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Shunyi Travel Blogs

Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

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By shanshan
November 3rd 2006

Group Photo at NLS

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi » Niu Lan Shan

Group photo at NLS

The students had half a day of lessons in the morning and we went visiting to a nearby distillery. The group photo was taken by Henry, from UK who was joining us for the afternoon tour. Henry is teaching English to the junior high students at the branch school where we were staying. [View Full Entry]

By shanshan
November 3rd 2006

Niu Lan Shan Distillery

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi » Niu Lan Shan

Map of visitor's site

Mr Zhao especially arranged for us to visit the Niu Lan Shan Distillery. The first thing that stimulated the senses when I alighted from the bus was the smell of fermented grains. The Niu Lan Shan Er Guo Tou (牛栏山二锅头) is famed here. The distillery has a long history, which is briefly described in the website, http://www.niulanshan.com.cn/. The original distillery was converted to a visitors' site. Niu Lan Shan appears to be pepper with sites that the Emperor Qianlong visited. In the distillery, there is a pavilli [View Full Entry]

By shanshan
November 2nd 2006

First Morning at "Niu Lan Shan Yi Zhong Fen Xiao"

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi » Niu Lan Shan

Silhouette

We stood facing the field, feeling the sunlight on our faces on a cool morning. [View Full Entry]

By shanshan
November 2nd 2006

Yuan Sheng Gong 《元圣宫》

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi » Niu Lan Shan

Yuan Sheng Gong

Niu Lan Shan Yi Zhong 《牛栏山第一中》 started school in the temple known as Yuan Sheng Gong 《元圣宫》. The following website provides and interactive view of the temple, (http://www.nlsyz.com.cn/quanjingtu/yuanshenggong.htm). We learnt that the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty once rested in the temple in his travels. This is indicated by the dragon emblem painted on the horizontal beams above the doors. [View Full Entry]

By shanshan
November 1st 2006

At "Niu Lan Shan Yi Zhong Fen Xiao"

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi

Interaction with NLS students
A candid shot of Hsieh An.

This is the first day of our arrival at NLS. Right after dinner the school arranged for an interaction session with the year 1 students in what appears to be a lecture theatre. The NLS students were very enthusiastic and asked a great many questions. [View Full Entry]

By BJ Scorpio
August 25th 2006

Welcome to Beijing

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi

HELLO FROM BEIJING! Shall I say “NI HAO MA?” (Hello, how are you?) I’m going to have to pour my guts out here, because there are so many things I have to write about which you might want to know - in terms of what I been seeing and doing and work overall first impressions about China. MSN and phones just don’t explicitly detail things like they do with written down words when you really have to think about stuff. Date: 24th August 2006, MELBOURNE AIRPORT FLIGHT MH 128: Departing for Beijing It started with having food poisoning before i even [View Full Entry]

By randomk
June 21st 2006

Day 1: D50 engaged!

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi

I have been taking photographs since the early 1970's but have always been a little lazy when it comes to technical know-how. Last year though, i began using a Nikon D70 as my work camera. After a while I began to play with the shutter speed and aperture settings just to see what happened. Now, I have bought my own Digital SLR and intend to use it as a tool to help me get to know China a little better. Tomorrow I go to Qing Dao, next week on to Guilin, Hong Kong and then further afield to Thailand. Today i [View Full Entry]

By randomk
June 21st 2006

Ignoring Beijing

Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi » Baixinzhang

Wenyu river 1
expats call this the 'stinky river' because of the pungent aroma of hydrogen sulphide in the deposits from factories up stream. Things are getting better though, no smell today

Visitors to Beijing will quite understandably high-tail their way to the major sites of interests as soon as they get off the plane. The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall and so on. These places, whilst spectacular and popular will only give you a certain perspective on this immense and complex city. In the meantime, like in any metropolis, life carries on unabashed and uncensored. In the hutongs (alleyways) and suburbs, ordinary people go about their ordinary lives in happy seclusion. Shunyi County, approximately 17km NNE of Beijing proper is unremarkable i [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Asia » China » Beijing » Shunyi