Wuyuan Ancient Town - A Fairyland on the Earth

Wuyuan is an ancient town in Jiangxi Province. It is one of famous ancient towns which is often contain in the itineraries of top China tours.

In ancient times, Wuyuan was governed by Anhui. Merchants from this area spread throughout China around 500 years ago, forging trade relations with dealers from Qingdao to Qinghai. Such were their numbers and business acumen that in some areas, they practically ran the local economy. Historical records show that of the eight barons Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong received during a trip to southern China, four were from Anhui. Anhui merchants went on to dominate trade in China for some 400 years in terms of capital and trade outlets.

Back in their hometowns, these wealthy merchants would often construct majestic homes and elaborate ancestral temples so their families and forefathers could share in their success. Many of these still stand in Wuyuan. Hidden deep in the mountains, the town escaped the wartime devastation that obliterated many other parts of ancient China, and it remains in its original state today.

It is not far from Yellow mountain. After visiting the mountain, if you are stuck for idea to kill your rest time of your China tours, you can choose to visit Wuyuan Ancient Town.

Sanhe Ancient Town in Anhui

Many tourists are attracted by Yellow Mountain for their China tours. But the ancient town in Hefei is worthwhile to visit.

Sanhe (literally three rivers) Ancient Town locates on the southern part of Hefei County in Hefei City. It is on the intersection of Fengle River, Hanghu River and Xin River, hence the name. With the history of more than 2,500 years, Sanhe Ancient town is famed for its watery scenery. The street in the town extends about 3 kilometers along the river. The street, paved with limestone board, is a little narrow. The building on the both sides of street were mainly constructed in Ming and Qing dynasties.

The town, lying between Huang Mountain and Jiuhua Mountain and about 40 kilometers from Hefei City, attracts more visitors for its eight ancient sceneries (rivers, old bridges, old dikes, old alleys, old teahouses, folk houses, ancient temples and ancient battlefield). One of famous local products is oil-paper umbrellas. Sanhe has more than 400 years of producing oil-paper umbrellas. The umbrella once was awarded the gold medal in The Eighth China International Tourism Commodity Expo.

Sanhe Ancient is not included in classic China tours. If you think it is necessary to visit, you can advise your tour guide.

What A Tired National Holiday

The 8-day holiday just passed. If you ask me to describe my holiday, one world can express "tired". I think most Chinese choose to have a China tour during gold week and all of them feel tired during these days. Holiday is right time to relax for many people why so many Chinese are tired?

The most critical reason is that Chinese people enjoy only a few holidays. According to a report from Mercer, one of the world famous human resources companies, Chinese employees have 21 days of paid and statutory holidays every year and China is one of the countries having the least holidays. Another survey showed that less than 30 percent of office workers can enjoy paid vacation in China. Under such welfare system, it is inevitable that people will choose to travel in the "Golden Week".

In view of this, the most basic solution is to implement the paid leave system as soon as possible, so that Chinese people can enjoy a more relaxed "Golden Week". Only by practical implementation of the nominal legal rights and interests can people arrange their holidays more proactively and flexibly to avoid the peak travel period. However, improving the paid vacation system cannot solve all the problems. After all, people must have both time and money to leisurely enjoy the holidays.

However, the actual situation is somewhat regrettable. In the survey of "Degree of Leisure and Satisfaction" carried out by magazine "Insight China", only 14 percent of respondents considered themselves having both time and money, 38 percent said they had neither time nor money and respondents choosing "having money but no time" and "having time but no money" account for 25 percent and 23 percent respectively. This means that besides improving the vacation system, the related departments must reform the income distribution system and let people become rich to enjoy the holidays more leisurely.
As it is unpractical to increase the number of holidays in the short term, the most realistic and efficient move at present is to fine-tune policies concerning the "golden week" and other holidays in order to meet people's needs. Fortunately, some positive signals appeared in the just ended "longest golden week in history".
The Chinese government waived expressway tolls for cars for the first time during this year's "Golden Week" holiday, which stimulated domestic travel demands and improved the public travel patterns. Nearly 200 scenic spots lowered their ticket prices before the "Golden Week", which reduced the people's travel expenses to a certain degree. Such fine-tuning and reforms have produced certain desired effects.
If you have plan to join a China vacation package, don't choose to travel to China during national holidays.

Hezhe People in North China

As a Chinese, some small and mysterious ethnic groups is unknown to me, let alone foreign tourists. In my opinion, many foreign tourists are interested in the minority culture and customs and costumes if they have a China travel. Changganhu People is small minority group which I have never heard of.

An ancient and hard-working ethnic group, the Hezhe ethnic minority is a small member in the 56 ethnic groups of the Peoples Republic of China. They mainly live on the border between China and Russia.

The Hezhe people are the only ones who live on fishing and driving a sledge with dogs in northern China. The fishing industry is the main source of livelihood for most Hezhes. Old and young, male and female, they are all good at fishing. They have gained superb skills and knowledge in fishing through time-tested experience.

Hunting is another source of income for the Hezhes. Nowadays, they are also engaged in agriculture and aquatic-breeding.
Hezhe is in the northmost China. You may heard of Shangri-la which locates at the south. Shangri-la tour will provide you different experience unlike

Food in Deyang

General Description:
Deyang, one city of Sichuan for China tourism, is also in favor of Chuanese cuisine. Some traditional food, such as Lujiang Bean Chicken, enjoy a high reputation in Sichan food. There are two local food named Yinsi fine dried noodles and Babao Oil Cake which is best-known in China. Because of dainty mouthfeel and scientific mixing of ingredients, these two food are very popular among delicacy-lovers.
What to Eat in Deyang

Shifang Salted Duck (什邡板鸭)

One of the famous local products, Shifang Salted Duck is preserved with salt and pickle. The raw Shifang Salted Duck can be divided into three kinds: pie-shaped duck without bone, barreled duck and pressed salted duck. The cooked duck can be preserved for two to three months
Luojing Bean Chicken

Although "Chicken" is involved in the name, the ingredients of this food don't contain the chicken meat. The main ingredients include soybean, sesame, soy, pepper powder and rape oil. The founder is Yuan Tongru who had worshiped Buddha since childhood. After growing up, he became a Buddhism monk. Three years later, he returned to the secular life and occasionally created the dish Luojiang Bean Chicken. In the 25th year of the Republic of China area, Yuan Tongru sent the first batch Bean Chicken to Buddhist Food Exhibition in Chengdu. In the exhibition, the dish was awarded gold sign-board. From then on, Bean Chicken became well-known in China


Won Ton in Spicy Sauce(红油抄手)

Won Ton is one of famous snacks which can be eaten in many parts of China. Won Ton in Spicy Sauce of Yanan is the most famous for its mild spicy and tasteful soup and delicious won ton.

Lianshan Double-cooked Pork Slices (连山回锅肉)

Double-cooked pork slices (literally means that pork has been returned to the pot) is a best known Sichuan-style dish. With a long history, double-cooked pork slices was a indispensable main dish in the festival days. Why is double-cooked pork slices in Lianshan so well-known? Based on the original ways of cooking, Lianshan double-cooked pork slices are cater for the people from the north and south China through the improvement of ingredients and cookery. In 1986, this dish was first tasted and then became famous.

Maybe you have plane to visit Sanxingdui which is one destination of classic China tours, remember to taste the above-mentioned food.

The World-renowned Mausoleum

There are many ancient tombs and mausoleums in China which become famous attractions such as Ming Tombs, The Mausoleum of First Emperor of the Qing Dynasty and Suspended Tombs which can be seen when you have Yangtze River cruise.
The Mausoleum of First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC) is located about 5km to the east of Lintong County in Shaanxi Province.

According to the record of Shi Ji (The Records of the Great Historian), soon after Ying Zheng ascent the throne to be the king of the Qin State in 246BC, he began to build his mausoleum along Lishan Mountain. In 221BC, the Qin Dynasty unified the six states in the northeast China, and established the Qin Dynasty. Then he drove over 70,000 criminal slaves from all places to continue the construction, and it took 36 years to complete the project. According to Shi Ji, the inner grave was very extravagant. In the grave there were crossbar arrows that would automatically shoot in case of robbery. In 209BC, when Emperor Shihuang was buried, his son ordered all his concubines without babies to be buried with the emperor in the mausoleum. In order to prevent the artisans from letting out the secret, they were all locked in the tomb.

According to the record, the earthen heap was 50 zhang (1 zhang = 3.3 meters) in height, and with a perimeter of over 30 li (15 km). The grave that is extant today is in the shape of a square taper, and its bottom is 515 meters long from the south to the north, 485 meters wide from the east to the west and 55 meters high. In the spring of 1974, three pits of terra-cotta warriors and horses of the Qin Dynasty were found here successively. From the east to the west, the No.1 Pit is 230 meters in length, 62 meters in width, 5 meters in depth. Taking up an area of 14,620 square meters, it consists of a corridor and 11 passage holes. In the excavated area of 96 square meters there are over 500 terra-cotta warriors, 4 chariots and 24 horses. It was estimated that over 6,000 terra-cotta warriors and horses were buried in the pit. The No.2 Pit, covering 6,000 square meters, is in the shape of try square, and has cavalries, chariots, infantries and archers. There are over 1,000 pieces of terra-cotta warriors and horses, and all kinds of arms. The No.3 Pit covers over 500 square meters with a concave plane, and there is a chariot inside it and 68 terra-cotta guards. The pit is like a captain organ in the army, and is also equipped with large numbers of arms.

The terra-cotta warriors and horses in the Mausoleum of First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty are called the Eighth Miracle in the World, which attracts many foreign tourists for their China tours. In 1976, the Museum of the Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty was built at the site of the No.1 Pit, and the battle array of a large number of mounted and foot soldiers was restored in the museum, attracting large numbers of Chinese and foreign visitors.
Many foreign tourists joining China tour packages only visit terra-cotta warriors and horses.

Canglang Pavilion

Canglang Pavilion is one of four great classic gardens in Suzhou. When you visit Suzhou for your China tour, Canglang Pavilion should not be missed.

Canglang Pavilion, also named the Surging Waves Pavilion and located south of Suzhou City, is the oldest garden among the existing classical gardens of Suzhou. The area used to be the private garden of a Prince of the Five Dynasties (907-960). During the Northern Song Dynasty, the scholar Su Zimei built a pavilion in the garden and named it Canglang Pavilion.

The garden, connected by a long roofed walkway, features a range of man-made mountains on the inside and waterscapes on the outside. To enter the garden, one must proceed past an expanse of water over a zigzag bridge of stone and through the entrance. It is at this point that one catches sight of a man-made mountain covered with age-old trees and bamboos.

The Mingdao Hall (Enlightened Way Hall), located to the south of the mountains, is the major building of the garden. It was said to have been a site for lectures during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Surrounded by verdant trees, it appears simple but dignified. On the walls of the hall hang three rubbings of the Song Dynasty steles, which are pictures of astronomy, Song Dynasty vehicles and a map of Pingjiang (today's Suzhou) in the Song Dynasty. Inside the hall there is a wall inlaid with more than 500 stone statuaries of figures related to the history of Suzhou.

In the southwest part of the garden is a stone cave in rockeries, on which stands a pavilion for people to enjoy scenery in Suzhou.

Scenery and gardens in Suzhou is very different from other west or north parts of China. Scenery in the west China is very majestic such as attractions along the route of Silk Road.