Sights in China
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Forbidden City
Ringed by a 52m-wide moat at the very heart of Běijīng, the fantastically named Forbidden City is China's largest and best-preserved complex of ancient buildings. So called because it was off limits for 500 years, when it was steeped in stultifying ritual and Byzantine regal protocol, the otherworldly palace was the reclusive home to two dynasties of imperial rule until the Republic demoted the last Qing emperor to has-been.
The design of the palace was originally closely based on its grand and now dilapidated forerunner in Nánjīng. Today, the Forbidden City is prosaically known as the Palace Museum (故宫博物馆; Gùgōng Bówùguǎn). In former ages the price for uninvited…
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Tian Tan Buddha
On a hill above the monastery sits the Tian Tan Buddha, a seated representation of Lord Gautama some 23m high (or 26.4m with the lotus), or just under 34m if you include the podium. There are bigger Buddha statues elsewhere – notably the 71m-high Grand Buddha at Leshan in China's Sichuan province – but apparently these are not seated, outdoors or made of bronze. It weighs 202 tonnes, by the way. The large bell within the Buddha is controlled by computer and rings 108 times during the day to symbolise escape from what Buddhism terms the '108 troubles of mankind'.
The podium is composed of separate chambers on three different levels. On the first level are six statues of…
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798 Art District
A disused and converted electronics factory built by the East Germans, 798 Art District is Běijīng’s leading concentration of contemporary art galleries. The industrial complex celebrates its proletarian roots in the communist heyday of the 1950s via retouched red Maoist slogans decorating gallery interiors and statues of burly, lantern-jawed workers. The voluminous factory workshops are ideally suited to art galleries that require space for multimedia installations and other ambitious projects. You could easily spend a day visiting the complex and its cafes and restaurants, making 798’s noncentral inaccessibility less of an inconvenience and more of an opportunity for an…
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Peak Tower
The anvil-shaped Peak Tower makes a good grandstand for many of the best views of the city and harbour. On Level P1 there’s an outpost of Madame Tussauds, with eerie (and often creepy) wax likenesses of international stars, as well as local celebrities such as Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. There is an open-air viewing terrace (adult/child $30/15) on Level 5.
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Ocean Park
It may have to compete with the natural crowd-pulling powers of Disneyland on Lantau, but for many Ocean Park remains the top theme park in Hong Kong. The accolade is in no small part thanks to a successful revamp of this local institution, which has seen new rides and attractions added to the constantly expanding site as well as consistently record-breaking visitor numbers. The presence of four giant pandas plus four very cute, rare red pandas – all gifts from the mainland – has also contributed to the dramatic turnaround in the park’s fortunes.
The park is divided into two main sections. The main entrance is on the Waterfront (lowland) side and is linked to the…
reviewed
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Summer Palace
Virtually as mandatory a Běijīng sight as the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, the gargantuan Summer Palace easily merits an entire day's exploration, although a (high-paced) morning or afternoon may suffice.
Once a playground for the imperial court fleeing the suffocating summer torpor of the Forbidden City, the palace grounds, temples, gardens, pavilions, lakes, bridges, gate-towers and corridors of the Summer Palace are a marvel of landscaping. Unlike the overpowering flatland of the Forbidden City or the considered harmonies of the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace – with its huge lake, hilltop views and energising walks – offers a pastoral escape into the…
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Hong Kong Disneyland
One of America's most famous cultural exports finally landed in Hong Kong in late 2005. It's divided into four main areas – Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland – but don't expect too much. This is a very small-scale Disney franchise (although there are plans to expand it) with a solitary real adrenaline- inducing roller coaster ride (Space Mountain), while the rest of the park is made up of tamer attractions and of course is rammed with outlets selling Disney merchandise and fast food.
There's plenty for younger children to enjoy, including the full complement of Disney characters patrolling the park and the odd show re-creating great Disney…
reviewed
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Mùtiányù
Famed for its Ming-era guard towers and excellent views, the 3km-long section of wall at Mùtiányù, northeast of Běijīng in Huairou County, is largely a recently restored Ming dynasty structure that was built upon an earlier Northern Qi dynasty edifice. US President Bill Clinton came here (Reagan went to Bādálǐng), if that’s anything to go by. With 26 watchtowers, the wall is impressive and manageable, with most hawking reserved to the lower levels (hawkers go down to around Y15 for cotton ‘I climbed the Great Wall’ T-shirts) : the further you get away from Mùtiányù central the better. It’s actually possible to hike from Mùtiányù all the way west to …
reviewed
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Yùyuán Gardens & Bazaar
With their shaded alcoves, glittering pools churning with carp, pavilions, pines sprouting wistfully from rockeries, and roving packs of Japanese tourists, these gardens (豫园; Yùyuán)are one of Shànghǎi's premier sights – but are overpoweringly crowded at weekends.
The Pan family, rich Ming-dynasty officials, founded the gardens, which took 18 years (1559–77) to be nurtured into existence before bombardment during the Opium War in 1842. The gardens took another trashing during French reprisals for attacks on their nearby concession by Taiping rebels. Restored, they are a fine example of Ming garden design. The spring and summer blossoms bring a fragrant and floral…
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Shāmiàn Island
The leafy oasis of Shāmiàn Island , which was acquired as a foreign concession in 1859 after the two Opium Wars, is a peaceful respite from the city. Back in the 19th century, the British and French were granted permission to set up their warehouses on this 'sand surface island'. The sandbank was connected to the mainland by several bridges, with iron gates that prohibited any Chinese from entering the island. Major renovation has restored some of the buildings to their original appearance, transforming them into chic restaurants and hotels.
Shamian Dajie is a tranquil stretch of gardens and trees. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, built by the French in…
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Old Market Sq
Old Market Sq is the focual point of Old Town. Once the haunt of Naxi traders, they've long since made way for tacky souvenir stalls. However, the view up the hill and the surrounding lanes are still extraordinary, just be prepared to share the experience with hundreds if not thousands of other people.
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Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
The 3rd floor features Shanghai’s idealised future, with an incredible model layout of the megalopolis-to-come plus a dizzying Virtual World 3-D wrap-around tour complete with celebratory fireworks.
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Tiān'ānmén Square
Flanked by stern 1950s Soviet-style buildings and ringed by white perimeter fences, the world's largest public square (440,000 sq metres) is an immense flatland of paving stones at the heart of Běijīng.
Height restrictions have kept surrounding buildings low, allowing largely uninterrupted views of the dome of the sky. Kites flit through the air, children stamp around on the paving slabs and Chinese out-of-towners huddle together for the obligatory photo opportunity with the great helmsman's portrait. On National Day (1 October), Tiān'ānmén Sq heaves with visitors.
In the square, one stands in the symbolic centre of the Chinese universe. The rectangular arrangement,…
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Ruins of the Church of St Paul
The most treasured icon in Macau, the facade and stairway are all that remain of this early-17th-century Jesuit church, called Tai Sam Ba in Cantonese. With its statues, portals and engravings that effectively make up a ‘sermon in stone’ and a Biblia pauperum (Bible of the poor), the church was one of the greatest monuments to Christianity in Asia, intended to help the illiterate understand the Passion of Christ and the lives of the saints. The church was designed by an Italian Jesuit and completed by early Japanese Christian exiles and Chinese craftsmen in 1602. It was abandoned after the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1762 and a military battalion was stationed here.…
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Chi Lin Nunnery
One of the most beautiful and arrestingly built environments in Hong Kong, this large Buddhist complex, originally dating from the 1930s, was rebuilt completely of wood (and not a single nail) in the style of the Tang dynasty in 1998. It is a serene place, with lotus ponds, immaculate bonsai tea plants and bougainvillea, and silent nuns delivering offerings of fruit and rice to Buddha and arhats (Buddhist disciples freed from the cycle of birth and death) or chanting behind intricately carved screens. The design (involving intricately interlocking sections of wood joined without a single nail) is intended to demonstrate the harmony of humans with nature. It’s pretty…
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Guia Fort
As the highest point on the Macau Peninsula, this fort affords panoramic views of the city and, when the air is clear, across to the islands and China. At the top you’ll find a 15m-tall lighthouse, built in 1865 and the oldest on the China coast, and the stunning Chapel of Our Lady of Guia built in 1622 and retaining almost 100% of its original features, including some of Asia’s most valuable mural paintings.
You could walk up, but it’s easier to take the Guia Cable Car that runs from the entrance to Flora Gardens, Macau’s largest public park.
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Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade
One of the finest city skylines in the world has to be that of Hong Kong Island, and the promenade here is one of the best ways to get an uninterrupted view. It’s a lovely place to stroll around during the day, but it really comes into its own in the evening, during the nightly Symphony of Lights, a spectacular sound-and-light show involving 44 buildings on the Hong Kong Island skyline, which runs from 8pm to 8.20pm. The new Deck ‘n Beer bar located here is a great spot to have an alfresco, waterside drink (weather permitting).
Along the first part of the promenade is the Avenue of the Stars, which pays homage to the Hong Kong film industry and its stars, with…
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Silver Beach
This is what most Chinese tourists come to Běihǎi for: Silver Beach, a long stretch of silvery-yellow sand with so-so waters, about 8km south of the city centre. There's a host of midrange, doll's-house-lookalike hotels and a number of places to eat, serving expensive but very fresh seafood. Take bus 3 (Y2) from the central bus station; it runs until 10pm.
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Hong Kong Museum of History
For a whistle-stop overview of the territory’s archaeology, natural history, ethnography and local history, this museum is well worth a visit, not only to learn more about the subject but also to understand how Hong Kong presents its history to itself and the world.
‘The Hong Kong Story’ takes visitors on a fascinating walk through the territory’s past via eight galleries, starting with the natural environment and prehistoric Hong Kong – about 6000 years ago, give or take a lunar year – and ending with the territory’s return to China in 1997. You’ll encounter replicas of village dwellings; traditional Chinese costumes and beds; a re-creation of an entire arcaded street…
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Macao Tea Culture House
The picturesque Lou Lim Ioc Chinese garden was originally owned by Lou Wa Sio back in the 19th century and later inherited by his son Lou Lim Ioc. Now it’s open to the public and local people use the park to practise t’ai chi or play traditional musical instruments. It contains huge shady trees, lotus ponds, golden bamboo groves, grottoes and a bridge with nine turns (since evil spirits can only move in straight lines). The Victorian-style Lou Lim Ioc Garden Pavilion was where the Lou family received guests, including Dr Sun Yat-sen, and is now used for exhibits and for recitals during the Macau International Music Festival in late October/November. Adjacent to the…
reviewed
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Guǎngzhōu City Museum
Near the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King is Yuexiu Park. Within, you’ll find Guangzhou’s Five Rams Statue, a statue of the five immortals attributed to Guangzhou’s founding. On top of a hill in the park is the red-walled, five-storey Zhenhai Tower (Zhènhǎi Lóu), which houses the Guangzhou City Museum. The museum boasts an excellent collection of exhibits that trace the history of Guangzhou from the Neolithic period. On the east side of the tower is the Guangzhou Art Gallery, showcasing Cantonese embroidery, carved ivory decorations, and (oddly) displays outlining Guangzhou’s trading history with the West.
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Apliu Street Market
From the Sham Shui Po MTR station, take exit A1 and you’ll soon fall right into this flea market, which makes a cheaper and more interesting hunting ground than the Temple Street Night Market to the south. Everything from clothing to antique clocks and coins is on sale here, although the real speciality is secondhand electronic goods – radios, mobile phones, stereo systems, amplifiers and spare parts. The market spills over into Pei Ho St.
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Tángjiā Temple
On your way to the Tángjiā Public Garden, detour to visit this 300-year-old temple. A highlight is the grim-looking Buddha statue brought from India when the temple was founded. Board bus 10 on Yingbin Dadao and alight at Tángjiā Market (Tángjiāshìchǎng).
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Zhongshan Park
Known as Jessfield Park to the British, this is a moderately interesting park located in the north east, in the former ‘Badlands’ area of 1930s Shànghǎi. Kids will like Fundazzle ( 翻斗乐; Fāndǒulè), an adventure playground with slides, mazes and tunnels.
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Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
The French were granted permission to build this cathedral after the second Opium War. The twin-spired Roman Catholic cathedral was designed in the neo-Gothic style and built entirely of granite, with massive towers that reach a height of 48m. Take metro line 2 to Haizhu Sq.
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