Chinese society has long upheld a traditional belief that emphasizes women’s adherence to the Three Obediences and the Four Virtues. This belief has its roots in Confucianism, which greatly values filial piety and the hierarchical structure of the family. The Three Obediences entail a woman’s duty to obey her father before marriage, her husband after …
Datang Everbright City in Xi’an presents a captivating destination that effectively showcases the rich history and contemporary developments of China. Tucked away within the ancient city of Xi’an, this vibrant cultural complex offers a delightful fusion of traditional architecture and cutting-edge technology. As soon as you set foot here, you are instantly whisked away to …
The transition of China away from the imperial system stands as a momentous and transformative event that arose from a convergence of compelling factors. Essentially, the emergence of revolutionary ideas and a strong desire for modernization ignited an intense longing for change. Throughout the 19th century, as the Qing Dynasty grappled with a series of …
Transport yourself back to the mid-19th century, where an epic clash unfolded between civilizations in the form of the Second Opium War, famously known as the Arrow War. This captivating conflict spanned from 1856 to 1860, pitting the mighty Qing Dynasty of China against a coalition of Western powers, spearheaded by Britain and France. At …
Transport yourself back to the early 19th century and bear witness to a significant clash between two formidable forces – China and the British Empire. This momentous struggle, commonly known as the First Opium War, unfolded from 1839 to 1842 and left a lasting impact on their relationship. At the heart of this conflict was …
The abandonment of the imperial system in China can be attributed to a multitude of factors that unfolded over the course of centuries. One paramount reason was the internal decay and corruption that afflicted the imperial government. As the dynasties matured, the ruling class became increasingly disconnected from the needs and desires of the common …
For decades, the relationship between China and Taiwan has been a constant source of tension and complexity. While political motives have been at the forefront of this relationship, recent speculation highlights a new concern for Taiwan. It appears that China’s interest in Taiwan has moved beyond mere politics and has extended to its advanced technology …
I don’t know who this warning is actually for, but apparently someone in China needs to be told not to transfer money to strangers and they put a nice sign on the ATM to remind them.
Here is an interesting Taxi sign at a place to wait for a ride. This photo was taken in Xi’an, China.
Walking around Xi’an I came across this marketplace. This place had it all. There was food, candy, restaurants, beverages, interesting architecture, fountains, shows, and a lot of friendly people to meet.
Here is a small alley in Xi’an that had some interesting painting on the wall and cool looking tiles on the wall. There was also Chinese lanterns in the trees.
“When in Rome do as the Romans do,” as they say. While in Beijing I had to give Peking duck a try to experience the local cuisine. The food was delicious. It was a little bit greasy, but that’s due to fat on the duck. They gave you sauces and vegetables you can try and …
No matter if you are shopping for food, drink, snacks, or even souvenirs in Xi’an, China there are all sorts of stores for you. Here are some of the sights of stores and products you could buy.
Here are some photos of the Hilton hotel in Xi’an, China. It’s a very nice hotel with a friendly staff and lots of historic artwork.
As I was walking around and trying to get some photos at Tiananmen Square I, being a foreigner, was stopped by every security guard, policeman, volunteer security, and any other random security person. Obviously I don’t look asian and when they saw me coming I would get my documents ready because they were going to …
I finally made it to Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing and at a time when the rest of the world is opening up, China has things locked down. This was as close as I could get and these are the clearest photos. That is due to all the security, umbrellas, vehicles and everything …
Across the street from Tiananmen Square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. This chapter is straight out of the dictatorship playbook to put a leader’s body to rest in a mausoleum. Mao was the leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1935 until his death in 1976. He was part of the movement to abandon …
Built in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty Zhenyangmen was once the south gate to Beijing’s Inner City. Now it’s just a tourist attraction that is near Tiananmen Square. The first photo is looking from the China Railway Museum and when looking from the left to the right you see Zhenyangmen, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, …
Across the street from Zhengyangmen is the China Railway Museum. If you’re into trains and near Tiananmen Square it is a short walk to get there.
Tried a Chinese hamburger at a local place in Xi’an. The owner wanted to film me taking a bite so she can post it to Chinese media. I’m a picky eater so that is always a scary thing to do, but as it turned out this was actually pretty good.
Xuanzang was a buddhist monk that traveled from China to India to learn about Buddhism and he brought back and translated many buddhist teachings during the time of 629-645 of the current era. Here is a photo of the statue of Xuanzang in Xi’an, China in front of the Wild Goose Pagoda.
In Beijing, China the ground is very dry and has a layer of dust from the Gobi Desert. Whenever that layer of dust gets wet it solidifies and becomes hard like concrete which doesn’t provide a lot of nutrients for vegetation. It looks weird when initially seeing it because it looks like an IV bag, …
Walking down the sidewalk in China can be difficult. This is an actual photo of a sidewalk in Beijing. First off they use bricks which looks nice, but over time it becomes bumpy and uneven. Then they place as many obstacles in the path of the sidewalk as possible. This causes all sorts of hazards …
While driving in China seeing drivers on their cell phones is an everyday occurrence and it is, not only annoying, but it is also unsafe. Drivers are bad enough, but also being on their phones while driving makes them a ticking time bomb for an accident.
Conveniently located between the Xi’an airport and the city of Xian itself is a power plant which supplies the city with electricity. When I look at this I wonder if it is a nuclear power plant. If it is, to me, it doesn’t make much sense to place it between the city and the airport …
On the flight to Shanghai here are some sights along the way.
Here are a couple toll roads near Xi’an. As you can see one looks traditional whereas the other looks more futuristic.
