Recommended a magic show (Form Criss Angel)

2008-10-16

I am from China Assistor Web site to see his street magic, magic shows, he's amazing!


Below is a perform the magic of video:

http://news.chinaassistor.com/2008/0918/Crazy_Magic_Trick_from_Chris_Angel_17082.html



We can look at, Criss Angel coins to go on a spit, and then you can clearly see that the coins from his arm to slowly move the wrist, and then picked up his knife, cut skin wrist, took out a coin, amazing The! Strongly recommend that you take a look!

After that he will recommend to the other magic excellent!

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Best wishes for China ctress Hu Jing's marriage.

2008-10-08

Hu Jing actress

Best wishes for China ctress Hu Jing's marriage.

Also for the chinese singer Kelly Chen's marriage.

Wish them happy everyday and create a better work.

---------------

For more information:

1.chick here>kelly chen wedding

2.chick here>Hu Jing wedding

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Chinese Trio's First Day of Space Adventure

2008-09-27

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Shenzhou VII lifts off tonight

2008-09-27

JIUQUAN, Gansu -- Shenzhou VII will lift off between 9:07 pm and 10:27 pm Thursday, carrying three astronauts, one of who will become the first Chinese to walk in space, senior space program officials said Wednesday.

Shenzhou VII taikonauts (from left) Jing Haipeng,Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming wave to people at a press conference in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, September 24, 2008.  

One of the astronauts, Zhai Zhigang will walk in space around 4:30 pm on Saturday, media reports said.

The spacecraft will carry astronauts Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng, too.

One of the major tasks of the three-day mission is extra-vehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk in this case, mission spokesman Wang Zhaoyao said at a news conference Wednesday. The success of the task will mark a remarkable step forward for China.

The other tasks include releasing a small monitoring satellite and satellite data relay trials, said Wang, who is also deputy director of China's manned space program office.

"The Shenzhou VII mission marks a historic breakthrough in China's manned space program. It is a great honor for all three of us to be part of the mission, and we are fully prepared for the challenge," Zhai Zhigang said when he and the other two astronauts met the media Wednesday.

Tonight's mission will be the second stage of China's three-stage manned space program, which eventually is aimed at building a space lab and a space station by 2020.

Engineers began loading fuel in the carrier rocket at 4 pm Wednesday, a process that would take seven hours and meant the launch was "irreversible", Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center officials said.

Shenzhou VII will be launched from atop the Long-March II-F carrier rocket into orbit 343 km from Earth.

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Shenzhou 7 astronauts making final preparations for historic mission

2008-09-27

Chick play>The Shenzhou-7 spaceship video

Shenzhou-7 astronauts making final preparations for historic mission

In the following week, the crew of six, 3 who will blast off and their 3 backups, will be the focus of the country and the world.

Ahead of that, they'll go through a battery of tests and training in the Launch Field.

Chen Shanguang, Director China Astronaut Training Center, said, "The astronauts will take a rest and go through physical exams here. Then they still need some training and to learn the mission protocols. This is the final preparedness before they go into space."

The astronauts first entered the Launch Field two weeks ago. They conducted their first joint test with the craft, ground control and their teammates.

Training has focused on the most complicated situations they may encounter during the mission.

Authorities say everything has been going as planned and the astronauts are in peak condition.

Rain fell on the Launch Field on Saturday night. Now the priority is to make sure the rocket is waterproof.

The Long March 2F is designed to withstand moderate rain.

Experts say the shower makes no difference in the plan, and everything is set for lift-off next week.

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Criss Angel File

2008-09-27

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How Does Criss Angel Walk On Water

2008-09-24

Video address:Criss Angel Walks on Water <-Chick here

You can read more on this here and check out the. Nachofoto: Search results for how does criss angel walk on water. Criss Angel Walking on Water. criss angel walk on water Enjoy it. Labels: criss angel , criss angel secrets, how does criss angel do his tricks, how does criss angel do it, how to walk on water. One of hot topic right now is how does Criss Angel Walk on Water. Criss Angel wore shoes when he walked on water across one length of a. The swimmers are acting. Access classify links about How Does Criss Angel Walk On. All Encompassing Trip. India Business, Trade and Travel Guide travel at Thursday, September 18, 2008. how does criss angel walk on water Feedage.com how does criss angel walk on water. I saw Criss Angel walk on water on TV last night. how does criss angel walk on water - how does chris angel walk on water - criss angel walk on water - chris angel walk on water - how did.

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Cheyenne Woods

2008-09-24

An Associated Press article from earlier in the day reminds that there's now a second Woods golfer who is starting to show up on the national scene. Cheyenne Woods, Tiger's niece, recently made her collegiate debut as a member of the Wake Forest women's golf team.
Wake Forest is famous for its golfers; Arnold Palmer, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange and Jay Haas, among others, played golf at the North Carolina school.

Cheyenne's debut took place earlier in the month at the NCAA Fall Preview, where she made the 5-woman starting lineup and posted scores of 75-76-74--225. She finished 26th.

"She's going to have an impact on the team right away," coach Dianne Dailey said.
Woods has played in charity matches with Tiger in support of his foundation and, though she doesn't speak with her uncle on a regular basis, said he inspires her.

"Just seeing him on TV and knowing that someone in my family is succeeding, it's just really motivating," she said.

Cheyenne Woods is from Phoenix and played high school golf at one of the top programs in the country, Xavier Prep, for legendary coach Sister Lynn. There Woods was the three-time team MVP, and two-time (2006-07) Arizona state champion. The Arizona Republic, the largest newspaper in the state, named her the Arizona High School Golfer of the Year in 2007, and her junior career includes more than 30 tournament victories.

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Crazy Magic Trick from Chris Angel

2008-09-21

The really Scary Magic Trick by Chris Angel.
Parental Guidance is advised for children.

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Zhang Ziyi and Vivi Nevo Arrived for Allen & Co conference

2008-09-21

 

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi rides her mountain bike as she arrived at the 26th annual Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho July 10, 2008.

Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang walks during the 26th annual Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho July 10, 2008.

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi parks her mountain bike after she arrived with fiance Vivi Nevo at the 26th annual Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho July 10, 2008.

 Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang walks with Time Warner Chairman Richard Parsons (C) and Vevi Nevo of NV Investments (R) at the 26th annual Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho July 10, 2008.

Vivi Nevo, of NV Investments, and Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi arrive for the annual Allen & Co.'s media conference Thursday, July 10, 2008, in Sun Valley, Idaho. The couple are engage and plan to wed next year, said Nevo.

Information from:http://news.chinaassistor.com/2008/0711/Zhang_Ziyi_and_Vivi_Nevo_Arrived_for_Allen__Co_con_10206.html(More info and pictures you can find there)

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Cheyenne Woods Picture Gallery

2008-09-18

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Travel China

2008-09-09

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China Visa--An important tool for travel China

2008-09-09

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Travel China In Luxury

2008-09-09

If you are planning a trip to China, and would like to really experience luxury travel and have a wonderful, deluxe vacation, you will be excited to know that there are tour operators who specialize in first class travel to China.

One of the first things we think of when we talk about “luxury travel” is first class air travel, and this is certainly a part of your luxurious China vacation, along with luxury hotel accommodations and having personal guides and escorts rather than taking group tours with other vacationers.

While you’re in China, you will want to take in some of the regular tourist sights, and you may want to be able to get the “special access” to some sights that is restricted for VIPs and special visitors. Talk with your luxury tour operator about these tours and what you would like to see; there are often special arrangements your operator can make to help you have an even more special experience.

Room service is a luxury many people enjoy, of course, and in China, in your five-star hotel, the room service will be spectacular, and you will be amazed how wonderful the local food is when you’re experiencing the cooking skills of some of the best chefs in the country.

General luxury travel is very popular, and you can find many tour operators offering first-class travel in China. You can go to the mainland and visit all of the wonderful historic and cultural sites in luxury, and you can also visit Hong Kong, which is considered truly luxurious in its own right. Simply by looking for a tour operator who does “regular” travel in first-class style, you can find a wonderful vacation package.

However, if you’re particularly interested in Chinese cuisine, you may wish to find a gastronomy tour that takes you to some of the most exciting and exotic dining experiences in China and gives you the opportunity to learn more about Chinese cuisine and sample things you would never be able to try at home.

Or, if golf is your passion, there are many deluxe golfing packages that let you tee off in the countryside of China, some of the most beautiful land in the world. If your are a keen golfer and want to either concentrate on golf while in China or make it a large part of your visit, you can work with a golf tour operator to make that experience a reality for you.

Whatever your goals for first-class travel in China, you can find a luxury tour operator simply by searching on the Internet for luxury travel in China and talking with operators who offer the kinds of tour you are interested in . You may  be surprised, not only at how lush some of the packages are and how much they offer, but that first-class travel in China, true luxury living on the mainland and in Hong Kong, is much less expensive than the same class of travel in Europe or the United States.

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China Business Travel

2008-09-09

According to the American Express Business Travels second survey of corporate travel management service in China, the country will become the world's third-largest market for corporate travel within five years. The survey shows that the spending on international business travel by China approximates US$4.2 billion a year, which is 17 percent of the Asian market for business travel. This figure, in addition to the spending on the domestic business travel in China, adds up to almost US$20 billion.

The healthy growth of China's GDP is likely to secure a two-digit rise in China's business travel market in a few years. It is estimated that by the year 2020, the number of Chinese business travellers will be five times as many as that at present. International travel service providers and global giants such as American Express, Kar Shun Travel, and Rosenbluth have noticed the potential of China market for business travel and have made inroads into China.

Global business travellers are advised to adhere to local business etiquettes. In Chinese business culture, conservative suits are the norm. For business purposes, it is traditionally acceptable to call a Chinese person by the family name, together with a title, such as ""Director Li"". Avoid using someone's first name unless you know him or her closely. Formality is a sign of respect, and it is sensible to clarify how you will address someone early in a relationship.

Business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is, however, a five-day workweek in larger cities. Avoid visiting government offices on Friday afternoon because this is sometimes reserved for political studying of the officials. Offices are typically closed on public holidays including the Spring Festival, during which most Chinese take five days off; other holidays during which offices close include Labor Day on May 1, and the National Day on October 1.

China Travel provides detailed information on China Travel, China Business Travel, China Travel Services, China Travel Agencies and more. China Travel is affiliated with China Guided Tours.

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China beauty for everybody!

2008-09-07

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Something about Chinese food

2008-09-07

Ancient Chinese food was based around rice as far back as 5000 BC. Interestingly, the evidence from around the Yangtse River watershed points to not only boiled rice but to the fermented product that we know as rice wine. It was probably an accidental discovery, but one that has remained very popular throughout Chinese history.

Wild pig species are native to southern China and appear to have been domesticated around 2000 BCE. It's not known at what stage hunting was replaced by domestication and farming of pigs - bones don't tell that story - but this was probably after the introduction of chickens.

Chickens were probably adopted from the area that we now know as Thailand. These were almost certainly domesticated before pigs. Even today, Dai people (Dai and Thai being pretty much interchangeable) live in Xishuangbanna, the area bordering the modern SE Asia countries of Laos and Myanmar (Burma).

In the north, where it was too cold for rice, the local farmers grew millet and some sorghum. These could also be boiled into porridge, or fermented to produce alcohol.

One ancient Chinese food item not developed elsewhere is tofu. This fermented bean product was thought to have been made from about 1000 BCE. The soya bean is tasty and supposedly endowed with healthy characteristics. It is meant to be particularly good for diabetics. Soya milk is another product still consumed today.

Food preservation techniques allowed the ancient Chinese to keep seasonal crops year round. Salting of meat and pickling of vegetables have long added to the variety of foods, especially over the winter period. Many people still eat rice porridge with pickled vegetables for breakfast. It's simple to prepare and easily digested.

When looking at ancient Chinese food we shouldn't forget the popular drinks. Boiled water has always been the favourite as it has long been a principle that food and drink should be consumed when at a temperature similar to the bodies so as not to disturb the natural balance. This preference may have lead to the discovery of tea leaves as flavouring.

Certainly the early Chinese seem to have experimented with lots of plants and drying methods to produce a wide range of tasty and healthy beverages. The favourites now are:

• Green teas - especially those from Longjing near Hangzhou;

• Fermented teas - Pu'er Tea and Oolong are perhaps the most famous of these; and

• Flower teas - such as Jasmine and Chrysanthemum.

 

Ancient Chinese Food may not have been the most varied. This was largely because of China's relative isolation. Only when hardy adventurers traveled along the Silk Road routes did wheat, cattle and sheep arrive in China. More variety was introduced when China expanded southwards, and especially when sea trade brought lots of exotic foodstuffs to Guangzhou (Canton) and beyond. Those developments were for later.

Ian Ford has lived in China for most of the last 7 years. He has prepared a food guide, Eating Out in China, with background information to Chinese food, over 60 recommended dishes and handy reference sheets. The sheets are for you to take on your travels and have these recommended dishes (and variations) in English, pinyin and Chinese characters. To find out more, go to http://chinaassistor.com/

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Chinese Companies Strive to Restore "Made-in-China" Image at Canton Fair

2008-09-07

Chinese companies have chosen the Canton Fair, China's largest trade show, to restore the battered image of "Made in China" after a series of product safety incidents attracted critical headlines across the world this summer.

The fair, which finished on Tuesday in the southern city of Guangzhou, was slated as a "perfect" chance for Chinese companies to restore buyers' confidence after scandals involving the export of lead-contaminated toys, substandard toothpaste and pet foods.

The U.S. toy maker, Mattel Inc., has staged several high-profile recalls of China-made products, 87 percent of which were found to have loose magnets -- a design defect from Mattel itself -- and 13 percent of which contained excessive lead.

"Although Chinese producers are not the only one to be blamed here, We are paying heavy prices. The effect is severe, and serious lessons need to be drawn," said Ju Jianwei, manager of the Jiangsu Overseas Group Co., Ltd, a state-owned trade and investment company in east China.

The Canton Fair gained 37.45 billion U.S. dollars in value of orders placed, a 2.9 percent rise compared with the previous session.

Steve Barek, President and CEO of the Florida-based Microflock Textile Group Corporation, who had been to 12 sessions of the trade show, said he believed the product safety issues were sporadic, and most Chinese products are still favored over others for desired quality at the lowest prices.

There was growth in some categories, but noticeably the value of toy orders dropped by 10.7 percent to 900 million U.S. dollars compared with the previous session.

Industry analysts said the drop was mainly attributed to waning confidence in China-made toys. Chinese Customs figures also show September's toy export slipped 2.88 percent from August.

"We are trying to expel doubts and fears. We are doing more now, with tougher material control and stricter standard manufacturing procedures and more tests," said Zhang Chenhua, deputy general manager of Goodlin Toys Co., Ltd, a Shanghai-based toy exporter.

"At the same time, foreign technological standards are getting higher and more stringent. We really need to gear up for that and prove to the world that we are responsible companies and our products are still reliable," Zhang said.

Like Zhang, many Chinese companies are seeking to walk out of the shadows cast by the spate of product safety incidents.

"The recent food safety scare brought a lot of pressure, but we are doing everything to make sure no hitches happen to our products," said Zhang Jin, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Import and Export Group Corp, at the fair.

Zhang said his company had just got a "sizeable" order with a British supermarket at the fair, and that proves "we have been doing the right thing".

The trade show itself has also been tougher on product quality rules for participants, vowing to kick out or even revoke participation qualifications for companies found with product quality glitches.

Chinese government has committed itself to better product safety. It introduced a landmark recall system this summer, launched a four-month-long nationwide product quality campaign, and offered intensive training courses to domestic toy manufacturers.

Deng Xuqi, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Quarantine and Inspection Bureau, announced on Wednesday that the province has just wound up a month-long campaign specifically targeted on toys and food for exports.

Guangdong alone manufactures about 70 percent of the total Chinese toys made for export.

A 100-member team dispatched by the bureau discovered problems including substandard paint and loose parts in toys, after inspecting more than 2,000 local exporters.

The bureau said it has withdrawn production licenses from 423 toy makers, suspended the licenses of 341 toy companies(For example:Jiuli Plastic Factory), and ordered 690 others to improve their working practices.

Meanwhile, the bureau revoked the licenses of 160 food suppliers and exporters in the province. About 200 others have been ordered to suspend operation until they have cleaned up their act.

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Plastic products made in China

2008-09-07

China Taizhou Jiaojiang Jiuli Plastic Factory is a professional plastic manufacturer. Established in 1995, it is located in Taizhou city, known as "the plastic mould town of China", enjoying advantaged industry .Since its establishment, Jiuli has worked on novelty and practicability of the products, taken it as the development target and the basis of setting up the enterprise's image. Our products have covered the markets at home and abroad successively, and been popular with the vast merchants and customers.  

Our factory mainly takes up with production and distribution of various specification plastic products, such as plastic pallet,plastic container, dustbin, plastic basket , turnover crate and baby carrier, etc. In addition, we also process varieties of plastic fittings and products for external demands, or process products with foreign materials or moulds. Our products are suitable for every walk of life, for example, machinery factory, food plant, brewery, fruit market, meter factory, hardware factory, garment factory, vegetable distribution center, chemistry factory, plastic factory, stationery factory, toy factory, tobacco factory, hotel, cabaret, aquatic products, medicine, electron, big mall, supermarket, environmental sanitation and realty and so on, and become the necessity for the logistic and storage.
Taking" quality is first, customer is upmost, credit is basis" as its tenet, and " technology keeps ahead, exploit & innovate, share win-win" as its operation philosophy, Jiuli keeps strengthening product quality management, improving the service level to ensure the product quality, and making its great effort to provide the customers with good-quality products and perfect service.

Plastic products made in China

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Reconstruction After Earthquake

2008-09-04

China news from Xinhua net.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits Qiang ethnic group village in Beichuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 1, 2008. Wen inspected repair work and raised morale among residents over the past three days, during a visit to southwestern Sichuan Province nearly four months after the devastating May 12 earthquake.

    "The relief work [so far] is successful," said Wen, on his fourth visit to Sichuan since the quake. "Now we are entering a critical stage to boost rehabilitation." 

    With a combination of temporary housing and repaired buildings, about 4.45 million homeless families in the province have found accommodation.

    Wen visited Zaoshu Village, Qingchuan County, one of the worst-hit areas, as the villagers were busy building or repairing houses.

    A couple, Shi Guangwu and Zhang Zhengfang, told him that they received a subsidy of 23,000 yuan (3,333 U.S. dollars) from the government to build a new residence.

Under a provincial government policy issued in June, rural families who lost their homes will build new ones under government supervision. Each will receive about 20,000 yuan from the government.

    "I am glad to see farmers in the quake area are busy rebuilding their homes with their own hands. As long as we carefully plan and organize the work, new houses will rise soon," said Wen, who expressed appreciation for their self-reliant attitude.

    During the four-day trip beginning Sunday, Wen also visited an urban community in Qiaozhuang Town, Qingchuan. Permanent home rebuilding has not started in the urban area yet as the government is working on a subsidy policy for urban survivors.

Full story

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China girl

2008-09-04

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Chinese Companies Strive to Restore "Made-in-China" Image at Canton Fair

2008-09-04

Chinese companies have chosen the Canton Fair, China's largest trade show, to restore the battered image of "Made in China" after a series of product safety incidents attracted critical headlines across the world this summer.

The fair, which finished on Tuesday in the southern city of Guangzhou, was slated as a "perfect" chance for Chinese companies to restore buyers' confidence after scandals involving the export of lead-contaminated toys, substandard toothpaste and pet foods.

The U.S. toy maker, Mattel Inc., has staged several high-profile recalls of China-made products, 87 percent of which were found to have loose magnets -- a design defect from Mattel itself -- and 13 percent of which contained excessive lead.

"Although Chinese producers are not the only one to be blamed here, We are paying heavy prices. The effect is severe, and serious lessons need to be drawn," said Ju Jianwei, manager of the Jiangsu Overseas Group Co., Ltd, a state-owned trade and investment company in east China.

The Canton Fair gained 37.45 billion U.S. dollars in value of orders placed, a 2.9 percent rise compared with the previous session.

Steve Barek, President and CEO of the Florida-based Microflock Textile Group Corporation, who had been to 12 sessions of the trade show, said he believed the product safety issues were sporadic, and most Chinese products are still favored over others for desired quality at the lowest prices.

There was growth in some categories, but noticeably the value of toy orders dropped by 10.7 percent to 900 million U.S. dollars compared with the previous session.

Industry analysts said the drop was mainly attributed to waning confidence in China-made toys. Chinese Customs figures also show September's toy export slipped 2.88 percent from August.

"We are trying to expel doubts and fears. We are doing more now, with tougher material control and stricter standard manufacturing procedures and more tests," said Zhang Chenhua, deputy general manager of Goodlin Toys Co., Ltd, a Shanghai-based toy exporter.

"At the same time, foreign technological standards are getting higher and more stringent. We really need to gear up for that and prove to the world that we are responsible companies and our products are still reliable," Zhang said.

Like Zhang, many Chinese companies are seeking to walk out of the shadows cast by the spate of product safety incidents.

"The recent food(Made in China) safety scare brought a lot of pressure, but we are doing everything to make sure no hitches happen to our products," said Zhang Jin, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Import and Export Group Corp, at the fair.

Zhang said his company had just got a "sizeable" order with a British supermarket at the fair, and that proves "we have been doing the right thing".

The trade show itself has also been tougher on product quality rules for participants, vowing to kick out or even revoke participation qualifications for companies found with product quality glitches.

Chinese government has committed itself to better product safety. It introduced a landmark recall system this summer, launched a four-month-long nationwide product quality campaign, and offered intensive training courses to domestic toy manufacturers.

Deng Xuqi, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Quarantine and Inspection Bureau, announced on Wednesday that the province has just wound up a month-long campaign specifically targeted on toys and food for exports.

Guangdong alone manufactures about 70 percent of the total Chinese toys made for export.

A 100-member team dispatched by the bureau discovered problems including substandard paint and loose parts in toys, after inspecting more than 2,000 local exporters.

The bureau said it has withdrawn production licenses from 423 toy makers, suspended the licenses of 341 toy companies, and ordered 690 others to improve their working practices.

Meanwhile, the bureau revoked the licenses of 160 food suppliers and exporters in the province. About 200 others have been ordered to suspend operation until they have cleaned up their act.

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China Pub in Guangzhou

2008-09-04

China Pub in Guangzhou

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Picasso China Tour cancelled indefinitely(copy)

2008-09-02

The 2008 Picasso China Tour will open at Shanghai Exhibition Center

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China Southern Ups Fuel Surcharge On Overseas Flights

2008-09-02

With most airlines across the world taking strict measures to cope up with the rising fuel costs, in a significant announcement made on Tuesday, China Southern Airlines confirmed that it shall raise its fuel surcharge on international flights. The rise is expected to be more than 30 percent.

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Olympic Spirit Blooms in School

2008-09-02

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Travel in China for the Olympics

2008-08-31

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Shanghai travel guide

2008-08-31

Shanghai travel guide
Shanghai is the center of China's eastern coastline,one of China's economical and cultural centers and has a long history as a trading port and gateway for foreigners entering China. It is the gateway to the delta. It is a municipality under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government and the largest economic and trade center in China.
Shanghai's gorgeous night scene is one of the main highlights that will linger in visitors' mind owing to its ornate feature after their Shanghai travel experience. As night descends the entire city is lit up by dizzily colorful lights joined occasionally by the bright moon hanging in the sky.

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Free map to guide driving in Beijing - Chinese Studies

2008-08-31

Drivers from other parts of the country will no longer have to worry
about getting lost traveling in Beijing with the help of an itinerary map.

Beijing Times reports a mechanism aimed at easing traveling
inconveniences for outsiders of Beijing will start in March at all 16
checkpoints entering the city. As long as the drivers tell the police
their destination, the police will print out a free itinerary map that
leads the way from the checkpoint to their destination.

On the map, drivers can find driving routes, distance, urban traffic
network information, as well as the number and type of their automobiles.
An official with the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, Jiang Jinhui,
says the itinerary on the map is the shortest and the most efficient.

The service is based on a route-seeking system that compiles routes
according to different automobile types and the traffic situation. The
official warns that drivers must tell the police their automobile type in
case some types of automobiles are banned in some areas because of
traffic control.

A recent survey shows that more than half of drivers from outside of
Beijing are not familiar with the routes in Beijing and eight out of ten
want the free itinerary guidance service.

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Shopping in China

2008-08-31

Shopping in China

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A Brief Introduction to Wuhan

2008-08-30

A Brief Introduction to Wuhan

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Harbin, initial thoughts and observations

2008-08-30

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Between Nanjing and Chongqing

2008-08-30

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Things I Like About Kunming

2008-08-30

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Things I Like About Kunming

2008-08-30

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New view of Shanghai on skyscraper

2008-08-28

A view of the city of Shanghai from the 492-meter-tall Shanghai World Financial Center under construction on August 26, 2008. Observation decks on 100th and 97th floors of the 101-storey tower, overlooking the city, are set to be finished and open to the public at the end of this month, providing visitors a spectacular view of downtown Shanghai and the winding Huangpu River.

The skyline of Shanghai's lujiazui financial area is seen in this picture taken on August 26, 2008. Observation decks on 100th and 97th floors of the 101-storey tower, overlooking the city, are set to be finished and open to the public at the end of this month, providing visitors a spectacular view of downtown Shanghai and the winding Huangpu River.

Undated file photo of a view of the Shanghai World Financial Center (C) at night in Shanghai. Observation decks on 100th and 97th floors of the 101-storey tower, overlooking the city, are set to be finished and open to the public at the end of this month, providing visitors a spectacular view of downtown Shanghai and the winding Huangpu River.

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Beijing Lights Up Olympic Dream

2008-08-28

From inside the 91,000-seat Bird’s Nest stadium, fireworks dazzled and the thunder of 2,008 performers drumming on traditional fou percussion instruments rolled throughout the stadium. High-tech special effects gave even the kitschiest subject matter a startling edge. An ode to China’s invention of movable type—ho hum, you might say— morphed into a vast sea of undulating cubic shapes, simulating a giant computer keyboard—and took my breath away.

When five-time Olympic medal winner Li Ning prepared to ignite the Olympic flame, invisible wires swooped him skyward for a gravity-defying space-walk around the stadium’s rooftop opening. When gymnast Li, who launched a successful sports clothing and accessories empire after snagging three gold medals in Los Angeles, finally lit a gigantic torch perched on the rim of the Bird’s Nest, the crowd went wild.

This was China’s soft-power version of “shock and .” Or at least, that metaphor ran through my mind as the pyrotechnics reminded me of watching the U.S. “shock and awe” bombing of Baghdad in 2003 from my Palestine Hotel room balcony. Just as Washington’s adventure in Iraq today symbolizes the beginning of the decline of U.S. influence around the world—despite its military might—so will China’s hosting of these Olympics be seen as a sign that it has arrived as a global power, despite its tarnished human rights record. Nowhere will this tilting balance of power be more pointedly symbolized than in the Olympic medal count, where China may have a
better than even chance of snagging the highest number of gold medals, displacing the U.S.

Flanked by leaders of the United States and Russia—among 80-some other foreign dignitaries—Chinese president Hu Jintao stiffly declared the 2008 Games had begun. Inside he had reason to feel triumphant: one theme hammered (or, more accurately, drummed) into the audience again and again was “harmony,” a codeword for Hu’s Confucius-influenced call for a “harmonious society.” Yet Hu could also be excused for feeling jittery and overwhelmed by today’s tsunami of national pride. China has always felt more comfortable in the role of an underdog, as a feisty champion of the developing world, than as abig world power.

That’s because global clout brings with it global responsibilities. As a rainbow coalition of anti-China activists has shown in a series of protests this year, Hu and his comrades have dwindling excuses for standing to one side when genocide is unfolding in Darfur (Khartoum looks to Beijing for aid and moral support) or the Burmese junta (ditto with Rangoon) ratchets up its repression or, indeed, the Chinese regime tightens the screws on its own population.

Shortly after tonight’s opening ceremonies began, Russian tanks were reported to be rolling into Georgia—a stark reminder to Hu (and Putin for that matter) that even a sacred event such as the Olympics cannot prevent harsh political realities from intruding. Most pundits analyzed tonight’s festivities as a celebration of Chinese might. I saw a somewhat more complex message. True, the sight of goose-stepping soldiers carrying the Olympic flag (shades of Berlin
1936) or the sheer precision of thousands of performers moving intricately as one (a la Pyongyang’s Mass Games) made it easy to focus on China’s autocratic demeanor.

But if you read the cultural icons carefully, they also weave a tapestry of loss and redemption. The unique thing about China’s current aspirations to greatness is that it’s been down that road before. While Beijing’s economic achievements over the past three decades have been mind-boggling, similar accomplishments took place at least twice before in its long history—a history that dominated tonight’s performance, starting with the arcane fou bronze drums dating back to the Xia Dynasty (ca 2070 BC).

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), China’s trading routes stretched along the Silk Road to Constantinople, and the Middle Kingdom was a famous source of silks, Buddhist teachings and innovations in printing and cartography. In the Ming Dynasty, China’s legendary eunuch admiral Zheng Ho (1371 -1433 AD) navigated his treasure fleets as far away as West Asia and Zanzibar, returning with tribute from vassal states and exotic finds such as giraffes. But those golden eras ended after economic setbacks and internal decline.

Tonight’s show strummed many of those themes. The wire-suspended dancers who flitted across the sky high above the audience, a la Peter Pan, were apsaras (like angels) whose likenesses are painted in many Tang-era Buddhist grottoes such as those at Dunhuang, along the ancient Silk Road. And Zheng Ho warranted a whole dance performance dedicated to his seven fleets, which carried 27,000 people in all to distant lands.

Yet many of the Chinese inventions extolled (however imaginatively) tonight—from gunpowder to paper to movable printing type—were innovations that ultimately stalled in China, only to be advanced in leaps and bounds by other nations. And while the entire evening was an homage to the 2500-year-old Analects of Confucius—an ancient Chinese thinker who “comes first among the top 10 historical celebrities in the world,” as the official Opening Ceremony Media Guide puts it—nothing was said of China’s Great Helmsman Mao Zedong.

It was Mao who jettisoned Confucian ethics and unleashed the incredibly destructive 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution which gutted China’s educational system, lobotomized the intelligentsia, and rendered the economy a basket case.

So, yes, this was a celebration to China’s illustrious heritage—and of its promising future. But tonight’s razzle-dazzle painted the portrait of an idealized Chinese past, of a gauzily perfect
what-should-have-been instead of the rather more tawdry what-really-was. And it isn’t only the ancient, imperial past that has been treated to this collective amnesia. At the finale of the evening, as sports-and-business icon Li Ning trotted like an astronaut, parallel to the ground, around the rim of the Bird’s Nest, images of China’s Olympics torch relay were projected against the flat panels of the rim. Predictably enough, the stops in Paris and London showed nothing of the rambunctious anti-China protests that had erupted in those and other cities to underscore China’s poor human rights record, particularly in Tibet.

Not everyone believes Beijing deserves another chance to be a great power; China’s hosting of the Olympics has been hotly debated and fraught with controversy ever since Beijing won its bid seven years ago. When China’s critics launched protests against its policies in Tibet—after violent riots which erupted in Lhasa March 14—emotional Chinese both at home and abroad rallied to their government’s defense, calling for a boycott of French goods (because of the anti-China protests in Paris) and stridently criticizing Western media for allegedly biased reporting. Some Western journalists based in Beijing received death threats.

But in a year of many surprises, the story line shifted yet again after yet another unexpected development. The devastating May earthquake in Sichuan province grabbed domestic attention and triggered an unexpected outpouring of domestic philanthropy and volunteerism that took even the government by surprise. In a flash, it seemed, strident anti-Western voices quieted down, and so did much of the Western criticism of China, at least for a time, as the international community scrambled to send rescue personnel and relief supplies to the stricken area.

China’s post-Mao economic boom, which lifted hundreds of millions of residents out of poverty, has given the country another shot at the sort of international influence it had enjoyed in the Tang and Ming dynasties. And the international sympathy triggered by Sichuan’s quake, which killed 70,000 people, also paradoxically gave Beijing a second chance to get the Olympics right after the PR disasters of the European torch relay.

The quake’s significance was acknowledged by some Olympic pageantry. When the 183-person Chinese Olympics team entered the stadium to thunderous applause tonight, flag-bearer and basketball celebrity Yao Ming walked alongside a 9-year-old Sichuan quake survivor. President
of the Beijing Games Organizing Committee, Liu Qi, said that after the quake the international community’s “heart-warming support has heightened the morale of the Chinese nation in the reconstruction of quake-stricken areas and boosted our confidence and determination in staging successful Games.” For the next two weeks, China’s every move will be scrutinized as never before—will the crackdown on dissidents continue? Will the contest for gold get ugly? And Beijing will be bending over backwards not to flub this hard-fought chance to be great once again.

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Forbidden City[Zijincheng](The second choice of the travel)

2008-08-28

The Forbidden City(Zijincheng)

The Forbidden City was the Chinese Imperial Palace of Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Emperor house and the Chinese government centre. The Forbidden City was declared as World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO, because it exemplifies the Traditional Chinese Architecture.

The Forbidden City is in the middle of Beijing, in walled area called Imperial City. This is the world’s largest complex. It is a rectangle 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west. The Imperial Palace is surrounded by high walls that separate the Inner City from Outer City and it served as defensive and retaining walls. The walls are pierced by a gate on each side and each gate has a corner tower: the northern gate is the Gate of Divine Might; the east and west gates are called the East Glorious Gate and West Glorious Gate, and the main gate is the Meridian Gate.

The Forbidden City is divided in two parts and these places are separated by a courtyard:

Outer Court
This place was used for ceremonies and it has three main halls: The Hall of Supreme Harmony used for coronations, investitures and Imperial weddings; The Hall of Central Harmony used by the Emperor to prepare and rest before and during ceremonies and The Hall of Preserving Harmony used for rehearsing ceremonies.