The Main Destination to Experience Silk Road Atmosphere - Turpan - the Fiery Land

A depression enclosed by mountains in eastern Xinjiang （one of main China Travel Destinations）, also called Gushi in ancient times. In the center of the Turpan Depression is the Aydingkol Lake which is 154 meters below sea level, second only the the Dead Sea in Jordan, lowest in the world. The mean temperature there all-year-round is 12.1 degrees to 14.9 degree centigrade, and in the sweltering summer days it rises up to 40 degree centigrade, with a ground temperature as high as 80 degree centigrade. Hence the name the "Fiery Land". As an important post on the northern route of the age-old Silk Road. Turpan has now many spots of interest such as the ancient cities and Jiaohe, Bezeklik Thousand- Buddha Cave, Emin Minaret, Grape Valley and Karez Wells.

Gaochang

Gaochang, an important gateway on the ancient Silk Road, situated near the Flaming Mountain 40 kilometer southeast of Turpan. In the first century, military units of the Western Han Dynasty doing farm work there established a rampart called Gaochangbi. Later, it developed into a political, economic and cultural center along with historical changes. Monk Xuan Zang of Tang Dynasty had preached in the city .
Jiaohe city is located on a river islet in the Yarnez River valley 10 kilometer west of Turpan (a famous China travel destination ). It is 1650 meter long from east to west, 300 meter at the widest, and lined by cliffs 30 meter high. By 200 BC, it was the seat of the imperial court of the Front State of Cheshi, abandoned after 1200. The ancient city is preserved pretty well due to its high location and scanty rainfall. The surviving ruins such as official buildings, pottery kilns, courtyards, temples and pagodas are still distinguishable. The city has been recognized by the UNESCO as one of the world's natural heritage sites.

Karez Wells

Karez Wells - an underground irrigation system created by the local people to improve the arid land, consisting of wells, ditche, underground channels and dams. Water from melted snow is conducted from nearby mountains to the wells which are linked by underground channels. The water outlets of these channels are connected with the ditches, from which the water is used to irrigate the farms.

Emin Minaret

Emin Minaret - the minaret, 37 m high is about 2 km to the southeast of Turpan. A 72-step spiral stairway inside the minaret leads to its top where visitors may have a panoramic view of Turpan. Nearby is a mosque which can accommodate one thousand Moslems for a religious service.
tags: China vacations

Learn about ancient China art via Mogao Grottoes

Located on cliffs 25 km southeast of Dunhuang (one of famous China Travel Destinations), the first cave of Mogao Grottoes was carved out in the year 366 and so far it has a history of more than 1600 years. Artworks of this treasure house cover architectural design, sculptures and murals. Still preserved are 492 caves with 2,415 colored statues and 45,000sq of murals. It is the greatest and most consummate gallery of Buddhist art in the wolrd.

Flying Apsaras
Flying apsaras, described by the Buddhist scriptures as the goddess of fragrance and music, is a scented goddess who plays the musical instrument and dances. They are found in murals in all caves of Mogao.

Colored Sculptures in Mogao Grottoes
The colored statues are divided into four categories, namely buddha including Sakyamuni, Maitreya, Bhaisajyaguru and Amitabha. Bodhisattva, including Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, Samantaghadra and Bodhisattva the Great Pover - Coming; disciples of the Buddha, including Ananda and Kasyapa; and heavenly warriors and earth dieties. All the statues reflcet vividly the characteristics of different period.

Murals of Mogao Caves
The murals of Mogao Grottoes, with Buddhist stories, figures in Buddhist scriptures, stories of natural lives, Buddhist statues, apsaras and decorative patterns and designs as the chief subject matter, reveal the great and profound Buddhist philosophical thinking. They also reflect the life and various societal aspects of China for a period of over 16oo years.
tags: travel to China

The Brief Introduction to Hexi Corridor - the Main Silk Road Route

Hexi Corridor is the main route entering Xinjiang (one of famous China Travel Destinations). It stretches over1,000 kilometer from Wushaoling Mountain westward to the Gansu-Xinjiang board over a vast expanse of the desert, oases and gobi. The landform of the area is shaped like a long corrider, hence Gansu Corridor. Because it is located in the west of Yellow River, so this area is also called Hexi Corridor (by the way, He, in Chinese pinyin means river).

It had been a vital passageway from 2 B.C TO 13 A.D, along which Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Zhangye and Wuwei were important political, economic and cultural exchange centers. Today, the Hexi Corridor is a must on the Silk Road tour as tourists heading westward may enjoy a full view of the beautiful scenery and have glimpse of the ancient civilization, the beaton towers of the Great Wall on the gobi, posts on the Silk Road and sheep flock in the oases and at the foot of snow-capped mountains.

tags: China travel

Learn something about Shanghai History and Culture at the Ancient Shikumen

Shanghai, as the largest metropolis in China, is one of the most popular China Travel Destinations with its glamour of modern and fashion. While the Shanghai history and culture is also something worth exploring for tourists during their Shanghai tours. The ancient Shikumen architectures are a part of Shanghai history and culture and they are definitely great places to get a deep understanding of Shanghai history, culture and local traditional lifestyle.

Shikumen is a unique and typical traditional residential buildings. The origin of Shikumen was dated back to 1860s during the Taiping Revolution when a large number of residents from the neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces were forced to seek protection in Shanghai’s foreign concession and it was the time Shikumen houses were largely built in the concession to meet the demand.
Shikumen literally means “stone gate” and it got its name because of the stone door frame. The construction of Shikumen combines the architectural styles of both southern China and western countries. A typical Shikumen house is usually a two-floor building constructed with bricks and wood built in narrow alleys, featured with a stone gate frame, wooden doors and a small enclosed front courtyard. The combination of architectural style of China and western countries lies in the Chinese traditional styled interior design and layout with the exterior outlook resembling western-style townhouses.

As one of the best example of the collision of East and West, Shikumen houses became very popular and were largely developed before 1930s. Then with the reconstruction of old area and the development of new residential buildings like Linong residences and large apartment buildings, Shikumen gradually died out. Now there are still about 2 million people living in Shikumen houses. And some of the notable Shikumen neighborhood are Xintiandi, Tianzifang, Shangxianfang, and Jianye Li. There is also a Shikemen Open House Museum which is located in Xintiandi area in Huangpu District in Shanghai(learn more about Shanghai via Shanghai travel guide) presents a house in the traditional Shikumen style.

The construction” techniques of Shikumen lilong architecture” was listed on the national non-physical cultural heritage register by Chinese government in 2010. The Shikumen culture as a cultural feature of Shanghai culture has breed Shanghai modern civilization. Also Shikumen is the witness of many important historical events. For tourists wanting to get some Shanghai cultural experience and see the traditional lifestyle Shikumen is something should not miss out for your China travel.

To enjoy the beauty of nature at Kanas Lake Nature Reserve

The amazing Kanas Lake is a long finger lake pinch in between Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan. The local habitants around the lake area are Kazak or Tuvan. Tourists descend on the place like locusts in summer. But it is possibe for your to escape the crowds with a little effort. Many tourists hope for a cameo by the Kanas Lake Monsters.

Entering the reserve area, you need to buy a ticket (student/adult: 120rmb/150rmb). If you don't hiking in the reserve, you can choose to take a tourist bus (90rmb/person, unlimited rides) which carries you 16 kilometers up th canyon to a tourist base. The journey on the bus takes you an hour and includes three photo stops along the way, Crouching Dragon Bay, Moon Bay and Immortal Bay.

At the tourist base, you need to change the bus to Kanas Lake (one of famous China Travel Destinations). You can witness the old houses lining along the road, just past the tourist base. From the final stop, it is about 5-minute walk to the lake. At the lakeshore, you can take a speedboat ride (120rmb, 40 minutes) halfway up the lake. A boardwalk along the shore takes you 4.5 kilometers up the side of the lake to vantage point. It is possible to walk downstream from the dock along the river. The bus terminus is also the starting point for thrilling white water-rafting trips.
Kanas, meaning "beautiful, rich and mysterious" in Mongolian,takes on different colors with gold, red, blue and green in fall. Known for its beautiful natural ecosystem by lakes, rivers, glaciers, forests and grassland, Kanas attracts a number of visitors and settlers to come to the area.

Kanas Lake Natural Reserve is a fairyland to relax and escape the city's hustle and bustle.

By the way the area is only accessible from mid-May to mid-October when the ice and snow make the transportation difficult.

tags: Tour to China

Learn something about Southern Song Dynasty

After the two emperors Zhao Ji and Zhao Heng were captured, Zhao Gou was acclaimed emperor and the Southern Song was established, with its capital in Hangzhou (a famous China travel destination). The Jin troops continued to attack the Southern Song Dynasty but was defeated by two generals Han Shizhong and Yue Fei successively.
Although many Jin-occupied regions were recovered by Yue Fei, Zhao Gou ceded some of them to the Jin Dynasty again in exchange for his mother. He also killed Yue Fei without any reason.
In 1162, Zhao Shen succeeded to the throne and became the second emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty. He made great efforts to manage the state, and the situation of the Southern Song was improved. After his death, his son Zhao Dun took the throne.
Due to mental illness, he abdicated to his son Zhao Kuo. In 1224, Zhao Kuo died and Zhao Yun succeeded the throne. During the reign of Zhao Yun, the Southern Song Dynasty and the Great Mongolian Empire united in destructing the Jin Dynasty.
In 1264, Zhao Yun died and Zhao Qi got the throne. In 1271, Kublai established the Yuan Dynasty. When Zhao Qi died and his son Zhao Xian ascended the throne in 1274, the Southern Song Dynasty had become paralyzed. In 1275, the Yuan troops began to attack the Southern Song again and closed the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty.
In 1276, Zhao Xian abdicated, and his young brother Zhao Shi was acclaimed emperor after escaping to Fuzhou. In 1278, the 11-year-old Zhao Shi died and Zhao Bing took the throne. Under pursuit of the Yuan troops, the Song army had no more power to fight and was defeated. Together with hundreds of imperial members, Zhao Bing committed suicide by jumping into the sea, culminating in the end of the Southern Song Dynasty.

Learn more about China via chinatour.com like Shanghai tour

6 BEST Places You should Visit in China

Met a lot of people in China, and when I asked them, where they have been in China, most of the answers are those five cities : "Beijing, Shanghai Shanghai travel, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hongkong"
Well, I've only lived in China for less than two years now and as an ordinary students from an average family, my income is limited to only scholarships and part-time jobs, but I could proudly say that I've traveled to at least 12 provinces in China and about 20 different cities. Some of them are because I participated in activities and programs, some of them are because some relatives or friends invited me to go with them, but most of them...I went there on my own, with one or two traveling companions.
There are a lot of wonderful places in China and it's a pity if you don't at least see some of them. Next time you have a chance to be in China, don't waste your money shopping in "Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hongkong". Instead, take out your map, buy train tickets, and go visit these places :
6. Xi'an
My Chinese teacher said that "If you have never been to Xi'an, you haven't seen the real China"
And I agree with him. If you go and visit big cities in China China tour deals, you will only see tall buildings, traffic jams, some crowded overly-commercialised fake "ancient towns", and also dark skies due to heavy pollutions. That's not the case with Xi'an. Compared to today's Beijing, Xi'an is much much smaller. As a capital for around 13 dynasties in the past, Xi'an still retain most of its ancient glory. There are a lot of historical sites around the city, ancient buildings, wonderful museums, tombs, pagodas, Terracotta Army, delicious cuisine, and most of all, The City Walls.
Do : Ride a bike atop the city walls
The taxi drivers in Xi'an is a jerk. Aside from refusing to use meter rates and giving you unreasonable prices, they could even drop you off in the street if they found another passenger with a more "beneficial" route. Try to use public bus more as Xi'an is quite a small city.
5 Xining
Chinese people call Xining "The Summer Capital". Most of hotels in this city doesn't have air conditioner. Why? Because they don't need it. Even in summer, the weather is cool, winds blowing all the time, and at night, you will need to wear blankets. There is not much to see in the city except for some mosques and islamic buildings. But if you get out from the city, you will experience the "Tibetan flavors" as Xining is the gateway to Tibetan plateau.
4. Datong
Datong is a small city located in mountainous Shanxi province. The people in this city have a very little experience with foreigners. When I visit Datong in Spring 2013, the city was under a heavy construction. Many streets are being torn up while buildings are being torn down; rubble and debris is littered all over the city. Other than the city walls, there is not much to see in the city itself. The main attractions in Datong, is not inside the city, but outside of it. The Hanging Temple is pretty impressive architecture wonder, and Yungang Grottoes is the second biggest grottoes in China, even bigger and better than Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang.
3. Guilin
Guilin Guilin tour is a beautiful city that is often portrayed in ancient Chinese paintings and poems. Surrounded by two rivers and four lakes and studded with sheer sided karst mountains, Guilin is a home to 12 ethnic minorities. Mountains, rivers, cities, and people, one in harmony. That is Guilin. There are many scenic places within short traveling distance in Guilin.
2. Harbin
Known as the "Winter Paradise", Harbin is one of the coldest place in China. Located on the bordering province with Russia, Harbin is heavily influenced by it, especially in architecture styles and foods. The weather is cool in summer, and in winter, the city hosted the annual "International Harbin Snow and Ice Festival"
1. Dunhuang
ocated on the crossroads of the ancient Silk Road, Dunhuang is one of the most important city in ancient China. Today it is a small beautiful town in the Gobi Desert with population less than 200.000 people. With a rich history of over a thousand years old, Dunhuang is a great place to visit for those who wishes to experience a life in the desert.%%@af$ko&we*407