Bian lian (变脸), literally “Face-changing”, is an ancient Chinese dramatic art that is part of the Sichuan opera. Performers wear brightly colored costumes and move to quick, dramatic music. They wear vividly coloured masks, and within a second, their masks’ change — revealing completely new and vibrant visages. He is a joker. Can you see…
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary
The giant panda is a National Treasure of China and a symbol of the world’s endangered wildlife, and Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary is a must-visit attraction. After all, Sichuan is the home of the endangered Giant Pandas! I always have the impression that pandas have white fur apart from their black patches. These have light…
Leshan Giant Buddha / 乐山大佛
The Leshan Giant Buddha (乐山大佛) is the world’s largest statue of a Buddha carved out of a cliff and faces Mount Emei (we visited Mt Emei later). The Giant Buddha, standing at 71 metres, was built during the Tang Dynasty. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The Leshan Giant…
Mount Emei / 峨嵋山
Mt. Emei is one of the four sacred Buddhist Mountains of China and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Chinese novels have been referring it as a sacred mountain with nuns highly skilled in martial arts. Next: Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan!
Chengdu /成都
Chengdu (成都) is the capital of Sichuan province. During the era of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei (刘备) founded the the kingdom of Shu-Han (蜀汉; 221-263) with Chengdu as its capital. People from Sichuan love to eat “Mala” which means “numb and spicy”. The tingly numbness is caused by Sichuan pepper “hua jiao” (花椒) or…
The oldest city area in Shanghai – Chenghuangmiao 城隍庙
Shanghai (上海), the Oriental Paris, is the largest commerical and financial centre of China, and the eighth largest city in the world and one of the world’s busiest port. It isn’t an ancient Chinese city with loads of historic temples and ruins to visit; it’s a young new city more akin to Hong Kong. After…
Lingyin Temple / 灵隐寺
This is an interesting temple where my Hangzhou friend told me he and his school mates would go there to pray before they sat for his exams and his prayers were answered… Lingyin Temple is located in Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang province and is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist temples in China. It was…
Mei Jia Wu Village 梅家坞: Longjing Tea / 龙井茶
In Hangzhou (杭州), don’t forget to try some Longjing (Dragon Well) tea (龙井茶). It is a famous variety of green tea from Hangzhou and is produced pan fried by hand to stop the fermentation process, which refers to drying of the freshly picked leaves, resulting in enzymatic oxidation. This means Longjing tea leaves are unfermented…
The West Lake / 西湖
上有天堂，下有苏杭 – “In heaven there is paradise, on earth Suzhou and Hangzhou.” It is a famous Chinese proverb. Hangzhou is well-known for its enchanting natural scenery, with Xi Hu (西湖), literally “West Lake” as the most noteworthy location. The West Lake is said to be the incarnation of Xi Shi (西施), the one of the…
The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei
The Mausoleum of General Yue Fei (岳飞), situated near the West Lake, is a memorial built in honor of the great general Yue Fei who had won many wars against the armies of the Jin Dynasty. He was politically executed by traitors and since then, he has evolved into the role model of loyalty in…
