Shanxi: In Search of Duke of Mt Deer

Since watching the Duke of Mount Deer, I always wish that one day I could visit the infamous Wutaishan where it was rumoured that the Qing Dynasty Emperor Shun Zi (Emperor Kang Xi’s father) went to become a monk. So, mid of April this year, I decided to fulfil my long time wish and planned my own trip to Shanxi province in China (where Wutaishan is situated).

There is no direct flight to Shanxi so I have to fly to Beijing and took a domestic flight to Datong, a city in Shanxi. As the domestic flight is early the next morning, I took the opportunity to walk around Beijing, a place where I have not visited for the last 10 years. I revisited the Temple of Heaven, the venue for worshipping the heaven and pray for good harvest in the Ming and Qing dynasty. Other places that I went included a pleasant walk along Wangfujing Street, Tiananmen Square, Main Stadium and Olympic Village for Beijing Olympic 2008, the Hutongs and local old Siheyuan Houses.

Datong

Very early the next morning (I have to woke up at 4 am!!!), I went to the airport to catch my early 7 am flight to Datong, the northern city in Shanxi. It is one of the 24 historical and cultural cities in China, neighboring Hebei Province to the east and Inner Mongolian to the north. This place used to be considered as the barbarian place and part of Mongolia as it was located outside the Great Wall beyond the Yanmen Pass.

The Yungang Grottoes (Cloud Ridge Caves) in the outskirts of Datong is a treasure trove of Buddhist carvings unrivaled in the world with a variety of more than 51,000 statues. Yungang Grottoes, together with Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Dunhuang Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes in Gansu, are considered as the Four Greatest Buddha Grottoes in China.

I also visited the original Jiulongbi (Nine-dragon sacreen) built in Ming Dynasty in front of the mansion of Ming Emperor Taizu. The Qing royalties loved it so much that a relica of the masterpiece was erected in the Imperial Palace and Beihai in Beijing. Other famous structural buildings of the Liao Dynasty include the Huayen Temple and Shan Hua Temple.

The next day, on my way to Wutaishan, I dropped by Xuankong Si (Hanging Monastery) at Mt.Hengshan. Built precariously on sheer cliffs above Jinlong Canyon, the monastery dates back more than 1400 years. Its halls and pavilions were built along the contours of the cliff face using the natural hollows and outcrops. It is really a great architecture work and I wonder how the workers managed to build such a temple hanging on Mt Hengshan in ancient times where technology is not that advance. Before reaching Wutaishan, I made one last stop at Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, the biggest wooden pagoda in China. It was built by Empress Xiao of the Liao Dynasty (the Liao Empress in the show “The Yang Warriors”).

Wutaishan

The scenic ride to Wutaishan (Five-terrace Mountain) from Yingxian took around 3 hours. When I almost reach Wutaishan, the driver suddenly asked me to see the snow. I initially thought he was joking, but no, it was really snowing!!! The other name of Wutaishan is called Qing Liang Shan meaning Cool Mountain, where the temperature at the mid of summer is no more than 20 degree Celsius. The mountain is said to be the most beautiful during winter season as it would be covered wholly in white snow. But few people have the guts to visit it in winter due to the extremely cold temperature and also the roads up and down the mountain would be block by snow. Hence, I was overjoyed at the sight of snow falling. I have expected the mountain to be cooling at this time, but I have not expected to see snow as this is coming to the end of spring!

Centered on the beautiful monastic village of Taihuai, it is one of China’s four sacred Buddhist Mountains. It lies deep in an alpine valley enclosed by the five peaks. I visited a number of temples in Mt Wutai, including Xiantong Temple, Tayuan Temple, and Fo Mu Cave. However, the most scenic view was at the peak of southern terrace, as well as the Dailuo Peak. At the top of these 2 places, I really feel like I am at the top of the world (but there’s a price to pay, which is the freezing sensation!)

Taiyuan

After spending a couple of days climbing up and down in Wutaishan, I left the place and went to other parts of Shanxi. I visited the Jinci Temple in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province. Jinci Temple is a combination of historical cultural relics (the place where the Zhou Dynasty Emperor commemorate his mother) and beautiful landscapes and is known as a little Jiangnan in Shanxi.

Hongdong

About 2 hour drive from Taiyuan is the Qiao Family Compound. Built in 1755 (Qing Dynasty), this well-preserved and exquisite structure used to be the residence of Qiao Zhiyong, who was a famous businessman during the Qing dynasty. Now it is reputed as a bright pearl of North China’s residential architecture. It was used to film the popular movie “Dahong Denglong Gao Gao Kua” (Hang the Red Lanterns High).

In Hongdong, I visited the Big Chinese Sholar tree (the place where it was believed that our ancestors came from) and Susan Prison, a Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) construction and the earliest surviving prison still in China.

Yuncheng

Yuncheng, located at the most southern part of Shanxi, was the place where Guangong (the famous red face character in the romance of the 3 kingdoms) was born. I have visited the Guangong Temple in Luoyang, where Guangong’s head was buried. That’s why when the driver suddenly asked me if I was interested to make a trip to Yuncheng, I immediately said yes. I would say the long 4 plus hours of journey from Linfen is worth it as the temple, being in his hometown, is the most respected Guangong Temple in China.

Linfen

After the visit, I went back to Linfen and visted the Yao Temple, an important cultural relic with more than 1400 years history. It has been the place for people to offer sacrifice to Emperor Yao in different dynasties.

The journey to the Hukou Waterfall from Linfen is a tiring journey along winding mountain roads and bumpy roads. I almost felt as if I am back in India when I travelled on this kind of road!!! But when I see the Hukou Waterfall, all my grievances about the journey were gone. The sight was spectacular. I understand from a local guide that when the Yellow River runs all the way from Qinghai Province to the border of Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, zigzagging to Jixian in Shanxi Province and Yichuan in Shaanxi Province, it suddenly finds it way through a narrow valley guarded by flocks of flourishing forests on both sides. The riverbed of the Yellow River narrows from 300m to 50m, turning the tranquil river into a turbulent one. It is this narrow path that makes Hukou Waterfall popularity unequalled in China. The tremendous water splashes on the rocks, causing countless waterbeads and foam, then water funs from which visitors may notice a colourful rainbow by chance. The water fumes curl upwards, turning from yellow to grey, grey to blue, which people call “smoke from the river”. I went down to the bottom of the waterfall also which is called Long Gong (or the dragon palace) and got myself all wet from the Yellow River water rushing down the waterfall!!! It was really a fun experience :=P

Pingyao

My last stop at Shanxi was at Pingyao Ancient City. It was built in 1370 AD during the Ming dynasty. Though it had been repaired in Ming and Qing dynasty, it has kept the original look of the early Ming dynasty. I visited the Rishengchang Financial House Museum, the Ancient Qing and Ming Street, and the Gu Xian Ya (Yamen in Old China). But one caution for travellers to Pingyao: the local guide is not very honest and conned us into entering a building where we are forced to see our fortune. And the worst part is that they refuse to let people leave if you don’t pay up for their “service”. So beware!

Another thing about Shanxi is that the hotels might not have currency exchange counter and it is rather difficult to change Chinese Yuan in this province. So, if you intend to buy things, remember to bring more Yuan there, as a lot of places don’t accept VISA or Mastercard.

I transferred from Taiyuan back to Beijing to catch my flight back to Singapore. While waiting for my flight in Beijing (which is at midnight), I spent my time visiting the Ming Tombs and the Summer Palace, also known as Yiheyuan, and enjoyed the Beijing roast duck at Chuan Ju De, the famous roast duck store in Beijing. Apart from the incident in Pingyao, I would say that my whole Shanxi/Beijing trip is really fun and enjoyable. I got a taste of what a Ke Zhang (a shop in ancient days that people slept overnight) living is and experience sleeping on a Kang in the Ke Zhang in Pingyao. Anyone interested to go there again? I can pass to you my itinerary.

India: A Journey To The West

Since young, I am fascinated by the story “Journey to the West” in which Tang San Zang together with his 3 disciples including Sun Wu Kong embarked on a journey to India to obtain Dharma. But it has never crossed my mind that I would one day be able to make a trip to India, being a really exotic location.

I also did not know what caused me to suddenly sign up for the tour to North India and Nepal, journeying from Delhi to Agra and along the Ganges river and up to Nepal. I took a morning flight on Indian Airlines and arrive at India at noon (local Indian time, which is 2.5 hours behind Singapore time).

Agra – The city of Love

The renowned Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is located in this city 5 hours dive from Delhi. This magnificent monument, made of pure white marble, was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved Queen Mumtaz Mahal who died at just 39, giving birth to their 14th child. The Taj took over 22 years to be built. Viewing the Taj Mahal at sunrise, the Taj looks magnificent. Accordingly to the tour guide, legend has it that couples who took picture together in front of Taj Mahal would be able to have ever-lasting love. From the tope of the Taj Mahal, one could see the Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan was jailed by his son when his son overthrown him to seize the thrown. The Taj Mahal can be clearly seen from the room in which Shah Jahan was jailed and it was said that he would stand by the window and looked at Taj Mahal where his beloved wife was buried. After Shah Jahan died, he was buried at Taj Mahal beside his wife and the couple was united again in the “other world”.

Varanasi & Sarnath

The journey from Agra to Varanasi took approximately 10 hours by train. One of the oldest living cities in India (it was referred to in ancient Indian mythology as Kashi), Varanasi, situated on the banks of the Holy Ganges river, is Hinduism's most sacred city. Most Hindus make a pilgrimage here at least once in their lives for a dip in the Holy Ganges, which is said to wash away their sins and would wish to die here (so you can see many bodies being cremated along the river). 10 km from Varanasi is Sarnath, the place where the Buddha preached his first sermon after attaining enlightment.

Bodhgaya

After staying a night at Varansai, I went on to Bodhgaya, the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment 2500 years ago. Travelling to Bodhgaya is an eventful journey. The journey, which normally takes around 7 to 8 hours, stretched to almost 10 hours due to the long jam along the bridge that crosses the Ganges river. When we reached the road towards Bodhgaya, it was closed. The tour guide informed that this road is not safe as there had been many instances whereby the villagers would come out after dark and rob the vehicles that passed through. As such, the state government closed the road from 10 pm and those who need to pass through the road would have to wait for 13 vehicles to gather together and the police cars would escort the vehicles along the road. Thank goodness the tour guide actually has some connections and we are able to get a police escort and passed through the road without having to wait for 13 vehicles.

Bodhgaya is one of Buddhism's most sacred places, attracting millions of pilgrims from all over the world. The Mahabodhi Temple is a UNESCO World heritage site, with the holy Bodhi Tree under which Buddha meditated and attained Nirvana, and a stone representation of the Vajrasana , the Seat of Enlightenment.

Patna

Around 10 hours drive from Bodhgaya, I arrived at the famous Vulture Hill in Rajgir, a site where the Budhha preached numerous sermons. The first Buddhist Council was held in the Saptaparni cave here.

Afterwhich, I stopped at the nearby 5^th Century ruins of the Nalanda University, the first residential university in the world and also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Nalanda was once home to 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from all over the Buddhist world. It played a major role in the development of Buddhism. Lord Buddha and Emperor Ashoka frequently visited Nalanda, and the famous Chinese monk from the “Journey of the West” – Tang Hieun-Tsang, stayed and studied here.

Kushinagar

The journey to Kushnigar was the most memorable part of my whole journey because I almost could not make it to Kushnigar. I was downed with a bad gastric and fell very sick when I reached Patna and my dad decided to abandon the remaining of the trip and come back to Singapore. However, another family that travelled with us are extremely helpful. Thanks to auntie who woke up daily at 3 am to cook porridge for me, I recovered from my gastric and was able to make it to this place.

2500 years ago, the Buddha also travelled an eventful trip to Kushnigar. After a long spiritual enlightened journey through life, the Buddha chose Kushinagar for his Mahaparinirvana making it one of Buddhism's 4 most sacred sites. The Mahaparinirvana Temple is believed to be the site in which the Buddha passed away under the twin Sal trees. A 6 metre long statue of the Reclining Buddha was discovered here. Nearby is the Ramabhar Stupa, which is the cremation site of the Buddha and the place where his relics were divided into eight equal parts.

Lumbini

Situated at the foothills of the Himalayas in modern Nepal near to the India border, Lumbini Garden which means lovely in Sanskrit is where the Buddha was born. One of the major attractions in Lumbini is the commemorative stone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka, the Mayadevi Temple and the Sacred Tank.

For foreigners residing in Nepal for less than a week, the VISA to Nepal is free and would be given on the spot. However, most of the time, a “nominal fee” of around US$5 each would have to be paid to the customs officer, otherwise it would take forever to get the Nepal VISA. The weather in Nepal is much cooler than the past few days in India (and the air is fresher also).

Around 15 minutes ride from Lumbini is the ancient kingdom of Kapilvastu, capital of Sakyan where King Shuddodan, the father of theBuddha used to reign. This is also where Buddha had spent his childhood. Sravasti is an ancient kingdom intimately associated with the life of the Buddha.

Sravasti

The capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, Sravasti was the biggest town in the Gangetic plains during the Buddha's lifetime. It was in the Jetvana Garden of this prosperous city that the Buddha spent 24 rainy seasons. It was also in this city that Buddha confounded his critics with the Twin Miracle, a million-fold manifestation of himself, seated on a thousand-petal lotus, as fire and water emanated from his body. The Garden also contains the sacred Anandabodhi tree, brought as a cutting from the Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka, which itself grew from a sapling of the original Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya.

Delhi

5 hours ride from Sravast to Lucknow followed by around 6 hours of express train ride, we reached Delhi on the Deepavali Day. I understand from my tour guide that Hindus would have to buy utensils before Deepavali and used it to on that day. That night in Delhi, the song of firecrackers can be heard throughout the whole night as Hindus celebrated their auspicious festival.

The next morning, the tour guide brought us to Qutab Minar, which at 72.5 metres high, is one of the tallest Islamic feature towers in the world and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the first mosque in India and was built out of bricks from Hindu Temples. This can still be seen from the walls of the mosque containing Hindu gods crafting (with their face disfigured)!

Delhi also has quite a few attractions, ranging from India Gate (a war memorial dedicated to the unknown soliders), the Red Fort (the most opulent fort and palace of the Mughal Empire), the Raj Ghat (place where Ghandi was cremated), Jama Masjid (the largest mosque in India) and so on, but I still like Delhi the best.

Overall, I would say the trip to India is an eye opener to me as I get to see a different culture and also learn to appreciate the things that we have here in Singapore.

Hong Kong

Recently, a friend of mine keeps bugging me for tips on Hong Kong trips, so decided to post tis in my blog. Hmm, personally, Hong Kong is one of my favourite destinations, with its superb shopping and food (yum yum). For anyone who’s planning to go to Hong Kong, I would recommend the period from October, November and most of December when the temperature is comfortable and there’s plenty of sunshine and breezes. For other seasons, it can get a bit cold in January and February and from March to September is the heat/rain season where the air becomes uncomfortably sticky and humid, and by September you can expect typhoons. But, if you are thinking of doing some serious shopping and crazy over its summer sale, then you would have to brave the heat and humid and go during the mid to end of summer (i.e. around July/August) when you will be able to find cheap bargains of clothes suitable for the tropical climate. It’s not possible to see everything that Hong Kong have to offer in one trip, and personally, I don’t recommend that you try. So, below are what I suggest are the things that are not to miss.

Hong Kong island

(1) The Peak

If you haven't been to Victoria Peak (also known simply as the 'Peak'), then you haven't been to Hong Kong! All visitors to Hong Kong should go to the Peak for panoramic views of the city. Personally, I feel that the night view is the most spectacular and a must-see. Therefore, I would recommend going up at night as well as during the daytime, to experience the view at both the day and night time. To get to the peak, you can take a tram ride which is literally a vertical ride up to the peak. In the tram, one would be able to enjoy the panoramic view of the island as you ascend. Inside the Peak Tower you will find a few restaurants, shops where you can get some souvenirs as well as some attractions that include "Ripley's Believe it or not" as well as "Madame Tussauds".

(2) Stanley / Repulse Bay

Stanley is a lovely little coastal village towards the south of Hong Kong. Originally a fishing village, it is now hosts a range of restaurants and pubs. Here, you can get a few good bargains ranging from traditional Chinese souvenirs to traditional arts and crafts, and various other types of stalls. After Stanley, head down to Repulse Bay to see a more quiet side of Hong Kong. Enjoy the lovely little beaches which prove quite popular in the hot summer months. There are also a lot of god statutes here which rich people donated and placed in the park.

(3) Avenue of stars and Symphony of Lights

Head down to Avenue of Stars at Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront (this is the best place to view) from 8pm and 8.18pm and be treated to a spectacular multimedia display of lights and music involving 18 Key buildings of Hong Kong.

This is a great place to view the imfamous central skyline so head down here after dinner for a romantic scroll.

(4) Great hangout place – Lan Kwai Fong / SOHO

If you are the type that likes clubbing or just don’t want to end up sleeping in the hotel early at night, Lan Kwai Fong is the place to go. It used to be an "expat hangout" but now many locals also patronised the pubs. Centred around an L-shaped cobble-stoned lane just above the Central business area, Lan Kwai Fong houses the trendiest pubs and entertainment centres.

(5) Ocean Park

Ocean Park is an amusement park with a roller coaster and other stomach-turning rides. It is also a marine park, with dolphin and killer whale shows, seals and sea lions, a shark aquarium and aviaries featuring the 'Amazing Birds' theatre. The park is divided into two sections. At the main entrance is on the lowland area, a amusement park suitable for young kids (this is where gardens and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Giant Panda Habitat, home to An An and Jia Jia is). For adults or older kids, take a cable car ride to the headland area where most of the attractions are found. The scenic cable car ride which is around 15 minutes ride (warning: I was pretty scared throughout the ride cos’ the cable car keeps shaking so if you have young kids, be sure to comfort them throughout the ride). The headland section affords beautiful views of the South China Sea. I suggest that you depart the park via the rear entrance (instead of the cable car), so that you can descend via a giant escalator which will bring you down to Tai Shue Wan and Shum Wan Road, where is the Middle Kingdom, a sort of Chinese cultural village with temples, pagodas and traditional street scenes.

Kowloon

(6) Wong Tai Sin Temple

Whether you are a believer or not, head down to Wong Tai Sin Temple (a Taoist temple) in Kowloon (just take MTR to Wong Tai Sin station which is around half hour journey from Tsim Sha Tsui) to experience the Hong Kong culture. This Taoist temple is dedicated to the god Wong Tai Sin, who is a mythical shepherd boy with the power of healing and is famous for bringing good luck to gamblers. Behind the main building is the Good Wish Garden with Chinese pavilions, carp ponds and waterfalls. Inside this is the smaller Nine Dragon Wall Garden, which houses a copy of the famous mural in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Most of the locals, especially the elderly, would visit this temple to pray for good fortunes, good health or any other matters that are of great concern to them. There are many fortune tellers located in the temple compound and during the weekends, you can see many locals seeking their fortunes there. You might wish to try also (price starting from around S$20).

Lantau island

(7) Po Lin Monestary – “Big Buddha”

If the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong gets to much for you, an escape to Lantau Island, might be just the thing for you. One of the most popular sights to see on the island is the Tian Tan Buddha. This is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze buddha. It sure lives up to its expectation, and is very very large indeed and well worth seeing. The statue is located very close to the Po Lin Monestary, and is known to symbolize the harmonious relationship between man, nature, people and religion. Its one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hong Kong, and I would advise it to any visitor to Hong Kong.

(8) DisneyLand

A new amusement park to visit is DisneyLand where one begins a magical journey into a world of dreams. For those who have been to the other DisneyLands in US and Japan, the Hong Kong Disney is a place that you can skip if you want to. The park is not fully developed yet so it’s quite small actually. However, for those who’re interested to go, the Main Street USA where you step back in time in small-town America at the turn of the 20th century, Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland are worth exploring.

(9) Tai O

Tai O is located at the extreme end of the Lantau island – it’s actually a very small island of Lantau (but there’s a small bridge to link to the Lantau island). This is a fishing village and you can buy a lot preserved seafood (eg salt fish, shark’s skin, etc) here. There are also unique metal houses here which are worth seeing.

(10) Cheung Chau island

A fifty minute ferry ride from Central, Cheung Chau is the most densely populated outlying islands in Hong Kong, On this island, no cars are allowed, so you would have to travel by foot. The island offers a glimpse of the traditional life of a fishing village, with its fishing boats and stalls and there are some excellent views as you go. Of course, Cheung Chau’s seafood one that you should not miss.

(11) New Territories

Popular areas in New Territories include Shatin, Lo Wu(border crossing), Tuen Mun, & Saikung (yummy seafood!) If you are interested to catch a glimpse of the New Territories, would suggest taking the train from Hong Kong to Shenzhen (you need not cross the checkpoint to Shenzhen if you don’t wish to. Just take the return train back to Hong Kong)

Double-decker trams

Only one of 3 tramways in the world that have regular operations of double-decker trams, one of which is the tram in Hong Kong. Not only are they a form of transport, they have also become a major tourist attraction, being very popular amongst visitors.The tram line is 13kg long mostly street running along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town town to Shau Kei Wan. It is a very inexpensive way to get around, with a journey costing only about HK$2 for a journey of up to 13km and a great way to experience tramride.

Travelling between Hong Kong island and Kowloon

You can cross the straits between the mainland and Hong Kong island by the following mode:- 1) By car through tunnel – not recommended cos’ traffic jam is common especially during peak hours. 2) By MTR – fast, convenient and economical. Would be able to bring you to various locations in Hong Kong island and Kowloon. However, during peak hours, the trains could be a bit pack 3) By Star Ferry – The trip takes around ten minute across Victoria Harbour, either to the Kowloon or Central side and you will be able to have a nice view of Hong Kong's majestic skyline, which is an erratic skyscrapers, hotels and apartments. The night-time view is also fantastic. Highly recommended as a part of your sight-seeing schedule.

Shopping

In Hong Kong, I can really shop non-stop. The shops open till late into the night. Even at around mid-night, I can still shop and buy stuff. For those looking for cheap bargains, hope down to Market Street (in Jordon) and Women Street (in Mongkok) via MTR. The setting there is similar to the “pasam malam” (i.e. night market) that you see in Singapore and the goods range from “cute cute stuff”, to bags to clothes to DVDs. However, be prepared to bargain here (but make sure that you are interested to buy before you bargain if not you might get scolded). Nathan Road in Kowloon is also a good shopping area and is one of the most famous streets of Hong Kong (with its colourful neon lights). The street is in north-south direction starting at Tsim Sha Tsui, and going to Mongkok. The street is lined with many shops, and restaurants and is very popular with tourists as well as the locals. In Hong Kong island, you can go to Times Square in Causeway Bay (and around there) for more high-end shopping. If you are looking for branded stuff, head down to Central where most of the branded shops are located there. Basically, you would be able to find shopping everywhere you go, so just explore any shops that you come across.

For more details, one great website to check out is http://www.hkta.org/

Shandong, Henan & Shanghai

Time flies, and a year passed by from my last trip to China. This year, I decided to return to China (yet again). I have chosen Shandong & Henan for this year trip and would transit in Shanghai and stayed 3 days there.

On 12 April 2006, I took a night flight to Shanghai and was over-joyed by the upgrade to business class by SIA. As the seat was very spacious, I had quite a good rest on the flight and arrived in Shanghai fresh at 6 am on 13 April. After arrival in Shanghai, I took an internal flight to Qingdao, the most eastern city in Shandong, famous for its "green sea and blue sky".

Qingdao

Qingdao left me with wonderful memories, with its beautiful cherry blossoms and seaview, and its sumptous seafood delights. The weather here is also extremely cooling, with temperature averaging around 13 degrees C.

Upon arrival at Qingdao around 2 pm, we went to Mt Laoshan, located at the east of Qingdao, one of China's famous Taoism centers known as "The Home of Fairies". Here, I visisted the Taiqinggong Temple, where the Quanzhen sect resides. After reading so much on the Quanzhen sect from the martial arts novel written by Louise Chiu, I finally get to see what the real Quanzhen sect really is.

The next day, I indulged in the colourful cherry blossom and tullips at Zhongshan Park – a spectacular sight of a lifetime. The sakura is said to be "imported" from Japan during Japanese occupation many years ago. The sight of the "sakura walkway" really makes me feel like I am in Japan!

Afterwhich, I visted the huashilou (flower stone villa), one of the villa at Badaguan (translated into English as the Eight-passes because it is where 8 foreign embassies used to be located), a villa district with impressive architecture and the German Governor Residence. I also visted the Xiaoyushan (Little-Fish Hill) and the Little Qingdao (an island off Qingdao which offers 360 degrees view of Qingdao) and also enjoy refreshing beer at Qingdao beer brewery.

Weifang

On my way from Qingdao to Jinan, I made a short stop at a little town called Weifang. This town is well-known as the hometown of kites. Here, I learnt more about the art of kite flying at Yangjiafu Folklore Grand View Garden and how kites were made.

Linzi

After around 2 hours journey from Weifang, I stopped again at Linzi (also known as Zi Bou), a small city in Shandong. Linzi is the capital of the ancient Qi, a country during the sping-autumn dynasty in China. Here is most worthwhile stop in my whole trip and I learnt a great deal of the history of Qi in the Qi historical museum. I also visted a burial site of the King of Qi, which is similar to the Terra Cotta Warrior and Horse Figurine in Xian, except that the horses buried here are REAL horses. I can still see the remains of the horses (see picture).

Jinan

After 2 hours ride, I arrived at Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, well-known for its Daming (Gleaming Brightness) Lake, a natural Lake originating from the Spring of Pearl, Spring of Furong and Pool of Wangfu located in the city area. I enjoyed a scenic cruise on the lake and stopped at an island in the middle of the lake, where the Qing emperor, Qianlong, is said to reside there for sometime (where the novel "Huan Zhu Ge Ge" started).

I was also fascinated by the spectacular Baotu (Leaping) Spring and Heihu (Black Tiger) Spring in Jinan, which had been commended by Emperor Qianlong as the the number one spring in China. Many Chinese were gathering at the springs to collect water for their consumption (said to be good for one's health and able to cure diseases), which my tour guide said was a common sight. But he warned us from consuming the spring water as we might not be used to the minerals in there.

Taian

My trip also entails the climbling of Mt. Taishan, which ranks first among China’s five sacred mountains. Legend has it that this mountain is the head of Pangu, an ancient god which created heaven and earth and this is the place where ancient emperors made prayers to heaven in the hope of a prosperous year ahead. At the summit of Daiding, one can enjoy the four magnificent sights: the sunrise, sunset, the golden river and the sea of cloud. As it was Sunday, the peak was filled with many people, mostly the Chinese. The climb was tiring, especially the coming down part as the wind is very strong and keeps pushing me sideways. I saw the Nantianmen and climbed all the way to the peak of Taishan (at 1545m), where Yuwangdian (the emperor of heaven) is located.

Qufu

Departing Taian, i moved on the Qufu, the hometown of Confucius. The Confucian temple, one of the 3 maginifant structures in China (which includes the Taihe Dian in the Forbidden City, the the Dai Temple) is dedicated to worship the great Teacher, Confucius. The Confucian Mansion is the place where the descendants of Confucius used to live. And the Confucian Woods is the burial place of Confucius and his descendants. Here, I get to appreciate confucianism, the teachings of Confucius, which is aimed to cultivate oneself so that one can managed one's household and serve one's country.

Peony in Heze & Luoyang

My last stop in Shandong is Heze, home of peony, known previously as Caozhou in the olden days. Here, I marveled the beautiful peony in a vast peony nursery. An ancient Chinese saying goes like this: The best peony is in Louyang and Louyang’s best peony is in Caozhou. Heze has a long history of cultivating the more than 600 varieties of peony.

However, it might be due to the temperature, but the peony at Luoyang in Henan province seems to blossoms more beautifully.

Kaifeng

Departing the Shandong province, I moved to Kaifeng, a city in Henan province, which had been served as the capital for seven dynasties. Believe most people would know Kaifeng, where the impartial judge with a black face, Bao Gong, resides. I visted the Longting (Dragon) Pavilion, which was built in the Qing Dynasty, and the infamous Tieta (Iron) Pagoda bearing fine sculpture on its wall.

Found to the northwest of the city, the Dragon Pavilion is a palatial hall built on a thirteen-meter-high marble terrace. During the Song and Jin dynasties, this was the site of imperial palaces. In the Ming period, an official's residence complete with garden was constructed. A pavilion was added during the reign of Guangxu (1672). Inside the pavilion are enshrined the emperor's tablets. Two dragons playing with a pearl are carved on a plaque on the pavilion, hence the name, Dragon Pavilion. It became an important place for local and official ceremonies and festivities. Another hall was added during the reign of Qing Yongzheng. From the hall, a five minute walk will bring you to Wuchao Gate, the site of the imperial palace of the Song Dynasty. The road leading to Wuchao Gate, is surrounded by a blue clear lake. The western lake is called "Lake of Family Yang" and the eastern called "Lake of Family Pan". Both families are renowned in the Song period. It was rumoured that the western lake (the Yang lake) was clear whereas the eastern lake (the Pan late) was cloudy in the past, indicating the Yang's loyalty and honesty and the Pan's treachery.

The Iron Pagoda was set up in 1049 AD, Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), given another name " Pagoda of Youguo Temple" and was built to consecrate the Buddhist Remains of the Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism (the former prince in India). The Iron Pagoda experienced many disasters such as wars, floods, and earthquakes in the past. Although the foundation has been ruined, the main body of Iron Pagoda still stands in Kaifeng and ranks the most famous pagoda in China. And 1, 000 years has passed, everything presents a new face including Kaifeng (it is no longer the capital city of Song Dynasty). But, the Iron Pagoda is still the top pagoda in China. So, this is the only structure in Kaifeng that exist since Song Dynasty! The tieta (Iron Pagoda), which resembles the Tower of Pisa with its slanting look, is not really made of iron. In fact, it was once a wooden pagoda, designed by Yuhao, a most famous architect in Song Dynasty, but the original pagoda was ruined by lightning. The pagoda was subsequently rebuilt and brown tiles are used which makes the pagoda looks like iron under sunlight thus gotten the name "Tieta".

Dengfeng

The TV show, Shaolin Temple, flimed many years ago brought fame to this temple located in one of the 5 scared hills of China known as the middle hill, Songshan. Here, I visited the temple and the padagos of the deceased monks (where most martial arts show of Shaolin is filmed). The trip to Shaolin Temple is completed with a display of Shaolin Wushu, which almost made me breathless with the monks capability to break metal plates with their heads, suck a bowl with their stomache (and none of us is able to pull it off), and so on.

Luoyang

After visiting Shaolin Temple, I travelled for 3 hours to reach Luoyang, another ancient city along the Yellow River. Here, I visted the Longmen Grottes, the white horse temple, the Luoyang peony and Guan Forest.

Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang , Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi Datong and Mogaoku Grottoes in Gansu Dunhuang are called three grottoes artistic treasure-house in China and famous in the world. Longmen Grottoes was started to build from the year of Xiaowendi Taihe 18(494 A.D.), lasted about 400years and passed many dynasties. Its building time is the longest and the project is the largest among all cultural relics. There are 100,000 images of Buddha and 3600 pieces of inscription kept undamaged among 2000 caves,about 40 Buddiha Towers. Longmen Grottoes was distributed mainly in the cliff of Longmen hill and Xiang hill in two sides of Yi river, Luoyang suburbs, it is about 1000 metres long. Fengxian temple, with the 17.14meter high grand buddha, is the largest and typical open stone inscription art.

The white horse temple is the "Grandfather of the Temples" as it is the first buddhist temple in China. It is said that King Yongping of Eastern Han Dynasty (25 ~ 220A.D.) sent monks Cai Yin and Cai Jing to India to ask for scriptures of Buddhism. Three years later, they got the scriptures. During the return trip, they met monks She Moteng and Zhu Falan near the north of Afghanistan. The year after they returned, a temple was built to keep those scriptures. As the two monks used a white horse helped them transport the scriptures back to Luoyang, the temple is thus named White Horse Temple. There are a pair of white horses and a pair of lions at the gate of the temple. They symbolize "if you are going to study the deep knowledge of Buddhism, you should have a great deal of perseverance and willpower, and you shouldn't be afraid of difficulties". They have been standing at the gate and accompanying the temple for more than a thousand years.

Located 7 km south of Luoyang is the Lord Guan (alias Guan Yu)'s Forest. The forest consists of hundreds of ancient pine and plum trees; this is a famous view of Luoyang. Guan Yu is one of the heros in the Three Kingdoms period, having brotherhood ties with Liu Bei (the king of Shu) and Zhang Fei. The temple of Guan Yu was originally built in Tang Dynasty. The temple we see today was built in Ming and Ch'ing Dynasty. Behind the Lord Guan's Forest, there is the tomb of Guan Yu. Legend said that people buried his head (which was cut down by the king of Wu, Sun Quan in his attempt to push the blame to Cao Cao, the king of Kui) in the tomb. The tomb is 20 meters high, with characters saying "the Tomb of Guan Yun Chang, the Shou Ting Hou of Han Dynasty" carved on the tomb inscription.

Zhengzhou

There's a Chinese saying, "One's heart would not die unless one reaches the Yellow River." The Yellow River is seen as the mother river of Han-Chinese as it was historically recorded that early civilisation of Han-Chinese originated around the Yellow River. Here, I enjoyed a Yellow River cruise on board of a hovercraft, which includes a stop at a partially dried river bed in the middle of the Yellow River.

Shanghai

After visiting Shandong and Henan provinces, I returned to Shanghai and stayed 3 days there. I visted my auntie and her family there and have fun with my 2 little cousins. There, I also visted the Longhua temple, the oldest temple in Shanghai, which I missed out in my previous 2 trips there. The most memorable part in Shanghai is my cousin's birthday celebration, and he was so touch that we flew all the way there to celebrate his birthday :)

Anyway, this trip to Shandong/Henan/Shanghai left me with wonderful memories and I wish for the chance to be able to visit these places again sometime.

Scenic Jiangnan

The trip is the first time I took an overnight flight.... so tiring. A round of applause to the exceptionally excellent service by the SIA stewardess. Always wake me up to eat, eat and EAT, (but all i want is to sleep, SLEEP and SLEEP!!!).
Oh, have u watch sunrise before? Managed to catch a glimpse of sunrise on top of the plane. Real nice.

Suzhou


Okie, my first stop after landing in Shanghai is at Suzhou which is famous for its landscaped gardens. It took around 3 hrs bus ride to travel there. Visited a famous garden (liu yuan), which is listed in the World Cultural Heritage, the Hanshan Temple, which is one of the ten most famous temples in China. During Chinese New Year’s Eve, thousands of visitors at home and abroad gather inside and outside of the temple to listen to the one hundred and eight bell tolls at the same time praying for luck and happiness in the New Year. I paid 5 yuan to go up the bell tower to knock 3 times on the bell. Hopefully, that would bring me good luck :)
Also visted the silk factory and witness how silk is produced. Of course, I bought the imfamous silk blanket....

Hangzhou


After Suzhou, we went to Hangzhou, famous for the West Lake. I took a cruise on the West Lake, visted the Meijiawu Tea Garden (where the TV show on the tea drama was shot), and visted the Yue Fei's temple which was built in 1221 to honour General Yue Fei who made such a great contribution to China defending his country against the aggression of Jin invaders. Also went to the mysterious Six Harmony Padago, where it was rumoured that the Qing Dynasty emperor Qian Long met his Han brother (who is the leader of the Hong Hua Sect, a Sect aiming to overthrown the Qing). If only I have a time machine to venture back to that scene.....

Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital for 6 dynasties, the last one being the Ming. Here, i visted the Yangtze River Bridge, which flies over Yangtze River. The bridge was the first double deck and double track highway and railway bridge designed and constructed by Chinese. Other places that I visted include the Zhong Hua Gate, the Sun Yat Sen's tome (which offers a beautiful sight of Nanjing town when one ascend to the highest point in the tome).
Also, I visted the Memorial Hall to the World War II, which was one of the few execution sites and mass burial place of the Nanjung massacre. History has it that Nanjing was occupied by Japanese Army, who thus started a nightmarish holocaust that transformed the paradise in to a hell.

Wuxi


Wuxi is famous for the Taihu Lake, which is the third largest freshwater lake in China, and Turtle Head Islet is the place most worth visiting and the best venue to view Taihu Lake. Although this is a small town (as compared to the rest), I spent most of my $$$ here. Don't know what's wrong with me, but i actually go and buy a S$700+ pearl !!! Oh mine....

Shanghai

Shanghai is the most hip city in China. Needless to say, shopping awaits me. Guess i dun have to say much about this city.

Mt Putuo


On the last day of the tour, I went free & easy to an island south of Shanghai, called Mt Putuo (and Luojiashan). It is believed that this is where Guanyin resides. Other attractions include the "Fang Yin Cave"，“Golden Sands"," Exotic Rocks","Tide Sounds and "Mirage" which are callad Five Putuo Beauties,and" Lotus Pool's Night","Pantuo Evening GIow"," Duanyin Sacred Site" etc., which are caIled Ten Famous' Sites. There's so much to write about this, so i guess if anyone wanna knows more, u can visit the website http://www.putuoshan.net/english.html

Jiangxi & Huangshan

After hearing so much on the beauty of Mt Huangshan, I decided to make a trip to Huangshan with ASA Holidays.

Took China Eastern from Singapore to Shanghai (I hate to fly with the Chinese airlines but I don't have a choice as I need domestic transfer and to purchase domestic air tickets on its own is really very ex). The whole trip started off in a not so fantastic note. The flight to Shanghai was delayed for a couple of hours. The worst thing is that ASA did not notify all of us on the flight delay. So, the whole tour was at the airport at the stipulated timing, only to discover to our horrors that the flight is only taking off at 7pm! Worse thing is that ASA did not even apologise for not informing us, and keep saying they also don't know. C'mon, everything also don't know. Yeah right, only God would know!!!

After much waiting and waiting, the flight finally took off. Due to the delay, we reach our hotel in Shanghai around 2 am.... and we have a morning call at 4 am as we need to catch a 7am flight to Nanchang in Jiangxi..... AArrhhhhhhh!!!! Less than 2 hrs of sleep!!!

When we reached Nanchang, the provincial of Jiangxi, we proceeded to see the Bayi square, built in memory of the 1 Aug Nanchang uprising, and the Teng Wang Pavilion, one of the 3 most famous pavilions in south of Yangtze River.

Overseeing Teng Wang Pavilion:-


After this, we drove 3 hours to Jingdezhen, the capital of porcelain, and rest there for the night.

The next day, we went to Wuyuan village, an hour drive from Jingdezhen. Wuyuan is known as the most beautiful countryside in China. During our stay in Wuyuan, we visited the Xiaoqi village, Likeng village, and the famous Rainbow Bridge. The Rainbow Bridge is really very nice and I love it there. However, I found the other villages so so, maybe because we have missed the flower seasons by 2 weeks, otherwise the villages would look really nice with yellow flower fields.

Rainbow Bridge


The Qiaoqi Village


After touring Wuyuan, we proceeded to Tunxi, located the foot of Mt Huangshan. In Tunxi ancient street, we happened to bum into an Chinese Communist Party official from Beijing. There were so many reporters, body guards, police, and the whole street was so crowded. We also visited tte hsee Country, famous for the complex of Tangyue Archways and the Xuguo Archway, the only eight-posted archway in China.

Tangyue Archways:-


The next day, we went up to Mt Huangshan. I would say Mt Huangshan is a disappointment for me. It looks like Zhangjiajie which I went in end December/January, but I find Zhangjiajie nicer (maybe because of the snow in Zhangjiajie). We visited BeiHai Scenic Area, the Shixing Peak, and the Xihai Scenic Area. Sad to say, we did not have the luck to see the imfamous sea of cloud.. hiaz....



From Huangshan, we went to Jiuhuashan and visited the Yueshan Previous Hall, the Baishui Gong and some smaller temples there. I actually preferred Putuoshan and Wutaishan as compared to Jiuhuashan. Somehow, the other 2 places seem nicer to me.

From Jiuhuashan, we drove to Hefei where we took a domestic flight back to Shanghai. I love Shanghai, even though a lot of my friends dislike this city. My aunt and her family drove us around Shanghai, visiting their apartment, the local markets and of course, eating & shopping!!! hahahaha, there's much for me to say except that I ate a lot, and shopped a lot. I came back with a lot of stuff, including something which I don't really want (which is my weight gain)!

On the whole, I rank this trip the worst of all my China trip, worst in terms of tour agency and sightseeing. Hmmm, maybe I have seen too much of China that's why?

Hakone: Gateway to Mt Fuji

Hakone is the gateway to Mt Fuji, one of the nicest places in Japan so be sure to spend at least 2 days in Hakone so that you can cover most of the sights there.

I got the Hakone Free Pass (cost 5,000 yen), which covers all the transportation in Hakone (including the train ride from Shinjuku station in Tokyo to Hakone-Yumoto station by the Odakyu line). However, note that this pass does not include a seat reservation and the train ride from Shinjuku to Hakone takes more than 2 hours. Therefore, I would suggest topping up 870 yen for the “Romance Car” train from Shinjuku station to Hakone-Yumoto station which has a reserved seat and takes only 1.5 hours.

From Hakone-Yumoto, the Hakone Tozan Train takes a leisurely 40 minutes to cover the 15-kilometer distance to Gora which I have chosen to stay. Details of the Hakone Free Pass can be found in the attached link.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/freepass/hakone_01.html

If you are intending to visit Mt Fui itself, get the Fuji-Hakone Free Pass instead.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/freepass/fujihakone.html

My accommodation is Gora is the Gora Ichi No Yu ryokan. It is a simple but nice ryokan and the food served there is pretty good. But the downside of this ryokan is that it is located on a hill top, which is a tiring 20 minutes walk from the Gora station.
http://www.jalan.net/uw/uwp3400/uww3401.do?dateUndecided=1&rootCd=58&yadNo=311730&screenId=UWW3091

On Day 1 in Hakone
1) From Gora Station, took the Hakone Tozan Cablecar to Sounzan. Thereafter change to the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani. Make a short stop at Owakudani to visit the hell valley and eat the “black egg”. Here, you would also be able to catch a good view of Mt Fuji if the weather is clear. Shopping wise, I noted that the shop nearer to the station is cheaper than the rest so if you want to buy things, buy from there. I had my lunch in the 2nd shop which sells the black ramen (the taste is great and cheap)! Otherwise, if you are going on a budget, there is a food court in the 3rd shop where you can get cheaper food and drinks.






2) From Owakudani, I continued my journey to Lake Ashi via the Hakone Ropeway to Togendai. At Lake Ashi, do take a cruise on a pirate ship to tour the lake.
3) I choose to alight from the cruise at Hakonemachi-ko. From there, it is a 15 minutes walk to the historical Hakone checkpoint museum and followed by a walk along the old Takaido Road which is lined with centuries old cedars. Thereafter, I took the bus back to Gora and soaked in the onsen for the evening before proceeding to the nice dinner at the ryokan.



Day 2 itinerary
1) After a sumptuous Japanese breakfast, I took the Hakone Tozan Train from Gora to Chokuko No Mori Station to visit the Hakone Open Air Museum. The Hakone Freepass would give a discount for the entrance fee (discounted price of 1,400 yen). This museum showcases many interesting sculptures on its spacious grounds with beautiful views of the surrounding valley and mountains. Besides the sculptures, the museum features various indoor galleries, including a sizable Picasso Collection, consisting of paintings, prints, sculptures and ceramic creations. There is also a hot spring foot bath in the museum. Do bring your own towel (or you can purchase a towel for 100 yen at the hot spring).



2) After the museum, I took a bus to the Gotemba Premium Outlet (around 1 hour journey) where one can indulge in shopping. It is not really that cheap in the outlet but the discounted items are worth checking out. Also, from the outlet, you would be able to view Mt Fuji on clear days.

Nikko in Autumn

Nikko is a good day trip destination from Tokyo. It is an extremely popular place to view the famous autumn coloured leaves.

We drove around 2 hours to Nikko, the car rental cost 10,000 yen but the tolls added up to around 10,000 yen too! So, it might be cheaper to take a train. There are 2 options for the train, one costing only 3,600 yen but takes 2 hours and no seat reservation. The other faster train (1 hour 40 minutes) with seat reservation costs 5,800 yen.

If you are going by train, you can take the Limited Express “SPACIA” from Asakusa Station in Tokyo to Tobu Nikko Station. From there, there is a bus to the various sights. The train ticket would also allow free access to all the sights in Nikko (with some exceptions) so it is really quite worth it.

The main sight to see in Nikko is the Toshogu Shrine, which is a UNESCO heritage site. The shrine is famous for its carving of the famous “three monkeys”, which symbolize “See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil”. There is also a craving of the sleeping cat (but this is not covered by the train ticket). If you are a shrine person and would like to visit all the sights in Toshogu shrine, you would need to buy the shrine ticket, which costs 1,300 yen. Otherwise, the train ticket is good enough.





Near to the Toshogu Shrine is the Shinkyo Bridge which offers a good photography spot. Another temple is Rinnoji Temple so if you have lots of time, you can visit it also.

From the Shinkyo bus stop, you can take a bus to Chuzenji Onsen bus stop to view the nice Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls (which is a popular sight to view the autumn leaves). The trip is about 40 minutes provided that there is no traffic jam. For us, we took 2 hours to drive to Lake Chuzenji as the jam was terrible!



After viewing Lake Chujenji, you can take a leisure walk to the Kegon Falls (around 15 minutes walk). Along the way, there are shops where you can stop by to buy food and souvenirs. From the Kegon Falls, you can walk to Chuzenji Temple if you like (around 15 minutes walk).



Die Die Must Do

1) See the 3 monkeys in Toshogu Shrine
2) Visit Lake Chujenji & Kegon Falls in autumn to view the coloured leaves
3) Eat the Nikko yuba (which is made of beancurd skin and eaten together with the ramen, soba or udon)

Tokyo: The City of Lights

Tokyo, termed as the city of lights, is an interesting city, with great shopping coupled with sightseeing. Below are a couple of sightseeings that I did in Tokyo.

Sightseeing 1: Asakusa (Estimated time: 2.5 hours)
I took the Metro (Ginza Line) to Asakusa Station (Exit 1). There walk to the Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise Shopping Arcade and then to the Asakusa Kannon Temple.






Sightseeing 2: Imperial Palace (Estimated time: 2.5 hours)
Imperial Palace is located near various Metro stations (such as Nijubashimae, Takebashi station) as well as the Tokyo JR station. You would pass by the Imperial Palace Plaza before reaching the Nijubashi Bridge, which is the favourite photo taking sight. Thereafter, a 10 minutes walk would bring you to the palace’s East Garden (Otemon gate) which is opened from 9 am to 4.30pm daily (admission is free).




Sightseeing 3: Tokyo Bay & Tokyo Tower (Estimated time: 3.5 hours)
If you have the metro pass that comes together with the Keisei Skyliner), take the metro to ___ station (on the Ginza line). From there, it is around 20 minutes walk to the Tokyo Bay which is a nice seafront.



From Tokyo Bay, walk around 15 minutes to the Tokyo Tower. A nice photo of the tower can be taken from the Chujenji Temple.




Shopping: Ginza or Shibuya or Harujuku or Shinjuku
After viewing the Tokyo Tower, hope on to the metro to either Ginza, Shibuya, Harajuku or Shinjuku for a nice shopping spree. I would recommend that more time be spend at Shinjuku as there are many big shopping malls such as Takashimaya, Times Square, Isetan there (so you might want to delicate 1 full day or more to Shinjuku shopping). You can get the Burberry Blue Label and Agnes B from Basement 2 in Isetan (main shop) in Shinjuku.

Sightseeing 4: A Day of Magical Adventure
Disneyland and Disneysea can be reached via the JR line from Tokyo station to Maihama station. The journey takes around 40 minutes. The entrance fee for a 1 day pass is 5,800 yen. I would suggest spending 1 full day there in view of the time required to queue for the rides, as well as various shows going on (especially the fireworks which start at 8.30pm).