Yumbulagang Palace, the first palace in Tibet

In the southeastern side of Tesdang Town last minute China travel deals, Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, Yumbulagang - the first palace in Tibetan history - is quietly standing there. Because the mountain of Yumbulagang in a shape of deer, and the palace is located on the back leg of the “deer”, thus it is the name. (in Tibetan language, “Yumbu” means deer, “la” means back leg, “gang” means palace).
Every thing of this building is “it is said”. It is said that Yumbulaguang was the earliest architecture in Tibet. The very original building was not a monastery but a palace for the leader there. It is said that in Tibetan history, it was build in 2 B.C. by Bon religious followers for the first king in Tibet. And then, this palace best tours of China became the summer palace for Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng, not “it is said”. And finally, the 5th Dalai had changed this building into a monastery for Yellow Sect. Although the size is small, the location of it makes it magnificent.
From the first Tibetan King Nyatri Tsenpo to the 33th Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. This building was always served as a palace for the king. Till Songtsen Gampo united the Tibet and decided to move capital to Lhasa. And also, Yumbulagang Palace was the wedding ceremony place of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng. Princess spent her first summer at this historic architecture. Although they had the Potala Palace, they prefer to spent summer days in Yumbulagang Palace. And Trundruk Monastery as their winter palace.
The very original image of Yumbulagang Palace popular China tours was unknown. It has been restoration for countless times in different periods. Songtsen Gampo built two floors. The 5th Dalai built the golden roof. During the 15th century, an administrator belonged to a nearby monastery had taken over the administration of Yumbulagang Palace. During the 1970s, this palace had been destroyed badly. Till 1982, it was rebuilt based on the original shape, and kept till now.
Sitting on the rock on the top, I can see this unique palace quietly, and also can appreciate the fields scenes. The crispy sky makes the Yumblagang extremely outstanding, and sometimes it is looked more like a shining building. The prayer flags wave in the wind. The voice of the flags are more like the honest words from the religious followers. Let people calm down immediately.
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Tiger Spotting in the Snow

Generally, there are two types of Chinese tourists: those that go south to escape, and those that delve deeper into the chilly wilderness and enjoy the treasures to be found within.
Northeast China is the top choice for those brave tourists thanks to its traditional ice and snow festivals, and to see the Northeast China tiger, also known as the Siberian tiger.
These rare animals are most active during the cold season, playing all day long in the snow, but it is not easy to find them in the vast forests of northeastern China.
Living mainly in the forest depths of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces China tour deals, these animals are in the highest category of protection in China.
Siberian tigers, the largest of all tigers, live mainly in Siberia and northeastern China. It is believed there are only 300 Siberian tigers left in the wild, less than 20 in China.
Most Siberian tigers in China live in the Xiaoxinganling Mountains, in Heilongjiang Province, and the Changbai Mountain, in Jilin Province. The World Wide Fund for Nature has included Siberian tigers in its list as one of the world's 10 most endangered animals.
In order to exhibit and cultivate the beasts, tiger gardens were established in Harbin and Mudanjiang China best tours. Almost 80 per cent of Siberian tigers in China are housed there.
The wild Siberian tigers found the border are called the Amur tiger by the Russians living there.
There are two main destinations to tiger watch in northeastern China.
The easiest to reach is the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin. Most of these tigers are raised by local staff. It is also the only science and research center of Siberian tigers in China.
The park covers 1.5 million sqm and is open for tourists daily.
The park has long suffered financial problems because of the high daily expenses to maintaining each tiger.
Visitors to the park are encouraged to buy rabbits, goats, pigs, chickens and oxen to feed the hungry tigers. You can also watch them fight as they devour the food. Price ranges from 10 yuan (US$1.2) to 300 yuan (US$36) per animal.
The park also houses dozens of lions. They live peacefully with the tigers in the park.
Among the 100 Siberian tigers, eight are white, with one albino. Two rare white lions can also be found.
It takes about one and half hours to tour the park. Except for the walking area and tiger-watching platform, a bus can take you around the park with ease.
The entrance fee is 50 yuan (US$6) for adults, 25 yuan (US$3) for children between 1 meter to 1.4 meters and free for children under 1 meter high.
Take bus route 85 to get to the park from downtown Harbin.
A much more interesting trip for most visitors is to go to the Siberian Tiger Natural Reserve popular China tour package, in Northeast China's Jilin Province.
The park is located on the northern bank of the Songhua River. It is the largest wild natural reserve in the world dedicated to the Northeast China Tiger. A special coach allows you to meander through groups of tigers and appreciate the adventurous and exciting scenes.
Huangnihe River Nature Reserve, in the Changbai Mountain area of Jilin Province, was established by the provincial government four years ago.
Chinese, Russian and American experts have concluded that fewer than 20 Siberian tigers are living in the wild in northeastern China. Mount Changbai is their most important habitat.
A hunting ban imposed on Changbai Mountain by the Jilin Provincial Government five years ago has increased the number of wild boars and roe deer, prime prey for the tigers.
Mount Changbai is a famous scenic spot that attracts thousands of tourists from around the world each year. The ecosystem is characterized by mixed coniferous and broadleaved trees of Korean Pine, Manchurian Ash, subalpine evergreen and alpine tundra surrounding hot springs, cultivated fields and residential areas.
For safety reasons, personal hikes around the area are not advised.
Snowfalls average 2 feet between December and March, making it easy to get lost in the area.
According to Chinese media reports earlier this year, wild Siberian tigers are frequently found in the mountains.
A worker, missing for more than two weeks, from the Changbai Mountain Siberian Tiger Park travel China guide was believed to be killed and eaten by Siberian tigers in the park early this year. Pieces of the worker's clothing and body were found. It is believed that he was killed by the tigers before he was eaten.
Many other villagers have told the media that they found unfamiliar animal tracks in the hills before the attack.
To get to the wild Siberian Tiger Reserve Park, first go to Changchun, the provincial capital city of Jilin.
Many tour buses go between Changchun and the destination every day.

Spring Outing in Jingshanling Great Wall to see Apricot Blossoms

In the early April, we had 4 days off for Tomb-sweeping Day. So I decided to pay a short visit to Jinshangling Great Wall to spend a leisure China holiday.
On April 5, the first day of the holiday, early in the morning, we were up to Beijing Dongzhimen Bus Station to take off to Jinshangling, together with a group of people who were interested in outdoor action trip.
Jinshanling Great Wall is located on the branches of Yanshan Mountains, between the Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province and Minyun County, Beijing. It connects Simatai Great Wall in the east and Gubeikou Great Wall in the west. It is sited in and is located in the junction of Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia, 130 km away from downtown Beijing China tour deals, 90 kilometers away from Chengde Summer Resort, and 200 kilometers away from Mulan Paddock.
Jinshanling Great Wall was originally built AD 1368 during Ming Dynasty, by senior general, Xuda. In AD 1567, Qi jiguang, who was a hero for defending his county from the enemies, expand and repair the great wall. So, this great wall bears a long history.
We set off from Dongzhimen Bus Station and it took us 5 hours to get to the great wall. At 1:30 in the afternoon, we reached the gate of Jingshanling Great Wall, and then we check in the hotel. The hotel is only 1000 meters away from the gate of the scenic area. After having a short rest in the hotel, we set off to walk to the Jinshanling Great Wall from Zhuanduo Pass. This is so excited.
When we were up to the great wall for a short way, we saw a lot of Apricot Blossoms blooming around the great wall, which made it look more beautiful and magnificent. Apricot blossom is one of the features of the local. The local governments also hold Apricot Blossom Festival in April every year to attract tourists. We walked westwards from Zhuanduo Building to Xifang Plarform China best tours, Xiliang Brick Building and West Wuyan Building until we got to the military restricted zones. When we got there, the time was still early for the evening, so we waited to take sunset photos for the Great Wall. There is a little sunset glow during the sunset in that day, so we casually down the great wall after taking a few photos and back into the hotel for dinner.
The tourism services at the foot of the Great Wall are quite complete and convenient with eating and living. After dinner, for we decided to take the photos of the sunrise, we went to bed very early and got enough sleep for the next day.
On April 6, we got up early in the morning to shoot the sunrise. This time, we climb the great wall from Shaling Village, went eastward via Black Building, Mini Jinshan Building, and finally got to the Great Jinshan Building, which is the best place to watch and shoot the sunrise to this great wall. When we arrived, there were already some people got there. No sunrise early mist, as the sun rose, feeling a little bright, so I had to shoot the effect of warm light of the sun illuminating the wall. After the shooting, we paid a short visit to the village around the scenic area. The people here were friendly and kind. We saw many things that we have never seen before. When we got back to the hotel, it was a little late and the day ended.
After two days visit in Jinshanling popular China travel package, we have been basically visited most parts of the great wall and took plenty beautiful photos of it. In the third day, our tour ended and we got back to Beijing.

Tasting the Huizhou culture

In the south east of Anhui province, under the foot of Huangshan Mountain China tour deals can be found historical and cultural Shexian county. Surrounded by green mountains and crystal clear waters, the entire area is rich in cultural relics, beautiful residencies and memorial temples and arches. It is said that the entire county is a museum of classical architecture. Most of the town towers, bridges, lanes and wells are from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. .
Upon waking I thought to myself, that sounds like a brilliant place to spend the day. Some sit behind a desk staring at a computer and others go to ancient towns for a relaxing stroll.
I have been to many towns and cities that the prosperous Salt Merchants either founded or chose to build huge homes and gardens, live and raise their families and while doing so spread their huge wealth. I won’t write any more about them as I’ve included a heap of information on them below and their history is very interesting and well worth the read.
After a delicious breakfast with my buddy and is daughter (who own one of the eateries across the train station car park) I caught a small bus from the train station car park to Shexian city. When I arrived at the bus station I found my way to the main road (Xin’an Lu) and then walked across the bridge. At the end of the bridge I found what is supposed to be an ancient city wall and I was told that here I had to make a decision and a very easy one at that. If I headed left I would end up at the ticket office and would have to pay 80 Yuan for a ticket (which includes Yuliang Park and entry in to the main sites China best tours. I was also told that none of the sites were worth paying for). If I didn’t want to buy a ticket and get in for free, yes FREE I needed to follow the road right and go in through the arch way.
I believe that you don’t actually have to pay the 80 yuan unless you want to enter the sites and throughout the day I actually got into several without a ticket as it seemed that it was too much trouble for the ticket guy to ask me if I had one or not.
Though it is small I actually spent many hours walking around the streets getting lost and ending up on top of a small hill and then down the other side without even knowing it. Well I did know I was climbing stairs but I thought I was winding my way back down the side I had walked up but somehow ended up down the other side and after half an hour or so I actually had no idea where I was. Thankfully I was saved by two young girls who were following me saying 'Good Morning Teacher, Class Begin!’
I then found out they knew a lot more English than that as they walked me back up the hill and down the other side to where I actually thought I was when I met them.
After a huge bowl of rice, pork and vegetables in a local eatery I found down a vibrant little side street I thought it best to figure out just what and where Yuliang was. Of course after reading the LP I walked back to the bus station thinking that it was not on the Huizhou Park side of the river. When I arrived back on the bus station side of the bridge I began chatting to a pedicab driver and I then found that Yuliang was actually just up the road from the Huizhou District Park. After I told him that I had already been to the Huizhou district but never got a ticket he then told me he would show me a free way to get in.
To get to Yuliang you can take a taxi or a pedicab (or walk). Or if you are much smarter than me simply stay on the Huizhou Park popular China travel package side of the river and walk.
Honestly it is only a ten minute walk up the road that follows the river from the arch way leading into the Huizhou Park. On the way there, like I said there is a free way in as Yuliang does require a ticket to get through the gate. If you haven’t got a ticket either follow my free way in or if you want to see the two or so buildings you can pay the 30 Yuan entrance fee.
If you take a pedicab or walk to Yuiliang you will come to a corner with a large blue rubbish bin (not a dumpster) on the left hand side, across the other side of the road just as the corner turns there is a small plain concrete alley. Simply walk down this and soon you will come to the river side path and you won’t have to pay anything for your day in Shexian.
I actually found the city to be well worth more than one day’s adventure so I have decided to return tomorrow. Maybe a normal person could see most of it in one day but to do that you would have to also miss out on so much at each site you visit. So after thinking about it the only difference to me would be the bus fares to and from the following day and as it is a small local bus at the end of the day the bus fare would be less than on Corona beer at the Youth Hostel.
HOW MUCH AND HOW TO GET THERE
To get to Shexian China travel guide simply walk across Beihai Lu from the Tunxi train station to the bus stop and grab the next bus going to Shexian. It costs between four and six yuan (depending on which bus and who you get. It cost of four on the way there and six to get home. I was going to argue but I then found that everyone was paying the same as me and being Chinese they were arguing like mad cats but it didn’t work.

Travel Experience to Jiuhua Mountain

Jiuhua Mountain, which was formerly called Jiuzi Mountain China tour deals, is located in Qingyang county, Chizhou city, 20 km southwest of the county seat. It covers an area of 120 square km. With connected mountain peaks and various unusual stone formations, Jiuhua Mountain consists of 99 peaks, numerous brooks, waterfalls, secluded caves and strangely-shaped pine trees. All of these contribute to the fresh and natural landscapes.
Combined with natural wonders, including a sea of clouds, gorgeous sunrises, frosty mists, and flammule, Jiuhua Mountain is a majestic sight in all its variety. It is known as the most beautiful place in the area south of the Yangtze River Yangtze River tour. It is among first group of the national key scenic areas approved by the state, as well as a national 5-A level tourism zone.
Jiuhua Mountain is a famous historical and cultural mountain. More than 20 academies of classical learning have been successively established here since ancient times, including the Taibai, Teng Zijing and Yangming academies. There are over 2,000 extant cultural relics, and here too you can find 500 or so poems and essays by famous writers and scholars from all previous dynasties. Among these, you will discover some rare treasures, including the Patra-Leaf Sutra of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Tripitaka Sutra and Blood Sutras (written with blood drawn from the authors' fingers) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the imperial decree of Emperor Wanii in the Ming Dynasty (1563-1620), and handwritten manuscripts by Emperors of Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).
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Unsophisticated love of the Axi people of the Yi ethnic group

In of Southwest China's Yunnan Province China tour deals is mainly inhabited by the Axi people, who are a subgroup of the Yi ethnic group. With a population of 170,000, Axi people, different from some other Yi branches, enjoy a simple marriage procedure. A young man and a woman who fall in love with each can marry without a matchmaker and betrothal gifts. So long as they both want to get married and are approved by their parents, their marriage is permissible.
Based on where the man and woman live, there are two kinds of marriage customs of Axi people.
Gong Fang: Young People's Paradise
Gong Fang (a public building that is also called Girl Room) is a place of amusement for youth living in the same village. Before marriage, young people often come here to look for their mate. As night falls, they sit around the need-fire (the beginnings of a bonfire) to sing and dance. If a youth who has reached the age of courtship (about 16 years old) does not go to the Gong Fang to look for a lover, he or she will be blamed by the public, and regarded as an incompetent.
After much observation and comparison, when a young man decides that a certain young woman is the one for him, he will use a blanket or sheet to wrap around himself and his lover, which shows their destinies are linked together tightly. Then under the watchful eyes of the people, the happy pair will go out of the Gong Fang to find a secret place to reveal their feelings for each other or discuss their plans for the future China best tours.
It goes without saying that getting married is a great event in one's life. In the morning of the marriage, the woman comes back from Gong Fang early and changes into elaborate attire suitable for the occasion, then waits for the arrival of her spouse at the gate.
Not long after that, the young man, wearing brand-new clothes, arrives carrying a container of clear cold water. He then waits for the woman's parents' approval. If the father of the woman let the daughter open the door and welcome the man to pour water into the jar in the yard, this indicates they agree to let the girl marry him.
Then the man will go to work with the woman in the field or go up a hill to cut firewood until noon. After supper, the man takes the woman to his home, which means they have married. As the Axi people saying goes, "one cup of water fixes one life."
Generally speaking, in the Axi culture, parents respect their children's choice of spouse. When a girl and a young man fall in love with each other, their parents will usually agree on their choice.
Those who don't live in the same village are unable to look for a spouse in the Gong Fang. In this case, the most common way to meet other young people is by taking part in some singing and dancing parties.
While the boys play the three-stringed plucked instruments, the girls clap their hands and dance enthusiastically to the drumbeats in the strong-rhythm traditional dance " Axi tiaoyue" (Axi Dance in the Moon popular China travel package). During the dancing, the young people choose their lovers. When their love matures, they will agree on the date of getting married.
In the morning of their marriage, the woman and man tell their parents respectively about their marriage. Then the man takes the woman to his home and invites another woman to accompany her. The next morning, the new couple does the farm work together.
There are two purposes in this day's work. For one thing, it is a way to see the woman's attitude towards working. If the man is not satisfied with the woman, their relationship will end after the day.
Second it is to sound out the attitude of the woman's parents. If the parents object to the marriage, they will come to find their daughter, and politely advise the boy to keep away from her. If both sides are satisfied, in the morning of the third day the man will go to the woman's home for the woman to see the man's attitude towards working.
After the two young people leave to work, the woman's parents discuss at home. At lunchtime, they go to the farmland to observe whether the young man has a proper work ethic. If they find the man doesn't work well and is frivolous, they will have their daughter part company with him. On the contrary, if the man works well and is honest, the parents will come back home to cook and tell the young couple to have a meal early.
Traditionally, after supper, the father of the woman will tell the young man something like this: "My daughter is not very beautiful, and cannot do needlework well. But you two already want to marry, so we cannot say anything more. We only hope you two love and respect each other in the future. My family is poor, without a dowry. According to the Axi custom travel China guide, our daughter will take her tools go with you. Though it is not worthy, it can help you to have ample food and clothing."
After listening to the parents' exhortation and blessing, the new couple then goes back to the man's home joyfully, indicating the start of their new life from then on.

Travel Guide - Yangtze River Culture

Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, traversing from west to east through 11 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in central China, the Yangtze River, the largest River in China, gives rise to splendid Yangtze culture. The Yangtze River tour Yangtze River Basin totals 1,800,000 square kilometers (694,894 square miles), which takes up 1/5 of the gross area of Chinese land and 1/83 of land in the world. The population of Yangtze River Basin reaches 400,000,000, taking up 1/3 of the Chinese and 1/15 of the world’s people. The average population density of Yangtze River Basin now exceeds 220 per square kilometer (569 per square mile). Shanghai, the famous international city, becomes China's most crowded area with a population density of 4,600 per square kilometer (11,913 per square mile).
As is the Yellow River, the Yangtze River is also the cradle of Chinese civilization. Over 2 million years ago, the ancestors of the Chinese people lived along the Yangtze River and created a unique Yangtze River culture. They cultivated the earliest rice in the world, and invented the worlds’ oldest boat. Their excellent technique of salt mining was known to the world. People also created exquisite jade crafts and built up cities along the Yangtze River.
Cultural Relics: Countless precious historical sites and cultural relics have been discovered along the Yangtze River. In the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, more than 10 ancient human sites were unearthed. The most famous one is the Mt. Wushan Daxi cultural site China tour deals, where relics from middle to later periods of Neolithic Period have been uncovered. In the middle reaches of the river, sites of the Neolithic Period are spread all over the Hanjiang River area and the world’s earliest rice has been found in Jiangxi Province. In the lower reaches, famous Hemudu Cultural Site, Majiabang Cultural Site, and Liangzhu Cultural Site are the representatives of Neolithic culture.
Celebrities: Since ancient times, celebrities always had certain connections with the famous mountains or rivers China best tours. Stories of famous Chinese people such as Qu Yuan, Wang Zhaojun, and Zhang Fei are also an integral part of Yangtze River culture. The Yangtze River, also, often appeared in the art works of many Chinese artists, including Li Bai, Su Shi, and Bai juyi.
Culture Evolution: Due to distinct natural environment of the upper, middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River, so different forms of culture came into shape in these areas: Ba & Shu Culture in the upper reaches, Jing & Xiang Culture in the middle reaches, and Wu & Yue Culture in the lower reaches.
Folklore: Folklore about the Yangtze River is central to Yangtze River culture. The Chinese people told thousands of stories about the river, from the form of the river to certain tributaries or even a hill near the river, all showing their respect and love for the river.
Life Style: Life styles along the Yangtze River are different from other parts of China, including customs, cuisines, and residential houses.
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The Art World Created by Chinese Folk Arts

Chinese folk art is vastly different from Western traditional art in philosophy concept, art structure and form, and color composition.
Philosophy concept — Chinese folk art last minute China travel deals, and the art of Chinese officialdom and professional artists share the same philosophy base. They are rooted in the same comprehension that heaven and human, objects and subjects are of one entity; and they are based on the same cosmic ontology. However, folk art is 1 continuation of the original Chinese philosophy, a straightforward display of this philosophy; whereas the art of the literati and officialdom only draws from its concept to express personal feelings of the artists.
Rural female laborers are among the main creators of Chinese folk art, especially in categories such as paper- cut. In my observation of their entire process of creative art, they were indeed expressing their understanding of the universe through art works, using a language from the original mode of philosophical symbols. That is a common nature of all communal art. The individuality of their art work lies in the variance of the symbols and codes related with their national identity and geographical region; their emotional temperament and the cultural attainment of the creator, and the art form and language they choose. Folk art is a kind of personalized art. The common nature of folk art is displayed through individual art works.
Take fish for example, according to ancient Greek philosophy, which is the base of Western philosophy, "art is a mirror image of nature;" (Heracleitus) "artist's skill depicting visual objects." (Aristotle) Under that theory best tours of China, the goal of an artist is to copy the objective natural world, and the best lifelike imitation would be the ultimate achievement in art. Therefore, the art is about studying the structure and the color pattern of natural objects; judging their physical existence in terms of quality, quantity and space. To draw a fish for the best imitation, it would have to pull the fish out of the water and place it in a basket in order to convey that feel of quality, quantity and space, even the smell. This is what they call a "motionless object." This theory of creative art is determined by the philosophy that fish and human are two separate entities, and the nature and the society are opposite worlds. This actually has been the philosophical and aesthetical base of western art for over 2000 years.
On the other hand, Chinese philosophy and art structure is the unity of nature and human and integration of objects and ego (subjects). To Chinese artists, I am the fish and the fish is me. If I paint a fish swimming carefree in the water, it is a way to express my own care-free state of mind. This was the same philosophy invoked by the Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zi in "The Autumn Water." Looking at fish by a pond with a friend, Zhuang Zi said to his friend, "The fish swimming in the water are so happy." The friend replied, "Not a fish yourself, how would you know?" "Not being me, how do you know that I don't know?" claimed Zhuang Zi. The philosophy based on Confucius and Taoist theory to speak one's mind and convey one's emotion through an object, is the philosophical and aesthetical base of Chinese traditional art, and a technique in freehand art work. Different from the theory of Western art popular China tours, Chinese paintings are generally focused on bringing out the theme of the objects regardless of being a realistic painting or a freehand brushwork.
In the eyes of folk art creators, fish is a cultural symbol that produces life through mating of yin-yang fish. In art form, it appears in pairs. Propagation is to continue life from generation to generation till eternity, which happens in a revolving pattern. Therefore, the art form is 'Two spinning fish." The "Eight diagram fish," with two fish on a plate towards opposite directions, implies that mother's body of the universe (the plate) contains yin-yang air. The interaction of the two produces life, and, through propagation, life goes on forever. The "Buckled bowl", a package with a dish and a lid, is a philosophy symbol. The upper lid symbolizes the sky, and the lower dish is earth, representing the blurry mother's body of the universe before the separation of earth from heaven; yin from yang. One can be separated into two, and two combined in one. In some art works, the lid opens up with a fish coming out, an implication of life being produced through unification of yin-yang.
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Travel Experience to Tiger Hill

A famous Song Dynasty poet, Su Shi said, 'It is a lifelong pity if having visited Suzhou China tour deals you did not visit Tiger Hill.' This epitomises the general opinion of those who have seen this local beauty spot with its many attractions that we shall endeavour to describe for you.
Tiger Hill, known also as Surging Sea Hill, is a large hillock covering some14100 square metres (over three acres) and is 36 metres (118 feet) in height. Climbing it, you will find a number of historical sites some of which can be traced back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou. Although the hill is relatively small it has rich history. These are just some of the highlights of what is to be found there.
The Tomb of King He Lu: In 496 BC during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC), He Lu, King of the Wu perished during the war fought against the Yue. His son buried him within the hill and three days after the funeral a white tiger came and sat upon the grave as though guarding it. From that time on it has been known as Tiger Hill.
Tiger Hill Pagoda: The pagoda stands on the hill's summit and is the Pagoda of the Yunyan Temple. As the oldest pagoda in the vicinity of Suzhou it has come to be a symbol of the city and has the distinction of being China's Leaning Tower China best tours. Built during the Northern Song Dynasty (959-961) it is a seven-storey octahedron after the style of the timber pagodas built during the early Tang period. It is 48 metres high (158 feet) and for the past four hundred years has leant 359' to the northwest.
Sword Testing Stone and Sword Pool: King He Lu was a zealous collector of rare swords and it is said that he tested them upon this stone. The crevice thus made in the rock is the only evidence of the existence of these swords, as it is believed that they were buried beneath the Sword Pool as funerary objects. Another mystery that surrounds the tomb is the whereabouts of the remains of the 1,000 workers who built it and who were put to death upon completion of the task.
Lu Yu Well: Lu Yu was an authority on the art of tea and wrote the first ever book on the subject entitled 'The Treatise of Tea'. As an old man, he lived on Tiger Hill and it was here that he wrote the final part of his book. Lu Yu excavated the well and declared that the water from it was the third best in all China. Consequent upon the research and teaching of Lu Yu tea growing and consumption came to be important factors in the daily life of the citizens of Suzhou.
Sword Pool
Verdant Mountain Villa: Built in the tenth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) the villa is a masterpiece of the splendid gardens for which Suzhou is so famous. The Verdant Mountain Villa (Yongcui Shanzhuang popular China travel package ) was designed so that it embraced the natural vistas and views from the halls and porches are most pleasing to the eye.
Wanjing Villa: The ancient art of bonsai tree growing originated in China and there are thousands of magnificent specimens on display at this villa. Many of the specimens you can see have been awarded prize palms in prestigious bonsai competitions. The miniature replicas of full sized gardens are sure to amaze you and will give an insight into the skill and artistry of Chinese master gardeners that has been handed down from long ago.
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How to Spend Your Last Night in Beijing in Style

I said good bye to one of the coolest people I have ever met last night and were did he chose to bring our recently acquired group of friends but to the 80th floor of the tallest building in Beijing China vacation deals. This bar almost at the top of the China World Summit building is called Atmosphere and it is well worth the effort to dress up in a business suit and go even during Beijing’s hot summer weather. It is also the perfect place to end your China travel, at least in my personal experience. The music is great usually featuring live jazz which moves your soul. The drinks of course are a little pricey for Beijing but it is still only around 15usd-30usd a drink. They are delicious and exotic. The Atmosphere bar sells grapa form Italy, Cuban rum and wine in addition the bar also sells a selection of Cuban cigars. I don’t know about you but I never thought I would find these things in China but I guess every day here is full of surprises. And I am loving all of them! This is defiantly#1 in places to go after your Beijing tours. However, don’t forget you can just have one drink here save your money and get some extreme swag on while overlooking the city of Beijing
As we sat down and drank our drinks I looked at my friends and thought it has been only 3 weeks since we meet but we act like old friends top China tours. So I stood up and made a traditional toast to my new found friends stating loudly, “This toast is to our Canadian brother who is leaving us… it seems that out time together here is too short but may we all remain friends for years to come.” After this every one cheered and shouted gambai but no one killed there drink because they wanted to savor it. We all then took many photos and pretended to be proper my one good friend sat around and waved like the queen of England which made everyone burst into laughter even at the table next to us.
I do not say this because it is high class after all I do love a good cheap night out in Sanlitun popular China tours. But I say it because it is a place where I can sit by the window and recall all of my memories of Beijing my favorite city (so far) in China. Well that and the jazz music I heard here was some of the best in my life. So This Blog is dedicated to Brian and the rest of my new found friends, see you in Spain! “He who does not travel does not know the value of men.”
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