Thursday, 10 November 2011
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Peking Opera Festival Opens in Central China
The 6th Peking Opera Festival kicked off on Nov. 2 in central China’s Hubei province as part of the government’s efforts to revive the traditional artform. It would lasts until Nov. 18.
The festival will features 33 operas to be performed by 33 troupes from all over China, including renowned opera artists Mei baojiu, Yu Kuizhi and Shang Changrong.
The festival will cover a wide range of Peking opera styles, including new versions of ancient operas, modern performances and traditional operas.
“Peking opera is the quintessence of our country and a treasure that most represents traditional culture,” said Minister of Culture Cai Wu.
Peking opera, which combines instrumental music, vocal performances, miming, dancing and acrobatics, was recognized as a form of intangible cultural heritage last year by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The government established a special fund in 2005 to support key troupes around the country in developing new scripts and adapting classic stories.
The festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, has been held every three years since 1995.
(Source: China.org)
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| Peking Opera, Traditional Chinese Culture |
The festival will cover a wide range of Peking opera styles, including new versions of ancient operas, modern performances and traditional operas.
“Peking opera is the quintessence of our country and a treasure that most represents traditional culture,” said Minister of Culture Cai Wu.
Peking opera, which combines instrumental music, vocal performances, miming, dancing and acrobatics, was recognized as a form of intangible cultural heritage last year by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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| Fairy Tales: Tale of the White Snake |
The festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, has been held every three years since 1995.
(Source: China.org)
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Top 5 Winter Travel Destinations in China
What to visit for winter vacations in China? With a vast territory, China actually can dish up a host of wonderful wintertime travel destinations, from fantastic ice and snow festival in Harbin, Beijing cultural experience, snow-capped Yellow Mountain, to sunbathing in Sanya…
Harbin for Ice and Snow Festival
Harbin, known as the “Icy City of China”，presents a wonder world of ice and snow in winter. Annually Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival features a range of ice-related activities – Ice Lantern Exhibition at the Zhaolin Park, Snow Sculpture Art Fair at Sun Island, Ice & Snow World and winter swimming on the Songhua River… Also, travelers can go high-mountain skiing in Yabuli for a great adventure tour.
Harbin for Ice and Snow Festival
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| Fantastic Harbin Ice and Snow World, China Winter Tours |
Beijing for Cultural Experience
The best time to visit the Forbidden City? The locals would tell you – the winter. Covered in snow, the majesty of this grand palace is rather enhanced, and becomes more awe-inspiring. So is the Great Wall. Also, there are various cultural activities held in the temples and parks of Beijing during the Chinese New Year holiday usually from late January to early February.
Huangshan for Mountain Snowscape
Huangshan city gets its name for the sacred “Yellow Mountain“. As one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it offers four wonders – spectacular rocky peaks, oddly shaped pines, crystal-clear hot springs and fantastic sea of clouds. When the snow settles on all these, the real charm of Yellow Mountain emerges.
Yunnan for Warm Winter Locations
For travelers, Yunnan is without doubt a most-cited “dream destination”. It shows varied landscape all the year, from topical rainforest to snow-capped peaks. For its mild weather in winter, it attracts people to visit Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Xishuangbanna in the province.
Sanya for Seaside Winter Escape
Sanya is the southernmost city in China. Blue sky, brilliant sunshine, white beach, clear seawater make Sanya into the best place for sunbath, sailing, and a winter escape etc. So, the city has earned the name of “Oriental Hawaii”. Also, Nantian Hot Spring offers many different options of pools to enjoy a relaxing spa.
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| Forbidden City in Snow, Beijing China |
Huangshan for Mountain Snowscape
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| Snowscape of Yellow Mountain, Huangshan Anhui |
Yunnan for Warm Winter Locations
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| Charming Lijiang Old Town, Lijiang Yunnan |
Sanya for Seaside Winter Escape
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| Beautiful Seaside in Sanya, Hainan China |
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Harbin Winter Ice and Snow Festival 2012 Tours
Annually Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival 2012 officially begins on January 5, 2012, and lasts for over one month in Harbin, China. It features a range of ice-related activities including ice lantern, ice sculpture competitions, winter outdoor swimming, hot air ballooning, and various winter sports.
For a wonderful China Winter Tour in Harbin, please follow this link to know more
http://www.easytourchina.com/blog-v736-harbin-international-ice-and-snow-festival
Monday, 24 October 2011
Tibet Receives Support to Become Major World Travel Destination
China’s top tourism authority will help the country’s Tibet Autonomous Region to become a major world travel destination.
According to a cooperative agreement signed Oct. 19 between the National Tourism Administration (NTA) and the government of Tibet, the NTA will expand assistance to Tibet and help the region further open up its tourism market.
The NTA will promote the opening of direct flights to Tibet’s capital city Lhasa from the other provincial capitals in the country and some overseas cities, according to the agreement.
The NTA will also support brand-building in Tibet’s tourist industry and carry out promotional tourism campaigns.
Tibet is often referred to as the “Rooftop of the World”. It spans the world’s largest and, with average heights of over 4,000 m, also the world’s highest plateau.
For travelers, Tibet is without doubt one of the most fascinating destinations to visit in Asia. It offers fabulous monastery sights, breathtaking high-altitude treks, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains, and likeable locals you will ever meet.
(Source: Xinhuanet)
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| Potala Palace Lhasa |
The NTA will promote the opening of direct flights to Tibet’s capital city Lhasa from the other provincial capitals in the country and some overseas cities, according to the agreement.
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| Lhasa Gongga Airport, Tibet China |
Tibet is often referred to as the “Rooftop of the World”. It spans the world’s largest and, with average heights of over 4,000 m, also the world’s highest plateau.
For travelers, Tibet is without doubt one of the most fascinating destinations to visit in Asia. It offers fabulous monastery sights, breathtaking high-altitude treks, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains, and likeable locals you will ever meet.
(Source: Xinhuanet)
Monday, 17 October 2011
Tearful Closing for China Pavilion in Shanghai on Oct. 9, 2011
The China Pavilion, the top attraction of Expo 2010 Shanghai, closed on Oct. 9, leaving behind tearful staff who worked there for more than 18 months.
Due to tremendous visitor interest, the inverted pyramid-like structure reopened twice after the 184-day fair officially ended on Oct 31, 2010.
Its main structure will continue to be used as a public culture venue.
As of Oct. 9, the 2-billion-yuan ($314 million) structure had received 17.5 million visitors since it opened along with the Expo on May 1, 2010. More than 50,000 tourists on average surged through it on a typical day of the Expo.
The pavilion’s highlights included an animated version of an ancient painting called Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, excursion trains that gave a glimpse of China’s achievements in urban development, and the bronze chariot and horses sculpture unearthed in the 1980s along with the world-renowned Terracotta Warriors, which date back to the Qin Dynasty (BC 221-206).
“The pavilion ran steadily on its last exhibition day, when about 30,000 people toured it,” said Pang Jie, speaking on behalf of the Expo Shanghai Group, which has been operating the Expo venues since the fair ended. “All workers are sticking to their positions, to ensure a successful end,” she said.
Hua Xuyin, a local visitor, drew a lot of attention on Oct. 9 by wearing a home-made hat in the shape of the pavilion. “The Shanghai people turned in a ‘successful answer sheet’ for the test on the Expo and its pavilions,” said the retired worker. “So I made the hat with a PhD cap to symbolize that we ‘graduated’ successfully from the Expo school.”
It was the pavilion staff members who had the hardest time saying good-bye. Qian Ting, a 20-year-old receptionist at the pavilion, was one of the staff members who greeted visitors in tears on the last exhibition day. “The days I worked for the pavilion meant a lot to me,” she said.
The exhibit will start to be torn down from Oct. 10, a process that will take several months.
The animated version of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival will be shown in Taiwan again later this month and Singapore in December.
(Source: China Daily)
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| China Pavilion with the inverted pyramid-like structure |
Its main structure will continue to be used as a public culture venue.
As of Oct. 9, the 2-billion-yuan ($314 million) structure had received 17.5 million visitors since it opened along with the Expo on May 1, 2010. More than 50,000 tourists on average surged through it on a typical day of the Expo.
The pavilion’s highlights included an animated version of an ancient painting called Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, excursion trains that gave a glimpse of China’s achievements in urban development, and the bronze chariot and horses sculpture unearthed in the 1980s along with the world-renowned Terracotta Warriors, which date back to the Qin Dynasty (BC 221-206).
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| Painting - Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival |
Hua Xuyin, a local visitor, drew a lot of attention on Oct. 9 by wearing a home-made hat in the shape of the pavilion. “The Shanghai people turned in a ‘successful answer sheet’ for the test on the Expo and its pavilions,” said the retired worker. “So I made the hat with a PhD cap to symbolize that we ‘graduated’ successfully from the Expo school.”
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| A home-made hat in the shape of China Pavilion |
The exhibit will start to be torn down from Oct. 10, a process that will take several months.
The animated version of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival will be shown in Taiwan again later this month and Singapore in December.
(Source: China Daily)
Friday, 7 October 2011
What to Visit for a China Travel
Want to discover the unique charm of China? Then, what to visit for your China tour? China spans thousands of miles, from the deserts in the west to the ocean on the east. With a written history of over 5,000 years, China boasts rich cultural relics and historical sites. Moreover, its stunning landscape, dynamic metropolis and unique traditional lifestyle of different ethnic groups are also good reasons for tourists exploring the old-and-new land. So take a look at the guided information below, get your ideas in focus.
For History
Make an in-depth exploration of China’s rich history. Beijing, Xian, Luoyang and Nanjing used to be four great ancient capitals in Chinese history. With numerous historical sites and cultural relics, the four cities are the finest remainder of China’s imperial past. Besides these ancient prosperous metropolises, some small ancient towns like Pingyao, Lijiang, and Dali, give a fascinating glimpse into a real old-time world.
Top attractions: Yellow Mountain, Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
For Lifestyle
Urban life in China is much different from rural life. Most cities, like Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong, present a diverse mixture of Chinese and Western culture. But, what about the rest of the land? The water towns – Wuzhen andZhouzhuang, feature ancient buildings, stone bridges, and waterways; Hakka people in Fujian province, live in their aged houses – Tulou; And, in some area of Guangxi province, the Zhuang and Yao village high up in the mountains surrounded by spectacular Longji Rice Terraces.
For Religion
Along with history, Buddhism, Taoism, Islamic and other religions in China has exerted great influence on social life, architecture, literature and many other parts. Many religion-related sites are left along history and become sacred destination of pilgrim, from Potala Palace in Lhasa, Dunhuang‘s Mogao Grottos, Buddhist Mount Emei to Taoist Mt. Qingcheng nearby Chengdu… Combined with beautiful natural surroundings, these sacred places of worship have become popular travel destinations.
Top attractions: Potala Palace, Mogao Grottos, Mount Emei
Yangtze Cruise
Cruising the Yangtze would put you afloat on China’s mightiest river – and the world’s third longest only after Nile and Amazon. The 6,418km Yangtze River surges past some of China’s greatest cities: Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing and Shanghai. And, the most impressive section of the river is the Three Gorges (or Sanxia): the Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge and Xiling Gorge. The Yangtze Three Gorges, with a full length of 193km, converges the essence of natural scenery along the Yangtze River.
Top attractions for Yangtze Cruise: Fengdu Ghost City, Shibaozhai, Three Gorges Dam
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| Fantastic Great Wall, Beijing |
Make an in-depth exploration of China’s rich history. Beijing, Xian, Luoyang and Nanjing used to be four great ancient capitals in Chinese history. With numerous historical sites and cultural relics, the four cities are the finest remainder of China’s imperial past. Besides these ancient prosperous metropolises, some small ancient towns like Pingyao, Lijiang, and Dali, give a fascinating glimpse into a real old-time world.
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| Marvelous Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses |
Top Attractions: the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses, Longmen Grottoes, Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
For Nature & Wildlife
Discover the most natural views of China on a tour dedicated to nature & wildlife. China is a vast country with stunning natural scenery – towering mountains, dense forests, boundless deserts, and turbulent or quiet rivers. Not just a sightseeing tour! There also are many interesting activities as well – mountain climbing, river cruise, hiking, horse riding, biking, and bamboo rafting, etc. Also, it offers a good opportunity to get close to wildlife, a most famous one – the lovely giant panda in Chengdu.For Nature & Wildlife
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| Yangshuo Bamboo Rafting along Yulong River in Guilin |
For Lifestyle
Urban life in China is much different from rural life. Most cities, like Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong, present a diverse mixture of Chinese and Western culture. But, what about the rest of the land? The water towns – Wuzhen andZhouzhuang, feature ancient buildings, stone bridges, and waterways; Hakka people in Fujian province, live in their aged houses – Tulou; And, in some area of Guangxi province, the Zhuang and Yao village high up in the mountains surrounded by spectacular Longji Rice Terraces.
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| Charming Wuzhen Water Town |
For Religion
Along with history, Buddhism, Taoism, Islamic and other religions in China has exerted great influence on social life, architecture, literature and many other parts. Many religion-related sites are left along history and become sacred destination of pilgrim, from Potala Palace in Lhasa, Dunhuang‘s Mogao Grottos, Buddhist Mount Emei to Taoist Mt. Qingcheng nearby Chengdu… Combined with beautiful natural surroundings, these sacred places of worship have become popular travel destinations.
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| Tibetan pilgrim at Barkhor Street in Lhasa |
Yangtze Cruise
Cruising the Yangtze would put you afloat on China’s mightiest river – and the world’s third longest only after Nile and Amazon. The 6,418km Yangtze River surges past some of China’s greatest cities: Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing and Shanghai. And, the most impressive section of the river is the Three Gorges (or Sanxia): the Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge and Xiling Gorge. The Yangtze Three Gorges, with a full length of 193km, converges the essence of natural scenery along the Yangtze River.
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| Shibaozhai along Yangtze River |
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