Blogs from Fuzhou, Fujian, China, Asia - page 2

Chinese Kung fu Kung fu, (also known as Wushu or martial arts) is a traditional Chinese sports which has developed over a long historical period. It is probably one of the earliest and longest lasting sports which utilizes both brawn and brain. The theory of Kung Fu is based upon classical Chinese philosophy. Over its long history it has developed as a unique combination of exercise, practical self-defense, self-discipline and art. In order to survive the extremely hostile environment, our primitive Chinese ancestors learned some primary means of attack and defence such as leaping, tumbling and kicking. Moreover, they generally knew how to fight with weapons made from stones and wood or bare-hand fighting. This is considered to be the origin of Chinese Kung fu. As a traditional form of spiritual expression and refinement in China, ... read more

29th of December 2008 - 1st of January 2009 First of a little bit about the port city, Fuzhou (population approximately 6,608,000) is the capital of the province of Fujian. It is located on the north bank of the Min River (the largest of Fujian’s rivers). Some more interesting facts about this city are: - It was used as the main line of resistance (unsuccessful) against the British fleet arriving from Guangzhou in the 19th century. - A short-lived republic (democratic) was established in the area after the Manchu army surrendered in the province. - It is also the main home of the Snakeheads (people smugglers) and also the main port in which illegal immigrants arrive to foreign shores. Okay, now that you have a little bit of a background, let me give you my impressions ... read more

Vrijdag 1 augustus. Omdat we toch nog heel wat foto's over hadden van onze 'ondekkingstocht' door de wijk San Fang Qi Xiang zijn we van plan om hier een wat uitgebreider verslag over te maken. Op dit moment is de tekst nog niet klaar, de foto's zijn al wel geselecteerd. Toekomstige verslaggevers: Berna en Wim.... read more

We had hoped to see more of China in the second week of Dan’s holiday - possibly to Henan and Xi’an, cradles of Chinese civilisation. However, tours are exhausting, and for Dan, after the long hours at work, a second tour was unthinkable. We started dreaming of a few days at a resort on Sanya Beach on Hainan, but a phone call between Dan and her father made it clear that we needed to return to Fuzhou, and give him support. His mother, Dan’s grandmother, has passed away in mid-October at the magnificent age of 96. Dan’s father had been her main carer and was finding the transition difficult. Again we went by sleeper bus, and Dan spent the first afternoon visiting her father Liu Zheng Feng; we ate together that night at our favourite Macau ... read more

On Friday night, M. picked us up at the end of his workday for the four hour drive to his hometown of Fuzhou, where we stayed at the 3-star Yishan Hotel. The next morning, M. and his wife Y. took us to one of the older streets in the city: a fascinating mix of small stores and craftsmen. Among the most interesting were the wedding decoration shop, the street butcher's and old cobbler's shops and a man making spring mattresses by hand. Next we went to the stone and antique market. It was Saturday and many stone carvers had come to sell their products - mainly onyx - ranging from jewellery to large works of art. Norma bought several small gifts here, all carved from the "Long Life and Happiness" stone. By midday, the market ... read more