesque, with
the elegant Deyue Lou placed at
the center of a carp-filled pool, The jagged peaks of Yulong Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain)
LIJIANG 399
The Naxi
The Naxi minority, numbering about 326,000, live in Sichuan and Yunnan, with
Lijiang as their spiritual capital. Descended from Tibetan nomads, the Naxi society
is matrilineal, though local rulers were always male. There are strong matriarchal
influences throughout Naxi society and in particular in the Naxi language. For example,
nouns become superlative when the word “female” is added and diminutive with the
addition of “male.” A “female stone,” therefore, is a boulder; a “male stone” a pebble. The
script, called Dongba, consists of about 1,400 pictograms and is the only hieroglyphic
writing system still in use. The Naxi religion, also called Dongba, is polytheistic and
mixes elements of Daoism and Tibetan Lamaism with older animist beliefs. The main Naxi
deity is Sanduo, a protector war god depicted in white, carrying a white spear and riding
a white horse. He is celebrated each year with the sacrifice of a goat and, of course,
much singing and dancing.
Naxi society’s
matriarchal nature
results in the women
controlling businesses,
but also doing most of
the work. Inheritance
passes through the
female line to the eldest
daughter. Naxi men are
expected to while away
their time as gardeners
or musicians.
Traditional shawls have an

upper blue segment which
represents night, a lower
sheepskin band to represent
daylight, and small circles
recalling the stars. Two circles on
the shoulder areas depict the
eyes of a frog, an ancient
Naxi deity.
Dongba shaman are invited to

chant scriptures at weddings,
funerals, on New Year’s Day, and at Naxi music is unique – a
festivals. A few of these shaman combination of Daoist rite,
survived the purges of the Cultural Confucian ceremony, and
Revolution and are training a new literary lyrics, played on
generation in ancient Naxi ritual. venerable instruments such
as the flute, reed pipes, lute,
and zither.
This page of pictographic

Dongba script is from the
Naxi manuscript “Sacrifices
to the High Deity.” It is one
of numerous Dongba
documents translated by
Joseph Rock (see p396).
400 THE SOUTHWEST
0 Tiger Leaping Gorge

This popular trek follows the roaring Yangzi River (also
known as Jinsha Jiang) through one of China’s deepest
gorges, supposedly named after a tiger escaped hunters by
leaping across its narrowest point. With peaks on either side
soaring to over 16,400 ft (5,000 m), the gorge makes for a
thrilling trek. The 18-mile (30-km) trail along the ridge is
well marked, though at times arduous, and passes through
rustic hamlets that allow visitors to rest up amid beautiful Bendiwan
countryside. The walk can easily be completed in two days, A tiny village with superb
but many hikers decide to stay an extra night. If time is views, Bendiwan has numerous
guesthouses and is a convenient
tight, day-long bus tours from Lijiang head into the gorge
place to overnight 10 miles
along the lower road, which runs the length of the gorge. (16 km) from Qiaotou.
. Views of the Gorge

Starting at the Qiaotou
end of the gorge provides
magnificent views right
from the start. The peaks
of Jade Dragon Snow
Mountain rise far above
the river.
The 24 Bends
When coming from
Qiaotou, the 24 Bends are
the toughest part of the
trail and consist of rather
more than 24 grueling
switchbacks. Some hire
horses at Nuoyu for this
part of the trip.
ng
Jia
h a
Ji ns
Yongsheng
Qiaotou
(Hutiaoxia Zhen)
KEY
1 Relatively new lower road

2 A short diversion down a
steep, winding trail leads to
Longdong Waterfall.
3 Original ferry crossing
4 The “new” ferry crossing is
sometimes closed. Check at Walnut
Grove or Daju before departing.
5 Follow the path down to
the river to judge for yourself Farms at Nuoyu
whether any animal could have The lovely village of Nuoyu is just 2 hours
made this jump. from Qiaotou. A few guesthouses here offer
dorm beds and meals, as well as horses.
YUNNAN 401
50 miles (80 km) NW of Lijiang.
& for access to the gorge, and
ferry crossing.
Transportation
@ from Lijiang to either Daju or
Qiaotou; last bus from Daju to
Lijiang at 1:30pm.
Traditional Tibetan buildings at Ganden

Sumtseling Gompa
Daju q Zhongdian
105 miles (175 km) NW of Lijiang. ~

@ 3 hrs from Lijiang. n 105
Dabai Kangzhu Dadao, (0887) 822 6951.
Touted as the true Shangri-La

Walking the Gorge (the city’s name was officially
The upper trail follows the changed to Xianggelila in 2002),
peaks between Qiaotou and Zhongdian is the capital of
Daju, either of which can Diqing Tibetan Autonomous
be used as a starting point. Both Region and worth visiting if
Bendiwan and Walnut Grove are about a you’re not able to visit Tibet.
day’s walk from either end, so make good The ramshackle town filled
spots to overnight. Don’t attempt the trek on with blocky architecture
your own, or in heavy rain or thick mist. does not quite live up to the
Landslides do occur in the area so be wary, paradise billing, especially after
especially after the rains in July and August. the old Tibetan town burned
down in a catastrophic fire in
2014. Just north is the largest
Key
Tibetan monastery in the
0 km 3 Major road southwest, Ganden Sumtseling
0 miles 3 Minor road Gompa (Songzanlin Si), home
Path
to over 600 monks. It was built
by the fifth Dalai Lama almost
400 years ago, destroyed
during the Cultural Revolution,
and re-opened in 1981. There
are several Tibetan villages
and two hotels inside the
monastery complex.
Environs: There are plenty of

possible trips out into the
countryside – geographically,
part of the Tibetan plateau – to
Baishui Tai, for example, a set of
limestone terraces, or to Bita
Hai, an emerald lake and home
to many endangered species.
These trips are best arranged
with local agencies, who can
. Walnut Grove also arrange overland journeys
This quiet village of terraced fields, walnut trees, and stone-and-timber through the beautiful and
houses is 14 miles (23 km) from Qiaotou and a great place to rest up. remote countryside between
The views of the gorge’s narrowest section are not to be missed. here and Sichuan.
THE SOUTHWEST 403
GUIZHOU & GUANGXI

Guizhou and Guangxi share a dramatic mountainous landscape
of weathered limestone (karst) pinnacles, which hide some of China’s
largest cave systems. Despite the abundant rainfall, the region possesses
poor soil, which discouraged Han settlement until the late Ming period. GUIZHOU
As a result, the area saw little development, and many indigenous GUANGXI
groups, especially the Miao and Dong, have retained their traditional
customs, including several well-known festivals. Guangxi is also home to
the Zhuang, China’s largest ethnic minority, and officially became the
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 1958.
Still among China’s least-developed regions, Guizhou and Guangxi do have a
few sights that are well-visited by tourists and easily accessible. The city of Guilin
in eastern Guangxi is famous for the Li River cruise, which passes through an astonishing
karst landscape and ends at the small town of Yangshuo. Kaili, a convenient base for
exploring Miao villages, is becoming more accessible and popular with tourists.
For determined travelers with time on their hands, long bus journeys are rewarded
with the beautiful Detian Falls surrounded by karst hills, stunning scenery near the
Vietnamese border, the wooden Dong villages around Zhaoxing, and the calm
waters of bird sanctuary Cao Hai.
Sights at a Glance
Waterfalls, Caves & Areas of
Villages, Towns & Cities u Guiping Natural Beauty
1 Guiyang i Nanning
3 Longgong Dong
2 Anshun p Pingxiang
4 Huangguoshu Falls
8 Miao Villages s Beihai
5 Zhijin Dong
9 Zunyi
6 Weining and Cao Hai
q Guilin
7 Xingyi and Maling Canyon
e Longsheng
0 Chishui
r Sanjiang Tongzi
6
w Yangshuo
32
Xishui Yinjiang
t Zhaoxing
Fenggang o Zuo Jiang
y Huangyao g
a Detian Falls
an
Ji Tongren
Jinsha u
Bijie W
Zhenyuan
G75
Dafang
0
G6
Liupanshui 0
Liping
G6
Duyun
Rongjiang
G75
G76
Panxian Quanzhou
Qinglong Dushan
Luodian
Anlong Rongshui Yongfu
G72
Nandan Fuchuan
Ho n
Luzhai Hezhou
Hechi
gshu
G7
Xilin Tianlin Lipu

8
Liuzhou
i He
G7
0 km 100 8
G65
G80 Heshan Wuxuan

0 miles 100 Mashan X un J i
G72
Bose a ng Wuzhou
Binyang
Key Pingguo Guigang
Jingxi
Rongxian
Expressway G80
Fusui
National Highway Yulin
Minor road Lingshan
G7
G15
5
Railroad Qinzhou
Fangcheng Maoming
Provincial border Hepu
G75
Zhanjiang
Zhuang girl walking through rice fields For additional map symbols see back flap
404 THE SOUTHWEST
1 Guiyang
Founded during the Han dynasty, Guiyang remained a minor
provincial center until it became the capital of Guizhou in
the early 20th century. The city is situated in a valley along
the little Nanming River, protected from the unlucky northern
direction by high hills. Guiyang means “Precious Sun,” which
reflects the general Chinese opinion of the province’s
damp climate. An easy-going place, Guiyang is a steadily
modernizing city surrounded by parklands, with a couple
of historic relics dotted among its tower blocks. The Huaxi
District to its south includes rural parks, a few villages
Jiaxiu Lou and the arched Fuyu Qiao over
inhabited by the Bouyei minority (see p406), and a well-
Nanming River
preserved Ming-era town.
Fushui Nan Lu is another
temple, whose main attraction
is the excellent vegetarian res-
taurant out front, which uses
generous quantities of chilies
to spice up the tofu, vegetable,
and gluten dishes. Just off
Wenchang Bei Lu, Wenchang
Ge features an elegant three-
story tower with flared and
pointed eaves built between
1609 and 1669. It was originally
part of the east city wall.
E Provincial Museum
168 Beijing Lu. Tel (0851) 8682 2762.
Traditional temple buildings in Cuiwei Yuan The second floor of this dusty
building houses an interesting
P Jiaxiu Lou and Cuiwei  Qianming Si, Jue Yuan collection of local finds, though
Yuan and Wenchang Ge there are few captions. The
2 Cuiwei Xian Nanming Lu. Tel (0851) City center, N of the river. pride of the collection are a 3-ft
8550 3811. Open 8am–8pm daily. Open daily. & (1-m) high Han-era bronze
The small Jiaxiu Lou pavilion A few examples of Guiyang’s horse and chariot, and some
was constructed in 1598 on a classic architecture survive glazed clay figurines from a
tortoise-shaped rock jutting out around the city center. The Ming tomb near Zunyi.
over Nanming River. It was built most interesting is Qianming Ethnological displays include
as an inspirational meeting place Si, located on Yangming Lu on silverware, batiks, and
for scholars studying for the the north bank of the river. Its embroideries from Guizhou’s
imperial civil service exams. The main point of interest is the many minorities. A shiny new
pavilion is now a teahouse street market outside, selling museum complex is under
decorated with antique poetry bonsai trees, pets, fishing gear, construction opposite Guiyang’s
scrolls. Its upper floor offers views and Cultural Revolution convention center, northeast of
of Guiyang’s modern downtown memorabilia. Jue Yuan on the city center.
district. The 95-ft (29-m) high,
three-storied wooden tower is
connected to the riverbank by
the arched Fuyu Qiao (Floating
Jade Bridge). On the bridge’s
southern side, adjacent to Jiaxiu
Lou, Cuiwei Yuan garden was
originally part of a temple
dedicated to Guanyin,the
Buddhist Goddess of
Compassion. Founded around
1500, all that remains today are
late Qing-era buildings. Vermilion-red joss sticks and trinkets on sale outside Qianming Si
GUIZHOU & GUANGXI 405
P Huaxi VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

District
11 miles (17 km) S of Practical information
Guiyang. @ 210. 660 miles (1,100 km) NW of
The small town of Guangzhou. * 3,050,000.
Huaxi is the n Floor 7, Longquan Building,
location of 1 Hequan Lu, (0851) 8690 1575.
Guizhou Uni- Transportation
versity and the k Longdong Bao Airport.
attractive Huaxi £ @ CAAC (buses to airport),
Park, a 2-sq-mile East bus station, Jinyang
Stone steps leading up a thickly forested hill, Qianling Shan Park (5-sq-km) stretch bus station.
of woodland,
Y Qianling Shan Park river, and ornamental gardens.
187 Zaoshan Lu. Open 6:30am–10pm A handful of Bouyei villages lie 8 miles (12 km) to the south
daily. @ 1 or 2 northbound. & close by, including Zhenshan, of Huaxi is Qingyan, a garrison
This scenic park comprises an built entirely in stone. The village outpost founded in 1373. Its 33-ft
unexpected patch of forested is known for its Ground Opera, (10-m) high city walls, dating to
hills to the north of the city. A derived from local animistic the 18th century, are still intact,
flagstoned path leads uphill rituals, where dancers wear along with watchtowers, stone
past several shrines, trees hung stylized wooden masks. Just gateways, and 17 temples.
with red ribbons, and groups of
monkeys to Hongfu Si, the main
Dog Meat
attraction. Entry to the temple is
past a 33-ft (10-m) marble stupa One thing to look out for
and a tiled screen depicting the in Guizhou is the locals’
infant Buddha being washed fondness for eating dog
by nine colorful dragons. The meat, a habit shared by
people in parts of Characters for “dog meat” on a restaurant sign
temple was originally founded
Guangxi and other
in 1672, although its present
Southeast Asian countries. Rather like chilies, dog meat is
buildings were constructed later,
considered “warming” in Chinese medicine, and also a remedy for
including a Luohan Hall with male impotence. The meat is often served as a hot pot. However,
several hundred painted statues visitors shouldn’t worry about being served dog meat by accident,
of Buddhist saints. On the hilltop since restaurants specializing in such dishes usually make it very
above, Kanzhu Pavilion offers fine clear by displaying the carcasses outside their establishments.
views of the city.
Guiyang City Center

1 Jiaxiu Lou Qianling
ZHO
Hongfu Si Shan Park

2 Cuiwei Yuan LU
N GH U
NG
IJI
BAOSHAN BEI L U
Jinyang Bus Station

3 Qianming Si 6 km (3.5 miles)
BE
YOU
A
4 Jue Yuan Provincial

YI LU
LU
Museum
5 Wenchang Ge
6 Provincial Museum
RUIJIN
LU
Z AO S H A N
QIANLING XI
7 Qianling Shan Park

LU
FUS H U I
LU
EN
’AN
LU
YA N
CHA
LU
YA N ’ A N LU
NG B
G ONGYUAN LU
ANSHUN &
E I LU
ZUNYI SH Wenchang
IX
I Ge
LU LU
HUANSHA
N Longdong Bao Airport

Z HO G S H A N
10 km (6 miles)
Z H O N GH
Jue Yuan
FU S H U
LU
D USI LU
UA
LU
O
I
DA
U
L
DA
Qianming Si
RU
Cuiwei Yuan
I
AX
J IN Flower and
I
XIHU LU
HU
LU
Pet Market Jiaxiu
0 meters 800 Lou
Nanm i ng
0 yards 800 East Bus Station
LU
CAAC 10 km (6 miles)
JIE
I
NY
FA
NG
ZU
LU
Huaxi
District LU
NG
J I E FA
LU
B EI

G
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Train
AC
Station
SH
406 THE SOUTHWEST
The area around the city center

bustles with rural commerce.
Rows and rows of shops selling
beautiful batik products,
including wall hangings and
colorful banners, are situated
outside the Batik Factory on
Zhonghua Nan Lu.
Environs: Lying about 9 miles
(15 km) east of Anshun are
eight fortified villages, locally
known as Yunfeng Ba Zhai.
Founded by Ming-dynasty
troops, each village contains
a scattering of old structures.
Tiantai Shan, 24 miles (40 km)
Traditional houses of the Bouyei community near Anshun northeast of town, is a 1,300-ft
(400-m) hill with a cluster of
2 Anshun most scenic landscapes, despite thickly forested crags, whose
the frequent gusts of coal dust summit is crowned by a
from nearby mines. It also has Buddhist temple dating
62 miles (100 km) SW of Guiyang. ~ numerous street markets, and from 1616. Another 18 miles
£@ offers easy access to (30 km) southwest of Anshun,
several of the Zhenning County has a
Founded as a garrison town in surrounding traditional concentration of traditional
the 13th century, Anshun grew villages. The busy town Bouyei villages. The houses
into a prosperous trading post, center lies at the inter- are built of skillfully laid
mainly because of its strategic section of Zhonghua drystone walls, with roofs
position along the overland Nan Lu and Tashan Lu. tiled in hand-cut slates,
trade routes between central The Bai Ta (White overlapping like fish
and southwestern China. Pagoda), one of scales. The village of
Today’s city survives on tourism, Anshun’s two Shitou Zhai, built
subsistence farming, and its surviving Ming Fruit sellers at the Sunday almost entirely in
traditional batik industry, which structures, over- market, Anshun stone, is known for
capitalizes on the highly looks the center its traditional batik.
developed textile skills of the from Xixiu Hill. The other, Wen
local Bouyei minority. The Miao, is a Confucian temple
3 Longgong Dong
Bouyei number around 3 million and lies in the town’s
and live throughout western northeastern back streets. The
Guizhou and nothern Vietnam. 600-year-old temple was once 17 miles (27 km) SW of Anshun. @
A writing system for the Bouyei embellished with superb stone from Anshun’s East bus station. Tel
language was devised in the carvings. Today, what survives (0853) 3366 1049. Open 8am–6pm
1950s and has been used to are its front pillars, covered in daily. &
record their rich folk literature. beautiful spiraling dragons and
Surrounded by karst hills, considered to be the finest in Longgong Dong (Dragon
Anshun has one of Guizhou’s the country. Palace Caves) comprise a 9-mile
Anshun Batik
Several ethnic groups across southwestern China have been
traditionally involved in creating batik. For almost 1,000 years, the
Bouyei around Anshun have been using batik as a background
to embroidery on clothing, and since the establishment of a
factory in Anshun in the 1950s, have come to monopolize the
indigenous textile market. The designs, which were originally
of abstract plants and animals, are drawn with wax on cloth.
The cloth is then dyed in indigo before being boiled to remove
all traces of the wax, leaving the pattern in white on a blue
background. The earlier monochromatic batiks have now given
way to multi-colored, mass-produced designs, which include
stylized representations of zodiac animals, scenes from Bouyei
A strikingly designed, contemporary batik, filled legends, and mythical creatures. Today, Anshun’s batik is in great
out in red and orange demand across China.
5 Zhijin Dong
60 miles (100 km) N of Anshun.

@ from Anshun and Guiyang to
Zhijin town. Taxis and minibuses
available to the caves. Tel (0857) 781
2015. Open 9am–5pm daily. & 8
compulsory. ∑ gzzjd.com
Extending for over 7 miles

(12 km) into limestone hills,
these caves are ranked as the
largest in China, and are also
among the biggest in the world.
Tour boats used to explore the watery Longgong Dong One of the largest caverns
stands at a height of 200 ft
(15-km) long complex of 90 or Staircases and bridges connect (60 m), and is almost 800ft
more caves, connected by an viewing areas opposite the falls. (250 m) long. Paths and
underground river. Only six Shuilian Dong, a 440-ft (134-m) stairways link the caves
caves, covering 2,800 ft (855 m), long tunnel, runs behind the between fossilized waterfalls
are open to exploration, falls, where natural “windows” and elephantine stalactites
accessed by boat through the look out through the curtain and stalagmites. The imposing
flooded eastern entrance, Tian of water. Visitors should be rock formations have each
Chi (Heaven’s Pool), which is prepared to get wet. been given descriptive names,
partially concealed by a 130-ft Of the remaining dozen or such as “Puxian Riding the
(40-m) high water fall. Inside, so water features along the Elephant,” “Goddess and
the largest cavern is about Sanche, the pick of the crop Snake,” and the aptly named
260-ft (80-m) high. The caves lies upstream at Doupotang and impressive “Old Woman
can be explored both by boat Falls, which though only a and Daughter-in-Law.”
and on foot. Yulong Dong and quarter of the height of The largest cavern, Guanghan
Long Gong are the most Huangguoshu, are a staggering Dong, contains the immensely
spectacular caverns here, 340-ft (105-m) wide. About elegant, 56-ft (17-m) stalagmite
with colorfully lit stalactites and 3 miles (5 km) downstream known as the “Silver Rain Tree.”
stalagmites, and scores of oddly at Tianxing are a series of The obligatory guided tour,
shaped rock formations. small caves, some karst spires which lasts for more than
rising 66 ft (20 m), and the 2 hours, requires a minimum
4 Huangguoshu Yinlianzhuitan (Silver Chain of ten people, so smaller groups
Falls Cascades), where water may have to wait for more
tumbles into a network of sightseers to arrive before they
streams between rocky islets. can explore the area.
40 miles (65 km) SW of Anshun.
@ from Anshun and Guiyang. Tel
(0853) 3359 6663. Open 8am–
6pm daily. & ∑ hgscn.com/en
Immensely popular in China,

the Huangguoshu Da Pubu
(Yellow Fruit Tree Falls) on the
Sanche River rise to a height
of 250 ft (77 m). During the
summer rains in June and July
the river becomes a torrent, and
the 266-ft (81-m) wide curtain of
water creates an awesome
spectacle as it hits the
Rhinoceros Pool below. It does
not, however, rank as China’s
largest cataract; in fact, during
drier months, its flow shrinks
to a pretty network of streams
pouring over the rock face. Low
water levels during this time of
the year make it possible to
wade across the streams. The Huangguoshu Falls, spectacular even during drier periods
408 THE SOUTHWEST
7 Xingyi and
Maling Canyon
190 miles (305 km) SW of Guiyang.

£ to Xingyi. Maling Canyon: White-
water rafting arranged by hotels.
In the far southwestern corner

of Guizhou, the small and
remote market town of Xingyi
is surrounded by low, rounded
limestone hills and flat paddy
fields. Northeast of Xingyi, just
outside the suburbs, lies the
Punting on Cao Hai, with the Yunnanese border on the horizon 9-mile (15-km) long slash of
Maling Canyon. About 330-ft
6 Weining and Cao attract tens of thousands of (100-m) deep in places, the
Hai wintering birds between canyon has been carved by
November and March. Its most a fast-flowing river. Ground-
important annual visitors level springs gush down
200 miles (320 km) W of Guiyang. include a large flock of 400 mossy cliffs in miniature
£ to Weining, or to Liupanshui, then endangered black-necked waterfalls. The river’s currents
bus. @ _ Yi Torch Festival (Jun/Jul). cranes, along with Eurasian and cataracts make for exciting
cranes, barheaded geese, and white-water rafting trips from
The rugged hills of northwest several duck species. Maling’s upper section, 16 miles
Guizhou contain a large number It is possible to observe the (25 km) northeast of town. The
of coal veins, and as a result the abundant birdlife by either canyon’s lower section features
region’s settlements are largely walking around the shore several walking tracks and
industrial mining towns. On the where the cranes congregate, bridges which zigzag down to
border with Yunnan is the 7,200- or hiring a punt to approach the water level and then follow
ft (2,195-m) high Weining flocks of wild fowl out on the the river, sometimes through
Plateau, whose main town is the lake. Boats can also be rented natural tunnels, for some
small, chaotic, and ugly Weining, for a tour of the lake. distance upstream.
inhabited by Hui, Yi, and Da
Hua Miao. The Muslim Hui,
scattered throughout China,
are descendants of Arab and
Persian traders who came to
China along the Silk Road during
the Tang and Yuan dynasties.
The Yi community number
around 8.7 million and are
spread through southwestern
China. Their torch festival is a
major annual event featuring
archery contests, bonfires, and
wrestling. The Da Hua Miao (see
p412) differ from the Miao near
Kaili in both language and
embroidery patterns, which
feature the stylized flower motif
inspired by their name Da Hua,
meaning “Big Flower.”
Immediately southwest of
Weining is Cao Hai, known
throughout China prominent
spots for bird-watching. The
17-sq mile (45-sq km) nature
reserve was set up in 1992. The
shallow, blue, oval-shaped lake
is ringed with low hills and
fringed with reed beds that River running through the lower section of Maling Canyon
Chinese Cranes
The lakes and marshes of China are vital to the survival of eight of the world’s 15 species
of crane, many of which are highly endangered. Most breed in northern China, in
particular at Zhalong Nature Reserve in Heilongjiang province. All are migratory, but
several species – including the tropical sarus and China’s sole endemic variety, the black-
necked crane – occur only in the central and southwestern parts of the country. Aside
from being naturally elegant birds, cranes have spectacular mating “dances,” where they
energetically leap and flap around to attract their lifelong partners. As a result of this
display, the crane is a Chinese symbol of fidelity and longevity. The Daoist God of
Longevity, Shou Lao, is often depicted riding a crane.
Courting cranes pair for life. They cement the bond with
elaborate courtship displays, during which the couple
loop necks, toss their heads back, throw around twigs
and pebbles, and leap high into the air,
parachuting down with wings spread. The crane is a symbol of good fortune,
wisdom, and the quest for spiritual
improvement, as well as fidelity –
so it is often seen on official and
imperial clothing.
Cranes migrate great distances, with some

Trailing species covering up to 2,500 miles (4,000 km)
legs between their summer breeding grounds and
winter quarters. The younger birds learn the
routes in a V-formation behind their elders.
Cruising speed of
up to 44 miles per
hour (70 km/h)
Common cranes are a

very vocal species, and
their deep booms,
Demoiselle cranes are gregarious and loud honks, and
have been recorded in flocks several raucous croaks are
thousand strong. Their diet is mostly produced by a
frogs, fish, and insects, though they can specially adapted
also eat grain and carrion. windpipe or trachea.
412 THE SOUTHWEST
Miao Festivals and Crafts

The Miao people, or Hmong as they call themselves, SICHUAN
believe they originated on the Himalayan plateau, HUNAN

GUIZHOU
migrating over the last few thousand years to their current C H I N A
homelands in southwestern China, Laos, Cambodia, YUNNAN
GUANGXI
Vietnam, and Myanmar. As Miao communities tend to VIETNAM

MYANMAR
exist in remote mountainous areas, each village has
LAOS
developed its own customs, and can be identified by their
distinct ornamentation, such as the fine silverwork and THAILAND
embroidery once made and worn by unmarried girls. These Miao Communities of Asia
are displayed at the many Miao social festivals, where mass
Miao population
dancing is featured.
Huge horns adorn

these fabulous
headdresses.
Miao People in the Kaili area

call themselves Hei Miao, or
Black Hmong, irrespective of
their color ful clothing,
which identifies the
wearer’s village or region.
This woman is from the
Leigong Shan area.
Da Hua Miao, or Big

Flower Miao, from
western Guizhou, wear
wax-resist (batik) dyed
skirts, and for festivals,
bright red headgear. Sisters’ Meal Festival
Amid three days of drinking and dancing at this
important festival, teenage girls choose their
This Gejia headpiece with orange husbands. The man offers a packet of sticky rice;
tassels shows that this Gejia girl is she returns it with two chopsticks buried inside
unmarried. The designs are if she agrees, or chilies if she refuses.
unusual in that they embellish
their batik work with
embroidery.
The Changjiao, or Long-

horned, Miao of western
Guizhou bundle several
pounds of their own and
ancestors’ hair around horn-like
headpieces for festivals.
The beauty of Yangshuo Karst, Yangshuo

Embroidery is an
This jacket is typical
integral Miao skill,
of dark geometric
and girls learn it
Gejia pieces. It is heavily
from an early age.
embroidered and
They create elaborate
incorporates batik work
panels for sewing on to
of abstract buffalo and
their clothes. Although
plant motifs.
the custom is dying,
it was believed,
the finer
the design,
the better a
girl’s marriage
prospects.
Elaborate silverwork,
including Miao silverwork ranges
headpieces, breast- from simple earrings to
plates, and necklaces, twisted, weighty necklace
are collected by
families of Hei Miao
chains and fantastic
girls from the time headpieces with bells,
they are born. horns, and animal
figurines.
Dragon-boat races are held in the Kaili region at

least twice a year, celebrating a local victory over
invading Chinese armies. Villages send a team of
rowers and a long, narrow boat with carved
wooden dragon-head prows.
Traditional long
pleated skirt
Only men play

the lusheng,
usually at festivals.
This instrument is
made from a gourd
with a mouthpiece
Two buffalo going head-to-head is a feature of and a dozen or so
Miao festivals, but buffalo are cherished creatures bamboo pipes. It
and there is usually no bloodshed. produces a nasal
humming sound.
414 THE SOUTHWEST
8 Miao Villages possible to organize hiking trips

between them. From
Lei Shan, it’s another 18 miles
China’s Miao (see pp412–13) consider the area around Kaili (30 km) on a good road to
and the ancient town of Zhenyuan their homeland. In Xijiang, the area’s largest Miao
between, the terrain rises to rough hills, planted with pine village at around 1,200 wooden
trees and split by river valleys. A few villages maintain homes. The best times to visit
traditional wooden houses and cobbled streets; others are are during the fall New Rice
Tasting Festival, or Miao New
not so pretty, but host large festivals. Markets come close to a Year’s celebrations.
festival atmosphere and operate on a five-day cycle.
Numerous buses run from Kaili, but to reach remoter places,
hiring a taxi – or hiking – is necessary.
Eastern Route
There are several buses daily
from Kaili via Taijiang and
Shidong through to Zhenyuan.
Both towns host major festivals,
with extra transportation during
events. Each can be done as
a daytrip, but Taijiang does
have several hotels, and there
are a few basic guesthouses
in Shidong.
Taijiang is an untidy market
town 34 miles (55 km) from
Kaili. It transforms during the
Sisters’ Meal Festival, when
thousands of villagers descend
to watch Miao girls choose their
husbands. At other times, the
The traditional village of Langde, tucked into a steep valley old village of Fanpai is a more
photogenic place to spend a day.
Kaili Shidong is a partially wooden
105 miles (170 km) E of Guiyang. a fold in the hillside. At Langde’s riverside village of half-a-dozen
£ n Yingpanpo Hotel, 53 Yingpan center is a pond and a dancing lanes. You can shop for
Dong Lu, (0855) 822 2506. ground cobbled in concentric beautifully designed silverwork
Kaili is a large town of busy rings around a wooden pole and embroideries on market
streets and unremarkable adorned with buffalo horns days, or see them worn during
architecture. Backstreet markets and painted dragons. dragon-boat races, held at least
add a bit of color, and there’s also Lei Shan is a down-at-heel twice a year. Afternoon races
a dusty Minorities Museum, collection of concrete buildings are accompanied by furious
displaying local silver and at the foot of Leigong Shan drumming, and the day winds
embroidery. Hilltop Dage Park is (7,150 ft/2,178 m). Some of the down with a dance in which
crowned by a wooden pagoda, region’s remotest villages are everyone present – sometimes
unusual in its Daoist iconography found on the mountain and it’s 10,000 people – joins in.
and statues ritualistically smeared
with bloody chicken feathers.
E Minorities Museum
5 Guangchang Lu. Open 9am–5pm
Tue–Sun.
Langde and Xijiang

This route includes the most
accessible traditional villages
served by buses from Kaili.
Possible as a daytrip if you
hire a taxi, otherwise, plan
to overnight at Xijiang.
Langde is an easy 20-minute
walk from the main road. It is
entirely traditional, with 50
wooden houses knotted into The terraced slopes of Leigong Shan
Western Route
Frequent buses ply the route
from Kaili to Shibing; change
here for connections to
Zhenyuan. There are some basic
accommodations in Chong’an
and hotels in Shibing.
Pleasantly rural Matang is
home to the majority of Gejia,
a Miao sub-group. The road
passes close by, but you’ll
need to hire a taxi from Kaili A battery of old stone water-powered mills, Chong’an
if you don’t want to walk the
last 2 miles (3 km). About to experience crowds bargaining features the ruins of a Ming-
6 miles (10 km) west of for everything from ducklings dynasty temple and a handful
Matang, Xianglu Shan to home-made spirits. Right of paved hiking trails.
(4,265 feet/1,300 m) on the roadside, Feiyun
is where Zhang Xiumei, Dong is a curious Zhenyuan
one of the leaders of Daoist shrine founded 75 miles (125 km) NE of Kaili. £
the Miao Rebellion, in 1443, whose few n 93 Xinglong Jie, (0855) 572 5366..
was defeated by moss-covered halls An old garrison town, Zhenyuan
government (one contains a is squeezed by flanking cliffs into
troops in 1872. museum of Miao two long streets either side of
An annual Hill- artifacts) are built Wuyang He. In the old town on
Climbing Festival is held right into a natural the north bank, Qing-dynasty
here in his honor. arrangement of grottoes buildings with wavy eaves and
The riverside town and vegetation. From ornate stonework have been
of Chong’an uses its Shibing, a modern place on restored. East of the old town, a
old core of wooden Miao woman
the south bank of Wuyang stone Ming-dynasty bridge leads
shops for a lively He, it is possible to hike to Qinglong Dong. The temple
with baby
market, somewhere up Yuntai Shan, which complex is built into the over-
hanging cliffs, where water
seeps onto shrines dedicated
Yuntai Shan to Buddhist, Daoist, and
Zhenyuan
Confucian deities. It’s also
ng H e
Wu ya Shibing possible to cruise a stretch of
Feiyun
the Wuyang He west of
e
Dong Zhenyuan, through a series

uH
Sha m of limestone gorges.

Mahao
Huangping
Shidong Festivals
g
ia n
iJ Jan Drum Festival, Gaowu,
u
near Taijiang
sh
Chong'an
ng
i
Q Feb/Mar Lusheng Festivals
across region
Taijiang
Apr/May Sisters’ Meal, Taijiang
Matang
& Shidong
Xianglu Fanpai Jun/Jul Dragon-boat Races
Shan
Kaili
at many riverside villages
and towns
Xijiang Jul/Aug Hill-Climbing Festival
Langde at Xianglu Shan
Aug/Sep New Rice Tasting
Lei Festival in villages around Kaili
Shan Leigong Shan
and Lei Shan; Lusheng Festival,
Key
Chong’an
Langde and Xijiang Oct/Nov Lusheng Festival and
Eastern route horse races, Yongxi, near
Western route Zhenyuan
Railroad 0 km 20 Dec Miao New Year, Xijiang
and villages around Kaili
Temple 0 miles 20
416 THE SOUTHWEST
Environs: About 6 miles (10 km)

south of Zunyi, Yang Can Mu is
the final resting place of a local
military official, Yang Can, who
died around 1250. The stone
reliefs of this well-preserved
Song-era mausoleum are
beautiful, depicting plants,
guardian figures, and dragons
curling around an ornamental
gateway. There is also a portrait
of Yang Can in court robes.
0 Chishui
Steps leading up to the Monument to the Red Army Martyrs, Zunyi
150 miles (250 km) NW of Zunyi. @
9 Zunyi leader and severed ties with the
Russians, a vital step that helped On the banks of Chishui He
the CCP defeat the Nationalists in northwestern Guizhou on
150 km N of Guiyang. ~ £ @
and eventually emerge as China’s the Sichuan border, Chishui is
The largest city in northern ruling party. Zunyi Conference encircled by sandstone hills.
Guizhou, Zunyi is encircled by a Museum, contains the original The subtropical forests covering
gray mass of cement factories gray brick conference hall (now these hills are divided into nature
and bustling transportation closed to the public) and a reserves, reached by minibus
terminals that conceal a quiet collection of old photographs. from town. The finest is Shizhang
and clean older Further on, revolutionary Dong, 23 miles (37 km) south
quarter, southwest sites line the streets of town, with a 236-ft (72-m)
of Fenghuang behind the museum, waterfall. Some 10 miles (16 km)
Shan. The city including the southwest, Sidong Gou is a
holds a special former Red Army valley whose red-silted river gives
place in the history Political Chishui its name, “Red Water.”
of the Chinese Department – It runs over four waterfalls and
Communist Party housed in a French through a forest thick with
(CCP). In January Carved detail, Monument to the Catholic church – bamboo. Locals harvest the edible
1935, Zunyi was Red Army Martyrs on Yangliu Jie, bamboo shoots, and the mature
invaded by the Red and the Zunyi stems are split and woven into
Army during the Long March Folklore Museum on Hongjun matting. The region is also
(see p262). Having suffered major Jie. Across the river, in famous for its baijiu, an alcoholic
defeats at the hands of the Fenghuang Shan Park, the drink produced in Maotai,
Nationalists, Communist leaders Monument to the Red Army 50 miles (80 km) southeast
including Mao, Zhou Enlai, and Martyrs commemorates the in Xishui county (see p571).
Otto Braun, the Soviet advisor, heroes of the Long March.
convened the Zunyi Conference. } Nature Reserves
During the three-day meeting, P Conference Museum @ minibus from Chishui.
Mao emerged as the party 80 Ziyin Lu. Open 9am–5pm daily. Open 8am–5pm daily. &
Façade of the elegant Song-dynasty mausoleum, Yang Can Mu

Bamboo
A fast-growing, long-lived type of grass found throughout central and southern China,
bamboo is put to a huge array of uses. The culms (stems) are turned into pipes, hats,
furniture, mats, and cooking utensils, while the shoots of certain varieties are cooked
and eaten. The body of the plant is a rhizome (a horizontal, underground stem) that,
according to type, clumps or runs, putting out regularly spaced shoots that can grow up
to 2 ft (60 cm) per day until they reach full height. Plants might flower only every few
decades, or even just once per century, after which they die back. Bamboo has become
part of the religion, philosophy, and culture of the Chinese: it represents Confucian
values of devotion and righteousness; the segments on its straight stem symbolize the
steps along the straight path to enlightenment; and its strength, grace, and longevity
have made it the subject of a great many poems and paintings.
Bamboo painting – or mozhu – is

an esteemed art considered to be
on a par with calligraphy (see p225).
Using a monochrome ink the
painter attempts to convey the
bamboo’s spirit rather than its exact
form in just a few fluid and almost
abstract brush strokes.
In the wild, bamboo covers the

hillsides in tall, dense, waving green
forests, a sight often called a
“bamboo sea.” In gardens, smaller
plants are often used as symbolic
elements (see p185).
Split bamboo can be woven into

many useful objects, such as
lattice screens and blinds for use
around the home as well as
baskets such as these, used for
carrying chickens to market.
Whole bamboo stems are versatile
enough to be sawn, drilled, bent, or
spliced, while keeping their strength.
Items of furniture like these teahouse
chairs can be made by a skilled
craftsman in a matter of minutes.
The strength of bamboo is such

that, in the south of the country
where it is easily available, bamboo is
preferred over steel poles as
scaffolding, even for high-rises.
China’s urban boom is being built on
the back of this giant grass.
418 THE SOUTHWEST
Karst
Huge areas of China’s southwest comprise visually spectacular
landscapes featuring karst – weathered limestone formations.
In China, limestone has been created from fossilized prehistoric
sea-floor sediments, brought to the surface by geological
upheavals. The exposed alkaline limestone is then eroded by
the natural acidity of rainwater. Above ground, this creates any-
thing from closely packed “stone forests,” poking a few meters
skyward, to the huge conical hills covering half of Guizhou, Stone forests, such as Shi Lin
and the tall, elegant pinnacles around Guilin. Underground, outside Kunming (see pp384–5),
percolating water and subterranean rivers carve out long, are karst formations created by
the retreating waters of ancient
interlinked caverns, hung with oddly shaped rock formations. seas, and wind and rain erosion.
Karst Formation
Southwest China’s thick and
fractured pure limestone has
led to a dramatically eroded
landscape. The warm, wet
climate speeds up the
weathering of limestone
by acid rainwater and
chemicals in rotting plants.
Sinkholes, or tiankeng (heavenly pits), are formed by repeated

cave-ins of thinning layers of limestone. The holes can be
disturbingly massive. This one at Xiaozhai, Chongqing, is
almost as wide as it is deep –2,200 ft (666 m).
1 Surface streams lose water to
cave systems developing in the
limestone. Surface drainage is The limestone
of southern China’s
diverted down sink holes to crust is exceptionally
below the water table. thick and extensive,
enabling the creation
of spectacular karst.
Karst
Landscape
This cut-away artwork
2 Peaks develop from the land
shows an idealized
left after erosion by the streams.
The cave system gets larger as karst landscape, with all
fast-moving subsurface streams the features shown together. Karst
bore through the limestone, and topographies usually have a thick
the water table drops. layer of cave-riddled limestone, and then,
depending on the area’s geology and the age of
the formation, a few of the features shown here.
The Li River
(see pp422–3)
cuts through an
3 Much of the limestone has impressive variety
eroded past the caves down to of karst hills. Cruises
a layer of shale. Limestone peaks start in Guilin with
remain, many fractured with fenglin, which
small, waterless caves. gradually give way
to dense fengcong.
Fenglin karst, which translates

as peak-forest karst, is
characterized by peaks that rise
near vertically, like trees, 100 to
250 ft (30 to 80 m) above the
surrounding flat floodplains.
These dramatic tower-like karsts
are found in and around the city
of Guilin (see pp420–21).
A losing stream
runs along the surface Caves that open out into large halls
and then disappears filled with stunning limestone
underground, joining formations are found throughout
the subterranean karst areas. Minerals deposited by
drainage system. losing streams and water drainage
create the strange shapes.
Sinkhole caving in
to join cave system
Fengcong karst, or peak-cluster karst,

differ from the straight-sided fenglin.
Their peaks are more cone-shaped
and one hill meets the next across a
depression or doline. Superb fengcong
landscape can be seen near the small
town of Xingping (see p423).
420 THE SOUTHWEST
q Guilin of the elephant’s back. Along

the path to the summit stands
an old, crumbling pagoda.
Guilin is renowned for its karst peaks, most under 650 ft
(198 m) high. Dotted throughout the city, they are particularly
concentrated along the Li River (see pp422–3) to the south of Y Qixing Gongyuan
town. Guilin dates back to the Qin era, and by the 6th century Qixing Lu. @ 58. Open 7am–8pm
daily. &
AD, its hills were already inspiring poets. Under the Ming, it
The pleasant Qixing Gongyuan
emerged as a provincial capital, a position it lost in 1914 to (Seven Stars Park) covers an area
Nanning. Guilin today is a tidy tourist city, with about ten of 1 sq mile (2 sq km) along the
parks enclosing some fine peaks and limestone caves. Guilin eastern shore of the Li River. It
means “Osmanthus Forest,” and has an avenue of these is named after the four peaks
sweet-scented trees along the riverside Binjiang Lu. on Putuo Hill, and three on
Crescent Hill. Seen together,
the peaks form the shape
of the Great Bear or Big Dipper
constellation, which governs
fate in Chinese mythology.
Covered in thick scrub, they
provide shelter to about 100
half-wild monkeys. There are
several trails and pathways
ascending to viewing pavilions.
Guilin’s crags are renowned for
their carvings and caves.
Crescent Hill is known for the
200-odd poems and commen-
taries carved into its overhangs,
some of which are believed to
date back to the Tang dynasty.
Elephant Trunk Hill, which resembles an elephant drinking water from the Li River Putuo Hill, which houses the
22-story high Putuo Si, is
Y Rong Hu and Shan Hu } Xiangbi Shan hollowed out by Qixing Yan
Rong Hu Bei Lu & Shan Hu Bei Lu. Off Minzhu Lu. @ 2, 58. Tel (0773) 223 (Seven Stars Cave),
Pagodas: Open 8am–9pm daily. & 5151. Open 7am–6:30pm daily. & a broad cavern with a small
The conjoined Rong and The most famous of the city’s subterranean waterfall and
Shan Lakes lie on either side rock formations, the 328-ft surprisingly few rock formations.
of Zhongshan Lu, which runs (100-m) high Xiangbi Shan The 246-ft (75-m) Luotuo Shan
through the heart of town. (Elephant Trunk Hill), with a (Camel Hill), standing on its
Originally a part of the Ming hole through one end, own to the north of the park,
city’s moats, the lakeshores resembles the stylized resembles a seated single-
have been paved and form of an elephant humped camel. From its summit,
pleasantly planted with taking a drink from there are views away to the
shady banyan and willow the adjacent Li River. south of Chuan Shan and Ta
trees. On the shore of According to legend, Shan (Pagoda Hill), topped with
the westerly Rong Hu a baggage elephant in a Ming-dynasty pagoda.
stands an 800-year-old an imperial convoy
banyan tree, that gives was abandoned by
the lake its name. On the riverside by an
the lake’s northern uncaring emperor
shore lies Gu Nan after it became sick.
Men, Guilin’s old Nursed back to
South Gate, the health by an
only remnant of elderly couple, the
the Ming city walls. elephant refused to
Several classical- One of the two Riyue rejoin the returning
style arched bridges Shuang Ta convoy and was
join the two banks. Shan Hu, killed by the emperor and
on the eastern side of turned into a hill, the one that
Zhongshan Lu, is overlooked stands here to this day. The
by the twin 130-ft (40-m) small stupa at the summit is
pagodas, Riyue Shuang Ta, said to be the hilt of the The pleasant Qixing Gongyuan (Seven
built in an antique style. emperor’s sword sticking out Stars Park)
GUILIN 421
235 miles (378 km) NE of
Nanning. * 800,000. n 11
Binjiang Lu, (0773) 288 6393.
Transportation
k Liangjiang International
Airport. £ Guilin Train Station.
@ Guilin bus station, CAAC
(buses to airport), Minibus station
(to Yangshuo).
to calm the rough waters below,

Colorfully illuminated formations inside Ludi Yan (Reed Flute Cave) hence its name, “Wave-Subduing
Hill.” Grottoes around the peak
P Jingjiang Prince’s Palace an imperial residence, while the are filled with Song-dynasty
and Duxiu Feng absence of the usual dragons carvings and at the foot of the
1 Wengchang, off Xihua Li. Tel (0773) indicates that the palace was hill, a dramatic stalactite named
282 9186. Open 8am–6pm daily. & for a prince, not an emperor. the “Sword-Testing Stone” hangs
Complete with its own Within the palace grounds inches above the floor.
encircling wall and four gates, lies Duxiu Feng (Solitary Beauty
this palace resembles a Peak), whose 707-ft (216-m) T Ludi Yan
miniature Forbidden City. It was spike protects the palace from 3 miles (5 km) NW of city center.
originally built for the Ming the unlucky northern direction. @ 3, 58. Open 8am–5:30pm
prince Zhu Shouqian in 1372, At its foot is a tag carved by daily. & 8
pre-dating Beijing’s palace by the Song-dynasty governor Used as a hideout by Guilin’s
34 years. Having housed 14 Wang Zhenggong, extolling residents during the Japanese
successive Ming princes, it later Guilin’s charms. Steps lead to the invasion in the 1940s, Ludi Yan
served as Sun Yat-sen’s summit, offering splendid views. (Reed Flute Cave) contains 33-ft-
headquarters in the 1920s. (10-m-) high tunnels winding
Today, it houses the Guangxi } Fubo Shan for 546 yards (500 m) through
Teacher Training College. A Binjiang Lu. Open 7am–7pm daily. & Guangming Hill. Inside, its
sloping marble slab, carved with A tall, yellow-gray rock rising from numerous rock formations are
clouds at the entrance, indicates the river, Fubo Shan is believed illuminated with neon lights.
Guilin City Center

IL U
1 Rong Hu
BE
2 Shan Hu
NG
3 Xiangbi Shan
HUANCHE
Fubo
4 Qixing Gongyuan City Shan
Walls
5 Jingjiang Prince’s Palace
U
AN BEI L
Xi Shan
and Duxiu Feng Gongyuan
LU
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6 Fubo Shan
NGSH
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Palace &
Li R
Duxiu Feng
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LU G LU
Ludi Yan J I E FA
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RO YIRE Z IY
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GUILIN L U
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HU LU
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NJ
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SHA
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Shan Hu
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Qixing
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AN
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B I NJ I
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0 km NA
1 LU N HUAN LU
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Guilin
A
LU
N N
AN
0 miles 1 Bus Station

CHUANSH
U
Xiangbi Shan
HA
ZH
GS
SI’E R LU
MIN
ON
ZH
Guilin Train
Station
Minibuses to
Yangshuo
CAAC
Liangjiang Airport
Key to Symbols see back flap 28 km (17 miles) SHANGHAI LU
YANGSHUO
WUZHOU Li River Ferry Docks
422 THE SOUTHWEST
Li River Cruise
The cruise along the Li River (Li Jiang) from Guilin south to
Yangshuo passes through landscape that seems lifted straight
out of a Chinese scroll painting. The shallow river weaves
between sheer-sided, 980-ft (300-m) karst peaks, all
weathered into intriguing shapes and interspersed with the
villages and bamboo groves so typical of southern China’s
rural areas. People here still travel the river on low bamboo
rafts, often using trained cormorants to catch fish (see p424).
Cruises take about 6 hours and usually include a buffet lunch.
Foreign visitors sail in boats with English-speaking guides,
although this costs more.
Bamboo rafts, for navigating the river
during winter’s low waters
Zhu Jiang
Dock
GUILIN
. Elephant Trunk Hill

Located on the riverside in
downtown Guilin, Elephant Trunk
Hill (Xiangbi Shan) is an endearing
symbol of the city (see p420). It
resembles an elephant who has
0 km 3
placed its trunk in the Li River
waters for a drink. 0 miles 3
KEY
1 The pier at Zhu Jiang is where

many tours begin.
2 In winter, tours may start at Yangdi,
if water levels are too low upstream.
3 Fish Tail Peak
4 Nine Horse Fresco Hill is a cliff
face stained brown by minerals,
creating a mural resembling
galloping horses.
5 Yellow Cloth Shoal, a shallow
patch of yellow river stones, is easily
seen even during high water. Daxu
6 Snail Hill Downstream from Guilin, Daxu is a Song-era market town,
whose cobbled main street still retains many timber-and
7 Five Fingers Hill stone-houses over a century old, as well as an attractive
Qing bridge just outside town.
GUILIN 423
Guilin to Yangshuo 52 miles
(85 km), 6 hrs. n 11 Binjiang Lu,
Guilin, (0773) 288 6393 (CITS for
booking). &
Transportation
@ to starting point and from
Yangshuo provided.
Pointed fengcong karst formations near Yangdi
. Penholder Peak
Just past Yangdi and
facing Writing-Brush
Mountain, this sharp,
vertical outcrop does
indeed resemble a
traditional Chinese
penholder. This
section of hills is the
beginning of the
most spectacular
mountain ranges.
Caoping
. Scenery at Xingping
Xingping, an old, wooden town
and ferry port, marks the start of a
spectacular 12-mile (20-km) stretch
of scenery. Pick of the peaks are Five
Yangdi Fingers Hill and swirly patterned
Xingping
Snail Hill.
Key
Minor road
Built-up area
YANGSHUO
Dragon Head Hill

Visitors to Yangshuo are greeted by this imposing peak, said to
resemble the head of a dragon with its gaping jaws wide open.
424 THE SOUTHWEST
w Yangshuo
A small town at the end of the Li River Cruise (see pp422–3),

Yangshuo is surrounded by some spectacular karst hills
interspersed with green paddy fields. It was nothing more
than a rural marketplace until the late 1980s, when it became
popular with visitors taking the cruise from Guilin. Though
not as tranquil as it used to be, Yangshuo remains a good
base to explore the surrounding peaks and river, as well as a
few caves and outlying villages. Hiring a bicycle is one of the
easiest ways to explore the area. Local specialties include
The forested Bilian Feng (Green Lotus
grapefruit-like pomelos and “beer fish” – served at most
Peak), overlooking the river
restaurants in town. Yangshuo has become one of Asia’s
favorite rock-climbing centers, with more than 200 short } Bilian Feng and Yangshuo
routes mapped out. Gongyuan
Open daily.
Situated close to the center
of town are two 328-ft (100-m)
high peaks which can be
climbed. To the southeast of
town, overlooking the river,
is the towering Bilian Feng
(Green Lotus Peak), with a
steep track to the summit.
The second peak, Xilang
Shan, is situated in Yangshuo
Gongyuan to the west of
town. It has an easier set of
steps that lead to a viewing
pavilion. The park is also a
Ferries moored along the Li River, with karst hills rising in the distance pleasant place to stroll and
watch sessions of early-
P Xi Jie merchants from Jiangxi. The morning tai ji quan.
A 275-yd (250-m) long cobbled docks area at the river end,
street running between the where ferries pull in from Guilin,
highway and the Li River, Xi Jie is covered in ornamental paving T Jianshan Si and
(West Street) is lined with and offers good views of the Underground Caves
restored rural architecture angular peaks upstream. In 3 miles (5 km) S of Yangshuo.
dating from the Qing dynasty. the area north of the highway @ or cycle. Open 8:30am–5pm
Today, it is lined with restaurants, are some lovely back alleys, daily. &
cafés, guesthouses, and and a lively produce market The only temple in the area
souvenir shops that attract where locals shop. around Yangshuo, Jianshan Si is
crowds of visitors. Restaurants
serve Western cuisine such as Cormorant Fishing
wood-fired pizzas and steak, as
well as local specialties including The Chinese have used tame cormorants to fish for thousands of
a variety of fresh fish dishes. years, and this unusual technique is still practiced in southern areas.
Shops sell a range of inexpensive Fishermen set off on bamboo rafts after dark, with cormorants
Chinese souvenirs, from Mao wearing collars to prevent them from swallowing their catches.
The birds swim just below the
memorabilia and wooden
surface alongside the raft
theater masks to antique
towards a light hanging from
wooden panels, batiks, silk the bow. When a bird has
T-shirts, scroll paintings, and made a catch, the fisherman
modern and traditional clothes. pulls it from the water and
A few shops also sell factory- retrieves the fish from the
reject designer wear at bargain bird’s beak. Hour-long viewing
prices. The C.Source Residence, a trips can be organized during
hotel located about halfway the summer months through
down the street, was built in the Cormorant fishing at night using lanterns most hotels.
19th century as an inn for
built in a simple, late Qing- the main road south of VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
dynasty style, with wing-like town. Close by, Longtan
horsehead gables protecting its Village has several unrestored Practical Information
doorway. Located nearby, the old buildings, with white- 44 miles (70 km) S of Guilin.
Black Buddha, Assembled washed brick walls, wooden * 60,000. n 8th Fl, 362
Dragons, and New Water Caves doors, and tiled roofs Zhongshan Zhong Lu, Da
are a series of underground supporting intricate “flying Shijie. For rock climbing: visit
Insight Adventures, 53 Xianqian
caverns discovered in the eaves” drawn out into points.
Jie, (0773) 881 1033.
1990s. Lit up with colored
lights, these cool, damp caves Transportation
are far smaller than the P Fuli Village @ from Guilin. 8 tours and
other well-known caves 5 miles (8 km) E of Yangshuo. boat trips available.
in the region, and the @ or cycle.
temple and caves are 4(
becoming popular The pretty village of for livestock, seasonal fruit,
with tourists. Fuli is a quiet rural plastic buckets, wooden pipes,
center except when it all kinds of vegetables, and
Pomelos on sale hosts a busy produce bamboo fans – a famous local
} Yueliang Shan at a market market on dates ending product. To the north is
4 miles (7 km) S of Yangshuo. in 1, 4, or 7. One of the Donglang Shan, a narrow hill
@ or cycle. Open 7am–6:30pm best in the region, it is visited by often paired with Yangshuo’s
daily. & throngs of villagers who bargain Xilang Shan in local legends.
The distinctive crescent-
shaped arch that pierces
Yueliang Shan (Moon Hill) has
made it the most famous of
Yangshuo’s peaks. Stone steps,
steep in places, lead to the
base of the arch, a half-hour
climb through bamboo thickets
and bushes. The view of the
Li River valley from the far side
of the arch is magnificent,
with fields laid out below,
encircling the jagged karst
pinnacles. The best time to
visit is during the summer
rains, when the fields are
bright green. If traveling by
bicycle, visitors should take The pretty countryside surrounding Assembled Dragons Cave, Yangshuo
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426 THE SOUTHWEST
region central to the indigo-

clad Dong community, which has
a population of around 2.8
million. Typical Dong architecture,
consisting of wooden houses,
towers, and bridges, can be
found in several villages up in
the hills to the north. The
hospitable Dong usually offer
visitors their favorite you cha or
oil tea, a bitter soup made with
rice and fried tea leaves.
On the south bank of the river
is an 11-story Drum Tower, the
largest in the region. It was built
in 2003, using entirely
A view of the complex terracing on Longji Titian, Longsheng traditional techniques. The
structure is supported by four
e Longsheng depend on hunting rather than 154-ft (47-m) pillars, each
farming. They are also especially carved from separate tree
skilled in embroidery, weaving, trunks. The third story of the
56 miles (90 km) NW of Guilin. and dyeing. The Zhuang village tower houses a large drum.
* 170,000. @ minibuses from
of Ping’an sits near the top of a The small Fulu Buddhist
Longsheng to Ping’an.
ridge in the heart of Longji Nunnery, situated on the hill
Titian. It offers basic accom- behind, is a little unusual, since
The high ridges of the Rongshui modations in traditional the Dong community is mainly
River valley surround the wooden buildings, as well as animist. The nunnery’s
township of Longsheng, which walking trails leading to other three halls contain a
serves as a good base for settlements in the area. mix of statuary
exploring the adjoining representing
countryside dotted with r Sanjiang both religions.
Zhuang and Yao villages. To the Situated to the
southwest is a steep range of north of the river,
3,280-ft (1,000-m) high hills, 90 miles (145 km) NW of the County Mu-
known as Longji Titian (Dragon Guilin. * 360,000. £ @ seum stands next to
Backbone Terraces), whose n Wind & Rain Bridge Travel the Government
lower and middle reaches have Service, (0772) 861 8448. Guesthouse. The
been covered in rice terracing Bamboo shoots for sale, museum exhibits
by the Zhuang people (see Situated on the Sanjiang several scale models
p430). The Zhuang, who form Rongshui River, of traditional Dong
the majority of Longsheng’s Sanjiang was the base of architecture, photographs, and
population, live in traditional resistance against the Japanese maps displaying Sanjiang’s
wooden houses. On the hilltops during World War II, when strategic wartime role. Also
lie a few villages inhabited by Danzhou, the former regional displayed here are a number of
the Yao, an ethnic community capital located 22 miles (35 km) colorful costumes worn by the
that consists of numerous sub- south, was captured. Today, Dong, Zhuang, and Yao
groups, some of whom still Sanjiang is the main town of a communities for festivals.
The intricately crafted fengyu qiao, wind-and-rain bridge, Chengyang

Dong Architecture
The Dong, who dwell in forested hill country where stone is of poor
quality, make efficient use of timber. Nails are avoided, and even the
largest structures are skillfully pegged together. As incomes rise in the
region, there’s been a resurgence of traditional building with villages
competing with one another to sponsor the construction of
bridges and towers. Drum towers are usually square-based,
with multiple octagonal eaves. Originally they served as
watchtowers and rallying places for the village, many with
adjoining theater stages for use during festivals. Elaborate,
covered wind-and-rain bridges are also places for villagers
to meet, and are believed to ward off inauspicious energy.
Traditional drum tower in one of Chengyang’s
pretty rural hamlets
Environs: The most accessible t Zhaoxing although they have been rebuilt
Dong villages lie 11 miles since, they are charmingly well-
(18 km) north of Sanjiang at worn and impressively intricate.
Chengyang, a group of hamlets 75 miles (120 km) NW of Sanjiang. The bridges and theaters are
on the far side of the Linxi @ from Sanjiang. embellished with mirror frag-
He, accessible by bus or taxi ments and detailed moldings.
from Sanjiang. Connecting One of the most attractive The Dong community here
Chengyang to the main road Dong villages, sprinkled with still makes and wears traditional
are over 100 bridges. One of the fish ponds and bisected by dark-blue clothing, which is
most exquisite is a fengyu qiao, a a stream, Zhaoxing sits in a hand-beaten with wooden
wind-and-rain bridge, dating wide, flat valley and is famed mallets until soft, and then
from 1916. The 256-ft (78-m) throughout China for its varnished with egg white to
long bridge, built from pegged impressive collection of ward off mosquitoes.
cedar – no nails are said to have traditional architecture (although Numerous muddy tracks lead
been used – took 12 years to there are a few modern through the surrounding rice
complete. The roof is especially buildings found on its outskirts). terraces. One trail leads 4 miles
elaborate, with five raised The town is divided into five (7 km) uphill to the small village
pavilions, each built in a sections, each inhabited by a of Tang’an, packed with
different regional style. These different clan, and each wooden buildings. Jitang,
beautifully built bridges not possessing its own drum tower, 2 miles (3 km) southwest of
only served a practical function, theater, and wind-and-rain Zhaoxing, is also worth the
but acted as shrines to river bridge. The original structures steep climb. It has some old
spirits as well. Most of the altars were destroyed during the drum towers that survived the
have now been moved to the Cultural Revolution, and vandalism of the early 1970s.
riverbank, as the incense is
considered a fire hazard.
Basic accommodations are
available for visitors interested
in exploring the ethnic villages
and surrounding countryside.
Each hamlet in Chengyang
houses a small drum tower,
while the surrounding fields
are irrigated by bamboo pipes
fed by huge, spindly water-
wheels, also made from
plaited bamboo.
The highland market town of
Dudong lies 2 hours by bus
north of Sanjiang, on a separate
road past numerous Dong
villages. Situated near the
Hunanese border, it provides
basic accommodations for
visitors. A cobbled walking track
leads uphill to Gaoding, a cluster
of six drum towers and 100-or-so
dark-roofed wooden houses. A cluster of Dong wooden houses, Zhaoxing
428 THE SOUTHWEST
y Huangyao
68 miles (110 km) SE of Yangshuo.

* 3,000. @ from Yangshuo or Guilin.
This sizeable rural village

survives almost completely
intact from Qing times. Its
atmospheric cobbled streets,
stone bridges, and old houses
are laid out along a small river
beneath a ring of limestone
peaks. Many houses have heavy
wooden doors and elaborate
“fire-baffle” end walls – to direct
heat and flames in a certain
direction – drawn up into a Xi Shan’s tea plantation surrounded by mist-covered forest, Guiping
decorative oval shape, while the
village gates are guarded by u Guiping leaves of tea are processed and
short brick watchtowers with rolled into what look like
gun slits at the front, left over miniature black cheroots. They
from days of banditry. The most 205 miles (330 km) S of Guilin. @ are steeped one at a time to
impressive building is an produce a faintly bitter, yet
ancestral hall built in the Located at the confluence of refreshing brew.
southern Chinese style, with the Yu and Xi Rivers, Guiping is Xi Shan itself can be easily
atriums separated by carved an unremarkable modern city ascended from town.
wooden screens. surrounded by lush The 2-hour hike, past
Huangyao’s rural Chinese mountain scenery. tea plantations and
setting and beautiful scenery Its importance as a through bamboo
draws artists and photographers, regional center has groves, passes a
and has been used as a location declined, due to the number of Tang-era
in such films as The Painted Veil cessation of river Buddhist temples.
(2006). Huangyao is neither as traffic during the Longhua Si, deep in
developed for tourism as many 1990s. Its main the forest on the upper
other old villages in China, nor industry is now slopes of the mountain,
does it attract the same volume sugar cane. was built during the
of tourists. By late afternoon, Guiping is Song dynasty and
the streets are generally empty renowned for its Lion statute from heavily renovated
except for a few chickens and high-quality green Longhua Si, Guiping during the 1980s. It
dogs. At night the back lanes tea, Xishan cha, which grows on contains numerous Buddhist
are hung with attractive Xi Shan (West Mountain), on statues. The temples sell tea,
red lanterns. the outskirts of town. The long which is said to be superior to
The Taiping Rebellion

After being defeated in the 1840–42 Opium Wars,
China was forced to pay a huge indemnity to Britain.
Taxation was increased, causing great hardship in poor
rural areas such as southern Guangxi. People’s discontent
with the weak Qing rule was fueled by Hong Xiuquan,
who formed a 10,000-strong militia, known as the Taiping
Tianguo (Kingdom of Heavenly Peace), at Jintian village in
January 1851. Marching north, the Taiping captured
Nanjing, making it their capital in March 1853. Influenced
by Hong’s personal interpretation of Christianity, the
Taiping initially planned the overthrow of the Qing
dynasty along with traditional religions, aiming to
establish an egalitarian society. However, poor military
planning and Hong’s paranoia saw the movement falter.
In July 1864, imperial forces wrested back Nanjing after
a siege in which Hong died. It is thought that 20 million
A depiction of imperial forces recapturing Nanjing people were killed during the 13-year-long Taiping
from the Taiping rebels in 1864 Uprising, one of the world’s bloodiest civil conflicts.
that sold in Guiping shops. The

summit offers splendid views Dongson Drum
of the river plains.
Named for an archeological site
in Vietnam, the oldest Dongson drums
Environs: A 40-minute journey
are over 2,200 years old. They appear
by bus from Guiping, the hamlet
to have originated in Thailand or
of Jintian lies 16 miles (25 km) Vietnam, from where their use spread
north of town. From across Southeast Asia. The typically
the bus stop, it’s a 3-mile narrow-waisted drums are made from
(5-km) walk across rural fields bronze and reach up to 3 ft (1 m) in height,
to the location of the first in styles that vary greatly from region to
headquarters of Hong Xiuquan’s region. In Guangxi, timpani are marked with
Bronze drum
Taiping Army. A low-key museum a 12-pointed star and are often decorated
with frog figurines, while their middles are from Nanning
houses weapons, paintings, and
maps recording the main events finely chased in stylized designs of warriors in
of the Taiping Uprising. boats wearing feathered headdresses. Originally used as storage
vessels, later, as Ming historians observed, they came to symbolize
chiefly authority amongst the Zhuang. They were played during
agricultural ceremonies, and still feature as percussion instruments in
some festivals amongst Guizhou’s Miao community.
Nanning is somewhat removed located in the southwestern

from the rest of the province. corner of the province, such as
Founded in the Song dynasty, the Detian Falls and the Zuo
Nanning became the provincial Jiang (see pp430–31). Nanning
capital in 1914, until it was itself has only a handful of
occupied by the Japanese forces monuments and sights, but is a
during World War II. Reinstated nice enough place with a laid-
as the capital in 1949, Nanning back atmosphere and many
later served as an important bustling markets. It is also the
center for supplies going to main city of the Zhuang minority
Waterfall pouring down a Xi Shan rock North Vietnam during the (see p430), who make up over 60
face, Guiping Vietnam War in the 1960s. In percent of the population.
1979, relations with Vietnam The busy shopping district of
i Nanning soured, and China went to war Xingning Lu, with its
with its southern neighbor; well-restored European-style
Nanning once more became buildings, is a reminder that
235 miles (380 km) SE of Guilin. a military stronghold. Today, the Nanning was opened to foreign
* 2,480,000. k £ @ city is expanding rapidly, partly trade in 1907. The Provincial
n 38 Chaoyang Lu, (0771) 579 8400. as a consequence of cross- Museum on Minzu Dadao has a
border traffic, which resumed display of over 50 antique bronze
Nestled in the southern half of in the 1990s. “Dongson” drums in many
the province, only 120 miles Nanning makes a useful different styles, some of which
(200 km) from the Vietnamese transit point for those heading are about 2,000 years old.
border, the Guangxi capital of to Vietnam or towards sights On Renmin Dong Lu, Renmin
Park is planted with a variety of
tropical plants such as giant taro,
heliconias, bird-nest ferns, and
philodendrons. To the east of the
city on Chahua Yuan Lu, Jinhua
Cha Gardens exhibits the rare
Golden Camellia, only found in
the mountains of Guangxi and
quite possibly now extinct in the
wild. Unusual for a camellia, its
petals are large and rather tough.
E Provincial Museum
34 Minzu Dadao. Tel (0771) 281 0907.
Y Renmin Park
1 Renmin Dong Lu. Open 6am–
Vegetable vendors with their baskets at an outdoor market, Nanning 7pm daily.
430 THE SOUTHWEST
identifiable by his elaborate

headdress, appears at the center
of all this activity.
Panlong, a tiny hamlet on the
river between Ningming and
Hua Shan, has gorgeous views
of the rural peaked landscape.
Lodging is available here in a
handful of pretty wooden
buildings. Paths lead from
Panlong through the Longrui
Nature Preserve, meant to
protect the very rare white-
headed leaf monkey. A sighting
of these black-and-white
primates amongst the dense
forest and undergrowth is
Ancient rock art on the cliff of Hua Shan along the Zuo Jiang unlikely, but its rugged paths
are well worth exploring.
o Zuo Jiang in Vietnam and southern China.
It is believed that the artists
were the Luo Yue, ancestors of
110 miles (180 km) SW of Nanning.
£ to Ningming. @ to Ningming.
the indigenous Zhuang.
g sampan to Hua Shan from The first paintings are about
Ningming. Hua Shan and Longrui 12 miles (20 km) upstream from
Nature Reserve: & Ningming, but the largest
concentration is situated at Hua
A river tour up the peaceful Zuo Shan (Flower Mountain), about
Jiang in a sampan hired from 2 hours along the river. A steep
Ningming, a small settlement cliff rising 33 ft (10 m) above the
on the railroad between water is covered in as many as
Nanning and Pingxiang, takes 1,200 stick figures, mostly male,
visitors past prehistoric rock art engaged in what appears to be
and towering karst scenery. a ritual dance. A frequently Gateway on the Vietnamese border,
Produced almost 2,000 years recurring symbol is a small circle, Pingxiang
ago between the Warring States thought to represent a bronze
and the late Han periods, the drum, around which several p Pingxiang
paintings of over 2,600 human figures seem to dance with their
figures are scattered across 70 arms raised as if to invoke the
locations along the river. Painted gods. A few carry swords or ride 120 miles (195 km) SW of Nanning.
in red-brown ochre, they mainly on the back of beasts. Only two £@
depict mass shamanistic of them are clearly women,
ceremonies. The designs show depicted with long, flowing hair. Surrounded by vast fields of
marked similarities to those on Other figures include dogs, a sugar cane and the jagged hills
bronze Dongson drums horse, farmers, and rowers in a so typical of this region,
(see p429) that have been found dragon-boat race. A shaman, Pingxiang is a busy market town
The Zhuang Community

With a population of around 17 million, the Zhuang form China’s
largest ethnic minority. Most live in the Guangxi Zhuang Autono-
mous Region, although there are also communities in adjoining
provinces and Vietnam. They speak their own language, which uses
the Roman alphabet instead of Chinese characters. Visitors will see
bilingual road signs all across the region, particularly in Guilin and
Nanning. Apart from their language, it is hard to distinguish urban
Zhuang from the Han Chinese, although in the country the men
often dress in turbans and black pyjamas, while the women wear
blue embroidered jackets. The Zhuang are mainly animistic, which
explains the lack of Buddhist and Daoist temples in Guangxi. One of
their most famous festivals is Buffalo Soul Day, held in honor of the
Buffalo King’s birthday on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month
A group of Zhuang women in (Apr/May). On this day, all buffalos are washed and groomed, fed a
traditional clothes special rice dish, and given the day off work.
The magnificent Detian Falls surrounded by spectacular karst hills
and the railhead for the crossing not possess the sheer force of plaster work, at least one
into Vietnam. Visitors require a Niagara, but is more gently former church, and several
valid visa to enter Vietnam at beautiful, falling in stages, and colonnaded shopfronts.
the border crossing, Youyi Guan surrounded by an emerald karst About 3 miles (5 km)
(Friendship Pass), another landscape of jagged hills and south of the center along
9 miles (15 km) away. The plowed fields. It is possible to Sichuan Lu is the Beihai
current border was demarcated swim in the broad pool beneath International Passenger Port,
as early as the Ming era, and a the falls, and to take a bamboo which also serves as a working
good stretch of the original 33-ft raft into the spray near its base. fishing port.
(10-m) stone wall still stands, Remember that a border runs Beihai’s other attraction,
along with a restored watch- through the center of the river – Yin Tan (Silver Beach), lies
tower and gateway under do not stray too far across. A 6 miles (10 km) south of town,
which visitors pass. The tower’s road running along the top of but it does not compare with
second floor houses a diorama the falls leads to a stone tablet the lovely beaches of Hainan.
of the area and offers views into from the 1950s that marks out Located about 20 miles
Vietnam. An early 20th-century the border. (32 km) offshore from Beihai,
European-style building on the volcanic Weizhou Island
Chinese side was built by the offers attractive beaches amid
French when they controlled
s Beihai groves of banana trees. It also
this region, known then as Indo- has a Gothic church built by
China. For those crossing into 135 miles (215 km) S of Nanning. ~ French churchmen in 1882.
Vietnam, the rail line for Hanoi £ @ g to Hainan Island.
resumes 3 miles (5 km) away on
the far side at Dong Dang. A tropical port city of about
400,000 people, Beihai is one
of the departure points for
a Detian Falls ferries to Hainan Island (see
pp310–11). Many of the city’s
125 miles (200 km) W of Nanning. @ residents are ethnic Chinese
via Daxin to Shuolong, then minibus from Vietnam, whose expulsion
from Shuolong to falls, 10 miles (16 from that country in the late
km). & 1970s sparked a brief attempt
by China to invade its neighbor.
A spectacular set of broad Established over 2,000 years
cataracts dividing China from ago, the city prospered during
Vietnam, Detian is the second the Han era, when it was a busy
largest transnational waterfall in port. The old Colonial Quarter,
the world, after Niagara Falls on on the northern seafront along
the US-Canada border. The two Zhuhai Lu, is a mile-long (1½-
attractions, however, have little km)stretch of narrow lanes Facade of an old colonial church on
else in common. Detian does and disintegrating 1920s Weizhou Island
THE
NORTHEAST
Introducing the Northeast 434–441

Liaoning, Jilin
& Heilongjiang 442–461
434 THE NORTHEAST Amur (Heilong Jiang)
Mohe
(Xilinji)
The Northeast at a Glance Fengshui Shan Tahe

1398m
Lying in the peripheral corner of China, the northeast (Dongbei) Bishui
abounds in raw beauty and mineral wealth, and was inhabited
for centuries by indomitable tribes including the Khitan, Linhai
Sh
a n
Mongols, and Jurchen (Manchu), the latter ruling China for over uli
Yileh
250 years. Today, the region’s three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin,
and Heilongjiang form China’s industrial heartland, although the
many lakes, mountains, and rugged borderlands offer scenic
getaways. In Liaoning, Shenyang’s palaces are testament to its
great Manchu past, while Dalian is a fast-moving city with
architectural marvels. The city of Jilin, once the capital of
Manchukuo (1933–45), the puppet state installed by the
Japanese, has stunning winter landscapes. Changchun, the Nenjiang
capital of Jilin province, has a thriving automobile industry,
while Heilongjiang is famed for its Harbin Ice Festival. WU DA
LIAN CHI
Keshan
Gannan Fuyu
Qiqihar
Mingshui
ZHALONG NATURE
RESERVE Taikang
Nen Daqing
Tailai Jiang Anda
Zhenlai Zhaodong
Da’an
Zhaoyuan
Taonan
Qianguo
Tongyu Fuyu
Dehui
The ornate paifang or gateway to the rugged scenery of Bingyu Valley Nong’an
(Bingyu Gou), Liaoning Changling
CHANGCHUN
Gongzhuling
Yitong
Siping
Sights at a Glance Liaoyuan
1 Shenyang
2 Jinzhou Panshi
Chifeng Kaiyuan
Zhangwu
3 Dandong Meihekou
He
4 Bingyu Valley Liao
Beipiao Fuxin SHENYANG
5 Dalian Chaoyang
Beining Fushun Tonghua
6 Changchun
7 Jilin Lingyuan LIAONING Liaoyang
8 Changbai Shan pp454–5 JINZHOU
Benxi Ji’an
9 Harbin Jianchang Anshan
Huludao
0 Mudanjiang Jingpo Hu
a lu
Haicheng Kuandian
Yingkou Y
q Zhalong Nature Reserve Suizhong
Liaodong Gaizhou Fengcheng
w Wu Da Lian Chi and the Wan
DANDONG
River Border Beijing
BINGYU VALLEY
Changxing Dao
Zhuanghe
Xizhong Dao Pulandian
Wan Changshan
i an
and Jinxian Qundao
Pul
DALIAN
Cattle being led through the snow, northeast China

INTRODUCING THE NORTHEAST 435
Huma
Heihe
Xunke
Am
Sunwu ur
( He
ilon Offering incense at the Buddhist Jile Si, Harbin
He
gJ
ia
Zhan
ng
Jiayin
)
(Chaoyang)
Bei’an g)
an
g Ji
ilon
r (He
u
Yichun
Am
Luobei
Tongjiang Key
Hailun Hegang
a Jiang
Songhu Fujin Expressway
Huachuan Raohe Main road
Suihua Jiamusi Minor road
Shuangyashan
HEILONGJIANG Main railroad
n
Yilan Baoqing a
Bayan Huanan Sh Other railroad
Tonghe
Hulan n d a Hulin International border
Boli Wa
HARBIN Qitaihe Provincial border
g
Acheng Mishan
Mudan Jian
Jixi Summit
Shangzhi
Linkou
ng
Muling
Wuchang
Li
Mudanjiang
e
Shulan
y
Dongjing o Suifenhe
La 0 km 150
JINGPO HU Dongning
Jiaohe 0 miles 150
JILIN
Dunhua Wangqing
JILIN Pan L
in g
Antu
Huadian
Yanji Hunchun
Getting There
Fusong Erdaobaihe
The major cities – Shenyang,
Baishan CHANGBAI SHAN Dalian, Changchun, Harbin, and
Jilin – are connected to Beijing
Linjiang by air and rail. There are express
buses from Beijing to Shenyang,
Dalian, and Changchun. Regular
trains and buses also ply within
the region. A few flights operate
between the major cities,
including Harbin and Dalian. In
winter, popular destinations such
as Jilin and Harbin are relatively
easy to reach, while remoter
areas such as Jingpo Hu and
Changbai Shan are more difficult
to access. Within cities, taxis are
The icy blue waters of the volcanic Tian Chi – Heaven’s Lake – in Changbai Shan the best option.
436 THE NORTHEAST
A PORTRAIT OF THE
NORTHEAST
Sandwiched between Russia, Korea, and Inner Mongolia, the three
northeastern provinces constitute China’s easternmost extent. Even though
the prevalent culture is Han Chinese, the northeast’s geography, history, and
extended external boundaries have shaped a distinct regional identity. The
region’s attractions range from the bustling sprawl of its big cities to the rugged
and sublime terrain beyond, and the cultural mix of its border towns.
It is hard to categorize the northeast from 1644 until 1912. Shenyang, Liaoning’s
(Dongbei) – it enjoys hot summers but present capital, became the Manchu
glacial winters, and although heavy capital in 1625, and the site of the Imperial
industry and socialist planning blight Palace. Here they perfected their Eight
some cityscapes, others sport elegant Banner system of color-coded hereditary
pockets of colonial architecture. While social and administrative divisions
parts of the region have been reveling in (see pp438–9). Taking advantage of the
China’s economic boom, others have overthrow of the Ming dynasty in 1644,
suffered from chronic unemployment. they moved their capital to the Forbidden
Encompassing the three provinces of City in Beijing. Even today, the region’s
Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, the Manchu population take great pride
northeast was a latecomer to the Chinese in their heritage and still adhere to the
empire and is sometimes considered as Eight Banners.
little more than an appendix to the rest of In more recent times, the northeast
the country. As part of former Manchuria, attracted the attentions of Russia and
however, it was the cradle of the Japan, both of which have helped shape
magnificent civilization that ruled China the region’s destiny. At the end of the
Stately Russian architecture in Daliqu district, Harbin

Unlike the sophisticated cuisine

of Hong Kong and Shanghai,
the local food – including jiaozi
(dumplings), dun (stews), and
tudou (potatoes) – is hearty and
filling. The temperament of the
people matches the vigorous
landscapes that range from
dense forest to volcanic regions
and the tough terrain along
the Russian and North Korean
borders. These areas offer plenty
Facade of the Puppet Emperor’s Palace, Changchun of outdoor options including
trekking and bird-watching,
19th century the Russians, interested in particularly in Zhalong Nature Reserve.
the ice-free port of Lushun (Dalian), tried The border town of Dandong has a
to annex parts of Manchuria and built part thriving tourist industry, catering mainly
of the Trans-Siberian Railway line, before to North Korean visitors.
being humiliated by Japan. The area Despite the unfortunate effects
suffered again during the Japanese of industrialization, there is much
occupation of the 1930s and 40s, worth seeing. The onion domes
when it was renamed Manchukuo and Byzantine ornamentation
and Pu Yi was installed as Puppet visible in Harbin’s buildings are
Emperor. The brutal occupation left distinctly Russian, a legacy of the
deep scars on the region’s psyche city’s cross-cultural links. Dalian, on
along with some pitiful sights, such Door handle, Confucius the Yellow Sea, is a dynamic and
as the Japanese Germ Warfare Temple progressive city that has enjoyed
Experimental Base near Harbin. the same economic success as
Japanese occupation came to an end Shanghai. Known as the “Hong Kong
after World War II, ushering in a period of of the North,” it adds an affluent touch
industrialization under Chairman Mao. His to the northeastern rustbelt.
camaraderie with Russia in the 1950s
resulted in the installation of a Stalinist
state-sector economy. The peaceful
relationship was shortlived and conflicts
soon flared along the border.
The northeast’s rich mineral wealth
has made it China’s industrial heartland.
However, under-investment and ruthless
downsizing with huge state-sector layoffs
have resulted in high unemployment.
Centuries of hardship have molded the
character of the Dongbeiren (north-
easterners). Resolute, unaffected,
forthright, and hospitable, they are
looked upon by their compatriots as a
hardy, stalwart people, prone to hard
drinking. Taller and stockier than their
southern cousins, they speak Mandarin A secluded bay by the blue waters of the volcanic
with a coarse, albeit intelligible accent. Jingpo Hu, Heilongjiang
438 THE NORTHEAST
The Manchu Dynasty

The final overlords of the Middle Kingdom, the Manchus
from the northeast took advantage of a China weakened by
peasant rebellion to invade and establish the Qing or “pure”
dynasty in 1644. This foreign Manchu court preserved much
of China’s governing apparatus and over time absorbed local
ways. Despite providing some of China’s most illustrious
emperors, including Kangxi (see p128) and Qianlong, the
Qing declined into an ineffectual torpor. Coupled with the
seizure of territories by foreign powers, the Qing failure to The queue, a long plaited
hairstyle that has come to
modernize led to the collapse of Manchu legitimacy and the
symbolize Chinese tradition
final downfall of the dynasty. was a Manchu import
imposed on Han Chinese men.
The Court at the Forbidden City

Like the Ming before them, the Manchu Qing
established their court in Beijing. The Manchus were
the last dynastic occupants of the Forbidden City.
Served by as many as 3,000 eunuchs, they were
immersed in a court life of arcane ceremony and ritual
until the dynasty was unseated by the founding of the
Republic of China in 1912.
Nurhachi (1559–1626), the first

Manchu emperor, organized the
scattered tribes of the north-
east into eight banner units
in the early 17th century.
He moved his capital
to Shenyang, but did
not live to see the
subjugation of
China. After his
death, his son
Abahai established
the Qing dynasty in
1636 and proceeded
to invade China.
The Manchu Imperial Palace in Shenyang

was begun during Nurhachi’s reign and
completed by Abahai. In 1644, when the
Manchus toppled the Ming, the Shenyang
complex became a “traveling palace,” used by
the emperor during tours of inspection.
Elaborate summer camping trips in Inner

Mongolia were undertaken by the early Qing
rulers, as a break from Confucian court life. They
hunted, practiced archery, and slept in yurts, in
order to preserve their Manchu vigor.
Qianlong (r. 1735–96), the fourth Qing

emperor, was a generous patron of the arts. His
lengthy reign was also marked by territorial
expansion, including the absorption of
Xinjiang, and was largely a period of
Chinese prosperity.
Yuanming Yuan, the Garden of

Perfect Brightness (see p109), was
designed by Jesuits for the Qianlong
emperor. Much of its grandiose
architecture was destroyed by
French and English troops in 1860.
Jesuit missionary Adam

Schall von Bell (1591–1666)
impressed the Manchu
court with his knowledge
of astronomy. The Jesuits
realized that having
influence in China
required mastering
the Confucian Classics
and Mandarin.
In 1793, Lord Macartney arrived with elaborate

gifts from King George III, seeking to establish trade
between Britain and China. Macartney was
rebuffed by the Qianlong emperor, who refused
Britain a single concession.
The Boxer Rebellion

The Boxers, a band of xenophobic rebels from north China who rose
up to rid China of the “foreign devils,” drew from superstitious rituals
that they believed made them invulnerable. Cixi, seeking an
opportunity to strike back at the
foreign powers, allied herself to their
cause. The rebels laid waste to
Beijing’s Legation Quarter in 1900,
while besieging the district’s foreign
population. The siege was finally
lifted by an eight-power allied force.
The Qing government was forced to The Empress Dowager Cixi
sign the Boxer Protocol which, (see p107) was deeply
among other conditions, allowed the conservative and a shrewd
stationing of foreign troops in Beijing. manipulator. Dismissive of
foreign powers, she appointed
Boxer massacre of Chinese Christians pro-Boxer Prince Duan as
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
440 THE NORTHEAST
Trans-Siberian Railway
The term Trans-Siberian Railway refers to three services:
the Trans-Siberian, the Trans-Mongolian, and the Trans-
Manchurian. In 1891 Russia decided to join the extremities
of its empire by rail. A short cut through Manchuria was
negotiated with China and the line was completed in 1903.
War with Japan forced the Russians to cede the railroad to
them in 1905 and build a new line skirting Manchuria – the
Trans-Siberian route was finished in 1916. The Trans-Mongolian
route was added in the 1940s and 50s. In an era of jet travel, Conductor and train on the
this epic week-long journey is an experience not to be missed. Trans-Siberian Railway
Orthodox priest running a mobile religious

service in Manchuria at the turn of the 20th
century. Today the historic Russian presence in
the northeast can still be seen in Harbin,
Lushun, and border towns like Manzhouli.
Steam trains were finally replaced in 2002,

although electrification began in 1939.
Because of differences in the track widths of
the Chinese and Russian lines, huge cranes lift
the carriages up onto the correct width
“bogeys” when crossing the border.
This 1907 poster advertises The train carves its way

the romance of a winter trip through the grasslands of the
on the Trans-Siberian Railway. north Manchurian plain.
The poster’s distinct Japanese
feel derives from Japan’s
occupation of Manchuria and
Korea at the time.
The standard of luxury is

reasonable. (The Chinese
deluxe carriage has showers.)
If the dining car doesn’t
appeal, at each stop there’s a
throng of vendors on the
platforms selling goods.
The longest railway

service in the world at R U S S I A N F E D E R AT I O N
nearly 6,000 miles Yekaterinburg
(9,500 km), it takes up to 7 Omsk Lake
Moscow Baykal
days to cover the journey. Ulan-Ude
Irkutsk
Key
KAZAKHSTAN MONGOLIA
Trans-Siberian Harbin
Trans-Mongolian Vladivostok
Trans-Manchurian C H I N A Beijing
Trans-Manchurian Railway
The Vostok makes the 6-day trip once a week from
Beijing through Shanhaiguan and Harbin, before
The Trans-
heading through the spectacular Manchurian plain,
Mongolian is
the huge expanse of Russia, and back.
probably the most
interesting route of
the three: it goes
through China –
past the Great Wall
and Datong, site of
the Yungang Caves;
via Mongolia and its
grasslands; and
finally through the
expanse of Russia.
However, it also
requires three visas.
Lake Baykal’s cliffs proved problematic for

the builders. They had to chisel miles of
tunnels out of solid rock and construct many
bridges. It was worth it in the end because the
southern end of the lake provides all
three lines with some of the most
picturesque scenery of the trip.
Travelers’ Tips
• You can book tickets through Looking out the window
Seat 61 ∑ seat61.com occupies most of your time
• Summer is the peak season; fall on the trip – when not
meeting other travelers.
is quieter; the train is heated, but
winter can be very cold outside.
• Bring dried noodle snacks, hot
chocolate, a bowl, and cutlery Moscow is the end (or indeed start)
as there is boiling water on tap. for the three Trans-Siberian Railway
• Arrange for at least one or two services. It is possible to go on to
stops on the way – separate St. Petersburg and the Baltic Sea.
ticket required for each stop. However, Moscow has plenty of
• Be prepared to drink vodka. museums, churches, and grand
architecture to see, and deserves a
few days of exploration.
THE NORTHEAST 443
LIAONING, JILIN & HEILONGJIANG
HEILONGJIANG
JILIN
LIAONING
Stretching from Shanhaiguan – the Great Wall’s terminus

at the Yellow Sea – to the Siberian borders in the north, the
provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang cover 309,000
sq miles (800,000 sq km), an area larger than Spain and Portugal.
With a population of over 100 million, they offer a variety of landscapes,
from seaside ports to expanses of uninhabited forests and mountains.
The region was once part of erstwhile restaurants, while strong Korean
Manchuria, and the lavish palace of the influences color Dandong town, situated
Manchu kings at Shenyang in the heart along the North Korean border. Also
of Liaoning stands testament to their straddling the border is the rugged,
might. On Liaoning’s balmier southern spectacular Changbai Shan Reserve,
coast, Dalian features scenic coastal which abounds in lush, jagged peaks
drives and fine, sandy beaches. With the and hiking opportunities. Its volcanic
only ice-free port in the area, it was lake, Tian Chi, is China’s deepest,
coveted by both Japan and Russia, rumored to be home to a mysterious
and occupied continuously by one or aquatic beast.
the other between 1895 and 1955. Other natural attractions include
Japan’s imperialist stamp also survives Liaoning’s Bingyu Valley with its towering
in Jilin’s capital, Changchun, from where rock formations, Heilongjiang’s volcanic
China’s last emperor, Pu Yi, ruled the lakes – Wu Da Lian Chi and Jingpo Hu –
Japanese state of Manchukuo as a mere and the huge bird sanctuary at Zhalong
puppet. In Heilongjiang, the city of Nature Reserve, whose marshy expanse
Harbin has heavy Russian overtones, supports hundreds of species of birds
clearly evident in its buildings and during the summer breeding season.
A secluded sandy cove in the Bangchuidao Scenic Area, Dalian

Interior of St. Sofia Church in Harbin
444 THE NORTHEAST
1 Shenyang fronted by pillars emblazoned

with sinuous dragons. It was here
that Shunzhi (Aisin Gioro Fulin)
Capital of Liaoning province and the largest city in the was crowned as the first Qing
northeast, Shenyang may lack the panache of Dalian, but it emperor, before he conquered
serves as an important transportation and industrial hub at China in 1644. In front of the hall
the heart of the province. Of strategic importance in the state stand the Ten King Pavilions,
once used as offices by the
of Yan during the Warring States period (475–221 BC), the chieftains of the “Eight Banners” –
town was first called Shenyang during the Mongol Yuan the Manchu system of land and
dynasty, before rising to prominence as the first Manchu hereditary divisions. The palace
capital in 1625, when it was known as Mukden and was has undergone extensive
chosen as the setting for the Imperial Palace, a splendid rival restoration, and the halls are
all open to visitors. It achieved
to Beijing’s Forbidden City.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
status in 2004.
P Mao Statue
Zhongshan Square.
The statue of Mao Zedong
situated in Zhongshan Square
in downtown Shenyang stands
as a reminder of a vanished era.
Mao statues tower over public
squares across China, including
such far-flung outposts as Lijiang
(see pp396–8) in Yunnan and
Kashgar (see pp514–15) in Xinjiang,
but this example is perhaps the
most histrionic, depicting Mao’s
giant monolithic figure as a
superman in an overcoat.
A throng of visitors outside the Dazheng Hall, Imperial Palace  North Pagoda
27 Beita Jie. Tel (024) 8662 5665.
P Imperial Palace palace is divided into three Open 9–11:30am, 2–4:30pm. &
171 Shenyang Lu. Tel (024) 2484 3001. sections. The dominating feature Built between 1643 and 1645,
Open summer: 8:30am–5:30pm, of the central section is the Bei Ta is the only one of four
winter: 9am–4:30pm. & ^ interiors. Chongzheng Hall, from where temples and pagodas situated
∑ en.sypm.org.cn Abahai oversaw political affairs on the city boundaries in a
Second only in scale to the and received envoys from decent state of repair. The
Forbidden City in Beijing, the vassal lands and border surviving features of
Imperial Palace, also called territories. In the court- the original pagoda
Shenyang Gugong, is Shen- yard behind the hall, the are the Great Hall and
yang’s premier historical sight, Qingning Palace is Falun Temple.
situated in what was the center where the emperor and
of the old city. Its construction his concubines resided. E 18 September
began in 1625, during the reign The Phoenix Tower, the Museum
of Nurhachi (1559–1626), leader tallest structure in the 46 Wanghua Nanjie. Tel
of the Manchus. In 1644, imperial grounds can (024) 8832 0918. Open 9am–
Manchu troops breached the be found here too. 4pm Tue–Sun. ^
Great Wall at Shanhaiguan (see In the western The Jiuyiba Lishi
p134) and swarmed into China section, the Wensu Bowuguan com-
to establish the Qing dynasty. Pavilion formerly memorates the
Serving as the imperial housed one of Wei Tuo Buddha, North occupation of
residence of both Nurhachi and seven copies of the Pagoda Shenyang on
his son and heir Abahai, the 36,078-volume Siku September 18, 1931
palace is composed of 300 Quanshu (Complete Library of the by Japanese troops. Its exhibits
rooms. While its features reflect Four Treasures), an encyclopedic make up the most comprehen-
a pronounced Manchu and collection of Chinese literature sive chronicle of the Japanese
Mongol influence, the palace compiled in the Qing era, of aggression in Manchuria. Like
was obviously an attempt to which only four sets survive. The other museums with a similar
emulate its Ming counterpart, Dazheng Hall is the central theme, some of the displays can
the Forbidden City, Beijing. The feature of the eastern section, be rather gruesome.
LIAONING, JILIN & HEILONGJIANG 445
440 miles (700 km) NE of Beijing.
* 5,000,000. n Bldg A, 290
Shigu Dalu, (024) 2295 8888.
Transportation
k Shenyang Airport. £ South
train station or North train station.
@ South bus station (provincial
trains), Express bus station (national
trains), CAAC (buses to airport).
The impressive East Tomb (Dong

North Tomb’s ornate west wall and gateway Ling), the final resting place of
Nurhachi and his wife Yehenala,
P North Tomb a dressing room for visiting was completed in 1651.
12 Taishan Lu, Beiling Gongyuan, North emperors, while the Arranged attractively on the
Shenyang. Tel (024) 8691 0461. westernmost was the site slopes of Mount Tianzhu near
Open summer: 7am–5pm; winter: for sacrificing animals. A the Hun River, the three-
8am–4pm. & ^ interiors. spirit way (shendao), lined storied tomb has a flight
The huge Beiling Park houses the with animal statues, leads of 108 steps leading to
tomb of Abahai (1592–1643), the to the Hall of Eminent its main gate. The
son of Nurhachi, and his wife, Favor (Ling’en Dian). number 108 is sacred
Empress Borjijit. One of the largest Right behind the hall to the Chinese; in
and best-preserved of China’s lie the tree-covered the Daoist celestial
imperial mausoleums, the North imperial burial order, 108 represents
Tomb (Bei Ling) was built between mounds, formally the 36 stars of
the year of his death in 1643 and called Zhao Ling (the Mythical animal, heaven and the 72 stars
1651. The layout of the complex is Luminous Tomb), and an North Tomb of hell. The number is
typical of imperial Chinese tombs exquisite dragon screen. also sacred to Buddhists,
(see pp110–11), and is accessed reflected in the 108 beads on
through Zhenghong Gate to the P East Tomb Buddhist rosaries and the
south. Of the pavilions lying on 3 miles (5 km) E of Shenyang. 210 number of luohan in certain
either side of the gate, the Dong Ling Lu. Open summer: 7:30am– Buddhist sects. Photography is
easternmost pavilion was used as 5:30pm; winter: 8am–4:30pm. & allowed outside only.
Shenyang City Center Beiling Park

Xinleyizhi North
1 Imperial Palace Tomb
2 Mao Statue
BEIL ING JIE
3 North Pagoda
4 18 September Museum Beiling Park
18 September
5 North Tomb Pagoda of Museum
Buddhist Ashes LU
Zhongyiyaodaxue CHO NGSH AN DON G
G LU North
CHO NGSH AN ZHON
E
JI
Pagoda
HUANGHE JIE
U
H
G
N
Qishanlu A
W
North
Shenyang Beizhan
Station
LU Express
N
HA Bus Station
IZ
BE
Jinrongzhongxin
Shifuguangchang
East Tomb
SHIFU DA LU SHIFU DA LU
IE
XI ZHONG JIE
IJ
0 km 1 Mao A OXI LU SHOPPING ST

South
GL
Station Statue N LU Huaiyuanmen Zhongjie

Q I N G N IA
G SH A
EN
0 miles 1 ZH O N
SH
LU Imperial
CHAOYA NG JIE
Liaoning XI Palace
DA
ve r
N
Shenyang Zhan Provincial

Museum Qingnian Dajie Ri
n
CAAC
D A JI
Nan-
Na
NA
NW Taiyuanjie Shichang
E
U
LU
LU
E I LU
G
Qingniangongyuan
ANW
PIN
South Bus S H IS
Station Airport
HE
Key to Symbols see back flap 10 km (6 miles),

JINZHOU
446 THE NORTHEAST
niao (Confuciusornis dui 3 Dandong

hou), a winged, avian
dinosaur with feathered
features that was 172 miles (277 km) SE of Shenyang.
* 7,500,000. ~ £ @ n 2
unearthed in 1998 in
western Liaoning, a Zhenxiqu Yanjie, (0415) 214 4547.
region rich in dinosaur
remains. Other exhibits Presided over by a statue of
include another Mao Zedong in the heart of
dinosaur with bird-like town, Dandong is located along
features known as the Yalu Jiang (Yalu River) in the
Sinosauropteryx, a eastern part of Liaoning province.
120-million-year-old It would have been little more
and 29-ft (9-m) fossil- than an obscure outpost,
ized tree, and fossilized ignored by travelers, if it were
dinosaur eggs from not for its proximity to North
the Jurassic period. Korea. Today the largest border
Jutting out of Jinzhou town in China, Dandong has an
Bay, 21 miles (34 km) unmistakable Korean stamp,
south of town, is Bijia from the shaokao (barbecue)
The impressive Bijia Shan, connected to the mainland by Shan (Penholder dishes, to the signs in hangul
an isthmus at low tide Mount). It is connected (the Korean script), and the
to the mainland by an Korean shops and souvenirs.
2 Jinzhou isthmus that emerges from the Within reach of Dandong are
sea at low tide. The island’s peaks several other interesting sights,
– which resemble a Chinese pen and the town acts as a useful
125 miles (200 km) SW of Shenyang.
* 3,000,000. ~ £ @ rest – support several Buddhist launch pad to Changbai Shan
temples and offer magnificent (see pp454–5) and the stunning
An industrial city on the eastern views over the bay. Visitors who mountain lake of Tian Chi.
shores of the Liaoning Gulf, wish to walk to Bijia Shan along Dandong’s trademark sight is
Jinzhou is visited mainly for its the isthmus should check the the Yalu Jiang Duan Qiao (Yalu
storehouse of Jurassic period timings of low-tide before River Bridge) that reaches out
fossils, of which more than 300 planning a trip. An alternative into the river alongside the
are housed in the private Wenya way of reaching the island is by bridge connecting China with
Museum (Bowuguan). Set up by taking a fishing boat. North Korea – this railroad line
the amateur collector Du Wenya, runs all the way from Beijing to
this unremarkable three-story E Wenya Museum Pyongyang. The steel bridge
building stands on Heping Lu, 33–13 Erduan, Heping Lu. Tel (0416) ends halfway along its full span,
although there is talk of relocating 234 3999. Open 8am–6pm daily. & the remainder having been
it in the near future (call to check } Bijia Shan dismantled by the Koreans.
before visiting). The star attraction @ from west of train station. Tel (0416) The surviving half in Chinese
is a specimen of dushi kongzi 358 1735. Open 6am–6pm daily. & territory bears the scars of
The Yalu Jiang Duan Qiao, that once connected China with North Korea
Dramatic karst hills rising up from the river, Bingyu Valley
combat, having been strafed in near Jiuliancheng town, 4 Bingyu Valley

1950 by US fighter planes during overlooking the Yalu River and
the Korean War. The ruin serves the North Korean border. This
149 miles (240 km) NE of Dalian. £
as a monument to the Kang Mei section of the wall, dating from
from Dalian to Zhuanghe, then bus.
Yuan Chao Zhanzheng (War to the reign of the Ming Wanli @ from Dalian to Zhuanghe, then
Resist US Aggression and Aid emperor, is its easternmost bus to Bingyu Fengjingqu. &
Korea), as the Chinese refer to point. In 2003, the
their part in the Great Wall Museum A picturesque river valley,
conflict. Boats and opened at the site, Bingyu Gou lies sprawled across
speedboats offer cruises displaying relics associated 42 sq miles (110 sq km). It offers
along the Yalu River for with the defensive barrier. long riverside walks and hikes in
visitors who want to get Since the North Korean fabulous trekking terrain
within 2 or 3 ft of the hermit border is not always clearly overlooked by jagged peaks,
kingdom. It is permitted marked, hiking around karst rock formations, temples,
to take photographs this area is inadvisable, and cliffs hollowed out by
of North Korea, in case visitors numerous caves. Opportunities
though there are inadvertently for climbing, fishing, and rafting
few photogenic cross over into are also available. The valley can
features – just A traffic policewoman on duty North Korea. be reached via the town of
factories, civilians, Zhuanghe, northeast of Dalian.
P Yalu Jiang
and Stalinist housing. Those who Accommodations are available
Duan Qiao @ 15. Tel (0415) 212 2145.
wish to learn more about China’s for those who wish to stay
Open 7am– 6:30pm daily. &
contribution to the Korean War overnight. It is best to avoid
can visit the Museum to the holiday periods as well as
Commemorate Aiding Korea } Fenghuang Shan weekends during summer,
and Resisting America, with a Fengchen City. Open 6am–7pm when the valley receives
plethora of exhibits on the war. daily. & crowds of visitors.
Even though the captions are
almost exclusively in Chinese, the
nationalistic refrain is evident.
Located 31 miles (50 km)
northwest of town, the 2,760-ft
(840-m) Fenghuang Shan
(Phoenix Emperor Mountain) is
associated with Daoist mythology.
It supports a crop of temples and
caves, besides offering some
excellent hiking trails. A good
time to visit is during the temple
fair (miaohui), held every April.
The Hushan Great Wall, a little-
visited and restored stretch of
the Great Wall, is located 20 km
(12 miles) northeast of Dandong, Steps leading to a Daoist temple on Fenghuang Shan
450 THE NORTHEAST
5 Dalian of a Russian soldier, that now

stands in nearby Lushun. The
square is pleasantly laid out
Sparkling with self-assurance and confidence, Dalian is with grass and is lit at night.
northeast China’s most dynamic and attractive city. It is famed Dalian is famous for its beaches
throughout China for its top-notch hotels, progressive and these can easily be reached
economy, modern and European-style architecture, football by bus or taxi. In the northeast
team, and cleanliness. The city resembles Shanghai in its port of the Dalian peninsula, just off
Binhai Lu near the Eighteen
setting, cosmopolitanism, Special Economic Zone status, and Bends, is the scenic Donghai
history of foreign control, but has the added attraction of a Park. Covering 1,112 acres
coastline dotted with scenic beaches and lawns. Located at (450 ha), this seaside park has
the southernmost point of northeast China near the tip of a 3,937-ft (1,200-m) long coast-
the Liaodong peninsula, Dalian enjoys sea breezes and a line. It was founded to celebrate
Dalian’s centennial anniversary,
warmer winter than other parts of the region.
and has striking statues of over-
sized seacreatures, including a
giant octopus and a shark. There
are fine sea views, and the water
is clean though rather cold until
mid-July for swimming. The peb-
ble beach is popular with visitors,
who often bring tents and beach
towels and spend the day here.
Farther south along the
coastal Binhai Lu, the
Bangchuidao Scenic Area
(Bangchuidao Jingqu) has the
best beaches on China’s east
coast, once reserved for party
officials and now open to all.
Binhai Lu makes for a marvelous
Bangchuidao Scenic Area, with the finest beaches on China’s east coast walk with fantastic views over
the cliffs across the Yellow Sea.
Exploring Dalian center, while the Friendship The next stop is the more
The city of Dalian has few Store lies farther east on touristy Tiger Beach Scenic
temples or monuments of note, Renmin Lu. Area (Laohutan Jingqu), which
but most visitors come for its Dotting Dalian are several sports an amusement park and
beaches, seafood, shopping, tree-lined streets and spacious an aquarium. Several miles west,
and striking modernity. parks. Southwest of Zhongshan the Fujiazhuang Scenic Area
Serving as a dazzling hub from Square is Labor Park (Laodong (Fujiazhuang Jingqu) is also
which major streets radiate, Gongyuan), with its hallmark rather boisterous and crowded,
Zhongshan Square (Zhongshan giant football at the center. It is and farther still is the Xinghai
Guangchang) is laid out with known for hosting the Locust Beach Scenic Area, housing the
lawns and encircled by a ring of Flower Festival each spring. immensely popular Sun Asia
colonial buildings dating from Farther southwest is Dalian’s Ocean World. This aquarium has
the Russian and Japanese eras. other main square, Renmin a 381-ft (116-m) long under-
At night, locals gather here to Square. Formerly known as water tunnel and several tanks
dance and listen to music, and Stalin Square, it was originally filled with sealife that attract
to watch the occasional cultural overlooked by a large statue children in droves. Just off the
performances that are held. The
most interesting buildings
along the square’s periphery
are the Dalian Hotel (Dalian
Binguan) at No. 4 to the
south, and the Bank of China
(Zhongguo Yinhang) on
the northern rim at No. 9.
Dalian’s main shopping area
is Tianjin Jie, a pedestrianized
stretch of shops northwest of
Zhongshan Square. Beneath
Shengli Square to the west is a
huge underground shopping Statue of a rowing team in midstroke, Xinghai Square
Ice sculptures at Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, Heilongjiang province
coast, Xinghai Square was built the perennial ice-free waters. VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
to commemorate the return of Known as Port Arthur, it was the
Hong Kong to China in 1997. chief naval base for the Chinese Practical Information
Beiyang fleet from the mid- 180 miles (300 km) S of Shenyang.
Y Donghai Park 19th century, and was seized * 3,400,000. _ Locust Flower
Binhai Bei Lu. Tel (0411) 8273 1569. by the Japanese during the Festival (Spring). n 9 Jie Fang
Open 6am–9pm daily. Sino-Japanese War (1894–5). Road, (0411) 836 91165.
} Bangchuidao Scenic Area Returned to China soon after, Transportation

Tel (0411) 8289 3888. the port fell to the Russians k Dalian Airport. £ Dalian
@ 404, 703. Open 8am–7pm in 1897, who developed Station. @ Dalian bus station,
daily. & the base for their CAAC (buses to airport),
Pacific fleet, but Japan Heishijiao bus station. g from
Sun Asia Ocean World Yantai and Weihai.
wrested Lushun back
Tel (0411) 8458 1113.
Tower at the top of in 1905, forfeiting it
@ 22, 23, 28, 202, 406,
Baiyu Hill in Lushun only at the end of
801, 901. Open hours
World War II. Among which incarcerated Russian,
vary. &
the surviving Russian architec- Japanese, and Chinese
Environs: Lying 22 miles (35 km) ture is the Railway Station, built prisoners, also has a gory torture
southwest of Dalian, Lushun in 1898 as the South Manchuria room and gallows. Tours take in
enjoys an excellent strategic posi- Railway terminus (see pp440–41). the compound and the collection
tion, its harbor benefiting from The Japanese-Russian Prison, of interesting photographs on
display. North of the bay and
near the station, Baiyu Hill is
topped with rows of cannons
and a tower, plus great views.
Visitors must check with the
Public Security Bureau just off
Zhongshan Square in Dalian for
permission to visit, since Lushun
is a closed military zone.
P Japanese-Russian Prison
139 Xiangyong Jie. @ 2, 3, 5
Tel. (0411) 8661 0675/6. Open
9am–3:30pm daily (until 3pm in
A cruise liner docked near Xinghai Square winter). 8
Dalian City Center 6 Bangchuidao Scenic Area

0 km 2
1 Zhongshan Square 7 Tiger Beach Scenic Area
2 Tianjin Jie 8 Fujiazhuang Scenic Area 0 miles 2
3 Labor Park 9 Sun Asia Ocean World
4 Renmin Square
5 Donghai Park
Airport
4 km (3 miles) Dalian Bay
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LUSHUN
452 THE NORTHEAST
Living quarters at the Puppet Emperor’s Palace, Changchun
6 Changchun furnishings and old photographs, is a government structure that

serves as an apt epitaph to the features a brass Otis elevator
tragic folly of Pu Yi’s life. The that once ferried Pu Yi aloft.
185 miles (300 km) NE of Shenyang. palace lacks the majesty of the In the northeast corner of
* 2,200,000. k Xiangtan airport. Forbidden City, and instead is People’s Square on the main
£ @ g to Dalian, Shanghai and
suggestive of the sanctuary of street of Renmin Dajie stands
Tianjin. n 2055 Xi’an Da Rd, (0431)
an exiled monarch. Renovations Banruo Temple, an active
8896 5966.
have, however, restored much Buddhist temple dating to 1921.
of its former grandeur. It is now Inside the main hall is a statue of
The sprawling modern capital of a fascinating museum of artifacts Sakyamuni with attendant arhats
Jilin province is cheerfully known relating to the 13 powerless years (see pp36–7). Changchun is also
as “Eternal Spring” despite its that Pu Yi spent here. Scenes famous for its cinematic output
brutal winter. The city was badly from Bertolucci’s 1987 epic film and the city’s film studio can be
damaged at the end of World The Last Emperor were filmed visited, although it is only really of
War II, which ended its here. Other period buildings interest to specialist film buffs.
ignominious phase as the capital include the Manchukuo State
of the Japanese-controlled state Council Building on Xinmin Dajie P Puppet Emperor’s Palace
of Manchukuo, when it was in the southeast of town, a further 5 Guangfu Lu. Tel (0431) 8286 6611.
known as Hsin-Ching. relic of the Japanese occupation. Open 8:30am–5:30pm. & ∑ wmhg.
Industrialized after the war, Open to the public, the building com.cn
Changchun today has emerged
as an attractive, green city in
China’s northeastern “rust belt,” The Last Emperor
famed for its car production. Aisin Gioro or Pu Yi ascended the Qing throne at the age of three
Changchun’s only major sight in 1908 after the death of his uncle, the Guangxu emperor. His
of interest is the Puppet brief reign as the Xuantong emperor was brought to an end on
Emperor’s Palace, the residence February 12, 1912, when he abdicated the throne in the Forbidden
of the “Last Emperor,” Pu Yi, City to make way for the new Republican government. The
whom the Japanese installed as powerless Pu Yi continued to live in the palace until 1924, before
the Emperor of Manchukuo. furtively escaping to live in the
Located in the city’s northeast, Japanese concession in Tianjin. He
the palace, with its period was later installed as the Japanese
puppet emperor of Manchukuo,
residing in his palace in
Changchun. At the end of World
War II, he was arrested and handed
over to the Chinese Communists,
who imprisoned him in 1950. In
1959, Mao granted him amnesty.
Pu Yi never returned to the
Forbidden City, and he died of
cancer, childless and anonymous,
in 1967, after working for seven
years as a gardener at the Beijing Pu Yi (1905–67), China’s
Official buildings at the Puppet Emperor’s Botanical Gardens. “Last Emperor”
Palace, Changchun
7 Jilin includes sporting events and

photography contests, from
January to the end of February.
60 miles (100 km) E of Changchun. Pleasant walks along paths,
* 2,000,000. ~ £ @ g to
and past shrines and pavilions
Shanghai Dalian, Tianjin. n Room
are possible in hilly Beishan Park
502, Caoyang Sijicheng, Song Jiang
in the west of town. The park has
Dong Rd, (0432) 6244 5707.
an array of Daoist and Buddhist
Known as Kirin during the temples that are worth investiga-
Japanese occupation between ting, including the Guandi Temple
1931 and 1945, the city of Jilin is (Guandi Miao), the Three King
a little-visited industrial settle- Temple (Sanwang Miao), and
ment on either side of the the Jade Emperor’s Temple
Songhua or Sungari River. Like (Yuhuang Ge), with a gaggle of
many other cities in the north- fortune-tellers in front.
east, Jilin has a short history and Locals are proud of the city’s
was a small village until the attractive Catholic Church, Statues at the scholars’ altar, Confucius
17th century, when it was built by the French in the early Temple, Jilin
fortified. It was heavily 19th century. It rises up west of
industrialized during the Jilin’s main bridge on Songjiang Y Beishan Park
Japanese occupation, when Lu, the road along the north Open daily.
the huge hydro-electric bank of the river. Vandalized 5 Catholic Church
power station at Fengman during the Cultural Revolution, 3 Songjiang Lu. Open 8am–6pm daily.
on the Songhua River was the church became the city’s
constructed. The station emblem after it reopened  Confucius Temple
generates one of Jilin’s in 1980. East of the 2 Nanchang Lu. Open 9am–
major winter attractions church is the 4:30pm daily.
– shugua or needle-like Confucius Temple
white frost that covers (Wen Miao), dedicated Environs: Not far from Jilin,
the branches of the to the great sage. Zhuque Shan (Rosefinch
riverside pine and Candidates of the Mountain) has earned a
willow trees. As warm imperial civil service reputation for its ski slopes.
water from the power examinations came Formerly known for its temples
station flows into the here to pray for his and hiking opportunities, it now
Songhua, its temper- Catholic Church, Jilin help and blessings. offers two slopes for sledding and
ature rises and it remains The sedate temple skiing. Its restaurant, which stands
unfrozen. Evaporating water provides an escape from Jilin’s on a heated platform, provides
droplets from the river condense modern face. panoramic views over the hills.
along the branches of trees and In the south of the city, the About 15 miles (24 km)
freeze, producing a sparkling Meteorite Shower Museum southeast of Jilin is the pic-
display of ice-rimmed branches, houses a scattering of rock turesque Songhua Lake
resembling pieces of coral. As fragments that rained down (Songhua Hu), covering a vast
with Harbin, winter is the main around Jilin in 1976, including a and panoramic area surrounded
tourist season, and Jilin also vast specimen weighing nearly by peaks. It provides an
stages an ice festival, which 2 tons (1,770 kg). excellent getaway from town,
offering hiking and boating in a
huge forested park setting. Every
winter, an expensive, state-of-the-
art ski resort operates on the
slopes around the lake, attracting
crowds of cross-country fans.
At the lake’s southern end is the
Fengman Dam, the site of the
city’s hydro-electric power station.
Due to the river’s annual flooding,
four sluice gates are opened to
keep Jilin from being submerged.
} Zhuque Shan
Taxi from Jilin train station. Open daily.
& Ski gear available.
} Songhua Lake
@ from train station to lake, then taxi
The delicate frost that covers Jilin’s trees each year to ski resorts.
454 THE NORTHEAST
8 Changbai Shan
Listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Changbai Shan

(Ever-White Mountains) is the largest of China’s nature
reserves at 760 sq miles (1,965 sq km), with a rich
abundance of fauna and flora. Thick belts of deciduous and
coniferous forest harbor important medicinal plants like
ginseng, and endangered animals like the Siberian (or
Manchurian) Tiger, while above the tree line lies the only
alpine tundra in East Asia. The real highlight is Tian Chi
(Heaven’s Lake), a glittering volcanic crater that straddles
the mountainous border with North Korea. This is China at
its wildest and most spectacular, with opportunities for
hiking amid dramatic scenery, although the area is only White birch
open to exploration during summer and early fall. Despite heavy deforestation, there
are still healthy numbers of over
80 species of trees such as these
white birch.
BEIHE Tianweng
Feng
Longmen
. Changbai Waterfall Feng
Tian Chi releases huge quantities of water
(the mountains are capped with snow
between October and June) creating this
dramatic 225-ft (68-m) high waterfall near Jinping
the volcanic crater. Feng
Ginseng
The root of the ginseng (Panax ginseng)
plant has been valued in China for
thousands of years for its healing and
rejuvenating properties. Native to Korea
and northeast China, ginseng is a slow- 0 kilometers 1
growing herbaceous perennial that is
0 miles 1
widely farmed (although wild specimens
are most highly prized). Ginseng from
northeast China is especially esteemed and The root and leaves of the
was once protected under imperial edict to Key
ginseng plant
prevent overharvesting. Its efficacy does not International border
develop until the plant is around six years of age.
Path
Premium-quality wild ginseng is very expensive costing
US$150–450 per gram. However, buyer beware; the market
is awash with fake produce.
16 miles (25 km) S of Baihe;
350 miles (560 km) E of Jilin. n
(0432) 6243 5683. Open Jun–Sep
(snowbound the rest of the year).
Last bus back to Baihe 4pm. &
8 from Jilin (CITS). 0 -
Transportation
~ @ or £ to Baihe, then bus
or taxi.
. Tian Chi – Heaven’s Lake

The volcano last erupted in 1702,
wiping out most of the surrounding
forest. The deep waters of Tian Chi
(China’s deepest lake) are said to
harbor an aquatic beast similar to
the Loch Ness Monster.
NORTH
KOREA
Hot Springs Near Tian Chi

Many springs reach temperatures of over
n 176° F (80° C) – hot enough for local hawkers
to boil eggs and for visitors to take
therapeutic dips in steamy pools.
Bai Yun
Feng
Climbing Changbai Shan

Due to heavy snowfall, Changbai Shan is
only open to trekking from June to October.
Although a tempting 8 miles (13 km) in
circumference, Tian Chi cannot be circum-
navigated as it overlaps with North Korea.
Prepare for unpredictable weather conditions
as it can get very cold (and carry plenty of
food and water). The more sedentary can hire
a 4-wheel-drive taxi all the way to the main Trekking opportunities
peak. Visitors can overnight in one of the Even at peak periods, it is easy to enjoy
hotels on Changbai Shan or in Baihe. Tours and explore the wilderness and beauty of
are easy to find and usually include two Changbai Shan at leisure – however, be
nights in a hotel. very careful not to stray into North Korea.
456 THE NORTHEAST
9 Harbin from simple statues to buildings,

monuments, and temples.
Close by, Harbin’s riverfront
is dotted with a number of
Situated in the far north of China close to the vast sub- interesting sights. The Flood
Siberian plains, Harbin is the pleasant capital of Heilongjiang Control Monument at the
province. It was a simple fishing hamlet on the Songhua River northern end of Zhongyang
until the Russians linked it to both Vladivostok and Dalian (see Dajie was erected in 1958 to
pp450–51) by rail at the close of the 19th century. The railroad commemorate the river’s flood-
prone history. Stretching along
and the Bolshevik Revolution brought large numbers of the riverbank is Stalin Park,
Russians to the city, prompting a change in Harbin’s fortunes. China’s last public memorial to
Once called “Little Moscow” for its charming pockets of Joseph Stalin. It is an engaging
Russian architecture, Harbin still vaguely resembles an riverside promenade and
outpost of Imperial Russia. While the city’s summer is quite meeting place for Harbin locals.
In summer, boat trips can be
pleasant, its winter temperatures dip below -22°F (-30°C),
taken along the river and across
perfect weather for its spectacular Ice Festival. to Sun Island Park (Tai Yang
Dao) on the northern bank. The
park has a variety of recreational
attractions and can also be
reached by cable car. In winter,
the river freezes over completely,
and visitors can hire go-carts or
simply walk across. An annual
snow sculpture exhibition is
held on Sun Island, which is also
home to the Siberian Tiger Park,
where the endangered
Manchurian tiger is currently
being bred. Visitors may want to
give this rather dismal place a
miss, as the fenced-off area
seems much too small for the
People walking and relaxing along Harbin’s riverbank big cats, who are constantly
being teased with live chickens
Exploring Harbin winter, the streets here are alive by noisy busloads of tourists.
Harbin’s most interesting sites lie with the bustle of pavement Southeast of the main railway
within the Daoli district (Daoli cafés during summer. station, the Provincial Museum
Qu), the area stretching from East of Zhongyang Dajie is the has a rather uninspiring
the main railroad station to the Church of St. Sofia, the city’s collection of exhibits with no
Songhua River. The district’s most spectacular Russian edifice. English captions. Farther east
downtown area is lined with Dating from 1907, it is also the along Dong Dazhi Jie are some
several upmarket boutiques, fur largest Russian Orthodox church of Harbin’s Buddhist temples, all
shops, and department in the Far East. This
stores. Visitors can walk Byzantine -style red-
north along the pedestri- brick cathedral is
anized shopping street topped with a green,
of Zhongyang Dajie to onion-shaped dome.
explore the picturesque It houses the
cobbled alleys and Architecture and Arts
architectural legacies Centre, a rewarding
of the grand Russian photographic exhibit of
era. Numerous shops A motorcycle taxi the Russian influence
and buildings on in Harbin on Harbin.
Zhongyang Dajie have To the north,
been restored, and their Zhaolin Park is the setting for
histories recorded in English on many of the ice sculptures of the
exterior plaques. The lanes annual Ice Festival (Bingdeng
leading off Zhongyang Dajie are Jie), officially held every year
ideal for a leisurely stroll, while from January 5 to February 25.
along its length are several In winter, the park is transformed
good bars and restaurants. into a glistening wonderland of The splendid Byzantine-style Church of
Lined with ice sculptures in brightly lit ice sculptures, ranging St. Sofia
Y Sun Island Park

3 Jingbei Lu. Tel (0451) 8819
2966. Open 8am–5pm daily. &
Practical information
 Jile Si 340 miles (550 km) N of Shenyang.
9 Dong Dazhi Jie. Open 8am– * 4,750,000. n 48 Daoliqu
5pm daily. Shisidaojie, (0451) 8765 6661.
_ Ice Festival (Jan/Feb), Harbin
Y Harbin Northern Forest
Festival (Jul). ∑ harbin.gov.cn
Zoo
Tiger at the Siberian Tiger Park, Sun Island Park Gezidong. Tel (0451) 5655 6999. Transportation
Open 8:30am–4:30pm daily. & k £ @ Harbin bus station,
of which were damaged during CAAC (buses to airport).
the Cultural Revolution. Environs: 12 miles (20 km)
The quiet Jile Si is home to southwest of Harbin in the small
an active Buddhist community. village of Pingfang, the Japanese the gruesome remains of the
The complex follows a typical Germ Warfare Experimental experimental base are now
Buddhist temple layout with Base is the city’s most notorious open to the public. It housed a
Drum and Bell Towers, a Hall of sight. Formerly operated by the top-secret research unit that
Heavenly Kings, and a main hall, Japanese army’s 731 Division, subjected thousands of Chinese,
adorned with statues of Korean, British, Mongolian, and
Sakyamuni (the Historical Russian prisoners to some truly
Buddha) and various bodhisattvas. horrendous experiments. The
Adjacent is the seven-tiered Qiji Japanese destroyed the base at
Futu Pagoda, standing within the the end of World War II, and it
largest temple complex in the was only after the dogged
province. Nearby on Wenmiao Jie, efforts of a Japanese journalist
the Confucian Temple is a in the 1980s that the existence
sizeable shrine also worth visiting. of the base was exposed. The
Harbin’s zoo has been moved 25 museum is largely limited to
miles photographs and all captions
(41 km) away from the city center, are in Chinese, but the site
renamed Harbin Northern survives as a somber monument
Forest Zoo (Beifang), and is now to the atrocities of World War II.
one of the largest zoos in China.
P Japanese Germ Warfare
5 Church of St. Sofia Experimental Base
Diduan Jie. Tel (0451) 8467 9456. The elegant, seven-tiered Qiji Futu Pagoda 47 Xinjiang Dajie. Tel (0451) 8710 8731.
Open 8:30am–5pm daily. & in the northeast of town Open 9am–3:30pm Tue–Sun. @ 338.
Harbin City Center Sun Island

Park
1 Zhongyang Dajie
2 Church of St. Sofia Ferry
Flood Terminal
3 Zhaolin Park Control UJ
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Monument
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7 Provincial Museum
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Forest Zoo

458 THE NORTHEAST
point through to April, q Zhalong Nature

with fewer transportation and
accommodations options.
Reserve
July and August are the
wettest and busiest 17 miles (27 km) SE of Qiqiha’er. £ to
months, and booking Qiqiha’er, then bus. @ Tel (0452) 590
ahead at lakeside hotels is 4068. Open 7am–6pm daily. &
recommended. An alternative
is to stay in Mudanjiang city China’s largest wetland reserve,
to the north, from where the 518,700-acre (210,000-ha)
buses depart for Jingpo Hu. Zhalong Nature Reserve lies in
Activities include boating, the Songhua-Nen River plain,
fishing, and hiking and boat along a major bird migratory
tours around the lake can route from the Arctic to
also be arranged. Not far Southeast Asia. Zhalong’s
from the waterfall is a Korean reed beds, ponds, and
minority village. marshland provide an ideal
Several volcanic features home to almost 300 species
dot the surrounding area, of birds, including swans,
including lava caves and the storks, ducks, geese, egret,
Dixia Senlin (Underground white ibis, and other waterfowl.
Diving off the edge of Diaoshuilou Forest), 31 miles (50 km) Established in 1979, the reserve
Pubu (Diaoshuilou Waterfall), Jingpo Hu northwest of Jingpo Hu. Not is one of the few breeding
actually subterranean, the grounds in the Far East for the
0 Jingpo Hu forest has grown spectacularly marsh grassbird (Megalurus
in the fertile soil of ten dormant pryeri). Six of the world’s 15
62 miles (100 km) SW of Mudanjiang.
volcanic craters. The delicate varieties of crane are also found
Tel (0453) 627 0180. £ to Mudanjiang ecosystem here supports a varied here. The most famous are the
or Dongjing, then bus to Jingpo Hu in animal and plant population endangered red-crowned crane
summer only; in winter via bus or taxi. including black bears, (Grus japonensis), a tall bird with
@ n 158 Jingfu Jie, Mudanjiang, leopards, purple pines, black-and-white plumage and a
(0453) 6911 186. Open daily. & firs, and dragon red crest that is the symbol of
spruces. Taxis and longevity in China, and the
An attractive, 31-mile buses leave white-naped crane (Grus vipio),
(50-km) long winding regularly from both of which are bred at a
strip of water, Jingpo Jingpo Hu’s research center here. Other rare
Hu was carved from main gate to bird species that visit Zhalong
the Mudan River by Mudanjiang and include the swan goose (Anser
volcanic eruptions A visitor enjoying a ride on a Dixia Senlin. It is cygnoides) and the Siberian
thousands of years jet ski at Jingpo Hu also worth crane (Grus leucogeranus). Birds
ago. The surrounding looking out for arrive in spring, and begin
forested slopes are clearly tour buses to the lake that breeding in summer. The best
reflected in the lake’s waters, include trips to Dixia Senlin. time to visit the reserve is from
hence its name, “Mirror Lake.” In April to June. It is advisable to
summer, busloads of visitors – } Dixia Senlin take binoculars, as Zhalong’s
largely Chinese and Russian – 50 km NW of Jingpo Hu. Tel (0453) 627 population of waterfowl can
gather at Jingpo Shanzhuang, a 0180. Open 7am–4:30pm daily. & be elusive.
village on the northern shore
equiped with abundant resort
facilities. Although tourism has
spoiled some of the lake’s natural
beauty, much of its huge body of
water and the luxuriant wooded
hills are still tranquil and worth
exploring. The 131-ft (40-m) wide
waterfall Diaoshuilou Pubu lies
at the northern end of the lake.
Its cascade is most impressive
in the wetter summer months,
while in winter, it freezes into
a spectacular curtain of ice.
Visiting the lake is possible in
winter, although temperatures
can also dip well below freezing The marshlands at Zhalong Nature Reserve, important to migrating birds
Fossils of Northeast China

China has long been an excellent hunting ground for fossil collectors. Over 130 million
years ago much of northern China was volcanic, richly forested, and teeming with life. As
the volcanoes erupted they covered the land with dust, hot ash, and mud, and for many
years fossils of all kinds have been uncovered, from simple, shellfish-like ammonites
through to complete skeletons of large dinosaurs. More recently, the area of northeast
China has captured the imagination because of the discovery of at least five feathered
species of dinosaurs. The feathers were not only used for flight, but also for insulation
and perhaps decoration. Such has been the excitement – and indeed money –
generated by these discoveries that fossils have become big business in the area. Locals
are discovering and illegally selling what they find, and even going so far as to create
fake fossils that have fooled the scientists.
Dragonfly fossils
like this reveal even
the delicate tracery
of the insect’s
wings. This amazing
detail was retained
thanks to a thin dusting
of fine volcanic ash that was
followed by a thick layer of mud,
preventing oxidation and rapid decay.
Paleontology has become a booming

business in China and placed the country
at the heart of important debates about
evolution. Therefore the government has
been keen to sponsor further
research and museums.
This Dicynodont was a

plant-eating reptile the
size of a pig, with two large front
teeth – its name means “two
dog teeth.” One of the most common
dinosaur fossils, it has been found all
over the world.
Dinosaur eggs are classified by

size and shell type because it is
difficult to tell what species they
were laid by. Some are very
similar to birds’ eggs, further
strengthening the theory that Microraptor gui was a four-winged creature – its legs were
birds descended from a specific feathered too – that glided from tree to tree. The outline of the
group of dinosaurs. feathers can clearly be seen, and some think that it might
represent an intermediate stage between dinosaurs and birds.
460 THE NORTHEAST
hotels. Since the guided tours

available often make costly and
needless diversions, visitors may
find it more efficient to travel
independently by regular taxi
or tuk-tuk.
} Bai Long Dong

Closed for renovations; call
ahead to check if open: (0456) 729
6999. &
Environs: The Heilong Jiang

(Black Dragon River, known
as the Amur in Russia), that
One of the five volcanic lakes at Wudalianchi lends its name to this province,
demarcates a long section of
w Wudalianchi and generated most of the the border between China and
magma that spilled out into the Siberia. Several of northeast
the River Border surrounding area. However, like China’s ethnic tribes traditionally
all the volcanoes at Wudalianchi, settled in this region, making
232 miles (375 km) N of Harbin. it is now dormant. Visitors can their living from the river,
£ from Harbin or Qiqiha’er to Beian, also bathe in the area’s pungent although many have now been
then bus to Wudalianchi. @ from hot-water springs and taste the assimilated into the larger
Harbin. ∑ english.wdlc.com.cn local mineral water. Apparently Han Chinese population. It is
bursting with dissolved minerals possible to see Siberian forests
A large and popular nature and curative powers, the waters and small settlements along the
reserve situated in a volcanic are sought by a devoted band border. Since most parts of this
field, Wudalianchi lies in a of the ill and infirm, as well as region require a permit, it is
region in western Heilongjiang elderly Chinese, who flock to advisable to check with Harbin’s
inhabited by the ancient Daur Wudalianchi to avail of Public Security Bureau.
minority. Its name, meaning treatment in the numerous Connected to Harbin by train,
“Five Big Connected Lakes,” is sanatoriums that have opened the large border town of Heihe
derived from the five bodies here. The waters are also the star sees a healthy cross-border trade
of water created by a succession attraction of the annual Water with the Russian port town of
of volcanic eruptions, the Drinking Festival of the local Blagoveshchensk, which can be
most recent occurring in the Daur people, held every May. visited with a tourist visa for
18th century. The resulting lava, Underground caverns dot Russia, arranged in Beijing. Hour-
which blocked the Bei River and the area, including the freezing long cruises along the Heilong
created the lakes, has turned Crystal Palace and Bai Long Jiang are also available. At the
Wudalianchi into a volcanic spa, Dong (White Dragon Cave), northern tip of Heilongjiang is
with geothermal springs and subterranean ice caves decorated Mohe, whose main attraction is
sulphurous waters that have a with ice sculptures and crowded the spectacular aurora borealis
reputation throughout China for with visitors in summer. The (northern lights) in winter. The
their curative powers. nearest settlement is the village town records almost 22 hours
The 14 volcanoes of Wudalianchi, which has several of daylight in June.
at Wudalianchi add a
measure of drama and
character to the region’s
flat terrain. To the west of
Number 3 Lake are the
two principal volcanic
vents, Lao Hei Shan (Old
Black Hill) and Huoshao
Shan (Fire Burn Hill). The
sites of the most recent
eruptions, which took
place in 1719–21, both
volcanoes are popular
with visitors and can be
climbed for panoramic
views of the area.
Surrounded by fields
of lava, Lao Hei Shan The frozen Heilong Jiang, used for traveling through the heavily forested terrain
River Border Minorities

Although the majority of the population in Heilongjiang is Han Chinese, the River Border
is home to several minorities, including the Oroqen, Hezhen, and Ewenki. Traditionally
these nomadic peoples eke out a living in this inhospitable environment. They rely on
animal furs for clothes and local plants for medicines, and, when on the move, even
construct tents out of birch bark. The Oroqen are hunters, descended from Khitan
nomads. They speak an Altaic language and are noted for their shaman and animistic
customs and rituals. Numbering a few thousand, the Hezhen are one of China’s least
populous tribes but their skill at fishing is legendary. The Ewenki supplement their
fishing and hunting mainly through breeding reindeer. For all these peoples, however,
this way of life is slowly dying out: hunting has been banned in some of the mountain
reserves, forcing the nomads to settle down as farmers, while others have left for the
cities in search of an easier life.
Ewenki tents traditionally have a frame made out of birch poles

that are covered with birch bark in summer and with animal skins
in winter. Practical feng shui means that the entrance is usually
The Ewenki are dependant south-facing to avoid the wind
on reindeer, which are well from the north.
adapted to survive in the cold
climate. However this nomadic
and traditional way of life is
slowly disappearing. The Oroqen are expert
hunters who even make
clothes from the animals
that they kill for food.
Subsidies are now
enticing some of them
to settle down
as farmers.
The Hezhen are legendary

for their fish-skin shirts,
trousers, and even shoes. The
dried skins of carp, pike, and The Oroqen’s traditional hunting grounds have suffered from
salmon are stitched together encroachment by industry as well as general deforestation and finally
to make waterproof items by China’s newfound enthusiasm for wildlife reserves that have closed
that are highly prized. off large areas of the wilderness from hunting.
INNER
MONGOLIA &
THE SILK ROADS
Introducing Inner Mongolia

& the Silk Road 464–471
Inner Mongolia & Ningxia 472–481
Gansu & Qinghai 482–505
Xinjiang 506–519
464 INNER MONGOLIA & THE SILK ROAD
Inner Mongolia & the Silk Road

This massive region, forming a giant northwesterly arc linking
Siberia with Central Asia, takes up a third of China’s landmass.
Geographically it ranges from forest to sandy desert to grassland,
while ethnically these lands are home to several Chinese
minorities, notably Mongolians, Uighur, and Hui, as well as,
among others, Russians, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz. Three provinces –
Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Xinjiang – are officially designated
autonomous regions. The main attractions in Xinjiang and Gansu
are the dusty oasis towns of the Silk Road, replete with Buddhist
cave paintings, evocative ruins, and chaotic markets, while else-
where the appeal is the beauty of China’s last great wildernesses.
A monk prays at the Gao

Key Miao, Zhongwei
Expressway
Burqin Altay
Main road
Fuyun
Minor road Tacheng
Main railroad
Other railroad Karamay
Dostyk
Shihezi
Provincial border Qitai
Yining
Qijiaojing
Summit
Ürümqi
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T i a
Turpan Hami
Pik Pobedy/
Tomür Feng Kuqa
7443m Korla Kur Hongliuyuan
He uk ta g
Aksu Tarim Dunhuang Yumen
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Qilian
Kashgar Ta r i m Pe n d i Sha
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Yengisar Q
Ta k l a m a k a n S h a m o
Sa
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Mang'ai Pe
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Kargilik nd
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Hotan Dulan
n
S h a
Golmud
K u n l u n Burhan Bud
ai Shan
Shigatse
QINGHAI
Dogai ng
To
Coring tia
n
He
Wenquan
Yushu
Getting Around
There are airports in the major
towns and cities, while the rail
network is confined to trunk
routes linking major centers.
Independent travelers will
need to use local bus services,
which are comprehensive but
crowded and uncomfortable.
Because of the distances
involved, visitors are likely to
focus on one area at a time –
the Silk Road or the Mongolian
Buddha sculpture at Bingling Si, Gansu, still retaining some of its original color grasslands, for example.
Jiayuguan Fort, the farthest outpost safeguarding the civilized world of the Ming dynasty
INTRODUCING INNER MONGOLIA & THE SILK ROAD 465
ing
Ergun
an L
Manzhouli
ng'
Hulun Haila’er
Zalantun
Nur
Xi
Da
The Yellow River at Shapotou, an oasis at the edge of the encroaching desert Ulanhot
Hulingol
Bayan Ul Tongliao
Xilinhot
Linxi
Erenhot
Chifeng
INNER Baochang
Jinzhou
MONGOLIA
Dalain Hob Baotou
Linhe Hohhot Beijing
e
Huang H
an Dongsheng
Sh Datong 0 km 300
rai Wuhai
b
Ya 0 miles 300
Jinchang Yinchuan
Zhangye
Zhongwei
Wuwei
NINGXIA
a GANSU
Qinghai
Hu Lanzhou
Xining Guyuan
Linxia Pingliang
A’n Luomen
y êm Langmusi
aq Tianshui
ên Xi’an
Sha
n
Longnan
INNER MONGOLIA
& NINGXIA
XINJIANG
GANSU
& QINGHAI
Nomads beside Qinghai Hu, the largest lake

in China

A PORTRAIT OF
INNER MONGOLIA &
THE SILK ROAD
This vast region, comprising Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, and
Xinjiang, covers a significant proportion of the total area of China. Although
sparsely populated, the area’s appeal lies in its magnificent landscape, the
distinctive lifestyles of its indigenous peoples, and its Silk Road past. This
fabled trade route’s legacies are visible everywhere, from historic sights to the
Islamic religion.
Bordering the Mongolian Republic and However, historic cultural identities have
Russia to the north, the Central Asian been retained, and this, together with the
states to the west, and the Indian region’s distinctive geography, means that
subcontinent to the south, this region Inner Mongolia and the northwest have
is now indissolubly attached to China a different character to most of China.
as a result of vigorously pursued Chinese Because of this, these three areas –
hegemony. Today, although the local Ningxia, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia –
population is largely Han, they have are not officially provinces but so-called
little in common with the area’s Autonomous Regions, where the Hui,
indigenous peoples. Only the eastern Uighur, and Mongolian peoples theoreti-
portion of Gansu seems naturally to cally have a measure of self-government.
form part of China proper. Gansu to the In practice, any autonomy is superficial,
west of Lanzhou and the other provinces though local languages are spoken and
are at best indifferent to, and at worst in religions practiced resonably freely.
uneasy thrall to the government in Beijing, Although the communities are united
which has often ruled with callous by their ethnic minority status, the region
disregard for local sentiments. For the is by no means a cohesive entity. For
Chinese, there still lingers a historic example, the Mongolians and Uighur
suspicion of the “barbarians” living beyond are only connected by the fact of their
the frontier marked by the course of the inclusion within the political borders of
Great Wall. China. Mongolia’s grasslands are inhabited
Dramatic sand dunes near Crescent Moon Lake, Dunhuang

the Yellow River. Inner Mongolia,

composed of grassland, steppe,
desert, and mountain, has short,
pleasant summers but dramatically
cold, windswept winters.
Historically, this area’s most significant
period was during the great days of the
Silk Road, when caravans carrying silk,
spices, and tea crossed the inhospitable
terrain, stopping at oasis towns along the
way. Centuries later, this region became
the domain of Genghis Khan, the Mongol
warlord (see p477). These desert gardens
are still markets where local products, from
raisins to saddles and daggers, are traded
just as they have been for centuries.
The most significant Silk Road
Incense burner in the inner courtyard of the Gao Miao, monuments are the Mogao Caves in
a multi-denominational temple in Zhongwei Dunhuang, perhaps the greatest repository
of Buddhist murals, sculpture, and
by a traditionally nomadic people manuscripts. Other Buddhist sites such as
who maintain their livelihoods through the Labrang monastery in Gansu and
the grazing of sheep and horses. Ta’er Si in Qinghai owe their origins
Xinjiang, the homeland of the to the influence of Tibetan
Turkic-speaking Uighur, on the Buddhism. Besides visiting
other hand, is a stony desert caravanserais, grottoes, and
relieved by oases dependent monasteries, it is worth exploring
upon an ancient but sophis- the grasslands, mountains, and
ticated system of underground lakes such as Qinghai Hu, as some
irrigation channels. The one of China’s last great wilderness
feature that links the region Statue inside the Fuxi
areas can be seen here. In recent
is the extreme nature of its Miao, Tianshui years some of China’s prosperity
climate and terrain. While much has begun to trickle west, and
of Xinjiang is flat and featureless, it is many towns have grown rapidly. In
fringed by some of the world’s highest many places though, the region still
mountains, including the Pamirs to the seems to be the remote frontier that it
southwest and Tian Shan to the northwest. has been for much of its history.
At its center sits the
Taklamakan Desert, an
immense tract of sand
dunes characterized by its
name, which means “Go in
not come out.” Summers
here are unbearably hot,
and its winters are dry and
very cold. Qinghai is a
mountain plateau whilst
arid Ningxia and Gansu
are rendered habitable
only by the presence of Tibetan nuns gathering outside their nunnery in Xiahe, Qinghai
Mongols of the Steppe

In the 13th century Genghis Khan (see p477) united the
steppe-land tribes into a confederation that briefly ruled
much of the civilized world. Today, the Mongolian nation
is divided into two parts: the Mongolian Republic to the
north, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in
China. Traditionally, Mongols are nomadic herders who
travel and work on horseback, mostly on the vast, grass-
rich steppe. Their diet consists largely of meat and dairy Motorbike travel has replaced
products, including fermented mare’s milk, the intoxicating the horse for many families and
airaq. In Inner Mongolia, most of the Mongolian minority it is not unusual to see an entire
family astride a bike, which is just
now lead a sedentary life of farming. They are striving, as likely to be seen parked
however, to keep their traditions alive, by staging the outside a ger as a horse.
annual Nadaam Festival, for example.
Equestrian Skill
The key to the Yuan Empire’s success
was the Mongolians’ horse-riding
prowess. Horsemanship is still valued,
and many learn to ride before they
can walk. The sturdy Mongolian pony
remains an integral feature of life in
the countryside for nomadic herders.
The name Mongol, first used during the Tang

dynasty, referred to several tribes. This illumination
from 1350 shows that the essential lifestyle of
Mongolians changed little up to the 20th century.
Gers (yurts) are the

traditional felt homes
of the nomads. They
are found in the rural
grasslands. Permanent
encampments of gers
are found closer to
Hohhot.
Tied down
skillfully to
withstand fierce
winds, the outer
and inner skins The frame comes apart for easy trans-
are made of portation. The wooden poles (orange like
canvas, with an the sun) are called uni; between ten and
insulating layer fifteen of them support each of the khanas,
of felt between. or sections of wall.
The principal traditional

garment, the deel, is a
long gown tied with a
brilliant sash at the waist.
It is worn by both women
and men and comes
in different weights –
lined with sheepskin
for winter, quilted for
spring, and made of
light cloth for summer.
Colorful banners
are carried by riders
at the competitive
Nadaam Festival.
Mongolian wrestling, a favorite event
at the Nadaam Festival along with
equestrianism and archery, has no
weight classes and no time limits. The
winner is the one who throws or trips
his opponent in such a way that some
part of his body touches the ground.
Buddhism is the main religion among Mongols.

Tibetan influence became very strong at
the Mongolian court of Kublai Khan and by the
16th century Lamaist Buddhist images had
found a place in every ger.
Desertification
Leather saddles have Hardy Mongolian The incursion of dry soil into fertile lands,
replaced the less comfortable pony desertification is caused by overworking the
traditional wooden version. soil and inappropriate irrigation, a major
problem in China. In Inner Mongolia, it is
severely affecting the traditional way of life,
as it destroys grazing pastures. Poor farmers
swarm to the area to harvest facai or “get rich”
grasses, removing the
topsoil’s anchoring root-
structure. Mongols have
been encouraged to
abandon the pastoral life
and settle as farmers and
so increase the pressures
on the land.
Inside is warm and comfortable. A stove sits in
the center of the ger, while the back is reserved Once-rich grassland reduced
for the family altar and is the place for elders and to infertile sand
honored guests.
The Silk Road

In reality several ancient trading routes between China and
Eastern Europe, the Silk Road – the term was coined in the
19th century by Baron von Richthofen – first became busy
in the Han dynasty, exposing the Chinese capital Chang’an
(Xi’an) and ultimately all of China to the influences and
styles of an alien world. Technologically advanced, with a
large workforce and a monopoly on some highly valued
products, China was well placed to benefit from a massive
expansion in trade.
Camel caravan crossing the daunting
Silk Road dunes
Silk Road Commerce

The merchants who used the Silk Road dealt
not only in spices, silk, porcelain, and jade but
also in gold and silver, wool, Arab horses, and
many other commodities. However, it was
silk (see pp214–15), a mysterious Chinese
invention, that particularly captivated the West.
This piece of silk dating from 1500 BC was

discovered in what was Bactria, today’s
Afghanistan, indicating that a network of
trading routes had been established long
before the heyday of the Silk Road under
the Tang.
Rome was a major

importer of silk and
knew China as “Seres”
– the land of silk. This
gold Roman coin was
found along the Silk
Road in Xinjiang.
Emperor Wu and General Zhang Qian

In the 2nd century BC the Han Emperor
Wudi saw that his cavalry’s horses – Gold and
better suited to pulling carts – were silver were
struggling against the fast horses of not highly prized
his enemy, the Xiongnu. He in China until after contact with the West.
subsequently sent Zhang Qian, his These precious metals became
general, to Sogdiana and Ferghana to fashionable in the Tang dynasty, as
obtain some of their legendary horses. shown by this gold teacup with Middle
Although the mission failed, the Eastern styling.
information Zhang Qian brought
back about the riches he saw led to This Chinese incense
the development of trade along the burner shows that
Silk Road, and the Ferghana horses did silverworking
eventually make it to China. techniques must have
made it to China
Statue of one of Ferghana’s “heavenly horses” along with the vogue
for precious metals.
The Silk Road was a series Silk Roads

of routes linking China in the
east with the Roman Empire TURKIC & UIGHUR
EMPIRES
to the west. The principal FERGHANA
routes looped south and
SOGDIANA
north of the Taklamakan
Desert, to join with other Antioch Luoyang
branches from Siberia and
India as they headed Damascus PERSIA
TIBET Chang’an
through Central Asia SYRIA
GANDHARA
and Persia as far as the CHINA
Mediterranean. The route
flourished in periods of calm INDIA
ARABIA
and declined in times of war.
Foreign Ideas and Religions

Contact with foreigners meant traders brought
back religions such as Buddhism, which
eventually became the national religion,
as well as philosophies and artistic styles.
Most artistic influences

came from Gandhara,
a center of Buddhism.
The area’s unique artistic
styles developed after its
conquest by Alexander the
Great in the 4th century BC.
This Gandharan-inspired
Chinese bust recalls the
graceful sculptures of
Classical Greece.
Detail from the Catalan Map This cross is evidence of Nestorianism in China
Made in the 14th century for Charles V of France, around the 8th century AD. Other religions to
this map gives an indication of the extent of make it to China include Islam, Judaism, and
geographical knowledge as it stood during the Manicheanism, a Babylonian religion based on
later Middle Ages. The inclusion of China was the opposing principles of Light and Darkness.
helped by Marco Polo’s account.
The period of unrest after

the demise of the Tang led
to a decline in trade. The
Silk Road prospered again
during the Yuan dynasty
when the region came
under the control of the
Mongol Empire. Silk
was no longer a
Chinese monopoly, The final decline came with the large ships of the 15th
but their porcelain century that could travel with less cost, harassment, and
was clearly the finest danger. Dwindling use saw the gradual abandonment of
pottery in the world. the caravanserais that had been the merchants’ refuges.
INNER MONGOLIA & THE SILK ROAD 473
INNER MONGOLIA
& NINGXIA
INNER
MONGOLIA
This area comprises two autonomous regions, Inner Mongolia,
stretching across northern China in an enormous arc, and
NINGXIA
Ningxia, China’s smallest province after the island of Hainan. The
region’s main attractions are its great landscapes and the unique
cultures of its minority people.
Much of Inner Mongolia consists of rolling grasslands dotted with the traditional tents
(gers or yurts) of the nomadic Mongols. The capital of Hohhot is the most convenient place
to join a tour and experience their traditional way of life, while the more adventurous can
head north to the towns of Xilinhot and Haila’er, where vast tracts of untouched wilderness
lie waiting to be explored. The historic Mongolian homeland was made up of the
independent Republic of Mongolia, Inner Mongolia (now in China), and parts of Siberia.
Bordering Inner Mongolia to the south, Ningxia was first established in 1928. In the 1950s,
it became part of Gansu, and in 1958 was designated an autonomous region for the
indigenous Hui (see p479). Living in pockets throughout China, the Muslim Hui descended
from Arab Silk Road traders, but are now largely assimilated with the Han culture. Despite
some industrialization, Ningxia is a largely undeveloped region with a smattering of
interesting sights. At the foot of the scenic Helan mountains near the capital of Yinchuan
stand the crumbling tombs of the Western Xia dynasty. The Xumi Shan Caves near Guyuan
are another key sight, with a wealth of Buddhist carvings.
Sights at a Glance Mangui

Towns & Cities Monasteries & Stupas
Mordaga
1 Hohhot 0 108 Dagobas p481 Jagdaqi
2 Baotou Historic Site Ergun
3 Dongsheng
7 Xanadu Yakeshi
5 Haila’er
30
6 Manzhouli Area of Natural Beauty Hulun

1
Nur
8 Yinchuan 4 Xilinhot Zalantun
q Zhongwei
Yirshi
111
Mountains, Grottoes & Caves

9 Helan Shan Ulanhot
w Guyuan Hulingol
Xi Ujimqin Qi
Abag Qi Tongliao
5
Erenhot
G4
207
Habirag Chifeng
Ejin Qi Huade
Wuyuan Jining
Bayan Mod
G6
Wuhai Horinger
Key
G18
Otog Qi Expressway
G2 National Highway
0 5
G6 Minor road
Zhongning
Railroad
G7
0
Longde Provincial border
0 km 250
Great Wall
0 miles 250
Yurts in the Xilamuren grassland, Inner Mongolia For additional map symbols see back flap
1 Hohhot
290 miles (480 km) W of Beijing.

* 1,980,000. k 10 miles (16 km)
E of town. £ @ n Hohhot CITS,
(0471) 691 8568.
A small Buddhist settlement

since the Ming era, Hohhot
became the capital of Inner
Mongolia in 1952. Although it
has expanded considerably, the
city has kept some of its charm,
visible in traditional mud-brick
houses in the south, as well as
a few temples and an excellent Dinosaur skeletons on display at the Inner Mongolia Museum
museum. However, the sur-
rounding grasslands and the excellent collection of fossils U Great Mosque
traditional way of life they discovered in Inner and Outer 28 Tongdao Nan Jie. Tel (0471) 639
support are probably the main Mongolia. This includes the 1363. Open daily.
interest. The greenery in skeleton of a woolly rhinoceros In the old southwestern part
summer makes it the best unearthed from a coal mine in of the city, the attractive Great
time to visit the city. Manzhouli (see p478), and Mosque (Qingzhen Da Si) is best
Hohhot is largely several other impressive known for its fusion of both
inhabited by Han dinosaur skeletons. Chinese and Arab architectural
Chinese, with a On the museum’s influences. The main building,
small Mongol and upper floors, dating from the Qing dynasty, is
Hui population. the focus is constructed in black brick, while
on culture and its minaret has a Chinese-style
E Inner history, with pagoda roof. It is an active place
Mongolia Museum Local fruit stall being exhibits of the of worship that permits non-
27 Xinhua Dong Jie.
carried on a bicycle paraphernalia Muslim visitors, especially if they
Tel (0471) 461 4333. used by the nomadic are accompanied by a local Hui
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. Mongols, including saddles, worshiper. The mosque’s prayer
Situated in the center of clothing, archery and polo area, however, is reserved for
the new part of town, this equipment, and a ger. There’s Muslims. The surrounding
modern museum is definitely also an exhibition dedicated to Muslim area is well worth
worth visiting for an insight the life of Genghis Khan, who, exploring, with its narrow alleys
into the history and traditions in the 13th century, united the lined with restaurants selling
of the Mongolian people. The disparate Mongol tribes and delicious noodles and kabobs.
museum’s ground floor focuses established what was arguably
on the region’s natural the largest land empire in  Xilitu Zhao
environment, displaying an human history. Da Nan Jie. Tel (0471) 631 0332.
A short walk south of the Great
Mosque in the old city, the Xilitu
Zhao (Xilitu Temple) started off
as a small Ming-dynasty temple
and is one of Hohhot’s oldest
shrines. This Tibetan-Buddhist
temple became the spiritual
home of the 11th Grand Living
Buddha in 1735. Since then, it
has served as the official
residence of successive
reincarnations of the Grand
Living Buddha, who presides
over Buddhist affairs in the city.
This version of the temple was
built in the 19th century, after its
predecessor burned down. Xilitu
Zhao was also badly damaged
Main prayer hall at the Tibetan-Buddhist Xilitu Zhao during the Cultural Revolution,
INNER MONGOLIA & NINGXIA 475
but has since been heavily

restored. It is essentially Chinese
in style, with a few Tibetan
elements. Its dagoba (Tibetan-
style stupa), for example, features
Sanskrit writing, Chinese dragons,
and Tantric Tibetan murals that
vividly depict the horrors of hell
in gory detail. The temple is still
active and the monks here are
friendly and some speak English.
They are usually happy to show
visitors around.
 Da Zhao
Da Nan Jie. Tel (0471) 630 3154.
Open 8am–6:30pm daily. & Wusutu Zhao, Hohhot’s Mongolian-style temple
The largest Buddhist temple in
the city, the Da Zhao is located  Wu Ta Si carved into its walls, each differing
in a narrow alley just west of Da 48 Wutasi Qian Jie. Tel (0471) 597 slightly from the others. Inside is a
Nan Jie. Similar in style and 2640. Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily rare Mongolian cosmological
layout to the Xilitu Zhao, it was (until 5pm in winter). & map carved onto a large
originally built in 1579, and Just south of Qingcheng stone that
renovated during the 1990s. The Park, amid the remains of illustrates a zodiac
shrine was dedicated to the the old city, the Indian- and the positions
Qing Emperor Kangxi in the late style Wu Ta Si (Five of numerous stars.
17th century, and murals in the Pagodas Temple) is
main hall commemorate his visit. one of Hohhot’s most  Wusutu Zhao
An astounding 10-ft (3-m) silver attractive buildings. It 7 miles (12 km) NW
Sakyamuni Buddha is among was constructed in of Hohhot. Open
the temple’s many treasures. 1727 as part of Guardian, Wusutu Zhao 8am–6pm daily. &
Da Zhao also boasts an another temple that Founded in 1606, the
extensive collection of musical has now disappeared. The predominantly Mongolian-style
instruments and dragon distinctive five pagodas Wusutu Zhao includes some
sculptures, and is the venue surmount a solid-looking base Chinese and Tibetan features.
for Buddhist festivals held that contains a smallish temple Inside the monastery there are
through the year. with 1,563 images of the Buddha Ming-dynasty murals on display
as well as some intricate
woodcarvings with imperial
dragon motifs. The name
“wusutu” means “near
to water” in Mongolian. The
nearby grasslands and Daqing
mountains make pleasant day-
trips from town.
 Bai Ta
9 miles (15km) east of Hohhot
The open grasslands, traditional home to nomadic Mongols Open dawn–dusk daily.
Bai Ta (White Pagoda) is a seven-
The Grasslands storied, octagonal structure. It
Mongolia’s history is linked to its grasslands, and for many people, the
was first built in the 10th century
classic image of the Mongolian landscape is unbroken grassy steppe to house Buddhist scriptures
spreading to the horizon. The steppe provides fodder for the horses dating from the Liao dynasty (see
and sheep that support the Mongolians’ nomadic lifestyle. The three p64). Over 180ft (55m) high, and
grassland areas accessible from Hohhot are Xilamuren, 50 miles made of wood and brick, it has
(80 km) north; Huitengxile, 75 miles (120 km) northeast; and some striking carvings inspired
Gegentela, 93 miles (150 km) north. The easiest way to explore them by Chinese mythology and
is by taking a tour that includes a stay in a village of traditional tents nature, including coiled dragons,
(gers), where visitors attend a banquet and watch Mongolian sports. flowers, and birds. A winding
Though obviously stage-managed, they do show something of staircase leads to the top, from
Mongolian culture. One can also travel independently by hiring a where there are panoramic
horse, or negotiating an overnight stay in a ger belonging to a local. views. Bai Ta is best reached by
taking a taxi from town.
} Resonant Sand Gorge

(Xiangsha Wan)
Tel (0477) 396 3366. Open usually
8am–7pm daily. &
3 Dongsheng
62 miles (100 km) S of Baotou.

* 160,000. @
Reasonably attractive, the small

town of Dongsheng serves
mainly as a base for visiting
Buddhist mural outside a hall at Wudang Zhao monastery, Baotou Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum
(Ejin Horo Qi), a rather
2 Baotou a section of the Yellow River that uncomfortable bus trip 30 miles
inscribes a huge northerly loop, (50 km) to the south. It is almost
enclosing an area called the certain that Genghis Khan is not
105 miles (170 km) W of Hohhot. * Ordos that was not conquered by buried here, as his real tomb is
2,070,000. ~ £ from Beijing. @ n the Chinese until the Qing era. thought to lie in the Hentei
Baotou CITS, Wulan Dao, (0472) 211 8966. The irrigation projects made Mountains near Ulan Batur in
possible by the Yellow River have the Republic of Mongolia.
The largest city in Inner Mongolia, made this area a fertile oasis. There However, scholars believe that
Baotou was once an arid and is little to see besides this site contains a few
undeveloped region, inhabited the river, but its sluggish relics of the Great Khan,
by Mongolian herders of sheep progress through the and it has grown into
and horses. Today, it is an flat, cultivated a place of pilgrimage
industrial community made up landscape is impressive. for many Mongolians.
largely of Han Chinese, with a South of Baotou is the The mausoleum
visible Mongol presence. The great Gobi, a desert that consists of three
town is divided into three stretches across the conjoined halls, each
principal areas – Donghe, the northern reaches of Plaque in four echoing the shape of
oldest part, lies to the east, while Inner Mongolia and the scripts, Wudang Zhao a ger (Mongolian
the western area consists of Republic of Mongolia. tent) decorated with
Qingshan, the main shopping The Resonant Sand murals. The middle
district, and Kundulun, the Gorge, 37 miles (60 km) south hall has a large statue of Genghis
industrial hub. While Qingshan of Baotou, is filled with sand with a map of his empire. Some
resembles any modern Chinese dunes, some of which soar of the halls are bedecked with
town, with its tower blocks and 295 ft (90 m) high. Visitors slip hangings, and contain gers, altars,
array of shops, Kundulun is a and slide on the dunes, and its and other religious paraphernalia.
depressing leftover from the name refers to the sound made Special ceremonies are held
Communist era, with large, by the falling sand. Paragliding here four times a year to honor
bleak squares, and no sign of and camel rides are also Genghis Khan, attracting
greenery. Donghe, a ramshackle available, and a chairlift shuttles pilgrims from all over Mongolia.
quarter of streets lined with mud- visitors from the main road.
brick houses and their cluttered P Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum
courtyards, lends color to this  Wudang Zhao Tel (0477) 896 1222. Open 7:30am–
fairly drab city. Tel (0472) 535 0546. 6:30pm daily (winter: 8am–
Open 8:30am–5:30pm daily. & 5:30pm). &
Environs: The region’s best-
preserved Lamaist monastery,
Wudang Zhao lies 43 miles
(70 km) northeast of Baotou in
a tranquil valley. Built in 1749 in
the Tibetan flat-roofed style, it
quickly became an important
place of pilgrimage, and was
home to several hundred monks
belonging to the Yellow Hat Sect.
It houses a collection of Buddhist
murals from the Qing era. Just 6
miles (10 km) south of Baotou lies Sacrificing Aobao near Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum, a place of pilgrimage for Mongolians
Genghis Khan
Born in 1162 to the head of the Kiyat-Borjigen tribe, Genghis Khan (or Chinggis Khan)
was given the name Temujin. A born fighter, as a teenager he killed his half-brother and
in 1206 he was proclaimed Genghis Khan (meaning universal king). He unified Mongolia’s
warring fiefdoms into a huge army of up to 200,000 warriors that invaded China and
much of Asia, and eventually created one of the greatest land empires in history. The
secret of his success was the skilful use of cavalry and the toughness of the Mongolians,
who could survive on very little. Their dietary needs were met either from their horses or
from the countryside. Genghis died in 1227, before the capture of Peking, after falling
from his horse. In fact it was after his death that the Mongol armies made most of their
conquests, but it was thanks to his organization and determination in the first place.
Genghis Khan was a

supreme organizer
and tactician. He also
created the first
Mongolian code of
law, the “Yasak,” and
promoted the growth
of trade between
China and Europe.
Mongol Empire
The empire of Genghis Khan’s successors at its greatest extent The Mongolian
shown on a modern map bow’s unique shape
gave it a better range Lance for
than standard bows.
close-quarters fighting
The Mongolian Warrior Mongolian horses were The cavalry were

This Persian picture, painted 100 years after small but sturdy supreme horsemen
Genghis Khan’s death, shows him fighting the and able to fight
on the move.
Tatars. The key to Mongolian success was their
horsemen. They were disciplined, mobile, and
heavily armed, and their ferocity and skill were
unmatched at the time.
Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum is perhaps

reminiscent of a Mongolian ger or tent. After
his death his body was carried by thousands
of his followers and taken back to Mongolia.
The actual site of his burial is unknown.
The vast expanse of the Hulunbuir grasslands around Haila’er
4 Xilinhot grasslands, an expanse of swans, geese, and cranes come

rolling plains threaded by rivers to nest. The tourist office
and inhabited by herds of sheep organizes grassland tours,
420 miles (700 km) NE of Hohhot. and horses, best accessed on a on which visitors can stay in
~ W of Xilinhot. £ to Erlianhot, then
grassland court. gers (tents).
bus. @ from Hohhot, check with PSB
if a permit; is required. n Xilinhot
Travel Agency, (0479) 824 9165. 6 Manzhouli 7 Xanadu
Situated right in the heart of
the province’s grasslands, 130 miles (215 km) W of Haila’er. £ 280 miles (450 km) NE of Hohhot.
Xilinhot’s main draw is a visit from Haila’er & Harbin. @ from Haila’er. 8 arranged by Xilinhot Travel
to the Mongolian wilderness, n Lantian Travel, (0470) 622 3003. Agency, (0479) 824 9165.
inhabited by nomadic sheep-
herders in their muchang jia For long inhabited only by Close to Inner Mongolia’s border
(pastureland homes). The tours nomads, the border town of near Duolun lie the remains of
available here are quieter and Manzhouli became a permanent Yuanshangdu or Xanadu, the site
cheaper than the ones around settlement in 1901, as a stop on of the legendary palace of Kublai
Hohhot. Independent trips can the Trans-Manchurian and Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan
also be organized through Trans-Siberian railways. Steam (see p477). One of China’s greatest
private tour agents. locomotives can still be seen in emperors, Kublai Khan and his
the shunting yards at Zalainuo’er. magnificent summer palace
5 Haila’er Russian influences are apparent were exalted in Samuel Taylor
in the architecture, mainly the Coleridge’s poem, which begins
wooden cottages with painted with the lines “In Xanadu did
570 miles (950 km) NE of Xilinhot. shutters and stucco buildings in Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-
~ Haila’er Dongshan, E of Xilianhot. pre-Revolutionary style. The dome decree.” The palace was
£ @ n CTS Haila’er, 20 Ali He Lu, main attraction, however, is abandoned by the Khan during
(0470) 822 4017. Dalai Hu or Hulun Nur to the his lifetime, and eventually
south. Surrounded by marshy crumbled. There is little left to see,
Close to the Russian border, grasslands, it is one of China’s but those who wish to visit can
Haila’er is Inner Mongolia’s largest lakes, where migratory contact Xilinhot’s tourist office.
northernmost town. This small
settlement on the banks of the
Amur River is a good base for
visiting the grasslands in sum-
mer. The town’s main sight is the
network of tunnels used by the
Japanese army during World War
II. Built by Chinese prisoners, they
were used as defensive bunkers
along Haila’er’s northwestern
ridge, which marked the
western boundary of Japan’s
advance into China. Beyond
Haila’er lie the Hulunbuir Manzhouli, the last stop in China on the Trans-Manchurian railway line
8 Yinchuan
450 miles (750 km) SW of Hohhot.

* 1,290,000. ~ 15 miles (25 km) SE
of Yinchuan. £ @ n Ningxia CITS,
375 Beijing Dong Lu, (0951) 673 2858.
Situated in the north of Ningxia,

in the lee of the Helan
mountains, Yinchuan is well
protected from the harsh desert
climate, and makes a good base
from which to explore the
surrounding sights. Watered by
the Yellow River, this lush and
leafy city was the capital of the
little-known Western Xia The stately Gulou (Drum Tower) in Yinchuan’s old town
Kingdom from around the 11th
century onward. The Kingdom dates back to the Ming dynasty. across the city to the Yellow River
has left few traces of its short Just south of the Drum Tower, and Helan mountains. The only
existence except for a set of Gulou Jie is the heart of the city’s sight in the west of Yinchuan is
dagobas, and a handful of busy shopping district and is the Ningxia Provincial Museum,
imperial tombs located 12 miles lined with department stores. worth visiting for its large
(20 km) west of the city (see West of Gulou Jie stands the collection of Western Xia
p480). This mysterious dynasty 13-story, octagonal Xi Ta (West artifacts. The museum also has
materialized in the 1030s, in the Pagoda), built within the grounds informative exhibits on the Silk
area north of Han China. of the Chetian Temple, originally Road and Hui culture. Followers
Following a period of expansion built in the 11th century. of Islam, the Hui descended from
in the late 11th century, the Southeast of Gulou, is the Arab and Persian traders who
Western Xia empire included all South Gate (Nan Men) which came to China during the Tang
of modern-day resembles a and Yuan dynasties.
Ningxia, as well miniature version
as parts of of Beijing’s Tian’an P Gulou and Yuhuang Ge
Shaanxi, Gansu, Men. A short walk Jiefang Jie. Open 8:30am–5pm
Qinghai, and southwest of Nan daily. &
Inner Mongolia. Men, Nanguan U Nanguan Mosque
Although the Mosque is a Yuhuangge Nan Jie. Tel (0951) 410
Chinese consid- Sign advertising a fortune teller modern building 6714. Open 8am–5pm daily. &
ered them outside Haibao Ta constructed in 1981
E Ningxia Provincial Museum
barbarians, they to replace the
E side of Renmin Guangchang.
achieved a considerable level of original 1915 shrine. It is an Tel (0951) 508 5062. Open 9am–
sophistication, partly through active place of worship that 4:50pm Tue–Sun. ∑ nxbwg.com
the assimilation of Tang culture, caters to Yinchuan’s Hui
until their kingdom was sacked population. Unlike most
by the invading Mongols mosques in China, it has hardly
in 1227. any Chinese features and is built
Today, Yinchuan is a pleasant in a distinct Middle-Eastern
and lively city, with a handful style. In the northern reaches of
of interesting things to see. It the old town, the ancient
consists of two parts, the new Haibao Ta stands in the
town (Xin Cheng) to the west grounds of an active monastery.
near the railway station, and According to records, the 177-ft
the old town (Lao Cheng or (54-m) tower, also known as the
Xingqing), 4 miles (7 km) east, Northern Pagoda (Bei Ta), was
where most of the sights first built in the 5th century AD. It
are located. was rebuilt in the 18th century in
Jiefang Jie, the old town’s the original style, after an earth-
main thoroughfare, has two quake destroyed it in 1739. It is
well-restored traditional an unusually angular structure,
Chinese towers. One is the large with ledges and niches at every
Gulou (Drum Tower), while level. It is worth making the
farther east lies the Yuhuang climb to the top of its nine The 1,500-year-old Haibao Ta in
Ge (Yuhuang Pavilion), which stories, as there are terrific views northern Yinchuan
over 200 chapels and rooms.

Rebuilt several times, the
temple, in its present form, is an
interesting amalgamation of
architectural styles.
Environs: About 9 miles

(15 km) west of Zhongwei, the
spectacular resort of Shapotou
lies on the banks of the Yellow
River, between riverbank
vegetation on one side and
the striking sand dunes of the
desert on the other. Accessed
by minibus from Zhongwei, the
The striking Xi Xia Wang Ling (Western Xia Tombs) in Helan Shan Shapotou Desert Research
Center was founded in 1956 to
9 Helan Shan q Zhongwei reclaim fertile land from the
desert. It has met with some
success, as seen in the groves
12 miles (20 km) W of Yinchuan. @ 106 miles (170 km) SW of Yinchuan. of trees and surrounding
from Xinyue Sq or taxi. n Ningxia CITS, £ @ n Zhongwei Travel Service, cultivation. It is now a resort,
375 Beijing Dong Lu, (0951) 673 2858. 33 Gu Lou Xi Jie, (0995) 701 4880. offering camel rides and trips
downriver on traditional rafts
Looming over Yinchuan, about The pleasant town of Zhongwei that are kept afloat with inflated
12 miles (20 km) to the west, lies between the Tengger Desert sheep skins. Sand sleds are
the 11,667-ft (3,556-m) high to the north and the Yellow available to rent for those who
mountain range of Helan Shan River to the south. This small wish to speed down the sand
has some interesting settlement can easily be dune slopes.
historical places to visit. explored on foot or by
At the foot of its cycle-rickshaw. At its  Gao Miao
eastern slopes lie the center lies a Gulou Bei Jie. Tel (0955) 701 2164.
Xi Xia Wang Ling, traditional Drum Open 7:30am–6pm daily
the royal tombs of Tower (Gulou) dating (8am–5:30pm in winter). &
the Western Xia to the Ming era. Shapotou
dynasty (1038–1227). Zhongwei’s main sight Tel (0955) 768 1481. Open 8:30am–
Spread over a large is the 15th-century Gao 5pm daily. &
area, these crumbling Painting on upper Miao, a rather bizarre
but still impressive pavilion, Gao Miao temple which serves
mounds commem- Buddhists, Daoists, and w Guyuan
orate nine Xia kings. The Confucians alike. It was originally
Gunzhong Pass, farther north, built for Buddhists, but somehow
makes for pleasant hikes in the developed ecumenically, which 200 miles (330 km) S of Yinchuan. £
@ Xumi Shan Caves: @ from
surrounding hills if the weather is reflected in the welter of well
Guyuan to Sanying, then taxi.
is fine. Located 5 miles (8 km)
north of the pass are the 39-ft
(12-m) twin pagodas, Baisikou In the southern part of Ningxia,
Shuang Ta, decorated with Guyuan serves as a base for
Buddha statues. Nearby, at Suyu visiting the Xumi Shan
Kou, are hundreds of rock (Treasure Mountain) Caves,
paintings of uncertain age 31 miles (50 km) to the north-
depicting animals and human west. Set in dramatic sandstone
figures. These sights can all be hills, these Buddhist grottoes –
visited in a day by hiring a numbering well over a hundred
minibus or car from Yinchuan. – are relics from the greatest era
of the Silk Road, mostly the
P Xi Xia Wang Ling period covering the Northern
22 miles (35 km) W of Yinchuan. Wei, Sui, and Tang dynasties.
Tel (0951) 566 8970. Open 8am– They contain more than 300
6:30pm daily. & well-preserved Buddhist statues,
the most famous being a
0 108 Dagobas colossal Maitreya (Future)
Carved entrance of the multi- Buddha, which stands 62 ft
See p481. denominational Gao Miao, Zhongwei (19 m) high in Cave 5.
0 108 Dagobas VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
50 miles (85 km) S of
Set in the desert near the town of Qingtongxia Zhen, the
Yinchuan. Tel (0953) 301 2868.
108 Dagobas stand in 12 gleaming rows, spread out Open 8am–6:30pm daily. &
in a perfect triangular formation overlooking the Yellow
Transportation
River. A Buddhist monument, it is not clear exactly what £ or @ from Yinchuan to
their purpose is. Traditionally it has been thought that they Qingtongxia Zhen, minibus or taxi.
were placed here during the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368)
but there may be some link to the Western Xia Empire. Parasol protects The highest
The number 108 is significant in Chinese numerology: from evil reality
there are 108 prayer beads in a Buddhist rosary – and the
same number of possible sins or worries.
The thirteen steps

to enlightenment
Main part represents the

primeval mound
Sometimes hollow
– used to store relics
Base represents
. Hillside Location the earth
Impressive as the dagobas are, a good reason . The Dagobas
for visiting them is to get out in the peaceful Like the Indian stupa, the
surrounding hills and do a bit of walking. dagoba is a deeply symbolic
Here you can find quiet temples at the top icon. In early Buddhist art,
of some testing steps as well as flowing Buddha was never shown in
calligraphy carved into the rockfaces. human form, instead a stupa
became his symbol.
Viewing the Dagobas

The best view is from a boat on Western Xia Empire
the river – if the water level is
high enough. The site is in This mysterious dynasty materialized in the early
excellent condition as a result 11th century when they established the Great
Xia Empire in the area north of what was
of an overzealous restoration.
Han China. Known as Tanguts – and probably
from Tibet – they were briefly strong enough
to build up a small empire and force tribute
from the Song rulers in China. However, they
Western Xia coin were so thoroughly defeated by the Mongols
in 1227 that little evidence of their existence
remains except for some coins, books, and a famous stele covered
in their feathery script (now in Xi’an).
GANSU & QINGHAI

For centuries, Gansu and Qinghai were regarded as frontier
provinces that marked the outer limits of ancient China.
A harsh and rugged region, Gansu connects the Chinese QINGHAI GANSU
heartland with the vast desert regions to the northwest. The
Hexi Corridor, running 750 miles (1,200 km) between two mountain
ranges and dotted with oases, formed a link between China and the West. The Silk Road
passed through here, as did the Great Wall, and later, the region’s only railroad line. The Yellow
River flows through Lanzhou, for centuries a major stop along the Silk Road. To the southwest
lies the Tibetan town of Xiahe and its splendid Labrang Monastery. In the desert landscape
northwest of Lanzhou are two great historical relics – the mighty Ming fortress of Jiayuguan
and the cave art at Dunhuang.
Lying between Gansu and Tibet, Qinghai is a vast mountain plateau inhabited by a mere
5.5 million people. In every respect – culturally, historically, and geographically – it is part of
the Tibetan Plateau, and was once the Tibetan province of Amdo, becoming a province of China
only in 1928. Due to its remoteness, it has been used as the site for several prison camps for
political dissidents. The province, however, abounds in natural beauty, with lush valleys around
the capital of Xining, and miles of unspoilt wilderness around Qinghai Hu, China’s largest lake.
It also houses one of the country’s greatest Tibetan lamaseries, Ta’er Si, and provides access
into Tibet from Golmud and Xining across some of the highest mountains in the world.
Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Mountains, Caves & Lakes Monasteries & Temples
3 Langmusi 1 Maiji Shan pp484–5 4 Xiahe
5 Linxia 2 Luomen r Ta’er Si pp504–5
6 Lanzhou 7 Bingling Si
Key
8 Pingliang y Mengda Tian Chi
9 Wuwei u Qinghai Hu Expressway
0 Zhangye National Highway
w Dunhuang
Minor road
e Tongren
t Xining Railroad
i Golmud Provincial border
Historic Site Great Wall of Cwhina
q Jiayuguan Fort pp496–7
Gongpoquan
G30 0 km 200
Anxi
Jiuquan
0 miles 200
Yumen Gaotai
Lenghuzhen
215
Shandan
Minqin
Changweiliang
Youshashan
Mang'ai 315 Obo
Da Qaidam Tianjun
G30
Tianzhu Huanxian
Delingha Jingyuan
5
21
Boluntay
Dulan Gonghe Dingxi
109
Huashixia Longxi Jingchuan
Wudaoliang
Henan G30
214
Tuo Tuo He Tianshui

Zhidoi Gadê
Qingshuihe
Wenquan Jiuzhi Wudu
Yushu
Nangqên
The steep stairway up the side of Maiji Shan, Gansu For additional map symbols see back flap
1 Maiji Shan
The site of one of China’s most important groups of
Buddhist carvings, 465-ft (142-m) high Maiji Shan
(Corn Rick Mountain) was designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 2014. It is likely that the first sculptures
were made around the end of the 4th century AD, and
work continued up to the Qing dynasty. It provides an
invaluable insight into the development of Chinese
Buddhist artistic style. Almost 200 caves survive and are Maiji Shan, said to resemble a
reached by a series of precipitous stairways. However, corn rick or haystack from afar
many of the best caves are closed and the gloomy
interiors have to be viewed through grilles, so bring
a flashlight.
. Colossal Buddha: Cave 98

This finely worked 53-ft (16-m) high statue of Amitabha
Buddha is portrayed attended by two smaller statues of
Avalokitesvara. The move away from classical Indian-
style Buddha sculptures is clearly evident here.
Working with Clay

Because of the friable nature of the
stone at Maiji Shan, many of the
statues were not hewn out of the rock
but modeled from clay stuck onto a
wooden frame. Although they are not
as well preserved as a
result, they are more
lively and with more
detail than similar KEY
carvings in the
Buddhist caves at, for 1 Cave 133 is actually a tomb
example, Dunhuang. and home to many sculptures and
There are a few stone engravings. It is considered one of
statues at Maiji the most exquisite holy caves.
Shan, but these 2 Cave 135, Cave of Heaven
have been carved 3 Cave 5, Calf Hall
from specially
imported rock. 4 Cave 3, Thousand Buddha
Corridor
Statue showing details of 5 Cave 43 is the tomb of a Wei-

dress and hairstyle dynasty empress.
GANSU & QINGHAI 485
Upper Seven Buddhas: Cave 4 VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

The upper gallery of Buddhas
includes this magnificent Song- Practical Information
dynasty guardian. The cave 22 miles (35 km) SE of Tianshui.
complex itself is said to have been Tel (0938) 273 1407. Open
built by the local governor Li 8am–6pm. & for an additional
Yunxin, as early as the 6th century. large fee, the closed caves may be
opened. 8 ^ ∑ 517mjs.cn
Transportation
@ from Beidao and Tianshui.
. Colossal Buddhas: Cave 13

These huge statues originally date
from the Sui dynasty and were
then repaired during the Ming
dynasty. The myriad holes
around the statues were
probably used to support a
protective framework.
Middle Seven Buddhas: Cave 9

These figures show a transitional phase
between Indian-influenced sculpture
and later Song-era figures, with pure
Chinese characteristics. The statues are
well-proportioned and slim in stature,
with realistic drapes to their clothes.
. Gallery Views
There are excellent views
across the countryside from
the network of walkways on
the cliff face of Maiji Shan. If
time allows, a hike around the
arboretum at the foot of the
cliff is recommended.
4 Xiahe
175 miles (280 km) SW of Lanzhou.

@ _ Monlam (Great Prayer)
Festival (Feb/Mar).
Perched at a height of 9,514 ft

(2,900 m) in a mountain valley at
the edge of the Tibetan plateau
that is now a part of Gansu
Xiahe is a significant Tibetan
monastery town that attracts
many devout Buddhist pilgrims
to its Labrang Monastery every
Rock carvings and paintings at Lashao Si year. As a result, the town’s
population is a mix of Hui,
2 Luomen 3 Langmusi Tibetan, and Han Chinese.
Xiahe’s location offers many
opportunities to explore the
155 miles (250 km) SE of Lanzhou. £ 236 miles (380 km) S of Lanzhou. surrounding grasslands
@ Water Curtain Thousand Buddha @ from Lanzhou, Linxia, or Xiahe to
preferably on horseback,
Caves: @ minibus from Luomen. & Hezuo, then direct bus to Langmusi.
although cycling is an option for
some. The town itself comprises
The small town of Luomen The remote mountain town a single main street, running
serves as a base for visiting of Langmusi is inhabited by a along the Daxia River. The
the Water Curtain Thousand mix of Tibetan, Hui, and Han commercial part of town is at
Buddha Caves, situated in Chinese. While the hills offer the eastern end; the Labrang
a spectacular gorge in the miles of unspoilt country with Monastery is in the center; while
nearby mountains. Remote trails for walking and riding, the Tibetan quarter is at the
and accessible only by a several active temples dot the western end, offering glimpses
rough road, which is actually town. Built in 1413, the Dacang of the Tibetan way of life. This
a riverbed, the caves cannot Langmu Gansu Gompa (also town is worth a visit, especially
be reached in bad weather as known as Saichi Si) is the place for those not going to Tibet.
the road becomes unusable. of worship for several hundred
The main attractions are a monks, who study astrology Environs: Lying near Sangke
98-ft (30-m) Sakyamuni (the and medicine as well as Tibetan village, 6 miles (10km) southwest
Historical Buddha), carved Buddhist theology. Traditional of Xiahe, is a lake surrounded
into a rock face, and Lashao Si, sky-burials, where the dead are by the Sangke grasslands, used
a temple built into a cave in left for vultures, also take place by nomads for grazing their
the mountainside that has here. However, visitors are not yaks. This huge area of grass
paintings and carvings dating permitted to view the last rites. and flowers can be accessed by
from the Northern Wei dynasty road, although a fee is charged.
(AD 386–534). Visitors can reach  Dacang Langmu Gansu 19 miles (30 km) north of Xiahe
Luomen by bus or train from Gompa lie the even more vast and
Tianshui, or from Lanzhou. Open 8am–5pm daily. & picturesque Ganjia grasslands.
Breathtaking scenery around Langmusi

GANSU & QINGHAI 487
Labrang Monastery VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
The most important center of the Yellow Hat Sect (Gelugpa) Xiahe 175 miles (280 km) SW of
outside Tibet, the Labrang Monastery (Labuleng Si) attracts Lanzhou. Tel (0941) 712 1095.
Open 8am–noon, 2–6pm daily.
thousands of Tibetan pilgrims each year. As a result of the & 8 required for the main
Cultural Revolution the monastery was closed until 1980 and temple. _ Monlam Festival
the number of monks reduced from 4,000 to about 1,500. Set (see p50).
in an auspicious location with mountains to the north and the Transportation
Daxia River to the south, the impressive monastery buildings @ Linxia, Lanzhou, or Tongren.
are joined by a haphazard maze of alleyways that makes it a
fascinating place to wander around.
was, and still is, a way for
the largely illiterate Tibetan
18 Buddha temples, people to pray.
offices for the Living Within the prayer wheels
Buddha, and many stands the Gongtang Pagoda,
hundreds of residences south of the main road. At nearly
for the monks. The 100-ft (31-m) high it comprises
monastery is also an five levels topped with a gold-
academic institution and colored stupa containing
holds an assortment of thousands of sutras and Buddha
around 60,000 sutras and statues. You can climb up to
specialized books. The the upper level and get an
large halls are colleges oustanding view over the
for the monks to monastery and town. Parts of
study a variety of Labrang can only be
degrees such as visited as a member of a
mathematics, tour group, although
astronomy, much of the monastery
medicine, and can be freely explored.
other more There are a couple of
esoteric subjects. tours in English each day.
Main prayer hall, Labrang Monastery The Grand Visitors should be
Sutra Hall is the sensitive to the religious
Exploring the Labrang grandest of the nature of the site.
Monastery buildings and Xiahe is also famous for
This monastery was founded in can hold up to 4,000 its Monlam festival. Seen
1709 during the forty-eighth monks. It is an by thousands who have
year of the reign of the Qing impressive sight to Senior Yellow come from all over the
Kangxi emperor by a local monk, see the monks chanting Hat monk country, a huge thangka
E’ang Zongzhe. He became the outside the hall each of Buddha is unfurled and
first generation Living Buddha, morning as they wait to go in sanctified on a screen to the
or Jiemuyang, who ranks third and pray. Labrang has a south of the Daxia River. There
in the Tibetan hierarchy after multitude of prayer wheels set follow several days of festivities,
the Dalai and Panchen Lamas. in a long line that encircles the including processions, musical
The monastery’s buildings came monastery. Spinning these performances, and dances.
through the Cultural Revolution
relatively unscathed, but in 1985
a fire seriously damaged the
Grand Sutra Hall, which has
subsequently been fully
restored. Today the sprawling
monastery complex dominates
the town. If it weren’t for the ring
of prayer wheels that encircle
the monastery, it would be
difficult to see where the town
ends and the monastery starts.
The monastery is built in
a typical Tibetan style and
consists of six grand halls for
the study of scriptures or sutras, View over the monastery with the gleaming Gongtang Pagoda to the left
6 Lanzhou
A large industrial city and Gansu’s capital, Lanzhou has

for long been the key transport link between the Chinese
heartlands and the northwest. Located at the eastern end of
the Hexi Corridor, the town was a crucial stop on the Silk
Road. The Yellow River flows through the center of the city,
and for centuries Lanzhou was the principal point for crossing
the river. In fact, until the 19th century, a bridge created by
chaining together a flotilla of boats was used. The first iron
Bunches of noodles tied up and ready for
bridge was built in 1907. Although most of the attractions
sale, Linxia lie well away from the center, Lanzhou offers good food,
shopping, and an excellent museum.
5 Linxia
62 miles (100 km) SW of Lanzhou.

* 250,000. @ from Lanzhou, Xining, Baita
ita
ta Shan
han
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and Xiahe. ( Gongy
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A pleasant place for ambling (Hu Zh
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gee
leisurely through streets He
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bustling with locals, the
ZHO
modern town of Linxia has a D
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Bingling
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predominantly Muslim character. XINING
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XIJIN DONG RO
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It was once a stopover for AD
travelers passing between Gans

Gansu
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Lanzhou and the South Pass I
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along the Silk Road. The town is
R
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still a good place to break the
A
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journey between Lanzhou and Lanzhou City Center

Xiahe. However, it offers very 1 Baita Shan Gongyuan
few attractions aside from its 2 Gansu Provincial Museum
numerous mosques. The most 3 Baiyi Si
0 meters 800
prominent is the large and 4 Wuquan Shan Gongyuan 0 yards 800
impressive Nanguan Mosque,
5 Lan Shan Gongyuan
just off the main square.
Linxia’s appeal lies in its
colorful markets and teahouses.
The markets are lined with shops
selling carved gourds, carpets,
and saddlery. Most interesting
are the distinctive local
spectacles, made from ground
crystal lenses, which many
elderly men can be seen
wearing. At the top end of
Jiefang Nan Lu, in the south of
town, is the great night market
with numerous stalls stocked Yellow River flanked by the lush Baita Shan Gongyuan and Lanzhou city
with aromatic curry-flavored
breads (bing) and huge piles of Y Baita Shan Gongyuan a temple at the hill’s summit.
noodles – fresh and dried. Tel (0931) 836 0800. Open 6am– Steps have been carved into
The area around Linxia is 6pm daily. the steep slopes, and the
home to the Dongxiang To the north of the river, near walkways are dotted with
minority, who speak their own Zhongshan Bridge, is Baita Shan teahouses, mosques, a plant
Altaic language and are Gongyuan (White Pagoda Hill nursery, and assorted pavilions.
supposedly descendants of Park). It takes its name from Chairlifts take visitors to the
Mongol troops garrisoned here the 13th-century pagoda, Bai top from a spot on the other
in the 13th century. Ta, which was built as part of side of the river.
GANSU & QINGHAI 489
E Gansu Provincial Museum worth a visit for this alone. Also VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
3 Xijin Xi Lu. Tel (0931) 233 9712. worth seeing are the bronze
Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sun. chariots, with horses and Practical Information
This museum is set in an old attendants, from a tomb in the 425 miles (680 km) W of Xi’an.
Soviet-style building west same area, as well as a fine * 2,180,000. n Lanzhou CITS,
of town. The ground floor collection of Yangshao 10/F, Tourism Building, Nongmin
has a natural history pottery dating from the Xiang, (0931) 881 3222.
section with a mammoth late Neolithic period. Transportation
skeleton found in the Other relics include Silk ~ Lanzhou Zhongchuan airport,
Yellow River in 1973. Road carvings, wooden 42 miles (70 km) N of city. £
Captioned in English, the spills, statuary, and Lanzhou train station. @ CAAC
history section upstairs is writing tablets. In the (buses to airport), East bus
best known for the striking garden, a mock tomb station, Main bus station, West
2,000-year-old bronze recreates burials in bus station.
Flying Horse statue at
Flying Horse, with its hoof Lanzhou’s train station the Jiayuguan area
resting on the back of a in the late 3rd and
swallow, that was discovered in early 4th centuries. A large exhibit Y Wuquan Shan Gongyuan
an Eastern Han tomb in Wuwei. commemorates the Long March. Tel (0931) 824 3247.
Also set in the south of town,
La
Lanzh
Lanzho
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zhho
h ou Airp
Airp
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70 kkm (4242 m
miles)
miile
les))
les) Wuquan Shan Gongyuan (Five
e) Springs Hill Park) resembles a
ng H
(Hua traditional garden, with its
ver
Ye l l o w R i NA N B I NH
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A D
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streams, elaborate doorways,

A NS H U I B E I ROAD
D
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DONG ROAD
BI N H E and myriad pavilions. The hill is
PING LIANG R
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HAN
NANCHANG
said to be the place where the
ROAD
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Stttati
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uan Shan HON Gateway designed as a quatrefoil moon in
Gongy
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Wuquan Shan Gongyuan
RO
AD La
Lanzh
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Stati
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Han General Huo Qubing
Lan
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haan
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Gon
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Key to Symbols see back flap mounted an expedition to the
northwest. According to one
legend, he cut at the rocks until
E Baiyi Si and City Museum Y Lan Shan Gongyuan the water he needed for his
110 Qingyang Dong Lu. Open 9am– Tel (0931) 877 5011. Open 8:30am– horses and men gushed forth.
5:30pm daily. 5pm daily. Of the several temples on the
Baiyi Si, with its temple South of the city, Lan Shan site, Chongqing Si dates back
and accompanying stupa, Gongyuan (Lan Shan Park) to 1372, and houses an iron bell
was built during can be reached by cast in 1202. Despite its venerable
the Ming dynasty chairlift from Wuquan origins, modern materials like
(1368–1644) and Shan Gongyuan. The concrete have been used
now houses 20-minute ride to the several times in restoring the
Lanzhou’s small top is a pleasant way temple, and it is now an artistic
City Museum Ornamental door knob, Rui to escape the summer blend of Soviet and traditional
Qingyang Lu. The Yuan Si, Wuquan Shan heat. It is a great spot Chinese design. Another one
small temple’s to watch the sunsets of the oldest buildings in the
unusual location, dwarfed by the and the city lights at night. park, the Ming-dynasty Jingang
department stores of Lanzhou’s There are an amusement park Palace houses an impressive
main shopping district, makes it and several eateries. A trail leads 16-ft (5-m) bronze Buddha,
appear strikingly out of place, and to Wuquan Shan Gongyuan. reputedly cast in 1370.
depends on the water level

in the reservoir. Fall is usually the
best time of year to visit
Bingling Si, but it is best to
check with other travelers
before arranging a trip. It is a
two-hour bus journey from
Lanzhou to the reservoir and
dam, followed by an hour-long
boat trip to the caves, passing
through some beautiful country-
side with fishermen busy at
work, and wheat and rice being
cultivated on the riverbanks.
The enormous seated Buddha carved into a cliff, Cave 172, Bingling Si 8 Pingliang
7 Bingling Si bodhisattvas that are among
the oldest and best preserved 195 miles (325 km) E of Lanzhou. £
in China, though an additional
56 miles (90 km) SW of Lanzhou. @ to fee is required to access the Hidden in the hills in a
Liujia Xia Reservoir, then boat to caves. cave. Most of the other caves mountainous region near
Tel (0930) 887 9070. Open Apr–Oct, were completed during the the Gansu–Ningxia border is
when the water level in reservoir is
Tang era. The most impressive the sleepy town of Pingliang.
high. & 8 from Lanzhou.
cave, No. 172, has an 89-ft Surrounded by beautiful peaks,
The magnificent group of (27-m) high seated statue some of which rise to heights
Buddhist caves at Bingling of Maitreya (the of 6,890 ft (2,100 m), it
Si (Bright Spirit Temple) is one Future Buddha). remains one of the least-
of the most intriguing sights Work on the sculp- visited parts of the
in Gansu. Buddhism arrived in tures continued long province and is mostly
China along the Silk Road, and after the Silk Road used as a convenient
these caves are among the had lost its impor- base for exploring
earliest significant Buddhist tance, and there Kongtong Shan,
monuments in the country. are examples of Carved stele, Kongtong a Daoist monastery,
Carved into sheer cliffs, the work from the Song, Shan, Pingliang 6 miles (10 km) west
caves stretch for about a mile Ming, and Qing of town. Perched
(1.6 km) along a 196-ft (60-m) dynasties. The paintings reached dramatically on a clifftop of the
high gorge. Isolated by the their height during the Song same name, the monastery sits
waters of the Liujiaxia Reservoir and Ming dynasties, although above a glittering lake and a
on the Yellow River, the splendid there are some older and few other temples scattered
sculptures and paintings were comparatively cruder paintings across the landscape. The
saved from damage during the dating back to the Tang period. surrounding area is excellent
Cultural Revolution, and remain Getting to the caves can be for taking long walks across
in surprisingly good condition. slightly uncertain, as access the lush green hills.
Known as the Thousand Buddha
Caves, there are, in fact only 183
of them, of which 149 can be
more appropriately described
as niches.
The caves were created about
1,600 years ago during the
Northern Wei and Western Jin
dynasties. It is believed that the
artists hung down the cliffs on
ropes and chiseled out
sculptures from the rock-face.
The style of work is similar to
the Buddhist caves at Datong
and Luoyang. Most of the caves
contain rock-cut statues, clay
sculptures, and colorful frescoes.
One of the earliest caves, No.
169, dates to AD 420 and
contains a Buddha and two Kongtong Shan’s lush north peak, Pingliang
GANSU & QINGHAI 491
The Spread of Buddhism

Buddhism’s establishment in China was a long process and the date of its arrival
is uncertain. The earliest sign of the religion in China is associated with the foundation
of the White Horse Temple (see p158) during the Han dynasty near the imperial capital
of Luoyang. Based on the teachings of Buddha, who lived in northern India during
the 6th century BC, Buddhism was probably disseminated along the Silk Route by
immigrants from Central Asia from the 1st century AD onwards. In China, Buddhism
surged in popularity during periods of instability, when Confucianism’s veneration for
authority (see p36) did not sit well with the populace, and it was eventually adopted by
China’s rulers. The Mahayana school (see p37) took hold in China, breaking into different
sects, such as the Chan sect, which gained a large following in Japan as Zen Buddhism.
The Great Goose Pagoda

in Xi’an was built for the
KOREA monk Xuanzang in AD 652
to house the sutras he
CHINA brought back from India, a
JAPAN
pilgrimage immortalized
in Journey to the West
INDIA
(see p35). He spent the
remainder of his life
translating the sutras,
aiding the spread
Mahayana Buddhism started in India in the 1st
of Buddhism.
century AD, finally spreading to Japan, via China,
around AD 600.
The caves at Dunhuang

(see pp500–501) were the last
stop before the Silk Road
crossed the perilous
Taklamakan Desert. The
frescoes and carvings, which
were sponsored by traders
hoping for a safe journey, are
among the most important
early Buddhist works in China.
Guanyin, the female Goddess of

Compassion, was originally the male deity
Avalokitesvara. This sex change is one
way the Chinese adapted Buddhism
to suit their needs. Guanyin became
the patron of motherhood and is the
most worshiped figure in China.
The early Tang dynasty

was a time of Buddhist
renaissance, with the
religion gaining imperial
patronage. In the 9th
century, however, rebellions
provoked a period of
Buddhist suppression.
9 Wuwei
160 miles (270 km) NW of Lanzhou.

£@
Between Lanzhou and Zhangye,

this town is where Gansu’s most
celebrated relic, the bronze
Flying Horse, was discovered in
1969. Found in an Eastern Han
tomb in the grounds of Leitai Si,
a few miles north of town, the
statue now sits in the Provincial
Museum in Lanzhou (see p489),
and its symbol can be seen all A traditional incense burner in the grounds of Dafo Si, Zhangye
over Wuwei. The tomb, a series
of empty passageways, houses Gulou on Nan Dajie lies Tu Ta, a north of the fort is Xuanbi
replicas of its original relics and former Buddhist monastery Changcheng (Overhanging
is open to visitors. featuring a large stupa. Also Wall), a restored section of the
Other sights are the brick nearby is the Dafo Si, which wall dating to the 16th century,
Luoshi Ta, off Bei Dajie, and houses the largest reclining that once linked the fort to the
farther east, the old Bell Tower Buddha in China in its hall. Mazong Mountains. In the same
inside a lively temple. To the Lying 37 miles (60 km) south area, the Hei Shan rock carvings
south is Wen Miao, a of Zhangye, in the Tibetan depict scenes from daily life
museum in the grounds of town of Mati, is Mati Si, a during the Warring States
a temple. The South Gate fascinating complex of period. Situated 4 miles (6 km)
(Nan Men) has been Buddhist caves carved southwest of town is the First
reconstructed and A view of the Tu Ta into a cliff. Beacon Tower, a desolate
adds a little old-world stupa, Zhangye outpost that marks the start (or
grandeur to a rapidly end) of the western part of the
changing town. q Jiayuguan Ming-dynasty Great Wall. About
12 miles (20 km) east of town
E Leitai Si are tombs from the Wei and Jin
Bei Dajie. Tel (0935) 221 5852. 450 miles (750 km) NW of Lanzhou. eras (AD 220–420), whose bricks
Open 9am–5pm daily. & tomb. £ @ from Dunhuang. are painted with celebratory
scenes. The Qilian Shan peaks,
Traditionally regarded as China’s 75 miles (120 km) to the south,
0 Zhangye final outpost, the last point of cradle the 14,110 ft (4,300 m)
civilization before the desert, Qiyi Bingchuan (July 1st Glacier),
Jiayuguan is visited mainly for best visited on a tour, or by
310 miles (515 km) NW of Lanzhou. its Ming-era fort (see pp496–7). train and taxi.
£@ The nearby Great Wall Museum
documents the history of the E Great Wall Museum
Once a stopover on the Silk Road, wall from the Han to the Ming Inside Jiayuguan Fort. Tel (0937) 639
Zhangye has several sights of eras. Exhibits include 6110. Open 9am–5pm daily.
interest. At its center is a Ming-era photographs of remote sections
Gulou (Drum Tower), with a large of the wall as well as scale models.
bell. To the east, Daode Guan is Several other sights lie around
an active Daoist shrine also dating Jiayuguan. About 6 miles (10 km)
to the Ming era. South of the
The 16th-century ramparts of Xuanbi Changcheng, Jiayuguan

Colorful rock formations at Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, Gansu
GANSU & QINGHAI 495
The Great Game

The “Great Game” was the name, popularized by Rudyard Kipling in Kim, of the covert
war fought by the Russian and British empires for influence in the deserts and
mountains of Central Asia at the end of the 19th century. Afghanistan was the first
target for these two great empires and both sides vied for influence, with the British
eventually succeeding in establishing a sympathetic regime in 1880. Meanwhile, in
Chinese Turkestan (Xinjiang) the Muslims broke free of China and set up the state of
Kashgaria in 1863 under Yakub Beg. The Russians invaded the Ili Valley and, when
China took Xinjiang back in 1877, negotiated to establish consulates in the area. The
British response was to set up a trade mission in Kashgar and take a more aggressive
approach in Tibet. In 1907 the stand-off ended with the Anglo-Russian Convention,
which clearly defined territorial limits.
Sher Ali (1825–79), the

RUSSIAN
EMPIRE
son of Dost Mohammed
who fought the British in
the first Anglo-Afghan War,
CHINESE allowed entry to a Russian
Kashgar
EMPIRE diplomatic mission, but
AFGH A N I STA N turned back a British one.
This sparked the second
INDIA
BELUCHISTAN TIBET Anglo-Afghan War, after
which the British placed
BRITISH N EPA L
Abdur Rahman on the
EMPIRE
throne in 1880.
Central Asia was where the Russian, British,

and Chinese empires touched. The British,
fearful of the Russian threat to India, wanted
to cultivate a buffer zone around its frontier,
using Afghanistan, Kashgaria, and Tibet.
The Open Mouth (1899), a Punch cartoon,

shows the British Lion and Russian Bear trying to
get their hands on a scared Chinaman. China,
The Pamir Mountains held the passes that weakened by internal strife, was repeatedly forced
Alexander the Great and Timur (Tamerlane) had to sign unfair treaties handing over land and
used to invade India. Russian advances here in allowing the superpowers to establish trade
1885 and 1896 led to the mobilization of British missions that were used to spy on the other side.
troops, but treaties establishing new frontiers
prevented war both times.
Tibet became involved when

Britain placed it in China’s sphere of
influence. In response, Tibet refused
to acknowledge British attempts to
set up a trade mission, resulting in
the attack on Gyantse in 1903 (see
p547) by Younghusband.
q Jiayuguan Fort
At the western extremity of the Great Wall stands the
Jiayuguan Fort, dominating the stony plain that separates
two mountain ranges. Built of tamped earth in 1372, in the
distinctive, embattled Ming-dynasty style, it was dubbed the
“Impregnable Defile Under Heaven.” It was of enormous
strategic importance as it controlled the only military and
trade link between China and the deserts of Central Asia.
The frontier lay some way farther west, but for the Chinese
Jiayuguan was the last outpost of civilization, beyond which Detail Inside Tower
lay barbarian country, a place of perdition, fit only for exiled As shown by these wooden
officials and banished criminals. doors, the interiors of the
towers were beautifully
painted in typical Ming style.
Trap Court
This was used to lure the enemy
into a place from where they
could be attacked from above.
It also served as a holding bay
for caravans.
KEY
1 Corner Towers gave protection

to archers while they fired on the
attacking troops.
2 The “Gate of Sighs” was once
inscribed with the sorrowful
graffiti of those leaving China.
3.Jiayuguan Men is three stories
high with typical Ming-style
upturned eaves.
4 Rou Yuan Men or Gate
of Conciliation
5 Accommodations for the
generals and their families.
. Fort Walls
6 Wenchang Hall served as the
Built of tamped earth and bricks,
official meeting point for visiting
the mighty 35-ft (10-m) high walls
dignitaries coming from the interior
were designed to be accessed by
of China.
horses via ramps that lead from
7 Outer wall of the fort the gates to the battlements. The
8 The inner wall is fortified by a total length of the walls is about
6-ft (1.8-m) parapet and half a mile (750 m).
embrasured towers.
GANSU & QINGHAI 497
. Guanghua Men 3 miles (5 km) W of Jiayuguan.
Rising 56 ft (17 m) above the Tel (0937) 639 6058. Open July–
fortress walls, the gate tower Oct: 8am–5pm daily; Nov–Jun:
was originally completed 9am–5pm daily. & includes
in 1506, although like entry to the Great Wall Museum.
the others it has been
extensively renovated.
Guandi Temple
This provided spiritual
nourishment for the troops.
The temple would have
offered a mixture of
Buddhist, Daoist, and
Confucian ceremonies.
Old Theater
This was a later Qing-dynasty addition to
the fort and was used for entertaining the
troops stationed both at the fort and at
garrisons along the Great Wall.
End of the Great Wall of China

The wall stretches out either side of
the fort closing off the plain. The wall is
made of tamped earth, a raw material
in ready supply in the desert.
A camel ride across the dunes at Mingsha Shan, Dunhuang
w Dunhuang statues. Just 3 miles (5 km) south Environs: About 12 miles

of Dunhuang is Yueya Quan (20 km) southwest of Dunhuang
(Crescent Moon Lake), a small lies Dunhuang Gucheng
225 miles (375 km) W of Jiayuguan.
freshwater lake that has survived (Dunhuang Ancient City), a film
~ 8 miles (14 km) W of town.
£ 6 miles (10 km) E of town. @
amid the surrounding sand set built in the 1990s that was
n Duhuang CITS, Mingshan dunes for thousands of years. never dismantled. Its location
Lu, (0937) 882 9273. The dunes are known and panoramic views are
as Mingsha Shan impressive, but it is rather dog-
A small oasis town, (Singing Sand eared on closer inspection.
Dunhuang once Mountains) and tower However, the set has become
prospered as the last several hundred feet a regular tourist stop with
stop on the Silk Road high. The dunes were souvenir stores and even
before it split north and named after the sound accommodations in yurts.
south to skirt the Printed textiles, of sand being crunched Lying 50 miles (80 km) west of
Taklamakan Desert. It is a Dunhuang market under foot. For some Dunhuang are two Han-dynasty
pleasant settlement that has remarkable views, visitors can gates, Yu Men Guan (Jade Gate
achieved a certain level of climb the dunes – preferably in Pass) and Yang Guan (South
prosperity, primarily through the cool of the evening. There Pass). Separated by 3 miles (5 km)
acting as a base for visiting the is also a range of activities, of desert, they were once linked
famous grottoes at Mogao (see including paragliding, sand- by the Great Wall. Abandoned
pp500–501), a short distance tobogganing, and camel rides. over 1,000 years ago and under
away. The town caters for its Situated in the middle of constant attack by the desert,
foreign visitors and has many fields about 2 miles (4 km) west the two towers remain quite
restaurants and hotels. The items of Dunhuang is the nine-story impressive, particularly Yu Men
of interest at the City Museum Baima Ta (White Horse Pagoda). Guan, its 33-ft (10-m) walls still
(Shi Bowuguan) are a few This Tibetan-style pagoda was standing firm after centuries in
Chinese and Tibetan manuscripts built in memory of a horse this desolate spot.
from Mogao’s famous Cave 17, belonging to the
which escaped the looting of monk Kumarajiva,
explorers and archeologists, and who came from the
some models of Mogao’s most Silk Road kingdom
famous caves. The museum also of Kuqa (see p513).
has silks and domestic items The horse died here
found near the beacon towers in AD 384.
that were once part of China’s
outermost line of defense. There E City Museum
is a souvenir night market every 1390 Mingshan Lu.
summer evening along the Tel (0937) 881 8162.
town’s main thoroughfare, Open 9am–5:30pm
Yangguan Zhong Lu. The range Tue–Sun.
of items on sale includes leather } Yueya Quan
shadow puppets, Chinese scroll Tel (0937) 888 3388.
paintings, jade items, coins, Open 6am–9pm daily
Tibetan horns, and Buddha (closed in monsoon). & Yueya Quan and Mingsha Shan dunes, Dunhuang
DUNHUANG 499
The Race for the Silk Road Oases

A scholarly reflection of the political rivalry between the great powers at the end of the
19th century was the race between a group of explorer-archeologists to locate (and
plunder) the lost towns of the Silk Road. Between them, they succeeded in uncovering
a huge number of long-forgotten, desert-scoured towns. These pioneers furthered the
knowledge of life along the Silk Road and saved many items from further degradation.
However, they also removed vast quantities of priceless works of art, to the eventual
annoyance of the Chinese government. These are now scattered in museums
around the globe. Initial interest in the region by the British was based on strategic
considerations (see p495); then, as stories of lost cities emerged, the interest of
antiquarians around the world was aroused. Controversial though they were, their
excavations captured the world’s imagination.
Sven Hedin (1865–1952),
from Sweden, was the first
of many government-
sponsored adventurers to
explore these isolated
regions. The others were
Albert von Le Coq from
Germany, Count Otani of
Japan, Paul Pelliot of France,
Sir Aurel Stein from Great
Tales of buried cities being Britain, and Langdon
uncovered by sandstorms Warner from the USA.
emerged at the end of the
19th century. The Gaochang
Ruins, discovered by von Le Coq,
were found to have been a
major Buddhist and Nestorian
center (see p471).
This Buddha’s head came from the
Bezeklik Caves, discovered by von Le
Coq in 1904. These caves held some
beautiful murals protected over the
years by the encroaching sand. Von
Le Coq simply cut them from the walls
and sent them home to Germany.
Unfortunately, the murals were destroyed
by bombing during World War II.
This silk painting is from the

Mogao Caves, which were
reached by Aurel Stein in 1907.
He befriended the Abbot,
Wang, and gained access
to the newly discovered silks
and manuscripts of Cave 17.
This fresco of a bodhisattva

and other wall paintings at the
Mogao Caves were considered
sacred, so the collectors could
not remove them (see p500). But
Stein and the others negotiated
with Abbot Wang to carry off
thousands of historic items.
The Cave Paintings of Dunhuang

Protected by their relative isolation, the cave paintings
at Dunhuang form the most fascinating repository of
Buddhist art in China. For over 700 years, between the
4th and 11th centuries AD, Buddhist monks excavated
and painted these caves, until invasion and the
encroachment of Islam brought work to a halt. The
paintings were all but forgotten until 1907, when the
explorer Sir Aurel Stein stumbled across the caves and
the Daoist priest who guarded them, Wang Yuanlu. Cave 275: Sixteen Kingdoms
366–439 This early cave of the
Among the many thousands of items uncovered by Northern Liang Period is dedicated
Stein is the Diamond Sutra, the world’s earliest printed to the Maitreya or Future Buddha,
book (in scroll form), and many of the patterns used by who is depicted in wall paintings
the monks to reproduce elements of the paintings. and statues.
Cave 254: Northern Wei

439–534 This cave shows
stories of Buddha’s early
life, including the Sacrifice
of the Prince. The murals
are richer in content than
Cave 272: Sixteen in earlier caves and the
Kingdoms 366–439 artwork has become
These devas (Buddhist more accomplished.
angels) are in rapture
as they listen to the
Buddha’s teaching.
Cave 249: Western Wei

535–56 On the north wall
there is a wonderfully lively
hunting scene showing the
backward-shooting hunter
– a feat only made possible
with the invention of
the stirrup.
Cave 428: Northern Zhou 557–80
Stories of the Good Prince, an earlier
incarnation of Buddha, abound. Here
he offers himself to a starving tigress
so she may feed her cubs.
Cave 420: Sui 581–

618 This fresco
portrays a journey
on the Silk Road, the
route via which
Buddhism came to
China, as well as
Cave 419: Sui 581–618 Under the short- pictures of buildings in
lived Sui dynasty, China was reunified, with a style of which no real
both the north and south adopting example survives.
Buddhism as their religion. This harmony
allowed the development of a more Chinese
artistic style and was a highly fruitful time
for Dunhuang. This cave portrays the Good
Prince on a hunting trip with his brothers.
DUNHUANG 501
Cave 220: Early Tang 618–

704 Rich patrons would often
feature in murals. This cave
portrays ten generations of
the wealthy Zhai family.
The Dunhuang cliff face, home to 1,000 years of Buddhist history
Mogao Caves that is rigorously enforced.

莫高窟 The standard tour lasts half a
day, and includes about 15 of
Mogao, 15 miles (25 km) SE of the caves, as well as the
Dunhuang. @ Tel (0937) 882 5000.
museum, which exhibits some
Open Apr–Oct: 8:30am–6pm daily;
of the ancient manuscripts
Nov–Mar: 9:30am–5:30pm
daily. & 8 ^
found here. As visitor numbers
have increased (reaching
The caves at Mogao were dug almost 1 million in 2013),
into cliffs that rise out of an the Dunhuang Academy
otherwise largely flat and has turned to technology to
featureless desert preserve Mogao’s treasures
Cave 217: Early to High Tang landscape. Getting and enhance the visitors’
618–780 Detail of the Western there is relatively easy, understanding while
Paradise of Amitabha Buddha. if you are travelling reducing the time spent
This cave contains some independently, as by them inside the caves.
wonderful, unfinished Dunhuang is crawling Two state-of-the-art cinema
paintings of bodhisattvas. with Mogao-bound screens were inaugurated
minibuses. The drivers in 2014, each showing
wait until every seat is high-quality footage
taken before setting of the caves’ interiors
off, but the half-hour and the history of the
journey is cheap. Silk Road. It is also
Of the 600 Statue from pagoda worth visiting the
surviving caves, only at Mogao caves Research and
about 20 are open to Exhibition Center,
the public. The entrance fee which contains detailed repro-
includes a Chinese-speaking ductions of seven of the caves.
Cave 17: Late Tang 848–906 guide, although it is worthwhile,
A detail from the famous cave for an additional fee, engaging
where the massive library of an English-speaking guide,
sutras was first found by since the tour party is likely to
Abbot Wang. be smaller and the choice of
caves less rigidly laid down. The
caves that include portrayals of
tantric sex can also sometimes
be opened for a supplementary
payment. The guides are
generally fairly knowledgeable
about the history of the
caves and the paintings and
Cave 263: Western Xia 1036– sculptures within. You are,
1226 Under the Western Xia however, recommended to
dynasty a lot of older caves take your own flashlight and
were simply redecorated. to remember that photography
This was originally a cave is not allowed in the caves
of Northern Wei origin. (unless you have a very Facade of Cave 96, covering a 100-ft (30-m)
expensive permit), a rule statue of Buddha
language to make a point. From the 16th century, it served

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, they as a stopover on the Silk Road’s
can also be seen making sand lesser-used southern route, and
mandalas. Beyond the monastery, is now a good base for exploring
the valley runs south to a series of Qinghai. Xining lies in a remote
quaint Tibetan villages set valley, and, at 7,464 ft (2,275 m),
amongst terraced fields. Situated experiences a cool summer and
in another village, Wutun, freezing winter.
4 miles (7 km) north of the The Dongguan Great
town center, the Upper and Mosque, one of the largest
Lower monasteries are and most impressive in
home to some of the northwest China, is
best Tibetan artists in situated on
the world. Both Dongguan Dajie,
monasteries are close to the city
The beautifully decorated door of Longwu magnificently decor- center. It was
Si’s prayer hall, Tongren ated, with every surface originally built in
of their assembly halls the 14th century,
e Tongren carved and painted with and combines
traditional Repkong A devotee in Xining’s elements of Arabic
designs. The residents Great Mosque and Chinese design,
75 miles (125 km) NW of Xiahe. of this village speak a with minarets and
@ from Xiahe or Xining. _ Lurol mixture of Tibetan, Mongolian, flying eaves. Enclosed within is
Festival (6th lunar month); Buddhist and other dialects. a public square that fills with
Festival (1st lunar month). thousands of worshipers for
Friday prayers.
r Ta’er Si
Known as Repkong in Tibetan, One of Xining’s more
Tongren is a transit point See pp504–5. intriguing sights is Ma Bufang’s
between Xiahe and Xining. This Former Residence on Weimin
small town offers fascinating Xiang, once the home of a local
insights into the life of the Tibetan t Xining warlord. After decades, the
people. On the outskirts of town buildings have been restored
lies the colorfully decorated to their former glory, their
lamasery, Longwu Si, containing 144 miles (232 km) W of Lanzhou. * rooms tiled with jade and filled
fine relics in its many halls. Initially 1,200,000. ~ £ @ n Xining CITS, with fancy imported goods.
built in 1301 during the Yuan 14/F, 49 Xiaguan Dajie, (0971) 613 3844. Xining’s ethnic mix is best
dynasty, today’s modern appreciated at Shuijing Xiang
reconstruction houses three Although blessed with very few Market, in the west of town off Xi
colleges and an assortment of sights, Qinghai’s capital, Xining, Dajie, where over 3,000 stalls sell
lamaseries belonging to the is home to an intriguing mix of all manner of provisions and food,
Yellow Hat sect – a branch of minorities, mostly Hui Muslims especially hot breads, mutton
Tibetan Buddhism (see pp526–7). and Tibetans with a sprinkling of dishes, and kabobs. It is also a
At dusk, visitors can watch the Kazakhs and Mongols. It is the good place to stock up on snacks
resident monks debating, using starting point of the railroad to before heading off on a trip to
elaborate formalized body Lhasa; trains depart daily. Qinghai Hu, to the west of town.
The grand 14th-century Dongguan Great Mosque, Xining

GANSU & QINGHAI 503
offers opportunities for boating,

fishing, horse-riding, and
trekking. Basic accommodation
is available in settlements
around the lakeshore.
i Golmud
474 miles (762 km) W of Xining.

~ £ @ n Golmud CITS, 60 Bayi
Zhong Lu, (0979) 849 6150.
In the far west of Qinghai,

Golmud is perched at 9,186 ft
(2,800 m) on the southern edge
of the desolate Qaidam Basin.
The only sizable town for several
Mengda Tian Chi nature reserve along the banks of the Yellow River hundred miles, it is the second
largest city in the province after
y Mengda Tian Chi Its location on the Tibetan Xining, with a largely Han
plateau, at a height of 10,500 ft Chinese population.
(3,200 m) above sea level, and The town’s bus service, which
124 miles (200 km) SE of Xining. @ to its sheer size means that it is runs to Lhasa in Tibet, is not
Guanting or Xunhua, then taxi. & best visited on an organized particularly cheap and very few
tour. The lake is home to many people use it now that the
The remarkably beautiful Tian Tibetan nomads, who graze 625-mile (1,000-km) railroad to
Chi, or “Heavenly Lake,” forms their yaks and sheep near the Lhasa has been built. Trains
the core of the Mengda Nature lake, and in summer, numerous run to Lhasa along this, the
Reserve, situated along the herds can be spotted grazing. highest railroad in the world,
Yellow River. In contrast The lake’s icy salt from several starting points,
to most other parts water is home to large including Beijing, Chengdu,
of the province, the quantities of fish, and Golmud. The trains’
land here is fertile which feed a thriv- carriages are pressurized, in
and abounds with ing bird population. order to make the journey –
vegetation. Most Most trips to the lake which crosses the 16,600 ft
of the reserve is center around a visit (5,100 m) Tanglha Pass –
woodland, offering to Bird Island, a more comfortable.
opportunities for A medallion with Tibetan rocky outcrop on the From Golmud, it is possible
scenic walks and calligraphy western side where to travel onwards by bus across
bird-watching. colonies of swans, the Qaidam Basin and into
Accommodations are available cormorants, bar-headed geese, remote parts of Xinjiang.
at the reserve, while trips can and rare black-necked cranes, Golmud itself is largely
be arranged through tour among others, flourish during unappealing, although the
operators in Xining. The trip to the Feb–Jun breeding season. surrounding lunar-looking land-
Mengda Tian Chi from Xunhua On the southern shore, the scape has a rugged charm best
is spectacular, winding along Qinghai Lake Tourist Center appreciated on the way out.
a precipitous road that cuts
into the cliffs along the Yellow
River. Xunhua is home to the
Turkic-speaking Salar people,
who have been here for
centuries but originate from
modern-day Uzbekistan.
u Qinghai Hu
93 miles (150 km) W of Xining. Bird

Island: Closed Nov–Feb. & 8
The largest lake in China,

Qinghai Hu covers a vast area of
over 1,740 sq miles (4,500 sq km). Colorful Tibetan prayer flags on the shore of Qinghai Hu
504 INNER MONGOLIA AND THE SILK ROAD
r Ta’er Si
Nestled into a hillside, this walled temple complex,
also known as Kumbum Monastery, is one of the most
important Tibetan Buddhist sites in China. Tsongkhapa,
founder of the Gelugpa sect (see p526), was born here in
1357, and the first temple was built in his honor in 1577.
The monastery was closed for a period under Communist
. Great Golden Roof Hall
rule, although the buildings were afforded protection This temple was built at the spot
during the Cultural Revolution, and reopened in 1979. where Tsongkhapa was born and
A major restoration project has been undertaken since a tree is said to have grown with
an earthquake rocked the complex in 1990. Ta’er Si is an image of the Buddha on each
leaf. It contains a silver stupa
easily accessible from Xining, and so is popular holding his image.
with both tourists and pilgrims.
Pilgrim
Turning
a hand-held
prayer wheel and
fingering prayer beads,
the devout walk clockwise
around the perimeter of
the complex.
. Hall of Butter Sculpture

This strongly fragrant
exhibition is packed with
intricately carved yak butter
sculptures. The gaudily
painted figures depict
scenes from Buddhist lore.
KEY
1 Grand Kitchen
2 Prayer Hall
3 Dinkejing Hall . Great Hall of Meditation
4 Nine Room Hall This evocative chamber,
where up to 2,000 monks
5 Visitors who climb these
could gather to chant sutras,
steps are rewarded with views
is hung with silken thangkas.
across the valley.
The flat roof rests on grand
6 Dafangzhang Hall pillars, each wrapped in
an exquisite carpet.
GANSU & QINGHAI 505
Local monk VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Ta’er Si is a working
monastery and houses Practical Information
over 650 monks who Huangzhong. 17 miles (28 km) S of
spend their life Xining. Tel (0971) 223 2357. Open
studying Buddhist 8:30am–5pm daily. & 8 _
teachings. There were Monlam: 8th–15th of 1st lunar
once as many as 3,500 month; Saga Dawa: 8th–15th of 4th
resident monks. month; Tsong-khapa: 20th–26th
of 9th month.
Transportation
@ from Xining.
Chorten
A towering chorten of 46 ft (13 m) marks
the monastery’s entrance. The square
base symbolizes earth, the dome water,
the steps fire, and the parasol wind, all
of which is topped by a crown
representing the ethereal sphere.
Lesser Golden Roof Hall

A truly bizarre pavilion, this temple
is dedicated to animals. Stuffed
deer, sheep, and goats draped in
ceremonial scarves peer down
from the upper story.
Prayer Hall
This time-worn temple is still used for
religious tutelage. The external murals
are new, however, and show a mix
of Chinese and Tibetan influences.
XINJIANG
Although technically an autonomous region, Xinjiang is the
largest of China’s provinces and shares borders with eight
countries. This isolated region is largely desert and grassland
fringed by some of the highest mountains in the world.
Two thousand years ago a string of oasis towns were established along the Silk Road that
skirted the northern and southern edges of the scorching Taklamakan Desert. Trade attracted
merchants from India and Europe, and Xinjiang became the meeting point of East and West, with
Christian churches and Buddhist temples. At the end of the Tang era, Turkic tribes repeatedly
overran the region, and by the 15th century Islam was established as the main religion. In the
18th century, the Chinese took control of what was then Kashgaria and despite several revolts,
have maintained their rule ever since. Almost 50 percent of the population is comprised of ethnic
minorities and in 1955, in deference to the large Uighur population, the area became the
Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, with its capital at Ürümqi. Today, highlights of a visit
include the Tian Shan range and the rich pastures around Tian Chi (Heaven Lake) outside Ürümqi,
and Silk Road towns such as Turpan and Kashgar, shaded by grapevines and set against a
backdrop of desert and mountain. It is also possible to travel southwest over the Karakoram
mountains into Pakistan, or west into Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan over high mountain passes.
Sights at a Glance
Key
Towns & Cities Lakes, Mountains & Areas of
Natural Beauty Expressway
1 Turpan
2 Ürümqi 3 Tian Chi National Highway
5 Ghost City 4 Altay Minor road
8 Kuqa 6 Sayram Lake Railroad
9 Kashgar 7 Yining & Ili Valley
q Yengisar 0 Karakoram Highway
w Yarkand Provincial border
e Kargilik Disputed border
r Hotan
Kanas
Burqin
Fuyun
Tacheng 0 km 200
7
21
0 miles 200
216
Urho
Toli
Karamay Shaqiuhe
Shihezi
Fukang
Usu Mori Barkol
G30
Yiwu
Zhaosu Narat K
a idu Xiaocaohu Hami Yandun
He
Baicheng 314 Kümüx Xingxingxia
Korla
Luntai
Akqi
G3
Aksu Kum
He Tikanlik
0
m
Tari Kuduk
Baykurt Yumen
Argan
21
DESERT
8
KLA MAKAN
Markit T A Ruoqiang
Xorkol
217
315
314
Qiemo 31
5
Taxkorgan Pishan
Qira
Akmeqit Minfeng
21
9
Xaidulla Golmud
Pulu
Dahongliutan
The beautiful Tian Chi, surrounded by mountains For additional map symbols see back flap
its grapes, with mud- decorated knives, clothing,

brick houses and fabric, nuts, and fruit
dusty streets often (especially raisins).
covered with trellised
vines. The original Silk E Turpan Museum
Road settlements of Laocheng Dong Lu. Tel (0995) 761
Jiaohe and Gaochang 9650. Open 10am–6:30pm Tue–Sun.
lie outside town This small museum has a few
along with other worthwhile exhibits. The main
sights. In summer, the points of interest are items
heat is intense, and it excavated from the now empty
is best to use donkey Tang-dynasty Astana tombs
carts or taxis. located outside town. These
include ancient silks, clothes,
U Emin Ta food items, and even some
1½ miles (2.5 km) SE of preserved corpses.
town. Open 8am–9pm
daily (mid-Oct–mid-Apr: P Jiaohe Ruins
10am–6:30pm). & 6 miles (10 km) W of Turpan. @ mini-
The graceful Emin Ta and Iranian-style mosque This is perhaps the bus or cycle. Open 9am–6pm daily.
most interesting of &8
1 Turpan Turpan’s numerous mosques Although less important and
because of its old minaret (Emin smaller than Gaochang, the ruins
Ta), constructed in 1778, that of Jiaohe are better defined.
116 miles (187 km) SE of Ürümqi. rises like a stout but graceful Jiaohe was founded as a garrison
* 255,000. £ Daheyan, 33 miles
chimney beside it. Built by town but came under Uighur
(54 km) N of Turpan, then minibus. @
Prince Suleiman in honor of his jurisdiction in the 6th century. It
n Turpan CITS, Jiaotong Hotel, (0995)
father, Prince Emin, the minaret was finally abandoned during the
853 5809.
is broad at the base and Yuan era, perhaps due to failing
This oasis town on the tapers toward the top. water supplies. The ancient city
northern Silk Road lies in the Designed in the occupies a position on a steep
Turpan depression – one of the Iranian style with plateau, with its street plan clearly
lowest areas on earth – some elaborately visible, and is well worth a visit.
and is largely an decorative brick- Returning from Jiaohe, visi-
Uighur settlement. work, its staircase tors can stop off to see the karez
The Uighur was closed in 1989. irrigation site. Used throughout
descended from Dried fruit on sale, Xinjiang, this ingenious system
nomadic Siberian Turpan bazaar ( Bazaar of irrigation taps into natural
tribes who united in Laocheng Xi Lu. underground water sources by
the 7th century and settled in Open daily. using a network of subterranean
the region in the 9th century. The small Turpan market is an tunnels that channel water to
They later converted to Islam as interesting place to browse for the fields. Wells dug at intervals
it spread across Central Asia. It is local products including a along the length of the tunnels
an easy-going place, famous for variety of medicinal potions, bring water to the surface.
The ruined city of Jiaohe set against a backdrop of hills on a steep plateau
XINJIANG 509
of Gaochang. The tombs, dating

from between the 3rd and 8th
centuries AD, were systematically
excavated from 1959 and
revealed several corpses,
mummified by the dry desert air.
They had been wrapped in silks
and buried with many everyday
items, including pottery, wooden
carvings, coins, and documents
relating to military and domestic
transactions such as land
tenures. Most items are now on
display at museums in Turpan
and Ürümqi, but the three
tombs that are open to visitors
The dramatic Flaming Mountains near Turpan display Tang-era paintings and
a few preserved corpses.
} Grape Valley 14th centuries. The caves
7 miles (8km) NE of Turpan @ originally stored a collection P Gaochang Ruins
minibus from town. Open daily. & of Buddhist murals in the Indo- 29 miles (46 km) SE of Turpan.
An attractive desert oasis to the Iranian style, which showed Tel (0995) 869 3628. @ minibus from
north of Turpan, Grape Valley unusually marked Western town. Open 8am–9pm daily (mid-
(Putao Gou) is best visited in the influences. Sadly, only Oct–mid-Apr: 10am–6:30pm). & 8
summer. With vines and fragments remain, as after Southeast of the Astana tombs
trellises bulging with centuries of neglect, they lie the ruins of Gaochang city,
grapes, it is a pleasant were all removed in the surrounded by 33-ft (10-m) high
place to stop for early 1900s by the walls. Founded as a garrison town
lunch, with plenty of German explorers in the 1st century AD, by the
grapes and raisins to von Le Coq (see 499) 4th century Gaochang had
eat (for a fee). There is and Grunwedel, and become a regional capital. A
a winery nearby, as placed in a Berlin cosmopolitan city with traces of
well as brick silos for museum, where they Nestorian Christianity and
drying the grapes. were later destroyed Manichaeism (a Persian dualistic
Buddha mural in the by Allied bombs religion), it was visited by the
} Flaming Bezeklik Caves during World monk Xuanzang in AD 630, on
Mountains War II. his journey to India in search of
Flaming Mountains Scenic Area: Buddhist sutras. From the 9th to
@ minibus from town. Tel (0995) 869 P Astana Graves the 13th centuries, the city was
6012. Open daily. & 8 25 miles (40 km) SE of Turpan. the Uighur capital, but was
The road east to Bezeklik leads @ minibus from town. abandoned during the early
past these sandstone mountains, Open 10am–6:30pm daily. & Ming era. The ruins are extensive,
made famous in the novel The cemetery of the ancient but little is recognizable, apart
Journey to the West (see p35), a city of Gaochang is located at from a Buddhist temple outside
fictionalized account of the Astana, a few miles northwest the southwest walls.
journey of the pilgrim monk
Xuanzang to India. In the book,
the mountains (Huoyan Shan)
are described as being on fire,
and at certain times of day, a
combination of sun and
shadows makes them seem to
flicker as though glowing red-hot.
P Bezeklik Caves
31 miles (50 km) E of town. @
minibus from town. Tel (0995) 868
9116. Open 8am–9pm daily (mid-
Oct–mid-Apr: 10am–6:30pm). & 8
Picturesquely situated in a
desert gorge high above the
Sengim River, the Bezeklik Caves
once formed part of a Buddhist
monastery between the 6th and The Bezeklik Caves situated in a spectacular river gorge
2 Ürümqi
911 miles (1470 km) NE of Kashgar.

k £ @ n Urumqi CITS, 16/F, 33
Renmin Lu, (0991) 282 1426.
Capital of Xinjiang since the

19th century, Ürümqi sits amid
beautiful scenery, with the
snow-laden Tian Shan to the
east. It served as the base for a
succession of warlords well into
the 20th century, including the
infamous Yang Zengxin who, in
1916, invited all his enemies to
dinner and then beheaded
them. Today a growing
metropolis with a population of
almost 3 million, Ürümqi is a Tian Shan peaks surrounding the deep-blue waters of Tian Chi
modern Chinese city, with
designer stores and highrises. peoples. The fine Xinjiang 3 Tian Chi
Many Han Chinese have settled Provincial Museum devotes a
here since 1949, and the section to archeological finds,
population is now half-Han especially from around 62 miles (100 km) E of Ürümqi.
and half-ethnic Turpan, including Tel (0994) 835 8888. @ from Ürümqi.
Open Apr–Oct: 8am–8pm daily; Nov–
minorities including some preserved
Mar: 10:30am–4pm Tue–Sun.
Uighur, Manchu, corpses, silk paintings, & Horses available for exploring
Kazakh, Mongolian, and lovely brocades. lake area.
and Tajik. A section dedicated to
No longer a local peoples A refreshing break from the
remote outpost, includes gers, jewelry, arid deserts of northwestern
Ürümqi was finally and traditional China, Tian Chi (Heaven Lake)
connected to clothes. In the north is a beautiful stretch of water
Central Asia and of the city, the scenic surrounded by luxuriant
Europe after the Pagoda in Hongshan Park, Hong Shan Park has meadows and pine forests. It
Ürümqi–Almaty rail- Ürümqi a small 18th-century lies at an elevation of 6,500 ft
road was built in pagoda, and offers (1,980 m), enclosed by snow-
1991. Most visitors come to see wonderful views. capped peaks including the
Tian Chi (Heaven Lake), but the majestic Bogda Feng, which
city has other attractions such E Xinjiang Provincial Museum reaches a height of almost
as its lively markets and the Xibei Lu. Tel (0991) 455 2826. 20,000 ft (6,000 m). A wonderful
fascinating mix of ethnic Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun. place for spending a day, Tian
Chi offers many opportunities
Grapes and Wine for leisurely walks and hikes in
the lake area and through the
Nearly every household in the region is involved in grape production, neighboring countryside dotted
either in cultivation, or in drying inside ventilated barns. In Xinjiang, with Kazakh gers.
the use of grapes for making wine was first recorded by a Chinese The once-nomadic Kazakhs
emissary in 138 BC, although grapes were possibly cultivated here as today make their living from
early as the Shang era. In fact, all wine-making in China was learned tourism. Very friendly and
from the peoples of the western regions. By the Yuan era, wine hospitable, they can arrange
production, based in
guides and horse treks around
Xinjiang, was substantial,
the lake and into the hills.
and by the Ming period,
varieties such as the Summer is the best time
crystal, the purple, and to visit Tian Chi, as access can
the seedless green rabbit- be difficult during the winter
eye grape were grown. snows. There are usually plenty
Today, wine production of accommodations available
is thriving in China, and in local Kazakh gers around the
most of these varieties lake. Staying overnight can be
Fruit vendor weighing grapes at the are still grown. far more fun and interesting
marketplace in Ürümqi than the daytours, which are
sometimes a bit tacky.
XINJIANG 511
Islam in China
Islam probably came to Xinjiang via the Silk Road in the 9th century, some 200 years
after Arab sailors had landed in southern China. By the Ming dynasty, Muslims had
flourished and become fully integrated into Han society without losing their dress and
dietary customs. Despite hostile regimes and upheavals, there is now a significant
Muslim population of about 13 million. These comprise the Xinjiang nationalities –
Uighur, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Tatars, and Uzbeks of the northwest – and the large
contingent of Chinese-speaking Hui, scattered around the country. It is generally
accepted that all Muslims in China are Sunni of the Hanafi School, which is one of four
schools of Islamic law. It is considered the oldest and most liberal school and is
traditionally tolerant of differences within Muslim communities.
Mosques in
China retain
most traditional
Islamic features,
but the pagodas
and upturned
eaves are clear
signs of Chinese
architectural
influences.
The muezzin, as in all Muslim

communities, calls the faithful to
prayer five times a day. Today,
the call is usually recorded and
broadcast by loudspeaker.
Inside the mosque the congregation members, usually

men, prostrate themselves before the mihrab, a niche in
the wall indicating the direction of Mecca. The main hall
is reserved for Friday prayers. Dongxiang
Muslims hail from
Gansu province
and speak
The Hui are said to Mongolian. They
be the descendants of have left pastoral
the Arab and Persian herding in favor
traders who arrived in of a sedentary
the Tang dynasty and farming life.
married into Chinese
families. They are
China’s biggest Muslim
minority.
The Koran was first

translated into Chinese
in 1927. Through
interpretations of
scholars, the Koran is a
vital part of Islamic life.
the Ghost City. Made famous

by the movies filmed there,
including Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon, it is now a
popular destination. Camel
rides, mountain bikes, and four-
wheel vehicles can be hired.
6 Sayram Lake
75 miles (120 km) N of Yining. @
The jewel-like Sayram Lake, or

Sailimu Hu, is a vast stretch of
water set amid magnificent
mountain scenery and flowering
The breathtaking alpine scenery of Kanas Lake Nature Reserve, Altay meadows. Located at 6,560 ft
(2,000 m), the lake area is chilly
4 Altay (1,370 m) in the glorious for most of the year, and only
Altay mountains, the reserve warm in summer when it is also
supports a diversity of wildlife. covered in flowers. Reached by
404 miles (650 km) N of Ürümqi. The area is wonderful for bus from Yining, it is a beautiful
~ Altay, then bus. @ from Ürümqi walking, and boat trips are spot, despite the road to Urumqi
to Burqin, then 93 miles (150 km) N available on the lake. Tours running nearby, and it is possible
via bus or car to reserve. n (0906) from Ürümqi operate all year. to stay in simple lakeside
632 7808. guesthouses or gers (yurts).
In contrast to the arid deserts of 5 Ghost City

southern Xinjiang, the far north 魔鬼城 7 Yining
is covered in forests, lakes, and
streams, overlooked by high Near Urho, 62 miles (100 km) N of
mountains. The Altay region, Karamay. * 13,000. ~ Karamay, 420 miles (700 km) W of Ürümqi.
bordering Mongolia, Russia, then bus. @ from Karamay. * 430,000. ~ @ from Ürümqi.
and Kazakhstan, is famous for Tel (0990) 696 4700. & Ili Valley: @ from Yining.
its natural beauty, best seen
in the Kanas Lake Nature Rising above the ocean of oil Close to the border with
Reserve (can be visited from rigs, along the Junggar Basin, Kazakhstan, Yining is the
Burqin). Centered around an is a collection of wind-shaped capital of the Ili Kazakh
alpine lake set at 4,490 ft rock formations known as Autonomous Prefecture.
Woman tending her sheep in a flower-covered meadow on the shores of Sayram Lake
XINJIANG 513
founded on the vast wealth

generated by the Silk Road trade.
In the 7th century, the monk
Xuanzang passed through Kuqa
and claimed to have defeated its
ruler in a philosophical debate.
With the arrival of Islam in the 9th
century, however, most traces of
its Buddhist past disappeared.
Mainly a stopover on the
long journey to Kashgar, Kuqa
is effectively two towns – New
Kuqa and Old Kuqa. The old
town has a bustling bazaar
atmosphere, and a few dusty,
narrow lanes lined with trad-
A traditional shop in one of Yining’s Uighur bazaars itional mud houses. Built in
1923, the attractive green-tiled
In recent centuries, Russia has 8 Kuqa Great Mosque bears no traces
noticeably influenced Yining of Chinese influence in its
as it was occupied by Russians traditional arabesque design.
in 1872, when Yakub Beg ruled 380 miles (630 km) SW of Ürümqi. One of the main reasons to
* 75,000. ~ £ @ n Yinyan Travel
the region (then known as visit Kuqa is the Thousand
Service, (0997) 723 3228. ( Fri.
Kashgaria), and later, Buddha Caves at Kizil, 43 miles
during the period (70 km) west of town. The caves
of Sino-Soviet This small oasis town, date to AD 500–700 and the
friendship in the essentially an Uighur frescoes, in a mixture
1950s, a number settlement, has an of Indo-Iranian and Greek styles,
of Russians resided interesting history. are fascinating for their total
here. After An independent absence of Chinese influence.
relations between state until the 8th Unfortunately, the caves were
China and the century, when it looted at the beginning of the
USSR broke down Grapes for sale on the street, fell under Chinese 20th century by archeological
in the early 1960s, Yining rule, the kingdom explorers. While most of the
there were violent had strong links caves have been stripped of
border clashes along the Ili with India. Its significance as their frescoes, some of the
River. More recently, Yining has a Buddhist center dates back cave decoration has survived,
been the scene of several Uighur to the 4th century, when the notably the musicians in Cave
uprisings, which were quelled. Buddhist scholar Kumarajiva 38 and the domestic and
Small, but pleasant and flourished. Born here, he went to agricultural scenes in Cave 175.
friendly with tree-lined streets, school in Kashmir, northern India, About 19 miles (30 km) north
Yining is known for its fruit, and came back to China as a of Kuqa lie the ruins of the
local honey beer, and hard teacher and linguist, translating ancient city of Subashi.
cheese. The town has Sanskrit texts into Chinese.
undergone a building boom The town became a focal point P Thousand Buddha Caves
that has changed the face of from where Buddhism was Hired car or taxi. Tel (0997) 893 7006.
the old Uighur quarter south disseminated throughout China. Open daily. & 8 arranged by the
of Qingnian Park, though the Several large monasteries were Kuqa tourist office.
areas bazaars still remain a
lively attraction.
About 3 miles (5 km) south
of town, the Ili Valley (Ili Gu) is
a scenic farm area of fields and
meadows home to the Xibo
people, a tiny minority whose
capital is at Chapucha’er.
Related to the Manchu, the
Xibo were sent here during
the Qing era to maintain
sovereignty in the region. They
have kept themselves separate
from the Han and other local
communities, and retain their
own language and script. The Thousand Buddha Caves at Kizil, outside Kuqa
9 Kashgar the centuries, the mosque’s

current structure dates back
only as far as 1838, and was
In the far west of Xinjiang, the Silk Road town of Kashgar lies badly damaged during the
at the foot of the Pamir Mountains, with the Taklamakan Cultural Revolution (see pp70–
Desert to the east. As the meeting point of the northern and 71). The main gate, flanked by
a pair of small minarets, is a
southern Silk Roads and the gateway to the West, it was once
confection of marzipan-like
a place of great significance. A Chinese garrison was yellow brick and tiling. Inside
established here in AD 78, but the area succumbed to the the gate is an octagonal
spread of Islam in the 9th century, and Kashgar did not pavilion and a pool, as well as
become part of the Chinese Empire again until the 18th a 100-columned space which
century. Later, a Central Asian warlord, Yakub Beg, proclaimed can accommodate as many as
7,000 worshipers. Although
himself Khan of the state of Kashgaria but he died in 1877 and women are generally not
China annexed the province. Today, Kashgar is once more a permitted to enter the mosque,
busy market town and transport hub, and despite rampant all modestly dressed foreign
modernization retains much of its old charm. visitors should have no
problem, although there are
times – such as during services
– when non-believers are not
allowed. Visitors should remove
their shoes when entering
carpeted areas.
P Old Town
Areas to E and W of Id Kah Mosque.
On either side of Id Kah Square
is the sprawling old town area
with its bazaars. Split into
different sections, each
specializes in particular items
such as hats, musical
Farmers waiting to trade livestock at market, Kashgar instruments, carpets, and
hardware. The main attractions
( Sunday Market U Id Kah Mosque are the locally produced
Near Ayziret Lu. Open daily. Livestock Id Kah Square. Tel (0998) 282 3235. Kashgar kilims (carpets) and
market: Pamir Dadao. Open Sun. Open 9am–4pm Sat–Thu, 9am–1pm colorful Central Asian hats.
One of China’s most famous Fri (closed during services). & Part of the area is a network
weekly markets, the Sunday The largest mosque in Xinjiang, of alleyways, with local
Market lies in the northeast and one of the largest in China, teahouses and tiny restaurants
suburbs, just beyond the river. Id Kah Mosque (Aitiga’er selling flatbreads, noodles, lamb
Despite now being split into Qingzhen Si) was probably stews, and kabobs. A 10-ft (3-m)
two markets – the livestock founded in 1738, although it section of the old city walls can
market is held in the far north- possibly stands on the site of a be seen at the end
west of the town – thousands smaller mosque from the 15th of Seman Lu, east of the
of traders flood in from all century. Built in the Central mosque, and on Yunmulakxia
directions on horseback, in Asian style and altered over Lu, southwest of the mosque.
donkey-drawn carts, on
foot, and in every form of
motorized vehicle. In the
crush, stallholders sell
blankets, garish fabrics,
carpets, and fruit. However,
the main attraction is the
bustling livestock market.
Here horses are road-tested
at a gallop and small herds
of sheep are kept in order
while waiting to be sold.
It is a dusty, noisy, and
photogenic place, which
comes to life at dawn, and
lasts into the evening. The Id Kah Mosque, with Kashgar city and the Pamirs on the horizon
KASHGAR 515
920 miles (1,473 km) SW of
Ürümqi. * 350,000. n Old
Road Tours, Seman Hotel, (0998)
220 4012 ( Sun.
Transportation
k £ @ International bus
station, Long-Distance bus
station, CAAC (buses to airport).
Scenic view of the historic Old Town of Kashgar

P Ruins of Ha Noi
Tomb of Yusuf Haji Hajup T Shipton’s Arch 22 miles (35 km) NE of Kashgar.
Open 10am–6pm daily. & 25 miles (40 km) NW of Kashgar. The remains of the Tang-era town
This favorite son of Kashgar &8 of Ha Noi lie in a desert setting
was an 11th-century Uighur Situated in the mountains northeast of Kashgar. Abandoned
thinker and poet, renowned for northwest of Kashgar is Shipton’s in the 12th century, the ruined
his epic poem The Knowledge Arch. At 1,500 ft (460 m), it is 7th-century town offers little
of Happiness. He was originally regarded as the world’s tallest besides the Moor Pagoda, the
buried outside the city, but his natural arch. The arch was remains of stupas said to have
tomb was relocated close to discovered by English diplomat been visited by the monk
Kashgar’s main square when and mountaineer Eric Shipton, Xuanzang on his journey to India.
threatened by a flooding river. while he was traveling between
Although it has a plain interior, Tashkent and Kashgar in the P Opal
the external structure is 1940s. Located in a remote and 18 miles (30 km) W of Kashgar.
impressive. Topped with a mountainous region, visitors Opal, or Wupoer is the site of
blue dome and a cluster of must note that it is necessary the renovated tomb of
minarets, the tomb is encased to visit the arch with a local Mohammed Kashgari – an
in blue-and-white tiles with guide. In 2008, the Gobi March, eminent 11th-century scholar
Arabic motifs. an international stage race, and philologist credited with
took competitors to the top compiling the first Turkic-Arabic
Aba Khoja Mausoleum of the arch during its seven- dictionary. A museum devoted
See pp516–17. day footrace. to him is situated here.
Ruins of
Kashgar City Center Shipton’s Arch
Ha Noi
1 Sunday Market Airport

12 km (7 miles) north
2 Id Kah Mosque Aba Khoja
Mausoleum
3 Old Town
4 Tomb of Yusuf
Haji Hajup
NI
ZH
International
AW
Bus Station
5 Aba Khoja
AG
LU
Mausoleum
LU
Tu m
an LU
T
I
RE
J I E FA NG B E
He
ZI
AY
TA
TU
UH U Z LU
MA
N
LU
Sunday
LU
Market
X IA
LU
AN
SEM
AK
Id Kah OLD Train Station

UL
10 km (6 miles) east
Mosque TOWN
NM
NG LU
RENMIN DO
YU
LU
N XI Long-Distance
RENMI Renmin
Bus Station
Gongyuan Tomb Sayyid
TIAN NAN L U
Ali Asla Khan

OPAL, CAAC Dong Hu
Karakoram Highway, Gongyuan
Livestock market
A I R I SI L AH AN
10km (7 miles)
Tomb of Yusuf
0 km 1 Haji Hajup
KE ZI D
UW EI
LU
LU
0 mile 1
JIE
FA
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NA
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LU
Aba Khoja Mausoleum

香妃墓
Built in the 17th century, the Aba Khoja Mausoleum and
nearby buildings form one of the best examples of Islamic
architecture in China. The mausoleum is the burial place of
the family of Aba Khoja, a celebrated Islamic missionary.
However, the monument is also known as Xiangfei’s Tomb,
as it may be the burial place of Aba Khoja’s granddaughter,
Ikparhan, said to be the legendary “fragrant concubine”
Xiangfei. The wife of a defeated rebel leader, she was
captured by the Qian-dynasty Emperor Qianlong and taken
back to Beijing to be his imperial concubine. Refusing to
submit to him she was, depending on which story you
believe, either murdered or driven to suicide by the The entrance to the Aba Khoja complex
emperor’s mother. Others claim she died of old age. lined with plane trees
. Geometric Decorations
Floral and geometric patterns
are common in Islamic art
because creating images of
animate objects was considered
to be in God’s realm (flowers were
considered inanimate).
KEY
1 The casket of Ikparhan is

labeled inside the tomb hall. The
carriage which supposedly carried
her body back from Beijing is also
on display.
2 The four corner minarets lack
the slender grace of most other
towers. Instead their charm derives
from the colorful striping of the tiles
and the exquisite detailing of Islamic
motifs and patterns.
3 The dome is 56 ft (17 m) in
diameter. After years of disrepair, the
structure was retiled in recent years.
4 Top corners of entrance mirror
the surrounding minarets
5 Arabesques are beautiful floral
patterns where a main stem
branches into a series of secondary . Tombs
stems that may either branch again Decorated with blue-glazed tiles, the tombs of
or rejoin the main stem, and so on. the Aba Khoja family lie on a raised platform,
draped in colorful silks.
KASHGAR 517
Just over 2 miles (4 km) NE of
Old Town center.
Mausoleum: Open 9:30am–8pm
daily. & Mosque: Open daily
(prayer day Fri). &
Transportation
@ from People’s Square. Also
possible to cycle or walk.
Aba Khoja Mausoleum

Considered the holiest Muslim site in Xinjiang, the mausoleum
provides resting places for 72 members of the Afaqi family,
enclosing the tombs of five generations.
Minaret decoration
Each of the windows is screened
in a different geometric pattern.
The surrounds are adorned with
graceful arabesques while the
turret is topped with an inverted
lotus dome, scalloped edges,
and finial.
The Aba Khoja Complex

Although Islam came to Xinjiang via
Arab traders on the Silk Road in the
9th and 10th centuries, it was not until
the 15th century that it became the
dominant religion of the area, and
Kashgar became an important Islamic
center. The Aba Khoja complex is a
significant architectural ensemble
comprising a mausoleum, four prayer
halls, a lecture hall, and a cemetery.
There is also a gateway covered in Arabic muqarnas on
decorative, blue-glazed tiles and a pond mosque pillar
in the courtyard for worshipers to cleanse
themselves before entering the mosque. The halls are graced
Mausoleum Entrance by exquisitely painted wooden beams supported by pillars
The impressive facade of the with delightful muqarnas – an Islamic feature of projecting
mausoleum has a tiled iwan niche- niches – on the capitals.
style entrance typical of mosques
in Central Asia.
Truck passing a checkpoint on the Karakoram Highway, with the Pamir Mountains in the background
0 Karakoram cross into Pakistan. The highway knives for Uighur men, who
Highway took nearly 20 years to build. The carry them as traditional
journey along it is fairly arduous, accoutrements. Knives of all
and although traveling conditions shapes and sizes are sold in
SW from Kashgar into Pakistan. @ are improving, it is best to carry dozens of shops. While most of
warm clothing, food, and drink the knives produced are factory-
Once a spur of the Silk Road, the for the trip, which takes about made, traditional knife-making
Karakoram Highway (Zhongba four days. skills are still practiced by
Gonglu) was the only route over artisans in the center of town.
the Karakoram Mountains to and Using basic tools, the workers
from India. During the 1970s and q Yengisar at the Yengisar Country Small
1980s, a road was built across the Knife Factory produce exquisite
mountains following the old designs fashioned from fine
caravan route, to link China and 37 miles (60 km) S of Kashgar. @ woods, their handles inlaid with
Pakistan. The 808-mile (1,300-km) silver or horn. It is sometimes
route from Kashgar to Islamabad The small, sleepy town of possible to visit the factory, even
in Pakistan, which stretches across Yengisar, on the southern arm though a big board outside
the Pamir Mountains winding of the Silk Road, is renowned for bears a “No Entrance” sign. The
between peaks reaching its locally produced knives. For knives, which make attractive
26,250 ft (8,000 m), is one of awe- centuries, the town has been gifts, require special arrange-
inspiring beauty. Camels and yaks, manufacturing hand-crafted ments to be taken home.
tended by Tajik herdsmen, graze
in the highland pastures. Lakes
with mirror-like surfaces, such as
Lake Karakul, reflect the majesty
of the mountains, while the
remains of the occasional
caravanserai stand crumbling at
the side of the road.
The last town in China is
Tashkurgan, a bleak outpost with
the remains of an ancient fort.
Beyond it is the 15,750-ft (4,800-
m) high Khunjerab Pass, the
gateway to Pakistan. The Pakistan
border post lies just beyond at
Sost. Visitors should note that the
border is closed in winter, and
that visas are required – typically
issued in your home country – to Polished knives displayed at a stall in the Sunday Market, Yengisar
XINJIANG 519
interested in silk production can

Jade head out to the village of Jiya,
Jade, or nephrite, has been carved and 7 miles (12 km) to the northeast
polished by the Chinese for several thousand of Hotan.
years, along with jadeite, soapstone, and The chaotic local market takes
chalcedony. While the latter are known as place on Fridays and Sundays in
yu, nephrite is zhen yu, or true jade. Initially the northeast of town in the
used as a tool, jade came to be widely used area around the Jiamai Mosque.
as jewelry during the Han era. By the Qing Though not as large as its
period, carvers were producing a variety of
Uncut nephrite, or famous counterpart in Kashgar, it
decorative pieces including intricate jade
true jade is a colorful affair with livestock,
animals. Always thought of as being green, jade
can in fact be brown, black, or the prized “mutton fat” jade – a cloudy fruit, silks, and carpets on sale.
white. To the Chinese, it symbolizes longevity and purity, and is worn At the end of the 19th
as an amulet to ward off disease. The country’s only source of century, the first rumors of
nephrite is Xinjiang, particularly around Hotan, so a sophisticated the region’s lost cities – which
supply system must have existed even in Neolithic times. inspired several expeditions –
emanated from here. A detailed
map, indicating the location
w Yarkand r Hotan of the buried cities, lies in the
small Hetian Regional
Museum . Other items of
106 miles (170 km) SE of Kashgar. @ 249 miles (400 km) SE of Kashgar. interest include fragments of
* 100,000. ~ @ n Hotan CITS, 49 silk, wooden utensils, and
For centuries an important Tunken Lu, (0903) 251 6090. ( Sun jewelry excavated from nearby
commercial center on the lost cities, as well as the
southern arm of the Silk Road, The oasis town of Hotan, or mummified corpses of
Yarkand was, like Kashgar, Hetian, was an early center for a 10-year-old girl and a
prominent in the Great the spread of Buddhism before 35-year-old man with Indo-
Game – the power Islam arrived in the 9th century. European features, which are
struggle between Formerly the capital of 1,500 years old. The ruined city
China, Russia, and the Yutian kingdom, it of Melikawat lies over 18
Britain (see p495). has been, like most miles (30 km) south of town.
The old town, with Silk Road cities, All that remains of this once
its adobe walls and periodically significant Buddhist center
narrow streets, has a subsumed into are crumbling walls and
few interesting sights. the Chinese shards of glass and pottery.
The Altunluq Empire. For
Mosque has A vendor pulls a cart centuries, the town’s E Hetian Regional Museum
beautifully painted of radishes, Yarkand jade, carpets, and 342 Beijing Xi Lu. Tel (0903) 251 9286.
ceilings, and in its silk have been Open 10am-7pm Tue-Sun. &
courtyard is the Tomb of considered the finest
Amannisahan in China, and are
(1526–60) – the poet wife of still produced in
one of the local Khans – built factories across town.
in 1992. Behind the mosque is According to legend,
a sprawling cemetery housing the secret of silk was
the tombs of the Khans of first introduced to the
Yarkand. There is also a lively region by a Chinese
Sunday market. princess betrothed to
a local prince, who
e Kargilik smuggled silk moth
eggs in her hair in AD
440. Craftsmen carve
144 miles (230 km) SE of Kashgar. @ fine jade items at the
Jade Factory on Tanai
This town was a convenient Lu, while the Carpet
stop between Hotan and Factory across the
Kashgar on the southern arm river is a friendly place
of the Silk Road. The colorful old also worth a visit,
Uighur town is definitely worth especially for those
exploring, while the town’s main wishing to buy a
attraction, the 15th-century carpet, as they are
Jama Masjid, sits within the available here at
arcaded bazaar. bargain prices. Visitors Craftsmen at the open-air market in Hotan
TIBET
Introducing Tibet 522–529

Around Tibet 530–551
522 TIBET
Tibet at a Glance
Bordered on three sides by some of the world’s highest
mountain ranges – the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and
the Kunlun – Tibet has remained in relative isolation.
Sheltered first by its inaccessibility and then, in the age of
air travel, by Chinese occupation, the “Roof of the World”
is now open to foreign visitors. Its one major city, Lhasa,
retains its spiritual core: the Jokhang; the venerable
palace of the Dalai Lamas, the Potala; and great
monasteries such as Drepung and Sera. Wherever you go,
Tibet offers panoramic vistas of high-altitude desert Thangka hanging on a door at the Jokhang
fringed by peaks, but the turquoise depths of Lake Temple, Lhasa
Namtso and the sky-scraping peaks of Mount Everest are
particularly worth visiting.
Muztag Feng
6973m
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SHIGATSE
l a Saga
Ngamring
Sights at a Glance y a Lhatse Bainang
Towns & Cities s Tingri
SAKYA
Xixabangma Feng
1 Lhasa 8027m MONASTERY
Zhangmu
5 Gyantse
THE NEPAL EVEREST BASE CAMP
9 The Nepal Border BORDER Mt Everest
8848m Yadong
Areas of Natural Beauty Key
4 Namtso Lake Main road

8 Everest Base Camp Minor road
Railroad
2 Samye Monastery pp544–5
Disputed border
3 Tsurphu Monastery
6 Shigatse & Tashilunpo Provincial border
7 Sakya Monastery Summit
Yamdrok Lake, the largest lake in south Tibet, seen from the Kamba-la Pass
INTRODUCING TIBET 523
Potala Palace seen from the rooftop of the Jokhang, Lhasa’s holiest temple
0 km 150
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Lake Hkakabo Razi
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Kangmar
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7102m
7314m
Getting There
Visitors mostly arrive mostly by air from Chengdu, the
capital of Sichuan, or Kathmandu, Nepal. An overland
route also connects Kathmandu and Lhasa, but while
individual travelers can leave, only tour groups may enter
this way. The bus route from Golmud in Qinghai has
been superseded by a high-speed railway line, and most
people take the train to Lhasa from Xining or Chengdu.
No independent travel is allowed for foreigners in Tibet.
The best option is to arrange a tour with an agency in
Lhasa, that will also handle permits.
524 TIBET
A PORTRAIT OF TIBET
Tibet’s reputation as a land of exotic mystery is due to centuries of geographic
isolation and a unique theocratic culture, based on Buddhism but influenced by
an older shamanistic faith called Bon. In 1950, China marched into Tibet and
annexed the country. Despite this upheaval, the traditional culture and values
of the Tibetans remain strong and continue to lure and enchant visitors.
Since the introduction of Buddhism in the the religion re-emerged later, the kingdom
7th century, the religion has permeated disintegrated into several principalities.
all aspects of Tibetan life, with monasteries In the 13th century, Tibet submitted to
acting as palaces, administrative centers, and the Mongols, and in 1247 the Mongols
schools. Ruled by priests, Tibet was feudal appointed the head lama of Sakya
in outlook and resisted all modernization. Monastery as Tibet’s ruler. Subsequently,
The country thus entered the 20th century Tsongkhapa (1357–1419) established the
without an army, lay education, or roads, Gelugpa or Yellow Hat sect. His disciples
and with few technologies more became the Dalai Lamas, rulers of Tibet for
sophisticated than the prayer wheel. 500 years. Each new Dalai Lama is seen as a
Buddhism was introduced in Tibet reincarnation of the previous one. In
by Songsten Gampo (AD 608–50). A 1950, the Chinese took advantage of a
remarkable ruler who also unified the tenuous claim to the territory and invaded.
country, Songsten Gampo was converted In the uprising that followed in 1959, the
to Buddhism by his Chinese and Nepalese 14th Dalai Lama (b. 1935) fled to India, where
wives. The next religious king, Trisong he still heads the Tibetan Government-in-
Detsen (742–803), consolidated the Exile. By 1970, more than a million Tibetans
Buddhist faith, inviting the Indian teacher had died either directly at the hands of the
Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) to Tibet Chinese or through famine caused by
and founding Samye Monastery. A revival incompetent agricultural policies. Tibet’s
of the native Bon religion in the 8th century cultural heritage was razed, and thousands
led to Buddhist persecution, and though of monasteries were destroyed.
Sprawling Ganden Monastery, built in the early 15th century

Almost a quarter of Tibetans are

nomads, keeping herds of dzo (a
cross between a yak and a cow)
and living in tents. Their livestock
provide products vital for everyday
Tibetan life – yak butter is used in
the ubiquitous butter tea and burnt
in smoky chapel lamps.
Tibet’s roads are few, and journeys
are always time-consuming. The
busiest route is the Friendship
Buddha’s all-seeing eyes on the Kumbum, Gyantse Highway between Lhasa and the
Nepalese border, which passes
Some monasteries that were ravaged through Shigatse, Gyantse, and the
during the Cultural Revolution are now dramatic Sakya Monastery. It is a long,
being repaired and returned to bumpy, but rewarding diversion from
their former roles, but creating here to the Everest base camp,
or owning an image of the which offers great views of the
Dalai Lama is still illegal. forbidding peak. Lhasa, too,
The ancient city of Lhasa can be a good base for
is the heart of Tibet, though exploring some of the other
Han Chinese immigrants now isolated destinations. The
outnumber ethnic Tibetans. A monasteries of Drepung,
spectacular railroad linking A Tibetan mandala, a ritual Sera, Ganden, and Tsurphu
Golmud in Qinghai to Lhasa tantric diagram are easily accessible, while
means that immigrant numbers Samye and Lake Namtso are
will continue to grow. However, the old farther away. Note that you will need to
quarter, home of the Potala Palace and the outline every place you wish to visit to
Jokhang Temple, illustrates the determina- the tour operator who applies for your
tion with which Tibetans have held onto permit; if a place is not mentioned on
their cultural traditions. A common sight your permit, you may not be allowed in.
here are the pious pilgrims, swinging
prayer wheels and performing
prostrations as they make kora –
holy circuits – around the temple.
Most of Tibet is desert, and the
average altitude is over 13,000 ft
(4,000 m), with temperatures well
below freezing in winter. Many
customs arose as a response to
life in this harsh environment.
Sky burials, for example, in which
the dead are left in the open for
vultures, are practical in a land
where firewood is scarce and the
earth too hard to dig. Polyandry
(the practice of having more
than one husband at a time) and
celibacy of the clergy were necessary
forms of population control. Monks debating under a tree, a common sight at Sera Monastery, near Chasa
526 TIBET
Tibetan Buddhism
The Mahayana school of Buddhism, which emphasizes
compassion and self-sacrifice, came to Tibet from India
in the 7th century. As it spread it took on many aspects
of the native, shamanistic Bon religion, incorporating Bon
rituals and deities. Like most Buddhists, Tibetans believe
in reincarnation – consecutive lives that are better or worse
Chortens hold the ashes of
depending on the karma, or merit, accrued in the previous spiritual teachers. The square
life. For many Tibetans, Buddhism suffuses daily life so base symbolizes Earth;
completely that the concept of a religion separate from the pinnacle crown
represents the
day to day occurences is completely foreign – there is
ethereal sphere.
no word for religion in Tibetan.
Monks and Monasteries A soul can take one

of two paths: the
At the height of monastic power light path leads to
there were some 6,000 monasteries auspicious rebirths
in Tibet, and numerous Buddhist until final liberation,
sects. Most families sent a son to the dark to poor
become a monk and live a life of rebirths and hell.
celibacy and meditation.
The Gelugpa or Yellow

Hat sect was founded
in the 1300s by the
reformist Tsongkhapa.
Dominant in Tibetan
politics for centuries, the
sect is led by the Dalai
Lama and Panchen The Nyingma order is the oldest
Lama (see p524, p548). and most traditional of all the
sects. It was founded during
the 600s by Guru Rinpoche.
Bon – Tibet’s Pre-Buddhist Faith

Bon, an animistic faith with emphasis on magic and
spirits and the taming of demons, was Tibet’s native
religious tradition before the arrival of
Buddhism. Many Tibetan legends concern
the taming of local gods and their At the axle the three
conversion to the new faith. Much evils – a snake (anger),
of today’s Buddhist iconography, a pig (ignorance), and
rituals, and symbols, including a cockerel (desire) –
prayer flags and sky burials – eternally chase each
other’s tails.
where the deceased is
chopped to pieces and left
on a mountainside for vultures – Wheel of Life
are Bon in origin. The faith has The continuous cycle of existence and
been revived by a handful rebirth is represented by the Wheel of
of Bon monasteries in Tibet. Life, clutched in the jaws of the Lord
A 19th-century bronze of Death, Yama. Achieving enlighten-
figure of a Bon deity ment is the only way to transcend the
incessant turning of the wheel.
Prayer and Ritual

Worship in Tibet is replete with ritual objects and
customs, many of which help with the accrual of
merit. Koras, which are always followed clockwise,
can be short circuits of holy sites or fully fledged
pilgrimages. The most auspicious kora is around
Mount Kailash, considered the center of the universe;
Spinning a prayer wheel clockwise sends a
nirvana is guaranteed on the 108th circuit.
prayer written on coiled paper to heaven. The
largest wheels contain thousands of prayers
and are turned by crank or water power. This ritual drum,
made from the upper
The outer ring illustrates part of two skulls, has
the 12 factors that determine extra potency as a tool
karma, including spiritual of prayer because it
awareness (a blind man with is fashioned from
a stick) and acts of volition
(a potter molding pots).
human remains.
The inner wheel

depicts the six realms
into which beings can
be reborn – gods,
A worshiper spins
demigods, humans, a hand-held prayer
animals, ghosts, wheel, rings a Tibetan bell
and demons. called a drilbu, and holds
offerings of banknotes, all
in aid of prayer.
Mani stones are

carved with the
Sanskrit mantra “om
mani padme hum”
(hail to the jewel in
the lotus), a powerful
Buddhist chant.
The Tibetan Pantheon

An overwhelming plethora of deities, buddhas, and
demons, many of them reincarnations or evil aspects
of each other, make up the Tibetan pantheon. Buddhas,
“awakened ones,” have achieved enlightenment and
reached nirvana. Bodhisattvas have postponed the
pursuit of nirvana to help others achieve enlightenment.
Jampelyang
(Manjushri)
Buddhist Deities
represents Jowo Sakyamuni:
knowledge and the historical Buddha
learning. He raises Jampa (the Maitreya):
a sword of the future Buddha
discriminating Dipamkara (Marmedze):
wisdom in his the past Buddha
right hand. Guru Rinpoche (Padmasam-
bhava): earthly manifestation
of Buddha who spread
Dharmapalas, defenders of the law, Buddhism throughout Tibet
fight against the enemies of Buddhism. Chenresig (Avalokitesvara):
Originally demons, they were tamed multi-armed bodhisattva of
by Guru Rinpoche, who bound them compassion
to the faith. Mahakala, one of the most Drolma (Tara): female aspect
common dharmapalas, is a wrathful of compassion
manifestation of Chenresig.
528 TIBET
Nomadic Life
The Chang Tang, a high plateau covering almost 70 percent
of Tibet, is home to about a quarter of Tibetans, many of
whom are nomads (or drokba), as the harsh, arid climate
precludes farming. Their existence has barely been touched
by modern life, and they still herd sheep, goats, and dzo (a
cross between a yak and a domesticated cow), as they have
for centuries. The animals are adapted to high altitude,
having larger lungs and more hemoglobin than lowland
animals. Despite being perfectly adapted to the climate, Dried yogurt is thought to
protect the skin from the sun,
the nomads’ way of life is under threat as the Chinese
but men don’t use it at all;
government pushes them to resettle in permanent camps. women smear it on with a
tuft of wool as a cosmetic.
These men enjoy cups of salted tea made with

yak butter, a popular drink throughout Tibet. The
salt combats dehydration and the fat gives much-
needed energy. They wear knee-length lokbars,
with a black strip at the edge, the traditional dress
for male nomads.
Traditionally, nomads wear

belted robes made out of
goatskin called lokbars
that double as blankets
at night. The fleece is
worn on the inside,
while the sturdy hide
is exposed to wind and
snow. The sleeves are
extra long to keep
hands warm. Women
braid their hair and wear The Herd
their wealth as jewelry. Nomads rely totally on their herds for food,
Coral, in particular, is clothing, shelter, and sometimes income, so
highly valued. no part of any animal goes to waste. Goats,
for example, provide milk for yogurt, skins for
clothing, wool for trading, and dung for fuel.
Each household has a home

tent, four-sided and made
out of the coarse hairs found
on a yak’s belly. Often, the
tent is pitched in a pit and
surrounded by stone wind-
breaks. Another cloth tent
may be used for traveling.
A woman spreads yak

dung over a windbreak
wall. Once it has dried,
she will scrape the dung
off the wall and use it to
fuel fires for cooking.
Such tasks are strictly
demarcated by gender;
women do all the
milking, churning,
cooking, weaving, and
fuel gathering, and so
work harder than the A nomad pours yak butter from
men for most of the year. a churn for adding to strong, salty
tea. The nomadic diet is basic; the
staple is tsampa, roasted barley
flour that, often eaten dry and
on its own, provides about half of
a nomad’s calories. Goat’s milk
yogurt, radishes, and occasional
meat stews supplement the diet.
The wool of the yaks, sheep, and goats in the

nomad’s herd is woven using a loom, creating
robust textiles for tent walls, blankets, and
clothing. The incomes of many nomads have
been augmented by the popularity of
cashmere wool, which is the soft down
on a goat’s underbelly.
Moving the Herds

Nomads on the Chang Tang do not move continuously,
nor do they move far – only around 10 to 40 miles
(15 to 65 km), as the growing season is the same all over
the plateau. Indeed, they try to minimize travel, declaring
that it weakens livestock. Some families even build a
house at their main encampment. In the fall, after the
herds have eaten most of the vegetation at the main
encampment and the growing season has ended, the
nomads move their livestock to a secondary plain for
grazing. Here livestock must forage for eight to nine
months on dead vegetation. Later the nomads may
move some of their herds farther up the hills. A herder driving his yaks over a snowy
They then return to their original encampment. mountain pass
TIBET 531
TIBET
The enormous Tibetan plateau stretches across
an awesome 463,323 sq miles (1,200,000 sq km).
Its northern expanse is the Chang Tang, a vast,
uninhabited, high-altitude desert, dotted with
enormous brackish lakes. Nearly all the main sights
and cities, as well as half of Tibet’s population of 2.8 million
people, are concentrated in the less harsh southern region.
The fertile valley created by the Yarlung the Salween, and the Mekong. Eastern
Tsangpo river is bordered by the Tibet, also known as Chamdo, is one
Himalayas along Tibet’s southern of the few regions of Tibet where it
boundary. A mere 14 million years rains frequently – the mountains of the
old, the Himalayas are the youngest southeast are cloaked in mysterious,
mountains on earth, and also the highest, unexplored forests.
with over 70 peaks reaching elevations The wide, open spaces of northern and
of 23,000 ft (7,000 m) or over, including western Tibet are home to nomads who
Mount Everest, the world’s highest at live a hardy pastoral existence. These
29,029 ft (8,848 m). The spectacle of these wilderness areas are slowly shrinking as a
snow-clad peaks is perhaps what led to result of the encroaching industrial world.
Tibet being called the “Land of Snows.” In However, despite rapid development and
reality, at an average altitude of over more than 50 years of Chinese occupation,
13,000 ft (4,000 m), the thin air intensifies Tibet still clings strongly to its cultural
the sunshine making acclimatization heritage, most visible in the revitalized
and sunscreen essential. monasteries. Tourism, too, is a growing
Tibet’s eastern reaches are riddled industry as more areas are opening up,
with gorges carved out by three of allowing visitors tantalizing glimpses of a
China’s rivers – the mighty Yangzi, once-forbidden world.
Main prayer hall at Ganden Monastery, the first Gelugpa monastery in Tibet
Namtso Lake, a popular tourist destination
532 TIBET
1 Lhasa Lhasa City Center

1 Potala Palace
Tibet’s capital since the 7th century, Lhasa is an intoxicating
2 Lukhang
introduction to Tibet. The Dalai Lama’s splendid but
3 Ramoche
poignantly empty seat, the Potala Palace, dominates the 4 Ani Tsankhung Nunnery
city from its site on top of Marpo Ri. The old Tibetan quarter to 5 Jokhang Temple
the east is Lhasa’s most interesting area; its centerpiece is the 6 Tibet Museum
revered Jokhang Temple. Around it is the Barkhor, which 7 Norbulingka
retains much of its medieval character with smoky temples
Key
and cobbled alleys. Most Tibetans come here as pilgrims. The
Street-by-Street area: see pp534–5
additions of concrete buildings, security checkpoints, and
internet cafés detract little from the sanctuary’s atmosphere.
0 meters 500
0 yards 500
Drepung Monastery &
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Nechung Monastery BEIJIN
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Norbulingka
O AD
A R
NO R B U L I N G K
Tibet
Museum
Main Bus
Lhasa Airport Station
93 km (60 miles) JINZHU ZHONG ROAD
Railway Station
4 km (2.5 miles)
Strikingly colored mural at the Lukhang Temple Kyi Chu
P Potala Palace  Ramoche

See pp538–9. Xiao Zhao Si Lu. Open 9am–5pm
daily. &
 Lukhang The three-story Ramoche, just
Ching Drol Chi Ling Park. north of the Barkhor area (see the Jokhang. It was replaced by
Picturesquely located on an pp534–5), is the sister temple a bronze statue of an eight-year-
island in the lake behind the to the Jokhang. It was built in old Sakyamuni (see p527), part
Potala, and cloaked by willows the 7th century by Songtsen of the dowry of another of
in summer, this temple is Gampo (see p524) to house his wives, the Nepalese
dedicated to the king of the the statue of Jowo Sakyamuni Princess Bhrikuti.
water spirits (lu), who is (Tibet’s most venerated Buddha The temple features some
depicted riding an elephant image) brought by his Chinese huge prayer wheels, and is not as
at the back of the main hall. wife Wencheng. According to busy as the Jokhang. Next door
The upper floors are decorated legend, the threat of Chinese is the Tsepak Lhakhang, a
with striking 18th-century invasion after the king’s death chapel with an image of Jampa,
murals representing the compelled his family to hide the the Tibetan name for the Future
Buddhist Path to Enlightenment. statue in a secret chamber inside Buddha (see p527).
Their great attention to detail
and vivid stories offered visual
guidance to the Dalai Lamas
(see p524), who retired here for
periods of spiritual retreat.
Buddhist myths dominate the
walls on the second floor, while
the top-floor murals depict the
esoteric yogic practices of the
Indian tantric masters. They also
illustrate episodes in the life of
Pema Lingpa, ancestor of the
6th Dalai Lama who is credited
with the Lukhang’s original
design in the 17th century. Prayer wheels at the Ramoche Temple
LHASA 533
* 560,000. n Tibet CITS,
1 Minzu Bei Lu, (0891) 683 4938.
∑ tibetcits.com
Transportation
k Lhasa Gonggar Airport,
40 miles (65 km) from Lhasa.
£ Lhasa Station.
@ Main bus station, CAAC
(buses to airport).
The New Summer Palace of the Dalai Lamas in the Norbulingka

and other buildings, and is a
Sera Monastery charming place for a leisurely
& Tsogchen
afternoon. The path west from the
LINGKUO BEI ROAD
entrance leads to the oldest
LINGKUO DONG ROAD
Ching Drol
D U O SEN’ GE BEI RO AD
AD Lukhang
Chi Ling Park
RO palace, the Kelsang Potrang,
A D Potala
Ramoche
I
BEI D U A N
used by the 8th to the 13th Dalai

X
RO
O
Palace Tsepak Lakhang

U
Lamas. Its main hall has a wealth

NYANGRAIN
K
KA
ROAD
NG
CAAC of thangkas (see p540) and a

LI
throne. More diverting is the

BEIJING DONG ROAD
Takten Migyur Podrang (New
K ANG’ANG DONG RO AD
Palhalupuk
DUOSEN’GE NAN RD
People’s
Park Summer Palace), just north of here,
YU TUO ROAD
BARKHOR
Jokhang which was built for the present
Temple
SQUARE Dalai Lama in 1954. Its audience
Ganden chamber holds murals depicting
Monastery
Ani events from Tibetan history, from
LINGKUO DONG ROAD
JIN ZHU DONG ROAD JIANGSU ROAD Tsankhung

Nunnery the tilling of the first field to the
building of the great monasteries,
including the Norbulingka. Next
to the chamber are the Dalai
Lama’s meditation room and
bedroom, preserved exactly as
he left them in 1959, when he
escaped from this palace
disguised as a Tibetan soldier
 Ani Tsankhung Nunnery  Jokhang and began his journey to India.
29 Linkuo Nan Xiang. Open 8am– See pp536–7. The Assembly Hall where he held
6pm daily. & state has a golden throne and
Situated in the old Tibetan E Tibet Museum murals depicting scenes from the
quarter, the Ani Tsankhung 19 Norbulingka Road. Tel (0891) 681 Dalai Lama’s court, and episodes
Nunnery is difficult to find. 2210. Open 9:30am–noon, 2:30– from the lives of Sakya Thukpa
Wandering through the busy 5:30pm Tue–Sun. 8 (Sakyamuni, the Historical Buddha)
back alleys south of the Barkhor This building presents a rather and Tsongkhapa, founder of the
area in search of the place can one-sided version of Tibetan Gelugpa order of monks (see p524).
be a wonderful experience. It is history. Ignoring the prop-
located in a yellow building on aganda, the more than 30,000
the street running parallel to relics are worth a visit. The most
and north of Jiangsu Lu. The interesting displays are of rare
nunnery’s main hall contains a Tibetan musical instruments
beautiful image of Chenresig, and medical tools.
the multi-armed bodhisattva of
compassion (see p527), and P Norbulingka
behind it lies a meditation cham- 21 Norbulingka Road. Tel (0891) 682
ber used by Songtsen Gampo in 6274. Open 9:30am–6pm daily. &
the 7th century. An air of serenity Today a pleasantly scrubby park,
pervades this quaint place, with the Norbulingka (Jewel Park) was
its flower bushes and spotless once the summer palace of the
compound. The nunnery’s main Dalai Lamas. Founded by the 7th
attraction is the warm welcome Dalai Lama in 1755 and expanded
the curious nuns give to the few by his successors, the park
visitors that come here. contains several palaces, chapels, Brightly painted doorway, Norbulingka
534 TIBET
Street-by-Street: The Barkhor

Lhasa’s liveliest neighborhood, the fascinating Barkhor bustles
with pilgrims, locals, and tourists eager to visit the Jokhang
Temple (see pp536–7) – by dusk the crowds are enormous. The
pilgrimage circuit or kora that runs clockwise around the
Jokhang is Tibet’s holiest, and has been since the 7th century.
Many of the buildings in the Barkhor are ancient, some
dating back to the 8th century. Despite the efforts of
conservationists, some important buildings have been Butter stall
demolished and replaced with less attractive traditional A stall selling yak butter for
architecture; the market stalls that once did brisk business burning candles. Candles, though,
are not allowed inside Jokhang.
here have been removed. Still, the Barkhor’s cobbled
alleyways maintain a unique, archaic character.
G
UN
M SH
T RO
R
K HO
B AR
. Jokhang Temple
The magnificent Jokhang, Tibet’s most
important religious structure, sits at the
heart of the Barkhor, and is the structure
around which the rest of Lhasa developed.
Key
Kora (holy route)
Prayer flags
Two poles laden with flags
stand outside the Jokhang.
Vertical flagpoles originated Incense burner
in the Amdo region (see Juniper bushes are
p483), and represent battle burnt in the four stone
flags that have become incense burners, or
signs of peace. sangkang, which mark
the route of the kora.
LHASA 535
Tromzikhang
This 18th-century building once
housed government officials such
as the Ambans, representatives of
the Qing emperor. Now a housing
complex, all but the front was
destroyed in the 1980s.
The Jamkhang is a
15th-century building
housing a two-story
image of the Maitreya.
The Nangmano
complex is home
to 22 families.
G
JAN
BA
RK
H
O
. Meru Nyingba
R
Originally founded in the

9th century, this monastery
was enlarged in the 1800s to
become the Lhasa residence
of the Nechung Oracle (see
pp540-41). Beautifully restored
in 1999, the building includes
a wing of public housing.
M
LA
NG An ancient shrine
SA
K
O BU dedicated to Palden
GT Lhamo, the female
ON
protector of Lhasa, is
surrounded by
modern buildings.
Labrang Nyingba
was once home
O
to the 5th Dalai

LH
Lama and
NG
Tsongkhapa
at different
HU
S times.
M
R TRO
0 meters
HO
50
0 yards 50
RK
BA
BARKHOR
Barkhor Street
This ancient street surrounds the
Jokhang Temple and is popular with
tourists and pilgrims, who can be seen
spinning prayer wheels and chanting
throughout the day.
536 TIBET
Jokhang Temple
The constant bustle, gaudy paraphernalia of worship,
flickering butter lamps, and wreaths of heady incense
make the Jokhang Temple one of Tibet’s most memorable
experiences. The Jokhang was founded in AD 639 to house an
image of the Buddha brought as dowry by the Nepali Princess
Bhrikuti on her marriage to King Songtsen Gampo. Its location
was chosen by another wife of the king, the Chinese consort
Princess Wencheng. She declared that a giant female demon
slumbered beneath the site and a temple must be built over
her heart to subdue her. After the king’s death, Wencheng’s Prostrating pilgrim
The Jokhang is Tibet’s
own dowry image of Jowo Sakyamuni was moved from the
most venerated site.
Ramoche (see p532) to the Jokhang, where it was thought Pilgrims bow and
to be safer from invading forces. pray on the
flagstones just
outside the
temple doors.
Courtyard
This open courtyard, or dukhang,
is the focus for ceremonies during
festivals. The long altar holding
hundreds of butter lamps marks
the entrance to the interior.
KEY
1 This stele is inscribed with

the terms of the Sino-Tibetan treaty
of AD 822, guaranteeing mutual
respect for the borders of the
two nations.
2 Just inside the entrance are the
four Guardian Kings, the Chokyong,
one for each cardinal direction.
3 The Chapel of Songtsen
Gampo, where the king is flanked by
Wencheng on the right and Bhrikuti
on the left.
4 The Chapel of Tsongkhapa has
an impressive and accurate image of
the founder of the Gelugpa order.
5 The Jampa enshrined here is a Roof ornament
copy of the one brought to Tibet by Spokes of the Wheel of
Princess Bhrikuti. Law represent the eight Alternative
paths to enlightenment. entrance
LHASA 537
The Barkhor, Lhasa. Tel (0891) 633
6858. Open 7–11:30am (pilgrims),
11:30am–5:30pm (tourists) daily.
Visit from left to right clockwise.
& _ Monlam, during the first
lunar month.
. Chapel of Chenresig
A large statue of Chenresig,
the bodhisattva of compassion,
dominates this room. The doors
and frames, crafted by Nepalis
in the 7th century, are
among the few remains
of the original temple.
. Chapel of Jowo Sakyamuni

Pilgrims crowd around this
impassive statue of the
12-year-old Sakyamuni to
make offerings and pray. Part of
Princess Wencheng’s dowry, it is
the most revered image in Tibet.
Prayer Wheels
Pilgrims spin the
wheels on a route . Inner Sanctum
that surrounds the This houses some of the Jokhang’s most important statues,
inner chapel called including images of Guru Rinpoche, the Jampa, and a
the Nangkor, one of thousand-armed Chenresig. The chapels lining the walls
the three sacred are visited clockwise, and there’s a line for the holiest,
circuits of Lhasa. with monks at hand to enforce crowd discipline.
538 TIBET
Potala Palace
Built on Lhasa’s highest point, Marpo Ri, the Potala
Palace is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet.
Thirteen stories high, with over a thousand rooms, it
was once the residence of Tibet’s chief monk and
leader, the Dalai Lama, and therefore the center for
both spiritual and temporal power. These days, after
the present Dalai Lama’s escape to India in 1959, it is a
vast museum, serving as a reminder of Tibet’s rich and
devoutly religious culture, although major political . Golden Roofs
events and religious ceremonies are still held here. Seeming to float above the palace,
The first palace was built by Songtsen Gampo in 631, the gilded roofs (actually copper)
and this was merged into the larger building that cover funerary chapels dedicated
to previous Dalai Lamas.
stands today. There are two main sections – the White
Palace, built in 1645 under orders from the 5th Dalai
Lama, and the Red Palace, completed in 1693.
. Chapel of the 13th

Dalai Lama
The bejeweled stupa
of the 13th Dalai
Lama, containing
his mummified
remains, is nearly
43 ft (13 m) high.
KEY
1 The base is purely structural,

holding the palaces onto the
steep hill.
2 Red Palace Courtyard
3 The Chapel of the 5th Dalai
Lama contains a stupa gilded with
around 6,600 lb (3,700 kg) of gold.
4 Maitreya Chapel
5 East Sunshine Apartment
6 Eastern Courtyard
. 3D Mandala
7 School of Religious Officials This intricate mandala
8 Defensive Eastern Bastion of a palace, covered in
precious metals and jewels,
9 Thangka Storehouse embodies aspects of the
path to enlightenment.
LHASA 539
Beijing Zhong Road, Lhasa. Tel
(0891) 683 4362. Open 8:30am–
5pm daily. & Book in advance.
Tickets are timed, so be sure not
to miss your spot. ^ interior. 8
Not suitable for those who find
stairs a problem, best tackled
once acclimatized to the altitude.
View from the Red Palace

On a clear day, the view over the valley and on
to the mountains beyond is unequaled, although
the newer parts of Lhasa are less impressive.
White Palace
The entrance to the
main building has a
triple stairway – the
middle set of stairs is
for the sole use of
the Dalai Lama.
Heavenly King Murals

The East Entrance has
sumptuous images of
the Four Heavenly Kings,
Buddhist guardian figures.
Western Hall
Located on the first floor of the Red Palace,
the largest hall inside the Potala contains
the holy throne of the 6th Dalai Lama.
540 TIBET
Exploring Around Lhasa before it and drink from a holy

conch shell. The Tara Chapel
Lhasa’s environs are dotted with the major monasteries of next door contains wooden
Drepung, Nechung, Sera, and Ganden. Easily accessible from racks of scriptures and a statue
Lhasa by bus, minibus, or hired vehicle, these are ideal for day of Prajnaparamita, the Mother
of Buddhas and an aspect of
trips. Agencies in Lhasa hire out Land Cruisers along with
the goddess Tara; the amulet on
a driver and guide. Vehicles can take up to five people – if her lap contains a tooth said to
looking to share the cost with others, check the bulletin belong to Tsongkhapa. Behind
boards in backpacker hotels. Make sure that any monasteries the Tsogchen, the little Manjusri
you plan to visit are listed on your travel permit. Temple has a relief image of
the Bodhisattva of Wisdom,
Jampelyang, chiseled out of
rock. The circuit continues
north to the Ngagpa College,
then to various colleges
toward the southeast.
Each building contains fine
sculptures, though some might
prefer to skip them and rest in
the courtyard outside the
Tsogchen. Those who are
acclimatized can walk round the
Drepung kora or pilgrim circuit,
which passes rock paintings and
the cave dwellings of nuns, and
offers great views.
A typically gory Tantric painting at Nechung Monastery  Nechung Monastery

4 miles (7 km) W of Lhasa.
 Drepung Monastery decorated with suits of armor. Open 8am–4pm daily (chapels
5 miles (8 km) W of Lhasa. There is plenty of statuary, with close noon–3pm). &
Open 8am–4pm daily (chapels the finest images in the Chapel A 15-minute walk southeast
close noon–3pm). & of the Three Ages at the back from Drepung, Nechung
Drepung, meaning “rice heap,” of the Main Assembly Hall. Monastery was the seat of the
was founded in 1416 by At the hall’s entrance, stairs Tibetan Oracle. The Oracle not
Jamyang Choje, a disciple of lead to the upper floor from only predicted the future, but
Tsongkhapa, the founder of where it is possible to see the also protected the Buddha’s
the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat massive head and shoulders of teachings and his followers.
order of monks (see p524). In its the Maitreya Buddha, the Future During consultations with the
heyday in the 17th century, it Buddha or Jampa, rising up Dalai Lama, the Oracle, dressed
was Tibet’s richest monastery, three stories. Pilgrims prostrate in an elaborate and weighty
with four colleges and 10,000
monks; today there are around
500 to 600.
Thangkas and Mandalas
The site is vast and the easiest Thangkas are religious paintings mounted on brocade that carry
way to get around is to follow painted or embroidered images inside a colored border. Seen in
the pilgrims, who circle the temples, monasteries, and homes, they depict subjects as diverse
complex clockwise. From the as the lives of Buddhas, Tibetan theology and astrology, and
entrance, turn left to the mandalas or geometric representations of the
Ganden Palace, built in 1530 as cosmos. The Tashilunpo Monastery
a residence by the 2nd Dalai (see p548) displays gigantic thangkas
during its festivals each year.
Lama. His rather plain apartments
Mandalas are often used as
are upstairs on the seventh
meditation aids by Buddhists and
floor. The courtyard is usually are based on a pattern of circles
busy with wood-carvers and and squares around a central focal
block-printers creating prayer point. The Potala Palace in Lhasa
prints at great speed. Next is the (see pp538–9) has a splendid three-
Tsogchen or Main Assembly dimensional mandala made of
Hall, the most atmospheric precious metal. Monks spend days
building in the complex. About creating mandalas of colored sand
180 pillars hold up the roof, that are swept away on completion Mandala symbolizing
and the room is draped with to signify the transient nature of life. the universe
thangkas and hangings and
LHASA 541
entrance, takes about an hour

to complete and passes some
beautiful rock reliefs.
 Ganden Monastery
28 miles (45 km) E of Lhasa.
The farthest-flung of Lhasa’s
monasteries, Ganden is probably
the one most worth visiting,
with its scenic setting high on
the Gokpori Ridge. A guide and
a driver are required, but if travel
restrictions ease, traveling on a
local minibus full of excited
Monks engaged in group debates at Sera Monastery pilgrims is a more interesting
option. Minibuses depart from
costume, would go into a trance striking building in the complex the west side of the Barkhor.
before making his pronounce- is the Tsogchen located farthest The monastery was founded
ments, concluding the session up the hill. It features wall- in 1410 by Tsongkhapa, and
in a dead faint. Tibet’s last Oracle length thangkas, a throne its main building, the
fled to India in 1959, and now that was used by the 13th Serdung Lhakhang, has
the monastery has only a few Dalai Lama, and images as its centerpiece a
caretaker monks. Nechung’s of him and of Sakya huge gold and silver
decor is startling as the courtyard Yeshe, the founder of chorten (stupa or
outside is filled with gory Sera monastery. At funerary mound)
paintings and demon torturers. the top of the path with Tsongkhapa’s
Within the chapels, leering stands the open-air remains. However,
sculptures of skulls loom out of debating courtyard. the buildings are
Rock painting,
the gloom. The airy Audience The monks assemble not its main appeal.
Sera Monastery
Chamber on the second floor is here for debates and Its highlight is the
a welcome respite. Here, the their ritualized gestures – kora, which takes an hour to
Dalai Lama used to consult the clapping hands and stamping walk. The circuit offers fine views
Oracle. The roof-level chapel is when a point is made – are of the landscape and a chorten
dedicated to Padmasambhava, fascinating to watch. The Sera or two that pilgrims (and visitors
the Tantric Buddha, also known kora, or pilgrim circuit that if they wish) must hop around
as Guru Rinpoche. heads west from the main on one leg.
 Sera Monastery
2 miles (4 km) N of Lhasa.
Founded in 1419 by disciples
of the Gelugpa order, Sera
Monastery was famous for its
warrior monks, the Dob-dob.
Once home to 5,000 monks,
today there are less than one-
tenth that number, although
the energetic renovation
suggests that this may improve.
Activity centers around its
three colleges, visited in a
clockwise circuit. Turn left from
the main path to reach the first
college, Sera Me, that was used
for instruction in Buddhist
basics. Sera Ngagpa, a little
farther up the hill, was for
Tantric studies, and Sera Je, next
to it, was for teaching visiting
monks. Each building has a
dimly lit main hall and chapels
toward the back that are full of
sculptures. The largest and most A domestic yak on the steep hills surrounding Ganden Monastery
544 TIBET
2 Samye Monastery
With its ordered design, wealth of religious treasures, and
stunning location, Samye makes a deep impression on visitors.
Tibet’s first monastery, Samye was founded in the 8th century
during Trisong Detsen’s reign, with the input of the great
Buddhist teacher Guru Rinpoche. Indian and Chinese scholars,
invited to Samye to translate Buddhist scriptures into Tibetan,
argued over the interpretation of doctrine, and so Trisong . Jowo Sakyamuni Chapel
Samye’s most revered chapel
Detsen held a public debate to decide which form of centers on an image of
Buddhism should be followed in Tibet. The Indian school won Sakyamuni at age 38. He is
out and Chinese religious influence gradually waned. Today flanked by two protector deities
and ten bodhisattvas.
the monastery has a well-worn and eclectic feel, having been
influenced by numerous sects over the years.
. Chenresig Chapel
This chapel centers on a
stunning statue of
Chenresig, with an eye
painstakingly painted on
each of its thousand hands.
Exploring the Ütse

The Ütse is dimly lit, so take a flashlight to explore.
The entrance leads directly into the Main Hall, with KEY
the Chenresig Chapel to the left and the Gongkhan
Chapel to the right. The Jowo Sakyamuni Chapel is 1 Monks live in quarters on the
at the far end of the Main Hall. Numerous chapels upper level of the outer wall.
and the Dalai Lama’s quarters are located on the 2 The outer wall facing the Ütse
second story. The third story has an open gallery is lined with prayer wheels and
lined with impressive murals. elaborate murals of Buddha.
3 The mural to the left of the
entrance on the third story depicts
the 5th Dalai Lama receiving the
Mongol Khan Gushri and his retinue.
4 Gongkhan Chapel is packed
with draped statues of fierce
demons. A stuffed snake guards
the exit.
5 The inscription on this stone
stele (AD 779) declares that King
Trisong Detsen has proclaimed
Buddhism as the state religion.
6 The Main Hall houses images
View of Samye Monastery and statues of Guru Rinpoche and
A superb view of the monastery can be had from the the Buddhist kings Trisong Detsen
surrounding hills. From here it is easy to see that the and Songtsen Gampo.
monastery is laid out as a 3-D mandala (see p540).
A herder and his flock alongside the Yamdrok Yumtso, a sacred lake
TIBET 545
Guru Rinpoche VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

An 8th-century monk-king
from Swat in modern-day Practical Information
Pakistan, he is said to have 93 miles (150 km) SE of Lhasa.
subdued evil demons and Open 9am–6pm daily. & ^
established Buddhism in unless fee paid. _ Samye Festival,
Tibet. Images of him carrying 15th day of 5th lunar month.
a thunderbolt are found
throughout the complex. Transportation
@ Travel to Samye must be
arranged by a travel agency.
Quarters of the Dalai Lama

This simple apartment, consisting of
anteroom, bedroom, and throne room,
is full of relics, including Guru
Rinpoche’s hair and walking stick.
Main entrance
Plan of Samye Complex Triple Mani Main entrance

Samye’s design echoes Tibetan Lhakhang
Buddhism’s cosmology of the
Pehar Kordzoling,
universe. Many of the 108
buildings have been destroyed, protector chapel
but the four ling chapels
representing the island continents Black chorten
that surround Mount Sumeru (the
Ütse) are still intact. Jampa Ling Green chorten
holds an impressive mural of the
complex as it once was. The
circular monastery wall is topped Entrance
with 1,008 chortens that represent to Ütse
Chakravla, the ring of 1,008 moun-
tains that surrounds the universe. White
chorten
0 meters 150
0 yards 150 Jampa Ling Red chorten Aryapalo Ling
546 TIBET
Nomad tents at the edge of the breathtaking Namtso Lake
3Tsurphu authorities and the Dalai Lama. 4 Namtso Lake

The flood of daily pilgrims who
Monastery came for blessings has now
stopped and the monastery is 125 miles (200 km) NW of Lhasa. 4WD
Tolung Valley. 45 miles (70 km) W of rather quiet, though several rented from Lhasa, 2–3 day round-trip.
Lhasa. @ must be organized by a hundred monks still reside here. Open 6am–6pm daily. &
travel agency. Open 9am–2pm The Karmapa’s throne, an
daily. & object of great veneration, is Beautiful Namtso Lake, with its
in the audience chamber of classic Tibetan scenery of azure
At an altitude of 14,700 ft (4,480 the main hall. Here, a chorten water beneath snow-capped
m), this monastery was founded (stupa or funerary mound) peaks and grasslands dotted
in the 12th century by the contains the relics of the 16th with herds of yaks, is the most
Karmapa or Black Hat order and Karmapa, who died in Chicago popular overnight jeep trip from
is important as the traditional in 1981. The kora from behind Lhasa. About 45 miles (70 km)
home of the Karmapa Lama, the the monastery takes 3 hours, long and 19 miles (30 km) wide,
third most important religious and provides magnificent it is the second largest saltwater
leader in Tibet after the Dalai views but beware – visitors lake in China after Qinghai Hu
and Panchen Lamas (see pp524 must be acclimatized. (see p503). The flat land around it
and 548). The present
incumbent, the 17th Karmapa,
fled to India in 1999 at the age The Eight Auspicious Symbols
of 14. His departure was The Eight Auspicious Symbols represent the
significant as he was the only offerings that were presented to Sakyamuni
senior Tibetan Buddhist official Buddha after he attained enlightenment.
recognized by both the Chinese Born as Siddhartha Gautama, prince of the
kingdom of Kapilavastu, he renounced his
princely life at the age of 30 and went in
search of answers to the meaning of Conch Shell
human suffering and existence. After
years of penance, Siddhartha attained
enlightenment after meditating under
a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. Tibetans
regard the symbols as protective motifs
and use them to decorate flags and
medallions as well as tiles in Buddhist
temples, monasteries, and homes. The Endless Knot
Conch Shell is blown to celebrate Sakyamuni’s
enlightenment; the Endless Knot represents
harmony, and the never-ending passage of
time; and the Wheel of Law symbolizes the
Buddha’s eightfold path to enlightenment.
Other symbols include the Golden Fish,
representing liberation from the Wheel of Life,
One of the many brightly colored murals and the Lotus Flower that represents purity. Wheel of Law
at Tsurphu Monastery
TIBET 547
offers good grazing, and is

usually ringed with nomad
The British Invasion of Tibet
encampments in summer. From Alarmed by the growing influence of Tsarist Russia in the 19th
November to May, the lake freezes century, Britain’s viceroy in India sent a diplomatic mission to Tibet
over and the access road is often in an effort to build links and facilitate the free flow of trade. When
impassable. Basic accommodation the mission failed, an expeditionary force – part of the Great
is available at Tashi Dor, a pen- Game (see p495) – of 1,000 soldiers and
insula on the lake’s south-east 10,000 porters, led by the dashing
shore. Bring a flashlight and a 26-year-old Colonel Francis
warm sleeping bag. The lake is Younghusband, invaded Tibet in 1903.
As the force traveled towards Lhasa, they
situated at the incredible height
killed almost 700 peasants, who were
of 15,500 ft (4,718 m), so visitors armed with little more than magic charms
must be thoroughly acclimatized. to ward off bullets. Then, in the world’s
highest battle, the British captured Gyantse
Fort with only four casualties, while the
Tibetans lost hundreds of men. The force
proceeded to Lhasa, where an agreement Francis
allowed Britain to set up trade missions. Younghusband
housing the Kumbum and the local Buddhist sects to use; its
Pelkor Chode Monastery. Assembly Hall has two thrones,
The Kumbum, constructed one for the Dalai Lama and one
around 1440, is a six-story and for the Sakya Lama (see p550).
115-ft (35-m) high chorten, The main chapel has a statue
honeycombed with chapels. It of Sakyamuni, the Historical
is built in an architectural style Buddha, and some impressive
unique to Tibet and this is the wooden roof decorations. At
finest extant example. A clock- the top, the Shalyekhang
wise route leads up past chapels Chapel has some fine mandalas
full of statuary and decorated (see p540).
Highly decorated doorway to the main with 14th-century murals – On the way to Gyantse, it is
chapel, Kumbum, Gyantse kumbum means “a hundred worth taking a detour to see
thousand images.” On the sixth beautiful Yamdrok Lake, one
floor, painted pairs of eyes, of the four holy Tibetan lakes.
5 Gyantse signifying the all-seeing eyes of
Buddha, look out in each of the + Dzong
158 miles (255 km) SW of Lhasa. cardinal directions. The staircase Open 9:30am–6pm daily. &
@ must be organized by a travel in the eastern chapel leads into  Kumbum and Pelkor Chode
agency. the chorten’s dome with views Monastery
from the top. Built 20 years after Open 9am–7pm daily.
An attractive, if dusty, small town, Kumbum, the Pelkor Chode (chapel is occasionally closed
Gyantse is the sixth largest town Monastery was designed for all noon–3pm). &
in Tibet, famous for its carpets and
usually visited en route to Nepal
(see p551). Often called “Heroic
City,” it was originally capital of
a 14th-century kingdom, and
the remnants of its old Dzong,
or fort, watch over the town.
Heavily bombarded during the
British invasion in 1904, when
it was captured at great loss of
life to the Tibetans, it is today a
dramatic ruin with a small
museum. Here, Chinese
propaganda describes the
“heroic battle fought to defend
the Chinese motherland,”
although at that time China had
no authority over Tibet. The
Dzong offers good views from
its roof. About 650 ft (200 m)
northwest is a compound Kumbum, Gyantse, a three-dimensional mandala
548 TIBET
6 Shigatse and Tashilunpo in 1959 during the Tibetan

uprising and rebuilt on a smaller
scale in 2007. You can walk
Capital of the Tsang region, Shigatse sits at an elevation around the Dzong but
of 12,800 ft (3,900 m). To its north, the Drolma Ridge you can’t enter it. A kora or
rises steeply, with the ruins of the ancient Dzong, once holy route, marked by prayer
home to the kings of Tsang, crowning its eastern end. flags and mani stones, leads
here from the west side of
Shigatse holds a powerful position in Tibet and was the Tashilunpo. Keep your distance
capital for a spell during the early 17th century. After Lhasa from the packs of stray dogs.
regained its status, Shigatse continued to hold sway as the
home of the Panchen Lama, Tibet’s second most important ( Tibetan Market
religious ruler, whose seat is located at Tashilunpo Monastery, At the Dzong’s southern
base on Tomzigang Lu stands
the town’s grandest sight. Worth exploring for a day or two,
a small Tibetan market selling
Shigatse is the most comfortable place in Tibet after Lhasa, souvenirs, such as prayer wheels
with decent food and accommodations on offer. and incense, and a few Tibetan
necessities – medicine, legs of
lamb, and large knives. Just to
market for a Tibetan the west of the market is an old
carpet. The process traditionally Tibetan neighbor-
is sufficiently hood of narrow lanes and tall
interesting to warrant whitewashed walls.
a visit even if you
have no intention
of buying. A project
initiated by the 10th
Panchen Lama in
1987, the business is
part-owned by the
monastery. Shipping
A group of carpet-weavers tying richly colored wool into can be arranged on
intricate knots the premises.
( Gang Gyen Carpet Factory + Shigatse Dzong

9 Zhu Feng Lu. Tel (0892) 882 6192. The leaders of Tsang once ruled
Open 9am–1pm & 3–7pm Mon–Sat. from the mighty fortress of
∑ tibetgang-gyencarpet.com Shigatse Dzong, in the north of Stall selling religious paraphernalia at the
This factory, where local town, built in the 14th century Tibetan Market
women produce beautiful by Karma Phuntso Namgyel, a
carpets, first skeining the wool powerful Tsang king. It once
then weaving it, is the place resembled a small Potala, but  Tashilunpo Monastery
to come if you are in the was destroyed by the Chinese 1 Jijilangka Lu. Tel (0892) 882 2114.
Open summer: 9am–12:30pm &
4–6pm Mon–Sat; winter: 10am–noon
The 11th Panchen Lama & 3–6pm Mon–Sat. &
The death of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989 brought Tibet’s leaders A huge monastic compound
and the Chinese government into conflict over succession. Like the of golden-roofed venerable
seat of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama’s position is passed on buildings and cobbled lanes,
through reincarnation. Traditionally, upon the death of either of Tashilunpo would take several
these leaders, top monks scour the land hoping to identify the new days to explore fully. It was
incarnate. In 1995, after an extensive search, the Dalai founded in 1447 by Genden
Lama named a six-year-old boy, Gedhun Choeki Drup, retrospectively titled the
Nyima, as the 11th Panchen Lama. The chosen boy 1st Dalai Lama. It grew suddenly
and his family soon disappeared and have not important in 1642, when the 5th
been seen since. Keen to hand pick the next Dalai
Dalai Lama declared his teacher,
Lama’s teacher, the Chinese authorities
the monastery’s abbot, to be a
sanctioned a clandestine ceremony thatordained
Gyancain Norbu as the “official Panchen
reincarnation of the Amithaba
Lama” and immediately whisked him off Buddha and the fourth
to Beijing. reincarnation of the Panchen
Lama, or ‘Great Teacher’. Ever
Gyancain Norbu, the China-sanctioned since, it has been the seat of the
11th Panchen Lama Panchen Lamas, who are second
in authority to the Dalai Lama.
TIBET 549
172 miles (278 km) W of Lhasa.
* 120,000. @ Arrange travel to
Shigatse through a travel agency
in Lhasa. _ Tashilunpo: 2nd
week of 5th lunar month.
imposing throne of the

Panchen Lamas.
Those with energy left can
follow the monastery kora,
Majestic Tashilunpo Monastery with Drolma Ridge rising behind which takes about an hour.
It runs clockwise around the
Head up the main path to Continue west for the Jampa outside of the walls before
the back of the compound for Chapel, which holds the heading up to the Dzong. You’ll
the most impressive sights. The monastery’s most impressive pass colorful rock reliefs, some
gold and silver chorten straight artifact, an 85-ft (26-m) golden of Guru Rinpoche, and the huge
ahead holds the remains of image of, the Future Buddha, white wall where a thangka of
the 4th Panchen Lama. made in 1914. It took almost a Buddha is exposed to the sun
Built in 1662, it was the thousand artisans four during the three-day long
only funeral chorten years to complete Tashilunpo Festival.
in the monastery to using more than 600
escape destruction lbs (275 kg) of gold. P Summer Palace of the
during the Cultural The complex of Panchen Lamas
Revolution. The buildings on the east Zhade Dong Lu. Open 9:30am–noon
larger, jewel-studded side is the Kelsang. & 4–6pm daily. &
chorten just to It centers around South of Tashilunpo Monastery
the west holds the The Wheel of Law, a courtyard where is the Panchen Lamas’ summer
remains of the an auspicious symbol monks can be palace, constructed in 1954.
10th Panchen Lama, observed praying, There are some excellent wall
who died in 1989; it was debating, and relaxing. The paintings inside the complex,
constructed in 1994 at a cost 15th-century Assembly Hall on and the gardens are a pleasant
of 8 million US dollars. the west side holds the place to stroll.
Shigatse City Center

1 Gang Gyen Carpet Factory
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3 Tibetan Market Dzong
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GYANTSE
550 TIBET
7 Sakya Monastery lamas. Sakya houses are

traditionally painted gray with
red and white vertical stripes;
250 miles (402 km) SW of Lhasa. the colors are supposed to
@Travel must be arranged by a travel symbolize the bodhisattvas
agency in Lhasa. Open 9am–6:30pm Chana Dorje, Jampelyang,
Mon–Sat. & travel permit required and Chenresig respectively.
(see p523).
The town of Sakya is dominated 8 Everest Base

by the huge, fortress-like
monastery that looms up from
Camp
the gray plains. Sakya, or “Gray
Soil” in Tibetan, was the capital Rongphu: 336 miles (610 km) SW
of all Tibet in the 13th century, of Lhasa. 4WD from Lhasa, 2 days;
when monks of the Sakyapa must be arranged through a travel
order formed an extraordinary agency in Lhasa. Travel permit
alliance with the Mongols. In required (see p523).
1247, the head of the Sakyapa Detail from wall painting at Sakya
order, Sakya Pandita, traveled Monastery Despite the spine-jarring, 4-hour
to Mongolia and made a pact trip off the Friendship Highway
whereby the Mongols were Palace, the traditional home of – which connects Lhasa to the
the overlords while the Sakya one of the two head lamas, who Nepal border at Zhangmu – the
monks ruled as their regents – now lives overseas. Apart from craggy lunar landscape en route
the first time a lama was also the statue-filled chapel, its to Everest is enchanting.
head of state. His nephew, rooms are mainly empty. Rongphu is a good place for a
Phagpa, later became the Moving clockwise, the next stop and at 16,500 ft (4,980 m) is
spiritual guide to the chapel, the Purkhang, holds the highest monastery in the
conqueror of China, Kublai images of Jowo Sakyamuni and world. Although it has some
Khan. In 1354, Mongol power Jampelyang among others, good murals, the interior is not
waned, and in-fighting among while wall murals depict Tantric as riveting as its stunning
the religious sects led to a deities. The Main Assembly Hall location in front of Everest’s
decline in Sakya’s influence. has 40 huge wooden pillars, one forbidding north face in the
Originally, there were two of which was said to have been Rongphu Valley. The monastery
monasteries on either side of gifted by Kublai Khan, while was founded in 1902 on a site
the Trum River, but the northern another is said to have come that had been used by nuns as
one was destroyed during the from India on the back of a tiger. a meditation retreat for
Cultural Revolution (see pp70– The elaborately decorated hall centuries, and is now home to
71). The mid-13th century has rich brocades, statues, and some 30 monks.
Southern Monastery, built by butter lamps and holds Everest Base Camp lies
Phagpa, is a typical Mongol thousands of religious texts 5 miles (8 km) to the south. The
structure, with thick walls and (sutras). The fine central Buddha trip across the glacial plain takes
watchtowers. The entrance image enshrines the remains of about 15 minutes by vehicle or
leads to a courtyard with an Phagpa. The chapel to the north 2 hours on foot. Private vehicles
enormous prayer pole in the has 11 silver chortens containing must stop 2½ miles
center. To the left is the Puntsok the remains of previous Sakya (4 km) from the base camp at a
jumble of tents and makeshift
teahouses, with visitors
continuing on a bus or on foot.
Whichever way, the views of
Mount Everest, the world’s
highest mountain at a
staggering 29,029 ft (8,848 m),
are absolutely unforgettable.
The entire Rongphu and
Everest area has been designated
a nature reserve that covers
13,100 sq miles (34,000 sq km),
and borders three national parks
in Nepal. There is a spectacular
viewpoint at the Pangla Pass,
from which you can see Everest
(known as Chomolungma in
Houses in Sakya town, painted gray with red and white stripes Tibetan), Cho Oyo, Lhotse,
TIBET 551
Everest Base Camp, with magnificent views of the world’s highest mountain
Makalu, and Gyachung. Most densely wooded; the change town has a gaudy vibrance.
people try to arrive at this pass of scenery is startling after the Border formalities to get
either to see the sun rise or set desert landscape of the high, into Nepal are fairly cursory.
over the Himalayas. arid plateau. It is only another The Nepalese immigration
The rarefied air at this altitude 20 miles (33 km) to the border post, 6 miles (10 km) farther
(17,000 ft/5,150 m) makes any town of Zhangmu, which is down at Kodari, will issue a
strenuous activity impossible, relatively low and oxygen-rich single-entry visa, though
however, so unless visitors are at 7,200 ft (2,200 m). Although visitors have to pay in US
properly acclimatized, it is best to much of Zhangmu consists of dollars and provide a
go back to the Friendship slightly dilapidated shacks, passport photo. From here,
Highway and carry on to the town perched above one another on it is a 4-hour trip
of Shegar to spend the night. the mountainside, this frontier to Kathmandu.
The Friendship Highway

9 The Nepal Border
The 466-mile (750-km) route between Lhasa and the Nepal border,
known as the Friendship Highway, is probably the most popular
Zhangmu: Nepal border. 466 miles journey for visitors to Tibet and includes some important
(750 km) SW of Lhasa. Taxi or 4WD sightseeing detours along the way. Many agencies in Lhasa and in
from Lhasa, 2 days (direct), or 5–6 days Kathmandu in Nepal can arrange the trip, sort out the necessary
(via Gyantse, Shigatse and Everest permits, and provide an appropriate four-wheel drive vehicle, a
Base Camp). Travel must be arranged driver, and guide. Depending on the itinerary, which usually includes
through a travel agency in Lhasa. the towns of Shigatse and Gyantse, the trip can take up to a week.
Travel permit for all places (between Visitors must ensure that the contract specifies exactly what they
Shigatse and border) required want and what they are paying for.
(see p523).
The Friendship Highway

connecting Lhasa to the
Nepal border is one of Tibet’s
most popular link routes. From
the Rongphu turn-off along
the highway, it is another
31 miles (50 km) west to Tingri,
on what is a surprisingly good
road. This is a small, traditional
Tibetan town with good views
of the Cho Oyu. After climbing
for 56 miles (90 km) the road
begins a steep, winding descent The Friendship Highway, winding across the plateau to Nepal
through mountains that are
TRAVELERS’
NEEDS
Where to Stay 554–563

Where to Eat and Drink 564–585
Shops and Markets 586–589
Entertainment 590–591
Sports and
Specialist Holidays 592–595
554 TRAVELERS’ NEEDS
WHERE TO STAY
An abundance of accommodation options are but if you have not done so, do not panic,
available in China for most of the year. Four- unless you are traveling during one of the high
and five-star hotels, increasingly run by either seasons – the first week of May and October,
major international chains or expanding and Chinese New Year (Spring Festival).
Chinese hotel companies, are plentiful in Although you may want to book some of your
major cities and tourist destinations. In other stay (the first few nights, for example, to ease
cities and towns, there are many mid-range your arrival), it is perfectly feasible to turn up
hotels and budget options to choose from. at your hotel of choice, bargain cheerfully, and
Ideally, rooms should be booked in advance, book yourself a room at a sizable discount.
Hotel Chains standard of these services.

Visitors in search of international Therefore, no matter how
standards of comfort and poorly these facilities may be
service should stick either to maintained, no star is ever lost
five-star hotels managed by once it is given. Rather than be
familiar Western chains or to involved in this system, some
the luxury Asian brands. international hotels choose to
Starwood hotels (such as go starless. These establish-
Sheraton, W, and Westin) are ments can be far superior to
well represented in China. Chinese-run properties. As a
Other international chains – general rule for Chinese-run
such as Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, hotels, the newer the hotel,
Kempinski, Marriott, Ritz- the better the facilities.
Carlton, and Shangri-La – all Visit www.ctrip.com and
have hotels in the major cities; www.elong.com to find the
check their websites for details. best deals, check out the Spacious and comfortable suite at
Chinese-run hotels do their location and prices of hotels, Amanfayun in Hangzhou (see p560)
best to emulate Western and make online bookings.
operations. The published At the upper end of the
rack rates of Chinese four- budget spectrum, the Motel
and five-star hotels are indeed Budget Hotels and 168 and Jinjiang Inn chains
comparable, but the level of Other Types of offer excellent rooms with free
service does not match their Accommodations Internet, private bathroom, and
Western counterparts just yet. Budget travelers will find a TV at affordable rates. Home
Standards are fast improving, choice of inexpensive options Inns and Green Tree Inns are
however, and there is a willing- all across the mainland and in good budget brands with free
ness to please, especially away Hong Kong. Away from the Internet. Rooms at all these
from the main tourist areas. larger cities, dormitory beds for chains can be booked online.
The Chinese star system of around ¥40 are easily available. Camping is not an option in
grading hotels is meaningless. Youth hostels with spotless China. Pitching a tent, except
Although authorities have facilities and beds costing in the most far-flung places, is
devised a checklist of facilities about ¥50 are beginning to certain to attract attention, and
that hotels must provide within open up in some metropolises. you are likely to get a visit from
each grade, there is no proper Many universities will also the police. Staying in a ger, the
system of monitoring the rent out vacant rooms. round homes of the nomadic
Mongols and Kazakhs, can be
arranged in Inner Mongolia
and Xinjiang. However, these
overnight camps are targeted
at tourists, so it may not be an
authentic experience. Some
monasteries and lamaseries
have pilgrims’ inns where you
are welcome to stay for a
minimal fee, but conditions
can be very austere. On holy
mountains, such as Emei Shan,
you will find many temples that
offer basic but atmospheric
Palatial lobby of Shangri-La Hotel in Suzhou (see p560) accommodations for travelers.
A selection of ornate and colorful traditional prayer wheels
W H E R E TO S TAY 555
rooms,” with a single bed in a

relatively small space for a
cheaper price. However, rooms
described as “single” usually refer
to those with a double bed, and
can be occupied by two people,
although they usually cost
slightly less than twin-bed
rooms of the same size.
The display of certain credit
card symbols at hotels does not
guarantee that the international
versions of these cards will be
accepted. It is therefore
important to confirm that your
card will be accepted before
checking in. Most of the upper-
tier hotels do take credit cards;
in smaller establishments, be
prepared to pay in renminbi.
Costs
Harbor views from Upper House in Hong Kong (see p561) The prices quoted by major
international hotels do not
Choosing a Hotel their rates down drastically, include service charges or local
The newest hotels are usually especially if the room in question bed taxes, although the latter
the best, as most owners seem would otherwise go empty. are rarely levied. Many Chinese-
to resist carrying out repairs Discounts of 10 to 20 percent run upper-end hotels have
unless they are absolutely are standard, 30 to 40 percent begun to levy service charges of
necessary. New hotels are very common, and 50 percent between 5 and 15 percent.
constantly springing up in not unusual. Try for larger Foreign visitors should check
various parts of the country in discounts, especially in locations their bills carefully before paying.
the hope of benefiting from the with seasonal demand. Note that minibar contents are
growth in domestic tourism. Booking online in advance via as overpriced in China as
Some are one-off operations sites such as ctrip.com, elong. anywhere else. Costs for phone
started by private businesses, com, or hostelworld.com is calls from even modest hotels
but most belong to Chinese another good way to obtain are usually computer-monitored,
chains building pan-China a bargain. This is also true of and a service charge will be
hotel portfolios. Hotels run most foreign-run hotels. added on top of the actual cost
by the police, banks, tobacco The introduction of double of the call. Most Chinese-run
companies, post offices, and beds of various sizes in Chinese- and many foreign-owned hotels
other businesses are aspiring run hotels (rather than the in China offer free Wi-Fi. Check
to compete with long-standing standard twin single beds) has before booking, and if the hotel
establishments run by local led to some confusion. Older you choose charges for Internet
governments. Any hotel with hotels and a few newer ones use, pick somewhere down the
a decent website or the word do indeed have regular “single street that doesn’t.
“business“ in the title is likely
to be relatively new and offer
good services.
Booking a Hotel
In China, the real price of a hotel
room is what the customer is
willing to pay. Locals always
ask for a discount, and you
should too. The days of official
surcharges for non-Chinese
customers are long gone.
Although many hotels still
quote higher prices to foreign
visitors, they are amenable to
hard bargaining and will bring Traditionally designed courtyard at The Linden Centre in Dali (see p562)
Seasonal Demand
While rooms are readily
available in China for most of
the year, the busiest travel periods
are during the week-long national
holidays, principally around the
Chinese New Year (January or
February), May 1 (Labor Day),
and October 1 (National Day).
Unlike the West, very few people
in China have discretionary
holidays, so almost everyone in
the country seems to be traveling
at the same time. This is particu-
larly true of the Chinese New Richly furnished lobby at the Cachet Boutique hotel in Shanghai
Year (also known as the Spring
Festival), when accommodation General Observations Though it is simpler to arrange
is almost impossible to find. and Precautions transport services through your
The exact dates are not fixed Check-out time is usually noon, hotel, be aware that this might
far in advance, but as soon as but visitors can pay half the cost more than it would if you
they are declared transport and nightly rate to keep the room found a taxi on your own. It can
accommodation costs shoot up. until 6pm. Chinese regulations be better to simply walk onto
Spring and fall, with their require all non-residents to be the street and flag down a
milder temperatures and lower out of hotel rooms by 11pm, but passing vehicle, though taxis
humidity, are more popular this is widely ignored. Although hovering near the doors of
seasons for traveling than foreign-exchange facilities are hotels in popular tourist
summer or winter, which are usually open seven days a week destinations should be
both extreme. In summer, some at most of the better hotels, approached with caution.
of the cooler destinations within these facilities can be used When surveying hotels,
reasonable reach of large cities only by registered guests. travelers must remember
– such as the island of Putuo Many hotels, including some that the pictures they see
Shan, served by short flights establishments with foreign on brochures and websites
and ferries from Shanghai – can management, advertise facilities almost always date to the time
be very crowded and expensive such as nightclubs, hair and of opening, and are unlikely to
during weekends, but very beauty salons, and karaoke represent the current condition
cheap during the week. Other bars, but these are often fronts of the rooms. You should also
events that affect transport for prostitution. Be wary of not be swayed by the promise
costs and room availability are unexpected telephone calls of saunas, fitness centers,
the festivals of ethnic minorities, to your room offering anmo, swimming pools, or Jacuzzis,
particularly in the southwest, or massage. It is best to especially in Chinese-run
and trade events such as the disconnect your phone if you hotels in remote areas, as the
biannual fair in Guangzhou. wish to avoid being solicited. presence of these in brochures
does not indicate that they
are still working or fit for use.
Most importantly, the rates
mentioned are not fixed.
Facilities for Children
and the Disabled
Children are welcome
everywhere in China, although
special facilities for them in
hotels are rare. Most hotels
allow children under 12 years
to stay with their parents free
of charge. Most hotels will
also add an extra bed for an
older child for a nominal (and
usually negotiable) fee. Groups
of four, including two children
over 12, can sometimes share
a room, though parents may
be required to pay for two
The imposing facade of Shangri-La Hotel in Xian (see p559) rooms. However, many older,
Chinese-run hotels have three- service charge on top of your options for visitors to choose
and four-bed rooms that are bill in any case. Some Chinese from, from Art Deco gems in
ideal for families. hotels have started to add Shanghai to one of China’s first
In general, China is not an these charges as well. hotels to cater to foreigners in
easy destination for the disabled. Harbin. Those who enjoy the
Only the newest and best inter- flexibility of a self-catered stay
national hotels make any serious Recommended Hotels should look for properties in
effort to provide wheelchair The hotels on pages 558–63 the apartment category. China
access or fully adapted rooms. cover a huge variety of accom- has many budget options
Most places have standard modation options from simple where rooms are neat and clean
suites with inconveniently hostels and budget hotels to and there are also numerous
placed light switches, although historic establishments and hostels where guests can stay in
some have wider bathroom luxury retreats. They are listed communal dormitories. Hotels
doors to allow wheelchairs. by price within each area. Luxury that fall under the Business
However, most hotels have hotels number among the most category feature amenities from
elevators, so booking a ground- upscale options in town, with Wi-Fi and business centers to
floor room is not necessary. high standards of rooms and meeting rooms with audio and
service par for the course. visual technology.
China’s boutique hotel Finally, hotels featured as DK
Tipping industry is booming of late, Choice are special establishments
As tipping is not very common and this category can include that are highly recommended
in China, hotel staff don’t usually everything from slick and trendy for an exceptional quality,
expect to be tipped. The operations in a city, to rural be it a great spa, beautifully
international hotels will be homestays with just a few designed rooms, or an
charging you a 5 to 15 percent rooms. There are many historic ecologically sustainable outlook.
Classy interiors at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund hotel in Shanghai (see p560)
DIRECTORY
Hotel Chains Kempinski Shangri-La Home Inns and
Tel 1-800 426 3135 (US). Tel 1-866 565 5050 (US). Motel 168
Accor
Tel 020 7198 8405 (UK). Tel 0800 028 3337 (UK). Tel 400 820 3333.
Tel 1-800 221 4542 (US).
∑ kempinski.com ∑ shangri-la.com ∑ homeinns.com
Tel 0871 663 0624 (UK).
∑ accorhotels.com Starwood Jinjiang Inn
Marriott
Hilton (Sheraton, W, Westin) Tel 400 820 9999.
Tel 1-888 236 2427 (US).
Tel 1-800 445 8667 (US). Tel 1-800 80 1855 (US). ∑ jinjianginns.com
Tel 0800 1927 1927 (UK).
Tel 08705 909 090 (UK). Tel 020 3564 6335 (UK).
∑ marriott.com Booking a Hotel
∑ hilton.com ∑ starwood.com
Ritz-Carlton Useful websites:
Hyatt Budget Hotels
Tel 1-800 233 1234 (US). Tel 1-800 542 8680 (US). ∑ ctrip.com
Tel 0845 888 1234 (UK). Tel 0800 234 000 (UK). Green Tree Inns ∑ elong.com
∑ hyatt.com ∑ ritzcarlton.com ∑ 998.com ∑ hostelworld.com
Where to Stay
China World Summit Wing ¥¥¥ Price Guide
Beijing Luxury Map 4 F1 Prices are based on one night’s stay in
high season for a standard double room,
1 Jianguomenwai Ave, Chaoyang
inclusive of service charges and taxes.
Downtown Backpackers ¥ district
Hostel Map 2 D3 Tel (010) 6505 2299 ¥ under ¥400
∑ shangri-la.com ¥¥ ¥400 to ¥1,000
85 Nanluoguxiang, Chaoyang district
¥¥¥ over ¥1,000
Tel (010) 8400 2429 Rooms high up in the China
∑ backpackingchina.com World Trade Center have ultra-
Cheerful place close to the city’s modern interiors and great views.
most funky hutong (alleyway). Hebei, Tianjin
Great for visitors on a tight budget. Hotel de Cour SL ¥¥¥ & Shanxi
Boutique Map 2 E5
YoYo Hotel ¥ 70 Yanyue Hutong, Dongcheng district BEIDAIHE: Beidaihe Hotel ¥
Budget Tel (010) 6523 9598 Rooms with a view
10F Middle Section of Sanlitun, ∑ hotelcotecourbj.com 316 Lianfeng Rd
Chaoyang district Elegant rooms combine modern Tel (0335) 4680 555
Tel (010) 6417 3388 amenities with antique surrounds. A large hotel with great ocean
∑ yoyohotel.cn views. There are few English-
Located in one of the city’s popular Hotel Eclat ¥¥¥ speakers here, so be prepared to
nightspots, this boutique hotel Luxury use a phrase book.
offers stylish, good-value rooms. 9 Dongdaqiao Jie, Chaoyang district
Tel (010) 8561 2888 CHENGDE: Mountain
∑ eclathotels.com/beijing Villa Hotel ¥
DK Choice This slightly offbeat luxury hotel Budget
Duge Courtyard Boutique boasts a superb art collection. 11 Lizhengmen
Hotel ¥¥ Tel (0314) 209 5511
Luxury Map 2 D3 The Opposite House ¥¥¥ Clean, basic rooms in a well-
26 Qianyuanensi Hutong, Boutique known hotel at a great location,
Nanluoguxiang, 1 Taikoo Li Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang opposite the main entrance to
Dongcheng district district the Mountain Resort.
Tel (010) 6445 7463 Tel (010) 6417 6688
∑ dugecourtyard.com ∑ theoppositehouse.com DATONG: Garden Hotel ¥
This luxurious hideaway was Arty hotel, club, and restaurant Business
part-created by jeweler and with an impressive green 59 Danan St
interior designer Jehanne de glass exterior. Tel (0352) 5865 888
Biolley – no surprise given the ∑ datonghotels.com
hotel‘s gem-like color scheme. Park Hyatt ¥¥¥ Well located and geared for
Each one of the six rooms is Luxury foreigners, this hotel wins
unique, and the burnished-gold 2 Jianguomenwai St, Chaoyang district plaudits for service. It also
decorated Imperial Suite will Tel (010) 8567 1234 runs a number of tours to
make guests feel like royalty. ∑ beijing.park.hyatt.com nearby attractions.
Rooms at this 63-story hotel boast
marble baths. Superlative service. TAIYUAN: Chateau Star
The Red Capital Residence ¥¥ River Taiyuan ¥¥
Boutique Map 2 E4 The Peninsula Beijing ¥¥¥ Luxury
9 Dongsi Liutiao, Dongcheng district Luxury Map 2 E5 2 Xinghe West Rd
Tel (010) 8403 5308 8 Goldfish Lane, Wangfujing Tel (0351) 7698 866
∑ redcapitalresidencebeijing.com Tel (010) 8516 2888 ∑ chateaustarriver.com
An exotic five-room guesthouse ∑ beijing.peninsula.com Beautiful hotel with a pool. Non-
decked with antique furniture and Beijing‘s grand dame of style and Chinese speakers may struggle to
Communist Party memorabilia. service, with a highly rated spa. make themselves understood.
The Schoolhouse ¥¥
Boutique
12 Mutianyu Village, Huairou district
Tel (010) 6162 6506
∑ theschoolhouseatmutianyu.com
Stay at the eco-resort or hire a
well-appointed village home with
amazing views of the Great Wall.
The Aman at the

Summer Palace ¥¥¥
Luxury
1 Gongmenqian St, Summer Palace,
Haidian district
Tel (010) 5987 9999
∑ amanresorts.com
Stay in century-old pavilions at this
retreat next to the Summer Palace. Opulent suite at the China World Summit Wing in Beijing
TIANJIN: The Astor Hotel

Tianjin ¥¥ Shaanxi
Historic
33 Taier Zhuang Rd XI’AN: Xiangzimen
Tel (022) 2331 1688 International Youth Hostel ¥
∑ starwoodhotels.com Boutique
This restored 1863 hotel evokes a 16 Xiangzimiao Jie
bygone era. Ask for a room in the Tel (029) 6286 7888
old wing for a taste of antiquity. ∑ yhachina.com
A building with Chinese-style
TIANJIN: St Regis Tianjin ¥¥ decor near the city wall’s south
Luxury gate and street food markets.
158 Zhangzizhong Rd
Tel (022) 5830 9999 XI’AN: Citadines Central Xi’an ¥¥
∑ starwoodhotels.com Apartments
Plush hotel along the picturesque 36 Zhubashi Lu
Hai River offering flawless service. Tel (029) 8576 1188
∑ citadines.com
TIANJIN: Tangla Spacious, clean apartments Designer rooms at JIA Shanghai
Hotel Tianjin ¥¥ with kitchenettes and well- in Shanghai
Luxury equipped rooms. Great location.
219 Nanjing Rd Hyatt on the Bund ¥¥¥
Tel (022) 2321 5888 XI’AN: Sofitel Xi’an on Luxury
∑ tanglahotels.com Renmin Square ¥¥ 199 Huangpu Lu, Hongkou district
Spacious, well-furnished rooms Luxury Tel (021) 6393 1234
with spectacular city views. 319 Dong Xin St ∑ shanghai.bund.hyatt.com
Tel (029) 8792 8888 A modern hotel with all the latest
∑ sofitel.com/xian amenities, a spa, and restaurant.
A stylish property with spotless
Shandong & Henan rooms and excellent breakfasts. JIA Shanghai ¥¥¥
Boutique
JI’NAN: Sofitel Silver Plaza ¥¥ XI’AN: Shangri-La Hotel ¥¥¥ 931 Nanjing Xi Lu, Jing’an district
Luxury Luxury Tel (021) 6217 9000
66 Luoyuan Dajie 38B Keji Lu ∑ jiashanghai.com
Tel (0531) 8606 8888 Tel (029) 8875 8888 Philippe Starck-design in a vibrant
∑ sofitel.com ∑ shangri-la.com/xian/shangrila location. A western-style breakfast
This modern hotel incorporates This beautiful hotel is within buffet is included in the rates.
European elements in its decor. walking distance of the local
attractions. Friendly staff, modern
LUOYANG: Aviation Hotel ¥¥ rooms, and a huge gym. DK Choice
Business Mansion Hotel ¥¥¥
8 Tiyuchang Lu XI’AN: Sheraton Xi’an ¥¥¥ Historic
Tel (0379) 6338 9777 Business 82 Xinle Lu, Xuhui district
Staid, reliable accommodation 262 Fenghao Dong Lu Tel (021) 5403 9888
with English-speaking staff. Tel (029) 8426 1888 ∑ chinamansionhotel.com
Breakfast included. ∑ sheratonhotels.com Beautifully renovated 32-room
Business-friendly hotel with large hotel in the heart of the French
QINGDAO: Shangri-La ¥¥ rooms featuring walk-in showers. Concession. Set in what was
Luxury Excellent breakfasts on offer. once an infamous gangster’s
9 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu home, the hotel is a special
Tel (0532) 8388 3838 treat for those interested in
∑ shangri-la.com/qingdao/shangrila Shanghai’s racy history. Rooms
Enjoy the full array of facilities at Shanghai are priced in US dollars.
this deluxe hotel close to stores,
restaurants, and the coast. Magnolia ¥¥
B&B The Peninsula Hotel ¥¥¥
QINGDAO: Huiquan 36 Yangqing Lu, Xuhui district Luxury
Dynasty Hotel ¥¥¥ Tel (138) 1794 0848 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near
Rooms with a view ∑ magnoliabnbshanghai.com Beijing Dong Lu, Huangpu district
9 Nanhai Lu Five rooms spread over four Tel (021) 2327 2888
Tel (800) 860 066 floors in a house built in 1927, ∑ shanghai.peninsula.com
∑ hqdynasty.com brimming with an authentic feel. Experience superlative luxury at
Chic hotel opposite the beach. The Peninsula, from its elegant
Ask for a room with a sea view. Fairmont Peace Hotel ¥¥¥ rooms to the open-air terrace.
Historic
QINGDAO: Hyatt Regency ¥¥¥ 20 Nanjing Dong Lu, Huangpu The Puli Hotel and Spa ¥¥¥
Rooms with a view district Luxury
88 Donghai East Lu Tel (021) 6318 6888 1 Changde Rd, Jing’an district
Tel (0532) 8612 1234 ∑ fairmont.com Tel (021) 3203 9999
∑ qingdao.regency.hyatt.com Shanghai's most famous heritage ∑ thepuli.com
A smart hotel near Sho Lao hotel, this Art Deco gem is A sleek, urban resort with
Ren beach. Rooms on the outstanding in terms of its decor spacious rooms, a knockout
upper floors have fine views. and historical interest. restaurant, and a fancy spa.
For more information on types of hotels see p 554
NANJING: InterContinental
Nanjing ¥¥¥ DK Choice
Luxury HANGZHOU: Amanfayun ¥¥¥
1 Zhongyang Lu Luxury
Tel (025) 8353 8888 22 Fayun Jie, Xi Hu Jie
∑ ichotelsgroup.com Tel (0571) 8732 9999
This hotel towers over the city ∑ amanresorts.com
center. Two great restaurants. Amanfayun is a quiet, ultra-
expensive resort for the rich
SUZHOU: Hotel Soul Suzhou ¥¥ and famous, hidden in a
Boutique picturesque valley amid the
27–33 Qiaosikong Xiang verdant natural beauty of
Tel (0512) 6777 0777 the tea gardens.
∑ hotelsoul.com.cn/en
Eye-catching trendy decor and a
Suzhou-style rooftop garden. NANCHANG: Grand Skylight
International Hotel Nanchang ¥
Business
Sophisticated interiors of the deluxe DK Choice 1 Ganjiangbei Lu
Amanfayun in Hangzhou SUZHOU: Pinjiangfu Tel (0791) 8206 6666
Suzhou Hotel ¥¥ ∑ grandskylight-intl.com
Les Suites Orient ¥¥¥ Boutique A quiet hotel with helpful staff,
Boutique 60 Bai Ta Dong Lu business facilities, and good food.
1 Jinling Dong Lu Tel (0512) 6770 6688
Tel (021) 6320 0088 ∑ pingjiangpalace.com WENZHOU: Shangri-La
∑ lessuitesorient.com This charming retreat set in a Wenzhou ¥¥
This smart hotel fuses Art Deco traditional courtyard is Luxury
design with traditional Oriental surrounded by centuries-old 1 Xiangyuan Lu
style. Iconic views over the river. Suzhou gardens. Rooms are Tel (0577) 8998 8888
lovingly furnished with smart, ∑ shangri-la.com/wenzhou/
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai contemporary interiors. shangrila
on the Bund ¥¥¥ The city’s best hotel, situated in a
Luxury skyscraper and renowned for its
2 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Lu SUZHOU: Shangri-La excellent service levels. Free Wi-Fi.
Tel (021) 6322 9988 Hotel Suzhou ¥¥¥
∑ waldorfastoria3.hilton.com Luxury
This multi-award-winning hotel 168 Tayuan Lu
offers flawless service and vistas Tel (0512) 6808 0168 Hunan & Hubei
across the skyline. ∑ shangri-la.com/suzhou/shangrila
Impeccable service and huge, CHANGSHA: Dolton Hotel ¥¥
Waterhouse at South Bund ¥¥¥ well-appointed rooms. Business
Historic 159 Shaoshan Bei Lu
3 Maojiayuan Rd, Huangpu TUNXI: Huangshan Tel (0731) 8416 8888
district Tunxi Lodge ¥¥ ∑ doltonhotel.com
Tel (021) 6080 2988 Boutique This hotel features a business
∑ waterhouseshanghai.com 15 & 17 Lao Jie center plus an on-site health club.
A 1930s warehouse converted Tel (0559) 258 0388
into a swanky boutique hotel ∑ the-silk-road.com
with designer furniture. Traditionally styled rooms on Old DK Choice
Street, close to shops and cafés. CHANGSHA: Wyndham
The Westin Bund Center ¥¥¥ Grand Plaza Royale
Luxury Furongguo Changsha ¥¥¥
88 Henan Zhong Lu, Huangpu Luxury
district Zhejiang & Jiangxi 106 Furong Zhong Lu
Tel (021) 6335 1888 Tel (0731) 8868 8888
∑ westin.com/shanghai HANGZHOU: West Lake ∑ wyndham.com
Attractive hotel with a distinctive Youth Hostel ¥ Though a little way out of town,
roof, Vegas-style light effects, Hostel this lavish hotel lives up to its
and rooms with floor-to-ceiling 62–3 Nan Shan Lu five-star rating. The lobby is
windows – most with views. Tel (0571) 8702 7027 truly majestic and the rooms
∑ westlakehostel.com well appointed. Some guests
Located on the banks of the lake, say the breakfast buffet is the
near Leifeng Pagoda. Bright and best in China.
Jiangsu & Anhui spacious dorms and rooms.
NANJING: Orange Hotel ¥ HANGZHOU: Xihu State WUHAN: Jinjiang Inn Wuhan ¥
Budget Guesthouse ¥¥ Budget
224 Zhong Lu Boutique Jiangtan Pedestrian St,
Tel (025) 8698 8971 18 Yang Gong Causeway 2 Dongting Lu
∑ orangehotel.com.cn Tel (0571) 8797 9889 Tel (027) 8277 6600
Great-value accommodation in ∑ xihustateguest.hotel.com.tw/eng ∑ jinjiang.com
the city center, within walking A guesthouse with efficient staff, Excellent-value hotel in a superb
distance of many attractions. stunning grounds, and lake views. location. Helpful staff, too.
Key to Price Guide see p 558
WUHAN: Pathfinder
DK Choice
International Youth Hostel ¥ Hong Kong & Macau
Hostel XIAMEN: Seaview Resort ¥¥
368 Zhongshan Lu Luxury HONG KONG: Hullet House ¥¥¥
Tel (027) 8884 4092 3999 Huandao Nan Lu Historic Map 1 A3
∑ yhachina.com Tel (0592) 502 3333 2A Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Hip hostel with a pleasant ∑ xmseaview.com Tel (0852) 3988 0000
terrace and mixed dorms. Top-class resort located just ∑ hulletthouse.com
Chinese-style bathrooms. outside the city center. Rooms Housed in a stunning colonial
come with baths the size of hot building, this hotel features
WUHAN: Marco Polo tubs, and many have private uniquely decorated suites, all
Hotel Wuhan ¥¥¥ pools or gardens. Dine at one with private balconies.
Business of the lovely restaurants dotted
159 Yanjiang Dajie around the stunning gardens. HONG KONG: J Plus
Tel (027) 8277 8888 Attentive staff. Book ahead. Boutique Hotel ¥¥¥
∑ marcopolohotels.com Boutique
This riverfront property with 1–5 Irving St, Causeway Bay
large, airy rooms is a good Tel (0852) 3196 9000
choice for corporate travelers. ∑ jplushongkong.com
Guangdong & Designed by Philippe Starck, with
Hainan quirky rooms. Rates include
breakfast and evening cocktails.
Fujian GUANGZHOU: Journey House
Youth Hostel ¥
FUZHOU: Best Western Hostel DK Choice
Fuzhou Fortune Hotel ¥¥ 27F Building 1 Jiayiyuan, HONG KONG: Upper
Business 435 Tianhe Bei Lu House ¥¥¥
220 Hualin Lu Tel (020) 3880 4573 Boutique Map 3 D4
Tel (0591) 8819 9999 Clean, good-value hostel with Pacific Place, 88 Queensway
∑ bestwestern.com kitchen. Shared bathrooms. Tel (0852) 2918 1838
A well-appointed hotel offering ∑ upperhouse.com
spacious rooms with free Wi-Fi. GUANGZHOU: The Ritz-Carlton A stylish haven from one of Asia‘s
Complimentary breakfast. Guangzhou ¥¥¥ trendiest designers, Andre Fu.
Luxury Enjoy fabulous city views from
FUZHOU: Howard Johnson 3 Xing'an Lu, Pearl River New City the luxurious apartment-like
Riverfront Plaza Fuzhou ¥¥ Tel (020) 3813 6688 studios, which come with
Business ∑ ritzcarlton.com espresso machines and iPods.
6 Jiangbin Dong Dajie Plush opulence and impeccable
Tel (0591) 8862 9999 service; home to one of the city’s
∑ hojochina.com top restaurants, Lai Heen. HONG KONG: W Hong Kong ¥¥¥
Business-oriented hotel with Luxury Map 1 A3
large, well-maintained rooms. 1 Austin Rd West, Kowloon
Facilities include pool, spa, DK Choice Tel (0852) 3717 2222
and gym. HAINAN: Banyan ∑ starwoodhotels.com
Tree Sanya ¥¥¥ The W has the island’s best pool.
FUZHOU: Shangri-La Hotel ¥¥ Luxury Stylish rooms with superb views.
Luxury Luhuitou Bay, 6 Luling Lu
9 Xinquan Nan Lu Tel (0852) 8860 9988 MACAU: Pousada de Mong-Ha ¥¥
Tel (0591) 8798 8888 ∑ banyantree.com Boutique
∑ shangri-la.com Forty-nine pool villas are Colina de Mong-Ha
A comfortable hotel with an old- scattered around a sculpted Tel (0853) 2851 5222
fashioned feel and one of the tropical lagoon on Hainan ∑ ift.edu.mo
best Korean restaurants in town. Island. The hotel offers very Rooms are decorated in traditional
high standards of service. Portugeuese style at this quiet inn.
XIAMEN: Remy’s
Garden Hotel ¥
Boutique SHENZHEN: Zen Guest House ¥
65 Kangtai Lu, Gulangyu Island Guesthouse
Tel (0592) 5944 5994 75 Dawei Cun, Dongchong
Unusual, snug place offering one- Tel (0755) 3070 7874
and two-bedroom apartments, ∑ zen-guesthouse.com
some with terraces, on Gulangyu Located close to the beach.
Island. Book in advance. Simple rooms and a rooftop patio.
XIAMEN: Xiamen International SHENZHEN: St Regis

Youth Hostel ¥ Shenzhen ¥¥¥
Hostel Luxury
41Nanhua Lu 5016 Shennan Dong Lu
Tel (0592) 208 2345 Tel (0755) 8308 8888
∑ yhaxm.com ∑ stregis.com
Friendly hostel with mixed dorms. One of Shenzhen’s tallest buildings.
Beds have curtains for privacy. Rooms come with various extras, Fashionable studio at the Upper House
Laundry and storage facilities. including a butler service. in Hong Kong
KUNMING: Lost Garden GUILIN: Shangri-La

Sichuan & Guest House ¥ Hotel Guilin ¥¥¥
Chongqing Hostel Luxury
7 Yiqiutian, Huanggong Dong Jie, 111 Huancheng Bei Er Lu
Cuihu Nan Lu Tel (0773) 269 8888
Tel (0871) 6511 1127 ∑ shangri-la.com
DK Choice ∑ lostgardenguesthouse.com The plushest hotel in Guilin,
CHENGDU: The Loft Spotless rooms and a small offering a pool and rooms with
Design Hostel ¥ Western-style restaurant are to river views. Operates tours, too.
Hostel be found at this charming hostel.
4 Xiaotong Alley, Zhongtongren Lu NANNING: Nanning
Tel (028) 8626 5770 KUNMING: Green Lake Hotel ¥¥¥ Marriott Hotel ¥¥¥
∑ dragontown.com.cn/loft Luxury Luxury
A stylish and quirky hostel in a 6 Cuihu Nan Lu 131 Minzu Dadao
converted factory, with both Tel (0871) 6515 8888 Tel (0771) 536 6688
dorms and private rooms with ∑ greenlakehotel.com ∑ marriott.com
en-suite bathrooms. The staff Elegant public spaces and rooms Comfortable rooms, professional
are helpful in assisting with beside Kunming’s famous lake. service, and a spa.
travel arrangements and tours.
LIJIANG: No.188 Boutique Hotel ¥ YANGSHUO: Tea Cozy ¥¥
Boutique Boutique
CHENGDU: BuddhaZen 188 Bayi Lower Section, Qiyi Jie 212 Xiatang Village, Baisha town
Hotel ¥¥ Tel (0888) 888 8177 Tel (0773) 881 6158
Boutique Pleasant rooms with traditional ∑ yangshuoteacozy.com
B6–6, Wenshufang Jie decor. Run by a friendly manager. Traditional Chinese-style rooms
Tel (028) 8692 9898 Great location in the Old Town. with tastefully fitted wooden
∑ buddhazenhotel.com furnishings. Breathtaking views.
Lovely hotel with well-appointed LIJIANG: Crowne Plaza Hotel
rooms. The in-house restaurant Lijiang Ancient Town ¥¥¥
serves delicious local food. Luxury
276 Xianghe Lu Liaoning, Jilin &
CHONGQING: Beity Hot Spring Tel (0888) 588 8888 Heilongjiang
Tourism Resort ¥¥ ∑ ichotelsgroup.com
Luxury Thoughtfully designed rooms DALIAN: Howard Johnson
Beidi Yiyuan, 288 Nongke Dadao with extras such as Wi-Fi and iPod Parkland Hotel ¥¥¥
Tel (023) 6571 8888 docks. The lobby boasts stunning Business
∑ cqbeity.cn views of Jade Dragon Snow 95 Huizhan Lu
Surrounded by mountains, villas Mountain. Large breakfast buffet. Tel (0411) 8499 0000
at this popular resort are scattered ∑ hotelparklanddalian.
around a lake. Rooms come with ZHONGDIAN: Banyan Tree hojochina.com
hot tubs and there also huge out- Ringha ¥¥¥ A quiet business hotel on
door springs for guests to soak in. Boutique Xinghai Square. Rooms have
Hong Po Village, Jian Tang town, sea or mountain views.
CHONGQING: Somerset Shangrila county
Jiefangbei Chongqing ¥¥ Tel (0887) 828 8822 HARBIN: Kazy
Apartments ∑ banyantree.com International Hostel ¥
Block B Hejing Building, This peaceful rural retreat offers Hostel
108 Minzu Lu accommodations in luxuriously 27 Tongjiang Jie
Tel (023) 8677 6888 appointed Tibetan-style villas. Tel (0451) 8765 4211
∑ somerset.com ∑ snowtour.cn
Serviced apartments with pano- A popular hostel in a former
ramic views of the city. There is a church with both private rooms
pool plus great facilities for kids. Guizhou & Guangxi and dorms. Good central location.
GUILIN: Lakeside Inn ¥

Guest House
Yunnan 1-1-2 Sha Lake Building,
Shan Lake North Rd
Tel (0773) 280 6806
DK Choice Beautifully located by the lake-
DALI: The Linden Centre ¥¥ side, this tiny guesthouse offers
Boutique excellent hospitality.
5 Chengbei, Xizhou town
Tel (0872) 245 2988 GUILIN: Jing Guan Ming Lou
∑ linden-centre.com Holiday Hotel ¥¥
An eco-friendly hotel where Guest House
guests can experience tradi- 9 Ronghu Nan Lu
tional village life in comfort. Tel (0773) 228 3265
The 14 rooms are set around a ∑ gulin-museum-hotel.com
scenic courtyard in a national This friendly lakeside hotel offers
heritage site. Rates include a unique style of decor. It hosts
breakfast and local excursions. an impressive collection of Spacious room at The Linden Centre,
Chinese antiques and modern art. in Dali, Yunnan
DK Choice Gansu & Qinghai

HARBIN: Modern Hotel ¥¥
Historic DUNHUANG: Mogao Hotel ¥
89 Zhongyang Jie Budget
Tel (0451) 8488 4000 12 Mingshan Lu
∑ hotel.hrbmodern.com Tel (0937) 885 1777
Built in 1906 in the heart of A well-located, no-frills hotel with
what is now the Old City, this clean and comfortable rooms.
was the first international hotel
in the area. Although it is now a DUNHUANG: Silk Road
government-preserved historical Dunhuang Hotel ¥¥
site, it is still possible to stay in Luxury
the atmospheric old rooms. Dunyue Lu
Tel (0937) 888 2088
∑ the-silk-road.com
SHENYANG: Lexington Plaza ¥¥ North China’s best-known hotel Restaurant at the Silk Road Dunhuang
Business for trips on the Silk Road. Lovely Hotel, Dunhuang
128 Harbin Lu views of the sand dunes.
Tel (024) 2259 8888 ÜRÜMQI: Bestay Hotel Express
∑ lexingtonshenyang.cn LANZHOU: Legend Hotel ¥¥ Ürümqi Hongshan ¥
Comfortable, well-maintained Business Budget
rooms, and gym facilities. 529 Tianshui Nan Lu 49 Yangzijiang Lu
Tel (0931) 853 2888 Tel (0991) 458 1999
∑ lanzhoulegendhotel.com ∑ bestay.com.cn
Well-equipped, friendly hotel Small, clean rooms near the
Inner Mongolia conveniently located for the railway station and night market.
& Ningxia railway station and airport shuttle.
ÜRÜMQI: Bayinhe Hotel ¥¥
HOHHOT: Binyue Hostel ¥ XIAHE: Tara Guesthouse ¥ Boutique
Hostel Boutique 71 Wenhua Lu
52 Zhaowuda Lu Renmin Xi Lu Tel (0991) 221 9999
Tel (0471) 660 5666 Tel (0941) 712 1274 Music-themed hotel with space-
∑ yhachina.com A popular hotel near the Labrang age showers. Great service.
The simple rooms are clean and Monastery. Clean rooms and a
spacious. Good value. welcoming Tibetan restaurant.
HOHHOT: Shangri-La Tibet

Hotel Hohhot ¥¥
Luxury Xinjiang LHASA: Phuntsok Khasang
5 Xilin Guole Nan Lu International Youth Hostel ¥
Tel (0471) 336 6888 KASHGAR: Kashgar Old Town Hostel
∑ shangri-la.com Youth Hostel ¥ 48 Duosenge Bei Lu
Hohhot’s first international Hostel Tel (0891) 692 7618
deluxe hotel has a plethora of 233 Wusitangboyi Lu ∑ lhasahostel.com
restaurants and leisure facilities. Tel (0998) 282 3262 The most popular hostel in Lhasa
∑ pamirinn.com is near the Potala Palace. Choose
XILINHOT: Shengli Popular budget option with simple from dorms, singles, and doubles.
Business Hotel ¥¥ rooms and bright courtyard.
Business LHASA: Shambhala Palace ¥¥
Tuanjie Dadao, Xilin Square KASHGAR: Tianyuan Boutique
Tel (0479) 888 5555 International Hotel ¥¥ 16 Taibeng Gang Wengdui Xingka
Elegantly decorated, this Business Sangdong Yuan
conveniently located hotel is a 8 Renmin Dong Lu Tel (0891) 632 6695
good choice for business travelers. Tel (0998) 280 1111 ∑ shambhalaserai.com
∑ xjtianyuanhotel.com An atmospheric hotel with
XILINHOT: Yuanhe A centrally located hotel with traditional Tibetan decor. Great
Jianguo Hotel ¥¥ comfortable rooms. Free Wi-Fi. views of the city and Potala Palace.
Business
6 Nanjing Lu LHASA: St Regis Lhasa ¥¥¥
Tel (0479) 829 9299 DK Choice Luxury
∑ yhjghotel.com TURPAN:
P Silk Road Lodges ¥¥ 22 Jiangsu Lu
One of the city’s few higher-end Boutique Tel (891) 680 8888
hotels. Enjoy the Western-style Muna’er Lu, Muna’er village ∑ starwoodhotels.com
breakfast and friendly service. Tel (0995) 856 8333 Fabulous pool and spa, excellent
∑ silkroadlodges.com service, and rooms with views.
YINCHUAN: Yuehai Hotel ¥¥ Located in a traditional Uighur
Luxury settlement, guests can experi- SHIGATSE: Shigatse Hotel ¥¥
1A Helanshan Lu ence local village life first hand Business
Tel (0951) 569 6888 while relaxing in comfortable 12 Shanghai Zhong Lu
∑ yuehaihotel.cn surroundings. There are fine Tel (0892) 880 0336
Deluxe hotel with a gym, pool, views overlooking the vineyards. Large hotel with clean rooms and
and a garden with a pagoda. enthusiastic staff.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Can any other nation rival China’s obsession pale imitations of Chinese food from back
with food? Instead of “How are you?” Chinese home. As you travel around the country
people greet each other with Ni chi fan le ma? you will enjoy a culinary journey, too.
– “Have you eaten yet?” Once your travels From the wheat noodles, lamb kabobs,
begin, you may ask yourself a similar question and Peking duck of the north, venture east
– have you really eaten Chinese food before? to taste the braised crabs and abalone of
For the Middle Kingdom serves up cuisine of Shanghai, west to try the fiery feasts of
such variety and delight that mealtimes there Sichuan, and south to “dot the heart” with
will soon dissolve the taste memories of the a thousand different Cantonese dim sum.
the 6th century AD still sets

the standards for today’s chefs:
a recipe states that roasted
suckling pig should “melt in
the mouth like ice.” Over the
centuries, countless men of
letters have sung the glories of
food. Song-dynasty poet Su
Dongpo penned a famous ode
to pork, and even today Dongpo
pork remains Hangzhou’s most
celebrated dish.
The ancient philosophy of
yin and yang – the blending of
contrasts and duality of nature –
People eating at an outdoor café in Xin Tian Di, in the heart of Shanghai applies to culinary matters in
China as much as to spiritual
A Divine Pleasure every part of domesticated or ones. Achieving the right
“Food is a divine pleasure,” runs wild animals. Bustling markets, harmony of yin (soft, cold, dark,
a traditional saying. China’s and even some mealtimes, are and feminine) and yang (strong,
fascination with food stems from not for the squeamish, but the hot, bright, and masculine) will
the ancient worship of gods and daring will learn how fish heads, ensure good health, not just a
spirits, when emperors were pig’s trotters, chicken intestine, good meal. Cooling yin foods –
carried to temples or sacred duck webs, sea slugs, and bull’s for example, most vegetables,
peaks to guarantee good testicles can be prepared as crab, tofu – must complement
harvests with sacrifices of meat delicacies. Imagine how many warming yang – meat, chilies.
and rice wine. Today, any event lives scorpions, fried and full of Hence, in menu planning,
can prompt a feast where protein, could save in a famine? there should be meat dishes
families bond, relationships as well as vegetable, hot and
grow, disputes are resolved, and cold, sweet and sour, plain and
business deals are concluded. The First Fast Food spicy. Even meat dishes rarely
For Chinese people, food is not Although boiling and steaming contain meat alone, while the
just a social lubricant, but the are popular, Chinese cuisine is basic ingredients of stir-frying –
cornerstone of their culture. best known for stir-frying. Meat
and vegetables are cut into
small pieces and fried briefly in
A Famine Cuisine hot oil, thus saving on fuel and
One of China’s problems has equipment without sacrificing
been: how can such a large the taste. There is little saving
population (currently a fifth of in terms of work time, but
the world’s people) feed itself labor is the one resource of
when less than 10 percent of which China has no shortage.
its land is arable? The answer
lies in centuries of innovation
in the fields and in the kitchen. The Culinary Arts
The Chinese have developed According to records, China’s
a “famine cuisine,” cherishing earliest master of gastronomy,
wild plants like bamboo Yi Yin, cooked for the first Shang
shoots, lotus roots, seaweed, emperor way back in the 16th Scorpion kebabs – cooking renders the
fungi, and moss, and utilizing century BC. One cookbook from sting ineffective
W H E R E TO E AT A N D D R I N K 565
Spring Festival dinner, the

whole family cooks tangyuan,
round sweet dumplings made
of glutinous rice flour, because
yuan can also mean “reunion.”
Fish is particularly auspicious,
because the character for fish
(yu) sounds like the one for
“abundance” and offers the
hope of good fortune in the
year ahead. Jiaozi (meat
dumplings) are another New
Year favorite, as their shape is
said to resemble the symbol
Steaming food on the street – simple, fast, and efficient for prosperity. Birthdays are
often celebrated with noodles,
scallions and ginger – are yin an art form with a special a symbol of longevity.
and yang, as well. Additionally, vocabulary and set of rules.
a balanced diet should include If xian (an elusive, sweet but
appropriate proportions of both natural freshness) captures Recommended
fan (grains) and cai (vegetables), the soul of a food, cui (a crisp Restaurants
and not too much meat. crunchiness like the skin of One thing guaranteed in China
perfect Peking duck) is the is that you will never go hungry,
goal of most Chinese cooking. as even the smallest village will
You Are What You Eat Trained Chinese palates have at least a couple of basic
Nutritionists were attached to distinguish five different flavors restaurants, while major cities
the Zhou court back in the 7th – sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, are overrun – in Shanghai, for
century BC, for the Chinese salty – and only the right example, there are more than
have long recognized combinations work. Foods rich 20,000 restaurants, from hole-in-
the medicinal value in flavor combine well the-wall noodle joints to some
of food. In the Chinese with textured foods of the most cutting-edge and
chef’s repertoire there is of little taste, such expensive establishments in
a dish or an as sea cucumbers the world. The restaurant
ingredient for and shark’s fin that listings on pages 572–85 feature
every poorly absorb and heighten as wide a selection as possible,
organ or ailment. the foods cooked with from inexpensive to upmarket.
Some foods that are them. While focusing on Chinese
meant to boost your cuisine such as traditional
qi, such as ginseng and Rice and places serving noodles, hotpot,
bird’s nest soup, require chopsticks Symbolism or stew, there is also a good
a small leap of faith as to in Food choice of great cafés, pizza
their efficacy; others, such as In a culture obsessed with parlors, and restaurants serving
iron-rich duck blood, are more symbolism and eating, there are international cuisine.
obvious. In some cases, as in many foods that have earned Establishments highlighted
other cultures, animal parts are special meaning and are as DK Choice have been
believed to strengthen the consumed on certain occasions. selected in recognition of a
human equivalent: try duck Round mooncakes, dotted with special feature – this could be
brain for increasing your moon-like duck-egg yolks, are a exceptional cuisine, a fantastic
intelligence, ox tongue for must for family reunions at the atmosphere, excellent value, or
eloquence, and bull’s testicles Mid-Autumn Festival. At the a combination of these.
for greater sexual potency.
The Five Flavors

The Chinese are not really recipe-
bound. Amid the drama of the
flaming stir-fry, they seem to
take a more flexibile approach,
finely judging the right quantity
of each ingredient. Neverthe-
less, Chinese chefs are very
particular about flavor, aroma,
color, and texture. Each of these
properties has been elevated to Cooking Chinese-style – balancing colors, tastes, and textures
Street Food
Types of Restaurant As China smartened up for
Whether you are looking to eat in the splendor of an imperial the Beijing Olympics and the
pavilion in Beijing, a chic Shanghai café, or a busy Sichuan Shanghai Expo, street vendors
teahouse, you will find a restaurant boom taking place in were sometimes forced to
play hide-and-seek with the
China. Freed from state control, entrepreneurs are thinking
authorities. Yet their portable
up tempting new ways to indulge in the country’s favorite stalls form a vital part of the
pastime. You never have to walk far to find restaurants in everyday life of China, selling
China and when you do, do not let first appearances put you cheap and popular foods
off – in contrast to the delicacy of the food, many gourmet such as breakfasts of dough
restaurants boast simple decor and harsh lighting. Look sticks (youtiao) and beancurd
(doujiang), or snacks like
instead for happy crowds of diners and a different concept scallion pancakes (jianbing),
of “atmosphere.” In Chinese eyes, the more lively and noisy sweet potatoes (fanshu)
(renao) a restaurant is, the better. roasted in old oil drums,
deep-fried beancurd cubes
(zhadoufu), and local fruits.
A reliable way to locate
delicious street food is to
stroll through a night market
(yeshi), a culinary and visual
feast where clouds of steam
escape from bamboo steamers
and the sky glows red from the
flames of oil drum stoves. The
sizzle of cooking and clamor of
vendors shouting for business
should stir your appetite, and
if deep-fried scorpions or
Typical restaurant – busy and noisy with a utilitarian decor cicadas on skewers prove too
exotic, be assured that plenty
Open All Hours Hotel Food of other foods will take your
Early to bed, early to rise If you are tired and hungry, and fancy. If the food is hot and
was the pattern of Chinese staying at one of China’s more freshly cooked for you, hygiene
lives until the 1990s, leaving expensive hotels, then room problems are rare. The market
some foreign visitors caught service can provide comfort off Wangfujing Dajie (see p100),
out when planning mealtimes. with imitations of Western food. in Beijing, is the most famous,
While Chinese stomachs still But try to make it downstairs, but track down night markets
demand food earlier than their as most hotels offer a range of wherever you go, to enjoy the
Western counterparts, social cuisines within the premises. local delicacies and specialties.
and professional hours are In the main cities,
diversifying. You can breakfast some of the best
on the street by 6am, but all restaurants are located
hotels should serve breakfast in hotels, and you can
until 10am or later. Lunch is sample some excellent
typically from 11:30am until upscale Chinese
2:30pm, after which some cuisine. Contrary
restaurants shut until the to opinion, hotel
evening shift starts around restaurants do
5pm. In the evening, closing not always serve
times can be very late, while overpriced, deliberately
some places never shut. bland Chinese food to
Booking is rare except for the appease foreign
most popular and high-end palates. However, home
establishments. Usually you to one of the world’s
can simply turn up; if the top cuisines, China has
restaurant is full, you may have a lot to offer. The more
to wait until a table comes free intrepid diner who
or have a drink at the bar. makes a few forays out-
Sometimes the owner will come side the comfort of
to your rescue by setting up a four-star hotel restaur-
makeshift table in the corner, ants will be sure to reap Dunhuang night market – food stalls for shoppers
or even out in the backyard. handsome dividends. buying spices, silks, and carpets
Themed Restaurants Vegetarian Surprise

As urban tastes grow ever more The Chinese under-
sophisticated, restaurateurs race standing of a good life is
to catch up, opening restaurants inextricably associated with
with a special theme, cuisine, or meat. They find it hard to
setting, like a train carriage or understand why someone
mock prison. The character of who could afford to eat
these places is often nostalgic, meat would choose not to.
such as the old Beijing style (Lao Nevertheless, you will find
Beijing), where each guest is a few vegetarian restaurants
loudly greeted, and staff in pre- in big cities, often attached
Revolution uniforms clatter the to Buddhist temples, serving
teacups in welcome on your excellent vegetarian dishes to
table. The walls of Cultural worshipers and non-worshipers
Revolution restaurants are alike. Many of these have meaty
covered with bittersweet names, and are made in exact
Stall-holder making some xiaochi or “little memorabilia of that era, while imitation of their meat-filled
eats” in Dalian many Sichuan eateries have namesakes. Ordinary restaurants
concentrated on rustic decor can lay on good vegetarian
Little Eats to increase the appeal. meals too, as long as you can
Cheap and nourishing snacks repeat: “Wo chi su” (“I eat
such as those found at night vegetables”) a few times and
markets are known collectively The Other China don’t mind the odd bit of meat
as xiaochi, or “little eats.” There is not only a wide spread or chicken stock turning up in
Restaurants that specialize in of regional cuisines across Han your bowl every now and then.
them are called xiaochidian; China, but also a whole range
they sell different types of of ethnic specialties offered by
noodles or dumplings, the many minority nation- Foreign Food
stuffed buns or alities from the Korean Western restaurants, now found
pancakes. Open border to the in all major cities, typically offer
early for breakfast, Tibetan plateau. Indian, Thai, Italian, and French,
they may serve The minorities’ or a fusion of international food.
simple stir-fried restaurants are an Some have justifiably earned
dishes too, and “exotic” attraction wide acclaim, such as Maison
shut only when for Chinese as well Boulud in Beijing, and M on
the last guest as foreign tourists. the Bund in Shanghai.
leaves. The setting is In Dai restaurants, In smaller cities, Western
usually basic, but the Pretty colored offering the Thai-like restaurants are harder to find,
food is hearty, tasty, and dumplings cuisine of southern although Italian cuisine is the
very reasonably priced. Yunnan, guests are most common – ravioli and
Every city has its own local greeted with scented water, spaghetti are easy concepts
varieties, but the ultimate given a lucky charm, and later for the dumpling- and noodle-
“little eats” are the dim sum of invited to join in the singing loving Chinese to appreciate.
Cantonese cooking (see p288). and dancing. In Uighur Other Asian cuisines, namely
restaurants, serving food from Korean, Japanese, and Thai,
the Muslim northwest, belly are also well represented,
Fast Food dancing is sometimes on show. and more readily accepted.
The popularity of fast food
giants McDonald’s, Pizza Hut,
and KFC, now found in all cities,
has spurred Chinese firms to
compete. Yonghe King is an
impressive Taiwanese chain
serving up all-day breakfasts
of soyabean milk, congee (a
savory rice porridge), and spring
onion pancakes, while 85˚c is
a rapidly expanding coffee,
cake, and bread chain. If the
street stalls are a little too basic,
food courts in department
stores or malls are worth
exploring and are clean and
usually air-conditioned. Uighur bread stall in the market at Linxia, Gansu
Food Customs and Etiquette tanks, cages, and supermarket-

type shelves. Your Chinese
Confucius was renowned for his silence at meals. The good friends (and waiters and
news, however, is that 2,500 years later, the Chinese are actually onlookers) will likely be
quite informal at mealtimes. In fact, a busy Chinese restaurant delighted by any interest you
show in the whole experience.
can be a deafening place as waiters crash plates about and In the end, when language or
diners shout orders at the waiters. It may seem daunting but phrase book fail, point at
just join in and expect praise for your chopstick skills – even whatever appeals on other
if you struggle, your willingness to try will be appreciated. tables, or even head into the
kitchen to find what you need.
A meal might begin with
cold starters such as pickled
vegetables, ten-thousand-year
old eggs, seasoned jellyfish,
or cold roasted meats.
When selecting main courses,
remember to aim for harmony
and balance – an equilibrium
of yin and yang. For example,
with sweet and sour pork,
you might order a spicy chicken
dish. Different cooking methods
are also important: a steamed
fish or roast pork add variety
to a series of stir-fried foods.
You shouldn’t need to ask for
Business dinner in a private room, still an enjoyable event a side order of vegetables as
they are usually part of the
Earning Some Face The Art of Ordering dishes – unless you want
The Chinese do not expect If you are someone’s guest, something specific.
visitors to be fully versed you may be asked to order The last dish is usually soup,
in proper banquet etiquette, something, or state some sort or tang. Then comes fan, a grain
but awareness of a few of preference – if you do not staple such as rice, noodles,
essentials can earn “face” do so, a ten-course banquet or bread (mantou), without
both for yourself and your host, could soon appear. Feel free which a Chinese diner may
whatever the occasion. The to name your favorite dish, or feel they have not eaten.
other guests will appreciate that point at the object of your At informal meals you can
you have some respect for desire, often swimming in have rice at the start of
Chinese culture and traditions. a fish tank at the entrance to the meal, but not at a banquet,
When attending, or hosting, the restaurant. Freshness is all or your host will assume his
a formal meal, note that the important in Chinese cuisine. dishes are inadequate.
guest of honor is usually placed English-language menus Desserts are not a Chinese
on the seat in the middle, facing are becoming more common, tradition, but fresh fruit is almost
the door. The host, traditionally and an increasing number of always served in Chinese
positioned opposite the guest, restaurants actively encourage restaurants, especially at
now more often sits to his visitors to get out of their chairs banquets, and succulent
or her left. and choose ingredients from fruit is available nationwide.
If you come as a guest, be
punctual and do not sit down
until you are given your seat –
seating arrangements can be
very formal and based on rank.
Once seated, do not start on
the food or drink before your
host gives the signal. Some of
the delicacies on offer may
test your courage; be gracious
and try everything – it is an
insult if the food is untouched –
but leave some food on the
plates. Empty bowls imply that
the host is too poor or mean to
lay on a good spread. Filling up on rice at an informal meal in a market, Dali
Invited to Dinner
A formal meal often takes place
How to Hold Chopsticks
in a private room and usually 1) Place the first chopstick in the crook
begins with a toast. The host of your thumb and forefinger. Support
serves his guest with the it with the little and ring fingers,
choicest morsels, and then and keep it there with the
everyone is permitted to help base of the thumb.
themselves. Serving chopsticks 2) Hold the second
or spoons may be provided; if chopstick like a
not, simply use your own pair. pencil, between
middle and index Third finger acting Thumb and first
Confucius said that it was as a rest for the finger controlling
fingers, anchored
uncivilized to have knives on lower stick the top stick
by the pad of your
the table, but if you are really thumb. 3) When
struggling, most restaurants picking up food, keep the lower stick stationary and the tips even.
will readily provide you with As the index finger moves up and down, only the upper stick
knives and forks. should move, using the thumb as an axis.
The host almost always orders
more dishes than necessary.
While it is polite to try every- suck greasy fingers, or use them before your host, who will rise
thing, don’t feel it is necessary to pick bones out of your and indicate that the dinner has
to finish it all. mouth – spit bones or shell ended and ask if you’ve had
onto the table, into the saucer enough. The answer is “yes.”
that was under your bowl, The person who invited you
Good Neighbors or into a napkin. usually shoulders the full weight
It is courteous Toothpicks are of the bill, so accept graciously.
to keep your ubiquitous, but Offering to pay is fine, even
neighbors’ tea do cover the polite; insisting too hard
cups filled. To action with suggests that you doubt
thank an attentive your free the host’s ability to pay.
neighbor, tap your hand. And The capitalist habit of tipping
first two fingers Crabs – difficult to eat don’t be shy about was wiped out after Mao’s
together on the with chopsticks shouting for Communist Party took over.
table. This tradition attention. Eating Politically acceptable today, it
dates back to the Qing Emperor alone is very strange to the is still rare, as is “going Dutch.”
Qianlong, who liked to tour the Chinese way of thinking. Eating Prices are fixed and written
country in disguise. Once, at a in a group – sharing the dishes down in most restaurants, and
teahouse, he took his turn to and the experience – greatly on bills, although there is the
pour the tea. His companions, increases the enjoyment. occasional story of restaurants
who should have been pressing overcharging foreigners.
their foreheads to the floor, There is no service charge
maintained his disguise by The End of the Meal except in the more upmarket
tapping their fingers in a mini- A platter of fresh fruit and and expensive restaurants, which
kowtow. If you don’t want your steaming hot towels signal are also the only places likely to
cup refilled, don’t empty it. the end of the meal is coming. accept international credit cards.
Just as you should await the
start of a meal, do not stand up
Dos and Don’ts The Business of Banquets
The Chinese are fairly relaxed The business banquet is the
about table manners. Slurping apex of the Chinese dining
shows appreciation, enables experience, and almost all
better appreciation of flavor, and significant deals are clinched at
sucks in air to prevent burning the banquet table. In addition to
the mouth. Holding your bowl the above, further rules apply:
up to your mouth, to shovel rice arrive 15 minutes early; if you are
in, is another practical solution. applauded as you come into the
You may happily reach across room, applaud back; reply to the
your neighbors, but do not welcome toast with your own
spear food with your chopsticks, short speech and toast; avoid
and do not stand them upright sensitive subjects; show respect
in a bowl of rice either, as it looks to your elders and superiors by
like an offering to the dead. ensuring that the rim of your
If you have finished with the glass is lower than theirs when
chopsticks lay them flat on the An old lady demonstrates the perfect clinking glasses, and drain your
table or on a rest. You shouldn’t noodle technique drink in one swift movement.
What to Drink
Tea, of course is the most popular drink in China. There are
countless arguments for drinking the infusion of the bush
Camellia sinensis, and just as many legends about its origin
(see p299). While tea is the most popular drink, there is a wide
range of others for the visitor. Beer is popular with meals but
wine is also drunk in many upmarket restaurants. Chinese
spirits can range from the extremely pleasant to the almost
dangerous. Likewise, approach “health tonics” like snake wine
with caution – as if the reptilian “sediment” in the bottle isn’t Tea plantation in the Fujian hills,
enough, they can be fiercely alcoholic. south China
Types of Tea Lid keeps leaves

Green is the most common, baked immediately after in the cup, not
picking. Flower tea is a mixture of green tea with flower the mouth
petals. Black tea colors during the fermentation process Gaiwan or
and the reddish brew that results explains its Chinese three-piece
name – red tea. The most highly prized is oolong, a teacup
lightly fermented tea. Brick tea is black or green, pressed
into blocks. Eight Treasure tea (babaocha) has many Saucer to
ingredients including, dates, dried longan, and prevent fingers
wolfberry, and Tibetans enjoy yak butter tea. burning
Black: hongcha, Green: lucha, Pu’er: from Yunnan, Flower: huacha,

actually called uses leaves is compressed a mix of petals –
“red tea” in Chinese. dried without into “bricks.” jasmine, rose, and
fermentation. chrysanthemum.
The famous “Hairy

Peak” green tea
Coffee
As café Tea and Coffee Drink
culture Those who want a
enters China, coffee fashionable coffee drink,
drinking is becoming but cannot do without their
fashionable among the daily shot of tea, can try this
middle classes. A Starbucks blend of tea and coffee.
can be found in practically
every major city in China.
Soft Drinks
Even as a cold drink, tea is dominant; iced
tea is very popular, especially with the young.
Besides the usual array of fruit juices, there is
pomegranate juice in Xinjiang, hawthorn juice
in Beijing, and lychee and sugar cane juice
down south. As well as the global drink brands,
there are local challengers like Tianfu Cola, and
the energy drink Jianlibao, made with honey.
As China overcomes its dairy aversion, milk and
yogurt drinks multiply, as well as soyabean Sugar cane
(doujiang) and Hainan’s famous coconut milk. juice Iced green tea Coconut milk drink
Beer
Europeans first introduced beer to
China in the early 20th century; in
the 21st, China has taken over
as the world’s biggest brewer,
so you are never far from a very
acceptable light lager, and even
a darker brew. Each city usually
has its own local brewery.
Wine
Although grape seeds traveled the
Silk Road, China has historically
preferred grain alcohol. Now the
Tsingtao beer Yanjing beer quality is rapidly improving, and red
wine is almost exclusively consumed
– it is considered good for the
heart, and a lucky color too. Great Wall Dragon Seal
Spirits
For millennia the Chinese have been distilling
grains into baijiu or “white spirits” ranging from
strong to deadly. They are classified into three
Rice Wine
types: the qingxiang, or light bouquet, group Despite being called “wine,” some care is required
includes Fenjiu from Shanxi; Guizhou’s famous as this can vary in strength from a mild 15–16%
Maotai is a classic jiangxiang, soy bouquet; alcohol, to the double- or triple-fermented wines
while nongxiang, strong bouquet, is at up to 38% ABV. Good rice wine is best drunk
championed by Sichuan giant Wuliangye. warm and goes well with cold starters.
Maotai –“eight times fermented and seven times

distilled” – is favored for toasts at banquets. At the
other end of the scale, erguotou is cheap and
effective – the people’s drink.
Shaoxing rice wine

Shaoxing: This is among the
best of the huangjiu (yellow
spirits), noted for its moderate
alcohol content (about 16%)
Maotai Erguotou and mellow fragrance. Strong rice wine
Drinking Culture
Teahouses are enjoying a bit of a revival in China,
as appreciation of tea culture recovers after years of
proletarian austerity. While cha (tea) stimulates quiet
contemplation, jiu (alcohol) lubricates noisy celebrations.
Despite reveling in the drunkenness of their poets such
as Li Bai (see p34), the Chinese have not been as badly
affected by alcoholism as many other societies. Public
drunkenness is frowned upon – except maybe in the
ever more popular karaoke bars. Traditionally, only soup
was drunk with meals, but this is changing, especially
when eating with foreigners. “Gan bei!” or “dry the cup” is
the clarion call to toasting bouts and drinking games.
Beware the legendary capacity of the northeast Chinese, Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong – home to the
and don’t drink alone or on an empty stomach. most popular bars and restaurants in the city
Where to Eat and Drink

busy from breakfast time till the Price Guide
Beijing evening. The fresh and healthy Prices are the equivalent of a meal for
two made up of a range of dishes, served
salads are a must-order.
with tea, and including service charges.
A Thousand and One Nights ¥
Middle Eastern Huajia Yiyuan ¥ ¥ under ¥200
¥¥ ¥200 to ¥500
3–4 Gongti Bei Lu and 6 Chaoyang Regional Map 2 E3
¥¥¥ over ¥500
Park Lu 235 Dongzhimen Nei Dajie
Tel (010) 6532 4050 Tel (010) 5128 3315
Authentic Arabian cuisine, along This is a great destination for Indian dal (lentil) dishes and
with hookahs, belly dancing, and a fun renao (literally, “heat and Middle Eastern favorites such as
other Middle Eastern-flavored noise”) experience, as well as for hummus are big hits. Lively vibe.
entertainment. The kabobs are the opportunity to sample the
delicious, as is the hummus. A few city’s staple dishes. Peking duck Casalingo ¥¥
Syrian dishes are also available. is a good choice, as is the spicy Italian
crayfish. Live Chinese opera and 18 Xuanwai Dajie
Biteapitta ¥ magic shows are often performed. Tel (010) 6391 6361
Middle Eastern Stylish and surprisingly affordable,
201 Tongli Studio, 43 Sanlitun North, Kejia Yuan ¥ this restaurant is entrenched on
Sanlitun Houjie, Chaoyang Regional the first floor of JW Marriott and
Tel (010) 6417 6095 2 Tuanjie Hu Beilu, Chaoyang serves excellent pizzas. They have
Enjoy hummus, tasty pita Tel (010) 6582 5010 special wine pairing suggestions
sandwiches, and other Middle A rustic and attractive venue that for all their dishes.
Eastern fare in this bright serves food from the Hakka ethnic
restaurant, a perfect pit stop minority. The tasty, hearty Crescent Moon Xinjiang
before heading on to the bars. specialties, such as braised pork Restaurant ¥¥
tofu, are authentic and popular. Middle Eastern Map 2 E4
Crystal Jade ¥ 16 Dongsi Liutiao, 100 yards west
Regional Let’s Burger ¥ of Chaonei Beixiaojie
87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang American Tel (010) 6400 5281
Tel (010) 6533 1150 B1/F, Sanlitun Village North, Possibly the best Xinjiang
Order fabulous dim sum at this Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang restaurant in town, thanks to
famous Asian chain that also Tel (010) 6415 2772 its chunky lamb kabobs and
offers traditional dishes such as Enjoy fabulous, innovative burgers hearty chicken and potato
BBQ pork ribs. A value-for-money and milkshakes in a playful and stews, served with nan bread
restaurant despite the regal stylish setting. There is an impres- and home-made yogurt to cool
decor and formal service. sive array of delicious condiments down the heat.
including blue cheese sauce.
Donghuamen Night Market ¥ Hatsune ¥¥
Street Food Map 2 D5 Saveurs de Corée ¥ Japanese
Donghuamen Da Jie Korean Map 2 D3 S8–30, 3/F, Taiko Li South,
A fun market popular with 128–1 Xiang Er Hutong, Jiaodaokou 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang
tourists that sells snacks from all Tel (010) 5741 5753 Tel (010) 6415 3939
over China – from the ordinary Delicious MSG-free food in a A long-standing favorite
(dumplings and chicken skewers) charming setting. There is an à la for its unbeatable fresh sushi,
to the bizarre (bugs on a stick). carte list, as well as two popular this restaurant offers its own
set menus that allow guests to unusual take on classic dishes.
Element Fresh ¥ sample the signature dishes.
International Huang Ting ¥¥
8-3-8, Building 8, 19 Sanlitun Nan Lu, The Veggie Table ¥ Regional Map 2 E5
Chaoyang Vegetarian Map 2 D2 B2 Peninsula Palace Hotel,
Tel (010) 6417 1318 19 Wudaoying Hutong 8 Jinyu Hutong
Fast service, great coffee, and Tel (010) 6446 2073 Closed Tue Tel (010) 8516 2888, ext 6707
inexpensive Western classics Vegan and organic food on a Outstanding dim sum and
make this bright and sleek spot menu that spans the world – the classic regional dishes served
by two chefs from Hong Kong.
The interior, with its aged pine
floor, wooden screens, and
heavy studded door, re-creates
a traditional hutong (alleyway).
Karaiya Spice House ¥¥

Regional
3/F, S9-30, Taikoo Li South,
19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang
Tel (010) 6415 3535
Come to Karaiya for spicy Hunan
fare tempered to the Western
palate. Classic dishes are ribs
covered with spicy peanuts,
Warm lighting in the elegant dining area at Agua, in Beijing and steamed Mandarin fish.
DK Choice
Temple Restaurant
Beijing ¥¥¥
International Map 2 D4
23 Shatan Houjie
Tel (010) 8400 2232
This restaurant is located in a
building within the walls of a
600-year-old temple complex,
most recently used as a factory
producing TVs. All the dishes
are good, though the classic
Chinese cuisine – try the veal
chop and sweet-and-sour carrot
purée – is exceptional. The wine
list is considered Beijing’s best.
Diners can order from both
Minimalist decor at the Temple Restaurant Beijing à la carte and set menus.
Middle 8th ¥¥ brunch while soaking up the

Regional views of Tian’an Men Square. The
S8–40, Bldg 8, Sanlitun Village South, most celebrated dishes are the
Sanlitun Nan Lu, Chaoyang crispy suckling pig and the slowly Hebei, Tianjin &
Tel (010) 6415 8858 baked, salt-encased leg of lamb. Shanxi
Fresh and spicy Yunnanese
cuisine in a fun and lively setting. Da Dong ¥¥¥ BEIDAIHE: Kiessling’s
Famous for its mushroom dishes; Regional Map 2 D5 Restaurant ¥
the mushrooms and ribs wrapped 301 Yangfeng Dajie Bavarian and Russian
in leaves are a must-try. Tel (010) 6528 8802 96 Dongjing Lu
Da Dong is rightly famous for its Tel (0335) 2331 9188
Vineyard Café ¥¥ Peking roast duck, but all the A decades-old restaurant serving
Café Map 2 D2 dishes are innovative and worth a traditional Bavarian and Russian
31 Wudaoying Hutong, off try. Excellent quality. Book ahead. fare not far from the beaches of
Yonghegong Dajie the seaside resort of Beidaihe.
Tel (010) 6402 7961 Closed Mon
This converted courtyard spot is DK Choice CHENGDE: Da Qing Hua ¥
a great place to refuel on Western Dali Courtyard ¥¥¥ Regional
staples. The coffee is good, as is Regional Map 2 D3 19 Lizheng Lu
the macaroni and cheese. 67 Xiaojingchang Hutong, Tel (0314) 2036 111
Gulou Dong Dajie Open all hours, this local chain
Agua ¥¥¥ Tel (010) 8404 1430 specializes in noodles and dump-
Spanish Easily one of the most beautiful lings – those stuffed with venison
4/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun courtyard restaurants in Beijing, and carrot are a regional specialty.
Beilu, Chaoyang this lovely venue serves up
Tel (010) 5208 6188 unusual spicy dishes from the CHENGDE: Milan Restaurant ¥
Spanish chef Jordi Valles excels Yunnan province. The fixed-price Italian
at this fine-dining establishment, seven-course menu does not 9 Wulie Lu
a branch of the Hong Kong offer much choice, but there is a Tel (0314) 2665 939
restaurant. The suckling pig is separate vegetarian one. Don’t Italian fare for a Chinese palate and
sublime, as is the seafood. miss the Yunnan goat’s cheese still one of the only places in town
and cured ham, if available. with good pizza.
Brian McKenna @ The
Courtyard ¥¥¥ CHENGDE: Qianlong Dajiudian ¥
Fusion Map 2 F5 Duck de Chine ¥¥¥ Regional
95 Donghuamen Dajie Regional Xinhua Lu
Tel (010) 6526 8883 4 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang Tel (0314) 2072 2222 Closed Chinese
The Courtyard has kept up Tel (010) 6501 8881 New Year
with newer venues thanks to its Duck de Chine is a stylish venue This popular hangout has a range
good fusion food, served in a attracting an arty crowd. The of local favorites, such as venison –
modern setting that makes full classic duck dish, served with either served with ginger or as a
use of its location close to the non-traditional sides with a stuffing in dumplings. The staff
Forbidden City. Ask for a table French twist, is a specialty. speak only Chinese, so make use
that overlooks the moat and of the picture menus available.
order one of the chef’s multi- Made in China ¥¥¥
course tasting menus. Regional Map 4 E1 DATONG: Lin Lao Lao ¥
Grand Hyatt, 1 Chang’an Dong Jie Regional
Capital M ¥¥¥ Tel (010) 8518 1234, ext 3608 9 Xinkai Nan Lu
International Map 3 C2 This sophisticated and much- Tel (0352) 2025 266
3/F, 2 Qianmen Pedestrian St loved venue brings a modern Head to Lin Lao Lao for the most
Tel (010) 6702 2727 sensibility to Chinese dining. The famous Shanxi dish of all – guo
A wonderful place for a cocktail, Peking duck is the star attraction, you rou, or oil-rinsed pork. A
a special dinner, or even Sunday plus there is a superb wine list. simple place offering good food.
For more information on types of restaurant see pp566–7
DATONG: Tonghe Dafandian ¥ traditional and contemporary – LUOYANG: Zhen Bu Tong ¥

Regional that is prepared using only Regional
11 Zhanqian Jie vegan ingredients. 369 Zhong Zhou Dong Lu
Tel (0352) 7166 944 Tel (0379) 6395 2609
Adjacent to the Hongqi Hotel, this Staff dress in period costume at
is easily the best choice in town this historic restaurant serving
for inexpensive spicy Sichuanese Shandong & Henan popular renditions of local dishes,
and Hunanese cuisine. The Shanxi such as meatballs decorated with
fried noodles are not to be missed. JINAN: Chongqing XiaoTian ¥ peony flowers.
Regional
PINGYAO: Shrew Cafe ¥ 162 YingXiong Shan Lu QINGDAO: Din Tai Fung ¥
Café Tel (0531) 8298 1688 Taiwanese
8 Chenghuangmiao Lu Savor steaming bowls of broth 86 Aomen Rd, Shinan district
Scrumptious brews, breakfast, and a variety of thinly sliced Tel (0532) 6606 1309
and pastries served in a charming meats and vegetables, as well as Part of an international chain, Din
setting with bookshelves and noodles – tasty, warm, and filling. Tai Fung offers delicious Taiwanese
wooden interiors. Also serves a dumplings, including the famous
range of simple cocktails. JINAN: Yuchi Palace xiaolongbao (steamed bun).
Restaurant ¥
PINGYAO: Tianyuankui ¥ Seafood QINGDAO: Harbor Seafood
Regional 6 Luyou Lu Restaurant ¥
73 Nan Dajie Tel (0531) 8238 6666 Seafood
Tel (0354) 568 0069 The main ingredient for your 220–308 Guo Dao
Old-world vibe and contemporary dish can be seen swimming Tel (0532) 8098 8888
service make this place a perfect in tanks and is caught only Take advantage of this restaurant’s
fusion spot. Order fine local after an order is placed. Popular harborside location and enjoy fresh
dishes and chilled beer on an iPad. with locals. seafood dishes. There is also a pop-
ular dim sum brunch on Sundays.
TAIYUAN: Taiyuan JINAN: Biscotti
Mianshiguan ¥ Italian Restaurant ¥¥ QINGDAO: Zur Bierstube ¥
Regional Italian German
5 Jiefang Lu Sofitel Jinan Silver Plaza, Qingdao Grand Theatre 10–1 Yun
Tel (0351) 2022 230 66 Luoyuan Avenue Ling Rd
This unassuming restaurant serves Tel (0531) 8981 6288 Tel (0532) 8889 7600
inexpensive classics such as guo Come here for Italian classics and Guests will feel they have been
you rou, succulent pork that is friendly service. There’s a good transported to Bavaria thanks to
first boiled and then fried. weekend lunch, fine lasagna, and the delicious pork knuckles and
seafood spaghetti. several kinds of German beer.
DK Choice LUOYANG: Lao Luoyang QINGDAO: Ristorante
TIANJIN: Goubuli Baozi ¥ Mianguan ¥ San Marco Italiano Doc ¥¥
Regional Regional Italian
77 Shandong Jie Jinguocuiting 2F Haiqing Hotel, 11A Middle
T (022) 2730 0402
Tel Tel (0379) 6322 6636 Donghai Rd, Shinan district
This is the original venue of the This popular pit stop serves Tel (0532) 8589 0526
Goubuli Baozi chain, where hearty helpings of fried noodles, The Neapolitan chef creates
their renowned steamed-pork such as zha jiang mian (fried excellent pizzas, along with
buns were first served over 150 pork noodles in a soybean more elaborate, authentic dishes.
years ago. Customers flock to paste sauce). There is also a good wine list.
this inexpensive, no-frills joint
to feast on delicious, moreish
snacks. Try the meatball dump-
lings and wash them down
with one of the specialty teas.
TIANJIN: South Beauty ¥

Regional
1 Youyi Lu
Tel (022) 2325 9327
A wide range of spicy Sichuanese
dishes are on offer here. The
stone-grilled beef is considered
a classic. Great atmosphere and
friendly service.
TIANJIN: Twin Lotuses

Vegetarian Club ¥¥
Vegetarian
68 Changde Dao
Tel (022) 2331 8629
Popular venue serving
delectable Chinese food – both The elegant and well-located Harbor Seafood Restaurant in Qingdao
DK Choice
QINGDAO: Shang Palace ¥¥¥
Regional
1st Floor, Shangri-La Hotel,
9 Xiang Gang Zhong Lu
Tel (0532) 8388 3838
A glamorous, upscale
establishment located in one of
Qingdao’s finest hotels, Shang
Palace serves beautifully
prepared classic regional fare
such as char siu porkk (BBQ pork).
However, the chef is not afraid to
innovate and the menu features
braised pork ribs with pine nuts
in red wine sauce. The staff are
dressed in traditional attire.
Opulent furnishings at the renowned Shang Palace, Qingdao
Peruvian-style rotisserie-cooked
DK Choice chicken. Food to take away and
Shaanxi XI’AN: Tong Sheng Xiang delivery are also available.
Restaurant ¥¥
XI’AN: Defachang Restaurant ¥ Regional Din Tai Fung ¥
Regional Bell and Drum Tower Square Taiwanese
Anban Jie Tel (029) 8721 8711 2/F House 6, South Block, Xintiandi,
Tel (029) 8727 3853 Simple and unassuming, but Lane 123, Xinye Lu
One of Xi’an’s most famous a great local favorite for its Tel (021) 6385 8378
restaurants. Diners have a choice outstanding yangrou pao mo. Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese
of 100 different items that can be This well-seasoned and hearty chain that serves unforgettable
ordered from a picture menu. lamb soup, served in a bowl xiaolongbao (steamed bun)
with crumbled unleavened dumplings and other tasty
XI’AN: Delhi Darbar Xi’an ¥ bread, has been consistently steamed snacks. There is a
Indian warming hearts in the area for children’s play area, and the staff
3 Datang Tongyifang, Yanta Xilu over a century now. Definitely are friendly and helpful.
Guests looking to get a break worth trying.
from local cuisine should come Element Fresh ¥
to this long-standing Indian International
restaurant that serves good Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing
curries and naan bread. Xi Lu
Frequented by expats. Shanghai Tel (021) 6279 8682
This casual place is one of
XI’AN: First Noodle Under Blue Frog Bar & Grill ¥ several branches across
the Sun ¥ American Shanghai. It serves good
Regional 131 Tianyueqiao Lu Western options, such as
Hanguang Nan Lu Tel (021) 3368 6117 salads, sandwiches, and
Tel (029) 8728 6088 This well-run bar and pasta dishes. It is particularly
This vibrant restaurant restaurant serves classic popular for weekend brunch,
specializing in noodles is located American fare. The burgers are when it gets quite crowded.
near Xi’an’s famous Great Goose a specialty, and there is a happy
Pagoda, and it is popular with hour every day with half-price Farine ¥
both tourists and locals. drinks and food. Café
1 F, Ferguson Lane, 378 Wukang Lu,
XI’AN: Huimin Jie ¥ Bohemia Cafe and Bar ¥ Xuhui district
Regional Café Tel (021) 6433 5798
Huimin Jie 42, Lane 248, Taikang Lu This café/boulangerie is a great
Xi’an’s Muslim Street is a lively Tel (021) 6415 0065 place to try artisanal breads and
destination thanks to its bustling Located on a trendy, pastries. Discerning customers
market stalls and street vendors pedestrianized street, this flock here to buy loaves and
selling roujiamo (Chinese burgers popular, cozy café has both enjoy a croque monsieur (grilled
in pitta bread) and a variety of indoor and outdoor seating. ham and cheese sandwich).
other snacks. Order coffee and a panini and
watch the world go by. Hang Yuen Hin ¥
XI’AN: Tang Dynasty Music Dim Sum
and Dance Show ¥ Brasa Chicken ¥ 290–292 Wanping Lu
Regional International Tel (021) 6472 9778
165 Wenyi Lu 450 Taixing Lu, near Xinzha Rd In a verdant park setting, this is
Tel (029) 8822 1873 Tel (021) 6277 8166 one of Shanghai’s best dim sum
This is a great place for visitors to A no-frills, laid-back kind of restaurants. It serves tasty crab
enjoy reasonable buffet food place, where the menu is dishes and egg tarts, and offers
while watching the cultural distinctly meat-oriented. One a 50 percent lunch discount on
performances held every night. of the highlights is the delicious dim sum on weekdays.
Hunan Fengwei Xiaochi ¥ Crystal Jade ¥¥ Mercato ¥¥

Regional Dim Sum Italian
1233 Beijing Xi Lu Xintiandi, South Block Plaza, 2/F, 6th Floor, Three on the Bund
Tel (021) 6279 4513 123 Xingye Lu Tel (021) 6321 9922
This is the ideal place for a spicy Tel (021) 6385 8752 Excellent-value Italian food from
feast of homely Hunan cuisine. Hungry diners will find high- chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
There is no menu, so overcome quality Cantonese dim sum at this The Pizza Lounge is a major
the language barrier by well-known chain, that has attraction here, as is the Mercato
pointing at what other diners several branches in the city. The Bar, which features a completely
are enjoying. xiaolongbao (steamed bun) dump- original selection of cocktails.
lings vie with the prawn noodles Fabulous service.
Jia Jia Tang Bao ¥ for the best item on the menu.
Regional Tsukiji Aoasora Sandaime ¥¥
90 Huanghe Lu, near Fengyang Lu Di Shui Dong ¥¥ Japanese
Tel (021) 6327 6878 Regional 191 Changle Lu
One of the top contenders for 56 Maoming Nan Lu Tel (021) 5466 1817
Shanghai’s best xiaolongbao Tel (021) 6253 2689 Authentic Japanese cuisine,
dumplings – called tang bao, Succulent Hunan food for spice- including delicious sushi, is
or pork soup dumplings, here. lovers. The sublime spare ribs are served here, the sister restaurant
Payment is expected upfront at a must-try. Cool off your mouth of a famous Tokyo establishment.
this tiny and popular place. with plum-based Suan Mei Tang. For a selection of the best dishes,
Popular with expats. order the sushi sets; otherwise,
Kota’s Kitchen ¥ try the outstanding tuna nigiri.
Japanese Elefante ¥¥
10 Baoqin Lu, off Fuxing Zhong Lu Spanish Whisk Cafe ¥¥
Tel (021) 6404 2899 20 Donghu Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu Café
This Beatles-themed restaurant Tel (021) 5404 8085 Closed Mon 1250 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near
with a couple of branches in The extensive menu at Spanish Changshu Lu
the city sees long lines of chef El Willy’s sleek and stylish Tel (021) 5404 7770
diners eager for its yakitori restaurant could make choosing This stylish venue is a
(skewered chicken), pork a difficult proposition. Highlights chocoholic’s dream. From an
ramen, and shochu (a Japanese include a wide-ranging cheese espresso with just the perfect
alcoholic drink). platter. There is also a deli. mix of hot chocolate to the
double-chocolate cupcakes,
My Kitchen ¥ Haiku by Hatsune ¥¥ everything here hits the spot.
Regional Japanese
1783 Huaihai Zhong Lu 28B Taojiang Lu Ye Olde Station Restaurant ¥¥
Tel (021) 6433 5834 Tel (021) 6445 0021 Regional
Intimate Taiwanese-run A slick and stylish restaurant and 201 Caoxi Bei Lu, near Nandan Lu
restaurant serving various regional sushi bar. The cream cheese and Tel (021) 6427 2233
specialties such as Hangzhou sushi rolls may be unusual, but Uniquely located in an ancient
beef at a decent price. they are delicious all the same. French monastery, this place
Prior booking recommended. draws food and history
Yuan Yuan ¥ enthusiasts as one gets to dine in
Regional Matto ¥¥ the railway carriage of former
4/F, Westgate Mall, 1038 Nanjing Italian Empress Cixi. Try the shredded
Xi Lu Superbrand Mall, 186 Lujiazui Xi Lu crab tofu. Book ahead.
Tel (021) 6272 6972 Tel (021) 5081 0966
The efficient staff at this Top-class bar and pizzeria with Ye Shanghai ¥¥
Shanghainese chain restaurant a relaxed, rustic ambience. The Regional
serve flavorful dishes in a simple oven was imported from Italy, 338 Huang Pi Nan Rd, Xintiandi
setting. It is hugely popular so which makes the pizza as Tel (021) 6311 2323
book ahead. authentic as it gets in Shanghai. This upscale and appealingly
decorated restaurant serves
distinctive interpretations of
classic Shanghainese dishes, as
well as food from the nearby
provinces of Zhejiang and
Jiangsu. The restaurant also has
a branch in Hong Kong.
8 ½ Otto e Mezzo
Bombana ¥¥¥
Italian
6th Floor, 169 Yuanmingyuan Lu
Tel (021) 6087 2890
Expensive Italian restaurant with
a slinky bar near the Bund. The
seasonal à la carte menu features
dishes such as fresh poached
Normandy blue lobster. There is
also a tasting menu worth trying
The ultra-fancy bar at 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Shanghai on special occasions.
Key to Price Guide see p572
NANJING: Skyways Bakery ¥ SUZHOU: Songhelou

Bakery Restaurant ¥
160 Shanghai Lu Regional
Tel (025) 8331 7103 198 Shantang Jie
Well-known in Nanjing for its Tel (0512) 6532 1398
excellent and hearty German-style Suzhou’s most famous restaurant.
bread and great sandwiches. The sweet-and-sour Mandarin
fish is a must-order.
NANJING: Bellini (by Mira) ¥¥
Italian SUZHOU: Wang Si ¥
Wenfan Lu 9, Regional
Xianling City University 15 Taijian Nong, Guanqian Jie
Tel (025) 8579 1577 Tel (0512) 6522 7277
A relatively inexpensive place Excellent tea and local dishes
offering sumptuous authentic make Wang Si an increasingly
Italian food; the lasagna is popular spot. The delicious lotus
particularly good. root is highly recommended.
NANJING: South Beauty ¥¥ SUZHOU: Wumen Renjia ¥

Regional Regional
Tables with a fabulous view at M on the 6 Gulouqu Zhongshan Beilu 31 Panru Xiang
Bund, Shanghai Tel (025) 8351 8850 Tel (0512) 6728 8041
Minimalist in style, this place A pleasant restaurant with a
Jade on 36 ¥¥¥ turns up the heat with spicy well-deserved reputation for
French Sichuan classics, including traditional Suzhou dishes, such
Pudong Shangri-La, Level 36, Grand mapo doufu (spicy tofu with as sweet and sour squirrelfish.
Tower, 33 Fu Cheng Rd, Pudong minced pork).
Tel (021) 6882 8888 SUZHOU: Suzhou Zen ¥¥
Highly exclusive, deluxe fine NANJING: Plum Garden ¥¥¥ Regional
dining from chef Franck Elie Regional 108 Xinghan Jie
Laloum is accompanied by JinLing Hotel, Xin Jie Kou Square Tel (0512) 6763 4567
sweeping views over the Bund. Tel (025) 8472 2888 Suzhou Zen is a beautiful upscale
This restaurant specializes in restaurant that is famous for its
exceptional Huaiyang-style dim sum buffet on Sundays.
DK Choice cooking, which includes a
M on the Bund ¥¥¥ variety of crab and tofu dishes. YANGZHOU: Republican
International Spring Restaurant ¥
7/F, No. 5 the Bund (corner of Regional
Guangdong Lu) DK Choice 79 GanQuan Lu
Tel (021) 6350 9988 SUZHOU: The Bookworm ¥ Tel (0514) 8734 2551
One of Shanghai’s oldest International A local chain with superb noodle
Western restaurants, M on the 77 Gunxiufang, Shiquan Lu dishes. Worth it despite the gruff
Bund never disappoints with its Tel (0512) 6526 4720 service and shared tables.
sophisticated pan-European A branch of the all-in-one
cuisine. The menu also features café, bar, and library YANGZHOU: Yangzhou Fu
dishes from the Middle East and where travelers can get a Chun Cha She ¥
Africa and the chef uses fresh, break from the spicy local Teahouse
local ingredients to prepare fare. The wine list is extensive, 35 Deshengqiao Lu
delectable food. Gear up for and the excellent brunch Tel (0514) 8723 3326
some stunning views too. menu includes dishes such This famous teahouse is located
as eggs Benedict and freshly in a traditional three-story
squeezed juices. pavilion-like building. Try the
delicious soup dumplings.
Jiangsu & Anhui

NANJING: Bainian Lao
Feng Xiaochi ¥
Street Food
122 Gongyuan Jie
Try the vast array of Huaiyang
street food available at this night
market, outside the Fuzi Miao.
NANJING: Nanjing Da
Pai Dang, Deji Plaza ¥
Regional
18 Zhongshan Lu, near Xinjiekou Metro
Tel (025) 8472 2777
Traditional Nanjing food in fun
and kitschy surroundings. There
is usually a line of university
students outside. Trendy and plush seating at Jade on 36 in Shanghai
Dining room with an open kitchen at Amanfayun – Steam House in Hangzhou
HANGZHOU: La Pedrera ¥¥ WENZHOU: Corner Of Days

Zhejiang & Jiangxi Spanish (Five Majie) ¥
4 Baishaquan, Shuguang Lu Regional
HANGZHOU: Green Tea ¥ Tel (0571) 8886 6089 Wuma Jie Shopping Centre
Regional This authentic Spanish restaurant Tel (0577) 8825 8686
83 Longjing Lu and tapas bar specializes in The perfect place to try local
Tel (0571) 8788 8022 paella. The chorizo and chicken snacks such as Zhuzang noodles,
The consistently high-quality fare version is particularly delicious, Dengzhao cake, and steamed
and a frequently changing menu and you can wash it down with a buns. See the chef prepare your
keep a clientele of both locals Spanish beer or a glass of sangria. dish in the open kitchen.
and visitors flocking to this place.
Be sure to try the roast pork. NANCHANG: Le Bistro 100 ¥
French/Italian
HANGZHOU: Weizhuang 100 Rongmen Hunan & Hubei
Zhiweiguan ¥ Tel (0791) 8610 0100
Regional When you need a break from local CHANGSHA: Deli Burger ¥
0–12 Yanggongti, Xihu Qu cuisine, this French bistro, which American
Tel (0571) 8797 0568 also serves pizza, does the job. 146 Furong Zhong Lu
With a superb location on the Tel (0731) 8521 1901
lake, this restaurant serves classic NANCHANG: Folk Restaurant ¥ This trendy little eatery serves a
Hangzhou dishes, such as West Regional wide variety of burgers and salads
Lake fish in vinegar sauce. 342 XiMaZhuang along with shakes and beers. Try
Tel (0791) 8623 6820 the juicy bacon cheeseburger.
HANGZHOU: 28 Hubin Road ¥¥ The crowd of hungry diners here
Regional reiterates the quality of its Jiangxi CHANGSHA: Huo Gong Dian ¥
Hyatt Regency Hangzhou, dishes, particularly duck soup. Regional
Hubin Lu 127 Pozijie
Tel (0571) 8779 1234 SHAOXING: Xiang Hui Lou ¥ Tel (0731) 8581 4228
Difficult to say which is the Regional The food – dishes from Hunan
bigger attraction here: 244 Luxun Xi Lu and other Chinese provinces –
the dongpo (pork belly) or Tel (0575) 8522 6577 comes on carts, and diners can
the state-of-the-art wine cellar. Use the picture menu to order feast on a wide variety of small
local specialties such as beef plates and snacks.
HANGZHOU: Amanfayun – and chili with Shaoxing vinegar.
Steam House ¥¥ Nice wood decor.
Regional DK Choice
22 Fayun Xiang, Xi Hu Jie CHANGSHA: West Lake
Tel (0571) 8732 9999 DK Choice Restaurant ¥¥
Located inside the Amanfayun SHAOXING: Xian Xiang Jiu Regional
Hotel, this casual restaurant Dian ¥¥ Hongshan Lu
focuses on dim sum and Regional Tel (0731) 8425 8188
authentic local specialties. There 179 Lu Xun Zhong Lu One of the largest restaurants
is a terrace for alfresco dining. Tel (0575) 8511 6666 in the world, West Lake employs
The most famous restaurant 300 chefs to cater for 5,000
HANGZHOU: Angelo’s ¥¥ in Shaoxing specializes in seats. The menu includes exotic
Italian delicacies such as crispy- fare, such as snakes, as well as
6 Lane 2, Baoshi Hill, off Baochu Lu skinned chicken and smoked good renditions of classic
Tel (0571) 8521 2100 red dates in rice wine and dishes such as crispy fried pork
Classic New York City photos fermented tofu. The manager and sweet-and-sour Mandarin
adorn the walls of this very speaks superb English, and fish. With live stage shows
modish chain restaurant offering there is a helpful picture menu daily, this is an experience
authentic Italian fare from pizzas to order from as well. not to be missed.
to deep-fried calamari.
CHANGSHA: Xuji Seafood

Restaurant ¥¥ DK Choice DK Choice
Seafood XIAMEN: Bellagio ¥ GUANGZHOU: Bai
88 Shuguang Bei Lu Taiwanese Yun Xuan ¥
Tel (0731) 8415 1560 16 Jianye Lu Regional
Changsha’s poshest dining Tel (0592) 6577 333 Baiyun Hotel, 367 Huanshi Dong Lu
experience, with fresh seafood The Xiamen branch of an Tel (020) 8333 3998, ext 3271
that can be picked from the affordable and stylish chain of A local institution famous for
huge tanks lining the restaurant. Taiwanese restaurants. Order the its delicious dim sum, this
sweet-and-sour fish from the hotel-restaurant fills up in the
WUHAN: Charm/Wuhantiandi ¥ gigantic picture menu, and mornings, particularly Sundays,
Taiwanese wash it down with a freshly and stays that way for much of
616 Zhongshan Dajie, Wuhantiandi made fruit lassi (yogurt drink) the day. The shu mai dumplings
No. 2 – 2 Building and peanut-butter ice cream. and steamed ribs in black-bean
Tel (027) 8272 7606 sauce are sublime.
Charm specializes in tasty
Taiwanese snacks, such as bubble XIAMEN: Big Mouth
tea and scallion pancakes. For the Japanese Restaurant ¥ GUANGZHOU: The Peninsula ¥
adventurous, there is stinky tofu. Japanese Regional
123 Lian Qian Dong Lu 2–3/F, 1 Yuchang Jie, Ersha Dao
WUHAN: Wuhan Tel (0592) 5922 166 Tel (020) 8732 0666
Changchunguan Sucaiguan ¥ A buffet-only restaurant with an The Peninsula is a favorite haunt
Vegetarian array of fresh sashimi and udon- of those who want to see and
145 Wuluo Lu noodle dishes. Book ahead. be seen. The steamed frog’s legs
Tel (027) 8885 4229 served on a lotus leaf are much
Adjacent to a Daoist temple, this XIAMEN: Temple Café ¥ talked about.
charming Buddhist restaurant Café
specializes in mock-meat dishes 61 Zengcuo Da Dao GUANGZHOU: Tang
in which pressed tofu is used as Tel (0592) 2096 780 Regional ¥
a meat substitute. Housed in an old temple, this 1 Jianshe Liu Ma Lu
place has an adequate menu of Tel (020) 8384 3320
WUHAN: Wuxing Dumpling dishes such as pizzas and burgers. This elegant restaurant provides
Restaurant ¥ unusual renditions of classic
Dim Sum local dishes. The goose, for
201 Luoyu Lu example, is served with dainty
Tel (027) 8764 4345 Guangdong slices of foie gras. There is also a
A well-priced dumpling joint & Hainan large dim sum daytime menu.
with dozens of different varieties
on the menu. Do not miss the GUANGZHOU: 1920 GUANGZHOU: Dongjiang
egg and scallion versions. Restaurant and Bar ¥ Seafood Restaurant ¥¥
German Seafood
WUHAN: Xiao Lan Jing ¥ 183 Yanjiang Zhong Lu 199 Yanjiang Zhong Lu
Regional Tel (020) 8333 6156 Tel (020) 8318 4901
185 Qiaokou Lu, Hankou Come to 1920 if you fancy a Spread over five floors and with
Tel (027) 8579 9895 break from Cantonese food. a seating capacity of 3,000, this
This popular place serves This restaurant provides a vast lively restaurant has a wide
healthy, contemporary local selection of German beer, variety of delicious seafood
dishes in fairly trendy settings. massive plates of cold cuts, dishes on offer. Make sure not to
Try the asparagus-based schnitzels, and sausage platters. miss the dim sum.
saguolushun.
Fujian
FUZHOU: Ez Café ¥¥
International
Shangri-La Hotel, 9 Xin Quan Nan Lu
Tel (0591) 8798 8566
Visit at lunch for the well-stocked
international buffet, and at
dinner for the excellent sampling
of both Asian and European
dishes. Good desserts, too.
FUZHOU: Xinjinyue
Restaurant ¥¥
Seafood
438 Guangda Lu
Tel (0591) 2830 5777
The city’s fanciest restaurant
offers delicious seafood, such as
sashimi and Fujianese delicacies. Informal dining space at Ez Café in Fuzhou
SHENZHEN: Muslim flock here drawn by both the

Noodle House ¥ restaurant’s French-Vietnamese
Regional cuisine and its elegant decor.
8 Taizi Rd
An unassuming shack that
nevertheless attracts large DK Choice
numbers of local diners looking HONG KONG:
for meaty and spicy fare with Maxim’s Palace ¥
that extra something. Noodles Dim Sum Map 3 D3
are made fresh in front of the Low Block, City Hall, 5 Edinburgh
guests. No restroom facilities. Place, Central
Tel (852) 2521 1303
Head to Maxim’s Palace for a
DK Choice typical Hong Kong dim sum
SHENZHEN: Shang Palace ¥ experience, and join the crowds
Regional of noisy and cheerful locals
Shangri-La Hotel, East Side, selecting their favorite fillings
Railway Station, 1002 Jianshe Rd from service carts. From the
Tel (0755) 8396 1383 BBQ pork buns to the stir-fried
With its magnificent decor green vegetables in oyster
and outstanding dim sum, sauce, the food is flawless,
The beautifully decorated Shang Palace this place is truly delightful. classic, and inex
inexpensive.
pensive. Great
in Shenzhen Enjoy creative combinations of harbor views, too.
tantalizing flavors such as crispy
SANYA: Casa Mia ¥ pork flamed with Chinese rose
Italian wine, and sliced roasted duck HONG KONG: Serenade
88 Sanya Bay Rd with mango. Shang Palace is Chinese Restaurant ¥
Tel (0898) 8888 9828 definitely worth a visit. Dim Sum Map 1 C4
With a lovely location on the 2/F, Hong Kong Cultural Centre,
waterfront, this is the place to Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
order platefuls of pasta and red Tel (852) 2722 0932
wine for a taste of la dolce vita. Apart from dim sum, this
Hong Kong & Macau moderately priced restaurant
SANYA: Hai Ya Restaurant ¥ also serves fabulous shrimp
Regional HONG KONG: Guru ¥ wontons and Singapore
138 Xin Feng Lu Indian Map 2 B3 noodles. Enjoy your meal while
Tel (0898) 8827 6962 G/F, 13 Elgin St, Central taking in great views of the
A world away from Sanya’s Tel (852) 2547 9998 Victoria Harbour.
fancier restaurants, this busy, A small, charming restaurant
noisy joint caters to those in decorated with vibrant Indian HONG KONG: Smrat
search of Hainan chicken, the artworks, Guru serves food from Pure Veg ¥
island’s most famous dish. all regions of the subcontinent. Indian Map 1 B1
5/F, Block B, Chungking Mansion,
SANYA: Fresh at HONG KONG: Indochine 1929 ¥ 36–44 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
Mandarin Oriental ¥¥¥ Fusion Map 2 B3 Tel (852) 2369 5762
Seafood 2–4/F, The Plaza LKF, 21 D’Aguilar St, The inexpensive and excellent
12 Yuhai Lu Lan Kwai Fong vegetarian food served at
Tel (0898) 8820 9999 Tel (852) 2869 7399 Smrat Pure Veg makes a trek
Tucked away in the luxurious A long-established favorite to this spot worthwhile. The
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, this is with Hong Kong’s locals, who menu is varied and extensive.
the place for an expensive treat.
Try the oysters and shimmering
platters of fresh seafood.
SHENZHEN: Benjia
Korean Restaurant ¥
Korean
8 Baishi Lu
Tel (0755) 8654 1158
Spread over two floors, Benjia
is always packed with Korean
expats enjoying mouthwatering
BBQ pork and beef with pickled
kimchi on the side.
SHENZHEN: Laurel Restaurant ¥

Regional
17 Nong Yuan Lu
Tel (0755) 8317 1818
Enjoy the outdoor setting as
the friendly staff bring out a
wide variety of Cantonese dishes.
The Peking duck here is divine. Dine with a stunning view at Above and Beyond in Hong Kong
HONG KONG: Gold ¥¥ such as roast pork belly and char

Italian Map 2 B3 siu (barbecued pork), have made
Level 2, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St, this modern venue very popular.
Lan Kwai Fong, Central
Tel (852) 2869 9986 HONG KONG: The Chairman ¥¥¥
This restaurant lives up to its name Regional
with its flamboyant ambience 18 Kau U Fong, Central
and a beautifully designed Tel (852) 2555 2202
terrace. The modern European Book at least a month in advance
menu has been developed by to enjoy the experimental
celebrity chef Harlan Goldstein. contemporary Cantonese food
prepared here – baked Coca-Cola
HONG KONG: Luk Yu braised-pork buns, for instance.
Tea House & Restaurant ¥¥
Dim Sum Map 2 B3
24–26 Stanley St, Central DK Choice
Tel (852) 2523 5464 HONG KONG:
This colonial-style teahouse, Chez Patrick ¥¥¥ The glamorous setting at The Eight
with its beautiful paneling and French Map 2 B3 in Macau
murals, has been a destination 26 Peel St, Soho
for travelers for 80 years. Expect Tel (852) 2541 1401 Closed Sun, exceedingly well-prepared piri
old-fashioned service as well. public hols piri chicken and feijoada, the
French fine dining in an classic stew made with pork
HONG KONG: The Square ¥¥ ambience reminiscent of a knuckle, sausage, and red beans.
Regional Map 2 C2 Parisian apartment. The chef Reservations essential.
4/F, Exchange Square II, Central changes his menu every month,
Tel (852) 2525 1163 but the restaurant’s signature MACAU: Lord Stow’s Bakery ¥
The award-winning authentic dishes, such as king prawns and Café
Cantonese cuisine has made this baby artichoke tartare, and 1 Rua Do Tassara,
restaurant a popular destination goat’s cheese and beetroot ice Coloane Town Square
for foodies. The booth seating is cream, are always available. Tel (853) 2888 2534
comfortable, and the platters of The classic egg tart you can see
roast meats are a real treat. being sold all over Hong Kong
HONG KONG: Island Tang ¥¥¥ was invented at this establishment.
HONG KONG: Super Star Regional Map 2 C3 True fans still take the ferry to
Seafood Restaurant ¥¥ Shop 222, The Galleria, Macau to buy boxes of the original.
Dim Sum Map 1 C3 9 Queen’s Rd, Central
83–97 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui Tel (852) 2526 8798 MACAU: The Eight ¥¥¥
Tel (852) 2628 0339 The beautiful 1930s Art Deco Dim Sum
Head to this high-end place – one ambience provides the perfect Grand Lisboa Hotel, 2nd Floor,
of several branches in Hong backdrop for quality Cantonese Avenida de Lisboa
Kong – for their menu of appe- cuisine and a variety of dim sum. Tel (853) 8803 7788
tizing crab dishes and dim sum. Come to this Michelin-starred
HONG KONG: Pierre ¥¥¥ restaurant for a lavish dining
HONG KONG: Tsui Hang French Map 2 C3 experience. The Eight serves
Village Restaurant ¥¥ 25/F, The Mandarin Oriental, Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisine,
Regional Map 2 C3 5 Connaught Rd, Central plus delicious dim sum at lunch.
2/F, 16–18 Queen’s Rd, Central Tel (852) 2825 4001 Closed Sun,
Tel (852) 2524 2012 public hols
Famous for char siu (barbecued Order innovative French-
pork), this no-nonsense Mediterranean fare prepared Sichuan &
restaurant may not be a place to by a celebrity chef in the Chongqing
linger, but it is the perfect spot to Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Pierre
grab a bite on the run. overlooks Victoria Harbour. CHENGDU: Annvita Tea House ¥
Teahouse
HONG KONG: La Vache! ¥¥ HONG KONG: SPOON 2/F, 8 Zhongshamao Jie
French Map 2 B3 by Alain Ducasse ¥¥¥ Tel (028) 8513 1803
G/F, 48 Peel St, Central French Map 1 C5 A traditional-style English teahouse
Tel (852) 2880 0248 InterContinental, 18 Salisbury Rd, serving a wide variety of teas,
This busy French-style steakhouse Tsim Sha Tsui both English blends and Chinese,
is a big hit among Hong Kong’s Tel (852) 2313 2323 Closed Mon along with exquisite cakes.
French expats and locals alike, The staff here do Alain Ducasse
who queue up here for the city’s credit by producing superb CHENGDU: The Bookworm ¥
best steak-frites. eclectic food that lives up to his International
reputation. The breathtaking 2 Yujie Dong Lu
HONG KONG: Above view of the harbor is a bonus. Tel (028) 8552 0177
and Beyond ¥¥¥ An all-in-one atmospheric
Regional Map 1 C3 MACAU: A Lorcha ¥ bookstore, library, bar, restaurant,
28F, Hotel Icon, 17 Science Museum Portuguese and event space. This, the sister
Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui East 289 Rua do Almirante Sergio branch to the famous Beijing
Tel (852) 3400 1318 Tel (853) 2831 3193 edition, is very popular for its
Fine harbor views and spot-on A lively and long-established warm atmosphere and good
renditions of Cantonese classics, local institution that serves wine and food.
Diners enjoying a meal at the Blue Bird in Kunming
CHENGDU: Cat in Hat ¥ CHONGQING: Dalong Hotpot ¥ CHONGQING: Stone Fusion ¥¥

Café Regional International
103 Diaosu Dasha, 1 Jingxing Lu Xiaolongkan, Diantai Xiang 6/F, Times Square, 228 Minzu Lu
Tel (028) 8556 9299 Tel (139) 8372 6399 Tel (023) 6383 3337
Cat in Hat is a very popular The most famous hotpot A high-end fine-dining place
café and lounge famous for restaurant in Chongqing sees that serves Western favorites
its desserts and warm, old-style long lines for tables almost every such as lasagna and steaks,
atmosphere. Choose from a day. Beware of the spicy broth – as well as local dishes, in a
range of snacks, including it is exceedingly hot. classy environment.
dumplings and noodles.
CHONGQING: Donghuai
CHENGDU: Impression Xichuan ¥
of Chengdu ¥ Regional Yunnan
Regional 5/F, Chongqing Times Square,
Zhaixiangzi Alley 16, 100 Zourong Lu DALI: Bakery 88 ¥
Qingyang district Tel (023) 6300 0880 Café
Tel (028) 8624 5678 Popular for its fusion of 17 Renmin Lu
This restaurant is famous for Sichuanese and Chongqing Tel (0872) 2679 129
its spicy Sichuan cusine. It cuisines, and its fine desserts, The most-famous deli and
also offers guests the cultural Donghuai Xichuan has attentive café in Dali, Bakery 88 serves
experience of a Sichuan Opera service and a smart ambience. delicious cheesecakes, healthy
show every day at lunchtime. breakfasts, and apple pie, as well
CHONGQING: Grandma’s as good coffee. Friendly service.
CHENGDU: Gingko Kitchen ¥
NanTing ¥¥ American DALI: Cang Er Chun ¥
International 6/F, Darong Cheng, 8 Jianxin Bei Lu Regional
1/F–6/F, Western Tower, 19 Renmin Tel (023) 6769 9775 84 Renmin Lu
Nan Lu A branch of a well-known Beijing Tel (0872) 6900 907
Tel (028) 8611 6888 chain that offers excellent An old and famous Yunnan
A fine restaurant with accom- service. Grandma’s Kitchen restaurant located inside a
plished cuisine from all over the draws large crowds thanks to stunning wooden building. Try
world. It is a particularly good the big portions of burgers the Crossing the Bridge noodles.
choice for a celebratory dinner, and sandwiches served in a Prior booking recommended.
since the desserts, such as the warm and homely atmosphere.
green-tea ice cream, are divine. DALI: The Good Panda
CHONGQING: Qiqi Hotpot ¥ Restaurant ¥
Regional Regional
DK Choice 2/F–3/F, Building B, 151 Zourong Lu 81 Renmin Lu
CHENGDU: Yu’s Kitchen ¥¥ Tel (023) 6379 9369 Tel (0872) 3156 492
Regional A very old and popular hotpot Try food typical of the Bai
Zhaixiangzi Alley 43 chain in Chongqing, with a minority, such as goat’s cheese
Tel (028) 8669 1985 typical menu on offer and and ham with piquant pickles,
This elegant restaurant offers bright and clean surroundings. in a stylish environment with
a contemporary take on traditional and rustic decor.
traditional Sichuan cuisine, CHONGQING: Yuxin
with a range of elaborate and Sichuan Dish ¥ DALI: Zai Hui Shou ¥
delicately prepared dishes. The Regional Regional
atmosphere is slightly formal, 67 Nanbin Lu 198 Renmin Lu
and the menu changes weekly. Tel (023) 6282 2088 Tel (0872) 6895 609
English is spoken, so ask for the This local favorite on the south A small hole-in-the-wall joint
recommended dish of the day. bank of the Yangtze River offers with lots of reasonably priced
Book in advance excellent views and spicy, and delicious options. Famous
authentic Sichuan cuisine. for its Yunnan rice noodles.
KUNMING: Blue Bird ¥ delicious Guangxi cuisine is

International Guizhou & Guangxi a must after rafting in the
132 Cuihu Nan Lu Yulong River. Try the famous
Tel (0871) 6531 5507 GUILIN: Chong Shan ¥ beer fish.
A well-established restaurant Regional
located by the Cui Hu Lake, Blue Jiefang Dong Lu
Bird is famous for its steaks and Tel (0773) 2981 335
large slices of cheesecake. The flagship of a famous rice- Liaoning, Jilin &
noodle chain, Chong Shan is very Heilongjiang
KUNMING: De Yi Ju ¥ popular with locals for breakfast.
Regional Try the scallion pancakes. CHANGCHUN: Bao Jia ¥
No. JB3-6-1, Jinmabiji Square, Jinbi Lu Regional
Tel (0871) 6466 3399 GUILIN: Chun Ji ¥ Tongguang Lu
Housed in a former general’s Regional Tel (0431) 8676 1285
mansion, this three-story Zhongshan Hotel, 2 Zhongshan Bao Jia is famous for its
restaurant is the most famous Zhong Lu authentically prepared Xinjiang
place for Yunnan dishes such as Tel (0733) 2806 188 cuisine. The hearty portions
Crossing the Bridge noodles. Renowned for its signature are twice the size you’ll find
goose dishes, this perennially elsewhere. Efficient staff.
KUNMING: Wei Cai ¥¥ popular restaurant also has
Regional excellent dim sum. Prior booking CHANGCHUN: Z-Space
1 Cuihu Xi Lu is recommended at weekends. International ¥¥
Tel (0871) 6531 8999 Steakhouse
Enjoy contemporary Yunnan GUIYANG: Lao Kai Li ¥ 2632 Gongnongda Jie
cuisine with a lakeside view. The Regional Tel (0431) 8564 5757
chef serves seasonal delicacies. 2/F, Hongtongcheng, 100 Jiefang Lu A refined, high-end restaurant,
Tel (0851) 8589 1717 Z-Space Steak House is the
LIJIANG: A Ma Yi Naxi Snacks ¥ Local foodies come here for the place where locals go for foie
Regional must-order dish: fish in sour gras and caviar, followed by a
Near Xiaoshiqiao Qiao, Wuyi Jie soup. It is always crowded, with large, succulent steak.
Tel (0888) 5309 588 people lining up to get a table.
Try the cuisine of the Naxi DALIAN: 68–86 Old
minority in an alley in the old Dalian Restaurant ¥
town. This place also serves DK Choice Seafood
Lijiang baba, a pancake made of YANGSHUO: Jimmy’s ¥ 3 Xinsheng Jie
wheat flour, ham, and scallion. Italian Tel (0411) 8265 7491
105 Guihua Lu A small dining room means
LIJIANG: Chattering Room ¥ Tel (180) 7842 8007 that this unassuming place is
Regional One of Yangshuo’s newer packed every day, full of people
Dashiqiao Bunongling, Wuyi St, international restaurants, Jimmy’s eager to try its famous
Gucheng district offers a good choice of tasty seafood dishes.
Tel (0888) 5180 439 pizzas along with appetizers and
Unfussy cuisine from the owner/ salads. The ambience is relaxed DALIAN: Brooklyn
chef, who is famous locally for and patrons can sit indoors or Restaurant & Bar ¥
her chatter and heartwarming dine at the alfresco tables. American
personality. Vegetarian-friendly. 184 Bulao Jie, Wanda Huafu Erqi
Tel (0411) 8686 7426
YANGSHUO: Farmer’s Unadulterated American-style
DK Choice Restaurant ¥ menu, featuring popular classics in
LIJIANG: Flower Private Regional the form of big juicy burgers and
Home Cuisine ¥ Jiu Xian, near Yulong River pizzas. For dessert, the cheesecake
Regional Tel (0733) 8772 715 will satisfy every sweet tooth and
At the end of Zhenxingxiang Alley, Cheap, cheerful, and tourist- you can wash it all down with
Wuyi Jie friendly, this restaurant offering your cocktail of choice.
Tel (151) 2607 6718
A tiny, cozy restaurant worth
seeking out in a small alley
where it could be easily
overlooked. On the menu is
classic Lijiang cuisine, and there
are also several vegetarian
options. The manager speaks
excellent English.
LIJIANG: Upstairs N’s Kitchen ¥

Café
2/F, Jishan Alley 17, Xinyi Jie
Tel (0888) 5120 060
In the evening, this friendly
café famous for its milkshakes
and pizzas starts to have more
of a pub vibe. The casual Upstairs N’s Kitchen in Lijiang
DALIAN: Wan Bao SHENYANG: Guan Dong YINCHUAN: Guo Qiang

Haixianfang ¥¥ Da Yuan ¥ Shou Zhua ¥
Seafood Regional Regional
108 Jiefang Lu 112 Taibaishan Lu 408 Jiefang Xi Jie
Tel (0411) 3991 2888 Tel (024) 8671 8222 Tel (0951) 5036 220
Dalian’s best seafood restaurant This restaurant stands out thanks Give the cutlery a miss and dig
offers elegant decor and to its innovative design, though into the great mutton dishes
professional staff – not to the food is more traditional – with your fingers at this typical
mention prices to match. The hearty, filling, and simple. Xinjiang restaurant, also known
spicy crayfish are excellent. for its medicinal tea.
SHENYANG: Xiang Jian
HARBIN: Europa Restaurant ¥ Hao Wei ¥
European Regional DK Choice
22 Shidao Xi Jie 30 Guilin Jie YINCHUAN: Ying Bin Lou ¥
Tel (0451) 8469 8887 Tel (024) 8285 1378 Regional
This is the place to visit for Homely, well-priced Dongbei 11 Jiefang Xi Jie
traditional European and Russian cuisine in a cheerful room usually Tel (0951) 6025 950
fare, such as hearty steaks and packed with diners. Book ahead. A very old and famous Muslim
French casseroles. The meals restaurant popular for its home-
here are accompanied by live made pomegranate ice cream
piano music. in summer, and lamb hotpot
Inner Mongolia in winter. English is not
& Ningxia spoken here, but there is a
DK Choice comprehensive picture menu,
HARBIN: Katusha HOHHOT: Gerile Ama Milk and the staff are keen to help.
Restaurant ¥ Tea House ¥
Russian Teahouse
261 Zhongyang Jie 2/F, Xinhua Square, 93 Xilin Bei Lu
Tel (138) 3614 8098 Tel (0471) 6924 755
Head to Harbin’s most famous Enjoy authentic Mongolian tea, Gansu & Qinghai
Russian restaurant if you are local dishes, and dairy desserts in
in the mood for typical Russian a friendly atmosphere. A great DUNHUANG: Daji Donkey ¥
decor and authentic fare, such place to get warm on a cold day. Regional
as chicken Kiev and hearty In the alley east of Jinshan Hotel,
beef stroganoff. Even the HOHHOT: Meng Gu Da Ying ¥ near Shazhou Hotel
bread and butter is Russian. Regional The name gives the specialty
Unsurprisingly, it also has a Inside the Inner Mongolia Race away – donkey-meat dishes
peerless vodka list. There is Course, 27 Hulun Bei Lu dominate at this homely place.
occasional live music. Tel (0471) 6516 868
Set in yurts, this authentic
place offers great Mongolian DK Choice
HARBIN: Qizi Douwei ¥ cuisine, such as pulled lamb DUNHUANG: Dun Lai Shun ¥
Regional and Mongolian milk tea. Regional
182 Nan Shixidao Jie 11 Mingshan Lu
Tel (0451) 8264 5888 HOHHOT: Zuo Cheng You Yu ¥¥ Tel (0937) 8832 203
This reasonably priced and Regional The city’s best restaurant, Dun
popular Dongbei restaurant 2/F, Chang’an Jinzuo, Xinhua Dong Jie Lai Shun is cheap, yet stylish
is especially famous for big Tel (0471) 4682 300 Closed Chinese and welcoming. Dishes from all
portions of dishes such as New Year over China are served, as well as
lamb ribs crusted with cumin Serving contemporary Cantonese Xinjiang staples, such as roast
seeds and crushed chilies, and cuisine, this is Hohhot’s best fine- mutton and spicy cucumber.
carrot and lamb dumplings. dining restaurant. Efficient service.
The popular Wan Bao Haixianfang seafood restaurant in Dalian, Liaoning

Staff in traditional attire at Wordo Kitchen in Shigatse, Tibet
LANZHOU: Wu Mu Le ¥
Regional Xinjiang Tibet
2168 Beibinhe Xi Lu
Closed eves KASHGAR: Orda ¥ LHASA: Guangming
Be prepared to wait at this Middle Eastern Gangqiongtian Tea House ¥
popular draw to try the city’s 169 Renmin Dong Lu Teahouse
most famous and tastiest This authentic Xinjiang Danjielin Lu
noodles and beef dishes. restaurant serves spicy kabobs Tel (0891) 6885 357
accompanied by cooling bowls A local favorite known for serving
LANZHOU: Zhong Hua ¥ of yogurt. The Uighur waiting Tibetan sweet tea and noodles.
Regional staff are quite friendly.
765 Nanchang Lu
Tel (0931) 8880 555 KASHGAR: Altun Orda ¥¥ DK Choice
The flagship establishment of a Middle Eastern LHASA: Lhasa Namaste
well-known local chain of Muslim Renmin Xi Lu Restaurant ¥
restaurants. Be sure to try the Tel (0998) 2583 555 International
succulent roast mutton, which Altun Orda is a very high-end 2/F, 30 Yutuo Lu
is best eaten using your fingers and luxuriously furbished Tel (0891) 6324 669
instead of cutlery. Xinjiang restaurant. The excellent This friendly place offers Indian,
pilaf is highly recommended. The European, Chinese, Tibetan, and
XINING: Qinghai Tu Huoguo ¥ staff speak some basic English. Nepali dishes, as well as burgers,
Regional ice creams, and cakes. A great
Intersection of Xiaoxin Jie and TURPAN: Best Food Burger ¥ place to meet travelers.
Yinma Jie American
Qinghai-style hotpot is the Dashizi, Laocheng Xi Lu
perfect dish for the long winter, Fans of American-style fast food LHASA: Zonglianzangsu
and the one served here is truly can head to Best Food Burger, Vegetarian Restaurant ¥
memorable. Beware of the spicy safe in the knowledge that the Vegetarian
variety, though, as it is quite hot. menu here features nothing 2/F, 7 Barkhor Square
other than burgers and fries. Tel (0891) 6325 058
XINING: Shalihai Food City ¥ Overlooking the Jokhang Temple,
Regional ÜRÜMQI: Huo Yan Shan ¥ this restaurant serves tasty dishes
4 Bei Dajie Regional featuring local ingredients such as
Tel (0971) 8234 444 2/F, 1 Mingyuan Xi Lu Tibetan mushrooms and walnuts.
This popular local chain Tel (0991) 4562 888
specializes in mutton dishes. An all-you-can-eat self-service SHIGATSE: Third Eye Restaurant ¥
Try the stewed mutton in rice hotpot place with live local music Regional
wine and deep fried diced performances during lunch Zhufeng Lu
potatoes. No English is spoken and dinner. Diners may have Tel (0892) 883 8898
here, so guests might have to to share a table. A mix of well-executed dishes from
do some pointing. Tibet and Nepal. Try the thukpa
ÜRÜMQI: Miraj ¥ (noodle soup) or the tasty curries.
XINING: Yi Xin ¥ Regional
Regional 31, 2nd Alley, Shengli Lu SHIGATSE: Wordo Kitchen ¥
5 Baiyu Xiang, near junction with Tel (0991) 2885 522 Regional
Dong Dajie Do not miss this gorgeously 8 Zhade Dong Lu
Tel (0971) 8179 336 and exotically decorated Uighur Tel (0892) 8823 994
One of the best local Muslim restaurant. Miraj is one of Gorgeous decor and friendly staff
restaurants, with a reputation Ürümqi’s premier fine-dining await here. The food is traditional
for cleanliness and good-quality venues, serving spicy and tasty yet wholesome; try the roasted
cuisine. Try the la mian noodles. lamb kabobs. leg of lamb.
SHOPS AND MARKETS

China’s rich artistic heritage is reflected in items are not hard to find. Perhaps some
its stunning range of characteristic of the most unique souvenirs are those
works of art – from stylized landscape produced by China’s ethnic minorities,
paintings and calligraphy to delicate ceramic particularly their accomplished embroidery.
bowls and exquisitely carved bamboo. With The major cities have seen the emergence of
the burgeoning of tourism and the official malls and department stores, which provide
encouragement of enterprise, Chinese cities certificates of authenticity for items such as
are alive with shops and markets selling an jewelry and semiprecious stones (although
often bewildering array of trinkets and still no guarantee). Many large hotels also
souvenirs. Even though the market is flooded have souvenir shops, although these tend
with cheap imitations, many objects are still to stock over-priced, high-end items, such
made by age-old techniques, and authentic as silk and jade.
Opening Hours accepted in malls, shops,

Shops in Chinese cities are hotels, restaurants, and
usually open from 8:30am until bars. Likewise, ATMs are
fairly late in the evening – widespread in every city,
around 8pm – while winter including at most major
timings are generally 9am to banks, such as Bank of China,
7pm. High street stores and ICBC, HSBC, Citibank, and
malls tend to open from 10am Bank of Communications.
to 10pm regardless of the ATMs should display in both
season. They can be very busy Chinese and English. The
in the evening once offices commission and exchange
have closed. The opening and rates charged for ATM
closing times of shops varies withdrawals depend on your
from place to place. Local food bank, so it is worth checking
shops remain open for before your visit.
business from early in the An array of calligraphy brushes for sale in a Bank of China is the
morning until late at night; Beijing market best place to exchange
while markets selling fresh foreign currency or traveler’s
produce shut down early in How to Pay checks. Branches are also
the afternoon. Some shops The Chinese currency is the found at airports, and in larger
remain closed on public yuan renminbi or “people’s hotels. Be sure to keep your
holidays such as the three-day money” (shortened to RMB). exchange receipts, since you
Chinese New Year (Spring One yuan is divided into 10 will need them to convert your
Festival), National Day jiao or mao, each of which is spare renminbi into another
(October 1), and New Year’s divided even further into 10 currency before leaving the
Day (January 1), although fen. International credit and country (see pp608–9).
most malls remain open. debit cards are widely
Bargaining
Bargaining is a common
practice in China, especially
in street markets, night bazaars,
and at souvenir stands. It is
even worth trying in the
smarter, more expensive hotels,
modern shops, department
stores, and government
emporia. Stallholders are
notorious for charging visitors
three times the “real” price, and
sometimes their starting price
may be up to ten times the
cost. Make a comparison of
prices and be conscious of
what others are paying,
Bustling Nanjing Road with its brightly colored billboards, Shanghai particularly local Chinese.
SHOPS AND MARKETS 587
cooking pots. While some

markets still follow the lunar
calendar, which is confusing for
most visitors, many have shifted
to a more regular schedule.
Such markets are busiest
between mid-morning and
mid-afternoon. The variety of
food, souvenirs, and domestic
items on sale is astounding, but
be prepared to bargain hard.
Antiques
Unless you’re an expert, buying
antiques in China is a rather
A busy street in Zhaoqing, Guangdong risky proposition. Many Chinese
cities have flourishing antiques
International Stores Markets markets, but most of the items
The consumer revolution in The best way to experience on sale will undoubtedly be
China has led to the influx of China’s diversity and its fake. However, as long as you
upmarket brand stores, many ethnic cultures is to visit don’t mistake them for the real
shopping plazas, and fashion the bustling local markets, thing, it is fun to browse and
boutiques in every city, especially in rural areas. bargain for cheap replicas. The
especially Beijing and Held on specific days state-run antique shops, like
Shanghai. Brands from Gucci of the week, these are the Friendship
and Prada to Gap, Zara, and locally known as Stores, are in decline
Apple can now be found in ganji, which means – and never had any
the leading retail cities of “going to market,” bargains anyway.
Shanghai and Beijing, as well as or ganjie, mean- Shops in the foyers
the many malls in other ing “going to of art galleries and
Chinese cities. the street.” museums also sell
As in most developed Traditionally, Selling carpets at a market in works of art such as
countries, there is heavy people from the Linxia, Gansu scroll paintings,
emphasis on high-end items surrounding calligraphy, and
such as electrical goods, countryside came into town attractive silk scarves. In China,
designer fashion, perfumes, on market days to buy or sell objects dating to 1795 or
jewelry, and watches, while their farm produce. earlier may not be legally
large stores, such as Carrefour, Nowadays, however, rural exported, so make sure any
Marks & Spencer, IKEA, and markets are expanding their antiques (of a later date) that
Walmart, offer foods, souvenirs, scope, and it is not uncommon you purchase carry a red wax
and household goods at to see stalls selling a range of seal permitting export. Always
reasonable prices. household items from keep the receipts as they may
toothbrushes to woks and be required at Customs.
Shopping Malls
As in all fast-emerging Asian
nations, mall shopping is a
favored urban leisure pursuit. In
most Chinese cities, glassy
retail plazas dominate the
downtown areas. They are
usually built to a similar design
and house a mix of upmarket
brands, coffee shops, fast food
outlets, and local eateries, with
a giant supermarket in the
basement. In the central
business districts of the largest
cities, upscale shopping malls
are attached to luxury hotels.
While the malls multiply,
China’s department store
heritage is fast diminishing. A souvenir shop in Qingcheng Shan park near Chengdu
What to Buy in China

Market stalls and small shops sell interesting souvenirs in
tourist centers throughout China. Traditionally styled items
can be found just about everywhere, while many other crafts
are regional. You can find beautifully intricate embroidery in
the southwest, prayer wheels and flags in Tibet, carpets in
Xinjiang, and ginseng in the northeast. When shopping in
markets it is essential to bargain. Gift shops at factories
usually have fixed, but inflated, prices. A collection of Mao statuettes in many
different poses
Calligraphy
A skill as revered as painting, calligraphy is an ancient
Chinese art that is a fluid form of self-expression.
Master calligraphers practice their art assiduously,
and one of their works could be very expensive. Less
costly examples of calligraphy are widely available.
Scrolls painted with elegantly Marble chops are traditionally used to

striking script make excellent imprint a calligrapher’s seal on to a work.
souvenirs. Skilled calligraphers At many craft markets vendors create
will paint chosen sayings in personalized chops by carving a character
different styles or you can version of a person’s name on the base.
purchase pre-painted works.
Lid of ink stone

Ink stick
Writing
brush
Base of ink
stone
Writing brushes
should have a defined
tip and firm fur bristles.
Ink sticks made of soot are
ground down and mixed
with water on an ink stone.
Painted on paper or silk with

simple brushstrokes, painting is
Ceramics one of the most important tradi-
Chinese ceramics are known the world tional arts. Many paintings now
have contemporary touches.
over. They have been mass produced for
hundreds of years, with fired pots being
passed through a line of artisans, each
adding a layer to the glaze. Porcelain, a
fine, translucent ceramic, was invented
during the Sui dynasty, and high-quality
pieces are still produced.
Jingdezhen in Jiangxi has been one

of the main producers of porcelain Yixingware, or purple sand
since the 10th century (see pp260– pottery, from Ding Shan in
61). It still produces fine pieces, Anhui (see p224), is usually a
although some of the cheaper dark reddish brown, but can
wares may be decorated by stencil. also be green, buff, or gray.
SHOPS AND MARKETS 589
Silk
Woven from the strands that make up a silkworm’s
cocoon, silk is also a Chinese invention (see pp214–15).
Clothes made of silk, such as ladies’ cheongsams,
are widely available, but be aware that silk sold in
markets is likely to be rayon. Beautiful embroidery
on silk is also available.
Silk-covered
cushions
Jade, a semiprecious
stone, is associated
Silk embroidered coasters with immortality. These
pendants are green,
Silk bags but the lustrous gem
Other Traditional Handicrafts can also be gray or brown.
Occasionally created by skilled craftsmen but
often mass produced, Chinese handicrafts are
almost always highly intricate and of vibrant
color. The variety of goods on offer is staggering,
from delicate miniature glass bottles to the bold
graphics of Communist memorabilia.
The best paper cuts are made in a

few minutes by a master craftsman
with a pair of scissors. Most paper
cuts are mass produced, with many
simultaneously cut to a pattern.
Cloisonné vases, boxes,

and jars have been
Lacquerware Decorative copper-enameled:
jewelry box tassel copper is faced
with pieces of col-
Glass snuff bottles Carved ored enamel and
were popularized dur- wooden fired, creating a
ing the Qing dynasty, fan shiny finish.
when snuff usage
was common. Using Baoding balls are weight-
a hooked brush, arti- ed and sometimes contain
sans paint miniature a chime. The two balls are
scenes inside. maneuvered in one hand,
strengthening grip and massaging the
channels through which qi runs (see p238).
Mao memorabilia is based
on designs that existed during
Mao’s rule. Some Tea, often sold in colorful
is authentic, tin caddies, is available
but most everywhere. Tie guanyin
Communist and other oolong teas of
souvenirs are Fujian are very fine. Pu’er is a
produced for the specialty of the southwest.
tourist market. Mao badges Mao lighter
ENTERTAINMENT
The Chinese work hard, but they also take counterparts, including contemporary films
their leisure seriously, and have a range of and music concerts. Karaoke is hugely popular,
traditional and modern entertainment. The and most towns and cities have numerous
vast tradition of performing arts reflects bars, where visitors can sing along to popular
China’s rich cultural heritage, and includes Chinese and Western songs, accompanied by
Chinese opera, theater, shadow puppetry, the latest videos. The Internet has opened
and the circus. Many types of dance and up new avenues for online entertainment,
music derive from ethnic cultures, adding with many people carrying smartphones,
to the diversity of entertainment. China’s tablets, and laptops. Casino gambling is only
increasing Westernization has meant that permitted in the specially administered
young people in particular enjoy the same region of Macau, and horse-racing is popular
leisure activities as their Western in Hong Kong (see p338).
popular among the older

generation, and people practice
early in the morning in parks,
squares, and gardens.
Traditional Forms
of Theater
Beijing Opera (jingju) is a world-
famous traditional art form
unique to China (see pp80–81). It
is highly stylized and characters
wear elaborate costumes with
special makeup and masks.
Performances usually take
Passing the time with a game of xiangqi on the sidewalks of Xi’an place on a simple stage with
few props.
Games vertical and ten horizontal lines. The Chinese circus has a
Playing games in public parks The board game Go (weiqi) worldwide reputation for its
is an age-old Chinese custom, dates back more than 4,000 highly trained gymnasts who
and though visitors may feel too years. Also known as encircle- perform breathtaking routines
inhibited to challenge locals to ment chess, it involves two that showcase their unnerving
a game, they are great fun to opposing sides, each with flexibility. Displays of balance
watch. Some Chinese games a set of circular stones, often involve household props,
date back thousands of years. struggling for territory. such as brooms, plates, and
The most well-known game is chairs, with one of the most
mahjong, which uses plastic
tiles, originally made of bamboo Spectator Sports
or ivory. The rules are similar to The most popular sports
rummy, with players trying to at schools and colleges are
create identical, or consecutively basketball, badminton, and
numbered, sets. More advanced table tennis (ping pong),
versions of the game have and the Chinese excel
special tiles representing the internationally in the latter
four winds, four dragons, two. Soccer is also played
seasons, and flowers. When a and followed with
game is in full swing, the quick enthusiasm. The top
movements of the participants European clubs have a
make the tiles click and clatter – strong fan base in China,
a popular translation of and Chinese soccer players
mahjong is “chattering sparrows.” are now being recruited by
Chinese checkers (xiangqi) is them. Fitness centers and
another popular game. Here, gyms are becoming
there are two opposing sets of increasingly popular in
round counters. The board is cities. Traditional martial Actors in a Beijing Opera, performing in
divided into squares by nine arts such as tai ji quan are opulent costumes
E N T E R TA I N M E N T 591
popular tricks being performed increasingly popular with young

by 20 or so acrobats piled people, although the older
precariously on a bicycle. These generation remain faithful to
routines are often combined their traditional teahouses.
with acts involving caged and
tame animals, but the current
trend is toward a purer display Rock and Pop Music
of acrobatics. China’s rock scene is young
Some forms of traditional and rebellious, and only really
dance still exist, especially gained a foothold in the 1980s,
among China’s ethnic groups. when it played a central role at
Some relate to shamanistic the Tian’an Men Square protests.
or other religious rituals, and Still not accepted by state-run
often involve the wearing of radio stations, bands rely on the
special masks. Internet and word of mouth.
Chinese pop music is following
Traditional shadow play performance using in the same footsteps as the
Shadow Plays and colorful puppets West, with young singers from
Puppet Theater TV talent shows like Chinese Idol
Shadow plays (piyingxi) are instruments, has up to 17 and Voice of China making it
popular, and usually involve bamboo pipes and a vibrating big nationwide.
the use of leather puppets reed. Another ancient instrument Canto-pop, Hong Kong’s
with jointed limbs. These are is the earthenware xun. Dating popular music tradition, has
manipulated close to a white back 8,000 years, and sometimes sugary lyrics of love and loss,
sheet and lit from behind, made of bone or ivory, it has a sung in Cantonese. Many
throwing their shadows on to mouthpiece and a series of holes Canto-pop singers become
the sheet. The performance is for varying the tones. Percussion hugely popular pin-ups, as have
accompanied by singing and instruments include a new generation of Mando-
music. Plays with wooden gongs, chimes, pop stars, singing in Mandarin,
puppets (mu’ouxi) involve drums, woodblocks, from Taiwan and the mainland.
elaborate and colorfully dressed and xylophones.
marionettes, glove puppets, or
puppets on the end of rods. Cinema
Kite-Flying China has traditionally produced
Kite-flying is a major many good films, based mainly
Traditional Music hobby in China, on folk tales, love stories, or
Chinese music can especially on strong patriotic themes. Chinese
be traced back as public holidays cinema has also embraced
far as the Shang era. when parks, international tastes, including
Ancient sets of 65 gardens, and even those of both Hollywood and
bells from the 5th city squares are Bollywood, and movies such
century BC have been crowded with as Zhang Yimou’s popular Hero,
unearthed. During the A musician strums the displays of colorful released in 2004, blended
Tang dynasty, the lute-like pipa and fantastically martial arts with impressive
traditional musical shaped kites. Birds special effects. All cities show
forms began to take root and and dragons are the most foreign movies, although they
music was also an important common kite designs. are often censored.
part of Confucian education.
Traditional instruments
include strings, winds, and Bars, Discos and
percussion. Stringed Karaoke
instruments played with the Bars, nightclubs, and
fingers, plectrum, or bow are karaoke lounges
the Chinese violin, horizontal have sprung up all
harp, and many-stringed zithers, over urban China.
such as the zheng. The lute-like Some bars specialize
pipa is one of the most in live bands, and
important stringed instruments. these are very
The most common bamboo popular with expats,
flutes are the vertical (xiao) and foreign visitors, and
horizontal (di). The hulusu, made urban Chinese –
from a gourd and bamboo, is be warned that
popularly used in folk music. The drinks are expensive. Delicate kites for sale catching the breeze
sheng, one of the oldest Chinese Coffee bars are also from the Yangzi, Wuhan
SPORTS AND
SPECIALIST HOLIDAYS
As the Olympic host for 2008, Beijing was the rock-climbing and more. Courses in martial arts
showpiece city for a nation that celebrates can be found in most tourist centers, or head to
sporting heroes with the fervor once reserved the hallowed halls of the Shaolin Temple to find
for political icons – soccer and basketball have a master. Organized tours ply the major sights
become big spectator sports. The spending of the country, but for a really memorable
power and leisure interests of China’s booming experience book a trip that has a fascinating
middle classes translate into more sporting focus, whether photography, whitewater
choices for visitors too – there’s skiing, golf, rafting, costume, or horse-trekking.
The Olympic Games such as the towering Yao Ming. Golf

Infrastructure improvements Beijing and Shanghai host the Despite initial Communist Party
and massive construction annual NBA China Games in reluctance to embrace this
projects transformed Beijing in August, featuring two of the top elitist, land-hungry sport, golf’s
the run-up to 2008 Olympics. US basketball teams. popularity is surging in China.
The city promised a “Green The annual Rugby Sevens Visiting golfers can enjoy over
Olympics, Hi-tech Olympics, tournament in March is a massive 500 courses nationwide.
People’s Olympics,” so visitors – and very rowdy – event in Hong Mission Hills has 12 courses at
enjoyed acres of parkland and Kong, with international teams its Shenzhen site, making it the
futuristic stadiums. Half of the playing almost 70 games over largest golf facility in the world;
main Olympic Park area, at the three days. The Hong Kong while the course on Jade
apex of an extended imperial Rugby Football Union plays Dragon Snow Mountain near
axis running north–south regular fixtures during the rugby Lijiang, Yunnan, is one of the
through the city, is being turned season, which runs from world’s highest. Perhaps the
into woodland and lawns. November through March. most alluring is the beautiful
At the 2008 Olympics, 43 Both Shanghai and Beijing host Spring City course near Kunming.
world records and 132 new tennis tournaments – Shanghai Most courses are open to the
Olympic records were set. China has the ATP Rolex Masters and public, and prices are similar to
won 100 medals, 51 of them Beijing the China Open. those in Western countries.
gold, and so the Games were Shanghai’s Formula One Grand
declared a national success. Prix is held each year in April.
In 2010, the Asian Games took Tickets are expensive, but 60 Swimming
place in Guangzhou; in 2014, percent of the circuit is visible China has plenty of
Nanjing hosted the Youth from the stands. The Macau Grand coastline but lacks the beach
Olympics; and in 2015, Beijing’s Prix is held each year in November. culture of its southeast Asian
National Stadium hosted the For a Chinese flavor, track down neighbors. However, Hainan
World Athletics Championships. the Minority Nationalities Island is touted as China’s
Traditional Sports Games. Ethnic Hawaii, and the resorts there are
groups play unusual sports from improving fast, while Beihai in
Spectator Sports dragon-boat racing to elephant Guangxi boasts a very long
China has gone soccer-mad. tug-of-war. stretch of sand. Closer to the
Although ancient records
describe a game of kick-ball with
three players on each side, and
paintings show a Song emperor
juggling a ball with his feet,
soccer is a fairly recent pheno-
menon here. The Chinese
Professional Soccer League was
established in 1994, and the
China Super League, an elite
group of teams, kicked off in
2004. The Super League has a
huge fan base, but has run into
problems with corruption and
sponsorship. Basketball is also
gaining in popularity, its profile
boosted by Chinese NBA stars Horse trek up the steep sides of Tiger Leaping Gorge, Yunnan
S P O R T S A N D S P E C I A L I S T H O L I D AY S 593
Traversing the sand dunes of Mingsha Shan by camel, near Dunhuang, Gansu
capital, enjoy Beidaihe, long the bane of all organized trips Tibetan monasteries in
the Communist Party’s summer in China. These detours (from western Sichuan and through
retreat, or the seashores of which your guide may be the dense jungle and rural
the lovely city of Qingdao. earning a commission) can cut hamlets of Xishuangbanna.
sightseeing time short and will The Bespoke Travel Company
become increasingly boring. is an excellent resource for
Downhill Skiing There’s a wide choice of tours, excursions, and guided
The best natural snow and ski tour companies to travel with. walks in and around Beijing and
resorts lie in Heilongjiang and Abercrombie & Kent is an Shanghai. They also arrange
Jilin provinces. Yabuli, about established international group hotel and car bookings and
100 miles (160 km) from Harbin, that has provided well-organized restaurant reservations.
is one of the most established trips for decades. Steppes
resorts, and Club Med has Travel, which is particularly
opened its first winter sports strong on the Silk Routes and Train-Spotting
resort there. There are also several Tibet, provides suggested With its extensive rail network,
upscale ski resorts at Changbai itineraries that it is happy to China has been a favorite
Shan. In the Beijing suburbs there tailor for private tours, as well as destination of train lovers
are at least 10 slopes, mostly with several expert-led itineraries for for years, particularly as it
man-made snow, and Shanghai groups. Tibetan Connections is continued to run steam
has one of the world’s largest run by Tibetans and offers a locomotives well after other
indoor facilities. Large feet may good range of adventurous nations discontinued their use.
cause problems with equipment tours across China’s ethnically Several lines–often private
rentals, and watch your back – Tibetan regions. Myths and railroads in industrial areas–still
complete novices abound. Mountains has some well use steam, and their services are
thought-out itineraries that increasingly popular with
cover Yunnan and Tibet, and domestic and international
Choosing a Tour an interesting range of festival- visitors. China now has a
A multitude of tour companies focused trips. Wild China national super-high-speed rail
ferry groups of tourists through organizes tours nationwide, network, which has revolution-
the top sights of China. If you are including trips to remote ized rail travel (see pp616–17).
thinking of booking a
tour, do your research
carefully; it is
essential to find one
that suits you well.
Beyond the obvious
essentials of types
of accommodation,
transportation, the
size of the group, and
the itinerary, be sure
to ask about the
tipping policy, which
can sometimes add a
sizable unexpected
cost to your trip. Also
query the frequency
of shopping stops, Boarding a traditional raft kept afloat by inflated sheep stomachs, Yellow River
of kung fu practitioners
at daybreak in the nation’s
parks, particularly if your
interest is tai ji quan.
If you want to fight with
more than your bare hands,
paintballing is growing in
popularity – try the listings
magazines in the large cities.
For those who really need to
let off steam, anti-aircraft guns
and AK-47s are available for
renting at the firing range
en route from Beijing to the
Great Wall at Badaling.
Hot-air balloon floating amongst the karst peaks of Yangshuo, Guangxi

Climbing
Cycling quan during the 6th century. The Most of China’s sacred and
Although the curse of the temple is surrounded by kung scenic mountains, such as Tai
automobile threatens the bicycle fu schools that have courses Shan and Huang Shan, have
kingdom, China remains a great that range from a week to six steps, cable cars, and crowds all
place to saddle up. You will see months or longer. The less well- the way to the summit. Some of
more from a bike than a bus, and known monastery on Wudang the mountains have less-used
gain greater insight into the lives Shan in Hubei (see p278), said to paths that make for pleasant
of the locals. A well-organized be the home of tai ji quan, also hiking, but if you are a serious
tour should provide alternative has schools of martial arts. mountaineer, you will need to
transport if you become Most forms of kung fu taught head to western China. The true
exhausted or fall ill, and will in China are watered-down roof of the world awaits in Tibet
have all the fix-it gear and able versions of the original martial – topping Mount Everest will
mechanics to deal with problem forms, which have become require patience and official
chains and derailers. Itineraries popular and effective ways to approval, but treks to Everest
are set at different levels, from keep fit. If you are looking for base camp in the Rongbuk
easy to challenging, and some pure fighting technique, you Valley are offered by several
companies provide bikes, while may have more luck overseas, travel operators. Other
others ask that you bring your or possibly in Hong Kong. In spectacular climbs include
own wheels to keep costs Beijing, Shanghai, and other big Gongga Shan in Sichuan and
down. For biking tours, consider cities, courses are advertized in also Muztaghata in Xinjiang
specialist operators like Bike listings magazines, but although (an easier climb and you can
China Adventures who are there are plenty of sports ski down), but, again, seek
based in Chengdu, Red Spokes, institutes in China with classes, permission first.
and Cycle China. you may have difficulty finding More feasible is rock-climbing
In rural areas, renting a bike for an English-speaking instructor. at Yangshuo in Guangxi, where
a day or two is the best way to Head to one of the traveler the limestone crags that
see sights just outside of town havens, such as Yangshuo, Dali, inspired poets down the
and get a feel for countryside or Lijiang, and you are certain centuries now inspire climbers
life. There are plenty of bike-hire to find capable instruction in up the peaks. Asia’s fastest
shops in most places, and many English. Of course, you can developing sport-climbing
hotels can also arrange bike always try joining the leagues area combines a wide range
rental. In cities, remember to
park in designated areas (retain
the token) and keep to cycle
lanes where possible.
Martial Arts
China attracts thousands of
martial arts enthusiasts hoping
to find the roots of their practice.
Many head for famous Shaolin
Temple in Henan (see p164),
where Bodhidarma is said to
have first taught the monks exer-
cises that developed into shaolin A class of soon-to-be kung fu masters, Shaolin Temple, Henan
S P O R T S A N D S P E C I A L I S T H O L I D AY S 595
in Tian Shin in Spot a panda at the Wanglang

Xinjiang and the Nature Reserve (see p375) or
national parks of in Chengdu’s Breeding Center
Sichuan. Check (see p366), where efforts are
with specialist tour made to conserve the
companies and threatened species. Bird-
the Northwest watching tours head to Qinghai
Yunnan Ecotourism province for Bird Island on
Association. Qinghai Hu (see p503), and to
Whitewater rafting parks such as Zhalong National
Panda at the Breeding Center near Chengdu trips are popular in Reserve (see p458), in the
the southwest and in northeastern province of
of climbs with beautiful Tibet. If you are thinking of Heilongjiang, and Xixi Wetlands
views, winding rivers, and signing up, check the company’s Park near Hangzhou, a natural
great accommodations. credentials and past history, sanctuary for birds and wildlife.
A few intrepid spelunkers and ensure that high-quality China’s environment was
have been exploring the helmets, lifejackets, and, if savaged in the 20th century by
extensive karst cave network of necessary, wetsuits are provided. political campaigns to move
Guangxi. A small industry of Camping independently mountains with manpower; in
caving tours has developed, in China is tricky, and not the 21st, rampant economic
although, for the most part, the recommended. However, the growth threatens both bio-
itineraries are geared to the lack of legal camping facilities diversity and cultural diversity,
experienced spelunker. may be about to change, and conservation efforts are
because caravan culture has growing to save China’s unique
just reached China. RVing is wildlife and ways of life.
Trekking and Camping still in its birthing stages and To support a responsible
The fascinating southwest as the industry develops, trailer approach to tourism and the
offers some of the best trekking parks and camp grounds are environment, consider tours
possibilities in the country, certain to appear. Currently and eco-lodges offered by
such as exploring the jungle restrictions on foreign drivers organizations such as the
of Xishuangbanna or visiting mean that motorhoming is Northwest Yunnan Ecotourism
remote Tibetan monasteries. only possible through a Association, based near Lijiang
Horse-riding trips are possible specialist tour operator. in Yunnan.
DIRECTORY
Sports Downhill Skiing Myths and Mountains Cycle Tours
976 Tee Court, Incline
Basketball Club Med
Village, Nevada, Bike China
∑ nbachina.com 160 miles (260 km) from
USA 89451.
Harbin airport. Adventures
Formula One Tel 1-800 670 6984.
∑ f1-shanghai.com ∑ clubmed.com ∑ mythsand 6 Yi Guan Miao Fang
Yabuli mountains.com Cao Jie, Wangfu Huayuan

Rugby
∑ hkrugby.com 100 miles (160 km) east of Steppes Travel 64-1-17, Chengdu.
Harbin, Heilongjiang. 51 Castle St, Cirencester,
Soccer Tel (0451) 5345 8888. Tel 1-800 818 1778.
Gloucestershire,
∑ fa.org.cn ∑ yabuliski.com ∑ bikechina.com
UK GL7 1QD.
Tennis Tel (01285) 601 495.
Tour Companies Cycle China
∑ chinaopen.com.cn ∑ steppestravel.
∑ shanghairolex Abercrombie & Kent co.uk ∑ cyclechina.com
masters.com ∑ abercrombiekent.com
Tibetan Connections Red Spokes
In the US:
Golf ∑ tibetanconnections.
Tel 1-800 554 7016. ∑ redspokes.co.uk
com
In the UK:
Mission Hills Tel (01242) 854 260. Wild China
Various locations. Visit Ecotourism
The Bespoke Travel Room 803 Oriental
website for details.
Company Palace, 9 East Dongfang
∑ missionhillschina.com Northwest Yunnan
B510, 107 Dongsi Bei Road, North
Spring City Dajie, Dongcheng District, Dongganhuan Road, Ecotourism Assoc.
Tangchi, Yiliang County, Beijing. Chaoyang Tel (0139) 8882 6672.
Yunnan. Tel (0871) 6767 Tel (010) 6400 0133. district, Beijing.
∑ northwest
1188. ∑ springcity ∑ bespoketravel Tel (010) 6465 6602.
resort.com company.com ∑ wildchina.com yunnan.com
SURVIVAL
GUIDE
Practical Information 598–611

Travel Information 612–621
598 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
China is going through an explosion in both cities the tourist infrastructure, including
international and domestic tourism. While transportation, hotels, and restaurants, is
there have been gradual improvements in on a par with international standards. The
the quality of tourist services, some of the remoter areas, however, provide fairly basic
remoter sights can still be difficult to reach accommodations and may not be equipped
independently, and most accessible sights to cater to the needs of the international
get very crowded, especially during the tourist. Communication also poses
summer season. Due to the absence of a difficulties, as English is not spoken widely
nationwide non-profit network of tourist and its usage is generally restricted to major
information centers, visitors often have to cities, tour groups, four- and five-star hotels,
rely on hotels for guidance. In the larger and restaurants catering to tourists.
When to Go be traveling as well. Tourist Advance Booking

Although there are great sights are swamped with The boom in domestic tourism
climatic disparities within local sightseers, and most means it is advisable to book
China, spring and fall are hotels and guesthouses raise ahead year-round, but especially
generally the best months their rates. during the peak holiday periods
to travel. The peak tourist between May 1 and October 1,
season, however, is during and the Chinese New Year.
summer (June to September), What to Take Booking in advance using the
best avoided if you don’t like The clothes you need will Internet can secure you good
the heat – it is baking hot in depend on the time of year that deals on accommodations.
north China, steamy in the you visit. In northern China, Unless traveling on short
Yangzi region, and sweltering from November until March, intercity routes, train tickets
in south China. Winter is fiercely you will require a down jacket, should be bought a few days
cold in north China, particularly gloves, sweater, warm socks, before travel, as seats can be in
in the northeast. Winters in thermal leggings, sturdy short supply. Train tickets can
south China are more pleasant, footwear, and lip balm. During be purchased up to 20 days in
especially on the perennially the same season in the south, advance online and 18 days in
warm Hainan Island and in you still need a sweater and advance from stations and ticket
parts of Yunnan province. warm clothes, even as far south offices. Bus tickets need not be
Climate and rainfall charts are as Hong Kong. In summer, booked in advance, but airplane
found on pages 54–5. Planning across most of China, you only tickets should be, especially
a trip to coincide with the need loose-fitting shirts or during major holiday periods.
holiday and festival periods T-shirts, and thin trousers. Shorts
(see pp48–53) can lead to a fun will also do, though not many
and colorful trip experiencing Chinese wear them. Bring a Visas and Passports
China at its liveliest. However, first-aid kit (see p606), raincoat, A passport, valid for at least
tickets for air, train, and bus sun hat, deodorant, pocket six months, and a visa are
transport can be very difficult knife, flashlight, and some necessary to enter the People’s
to acquire, as half of China will good reading material. Republic of China. Most foreign
nationals don’t require a visa
for entering Hong Kong and
Macau but will need one if
traveling on to mainland
China. Chinese embassies and
consulates around the world
issue a standard single-entry,
30-day visa, although multiple-
entry visas and 60-day visas can
also be obtained, depending on
the purpose of your visit. Visas
cannot be issued at the border.
When completing the visa
application form, you must
clearly specify what parts of
China you plan to visit. Avoid
mentioning Tibet or Xinjiang,
Temperate weather at a tea garden in Chengdu even if you plan to visit these
Night-time view of highway junction in Guangzhou
P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M AT I O N 599
regions, as you may be questioned Customs Information DIRECTORY

about your occupation and When entering China, visitors
intent of visit – the list you are entitled to a duty-free China International
provide is non-binding. Always allowance of 50 fluid ounces Travel Service (CITS)
carry your passport, as it is an (1.5 liters) of wine or spirits, 400 ∑ cits.net
essential document for checking cigarettes, and a certain amount
into hotels and the Public of gold and silver. Foreign Beijing
Security Bureau (see p604) may currency exceeding US$5,000, or 1 Dongdan Beidajie.
insist on seeing it. Photocopying its equivalent, must be declared. Tel (010) 6522 2991.
the visa page and the personal Items that are prohibited include
Dalian
information page will fresh fruit, rare animals
speed up replacement in and plants, and arms and Central Plaza Hotel,
case your passport is lost ammunition. Chinese law 145 Zhongshan Lu.
or stolen. Visa extensions specifies limits on the Tel (0411) 8368 7843.
are sometimes granted export of certain items, Guangzhou
for 30 days by the foreign such as herbal medicines. Huaxia Hotel, 2
affairs branch of local PSBs Also, objects pre-dating Qiaoguang Lu.
throughout the 1795 cannot be taken
Tel (020) 8333 6888.
country. Note that Shang-dynasty out of China, while
heavy fines are levied bronze tripod antiques made after Shanghai
if you overstay your that date will need to 1277 Beijing Xi Lu.
permitted period in China. have an official seal affixed. Tel (021) 6289 8899.
Although foreign visitors are
largely left alone, it is not Suzhou
Permits 18 Dajing Xiang.
advisable to take in politically
Some areas of China are either controversial literature, especially Tel (0512) 6515 9177.
totally or partially off-limits, and to sensitive areas such as Tibet, Xi’an
may require a permit from the where there have been instances 48 Chang’an Bei Lu.
PSB, include Lushun (Liaoning), of books being confiscated. Tel (029) 6288 9999.
Xanadu (Inner Mongolia), and
parts of Shennongjia (Hubei).
Check with the PSB before going Immunization loss of baggage, tickets, and,
to western Sichuan, where the Ensure that all of your routine to a certain extent, cash and
rules of access are not fixed. vaccinations, such as tetanus checks. However, before signing
All travel to Tibet has to be and polio, are up to date. It is also an insurance policy, look for one
arranged beforehand through wise to get vaccinated against that excludes coverages you will
a travel agency in China that hepatitis A and B, and typhoid. not require during your stay in
will arrange a permit for you. Only visitors traveling from China. Insurance is also essential
If you want to travel outside countries where yellow fever is to cover any adventure activity
of Lhasa, the agency will have endemic must provide proof or sport that you may undertake
to arrange a tour guide, private of vaccination against the during your trip.
vehicle and driver, and any disease. Malaria
additional permits. The itinerary medication is a good
laid out in your Tibet entry idea for those visiting
permit is binding, and you will rural areas, especially
not be able to make changes Yunnan and Hainan, as
unless it is an emergency. is a Japanese encephalitis
vaccination. Try www.
mdtravehealth.com for
Embassies and up-to-date travel-health
Consulates information and advice
Most countries have embassies on immunization.
in Beijing and consulates in
Hong Kong, Shanghai, and
Guangzhou, and to a lesser Insurance
extent, in Chengdu, Chong- It is advisable to take out
qing, Qingdao, and Dalian. an insurance policy for
Consular offices can re-issue medical emergencies
passports and assist in emer- as well as theft before
gencies, such as theft, leaving home, checking
imprisonment, and with your insurance
hospitalization. Your hotel can company that it is
put you in touch or try www. entirely valid in China. Classic tai hu rock formations lining the shore in Yu
travelchinaguide.com. The policy will cover the Yuan (Jade Garden), Shanghai
600 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Tourist Information foreign visitor surcharges. Most Language

With the exception of the major sights, such as parks and temples, The official language of China is
cities, China has yet to recognize simply have a main ticket for Putonghua (literally “common
the value of professional Tourist entry (men piao), but further tongue”), based on the dialect
Information Centers, either at tickets may need to be pur- spoken in Beijing, and known
home or abroad. Those that chased for access to individual outside China as Mandarin
exist in Beijing and Shanghai are sights within the complex. Chinese. Unlike other dialects,
often under-funded, poorly Alternatively, a “through ticket” such as Cantonese, Putonghua
staffed, and unreliable, although (tao piao) can be bought for doesn’t specifically belong to
they are useful for obtaining access to all any one region, and can be
free maps. The state-approved the sights. used
China International Travel Occasionally throughout
Service (CITS) (see p599), there are fur- the country
originally set up to cater to the ther fees for for comm-
needs of foreign visitors, today storing bags. unication
functions as any other local The sale of Road sign in both Pinyin between
operator, offering nothing more tickets often and Chinese characters speakers of
than tours, tickets, and rented ceases half an China’s num-
cars. A limited choice of hour or so before the sight closes erous dialects. Since the vast
government-run travel agencies for the day. Guides swarm around majority of Chinese people do
abroad promote China tourism. entrances to major sights and not understand English, it is
However, they fail to offer will latch onto you, even if you’re largely useless for comm-
professional and unbiased not interested. It is wise to test unication outside of hotels. The
advice, instead steering their English first, as many just tonal nature of Putonghua
customers toward group repeat fixed lines, parrot fashion, makes it difficult for English
tours and standard hotels. relating to the sight in question, speakers to become
and are unable to answer accustomed to the language.
further queries. Pinyin, a romanization system,
Admission Charges helps in the recognition of
Virtually every sight in sounds and has diacritical marks
China carries an admission fee. Holidays and Opening to indicate tone. A few basic
While many major museums are Hours phrases in Putonghua are listed
now free to enter, most temples Even though New Year’s Day on pages 656–60.
and parks, smaller museums, (January 1) is a public holiday in
palaces, historical monuments, China, the main holiday periods
sacred mountains, and wildlife are during the Lunar New Year Facilities for the Disabled
reserves can only be entered (Spring Festival) and October 1 If you are a wheelchair-user,
after paying a fee. While temples (National Day) holidays (the China is not a recommended
charge anything from ¥5 to ¥80, May 1 Labor Day holiday is just destination for you. With the
prices of all other entry tickets a single day). Both holidays exception of Hong Kong and,
vary. It is often hard to see officially last three days, to some extent, Macau, China
where the money goes as although most businesses and offers very basic facilities for the
many of China’s temples and banks remain shut for seven disabled, both in public trans-
monuments appear severely days. Accommodation prices port and accommodations.
neglected. Non-Chinese visitors rise as domestic tourism peaks. Public buildings and places of
occasionally have to pay a Tourist sights, however, remain interest are rarely fitted with
higher admission fee because of open during these times. ramps or rails, although this is
slowly improving. Many of the
pavements in urban areas are
littered with obstacles and
occasional potholes, and have
high curbs, making wheelchair
access troublesome.
The scarcity of safe crossing
points on urban roads drives
pedestrians onto overhead
walkways; otherwise they have
to join the crowds surging
through the traffic. Rooms with
services for disabled visitors are
only available at the better
hotels, although elevators
are common in most hotels
Facade of the impressive Shaanxi History Museum, Xi’an over three stories high.
Facilities for Children

The Chinese love children,
and they are usually
welcome everywhere in China.
Even though baby-changing
rooms are extremely rare,
and very few restaurants have
child seats, traveling with very
young children can have its
advantages as people will
generally go out of their way
to accommodate you in most
places and situations.
Supermarkets are well supplied
with diapers, baby wipes,
bottles, creams, medicine, Children with their parents enjoying a meal
clothing, infant milk formula,
and baby food. However, the around. Photographing Time and Calendar
baby food is of a sweeter variety politically sensitive images may Despite its extraordinary size,
and nearly always heavily result in the confiscation of your China occupies only one time
processed. The Chinese very film and it goes without saying zone, and there is no daylight
rarely give pacifiers to their that photography of military saving time. Midday in Beijing is
children, but you can find them sites is banned. As far as the also midday in the farthest-
in department stores in larger regulations go, photography flung parts of the country,
cities. Also bring a set of plastic from aircrafts is banned, and including Lhasa and Ürümqi,
cutlery for your child, as some so is taking photographs of which are along the same
restaurants and eating places airports, harbors, and railroads. latitude as countries that are
only have chopsticks. However, barring the military 2 and 3 hours behind China.
installations, most of the other China time is 8 hours ahead of
restrictions are seldom enforced. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 2
Photography If you are discreet and hours behind Australian Eastern
Everyone in urban China uses respectful, then you should Standard Time, 15 hours ahead
smartphone or digital cameras encounter no problems. of US Pacific Standard Time, and
now, so film-developing stores 12 hours ahead of US Eastern
are, as elsewhere, a novelty Standard Time. The Western
rather than the norm. While Electricity Gregorian Calendar is used for
aged 35mm color print film is The electrical current in China is all official work in China,
available almost everywhere, 220 volts. You will see a variety although the lunar calendar is
don’t expect to find color slide of plugs in China, including two still used for calculating the
or high-speed film outside of flat prongs (the same as dates of festivals.
the large cities. Camera American plugs), or
batteries are widely three flat prongs (the
available in department same as Australian Measurements and
stores in big cities, ones). The British three Conversion Charts
though it is best to square-pin arrange- The metric system is most
bring your own supply. ment is rare outside commonly used in all
Many photo stores in of smart hotels, so it parts of China.
Hong Kong, Macau, Plugs with two is advisable to carry
and mainland China and three prongs a travel conversion Imperial to Metric
provide transferring of plug, readily available 1 inch = 2.5 centimeters
images from a digital camera in most of the larger cities. A 1 foot = 30 centimeters
onto a disc. power-surge cable will protect 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers
Photographing people in laptops against voltage fluctua- 1 ounce = 28 grams
China is generally not a tions, which are common in 1 pound = 454 grams
problem, but it helps to first China. It is best to avoid cheap 1 pint (US) = 0.473 liters
ask for their permission. batteries, as they are very short- 1 gallon (US) = 3.785 liters
Photography is rarely allowed lived. Instead, buy a battery
within temple halls and charger and rechargeable Metric to Imperial
museums, or at archeological batteries, which can be easily 1 centimeter = 0.4 inches
sites, and signs indicate where found in most Chinese stores. 1 meter = 3 feet 3 inches
photography is not permitted. Blackouts are not unheard of 1 kilometer = 0.6 miles
In case you don’t find a sign in China, so, given the erratic 100 gram = 3.53 ounces
with such restrictions marked power cuts, it is wise to carry 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
in English, it is advisable to ask a flashlight. 1 liter = 2.11 pints (US)
602 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Etiquette and women sunbathing topless

are rarely seen as Chinese beach
Despite rampant modernization, China remains a traditional culture is quite modest.
society governed by strong family values. Although the cities
and towns give the outward impression of Western modernity, Face
their inhabitants retain a deep-seated and family-oriented
Reserved in manner and
conservatism. Confucian values promote respect for elders expression, the Chinese
and those in positions of authority, and reinforce notions of also harbor strong feelings of
conformity. Religious observance is also an important part personal pride and respect. The
of people’s lives, but is largely separate from mainstream maintenance of pride and the
social behavior. The Chinese are, above all, welcoming and avoidance of shame is known as
saving face. Loss of face (mianzi)
generous, and visitors are often amazed at their hospitality. creates great discomfort and
If invited to someone’s home, a gift of chocolates, French embarrassment for the Chinese,
wine, or a carton of cigarettes will be greatly appreciated. so although you may often be
frustrated by bureaucratic red-
tape and delays, remember that
Greeting People manner. It is a good idea to take arguing may make matters
Shaking hands is not customary some business cards, with your worse. Instead, try tackling
in China, but Chinese men may particulars in Chinese on one difficult situations by being
shake your hand or expect their side and in English on the firm but polite, and use con-
hand to be shaken by foreign reverse, as there will be many frontation only as a last resort.
visitors. Although the Chinese occasions to give them away.
are not particularly tactile in
their greetings, bodily contact is Places of Worship
quite common between friends, Body Language Although there are
even of the same sex. It is quite Once they reach the no dress codes for
common to see young men and age of 30 or 40, the Buddhist, Daoist, or
women walking arm in arm, or Chinese tend to dress Confucian temples,
with their arm around another’s conservatively, visitors to mosques
shoulder. The usual Chinese favoring dark and should dress respectfully
greeting is ni hao (“how are inconspicuous colors – avoid wearing shorts
you?”) or nimen hao in its plural such as brown and or short skirts and
form, to which you reply ni hao black. In cities and cover your upper arms.
or nimen hao – the polite form is towns, people wear Buddhist, Daoist, and
nin/ninmen hao. Chinese people jeans, T-shirts, and Confucian temples are
can be very direct, and will not skirts, and many relaxed about visitors
blanch at asking you how much youngsters also dye wandering about, but
you earn, how old you are, or their hair. Locals Advice for do be considerate
whether you are married. Such expect foreign visitors burning incense toward worshipers. Also,
questions are seen as nothing to dress and behave a check whether you can
more than taking a friendly little flamboyantly, so don’t take photographs within temple
interest in a new acquaintance. worry too much about what you halls, as this is often not
When proffering business cards, wear, but try to avoid looking permitted. Taking photographs
the Chinese do so politely, using scruffy. It is also acceptable for in courtyards, however, is usually
the fingertips of both hands, both sexes to wear shorts in hot not a problem. Some Buddhist
and receive cards in the same weather. On the beach, nudity and Daoist temples are active,
and you should show respect
towards the resident monks.
Dos and Don’ts

If invited out for dinner, expect
to see the diners competing to
pay the entire bill, rather than
dividing it up between them.
It is a good idea to join in the
scramble for the bill, or at least
make an attempt – your gesture
will be appreciated, though
almost certainly declined. The
Chinese avoid talking about
The courtyard of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai politics; it is best to follow suit.
Annoyances
The Chinese habit of staring,
especially in smaller towns and
rural areas, can be a little
annoying. However, the intent
is rarely hostile. Staring was
common even in Beijing until the
1990s, and although it is rare in
cities today, it helps to remember
that China was closed to foreign
nationals until the early 1980s.
Another annoyance that
visitors face in smaller towns are
the constant calls of “Hellooo!”
or laowai (“foreigner”). It is best
to either ignore them or smile, Bric-a-brac to be haggled over on display at a street market in Tianjin
as saying hello often results in
bursts of laughter. In large carriages. The Chinese are Tipping
cities, people often strike up very generous when it comes Tipping is rare in China – there
conversation to practice their to offering cigarettes, so is no obligation to leave a tip
English. Sometimes, art students remember to be equally (xiaofei) and people don’t
try and coerce you into visiting generous in return. They also usually expect one. Some
over-priced art galleries, which enjoy drinking alcohol, and smarter restaurants, especially
you should firmly decline to do. there is no taboo against in Hong Kong, Macau, and the
Although line-ups are moderate intoxication. main Chinese cities, include a
beginning to replace the The usual accompaniment service charge on the bill.
usual mêlée at ticket offices, during a meal is beer (pijiu),
be prepared for a lot of or white spirit (baijiu).
pushing and shoving. People in cities are Begging
Since the outbreak of increasingly drinking China’s imbalanced economic
SARS in 2002 (see p606), wine, and it is available progress and huge population
public health in most large of rural poor have resulted in
organizations have supermarkets. If large numbers of beggars all
made considerable someone raises a toast over the country, especially in
efforts to curb the habit to you (ganbei!), it is cities. Foreign visitors naturally
of spitting. It is still good form for you attract their attention, and
widespread, however, A spirit consumed at to toast the person groups of children are often
especially in rural business banquets back at a later stage. sent by their parents to extract
areas. Spitting is money. The best strategy is to
common on buses and trains, ignore them and walk away.
and it is not considered rude to Bargaining
spit in mid-conversation, so do As a foreign national in China, it
not take offense. is essential to bargain (jiangjia).
You may often be overcharged –
sometimes by large amounts –
Smoking and Alcohol in markets and anywhere
Smoking is now banned in else where prices are not indi-
public places in China, such cated. In some restaurants,
as restaurants, hotels, train the English menu has more
stations and theaters. However, expensive rates than the Chinese
as the world’s largest producer one. You may be able to bargain
and consumer of cigarettes to reduce your hotel room rate,
(xiangyan), these rules are especially during the low season.
difficult to enforce in China. When bargaining, there is no
Despite the appearance of need to be aggressive. Instead,
no-smoking zones, many firmly state your price – which
people choose to ignore them, should never be unrealistic – and
and towns and cities remain walk away if the vendor doesn’t
shrouded in a haze of cigarette agree. Shopkeepers will often
smoke. Many business owners agree to the price once they
resent banning their customers realize they’re losing a potential
from smoking on their premises. sale. The prices in large shops and
Smoking is also banned on government emporia (guoying A beggar in Lhasa with colorful
domestic flights and in train shangdian) are usually fixed. Buddhist regalia
604 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Personal Security and Health Security

Hosting the Olympics saw China
The Police Force in China is called the Public Security Bureau upgrade security at airports,
(gong'anju), abbreviated to PSB. Foreign nationals are unlikely railway and metro stations, and
to encounter the PSB, unless extending their visa, applying at some sights, but it is rarely
intrusive. At certain sights, you
for a permit to a restricted area, or reporting loss or theft. will be asked to deposit your
China is a police state, so the PSB is riddled with corruption bag before making a visit.
and overwhelming bureaucracy. Not all police stations Always carry your passport
(paichusuo) have English-speaking staff, so try to take along with you for identification.
an interpreter if reporting a crime, although it is best to
contact your embassy or consulate first for guidance. Women Travelers
Throughout mainland China, call 110 for the police. Protect China is usually regarded as a
your valuables and important documents at all times, stay very safe destination for women.
and eat in clean places, and drink only mineral water. For In general, Chinese men are
medical attention, it is better to opt for a private clinic respectful toward women, and
rather than one of the many government hospitals. it is unlikely for them to experi-
ence any serious form of sexual
harassment. That said, never
even though it is not unusual take your safety for granted.
for things to go missing from Traveling in a group is always
hotel rooms. You could use wiser, as lone travelers are more
the safes or storage areas that likely to be mugged or assaulted.
most hotels offer, but if you However, if you do travel alone,
do so, insist on a receipt. If stay on your guard when visiting
staying in a dormitory, never rural and far-flung areas, and
leave your essentials and avoid wandering about alone
important documents lying in quiet and deserted places,
around, and be cautious especially after dark.
about giving too many As far as clothing goes, it is
details to fellow travelers. best to observe the clothing
When walking in crowded and behavior of local women,
streets, avoid wearing anything and adapt as closely as possible.
expensive or eye-catching, and It helps to dress modestly,
keep your wallet in the bottom especially in Muslim regions
of your bag, but never in a back- and rural areas.
pack. Be discreet when taking If possible, avoid hotel
out your wallet; it is best to dormitories and opt for single
carry only as much cash rooms in hotels located
Crowds in the busy shopping district as you need for the day. near the center of town
of Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Keep an eye on your on well-lit streets. To avert
belongings while visiting an undesirable encounter,
General Precautions public washrooms, as carry a whistle or
Traveling in China is quite a few travelers learn a few basic
generally safe. Even though have had unpleas- self-defense moves.
crime has burgeoned since the ant experiences.
1980s economic liberalization, Keep cash,
with millions of unemployed credit cards, Gay and Lesbian
migrants flocking to the cities, passport, and visa Travelers
foreign visitors are unlikely to be documents in a money The gay and lesbian
the victims of crime, apart from belt – ones that lie flat scenes in China’s main
petty theft. Tourists on buses and are meant to be cities, in particular
and trains, particularly those worn under clothing Shanghai, Beijing, and
in the hard-seat class (see p617) are best. Also, Hong Kong, are growing
and on overnight journeys, remember to make and diversifying, with
are tempting targets for photocopies of the clubs, bars, and venues
thieves. Guard your camera personal information increasing in number.
and valuables, wear a money and China visa pages However, China is still
belt at all times, and secure of your passport and a highly conventional
your luggage to the rack on any other important society, and homo-
overnight train journeys. documents and store sexuality is largely
Hotels are, more or less, a lot them separately from disapproved of
more secure than dormitories, the originals. Beijing PSB officer and misunderstood.
Homosexuality is legal, but of institution, you will be Public Bathrooms

there are no laws to protect expected to pay cash at Public bathrooms are
gays, and police periodically the time of being admitted. typically of the squat variety
crack down on meeting places. Pharmacies (yaodian), and are squalid, filthy, and
Even in cities, it is inadvisable identified by green crosses, are rarely cleaned, unless watched
for gays and lesbians to be open found all over China. Many of over by an attendant. There is
with their sexuality, despite the them stock both Western little privacy –
tactile relationship many medicine (xi yao) and doorless cubi-
Chinese have with friends Chinese medicine (zhong cles, separated
of the same sex. yao), and can treat you by low walls,
for minor injuries or are the norm.
ailments. Take adequate Sign pointing the way Toilet paper is a
Hospitals and Medical supplies of any to the facilities rarity – don’t forget
Facilities prescription drugs you to carry your own
It is important to take out require, and also remember to supply. Toilet paper should
comprehensive medical take the chemical – not brand – be put in the receptacle, if
insurance before arriving in name of all prescriptions, in provided, rather than down
China. China’s state hospitals case you need to restock. In the toilet, as septic systems are
vary considerably in quality; large cities such as Beijing and often unable to handle paper
better-equipped hospitals Shanghai, prescriptions may products. You will be expected
(yiyuan) can be found in the not be required for a range of to pay a few jiao for using the
cities and large towns, but medicines, including antibiotics facilities. Use hotel and fast-food
even at the best, and sleeping pills. restaurant bathrooms whenever
communication can be Some large hotels have in- you get the opportunity.
problematic. Cities house clinics to help
with large expatriate guests with diagnosis,
communities have medical assistance, Hygiene Tips
private hospitals, and prescriptions. The rigors of travel
where there are Large modern require a few extra hygiene
exclusive clinics with hotels may also be considerations. Carry a small
English-speaking able to provide a bar of soap or a bottle of hand
staff to attend to Distinctive green cross Chinese speaker sanitizer with you all the time. A
non-Chinese visitors. of a pharmacy to accompany you packet of wet wipes always
Consider contacting to the hospital. comes in handy.
your embassy for a list of Those interested in traditional Warts are easily picked up
approved hospitals. In general, Chinese medicine (see p238) for from poorly cleaned shower
medical services are reasonably treating chronic ailments can stalls. You will often find a pair
cheap throughout China, but visit the traditional institutes of flip-flops under your hotel
many hospitals may levy a attached to local hospitals and bed. These are meant to be
certain amount of “foreigner medical colleges. Some hotels, worn in the shower, but you
surcharge” that could ensure too, offer various traditional might consider packing a pair
better care. Whatever the type Chinese treatments. of your own.
DIRECTORY
In an Emergency International SOS, Shanghai Ireland
Tel Police 110. Suite 105, Wing 1, Kunsha Parkway Health, 3 Ritan Dong Lu.
Tel Fire 119. Building, 16 Xin Yuan Li, 203/4 West Retail Plaza, Tel (010) 8531 6200.
Tel Ambulance 120. Chaoyang. Clinic appts: Shanghai Center, 1376
United Kingdom
Tel (010) 6462 9112. Nanjing West Road.
11 Guanghua Lu.
Hospital and ∑ internationalsos.com Tel (021) 6445 5999.
Tel (010) 5192 4000.
Medical Facilities ∑ parkwayhealth.cn
Guangzhou USA
Beijing Can-Am International Embassies in 55 Anjia Lou Lu.
Hong Kong International Medical Center, 5th floor, Beijing Tel (010) 8531 4000.
Medical Clinic, Garden Tower, Garden
Hotel, 368 Huanshi Dong Australia Travel Health
9th floor,
Lu. Tel (020) 8386 6988. 21 Dongzhimen
Office Tower,
∑ canamhealth Wai Dajie. MASTA
Hong Kong Macau
care.com Tel (010) 5140 4111. Tel (0330) 100 4200.
Center, Swissotel,
∑ masta-travel-
2 Chaoyang Men Hong Kong Canada
health.com
Bei Dajie. Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 19 Dongzhimen
Tel (010) 6553 2288. 30 Gascoigne Rd, Yau Ma Wai Dajie. MD Travel Health
∑ hkclinic.com Tei. Tel (0852) 3506 8888. Tel (010) 5139 4000. ∑ mdtravelhealth.com
606 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Stomach Upsets and

Diarrhea
Usually caused by a change of
diet, water, and climate, diarrhea
is common among visitors.
Chinese food, which can be
quite oily and spicy, does require
some getting used to for many
people. If the change of diet is
affecting you, stick to Western
food and simple boiled food,
such as plain rice, until the
diarrhea subsides. Most
importantly, drink lots of fluids,
as diarrhea quickly leads to
dehydration – oral rehydration
solution (ORS) is an effective
remedy. If you do not have any
Sitting in the shade at the Botanical Gardens, Hangzhou, Zhejiang ORS, stir half a teaspoon of salt
and three teaspoons of honey or
Heat, Humidity and and travelers to Tibet and other sugar into a mug of boiled water.
Pollution mountainous regions must be To decrease your chances of
During summer, it is hot all prepared for sudden changes stomach upset, avoid raw salads,
across China. If you’re traveling in temperature. A waterproof cut fruit, cold cuts, roadside
during this time drink plenty of and windproof layer is vital in kabobs, fresh juice, and yogurt.
fluids to prevent dehydration, cold conditions, as is adequate It is important to avoid drinking
and increase your intake of salt warm clothing, including thick tap water even in big cities, apart
to compensate its loss through socks, boots, jacket, gloves, from Hong Kong. Drink boiled
sweating. Wear loose-fitting and most importantly, a hat. water, or bottled mineral water
cotton clothing and sandals, The symptoms of hypothermia after checking that the seal is
remember to bring a sun hat – shivering, dizziness, exhaus- intact. Most international brands
and sunglasses, and use tion, and irrational behavior – of carbonated drinks are widely
plenty of sunscreen. are brought on by prolon- available. Although street food
Most hotels, except the ged exposure to the cold. can look tempting, it is safer to
very cheapest, have Be aware of fingers and abstain unless it is hot and
rooms equipped with toes going white or freshly cooked in front of you.
air-conditioning, numb, the first indi- A good pharmacist can
and virtually all cations of frostbite, recommend standard diarrhea
restaurants are air- and rub them medication, such as Imodium,
conditioned as vigorously though if the attack is severe,
well. Prolonged A motorcyclist wrapped if they do. it is best to consult a doctor.
exposure to the sun up against pollution A popular and effective Chinese
can cause heat medicine for upset stomachs
stroke, a serious condition with First-Aid Kit is Huangliansu.
high body temperature, severe Organize a basic first-aid kit,
headaches, and disorientation. which should include: all
To avoid heat rashes and personal medication, aspirin or SARS and Flu
fungal infections caused by painkillers for fevers and minor In 2002, severe acute respiratory
humidity, wear clean, loose aches and pains, tablets for syndrome (SARS) spread
clothes made of natural fibers, nausea and movement sickness, throughout China and then
and open sandals. antiseptic cream for cuts and to Toronto, Canada. China
Many of China’s cities, including bites, an antifungal ointment, managed to contain the disease
Beijing, experience chronic levels Band-Aids, gauze and tensor with a strict identification and
of atmospheric pollution. This bandages, a pair of scissors, quarantine program. Since
aggravates chest infections, and insect repellent, and tweezers. then, there have only been
asthmatic travelers should always Also carry antihistamines for minor, localized outbreaks of
carry their own medication. allergies, anti-diarrhea tablets, the disease. Another SARS
water purification tablets, outbreak is unlikely, but
disposable syringes, oral should one occur, do not
Cold and Hypothermia rehydration solution, and a travel to the affected area.
Winter can be severe through thermometer. Taking a supply Bird flu, or avian influenza, is
most of north China. High- of antibiotics is a good idea but a serious problem in east Asia,
altitude travel in particular can most of these items are readily but unlikely to affect travelers.
expose you to extreme cold, available at Chinese pharmacies. Do not visit any poultry farms,
may even want to bring your long period and likely to come
own disposable syringe for the into contact with animals. Do
doctor to use. Any procedure not have this vaccine, unless
using needles, such as tattooing advised by your doctor.
or ear-piercing, is best avoided.
Insect-Borne Diseases
Water-Borne Diseases Mosquitos are rife during
Visitors must be on their guard the summer in China. In
against dysentery. Bacillary the southern part of the
dysentery is accompanied country, mosquitos can carry a
by severe stomach pains, number of diseases. If you are
A food stall with a tempting but vomiting, and fever, whereas visiting an area with a high risk
risky display amoebic dysentery has similar of malaria, take preventive anti-
symptoms but takes longer to malarial drugs before, during,
avoid birds at outdoor markets, manifest. Vaccination against and after your trip. Contact
and eat only poultry and Hepatitis A is advisable before MASTA (Medical Advisory
eggs that have been leaving home, especially if Services for Travellers Abroad)
thoroughly cooked. you plan to visit rural areas. and check the MD Travel
In 2009, China underwent Other water-borne diseases, Health website (see p605)
a mass vaccination such as cholera and for information on malaria
program against swine typhoid, can also be medication. Dengue fever
flu (H1N1) for at-risk prevented with vaccines. and Japanese B encephalitis
individuals (such as Schistosomiasis (bilharzia), are also carried by mosquitos.
young children and a disease caused by a To guard against mosquito
pregnant women). The water-borne parasitic bites, apply mosquito repellent
World Health Organisation worm found in south and wear clothes that cover
(WHO) provides up-to- and central China, can as much of your arms and
date information on be avoided by not legs as possible.
serious diseases. If you swimming in fresh water.
develop symptoms of Bottled Drink bottled mineral
pneumonia or flu after mineral water water at all times, and
Altitude Sickness
your trip, see your avoid ice cubes. A lack of sufficient oxygen at
physician immediately. altitudes higher than 8,000 ft
(2,500 m) can cause attacks of
Rabies Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Sexually Transmitted and The deadly rabies virus is spread – severe headaches, dizziness,
Other Infectious Diseases via the bite of an infected and loss of appetite. If these
After years of denial, animal. If you are bitten, clean symptoms persist beyond 48
Chinese authorities have the bite with an antiseptic hours, you must descend to a
begun to publicly admit to the solution and seek medical help lower altitude immediately and
alarming spread of HIV – the at once. Treatment involves a seek medical help. To avoid
virus that causes Acquired course of injections. A rabies altitude sickness ascend slowly,
Immune Deficiency Syndrome vaccine is only necessary if you drink plenty of fluids, and avoid
(AIDS) – via unprotected sex, are visiting high-risk areas for a alcohol and sedatives.
drug use, and infected blood
banks. Nonetheless, consider-
able ignorance about the
disease and its prevention
still exists in rural areas, and
most prostitutes working in
the cities are from rural China.
Long-term visitors to China are
screened for HIV infection.
Hepatitis B, also transmitted
through contact with infected
blood, is spread through sexual
contact, unsterilized needles,
tattoos, and shaves from road-
side barbers. However, it can
be prevented with a vaccine.
When visiting a clinic, ensure
that the doctor opens a new
syringe in front of you. You Trekking at high altitudes on Chomolungma (Mount Everest)
608 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Changing Money
Banking and Local Currency Chinese currency is not widely
China provides a wide range of banking facilities and money available internationally,
exchange services, which are available in large cities, interna- though, increasingly, it can
tional airports, major banks, and top-end hotels. Always be exchanged in Asian airports
and banks in major Asian cities,
keep some cash to hand for transportation, restaurants, and as well as Hong Kong and
purchases, as traveler’s checks and credit cards cannot Macau. Within China, you can
be used everywhere, especially in rural areas. ATMs that exchange currency at banks
accept international cards are easy to find in all major cities. and international airports
Foreign banks like HSBC and Standard Chartered are and most decent hotels will
change money for guests.
expanding their branch networks in major Chinese cities.
Most major currencies are
accepted. All exchange
operations are linked to the
Banks and Banking Hours card issuer’s website for Bank of China, so rates vary
The Bank of China has the most locations that do. In cities, ATMs little between them. Keep
extensive network in the are located in banks, shopping exchange receipts so that you
country. Several other major malls, five-star hotels and air- can re-convert any surplus
banks operate nationwide, ports. Some ATMs also dispense renminbi before leaving China.
including the Industrial and cash against credit cards. Cash The Chinese “black market” for
Commercial Bank of China withdrawn from ATMs is subject exchanging foreign currency
(ICBC), the China Construction to the same exchange rate as offers only marginally better
Bank, and China Merchants credit cards, and there may be rates than banks. Dealing with
Bank. Banks are normally open a limit to how much you can the shady characters involved is
9am–4:30pm or 5pm Monday withdraw per day, so check with not worth the hassle or risk, and
to Friday, but there are your bank for more information. you may end up with
variations between places, counterfeit renminbi.
and some banks are open Hong Kong dollars are con-
on Saturdays. All banks remain vertible and available outside
closed for the first three days the country. They are accepted
of the Chinese New Year, with in Macau and most southern
reduced hours during other Special Economic Zones.
Chinese holidays.
Credit Cards
ATMs Credit cards are widely accepted
ATMs that accept foreign cards in upscale restaurants, hotels,
are common in all major cities and high-street stores, but
of mainland China, plus Hong always check before attempting
Kong and Macau, so can be to make a purchase that your
relied upon for easy access to foreign card is accepted. The
cash. In more remote areas of accepted cards are MasterCard,
China, not all ATMs may accept Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Visa, Japan Credit Bureau (JCB),
international cards; visit your Corporation (HSBC) ATMs Diners Club, and American
DIRECTORY
Bank of China Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai
39/F, Bank of China Tower, HSBC Tower, Citibank Tower, 33
Beijing 200 Yincheng Zhong Lu, 8 Century Avenue, Huayuan Shiqiao Lu,
2 Chaoyang Men Nei Pudong, 200120. Pudong, 200120.
Pudong, 200120.
Dajie. 1 Fuxing Men Nei 24-Hr ATMs American Express
Hong Kong
Dajie, 100818. Shanghai Center,
1 Garden Road, Central Beijing
∑ boc.cn 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu.
24–28 Carnarvon Road, Room 2101, China World
24-Hr ATMs Tsim Sha Tsui. Tower One, China World
Citibank Trade Center, 1 Jianguo
Arrivals Hall, Capital Men Wai Dajie, 100004.
Airport. Corner of HSBC Beijing ∑ americanexpress.
1/F Tower 1, com.cn
Sundongan Plaza, Beijing Bright Chang
Wangfujing Dajie. 1/F, Fortune Financial An Building, 7 Shanghai
Corner of Oriental Plaza, Center, 5 Dongsanhuan Jianguomennei Dajie. Room 206, Retail Plaza,
1 Dongchang’an Jie. Zhong Lu. ∑ hsbc.com.cn ∑ citibank.com.cn Shanghai Center, 200040.
Express. Air tickets can be and even then, they will do 10 almost worthless fen. In
bought by credit card from the so reluctantly, as the process colloquial Chinese, jiao is called
Civil Aviation Administration is complicated. Avoid bringing mao, and yuan is kuai. The most
of China (CAAC) offices, but traveler’s checks if at all possible. common coins include 1 yuan,
train tickets have to be paid Keep the proof of purchase 5 jiao, and 1 jiao, while the bills
for in cash. Cash advances slips and a record of the serial in circulation are 1, 2, and 5 jiao,
can be made on credit cards numbers in case of loss or theft. and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100
at the Bank of China. Hold on to encashment slips, yuan. There are also some fen
so you can convert spare coins and notes, but this tiny
renminbi to another currency denomination is rarely accepted.
Traveler’s Checks before leaving the country. Try not to acquire too many
Traveler’s checks are safer to damaged notes, as they may be
carry than cash and offer a difficult to get rid of. Counter-
better exchange rate, but you Currency feiting is widespread, and shop-
will have to pay a commission. China’s currency is called yuan keepers regularly scrutinize large
In addition, they are very hard renminbi, literally “people’s denominations. Hong Kong
to exchange; indeed, only the money”. One yuan divides dollars divide into 100 cents, and
Bank of China will change them, into 10 jiao, which divides into Macanese patacas into 100 avos.
Banknotes
The more recently minted bills have Mao Zedong
on one side and a well-known heritage sight on
the other. The older bills depict the traditional
dress of various ethnic minorities.
1-yuan note
5-yuan note
10-yuan note
20-yuan note
50-yuan note
100-yuan note
Coins
Chinese coins are not widely
circulated. There is a 1 yuan coin,
some jiao denominations, as
well as tiny and lightweight fen. 5 jiao 1 jiao 1 yuan
610 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Communications and Media government has been clamping

down on the use of paid-for
China has an efficient postal network with a variety of virtual private networks (VPNs),
services, including registered post and express mail. Tele- which had previously offered
communication systems are reasonably advanced and access to banned sites.
international telephone calls can be made from all but the
cheapest hotels. The Internet is hugely popular, and cafés Postal Services
and bars with Wi-Fi access are widespread. The government, The postal service in China is,
however, polices the net, and websites that it considers for the most part, reliable,
controversial may be blocked. Foreign newspapers and and the domestic service is
magazines are sold in five-star hotel bookstores, and in reasonably fast. It takes a day
for mail to reach local destina-
some supermarkets and other bookstores. tions, two or more days to
inland destinations, while the
international postal service
also be purchased for modest takes up to ten days for airmail
prices (all have English menus) and postcards overseas. Visitors
and there is a thriving second- can send mail by standard or
hand market. Most international registered post (guahaoxin),
mobile networks have “roaming” while EMS (Express Mail Service)
partnerships with Chinese is a reliable way to send
phone companies, but it is a packages and documents
good idea to check the call abroad and within the country.
rates before you travel. Main post offices are open
seven days a week, from 8am
to 8pm, while smaller ones
Internet usually close earlier or for
Personal computer ownership lunch, and remain shut on
is widespread in China, and the weekends. Large hotels
Internet cafés (wangba) have usually have post desks.
Wheelchair-accessible phone booth, Beijing almost become a thing Take your mail to the post
of the past. China has rapidly office, rather than dropping
International and Local become a very wired nation; it in a mailbox. It will help
Telephone Calls most urbanites carry a smart- postal staff sort your letter
Public telephones do exist in phone and laptop or iPad. if you write the country’s
China but are rarely used in the Many smart, modern cafés, name in Chinese characters.
cities – China has the largest coffee shops, and bars offer Aerograms and packaging
number of cell phone users in free Wi-Fi. Similarly, free materials for parcels are
the world. If you do use a public broadband access for those available at post offices.
telephone, card phones that with their own computers is Reliable poste restante ser-
accept a wide variety of commonplace in most hotels vices are available all over China.
phonecards are available in of a reasonable standard, as You will need some form of
large cities, and are the well as in the majority of youth identification – preferably your
cheapest way of making calls. hostels. Overseas websites and passport – to retrieve your mail.
IC (Integrated Circuit) cards blogs are carefully monitored Envelopes should be addressed
come in denominations of ¥20, in China and often blocked. The with the surname underlined
¥50, and ¥100. They are largely
used for domestic calls. They
can also be used for interna-
tional calls, though the rates
are not very good. IP (Internet
Phone) cards come in
denominations of ¥100 and
offer the cheapest rates for
international calls.
If you buy a local SIM card you
can hook your GSM cell phone
up to the Chinese system in
minutes (North Americans need
unlocked tri- or quad-band
phones). Top-up cards are
available on almost every
street corner. Phones can Internet cafés are quickly being replaced by Wi-Fi access in regular cafés
DIRECTORY
China Post
Tel 11185.
∑ ems.com.cn
∑ chinapost.com.cn
DHL Worldwide Express
Tel 800 810 8000 (toll free
nationwide). ∑ dhl.com
Federal Express
nationwide). ∑ fedex.com.
A choice of Chinese newspapers on display at a newsstand General Post Office

1 Beijing Zhan Qian Jie, Beijing.
and in capitals. Chinese and other large cities, look out 100 Yan’an Dong Lu, Shanghai.
2 Connaught Place, Central,
addresses always start with the for expat entertainment and
Hong Kong.
country, then the province, city, culture magazines, which offer
street, house number, and name the best news on local events. International Post Office
of recipient. The postcode The Shanghai Daily also covers Jianguo Men Bei Dajie, Beijing.
should be written at the end. entertainment, dining options, Sichuan Bei Lu, Shanghai.
and cultural events. UPS
Courier Services nationwide). ∑ ups.com
Courier services are TV and Radio
widely available, The state-run television
but less so in small network, Chinese Central costume dramas and tepid
towns and remote Television (CCTV), has soaps to domestic travel, wildlife
areas. While it is two English-language programs, war films, and heavily
preferable to send channels. CCTV9 is biased news programs.
large, bulky items by tolerable despite its There is also a wide Chinese-
regular land, sea, or biased news and does language radio network, but
air cargo, important have some interesting only a few local English-
letters, documents, programs. Some language programs. You will
and smaller parcels English programs are need a shortwave radio to
are best sent through Mail box, Beijing also broadcast on pick up the BBC World Service,
a courier agency. CCTV4. Cable and Voice of America, and other
UPS, Federal Express, satellite television is available in international programs. The
DHL Worldwide Express, most international chain hotels, BBC has closed its Chinese-
and China Post are inter- and you will find BBC News 24 language World Service
national courier agencies or CNN everywhere. Chinese broadcasts. English broadcasts
with a wide network. programs range from historical are often subject to disruption.
Newspapers and Useful Dialing Codes and Numbers

Magazines
• To call China from abroad, • To make an international
The China Daily is China’s dial your international access call from China, dial 00, the
official English-language code, China’s country code country code, the area code
newspaper. Its reputation (86), the area code omitting omitting any initial 0, and
for being dry remains, but its the first 0, followed by the the local number.
scope and coverage has local number. • Country codes: UK 44;
greatly improved. The state- • Neither Hong Kong nor France 33; USA and Canada 1;
run Shanghai Daily offers good Macau have area codes; they Australia 61; Ireland 353;
coverage of events in the city. only have country codes – New Zealand 64; South
Most international newspapers 852 and 853 respectively. Africa 27; Japan 81.
and magazines can be found • To make an inter-city call, • Dial 115 for international
dial the area code of that directory assistance.
at tourist hotel stores and a
city and the local number. • Dial 114 for local directory
small selection of supermarkets For Beijing, dial 010; Shanghai enquiries in Chinese; dial the
and other bookstores. Titles 021; Guangzhou 020; area code followed by 114
available include the Inter- Chongqing 023; for numbers in another town.
national Herald Tribune, the Kunming 0871.
Financial Times, Time, Newsweek, • To make a local call, omit
and The Economist. In Beijing, the area code.
Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou,
612 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Most visitors to China arrive by air, though especially for sleeping berths – can be rare
overland routes exist with train links to neigh- during the holiday periods. The intercity
boring Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and high-speed rail network is extensive, and
Vietnam, and a bus link to Pakistan. It is also often a good substitute for flying. Bus
possible to arrive by sea; there are regular travel is improving, with buses covering
ferries from Japan and South Korea. Traveling the entire country, including a number
within the country – even to remote areas – of “luxury” buses that offer reasonable
is possible by air, train, road, and, on a comfort. Renting a car is not advised;
few routes, by boat. China has a huge, rapidly the paperwork required to obtain a
expanding rail network, although tickets – Chinese driving licence is extensive.
Arriving by Air Air China, China Eastern, an international airport on Taipa

All major international airlines Aeroflot (via Moscow), Island, although most visitors
fly to China. Air China, the Malaysia Airlines arrive via boat from Hong Kong.
country’s main international (via Kuala Lumpur), and Air Other international airports
carrier, has quite basic service Asia, Jetstar, and Tiger offering flights to overseas
and facilities, but has a near- Airways (from Southeast Asia). destinations include Changchun
spotless safety record and its (Nagoya, Seoul, and Tokyo),
flights, to most of the world’s Changsha (Seoul), Chengdu
major airports, are competitively International Flights and (Amsterdam, Bangkok, Frankfurt,
priced. North American and Airports Kathmandu, Singapore, and
European carriers such as China’s three main international Tokyo), Chongqing (Nagoya,
United Airlines, British Airways, airports are at Hong Kong, Seoul, and Singapore), Dalian
Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, KLM, Beijing, and Shanghai. The (Hiroshima, Munich, Sendai,
and Air France, have regular, Chinese government is Seoul, and Tokyo), Guangzhou
often direct, flights to some, or investing a considerable (Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles,
all, of China’s three main – and amount of money to provide Sydney, Singapore, Paris, and
most sophisticated – airports at its international airports with other destinations), Guilin (Seoul
Hong Kong, Shanghai, and state-of-the-art features. Beijing and Bangkok), Haikou (Bangkok,
Beijing. Flights to the other parts Capital Airport has three Osaka, and Seoul), Hangzhou
of the Far East, Australia, and impressive terminals – terminal (Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul,
New Zealand are offered, three was designed by architect Tokyo, and Amsterdam), Harbin
among others, by Singapore Norman Foster and opened in (Seoul, Khabarovsk, and Vladi-
Airlines, Japan Airlines, All time for the 2008 Olympics. In vostok), Kunming (Bangkok),
Nippon Airways, Korean Air, 1999, Pudong Airport was built Lhasa (Kathmandu), Nanjing
Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Air New in Shanghai, making it the first (Bangkok, Seoul, Singapore,
Zealand. Cheaper flight options city in China to have two inter- and Frankfurt), Qingdao (Osaka,
to China are also available via national airports. Macau, too, has Seoul, and Tokyo), Shenyang
(Osaka and Seoul), Shenzhen
(Bangkok, Manila, and Tokyo),
Tianjin (Nagoya and Seoul),
Xi’an (Nagoya, Pusan, Seoul,
and Tokyo), Xiamen (Manila,
Singapore, Osaka, and Tokyo),
Ürümqi (Almaty, Bishkek,
Islamabad, Moscow, and Novo-
sibirsk), and Wuhan (Seoul).
Air Fares
Air fares vary according to the
airline and the season. The peak
season for international flights
to China is between June and
September, when prices are
highest. Reasonably priced tickets
are also hard to find during the
holidays: Chinese New Year and
State-of-the-art terminal at Beijing Airport the first week of October. While
T R AV E L I N F O R M AT I O N 613
Getting from the Airport

flying via another country is DIRECTORY
cheaper than flying direct, Airports are linked to the city
traveling by a Chinese airline such by express train or by bus Airline Offices
as Air China or China Eastern (see routes that make several Air China
p615) will be cheaper than stops in town. Avoid the Tel 4008 100 999,
international airlines. Plenty of overpriced taxi touts who try toll free nationwide.
discount tickets are available for and force their services on ∑ airchina.com.cn
long-term travel, which are valid foreign visitors. Instead, head
for 12 months with multiple for the taxi rank, where trips Air France
Tel 4008 808 808.
stopovers and open dates. The into town are charged by
∑ airfrance.com.cn
best deals can usually be found the meter. Four- and five-star
online (try www.ctrip.com and hotels usually run shuttle buses All Nippon Airways
www.elong.com). Numerous to their hotels and the Civil Tel 4008 828 888.
travel agencies across the world Aviation Administration of ∑ ana.co.jp
have websites, making it easy to China (CAAC) runs buses British Airways
compare prices. Tickets can be to their office in town. Tel 400 881 0207.
booked through ticket offices, ∑ britishairways.com
travel agents, and hotels, but
travel agents – especially those Check-In Cathay Pacific
Tel 400 888 6628.
away from hotels and areas used The check-in time for inter- ∑ cathaypacific.com
by expats – tend to offer the national flights is officially
best prices. 2 hours before departure. KLM
Most passengers are allowed Tel 4008 808 222,
On Arrival up to 44 lbs (20 kg) of Beijing & Shanghai.
∑ klm.com
On the airplane, visitors baggage, while first-class
are given a customs passengers may be Lufthansa
arrival form allowed up to Tel 4008 868 868.
to complete, 66 lbs (30 kg). One ∑ lufthansa.com
combining additional item of Qantas
Logo of China’s national
immigration, hand luggage Tel 800 819 0089.
airline, Air China
customs, and health weighing up to 11 ∑ qantas.com.au
information, which has to lbs (5 kg) is also usually
be submitted along with permitted. Baggage allowance United Airlines
Tel 400 883 4288.
their passport at the airport depends on the destination,
∑ united.com
immigration counter (between and travelers to North America
the plane and the arrivals hall). are generally allowed more Virgin Atlantic
International airports luggage. If you are carrying Tel (021) 5353 4600, Shanghai.
throughout China offer a limited heavy luggage, check with your ∑ virgin-atlantic.com
range of facilities, but you will airline to make sure that your
find foreign exchange counters, luggage is within the weight
ATMs, public telephones, left- limit, as excess baggage
luggage services, restaurants charges can be very high.
(though rather overpriced),
very limited shops, and toilets.
Airport tourist information Departure
centers in China are of varying Departure tax is included in
degrees of usefulness, and are the price of an airplane ticket
often manned by staff who and a fee is no longer payable
speak poor English. at airports.
Airport § Information Distance to City Center Average Journey Time
Beijing Capital Airport (010) 96158 16 miles (25 km) northeast 40 mins (taxi)
Hongqiao Airport
(021) 5114 6655 12 miles (19 km) west 30 mins (taxi)
(Shanghai)
Pudong Airport (Shanghai) (021) 6834 5328 28 miles (45 km) east 45 mins (taxi)
Hong Kong International

(0852) 2181 8888 20 miles (32 km) west 25 mins (train)
Airport
Macau International Airport (0853) 2886 1111 3 miles (5 km) northwest 15 mins (taxi)
614 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Domestic Air Travel

The arrival of cheap, high-speed train travel in China has led
Chinese airlines to step up the competition in terms of both
the cost and comfort of their services, especially on the
popular Shanghai–Beijing route. The extensive domestic
flight network involves numerous regional airlines flying to
over 150 airports. The main cities of Beijing, Nanjing,
Chengdu, Tianjin, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dalian,
Guangzhou, and Xi’an are particularly well connected to
airports throughout the country. Domestic air tickets are
straightforward to buy, so wait until you arrive in the country The domestic departure hall of Beijing
and then shop around for discounts. Flight cancellations and Capital Airport
delays due to bad weather are common, especially in winter
and on less-traveled routes in the more remote provinces, so Shanghai’s Pudong International
remember to reconfirm your ticket and the time of your flight. Airport and Hongqiao Airport,
Guangzhou Baiyun International
Airport, and the Hong Kong
Domestic Airlines China’s peripheral regions. International Airport at Chek
A few private airlines operate Before you choose to book Lap Kok. These modern airports
from Hong Kong and Macau, with a particular airline, you easily compare with the best in
but most other airlines in China may wish to ask what kind of the world. Airports in some
are administered by the Civil plane you will be boarding. major tourist cities, such as Xi’an,
Aviation Administration The baggage allowance is up Hangzhou, Tianjin, Kunming,
of China (CAAC). There are to 44 lbs (20 kg) for economy Chengdu, and Nanjing also offer
currently about ten domestic class and up to 66 lbs (30 kg) for up-to-date facilities. Many new
carriers operating in China. (The first and business class. You are airports are being built in cities
initials in parentheses are the also allowed up to 11 lbs (5 kg) across China, including a second
airline code or flight-number of hand luggage, although one in Beijing (in Daxing district,
prefix.) Some of the domestic airlines almost never weigh it. in Hebei province). A number of
airlines, such as China Southern The charge for excess baggage airlines operate to and from
(CZ), and China Eastern (MU), is 1 percent of the full fare per Hong Kong and Macau, as well
also fly international routes. You 2.2 lbs (1 kg). as from the mainland. These
can buy domestic flights from include the low-cost carrier
these airlines overseas, but rates Spring Airlines, Hong Kong-
are far better when booked in Domestic Airports based Dragonair and the
China. Other domestic airlines Air travel is becoming much Hainan Island-based operator
include Sichuan Airlines (3U), more convenient in China, with Hainan Airlines.
Shenzhen Airlines (ZH), Hainan new airports being built and old
Airlines (HU), and Xiamen ones renovated and expanded.
Airlines (MF). It has been made a national Getting to and from
The CAAC is driving service priority to upgrade all city the Airport
improvement throughout the airports, and state-of-the-art The distance from airports to
industry, especially on board, facilities are now available city centers varies considerably
and changes are noticeable at Beijing Capital Airport, in China, so factor this into your
from even just a few years ago.
Unfortunately, frequent delays
and cancellations still occur.
Announcements are in both
Chinese and English if there
are foreign nationals on board.
In-flight service can be brusque,
and foreign visitors have felt
neglected in the past, but
service has improved greatly.
Air China’s international flying
safety record is good, and now
almost all domestic airlines
have fleets of new aircraft,
which means safety records
have improved further. Older
aircraft are sometimes used in Flight attendants aboard Sichuan Airlines en route to Chengdu
journey time. Also, always domestic flights is usually departing from. Business class
allow time for unforeseen ¥50, and is paid at the time tickets cost 25 percent more
delays en route. In many large of purchasing the ticket. than economy, while first class
cities and towns, you can reach tickets cost 60 percent more.
the airport or travel from the Children over the age of 12 are
airport into town on a CAAC Tickets, Reservations, charged adult fares, while there
bus, which departs from and and Cancellations are special discounted fares for
arrives at the CAAC office in Each domestic airline has younger children and infants.
town. In larger cities, such as a booking office in most cities, If you wish to return or
Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong as well as a reservation counter change your air ticket, you
Kong, dedicated bus at each airport. can get a refund as long as
and train services Tickets can be you cancel at least 24 hours
run from town to booked through before departure, and return
the airport. Hong ticket offices, travel your ticket to the same agent
Kong, Shanghai and agents, online via who sold it to you. Even if you
Beijing airports all www.ctrip.com and miss your flight, you are entitled
have express train www.elong.com, or to a refund of 50 percent of the
links to the city. the travel desks of full fare. You may be asked to
Shanghai’s some of the buy travel insurance from your
Hongqiao better hotels – ticketing agent. However, it is
and Pudong you should not generally not worthwhile, as
Airports are be charged a the claim amount is very low.
connected to booking fee.
the city’s metro Travel agents
system (line 2). tend to offer DIRECTORY
For faster travel Road signs to the airport, Hong Kong the best
to and from discounts. CAAC Offices
downtown, the high-speed Credit cards are accepted by
∑ caac.gov.cn
Maglev train connects with many travel agents and CAAC
Longyang Road metro station offices. Visitors are required to Beijing
(also line 2), near the Pudong show their passports when Tel (010) 8778 6114.
commercial/residential centre. purchasing tickets. There is Shanghai
Taxis wait for passengers generally no shortage of tickets Tel (021) 6835 7207.
outside the arrivals hall. Make unless you are flying between
sure you head for the taxi rank Hong Kong and a mainland China Eastern Airlines
and avoid the numerous touts destination, except in the run
∑ en.ceair.com
who will try to direct you up to and during the Chinese
Tel (010) 95530
towards their own car. Insist New Year, and the week-long
(nationwide hotline).
on the driver using the meter. holiday period after October 1,
Drivers rarely speak English so when it is advisable to book China Southern
have your destination written well ahead. Airlines
in Chinese characters or keep A combined international
∑ csair.com
the phone number of your and domestic timetable is
Tel (010) 95539
accommodation on hand published by CAAC in both
(nationwide hotline).
so the driver can call for English and Chinese. These
directions. If you have publications can be bought at Dragonair
booked accommodation, most airline offices and CAAC
check whether your hotel outlets. Individual airlines also ∑ dragonair.com
offers transport to and from print their own timetables, Hong Kong
the airport. available at booking offices Tel (0852) 3193 3888.
throughout the country. Flight
schedules are revised in April Shanghai
Check-In and October each year. Tel 400 888 6628
(nationwide in mainland China).
For most domestic flights, Ticket prices are calculated
the check-in time is at according to a one-way fare, Hainan Airlines
least an hour and a half and a return-ticket is simply
before departure, although double the single fare. Tel 0898 950712.
very few passengers arrive Discounts on official fares ∑ global.hnair.com
that early. Make sure all your are the norm, so it is best to
Sichuan Airlines
bags are tagged, and do not check with travel agents for
pack sharp objects, such as good deals. You are likely to Tel 4008 300 999.
scissors, tweezers, nail files, or get a better deal on a flight if ∑ scal.com.cn
knitting needles, in your hand you buy your ticket from an
luggage. The airport tax for agent in the city you are
616 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Traveling by Train Trains are of five types: those

with numbers prefixed by the
China is a vast country and, for many travelers, train journeys letter “T” or “K” are express (te
are an excellent way to see the countryside and get to know kuai) or fast (kuai) trains, and
the people. Trains are punctual, fast, and relatively safe, and those whose numbers have
no prefix are ordinary (pu kuai)
are a reliable transport option. Since 2009, China has been trains, with frequent stops.
rolling out an extensive network of high-speed “bullet” trains “G” indicates direct high-speed
running on key intercity routes. Journey times are much trains, while “D” is used for
shorter, but ticket prices are higher. Trains are usually crowded high-speed trains with stops.
so it is advisable to either buy your ticket well in advance, or Express trains have carriages
ask your hotel or travel agent to arrange your bookings. of all classes, and are the most
modern and comfortable, with
few stops and superior services.
The Rail Network All long-distance trains are
Since the cost of air travel is equipped with sleepers.
beyond the reach of many There is no smoking
Chinese, traveling by train is permitted within compart-
the preferred alternative, ments, except in hard-seat
especially over long distances. carriages, although most trains
China has an efficient and allow passengers to smoke
extensive rail network that in the corridors. Most trains
covers every province, including have dining cars, and staff will
Hainan Island, connected to continuously push trolleys
the mainland by a special train through the carriages selling
ferry, and mountainous Tibet, noodles, snacks, mineral water,
connected to Qinghai by a new coffee, and newspapers. The
railroad line. Hong Kong is also noise level in carriages is
connected to mainland China Platform food stall, Yinchuan train station often very high, as music and
by rail. Depending on which announcements are regularly
type of ticket you purchase, visitors will need patience broadcast over the speakers.
Chinese trains can be quite to deal with them. Trying China’s modern fleet of trains
comfortable, and there are to locate English-speaking staff are much cleaner than the old
fast services running between on platforms is difficult, even in ones and have air-conditioning.
most large towns and cities. large cities such as Beijing and The older trains can be very
Shanghai. Telephoning stations dingy indeed; prepare yourself
with enquiries is pointless for sordid and filthy bathrooms.
Trains and Timetables unless you speak Chinese.
Although trains in China are Each train is identified by
commendably punctual, trying a train number, written on Classes
to decipher a Chinese timetable the outside of each carriage, Whereas high-speed trains have
is an impossible task, unless you that indicates its route and only two classes (economy and
can read Chinese. Timetables destination. As a rule, incoming first), regular Chinese trains have
are published in April and and outgoing trains running four. The most luxurious class
October each year, and are between two destinations are is Soft Sleeper (ruan wo), with
available at train station numbered sequentially. For four comfortable berths per
ticket offices. A good online example, train K79 travels compartment. Offering more
timetable can be found at www. from Shanghai to Kunming, privacy, security, and cleanliness
travelchinaguide.com. Stations while train K80 runs from than less-expensive classes, soft
can be frustrating places, and Kunming to Shanghai. sleeper tickets are very
Grand Soviet-style Taiyuan train station

days before departure. On

short routes, you may be
able to secure a ticket just
before departure, but it is
safest to buy ahead.
Tickets on longer routes
sell out, especially those
for hard sleepers.
Train fares are calculated
according to the class and
the distance traveled. All
Modern glass-and-steel train station, Changzhou tickets are one-way, so
you will need to buy
pricey, and are not much quite unpleasant. Carriages another ticket for the return
cheaper than air tickets on are usually crowded and dirty, journey, although return tickets
certain routes. the speakers blare endlessly, are gradually being introduced
For long journeys lasting lights remain on at night, and for the high-speed intercity
over 6 hours, Hard Sleeper (ying compartments are filled with routes. Joining the crowds at
wo) is the best way to travel. smoke. It is possible to upgrade station ticket counters can be
Consequently, these tickets are (bu piao) once aboard the very trying, so unless the station
the hardest to procure, and train, if there is space available has a separate ticket office for
you’ll be lucky to get one on in the class of your choice. foreign visitors, which is the
short notice. Hard sleeper can Note that hard-seat tickets case at Beijing train station,
be an economical choice when bought on the same day consider asking your hotel,
traveling between cities are usually unreserved. tourist office, or travel agent to
overnight, as it saves the cost of Available only on certain buy tickets for you. Black-market
a night in a hotel. Carriages con- routes, Soft Seat (ruan zuo) operators buy tickets in bulk
sist of doorless compartments, carriages are much more and then re-sell them at a mark-
each with six comfortable up outside railway stations. If
bunks. Tickets and spacious you’re buying tickets on the
are of three than hard blackmarket, check the dates
types – upper seat, and seat of travel, destination, and class
berth (shang two people printed on the ticket carefully.
Booking office sign, Zhenjiang train station,
pu), middle side-by-side Before boarding the train,
berth (zhong pu), in numbered visitors wait in a hall before
and lower berth (xia pu), with a seats. Tickets cost about as filing past ticket-checkers to
small price difference between much as hard sleeper. the platform. Retain your ticket
each. The lowest berth is the as inspectors will ask to see it
most expensive, while the top again, just before you reach
one is the cheapest. The best Train Tickets, Fares your destination. Note that
berth, however, is the middle and Reservations getting hold of tickets during
one. The upper bunk has little When buying tickets, it is the Chinese New Year (Spring
headroom and is closest to the essential to plan in advance. Festival), and the May and
speakers. During the day, the On most routes, it is vital to buy October holiday periods
lower bunk acts as seating and tickets at least two or three days can be very difficult, and
fills with fellow passengers. before you travel, although it is inadvisable to travel
Pillows, sheets, and blankets are tickets are available up to 20 during these times.
provided by the railways, as are
two thermos flasks of boiling
water, which you can replenish
yourself from the massive boiler
at the end of each carriage.
Once aboard the train, the
inspector will exchange your
ticket for a token, and return
the ticket at the end of
the journey.
The cheapest class is Hard
Seat (ying zuo), which seats
three people side-by-side
on lightly cushioned seats.
Although fine for short journeys,
spending more than 4 hours in
a hard-seat carriage can be A uniformed guard minding a double-decker train, Dalian
618 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Traveling by Bus and Ferry considerably. Drivers can be

reckless and bus crashes are
China’s extensive network of road transport connects most cities, distressingly frequent. The noise
as well as distant, rural areas. Bus travel is essential for reaching level can be deafening, with
places that are not served by train. Tickets are both easier to music blaring and the driver
leaning on the horn, so take
procure and are cheaper than train tickets, and there is a wider earplugs. Most buses are
choice of departure times, stops, and itineraries. The absence of choked with cigarette smoke.
a national operator, however, means that numerous competing Ordinary buses (putong
businesses exist, coupled with minimal regulation. Furthermore, che) are the cheapest and
driving is often rash, vehicles are poorly maintained, and road have basic, lightly padded
conditions can be bad, especially in the more remote areas. seats. These buses stop often,
so progress can be slow. They
A small network of passenger ferries serves ports along provide little space for baggage
China’s coastline and some of the inland waterways. – there’s no room under the
seats and the luggage racks
are minuscule. Suitcases and
Long-Distance Buses where state-run buses backpacks are usually stacked
There are still many parts of arrive and depart. Private next to the driver, and you
China that are not accessible bus firms may have set up may be charged.Sleeper buses
by train, making it necessary to a few of their own bus (wopu che) speed through the
make the long haul by road. In stations in town; often, night making few stops, so
Fujian, where rail services exist one of these is located reach their destination
but are infuriatingly indirect, bus next to the train in good time. They
travel makes a lot of sense. In station. Other stations usually have two tiers
Guizhou and Guangxi, the more may be located on the of bunks, or seats that
interesting areas inhabited by edges of town – the recline almost flat. The
ethnic minorities are only North or East bus older models can be
accessible by bus and the station will usually quite dirty. Lower bunks
tropical area of Xishuangbanna serve destinations (xia pu) cost more than
in Yunnan is best explored by to the north or east. the upper bunks (shang
Bus stop,
bus or taxi. You will also need to Determining which of Hong Kong pu), but are worth the
take a bus (unless you are flying) these stations serves extra cost as you are less
to reach western Sichuan. the place you are trying to likely to be thrown from your
Numerous sights throughout reach can be tricky, so you bed when the driver takes a
China are off rail lines, and you will need to ask around. corner at speed.
will need to tackle the bus Destinations are displayed Shorter routes are served
system at some point if you in Chinese characters on the by rattling minibuses (xiao ba),
wish to go beyond the towns front of buses. which depart only when every
on the main train line. Long-distance buses vary spare space has been filled by
Many smooth, wide highways enormously in quality, age, a paying passenger. Crammed
now link some of the major and comfort. You may find that to the roof, minibus trips can
cities, making some bus travel, several buses are running along be quite uncomfortable.
particularly on the east coast, the same route, so make sure Express buses (kuai che) are
reasonably comfortable. In you are sold a ticket for the the best way to travel. Some
some cases, the bus is now fastest, most comfortable bus, are luxury (hao hua), have air-
a faster way to reach your or the cheapest, if you prefer. In conditioning, and enforce a
destination than the train. general, long-haul bus journeys no-smoking policy. Luggage
All cities and most large towns are taxing. Road conditions are is stowed in a hold, which is
have at least one long-distance often poor and road works are fairly safe, given the few stops
bus station (changtu qiche zhan) common, slowing the journey that are made en route.
In certain parts of China – in
Gansu and Sichuan, for
instance – you may be
required to purchase
insurance from the People’s
Insurance Company
of China (PICC) before being
allowed on a bus. Usually,
however, it is included in the
price of the ticket. This
insurance waives any
responsibility of the
A basic long-distance bus (putong che) awaiting passengers, Qinghai government bus company
rest of China, but services

are becoming less frequent.
Because of the prohibitively long
overland routes, ferries link the
booming northeastern city of
Dalian with Yantai and Tianjin.
Yantai and Weihai on the eastern
tip of Shandong peninsula
are accessible from Shanghai,
Dalian, and Tianjin. Note that
ferry timetables may change
frequently and services may
have been added or terminated.
Several international sea
routes link China to other
countries. From Japan, Kobe is
connected to both Tianjin and
A ferry on the Huangpu River, sailing through Shanghai Shanghai on the east coast,
while ferries also link Osaka
should you be injured in a bus and Hangzhou, and Wuxi and with Shanghai. From South
crash and it does not cover Hangzhou (see p223). There Korea, the port of Inchon is
you in the event of an accident. are no regular passenger connected to the Chinese ports
ferry services up the Yangzi of Dalian, Weihai, Qingdao,
River available to foreign Shanghai, and Tianjin.
Bus Tickets and Fares visitors until Wuhan. Shanghai’s expanding
Traveling by road is generally Popular coastal ferry routes international ferry terminal
much cheaper than traveling include boats to Hainan Island welcomes increasing numbers
by train. Tickets are sold at from ports in the province of cruise ships, with the fast-
long-distance bus stations and, of Guangdong (including developing cruise industry
unless you are hoping for a seat Guangzhou) and Beihai in forming a key part of the city’s
at the front of a Guangxi. A plan to become an international
luxury bus, do large number shipping center. By 2016,
not need to of vessels ply Shanghai expects to welcome
be bought in Promotional river cruise sign between Hong 500 cruise ships annually,
advance. Tickets outside tourist office Kong and bringing 1.2 million visitors
for private buses Macau, many to the city. Costa and Royal
and minibuses are either of which are high-speed and Caribbean already use the city
purchased on board the bus operate round the clock. Macau as an Asian base port, and
or from touts nearby. Main is also connected to ports in several other Asia-Pacific cruise
bus stations invariably have Guangdong, while Hong Kong routes – including to Russia,
computerized ticket offices, and is linked to Zhuhai and several Taiwan, and Southeast Asia –
the queues are much shorter ports on the Pearl River delta. are expected to open in the
than those experienced at Within Hong Kong, a medley of next few years. Cruise
train stations. craft run to the outlying islands. passengers arriving in Shanghai
There are quite a few vessels should now be able to shop in
connecting Hong Kong with the duty-free stores at the port.
Ferries, Boats and
Cruise Ships
A small network of coastal
routes survives in China, and
vessels still ply the Yangzi River,
but the increased convenience
of traveling by air, road, and
rail has reduced the variety
and frequency of sea- and
river-ferry sailings in China.
The most popular river route
is the trip along the Yangzi
between Chongqing and
Yichang, through the Three
Gorges (see pp358–60). An
overnight ferry service for
tourists runs along the Grand
Canal between Suzhou Tourist boats docked on the vast Qinghai Lake
620 SUR VIVAL GUIDE
Transportation in Cities which is refunded when you

return the card. You can easily
Transportation options vary greatly between cities in China. add credit at MTR stations, ferry
Many of the largest metropolises have complex networks piers, and convenience stores.
with subway systems that, in many cases, are in the process of The Mass Transit Railway (MTR)
currently has 11 lines, with three
being extensively expanded. In Beijing and Shanghai, the
more under construction. The
subway (ditie) is the best way to get around, while in Hong fare increases with the distance
Kong, the transportation system is well-integrated, and traveled, except on the Airport
subways, trains, and buses are all convenient options. In most Express Line where a higher fee
cities, buses are slow and usually packed, but are very cheap. is charged. If you buy a single
Taxis (chuzu qiche) are a necessity for most travelers and, ticket, tap it on the turnstile
sensor to open the gate. At the
despite the language barrier and misunderstandings with end of your journey, feed the
drivers, are the most convenient way to get around. Bicycles ticket into the turnstile to exit
once ruled the roads of China’s cities and although not as the system. If you have an
popular today, they are still one of the best ways to explore. Octopus card, touch the card to
the turnstile sensor at the start
and end of your journey.
Beijing’s Subway depending on the number There are three overground
The subway system in of stops traveled. Check the MTR lines that cover destinations
Beijing underwent major map to determine your fare in the New Territories. East Rail
development in preparation and then buy a ticket from the was the original Kowloon–
for the 2008 Olympic booth or machine. You can also Canton railroad and heads north
Games. The system has buy ¥50 pre-paid tickets. Put into mainland China. Do not go
been expanded and your ticket into the slot at the past Sheung Shui (the second-
includes an express barrier and the gates last stop), if you do not have
rail line which goes will open. Retrieve your the correct documentation to
direct to Beijing ticket on the other side enter the mainland.
Capital Airport. of the gate and hold
The subway on to it – you will
is a swift way to need it at the Buses and Trams
get around this destination exit. City bus networks are extensive
spread-out city. The much-touted and cheap. The buses
The system is easy Maglev (magnetic (gonggong qiche), however, are
to use, although levitation) runs almost always overcrowded –
walks between between Pudong so much so that you are unlikely
lines at interchange Sign for Beijing Airport and the to be able to see out of the
stations can be long. subway Longyang Road metro windows. These conditions are
The current ticketing station (on Line 2) and perfect for thieves, so stay well-
system is based on the distance reaches speeds of 270 miles per aware of your belongings.
traveled, with fares varying hour (430 km/h). Check the Consider using buses only for
from ¥3 to ¥10. Only the times of departure. short straightforward journeys.
Airport Express is more Avoid them if you are trying to
expensive, costing ¥25 one-way. get from one end of town to
Buy your ticket at the ticket Hong Kong’s MTR the other – you are likely to get
booth near the entrance, or Integrated and efficient, stuck in traffic.
from a vending machine. Hong Kong has the best public Bus routes can be tricky to
transportation system in the navigate, particularly as most
country. The city is easy to get
Shanghai’s Subway around using all of its forms of
The rapidly expanding Shanghai transport – MTR (subway and
subway system is clean and overground trains), buses, trams,
efficient, with the first line built and ferries – and most signage
in 1995. The 14 lines currently is in English. You can buy single
in operation are expected to tickets for your journeys, but
increase to a total of 22 by each type of transit requires a
2020. Lines 1, 2, and 10 are most separate ticket. Alternatively,
useful to the tourist, with line you can buy an Octopus card,
2 connecting the city’s two an electronic card that allows
airports, Pudong and Honqqiao. you to hop on and off most of
Line 10 links several of the the system. You can buy these
city’s major sights. Fares range for a minimum of HK$150 Motor-rickshaw
between ¥3 and ¥15, including a HK$50 deposit, for hire, Harbin
Fares vary slightly from city bikes are a good way to traverse
to city, the most expensive the city, but you may find the
being Beijing and Shanghai, traffic intimidating. Hangzhou
but taxis generally offer both has the best bike hire system,
good value and convenience. with dozens of kiosks to hire
In many cities, different official public bicycles from.
models of cars will have Make sure that any bike you
different rates. Tipping the rent has a lock. Handy bike
driver is not necessary. stands are found in big cities
Taxis can also be hired for and have an attendant to watch
the day – a convenient way the bikes for a nominal fee.
to see sights just out of town.
Agree on a price beforehand,
and make sure your driver is Road Names
clear on the extent of your Main streets, avenues, and
Bicycles in Beijing – the traditional way to itinerary. In Tibet, you may find thoroughfares are often divided
get around the city that hiring a jeep and driver is into different sections based
the only way to get to some on the four cardinal points.
routes and destinations are sights. It is customary to pay For example, Zhongshan Lu
listed in Chinese only. Hong for the driver’s lunch. (Zhongshan Road) may be
Kong has the most comfortable In smaller towns, motorcycle divided into Zhongshan Xi Lu
and easy to use bus system, rickshaws (sanlun motuoche) (West Road) and Zhongshan
although traffic can be as bad and bicycle rickshaws (sanlun Dong Lu (East Road). Similarly,
here as anywhere else. Hong che) are a convenient and you may also see Zhongshan
Kong also has an old tram line entertaining way to get Bei Lu (North Road) and
that runs from Kennedy Town around town. Do not take Zhongshan Nan Lu (South
to Causeway Bay on Hong Kong these in major cities – they Road). Apart from lu (road),
Island. Dalian has a few trams cost about the same as a taxi other key words are jie (street),
as well. Maps of bus and and frequently target and hutong and xiang (lane or
tram routes are widely tourists for historic alleyway). Road names
available, substantial in large cities such as Beijing
especially rip-offs. may also display the Pinyin
in and In some translation, but in smaller towns
around A city taxi in Beijing small towns, and remote destinations, only
train stations. they are the only Chinese is used. The use of
form of transport. Agree on the Pinyin is being phased out and
fare before climbing aboard. in many large cities signage
Taxis Motorcycle taxis are a very will be in Chinese script
The best way to get about quick way to cover longer and English only.
in cities that don’t have subway distances, although
systems is by taxi (chuzu qiche). they are really only
Taxis are found in large numbers practical if you are
in all Chinese cities – often traveling alone with
congregating near train stations little luggage. Insist
– and can be hailed easily in the on the driver
street. Guests staying at hotels providing you
can also ask the reception desk with a helmet.
to summon a taxi. When
arriving at airports, avoid the
touts who immediately Cycling
surround you, and head instead Hiring a bicycle is
to the taxi rank outside where one of the best ways
you are less likely to be over- to explore towns and
charged. Also, make sure the their environs. Bike
driver uses the meter (biao) or lanes are common
negotiate a flat rate in advance. (although not always
Taxis rarely have rear seat belts respected by drivers)
(anquan dai), so sit in front if and roadside repair
you are traveling alone. Few stalls are everywhere.
taxi drivers speak English, In Beijing, the bicycle
so it is advisable to have your is a major mode of
destination written down in transport. With its
Chinese, which the staff at your spread-out sights
hotel will gladly do for you. and flat terrain, Taxis and buses on a busy street in the center of Macau
622 GENERAL INDEX
General Index
Page numbers in bold refer to Amherst, Lord 69 Arts and crafts (cont.)
main entries. Amoy see Xiamen Miao people 412–13
Amur River 478 modern arts 46–7
5-Level Double Ship Lock (Three An Lushan, General 63 porcelain 260–61
Gorges Dam) 275 An Lushan rebellion 63, 64 silk 214–15
16 Kingdoms 59, 61 Ancestral Hall (Huangyao) 428 traditional arts 44–5
18 September Museum (Shenyang) Ancient Observatory (Beijing) 100– What to Buy in China 589
444 101 see also Craft shops
24 Bends (Tiger Leaping Gorge) 400 Ancient Pottery Factory Arts venues
108 Dagobas (Ningxia) 481 (Jingdezhen) 261 Beijing 119
10,000 Buddhas Monastery (Hong Andi emperor 58 Hong Kong and Macau 338, 339
Kong) 326 Anhui province 183, 208, 209 Shanghai 206–7
food and drink 187 Ashoka 176
A hotels 560 Astana Graves 509
A-Ma Temple (Macau) 334 Huizhou architecture 241 Astrology 49
Aba grasslands 349 map 209 Astronomy, Ancient Observatory
Aba Khoja Mausoleum (Kashgar) 17, restaurants 577 (Beijing) 100–101
516–17 Ani Tsankhung Nunnery (Lhasa) 533 ATMs (Automated Teller Machines)
Abahai 68, 438, 444 Animals 586, 608
tomb 445 astrology 49 Autumn 52–3
Abdur Rahman 495 bites 607 Avian influenza 606–7
Aberdeen 328 see also Wildlife; Zoos Ayurbarwada 58
Aberdeen, Earl of 328 Anjue Lamasery (Kangding) 377
Abu Waqas 305, 307 Annoyances 603 B
Acrobats 119 Anping Lu (Shantou) 302 Ba culture
Acupressure 38 Anshun 406 Chengdu 364
Acupuncture 238 batik 406 Chongqing 356
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) 607 Antique shops 587 Sanxingdui Museum 366
Admission charges 600 Beijing 118, 119 tombs 358
Afghanistan 495 customs information 599 Back Lake (Summer Palace, Beijing)
Agriculture Hong Kong and Macau 336, 337 108
desertification 469 Shanghai 206, 207 Badaguan (Qingdao) 153
inventions 42 Anyang 78, 147, 158 Badaling 12, 114
rice 286–7 Aoyu Bei (Huang Shan) 243 Baggage allowances 613
tea plantations 299 Aquariums Bai Causeway (Hangzhou) 249
Ai Weiwei, Dropping a Han Dynasty Beijing Zoo 105 Bai Juyi 34, 249
Urn 46 Sun Asia Ocean World (Dalian) Bai Long Dong (Wudalianchi) 460
Aidi emperor (Tang dynasty) 58 450–51 Bai people 30, 349, 379
Aidi emperor (Western Han Archeology Dali 392
dynasty) 58 Peking Man site 117 hanging coffins 360
AIDS 607 Race for the Silk Road Oases 499 Nanzhao Kingdom 394
Aini people 388, 390, 391 Architecture 40–41 Bai Ta (Anshun) 406
Air pollution 24, 606 Beijing’s courtyard houses 97 Bai Ta (Fuzhou) 298
Air travel 612–15 Dong architecture 427 Bai Ta (Hohhot) 475
advance booking 598 earthen dwellings of Yongding Baidicheng 358
domestic 614–15 290, 296 Bailuzhou Park (Nanjing) 228
international 612–13 Huizhou architecture 241 Baima Si (Luoyang) 158
Ake people 390 pagodas 171 Baima Ta (Dunhuang) 498
Alcohol 603 Army Day 52 Baisha 14, 398
Alexander the Great 471, 495 Arrow Tower (Jian Lou, Beijing) 88, 90 Baishui Tai 401
Alligators 239 Arrow Towers (Forbidden City) 95 Baisikou Shuang Ta 480
Altay 512 Arrow War (1856-58) 69 Baisui Gong (Jiuhua Shan) 240
Altitude sickness 607 Art Museum (Guangzhou) 307 Baita Shan Gongyuan (Lanzhou)
Altunluq Mosque (Yarkand) 519 Arts and crafts 488
Alvares, Jorge 333 bamboo 417 Baiyi Si (Lanzhou) 489
Amannisahan, tomb 519 calligraphy 225 Baiyu Hill (Lushun) 451
Ambulances 605 cave paintings of Dunhuang 500– Ballet 47
Amdo 483 501 Bamboo 27, 417
American Express 608–9 jade 519 Bangchuidao Scenic Area 443, 450
Amethyst 224 lacquerware 298 Bank of China (Hong Kong) 316
GENERAL INDEX 623
Bank of China (Shanghai) 193 Beihai 431, 592 Bicycles 594, 621
Banking 608–9 Beijing 79, 84–125 Big Buddha (Lantau Island) 13, 331
Banknotes 609 airport 613, 615 Big Dragon Pool Falls (Yandang
Banla Village 388 CITS 599 Shan) 253
Banquets 568–9 city walls 90 Bijia Shan 446
Banruo Temple (Changchun) 452 climate 55 Bilian Feng (Yangshuo) 424
Baoding Shan (Dazu) 363 courtyard houses 97 Bingling Si 464, 490
carvings of Dazu 362–3 embassies 605 Bingyu Valley 434, 443, 447
Baofeng Hu (Wulingyuan) 270 entertainment 118–19 Binyang San Dong (Longmen
Baoguang Si 366 Forbidden City 12, 40, 92–5, Caves) 161
Baoguo Si (Emei Shan) 368 438–9 Bird flu 606–7
Baoguo Si (Ningbo) 252 hospitals 605 Birds
Baopu Daoist Compound hotels 558 Bird and Flower Market (Kunming)
(Hangzhou) 246 map 86–7 380
Baoshan 395 in Ming dynasty 67 Bird Island (Qinghai Hu) 503
Baoshu Ta (Hangzhou) 246 Ming Tombs: Chang Ling 110–11 Bird Market (Hong Kong) 323
Baotou 476 Olympic Games 592 Cao Hai 408
“Barbarians” 78 restaurants 572–3 cormorant fishing 424
Bargaining 586, 603 shopping 118–19 cranes 409
Barkhor (Lhasa), street-by-street Street Finder 120–25 Edward Youde Aviary (Hong Kong)
map 534–5 subway 620 339
The Barra (Macau) 13, 334 Summer Palace 12, 106–8 Mai Po Marshes 327
Bars 591 Temple of Heaven 12, 102–3 specialist holidays 595
Beijing 119 Tian’an Men Square street-by- Yingxiong Shan (Gulangyu Island)
Hong Kong 338, 339 street 88–9 293
Shanghai 207 travel 87 Zhalong Nature Reserve 437, 458
Basketball 592, 595 Two Days in Beijing 10, 12 see also Wildlife
Batik, Anshun 406 Beijing Botanical Gardens 109 Birthday of Tin Hau (Hong Kong)
Bayi Park (Nanchang) 256 Beijing Natural History Museum 339
Bayi Square (Nanchang) 256 101 Bishan Si (Wutai Shan) 142
Baykal, Lake 441 Beijing and the North 74–177 Bishu Shanzhuang (Chengde)
Bazaar (Turpan) 508 food and drink 82–3 129
Bazi Qiao (Shaoxing) 252 Great Wall of China 112–14 Bita Hai 401
Beaches 592–3 Hebei, Tianjin and Shanxi 126–45 Bixia Ci (Tai Shan) 150
Beidaihe 134 hotels 558–9 Biyun Temple (Beijing) 109
Dalian 450 map 76–7 Black Dragon Pool (Lijiang) 398
Deep Water and Repulse Bays 329 Portrait of Beijing and the North Black Dragon Pool (Lu Shan) 259
Gangzaihou Beach (Gulangyu 78–9 Black Tiger Spring (Jinan) 148
Island) 293 restaurants 572–5 Bo Gu 263
Hainan Island 311 Shaanxi 166–77 Bo Hai (Bo Sea) 78
Qian Bu Sha (Putuo Shan) 255 Shandong and Henan 146–65 Bo Ya 273
Qingdao 153 travel 76 Boats
Sai Kung Peninsula Beaches (Hong Beijing Opera 80–81, 119, 590 ferries 619
Kong) 326–7 Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall Grand Canal 223
Stanley 329 90–91 Li River cruise 422–3
Weihai 155 Beijing Zoo 105 Yangzi cruise 358–9, 360
Yantai 154 Beishan Park (Jilin) 453 Bodhidarma
Yin Tan (Silver Beach) 431 Beisi Ta (Suzhou) 210 Baoguang Si 366
Beamless Hall (Nanjing) 235, 236 Beiyue Si (Yulong) 398 Forest of Stelae Museum (Xi’an)
Beer Bell Tower (Beijing) 98 168
Tsingtao 147, 152 Bell Tower (Nanjing) 232–3 Guangzhou 304, 305
What to Drink 571 Bell Tower (Pingyao) 145 Shaoguan 309
Begging 603 Bell Tower (Wuwei) 494 Shaolin Boxing 164, 165
Bei Hai Park (Beijing) 74–5, 84, 96 Bell Tower (Xi’an) 169 Body language 602
Bei River 460 Bendiwan 400 Bon religion 524, 526
Bei Shan 363 Bertolucci, Bernardo 452 Book shops, Beijing 118, 119
Beidaihe 134, 593 Bethune, Norman 136 Borjijit, Empress 445
hotels 558 Bezeklik Caves 499, 509 Botanic Gardens (Menglun) 390
restaurants 573 Bhrikuti, Princess 532, 536 Boutiques 587
Beigu Shan (Zhenjiang) 224 Bicycle rickshaws 621 Bouyei people 405, 406
624 GENERAL INDEX
Boxer Rebellion (1900) 69, 439 Buddhism (cont.) Carvings (cont.)

Drum Tower (Beijing) 98 Thousand Buddha Cliffs (Nanjing) Maiji Shan 16, 484–5
Empress Cixi and 107 237 Casinos, The Venetian (Macau) 333,
South Cathedral (Beijing) 91 Thousand Buddha Mountain 338
Southeast Corner Watchtower (Jinan) 148 Cathedrals
(Beijing) 101 Tianlong Shan Grottoes (Taiyuan) Ruinas de São Paulo (Macau) 13,
Summer Palace (Beijing) 106 143 332
Bozhou 239 Tiantai Buddhist sect 253 South Cathedral (Beijing) 91
Braun, Otto 416 Tibetan see Tibetan Buddhism Wang Hai Lou Cathedral (Tianjin)
Britain Water Curtain Thousand Buddha 135
The “Great Game” 495, 547 Caves (Luomen) 486 Xi Kai Cathedral (Tianjin) 135
in Hong Kong 313 Xumi Shan Caves 480 Xujiahui Catholic Cathedral
invasion of Tibet 547 Yellow Hat see Yellow Hat (Shanghai) 205
Opium Wars 69, 284, 428 (Gelugpa) Sect see also Churches
and Shanghai 189 Yuantong Si (Kunming) 380 Catholic Church
tea trade 299 Yungang Caves 138–9 Catholic Church (Jilin) 453
Bronze Age 57, 58 Budget hotels 554, 557 Our Lady of Lourdes (Shamian
Bronze Pavilion (Summer Palace, Buffalo Soul Day 430 Island) 307
Beijing) 106, 108 Bulang Shan 391 Sacred Heart Church (Guangzhou)
Buddha 36, 37 Bund (Shanghai) 12, 189, 192–3, 304
Buddha’s Birthday 51 201, 203 South Cathedral (Beijing) 91
Buddhism 36, 37, 491 Burma see Myanmar Xujiahui Catholic Cathedral
108 Dagobas 481 Burma Road 383 (Shanghai) 205
10,000 Buddhas Monastery (Hong Buses 618–19 Causeway Bay (Hong Kong) 317
Kong) 326 airport 613, 615 Caves
Bezeklik Caves 509 city buses 620–21 Bei Shan 363
Bingling Si 490 long-distance 618–19 Bezeklik Caves 499, 509
Buddhist Grottoes (Gongyi) 164 Business cards 602 Bingling Si 490
carvings of Dazu 362–3 carvings of Dazu 362–3
cave paintings of Dunhuang 500– C cave paintings of Dunhuang 10,
501 Cafés, Internet 610 17, 491, 500–501
Chan (Zen) Buddhism 165, 364, Calendar 601 Dragon Gate Grotto (Western
366, 491 China through the Year 50–53 Hills) 383
Da Zhao (Hohhot) 475 lunar 50, 601 Dripping Water Cave (Shao Shan)
Dafo (Le Shan) 11, 15, 370–73 Calligraphy 33, 225 266
Eight Auspicious Symbols 546 What to Buy in China 588 Guangxi 595
Emei Shan 368–9 Camera shops, Hong Kong and Huanglong Dong (Wulingyuan)
Famen Temple (Xi’an) 176 Macau 336, 337 271
Fayuan Temple (Beijing) 104 Camões, Luis Vaz de 332 Karst Caves (Yixing County) 224
Fulu Buddhist Nunnery (Sanjiang) Camping 554 karst landscape 418–19
426 trekking and camping holidays Longgong Dong 406–7
Great Bell Temple (Beijing) 109 595 Longmen Caves 146, 147, 160–63
Han dynasty 60, 61 Cang Jie 32 Ludi Yan (Guilin) 421
Hualin Si (Guangzhou) 304 Cang Shan 298 Mahao Cave Tombs (Le Shan)
Jade Buddha Temple (Shanghai) Canglang Ting (Suzhou) 216–17 371
202 Cangyan Shan 136 Maiji Shan 10, 16, 484–5
Jing’an Temple (Shanghai) 202 Canidrome (Macau) 13 Mogao Caves 17, 467, 498, 499,
Jiuhua Shan 240 Canton see Guangzhou 501
Labrang Monastery 486, 487 Canton TV Tower (Guangzhou) 46 Shizi Yan 309
Lama Temple (Beijing) 98–9 Cantonese cuisine 288 Thousand Buddha Caves (Kizil) 17,
Liu Rong Si (Guangzhou) 305 Cantonese language 285 513
Longmen Caves 160–63 Cao Hai 403, 408 Tianlong Shan Grottoes (Taiyuan)
Luohan Si (Chongqing) 356 Cao shu calligraphy 33 143
Mahayana Buddhism 37, 491 Cao Xueqin 96 Tianxing 407
Maiji Shan 16, 484–5 Capital Museum (Beijing) 101 Water Curtain Thousand Buddha
Manfeilong Ta 391 Card phones 610 Caves (Luomen) 486
Manjusri 141 Carpets Wudalianchi 460
Mongols 469 Beijing shops 118, 119 Xumi Shan Caves 473, 480
Puning Si (Chengde) 130–31 Gang Gyen Carpet Factory Yangshuo 424–5
Putuo Shan 254–5 (Shigatse) 548 Yungang Caves 76, 137, 138–9
Qixia Si (Nanjing) 237 Carvings Zhijin Dong 407
Shaolin Temple 164 Bingling Si 490 Caving 595
Tang dynasty 64 Dazu 362–3 Cell phones 610
GENERAL INDEX 625
Cemeteries see Tombs and Chen clan 306 Chopsticks 569

cemeteries Chen Jia Ci (Guangzhou) 306 Christianity
Central (Hong Kong) 13, 316 Chen Kaige 47 Nestorian Christianity 168, 471,
Central China 178–279 Chen Yi, statue of (Shanghai) 193 509
food and drink 186–7 Chengde 127, 128–33 see also Cathedrals; Churches
hotels 559–61 hotels 558 Christmas Day 53
Hunan and Hubei 264–79 Puning Si 129, 130–31 Chuandixia 117
Jiangsu and Anhui 208–43 restaurants 573 Churches
map 180–81 Chengdi emperor 58 Catholic Church (Jilin) 453
peoples 31 Chengdu 15, 349, 355, 364–5 Church of St. Sofia (Harbin) 442,
Portrait of Central China 182–3 climate 54 456
restaurants 575–9 hotels 562 Lutheran Church (Qingdao) 152
Shanghai 188–207 map 365 Mu’en Tang (Shanghai) 194
traditional Chinese gardens restaurants 581–2 Our Lady of China (Shanghai) 205
184–5 Chenghua emperor 58 Our Lady of Lourdes (Shamian
travel 180 Chenghuang Miao (Zhengzhou) Island) 307
Zhejiang and Jiangxi 244–63 158 Russian Orthodox Church
Central Highlands (Hainan Island) Chengyang 426, 427 (Shanghai) 202
310 Cheung Ah Tse 320–21 Sacred Heart Church (Guangzhou)
Central Plaza (Hong Kong) 316 Cheung Chau Bun Festival 339 304
Central–Mid–Levels Escalator (Hong Cheung Chau Island 13, 330 St. Joseph’s Church (Beijing) 100
Kong) 320 Cheung Po-Tsai 330 St. Michael’s Church (Qingdao) 152
Ceramics Cheung Sha 331 São Laurenço (Macau) 334
Ancient Pottery Factory Chiang Kai-shek 204, 205, 303, 310 see also Cathedrals
(Jingdezhen) 261 Chongqing 357 Ci’an, Empress 115
Ceramic History Exposition flees to Taiwan 72–3 Cinema see Film
(Jingdezhen) 261 Jinggang Shan 263 Ciping 263
Ciqi Kou (Chongqing) 357 Linggu Pagoda (Nanjing) 235, 236 Ciqi Kou (Chongqing) 357
Foshan 308 Lu Shan 258, 259 Circuses 590–91
inventions 42, 43 Nanjing 183, 229 Cishi Ta (Yueyang) 267
porcelain 43, 260–61 Children 601 Citic Minsk World (Shenzhen) 302
Porcelain Museum (Jingdezhen) entertainment in Hong Kong and CITS see China Information Travel
261 Macau 338–9 Service
Terracotta Army 60, 78, 167, 174–5 in hotels 556–7 City God Temple (Shanghai) 198
traditional arts 44 Children’s Day 51 City Museum (Kunming) 381
What to Buy in China 588 Children’s Palace (Shanghai) 200 City Museum (Lanzhou) 489
Chain hotels 554, 557 China House Museum (Tianjin) 135 City walls 41
Chan, Jackie 47, 165 China Information Travel Service Chaozhou 302
Chan (Zen) Buddhism 165, 364, 366, (CITS) 599, 600 Nanjing 230–31
491 Chinese New Year 48, 53, 339 Pingyao 41, 144
Chang Heng 43 Chinnery, George 332 Xi’an 168
Chang Ling (Beijing) 110–11 Chishui 416 Zhaoqing 308
Chang Tang 528, 529, 531 Chong’an 415 Civil War 72
Chang’an see Xi’an Chongdi emperor 58 Cixi, Empress Dowager 69, 107, 439
Changbai Shan 443, 454–5 Chongqing 15, 349, 355, 356–7 Beijing Opera 80
Changbai Waterfall 454 hotels 562 Boxer Rebellion 439
Changchun 437, 443, 452 map 355, 357 Summer Palace (Beijing) 106–8
restaurants 583 pollution of Yangzi River 274 tomb of 115
Changchun Guan (Wuhan) 272 restaurants 582 Xi’an 170
Changjiao Miao people 412 A Week in Sichuan and Climate 54–5
Changsha 265, 266 Chongqing 11, 15 cold weather 606
hotels 560 Chongqing Museum see Three heat and humidity 606
restaurants 578–9 Gorges Museum when to go 598
Changzhou 224 Chongqing Si (Lanzhou) 489 Climbing 594–5
Chaotian Gong (Nanjing) 229 Chongshan Si (Taiyuan) 79, 143 Clothes
Chaotian Men (Chongqing) 11, 15, Chongwu 291, 297 Beijing shops 118
356 Chongxi Ta (Zhaoqing) 308 in cold weather 606
Chaozhou 285, 302 Chongyang (Double-Ninth) Festival etiquette 602
food and drink 289 53 Hong Kong and Macau shops 337
Chapel of the Three Ages (Lhasa) Chongzhen emperor 58 in hot weather 606
540 Forbidden City 94 Shanghai shops 206, 207
Charles V, King of France 471 Jing Shan Park (Beijing) 96 what to take 598
Chatwin, Bruce 398 Chongzheng Hall (Shenyang) 444 women travelers 604
626 GENERAL INDEX
Cloud Dispelling Gate (Summer Courtyard houses, Beijing 97 Dalai Lamas 524, 525
Palace, Beijing) 108 Cow Street Mosque (Beijing) 104 Be Hai Park (Beijing) 96
Cloud Dispelling Hall (Summer Coward, Noel 317 exile in India 524
Palace, Beijing) 108 Craft shops Ganden Palace (Lhasa) 540
Clubs Beijing 118, 119 Lukhang (Lhasa) 532
Beijing 119 Hong Kong and Macau 336–7 Norbulingka (Lhasa) 533
Hong Kong 338, 339 Shanghai 206, 207 Pelkor Chode Monastery (Gyantse)
Shanghai 207 Crafts see Arts and crafts 547
Coasts, landscape, and wildlife Cranes (birds) 409 Potala Palace (Lhasa) 538–9
26–9 Zhalong Nature Reserve 458 Samye Monastery 545
Coins 609 Credit cards 586, 608–9 Takten Migyur Podrang (Lhasa)
Cold weather 606 Crescent Moon Lake 466 533
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor 478 Crime 604 Tashilunpo Monastery (Shigatse)
Communications 610–11 Cruises 619 548–9
Communist Party 23–4, 72 Li River cruise 403, 422–3 Tibetan Oracle 540–41
cult of Mao 268–9 Yangzi cruise 358–9, 360 Yellow Hat Sect 140
Cultural Revolution 70–71 Crystal Palace (Wudalianchi) 460 Dali 10, 14, 348, 349, 379, 392–4
festivals 50, 52 Cui Hu Gongyuan (Kunming) 14, hotels 562
Hongyuan Cun (Chongqing) 380 map 393
357 Cui Jian 47 pagodas 171, 392–3
Jinggang Shan 263 Cuiheng 308 restaurants 582
and literature 34, 35 Cuiwei Yuan (Guiyang) 404 Dali Museum (Dali) 392
Long March 72, 262–3, 377 Cultural Revolution 70–71, 72, 73 Dali Sutra Pillar (Kunming) 381
Longhua Cemetery of Martyrs and the arts 46 Dalian 437, 443, 450–51
(Shanghai) 205 Chuandixia 117 CITS 599
People’s Republic of China cult of Mao 268–9 hotels 562
founded 72–3 and literature 35 map 451
Shanghai 182 and religion 36 restaurants 583–4
Site of the First National Congress Shanghai 182 Daluo 391
of the Chinese Communist Party in Tibet 525 Damenglong 391
(Shanghai) 200 Culture 25 Daming Hu (Jinan) 148
Zunyi Conference 416 Currency 608–9 Daming Si (Yangzhou) 226
Computer shops, Hong Kong and currency exchange 608 Dance, traditional 591
Macau 336, 337 duty-free allowances 599 Dandong 437, 443, 446–7
Conference Site (Zunyi) 416 Customs see etiquette Danxia Shan 309
Confucian Temple (Suzhou) 217 Customs House (Shanghai) 192 Daode Guan (Zhangye) 494
Confucianism 36, 57 Customs House (Wuhan) 273 Daoguang emperor 59
Fuzi Miao (Nanjing) 228 Customs information 599 Daoism 36, 37, 57
Han dynasty 60 Cycling 594, 595, 621 Dong Yue Miao (Beijing) 99
literature 34 Cynical Realism school 46 Eight Immortals 155
Wenchang Ge (Yangzhou) Eight Immortals Temple (Xi’an)
227 D 167, 170
Confucius 34, 36, 60, 147, 149, 568, Da Hua Miao people 408, 412 Empress of Heaven 155
569 Da Wang Feng 298 Han dynasty 60, 61
birthplace 79, 148–9 Da Xiangguo Si (Kaifeng) 156 Heng Shan 267
Confucius’ s Birthday 52 Da Zhao (Hohhot) 475 Hua Shan 177
Tai Shan 151 Dabei Monastery (Tianjin) 135 literature 34
and the Yijing 39 Dacang Langmu Gansu Gompa qi 38
Confucius Forest (Qufu) 149 (Langmusi) 486 Qingcheng Shan 374
Confucius Mansion (Qufu) 148–9 Dadonghai 311 Qingyang Gong (Chengdu) 364
Confucius Temple (Beijing) 99 Dadu River 262, 377 Song Shan 164
Confucius Temple (Jilin) 453 Dafo (Le Shan) 11, 15, 370–73 tai ji quan (Tai Chi) 279
Confucius Temple (Qufu) 149 Dafo Si (Shijiazhuang) 136 Tai Shan 150–51
Confucius Temple (Tianjin) 135 Dafo Si (Zhangye) 494 traditional Chinese gardens 184
Consulates 599 Dagobas, 108 (Ningxia) 481 traditional medicine 238
Convention & Exhibition Centre Daguan Pavilion (Lake Dian) 383 White Clouds Temple (Beijing)
(Hong Kong) 316–17 Dai Miao (Tai Shan) 151 104–5
Conversion charts 601 Dai people 30, 347, 389 Wudang Shan 278
Corban Festival 53 Dai Minority Park 388 Xuanmiao Guan (Suzhou) 211
Cormorant fishing 424 Xishuangbanna 389, 390, 391 Datong 127, 137
County Magistrates Residence Daizong emperor 58 hotels 558
(Pingyao) 144 Dakong Shan 395 restaurants 573–4
Courier services 611 Dalai Hu 478 Daur people 460
GENERAL INDEX 627
Daxu 422 Dong people Dunhuang (cont.)

Daxue Shan, Long March 262 architecture 426, 427 Mogao Caves 17, 467, 498, 499,
Dazhalan (Beijing) 91 Guizhou and Guangxi 403 501
Dazheng Hall (Shenyang) 444 Dong Yue Miao (Beijing) 99 restaurants 584
Dazu, carvings of 11, 15, 355, 362–3 Dongba Cultural Research Institute silk paintings 63
Deep Water Bay 329 (Lijiang) 398 Dunhuang Gucheng 498
Dehydration 606 Dongba religion 399 Duty-free allowances 599
Deities, Buddhist 527 Dongguan Great Mosque (Xining) Duxiu Feng (Guilin) 421
Democracy movement 73 502 Duzong emperor 59
Deng Xiaoping 21, 73, 302 Donghai Park (Dalian) 450 Dynasties 58–9
Deng Yingchao 357 Donghe (Baotou) 476 see also individual dynasties
Dengfeng 164 Dongjiang cooking 289 Dysentery 607
Dengue fever 607 Dongshan Ling 310 Dzong (Gyantse) 547
Department stores 587 Dongsheng 476 Dzong (Shigatse) 548
Beijing 118, 119 Dongson drums 429, 430
Hong Kong 336, 337 Dongting Hu 265, 267 E
Shanghai 206 Dongxiang people 488, 511 Email facilities 610
Departure tax 613 Dormitories 554 E’ang Zongzhe 487
Deqin, hotels 562 security 604 Earthen dwellings of Yongding 290,
Deserts Dost Mohammed 495 296
Chang Tang 528, 529, 531 Double-ninth (Chongyang) Festival East China Sea 182
desertification 469 53 East Palace Gate (Summer Palace,
Gobi Desert 79, 476 Doupotang Falls 407 Beijing) 108
landscape and wildlife 27 Dragon Boat Festivals 51, 339, 413 East Tomb (Shenyang) 445
Taklamakan Desert 467, 471, 498, Dragon Gate Grotto (Western Hills) Eastern Han dynasty 58, 60–61
507, 514 383 Eastern Palaces (Forbidden City)
Tengger Desert 480 Dragon Head Hill, Li River cruise 94–5
Detian Falls 349, 403, 431 423 Eastern Qing Tombs 115
Dezong emperor 58 Dragon Head Rock (Wudang Shan) Eastern Zhou dynasty 57, 59
Di Bing emperor 59 278 Economy 23, 73
Di Tan Park (Beijing) 99 Dragon King Temple (Summer Edward Youde Aviary (Hong Kong)
Dialects 600 Palace, Beijing) 108 339
Dialing codes 611 Dragons 94 Eight Auspicious Symbols 546
Diamond Sutra 32, 64, 500 Dragon’s Head Cliff (Lu Shan) 258 Eight Banners 436
Dian Drepung Monastery (Lhasa) 540 Eight Hermits Hall (Nanchang) 257
Kingdom of 348, 379 Drinks see Food and drink Eight Immortals Temple (Xi’an) 167,
Lake 383 Dripping Water Cave (Shao Shan) 170
Diaoshuilou Pubu (Jingpo Hu) 458 266 Electricity 601
Diarrhea 606 Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn (Ai Electronics shops, Hong Kong and
Ding Ling (Beijing) 111 Weiwei) 46 Macau 336, 337
Ding Shan 224 Drugs, prescription 605 Elephant Trunk Hill (Guilin) 422
Dinghu Shan 308 Drum Tower (Beijing) 98 Elephants, Wild Elephant Valley
Dinosaurs 459 Drum Tower (Chengyang) 427 388
Dinosaur Museum (Zigong) 361 Drum Tower (Nanjing) 232–3 Embassies 599, 605
see also Fossils Drum Tower (Sanjiang) 426 Embroidery, Miao 413
Disabled travelers 600 Drum Tower (Xi’an) 169 Emei Shan 15, 355, 368–9
in hotels 557 Drum Tower (Zhongwei) 480 Emergencies 605
Discos 591 Drums, Dongson 429, 430 Emin, Prince 508
Discounts Du Fu 34, 62, 64 Emin Ta (Turpan) 508
air travel 613, 615 Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage Empress of Heaven 155
in hotels 555 (Chengdu) 364 Engels, Friedrich 303
Discovery Bay 331 Du Ta (Manting) 390 English language 600
Diseases 606–7 Du Wen Xiu 392 Entertainment 590–91
immunization 599, 607 Du Wenya 446 Beijing 118–19
Disneyland (Hong Kong) 331, 338, Du Yuesheng 195 Hong Kong and Macau 338–9
339 Duan, Prince 439 Shanghai 206–7
Divine Cliffs (Yandang Shan) 183, Duanzong emperor 59 Environmental problems 595
253 Dudong 427 desertification 469
Divine Peaks (Yandang Shan) 253 Dujiangyan 374–5 Three Gorges Dam 274
Dixia Senlin 458 Dunhuang 17, 498 Er Hai 14, 348, 392, 394
Doctors 605 cave paintings of Dunhuang 10, map 393
Dog meat 405 483, 491, 500–501 Er Hai Park 394
Dong Hu (Shaoxing) 252 hotels 563 Er Shi emperor 59
628 GENERAL INDEX
Erwang Miao (Dujiangyan) 375 Fishing, cormorant 424 Fossils (cont.)

Ethnic minorities 24–5, 30–31 Fitzgerald, Lieutenant 332 Wenya Museum (Jinzhou) 446
food and drink 567 Five Dynasties 58, 64 Foster, Sir Norman 316
River Border 461 Five Rams Statue (Guangzhou) 307 Founding of Chinese Communist
see also individual peoples Five-Colored Pool (Jiuzhai Gou) 376 Party Day 52
Etiquette 602–3 Flaming Mountains (Turpan) 509 Fragrant Isle (Suzhou) 212
food and drink 568–9 Flood Control Monument (Harbin) 456 French Concession (Shanghai) 13, 200
Everest, Mount 531 Floral Path (Lu Shan) 258 French Legation (Kunming) 380
base camp 525, 550–51 Flower Market (Hong Kong) 323 Friendship Highway 525, 550, 551
Ewenki people 461 Flower Theater (Bozhou) 239 Frostbite 606
Exchange rates 608 Flowers see Parks and gardens; Fubo Shan (Guilin) 421
Exhibition Hall (Nanching) 256 Plants Fuguo Si (Lijiang) 398
Exports, customs information 599 Flu 606–7 Fujian Museum (Fuzhou) 298
Fo Si (Manting) 390 Fujian province 284, 291–9
F Foguang Si (Wutai Shan) 142 hotels 561
Face saving, etiquette 602 Folk Culture Village (Shenzhen) 302 map 291
Fairmont Peace Hotel (Shanghai) Folklore Museum (Zunyi) 416 restaurants 579
193, 559 Food and drink 25 Fujiazhuang Scenic Area 450
Famen Temple (Xi’an) 176 alcohol 603 Fuli Village 425
Fan Pagoda (Kaifeng) 157 Beijing and the North 82–3 Fulu Buddhist Nunnery (Sanjiang) 426
Fang Lijun, Series 2 No. 2 46–7 Central China 186–7 Furniture Museum (Pingyao) 144
Fanpai 414 customs and etiquette 568–9 Furongzhen 267
Fall 52-3 dog meat 405 Future Buddha 527
Fast food 567 festivals 49 Fuxi Miao (Tianshui) 467
Fayu Si (Putuo Shan) 255 five flavors 565 Fuxing Lu (Dali) 392
Fayuan Temple (Beijing) 104 grapes and wine 510 Fuxing Park (Shanghai) 13, 200
Feilai 309 “little eats” 567 Fuzhou 285, 291, 298
Feilai Shi (Huang Shan) 242 Macau 335 hotels 561
Feixia 309 Northeast China 437 restaurants 579
Feiyun Dong 415 rice 286–7 Fuzi Miao (Nanjing) 228
Fen River 143 Sheung Wan’s Markets (Hong
Feng Huang Song (Jiuhua Shan) Kong) 321 G
240 South China 288–9 Galleries see Museums and galleries
Feng shui 39 Southwest China 352–3 Gambling, Hong Kong and Macau
Fengcong karst 419, 423 stomach upsets 606 338, 339
Fengdu 358, 360 The Story of Tea 299 Games, in public parks 590
Fenghuan Ta (Chaozhou) 302 street food 566 Ganden Monastery (Lhasa) 524, 531,
Fenghuang Shan 447 symbolism 565 541
Fenghuang Shan Lu Revolution Tsingtao beer 147, 152 Ganden Palace (Lhasa) 540
Headquarters Site (Yan’an) 177 What to Drink 570–71 Gang of Four 71, 182
Fenglin karst 419 see also Restaurants Gang Gyen Carpet Factory
Fengxian Si (Longmen Caves) 160 Football 590, 592, 595 (Shigatse) 548
Ferries 619 Forbidden City 12, 40, 67, 79, 85, Gangzaihou Beach (Gulangyu
Festivals 48–9 92–5, 438–9 Island) 293
China through the Year 50–53 Foreign Languages Bookstore Ganjia grasslands 486
Hong Kong 339 (Beijing) 100 Ganlaba 388
Miao people 412–13, 415 Forest of Stelae (Beilin) Museum Gansu province 466, 467, 483
Zhuang people 430 (Xi’an) 168 hotels 563
Fifth Moon Festival 51 Forests, northeast China 28 map 483
Film 47, 591 Former Headquarters of the Hubei restaurants 584–5
Beijing 118–19 Military Government (Wuhan) Gansu Provincial Museum
festivals 51 272 (Lanzhou) 16, 489
Kung Fu film industry 165 Former Palace Hotel (Shanghai) 193 Gantong Si (Dali) 393
Shanghai 207 Former Supreme Court Building Gao Miao (Zhongwei) 464, 467, 480
Fire services 605 (Hong Kong) 316 Gao Ming, General 381
Fireworks 48–9 Formula One 592, 595 Gao Zhishen 383
Firing range 594 Forrest, George 350, 351 Gaochang Ruins 10, 17, 499, 509
First Beacon Tower (Great Wall of Fortaleza do Monte (Macau) 13, 332 Gaodi emperor 60
China) 494 Foshan 308 Gaoding 427
The First Emperor of the Han Dynasty Fossils 459 Gaozong emperor 58, 59, 63, 170, 176
Entering Kuan Tung (Chao Po Chu) Dinosaur Museum (Zigong) 361 Gaozu emperor (Tang dynasty) 58
56 Inner Mongolia Museum (Hohhot) Gaozu emperor (Western Han
First-aid kit 606 474 dynasty) 58
GENERAL INDEX 629
Garden Tomb of Puhaddin Great Purity Palace (Lao Shan) 153 Guilin 10, 14, 349, 403, 419, 420–21
(Yangzhou) 227 Great Wall of China 2–3, 12, 21, 60, hotels 562
Gardens see Parks and gardens 78, 112–14 Li River cruise 422–3
Gasa 391 Hexi Corridor 483 map 421
Gate of Divine Prowess (Forbidden Hushan Great Wall (Dandong) 447 restaurants 583
City) 95 Jiayuguan Fort 10, 462–3, 496–7 Guiping 428–9
Gate of Heavenly Purity (Forbidden map 113 Guiyang 404–5
City) 40, 94 in Ming dynasty 67, 112–13 map 405
Gate of Supreme Harmony Shanhaiguan 134 restaurants 583
(Forbidden City) 92 Xuanbi Changcheng 494 Guiyuan Si (Wuhan) 273
Gay and lesbian travelers 604–5 Great Wall Museum (Dandong) 447 Guizhou province 348, 349, 403
Ge Yuan (Yangzhou) 226 Great Wall Museum (Jiayuguan) 16, food and drink 353
Geija Miao people 412, 413, 415 494 hotels 562
Gelanghe 390 Great Wall Museum (Shanhaiguan) map 403
Gelugpa sect see Yellow Hat Sect 134 restaurants 583
Genden Drup 548 Great Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi’an) 16, Gulangyu Island 292–3
Genghis Khan 58, 66, 467, 468–9, 477 167, 170, 491 map 293
and Beijing 85 Green Gang 200 Gulong Si (Huanglong Xi) 374
Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum Greeting people 602 Gulou (Yinchuan) 479
(Dongsheng) 476, 477 Grünwedel, Albert 509 Gulou (Zhangye) 494
Inner Mongolia Museum (Hohhot) Gu Hua 267 Gunpowder 43, 64
474 Gu Nan Men (Guilin) 420 Gunzhong Pass 480
Geology, karst 418–19 Gu Shan 298 Guo Xi 226
George III, King of England 439 Guan Yu, General 35, 158, 274 Guoqing Si (Tiantai Shan) 253
German Concession (Qingdao) 152 Guang Wudi emperor 58, 60 Guqin Tai (Wuhan) 273
Gers (yurts) 468–9, 472 Guangdong province 284, 301 Gusong Qiao (Songpan) 375
Ghost City (Xinjiang) 512 hotels 561 Guyuan 473, 480
Ginseng 454 map 301 Gyantse 495, 525, 547
Glacier, Hailou Gou 377 restaurants 579–80
Glossary 654–5 Guanghan Dong 407 H
Gobi Desert 79, 476 Guangji Men (Chaozhou) 302 Ha Noi Ruins (Kashgar) 515
Golden Mile (Hong Kong) 322 Guangji Si (Wuhu) 239 Hai Rui 310
Golden Water (Forbidden City) 92 Guangxi province 348, 349, 403 Haibao Ta (Yinchuan) 479
Golf 592, 595 food and drink 353 Haidong 394
Golmud 483, 503 hotels 562 Haigeng Park (Lake Dian) 383
Gong Li 145 map 403 Haikou (Hainan Island) 301, 310
Gongdi emperor 59 restaurants 583 Haila’er 473, 478
Gongga Shan 377 A Week in Guangxi and Yunnan Hailou Gou Glacier 377
Gongqing Forest Park (Shanghai) 10, 14 Hainan Coconut Festival 50
201 Guangxiao Si (Guangzhou) 305 Hainan Ferry Port 431
Gongtang Pagoda 487 Guangxu emperor 59, 69, 452 Hainan Island 301, 310–11, 592
Gongyi 164 Beijing Opera 80 hotels 561
Good luck 48–9 Confucius Temple (Beijing) 99 map 301, 311
Government shops 586 Summer Palace (Beijing) 108 restaurants 579–80
Governor’s Residence (Qingdao) Xi’an 170 Hairy Crab Season 53
152 Guangxu emperor (Beijing) 107 Haitong 371
Grand Canal 223, 224, 226 Guangzhou (Canton) 285, 301, Hakka people 285, 291
map 223 304–7, 596–7 earthen dwellings of Yongding
Grand Dragon Gate (Western Hills) CITS 599 290, 296
383 food and drink 288 Xincun 311
Grape Valley (Turpan) 509 hospitals 605 Hall of Attractive Scenery (Suzhou)
Grapes 510 hotels 561 218
Grasslands, Inner Mongolia 28, 472, map 305 Hall of Benevolence and Longevity
475 restaurants 579 (Summer Palace, Beijing) 107,
Great Bell Temple (Beijing) 109 Guangzhou Tower 300 108
“Great Game” 495, 547 Guangzong emperor 59 Hall of Distant Fragrance (Suzhou)
Great Hall of the People (Beijing) 88 Guanlin (Luoyang) 158 213
Great Hall of the People Guanyin 491 Hall of Four Auspicious Merits
(Chongqing) 356–7 Guanyin Colossus (Putuo Shan) (Suzhou) 219
Great Leap Forward 72, 73 254 Hall of Happiness and Longevity
Great Mosque (Hohhot) 474 Guanyin Tang (Dali) 393 (Summer Palace, Beijing) 108
Great Mosque (Kuqa) 513 Gui Shan (Wuhan) 273 Hall of Imperial Peace (Forbidden
Great Mosque (Xi’an) 16, 79, 169 Guia Fort and Lighthouse (Macau) 332 City) 94
630 GENERAL INDEX
Hall of Jade Ripples (Summer Heikong Shan 395 Hong Kong Museum of History
Palace, Beijing) 108 Heilong Jiang 460 322–3
Hall of Mental Cultivation Heilong Tan Gongyuan (Lijiang) 398 Hong Kong Science Museum 322
(Forbidden City) 95 Heilongjiang province 436, 443 Hong Kong Wetland Park 327
Hall of Middle Harmony (Forbidden hotels 562–3 Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical
City) 93 restaurants 583–4 Gardens 13, 317
Hall of Supreme Harmony skiing 593 Hong Men Gong (Tai Shan) 151
(Forbidden City) 93 Helan Shan 473, 480 Hong Qiao Market (Beijing) 12
Hall of Union (Forbidden City) 94 Henan province 78, 147 Hong Shan Park (Ürümqi) 510
Han Chinese 30 hotels 559 Hong Xiuquan 229, 303, 428, 429
Han dynasty 58, 60–61 map 147 Hongcun 240
porcelain 261 restaurants 574–5 Hongfu Si (Guiyang) 405
Han Jiang estuary 302 Henan Provincial Museum Hongqiao Airport (Shanghai) 613
Han Xiangzi 37 (Zhengzhou) 158 Hongwu emperor 58, 66, 237
Hanafi School, Islam 511 Heng River 137 Linggu Temple (Nanjing) 235, 236
Hanging Palace (Cangyan Shan) 136 Heng Shan 137, 265, 267 Ming Palace Ruins (Nanjing) 232
Hanging Temple (Heng Shan) 127, Hepatitis 607 Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History
137 Heritage Museum (Hong Kong) 326 Museum (Nanjing) 228
Hangzhou 13, 183, 245, 246–51 Heshun 96, 395 tomb 234, 236
food and drink 186 Hetian Regional Museum (Hotan) 519 Wenchang Ge (Yangzhou) 227
hotels 560 Hexi Corridor 483 Winning Chess Pavilion (Nanjing)
map 247 Hezhen people 461 233
restaurants 578 Himalayas 355, 531 Xi’an 168
West Lake 244, 248–51 Everest base camp 525, 550–51 Zhonghua Gate (Nanjing) 230
Hani people 30, 388 Historical Buddha 104, 176, 457, Hongxi emperor 58
Hankou (Wuhan) 273 486, 533, 547 Hongyuan Cun (Chongqing) 357
Hanlingyuan Museum (Yangzhou) History 56–73 Hongzhi emperor 58, 260
226 History of the Emperors of China (silk Horses
Hanshan Si (Suzhou) 217 painting) 8–9 Happy Valley Racecourse (Hong
Hanwen Gong Ci (Chaozhou) 302 HIV 607 Kong) 317, 338, 339
Hao 167 Hmong people see Miao people horse-racing 52
Haoshang Bridge (Le Shan) 371 Ho, Dr. (Daoist physician) 398 horse-trekking 595
Happy Valley Racecourse (Hong Hohhot 473, 474–5 Mongolian horsemanship 468–9
Kong) 317, 338, 339 hotels 563 Hospitality 602
Harbin 436, 437, 443, 448–9, 456–7 restaurants 584 Hospitals 605
climate 55 Holidays, public 53, 556, 600 Hotan 519
hotels 562–3 Hollywood Road (Hong Kong) 13, 320 Hotels 554–63
map 457 Homosexuality 604–5 advance booking 598
restaurants 584 Hong Kong 178–9, 280–81, 312–31 air-conditioning 606
Harbin Northern Forest Zoo airport 613, 615 bargaining 603
(Harbin) 457 climate 55 Beijing and the North 558–9
Hardoon, Silas 202 entertainment 338–9 booking 555
He Lu, King of Wu 217 film industry 47 Central China 559–61
He Xiangning, tomb of 236 food and drink 289 children in 556–7
He Yuan (Yangzhou) 227 history 284, 313 choosing 555
Health 605–7 hospitals 605 costs 555
diseases 606–7 hotels 561 disabled travelers 557
immunization 599, 607 map 314–15 general observations and
stomach upsets and diarrhea 606 the Peak 13, 318–19 precautions 556
Heat 606 public transport 620, 621 hotel chains 554, 557
Heavenly Kingdom Rebellion see restaurants 580–81 Inner Mongolia and the Silk Road
Taiping Rebellion returned to China 73 563
Hebei province 78, 79, 127 shopping 336–7 Northeast China 562–3
hotels 558–9 Street Finder 340–43 restaurants 566
map 127 travel 315 seasonal demand 556
restaurants 573–4 Two Days in Hong Kong 10, 13 security 604
Hebei Provincial Museum visas and passports 598 smoking in 603
(Shijiazhuang) 136 Hong Kong Arts Centre 338 South China 561
Hedi emperor 58, 61 Hong Kong Arts Festival 50 Southwest China 562
Hedin, Sven 499 Hong Kong Cultural Centre 322 Tibet 563
Hefei 239 Hong Kong Disneyland 331, 338, 339 tipping in 557
Hei Ta 391 Hong Kong Life Saving Society 329 Houses
Heihe 460 Hong Kong Museum of Art 322 Beijing’s courtyard houses 97
GENERAL INDEX 631
Houses (cont.) Huli Shan Paotai (Xiamen) 292 Inner Mongolia Museum (Hohhot)
Dai people 389 Hulunbuir grasslands 478 474
Dong architecture 427 Humble Administrator’s Garden Inner Mongolia province 472–81
earthen dwellings of Yongding (Suzhou) 212–13 hotels 563
290, 296 Humidity 606 map 473
Huizhou architecture 241 Hunan First Normal College restaurants 584
HSBC (Hong Kong & Shanghai (Changsha) 266 Insect-borne diseases 607
Banking Corporation), Hunan province 183, 265 Insurance 599, 605
Headquarters (Hong Kong) 39, 316 hotels 560–61 International Fashion Festival 52
Hu Jintao 73 map 265 International Labor Day 51
Hu Qingyu Tang Museum of restaurants 578–9 International Women’s Day 50
Chinese Medicine (Hangzhou) 246 Hunan Provincial Museum Internet access 610
Hu Xueyan 246 (Changsha) 266 Inventions 42–3
Hua Shan 79, 166, 167, 177, 430 Hundred Flowers Movement 73 Iron Pagoda (Kaifeng) 156
Huacheng Si (Jiuhua Shan) 240 Hungry Ghost Festival (Hong Kong) Islam see Muslims and Islam
Huading Peak (Tiantai Shan) 253 339 Islamic Cemetery (Guangzhou)
Huagang Garden (Hangzhou) 248 Huo Qubing, General 489 306–7
Huai River 209 Huoshao Shan (Wudalianchi) 460 Itineraries
Huai Su 196 Hushan Great Wall (Dandong) 447 Two Days in Beijing 10, 12
Huaisheng Mosque (Guangzhou) 305 Huxingting Teahouse (Shanghai) 199 Two Days in Hong Kong 10, 13
Huaiyang cuisine 187 Huxiyan (Xiamen) 292 Two Days in Shanghai 10, 12–13
Hualin Si (Guangzhou) 304 Hygiene 605 Two Weeks on the Silk Road 10,
Huandi emperor 58 Hypothermia 606 16–17
Huang Gongwang 45 A Week in Guangxi and Yunnan
Huang Shan 209, 242–3 I 10, 14
Huang Shi Zhai (Wulingyuan) 270 Ice sculpture 448–9, 456, 460 A Week in Sichuan and
Huangguoshu Falls 407 Ice and Snow Festival (Harbin) Chongqing 11, 15
Huanghua Cheng 114 448–9 Iyer, Pico 313
Huanglong 354, 375 Id Kah Mosque (Kashgar) 17, 514
Huanglong Dong (Wulingyuan) 271 Ikparhan 516 J
Huanglong Dong Park (Hangzhou) Ili Valley 513 Jade 519
246 Immunization 599, 607 Jade Belt Bridge (Summer Palace,
Huanglong Xi 11, 15, 346, 374 Imperial Gardens (Forbidden City) Beijing) 108
Huangpu Park (Shanghai) 201 94 Jade Buddha Temple (Shanghai) 202
Huangpu River 12, 182, 189, 190, Imperial Palace (Shenyang) 438, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 386–
201 444 7, 398, 400
Huangyao 428 Imperial Zenith Hall (Forbidden Jade Market (Hong Kong) 323, 336,
Huashi Lou (Qingdao) 153 City) 95 337
Huating Si (Western Hills) 383 Impression West Lake (Hangzhou) Jamyang Choje 540
Huaxi district (Guiyang) 405 246 Japan, occupation of Manchuria 72,
Huayan Si (Datong) 137 Incense Burner Peak (Beijing) 109 437, 443
Hubei province 183, 265 Influenza 606–7 Japanese Germ Warfare
hotels 560–61 Inner Court (Forbidden City) 94 Experimental Base (Harbin) 437,
map 265 Inner Mongolia and the Silk Road 457
restaurants 578–9 462–519 Japanese-Russian Prison (Lushun) 451
Hubei Provincial Museum (Wuhan) food and drink 83 Jar Hill Observation Platform (Three
272 Gansu and Qinghai 482–505 Gorges Dam) 275
Huguo Lu (Dali) 392 Genghis Khan 477 Jardine Matheson 203
Hui Li 247 grasslands 28, 475 Jesuits
Hui Neng 305 hotels 563 astronomy 100
Hui people 31, 466, 473 Inner Mongolia and Ningxia 472– Manchu dynasty 439
Cow Street Mosque (Beijing) 104 81 Ming dynasty 67
food and drink 83 Jiayuguan Fort 462–3, 496–7 Qing dynasty 68
Islam 511 Maiji Shan 16, 484–5 Ruinas de São Paulo (Macau) 332
Weining 408 maps 464–5, 473 Yuanming Yuan (Beijing) 109
Hui’an people 283, 285, 297 Mongols of the Steppe 468–9 Jet Li 165
Huidi emperor 58 Portrait of Inner Mongolia and the Jewelry shops, Hong Kong and
Hui’e, legend of 255 Silk Road 466–7 Macau 336, 337
Huihe 164 restaurants 584–5 Jewish Refugee Museum (Shanghai)
Huiji Si (Putuo Shan) 255 Silk Road 470–71 204
Huizhou architecture 241 The Spread of Buddhism 491 Jews, in Kaifeng 156, 157
Huizong emperor 59, 65 Trans Mongolian Railway 441 Jiajing emperor 58
Hukeng 296 Xinjiang 506–19 Jialing River 356
632 GENERAL INDEX
Jian Lou (Arrow Tower, Beijing) 88, 90 Jinjiang Hotel (Shanghai) 200 Kegong Fang (Lijiang) 396
Jian Zhen 226 Jinmao Tower (Shanghai) 12, 195 Kelsang Potrang (Lhasa) 533
Jianfeng Chi (Stone Forest) 385 Jinsha Museum (Chengdu) 365 Khaishan 58
Jianfeng Ling Nature Reserve 311 Jinsuo Dao 394 Khampa people 377
Jianfu Gong (Qingcheng Shan) 374 Jintian 428, 429 Khi Vehdu 202
Jiang Qing 71 Jinzhou 446 Khoshila 58
Jiang Zemin 73, 227 Jitang 427 Khunjerab Pass 518
Jiangsu province 183, 209 Jiuhua Shan 180, 209, 240 King of Borneo’s Tomb (Nanjing) 237
hotels 560 Jiujiang 258 Kipling, Rudyard 495
map 209 Jiulong Bi (Datong) 137 Kite-flying 591
restaurants 577 Jiuzhai Gou 15, 355 festivals 50
Jiangxi province 245 Jiuzhai Gou tour 376 Kizil 513
hotels 560 Jokhang Temple (Lhasa) 522, 525, Knives, Yengisar Country Small Knife
map 245 534, 536–7 Factory 518
Nanchang Uprising 183 Jue Yuan (Guiyang) 404 Kodari 551
restaurants 578 Jumbo Floating Restaurant Kong family 149
Jiangxin Park (Wenzhou) 253 (Aberdeen) 328 Kongtong Shan 490
Jianshan Si (Yangshuo) 424–5 Jungle 29 Kongzhong Tianyuan (Wulingyuan)
Jianwen emperor 58 Southwest China 351 270
Jiao Shan 134, 224 Wangtianshu Aerial Walkway Korea 443, 446–7
Jiaohe Ruins (Turpan) 10, 17, 508 (Mengla) 390 Kotnis, Dwarkanath 136
Jiaqing emperor 59 Xishuangbanna 390, 391 Kowloon 284, 312, 313
Jiaxiu Lou (Guiyang) 404 Junshan Dao 267 map 315
Jiayin Hall (Tongli) 222 Justinian, Emperor 214 see also Hong Kong
Jiayuguan 16, 483, 494 Juyong Guan 114 Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) 292,
Jiayuguan Fort 10, 16, 462–3, 293
496–7 K Koxinga Memorial Hall (Gulang Yu)
Jiazhou Huayuan (Le Shan) 370 Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden 293
Jile Si (Harbin) 435, 457 327, 338–9 Kublai Khan 58, 66, 348, 394, 398,
Jilin 453 Kaifeng 78, 147, 156–7, 159 469
Jilin province 436, 443 map 157 Beijing 79, 90, 96
hotels 562–3 Kaili 403, 414 and Chinese cuisine 82
restaurants 583–4 Kaishu calligraphy 33 Dongxiang people 488
skiing 593 Kaiyuan Si (Chaozhou) 302 Sakya Monastery 550
Jimei School Village (Xiamen) 292 Kaiyuan Si (Quanzhou) 297 Xanadu 478
Jin Bian Yan (Wulingyuan) 270 Kanas Lake Nature Reserve 512 Kuixing Tower (Pingyao) 145
Jin Dian (Kunming) 382 Kang Mei Yuan Chao Zhanzheng Kumarajiva 498, 513
Jin Ding Si (Emei Shan) 369 (Dandong) 447 Kumbum (Gyantse) 525, 547
Jin dynasty 58, 64, 65 Kangding 377 Kumbum Monastery see Ta’er Si
Jin Qiaojue 240 Kangxi emperor 59, 68, 128, 438 Kundulun (Baotou) 476
Jin Qu Xi 294–5, 298 Baoguang Si 366 Kung, H. H. 193, 204
Jin Shan Park (Zhenjiang) 224 Chengde 128 Kung, Prince, Prince Kung’s Mansion
Jinan 148 Da Zhao (Hohhot) 475 (Beijing) 12, 96, 119
hotels 559 Eastern Qing Tombs 115 Kung Fu 164, 165, 594
restaurants 574 Forbidden City 95 tai ji quan (Tai Chi) 279
Jinci Si (Taiyuan) 143 Marco Polo Bridge 116 Kunming 10, 14, 379, 380–83
Jindian Gong (Wudang Shan) 278 Karakoram Highway 518 climate 54
Jing Shan Park (Beijing) 12, 96 Karakoram Mountains 507 hotels 562
Jing’an Temple (Shanghai) 202 Karaoke 591 map 381
Jingang Palace (Lanzhou) 489 Kargilik 519 Muslim Uprising 348
Jingdezhen 183, 245, 261 Karma Phuntso Namgyel 548 restaurants 583
Jingdi emperor 58 Karmapa (Black Hats) order 546 Kunming Lake 85
Jinggang Shan 245, 263 Karst 418–19 Kuomintang (KMT) 72
Long March 263 Yangshuo 424, 425 and the Long March 262
Jinghong 347, 388 Karst Caves (Yixing county) 224 Kuqa 10, 17, 513
Jingjiang Prince’s Palace (Guilin) Kashgar 10, 17, 507, 514–17 Kwan Yu 321
421 Aba Khoja Mausoleum 516–17 Kyrgyz people 511
Jingpo Hu 437, 443, 458 hotels 563 Kyrgyzstan 507
Jingtai emperor 58 map 515
Jingzhen 390 restaurants 585 L
Jingzhou 274 Kashgaria 495, 507, 513, 514 Labor Park (Dalian) 450
Jingzong emperor 58 Kazakhs 30, 510, 511 Labrang Monastery 16, 467, 483,
Jinhua Cha Gardens (Nanning) 429 Kazakhstan 507 486, 487
GENERAL INDEX 633
Labrang Nyingba (Lhasa) 535 Lhasa (cont.) Long Lake (Jiuzhai Gou) 376
Lacquerware 298 Potala Palace 523, 525, 538–9 Long March 72, 183, 262–3, 348
Laifeng Monastery (Tengchong) restaurants 585 Luding Chain Bridge 377
395 Li Bai 34, 62, 64 Zunyi Conference 416
Laifeng Shan Park (Tengchong) 395 Qutang Gorge 359 Longevity Hill (Summer Palace,
Lama Temple (Beijing) 79, 98–9 tomb of 239 Beijing) 106, 108
Lamaism 140 Li Bing 374 Longgong Dong 406–7
Wudang Zhao 476 Li Cang, Marquis of Dai 266 Longhua Cemetery of Martyrs
Lamma Fisherfolk’s Village (Lamma Li Chun 136 (Shanghai) 205
Island) 330 Li Guangxiu 382 Longhua Temple (Shanghai) 205
Lamma Island 13, 330 Li people 31, 285, 301, 310 Longji Titian 426
Lan Kwai Fong (Hong Kong) 320 Li Qingzhao Memorial Hall (Jinan) Longjing Village (Hangzhou) 246
Lan Shan Gongyuan (Lanzhou) 489 148 Longmen Caves 79, 146, 147, 160–63
Lan Ting (Shaoxing) 252 Li River 348, 349 Longqing emperor 58
The Landmark (Hong Kong) 316 at Guilin 420 Longquan Si (Wutai Shan) 142
Landscape 26–9 karst landscape 418 Longrui Nature Preserve 430
karst 418–19 Li River cruise 14, 403, 422–3 Longshan culture 57
Lang Mei Xian Ci (Wudang Shan) 278 Li Xiu-cheng 210 Longsheng 14, 426
Langde 414 Li Zhisui 269 Longtan Village 425
Langmusi 486 Lianfeng-shan Park (Beidaihe) 134 Longting Park (Kaifeng) 157
Language and script 24–5, 32–3, Liao Bingxiong 307 Longwu Si (Tongren) 502
600 Liao dynasty 58, 64 Longzhu Ge (Jingdezhen) 261
Cantonese 285 Liao Zhongkai, tomb 236 Lord Bao Memorial Hall (Hefei) 239
phrase book 656–60 Liaoning province 436, 443, 444 Lotus Flower Cave (Longmen Caves)
Zhuang people 430 hotels 562–3 161
Lantau Island 13, 330–31 restaurants 583–4 Lovers’ Festival 52
map 330–31 Liberation Monument (Chonqing) Lowland landscape and wildlife 29
Lantau Peak 331 356 Lu, Y. C. 236
Lantern Festival 50 Ligong Pagoda (Hangzhou) 247 Lu Shan 245, 258–9
Lanzhou 16, 466, 483, 488–9 Lijiang 10, 14, 349, 379, 396–8, 399 Long March 262
hotels 563 hotels 562 Lu Su, tomb of 273
map 488–9 restaurants 583 Lu Xun 35, 204
restaurants 585 street-by-street map 396–7 Former Residence (Shanghai)
Lao Hei Shan (Wudalianchi) 460 Limestone, karst 418–19 204
Lao Long Tou 134 Lin Biao 71 Former Residence (Shaoxing) 252
Lao Shan 153 Lin Mo 155 tomb (Shanhai) 204
Laojun Ge (Qingcheng Shan) 374 Lin Zexu 298 Lu Xun Park (Shanghai) 204
Laojun Yan (Quanzhou) 297 Lin Zexu Memorial Hall (Fuzhou) 298 Lu Yu 299
Laos 379, 390 Lingdi emperor 58 Luck and prosperity 48–9
Laozi 36, 37 Linggu Pagoda (Nanjing) 235, 236 Ludi Yan (Guilin) 421
Laojun Yan (Quanzhou) 297 Linggu Temple (Nanjing) 235, 236 Luding 377
Luoyang 158 Lingshui 310 Luding Chain Bridge 262, 377
Qingyang Gong (Chengdu) 364 Lingyin Si (Hangzhou) 247 Lukhang (Lhasa) 532
Largo do Lilau (Macau) 334 Lingyun Ting (Zhenjiang) 224 Lunar calendar 50, 601
Largo do Senado (Macau) 13, 333 Linxia 488 Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail (Hong
Later Jin dynasty 68 Lishu calligraphy 33 Kong) 327
Le Coq, Albert von 499, 509 Literature 34–5 Luo Yue people 430
Le Shan 355 customs information 599 Luohan Hall (Baoguang Si) 366
Dafo 11, 15, 349, 370–73 Little, Edward 258 Luohan Si (Chongqing) 356
Lee, Bruce 165, 308 Little Red Book (Mao Zedong) 268 Luohou Si (Wutai Shan) 140
Legalism 57, 60 “Little eats” 567 Luomen 486
Lei Shan 414 Liu Bei, tomb 365 Luoshi Ta (Wuwei) 494
Leigong Shan 414 Liu Rong Si (Guangzhou) 305 Luoyang 78, 147, 158
Leitai Si (Wuwei) 494 Liu Shaoqi 71 hotels 559
Lenin, V. I. 105 Liu Xu, tomb 226 restaurants 574
Lesbian travelers 604–5 Liu Yazi 222 Luoyang City Museum (Luoyang) 158
Lhasa 503, 525, 532–41 Liu Yuan (Suzhou) 217 Lushun 437, 451
The Barkhor street-by-street 534–5 Liubiju (Beijing) 91 Lutheran Church (Qingdao) 152
climate 54 Liugong Island 155
exploring around Lhasa 540–41 Liulichang (Beijing) 91 M
hotels 563 Lizong emperor 59 Macartney, Lord 68, 69, 439
Jokhang Temple 525, 534, 536–7 Long Corridor (Summer Palace, Macau 13, 332–5
map 532–3 Beijing) 107, 108 airport 613
634 GENERAL INDEX
Macau (cont.) Mao Zedong (cont.) Maps (cont.)

entertainment 338–9 Mao’s Family House (Shao Shan) 266 Jiuzhai Gou tour 376
food and drink 335 Mao’s Villa (Wuhan) 272 Kaifeng 157
history 313 Mausoleum (Beijing) 12, 88 Kashgar 515
hotels 561 Monument to the People’s Heroes Kowloon 315
map 333 (Beijing) 89 Kunming 381
Portuguese colony 284, 313, 332 and Northeast China 437 Lantau Island 330–31
restaurants 581 Ode to Plum Blossom (Stone Lanzhou 488–9
returned to China 73 Forest) 384 Lhasa 532–3
shopping 336–7 Peasant Movement Institute Lhasa: Barkhor street-by-street
visas and passports 598 (Guangzhou) 304 534–5
Macau Museum 13, 332 Site of the First National Congress Li River cruise 422–3
Macau Tower 334 of the Chinese Communist Party Lijiang street-by-street 396–7
MacLehose Trail (New Territories) 327 (Shanghai) 200 Long March 262–3
Magazines 611 statues 298, 444, 446 Longmen Caves 161
Mahao Cave Tombs (Le Shan) 371 Tai Shan 151 Macau 333
Mahayana Buddhism 37, 491 Tian’an Men (Beijing) 89 Miao communities of Asia 412
see also Buddhism Underground City (Beijing) 90 Miao villages 415
Mahjong 590 Yan’an 177 Nanchang 257
Mai Po Marshes 327 Zunyi Conference 416 Nanjing 229
Maiji Shan 10, 16, 482, 484–5 Maotai 416 Northeast China 434–5
Mail services 610–11 Maps The Peak (Hong Kong) 318–19
Maitreya Buddha 540 Beijing 86–7 Putuo Shan 254–5
Malaria 607 Beijing: Street Finder 120–25 Qingdao 152–3
Maling Canyon 349, 408 Beijing: Tian’an Men Square street- Shaanxi province 167
Man Mo Temple (Hong Kong) 13, by-street 88–9 Shamian Island 306–7
313, 320–21 Beijing and the North 76–7 Shandong and Henan 147
Manchu dynasty 68, 436, 438–9 Central China 180–81 Shanghai 190–91
Manchukuo 72, 437, 443, 452 Central and Eastern Asia 18 Shenyang 445
Manchuria 72, 436–7, 443 Changbai Shan 454–5 Shi Lin (Stone Forest) 385
Mandalas 540 Chengdu 365 Shigatse 549
Mandarin Chinese 32, 600 China 18–19 Sichuan and Chongqing 355
Mandarin Duck Hall (Suzhou) 212 Chongqing 357 Silk Road 471
Mandarin’s House (Macau) 334 climate 54–5 South China 282–3
Manfeilong Ta 391 Dali and Er Hai 393 Southwest China 346–7
Manguanghan 391 Dalian 451 The Spread of Buddhism 491
Manguanglong Si (Gasa) 391 Emei Shan 368–9 subways see inside back cover
Manjusri 141 Fujian 291 Suzhou 211
Manjusri Temple (Lhasa) 540 Gansu and Qinghai 483 Tai Shan 150–51
Manlei Si (Mengzhe) 390 Genghis Khan’s empire 477 Tianjin 135
Manpo 391 Grand Canal 223 Tibet 522–3
Manting 390 Great Wall of China 113 Tiger Leaping Gorge 400–401
Manting Park (Jinghong) 388 Greater Beijing 86 Trans Siberian Railway 441
Manzhouli 478 Greater Shanghai 191 Wuhan 272–3
Mao Ling (Xi’an) 176 Guangdong and Hainan 301 Wulingyuan 270–71
Mao Zedong 105, 256 Guangzhou 305 Wutai Shan 140–41, 142
birthplace 265, 266, 268 Guilin 421 Xiamen and Gulangyu Island 293
Changsha 266 Guiyang 405 Xi’an 169
cult of Mao 268–9 Guizhou and Guangxi 403 Xinjiang 507
Cultural Revolution 70–71, 72, 73 Hainan Island 311 Xishuangbanna 391
death 73 Hangzhou 247 Yangshuo 425
Dripping Water Cave (Shao Shan) Harbin 457 Yangzhou 227
266 Hebei, Tianjin and Shanxi 127 Yangzi cruise 358–9
founds People’s Republic of China 72 Hong Kong 314–15 Yunnan 379
Great Leap Forward 73, 259 Hong Kong: Street Finder 340–43 Zhejiang and Jiangxi 245
Hongyuan Cun (Chongqing) 357 Huang Shan 242–3 Marble Boat (Summer Palace,
Hunan 183 Huangpu River 201 Beijing) 106
Long March 72, 262–3 Hunan and Hubei 265 Marble Carriageway (Forbidden
Lu Shan 258 Inner Mongolia and Ningxia 473 City) 93
Mao Ancestral Temple (Shao Shan) Inner Mongolia and the Silk Road Marco Polo Bridge 116
266 464–5 Maritime Museum (Macau) 334
Mao Zedong Memorial Museum itineraries 10–11 Markets 587
(Shao Shan) 266 Jiangsu and Anhui 209 Bazaar (Turpan) 508
GENERAL INDEX 635
Markets (cont.) Menghai 390 Monasteries (cont.)

Beijing 100, 118, 119 Menghun 390–91 Ganden Monastery (Lhasa) 524,
Bird and Flower Market (Kunming) Mengla 390 531, 541
380 Menglun 390 Kongtong Shan 490
Bird and Flower Markets (Hong Mengzhe 390 Labrang Monastery 16, 483, 486,
Kong) 323 Menus 487
Dai people 389 Beijing and the North 83 Meru Nyingba (Lhasa) 535
Hong Kong and Macau 336, 337 Central China 187 Nechung Monastery (Lhasa) 540–
Jade Market (Hong Kong) 323, South China 289 41
336, 337 Southwest China 353 Pelkor Chode Monastery (Gyantse)
Medicinal Market (Bozhou) 239 Meridian Gate (Forbidden City) 92 547
Qingping Market (Guangzhou) 304 Meru Nyingba (Lhasa) 535 Po Lin Monastery (Lantau Island)
Shanghai 206 Meteorite Shower Museum (Jilin) 453 330–31
Sheung Wan’s Markets (Hong Mi Fu 253 Rongphu Monastery 550
Kong) 321 Miao people 346, 348, 349, 390, 408 Sakya Monastery 524, 525, 550
Shuijing Xiang Market (Xining) 502 festivals and crafts 412–13, 415, Samye Monastery 524, 544–5
Songxian Qiao Curio Market 429 Sera Monastery (Lhasa) 525, 541
(Chengdu) 365 Guizhou and Guangxi 403 Shibao Zhai 358
Sunday Market (Kashgar) 514 maps 412, 415 Ta’er Si 504–5
Temple Street Market (Hong villages 414–15 Tashilunpo Monastery (Shigatse)
Kong) 323, 336, 337 Miao Rebellion 415 548–9
Tibetan market (Shigatse) 548 Mid-Autumn Festival 52, 339 Tibetan Buddhism 524, 526
see also Shopping Military Museum of the Chinese Tsurphu Monastery 546
Martial arts 38, 594 People’s Revolution (Beijing) 105 Upper and Lower Monasteries
festivals 52 Millennium City (Kaifeng) 157 (Tongren) 502
Kung Fu 164, 165, 308 Min Jiang 374, 375 Wudang Zhao 476
Martial Arts School (Wudang Shan) Min people 291 see also Nunneries
278 Ming dynasty 58, 66–7 Money 608–9
Martyrs’ Memorial (Nanjing) 237 Beijing 79, 85 currency exchange 608
Martyrs’ Memorial (Shijiazhuang) 136 Great Wall of China 67, 112–13 duty-free allowances 599
Martyrs’ Memorial Hall (Heng Shan) literature 34, 35 security 604
267 Ming Tombs (Beijing) 39, 110–11 Mongol Empire 58, 65, 66
Martyrs’ Park (Changsha) 266 Nanjing 183 Mongolia see Inner Mongolia
Marx, Karl 105, 303 porcelain 260, 261 Monkey Island 311
Mason, Richard 316 Xiao Ling Tomb (Nanjing) 236 Monument to the Martyrs
Matang 415 Ming Palace Ruins (Nanjing) 232 (Nanchang) 256
Mati Si (Zhangye) 494 Ming Shan 358 Monument to the People’s Heroes
May 7 Cadre Schools 71 Ming Xiao Ling (Nanjing) 234 (Beijing) 89
Mazu Miao (Meizhou Island) 297 Mingdi emperor 58 Monument to the Red Army
Measurements 601 Mingjiao Si (Hefei) 239 Martyrs (Zunyi) 416
Media 610–11 Mingsha Shan 17, 498 Moor Pagoda (Ha Noi) 515
Medical facilities 605 Mini Three Gorges 15, 359 Morrison, Robert 332
Medical insurance 599, 605 Minorities Museum (Kaili) 414 Moscow 441
Medicine Minority peoples 24–5, 30–31 Mosques 511
Hu Qingyu Tang Museum of food and drink 567 Altunluq Mosque (Yarkand) 519
Chinese Medicine (Hangzhou) 246 River Border 461 Cow Street Mosque (Beijing) 104
Medicinal Market (Bozhou) 239 see also individual peoples Dongguan Great Mosque (Xining)
Traditional medicine 238 Mirror Pools 346 502
“Meet in Beijing” Festival 51 Mishi Xiang (Lijiang) 397 Emin Ta (Turpan) 508
Mei Lanfang 81 Mo Yan 35 etiquette 602
Mei Yuan (Tai Hu) 222 Mobile phones 610 Great Mosque (Hohhot) 474
Meilu Villa (Lu Shan) 259 MOCA Shanghai 194, 195 Great Mosque (Kuqa) 10, 513
Meiyuan Xincun (Nanjing) 232 Mochou Lake (Nanjing) 233 Great Mosque (Xi’an) 16, 79, 169
Meizhou Island 282, 285, 291, 297 Mogao Caves 17, 467, 498, 499, 501 Huaisheng Mosque (Guangzhou)
Mekong River 349, 379, 388, 531 Mohammed, Prophet 227 305
Melikawat 519 Mohammed Kashgari, tomb of 515 Id Kah Mosque (Kashgar) 17, 514
Memorial Hall to the Martyrs of the Mohe 460 Nanguan Mosque (Linxia) 488
Revolution (Nanchang) 256 Monasteries Nanguan Mosque (Yinchuan) 479
Memorial Hall of the Victims in 10,000 Buddhas Monastery (Hong Qingjing Mosque (Quanzhou) 297
Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Kong) 326 Xianhe Mosque (Yangzhou) 227
Invaders (Nanjing) 237 accommodation in 554 Mosquitos 607
Mencius 147, 149 Dabei Monastery (Tianjin) 135 Motels 554
Mengda Tian Chi 503 Drepung Monastery (Lhasa) 540 Motor racing 592, 595
636 GENERAL INDEX
Motorcycle taxis 621 Museums and galleries (cont.) Museums and galleries (cont.)
Mountaineering 594–5 Dali Museum (Dali) 392 Military Museum of the Chinese
Mountains Dinosaur Museum (Zigong) 361 People’s Revolution (Beijing) 105
Cangyan Shan 136 Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage Minorities Museum (Kaili) 414
Changbai Shan 454–5 (Chengdu) 364 MOCA Shanghai 194, 195
Emei Shan 355, 368–9 Dunhuang City Museum Municipal Museum (Guangzhou)
Fenghuang Shan 447 (Dunhuang) 498 307
Flaming Mountains (Turpan) 509 Folklore Museum (Zunyi) 416 Museum of the 1895 Sino-
Helan Shan 480 Forest of Stelae (Beilin) Museum Japanese War (Weihai) 155
Heng Shan 137, 267 (Xi’an) 168 Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen
Hua Shan 79, 166, 167, 177 Former Residence of Zhou Enlai (Nanjing) 235, 236
Huang Shan 209, 242–3 (Shanghai) 200 Museum of Naxi Culture (Lijiang)
Jinggang Shan 245, 263 Fujian Museum (Fuzhou) 298 398
Jiuhua Shan 180, 209, 240 Furniture Museum (Pingyao) 144 Museum of Opera and Theater
Karakoram Mountains 507, 518 Gansu Provincial Museum (Suzhou) 211
landscape and wildlife 26 (Lanzhou) 16, 489 Museum to Commemorate Aiding
Lao Shan 153 Great Wall Museum (Dandong) 447 Korea & Resisting America
Lu Shan 258–9 Great Wall Museum (Jiayuguan) 494 (Dandong) 447
Maiji Shan 484–5 Great Wall Museum (Shanhaiguan) Museum of Yin Ruins (Anyang) 158
Ming Shan 358 16, 134 Nanjing Museum (Nanjing) 232
Pamir Mountains 495, 514, 518 Hanlingyuan Museum (Yangzhou) National Art Museum of China
The Peak (Hong Kong) 318–19 226 (Beijing) 100
Purple Mountain (Nanjing) 234–7 Hebei Provincial Museum National Museum of China
Putuo Shan 245, 254–5 (Shijiazhuang) 136 (Beijing) 89, 90
Qilian Shan 494 Henan Provincial Museum Nationality Museum (Wuzhi Shan
Qixia Shan 246 (Zhengzhou) 158 City) 310
Song Shan 147, 164 Heritage Museum (Hong Kong) 326 Ningxia Provincial Museum
Southwest China 350 Hetian Regional Museum (Hotan) (Yinchuan) 479
Tai Mo Shan 327 519 Overseas Chinese Museum
Tai Shan 78, 79, 147, 150–51 Hong Kong Museum of Art 322 (Xiamen) 292
Tian Shan 507 Hong Kong Museum of History Palace Museum (Forbidden City,
Tiantai Shan 253 322–3 Beijing) 92–5
Wudang Shan 265, 278 Hong Kong Science Museum 322 Peasant Movement Institute
Wulingyuan 270–71 Hu Qingyu Tang Museum of (Guangzhou) 304
Wutai Shan 127, 140–42 Chinese Medicine (Hangzhou) 246 Porcelain Museum (Jingdezhen)
Wuyi Shan 291, 294–5, 298 Hubei Provincial Museum 261
Wuzhi Shan 310 (Wuhan) 272 Pottery Exhibition Hall (Yixing) 224
Yandang Shan 245, 253 Hunan Provincial Museum Provincial Museum (Guiyang) 404
Yulong Xue Shan 398 (Changsha) 266 Provincial Museum (Harbin) 456
Zhuque Shan 453 Inner Mongolia Museum (Hohhot) Provincial Museum (Hefei) 239
Moxi Xiang 377 474 Provincial Museum (Kunming) 380
Mu Fu (Lijiang) 398 Jewish Refugee Museum Provincial Museum (Nanchang) 257
Mudan River 458 (Shanghai) 204 Provincial Museum (Nanning) 429
Mudanjiang 458 Jiazhou Huayuan (Le Shan) 370 Provincial Museum (Wuwei) 494
Mu’en Tang (Shanghai) 194 Jingzhou Museum 274 Qingdao Museum 152–3
Mui Wo 331 Jinsha Museum (Chengdu) 365 Quanzhou Maritime Museum 297
Mukden see Shenyang Lu Xun’s Former Residence Red Gate Gallery (Beijing) 101
Murphy, Henry 235 (Shanghai) 204 Revolutionary Museum
Murray House (Stanley) 329 Luoyang City Museum (Luoyang) (Nanchang) 256
Museums and galleries 158 Rishenchang (Pingyao) 144
admission charges 600 Macau Museum (Macau) 13, 332 Sanxingdui Museum 11, 15, 366
18 September Museum Mao Zedong Memorial Museum Shaanxi History Museum (Xi’an)
(Shenyang) 444 (Shao Shan) 266 16, 167, 172–3
Ancient Observatory (Beijing) Mao’s Family House (Shao Shan) 266 Shandong Provincial Museum
100–101 Maritime Museum (Macau) 334 (Jinan) 148
Art Museum (Guangzhou) 307 Meiyuan Xincun (Nanjing) 232 Shanghai Art Museum 194, 195
Beijing Natural History Museum 101 Memorial Hall to the Martyrs of Shanghai History Museum 195
Capital Museum (Beijing) 101 the Revolution (Nanchang) 256 Shanghai Museum 12–13, 189,
Ceramic History Exposition Memorial Hall of the Victoms in 196–7, 206, 207
(Jingdezhen) 261 Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Shanxi Provincial Museum
China House Museum (Tianjin) 135 Invaders (Nanjing) 237 (Taiyuan) 143
City Museum (Kunming) 381 Meteorite Shower Museum (Jilin) Sichuan Museum (Chengdu)
City Museum (Lanzhou) 489 453 365
GENERAL INDEX 637
Museums and galleries (cont.) Muslims and Islam (cont.) Nationalist Party see Kuomintang
Site of the First National Congress Muslim Uprising (1856) 348 (KMT)
of the Chinese Communist Party in Xinjiang 507 Nationality Museum (Wuzhi Shan
(Shanghai) 200 see also Mosques City) 310
Soong Qingling’s Former Mutianyu 114 Nature reserves
Residence (Shanghai) 204–5 Muzong emperor 58 Changbai Shan Reserve 443, 454–5
Stilwell Museum (Chongqing) 357 Myanmar 379, 390–91, 395 Chishui 416
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Residence Everest Base Camp 550
(Shanghai) 13, 200 N Jianfeng Ling Nature Reserve 311
Sun Yat-sen’s Residence (Cuiheng) Nadaam Fair 52, 469 Kanas Lake Nature Reserve 512
308 Nagpu Horse Race Festival 52 Longrui Nature Preserve 430
Suzhou Museum (Suzhou) 210 Namtso Lake 525, 530, 546–7 Mengda Nature Reserve 503
Suzhou Silk Museum (Suzhou) 210 Nan Putuo Si (Xiamen) 282, 292 Shennongjia Forest Reserve 183,
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History Nan Yue Palace Gardens 265, 278
Museum (Nanjing) 228 (Guangzhou) 304 Wanglang Nature Reserve 355, 375
Tea Museum (Hangzhou) 246 Nan Yue Tomb (Guangzhou) 306 Wulingyuan 270–71
Three Gorges Museum Nanchan Si (Wutai Shan) 142 Zhalong Nature Reserve 409, 437,
(Chongqing) 356 Nanchang 245, 256–7 443, 458
Tianjixiang Museum (Pingyao) 145 hotels 560 Naxi kingdom 379
Tibet Museum (Lhasa) 533 map 257 Naxi people 30, 349, 399
Tujia Museum (Furongzhen) 267 restaurants 578 Lijiang 398
Turpan Museum (Turpan) 508 Nanchang Uprising (1927) 183 Nechung Monastery (Lhasa) 540–41
Wang Shi Xiao Yuan (Yangzhou) Nanguan Mosque (Linxia) 488 Nengren Si (Jiujiang) 258
227 Nanguan Mosque (Yinchuan) 479 Neolithic period 57, 78
Wen Miao (Wuwei) 494 Nanhua Si (Shaoguan) 309 Nepal border 550, 551
Wenya Museum (Jinzhou) 446 Nanjing 183, 209, 228–37 Nestorian Christianity 168, 471, 509
Wuxi Museum (Wuxi) 222 food and drink 186 New Territories 327
Xi’an Museum 170 hotels 560 New Year
Xianyang City Museum (Xianyang) map 229 Chinese 48, 53
176 Purple Mountain 234–7 Tibetan 50
Xinjiang Provincial Museum restaurants 577 Western 53
(Ürümqi) 17, 510 Taiping Rebellion 428 Newspapers 611
Yan’an Revolutionary Museum Treaty of 69, 189 Ngong Ping (Lantau Island) 330–31
(Yan’an) 177 Zhonghua Gate 230–31 Night Market (Beijing) 100
Yangzhou Museum (Yangzhou) 226 Nanjing Massacre (1937) 233 Nightclubs
Yantai Museum (Yantai) 154 Memorial (Purple Mountain) 237 Beijing 119
Yong Ling Museum (Chengdu) 364 Nanjing Museum (Nanjing) 232 Hong Kong 338, 339
Zhenjiang Museum (Zhenjiang) 224 Nanjing Road (Shanghai) 12, 194 Shanghai 207
Zigong Salt Museum (Zigong) 361 Nanjing Yangzi River Bridge Nine Dragon Screen (Bei Hai Park) 96
Music 46 (Nanjing) 233 Nine Dragon Screen (Forbidden
Beijing Opera 80–81, 119 Nanking see Nanjing City) 95
discos and karaoke 591 Nanking Road (Shanghai) 203 Nine Horse Fresco Hill 422
Dongson drums 429, 430 Nanmao Jie (Riuli) 395 Ningbo 245, 252
festivals 53 Nanning 429 Ningxia province 466, 467, 473
Hong Kong and Macau 338, 339 hotels 562 hotels 563
musical instruments 81, 429 Nanping 240 map 473
rock and pop music 591 Nanshan Si (Wutai Shan) 142 restaurants 584
Shanghai 206, 207 Nanwu Chaoxi Si (Huanglong Xi) 374 Ningxia Provincial Museum
Sichuan opera 366 Nanyan Gong (Wudang Shan) 278 (Yinchuan) 479
traditional music 591 Nanyue 267 Ningzong emperor 59
Muslims and Islam 511 Nanyue Damiao (Heng Shan) 267 Nixon, Richard 73, 292
Aba Khoja Mausoleum (Kashgar) Nanzhao Kingdom 348, 380, 394 No. 1 Department Store (Shanghai)
516–17 Nathan Road (Hong Kong) 322, 336 206, 207
Arab traders 284 National Art Museum of China Nomads 528–9
Cow Street Mosque (Beijing) 104 (Beijing) 100 Mongols of the Steppe 468–9
food and drink 83 National Center for Performing Arts Tibet 525
Garden Tomb of Puhaddin (Beijing) 118, 119 Noonday Gun (Hong Kong) 317
(Yangzhou) 227 National Day 53, 303 Norbulingka (Lhasa) 533
Great Mosque (Xi’an) 169 National Museum of China (Beijing) North Korea 443, 446–7
Huaisheng Mosque (Guangzhou) 89, 90 North Pagoda (Shenyang) 444
305 National Olympic Stadium (Beijing) North Tomb (Shenyang) 445
Islamic Cemetery (Guangzhou) 117 Northeast China 432–61
306–7 National Theater (Beijing) 47 Changbai Shan 454–5
638 GENERAL INDEX
Northeast China (cont.) Otani, Count 499 Palaces (cont.)

forests 28 Ou Yuan (Suzhou) 210 Palace of Abstinence (Forbidden
fossils 459 Our Lady of China (Shanghai) 205 City) 95
hotels 562–3 Our Lady of Lourdes (Shamian Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang Island) 307 (Forbidden City) 94
442–61 Overseas Chinese Museum Palace of Eternal Harmony
Manchu dynasty 438–9 (Xiamen) 292 (Forbidden City) 94–5
maps 434–5 Palace of Heavenly Purity
peoples 31 P (Forbidden City) 94
Portrait of Northeast China 436–7 Pacific Hotel (Shanghai) 194 Palace of Peaceful Longevity
restaurants 583–4 Padmasambhava 524 (Forbidden City) 95
River Border minorities 461 Pagodas 41, 171 Potala Palace 523, 538–9
Trans Siberian Railway 440–41 Bai Ta (Hohhot) 475 Puppet Emperor’s Palace
travel 435 Baisikou Shuang Ta 480 (Changchun) 437, 452
see also Beijing and the North Beisi Ta (Suzhou) 210 Summer Palace (Beijing) 12,
Northern Dynasties 59, 61 Chongxi Ta (Zhaoqing) 308 106–8
Northern Song dynasty 59, 65 Fan Pagoda (Kaifeng) 157 Summer Palace of the Panchen
Northern Wei dynasty 59, 61, 138 Gongtang Pagoda 487 Lamas (Shigatse) 549
Novels 35 Great Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi’an) Takten Migyur Podrang (Lhasa) 533
Nowrojee, Dorabjee 321 16, 167, 170, 491 Pamir Mountains 467, 514
Nu, U 388 Haibao Ta (Yinchuan) 479 The “Great Game” 495
Nunneries Iron Pagoda (Kaifeng) 156 Karakoram Highway 518
Ani Tsankhung Nunnery (Lhasa) 533 Ligong Pagoda (Hangzhou) 247 Pan Men Scenic Area (Suzhou)
Fulu Buddhist Nunnery (Sanjiang) Linggu Pagoda (Nanjing) 235, 236 218–19
426 North Pagoda (Shenyang) 444 Panchen Lamas
see also Monasteries Qiji Futu Pagoda (Harbin) 457 11th Panchen Lama 548
Nuorilang Falls 376 Riyue Shuang Ta (Guilin) 420 Chengde 129
Nuoyu 400 Ruiguang Pagoda (Suzhou) 219 Summer Palace of the Panchen
Nurhachi 68, 438, 444 San Ta (Dali) 392–3 Lamas (Shigatse) 549
tomb of 445 Shengjin Ta Pagoda (Nanchang) Tashilunpo Monastery (Shigatse)
257 548, 549
O Shuang Ta (Suzhou) 216 Pandas 367
Observatories Si Men Pagoda (Jinan) 148 Panda Breeding Center 11, 15, 366
Ancient Observatory (Beijing) Six Harmonies Pagoda Wanglang Nature Reserve 375
100–101 (Hangzhou) 247 Panlong 430
Purple Mountain Observatory Small Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi’an) Park Hotel (Shanghai) 194
(Nanjing) 234, 236 167, 170 Parks and gardens
Ocean Park (Hong Kong) 328–9, 338 Songyue Si Pagoda (Song Shan) admission charges 600
Old Protestant Cemetery (Macau) 332 164 playing games in 590
Old Racecourse (Shanghai) 195, 203 Wat Ben Pagoda 388 traditional Chinese gardens 184–5
Old Summer Palace see Yuanming Wenfeng Pagoda (Anyang) 158 Bailuzhou Park (Nanjing) 228
Yuan Wu Ta Si (Hohhot) 475 Baita Shan Gongyuan (Lanzhou)
Old tea-horse road (Shaxi) 394 Xi Si Ta (Kunming) 381 488
Old Town (Kashgar) 514 Xi Ta (Yinchuan) 479 Bayi Park (Nanchang) 256
Olympic Games 21, 73, 85, 117, 592 Yan’an Bao Pagoda (Yan’an) 177 Bei Hai Park (Beijing) 74–5, 84, 96
Opal (Kashgar) 515 Yingxian Pagoda 171 Beijing Botanical Gardens 109
Opening hours 600 Zhe Ta (Wuhu) 239 Beishan Park (Jilin) 453
banks 608 Paintballing 594 Botanic Gardens (Menglun) 390
restaurants 566 Painting 45 Botanical Gardens (Nanjing) 236
shops 586 see also Arts and crafts Canglang Ting (Suzhou) 216–17
Opera Pak Tai Temple (Cheung Chau Cui Hu Gongyuan (Kunming) 380
Beijing Opera 80–81, 119, 590 Island) 330 Danxia Shan 309
model operas 71 Pak Tam Chung Visitor Centre (Sai Di Tan Park (Beijing) 99
Museum of Opera and Theater Kung Town) 326–7 Donghai Park (Dalian) 450
(Suzhou) 211 Pakistan 507, 518 Er Hai Park 394
Sichuan opera 366 Palace Museum (Forbidden City) Fuxing Park (Shanghai) 13, 200
Opium Wars 69, 284, 428 92–5 Garden of Harmonious Pleasures
Oracle bones 32, 57, 158 Palaces (Summer Palace, Beijing) 106
Orange Pavilion (Suzhou) 213 Ganden Palace (Lhasa) 540 Garden of Virtue and Harmony
Orchid Garden (Guangzhou) 306–7 Imperial Palace (Shenyang) 438, 444 (Summer Palace, Beijing) 107, 108
Oriental Pearl TV Tower (Shanghai) Jinjiang Prince’s Palace (Guilin) Ge Yuan (Yangzhou) 226
188, 195 421 Gongqing Forest Park (Shanghai)
Oroqen people 31, 461 Ming Palace Ruins (Nanjing) 232 201
GENERAL INDEX 639
Parks and gardens (cont.) Parks and gardens (cont.) Ping An 14, 426
Haigeng Park (Lake Dian) 383 Wuquan Shan Gongyuan Pingdi emperor 58
He Yuan (Yangzhou) 227 (Lanzhou) 489 Pingliang 490
Heilong Tan Gongyuan (Lijiang) 398 Xi Yuan (Suzhou) 217 Pingxiang 430–31
Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Xiang Shan Park (Beijing) 109 Pingyao 41, 127, 144–5
Gardens 13, 317 Xiaoyaijin Park (Hefei) 239 restaurants 574
Hong Shan Park (Ürümqi) 510 Xihui Park (Wuxi) 222 Pinyin script 33, 600
Huagang Garden (Hangzhou) 248 Xinglong Tropical Botanical Plants 26–9
Huanglong Dong Park Gardens 310 bamboo 417
(Hangzhou) 246 Xu Yuan (Nanjing) 229 ginseng 454
Huangpu Park (Shanghai) 201 Xuanwu Lake (Nanjing) 232 plant hunters 351
Humble Administrator’s Garden Yantai Shan Park (Yantai) 154 Southwest China 350–51
(Suzhou) 212–13 Yi Yuan (Suzhou) 216 see also Parks and gardens
Imperial Gardens (Forbidden City) Yu Gardens and Bazaar (Shanghai) Plum Blossom Hill (Purple
94 12, 198–9 Mountain) 236
Jiangxin Park (Wenzhou) 253 Yuanming Yuan (Garden of Perfect Plum Monastery (Zhaoqing) 308
Jin Shan Park (Zhenjiang) 224 Brightness, Beijing) 109, 439 Po Lin Monastery (Lantau Island)
Jing Shan Park (Beijing) 12, 96 Yuexiu Park (Guangzhou) 307 330–1
Jinhua Cha Gardens (Nanning) 429 Yuhuangding Park (Yantai) 154 “Pockmarked Huang” 200, 203
Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden Yuhuatai (Nanjing) 237 Poetry, Tang 34
327, 338–9 Zhaolin Park (Harbin) 456 Pok Fu Lam Reservoir (Hong Kong)
Lan Shan Gongyuan (Lanzhou) 489 Passports 598–9 318
Lianfeng-shan Park (Beidaihe) 134 security 604 Police 604, 605
Liu Yuan (Suzhou) 217 Past Buddha 527 Politics 23–4
Longting Park (Kaifeng) 157 Pavilion Bridge (West Lake, Pollution 24, 606
Lu Xun Park (Shanghai) 204 Hangzhou) 250–51 Polo, Marco 66, 249, 471
Manting Park (Jinghong) 388 Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns in Fuzhou 298
Martyrs’ Park (Changsha) 266 (Forbidden City) 94 in Hangzhou 246
Mei Yuan (Tai Hu) 222 The Peak (Hong Kong) 13, 318–19 Hualin Si (Guangzhou) 304
Nan Yue Palace Gardens Peak Tower (Hong Kong) 319 Marco Polo Bridge 116
(Guangzhou) 304 Peak Tram (Hong Kong) 319 Yangzi River 182
Norbulingka (Lhasa) 533 Pearl River 284, 301 Pop music 591
Old Racecourse (Shanghai) 195, 203 Mai Po Marshes 327 Porcelain see Ceramics
Orchid Garden (Guangzhou) Pearl-Beach Falls 376 Port Arthur see Lushun
306–7 Peasant Movement Institute Portugal
Ou Yuan (Suzhou) 210 (Guangzhou) 304 food and drink in Macau 335
Pan Men Scenic Area (Suzhou) Pei, I.M. 210, 316 and Macau 284, 313, 332
218–19 Peking Man site 117 Postal services 610–11
People’s Park (Shanghai) 12, 194 Pelkor Chode Monastery (Gyantse) Poste restante 610–11
Qianling Shan Park (Guiyang) 405 547 Potala Palace (Lhasa) 523, 525,
Qixing Gongyuan (Guilin) 420 Pelliot, Paul 499 538–9
Renmin Park (Chengdu) 364 Peng Dehui 259 Pottery see Ceramics
Renmin Park (Nanning) 429 Penglai Ge 155 Pottery Exhibition Hall (Yixing)
Shamian Park (Shamian Island) 306 Penholder Peak (Li River) 423 224
Shizi Lin (Suzhou) 210 Penjing 185 Pousada São Tiago (Macau) 334
Shou Xi Hu (Yangzhou) 226 Peoples of China 30–31 Poyang Hu 245
Shuzhuang Garden (Gulangyu see also Ethnic minorities Praia Grande (Macau) 333
Island) 293 People’s Hall (Lu Shan) 259 Precious Clouds Pavilion (Summer
Stalin Park (Harbin) 456 People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Palace, Beijing) 108
Summer Palace (Beijing) 106–8 Cultural Revolution 70, 71 Prescription Cave (Longmen Caves)
Sun Island Park (Harbin) 456 People’s Park and Square (Shanghai) 161
Tiger Hill (Suzhou) 217 12, 194 Prescription drugs 605
Tropical Botanical Gardens Period of Disunity 59 Prince Kung’s Mansion (Beijing) 12,
(Xishuangbanna) 350 Permits 599 96, 119
Tropical Flower and Plant Garden Personal security 604–5 Printing 43
(Jinghong) 388 Phagpa 550 Prosperity 48–9
Tuisi Yuan (Tongli) 222 Pharmacies 605 Provincial museums see Museums
Victoria Park (Hong Kong) 317 Philosophy 36–7 and galleries
Victoria Peak Garden (Hong Kong) qi 38–9 Pu Songling 153
318 Photography 601 Pu Yi, Emperor 59, 69, 72, 452
Wangshi Yuan (Suzhou) 216 etiquette 602 abdication 95
Wanshi Botanical Garden (Xiamen) Phrase book 656–60 Beijing Botanical Gardens 109
292 Pileguo 394 and Manchukuo 437, 443, 452
640 GENERAL INDEX
Pu Yi, Emperor (cont.) Qiji Futu Pagoda (Harbin) 457 Rail travel (cont.)
Puppet Emperor’s Palace Qilian Shan 494 airport links 615
(Changchun) 437, 452 Qin dynasty 59, 60 Golmud to Lhasa 503, 525
tomb 115 Qin Shi Huangdi emperor 59, 60, tours 593
Public holidays 53, 556, 600 151, 167 train spotting 593
Public Security Bureau (PSB) 599, 604 and Confucius 149 Trans-Siberian Railway 440–41
Public toilets 605 Great Wall of China 112 Railway Station (Lushun) 451
Pubs Heng Shan 137 Rainforest 390
Beijing 119 Penglai 155 Ramoche (Lhasa) 532
Hong Kong 338, 339 Terracotta Army 60, 78, 167, 174–5 Red Army
Pudong (Shanghai) 21, 182, 189, tomb 175 cult of Mao 268
193, 195 Qing dynasty 59, 68–9 Long March 72, 262, 377
Puhaddin, Garden Tomb of Beijing 79, 85 Nanchang Uprising 183
Puhaddin (Yangzhou) 227 Eastern Qing Tombs 115 Red Army Political Department
Puji Si (Putuo Shan) 254 literature 34, 35 (Zunyi) 416
Pule Si (Chengde) 129 Manchu dynasty 438–9 Red Basin 355
Puning Si (Chengde) 40, 129, 130–31 porcelain 261 Red Gate Gallery (Beijing) 101
Puntsok Palace 550 Summer Palace (Beijing) 106 Red Guard 70
Puppet Emperor’s Palace Taiping Rebellion 228 Red Palace (Lhasa) 538, 539
(Changchun) 437, 452 Qing Ming Festival 50 Red Turbans 66
Puppet theater 591 Qing Teng Shu Wu (Shaoxing) 252 Reform Movement 69
Purple Mountain (Nanjing) 234–7 Qingcheng Shan 374 Rehai 395
Pusa Ding (Wutai Shan) 141 Qingdao 79, 147, 152–3, 593 Religion 25, 36–7
Putonghua (Chinese language) 32 hotels 559 festivals 50
Putonghua (Chinese language) map 152–3 see also Buddhism; Christianity;
600 restaurants 574–5 Muslims and Islam
Putuo Shan 181, 245, 254–5 Qingdao International Beer Festival 52 Renmin Park (Chengdu) 364
Putuozongcheng Miao (Chengde) Qingdao Museum (Qingdao) Renmin Park (Nanning) 429
128 152–3 Renmin Square (Dalian) 450
Puzhao Si (Tai Shan) 150 Qinghai Hu 465, 467, 483, 503 Renzong emperor 59
Qinghai province 466, 467, 483 Repulse Bay 329
Q hotels 563 Resonant Sand Gorge 476
Qi 38–9 map 483 Responsible tourism 595
traditional medicine 238 restaurants 584–5 Restaurants 564–85
Qi Fo Si (Wutai Shan) 141 Qingjing Mosque (Quanzhou) 297 air-conditioning 606
Qian Bu Sha (Putuo Shan) 255 Qingning Palace (Shenyang) 444 bargaining 603
Qian Ling (Xi’an) 176 Qingping Market (Guangzhou) 304 Beijing and the North 572–5
Qian Men (Beijing) 12, 88, 90 Qingshan (Baotou) 476 Central China 575–9
Qiang people 377 Qingyang 405 customs and etiquette 568–9
Qianling Shan Park (Guiyang) 405 Qingyang Gong (Chengdu) 349, 364 ethnic food 567
Qianlong emperor 59, 68, 128, 438, Qingyin Ge (Emei Shan) 369 etiquette 602
439 Qingyuan 309 fast food 567
Baoguang Si 366 Qingyuan Shan 297 in hotels 566
Beijing Opera 80 Qinian Dian (Beijing) 102 Inner Mongolia and the Silk Road
Chengde 129 Qinzong emperor 59, 65 584–5
Eastern Qing Tombs 115 Qiongzhong 310 Northeast China 583–4
food customs and etiquette 569 Qiongzhu Si (Kunming) 382 opening hours 566
Great Bell Temple (Beijing) 109 Qixia Shan (Hangzhou) 246 service charges 603
Marco Polo Bridge 116 Qixia Si (Nanjing) 237 smoking in 603
Prince Kung’s Mansion (Beijing) Qixing Gongyuan (Guilin) 420 Southern China 579–81
96 Qixing Yan 308 Southwest China 581–3
Puning Si (Chengde) 130 Qu Yuan 51 themed restaurants 567
Summer Palace (Beijing) 106 Quanzhou 291, 297 Tibet 585
and Xiangfei 516 Quanzhou Maritime Museum 297 tipping in 569
Yangzhou 226 Quartel dos Mouros (Macau) 334 types of 566–7
Yuanming Yuan (Beijing) 109, 439 Qufu 79, 148–9 vegetarian food 567
Qianming Si (Guiyang) 404 Qutang Xia 359 Western restaurants 567
Qiantang River 248 see also Food and drink
Qianxun Ta (Dali) 392 R Restrooms 605
Qiao Guifa 145 Rabies 607 Retreat in the Qingbian Mountain
Qiao Jia Dayuan 145 Radio 611 (Wang Meng) 197
Qidan people 64 Rail travel 616–17 Revolutionary Museum (Nanchang)
Qigong 38 advance booking 598 256
GENERAL INDEX 641
Ricci, Matteo 67 San Ta (Dali) 14, 392–3 Shanghai (cont.)

astronomy 100 Sanche River 407 CITS 599
and China’s Jews 157 Sangke 486 climate 55
South Cathedral (Beijing) 91 Sani people 384 docks 201
Xujiahui Catholic Cathedral Sanjiang 426–7 entertainment 206–7
(Shanghai) 205 Sanqing Si (Western Hills) 383 food and drink 186
Zhaoqing 308 Sanshan Island (Tai Hu) 222 hospitals 605
Rice 286–7 Sanxingdui 349 hotels 559–60
Rice wine 571 Sanxingdui Museum 11, 15, 366 Huangpu River 201
Richthofen, Baron von 470 Sanya 311 map 190–91
Rickshaws 621 restaurants 580 Old Shanghai 203
Rinpoche, Guru 524, 544, 545 Sanyang Feng 298 restaurants 575–7
Rishenchang (Pingyao) 144 São Laurenço (Macau) 334 Shanghai Museum 12–13, 189,
River Border 460 SARS (severe acute respiratory 196–7
minority peoples 461 syndrome) 606 shopping 206–7
River cruises Sassoon, Sir Victor 193 skiing 593
Li River cruise 422–3 Sayram Lake 512 subway 620
Yangzi cruise 358–9, 360 Schall von Bell, Adam 100, 439 travel 190
River Promenade (Shanghai) 192 Schistosomiasis 607 Two Days in Shanghai 10, 12–13
Riyue Shuang Ta (Guilin) 420 Science Museum (Hong Kong) 322 Yu Gardens and Bazaar 12, 198–9
Road names 621 Scripts 32–3 Shanghai Art Museum 194, 195
Rock, Joseph 351, 396 calligraphy 33, 225 Shanghai Center 194
Rock and pop music 591 Naxi script 399 Shanghai Exhibition Center 202
Rong Hu (Guilin) 14, 420 Sea of Wisdom, Temple of the Shanghai Grand Theater 194–5
Rongphu Monastery 550 (Summer Palace, Beijing) 108 Shanghai History Museum 195
Rongshui River 426 Secluded Pavilion of Firmiana Shanghai International Film Festival
Royal Hotel (Zhenjiang) 224 Simplex and Bamboo (Suzhou) 51
Rua de Felicidade (Macau) 334 213 Shanghai Museum 12–13, 189,
Rugby 592, 595 Security 604–5 196–7, 206, 207
Ruifuxiang (Beijing) 91 Sera Monastery (Lhasa) 525, 541 Shanghai No. 1 Department Store
Ruiguang Pagoda (Suzhou) 219 Serdung Lhakhang (Ganden 194
Ruijin Guesthouse (Shanghai) 200 Monastery) 541 Shanghai Pudong Development
Ruili 395 Series 2 No. 2 (Fang Lijun) 46–7 Bank 192
Ruinas de São Paulo (Macau) 13, 332 Service charges, in hotels 555 Shanghai Tower Pudong 195
Ruizong emperor 58 Seventeen-Arch Bridge (Summer Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition
Russia Palace, Beijing) 108 Hall 194
The “Great Game” 495, 547 Sexually transmitted diseases 607 Shanghai World Financial Center 195
and Harbin 437, 443, 456 Shaanxi History Museum (Xi’an) 16, Shanghaiguan 443
River Border 460 167, 172–3 Shangqing Gong (Qingcheng Shan)
Russian Orthodox Church (Harbin) Shaanxi province 78, 166–77 374
456 hotels 559 Shangyong 390
Russian Orthodox Church map 167 Shanhaiguan 127, 134
(Shanghai) 202 restaurants 575 Shanhua Si (Datong) 137
Ruzhen (Jurchen) people 64 Shadow plays 591 Shanshan Gan Guildhall (Kaifeng) 156
Ruzi emperor 58 Shamian Island 304, 306–7 Shantou 302
map 306–7 Shanxi province 78, 79, 127
S Shan Hu (Guilin) 14, 420 hotels 558–9
Sacred Heart Church (Guangzhou) Shandong province 78, 79, 147 map 127
304 food and drink 82–3 restaurants 573–4
Safety 604–5 hotels 559 Shanxi Provincial Museum (Taiyuan)
Sai Kung Town and Peninsula map 147 143
Beaches (Hong Kong) 326–7 restaurants 574–5 Shao Shan 265, 266, 268
St. Joseph’s Church (Beijing) 100 Shandong Provincial Museum Shaodi emperor 58
St. Mary’s Church (Beijing) 91 (Jinan) 148 Shaoguan 309
St. Michael’s Church (Qingdao) 152 Shang Cai Dong (Wutai Shan) 140 Shaolin International Martial Arts
Sakya Monastery 524, 525, 550 Shang City Walls (Zhengzhou) 158 Festival 52
Sakya Pandita 550 Shang dynasty 57, 58, 78 Shaolin Temple 147, 164, 165, 594
Sakya Yeshe 541 oracle bones 32, 57, 158 Shaoxing 245, 252
Salt Shangdi emperor 58 restaurants 578
mining salt in Sichuan 361 Shangfeng Si (Heng Shan) 267 Shaping 394
Zigong 361 Shanghai 21, 22, 182, 188–207 Shapotou 465, 480
Salween River 379, 531 airport 613, 615 Shaw, George Bernard 204
Samye Monastery 524, 544–5 Bund 12, 189, 192–3, 201, 203 Shaxi 394–5
642 GENERAL INDEX
She Shan (Shanghai) 205 Shopping (cont.) Silk Road (cont.)

Sheli Ta (Baoguang Si) 366 What to Buy in China 588–9 Two Weeks on the Silk Road 10,
Shen Nong emperor 299 see also Markets 16–17
Shengjin Ta Pagoda (Nanchang) Shoton (Yogurt festival) 52 Xi’an 168
257 Shou Ning Si (Wutai Shan) 140 Xinjiang 507
Shenhai Well (Zigong) 361 Shou Xi Hu (Yangzhou) 226 Yarkand 519
Shennong Xi 15, 358, 360 Shu kingdom 59, 61, 349 Yengisar 518
Shennongjia 183, 265, 278 Shuang Ta (Suzhou) 216 see also Inner Mongolia and the
Shenyang 436, 438, 443, 444–5 Shuanglin Si 145 Silk Road
hotels 563 Shuijing Xiang Market (Xining) 502 Sima Qian 34
map 445 Shuilian Dong (Huangguoshu Falls) Simatai 114
restaurant 584 407 Simplified script 33
Shenzhen 301, 302 Shuilian Dong (Wuyi Shan) 298 Sinkholes 418
hotels 561 Shundi emperor 58 Sino-Japanese War (1894-5) 69, 154
restaurants 580 Shunzhi emperor 59, 68 Lushun (Port Arthur) 451
Shenzong emperor 59 Eastern Qing Tombs 115 Museum of the 1895 Sino-
Sher Ali 495 Imperial Palace (Shenyang) 444 Japanese War (Weihai) 155
Sheung Wan’s Markets (Hong Kong) Shunzong emperor 58 Site of the First National Congress of
13, 321 Shuzheng Zhai 376 the Chinese Communist Party
Shexian 209, 240 Shuzhuang Garden (Gulangyu (Shanghai) 200
Shi De 217 Island) 293 Six Harmonies Pagoda (Hangzhou)
Shi Lin (Stone Forest) 378, 379, 384– Si Men Pagoda (Jinan) 148 247
5, 418 Siberia 460, 464, 473 Skiing 593, 595
Shi Tao 226 Sichuan earthquake 367, 374, 375 Sky burials 525
Shiba Pan (Tai Shan) 150 Sichuan Museum (Chengdu) 365 Sleeping Buddha Temple (Beijing) 109
Shibao Shan 395 Sichuan opera 366 Small Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi’an)
Shibao Zhai 358, 360 Sichuan province 349, 354–77 167, 170
Shibing 415 carvings of Dazu 362–3 Smoking 603
Shidebala 58 Dafo (Le Shan) 11, 370–73 Soccer 590, 592, 595
Shidong 414 Emei Shan 368–9 Soft drinks 570
Shigatse 525, 548–9 food and drink 352 Sok Kwu Wan 330
hotels 563 giant pandas 367 Song dynasty 58, 59, 64, 65
map 549 hotels 562 Central China 183
restaurants 585 map 355 Gongyi 164
Shijiazhuang 136 restaurants 581–2 porcelain 261
Ship Lifting Tower (Three Gorges salt mines 361 Song Jiang 205
Dam) 275 A Week in Sichuan and Song Shan 147, 164
Shipaotai Gongyuan (Shantou) 302 Chongqing 11, 15 Songhua Lake 453
Shipton’s Arch (Kashgar) 515 Yangzi cruise 358–9, 360 Songhua River 453, 456
Shitou Zhai 406 Sideng (Shaxi) 394 Songpan 355, 375
Shixin Feng (Huang Shan) 243 Sidong Gou 416 Songtsen Gampo
Shizhang Dong 416 Sifang Jie (Lijiang) 397 Jokhang Temple (Lhasa) 536
Shizi Lin (Suzhou) 180, 210 Silk 214–15 King 524
Shizi Yan 309 Silk Embroidery Research Institute Potala Palace (Lhasa) 538
Shizong emperor 64 (Suzhou) 216 Ramoche (Lhasa) 532
Shopping 586–9 Suzhou Silk Museum (Suzhou) Songxian Qiao Curio Market
antiques 118, 119, 206, 207, 336, 210 (Chengdu) 365
337, 587 What to Buy in China 589 Songyang Academy (Song Shan) 164
bargaining 586, 603 Silk Road 60, 66, 348, 467, 470–71 Songyue Si Pagoda (Song Shan) 164
Beijing 118–19 Baoshan 395 Soong, T.V. 204
clothes 206, 207 Burma Road 383 Soong Ailing 204
crafts and curios 118, 119, 206, Dunhuang 498 Soong Meiling 204, 259, 310
207, 336–7 Hexi Corridor 483 Soong Qingling 303
department stores 118, 119, 336, Hotan 519 Soong Qingling’s Former
337, 587 Karakoram Highway 518 Residence (Shanghai) 204–5
Hong Kong and Macau 336–7 Kargilik 519 Sun Yat Sen Memorial Residence
how to pay 586 Kashgar 514 (Shanghai) 200
markets 587 map 471 Wenchang 310
opening hours 586 Race for the Silk Road Oases 499 South Cathedral (Beijing) 91
Shanghai 206–7 The Spread of Buddhism 491 South China 280–343
shopping centers 118, 119, 336, Tengchong 395 food and drink 288–9
337, 586, 587 tours 593 Fujian 291–9
textiles 206, 207 Turpan 508 Guangdong and Hainan 300–311
GENERAL INDEX 643
South China (cont.) Steppes (cont.) Suzhou (cont.)

Hong Kong and Macau 313–43 Mongols of the Steppe 468–9 hotels 560
hotels 561 Stilwell, General Humble Administrator’s Garden
map 282–3 Burma Road 383 212–13
peoples 31 Stilwell Museum (Chongqing) 357 map 211
Portrait of the South 284–5 Stomach upsets 606 Pan Men Scenic Area (Suzhou)
restaurants 579–81 Stone Forest (Shi Lin) 10, 14, 378, 218–19
rice 286–7 379, 384–5, 418 restaurants 577
travel 283 Stone Sutra Valley (Tai Shan) 151 Suzhou Museum (Suzhou) 210
South China Sea 301 Street food 566 Suzhou Silk Museum 210
South Gate (Yinchuan) 479 Stupa Forest Temple 116 Suzong emperor 58
South Lake Island (Summer Palace, Stupas 171 Swatow see Chaozhou; Shantou
Beijing) 108 Su Causeway (Hangzhou) 249 Swimming 592–3
Southeast Corner Watchtower Su Dongpo 564 Swine flu 607
(Beijing) 101 Forest of Stelae Museum (Xi’an) 168 Symbolism
Southern Dynasties 59, 61 Liu Rong Si (Guangzhou) 305 dragons 94
Southern Song dynasty 59, 65 Su Causeway (Hangzhou) 249 Eight Auspicious Symbols 546
Hangzhou 246 WugongCSi (Haikou) 310 food 565
Southwest China 344–431 Yizhou Pavilion (Changzhou) 224
bamboo 417 Su Zimei 216 T
Chinese cranes 409 Subways Ta’er Si 467, 483, 504–5
flora of Southwest China 350–51 Beijing 620 Tai Hu 183, 222
food and drink 352–3 Hong Kong 620 Tai ji quan (Tai Chi) 279, 594
Guizhou and Guangxi 402–31 maps see inside back cover Tai Long Wan 326, 327
hotels 562 Shanghai 620 Tai Mo Shan 327
karst 418–19 Sui (court official) 274 Tai O (Lantau Island) 330, 331
map 346–7 Sui dynasty 59, 61, 167, 223 Tai Shan 78, 79, 99, 147, 150–51
peoples 30 Suleiman, Prince 508 map 150–51
Portrait of Southwest China Summer 51–2 Tai Shan Miao (Wudang Shan) 278
348–9 weather 606 Tai’an, Tai Shan 150–51
restaurants 581–3 Summer Palace (Beijing) 12, 78, Tai’an Temple (Qingcheng Shan) 374
Sichuan and Chongqing 354–77 106–8 Taichang emperor 58, 67
travel 346 Summer Palace of the Panchen Taihua Si (Western Hills) 383
Yunnan 378–401 Lamas (Shigatse) 549 Taihuai 140
Souvenirs 588–9 Sun Asia Ocean World (Dalian) 450– Taijiang 414
Special Economic Zones 73, 285 51 Taikoo Li (Beijing) 12
Hainan Island 310 Sun Island Park (Harbin) 456 Taiping Rebellion (1851–64) 69, 265,
Quanzhou 285 Sun protection 606 348, 428
Shanghai 189 Sun Yat-sen 69, 204, 303, 310 Jintian 429
Shantou 302 at Guilin 421 Suzhou Museum 210
Shenzhen 302 birthplace 308 Taiping Heavenly Kingdom History
Xiamen 292 Hong Kong 320 Museum (Nanjing) 228
Specialist holidays 592–5 Kuomintang 72 Taiqing Temple (Lao Shan) 153
Spectator sports 590, 592, 595 Mausoleum (Nanjing) 234, 235, 236 Taiwan, Nationalist government
Spelunking 595 Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen established in 72
Spirits, What to Drink 571 (Nanjing) 235, 236 Taiyuan 143
Splendid China (Shenzhen) 302 Nanjing 228, 229 hotels 558
Sports 592–5 Purple Mountain (Nanjing) 236 restaurants 574
Hong Kong 338, 339 Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Taizong emperor 58, 59, 63
spectator sports 590, 592, 595 (Guangzhou) 307 Fayuan Temple (Beijing) 104
Spring 50–51 Sun Yat-sen Memorial Residence tomb 176
Spring and Autumn Period 57, 59 (Shanghai) 13, 200 Taizu emperor 59
Spring Festival (Chun Jie) 48, 50 Sun Yat-sen’s Residence (Cuiheng) Tajiks 511
Stalin, Joseph 105 308 Taklamakan Desert 467, 471, 498,
Stalin Park (Harbin) 456 Wuhan 272 507, 514
Stanley 329 Xiang Shan Park (Beijing) 109 Takten Migyur Podrang (Lhasa)
markets 336, 337 Sunday Market (Kashgar) 514 533
Star Ferry (Hong Kong) 13, 321 Sunlight Rock (Gulangyu Island) 293 Tan Hao 138
Statue Square (Hong Kong) 316 Sunni Muslims 511 Tan Kah Kee 292
Stein, Sir Aurel 499, 500 Suyu Kou 480 Tang An 427
Steppes 475 Suzhe cuisine 187 Tang Bo 256
grassland 28 Suzhou 183, 209, 210–19 Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall
landscape 27 CITS 599 (Hong Kong) 327
644 GENERAL INDEX
Tang dynasty 58, 62–4, 78–9, 167 Temples (cont.) Three Gorges 11, 15, 276–7, 349,
Buddhism 491 Ramoche (Lhasa) 532 355, 358–9
poetry 34 Shaolin Temple 147, 164, 165 Three Gorges Dam 15, 73, 182,
porcelain 261 Shuanglin Si 145 265, 274–5, 358–60
Tangkou 242 Ta’er Si 504–5 Three Gorges Museum
Tangyue 240 Tai Shan 150–51 (Chongqing) 356
Tanzhe Temple 116 Tanzhe Temple 116 Yangzi cruise 349, 358–9, 360
Tao Qian 37 Temple of Heaven (Beijing) 12, 76, Three Lanes and Seven Alleys
Tara Chapel (Lhasa) 540 102–3 (Fuzhou) 298
Tashi Dor 547 White Clouds Temple (Beijing) Three Pools Reflecting the Moon
Tashilunpo Monastery (Shigatse) 104–5 (Hangzhou) 248
548–9 White Tower Temple (Beijing) Tian Chi 17, 435, 443, 454, 455, 506,
Tashkurgan 518 105 507, 510
Tatars 511 Wong Tai Sin Temple (Hong Kong) Tian Shan 467, 507
Taxes, air travel 613 323 Tian Tan (Temple of Heaven, Beijing)
Taxis Wutai Shan 140–42 76, 102–3
airport 613, 615 Xilitu Zhao (Hohhot) 474–5 Tian’an Men (Beijing), street-by-
in cities 621 see also individual towns and cities street map 89
Tayuan Si (Wutai Shan) 140 Temur Oljeitu 58 Tian’an Men Square (Beijing) 12
Tea 285, 299 Ten Kingdoms 58, 64 street-by-street map 88–9
Guiping 428 Ten Thousand Buddha Cave suppression of democracy
Longjing Village (Hangzhou) 246 (Longmen Caves) 161 movement 73
Tea Museum (Hangzhou) 246 Teng Wang Pavilion (Nanchang) Tianchao Gong (Nanjing) 229
What to Drink 570 256–7 Tianhou (Empress of Heaven) 155
Teachers’ Day 52 Tengchong 395 Tianhou Gong (Shantou) 302
Teahouses, Beijing 119 Tengger Desert 480 Tianhou Temple (Tianjin) 135
Teatro Dom Pedro V (Macau) 334 Tennis 592, 595 Tianjin 79, 135
Telephones 610 Terrace for Watching the Sunrise food and drink 83
dialing codes 611 (Heng Shan) 267 hotels 559
Television 611 Terracotta Army 10, 16, 60, 78, 167, map 135
Temple Street Market (Hong Kong) 174–5 restaurants 574
13, 323, 336, 337 Textiles Tianjin Eye 135
Temples Beijing shops 118, 119 Tianjin province 127
admission charges 600 Shanghai shops 206, 207 hotels 558–9
etiquette 602 silk 214–15 map 127
A-Ma Temple (Macau) 334 Silk Embroidery Research Institute restaurants 573–4
Baoguang Si 366 (Suzhou) 216 Tianjixiang Museum (Pingyao) 145
Confucian Temple (Suzhou) 217 Suzhou Silk Museum (Suzhou) 210 Tianlong Shan Grottoes (Taiyuan)
Confucius Temple (Beijing) 99 What to Buy in China 589 143
Da Zhao (Hohhot) 475 Thangkas 540 Tianlong Tiankeng 360
Dong Yue Miao (Beijing) 99 Theater 47 Tianning Si (Changzhou) 224
Eight Immortals Temple (Xi’an) Beijing 118, 119 Tianqi emperor 58
167, 170 Beijing Opera 80–81, 119, 590 Tiansheng Sanqiao 360
Fayuan Temple (Beijing) 104 Hong Kong and Macau 338, 339 Tianshi Dong (Qingcheng Shan) 374
Feilai Gusi 309 Museum of Opera and Theater Tianshui 467
Feixia Gusi 309 (Suzhou) 211 Tianshun emperor 58
Great Bell Temple (Beijing) 109 shadow plays and puppet theater Tiantai Buddhist sect 253
Hanging Temple 127, 137 591 Tiantai Shan 253, 406
Hanshan Si (Suzhou) 217 Shanghai 206, 207 Tiantai Zhengding (Jiuhua Shan) 240
Heng Shan temples 267 traditional theater 119, 590–91 Tianxing 407
Jade Buddha Temple (Shanghai) Theft 604 Tianya Haijiao 311
202 Theme parks Tianye Ge (Ningbo) 252
Jing’an Temple (Shanghai) 202 Disneyland (Hong Kong) 331, 338, Tianyou Shan 298
Jiuhua Shan 240 339 Tianzhu Peak (Wudang Shan) 278
Jokhang Temple (Lhasa) 522, 534, Ocean Park (Hong Kong) 328–9 Tianzi Ge (Wulingyuan) 271
536–7 Shenzhen 302 Tibet 520–51
Lama Temple (Beijing) 98–9 Themed restaurants 567 British invasion 547
Linggu Temple (Nanjing) 235, Third Moon Fair 51 customs information 599
236 Thousand Buddha Caves (Kizil) 17, frontier 377, 503
Lukhang (Lhasa) 532 513 “The Great Game” 495, 547
Man Mo Temple (Hong Kong) 13, Thousand Buddha Cliffs (Nanjing) 237 hotels 563
313, 320–21 Thousand Buddha Mountain (Jinan) landscape and wildlife 26
Puning Si (Chengde) 129, 130–31 148 Lhasa 532–41
GENERAL INDEX 645
Tibet (cont.) North Tomb (Shenyang) 445 Tropical Botanical Gardens

map 522–3 Old Protestant Cemetery (Macau) (Xishuangbanna) 350
nomadic life 528–9 332 Tropical Flower and Plant Garden
Portrait of Tibet 524–5 Stanley Cemetery 329 (Jinghong) 388
restaurants 585 Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum Tropical forests, Southwest China
Tibetan plateau 483, 531 (Nanjing) 236 351
travel 523 Terracotta Army 174–5 Tsepak Lhakhang (Lhasa) 532
visas and passports 598–9 Tomb of Yuan Shikai (Anyang) 158 Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront (Hong
Zhongdian 401 Tomb of Yusup Hazi Hajup Kong) 13, 322
Tibet Museum (Lhasa) 533 (Kashgar) 515 Tsingtao see Qingdao
Tibetan Buddhism 467, 524, 526–7 Xi Xia Wang Ling 480 Tsingtao beer 147, 152
Lukhang (Lhasa) 532 Xi’an 176 Tsogchen (Lhasa) 540, 541
Samye Monastery 544–5 Xiao Ling Tomb (Nanjing) 236 Tsongkhapa 540
Ta’er Si 504–5 Yue Fei Mu (Hangzhou) 246 Jokhang Temple (Lhasa) 536
thangkas and mandalas 540 Tong Kok 327 Lama Temple (Beijing) 98
Xilitu Zhao (Hohhot) 474–5 Tongli 183, 222 Ta’er Si 504
Tibetan Market (Shigatse) 548 Tongren 502 Takten Migyur Podrang (Lhasa) 533
Tibetan New Year 50 Tongrentang Pharmacy (Beijing) 91 Wutai Shan 140
Tibetan Oracle 540–41 Tongshi 285 Yellow Hat Sect 524
Tickets Tongzhi emperor 59, 107 Tsurphu Monastery 546
admission charges 600 Eastern Qing Tombs 115 Tu Ta (Zhangye) 494
advance booking 598 Torso (Zhan Wang) 46 Tugh Temur 58
air travel 612–13, 615 Tour operators 593, 595 Tuisi Yuan (Tongli) 222
buses 619 Tourist information 600 Tujia Museum (Furongzhen) 267
rail travel 617 Tours Tujia people 31
Tiger Beach Scenic Area 450 Choosing a tour 593, 595 Tulou 290, 296
Tiger Hill (Suzhou) 217 Jiuzhai Gou tour 376 Tung Chung 331
Tiger Leaping Gorge 14, 379, 400– see also Itineraries Tunxi 240
401, 592 Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha hotels 560
Tigers, Siberian Tiger Park (Harbin) (Summer Palace, Beijing) 108 Turpan 10, 17, 507, 508–9
456, 457 Trackers, Yangzi River 360 hotels 563
Time zones 601 Traditional medicine 238, 605 restaurants 585
Timetables, train 616 Trains see Rail travel Twin Pagoda Temple (Taiyuan) 143
Timur 495 Trams 621 Two International Finance Centre
Tin Hau Festival 51 Peak Tram (Hong Kong) 319 (IFC, Hong Kong) 316
Tin Hau Temple (Stanley) 329 Trans-Manchurian Railway 440, 441
Tingri 551 Trans-Mongolian Railway 440, 441 U
Tipping 603 Trans-Siberian Railway 437, 440–41 Uighur 30, 466–7
in hotels 557 Travel 612–21 food and drink 83
in restaurants 569 air 612–15 Islam 511
Toba Wei 59, 61 Beijing 87 Kargilik 519
Toghon Temur 58 Beijing and the North 76 Kuqa 513
Toilets, public 605 buses 618–19 Turpan 508
Tombs and cemeteries Central China 180 Xinjiang 507
Aba Khoja Mausoleum (Kashgar) ferries, boats and cruise ships Yining 513
516–17 619 Underground City (Beijing) 90
Astana Graves 509 Hong Kong 315 Underground Tunnel (Bozhou) 239
Confucius Forest (Qufu) 149 Inner Mongolia and the Silk Road UNESCO Biosphere Reserves,
East Tomb (Shenyang) 445 464 Changbai Shan 454–5
Eastern Qing Tombs 115 local transport in cities 620–21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Gongyi 164 Northeast China 435 Baoding Shan 363
Hunan Provincial Museum rail 616–17 Dafo (Le Shan) 370–73
(Changsha) 266 Shanghai 190 Dujiangyan 374
Islamic Cemetery (Guangzhou) South China 283 Great Wall of China 112
306–7 Southwest China 346 Hongcun 240
King of Borneo’s Tomb (Nanjing) Tibet 523 Imperial Palace (Shenyang) 444
237 Trans-Siberian Railway 440–41 Lijiang 379, 396–7
Longhua Cemetery of Martyrs Travel insurance 599 Longmen Caves 79
(Shanghai) 205 Traveler’s checks 609 Peking Man site 117
Mahao Cave Tombs (Le Shan) 371 Tree-Planting Day 50 Xidi 240
Ming Tombs (Beijing) 110–11 Trekking 595 University accommodation 554
Ming Xiao Ling (Nanjing) 234 Trisong Detsen 524, 544 Ürümqi 10, 17, 507, 510
Nan Yue Tomb (Guangzhou) 306 Tromzikhang (Lhasa) 535 climate 54
646 GENERAL INDEX
Ürümqi (cont.) Wanshi Botanical Garden (Xiamen) Western Jin dynasty 59

hotels 563 292 Western Liao dynasty 64
restaurants 585 Ward, Frank Kingdon 351 Western Palaces (Forbidden City) 95
Uzbeks 511 Warner, Langdon 499 Western restaurants 567
Warring States Period 57, 59, 60 Western Xia Empire 58, 64, 65, 481
V Warts, health precautions 605 Xi Xia Wang Ling (Helan Shan) 480
Vaccinations 599, 607 Wase 394 Yinchuan 479
Vegetarian food 567 Wat Ben Pagoda 388 Western Zhou dynasty 57, 59, 167
The Venetian (Macau) 13, 333, 338 Wat Manting (Jinghong) 388 Wetlands, landscape & wildlife 29
Verbiest, Father 100 Water, drinking 606, 607 Wheelchair access see Disabled
Victoria Park (Hong Kong) 317 Water Curtain Thousand Buddha travelers
Victoria Peak Garden (Hong Kong) Caves (Luomen) 486 White Clouds Temple (Beijing)
318 Water Splashing Festival 389 104–5
Vietnam 379, 429, 431 Water Sprinkling Festival 50 White Dagoba (Beijing) 96
Visas 598–9 Water wheels (Lijiang) 396 White Lotus Rebellion (1796-1805)
Volcanoes Water-borne diseases 607 66, 69
Heshun 395 Waterfalls White Palace (Lhasa) 538, 539
Wudal Lianchi 460 Baihua Shan (Qiongzhong) 310 White Tower Temple (Beijing) 105
Big Dragon Pool Falls (Yandang Whitewater rafting 595
W Shan) 253 Wi-Fi 610
Walking Changbai Waterfall 454 Wife Waiting for Husband (Stone
Changbai Shan 455 Detian Falls 349, 403, 431 Forest) 385
Jiuzhai Gou tour 376 Diaoshuilou Pubu (Jingpo Hu) 458 Wild Elephant Valley 388
Tiger Leaping Gorge 400–401 Doupotang Falls 407 Wild Man 183, 265, 278
trekking 595 Huangguoshu Falls 407 Wildlife 26–9
in Xishuangbanna 391 Maling Canyon 408 Cao Hai 408
Walled Villages (New Territories) 327 Nuorilang Falls 376 Cormorant fishing 424
Walls see City walls; Great Wall of Pearl-Beach Falls 376 cranes 409
China Weather 54–5 Emei Shan 368
Walnut Grove (Tiger Leaping Gorge) cold weather 606 giant pandas 367
401 heat and humidity 606 Hong Kong Wetland Park 327
Wan Chai (Hong Kong) 283, 316–17 when to go 598 Jianfeng Ling Nature Reserve 311
Wang, Abbot 499 Weekend shifting 53 Mai Po Marshes 327
Wang Chongyang 105 Wei Gao 371 Qinghai Hu 503
Wang Feihung 308 Wei Ken 202 Shennongjia 278
Wan Gu Lou (Lijiang) 14, 398 Wei kingdom 59, 61 Siberian Tiger Park (Harbin) 456,
Wang Hai Lou Cathedral (Tianjin) Wei Wei 47 457
135 Weidong 391 specialist holidays 595
Wang Hongwen 71 Weifang International Kite Festival 50 Wanglang Nature Reserve 375
Wang Jian 364 Weihai 154–5 Wild Elephant Valley 388
Wang Mang 60 Weining 408 Wulingyuan 270
Wang Meng, Retreat in the Qingbian Weizhou Island (Beihai) 431 Xiamen Seaworld (Gulangyu
Mountain 197 Wen Miao (Anshun) 406 Island) 293
Wang Shi Xiao Yuan (Yangzhou) 227 Wen Miao (Wuwei) 494 Yingxiong Shan (Gulangyu Island)
Wang Wei 34 Wenchang 310 293
Wang Wenhan 216 Wenchang Ge (Guiyang) 404 Zhalong Nature Reserve 437, 458
Wang Xianchen 212 Wenchang Ge (Yangzhou) 227 see also Nature reserves; Zoos
Wang Xizhi 252 Wencheng, Princess 532, 536, 537 Wilhelm II, Kaiser 152
Wang Yuanlu 500 Wende, Empress 170 Wilson, Ernest 278, 351
Wang Zhenggong 421 Wendi emperor 58, 59, 61, 223 Wind-and-rain bridge (Chengyang)
Wangfeng Ting (Stone Forest) 384 Wenfeng Pagoda (Anyang) 158 426, 427
Wangfujing Street (Beijing) 100 Wengquan 242 Window on the World (Shenzhen)
Wangjiaping Revolution Wenshu (Manjusri) 141 302
Headquarters Site (Yan’an) 177 Wenshu Yuan (Chengdu) 364 Wine 510, 571
Wanglang Nature Reserve 355, 375 Wenya Museum (Jinzhou) 446 Winter 53
Wangshi Yuan (Suzhou) 216 Wenzhou 253 weather 606
Wangtianshu Aerial Walkway hotels 560 Winter Solstice 53
(Mengla) 390 restaurants 578 Women travelers 604
Wangyue Lou (Beijing) 104 Wenzong emperor 58, 168 Wong Tai Sin Temple (Hong Kong)
Wanli emperor 58, 67 West Lake (Hangzhou) 183, 244, 323
Ming Tombs (Beijing) 111 246, 248–51 World Expo 2010 (Shanghai) 182,
South Cathedral (Beijing) 91 Western Han dynasty 58, 60, 167 189
Wannian Si (Emei Shan) 369 Western Hills (Kunming) 383 World Trade Organisation 73
GENERAL INDEX 647
World War II 72 Xi Si Ta (Kunming) 381 Xingning Lu (Nanning) 429

Burma Road 383 Xi Ta (Yinchuan) 479 Xingping 419, 423
Hongyuan Cun (Chongqing) 357 Xi Xia Wang Ling (Helan Shan) 480 Xingshu calligraphy 33
Nanjing Massacre (1937) 233 Xi Yuan (Suzhou) 217 Xingyi 408
Wrestling, Mongolian 469 Xia dynasty 57 Xining 483, 502
Writing 32–3 Xiahe 16, 467, 483, 486 restaurants 585
calligraphy 33, 225 hotels 563 Xinjiang province 466, 467, 506–19
Naxi script 399 Xiamen 282, 291, 292–3 hotels 563
Wu kingdom 59, 61 hotels 561 map 507
Wu Laiqing 383 map 293 restaurants 585
Wu Men Bridge (Suzhou) 218 restaurants 579 Xinjiang Provincial Museum
Wu Sangui, General 382 Xiamen Seaworld (Gulangyu Island) (Ürümqi) 17, 510
Wu Ta (Fuzhou) 298 293 Xintiandi (Shanghai) 13
Wu Ta Si (Hohhot) 475 Xi’an 10, 16, 78–9, 167, 168–76 Xishuangbanna 349, 350, 379, 388,
Wu Xia 240 CITS 599 390–91
Wu Zetian, Empress 58, 63, 64, 107 climate 55 Dai people 389, 390
Longmen Caves 160 hotels 559 map 391
Luoyang 158 map 169 Xiuqing, Prince 229
tomb of 176 restaurants 575 Xiuying (Haikou) 310
Wudalianchi 443, 460 Shaanxi History Museum 16, 167, Xixiang Chi (Emei Shan) 368
Wudang Shan 265, 278, 594 172–3 Xizhou 394
Wudang Zhao 476 in Tang dynasty 62 Xizong emperor 58
Wudi emperor 58, 470 Terracotta Army 60, 78, 167, 174–5 Baoguang Si 366
Mao Ling (Xi’an) 176 Xi’an Museum 170 Xu Da, General 228
Songyang Academy (Song Shan) Xian Tong Si (Wutai Shan) 141 Xu Guangqi 205
164 Xiandi emperor 58 Xu Wei 252
Wuyi Shan 298 Xianfeng emperor 59, 107 Xu Yuan (Nanjing) 229
Wugong Ci (Haikou) 310 Eastern Qing Tombs 115 Xuan Jian 383
Wuhan 182, 265, 272–3 Prince Kung’s Mansion (Beijing) 96 Xuanbi Changcheng 10, 16, 494
hotels 560–61 Xiang Jing Yu, tomb of 273 Xuancheng 239
map 272–3 Xiang River 263 Xuande emperor 58, 67
restaurants 579 Xiang Shan Park (Beijing) 109 Xuandi emperor 58
Wuhou Ci (Chengdu) 365 Xiangbi Shan (Guilin) 420 Xuandu Si (Heng Shan) 267
Wuhu 239 Xiangfei 516 Xuanmiao Guan (Suzhou) 211
Wulingyuan 183, 265, 270–71 Xiangfei’s Tomb (Kashgar) 516 Xuantong emperor see Pu Yi
Wulong 358, 360 Xianglu Shan 415 Xuanwu Lake (Nanjing) 232
Wuquan Shan Gongyuan (Lanzhou) Xianhe Mosque (Yangzhou) 227 Xuanzang
489 Xianren Qiao (Wulingyuan) 270 Flaming Mountains (Turpan)
Wusong Fort (Shanghai) 201 Xianyang City Museum (Xianyang) 509
Wusutu Zhao (Hohhot) 475 176 Great Goose Pagoda (Xi’an) 170
Wutai Shan 77, 127, 140–42 Xianzong emperor 58 Great Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi’an)
map 142 Xiao Ling Tomb (Nanjing) 236 491
Wuting Qiao (Shou Xi Hu, Xiao Putao 394 Kuqa 513
Yangzhou) 226 Xiao Shi Lin (Stone Forest) 384 Moor Pagoda (Kashgar) 515
Wuwei 494 Xiaolong Tan 278 pilgrimage to India 35
Wuwei Si (Dali) 393 Xiaoyaijin Park (Hefei) 239 Xuanzong emperor 58, 63
Wuxi 222 Xiaoying Island (Hangzhou) 248 Xujiahui Catholic Cathedral
Wuxi Museum (Wuxi) 222 Xiaozhai 418 (Shanghai) 205
Wuyi Shan 291, 294–5, 298 Xiaozong emperor 59 Xumi Shan Caves 473, 480
Wuyi Square (Fuzhou) 298 Xibo people 513 Xumifushou Zhi Miao (Chengde)
Wuyou Hill (Le Shan) 370 Xidi 240 129, 132–3
Wuzhi Shan 310 Xiding 390 Xunyang Lou (Jiujiang) 258
Wuzhi Shan City (Hainan Island) 310 Xihui Park (Wuxi) 222
Wuzong emperor 58 Xijiang 344–5, 346, 414 Y
Xilamuren grassland 472 Yakub Beg 513, 514
X Xilinhot 473, 478 Yalong Bay 311
Xanadu 478 hotels 563 Yalu Jiang Duan Qiao (Yalu River
Xi Jie (Yangshuo) 424 Xilitu Zhao (Hohhot) 474–5 Bridge) 446–7
Xi Jinping 73 Ximao Zhou Island 311 Yamdrok Lake 520–21, 542–3,
Xi Kai Cathedral (Tianjin) 135 Xincun 310–11 547
Xi Ling, Empress 214 Xingjiao Temple (Shaxi) 394 Yan’an 177
Xi River 428 Xinglong Tropical Botanical Gardens Long March 262
Xi Shan (Guiping) 428 310 Yan’an Bao Pagoda (Yan’an) 177
648 GENERAL INDEX
Yan’an Revolutionary Museum Yellow Hat (Gelugpa) Sect (cont.) Yongle emperor (cont.)
(Yan’an) 177 Longwu Si (Tongren) 502 Nanjing 229
Yandang Shan 183, 245, 253 Sera Monastery (Lhasa) 541 Yongquan Si (Fuzhou) 298
Yang Can Mu 416 Ta’er Si 504 Yongzheng emperor 59, 68, 115,
Yang Guan 498 Wudang Zhao 476 128
Yang Guifei 63 Wutai Shan 140 Forbidden City 95
Yang Jian 61 Yellow River 78, 159, 177 Youguo Si (Wutai Shan) 142
Yang Zengxin 510 at Baotou 476 Youmin Si (Nanchang) 256
Yangdi 422 at Jinan 148 Younghusband, Colonel Francis 495,
Yangdi emperor 59, 61, 223 at Kaifeng 156 547
Yangpu Bridge (Shanghai) 201 at Lanzhou 488 Youth Day 51
Yangshao culture 57 at Yinchuan 479 Youth hostels 554
Yangshuo 10, 14, 349, 403, 410–11, at Zhongwei 480 Youyi Guan 431
423, 424–5 Grand Canal 223 Yu Gardens and Bazaar (Shanghai)
hotels 562 in Inner Mongolia 465, 467 12, 198–9
Li River cruise 422 in Lanzhou 483 Yu the Great 252
map 425 Mengda Tian Chi 503 Yu Ling (Shaoxing) 252
restaurants 583 in Shaanxi province 167 Yu Men Guan 498
rock climbing 594 in Shandong and Henan 147 Yu River 428
Yangshuo Gongyuan 424 in Shanxi province 127 Yuan Douguang 381
Yangzhou 209, 226–7 Yellow River Scenic Area Yuan dynasty 66
map 227 (Zhengzhou) 158 Yuan Empire 58, 66, 85
restaurants 577 Yellow Sea 437, 443 horse-riding skills 468
Yangzhou Museum 226 Yen Li Pen 61 porcelain 261
Yangzi Bridge (Wuhan) 272 Yengisar 518 Yuan Shikai, General 69, 303
Yangzi River 15, 180, 182 Yesun Temur 58 Tomb of Yuan Shikai (Anyang) 158
at Chongqing 356 Yi, Marquis of 272 Yuandi emperor 58
at Nanjing 228, 233 Yi De, Prince, tomb of 176 Yuanming Yuan (Garden of Perfect
at Shanghai 201 Yi people 384, 408 Brightness, Beijing) 109, 439
at Yueyang 267 Yi Yin 564 Yuantong Si (Kunming) 380
delta 226 Yi Yuan (Suzhou) 216 Yuantou Zhu (Tai Hu) 222
Grand Canal 223 Yichang 15, 264, 265, 274 Yubi Feng (Wulingyuan) 271
in Hunan and Hubei 265 Yijing (Book of Changes) 39 Yue Fei Mu (Hangzhou) 246
in Jiangsu 209 Yin Tan (Silver Beach) 431 Yue people 291
in Southwest China 346 Yin and Yang 38-9 Yuecheng Hu 374
Three Gorges 11, 15, 276–7, 349, food and drink 564–5 Yueliang Shan (Yangshuo) 425
355, 358–9 Forbidden City 93 Yuexiu Park (Guangzhou) 307
Three Gorges Dam 182, 274–5, traditional medicine 238 Yueya Quan (Dunhuang) 498
358–60 Yinchuan 473, 479 Yueyang 267
in Tibet 531 hotels 563 Yueyang Tower (Yueyang) 267
Tiger Leaping Gorge 400–401 restaurants 584 Yufeng Si 398
Yangzi cruise 349, 358–9, 360 Ying, Prince of Chu 60 Yuhuang Ge (Yinchuan) 479
in Yunnan 379 Yingxian Pagoda 171 Yuhuang Miao (Tai Shan) 150
Yanqing Guan (Kaifeng) 156 Yingxiong Shan (Gulangyu Island) Yuhuangding Park (Yantai) 154
Yantai 154 293 Yuhuatai (Nanjing) 237
Yantai Museum (Yantai) 154 Yingzong emperor 59 Yulong Xue Shan 10, 14, 398
Yantai Shan Park (Yantai) 154 Yining 512–13 Yunfeng Ba Zhai 406
Yao people 390, 426 Yip Man 308 Yung Shue Wan 330
Yao Wenyuan 71 Yixian 209, 240
Yaoqu 390 Yixing county 224 Yungang Caves 76, 127, 137, 138–9
Yarkand 519 Yizhou Pavilion (Changzhou) 224 Yunnan province 348, 349, 378–401
Yarlung Tsangpo River 531 Yizong emperor 58 Dai people 389
Yehenala 445 Yong Ling Museum (Chengdu) 364 flowers 350
Yellow Cloth Shoal (Li River) 422 Yong River 252 food and drink 353
Yellow Crane Pavilion (Wuhan) 40, Yongan Si (Beijing) 96 hotels 562
272 Yongding 291 maps 379
Yellow Emperor 168 earthen dwellings of Yongding Naxi people 399
Yellow Hat (Gelugpa) Sect 524, 290, 296 restaurants 582–3
526 Yongding River 116 Stone Forest 384–5
Drepung Monastery (Lhasa) Yongle emperor 58, 67, 79 Tiger Leaping Gorge 379, 400–401
540 Drum Tower (Beijing) 98 A Week in Guangxi and Yunnan
Labrang Monastery 487 Jing Shan Park (Beijing) 96 10, 14
Lama Temple (Beijing) 98 Ming Tombs (Beijing) 110, 111 Yusup Hazi Hajup 515
GENERAL INDEX 649
Zhezong emperor 59 Zoos

Z Zhidi emperor 58 Beijing Zoo 105
Zen Buddhism see Chan Buddhism Zhijin Dong 407 Harbin Northern Forest Zoo
Zhalong Nature Reserve 409, 437, Zhiyi 253 (Harbin) 457
443, 458 Zhiyuan Si (Jiuhua Shan) 240 Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical
Zhan Wang, Torso 46 Zhong Qiu (Mid-Autumn Festival) Gardens 13, 317
Zhang Chunqiao 71 52 Panda Breeding Center (Chengdu)
Zhang Guotao 262 Zhongdian 14, 401 366
Zhang Huai, Prince 176 Zhonghe Si (Dali) 393 see also Nature reserves; Wildlife
Zhang Ji 217 Zhonghua Gate (Nanjing) 230–31 Zoucheng 149
Zhang Liangying 246 Zhongshan Square (Dalian) 450 Zu Miao (Foshan) 308
Zhang Ling 374 Zhongwei 464, 467, 480 Zunyi 416
Zhang Qian, General 60, 470 Zhongyang Dajie (Harbin) 456 Long March 262
Zhang Sanfeng 278, 279 Zhongyuan (Hungry Ghost Festival) Zuo Jiang 430
Zhang Xiumei 415 52
Zhang Yimou 47, 145, 246, 591 Zhongyue Miao (Song Shan)
Zhangdi emperor 58 164
Zhangmu 551 Zhongzhou Island 298
Zhangye 494 Zhongzong emperor 58
Zhangye Danxia Landform Zhou dynasty 57, 59, 64
Geological Park (Gansu) 492–3 Zhou Enlai 73, 256
Zhangyiyuan Chazhuang (Beijing) 91 Former Residence of Zhou Enlai
Zhanqiao Pier (Qingdao) 152 (Shanghai) 200
Zhao Kuangyin 64 Hongyuan Cun (Chongqing)
Zhao Ling (Xi’an) 176 357
Zhao Mo, Nan Yue Tomb Jinghong 388
(Guangzhou) 306 Lingyin Si (Hangzhou) 247
Zhao Tuo 304, 306 Long March 263
Zhao Zhifeng 363 Monument to the People’s Heroes
Zhaodi emperor 58 (Beijing) 89
Zhaolin Park (Harbin) 456 Nanchang 256
Zhaoqing 308 Nanjing 232
Zhaoxing 403, 427 Peasant Movement Institute
Zhaozhou Bridge 136 (Guangzhou) 304
Zhaozong emperor 58 Zunyi Conference 416
Zharu Temple 376 Zhou Shan archipelago 254
Zhe Ta (Wuhu) 239 Zhou Shouqian 421
Zheduo River 377 Zhoucheng 394
Zhejiang province 245 Zhouzhuang 220–21, 222
hotels 560 Zhu Da 257
map 245 Zhu De 72
restaurants 578 Long March 262, 263
Zhen Wu emperor 278 Zhu De’s Former Residence
Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga) 292, (Nanchang) 256
293 Zhu Jiang (Li River) 422
Zheng He, Admiral 67, 284 Zhu Yuanzhang, General see
Zhengde emperor 58, 59 Hongwu emperor
Zhengding 136 Zhuang people 31, 430
Zhengtong emperor 58 Dongson drums 429
Zhengyang Men (Beijing) 88, 90 Guizhou and Guangxi 403
Zhengzhou 158 Longsheng 426
Zhenhai Si (Wutai Shan) 142 Zhuang Qiao 348
Zhenjiang 224 Zhuang Song Festival 53
Zhenjiang Museum (Zhenjiang) Zhuanshu calligraphy 33
224 Zhuge Liang 365
Zhenjiang Si (Huanglong Xi) 374 Zhuhai 301
Zhenjue Si (Tiantai Shan) 253 Zhuque Shan 453
Zhenning county 406 Zhurong Gong (Heng Shan) 267
Zhenqing Guan (Kunming) 381 Zhusheng Si (Heng Shan) 267
Zhenshan 405 Zigong 11, 15, 361
Zhenyuan 414, 415 Zigong Salt Museum (Zigong) 361
Zhenzong emperor 59 Zipingpu Dam 374–5
Tai Shan 151 Zixiao Gong (Wudang Shan) 278
650 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Acknowledgments
Dorling Kindersley would like to thank the following Digital Media Team
people whose contributions have made the preparation Nishi Bhasin, Manjari Rathi Hooda, Pramod Pant,
of this book possible. Mahesh Singh
Publishing Managers Additional Photography

Kate Poole, Scarlett O’Hara Max Alexander, Geoff Brightling, Chen Chao © Rough
Guides/Tim Draper, Andy Crawford, Gadi Farfour, Steve
Managing Editors Gorton, Nigel Hicks, Colin Keates, Dave King, Stephen Lam,
Vicki Ingle, Anna Streiffert Ian O’Leary, Chester Ong, Jane Miller, Colin Sinclair, Hugh
Thompson, Walia BPS, Paul Williams
Publisher
Douglas Amrine Photography Permissions
The Publishers thank all the temples, monasteries,
Production Co-ordinator museums, hotels, restaurants, shops, and other sights
Linda Dare for their assistance and kind permission to photograph
their establishments.
Additional Contributors
Calum Macleod, Helen Glaister, Sarah Waldram, Picture Credits
Martin Walters Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-centre; f-far; l-left;
r-right; t-top.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 651
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652 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 653
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654 GLOSSARY
Glossary
Architecture sanxian three-stringed lute Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
cheng city; also means city wall sheng modern instrument based on areas, such as Shenzhen, set aside
chorten or stupa, a Buddhist the lusheng with 17 to 37 pipes in the 1980s for a capitalist test of
tower containing sacred objects suona double-reeded wind a freer economy and to attract
dian pavilion instrument, similar to an oboe foreign investment
dougong elaborate bracket taotie pattern on Shang bronze; triad a secret society, especially one
attaching column to beam possibly representing a mythical involved in organized crime
ge storied pavilion man-eating beast
gompa Tibetan monastery xiao bamboo flute Natural Features
gong palace; usually denotes a xun rounded clay wind instrument chi lake or pool
Daoist temple zheng many-stringed zither dao island
gulou drum tower dong cave
hutong alleyway History and Politics feng peak
ling tomb cadre Communist party bureaucrat gongyuan park
lou storied building canton a small territory where gou gully
men city gate foreign traders were required to hai sea
miao temple, usually Confucian reside during 18th and 19th centuries haitan beach
mu tomb Communist Party ruling party in he river
nanmu cedar with much-valued China since 1949 hu lake
straight trunk used for columns concession an area of land ceded jiang river
paifang ornamental gateway to a foreign government karst limestone landscape with
pailou ornamental gateway Cultural Revolution radical irregular peaks, underground streams,
qiao bridge attempt to socialize China’s culture, caves, and sinkholes (see pp418–19)
si temple, usually Buddhist 1966–76 (see pp70–71) pubu waterfall
siheyuan courtyard house Gang of Four high-profile group shan mountain
Spirit Tower pavilion at entrance to responsible for some of the Cultural shui water
an imperial tomb Revolution’s worst excesses (see p71) shuiku reservoir
Spirit Way straight road leading to Great Leap Forward Mao’s tan pool
an imperial tomb and lined with disastrous policy to force the xi stream
guardian statues collectivism of agriculture (1958–60), xia gorge
stele free-standing stone slab or resulting in widespread famine
pillar engraved with text Kuomintang (KMT) founded by Religion and Philosophy
stupa a Buddhist tower containing Sun Yat-sen; fought the Communists A-Ma Macau’s Goddess of the Sea; see
sacred objects for 25 years under Chiang Kai-shek; Tianhou
ta pagoda moved to Taiwan where it is still a Amitabha Buddha Buddha of
tang hall major party boundless light
yuan garden Legalism fascistic political philo- Analects (Lunyu) major work
zhonglou bell tower sophy dominant during the Qin compiled by Confucius’s followers of
dynasty based on the idea that man his sayings
Culture is undisciplined and must be arhat or luohan; one of the
celadon pottery with greenish glaze controlled through fear Buddha’s 18 disciples
cloisonné enameling, in which the Little Red Book Mao’s sayings Avalokitesvara bodhisattva of
enamel is raised and separated by compiled by Lin Biao, head of the compassion
fine pieces of wire PLA, in 1966 as a treatise for Red bagua eight trigrams ranged
erhu two-stringed fiddle Guards and the PLA around a yin-yang symbol; a
huaju spoken theater Long March epic tactical retreat of codification of qi (see pp36–7)
jingju Beijing Opera the Communist Party from Nation- Bodhidarma Indian monk who
lacquer wood glazed with sap from alist forces in 1935 (see p262) traveled to China in the 6th century
the lac tree which is carved before Nationalist Party the Kuomintang and started the Chan (Zen) sect of
completely dry (see p298) People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Buddhism
lusheng bamboo instrument with Communist military forces bodhisattva Buddhist deities who
numerous pipes Red Guard unruly movement have postponed nirvana to help
model opera operas based on a approved by Mao during the others
proletarian heroic model, promoted Cultural Revolution to weed out Bon indigenous animistic faith of
by Mao’s wife Jiang Qing during the counter-revolutionaries and destroy Tibet (see p526)
Cultural Revolution evidence of the past Buddha the awakened one,
pipa lute-like instrument soviet regional Communist base, originally the Indian Gautama
porcelain translucent ceramic ware e.g. Jiangxi Soviet Buddha; in Chinese and Tibetan
made from clay containing kaolin Special Administrative Region schools the Buddha has numerous
and feldspar, and fired at high (SAR) regions, such as Hong Kong forms (see pp36, 491, 526–7)
temperatures (see p260) and Macau, provided with a high Buddhism religion based on the
sancai tri-glazed pottery, prevalent degree of autonomy and a capitalist teachings of the 6th-century BC
during Tang dynasty economy Indian teacher Gautama Buddha
GLOSSARY 655
Chan School of Buddhism spread Miscellaneous

by Bodhidarma; popular in Japan Mahayana Greater Vehicle, bei north
as Zen Buddhism dominant form of Buddhism in binguan tourist hotel
Chenresig Tibetan name for China and Japan with ritual and bowuguan museum
bodhisattva Avalokitesvara devotional practices, and worship CAAC Civil Aviation Administration
Confucius or Kong Fuzi of bodhisattvas Authority
(551– 479 BC); developed the Maitreya the Future Buddha; the canting restaurant
philosophy of Confucianism, which Buddha that has yet to come Cantonese dialect of Chinese
was then spread by his followers mandala an esoteric diagram of spoken in the south
Confucianism dominant philo- circles and squares around a central cheongsam a tight-fitting dress
sophy prescribing a structured focal point used as a meditation aid with a high collar and slit skirt
society based on filial relationships and forming an important part of CITS China International Travel
(see p36) Tibetan Buddhist iconography Service; organization for interna-
Dafo Great Buddha Manjushri bodhisattva of wisdom tional tourists, whose main interest
Damo Chinese name for Marmedze the past or Gautama is selling tours and tickets
Bodhidarma Buddha CTS China Travel Service;
Dao in Daoism the way that perme- Mazu Goddess of the Sea; see organization similar to CITS
ates reality; a single cosmic force Tianhou cun village
Daode Jing Daoist The Way and Milefo the Future or Maitreya da big
Power classic attributed to Laozi Buddha represented as the plump dadao wide street or
Daoism philosophy expounding Laughing Buddha boulevard
non-action and living in harmony nirvana in Buddhism, having dajie avenue (literally “big road”)
with the Dao or Way; became a broken from the cycle of rebirth; dong east
pantheistic religion (see p37) attained via the extinction of desire fandian hotel or restaurant
dharmapala protector deities of and individual consciousness fen smallest denomination; there
Tibetan Buddhism Nyingma oldest Tibetan Buddhist are 100 fen to a yuan
Dipamkara in Tibetan Buddhism, sect founded by Guru Rinpoche ger round tent used by nomads of
the Past Buddha Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche the steppe; a yurt
Eight Immortals Daoist adepts Puxian bodhisattva of universal jiao there are 10 fen to one jiao;
each with a superhuman power benevolence; rides an elephant and 10 jiao to one yuan; also
feng shui a form of geomancy that qi concept of vital force and cosmic called mao
determines the flow of qi through a energy (see pp38–9) jie street
physical place (see p37) Sakyamuni the Historical Buddha; jiudian hotel
fo a Buddha in Putonghua Gautama Buddha kuai colloquial word for yuan
Gelugpa Most powerful Tibetan sutra sacred Buddhist writing; a laowai foreigner
Buddhist sect, headed by the discourse of the Buddha lokbar traditional heavy wool
Dalai Lama; also called the Yellow thangka Buddhist painting on Tibetan robe
Hat sect silk; originally used as objects lu road
Guanyin bodhisattva of compas- of meditation and portable mahjong popular rummy-like
sion in Chinese Buddhism teaching tools game played with small tiles
Guardian Kings four protective Theravada (Hinayana, Lesser mao colloquial term for jiao
deities of the cardinal directions; Vehicle) school of Buddhism nan south
often stationed at the entrance of a practiced in Southeast Asia and Pinyin a standardized system for
temple India emphasizing the importance of transliterating Chinese characters
Guru Rinpoche spreader of an ascetic way of life into the roman alphabet
Buddhism through Tibet Tianhou Daoist Empress of Heaven PRC People’s Republic of China
Jampa the Future or Maitreya and Goddess of the Sea, equal to PSB Public Security Bureau; branch
Buddha in the Tibetan pantheon Buddhist Guanyin (see p155) of the police force that deals with
Jampelyang bodhisattva of Tinhau Tianhou in Hong foreigners
wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism Kongtrigram one of the eight sets Putonghua Mandarin; the form of
Jowo Sakyamuni in Tibetan of three broken (yin) and unbroken Chinese that is the official language
Buddhism, the Present Buddha (yang) lines combined in pairs to of China
karma in Buddhism, the merit make hexagrams for divination qigong martial art concentrating
accrued by a person’s actions, using the Yijing on the control of breath and qi
determining their destiny Wenshu bodhisattva of wisdom renminbi currency; literally “the
kora circuits of holy sites made by yang masculine, sun, positive; people’s money”
Tibetan Buddhists to accrue merit interacts with the complementary sheng province
Laozi first Daoist, who may have opposing force of yin shi city or municipality
lived during the 6th century BC and Yijing classic ancient text, The Book tai ji quan (supreme ultimate fist)
produced the Daode Jing of Changes, made up of oracles martial art made up of slow, flowing
Laughing Buddha Milefo, the consulted for divination; source of movements (see p279)
Future Buddha Daoist and Confucian philosophies xi west
Lunyu Confucian writings, the (see p39) yuan China’s currency; divided
Analects yin feminine, moon, negative; into 10 jiao and 100 fen; also
luohan or arhat; one of the interacts with the complementary called kuai
Buddha’s 18 disciples opposing force of yang zhong middle
656  Phrase book
Phrase Book
The Chinese language belongs to the Sino- in vertical columns from top right to bottom
Tibetan family of languages and uses characters left, however the Western style is widely used.
which are ideographic – a symbol is used to There are several romanization systems; the
represent an idea or an object. Mandarin Pinyin system used here is the official system in
Chinese, known as Putonghua in mainland mainland China. This phrase book gives the
China, is fairly straightforward as each character English word or phrase, followed by the Chinese
is monosyllabic. Traditionally, Chinese is written script, then the Pinyin for pronunciation.
In an Emergency
Guidelines for Pronunciation
Help! Qing bangmang
Pronounce vowels as in these English Stop! Ting zhu
words: Call a doctor! Jiao yisheng
Call an ambulance! Jiao jiuhuche
a as in “father” Call the police! Jiao jiingcha
Fire! Huo
e as in “lurch” Where is the Yiyuan/jingcha
i as in “see” hospital/police fenju zai nali ?
station?
o as in “solid”
u as in “pooh” Communication Essentials
ü as the French u or German ü (place your Hello Nihao
Goodbye Zaijian
lips to say oo and try to say ee) Yes/no shi/bushi
Most of the consonants are pronounced as in … not … bushi
I’m from… Wo shi … ren
English. As a rough guide, pronounce the I understand Wo mingbai
following consonants as in these English words: I don’t know Wo bu zhidao
Thank you Xiexie ni
c as ts in “hats”
Thank you very Duo xie
q as ch in “cheat” much
Thanks (casual) Xiexie
x as sh in “sheet” You’re welcome Bu yong xie
No, thank you Bu, xiexie ni
z as ds in “heads” Please (offering) Qing
zh as j in “Joe” Please (asking) Qing wen
I don’t understand Wo Bu mingbai
Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language with four Do you speak Ni hui jiang
tones, represented in Pinyin by one of the English? yingyu ma?
I can’t speak Wo buhui jiang
following marks ˉ ´ ˘ ` above each vowel – the Chinese hanyu
symbol shows whether the tone is flat, rising, Please speak more Qing jiang man
falling and rising, or falling. The Chinese slowly yidian
characters do not convey this information: tones Sorry/Excuse me! Baoqian/duibuqi
Could you help Ni neng bang zhu
are learnt when the character is learnt. Teaching me please? (not wo ma?
tones is beyond the scope of this small emergency)
phrasebook, but a language course book with a
cassette or CD will help those who wish to take Useful Phrases
the language further. My name is …. Wo jiao …
How do you do, Ni hao, hen
Dialects pleased to meet gaoxing jiandao
you ni
There are many Chinese dialects in use. It is hard How are you? Ni hao ma?
to guess exactly how many, but they can be Good morning Zaoshang hao
roughly classified into one of seven large groups Good afternoon/ Xiawu hao/
(Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Hui etc.), each good day Ni hao
Good evening Wanshang hao
group containing a large number of more minor Good night Wan an
dialects. Although all these dialects are quite Goodbye Zaijian
different – Cantonese uses six tones instead of Take care Bao zhong
four – Mandarin or Putonghua, which is mainly Keep well (casual) Zhuyi shenti
The same to you Ni yeshi
based on the Beijing dialect, is the official What is (this)? (zhe) shi shenme?
language. Despite these differences all Chinese How do you Ni zenyang yong
people are more or less able to use the same use this? zhege dongxi?
Could I possibly Neng buneng qing
formal written language so they can understand have …? (very ni gei wo …
each other’s writing, if not each other’s speech. polite)
Is there … here? Zhe’r you … ma?
Phrase book  657
Where can I get …? Wo zai na li keyi cash xianjin

de dao …? credit card xinyongka
How much is it? Ta yao duoshao currency waihui
qian? exchange office duihuanchu
What time is …? … shenme shijian dollars meiyuan
Cheers! (toast) Ganbei pounds yingbang
Where is the Weishengjian/ yuan yuan
restroom/toilet? Xishoujian zai
nali?
Here’s my Zhe shi wo de Keeping in Touch
business card. mingpian.
Where is a Dianhua zai nali?
telephone?
Useful Words May I use your Wo keyi yong nide
phone? dianhua ma?
I wo Mobile phone shouji
woman nüren sim card sim ka
man nanren Hello, this is … Nihao, wo shi
wife qizi I’d like to make an Wo xiang da ge
husband zhangfu international call guoji changtu
daughter nü’er dianhua.
son er’zi Where can I get Wo keyi zai nali
child xiaohai online? shangwang?
children er’tong airmail hangkong
businessman/ shangren/ e-mail dianzi youjian
woman nüshangren fax chuanzhen
student xuesheng internet hulianwang
Mr./Mrs./Ms. … xiansheng/taitai/ postcard mingxinpian
nüshi post office youju
big/small da/xiao stamp youpiao
hot/cold re/liang telephone booth dianhua ting
cold (to touch) leng telephone card dianhua ka
warm nuan
good/not good/ hao/buhao/
bad huai Shopping
enough goule
free (no charge) mianfei Where can I Wo keyi zai nali
here zheli buy …? maidao …?
there nali How much does Zhe yao duoshao
this zhege this cost? qian?
that (nearby) na Too much! Tai gui le!
that (far away) nage I’m just looking Wo zhishi kankan.
what? Shenme? Do you have …? Ni you …… ma?
when? Shenme shihou? May I try this on? Wo keyi shi chuan
why? Wei shenme? ma?
where? Zai nali? My size? Wo de chicun?
who? Shui? Please show me Qing gei wo
which way? Nage fangxiang? that. kankan na ge.
Does it come in You meiyou qita
other colors? yanse?
Signs black heise
open kai blue lanse
closed guan brown zongse
entrance rukou green lüse
exit chukou purple zise
danger weixian red hongse
emergency exit anquanmen white baise
information xinxi yellow huangse
restroom/toilet Weishengjian/ cheap/expensive pianyi/gui
(men) (women) Xishoujian audio equipment yinxiang shebei
(nanshi) (nüshi) bookstore shudian
occupied zhanyong boutique shizhuangshang–
free (vacant) kongxian dian
men nanshi clothes yifu
women nüshi department store baihuo shangdian
electrical store dianqi shangdian
Money fish market yu shi
folk crafts minjian gongyipin
Could you change Qing ni ba ta ladies’ wear nüshi fuzhuang
this into? please. huancheng … local specialty difang techan
hao ma? market shichang
I’d like to cash Wo xiang ba men’s wear nanshi fuzhuang
these travelers’ lüxing zhipiao newsstand baotan
checks. huancheng pharmacist yaojishi
xianjjin. picture postcard tupian mingxinpian
Do you take credit Ni shou xinyongka/ sale lianjiachushou
cards/travelers’ lüxing zhipiao souvenir shop jinianpin dian
checks? ma? supermarket chaoshi
bank yinhang travel agent lüxing she
658  phrase book
taxi chuzuche
Sightseeing ticket piao
Where is …? … zai nali? ticket office shoupiao chu
How do I get to …? Wo zenme dao …? timetable shikebiao
Is it far? Yuan bu yuan?
art gallery meishu guan Trains
reservations desk dingpiao tai
bridge qiao What is the fare Qu … de piaojia
city chengshi to …? shi duoshao?
city center shi zhongxin When does the Qu … de huoche
free entry mianfei ruchang train for … leave? shenme shihou
gardens huayuan kai?
hot spring wen quan How long does it Qu … yao duoshao
tourist information lüyou xinxi chu take to get to …? shijian?
office A ticket to …, Mai yizhang qu …
island dao please de piao
monastery siyuan Do I have to Wo yao buyao
mountain shan change? huanche?
museum bowuguan I’d like to reserve Wo xiang yuding
palace gongdian a seat, please yige zuowei
park gongyuan Which platform Qu … de huoche
port gangkou for the train to …? zai nage zhantai?
river jiang, he Which station is Zhe shi shenme
ruins feixu this? chezhan?
shopping area gouwu qu Is this the right Zhe huoche shi
shrine shendian train for …? bushi qu …?
street jie train station huoche zhan
temple si/miao express train zhida kuaiche
tour, travel lüxing fast train kuai che
town zhen ordinary train putong lieche
village cun line xianlu
province/county sheng/xian local train difang lieche
zoo dongwuyuan platform zhantai
north bei reserved seat yuding zuowei
south nan subway ditie
east dong train huoche
west xi unreserved seat wei yuding de
left/right zuo/you zuowei
straight ahead yizhi xiangqian hard seat yingzuo
between zai … zhijian soft seat ruanzuo
near/far jin/yuan hard sleeper yingwo
up/down shang/xia soft sleeper ruanwo
new xin upgrade ticket shengji chepiao
old/former jiu
upper/lower genggao/gengdi Accommodations
middle/inner zhongjian
in zai … li Do you have any Nimen you meiyou
in front of zai … qianmian vacancies? kong fang jian?
I have a Wo you yuding de
reservation fangjian
Getting around I’d like a room Wo xiang yao yige
with a bathroom you weishengjian
airport jichang de taojian
bicycle zixingche What is the charge Mei wan de shoufei
rickshaw renliche per night? shi duoshao?
I want to rent Wo xiang zu Are the taxes Jiage you meiyou
a bicycle yiliang zixingche. included in the baokuo shui?
Ordinary bus gonggong qiche price?
Express bus tekuai gonggong Can I leave my Wo keyi ba xingli
qiche luggage here for fang zai zheli
Minibus mianbaoche a little while? yihui ‘er ma?
Main bus station gonggong qiche Can I have a look Wo keyi kan yi
zong zhan at the room? kan fangjian ma?
Which bus goes Nayilu gonggong air-conditioning Kongtiao
to …? qiche dao … qu? bath xizao
When is the Xiayiliang gonggong check-out tui fang
next bus? qiche shi deposit dingjin
shenme shihou? double bed shuangren chuang
Please tell me Qing gaosu wo zai hair drier chuifeng ji
where to get off? nali xia che. hot (boiled) water re (kai) shui
car xiaoqiche hotel (upscale) fangdian
ferry duchuan hotel (downscale) lüguan
ferry dock du kou hostel zhaodaisuo
baggage room xingli shi room fangjian
motorcycle motuoche economy room jingji fang
one-way ticket dancheng piao key yaoshi
return ticket wangfan piao front desk qiantai
phrase book  659
single/twin room danren/shuangren beef niurou

fang beer pijiu
single beds danren chuang bread mianbao
shower linyu butter huangyou
standard room biaozhun fangjian cabbage juanxincai
deluxe suite haohua taofang cake dangao
chicken ji
Eating Out candies tangguo
crab xie
A table for Qing gei wo yi/ duck ya
one/two/three, liang/san ge ren eel man
please de zhuozi egg dan
May I see the Qing gei wo eggplant qiezi
menu? kankan caidan fermented jiang
Is there a set You meiyou soybean paste
menu? taocan? fish yu
I’d like …. Wo xiang yao … fried egg chao dan
May I have one of Qing gei wo fried tofu you doufu
those? zhege fruit shuiguo
I am a vegetarian Wo shi sushizhe. fruit juice guo zhi
Waiter/waitress! Fuwuyuan! ginger jiang
What would you Ni tuijian na jige? ham huotui
recommend? hamburger hanbaobao
How do you eat Zhege zenme chi? haute cuisine meiwei jiayao
this? hors d’oeuvres leng pen
May I have a Qing gei wo yiba ice cream bingqilin
fork/knife/spoon cha/dao/tangshi jam guojiang
May we have the Qing ba zhangdan lobster longxia
check please. kaigei women mackerel qingyu
May we have Qing zai gei mandarin orange gan ju
some more … women yixie … meat rou
The meal was very Fancai hen hao melon gua
good, thank you chi, xiexie mountain shandi shucai
assortment hunhe can vegetables
packed lunch hezhuang wucan noodles mian
breakfast zaocan egg noodles jidan mian
buffet zizhucan wheat flour mianfen mian
chopsticks kuaizi noodles
delicious haochi rice flour mifen mian
dinner wancan noodles
to drink he octopus zhangyu
a drink yibei yinliao omelet jiandanbing
to eat chi onion yangcong
food shipin oyster muli
full (stomach) bao peach taozi
hot/cold re/leng pepper hujiaofen, lajiao
hungry e pickles paocai
lunch wucan pork zhurou
set menu taocan potato tudou
spicy suan la rice mifan
hot (spicy) la rice crackers baomihua bing’gan
sweet tian rice wine mi jiu
mild dan roast beef kao niurou
Western food xi can salad sela
green salad lücai sela
Places to eat mixed salad hunban sela
salmon guiyu, damahayu
cafeteria/canteen zizhucanguan/
canting salt yan
coffee shop kafei dian sandwich sanmingzhi
Internet café wang ba sausage xiangchang
local bar dangdi jiuba scallion jiucong
noodle stall mianpu seaweed haidai
restaurant canguan shrimp xia
restaurant (upscale) fangdian snapper (fish) didiao
tea garden chashi soup tang
vegetarian sucai guan soy sauce jiangyou
restaurant squid youyu
steak niupai
Food sugar tang
toast kao mianbao
apple pingguo trout zunyu
bacon xianrou vegetables shucai
bamboo shoots sun watermelon xigua
beancurd doufu yoghurt suannai
bean sprouts dou ya
beans dou
660  phrase book
Drinks 21 ershi yi
22 ershi er
beer pijiu 30 sanshi
black tea hong cha 40 sishi
coffee (hot) (re) kafei 100 yi bai
black bu jia niunai 101 yi bai ling yi
coffee with milk jia niunai 200 er bai
filter guolü 300 san bai
cappuccino kapuqinuo kafei 400 si bai
cola kele 500 wu bai
green tea lü cha 600 liu bai
iced coffee bing kafei 700 qi bai
lemon tea ningmeng cha 800 ba bai
milk niunai 900 jiu bai
mineral water kuang quanshui 1,000 yi qian
orange juice cheng zhi 1,001 yi qian ling yi
soya drink (milk) dou jiang 2,000 liang qian
tea (Western-style) cha (xi shi) 10,000 yi wan
tea with milk jia niunai de cha 20,000 liang wan
water shui 100,000 shi wan
whiskey weishiji 1,000,000 yi bai wan
wine putaojiu 123,456 shier wan san qian
yoghurt drink suannai yinliao si bai wushi liu
Health Time
I don’t feel well Wo ganjue bu Monday xingqiyi
shufu Tuesday xingqi’er
I have a pain in … Wo … teng. Wednesday xingqisan
I’m allergic to … Wo dui … guomin Thursday xingqisi
acetaminophen purexitong Friday xingqiwu
(paracetamol) Saturday xingqiliu
aspirin asipilin Sunday xingqitian
asthma xiaochuan January yiyue
cold ganmao February eryue
condom biyuntao March sanyue
cough kesou April siyue
dentist yayi May wuyue
diabetes tangniaobing June liuyue
diarrhea fuxie July qiyue
doctor yisheng August bayue
fever fashao September jiuyue
flu liugan October shiyue
headache touteng November shiyiyue
hospital yiyuan December shi’eryue
medicine yaopin Spring chun
mosquito coil wenxiang Summer xia
mosquito netting wenzhang fall/autumn qiu
traditional chuantong winter dong
Chinese medicine zhongyi noon zhongwu
pharmacy yaodian midnight wuye
prescription chufang today jintian
sanitary pads weishengjin yesterday zuotian
stomach ache weitong tomorrow mingtian
tissues zhijin this morning jintian shangwu
toothache yateng this afternoon jintian xiawu
this evening jintian wanshang
for the whole day yi zheng tian
Numbers
(continuous)
0 ling every day mei tian
1 yi month yue
2 er hour xiaoshi
3 san time/hour shijian
4 si (duration)
5 wu minute fenzhong
6 liu this year jin nian
7 qi last year qu nian
8 ba next year ming nian
9 jiu one year yi nian
10 shi late wan
11 shiyi early zao
12 shier soon henkuai
20 ershi now xianzai

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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

Shandong & Henan 146

Guangdong & Hainan 300

Hong Kong & Macau 312

The Northeast Shops & Markets 586 Phrase Book 656

Introducing Fengxian Si, the largest of the Buddhist

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

282 THE SOUTH INTRODUCING THE SOUTH 283

Lianping Meizhou Dabu

Yingde Xingning Zhangpu

Getting Around gives a brief Da

description of long-distance Nanning

transportation in the region. Suixi

Xuwen Getting Around

Riding a horse is The acrobatics of Beijing Opera combine

HEBEI, TIANJIN & SHANXI

the Shanhaiguan Pass in 1644 to impose 250 years of foreign

plotted on a map. The black bullet Sights at a Glance

numbers also indicate the order in 4 Tianjin

which the sights are covered q Pingyao pp144–5

Temples & Monasteries

A map shows cities, Xingtai

passenger rail routes, and all

Linfen Changzhi Minor road

1 Shenyang with sinuous dragons. It was here VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Capital of Liaoning province and the largest city in the

information, and more.

Serving as the imperial of seven copies of the memorates the Jinrongzhongxin

Station Statue N LU Huaiyuanmen Zhongjie

bullets on the map. . Golden Water

ﬂoor plans to help locate the best its most impressive

exhibits; and natural parks have maps to service this city

with walking routes. associated with water, are supposed

1 Offices of the imperial Design by Numbers

Stars indicate the features that no 4The Hall of Middle Harmony

visitor should miss. Meridian Gate (Wu Men)

86 BEIJING & THE NORTH BEIJING 87

Beijing’s most significant sights and districts are DI TAN

ANDING MEN NEI

to the south, and the sprawling shopping district MEN

of Wangfujing to its east. North of the Forbidden ES Hou

Major City Map

BEIJING Xizhi XIZH I MEN N EI D AJIE Men

U DONG ZHI MEN NEI DAJIE

X I ZHI ME JIE Qian

Beijing, Hong Kong, and

Hai DONG SI SHI SAN T I AO

Zhangzi Zhong Lu Shi Tiao

CHEGONG ZH UANG XI D AJIE CHEG O N G ZHUANG D I ' A N M E N X I D AJ IE

PIN G 'AN DAJIE DI 'A N M E N

riddle the city. To the south, Tian Tan, known as ZHANGZI DO N G S I S HI TI AO

Shanghai each have their own

environs are also dotted with impressive sites FU C H E N G L U

chapters with introductory

YUYUAN TAN PARK

YU E TAN B E I JI E WUDIN G FENG S H E NG

maps – sights are plotted with

Junshi Bowuguan Nanlishi D ONG ZO N G BU

numbered bullets. Hong Kong

Men Qian Men

and Beijing have detailed Street

DONG LU GX I E J I E Xuanwu QI A N M E N XIHEYA N JIE

Finder maps as well.

TIAN TAN 0 miles 1