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Central Plains Tour |
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The middle and lower
reaches of the Yellow River are the origins of the Chinese nation. The
culture in this area is a national treasure and the local customs
vividly demonstrate the traditional Chinese culture.
The customs in Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, Tianjin and Beijing evolved
from the same roots and thus share many similarities. But there are
also differences between regions. Visitors to these areas can discover
the long history of traditional Chinese culture while learning about
the Chinese descendants who live in various regions and seek a happy
life in different ways.
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Dingcun Folklore Museum |
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Dingcun
Folklore Museum is thirty-five kilometers from Linfen. The museum
houses 26 residential houses built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The oldest house dates back to the Reign of Emperor Wan Li of the Ming
Dynasty (1593 AD). The houses are typical Ming style with small
courtyards and tall houses around. The roofs of the houses are
decorated with animal shaped tiles or tiles carved with flower
patterns. Each house is a piece of architectural art. They represent
the traditional Han nationality life style and residential building
design. |
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Pingyao Ancient City Wall |
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Old City of
Pingyao
Pingyao, located 90 kilometers to the
southwest of Taiyuan, is one of the oldest cities of cultural interest
in China. Its history dates back to 4,000 years ago. The present city
walls were built in the third year of the Reign of Hong Wu of the Ming
Dynasty (1370).
The city wall of Pingyao is square shaped, 6.4 kilometers long, 12
meters high, and 5 meters thick. On the outer wall there is a
observation tower every 50 meters. On each of the four corners of the
wall, there is a corner tower. On the south-eastern corner is the
Kuixing Pavilion. The layout of the whole city is well designed like
the shape of the turtle. Therefore, Pingyao city is . In Chilture,
turtlecarries the also known as the city of the Turtle?meaning of
longevity. The used here to refer to the long history of prosperity of
the city.name turtle is |
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Guandi Temple |
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Guandi
Temple, or Temple of the God of War, stands in the west of Xiezhou
County, Yuncheng City. This imperial palace style building was built
honoring Guan Yu, a celebrated general during the period of the Three
Kingdoms (220 - 280 AD). Throughout China, there are numerous temples
worshipping Guan Yu, but this one is the largest of the same kind in
the country.
This temple was built in 589 in the Sui Dynasty (581 -618 AD) and
rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty on the model of an imperial palace. The
temple consists of the Northern Garden and the Southern Garden. The
Northern Garden is composed of the front yard and the rear yard with
halls and mansions, forming a unique architectural complex.
The Southern Garden was modeled on the place where Guan Yu and his two
brothers - Liu Bei and Zhang Fei - vowed to establish life time
brotherhood friendship. |
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Shijiazhuang Folk Village
in Angiu |
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The Folk Custom Museum of Shijiazhuang
Village
Situated 20 kilometers to the
southeast of Anqiu county, Shijiazhuang Village attracts Chinese and
foreign tourists by its typical local customs of mid-Shandong
Province. Visitors are invited to explore the customs and the idyllic
life by living in farm houses, having farmers' food and doing some
farmwork with the villagers.
The Folk Custom Museum, set up in 1988 with a floor space of 1900
square meters, is a typical farm compound with houses around a
courtyard. The museum consists of a series of rooms displaying folk
arts and handicrafts, folk recreations, farm implements and household
appliances, spinning and weaving wheels, village schools and local
marriage customs.
Guandi Temple, or Temple of the God of War, stands in the west of
Xiezhou County, Yuncheng City. This imperial palace style building was
built honoring Guan Yu, a celebrated general during the period of the
Three Kingdoms (220 - 280 AD). Throughout China, there are numerous
temples worshipping Guan Yu, but this one is the largest of the same
kind in the country.
This temple was built in 589 in the Sui Dynasty (581 -618 AD) and
rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty on the model of an imperial palace. The
temple consists of the Northern Garden and the Southern Garden. The
Northern Garden is composed of the front yard and the rear yard with
halls and mansions, forming a unique architectural complex.
The Southern Garden was modeled on the place where Guan Yu and his two
brothers - Liu
Bei and Zhang Fei - vowed to establish life time brotherhood
friendship. |
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Museum of Kite |
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Weifang Kite Museum
Situated in the city of Weifang,
Shandong Province and built in 1987, Weifang Kite Museum is China's
first professional museum displaying various kinds of kites. The whole
area is 12 thousand square meters with a floor space of 8100 square
meters. The museum consists of 12 exhibition halls of different size.
A superb collection of beautiful Chinese and foreign kites are on
display, the oldest type being the "Luban kite" of the 5th century
B.C.. |
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Traditional Beijing
Courtyards |
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Suheyuan is a compound with houses around a courtyard, a traditional
residence of Beijing people, was first built up in the twelfth century
when the Yuan Dynasty capital was buily up here . At present siheyuan
is best preserved in lanes near Luoguxiang, west to the South
jiaodaokou Street, Dongcheng District.
More and more tourists visit siheyuan in order to learn about jife of
ordinary people in Beijing by talking to them. If they like, tourists
can also learn making jiaozi and other kinds of wheaten food in
siheyuan.
ituated in the city of Weifang, Shandong Province and built in 1987,
Weifang Kite Museum is China's first professional museum displaying
various kinds of kites. The whole area is 12 thousand square meters
with a floor space of 8100 square meters. The museum consists of 12
exhibition halls of different size. A superb collection of beautiful
Chinese and foreign kites are on display, the oldest type being the "Luban
kite" of the 5th century B.C.. |
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Ancient Cultural Street |
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The Street of Old Culture
The street, a former place for assembly and entertainment of boatmen,
was rebuilt into the present state in 1986. It is located on the
western side of Sanchahe River and 580 meters long, with a giant
archway in the ancient style towering at each end. Along the street,
there are nearly one hundred shops selling various kinds of
stationery, second-hand books, articles of folk customs, handicrafts
with traditional characteristics of Tianjin and so on. In addition,
here stands one of the three major temples to Matsu in which there is
a museum of folk custom today. |
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Information provided by
China National
Tourism Administration. |
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