Emeishan, Sichuan: A Sanctuary for the Enlightened

Wannian Temple Courtyard, Emeishan, Sichuan

Wannian Temple Courtyard, Emeishan, Sichuan

Mount Emei (Emeishan; 峨嵋山) is one of the four holy mountains in China. It is named for the two peaks that face each other like a “delicate eyebrow,” an embodiment of traditional Chinese beauty. Initially a Taoist retreat, Mount Emei and the surrounding Sichuan province would become the center of the Chinese sect of Buddhism (Chen School) during 3rd century and mid-6th century A.D. Under Song Emperoror Zhao Kuangyin’s authorization, several Buddhist temples were built by Master Jiye and his followers. There are more than 100 temples nestled within the verdant forests of the mountain. The most famous of these temples is the Golden Summit located at the peak and dedicated to Puxian (Samantabhadra) Bodhisattva. During our two days here, we only visited two of the temples: Wannian Temple and Baoguo Temple.

August 6, 2012

Night Market Noodle Stand in Emeishan, Sichuan

Night Market Noodle Stand in Emeishan, Sichuan

Upon our arrival to Mount Emei, we refreshed ourselves at the hotel before heading to dinner at the open market. An open market is where one can order from any food stalls, pay for each, and the waiter will bring the food and drinks to your table.

We ordered mushroom noodles, beef and bamboo shoots; green vegetables, smoked duck, and sweet rice rolls.

Dinner at the Night Market in Emeishan, Sichuan

Dinner at the Night Market in Emeishan, Sichuan

After dinner, we had a hot Chinese-style milk tea and were casually strolling around the park that contained carved murals depicting Buddhist stories and a Chinese-style monument at the center. Just as we were walking back to the hotel, it began to rain, forcing us to run. We were soaked when we entered the hotel. Continue reading

Leshan, Sichuan: A Grand Sight in the Rain

Scriptures dedicated to Grand Leshan Buddha, Leshan, Sichuan

Scriptures dedicated to Grand Leshan Buddha, Leshan, Sichuan

“As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your heart with judgements but rain your kindness equally on all. ” ― Gautama Buddha

Attraction List:

  • Leshan Grand Buddha

August 6, 2012

Lunch in Leshan, Sichuan

Lunch in Leshan, Sichuan

View of Leshan Grand Buddha from the river cruise, Leshan, Sichuan

View of Leshan Grand Buddha from the river cruise, Leshan, Sichuan

A 2-hour drive through heavy traffic and rain brought us to the city of Leshan (乐山, meaning “Happy Mountain”)—modernized town with skyscrapers and buildings that is less than 71 meters out of respect for the Buddha. We had a warm local lunch of chili beef with peppers, potato slices, fried pancakes, deep-fried fish in sweet sauce, algae soup, and ham and chicken in gravy sauce. The meal was quite refreshing, especially during the humid rain. Continue reading

Chengdu, Sichuan: Capital of the Heavenly State

Bronze animal sculpture from the ancient Shu culture at the Sanxingdui Relic Museum, Chengdu, Sichuan

Bronze animal sculpture from the ancient Shu culture at the Sanxingdui Relic Museum, Chengdu, Sichuan

Chengdu (成都) is the capital of Sichuan province (四川省). It is the 11th largest city in China. Known as the “Heavenly State” (Tian Fu Zhi Guo), Sichuan is richly endowed with natural resources and Chengdu is an example of high production. In ancient times, the Shu culture proliferated here and the city was well-known for its Shu embroideries and brocades. The city was also the beginning of the Southern Silk Road and origin of Chinese bronze culture.

Attraction List:

  • Sanxingdui Relic Museum (August 5)
  • Chengdu Panda Research Base (August 6)

August 5, 2012

In the wee hours of an early morning, we were sent on our way to the airport in Beijing with a pre-packaged hotel breakfast of croissants, salami, cold cuts, and a yogurt drink. Despite the well-planned arrangement by our tour group, the flight was delayed by 1 hour but the airline service still served the promised breakfast.

Lunch at the Golden Hawaii in Chengdu

Lunch at the Golden Hawaii in Chengdu

We finally arrived in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, at 11:40 AM and met our lovely tour guide, Cathy, who will guide us during our stay in Sichuan province. We had lunch at the Golden Hawaii, a formerly prestigious restaurant by the décor but now only caters to tour groups. The service was slow but we tried to be accommodating. For our first taste of spicy Sichuan cuisine, we tried fried pork with beansprouts, kungpao chicken, corn nibblets, Chinese long beans with peppers and eggplant. Although spicy (even though we asked for very mild spicy), the sauce used was very flavorful and had a distinct taste of Allspice. Continue reading

Travels in China 2010: Overview

Bridge to Hongcun Village, Huangshan, Anhui (2010)

Bridge to Hongcun Village, Huangshan, Anhui (2010)

Private tour, except Suzhou and Hong Kong.

We chose to go on a customized, private tour hosted by Dragon Delight Tours. Below are the places we have visited during our second trip to China.

  • June 11-15, 2010: Shanghai (上海)
  • June 12, 2010: Shanghai World Expo 2010 Report
  • June 13, 2010: Suzhou, Jiangsu (江苏) province
  • June 16-18, 2010: Huangshan, Anhui (安徽) province [part I | part II]
  • June 19-20, 2010: Hangzhou, Zhejiang (浙江) province
  • June 21-22, 2010: Xi’an, Shaanxi (陕西) province
  • June 23-25, 2010: Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang (广西) province [part I | part II]
  • June 26-July 2, 2010:Hong Kong (香港), Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China
China 2010 Map courtesy of Google Maps

China 2010 Map courtesy of Google Maps

» Return to Project China

TRAVEL: Hong Kong

Visited June 25-July 2, 2010.

Panoramic View of Hong Kong City

Panoramic View of Hong Kong City

Attractions:

  • Mong Kok
  • Hong Kong City Hall, Central
  • Tsim Sha Tsui
  • Victoria Harbor
  • Hong Kong Disneyland (June 29)
  • Lei Yue Mun (July 1)

Hong Kong is a thriving metropolis that ranks as the fourth important financial center of the world after London, New York, and Tokyo. Its history as a British colony has influenced its worldwide perspective and diverse culture. Today, Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, meaning that it has autonomy on most affairs with the exception of foreign and defense affairs. Hong Kong can be viewed as an individual country, for it has its own flag, currency (Hong Kong dollar [HKD]), government, and official languages (English and Cantonese). Packed with 7 million people over several islands, the country is divided into districts: (1) Hong Kong Island (central, east, and south coasts); (2) Kowloon; (3) New Territories; (4) Lantau; and (5) Outlying Islands.

During our visit, we visited relatives and focused on the areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. We stayed six nights in Langham Place—a five-star hotel that is conveniently connected to a shopping mall. The location is in Mong Kok, a busy commercial area that has plenty of shopping malls, markets, and restaurants; I highly recommend this hotel for the convenience. Also, prices here are more reasonable than in, for example, the Tsim Sha Tsui—the tourist-heavy area.

One night we went to Central. The area is a well-known shopping, business, and government district. We went to dinner with relatives at the Hong Kong City Hall, where there is the renowned restaurant called Maxim’s Palace. We had an excellent meal of seafood, beef, and other delectable dishes. Continue reading

TRAVEL: Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Visited June 19-20, 2010.

Six Harmonies Pagoda garden

Six Harmonies Pagoda garden

Attractions Checklist:

  • Six Harmonies Pagoda (June 19)
  • Tea Museum at Meijiawu Village (June 19)
  • West Lake (June 20)
  • Lingyin (Heart of the Soul’s Retreat) Temple (June 20)
  • Romance of Song Dynasty Show (June 20)

Our visit to Hangzhou was delayed, because our ride was not at the airport when we arrived in Shanghai from Huangshan; as a result, we hurriedly called a taxi to go to our hotel in Shanghai at 1 AM and emailed our tour organizer of the incident. The following morning a guide and driver picked us up and took us to the Hongqiao train station, where we took the train to Hangzhou. The train ride from Shanghai to Hangzhou is approximately 45 minutes to one hour. The cost is ¥64 (~ $10 USD) for a one-way trip. Continue reading

TRAVEL: Shanghai World Expo 2010

Visited June 12, 2010. The expo opened from May 1 to October 31, 2010.

Netherlands Pavilion

Netherlands Pavilion

“Better City, Better Life” is the theme of China’s World Expo that ran from May 1 to October 31,2010 in Shanghai. Located along both banks of the Huangpu River, the expo site covers 5.28 square km and is an eye-catching sight when one enters Shanghai city. The expo alone hosted pavilions for 250 participating countries and international organizations. Over 73 million visitors have explored the pavilions—the largest attendance in world expo history thus far. Continue reading

TRAVEL: Shanghai

Visited June 11-15, 2010.

Financial District in Shanghai

Financial District in Shanghai

Attractions Checklist:

  • Shanghai World Expo (June 12)
  • Yu Garden (June 14)
  • Jade Buddha Temple (June 14)
  • Nanjing Road (June 14)
  • The Bund (June 14)
  • Oriental Pearl Tower (June 15)
  • Shanghai Museum (June 15)

Did you know that license plates from other provinces are distinguished by a single, unique Chinese character? In Shanghai, license plates have the Hu character (沪), which is the name of a fishing tool made by the fishermen that lived in the pre-modern era and is also the nickname for this city. Since that time, Shanghai is one of the most prosperous and highly populated cities in China with more than 20 million people bustling through its streets. Located near the eastern coast, Shanghai is a municipality with its own government, so it is not a part of the Jiangsu province. Continue reading