The MeiXi Lake International Culture and Arts Center, ChangSha, HuNan province

Provincial capital of SiChuan. Bonus film - a day in the life of a China vlogger ...

With China Walking Tour ...

With Lulu's Daily In China ... Humble Administrator's Garden Visitor Guide Overview The Humble Administrator's Garden, located in SuZhou, JiangSu province, is one of the most famous classical gardens in China. Built in the early 16th century during the Ming Dynasty, this garden is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, featuring beautiful pavilions, serene ponds, lush greenery, and exquisite rock formations. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-visit destination for anyone interested in traditional Chinese garden art. History The garden was originally created by Wang XianChen, a retired government official, who sought to design a peaceful retreat for himself. Over the centuries, the garden changed hands multiple times, undergoing various renovations and expansions. Despite these changes, the garden has retained its original layout and classical elements, reflecting the aesthetics and philosophical principles of traditional Chinese gardens. Main Attractions Central Garden The Central Garden is the heart of the Humble Administrator's Garden, featuring a large pond surrounded by lush plants, winding paths, and elegant pavilions. Key highlights include: Lotus Pavilion: A beautiful structure overlooking the pond, offering a tranquil spot to enjoy the view of blooming lotus flowers in summer. Hall of Distant Fragrance: Named after the lotus flowers whose fragrance can be smelled from afar, this hall is one of the garden's main buildings, known for its elegant design. Eastern Garden The Eastern Garden features a series of smaller ponds, rockeries, and pavilions, creating a more intimate and secluded atmosphere. Notable features include: Small Flying Rainbow Bridge: A charming stone bridge that arches gracefully over a small pond. Hall of 36 Mandarin Ducks: Named after the mandarin ducks often seen in Chinese art, this hall offers picturesque views of the surrounding landscape. Western Garden The Western Garden is characterized by its open spaces and carefully arranged rockeries and plantings. Highlights include: Hall of the Thirty-Six Mandarin Ducks: Featuring beautiful carvings and a serene ambiance. GuanYun Peak: A striking rock formation representing a mountain peak, showcasing the garden's sophisticated use of stones. Architecture and Design The Humble Administrator's Garden exemplifies the principles of traditional Chinese garden design, which seeks to create harmony between nature and human-made structures. The garden's architecture and layout incorporate the following elements: Water Features: Ponds and streams are central to the garden's design, reflecting the sky and surrounding plants, and adding a sense of tranquility. Rockeries: Carefully arranged rocks and rock formations symbolize mountains and add a dynamic visual element to the landscape. Pavilions and Halls: These structures provide spaces for relaxation and contemplation, offering various perspectives of the garden. Plantings: A diverse array of plants, including bamboo, lotus, and seasonal flowers, enhance the garden's beauty and symbolize different virtues and qualities. Visiting Tips Best Time to Visit: The garden is beautiful year-round, but spring and summer are particularly lovely when flowers are in bloom. Autumn offers stunning foliage, and winter provides a peaceful, serene atmosphere. Opening Hours: The garden is open daily from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM (hours may vary seasonally). Getting There: The garden is located in the heart of SuZhou and is easily accessible by public transportation or taxi. The nearest metro station is Lindun Road Station (Line 1). Guided Tours: Consider hiring a local guide or joining a guided tour to gain deeper insights into the garden's history, architecture, and cultural significance. Photography: The garden offers countless photo opportunities. Be sure to bring your camera and take your time capturing the beauty of the landscape. Respect the Environment: Help preserve the garden by not picking flowers, climbing on rocks, or littering. Respect the tranquility of the space and other visitors.

StudyAbroadUSAC - Study Abroad, in ChengDu and ShangHai

No video in this post. At BB, we think this is something crucial to well-being and we'll do our best to convey our experience ... The most important point is - don't imagine that you can 'fix' things - at the start, one needs 3 or 4 meetings to relax and know someone - but beyond that, if things are not going well, get out early; one cannot 'fix' incompatibility, and certainly not a narcissist (they kind of know that they are wacko, but will never, ever admit it). 'Love' shouldn't require a lot of work; a bit maybe; but if one senses that it is all 'one way', or not going anywhere, quit. The relationship is very unlikely to get better; it almost certainly will get worse. Doomed. Save yourself years of wasted life. If you don't, expect to become bitter and twisted yourself. At BB, we feel that health is THE foundation to all else, so we do cover health in this regard, although primarily a travel and culture site. Thousand page books are not our thing; we get straight to the point. If you want to delve deeper, consider this - why is a relationship so important to you ? Going beyond 'animal instincts' is beyond many - they never really mature. If the immature instinct is made the 'gold standard', what can one expect ? If one cannot go beyond the animal brain, one is f****d [animal brain lingo]. The thing is, bad relationships that progress to having kids, can produce sad / bad kids (that may have to endure two decades of emotional abuse). And likely to repeat the cycle, and possibly go into politics, etc. - hence, it is very important to not be a part of this. Maybe, romantic 'love' is simply the grand distraction meme that helps keep the elite in power.

The magnificent Temple of Heaven (TianTan) was constructed between 1406 and 1420 (Ming dynasty) during the reign of the emperor YongLe who also oversaw the construction of the Forbidden City.The Temple of Heaven was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for good harvests. The temple complex was extended during the reign of emperor JiaJing during the 16th century (Ming dynasty). JiaJing also constructed three other key temples in Beijing : the Temple of the Sun in the east, the Temple of the Moon in the west, and the Temple of Earth in the north. Emperor QianLong directed a renovation of the Temple of Heaven during the 18th century (Qing dynasty). The architecture and layout of the Temple of Heaven is based on elaborate symbolism and numerology. One example is that the buildings and their settings reflect ancient Chinese religious beliefs that imagine heaven as round and earth as square. Because the Temple of Heaven was to be the place representing Heaven on Earth, it needed to be larger than the Forbidden City; it covers approximately twice the area and is about 2 kilometers from north to south, the primary axis with three main structures; indeed, it is the largest group of constructions for worship in the world. In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. In early 2005, the Temple of Heaven underwent a 47 million yuan (6 million USD) renovation that was completed on May 1st, 2006. The Temple of Heaven is a delightful place to spend some time. Arrive in the early morning to watch the Tai Chi experts, although the park is lively all day and into the evening with kite flyers, musicians, singers, dancers and games players (from badminton to Chinese chess).

With Living Asian ... Bonus film - Kids Park, ChengDu ...

In October 2008. Places visited include Green Lake Park in KunMing, the Stone Forest at ShiLin, and DaLi old town.

With Pascal Coppens and Steven Van Belleghem ...