CHINA: Sichuan Local Culture & Cuisine

In the markets and streets as well as the village roads throughout Sichuan, you can see teahouses with unique Sichuan styles. Sitting in bamboo chairs, people gather around wooden tables, hold special tea wares exclusively owned by the teahouse and take a sip of fragrant tea.

What the visitors see and experience by is what the culture of Sichuan has to offer. The culture of Sichuan originated from today’s Sichuan province.

It exerts an influence on areas such as Tianshui to the north, Hanzhong as well as eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou to the south, and it survives and prevails in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Like any other culture in China, it is an important part of Chinese culture with a long history and striking local features. The Sanxing Pile historic site was unearthed in Guanghan, Sichuan in 1986 proving that Sichuan culture has been prosperous as early as 4000 years ago.

2000 years ago, Sichuan, the kingdom of silks, opened the southwest Silk Road, which started from Chengdu and ended in Mid Asia and Europe by passing Burma and India.

It was through this road that famous Sichuan silks, brocades, porcelains and tea leaves were exported to other countries and such items as jewelries, jades, pearls, seashells and glasses were introduced to Sichuan.

This road opened a door of cross-cultural communications between Sichuan and other regions. Characterized by various patterns and exquisite embroidery, the Sichuan brocades back then were looked on as the symbol of Chinese culture.

The prosperity of the Sichuan culture causes its gathering of outstanding scholars and talented people. Guo Moruo, the late renowned Sichuan writer, said in his famous masterpiece The Anecdotes of Sichuan, “Since educationalist Wen Weng vigorously subsidized the cultural and educational undertakings in Sichuan, such historical figures as Yangxiong and Sima Xiangru stood out one after another. Thus, most of the poets, like Libai in the Tang Dynasty and Sushi in the Northern Song Dynasty, are from Sichuan.”

Apart from educationalist Wen Weng, classical Chinese poet Yangxiong, Sima Xiangru, poet Libai and writer Sushi mentioned above, such as great poets Dufu, Luyou and Huang Tingjian have lived in Sichuan. Dufu wrote nearly 1/3 of his poems in Sichuan.

In the past, the prosperity of literacy creation served as a driving force behind the rapid development of the printing industry in Sichuan. In the Tang Dynasty over 1,200 years ago, Chengdu is the most prosperous and the important printing center that was as famous as Chang’an in today’s Xi’an and its nearby areas.

It was in the Song Dynasty that the block printing industry in Sichuan witnessed its unprecedented growth. It was recorded that the block printing of Sichuan in the Song Dynasty tops that elsewhere.

The culture of Sichuan has a long and glorious history. As early as in the trace of human activity, the Wushan people and Ziyang people once lived in Sichuan.

A saying goes like this, “The people from western and eastern Sichuan shared the same ancestors.” As Chinese civilization developed, the culture of Sichuan glowed with dazzling light in successive dynasties.

Up until now, Sichuan remains a renewed and important part of Chinese culture.

Sichuan Cuisine

Kung Pao chicken
Sichuan is well known for its spicy cuisine and use of Sichuan peppers due to its more humid climate. The Sichuanese are proud of their cuisine, known as one of the Four Great Traditions of Chinese cuisine.

The cuisine here is of one dish, one shape, hundreds of dishes, hundreds of tastes, as the saying goes, to describe its acclaimed diversity.

The most prominent traits of Sichuanese cuisine are described by four words: spicy, hot, fresh and fragrant.

Sichuan cuisine is popular in the whole nation of China, so are Sichuan chefs. Two well-known Sichuan chefs are Chen Kenmin and his son Chen Kenichi, who was Iron Chef Chinese on the Japanese television series "Iron Chef".

Another famous Sichuan cuisine is hotpot. Hot pot is a Chinese soup containing a variety of East Asian foodstuffs and ingredients, prepared with a simmering pot of soup stock at the dining table.

While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, tofu, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce.

Sichuan cuisine is one of the eight most famous cuisines in China and it’s various. A saying describes the Sichuan dishes like this, “The dishes are rich in taste and diversity”.

In people’s mind, Sichuan food is generally famous for its spicy taste. Saute, home-cooked, fried and boiled food is characterized by their unique flavors.

They are definitely scrumptious! Double-cooked pork slices, fried chicken, duck smoked with tea leaves and steamed fish in soy bean sauce allure the guests with their unique fragrances. The delicious Sichuan dishes have already become popular all around the country.

Famous dishes are Mapo tofu, cold dish with eight flavors, duck smoked with tea leaves, sliced meat with crispy rice, pork shreds with fish seasoning, kung pao chicken, hot and sour beef tendon, saute meat dumplings with pork slices.

Double-cooked pork slices, diced beef with water flour, stir-fried duck tongues with bamboo shoots, poached sliced beef in hot chili oil, braised Dongpo pork hock with brown sauce, steamed beef with rice flour, boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chili, etc.

Yangxixian and Zijin Residential Area are the places where you can taste delicious Sichuan dishes since there are many excellent restaurants scattering around there.

Recommended restaurants are Hongxin Restaurant, Da Ronghe, Honghe Weidao the place where director Zhang Yimou once made the propaganda film for Chengdu and Mother Zhou and Xiyanghong.

When it comes to Sichuan dishes, there is nothing more famous than hotpot.

Characterized by its variety, spicy taste and convenience, hotpot has quickly won over the hearts of the people all over the country. Sichuan hotpots are various; there are dozens of soups of the hotpots; the raw materials for making hotpots defy enumeration.

In a word, anything eatable can be boiled or cooked in the hotpots. In recent years, searing hotpot has derived from the traditional hotpots.

Popular traditional hotpot restaurants are Huangcheng Laoma, Shu Jiuxiang, Sanguo Yanyi, Chuanjiang Haozi, Wuding, etc. And the famous special hotpot restaurants are Tianmei Niqiu, San Zhier, Tubaguo and Yiba Gu, etc.

The most popular place for enjoying hotpots is Funan New Developed Area—the special hotpot street. There are dozens of big and small hotpot restaurants scattering there: San Zhier, Kong Liang, Liu Yishou, Gourmet Huang Hopot, Zeng Shiji Loach Hotpot, Zhaolao Goose Sausage Hotpot, Baba Yan Duck Sausage Hotpot, Abalone Hotpot, Kaiyuan Delicious Hotpot, etc.

There is also chicken and bamboo shoots hotpot, sliced pork and radish soup hotpot, shrimps hotpot, dainties of every kind hotpot, frog hotpot, etc.

Tourism Observer

CHINA: Discover Fascinating, Unusual Yet Adventurous Tourist Attractions In China.

China is full of incredible experiences, therefore discover fascinating, unusual, and adventurous tourist attractions in China.

The Great Wall of China

Nobody can be a true hero unless he has been on the Great Wall goes the popular Chinese saying, one that clearly demonstrates the importance placed upon this unique ancient monument.

The magnificent Great Wall of China known in Chinese as Changcheng, or the Long Wall, stretches more than 6,000 kilometers from the fortresses of Shanhaiguan in the east all the way to Jiayuguan in the west, passing through Hebei, Tientsin, Beijing where the best preserved sections of the wall can be visited,Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Gansu.

Averaging six to eight meters in height but rising as high as 16 meters and wide enough in places for five horses or 10 men to pass the wall boasts numerous battlements and watchtowers, some dating back as far as the 7th century BC, with the best-known areas added around 210 BC when its various sections were joined.

Today, the most visited section of the wall is near Badaling Pass northwest of Beijing, easily reached by public transport or organized tours.

Other restored sections worth a visit include the section near Gubeikou, 130 kilometers from Beijing, and in Mutianyu, just 70 kilometers northeast of Beijing.

Leshan Giant Buddha

The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain. So goes the famous Chinese saying, one that's attributed to the spectacular 71-meter-tall Leshan Giant Buddha.

Started in AD 713 by a Buddhist monk and completed 90 years later, this important religious icon is carved entirely from a stone cliff-face and is the largest Buddha sculpture in the world.

Representing the Buddha Maitreya, the statue is even more dramatic given its location overlooking the river that it was designed to appease, it had often proven treacherous for shipping.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant Buddha continues to draw huge numbers of pilgrims from across the globe and is widely regarded as one of China's must-visit attractions.

Easily accessible from the city of Chengdu, the Leshan Giant Buddha can be reached by a fun ferry trip from the public docks in Leshan. The scenic park in which the Buddha is set is also worth exploring, so be sure to allocate sufficient time in your itinerary.

The Forbidden City and the Imperial Palace, Beijing

China's largest and most important building, the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace is situated in the very heart of Beijing and is a must see when visiting the country.

Started during the Yuan Dynasty between 1271-1368, much of the complex seen today, it's really many splendid palaces in one. It was built between 1406 and 1420 as the residence of 24 Ming and Qing Emperors, whose presence forbade the entry of anyone other than the imperial family and their courtesans.

Covering some 720,000 square meters and protected by a 10-meter-high wall with watchtowers and a wide moat, this massive complex consists of areas set aside for ceremonial and administrative purposes, as well as a private residence used by the emperor.

While it can take many hours to see everything, highlights include the five white marble Golden River Bridges; the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a 35-meter-tall building housing the imperial throne; the exquisite emperor's banquet hall (the Hall of Preserving Harmony); and the Palace Museum with its large collection of art and artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Other important attractions in the vicinity of the Imperial Palace include famous Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven, one of the country's most important religious sites, which dates back to the 15th century.

The Terracotta Army

It was while digging wells on the outskirts of Xi'an in the 1970s that farmers stumbled across what was to be China's most important archeological find: the Terracotta Army.

Distributed over three large underground pits and built to guard the First Emperor's tomb were more than 8,000 life-size warriors, some 520 horses, and more than 100 chariots, along with numerous other non-military characters dating from around 280 BC.

Although some were severely damaged due to the passing of time, many of the statues unearthed have been painstakingly re-assembled and stand as testament to the importance bestowed upon the emperor and the afterlife.

The site part of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Park is one of China's most important tourist destinations and offers the unforgettable experience of standing in front of this assembly of soldiers and horses as if inspecting a centuries-old parade.

The Summer Palace

15 kilometers from Beijing, the sumptuous Imperial Summer Palace or Yihe Yuan) is set amid more than 700 acres of beautiful parkland and is one of China's most visited attractions.

While the palace itself was built in 1153, its large lake was added in the 14th century to enhance the Imperial Gardens.

Highlights include the magnificent Hall of Well-being and Longevity (Renshou Dian) with its throne, and the beautiful Great Theatre, a private three-story structure built in 1891 to satisfy the imperial family's love of opera and still used for performances of traditional Chinese plays and musical events.

Other highlights include the Hall of Happiness and Longevity or Le Shou Tang Hall, with its lovely gardens and courtyards, as well as many miles of picturesque pathways and walking trails.

If time allows, try to also take in the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, said to have once been one of the country's most elaborate and architecturally attractive palaces, but which was sadly destroyed by colonial forces in the mid-1800s.

Hong Kong Skyline

Widely considered one of the world's most dramatic city skylines as much a result of its having one of the highest concentrations of skyscrapers as it is the presence of the tall hills that frame them.

Hong Kong has for decades been the bustling capital of finance and commerce in this part of the Pacific. And it's a cityscape that can be enjoyed from a number of different vantages.

One of the best views is from Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, where the skyscrapers frame the city's huge harbor, a special treat after nightfall. Equally stunning is the view from Victoria Harbour itself.

Here, you can hop aboard one of Hong Kong's famous ferries and head to various points to wander and explore, such as Kowloon. Or you can simply stay on board and enjoy the views.

If possible, try to time your trip to coincide with the nightly laser extravaganza, a stunning 360-degree laser-light show that uses the harbor's skyscrapers as a magical backdrop.

For the best views, try to catch the show from the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour.

Li River

The town of Guilin, in the northeast corner of Guangxi, boasts some of China's most beautiful countryside and is famous for the Li River, which meander through the town and surrounding karst mountains.

While for hundreds of years this unique scenery has attracted poets and artists and has been the subject of countless fairy tales and legends, these days it's popular with tourists from around the world wanting to see this natural splendor up close.

The best way to enjoy the area is to take a cruise along the Li River. The most popular stretch is from Guilin to Yangshuo, where the river meanders peacefully through some 80 kilometers of remarkable rock formations and caves with romantic names such as the Mount of Unique Beauty, Elephant Trunk Hill, and Reed Flute Cave.

Depending upon the type of boat used, you can choose from a tourist cruise ship to small bamboo punts. Trips can take anywhere from a few hours to multiple days.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

No visit to China would be complete without at least one panda experience. While the country's top zoos boast many fine specimens of these fascinating creatures, the best place to see them in a close approximation to their natural habitat is at the excellent Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, located in the province of Sichuan.

Here, you'll have the chance to watch as many as 80 pandas go about their daily routines, from foraging to playing in the facility's large park-like setting.

In addition to viewing these splendid animals up close, you'll learn a great deal about them from the many permanent exhibits and displays detailing ongoing conservation efforts to safeguard their future.

English language tours are available. If possible, try to time your visit for the morning feeding sessions when the pandas are at their most active; better still, sign-up for one of the unique experiential volunteer programs that will have you involved in the feeding and care of and possibly even holding a baby panda.

Yangtze River and the Three Gorges

Known in China as Chang Jiang or Long River, the mighty Yangtze River extends more than 6,000 kilometers, making it the longest and most important river in China and the third longest in the world after the Amazon and the Nile.

Flowing from Tibet in the west to Shanghai in the east through eight provinces, the Yangtze has, for more than 2,000 years, been China's major transportation route, some 2,700 kilometers are navigable.

Its vast catchment area, with its 700 tributaries, cover about one-fifth of the total area of the country and encompass a quarter of the country's agricultural land.

While its immense length ensures the river can be visited at numerous points in China, by far the most popular for tourists is the beautiful Three Gorges - Qutang, Wu, and Xiling - a 200-kilometer stretch between the towns of Fengjie and Yichang.

In places a mix of raging torrents and dangerous shallows, here the river winds its way through the gorges and their rugged cliffs and high mountain peaks in a stretch of scenery as dramatic as the Grand Canyon.

Numerous sightseeing options are available, from luxurious riverboat cruises focusing on the region's many historical attractions and places of scenic beauty to challenging adventure tours along the most dramatic sections of the river.

Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Considered one of the world's most important historic gardens hence their designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou should rank highly on your China travel itinerary.

Located in the historic city of Suzhou in Jiangsu province, these magnificent gardens were established in the 11th century, at a time when the city was experiencing unprecedented growth, and were among some 270 or more gardens planted here.

Of the surviving restored gardens, the most famous is the delightful Garden of Lingering, a seven-acre site laid out in 1800 on the site of a park originally created during the Ming Dynasty.

One of the most famous garden complexes in China, the garden boasts a pool, several attractive buildings, a man-made hill, a grove of peach trees, and a lovely covered pathway on the walls of which hang more than three hundred stone tablets engraved with old Chinese characters.

Also worth visiting is the Garden of the Cang Lang Ting Pavilion, a two-acre garden offering many unique features, including a double arcade connecting the inner and outer sections.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

When you first set eyes on Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan province, it's certainly not difficult to see how filmmaker James Cameron was able to draw inspiration from it.

Cameron's box office hit, Avatar, could well have been set in this area of stunning natural beauty, its many unique pillar-like rock formations looking like some incredible alien landscape right out of a sci-fi movie one of the tallest pillars, standing at an impressive 1,080-meters, has in fact been renamed Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.

This is one of the lesser known places to visit in China. In addition to its many natural wonders, which can best be explored as part of an organized tour, the park boasts a number of new man-made attractions.

The first to be built was the Bailong Elevator, aka the Hundred Dragons Sky Lift. Elevating groups of up to 50 people 326 meters skyward in under two minutes, it's an impressive structure, and one that offers dramatic views all the way.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, opened in 2016 and heralded as the world's highest and tallest pedestrian bridge. Standing 300 meters above the ground and extending 430 meters along a spectacular cliff face, it's an attraction that's definitely not recommended for the faint of heart but one of the best things to do if you are looking to add a little adventure to your day.

Potala Palace Tibet

Another of China's most recognizable historic structures is the magnificent Potala Palace in the town of Lhasa, Tibet. Constructed as a fortress and residence for the Dalai Lama, it was for centuries a center of political and religious power and contains many of the religion's most important treasures.

The first of the two Potala Palaces, the Red Palace, was built in the 17th century and contains the complex's most important shrines in the Enthronement Hall, the walls of which are covered with murals depicting scenes from the lives of the Dalai Lamas and the Tibetan kings.

Other highlights of the Red Palace are its many vast halls devoted to the religion's teachings, and the elaborate tombs known as stupas of a number of Dalai Lamas.

The equally impressive White Palace was completed in 1648 and includes the sleeping quarters, studies, and reception rooms, most untouched since 1959 when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet.

While in Lhasa, be sure to visit the superb Jewel Gardens. Part of the Dalai Lama's summer residence, these 90-acre gardens were first started in the 1840s and encompass everything from grand palaces and pavilions to pleasant lakes.

Location is 35 Beijing Middle Road, Chengguan, Lhasa, Tibet

Shanghai's Promenade: The Bund

A remarkable act of smart city planning and preservation can be seen in Shanghai's splendid riverside promenade, the Zhongshan Lu, perhaps better known as the Bund or Waitan.

As you stroll this wide pedestrian zone along the Huangpu Jiang River, you'll almost forget you're bang-smack in the middle of China's largest city. Shanghai's population exceeds 24 million people.

Famous for its European feel, a fact owed to the district's past as the location of the city's International Settlement, the Bund is popular for its 52 preserved English- and French-influenced buildings, many now restaurants, cafés, stores, and art galleries.

Representing a variety of influences from Gothic to Renaissance styles including a number of Art Deco buildings.

The architecture includes highlights such as the old harbor customs office, with its bell tower, and the majestic Peace Hotel. For the best views of the Bund, visit the 468-meter Oriental Pearl Tower on the opposite bank of the Huangpu Jiang River.

If time allows, be sure to also visit the Yu Garden. Known affectionately as the Garden of Happiness, this must-see garden can trace its roots back to 1559 when it was laid out, many of the original structures survive to this day.

Hangzhou's Historic West Lake

Few cities in China can boast quite the same concentration of splendid historic sites and ancient temples as the city of Hangzhou or Hangchow, capital of Zhejiang province at the southernmost end of China's famous Grand Canal.

Much of this rich collection is gathered around lovely West Lake, a six-kilometer-square stretch of water in the heart of the old city, which is surrounded by numerous hills, pagodas, and temples.

Divided into five distinct sections by man-made causeways dating back as far as the 11th century, it's a marvelous area to explore on foot as you cross from one stretch of water to the next, only to be met with another cluster of fine old buildings. It's particularly pleasant in spring when its many peach trees are blossoming.

Part of the fun is lingering on the lake's many fine old bridges, one of the best being the Broken Bridge (Duanqiao) linking the Baidi Causeway with the shore, and exploring Little Paradise Island with its four mini-lakes linked by the zigzagging Bridge of the Nine Arches.

Be sure to hop aboard one of the many tour boats and small pleasure craft available to whisk you around the lake, and if time permits, stick around for the fun musical fountain show held each evening.

Mausoleum of Light Or Northern Imperial Tomb

In China's mountainous northeastern region is the old city of Shenyang, an important center for trade and culture and home to the Mausoleum of Light (Zhaoling), also known as the Northern Imperial Tomb.

One of northeastern China's most important historic sites it's included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site's list of Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the tomb is noted for its unique architectural style.

A combination of traditionally arranged Chinese burial sites and castle-like buildings of the early Qing period. Buried here in a vast site covering more than 180,000 square meters that took eight years to complete is Emperor Huang Taiji, who reigned from 1626-35.

The site is notable for its Path of Souls, a laneway lined with stone columns and sculptures of the emperor's favorite horses.

Another important site is the imposing Imperial Palace dating from the early Qing era, the second largest completely preserved palace complex in China after the Imperial Palace in Beijing.

The complex served as a residence for the first Qing Emperors and includes several splendid courtyards around which are grouped numerous buildings, including the Hall of Exalted Government or Chongzheng Dian housing the imperial throne.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Touristy China Is A Paradise On Earth

Tourists in Lujiazui, China
Tourism in China is a significant industry. The rate of tourism has greatly expanded over the last few decades since the beginning of reform and opening.

The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on movement by the Chinese authorities are both fueling this travel boom.

China has become one of the world's most-watched and hottest inbound and outbound tourist markets. World is on the cusp of a sustained Chinese tourism boom.

As of 2015, China is the fourth most visited country in the world, after France, United States, and Spain, with 56.9 million international tourists per year.

In 2016, there were 59.27 million overnight foreign tourist arrivals of which a majority of China’s foreign tourists came from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Among the number of tourist arrivals who stayed for at least a night, 27.72 million came from Hong Kong, 4.81 million from Macau and 5.09 million from Taiwan.

When adjusted to exclude transfers from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, the number of tourist arrivals from foreign countries directly to China is 21.65 million.

China ranks second in the world for travel and tourism’s contribution to GDP $943.1 billion in 2014, and first in the world for travel and tourism’s contribution to employment - 66,086,000 jobs in 2014.

Tourism, based on direct, indirect, and induced impact, accounted for 9.3 percent of China’s GDP in 2013.

Since 2012, China is the world’s top spender in international tourism and has led global outbound travel. As of 2016, the country accounts for 21% of the world’s international tourism spending, or $261 billion.

Forbidden City, Beijing
Between 1949 and 1974, the People's Republic was closed to all but selected foreign visitors. In the late 1970s, when Deng Xiaoping decided to promote tourism vigorously as a means of earning foreign exchange, China started to develop its tourist industry.

Major hotel construction programs greatly increased the number of hotels and guest houses, more historic and scenic spots were renovated and opened to tourists, and professional guides and other service personnel were trained.

The expansion of domestic and international airline traffic and other tourist transportation facilities made travel more convenient.

Over 250 cities and counties had been opened to foreign visitors by the mid-1980s. Travelers needed only valid visas or residence permits to visit 100 locations.

The remaining locales required travel permits from public security departments. In 1985 approximately 1.4 million foreigners visited China, and nearly US$1.3 billion was earned from tourism.

China has become a major tourist destination following its reform and opening to the world in the late 1970s instigated by Deng Xiaoping.

In 1978, China received about 230,000 international foreign tourists, mostly because of the severe limitations that the government placed on who was allowed to visit the country and who was not.

In 2016, overnight visitors increased 4.2% over the same period of 2015 to 59.27 million of which over 60% came from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

The corresponding income increased to USD 120 billion, an increase by 5.6% over the same period of 2015.

Most visitors arriving in China were from the following areas of residence or countries of nationality:

* The number of Vietnamese visitors is calculated using the total number of visitors and the percentage of Vietnamese tourists given in the 2017 yearly report of Chinese tourism.

Diplomatic and political tensions appear to have a mixed correlation with China’s inbound tourism. For the past decade, relations with Japan have been tense, resulting in a decline in the number of inbound tourists from Japan to China by almost 19 percent annually between 2004 and 2014.

However, both Vietnam and the Philippines have been embroiled in contentious territorial disputes with China, yet between 2009 and 2013 the number of inbound Vietnamese and Filipino tourists increased by 65 percent and 33 percent, respectively.

Some form of Chinese is virtually universal in China, with Mandarin as the standard form and many other varieties also in use; some, like Cantonese and Shanghainese, have tens of millions of speakers.

Although many Chinese do not speak English, due to the educational system, many Chinese near and in urban areas can read and write it, even though they may have difficulty with spoken English.

Ancient capitals that are often visited by tourists:

- Xi'an, Shaanxi

- Nanjing, Jiangsu

- Luoyang, Henan

- Xuchang, Henan

- Hangzhou, Zhejiang

- Zhengzhou, Henan

- Anyang, Henan

- Kaifeng, Henan

Popular Historic cities and old towns that tourists love to visit:

- Chongqing

- Guangzhou, Guangdong

- Chengde, Hebei

- Zhengding, Hebei

- Jingziguan, Henan

- Wuhan, Hubei

- Fenghuang, Hunan

- Huai'an, Jiangsu

- Luzhi, Jiangsu

- Suzhou, Jiangsu

- Tongli, Jiangsu

- Yangzhou, Jiangsu

- Zhenjiang, Jiangsu

- Zhouzhuang, Jiangsu

- Wuyuan, Jiangxi

- Shenyang, Liaoning

- Hancheng, Shaanxi

- Jinan, Shandong

- Qufu, Shandong

- Shanghai & Zhujiajiao

- Pingyao, Shanxi

- Chengdu, Sichuan

- Huanglongxi, Sichuan

- Lizhuang, Sichuan

- Tianjin

- Dali, Yunnan

- Jianshui, Yunnan

- Lijiang, Yunnan

- Nanxun, Zhejiang

- Wuzhen, Zhejiang

- Xitang, Zhejiang

Sites that are famous with tourists:

- Changbai Mountains, an important nature reserve home to the rare Siberian tiger

- Grand Canal of China

- Great Wall of China

- Silk Road, abandoned cities along this famous ancient trading route.

- Huangshan, Anhui

- Mount Jiuhua, Anhui

- Mount Tianzhu, Anhui

- Forbidden City, Beijing, once the center of the Chinese imperial universe and was off limits to the masses but now open to all.

- Summer Palace, Beijing

- Temple of Heaven, Beijing

- Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing

- Three Gorges, Chongqing and Hubei

- Xiamen, Fujian -- Gulangyu Island, famous for its colonial architecture

- Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, Gansu these 1,000-year-old man-made caves on the old Silk Road contain some of China's most impressive Buddhist heritage
Guangzhou, Guangdong where the finest of the classic Cantonese breakfast dim sum is tried

- Li River, Guangxi, where boat trips are taken to see the contorted peaks that have been immortalized in Chinese scroll paintings

- Caohai Lake, Guizhou, where many experience being punted along this shallow lake to see many of China's varied birdlife

- Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin, Heilongjiang, where extravagant and bizarre sculptures can be seen from life-size ice castles with rainbow lighting to fantastical snowy tableaux

- Yabuli Ski Resort, Heilongjiang, the country's largest ski resort where many Chinese take their skiing holiday.

- Longmen Grottoes, a parade of Buddhist figurines and reliefs, near Luoyang, Henan

- Wudang Mountains, Hubei

- Mount Lu, Jiangxi

- Old Yalu Bridge, Dandong, Liaoning, a half-demolished bridge to North Korea is still an important relic of the Korean War.

- Terracotta Army, Xi'an, Shaanxi, the former ancient capital, these 2,200-year-old life-size soldiers guard the tomb of China's first emperor.

- Confucius Mansion, Qufu, Shandong, home to nearly eighty generations of the great sage's clan.

- Mount Tai or Tai Shan, Shandong, a holy peak home to immaculate temples and pavilions

- The Bund, Shanghai, an elegant parade along the Huangpu River of colonial architecture juxtaposed with Shanghai's skyscrapers

- The Hanging Temple at Mount Heng, Shanxi is a temple clinging to a precipice and a series of grottoes containing a panoply of Buddhist statuary

- Yungang Grottoes, near Datong, Shanxi is a renowned Buddhist site.

- Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan

- Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, the world's largest carved Buddha

- Mount Emei, Sichuan

- Mount Qingcheng, Sichuan

- Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet originally built by King Songtsan Gampo in 637 to greet his bride Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty.

- Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, home to one of China's most unique minorities - the Dai people

- West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Hainan Island, sometimes referred to as Hawaii of the Orient is located off the south coast of mainland China. It hosts most of China's tropical resorts, and because of this, is extremely popular with mainland Chinese, as well as those from Hong Kong and nearby Asian countries.

During the past few years, the Chinese government has heavily promoted Hainan Island as a world class resort with beaches and golf courses which are plentiful on Hainan Island.

In addition, the ability to visit traditional Li and Miao cultural villages, hike among lush tropical rain forests and mountainsides, and visit significant cultural artifacts from long ago dynasties, has had a significant effect on tourism on the island.

The Chinese and Hainan governments intend to continue to spend a great deal of money on infrastructure such as December 2004 completion of Hainan to mainland China train; and, around the island expressways for cars and buses and promotion of Hainan Island.

Tourist resources in China can be divided into three main groups: natural sites, historical and cultural sites, and folk customs.

China's mountains, lakes, valleys, caves and waterfalls:

Mount Tai or Tai Shan in the east, Mount Hengshan in the south, Mount Hua in the west, Mount Hengshan in the north, and Mount Song in the center of China have been called the Five Sacred Mountains since antiquity.

The Taishan massif, which snakes through central Shandong, is admired by Chinese as paramount among them. Another mountain celebrated for its beauty is Huangshan in southern Anhui, known for its graceful pines, unusual rocks, cloud seas and hot springs.

Norwegian Tourists Visiting Temple Of HeavenDazu Rock Carvings
Jiuzhaigou, Huangguoshu Waterfall, and Guilin are all located in southwestern China. Jiuzhaigou in northern Sichuan is a beautiful fairyland valley running over 40 km through snow-covered mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and forest.

The Huangguoshu Waterfalls in Guizhou are a group of waterfalls, 18 above-ground and four below, which can be heard from five km away. The Li River in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region winds its way through karst peaks for 82 km between Guilin and Yangshuo.

On the plateau in northern China are many spectacular lakes. The Tianchi or Heavenly Pool in the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang Autonomous Region is 1,980 meters above sea level. This 105-m-deep lake is crystal clear, the high mountains surrounding it carpeted with green grass and colorful flowers.

Along the renowned Three Gorges of the Yangtze River are many scenic spots and historical sites; the Qutang Gorge is rugged and majestic, the Wu Gorge elegant, deep and secluded, the Xiling Gorge full of shoals and reefs and rolling water.

The Lesser Three Gorges are lush with greenery, flanking water so clear you can see to the bottom. The Three Gorges Dam built here is China's biggest key hydro-power project.

China's long history has left many cultural relics and the title of China Top Tourist City has gone to the first group of 54 cities. The Great Wall, a symbol of the Chinese nation, is also a prime example of historical sites that have become major tourist attractions.

As the greatest defense structure project in the history of human civilization, it dates back more than 2,000 years ago to the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods, huge in its scale and grandeur.

There are more than ten sections of the Great Wall open to tourists, including the passes, blockhouses and beacon towers at Badaling in Beijing, Laolongtou in Hebei and Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu.

Grottoes filled with precious murals and sculptures are concentrated along the ancient Silk Road in Gansu. The best known are the Mogao Caves, a treasure house of oriental art, with 492 caves with murals and statues on the cliff faces.

There are 45,000 sq m of murals and over 2,100 colorful statues, all of high artistry. In the south, grotto art is represented in Sichuan by the Leshan Giant Buddha, carved into a cliff face.

Seventy-one meters high and 28 meters wide, it is the largest sitting Buddha in stone, showing the carving skill of ancient craftsmen.

The Shaolin Temple in Henan, the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and famous for its Shaolin Kung Fu martial arts, dates back to 495 AD.

Here can be seen the Ming period Five-Hundred-Arhats Mural and Qing period Shaolin kungfu paintings.

In Hubei, the beautiful Wudang Mountain, with 72 peaks covering an area of 30 km2 (12 sq mi), form a sacred site of Taoism, which preserves one of China's most complete and largest-scale ancient Taoist architecture.

In western Sichuan, Mount Emei, dotted with ancient Buddhist temples and structures, is one of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains｡

Most of China's 101 cities classified as famous historical and cultural cities are over 1,000 years old. South of the Yangtze River, Suzhou and Hangzhou, long known as paradise on earth, are crisscrossed with rivers, lakes, bridges, fields and villages, as beautiful as paintings.

Today's well-preserved ancient cities includes that of Pingyao in central Shanxi, but was also the site of the Neolithic era Yangshao and Longshan cultures, 5,000 to 6,000 years ago.

Ancient Lijiang in Yunnan is not only the center of Dongba culture of the Nakhi ethnic group but also a meeting place for the cultures of Han, Tibetan and Bai ethnicities.

Built in the Song Dynasty, this city has many stone bridges, stone memorial arches and dwelling houses, which provide precious materials for architectural history and can be called a living museum of ancient dwelling houses.

March Street celebrated by the Bai people in Dali, Yunnan, is associated with the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy suppressing a devil to help the Bai people.

It became traditional to burn incense and offer sacrifices to commemorate her virtues every year and the festival has become a major annual gathering for Bai commercial, cultural and sports activities.

The Water Sprinkling Festival of the Dai ethnic group in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, is a lively occasion taking place in the spring. People chase and pour water, a symbol of good luck and happiness, over each other, among other activities such as dragon boat racing and peacock dance.

Lugu Lake between Sichuan and Yunnan has become a tourist destination following the building of a new highway giving access to this area.

The matriarchal society of the 30,000 local Mosuo people is noted for its no marriage traditions and is called the last women's kingdom on the earth. Mosuo women, local dugout canoes and undulating singing style are considered unique to Lugu Lake.

The China National Tourism Administration promotes a tourist theme every year; 1992 was "Friendly Sightseeing Year." Then came "Landscape Tour", "Tour of Cultural Relics and Historical Sites", "Folk Customs Tour", "Holiday Tour", and "Ecological Environment Tour."

From 2000 to 2004, the themes were "Century Year", "Sports and Health of China", "Folk Arts of China", and "Culinary Kingdom of China", and "Catch the Lifestyle."

The themes for 2005 are "China Travel Year" and "Beijing 2008 Welcome to China."

In order to strengthen exchange and cooperation with the international tourism industry, the China National Travel Administration is planning a series of related events, including the Shanghai-hosted "2005 International Tourism Fair of China", the Beijing-hosted 2005 annual meeting of the Federation of Travel Agencies of France, and "the 2005 China-Australia Tourism Symposium."

The China International Online Travel Fair 2005 held in March was comprehensive, providing an online exchange and trading platform between tour companies themselves and with their customers.

The fast development of China's transportation infrastructure provides wide-ranging travel for domestic and overseas tourists. Throughout China a great many hotels and restaurants have been constructed, renovated or expanded to satisfy all levels of requirement, including many with five or six star ratings.

All large or medium-sized cities and scenic spots have hotels with complete facilities and services for both domestic and international visitors.

China has regulated international travel agencies. On June 12, 2003, the China National Tourism Administration and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued Interim Regulations on the Establishment of Foreign funded or Wholly Foreign-owned Travel Agencies.

On July 18, 2003, the China National Travel Administration approved the registration of JALPAK International (China) Ltd. as the first wholly foreign owned travel company to enter China's tourist market, mainly handling Japanese tourism in China.

On December 1, 2003, TUI China Travel Company was formally established in Beijing—the first overseas-controlled joint venture in China's tourism industry.

The controlling party is Martin Buese China Limited and TUI Europe's largest travel group and their Chinese partner is China Travel Service.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Hubei, Chinese Whacky Foods Like Dog , Cat, Snail, Frog, Pig's Blood In Plenty

Hubei is a province in the southern central region of China located in the Central China region. The name of the province means north of the lake, referring to its position north of Dongting Lake.

The provincial capital is Wuhan, a major transportation thoroughfare and the political, cultural, and economic hub of Central China.

Hubei is officially abbreviated to E, an ancient name associated with the eastern part of the province since the Qin dynasty, while a popular name for Hubei is Chu, after the powerful State of Chu that existed during the Eastern Zhou dynasty.

It borders Henan to the north, Anhui to the east, Jiangxi to the southeast, Hunan to the south, Chongqing to the west, and Shaanxi to the northwest. The high-profile Three Gorges Dam is located at Yichang, in the west of the province.

The Jianghan Plain takes up most of central and southern Hubei, while the west and the peripheries are more mountainous, with ranges such as the Wudang Mountains, the Jing Mountains, the Daba Mountains, and the Wu Mountains in rough north-to-south order.

The Dabie Mountains lie to the northeast of the Janghan Plain, on the border with Henan and Anhui; the Tongbai Mountains lie to the north on the border with Henan; to the southeast, the Mufu Mountains form the border with Jiangxi.

The highest peak in Hubei is Shennong Peak, found in the Daba Mountains and in the forestry area of Shennongjia; it has an altitude of 3105 m.

The two major rivers of Hubei are the Yangtze and its left tributary, the Hanshui; they lend their names to the Jianghan Plain.

The Yangtze River enters Hubei from the west via the Three Gorges; the eastern half of the Three Gorges the Xiling Gorge and part of Wu Gorge lie in western Hubei, while the western half is in neighbouring Chongqing.

The Han River enters the province from the northwest. After crossing most of the province, the two great rivers meet at Wuhan, the provincial capital.

Among the notable tributaries of the Yangtze within the province are the Shen Nong Stream a small northern tributary, severely affected by the Three Gorges Dam project.

The Qing, a major waterway of southwestern Hubei; the Huangbo near Yichang; and the Fushui River in the southeast.

Snow is comparatively rare in Wuhan, Thousands of lakes dot the landscape of Hubei's Jianghan Plain, giving Hubei the name of Province of Lakes; the largest of these lakes are Liangzi Lake and Hong Lake.

The numerous hydrodams have created a number of large reservoirs, the largest of which is the Danjiangkou Reservoir on the Han River, on the border between Hubei and Henan.

Hubei has a humid subtropical climate, with four distinct seasons. Winters are cool to cold, with average temperatures of 1 to 6 °C (34 to 43 °F) in January, while summers are hot and humid, with average temperatures of 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F) in July.

Punishing temperatures of 40 °C (104 °F) or above are widely associated with Wuhan, the provincial capital.

The mountainous districts of western Hubei, in particular Shennongjia, with their cooler summers, attract numerous visitors from Wuhan and other lowland cities.

Besides the capital Wuhan, other important cities are Jingmen; Shiyan, a center of automotive industry and the gateway to the Wudang Mountains.

Yichang, the main base for the gigantic hydroelectric projects of southwestern Hubei; and Shashi.

Hubei is divided into thirteen prefecture-level divisions of which there are twelve prefecture-level cities (including a sub-provincial city) and one autonomous prefecture.

As well as three directly administered county-level cities all sub-prefecture-level cities and one directly administered county-level forestry area.

The thirteen prefecture-level divisions and four directly administered county-level divisions of Hubei are subdivided into 103 county-level divisions, 39 districts, 24 county-level cities, 37 counties, 2 autonomous counties, 1 forestry district; the directly administered county-level divisions are included here.

Those are in turn divided into 1234 township-level divisions 737 towns, 215 townships, nine ethnic townships, and 273 subdistricts.

Hubei is often called the Land of Fish and Rice. Important agricultural products in Hubei include cotton, rice, wheat, and tea, while industries include automobiles, metallurgy, machinery, power generation, textiles, foodstuffs and high-tech commodities.

Mineral resources that can be found in Hubei in significant quantities include borax, hongshiite, wollastonite, garnet, marlstone, iron, phosphorus, copper, gypsum, rutile, rock salt, gold amalgam, manganese and vanadium.

The province's recoverable reserves of coal stand at 548 million tons, which is modest compared to other Chinese provinces. Hubei is well known for its mines of fine turquoise and green faustite.

Once completed, the Three Gorges Dam in western Hubei will provide plentiful hydroelectricity, with an estimated annual power production of 84,700 Gwh.

Existing hydroelectric stations include Gezhouba, Danjiangkou, Geheyan, Hanjiang, Duhe, Huanglongtan, Bailianhe, Lushui and Fushui.

Hubei's economy ranks 11th in the country and its nominal GDP for 2011 was 1.959 trillion yuan (US$311 billion) and a per capita of 21,566 RMB (US$2,863).

The government of Hubei hopes to keep the GDP growth rate above 10% annually and double per capita GDP by 2020.

Economic and Technological Development Zones

- Hubei Jingzhou Chengnan Economic Development Zone was established in 1992 under the approval of Hubei Government.

Three major industries include textile, petroleum and chemical processing, with a combined output accounts for 90% of its total output.

The zone also enjoys a well-developed transportation network—only 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the airport and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the railway station.

- Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone is a national level high-tech development zone. Optical-electronics, telecommunications, and equipment manufacturing are the core industries of Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone (ELHTZ) while software outsourcing and electronics are also encouraged.

ELHTZ is China's largest production centre for optical-electronic products with key players like Changfei Fiber-optical Cables, the largest fiber-optical cable maker in China.

Fenghuo Telecommunications and Wuhan Research Institute of Post and Telecommunications the largest research institute in optical telecommunications in China.

Wuhan ELHTZ represents the development centre for China's laser industry with key players such as HUST Technologies and Chutian Laser being based in the zone.

- Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone is a national level industrial zone incorporated in 1993.

Its size is about 10-25 square km and it plans to expand to 25-50 square km. Industries encouraged in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone include automobile production/assembly,biotechnology/pharmaceuticals, chemicals production and processing, food/beverage processing, heavy industry, and telecommunications equipment.

- Wuhan Export Processing Zone was established in 2000. It is located in Wuhan Economic & Technology Development Zone, planned to cover land of 2.7 km2. The first 0.7 km2 area has been launched.

- Wuhan Optical Valley (Guanggu) Software Park is in Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone. Wuhan Optics Valley Software Park is jointly developed by East Lake High-Tech Development Zone and Dalian Software Park Co., Ltd.

The planned area is 0.67 km2 with total floor area of 600,000 square meters. The zone is 8.5 km (5.28 mi) from the 316 National Highway and is 46.7 km (29.02 mi) from the Wuhan Tianhe Airport.

- Xiangyang New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone

Han Chinese form the dominant ethnic group in Hubei. A considerable Miao and Tujia population live in the southwestern part of the province, especially in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

On October 18, 2009, Chinese officials began to relocate 330,000 residents from the Hubei and Henan provinces that will be affected by the Danjiangkou Reservoir on the Han river.

The reservoir is part of the larger South-North Water Transfer Project.

The predominant religions in Hubei are Chinese folk religions, Taoist traditions and Chinese Buddhism.

According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 6.5% of the population believes and is involved in cults of ancestors, while 0.58% of the population identifies as Christian, declining from 0.83% in 2004.

The reports didn't give figures for other types of religion; 92.92% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, folk religious sects.

Baotong Buddhist Temple in Wuhan.
People in Hubei speak Mandarin dialects; most of these dialects are classified as Southwestern Mandarin dialects, a group that also encompasses the Mandarin dialects of most of southwestern China.

Perhaps the most celebrated element of Hubei cuisine is the Wuchang bream, a freshwater bream that is commonly steamed.

Types of traditional Chinese opera popular in Hubei include Hanju.

The Shennongjia area is the alleged home of the Yeren, a wild undiscovered hominid that lives in the forested hills.

The people of Hubei are given the uncomplimentary nickname Nine-headed Birds by other Chinese, from a mythological creature said to be very aggressive and hard to kill.

In the sky live nine-headed birds. On the earth live Hubei people.

Wuhan is one of the major culture centers in China.

Hubei is thought to be the province that originated the card game of Dou Di Zhu.

Prior to the construction of China's national railway network, the Yangtze and Hanshui Rivers had been the main transportation arteries of Hubei for many centuries, and still continue to play an important transport role.

Historically, Hubei's overland transport network was hampered by the lack of bridges across the Yangtze River, which divides the province into northern and southern regions.

The first bridge across the Yangtze in Hubei, the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge was completed in 1957, followed by the Zhicheng Bridge in 1971.

As of October 2014, Hubei had 23 bridges and tunnels across the Yangtze River, including nine bridges and three tunnels in Wuhan.

The railway from Beijing reached Wuhan in 1905, and was later extended to Guangzhou, becoming the first north-to-south railway mainline to cross China.

A number of other lines crossed the province later on, including the Jiaozuo-Liuzhou Railway and Beijing-Kowloon Railway, respectively, in the western and eastern part of the province.

The first decade of the 21st century has seen a large number of new railway construction in Hubei.

The Wuhan–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, roughly parallel to the original Wuhan-Guangzhou line, opened in late 2009, and is currently being extended to the north, towards Beijing.

A new east-west high-speed corridor connecting major cities along the Yangtze the Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line is being constructed as well.

The Hefei-Wuhan section, which opened in 2009, has enabled fast service between Wuhan and Shanghai, while the Wuhan-Yuchang and Yichang-Wanzhou sections are okay.

Hubei's main airport is Wuhan Tianhe International Airport. Yichang Sanxia Airport serves the Three Gorges region.

There are also passenger airports in Xiangyang, Enshi, and Jingzhou (Shashi Airport, named after the city's Shashi District).

Cities in Hubei

- Wuhan the capital spread across the Han and Yangtse Rivers

- Ezhou - a small city about an a hour away from Wuhan by train or bus, sightseeing on a small scale (hills, temples, night markets). A quiet day trip.

- Huanggang

- Jingmen

- Jingzhou

- Shiyan

- Xiangfan

- Xianning the Hot Spring city, 20 minutes by high speed train from Wuhan.

- Xiaochang

- Xiaogan

- Yichang, the gate way to Three Gorges and the location of the world's largest dam,Three Gorges Dam.

- Zhijiang

- Zhongxiang

- Enshi the gate way to the Enshi Grand Canyon and the home of the Tusi Ancient City.

Other destinations:

- Wudang Mountains Birthplace of Taichi and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hubei is a Central Chinese province. The name is derived from 'Hu' meaning lake and 'Bei' meaning North.

It is the home of many battles from the Three Kingdoms "San Guo" period of Chinese history.

Many cities still retain parts of the history of this time, such as Jingzhou which boasts a wonderfully intact city wall dating back to this time.

Hubei is also home of Yichang, site of the world famous Three Gorges Dam "San Xia Da Ba" project, which is the world's largest hydro-electric dam. This dam has effectively dammed the mighty Yangtse River "Chang Jiang".

The capital city of Hubei is Wuhan, a sprawling city made up of three separate cities separated by the Yangtse and Han rivers. Wuhan gains its name from the name of the three major parts of the city, Wuchang, Hanyang and Hankou.

Wuchang is known as the educational capital of China boasting a myriad of different Universities and Colleges. Wuchang also has a high concentration of government offices and facilities.

Hankou is famous for its commercial and shopping districts with areas such as Jianghan Rd and Jiefang Rd being the most popular places to go for shopping.

Hanyang is the industrial heart of Wuhan boasting many heavy industries including car and steel manufacture.

Wuhan is one of the notorious '3 furnaces' of China, however it easily out-steams it's rivals Nanjing and Chongqing.

During a typical summer temperatures soar above 40 degrees celcius and humidity rarely drops below 80%.

It is because of this weather that the Chinese people believe the local population have gained their fiery reputation of being loud and easily riled up.

In winter temperatures drop below 0 degrees celcius and a few of inches of snow is not uncommon occurrence.

The locals are known as "Jiu Tou Nao" or "nine headed bird" due to their talent for bending the truth. The moniker is both a source of pride and embarrassment.

Wuhan is one of the largest cities in China, however it is still developing, quite slowly, in comparison with the major centres such as Beijing, Shanghai or Shenzhen.

The population of Hubei like all of China has been taught to speak Beijing Standard Chinese "Putong Hua" for many years now and the ability to speak Mandarin will help you immensely.

However, like many places throughout China, many cities have developed their own particular dialect such as the capital city of Hubei's "Wuhan Hua".

Many Chinese people do not like the accent of the Wuhan locals as they say it comes across as very unelegant and rude however this is purely a matter of opinion.

Hubei also has members of many minority groups, in particular the Uighers of Xinjiang, who speak a language known as Uigher that is similar to Turkish.

Wuhan has strong foreign invest, especially French and German so many expatriates from these countries live in China, stimulating an interest in foreign languages, especially French and English.

Fortunately for Hubei the province has plenty of ESL teachers available to choose from to teach them these languages.

The province's best-known natural attraction shared with the adjacent Chongqing municipalit) is the scenic area of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze.

Located in the far west of the province, the gorges can be conveniently visited by one of the numerous tourist boats or regular passenger boats that travel up the Yangtze from Yichang through the Three Gorges and into the neighboring Chongqing municipality.

The mountains of western Hubei, in particular in Shennongjia District, offer a welcome respite from Wuhan's and Yichang's summer heat, as well as skiing opportunities in winter.

The tourist facilities in that area concentrate around Muyu in the southern part of Shennongjia, the gateway to Shennongjia National Nature Reserve.

Closer to the provincial capital, Wuhan, is the Mount Jiugong (Jiugongshan) national park, in Tongshan County near the border with Jiangxi.

A particular important site of both natural and cultural significance is Mount Wudang (Wudangshan) in the northwest of the province.

Originally created early in the Ming dynasty, its building complex has been listed by UNESCO since 1994 as a World Heritage Site.

Other historic attractions in Hubei include:

- The old Jingzhou City

- The Xianling Mausoleum, built by the Ming dynasty Jiajing Emperor for his parents at their fief near Zhongxiang

- The Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan

The Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, with extensive archaeological and cultural exhibits and performance presentations of ancient music and dance.

This is one of the best places to learn about the ancient state of Chu, which flourished in the territory of present-day Hubei during the Eastern Zhou dynasty and developed its own unique culture, quite distinct from that of the Shang/Zhou civilization of northern China.

The province also has historical sites connected with China's more recent history, such as the Wuchang Uprising Memorial in Wuhan, Project 131 site, a Cultural-Revolution-era underground military command center in Xianning, and the National Mining Park in Huangshi.

You can get into Hubei in many ways.

You can fly into Wuhan Tianhe Airport from most major cities and some international locations such as Australia.

You can also catch a bus or a train from many of the cities in China quite easily thanks to Wuhan's central location, essentially making it 'the transport hub of China'.

One of the better ways to get into Hubei is to cruise the Yangtse River, either from Chongqing further West passing through the Three Gorges Dam and it's massive 5-stage ship lock, or you can cruise in from the East.

There is a daily direct flight for AirAsia from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia to Wuhan. The flight takes about 4 hours.

Getting around in Hubei is fairly easy. Buses go to most cities or at least through them, just let the driver know where to stop.

The same goes for getting on the bus, just put out your thumb and a bus will stop for you and tell you how much it costs to go where you want to go.

Hubei also has a decent train network, like the rest of China, however it won't go to quite so many places as the buses and often it is very busy.

Within Wuhan and many other cities in Hubei, bus is the best way to travel. The average fare is ¥1 for non-air conditioned/heated and ¥2 for air-conditioner/heater.

Given the amount of people on buses and the fact that someone will always have a window open, often it is best just to save the extra ¥1 and go the cheap option.

Taxis are also relatively unexpensive. Flagfall is ¥6 for the first 1.5km

The Yangtze River crosses through the region, offering beautiful cruise options, but the scenery past Wuhan is not as great as in the neighbouring provinces of Sichuan and Chongqing

The main tourist attractions and sights in Hubei are located along the Yangtse River.

You can see the famous Ghost City of Feng Du with it's temples and statues, the Three Gorges Dam and it's 5-Stage Ship Lock in Yichang, the impressive city wall of Jingzhou, and the famous Yellow Crane Tower "Huang He Lou" and East Lake "Dong Hu" of Wuhan.

Being in the center of China, Hubei boasts a variety of gourmet delights from every corner of the Chinese nation.

Whether it is the delicious kebabs or hand-pulled noodles "la mian" of Xinjiang in the West, the addictive pork and spring onion dumplings "jiao zi" of the North, the farmed sweet and sour "tang su" of the South or the myriad of seafood dishes of the East there is something to please everyone.

Like most food to be found in Central/Western China, the food of Hubei is liberally laden with chilli, exciting the taste buds of more adventurous gourmands.

All of the famous Chinese whacky foods can be found in Hubei, ranging from dog and cat, to snail and frog, to pig's blood and cow's stomach all the way through to the exotic stuff like BBQ scorpion kebabs.

Hubei is also famed for it's lotus root "ou" dishes, which you can get in a variety of forms from soups to french fried.

The capital city, Wuhan, also has a famous noodle dish by the name of Hot and Dry Noodles "re gan mian". This interesting dish combines the dryness of sesame paste with the heat of chillis and pickled vegetables.

Generally a breakfast staple, Hot and Dry Noodles can be found being cooked on every street of Wuhan and for around ¥1.70 it is an absolute bargain.

As has been the growing trend in China there has also been a growth in 'Western' style restaurants.

You can go and eat at a Brazil BBQ restaurant, Italian, Portuguese and French restaurants, as well as the omnipresent American fast food outlets such as Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonalds.

Hubei generally consumes the same style of beverages as the rest of China. Tea and hot water being the most popular, followed by soft drinks, beer and white wine "bai jiu".

Every kind of tea is available, as are bottled teas and coffees, soft drinks, water and juices.

One of the highlights of Hubei is the local beer, going by the name of Snow which generally comes in 500mL bottles, containes on average 3.6%alc/v and is very easy to drink chilled or not.

The going rate for a bottle is ¥2.50 with a ¥0.5 refund when you return the bottle. The cheapness and high quality of Chinese beer has been the undoing of many an overzealous foreigner.

There are also many places in which to consume these drinks. The most abundant by far are the famous Chinese discos and KTV bars which charge drinks at a minimum of a 500% markup and often times exceed 1000%.

There are a small amount of foreign bars, generally also expensive but with an environment which is catered more to foreign tastes.

In Wuhan itself there is the local institution Vox Bar which is easily the cheapest and most diverse bar in the province, with beer starting from ¥5 and hosting a variety of different live bands ranging from Beijing heavy metal to Xinjiang folk music.

The patrons of Vox come from every corner of the world, featuring strong contingencies of Africans, Arabians, Central Asians, Australian and New Zealander, American, Mexican, Canadian, Pacific Islander, Philippino, Nepalese, Europeans and of course the local Chinese.

Good places to get out to:

- Jiangxi

- Hunan

- Chongqing

- Shaanxi

- Henan



Tourism Observer

CHINA: Shangri-La Opens Latest China Hotel

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened its latest hotel in China in Hefei.

The 27-storey hotel is centrally located on Suixi Road and to both the commercial area and leisure attractions of Hefei, a city founded as a county seat in the Qin Dynasty between the Yangtze River and the freshwater Chaohu Lake.

The group said the property, which has 401 rooms, is a new landmark in the city.

High-tech touches include free Wi-Fi and paperless check-in.

Situated on the highest floors of Shangri-La Hotel, Hefei are spacious Executive and Speciality Suites.

Alongside their panoramic views, suite and Horizon Club guests can enjoy extra privileges at the Horizon Club Lounge on level 27 of the hotel including express check-in and check-out, complimentary breakfast buffet, all-day refreshments and evening cocktails, and full concierge service.

An introductory rate of RMB550 per night, plus 15% service charge, is available until 7 October 2015.

This includes accommodation in a Deluxe Room, dining credit and triple Golden Circle Award Points for Shangri-La's Golden Circle members.

PALAU: Citizens Not Happy With Chinese Tourists, They Are Noisy And Disrespectful

Chinese tourists in Palau jumping from their speedboat into the "Milky Way" that locals claim have therapeutic properties that will make you look 10 years younger

CHINESE tourists are flocking to the remote Palau islands as China’s growing number of rich seek new frontiers abroad, but not everyone in the Micronesian paradise is happy about it.

Strapped into life-jackets and screaming with excitement, groups of boisterous Chinese thrillseekers tear around Palau’s “Milky Way” lagoon on a flotilla of speedboats — a spectacle unfamiliar to locals just a few months ago.

Residents of the archipelago, part of the larger island group of Micronesia, are baffled as to why Chinese travellers represented almost 62 per cent of all visitors in February — up from 16 per cent in January 2014.

For businessman Du Chuang from Chengdu in China’s Sichuan province, it is because his increasingly wealthy countrymen are becoming more adventurous, smashing the stereotype of the herded package tour.

Du first started to travel by visiting Hainan, the Chinese island in the South China Sea currently witnessing a massive development of hotel resorts. He then ventured to Thailand before branching out to the Maldives.

“The corals here are more beautiful than Sanya (on Hainan),” the 46-year-old said, scrolling through photos on his phone of a $1,400 helicopter trip over Palau’s Seventy Islands that he took his family on.

“Palau is small and magnificent,” added the owner of a successful IT company. Hoteliers are catching on, with some establishments focusing on Chinese clientele booked out months in advance. At “Sea Passion Hotel” in Koror, 74 of their 75 rooms were occupied by Chinese visitors..

On a beach Chinese women wearing full body suits to protect themselves from the sun pose for selfies with husbands and boyfriends in sleeveless vests, which they send to their friends back home in China’s grey megacities.

Jia Yixin, a 30-year-old from Shanghai, didn’t think twice about paying $1,133 (1,000 euros) for a six-day trip to Palau that she found online.

Chinese cruise ship "Xian Ni", which previously operated in China's famous Yangtze River and whose crew fled and abandoned it in Palauan waters.

“It is like paradise here,” she beamed. “In Shanghai the air is polluted but here people respect the environment,” Jia added.

Ironically it is the potential environmental impact of the Chinese invasion that is at the forefront of the minds of many of the islands’ 18,000 population.

Palau welcomed just shy of 141,000 visitors last year, up 34 per cent on 2013, largely on the back of the Chinese visitors. But in February this year, mainland Chinese visitors leaped more than 500 per cent year-on-year to 10,955 — more than half Palau’s total population.

Tourism accounts for close to 85 per cent of Palau’s gross domestic product (GDP), and while profits are up, some are worried the long-term damage may be too great.

“This is a very sudden influx, so we are trying to understand the situation” said Nanae Singeo, managing director of the Palau Visitors Authority, the local tourist board.

“We have never experienced this much tourism before and the magnitude is really giving us a lot of pressure. We are a very tiny country with scarce resources so this sudden increase is an unknown challenge for us,” she added.

Palau has long catered for a particular type of visitor, with up to 70 per cent of tourists coming for world-famous diving in stunning blue waters with pristine corals.

Japanese were traditionally the largest contingent, followed by Taiwanese and Korean visitors. But the majority of the new wave of Chinese tourists seem more interested — for now at least — in lounging on the beach.

“We are not seeing a growth rate to match the number of visitors,” said Singeo. “Tourists are up 34 per cent so technically we should see economic benefits at the rate of 30 per cent or more, but that’s not the case.”

On the streets of Koror, some accused Chinese people of being noisy and disrespectful towards the environment.

“They wreck corals and throw their rubbish in the sea,” chided Norman, a taxi driver.

In another recent example, a Chinese tour operator named “Yellow Skin Tour” caused outrage in Palau with leaflets including photos of grinning Chinese tourists holding up turtles they had removed from the water — in one case by its flippers.

Residents have also accused Chinese tourists of being responsible for the deaths of some jellyfish at the natural wonder “Jellyfish Lake”.

Visitors are encouraged to marvel at the harmless creatures by floating on the surface, but some locals complain that many Chinese lack swimming skills and thrash around, disturbing the wildlife.

The Palau government is exploring ways to try to stem the tide of Chinese tourists to the western Pacific Ocean archipelago and this week said the number of charter flights from China would be halved next month.

President Tommy Remengesau said the move was not intended to discriminate against any nationality but was to prevent tourism from becoming too reliant on one market.

“Do we want to control growth or do we want growth to control us?” he asked reporters. “It will be irresponsible for me as a leader if this trend continues. I am not only looking at the present but, as a leader, I am looking after tomorrow.” But the number of hotels, restaurants and guides in Palau now catering for a Chinese market would suggest that citizens of the world’s second-largest economy are likely to keep coming.