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Beijing
Since AD 1000, Beijing, the city has served as a main or subsidiary
residence for a series of dynasties. Under the rule of the
Mongol emperor Kublai Khan in the 13th century, it was known
as Khanbaliq, the city of Khan. The city did not receive its
typical form which still survives today, until the rule of
the Ming dynasty. The Emperor Yongle is considered its actual
planner and architect. Beijing lies on a plain that opens
to the south. In an anologue to this position, all important
buildings in the city are built to face the south, protected
from harmful yin influences from the north such as the Siberian
winter or the enemies from the steppes, for it was in the
south that the generosity and warmth of the yang sphere was
thought to reside. As a result, the Outer or Southern Gate
to the city, was the largest, most beautiful and most sacred
of its kind. The Coal Hill (Jingshan) to the north of the
Imperial Palace, which when the air is clear has a beautiful
view of the rooftops of Beijing, was probably created according
to geomantic considerations. Some attractive and interesting
places in Beijing include:
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Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) (Beijing)
The symbol of New China, this gate was built in 1417 and renovated
in 1981. It was originally called the Gate of Heavenly Succession.
The late Chairman Mao proclaimed the founding of the People's
Republic of China on the rostrum on October 1st, 1949. The
gate has five passages, which were closed and used only on
ceremonial occasions in the old days. The emperor alone was
entitled to pass through the central passage. Before leaving
on a journey he would make a sacrifice in front of the gate.
At other times imperial edicts were sent down, in a gilded
box shaped like a phoenix, to officials kneeling below. Hence
the expression:" the Imperial Orders Given by the Gilded
Phoenix." The edict was then taken to the Ministry of
Rites where copies were made for dispatch to the whole country.
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 The
Temple of Heaven (Beijing)
The Temple of Heaven is one of the most strictly protected
and preserved cultural heritages of China. There are 12 million
visitors every year.
The Circular Mound Altar - The largest group of architectures
ever to be dedicated to Heaven. The Temple of Heaven served
as an exclusive altar for Chinese monarchs during the Ming
and Qing dynasties. It was decreed that rulers of successive
dynasties would place altars in their own capitals to worship
Heaven and pray for a good harvest. The ancient Chinese believed
that Heaven was the supreme ruler of the universe and the
fate of mankind, and thus worshiping rites dedicated to Heaven
came into being. The Heaven the ancient Chinese referred to,
was actually the Universe, or nature. In those days, there
were specific rites of worship. This was especially true during
the Ming and Qing dynasties when elaborate ceremonies were
held.
The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 during
the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. Situated
in the southern part of the city, this grand set of structures
covers an area of 273 hectares. To better symbolize heaven
and earth, the northern part of the Temple is circular while
the southern part is square. The whole compound is enclosed
by two walls, a square wall outside a round one inside. The
outer area is characterized by suburban scenery, while the
inner part is used for sacrifices. The inner enclosure consists
of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Circular Mound
Altar.
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 The
Great Wall (Beijing)
The Great Wall, symbolizing China's ancient civilization,
is one of the world's most renowned projects. It is a distance
of 75 kilometres northwest of Beijing. Its highest point at
Badaling is some 800 metres above sea level.
Construction of the Wall first began during the period of
the Warring States (476 - 221 BC). Formerly, walls were built
at strategic points by different kingdoms to protect their
northern territories. In 221 BC after the first Emperor of
the Qin Dynasty unified China, he decided to have the walls
linked up and extended.
Historical records show that about 1 million people, one-fifth
of China's population at the time, were involved in the project
which took more than ten years. When it was finished they
called it "Wan Li Chang Cheng" which means "Ten
Thousand-Li-Long Wall". Now, nature has taken over most
of the Great Wall.
The Great Wall, was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty in the
16th century. It extends from Shanhaiguan Pass, a seaport
along the coast of Bohai Bay, to Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu Province.
Its total length is more than 6,700 kilometres.
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The Ming Tombs (Beijing)
The Ming Dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644. The first Ming
emperor had his tomb built in Nanjing, the town which he had
chosen for his capital. As his eldest son died early, he was
succeeded by his grandson, who became the second emperor.
His fourth son, the Prince of Yan, was guarding the northern
frontier near Beijing with an army 100,000 strong. The second
emperor attempted to weaken his forces but was met with counter-attacks.
After a 3-year war he was ousted and completely. So, the fourth
son became the third emperor, Emperor Yongle, of the Ming
Dynasty.
As a frontier commander, he was aware that a peaceful northern
frontier was of great importance to the Ming Palace and he
chose this valley to build his tomb. All his successors followed
his example and had their tombs built here, except one who
was dethroned and buried in the western suburb. Out of the
sixteen emperors, thirteen lie here with their empresses and
concubines.
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 Forbidden
City (Beijing)
This is the Palace Museum, also known as the Purple Forbidden
City. It is the largest and most well preserved imperial residence
in China today. Under Ming Emperor Yongle, construction began
in 1406. It took 14 years to build the Forbidden City. The
first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Emperor Zhudi.
For five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence
of 23 successive emperors until 1911 when Qing Emperor Puyi
was forced to abdicate the throne. In 1987, the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized
the Forbidden City as a world cultural legacy.
It is believed that the Palace Museum, or
Zi Jin Cheng (Purple Forbidden City), got its name from astronomy
and folklore. The ancient astronomers divided the constellations
into groups and centered them around the Ziwei Yuan (North
Star). The constellation containing the North Star was called
the Constellation of Heavenly God and the star itself was
called the purple palace. Because the emperor was supposedly
the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position
would be further highlighted by the use of the word purple
in the name of his residence.
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The Summer Palace (Beijing)
The construction of the Summer Palace first started in 1750.
At that time, the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday and China
was a powerful Asian country with vast territories. The monarch
in power then was Emperor Qianlong. With supreme power and
large sums of money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans
from all over the country to carry out this construction work
in honor of his mother's birthday. After 15 years and one
seventh of the nation's annual revenue spent, the Garden of
Clear Ripples was completed and served as a testimony to China's
scientific and technological achievements. In 1860, this vast
royal garden was burnt down along with the Yuanming Yuan (Garden
of Perfection and Brightness) by Anglo-French allied forces.
In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi reconstructed the garden on
the same site and renamed it the Garden of Nurtured Harmony
(Summer Palace). Characterized by its vast scope and rich
cultural embodiments, the Summer Palace has become one of
the most famous tourist sites in the world.
The East Gate is the main entrance to the
Summer Palace. On top of the eaves of the door there is a
plaque bearing a Chinese inscription which means "Garden
of Nurtured Harmony, " whose calligrapher was Emperor
Guangxu. The gate was used exclusively by the emperor, the
empress and the queen mother. All others used the side doors.
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Yonghegong Lamasery (Beijing)
Yonghegong is a famous lamasery located in the northeastern
part of the old city of Beijing. It was a palatial residence
built in 1694 by Qing Emperor Kangxi for his fourth son, Prince
Yongzheng who later succeeded to the throne. This magnificent
temple consists of five main buildings lying on the north-south
axis, with annex halls standing on both sides. The temple
is listed by the Chinese Government as one of the important
historical monuments under special preservation.
After the death of his father, Emperor Yongzheng
moved to the Forbidden City. The compound was closed to ordinary
people and was renamed Yonghegong (the Palace of Harmony).
Green roof tiles were replaced by yellow ones to suit a monarch's
home. In 1744 his successor Emperor Qianlong converted the
palace into a lamasery.
Several renovations have been carried out
since 1949. The temple has taken on a new look and was reopened
to the public in 1981. It is now not only a functional lama
temple, but also a tourist attraction.
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The Temple of Confucius (551 BC-479 BC)
(Beijing)
The Temple of Confucius, the present site of the Capital Museum
is located in Guozijian Street. It is here that Confucius
was worshipped during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271
- 1911). The temple was first built by Kublai Khan in 1302
in the Yuan Dynasty, and was restored and rebuilt on several
occasions during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1737, during
the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong, the major hall was renovated
and was recovered with magnificent yellow glazed roof tiles.
In 1906, when the worship of Confucius was further emphasized
by the Qing Government, the temple underwent extensive restoration
which lasted until 1916.
Covering a total area of 22,000 square metres,
the temple makes up four courtyards. The principal structures
include Xianshimen (Gate of Ancient Teacher), Dachengmen (Gate
of Great Accomplishment), Dachengdian (Hall of Great Accomplishment),
Chongshengci (Worship Hall), the eastern part of the front
courtyard is taken up by the Pavilions for Stone Tablets,
the Holy Kitchen, the Pavilion for Sacrificial Animals and
the Well Pavilion; in the west, there are more pavilions for
Stone Tablets, the hall of Vegetarian Diet and the Gate of
Reverence which opens onto Guozijian (Imperial Academy). One
either side of the courtyard, are arranged 198 stone tablets
bearing 51,624 names of Advanced Scholars of the Yuan, Ming
and Qing dynasties who passed the triennial imperial examinations.
Inside the Gate of Great Accomplishment are placed ten stone
drums which were made on ancient models 1736 to 1795 of the
Qing Dynasty and erected as two tablets associated with the
event.
It was in the Hall of Great Accomplishment
that Confucius was worshipped. The grand hall with its double
eaves is flanked by the east and west wings. The east wing
now houses an exhibition of the history of Beijing. In the
compound of the temple, there are fourteen other pavilions
for Stone Tablets of the Ming and Qing dynasties where inscriptions
of great historical value are carved.
The Order of Arrangement of the Six Classics is as Follows:
1. Shi or The Book of Poetry
2. Shu or The Book of Rites
3. Li or The Book of Rites
4. Yue or The Book of Music
5. Yi or The Book of Changes
6. Chunqiu or The Spring and Autumn Annals
Modern scholars regard Confucius as the author of some of
the classics and the compiler or organizer of the others.
He is supposed to have arranged his own works in a sort of
psychological order, from simple to complex, as a great teacher
would do, Shi, Shu, Li and Yue constitute the general course
of study, while Yi and Chunqiu are more of a technical nature
and represent ancient concepts brought forward and captured
in Confucius time, and constitute a higher course of study.
Shi and Shu are used for reading or symbolic education; Li
and Yue are for practice or moral education; Yi and Chunqiu
represent the philosophy of Confucius. They contain his social
and political theories and cannot be understood by ordinary
students. They are the technical learning and belong to a
higher form of education. That is why they are put at the
end of the whole course of study. The Yi or The Book of Change
has origins from ancient times rooted in the Yin-Yang and
Five Agencies theory.
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 Xi'an
Xi'an, the historical city,
was called Chang'an in ancient times, and is now the capital
of Shaanxi province.
Xi'an is situated in the
centre of Weihe Plain with the towering and verdant Mt.Qinling
in the south, with the meandering and rolling Beishan mountain
system in the north and eight rivers around it, all of which
are at Guang Zhong Plain (the centre of passes). Historically,
it was famous for being called "a gold city stretching
a thousand li" with its fertile soil, mild climate, adequate
rainfall and rich products.
Xi'an has a long history.
Since the earliest societies, humanity lived and multiplied
here. It served as a capital for twelve dynasties, including
the Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui and Tang dynasties,
spanning over 1120 years. It became the oriental cultural
centre of the Silk Road.
Many dynasties kept the city
beautiful and magnificent. More than two hundred and seventy
palaces and temples, for example, were built in the Qin dynasty,
in the Han dynasty the "Three Han Palaces", namely
Changle, Weiyang, Jianzhang Palaces, and numerous other palaces
and watch towers were built. In the City of Chang'an of the
Sui and Tang dynasties, luxurious palaces sprang up like trees,
of which Taiji, Daming and Xingqing Palaces and the forbidden
garden of the Tang dynasty to the north of the town were very
large. Now, from these architectural sites people still can
imagine the general picture of what Chang'an City was like,
then. All the emperors of the Qin, Han, Tang and other dynasties
had their magnificent mausoleums built. Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum
at the foot of Lishan Hill in Lintong country, for example,
is the earliest example of a grand mausoleum for an emperor
in ancient China. The twelve emperors of the Western Han dynasty
were mostly buried on the plateau to the north of the Weihe
River. Their tomb-mounds were man-made and quite imposing,
but emperors of the Tang dynasty began to have their tombs
constructed into hills. They are scattered in the counties
to the north of the Weihe River and called the "Eighteen
Tang Mausoleums". In front of these mausoleums were erected
huge stone carvings, while inside them were exquisite funeral
objects and colourful murals, a feast for one's eyes. Some
of the monasteries and Buddhist pagodas constructed in many
dynasties have remained well preserved, including the most
famous ones, known as the Big Wild Goose (Da Yan) Pagoda in
Ci'en Temple and the Small Wild Goose (Xiao Yan) Pagoda in
Jianfu Temple. The bronze wares of ancient China are an important
example of the splendid culture that reflect this slave society.
Feng and Haoin the Xi'an area, which were the capitals of
the Western Zhou dynasty, have been acclaimed as "the
Home of the Bronze wares", as a wealth of bronze items
were unearthed from there, over the years. It was quite popular
to put up stone tablets in front of tombs to record the merits
and achievements of the departed, in many dynasties, and a
great deal of stone tablets and calligraphy data remain to
this day. So Xi'an is also famous for being "the Home
of Calligraphy".
Aside from being a major
tourist destination and historical city, today Xi'an is an
important industrial and manufacturing center. Despite the
incredible history that Xi'an carries, it is a modern and
prosperous area. The nightlife here is pretty up to date and
Xi'an's University is considered to be one of the best in
China. As a result, the city has a large student population
who contribute to the cultural life of the city, making Xi'an
one of the most pleasant cities in China and an ideal place
to break the journey between Beijing and Shanghai.
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Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum and
the Terra-cotta Warriors & Horses Pits (Xi'an)
In 221 B.C., Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty established
the first centralized feudal dynasty in China. After his death,
he was buried at the northern foot of Lishan Hill in the east
of Lintong county. The tomb is a rammed-soil mound, 47m. high
and its base is 485m.¡Á 515m..
In 1974, three large pits of terra-cotta figures were found
1.5 km. east of the mausoleum. The excavation revealed more
than 1.000 pieces of pottery figurines, bronze chariots, horses
and weapons. So far, three burial pits have been found. The
No. 1 pit buried a rectangular formation of chariots and army
troops; the No. 2 pit buried a winding formation of chariots,
army troops and cavalries; and the No. 3 pit was a command
headquarters. Now, a Terra-cotta Army Museum has been set
up for the protection of the discovery. All of them were finely
made, and they're transcendental artworks. The Museum of Emperor
Qinshihuang's Tomb Figures of Soldiers and Horses are one
of the 10 most famous places in China, and are announced as
a world cultural heritage by UNESCO.
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The Huaqing Pool (Xi'an)
The Huaqing Pool is situated at the foot of Lishan Mountain
in the south and borders on the Wei River in the north, almost
35 kilometers eastward from Xi'an City.
Being a villa palace and a resort for emperors
and kings in ancient times, it has a history of more than
3000 years. As early as the Western Zhou period, King Zhouyou
had Lishan Palace constructed here. Qin Shihuang built a stone
pool named "Fairy's Spring". Both the Han Emperor
Widi and Sui Emperor Wendi enlarged it.
During the Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Xuanzong
ordered large-scale construction by transforming spring wells
into pools housed in walled palaces. These were called the
"Huaqing Palace" and "the Spring pool".
The Emperor and his concubine Lady Yang often came here for
pleasure.
Apart from some well-preserved historical buildings in the
Huaqing pool, there are also some magnificent newly built
halls and pools such as "the Nine Dragon pool" and
"Chenxiang Hall".
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The Bell Tower (Xi'an)
The Bell Tower is situated in the center of Xi'an City. It
was built in 1384 (the 17th year of the Ming Hongwu Era) originally
at the end of today's Guanji Street, and was moved to its
current position in 1582 (the 10th year of the Ming Wanli
Era). It was even rebuilt in 1740 (the 5th year of the Qing
Qianlong Era). The copper bell was hung in the tower to give
the correct time at dawn, so it's named as the Bell Tower.
Made of blue bricks, the base platform looks
like a square, 8.6 meters high and 35.5 meters wide, and covers
more than 1370 square meters. Its height altogether is 36
meters from the ground to the top of the tower. It's a magnificent
construction rich in national style of classic elegance and
beauty. It' is totally made of bricks and wood covered with
deep green glazed tiles, eaves and rooms overlapping, each
of the four corners has 4 peaks, hoppers, Zaojing (also decorations),
woodcarving and colored drawing are on each floor. The whole
city will appear before your eyes if you climb the tower and
look into the distance.
The new bell in the ancient city Xi'an resembles
the Jingyun Bell of the Tang Dynasty, and was beaten at dawn
in the new Ding Chou spring, and from then this sight have
reappeared in the ancient city. The original Jingyun Bell
of the Tang Dynasty is now a state level cultural relic, it's
the most famous bronze bell in existence. Its timbre is utterly
beautiful. With delicate workmanship, it was floridly decorated
and inscribed by Tang Ruizong. Originally, it was hung in
the tower to tell the correct time. In order to use the cultural
resource fully, the Bureau of the Xi'an Cultural Relic made
a bell resembling the Jingyun Bell. Its total height is 2.45
meters, weight 6.5 tons, and the outside diameter of the bell
skirt is 1.65 meters. The sculpture, grain decoration and
inscriptions of the new one are all the same as those of the
old.
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The Xi'an City Wall (Xi'an)
The Xi'an City Wall is the best preserved, oldest and largest
ancient city defence system in China. It is also one of the
most important landmarks of the Xi'an city. The original foundation
of the Xi'an City Wall was based on the ruins of the Imperial
City Wall of Chang'an City--the capital of the Tang Dynasty.
In 904 A.D. when the capital of the Tang Dynasty was moved
eastward, the Governor-general Han Jian had the city renovated
and turned it into an army garrison and named it "New
City". Since then the city was used continuously by Song
and Yuan Dynasties, and its features kept unchanged. The Ming
Dynasty was set up in 1368 and the Ming army entered the city
in 1369. Afterward the city was renamed as "the Prefecture
of Xi'an".
In 1370 the First Ming Emperor Zhu Yuan Zhang
conferred the title of "King of Qin" on his second
son Zhu Shuang and sent him to rule in Shaanxi. The King's
official residence was chosen and built in Xi'an City. According
to the Ming Dynasty's stipulation, when the title of King
was conferred upon the Emperor's son, his costume, carriage,
flag and residence had to be one grade lower than the emperors'.
The old city was dilapidated and its size was small, so it
was not up to the standard. In 1370, the government began
to extend the size of Xi'an City, and build the huge project
of the residence for the King of Qin. It was completed within
eight years.
When the city began to take shape, it was
divided into inner city and outer city. The outer city is
13.7 km. in circumference and it occupies an area of 11.5
square km. The structure of the City Wall was earth-rammed.
Around the City Wall there are jutting ramparts, sentry towers,
corner towers, gate towers, battlements and a series of city
defensive fortifications which were scientifically and compactly
laid out with very strong defence capability.
The inner city was the residence for the
King of Qin. It was built at the high terrain in the north-eastern
part of the city, from where the whole city could be well
under control by virtue of its advantageous of geographical
position. The residence was enclosed by two successive walls
and a protective moat. The principal part of the architectural
complex was built according the traditional pattern of "Palace
in the front and bedchamber at the back". The important
palaces and temples were longitudinally arranged in a round
pivot order. They looked magnificent. During the 200 year
reign of the Ming Dynasty, the inner city continuously served
as the military and political center of Shaanxi, where the
successive 14 Kings of Qing acted on the order of the Emperor
to rule Shaanxi.
The Xi'an City Wall has a history of over
600 years since it was built in the early Ming Dynasty. Nowadays,
this old historical relic is not only an important material
object for the study of ancient military science but also
a sightseeing and entertainment resort for visitors.
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Great Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi'an)
Great Wild Goose Pagoda spires loftily in the Daci'en Temple.
The temple is in the south suburb of Xi'an, the ancient capital.
The pagoda was originally situated within the premises of
the Temple of Motherly Kindness in the Jinchang Block in the
Chang'an city of the Tang Dynasty.
The Temple was built in 648 A.D. (twenty-second
year of Zhenguan of the Tang) by the then Prince Li Zhi, who
later became Emperor Gaozong, to honor his mother, Empress
Wende.
The Pagoda itself was built in 652 (third
year of Yonghui of the Tang Emperor Gaozong). A square pyramid
of blue brick, it is 64 meters high, with seven stories. It
is simple in shape, and of lofty proportion. Preserved on
the four stone doors in the base of the pagoda are exquisite
engravings of the Tang. Two steles with "the preface
to the Sacred Religion" written by the famous Tang calligrapher
Chu Suiliang are set into the walls on the either side of
the south door of the pagoda. Because of their distinctive
and elegant inscriptions, the steles are valuable data for
the art of calligraphy.
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Shanghai
Shanghai, also called
in short in Chinese "Hu" or "Shen", situated
at 31.14 degrees north latitude and 121.29 degrees east longitude,
in the middle of China's east coastline, is a gate to the
Changjiang River valley. Shanghai has a delightful climate
with four distinct seasons. Shanghai is a municipality under
the direct jurisdiction of the central government. It is the
largest economic and trade centre in the country and a comprehensive
industrial base. Shanghai Port is the leading port in China.
It is an open city along the coast, as well as a famous historical
and cultural city. Its total area is 6,341 sq.km., of which
the Pudong New Area occupies 523 sq.km. Its total population
is over 13 million.
Shanghai is well known
both at home and abroad not only for its prosperous metropolitan
features and rich humanistic resources but also for a number
of tourist attractions with a modern flavour that have been
developed in recent years. Varied and colourful tourist festivities,
like the Shanghai Tourism Festival, the New Year Eve Longhua
Temple Bell Striking, the Longhua Temple Fair, the Nanhui
County Peach Blossom Festival, the International Tea Culture
Festival, the Sweet Osmanthus Festival and the Orange Festival
are attracting an even increasing number of domestic and foreign
tourists.
Shanghai is an ideal "shopping
paradise"; Nanjing Road, known as "China's No.1
Street", the reconstructed Huaihai Road, Jinling Road,
East, North Sichuan Road, the Yuyuan Garden shopping and tourist
area, the Ever Bright City Commercial Centre, Xujiahui Commercial
Centre, and Zhangyang Road Commercial Centre in Pudong are
packed with rows of shops arrayed with large collections of
merchandise that are a feast to the eyes and meet the demands
of different classes of domestic and foreign customers. Shanghai
is also a paradise for gourmets. There are over a thousand
restaurants serving the famous 16 styles of Chinese food,
such as Beijing, Sichuan, Guangdong, Yangzhou, Fujian, etc.
There are also French, Russian, Italian, English, German,
Japanese, Indian and other kinds of foreign flavoured cuisines,
genuine Muslim food and vegetarian food. In Shanghai you can
have a taste of all the different kinds of food in the world.
Shanghai is well developed in communications in air, land
and sea, which render tourists with fast, efficient and quality
service.
In building Shanghai into
an international metropolis the open-minded, cheerful and
hospitable Shanghai people warmly welcome visitors from all
places in China and the world.
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Yuyuan Garden & Bazar (Shanghai)
The Yuyuan Garden on the road of the same name in downtown
is perhaps the best example of classical gardens of Shanghai.
Built in 1559, or the 38th year of the Jiaqing reign of the
Ming, the garden is laid out in an intricate manner, with
buildings spaced providently, courtyards and all the components
of the complex are cunningly grouped to camouflage a rather
camped space. As a paragon of the south Chinese landscaping
style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, it is a MUST for all
visitors to Shanghai. The neighboring Yuyuan Bazaar, known
among old-timers as "Old City God's Temple Market",
is a rising tourist and shopping center where visitors loitering
among a cluster of shops, restaurants and recreation facilities
invariably find themselves making a tour of discovery of local
folklore and Ming and Qing architecture.
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Temple of Jade Buddha (Shanghai)
The Yufo (Jade Buddha) Temple was built in 1882 but after
all those years it remains in perfect condition as a sanctuary
of Zen Buddhism. The temple derived its name from a jade statue
of Sakyamuni from Myanmar. The image of the Buddha, his graceful
posture, and the serene and calm look on his face are, to
put it in just one word, are "mesmerizing".
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The Bund (Shanghai)
By the glittering Huang Pu River, stands one after another,
the tall and huge architecture reflecting an air of prosperity
for the oriental city - Shanghai. And this is Bund, the place
well known to the world, being the symbol of Shanghai.
Generally speaking, Bund usually represents
the 24 architectures along from No.1 to No.33, west of No.1
East Zhong Shan Road. Most are bank buildings about 10 in
number. The others are commercial buildings, national organizations,
restaurants, clubs, press etc. Bund assembles the architectural
buildings of finance and trade. And these big banks as well
as big companies are of international nature, thus Shanghai
is internationalized. Most of the architecture was built before
1937. People have made the best use of the fine architecture
as a contribution for Shanghai in the international arenasociety.
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Pedestrians Only" Nanjing Road (Shanghai)
Flanked on both sides by famed shopping centers, department
stores, specialty stores, exotic restaurants and cultural
and recreational facilities, the 5-km-long Nanjing Road is
the most sophisticated shopping and tourist complex in Shanghai.
Everyday more than 1 million visitors throng it.
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