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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Xi'an Museum

    17 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ 30 °C

    The museums in China are generally well maintained and this one was no exception.
    One of the more interesting aspects was the wooden model of the old battlements of the ancient city although it was fascinating to see the city laid out as in old times as it was one of China’s biggest and most powerful regions in years gone by.En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Xian (continued)

    17 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ 30 °C

    Some more parts of Xi’an including a large lake full of fish and some lovely gardens which were a prelude to visiting the museum.

  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Xian

    17 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Xi'an also known as Sian, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain in northwest China, it is one of the oldest cities in China, and the oldest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

    Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. It was built in 652 during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stories. The structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming dynasty.    En savoir plus

  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Cultural Revolution & Gang of 4

    17 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    The Cultural Revolution, formally the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China from 1966 until 1976. Launched by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to preserve Chinese Communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Mao Zedong Thought (known outside China as Maoism) as the dominant ideology in the Communist Party of China. The Revolution marked Mao's return to a position of power after a period of less radical leadership to recover from the failures of the Great Leap Forward, whose leftist policies led to a famine and approximately 30 million deaths only five years earlier. The Cultural Revolution paralyzed China politically, damaged its economy and society, and killed an estimated 500,000 to 2,000,000 people.

    The Gang of Four controlled the power organs of the Communist Party of China through the later stages of the Cultural Revolution, although it remains unclear which major decisions were made by Mao Zedong and carried out by the Gang, and which were the result of the Gang of Four's own planning.

    The Gang of Four, together with general Lin Biao who died in 1971, were labeled the two major "counter-revolutionary forces" of the Cultural Revolution and officially blamed by the Chinese government for the worst excesses of the societal chaos that ensued during the ten years of turmoil. Their downfall on October 6, 1976, a mere month after Mao's death, brought about major celebrations on the streets of Beijing and marked the end of a turbulent political era in China.

    Their fall did not amount to a rejection of the Cultural Revolution as such. It was organized by the new leader, Premier Hua Guofeng, and others who had risen during that period. Significant repudiation of the entire process of change came later, with the return of Deng Xiaoping at the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and Hua's gradual loss of authority.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Learning to Write Chinese

    17 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Chinese characters are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. They have been adapted to write a number of other Asian languages. They remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as kanji. Chinese characters constitute the oldest continuously used system of writing in the world.[5] By virtue of their widespread current use in East Asia, and historic use throughout the Sinosphere, Chinese characters are among the most widely adopted writing systems in the world by number of users. Chinese characters number in the tens of thousands, though most of them are minor graphic variants encountered only in historical texts.

    According to legend, Chinese characters were invented by Cangjie, a bureaucrat under the legendary Yellow Emperor. Inspired by his study of the animals of the world, the landscape of the earth and the stars in the sky, Cangjie is said to have invented symbols called zì (字) – the first Chinese characters. The legend relates that on the day the characters were created, people heard ghosts wailing and saw crops falling like rain.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Xi'an

    16 juin 2017, Chine

    Xi'an also known as Sian, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong Plain in northwest China, it is one of the oldest cities in China, and the oldest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

    Since the 1990s, as part of the economic revival of inland China especially for the central and northwest regions, the city of Xi'an has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational centre of the central-northwest region, with facilities for research and development, national security and space exploration. Xi'an currently holds sub-provincial status, administering 9 districts and 4 counties. As of 2018 Xi'an has a population of 12,005,600, and the Xi'an–Xianyang metropolitan area a population of 12.9 million. It is the most populous city in Northwest China, as well as one of the three most populous cities in Western China, the other two being Chongqing and Chengdu. In 2012, it was named as one of the 13 emerging megacities, or megalopolises, in China.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Travelling to Xi'an

    16 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ 🌙 30 °C

    Since the 1990s, as part of the economic revival of inland China especially for the central and northwest regions, the city of Xi'an has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational centre of the central-northwest region, with facilities for research and development, national security and space exploration. Xi'an currently holds sub-provincial status, administering 9 districts and 4 counties. As of 2018 Xi'an has a population of 12,005,600, and the Xi'an–Xianyang metropolitan area a population of 12.9 million. It is the most populous city in Northwest China, as well as one of the three most populous cities in Western China, the other two being Chongqing and Chengdu. In 2012, it was named as one of the 13 emerging megacities, or megalopolises, in China.

    The most influential religions in Xi'an are the Chinese traditional religion and Taoist schools, represented by many major and minor temples. Among these there are a City God Temple, completely reconstructed in the 2010s, and a Temple of Confucius.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    KungFu Fighting

    16 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    Kung fu fighting equipment as the guy that owned the house was a martial artist and we saw a picture of him doing a two finger push up.
    Kung Fu, an ancient sport popular in China, has a very long history, during which a variety of skills were created and massively improved. Originated from the hunting and defense needs in the primitive society (over 1.7 million years ago – 21st century BC), it at first only included some basic skills like cleaving, chopping, and stabbing. Later the system of Kung Fu formed and developed mainly as the fighting skills from the Xia Dynasty (21st - 17th century BC) to the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), and reached its peak during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911). In modern times, it develops well and becomes not just martial skills or physical movement. It is also a way for keeping fit, entertainment, and performance.
    We also got an opportunity to see some “tame” Chinese street art which was quite heavily censored and typically “state” friendly. Sometimes it could be just better to be a chilled out pooch with poor eye sight :).    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Cricket Fighting

    16 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    This was my first introduction to the ancient art of cricket fighting. This fellow was a famous cricket trainer and had a cricket that was worth 10k yuan because of its strength and power.

    Cricket fighting was nurtured by Tang Dynasty emperors more than 1,000 years ago, and later popularized by commoners. In the thirteenth century, the Southern Song Dynasty prime minister Jia Sidao wrote a how-to guide for the blood sport. Jia's obsession with cricket fighting is believed to have contributed to the fall of the empire. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) China's Communist government banned cricket fighting as a bourgeois predilection, but it is now undergoing a revival among a younger generation eager to embrace traditional Chinese pastimes.

    While it is illegal in China to gamble on cricket fights, the fights themselves are legal and occur in most big cities in China. Crickets are sold openly in street markets, with more than a dozen cricket markets in Shanghai alone. In 2010 more than 400 million yuan (US$63 million) were spent in China on crickets.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Rickshaw Journey

    16 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    Short rickshaw ride to a local Beijing residence/restaurant to sample a typical Chinese meal. Interesting to travel around the local streets of Beijing and experiencing the quality of life in one of the world’s biggest cities.En savoir plus

  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Temple of Heaven

    16 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, who was also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The complex was extended and renamed Temple of Heaven during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor in the 16th century. Jiajing also built three other prominent temples in Beijing, the Temple of the Sun (日壇) in the east, the Temple of Earth (地壇) in the north, and the Temple of Moon (月壇) in the west. The Temple of Heaven was renovated in the 18th century under the Qianlong Emperor. By then, the state budget was insufficient, so this was the last large-scale renovation of the temple complex in imperial times.

    The temple was occupied by the Anglo-French Alliance during the Second Opium War. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, the Eight Nation Alliance occupied the temple complex and turned it into the force's temporary command in Beijing, which lasted for one year. The occupation desecrated the temple and resulted in serious damage to the building complex and the garden. Robberies of temple artifacts by the Alliance were also reported. With the downfall of the Qing, the temple complex was left un-managed. The neglect of the temple complex led to the collapse of several halls in the following years.

    In 1914, Yuan Shikai, then President of the Republic of China, performed a Ming prayer ceremony at the temple, as part of an effort to have himself declared Emperor of China. In 1918 the temple was turned into a park and for the first time open to the public.

    The Temple of Heaven was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and was described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world’s great civilizations..." as the "symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries."    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Beijing Birdsnest Olympic Stadium

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    Affectionately known as Bird's Nest, the National Stadium is situated in Olympic Green Village, Chaoyang District of Beijing City. It was designed as the main stadium of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The Olympic events of track and field, football, gavelock, weight throw and discus were held there. Since October 2008, after the Olympics ended, it has been opened as a tourist attraction. Now, it's the center of international or domestic sports competition and recreation activities. In 2022, the opening and closing ceremonies of another important sport event, Winter Olympic Games will be held here.

    The design of this large stadium was accomplished together by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron and Chinese architect Li Xinggang and the others. The designers didn't do any redundant disposals to the look of the stadium. They just exposed the steel structures entirely and let them become the most natural appearance. The form of the stadium looks like a big nest which embraces and nurses human beings. Also it looks rather like a cradle bearing human beings' hope of the future.

    The construction of the National Stadium started on December 24, 2003. On July 2004, the project was stopped temporarily due to the amendment of the design. On December 27 of the same year, the construction was resumed and finished in March, 2008. The gross cost of the whole project is 2,267 million Chinese yuan (about 33 million dollars)

    The stadium covers an area of about 63.6 acres (25.8 hectares), which can accommodate 80,000 fixed seats and 11,000 temporary seats. Its appearance was formed by big steel frames. The top surface is saddle-shaped with the major axis of 1,090 feet (332.3 meters) and the stub axis of 972 feet (296.4 meters). The tallest point of the stadium is 225 feet (68.5 meters) above the ground and the lowest point is 140 feet (42.8 meters). The top is covered by semi-transparent air bubble film. This kind of material is waterproof and can make enough sunshine penetrate into the stadium. Owing to that, the lawns in it can grow well.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Understanding Chinese Tea

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    Chinese Tea tasting...
    Like savoring fine wine, tasting premium tea is a joy.

    Spend a perfect day with someone special, taking in a tea tasting tour.You’ll learn about traditional tea ceremonies and tasting all 6 major types of tea.

    China has the earliest history of drinking tea. Therefore, Chinese people know best the true interest in drinking tea.

    Tea has had a major influence on the development of Chinese culture. Chinese traditional culture is closely connected with Chinese tea. Tea is often associated with literature, arts, and philosophy. Tea is connected closely with Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

    There are six major types of tea in China –green tea, black tea, Oolong tea, dark tea and white tea, distinguished mainly by different methods of production. Folklore relates each type of tea to certain human characteristics    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Walk to the Top Gatehouse

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    The final achievement was to walk to one of the top sections of the wall which was quite challenging as the day was also quite hot.
    I enjoyed the challenge as many of the tour did not attempt the climb but in the end it was well worth the effort and increased my appreciation of the remarkable engineering work that has taken place to build this landmark of centuries past.En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Juyong Gate

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    The pass had many different names during former Chinese dynasties. However, the name "Juyongguan" was used by more than three dynasties. It was first used in the Qin Dynasty when Emperor Qinshihuang ordered the building of the Great Wall. Juyongguan pass was connected to the Great Wall in the Southern and Northern Dynasties era.

    Juyongguan Great Wall is designed to accept numerous tourists each day
    The present pass route was built in the Ming Dynasty and received much renovation later. It was a very important strategic place connecting the inner land and the area near the northern border of China. It was also used to defend the ancient city of Beijing.
    More of the magnificent wall...    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Juyong Pass Gate Tower

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    More of the amazing Great Wall.
    JuYongGuan Great Wall is the nearest section of the Great Wall to Beijing - a little nearer than BaDaLing that it connects to; both of these sections of Great Wall protect the same natural pass through the mountains through which now passes the Badaling Expressway and a railway line.

    JuYongGuan Great Wall is a pass through the mountains ('guan' means 'mountain pass') located in an 18 km long valley named GuanGou which is in ChangPing County, about 55 km from Beijing city.

    JuYongGuan is one of the three great passes of the Great Wall of China. The other two are JiaYuGuan Pass and ShanHaiGuan Pass.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    The Great Wall of China

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    In my travels around the world thus far, this has been the most majestic structure I have ever seen.
    The Great Wall of China is the collective name of a series of fortification systems generally built across the historical northern borders of China to protect and consolidate territories of Chinese states and empires against various nomadic groups of the steppe and their polities.
    Several walls were being built from as early as the 7th century BC by ancient Chinese states; selective stretches were later joined together by Qin Shi Huang (220–206 BC), the first Emperor of China.
    Little of the Qin wall remains. Later on, many successive dynasties have built and maintained multiple stretches of border walls. The most currently well-known of the walls were built by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
    Apart from defense, other purposes of the Great Wall have included border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of immigration and emigration. Furthermore, the defensive characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by the construction of watch towers, troop barracks, garrison stations, signaling capabilities through the means of smoke or fire, and the fact that the path of the Great Wall also served as a transportation corridor.

    The frontier walls built by different dynasties have multiple courses. Collectively, they stretch from Liaodong in the east to Lop Lake in the west, from the present-day Sino–Russian border in the north to Taohe River in the south; along an arc that roughly delineates the edge of Mongolian steppe. A comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the walls built by the Ming dynasty measure 8,850 km (5,500 mi). This is made up of 6,259 km (3,889 mi) sections of actual wall, 359 km (223 mi) of trenches and 2,232 km (1,387 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.
    Another archaeological survey found that the entire wall with all of its branches measures out to be 21,196 km (13,171 mi). Today, the defensive system of Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Jade Factory

    15 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Interesting insight into the making of Jade artifacts. To understand the value of jade, you have to look beyond its durability and its role as a gemstone and beautiful adornment. Jade is a spiritual stone with significant meaning that’s intricately woven into the Chinese culture.

    The price for fine-quality jadeite has risen dramatically along with China’s economic rise. The demand from those who can newly afford it has significantly outpaced the supply of this rare material.

    The Chinese have revered jadeite’s fine green color since its discovery in Burma. Top-quality jadeite is rare. Vivid, sleek, and translucent, magnificent jadeite commands some of the highest prices among gems in today’s international market.

    Jadeite’s three most important qualities, in order of their impact on its market value, are color, transparency, and texture.    En savoir plus

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  • BronzeChinaVoyageur

    Beijing Streetscape

    14 juin 2017, Chine ⋅ 🌙 32 °C

    Whilst touring China I learnt about their famed local cuisine especially “Peking Duck” by watching some of chefs in action.
    They use special wood to cook the duck in clay ovens so that the smoke infuses the meat very subtly. The dish is famous from Beijing (Peking) that has been prepared since the imperial era. The meat is characterized by its thin, crisp skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Ducks bred specially for the dish are slaughtered after 65 days and seasoned before being roasted in a closed or hung oven. The meat is often eaten with spring onion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce with pancakes rolled around the fillings. Sometimes pickled radish is also inside, and other sauces (like hoisin sauce) can be used.En savoir plus

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