Lantern Show, ShenZhen, GuangDong province

By the West Gate. The TV tower, which one can ascend, is nearby, across the third ring road. With MisterVaughn ...

YuanMingYuan, also known as the 'Old Summer Palace', was constructed during the 18th and early 19th century and was a wonderland of lakes and waterways, bridges, hills and pavilions. One third of the ground of YuanMingYuan was taken up by over 200 small hills with steep sides, secluded valleys, rock walls and stone caves. Half of the garderns are covered by the waters of lakes, winding streams and ponds. It was at YuanMingYuan that the emperors of the Qing Dynasty resided and handled government affairs - until it was destroyed; the Forbidden City was mostly used only for formal ceremonies at this time. The southern part of YuanMingYuan was where emperors handled state affairs, while the other parts were primarily for personal use and comprised of more than 150 scenic spots, involving rare exotic flowers and trees from different parts of the country. There were originally towers, terraces, pavilions, halls, corridors, pagodas and bridges with a total construction area of 150,000 square meters - corresponding in scale to that of the Imperial Palace. Artisans were recruited from all over China to enact the exquisite settings. The various styles of architecture, standing encircled by hills and rivulets, presented a most picturesque view. Many were reproductions of scenic mountains, rivers and famous gardens in China (mostly southern China). During his many tours of the country, emperor QianLong made it a point to have pictures of famous gardens and scenes drawn so that he could have replicas built in Beijing. Most famous of these were the ten scenic spots of the West Lake in HangZhou. The Old Summer Palace is often associated with the European-style palaces (Xi Yang Lou) that were built of stone. The designers of those structures, the Jesuits Giuseppe Castiglione and Michel Benoist, were employed by emperor QianLong to satisfy his taste for exotic buildings and objects. However, more than 95% of the Imperial Gardens consisted of essentially Chinese-style buildings. There were also a few buildings in Tibetan and Mongolian styles, reflecting the diversity of the Qing empire. In addition, hundreds of invaluable Chinese art masterpieces and antiquities were stored in the halls, including some unique copies of literary works and collections. In 1860, during the 'Second Opium War', the British and French expeditionary forces looted the Old Summer Palace. Later, on October 18 1860, a British general - despite protestations from the French (who in fact had began the looting) - gave the order to set fire to the huge complex, which burned to the ground. In 1900, those buildings that had partly survived or been restored were burnt for good by the Western expeditionary forces sent to quell the 'Boxer Rebellion'. Many priceless artifacts were plundered and made their way to museums and private collections in Europe. The ruins were further plundered by the warlords of the early republican period and further destruction of the ruins took place during the 'Cutural Revolution'. After all this destruction, what was left was truely just an empty shell. Empress dowager CiXi later directed the forming of YiHeYuan (Garden of Nurtured Harmony), into a new Summer Palace; this was near to the Old Summer Palace, but on a (somewhat) smaller scale. Nearest subway station : YuanMingYuan on line 4.

With REC Shanghai ... Bonus film - daytime ShangHai walk - with Wei's Travel ...

50 Small Eats Dishes in China Dumplings (饺子, jiǎozi) - Steamed or fried dough pockets filled with meat or vegetables. Spring Rolls (春卷, chūn juǎn) - Crispy rolls filled with vegetables and sometimes meat. Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼, cōng yóu bǐng) - Flaky, savory pancakes with scallions. Sticky Rice Dumplings (粽子, zòngzi) - Glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, usually with fillings like meat or beans. Soup Dumplings (小笼包, xiǎo lóng bāo) - Steamed dumplings filled with broth and meat. Sichuan Spicy Wontons (红油抄手, hóng yóu chāo shǒu) - Wontons in chili oil with a spicy sauce. Sesame Balls (煎堆, jiān duī) - Deep-fried glutinous rice balls coated in sesame seeds. Fried Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐, chòu dòufu) - Fermented tofu fried until crispy. Guokui (锅盔, guō kuī) - Crispy, pan-fried flatbread. Chinese Crepes (煎饼果子, jiān bǐng guǒzi) - Thin pancakes filled with savory ingredients. Roujiamo (肉夹馍, ròu jiá mó) - Chinese-style hamburger with shredded meat inside a flatbread. Tea Eggs (茶叶蛋, chá yè dàn) - Hard-boiled eggs marinated in tea and spices. Fried Dough Sticks (油条, yóutiáo) - Crispy fried dough sticks, often eaten with soy milk. Cold Noodles (凉面, liáng miàn) - Chilled noodles served with a savory sauce. Congee (粥, zhōu) - Rice porridge often served with various toppings. Baozi (包子, bāozi) - Steamed buns filled with meat or vegetables. Liangpi (凉皮, liángpí) - Cold noodles made from wheat or rice flour, served with spicy sauce. Jianbing (煎饼, jiānbing) - Savory Chinese crepe filled with egg, crispy cracker, and sauces. Fried Rice Balls (炸年糕, zhà nián gāo) - Crispy fried glutinous rice balls. Fried Mashed Taro (芋泥, yùní) - Mashed taro fried until golden and crispy. Lotus Root Stuffed with Sticky Rice (藕夹, ǒu jiá) - Sticky rice stuffed into hollowed-out lotus root slices. Chive Pockets (韭菜盒子, jiǔcài hézi) - Pan-fried dumplings filled with chives and sometimes eggs. Lamb Skewers (羊肉串, yángròu chuàn) - Grilled skewers of seasoned lamb. Steamed Buns (馒头, mántou) - Plain steamed bread often served with dishes. Fried Glutinous Rice Cakes (糍粑, cíbā) - Sticky rice cakes fried until crispy. Stuffed Tofu (香干, xiānggān) - Tofu pockets filled with meat or vegetables. Fried Pork Ribs (排骨, páigǔ) - Deep-fried marinated pork ribs. Shengjian Bao (生煎包, shēngjiān bāo) - Pan-fried buns filled with pork and soup. Spicy Cold Jelly (凉粉, liáng fěn) - Cold, chewy jelly noodles in spicy sauce. Pan-fried Pork Buns (生煎包, shēng jiān bāo) - Pan-fried buns with juicy pork filling. Fried Glutinous Rice Balls (炸年糕, zhà nián gāo) - Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Lamb Skewers (羊肉串, yángròu chuàn) - Grilled skewers of seasoned lamb. Green Onion Pancakes (葱油饼, cōng yóu bǐng) - Crispy pancakes flavored with green onions. Pork and Chive Dumplings (韭菜饺子, jiǔcài jiǎozi) - Dumplings filled with pork and chives. Steamed Custard Buns (流沙包, liúshā bāo) - Soft steamed buns filled with sweet custard. Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤, suān là tāng) - Spicy and tangy soup with mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots. Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (虾饺, xiā jiǎo) - Delicate dumplings filled with shrimp and bamboo shoots. Spicy Chicken Wings (辣子鸡翅, làzi jī chì) - Crispy fried chicken wings tossed in spicy seasoning. Spicy Cold Noodles (麻辣凉面, málà liáng miàn) - Chilled noodles in a spicy, numbing sauce. Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜, pāi huángguā) - Refreshing salad of sliced cucumbers with garlic and vinegar dressing. Cold Tofu (冷豆腐, lěng dòufu) - Chilled silken tofu served with soy sauce and toppings. Fried Chicken Dumplings (炸鸡饺子, zhà jī jiǎozi) - Crispy dumplings filled with seasoned chicken. Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉面, niúròu miàn) - Hearty soup with tender beef slices and noodles. Cumin Lamb (孜然羊肉, zīrán yángròu) - Spicy stir-fried lamb seasoned with cumin and other spices. Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (叉烧包, chāshāo bāo) - Soft steamed buns filled with sweet barbecued pork. Cold Sesame Noodles (凉拌麻酱面, liángbàn májiàng miàn) - Noodles tossed in a savory sesame sauce. Spinach and Pork Wontons (菠菜猪肉馄饨, bōcài zhūròu húntún) - Wontons filled with spinach and ground pork. Fried Radish Cake (萝卜糕, luóbo gāo) - Pan-fried cakes made from shredded radish and rice flour. Shrimp Toast (虾多士, xiā duōshì) - Crispy bread topped with shrimp paste and sesame seeds. Red Bean Pancakes (红豆煎饼, hóngdòu jiān bǐng) - Sweet pancakes filled with red bean paste. Egg and Tomato Stir-fry (西红柿炒鸡蛋, xī hóng shì chǎo jī dàn) - Simple and delicious stir-fry of tomatoes and scrambled eggs. Spicy Stir-fried Egg and Chili Peppers (辣炒鸡蛋, là chǎo jī dàn) - Eggs stir-fried with spicy chili peppers. Potato, aubergine / egg-plant, and chili peppers (地三鲜, dì sān xiān) - Stir-fried dish featuring potatoes, eggplants, and chili peppers.

With Sticker Travel ...

With Walk East ... [videogallery id=UCip2HiAmspOVMeh0yxMcEaA]

AnHui, 安徽, lies in East China, just to the west of JiangSu province and ShangHai, and noted for its cuisine and materials related to calligraphy (paper and inkstone). Tourist destinations include HuangShan mountain, HongCun and XiDi ancient villages, Chao Lake, TaiJi Cave, ZhenFeng Pagoda and ZuiWeng Pavilion.

In Hunan province, central east China.