Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

TIANSHAN001

The name “Xinjiang” literally means “New Frontier” and may seem rather misleading, as this region has been formally part of China since 1884. Yet its official name, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is such a mouthful that it’s no wonder people chose to abbreviate it! Located at the northwesternmost point of the country, Xinjiang is the largest subdivision in China and, spanning over 1.6 million square kilometres (620,000 sq. mi), it accounts for a sixth of China’s total territory. It’s larger than France, Germany, and Spain combined but tragically only 4.3% of its land area is considered habitable for humans!

Geographically, the region is divided by the east-west chain of the Tian Shan Mountains, with the Dzungarian Basin in the north and the Tarim Basin in the south. Terrain in the former is dry steppe while the latter contains large portions of the Takla Makan desert surrounded by oases. Generally speaking, the Dzungarian Basin is cooler and receives more rainfall but still has a desert at its centre, known as the Gurbantünggüt Desert. So no matter where you are in Xinjiang, be prepared to get sand in your shoes!

Flame mountainsThe Karakoram and Pamir Mountains rest to the southwest, while the Kunlun Mountains are to the south and the Altai Mountains are to the northeast. With snow-capped mountains, scorching deserts, and dry arid landscapes making up the majority of Xinjiang’s territory, it’s unsurprising that few people are sturdy enough to live there! The climate is marked by swelteringly hot summers and bitterly cold winters. In particular, Turpan Prefecture is often referred to as the “flaming continent” as its summer temperatures can exceed 40 °C (104 °F)! Further north, in the more mountainous areas, winter temperatures regularly plummet to below −20 °C (−4 °F).

Xinjiang is home to a number of ethnic minorities, including the Uyghur, Kazakh, Tajik, Hui, Kyrgyz, and Mongol people, most of which are religiously Muslim. Uyghurs represent about 44% of the overall population and approximately 90% of the population south of the Tian Shan Mountains, while Han people are in the majority towards the north and Kazakh people dominate the region’s northernmost point.

Yet the earliest evidence of life there came in the form of the Tarim mummies, which date back to 1800 BC and are of Caucasian descent. East Asian migrants arrived in the Tarim Basin approximately 3,000 years ago, while the Uyghur’s ancestors immigrated to the area in 842 AD. Over a period of 2,500 years, the region was subject to major political turmoil and has belonged to a succession of empires, including the Tocharians, Xiongnu, Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Tibetan Empire, Uyghur Khaganate, Mongol Empire, Yuan Dynasty, Chagatai Khanate, Dzungar Khanate, and Qing Dynasty, to name but a few!

The Dzungarian Basin was once known as Dzungaria and was inhabited by a nomadic Buddhist people called the Dzungar, while the Tarim Basin was home to an oasis-dwelling Turkic people who evolved into modern-day Uyghurs. However, this was all to change during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), when the Qianlong Emperor ordered the extermination of the Dzungar people. From 1755 to 1758, in what is commonly known as the Dzungar Genocide, the Qing army massacred the Dzungar people and replaced them with sponsored settlements of Han, Hui, Uyghur, and Manchu people.

Approximately 80% of the Dzungar’s 600,000-strong population was wiped out, partly by war but mostly by smallpox, and much of their culture was purposefully extirpated. In 1884 the Qing court established Xinjiang as a unified region, containing the territory surrounding both the Tarim and Dzungarian basins.

Uyghurs001Nowadays it is still an area of political unrest as the relationship between local Uyghurs and the Chinese government has begun to worsen. This is mainly due to religious and cultural differences, as the Uyghurs are a Muslim Turkic people. That being said, these issues only flair up occasionally and the region is still considered safe for foreign tourists so long as they are careful and stay informed.

In terms of religion, the majority of the population follow the Sunni branch of Islam, although there is a large minority of Shia Muslims. The magnificent Afaq Khoja Mausoleum and Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar are considered the two most sacred Islamic locations in Xinjiang, while the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves are a major Buddhist site.

Xinjiang’s greatest claim to fame is its significance to the ancient Silk Road as several of its cities, including Urumqi, Kashgar, and Turfan, were once key stops along this historical trade route between China and Central Asia. These routes were designed mostly to avoid the unforgiving Takla Makan Desert, which nowadays is another popular attraction. After all, if ancient people could successfully cross parts of this desert on horseback, we should definitely be able to do it in our Land Rovers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dongba Culture Museum

dongba musuem

The Naxi ethnic minority have thrived in Yunnan for centuries and their complex yet fascinating Dongba culture is evidence of this. Dongba culture refers primarily to the written language, sculpture, artwork and architecture related to the Naxi religion known as Dongba. What makes Dongba culture so fascinating is that it encompasses the only known hieroglyphic writing system still in use; Dongba script. This script is made up of over 1,400 characters and symbols that are unique to the Naxi people. The Dongba Culture Museum is home to over 10,000 antiques, including more than 2,400 Dongba relics, making it the foremost institute for the preservation and research of Dongba culture. With its wonderful mixture of indoor, outdoor and live exhibits, the museum is sure to enliven as well as enlighten your day.

The Naxi people have lived in a number of towns scattered throughout Lijiang for centuries and thus played an instrumental role in commerce along the Tea-Horse Road. They prospered by selling their locally grown tea and handmade embroidered silk, which enabled them to build up a legacy and culture that many other ethnic groups of similar size weren’t able to achieve. This also meant that, as part of the major trade route, they came into contact with a myriad of other Asian cultures, from the Chinese Bai ethnic minority to traders from as far away as India. This intermingling of other, diverse cultures with their own has resulted in the captivating history, clothing, artwork, writing system and architecture that you can find in the museum today.

The museum is only about 300 metres from the back entrance to Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang Old Town, making it the perfect stop on your day out in Lijiang. It was founded in 1984 and built in the style of a traditional Naxi courtyard house. Its architecture is particularly stunning, with a charming arch and wide open spaces that allow it to host a myriad of exhibitions that even the largest indoor museums couldn’t dream of.

Within the indoor exhibits you’ll find many of the artefacts that have come to make the museum famous, such as Naxi paintings, Dongba holy books, religious sacrificial tools, and traditional festival clothing. The open air exhibits provide access to beautiful replicas of Naxi architecture throughout the ages, from ancient caves and wooden nest buildings to modern-day homes. Some of these dwellings look so cosy that you may be tempted to settle there but be forewarned, they have no central heating or internet access!

At set times during the day, local Naxi people descend upon the museum and re-enact Dongba religious rituals, such as the mystifying “sacrifice to heaven” ceremony, as part of their live exhibits. These performances are sure to take you back to a time when ancient elemental deities held sway over earth and shamans wrote their glyphic, unfathomable holy books, powdered herbal poultices for the sick and engaged in rituals to appease the gods. Just don’t interrupt a shaman at work, or you may end up as their next sacrifice!

Thus far, the Dongba Research Centre in Lijiang has managed to translate over 1,500 volumes of Dongba script. They have provided researchers with great insight into the history, culture and religion of the Naxi people, and this information has been passed on to visitors in the form of various introductions and exhibitions throughout the museum. With only about 30 Naxi people left in the world who can still write Dongba script, we recommend you head to the museum as soon as possible or risk missing out on this mysterious culture.

Chengde

The city of Chengde boasts the largest royal hunting grounds, royal garden, royal temple group, and wooden Buddhist statue in the world. Not to mention it’s also home to the shortest river in the world that does not freeze in winter. Though that last one may seem a little tenuous, this long list of achievements means you’d be hard pushed to find a reason not to go to Chengde! This prefecture-level city, just north of Beijing, is home to large constituencies of the Mongol and Manchu ethnic minorities and has been a melting pot of nomadic cultures for centuries.

Historically the city was known as Rehe, which literally means “Hot River”. It was named after the local river which, in spite of the icy cold temperatures, never freezes during winter thanks to the many hot springs that feed into it. That being said, “not frozen” hardly counts as “hot”, so perhaps “Lukewarm River” would have been a more appropriate name!

The surrounding landscape is an idyllic mixture of plateau and mountainous regions, with numerous rivers flowing through the city. Amongst these verdant meadows, the Mulan Paddock is the most famous and represents the world’s largest imperial hunting grounds. Its jade hued grasslands appear to be boundless, stretching out over 2,300 square kilometres (888 sq. mi). With Mongolian yurts dotted like small pearls across its expanse and with the vast blue sky above it, it appears like a scene from a watercolour painting.

It was supposedly on a hunting trip through these charming grasslands that the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) took notice of Rehe. He decided that this should be the location for his summer resort and began construction of the complex in 1703. Yet it would be 89 long years before this sneaky summer getaway was finally finished. I can’t imagine the Kangxi Emperor’s summers here were too relaxing, considering it must have looked like a construction site 90% of the time!

When most of us think of a summer home, we think of somewhere balmy and warm, backing onto a silvery beach. Yet, as illogical as it may seem, the Kangxi Emperor chose Chengde because its climate was cooler than that of his home! The resort’s official name literally translates to mean “Mountain Estate for Escaping the Heat”, as Chengde’s summer was far more temperate than that of Beijing and so royals would flock to the resort in an attempt to escape the oppressive heat.

Since the seat of government always followed the emperor, Chengde became one of China’s political centres and people soon flocked to the city, meaning it began to grow exponentially. Mongol vassal princes would assemble at the resort every year for a great feast, and it soon became the place for the emperor to receive foreign envoys. Yet, by 1821, the resort had largely fallen out of favour and the practice of summering there was gradually discontinued. You know you’re too rich when you can afford to abandon a summer home that’s twice the size of most theme parks!

The complex covers a staggering area of 5.6 square kilometres (2.2 sq. mi) and is separated into four areas: the palace area, the lakes area, the plains area, and the hills area. Unsurprisingly, the palace area hosts the main palace and the lakes area consists of 8 lakes, while the plains area was once used by the emperor to host horse races and hunts. The hills area is arguably the most elaborate, as it is the site of hundreds of palaces and temples within the complex. The whole resort, including the Eight Outlying Temples, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The Eight Outlying Temples lie outside of the resort’s walls and were built by incorporating features of Tibetan, Manchu, Man, Han, and Mongolian architecture. The most well-known is the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, which was built during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796) and was modelled after Potala Palace in Lhasa. The nearby Puning Temple, which was built in 1755, contains the largest wooden statue of the Buddhist goddess Guanyin, resplendent with her 42 outstretched arms and towering in at a height of 22 metres (72 ft.).

Sledgehammer Peak is another popular attraction in Chengde and is made up of a large rock formation that greatly resembles an inverted sledgehammer. It sits among a variety of other mountains along the borders of the city that are just waiting to be explored!

Chengde Mountain Resort

The Chengde Mountain Resort is just north of Chengde and is about 230 kilometres (143 mi) from Beijing. Although it is also known as Rehe Temporary Palace, it has in fact stood tall for nearly 300 years. After all, in a country where some of the bridges are over 1,000 years old, 300 years may still count as temporary! This monumental imperial palace was built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and was designed to mimic the layout of the country, making it a proverbial mini-China. With its rolling hills, verdant grasslands, shimmering lakes, and dense forests, it incorporates scenery from across the country. This magnificent remnant of China’s feudal pasts was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The History

According to local legend, the Kangxi Emperor was hunting in nearby Mulan Paddock when he first set eyes on the ancient town of Rehe (modern-day Chengde). He decided to make it the site of his summer resort and began construction in 1703. Eighty-nine years and three emperors later, the complex was finally completed!

The Emperor’s ancestors had been from the grasslands, so Rehe seemed like a natural choice for his summer resort. Not to mention, its Chinese name literally translates to mean “Mountain Estate for Escaping the Heat”, as Rehe’s summer was far more temperate than that of Beijing and so royals would flock to the resort in an attempt to escape the oppressive heat. Yet the motives for building here, though partially personal, were actually far more political.

Mulan Paddock had been established as a way for the Emperor to keep an eye on the northern borders and strengthen his control of the Mongolian region. Every year the Emperor would bring his ministers and royal army, along with his family and concubines, to hunt on these grounds and thus reassert his claim to the territory. This entourage could consist of thousands of people and thus, in an effort to accommodate them, 21 temporary palaces were built. This was the beginning of the Chengde Mountain Resort.

Since Chengde rests further north of Beijing and thus closer to the border between China and Mongolia, the summer resort predominantly functioned as a stronghold to reaffirm the Emperor’s dominance over the Mongolian people and to help him manage defence of the northern borders. Since the seat of government always followed the emperor, Chengde became one of China’s political centres and soon began to grow exponentially.

Throughout summer and autumn of every year, the Kangxi, Qianlong, and Jiaqing emperors would spend vast quantities of time at the resort handling military and government affairs, as well as receiving the leaders of ethnic minority groups and foreign envoys. In fact, they spent so much time at this summer retreat that the Jiaqing and Xianfeng emperors would both die here in 1820 and 1861 respectively. They died as they had lived; surrounded by beautiful architecture and even more beautiful women!

The Layout

Chengde Mountain Resort covers an area of 5.6 square kilometres (2.2 sq. mi), making it the largest surviving royal garden in the world. To put that into perspective, this makes it about five times the size of the original Disneyland! The resort is surrounded by a colossal wall that is 10,000 metres (32,800 ft.) long and the complex is separated into four areas: the palace area, the lakes area, the plains area, and the hills area.

The Palace Area takes up the southern part of the resort and was designed to resemble the Forbidden City in Beijing, in an effort to help the emperors feel at home. It is split into four parts: the Main Palace, where the emperor would receive officials, nobles, and foreign envoys; the Pine-Crane Hall, which was built by the emperor to house the empress dowager; the East Palace, which was tragically destroyed by a fire in 1945; and the Pine Soughing Valley, which was used by the emperor and his officials as a reading room. The main bed chambers, where the imperial family would stay, can be found in the rear and the main palace has now been converted into a museum, where articles used by the Qing Dynasty emperors are encased in wonderful displays.

The Lakes Area can be found in the south-east portion and is laid out according to traditional Chinese landscape gardening. The area consists of 8 islets and 8 lakes which have each been given a fanciful name to reflect their appearance, such as Mirror Lake, Silver Lake, and Half-Moon Lake. They are surrounded by groups of buildings in an effort to imitate the scenery south of the Yangtze River.

The Plains Area rests in the north of the resort and can be divided into two parts: the western grasslands and the eastern forests. The former was used for horse-racing while the latter was known as the Ten Thousand Tree Garden and served as a political centre where the emperor would receive visitors. The Wenjin Hall, one of the largest imperial libraries in China, sits in the western part of this forest, while other buildings can be found dotted throughout. Another outstanding feature of the plains area is a 70 metre-high (230 ft.) stone pagoda that was built in 1751 and is one of the tallest of its kind.

The Hills Area in the north-west is the largest section of the resort and consists of four huge ravines: Zhenzi, Songlin, Lishu, and Songyun. These fanciful names translate to mean Hazelnut, Pine, Pear, and Pine-cloud Valley respectively. The 40 groups of halls, pavilions, temples, and monasteries that once decorated this vast expanse have now tragically been lost and are evidenced only by their ruins.

Hebei

Hebei

Though the name Hebei may sound exotic, it literally means “North of the River”, thanks to the province’s location north of the Yellow River. With the Taihang Mountains in the south and the Yan Mountains in the north, Hebei is like a natural fortress nestled deep within the North China Plain. From east to west, the Great Wall winds its way through its northern reaches and terminates at the seacoast of Shanhaiguan in the northeast.

The province rests in the north of China and borders Liaoning to the northeast, Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi to the west, Henan to the south, and Shandong to the southeast. Its location means it feels all four seasons in their full grandeur, from cold and dry winters and windy, wet springs to hot, humid summers and warm, balmy autumns. Temperatures plummet to between −22 to −3 °C (3-27 °F) in January and soar to averages of 17 to 27 °C (68-81 °F) in July.

The municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin were both carved out of land that once belonged to Hebei, yet this isn’t the first time its territory has been reappropriated. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), it became a site of strategic significance, since it lay along the northern border, and defence of the region was paramount in order to prevent invasions from the Han people’s nemesis, the nomadic Xiongnu people.

From this point onwards, Hebei would unfortunately change hands more times than a tennis ball in a Wimbledon final! When the Han Dynasty collapsed, the region came under the control of several warlords until it was annexed by the Kingdom of Wei (220–265). It then enjoyed some stability before it was plunged into the chaos of the Sixteen Kingdoms Period (304-439) and the Northern and Southern Dynasties Period (420-589). In the ensuing panic, Hebei would be conquered by the Later Zhao, Former Yan, Former Qin, Later Yan, Northern Wei, and Northern Qi dynasties respectively. Imagine potentially waking up to a new ruler each day, and that’s how the Hebei locals felt!

It would only return to imperial rule when the Sui Dynasty (581-618) reunified China in 589. Yet even this would not last, as it was soon split up by several regimes during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960). It would be subsumed by the Liao (907-1125) and Jurchen Jin[1] (1115-1234) dynasties before finally being reincorporated into China proper during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). With such a disjointed history, it’s a small wonder the residents of Hebei aren’t constantly on edge!

Nowadays, one of its most popular tourist sites is Shanhaiguan or “Shanhai Pass”, the easternmost end of the Great Wall. It is informally known as the “First Pass of the World” and nearby, in Beidaihe, there is a popular beach resort where top governmental officials used to meet.

Yet, in a time when there were no fancy holiday destinations, it seemed the only logical solution was to build one for yourself! And that’s exactly what the Qing Dynasty emperors did when they erected the Chengde Mountain Resort; a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the province that is virtually unmatched in its grandeur. Another relic of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Western and Eastern Qing tombs, can be found in the southwest of Hebei and are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They represent the resting place of 161 Qing emperors, as well as several other royal family members. So, in a place of constant upheaval, at least the dead can have some peace!

[1] Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115-1234): Led by the Jurchen clan, who were of Manchu descent and controlled most of northern China but were ultimately defeated by the rising Mongol Empire. Not to be confused with the imperial Jin Dynasty (265-420).

Hefei

As the provincial capital, Hefei is the historical, cultural, and political centre of Anhui province. With a growing population of approximately 7.6 million people, you’d expect this prefecture-level city to be an urban jungle of concrete high-rises and tarmacked roads, yet its scenic surroundings add a natural flair to this otherwise man-made affair. The Huai River flows to the north and the Yangtze is to the south, while the magnificent Chao Lake, one of China’s great lakes, is just to its southeast. The shimmering waters, dense forests, and colourful meadows that surround the city all endow it with an inimitable charm. Yet this peaceful place once played host to a battle so infamous that it has become practically legendary.

In the 3rd century, during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280), one of the most significant conflicts of China’s history took place; the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford. This was the culmination of several decades of warfare between the Kingdoms of Wu and Wei and was waged at Xiaoyao Ford in Hefei. General Zhang Liao of Wei led the attack, a skilled cavalry of 800 men, while the Kingdom of Wei boasted an army of over 200,000 soldiers.

Yet miraculously General Zhang Liao and his minute force defeated the Wei army. So the next time you’re in a competition and you’re facing unwinnable odds, just think of General Zhang. Even if you’re just buying your lottery ticket! The site has since been converted into a public park, where visitors can ironically relax in a place where such a heated battle once raged.

Throughout the 4th and 6th century, the area represented a crucial border region between the northern and southern states and so was much fought over. As a result, its name and administrative status frequently changed. The current city dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), as the original city rests a little to the north, and it is sometimes referred to as Luzhou, since this was its name throughout the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties.

Bao gongBy far its most popular and prestigious attraction is the Memorial Temple of Lord Bao, which rests in Lord Bao Park. Imagine how important you have to be in order to get your own park and your own temple! In fact, Lord Bao was such a focal figure in Chinese history that there’s even a second memorial temple dedicated to him in Kaifeng, Henan province.

Lord Bao, also known as Bao Zheng or Bao Gong, was a government official during the Song Dynasty who was born in Hefei and who rose to prominence thanks to his honesty and righteousness. He became well-known for punishing even the most powerful families and showing no nepotism when it came to dispensing justice. The temple itself was built in 1066 but went through extensive reconstruction during the Qing Dynasty.

Aside from this, the city has many other charming parks, including Xiaoyaojin Park, Xinghua Park, and Yaohai Park, as well as the lovely Hefei Botanical Gardens. In the southern part of Xiaoyaojin Park, the ancient Mingjiao Temple stands as a testament to the many battles that Hefei has endured. Although it has been destroyed and restored many times, it has managed to remain a focal feature of the city for nearly 1,500 years.

Mount Dashu is another popular sight-seeing spot where, after only a short 30 minute hike, visitors are rewarded with a panoramic view of the city. At the foot of this mountain, the delightful Kai Fu Buddhist Temple is a haven where visitors can relax and admire its elaborate architecture.

However, to truly understand Hefei as a cultural centre, you must see a local performance of Lu Opera. This type of opera originated from the area and emerged as an independent style during the Qing Dynasty. It is often described by fans as natural and simple yet rich and vivid in its range. Either way, it’s bound to be better than the Spice Girls!

After a long evening of wandering through parks and watching Lu Opera, most locals wind down by indulging in a plate of Luzhou Roast Duck or a bowl of crayfish; two of the tantalising delicacies that can be found in this city. During summer, people from all walks of life can be seen sat outside, drinking beer and dipping freshly boiled crayfish in a tart vinegary sauce. You’d be cray-zy not to join in!

Hakka Performance

Hakka Performance

The Hakka people have become known for a type of folk song known as Hakka Hill Songs. These rural songs are sung exclusively in the Hakka language and many of them are over 1,000 years old! Originally they were designed as a method of communication over distance. Since the Hakka people mostly live in mountainous regions, singing was a better means of communication than the spoken word because the higher pitch of sound would carry further. Some people even believe that in the past they were used as a method of flirtation between young men and women. So next time your mobile phone has no signal, just try singing instead!

The theme of the songs can vary from love to personal etiquette, although some focus on more sombre topics such as hard work and poverty. Nowadays many Hakka Hill Songs are improvised on the spot and convey a specific message or express the singer’s feelings. The lyrics may also contain puzzles as a way to entertain or challenge the listener. Other singers will then answer the puzzle in the form of another song with a similar tune. Guangdong’s Meixian Prefecture is home to many Hakka people and they frequently hold Hakka Hill Song competitions, where they invite competitors from across China to participate in battles of wit and melody!

 

 

Dali Prefecture Museum

Dali bai museum01

With a history stretching back over 4,000 years, it’s no wonder Dali was the first city in Yunnan to get its own museum. The Dali Prefecture Museum, known to most by its ridiculous long official name of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Museum, was established in 1986 and is free to enter so long as you provide proof of ID. The museum was built in the Bai ethnic minority architectural style, meaning that the building is a cultural relic in of itself. China’s wonderful tradition of “living” museums, where interactive exhibits delight visitors, is what makes them unique and the Dali Prefecture Museum is no different. From its tranquil open-air gardens to its March Celebration activities, this museum is far too lively to start gathering dust anytime soon!

The exhibition halls are all based on the Bai concept of “three rooms and one wall screening, four joints and five courtyards”, which is how most Bai homes look. The first half, “three rooms and one wall screening”, refers to the structure of the main house, which will usually have one main room, two side rooms and a “shining wall” that faces west so it reflects light back into the house at sunset. The second half, “four joints and five courtyards”, refers to the four courtyards in the corners of the house that join the four walls together and the fifth courtyard that sits at the centre. Having adopted this layout, the museum is satisfyingly symmetrical and is permeated by lush cypresses and looming pine trees. The building has been described as a work of art in of itself, and is definitely worth seeing even if you don’t fancy going into the museum.

The Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902) and the Dali Kingdom (937-1253) once ruled over Yunnan and made Dali their capital. Under their reign, Dali prospered as a trade hub and became instrumental in the dissemination of Buddhism throughout the country. This makes Dali Prefecture Museum unique, as its one of the only places where you can find cultural relics from either of these ancient kingdoms. The museum is the central institution in Dali when it comes to conducting research and excavations, amassing collections, and holding exhibitions. This means that, although it is still relatively young, it has managed to accumulate over 7,000 articles for display. So, if you spent just 30 seconds looking at each object in the museum, you’d need two and a half days to get through them all!

Dali bai museum02The museum is made up of twelve exhibition halls, eight of which are open throughout the year. These include exhibitions of paintings, stone carvings and cultural artefacts from the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, articles of fine marble, chinaware, and bronze relics, items related to Bai folk customs, and historical relics from the Cultural Revolution. While many of the exhibits focus on the founding and history of the Nanzhao and Dali empires, the Bai folk customs exhibition features stunning traditional clothes and craftworks from the Bai ethnic minority and the Modern Revolutionary exhibit tells the story of the patriots who passed through Yunnan during the Long March[1].

Amongst the 7,000 artefacts owned by the museum, several of them are considered priceless. They are the only relics of their kind in the world, so be careful not to press on the glass cases or you’ll be paying for it your whole life! After all, how could you put a price on stunning bronze ornaments dating back to the Warring States Period (c. 476-221 B.C.) or earthenware horses from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD)? From the many marble statues of Buddha through to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) golden cap inlaid with shimmering rubies and sapphires, the museum is a banquet of colourful delights that are sure to caress and satisfy the senses.

We recommend visiting the museum from March to June, as the resident camellias will be in bloom and the March Celebration activities will be taking place. Walking through the exhibits, each one more luxuriant than the last, you’ll undoubtedly start to feel like an Emperor strolling through his palace. Just be sure not to start barking orders at anyone, or you might get yourself thrown out!

 

 

[1] The Long March (1934-1935): The famous path that the Red Army of the Communist Party took to evade the pursuit of the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party). Mao Zedong led the retreat and his participation was instrumental in his subsequent rise to power.

Guangxi Museum

guangxi museum

Unlike the staid, quiet museums that we’re used to in the West, Guangxi Museum is a vibrant establishment of living history, with live performances, interactive exhibits and a wealth of cultural resources. The museum stretches over a phenomenal area of just over 32,000 square metres or about 4 and a half football pitches! Guangxi Museum is just east of Qiyi Square in Nanning city, but be sure to set aside plenty of time to visit it, as walking between exhibits alone will leave you exhausted. If you plan your journey carefully, you should even be able to take part in a few of the demonstrations at the Cultural Heritage Centre.

Guangxi Museum is particularly famous for its impressive collection of bronze drums. Some of these drums date all the way back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476B.C.) and, with 360 of the 610 in existence, Guangxi has the largest collection in the world. Among the 60 bronze drums that are currently on display, there is one referred to as the “King of Bronze Drums” because it is the largest of its kind in the world. Being the largest bronze drum may not seem that impressive at first, but when you consider that this drum weighs more than two baby elephants, you can see why they call it the King.

Yet drums aren’t the only thing on offer. The museum houses over 50,000 cultural relics whose histories stretch over thousands of years. There’s an 800,000-year-old hand-axe, a huge and mysterious spade from the Neolithic Age (c. 8500-2100 B.C.), a wooden tablet that was inscribed during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.), a mystical bronze basin with fairy-tales carved into it, and a bronze horse that is nearly 1.5 metres (3.7 ft.) tall. Amongst the strange wonders, antiquated paintings, revolutionary documents, and ancient books that make up the many exhibits, you’ll probably start to feel a little overwhelmed!

Guangxi museumNot to worry, Guangxi Museum has a light-hearted side too. As you pass through the many exhibitions, you’ll come upon the Guangxi Folk Customs Exposition. This is a sequence of exhibits featuring cultural artefacts and historical information about 11 of the resident ethnic minorities, including the Zhuang, Yao, Miao, Dong, Shui, Hui, Yi, Gelao, Mulao, and Maonan people. The vibrant colours of the festival outfits and the charming legends of these ethnic minorities make a stark contrast to the sombre atmosphere of the other exhibits and will add a touch of excitement to your museum tour. After looking at so much tantalising jewellery and reading about so many delicious local dishes, you’ll want to rush to the nearest small village to have a try!

But there’s no need to travel all the way to ethnic villages like Huangluo or Dazhai. The Guangxi Museum has added a Cultural Heritage Centre where visitors can watch performances by members of the aforementioned ethnic groups. The centre is so large that it also contains replicas of various ethnic structures, including drum towers, wind-and-rain bridges, and typical village gates. This section of the museum boasts a more interactive approach to history, where visitors can participate in antiphonal singing, dance with the performers, learn the traditional way of making bean curd (tofu), wine, and soya-bean milk, and join in a number of other folk activities. Here you can sing your heart out, dance till you drop, and sample some of the finest delicacies that the ethnic minorities of Guangxi have to offer.

Gaobei

Encompassed by towering mountains, dense forests, and bubbling brooks, the village of Gaobei in Yongding County may seem like the most unlikely place to meet royalty. Yet here, hidden like a gem within the countryside, lies Chengqi Lou; the “King of Tulou”. Around the streams that wind through Gaobei, a cluster of these fortress-like earthen dwellings rises up and adds new magnificence to the landscape. They resemble fortified villages and were initially designed to protect the inhabitants from bandits and wild animals, although nowadays the only thing threatening them is the occasional door-to-door salesman!

The grandest and largest in Gaobei is Chengqi Lou, which is four-storeys high and over 62 metres in diameter. Construction of this tulou began in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) but it wasn’t completed until 1709, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). It took three generations of the local Jiang family to build this spectacular tulou. In three generations, my family have barely managed to pay off a house, let alone build a fortress! Chengqi Lou is a circular tulou and is renowned for its four concentric rings; one that surrounds the complex and three within it.

The first or outer ring is four-storeys high, with the ground floor made up of kitchens, the second floor acting as grain storage rooms, and the third and fourth floors being used as living quarters and bedrooms. In its heyday, this complex could support over 800 people, and nowadays it still houses an impressive 57 families and 300 people. The second ring is two-storeys high and is comprised of 80 rooms for general use. The third is only one-storey high and its 32 rooms make up a community library. After all, when you’re being besieged by bandits and the tulou is locked down, how else would you entertain yourself? Nothing like a good book to get you through a potentially hostile takeover!

The final ring is just a covered corridor that surrounds the ancestral hall, where inhabitants still worship their venerated ancestors. In total, Chengqi Lou contains a staggering 370 rooms. This means that, if you spent one night in each room, it would take you over a year to get through the whole complex!

Other famous tulou in the area include Wuyun Lou, which was built during the Ming Dynasty and is currently uninhabited, and Qiaofu Lou, which was constructed during the 1960s and acts as a hotel for tourists. So if you fancy a real tulou experience, don’t forget to book a room at Qiaofu Lou. Or perhaps just squat for free in the empty Wuyun Lou!