Living in Beijing

How many medals will China win at the Beijing Olympics? More than Australia? Perhaps more than the United States? Does it really matter?
　　I hope China does well at the Summer Olympics, but the best prize has already been won. China is already the champion. Your country is hosting the biggest sporting event in the world, and you have proven that you will be ready to welcome the world to Beijing.
　　The competition will be strong at the Olympics, and we should wish all athletes the best of luck as they pursue their dream of being the best in the world. Some will stand on the podium* and win medals, while others will be sad at not reaching their goal. Some will be happy just to compete and try their very best as the whole world watches.
　　I think too often we confuse winning as being the only prize to be won in sports. The honour and glory* of being an excellent host is also important. When guests come to our homes we hope they can go away feeling good about the whole experience.
　　Let the world enjoy the Olympic competition in Beijing, but let them also see the history, the culture, and the friendliness of the Chinese people. That is what they will remember most. They will go home and tell wonderful stories about your land, and they will want to come back.
　　China is already the champion. The biggest Gold medal is already yours.

Currently, my coming trip to Beijing is a hassle.

If we were to fly by SQ it will be a confirm departure and tour.
But if we were to fly by Air China, the airline require at least 6
passengers in order to have a confirm departure and tour.
Flying by SQ means that I will need to pay an additional of
$200 plus per person for the trip as compared to Air China.

From what I understand from the tour agency, they will try to
push for the departure and tour by Air China. Well, from a
business perspective, they have already collected the deposit
from us, which is not a small sum of money (almost 3/4 of the
trip fee) and as a matter of fact, they will not refund the money
back to us so easily.

The tour agency will let us know the status by Tuesday 25 March.

To all my readers out there, fingers cross for my coming trip.

My school is currently playing lots of retro music for the rehearsal
countdown next month to our 120th anniversary. It sounds like I
am working in ZOUK right now. They are playing songs like. Hawaii
Five O, YMCA, Limbo Rock, Let Do The Twist Again, Celebrate
Tonite Come On, etc all those 80s retro song. Not forgetting that
the Deejay asking for 11 claps from the students and asking Fairfield
Student To SCREAM !!!!! Fairfield ROAR !!!!!
And I notice the Dee-Jay like asking …….
“ARE U Ready Fairfield Let SCREAM !!!!”

© 2008 AngelineBubbles

Are you bored of the hustle and bustle of city life, or want to have a breath of natural fresh air,or are you curious about diverse cultures and exotic flavors in China? Please come to Yangshuo, a small county in southern China full of what you want. In the 1980s, many foreign backpackers were drawn here by the introduction of the county in the ‘Lonely Planet’. Now, the county greets its guests with more charms and attractions.

Yangshuo lies in the northeast of Guangxi Province and to the southeast of Guilin City. The special geography gives it breath-taking beauty while over 1,400 years of history bless it with a deep traditional culture. The diverse ethnic minority groups including Hui, Zhuang, Yao and others, enrich it with special folk cultures represented by their various festivals; while many foreign residents add exotic flavors to its fascination.

The famous Li River traverses the county and brings it the most beautiful scenery. Along the extremely pure river, thousands of hills stand in different poses and with different expressions, such as Moon Hill, Mural Hill and Schoolboy Hill which is the natural stage of the world famous opera ‘Impression on Sanjie Liu’. Sanjie Liu is a fairy singer in the legend of the Zhuang minority group. Big Banyan, a huge tree with a history of over 1,400 years, is said to be the place where her love story happened. The ‘Little Li River’- the Yulong River – is a paradise for a cruise because of its green hills, silky water and ancient bridges. You can also go to Xanadu, a primitive minority village full of folk culture and tranquil rurality.

Streets in Yangshuo are well kept in the original style, presenting the simple and primitive atmosphere of the ancient town. West Street is the most exciting one that locals call the ‘Global Village’. There are not only many foreign tourists, but also quite a number of foreign residents managing cafés and restaurants. The exotic flavor, combined with the traditional culture, make the West Street world famous.

Yangshuo also attracts tourists with its delicious specialty foods, such as Beer Fish, Niang dishes and special snacks including rice noodles and various glutinous rice cakes. You can taste them in most streets of the county. The local specialties such as the Shatian Shaddocks, the kumquats and the Chinese chestnuts are worth tasting as well. If you want to buy some souvenirs, painted fans, embroidered balls, and painted shirts are all good choices. You can buy these articles both in the tourist spots and in the malls of the county.

Located at the center of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is the must place to visit in Beijing City.

At the north end of the Square is Tiananmen Tower. Initially built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D.- 1644 A.D.), the Square was the front door of the Forbidden City. The most important use of it in the past was to declare in a big ceremony to the common people who became the emperor and who became the empress. Until 1911 when the last feudal kingdom was over, no one could enter the Tower except for the royal family and aristocrats.

The granite Monument to the People’s Heroes is just at the center of the Tiananmen Square. Built in 1952, it is the largest monument in China’s history. ‘ The People’s Heroes are Immortal’ written by Chairman Mao is engraved on the monument. Eight unusually large relief sculptures show to the people the development of Chinese modern history. Two rows of white marble railings enclose the monument, simple and beautiful.

West of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. This building, erected in 1959, is the site of the China National People’s Congress meetings and provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities.Twelve marble posts are infront of the Hall which has three parts–the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall.The floor of the Central Hall is paved with marble and crystal lamps hang from the ceiling. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall seats 10,000. The Banqueting Hall is a huge hall with 5,000 seats.

Mao Zedong Memorial Hall is at the south side of the Square. This Hall is divided into three halls and our dear Chairman Mao’s body lies in a crystal coffin in one of the halls surrounded by fresh bouquets of various famous flowers and grasses.

Another important place for the tourist to visit is the China National Museum at the east side of the Square. It just came into existence in 2003 and is a combination of Chinese History Museum and Chinese Revolutionary Museum. This National Museum faces the Great Hall of the People. Inside the Chinese Revolutionary Museum are a lot of material objects, pictures, books and models to present the development of modern China. The Chinese History Museum shows a large number of cultural relics illustrating the long history and glorious culture of China from 1,700,000 years ago to 1921 when the last emperor left the throne.

Five Star Red Flag-the Chinese national flag, flies high in the sky above the Square. To see the guard of honor raise the Flag is a must for the tourist visiting Beijing City. You have to get up very early and arrive at the Square before sunrise. Only by doing so can you see the ceremony clearly as there are crowds of people attending the ceremony every day.

The present Tiananmen Square has an area of 440,000 square meters and has become a relaxing place for the common people to fly kites and walk. On a holiday, the whole square is covered with fresh flowers.

1. The Great wall
The Great Wall, located in northern China, is 6,700 kilometers long and thus known as the “10,000-li Great Wall”. Construction of the wall went on for more than 2,000 years, from 7 th century to 14 th century AD. The wall has become a symbol of both China’s proud historyand its present strength.

2. The Palace Museum
The Palace Museum, also called the Forbidden City, is located in the center of Beijing. The imperial palace used by emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties is the largest and most complete ancient wooden-structure building complex in the world. Construction of the Forbidden City started in 1406 and lasted 14 years. 24 emperors were enthroned there.

3. Zhoukoudian: Home of the Peking Man
Remains of the Peking Man (homo erectus) are located on the Dragon Bone Hill at Zhoukoudian Village, Fangshan District, Beijing. In the 1920s, archaeologists discovered the complete skull of Peking Man. Later, more skull bones as well as stone and bone instruments were unearthed. Peking Man lived 690,000 years ago, during Paleolithic times. Findings indicate that Peking Man knew how to make fires.

4. Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum and Terra-cotta Army
Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum is located in Lintong District, 35 kilometers east of Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi Province. Construction ofthe mausoleum lasted 38 years and involved over 700,000 workers. Over the years, a total of 50,000 important cultural relics have been unearthed. In 1980, two bronze painted horse-drawn chariots were unearthed. They are the largest and most complete bronze chariots and horses discovered so far. In 1974, farmers who were digging a well about 1.5 kilometers east of Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum discovered three vaults containing Qinshihuang’s Buried Legion. The largest of the three vaults contains 6,000 life-size terra-cotta warriors and horses. The collection of warriors is often dubbed the“eighthwonder of the world”.

5. The Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang
Dunhuang Grottoes comprise of the Mogao grottoes, West 1,000-Buddha Cave, and Yulin Cave. The Mogao Grottoes, representative of the three sites, are located 25 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Construction of the grottoes began in 366 AD. The well-designed grottoes are a treasure house containing painting, sculptures, documents, and cultural relics.

6. The Huangshan Mountain
Located in Huangshan City in southern Anhui Province, the scenic area of the Huangshan Mountain covers 154 square kilometers and is famous for its four wonders: strangely-shaped pines, grotesque rock formations, seas of clouds and hot springs. It also features a natural zoo and botanical garden.

7. Huanglong
The Huanglong Scenic Area is located in Songpan County, Sichuan Province. Calcified ponds, beaches, waterfalls and embankments characterize Huanglong scenery.

8. Chengde Summer Resorts and Surrounding Temples
Chengde Summer Resort, known as “The Mountain Hamlet for Escaping the Heat”, is located in northern Chengde, Hebei Province. Qing Emperors used to spend their summer days handling state affairs at the resort. Construction of the resort lasted from 1703 to 1792. It is the largest and best-preserved imperial palace outside the capital. Many of the scenic spots around the resort’s lake area mimic famous landscaped gardens in southern China, and the buildings of the Outer Eight Temples feature architectural style of minority ethnic groups such as Mongolian, Tibetan and Uygur.

9. Qufu, Confusius’Mansion, Temple and Cemetery
Qufu, in southwestern Shandong Province, was the capital of the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the hometown of Confusius, a great thinker and educator. Confucius’Mansion was the residence of Confucius’ eldest male descendants for generation. The mansion holds more than 9,000 volumes of archives dating from 1534 to 1948 and many cultural relics, ancient costumes, and utensils. Confucius’ Temple is famous for its 2,000 stone steles and more than 100 portrait stones from the Han Dynasty. Confucius’Cemetery houses tombs for Confucius and his descendants.

10. Ancient Buildings on the Wudang Mountain
The Wudang Mountain, located in northwestern Hubei Province, is a sacred Taoist mountain that is best known as the birthplace of Wudang martial arts. The Gold Hall built on the mountain in 1416 represents advanced architectural styleand building techniques of that period.

11. Potala Palace Potala
Palace in Lhasa is situated on Red Hill 3,700 meters above the sea level. The palace was built by Tibetan King Songtsan Gambo in the 7 th century for Tang Princess Wencheng. Potala features the essence of ancient Tibetan architectural art and houses many artifacts of the Tubo Kingdom.

12. The Lushan Mountain
The Lushan Mountain, located south of Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, is one of the most famous mountains in China. The mountain features beautiful peaks, seas of clouds, waterfalls and historical sites. Bailu Academy is one of Chinese first schools of higher learning. 13. The Emei Mountain and Leshan Giant Buddha The Emei Mountain is one of China’s four famous Buddhist Mountains. It is located 7 kilometers southwest of Emeishan City, Sichuan Province. There are 150 temples on the mountain. The mountain features more than 3,000 plant species and 2,000 varieties of animals. Leshan Giant Buddha is located on the east bank of the Minjiang River in Leshan city, Sichuan Province. The Buddha is carved out of a cliff and, being 70.7 meters tall, is the largest sitting Buddha in China. Carving of the Buddha started in 713 and was completed in

803. The body of Buddha has a water drainage system to prevent erosion.

14. Lijiang Ancient City
Lijiang ancient city, located in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, is an ancient town inhabited mainly by the Naxi minority people. The town was founded in 1127. The roads in the town are paved with colored pebbles produced in Lijiang, and there are many stone bridges and memorial archways built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Most of the residences are made of earth and wood. Palace murals depicting religious themes were painted during the Ming Dynasty. The traditional Dongba Culture of the Naxi ethnic group has been preserved in Lijiang.

15. Pingyao Ancient City
Pingyao of Shanxi Province was built 2,000 years ago during the Zhou Dynasty. The city wall was renovated in 1370. It is one of China’s earliest and largest county-level city walls. Ancient streets, government offices, markets, stores and residences have been preserved, providing invaluable resources for research on China’s ancient Ming Dynasty county seat.

16. Suzhou Gardens
Suzhou in Jiangsu Province is a famous historic and cultural city that is more than 2,500 years old. Suzhou features more than 200 ancient gardens. The small private gardens are especially famous nationwide and reflect architectural styles of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

17. The Summer Palace of Beijing
The Summer Palace, featuring the best of China’s ancient gardens, is located in the western suburbs of Beijing. The palace was built in 1153 as a temporary imperial palace. It was rebuilt in 1888. The Summer Palace consists of the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. The Long Corridor, painted with exquisite paintings, was included in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1992 as the longest corridor in the world. The corridor links the area where Empress Dowager Cixi handled state affairs with the residential and sightseeing areas.

18. The Temple of Heaven of Beijing
The Temple of Heaven, built in 1420, is located in southern Beijing. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, emperors came to the temple to worship the God of Heavenand pray for a good harvest.

Peking Man was discovered in Zhoukoudian village, on the Longgu Mountain, Fangshan district, Beijing, which was listed as a world cultural heritage site in 1987. In the 1920s archaeologists discovered a complete skull of an ape-man dating back 600,000 years which was later named as Peking Man. Stone tools and evidence of Peking Man’s use of fire were later found on the mountain. Studies have shown that Peking Man walked on his feet and lived 690,000 years ago. His society lived in groups in caves and survived by hunting. The group could make use of rough stone tools and knew how to use fire for heating and cooking.

　　The discovery included six complete skulls of Peking Man, 12 skull fragments, 15 mandibles(1), 157 teeth and some sections of broken femur(2), shinbone(3), and upper arm bones belonging to more than 40 individuals of different ages and sexes. In addition 100,000 fragments of stone tools were found together with sites used for fire and burnt bones and stones.

　　Peking Man created a unique Old Stone Culture which had much influence to the Old Stone Culture of north China. Stone tools are the principal relics of this remote culture. Also discovered in Zhoukoudian are stone points, a new production tool then, and bone articles made and used by Peking Man. Found in the caves were such tools as the larger end of an antler that had been used as a hammer and the sharp end of an antler used as a digging tool.

　　The use of fire was a milestone of the development of civilization and the discovery of Peking Man has pushed back the time that man first used it by tens of thousands of years. The largest ash pile discovered in the caves is six meters thick. Fire allowed people to eat cooked food instead of raw food and promoted the development of the brain and improved health. With his rough tools and simple living conditions Peking man created a unique and very ancient culture.

　　Included in the UNESCO(4)  world heritage list in 1987.

Yonghegong (The Lama Temple) is a famous lamasery located in the northeastern part of the old city of Beijing. It was a palatial residence built in 1694 by Qing Emperor Kangxi for his fourth son, Prince Yongzheng who later succeeded to the throne. This magnificent temple consists of five main buildings lying on the?north-south axis, with annex halls standing on both sides. The temple is listed by the Chinese Government as one of the important historical monuments under special preservation. After the death of his father, Emperor Yongzheng moved to the Forbidden City. The compound was closed to ordinary people and was renamed yonghegong (the Palace of Harmony). Green roof tiles were replaced by yellow ones to suit a monarch’s home. In 1744 his successor Emperor Qianlong converted the palace into a lamasery.

    Several renovations?have been carried out since 1949.The temple has taken on a new look and was reopened to the public in 1981.It is now not only a functional lama temple, but also a tourist attraction.

    Of interest to visitors in the Lama Temple are the 18-metre-high Maitreya statue engraved from a 26-metre-long white sandal-wood log, “the Five hundred Arhats Hill” made of gold, silver, copper, iron and tin, and the niche carved out of nanmu (this kind of Phoebe nanmu can give off a unusual scent reputed to repel mosquitoes in summer). These three objects are accredited as the three matchless masterpieces in the Lama Temple.

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace–and blessings from China–to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China’s most popular animals–the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow–and the Olympic Flame.  Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name–a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together–Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni–they say “Welcome to Beijing,” offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.  Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature–the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky–all stylistic rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.  In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading blessings through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing–and will honor this tradition by carrying their blessings to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe. At the heart of their mission–and through all of their work–Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games–and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.   Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China’s landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying’s flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring. Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini’s figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced “yan” in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring. 
 In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport–and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008–and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people–can be felt. The firery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals–with just a touch of China’s traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.   Jingjing makes children smile–and that’s why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing’s headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature’s gifts–and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring. 
In China’s traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.    The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring. 

Beijing thrives today as the political and cultural capital of China as well as a center of international activity and an important socialist base.

Great changes have taken place since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The city walls were demolished to facilitate transportation and allow for general expansion. By 2001, the population exceeded 12.5 million, and the total municipal area was increased to over 17,800 square kilometers. The city is presently divided into 16 districts: Dongcheng, Xicheng, Chongwen, Xuanwu, Chaoyang, Haidian, Shijingshan, Fengtai, Shunyi, Changping, Mentougou, Tongzhou, Fangshan, Daxing, Huairou and Pinggu. In addition to these urban districts, the municipality is comprised of two counties: Miyun and Yanqing.

Plans for future development retain the symmetrical layout of the old city on its north-south axis, extending out into the suburban districts.

From Dingfuzhuang in the east to Shijingshan in the west and from Qinghe in the north to Nanyuan in the south, the overall plan covers an area of 1,000 square kilometers. A traffic network of four concentric beltways, 28 radial roads, and underground and suburban railways are being further developed to link the city center with outlying areas and surrounding towns.

With Tian’anmen at the center, offices along 38-kilometer-long Chang’an Boulevard will concentrate on state, political and economic affairs. The areas around the Palace Museum (Imperial Palace or Forbidden City) and city gates as well as the lakes — Zhongnanhai, Beihai and Housanhai — have been designated landmark districts. And with a look to the future, an increasing number of historical, cultural and revolutionary sites are being renovated and opened to the public.