Travel in Shennong Stream

During your Yangtze River cruise, you will have an excursion to the Shennong Stream which is a tributary of the Yangtze River. Shennong Stream is in Badong County and it is good scenery with beautiful landscapes.

Shennong Stream originates from the mountains. The stream water is clear and clean. There are rare and grand mountains on the two sides of the stream. 20 kilometers away from the stream mouth, there is Longchangdong Gorge, Parrot Gorge, Jinzhu Gorge. They are also called “Shennong Three Gorges”. During your traveli in Shennong Stream, you will go to drift by the small boat whose shape likes a flat bean. You will feel the difference between your Victoria Jenna or your VictoriaPrince in your Yangtze River tour. Sitting on the ancient small boat and drifting on the clear river, you will feel fun and interesting.

Following the flat bean boat go into the Jinzhu Gorge, you will see the verdant and green bambbos on the mountain on the two sides of the gorge. They reflect on the river surface. The stream water looks more green and charming. The air there is fresh. The gorge there is quiet. Sometimes, you will also hear the birds’ singing or the work song singing by the boat trackers. You will feel far away from the world at that time. You will never find this feeling outside the Shennong Stream.

Pass the Jinzhu Gorge, you will go into the Parrot Gorge. There are many rare peaks and scenery. Some of the peaks like roaring tigers; some of them like playing monkeys. In the Parrot Gorge, there is also the largest cave—Yanziqian and some ancient plank road built on the cliff. Unconsciously, you will go into the third gorge—Longchang Gorge. Longchang Gorge ahs many cliffs, rare rocks and stones. The famous ones include “immortal say goodby to the old man” “crocodile goes out of the cave” “natural swimming pool” and “panda stone” and so on. Go out of the Longchang Gorge, you will be in the border of Shennong Stream and Yangtze River. The drift is finished. Tourists can go back to the Badong County to visit the Three Gorges Dam.

The beautiful natural scenery in Yangtze River and the great manmade project there will give you deep impression for your Yangtze River tour. Welcome to join the Yangtze River cruise in your travel in China.

Shantang Street in Suzhou

The ancient city Suzhou is a famous south Yangtze River delta. In the ancient town, rivers and harbors interlace; streets are vertically and horizontally. Among so many streets in Suzhou, the famous Shantang Street is called “first street in Shuzhou”. First, it is the ancient street which has more than 1100 years’ history. Second, the layout of the street presents the character of Suzhou streets. Third, many famous celebrities and events have relationship with the Shantang Street. It is really worth visiting in your Shanghai tour to Suzhou.

Shantang Street was started to be built in Baoli period Tang Dynasty. One side of the street links the prosperous commercial Changmen and the other side links the Huqiu Town and Huqiu Mountain. It was the distributing and collecting district from Tang Dynasty.

Suzhou is a region of rivers and lakes. There are many riverways and bridges. It is also the most representative street in Suzhou. The Shantang River is in middle of Suzhou. On the north bank of the Shantang River, there is the Shantang Street. It links with the streets on the other side by bridges. On Shantang Street, there are row upon row of shops and houses.

Shantang Street is also a typical water alley. The boats carrying jasmine flower, gardenia and other goods come and go on the rivers. There are steps on the side of the river. Women always wash vegetables there. Some pedlars sell rice, desserts, snacks and salt and so on. The people upstairs don’t have to go down. They use the wire to pass the goods. Is that interesting? Go to have a visit there in your China city tour in Suzhou.

Shantang Street can be divided into east and west two parts. The east side is from Changmen Duseng Bridge to Bantang Bridge. The Xing Bridge area is the most prosperous area in east side. The west side is from Bantang Bridge to Huqiu Mountain. This area has spacious river surface. On the bank of the river, there are verdant trees, fragrant grass and cottages.

There are also Puji Bridge and Yefangbang and so on spots. The Five People Tomb and Gexian Tomb are also there. Go to west, you will reach to the first resort in Wuzhong—Huqiu Mountain. The peaks and pagodas are charmed. You will have a good visit during your Beijing to Shanghai private tour. You will also take the different beauty of north China and south China in you China tourpackages. 

Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves

Do you want to explore the ancient and cultural Chinese western city? Go to visit the Urumqi. There you will find more. Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves is a must visit spot in Silk Road Tour in Urumqi. It is located in Mingwutage Mountain in Kizil Town Baicheng County which is closed to the Kuche. The caves were built on the cliff on north bank of the Muzhate River. The Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves are the earliest large scale cave group in most west China.

The Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves and the Dunhuang Grottos are both the caves of the Chinese four large grottos. But the Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves were the earliest grottos which were carved from 3th century. Now there are 236 caves including 135 complete caves, 80 caves with murals. The mural area is totally more than 10000 square meters. They all have high value. In 1961, the Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves were listed as Chinese first batch important protection unit.

The Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves group includes two parts. One part which supplies places for monks is the Piheluo cave. The other one is the Zhiti Cave which is for worshipping Buddha and expounding the texts of Buddhism. From the scale of the caves you will imagine that it was a prosperous place ever. According to the research, there were more than hundred thousand residents there in South-North period.

The Mogao Grottos are famous for its colorful Buddhism mural. The Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves are also a long mural corridor. The abundant content, large number are long history all first among Chinese grottos. The German explorer said that the mural in Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves is the most beautiful mural they can found in middle Asia.

The most representative grotto to present the characters are the center pillar grottos. They have the main room and the back room. You will know more ancient culture about Chinese Buddha there in your best China tour. The most attractive murals in the Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves are the Lingge Structure. Every picture in Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves has one story. Every picture has its most typical story with important figures, animals and background. The long history and profound culture background will make you think of much during your China trip there.

Also you can visit the Chinese capital Beijing city and take a Beijing package tour. During your Beijing package tour, you can visit both the modern Beijing city and the ancient Urumqi.

The sight seeing In Beijing

Forbidden City is lies in the center of Beijing, it is a construction complex which used as the residence for the emperor 's family in Ming and Qing Dynasty. The other name of Forbidden City is Palace Museum and there are many precious history collections keep here and all of them represent the highest level of Chinese art. There are many sight seeing around Forbidden which are could not missed for the Beijing Travel, such as Beihai Park, Shichahai, Zhongnanhai, Jingshan Park and Zhongshan Park. Among them, Beihai park is a masterpiece built with all the best used in the garden construction in ancient China. Many tourists from inbound and outbound would like to have a visit to Beihai Park when they do the Beijing China Tour. Zhongnanhai is the political center for the headquarters of the Chinese government live in there. Tiananmen
Square, at the front of Forbidden City, also a welcome place for the Beijing Trip, such as Qianmen, Tiananmen, Mausoleum of Chairman Maoand National Museum, etc..

Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace is located in the west of Beijing, both of them are the summer resort for the royal family in Qing Dynasty, all of them had been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage. Both of them are very beautiful royal garden with long history, between them, Summer Palace is more welcome by the foreign guest for it is repaired many times in Qing dynasty and modern China and remain its original appearance, but old Summer Palace leave some remains left by the war, it is a patriotism education base now.

Temple of Heaven is located in the south Beijing, it is also a sight seeing which listed by UNESCO World Heritage Site. The picture of it is a sign for the Beijing Travel. It is a place used for worship in Ming and Qing dynasty, the emperors come here to preyaer for good harvest and good weather. Temple of Earth is located in the north of Beijing, Temple of Sun lies in the east and Temple of Moon lies in the west in Beijing city. There are many temple in Beijing such as Tanzhe Temple, Dongyue Temple, etc.. If you are interested in Chinese culture, Confucius Temple and Imperial Collage could not be missed for your Beijing trip. The Confucius Temple is to memory the Confucius in the history, he work much for the Chinese education for thousands years. The imperial colleage is the highest school in ancient China. The oldest Catholic
church in Beijing is built at year 1605, it is Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The oldest mosque in Beijing is located in Niujie with more than 1000 years history.

Beijing

Beijing, the capital of People's Republic of China, attracts many tourists visit here expecially for its Great Wall. The population here is about 20 million until now, it is the central of China both in political and cultural.
There are 14 districts and 2 counties in Beijing, the transportation here is very development, both in railway and roads. After the construction of Beijing Capital airport in year 1958, there are many international and domestic flights arrival and departure from this city.
With the long history as a capital city, Beijing has been the heart for centuries in China's history. The history of Beijing could traces to 230 thousands years ago, Zoukoudian Peking man is located in Dragon Bone Hill, current Fangshan district. Then Beijing is the capital Jin Dynasty, Liao Dynasty, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty, etc.. Among them, Beijing is influence most deeply by last two dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang declaring himself as the first emperor in year 1368, he is the first emperor of Ming dynasty and founded the capital in Nanjing. The third emperor in Ming dynasty, Yongle moved the capital to Beijing from Nanjing and built a magnificent constuction in Beijing - Forbiden City. The construction for Forbidden City lasted about 15 years (1406 - 1420). The emperor Yongle moved to Forbidden City in year 1420. After that, Beijing is the political center of China, but Nanjing is the second capital in Ming dynasty.
Ming Dynasty also enlarge and rebuilt many Great wall within Beijing, the famous Badaling Great Wall and Mutianyu Great Wall had been repaired by the officer in Ming Dynasty.
As one of the major visit target city in the world, more and more guest arrival there to enjoy Beijing tours from inbound and outbound. Expecially the Forbidden City and Great Wall.  
Beijing, as the most important transport hub in China, own the largest railway station in Asia, the guest could arrival here with bus, train or flights. The main stations is Beijng railway station opened in year 1959. Beijing west railway station is openned in year 1996. There are more than 400 trains arrival at Beijing everyday.
Beijing is also a place own many famous universities, such as Peking University and Tsinghua University. Many students from all where of the world come to here continue the study.

Beijing Zoo

Beijing Zoo is located in the Xizhimenwai anvenue of Beijing, the east is Beijng exhibition center and Russian
restaurant. The area there is about 0.86 square kilometer with 90000 square meters lake. It is the oldest zoo with more than 100 years history, this zoo own the most species animals with in.

In Ming Dynasty, Beijing zoo is a royal manor and change to the prince residence of the royal family. The east area is named Leshan Garden, the west Ke Garden. In Guangxu period of Qing dynasty (1906), Ke Garden and Leshan Garden merged to one garden named Wansheng Garden.

After year 1949, the goverment enlarge and rebuilt here as a zoo. Every animal own their special house, the most famous and welcome place is the Panda house. It is the must-be place for the foreign guest when visit Beijing.

The current Panda house is built at year 1990 to celebrite the 11th Asia game, the style of this constuction is very special. The area of Panda house is about 10000 square meters and construction area of 1425 square meters. The construction is just like the bamboo. Northeast of the entry gate for the visit and southwest is the exit, with all of 3 exhibition hall within here. It is a good place to visit the famous Panda zoo here. There are some local travel agency organize Beijing coach tour to visit here, such as the one day bus tour to Hutong, Panda Zoo, Lama Temple and Olympic Stadium. The price for this tour is only US$30 per person.

As the oldest, biggest zoo in China, there are more than 120 million guest visit here every year. The open time of Beijing zoo as following:
15th March - 30th Apirl: 7:30am~17:30pm
1st May - 30th September: 7:30am~18:00pm
1st October - 14th November: 7:30am~17:30pm
15th November - 14th March: 7:30am~17:00pm.

For the individual visitors, you could take the subway line 4 arrival the Beijing Zoo station.

The entry tickets for Beijing zoo is RMB20 per person include Panda zoo in high season and RMB150 per person in low season. The boats is also avalible here, you could take boat from Beijing zoo to Summer palace or summer palace to Beijing zoo, the price is RMB70 per person.

Hutong

Hutong is a Characteristic street in Beijing, the building in Hutong is Courtyard, it is the local house of the local family. Hutong is mostly disappeared in mid-20th century beacause of the construction of Beijing. The rest hutong had been protected by the goverment in the purpose to preserve the Beijing traditional residence culture.
Hutong, mongol language, means water well in the ancient times, the residence live by the well as the necessary life, the people live near to one well is formate a community.

In the early 15th century, Ming dynasty, Beijing is compose with the Inner City and Outer. The royal family and the officer live in the inner city near to Forbidden City. The courtyard could varied with the ranking by its construction, include the carve and roof beam, etc.. The aristocrats lived in the east and north area of Beijing and the civilian lived in the north and south area. The courtyard in the north and south is more smaller the hutong is narrower also.
Hutong is a representation of Beijing, with the long capital history, the hutong represent the normal life for the civilian of ancient Beijing. Nowadays there are some local people live in Hutong, the most famous Hutong is located in Shichahai.

The longest Hutong in Beijing is Dong, Xijiaominxiang hutong. The narrowest one is Gaoyou Hutong located in north of Zhushikou, Chongwen district, this hutong is only 0.65 meters wide. The oldest one is located in Changchun street, Xuanwu district, named Jiexiang Hutong, it own more than 900 years history.
Nowadays many people visit China would like to have a visit to Hutong, there are more and more Beijing tours cover hutong in Beijing. Such as half day hutong tour or one day Hutong, Panda Zoo and Lama Temple Tour, etc.. All of them are welcome by the foreign guest for its convenient and economy.
The most welcome Hutong is around Shichahai, it is named for there are 10 temple within this area in the ancient times. The lake is lay by the Hutong in this area. From Qing dynasty, it became a place for the summer resort and also a best scenery in local Beijing.
You could have a boat on Shichahai in the summer and skating in the winter. After year 1949, Beijing is make a clear silt in Shichahai and built baluster in this area. Many ancient royal garden and palace is located here, such as the Mansion of Prince Gong and the Mansion of Prince Chun. It is also the business area in the ancient times.