Things to see and do China

Near the monastery, this Buddha statue, all bronze and recent invoices (1993), reaches a height of 34 m and weights 202 tons. There is a staircase of 268 steps. Once at the top, and if it is fine, we have a breathtaking view of the islands south of Tong Fuk's village.

This is the emblematic location of Shanghai and the ideal place to discover the history of the city.

A large number of buildings also deserve to be visited. Ancient palaces, large banks seats, some of the Bund buildings are mythical.

The Peace Hotel, which has just opened its doors after a long renovation period, is a masterpiece of Art Deco signed in 1929 by the most famous architectural agency of the time: Palm and Turner. The building illustrates the power of a family of entrepreneurs from Baghdad: the. Victor Sassoon, nicknamed the King of Real Estate, left behind a formidable architectural heritage. In addition to the peace hotel, which originally opened its name (the Sassoon House), it also built the Broadway Mansion, north of the Bund, the Embankment House which overlooks Suzhou River and the complex of the Jinjiang Hotel in the former French concession. The Peace Hotel will be distinguished by its large pyramid of green copper which once housed the apartments of the Sassoon family.

The Astor House, the oldest palace in Shanghai, has hosted great names such as Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin… Built in 1910, you can visit its corridors, borrowing its old wooden flooring over time. His ballroom hosted the first trading of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (in 1990) before it was relocated to Pudong. Deposed by the Peace Hotel in the 1920 s, he kept his charm.

Also, in the centre of the Bund throne the customs building, easily identifiable thanks to its clock tower and its Art Deco architecture of 1927, was built in replacement of a brick structure of the late th century. It is the only Bund building to have retained its function. The clock tower always walks the walk with its Westminster carillon.

Finally, on the left of the customs, is the former Bank of Hong Kong and Shanghai (HSBC) building, an imposing building with a central dome. This building, which was at the time the largest bank in Asia, is the work of the British architects'firm Palmer & Turner, craftsmen of the principal Bund buildings. The building had been requisitioned after the Communists took power to host the Shanghai City Hall, which will remain there until 1995, before moving to the modern buildings of the People's Square.

The Bank of Hong Kong and Shanghai tried to reintegrate its former head office, but in vain: the local authorities demanded such an exorbitant price that its original owner had to abandon it and finally settled at Pudong. It was the Pudong Development Bank that took over the building to make it its head office.

Literally «Palaces of the Eternal Harmony». It's a visit to not miss under any pretext! Located north-east of the Forbidden City, it is one of the largest, one of the most beautiful and best preserved among the temples of Beijing.

History

Formerly designed to be the palace of one of the emperor Kangxi's sons (1661-1722), Emperor Yongzheng, the building was rebuilt under the emperor Qianlong (son and successor of Yongzheng), who transformed him into a temple Tibetan where more than three hundred lamas were established responsible for studying Chinese and tattoo students. Every day there were ceremonies strongly inspired by Tibetan rites, sometimes barbarian, so we were reproducing with a doll the ritual of human sacrifice, some books even say that «red liquids were incorporated into the paste in which the doll was shaped, in order to reproduce the blood!» '. Everything was accompanied by dances executed by masked men… All this belongs to history now and you will not have the opportunity to attend such ceremonies that are no longer practiced and have been replaced by mere recitations of collective prayers around rice offerings and coins. At the fall of the last dynasty, the temple fell into ruins, and had to wait until an order was made the "national monument" to restore it… and reopen its doors in the 1980 s. Today the temple is inhabited by a community of monks, disciples of the Dalai Lama, members of the reformed Yellow Bonnets Cult (Gelukpa).

Visit

The temple consists of a succession of five courses planted with rooms of worship to the increasing importance as progress progresses northwards.

The first hall, the door of the Harmony (Yonghemen), is traditionally dedicated to Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, which welcomes the faithful at the entrance of the temple. On both sides of Maitreya are the two pagoda of Longevity, incrusted with long-lived Buddhist symbols. Two pairs of guards protect the God of evil spirits, because according to Buddhism the Earth would be divided into four worlds protected by armed guards. Behind the screen, facing the north, is a statue of Wei Tuo, the protector of Buddhism.

Then we enter the second courtyard, the buildings that framed it are devoted to studying medicine, mathematics, eyelcerism and Buddhist philosophy. You will notice a beautiful collection of tankas (roller-colored paintings) and, at the bottom of the courtyard in the hall of the Eternal Harmony (Yonghe Dian), the three Buddhas of the present, the Past and the Future.

At the bottom of the third courtyard, the Hall of the Eternal Protection (Yongyou Dian), formerly the bedroom of Emperor Yongzheng while still only a prince, now houses three Buddha wooden Buddhas; the Longevity Buddha in the center, framed on the left by the Buddha of Medicine, and on the right by the Buddha to the roaring lion (the one who scares bad spirits).

Then we enter the fourth court. Do not forget to pause for a few moments to admire some examples of lamaic art in the side galleries, and you will discover in front of you the Salle de la Loi (Falun Dian), or take religious services on a daily basis. The architecture was developed according to the plan of a Greek cross and, by lifting your eyes, you will notice the complexity of the ceiling, unrelated to the previous flags. In the center of the hall, a huge golden statue of Tsong Kapa, the founder of the reformed Gelukpa doctrine, which instituted the abolition of marriage and hereditary mandate for its members. On the side walls of the temple, great frescoes reveal the story of Tsong Kapa, and on the wall of the Five Hundred Arhats, disciples allegedly slept in writing the sutras made by Sakyamuni.

The fifth and last courtyard reveals the Ten Thousand Bonheurs flag (Wan Fu Ge), a three-story pavilion, connected to two side pavilions by two hanging galleries. It is also called the tower of the Great Buddha, as it contains a giant statue of Maitreya. This 26 m high statue (18 m above ground and 8 m below), carved in a single trunk of santal wood from Tibet, is a gift made to Emperor Qianlong by the seventh Dalai Lama.

In the centre of the square is the magnificent Shanghai Museum: The exterior design is not necessarily a success (it looks like a bunker, even though the Shanghaiens nicknamed it "the basket"), but the collections, superbly presented, deserve to be spent a few hours.

The first Shanghai Museum was established in 1952 in the galleries of the old international concession field, today the building with a tower tower located behind the opera. The collections were then installed in the Art Deco building, which can still be seen at the corner of Henan Lu and Yan'an Donglu, before being moved to this new museum, specially built for the occasion and opened in 1995.

The current building in a ballot box consists of eleven galleries, partly funded by donations from overseas Chinese. On the ground floor is the sculpture room, a beautiful collection of 127 pieces, most of them being Buddhist sculptures of the Han Dynasty at Tang. The same floor also houses the bronzes gallery, 440 of the most beautiful pieces in the world: wine cuts, weapons, musical instruments of the periods Shang and Zhou (1480-221 BC), as well as the Spring and Autumns (772-481 BC). You can then visit the first floor of the collection of ceramics, which includes nearly 500 pieces, including the celadon of the Song dynasty and terracotta figurines covered with a layer of Polychrome polychrome ceramics. The entire panoply of the famous blue porcelain in Jindezhen ovens, under the Ming and Qing dynasties, is also in good stead. The museum also includes a room dedicated to Jade (third floor), but also to seals, calligraphy, painting (on the second floor), coins, Ming and Qing furniture (a very beautiful room), crafts of ethnic minorities (third floor).

Three rooms are also dedicated to temporary exhibitions, which are generally of very high quality.

The museum shop on the ground floor offers beautiful catalogues, postcards, but also reproductions of the quality of works. A large tea house opened its doors on the first floor of the museum, in a traditional, soft atmosphere.

The Shanghai Museum is undoubtedly the most beautiful of China, both by the quality of its collections and by its presentation. We are here far from the neon lights of the museums of the capital! Those who are not particularly fascinated by Chinese art will be seduced by these extraordinary collections. As for enthusiasts, they will have to spend long hours exploring this magnificent museum.

Here is undoubtedly one of the most interesting museums in the city. Built in 1975, it traces Hong Kong's history in several aspects: geological, economic, fauna and flora, people, customs… We will also note the screenings of small films for certain themes (in mini-cinema) which makes it a perfect place for children. Finally, some beautiful archeological and ethnographic pieces as well as old photos complement the collection. There are also reconstituted daily life scenes. An informative and playful visit for all ages.

This fishing village occupies the west coast of the island. Once surrounded by salt marshes transformed into fish parks, this village does not lack charm. It is one of the last villages on Hong Kong stilts. It was built and is populated by the Premiers, the first inhabitants of Hong Kong. This community of nomadic fishing for centuries in the waters of the territory. The site is a very pleasant step for lunch. We follow the main street in the heart of the stalls of dried fish and shrimp blocks before access to Kwan Tai temple, right in Kut Hing Hou Jie. It dates back to the th century and is dedicated to the god of War and Droiture. Small altars erected along the street are dedicated to the god of the soil. This practice has been going on for 1 500 years. We turn right on this street (No. 47) to see the temple Hau Wong, dated 1699, dedicated to a hero who mortgaged the last emperor Song of the Mongols. Take right after the bridge and continue up to the roundabout of small houses. Everyone knows everyone here. Houses, which are aluminium-covered to maintain freshness, are transmitted from generation to generation.

In the heart of the skylines, close to the harbour, this large 17 hectare park offers pleasant walks along the banks, an Olympic swimming pool, tennis courts and jogging trails. This is one of the appointments of Tai-chi enthusiasts. It also attracts many of Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year (Flower Market) or the Mid-autumn festival.

The Chinese Pavilion was built at the Shanghai World Exposition (2010) by the architect and director of the He Jingtang academy of architecture. $ 220 million has been invested and the result is at least impressive (63 m high). It is a retournée pagoda that combines tradition with modernity. During the exhibition, subjects were treated around the general theme "a better city for a better life". Now converted into an art centre, it is still worth finding its place in the world of galleries and museums.

The lake, between large sand dunes, is formed by spring water. The dunes of Mingshashan form a spectacle that should not be missed. Especially a day of great wind when these sand hills sing, as Marco Polo had already observed. In the rising sun and above all setting, the landscape of the sand mountains is fantastic.

From here you can make camel walks in the desert of Gobi, or "surf of the sands" or paragliding from the top of the dunes. These relatively quiet activities have now added a lot of noisy quad circuits…

Huashan is one of the five sacred mountains of China. The mount is famous for its four steep granite peaks that resemble a lotus flower (hence its name that means "Mountain of Flowers"). The landscape that jalonneront your hiking is very beautiful. You climb for 7 km to reach the first peak. It takes about 4 hours. It will take you a little more than an hour to reach one of the other three peaks. The south reaches 2 200 m above sea level, but the others offer beautiful views also… and you can then join the three peaks. From northern peak a trail links summits, but there are narrow passages that can be dangerous in bad weather. Traditionally, the Chinese are leaving the evening with lanterns to get to the top of the sun, particularly famous. The sunrise is beautiful but no more. The landscapes have much more interest.

This gigantic tower dating back to 2001 and dominating the entire bay of its 338 m, encompasses the whole perspective around Macau. The site hosts a leisure and exhibition centre, a shopping centre, several restaurants and a cinema. We cannot miss this new monument, at the intersection of Avenida do Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Avenida Stanley Ho. A lift allows access to the 58 ^th floor, covered, and 61st floor open to all winds. The view of the Pearl River Delta, Macao and China, is exceptional. At the top of the tower you can walk, equipped with a harness, on the outer platform, climb the point of the tower, or make a saut leap (!).

This church is the most famous site of Macau. Its monumental facade and staircase are everything that remains of the'largest Christian monument in Asia '. Between 1602 and 1637, Jesuits assisted by Japanese Christians, fleeing from Nagasaki persecutions, built the building on one of the seven hills of Macao. This collegial church was used as an oratory at Collège Saint-Paul in 1594. They were missionaries. Consecrated in 1603, the building was very famous for its beauty, and received lavish donations from the largest kings of Europe. Matteo Ricci and many missionaries studied Chinese before leaving China offering their services to the Ming court as astrologers and mathematicians. In 1835, a fire killed the church only the monumental facade and staircase. The site was re-launched in 1991. The facade is surmounted by the Jerusalem cross. The lower niches houses bronze statues (flows to Macao in a barrel foundry). The Virgin Mary is framed of angels and flowers, the représentant representing China, and chrysanthème him in Japan. Behind the facade, you can go to the empty space that was previously the church (the location of the pillars is marked on the ground). At the bottom of the crypt, in a magnificent and clean place, the relics of the martyrs of Japan and Vietnam are preserved.

We understand why the name of the name is seen by the strange pond in the clear waters, but it is tinged with black because of the aquatic herbs that grow at the bottom. At the end of the pond, a beautiful arched bridge and a Chinese pavilion on water make up a beautiful array of mountains.

This monastery is, especially for the Chinese, the first tourist attraction of Sha Tin. Built on a hill, this complex of the 1950 s consists of four buildings dedicated to various Buddhist deities. The main hall brings together 13,000 Buddhas, located in niches. The top is reached by a staircase of 431 steps.

Built by the Hakka at the beginning of the th century on a granite promontory dominated by the bay, this temple dedicated to the goddess of the Sea Tin Hau now overlooks the tram line. Up to 24 temples are devoted to Tin Hau across the territory.

Longmen is one of three sets of Buddhist caves in China with Yungang (Datong) and Dunhuang. These caves are the city's main attraction today. They are - not surprisingly - classified as UNESCO World Heritage. Take the time to visit them during your stay, both the site is exceptional.

History

Their construction is in fact the result of a major historical change during the period of the North and South Kingdoms. The Emperor Xiaowen of the North Wei (386-534) extended his power on the central plains and decided to transfer the capital of Datong to Luoyang. He veiled that this unique Buddhist art, developed in Datong in the Yungang caves, is perpetuated, decreing Buddhism of state religion, following the custom of the Han. These large sets of imperial caves take place on the cliff over one kilometer on both sides of the Yi River. Formerly named Yi Que (the two guard towers of the Yi River), caves were renamed Longmen (door of the Dragon) under the Sui, then southern gate of the capital, and Seat of the Dragon's Court (symbol of the Imperial Court).

The cave of Guyang was the first to be excavated in 488, opening an era of large-scale construction extending to the end of the Tang. The result is impressive: over 2,100 caves and niches, some 100,000 images and statues of Buddha, 400 performances of pagodas and 3,600 stalls and inscriptions. All survived the weather and other ravages of history, and only the obscene vandalism of some warned collectors took away fragments of the wonders of rock art during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Irony of history (and that is so much better): Caves remained virtually intact during the Cultural Revolution.

The layout of the cellars shall adopt a more or less identical pattern: an effigy of Buddha in the center surrounded by two disciples and bodhisattva. Tang's glaring and physical opulence contrasts with the starchy and statism of the North Wei figures: Longmen is a true panorama of the history of Buddhist art, of its arrival in China at the end of the Tang until the beginning of persecution against foreign religions, Buddhism in mind.

Visit

The caves are located on the west bank of the Yi River, north of the western hills along which the main structures take place. Then cross the river Yi to continue the visit of caves and the temple of the scented Hill. Here is the tour (which can only be done in this order…)

Just after the entrance, the Qianxi Temple (underground source temple) erected at the beginning of the Tang, which contains a Buddha of 7.40 m high, surrounded by two disciples, two bodhisattgo and two generals.

Binyang Caves (¶ ╩): they are in fact three caves (south, central and north), the most important of which is the center. Built under Emperor Xuanwu (500-516), in honor of his father (Emperor Xiaowen) and his mother (the Empress Wenzhao), they were conceived on the model of Lingyan Temple in Yungang (Datong).

The ensemble asked for more than 24 years of work carried out by more than 800,000 workers. At the entrance to the center cave, two Buddhism guards protect the three Buddhas: that of the Past (Mahakasyapa), Present (Sakyamuni, center) and Future (Maitreya). In the middle of the ceiling, one can see a lotus flower around which 10 apsaras fly (celestial dancers assimilated to daughters of joy).

The walls of the cave also contain four low-profile banners, which are now widely deteriorated. The third, representing two scenes from Emperor Xiaowen and Empress Wenzhao performing Buddhist rituals, is currently located at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and Kansas Nelson Art Gallery. Still visible, the first blindfold describes scenes of Buddha's life, the second of the representations of Buddhist philosophy and the fourth 10 carved Buddhist deities and flanked by two disciples and bodhisattvas. Between the central cave of Binyang and that of the south, the Yique tree with a height of 1.90 m high commemorates the construction of the Binyang caves.

Grotto to the ten thousand Buddha (Slovenia): This cubic structure of 5.90 m wide, 6.50 m deep and 5.80 m high, built in the life century, has over 15,000 Buddhist statues. In the center, the main statue is an Amitabha of 4 meters high on a pedestal shaped pedestal in eight petals (Sumeru), behind which is a bas-relief representing 54 bodhisattvas sitting on lotus leaves. On either side of Buddha there are four imposing warriors. The walls are covered with miniature representations of the main Buddha. The ceiling is decorated with a lotus flower around which an inscription indicates that the cave was completed in 680. The cave at Ten Thousand Buddhas is the only structure of Longmen with the date of construction, the destination, the names of the benefactors and the masterpieces. The cave was once flanked by two «guardian» lions who were stolen.

Grotto of the lotus flower (♀ ╩): It's one of the last caves excavated under the North Wei in 527. The high relief of the lotus flower flourishing at the center of the ceiling finally gave its name to the cave. Its provision is similar to the other Longmen structures: Buddha at the center flanked by two disciples and bodhisattgo. Its particularity lies in the treatment of the disciples who are this time bas-reliefs and not high reliefs. The walls of the cave are covered with performances of Buddha, the smallest of Longmen (2 cm at most).

Temple of the Ancestors' Cult (¶ ╩): built on a mid-height platform of the hill, it is the largest structure of Longmen, it represents Buddhist art at its peak. Wooden structures, including the roof, no longer exist today, exposing statues to the wind and rain, even if the authorities put forward front roofs on the edge of the cliff. Built in 672, the temple would have been commissioned by Empress Wu Zetian to increase his aura. It would have invested the budget for a year of beauty products to build this place. The Losana Buddha, in the center, with its 17.14 m height, is the largest statue of Longmen: Its head is 4 m long and its ears 1.90 m. Despite its gigantic proportions, inner sweetness and beauty emanate from it, producing a feeling of rare kindness and humanity in the Buddhist style. The artist would have realized a Buddha with feminine delicacy in tribute to Empress Wu Zetian. On either side of the Losana Buddha, two disciples, two bodhisattas, two celestial kings, two warriors and two apsaras, this succession form a sort of replica of the imperial court of the Tang.

Grotto of the medical pre-registration (♀ ╩): The cave dates from the life of the century. It is famous for its 140 medical formulas that adorn the entrance to the cave: an incomparable document for the history of Chinese medicine. More than a hundred of them correspond to herbal recipes and the rest to acupuncture treatment methods.

These remedies helped to treat all types of diseases including certain cancers.

Grotto of Guyang (♀ ╩): It's the oldest set of Longmen. The work began before the transfer of Datong capital to Luoyang, but its development, commissioned by Emperor Xiaowen, began in 494. The beauty of Guyang is the result of impressive imperial patronage: Following the Emperor Xiaowen, his mother and brothers, as well as his uncles, aunts and cousins and subsequent generations became important Benemen's benefactors. This natural horseshoe-shaped cave houses a statue of Sakyamuni of 4.80 m high, sitting on a podium, legs crossed and dressed in traditional kasaya (monk clothing). Buddha is surrounded by two bodhisattles preceded by a lion statue whose body seems unfinished. Of all Longmen caves, Guyang is the one with the largest number of jatakas (bas-reliefs retracing the life of Buddha). 19 of Longmen's 20 most beautiful calligraphies accompany the sculptures of the cave of Guyang.

Temple of Stone Cave (│): This is the last structure of the western hill.

Then we cross the Manshui bridge to the eastern caves. In order and by climbing the steps: the Guanyin with arms and thousand eyes, the cult of the cult of pure land, the cave of Lord Gaoping, the cave of the reading of the sutras and finally a large panoramic terrace to have an overview.

Finally, the Xiangshan Temple and the tomb of Bai Juyi closed the visit.

This garden, the most famous of the top Yangtze region, was developed in 1506. At that time, Wang Xianchen, a state official accused of corruption, decided to withdraw from public affairs by returning to Suzhou, his hometown. He then decided to build Zhuozheng Yuan, a 5 ha set. The term "petty administrator" or "the politics of the modest" is drawn from the classic Jin poem. He mentioned that the "garden is the work of a modest man". The garden is divided into three parts: to the east, the main building, Orchid and Snow (Lan Xue Tang), contains a lacquered wood screen on which the garden plan is engraved. By accessing the central part, the Northern Temple pagoda appears. The central part is the most harmonious and the best preserved of the three: the Distant Perfume Room (Yuanxiang Tang), with the largely pierced walls of bays offers an overview. The western part of the garden, separated from the whole under the Qing, became the property of a wealthy trader. He rajouta a large number of buildings. The Mandarins Hall was the central building. The owner amused his guests by inviting Suzhou opera troops.

The garden is a UNESCO World Heritage SITE.

Located about 7 kilometers southwest of the town of Pingyao stands a magnificent but often forgotten, small Buddhist temple. This temple says both forests (literal translation of its name) date from the Wei dynasty of the north (more specifically from the life of the century), but the current buildings were built under Ming and Qing. Apart from this rather common architecture in the region, we will come above all here for the interior of the temple. In fact, it presents nearly 2,000 clay statues of different sizes, stained with vivid colors, dating from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing (a period between xiie and the nineteenth century): fabulous!