After two years of life as an expat, I finally succumbed to the delights of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. I gaze upon the tower everyday from my office which is located on the Bund, but I wasn’t sure I would ever go in. I guess I figured it was a little too sad to finally visit the tower after spending so much time in Shanghai already, something like being the oldest kid at summer camp. However, one day I simply put my reservations aside and purchased my ticket to view Shanghai from the heavens.

Take Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui(陆家嘴) Stop.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park situates in northwest of Hunan province, south of Yangtze river, central China, 320 KM away from its capital city- Changsha, it become famous just because of its beautiful mountainscape, unique rock formation-quarz sandstone, very different from the limestone mountains in Guilin,and granite stone mountain in yellow mountain, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park dedicated to public in 1982's as national park,approved by state council as the first national park of China in 1982,some artists like Mr. Wuguanzhong came to Zhangjiajie in 1970's at the invitation of local artist friends, at that time, the place called Zhangjiajie village or Qingyan mountain, he was totally overwhelmed by the unprecedented scenery, he went all out shooting photos, painting, he wrote a very famous article (hidden scenery gem unknown to the world), that draw alot of public attention in China mainland and Hong Kong, people don't believe there is true place in this planet, just mind creation of artist works, it light up people interests to find the place,people come to Zhangjiajie, find themself lose in the world of high rise skyscrapper in nowdays modern cities,come to the world of ancient ocean period 3.8 hundred million years ago, the rock peaks rise up 400 or 500 meters from the valley level, alot of ancient trees grow on the rocks, the greenery is very abundant, the plantation coverage is 98%, alot of rare birds, animals and plants live here, criss cross valley networks in the mountains, water falls, lakes and caves.
before Zhangjiajie National Forest Park become tourism destination, it belongs to 3 different counties like Dayong, Sangzi, and Cili, now the mountains united as one scenic district called Wulingyuan that listed as world natural heritage by UNSCO, the highlights are Huangshizhai(Yellow Stone Stronghold),  Golden Whip Brook,Yaozizhai,Yuanjiajie,Yangjiajie, Tianzi Mountain. Become world sightseeing destination.

Situated in the south part of Nanjing and surrounded by the Qinhuai River, the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is one of the city’s most popular attractions.  Confucius Temple consists of a cluster of symetrically arranged buildings and covers an area of over 26,000 square meters.  The temple is home to excellent examples of both Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. However, the biggest draw for most Nanjing locals is the great food and shopping.

History

Confucius Temple was founded in 1034. In antiquity, the temple was a site where people could make sacrifices to Confucius (孔子, Kong Zi), arguably China’s most celebrated ideologist and educator. The temple also served as a marketplace for merchants as well as a center where culture and arts thrived.

In 1985, the municipal authorities decided to "renovate" Confucius Temple in order to keep up with the times.  A series of tourist shops, snack bars, restaurants and hotels set up shop here with the goal of enabling Confucius Temple to better express a combination of traditional and modern beauty.

There are many places of historical interest  within Confucius Temple, such as Jiangnan Gongyuan (江南贡院) and Wuyi Xiang (乌衣巷).  Jiangnan Gongyuan was the largest imperial examination place in ancient China. Constructed during the Song dynasty, potential government officials were examined and selected here. Wuyi Xiang, or “Black Clothes Lane”, was named after the Wu soldiers, who wore black uniforms. During the Jin dynasty, Wuyi Xiang became the residence of Minister Wang Dao, followed by Minister Xie An, and finally a few of Nanjing’s noble families.  During the Tang dynasty, a famous Chinese poet named Liu Yu Xi wrote a poem here: Gone are the swallows at Wang-Xie’s Mansion into the houses of the common.

Shopping

In addition to common boutiques, there are many shops in Confucius Temple that feature local folk crafts and commodities, unavailable in other parts of the country. Tourists can buy various Nanjing specialties including Nanjing brocade, Jinling gold foil, Jinling folding fans, wood carvings, Rain flower pebbles, Nanjing dried salted duck, Yuhua tea and much more. Generally speaking, the initial price quoted by the peddlers will be much higher than the price you can bargain down to, so it’s advised to learn how to bargain Chinese style before making purchases.

Food

It is worth the trip here just for the food, because Confucius Temple boasts a variety of delicious snacks. Duck blood and bean-starchy vermicelli, Jellied bean curd, fried scallion pancakes, beef soup, beef-stuffed Guo Tie (lightly fried dumplings), spiced broad beans, Huangqiao Sesame Seed Cake are just a few of the delicacies on hand.  All of these treats are mouth watering, yet not too expensive.

Boat Rides

An evening cruise on the Qinhuai River is a wonderful experience. Nanjing skyscraper’s neon city lights light up the river at night. Many kinds of boats are available for rent. Paddle boats are a cheaper option. However, "Qibanzi", a type of boat with a roomy cabin and cane chairs on the deck, is a little bit expensive, but less tiring and more comfortable.

Getting There

Take the No. 1 bus.  The No. 1 bus stops at every Subway station from Nanjing Railway Station Station to Xinjiekou.  If you are far away first take the Subway to Xinjiekou and then take the No.1 from there. 

Any cab driver in the city will know how to get to "Fuzi Miao".

Confucius Temple during Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year.  From the first week of the Chinese New Year, Confucius Temple begins to get busier and busier until the climax of the Lantern Festival.  The crowds become so large and busy during the Lantern Festival that hundreds (if not thousands) of police officers are required to control the throngs of people.

Confucius Temple during the Lantern Festival.  Photo taken by Ishw.

Another shot of Fuzimiao at night during the Lantern Festival.

The main square shown in this picture is divided in two by a
wall of police officers during the Lantern Festival.

The mascots for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. 

Chinese zoos are often equated to animal prisons by Western visitors. Fortunately Chengdu’s Giant Panda Breeding Center strays far from the norm. The research base is truly groundbreaking for country that pushes aside most environmental and ecological concerns due to its overpopulation issues. The base has a research lab, museum, panda kindergarten, and adult panda grounds. In total the base has 45 pandas. The children stay in the panda kindergarten area until they are three years old. Then they can hold their own in the adult grounds.

Jing Jing at play with her caretaker (photo by Jamey Doole)

Arrive early to catch the pandas roll out of bed and begin their two hour breakfast. Pandas only absorb about 20% of the fibers they ingest, so they spend much of their waking hours chomping away on bamboo. In the wild, a panda’s diet is more than 95% bamboo. After waking up, taking a short stroll, and scratching their backs for a bit, it is time for breakfast. The staff generally leaves large piles of bamboo close to visitor paths, so entrants can be duly entertained. The panda nestles into a comfortable spot next to a large pile of bamboo and lays on his or her back. By the time they are finished, they will be covered in a pile of their own bamboo remains. Watching the pandas snack incessantly is somewhat mesmerizing.

The base also has red pandas. However, one gets the feeling that red pandas are the giant panda’s red-headed step-sister. Visitors to this section are few and the price of a picture is only Y50. The red pandas may remind Westerners of raccoons or big cats. They do have beautiful fur and are quite elegant creatures.

Entrance to the base is Y30. A  small movie theater with a free 18 minute film about breeding pandas is worth seeing. The footage of mother pandas giving birth is fascinating.

Directions: The base is about 10 kilometers outside of town. Reaching the base by bus is not very efficient. Take bus no. 10 to its terminus. At this bus station change to bus no. 1. It is much easier to take a taxi which should only cost about Y30 from the center of town. On the way back, just flag down bus no. 1. Bus no. 1 will take you to a bus station where you can either walk about 30-40 mins to reach downtown Chengdu or take another bus.

Apparently double-fisting isn’t just for drunks (Photo by Jamey Doole)

Presidential Palace was the Office of the President of the Republic of China before the republic relocated to Taiwan in 1949.
It has a long history since year 1853, Taiping Revolution of Heavenly Kingdom, and after that Hong Xiuquan occupied Nanjing.
In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen moved in as the provisional president of the Republic of China.
Till, now you can still see the same decoration of their offices, their conference place and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen`s living room.
There also have a garden back of the palace, where you can take a break and enjoy the view of the green plants.

Buses 游1, 游2, 29, 44, 65, 95 and 304 stop at The Presidential Palace.

Yu Beng (3200M) is a Tibetan Village hidden deep inside the Meili Snow Mountain. There is no road for vehicle. From where you drop your car ((2675M), you have to walk 6 hours to get there (highest point is 3730M). Tibetan live in a simple life. Visitors are limited to backpackers who love nature.