So What is This About?
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In 1994 I went to Yunnan Province for a month, and it turned out to be the most beautiful place I have ever visited. Of course I am curious about the rest of the country, so I started planning a long trip across China including visits to all Worldheritages. Because of the vast distances in China, that project proved to be become too time-consuming. So I console myself with some shorter trips, starting Spring 2004 with Beijing and surroundings.
Participation
* Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains * Ancient City of Ping Yao * Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui - Xidi and Hongcun * Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom * Classical Gardens of Suzhou * Dazu Rock Carvings * Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa
* Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area * Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang
* Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties * Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area * Longmen Grottoes * Lushan National Park * Mausoleum of the First Qin Emporer * Mogao Caves * Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area * Mount Huangshan * Mount Qincheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System * Mount Taishan * Mount Wuyi * Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde * Old Town of Lijiang * Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian * Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing
* Temple and Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu * Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing * The Great Wall * Three parallel rivers of Yunnan protected areas * Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area * Yungang Grottoes *
Benefits
Beijing (2)
April 2004
A large part of the second week of my trip to Beijing I spent in Chengde. This is a city with more than 3 million inhabitants, situated in northern China. Its resort (and the adjoining temples) was the highlight of my trip. Two other great spots I visited that week were Beijing´s Old and New Summer Palaces, and of course the Great Wall.
Beijing (1)
March 2004
Late March and early April I spent two weeks in Beijing (with a detour to Chengde). The first days I toured the main sights in and around the city center: the quiet beauty of the Temple of Heaven, the enormous Imperial Palace (Forbidden City), the interesting Ming Tombs and the more obscure Peking Man Site.
Of course I also enjoyed modern Beijing: its food, its organized chaos.