7 Reasons to Visit China NOW
China is one of the world’s most
fascinating travel destinations, both for a look into its past and for a
chance to ponder its future. China’s evolution from the oppressive Mao
years to the current rampant consumerism may be one of the most amazing
transitions in human history.
Napoleon
once said, “China? There lies a sleeping giant. Let him sleep! For when
he wakes he will move the world.” Well, the giant is wide awake, and
China is hurtling headlong into the future. This country is changing
faster than any place on earth, so it’s important to go now before any
more of its history disappears. Something else to consider is that an
expanding middle class is making it possible for millions of Chinese to
travel for the first time, resulting in growing crowds of Chinese
tourists at all the famous sites.
1. Beijing
Beijing
is the historic heart of China where courtyard homes still line old,
narrow alleyways called hutongs and a traditional way of life continues
despite the constant threat of redevelopment. The capital city also
contains many sites essential to understanding this sometimes baffling
country.
Begin at the Forbidden City,
an impressive palace complex built in the early 1400’s where
twenty-four emperors ruled for 500 years. Hidden from view behind
imposing walls and a deep moat lies a totally different world of marble
bridges, tranquil gardens, and thousands of rooms once used to house the
emperors and their households. The Forbidden City was designed
according to feng shui principles with red buildings (for luck) topped
with yellow roofs (for power). Common people were not permitted to
enter, and many of the royals rarely ventured out. Why would they have
any desire to leave? After all, of the 10,000 people who once lived
here, 3,000 were concubines.
Tiananmen
Square fulfilled Chairman Mao’s dream of creating the largest and most
spectacular square in the world. Designed to hold 500,000 people, it’s
easy to envision the intimidating military displays regularly performed
here during the days of the Cultural Revolution. The site also evokes
memories of the hundreds killed by government troops during the 1989
student protests. But today, the most common sight is the street vendors
hawking cheap Mao wristwatches, with the Chairman pounding out the
seconds with his fist. If you want one, be sure to bargain hard!
The
Summer Palace is a gorgeous spot outside the city where the royals went
to escape the summer heat. While The Forbidden City was all about power
and impressing visitors, this summer retreat was a pure pleasure
palace. Don’t miss the Marble Boat down by the lake. This “boat” that
looks more like a boat-shaped marble pier, was built by the crazy
Empress Cixi with funds supposed to be used to modernize the Navy.
2. The Great Wall
Reputedly
5500 miles (8850 km) long, The Great Wall is considered one of the
wonders of the world and is China’s number one tourist attraction. The
Chinese have a saying, “You are not a real man until you have climbed
the Great Wall.” Luckily for you, sections of The Great Wall at both
Badaling and Mutianyu are easy day trips from Beijing. Even better, both
locations are equipped with cable cars, so you can save your energy for
walking the Wall itself.
The Great
Wall is simply awesome, a truly unbelievable engineering feat. The
12-foot wide wall has crenellated sides like the edges of a huge castle,
a height that varies between 20 to 30 feet depending on the terrain,
with scenic watchtowers strategically placed all along the route. The
wall itself is impressive enough, but to build it in this unforgiving
terrain seems insane. At least one million slaves and prisoners of war
worked on the project. Many died in the process, and for centuries, the
Wall was known as the longest cemetery in the world.
3. Xi’an
Discovered
in 1974 by Chinese farmers drilling for a well, The Terracotta Warriors
are one of the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th
century and the highlight of any visit to Xi’an. Qin Shi Huang, China’s
first emperor, was obsessed with the hereafter. To ensure that he would
continue the sweet life of commander-in-chief even after his death, he
had his minions create a terracotta army made from local clay baked in a
kiln. This effort resulted in thousands of warlike, life-sized soldiers
with weapons in hand, decked out in full battle armor, and positioned
in military formation.
The Warriors
are housed in 3 separate buildings (“creatively” named Pits #1, # 2, and
#3). Each pit is an unfinished archeological work in progress, with
many of the soldiers and other artifacts still in the process of being
discovered. It is estimated that 6,000 soldiers will be unearthed in Pit
#1 alone. Walk around the periphery of the excavations to observe the
details of each soldier and horse. Remarkably, no two soldiers are alike
– you’ll see different faces, heights, and statures along with a
variety of mustaches and hairstyles. Each soldier’s head is actually a
separately molded piece that fits together with the body, like inserting
a peg into a hole. The idea was to provide the soldiers with a wider
range of motion so they could turn their heads during battles in the
afterlife.
Xi’an offers more than
just clay warriors, and even if you are not usually into song and dance,
you should check out the Tang Dynasty Show. This extravaganza features
wildly colorful stage sets and elaborate costumes. Plus a fascinating
musical mix of unusual Chinese instruments and dancing that is the
definition of graceful, especially when the female dancers wave their
long, drooping sleeves like ribbons in the wind.
4. Food fit for an emperor
If
your knowledge of Chinese food is limited to your neighborhood take-out
place, you haven’t begun to appreciate this complex cuisine. Chinese
dishes are varied, healthy, always a treat for the senses, and each
region glories in its own specialties.
Beijing
is renowned for Peking Duck, a roasted duck dish that was a favorite in
the Imperial Court. The lean and crispy duck arrives at your table
intact where it is expertly sliced in front of you. Then, you go to work
creating the equivalent of a Chinese taco: spread some plum sauce on a
steamed pancake and add succulent slices of duck, some scallions, and
cucumber slices. Now down it all with a cold Tsingtao beer. Hao chi!
(Delicious!)
Ancient chestnut trees
still grow near The Great Wall, and these wonderfully chewy nuts are the
star of savory dishes like Pork with Chestnuts. Xi’an has a
longstanding dumpling tradition and eating a “dumpling dinner” ranks
right up there with seeing the Terracotta Warriors as a Xi’an must-do.
Wooden steamer bowls are spread out on your table, each one holding
several beautifully presented dumplings. The paper-thin wrappings
conceal ingredients such as pork, chicken, ham, vegetables, fish, and
even walnuts. One of the most loved foods in China, dumplings are
delicate works of art often shaped to look like animals or flowers – a
delight to the eye and the tummy. And don’t forget to sample the
fragrant Chinese teas. Some of the more elaborate teas even open up like
a flower unfolding in your glass.
5. Enchanting landscapes
No
trip to China is complete without a look at some of its stunning
landscapes. Waterways have always been the lifeblood of China, and one
of the most enchanting is the Yangtze River, the third longest river in
the world, stretching for almost 4,000 miles (6500 km) from Tibet to the
East China Sea near Shanghai.
The
most dramatic stretch of the Yangtze flows through the Three Gorges, one
of China’s scenic marvels. A cruise through the Three Gorges takes you
into narrow passages where jagged cliffs loom overhead and past ghostly,
mist-shrouded mountains. Highlights include the Wu Gorge (the Gorge of
Witches) with some of the most dramatic peaks on the river, where
according to the ancients, “The peaks pierce the sky.” And the strange
Meng Liang staircase which is actually a series of holes cut into the
cliff in a zigzag pattern that may have been used (with the help of some
rope ladders) to scale the steep cliff. Floating along surrounded by
sheer peaks and swirling mists, you feel as if you have stepped into a
Chinese painting.
A Yangtze River
cruise also provides a look at the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest
hydropower plant and China’s biggest construction project since The
Great Wall. Flood control in this region dates back to Yu the Great, an
ancient king who is known for taming the waters (some say with the help
of a yellow dragon). Even without rumors of mythical beasts, controversy
haunts this massive dam that displaced over a million people and whose
construction continues to generate environmental concerns.
6. Shanghai
Shanghai
is a city of contrasts where east meets west, and an historic
waterfront faces off with a modern, neon skyline. Shanghai is at its
most romantic along The Bund, a sublime riverside walkway and
people-watching paradise. This part of Shanghai feels almost European
with many buildings unchanged since the 1930’s when Shanghai and The
Bund became the chief shipping, trading, and financial district for the
colonial powers (Great Britain, France and the U.S.). In those days,
Shanghai was considered the Wall Street of Asia. A walk along the 1-mile
promenade reveals why The Bund has been called a “museum of
international architecture” with a mix of architectural styles including
a number of exceptional Art Deco structures.
The
architectural delights of The Bund compete with the marvelous modern
structures of the area called Pudong, directly across the Huangpu River.
While The Bund holds on to its colonial heritage, Pudong is bright and
brassy, clearly demonstrating the power and financial might of the new
Shanghai. At night , the Pudong skyline is a neon fantasyland from the
crystalline rooftop of the Jin Mao Tower to the Chinese Oriental Pearl
Tower that looks like it swallowed two giant Christmas balls.
The
people of Shanghai are as shockingly modern as the skyscrapers of
Pudong. Designer clothes are de rigueur, and shopping seems to be the
principal pastime. The tranquil Yu Yuan Gardens provides a peaceful
respite from the bustle of the city. And the pearl shops nearby offer an
astounding selection of these lustrous gems. Shanghai also presents
some interesting day trip opportunities including the magnificent
gardens of Suzhou and the lovely West Lake in Hangzhou.
If
you fly out of Shanghai be sure to travel to the airport in flashy
high-speed style on the Maglev (Magnetic Levitation Train). Capable of
reaching speeds in excess of 300 mph (480 kph), the Maglev is one of the
fastest trains in the world. Watch trees and telephone poles whiz by as
you cover the 25 miles (40 km) to the airport in just 8 minutes!
7. An unexpected welcome
The
best reason to visit China now is because foreigners are still a
novelty. At first, you may feel uncomfortable with the way that the
Chinese stare at you — like you are the most exotic animal in the zoo.
But you need to understand that many Chinese tourists are traveling from
their homes in the provinces for the first time, and some have never
seen a western face before.
You may
find yourself surprisingly popular. When my husband and I visited China,
we were amazed when Chinese tourists at breathtaking sites like the
Temple of Heaven or The Great Wall wanted to take pictures of us. Some
of your favorite memories of China may be these fun picture-taking
interactions.
It is hard to believe
that the Cultural Revolution ended just two generations ago. Throughout
China, young people seek out foreigners to show-off their fluent
English, and little school children jump up and down yelling, “Hallo!
Hallo!” whenever they see western tourists. Several times, parents
nudged their children in our direction – the kids proudly waving their
schoolbooks to show us they were learning how to speak English.
In
general, China is much friendlier than you would expect. As new
generations emerge, the old antagonism towards the West seems long
forgotten, and the deep suspicion of foreigners that Mao encouraged is
nowhere in sight.
Add: 20 Nguyen Truong To Str, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel : (84-4) 37162149 Fax: (84-4) 37161738
E–mail address: sales@huongviettravel.com
Website: www.huongviettravel.com | http://www.aseantravelandtours.com | http://www.visavietnamonline.com | http://www.huongvietjsc.com
Vietnam Travel Packages | Vietnam Visa | Cambodia Tours | Myanmar Tours | Laos Tours | China Tours
Nhận xét
Đăng nhận xét