Hangzhou – historical and cultural city in China
One of the most antique Chinese cities, Hangzhou was in Marco Polo’s eyes “the most impressive city in the globe where one whims himself to be in heaven”. The city was rated by the New York Times as one of the cities “most worth a visit”. We bag packed to explore the pristine beauty of Hangzhou which had many intriguing tales to narrate. The most intoxicating charm of the city is its perfect combination of scenic wonders and cultural richness.
The Attractions
West Lake is one of the most enchanting locations in Hangzhou. The west lake of Hangzhou is the only lake in China that enjoys the world cultural heritage status enjoying an international reputation for its idyllic scenery and plentiful cultural spots in its territory.
There are boats
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Xixi Paradise
Xixi Paradise is China’s first world-class international syndicated tourist service project designed to support the tourism of the Xixi wetland area. The expansive premise encompasses a wetland museum, a cluster of world – class hotels, an international club, a business block and various public service providers. The architectural feature of Xixi Paradise perfectly illustrates the transition from the city’s urban modernity to its more idyllic western frontiers.
Jiangcun LOHAS block
A residential and leisure block developed by the LOHAS activists of the city featuring scenic beauty woven into architectural arrangements. Residents and business tenants here are served by first class leisure amenities that include the city’s best cafes, bars and restaurants.
Xixi cultural innovation
There are little to no direct accounts of how individuals’ lives were a couple thousand years ago in Ancient China. With a wealth of information on the rise, decline, and fall of empires, Michael Loewe, a sinologist who specializes in oriental studies and theology, writes an imaginary story about a hero named Bing set around 70 BCE. Bing: From Farmer’s Son to Magistrate in Han China is Loewe’s fictional portrait of life during the Han Empire. It is by no means a comprehensive historical account of Han times, in fact, it was written with those readers who are not familiar with Chinese in mind, however through the life of Bing we can gage how the lives of laborers, those involved in military service, merchants, and government officials might
“The Death of Woman Wang”, written by Chinese historian Jonathan Spence, is a book recounting the harsh realities facing citizens of Tancheng country, Shandong Province, Qing controlled China in the late 17th century. Using various primary sources, Spence describes some of the hardships and sorrow that the people of Tancheng faced. From natural disasters, poor leadership, banditry, and invasions, the citizens of Tancheng struggled to survive in a devastated and changing world around them. On its own, “Woman Wang” is an insightful snapshot of one of the worst-off counties in imperial Qing China, however when taking a step back and weaving in an understanding of long held Chinese traditions, there is a greater understanding what happened in
Thru-out the centuries, regardless of race or age, there has been dilemmas that identify a family’s thru union. In “Hangzhou” (1925), author Lang Samantha Chang illustrates the story of a Japanese family whose mother is trapped in her believes. While Alice Walker in her story of “Everyday Use” (1944) presents the readers with an African American family whose dilemma is mainly rotating around Dee’s ego, the narrator’s daughter. Although differing ethnicity, both families commonly share the attachment of a legacy, a tradition and the adaptation to a new generation. In desperation of surviving as a united family there are changes that they must submit to.
There is a great art that can be found in being able to describe the world of an ancient civilization. Especially in one where large man made walls form because of the creases of a sleeping dragon’s back, or that the layout of the fields and streams of a small village create the image of a galloping unicorn when looked from up above. Yet, this is Imperial China, or as Barry Hughhart writes in his Novel Bridge of Birds, “an Ancient China that Never Was” (Hughhart 1984). This novel explores the history and the world of Ancient China, and the tales of the people who have walked across the land. Offering a summary of the book, we will be able to analyze
“It was not easy to live in Shanghai” (Anyi 137). This line, echoed throughout Wang Anyi 's short piece “The Destination” is the glowing heartbeat of the story. A refrain filled with both longing and sadness, it hints at the many struggles faced by thousands upon thousands trying to get by in the city of Shanghai. One of these lost souls, the protagonist, Chen Xin, was one of the many youths taken from his family and sent to live the in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. Ten years after the fact, Chen Xin views the repercussions of the Cultural Revolution internally and externally as he processes the changes that both he, and his hometown have over-gone in the past ten years. Devastatingly, he comes to the conclusion that there is no going back to the time of his childhood, and his fond memories of Shanghai exist solely in memory. This is in large part is due to the changes brought on by the Cultural Revolution. These effects of the Cultural Revolution are a central theme to the story; with repercussions seen on a cultural level, as well as a personal one.
In the Classical Era, the collapse of the Roman Empire was similar to the collapse of the Han Dynasty in that they both fell due to external and internal conflict. However, they differed in that the Roman Empire became politically and culturally fragmented while the Han Dynasty was reconstituted as a political and cultural whole.
Cheng, Pei-kai, Michael Elliot. Lestz, and Jonathan D. Spence. The Search for Modern China: A Documentary Collection. New York: Norton, 1999. Print.
Of the many dynasties that make up China’s history, one of the most notable is the Han Dynasty, which lasted from 206 BCE to 220 CE, under the rule of numerous emperors. It made many contributions to China’s history and made lasting changes, some of which remained for millennia following the dynasty’s collapse. They made changes to China’s economy, technology, social order, religion, philosophy, and education that revolutionized the way China operated. Also, as the Han Dynasty expanded greatly during its rule, many of the territory that the dynasty conquered became part of what would later be modern day China. These changes helped to shape the country that China became.
Hung Liu is successful in creating a juxtaposing image that tells a story about the many aspects of her Chinese origins. According to the painting, not all life in China is surrounded by beauty and elegance, like many believe it to be based on the traditional historical customs. Liu makes her point using a brilliant yet subtle progression, moving from the ideal to reality. Making use of the various principles and elements of art in her work creates a careful visual composition that benefit and support the painting’s achievements as a whole. This oil painting, being approximately 13 years old now, will hold a special place in Chinese history for the rest of its existence. The ideas Hung Liu portrays in Interregnum may help reform a social movement in the country by making her viewers socially aware of the cruel conditions the Chinese are facing under Communist rule, and this is all made possible through the assimilation of the principles and
The Tang Dynasty (618 -907 A.D), also known as China’s glorious revelation, was a time of major change both politically and economically in the Chinese Empire. During this time period, trade became greater than ever. The military power strengthened. The population also increased during this time period from fifty million to eighty million in just two centuries with its large population base, the dynasty was able to raise professional and conscripted armies of hundreds of thousands of troops to contend with nomadic powers in dominating Inter Asia. The Tang also has a strong influence on its neighboring states such as Korea (which was at the time made if of three kingdoms) and Japan. During this time period the Silk Road expanded and trade
Many scholars believe his accounts of the city are exaggerated and Marco Polo even states himself “that it is not easy to even put it in writing.” (317). Furthermore his accounts of the women in China seem to be exaggerated as well as missing some information of the society: “These women are extremely accomplished in the arts of allurement, and readily adapt their conversation to all sorts of persons, insomuch that strangers who have once tasted their attractions seems to get bewitched, and are so taken with their blandishments and their fascinating ways that they never seem to get these out of their heads.” (317). While women in China experienced fewer restraints, there were still many patriarchal rules put in place that made women subordinate to men. The act of foot-binding was one such rule which placed an emphasis on “small size, frailty, and deference and served to keep women restricted to the ‘inner quarters’ (331). For reasons unknown, Marco Polo leaves this excruciating detail out of his tales completely, leaving some scholars to question whether he really did make it to
Besides servants who delivered these materials, some courtesans would also accompany the scholar-officials on the trip. Therefore, this style of traveling had prevented the elite class from a long-term adventurous style of traveling, and limited them in the short-term ones that usually not too far from the urban areas. As a result, the tourist sites within the Jiangnan region, particularly the places around the cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou such as the Mount Hui, the Tiger Hill (Huqiu) and the West Lake, became extremely popular during the Ming time. Furthermore, since most of the productive writers also residents in this region, and their influence expanded through their publications with the help of the exploding woodblock printing business around China, and reached readers outside of the elite class. Consequently, the places where scholar-officials highly praised, a flock of tourists would also come to visit. Taking the Tiger Hill of Suzhou as an example, while the scholar-officials visited this site to practice their elite-style traveling and tried to find peaceful places to enjoy their own pleasure, local travelers came to throw a party and broke the
"Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang." Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. .
Xu Xi is a Chinese-Indonesian native of Hong Kong and she is one of Hong Kong's foremost contemporary English language novelists. She is described like a camera zooming down from the peaks and penthouses to close-ups of the crowded flats and side streets of Hong Kong. Her book is populated by ordinary people like Lam Yan Kuen and their daily lives. Through the stories of these nonentities, Xu Xi recounts the history of Hong Kong in today's voice. Her stories showcase the tension between the East-West relationships and the ambivalent feelings of Hong Kong people during post-colonialism and handover.
If you are interested in art, you can also find folk art and antique pieces in shops along Fuk Wing Street. Elsewhere in Sham Shui Po, you’ll see conserved and revitalized heritage sites and historical buildings. These include the Jao Tsung-I Academy, the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Mei Ho House, the Savannah College of Art and Design and Sham Shui Po Police Station. (Source from Yahoo HK)