Travel To China

Tom Carter asked:


Q&A with Tom Carter, author of CHINA: Portrait of a People

American photojournalist Tom Carter has spent the past four years in the People’s Republic of China, traversing all 33 provinces and autonomous regions not just once but twice. The San Francisco native’s hardback book, a definitive 800-image volume aptly entitled CHINA: Portrait of a People, is due out this winter from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books. Tom took a day off from travelling to discuss the challenges of taking pictures in China, how he evaded censorship in the tightly-controlled republic, and to share a few insider tips on visiting what is to become the world’s largest tourism market.

Your upcoming book focuses heavily on photographs of people, from peasants to punk rockers, ethnic groups to entrepreneurs. As a lone foreigner in a faraway country, how did you approach so many strangers, let alone become intimate enough with them to take their portraits?

Most of my photos came about as a natural result of my curiosity and interaction with Chinese people during my travels. It wasn’t until the end of my trip that I thought about compiling them into a book. This is a tribute to all the people I met along the way. For the portraits, it just takes a sincere interest in your subjects to get that close. I don’t believe in hiding behind a zoom lens; I was actually as near to all those people as you see in the pictures, sometimes just inches away. The candid life shots, which comprise a good third of the book, were actually more of a challenge. As a foreigner walking down the street in China, all activity stops the moment you are seen, so it’s tricky to photograph life before life stops to stare at you.

I don’t believe any book can capture the true spirit of a country with only pictures of places. Sure, a photo of a sunset over the Great Wall is nice, but what do you really learn from it? I wanted to show the people, and dispel the stereotype of the Chinese as a homogeneous single nationality.

You must speak the language pretty well.

That’s the very first question I always get from other expats I meet in China! It humbles me to admit that my Putonghua borders on offensively poor. I taught English when I first arrived in China, which left me no time to formally study Mandarin. I picked up my entire vocabulary while travelling. I call it Survival Chinese. I can communicate, but I’m usually left out of the gossiping granny circles. A friendly smile works well when all else fails. I might add, though, that Chinese dialects vary widely by province, so even most nationals have trouble understanding other Chinese outside their own hometowns.

You say you came to China as an English teacher, but four years later you’re a published photojournalist and author. Did you plan this career move?

Never, but that’s China for you, a real land of opportunity. Teaching was just a means to an end, which was travelling. Out of that first long year on the road sprung my collection of photos, which resulted in a book contract and travel assignments from various periodicals, which brought me full circle back to my second spin around China. I believe I stand apart from my contemporaries in that I’m not sitting around a cushy foreign correspondents’ club “networking” [makes mock quotes with his fingers] and waiting for my next assignment; I’m out on the road finding my own. But maybe that’s why Reuters still hasn’t called me.

You’ve had a few run-ins with Chinese censorship of your images and articles. Care to share?

The concept of Freedom of the Press, something the west takes for granted, is still entirely alien in Communist China. The media is state-run and every single word and image that comes in and out of the country needs to be approved by the Ministry of Information. Crazy, huh? But since I’m an independent freelancer without the backing of any news agency, I lack official journalist credentials. Most of my images I’ve had to get the hard way, which has often resulted in confrontations with local authorities who view foreign correspondents as a threat.

For example, for the three single frames of coal miners with soot-covered faces that appear in this book, I and my Chinese travelling companion had to spend several days in the mountains of South Shanxi before we were able to sneak into a coal mine, grab a few shots then get the hell out before being caught. Mining is one of the most dangerous and controversial occupations in China, and is entirely off limits to journalists. Some of my best photos are hit-and-run like that.

There’s one incident in particular I want to hear about: a peasant riot that you photographed and which almost got you arrested. Tell us about that. To be caught up in a proletarian uprising – something both foreign and Chinese reporters in China rarely even hear about, due to rapid suppression of information, let alone eye-witness – was extremely frightening but probably one of the book’s most powerful images. I was subsequently “implored” by the local police to hand over all my photos, under penalty of incarceration, but a couple have managed to slip into the book [winks mischievously]. I’m still in China and would like to be able to leave without a trip to the clink, so it’s not something I can talk about in further detail, nor can we make the photo public until the book is on the shelves.

Guerilla-style documentary photography is something you are obviously proud of. Someone said you have “turned mundane daily life in China into a work of art” but one reviewer wrote that your photographs are “an assault on ordinary people who should be left alone.” What’s your take on such extreme responses?

Which one was the criticism? [Laughs] Actually, I prefer the term ‘street photography’, because that’s exactly what I do. I’m out pounding the pavement from 6am to 6pm every day, learning about the culture through observation and interaction. Many photojournalists cover their assignments as quickly as possible so they can remove themselves from the elements, but I revel in the elements. I don’t have any technical or artistic preconceptions to my photos. The whole idea of spending an hour setting up a shot and then photoshopping it to death afterwards is not what I’m about. I just capture life as it is, then move on. If the picture turns out crooked, so what! Life is crooked!

I have no desire to make something palatable, even if it means not getting on Getty. On the other hand, any of my photos that are considered beautiful I credit entirely to my subjects. They are the ones who deserve the compliments.

China really is a vast country to explore, and you have been to every corner of it – 33 provinces and over 200 cities and villages. Travelling for a living sounds like a life of leisure, but what’s the reality?

You know, for all the tourism I’ve promoted for China with my photos and travel articles, you’d think the CNTA [China National Tourism Administration] could at least have comped my hotels. But the truth is I’ve never received a cent in financial backing. During the two years I spent travelling across China, I slept in 15 RMB [2 USD] flophouses with particleboard walls – which are illegal for foreigners to stay in – with the occasional youth hostel or night on a bus station floor. I taught English for two straight years beforehand so I could save up to travel, and I really had to pinch my pennies to make it last. The upside is that my insolvency resulted in experiences that staying at the Sheraton could never produce.

All travellers are running away from something. What’s your excuse?

I come from a long line of nomads – my mother a Danish immigrant of good Viking stock and my father a hybrid Panamanian-Cuban-Italian – so drifting is in my blood. It’s my dream to travel the world, take pictures and write about it. I have no intention of succumbing to that thirtysomething syndrome of settling down. The world is my home.

So what day-to-day difficulties did you encounter during your marathon journey across China?

You mean hour-to-hour difficulties. My photos might excite a lot of potential tourists, but I’m not going to sugar-coat the reality of actually travelling in China. The consensus among backpackers is that China is probably the single most challenging country in the world to navigate. Aside from the obvious language barriers, you have 5,000-year old customs and extreme cultural differences that can be quite vexing for the typical westerner. Most of these nuances are not something that you can catch on film; travellers have to discover them for themselves, and that’s part of the fun.

What keeps you going?

I delight in the challenges that a country like China poses to westerners. Sure, I occasionally catch myself pounding the wall in frustration, but the thing about the PRC is that every turn is a new adventure. For me there’s nothing worse than being bored, and boredom is just not possible in China. See these lines on my face? They weren’t there before.

How did you plan your routes?

I haven’t planned a single route since I arrived in China four years ago. I just point myself in a direction, then let life carry me on its current. Not only does every Chinese person you ask where to go have an excitedly different opinion – even about which way is north – but there are so many undiscovered villages that are off the charts. Not to mention that the time it takes to get to these places is often days longer than how it appears on a map, making an itinerary kind of pointless.

Tell us more about surprises along the way, and any dangerous situations you’ve been in.

Surprises are the rule, not the exception. In addition to clashes with the authorities over my pictures, I’ve had everything from a near-lethal bout of encephalitis during my first year in China, to getting shanghaied by crooked English schools, which I wrote about for the Wall Street Journal. One of my favourites is the time I found myself at the business end of a North Korean machine gun when I accidentally crossed into the DPRK at Changbaishan. These are all stories I can laugh about now, though my mother doesn’t think so.

It’s said that China is now undergoing the most prolonged period of sustained change in history. How has it changed since you have lived there, and how will it change in the near future?

I think China’s most dramatic changes have been brought on by itself and that the now-clichéd term “New China” was something methodically planned out in their boardrooms. The Chinese government is addicted to what I call hyper-urbanization. You’ve got historic cities like Beijing, where they are bulldozing these ancient hutongs by the hour so they can build office towers, or the 2,000-year-old village of Gongtan in Chongqing that is going to be levelled this summer for a new power plant. I wrote an article about Gongtan for a local magazine but it was quickly quashed because the censorship bureau said “We don’t want to bring any attention to that place.” These contrasts in architecture appear in my book because I feel it is imperative to capture this last glimpse of China’s old slate rooftops before the skyline becomes pure steel and glass. CHINA: Portrait of a People will probably become a history book, something Chinese people will look at twenty years from now and say “Ah yes, I remember.”

It seems like everyone wants to know more about China these days. Do you see more people planning on visiting the country?

China will become the world’s largest tourism destination of the next decade, no doubt about it. The 2008 Beijing Olympics and Shanghai’s World Expo in 2010 are expected to attract between 50 to 100 million tourists annually. China’s doors were closed for so long that it’s only natural the world is curious about what’s behind them. What the pictures in Portrait of a People are doing is fuelling this curiosity by offering an intimate glimpse of humanity in China, and scenes of daily life that even publications like National Geographic overlook.

You’re something of an authority now on Chinese travel. Can you offer any tips for travellers?

Well, what China wants tourists to see is often at variance with what is actually marvellous about the country. You’ve got these highly-sheltered tour group packages that cover the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Shaanxi, a boat ride on the Yangtze and shopping in Shanghai [makes yawning noise]. Or you can remove yourself from the souvenir shops and luxury hotels, get a local street map and travel on word-of-mouth. Lonely Planet would go bankrupt if people actually took my travel advice, but you definitely see more of the real China my way.

Finally, what’s next for someone who’s been everywhere in China?

My publisher and I have been talking about taking the “Portrait of a People” concept to other countries in the region. I would jump at the chance. So I have no idea where I’ll be this time next year.

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Hayley

John Parks asked:


, China is known as the South Gate of China. It is a prosperous, metropolitan city, and the capital of Guangdong. Located in the middle of the Guangdong Province, it is located north of the Pearl River Delta. One of the first “open” cities in China, its population has grown enormously. Along with its population, Guangzhou’s economy has grown as well. Rich in history, Guangzhou has been the capital city for three Chinese dynasties. Tourism is an important industry in the region today, and there are many important historic and cultural sites that attract visitors from around the world. The main tourist areas and metropolitan areas are in the northern part of the city. Some popular pilgrimage sites, churches, mosques and temples include: Guangxiao Temple is a popular pilgrimage site for Zen Buddhists. There is also one of the oldest Muslim mosques in China located within the city of Guangzhou. Built in 627, the Huaisheng Mosque is not open to the public. Another historic church, the Shishi Sacred Heart Catholic Church is one of the oldest church structures in Guangzhou. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Flowering Pagoda at Liurong Temple which dates back to the 6th century. Serene and beautiful, this well-preserved, seventeen-story pagoda is justifiably famous. An interesting part of Guangzhou’s history is found on Shamian Island. This small island was, for several hundred years, the only place in China that allowed European settlements. Its architecture is very unique to the area. The Chinese Medicine Market is an unusual spot located across from Shamian. The front looks like any other modern market, but it is built on a network of ancient, narrow alleys. Shops selling traditional Chinese herbs are located behind the modern exterior. Another historic site to see is the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial, dedicated to the founder of the Republic of China and the Huangpu Military which was founded him. Sun Yat-Sen was a local hero, and this memorial is a popular destination. Museums and galleries are found throughout Guangzhou. The Guangzhou City Art Museum is home to a collection of over 10,000 pieces of art, much of it traditional Chinese paintings and sculpture. For more contemporary art, be sure to visit the Guangdong Museum of Art. Its collection includes an impressive collection of contemporary Chinese art. Political history is a major theme in many Guangzhou museums and historic sites. Among the more interesting are the Guangzhou Uprising Museum which commemorates the site of the first Communist government building in the city and the Peasant Movement Institute, which was founded by Mao Tse-tung as a Communist training center. Fairs and festivals are an important year-round part of Chinese culture, and Guangzhou presents several seasonal celebrations. One of the largest and most important is the Chinese New Year Spring Festival is a fifteen-day celebration of the first lunar month. Colorful and fun, the Dragon Boat Festival takes place in May or June. It commemorates a poet, Qu Yuan, who drowned himself as a protest against the government. Dragon boats race on the Pearl River during this festival. In the fall, Cantonese Moon Cakes are the highlight of the Mid-autumn Festival. Paper lanterns and ferry rides complete the celebration. Even the coming of winter has a celebration — the Winter Solstice features large feasts of duck, sausage and flour dumpling soup. There is much to see and do in the fascinating city of Guangzhou. It is a vital city, and a worthwhile destination for any visitor to China. For more information on Guangzhou, China visit http://guangzhoumicroblog.com and http://www.chinamicroblog.com

Ricardo

Shane Lee asked:


This article is about the Shenyang travel and you can find some useful information in it if you are planning your Shenyang travel now.

Shenyang is a sub-provincial city and capital of Liaoning province in Northeast China.

Along with its nearby cities, Shenyang is an important industrial center in China, and the transportation and commercial centre of China’s northeastern region.

The city was also known as Shengjing.

There are lots of interesting scenic spots for the travellers in Shenyang. This city has a history of more than 2300 years.

(1). Shenyang Imperial Palace:

Shenyang Imperial Palace, Fuling tomb and Zhaoling Tomb made in the early period of Qing Dynasty are the three famous historical sites in Shenyang. Shenyang Imperial Palace with a history of over 360 years started in 1625 and was roughly accomplished in 1636 during the reign of Nuerhachi and Huangtaiji. After them four emperors of Qing Dynasty had come back from Beijing to this palace for 10 times and enlarged its area and added its buildings. They were Emperor Kangxi, Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang. Therefore, until 1783 the palace was finally finished. Shenyang Imperial Palace is one of the two royal palaces well kept in China. The other one is Forbidden City in Beijing. Shenyang Imperial Palace was entitled “Historic Culture Relics Preserved Buildings” in 1961 by the State Council. This palace is an emperor museum combining the architectural styles of the minorities of Man, Han and Mongolia. This palace covers an area of 60,000 square meters, comprising over 20 courtyards, 300 houses and 70 buildings. The whole construction is divided into three sections: the east, middle and west. ( info for your China travel and vacations )

(2). Fuling tomb:

Fuling is Nuerhachi Yehenala’s and the Queen’s bedroom mound because the Yangcheng in the eastern outskirts of Shenyang, it is also called Dongling, with the new object appears. Shenyang Zhao Ling, were jointly called the early Qing Dynasty Tomb outside the customs 3.

Fuling, built in Tianzhu Mountain, the Tianzhu Mountain is adjacent to the Changbai Mountain, formerly head Shizuitang Hill, Dongmou Hill, Fuling history of the construction of roughly into three stages : during the days of clever grassroots, discovering this period, the repairs Kangxi period conversion.( info for your China vacations and tours )

(3). Residence of Zhang’s:

This place is the also called “Dashuaifu” or “Shaoshuaifu”. It was the home of Zuolin Zhang and this son - Xueliang Zhang (two famous generals of China). The address is: Dananmenli, Shenhe District, Shenyang, China. This residence was built in 1914 and there are 74 rooms in it. This palace covers an area of 160000 square meters and “Xiaoqinglou”, “Daqinglou” are the most famous buildings in this residence. Zuolin Zhang was named “the king of northeast China”. He died in this place because of the war with the Japanese army. His son - Xueliang Zhang acomplished the reunion of China (north China and south China) on 12-29-1928. This event called “flag changing event” and it is a very important event in the history of China. Xueliang Zhang also executed the traitors - Yuting Yang and Yinhuai Chang in this event.

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Khalil

Eric asked:


We took many China tours in the past years and enjoyed each of them. When we came first to China, we were with a big group that was a popular way of traveling then, but when we returned to China for a second trip, we decided to take a private tour that went on our way. We chose Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou as our preferable destinations that our friend in Shanghai recommended highly. We booked our trip with a China travel agent that turned out having arranged our tour capably and perfectly!

We got into Shanghai on one fine afternoon in the spring and met our first private guide, who waved hand to us and smiled. We greeted each other warmly and began our drive to the city. On the way she gave us a short welcome presentation and confirmed our schedule and then a general introduction to Shanghai. Our interests were raised quickly and arrived in our hotel without sensing of time passing! I guess we actually spent at least one hour on the transfer.

Our hotel was located just near the Nanjing Road that enabled us to have the convenience to explore our free days. Shanghai is busy and modernized. The guide suggested we spend our first free day to the Nanjing Road and the Bund. Nanjing Road gave us an impression of a “shopping paradise”. People were all busy at Nanjing Road with many strolling along the busy street looking for bargain sales. We desired to try our skills that the guide taught us and indeed we got some luck. The bund was lined with different architectural styles from old China to modern influences in the buildings. It is a must-see metropolitan destination if you are in Shanghai!

After one free day we headed for Suzhou on the third day morning with our private guide and driver. The guide seemingly had too much good things to say about Suzhou that she explained all the way long (actually 1.5 hrs drive). We were impressed and excited to arrive. Suzhou is located in the south of Jiangsu province, some 80 miles west of Shanghai, along the old Grand Canal. The city has been famous for its fabulous Chinese classical gardens for many centuries. Chinese people are proud of this and have a proverb: “Above is Heaven; below is Suzhou”. However, we both found Suzhou should also be noted for another thing: its beautiful women! In the street, the restaurant and tourist site, we saw so many oriental beauties. The city itself is dotted with lakes and ponds connected by a spider’s web of canals. And all the canals are lined with whitewashed houses with gray-tiled roofs. We visited two famous gardens that we enjoyed very much and also pay a short visit to the silk factory to see how the silk was produced and dyed. It is amazing!

Hangzhou was the counterpart of Suzhou. The West Lake with boating was really a highlight of our visit in Hangzhou. It does not only have the moving legend but also the beautiful scenery. The guide told us there were Ten Featured Sceneries in the West Lake Area that formed during the Southern Song Dynasty. They are distributed around and within the lake, and serve to show the charms of the West Lake - through a use of varying locations, varying seasons, and varying times of day. Each scene is unique, and when taken together, are said to present the essence of West Lake scenery, and form the core of any West Lake tour. In the afternoon we went to the Dragon Well Tea House to taste the world famous green tea. Dragon Well Tea is loved by both local people and foreigners because of its four unique wonders - emerald green color, aromatic flavor, sweet taste and beautiful appearance. We purchased some tea for ourselves at a very good price.

We must also mention the nightlife in Hangzhou. We stayed in a very comfortable hotel just beside the West Lake. The night view of the lake was different from that in day. We loved our leisure walk around the lake very much. It was also a happy experience to enjoy the culture performance in the city center. The guide arranged this for us flexibly since it was originally excluded in our schedule.

We ended our trip in Hangzhou with a memorable visit to the water town named Wuzhen. Wuzhen is about 80km from Hangzhou and is maybe the most famous one of this kind of beautiful towns where local people still rely on the river network. Wuzhen shows its two-thousand-year history with its numerous ancient stone bridges floating on crystal waters, stone pathways between the mottled walls and its delicate wood carvings. Also, setting it apart from other towns, it gives a unique experience through its profound cultural background. It is a birthplace of a galaxy of talents. In the year of 1991, Wuzhen was authorized as the Provincial Ancient Town of History and Culture, so ranking first among the six ancient towns in Southern China.

Finally we got back to Shanghai in the late afternoon after the Wuzhen water town! The following day we were taken to visit the must-sees in Shanghai: the Shanghai Museum on Renmin Square, the fabulous Yu Garden at the Old Quarter and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. We learnt a lot about Chinese history, Chinese culture and China’s modern development. We were amazed at China’s fast economy development and growth. It is just in its youth! In evening we were suggested to have a night cruise in the Huangpu River which turned out a unique experience to see the night view of the Bund lined with lighted styles of buildings. It was spectacular!

We spend one more free day in Shanghai to purchase some gifts for our friends and family before we left for our home. On the last day when our guide - no, our old friend - came to pick us up at the hotel, we had to say Goodbye to this wonderful country and our old friend. After we checked in at the airport, our old friend said “See you later” with hand waving and smile on her face, like the way she was greeting us at the airport the first day. Yes, we will definitely see each other later!



Kyra

Dev Saras asked:


China, the third largest country in the world, is famous for various things; it has one of the world’s eldest people, civilization, world’s longest used written languages, many major inventions like paper, compass, gunpowder and printing, The Great Wall of China, friendly people, and the best geographical conditions.  China situates in the eastern Asia which shares its borders with Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma, Laos and Vietnam. Major cities of China are Beijing, Chengdu, Hong Kong, Lhasa, Pingyao, Shanghai, Xian, Yangshuao, and Urumqi, Suzhou and many others.

China is considered as one of the world’s largest civilization. The country has a very mysterious history. According to history Yanmou is the oldest hominoid man in China and Xia dynasty is the oldest dynasty. Five major stages have played important roles in the development of Chinese society which includes Primitive society, Slave society, Feudal society, Semi Feudal society and Semi colonial society and Socialist society. There were many eminent personalities who gave many major inventions and helped in the development of the country. People’s Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949. The country has developed into a socialist society and became a very strong Nation.

The Economic aspect of China is very strong when compared to other countries. It is one of the first countries where economic activity developed. China’s economy is very huge and it is rapidly developing. It is said that China has the largest economy after United States of America. But the country still has inequalities in the income of population. The rural part of China remains poor but in between 1970 and 1980 economic reforms was made. This gave more independence to the business sectors and the economic aspects grew gradually.

China is one of the third largest countries with a great diversity of religious beliefs. The government of China has given freedom of belief for all. There are many religious beliefs like Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity in the country.  Buddhism is said to be practiced in China for around 2000 years. Around 13000 Buddhist temples are seen in the country. Taoism, with history of 1700 years has 1500 Taoist temples. Islam and Catholicism were introduced in China in 7th century. All these religions and religious leaders play an important role in the development of the country. Unlike other countries all religious beliefs of the country have a harmonious relationship and gives respect for each other.

In world’s population of approximately 6.7 million, China represents 20% of the world population. So it is calculated that one in every five person is a China resident. The country is also the place where you can find more elderly people.  From this population around 25 % are younger people, 67 % of people of age between 15 to 60 and the rest 6.7 % are old people. According to a survey it is found that by 2010 the population of China will reach 1.4 billion.



Heidi

Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com) asked:


efers to the project that with a model of clay, and through a processing of pinching, ring forming and molding, then sintered it under a temperature of 800-1000 ?, thus finally formed into a molding, the model body is non-transparent, with tiny poles on, and it is water-retaining, and the sounds dull when knocked on it.



Pottery can be divided into groups of coarse ceramic and fine ceramic, colored or white ceramic, naked ceramic or glazed ceramic, and the varieties of which are grey pottery, terracotta, white pottery, painted pottery, black pottery and so on, which are full with thick flavors of life and unique artistic styles.

As seen to the discovery of the ceramic flakes produced in late Paleolithic Age that found in the Nihe district of Hebei province China, from now there is a long history of 11,700 years of the birth of Chinese pottery. As early as in the Shang Dynasty of China, the glazed pottery and hard-glazed pottery which initially possessed the characters of porcelain had just already appeared. The contents expressed by the pottery are also various, such as peoples, animals, pavilions and a variety of utensils used in daily life were all been involved in.

The invention of pottery is an important process of human civilization, it is the first try that human took advantage of natural materials to create a brand-new article in accordance with their own purpose.

People mixed clay with water and use the mixture to produce a variety of utensils and housewares, which formed into ceramics through a process of baking and whose quality changed consequently, it opened a new chapter of human’s using nature and reconstructing nature, it was an important occasion in the development life of human and has historical and epoch-making significance. At the same time, the appearance of pottery also is a mark of the beginning of the Neolithic Age.



The invention of pottery also greatly improved the living conditions of human beings, it opened up a new era in the history of human’s development. However, the invention of pottery is not a patent of ancient ancestors of some or other region or a tribe, it is an invention that could be created out by any ancient agriculture tribes or groups independently in the long-term practice of human.

The appearance of pottery is also one of major stamps of the Neolithic age in China, it enhanced the settlement stability of early humans, and made people’s daily lives more rich and colorful.

Justine

Paul Everton asked:


China is compiled of a vast variety of extremely different landscapes, using mostly plateaus and mountains in the west, & lower lands on the east. As a effect, principal rivers flow From west to east, including the Yangtze (central), the Huang He (central-east), and the Amur (northeast), and every now and again toward the south (admitting the Pearl River, Mekong River, & Brahmaputra), by using most Chinese rivers emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

In the east, by the shores of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea there are extended and densely populated alluvial plains;. On the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the northerly, grasslands may be seen. Southern China is dominated by hills & low mountain ranges. In the central-east are the deltas of China’s two major rivers, the Huang He & Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). to the highest degree of China’s arable lands lie by those rivers; they were the centers of China’s major ancient civilizations. Extra large rivers include the Pearl River, Mekong, Brahmaputra & Amur.

In the west, the northerly has a great alluvial plain, and the south has a vast calcareous tableland covered by hill ranges of moderate elevation, and the Himalayas, containing the highest point Mount Everest. The northwesterly also has high plateaus sustaining more arid desert landscapes such as the Takla-Makan and the Gobi Desert, which one has been expanding. During many dynasties, the southwestern border of China has been the high mounts and deep valleys of Yunnan, which one split modern China since Burma, Laos & Vietnam.

The Paleozoic formations of China, excepting only the upper separate of the Carboniferous system, are marine, when the Mesozoic and Tertiary deposits are estuarine and freshwater or even else of terrestrial origin. Groupings of volcanic cones occur in the awesome Plain of northerly China. In the Liaodong & Shandong Peninsulas, in that location are basaltic plateaus.

The climate of China varies greatly. The northern zone (containing Beijing) has winters of Arctic severity. The central zone (containing Shanghai) has a temperate clime. The southern zone (containing Guangzhou) has a subtropical climate.

Due to a prolonged drought & poor agricultural practices, dust storms have get usual in the spring in China. Dust has blown to southern China & Taiwan, and has even reached the West Coast of the United States. Water, erosion, & pollution control keep close at hand get crucial issues in China’s dealings by owning Other areas.

Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout virtually of Imperial China’s history, & mastery of Confucian texts was the main criterion for entry into the majestic bureaucracy. The literary emphasis of the exams impacted the general perception of cultural refinement in China, e.g. the look at that calligraphy was a higher art form than painting or drama. China’s traditional measures were derived Derived from various versions of Confucianism and conservatism. A number of further authoritarian strains of believed have as well been influential, such as Legalism.

There was typically dispute betwixt the philosophies, such as the individualistic Song Dynasty neo-Confucians, that thought Legalism departed since the original spirit of Confucianism. Examinations & a culture of merit stay greatly valued in China today. In recent years, a number of New Confucians use at times advocated that democratic ideals and human rights are quite well-matched by having traditional Confucian “Asian values”

Using the rise of Western economic and military power beginning in the mid-19th century, non-Chinese systems of social and political organization gained adherents in China. Some of those would-be reformers totally rejected China’s cultural legacy, whilst others sought to combine the strengths of Chinese & Western cultures. In center, the history of 20th century China is one of experimentation By using new systems of social, political, and economic administration that would permit for the reintegration of the country in the wake of dynastic collapse.

The first leaders of the PRC were born in the old society but were determined by the May Fourth Movement and reformist ideals. They sought to change A few traditional aspects of Chinese culture, such as rural land tenure, sexism, & Confucian education, while keeping others, such as the family structure & obedience to the state. numbers of observers think that the period following 1949 is a continuation of traditional Chinese dynastic history, while others say that the CPC’s rule has damaged the foundations of Chinese culture, especially through political movements such as the Cultural Revolution, where Several aspects of traditional culture were labeled “regressive & harmful” or “vestiges of feudalism” by the regime.

They further argue that Many crucial aspects of traditional Chinese morals and culture, like Confucianism, Chinese art, literature, & playing arts like Beijing opera house, were altered to conform to regime policies and communist propaganda. The institution of the Simplified Chinese orthography reform is controversial too. Today, the PRC authorities has accepted much of traditional Chinese culture as an integral part of Chinese society, lauding it as an crucial accomplishment of the Chinese civilization and emphasizing it as existence vital to the formation of a Chinese interior identity.

Fine art, scholarship, and literature

Chinese characters have had Many variants & styles throughout Chinese history. Tens of thousands of ancient compose documents are still extant, from Oracle bones to Qing edicts. Calligraphy is a major art variety in China, further extremely regarded than painting & music. Manuscripts of the Classics and religious texts (mainly Confucian, Taoist, & Buddhist) were handwritten by ink brush. Calligraphy later became commercialized, & works by famous artists became prized ownerships.

Printmaking was evolved During the Song Dynasty. Academies of scholars sponsored by the empire were organized to comment on the classics in two printed and handwritten form. Royalty frequently took part in these discussions.

For centuries, economic & social advancement in China could be supplied by high up performance on the majestic examinations. This headed to a meritocracy, although it was available only to males who could afford test readying. imperial examinations expected applicants to write essays and demonstrate mastery of the Confucian classics. Those that passed the top level of the exam turned elite scholar-officials known as jinshi, a extremely esteemed socio-economic status.

Chinese philosophers, writers, and poets were extremely respected, and played key roles in preserving & advancing the culture of the empire. A few classical scholars, however, were noted for their daring depictions of the lives of the most common people, often to the displeasure of authorities.

Sports and recreation

At that place is grounds to believe that a variety of football (i.e. soccer) was first played in China around 1000 CE, leading Numerous historians to suppose that it originated there.Besides football, the most mainstream sports are martial Arts, table tennis, badminton, basketball, U.S. football, & extra lately, golf. Basketball is especially mainstream By owning the young, in urban centers where space is limited. The NBA has a great following & Many idolize Yao Ming.

There are also Several traditional sports. Chinese dragon boat racing occurs during the Duan Wu festival. In Inner Mongolia, Mongolian-style grappling & horse racing are popular. In Tibet, archery & equestrian athleticses are part of traditional festivals.

China has turn into a athleticses power in the Asian region & around the world. China finished 1st in medal counts in each of the Asian Games as 1982,& in the top four in medal numbers in each of the Summer Olympic Games as 1992. The 2008 Summer Olympics, formally acknowledge as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be carried in Beijing, China.

Physical good condition is extremely regarded. Morning exercisings are a most common activity & the elderly are often seen practicing qigong in parks.

Board games such as International Chess, Go (Weiqi), and Xiangqi (Chinese chess) are also mutual and have organised formal rivalries.



Erik

Pat Malcolm asked:


Chinese poets spoke about the wonderful jujube in 600 BC. The fruit of the jujube has been used in ancient Chinese medicine for many nutritional remedies for 2500 years. Jujubes were used by Gerard in Europe as a medicinal herb in the 1600’s to treat ailments of the kidneys, lungs, and liver.

The Chinese jujube was brought to America by Oriental immigrants who built railroads in Arizona in the early 1900’s. Hundreds of grafted jujube cultivars are available in China, and a large number of these trees were imported by the USDA in 1908 and planted at the Experiment Station at Tifton, Georgia, for testing, according to Otis Woodard.

Lowell F. Locke of the USDA in 1924 introduced the improved jujube (Chinese Date) to the western U.S., where it was described as “They have a delicious fruit with a smooth brown skin and ivory fruit. You eat them skin and all. It was not firm as a peach, more like an apple. I made jams and jellies from them and also candied them.” Locke described the jujube as being cold hardy, late flowering, and virtually frost proof. The trees are well adapted to dry and sandy soils and will grow easily without requiring any special attention.

The Chinese jujube is native to China, Japan, and much of Southeast Asia. The deciduous tree grows to 25 feet tall, loaded with sharp spines, until it ages and the spines fall off as the bark is formed. The yellow fragrant flowers are small and they mature into reddish brown oval fruits a little larger than an olive. New cultivars of improved jujubes can grow as large as a plum and can be as a round or oval shaped, ripening to a reddish-brown color. The jujube fruit can be eaten fresh off the tree, even when there is much green color on the fruit with faint reddish marks just developing. In dry locations the fruit will ripen and dry up on the tree, but in the Southeastern United States, where the humidity is high, the fruit must be harvested when the color change happens and dried in a cool room.

Some gardeners describe jujube as tasting like dates flavored with apples and chocolate. The pulp of the jujube fruit is centered around a core that contains two seeds. The pulp is sweet, soft, and yellow in color, with some cultivars being white when ripe.

After being cured-out and dried, the jujube shrivels up into a wrinkled delicacy. The fruit is commonly treated similar to raisin production to preserve for consumption at a later time.

The jujube tree is prized for it’s delicious tasting fruit, the bright-green waxy leaves, and the fascinating silhouette of the tree. The leaves turn bright yellow before they shed after fall frosts.

Jujube trees thrive in sandy, poor grade soils such as those found in the Southeast, and the trees easily flourish in dry conditions; however, a little well-placed fertilizer produces amazing results in a short time. There are many species of jujube that have found use all over the world, including the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Arab nutritionists use the leaves of the jujube tree to kill worms and other parasites that attack the intestinal tract and cause diarrhea. A jujube tree that is native to Spain, France, Italy, Syria, and Asia Minor is similar to the Asian jujube and has been used medicinally as a food item in Europe, Asia Minor, and Africa. Jujubes were grown in Algeria and eaten mostly by Algerian Jews in the third century to celebrate New Years Eve.

The Chinese believed that eating the fruit from the jujube tree would improve a person’s stamina and strength, as well as an improvement in the function of the liver and the immune system. They believed that consumption of the jujube would mildly tranquilize a person, act to fight allergies, and cause a person to gain weight.

Nutritionists have found that the fruit of the jujube tree contains beneficial concentrations of Vitamins A, B2, and C. The jujube also contains minerals necessary for health, such as phosphorus, calcium, and iron.

In China the fruit is marketed mainly like dried dates and can be found at any food store. The fruit is prized as a health food as well as a tasty treat. Can a market for jujubes be developed for this easy to grow delicacy? Very few fruit trees can be grown that have as many desirable qualities, such as no natural pests, good taste, heavy production, unfailing yearly crops, no fertilizer requires, thrives in poor soil, 4000 years of growing history in China, and no climatic limitations.



Kayla

Brian Welsch asked:


The history of sex in China beginning from the erotic literature of the ancient dynasties to the conservative communist revolution is a fascinating one. Sex was not a taboo subject in ancient China like it is today and there is religious literature that documents the importance of sex to health and vitality. STDs and HIV is a growing problem in modern China and homosexuality is frowned upon. What can the history of sex in China tell us about these beliefs and realities in modern-day China ?

The History of Sex in China - From Sacred to Taboo

The Taoists believed that sex was the way to achieve good health and immortality. Yang referred to the male gender while yin referred to the female gender. In order for men and women to give each other their yin and yang essences, sex was very important and the different sexual positions had different purposes. The taoists believed that men should ejaculate as little as possible to maintain a high level of jing, or sexual energy, as semen was believed to be rich in jing.

Homosexuality was considered unhealthy because it was believed that a man would receive too much yang essence if he engaged in sex with another man but it was not forbidden. Lesbianism was more common because women were said to have an unlimited amount of yin essence. Women also played an important role in sexual relations and sex was not seen as beneficial unless the woman also received pleasure. Ancient texts like the Book of Changes, or I Ching, are full of sexual imagery. The I Ching is an important work in the history of sex in China and it contains detailed descriptions of sexual organs and behaviors. The hexagrams it contains are said to symbolize the genitals and its message is that sexual union is harmonious and life-giving.

In the early history of sex in China , when Taoism was the common doctrine, women were on equal footing with men. That began to change when Confucianism took over and women became inferior to men. Confucianism is inherently sexist and men were seen as the gender in control. Sex was seen only as a means of procreating and frowned upon if engaged in for the sake of pleasure. Husbands and wives only had physical contact behind closed doors. The Taoist philosophy later made a comeback but eventually intertwined with Confucianism and Buddhism.

Issues Surrounding Sex in Modern-Day China

In the history of sex in China homosexuality wasn’t encouraged but it wasn’t prohibited either. After the People’s Republic of China was formed, homosexuals had to go underground because they were persecuted. In modern-day China , homosexuality is slowly becoming accepted and recently, sodomy was decriminalized. Furthermore, the government no longer classifies homosexuality as a mental illness.

The rapidly rising rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases are alarming. People are surprisingly ignorant about how STDs are transmitted and the government’s initial stance was that HIV was a Western disease. By 2000 an unsafe blood supply led to a boom in HIV so the government had to stop being in denial and start taking action. Because there is a stigma attached to homosexuality, there is not much information out there about safe sex and condoms are not accepted in mainstream Chinese culture.

In conclusion, the history of sex in China is fascinating because of all of the ancient philosophies and ideas surrounding sex. It is interesting to chronicle China ’s transformation from a non-sexist society that embraced sex to one that banned any deviation from the norm and took on sexist ideologies.

Slowly things are starting to change and the acceptance of homosexuality and openness about sex is growing. With those changes, hopefully China ’s people can receive better sex education to prevent the spread of disease and work towards a more just and equal society.  

Original article : History Of Sex In China



Parker

Mr. Pham asked:


About 2700 B.C, there was a emperor named Shen Nung in CHINA. He loved plants and flowers. He had the most complete and beautiful garden in the whole country.

Every afternoon, emperor Shen Nung would sit in his garden and enjoy his drink.

One day, while his water was boiling on the table, a wind was blowing through the garden. The leaves were flying everywhere.

However, there was one tiny green leaf flew right into the emperor’s boiling water. The leaves made the water turn green. Curious to what kind of taste it would give, Shen Nung took a sip. The sweetness and bitterness of the green drink refreshed him.So the discover of tea was marked in China about 3000 years ago.

CHINA:THE BIRTH OF TEA DRINK.

Although the tea drink is discovered, it’s still uncommon to the Chinese for a long time. By 780 A.D., Lu Yu wrote the Cha’Ching or “The book of tea”. This book turned the history of tea to new direction.

Lu Yu was a follower of Zen Buddhism. Lu Yu wrote this book based on his memories and observations of tea plantation and processing. Amazing memory. Until the Sung dynasty in 1100 AD, this wonderful drink began to become popular in the elite society. Some of tea’s popularity is due to the discoveries of its health benefits.

As the Chinese elites enjoyed this excellent drink, they increased the growing of tea plant (or Camellia Sinensis). The production of tea skyrocketed. This wonderful drink began to reach every households in China.

By the Ming dynasty (~ 1300 AD), China began to export this newly discovered drink to neighboring countries. The history of tea turned to the world outside of China. Tea became an important commodity and had high exchange value in China. Tea trading gained popularity and yielded very high profit.

JAPAN: ALL THANKS TO A MONK

The history of tea is filled with myth and fantasies. No one knows how much of its is true. But the myths add new excitement into the origin of tea. There is a myth that stated: a Indian Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma that lived around 6 A.D. He used to meditate for months at one time.

Something unexpected happened. Bodhidharma fell asleep during one of his meditation. Feeling rather angry and disappointed, he cut off his eye lids and threw them on the side of the road. He vowed to never sleep again.

Bodhidharma came back to this road and saw something amazing. There was a tiny plant with tiny leaves grew on the place where his eye lids were. He picked up the small leave and chewed. Surprisingly, he was able to meditate for hours and hours without falling asleep.

About 1200 AD, the founder of Zen Buddhism, Eisai, was passionate about the health benefits of tea. Eisai wrote a famous book “Tea drinking is good for health”. Eisai claimed that tea cured diseases such as loss of appetite and B-deficiency

Tea has spread its charms to Japan. In Japan, this wonderful and natural drink is a way of life. Japanese tea ceremony reflects purity and serenity.

The famous Japanese tea ceremony is Chanoyu–tea in hot water. This ceremony was Murata Shuko– father of tea ceremony. The special tea that is served in Japanese tea ceremony is Matcha. Matcha is green powered tea.

EAST AND MIDDLE ASIA: TEA HISTORY AND SPICE TRADE

Trading between Asian countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and China a long time ago. They mostly traded spices like herbs, sugar, salt…

Once China began to export tea, this commodity gradually reached Middle and East Asia through spice- trading route. By 18th century, people in Sri Lanka and Iran started to enjoy this wonderful drink. Overtime, they grew their own tea plants and also export their products.

RUSSIA: LARGEST IMPORTER OF TEA

Through many trading routes, this natural drink is introduced to Russian. Gradually, this wonderful drink was so popular. The government began to import tea in large quantities. Initially, Russia imported this red and green tea from China. Now, it mostly imported from India and Sri Lanka.

BRITISH: THE ROYAL FAMILY, HERE TEA COMES

When Dutch established a trading route to China via Africa. Tea then were introduced to Europe. Tea was mostly transported by the Dutch East India Company to Europe. Tea was introduced to British elites in 15th century. They prefer Black tea (Chinese called it Red tea). Black tea is processed in a way that it’s fully oxidized. Black tea gives a strong and bold taste.

The British people’s tongue were not so sensitive on bitterness. This seems to be the reason they prefer Black tea. The tea was for the elites, then the common people. Tea became a social drink in England. Ale lost its place as the most popular drink to Tea.

The first tea house was opened. The first tea house is Tom’s tea house. The owner was Thomas Twinning. Thomas Twinning tea company still successful today. Britain people also loves High tea. It’s an ordinary tea for working class.

AMERICA: OPEN DOOR WELCOMING THE NEW DRINK

When America was still a colony under the control of England. Tea drink was introduced to Americans. At one time, when tea was scarce and the price was high. England increased the tax for tea. Americans loved tea, but angry with the high tax. The famous BOSTON tea party took place.

Another form of tea drink that made this wonderful drink even more popular. Ice tea. It was invented in summer 1904, by Richard Blechynden. It was hot and Richard’s tea house did not have any customer. He added ice to make his hot tea cool.

Then came the idea of tea bag, created by Thomas Sulliva. He had a tea business in New York. He tried to promote his tea.

Thomas crushed the whole leaf into tiny bits. Put into a tiny bag. Distribute them around like taste sample.

However, whole tea leaves have higher quality. It preserves the taste and all of the essence of tea. Crushed tea leaves have lower quality. But it’s still great for a taste sample.

AFRICA: TEA OR NOT TEA?

The history of tea lead us to Africa. Specially, Kenya and South Africa. The British brought tea to Africa after the World War II.However, Africa has its own “tea plant”. It’s called Rooisbos (or Red diamond or Red bush).This is not exactly tea, but infused like tea.

Rooisbos is harvested in the summer. Real tea leaves are harvested in the Spring.

Well! this is not exactly about “authentic” tea. But tea did visit Africa and spread its

You see now that tea travels all over the world. Now it’s the 2nd most consumed drink in the world, only after water.



Jeremy