Archive for the ‘Chinese History’ Category

Restoration project preserves old cliff carvings in Mount Qiyunshan

Sunday, January 6th, 2013

Mount Qiyunshan in east China’s Anhui Province is famous for its thousand-year old cliff carvings. As one of the four sacred places of Taoism in China, Qiyunshan is rich in Taoist paintings, and cliff inscriptions. The CNTV Culture Express program reports on the large scale restoration project to preserve these precious cultural relics.

Datong – a city steeped in history and culture

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

Located on the northeastern edge of the Loess Plateau, Datong in Shanxi province is the site of some of the earliest settlements of Chinese civilization. Find out more about Datong and three of its key attractions – Yungang Grottoes, Hengshan Mountain and Pagoda of Fogong Temple – in the China Daily article Height of art.

Photo gallery – ancient water town of Nanxun

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

Nanxun Town (南浔镇) is an ancient water town located in Eastern China’s Zhejiang province. It is one of the most well-preserved ancient towns in the region and is known for its cultural heritage – you can explore it in the China Daily photo gallery The water township of Nanxun.

For insights into some other ancient Chinese water towns see Shaoxing – the Venice of China and 1,000 year-old Zhujiajiao water town.

Origins of China’s Grand Canal

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

In the China Daily article Flow of history Chitralekha Basu and Song Wenwei travel to Yangzhou, looking for the origins of the ancient Grand Canal – the world’s longest man-made watercourse.

Yinxu’s Archeological Museum and ancient palaces

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

The China Daily article Brazen heights provides a fascinating insight into the Yinxu palaces of late Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century BC) and this ancient kingdom and its society. Yinxu is located in Anyang city in Henan province. The treasure-filled Yinxu’s Archeological Museum is built under the earth, so as to not tamper with the natural landscape above it.