Starting June 2nd, I went on a trip to China, starting from Qingdao to Shanghai, Xian, Urumqi, Turfan, and back to Qingdao. It took more than three weeks in total, and my means of transporation was by ship from Korea to China, then I used trains to travel between cities, except for my bus trip from Jinan to Qingdao. If the distance between Shanghai and Urumqi is greater than the distance between Los Angeles and Chicago, then this must be the longest land trip I've ever taken so far.

I've taken some pics from Shanghai, but since Shanghai is well represented, I'll just skip it. I deleted much of the pics from Shanghai due to memory constraints anyways. So let me begin first with Xian, capital of China's greatest, and the most important, dynasties - Qin, Han and Tang.

Xian is surrounded by ancient walls and gates. This is the outer main(south) gate.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010068.JPG


The inner gate.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010077.JPG


Maybe this pic can give you the idea how huge and extensive these walls are.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010075.JPG


On the wall
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010082.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010078.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010088.JPG


Cool, a cannon.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010084.JPG


Seems like a very old bell.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010091.JPG


An impressive glass structure under construction just outside the main gate.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010064.JPG


Another impressive construction going on just across the street.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010065.JPG


The Wild Goose Pagoda
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010041.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010049.JPG


Inscription on the top roof.. what does this say?
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010048.JPG


I believe this is the drum tower, taken from bell tower, or the other way around.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010029.JPG


Downtown Xian taken from the bell tower, looking towards the main gate. Bell tower is the center of the city.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010030.JPG


To the west(I think) taken from the same place.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010031.JPG


This one is probably facing east.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010033.JPG


Probably facing north.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010034.JPG


Bell tower and downtown Xian, taken from the main gate.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010081.JPG


An interesting ceremony on the north gate.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010102.JPG


Personally, I find that dress very attractive.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010103.JPG


It was a reception for foreign tourists :)
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010104.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010105.JPG


Of course, you can't leave out the Terracotta soldiers.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010050.JPG


Shui zhu rou piar, my favorite Chinese dish, in Xian. I asked the waitress for a large cup for that bai jiu. She brings it to me then fills the whole cup! I drank it in two gulps :D
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6100003.JPG


The Great Mosque
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6110015.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6110017.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6110018.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6110022.JPG


Hua Qing(Ching?) Shi. I don't know much about this place. I just went there because my dad told me it was a must visit. If I remember correctly, the place was a pleasure spa for Han and Tang emperors and their girls, including Yang Gui Fei.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010055.JPG


Yang Gui Fei, nude. :D
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010063.JPG


Chiang Kai Shek's office
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010056.JPG


More of that attractive traditional dress.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010058.JPG


That "empress" was a spectator who was handpicked by the guy in the picture above. She was "forcefully" taken by the guards into some place, and she came out an empress. Her boyfriend didn't seem to mind.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010061.JPG


Xian may seem a very dull place during the day, but this city really comes to life at night.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6100002.JPG


This one with a kissing couple to the right.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/100OLYMP/P6100001.JPG

Urumqi is the largest city in Xinjiang, and the most landlocked city in the world. Before going to Urumqi, I thought it was some shabby town in the middle of a desert, with a population of perhaps 50,000. The city really shattered my presumptions. It was a sprawling metropolis of skyscrapers and well planned streets, something that I hadn't expected at all. The city was a great experience, especially with all those ethnic minorities.

On the way to Urumqi from Xian, taken from the train.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6120004.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6120005.JPG


The railway station. It was built recently.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6160002.JPG


The spire up close.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6160003.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6160004.JPG


Inside the railway station.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6160005.JPG


What seems to be an important museum, probably Xinjiang Provincial Museum or something. It wasn't finished when I got there, so I just took a look at their small exhibit of silkroad artifacts which was in a seperate building.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130027.JPG


Pictures from downtown Urumqi.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130030.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130029.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130031.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130039.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130040.JPG


A very interesting fast food restaurant. It seemed to be a local brand. I tried it out.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130041.JPG

Think about eating roasted chicken with bread. I didn't like it very much.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130042.JPG


The ethnic minority markets. You can see Kebabs in this one.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130049.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130050.JPG


Mosques
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130046.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130054.JPG

What seemed to be the provincial government of Xinjiang.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130032.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6130034.JPG

The Heavenly Lake(Tianchi), located in Tianshan. Some Korean historians claim that the origin of the Korean people is in the Tianshan Mountains, rather than the widely accepted Baekdu Mountain(Changbaishan).
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140069.JPG


Kazakh traditional dress.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140073.JPG


Can anyone fill me in on what this place is? It seemed like a Taoist Temple. There was a room where the door was concealed by a red blanket. No peeking from outside was allowed, and no pictures. When I went in, there was someone who seemed important, wearing golden garments sitting behind in a box. Another guy in traditional clothes told me to kneel down and close my eyes. I took a peek and saw the important looking guy coming out and I felt him doing something to my head. Was that some kind of baptism? Anyways, after that he gave me a piece of yellow paper with a red symbol drawn on it. They told me to go to another guy outside, and whoa, he was a fortune teller(I thought these guys were gone after the cultural revolution). We had some difficulty communicating, but I roughly understood what he said, that I should control my temper, I'll have no problems with money or jobs, I should get married after I turn 28, and that I have the blesssings of Shangdi(he probably tells this to everybody). Anyways, this temple was the most unique experience I had in my trips in China. I would appreciate it if someone could give me some references to this place. Here are some pics:
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140074.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140087.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140082.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140083.JPG


Taken from the temple.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140076.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140084.JPG


I went on a horse ride up the mountains. This is the Kazakh guy who guided me.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140098.JPG


Kazakh tents.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140099.JPG


Still going up the mountains on horseback
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140110.JPG


This place looks flat on this picture, but it actually has a slope of about.. 70 degrees. So.. how did that cow get there?
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140111.JPG


Taken from the scenic spot up on the mountain. This is as far as I went on horseback.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140114.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140117.JPG


One of the smaller lakes
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/DCIM/P6140120.JPG


Oilfields, on the way to Tulufan
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150014.JPG


Wind power.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150004.JPG


Ruins of Gaochang city. The place was extremely hot.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150043.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150044.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150045.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150046.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150051.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150052.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150053.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150054.JPG


If you look carefully, you can see the outline of Buddha on the wall.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150048.JPG


The desert sun
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150040.JPG


A camel. I rode on a camel before in the Gobi Desert. Camel rides can be somewhat scary compared to horse rides, because they're very tall. That means you'll be higher above ground.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150058.JPG


The donkey ride
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150039.JPG


The Fire Mountains(Huo Yan Shan). It's said the temperatures on the mountains go up as high as 80 degrees celsius.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150078.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150093.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150077.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150097.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150101.JPG


The Dumpling(Man Tou) Mountain
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150090.JPG


A Buddha architecture
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150091.JPG


People in Tulufan have electric appliances such as TVs, phones and refrigerators outside without adequate roofs. Looks like they don't worry about raining.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150117.JPG


Streets of Tulufan
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150139.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150140.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150141.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150142.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150143.JPG


Entrance to a marketplace
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150144.JPG


Uigurs, I think. The girl to the right was a real beauty, but I didn't have the chance to take a picture of her upfront.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150146.JPG


The train from Urumqi to Jinan. I would be in this train for the next 57 hours. During the entire trip, I spent seven days worth of time inside trains. What did I do during all that time? I finished a 400~500 page book, Wealth and Poverty of Nations by David Landes. It was a very good read, though some parts were very boring.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6160007.JPG

Qingdao is what I like to consider my third hometown, after Seoul and Los Angeles(Orange County to be more specific). It has the largest South Korean community in China, as it is the gateway to China for South Koreans. There are several daily flights going back and forth between Seoul and Qingdao, which takes less than an hour. There is also a passenger ferry that takes 17 hours each trip, which is cheaper than flights.

Qingdao's waterfront
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210059.JPG


Numerous scultures such as this are placed throughout the waterfront.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210058.JPG


The new CBD from afar.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210055.JPG


Hisense corporate HQ
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210063.JPG


The Youth Square, aka 5.4 Square. You can see the new city hall in the distance. This place is the center of Qingdao's new CBD.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210065.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210070.JPG


The city hall
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210074.JPG


Other pics of the new CBD
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210067.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210069.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210080.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210081.JPG


Jusco is the first shopping mall bulit in the new CBD. It was built when I was in highschool, about 6~7 years ago. This was one of the few places in Qingdao where I enjoyed my teenage life along with my friends(going to the arcades in Jusco, not shopping). There wasn't much in the new CBD back when I was in highschool. Actually, much of what would become the new CBD were slums back then.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210082.JPG


Crowne Plaza, proabably the highest buliding in Qingdao.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210083.JPG


The Hong Kong Gardens. I used to live in one of the low rises for a period of three months.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210084.JPG


One of the German houses. Many of these houses are state-owned, and they are leased to important figures, usually retired generals and government officials.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6210053.JPG


Corporate HQ of Haier, the largest electronics company of China. Haier's HQ is located far from downtown, in the middle of nowhere.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P1010087.JPG


The Haier factory.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P1010089x.JPG


The new Qingdao domestic airport. The new international airport is still under construction, so it is temporarily being used as an international airport. This is where I got on my flight back to Seoul.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P1010090x.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P1010092.JPG

Shui zhu rou piar in Qingdao. This is how it's SUPPOSED to be done. First, you get this:
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6200028.JPG

A guy comes up and pours hot oil.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6200029.JPG

And this is what you get, the most delicious Chinese dish:
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Qingdao/P6200030.JPG

I can only see the last few pictures. All the other ones are displayed with a generic icon :(

This is very frustrating. I've been uploading & linking those pics for hours. I'll just move them to my server. Hopefully, all the traffic won't shut it down.

I can see all the pics. I also saw some generic icon the first time, but when I refreshed the page, they were gone. Really nice pics. :applause: Thanks for sharing.

Got it fixed :D

hehe,how old are you?

God, it must have took at least an hour to post all those pictures up here Cydevil. Thank you so much for your time and effort! That gates and walls at Xian is just like the ones at Koei's games. Its truly stunning in its size, I must visit there before I die.

Ah, thanks for fixing them, I can see the pictures now. Great photos! I've never been to Xi'an but have always wanted to. I've been to Urumqi and Turpan though including Tianshan but you seemed to have gone to more places than I have. Granted though I was on a tour :(

hehe,how old are you?

I was born in 1981.

Ah, thanks for fixing them, I can see the pictures now. Great photos! I've never been to Xi'an but have always wanted to. I've been to Urumqi and Turpan though including Tianshan but you seemed to have gone to more places than I have. Granted though I was on a tour :(

My trips to Tianshan and Turfan were both group tours. In Tianshan, I didn't pay attention when the guide was telling the group when to return. All the other people were held in a bus for more than an hour just because of me. The guide really had a hard time trying to handle their anger. I felt terrible! I bought the guide a drink to make it up to her though :D My trip to Turfan was most disappointing, because I didn't get to go to the mosque there. The mosque in Turfan was my primary destination, but I found out it wasn't included in the tour and by then it was too late. I was so pissed.

AMAZING POST!!!

wow! every pics give Detailed Expatiation :bow:
You are very kind!

why don't you post these pics into "Cityscapes and Skyline Photos"? it's very great!

why Korean like live in Qingdao? in my impression,Korean like live in Weihai!!!

wow! every pics give Detailed Expatiation :bow:
You are very kind!

why don't you post these pics into "Cityscapes and Skyline Photos"? it's very great!

why Korean like live in Qingdao? in my impression,Korean like live in Weihai!!!

Actually a lot of Koreans live in both cities. Weihai is a bit closer to Korea than Qingdao, but Qingdao is a larger city. I guess the population pays off. Infrastructure may have played a role as well.

My trips to Tianshan and Turfan were both group tours. In Tianshan, I didn't pay attention when the guide was telling the group when to return. All the other people were held in a bus for more than an hour just because of me. The guide really had a hard time trying to handle their anger. I felt terrible! I bought the guide a drink to make it up to her though :D My trip to Turfan was most disappointing, because I didn't get to go to the mosque there. The mosque in Turfan was my primary destination, but I found out it wasn't included in the tour and by then it was too late. I was so pissed.
Ha! When we went to Tianshan, we made a quick trip around Tianchi (Tian lake) but never got to go to the temple, though we did see it. As for Turpan, the only thing I really remember was visiting the Gaochang ruins and the underground wells. I wish we could've gone and visit a mosque as well, but then I doubt that people who worship at the mosques would like to have their "holy ground" trampled by foreign tourists :(

Ha! When we went to Tianshan, we made a quick trip around Tianchi (Tian lake) but never got to go to the temple, though we did see it. As for Turpan, the only thing I really remember was visiting the Gaochang ruins and the underground wells. I wish we could've gone and visit a mosque as well, but then I doubt that people who worship at the mosques would like to have their "holy ground" trampled by foreign tourists :(

Well, I wasn't planning on entering the mosque. I just wanted to see it from outside, and appreciate its very unique pagoda. This is the mosque I'm talking about:

http://www.slonet.org/~bforbes/Files/photo%20show%20web-16.jpg

Oh.. and actually I did enter a mosque without knowing. When I was lingering around Chengdu with my friend, we found this really muslim looking "palace"(that's what we thought back then) so we entered it. There wasn't a lot of people around so we just wandered around the place, and we even got to see the worshipping hall very closely. Believe me, muslim worshipping halls are very awe-inspiring.

Cydevilll I envy that you could visit those wonderful places...
and thank you very much for the pictures !!

nice, weather was not very nice, both xian and urumqi, pity

really good job~

xi'an is a city I'm very familiar with.

You are very lucky to meet the ceremony,It only happened several times,only for very import guest.The same as it in Tang dynasty.

[QUOTE=cydevil]


An interesting ceremony on the north gate.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010102.JPG


Personally, I find that dress very attractive.
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010103.JPG


It was a reception for foreign tourists :)
http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010104.JPG

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Xian/P1010105.JPG



How beautiful these pics are!


Han Chinese clothing,Chinese traditional clothing

Han Chinese clothing(Hanfu,汉服） encompasses all types of traditional clothing worn by the Han Chinese ethnic group. As such, it has a history as long as the history of the Han Chinese people. Hanfu was eliminated by Manchu invaders by force in the 17th century, and is largely unknown in China today, except among a small but vocal group of people advocating the revival of Hanfu as a Chinese national costume.

Qipao and Tangzhuang, although usually regarded as traditional Chinese clothing, are not regarded as Hanfu by advocates of Hanfu revival. This is because these were introduced by the Manchus, whom revival advocates accuse of having stamped out Hanfu in the first place. Qipao and Tangzhuang are also relatively recent clothing styles, and cannot represent the entire history of Chinese clothing.

Many traditional costumes of Asian countries, such as the kimono in Japan, along with the traditional dresses Korean Hanbok are derived from Hanfu and have the same style as Hanfu. In contrast to China, Japanese and Korean traditional dress have been preserved over the centuries, and are close to what pre-Manchu Hanfu looked like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Chinese_clothing

I can not see any pic! what a pity,can Cydevilll fix it again?

I can not see any pic! what a pity,can Cydevilll fix it again?

The pics are on a private server, and it does go down from time to time. It should be back up in at least a few days.

http://nexus.dongguk.ac.kr/data/Tulufan/P6150146.JPG

OMG, there's a second head growing out of that woman's waist!

I'm impressed with the amount of time you spent on those trains. Especially with a book like that.

I cannot see the photos :cry:

me too, can't view the pics.. only can see the urls.

sorry, I can't see the pictures. The space remains blank.

Would like to see the photos but can't....:(