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.
November 21st 2007Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang
I leave Yangshou with yet another slight hangover and get to Guilin.. O ... 34 photos[full story]
June 10th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang Getting from Yangshuo to Fenghuang was always going to be interesting. I did a little internet research on the matter, and found a range of blogs warning of impossible connections, language nightmares ... 5 photos[full story]
May 10th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang We are now in the town of Fenghuang. We arrived thismorning at 6:00am after catching a local bus from Yangshuo to Guilin (2.5 hours). We then had to get a bus from Guilin to Huaihua (14 hours) along ... 3 photos[full story]
March 12th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang I finally said goodbye to Fenghuang on Monday. I’d spent my last day taking it easy. The rain had descended on the town and there wasn’t a lot to do. I did get up early on Sunday mornin ... [full story]
March 9th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang My next destination was to Fenghuang in Hunan province. I knew that it was going to be a long journey there so I'd mentally prepared myself for one or two problems along the way. It started relative ... [full story]
March 9th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang My next destination was to Fenghuang in Hunan province. I knew that it was going to be a long journey there so I'd mentally prepared myself for one or two problems along the way. It started relative ... [full story]
January 15th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang Hello again,
This is the continuation of our epic journey in China.
The last leg of our journey before reaching Fenghuang was a one-hour bus ride. It was during this jaunt that our luck really i ... 14 photos[full story]
January 15th 2008Asia » China » Hunan » Fenghuang It's been exactly one week since we left the cozy confines of Hong Kong and crossed into mainland China at Shendzhen. Under the stern gaze of the Chinese Police we nervously handed our passports and t ... [full story]
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