Yearly Archives: 2021

China, Tibet, Travel

The Mysterious and Highest Monatery In Tibet, Only A Pre-destined Man Can See it

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Zizhu_Temple_01

If you come to visit Tibet, in addition to appreciate the snow-capped mountains, glaciers, grasslands, and canyons on the roof of the world, the most important thing is to experience the profound Tibetan culture. To experience the Tibetan culture, the ubiquitous religious sites in Tibet have to be mentioned, the famous Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Samye Monastery, Tashilhunpo Monastery, Sakya Monastery, Zizhu Temple and so on are the classic representatives of Tibet religion.

There are famous monasteries in almost every region in Tibet, and they have a long history, a deep culture deposit, each with distinct features of its own. Located in Qamdo, there are two monasteries that must be introduced, one is the 600-year-old Galden Jampaling Monastery; the other is the oldest Zizhu Temple introduced in this article.

Zizhu Temple is located in Dêngqên County, Qamdo. Dêngqên means table land in Tibetan, it was called Qiongbu in ancient times. The county covers only nearly 13,000 square kilometers, but has a population of less than 100,000, Dêngqên County is a vast and sparsely populated place. Dêngqên County is located on the upper part of the Nujiang River, National Highway 317 goes through the boundary lines, Dêngqên County is the west gate of Qamdo and is also the hometown of the famous Cordyceps sinensis, Zhangzhung culture and Reba art.

Zizhu Temple is named after Zizhu Mountain. Zizhu means six peaks in Tibetan, so Zizhu Mountain is a small group of six mountain peaks. Standing on the opposite observation deck, we can see six mountain peaks standing in one line.

According to local friends, Zizhu Mountain is one of the four sacred mountains of Bon religion and has a profound influence on the development of Bon religion. The status of Bon religion is very important in Tibetan ethnic areas for thousands of years. There are handprints and footprints left by meditating monks, as well as Buddha statues, mandalas, mantras and so on everywhere in the ascetic cave on the rock walls.

It is said that these mountain peaks were called Crystal Mountain, not Zizhu Mountain before. The main components of the rocks on the mountain are high-quality stalactites and crystals that contain precious medicinal materials Shizhonghuang, which has extremely high medicinal value. Tibetan medicines are very abundant, among them stalactites, Shizhonghuang, Cordyceps sinensis, Gentiana algida etc. are not only enriched, but also top quality. Therefore, Zizhu Mountain is also known as a treasure house of medicinal materials beneficial to all living beings.

Zizhu Mountain is different from many mountain peaks in Tibet. The mountain is extremely steep, and the two sides of the mountain are like two worlds, they are completely different geological landform, one side is a typical Danxia landforms, the other is a typical Alpine grassland terrain. These peaks appear in an endless variety of shapes, some are like dragons that have wings, some are like lions, some are like elephants, and some are like birds. Moreover, there are many caves in these mountains, these cave are said to be the spiritual practices place for eminent monks. Among them, the famous ones are 108 caves.

Zizhu Mountain is one of the four sacred mountains of the Bon religion. In the 10th century BC, the second-generation Tibetan king Mu-khri btsan-po had built 37 Bon Taoist temples in various places in Tubo, and Zizhu Temple was one of them. Added all up, it has a history of more than 3,000 years.

Zizhu Temple has been brilliant for thousands of years, and was basically unaffected by the war, it was severely damaged only in the 1960s and 1970s, it was restored under the auspices of the local living Buddha in 1982, many holy objects were protected by the pious believers and gradually returned to the temple. Zizhu temple building and religious ceremonies have been restored. After decades of hard work, the current Zizhu Temple has restored three schools, there are already more than 200 monks.

Zizhu Temple belongs to the oldest Bon religion in Tibet, Bon religion is an ancient and primitive religion that prevailed before Buddhism was introduced into Tibet.

There is a viewing platform on the opposite side of Zizhu Temple, we can see the whole view of Zizhu Temple. According to the introduction of local friends, Zizhu Temple can be divided into Neiming College, Larung College, Datsan College, Unsullied Achievement Buddha’s Hall, and Buddhist Meditation College. Neiming College is mainly a place to study religion, Datsan College is a place to debate buddhist scriptures, Meditation College is a place for lamas to Buddhist practice, and Larung is the place where living Buddha of all ages lived, Unsullied Achievement Buddha’s Hall is the main hall of Zizhu Temple, a lot of Buddha statues are enshrined here, most of them are the top national treasures of China, unfortunately it is not allowed to take photos here, so you see this group of photos, they are basically outdoor scenes.

The most conspicuous building located in the center is Unsullied Achievement Buddha’s Hall, which is also the most conspicuous and grandest building in the entire Zizhu Temple. The first floor of the hall is about 7 meters high, carved beams and painted rafters inside the hall, around the hall are decorated with figures of Zhangzhung culture, in using pure manual natural pigments drawn, very exquisite, there are twelve large cinnabar pillars that lead directly to the third floor from the first floor in the center of the main hall, the 12-meter-high Buddha statue on the right side of the hall, their whole body are plated (with gold) and inlaid with all kinds of rare jewels and precious stones.

Up to more than 4800 meters above sea level, Zizhu Temple is the highest and oldest monastery in Tibet. There were no roads to reach Zizhu Temple before, ordinary people could not go there, only those great endurance people can climb it. Zizhu mountain is swathed in cloud all the year round, many people have a hard time climbing up to the mountain and still cannot see the true face of Zizhu Temple, therefore, it gives people a very mysterious feeling. Without predestined relationship, it is hard to see the Castle in the Sky.

China, Travel, Zhejiang

Meihuazhou is a millennium historic town in Jiaxing City, where people can enjoy the slow time in south china, little has been known about it

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The place near water is apt to develop the poet in man. Not only because of the abundance of water in south china, but also Jiaxing City is near the canal, along the way, the names I hear are full of poetry, pondering is boundless — Meihuazhou Scenic Area is one of them.

Meihuazhou Scenic Area is located in Fengqiao Town, the largest town in Nanhu District, Jiaxing City. The place name of Meihuazhou had a long history and continued to use till present since the Ming Dynasty. Meihuazhou is divided into five petals due to the twists and turns of large and small rivers, when viewed from above, it is like a plum blossom, so it is called the “Plum Blossom Chau”.

Meihuazhou has a history of over 1500 years. After 1500 years of wind and rain vicissitudes of life, here is still well preserved and has been nothing short of a miracle. Today’s Meihuazhou, many buildings have been refurbished, in the scenic area, people can also see the 1500 year old stone buddha temple, millennium ginkgo tree, the old houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and so on.

The buildings in the scenic area are built along the river, the five-petal land is connected by tiny bridges, white walls and gray tiles, endless green trees, endless flowing water, little boats shuttle on the river, Meihuazhou has the mostdistinctive features of Chinese Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) town.

Being in the south of the Yangtze River is always surrounded by greenery, the scenic area is full of vitality as far as the eye beholds. The grass grow thicker, the trees grow taller, on this ancient lands with thousands of years of history, there is delicate and beautiful solidification, there is also free and wild growth.

Although the long covered bridge supported by large logs is newly built, it retains an ancient cultural atmosphere. Meihuazhou Scenic Area does not have a great many tourists and noisy bars, it gives a feeling of ancient and tranquility.

Surrounded by green trees, the waterfront landscape is beautiful, as into the picture of the beautiful and charming scenery of water villages in Jiangnan. The refreshing river flows quietly, the clean and tidy courtyard is quiet and peaceful, varying shades of blue also makes an impression.

The bridge always means the connection to two places, being passed through as a medium, rather than a destination. Therefore, the bridge also has special lingering charm, it is not a full stop, but it is full of unknown ellipsis. There are many kinds of bridges over the rivers in Jiaxing City, whether it is old or newly built, these bridges have longevity because they are memorable for one reason or another.

Meihuazhou is also the birthplace of Majiabang Culture, Songze Culture and Liangzhu Culture, because of its rich natural and cultural resources, it is now also a popular science education base, the river water ripple under the bridge, the small boats lie at the bank, the water village green sends out magical powers to make everyone ecstasizing. Not far away, there is a glimmer of light in the sky, the sunshines brightly through the pure and fresh air. Everything is so quiet, this almost makes one wish that time is stopped and this moment is frozen.

The famous Two Bridges in Three Steps in Meihuazhou. According to legend, when Stone Buddha Temple was completed, the two rivers in front of the temple blocked the way for going to temple pilgrimages, therefore, the monks built two bridges at the intersection of the two rivers, since people who came down the first bridge only walked three steps on the second bridge, therefore, it is called the “Two Bridges in Three Steps”. According to legend, this bridge has a history of more than 1250 years and is one of the remaining ancient buildings in the scenic area.

The Stone Buddha Temple was built in the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang (757 AD), It is said that the villagers were farming here and dug up four stone Buddha statues with a grin, therefore, the temple was built and named “Stone Buddha Temple”.

There are so many bridges in the south of the Yangtze River, the never-ending bridges, people never get tired of walking on the bridges, the small and exquisite bridges stand lightly above the rivers. The people walk by on the bridge, the boats shuttle back and forth under the bridge, the scenery of the water village quietly breaks into everyone’s dreams.

China, Shanghai, Travel

Shanghai Museum is a place where cultural traveling enthusiasts must go, Have you seen the greatest treasures of the museum?

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Everyone has a fixed travel habit, some people arrive in a city, the museum is a place where they must go. Walking in the city, what people see is all about the present. Only walking into a museum is the best traceback of a city. When you come to Shanghai, Shanghai Museum has been hailed as half of all Chinese cultural relics, you can’t miss Shanghai Museum.

Shanghai Museum is located at No. 201 Renmin Avenue, the scale of the exhibition hall can be seen from the building, there are eleven special halls, three exhibition halls, and nearly one million cultural relics, including 120,000 precious cultural relics, bronze ware, chinaware, calligraphy and painting is the best part of the museum.

The exhibition is organized chronologically. The audiences walk into contemporary era step by step in time sequence and gain a deeper understanding of the city and historical development, the original chaotic impression becomes vivid, stereoscopic and clear.

The unswerving pursuit of beauty is the inherent nature of mankind from the date of birth. Looking at these artifacts from the Bronze Age, people always wonder and always want to know how to make ancient Chinese people perform such exquisite carvings when the tools were so backward.

More and more people like to visit urban cultural places such as museums and art galleries, although there is no lack of the cursory visitor, but more people look at these cultural relics carefully and experience a period of history with their heart. From making a sightseeing tour to savoring the history of the city, it’s a pleasure to see such changes.

Big Grams Tripod in the bronze exhibition hall is quite famous in China and is one of the three treasures in Shanghai. After apperciating precious cultural relics one by one, I find that various artifacts have become more and more exquisite with the development of the times. Beautiful shapes, exquisite grooves, fastidious craft…… all show the affluence and abundance of dynasties and regions.

Zizhong ginger plate in the Spring and Autumn Period is among the ten greatest treasures in Shanghai Museum. This is a bronze ware for washing hands and face in the early Spring and Autumn period, the whole bronze ware is simple but steady, a male bird with a crown is centered over the plate, on the sides are four fish, the outer ring of plate are four female birds, the female birds form are lively and vivid. But more amazingly, all the animals here can rotate up to 360 degrees in situ, this is special case in Shang Dynasty bronze vessels and Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels.

The unearthed chimes in the late Spring and Autumn Period. There is a real chime before our eyes, the chimes music spreading to our ears can make us immerse.

Many parents take their children to visit the museum. For children, in this colorful world, suddenly discovering so many unknown worlds should be a wonderful experience in childhood.

It is also the greatest treasures of the museum —— antique China Yongzheng Sign Pastel Eight peaches Olive bottle. The whole body is decorated with pastels. The fairy peaches are full, rich in color, peach branches are vigorous and powerful, decorated with five bats, five bats” homonym five blessings. Peach is a symbol of longevity. Drawing five bats centripetally around the peach, meaning “five blessings holding longevity”. The brightly-colored bottle is noble and generous, with natural and smooth lines, minimalistic but not simple.

I have seen many pottery figurines, most of them have a glazed expressions, the pottery figurines that have elegant facial temperament are a minority. Shanghai Museum seems to have many such cultural relics in glass showcases, it is a place fascinated by people.

The sycee is a cultural relic in Southern Song Dynasty.

There are many ways to take in sounds of the city, visiting a museum is most likely to touch the spiritual core. The modern Shanghai is certainly eye-catching, Shanghai’s long-gone history is equally wonderful. If you want to know the other side of the city, you might as well come to the Shanghai Museum to listen to the stories told by cultural relics.

China, Shanghai, Travel

Yu Garden is the best-known Chinese style place in Shanghai

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People’s impression of Shanghai mostly comes from films, in the neon of metropolis, uninhibited Shanghai evening show, the stylish women who dress in cheongsam walk gracefully out from a nearby alleyway. Shanghai was once chopped up into the concessions of western powers, different cultures coexisted peacefully, to this day, Shanghai old colonial architecture still record that part of history and remain a relic of the old world, Yuyuan Garden is the oldest and the best-known Chinese style place in Shanghai.

Yuyuan Garden was built in the Ming Dynasty, it turned out to be the Pan family private garden. Qianlong reign, the Pan family began to wane, Yuyuan Garden gradually was dilapidated. Nowadays, there are lots of goods in Yuyuan Tourist Mart, here brings together all specialty products in Shanghai, especially snacks.

The City God Temple is a bustling place, where various lively activities such as performances and Lantern Festival take place, naturally, City God Temple, located in Yuyuan Tourist Mart, is a symbol of old Shanghai.

The City God Temple was also built in the Ming Dynasty, it was Yimiao in Shanghai County at that time, the swarming crowds and endless stream of pilgrims. Before the opening of Shanghai to the world, the City God Temple was the only place where the citizens of Shanghai had all kinds of entertainments.

The three-story imitations of Ming-and-Qing-dynasty-style buildings, grey tiles and vermilion handrails, antique —— the famous Green Wave Hall Restaurant is a classic old store in Shanghai, it has played host to many foreign leaders such as Queen Elizabeth of the UK, US President Bush and so on. The Green Wave Hall Restaurant used to be the pavilion in inner garden, the owner Pan family is in decline, the pavilion transfered out one after another, although after several owners, it became a teahouse until the republic of China.

After the opening of Shanghai to the world, the public parks, bars, dance halls and other places in the concessions of western powers became the new places for entertainment. Various shops gradually opened in the City God Temple and Yuyuan Garden area, where evolved into a very popular marketplace. Until now, Yuyuan Garden is still favored by many old Shanghainese and tourists from all over the world, there are many well-known snacks here, such as spiced beans, Pear-syrup candy and so on, small steamed bun has become the most familiar Shanghai labels.

Shanghai Lao City God Temple Snack Square brings together nearly all famous Shanghai snacks —— steamed crab dumplings, Pork-and-Crab Soup Dumplings, Doufu Hua(Bean Curd Jelly), Shanghai Wonton Soup, Shumai(Shao Mai)with Sticky Rice…… here is undoubtedly a paradise for foodies.

The shops are closely connected, every plaque and brick show an ancient smell, the Yuyuan Garden logo Zigzag Bridge, the green waves reflect the red walls, obviously the feeling of old Shanghai.

Yuyuan Garden has always been a busy place in Shanghai, occasionally, there is a peace and quiet nobody’s corner, Yuyuan Garden looks like the Jiangnan landscaped garden.

A hundred years have passed by, Yuyuan Garden has never left the life of Shanghainese, it seems to be quiet outside of time, never changes.

China, Shanghai, Travel

The Centennial Shanghai Old Street, rich Chinese folk customs

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Most tourists to Shanghai will go to Yu Garden to have a look, but in fact, many people do not notice Shanghai Old Street not far from Yu Garden, it used to be the small east gate of Shanghai.

The small east gate in the late Qing Dynasty was the bustling place in Shanghai. At that time, people in Shanghai came to the small east gate to stroll around during every Chinese festival, at the east gate, thousands of black-awning boats were dorked along the river, the boatmen waited for their master to come back with many shopping bags, then he rowed the master home.

Once on this old street gathered the former jewelry store, business house, money shop, wine shop, theatre; walking on this street now, sometimes it is almost as if I can perceive the appearance of Waitan in the past.

Shanghai is a place of great change, once this street faced demolition, later, it is transformed into the Late Qing Period street, the money shops and business houses on the old street have been able to retain complete its original appearance. The teahouses are most easily seen on this street nowadays, many people come here specially to drink tea and chat.

Shanghai Old Street is divided into the eastern segment and the western segment, it is bounded by Guanyi Street, the eastern segment is dominated by the Late Qing Period buildings, the western segment is dominated by the ancient buildings of Ming and Qing dynasties, I see a lot of hundred-years-old stores here. In fact, in Shanghai old street, there are many small alleys, a lot of residents live and work in peace and contentment, they speak regional dialects.

For Shanghai, it is not only Shanghai Old Street that can show the old days, perhaps this old street is just a microcosm of the old Shanghai, I wander in the street looking into the night embraced by the mellow voice of Zhou Xuan coming from the teahouse, time will be slow on the way of reminiscence, the old neighborhoods and small alleys possess the exclusive memories of Shanghai.