Intangible culture with Related Tags
Heritage with Related Tags
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang
The Forbidden City in Beijing was the center of the highest power in China, which ruled Beijing for five centuries (1416-1911). The Forbidden City contains gardens and numerous buildings (nearly 10,000 rooms with furniture and works of art) and is a valuable witness to Chinese civilization during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Qing Palace in Shenyang consists of 114 buildings and was built between 1625-26 and 1783. It has an important library and bears witness to the establishment of the last dynasty that ruled China, after which it expanded its power to become the center of China during the Qing Dynasty and moved the capital to Beijing. The palace later became an annex to the Forbidden City in Beijing. This magnificent building provides important historical witness to the history of the Qing Dynasty and the cultural traditions of the Manchus and other tribes in the north of China.
The Great Wall
Around 220 BC, during the reign of Qin Shi Huangdi, sections of earlier fortifications were linked together to form a unified defense system to protect against invasions from the north. Construction of the Great Wall continued until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when it became the largest military structure in the world. Its historical and strategic importance is rivaled only by its architectural significance.
Jinniu Cave
Jinniudong Tourist Resort is located at the foot of Wuling Mountain in Xinglong County, Chengde City. It is a comprehensive service place for tourist accommodation, catering, entertainment and conferences. The Jinniudong Scenic Area is adjacent to the resort, located on the southern foot of Wuling Mountain and Dongmei Temple Mountain. The cave is a natural cave with three layers: upper, middle and lower, and some karst development. According to experts, the cave was formed in the Meso-Ancient Era 1.4 billion years ago. It is the closest karst cave to the top of the mountain in the world. At the same time, this cave, known as the "ancient strange cave", was also the place where the "Mahayana Tianzhen Yuandun Sect" of the Ming Dynasty took refuge and the leader wrote the "Longhua Sutra". There are still many Buddha statues and scripture writing platforms in the cave. There are also several caves of different sizes, as confusing as the "Tunnel War".
Qianmen Street Scenic Area
Qianmen Street has a long history. As far back as the Yuan Dynasty, the avenue leading to the suburbs outside Lizheng Gate (now Qianmen) was its predecessor. In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, due to the development of commerce, markets and streets such as Fresh Fish Market, Pig (Pearl) Market, Coal Market, and Grain Store appeared on both sides of Qianmen Street, and Qianmen Street became a commercial street. The long history of Qianmen Street has created many Chinese time-honored brands here, such as Dabei Photo Studio, Laozhengxing Restaurant, Shengxifu Hat Shop, Liubiju Soy Sauce Factory, Tongrentang Pharmacy, Ruifuxiang Silk Shop, Changchuntang Pharmacy, Nei Liansheng Shoe Shop, Zhang Yiyuan Tea House, Yueshengzhai’s Sauce Meat Shop, Duyichu’s Shaomai Shop, and 16 other time-honored brands, which are located on both sides of Qianmen Street.
Gu'an County Qujiaying Ancient Music Hall
Qujiaying Ancient Music is one of the oldest music in China. It was founded during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties and originated from Buddhist temple music. It is the product of the exchange of music between the north and the south since the Song and Yuan Dynasties. It has the simplicity and roughness of northern music and the gracefulness and tranquility of southern music. The Qujiaying Concert was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty and the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. What can be verified is a "sky tent" destroyed during the "Cultural Revolution". The "sky tent" is a tent used for concerts. The side strips are embroidered with words: It is unknown how many years this association has been in existence since its inception. It was about to be lost during the Jiaqing period. Now it is supported and funded by certain people, and it was revived during the Xianfeng period. According to this, the Qujiaying Concert has existed in the middle of the Qing Dynasty. So far, the concert has been renewed five times. The third, fourth and fifth renewals were in the third year of Xianfeng (1853), the 37th year of the Republic of China (1948) and 1980 respectively. These three scores are still intact.
Simatai Great Wall Scenic Area
The Simatai Great Wall is located in Gubeikou Town in the northeast of Miyun District, Beijing. It starts from Wangjing Tower in the east and ends at Houchuankou in the west. It is 5.4 kilometers long and has 35 watchtowers. The whole section of the Great Wall is ingeniously conceived, uniquely designed, novel in structure, and of various shapes. There are both the common "city wall type" and the "half-side wall type" built to adapt to the mountain terrain of cliffs; there are both horse trails that stretch along the gentle slope and "ladders to the sky" stacked with large steps on the steep slope. It has the five unique characteristics of "dangerous, dense, strange, clever, and complete". The Simatai Reservoir divides the Great Wall into two sections, east and west. There are 16 watchtowers in the east section and 18 in the west section. The watchtowers are dense, varied in form, and different in structure. The average distance between the towers is only 140 meters, which is extremely magnificent. There are two most prominent watchtowers on the peak of the eastern section of the Great Wall, namely the Fairy Tower and the Wangjing Tower. In particular, the Wangjing Tower is built on a steep peak with an altitude of 1,000 meters, with excellent views and a view of Beijing City from a distance. Simatai Great Wall was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit and the only ancient architectural site in my country that retains its original appearance from the Ming Dynasty. Simatai Great Wall is divided into two sections, east and west, by Yuanyang Lake. Yuanyang Lake is formed by the confluence of hot springs that flow all year round at 37°C and cold springs that are freezing cold, making the lake water half cold and half warm. In the severe winter, the lake is still rippling with blue waves and mist rising. The highest point of the Great Wall is the "Fairy Tower", which requires climbing the "ladder to heaven". The ladder to heaven is 100 meters high, with a slope of 85 degrees, almost vertical, and it is impossible to conquer it without courage. Looking up, the brick and stone steps are only wide enough for feet, with steep cliffs on both sides. The step in the middle is as thin as a line, as thin as a blade, and as steep as a stand. People can't help but sigh and take a breath of cold air when looking at the ladder. Climbing up the Fairy Tower, the scenery is indeed more magnificent and beautiful. Looking down at the cliffs under your feet, they are as sharp as a knife and an axe. A few wisps of mist hang on the cliffs, making them even more steep and dangerous. The Jinshanling Great Wall and the Simatai Great Wall in the northwest are integrated into one, just like a dragon about to take off. The enemy towers of different sizes and shapes on the Great Wall are built on various commanding heights just right, majestic, cold and upright. The entire section of the Great Wall is perfect and harmonious, magnificent, and shows its ingenuity, strangeness, majesty and magnificence everywhere. Look at the continuous Yanshan Mountains surging up, stacking up countless fantasies; look at the boundless North China Plain, which stretches all the way to the horizon as far as the eye can see. In this broad and strange scenery, one can't help but imagine.
Beijing Xuanwu Art Park
Xuanwu Art Park is located at No. 12 Huaibaishu Street, Xuanwu District, covering an area of 7.37 hectares. The original site was the Shanguo Temple, which was rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. It became the most scenic spot in the capital during the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty and was listed as one of the eight temples and three mountains in the capital. In the late 1950s, the forest was gradually converted into Xuanwu Park, which was later destroyed by an earthquake. In 1983, it was replanned and redesigned, and the following year it was converted into Xuanwu Art Park, covering an area of 73,700 square meters.
Ming Tombs
The Ming Tombs are located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, about 50 kilometers away from Beijing. The mausoleum area is surrounded by mountains, with a plain in the middle. There is a winding river in front of the mausoleum, with beautiful mountains and rivers and pleasant scenery. The thirteen imperial tombs were all built on the mountain, on the foot of the east, west and north sides, forming a complete, large-scale and magnificent mausoleum complex. The sorcerers of the Ming Dynasty believed that this was a "feng shui" wonderland and an excellent "auspicious land". Therefore, it was selected by the Ming Dynasty as the "longevity domain" for the construction of imperial tombs. The mausoleum was built in 1409 and has a history of more than 300-600 years. The mausoleum area covers an area of 40 square kilometers. It is the largest existing imperial mausoleum complex in China and even in the world, with the most mausoleums of emperors and empresses. The Thirteen Tombs is a naturally standardized mountainous area. Its mountains belong to the remnant of Taihang Mountain, connecting to Juyong in the west, Huanghua Town in the north, and Changping Prefecture in the south. It is not only a barrier for the mausoleums, but also a northern screen for the capital. Taihang Mountain starts from Zezhou, winding northward for thousands of miles, and reaches Juyongguan, where thousands of peaks stand tall and winding eastward, rising from the ground to become Tianshou Mountain (formerly known as Huangtu Mountain). The mountain is lofty, majestic, broad, and powerful. Gu Yanwu, a famous scholar in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, once wrote a poem to describe the superior situation here: "The mountains come from the south, like a flying dragon; the east foot sits on Lulong, the west ridge gallops Taihang; the rear is sitting on Huanghua (referring to Huanghua Town), and the front faces the capital; there is a Wannian residence in the middle, named Kangjiazhuang; it can accommodate millions of people, and the Mingtang is suddenly opened." This beautiful natural landscape was regarded as a Feng Shui treasure land by feudal rulers. The Ming Tombs are both a unified whole, and each mausoleum is an independent unit, and the specifications of the mausoleums are similar. Each mausoleum was built in front of a mountain. The distance between the mausoleums is as little as half a kilometer and as much as eight kilometers. Except for Siling, which is located in the southwest corner, the rest are fan-shaped and arranged on the left and right of Changling. Under the guidance of traditional Chinese Feng Shui theory, the Ming Tombs, from site selection to planning and design, paid great attention to the harmonious unity of mausoleum buildings and natural mountains, rivers and vegetation, pursuing the perfect state of "made by heaven and earth" to embody the philosophical view of "harmony between man and nature". As an outstanding representative of ancient Chinese imperial tombs, the Ming Tombs show the rich connotation of Chinese traditional culture. This layout of building mausoleums on the mountain has also been praised by foreign experts. For example, the famous British historian Joseph Needham said: The imperial mausoleum is a major achievement in Chinese architectural form. The content of its entire pattern may be the greatest example of the combination of the entire architectural part and landscape art. He commented that the Ming Tombs are "the greatest masterpiece". His experience is that "from the gatehouse, you can enjoy the view of the entire valley, and contemplate its solemn scene on an organic plane. All the buildings in the meantime are integrated with the scenery, and the wisdom of the people is well expressed by the skills of architects and builders." British urban planner Edmund Bacon also highly praised the artistic achievements of the Ming Tombs. He believed that "the most magnificent example of 'movement' in architecture is the tomb of the emperor of the Ming Dynasty." He pointed out: the layout of the mausoleum complex built on the mountain "is so magnificent, and the volume within the entire valley is used to commemorate the dead king." They vividly depicted the organic combination of Ming Tombs architecture and natural landscape. In 2003, the Ming Tombs were included in the World Heritage List. The World Heritage Committee commented: The royal tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties were carefully selected according to the Feng Shui theory, and a large number of buildings were cleverly placed underground. It is the product of human change of nature, embodies traditional architectural and decorative ideas, and explains the world view and power view of feudal China that lasted for more than 5,000 years. The Ming Tombs are the general name for the royal mausoleums of the 13 emperors after the Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing. They are Changling (Chengzu), Xianling (Renzong), Jingling (Xuanzong), Yuling (Yingzong), Maoling (Xianzong), Tailing (Xiaozong), Kangling (Wuzong), Yongling (Shizong), Zhaoling (Muzong), Dingling (Shenzong), Qingling (Guangzong), Deling (Xizong), and Siling (Sizong), so they are called the Thirteen Tombs. The scenic spots that have been opened in the scenic area include Changling, Zhaoling, Dingling, and Shenlu. It is one of the best preserved mausoleums of Chinese emperors. In 2011, the National Tourism Administration approved the Ming Tombs Scenic Area as a national 5A-level tourist attraction.
Beijing Yunmengshan Great Wall Ruins Park
Yunmengshan Great Wall Ruins Park is more than 90 kilometers away from downtown Beijing, along the Miyun Reservoir in the east and the Yunmeng Mountains in the west. The park is located on the eastern edge of Yunmeng Mountain. The mountains are beautiful and natural, with undulating and exquisitely designed peaks, often hidden in the clouds. It is known as the "Huangshan Mountain in the North". Among the existing Great Wall ruins in the park, some sections were built during the Northern Qi Dynasty; while most of them were built in the early Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall is a pure stone structure single-sided inner Great Wall, stretching from the northeast to the southwest, just like a majestic stone dragon, floating on the undulating mountain tops. The park organizes large-scale Mid-Autumn Moon Appreciation Festival, Golden Autumn Chestnut Festival, Double Ninth Festival Climbing Festival and other activities every year. Climbing high and looking far away is refreshing. The panoramic view of Miyun Reservoir in the east is in full view, and the Yunmeng Canyon in the west is in full view. Yunmengshan Great Wall Ruins Park is more than 90 kilometers away from downtown Beijing, along the Miyun Reservoir in the east and the Yunmeng Mountains in the west. The park is located on the eastern edge of Yunmeng Mountain. The mountain is beautiful and natural, with undulating and exquisite design. The peaks are protruding and often hidden in the clouds. It is known as the "Huangshan Mountain in the North". Beijing Yunmengshan Great Wall Ruins Park is located more than 90 kilometers northeast of Beijing and west of Miyun Reservoir, covering an area of more than 7,000 acres. It is located on the eastern edge of Yunmeng Mountain. The mountain is beautiful and natural, with peaks protruding and often hidden in the clouds. It is known as the "Huangshan Mountain in the North". It is said that some sections of the existing Great Wall ruins belong to the Northern Qi Dynasty; most of them were built in the early Ming Dynasty and belong to the west of the three routes of the east, middle and west of the Jizhen border wall. The Shitangling section starts from Shitangling in the north and ends at Kailiankou in the south. It is 92 miles long and has 12 pass forts, 3 wall towers, and 59 hollow enemy towers. It was first built during the Hongwu and Yongle years, and was repaired and rebuilt during the Longqing and Wanli years. The walls of the Yunmengshan Great Wall Ruins Park are mostly built with rocks, filled with rammed earth, and stacked with battlements on the outside; stone strips are piled under the enemy tower, and blue bricks are laid on top; the fortress city is placed at the key point of land and water. In the Qing Dynasty, only the fortress city was used and the Great Wall fell into disrepair. The upper half of the wall is mostly incomplete, adding a bit of vicissitudes; however, the lower half is mostly preserved intact, winding and undulating between the valleys, and has been integrated with it, and it is not allowed to be slightly modified. The southern Shuigu Mountain of Baihe is also called Diliugua Mountain. The cliff faces west, and the wall is winding from north to south according to the situation. It is connected with three enemy towers such as Sandao Bianlou, Jiangjunlou, and Sifanglou, as well as a circular beacon tower. It is now called Sizuolou Mountain. The Great Wall of Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park crosses Qingxi River in the south (now called Yunmeng Gorge), and the ruins of Dongshuigu Pass and Gushui Pass still exist (about six miles south of Lilin Resort). During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, Fan Chengxun, the 19th grandson of Fan Zhongyan, a famous minister of the Song Dynasty and the Minister of War, retired and "climbed to the top of the mountain with a few strategies to see its magnificent atmosphere and complete city walls". He chose to build Qingxi Villa in the north of Qingdian Stream (in the reservoir area of about six miles east of Lilin Resort). Today, the city walls of the mountain stream can be vaguely discerned, and the grand view of Miyun Reservoir can be seen. Among the existing Great Wall ruins in Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park, some sections were built during the Northern Qi Dynasty; and most of them were built in the early Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall is a pure stone structure single-sided inner Great Wall, stretching from the northeast to the southwest, just like a majestic stone dragon floating on the undulating mountain tops. Every year, the park organizes large-scale activities such as the Mid-Autumn Moon Appreciation Festival, the Golden Autumn Chestnut Festival, and the Double Ninth Festival. Climbing high and looking far away is refreshing. The panoramic view of Miyun Reservoir in the east and the Yunmeng Canyon in the west are all in sight.