Tian’anmen Square

tian'anmen square

tian’anmen square

Tian’an Men Square, the heartland of the Beijing city, is the biggest city central plaza in the world. It covers an area of 44 hectares with its width from the west to east 500meters and its length from north to south 800 meters. Its ground surface is decorated with the light color granite stones which have been dealt with special workmanship technology. It is the most solemn ceremony when the national flag rises in the morning and drops down in sunset. You will raise endless infuriation and move when seeing the bright-color national flag of the People’s Republic of China shinning in the morning glow. It is the happening place for numerous important politic events and historical events, moreover, it has witnessed the up and down, the decay and development. It has been listed as one of the sixteen famous attractions in Beijing.

tiananmen square

tiananmen square

The Tian’an Men Square is a majestic and must-see attraction in Beijing, with whose north is to Tian’an Men Hall, south to Zhengyang Gate, north to Historical Museum and west to People’s Hall. It is a largest square with a capacity of 1 million holding functions here. The Monument of the People’s Heroes and the solemn Memorial Hall of the Chairman Mao are standing in the middle of the Square and both sides lies Working People’s Cultural Palace and Zhongshan Park. All of these architectures make the Tian’an Men Square grand, distribution symmetrical and magnificent to be a great and spectacular attraction in Beijing.

tiananmen square

tiananmen square

Having witness numerous times of the Chinese people fighting for democracy and freedom and fighting with reactionary rule and the foreign invasion, the Tian’an Men Square is an virtual and holy place for important celebrations, assemblies and welcoming guests of foreign fairs. It has been the symbol of the coagulative power and the prosperity of the People’s Republic of China. When you are walking around the Tian’anmen Square, viewing the magnificent distribution, feeling the majestic momentum, appreciating the vast and profound landscape, you will upsurge a burst passion and honor.

How to Make Your First Trip to China Enjoyable and Comfortable?

Maybe you have gone to China for one time or even several times, or maybe you have never been to China yet, no matter which type you are divided into, here I’d like to share some travel tips with you to make your trip to China much more enjoyable and wonderful next time or for your first time.

First of all, lock you destination for your China trip and avoid somewhere inconvenient and adventurous unless you are an adventurer. For those who have never been China before or just been China just one time, it’s best for you to decide your tour destinations so as to make your trip smoothly and familiar. You can make the famous and highlights destinations such as Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Shanghai , Hong Kong or somewhere your know about or at less your have hear about from your friends or those who have been China before. In that case, you won’t feel strange when you traveling there. Besides, those famous cities also have so many highlight attractions for you to enjoy experience and explore their beauty and fantasy. Moreover, most local citizens in these cities can speak English well, which will make your conversation and communications with them not so much difficult when necessary.

Next, do best preparation before starting your trip. You’d better to learn something basic about your destinations such as when is the best time to visit, what is the local delicious food of that destination, what should you pack for your trip and so on. Take Guilin as an example, the best time to visit is April when you will meet some drizzling days which make your Li River much more picturesque and poetic; and Guilin noodles will be a must-taste local food in Guilin; and you’d better take an umbrella and wear warm as it is still somehow cold in Guilin at that time. Learn more about the travel trips of your destinations as possible as you can.

Finally, take it easy when starting your tour.  As there are so much wonders and beauty for you to enjoy and experience in a new country, you will be exhausted with what you are going to see, listen and face such as new sights and sounds, new customs, ways of doing things, a new language, different food, and a different time zone and climate. Therefore, just make time available during your trip so that you can do something what you like to do or just relax yourself after your tour time. Do remember not to take the adventurous trip for you first time to China or anywhere else, just explore only the absolute best of easily-accessible China, only in that way your first trip to China will be much easier and more enjoyable.

The Forbidden City

forbidden city

forbidden city

The Forbidden City, also called the Imperial Palace or the Palace Museum, is located in the center of Beijing. Covering an area of 72 hectares, the Forbidden City is the best-preserved imperial palace in China, and also the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment and even the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. It is a great ancient architecture works where 24 emperors had been living here during the period of the Ming and Qing Dynasty and it has been listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987. It is a famous AAAAAA attraction in China without which any of your Beijing tour would be incomplete.

forbidden city

forbidden city

The Forbidden City is divided into two parts: the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation in the south and the Inner Court where he lived with his royal family in the north.  When you are walking inside the Forbidden City, you will find that its roofs are built with yellow glazed tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow by a special process—Yes, you may guess it, this is because yellow is the symbol of the royal family in China. You will first reach its main entrance— Meridian Gate, then to the outer court where you can see three main buildings—the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, finally to the inner court to view the Palace of Heavenly Peace, the Palace of Union and Peace and the Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility. All of these majestic architectures will make shock you and make you unbelievable and unspeakable.

forbidden-city

forbidden-city

Tips: 1) Ticket price: 60 RMB/ adult (not include the Pearl Hall and the Hall of Clock and Watches) for the peak tourist season from 1st April to 31st October; 40 RMB/ adult (not include the Pearl Hall and the Hall of Clock and Watches) for the slack tourist season from 1st November to 31st March; 2) Open time: 8:30 a.m.to19 p.m. for the peak season and 8:30 a.m. to 15: 40 p.m. for the slack season. 3) Best time to visit: late April to early June and late August to the end of the November. Late April to early June will be the best time of the best when the colorful flowers are blossoming. 4) Ways to go there: Take the No. 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 20, 52, 22, 120, 728 and 802 city buses to Tiananmen Square west stop or Tiananmen Square east stop and then get off.

Best Places for Your Tour to China in April

April, as an excellent month of the spring time characterized by colorful flowers blossom, green trees, fresh air and warm weather, is ideal time to go out for a travelling.  Thought it still drizzles in some places, the cow-hair-like rains make it a picturesque scene in some southern cities in China, which cannot be met in anywhere else. Here are the best places for you to visit in China in your April time, just prepare for your tour there now!

Xiling Gorge

Xiling Gorge

The Three Gorges will be the No.1 place for your April tour in China as it is neither cold nor hot at that time, which make it a best time to take a relaxing Yangtze Cruise to enjoy the mighty Yangtze River between Chongqing and Yichang. During the cruise, you will appreciate the captivating and astonishing scenery of the Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Xiling Gorge and also the biggest dam in the world—the Three Gorges Dam. All of the attractive scene will make your Yangtze Cruise along the Three Gorges memorable and worthwhile.

West Lake in Hangzhou

West Lake in Hangzhou

Hangzhou, where you can appreciate the panoramic view of classic China and the graceful scenery, ranks No.2 for your choice of April tour in China. Travelling there, you will see the beautiful landscape of Hangzhou decorated with spring greenery, jade-green plants, verdant weeping willow, fresh air, elegant and pink blossoms and leisurely atmosphere, which make you feel like walking on a painting, especially the charm adding by the West Lake, make Hangzhou place of poetic living.  Don’t forget to visit the ancient water towns such as the Xitang Town and Wuzhen Town to experience what the ancient China used to be and take beautiful photos there.

Terracota Warriors

Terracota Warriors

Next will come the Xi’an, which is the most influential city in Chinese history allowing you to experience and enjoy the historical culture of the ancient China. Thanks to the ideal weather in April, you can see the best scenery of Xi’an by visiting the majestic Terracotta Warriors, climbing the steep Hua Mountain, taking an Ancient City Wall ride and viewing other Tang Dynasty historical sites.

the Garden of the Master of Nets

the Garden of the Master of Nets in Suzhou

Suzhou, of course is another ideal destination for your tour to China in April, where you can appreciate the unique beauty of the traditional Chinese gardens in the temperate weather and warm temperature. The essence of the traditional Chinese gardens in Suzhou including Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Garden of the Master of Nets, Lingering Garden, the Garden of Harmony, and Lion Grove decorated with the verdant and colorfully beautiful blossoms will be great choice for your Suzhou tour. Don’t miss the ancient water towns which will leave you the charming scenery with the poetic scene.

The Temple of Heaven

Covering an area of 273 hectare, the Temple of Heaven is one of the famous attractions in China located in the southeastern of the Forbidden City with 4 times bigger than the Forbidden City.  It is a place to offer a sacrifice to supreme Ruler of Heaven in winter solstice for the emperors of the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. The distribution of the Temple of Haven shows “back” glyp and the altar wall is made with two sections: the inner altar and the outside altar, with the outside altar’s length totaling 6,416 meters and the inside altar 3,292 meters.

the Temple of Heaven

the Temple of Heaven

Travelling here, you will find that the Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall, whose south part is square which symbolize the earth and the north semicircular symbolizing the heaven. The northern wall is higher than that of the southern part, which shows the heaven is high and the earth is low, it also reflects that the heaven is round while the earth square.

the Temple of Heaven

the Temple of Heaven

 

The main architecture of the Temple of Heaven gather at the axle wire of the inside altar, which is connected with a broad bridge called Vermilion Steps Bridge whose south end is lower than its north end, and from the south to north are the Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian). In addiction, there are ancient architectures and historical sites including the God Kitchen, the Animal-killing Pavilion and the Hall of the Abstinence, whose design are ingenious, color reconcile and architecture excellent.

the Temple of Heaven

the Temple of Heaven

 

Tips: 1) Ticket price: 10 RMB/adult for the slack season from 1st November to 31st March and 15 RMB/ adult for the peak season from 1st April to 31st October. 2) Opening time: 6 a.m. to 22 p.m. for the entrance gate, 8 a.m. for the inside attractions. 3) Best time to visit: spring and autumn; one advantage to visit in winter is you can experience the acoustic building of the Temple of Heaven. 4) Don’t miss the Three Echo Stones, Echo Wall and Nine-Dragon Cypress.

5 Best Destinations for Your Trip to China in 2013

The year of 2013 will be a year full of surprise, wonders and miracles. As it is just the beginning of the branded new year, have you done any plans for your travel this year? Here are some advices for your tour to China in 2013—Yes, the 5 best destinations travelling to China including Beijing, Tibet, Chengdu, Guilin and Suzhou!

Tinanmen Square in Beijing

Tinanmen Square in Beijing

Beijing, of course a must-visit city in China because of the famous Great Wall there, it is the capital of China and the most historical city in China. Just plan a 4-day tour to visit there, where you can appreciate the magnificence of the Great Wall, view the grand Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, experience the Beijing life of ancient times by taking a Hutong ride, and taste the delicious Peking Roasted Duck and more.

Longji Rice Terraces in Guilin

Longji Rice Terraces in Guilin

Guilin, famous for the Li River, is undoubtedly a masterpiece of Karst Landforms. You will feel it beautiful scene on the Li River with the green water and around the picturesque mountains in the drizzling weather in spring. How wonderful and amazing! Travelling in Guilin, you can experience the countryside life in Yangshuo by taking a bicycle ride; moreover, you can also view the captivating Longji Rice Terraces, which will make your trip memorable!

Potala Palace in Tibet

Potala Palace in Tibet

Tibet, a mysterious place where numerous people yearning for visiting, is also a great choice for you to travel in China. Travelling there, you can not only experience the Tibetan Culture but also appreciate the charming scenery of the highlands which will shock you. Don’t forget to visit the PotalaPalace there.

Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou

Humble Administrator’s Garden in Suzhou

Suzhou, known as “the Oriental Venice”, is famous for its Chinese gardens with graceful watery landscapes. Being the essence of China’s gardens and water towns, you can view the famous and beautiful Humble Administrator’s Garden, Lion Grove, LingeringGarden, and Garden of the Master of the Nets. Just take a 3-day tour to Suzhou to see the charming attraction, experience the profound culture, taste the delicious food and get the Su embroidery there.

the Giant Pandas in Chengdu

the Giant Pandas in Chengdu

Chengdu with the opening bullet connecting Chengdu and Xi’an in 2013, is a one of the best destination for your tour to China this year. You can visit the Great Wall of Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an and the Giant Pandas in Chengdu in a budget tour once you reach China. The Fairy Land of Jiuzhaigou with 8-hour drive from Chengdu, is also alluring and fascinating attraction worthy a visit during your trip in Chengdu.

Tips: Do remember avoid the major holidays in China when the transport and tourist area are crowed with people, what you can see is a sea of people from here to there. Keep in mind some holidays’ time listed as follows: Spring festival (from February 10th and lasting 2 weeks); Labor Day week (May 1– May 7) and National Day week (October 1– October 7).

Ideal Places for Your Spring Photography in China

Are you a photographer? Do you like photography? Have you taken photo every time when you went travelling to keep memory of your wonderful and enjoyable trip everywhere? If the answer is “yes”, then I’m sure you are planning to have a travel to somewhere beautiful in the upcoming spring so as to take photo for those charming and alluring scenery. Here are some great ideas for your spring photography in China, just take them into consideration and you will find them perfect for your photography!

Peony in Luoyang

Peony in Luoyang

Peony in Luoyang, large and gorgeous, is showing its variety for travelers in April—yellow, white, pink, red, green, black, blue, and purple, it will be unspeakable to tell how beautiful it is when a vast area of the peony blooming in front of you. Just have a travel to Luoyang Peony Garden for the captivating scenery there!

Peach Flowers in Nyingchi

Peach Flowers in Nyingchi

Peach Flowers in Nyingchi of Tibet, also called Taohua Valley, is surrounded on three sides by mountains and capped with white snow. Decorated by a blue sky, green water and white cloud, the fascinating scenery also will make your photography there amazing!

Tulips in Shixianghu Scenic Spot in Chengdu

Tulips in Shixianghu Scenic Spot in Chengdu

Tulips in Shixianghu Scenic Spot in Chengdu City, is the best place to appreciate the captivating tulips in March, you will view a vast area of the various tulips—yellow, red, white, pink or purple—blooming everywhere in hills, forests, grassland or hills. Just prepare best camera to take photos there!

Pink Apricot Blossoms in Yili of Xinjiang

Pink Apricot Blossoms in Yili of Xinjiang

Pink Apricot Blossoms in Yili, Xinjiang also shows its unique charm and beauty to all travelers in March, which makes the Yili Valley a beautiful and romantic place. The Xinhua Valley there is decorated by beautiful pink apricot blossoms and pale green grass, together with the farm houses and herdsmen standing by, you will surely love this harmonious and peaceful place!

Yuanyang Terraced Fields in Yunnan

Yuanyang Terraced Fields in Yunnan

Yuanyang Terraced Fields in Yunnan or Longji Terraced Fields in Guilin, where you appreciate and enjoy the immense fields with various colors in Yuanyang Terraced Fields and view the astonishing scenery Longji Terraced Fields with its irrigation of the entire field and its breath-taking sunrise for the reflections of the fields against more gentle terrain slopes in springtime, which will leave you magnificent photographs.

Longji Terraced Fields in Guilin

Longji Terraced Fields in Guilin

Top Five Popular Places for Your Trip to China in March

Have you done any plan for your spring time? Have you gone to China before? Would you like to make your trip this year wonderful and memorable? Yep, just have a travel to China in the upcoming March when it is spring in China whose weather is warming up. Here are the 5 popular places recommended for you to have a visit then—Zhouzhuang Ancient Water Town, Wuyuan Village, Dali, Hainan Island and Guilin.

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang Ancient Water Town, with its average temperature about 11 °C (52 °F) at March, is located near Suzhou in regions south of the Yangtze River. Characterized by the picturesque and captivating landscapes of dreamily graceful scenes in the morning and at nightfall, it is the reprehensive attraction of the Yangtze River in the down reach and the top one ancient water town incisively and vividly showing you what the ancient China is. When travel there, you can also have a chance to view the charming scenery of the Suzhou, where it is famous for its traditional gardens. Do remember to take an umbrella with you as it drizzles at times in south of China.

Wuyuan

Wuyuan

Wuyuan, being known as “the most beautiful villages in China”, is something cold at the beginning of the March but warms up from the middle March with its highest temperature more than 20 °C (68 °F). Regardless of the cool weather, you will enjoy the culture of the ancient ancestral, mansions, dwellings and bridges featuring the Ming and Qing style architectures. Moreover, the pink peach flowers, white pear flowers, and vast lemon rape flowers blooming in the March, together with the green mountain around and the rivers in front, Wuyuan will show you an elegant idyllic picture of China, whose beauty is far from you can imagine.

Dali

Dali

Dali, with is temperature ranging from 7 °C (45 °F) to 22 °C (72 °F) with rare rain in March, is located in Yunnan Province and popular with its elegant landscapes and minority customs at that time. Featuring both historical sites and natural scenery, you will not only learn about the culture and history of the Ancient City of Dali, Taihe City Nanzhao, and Three Pagodas, but also enjoy the fascinating and alluring Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain at March.

Hainan Island

Hainan Island

Hainan Island, with its temperature ranging from 18°C (64 °F) to 32 °C (90 °F) in March, is located in the southernmost of China, where it is the warmest place in winter of China. You can enjoy yourself in the sea, on the beach or under the sun, and Yalong Bay, Dongzhaigang Mangrove Forest and Tianya Haijiao Scenic Zone will make your trip here in March unspeakable and unforgettable.

Guilin

Guilin

Guilin, a city with rainy days and heavy humility too often in March, may not be an ideal choice to travel, but you can enjoy its unique beauty whenever and wherever can’t be meet—Yes, the drizzling Li River enshrouded by mist, it’s just like a living traditional Chinese painting, beautiful and elegant! Taking a Li River cruise to Yangshuo, experiencing the bamboo raft on Yulong River and enjoying the cycling in the countryside, you will find it peaceful and relaxing from the anxious life in big cities!

Tips to Pack for Your Trip to China

Travel to China

Travel to China

It is known to all that wherever you go, a long trip outside or just for a while outdoor, the more things you take, the tired you will feel. Therefore, here I’d like to advise travelers to pack as slightly as possible so as to make your trip relaxing, easy and comfortable you can buy most of your travel necessities at your destinations in China.

First of all, what you should take is the passport with all necessary visas and travel documents. It will be better for you to keep a copy of all documents separately to the original documents in case of something unfortunate happen such as the original documents are lost. Moreover, those copies of the documents are very useful for identification purposes during your trip in China.

Next, take the casual outdoor clothing, umbrella, raincoat, anti-sunshine product or anti-coldness products such as hat, sunscreen, lip creams and sunglasses according to your travel time and destination. As many attractions are quite exposed to the weather – sun, wind, rain etc; for example the Forbidden City has many large open spaces, and many of the Temples have large courtyards between their halls and pagodas. But a pair of good walking shoes is necessary as most tours involve plenty of walking.

Pack for China Tour

Pack for China Tour

Then, itinerary with confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers of the places you’ll be staying. Address and telephone number list as a list of e-mail addresses, mailing addresses and telephone numbers will be a great help for you to be kept in touch. Type them onto a sheet instead of taking your whole address book to save weight.

Other things to take: Wallet, Credit cards, Traveler’s checks, Airline, Cruise or Train ticket, First-aid kit, Medicine and vitamins. In addiction, chargers for your mobile phone, digital camera etc. An electrical transformer could be useful. China uses 220V electricity for 110v devices cannot be used on this system.

travel to China

travel to China

Special things to take: 1) Insect repellent for summer months and for travelers who are visiting rural areas. 2) Your own silk sleeping bag liner and lightweight travel towel along with a reasonable supply of tissues, torch, personal toiletries if you are taking a more adventurous and challengeable trip.

What shouldn’t be took: expensive jewelry and watches, daily necessities such as bathroom requirements.

Take as slight as you can for your trip to China as the ‘Carry On’ luggage for air travel in China is limited to 2 pieces for first class travelers and one piece for business and economy class travelers with the dimensions of each shall not exceed 20X40 X55cm and the total weight of the above two pieces shall not exceed 5 kg. So, just make choice about what you are going to pack.

Shanhaiguan— First Pass under Heaven

Shanhaiguan

Shanhaiguan

With a long history of more than 600years, the Shanhai is located in Qinhuangdao City, which is nearly 300 km east of Beijing. It is the entrance to sea among the whole Great Wall, whose total length being 26 kilometers, average height 12 meters, width over 10 meters and major sections including Laolongtou Great Wall, Nanyiguancheng Great Wall, Beiyi Great Wall, Jiaoshao Great Wall, Sandaoguan Great Wall and Jiukoumen Great Wall. Among which the Laolongtou Great Wall is the entrance to the sea as it meets the Pacific Ocean at Bohai Sea, and it enjoys the reputation of “the sole of the China”.

Shanhaiguan

Shanhaiguan

The Shanhaiguan Great Wall is know as the “ First Pass under Heaven” that are made up of 7 castles—Guancheng, Dongluocheng, Nanyicheng, Beiyicheng, Weiyuancheng and Nihaicheng, around which are tall, strong and majestic wall with its length 4,769 meters, height 116 meters and thickness 10 meters. Shanhaiguan played an important military role in ancient times. It is the product of the Ming Dynasty policy and the “Tuntian Policy” and its reformation policy at that time has great effect on the consolidation and development of the Shanhaiguan.

Shanhaiguan

Shanhaiguan

There are 6 famous tourist areas in Shanhaiguan: Laolongtou, Temple of Meng Jiang Nü, Jiaoshan Mountain, First Pass under Heaven, Longevity Mountain, and Yansai Lake. Travelers who visit the Shanhaiguan Great Wall do remember to pay a visit to the Laolongtou and the First Pass under Heaven as there as the most popular among all the attractions there. Attractions near the Shangaiguan Great Wall include Beidaihe Scenic Area in Qinhuangdao City, you can also have a visit there if time available.

No one will ever understand the military power of China in ancient times if he or she has never visit the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan. So, just have a travel in the Shanhaiguan Great Wall anytime you like as it scenery varies and shows different beauty all the year round. You will never regret by doing that!