Dujiangyan City is one of the places inhabited by ancestors of the Shu State in ancient China. Located in the central part of Sichuan Province, Dujiangyan is not only a cultural city with a long history, but also a famous place of interest. The Dujiangyan Irrigation System on the northwest of the city is renowned far and wide. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡,China Pictures;¡¡Around 250BC during the Warring States Period (475-221BC), Li Bing, a governor of Shu in the Qin state (present Sichuan Province) with his son directed the construction of Dujiangyan. The governor gave up the old ways of dam building which was simply try to catch the floodwaters. Instead he employed a new method by channeling and dividing the water to harness the Minjiang River. He accomplished this by separating the project in to two main parts: the headwork and the irrigation system. The project effectively put the flooding waters under control. For over two thousand years the whole system has functioned perfectly,Shanghai Travel, serving as not only as flood prevention but also as an immense source for irrigation as well as a means to facilitate shipping and wood drifting. It has contributed greatly to the richness of Chengdu Plain and helps it earn its reputation as "The Land of Abundance".
Nov 29, 2009
China Pictures - called Chan for short
Foshan, called Chan for short, is located in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta, and in the central part by south of Guangdong Province. It is connected to Guangzhou to the east, neighbors Jiangmen and Zhougshan to the south, borders Zhaoqing to the west and Qingyuan to the north, and is within 100 km from Hong Kong and Macao. Under the administration of Foshan are the Shiwan District and four county-level cities, namely Nanhai, Shunde, Sanshui and Gaoming. With a total area of 3,813.64 square kilometers, Foshan is a famous cultural city with a long history. ¡¡Foshan is the birthplace of the Yueju Opera, and the famous hometowns of martial arts,China Pictures, arts, potteries and cate. ¡¡,Shanghai Travel;¡¡ ¡¡¡¡The climate in Foshan is characterized by the monsoons in the subtropical zone with an average temperature between 21.2 - 22.2¡æ.
Nov 28, 2009
Shanghai Travel - gsdfhgshg
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¡¡¡¡With a long history and numerous cultural relics, Daixian County is rich in cultural heritage. Historic relics include a site of the Neolithic Age, the sites of the Great Wall and castles constructed in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), the site of 39 castles and 12 connected walls built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and so on. Besides, there are the Yanmen Pass, the Bianjing Building, the Temple of Literature, and the Ancestral Temple of Yang Zhongwu, the Taoist Temple of Zhao Gao, the Pagoda of King Asoka, and the Phoenix Taoist Temple,Shanghai Travel, etc. Ancient tombs include the tombs of King Jin whose name was Li Ke and his adopted son Li Cun, the tomb of Teng Maoshi, assistant minister of the Song Dynasty (960-1279),China Pictures, and the tombs of Zhang Fengyi and Sun Chuanting, ministers of the Ming Dynasty.
Nov 27, 2009
Shanghai Travel - Liuzhou, also known as the Dragon City or the Pot City
¡¡Liuzhou, also known as the Dragon City or the Pot City, is one of Chinese historical and cultural cities and also an important industrial city in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Being the city directly under the autonomous region, Liuzhou is located at the middle reaches of the Liujiang River valley. The Liujiang River meanders eastwards and surrounds the city downtown. With mountains and waters on all sides, Liuzhou is shaped like a pot and features peculiar scenery. Currently, four districts, one suburb district and two counties are under the city's jurisdiction. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡,Shanghai Travel;¡¡With beautiful historic and human culture sites and rich tourism resources, Liuzhou is one of the A-class tourist cities and historical and cultural cities in China. The transportation network that extends in all directs facilitates tourists to visit different scenic spots, fantastic historic sites and unique folk customs of the Zhuang ethnic minority. Parks, big or small, exceed 10 in the city.
Nov 26, 2009
Shanghai Travel - The city was divided into three sections
The city was divided into three sections. A wide street stretching from south to north cut the residential area into the east part and the west part. At the north end of the street was a large-scale temple, with which as the center to form the temple area. In the south of the east part was a large well-preserved two-storeyed building, with the lower floor built underground. A flight of stairs led to the underground floor. Outside the tall walls was a large square. According to the study of the site, this temple, built in the early Tang Dynasty, was the political center of the city. Sites of workshops scattered in the west part, together with several pottery kilns. Covering an area of 5,000 square meters, the rectangular temple area comprised constructions including gate, main hall, rooms for monks, court and well. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡,Shanghai Travel;A group of pagodas were built in the north of the city, with a big stupa in the center. The Buddhist figures on the upper part of the stupa body are illegible. The four corners each have 25 small pagodas that were arranged in 5 rows with 5 pagodas each,China Pictures, bringing the total number to 101. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡Along both sides of the center street are tall and thick walls, with no doors open in the walls. Alleyways connected to the center street divide the city into a number of small areas. Doors can only be found along these alleyways.
Nov 25, 2009
China Pictures - In the northwest corner of the city was the site of Jinyong City
In the northwest corner of the city was the site of Jinyong City built by Emperor Mingdi of Cao Wei. Archaeological excavation and study revealed that the city was actually three small cities connected together. Jinyong City, shaped like the Chinese character ,China Pictures, was 1,048 meters long from south to north and 255 meters wide from east to west, covering an area of 260,000 square meters. Leaning on Mangshan Mountain on the north side and a large city on the south, the city had solid walls and was situated in a strategic place. The strongly fortified city acted as the defensive military fortress for Luoyang City. Most deposed emperors and empresses of the Wei and Jin dynasties lived here. During the Western Wei Dynasty (535-557),Shanghai Travel, a large-scale construction work was carried out in the city, with numerous towering buildings scattered all over the city, which shoot up in the sky like clouds when viewed from the ground. Jinyong City gradually fell into disuse after the Zhenguan reign in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Nov 24, 2009
Shanghai Travel - Standing by the Qiantang River in Hangzhou
Standing by the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, the Pagoda of Six Harmonies was first constructed in 970 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) by Qian Hongchu, King of the Wuyue State, who ruled the area of today's Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. The purpose of building the pagoda was to suppress the tidewaters. It had nine storeys and was some 150 meters high. At night lanterns were lit on the pagoda so that ships and boats on the Qiantang River could use it as a navigation tower. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡The pagoda suffered repeated damages over about a thousand years. It was almost completely destroyed by war in 1121. Reconstruction started in 1153 and was completed in 1163. The height of the pagoda was reduced after reconstruction because there were only seven storeys left of the original nine. Major repairs were made again in 1524 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and in 1735 and 1900 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911),Shanghai Travel, but these repairs were on the outside eaves only. The brick body of the pagoda remained the same as in the Song Dynasty. Today some Song Dynasty inscriptions can still be found inside the pagoda. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡The extant pagoda is octagonal, with thirteen levels on the exterior but seven levels on the interior. It stands 59.89 meters high, and is one of the tallest pagodas in southern China. The pagoda can be divided into four parts from the exterior to the interior, namely, the outer wall, the zigzag corridor, the inside wall and the little chamber. The corridor in-between connects the exterior with the interior; the winding staircases, linking the corridor parts, lead to the top level. The exterior wall, with a thickness of 4.12 meters, has doors in the four sides. On the two side walls of the entrance connecting the exterior with the interior, there are engraved shrines. The four sides of the interior wall, with a thickness of 4.2 meters, also have doors. In the center of the pagoda is the little chamber which was originally used to place Buddhist Statues. Each storey has a square room, with ceiling supported by brackets. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡In the pagoda there are more than two hundred sites of brick carvings, which feature a wide range of motifs, including megranate, lotus, phoenix, peacock, parrot, lion, kylin and so on. These brick carvings are rare material proofs of Chinese ancient architectures. ¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡The Six Harmonies Pagoda, as a state-level cultural site, has been under the state protection since 1961. It is one of the famous scenic spots in Hangzhou City. Commanding a spectacular view of the surging Qiantang River, the pagoda presents a quiet image of age-old majesty. Looking out from the top of the pagoda, sightseers can see as far as the misty horizon, enjoying the unforgettable, breathtaking scenery..
Shanghai Travel - The temple was built in the Song Dynasty (A.D 1034)
The temple was built in the Song Dynasty (A.D 1034) to complement the Jiangnan Examination School (Jiangnan Gong Yuan), site of the imperial examinations. Scholars came to the temple to pray for success and to show their humble respect for Confucius. Burnt down and rebuilt several times, the present architectural complex dates back to the years after World War Two when the Japanese army invaded China and devastated the temple. ¡¡¡,Shanghai Travel;¡In 1984, to protect the ancient capital's cultural heritage, Nanjing's municipal and district governments granted funds to resurrect the temple. After years of repair and renovation, the temple was finally completed.. Nowadays, Nanjing Confucius Temple, as a characteristic scenic spot of old Nanjing city, has developed into a famous tourist resort with a high reputation both home and abroad. In 1991,China Pictures, it was listed as one of the "40 best places to travel in China".
Nov 23, 2009
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US & Americas News MY PROFILE SHOP JOBS PROPERTY CLASSIFIEDS From The Sunday Times November 22, 2009 Barack Obama dream fades as China visit fails to bring change
Even his allies feel let down by the president’s lack of progress both in Asia and at home Tony Allen-Mills in New York -->
Gazing serenely from the Great Wall of China last week, President Barack Obama appeared to be making the most of one of the supreme perks of White House occupancy — a private guided tour of Asia’s most spectacular tourist destination.
White House aides exulted that perfectly choreographed pictures of this moment would make front pages around the world. Yet an experience Obama declared to be “magical” turned sour as he returned home to a spreading domestic revolt that is fanning Democratic unease.
It was not just that the US media have suddenly turned a lot more sceptical about a president with grand ambitions to reshape politics at home and abroad — even one previously friendly newspaper noted dismissively: “Obama goes to China, brings home a T-shirt.”
Nor was the steady decline in the president’s approval ratings — which fell below 50% for the first time in a Gallup poll last week &mdash,Taiyuan Travel; the main cause of White House angst. Obama remains more popular than either Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton a year after their elections, and both presidents eventually cruised to second terms.
The real problem may be Obama’s friends — or rather, those among his formerly most enthusiastic supporters who are now having second thoughts.
The doubters are suddenly stretching across a broad section of the Democratic party’s natural constituency. They include black congressional leaders upset by the sluggish economy; women and Hispanics appalled by concessions made to Republicans on healthcare; anti-war liberals depressed by the debate over troops for Afghanistan; and growing numbers of blue-collar workers who are continuing to lose their jobs and homes.
Obama’s Asian adventure perceptibly increased the murmurings of dissent when he returned to Washington last week, having failed to wring any public concessions from China on any major issue.
For most Americans, the most talked-about moment of the trip was not the Great Wall visit but his low bow to Emperor Akihito of Japan, which the president’s right-wing critics assailed as “a spineless blunder” and excessively deferential.
While some commentators acknowledged that behind-the-scenes progress may have been made on issues such as North Korea, financial stability and human rights, even the pro-Obama New York Times noted in an editorial yesterday that “the trip wasn’t all that we had hoped it would be”.
Nor have the president’s domestic policies proved everything Congressman John Conyers wanted. The prominent liberal black Democrat startled colleagues last week by launching a direct assault on Obama’s handling of healthcare reforms, which were facing an important Senate vote last night.
Asked on Thursday if Obama had provided sufficient leadership on so divisive an issue, Conyers responded tartly: “Of course not ... bowing down to every nutty right-wing proposal about healthcare ... is doing a disservice to the Barack Obama that I first met.”
Tension over healthcare and what many Democratic legislators now view as neglect of economic issues reached an unexpected breaking point when members of the Congressional Black Caucus — previously regarded as unshakeable Obama loyalists — staged a startling rebellion over what they regarded as a lack of economic support for the AfricanAmerican community.
A vote on proposed financial reforms had to be shelved at the last minute as black caucus members threatened to oppose it as a protest against broader economic policy. The revolt came as new reports showed that one in seven Americans were struggling to pay for food; that mortgage delinquencies are continuing to rise with almost 2m homeowners more than three months overdue on their payments; and that unemployment rose to 10.2% in October.
While many Democrats remain unswervingly loyal to Obama — and would rather blame President George W Bush for most of America’s ills — there has been no escaping a damaging sense of disappointment in liberal circles that a historic presidency is failing to deliver on its promises.
Others are disturbed that the president’s promises to clean up Washington’s “politics as usual” have dissolved in a familiar murk of cronyism and political patronage.
Susan Johnson, president of the American Foreign Service Association, noted last week that the age-old tradition of presidents handing out ambassadorships as rewards for campaign donors had continued undiminished under Obama, who has so far rewarded more than 40 of his key fundraisers with plum diplomatic jobs.
“There is a bit of disappointment, largely because expectations were raised by the ‘change’ theme of Obama’s campaign,” said Johnson.
Perhaps most depressing of all for a small number of influential Washingtonians was the little-noticed resignation of Gregory Craig, Obama’s former White House counsel, who is widely believed in legal circles to have been made a scapegoat for the administration’s difficulties in resolving the future of Guantanamo Bay.
Craig was a key campaign aide to Obama and played the role of Senator John McCain in rehearsals for television debates. Charged with implementing the president’s instruction to close the terrorist prison at Guantanamo, he fell foul of Obama aides who had failed to predict the wave of public hostility to the prospect of Al-Qaeda inmates being shipped to American soil.
Elizabeth Drew, a presidential biographer and member of the Council on Foreign Relations, described the effective dumping of Craig as “the shabbiest episode of Obama’s presidency”. Drew blamed the “small Chicago crowd” that surrounds the president for undermining Craig’s position with a series of anonymous leaks — notably suggesting that the lawyer was “too close to human rights groups”.
This kind of White House infighting is par for the course in most presidencies — but Obama was not supposed to be the kind of man who jettisons old friends at the first hint of trouble.
All this provides the Republicans with an unexpected propaganda bonanza. “We don’t need to slam Obama — his own folks are doing it for us,” one gleeful conservative declared.
The Republicans’ own divisions — magnified now that Sarah Palin, the defeated vice-presidential candidate, is crossing middle America with a new conservative manifesto under her arm — are nonetheless going largely unexamined as the Democrats implode.
Last week Republican governors meeting in Texas talked openly of winning all the states due for midterm elections next year.
The news is not all bad for Obama — America remains enchanted with his family, and many Democrat insiders are convinced that the party’s internal squabbling will melt away at the first hint of real economic recovery.
“Do Democrats have to worry about turnout and voter intensity? You bet,” said Peter Hart, a leading pollster. “But it’s nothing that lowering unemployment by two points can’t solve.”
TOP FLOPS
Israel — Obama wanted: A freeze on settlement building as a precondition for the resumption of Palestinian peace talks.
He got: An Israeli brush-off. Construction of a new Jewish housing complex began last week.
Iran — Obama wanted: A deal to ship low-enriched uranium to Russia to curb Iran’s ability to make nuclear weapons.
He got: Another brush-off. Tehran reneged last week.
China — Obama wanted: Concessions on climate, currency rates, trade and human rights.
He got: A bland statement with no firm commitments and no mention of internet censorship or Tibet.
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