Top Ten China - Day 01

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1 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Great Wall of China Address: Great Wall of China, Bādálǐng (Bada Lingzhen), Huairou District, Be Alternative Name: Changcheng Contact Details: Contact tourist office Entry Information: This section of the Great Wall is open daily, 7am-6pm in winter and 6am to 10pm during summer. Admission costs Y45 and a further Y60 if you want to ride the cable cars. Site Direction: From Beijing, you can find numerous ways to reach Bādálǐng from the Beijing Tourist Information Center or through your hotel. Guided tours are available. Via public transport, you can take bus 919 from the Deshengmen gate or line A of the subway, both of which go to Bādálǐng Description The Great Wall of China is an iconic structure and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Great Wall was originally made up of several different defensive walls constructed throughout China between of 476 and 221 BC. It was during the reign of the first Emperor Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC that the Great Wall of China was amalgamated into the single structure we know today. This process took around ten years, 180 million cubic metres of earth and over one million workers to complete. Amongst the many legends surrounding The Great Wall of China is the belief that some of the structure is made of the bones of workers who died during its construction. At its peak, the Great Wall of China stretched for approximately 5,500 miles from Shanhaiguan in east China to Lop Nur in the west.

2 The Great Wall of China was built in order to protect China s borders; however it never really fulfilled this goal, even when it was reconstructed during the Ming era after the Battle of Tumu in This project took a staggering hundred years to complete, not to mention an untold amount of hard labour. Nevertheless, whilst this stronger, brick renovation did provide some defensive qualities, even this didn t stop the invasion of China by the Manchu armies in After this, the Great Wall of China was then left untouched for centuries. Today, The Great Wall of China is the country s most famous tourist attraction and one can find sections of the wall in various places. The most popular, and therefore most touristy, of these are in Bādálǐng and the neighbouring Juyongguan, around 70km from Beijing. This part of the wall was built during the Ming Dynasty and, whilst much of it has been has been overhauled by modern restoration, it remains the most frequently visited section of the Great Wall. It s best to visit this section during the week to avoid the weekend crush. Notes

3 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: The Forbidden City - Beijing Address: Imperial Palace, off Tiananmen Square, Xicheng District, Beijing Alternative Name: Palace Museum Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: The Forbidden City is open daily, 8:30am-4:30pm (to 5pm Apr-Oct), last entry 50 min. before closing. Entry costs 40 rmb from Nov to Mar and 60 rmb from Apr to Oct. Audio guide rental is 40 rmb plus a 100 rmb deposit. Site Direction: Metro: Tiananmen Dong or Tiananmen Xi stations (red line). Bus: routes 1, 2, 4, 10, 20, 52 or 57. Enter through the Gate of Heavenly Peace at Tiananmen Square. There are four entrances to the Forbidden City. Guided tours usually start at the Meridian Gate (Wu men) or the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men). Description The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace or the Palace Museum, is a fifteenth century palace complex in Beijing. Sprawled over a staggering 720,000 square meters and very well-preserved, The Forbidden City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China and is on UNESCO s list of World Heritage sites. Home of the Emperors The Forbidden City was originally constructed under the remit of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty, the Yongle Emperor, between 1406 and 1420, although it was the Ming Emperor Zhudi who was the first to live there. It continued to serve as the imperial residence for almost five centuries, including during the Qing Dynasty era.

4 In all, the Forbidden City had housed 24 emperors, the final one being the last Chinese emperor, Emperor Puyi, who was evicted in Why "Forbidden"? The name Forbidden City derives from the fact that access to it was extremely restricted despite its central location, demonstrated by its 10 metre high walls and a 52 metre wide moat. Furthermore, with 9,900 rooms and halls and almost a thousand surviving buildings it is very much a city within a city. Inside the Forbidden City The Forbidden City is characterised by its clear street plans lined with buildings made up of vermillion walls rising up to meet yellow roofs. Inside the Forbidden City Museum, visitors can see the vast collection of artwork together with religious and imperial artefacts dating back as far as the seventh century. Tours range from two hour tours to a full day and audio guides are available for a fee. You can see the tour routes through a very fun little application on the Palace Museum s official site. Notes

5 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Terracotta Army Address: The Terracotta Army Museum, Qinling North Road, Xiang, China Alternative Name: Mausoleum First Qin Emperor Contact Details: Entry Information: The museum is open 8am-6pm daily. Entry costs 90 RMB (March to November) or 65 RMB (December to February). Student discounts available. Site Direction: The Terracotta Army Museum is on Qinling North Road (Route X007) off Yinqiao Avenue off the Xian Expressway Toll Road and accessible by bus line 306 (last stop), which starts from the parking lot just east of the Xi'An train station. Description The Terracotta Army, part of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, is one of the world s most famous, intriguing and visually arresting ancient sites, dating back to the third century BC. A chance find by a group of peasants in Xian in 1974, the Terracotta Army is a collection of around 7,000 life sized clay sculptures of soldiers, infantry, carts and horses in battle formation, each created with its own individual features. The Terracotta Army was created during the reign of Ying Zheng ( BC) who, after several military victories became known as the First Emperor of Qin, Shi Huang Di. The Terracotta Army formed part of the elaborate mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, built from 221 BC to his death in 210 BC. Today, the Terracotta Army is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has become a popular museum spanning an area of 190,000 square meters. Overall, a visit to the Terracotta Army Museum should take around 3 hours.

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7 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Puning Si - Chengde Address: Puning Si, Chengde, Hebei Province, China Alternative Name: Temple of Universal Peace Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: Puning Si is open daily, 8am-4:30pm (to 5:30pm May to mid-oct). Entry costs 50 Yen, plus 10 Yen to go up Mayahana Hall. Site Direction: Puning Si is located around 8km northeast of Chengde in the Hebei Province and can be reached by bus route 6. Chengde is around 230km northeast of Beijing. Trains run from Beijing to Chenge, the journey taking around 4 hours. Description Puning Si in Chengde, China, also known as the Temple of Universal Peace, is an eighteenth century temple built by the Qing emperor Qianlong. A blend of Chinese and Tibetan architecture, Puning Si was intended to be a symbol of harmony between the ruling dynasty and the ethnic minorities in the area. In particular, it was meant as a monument to the Dzungar Mongols, whom the Qianlong emperor had defeated. Puning Si is part of a larger complex of temples and palaces in Chenge known as the Imperial Summer Retreat originally established in Dominated by the 122-foot high red-coloured Mayahana Hall and surrounded by a series of buildings on a terrace, Puning Si is resplendent with Buddhist symbols and shrines. The most impressive of these is the statue of Guanyin, which rises a spectacular 73 feet and can be seen from viewing galleries. Puning Si is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Chengde Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples. Notes

9 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Longmen Caves Address: Longmen Caves, Luoyang, Henan, China Alternative Name: Longmen Grottoes Contact Details: Entry Information: The Longmen Caves are open daily, 7am-6:30pm, extended during summer. Entry costs around 80 Yen. Site Direction: The Longmen Caves are located around 14km south of Luoyang. From Luoyang, bus routes 53, 60 and 83 go to the site from the train station. Luoyang is around 140km west of Zhengzhou and 375km east of Xi an and a train journey from Xi an takes around 6 hours. Description The Longmen Caves or Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang, China are a series of approximately 2,000 caves containing in excess of 100,000 stone carved Buddhist statues, some dating back as far as the fifth century. The Longmen Caves were created during the rule of the Northern Wei Dynasty in around 494 AD. It was at around this time that they moved their capital from Datong to Luoyang. One of the most well preserved of the Longmen Caves is the Lotus Flower Cave, whilst one of the most impressive sites is the 56 foot statue of the Vairocana Buddha, with her mysterious smile. The incredible collection of statues at the Longmen Caves has been added to over the centuries, notably by the Sui Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Cave is also a famed member of the Longmen Caves, probably constructed in around 680AD during the Tang Dynasty and housing, as the name suggests, many statues of Buddha.

10 Unfortunately, many of the statues at the Longmen Caves have been destroyed or vandalised, mostly during the twentieth century. Some parts have even been removed from the caves and can be seen at various museums such as New York s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Longmen Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Notes

11 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Ming Tombs Address: Ming Tombs, Jingyin Road, Changping District, Beijing, China Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: Admission to the Ming Tombs is via a road called Spirit Way. Admission to the road costs Y20 and it is open 7am to 8pm. The Ming Tombs are open 8am to 5pm. Admission costs Y45 for the Chang Ling tomb, Y60 for the Ding Ling Tomb and Y30 for the Zhao Ling Tomb. Site Direction: Visitors can reach the Ming Tombs via combined tours to the Great Wall of China at Badaling. By public transport, take the zhīxiàn route on bus 345 from Deshengmen bus station to Chāngpíng Dōngguān (1 hour). There is a regular 345 bus as well, but you ll have to get off at Chāngpíng and take a further taxi. Description The Ming Tombs were established by the third Ming emperor, Yongle, in the fifteenth century and house the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Three of the Ming Tombs are open to the public. Emperor Yongle s tomb, known as Chang Ling, is perhaps the most remarkable of the three, with its ornate interiors and impressive architecture. However, it is the Ding Ling tomb which is the only one to have been excavated and the only Ming Tomb in which visitors can enter the underground vault. The Ding Ling tomb is the final resting place of emperor Wanli, the longest serving Ming emperor, often blamed for the fall of the dynasty. Unfortunately, most of the artefacts and original pieces in the Ding Ling tomb have been destroyed, but visiting the tomb is an interesting experience in itself. The final tomb, known as Zhao Ling, is the mausoleum of the emperor Longqing, the 13th Ming emperor.

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13 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: The Shanghai Museum Address: Shanghai Museum, 201 Renmin Avenue, Shanghai, China, Alternative Name: - Contact Details: (021) Entry Information: The Shanghai Museum is open daily, 9am-5pm. Entry is free. There is a limit on the number of visitors each day (5,000), so ensure to arrive early. Site Direction: The Shanghai Museum can be reached via bus routes 6 (tunnel), 46, 71, 123 and 574. Subway 1 and 2. Description The Shanghai Museum is a museum of ancient Chinese art in Shanghai in China. From calligraphy and seals known as chops to ancient coins and its celebrated bronze exhibition, the Shanghai Museum has pieces dating back to prehistoric times and through to the Qing Dynasty. Notes

15 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Giant Buddha of Leshan Address: Leshan, Sichuan Province, China Alternative Name: Dafo Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: The Giant Buddha of Leshan is open 8am to 6pm, extended to open 7:30am to 7:30pm from May to September. Admission costs approx Yuan, although boat fees vary. Site Direction: The Giant Buddha is located in Leshan, in the Sichuan Province, around 150km southwest of the city of Chengdu. Leshan is accessible by bus from Chengdu station and then there is a further bus to the site. Description The Giant Buddha of Leshan, also known as Dafo or the Great Buddha statue in Leshan, China, is a massive sculpture of a sitting Buddha which was carved into Mount Lingyun from 713 AD. At an incredible height of 230 feet, the Giant Buddha of Leshan was originally created by a monk called Haitong to oversee passing ships travelling along the Qingyi, Min and Dadu rivers beneath it. the Giant Buddha of Leshan was completed in around 803 AD, although Haitong did not live to see his masterpiece completed. Since then, many Buddhist temples and structures were built around the Giant Buddha of Leshan, transforming the area into one of China s most important centres of Buddhism. Visitors can take the steep stairs down to the Giant Buddha of Leshan's enormous feet, sail by in a boat or cross the Haoshang Bridge to catch a good view of this magnificent site. In 1996, the Giant Buddha of Leshan became a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the Mount Emei Scenic Area.

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17 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: The Nanjing Memorial Address: Nanjing Memorial, 195 Chating East Street, Jiang Dongmen Alternative Name: Nanjing Massacre Memorial Contact Details: (025) Entry Information: The Nanjing Memorial is open daily, 8:30am-4:30pm and entry is free. Site Direction: The Nanjing Memorial is located in Jiange, Nanjing and is accessible via buses 18, 23, 29 and 312. Description The Nanjing Memorial, also known as the Memorial for compatriots killed in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Forces of Aggression is a monument commemorating the horrific Nanjing Massacre. This massacre took place in 1937 when the Japanese captured the city. Rather than advising their citizens to flee, as they did, the Chinese government asked that people remain in Nanjing. The result was mass murder, in which around 300,000 civilians were killed by soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army and many thousands were subjected to other atrocities. Still the subject of controversy between the Chinese and Japanese, the Nanjing Memorial is a moving, if harrowing, site where visitors can read about the events of the massacre in English, Japanese and Chinese inside its memorial hall. Visitors can also see remains from excavated mass burial sites. Notes

19 Top Ten China - Day 01 Name: Pingyao Ming City Walls Address: Pingyao, Southern Shaanxi District, China Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: The Pingyao Ming City Walls can be viewed at all times. Site Direction: Pingyao is located around 105km south of the city of Taiyuan, which a two hour train ride away. Taiyuan has train links to many main cities, including Beijing and Xi an, as well as buses. Description The Pingyao Ming City Walls in China are some of the sole surviving fortifications of their kind. Built in around 1370 by the Ming Hongwu Emperor, these 39 foot walls span 6km in length and are one of the major factors in the decision to make the Ancient City of Pingyao a UNESCO World Heritage site. At the time when the Pingyao Ming City Walls were constructed, the city was an important banking centre. In fact Pingyao was the site of China s first bank, the Rishengchang. However, this success also led to Pingyao s downfall in the Qing era when the ruling dynasty was forced to relinquish power when they failed to pay back loans. The banking industries then moved to places such as Hong Kong and Shanghai. Extremely well preserved and still surrounding the city, the Pingyao Ming City Walls have over 3,000 battlements as well as 72 watchtowers. Notes

Beijing Opera. A traditional Chinese theatre that combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics.

Beijing Opera. A traditional Chinese theatre that combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. China Brief History Civilization first emerged in china in 1700 BC around the Shang period in which the Chinese had hereditary kings, not dynasties of emperors. Dynasties emerged during the Feudal era,