Introduction to the People's Republic of China

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Longmen Grottoes
The world-famous Longmen Grottoes are located 12km south of Luoyang. Here two mountains, namely, East Hill (Mt. Xiangshan) and West Hill (Mt. Longmen), confront each other with the Yi River traversing northward between them, just like a pair of Chinese gate towers. So during the Zhou and Qin dynasties, it was called "Yi Que" (Gate of Yi River). Later, when the Sui established its capital city in Luoyang, the palace gate was just facing Yi Que, hence the name "Longmen" which means "Dragon Gate".

Spanning a length of over 1,000 meters on the hillsides along the Yi River, the Longmen Grottoes, together with the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang (Gansu Province) and the Yungang Grottoes (Shanxi Province), are reputed as the three greatest stone sculpture treasure houses in China. In the year 2000, Longmen Grottoes was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
The Longmen Grottoes were first sculptured and chiseled around 493AD when the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) was moved from Datong to Luoyang. The entire construction of Longmen Grottoes lasted more than four hundred years through the Northern Dynasties, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty and up to Song Dynasty. Today, there are still 2345 caves and niches, 100,000 Buddhist images ranging in size from 2 cm to 17.14 meters, more than 2800 inscribed tablets, and 43 Buddhist pagodas remaining in both East Hill and West Hill. Altogether 30 % date from Northern Wei Dynasty, 60 % from Tang Dynasty and the rest 10 % from other periods.





Xiangshan temple in Luoyang city

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Shaolin temple

The world-famous Shaolin Temple is located at the foot of the Wuru Peak of the Shaoshi Mountain of Dengfeng, Henan Province. It was first built in the nineteenth year of the reign of Emperor Taihe of the Northern Wei Dynasty (495 A. D.) Then in 527 AD, Bodhidharma, an ancinent Indian monk, came here and started the Zen sect, which is regarded as the "ancestral (first) court" of the Chinese Buddhism. The whole structure was rebuilt in the Ming and Qing Dynasties occupying a floor space of 30,000 square meters.

In the temple the Hall of Thousand Buddhas is the most magnificent inside which well preserved are gigantic murals of "500 Arhats Worshiping..." that cover the east, west and north wells. On the brick floor of the hall two rows of depressions can be seen; these are marks left by Shaolin monks who over long years practiced in it martial arts, the well- known Shaolin Gongfu, which originated right here. The architecture of the halls, pavilions, pagodas and other structures in Shaolin Monastery is a representative of an important style in the history of Chinese architecture. Another valuable and precious relic well kept is the more than 300 inscribed stone tablets left over since the Tang Dynasty.

About 300 meters west of Shaolin Monastery is the Forest of Stupas, the largest group of stupas in China, serving as the tombs for Shaolin monks after they die. The existent over 220 stupas of brick and stone were built in the dynasties of Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing. The stupas, usually of 3-5 stories, are no more than 15 meters high, and vary in shapes of quadrangle, sexangle, cylinder, cone, parabola, straight line, bottle, circle; some are made of one piece of rock. On most of the stupas there are bas-reliefs and inscriptions. The stupa forest is representative of the artifacts of the successive dynasties and a treasure house of ancient architecture and sculpture of China.
The Shaolin temple has many legends and mysteries surround it. The origin of martial arts, the origin of kung fu surround the vague mysteries of the Shaolin Temple and the shaolin monks.

Shaolin Temple is probably the most famous temple in China, not only because of its long history and its role in Chinese Buddhism, but also because of its martial arts or Wushu Chan. Shaolin Temple is situated in the beautiful Songshan Mountains, which is only eight miles of Dengfeng and about 50 miles southwest of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province.
Shaolin Temple was established in 495 during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Batuo, an Indian monk, came to Luoyang, the ancient capital, for spreading Buddhism at that period. Emperor Xiaowen was a believer of Buddhism so he decided to build the temple in the Songshan Mountains to house Batuo, who translated many Buddhist works and had a few hundred followers there.
Shaolin Monks
Damo (Bodhidharma), the legendary Indian monk, came to Shaolin in 517, who was the creator of Chinese Zen. There are many legendary stories about him. One of the well-known stories says he was meditating in a cave for nine years. The cave is now called Damo Cave. Many people believe he wrote the famous 'Yijinjing,' the base of Shaolin martial arts or Gongfu. But there is no record about the book before and during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) so experts think Damo has little to do with Shaolin Gongfu. Zongheng, a Taoist priest of Tiantai Mountain, wrote 'Yijinjing' in 1624, but to add mystery to it, he made up a story saying 'Yijinjing' was originally written by Damo.

Shaolin does have a long tradition of Chinese martial arts, as the saying goes 'All martial arts (gongfu) are from Shaolin.' This is partly because Shaolin was located in a strategic area so they had to protect the temple themselves from wars or any invading, and partly because of the support of most emperors from different dynasties, which came after the 13 Shaolin monks once saved Li Shimin, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Since then Shaolin was allowed to have solider-monks. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Shaolin housed over 1,000 solder-monks at its peak and they were often used by the government to combat rebellions and Japanese bandits. But martial arts were forbidden during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Even with the protection of solder-monks, Shaolin was severely damaged by fire a few times. The largest fire set by the army of Shi Yousan in 1928 destroyed most of the buildings of Shaolin Temple.

There are many noted relics at Shaolin. There are over 300 ancient stone inscriptions, some of them by famous calligraphers. The large mural of 500 arhats in the Qianfo Hall was from the Ming Dynasty. There are 232 pagodas from different dynasties, known as the forest of pagodas. The oldest one was from the Tang Dynasty. The pagodas are the tombs of the celebrated Shaolin monks. The Shaolin martial arts are an important part of the relics.

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Shaolin Gongfu









The city of Nanyang, Henan province 河南南阳

[huaiwei]

I have not visited this thread for sometime, and when I do now, I am totally impressed!!!

Very impressive job, muchbetter!!

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Originally Posted by huaiwei

I have not visited this thread for sometime, and when I do now, I am totally impressed!!!

Very impressive job, muchbetter!!

Thank you. I am inspired to accomplish this thread with your praise .

[huaiwei]

Originally Posted by muchbetter

Thank you. I am inspired to accomplish this thread with your praise .

Please do. I am so impressed I dare not add my trash to it, even thou u are kind enough to ask me to so many pages earlier!!

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Xinxiang city(新乡市）
Located in the north of Henan Province, to the north of Huanghe River (Yellow River) with an area of 8169 square km, and with 2 cities (county-level city), 6 counties and 4 districts under its administration. Xinxiang is an important base of industry, grain crops, cotton and oil-bearing crops. There is over 30 places of historic interests, mainly including Baiquan scenic zone in Mt. Taihangshan, Bigan temple (the earliest ancestor of Lin Family), the tomb of King Lu, etc.


The city of Shangqiu (商丘古镇）
Shangqiu lies in Yellow River, Huaihe River,Haihe River plain in the eastern part of Henan, governing 6 counties, 1 city and 2 districts with a population of 8 million. Shangqiu got its name because the tribe of Shang in ancient China resided here. The Shang Dynasty originated here, which was called the state of Song in the spring and autumn period. The state of Liang of the Han dynasty established its capital here. Many famous persons came from Shangqiu like Confucius, Chuangtse, the ancient literature and philosophy master and Hua Mulan, the national hero. Shangqiu is the famous state historical and cultural city with rich tourist resources and developed communications. The completion of Beijing-Jiulong railway furtherly speeds up the economic development of Shangqiu.

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8.Hunan province(湖南省）
Located in the south central part of the Chinese mainland, Hunan has long been known for its natural beauty. Hunan is surrounded by mountains on the east, west, and south, and by the Yangtze River on the north. Hunan's mixture of mountains and water makes it among the most beautiful provinces in China. For thousands of years, Hunan has been a major center of Chinese agriculture, growing rice, tea, and oranges.

Hunan has a humid, subtropical climate. The monsoon rain falls mostly in April, May, and June. July and August are uncomfortably hot and humid. The best time to visit is in the fall, when temperatures are cooler and the rainfall lighter. For persons who live in cold northern climate, traveling to Hunan in the winter can be pleasant. After all, any place that grows oranges can't be all that cold. Low temperatures in winter are usually above freezing, with daily highs around 10C. Annual rainfall is around 1,250 - 1,750 millimeters (49.2 to 68.9 inches). Northern Hunan has more climate extremes than southern Hunan. It can get colder in the winter and hotter in the summer.

The headspring of life, Dongting Lake, is frequently mist-covered in the early morning. It is the second largest lake in China. Yueyang City, located on the shore of Dongting Lake, is home to one of China's three famous towers. Yueyang Pavilion was originally built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The present pavilion is of recent reconstruction, built in the style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

In 1982, China established its first national forest park. Zhangjaijie National Forest Park was established in a particular scenic area in northwest Hunan. The park is especially known for its quartz-sandstone rock formations, bare stone sculpted by nature and set among green trees and frequent clouds.

The high and steep Mt. Hengshan is frequently snow-capped in the winter, contrasting with the subtropical fields that one sees below it. It is one of the five most famous mountains in China. Known for its precarious cliffs, it is a holy mountain for both Taoists and Buddhists.

The region along the Yuanjiang River is especially well known for its serene beauty. It takes its name, the Peach Blossom Fountainhead, from a work of Chinese literature from the Jin Dynasty (265-420). Tao Yuanming wrote about an isolated Utopia-like paradise where generations of people had escaped from the difficulties that others had experienced. The Yuanjiang River region has been a travel destination since ancient times.

Historic Changsha, one of China's famous cultural centers, is the capital of Hunan Province. It is also a tourism center, offering its visitors many historical sites and other places of interest.

Highlights
Hunan's cuisine has its unique flavor. In Hunan, nearly every dish tastes hot, and delicious. The people of Hunan like eating peppery foods.

Hunan's products include Xiang embroidery, one of China's four famous embroideries. It has high artistic value. With 200 years of history behind them, the chrysanthemum stone carvings of Liuyang are vivid and exquisite. Liuyang City is known for its firecrackers, which are popular all over China.

Many great people have come from Hunan Province. In ancient times, Quyuan, a patriotic poet, committed suicide by throwing himself into the Miluo River. The story of his death and the search for his body started the tradition of Dragon Boat Festival.
With abundant natural resources, Hunan covers 210,000 square kilometers (81,000 square miles). It is adjacent to Jiangxi Province in the east, Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province in the west, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Autonomous Region in the south, and Hubei Province in the north. Hunan has a total population of 64,400,700. It is multiethnic, with Maio, Dong, and Yao being the most numerous minorities. Their unique cultures and ethnic customs attract numerous tourists.
Changsha（长沙市）-"long sand isle" , capital of Hunan province
Changsha, city in southern China, the capital of Hunan Province, a busy port on the Xiang River. It got the name of Changsha - "long sand isle" - because of a shoal in the river. Changsha belonged to the State of Chu 2,500 years ago and was later ruled by the Qin Dynasty.Changsha is the industrial, transportation, and cultural center of a rich agricultural region. Manufactures include machine tools, aluminum, processed food (especially rice), chemicals, electronic equipment, and embroidered textiles. Changsha is associated with, and has many monuments to, the early career of Mao Zedong, who was born in nearby Shaoshan and spent most of the period from 1913 to 1921 here. In the city are Hunan University and the Changsha Museum, whose holdings include famous artifacts from a Western Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 8) tomb in nearby Mawangdui. Founded in the 3rd century BC, the city was originally called Qingyang. As Tanchow, it became the capital of the later Zhou state (AD 951-960), and as Changsha it was a leading commercial and cultural center during the Song dynasty (960-1279). It was made the capital of Hunan in 1664 and was opened to foreign trade in 1904. Severely damaged during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), the city grew as an industrial center after 1949. Population (1991) 1,776,343.

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Yuelu academy （岳麓书院）
The Yuelu Academy of classical Learning, hidden in the woods, was built at the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and was one of the greatest classical academies of that time. Zhu Xi (1130-1200), a famous Confucianist philosopher, used to teach here. The late leader of the Chinese revolution, Mao Zedong, also studied here.

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Tian xin ge(天心阁）

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Orange Isle (Juzizhou)

This tiny island, one square kilometer in area, lies in the Xiangjiang under the newly built Xiangjiang River Bridge. Tourists can get to the island by a ramp or by a spiral staircase from the middle of the 1,500-meter-bridge. Groves of orange trees are found at the southern tip of the island, and the Heavenly Heart Pavilion (Tianxinge), built on the remains of an old wall dating from the Han Dynasty, commands a panoramic view of the river and of the city of Changsha.

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The city of Yueyang (岳阳）


Yueyang city is found on the eastern shores of the Dongting Lake in northeast Hunan. Located 132km (82 miles) away from the provincial capital of Changsha, the city covers 15,000 sq km and has a population of 4.5 million.

The city is famous because of Dongting Lake, the 2nd largest freshwater lake in China. Found amid the lake's waters is Junshan Island, home to the precious silver needle tea. On the lake's banks is Yueyang Tower, the beauty of which was written about by Song dynasty poet Fan Zhongyan.

Dragon boat racing is said to have begun in Yueyang and tourists should try and visit during the Dragon Boat Festival on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month (June or July). Visitors will enjoy the festive atmosphere as the crowds cheer on the rowers.

[Vertigo]

The most impressive thread I've seen on Skyscrapercity! Amazing work, thanks a lot!

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Originally Posted by Vertigo

The most impressive thread I've seen on Skyscrapercity! Amazing work, thanks a lot!

You are very welcome. Thank you for your patience to see the slowly updated work.

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Yueyang tower 岳阳楼
First built during the Tang Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago, the Yueyang Tower on the east shore of the Dongting Lake is one of the four great "Lou" (storied pavilion or tower) in China, together with Penglai Pavilion in Penglai (Shandong Province), Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang (Jiangxi Province) and the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang (Hubei Province). Since ancient times, many poets and writers have visited the Yueyang Tower to praise its marvelous scenery.

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TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS