Discover China

With its long history spanning thousands of years, diverse culture and culinary delights, China is now the world’s third-most popular holiday destination. In the news item China attracts more foreign travellers CNTV reports that China saw over 55 million tourist arrivals last year, marking a 10 percent increase, and China’s tourism industry officials are optimistic the flow of foreign visitors will only increase. From My China Trips I completely agree – it’s a great destination not just for for your next holiday, but many more to come!

Events are being held across China to mark the fifth day of the Lunar New Year – or “Po Wu” as it’s known in Chinese. A big part of ” Po Wu” is getting up early to clean houses and also to eat dumplings. To find out more see the CNTV news item Events held across China to mark “Po Wu”.

Happy Chinese New Year, or “Gong Xi Fa Cai” in Mandarin and “Gong Hey Fat Choy” in Cantonese! The Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, is a very important traditional festival. It begins on 3 Feb this year and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit. Learn more in the China Daily Special Feature 2011 Spring Festival.

In my travels in China I’ve been fascinated by Chinese houses and their architecture, and when visiting the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City) in Beijing last month I was delighted to come across the book Chinese House in one of the Palace Museum shops.

Chinese House is a captivating pictorial biography of the common buildings in the cities and countryside of China. It’s produced by the Beijing-based Popcorn Idea Factory.

Other books in the Popcorn Idea Factory Essentially Chinese series include Chinese Stuff, a detailed exploration of the things usually used by ordinary people in their daily lives in China.

Last night we went to the cinema to see the new movie “Shaolin”. Much more than just a Kung Fu film, the fast-paced, breathtaking Shaolin is an experience in the benevolence, wisdom and enlightenment of Chinese Buddhism. I visited the Shaolin Temple, which is located at Dengfeng near Zhengzhou in Henan Province, during my trip to Henan, Anhui, and Zhejiang in 2009. Rather than risk damage to the real Shaolin Temple, which last year gained World Heritage listing, a replica film set was built in Zhejiang Province.

Shaolin begins with feuding warlords trying to expand their power by warring over neighboring lands. Fuelled by his success on the battlefield, young and arrogant warlord Hao Jie sneers at Shaolin’s masters when he beats one of them in a duel. But pride comes before a fall. When his own family is wiped out by a rival warlord, Hao is forced to take refuge with the monks. There he confronts the harm he has done, learning Shaolin martial arts and repenting. As the civil unrest spreads and the people suffer, Hao and the Shaolin masters are forced to take a stand against the evil warlords and foreign colonists who are exploiting the Chinese people to plunder ancient treasures (something that has sadly happened in real life, one of the worst examples being the French and English looting and destruction of Yuanmingyuan).

Find out more at Emperor Motion Pictures – Shaolin.