QianMen and GuoMao / CBD, BeiJing

HeiLongJiang province in north east China. Lots to see and do ... life well below zero ...

A trip to the wonderful, natural getaway of JinSi Xia (JinSi Canyon), ShaanXi province in central China ...

HangZhou lies 180 kilometers south west of ShangHai in the YangTse River Delta and is the capital of ZheJiang province. With abundant natural scenery, including the famous West Lake, HangZhou has been a popular city for over 2,000 years when it was founded during the Qin dynasty. It is listed as one of the seven great ancient capitals of China. The West Lake covers 6 square km and is surrounded by historical sites and scenic areas. HangZhou lies at the southern end of the Grand Canal of China, with a length of nearly 1,800 km; at the northern end lies BeiJing. It was completed around 600 AD during the Sui dynasty. The longest man-made canal in the world, by far, it is a fine example of China's achievements, which include invention of the canal lock (Song dynasty; 10th century). HangZhou is also noted for tea, silk, umbrellas and fans.

A flashback to October 2004 ...

HuangShan is well known for its beautiful scenery, sunsets and sunrises, unusually shaped granite peaks, ancient pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. Some of the peaks rise more than 1,800 meters (6,000 feet). HuangShan is a frequent subject in traditional Chinese paintings and literature. HuangShan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China's most popular tourist destinations. The HuangShan area is also noted for Chinese teas of high quality. In the first film, a group of photographers spend a week on the Yellow Mountain and show that patience and dedication pays off ...

Don't miss this great film ! LiJiang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; "LiJiang is an exceptional ancient town set in a dramatic landscape which represents the harmonious fusion of different cultural traditions to produce an urban landscape of outstanding quality."

One can see this distinction in the wider society too - East vs. West; cultures with different foundations - long term (family, infrastructure, community, the arts) versus short term (hype, sex, gossip, war). Mature versus immature. We versus me. The immature mind thinks 'me'; the mature mind understands that life is really about 'we'. Maturity is when one grows beyond the narcissism phase *. 'I' am just a small part of a bigger 'I' - humanity. With Dr. Robert Lustig ... One is controlled when one believes what one has been told (sold). Freedom is removing these mind chains and seeing reality. ----- * (footnote) At BB, we think that narcissism is a development phase that most transition out of; but some stay there and it can become exaggerated. The traditional views might also be true; likely, there is an interplay involved. ----- ----- Aside #1 : Q : Why does BB have so much content about health - nutrition and mental well-being ? A : Because it is fundamental to everything else; one cannot see the beauty of life if one's mind is mixed up; one cannot live life to the full if one is ill. ----- ----- Aside #2 : Confucius : One can grow from everybody one meets. On life's journey, one will meet wise people - learn from them; one will also meet foolish people - look deep within to see if one also has these follies.

See the architectural marvel that is the Palace Museum in the heart of the blue sky city of BeiJing ...

The Birds' Nest, BeiJing ...

The most southerly part of China, HaiNan is warm all year with a more or less tropical climate.