中国文化概况Chapter11 Travel in China

TravelinChina

Chapter11Chinaisanamazingculturaltreasureoftheworldwithitsnaturalwealth,fivemillenniaofhistory,andcivilization.itisnowagreattraveldestinationforpeoplefromallaroundtheworld.

InChina,youcanvisitsomewonderfultouristcities,someofwhichhaveimposingimperialpalaces,someareblessedwithsplendidnaturalandculturalheritage,andothersboastcolourfulfolkcustoms.Youcanalsovisitsomeworldheritagesiteslikemountains,grottos,andancienttownsandvillages.11.1MajortouristcitiesinChinaBeijing,Xi’an,Hangzhou,NanjingShanghai,Kunming,GuilinandLhasa11.2WorldHeritageSitesinChina.11.1MajorTouristcities

11.1.1BeijingBeijing,China’scapitalcity,islocatedinthenorthernpartoftheNorthChinaPlain.Itisthepolitical,cultural,scientificandeducationalcenterofChinaandalsothecenteroftransportationandinternationalexchange.Asatouristcity,itaboundswithmanyculturalrelics,historicsites,andcaptivatinglandscapes.Culturaleventsandtheatricalperformancesarealsogreatattractionshere.ForbiddenCityTheForbiddenCitywastheChineseimperialpalacefromtheMingDynastytotheendoftheQingDynasty.ItislocatedinthecenterofBeijingandnowhousesthepalaceMuseum,coveringanareaofsome720,000squaremetres.TheForbiddenCityisdividedintotwoparts.InthesouthernsectionortheOuterCourt,theemperorexercisedhissupremepoweroverthenation.ThenorthernsectionortheInnerCourt(内廷)wastheplacewherehelivedwithhisroyalfamily.Thereareuniqueandexquisitelystructuredwatchtowersoneachofthefourcornersofthewalls.Theyofferviewsoverboththepalaceandtheoutside.Foralmost500yearsitservedasthehomeof24(14Mingand10Qing)emperorsandtheirhouseholds,aswellasbeingtheceremonialandpoliticalcenterofChina.ItisregardedasthefinestexampleoftraditionalChinesearchitectureinallofChina.Tian’anmenSquareTian’anmenSquare,thesymbolofNewChina,isoneofthelargestsquaresintheworld.TheTian’anmenGateTowerstandsimposinglyatthenorthernendofthesquareandseparatesthesquarefromtheForbiddenCity.

IthasgreatculturalsignificanceasitisthesiteofseveralimportanteventsinChinesehistoryandcanaccommodate600,000people.WestofthesquareistheGreatHallofthePeoplewhileeastofthesquareistheNationalMuseumofChina.ChairmanMaoZedongMáoZédōngMemorialHallsitsatthesouthernendofthesquare.TensofthousandsofvisitorseachdayconfirmthesignificanceoftheSquare.TempleofHeavenTheTempleofHeaven,builtin1420,wasanaltarwhereemperorsoftheMingandQingDynastiesofferedsacrificestoheavenandprayedforagoodharvest.ThesymboliclayoutanddesignoftheTempleofHeavenhashadaprofoundinfluenceonarchitectureinChinaoverthecenturies.TheSummerPalaceTheSummerPalaceliesabout15kilometresnorthwestofBeijing.Coveringanareaofsome300hectares,itisthelargestimperialgardenintheworld.ItconsistsprimarilyoftheLongevityHillandKunmingLake.Thereareover3,000ancientstructures,includingpavilions,bridges,corridors,hallsandpalaces.ItisaveritablemuseumofclassicalChinesegardenarchitecture.AfamousChineseidiomstates,“TheonewhohasneverbeentotheGreatWallisnotatrueman.”(不到长城非好汉！)TheGreatWallisamustwhenvisitingBeijing.GreatWallItisknownforitsincomparablegrandeurandlonghistory.Itisregardedasoneofthewondersoftheworld.TheGreatWallofChinaisaseriesoffortificationsmadeofstone,brick,tampedearth,wood,andothermaterials,generallybuiltalonganeast-to-westlineacrossthehistoricalnorthernbordersofChinainparttoprotecttheChineseEmpireagainstmilitaryintrusions.Severalwallswerebuiltasearlyasthe7thcenturyBC;thesewerelaterjoinedtogetherandmadebigger,andstronger,whicharenowcollectivelyreferredtoastheGreatWall.InBeijing,ifyoufeeltheurgetogetarealunderstandingofBeijingpeopleandtheirlives,youcouldpayavisittoaHutongandquadranglesthewellknownoldneighborhoodsofBeijing.AnotherareaofinterestmightbeSanlitun,anareaintheChaoyangDistrict,containingmanypopularbarsandinternationalstores.ItisthecenterofnightlifeinBeijing.Wangfujing

SnackStreetisdenselypackedwithrestaurantsandstreetfoodstalls.11.1.2Xi’an

Xi’anisthecapitalofShaanxiprovince.IthasthelongesthistoryasChina’scapitalspanningover1,000yearsandabout10dynasties,includingtheWesternZhou,Qin,WesternHan,Sui,andTangdynasties.AtthattimeitwascalledChang’an.DuringtheTangdynastyChang’anwasthelargestandbusiestinternationalmetropolisintheworldaswellasthestartoftheSilkRoadwhichconnectedEuropeandAsiafortradeandculturalexchanges.Longhistoryandadvancedculturehaveendowedthecitywithnumerousworld-famousplacesofhistoricalinterestsandscenicbeauty.TheQingshihuangTerracottaWarriorsandHorsesarethemostfamous,enjoyingthetitleof“theeighthwonderoftheworld”.OtherfamousplacesincludetheBanpoMuseumofNeolithicRelics,EmperorQinshihuang’sMausoleum,theQindynasty’sEfangPalace,theHandynasty’sWeiyangPalace,theTangdynasty’sDamingPalace,theGreatMosque,theBigWildGoosePagodaandSmallWildGoosePagoda，theBellTower,theForestofSteles(碑林),andtheHuaqingHotSpring(华清池).TerracottaArmyofEmperorQinshihuangLikemanyemperorsinChinesehistory,EmperorQinshihuangdreamtofimmortality.Sinceimmortalitywasbeyondhisgrasp,inordertohaveabetterlifeinthenextworld,hestartedtheconstructionofanenormousmausoleum.Beingfullyawareoftheimportanceofarmedforces,heorderedthatlife-sizedterracottafigurinesbemadeandhadthemburiednearhistombtoguardhissoul.Thus,theterracottaarmywasformed.Sofar,threepitscontainingterracottafigurineshavebeenexcavated.Theycoveratotalareaofover20,000squaremetres.Some8,000life-sizedwarriorsconfirmthepowerfulmilitaryarray(排阵)undertheruleofEmperorQinshihuang.秦始皇兵马俑图片，可从各个角度展示兵马俑的状态11.1.3HangzhouHangzhouisthecapitalofZhejiangprovince.Itisaworld-famoustouristdestination,acitywithalonghistoryandprofoundculture,andalsooneofthesevenancientcapitalsinChinaIntheYuandynasty,ItaliantravelerMarcoPolo(1254—1324)wasimpressedbythebeautyofHangzhouandlaudeditas“themostbeautifulandelegantcityintheworld”.Hangzhouisfamousforitssurroundinghillsandbeautifulscenery,especiallytheWestLake.OthertouristattractionsincludethePagodaofSixHarmonies,andtheLingyinTemple(theTempleofSoul’sRetreat).TheWestLakeTheWestLakeisthemostfamoustouristspotinHanghzou.Surroundedbygracefulmountainsonthreesides,ithascharmingsceneryandmanyculturalrelicsandhistoricsites.Therearethreestonepagodasinthemiddleofthelake.Themainbodyofthepagodaistheshapeofaballandhollowinside.Atnight,candlesarelitinthepagodas,andtheirreflectionsonthelakelooklikemanysmallmoons,hencethename“ThreePoolsMirroringtheMoon”.(三潭印月)Hangzhouisfamousnotonlyforitsnaturalbeautybutalsoforitsculturaltraditions.HangzhouisalsothehomeofsilkinChina.Itssilkisfamousforitssoft,fine,smoothtexture,andwonderfulsheen.Hangzhou’slongjingteaisfamedforitsfragrance,lusciousflavour,pleasantleafshape,andemeraldcolour.11.1.4NanjingNanjing,thecapitalofJiangsuprovince,isthesecondlargestinternationaltradingportafterShanghaiintheYangtzeRiverDelta.Asanancientcapital,itisdescribedas“abirthplaceofsouthernbeautiesandahabitatofroyalrulers”.ImportantsightsinNanjingincludetheNanjingYangtzeRiverBridge,the

ConfuciusBazaar,Dr.SunYat-sen’sMausoleum,andtheQinghuaiRiver.Dr.SunYat-sen’sMausoleumDr.SunYat-sen’sMausoleumisbuilttocommemorateDr.SunYat-sen,thegreatpioneerofdemocraticrevolutioninChina.Thismausoleum,likeabigbell,isascendedtofromthesouthtothenorthby392steps.Thewholebuildingcomplexisdesignedtodisplayasolemnandmajesticair,knownas“thebestmausoleuminthehistoryofChinesecontemporaryarchitecture”.11.1.5ShanghaiShanghai

isoneofthelargestcitiesandmajorbusinesscenterswithmanycommercialopportunities,alsocalled“theparadiseofShopping”.ShanghaihasauniqueatmospherethroughthemixtureofWestandEast,Oldandnew.

ThewesternbuildingsoftheBundretainmuchoftheirpreviousgrandeur,whiletheskyscrapersinPudongarejustasspectacularTherearealsotheXujiahuiCathedralandtheJadeBuddhaTemple.HereYueopera,farces,thesymphonyandtheballetcanbeequallyappreciatedandaccepted.Peoplecannotonlytastelocaldishes

anddelicaciesfromallacrossChina,butalsoenjoyFrenchcuisineandfoodfromaroundtheworld.TheBundTheBundisthemostfamousscenicspotinShanghaiwhereonecanseevariousstylesofarchitecture,includingclassicalandmodern,domesticandforeignstyles,andishencereputedtobea“GalleryofWorldArchitecture”.11.1.6KunmingKunming,thecapitalofYunnanprovince,isknownastheSpringCity.Thelocalsenjoyflowersthroughouttheyear.Itsmajortouristattractionsincludethesiteofthe’99WorldHorti-ExpoGarden,DianchiLake(滇池),theStoneForest,andtheYunnanNationalitiesVillages.

TheDianchiLake

isthelargestlakeinYunnanprovinceandoneofthe10largestlakesinChina.Atanaltitudeof1,886metreshigh,itis294squarekilometresinsurfacearea.

Theocean-likeDianchiisthebestplacetogoforpeoplewhowishtogetawayfromthebustlingcityandbeclosetonature.TheStoneForest

issituatedabout80kilometressoutheastofKunming.TheStoneForest

Asatypicalkarstformation,itcoversanareaofabout350squarekilometresandcomprisessevenareasofinterestincludingtheMajor&MinorStoneForestsNaiguStoneForestDadieshuiWaterfallChanghuLakeYuehuLakeZhiyunCaveQingfengCave.TheMajorStoneForestisamyriadofgrotesquepinnaclesshootingupintothesky,layeruponlayer,inthousandsofshapes.11.1.7GuilinGuilin,lyinginthenortheastoftheGuangxiZhuangAutonomousRegion,isknownforitsverdantmountains,limpidrivers,magnificentcavesandfantasticrocks.ItissaidthatGuilinhasthefinestmountainsandwatersunderheaven.LijiangRiverTheLijiangRiverscenicareaofGuilinisthemostfamouskarstscenicspotinChina.Itranges84kilometresfromGuilintoYangshuo,likeagreensilkbeltwindingamongthepeaksandchainsofmountains.Therearegrotesquepeaksstandingfacingeachother,alongwithflyingwaterfalls,hillsrisingoneuponanotherandwaterasclearasamirror.SolitaryBeautyPeakisoneofthetenmajorattractionsinGuilin,with306windingstonestepsleadingtothesummitofthepeak.Onthecliffthereareinscriptionsofpoemsbytheliteratiofpastdynasties,whichareofcertainhistoricalandartisticvalue.ElephantTrunkHill,onthewestbankoftheLijiangRiver,looksvividlylikeanelephantdippingitstrunkintotherivertodrinkwater.11.1.8LhasaLhasa,thecapitaloftheTibetAutonomousRegion,isoneofthehighestcitiesintheworld.Itsrecordedhistorydatesfromabout1,300yearsago.Locatedinasmallbasinsurroundedbymountains,Lhasahasanelevationof3,650metres.Itisacityofbreathtakingbeauty,withauniquelandscapeandaholyatmosphere.Thecityfeaturesacombinationoftraditionalandmodernlife.Lhasahasmanyscenicandhistoricalsites,includingthefamousPotalaPalace,andJokhangTemple.PotalaPalaceThePotalaPalaceislocatedontheRedHillsometwokilometresnorthwestofLhasa.ThePotalaPalacewasfirstbuiltintheseventhcentury.

Atthattime,SongtsanGambo(松赞干布)establishedtheTubo(吐蕃)KingdominTibetandLhasawasthecapital.WhentheemperoroftheTangdynastysentPrincessWencheng(文成公主)tomarryhim,SongtsanGambodecidedtobuild“acitytoshowglory”andstartedtobuildthePotalaPalaceontheRedHill.Sadly,lateritwasdestroyedinawar.Itwasrebuiltinthe17thcentury.ThepresentPotalaPalaceisabout115metreshighwith13stories.Theentirebuildingismadeofstoneandwoodwithwallsbeingthreemetresthickonaverage.Thepalacealsohasalargecollectionofsculptures,murals,scripturesandothervaluableculturalrelics.Since2013,Chinahas31culturalheritagesites,10naturalheritagesites,and4dualheritagesites.ThesesitesarethemostessentialpartofChina’svaluableandrichtourismresources.

11.2WorldHeritages11.2.1MountTaishanMountTaishanistheleaderofthe“FiveSacredMountains”inChinaalthoughtheyeachhavetheirownattractions.Theword“tai(泰)”inChinesemeans“stabilityandpeace”.Ancientrulersusuallypaidhomagetothemountain,hopingforgoodluckduringtheirreigns.Thewholemountainisabundantininscriptions,oldtemples,pavillionsandbridges.ThePeakoftheJade

EmperoristhehighestpeakofmountainTaishanwithanaltitudeof1524metres.OnthesummitthereisthetempleofthejadeEmperor.Inancienttimes,peoplewouldscalethemountainandsetupsacrificialaltarstooffersacrificestoheaven.Itisalsoagoodplacetoviewthesunriseandseaofcloud.11.2.3MountHuangshanMountHuangshanliesinHuangshancity,Anhuiprovince.Ithasbeenfrequentedbytouristsseekingitsmysteryandadmiringitsscenery.thefantasticpines,thegrotesquerocks,theseaofclouds,andthehotsprings.MountHuangshanhasdistinctivescenesduringeveryseason,spring,summer,autumn,andwinter,whichhasearneditthename“EarthlyFairyland”ThefantasticpinesPinetreesofMountHuangshanmainlygrowonthecliffsorarerootedinthecracksbetweenrocks.Theyaredifferentinposture,butallareincomparablymarvelousandbeautiful.ThemostfamouspinetreeonMountHuangshanistheso-calledGuest-GreetingPineTreewhichcomesoutoftherocksandstandsuprightovertheCaveofWisdomeastofthePeakofthejadeScreen.Ithasbeenthereformorethan1000years.Itsfrontbranchesstretchforwardasifspreadingitsarmstogreetguestsfromafar.11.2.4MountEmeiMountEmei,locatedinEmeishancity,Sichuanprovince,isoneofthefourBuddhistmountainsinChina,withtheotherthreebeingMountWutai,MountPutuo,andMountJiuhua.Itsmainsummit,WanfoSummit,isabout3,099metresabovesealevel.ThemainscenicspotsonthemountainaretheBaoguoTemple,theFuhuTemple,theQingyinPavilion,theGoldenSummit,etc.AtoptheGoldenSummit,onecanenjoythebeautyofthesunrise,theseaofclouds,thesunsetglow,theBuddha’shalo,etc.MountEmeiisalsofamousforitsGiantBuddhastatue,whichissaidtobethelargestBuddhastatueintheworld.ItwascarvedoutofahillsideduringtheTangdynastyintheeighthcentury.Therearemorethan90stonecarvingsandBuddhistshrinesonbothsidesoftheGiantBuddha.11.2.5MountLushanMountLushanhasconvenienttransportation.SituatedinthesouthofJiujiangcityinJiangxiProvince,itisborderedonthenorthbytheYangtzeRiverandontheeastbyPoyangLake.Itearnsitsfamewithitsgrandiosity,peculiarity,perilousnessandelegance.EachpeakofMountLushanistoweringandsplendid,andmistycloudsblanketthevalleys.HanyangPeak,themainpeakofMountLushan,stands1474mabovesealevel.TherearemanyattractionsonMountLushan,suchasthefamousThreeWaterfalls,theCliffoftheDragon’sHead,theThree-preciousTrees,theFive-eldersPeak,theImmortalCave,andtheHanpoEntrance.ThreeWaterfallsisthe“firstmarvelousspectacleofMountLushan”.Over100mhigh,itisdividedintothreelevelsalongthemountain.Itpoursdownfromthehighmountainlikeawatercurtainhangingintheair,soithasanothername—“WaterCurtainSpring”.11.2.6Jiuzhaigou(TheNine-VillageValley)SetintheAbaTibetandQiangAutonomousPrefectureofSichuanProvince,Jiuzhaigouisavalleymorethan50kmlong.ThenameJiuzhaigoucomesfromthenineTibetanvillagesscatteredalongthevalley.ThesceneryinJiuzhaigouimpressespeoplewithitscolorfulponds,waterfalls,snow-cappedmountains,andforests.Itspeculiarandprimitivesightsearnitthename“fairyland”.ItsmainscenicsitesareLongLake,theSwordRock,theNuorilangWaterfall,theShuzhengLakes,thePandaLake,andtheFiveFlowerLake.11.2.7TheDunhuangMogaoGrottoesTheDunhuangMoga,alsocalledthe“CaveofTenThousandBuddhas”,arelocatedontheeasternfootoftheMingshaMountain25kmsoutheastofDunhuanginGansuProvince.TheyareoneofthefourgreatgrottoesinChinaandalsothelargestBuddhistgrottoeswiththemostsubstantivecontentsintheworld.TheDunhuangMogaoGrottoes,originallybuiltin366AD,extend1610mfromsouthtonorth.Thereare492caves,45000squaremetresofmurals,andover2000statuesindifferentcolors.Thecavesaredifferentinsizeandthestatuesarevariedinheight.Thebigstatuesaregrandandthesmallonesarerefined.ThemuralsareextremelyexquisiteandmainlydepictthestoriesoftheBuddhistscriptures.Theirhighartisticattainmentandrichimaginationimpressvisitorswithbreathlessadmiration.OfalltheartformsoftheDunhuangMogaoGrottoes,muralshavethelargestnumberandtherichestcontent.Thesemuralsareofgreathistoricalandartisticvalue.ThemuralspaintedintheprimeoftheTangDynastyareofthehighestattainment.11.2.8FamousAncientTownsandVillagesTheOldTownofLijiangPerchedinthenorthwestofYunnanProvince,theOldTownofLijianghasahistoryofover800years.TheOldTown’sstreetsarehaphazardlydistributed.Themainstreetsareclosetoriversandsmalllanesarenearcanals.Thetownisdecoratedwithover76stonebridges,crisscrossingriversflowingwithwater,verdanttrees,ancientlanes,andoldhouses.Theharmonioussceneshaveearneditareputationasthe“OrientalVenice”.TheOldTownofLijianghasmyriadsofhistoricalrelicsandrichculture.ItisanancienttownthathasbeenbestpreservedandhasthemostdistinctiveethnicstylesinChina.The“Dongbacharacter”of“Dongbaculture”and“Naxiancientmusic”arejustlikelivingfossilsinChina’sculturalhistory.JadeDragonSnowMountainis13kmawayfromthenorthofLijiang,runningfromthenorthtothesouthwithacoverageareaof960squaremetres.Thehigh-mountainsnowscenerystandsatabove4500minaltitude.LocatedinYixiancounty,Anhuiprovince,XidiandHongcunhavealonghistoryofmorethan900years.TheoriginalresidentialstylesandfeaturesoftheMingandQingdynastieswerepreservedperfectlyhere,sotheyarereputedas“livingancientresidentialmuseums”