China, one photo every day

[der Reisender]

traveled to Longji village, neighboring Ping'an, a year back. was one of the best trips i've ever done, the pictures are spectacular. thanks much for posting them, keep it coming!

[christos-greece]

Great pics - great thread

[tonight]

awesome pics

[YelloPerilo]

Ping'an village is beautiful. I love it how they build new houses by keeping the old style. The whole villiage looks so natural and organic.

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.15















Hong Kong



Chi Lin Nunnery (志蓮淨苑) is Buddhist nunnery in Diamond Hill, New Kowloon, Hong Kong. The present-day buildings have been rebuilt and their style is of Tang architecture. The beautiful garden in front of the nunnery is open to the public free of charge.
Its buildings are the only ones to be built with wooden rooftops in modern Hong Kong, without the use of a single nail in its construction. This is based on a unique architectural style from the Tang Dynasty which uses special interlocking systems cut into the wood for construction.
Covering a space of 30,000 square meters, Chi Lin Nunnery has strikingly beautiful statues of the Sakyamuni Buddha, the goddess of mercy Guanyin and other bodhisattvas. These statues are made from gold, clay, wood and stone.

[cmoonflyer]

Sunset over west lake , Hangzhou

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.16



























Guizhou


Xingyi City in Guizhou Province is among the most representative examples of the evolution of Karst topography in China. Wanfenglin (Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks) in Xingyi City takes up an area of 2,000 square kilometers, about two thirds of the Xingyi City total.
As early as 300 million years ago, the area of Wanfenling was part of the Yunnan-Guizhou ancient sea. After several orogenic movements, bulged limestone rocks underwent the combined effect of burning sunshine, rain, dioxide and organic acids, in the process forming marvelous sights, such as Karst caves, peak forest, natural craters, rift valleys, earth crevices, stalactites and stalagmites. From whatever aspect you judge it, aesthetic value, completeness of the Karst topography evolution process, diversity, scale and concentration of cone-shaped peak forest, or the classic nature of each spectacle, Wanfenling Peak Forest deserves its reputation as one of China's wonders.
Wanfengling Peak Forest is located at the middle and lower reaches of a ''beautiful scar on earth'', the Malinghe Valley. It has an eastern part and a western part. The forest spreads out like a fan from the edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. The peaks are categorized according to the shape: array, sword, dragon, arhat, and piled up hats. The forest extends to the fault zone of the Nanpanjiang Basin where part was submerged, forming the Wanfen Lake. The water and peaks dotted by craggy Karst rocks and strangely shaped trees create views of extraordinary magnificence and enchantment. In the main, the mountains here are not high, but the ''bamboo-shoot'' serried peaks present an irresistible spectacle. Looking at it from above, you can see unfurling a natural scroll painting of elegance and openness: the green-grey peaks and yellow and green fields each enhance the other's radiance and beauty; the wandering Nahui River threads through the villages like white silk stringing pearls together.
The forest's eastern part is characterized by brilliant fields, the western part by graceful waters. A perfect rural landscape, the forest stand like an arcadia on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.　

[badguy2000]

well, I am proud that china is so beautiful.....

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.17



Hainan


Thi is one of the most beautiful lighthouses of the Chinese coast. Dongfang City is an industrial port located at the mouth of the Changhua River around 260 km South-West of Haikou City.
The Japanese invaded and occupied Dongfang as their Hainan headquarters in the early 1940's. Thousands of Li Minority Group people were executed and are buried in a mass grave near Dongfang. They developed mining operations inland, using slave labour, and built the goods rail line which still operates between here and Sanya.
Dongfang, also known as Basuo, is situated at the South-East of the Ledong County border and the North-East of the Changhua River at the junction of Changjiang County. On the West, across the Beibu Gulf in the Great China Sea, lies Vietnam. Dongfang City is inhabited by Han, Li, Miao, Hui and other nationalities. The total population is around 350,000 people.
The main export cargoes of Dongfang include iron ore, iron, steel, cement, timber and local goods such as mangoes, cashews, silk fabrics and rattan and bamboo woven wares. Imports include coal, coke, grain and general cargo.

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.18









Hebei


Tangshan (唐山) is a mainly industrial prefecture-level city in Hebei province. It became known after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, at least 8.2 on the Richter scale which flattened the city. The city has since been rebuilt and has become a tourist attraction.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale happened in Tangshan at 3:42 in the early morning of July 28, 1976. Houses collapsed, chimneys broke, the land was unshaped with sand and water coming up, roads were cracked, rails were twisted, coalmine derricks were collapsed, rivers were blocked. The 100-year-old industrial city collapsed in an instant and was in ruins. Such a disastrous earthquake and the damage it caused are rarely seen.
Earthquake Memorial Monument Square, located at the southwest corner of Wenhua Road and Xinhua Road in the center of Tangshan, was completed ten years after the earthquake. The Earthquake Monument and Hall stand in the east and west of the square respectively. The whole square represents the earthquake-resistant spirit of strong will and perseverance, and the Chinese traditional virtue of " When one place is in difficulty, help comes from all sides ".

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.19




































Heilongjiang


Harbin Ice Festival provides each year a whole new world of ice and snow. The Festival, established in 1985, is held annually from January 5 and lasts for over one month. Harbin is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province and this is China's original and greatest ice artwork festival, attracting hundreds of thousands of local people and visitors from all over the world.
The city's location in northeast China accounts for its arctic climate which provides abundant natural ice and snow. Subsequently, the 'Ice City' of Harbin is recognized as the cradle of ice and snow art in China and is famous for its exquisite and artistic ice and snow sculptures. The fabulous Ice Lantern Festival was the forerunner of the current festival and is still the best loved part of the overall event in the opinion of all who come to Harbin each year.
The first Ice lanterns were a winter-time tradition in northeast China. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), the local peasants and fishermen often made and used ice lanterns as jack-lights during the winter months. At that time these were made simply by pouring water into a bucket that was then put out in the open to freeze. It was then gently warmed before the water froze completely so that the bucket-shaped ice could be pulled out. A hole was chiseled in the top and the water remaining inside poured out creating a hollow vessel. A candle was then placed inside resulting in a windproof lantern that gained great popularity in the region around Harbin.
From then on, people made ice lanterns and put them outside their houses or gave them to children to play with during some of the traditional festivals. Thus the ice lantern began its long history of development. With novel changes and immense advancement in techniques, today we can marvel at the various delicate and artistic ice lanterns on display.
Nowadays, ice lantern in broad sense refers to a series of plastic arts using ice and snow as raw material combining ice artworks with colored lights and splendid music. The specific patterns of ice lantern include ice and snow sculptures, ice flowers, ice architectures and so on.
Today, Harbin Ice Festival is not only an exposition of ice and snow art, but also an annual cultural event for international exchange. Every year, there are many ice sculpture experts, artists and fans from America, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Russia, China, etc. gathering in Harbin to participate ice sculpting competitions and to communicate with each other in the ice and snow world. Also, Harbin ice lanterns have been exhibited in most of China's main cities as well as in many countries in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Oceania. For more than 40 years, Harbin's natural resource of ice and snow has been fully explored to provide joy and fun for visitors to the city. Now during the festival, many sporting competitions are also popular including ice-skating, sledding and so on. Weddings, parties and other entertainments are now very much a feature of this ice world, adding their own contribution to the celebrations of this great festival of art, culture, sports and tourism.

[jobecob]

OMG, now I know where I need to go when I go to China in the winter.

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.20


















Henan


Shaolin Temple, in the region of Song Mountain, Dengfeng City, Henan Province, is reputed to be 'the Number One Temple under Heaven'. The temple is the cradle of the Chinese Zen Buddhism and the Shaolin Martial Arts such as Shaolin Cudgel. One can see wild flowers and pines on the mountain. With birds singing and a brook spattering, a beautiful scene full of life and vitality is revealed to the visitors.
Shaolin Temple embraces many exciting attractions, such as the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwangdian), the Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian), the Pagoda Forest, the Dharma Cave and the Shaolin Temple Martial Art Training Center. Visitors may follow the virtual guide about the Shaolin Temple.
The Shao in "Shaolin" refers to "Mount Shaoshi", a mountain in the Songshan mountain range. The lin in "Shaolin" means "forest". Literally, the name means "Monastery in the woods of Mount Shaoshi".
According to the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (AD 645) by Dàoxuān, the Shaolin Monastery was built on the north side of Shaoshi, the western peak of Mount Song, one of the Sacred Mountains of China, by Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty in AD 477; the first abbot of Shaolin was Batuo, also called Fotuo or Bhadra (the Chinese translation for Buddha), an Indian dhyana master who came to China in AD 464 to spread Buddhist teachings. Yang Xuanzhi, in the Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang (AD 547), and Li Xian, in the Ming Yitongzhi (AD 1461), concur with Daoxuan's location and attribution. The Jiaqing Chongxiu Yitongzhi (AD 1843) specifies that this monastery, located in the province of Henan, was built in the 20th year of the Tàihé era of the Northern Wei Dynasty, that is, the monastery was built in AD 497.
Kangxi, the second Qing emperor, was a supporter of the Shaolin temple in Henan and he wrote the calligraphic inscriptions that, to this day, hang over the Heavenly King Hall and the Buddha Hall.
The monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. In 1641 the troops of anti-Ming rebel Li Zicheng sacked the monastery due to the monks' support of the Ming and the possible threat they posed to the rebels. This effectively destroyed the temple's fighting force.
Perhaps the best-known story of the Temple's destruction is that it was destroyed by the Qing government for supposed anti-Qing activities. Variously said to have taken place in 1647 under the Shunzhi Emperor, in 1674 under the Kangxi Emperor, or in 1732 under the Yongzheng Emperor, this destruction is also supposed to have helped spread Shaolin martial arts through China by means of the five fugitive monks Ng Mui, Jee Shin Shim Shee, Fung Doe Duk, Miu Hin and Bak Mei. Some accounts claim that a supposed southern Shaolin Temple was destroyed instead of, or in addition to, the temple in Henan: Ju Ke, in the Qing bai lei chao (1917), locates this temple in Fujian Province. These stories commonly appear in martial arts history, fiction, and cinema.
While these latter accounts are common among martial artists, and often serve as origin stories for various martial arts styles, their accuracy is questionable. The accounts are known through often inconsistent 19th-century secret society histories and popular literature, and also appear to draw on both Fujianese folklore and popular narratives such as the Water Margin. Modern scholarly attention to the tales is mainly concerned with their role as folklore, or as clues to the history of secret societies or possible southern Shaolin temples.
There is evidence of Shaolin martial arts techniques being exported to Japan in the 18th and 19th centuries. Okinawan Shōrin-ryū karate (小林流), for example, has a name meaning "Small [Shao]lin". Other similarities can be seen in centuries-old Chinese and Japanese martial arts manuals.
In 1928, the warlord Shi Yousan set fire to the monastery, burning it for over 40 days, destroying 90% of the buildings including many manuscripts of the temple library.
The Cultural Revolution launched in 1966 targeted religious orders including the Monastery. The five monks who were present at the Monastery when the Red Guard attacked were shackled and made to wear placards declaring the crimes charged against them. The monks were jailed after being flogged publicly and parading through the street as people threw rubbish at them. The government purged Buddhist materials from within the Monastery walls, leaving it barren for years.
Martial arts groups from all over the world have made donations for the upkeep of the temple and grounds, and are subsequently honored with carved stones near the entrance of the temple.
In the past, many people have tried to capitalize on the Shaolin Monastery by building their own schools on Mount Song. However, the Chinese government eventually outlawed this, and so the schools all moved to the nearby towns, such as Dengfeng (登封).
A Dharma gathering was held between August 19 and 20, 1999, in the Shaolin Monastery, Songshan, China, for Buddhist Master Shi Yong Xin to take office as abbot. He is the thirteenth successor after Buddhist abbot Xue Ting Fu Yu. In March 2006 Vladimir Putin of Russia became the first foreign leader to visit the monastery.
Two luxury bathrooms were recently added to the temple for use by monks and tourists.

[redstone]

Had it been rebuilt after the 1928 fire?

[riasbaixas]

Originally Posted by redstone

Had it been rebuilt after the 1928 fire?

Yes, it was repaired. Shaolin Temple embraces now many buildings, such as the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwangdian), the Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian), the Pagoda Forest, the Dharma Cave and the Shaolin Temple Martial Art Training Center.

[oliver999]

now i hope i retire at my 40's, then i can travel,travel,travel!

[Deki---KG]

[Deki---KG]

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.21



Shanxi


Yuncheng City is located in the southwest of Shanxi Province, neighboring Linfen and Jincheng within the province. It is separated from Shaanxi Province and Henan Province by the Yellow River.

[riasbaixas]

2009.02.22

































This is the Tiger Leaping Stone






Yunnan


About 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Lijiang Old Town lying between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) and Haba Snow Mountain (Haba Xueshan) is Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Gorge), which is believed to be the deepest gorge in the world. From the top of the gorge you look down the steeply angled (70-90 degrees) mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands (Jingsha) River with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 meters (about 700 feet) below.
Naturally divided into three sections, the first section, which is the narrowest and uppermost section, is the mouth of the fast flowing Jingsha River. In the midst of the river's mouth is a large rock that is positioned at the gorge's narrowest section-only 30 meters (33 yards) wide. An ancient legend says that a tiger used this rock as its stepping stone so it could leap across from one side of the gorge to the other, which is how the gorge got its name.
As the river enters the middle section, it drops another 100 meters (330 feet) and its flow rate increases to an amazing speed. Here the thunderous rushing waters slam into sharp, large rocks and crash down into the river forming swirling whirlpools. Can it get more exciting? Yes, it can as the third and lowest section is acclaimed for being the wildest attraction of all.
The cliffs over-looking this section are even steeper and much more dangerous. Here, the river twists and turns and the river vigorously surges forward creating high waves and a frothy spew as it collides with the mountainsides. This is a view that inspires a sense of adventure and satisfies the deepest yearnings for magnificent scenery.
The gorge stretches about 15 kilometers (nine miles) and also affords people the possibility of rafting and drifting peacefully in its large quiet sections, for the gentler folks among us and an exciting rafting adventure for the more experienced.