EYE ON CHINA

Travel and Sport brings you Incredible China.  China has been known for dragons, ninjas, emperors and Jacky Chan. Today, China is known as the new land of opportunity. China covers 9.6 million square kilometres of land with the Yangtze and Yellow rivers on each side, mountain ranges, plains and basins. China has 56 ethnic groups with Mandarin as the main language. 55 other languages are spoken and religion ranges from Buddhism to Christianity over 23 provinces. It is a cultural and historical Mecca with modern sites and many international flavours.  A perfect destination for a Cultural School Tour.

The Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is situated in Beijing, previously Peking. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest (Wikipedia, Temple of Heaven).

The Great Wall of China is probably the most famous icon of this magnificent country. It is known as the longest cemetery on earth because of many lives taken during the construction. The wall is also known as Ten-thousand-Li-Long Wall, and affectionately called “Wan” meaning a great number. The main wall is about 3460 km long but the exact length is not known as the wall has eroded, was rebuilt, torn down and extended by emperors in different dynasties.

The Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty, better known as the Ming Tombs, are situated at the foot of the Jundu Mountains north of Beijing. You will hear of the so called “Spirit Way” and a tortoise shaped dragon beast carrying a stone tablet and the pillars of glory. There are only a few tombs open to the public and the only tomb which was excavated, named Dingling, is also the site where the museum was established in 1959.

Famous for the Tiananmen protests of 1989, theTiananmen Square is a large plaza in the centre of Beijing. It is traditionally a meeting place but was used as a giant camp site for British and French troops. Here you will experience the true size of this country by standing in the largest square in the world. From here you will also see Qianmen or Zhengyangmenwhich is a gate in the city wall.

Also situated in Beijing is The Forbidden City. The site was made famous by the Oscar winning film the Last Emperor. It tells the story of the last Chinese Emperor and how he lived behind the walls of this sacred complex of buildings. It now houses the Palace Museum and has 980 surviving buildings and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 (Wikipedia). It houses the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world. This building covers 72ha and is surrounded by a 7.9m high city wall as well as a 6m deep, 52 m wide moat. It houses painting, bronze ware, timepieces, jewels and other artefacts. More recently is has been used as a performance venue.

The Yonghe Temple, also known as the “Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple”, the “Yonghe Lamasery”, or – popularly – the “Lama Temple” is a temple and monastery of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism (Wikipedia). It is located in the northeastern part of Beijing and one of the largest Tibetan monasteries in the world. Previously an imperial residence, it now serves as a picture into the lives of the Tibetan Monks.

Beijing is also known for new and modern structures such as the newly built Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium with its pool complex and Olympic Village. It was used during the 2008 Olympic Games and is the world’s largest steel structure.

Kung Fu is famous in China. You will enjoy a traditional Kung Fu show, depicting Chinese martial arts and lavish costumes.

A visit to China is not complete without seeing the Panda. The Beijing Zoo has around 14500 animals including Pandas as part of their collection. These animals are on the vergeof extinction, so being able to see even one is a chance of a lifetime.

The Old Summer Palace, which is also known as the Gardens of Perfect Brightness, will surely be one of the highlights of your trip. Built in the 17th and early 19th century and hosting emperors, this is certainly a special place filled with history.

You will have the chance to spend a day in a typical Chinese school. Here you will experience teaching methods, social and extramural activities.

A Hutong is defined as a type of narrow street or alley, usually found in Beijing. You will enjoy a tour through this rare type of alley.

The Grand National theatre, also known at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, is a modern building which resembles an egg. It is truly an architectural wonder.

From here you will travel by train to Shanghai. This 12 hour journey will bring you to the most populous city in China and probably in the world. The population is 19,210,000 per 2,729,9 km² which means in every square kilometre there are 7036.8 people. Your first stop is the Yu Garden which was established in 1559 but suffered damage in the 19th century but repaired by the government from 1956 to 1961. It has since been declared a national monument. You will also visit the market close by as well as a factory to see how the working culture of the Chinese nation functions.

A Bund refers to the buildings and wharves on a certain section of road in Shanghai. The road is next to the water and building heights are restricted. You will visit the New Bund at Pudong. Close by is the World Financial Centre and Shangai Centre with a modern skyscraper which soars over 400m above the ground (Wikipedia).

The Shanghai Museum was founded in 1952 but was moved to a new location in 1992. It houses over 120 000 pieces including paintings, coins and sculptures. From here you will visit People’s Square which is directly adjacent to Nanjing Road. You will have a chance to rub elbows with the Shanghai people in this busy intersection. You will also do a walking tour of the university.

Your trip has come to an end and hopefully you will have a chance to see the many other wonders that China has to offer.

Images were downloaded from various internet sites without any copyright restrictions.

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