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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,

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.

After eight months of voting and evaluation, 10 aspects of Guangdong culture, ranging from opera styles to outstanding historical figures, have been chosen by the Guangdong Provincial Government to represent the cultural gems of Guangdong. The 10 gems are Guangdong opera, Cantonese cuisine, the Cantonese arcade building style, Cantonese music, lion dance, the Lingnan school of painting, Duan inkstone, Kaiping diaolou, and two historic figures: Sun Yat-sen, the leader of China’s republican revolution, and Huineng, the sixth Patriarch of the Zen. The Kaiping diaolous in Kaiping County, named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007, are fortified multi story towers built from reinforced concrete. They served mainly as protection against bandits. To read more about the Kaiping diaolous see the Shenzhen Daily article Kaiping diaolou.

In just under a month the 16th Asian Games will commence in Guangzhou with what will undoubtedly be a spectacular opening ceremony. Final preparations are being put in place for this major event and the torch relay is underway. To find out more about the Guangzhou Asian Games host locations, venues, events, torch relay and preparations see the CNTV Special Feature Guangzhou Asian Games.

Autumn in China’s Guangdong Province is a delightful season with warm sun and beautiful scenery. Enjoying a drive alongside the rivers is just perfect for the seven-day National Day holiday. The Shenzhen Daily newspaper introduces two recommended rivers in the article The rivers of Guangdong.