Discover China

Watch the online videos from the China Central Television (CCTV) Travelogue program for a 30-minute experience of fascinating places throughout China (and catch a glimpse of other countries as well). The latest episode features the historic city of Kaifeng in Henan Province which I visited in February 2008.

Once again I have the privilege of  experiencing Lunar New Year and the Chinese Spring festival in China, this time in Shenzhen. The New Year was welcomed last night with the annual New Year Gala which has a massive nation-wide audience. You can watch video from the spectacular gala on the CCTV website.

Shenzhen saw a spectacular fireworks display at midnight, and city streets, shops and buildings are adorned with lanterns and other New Year decorations (as shown at left).

The heaviest snow falls for around 100 years have fallen in Henan province. These pictures on Sina show the heavy snowfalls – around half of the pictures show the capital Zhengzhou which we visited in August. It was very hot when we visited, and just four months later it is an amazingly different scene. Contrast the pictures of Zhengzhou’s tree-lined streets in snow now and when we visited in August.

Northern China has been experiencing unusually heavy snowfalls for November. See the grandeur of the Forbidden City in snow.

Today China marked 60 years since the founding of New China in which it has become the world’s third largest economy – congratulations China!

A military parade was followed by a civilian procession that featured six massive performing groups and 36 formations, comprising 100,000 people. In addition, 60 floats represented everything from China’s geographic areas to the Beijing Olympics. As the parade passed Tian’anmen Square, 80,000 school children created a sea of color, forming an intricate, often changing backdrop. After the parade was an evening gala featuring 60,000 people dancing and performing in Tian’anmen Square. To find out more see the China Daily special feature.