Zhaoxing

Zhaoxing01

Zhaoxing village is located about 72 kilometres (45 miles) from Liping County Town, Guizhou, and is one of the largest Dong villages in China. Zhaoxing boasts a population of over 4,000 people and 800 households. According to local legend, this village was supposedly founded during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), meaning the village ancestors settled there over 840 years ago.

Zhaoxing is one of the most famous Dong villages in China, in part due to its size but predominantly due to the fact that it has five Drum Towers. Each tower is specially named in order to promote a certain virtue. The first tower is called “Ren”, which means “benevolence”. The second is called “Yi”, meaning “righteousness”. The third is named “Li”, meaning “courtesy”. The fourth is called “Zhi”, meaning “wisdom”, and the fifth is named “Xin”, meaning “faithfulness”. Each tower is different in terms of its method of construction, size, height and external appearance. Of the five towers, the Zhi Tower is generally considered to be the most beautiful. There are also numerous Wind-Rain bridges in the village, which are located on the Nanjiang River that runs through Zhaoxing.

Outside each of the Drum Towers, there are theatre stages and singing platforms. Every night, these platforms come alive with vivid plays and powerful folk songs performed by the villagers. The liveliness and size of this village makes it the perfect place to experience any of the Dong festivals, including the Dong New Year, the New Harvest Festival, the Lusheng[1] Festival, and the Sama Festival. Of all the Dong festivals, the most famous is the 500-year-old festival known as Ni Ren Jie or Ni Ren Festival. This festival is celebrated every year on August 15th according to the Chinese lunar calendar, and takes place in Xiage village, which is about four kilometres away from Zhaoxing. It is normally celebrated after the autumn harvest. During the festival, the Dong people give thanks to the gods for a good harvest and express their love of the earth.

Ni Ren Jie is separated into two parts, referred to in the Dong language as Duoma (playing with mud) and Daoshen (bull-fighting). In the Duoma part of the festival, young, half-naked men will enter a pond that has been specially made for the festival and try to catch fish with their bare hands, which muddies the water. Each time they manage to catch a fish, they will hold it high in the air and the onlookers will loudly praise them. As the young men scramble to catch fish, the pond will become muddier and muddier, until eventually they start daubing mud on the bodies of everyone involved. When all of the participants are completely covered in mud, the Duoma part of the festival ends and the Daoshen part begins.

On exiting the pond, each participant will take their prize bull to the pond for the bull-fighting competition. These bulls are specially raised for this festival alone. They do not plough fields or do farm work of any kind, and are kept on a special diet to make sure they are larger and stronger than normal working bulls. The bulls will either fight within the pond or within a specially made ring near the Drum Tower. After many bouts, the final winner will be chosen and given the title of “Bull King”, which is a precious honour for both the bull and its master.

zhaoxing02No matter what is happening in Zhaoxing, whether it is a local festival or simply just a regular working day, the locals are very friendly and welcome tourists to come join them. If you still have time and energy after your trip to Zhaoxing, there are six other Dong villages nearby that are also worth visiting. One of these villages, called Tangan Village, is about 7 kilometres to the east of Zhaoxing and is home to the only Dong People Eco-museum. There is also a nearby mountain called Mount Sansui, which rewards any hiker who scales its heights with a stunning view of the surrounding countryside.

Zhaoxing is one of the more accessible Dong villages. You can fly to Liping County from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Guilin and Guiyang. From Liping, there are buses every hour to Zhaoxing and the journey takes about two hours. Alternatively you can take a bus directly from Guiyang to Zhaoxing, which takes about nine to ten hours. There are plenty of guesthouses and a handful of hotels in the village, which are all reasonably priced.

 

[1] Lusheng: A wind instrument made of multiple bamboo pipes, each fitted with a free reed, that are all in turn fitted into a large, hardwood pipe. Normally there are five or six bamboo pipes that are each of a different pitch. Air is blown into the hardwood pipe to create sound. They vary in size from small, handheld ones to ones that are several metres in length.

 

Join our travel to visit the beautiful Zhaoxing Village: Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Shaanxi Local Snacks

As you walk through the streets of Xi’an, you’ll be bombarded with the cries of vendors selling their unique variations on local snacks. In some cases, these local snacks are held in as high esteem as the signature dishes of the province. From the sweet to the savoury, from the large to the small, snacks play a very important role in Chinese culture. So if you want a real taste of China, you need to get stuck in and try a few of the local delicacies that you won’t find in any restaurant. Thanks to its Muslim community, Shaanxi boasts a wide variety of snacks that span a myriad of cooking styles. We’ve listed a few here to whet your appetite and showcase the grandeur of Shaanxi’s local nibbles.

Roujiamo or Shaanxi Hamburger (肉夹馍)

Roujiamo or Shaanxi Hamburger

 

The Shaanxi Hamburger earned its unusual name thanks to its suspicious similarity to its Western cousin. That being said, the two are entirely unrelated. The way roujiamo is made varies from vendor to vendor and region to region, with some vendors using mutton, some using beef, some using pork, and all of them using a different mixture of seasonings to make their roujiamo stand out from the crowd. The “mo” part of the name refers to a type of flatbread in China made from wheat flour that makes up the bun part of the hamburger. This type of bread dates all the way back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) and was originally baked in a clay or mud oven, although now it is often made in a frying pan or pressure cooker. The fluffiest, tastiest “mo” are made using the original method. The recipe for the meat used in roujiamo dates all the way back to the Zhou Dynasty (1045-256 B.C.) and usually consists of finely chopped meat, coriander and chillies, although recipes will vary from vendor to vendor. This tantalising snack is soft, moist and wonderfully flavoursome.

Liangpi or Cold Noodles (凉皮)

Liangpi or Cold NoodlesLiangpi are traditionally seen as one of the most popular snacks in Shaanxi. Liangpi are not actually noodles, but are often referred to as noodles due to the resemblance in shape and texture. Although liangpi are served cold, this dish is served throughout the year. Liangpi can either be made from rice flour (mianpi) or wheat flour (ganmianpi). The types of liangpi can be further subdivided into Hanzhong Liangpi, Majiang Liangpi and Shan Xin Gan Mianpi. Hanzhong Liangpi originated from the city of Hanzhong in southwest Shaanxi. These liangpi are steamed and seasoned with garlic and hot chilli oil. Majiang Liangpi are typically garnished with julienned cucumber and a sauce made from salt, vinegar, hot chilli oil and black sesame paste. Shan Xin Gan Mianpi are made from a different type of liangpi altogether, which looks darker in colour and has a firmer texture. These liangpi are always served with vinegar, chilli oil, salt, mashed garlic and bean sprouts. Whatever variety of liangpi you fancy, we’re sure that you’ll find this snack both delectable and refreshing!

Osmanthus Persimmon Cakes (黄桂柿子饼)

Osmanthus Persimmon Cakes These “cakes” are not cakes in the traditional sense of the word and actually resemble donuts in appearance, although they taste vastly different. Osmanthus Persimmon Cakes are made from the local persimmons grown in the Lintong District, which have earned the name “fire-crystal persimmons” due to their vibrant colour. A mixture of local persimmons and wheat flour is used to form a casing around the soft filling, which is made from osmanthus flowers, rose-petals, walnuts and sugar. The casing is moulded into a circular shape around the filling and is then fried in hot oil until the skin is slightly browned. The ingredients used to make the filling will vary from vendor to vendor. This snack was created by the Uyghur ethnic minority and is particularly popular in the Muslim quarter of Xi’an. These soft, crispy persimmon cakes are exotic to look at and comforting to eat.

 

Taste some Shaanxi Local Snacks on our travel Explore the Silk Road in China

 

Basha Village

basha miao village

 

Basha is a village unlike any other in China. It is home to members of the Miao ethnic minority but it is unique amongst all other Miao communities. This is because it is the only place in China where residents are still legally allowed to own and carry guns. When the Chinese government tried to confiscate the guns from the members of Basha village, they refused and it was decided that they should be allowed to keep their rifles as part of their rich cultural heritage. To this day, visitors are welcomed with a thrilling display of expert shooting by the local men.

Basha Village is about 7 kilometres away from Congjiang County Town in southeast Guizhou. According to local legend, the village was established over 2,000 years ago when their ancestors emigrated from Central China to the remote, mountainous regions of Guizhou. These ancestors were frontline troops who used rifles to defend the village from outsiders and occasionally from wild animals, such as bears. This is why gun ownership has become such an important part of their culture.

basha04As you enter Basha Village, you’ll notice a board with the words “China’s First Village of Tribe Culture” inscribed upon it. Do not be alarmed if you are greeted with men brandishing their rifles! This is part of their traditional welcoming ceremony and they have no intention of harming you. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see them fire their cannon. The village itself is home to about 1,000 residents and has over 400 separate households. The villagers still live in traditional Miao dwellings known as Diaojiaolou, which are wooden houses held up by stilts. They are normally two-storeys high, with the front of the house supported by pillars and the rear directly affixed to the mountain using wooden stakes. There are also wooden structures called “rafts” scattered throughout the village that are used to dry un-husked rice.

Due to their cautious nature, the villagers have virtually isolated themselves from the outside world. They are almost completely self-sufficient and still maintain practices and customs that date back hundreds of years. Their traditional dress dates back all the way to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, as does the men’s unique hairstyle. All of their clothes are made from hessian or “gunny cloth”. Local women spin natural fibres or “gunny threads”, and then cut them into shorter segments, which are neatened and used to weave the cloth. The cloth is dyed using a mixture made from a local plant and egg whites. It is the local plant that gives the clothes their distinct, bluish-purple colour and the egg whites that make the fabric waterproof and shiny.

basha 03Some of the villagers do not wear shoes, even in the freezing cold winter. The local men wear collarless coats with buttons on the left hand side or down the front, and short, baggy trousers. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the men will have little, embroidered “tails” attached to their coats. These “tails” are actually gifts from local girls and each one symbolises that the man has won the heart of a girl. The more “tails” a Basha man has, the more popular he is with the women in the village. Each man will also carry a claymore (a type of sword) at their waist and a hunting rifle on their shoulder.

The men of this village sport a hairstyle that is completely unique to Basha. Rather than having their hair cut, boys will grow their hair long, like the girls. Sometime between the age of seven and fifteen, each boy will have a coming of age ceremony where they are given the choice to retain their long hair or have it shaved. During the shaving ceremony, the tribe leader will wet a sickle and then delicately shave off all of the boy’s hair except for the hair at the centre, which will be coiled into a bun. This is done without any kind of shaving cream or other shaving tools. If the young man decides to keep his hair, it will be kept long and coiled into a bun on top of his head. Local men believe that their hair bun is a symbol of their masculinity and power. When the boys are fifteen years of age, they will be given their own rifle as a sign that they are now adults.

The women’s clothing in Basha is much more elaborate. Like the men, they also wear a coat that is buttoned down the front, but instead of trousers they wear a kilt and adorn their attire with colourful wraps, leg wrappings and wristbands. Their clothes are all beautifully embroidered and incredibly colourful. Sometimes young girls will also wear silver ornaments on their chest. The Miao people in Basha are categorised as part of the “Short Miao” subgroup. The Miao ethnic minority are generally subdivided into two subgroups based on the length of the women’s skirts, hence the term “Short Miao” to denote the shorter skirts. These subgroups differ culturally and adhere to a different set of customs.

basha01The local religion in Basha involves worshipping trees and the villagers have a particular reverence for the maple tree. They believe that the buns on their heads represent trees and their bluish purple clothes represent tree bark. When a baby is born in Basha, they plant a tree for them and oftentimes this tree will be cut down and used to make that person’s coffin when they die. The ancient trees in Basha are the most revered and it is forbidden to cut them down or damage them in any way. On important occasions and during traditional festivals, the villagers will burn incense under these ancient trees and pray for health and happiness.

Normally each big tree will have a swing hanging from it that is strong enough to carry two people. They are used by the village children to play on but traditionally their main role is in courtship. On the 7th of July every year, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the villagers will hold the Swing Festival. For three days, young people of both genders will play on the large swings. If a boy notices a girl that he likes, he will jump on the swing with her and then step on her feet to show that he loves her. If his love is requited, then the girl will step on his feet before continuing to play on the swing. If the love is unrequited, then the girl will simply continue playing on the swing and the boy will have to try his luck somewhere else.

biasha miao menOther festivals in Basha are celebrated using the lusheng[1], a traditional wind instrument of the Miao people. When the Basha villagers are worshipping the God of the Sun, they will face the sun with their lusheng, take seven steps back and then begin playing. Most of the festivals take place in the Lusheng Hall near the village. The “hall” is actually a round piece of flat ground surrounded by ancient trees. According to locals, this place is sacred and was formed naturally, with no outside influence. During festivals, the locals will perform what is called the Lusheng Cai Tang, which is when the men, and sometimes the women, vigorously play the lusheng. Sometimes they will even dance while playing the lusheng. Lusheng Hall is usually open to the public.

With all of this excitement on offer, it’s no wonder that Basha has developed such a fine reputation. Its people and their customs have remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, and are still as fascinating and mysterious as ever. It truly is the perfect place to experience the diversity of Miao culture in China.

 

[1] Lusheng: A wind instrument made of multiple bamboo pipes, each fitted with a free reed, that are all in turn fitted into a large, hardwood pipe. Normally there are five or six bamboo pipes that are each of a different pitch. Air is blown into the hardwood pipe to create sound. They vary in size from small, handheld ones to ones that are several metres in length.

 

Join our travel to enjoy the amazing Miao performance in Basha Village: Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Xiaohuang

xiaohuang dong village

 

Xiaohuang is located about 22 kilometres away from Congjiang County. However, about 14 kilometres of the road is a sandy, zigzag path through the mountains, so the bus from Congjiang to Xiaohuang can take about an hour. Over 3,000 people live in this village and, as the village is pretty isolated from the outside world, the locals have become relatively self-sufficient. To this end, everyone in the village is proficient at farming, hunting and weaving cloth.

Xiaohuang is often referred to as the Village of Songs because the Dong people in this village are particularly accomplished at performing polyphonic folk songs known as “Dage” or Grand Songs. In 1996 the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China bestowed the title “the Village of China Folk Art” on Xiaohuang because of its preservation of the Dong singing tradition. Over one third of the population of Xiaohuang is made up of professional folk singers. While some folk songs are accompanied by the pipa[1], most are sung without any musical accompaniment.

From dusk till dawn, you will always be greeted by the harmonious sound of singing throughout Xiaohuang. The Dong ethnic minority have no written language, so they use folk songs to narrate their daily life, express their feelings and keep a record of their history. All of Dong culture is preserved in these magnificent folk songs. The more songs a Dong person knows, the better educated they are considered to be. Singing is so important to the Dong people that supposedly, in the past, if a man couldn’t sing then he would struggle to find a wife.

From an early age, children in the village are encouraged to love singing and hold on to this passion well into their old age. Children from the age of five will be trained by one of the accomplished local singers free of charge and these singing teachers are greatly revered in the village. The villagers are separated into different choirs depending on their age and gender. Every choir is distinguished by their particular style of singing and the topics of their songs. For example, choirs of young children will sound sweet and lively, while choirs of young girls sound innocent and full of passion, and choirs of men have a depth to their voices that sounds haunting and powerful. Female choirs incorporate sopranos, mezzo-sopranos and contraltos and male choirs incorporate countertenors, tenors, baritones and bass’.

Kam Grand Choir 01The most talented singers in any Dong village make up what are called Kam Grand Choirs. The Kam Grand Choir tradition is thought to date back all the way to the Warring States Period (475BC-221 B.C.), with a history of over 2,500 years behind it. In 2009, it was made a World Class Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. A Kam Grand Choir is a polyphonic choir that sings without the help of a conductor or any accompanying orchestra. Most songs performed by these choirs consist of a prelude, a main body made up of several sections and an ending. These songs are designed to imitate the natural world, such as the chirping of insects, the gurgling of streams, the whistling of the wind and other soothing natural sounds. The singing is designed to spur the soul and originate from the heart. The solo singing will be done by the sopranos and the bass section is sung by the rest of the choir. The soprano section will be performed by between one and three sopranos, depending on the style of song.

There are Male Choirs, Female Choirs and Child Choirs, and each of these is further separated into four main categories based on their styles, melodies and the content of their songs. In the Dong dialect, these four categories are called Gating, Gama, Gaxiang and Gaji. Gating or “Choirs of Sound” perform songs that are characterised by an undulating melody and short lyrics, employing the use of several sopranos. This style of song is dedicated almost entirely to imitating the sounds of the natural world. The famous Cicada Song is a fine example of a Gating-style song. Gama or “Romance Choirs” perform songs revolving around the theme of love and employ slow rhythms and soft voices to heighten their effect.

Kam Grand Choir 02Gaxiang or “Morality Choirs” perform songs that are designed to educate, advise or console the Dong people by praising virtues and condemning inappropriate behaviour. These songs have an even tune in order to draw focus to their lyrics. Finally, Gaji or “Narrative Choirs” perform songs that focus on dialogue and plot, and are characterised by slow, melancholy or soothing tunes. The Gaji songs are some of the hardest to perform, as they require the performers to remember lengthy lyrics, complicated plots and various key facial expressions. Usually these songs will be led by only one soprano.

If you want to experience the majesty of a performance by a Kam Grand Choir in Xiaohuang, you will have to book it in advance. The scale of the orchestra will vary depending on how many tourists have booked a place and how much they have paid. However, if you come during any of the Chinese public holidays, you’ll be treated to a free performance by the villagers. The best time to come is on National Day public holidays, which is around 1st of October every year. Unfortunately, during these public holidays Dong villages like Xiaohuang can become crowded.

dong ethnic group 01If you want to avoid the crowds, we recommend that you visit during the Dong New Year festival, which is normally sometime between late October and early November every year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. During the New Year celebrations, the surrounding Dong villages will hold a singing competition that is truly magnificent to behold. A similar competition organised by the government is now also held during Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and occasionally a singing competition will also be held on August 16th(Chinese lunar calendar). If you’re taking a tour of the Dong villages, we strongly recommend visiting Xiaohuang and experiencing first-hand a village that is forever immersed in song.

 

 

[1] Pipa: A four-stringed plucking instrument that has a pear-shaped wooden body and anywhere from 12 to 26 frets. It is sometimes referred to as the Chinese lute.

 

Join our travel to enjoy the fantastic Dong Kam Grand Choirs in xiaohuang Village: Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Dong Villages

yintan500

 

With a population of nearly 3 million people, the Dong ethnic minority is one of many thriving, culturally diverse communities found in China. The greatest concentration of Dong people live in Guizhou province, in the southeast of China. There are many Dong villages in Liping, Rongjiang and Congjiang County that have survived for hundreds of years and the locals in these villages have enjoyed a lifestyle that has remained largely unchanged since the villages were established. Dong villages characteristically have wooden houses supported by stilts. The Dong ethnic minority is famed in particular for its Wind-Rain bridges, Drum Towers and rich history of folk singing. In every Dong village, there will be at least one Drum Tower, one Wind-Rain Bridge and one Kam Grand Choir.

When visiting any of these regions, you need to ask for permission before you enter any of the Dong villages, out of respect for their local customs. If you notice a thatch design or a rope hanging from the village gate, this means a religious festival is taking place and normally only residents will be allowed admittance into the village. There are numerous Dong villages in Guizhou, such as Sanbao village and Yintan village, which all have their own unique properties and customs. To give you a better idea of what life in a Dong village is like, we’ve dedicated two articles to the villages of Zhaoxing and Xiaohuang, which are both different but magnificent in their own way.

No matter where you go in Guizhou, you’re bound to encounter some aspect of the vibrant and fascinating Dong culture. Xiaohuang and Zhaoxing are just two examples of a rich treasure trove of villages that are just waiting to be discovered in the lush, mountainous countryside of Guizhou. Whether you want to revel in the haunting melodies of the Kam Grand Choirs or bask in the shade of a colossal Drum Tower, southeast Guizhou is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the life of the Dong people.

 

Discover more about Dong Culture in Dong villages on our travel: Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

Guizhou Province

Dong kids01

 

Guizhou is the perfect place to avoid the tourist crowds and enjoy your own little slice of rural China. With its temperate climate, beautiful scenic spots and variety of ethnic groups, Guizhou is one of the most culturally and environmentally diverse provinces in China. It is a mountainous province and is home to several species of animal, like the Kuankuoshui salamander, that are found nowhere else in the world. Although it is currently one of the poorer provinces in the country, its tourism industry is gradually growing and beginning to flourish.

Guizhou can be abbreviated to simply “Qian” . The word “gui” in Chinese means “precious” so the name “Guizhou” literally means “precious prefecture”. It was so-called for its valuable natural resources, including an abundance of precious minerals such as coal, mercury and gold. Guizhou province is in southwest China and shares its borders with Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Hunan. Guiyang is its provincial capital but other major cities in Guizhou include Anshun, Kaili, and Zunyi.

It’s a predominantly mountainous province, although the eastern and southern regions are relatively flat and the western region forms part of the stunning Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, which is famed for its biodiversity. The climate in Guizhou is subtropical and humid, meaning it benefits from mild winters and comfortable summers, although the province is frequently plagued by heavy monsoons. The average temperature is roughly 10 to 20 °C, with lows of around 1 °C in January and highs of around 28 °C in July.

Guizhou is second only to Yunnan Province in terms of its ethnic diversity and is home to 48 of the Chinese ethnic minority groups, including Miao, Yao, Dong, Bouyei, Tujia, and Gelao people. These ethnic minorities make up over 37% of the population in Guizhou and 55% of the province has been designated as an autonomous region for these ethnic minorities. The Miao village of Basha is home to the only community in China that is still allowed to own guns. The Bouyei villages are renowned for their stone houses, which are intricately arranged and use no other materials or cement to hold them together. The Dong villages boast the stunning Wind-Rain Bridges and Drum Towers that have become synonymous with their culture.

In short, each village in Guizhou has its own history, culture and customs that is unique to its resident ethnic minority. If you travel during the special festival times in Guizhou, you’ll also be treated to local performances and special local foods. On top of all these culturally enriched attractions, Guizhou is also full of beautiful, natural scenic spots, like the Huangguoshu Waterfall and the Dragon Palace Cave. If you’re feeling brave, you may even want to try the locally produced Maotai liquor, China’s most famous national liquor. If you want to know more about China’s myriad of ethnic minorities and experience their culture first-hand, then Guizhou is the perfect place for you.

 

 

Discover the various culture of Ethnic Minorities in Guizhou on the travel:  Explore the culture of Ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, or Dayan Pagoda, is a true monument to Buddhist culture and architecture. It currently stands at a massive 64 metres (210 ft.) and is seven storeys high. It is square in shape, in-keeping with the Tang-style of architecture. In 2014, due to its impressive stature and rich history, it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a place where modern-day Buddhists still practice their faith today. Yet it has not always been this tall, nor has it always been quite this impressive. Its history stretches all the way back to the Tang Dynasty, over 1,000 years ago, and details the fascinating story of how, thanks to the diligent efforts of the monk Xuanzhang, Buddhism became a prominent feature in Chinese culture. But why is it so important to Buddhists? And why is it called the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda?

The pagoda is situated in the centre of Da Ci’en Temple in the famous city of Xi’an[1]. Thanks to the rich tapestry of Tang Dynasty history, Xi’an is steeped in statues, artefacts and ancient buildings just like the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. The history of the pagoda began during the Tang Dynasty, when the famous monk, translator and traveller Xuanzhang[2] entreated Emperor Gaozong to allow him to build a Buddhist pagoda in Da Ci’en Temple. As Xuanzhang was the current abbot of the temple and as he was a well-respected scholar throughout the country, Emperor Gaozong conceded to his request and Xuanzhang was able to personally supervise the building of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. The original building was completed in 652 A.D. and was made of rammed earth with an exterior stone façade. It was originally only 54 metres (177 ft.) tall and only five storeys high. Its main function was to house the sutras and figurines of Buddha brought to China from India by Xuanzhang. Xuanzhang spent a phenomenal 17 years and travelled through 100 countries to gather these relics, including 657 kinds of sutras[3]. He then enlisted 50 other monks and scholars to help him translate 1,335 volumes of sutras from Sanskrit into Chinese. This endeavour on Xuanzhang’s part heralded a whole new era in the history of translation.

However, being made mostly of earth, the pagoda was not particularly stable. It had to be rebuilt in 704 A.D. by Empress Wu Zetian, who added five storeys to the structure, and was again damaged in 1556 by a large earthquake, which destroyed three of its storeys. During the Ming Dynasty it was once again repaired and renovated, and has remained virtually unchanged to this day.

The name “the Great Wild Goose Pagoda” supposedly comes from a famous folk story about Buddhist history. Originally it was believed that there were two factions of Buddhism: one which permitted the eating of meat and one which did not. One day members of the branch that ate meat couldn’t find any meat to buy or eat. A flock of plump geese flew temptingly past them but they were much too high to reach. One of the monks prayed that the merciful Buddha provide them with meat that day and at that exact moment, as if by magic, the leading goose broke both its wings and fell from the sky. The monks believed that this was a warning from Buddha, prompting them to be more pious and less fixated on worldly pleasures, and so they renounced the eating of meat altogether. The Great Wild Goose Pagoda is supposedly built on the spot where the famed goose fell.

Nowadays the Great Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the most popular and flourishing tourist attractions in Xi’an. A climb to the top of the pagoda rewards you with a stunning view of Xi’an city and directly in front of the Pagoda, in the North Square of Da Ci’en Temple, you’ll find the largest musical water fountain in Asia. The water fountain covers a monumental 15,000 square metres and is divided into three parts: the Hundred-meter Waterfall Pool, the Eight-level Plunge Pool and the Prelude Music Pool. This musical light display seamlessly combines water features, like the 60 metre (197 ft.) wide, 20 metre (66ft.) high “Fire Fountain”, with beautiful music from the symphony “the Water Phantom of Tang”. There are regular performances every day but the show closes down from November through to January of every year.

With its walls that are finely engraved with statues of Buddha by the famous artist Yan Liben, with its many inscriptions written by noted Chinese calligraphers, and with its unrivalled water fountain display, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda is a star attraction in Xi’an city that you can’t afford to miss. It is not only a monument to the Tang Dynasty; it is a symbol of the immortality of Chinese culture.

[1] Xi’an rests on the site of the ancient capital city of Chang’an

[2] Xuanzhang (602 – 664 A.D.): Xuanzhang was a Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar, who mainly studied and focused his efforts upon the interaction between China and India during the Tang Dynasty.

[3] Sutra: One of the sermons of the historical Buddha

Join our travel to visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda: Explore the Silk Road in China and Explore Chinese Culture through the Ages

Shaanxi Cuisine

shaanxi-cuisine-caituan

Like its neighbour Sichuan, Shaanxi’s cuisine is characterised by its intense spiciness. However, unlike other spicy styles of cuisine in China, Shaanxi differentiates itself by utilising strong, heavy, salty flavours that comfort the palate and warm the body in this particularly cold climate. The emphasis in Shaanxi cuisine is on savoury flavours so salt, garlic, onion, and vinegar are liberally used, with a marked lack of sugar compared to other styles of Chinese cuisine. As Shaanxi is in the north of China, the preferred staple dish is noodles over rice, although Shaanxi noodles differ from those of Beijing and Shanxi in terms of their width, thickness and length. When it comes to Shaanxi noodles, bigger is better. Many Shaanxi signature dishes are characterised by wheat or rice noodles that are almost freakish in size, but no less delicious than their smaller counterparts.

Shaanxi cuisine is best known for its pork and mutton dishes, although other meats, such as beef, duck and chicken, are still popular throughout the province. Shaanxi cuisine can be separated into three different types: Northern Shaanxi style, Guanzhong style, and Hanzhong style. Northern Shaanxi style is characterised by its pork dishes and its predominant use of steaming as the main cooking method. Guanzhong style is known for its distinctively heavy flavours and utilises both pork and mutton equally. Hanzhong style bears the greatest similarity to Sichuan-style cuisine and is known for its particular spiciness. Amongst the cannon of delicious Shaanxi signature dishes, we’ve selected but a few to give you an idea of what this province has to offer.

Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew or Yangrou Paomo (羊肉泡馍)

Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew

Yangrou Paomo is the most famous dish in Shaanxi and quite possibly one of the most famous dishes in China, receiving praise from numerous Chinese celebrities visiting Shaanxi. To this day the dish is still served in the traditional way, which may seem bizarre to people who aren’t local to Shaanxi. First you will be served with one or two pieces of wheat flour flatbread, but don’t eat them! Although it may seem like an appetizer, this bread is actually part of the main dish. You must break the bread into small pieces, the smaller the better, and this can prove quite a challenge as the bread can be quite hard. The waiter or waitress will then take the broken pieces of bread back to the chef, who will soak the crumbled flatbread in deliciously seasoned mutton gravy. After about five to ten minutes, the chef will ladle the soup and bread back into your bowl, along with a generous helping of noodles and sliced mutton. The waiter will typically offer coriander, sweet pickled garlic and hot chilli paste to garnish the dish. These accompaniments are designed to alleviate the potential greasiness of the mutton and add flavour to the dish.

Biángbiáng noodles 缺字图片缺字图片面

biangbiang noodlesThe Chinese character for “biáng” is considered one of the most complex characters in the Chinese language and still has yet to be officially featured in the Chinese dictionary. This character is so complicated that various rhymes have been written to help people remember how to write it. No one knows exactly what the character means or how it came to be, but its unfathomable complexity has helped make it and the noodles that bear its name famous throughout China. Biángbiáng noodles are known as one of the “ten strange wonders of Shaanxi province” thanks to their unusual name and characteristic shape. They are sometimes described as being like a belt due to their extreme thickness, width and length. The noodles are pulled by hand and were originally considered a poor man’s meal, as their ingredients are cheap and abundant in Shaanxi. Nowadays they enjoy great popularity and even feature in some of the trendier restaurants in Beijing. The dish differs from restaurant to restaurant with varying garnishes such as hot red chillies, coriander, beef or mutton, though the shape of the noodles remains largely the same.

Gourd-shaped Chicken or Hulu Chicken (葫芦鸡)

Gourd-shaped Chicken This dish dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-690 A.D.) and was traditionally made using a hen that weighed only one kilogram (2 lb.). The dish does not actually contain any gourds and gets its name from the chicken, which is shaped to look like a gourd. To make the dish, a whole chicken is boiled, steamed and then fried. After that it is either shaped to look like a gourd or, in some restaurants, placed into a decorative gourd-shaped container. The tender chicken melts off the bone and the crispy skin adds a mouth-watering crunch to the dish. The chicken is normally served with a sauce made from chilli, fennel, salt and pepper, but most people say this is unnecessary as the chicken alone tastes divine. We recommend you eat this dish as part of a group, as the chicken is served whole. That being said, after one bite you may want it all to yourself!

Fish in Milk Soup (奶汤锅子鱼)

Fish in Milk Soup This dish is one of the oldest established dishes in Shaanxi and dates back over 1,300 years. It made its debut in the ancient capital city of Chang’an (modern-day Xi’an), where it was served at imperial banquets. Later it became popular with the lower class and has endured to this day. This dish is a type of hotpot. The broth is made by stewing the bones of chickens, ducks and pigs. This is what gives the broth its distinctive milky appearance. The broth is then served in an ornate red copper pot and is heated by burning local Xifeng liquor, instead of charcoal. The Xifeng liquor gives off a sweet, tantalising aroma as it is burned. Strips of clean, white flesh from a freshly-caught carp are then added to the bubbling soup. Once the fish has cooked through, the dish is ready to eat. The soup has a rich savoury flavour and it softens the carp perfectly so that the flesh flakes off easily.

 

Taste some authentic Shaanxi Cuisine on our travel Explore the Silk Road in China and Explore Chinese Culture through the Ages

 

Xi’an

Xi’an was once one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China and it has managed to maintain its fine reputation to this day. It is the capital of the northern province of Shaanxi and for 13 feudal dynasties it was designated as the capital of China. Before the Ming Dynasty, it was known as Chang’an, meaning “Long-lasting Peace”, but its name was changed to Xi’an, meaning “Western Peace”, in 1369. The Lantian Man, the fossils of a human ancestor that date back over 500,000 years, were found just 50 kilometres southeast of Xi’an and Banpo Neolithic village, the remains of several Neolithic settlements that date back over 5,000 to 6,000 years, were found on the eastern outskirts of the city. Truly Xi’an must have been one of the cradles of ancient civilization.

Nowadays, Xi’an is probably most famous for being the starting point of the ancient Silk Road and for the discovery site of the Terracotta Army. Thousands of tourists flock to Xi’an every year to see the Terracotta Warriors at Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum or to start their tour of the Silk Road. With a population of just over 8 million people, Xi’an is currently the most populated city in Northwest China. Its population is growing rapidly and it is predicted it will soon become a mega-city like Beijing or Shanghai. The population of Xi’an is predominantly ethnically Han Chinese but there is a large concentration of ethnically Hui people in the Muslim Quarter of the city.

Xi’an was the first city in China to be introduced to Islam and, in 651 A.D., Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty officially allowed open practice of the religion. This allowed the Hui people, who are Muslims, to thrive in the area and thus a large concentration of them have remained in Xi’an. There are an estimated 50,000 Hui people in Xi’an and they form a tight knit community that oscillates primarily around Muslim Street and the Muslim Quarter.

Xi’an is also the birthplace of the Qinqiang style of opera, which is the oldest of the four major styles of opera. It is also sometimes referred to as “random pluck” and is the main form of entertainment throughout Xi’an and Shaanxi province. If you are an avid fan of Chinese opera, you’ll notice the similarities between Qinqiang Opera and Beijing Opera, Yu Opera, Chuan Opera and Hebei Opera. This is because Qinqiang Opera is their earliest ancestor and many other styles of opera have borrowed features from the Qinqiang style. Qinqiang Opera dates all the way back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) and still maintains its popularity to this day.

Aside from the Terracotta Army, the Silk Road and the wealth of cultural attractions, Xi’an is also home to several lesser known tourist attractions that are still definitely worth visiting. These include the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Da Ci’en Temple, the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower and the Great Mosque, to name but a few. Xi’an boasts such a myriad of different architectural and cultural attractions that a lifetime may not be enough to discover them all!

 

Xi’an is one of the many wonderful stops on travel Explore the Silk Road in China and Explore Chinese Culture through the Ages

 

Da Ci’en Temple

Da Ci’en Temple in Xi’an city is best known for housing the famous Great Wild Goose Pagoda and the largest musical water fountain in Asia. Yet there is more to this temple than simply these two attractions. The temple site is separated into four squares, each with its own attractions and historical meaning. The history behind this Buddhist temple is both fascinating and poignant. The reason behind its name, in particular, is a story of mourning and filial piety[1], a concept held in high-esteem in Chinese culture. So what exactly does “Da Ci’en” mean? And what does Da Ci’en Temple have to offer tourists today?

Da Ci’en Temple rests on the site of an ancient pagoda that was built in 589 A.D., during the Sui Dynasty, and was called Wu Lou (Five Storey) Temple. Over the years this temple fell into disrepair, but in 648 A.D., during the Tang Dynasty, the crown prince Li Zhi spearheaded the renovation of the temple in honour of his mother, the Empress Wende, who had tragically suffered an early death. Li Zhi wanted to pay tribute to his mother’s kindness and so named the temple “Da Ci’en”, which means “kindness and grace” in Chinese. This Temple of Kindness and Grace has stood as a monument to Empress Wende for centuries and it was said that, when Li Zhi became emperor and changed his name to Emperor Gaozong, he still took time to look out from Hanyuan Palace at the temple twice a day in order to pay homage to his beloved mother. The famous Buddhist monk Xuanzhang[2] was abbot of this temple and masterminded the construction of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda there. The temple originally had 13 separate courtyards and 1,879 rooms, all of them unmatched in their grandeur, but tragically the temple once again fell into disrepair after the fall of the Tang Dynasty. It was renovated during the Ming Dynasty and the surviving halls and rooms were all built during that time.

Nowadays the temple is full of interesting historical sites and stunning gardens that are regularly enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. The temple site is separated into four parts: the North, South, East, and West Squares. In the North Square you’ll find a copper statue of an ancient book that tells the story of how the Tang Dynasty rose to power. There are two Buddhist beacons in this square, both 9 metres tall, which are designed after the famous Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. You’ll also find statues of famous figures from the Tang Dynasty, such as the poets Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, and Han Yu, the unparalleled calligrapher Huai Su, and the “King of Chinese Medicine” Sun Simiao, scattered throughout the square.

In the South Square the focal attraction is the statue of the monk Xuanzhang. It is a place where many Buddhists and locals come to relax and appreciate the majesty of this historical figure. In the East Square you’ll find the Shaanxi Opera Garden, where visitors can enjoy stunning reliefs, paintings and statues of writers, scenes and characters from the Qinqiang (Shaanxi) style of Opera. The West Square is also a garden but it is predominantly dedicated to representations of daily life in ancient Shaanxi and is called the Shaanxi Folk Customs Garden. The only recognisable historical figures in the garden are sandstone statues of the Tang generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde, who together guard the gate into the park. The rest of the statues depict scenes and features of ancient Shaanxi life, such as the roaring crowd during a local opera and the large, round baked wheat cake that has been a staple food in Shaanxi for hundreds of years. The streets that link the North and the South Square also contain similar statues of wrestling competitions, birthday parties or visits to the doctor in ancient Shaanxi and are also a perfect place to pick up a few souvenirs.

On top of all of this, you also have the Tang Ci’en Temple Site Park (originally Chunxiao Garden) to the east of Da Ci’en Temple, where locals and tourists can relax and practice Tai Chi. It rests on the site of the original Da Ci’en temple and thus contains many statues that depict the temple’s history. Not to mention there is also the Great Tang All Day Mall in the south part of Da Ci’en Temple, which is a triumphant combination of modern buildings and artificial Tang-style architecture. This huge mall complex contains some fantastic attractions, including the Zhenguan Monument, the Xi’an Concert Hall, the Xi’an Grand Theatre, the Qujiang Cinema and the Shaanxi Art Gallery, to name but a few.

With all of these magnificent attractions on offer, you’ll need to set aside at least a full day to get the most out of your trip to Da Ci’en Temple.

[1] Filial Piety: the concept of being devoted to and respectful of ones parents and elders. It is particularly important in Chinese culture.

[2] Xuanzhang (602 – 664 A.D.): Xuanzhang was a Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar, who mainly studied and focused his efforts upon the interaction between China and India during the Tang Dynasty.

Join our travel to visit the Da Ci’en Temple: Explore the Silk Road in China and Explore Chinese Culture through the Ages