China Guide 2008

Heritage: the Old Town of Lijiang

Exploring Lijiang is like opening a Chinese jewel chest – each exquisitely crafted compartment leads to richer more dazzling sights.

Perched at bottom of the Himalayas and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this remote town in southwest China’s Yunnan Province is a show-stealer for its amazing landscape and rich culture. Nestled in a valley ringed with snow-capped mountains, springs, lakes and frothy rivers, nature’s touch extends into Lijiang County. The Old Town (gǔchéng 古城) is full of cobbled streets, crisscrossing canals flowing with water, swaying willow trees and gaily-hued blossoms. Every so often, a bridge – stone, wooden, flat, arched, roofed – pops up and along it trundles local folk in traditional dress.

Over 22 different ethnic minorities have made Lijiang their home, amongst them are the Lisu, Pumi, Bai, Yi, Tibetan, Miao and Naxi. People of Lijiang are like vibrant butterflies: cheerful, busy and visually stunning. The market squares and alleys are peppered with locals in their individual ethnic fashions, ornaments and hairstyles. Local customs, architecture, spiritual beliefs, language, arts and craft are influenced by ethnic diversity and are rich with symbolism and creativity. (more…)

Heritage: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Norbu Lingka

Surrounded by jagged mountains and steeped in mysticism, Buddhism continues to define Lhasa’s culture. Busy markets, sweet incense and flowing yellow robes all greet you as you take your first step into the city.

After spending hours gazing out of your airplane window at snow peaked mountains, the clouds finally open up to reveal a vast plain surrounded by mountains. It’s as if you have arrived in another world of clouds, mountains and color. Lhasa is the heart of this Buddhist land hidden away amongst the mightiest mountain range in this world, the Himalayas.

In Lhasa you’ll find religion blended into every aspect of life – the city is the spiritual anchor of Tibet. Lhasa literally means “holy land” and it’s a well-deserved name. With many holy sites, Lhasa is an important place of pilgrimage for people from all over Tibet who stream into the city from far-flung villages. They’re easily identifiable with their prayer flags and prayer wheels; the signs of devotion abound throughout the land. (more…)

The “Spring City” is one of the most beautiful places in China, cradled in the foothills of the Himalayas and decorated with diverse flora and fauna – all wrapped up with a culturally rich history.

Marco Polo may have been the first Westerner to be captivated by Yunnan’s awesome natural beauty, cultural diversity and food. Wandering the city, one sees minority peoples in embroidered garb selling fruit and a huge variety of beautiful tropical flowers from baskets carried on bamboo poles slung across their shoulders, towering mountains, and clean fresh air contrasted with a bustling rapidly modernizing Chinese city with large scale construction projects.

Kunming’s history goes back thousands of years. The city obtained fame during the Ming dynasty because of Kunming’s ready supply of metals, the main source for Ming coins. Also a large center of trade, the city nonetheless remained relatively isolated from the rest of China. In fact, it was considered a form of semi-banishment for imperial officials to be posted here. Upon the completion of the Indochina railroad in 1910, Kunming rapidly opened up and became more accessible to the rest of the world, but still remains a nice contrast to the bustling chaos of other Chinese cities. Kunming is also a major exporter of flowers – it’s impossible for their presence to go unnoticed because their scent wafts through the streets. (more…)

Heritage: Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong

Sprinkled with an incredible palette of natural colors, Sichuan’s UNESCO listed nature reserves are home to rare animals and plants as well as the Baima Tibetan minority.

Jiuzhaigou’s patchwork of shimmering lakes was discovered when scientists trailing some pandas, observing their habitat and migratory patterns, followed the pandas into this scenic wonderland. Scientists believe the lakes were formed because of the calcium carbonate in the flowing water when the earth was between ice ages. When the global climate warmed up, the calcium carbonate became active and attached itself to obstacles in the water, forming the milky white, lunar shapes in Jiuzhaigou’s lake water. The scenery in the area leaves most breathless as the sheer beauty of the lakes and the vibrancy of the colors defy explanation.

Cut into the mountains in the shape of a “Y,” three valleys, Shuzheng, Rize and Zechawa, extend over 50km into three main zones. Pathways and roads have been laid in the valley areas and buses ferry tourists from one section of park to another. The average height of the hills overlooking the valley is around 1,800m, but the elevations here are gentle, making for easy strolls as well as strenuous, longer hikes. Nearest to the park’s entrance lies the Shuzheng Lakes. Of the 114 lakes in Jiuzhaigou, only Shuzheng, Rize Valley, Zechawa and Zharu Valley are open to tourism. Shuzheng is the largest of the lake areas, so if time is limited, this is where you should spend your time. (more…)

Hidden amongst jagged karst mountains, misty waterfalls and undulating hills, Guiyang is a gem hidden under layers of gorgeous scenery, and with each step, a new vista emerges.

Guizhou Province is in China’s southwest on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau over 1,000m above sea level. The mountainous terrain has diligently kept much of the province’s early history a mystery. This mystique is heightened by the province’s misshapen land. Craggy rock formations poke out of the rough earth, rivers are squeezed by narrow mountains and form swift rapids. One of China’s most spectacular waterfalls can be found in Anshun, a small city not far from Guiyang.

A local saying goes, “It doesn’t go more than three days without raining and you won’t find more than a square meter of flat land,” and despite being agriculturally poor because of the mountainous terrain, it’s same mountains that make the province so appealing for the visitor. The rugged landscape is constantly changing, one moment there are expansive mountains that stretch to the clouds then around the next bend are waterfalls splashing down sheer cliffs with rivers that spill into raging rapids past old growth forests and into underground caverns. After a day of exploring, chances are you’ll be tired, but the visual spectacle will keep your eyes begging for more. (more…)

Dali is a little present waiting for you after a strenuous journey by road. It offers a lake shore dotted with rustic villages, mountains cut with waterfalls and the relaxed atmosphere of a backpacker’s retreat.

While tourists choke its streets today, centuries before Dali was visited by flocks of foreign invaders, who coveted this little town for its favorable location near the Silk Road. Legend goes that Piluoge, an 8th century prince from Yunnan, invited his rivals to a feast, burnt them alive, then set out to merge six small Dai kingdoms into the powerful Nanzhao Kingdom. Dali, called Taihe at the time, became capital of this powerful kingdom, which enjoyed hegemony over northern Yunnan and upper Myanmar. From here, the ruler of Nanzhao controlled the east to west trade route to India until the kingdom fell in the 13th century under the attack of the Mongol armies of Kublai Khan.

Set against the stunning mountain backdrop of Cang Shan in northwest Yunnan Province, lackadaisical Dali holds very little to remind the visitor of its turbulent past. In the revitalized town of Old Dali (dàlǐ gǔchéng 大理古城), a backpacker’s paradise of cappuccinos and pizza joints alternate with traditional shops selling tea, Chinese medicine and handicrafts. The cobbled streets of the old town are filled with the patter of feet as tourists and locals alike take leisurely jaunts through the small town. Be aware that the nearby town of Xiaguan is also called Dali City. Don’t end up in the middle of Xiaguan wondering why the small town has suddenly turned into a midsized gray city. (more…)

Heritage: Dazu Rock Carvings

Chongqing has long been a staging post for river journeys and a gateway to China’s wild west. With its steep hills, raging rivers and spicy food, there’s something for everyone.

Overlooking the confluence of the Yangtze and the Jialing Rivers, Chongqing is known throughout China as the “Mountain City.” Many of city’s hills are so precipitous that bicycles are scarce and motorcycles a far more common sight. Largely determined by its mountainous topography, Chongqing’s districts are spread over a series of hilltops and separated by major rivers. As your taxi or bus zips across the overpasses linking the areas, check out the precariously stacked apartment buildings clinging to the hillsides. It’s possible for one of these buildings to have both the first floor and the fifth floor at ground level.

Although Chongqing’s major tourist destination, the Three Gorges (sān xiá 三峡), is now being inundated by waters from the Three Gorges Dam, the city has its own inherent charm and the region is worth exploring. Known for its spicy food and hot-tempered people, Chongqing, with its mountains and fog and its bubbling hotpots has secured a place in the Chinese imagination. (more…)

Heritage: Qingcheng Shan & the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Emei Shan & Le Shan Giant Buddha

Get comfortable in a bamboo chair and watch life go by in one of Chengdu’s countless teahouses. Feast on the famously spicy Sichuan cuisine, and don’t forget to visit the pandas.

A giant statue of Chairman Mao marks the center of Chengdu. Surrounded by flashy advertisements, the chairman oversees the movements in the capital of Sichuan Province from atop his podium. The Sichuan is endowed with fertile land and its nickname, “China’s breadbasket” and is fitting considering there are more than 40 ethnic minorities living in the province.

Chengdu is over 2,500-year-old, paper money was first used here during the Song dynasty, but despite its laidback feel, is rapidly developing as an important commercial center in western China. In the drive to modernization, many of Chengdu’s traditional areas have been torn down, but there are still enough traditional areas and historical sights to keep visitors entertained. (more…)