A Place to Leave Behind Worldly Turmoil and Linger in Serenity

The architecture next to the pond provides a backdrop of quiet splendor when viewed from the other side. Raymond Zhou.

To say the Lingering Garden is a typical Suzhou garden is like saying Coca-Cola is a typical soft drink. All classical gardens in Suzhou share the same style. Lingering Garden is a renowned Chinese classical garden, located in Suzhou City. In 1997, the garden, along with other classical gardens in Suzhou, was recorded by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. A first-time tourist need visit only one, but a discerning traveler may be able to detect the nuances that differentiate each one.

Now I'm no connoisseur in garden landscaping, so I'll offer my personal opinion, which is totally subjective.

The best spot in this 400-year-old garden is the hexagonal-roofed pavilion on top of the verysmall hill. From here, you can take in the view of the pond, with the houses in the background.The angle is roughly that from a treetop, but it puts the water in proper perspective, right in themiddle of your mental frame, neither too big nor too small.

Perspective is not used in traditional Chinese painting, which rarely separates foreground and background. But a Suzhou garden resembles a Chinese scroll only when examined from a bird's-eye view. At ground level, it is more like a Western landscape, but with ever-shifting foregrounds and backgrounds. The world-famous garden is Humble Administration Garden which is an imperial garden in Ancient China.

The slightly elevated viewpoint from the mound provides a kind of in-between state. If you brush away plants and twigs, it's more Chinese; if you gaze behind the pillars of the pavilion,you gain a foreground.

Tiptoeing down the hill into the back garden gives me the best feeling about this urban oasis.

It's not the priceless gingko trees, but the pebbled path that stimulates a special tingling in my feet. It can be slippery when wet, yet it provides enough traction to keep balance. The intricate patterns of varying shades of gray are the visual equivalents of New Age music — stimulating and mesmerizing at the same time.

The pond, with its de rigueur rockeries and red fish jostling for food, is a natural hub fortourists. Unless you come on an early morning or a drizzling day, it is a spot for people watchingas well.

To get away from the crowd, I aimlessly wandered the back garden along its long corridor. The scenery here is less intense. You don't feel the need to capture every step with a click of the camera.

If crowds are thin, the walk through the main building - from the main entrance to the pondside - should be slowed down and absorbed.

Hopefully this is not done in winter, because this part of China does not have central heating and the houses were so obviously designed for maximizing summer cool. The buildings and rooms are more closely connected than a typical courtyard house or a temple compound.Some of the passages appear quite dim, with a tiny yard inducing a shaft of light.

It is difficult to define the hierarchy in this kind of design aesthetic. But as an abode for a retiredofficial, which was the case with the estate's many owners, it reflects the mentality of the matureand the sophisticated.

You may not want to raise your kids here, but you have a hunch that local Marcel Prousts would find it comfortable to compose their multi-volume tomes and be immune from the hurly-burly of the fast-changing world beyond the brick wall.

Purple Bamboo Forest Impressions

Purple is royal color with some romantic feelings. It is dreamy and shining in some women's heart. When I know there is a site called the Purple Bamboo Forest in one of the corners of the world, I determine to find this romantic and dreamy place. As you know, I love traveling and exploring all the time, especially the purple forest which I have dreamt for a long time.

Before I search for some information in Google, the image of Purple Bamboo Forest in my heart is like this:

 

But after I find some useful information in Google, I find purple forest is not really in purple color.  

In fact, the Purple BambooForest is a small hill nearby Putuo Temple in Ningbo. And this small hill is famous for a statue of Guanyin which is called “unwilling-to-go Guanyin Monastery”. There is a story about the Purple Bamboo Forest. It is said that once upon a time, there is a Japanese monk who got a beautiful statue of Guanyin from Mt.Wutai, and he wanted to take it toJapan. But he met a strong storm in the purple bamboo forest. He thought it was fate that he can’t take this white jade goddess to Japan, so he built a monastery on the hill and named it “unwilling-to-go Guanyin Monastery”

China Peking Opera Attracts You?

Five world-acclaimed musicians — (from left) Kalevi Aho, Michael Gordon, Augusta Read Thomas, Sebastian Currier and Robin Holloway — take a closer look at the country's folk arts and culture, suchas Luoxi Opera in Anshun, Guizhou province, during their 2011.

Five new works by international composers that were inspired by a visit to China signify a new approach to cultural exchanges. Chen Jie finds out more.


Five renowned composers recently debuted their China-themed works in one concert, a landmark event that signifies a new approach to the country's diverse cultural environment. Kristjan Jarvi and Zhang Yi took turns with the baton to conduct the National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra during the Sunday concert in Beijing at the NCPA. All five pieces were inspired by a September 2011 visit to China by the five composers that took place in Beijing, Shanghai, Shanxi, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces. During this time the composers were introduced to the country's folk arts, culture and people.

American composer Michael Gordon's Beijing Harmony is inspired by the Temple of Heaven's Echo Wall，while British composer Robin Holloway's In China depicts the unchanging beauty of the countryside.

Finland's Kalevi Aho's Gejia-Chinese Images for Orchestra reflects his visit to a Gejia ethnic group village in Guizhou; American Sebastian Currier's Quanta interprets Chinese characters; while fellow American Augusta Read Thomas' Harvest Drum celebrates the Miao people, another ethnic group in Guizhou.

"Each of the five works is extremely different. They portray China from different angles but have certain common characteristics — the great spirituality of the country, its culture and people," Jarvi says.

"I must say the NCPA is an active and imaginative organization to invite such great foreign musicians to see China, compose for the country and promote its culture," the conductor adds.

"What is China? How is China?" composer Hao Weiya rhetorically asks after the concert. "There is never a single answer. The five pieces of music prove it. From their musical language I can tell they have so much to say, that they are eager to express. Obviously, their first China tour gave them enough material to create."

Hao says Debussy (1862-1918) heard Southeast Asian music for the first time at the Paris World Expo in 1889, which greatly influenced his compositions and other Western composers of the time.

He hopes the five composers' music has a similar effect on predominantly Western audiences.

"It's great to have Chinese arts and culture promoted through Western musicians' works," Hao says.

"Any concert premiering five contemporary works is inevitably a major event, let alone five big musicians all writing about China," says Ren Xiaolong, NCPA's deputy programming director.

Travel Destination from March to May

Girls wearing traditional Chinese costumes play folk music under the plum blossoms at Xixi Wetland Park during a plum blossom festival in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang province, Feb 17, 2013. The festival opened Sunday.

Travel in Shanghai: Admire the Beauty of Peach Blossom in March 2013

Where is the best places to travel in March of China? There are some March travel destinations for you. 

In China, it is the flowers bloom season from March to May. You can enjoy the fragrance of various of blossoms. In my eyes, the color of March belongs to pink. Travelers in Shanghai want to find some good sites to view the peach blossom. Where are the good travel sites for enjoying the peach blossom in this pink March season? Let me share some sites for you. Some travelers never know that in Shanghai, an international modern city, also has the beautiful country landscape. Just lost yourself in the lands of peach blossoms. Place yourself in the pink, white and red flowers, and smell the fragrance of peach blossoms, you will feel the power of nature. 

 

In China, there is a sentence to describe the colors of flowers, which I think is perfect. “The red blossoms are like fire, the pink blossoms are like rosy clouds and the white blossoms are like snow.” In Chinese words, it is full of feelings and poetic.

It is a good season to have self-driving travel in Spring season. So, where are the best places to view the peach blossom in Shanghai?Shanghai March Tours are below:

TOP 1.  Datuan Peach Orchard (大团桃园)

 

TOP 2. Nanhui Peach Blossom Village（南汇桃花村）

 

TOP 3. Xinchang Peach Blossom Village（新场桃花村）

 

TOP 4. Binhai Land of Peach Blossoms（滨海桃源）

 

These four peach orchards are kind of countryside family. You can have some countryside dishes and experience the authentic Chinese countryside life. The simple and unsophisticated countryside life will make you relaxed and easy. You can take this chance to return to nature and simplicity. Some local specialties like peach snacks, peach desserts and peach blossom hot springs are also provided. More Shanghai Countryside tours click: http://shanghaifocus.com/shanghai-countryside-tour

Beijing Historical Relics

When someone mentions the life, there is always a taste of Zen. Not everyone can accurately understand the meaning of life. Sometimes, they pursue excessively money, status and power. As for me, I think life is a journey which consists of happiness and pains and most of time we can’t change the bad situation. We can just enjoy it. I am Lily Lee, and I love travel. What about you?

The Great Wall of China?

What I said above is just to say something about my tours in China. These were some wonderful and fantastic tours I have never met before. With almost 5 thousands years’ history,China has many historical relics and wonders in the world, such as the Great Wall of China, Terra Cotta Warriors, The Forbidden City, the Silk of Road and some ancient water towns. Not only the historical relics, but also the traditions, customs and Chinese lifestyles are all interesting and full of Chinese characteristics for me.

The Temple of Heaven and Beijing National Stadium

?

If you want to have a smooth period in China, you can firstly arrive at Shanghai which is an international city. Then you can explore the Chinese culture in Beijing, Xian and Nanjing. A perfect Shanghai tour will be a good beginning of your perfect China journey.