Blogs from Shanxi, China, Asia - page 6

Pingyao is an ancient Chinese city surrounded by the original walls built over 1000 years ago. Only one section of wall had to be rebuilt after a portion collapsed a few years ago. We wanted to spend some time in Pingyao mainly to break up our long trip from Beijing to Xi'an and unwind after seeing Beijing. Once we arrived, we checked into our hostel and, as usual, hit the streets. The main streets are lined with vendors that at first glance appear to have fantastic genuine Chinese relics. Old chess boards, coins, tools etc. blew us away until we realized every store has the exact same things and they weren't really as old as they looked. There was also an abundance of stone carvings, jade jewlery/statues, and tour groups. Pingyao really is beautiful. We escaped ... read more

Pingyao is a small fortressed city inbetween Beijing and Xian。We took a sleeper train from Beijing at midday and arrived in Pingyao at around half 2am。　Ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｏｒｇａｎｉｓｅｄ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｔｏ　ｐｉｃｋ　ｕｓ　ｕｐ　ｓｏ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｇｒｅｅｔｅｄ　ｂｙ　ａ　ｔｕｋ　ｔｕｋ　ｄｒｉｖｅｒ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔａｔｉｏｎ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｕｂｓｅｑｕｅｎｔｌｙ　ｔｏｏｋ　ｕｓ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ａｎｄ　ｗｏｋｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｎｉｇｈｔｗｏｒｋｅｒ　ｕｐ。Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｐｌｅｓｅａｎｔｌｙ　ｓｕｒｐｒｉｓｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｆｉｎｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　ｈａｄ　ｕｐｇｒａｄｅｄ　ｕｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｃｈｅａｐ　ｄｏｒｍ　ｒｏｏｍ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｌｏｖｅｌｙ　ｄｏｕｂｌｅ　ｒｏｏｍ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａｉｒ　ｃｏｎ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｉｇｇｅｓｔ　ｂｅｄ　ｓｐａｃｅ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｅｖｅｒ　ｈａｄ。　　The　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｗｎｅｒ　Ｂｏｂ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｐｏｋｅ　ｉｍｍａｃｕｌａｔｅ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｏｒｇａｎｉｓｅｄ　ｏｕｒ　ｔｒａｎｓｐｏｒｔ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｌｌｏｗｉｎｇ　ｄａｙ　ｔｏ　Ｘｉａｎ。Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅｎ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｄｏ　ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｅｘｐｌｏｒｉｎｇ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｗｎ　ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｓｅｅ。　　To　ｖｉｓｉｔ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｅｖｅｒｙｗｈｅｒｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｏｎｅ　ｏｆｆ　ｐａｙｍｅｎｔ　ｏｆ　１５０Yuan，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｗｏｒｔｈ　ｉｔ。。。　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｉｔｅｓ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｓｉｍｉｌａｒ　ａｆｔｅｒ　ａ　ｗｈｉｌｅ。　　Ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｈａｓ　ｓｏ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｆｅｌｔ　ｓｏ　ｍ... read more

The hanging monastery has a spectacular setting. It is built into the hillside on wooden stilts. Despite its fragile looking position it is a popular site. Inside there are caves and tiny temple halls with statues. Our hotel had an excellent location next door to the nine dragons screen. A dragon screen used to be placed in front of important buildings to protect them. The palace that this dragon screen protected was destroyed, but the screen remains. We had a free view of the screen from the balcony at the end of the corridor, but I later paid for a proper view and close up photos. The second photo today is one of the huge sculptures at the Yangang caves near Datong. These caves focus on sculpture rather than the paintings at Dunhuang. A notable feature ... read more

I have moved from Shaaxi province to Shanxi province - similar names and they sound the same to me. This is a tiny quiet place next to the yellow river. The village is on the hillside and the traditional houses are based on caves and a turf roof. The house where we stayed was more than 100 years old. I slept on a traditional kang bed. This is a stone bed. In the winter the kang can be warmed by a small stove under the bed. The village is free from traffic other than a few motorbikes. The main industry is agriculture and the main crop is date trees. I contined to walk up the hill beyond the village for further views of the terraced fields and of the river. Our hosts provided an excellent dinner ... read more

My last day in Pingyao was an anthropological session. I immersed in the Chinese ceremonies. At least in the onces in this area.I witnessed a Marriage and a Funeral today. I will tell you what I learnt. As you probably know RED is the most common color here. Why? It a color that mean good luck and prosperity, in the second stage of importance it comes the yellow which mean loyalty (like their flag and the communism symbols, a coincidence?) Anyway, in weddings everything is full of RED and YELLOW. It is very interesting because the couple goes in a red car with flowers on in (plastic ones!) and behind the relatives and friends follows them also in red cars. There are gold yellow ribbon all around. The funeral was a more impactful ceremoy because it ... read more