Discover China

An exhibition has opened in Sydney Australia, presenting over 120 ancient artifacts from China. Included in the display are 10 of the world-renowned terracotta warriors and horses, and other significant recent finds from the First Emperor Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum located in Shaanxi province of northwest China. To read more or view the video visit CNTV Culture Express story China’s Terracotta Warriors march on Sydney.

Another of the Cultural Gems of Guangdong is Sixth Patriarch Huineng. Dajian Huineng (638-713), a Guangdong local, was one of the most important figures in the Chinese Chan monastic tradition. He is the Sixth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, as well as the last official patriarch. Read more in the Shenzhen Daily article Sixth Patriarch Huineng,

The “Double Ninth Festival”, also known as the “Chongyang festival”, is a traditional Chinese festival which falls on the 9th day of the 9th month of the lunar calendar. It usually falls in October in the Gregorian calendar, this year on 16 October. In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing, or The Book of Changes, number “6” was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number “9” was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. So the number nine in both month and day create the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival. Chong in Chinese means “double.” In 1989, the Chinese government rededicated the Double Ninth Festival as Senior Citizens’ Day, making it an opportunity for people to show their appreciation to the elderly. To find out more see the CNTV Special Feature Double Ninth, Double Happiness and the China.org.cn Feature Traditional Chinese Festivals – Double Ninth Festival.

A ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the looting and burning of Yuanmingyuan, the Old Summer Palace, was held in Beijing on 18 October 2010. This imperial garden built in the Qing dynasty (1636-1911) was ransacked and destroyed by the British and French forces on 18 and 19 October 1860 during the Second Opium War. Yuanmingyuan, also known as “Garden of Gardens”, was 5 times the size of the Forbidden City. It was renowned for its garden and building architecture. The initial construction began in 1707, during reign of Emperor Kangxi, and the expansion continued for the next 150 years. Find out more in the CNTV Special Feature 150th Anniversary of Looting and Burning of Yuanmingyuan.

In a follow-on article to The rivers of Guangdong, the Shenzhen Daily introduces two more of Guangdong’s waterways – the Hanjiang River and Beijiang River. To read about the historic, natural and cultural attractions of these rivers visit The rivers of Guangdong – Part 2.