Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Suzhou
In the lower reaches of the Yangtze and on the shores of Lake Taihu lies the 2, 500-year-old city of Suzhou,the cradle of Wu culture. The name “Wu”,often applied to refer to Suzhou, derived from the local tribes who named themselves “Gou Wu” in the late Shang Dynasty about 11th century BC. Later,King Helu of…
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Zhenjiang Museum
The Zhenjiang Museum, constructed in 1958, consists of a group of five East Indian garden style buildings. It houses more than 30,000 Chinese historical relics, from the Neolithic Age to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and over 100,000 ancient books. Among them are one national treasure, and some 70 first class national cultural relics. The museum’s…
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Introduction
This small city in the craggy mountains north of Beijing used to shelter Qing Dynasty notables (including the empress dowager Ci Xi), from Beijing’s summer heat. The inner city is like something fresh out of the mountains, and most of the locals have seldom seen foreigners. But the city is surrounded by things for travelers…
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Chengde Mountain Resort
A Garden-Style Imperial Palace Even a luxurious imperial palace is still too small a palace compared with the colorful outside world, so all emperors throughout history – usually confined to this small “cage” for most of their lifetime – were keen on inspection tours, thus giving rise to innumerable temporary palaces throughout the country in…
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Qinhuangdao city . Hebei Province
A Rising Industrial Port City Situated at the foot of Yanshan Mountain, facing the Bohai Sea, Qinhuangdao is famous for its ice-free harbour, the summer resort Beidaihe and the First Pass Under Heaven.Qinhuangdao was approved by the State Council in April 1984 as one of the 14 coastal cities that were opened furth to the outside…
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Beidaihe Scenic Spot
Beidaihe is a famous and scenic summer resort located at the southwest of Qinhuangdao Municipality. An alluring coastal village with a small-town ambience, it provides a welcome break from city life. Its charm lies mostly in the lively inhabitants, bustling night stalls and, of course, the seaside views. From long stretches of pebbled sand to…
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Beidaihe Summer Resort and Shanhai Pass
Beidaihe (Peitaiho) is one of the better-known summer resorts on China’s east coast. As I approach Jieshi Hill from the west. The boundless sea extends before me. Above soughs the autumn wind. The insurmountable waters swell below. These lines, written by the famous statesman-poet Cao Cao (155-220) to commemorate his visit to Beidaihe, testify that…
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Great Wall in Hebei-Laolongtou
Four kilometers south of Shanhaiguan, Laolongtou is the easternmost end of the Great Wall, which stretches 23 meters into the sea like a dragon drinking water, hence its name. This part of the Great Wall was built in the 7 th year of Wanli reign in the Ming dynasty (1579) and was mended in the…
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Great Wall in Hebei-Shanhaiguan Pass
Shanhaiguan is a small, sleepy town and port of the northern section of the Bohai gulf, holding the access between northeast China and north China. Shanhai Pass, 15 kilometers from the tourist city of Qinhuangdao, got its name from being situated between the Yanshan Mountains and the Bohai Sea. Built in 583, it was renovated…
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Hebei Welcomes You
Hebei Province, with its beautiful Capital, Shijiazhuang, is located to the north of the Yellow River, and to the east of the Taihang Mountains. Hebei is somewhat overshadowed by its neighbors, Beijing and Tianjin, whose vastness covers an area of 190,000 square kilometers, and its vibrant population is estimated to be at 67,440,000. Hebei’s long…
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More Ruins of Great Wall Come to Light-Xiefengkou Gateway
Snaking along the meandering mountains for thousands of kilometres from North China’s Hebei Province to Northwest China’s Gansu Province, the Great Wall has remained a symbol of human ingenuity and Chinese civilization. As highways and roads are built leading deep into the previously inaccessible mountains, people have discovered more ruins of the Great Wall. For…
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Paradise for Birds-Beidaihe
At dusk, a small bird with enchanting black eyes, perched on a tiny branch, elegantly and leisurely plumbs its wings. It did not seem to mind that a little more than 10 metres away, several people were excitedly watching it through telescopes and binoculars. “This is the band-billed crake, remember the dark red colour of…
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Qinhuangdao – Natural Harbor
Qinhuangdao is situated near a section of the Beijing – Shenyang Railway Line in the northeastern part of Hebei Province. It borders the Yanshan Mountains in the north and Bohai Bay in the south. One of north China’s ice-free natural harbors, it abounds in fish, prawns, and other aquatic products. The famous health resort, Beidaihe…
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Where the Dragon Meets the Sea
Situated on the coast of Bohai Bay in northeast Hebei Province in North China, Qinhuangdao has long been famous as an ideal summer resort because of its pleasant scenery and culture. Laolongtou Qinhuangdao (“Qin Emperor Island”) is where the Great Wall protrudes into the sea like a dragon drinking water. Laolongtou (“dragon head”), is the…
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Tangshan Hot Springs
The Tangshan Hot Springs are situated about 30 kilometers north of Beijing proper on the road leading to the eastern range of the Western Hills. The springs can be reached by regional bus from downtown area. Tangshan Mountains are made up of two solitary peaks with screen-covered slopes: Greater Tangshan Mountain, with its needle-like crags;…
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The Temples of Chengde
Outside the walls of the Chengde Imperial Dwelling Palace, temples in the Tibetan, Han and Mongolian styles are found scattered among the nearby hills. Built on a larger scale than any of the temples of Beijing, they are collectively known as the Eight Temples Beyond the Great Wall (Waibamiao); In fact, there were originally 11…
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INTRODUCTION HEBEI
Probably the most famous of all of China’s mountains is the mystical magic of the peaks of the Yellow Mountain (Huang shan). Immortalized in ancient and modern Chinese art, this area of hanging mists, sharply rising ledges and gnarled pines is of outstanding beauty, and is considered by most Chinese as an essential tourist destination.…
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Guangzhou
Guangzhou has a few beautiful and legendary nick names, Huacheng (the Flower City), Yangcheng (the Goat City) and Suicheng (the Rice-ear City). Guangzhou is a civilized ancient city. It is 2,100 years old, the same ages as the world-renowned ancient cultural city Rome of Italy. A modern city in China, Guang-zhou is the political, economic,…
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Xiangjiang Wildlife World
Xiangjiang Wildlife World: A lively world in Panyu with about 10,000 animals in 300 species introduced from all over the world. Many are rare animals that have never seen before in China. It is divided into vehicle tour area and walking-appreciating area. Here, visitors may stroll in different ecological environments, contacting with the vital nature…
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Litai Waterfall
Litai Waterfall: Located in Panyu, the waterfall is 138 meters wide with a difference of 28 meters.The scenic area is covered with dense and greed trees. There are sea world, exciting animal performances and a few other amusements.
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Conghua Hot Springs Scenic Region
Conghua Hot Springs Scenic Region: It was first built in Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the famous Second Radou Spring of the world. The water, colorless and odorless, contains numerous elements good for health. The springs are surrounded by undulating mountains. It is full of idyllic flavor with the green mountains and blue water.
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Botanic Garden
South China Botanic Garden: Situated at Longdong in the northeast suburbs of Guangzhou in a beautiful environment, it is one of top ten tourist attractions in Guangzhou and the largest south Asia tropical botanic garden in China as well. The botanic garden has more than 5,000 species of plants introduced from home and abroad. It…
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Chaozhou: Kongfu Tea, Snacks and Porcelain
Chaozhou City in east Guangdong Province in the lower reaches of the Hanjiang River has a long history and is the home to many celebrities. Apart from legendary scenery, it is most famous for its Kongfu tea, traditional snacks and exquisite pottery. Take a stroll through the streets and lanes of Chaozhou, and you will…
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Zhujiang River
The Zhujiang (the Pearl) River is the largest river in south China, formed but the confluence of three rivers – the Xijiang, Beijiang and Dongjaing. Its name comes from pearl shells having been found in the section that flows through the city of Guangzhou. The Xijiang, the trunk of the Zhujiang (Pearl River), has its…
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Purple Horse Hill Park
Purple Horse Hill Park is located in the south of Zhongshan 3rd Road, covering an area of 88.5 hectares. The Municipality of Zhongshan invested 160 thousand RMB yuan in the building of this park in 1992 and it was open to tourists on the National Day of 1993. Purple Horse Hill is very time-honored and…
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Xingzhong Road
Xingzhong Road is one of the Ten Scenic Spots in Zhongshan, nicknamed “Decorated Brocades of Xingzhong.” Xingzhong Road is one of the key roads built after the open-door policy, and typical of good quality. It constitutes the features of a garden city, with beautiful grassy areas, and a variety of different buildings, such as the…
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Tour Walking Road
Eastwards from the overpass of Fuhua Road, scores of meters from the Qijiang River Bridge, there is a lifelike sculpture of a rickshaw man with his rickshaw and a passenger leading you into the old Siqi Street more than 50 years ago. This is the entrance to the cutural tourist walking street. This street has…
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Piling Jade in Long River Reservoir
It is said that more than 300 years ago, an uncle and nephew with the family name of Long trekked a long way from Jiangxi Province to this place to clear land. To commemorate their hometown they named the place in which they were to live “Long Range” (They walked up and down a long…
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Zhongshan Hot Spring
Zhongshan Hot Spring is located in Yongmo Village, Sanxiang Town, Zhongshan City. It adjoins Hong Kong and Macao and is 26 kilometers away from Zhuhai, 24 kilometers from Shiqi downtown, and 10 kilometers from the Former Residence of Sun Yat-Sen. The hotel covers an area of 2,200,000 sq.m. Its shadowy greenery and South-China-style architectural layout…
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Great Five Osmanthus Hill
Great Five Osmanthus Hill is both an old scenic spot and one enlisted in the “New Scenic Spots of Zhongshan City.” There are soaring peaks, unique flowers and exotic plants, the new look of development, touching folk tales, and the most stirring – the moving stories of the revolutionaries fighting the enemies. The imposing Five…
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The Memorial Hall of Sun Yat-sen
There are many memorial halls in China and that at the foot of Mount Yuexiu in Guangzhou is a world famous shrine of culture in history. Besides that, the other famous ones include those at the Fragrant Hill of Beijing, Wuzhou of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Haikou of Hainan Province, and Meizhou of Guangdong…
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Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence
In Cuiheng Village, Nanlang Town of Zhongshan City, there is the internationally well known Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence, a sanctuary appealing to passengers. This village is only 25 kilometers far from the city and 37 kilometers from Macao. This village is renowned internationally not only for its beautiful landscape, but also for the sake that…
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Guangdong’s Vibrant Tourist Trade
GUANGDONG is contiguous to Hong Kong and Macao, and neighbors Southeast Asia. Its advantageous geographical location makes it the window through which China and the rest of the world communicates. For thousands of years, the people of Guangdong have made huge contributions to Chinese civilization. In the 19th century, due to its specific geographical and…
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Handwriting of the Fu Hill
Study Tower is one of the 10 Scenic Spots in Zhongshan and it had been enlisted as one of the 8 Scenic Spots of Xiangshan in the Reign of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. It was built on a hilltop in Zhongshan Park and that makes it more typical of its local touch. If you…
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Cities in the Zhujiang River Delta
There are nine large and medium-sized economically central cities in the Zhujiang River Delta. They are either rapidly approaching or have already achieved modernization. These cities are not far apart, and are connected by expressways, so it takes only one hour by air-conditioned bus to travel from one city to another. Inhabitants of Dongguan consequently…
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Golden Petals of the Chrysanthemum City
“Golden Petals of the Chrysanthemum City” is one of the “Ten Scenic Spots” of Zhongshan, referring to the petals in Xiaolan Town, Zhongshan City. Xiaolan people have kept their practice of flower cultivation for several hundred years. From end to end of each street, from the courtyard to the flowerbed, from the balcony to the…
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INTRODUCTION GANSU
Mogao Caves, also called Mogao Grottoes or the Caves of A Thousand Buddhas, are set into a cliff wall of Echoing-sand Mountain about 25km southeast of the oasis city in the Gobi desert, Dunhuang. The honeycombed caves, enjoying a millennium long construction from the 4th to the 14th centuries and marking the height of Buddhist…
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Gulangyu Island
Gulangyu, separated from the main island by the 500-metre-wide Egret River, with an area of 177 square kilometres, enjoys a lauditory title “Garden on the Sea.” The original name of the islet was Yuan Zhou Zi. In the Ming Dynasty it was renamed Gulang, meaning ”drum waves”, because the holes in the southwestern reefs hit…
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10,000 Stone Botanical Garden
Tiger Brook Rock and Elephant Trunk Peak. Located on the north Lion Hill of southeast Xiamen urban district Wanshi Botanical Garden is a unique combination of park and botanical garden.With historic remains scatterring about, this place became a scenic spot for tourists since ancient time. Xue Qifeng, a famous scholar of early Qing Dynasty,praised it…
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Xiamen City
Xiamen, China’s cleanest, most beautiful, seaport city, is located on the southeastern coast of Fujian Province. Xiamen City, as an adminis-trative unit, can be dated back as far as the Song Dynasty. It has always been an important trading port, but since its establish-ment as one of China’s first four Special Economic Zones in 1981,…
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Nanputuo Temple
Nanputuo Temple South Putuo Temple is situated below the Five Old Gentlemen Peaks in the southern part of the island of Xiamen. It was first built in the Tang Dynasty and is one of the sacred places of Buddhism in Southern Fujian. Inside the temple there are the Heaven King’s Hall, the Daxiong Hall, the…
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Jimei
As one of the four major scenic spots in Xiamen, Jimei enjoys a long-term fame for its tourists attractions like Turtle Garden ,Returnees Garden and the former residence of Mr. Tan Kah-Kee. Jimei is a small town on the other side of the bank facing notth Xiamen Island. With Gaoji Causeway and Xingji Causeway meeting…
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Wuyi Mountain
The Wuyi mountain scenic spot situated in the middle of the Wuyi mountain range, within the boundary of Wuyishan City, has an area of 60 sqkm. The Nine Twist Stream, a meadering brook running nine kilometers through the mountain, is a beautiful, natural landscape painting. Well-known for its scholars and poets like Zhuxi, Luyou and…
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Guangzhi Mountain
Guangzhi Mountain lies in the east of Liancheng County, Fujian Province, which is 1.5 kilometres far from the county town and stands upright. The scenic areas cover 123 square kilometres in circumference. Its highest peak looks like a crown worn by an ancient judge(in Chinese, the crown is called Guangzhi). It implies integrity and incorruption.…
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A Glimpse of Anhui Province
With an area of 139,000 square km and a population of 60 million, Anhui Province is richly endowed with tourist resources. The province excels in both natural scenery and human civilization. Among its scenic highlights are the Huangshan Mountain and the Jiuhuashan Mountain. The former is world-renowned for its exotic beauty, and the latter is…
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Huangshan Mountain
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is the name of the 72 peaks range lying in the south of Anhui province and have been designated as a national park and declared a World Natural and Cultural Heritage area by UNESCO. Huangshan is famous for its spectacular rocky peaks, oddly shaped pines, crystal-clear mountain springs and sea of clouds…
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Grand Sight of Huangshan Mountain
Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains) in China’s Eastern Anhui Province is like a glittering green leaf viewed from an earth satellite high up in the sky; the Yellow Mountains are like a cluster of large, purple Spring Heralding Flowers in full bloom seen by tourists on the surface of the earth. They are not only mountains,…
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INTRODUCTION ANHUI
Probably the most famous of all of China’s mountains is the mystical magic of the peaks of the Yellow Mountain (Huang shan). Immortalized in ancient and modern Chinese art, this area of hanging mists, sharply rising ledges and gnarled pines is of outstanding beauty, and is considered by most Chinese as an essential tourist destination.…
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The Fragrant Hill
The Fragrant Hill, as the most beautiful sight in autumn Beijing, wins its fame all over the world with its maple leaves. The park is beautiful in other seasons too. The park has a long history. Palace were built up here for the royal sojourns in Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the 10th…
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The Tiananmen
Tiananmen was the front entrance of the Im-perial City of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty. it was first known as Chengtianmen, meaning “Monarchical Power Coming from Heaven” to rule the country.Later renamed “Tiananmen”, it was renovated repeatedly. Also called the “National Gate”, it was one from which the emperor came in…
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