Canal

Mission quite possible - Xitang - Button Town

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January 25th 2007
This canal town nearby Shanghai made a good day trip. Xitang means button and that's what put it on the map. They still make them and there is naturally a museum for all fans of the button industry. Today it is a very popular visit for us tourists and even Hollywood has noticed Xitang. The very out of place placard with a picture of Tom Cruise on is a fairly recent reminder that the town was used ... read more

Asia » China » Shanghai

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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. A... ... read more