The Huaqing Hot Spring

Situated at the northern foot of Mt. Lishan in Lintong County, 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Xian City, Huaqing Hot Spring is famed for both its dainty spring scenery and the romantic love story of Emperor Xuanzong (685-762) and his concubine Yang Guifei in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Its long history and location among the wonderful landscapes of Xian should entice any visitor to visit and bathe in this hot spring.

It is said that King You built a palace here during the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC-711 BC). Additions were subsequently made by the First Emperor Qing (259 BC-210BC) and Emperor Wu during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24). During his reign, the Emperor Xuanzong spent dizzying amounts of his funds to build a luxurious palace, changing its name to Huaqing Hot Spring or Huaqing Palace. Over the course of 41 years in his days, he visited the palace as many as 36 times. The palace thus has a history of 3,000 years and the hotspring a history of 6,000 years! Ranked among the Hundred Famous Gardens in China, it also has the status as a National Cultural Relic Protection Unit and a National Key Scenic Area.

A Visit to the Huaqing Hot Spring

Nine-dragon LakeEntering the gate which bears the inscription 'Huaqing Chi' (Huaqing Hot Spring) by Guo Moruo, a noted literary in China, visitors are greeted by two towering cedars. By continuing inward passing two symmetrical palace-style plunge baths and turning right, you will see the Nine-Dragon Lake. Despite the fact that the lake is artificial with an area of 5,300 square meters (6339 square yards), it constitutes one of the main enchanting sceneries in the Huaqing Palace. You will see lotus floating on the water and emitting sweet fragrance, and a white marble statue of Yang Guifei - recognised as one of the four most beautiful women in ancient China - stands tall by the lake like a shy and appealing fairy. Mirrored in the lake you will see a surrounding complex of constructions interspersed with willows and rocks, including Frost Flying Hall (Feishuang Hall) in the north, Yichun Hall and Chenxiang Hall respectively in the east and west as well as Nine Bend Corridor and Dragon Marble Boat. The magnificent Frost Flying Hall used to be the bedroom of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, with red supporting pillars and fine-patterned carving. Living in a place so full of spice must have made the inhabitants invigorated and pleased.
Walking southwards through Dragon Marble Boat and several pavilions, you will find the Site of Imperial Pool, which is the only one of its kind to be discovered in China. The five remaining pools are the Lotus Pool, Haitang Pool, Shangshi Pool, Star Pool and Prince Pool. The lotus-like Lotus Pool was made for the Emperors' bath, the Haitang Pool resembling a Chinese Crabapple was intended for concubines, and the Shangshi Pool was designated for officials. It is said that the former Star Pool had no roof and nothing to cover its four sides. There, must have been possible to truly experience the eternal beauty of Yang Guifei. Huan Garden is the former garden of the Huaqing Palace. There lie the Lotus Pavilion, Viewing Lake Tower (Wanghu Lou), Flying Rainbow Bridge (Feihong Qiao), Flying Glow Hall (Feixia Ge), and Five-Room Hall (Wujian Ting). In popular legend, the Flying Glow Hall was once the place where Yang Guifei would overlook the scenery and cool down her long hair. The Five-Room Hall was built in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was the shelter of Empress Dowager Cixi after the Eight-Power Allied Force captured Peking in 1900, and was also the temporary residence of Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party during the world-famous Xian Incidence in 1936. The Huan Garden also features a large-scale mural carrying the inscription 'Yang Guifei Was Summoned to Serve the Emperor in Huaqing Hot Spring'. Composed of 90 white marbles, the mural is 9.15 meters (30 feet) long and 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) high. Depicting the scene of the feast in which Emperor Xuanzong summoned Yang Guifei, it reflects the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Odes of Huaqing Hot Spring are also witnesses of past politics, economy and art.
By visiting the Huaqing Hot Spring, you will not only enjoy the scenery, but also taste the joy of imagining yourself back in the days of the Tang Dynasty.

The first pleasure to experience is to have a bath in the imitational Guifei Pool. With an even temperature of 43 degree (109 F), the ever-flowing water of the hot spring contains minerals and organic materials that have therapeutic effects on the skin. Water originating from four spring reaches a discharge level of 112 tons per hour. In the bath pool, you can experience the same comfort as did the Emperor Xuanzong or Yang Guifei.

After the discovery of remains of Tang operas and entertainments, the Exhibition Hall of Tang Art was built in 1995. Here, you can enjoy dance performances imitating the Tang style and a Chinese tea ceremony in the teahouse.

In the palace of Huaqing Hot Spring, visitors who are interested in calligraphy will be delighted to discover the inscriptions collected there. Currently, the inscriptions include in total 7 steles, 16 stones with poems, 7 stone inscriptions, 4 stone carving, and an additional 69 tablets discovered in 1949. All of them represent elite work in the field of calligraphy art and materials of their kinds.

The Dagu Fort

Lying 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Tianjin City, the Dagu Fort was built in 1816 to protect Beijing, the capital of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). As a heroic symbol of China's fight against foreign invasion, the emplacement is considered one of the three treasures of Tianjin by its people.

Tianjin is the gateway to Beijing, and the Dagu Fort is the gateway to Tianjin. Both the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing dynasties erected fortresses here because of its military importance. In 1858, the Qing government built six emplacements named Wei, Zhen, Hai, Men, Gao, and Shitoufeng. They were all thicker and wider than those constructed in the Ming Dynasty. Between the mid-19th century and 1900, the Eight-Power Allied Forces launched four wars in the Dagu area to gain economic and political control over China. The local armies and citizens fought bravely against the invaders, and many Chinese people sacrificed their lives for their country. After the war, the imperialists forced the Qing government to destroy the emplacements. As a result, most of the forts were demolished and only the Wei Fort and the Hai Fort survived.
Visitors can see the Dagu Fort Ruins Museum, the Dagu Fort Ruins Monument, and the Wei and the Hai forts here. The museum was built in 1997 at the ruins of the Wei Fort. It displays the history of the emplacement with abundant pictures, illustrations, and objects. Of the six forts, the Wei Fort is the only round one. The emplacement, which is more than 20 meters (65 feet) high, is made of bricks. The cannons exhibited here are modeled on the ones used in the Second Opium War (1856-1860). The spot conveys a vivid feel for the cruel battle that took place in this area.
Near this emplacement ruins, many other scenic spots such as Haimen Bridge, Dagu Beacon, and Chaoyin Temple are also worthy of visiting. A visit here is destined to be an unforgettable one.

Genghis Khan's Mausoleum

Genghis Khan is a Mongolian hero। He reunified the chaotic Inner Mongolia prairie and led his people to be a great civilization। He made great contributions to the founding of the powerful Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the unification of China which enhanced greatly the interactions of the peoples of China. Due to this great feat, he was named 'Genghis Khan' by Mongolian tribes, meaning 'powerful king' in Mongolian. Today, Genghis Khan is still worshipped and remembered by his people.

The present Genghis Khan's Mausoleum was built in 1954 in Erdos City, Inner Mongolia, about 185 km (around 115 miles) from Baotou City. Most people, however, believe that this mausoleum is not where he was really buried but is rather a gathering place for Mongolians to offer sacrifice to the spirit of Genghis Khan. Whether this is true or not, Genghis Khan's Mausoleum remains a sacred place with great significance for Mongolian people.
The main structures of the mausoleum are three grand halls, which are shaped like Mongolian yurts, and the corridors which link the three halls. In the middle is the Main Hall, which is also the Memorial Hall. In the center of this stands a white marble statue of Genghis Khan with a height of over 4 meters (around 13 feet). Behind the statue is the map of the vast territory of the Yuan Dynasty. On either side of the Main Hall are the East Hall and the West Hall. In the East Hall, coffins of one of Genghis Khan's wives and his fourth son are laid. In the West Hall, Genghis Khan's arms are exhibited. Along the corridors frescos depict the life of Genghis Khan and the great deeds of his grandson-Kubla Khan, who was as great as his grandfather.
In the hall behind the Main Hall there are four biers covered with bright yellow satin. They are said to be the coffins of Genghis Khan and his three wives. There are also two coffins of Genghis Khan's brothers.
In addition, tourists can taste delicious Mongolian barbecue, and enjoy a Mongolian-style dance and horse performance. You can even take part in the dance, horse riding, arrow shooting, and wrestling. All these activities enhance the tourists' travel experience.

Mohe

The Mohe (or Malgal, Mogher) were a Tungusic people in ancient Manchuria. They are sometimes considered the ancestors of medieval Jurchen and modern-day Manchus. According to some records, they originally dwelt near the Liao River and later migrated southward. According to Chinese records, they were governed by the Buyeo kingdom, but broke free during the Chinese Three Kingdoms period. They subsequently became an autonomous state. They were involved in the early history of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The records of Baekje and Silla during the 1st century and 2nd century AD include numerous battles against the Mohe.

The Mohe were divided into various tribes, the most powerful of which were the Sumo Mohe।[citation needed] The Sumo Mohe were eventually conquered by Goguryeo, and the other Mohe tribes by Sui Dynasty China. Many Mohe moved back toward their northern homeland in this period. The "Mohe" section of the "Beidi Zhuan" of the "Jiu Tang Shu" states: "Their country is all (or "roughly") comprised of some tens of 'bu' (roughly "tribes," but also just generally meaning "divisions"), each having a chief, some of whom are attached to the Goryeo, and some of whom serve as common people (i.e., vassals) to the Tujue."

The Mohe also participated in the later kingdom of Balhae, 698-926. The founder of Balhae, Dae Joyeong was recorded to be a former Goguryeo general of Sumo Mohe stock (New Book of Tang), although the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk Yusa) written by Koreans several hundred years later states that he was of Goguryeo stock.[1] After the fall of Balhae, few historical traces of the Mohe can be found, though they are considered to be the main ethnic group that became the Jurchen.
The name of the Mohe also appears as "Maka" in "Shin-Maka" or "New Mohe," the name of a dance and the musical piece that accompanies it, which was introduced to the Japanese court during the Nara Period or around the beginning of the Heian Period from the Balhae Kingdom. In modern Japanese historical texts, the name of the Mohe is annotated with the "kana" reading Makkatsu, which is probably a reading pronunciation based on the standard Sino-Japanese readings of the Chinese characters used to transcribe the ethnonym of the Mohe.

The ethnonym of the Mohe bears a notable resemblance to that of the later historically attested *Motgit, as well as to that of the medieval Merkits, who opposed the rise of the Mongols lead by Genghis Khan.

Mount Heng

Heng Shan in Shanxi province is one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism। At 2,017 m, it is one of the five tallest peaks in China Proper. Heng Shan in Shanxi province is sometimes known as the Northern Heng Shan, and should not be confused with the Southern Heng Shan in Hunan Province. Both mountains have the same pronunciation in Chinese, and the Southern Heng Shan is also one of the Five Sacred Mountains.

Like the other four sacred Daoist mountains in China, Heng Shan has been considered a sacred mountain since the Zhou Dynasty. Due to its northerly location, the mountain was often under the control of non-Chinese dynasties, such as the Liao (916-1125). This made it impossible for pilgrimmages by the Chinese to take place for much of its history. Because of this, Hengshan is not nearly as religiously important in China as the other four Daoist mountains.


During the Han Dynasty, a temple called the Shrine of the Northern Peak (Beiyue Miao), dedicated to the mountain god was built on Hengshan's slopes। While periodically destroyed and rebuilt, this temple has an uninterrupted history from Han times to the present day.


The most famous temple at Hengshan is not Daoist, but is actually the Buddhist Hanging Monastery (Xuankong Si). The Hanging Monastery stands at the foot of Mt. Hengshan and is one of the most dramatic sights at Hengshan - a wooden temple clinging to the cliff side, appearing to defy gravity with only a few wooden posts as support. The Hanging Monastery, built in 491, has survived more than 1,400 years. The extant monastery was largely rebuilt and maintained in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The buildings were restored in 1900 and there are 40 wooden halls and structures linked by an ingenious system of pillars, posts and walkways.

Zhaoling

Zhaoling is the mausoleum of the second Qing emperor, Huang Taji, and his empress Xiaoduanwen Borjite. The tomb is located within Beiling Park, in the northern suburbs of Shenyang and is a popular area attraction. The tomb complex took eight years to build (between 1643 and 1651) and has a row of animal statues leading to it. The tomb and surrounding park cover an area of 3,300,000 square metres making it the largest of the three imperial tombs north of the great wall. The area around the tomb was originally set aside for imperial use and ordinary people were forbidden entry. This forbidden area was opened to the public in 1928 and now forms Shenyang's Beiling park.















The site is aligned on a north-south axis set west of Shenyang city's old north axis. This access forms the sacred way of about 1.2km that leads from the park gate to the tomb buildings. The way itself is made in three paths. The centre path was for the deities only or bearers of offerings. The path of the lefthand (west) of the sacred way was for the ruling emperor and the righthand (east) path was for officials and imperial staff. Halfway along the royal way stands a statue of Huang Taiji in a bold stance and wearing military dress. To either side lie extensive park lands of forest and lakes. At the northern end of the royal way, the route crosses a bridge over a lake beyond which stand a series of gates that mark the entrance to the inner tomb area. The first gate is made of marble with ornate carvings. Heavy steel supports have been added to the front and back of this gate to prevent it falling over. The second gate takes you through the walls that surround the tomb. The royal way continues through forested land. A pair of stone pillars mark the beginning of the inner tomb structures. To either of the route stand four pairs of stone animals. These are two xiezhi (mythical beasts that could tell good from evil. Here they represent the justice of the Emperor), two kylin (representing peace and kindness), two white horses, and lastly two camels. Beyond these guardians, the way is blocked by a small building inside which is a large Steele. This Steele tells of the deeds done by the dead emperor. It is mounted on top of a large statue of a turtle. After this, to either side of the way stand four buildings. These were used by the Emperor and his staff to prepare themselves and their offerings before their ceremony to honor the past emper.
After these stands the main temple complex. This is a walled area within which the ceremonies for worshiping the emperor were carried out. The tomb mound and underground palace stand in a semi-circular walled area north of the temple area. The temple walls are high, with a walkway set on top of them. Each corner is marked with a small tower and two larger towers stand over the north and south gates of the temple area. Within the temple complex's walls stand five buildings. The first four, set on either side of the central axis, were used for preparing the ceremony. At the northern end of the temple area, on top of the central axis, stands the alter building. It was here that the rites of worship were carried out. The building houses representations of the dead emperor. In front of the alter building, the Emperor and his household would make offerings to their ancestor. To the south west of the alter stands a small stone structure in which offerings, after being presented on the alter, would be burnt. Beyond the alter building, a final gate leads out of the temple area to the wall of the tomb mound itself. The underground tomb remains sealed, its contents hidden from view. Within lies Emperor Huang Taji, and his consorts along with a multitude of priceless offerings.

Shennongjia Forest Zone

The Shennongjia Forest Zone in eastern Hubei Province shares its border with Chongqing Municipality in the west and Baokang County of Hubei Province in the east. With an area of 3,253 square kilometers (about 803,833 acres), Shennongjia contains four towns, four villages, one national forest park and one national natural reserve area. Because of its marvelous natural scenery, rare foliages, endangered animals and famous legends such as the mysterious "Wild Man" (Chinese Yeti) said to be found in the mountains, the Shennongjia Forest Zone has attracted many tourists every year, amongst them researchers and scientists
Shennongjia was named after a very famous Chinese chief in prehistoric time, Shennong, also known as Yandi. He was believed to be one of the two ancestors of Chinese people (the other was Huangdi ). He invented crockery, discovered herbal medicine by personally tasting herbs and taught his people how to cultivate. It is said that while Shennong tasted herbs here, he suffered from poisoning more than seventy times! However in the end, he managed to discover many useful herbal medicines. To commemorate his great work, he became the namesake for the land we speak of today, Shennongjia.
Shennongding Peak, the highest mountain of Shennongjia, is 3105.4 meters (about 10,188 feet) high, above sea level. The lowest point, Shizhu River in southeastern Shennongjia Forest Zone, is only 398 meters (about 1,306 feet) high, above sea level. Visitors can enjoy witnessing the different beauties of the four seasons at different altitudes. Flowers blossom out at every corner; firs, spruces, dove trees, and many rare trees can be seen everywhere. Virgin forests, clear streams and grand waterfalls in the thousands of canyons beckon visitors to indulge in the wild nature. Peculiar caves also often amaze visitors. There is the Swallow Cave that inhabited thousands of swallows, the Tide Cave that floods three times a day, the Icy Cave that is always icy in summers, the Fish Cave that inhabited lots of fish at times of thunder and much more. Wild animals, some of which are really rare species, are also frequently seen (i.e. the golden haired monkey, giant salamander, spotted deer and etc.).
The most peculiar species founded in Shennongjia are certainly the "white animals". The first albino animal spotted in Shennongjia was a white bear, which looks like a giant panda in white skin. White monkeys, white roes, white deer, white squirrels, white snakes, white crows and even white toads have also been gradually discovered by scientists. Aside from the endangered animals, Shennongjia is a natural garden for herbal medicines as well. More than two thousand kinds of precious herbs, such as Jiaogulan (gynostemma pentaphyllum, which is as efficient as ginseng), actinidia, muskiness, fritillaria, Chinese angelica and etc., can be easily found in the Shennongjia Forest Zone.
The Wild Man of Shennongjia is a mysterious figure as famous as Nessie and UFOs. The records of the Wild Man appear many times in ancient Chinese books, and since the 1970s, many people in Shennongjia have declared that they had spotted The Wild Man. They are described to be ape-like, about two meters (6 ft.) high, covered by red or brown hair and can move very fast while standing erect. There have been many research studies held in Shennongjia, which have yielded some evidence of the creature, such as the footprints and hair of The Wild Man. It is believed by many people that The Wild Man is an ancient species just like the giant panda and the golden haired monkey. Recently, some hikers and visitors also announced their sightings of The Wild Man. But to this day, no Wild Man has yet been caught.Without a doubt, the Shennongjia Forest Zone is an attraction teeming with virgin scenery and folk legends, awaiting the enjoyment and excitement of casual tourists and researchers alike.