Abbot Baker : Beijing: Prince Gong’s Mansion

Abbot Baker : Beijing: Prince Gong’s Mansion: Princely Mansion culture is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. It serves as a bridge for connecting the royal court cult...

Beijing: the Last City Wall of Beijing

Like Xian, Beijing had its own city wall in ancient times. Originally built in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and completed in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the grand and solid city wall had been used from Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, and witnessed a history of seven hundred years. But now, the ancient city wall has been replaced by the Second Ring Road. The ancient city wall takes on a shape as the Chinese character “凸”, with the perimeter as 60-li (30 kilometers) long, 8 meters high, and the 24 meters width of the wall foot.

In 1960s and 1970s, the ancient city wall was regarded as the hedge of social development and get demolished almost thoroughly. The remain city wall is located in the section between Chongwen Gate to the Dongbian Gate in Chongwen District. The embrasured watchtower in Dongbian Gate also survived luckily.

Why this section could survive? It is said that the city wall here was surrounded by thickly dotted residences and it is difficult to pluck down so that it was preserved from the damage. Several years ago, Beijing Municipal Government called upon citizens to contribute the old wall bricks to repair the section near Dongbian Gate and developed the Ming Dynasty City Wall Relics Park. Now, it is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Xian: Song of Everlasting Regret

Composed by the famous poet of Tang Dynasty (618-907) Bai Juyi in the year 806, the Song of Everlasting Regret (or Sorrow) depicts the events surrounding the death of the lady Yang Guifei (the beloved concubine of the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang) during the Anshi Rebellion in 755. Nowadays, the two famous lines of “ On earth, we vow to be as two intertwined branches of a tree, Even the heaven and earth has their ending times” are usually used to describe the everlasting love of lovers.”

In recent years, the story was recomposed into a live historical dancing performance and is performed in Huaqing Pool, which attracts numerous tourists. With the Mountain Li as the background, the story is vividly displayed by the professional dancers under the help of the advanced stage technology. The show gives the audience a full play of the real deep love story happened between Yang Guifei(Concubine Yang) and Tang Xuanzong. Last year, I went there especially for the show during my Xian tour. I have to say—it is really spectacular and worthy watching very much.

This Beijing Xian tour made me became interested in Chinese history. No more word, please keep up with my lens ans step close to the live show.

Shanghai Chongming Island: It’s Time for Catching Crabs

Only by participating in everything in person can you experience the joy of it. I have heard that Chongming Island has the most crabs that other places can not compare with. This Shanghai to Xian tour made me believe the saying. The magnificent scene is really beyond my imagination. Different sizes of crabs' burrows scatter everywhere on the ground, with crabs of all sizes sidles across just beside your feet… While Xian tour would not provide you such a chance due to its geographical conditions.

Covering a total area of 4,500 mu, the Xisha Wetland of Chongming Island is the only one natural wetland that has the Natural tidal phenomenon and a great piece of shoals and forest land in Shanghai area. In recent years, through the projects of bird species introduction, plants configuration variations and the water treatment, Xisha Wetland was rebuilt as a multifunctional wetland ecological demonstration area which assembles science education, scientific research, leisure and sightseeing together on the basis of the original wetland.

The recurrent tide is important condition for the Xisha Wetland to live on. The average time of the flood and ebb tides is 12 hours and 24 minutes. Thanks to the tide, it forms the various landforms in the wetland, including lakes, mud flats, inland rivers, reeds and marshes etc. In addition, the tide also breeds many kinds of animals, such as migrant birds and ghost crabs. In order to make tourists closer to nature, the wetland manager built up a 2-kilometer long wood bridge. Tourists can stroll among the reeds and forests on the bridge.

Beijing: Biyun Temple

Biyun Temple was the first stop of my Beijing Xian tour. Located in east foot of Jubao Mountain, north of Xingshan Park, Haidian District, Beijing City, Biyun Temple is a well-preserved temple of garden-style. Built in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), it has a history of 600 hundred years. It has been said it was the former site of the belvedere of the sixth emperor in Jin Dynasty, Emperor Zhangzong, and is originally named “Biyun Nunnery”.

During the 11th year of Zhengde Reign in the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644), Yu Jing, a eunuch of the Imperial Stable took a fancy to this place and thought it as land with good geomantic omen. He expanded Biyun Temple with tax revenue and ill-gotten money from the emperor. And he built his grave behind the temple, with a pines planted on the grave. Therefore, local people call it as “Yugong Temple(“gong” is a respect word which means Mr)”. Later, Yu Jing was put into jail and died in prison due to his greed, and his wish of being buried in Biyun Temple failed.

During the third year of Tianqi Reign in the Ming Dynasty, the eunuch Wei Zhongxian fancied this place and expanded the Biyun Temple again. He enlarged the original grave by Yu Jing and intended to use it as his own grave, but five years later, he was found guilty and died in his boots. The grave was then devastated. After two expansions, the Biyun Temple was characterized with a Ming Dynasty architecture style. Later in Qing Dynasty, the majestic Biyun Temple attracted the Emperors and concubines, therefore in the 12th year of Qianlong Reign(1748) a massive reconstruction started, one the basis of the original layout, a Vajra throne pagoda, a Hall of the Arhats and a palace courtyard were newly built.
There are also many famous temples in my Xian tour, like Da Ci’en Temple and Qinglong Temple, but they never served as a eunuch’s residence.

Beijing: Hutong

When many of my friends travel to Beijing, they often ask me: “ Is the Hutong worth visiting?” To be honest, I don’t know know how to answer the question. Indeed, hutong is the soul of ancient Beijing, and it is the best place to touch Beijing city. It should be worthy visiting. When I first met hutong in my 5 days Beijing Xian tour, I feel complicated.

The hutongs around Fayuan Temple are filled with the criss-cross wires.

I first knew Fayuan Temple from the novel Fayuan Temple of Beijing written by the writer Li’ao in Taiwan. The book depicts the stories of the reformers in late Qing Dynasty. Located in south of Xuanwumen Gate, Fayuan Temple was once a gathering place for those reformers. It has been said after the death of the six heroes of the 1898 Reform Movement, Tan Sitong’s (one of the six heroes) etc corpses were placed in Fayuan Temple.

History always passes too quick. Time flows in the depth of Hutong, making the hundred years like an instant. When the prosperity and turbulence are gone with wind, there only left the houses and the trivial images of the ancient city. The images became vague in the darkening sky.

Many hutongs are being rebuilt, and numerous Siheyuan (Siheyuan is the traditional Chinese courtyard house which is noted for its clear hierarchic order. The typical siheyuan composition with four buildings around a courtyard traces back to the Han dynasty (B.C.206~A.D.220) ) are changed and even replaced by tall buildings and large mansions one by one. Facing the evanescent ancient building which symbolize the culture and history of the city, what can we tourists do? However, in the time of urban construction, the original hutong has been submerged in the tide of demolition. Fortunately, I saw a well-preserved city wall in my Xian travel.

Beijing: Miyun Reservoir

Miyun Reservoir is located 13 kilometers north of Miyun County, northeast of Beijing. Lying in Yanshan ranges and stretches across Chaohe River and Baihe River, it is the largest reservoir in Beijing. Being the largest man-made lake in Asia, Miyun Reservoir has been the main water source for industrial use and enjoys a reputation of “the Pearl of Yanshan Mountain”. The average temperature in the reservoir is 3℃ lower than that in downtown Beijing, therefore it is also a famous summer resort.

Built from September in 1958 to September in 1960, the main buildings are the main dam of Baihe(66-meter high and 960.2-meter long), the main dam of Chaohe(56-meter high and 1,100-merer long), the 5 auxiliary dams, 2 water-conveyance tunnels, 3 big Spillway Holes, 2 power stations, 1 conditioning tanks and 1 Jing-Mi water diversion canal, totally covering a water area of 137,000 mu(about 91,332,420 square meters).

Being one of the famous scenic spots in north Beijing, Miyun Reservoir has attracted numerous visitors from the surrounding areas. Last time I join a Beijing Xian one day tour, I went there by myself in a free day. It was winter, I took some photos of sunset. It’s really stunning! It really leaves my a deep impression. And after that, I took a flight to continue my Xian tour.