All posts tagged: travel

Places to Go: Forbidden City

Published by Sula H.

Probably the No. 2 must-go-to place for visitors in China is the Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing. Referred to as the Palace Museum by the Chinese, the forbidden City was inaccessible for any common people for 500 years. It served as the home to two dynasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing, as well as the ceremonial and political center of the government. The Forbidden City first was laid out between 1406 and 1420 by Emperor Yongle. Since then it has been faced with numerous phases of destruction (through fires, etc.) as well as restoration and rebuilding. Most of the buildings that can be seen today are post 18th century. The palace consists of 980 buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 m2. It is divided into various sections: throne rooms, ceremonial halls, living quarters for the royal family as well as members of the court, the imperial garden, and more. Today, the palace is open to the general public and visitors should plan several hours for this visit, if …

Places to Go: Summer Palace

Published by Sula H.

One of the finest sights in Beijing without doubt is the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), to the north-west of the city. Its extensive grounds and buildings served as a summer residence for the royal family especially during the reign and lifetime of Empress Dowager Cixi, although it had been a royal garden long before that. The palace consists of four major areas: court reception, residences, temples and extensive gardens. Three-quarters of the park are covered by water – the Kunming Lake. Quite special for the Summer Palace is its Long Corridor (Changlang) which runs for about 728m alongside the shore of the Kunming Lake and is richly decorated with paintings of mythical scenes. Throughout the centuries, the Summer Palace has faced several periods of destruction and restoration, and even now it is constantly under construction to preserve the rich cultural and historical relics that can be found here.

Places to Go: Great Wall – Huang Hua

Published by Sula H.

Probably the most spectacular tourist attraction in China is the Great Wall. While there are many places where the wall can be accessed – it stretches from east coast all the way to the Gobi Desert in the West, after all – the most popular point from which to approach it certainly is Beijing. The most popular place for tourists is Badaling, without question. But I would like to take you to Huang Hua today. Huang Hua is a well-preserved section, where the wall was kept rather genuine (“Wild Wall”), with only little work of restoration being done – just enough, so visitors can climb it without risk. About 60 km north of Beijing, the Great Wall at Huang Hua clings to a high hillside bordering a reservoir. It perfectly portrays the Ming defense period with high and wide ramparts. Only few tourists find their way to Huang Hua, especially compared to famous Badaling where souvenir shops, restaurants and amusement park rides draw crowds of visitors, and vendors offer their goods every couple of steps …

Places to Go: Xi’An City Wall

Published by Sula H.

Xi’An is one of the few cities in China where the old city walls still are visible, and in recent years they have even been restored. With a circumference of 14 km, they form a huge rectangle in the heart of the city. Each side of the wall has gateways, marked by three towers on top of the wall. At each of the four corners is a watchtower, and all along the top of the wall there are defensive towers. The wall is 12m high, 12-14m wide at the top, and 15-18m wid at the base. Riding the Wall In recent years, great efforts have been made to restore the wall to its former glory, and now it is accessible for visitors during the day time. The best way to explore the city wall is by renting bikes and riding all around this ancient structure. You get to enjoy a great view of the center of Xi’An and there is lots to discover along the way. There are several places on the wall that offer …

Places to Go: Yuntai Mountain

Published by Sula H.

Mighty mountain ranges, deep gorges, hidden valleys, countless springs, waterfalls and lakes – all this is Yuntai Mountain. Situated in the northern part of Henan Province right near Jiao Zuo, the spectacular scenery of this area draws people from near and far. Corel Peak, the highest point, rises about 1308 m above sea level, but it’s not only those who like to climb mountains who get their money’s worth. Since Yuntai Mountain was turned into a national park, the area has been greatly developed and is now conducive to lots of outdoor activities. The park offers countless opportunities for tourists, and visitors who like to spend more than one day exploring the scenery can stay in one of the various accommodations on site. Those planning on visiting Yuntai Mountain, should know about the two downsides involved, though: On the weekends and during the main season, the park is really crowded, requiring visitors to spend long hours waiting in line in some areas; Admission fees tend to be on the higher end of the scale (at …

Places to Go: Jiao Zuo – Ying Shi Cheng

Published by Sula H.

Most people know Jiao Zuo because of Yuntai Mountain or the Henan Polytechnical University. There is, however, another place right in Jiao Zuo worth checking out – Ying Shi Cheng. The Film and TV City. Erected in 1995, it is one of China’s top ten filming locations for historical tv and movie productions. The entire area facilitates two palace complexes, a small town center (including a main road, private houses, guest house, restraurant, etc.), a temple, a farm house and even a wall that could count as the Great Wall. Passing through, you really feel taken back in time when emperors still ruled the nation and romance and adventure waited just around the corner. And if you are lucky, you might even run into a film crew working on a production. Once they see it, most Chinese are familiar with the place because of the many movie scenes that have been produced here and many famous actors have sweated and enjoyed the dramas, tragedies, romance and adventures enfolding here in Yin Shi Cheng. Entrance fees …

Places to Go: Xi’An – Terracotta Warriors

Published by Sula H.

One of the sites China is most famous for is the Terracotta Army in Xi’An. In terms of historical and national significance, it ranks up there right together with the Great Wall. Now, there are people who have gone there and say that after all it’s quite a disappointing experience, since you can only see those warriors from afar, but I think visiting the terracotta army is still very impressive. There are several underground vaults, the first one holding 6000 terracotta figures of warriors and horses alone. Displayed, you will find soldiers of different ranks and purpose, anything from archers and horsemen to generals and other senior officers. Some are kneeling, while others are standing. Having been buried for more than 2000 years, it’s a fascinating spectacle: Each warrior was crafted with an individual face and appearance, the sculptors even paying attention to such details as the lines in the hands or the shoe prints, let alone all the intricate makings of each individual’s clothes. Rumor has it that if a manufacturer didn’t complete his …