Travel Destinations: Exploring the temples in Beijing

Beijing is one of those worldwide destinations that people, no matter where, want to visit at least once in their lifetimes. In fact, you will need at least two or three trips easy just to get through everything.

China is famous for its beautiful temples; those majestic buildings with upturned eaves and intricate carved ornaments gracing the roofs while priests and monks light candles and incense and offer prayers to one or more of the thousands of gods.

Beijing itself has dozens of different temples, Confucian, Buddhist and Daoist, that will make your breath catch in your throat and allow your spirits to soar as high as the incense smoke. Here is a list of the temples not to miss out on.

Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong):

This is one of the most important temples in China, and the most famous Tibetan Buddhist temple outside of Tibet. It features some impressive frescoes, ornately decorative arches, and beautiful architecture and interior design. The pride and joy of this temple is the 17m tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha made out of sandalwood and housed in the Wanfu Pavilion.

CONFUCIOUS TEMPLE (Kong Miao):

This temple has been mostly forgotten over time and this is why visitors should come here. Offering a respite from the smog and hustle of Beijing, the temple has recently undergone restoration. It is the second largest temple dedicated to Confucius in China and holds an impressive statue of him in the main hall.

ZHIHUA TEMPLE (Zhihua Si):

This is the place you want to go to if you want a feel of old Peking (as Beijing was once known). It has avoided being restored like other temples in the city and despite the fact that some of the art work is missing (such as the ceiling being the USA), this has only given it is charm. The masterpiece of this temple is the Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall where two floors are covered in miniature statues of the Buddha.

DONGYUE TEMPLE (Dongyue Maio):

This temple is dedicated to Tai Shan (Eastern Peak), one of China’s five sacred Daoist Mountains. This is a fascinating and very spiritual place to be; the monks seem detached from the modern world. Not only this, is as though you step into the equivalent of the Daoist hell. Here, the different department are dedicated to the reflections of different wrongdoings one does in one’s lifetime. These include the Life and Death Department, Finial Indictment Department, the Department for Wandering Ghosts and the Department for Implementing 15 Kinds of Violent Death.

WHITE CLOUD TEMPLE (Baiyun Guan):

This is a massive Daoist temple which was founded in 739 CE but like so many temples during China’s long history, was destroyed and later restored. The halls you see today mostly date from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Hotel Reviews: The Ritz Carlton, Sanya

Yalong Bay National Resort District

Sanya,

Hainan 572000

China

+86 (898) 8898 8888

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Sanya/Default.htm?om_a=map

There are few hotels anywhere on this world that can stand up to the glamour, the sophistication and the beauty of the Ritz Carlton hotels. They are the epitome of luxury and magnificence, the perfect place to get away from the everyday world and step into one where your every need is catered for.

The Ritz Carlton Sanya is located in the most secluded area of Yalong Bay, one of the very best beaches in the South China Sea where it is known as the ‘Oriental Hawai’i’. Overlooking the South China Sea, the hotel has wonderful views of pure white sand, the deep blue ocean and endless blue skies.

The hotel has a range of suites, villas and rooms for guests. The Deluxe Ocean View Room has unobstructed views of the beautiful Yalong Bay with a private balcony where you can watch the sun set with a glass of champagne. It also has a comfortable king sized bed, or you can have two queen sized beds. There are two LCD TVs, one of which is placed in the stunning private bathroom.

The Ocean View Suite is a beautiful choice; with gorgeous views of Yalong Bay and private balconies, the room screams sophistication. It has a living room, bedroom and private bathrooms with an over-stuffed bed. There are three LCD TVs, tea and coffee makers and internet access.

There are a number of private villas to rent, giving you that extra privacy. The Garden Villa is the height of luxury, surrounded by exotic plant life. There is an outdoor sala and plunge pool for your own private use, a 24 hour private butler service and is situated right on the beach.

There are eight different dining choices at the Ritz Carlton Sanya, each giving you the chance to sample some of the most beautiful and delicious dishes in Asia. Fresh 8 features recipes from all over the world; Pearl gives you the very best of Cantonese cuisine; Sophia gives you authentic Italian dishes; Sand, an al fresco dining experience, specialises in barbeque and seafood dishes; Scene is the place for sweets; Zig has the best cognacs and Armagnac; Cube is the lagoon bar situated in the middle of the pool and Mood, located in the spa, gives you the chance to sample refreshing and healthy choices.

The Ritz Carlton is the perfect place to stay in when visiting beautiful Hainan Island. Contact the hotel today to reserve your room.

Travel Destinations: Luoyang, Henan Province, China

Luoyang was the capital of 13 dynasties until the Northern Song dynasty decided to make Kaifeng the capital city in the 10^th century, making Luoyang one of the most ancient of all Chinese cities. Luoyang was the centre of the Chinese universe, the golden city of virtue, peace and the Eastern Capital of the Great Tang Dynasty. Home to more than 1.4 million people, it also housed more than 1300 Buddhist temples.

In the 12^th century, Luoyang was invaded by the Jurchen, a nomadic people from the north, and the city never fully recovered. By the 1920s, the city’s population had fallen to 20,000, wallowing in its former glory. Today, Luoyang gives a sense of being ‘stuck’ between the ancient world and the modern. Visitors will see ancient walls with honking cars, ducks crossing the roads and walking down the pavements and the pride in its magnificent history.

There are so many different places to visit when coming to Luoyang. Start with a trip to White Horse Temple (Baima Si). This temple was originally constructed in the first century CE and is mostly believed to be the first Buddhist temple built in China, although a large portion of the original building has been rebuilt.

The temple was built in honour of two Indian monks. During the Han dynasty, the emperor sent court emissaries west where they met two Indian monks in modern day Afghanistan. They returned with the Chinese, riding on white horses, bringing with them Buddhist scriptures and statues. The Han emperor was impressed with the monks and constructed a temple for them. After they died, it became their final resting place.

White Horse Temple has some beautiful halls; the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, Big Buddha Hall, the Hall of Mahavira and the Pilu Hall are simply beautiful and very interesting. Outside the temple, the Qiyun Pagoda should not be missed. This is an ancient 12 tire pagoda that is still active today so you can watch the Buddhist monks toiling away.

Luoyang Museum (Luoyang Bowuguan) is another great place to visit. It showcases some interesting ancient pottery. Upstairs, you can see the diorama from Luoyang in the Sui and Tang dynasties.

Head into the old city (laochengqu), east of the Lijing Gate (Lijing Men). You can wander around the wonderful maze-like streets, exploring every nook and cranny. The Wen Feng Pagoda (Weng Feng Ta) is the sight to see here; over 700 years old, it is made of brick and square in appearance. You can also visit the Drum Tower (Gu Lou) which can be found on the east side of Dong Daijie. Whilst in this part of Luoyang, take the time to see the two surviving halls of the former City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao); although it is not open to visitors, it is still an interesting place to visit.

The Zhou Wangcheng Tianzi Jialiu Museum is another tourist hotspot. In 770BCE, the Zhou emperor Ping transferred his capital to Luoyang, which was then known as Louyi. This museum is home to some wonderful Zhou dynasty bronzes excavated in tombs. The highlight of this museum is the remarkable Zhou dynasty horse and chariot pits excavated beneath Wangcheng Square.

Go a little outside of Luoyang and you will have quite a choice of cultural attractions to visit. Start with the Longmen Caves, which are also known as the Dragon Gate Grottos. A celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Site, these caves are one of China’s few surviving Buddhist rock carving masterpieces.

These carvings were first started during the Northern Wei dynasty when the capital was moved to here from Datong in 494 CE. For the next 200 years, artists sculpted more than 100,000 statues and other types of Buddhist iconography.

Unfortunately, in the early 20^th century, unscrupulous vandals and thieves beheaded these statues or simply removed them whole. Many of these ended up on the black market and sold to collectors abroad. One of these includes the two murals that hang in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Atkinson Museum in Kansas City.

The Three Binyang Caves (Binyang San Dong) is another great attraction here. Building started here during the Northern Wei dynasty and continued in the Sui and Tang dynasties; indeed, many of the later Buddhist statues here resemble the Northern Wei style of art.

Go south from the Three Binyang Caves and you will find the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave which dates to the Tang dynasty. You can gaze upon the beautiful bas-relief with 10,000 tiny Buddhas and a beautiful effigy of the Amitabha Buddha.

The Lotus Flower Cave (Lianhua Dong) is another wonderful place. It is home to a large standing, but faceless, Buddha that was carved in 527 CE during the northern Wei dynasty. Inside, the ceiling of the cave has a large central lotus flower with apsaras (celestial nymphs) around. In Buddhist art, the lotus flower is a symbol of purity and serenity.

Luoyang is a city that can be reached by plane, train or bus. If flying, it’s best if you fly into Zhengzhou where regular direct flights go to Beijing, Shanghai and other cities. From the airport, you can easily catch a train or bus to Luoyang.

Buses can be caught from the Luoyang long-distance bus station to many different places; Zhengzhou will take an hour and half, Gongyi around 40 minutes, Kaifeng three hours and Beihing around nine hours. Bus routes are daily and very reliable. Trains will take eight to ten hours to Beijing, 14 to 15 hours to Beijing, and six hours to Xi’an.

Travel Destinations: Hainan Province, China

For centuries, Chinese officials believed that exile to Hainan Island was a fate worse than death; it was a region were savage barbarians lived, the ‘gate to hell’. It has 2,000 years for the Chinese to see Hainan for what it is – one of the most beautiful places in the country, as well as in Asia.

The smallest province in China, Hainan is a paradise, where you will even see the Chinese relaxing and having a good time. This is a coconut and oil place, full of sunshine and golden sands. However, for those who like other things besides the beach, Hainan offers some wonderful trails to hike and some good cultural attractions to keep you busy.

HAIKOU:

The name translates as ‘Mouth of the Sea’ and is the capital of the province. You will find this a city on the rise, especially with the amount of construction going on. You will want to stay here for a few days to explore the sights and to get a tan.

The best way to experience the city is on foot. Explore the Old Quarter and then take a stroll through Haikou Park where you will find dancers, people practicing kung fu/gong fu, joggers, tai chi artists and many other people all here. You can then go on to visit the Five Officials Memorial Temple and the Xiuying Battery before heading off for some sun and sea at the beach.

WENCHANG:

Famous for its chicken dish (served in rice and peanuts), it is also the homes of the Soong sisters, Meiling and Qingling, who became the wives of Chiang Kai-shek and Sun Yatsen. Today, it is home to the Dongjiao Yelin coconut plantation which makes it look incredibly beautiful.

There isn’t much to do here, expect to relax on the soft golden sands, take a dip in the ocean, stroll around the streets and sample the traditional meals from the nearby villages.

LINGSHUI & MONKEY ISLAND:

Lingshui is one of the oldest settlements on the island; it has been a trading port since as early as the Han Dynasty. Although the old buildings will captivate your senses for a little while, it is Monkey Island which draws visitors here.

Monkey Island is home to Guangxi monkeys where a research centre has been established to study and investigate. The monkeys are tame and will want you to feed them peanuts, but make sure you have a good grip on your camera.

SANYA:

Sanya is the tourist mecca on the island; 40km of soft sandy beaches, a sea made for surfing and little cafes and restaurants to relax in as you watch the world go by. Yalong Bay is by far the best beach here, and you can also pay a visit to Ximao Zhou, a small island just off the coast.

Hainan Island is a beautiful destination; if you are searching for a more laid-back destination in busy China, then this is the place for you.

Travel Destinations: Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China

Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu and the first big city along the Yellow River. The city is home to 2.8 million people and centuries of rich history. Since early on, Lanzhou has been an important garrison town, especially as this region saw turbulent times for imperial China with the different ethnic groups in the area.

In the 20^th century, Lanzhou became famous for being the world’s most polluted city, after it was quickly, too quickly, developed since China became a communist country. Today, it is much better than what it used to be and offers you the chance to start your epic journeys into Xinjiang, Sichuan and Tibet.

So what can you see and do here? A trip to Gansu Provincial Museum (Gansu Sheng Bowuguan) is generally the first point of call for travellers here. There are some incredible displays here including a 10,000 year old piece of pottery that had been excavated from Dadiwan, 300km southeast of the province.

There are some other wonderful displays here from the Han Dynasty. These consist of some engraved wooden tablets that were used to relay messages along the famous Silk Road. Others include a beautiful bronze horse gracefully running on the back of a swallow. This is the famous ‘Flying Horse of Wuwei’ which has become a popular symbol in this part of China.

Another great artefact here is a silver plate dating from the 2^nd century BCE which depicts the Roman-Greco god of wine Bacchus discovered 120km northeast of the city.

White Cloud Temple is a beautiful Daoist temple which was restored during the Qing dynasty. It has an opera stage that is no longer in use, and several fortune tellers here can tell you what will happen in the future. Go east from here and you will come to a beach are which is very popular at the weekends.

White Pagoda Hill (Baita Shan) can be found on the north bank of the Yellow River where you will also find White Pagoda Temple. This temple was originally built during the Yuan Dynasty. It can offer you some beautiful views, especially when you take the chairlift straddling the river.

Lanshan Park can be found in the south; the parks will reward you with some amazing views of the Lanshan mountains and a chance to cool down when the sun scorches down. The easiest way to get up here is by taking the chairlift.