This is called “Sha Po Ming Zhong (tolling by the sand)”.

There is a running stream at the foot of dune. It is peculiar that it doesn’t freeze in winter. The ceaseless running water from the sands is unusual enjoyable sight. In front of the sand dune, the Yellow River passes by with its running waves. It is quite amusing to float on Yellow River by sheepskin raft, a very ancient water traffic tool.

The camel riding is another interesting entertainment to have a feel of the experience on the Silk Road. When the train passes through the vast sands, a grand sight appears. The sand control project at Sha Po Tou has made great achievement already. The 40 km long sand control area is wellknown in the world.

There goes a saying that coconuts of Wenchang yield half of those grown in Hainan and the most famous is Dongjiao Coconut Plantation. ity in Hainan and is most well-known for its broad coconut plantation.

There goes a saying that coconuts of Wenchang yield half of those grown in Hainan and the most famous is Dongjiao Coconut Plantation. The plantation is literally a forest with over 500,000 coconut trees including the red, green, well-bred, short, tall and other varieties. Some short arecas are immingled among them, which quite resemble the coconuts, so the Hainan people call them ‘Trees of Lovers’, coconuts the heroes and arecas the beauties. The trees not only provide a scenic backdrop and savory fruit, but they also act as a shield against the frequent typhoons here.

Walking along the shady paths in the forest, special scenic spots provide a feast for the senses. Coconut Bayou, whose scenery is pictured on the famous series of stamps named ‘Seashore Scenery’, engenders a peaceful and idyllic feeling of nature. In the Coconut Park, you’ll be inundated in a sea of coconuts of different shapes and sizes, including the uniquely ‘King Three Branches of Coconuts’ named for the grotesquely large branches in the tree. Dongjiao is also home to a thriving fishing industry. Facilities have been established to ensure maritime safety including an ancient beacon to guide the passing boats. Also noteworthy is Shuiwei Shengniang Miao, a temple for praying to the believed goddess Shuiwei Shengniang to protect the fishermen.

Nanhu Lake is an ideal place to entertain yourself. In the park, you can fully appreciate the views of various plants, such as Pinang, Chinese fan palms, and other tropical trees. There is a garden with hundreds of precious flowers and bamboo, in which three inner gardens are very attractive places. There are Chinese herbal gardens with over 200 Chinese herbs, orchid gardens and bonsai gardens. A visit in the gardens will reward you with not only abundant knowledge but also the pleasures of nature’s beauty.

Above the lake, there is a nine-arch bridge, a scenic bridge, and a long bank where you can get a view of the lake. Fish eateries will also provide you delicious local food. Either boating on the lake or fishing at the shore can offer you an escape from the pressures of city life indeed.

What is worth else to visit in the park is the Baise Uprising Museums built in 1984 and in memory of Baise and Longzhou Uprising which broke out 1927 and was led by Dengxiaoping, one of the most prestige leaders of Chinese communist part.

Tickets: Free
Opening Hour: 8:30-11:30, 14:30-17:00;8:30-17:00 (on holidays)
Bus Route: 3,8,14,20,33,60,65,80,86,215

When traveling by steamboat along the river, Suojiang Pagoda is the first thing you see as you enter the district of Jiujiang, and thus is regarded as the symbol of Jiujiang City.

Suojiang Tower was firstly built in 1586 by an official of Jiujiang City, Wu Xiu, in the Wanli Reign of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was built because the low-lying city of Jiujiang, surrounded on three sides by the Yangtze River, was vulnerable to flooding. It took eighteen years for the tower, which was paid for by collections of money, to be built. Suojiang Tower has three stories and is surrounded by four iron oxen.

A pagoda was built at a later point near Suojiang Tower – Suojiang Pagoda, also known as Wenfeng Pagoda. Standing at a height of about 35 meters (about 115 feet), people can travel to the top of the Pagoda via a wooden staircase, where they can receive a view of Jiujiang City and Yangtze River. Suojiang Pagoda is built of stones and medieval thick bricks, making its seven stories very solid.

Suojiang Tower and Pagoda were built to protect people from disasters, but these structures don’t seem to have the same power over themselves. The ravages of earthquakes and wars led to Suojiang Tower being almost completely destroyed. In the Second World War, Japanese invaders shelled Jiujiang City with cannons. Suojiang Pagoda was caught up in a bombardment. Because of the shelling, the Pagoda now slopes northeastward; the top of the Pagoda has already strayed away from the centerline by about 76 centimeters (2 feet). The fact the Pagoda is still standing is an attestation to the wonderful skills of the ancient workmen.

In 2004, the local government rebuilt and restored Suojiang Tower and Pagoda in order to preserve these fantastic examples of ancient architecture. Both are well worth a visit while you are in Jiujiang.

Located to the northeast of Qinhuangdao in Hebei province, Shanhaiguan Pass, which gained fame as the “First Pass of the Great Wall”, leans against mountains and is skirted by the Bohai Gulf. It straddles the key path linking Northeast China with the Central Plains. 4 km east of Shanhaiguan Pass is Laolongtou (Old Dragon’s Head) Great Wall where the Great Wall meets the sea. The Jiaoshan Great Wall, soaring to a height of 519 meters is 3 km north of Shanhaiguan Pass. It is known as “Number One Mountain of the Ten Thousand-Li Great Wall.”

Traveling west from Shanhaiguan Pass, one reaches Qianxi County, where Qingshankou Gateway situates. To the northwest of Qingshankou Gateway is Xifengkou Gateway. It is an important stronghold west of Shanhaiguan Pass. Nearby is Panjiakou Gateway, where the Great Wall enters the water of Panjiakou reservoir from a ridge on its east bank.

Having a splendid halt under the water, the wall starts again on the east bank of the reservoir to continue its journey.

A-Ma Temple

The former name of A-Ma Temple (Ma Kok Miu) was Ma Tsou, the oldest temple in Macau, which has a history of over 500 years.

It is so alleged that over 400 years ago when Portuguese reached Macau and landed on the sea promontory opposite the A-Ma Temple, they noticed the temple of goddess and asked the local inhabitants the name of the whole place who misunderstood they were denoting the temple and answered “Ma Kok”. In this way, the Portuguese transliterated into “Macau” which was the origin of the Portuguese name for Macau. The whole Temple includes the main hall, stone hall, great mercy hall and Kun lam (Goddess of Mercy, Avalokitesvara) hall four buildings. At the gate, there are stone lions guarding the temple and the eaves pointing the sky, full of Chinese folk characteristics.

The A-Ma Temple was built by the cliff. There are winding paths around upwards the hill. Along the cliff, there are many poems and verses inscribed on stone in all scripts, regular, cursive, seal character and official. Inside the courtyard, there is a relief stone sculpture of Chinese junk. Here goes the allegation that A-Ma sailed out to sea from her native land by this junk. After coping with strong typhoon and fierce-waves, she reached Macau safely. It is said, the Tin Hau, the Queen of Heaven and Protector of Seafarer who was from Pu Tien, Fujian Province, is otherwise known for Niang Ma. She could predict auspicious and inauspicious things and after death made her presence felt on the sea, helping merchants and fishermen to dispel calamity, overcome difficulty and turn danger into safety. Later generations built temple here to pay homage in her memory. On 23 March every lunar year, the birthday of A-Ma, and in the spring festival, the Temple is crowded with worshippers.

Many male and female disciples gather here to pay homage and to pray for good fortune. Even young men and young women in western-style clothes and in long boots and short skirts come to burn incense to pray for good luck, a quite warm scene.

The name Macau was taken from A-Ma-Gao (Bay of A-Ma) where this temple stands. Legend has it that A-Ma was a poor girl travelling to China, but was turned away by wealthy junk owners. Finally, a fisherman took her to Macau, surviving a storm that sunk all the other junks. Later, she reappeared to the fisherman as a goddess and so he built her this temple.

Situated on the southern tip of Macau, the temple has a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, and a steady stream of worshipers pray under the incense coils while fortune-tellers trade outside.

Tickets:Free
Bus Route:6、8、9、28B

sayram lake

Sayram lake, located in the Botala Prefecture near the Tian Shan Mountains, Xinjiang, China.Sayram Lake, also called “Santai Haizi”, is a stunning and peaceful lake. The lake received its name because the Elezhuyitubomu military dais was built on the east bank of the lake during the Qing Dynasty. Sayram in Kazak means “blessing”.
The alp lake is the largest in Xinjiang and lies at the highest altitude. The land around Sayram Lake is vast green grassland which provides abundant grazing land.

In the summer the sapphire water of the lake seems to meet the sky in the distance and the yurts of the Kazak or Mongolian herdsmen can be seen on the mountain slopes. The pasture is a charming scene of flourishing trees, waving grass and wildflowers which reflect off the clear water of the lake. The grassland, which stretches to the horizon, is dotted with the tents of the herdsmen. Smoke from kitchen chimneys curls upward, as groups of cattle and sheep move like clouds in the sky. In August, the Mongolian people celebrate the ‘Nadam Fair’ for six days beside the lake. Nadam means recreation or games in Mongolian. Mongolians, Kazaks, Han Chinese and the people of other ethnic groups in Xinjiang participate in the festival. During this time, Sayram Lake is blessed with a double portion of good fortune in water and grassland. During the Nadam Fair, competitions are held in horse-racing, wrestling and archery, which are considered the three basic skills of men.

Mongolian herders from nearby regions attend the fair and dress in traditional ethnic costumes. In addition to the competitions, there is singing, dancing and the age-old competition of ‘girl-chasing’. The fair is great fun for tourists and is very entertaining.

In the winter, snow falls and the water of the lake turns to ice. Only a small portion of the lake can be seen in the vast whiteness of the ice and snow.

Throughout the ages, poets and writers have used vivid and glowing words to describe Sayram Lake. During the middle period of the Qing Dynasty, Ye Honggao called Sayram Lake a ‘clear sea’. Later, Song Bolu used verse to describe the natural scenery of the wide and clear Sayram Lake, ‘The surrounding mounts engulf; the emerald lake wipes the sky clear.’

In the 1970′s, a program was begun to cultivate fish in a large part of the lake. This has been very successful and the region has become a popular tourist destination. Today, Sayram Lake is one of the largest live marine bases in the Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture.

Winter Solstice Festival

Ancient china did pay great attention to this holiday, regarding it as a big event. There was the saying that “Winter solstice holiday is greater than the spring festival”. Nowadays, many regions still celebrate it as a big holiday. Northerners may have dumplings and raviolis that day while southerners may have dumplings made by rice and long noodles. Some places even have the tradition to offer sacrifices to the heaven and earth.

The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). The Han people regarded Winter Solstice as a “Winter Festival”, so officials would organize celebrating activities. On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest. The army was stationed in, frontier fortresses closed and business and traveling stopped. Relatives and friends presented to each other delicious food. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer scarifies to Heaven and ancestors. Emperors would go to suburbs to worship the Heaven; while common people offered sacrifices to their deceased parents or other relatives. The Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) even had the record that “Winter Solstice is as formal as the Spring Festival,” showing the great importance attached to this day.

In some parts of Northern China, people eat dumpling soup on this day; while residents of some other places eat dumplings, saying doing so will keep them from frost in the upcoming winter. But in parts of South China, the whole family will get together to have a meal made of red-bean and glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and other evil things. In other places, people also eat tangyuan, a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of glutinous rice flour. The Winter Solstice rice dumplings could be used as sacrifices to ancestors, or gifts for friends and relatives. The Taiwan people even keep the custom of offering nine-layer cakes to their ancestors. They make cakes in the shape of chicken, duck, tortoise, pig, cow or sheep with glutinous rice flour and steam them on different layers of a pot. These animals all signify auspiciousness in Chinese tradition. People of the same surname or family clan gather at their ancestral temples to worship their ancestors in age order. After the sacrificial ceremony, there is always a grand banquet.

There are four main palaces at the center of the park where you can feel something of the religious culture. To the east of the four palaces there is the Guxiang Garden as well as the Stone Inscription Garden, Fish Pond and Water Lily Pool. Guxiang Garden is the original site of the Hot Springs Temple. It is here that the tombs of monks from the Song (960-1279), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties are preserved. The Stone Inscription Garden contains steles dating from these three dynastic periods, while a notable feature is the Ming Dynasty Panlong Tower, the treasure of stone inscriptions. To the north of the palaces the park has caves and five ornamental ponds. All of the buildings and pavilions have been sited so as to compliment their surroundings so that with the green bamboos, clear water and elegant hills the park is very picturesque.

Naturally, the hot springs are the main feature of the park. There are ten springs altogether in the park and the temperature of the water is a constant 35C-37C (95.0F-98.6F). The water contains alkali minerals that are considered as having beneficial medicinal properties. The warm water offers an excellent way to relax from the stresses of day to day existence and it also benefits those who suffer from skin problems, arthritis and many other common ailments. Apart from a standard swimming pool there are 75 indoor bathrooms, a newly built triangular indoor swimming pool and a play pool for children.

In addition, the park has an abundance of natural flora and fauna. The plants that naturally occur here are mainly tropical and semitropical evergreens, horsetail pines and a large area covered by bamboo groves. Bedding plants, mainly flowers, well maintained lawns and fruit trees add to the overall colorful ambiance. The park is also home to many species of small animals and birds such as squirrels, hares, owls, crows, doves, cuckoos, parrots, magpies, thrushes and sparrows that you are sure to encounter when you are strolling here.

With its many historic sites and fair sceneries, Northern Hot Springs Park offers you a welcome and an escape from the pressures of city life.

Tickets: CNY 10
Bus Route: 252,253,254,255

The ones that are round in shape are the most famous. They are divided into three classes of sizes namely, small, medium and big. The small ones are usually 2 to 3 stories tall with a single ring and have 21 to 28 rooms. The medium dwellings are usually 3 to 4 stories tall with a large inner open space, which come in single ring or double rings and could contain 30 to 40 rooms. The larger round buildings are usually 4 to 5 stories tall consisting of as many as three rings and could house about 42 to 58 rooms. Finally, the very small round buildings have about 12 to 18 rooms.

Most of the round buildings are three stories high with a diameter of 70-80 meters. It is a ‘group-oriented’ residence, usually with one main entrance. Its wall is usually around 1 meter thick. The main entrance door is padded with iron sheet and is locked by 2 horizontal wood bars. The wooden bars retract into the walls in order to open the door.

Inside the entrance is a huge central courtyard where all the doors of the rooms and inner windows open facing it. Normally, the rooms at the ground level, except the hall and the staircases, are used as kitchens and dining rooms.

The rooms on the second floor are used for storage and those on the third level are used as bedrooms. The rooms at each level are identical. In front of each room, there is an open round hallway and usually there are 4 staircases to move from one level to another.

While the round building is fairly large, it has an inner ring, which is like a round building within a round building. The round buildings that were built earlier than the 15th century also had another function, that of counter siege. It is said that during the Ming Dynasty, Japanese pirates who intruded the coastal areas, always leave the Hakka’s Earth Buildings area alone.

The formation of the Earth buildings amplify the wisdom and creativeness of the ancestors of the Hakkas settlers in Yongding County. It closes the gaps between Chinese architecture history and the world architecture history and is regarded as a miraculous wonder by thousands of experts, scholars and tourists who have been enchanted by it beauty.

Tickets: CNY 50
Opening Hours: 09:10 to 17:00