As more and more Westerners are embarking upon holidays to Asia, China has become a front-runner in Asian tourism, especially after the Beijing Summer Olympic Games in 2008 bolstered the country’s image and infrastructure. If you’re a China newbie, you might want to opt to take a guided tour to get a sense of what the Middle Kingdom is all about.
Most China tours operate within the so-called “Golden Triangle” of China: a three-point destination tour that stops in Shanghai, Beijing and Xi’an and gives tourists a chance to see the major highlights that China has to offer. Of course, if you are a China junkie or a little more adventurous, you’ll find plenty of more in-depth tours through off-the-beaten-track spots in China, as well as chances for independent travel and backpacking.
To get a sense of what one of these tours might be like, we’ll consider this hypothetical itinerary. Though each tour operator offers a slightly different take on the “Golden Triangle” itinerary, most hit one or all of these stops during their basic tour packages.
Beijing
As the capital city of China, Beijing offers plenty of historic sites and shopping opportunities, including a chance to see the majestic red-tiled roofs of the Imperial Palace and the sprawling gardens of the Summer Palace. The Great Wall of China can also be visited from Beijing, as its most popular access points are only a few hours from the city.
Shanghai
China’s most western city, Shanghai has long held elusive power over foreigners. Tourists to China will get a sense of the country’s modern development in the ever-growing skyline of high rises, and learn about China’s colonial history along the European promenade - the Bund.
Xi’an
The famous Terracotta Warrior Army was unearthed just outside of Xi’an and is often included on “Wonders of the World” lists. Xi’an was also an ancient capital of China, and visitors can check out the historic city wall, as well as the city’s vibrant Muslim quarter, which offers great shopping and food.
Laos is an undeniably beautiful country and one that has not yet been overrun by tourists, primarily because of the totalitarian government that ruled the country until 1989. Now becoming a popular stop on many Asia tours, Laos is still finding its feet in entertaining guests. What this means for a visitor is a completely authentic experience - tasting local foods, seeing unspoilt temples and exploring lush jungles where few westerners have been.
This Southeast Asian country has some incredible sights that shouldn’t be missed, and it is small enough that you should be able to take all of these in within one holiday to Laos.
Luang Prabang. Located in the north-central part of the country, this UNESCO World Heritage City is home to some amazing colonial architecture that whispers of the former French colonisation, interspersed with truly historic Laotian temples. The tipsy wooden houses here are particularly wonderful.
Champasak Cultural Landscape. The southern province of Champasak has earned Laos another UNESCO award for its confluence of ruined temples, many of which date all the way back to the 12th century and were home to various types of worshipers, from Hindus to Buddhists.
Tham Nong Pafa Cave. Visiting this recently-discovered cave complex in central Laos is a surreal experience, for upon entering, you are greeting by hundreds of bronze Buddha statues that have been preserved inside for three centuries. Within the central corridor of the cave, visitors must travel by canoe to see statues that have been immersed in water.
Si Phan Don. The Mekong River flows through Laos and before it reaches the border with Vietnam, splits into dozens of smaller waterways that curve through the grassy countryside. Here are the so-called “4000 islands”, a group of river islands that range from tiny to large. The real draw for travellers to the islands is simply the laid-back atmosphere and the chance to explore several waterfalls close to the inhabited islands.
The Silk Road is an ancient trade route that once provided a lifeline connection between the Chinese empire and the Middle East and Europe. Traders used the route to carry supplies, particularly spices and silk, giving the route its name. Traditionally, the Silk Road is said to connect Xi’an, China at one end with Persia and eventually the Mediterranean coast at the other. Additional connecting roads along the way provided passages to India and Africa.
When planning their holidays to China, many tourists overlook the Silk Road, believing that it may be too outlandish or difficult a place to visit. However, it is entirely possible to incorporate a Silk Road visit into your China tour, or to make an entire holiday out of sightseeing along the Silk Road.
Within China, the Silk Road runs across the northwest part of the country, from the historic capital, Xi’an all the way to Kashgar in the far west and Urumqi in the somewhat controversial Xinjing Province, which borders on Mongolia and Russia and Kazakhstan.
Travelling on the Silk Road, one passes through the unending beauty of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts, where endless rows of huge sand dunes and vast flat plains seem to go on forever. In the tiny town of Dunhuang, visitors can take in the amazing Mogao Buddhist Caves, as well as the Echoing Sand Dune, which overlooks the Crescent Lake oasis. Further along, Turpan is considered the finest wine growing region in China, while Kashgar’s Sunday farmer’s market is renowned for its lively atmosphere. In Urumqi, ascend to the tranquil Tian Chi lake, where snow-capped mountains seem to meet the sky in sparkling spikes and the local ethnic Uighur groups make amazing lamb meals to satisfy your cravings for exotic cuisine.
The mode of thinking of Chinese and mode of thinking of English are different, so cause the word order of Chinese and the word order of English are different. If know the mode of thinking of Chinese, it is will be a little easier for westerners to learn Chinese.
Generally speaking, one sentence, one paragraph or one article shows some information to reader, i.e.: time, place, people, matter and result. This was expressed through the special interrogative in the concrete language. I talk about the mode of thinking of English and the word order of English at first. Please see the following example:
According to example above, the word order of English is: “Subject - Verb - Object – Manner Adverbial - Place Adverbial - Time Adverbial”. We understand its order and know the position of every information point. We will think “Who - Do - What - How do - Where - When” when we read one sentence, one paragraph or one article.
The following is the Chinese expression of this sentence:
The Chinese expression is translated into English: “Yesterday, in the next room, the children happily played computer games”. The word order of Chinese is: “Time Adverbial - Place Adverbial - Subject - Manner Adverbial - Verb - Object”. The mode of thinking of Chinese is “When - Where Who – How -Do - What”.
Therefore, Chinese and English are totally different, no matter the mode of thinking, or word order.
It is helpful for learning Chinese to know this difference!
The Chinese characters 解 meaning is untie; explain.
This Chinese character combines the radical for horn (角) with knife (刀) and ox (牛). To cleave the horn of an ox requires the use of a knife; hence 解: to divide. The horn of an ox is also shaped into bodkins for untying knots. So 解 also means to untie, undo, unravel and, by extension, explain.
The Chinese characters 角 meaning is horn; corner; 10-cent piece.
The radical 角 resembles a horn with its streaks. Because the horn terminates in an angle and tapers to a point, 角 can mean angle or corner. 角 is also a 10-cent piece, a mere tenth or “corner” of a dollar.
The Chinese characters 歪 meaning is crooked.
歪 is an ideogram composed of two characters: 不 (not) and 正 (upright). It means: not straight, i.e., crooked. 正 itself indicates stopping (止) at a line or limit (一), without going astray, hence upright. Although imperfect, we do well to heed the proverbial counsel: “Stand upright, and don’t worry if your shadow is crooked.”
Hello, everyone,
How time flies, 2010 has already come. In order to express gratitude to my readers, I made 2010 Chinese classic beauty calendar HD wallpaper. 12 Chinese classic beauties will accompany you spending 12 months. As 2010 New Year gift, I hope this can increase your interest in learning Chinese. You can free download it from my network disk:
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The Preview Picture:
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Happy New Year!
The Chinese characters 不 meaning is not.
This Chinese character represents a bird flying up towards the sky and disappearing from sight, as if becoming non-existent. The horizontal stroke signifies the sky as the limit, blocking the bird from ever reaching its destination. Hence the idea of “not”, a negative: 不. Arrogant man, unable even to walk with his fellowman, now tries to fly; to him also, the sky is the limit.
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